: , , , , - 28 . Experience MIG's Innovative Technology at EXHIBITORLIVE! Were constantly looking for whats next and new ways to capture attention. EXHIBITORLIVE! is a great place for discovering emerging trends within the exhibit/trade show marketing and corporate event space. Exhibitor Magazine hosts their 29th annual conference for trade show exhibition and corporate event marketing professionals at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Multi Image Group (MIG) will be there presenting their latest attention-grabbing, creative content and technologies in business. Interested in attending? Request your free exhibit hall pass & attend EXHIBITORLIVE! 2017 as MIGs guest! Multi Image Group knows that this unique community of professionals is always on the lookout for innovative technology that will help elevate brands and leave a positive lasting impression in the minds of audiences of all sizes. This year at Booth #1167, MIG will be showing off some of the latest innovations in technology and how they apply it using custom creative solutions, which enable brands to tell their unique stories in a memorable way. Attendees can take in everything from holographic displays, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Gamification experiences, transparent LED screens, The BeamPro (a roving videoconferencing system on wheels), and a spin-to-win for a prize, courtesy of MIGs animated interactive prize wheel. MIGs team will also be at the booth to share success stories for how they can help organizations create transformational experiences for their audiences. Were constantly looking for whats next and new ways to capture attention, said Robert Sclafani, co-owner of MIG. EXHIBITORLIVE! is a great place for discovering emerging trends, tactics, and technology within the exhibit/trade show marketing and corporate event space. More information is available online here. MIG is a woman-owned, family-run event production company specializing in live events, exhibitions, and creative digital content. For over 37 years nationwide, MIG has delivered breakthrough event solutions to some of the worlds best-known companies, who return to us year after year for our unique combination of strategic expertise, creative talent, digital prowess, flawless execution and multi-disciplinary capabilities. Installation Complete Coming to the aid of a hotel in Temecula, California, the leader in professional grade bird control products for commercial, industrial and residential applications provided its time-tested Heavy Duty Bird Netting to address a pest bird problem. Springhill Hotel in Temecula was having a problem with black crows. The birds, gathering in large numbers, were building nests, leaving droppings on and around the hotel, and creating considerable noise, which disturbed hotel guests. The hotels owner enlisted the help of Zenon Vargas of Vargas Ultimate Landscaping to install Bird B Gones Heavy Duty Bird Netting to address and solve the crow problem. A man lift was needed to properly and safely install the 50 x 25 Heavy Duty Bird Netting over the hotels facade, which rose to a height of 80 feet. Once installed, the stone colored netting was virtually invisible. Bird B Gones high-density, flame resistant (270F melting point) polyethylene knotted netting satisfied the rigorous demands of this venue. Rot-proof, non-conductive and stable in sub-zero temperatures, the netting is comprised of 12 monofilaments, each 12/1000 thick with U.V. stabilizers added. The monofilaments, twisted together to produce a strong twine with 410-430 twists per meter, are ISO 1806 protocol mesh tested in excess of 116 lbs. The bird netting solved the issues the hotel had with black crows and blended aesthetically with the hotels color scheme. The hotels owner even asked the installer, Zenon Vargas, to install 10 more gables of netting at the same hotel. The installer had been using Bird B Gone for over 8 years. He was very pleased with the product and will continue to use it for future installations. Bird B Gone is the worlds largest manufacturer and distributor of bird control products, providing effective and humane solutions to a bird-free environment. The company provides advice; training and installation services for those who need help with these and other bird control measures. For the complete line of products from Bird B Gone, call 1-800-392-6915; fax: 949-472-3116 or visit our website at http://www.birdbgone.com, e-mail: nobirds(at)birdbgone(dot)com. 2017 EarthRoamer XV-LTS We took cues from the angular look of the new Ford F-550 to inspire the design of our new front bumper and fender flares, to create a cohesive look for the 2017 XV-LTS. Tyler Tatro, President & COO of EarthRoamer EarthRoamer, the global leader in expedition vehicle engineering, manufacturing and design, is known for its commitment to building the most capable, luxurious, and innovative overland vehicles in the world. Living up to its reputation, EarthRoamer has once again pushed the envelope of innovation by introducing the new 2017 XV-LTS. This newest edition of the best-selling XV-LT line is built on the fully redesigned Ford F-550 and features a host of new upgrades from Ford and EarthRoamer. The 2017 EarthRoamer XV-LTS is loaded with new features. Starting with the biggest upgrade, Ford has completely redesigned its Super Duty truck line for 2017. Taking cues from the best-selling F-150, the new Super Duty is constructed with a high-strength, military grade, aluminum alloy body. Accompanying the new body is an all-new high-strength steel frame. Together, the new body and frame reduce overall weight while increasing strength and rigidity. Other improvements include a powertrain delivering 330 horsepower and 750 foot pounds of torque to the tires, an upgraded driveline that supports a higher maximum Gross Combination Weight Rating and larger, more powerful brakes. Not to be outdone, EarthRoamer added an array of new upgrades to the 2017 XV-LTS. A completely redone front-end includes a new bumper with an integrated 40 curved LED light bar, all new off-road lighting package and new fender flares. Along with the new front-end, a new EarthRoamer gauge cluster and control panel fit seamlessly into the redesigned center console of the 2017 F-550. We took cues from the angular look of the new Ford F-550 to inspire the design of our new front bumper and fender flares, to create a cohesive look for the 2017 EarthRoamer. Tyler Tatro, President & COO of EarthRoamer The first 2017 EarthRoamer XV-LTS rolled off the production line this week. Visit http://www.earthroamer.com for more information and how to order. Since 1998, EarthRoamer has been redefining luxury camping and overland travel with its solar powered four wheel drive expedition vehicles. Handcrafted at the base of the Rocky Mountains, each vehicle is built custom to order by our team of expert craftsmen. House Buyers of America, the company that provides competitive cash offers for homes As Is, is pleased to report astounding growth. When comparing Q4 2015 to Q4 2016, the results show 1175 percent growth in net income. Of course, we are thrilled about this explosive growth, says CEO Nick Ron. The real estate industry typically slows down during the winter months and comes to a near standstill over the holiday season, yet House Buyers of America grew rapidly during this time. The reasons behind this success is our years of investing in technology, training, processes and systems. We are now seeing the snowball effect from years of laying the groundwork and building on our past accomplishments. We are growing well past our wildest expectations! Word-of-mouth advertising has also been a key factor in House Buyers of Americas rapid growth. People are waking up to the new reality that there are alternatives to the traditional real estate model, continues Ron. Homeowners no longer have to go through a Realtor to sell their house. Word is out that people who want to sell their home As Is for cash can simply call us or go on our website and get an offer in 10 minutes! Our competitive cash offers are among the best in the industry, and with rapid closings, homeowners can liquidate their property in days. We are excited to be able to offer homeowners the chance to get cash, fast, for their homes and move on with their lives without having to do a single home repair, complete a renovation or pay Realtor commissions. The company is continuing to turn its industry upside down with its unique and proven business model. House Buyers of America is reinventing the residential real estate industry with its innovative service, its leveraging of technology and its systems to offer a superior customer experience, concludes Ron. To get a fast (often in as little as 10 minutes over the phone) and very competitive cash offer for your house As Is in Virginia, Maryland or Washington, DC, please visit housebuyersofamerica.com/about and https://housebuyersofamerica.com/get-offer. About House Buyers of America House Buyers of America is a residential real estate investment company headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia. By using House Buyers of America, home owners no longer have to pay real estate commissions, deal with real estate agents, or fix up their properties. The company offers a guaranteed, fast and hassle-free sale to people who want to sell their house for cash. House Buyers of America buys each property As Is and renovates the house if necessary, so sellers do not need to spend their time or money readying their property for sale. Contact Details: House Buyers of America, Inc. 14420 Albemarle Point Place, Suite 150 Chantilly, VA 20151 Phone: 1-855-659-3289 Source: House Buyers of America, Inc. ### I'm honored that Advanced Biofuels USA continues to be recognized as part of this group for the work of this all-volunteer organization Readers and editors of the international online publication, Biofuels Digest, for the seventh consecutive year, recognized Advanced Biofuels USA executive director Joanne Ivancic as one of the Top 100 People in the Advanced Bioeconomy. Lately, it seems that attention to the work being done to achieve a truly renewable sustainable energy future has waned. Biofuels Digest, 'the world's most-widely read biofuels daily' keeps its eye on those persevering toward this goal. I'm honored that Advanced Biofuels USA continues to be recognized as part of this group for the work of this all-volunteer organization, said Ivancic. It acknowledges the work done by all the volunteers who comprise the organization. "It is because of the innovation, vision, investment and dedication of the people on this list that the US and other countries around the world are steps closer to using the world's limited resources more efficiently and effectively," noted Ivancic. "The work they are doing converts waste to fuels and products; improves agricultural practices and products for the benefit of fuels, fibers, feeds, food and more; and keeps sustainability at the forefront of considerations of progress. I'm so glad that the readers and editors of Biofuels Digest continue to recognize their achievements." Advanced Biofuels USA, a nonprofit educational organization, advocates for the adoption of advanced biofuels as an energy security, economic development, military flexibility and climate change mitigation solution. Technology neutral and feedstock agnostic, the organization helps clarify details of controversial issues, provides information about job opportunities, helps teachers and students prepare educational materials in science, math and social lessons related to energy security, economic development and environmental sustainability challenges. The website, http://www.AdvancedBiofuelsUSA.org, serves a world-wide audience as a free library of more than 15,000 posts with information helping investors, researchers, producers, legislators, opinion-leaders and consumers understand from seed to wheel biofuels and related biomaterials. *** For more information about Advanced Biofuels USA, see http://www.AdvancedBiofuelsUSA.org For more about the Top 100 in Bioenergy, see http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2016/01/31/the-top-100-people-in-the-advanced-bioeconomy-2016/ Advanced Biofuels USA,a nonprofit educational organization advocates for the adoption of advanced biofuels as an energy security, military flexibility, economic development and climate change mitigation/pollution control solution. Our key tool for accomplishing this is our web site,http://www.AdvancedBiofuelsUSA.org, a resource for everyone from opinion-leaders, decision-makers and legislators to industry professionals, investors, feedstock growers and researchers; as well as journalists, teachers and students. With this acquisition, PowerSchool is able to provide a comprehensive, unified suite of applications delivering holistic and real-time analytics to impact student performance. PowerSchool, the leading provider of K-12 education technology solutions, today announced a significant incremental investment, furthering delivery of K-12s most comprehensive technology platform. PowerSchool completed its acquisition of the SunGard K-12 business from FIS, a global leader in financial services technology. Through this acquisition, PowerSchool will provide significant value to the K-12 education community by combining cloud-based school finance, HR, and payroll solutions (ERP) with the industrys leading student information system (SIS) and the Unified Classroom. With the combination of SunGard K-12s industry leading ERP into PowerSchools single platform, the Unified Classroom solution, school districts can now realize greater efficiencies and savings in their business and HR operations. By adding further capabilities in accounting, payroll and benefits administration, procurement, employee management, compliance and professional development to PowerSchools already comprehensive offering, school districts finally have an end-to-end, unified platform that will drive efficiency and productivity across all aspects of the district spend. These capabilities improve the productivity of K-12 schools and all constituents, administrators, teachers, and principals by giving them greater visibility and more control over staffing, finance, investments, compliance data, and processes. Customers will realize improved value from PowerSchools platform, which greatly reduces the need for disparate, piecemeal applications. PowerSchools solutions enable educators to streamline school operations, enhance teaching and learning activities, and more effectively engage the student and parent community at home. Districts and schools will benefit from simplified deployment and higher adoption of technology that enhances teaching and learning in the classroom. "We were thrilled to learn about this acquisition, said Ami Fogle, Technology Specialist Business Services at Blue Springs School District in Missouri. We have been using the SunGard K-12 business solution (ERP) since 1993 and have used the PowerSchool SIS since 2009. To know these two robust solutions will now work together will make running things at Blue Springs School District even more seamless." The success of improving student growth, empowering educators, and streamlining school operations hinges on technology applications working seamlessly together, said Hardeep Gulati, PowerSchool CEO. With this acquisition, PowerSchool is able to provide a comprehensive, unified suite of applications delivering holistic and real-time analytics to impact student performance, improve teacher effectiveness, provide insights into budgets, and optimize investments across all district initiatives. SunGard K-12 customers have PowerSchools commitment to ongoing development, innovation, support, and service of SunGard K-12s products including the eSchoolPLUS SIS. Customers will have continuity and significant value over time from improved innovation, support, and services delivered by the combined organization. Additionally, SunGard K-12 customers will have the option of adopting new technologies from PowerSchool, such as online registration and the Unified Classroom. SunGard K-12s product offerings greatly complement PowerSchools extensive suite of technology solutions, said Frank Lavelle, SunGard K-12 President & CEO. Joining forces enhances the value and innovation offered to schools and districts of all sizes to better meet the financial, administrative, and technology needs of 21st century school districts. PowerSchool is investing to improve the K-12 education experience with the industrys most comprehensive solution. With this addition of a strong ERP solution, school district administrators will be able to benefit from a seamless experience of staff onboarding and teacher schedule management, to improve overall finance, HR and payroll requirements for the entire district. This ERP solution, joining PowerSchools LMS, Assessment and Analytics, SISs, and Gradebook applications, completes an already formidable lineup of cloud-based technologies ideal for schools and districts of all sizes. To learn more, please attend this upcoming webinar: Overview of SunGard K-12 Acquisition. About PowerSchool Group LLC PowerSchool is the #1 leading education technology platform for K-12, serving more than 32 million students, 65 million parents, and nearly 100 million users in over 70 countries around the world. We provide the industrys first Unified Classroom experience with best-in-class, secure, and compliant online solutions, including registration and school choice, student information systems, learning management and classroom collaboration, assessment, analytics, and special education management. We empower teachers and drive student growth through innovative digital classroom capabilities, and we engage families through real-time communications across any device. Visit http://www.powerschool.com to learn more. About FIS FIS is a global leader in financial services technology, with a focus on retail and institutional banking, payments, asset and wealth management, risk and compliance, consulting, and outsourcing solutions. Through the depth and breadth of our solutions portfolio, global capabilities and domain expertise, FIS serves more than 20,000 clients in over 130 countries. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., FIS employs more than 55,000 people worldwide and holds leadership positions in payment processing, financial software and banking solutions. Providing software, services and outsourcing of the technology that empowers the financial world, FIS is a Fortune 500 company and is a member of Standard & Poors 500 Index. For more information about FIS, visit http://www.fisglobal.com. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with JAYKAL LED lamps and luminaires. Hassle-free interagency procurement and turnkey solutions designed and implemented by JAYKAL is a game-changer for the federal LED lighting market. Brian Asher, Vice President of Energy Services JAYKAL LED Solutions (JAYKAL), a leading manufacturer of LED lighting products and a supplier of turnkey lighting solutions, has been awarded dual, five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts with UNICOR after a lengthy and highly competitive bidding process. As a Category 1 IDIQ MATOC awardee, JAYKAL will supply cutting-edge LED fixture and lamp component kits to UNICOR facilities in the western United States for final assembly and eventual distribution to US federal installations around the world. These highly efficient, BAA compliant, commercial and industrial LED lighting products are already in use at dozens of federal properties. As a previous Category 1 contract awardee, JAYKAL helped produce lighting products that save the United States government tens-of-millions of dollars in electricity annually, says Brian Asher, JAYKALs Vice President of Energy Services. JAYKALs newest Category 1 contract allows us to continue our tradition of domestic manufacturing excellence with UNICOR for another five years. JAYKAL was also awarded a Category 2 IDIQ MATOC. As a Category 2 awardee, JAYKAL will provide lighting-related development, design, and installation services to the same federal agencies purchasing their BAA compliant LED luminaires. Our Category 2 contract award is incredibly exciting, says Brian Asher. As the only company awarded a contract in both categories, JAYKAL is now uniquely positioned to help the United States government make meaningful facility and building level energy reductions in an expedient and cost effective manner. By engaging JAYKAL and leveraging UNICOR's interagency procurement capability, an inefficient and deteriorating lighting system that used to take years to replace will now only take months. Hassle-free interagency procurement and turnkey solutions designed and implemented by JAYKAL is a game-changer for the federal LED lighting market. For more information about federal contracting opportunities with UNICOR and JAYKAL, please visit http://www.jaykalusa.com or call Brian Asher, Vice President of Energy Services, at 302-295-0015. JAYKAL LED Solutions is a vertically integrated manufacturer of innovative LED lighting products and a provider of energy services. JAYKAL prides itself on the quality of its products, the quality of its customer service and the surprising speed at which it can develop, certify for safety and quality and bring a new technology to market. JAYKAL maintains ownership of its intellectual property, warranty and service support and regional distribution capability at its corporate headquarters in Harbeson, Delaware. JAYKAL is a federally certified minority owned business enterprise and a SBA designated small disadvantaged business with field offices in Tampa, Florida and Hong Kong, HKSAR. SelfLube's new machines arrive and are expected to be up and running by mid February. The new equipment coupled with some process changes that we have been working on for some time should boost capacity by about 22% SelfLube is pleased to announce that it has taken delivery of new CNC equipment, which will be used to increase machining and turning capacity in its Coopersville, Michigan manufacturing plant. Adding new machines is part of SelfLube's five year plan to meet expected growth in the tooling industry. "We're primarily a CNC machine shop here," says Owner Phil Allor. "The new equipment coupled with some process changes that we have been working on for some time should boost capacity by about 22%." The machines are VF-4 Vertical Machining Centers and ST-35 Turning Centers manufactured by HAAS Automation, Inc. in Oxford, California. They are expected to be operational in mid February. The new machines are in addition to the 13,000 square feet the company added to its manufacturing facility in June of 2015. With more space and machines SelfLube is able to bulk up inventory to meet the demands of its customers. In the last few years tool builders have switched to utilizing standard components in its builds. One of the biggest constraints for the tooling industry and its ability to grow has been limited resources. However, with incorporating standard components into builds, tool shops can free up more resources in order to focus on more value added work. SelfLube plans to help with this. SelfLube is the leading U.S. manufacturer of precision mold and die components, manufacturing both conventional and self-lubricating components. As an ISO 9001:2008 registered company with eight successive quality audits with zero non-conformances, SelfLube is well positioned to supply the precision component needs of the tooling industry. Its product line consists well over 10,000 part numbers including wear plates, wear strips, bushings, gibs, parting line locks, lifter slides and many other related items. Both of our firms are big players in the real estate legal industry, and Earls depth of experience and resources brings even more capability to our firm." The Schaumburg, Illinois-based law firm Gardi & Haught, Ltd. is pleased to announce its merger with The Law Offices of Earl J. Roloff of Hanover Park as of February 6, 2017. Earl J. Roloff has been practicing real estate law since he opened his doors in 1979 and is known throughout the industry as one of the areas top real estate attorneys. He serves Chicagoland with residential real estate transactions, traditional closings, title searches, purchase and sale agreements as well as property disputes. He also has specific knowledge in counseling clients with 1031 Starker exchanges. Both of our firms are big players in the real estate legal industry, and Earls depth of experience and resources brings even more capability to our firm, said Hiten Gardi, partner at Gardi & Haught. Working together, we plan to become Chicagolands premier real estate law firm. Gardi & Haught was founded in 2003. Their real estate law practice concentrates in representing clients in residential and commercial closings, HUD closings, in addition to other areas of law such as Criminal law, Family law, Divorce, Estate Planning, Landlord Tenant law, Immigration, Personal injury, Workers compensation and corporate law, including corporate organization, incorporations, mergers and acquisitions, Series LLCs and succession plans. The merger is expected to double Gardi & Haught, Ltd.s already substantial real estate client base. Gardi said Roloffs core values align with those of Gardi & Haught. Both firms strive to represent the client with clear, responsive communication and try to reduce the clients stress to make their real estate experience a pleasant, happy one. Both firms are looking forward to a successful, strategic merger that serves Chicagoland with the most trustworthy, successful real estate representation in the area. The Law Office of Earl J. Roloff will physically join Gardi & Haught when they move to Gardi & Haughts current office space at 939 N. Plum Grove Rd., Suite C Schaumburg, IL 60173 on Feb. 6, 2017. ### About Gardi & Haught, Ltd. Gardi & Haught, Ltd. is a law firm concentrating in Real Estate law, Litigation, Immigration, Divorce, Estate Planning, Landlord Tenant law, Criminal law, Personal Injury, Worker compensation and Corporate law. Founded by Hiten R. Gardi and Thomas E. Haught in 2003, the firm is located at 939 N. Plum Grove Rd., Ste. C, Schaumburg, IL. For more information, call 847-944-9400 or visit http://www.gardilaw.com. Comalatech President Roberto Dominguez announced today the naming of David Bonilla Fuertes as the company's new CEO. David joins Comalatech amidst a banner year for the company in which they will celebrate their 10th anniversary providing solutions in the Atlassian software ecosystem. David joins Comalatech after a successful spell managing software firms in Spain including two separate businesses he founded, Bonillaware and Otogami. He also spent two years as an Atlassian Ambassador, growing their business in Europe and emerging markets. He has a strong background in management and web development, having spent almost fifteen years in roles ranging from programming to executive-level positions. Roberto, Comalatech's former CEO and new President, is very pleased to bring on board a person with such an extensive track record: "I have known David for many years, having worked closely with him when he was an Atlassian Ambassador. His motivation, drive, and character are a perfect fit with Comalatech's values, and I see him as a tremendous addition to our team." This move coincides with Roberto's transition to President, shifting him from day-to-day management to a higher-level, big picture role within the company. "I am pleased to embrace the role of President at Comalatech. Hiring David as our CEO gives me the freedom to focus on driving our company forward and developing products for the growing Atlassian user base." For David, joining Comalatech represents a major milestone in his career: "Comalatech is a company with a respected reputation and tremendous potential, and I am a big fan of its corporate culture. I am excited to meet with the team, and I think together we're going to make 2017 a year to remember." 2017 does indeed represent an important year for Comalatech. The most significant event on the calendar will be the 10th anniversary of its Comala Workflows product, marking a decade of providing solutions for Atlassian's Confluence. The company will celebrate the event at Atlassian's Euro Summit in Barcelona this May. Comalatech is a Canadian software company dedicated to providing solutions within the Atlassian ecosystem. Employing staff around the globe, the company is committed to delivering user-friendly products that enhance collaboration in today's fast moving workplace. As a supporter of Pledge 1% Comalatech is also proud to give back to the communities it calls home. Learn more about the company and its causes of choice at http://www.comalatech.com ### For high resolution photos and logos, or to schedule an interview with Roberto or David, please contact Mike Rink at mike(at)comalatech(dot)com or call 1-844-266-2521. The new logo for Unitech Aerospace Unitech Aerospace is able to offer a broad range of capabilities including design, development, engineering, tooling, manufacturing and life cycle support of composites, assemblies and metallic fabrications, Wayne Exton, CEO of Unitech Aerospace AGC AeroComposites, a global supplier of composite and metallic aerostructures, assemblies and components to the aerospace and defense industry, announced today that it has rebranded as Unitech Aerospace. Unitech Aerospace is the parent company of Unitech Composites (Hayden, Idaho), North Coast Composites and North Coast Tool & Mold (Cleveland, Ohio), Paul Fabrications (Derby, UK), Tods Aerospace (Yeovil, UK) and Tods Defence (Portland, UK). The decision to rebrand to Unitech Aerospace and focus on the the legacy names of our group companies recognizes the strong reputation for performance, quality and value that each of our companies have built over the years. By combining the strengths of these companies, Unitech Aerospace is able to offer a broad range of capabilities including design, development, engineering, tooling, manufacturing and life cycle support of composites, assemblies and metallic fabrications, said Wayne Exton, CEO of Unitech Aerospace. We are excited about this opportunity to reintroduce ourselves and our extensive capabilities to the industry and work with customers to create solutions together. To learn more about Unitech Aerospace and its companies, visit: http://www.unitech-aerospace.com. About Unitech Aerospace Unitech Aerospace provides the aerospace, marine, medical, defense, nuclear and rail industries with composite and metallic structures and components that meet demanding and complex requirements. The companys growing global footprint is currently comprised of strategically located sites providing local and immediate support to customers. Integrated solutions range from early stage design, rate production, to full-term sustainment making Unitech Aerospace the industrys trusted lifecycle partner. Millions of people have been displaced by the conflict in South Sudan. Credit: Dominic Nahr For Mercy Corps At Mercy Corps, we believe cash assistance is the most rapid, efficient and dignified manner of providing humanitarian aid The global organization Mercy Corps is expanding its programs in northern Uganda to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have fled an escalation of conflict in their country. Over the past months, the number of South Sudanese refugees arriving at Ugandas northern border has dramatically increased, with more than 1,800 daily arrivals according to the United Nations. Uganda now hosts more than half a million refugees from South Sudan. Mercy Corps will implement a cash program to help some 15,000 people in Bidibidi settlement in Yumbe, northern Uganda, which is home to over 270,000 refugees, of which two-thirds are children. Our cash grants will allow refugees to buy what they and their families need most, while also injecting much needed currency into the local economy and supporting local livelihoods, says Sean Granville-Ross, Mercy Corps Country Director for Uganda. At Mercy Corps, we believe cash assistance is the most rapid, efficient and dignified manner of providing humanitarian aid. The Mercy Corps program will focus on the most vulnerable groups of South Sudanese refugees, including the elderly, women-headed households, unaccompanied minors and people with disabilities. A cash-for-work program will be established to provide work opportunities for both refugees and residents of the host communities as part of the conflict-management measures for the settlement. Mercy Corps chose the cash-based response following its market assessment undertaken in November 2016. The study found that marketplaces within the Bidibidi settlement are growing to meet the demands of refugees, and that a cash-based response could stimulate the local economy and support trade. Mercy Corps has been working in Uganda since 2006 specializing in economic development, financial inclusion, maternal child health and nutrition, resilience, and peacebuilding and conflict management. To support Mercy Corps work in Uganda and elsewhere in the world, join us at mercycorps.org. Yello, the leading talent acquisition company, announces the availability of the 2017 Yello Collegiate Survey - Undergraduate Expectations. For the study, Yello used its proprietary data and surveyed more than 1,700 current college students to gain insight into their post-graduation, professional aspirations. Understanding todays college students salary expectations, location preferences and preferred benefits helps recruiters build recruiting marketing programs that speak directly to the audience, said Dan Bartfield, president and co-founder of Yello. Key findings of the 2017 Yello Collegiate Survey - Undergraduate Expectations include: High starting salaries are the expectation College students have high hopes for their entry-level salaries. 65 percent of college students expect to make more than $60,000 as an entry-level salary. Education and major ranked highest among the reasons college students believe they warrant this price point. Additionally, 10 percent of college students seeking jobs in the tech industry expect an entry-level salary of more than $100,000. However, college student expectations dont necessarily line up with industry averages. A recent study from the National Association of Colleges and Employers found the class of 2015 earned an average starting salary of $50,219. While entry-level salaries may not align with college students expectations, its important for employers to be transparent about prospective employees career paths and long-term salary potential, to demonstrate how the organization rewards hard work, said Bartfield. Salary gender biases still exist -- women expect to earn less than men expect to earn Women are 20 percent less likely than men to expect to earn $60,000 or more in their first year of employment. Whether conscious or unconscious, millennial females are still internalizing messages that promote gender pay gaps. Companies can help mitigate gender-based compensation discrepancies by adopting a pay transparency policy or creating diversity groups that speak to topics such as equal pay. College students value industry leadership and access to the C-suite over familiar locations/cities The top reason college students choose to work away from their hometowns or universities, is to be close to an industry hub and to gain access to influential leaders. College students value the thought leadership, expertise and innovation that comes with living and working in the hub of the industry in which they want to launch their careers. Undergrads are eager to learn from industry leaders and are willing to move away from family and friends to make that a reality. When possible, highlight your companys location in your campus branding efforts. College students are willing to move to where the industry expertise lies, said Bartfield. College students value the future more than paying down student debt Despite significant education debt, students want 401k matching as a benefit two times more than student loan repayments or additional education subsidies. Companies can use this opportunity to create collateral that highlights the 401k program, the enrollment process and ways employees can maximize this benefit. To download a full copy of the report, visit 2017 Yello Collegiate Survey - Undergraduate Expectations. Methodology Yello surveyed 1,776 collegiate students on their post-graduation, professional aspirations. All individuals anticipate graduating on or before December 31, 2017 or, on or after January 1, 2018. These participants entered Yellos database as a result of a career fair they attended at a university or diversity career fair. About Yello Yello helps multinational, enterprise companies meet, engage, capture and nurture top candidates. Yellos transformative talent acquisition technology helps its client-partners excel at hiring the right talent, at the right time. These technologies provide a unique perspective into talent acquisition, and the associated key industry metrics and data. Here at ServiceMaster By Glenn's, we have a commitment to growing talent within our local community. We understand the value of investing in young people and our hope is through these scholarships. After the success of supporting local students looking to gain higher education through their scholarship program in 2016, ServiceMaster By Glenn's is happy to announce they will again be offering the $1,500 Disaster Preparation Scholarship this year and adding an additional scholarship offering. The two scholarships are titled "ServiceMaster By Glenns $1,500 Disaster Preparation Scholarship" and "ServiceMaster By Glenns $1,000 Science of Water Damage Restoration Scholarship". The disaster preparation scholarship is geared towards any high school or college student in Florida looking to pursue or continue higher education. The science of water damage restoration scholarship is geared towards career and technical education students looking to hone their presentation skills through video. In regards to expanding their scholarship offering, Keith Grella, owner of ServiceMaster By Glenn's said, "Here at ServiceMaster By Glenn's, we have a commitment to growing talent within our local community, just as we've made it a standard to grow talent within our company. We understand the value of investing in young people and our hope is through these scholarships, we encourage students out there to pursue their goals and contribute to their community." About the ServiceMaster By Glenns $1,500 Disaster Preparation Scholarship: Learning how to properly prepare for disasters and catastrophes are valuable tools in any students skillset. This scholarship will be awarded to the high school or college student that demonstrates knowledge in how to properly prepare for hurricanes or flooding disasters. ServiceMaster By Glenns will award a grand prize scholarship of $1,000 to the 1st place student and $500 to the second place student who submits a 2-5 minute video on disaster preparation. The video must use visual aids and proper citation of research on how a business can properly prepare for a disaster. The video will be judged of the following: Content, originality, creativity,and the ServiceMaster Restore branding. Scholarship will be awarded after 6 weeks of enrollment into university or trade school classes. Student Requirement: Applicant must be a current high school or college student with plans to attend a trade school or university. How to Apply: Please visit http://waterdamagespecialists.com/scholarship to apply. Application Deadline: May 1st, 2017 All video submissions will be property of ServiceMaster by Glenns and used About the ServiceMaster By Glenns $1,000 Water Damage Restoration Scholarship: Got a technical skill to produce videos, design artwork or program? Then this scholarship is for you. The ServiceMaster By Glenn's water damage restoration scholarship will be awarded to the high school or college student that produces a visually appealing artwork or animation video on the services ServiceMaster By Glenn's provides, namely water damage. ServiceMaster By Glenns will award a grand prize scholarship of $1,000 to a student who submits a 2-4 minute video that will be produced in the style of a commercial. The video must use visual aids, proper citation of research and may use visuals, statements or service descriptions off our waterdamagespecialists.com website. The video will be judged of the following: Content, originality, creativity,and the ServiceMaster Restore branding. Scholarship will be awarded after 6 weeks of enrollment into university or trade school classes.. Student Requirement: Applicant must be a current high school or college student with plans to attend a career and technical education program. How to Apply: Please visit https://waterdamagespecialists.com/water-damage-restoration-scholarship to apply. Application Deadline: May 1st, 2017 All video submissions will be property of ServiceMaster by Glenns and used About ServiceMaster By Glenn's: ServiceMaster By Glenns provides water damage restoration, flood damage, fire damage repair, smoke damage, mold remediation and disaster planning and recovery services to the Treasure Coast. Located in Vero Beach, they service the surrounding cities of Sebastian, Ft. Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Palm City and Hobe Sound. Learn more about ServiceMaster By Glenns restoration services at http://www.waterdamagespecialists.com or call 772-567-4435, visit on Facebook at facebook.com/servicemasterbyglenns and download their app on the iTunes and Google Play store. I Am Not Who They Think I Am narrates the story of Arach Janet and Lanam Stella, two women abducted by the Lords Resistance Army as teenagers, who later were forced to become wives of commanders and bore children while in captivity. A short documentary film depicting the devastating effects of stigma and discrimination against children born of wartime sexual violence, and their mothers, in northern Uganda was released today by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and MediaStorm. I Am Not Who They Think I Am narrates the story of Arach Janet and Lanam Stella, two women abducted by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) as teenagers, who later were forced to become wives of commanders and bore children while in captivity. After eight years as hostages, they escaped the bushwith their childrenand are trying to reintegrate back into society in Gulu. Since their return, they have faced profound stigma, discrimination, and rejection from their community because of their time with the LRA rebel group, led by the notorious warlord Joseph Kony. As the film explains, the crimes committed against them have gone unaddressed and unacknowledged by the government. As a result, stigma and hardship have passed from mother to child, and sometimes even to grandchildren, in an intergenerational cycle of vulnerability and marginalization. More than 60,000 children were abducted in northern Uganda during the Conflict in northern Uganda between the LRA and the Ugandan Government, and some 8,000 were born as a consequence of sexual violence. Without urgent redress, these children will continue on a path of marginalization, poverty and further abuse. They dont have land, they dont have identity, they are rejected, they are discriminated against, says Janet, who is also Co-Director of Watye Ki Gen, a group made up of women and girls who were abducted by the LRA that organizes to uphold their rights and works for the future and welfare of their children born in captivity. We have to stand together as a country for these children and their mothers. Seeing the need, Janet and Stella have become leaders of womens groups in their Gulu community, raising awareness about the challenges faced by the children and their mothers and calling for reparations and other measures to address the harms and violations suffered by this vulnerable group. The government of Uganda should acknowledge the harms that flowed from its inability to protect its citizens. That recognition will help de-vilify these women and children in their communities, says Virginie Ladisch, Director of ICTJs Children and Youth program. This needs to be followed by concrete action: thats where reparations and redress come in. I Am Not Who They Think I Am was first screened for local communities in Kampala and Gulu, in October. The events brought together victims, cultural and religious leaders, policy makers, local politicians, donors, media, civil society representatives, professors and students for discussions on how to combat stigma these women and children are facing and bring the Uganda government to establish measures that would provide for their redress. Our decade-long experience has shown that in the hands of the right partner, film has the power to move people to action. We co-created this film to inspire, inform, and activate, and ICTJ has been able to create the kind of impact that every documentary filmmaker aspires to have, says Samia Khan, MediaStorms Director of Partnership Development. The film is part of ICTJ efforts to promote acknowledgement and accountability for victims of gross human rights violations in Uganda. In 2015, ICTJ assessed the needs of victims of the conflict in the Acholi, Lango, Teso and West Nile regions and found that the absence of redress has poisoned the atmosphere in some communities with recrimination, resentment, and stigmatization, a problem that particularly affects children born of conflict-related sexual violence and their mothers. The report, which came out in 2015, provides recommendations based on the priorities these women and children identified for justice, including the chance for children to go to school by paying their school fees or for the mothers to complete their educations. Following the films screening in Uganda, its two protagonists, Janet and Stella received an award from the French and German embassies in Uganda for their contribution to peace and reconciliation. The films online release will be followed by a premier event in New York, featuring Abigail Disney, documentary filmmaker and producer of the Women, War and Peace series; Lauren Wolfe, director of Women Under Siege; Tatyana Karanasios, deputy program director at WITNESS; and Sarah Kasande, head of ICTJs office in Uganda. The discussion is expected to begin at 6:15 PM EST and will be livestreamed via http://www.ictj.org Media representatives are invited to attend. Due to limited seating, please reserve a place by e-mailing rsvp(at)ictj.org Background The two-decade conflict in northern Uganda between the LRA and the Government of Uganda was the most long-lasting and arguably the most brutal war in Ugandan history. It was characterized by widespread and egregious violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including murder, mutilation, rape, sexual slavery, destruction of property, and mass abductions. Approximately 1.5 million people were displaced and forced to live in congested and squalid internally displaced peoples camps as a result of the violence. "We are in the midst of unprecedented changes in medicine particularly in oncology, said Goy. Physicians Education Resource, (PER), will host the 21st Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies: Focus on Leukemias, Lymphomas and Myeloma, and the symposium will be co-chaired by Andre Goy who is professor of medicine, chief of lymphoma and director at John Theurer Cancer Center, chair of oncology for Hackensack Meridian Health Network in Hackensack, New Jersey and Sager Lonial, who is a professor and chair of the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory School of Medicine, chief medical officer of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. We are in the midst of unprecedented changes in medicine particularly in oncology, said Goy. Symposiums such as Miami Hematology, offer an opportunity for each attendee to share directly with world experts how such changes can truly reshape patients care. The 21st Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies: Focus on Leukemias, Lymphomas and Myeloma is designed to facilitate application of the rapid changes seen in oncology while treating hematological malignancies. As health care continues to rapidly evolve, it becomes critical not only to be able to choose the best option for each patient precision medicine but also in an era with so many options available to appreciate the best sequence of therapies to optimize outcome. This will be addressed throughout the three-day-conference during the well-known and highly interactive Medical Crossfire discussion panels and real-world case discussions. In addition, Amy E. Herman, will speak on The Art of Perception and its Connection to the Art of Clinical Medicine. Herman is a leading expert in professional development, training some of the most influential industry leaders around the world, including the FBI, CIA, Scotland Yard and the Peace Corps. Previously, Herman was the director of the educational development for Thirteen/WNET, the public television station, serving New Jersey and New York. The three-day symposium will be held at the Trump International Miami on Feb.23-25 in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, located 3.5 miles from the Miami International Airport and 13 miles from the Fort Lauderdale International Airport. About PER Since 1995, PER has been the educational resource of choice for live and online activities focusing on oncology and hematology. PER provides high-quality, evidence-based activities featuring leading national and international faculty with a focus on practice-changing advances and standards of care in treatment and disease management. Activities also include topics on emerging strategies currently under investigation, supportive care, diagnosis and staging, prevention, screening and early detection, and practice management. With the rapid advances occurring in the field of oncology, understanding how to use molecular data to diagnose and stage patients, selecting the most appropriate candidates for novel therapeutic agents, individualizing treatment based on tumor type, and referring patients to clinical trials will continue to ensure the highest level of patient care is provided. PER serves the oncology health care community, including physicians, fellows, advanced practice nurses, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, and researchers. PER is part of the Cranbury, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. family of businesses. Learn more at http://www.gotoper.com and http://www.mjhassoc.com Our fans are always looking to us to bring new flavor twists to traditional favorites, and this time were really bringing the heat Romacorp, Inc., the parent company of Tony Romas, introduces a new, limited-time menu bringing unique and flavorful spices to Tony Romas classic menu items. The Turn Up the Heat menu features the best of Tony Romas, with each item kicked-up-a-notch to let fans explore bold, new flavors in their favorite menu items. Available starting February 1, 2017 at participating locations in the USA and around the world, the menu introduces exciting new dishes such as the Spicy Peach Rib & Peppercorn Steak Combo and the Sweet Heat Chocolate Cake. Tony Romas has been an innovator in the restaurant industry for 45 years now, and our success has been dependent on our ability to evolve with the changing tastes of our fans while introducing new menu items that surprise and delight, said Jim Rogers, Chief Marketing Officer for Romacorp, Inc. Our fans are always looking to us to bring new flavor twists to traditional favorites, and this time were really bringing the heat. We hope our guests will be as fired up as we are while they enjoy the innovative flavors on this menu. Guests can begin their meal by fanning their taste bud flames with the Harissa Maple Glazed Chicken Wings, an appetizer featuring sweet and spicy harissa wings served with a fiery jalapeno coleslaw. Rib fans can feed the fire with the Spicy Peach Rib & Peppercorn Steak Combo, a half rack of habanero-peach glazed Baby Back Ribs and a peppercorn-rubbed 6 oz. sirloin steak served with loaded mashed potatoes and broccoli. Seafood fans will love the bold flavor of the Seared Ancho-Ribbed Salmon, grilled to perfection and served with mashed potatoes and fire-roasted vegetables. Fans will be excited to keep the embers burning as they complete their meal with the Sweet Heat Chocolate Cake. Truly the cherry on top of the perfect dinner, the dessert is a chocolate cherry cake with a kick, served with basil whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. Tony Romas is also introducing two new cocktails with the limited-time menu: the Gin Blossom Romatini, made with Beefeaters gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, pear syrup, cranberry juice, and lemon juice, and the Cucumber Chili Romarita, a spicy yet refreshing take on the famous Romarita that includes Sauza cucumber chili tequila, Cointreau and agave syrup. Our guests are always looking for ways to expand their palates, but they love enjoying the classic dishes that brought them to our restaurant in the first place, said Chef Bob Gallagher, Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage. With that in mind, weve crafted a menu that brings the craveable spices our guests want and infuse these bold flavors into our world-famous dishes. About Romacorp, Inc. Romacorp, Inc., is the parent company of Tony Roma's restaurants, the world's largest casual dining concept specializing in ribs. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Romacorp, Inc. has more than 150 restaurant locations in more than 30 countries and is one of the most globally recognizable names in the industry. The first Tony Roma's restaurant opened 45 years ago in North Miami, Florida. Tony Roma's is also proud to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation (http://www.cnfl.wish.org), one of the world's leading children's charities, in an effort to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses across Central and Northern Florida. For more information about Romacorp, Inc. and Tony Roma's, visit http://www.tonyromas.com. Please visit http://www.tonyromasfranchise.com or call (866) 981-0586 for information about Tony Roma's franchising opportunities. Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) today announced that Edward Ted White has been appointed chair of its Board of Trustees. White, who has served on the board since 2012, succeeds Jose Maria Figueres, who steps down as he seeks re-election for presidency of Costa Rica in 2018. He remains a member of the board. The RMI board comprises national and international environmental ambassadors, business leaders and clean energy executives, including recently elected Todd Stern, former U.S. special envoy on climate change; Mary Powell, president and CEO of Green Mountain Power; and Elizabeth Sall, founder and president of Urban Labs LLC. White is a business lawyer and a name partner of Denver-based Moye White LLP, where he serves as co-chair of the Advanced Energy Team. He is also managing partner of Fahr LLC, the umbrella entity for the business, policy, political and philanthropic efforts of Tom Steyer, a business leader, philanthropist and renewable energy advocate. White is the founder and advisory board chair of Estabrook Funds, whose managers are global, multi-strategy absolute return investors. His civic leadership positions include founding chair of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, director of Advanced Energy Economy Institute and director of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. White graduated from Yale University with honors and received his J.D. from the New York University School of Law. I look forward to continuing to help RMI with its internationally acclaimed efforts to accelerate our energy system to a clean, secure and prosperous low-carbon future, said White. We are thrilled that Ted has accepted the offer of becoming chair of the RMI Board of Trustees. He brings incredible experience and acumen to our efforts, said Jules Kortenhorst, CEO of Rocky Mountain Institute. For a full list of trustees - http://www.rmi.org/Board%20of%20Trustees About Rocky Mountain Institute Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)an independent nonprofit founded in 1982transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. It engages businesses, communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. Ohio States College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Partners with ePortfolio Innovator Portfolium to Enhance the Career Search Process Portfolium brings a good concept to the table that fills a core need for us-Not only is Portfoliums ePortfolio platform a multimedia communication tool, but it also has the built-in flexibility required to meet the various needs of our student population Portfolium, an ePortfolio platform that enables students to capture, curate, and convert skills into job offers, announced today that they are partnering with The Ohio State Universitys College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) to bring Portfoliums cloud-based portfolio solution to CFAESs nearly 3,700 students. The partnership between Portfolium and CFAES will help increase awareness for students and other stakeholders about the importance of the job search process and the steps students need to take to launch successful careers. The college uses its expertise in agricultural research and teaching to help students gain practical knowledge that will help elevate them to the meaningful careers that they seek. The collaborative endeavor with Portfolium will integrate with the colleges learning management system, Canvas, and will help the college deepen students personal branding skills, an important part of launching an effective job search. Portfolium brings a good concept to the table that fills a core need for us. Not only is Portfoliums ePortfolio platform a multimedia communication tool, but it also has the built-in flexibility required to meet the various needs of our student population. said Dr. Tim Rhodus, Professor and CFAES Portfolium Project Leader. Were excited to be adopting and implementing Portfolium to help our students engage in the best practices of a career search. By choosing Portfolium as their ePortfolio platform, its clear that the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences is on the cutting edge of connecting students with the next step in their career, said Troy Markowitz, VP Partnerships at Portfolium. Were well positioned to help their students leverage this powerful technology to maximize the success in obtaining the positions they seek in todays ever-shifting job market. Portfolium will aid CFAES students by going beyond the traditional resume to build multi-dimensional ePortfolios, making them more attractive to potential employers in the agricultural industry, and connecting them to employers searching for students with their specific skills. As a data-driven college, CFAES is also looking forward to implementing information acquired using Portfolium to better understand and analyze their students career search process and success. ABOUT PORTFOLIUM: Portfolium partners with colleges & universities to help students transform learning into opportunity. Our ePortfolio network helps millions of students and alumni from over 150 partner institutions manage their skills and launch their careers. Portfoliums cloud-based platform empowers students with lifelong opportunities to capture, curate, and convert skills into job offers, while giving learning institutions and employers the tools they need to assess competencies and recruit talent. Media Contact: Sarah Pease or Edgar Rodriguez Portfolium 917.974.4729 or 951-256-7301 marketing(at)portfolium(dot)com Keynote Speaker Susan Shaheen, Co-Director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, UC Berkeley The last RideAmigos virtual conference was jam-packed with great insights from shared mobility operators from across all sectors. RideAmigos is pleased to host CommuteCon 2017, an industry-wide online conference focused on current trends and topics in the field of transportation demand management (TDM). The event is scheduled for Wednesday, February 8, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific). Participation is free, and open to all. The conference provides an accessible online forum where prominent leaders in the TDM field can connect with citizens, stakeholders, and other TDM professionals. It is structured around notable speakers drawn from a variety of sectors including government, education, and private enterprise. Featured speakers will present ideas and discuss trending topics in the TDM space. Registration information and a detailed schedule of speakers and topics is available at https://rideamigos.com/commutecon-2017/. Program highlights will include: *Creating strategies for changing commuter behaviors *Encouraging the adoption of alternate modes of transportation *Designing, implementing, and managing employee commuter programs *Leveraging peer-to-peer relationships through employee outreach programs *Reviewing the latest mobility legislation CommuteCon 2017 is the second such conference hosted by RideAmigos and the first to be presented under the new CommuteCon label. Keynote speaker Susan Shaheen, co-director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at the University of California-Berkeley, said, The last RideAmigos virtual conference was jam-packed with great insights from shared mobility operators from across all sectors. The Association for Commuter Transportation is also a sponsor of CommuteCon 2017. Early registration for the upcoming conference has already made CommuteCon 2017 one of the largest commuter TDM-related events in the world. It will be an annual event going forward. #### About RideAmigos RideAmigos is a Santa Monica, California-based producer of transportation demand management software. In addition to developing an online commuter management platform, RideAmigos hosts and organizes industry events and supports organizations in both the public and private sectors as they move towards more sustainable transportation and commuting policies. The companys areas of focus include intelligent rideshare matching, advanced TDM automation and integration, and the promotion of robust gamification and commuter incentive tools. 99MediaLab (http://www.99medialab.com), a company dedicated to enhancing brands through optimization and marketing tools, has launched an eBook called SEO for Plumbers. The book details 14 strategies to get plumbing companies ranking high on Googles search engine results. Search lead generation boasts a near 15 percent close rate. Display ads lag far behind at just 1.7 per cent, and with more than 95 percent of Americans turning to search engines to find the products and services they need, companies that are not optimized are losing business. The plumbing business is competitive and needs targeted strategies that go beyond just having a website. Each company needs to position itself and its brand for maximum visibility online, and the best way to do this is through search engine optimization (SEO). SEO for Plumbers can be instantly downloaded from 99MediaLabs website, giving proactive business owners practical advice to organically grow their companies through the most modern means. 99MediaLab knows that plumbers need SEO to grow their business and without it, they are missing out on profitable opportunities. Check out 99MediaLabs SEO for Plumbers guide today and get ahead of the competition. The guide is available at go.99medialab.com/plumber-seo-ebook. About 99MediaLab 99MediaLab is a B2B company offering website design and development, inbound marketing services, branding and print graphics. Services offer a high ROI by boosting online visibility and achieving high SEO rankings. For all your online and print marketing needs, count on 99MediaLab for results. Contact Details: Fredericksburg Office: 1982 William St, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Phone: 703-563-2571 Fairfax Office: 7314 Little River Turnpike #101, Annandale, VA 22003. Phone: 703-853-1820 Source: 99MediaLab LLC ### Thanx, which empowers brick-and-mortar merchants to grow their business with customer data, today announced a major upgrade to the way its merchants can capture and measure customer satisfaction using Net Promoter Score. With this new functionality, merchants can operationalize customer feedback, build data-driven customer profiles, and better understand their guests all in the name of keeping customers loyal and happy. Introduced in 2003 by Bain and Company, Net Promoter Score is the industry-standard barometer of customer experience and business health. Thanx is the first mobile technology that connects NPS to an individual customer who made a specific purchase at a precise location. Because feedback is received moments after service, it can be used to quickly make operational improvements, placate a disappointed customer or thank a loyal one. In a business climate where 79% of customers would take their business to a competitor after receiving poor customer service, businesses must take a proactive, data-driven stance in monitoring and addressing customer feedback to solidify and grow guest loyalty, said Zach Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Thanx. Actionable feedback is critical for running a business today. Now, with the product upgrades announced today, Thanx customers can easily track NPS over time and across multiple locations. Merchants can set measurable goals for performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and hone in on customer satisfaction with easy-to-understand data. Additionally, guest feedback is sorted by urgency, so merchants can cut through the noise and prioritize customers who need immediate attention. I am excited to be able to arm our merchants with a simple, automated solution for easily tracking customer satisfaction over time. NPS is a powerful solution but like every feature in Thanx, our NPS implementation makes it simple to collect feedback, pinpoint issues in service and quality, and improve operations over time, Goldstein added. Multi-location merchants can learn more at a free webinar on February 8th at 11am PST. Sign up here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9203075432442553090 About Thanx Thanx helps offline businesses drive deeper, data-driven relationships with their best customers. Thanx's turnkey solution collects critical customer data and uses it to deliver automated marketing campaigns that deliver real ROI. While the vast majority of loyalty programs today are languishing, Thanx has the highest retention rate in the industry thanks to its frictionless customer and merchant experience. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, Thanx is financed by Sequoia Capital and other elite Silicon Valley investors. Thanx has thousands of customers across more than twenty retail verticals. As a follow-up to The Spheres at MacArthur Park, the massive Portraits of Hope http://www.portraitsofhope.org/ public art and civic project that saw 3,000 large and colorful spheres float at the historic downtown Los Angeles lake, Portraits of Hope is setting its sights on concepts and proposals for next generation water projects including for Chicago and D.C. The new concepts also involve focal points in both cities and could begin as soon as the respective jurisdictions give the green light. The most developed of Portraits of Hopes next generation of water projects is for Chicago and involves Chicagos iconic bridges. These Portraits of Hope concepts are a continuation of the programs large-scale, national projects which have brightened and visually transformed public settings and symbols ranging from the NYC taxi fleet, blimps, planes, lakes and buildings to LAs coastal lifeguard towers, race cars, laundromats/lavanderias, and frontline fire and rescue vehicles by working with organizations from NASA to NASCAR. The Chicago Bridges project, entitled, Lifting Spirits, would be a privately funded Portraits of Hope public art and civic initiative that would culminate in a temporary installation of vibrant, all-weather, tarpaulin material on the undercarriages of up to 18 Chicago Loop bridges for a six-month exhibition. As a Portraits of Hope project, the initiative would directly involve 9,000+ children and adults in Chicago-area hospitals, schools, after-school programs, and social service groups. The project scale, scope, and geography falls under both the city and federal jurisdiction. To date, The Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Coast Guard have signed off on the proposed Portraits of Hope initiative. The public exhibition would be unprecedented in that the exhibition involving up to 175,000 sq. ft. of underside bridge surface area would retain and maintain the current Chicago city street vistas and above ground views on most days. However, and enticingly, for a few special hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, during Spring and Summer, when the respective moveable bridges are raised sequentially, the erect undersides would reveal vibrant, hand-painted, Portraits of Hope color fields, painted by children and adults from more than 100 hospitals, schools, social service, and civic institutions participating in the project. ARUP engineers who have been instrumental in several previous Portraits of Hope civic projects -- are spearheading the technical solutions process with the CDOT. In utilizing the undersides of the moveable bridges, and directly involving more than 9,000 youngsters and adults, the project, Lifting Spirits, would create a temporary though high-profile public artwork that would make for never-before views for Chicago residents and visitors alike. (see Chicago images attached to release). For those viewers wanting an up-close, around-the-clock, look of the artwork, they would only need to descend below bridge level on the river and look upwards at the bridge bottoms from recreational boats, barges, and touring ferries. On land, bike riders, joggers and walkers on the Chicago River Walk would have exclusive below street-surface views of the civic artwork. Traditional to Portraits of Hope projects; the paintings would be painted off-site, on all-weather exterior tarpaulins. The artwork would be hand-painted in the traditional 14-color palette art themes evidenced in the programs public projects. For the temporary exhibition, the soft-material paintings would be fastened to the steel under-structure of each bridge. The programmatic phase of the project which would include the creation of the art panels for the bridges would begin months prior to the installation. The program sessions would be implemented directly at schools, hospitals, and other youth service and civic locations. As part of the structured programmatic sessions that precede the installation, the youth most who would engage through their educational institutions would participate in interdisciplinary civic education activities that allow them to express their views on local and national issues and to recognize the importance of teamwork and broad cooperation in effecting positive change in their communities. For children in hospitals and persons undergoing treatments for disabilities, the project would serve as creative therapy, and attention would be focused on the activities associated with the creation of the collaborative artwork. Backstory: In 2012 at the conclusion of a Portraits of Hope Chicago project with the General Services Administration (GSA), Ed Massey was walking in downtown Chicago when suddenly one of the bridges arose. At that moment, an idea and concept was born. Ed shared his vision with GSA who made introductions and connected Ed with City of Chicago officials who he briefed about the concept for a major public art and civic project involving Chicagos bridges and thousands of its kids. That started the ongoing process for many conversations and meetings and which are part of every major POH project from coast to coast. Details on the proposed D.C. project will be announced soon. For more info: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Portraits-of-Hope/162666860449752; http://www.portraitsofhope.org/ About Portraits of Hope: Portraits of Hope http://www.portraitsofhope.org/, a 501 (c)(3) program, develops high-profile motivational art and civic projects that merge the production and exhibition of dynamic public art with creative therapy for hospitalized children, civic education for students in schools, and community engagement opportunities for people of all ages. Founded by brothers Ed Massey and Bernie Massey, the Portraits of Hope program is aimed at enriching the lives of children and adults - many who may be coping with serious illness, disabilities, adversity, or socio-economic challenges - through their participation in creative, educational, high-profile, one-of-a-kind projects. Portraits of Hope has involved tens of thousands of children and adults in huge civic collaborations - in the U.S. and abroad that have visually transformed everything from airplanes, lakes, buildings, tugboats, and the New York City taxi fleet to LAs coastal lifeguard towers, race cars, blimps, laundromats/lavanderias, and frontline fire and rescue vehicles, by working with organizations from NASA to NASCAR. More than 1,000 hospitals, schools, and social service agencies have directly participated in Portraits of Hope projects in addition to a broad array of adult civic groups. Today, Buyers Laboratory (BLI), a division of Keypoint Intelligence, bestowed its most prestigious Printer/MFP awards, announcing the winners of the 2017 Printer/MFP Line of the Year awards. Presented once a year by BLI, the worlds leading authority on document imaging devices and solutions, the Line of the Year awards honor the manufacturers whose product line is determined to be the best overall based on the cumulative test results of all models tested in BLIs rigorous two-month laboratory evaluation. The selections are made by BLIs highly experienced staff of technicians and analysts after subjecting scores of devices from every major OEM to BLIs exhaustive, comprehensive lab tests. And the winners are BROTHER INTERNATIONAL, INC. 2017 Monochrome Printer/MFP Line of the Year LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL INC. 2017 Color Printer/MFP Line of the Year Brothers Monochrome Line Promises Value and Reliability Brother has won BLIs 2017 Monochrome Printer/MFP Line of the Year award. All 10 Brother monochrome devices tested by BLI over the past year earned the Highly Recommended rating for their outstanding overall performance throughout BLIs lab testing, while eight of them also claimed individual Pick awards. Brothers monochrome products have always been known for their excellent reliability, intuitive design, and great overall value, said BLI Director of Office Equipment Product Analysis Marlene Orr. With the recent introduction of their workhorse models, Brother has a complete and robust line for business users. Adding in features, like NFC technology, a wide variety of mobile print support and the award-winning Brother Web Connect, which lets users scan documents to searchable and editable file types and route them to, or print from, popular cloud platforms, its clear why Brothers monochrome products are an excellent choice for business. Brother is committed to providing businesses with document imaging technology that addresses todays ever evolving business challenges, said Steve Feldstein, Director of Marketing for Brother International Corporations Business Laser & Scanner Products. We are honored to be selected for BLIs 2017 Monochrome Printer/MFP Line of the Year. This recognition validates our continued focus on providing businesses with a wide range of printers and MFPs offering business-centric features and solutions while delivering an extremely low total cost of ownership. Lexmarks Color Line Offers Robust Functionality and Low TCO Based on the strength and breadth of the range of Lexmarks color printers and MFPs tested by BLI, Lexmark has earned BLIs 2017 Color Printer/MFP Line of the Year. All six products tested for the Winter 2017 test season have earned BLIs Highly Recommended rating and have gone on to win Pick awards. Combined with four other previously tested models, three of which were Highly Recommended and received Pick awards, its clear why BLI analysts chose Lexmarks color line. From small workgroups through large departments, Lexmark offers a color printer or MFP designed to meet the needs of business users, said BLI Director of Office Equipment Product Analysis Marlene Orr. Lexmarks color models offer maximum uptime, thanks to strong reliability and high-yield consumables, coupled with an outstanding value, thanks to their low total cost of ownership. Winning BLIs Color Printer/MFP Line of the Year award further validates our commitment to providing our customers innovative products and solutions that help propel their business forward, said Allen Waugerman, Lexmark senior vice president and chief technology officer. By combining quality, reliability, speed and ease of use with a low total cost of ownership, our industry-leading color printers and MFPs deliver best-in-class results for our customers. About Buyers Laboratory Buyers Laboratory (BLI) is the world's leading independent provider of analytical information and services to the digital imaging and document management industry. For over 50 years, buyers have relied on BLI to help them differentiate products strengths and weaknesses and make the best purchasing decisions, while industry sales, marketing and product professionals have turned to BLI for insightful competitive intelligence and valued guidance on product development, competitive positioning and sales channel and marketing support. Using BLIs web-based bliQ and Solutions Center services, 40,000 professionals worldwide create extensive side-by-side comparisons of hardware and software solutions for over 15,000 products globally, including comprehensive specifications and the performance results and ratings from BLIs unparalleled Lab, Solutions and Environmental Test Reports, the result of months of hands-on evaluation in its US and UK labs. The services, also available via mobile devices, include a comprehensive library of BLIs test reports, an image gallery, hard to find manufacturers literature and valuable tools for configuring products, calculating total cost of ownership (TCO) and annual power usage. BLI also offers consulting and private, for-hire testing services that help manufacturers develop and market better products and consumables. For more information on Buyers Laboratory, please call 973-797-2100, visit http://www.buyerslab.com, or email info(at)buyerslab.com. About Keypoint Intelligence Keypoint Intelligence is a global data and market intelligence leader for the digital imaging industry. The company has over 125 professionals around the world who provide critical planning and go-to-market services, including in-depth market research, competitive intelligence, sales training, product testing, content creation, and customer engagement. For more information, contact Mike Fergus at mike.fergus(at)buyerslab.com or +1 973.797.2150. Cybereason, developers of the worlds only military-grade, real-time detection and response platform, was named to Built in Bostons 50 Boston Startups to Watch in 2017 list. Cybereason is the only cybersecurity company included on the watch list. Cybereason is the fastest growing cybersecurity company in Boston and is quickly becoming the choice for enterprises looking to combat sophisticated threats. In 2016, Cybereason more than doubled its workforce to 240 employees, experienced revenue growth of more than 300 percent and moved its global headquarters into the iconic 62-story, 790-foot skyscraper at 200 Clarendon Street, still referred to by most people as The John Hancock Building, a hallmark of Bostons vibrant economy. More than 100 of Cybereasons employees are based in Boston. The Boston office includes more than 15,000 square feet of space and provides Cybereason with the room needed to support new hires and affirm its commitment to Boston as its international profile skyrockets. In June 2016, the company was named One of the Best Places to Work by Boston Business Journal readers. We are delighted to be recognized as the only cybersecurity company on Built in Bostons Watch List in 2017. Boston is our home and I could not think of a better city for my company and family to be. Were located in the heart of Boston and we aspire to attract the best talent that Boston has to offer. Our goal as a company is to rid the world of cybercrime and to become a Boston institution, said Lior Div, co-founder and CEO of Cybereason. "As one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity startups in the world, we're excited to see what Cybereason has in store this year. The company racked up multiple industry honors in 2016, and has many open positions for tech workers in Boston, said Justine Hofherr, staff writer at Built In Boston. Cybereason has received many awards and accolades since its founding. Juniper Research named Cybereason one of the Top Three Disruptive Innovators to watch in 2016. SC Magazine named Cybereason the 2016 Rookie Security Company of the Year. Also, CEO Lior Div was a 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year New England Finalist. In addition, Infosecurity Products Guide named Div 2016 CEO of the Year and Computer Reseller News recognized Cybereason for having one of the 16 hottest products launched at Black Hat 2016. And Dark Reading named the company one of the 20 Cyber Security Startups to Watch in 2016. About Cybereason: Founded by members of the Israeli intelligence agencys elite cybersecurity Unit 8200, the Cybereason platform mirrors the founders expertise in managing some of worlds most complex hacking operations. The Cybereason Detection and Response Platform leverages big data, behavioral analytics and machine learning to uncover, in real-time, complex cyber attacks designed to evade traditional defenses. It automates the investigation process, connects isolated malicious events and visually presents a full malicious operation. The platform is available as an on-premise solution or a cloud-based service. Cybereason is privately held and headquartered in Boston with offices in London, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. For more information, please visit: Website: http://www.cybereason.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Cybereason Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Cybereason LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/cybereason Media Contact: Bill Keeler Director, Public Relations Cybereason bill.keeler(at)cybereason(dot)com (508) 414-7755 (cell) Destin Charity Wine Auction celebration team kicks off the 2016 auction in style These vintners belief in us in our early years created a level of credibility that allowed us to attract other quality winemakers and participants, which in turn has allowed us to donate more than $13 million dollars to children in need in NW Florida." Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) announces its annual honorary vintners for the 2017 wine auction weekend, hosted April 28 30. The auction kicks off Friday evening with 14 patron dinners hosted in some of the Emerald Coasts most beautiful homes and restaurants. The auction and reserve wine tasting take place on Grand Boulevards North Lawn beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday in conjunction with the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival. Guests who purchase patron packages also receive a Sunday ticket to the festival, creating a one-of-a-kind wine weekend experience for each guest. Each year our foundation reviews the vintners that have been instrumental in our success since our inception, said John Russell, president of DCWAF. These vintners belief in us in our early years created a level of credibility that allowed us to attract other quality winemakers and participants. Through their support, our auction has grown and achieved incredible success, which has allowed us to donate more than $13 million over 11 years and impacted the lives of more than 75,000 youth in Northwest Florida." DCWAF names DeLille Cellars the 2017 Honorary Domestic Vintner for the 12th Annual Auction. Accepting the award will be winery owners Greg and Stacy Lill. DeLille Cellars is honored to be selected Vintner of the Year for the 2017 Destin Charity Wine Auction. We have been a part of the auction for many years, both to support this amazing cause and to spread the word about Washington State wine, said DeLille Cellars owner Greg Lill. Stacy and I have gained lifelong friends through this event, and we have enjoyed watching it grow into one of the top wine auctions in the nation. 2017 is also DeLille Cellars 25th anniversary, and we are excited to celebrate these great achievements with everyone in Destin this April. In tandem, DCWAF announces Marchesi Antinori as this years International Honorary Vintner. Accepting the award for the Italian winery will be Erik Saccomani, Antinori State Manager, and Glenn Salva, Wine Estate Manager for Antinoris California vineyard, Antica Napa Valley. Listed among the "Top Ten Wine Auctions in the U.S." by Wine Spectator Magazine, the Destin Charity Wine Auction connects wine enthusiasts with preeminent winemakers to help children in need in Northwest Florida. Were thrilled to be named Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundations International Vintner of the Year, Marchesi Antinori State Manager, Erik Saccomani said. Participating in an event of this magnitude that raises funds for children in need is always an honor. Patron Packages to the 12th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction weekend are on sale now at http://www.DCWAF.org. Package prices increase March 1. About DeLille Cellars Domestic Honorary Vintner Greg can trace his roots back to 12th century Europe hailing from a family originating from the walled town of Lille, France hence their ancestral name DeLille from which the winery is named. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2012, DeLille Cellars has been on the forefront of blazing the wine-trail in Washington. Being the third winery started in Woodinville, WA it is composed of three labels, DeLille Cellars Bordeaux style wines, Doyenne Rhone style, and Grand Ceil terroir focused wines from the winerys Red Mountain AVA vineyard. Robert Parker Jr. of the Wine Advocate rated DeLille Cellars and Doyenne as two of the top twelve producers, bestowing the title of the Lafite Rothschild of Washington State. DeLille has been rated 92 points or higher for over 20 consecutive years. The Institute of the Masters of Wine in London, England honored DeLille Cellars with the Certificate of Excellence award, the only winery from the northwest to receive this honor. For almost two decades DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Rouge was awarded scores of 91-96 points and a platinum medal from Wine Enthusiast. DeLille Cellars is the only winery in the world to be listed in the top 100 wines of the world, two years in a row, by the Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator Magazine. In 2008, DeLille Cellars set the record for the highest price paid for a lot of Washington State wine at auction ($70,000). About Marchesi Antinori International Honorary Vintner The Antinori Family has been making wine for over six hundred years. Throughout its long history, spanning 26 generations, the family has always personally managed the business from their offices in Florence. Marchese Piero Antinori is President of the company and is assisted by his three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia. The Antinori Family reputation has grown throughout the centuries by making innovative, sometimes courageous choices, always with unwavering respect for tradition and the land. Born in February 1981, Erik was raised in the city of Verona, Italy. Erik graduated from hospitality school in 2000, and has since forged his passion for wine and food by working in several recognized restaurants in Italy and also in the US as a sommelier and beverage director. Today, Erik oversee the Florida market for Marchesi Antinori with responsibilities spanning across southeastern United States. Glenn C. Salva is responsible for all wine-growing activities for Antica Napa Valley, the Antinori Familys Napa Valley, California wine estate. Glenn assumed the role of Wine Estate Manager in December 2002. In addition to the familys traditional heritage of estates in Tuscany and Umbria, investments have been made over time in other areas highly suited to quality wine production in a quest to promote new terroirs, rich in wine-growing potential. Piero Antinori made his first visit to Napa Valley in 1966 and knew from his very first visit that someday the opportunity would allow for his family to have a wine estate in this celebrated region. In 1985, the Antinori Family purchased a beautiful estate in the Napa Valley, an area well-known for its fine red wine production. The estate is situated on the eastern mountains of Napa Valley at an altitude of 1400 to 1800 feet above sea level. The Antinori Family was attracted to this spectacular property located on the high plateau because of its wine growing potential; its rocky soils, high elevations and beautiful landscape. The hilly terrain is above all ideal wine-growing country. The wine estate is located above the east of the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. Today, there are 600 acres of vineyard planted on the state, along with the estate winery and extensive network of caves used for barrel aging. In 2006 the estate was named Antica Napa Valley, with a perfectly harmonious blend of Tuscan and Californian styles in its DNA. Antica is a symbol for Antinori California and represents the realization of a long-standing desire and is also a milestone in the production of great Antinori Family wines in the Napa Valley. To learn more about the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation and the ultimate wine weekend in South Walton, visit http://www.dcwaf.org. About Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundations (DCWAF) mission is to connect wine enthusiasts to raise money to benefit children in need in Northwest Florida. Founded in 2005, Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation has donated more than $10 million to Northwest Florida charities through hosting world class wine and culinary events. The signature event, the Destin Charity Wine Auction, is held in South Walton within Grand Boulevard at Sandestin the last weekend of April each year. These funds have impacted the lives of over 60,000 youth, including those afflicted by health issues and abuse. DCWAF is recognized as one of the nations Top 10 Charity Wine Auctions in the U.S. by Wine Spectator Magazine. Learn more at DCWAF.org or facebook.com/DCWAF. "It is an honor for CURE Media Group to partner with the MMRF and Takeda Oncology to not only raise money for multiple myeloma research, but to provide programs that help inspire hope for all cancer patients" - Marty Murphy Cure Media Group, the nations leading digital and print media enterprise focused on cancer patients, cancer centers and advocacy groups, has been selected as a finalist for both eyeforpharmas award for Most Valuable Collaboration, and PRnews CSR Award for Nonprofit Corporate Partnership for their work with Takeda Oncology and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) on the Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma initiative. Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma is a partnership between Cure Media Group, Takeda Oncology, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF). Through Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma, cancer patients, doctors, family members and supporters tackle some of the most treacherous climbs, which has included Mount Kilimanjaro, the Grand Canyon and Machu Picchu. On February 17, 16 climbers including six multiple myeloma patients will take another 11-day trek up the renowned Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa, to raise awareness and funds for critical myeloma research. Cure Media Group Patient Education Director Marty Murphy, who has conquered each climb, and will be climbing again in February says, It is an honor for CURE Media Group to partner with the MMRF and Takeda Oncology to not only raise money for multiple myeloma research, but to provide programs that help inspire hope for all cancer patients, as we all work for a cure and better quality of life for patients. It really is about forming important collaborations with one common goal, to help patients and caregivers. Eyeforpharmas award for most valuable collaboration is honored to the best and brightest for their accomplishments and initiatives within the pharmaceutical community. After being nominated as a finalist, a board of judges comprised of pharma experts will watch videos by each of the finalists showing why they deserve the honor of being named the winner. The ceremony to honor the North American winners will be announced at the Philadelphia eyeforpharma conference April 20-21. PRnews honors industries that strive to go above and beyond with the Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (CSR). Industries are honored in various disciplines for the best CSR campaigns of the year, the brightest communications efforts, and the people who made it happen. The winners will be honored at a luncheon on March 22, from 12- 2:30 p.m., at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. About CURE Media Group CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research and education. It combines a full suite of media products, including its industry leading website, CUREtoday.com; innovative video programs, such as CURE Connections; a series of widely attended live events; and CURE magazine, which reaches over 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is part of the Cranbury, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., family of businesses, which includes the acclaimed OncLive (http://www.onclive.com) platform of resources for the practicing oncologist. For more information, visit http://www.curetoday.com or http://www.mjhassoc.com. Robert J. Downing, an energy shareholder in the Houston and Miami offices of the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, spoke on two panels on Jan. 20, 2017 for the Miami-Florida Jean Monnet Center of Excellence European and Eurasian Studies Program Seminar. The panels were titled, Renewable Energy: The Future of Biofuels, and Renewable Energies and Biofuels, Lessons from Transatlantic Experiences. Both panels were moderated by Dr. Edward Galb, Director, Global Energy Security Forum. The event was sponsored by the Miami-Florida Jean Monnet Center of Excellence, the Jean Monnet Project, Greenberg Traurig, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Consulate General of France. Downings discussion focused on the use of renewable energy sources in Mexico, the regulatory framework of biofuels as well as current and future usage of biofuels to meet the countrys energy reform. He also spoke about the increasing use of wind and solar energy, not only in Mexico, but throughout Latin America. Downing has more than 30 years' experience in international business transactions and is Board Certified in International Law by The Florida Bar. He focuses on energy, infrastructure, finance, and project development in Latin America. Since joining Greenberg Traurig, a substantial part of his practice has been devoted to the Mexican Energy Reform in the electricity sector. Prior to joining the firm, Downing was Associate General Counsel at Duke Energy International, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, the largest electric utility in the United States. He worked throughout Latin America. He previously served as Senior Attorney at the Cisneros Group, a Venezuelan conglomerate with global operations. He holds an LL.M. in Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Global Energy and Infrastructure Practice Greenberg Traurig's Global Energy and Infrastructure Practice is known for its broad-ranging representation of upstream and midstream energy companies as well as renewable energy companies and traditional power generation companies. The firm's energy practice is further distinguished by lawyers with broad FERC experience and multifaceted energy finance representations. Several of Greenberg Traurigs energy attorneys are former General Counsel at energy industry companies and provide a valuable business perspective for our energy clients across the globe. Greenberg Traurig's Global Energy and Infrastructure Practice expanded significantly in Latin America and Europe with the establishment of Mexico City and Warsaw offices. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. A single entity worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the second largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2016, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. "Troubles Don't Last, You Do! is a must read when life seems hopeless and Satan's unshakable grip has you in a downward spiral. It's a biblical guide to peace and surviving life's hardships" Kitt Swanson marks her debut in the literary limelight with a new inspirational book, Troubles Don't Last, You Do! (published by WestBow Press). Written in simplicity with Gods word as reassurance, this chronicling reminds readers that triumph over trials is possible with God as the benevolent guide. Troubles Dont Last, You Do! is a book about spiritual persistence in a world of uncertainty, atrocity and degradation. God is infinitely more powerful to sustain anyone through every painful experience endured in life. This encourages the readers to keep pressing heavenward hand-in-hand with God. The challenges in this life may slow you down and rob you of your happiness and joy. Yet, you will rise above your circumstance, pain, and suffering, Swanson points out. This book was written as a reminder to the weary that no matter what life throws your way, you are an overcomer. The atrocities you encounter wont last you do on into eternity. Reviews for Troubles Don't Last, You Do! share: Kitt is a connoisseur of motherhood! She epitomizes perseverance through adverse situations and is one for whom which all young ladies facing adversity are to emulate! - S. Germon (Marriage Counselor), Brandon, Florida Kitt has been blessed with the gift of edification. I cannot recall a time I didnt leave her presence encouraged, motivated and inspired. Dont let this blessing pass you by. Purchase her book today! - K. Christon, Michigan Her continued Faith makes her stronger than her temporary circumstances. Add this treasure to your library! - L. Dexter, Orlando, Florida Troubles Don't Last, You Do! By Kitt Swanson Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 108 pages | ISBN 9781512752021 Softcover | 6 x 9in | 108 pages | ISBN 9781512752014 E-Book | 108 pages | ISBN 9781512752007 Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and http://www.kittswanson.com About the Author Kitt Swanson lives in Land O Lakes and is a native of Syracuse, New York. Her life and the life of others inspired her to write her book. She witness her mothers murder at the tender age of 3 years old and was abducted from the crime scene. At the age of 14, she ran away from her abductee and lived in an abandon house, contemplating suicide. She met a young girl who asked her why she was crying. Swanson shared with the young girl that she was going to kill herself. The young girl asked her could she introduce Swanson to someone. Swanson agreed. The young girl introduced her to Jesus. Swanson took Jesus hand and walked with him through life battling every obstacle Satan hurled her way. She finished high school at age 16. By the age of 26, she had completed two Associate degrees, two Bachelor degrees, a Master degree and three years in a Ph.D. Swanson found her grandmother, before she died, who told her about her father, who looked for Swanson since she was a toddler. Her father left reward notices and pictures everywhere he looked for her. Swanson reunited with her father and thereafter joined the military. She enlisted into the Air Force on February 24, 1986. Her 20 years were spent encouraging soldiers along the rocky trails of war. In 2005, she was struck in the head by lightning. Her sight was taken and returned. She overcame that ordeal and is a walking billboard for Jesus. Swanson won several writing contests, including the MacDill Air Force Base Black Heritage Contest, and was published in the Mobility Forum Commands Magazine, and also received top honors for her essay on The Price of Freedom. She published a newsletter called Heart-to-Heart that turned into "Christian Medicine" at http://www.kittswanson.blogspot.com. Both venues were created to encourage the weary in all walks of life. For review copies or interview requests, contact: Kitt SwansonFax: 813-388-5865 Email: kitt33604@yahoo.com (When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.) Robert RC Pate, founder of The Law Office of RC Pate, is celebrating his tenth anniversary as an attorney. Its hard to believe I have been doing this for a decade, said Pate, who has an Avvo rating of 10 out of 10. I am grateful to the south Texas legal community for helping me learn the ropes, my clients for trusting me to handle their problems, and of course my family for helping me to be the best lawyer I can be. During the course of his illustrious ten-year career, Pate, aka The DWI Guru, has been designated an ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist, one of only forty-four in the world and only eleven in Texas. He learned the science behind how the government tests blood and breath in a DWI case, taking approximately 160 hours of training on the various instruments used in this science covering everything from theory to hands-on training. Pate uses validated and legitimate science for the benefit of justice and studies the science and applies it legitimately in the courtroom. In a growing number of jurisdictions across Texas, prosecutors are simply showing the jury a number in DWI cases, noted Pate. If a lawyer doesnt understand how those numbers are being calculated and what could possibly cause error, how could they ever get a jury to question that number? Furthermore, in both 2013 and 2014, Pate completed both years without losing a trial. In 2015, he got approximately 45 cases dismissed or won at trial, having lost only one case during the course of that year. In 2016, Pate again only lost one case. About Robert RC Pate, The Law Office of RC Pate Criminal defense lawyer Robert RC Pate has been called on by some of the biggest lawyers in central Texas to assist in serious DWI cases. The Law Office of RC Pate mainly focuses on DWI, but also handles all criminal matters. For more information, please call (210) 718-0271, or visit http://www.dwiguru.com. The law office is located at 625 North Alamo, San Antonio, TX 78215. About the NALA The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361. A new partnership between GOBI Library Solutions from EBSCO (GOBI Library Solutions) and Digitalia Hispanica (Digitalia) is making thousands of Spanish-language e-books available in GOBI, the leading web-based acquisitions tool for finding, ordering and managing e-books and print books for libraries. As a result, libraries can use the GOBI acquisitions tool to efficiently acquire Spanish-language academic e-books in minutes from within their existing GOBI workflow. GOBI Library Solutions, a part of EBSCO Information Services, is the leader in collection development and acquisition workflow solutions for academic and research libraries around the world. The partnership with Digitalia greatly expands non-English title lists in GOBI, providing nearly 20,000 e-books from approximately 150 publishers in Spanish and other select languages. The agreement also gives GOBI users access to content from nine publishers exclusive to Digitalia, including Biblioteca Nueva, Anthropos, Visor and more. GOBI provides users with access to more than 13 million titles, including more than one million e-books from more than 25 publishers and aggregators, all in one place. GOBI customers also benefit from duplication control across all formats, full-text reviews and refined selection lists, Spotlight Lists highlighting premier and high-interest titles, real-time management reports and more. A leading aggregator of Spanish e-books, Digitalias catalog provides libraries that use GOBI with strong content in the Social Sciences and Spanish and Latin American Literature. Titles are available title by title with unlimited user access models and are quickly delivered to users within minutes. Lluis Claret, CEO of Digitalia Hispanica says, We are very excited to launch this new partnership with one of the most important and respected distributors for libraries, GOBI Library Solutions. We are delighted to be available through GOBI, which will allow our content to be easily accessed by thousands of librarians and to reach new market opportunities. For Digitalia and GOBI Library Solutions, this is a natural alliance that can only bring benefits to libraries. GOBI Library Solutions Senior Vice President Mark Kendall says the partnership with Digitalia will help libraries quickly search for and acquire academic Spanish-language content in their familiar GOBI workflow. We want to help libraries more easily build their Spanish and international scholarly e-book collections. The partnership with Digitalia helps provide our customers instant access to more titles from Spanish-language publishers all in one place. For more information about GOBI Library Solutions, please visit: gobi.ebsco.com. About Digitalia Hispanica DIGITALIA http://www.digitalia.us is a global leader in Spanish language ebooks and ejournals, with a select catalogue of more than 22,000 titles and a solid number of prestigious clients among academic and public libraries worldwide. Recently it has irrupted in the streaming market for libraries with a platform of multilingual films and documentaries. About GOBI Library Solutions from EBSCO GOBI Library Solutions from EBSCO, formerly YBP Library Services, offers over 13 million print and e-books to academic, research and special libraries worldwide. From streamlining workflows to partnering with library staff, GOBI Library Solutions is committed to providing the best solution for libraries acquisition, collection development and technical service needs. For more than 40 years, the mission has remained sameto partner with libraries in providing access to the broadest selection of scholarly content available. For more information, visit the GOBI Library Solutions website at: gobi.ebsco.com. About EBSCO Information Services EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 11,000 discovery customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools serving millions of end users at tens of thousands of institutions. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 900,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: http://www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944. ### For more information, please contact: Kathleen McEvoy Vice President of Communications (800) 653-2726 ext. 2594 kmcevoy(at)ebsco(dot)com Attracting the right people to your business, and being able to retain them is imperative for business success. CEO at Goldstream Incorporated, Dan Coolican continued his travels this past weekend when he attended an industry conference at the Hilton London Bankside. Ideally located in the heart of Bankside, a short walk away from Londons famous landmarks, including Borough Market, The Shard and Tate Modern, the conference venue was easily accessible for delegates. Held on January 28th, the meeting was attended by sales, marketing and recruitment professionals from all over the UK. The delegates gathered in the luxurious Bankside Ballroom, ahead of the 10 a.m. commencement time. The agenda of the meeting was focusing on the connection between branding, and having a strong recruitment pipeline. About Goldstream Inc.: http://www.goldstreamincorporated.co.uk/about-us/ During the conference, there were multiple guest speakers who each had specialist topics to expand on. Each speaker emphasised the importance of mastering the art of recruitment, and highlighted the important role it plays in any successful business. Another of the main topics on the agenda was the rise of mobile recruitment. The evolution of recruitment in the last 12 months has been staggering, with a plethora of apps now on the market that match candidates to companies like a dating website, via a swipe right philosophy. As technology continues to evolve, it plays an increasingly important role in the way companies approach the talent search, and mobile recruitment is the future. Over 89% of job seekers saying their mobile device will be an important tool and resource for their job search. The increase in mobile usage among job seekers has contributed to mobile recruitings rising popularity. The seminar also shone a spotlight on the evolution of recruitment, the impact of good branding and the ever-growing role that LinkedIn and Glassdoor are playing. Delegates were encouraged to embrace mobile recruitment and ensure that their company website is fully mobile optimised. Attracting the right people to your business, and being able to retain them is imperative for business success, said Mr. Coolican. After the days events, attendees were invited to a cocktail hour, to relax and socialise. Mr Coolican took advantage of the situation to connect with some award-winning entrepreneurs, and to expand his network. One of my main objectives, when I attend events like the one in London, is to capitalise on the opportunity to connect and network with fellow professionals. I am always looking to expand my skillset and converse with individuals who can have an impact on my business success," stated Mr. Coolican. Goldstream Incorporated is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in Nottingham. As direct marketing specialists, the firm works closely alongside their clients to create unique marketing campaigns, which will accurately represent their products or services to consumers. CEO Dan Coolican frequently travels to attend industry conferences and seminars and encourages fellow professionals to take advantage of every opportunity to learn and educate themselves. Source: http://www.easyonlinerecruitment.co.uk/2016/03/10/6-mobile-recruiting-trends-for-2016/ Havoc found that the seminar taught them how to use this to their advantage in the areas discussed. Every business needs a determined and invested team behind it, and this is something that Havoc has been focusing on recently. The firm is seeking to attract successful people to the business for them to be able to grow and develop as a business and build new talent. Having recently attended a seminar, the firm has been able to develop their skills and the techniques that they used to further their success in recruiting for the business. About Havoc: http://www.thisishavoc.co.uk/about/ On the 28th of January 2017, Havoc attended a business owners meeting which found a vast amount of firms from all over the UK at the Hilton London Bankside for this event. The seminar covered several topics such as personalising a brand, both personal and business, and recruiting for business. The Hilton Bankside is a London hotel found in the heart of Londons Southbank, boasting conference rooms that can hold up to 750 attendees and has over 290 luxury rooms. Not only does the venue provide an incredible variety of facilities for those who are attending such an event, but it is also ideally located for those who were looking to see some of the countrys capital while they had the opportunity. Having a unique brand, Havoc found that the seminar taught them how to use this to their advantage in the areas discussed. The main area in which the firm has learnt to use this is attracting applicants to the business. Looking to recruit a unique type of candidate, having a unique brand makes this process easier, and the firm is now able to use new skills and techniques and use the brand of the business to find those looking to thrive in such a sales and marketing firm and develop themselves for the world of business. Having recently discussed plans for 2017, Havoc has been mostly focusing on growing their business for both themselves and their clients. The firm is now confident in being able to grow their business and plan to do so through using their newly learnt skills to obtain new, passionate and unique contractors. The firm is excited about the opportunities that the year holds for them. Manchester-based sales and marketing firm, Havoc, aims to provide an excellent and unique service to all clients for them to be able to build their customer base and increase their brand loyalty and awareness. Having learnt what it means to have a personalised brand, the firm is aiming to use this knowledge to develop their campaigns and improve results. For more information on Havoc, follow @HavocMarketing_ on Twitter and 'like' them on Facebook. This period of growth is paramount to the Sonar network as we will move into two new critical regions, Africa and Eastern Europe. Constellix, Tiggees newest subsidiary, will be adding new nodes in seven critical vantage points. These additions will improve monitoring accuracy and routing granularity across three continents. The complete list of new nodes are as follows: Milan, Italy Amsterdam, Netherlands Paris, France Copenhagen, Denmark Cairo, Egypt Bucharest, Romania Cape Town, South Africa This period of growth is paramount to the Sonar network as we will move into two new critical regions, Africa and Eastern Europe, says President of Constellix Steven Job. Both regions have been the subject of recent news as up and coming areas for the tech community. ICANN recently released a call to action to encourage the DNS industry to increase their presence in the developing continent. The new nodes will not only help improve monitoring accuracy, but improve granularity in traffic routing. Constellix is the first truly integrated traffic management suite, which allows it to intelligently route traffic based on real-time user metrics. As the Sonar network keeps expanding, traffic routing will be more specific to end-user locations and local performance. The Constellix network was architected from the ground up based on user requests from its predecessor DNS Made Easy. Through the companys beta period and launch in production, the team has continued to encourage user suggested features and future monitoring node locations. Any suggestions for future nodes can be requested by submitting a support ticket. During the next wave, Constellix network engineers plan to increase their presence in Africa by adding additional nodes in both Egypt and South Africa. About Constellix Constellix is a subsidiary of Tiggee, the creators of DNS Made Easy, and the industry leader in providing IP Anycast enterprise DNS services. Constellix is an Internet Traffic Optimization Services (ITOS) company and trailblazer in next-generation traffic management solutions. The Constellix GeoDNS platform offers the most powerful and precise DNS query management, engineered for the cloud. The platform is fully integrated with Constellix Sonar, which offers a range of advanced monitoring features and intelligent analytics tools. Bill Hourigan, of The Platinum Group, REALTORS, is celebrating his twenty-fifth anniversary as a real estate professional. I love this business and the friendships that have developed with clients and other professionals in the industry, said Bill, who was recently named a 2016 American Institute of Real Estate Professionals 10 Best in Colorado for Client Satisfaction. Bill is renowned for taking the real estate profession and his responsibility to his clients very seriously. The transactions have become much more complex and legal. Its important to me and to my clients that I maintain the highest level of competency that only experience and continued education can accomplish, added Bill. What Bill and his business partner/wife Pam do best is help navigate their clients through the difficulties and challenges that will arise in the course of the transaction and work towards a successful resolution with their clients best interest in mind. Bill always goes the extra mile, and his customer service is just unbelievable, said Pam . His knowledge of real estate is quite extensive and helps us keep transactions together that might otherwise fall apart. During the course of his illustrious twenty-five-year career, Bill has collected an impressive amount of awards and real estate designations. He is a member of the Elite 25 and Peak Producers, and is a Graduate, REALTOR Institute (GRI), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE). His networking with these groups is a huge advantage to his clients as 90% of the business is done by 10% of the agents. About Bill Hourigan, The Platinum Group, REALTORS Bills primary goal is to provide his clients with a level of service and care that far surpasses any service they have experienced in the past. To achieve this, he understands that his focus must always be on his clients best interests. Bill believes that continual education, market awareness and delivering constant communication throughout the process is essential to winning the confidence and trust of his clients. For more information, please call (719) 332-8569, or visit http://www.teamhourigan.com. About the NALA The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361. If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. The Journal of Africana Religions publishes critical scholarship on Africana religions, including the religious traditions of African and African Diasporic peoples as well as religious traditions influenced by the diverse cultural heritage of Africa. An interdisciplinary journal encompassing history, anthropology, Africana studies, gender studies, ethnic studies, religious studies, and other allied disciplines, the Journal of Africana Religions embraces a variety of humanistic and social scientific methodologies in understanding the social, political, and cultural meanings and functions of Africana religions. The chronological scope of the journal is comprehensive and invites research into the history of Africana religions from ancient to contemporary periods. The journals geographical purview is global and comprises Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Atlantic islands (such as Cape Verde and Sao Tome), the Caribbean, and Europe. The journal is particularly concerned with publishing research on the historical connections and ruptures involved in the spread of Africana religions from within and beyond Africa. Emphasizing the historical movement or spread of Africana religions and the dynamic transformations they have undergone underscores the nuanced, complex history of these religions and transcends the essentializing gestures that have hindered previous generations of scholarship. For this reason, we encourage authors to examine multiple dimensions of Africana religions, including the relationship between religion and empire, slavery, racism, modern industrial capitalism, and globalization. Find Journal of Africana Religions on Facebook! And follow JOAR on Twitter! The journal is co-sponsored by the African Association for the Study of the Religions and Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora. Additional institutional sponsors of the journal include Northwestern University and the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI. The journals editorial offices are currently located at IUPUI Department of Religious Studies, Cavanaugh 335, 425 University Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202. The African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR) is an academic association that promotes the study of religions in Africa through international collaboration in research, publishing, and teaching. AASR was founded in 1992 in Harare, Zimbabwe at a Regional Conference of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR). The AASR has been an affiliate organization of the IAHR since 1995. The Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) is a not-for-profit, tax deductible organization of international scholars seeking to further our understanding of the African Diaspora, that is, the dispersal of people of African descent throughout the world. Through the examination of history, dance, anthropology, literature, women's studies, education, geology, political science, sociology, language, art, music, film, theater, biology, photography, etc., we seek to share the most recent research both within and across disciplinary and other conventional boundaries. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? Managing cookies in your browser see what cookies you have got and delete them on an individual basis block third party cookies block cookies from particular sites block all cookies from being set delete all cookies when you close your browser X A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. Cookies are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.Website use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. 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You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services. Eighteen months after being introduced to nature photography, Mike MacDonalds work was published in Outdoor Photographer and Chicago Wilderness. This is how he began both his love affair with the natural beauty of Chicago and his self-publishing journey. There are over 350 square miles of natural area within about an hours drive of downtown Chicago, he says. Unfortunately, most people dont know its there. Ive made it my mission to play matchmaker. To that end, MacDonald self-published the art book My Journey into the Wilds of Chicago. The book contains 205 full-color photographs, which made the production process rather laborious. There were many times during the process that I wished for a publisher to do all of the hard work for me, he says. But now that Ive done it, I wouldnt trade the occasional bouts of post-traumatic publishing disorder for anything. And it seems that MacDonalds hard work has indeed paid off. My Journey received a glowing review from Publishers Weekly, which called the work impressive and celebratory, soulful, and poetic, evoking a strong affection for Chicagos unchecked wilderness [with] ornate and thoughtful prose. We asked MacDonald to share some tips for aspiring indie authors: Take Advice with a Grain of Salt Believe in yourself and dont put your trust in experts. Learn from them and then follow your heart. Experience can often narrow the mind and the possibilities. Heres the best example: Do an e-book, not a print book. That was the advice I received [and] Im glad I didnt listen. Dont Be a Cheapskate Hire at least one editor, just like every great writer in history." Pre-Sales Are a Must If your book is nonfiction, pre-sell it to companies and organizations who share your vision. And definitely do a GoFundMe campaign. Booksellers, authors, and publishers braved the winter cold in record numbers to head to Minneapolis for the 12th annual Winter Institute (held January 2730). Although bookseller attendance was previously capped at 500, this years institute expanded to accommodate 654, roughly half of whom had never attended the winter gathering before. Given the current political climate, it came as little surprise that this years conference was also the most politicaland, for many, energizing. But booksellers still made time to share bookselling tips, meet authors, and party. Lerner Publishing Group president Adam Lerner with author Chris Monroe (Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Maniac Muffins, Carolrhoda) at a joint Lerner/Capstone/Red Balloon party. Photo: Claire Kirch Lisa Von Drasek (l.) of the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota, with Collette Morgan, founder and manager of Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis. Photo: Claire Kirch Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, Feb.). Photo: Claire Kirch Denene Millner, author of Early Sunday Morning (Apr.) and contributing editor to Agate Publishing, with Agate president Doug Seibold. Photo: Judith Rosen Ben Winters, author of Underground Airlines (Mulholland) with Kate DiCamillo, author of Raymie Nightingale (Candlewick) at a featured talk with Indie Next List Authors. Photo: Claire Kirch Luisa Smith, buying director of Book Passage in Corte Madera, Calif., and Michael Barnard, owner of Rakestraw Books in Danville, Calif., with The Broken Circle (Akashic, fall 2017) authors M.A. Power (l.) and her brother, J.L. Power (r.). Photo: Judith Rosen Andrew McCarthy signs his first YA novel, Just Fly Away (Algonquin Young Readers, Mar.) for a fan. Photo: Judith Rosen Vivien Jennings, founder and president of Rainy Day Books in Fairway, Kans., talks with Natalie C. Anderson, author of City of Saints and Thieves (Putnam). Photo: Judith Rosen Robin Newman, author of The Case of the Poached Egg (Creston, Apr.), brought plenty of colorful eggs for booksellers. No poaching necessary. Photo: Judith Rosen Douglas Wood, author of Old Turtle: Questions of the Heart (Scholastic, Mar.) prepares to sing, while the books illustrator, Greg Ruth, and Scholastic district sales manager Nikki Mutch look on at the Scholastic Meet and Treat Afterparty. Photo: Judith Rosen Alyson Jones Turner of Source Booksellers in Detroit with Captain Underpants at the Scholastic Meet and Treat Afterparty. Photo: Judith Rosen Emma Donoghue, author of The Lotterys Plus One (Scholastic Press, Mar.), at the Scholastic Meet and Treat Afterparty. Photo: Judith Rosen From l. to r.: April Gorski, owner of the Book Vault in Oskaloosa, Iowa; Emma Donoghue, author of The Lotterys Plus One (Scholastic, Mar.); Mollie Loughlin, owner of the Book Vine in Cherokee, Iowa; and Nancy Simpson Brice of the Book Vault at the Scholastic Meet and Treat Afterparty. Photo: Claire Kirch A store in northern Maine wins a cash prize; college students petition for a Barnes & Noble; Houston gets a new Latino bookstore; and more. Volumes Book Store Wins Town Entrepreneur Prize: The Houlton, Me. bookstore won the inaugural Houlton Entrepreneur Prize, which gives the store "a package of more than $10,000 which includes a $7,500 forgivable loan and incentives from program partners totaling more than $2,500." Students at Ohio University Petition for a Barnes & Noble: Students at Ohio University are gathering signatures on a petition that is lobbying for a Barnes & Noble bookstore to open in Athens, Oh. The closest B&N is in an hour away, though Athens is home to three other bookstores. Chicago Bookstore Offers Political Panels: The Women & Children First bookshop has launched a month-long series of discussions and events focused on the intersection of culture and politics. Latino Bookstore Set to Open in Houston: Nuestra Palabra Art & Books, run by Mexican-American author and activist Tony Diaz, is set to open in a small space that is part of Talento Bilingue de Houston, a bicultural arts center near to downtown Houston. Anchorage's Title Wave Used Bookstore Seeks New Home: Rent hikes are forcing out the popular used bookstore that's been opened since 1991. Ohio's Blue Manatee Children's Bookstore is Moving: The much loved Cincinnati bookstore in Oakley, Oh. will close in April for what is being called the "Great Migration," which will see the store, which has been opened since 1989 move into a smaller location nearby. Historian Traces the Rise of Black-Owned Bookstores: In a forthcoming book, historian Joshua Clark Davis writes about the rise of black-owned bookstores and their impact on the social movements of the 1960's and '70's. Canadian publishers sold 50.5 million units in 2016 at a value of C$983.7 million ($753.4 million), according to figures released by BookNet Canada whose BNC sales data service covers 85% of the market in Canada. The point-of-sales data covers print books exclusively and not e-books, digital audiobooks, or used books. Overall, print unit sales fell 6.4% and revenue was down 3.6% from 2015. Sales of nonfiction books were hit hardest, with a drop of 10.4% in units sold, fiction fell 6.7% overall. In terms of market share, fiction, nonfiction, and juvenile accounted for 26.9%, 33.1%, and 38.0% of the print trade market in 2016, respectively, which is similar to 2015, said the new report. The five top-selling books for 2016 were, in order, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany; The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, 99 by Wayne Gretzy, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid #11: Double Down by Jeff Kinney. As for formats, e-book sales accounted for 16.8% of the market last year, down from 19% in 2015, according to customer surveys from 2016. Print books paperbacks and hardcovers combined accounted for 78.1%. Audiobooks showed no appreciable change in sales and remained approximately 2.6% of sales, according to the report. In 2016, online purchases of books rose 1.8% to account for a total of 48% of book sales, while sales through bricks-and-mortar channels fell 1.7%, to 52% of overall sales. Paperbacks remained the most popular format, accounting for 54.2% of all purchases verses 51.1%, and gained ground over hardcovers. Over the last 10-15 years we have seen online sales increase consistently year on year in terms of market share. With fewer bricks and mortar stores available for Canadians to buy books it makes sense to see something of a shift, said Kate Edwards, executive director of the Association of Canadian Publishers. Looking ahead, Edwards told PW that her organization is meeting this week and one item on the agenda will be NAFTA, which. President Donald Trump has threatened to renegotiate. The U.S. market is incredibly important to Canadian publishers and is a significant part of the business for many, she said. Part of the that success comes from the cultural exception that is part of NAFTA. If NAFTA is to be reopened we will be watching out to see this cultural protection be maintained. In 2003, young college graduate Amy Peterson went to teach English and share the gospel in a Southeast Asian country where evangelism was prohibited. While she loved the region and its people, a series of missteps put several of the young women she evangelized in danger. Concealing the location and changing the names of people she worked with for security reasons, Peterson recounts her experiences and the crisis of faith that followed in Dangerous Territory: My Misguided Quest to Save the World (Discovery House, Feb.). Why did you decide to work as a missionary overseas? Growing up I had read missionary biographies that were written for children, and I had been really inspired by the adventurous stories. The churches I grew up in had a fair number of restrictions on what women could dowomen couldnt be pastors, but women could be missionaries. I was looking for adventure, I wanted to be one of the greatest servants of God, and I also just sincerely wanted to be faithful with the privileges Id been given. How did your difficult experience abroad change you and your faith? It made me doubt a lot of the most foundational things that I believed in, like whether or not God was truly love, if I had really heard the call of God to go overseas, if I had done more harm than good, if God was aware of the suffering going on in the world, and why wasnt God doing something about that. As I wrestled through those questions, it made me a person who is less likely to raise their hand with the right answers all the time. When I was younger I thought that certainty was what faith was. Im more likely to listen, and it made me quieter. What helped you recover your faith? After a year or so of real struggle and doubt I read something that [American writer and theologian] Frederick Buechner wrote, that in the life of faith you can wake up every morning and decide, do I believe today? Some mornings you will wake up and you will not be able to answer yes, and some mornings youll wake up and you will be able to answer yes. And both of those are normal parts of the life of faith. In the book, you talk about the problem with the missionary narrative. What is it and what concerns you most about it? What I call the missionary narrative is this idea that missionaries are Gods Special Forces or they are somehow more spiritual than the rest of us. One of the first American missionaries was David Brainerd [1718-1747] who attempted to evangelize Native Americans for three years; when he died [preacher and theologian] Jonathan Edwards edited his journals in such a way that they presented a really compelling and dramatic narrative. A whole generation of people read that book [and] decided to become missionaries because of it. Even back then there was this sort of hero complex, white savior narrative that was attaching itself to the missionary story. Thats whats really dangerous, and that story became the way most missionary stories are told. How would you like to see overseas missions changing? I would like to see us be more careful in the way we talk about missions. In fact, Im not sure that missionary is even a useful wordI would rather have someone be more specific: if youre going to be an evangelist then say that, if youre going to be a doctor, then say that. And I would like missionaries to be able to feel free to be more honest about the realities of what their work is like. As of February 1, Canadian Publishers' Council (CPC), which represents the interests of Canada's largest trade, education and professional publishers, has finalized its merger with the Canadian Education Research Council (CERC), which represents approximately 80% of the country's K-12 education publishers. Currently, the CPC has 18 members with Scholastic and Cheneliere Education (a K-12 publisher out of Montreal) the most recent members to join. CPC will continue to be run by executive director David Swail, while CERCs executive director Gerry McIntyre is retiring. Beverley Buxton, who serves as chair of CERC and is general manager of Pearson Canadas school division, is joining CPCs board of directors and will serve as chair of a newly-formed K-12 Committee. The other CPC committees are Higher Education and Trade. "With this third leg of the stool, this will give the CERC members a defined voice within the organization and an ability to deal with issues that are germane to K-12," Swail told PW. CPC is currently interviewing candidates for the new role of vice president, K-20 (through under-graduate and graduate level). "Our plan," said Swail, "is that this person will work to maintain the momentum that CERC has developed over the years with education ministries across the country," CERC and CPC merging will help us streamline our administrative efforts so we can focus more energy and resources on telling the story of how much our members contribute, both to the sector and economy, but as importantly to Canadian classrooms, said Kevin Hanson, president of CPC and president of Simon & Schuster Canada, in a prepared statement. "2017 big year for us. One of the big focuses for us is the Copyright Modernization Act, which is up for review this year," Swail told PW, who added that the merger was, in part, prompted by the need of the overlapping interests the organizations had in lobbying the government to change the law, which has had a significant negative impact on Canadian education publishers. "We felt that joining forces more formally would help us more efficiently in engaging key stakeholders with this issue," he said. Three Purdue faculty members have been selected as Jefferson Science Fellows. Peter Hirst (Horticulture), Karthik Kannan (Management) and Sonak Pastakia (Pharmacy) have been named to the 2017-18 class of Jefferson Science Fellows, an initiative of the Office of Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State. The program is administered by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine with the goal of engaging the academic community in providing science and technology advice in the process of formulation of U.S. foreign policy. The JSF program was established in 2003 to further build capacity for science, technology and engineering expertise within the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The JSF program is supported through a partnership between the U.S. academic community, professional scientific societies, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Peter Hirst is a professor of horticulture at Purdue, where he has served on the faculty since 1997. His research focuses on the physiology, genetics and management of fruit trees, particularly the apple. In recent years, his research has concentrated on understanding and manipulating flowering initiation and on fruit development. His other areas of emphasis include the application of robotics and sensing technologies to fruit orchards and the development of predictive computer models of growth and fruiting for educational and research applications. In his position as a state extension specialist, Hirst translates research data into strategies that growers can apply. He is a guest professor at the Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University in China and has communicated research results and recommendations to scientists and growers in many countries. He also has been involved in addressing capacity building and food security in both Africa and Asia. Karthik Kannan is a professor in Purdue's Krannert School of Management. He has served the academic director for MBA programs, academic co-director for the MS in Business Analytics and Information Management program and co-director of the Business Information and Analytics Center. Kannan studies how different aspects of information technology may be used to exploit human instincts and biases in order to nudge or manipulate behavior. He has applied related ideas in pricing using auctions of information goods, pricing of data networks and the economics of information security. His papers have been accepted in several leading conferences and journals in the information systems area. He is a member of AIS and INFORMS. He is also a CERIAS Fellow and Krannert's Faculty Fellow. Sonak Pastakia serves as an associate professor at Purdue and since 2007 has been spending most of his time each year on site in Kenya. In Kenya, he has implemented a wide variety of programs, including a rural diabetes care program that currently serves over 8,000 patients, a portable care system linked to microfinance groups that provide chronic disease management services, a pharmacy distribution system which provides antiretroviral medications to over 150,000 HIV-infected patients, a large multi-country gestational diabetes study in low- and middle-income country settings and an anticoagulation monitoring program with a focus on rheumatic heart disease. He teaches in diverse faculty positions at North American and Kenyan universities. He also has ongoing research and care efforts focused on diabetes and population health in India. Pastakia is interested in the design and implementation of community health delivery models which combine economic support, agricultural assistance and comprehensive health care into one integrated delivery system. To date, the JSF program has named 141 Fellows from U.S. institutions of higher learning. Including this year, Purdue has had nine faculty named as Jefferson Fellows, more than any other institution. Previous Jefferson Fellows from Purdue were Melba Crawford, Alexander King (no longer at Purdue), Suresh Garimella, Jay Gore, Charles Santerre and Barrett S. Caldwell. Writer: Kelsey Schnieders, kschnied@purdue.edu WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. An unusual meteorite found in Algeria in 2012 has given scientists information about volcanic activity on Mars, and it's not like anything we've ever seen on Earth. Analysis of the 6.9-ounce meteorite, labeled Northwest Africa (NWA) 7635 by an international team of scientists, has helped determine that sometime in its 4.5 billion-year history, Mars had a single volcano that erupted continuously for more than 2 billion years. "We've never seen anything like that on Earth," says Marc Caffee, professor of physics and astronomy at Purdue University and a member of the research team. The research was published this week in the journal Science Advances. So far, more than 100 meteorites in collections around the world have been identified as Martian meteorites. "Even though we've never had astronauts walk on Mars, we still have pieces of the Martian surface to study, thanks to these meteorites," Caffee says. Most Martian meteorites are found either in Antarctica or North Africa. "Between Antarctica and other deserts we add more than 1,000 meteorites per year, but only a few of those are interesting, including those originating from Mars and the moon," Caffee says. "The standard ones are sent to the Smithsonian, but the unusual ones are sent to NASA and the community of scientists is informed in case they want to request samples." Mars' lower gravitational attraction, combined with its thinner atmosphere, makes it easier for fragments released during impacts to be propelled off the planets surface. From there it's not a direct path to the deserts of Earth, however. The rock fragments orbit in space for hundreds of thousands - or millions - of years, until, for a few fragments, a close pass to a planet or something else in space perturbs their orbit. Over the next thousands of years, that perturbed orbit puts the fragment on a collision course with our planet. Once the meteorites arrive on Earth they begin to degrade over tens of thousands of years, ultimately becoming unrecognizable as extraterrestrial rock unless they are found and recognized as the interplanetary space travelers that they are. Of the 100 meteorites ever found, Caffee has analyzed approximately 30 in the Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement (PRIME) Laboratory. He's found that the meteorites tend to fall into age groups, indicating that each group was likely ejected from the surface of Mars by distinct events. NWA 7635 is one of a group of 11 meteorites that Caffee's lab has determined were exposed to cosmic rays for 1.1 million years. "What we interpret from that is that all 11 were knocked off Mars at the same time," Caffee says. "But this one was different than the others." Although the other 10 meteorites in the group were all approximately 500 million years old - meaning they were formed from cooling magma half a billion years ago on the surface of Mars - NWA 7635 was found to be 2.4 billion years old. "What this means is that for 2 billion years there's been sort of a steady plume of magma in one location on the surface of Mars," Caffee says. "We don't have anything like that on Earth, where something is that stable for 2 billion years at a specific location." Mars is known for the most magnificent volcanoes in our solar system. The largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, is found on Mars. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, like those found in Hawaii, with one exception - Olympus Mons is a monster volcano 17 miles tall and with a footprint the size of Arizona. "We don't know at this point where this particular meteorite came from, whether it was Olympus Mons or some other location," Caffee says. Martian volcanoes can grow to such enormous proportions because, unlike Earth, Mars doesn't have plate tectonics that constantly shuffle the surface. So a volcano, like the one that birthed NWA 7635, can plume for billions of years. "These meteorites are allowing us to conduct geologic science on the surface of Mars, and we haven't even been there yet," Caffee says. Writer: Steve Tally, 765-494-9809, steve@purdue.edu, @sciencewriter Source: Marc Caffee, 765-494-2586, mcaffee@purdue.edu ABSTRACT Two billion years of magmatism recorded from a single Mars meteorite ejection site Thomas J. Lapen, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA; 1* Minako Righter, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA; Rasmus Andreasen, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA, and Aarus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Anthony J. Irving, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA; Aaron M. Satkoski, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, and NASA Astrobiology Institute, Mountain View, Calif., USA; Brian L. Beard, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, and NASA Astrobiology Institute, Mountain View, Calif., USA; Kunihiko Nishiizumi, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, Calif., USA; A. J. Timothy Jull, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., USA; Marc W. Caffee, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA The timing and nature of igneous activity recorded at a single Mars ejection site can be determined from the iso- tope analyses of Martian meteorites. Northwest Africa (NWA) 7635 has an Sm-Nd crystallization age of 2.403 0.140 billion years, and isotope data indicate that it is derived from an incompatible trace elementdepleted man- tle source similar to that which produced a geochemically distinct group of 327- to 574-million-year-old depleted shergottites. Cosmogenic nuclide data demonstrate that NWA 7635 was ejected from Mars at 1.1 million years ago Q5 (Ma), as were at least 10 other depleted shergottites. The shared ejection age is consistent with a common ejection site for these individual meteorites. The spatial association of 327- to 2403-AMa depleted shergottites indicates >2 billion years of magmatism from a long-lived and geochemically distinct volcanic center near the ejection site. FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) Volkswagen has agreed to pay at least $1.2 billion in buybacks and compensation to settle claims from U.S. owners of cars with larger diesel engines that the company rigged to cheat on emissions tests. The German automaker could pay even more as much as $4 billion if it can't repair many of the cars in a way that satisfies regulators. The proposed settlement filed late Tuesday before Judge Charles R. Breyer in U.S. District Court in San Francisco covers owners of some 78,000 Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche cars with 3.0-liter diesel engines. Volkswagen has already agreed on a $15 billion settlement with owners of some 500,000 smaller, 2.0-liter diesel engines. The company still faces lawsuits from fewer than 5,000 owners of 2-liter diesels who opted out of the settlement, as well as some shareholder suits and numerous lawsuits filed by states for violating pollution laws. It also has settled a U.S. criminal investigation by agreeing to pay $4.3 billion, but a probe of employee behavior continues with seven people charged in the U.S. In all, VW will pay more than $20 billion to settle civil and criminal claims in the U.S. alone. Also pending is whether VW can adequately fix some older 2.0-liter engines. If it can't, VW will have to buy back vehicles with the smaller diesel engines. A March 3 deadline is approaching. Musical water will continue to flow this weekend, as the Q-C Symphony Orchestra travels around the world to honor the rich history of the Mississippi River and its importance to the Quad-Cities. The program includes another QCSO commission, this time by Los Angeles-based composer Michael Abels, called "Liquify." The 54-year-old, who worked with QCSO music director Mark Russell Smith in Phoenix in the early '90s, has known Mr. Smith since they went to grade school together. "He has a wonderful tenor voice, and so often I'd accompany him singing," Mr. Abels said this week by email. "He is also a cellist, and so he premiered my unreasonably-difficult cello sonata for my college bachelor's degree recital. It's a friendship that has been a tremendous blessing in my life." In their 20s, Mr. Smith was music director of the Phoenix Youth Symphony and commissioned Mr. Abels to write "Global Warming." After the symphony premiered it, the piece has had more than 100 performances. "But even though our friendship and collaboration is lifelong, 'Liquify' is the first orchestral premiere of mine he's led since then," the composer wrote. "I'm delighted to renew our collaboration at the QCSO, and it's been a wonderful experience." "Liquify" is a tone poem of various water scenes. "It begins with a cascading waterfall, which gives way to an immense river an industrial, working river, a murky road of barges and commerce," Mr. Abels said. "I wanted the piece to acknowledge the Mississippi River in the way we most often encounter it." "Theres always joy in my music. Nearly every instrument in the orchestra gets a feature moment," he said. "It's hard to explain this piece beyond saying it's very watery.," Mr. Abels wrote for the QCSO program. "In practical terms, that may just mean lots of sixteenth notes! But to me, there's more to it than that. "While I was writing 'Liquify,' I was also writing other music for which very specific constraints were necessary. I found writing 'Liquify' to be quite liberating by comparison," he said. "So the title of this piece is not just a reference to water in the natural world, but also a reference to the relaxing of limitations and boundaries, to the joy of letting it flow." The variety of pieces this weekend (as part of this "Joined by a River" season) is united by the concept of rivers. In civilization, rivers have provided incredible inspiration for music, writing, painting and other art forms, Mr. Smith said. Joined by a River celebrates the life-blood of the Midwest. It is a theme that will resonate with the people of the Quad-Cities area. QCSO executive director Ben Loeb said the "music of the rivers of the world brings audiences together, just as the Mississippi brings our community together. The program opens with "Dawn on the Moscow River" (1886) by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky. Then concertmaster Naha Greenholtz will be in the spotlight for Mozarts Violin Concerto No. 5 (1775). "Naha is one of the treasures of the QCSO, Mr. Smith said. She is an incredibly lively force and a great asset to the community. People can sense her commitment and her joy in music. "Part of Mozart's genius is the simplicity of the music. It's a bit paradoxical, but that can make the music more intimidating to approach," Ms. Greenholtz said on qcso.org. "The melodies and phrases have a certain inevitability to them that's easily understood and resonates immediately. "For that reason, to me there's always a desire for things to be 'just right,' and that can be stifling," she said. "The challenge is finding a way to give in to the spirit of the music without feeling like you are walking a tightrope." Mozart's last violin concerto is his most mature, and its nickname, "Turkish," comes from the third movement and its Turkish march section, Ms. Greenholtz said in a recent promotional video. It was a sound used mostly by Turkish military bands, with a percussive element, she said. "There's a lot of drama in the section." At performances, soloists often improvise the cadenzas (at the close of major movements), and Ms. Greenholtz said she's mapped out new cadenzas for this weekend. "It will be fun to play those for the first time a world premiere," she joked. "Being a soloist with my home orchestra, the QCSO, is a warm, welcoming feeling." The program closes with Mozarts majestic Prague Symphony (1787) and the evergreen Blue Danube Waltz (1867) by Johann Strauss II. If the violin concerto earlier on this program showed the height of Mozarts creative powers as a young man in Salzburg, his Prague Symphony "represents the mature craftsmanship of his most successful years following his migration to Vienna in 1781," the program says. The 38th of 41 total symphonies, it was premiered in Prague, between the success "The Marriage of Figaro" and the premiere of "Don Giovanni." "That Mozart was able to create so brilliant a symphony amid the tempest of writing and premiering two of the most extraordinary operas in the repertory is nothing less than a miracle," the program says. You can see a video of Ms. Greenholtz discussing and playing the concerto at youtube.com/watch?v=AHKMU_deC-M&feature=youtu.be. ** To read a Q & A with Ms. Greenholtz, visit QCOnline.com. A Davenport man was arrested in New Mexico in connection with kidnapping and sexual abuse charges filed against him in Davenport last month. Alan Ray Cassias, 54, of 1819 W. 3rd St., is charged in Scott County District Court with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree sexual abuse, according to court documents. According to an affidavit filed against Mr. Cassias: About noon on Jan. 17, Mr. Cassias saw a woman walking in the area of Lombard Street and Harrison Street. Mr. Cassias asked the woman if she needed a ride, and she entered his vehicle. The woman was on her way to work. Mr. Cassias told her they would have to stop by his apartment first. Inside the apartment, Mr. Cassias choked the woman until she passed out. He then zip-tied her hands together. When the woman woke up, Mr. Cassias threatened her with a knife and told her several times he was going to kill her. Mr. Cassias removed one zip tie and told the woman to take off her clothes. He forced the woman to perform several sex acts with him. Mr. Cassias continued to threaten the woman, and she pleaded for her life. After the sexual assault, the woman begged Mr. Cassias to let her go, promising she wouldn't tell anyone what had happened. Mr. Cassias gave the woman a ride to her work. The woman contacted the police and was taken to the hospital. She had received injuries to her head, neck, face and arms. Days later, on Jan. 24, U.S. Border Patrol agents were conducting immigration inspections west of Las Cruces, N.M., when they received an alert about Mr. Cassias. The agents recognized Mr. Cassias had recently passed through. They located and stopped his vehicle without incident, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release. The agents notified the New Mexico State Police. A state police officer arrived and took custody of Mr. Cassias. As of Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Cassias was being held in Dona Ana County Jail in New Mexico. A Moline man made his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday on bankruptcy fraud charges. Samir A. Patel, 48, of the 3600 block of 73rd Street, was arrested Tuesday for seven counts of altering records in bankruptcy, one count of falsification of records in bankruptcy and one count of making false statements under oath in bankruptcy proceedings. According to the indictment, in June 2013, Mr. Patel filed a chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. The indictment alleges that in August and September 2013, Patel provided the bankruptcy trustee with altered bank statements and summaries of his bank account. The indictment also alleges that Mr. Patel falsely testified under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding, a September 2013 meeting of creditors, that a $5,000 wire transfer deposit into his account was a loan from a friend of his wife to help the couple pay living and business expenses. As alleged in the indictment, the deposit was actually a $315,000 wire transfer from a law firm related to a business transaction and which Mr. Patel was attempting to conceal from creditors and the bankruptcy trustee. The charges resulted from a referral by the U.S. Trustee for Indiana and Central and Southern Illinois (Region 10) to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. The charges were investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, in collaboration with the Central Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group, coordinated by the U.S. Trustee. Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Mr. Patel could receive 20 years in prison for each altering records charge. The remaining two charges can be penalized by up to five years in prison each. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen B. Jackson, Jr., ordered Mr. Patel remain detained pending a detention hearing on Feb. 6. Trial was set for March 27, in Peoria, before Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid. NEW DOUGLAS, Ill. (AP) Authorities have charged an Illinois couple with involuntary manslaughter after their infant son was found lifeless in their crowded, trash-filled home. The Belleville News-Democrat reports authorities believe the 2-month-old suffocated Tuesday after being trapped under a car seat. Amy and Timothy Elkins Jr. each face one charge of involuntary manslaughter, one charge of felony child endangerment and nine counts of misdemeanor child endangerment. It was not immediately clear if they are represented by an attorney who could speak on their behalf. Madison County Sheriff John Lakin says the family lived in "absolutely horrific" conditions that appalled seasoned officers. Trash was piled almost to the ceiling in some rooms causing a sickening stench. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services took the Elkins' eight other children into protective custody. ROCK ISLAND A U.S. Inspector General audit has recommended the Rock Island Housing Authority pay more than $600,000 to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development for failing to comply with conflict-of-interest rules. The audit also states RIHA did not adequately manage a federal self-sufficiency program designed to help HUD-assisted families increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on welfare assistance and rental subsidies. The audit recommends RIHA be required to reimburse HUD $497,668 in federal housing assistance payments, and associated administrative fees, along with $128,228 in federal coordinator grant funds. The RIHA has not repaid the money. "At this point, there have not been any decisions reached," RIHA spokeswoman Gail Riggins said Wednesday. "We're continuing to work with HUD to resolve this. They have not given us a timeline. "We're confident we're going to have a favorable result," Ms. Riggins said. The audit, completed in September 2016, sought to verify if RIHA complied with HUD requirements for its RIHA's Housing Choice Voucher program. Initially reviewing the program from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 31, 2015, the audit was expanded where deemed necessary. RIHA executive director Susan Anderson has contested the recommendations to Kelly Anderson, HUD's Region 5 Regional Inspector General for Audit in Chicago. Susan Anderson said the RIHA has complied with the audit's recommendations, but repayment would be "devastating" to the local housing authority's ability to provide services to its residents. "This recommendation is not designed to rectify a shortcoming," Susan Anderson wrote. "It is instead created to sensationalize a minor finding that has already been corrected." Forcing RIHA to reimburse $497,000 "appears aimed at only teaching the authority a lesson that the authority has already learned," Susan Anderson wrote. According to the audit, RIHA lacked a sufficient understanding of HUD's regulations regarding conflicts of interest. "Specifically, it failed to obtain the services of an independent third party to perform housing quality standards inspections and rent reasonableness determinations for units owned by entities it substantially controlled," the audit said. "As a result, it inappropriately paid nearly $454,000 in housing assistance to the entities and earned nearly $44,000 in administrative fees," the audit states. "Further, HUD and the authority lacked assurance that the authority acted in the best interests of its program households." The audit states RIHA's nonprofit instrumentality Community Housing Services Inc., or CHS owned a controlling interest in the Lynden Lane project, Douglas Park Place and Express Housing 1. The three sites are newly developed, low-income housing tax credit housing developments in Rock Island. RIHA has a controlling interest in CHS. CHS owns a controlling interest in Lynden Lane, Douglas Park Place and Express Housing. That connection, according to the audit, created a conflict of interest. The audit said RIHA used its own program inspectors to review 56 units instead of using an independent third party. The audit also recommended RIHA reimburse the federal government $128,228 in coordinator grant funds for failing to exercise proper supervision and oversight of its Family Self-Sufficiency program. Specifically, it states RIHA did not ensure the required documentation for participants' admission and continued participation in the program. According to the audit, all but one of the 64 self-sufficiency program participants from January 2014 through December 2015 had incorrect or incomplete documentation. Neither Susan Anderson nor Kelly Anderson could be reached for comment Wednesday. Panic averted there's plenty of bacon now, and a lot more on the way. Reports otherwise sizzled across the nation Wednesday, prompting crisp headlines like this one from the Sacramento Bee's online edition: "Time to panic: We have an official bacon reserve and its at a 50-year low." A Charlotte (N.C.) Observer story began, "You better hustle to McDonald's fast and stake a claim on a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit." The source of the story turned out to be the Ohio Pork Council, which claims its information was misinterpreted. Media reports have inaccurately implied that our organization was suggesting that there is actually a shortage of bacon," the group said in a statement issued later Wednesday. The New York Times, which derided the stories as "fake news," said the council got caught in a marketing ploy that included a website baconshortage.com that no longer can be found. Gary Asay, a hog farmer near Geneseo and a member of the National Pork Board, called Wednesday's reports a "hoax" and a "nonstory." The prices for hogs "improved the last month or two, but prices were low in the fall," he said. The initial stories suggested the reported shortage had caused a jump in prices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cold Storage report for pork bellies the more accurate term for "bacon reserve" was down 66 percent in December 2016 compared to 2015. But it still stood at 17.759 million pounds. While December 2015 was unusually high, December 2016 had the lowest December level on record. The storage tally has dropped lower in other months, according to the National Pork Board in Des Moines. Mr. Asay noted the USDA has Cold Storage reports for many kinds of meats, including pork bellies. A USDA fact sheet shared by Steve Meyer, vice president of pork analysis at EMI Analytics, showed fluctuations in pork belly cold storage and prices including a sharp price rise from December to January. "The U.S. pork industry produces 74 million pounds of pork bellies each week," he noted. "The USDA is currently predicting U.S. pork production to increase by 5 percent, to 26.205 billion pounds (of) carcass weight, in 2017." As Mr. Asay put it, "As a nation, we've been taking a record number of hogs to market lately." Hungry for more? Celebrate healthy bacon and beer supplies with the annual Bacon and Beer Festival at 7 p.m. Friday in the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. The cost is $25; VIP entrance at 6 p.m. costs $50. For more details, visit baconandbeerfestivals.com/davenport-ia. Today is Friday, Feb. 3, the 34th day of 2017. There are 331 days left in the year. 1867 -- 150 years ago: Several men were seen in the GAR parade today wearing badges that were never in United States service. They were bogus soldiers. 1892 -- 125 years ago: Considerable damage was caused by two vehicles when the horse and buggy driven by Mrs. Catherine Farrell collided with another buggy. 1917 -- 100 years ago: Agent Holmes of the Milwaukee Railroad recovered his valuable Irish setter after the dog strayed and was absent several days. 1942 -- 75 years ago: Lt. A.S. Speed Chandler visited Rock Island to help recruit men for the Army Air Corps. 1967 -- 50 years ago: The safest year on record was achieved in 1966 at the International Harvester Cos Farmall Works in Rock Island, and as result the Farmall Works has been awarded a large trophy as the safest plant in the IHC farm division. 1991 -- 25 years ago: January in the Quad-Cities hadnt been that warm in years. Thanks to El Nino a pool of warm air that originated off the western coast of South America last month was the 14th warmest January with the National Weather Service in Moline. NEW YORK (AP) Between reality and the bubble of fantasy news stories, these are tough times for satirists. The New Yorker magazine recently took steps to distinguish Andy Borowitz's humor columns from politically motivated false stories circulating online. His editor said the New Yorker was getting email asking if there was a difference between the two. So they changed the tagline for "The Borowitz Report" from "the news, reshuffled" to "not the news" on the magazine's website. When the stories are shared online, they are more clearly identified as satire, said Nicholas Thompson, editor of NewYorker.com. Borowitz's columns take the form of news stories, like one headlined this week, "Trump fires attorney general after copy of Constitution is found on her computer." One story last week: "Trump enraged as Mexican president meets with Meryl Streep instead." "We were worried that the world was going to blur what he does with what other people are doing," Thompson said. "Other people had an economic scheme to manipulate American politics. What Andy does, in the great tradition of satire and humor, is poke fun at American politics. They're very different things." Thompson admits: "It's a weird problem to have." The changes, first reported by WWD, have Borowitz's blessing. He came up with the "not the news" tag. "It made more sense when people from another country would read one of my stories and not get the joke that was kind of predictable," Borowitz said. "But the fact that so many Americans have to go to Snopes.com to find out that Trump didn't really hire El Chapo to be head of the D.E.A. or something like that, that's a reading comprehension problem." Satirists generally don't like to have the word "satire" in flashing lights atop their work; subtlety helps the humor. Most so-called fake news stories have clear political intent like a much-shared one about the pope supposedly endorsing Trump. Some are fanciful enough to draw a chuckle. The humor site The Onion bills itself as "America's Finest News Source." A story like "Trump supporter has 'backup scapegoats' ready to go in case immigrant crackdown doesn't solve problem" isn't marked satire. People who visit the site should be familiar with The Onion's reputation, but it's unclear if any steps are taken to clarify the intent when a story is spread online. The Onion's editor turned down a request for an interview. As the line has blurred for some, a website, realorsatire.com, has emerged to do precisely what its name suggests: enable readers to input the name of a site and determine its origins. It was created more than two years ago to help web users navigate through an explosion in "clickbait" sites, where enticing news nuggets mostly about celebrities are used to draw people in so they can see the ads, said Jack Shepler, president of the Indianapolis, Indiana-based Ayokay Creative, which built the site. "We saw people finding these ridiculous stories and posting them as real," he said. The two weeks after the presidential election were the site's most heavily trafficked time, when publicity about manufactured political stories was at its peak, he said. Many manufactured news sites purposely resemble real news destinations, increasing confusion. Shepler said he's been surprised at how often people post clearly false stories even some of his relatives and thinks it's because the desire to justify their beliefs is so strong they'll take virtually anything at face value. One site, NewsMutiny, bills itself as "satire for the wise, news for the dumb." One of its featured stories suggests a zoo is encouraging its patrons to harass gay penguins. When questioned, some operators of sites that produce false news for political reasons have defended themselves by saying they're producing satire, said Steve Bodow, an executive producer of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central. "I resent that as a citizen, but not as a satirist," Bodow said. More than the false news sites and competition, the New Yorker's Borowitz said that his job is made more difficult by the increasing absurdity of reality. "Once you've had a country that's decided that a reality show host should have nuclear weapons, it's kind of hard to come up with a satirical story that beats that," he said. At "The Daily Show," Bodow and his fellow producer, Jen Flanz, have more material than they know what to do with. Trump is forcing writers and host Trevor Noah to find different ways of telling stories. There's more to do beyond the common tactic of pointing out the hypocrisy of a politician's contradictory statements, he said. "It feels vital," Bodow said. "We're definitely energized." WASHINGTON (AP) Republicans jammed two of President Donald Trump's top Cabinet picks through the Senate Finance Committee with no Democrats in the room Wednesday after suspending a rule that would have otherwise barred them from taking the vote. The tactic seemed a warning shot that they might deploy brute political muscle in the upcoming fight over the Supreme Court vacancy. With a near-toxic vapor of divisiveness between the two parties across Capitol Hill, nasty showdowns broke out elsewhere as well. One Senate panel signed off on Trump's choice for attorney general only after senators exchanged heated words, and another committee postponed a vote on the would-be chief of the Environmental Protection Agency after Democrats refused to show up. Busting through a Democratic boycott of the Finance panel, all 14 Republicans took advantage of Democrats' absence to temporarily disable a committee rule requiring at least one Democrat to be present for votes. They then used two 14-0 roll calls to approve financier Steve Mnuchin for Treasury secretary and Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to be health secretary, ignoring Democrats' demands that the two nominees provide more information about their financial backgrounds. All the nominations will need full Senate approval. Underscoring Congress' foul mood, Finance panel Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Democrats should be "ashamed" for staying away from his committee's meeting. "I don't feel a bit sorry for them," he told reporters, adding later, "I don't care what they want at this point." Trump won one major victory, as the Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state. The mostly party-line 56-43 vote came with Democrats critical of Tillerson's close ties to Russia as former Exxon Mobil CEO. But the prospects that GOP donor Betsy DeVos would win approval as education secretary were jarred when two GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, said they opposed her. Both challenged her support for public education, and their defections meant Vice President Mike Pence might need to break a tie in a Senate that Republicans control 52-48. Congress' day was dominated by confrontation, even as lawmakers braced for an even more ferocious battle over Trump's nomination of conservative federal judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Democrats were already furious over Republicans' refusal to even consider last year President Barack Obama's pick for the slot, Judge Merrick Garland. Trump fueled the fire by urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to "go nuclear" shorthand for a unilateral change in the chamber's rules so Democrats can't block Gorsuch with a filibuster. Without a rules change, Republicans will need at least eight Democrats to reach the 60-votes necessary to halt filibusters, or endless procedural delays. Democrats boycotted Wednesday's abruptly called Finance Committee meeting, as they'd done for a session a day earlier. They say Price and Mnuchin have lied about their financial backgrounds and must answer more questions. "It's deeply troubling to me that Republicans on the Finance Committee chose to break the rules in the face of strong evidence of two nominees' serious ethical problems," said the panel's top Democrat, Ron Wyden of Oregon. Democrats say Price had special access to low-priced shares in an Australian biomed firm, even though he testified the offer was available to all investors. They say Mnuchin ran a bank that processed home foreclosures with a process critics say invites fraud. The two men have denied wrongdoing and have solid Republican backing. The Senate Judiciary Committee used a party-line 11-9 vote to sign off on Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., for attorney general. That came after Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had misrepresented remarks he'd made about Sessions weeks ago. Cruz wasn't present as Franken spoke. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, interrupted Franken twice, calling it "untoward and inappropriate" to disparage the absent Cruz. Franken said Cruz "personally went after me, he personally impugned my integrity." Angrily pointing at Cornyn, he asked, "You didn't object then, did you?" Cornyn said he wasn't sure he was there when Cruz spoke. At the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Democrats boycotted a planned vote on Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma's state attorney general in line to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The vote was postponed. Pruitt has questioned the scientific consensus that human activities are contributing to global warming and joined lawsuits against the agency's emission curbs. Another panel postponed a vote on Trump's pick to head the White House Budget Office, tea party Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., as Democrats asked for more time to read the nominee's FBI file. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump urged the Senate's Republican leader on Wednesday to resort to the "nuclear option" of scrapping longstanding chamber rules if needed to confirm Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, an aggressive opening to what's shaping up as a ferocious clash over the future of the high court. At the White House a day after nominating Gorsuch, Trump endorsed a scenario that would involve majority Republicans unilaterally changing Senate rules over the objections of the Democratic minority. It could come into play if Democrats try to block Gorsuch's confirmation with a filibuster, as the liberal base is demanding, and would allow the GOP to confirm Gorsuch with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes now needed. Addressing GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell from the White House, Trump said, "If we end up with that gridlock I would say, 'If you can, Mitch, go nuclear.'" He said of Gorsuch that it "would be a absolute shame if a man of this quality was caught up in the web." Trump made his comments as Gorsuch traversed Capitol Hill, escorted by Vice President Mike Pence and winning extravagant praise from Republican senators. Democratic divisions were on display. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faced intense opposition from base voters to Trump's nominee, while political risks confronted a half-dozen Democratic senators representing red states who are up for re-election next year and may feel pressure to support Gorsuch. "The president made an outstanding appointment; we're all thrilled and looking forward to getting the confirmation process started," McConnell said as he stood with a smiling Gorsuch in the senator's ceremonial office in the Capitol. McConnell has not said whether he might invoke the nuclear option if minority Democrats block Gorsuch's confirmation, but the Senate leader has said repeatedly that, one way or another, Gorsuch will be confirmed. He reiterated that Wednesday evening in an interview on WHAS radio in Kentucky, saying: "Well I appreciate the president's advice. What I would say to him is what I would say to you: We're going to get this nominee confirmed and this is the beginning of a lengthy process." Democrats are still smarting over the treatment of Judge Merrick Garland, former President Barack Obama's nominee to the court after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia a year ago. McConnell never allowed even a hearing on Garland over 10 months, asserting that the decision was up to the next president. Now some on the left are demanding payback. "This is a stolen seat being filled by an illegitimate and extreme nominee, and I will do everything in my power to stand up against this assault on the court," said Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Schumer reiterated Wednesday that Democrats would insist on a 60-vote threshold for Gorsuch in the 100-member Senate, "not because they did it to us or we did it to them, but because 60 votes produces a mainstream candidate." But as Schumer and other Democrats made clear, for many the fight was less about the mild-mannered 49-year-old appeals court judge than about Trump himself. Schumer said that "this Supreme Court will be tried in ways that few courts have been tested since the earliest days of the Republic." Schumer had been invited to meet with Gorsuch on Wednesday but declined so he could learn more about the nominee's record first. The rules change for Supreme Court nominees would be a momentous departure for the Senate, which traditionally operates day-to-day via deliberation and bipartisan consent. There is concern by some that it could begin to unravel Senate traditions at a hyperpartisan moment in politics and perhaps end up in the complete elimination of the filibuster resulting in an entirely different Senate from the one that's existed for decades Gorsuch is a Denver-based judge on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Ivy League-educated son of a former Reagan administration official. His conservative legal philosophy is seen as similar to that of Scalia. Gorsuch would restore the court to the conservative tilt it held with Scalia on the bench, but Trump's choice "makes it very difficult for Democrats to contest this nomination because he is so qualified," said Melissa Murray, interim dean of the University of California at Berkeley law school. Republicans were quick to highlight the political risks to Democrats in conservative-leaning states. There are 23 Senate Democrats up for election next year, 10 in states Trump won. "The minority needs to decide whether or not they want to go to states like North Dakota and Montana and Missouri and Indiana and West Virginia where Mr. Trump won by 17 points or more and talk to the real people there and say 'we're going to stop what was clearly your will,'" said GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. One of those senators, Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia, met with Gorsuch late Wednesday, telling reporters with the judge at his side: "What I look for in any jurist, especially a jurist at this level, is someone who follows the law." Manchin said character and quality should count, and "politics shouldn't intervene with that." For Democrats, there was debate about whether Gorsuch's nomination to replace the like-minded Scalia was the right time to launch an all-out fight over the court. Or, would Democrats be better off waiting to wage that battle for another possible high court opening during Trump's presidency, one that could shift the court markedly to the right. AMONA, West Bank (AP) Israeli forces uprooted this West Bank outpost on Wednesday, removing residents and hundreds of their supporters in sometimes violent clashes as they dismantled a community that has become a symbol of Jewish settler defiance. The evacuation, which followed years of legal battles, came amid a flurry of bold new settlement moves by Israel's government, which has been buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump. Thousands of police officers carried out the removal, squaring off against hundreds of protesters, many of them young religious activists who flocked to the wind-swept hilltop to show their solidarity with residents. Planting themselves inside trailer homes and the community's synagogue, the protesters defied police, who carried some away. Protesters chained themselves to heavy objects or linked arms to form a wall against police, chanting "Jews don't expel Jews!" Dozens of residents reluctantly left their homes without resistance, young children in tow. "This is my home. I want to stay here. It is my right to stay here," resident Tamar Nizri told Channel 2 TV news. "This is expulsion, destruction, an injustice and a crime. The most basic truth is that the Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel," including the West Bank, she said. With some 250 residents, Amona is the largest of about 100 unauthorized outposts erected in the West Bank without formal permission but generally with tacit support from the Israeli government. It was the scene of violent clashes between settlers and security forces during a partial demolition exactly 11 years ago, on Feb. 1, 2006. Those homes were found to be built on private Palestinian land. Israel's Supreme Court later ruled in 2014 that the entire outpost was built on private Palestinian land and must be demolished, setting Feb. 8 as the final deadline after repeated delays. In an apparent attempt to temper settler anger over the evacuation, Israel approved thousands of new settler homes a day before the outpost's removal, signaling a ramping up of settlement construction under President Trump, who has indicated he will be more accepting of Israeli settlement policies. The settler movement is a potent political force in Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's nationalist coalition government is dominated by settlers and their allies. In contrast to his predecessors, Trump has voiced no objections to Israel's latest settlement binge. Amona residents and their supporters had hoped Trump and his softer approach might open a door for the outpost to remain on the hilltop, to no avail. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said some 3,000 officers were deployed to carry out the evacuation. They were met by 1,500 protesters who erected makeshift barricades from smashed tiles, rusty metal bars and large rocks to slow the police advance. Police said some 20 officers were slightly injured by stones or an unidentified liquid hurled at them and a dozen protesters were arrested. Hundreds of protesters were removed from the hill and more than half of the outpost's roughly 40 families had left their homes by nightfall. Protesters, who began arriving in the weeks ahead of the slated demolition, heckled officers and pleaded with them to refuse their orders. The evacuation was expected to drag into the night. As it proceeded, Israel's Supreme Court rejected a government proposal to move Amona's residents to plots on the same hilltop, leaving them without a relocation plan. Many were headed temporarily to the nearby settlement of Ofra. The Palestinians and most of the international community consider both outposts and settlements illegal and see them as an obstacle to creating a Palestinian state. The Palestinians want the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war for their future state. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005, and the territory was subsequently overrun by the Hamas militant group. Trump has said he wants to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, but has given no indication of how he plans to do this. His campaign platform made no mention of a Palestinian state, the cornerstone of U.S. Mideast policy for decades, and he has surrounded himself with advisers with deep ties to the settlement movement. A day before the evacuation, Netanyahu approved 3,000 West Bank settler homes, in addition to earlier approvals of 2,500 homes in the West Bank and 560 in east Jerusalem. He had no immediate comment on the evacuation. Settlement supporters are banking on Trump to support or at least let slide an explosive bill that seeks to legalize several thousand additional homes built on land seized from Palestinian landowners. Instead, it would offer the Palestinians compensation. The evacuation marks the end of a yearslong legal battle by the Palestinians who own the land Amona was built on and witnessed repeated delays by the government to implement the court ruling. "Our feeling is indescribable," said Abdel-Rahman Saleh, the mayor of the nearby Palestinian town of Silwad who assisted the landowners in building their case. "This will open the way for other Palestinians to move ahead and retrieve their confiscated land." Ahmad Majdalani, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also welcomed the evacuation, but said the other settlement moves were "meant to finally kill the two-state solution." Amona's evacuation drove a wedge through the hard-line coalition of Netanyahu, who has been caught between appeasing his pro-settler coalition allies and respecting the rulings issued by the Supreme Court. The pro-settler Jewish Home party had pushed Netanyahu to find a legal loophole that would keep the residents on the hill. Bilha Schwarts, 24, came with her husband and 9-month-old daughter to support Amona's residents. "If they want it they can take it, we will not fight," she said. "We will leave but we will come back." Police in western India have arrested nine people as they investigate the collapse of a newly repaired 143-year-old suspension bridge. The collapse Sunday evening in Gujarat state plunged hundreds of people into a river, killing at least 134. As families mourned the dead, attention turned to why the bridge, built during British colonialism, had collapsed and who might be responsible. Security video showed hundreds of people clinging to the broken structure and trying to make their way to safety. The pedestrian bridge had reopened just four days earlier after more than six months of repairs. Officials said it was overloaded with people drawn to the attraction during the Hindu festival season. Wake up, Rock Island City Council! On Monday, Jan. 23, the City of Rock Island made a decision to shut out Brandt Construction from being utilized for the citys Emergency Contract Work. The motion clearly was made to only include a business that has corporate offices in Rock Island. Although Brandt Construction's office is in Milan, it owns many properties that include an asphalt plant in Rock Island. Brandt has been utilized on emergency work for many previous years, and as Ald. Chuck Austin stated, They have done an excellent job with no known issues. They were shut out. There was no discussion on why Brandt should be shut out, only positive support for Brandt. City attorney David Morrison stated there needs to be a just reason to exclude Brandt, yet no reasons were given. City manager Randy Tweet and public works directors recommendation was to leave Brandt on the list. The council voting to eliminate Brandt certainly is sending the wrong message to a long, established and capable construction company that pays taxes and employs many property owners in Rock Island that pay taxes that support Rock Island. If Rock Island wishes to retain residents and businesses that support Rock island, the powers need to take a long, deep look at what their decisions project to all companies, employees, residents and taxpayers, union or non-union. Dennis Heggen, Rock Island "These tournaments are about getting better and building into the big game, so we'd like to think that we'll see more improvement tomorrow," Gardiner said. 20 minutes ago David King commits to another two years on SEN If Judge Neil Gorsuch is Senate-confirmed to the Supreme Court, federal regulatory agencies such as the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) could be closer to losing a handy, trusted and effective judicial ally in their interpretations of the statutes they administer. Gorsuch likely will encourage the Court to send to the dustbin of history its 1984 ruling known as the Chevron deference. That ruling instructed judges to accept a regulatory agencys reasonableneither arbitrary nor capriciousinterpretation of a statute. The Republican-controlled Congress is considering similar action legislatively. Gorsuchs target, shared by many political conservatives, is regulatory activism by flashpoint administrative bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency. The STB and FRA are collateral roadkill. Regulatory agency findings of fact are not at risk, nor are interpretations of a statute where the intent of Congress is clear to a court. The Chevron deference attaches to regulatory agency interpretations of statutory ambiguities. Gorsuch, currently a member of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, expressed his negative view of the Chevron deference in a concurring opinion published just hours before the announcement of his Jan. 31 nomination to the Supreme Court. As for the attack on the Chevron deference by congressional Republicans, the House on Jan. 25 voted 238-183 to pass the Regulatory Accountability Act, a provision of which would, in the words of its sponsor, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), end judicial deference to bureaucrats statutory and regulatory interpretations. The Senate has not considered the bill. Says a now-retired litigator with the STBs Interstate Commerce Commission predecessor, The Chevron deference is a quasi-presumption in the agencys favor. It is most significant in close cases where there is a divided appellate court, such as when the STBs 15-month merger moratorium survived a 2-1 vote in July 2000 by the District of Columbia Circuit Court. In considering whether the STBs interpretation of its underlying statute was compatible with the STBs moratorium ruling, the court ruled it was within the bounds of the Boards statutory authority and was neither arbitrary and capricious nor otherwise improper. The fate of the Chevron deference could also play a role in a currently pending STB rulemaking. The STB is considering granting captive rail shippers, through competitive switching and under certain limitations, access to a competing railroad. The shippers seek relief under a statute that uses terms such as practicable, in the public interest, and necessary to provide competitive rail service, whose meaning has been challenged as in the eyes of the beholder. I dont think one can predict whether eliminating the Chevron deference would help carriers or shippers, the retired litigator said. It depends how far the agency pushes the envelope in its reading of the applicable statute. Courts can easily factor in an agencys alleged expertise in its field without considering it equivalent to expertise in statutory interpretation. Gorsuch, in his Jan. 25 concurring opinion, said that in the absence of the Chevron deference, regulatory agencies would continue to offer guidance on how they intend to enforce [their underlying] statutes [but] judicial review of the laws meaning would limit the ability of an agency to alter and amend existing law. Fans of the Chevron deference argue that if Congress doesnt like what an agency is doing, it can change the lawor be more specific in writing laws so as to avoid ambiguities. They also argue that elimination of the Chevron deference only substitutes judicial bias for regulatory agency bias in interpreting statutory ambiguities. Moreover, statutorily ambiguous terms such as public interest and reasonable rate are best interpreted by an expert agency. Supporters of Goodlattes legislation say the reason courts are better equipped to interpret statutory ambiguities is one of consistencythat courts adhere to precedent, whereas regulatory agencies are more prone to change their views, especially if there are political considerations. Of course, judicial nominations and confirmations also are often determined by politics. To read the 1984 Supreme Court decision, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., CLICK HERE. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK Viacom International Media Networks has appointed Daniel Munoz as senior director, affiliates, digital and research, for the Iberian region. In addition, Raquel Lopez will join Munozs team as research director for Portugal and Spain. The executives will reinforce the Viacom unit which negotiates distribution deals, launches new digital products and researches audience behaviour.A specialist in business development and innovative projects, Munoz will work with Viacoms complete brand portfolio, which includes MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Paramount Channel.Munoz started his career working for Chello Multicanal ( now AMC Networks ). He has also held positions as senior consultant strategy for telco and media at PricewaterhouseCoopers and industry and communications manager in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Israel and Turkey at IMB.Before joining Viacom , Munoz worked as distribution and corporate development manager at Fox Europe and as pay-TV business developer for Discovery Networks Iberia.Lopezs career has been within the research units of media companies such as AMC Networks and Mediaset. Kantar Media has acquired Newsaccess, a provider of multichannel media monitoring in Ireland. This acquisition illustrates the importance of the Irish market to our business, said Andy Brown, CEO and chairman of Kantar Media . With it, we strengthen our media monitoring capabilities whilst continuing our strategy to provide the most accurate intelligence on media consumption, performance and value.Newsaccess was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Dublin. The company uses its PR monitoring and analysis tools to enable clients to quickly track and evaluate press, broadcast and online content and analyse results of PR spend.Kevin Fagan, MD Ireland for Kantar Media www.kantarmedia.com, added: Through the deal, Newsaccess places our Irish business in a strong position to continue to grow and expand in this increasingly international market. Russian court finds Polet airline in $2 million debt to Moscow tax office MOSCOW, February 2 (RAPSI) The Moscow Commercial Court has granted a claim filed by Inspectorate of the Federal tax service of Russia No. 2 asking to include 123 million rubles (about $2 million) debt owed by Polet airline in the creditors demands list, court documents read on Thursday. Earlier, the Federal Tax Service (FTS) filed two claims with the court to include 443 million rubles ($7.3 million) debt in the demands list. Polet airline was found bankrupt on April 26. Overall, the airlines debt is estimated to make 3 billion rubles ($46.1 mln). In March 2014, the Ilyushin Finance Co company filed a bankruptcy lawsuit against Polet. On November 21, 2014, a court ruled to introduce monitoring procedures at the airline. Debt owed to the Ilyushin Finance Co was included into the list of creditors claims. Polet airline was founded in 1988. It has been registered in Voronezh, a town in southern Russia, until the end of 2013. In 2014, the company experienced financial troubles, which eventually led to suspension and revocation of Polets airline certificate. Moscow court rules two anti-corruption officials to stay in detention MOSCOW, February 2 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has ruled to keep two officers of the Interior Ministry's Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Department, suspected of abuse of office, to stay in detention until February 21, RAPSI learnt in the court on Thursday. The court partially upheld the ruling of Moscows Presnensky District Court, which earlier ordered to detain defendants in the case, Alexander Sobol and Sergey Abramov. The Moscow City Court fixed a mistake made by the lower court, changing the rulings term exceptionally grave crime to grave crime. On November 21, Russian authorities opened a criminal case against Sobol and Abramov. Later Abramov was arrested, along with Vladimir Alferov, who was allegedly helping Abramov to conduct unlawful operation to expose criminals involved in corruption. According to media reports, Sobol is another defendant in this case. On December 10, the Presnensky District Court detained Abramov and Alferov. This case is related to a criminal case against Sergey Cherenkov and Sergey Pokhilyuk who were found guilty of trying to sell membership in the United Russia party. The sentence was later revoked. According to case documents, on September 30, 2013, Abramov and other unidentified officers of the Department, with the assistance of Alferov, provoked Cherenkov and Pokhilyuk to commit fraud. Allegedly Alferov presented himself as representative of Kiwi company and transferred 5 million rubles ($81,000) for membership in United Russia. Later Cherenkov and Pokhilyuk became defendants in a fraud case. MOSCOW, February 2 (RAPSI) - The Leninsky District Court of Kirov on Thursday dismissed a motion by Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny to summon all defense witnesses for giving testimony in the Kirovles embezzlement case, Navalny wrote on his Twitter account. On Wednesday, the court imposed travel restrictions on Navalny. According to the court order, the defendant is prohibited from leaving Kirov until February 10. In November, Russia's Supreme Court overturned sentences against Navalny and his accomplice Pyotr Ofitserov in Kirovles embezzlement case and sent it for retrial. The Supreme Court delivered the ruling taking into consideration the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). In February 2016, ECHR held that the applicants right to a fair trial had been violated and ordered Russian authorities to compensate Navalny with 48,000 of legal costs and Ofitserov with 22,000. Additionally, Russia was obliged by court to pay 8,000 euro each in damages. Russias Justice Ministry filed a request seeking referral of the case to the Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg Court, but the request was dismissed. Navalny was given a five-year suspended sentence for embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company in July 2013. In May, Moscow's Lyublinsky District Court increased a probation period for him to 5.5 years. Ofitserov received a four-year suspended sentence. According to investigators, while serving on a voluntary basis as an adviser to the Kirov Region governor Navalny organized the theft of over 10,000 cubic meters of timber from Kirovles company between May and September 2009. Investigators claimed that Pyotr Ofitserov, then Director of Vyatka Timber Company, and Kirovles CEO Vyacheslav Opalyov were involved in the scheme. Proceedings against Opalyov were treated as a separated criminal case after he had admitted his guilt. BBC News (Translated by RAWA), February 1, 2017 Zarinas ears were cut off by her husband two days back. She is 23-years-old. She was 13 when she got engaged to her cousin and married him 7 years later. She is currently under treatment in the Abu Ali Sina Hospital in Mazar-e-Sharif. The doctors say that reattaching her ears is difficult in Afghanistan. Amir Baryal, BBCs correspondent in Mazar, went to meet Zarina in the hospital and talked to her about how the incident unfolded. Zarina said that her husband had cut her ears in the Koshinda district of this province two days back and then fled. She said it was 9:30 at night when her husband tied her hands and feet and forced her on the ground. He then cut off her ears and hair. Zarina said that while cutting her ears, her husband had said to her that he was doing this so that she could not marry anyone after him. After that, he had fed her sleeping pills so she would stop screaming in pain, and dropped her at her uncles house and then fled. Zarina said they had not loved each other from the very beginning. After a week of their wedding, he had left her and went to Iran. He had returned after three years and had not given her any financial support during this time. They had started living in their in-laws house after his return. Zarina said that her husband had threatened her several times to commit suicide or run away or else he would cut off her ears. The Balkh police said they are looking for the husband and said the act was due to domestic violence. Zarinas uncle told BBC that they cannot even afford to take her to Kabul. Zarinas father had died and her mother is physically disabled. Her mother could not even come to the hospital to meet her. This poor woman, lying in a corner of the hospital, demanded that her husband be arrested and prosecuted. She also requested the government to assist her in her treatment. The local office of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission says that in the current solar year, 402 cases of violence have been recorded in the four northern provinces. Beating, hanging to death, murder, and self-immolation are several kinds of violence recorded. The parliament passed an anti-harassment law for the protection of women and children, but has not passed the Elimination of Violence Against Women Law in these past several years. Something has happened in Paris. Shafts of sunlight are visible through the clouds. The familiar blanket of morosite has been penetrated, if not by anything as un-French as exuberance, then at least by moments of cheer. Britain seems set on leaving its own continent. A new president in Washington is leading the US into belligerent isolationism. Every political story, it seems, has a bad ending. What if France defies the narrative? This piece has been published in collaboration with the Atlantic Council, where Frances G. Burwell is a distinguished fellow. The views expressed are the authors own. President Donald Trumps executive order halting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries puts at risk U.S. relations with Americas European partners. At first glance, the measure would seem to have little to do with Europe. But in reality, it will affect European citizens and businesses, and even European security. Perhaps most important, the ban has shaken to the core European perceptions of the transatlantic alliance as being one based on shared values and the rule of law. The executive order comes at a time when European concerns about the new president are already rather high. Trump has in the past referred to NATO as obsolete, and although key members of his Cabinet have offered supportive statements on the alliance, uncertainty lingers across the Continent. The president has also been publicly supportive of Britains vote last summer to leave the European Union and suggested that others might follow. His criticism of the European Union at a recent press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May, and in an earlier interview with the Times and Bild, has brought into question whether U.S. support for European integration -- a fundamental tenet of American foreign policy since 1946 -- will continue. In a letter to European leaders, European Council President Donald Tusk included worrying declarations by the new American administration as one of the challenges facing the European Union. European leaders reacted immediately to the executive order. German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- who has been directly criticized by President Trump for opening her country to an unprecedented number of refugees in 2015 -- reminded him during a phone call of the Geneva Convention obligation to accept refugees, and her spokesman stated that the chancellor found no justification for such a ban. French President Francois Hollande similarly criticized Trumps action, saying that the ongoing fight to defend our democracy will be effective only if we sign up to respect the founding principles and, in particular, the welcoming of refugees. The Italian prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, whose country is on the front lines of the refugee flow into Europe now, called for no discrimination. And May, who met with President Trump just last Friday, made clear through a spokesperson that her government did not agree with the new U.S. policy, and that Britain would not adopt similar measures. Why should European leaders care whether the United States closes its borders to immigrants from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen? First, Europe has experienced enormous inflows of refugees during the last two years from many of these same countries. More than almost anywhere else, Europe is aware of the huge pool of refugees fleeing conflicts in those countries. And Europes own tragic history clearly demonstrates what can happen when refugees are left to their fate. European concerns are not just rooted in a belief, long shared by the United States, that international law requires countries to offer sanctuary to refugees fleeing conflict and persecution. They are also grounded in a keen awareness of the links between peoples and across borders. The most immediate concerns regard dual citizens: German and British citizens, for example, who are also citizens of one the seven countries. British Olympic champion runner Mo Farah is also a Somali citizen and trains in the of United States; German parliamentarian Omid Nouripour, who heads the delegation for relations with the United States, was born in Iran. Europe is home to global companies that employ many citizens of the affected countries, and who would normally travel to the United States for routine business. By banning citizens of these seven countries -- including those who hold dual citizenship in Europe or who are resident in Europe -- the executive order will have an impact across European societies. Europe is an increasingly diverse region, and much of that diversity comes from the millions of Muslims who now call the Continent home. Today, about 6 to 7 percent of the European population is Muslim, and by 2030, according to the Pew Research Center, that number will rise to about eight percent. Thus for European politicians, this is a matter of domestic politics. Their constituents will be affected, as may be family members who live in the seven selected countries. And just as Europe works to integrate many Syrian and Iraqi refugees into its society, the ban sends a message of exclusion from Europes main ally. The U.S. ban has also angered European leaders because their continent is already on the front lines in the war on terrorism. ISIS will undoubtedly use the ban as a motivation to inspire future attacks, and Europe is far more vulnerable than the United States. Alienated citizens can be radicalized and others can cross Europes borders with relative ease. Finally, as European leaders face their own extremist political forces, they call upon their citizens to hold strong to the values of freedom, tolerance, and diversity that have made Europe -- and its American ally -- leaders in the global community. In their eyes, this ban runs counter to those values, and they have no choice but to speak out against Washington. As a result, the casualties of this ban may include not only those immigrants denied access to the United States, but also the trust that is core to the U.S. -Europe relationship. Property details: 86 Breathtaking AcresNike (Howard) RoadLimestoneAroostook CountyMaine 04750 Just north of Glenn Falls Road and on the International BorderThe Land is located just North of the "P" at the GPS coordinates of 46.929021, -67.790578 Parcel is irregularly shaped, but, we have a survey!See how close we are to the border crossing? Easy access. Our backyard is Canada. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: This is a beautiful farmland property where you can live in peaceful tranquility in one of the cleanest, cleare... Price: $ 530 Seller State of Residence: Florida Property Address: Nike (Howard) Road North of Grand Falls Road State/Province: Maine City: Limestone Type: Recreational, Acreage Zoning: Mixed Zip/Postal Code: 04750 Location: 347**, Kissimmee, Florida You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 04750 Property details: FREE 2017 USE TO THE BUYER SELLER HAS PAID 2017 MAINTENANCE FEES FOR YOU FREE use based on resort availability and the resorts ability to complete the transfer in time. Sumday Vacations does not guarantee FREE use or that this will transfer in time. If FREE use is received this will be considered a bonus to the buyer. R Ranch at the lake SV59121-48239 RV, Cabin or Campsite Cabins can be reserved/occupied up to 30 consecutive days at a time and can only reserve one cabin in advance (time of check... Price: $ 5 Seller State of Residence: Missouri State/Province: California City: Napa Property Address: 1962 Capell Valley Road Location: 656**, Kimberling City, Missouri You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 1962 Capell Valley Road Original "The Bachelorette" star Trista Sutter and her husband Ryan Sutter have offered some advice to current "The Bachelor" star Nick Viall about bachelorette Corinne Olympios. ADVERTISEMENT "He was a standup, you know, a gentleman," Ryan stated about his first impression of Viall alongside his wife as the couple gave an update on their marriage Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "He's a gentleman in progress," he said, changing his answer. The couple who admitted to still being fans of the show, believe Viall needs to let go of Corinne in order for him to start taking things more seriously. "Eventually it has to get, like, serious if he wants it to get serious," Ryan explained. "And she's gotta go, because she's just a distraction." Trista had given her final rose to Ryan on "The Bachelorette" in 2003 and have remained married following a televised ceremony that same year. "Simon Cowell sat on a couch with me, and he's like, 'I give it two weeks,'" Trista shared about how many believe they wouldn't make it. Now with two children, 9-year-old Maxwell and 7-year-old Blakesly, the former Bachelorette explained how their marriage continues to thrive. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! "I think forgiveness is a big one because no one's perfect," she said. "Neither of us are perfect." If you've already received or picked up your copy of RECOIL Issue 29, inside you'll find a copy of Colt's latest target. If not, you can download one here. Colt's Mark Redl takes us through this target's BFM drill inspired by Ken Hackathorn. This three-in-one drill starts with the bill drill, which requires six rounds to center mass. Second is the fast drill which is two rounds to the head and four to the body. The Mozambique Drill is final part of the BFM drill that requires one round to the head and two to the body. Load your gun with eight rounds total one in the chamber, seven in the mag, and have a spare mag on you. Think you've got what it takes to beat Mark's time of 6.59 seconds and a perfect score? Take a photo of your RECOIL target through Instagram and hashtag it #recoiltarget for a chance to be submitted in the gallery. This target was designed using the harder-scoring areas of both the IDPA target and the USPSA target, combining them both into a more difficult, productive training target. The BFM Drill is designed to combine the benefits of three standard training drills that you may be familiar with, to offer a well-rounded cross-training exercise. This drill combines all of the techniques you need to practice to excel at both competitive and defensive shooting. THE COURSE OF FIRE Distance from target: 7 yards Firearm condition: Loaded with eight rounds Start position: Handgun holstered, hands relaxed at sides Round count: 15 rounds total Procedure: 1. On the beep signal, draw and engage the target with 6 rounds to the body box. 2. Engage the head box with 2 rounds, then perform an emergency slide lock reload. 3. Engage the body box again with 4 rounds. 4. Transition to the head box and fire 1 round. 5. Transition back to the body box and fire 2 rounds. Scoring: 10.00 second or under = A rating 10.01 13.00 seconds = B rating 13.01 16.00 seconds = C rating 16.01 20.00 seconds = D rating 20.01 seconds and over = Fail Hits outside the blue of the designated head or body box, but still in the red or white body of the target, add 1 second. For all TEAM COLT rounds outside the body, add 3 seconds. Hits in the blue field outside the target, add 3 seconds. To download any targets we've included in our issues thus far, you can just click this link and help yourself to any that tickle your fancy. Porterville, CA (93257) Today Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 64F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 49F. Winds light and variable. University of Georgia police responded to a report of damaged property at the Hunter Holmes Academic Building on Jan. 29. According to a police report, the exterior front glass door of the African Studies Institute on the second floor of the building was shattered. There are currently over 23,400 recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in the state of Georgia, none of which are eligible for in-state tuition for colleges under the Georgia Board of Regents. Chili season, free pizza at happy hour and more things to do in Chicago on Thursday, Feb. 2. EAT Chili-Gate Advertisement Old Town Social 455 W. North Ave. 312-266-2277 Advertisement Through Friday, warm up with a bowl ($10) or three-cup flight ($12) of chef-driven chili, including white bean turkey and smoked squash. Add suggested beer pairings for $7. 5-11 p.m. DRINK Bachelor & Bachelorette Charity Auction Schoolyard Tavern 3258 N. Southport Ave. 773-528-8226 Bid on date night packages at this benefit for Chicago Veterans while enjoying food and drink specials including half-price salads and sandwiches, $5 glasses of wine and sangria and $8 specialty cocktails. 8-10 p.m. No cover. RSVP: nightout.com Founders Keepers Fountainhead 1970 W. Montrose Ave. 773-697-8204 The Ravenswood bar celebrates the release of Founders Brewing Co.'s new Frootwood barrel-aged cherry ale by tapping beers from the past five years including 2015 Kentucky Breakfast Stout and 2014 Backwoods Bastard barrel-aged Scotch ale ($6-$11). 6-11 p.m. No cover. DO 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > Pride Arts Center Advertisement 4139 N. Broadway 800-737-0984 Catch the Chicago premiere run of the Tony Award-winning musical where two drag queens and a transgender woman traverse the Australian desert in a beaten-up bus nicknamed "Priscilla." 7:30 p.m. $10-$40. Tickets: pridefilmsandplays.com 'Real Couples' Under the Gun Theater 956 W. Newport Ave. 773-270-3440 Ensemble members bring their partners up on stage to talk about what got on their nerves that week, discussing issues for the first time in front of the audience. The talk then serves as a basis for improv. 7:30 p.m. $12. Tickets: underthegun.theater HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAY The Florentine (151 W. Adams St. 312-660-8866) offers a complimentary wood-fired pizza with the purchase of a cocktail, beer or glass of wine in the lounge or bar area from 4-6 p.m. For more Eat & Drink news, click here. Suresh Prabhu on the priority being given to safety and the need for more funds for railways to move ahead. After the first Union Budget where railway finances were merged with the main one for the government, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu spoke to the media. An excerpt. Your immediate take on the Budget? For the first time in the railways history, a Rs 1 lakh crore safety fund has been announced. That was the exact amount we have given to the finance ministry. We are focussing on issues on safety and station development. In the coming week, our ministry will invite tenders for development of 23 new stations. Focus has been provided for cleanliness. We have also launched a 41K mission, targeting savings of Rs 41,000 crore on the energy bill by 2025. We will also convert 500 stations into being differently abled-friendly. We have also laid a map to come up with 1,000 Mw of solar energy units. All the trains announced in the earlier Budget will be coming in the next few months. Gross budgetary support for you this year is Rs 55,000 crore. You will have to find the rest of the money. How are you going about it? Capital expenditure in the Budget Estimate is Rs 1,31,000 crore. We have to look for extra-budgetary resources. Since, the finance minister has only announced the capex plan, it is the duty of the finance ministry to also help us find that money. Any debt by a body like the railways is a debt of the government. We are also encouraging joint ventures with state governments. Non-NDA (ruled by opposition parties) states like Karnataka and Kerala have shown interest in this. On the safety fund, we are in talks with even foreign countries like Japan to know about the best global practices. Is declining freight traffic a concern? There is huge competition coming to the railways, not only in India but globally. Roads are completely privatised and there is competition from airlines. We have certain public service obligations as well. Hence, to look into rates and its revision, we are already creating a rail development authority. A Cabinet note is being floated. The depreciation reserve fund for maintenance has more than halved this year. How will the railways manage this with the increased focus on safety? Normally, the money going into social obligations should be reimbursed. We have a social obligation of at least Rs 30,000 crore. How this will be reimbursed should be looked into. With the merger of railways finances, we will not have to pay the dividend any more. The finance ministers Budget presentation is a sombre affair, yes, but it wasnt as if the Lok Sabha was all serious through the speech. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com. Union Budgets are contested affairs, and the contest over the 2017-18 Budget began late Tuesday evening, with the debate over whether it should be postponed by a day in deference to the death of Indian Union Muslim League MP E Ahamed. Finance ministry sources said sombrely that though Ahamed was dangerously ill, medical technology needed to be given a chance. It seemed that his death would be made public only after the Budget had been presented. But the mood changed on Tuesday morning; the doctors declared him dead. It became clear that the government was determined to go ahead with the Budget presentation, but that the opposition wanted to prevent it, citing the convention that the house adjourns on the death of a sitting MP. The tug of war, unseemly as it was surreal, created unlikely allies on the floor of the house. As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled, the Congress said it smelt a conspiracy in Ahameds death. Communist Party of India-Marxist member Mohammed Salim was at the forefront in demanding the Budget be deferred. This was bizarre in itself; The CPI-M and the IUML (which gets 15 or so seats in the Kerala assembly and is a force in Malabar) were political partners in the 1960s, but bitter rivals now. Finally, to show their disapproval of the governments action (and with an eye to Muslims all over India) all MPs from Kerala barring Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram) in the Lok Sabha walked out as Arun Jaitley began reading. Considering that it had won a victory, the mood in the treasury benches seemed to be somewhat deflated. Twice, Power Minister Piyush Goyal had to turn to his party colleagues to mime table-thumping -- as if to tell them they needed to greet the Budget announcement with more enthusiasm. He himself thumped the table vigorously. His colleagues just stared back impassively. It was when the announcement was made about confiscation of assets of economic offenders that the treasury benches roared their appreciation Particularly down in the mouth were two railway ministers, former and current, sitting side by side -- Sadananda Gowda and Suresh Prabhu. Both looked mournful as Jaitley explained why there was no Railway Budget. The minister of state for social justice, Ramdas Athawale, got up to say something twice -- but was so incoherent that he was made to sit down by his neighbour. News that foreign portfolio investors in Category I and II had been spared from the indirect transfer provision brought a smile to the face of Jayant Sinha, minister of state for civil aviation. Few have noticed that there is now a ladies row in the Lok Sabha, populated mostly by the women MPs of the BJP. Meenakshi Lekhi and Kirron Kher were in animated conversation when Jaitley announced an additional 10% surcharge on those whose income is above Rs 50 lakh annually. There was an animated discussion in the opposition benches as well. Rahul Gandhi was in almost constant conversation with Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath, on either side, apparently deep in a political discussion. Gandhi swallowed laughter and rearranged his features to look serious when Jaitley flagged issues of bio-toilets in Indian trains to dispose of solid waste. It was when the announcement was made about confiscation of assets of economic offenders that the treasury benches roared their appreciation But the sweetest feature of the budget presentation was the presence of Jaitleys family in the visitors gallery. His wife smiled widely and affectionately as her husband, the finance minister, read out poetry. His Budget got a forceful thumbs-up from his daughter, Sonali. A family that bonds over budgets together, stays together! Stars go for the loveliest holidays -- exotic locations with a lot of adventure thrown in. So we decided to bring you their travels with a special series. We saw Sanjay Dutt holiday in Dubai with his family, Lisa Haydon take a trip to Italy and Sidharth Malhotra explore New Zealand. Alia Bhatt went on a family holiday to Maldives and TV actress Leena Jumani's fun Thailand escape. This week, let's take a look at Manjari Fadnnis's trip to Seychelles. Manjari, who wore a rustic look in her last release Wah Taj, shows off another side to her on the beach. Cooling off in the water. She welcomes her well-deserved break in paradise. Water baby. Manjari is all smiles. Enjoying a walk along the coast of Mahe on Beau Vallon beach. 'Cheers to life,' says Manjari. Bumping into a tortoise on La Digue island. Beach baby, posing. Making new friends. Manjari writes that she met Mariam in Seychelles and describes her as: 'This lovely girl has been such an amazing company... met her on the ferry from Mahe to Praslin on my 1st day. She was travelling solo too & we found company in each other! She made it so much more worthwhile. Now she goes her way & me mine.' Photographs: Manjari Fadnnis/Instagram Muslims constitute 20% of UP's electorate. Currently, Muslim voters are divided between Akhilesh's SP and Mayawati's BSP. What will tilt the balance? Can Muslims back the winning party? Mohammad Sajjad explains the mysteries of UP's Muslim politics. IMAGE: A group of Muslims in Hashimpura offer prayers. In the centre is Mohammed Naeem, one of the survivors from the 1987 massacre. Photograph: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Indian elections are more about the equations of social engineering. Hence in this election for the Uttar Pradesh assembly, a question is: Which way will the Muslims vote? Muslims constitute around 20% of UP's electorate. By and large, the bulk of the Muslim electorates remains divided between Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. Even though, some smaller players like Asaduddin Owaisi have also jumped into the fray. In this hate-filled era of majoritarian consolidation, there are certain issues of minorities which are left only for the likes of Owaisi to be articulated, rather than by the 'secular' parties. In recent years, Dr Aiyub Ansari, (born in Gorakhpur and an alumnus of the Benares Hindu University) has also been trying his luck through his outfit, the Peace Party of India. Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh is a major centre of Hindu chauvinists like Yogi Adityanath. While Akhilesh has the disadvantages of anti-incumbency factors -- more specifically, his government's very bad performance on law and order (Goonda Raj), complicity in communalisation, failure in preventing and controlling the communal riots and huge displacements of the riot victims, infighting within the family -- he also has some advantages like large scale road construction, patronage in awarding contracts to such constructions, welfare schemes and freebies. Akhilesh has been almost mute on the demonetaisation which hit the poor (and lower middle classes) hardest. His father Mulayam Singh Yadav's proximity with the Bharatiya Janata Party have remained no secret. He has been silent on falsely framed terror charges against Muslim youth. IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with the family members of Mohammad Akhlaq who was lynched in Dadri in September 2015. Photograph: PTI Against this, Mayawati's track record on governance and law and order (Kanoon Ka Raj) has been very good, particularly during her term as chief minister between 2007 and 2012. She spoke stridently against the BJP's demonetisation. The only argument the articulate segment of Muslims put forward against Mayawati is that she aligned with the BJP in the past. This is an argument the other segments of Muslims, who form the bulk of the community, don't seem to buy much. Why? Because, in India's electoral history, there is hardly any non-Congress political formation which did not align, directly or indirectly, with the BJP's parent, the Bharatiya Jan Sangh or the BJP at one or the other point of time! Against this backdrop, therefore, it would be apt to have a look at UP's political history. About the Muslims of UP, it is understood that compared to most other provinces, they have relatively higher economic standards, more widespread education and greater political articulation. They have always played a leading role in the political life of Indian Muslims. With this self consciousness, after India's independence in 1947, it was on August 8-9, 1964 in Lucknow when the first attempt was made to form a pressure group (not a political party) of Muslims to take the community out of its slumber and frustrations in the wake of the communal violence of the early 1960s. Various ideologically incompatible groups of Muslims got together to form the Muslim Majlis-e-Mashawarat. It played a considerable role in 'politicising Muslim electorates, in acquainting them with some of the fundamental political issues involved, and in detouring them from their support for the ruling Congress.' 'Thus, the Muslims came into contact with other political leaders and parties and actively worked for their success.' Dr Mohammad Abdul Jalil Faridi was among the most prominent politicians in this exercise, who from the platform of the Mushawarat, articulated and asserted the issues concerning the Muslims in the general election of 1967. Though Dr Faridi soon split away from the Mushawarat and formed the Muslim Majlis in 1968, in 1969 it elected its lone MLA, Habib Ahmad, from Allahabad. Dr Faridi's protege Mohammad Ilyas Azmi articulated his political vision in an Urdu booklet, Musalmanon Ki Siyasat: Zakhm aur Ilaj (Muslim Politics: The Wounds/Ailments, and its Cure, June 1995). Though inspired by Allama Iqbal and Maulana Maududi, Ilyas Azmi played a vital role in advocating electoral unity (not much for unity on the social front) between the Muslims, Dalits and Backwards, with an unambiguous anti-Congress-ism. In his anti-Brahmin rhetoric, however, the intra-community subordination of the communities of Muslims is conspicuously missing in the booklet. Ilyas Azmi is said to have often charted out his own independent courses of politics on many issues. For instance, when the Muslims were sceptical about the Jayaprakash Narayan movement of 1974 because of its affiliation with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, it was Azmi who advocated supporting JP's movement. This, despite an altercation between Dr Faridi and JP the previous day. IMAGE: Voters outside a polling station in Ayodhya in the 2012 assembly election in UP. Photograph: Pawan Kumar/Reuters Ilyas Azmi was also behind the campaign to dissolve the Provincial Armed Constabulary, UP's paramilitary who was infamous for anti-Muslim partisan roles in the communal violence, most horribly in the 1987 massacre of Hashimpura, Meerut), and to form an 'anti-riot force' instead. In February 1986, after the locks of the Babri Masjid were opened by the Congress government, giving birth to the Babri Masjid Action Committee, it was Azmi who came out with the idea of insisting on two demands: Status quo for all places of worship as these existed on the day of Independence, August 15, 1947, and that all the cases of the Babri Masjid should be given away to a high court bench comprising non-Hindu and non-Muslim judges. Further, he is said to have written several articles dissuading India's Muslims against their emotional support to Saddam Hussain. Ilyas Azmi ended up joining the BSP and was elected twice to the Lok Sabha, in 2004 and 2009. He joined and then quit the Aam Aadmi Party in 2016. In his 80s, reportedly ailing, he seems to have gone into political oblivion without having nurtured a set of leaders to succeed him. So is the case with another leader, Shafiqur Rahman Barq. A graduate from Agra university, he represented Sambhal four times -- in the 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th Lok Sabhas. In 2014, from the BSP, he switched over to the SP, and re-contested the election, but lost to the BJP. Now, in his late 80s, he too seems to have gone into oblivion. IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan at his Lucknow home in 2014. Photograph: Asif Ansari Azam Khan of Rampur is a formidable politician who has consistently been with the SP. Starting his political career with the Students Union at the Aligarh Muslim University, he rose to prominence and became minister with many portfolios. In recent times he has become known for courting controversies by communally divisive and fanatic utterances. In the capacity of minister in-charge, Muzaffarnagar affairs, he stood 'helpless' while Muzaffarnagar and adjoining districts suffered from the worst-ever communal violence and displacements in 2013. With the riots, he seems to have earned a lot of discredit, disrepute and ignominy. To perpetuate his dynasty -- wife sent to the Rajya Sabha, his son is now contesting the assembly election -- Azam Khan has not allowed other political leaders to emerge in Rampur. Ironically, he rose in politics by standing up to the Nawabs of Rampur, who remains with the Congress. In Western Uttar Pradesh, consequent upon the socio-economic changes, some new social groups are throwing political leaders. The community of Qureshis (butchers) have exhibited their political aspirations in recent decades. This manifested perhaps first in Aligarh, where the Qureshis and the Saifis (carpenters) arguably remain political rivals against each other. This aspect awaits deeper exploration. A similar phenomenon is noticeable in other parts of western Uttar Pradesh. According to a recent study (2010), of Meerut, by Bruno de Cordier: 'Both Qureshi(s) and Ansari(s) continue to dominate the social geography of the Muslim parts of Meerut. Many Qureshi, who are a minority, still occupy their traditional professional niche, in part because of the absence of Hindu and Jain presence in the butchery sector due to cultural reluctance or abstinence from meat in these communities.' 'Two of Meerut's large meat companies, Al-Faheem Meatex and Al-Saqib Exports, export halal meat to the Gulf and Russia amongst others, and are owned by prominent Qureshis like Yakub Qureshi -- who is colloquially known as 'Haji Yakub' and lives in a mansion in his original neighbourhood -- and former Meerut mayor Shahid Akhlaq.' 'Both are closely connected to the Deobandi movement and have been elected into the state and federal assemblies with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a political party that emerged from the Dalit emancipation movement and is now the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh.' 'This nexus between prominent Qureshi meat entrepreneurs and their extended families, the Deobandi movement and the BSP forms a controversial patronage network that determines the political dynamics of Meerut and of its Muslim parts in particular.' 'The more numerous Ansari, for their part, tend to have more professional diversity these days. Although this community generally tends to attach more importance to education as a channel of social mobility than the Qureshi, it has less economic clout than the latter.' 'The size and style of some of the houses in the mohallas indicate that despite the poverty, there are also pockets with money and individual success stories, especially among Qureshi who dominate the meat business.' IMAGE: Zulfikar Nasir gives moral support to Shamim Bano, left, who is holding a photograph of her only brother, who was shot by the PAC in Hashimpura in 1987. Zarina, right, who never speaks, with photographs of her husband and son. Both father and son were killed in Hashimpura in 1987. Photograph: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Thus, more recently, Yaqub Qureshi, the meat entrepreneur, with a dozen meat factories in Meerut, Moradabad and Saharanpur, and meat exporting firm, formed his own political outfit in 2007, the Uttar Pradesh United Democratic Front (UPUDF), and was elected from the Meerut assembly seat in 2007. The BSP formed its government in 2007, and Yaqub Qureishi merged his UPUDF with the BSP in September 2007. In 2012, when the BSP denied him a ticket, he joined Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal, but lost the 2012 assembly election. In 2014 he re-joined the BSP and contested the Lok Sabha elections from Moradabad, but lost. In 2017, he, and his son, Imran Qureshi, are contesting on two different assembly seats of Meerut on the BSP symbol. He, however, pursues his politics more on utterances like announcing rewards for those who could behead the Danish cartoonists (2006) and Charlie Hebdo staff (2015) who showed disrespect to the Prophet Mohammad. Interestingly, Yaqub Qureshi (as well as Dr Aiyub Ansari of the Peace Party) does not champion the Pasmanda cause, the way Dr Ejaz Ali, and Ali Anwar Ansari have been doing quite assertively in Bihar since the 1990s. IMAGE: Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati, who is aggressively wooing Muslims this assembly election. The BSP has fielded over 90 BSP Muslim candidates in the 2017 UP election. So much so, that even when the Muzaffarnagar riots of August-September 2013 took place, only after the mobilisation of the Pasmanda Kranti Abhiyan began in this locality and in Pedda, Bijnor -- the victims were Muslim dhobis (washermen) -- the likes of Yaqub Qureishi chose not to articulate their politics along these lines. This looks interesting as well as intriguing for the fact that the BSP's bete noire, the incumbent ruling Samajwadi Party, stands badly accused for not having controlled either the riot or a huge displacement of poor Pasmanda Muslims. Even though some of the Pasmanda intellectuals and activists have been showing their inclination more towards the BSP, as compared to the SP, the articulate segments of Muslims seem to be inclined more towards the SP. With this divergence, it is surmised that the BJP may have better prospects if it succeeds in attracting the lower backwards, which, in Bihar, is known as the Most Backward Classes, MBCs. In 2001, when Rajnath Singh of the BJP (currently the Union home minister) was the chief minister of UP, he, in order to woo the MBCs, had tried to split the reservations (protective discrimination) for the OBCs into two, just as it is there in Bihar since 1978. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in 2006, extended these benefits down to the local bodies as well. Rajnath Singh had appointed the Samajik Nyaya Samiti, under Hukum Singh (currently, the MP from Kairana, Muzaffarnagar). This was pre-empted by his cabinet colleague, Ashok Yadav, through the judicial route. While girding up for the 2017 polls, even the BSP's Mayawati did not throw overtures to win over the MBCs, whereas the BJP has recruited several MBC leaders such as Swami Prasad Maurya and Babu Singh Kushwaha who have deserted the BSP. The political aspiration of the MBCs is termed as the 'third democratic upsurge.' Quite an overwhelming proportion of the Muslim communities would fall into this category of MBCs. Yet, the political parties vying for and thriving on the Muslim votes have chosen not to press the issue of splitting up the OBC bloc, as per the 'Bihar Model.' Even more surprising is the fact that even the Muslim intelligentsia has hardly pressed much for it. Nonetheless, quite a lot of the BSP's groundwork for Dalit-Muslim unity is reported to be underway. These political workers are not oblivious of the 'third democratic upsurge.' The BSP therefore seems to be confident about its performance in 2017. It therefore remains to be seen: a. if there would really be a manifestation of the 'third democratic upsurge' in the electoral outcome of 2017; b. if this upsurge would really penetrate the Muslims,; and c. will it be that the BJP would be ushering in the 'third democratic upsurge' with which the bulk of Muslims would stand benefitted? This would indeed be an interesting development to watch. Mohammad Sajjad, who teaches History at Aligarh Muslim University, is the author of Muslim Politics in Bihar: Changing Contours (Routledge, 2014) and Contesting Colonialism and Separatism (Primus, 2014). United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May received Parliaments approval to begin the process of Britains exit from the European Union after winning a crucial vote in the House of Commons. British MPs voted in favour of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill after two days of debate by a majority of 384-498 votes in favour to 114 against. The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law. Earlier, the British prime minister had confirmed that she will be publishing a White Paper on her Brexit strategy on Thursday. In response to a query by Conservative MP Maria Miller, May told the House of Commons: I can inform my Right Hon Friend and the House that that White Paper will be published tomorrow. Under pressure from the Opposition and some of her own rebel MPs, the British PM had announced last week that she would be publishing a White Paper on the negotiating plans for Britains exit from the EU in due course. The White Paper will reflect the plan already set out by the prime minister in her Brexit speech, a Downing Street spokesperson told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday morning. The confirmation of a date for the White Paper came as MPs continued a second day of debate on the so-called Brexit Bill, which will give May the authority to invoke Article 50 and trigger the official Brexit negotiations with the EU. The government was expected to win despite the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party voting against it. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had issued a three-line whip, a strong disciplinary order, to his MPs to back the bill. However, many Labour MPs had already indicated they would defy that whip, including Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma. Labour rebels joined MPs from the Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrat party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Tory MP Ken Clarke in an attempt to stop May invoking Article 50 and starting the process of leaving the EU. A total of 90 MPs are likely to oppose the bill, not enough to stop Theresa May moving a step closer to be able to work towards her declared timeline of wanting to invoke Article 50 by the end of March. David Davis, minister for exiting the European Union, had opened the debate in the House of Commons with a clear message to MPs that they must implement a decision made by the people in the June 2016 referendum -- with 51.9 per cent wanting to leave the EU and 48.1 per cent wanting to remain within the 28-nation economic bloc. The Opposition Labour party will support the final vote on the bill but will try to amend it, including calling for a meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal. The bill will now return to the Commons next week for the committee stage, when Opposition parties will try to push through these amendments. The bill was tabled last week after the Supreme Court ruled that MPs and peers must have a say before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty could be triggered. It rejected the UK governments argument that May had sufficient executive powers to trigger Brexit without consulting Parliament. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/Pool/Reuters The United States on Thursday put Iran "on notice" for test-firing a ballistic missile and warned of consequences for its "malign actions", signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said. The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administration's policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. In a statement that can have far-reaching implications in the Middle East, Flynn said recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch on Sunday and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilising behaviour" across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region," Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions - including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms. The Trump Administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk," he said. In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them "weak and ineffective". "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened," Flynn said. Later senior administration officials said the Trump administration has all its options open. Describing the recent Iranian actions as destabilising, the officials said the United States will respond to it appropriately. "There should be no doubt that the United States is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising," a senior administration official told media persons on Wednesday. The US is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Iran's ballistic missile activity, the official said. "We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Iran's ballistic missile programme," he said. According to reports, Iran's missile test occurred at a well-known site outside Semnan, about 225 km east of Tehran. The Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile flew 600 miles before exploding. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Wednesday said none of Iran's missiles had been designed to carry a nuclear warhead and that therefore the program didnt conflict with the UN resolution. Iran has warned that new US sanctions could constitute a violation of the nuclear deal, setting up a scenario in which the agreement could unravel something that hardliners in both countries would welcome. The row comes against a backdrop of already strained relations between Washington and Tehran over Trump's travel ban on citizens from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries. Trump on Wednesday tweeted, "Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq even after the US has squandered three trillion dollars there. Obvious long ago!" The Iranian government's influence in Iraq has grown since the US withdrawal in 2011, and US officials have worried that Iran, while fighting Islamic State, will use that influence to fuel sectarian tensions. Representative Photo: Tima/Reuters President Donald Trump's closest advisor thinks that the United States will fight a war with China in the next five to 10 years over the strategic South China Sea claimed by the Communist giant, British media reported. "We're going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years, aren't we?" Steve Bannon, a far-right figure, who has been given unprecedented power in the White House, said on his radio show in March 2016. He suggested that the US and China are headed towards war over the South China Sea. "There's no doubt about that. They're taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face -- and you understand how important face is -- and say it's an ancient territorial sea," the Independent quoted him as saying. Tensions between the China and the US and Japan, as well as other countries, have increased in recent years over a dispute about who exactly owns the part of the Pacific Ocean. China says nearly the entire South China Sea falls within its territory, with half a dozen other countries maintaining partially overlapping claims. China has built a series of artificial islands on reefs and rocks in attempt to bolster its position, complete with military-length airstrips and anti-aircraft weapons. The strategic South China Sea is rich in energy reserves, fishery resources and is a busy shipping route. Bannon's sentiments and his position in Trump's inner circle add to fears of a military confrontation with China, after US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said that the US would deny China access to the seven artificial islands, the Guardian said. Since Trump's election, and the anti-Chinese rhetoric that marked the campaign that preceded it, the relationship between China and the US has become increasingly fraught. Last week a senior Chinese military official said that war with the US is "not just a slogan" and that it was becoming a "practical reality". The same official called for increased military deployments in the East and South China Seas to guard the area, according to the South China Morning Post. Bannon's views are coming under increased scrutiny as he ascends to power within the White House. Over the weekend it emerged that Bannon had been appointed to a committee on which only senior generals usually sit. 'Please mention my phone number in your article: +97-144479988.' 'And if you know of a person who is stuck in a UAE jail, then tell his relatives to call me.' 'I will help them for sure,' Firoz Merchant tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf. IMAGE: Firoz Merchant speaks to workers lodged in a UAE jail. One should not call them prisoners, he says, as these workers are not at fault. In 2008, the ripple effects of the massive recession were felt worldwide. The United Arab Emirates was more troubled by an offshoot of the slowdown. Construction activity in the UAE, which was at its peak before the recession, had slumped to an all time low and most of the work came to a halt. Many migrant workers lost their jobs overnight. Many of them also did not get their salaries on time. And, consequently, the cheques they had submitted towards repayment of their loans bounced. This landed them in UAE jails. According to UAE law, one is immediately sent to jail when a cheque bounces. An Indian businessman was moved by the plight of these 'prisoners'. Firoz Merchant, chairman of Pure Gold Jewellers, knew these workers were in jail for no fault of theirs. "The UAE was hit very badly by the global economic crisis," Merchant recalls. "Many blue collar and white collar workers lost their jobs. They did not get salaries on time. Their cheques bounced and they were sent to jail." Please give my number +97-144479988 to the relatives of any person stuck in a UAE jail. I will help them for sure. "They were not at fault because their salary cheques bounced and therefore could not repay their loans. I wanted to help them because I felt they had no one to take care of them," says the businessman. "Many of them had completed their jail sentences, but had no money to go back home," he adds. Merchant got in touch with the UAE authorities to find a solution to this problem. "When I approached the jailors, they told me 'Firozbhai, our jails are overflowing.' The jails were overcrowded. The jailor of Ajman jail gave me a list of 132 people and said I must get those people released immediately," Merchant remembers. "They had spent considerable time inside the prison. They were Indians, Sri Lankans, Indonesians, Pakistanis, even Omanis," he adds. Merchant says UAE government officials were happy with his offer to intervene. They knew many of those languishing in the Emirates' prisons had completed their sentences, but had no means to return home. "The director general of police told me the jails were overcrowded because many people had no money to pay and get out," he says. Merchant decided to pay for their air tickets so that they could return to their native countries. "In the last eight years, by the grace of Allah, I have sent back 4,500 innocent people back to their countries," he says. "The situation improved after 2011 when the global economy recovered. But for the last one year, again with the slowdown in the economy, such cases are erupting," he says. His parents, Merchant explains, inspired him to help others. "My mother was very generous. She always told me that you must stand by for fellow human beings. And I am only following her. I saw her helping people from my childhood and I think I have inherited this noble deed from her." When he left Mumbai for Dubai in 1989, Merchant says he didn't know he would strike it rich in the Emirates. "When I was leaving India," he remembers, "my mother told me that however big you become financially, you will become a bigger human only if you are good." IMAGE: Firoz Merchant with UAE officials. He does not take help from the embassy of any country for his noble cause. In 27 years, Merchant's business has flourished worldwide. He has one factory in India, one in China and offices in 125 countries. Asked what precautions Indian expatriate workers must take in the UAE so that they don't end up prisoners in the Emirates, Merchant corrects my question. "Don't call them prisoners," he says. "I call them unfortunate people. Taqdeer ke maarey log hai. (They are unlucky). They are not criminals. They are majboor (helpless)." "These labourers end up in jail because they are illiterate. People cheat them. Sometimes agents also cheat them. They are told that they will get Rs 25,000 in the UAE. But when they come here, they get only Rs 10,000," says Merchant. "They have to work here for two years on the same salary," he points out. "Their passports are also taken away by the agents or the company." "(Migrant) labourers work in the construction companies. Their passports are with the companies. They also get arrested sometimes for not renewing their visas," he says. "Sometimes these labourers do not get their due salaries, so they leave their jobs and start working at some other place," he says. "This may also land them behind bars. A labourer must always work for the company for which the visa has been granted. They must not work at other places." The workers, he says, can go to the UAE labour department and register a complaint if they do not get paid. Won't language be a problem for these workers? "No," says Merchant, "It is not difficult. There are three million Indians in the UAE. I don't think language can be a problem." Asked if he involves the Indian embassy in this work, Merchant says, "We only work with the UAE authorities and under their guidelines only." Explaining the procedure, he says, "We do not involve embassies. The UAE police deals with that. Many people do not have their passports or their passports have expired. So they contact their embassy and make an outpass. This procedure is done at the government level." Merchant has just received a list of 350 people in the Ajman central jail and another 350 people in the Sharjah central jail. "By the last week of February, I hope I can send all these people home," he says. "This list comes from the UAE government and they get it from the jails. The heads of these jails have meetings with us. They tell us about the good character and good behaviour of the people who are in jail. They suggest the names of the people who can be released." In 2017, Merchant has pledged $1 million (Rs 6.7 crore/Rs 67 million) of his own money for this noble cause. "I pay 100 dirhams (Rs 1,800) plus the cost of the air ticket to every such person in jail so that they can go home," he says. How do these workers react when he meets them after their release? "Such reactions can only be felt. It cannot be expressed in words. You can feel the happiness." Before we end the conversation, Merchant asks me to "please mention my phone number in your article: +97-144479988. And if you know of a person who is stuck in a UAE jail, then tell his relatives to call me. I will help them for sure." Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, 21, received the Mahavir Chakra in the 1962 War with China. Such was his valour that a temple and museum stands on the land he died defending in the icy valley of Arunachal Pradesh. Rediff.com's Archana Masih meets his family in Dehradun and discovers that in the home that he left 54 years ago his place is higher than the gods. IMAGE: Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat's statue at the Jaswantgarh memorial in Arunachal Pradesh. He was awarded the Mahavir Chakra. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com The best things collected by families are most often displayed in drawing rooms -- souveniers from different places, paintings, rare art or quirky knick-knacks -- but in Vijay Singh Rawat's drawing room, the tiny room's walls only showcase one person: His older brother Jaswant Singh Rawat, who died fighting the Chinese in PT shoes and a rifle, in the icy reaches of NEFA (North Eastern Frontier Agency, present day Arunachal Pradesh) in the 1962 War. The small glass showcase is full of framed photographs, trophies, photocopied newspaper articles; the wall is a shrine to his valour. It is 54 years since his martyrdom, but the nameplate on the gate bears his name. Just a year-and--a-half into service, Rifleman Rawat, 21, stood like a wall against Chinese troops, long after the soldiers around him had fallen in one of the Indian Army's most famous campaigns -- the Battle of Nuranang. Troops of the 4 Garhwal regiment repelled the better equipped Chinese troops three consecutive times and lost 147 men. Jaswant Singh died, but fought courageously for three days, and almost to the last man. The Indian Army built a temple and memorial to him, Jaswantgarh, in Arunachal Pradesh. Last year when his mother died at 96, the band from the Garhwal Regiment paid respect to her as her body journeyed to Haridwar for cremation. "There were four other pyres being lit and people came running and asked, 'Is this the body of a martyr?'" says Vijay Rawat. "I said, 'Shaheed nahi, shaheed ki ma hai (she is the mother of a martyr)'." "Everything we are is because of him. He has kept watch over our family. No one has seen God -- for us he is God." IMAGE: Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat, second from left, with fellow soldiers before the 1962 War with China. In the temple room next door, the hero's pictures hang higher than the Gods. A small silver bust of him sits among the idols. Every day after a bath, a lamp is lit. No one in the family except Vijay Rawat has seen the soldier and it is overwhelming to see how the martyr's family remembers its own. Last year, on November 17, family members made the pilgrimage to Jaswantgarh for the first time, to see the resting place of the 21-year-old soldier who became a legend as he met his death on the battlefield. They had carried bedsheets from their home so that they could spread it on the bed that is still made for him every day in the memorial near Tawang, that is one of a kind and perhaps has no equivalent in the Indian Army. Mrs Rawat takes out an album showing pictures of the family hero's memorial. "These are his personal belongings -- uniform, whistle, shoes. As a ritual, he is served whatever is cooked in the langar and soldiers stand guard. A lamp remains lit 24x7. It's a tradition that all armymen and civilians who cross that area stop and salute him." The family had timed their visit with the day of his martyrdom and saw wreaths being laid not only from 4 Garhwal Rifles, the unit he came from, but every army unit between Assam and Arunachal. "Such are the tales about his valour that he is considered a deity. He is part of local folklore," she says. IMAGE: His portrait is placed high above all Gods and Goddesses in the temple in the Rawat home. Photograph: Archana Masih/Rediff.com In a daring act, the young Jaswant Rawat, crawled in the snow to silence the enemy medium machine gun that was raining lethal fire on Indian troops. His Mahavir Chakra citation reads that along with two other soldiers, he took control of the MMG, lobbed grenades and killed three Chinese soldiers. The action was crucial to changing the course of the battle. Indian soldiers beat back the fifth Chinese attack and prevented them from capturing Arunachal. China lost over 300 men, the heaviest casualty it suffered in the war. His blood soaked the snow. Far from his native Garhwal, the poor chowkidar's son went on to become Tawang folklore, where the unofficial story of his courage is more popular than what is written on the official plaque. Perhaps, one reason why director Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra is planning a biopic on Jaswant Singh Rawat. "Locals say that bhaisaab defied orders and defended his post way after the troops around him had withdrawn. He was helped by two local girls, Nura and Sela. He fired from three different locations, making the Chinese believe that they were confronted by a large number of Indian soldiers. When they finally came to know that he was the lone soldier, they shot him and severed his head," says Vijay Rawat of his older brother, taking some time to wipe his tears and compose himself. "They say the Chinese acknowledged his bravery and sent a brass replica of his head that is now in the memorial." IMAGE: Jaswant Singh Rawat is a legend in the Indian Army. His room in Jaswantgarh is kept as if he is still alive. Photograph: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com The Rawats received news of the death much later because they had moved from the address listed in Jaswant Rawat's official record. By the time the telegram reached them, they also found out that he had received the Mahavir Chakra, India's second highest military honour for bravery in battle. His body never came home because it was beyond recognition and the country did not have the means to bring all its soldiers home, says Vijay Rawat. They received his trunk with some of his belongings. It had one passport picture, which they made several copies in various sizes for remembrance. Whenever Vijay Rawat goes out, he always carries photographs of his deceased mother and martyred brother in his pocket. "At that time the compensation was Rs 10,000. Apart from this we got pension and an additional Rs 250 as allowance for the Mahavir Chakra. We were also provided with a petrol pump, but my uncle cheated us into giving it to him," he says. When the Mahavir Chakra allowance was later revised, he adds, they did not get the enhanced amount till they brought it to the attention of then army chief General Bikram Singh, who they met on a visit. For years, the unit sent the mother a small amount separately by draft each month as a token of gratitude and goodwill. This was apart from the pension received from Army HQ, which used to be a paltry amount in the earlier years, but was enhanced subsequently. When his mother passed away last year, she received a pension Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000. When Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra sent a staff member to their home and asked Vijay Rawat to share memories of his brother, they gave the family one lakh rupees. IMAGE: His younger brother Vijay Rawat was in school when Rifleman Jaswant Rawat went to war, never to return. Photograph: Archana Masih/Rediff.com In the family drawing room, which is a shrine to his martyred brother, there is a picture of his father receiving the Mahavir Chakra from then President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishan, but the MVC citation is missing. "We were not very educated and lost it while changing houses. There was also a letter by Nehruji, which also went missing," he says apologetically, showing a photocopy of Nehru's letter in Hindi. The Mahavir Chakra was presented by his mother to the Garhwal Regimental Centre in Landsdowne, Uttarakhand, which also has a gate commemorating the martyr. A commemorative gate dedicated to him is being built close to the house while a statue was erected at the Dehradun cantonment last year. 54 years after his brother's death, Vijay Singh Rawat is himself retired as an employee of the Survey of India. Taking out a framed picture which is hidden behind the glass self of the drawing room, he asks for a hammer and drives a nail into the wall. "I think my brother deserved the Param Vir Chakra. His bravery was deserving of the highest award for gallantry, not the second highest," he says hanging the picture. "I have written to Modiji about this. If Netaji's files can be re-opened, my brother's case can also be taken up," he says. "If not for his sacrifice, the Chinese would have reached Assam." In November, the family is once again planning to travel to Jaswantgarh in Arunachal Pradesh. This time Vijay Singh Rawat will also join them and meet his elder brother at his final resting place. After 54 years, he will finally get a chance to say goodbye. Military Strikes Are No Simple Answer to al-Qaeda's Rise in Yemen Publisher International Crisis Group (ICG) Author April Longley Alley Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as International Crisis Group (ICG), Military Strikes Are No Simple Answer to al-Qaeda's Rise in Yemen, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58933cf24.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The first counter-terrorism raid authorised by U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend targeted al-Qaeda in Yemen. How effective was the operation, and what is known about the new administration's broader strategy on Yemen? The raid in al-Bayda, a key battlefront in Yemen's civil war where al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and its local affiliate Ansar al-Sharia (AAS) are embedded in the conflict, is a good example of what not to do. The use of U.S. troops and the high number of civilian casualties local sources report that at least ten women and children were killed are deeply inflammatory and breed anti-American resentment across the Yemeni political spectrum that works to the advantage of AQAP. The raid ignores the local political context, to the detriment of an effective counter-terrorism strategy. The tribesmen targeted had links to AQAP/AAS, yet many, if not most of them, were motivated less by AQAP's international agenda, including targeting the West, and more by a local power struggle in which AQAP is viewed as an ally against the Huthis (a Zaydi/Shiite militia) and fighters aligned with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. At a local level, the raid not only plays into AQAP's narrative of the need to violently oppose what they claim is a U.S. war against Muslims, but it also gives AQAP an opportunity to accuse the U.S. of assisting Huthi/Saleh forces in the fight for al-Bayda, an accusation that will likely resonate with the anti-Huthi/Saleh population in this area. This is ironic, because the U.S. is assisting Saudi Arabia in bombing Huthi/Saleh forces. It is too early to determine what, if any, broader strategy the Trump administration has in Yemen. On counter-terrorism, it seems he will continue former President Barack Obama's policy of relying heavily on drones and special operations. Yet drone attacks have shown limited effectiveness and a propensity to backfire politically when they cause high civilian casualties. Although they have dealt repeated blows to AQAP by killing key leaders and ideologues, they have failed to stop its rapid growth in large part because the opportunities provided by the war outstrip its losses How serious is the threat posed by the Yemeni branch of al-Qaeda? AQAP is stronger than it has ever been. While Islamic State has dominated headlines in other parts of the Middle East and North Africa, in Yemen, al-Qaeda has been the success story. Over the course of the country's failed political transition and civil war, it has exploited state collapse, shifting alliances, a burgeoning war economy and growing sectarianism to expand its support base, challenge state authority and even govern territory at times. It has morphed into a local insurgency, attaching itself to a larger "Sunni" opposition to the Huthi/Saleh alliance and pursuing a strategy of gradualism by avoiding aggressively offending local norms and by working with local communities to improve services and swift provision of justice. AQAP is embedded in a war economy that spans the various political factions, including Huthi/Saleh fighters, and it has obtained new resources by raiding banks, controlling the port of Mukalla for over a year, looting army bases and indirectly obtaining weapons from the Saudi-led, U.S.-backed coalition that is supporting the internationally recognised Yemeni government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi against Huthi/Saleh forces. Although AQAP has pursued a "Yemen first" strategy of addressing local grievances and blending into local conflicts, it continues to balance local and global objectives, calling for attacks, particularly "lone-wolf" attacks, against the West. There is debate about the degree to which the group poses a risk to the U.S., in particular, but a long-term threat remains. Who are AQAP's friends and enemies in Yemen? Yemen's political elites have a long history of collaboration with and co-optation of Sunni jihadist groups, including AQAP. This creates obstacles to combating the group, as elites have the ability and sometimes an interest in using it for their own financial or political gain. On the other hand, given that AQAP and its local affiliate, AAS, are primarily Yemeni organisations with legitimate local grievances lack of justice provision, services and jobs there are opportunities to weaken its transnationally-focused leadership by addressing these domestic concerns. While virtually all Yemeni and regional belligerents claim AQAP and IS as their enemies, they have all contributed to their rise. The Huthi/Saleh front's military push into predominantly Sunni areas has opened vast opportunities for AQAP and IS to insert themselves into a broader "Sunni" opposition. The Huthi/Saleh side has a counterproductive propensity to conflate a range of opponents, including southern separatists, the Sunni Islamist party Islah, AQAP, and Islamic State. For its part, the anti-Huthi bloc has operated on the principle of the "enemy of my enemy is my friend", only turning on AQAP and IS once the Huthis are pushed out of territory. The Saudi-led coalition has focused on the Huthi/Saleh advance, which it views as part of Iranian expansionism, as priority number one, allowing AQAP to govern large territories for extended periods and reap the attendant financial benefits. In April 2016, coalition forces from the United Arab Emirates dislodged AQAP from Mukalla, for instance, but the group was not defeated and merely melted away into the hinterland. Meanwhile, it profits from continuing conflict, especially along the front lines. In short, AQAP is in the paradoxical position of being the enemy of all parties yet arguably the war's biggest beneficiary. Last week, UN Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed briefed the Security Council and recommended an immediate ceasefire. How close are the parties to reaching any agreement to halt the fighting? There is little chance of reaching a settlement at the moment, largely because the Saudi-led coalition and the Hadi government appear determined to secure military gains along the Red Sea coast before returning to meaningful talks. In October, the Huthi/Saleh alliance agreed to negotiate based on the terms of the "Kerry plan", which combined security and political compromises allowing for Huthi/Saleh withdrawals from Sanaa, phased disarmament, and the formation of a national unity government in which they would be part. But it was unclear how far they would compromise on details of withdrawal and disarmament that are important to the Saudis and their allies. Ultimately, the intervention from then Secretary of State John Kerry proved too little, too late, as the Hadi government rejected the plan, an indication of its understanding that the Obama administration was a lame duck unable to press the Saudis toward a peace deal. Now efforts to restart negotiations are effectively dead. Although the UN remains an essential umbrella under which to negotiate a settlement, after three rounds of failed peace talks and numerous ceasefire attempts, it has lost credibility on all sides and is unlikely to revive meaningful negotiations absent a change in the main belligerents' calculation as to what constitutes an acceptable compromise. If the prospects for bringing the war to a negotiated settlement remain distant, what can be done in the near term to limit the threat posed by al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups? The most effective way to reverse AQAP's gains is to address the conditions that made these possible, by ending the war through a durable, inclusive political settlement. As this is a distant prospect, there are several steps that could reduce the group's influence. For states and groups operating in areas currently or previously under AQAP control, such as the Hadi government, affiliated militias and the United Arab Emirates, these measures include: prioritising basic security, service and justice provision, especially quick and transparent dispute resolution; disaggregating rather than conflating the wide range of Sunni Islamist groups; and using military and policing tools judiciously and in accordance with local norms and laws. For the U.S. and other governments interested in fighting AQAP, it means being willing to evaluate and constrain local and regional partners who may tolerate or even encourage AQAP/AAS for their own political or economic gain. It also means avoiding heavy-handed military action outside of a political strategy, such as the 29 January raid in al-Bayda, which is likely to aggravate rather than mitigate the problem. The Huthi/Saleh bloc could help by avoiding further military incursions into predominantly Sunni areas, which have inflamed sectarian tensions and fuelled AQAP and IS propaganda. All Yemeni and regional belligerents should refrain from labelling enemies in crude sectarian terms. Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. UN refugee head meets Homs' displaced on Syria visit Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Author Scott Craig Publication Date 31 January 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN refugee head meets Homs' displaced on Syria visit , 31 January 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58933e7d4.html [accessed 5 November 2022] UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi today witnessed at first-hand what he termed the immense scale of urgent humanitarian needs in Homs, Syria, while meeting displaced persons in the city, on the second-day of a landmark visit to the country. "It is urgent that peace comes so that reconstruction can start," said Grandi on arrival in Homs. "People are cold, jobless, homeless. The needs are immense," he added. Fighting in Homs took a heavy toll, leaving the Old City in ruins, before ending in April 2014. Residents have since been returning to begin to rebuild their lives. The High Commissioner visited two UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR-funded and supported projects for returnees in the city's El-Hamedia district. The first, El-Birr Social Welfare Centre, offers internally displaced people and their families vocational training, educational courses, child care and psychosomatic guidance. The second was a shelter for returnees whose homes were destroyed. At the shelter - implemented by Child Care Society and one of three operating in Homs - 34 families live in a residential building. Residents say conditions here are better than in schools where they were first forced to seek temporary shelter. "I lost everything, I can't afford to buy or rent, I'm alright here for now," was how Rabii, an elderly gentlemen described his situation to Grandi. Both he and 28-year-old Bara'a described how they were displaced from the old city of Homs early in the crisis and had to move on several times, before finally coming to the shelter. The visit comes amid growing discussion over establishing 'safe zones' in Syria. "Rather than planning so called safe zones in Syria, governments must focus on viable peace and then reconstruction," emphasized Grandi. "Then refugees will return." UN refugee chief calls for accelerated assistance for Aleppo Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Author Warda Aljawahiry Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN refugee chief calls for accelerated assistance for Aleppo, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58933ee44.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Expressing shock at the scale of the devastation in Aleppo, Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR today called for accelerated and immediate humanitarian assistance for millions of people trying to rebuild war-shattered lives in Syria. "There are people here some of them are returning to these ruins who need help, immediate help. They are cold, they are hungry, they need to work to earn some money. They need the elementary things in life," he declared in a statement after touring the ancient city of Aleppo on the third day of a landmark visit to Syria. Grandi, who on Monday visited Homs, added: "We need resources, irrespective of all the politics around this war. This is absolutely necessary and urgent for millions of people in Syria. We saw it in Damascus, we saw it in Homs, we see it in Aleppo All the Syrian people need help. We cannot abandon them because the crisis is not over." The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that despite following the conflict closely nothing had prepared him for immensity of the destruction he witnessed in Aleppo. "The level of destruction is much bigger than I thought I didn't imagine it would be this widespread. You drive for miles and miles you see destroyed civilian houses, destroyed schools, destroyed hospitals. Everything has been ruined," he said. Filippo Grandi meets children at the Jibreen shelter in Aleppo, Syria. Jibreen is now home to over 5,000 people displaced during fighting in the city. UNHCR/Firas Al-Khateeb Calling for "massive investment" for reconstruction, Grandi said peace and stability had first to take hold and rapidly -- saying people could not wait any longer. "These ruins speak for themselves. When you see children's clothes hanging out of windows, kitchens cut in half by shells and rockets, the real lives of people interrupted by war as it was happening, I think this will weigh very heavily on the conscience of the world for generations," he added. A resident of east Aleppo talks to UN refugee head Filippo Grandi. She fled her home when the battle for the eastern neighbourhoods erupted. Today she has returned, and is receiving UNHCR relief assistance. UNHCR/Bassam Diab Grandi made an impassioned plea to the world to renew solidarity with those suffering from the effects of conflict in Syria and other places such as Iraq, Somalia and Yemen. "The world has to go back to solidarity, has to think again of these people not with fear, not with suspicion, but with open arms, with an open mind, with an open heart. They need help, they need protection while the war goes on. One day, they will come back here, and they will reconstruct these cities. But now, in their hour of need, we cannot forget their plight we need to help them," his statement concluded. Maldives: Halt imminent plans to resume executions after six decades Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 1 February 2017 Reference ASA 29/5605/2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Maldives: Halt imminent plans to resume executions after six decades , 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/589340604.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Maldives authorities must immediately halt plans to resume executions and instead impose a moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty with a view to its eventual abolition. Amnesty International has received reports that the resumption of executions could be imminent. The Maldives Supreme Court has to date upheld the death sentences of three prisoners, meaning that their domestic legal appeals are exhausted and that they are at immediate risk of execution: - Hussain Humaam Ahmed (Humaam) was convicted of and sentenced to death for murder in 2012, and the Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence on 24 June 2016. Amnesty International and other human rights organisations have raised serious concerns about the fairness of Humaam's trial. The Human Rights Committee in July 2016 issued an order to stay his execution pending its consideration of the case. - Ahmed Murrath was convicted of and sentenced to death for murder in 2012 along with his girlfriend Hanaa Fathmath. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence on 9 July 2016, but has yet to carry out its final review of Hanaa's death sentence. - Mohamed Nabeel was convicted of and sentenced to death for murder in 2009. The Supreme Court upheld his death sentence on 27 July 2016. In 2014, the Maldives government under President Abdulla Yameen announced Maldives would resume executions, which had not been carried out for almost 60 years. Since then, authorities have taken steps to resume executions, including by amending national legislation. Recent regulations have removed the power from the executive to grant pardons or commutations in murder cases, depriving those facing the death penalty of the right to apply for these as guaranteed under international law. In 2016, the government changed the method of execution from lethal injection to hanging, while government officials pledged that executions should happen within 30 days of confirmation of guilty verdicts by the Supreme Court. A resumption of executions after more than 60 years would be a massive step back for human rights in the country. The Maldives government should instead urgently impose a moratorium on executions, with a view to the full abolition of the death penalty. It is also concerning that Maldives government officials have justified the need to use the death penalty on public safety grounds. There is no evidence that the death penalty is more of a deterrent to crime than life imprisonment. According to statistics from the Maldives Correction Services and media reports, there are at least 18 prisoners currently under sentence of death in the country. Of these, at least five were convicted and sentenced to death for crimes committed when they were below 18 years of age. International customary law and two international treaties to which Maldives is a state party prohibit the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders. The prisoners or their representatives have raised concerns about the violation of the right to a fair trial and use of coerced, self-incriminating statements in several cases. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime. The world is moving away from the death penalty. At this time, 141 countries are abolitionist in law or practice, and a majority of the world's countries (104) have now abolished the death penalty fully from their legal books. Amnesty International urges the Maldives authorities to immediately: - Halt any plans to resume executions and establish an official moratorium on all executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty; - Immediately commute the death sentence against all prisoners under sentence of death, including those imposed for crimes committed when the prisoners were below 18 years of age; and - Amend national legislation to remove provisions that are not in line with international law and standards and abolish the death penalty for all crimes. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Philippines: Duterte must end his "war on drugs" Publisher Amnesty International Author Rawya Rageh & Matt Wells Publication Date 2 February 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Philippines: Duterte must end his "war on drugs", 2 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/589341304.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Gener Rondina never stood a chance. When the Philippine police arrived at his home in the middle of the night, he tried to push an air conditioner out of the wall and flee through the opening. The police were waiting on the other side and shone a flashlight on his face. Terrified, he retreated inside, began pleading for his life, and offered himself up for arrest. Family members said he had been trying to quit his use and small-scale sale of drugs. "I will surrender, I will surrender, sir," a witness said Rondina shouted. The police told Rondina to get on his knees and hold his hands over his head. They told his family to leave the room. Moments later, gunshots rang out. Rondina is one of more than 7,000 people who have been killed in the Philippines' "war on drugs" over the past seven months. Since President Rodrigo Duterte swept to power, on a platform of uplifting the poor and ridding the streets of crime, he has incited people with his murderous rhetoric to take the law into their own hands and kill anyone they suspect of using or selling drugs. The Philippine police claimed, as they did in the vast majority of cases Amnesty International documented, that Rondina resisted arrest. The witnesses we spoke to told a different story, that of an unarmed man stricken with fear in what he knew were the final moments of his life. When he was killed, a witness said the police dragged him outside "like a pig" and left his corpse by a sewer before loading it into a truck. Every day, families arrive at morgues in the Philippines to search for the dumped bodies of their loved ones. The victims are overwhelmingly from the poorest sections of society. They are not powerful drug traffickers or leaders of drug syndicates, but people whose names were added to "hit lists" by local political bosses on suspicion that they used or sold drugs, no matter how little or how long ago. The killings have become so common that there is almost a casual air of business at the morgues and funeral homes. The police and other officials look on indifferently as they process paperwork, unmoved by the relentless loss of human life. The only value they attach to them is as commodities in an economy of murder. Dignity for the victims is even denied in deathone officer speaking to us said some police officers have entered into a racket with local funeral homes, taking a cut for each body sent their way. As a Metro Manila anti-drugs police officer revealed to us, the police are paid "per hit" by their bosses. These under-the-table payments can be as much as $300 for each alleged drug offender they kill. As a result, there is no incentive to arrest people like Rondina and submit them to due process. When there is a shootout during a drugs raid, the police officer said, an alleged drug offender is always killed. Safe in the knowledge that they will not be held accountable for the killings, the police prey on victims in other ways. During a raid, several people told us, they often plant "evidence" even as they snatch possessions. Rondina's father, who himself served on the police force for 24 years before retiring, said the police took a laptop, a watch, a cell phone and cash after they killed his son. (On Monday, police chief Ronald dela Rosa conceded that there is corruption in the force and said they will "cleanse" the ranks.) There are times when the police prefer to operate in secret. Trading in their uniforms for disguises, they roam the streets on motorcycles in pairs. "Riding in tandem," as it is known locally, they approach their target, kill them, and speed away. This way, they have no questions to confront, and no paperwork to fill in or reports to falsify. At other times, the police recruit paid killers to do their dirty work for them. As two paid killers we spoke to said, they're managed by an active police officer. Their gang includes a number of former police officers. "For a user," one of the paid killers told us, "it's 5,000 pesos (US $100)." For a "pusher," she added, it can be twice or three times as much. Following the police killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo on the grounds of the national police headquarters, Duterte said he was disbanding the police's anti-drug unit. But he has vowed to press ahead with his violent campaign, until the end of his term in 2022. The problem is not just a few police officers, but the policy as a whole, which will continue to claim lives. On Tuesday night, a day after the police said they had abandoned their anti-narcotics operations, the body of 24-year-old Aldrin de Guzman was found near his home. The killers left him out on the street, in what has become a hauntingly familiar sight for Filipinos. Each morning, people walk along the streets, past the bodies, touched by the fear the killers left for them. It's a fear that now pervades every impoverished neighbourhood in the archipelago, where residents worry that they or a loved one may be next. The same police that are supposed to protect them are hunting them down, acting on the instructions of the president who was supposed to be their greatest champion. "If you are poor," as one victim's relative told us, "you are killed." Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Israel/OPT: Flurry of settlement activity shows flagrant disregard for international law Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Israel/OPT: Flurry of settlement activity shows flagrant disregard for international law, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5893417a4.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Israeli authorities' authorization of the construction of 3,000 further illegal settlement homes in the occupied West Bank today - the fourth such announcement within weeks - highlights their shocking willingness to flout international law, said Amnesty International. In the weeks prior to this the Israeli authorities announced plans to build 3,219 more homes in the occupied West Bank including 719 homes in East Jerusalem. All the announcements have come since the inauguration of US President Donald J. Trump, a staunch ally of Israel's current government. "Since the start of 2017 the Israeli authorities have made clear that they plan to accelerate the construction of illegal settlement homes and seize further Palestinian territory in flagrant violation of international law," said Magdalena Mughrabi Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa. "The flurry of recent announcements signals that the Israeli government, emboldened by the Trump administration, feels no need to hide its brazen violations of the rights of the occupied Palestinian population. "The push to increase the number of settlement homes in a year that marks the 50th anniversary of Israel's occupation also flies in the face of a UN Security council resolution passed last December calling on Israel to cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories." In total, since the start of the year the Israeli authorities have announced the construction 6,219 new housing units in settlements. Next week the Knesset, Israel's parliament, is also due to vote on a bill that would retroactively legalize an Israeli grab of Palestinian land that could apply to up to 16 West Bank settlements. Israel's policy of settling Jewish civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories violates international humanitarian law, amounts to war crimes. It is also inherently discriminatory and has resulted in grave human rights violations including the destruction of homes, forced evictions, unlawful killings, arbitrary detentions and collective punishment. Eviction at Amona Today's announcement was made hours before Israeli security forces began an operation to remove more than 300 Jewish settlers from the illegal West Bank outpost of Amona after Israel's Supreme Court ruled it was built on private Palestinian land and must be evacuated by 8 February. There have been reports of violence and police injuries during the evacuation. "The evacuation of Amona, which was illegally built on Palestinian land more than 20 years ago, is a welcome move, but the Israeli authorities must ensure that security forces do not use excessive force against settlers and their supporters. The authorities must also ensure that settlers are not permitted to re-occupy the land and that access to it is granted to the Palestinian owners," said Magdalena Mughrabi. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Zimbabwe: 'Sham' arrest of Pastor Mawarire on trumped-up charges Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 31 January 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Zimbabwe: 'Sham' arrest of Pastor Mawarire on trumped-up charges, 31 January 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/589341cd4.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. In response to the arrest of Zimbabwean Pastor Evan Mawarire at the Harare International Airport and his subsequent transfer to the Harare Central Police Station where he is being detained upon his return to the country this afternoon, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, said: "The trumped-up charge of subversion brought against Pastor Evan Mawarire this afternoon is absolutely ridiculous and a total sham. "Coming after a similar charge against him last year, it is designed to make him stop his human rights activism and to punish him for speaking out about the declining human rights situation in Zimbabwe. "The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pastor Evan Mawarire, as he is a prisoner of conscience imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights." Background Pastor Evan Mawarire was previously arrested on 12 July 2016 after he was charged with incitement to commit public violence under the Criminal Law Act for leading a national shutdown between 13 and 14 July 2016 against "corruption" and the declining economy. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Expressing concern about planned Israeli settlements, UN urges return to negotiations Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Expressing concern about planned Israeli settlements, UN urges return to negotiations, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5893423a173.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 1 February 2017 - The recent announcement by the Israeli Government to advance 5,000 settlement units in the occupied West Bank could be an "obstacle" to peace, the spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General today said. In a statement, Stephane Dujarric, reiterated that unilateral actions threaten to unravel plans for a two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians. "We once again warn against any unilateral actions that can be an obstacle to a negotiated two-state solution," Mr. Dujarric said. He added that the UN calls on both parties to return to "meaningful negotiations" based on relevant Security Council resolutions and in accordance with international law, and is ready to support that process. UN envoy strongly condemns attack on UN team near Nigeria-Cameroon border Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy strongly condemns attack on UN team near Nigeria-Cameroon border, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5893425c412.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 1 February 2017 - Strongly condemning an attack against a United Nations monitoring team near the Nigeria-Cameroon border that resulted in the death of five persons, the UN envoy for West Africa and the Sahel region, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, called on both countries to take swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice. According to preliminary reports, at around 14:00 hours, yesterday, an unknown armed group attacked a UN Technical Monitoring Team, killing five individuals - a UN independent contractor, three Nigerians nationals and one Cameroonian national - and injuring several others. The team was conducting a field mission in the vicinity of Hosere Jongbi, near Kontcha, Cameroon, about 700 kilometres north of the capital Yaounde, as part of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission mandate. In a news release issued by the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr. Chambas reiterated the vital role of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission in accomplishing the border demarcation, in compliance with a judgment of the International Court of Justice, and in contributing to stability and security in the region. He also offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the attack and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. The Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission was established by the UN Secretary-General, at the request of Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria, in 2002, to settle border issues between the two West African neighbours. The Mixed Commission's mandate includes demarcation of the land boundary and delimitation of the maritime boundary between the two countries; withdrawal of troops and transfer of authority in the Lake Chad area, along the land boundary and in the Bakassi Peninsula; addressing the situation of populations affected by the demarcation activities; and development of recommendations on confidence-building measures aiming at promoting peaceful cross-border cooperation. Syria: UN, Security Council welcome Astana talks and look forward to intra-Syrian negotiations Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN, Security Council welcome Astana talks and look forward to intra-Syrian negotiations, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5893428040c.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 1 February 2017 - The United Nations and the Security Council have welcomed the international talks on Syria held in the Kazakh capital of Astana, and, in separate accounts to the press, said they look forward to the resumption of the intra-Syrian negotiations. Speaking to journalists earlier today in what was his first press conference in New York since taking office in January, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN presence in Astana was essential to the resumption of talks in Geneva expected to begin later this month. "Our presence in Astana was an absolute must in order to guarantee that after Astana, we could have Geneva. And in Geneva, we could discuss the key political aspects that are essential to be on the table," Mr. Guterres said. The two-day talks in Astana were the first time that the Syrian opposition participated in the discussions alongside representatives of the Syrian Government. The closed-door meeting - convened by Iran, Russia and Turkey, with a representative from the United States attending as an observer - resulted in an agreement on how to monitor the ceasefire effort started in December 2016. In a statement released late last night, the Council called the international meeting in Astana "a step towards a strengthened ceasefire." The Council's 15 members said said they hoped it would lead to fewer violations, and noted the need for "secure safe and unimpeded" humanitarian access in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions. They also expressed hope that the meeting would lead to progress in reaching a political settlement and to efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist activities by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIL or Da'esh, the Al-Nusra Front and others. The members "look forward" to the resumption of intra-Syrian talks, they said, and encouraged the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to re-convene the negotiations "as soon as possible." Speaking to journalists yesterday following his briefing to the Council, Mr. de Mistura said he had asked the Council to postpone the UN facilitated talks from 8 February until 20 February, in order to give the country's opposition more time to unite and participate as one group. "We want to give a chance to this Astana initiative to actually implement itself," the Special Envoy said. The talks in Geneva are guided by the UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a roadmap for a peace process in Syria, including issues of governance, constitution and elections. Algerian blogger jailed over interview with "Israeli diplomat" Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Algerian blogger jailed over interview with "Israeli diplomat", 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/589343314.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the disproportionate charges brought against Touati Marzoug, an Algerian blogger who is facing up to 25 years in prison over a video interview with a person identified as "Israeli diplomat." Marzoug has been held in El Khemis prison since 17 January in connection with the Skype interview, in which his interviewee made the politically sensitive claim that Israel had a "liaison office" in Algiers prior to 2000. Marzoug posted the interview online on 9 January. He is facing a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years in jail under article 71-3 of Algeria's penal code, which penalizes "talking to the agents of a foreign power and complicity liable to harm Algeria's diplomatic situation." And he is facing an additional one to five years in prison under article 100 punishing "direct provocation by the same means [statement made publicly, posted or in print] inciting an armed mob." "Even if the statements made in this interview are no longer verifiable, these charges under the penal code are unjustified," RSF editor-in-chief Virginie Dangles said. "Let's not forget journalist Mohamed Tamalt's tragic death in detention on 11 December after being jailed in connection with his Facebook posts. Tamalt was also prosecuted and convicted under the penal code, although there is a press code that has abolished prison sentences for news and information providers." Algeria's constitution, as revised in February 2016, forbids arbitrary detention and stresses the exceptional nature of pre-trial detention. In report published in December, RSF urged the Algerian authorities to amend the criminal code, abolishing prison terms for media offences, including insult, contempt and defamation, in order to comply with the 2016 constitution and with Algeria's human rights obligations, including its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Algeria is ranked 129th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index. FIDH and its member organisation in Armenia Civil Society Institute denounce the sentence to two-year imprisonment of Gevorg Safaryan, member of "Nor Hayastan" ("New Armenia") political movement. Safaryan spent more than a year in pretrial detention and after a trial in the Court f General Jurisdiction oof Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts of Armenia was sentenced on 16 January 2017 under Art. 316 (1) of the Criminal Code for violence against a police officer. Gevorg Safaryan was arrested on 31 December 2015 during a peaceful assembly celebrating New Year's Eve together with a number of other activists. The incident took place after the police brutally stopped the crowd from setting up a Christmas Tree. While other activists were released shortly after, a criminal case was opened against Gevorg Safaryan under Article 316 (1) of the Criminal Code. FIDH and CSI have already drawn attention to the misuse of the Article 316 of the Criminal Code by the Armenian law enforcement. The overwhelming majority of cases under the given article end with prolonged prison sentences for rather minor law infringements. According to the CSI, the principles of fair trial have been violated during Safaryan's pre-trial and trial proceedings. According to Mr. Safaryan's attorney, at least seven defence witnesses were forbidden from being heard by judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan without any legal ground or explanation. Accusation witnesses gave contradictory testimonies. These contradictions were not duly noted or assessed by the court which used the latter testimonies as a ground for accusation. Defence allegations that investigators falsified parts of the case file were not investigated. For instance, a video shows that Gevorg Safaryan did not exert any violence towards the police officer on the 31 December 2015. Nonetheless, investigators entered into case materials a description of the same video as an evidence supporting their version that Gevorg Safaryan hit a policeman. The video was not viewed in court. Gevorg Safaryan is reknowned for his political positions. He has previously participated in rallies and expressed his critical opinion towards the current government. The trial and the judgment against him seem to be in response to his political affiliation and opinion. FIDH and the Civil Society Institute call on the judiciary bodies of Armenia to conduct an independent, effective and thorough trial in appeal in accordance with internationally recognised standards of fair trial and presumption of innocence. Russia: Long-running cases against Muslims for meetings Publisher Forum 18 Author Victoria Arnold Publication Date 1 February 2017 Cite as Forum 18, Russia: Long-running cases against Muslims for meetings, 1 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5893463c4.html [accessed 5 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Eleven Russian Muslims currently face "extremism" criminal charges for meeting together and reading the works of theologian Said Nursi. Two have been detained before trial since March 2016, and one has not been allowed to pray. An atheist blogger's next hearing is on 2 February. A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017 Prime Minister Hun Sen speaking during a graduation ceremony at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, March 17, 2016. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out at his political rivals on Thursday as he defended a failed plan to secure the countrys border after the 1979 fall of the Khmer Rouge. Known as K5, the plan has been described as an attempt to build a kind of Berlin Wall on the Thai border in an effort to prevent the Pol Pot-led Khmer Rouge and other guerillas from reestablishing their bases and infiltrating Cambodia after their defeat by the Vietnamese in the late 1970s. The K5 Plan was conceived as a plan to defend the nation by preventing the return of the genocidal Pol Pot regime, Hun Sen said in a speech at a commencement exercise. It should have been you guys that are held responsible for the tragedy of the Cambodian people, he added in a reference to his political opposition. While K5 was never completed, its estimated that up to a million Cambodian workers were pressed into duty as slave laborers to clear the land for the proposed fortifications. Thousands of Cambodians and ethnic Chinese died from disease or were killed or disabled by land mines as they labored on the ill-conceived project, which was bedeviled by corruption and mismanagement. Hun Sens own previous involvement with the Khmer Rouge is clouded in secrecy, and his relationship with Vietnam has become a potent political issue as the opposition has attempted to paint him as Hanois stooge. With K5, the Vietnamese military command in Cambodia began hacking a path through the jungle along the border with the intent to mine and fortify the border in 1984. At the time Hun Sen was a rising figure in the Vietnamese-installed government that ruled the country. In early 1985 he was elevated to the post of prime minister. The late Sin Sen, who was Deputy Interior Minister for the Peoples Republic of Kampucheaas the country was known at the timehas said that Hun Sen ran the operation. K5 was led by Hun Sen. He was assigned the responsibility by Vietnam, Sin Sen said according to the 2015 report 30 Years of Hun Sen written by the London-based investigative nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch. Khmer hands to kill Cambodians Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) chief Sam Rainsy raised the issue anew in recent posts on his Facebook page. In a Jan. 27 post, Sam Rainsy described K5 as a Vietnamese strategy to continue killing Cambodians in the post-Khmer Rouge regime. According to the Facebook post, Vietnam continued to borrow Khmer hands to kill one another by changing the leadership in Cambodia when it installed Hun Sen as prime minister. They sue me for trivial accusations related to recent political events or controversies, but they dont dare sue me when I accuse them of being involved in crimes against humanity, because they cannot deny the historical facts, he wrote in a Jan. 31 Facebook post. Sam Rainsy has been living in France since 2015 to avoid arrest in a defamation case brought by former Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in 2008. In September, Sam Rainsy was found guilty of defamation for claiming that Hun Sens social medial team had bought likes on Facebook from click farms abroad to increase the appearance of support. In October, Hun Sen ordered police, immigration, and aviation authorities to "use all ways and means" to prevent the opposition leader from returning to the country, as Sam Rainsy has pledged to do before the countrys elections. And in December, Sam Rainsy was sentenced to five years in prison in absentia for posting what authorities said was a fake government pledge to dissolve the Southeast Asian country's border with Vietnam. Local elections in Cambodia are set for later this year, with national elections scheduled for 2018. In his speech on Thursday, Hun Sen defended his actions and attempted to turn the tables on his rivals as he blamed them for aligning with the Khmer Rouge. Why did you make an alliance with the Khmer Rouge when they tried to destroy the revival of the Cambodian people? he asked rhetorically. I just defended [the country] against the return of the Pol Pot regime, and there was nothing wrong with that. Reported by Thai Tha for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannrith Keo. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Hundreds of thousands of people are flocking daily to major Buddhist shrines and mountains to make offerings for the start of the Year of the Rooster in China, where the atheist ruling Chinese Communist Party has barred its members from following any religion. In central China, crowds flocked to burn incense at the Zhou Shan and Putuo Shan pilgrimage sites, as well as Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan, eyewitnesses told RFA. "I went to make offerings at the Guanyin shrine in Putuo Shan, and I went from Puji Temple to Fayu Temple, which is a four-day incense-burning pilgrimage," a Buddhist surnamed Cai told RFA. "They are seeing hundreds of thousands of people there daily, with tens of thousands of vehicles; the car parks were totally full," Cai said. "This is the best place in China to make incense offerings." He said that while it's fine for the Communist Party to ban its members from religious practice, that doesn't seem to be working for the rest of the population. "Chinese people can't get by without some form of religious belief," Cai said. "They have started believing in other things now [apart from socialism] ... They want something they can rely on, psychologically." Cai said religious pilgrimage is big business in today's China, with tickets to get into the shrines in Zhejiang selling at 200 yuan (U.S.$30) apiece. Long queues snake back from the shrines during the busy festive period, he added, while business owners ratchet up prices to cash in on the booming trade. "All the [nearby] hotels are full, and they cost 900 yuan (U.S.$130) a night for a tiny room of just 11 meters square in the small hostels," Cai said. "In the bigger hotels, it's one or two thousand yuan (up to U.S.$250) a night." In February 2016, the party issued new guidelines banning its members from following any religion even after they retire from official life, a directive which came after an extensive survey of the religious practices of its members. 'Subversive influence' President Xi Jinping has cited religion in particular as a means by which "hostile foreign forces" seek to exert a subversive influence in China, and his administration was worried to find that many party members are religious believers, experts told RFA. The survey involved inquisition-style meetings to gather information and records on believers, religious studies experts said. Observers say many of the Communist Party's 80 million members have little or no faith in its political ideology, and joined because they wanted to be part of the ruling class. Cai said former President Jiang Zemin once made a New Year pilgrimage to Putuo Shan, which is nestled among a huge archipelago in a coastal setting, and features a huge, standing statue of Guanyin, goddess of compassion. "Back then, they closed off the entire area, and Puji Temple opened its great gates to let him in, as if he was the Emperor," Cai said. "Those gates hadn't been opened for a century, since the last emperors, but they opened them for Jiang Zemin." In Wuhan, crowds were equally dense at Guiyuan Temple, according to a local resident surnamed Zhang. "People don't put their faith in the government; they put it in the Buddha," Zhang said. "Their psyches have been twisted by all the [bad] things the government has done over the years." "Everyone is a bit mixed up now." He agreed that many of the ruling elite also have religious beliefs. "A lot of the children of government officials pay tribute to President Xi with one hand, and to the Buddha with the other," Zhang said. Praying for wealth Buddha and Guanyin are not the only figures receiving offerings, however, according to Cai. The first days of a new year are traditionally a time to make offerings to the God of Wealth, too. "Mostly, when people go to Putuo Shan, they are looking for spiritual peace, but when they go to Guiyuan Temple, they go to make offerings to the God of Wealth," he said. "Guiyuan Temple also sees crowds of 100,000 in a single day, and has done so for the past few years," Cai said. Netizens commented wryly on photos of the crowds burning incense for the God of Wealth. "Seeing these photos, anyone who cares about our nation should be filled with despair," one commented. Another retorted: "Everything in this country is geared towards money, so if they don't care about it, what are their families supposed to eat, wind?" "The whole of Chinese society has been perverted by money, and the God of Wealth is the only god of the Chinese people," the user wrote. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Chinese Communist Party propaganda chief Liu Yunshan (R front) extends greetings to staff at a rehearsal for state-run television's Spring Festival Gala in Beijing, Jan. 25, 2017. China's state-run television extravaganza has long been a fixture of New Year celebrations, or Spring Festival, while watching it with loved ones and ripping it to shreds on social media has fast become a more contemporary tradition. Criticism is so much the norm now that Yang Dongsheng, who directed this year's Spring Festival Gala, pleaded with viewers not to slate it too harshly before it even aired. "It is very natural that people should want to take it to pieces, but I hope they won't be too rude about it this year," he said in an interview last week. Perhaps his words were a warning that the administration of President Xi Jinping is unlikely to tolerate even the slightest criticism of a centrally produced extravaganza that has been running since 1983. Ruling Chinese Communist Party newspaper The People's Daily followed up Yang's mild request with an editorial calling on the show's critics to back off. "Those who are accustomed to roasting the Spring Festival Gala may wish to make their comments more constructive," the article said. "Even if you don't appreciate [the show], you don't have to scoff and jeer ... You could use a rational tone, maintain an objective position, which is the mentality of a mature citizen," it said. Now, an article rounding up the most widespread criticisms on the state-funded English-language news website Sixth Tone is no longer available. While the article is still available elsewhere online, the original address yielded a 404 "Page Not Found" message on Thursday. "As hundreds of millions tuned in on Friday night ... for their yearly dose of disappointment and schadenfreude," the article said, many were disappointed by high production values but sexist content. It described the show as "the subject of ridicule from the countrys younger generation, who see the unending supply of dated jokes and token celebrities as reminiscent of an elderly uncle trying just a bit too hard to be hip." And it quoted columnist Lin Jian as saying that the traditional comedy sketches in the Spring Festival Gala "are an annual climax of prejudice against women." Sixth Tone has so far made no public statement about the decision to remove the article, which also reported that keyword searches for the gala now seemed to be banned on several social media platforms. Lies are universal Viewers contacted by RFA after the show weren't complimentary about it. "Lies are universal in China; we hear them everywhere," a resident of the northeastern province of Liaoning said. "The Spring Festival Gala show can be seen as obscuring real life by showing you only what is prosperous." "In Beijing, some people are destitute, and there are a lot of homeless people wandering around." A Beijing journalist who declined to be named described the show as "mind-numbing," while a resident of Xinjiang surnamed Song said the basic message of the show hasn't changed in decades. "If you look at the show under Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao or Xi Jinping, it is basically the same," Song said. "The content is exactly the same; this isn't a people's festival, it's the [ruling Chinese Communist] Party's festival, and that sets the tone." "It's a day of smoke and mirrors, and opium-smoking," he said. Some comments appeared on social media in spite of reported blocks, but they appeared to have bypassed censors by using sarcastic praise. "I was really moved by this year's Spring Festival Gala," wrote one commentator, while another said: "It was 100 times better than last year's." Some said they have given up watching it altogether. "I don't watch it now ... It has been boring for several decades now. We went out to eat at a bistro instead," a netizen from Ningxia surnamed Zhang commented. Veteran political activist Zha Jianguo said the show takes no account of widening fault lines in Chinese society. "It's there as propaganda for the ruling party, to sing its praises," Zha said. "In fact, there are such huge divisions in Chinese society these days, and hardship of every kind, that the political atmosphere is ever more tightly controlled." "Anything that reflects the huge internal divisions in Chinese society is a no-go area, so they don't appear at all," he said. "That's why people can't stand to watch it anymore." Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Mao Zedong may be getting a lot of flak for the ghastly Cultural Revolution but a new study says the gender equality he decreed has propelled China to first place in Asia in terms of women in senior management. While Confucian-informed patriarchal hierarchy has been an impediment to womens leadership at the workplace in many Asian nations, China seems to have licked the problem, said the joint study by Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the New York-based Asia Society. "In China, the heritage of Mao Zedongs 'Women hold up half the sky'a view of women as a resource that ought to be deployed outside the homefueled the rise of many women in professional fields," said the report, entitled "Rising to the Top? A Report on Womens Leadership in Asia." As a result, Chinese women, who make up 49 percent of the population and 46 percent of the labor force, have achieved a higher proportion in the top layers of management than women in many Western countries, said the report which mostly analyzed data on gender equality and womens leadership in the region. "In China, gender equality embedded in communist ideology has mitigated the impact of Confucian patriarchy," it said. Mao left behind gender parity as one of the good legacies of communism in Chinaunlike his 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution, in which millions were persecuted across the countryas he launched a campaign to get women to work outside the home. The study said that in East Asia, "China leads in terms of women in senior management." During Chinas economic reform period, communist values met the capitalist market system and a flexible business environment became the norm, it said. "In this context, Chinese businesswomen started to thrive." Highest percentages Some 29 million, a quarter of the national total of Chinas entrepreneurs, are female, the report said. The highest percentages of women employed in Asia are also in China. Half of the 14 billionaires on Forbes magazines 2011 list of the worlds richest self-made women are from mainland China. Many of them are property magnates; the others focus on retail and consumer goods. "The pathway for female entrepreneurs tends to lead from excellent universities to high posts at large, state-owned enterprises, allowing women to build up business acumen, managerial skills, and networks that later enable them to raise capital for their new enterprises." But the report highlighted preferences for male births over female births in China, among other countries. Such preferences have led to pre-natal sex selection, resulting in the destruction of female fetuses, abandonment and trafficking of young females, forced abortion, and forced sterilization. "Population control measures, such as Chinas one-child policy, may lead to unintended amplification of such aggression and threat to the survival and plight of women and girls in their countries," the report said. Social norms Social norms continue to undervalue girls and women, as evidenced in ongoing sex selection that results in approximately 1.3 million girls not being born per year in China and India alone, according to Astrid Tuminez, Vice-Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Vishakha Desai, President of the Asia Society. "Governments, particularly China and India, can also increase campaigns to end sex selection against baby girls," they said in a joint commentary. The report also said that women in Asia are closing the gap with males in health, education, and employment, but are severely under-represented at top leadership levels, paid less than men, and disadvantaged by cultural and social norms. While Asia is experiencing breathtaking economic growth and demographic strength, the region continues to be gripped by deep inequality, endemic poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and other threats, the report said. "To address these problems, Asia will need all its human talent, including women. Unfortunately, in Asia, leadership remains male-dominated, with few women attaining top positions in the public and private sectors," it said. Reported by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. A court in Armenia has sentenced three men to three years in prison each in connection with the 2016 seizure of a Yerevan police station. The Court of Yerevan's Kentron and Nork-Marash districts on February 2 found Arsen Mkrtumian, Hagik Mikaelian, and Soso Markarian guilty of inciting mass disorder and resisting law-enforcement officers and sentenced them the same day. More than 30 members of the Sasna Tsrer armed group seized a police station in Yerevan's Erebuni district on July 17, 2016, and held it for more than two weeks. They demanded the resignation of President Serzh Sarkisian and the release of Zhirayr Sefilian, the leader of the radical opposition movement Founding Parliament. Sefilian was arrested on June 20, 2016, after authorities said he and his supporters were preparing a plot to seize several government buildings and telecommunications facilities in Yerevan. One police officer was killed and another fatally wounded in the July 17 assault, which led to violent mass protests by the armed group's supporters. Another police officer was killed during rioting in the following days. Several dozen Founding Parliament members and their supporters were arrested during the events and are currently facing trial. Azerbaijan has denied a statement by separatist authorities in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region that a man captured by separatist forces is an Azerbaijani soldier. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said on February 2 that Elnur Huseynzade, who was detained by Nagorno-Karabakh forces on February 1, is not an Azerbaijani Army soldier. The ministry's statement said that Huseynzade had been discharged from the army for "systematic violations of army discipline." It also said that there were no military operations on February 1 along the line of contact separating government-controlled territory from territory held by the ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh. The separatist military said on February 2 that Huseynzade was armed and in military uniform when he was captured during an operation against what it called an Azerbaijani "saboteur group" on February 1. Armenia-backed separatists seized control of mainly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people. Diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict have brought little progress. With reporting by Interfax When Vladimir meets Viktor in Budapest today, it will be a meeting of the minds. Under the banner of "sovereign democracy," Vladimir Putin has emasculated Russia's post-Soviet democratic institutions and established an autocracy. And under the banner of "illiberal democracy," Viktor Orban is in the process of hollowing out Hungary's postcommunist democratic institutions. Putin is scornful of individual liberties, which he sees as subordinate to the organic unity of the Russian state and traditional values. Orban has said that the "Hungarian nation is not simply a collection of individuals but a community that needs to be organized," and has derided the permissiveness of Western liberalism. Putin prefers not to deal with the European Union or NATO as blocs but instead seeks to cut bilateral deals with individual European states. Orban has said that "the era of multilateralism is over and the era of bilateral relations is upon us." Putin calls for a multipolar international order. And Orban speaks about a new international paradigm with multiple centers of power. Putin wants sanctions against Russia lifted. And Orban says sanctions should be lifted. You would almost think these two are stealing each other's talking points. Orban is considerably taller than Putin. But in many ways, he's becoming Putin's Mini-Me. Back in 1989, Hungary was among the first of the Soviet Union's Eastern European satellites to escape Moscow's orbit -- and Orban was at the forefront of that rebellion. And just over a quarter century later, he's become the main standard bearer for Putinism in Europe. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. European Council President Donald Tusk is calling on Russia to use its influence with separatists in eastern Ukraine to end an upsurge of fighting that has caused many casualties and aggravated the humanitarian situation. "We are reminded again of the continued challenge posed by Russia's aggression in eastern Ukraine," Tusk said on February 2. "The fighting must stop immediately. The cease-fire must be honored." Ukraine says two of its servicemen were killed and 10 others wounded in the country's east in the previous 24 hours as heavy fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists entered its fifth day. Ukrainian officials had earlier reported the deaths of eight soldiers in the past few days, the highest toll in weeks, and casualties among civilians and separatist fighters were also reported. Kyiv's police chief in the Donetsk province, Vyacheslav Abroskin, said one woman was killed and three men wounded in a shelling attack. The separatists said one of their fighters was killed and another was wounded in the past 24 hours. The sides traded blame for the surge in hostilities that are concentrated around the government-controlled city of Avdiyivka, where shelling left many residents without electricity, water supplies, and heating in temperatures well below freezing. By February 2, the water supply and heating in the town north of the separatist-held provincial capital of Donetsk had been partially restored, the Associated Press reported. The news agency said sounds of shelling were heard in Avdiyivka in the early afternoon, adding that fighting appeared to be less intense than in previous days. Army officers have set up seven camps for civilians and were distributing gruel and tea in makeshift street kitchens, AFP reported. A deal signed in Minsk in February 2015 called for a cease-fire and steps to end the conflict that has killed more than 9,750 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Meeting in the Belarusian capital on February 1, the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), which is attempting to regulate the conflict, urged both sides to adhere scrupulously to the Minsk agreements and to withdraw heavy weaponry away from the contact line as previously agreed. The TCG, which includes Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), also called for "safe and secure access" for OSCE monitors and the "facilitation of humanitarian efforts" aimed at restoring water and electricity supplies. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the renewed fighting "the most serious spike in violence in a long time," adding that the humanitarian situation for civilians in Avdiyivka is "dire, with 20,000 people facing freezing temperatures without heat, electricity, and water." Stoltenberg also called on Russia "to use its considerable influence over the separatists to bring the violence to an end." The UN Security Council on January 31 expressed "grave concern" over the "dangerous deterioration" in eastern Ukraine and called for a halt to the violence. Kyiv and Moscow are accusing each other of being responsible for the latest flare-up of hostilities in eastern Ukraine, with the Kremlin saying the escalation shows the need for a resumption in dialogue between the United States and Russia. Russian-U.S. relations are badly strained over Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, its actions in Syria, and what U.S. intelligence agencies say was state-directed interference in the U.S. presidential election. U.S. President Donald Trump has called for improved relations with Russia, and both the White House and the Kremlin said a conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on January 28 was a positive sign. Despite substantial evidence, Russia denies claims by Kyiv, NATO, and Western governments that it stirred up separatism in the region and has sent troops and weapons to Ukraine to support the separatists. The European Union, United States, and other states have imposed sanctions on Russia over the conflict, as well as for its annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in March 2014. Earlier this week in Berlin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the West should extend and strengthen sanctions against Russia if there is no progress in implementing the Minsk agreements on resolving the conflict. In an interview published on February 2, Poroshenko said Russia was paying "a high price for its aggression" thanks to the sanctions. "The standard of living has fallen considerably, the Russian currency is losing its value," he told the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper. "It is the sanctions that will keep Putin at the negotiating table and will force him to fully implement the Minsk peace agreement." The president also said he does not expect military aid from Europe. "We have our own army and we can fight for our independence on our own," Poroshenko said. "If you ask me, what kind of support I need most from the European Union, I have a simple answer: unity." With reporting by AP, Reuters, and UNIAN BRUSSELS -- The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to approve visa liberalization for Georgia, paving the way for Georgians to travel to the European Union's Schengen zone without obtaining visas. European lawmakers backed visa liberalization, long anticipated in Georgia, by a vote of 553 to 66, with 28 abstentions. Georgians will still have to wait for the European Parliament and the European Council to vote on a mechanism allowing for the suspension of visa-free regimes with countries, including Georgia and Ukraine, under certain circumstances once they are in place. The suspension mechanism was given preliminary approval in December. EU diplomats have told RFE/RL that the final European Parliament vote is expected at the next plenary session, on February 13-16, and that EU member states are poised to agree on it on February 27 or 28. Georgians are likely to be able to travel visa-free to the Schengen zone starting in late March or early April, diplomats say. Georgia has long sought greater integration with Europe but has been frustrated with the pace of EU moves to bring it closer. The South Caucasus country has faced persistent efforts by Russia to increase its influence since the two former Soviet republics fought a five-day war in 2008. The 26 Schengen Area countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he hopes relations between the European Union and Russia will improve in the near future and encouraged all parties to increase cooperation. In comments on February 2 following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Orban said: "We hope that in the very near future, we will be welcoming new, good relations between Russia and the European Union." He added that anti-Russian policies have become "very fashionable" in Western Europe, making economic cooperation more difficult, but that he sees a shift in attitudes. "The changes currently taking place are creating more favorable conditions for European-Russian, and in particular Hungarian-Russian, cooperation. I am looking with hope upon future years and think the main conditions for peace in Europe are well-balanced contacts between Russia and the EU, Orban said. Talks between the two leaders come at time of heightened worries within the EU about the views of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed disdain for the bloc and a desire for closer relations with Moscow. The visit marked one of the few times Putin has received an invitation to visit an EU country since Moscow's illegal 2014 takeover of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and the introduction of EU sanctions against Moscow over its interference in Ukraine. Also speaking in Budapest on February 2, Putin addressed the renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine, saying he hoped "sober-minded" authorities in Ukraine will prevent the situation from deteriorating further. "I hope very much the sober-minded forces in Ukraine and the people interested in the solution of such issues by political means will not let the situation in southeastern Ukraine develop along the worst-case scenario and, on the contrary, will focus attention and efforts on fulfilling the Minsk accords," he said. WATCH: Putin Blames Kyiv For Escalation In Eastern Ukraine Germany and France both insist that sanctions against Russia should not be lifted without progress by Moscow on implementing the Minsk agreements, which are aimed at bringing an end to the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists. Over the past several days, fighting between government forces and the separatists has flared, with Ukrainian officials reporting the deaths of seven soldiers. With reporting by Interfax and TASS Over the past five years, Iranian officials and state media have touted the "indigenous" ingenuity in the Islamic republic's mass-produced Mohajer-6 combat drone, which Russia has deployed in its war against Ukraine. But a new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, has found that electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 are far from homegrown. The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of such technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes dual-use technology. The presence of these components in the Mohajer-6 does not mean their producers are in violation of U.S. or EU sanctions, and RFE/RL does not have evidence that this is the case. The investigation also found Mohajer-6 components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm that said it was "very sorry" that its products were being used in war. At least one major foreign-produced component of the Mohajer-6 has previously been identified by reporters in a Mohajer-6 recovered from the battlefield by the Ukrainian military: an engine made by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products. But Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the Iranian combat drone contains components from nearly three dozen different technology companies based in North America, the EU, Japan, and Taiwan, the Schemes investigation has found. A majority of these companies are based in the United States. A Schemes reporter who personally inspected the foreign-made drone parts identified components produced by at least 15 of these manufacturers. These include parts made by the U.S. technology firm Texas Instruments, which said in a statement that it does not sell into Russia or Iran and complies with applicable laws and regulations. To identify these components, Schemes reporters examined parts of the Mohajer-6 drone that the Ukrainian military shot down over the Black Sea near the Mykolayiv region coastal town of Ochakiv. They also reviewed Ukrainian intelligence records on the sources of these components. The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China. Both Western officials and experts on illicit technology transfers say Iran has built a broad, global procurement network using front companies and other proxies in third countries to obtain dual-use technology from the United States and the EU. "Exporters will look at the request coming from the [United Arab Emirates] or another third country, and they'll think that they're selling to an end user based there, when really the end user is in Iran," Daniel Salisbury, a senior research fellow with the Department of War Studies at King's College London, told RFE/RL. In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions specifically targeting Iranian companies that Washington links to the production and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for deployment in its war on Ukraine. Fighting rages with no sign of an end more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion on February 24. "Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine," U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement announcing the sanctions. Chinese Cameras, California Chips Development of the Mohajer-6, the latest model in a series of drones Tehran has used since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, began in 2017, while mass production began the following year. During a ceremony commemorating the Islamic Revolution, then-Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the new tactical drone could perform surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as help destroy targets. Hatami extolled what he described as the drones domestic design, a portrayal echoed in later reports by Iranian media. "The homegrown drone was made through cooperation among the army, Defense Ministry, and Quds Aviation Industries," the English-language Tehran Times quoted an Iranian military official as saying in July 2019. The dismantling of the Mohajer-6 drone recovered by the Ukrainian military shows that the UAV is packed with foreign components. One of these parts is a bright-orange real-time mini-camera produced by the Hong Kong-based company RunCam Technology. Documents seen by Schemes show that Ukrainian intelligence has also identified RunCam as the producer of the camera, which likely assists in remote guidance of the drone. Founded in 2013, RunCam is involved in the development and production of so-called "first-person-view" real-time cameras. "Our users are our friends," the company's website states. The site says that RunCam has two authorized Iranian dealers. Reached by Schemes for comment about the use of its camera in the Iranian drone deployed by Russia in its war on Ukraine, RunCam said in an e-mailed response: "We are very sorry to know that RunCam's products were used in warfare. RunCam is specialized in producing products for model aircraft hobby. We never contact any customer related to military." The provenance of the Mohajer-6 drone-s thermal-imaging camera is more difficult to determine. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Schemes indicates it could be the Ventus Hot model produced by Sierra-Olympic Technologies, based in the U.S. state of Oregon, but that it also resembles a cheaper analog available for sale by the Chinese company Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology. Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology said in an e-mailed statement that the company did not "have any business with Iran," because "it will affect our business." The company said it specializes in marine services and is not involved in manufacturing. It also said that it did not have a single successful order for its online advertisement of the thermal-imaging camera resembling the one recovered from the Iranian drone. Sierra-Olympic Technologies did not respond to a request for comment on the possible use of its thermal-imaging cameras in Iranian combat drones in time for publication. Microchips recovered from the drone also featured the logos of the California-based company Linear Technology Corporation and its parent company, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor company Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). ADI did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the possible use of its technology in the Iranian combat drone. Schemes reporters also observed among the components of the Iranian drone a voltage step-down converter produced by Texas Instruments. The company said in an e-mailed statement that it "does not sell into Russia, Belarus, or Iran." "TI complies with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, and does not support or condone the use of our products in applications they weren't designed for," Texas Instruments said. Schemes reporters also saw several components produced by the California-based technology manufacturer Xilinx, whose parent company is the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), also based in California. According to Ukrainian intelligence, one of these Xilinx components was integrated into a video data-link module located in the wing of the Mohajer-6 that helped carry out attack missions. "This module transmits information from the board to the missile head. That is, guidance for the missile. With the help of this module, it was possible to guide the missile to the target," a Ukrainian military intelligence representative told Schemes. AMD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 'No Authorization' Previous media reports about the components of the Mohajer-6 drone, including by CNN, have shown evidence that its engine was produced by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, whose parent company is the Quebec-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). The Canadian company responded to the reports on October 21, saying in a statement that it "has not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia." "As soon as we were made aware of this situation, we started an investigation to determine the source of the engines," BRP said. . But Schemes reporters found that the authorized Rotax distributor listed on the Austrian manufacturer's website advertised itself as a Rotax aircraft engines distributor for Iran as recently as December 2020. The distributor, the Italian company Luciano Sorlini S.p.a., has posted multiple magazine advertisements on its websites in which it describes itself as a Rotax distributor for numerous countries. Prior to January 2021, Iran was listed among these countries. The Rotax website also lists a Tehran-based company -- MahtaWing -- as an official service center for its engines. The company, known in Persian as Mahtabal, conducts repairs of Rotax engines, including the Rotax 912 iS, the engine that was found in the Mohajer-6 combat drone recovered in Ukraine. BRP said in an e-mailed statement on November 4 that while Luciano Sorlini S.p.a. is the appointed distributor of Rotax aircraft engines in Iran, "since 2019, no Rotax engines have been sold in Iran, and we will not sell any engines to Iran moving forward." The Canadian company said it had "internal controls" that "significantly" restrict the sale of its products for military purposes. "For example, the sale of any BRP product to operators with any military activity in Iran, Turkey, and Russia is strictly prohibited," BRP said. "We conduct our business in compliance with all EU, Canadian, and U.S. applicable regulations." BRP described the Iranian company MahtaWing as a "local service center" that "offers maintenance services for previously sold aircraft engines." Shahriar Siami of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report. ASTANA -- Fugitive Kazakh tycoon and opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov faces a new charge in his home country. Kazakhstan's Anticorruption Bureau said on February 2 that Ablyazov has been charged with the creation of an international criminal community and summoned to the bureau's headquarters in Astana by February 10. The 53-year-old former head of Kazakhstan's BTA bank is wanted by Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine on suspicion of embezzling some $5 billion. He denies it, saying the case against him is politically motivated. He was arrested on the French Riviera in 2013 after months on the run. He was released from jail on December 9 after France's highest administrative court cancelled an order for his extradition to Russia, saying the request had been made for political reasons. Ablyazov said after his release that he is aiming to topple Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's government within the next three years. Kazakhstan has no extradition treaty with France, but has such deals with Russia and Ukraine. A Kremlin critic whose sudden and severe illness in 2015 led to suspicions that he had been poisoned is on life support in a Moscow hospital with similar symptoms, his wife told RFE/RL. Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., 35, was hospitalized early on February 2 and placed in an intensive-care unit "with symptoms similar to those he had two years ago," Yevgenia Kara-Murza said in a Facebook message. "His doctors describe his condition as critical," she said. "He has low blood pressure [and] respiratory insufficiency, and the reason for this is yet again unclear." She said later on February 2 that Kara-Murza suffered kidney failure and was on life support after being placed in an induced coma. "The clinical picture, according to his doctors, is the same as last time," she said. Kara-Murza abruptly fell ill in Moscow on May 26, 2015, and was in critical condition for several days. He spent about two months in hospitals in the Russian capital and outside Washington, D.C. Kara-Murza believes he was deliberately poisoned with a sophisticated toxin and that he was targeted for his political activities. Kara-Murza is a coordinator for former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's nongovernmental organization, Open Russia. He has also been a spokesman for the Russian political opposition in Washington, where he has advocated for sanctions against Russian officials and media executives before U.S. lawmakers. Senior Democratic U.S. lawmakers on February 2 expressed support for the activist and urged action from the new administration of President Donald Trump. "Troubling news given Putin's history of silencing opposition, and Vladimir Kara-Murza's previous poisoning," Senator Tim Kaine, who was former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's running mate last year, said on Twitter. "Possible poisoning of Russian human rights leader Vladimir Kara-Murza needs investigating. Let's put #RussiaOnNotice," Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, a former chairman and current member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote on Twitter. His tweet referenced the Trump administrations announcement a day earlier that it was putting Iran "on notice" over its recent medium-range ballistic-missile test. Senator Benjamin Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that, while the details of Kara-Murzas illness remain unclear, "it appears to be part of an alarming trend where Russian political opposition are targeted for their work." "His hospitalization is a test for the Trump administration," Cardin said in a statement, adding that he urges Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to "speak out" on Kara-Murzas behalf "and stand up for the principles that we have always championed as a country." A dual Russian-British citizen, Kara-Murza splits his time between Russia and Centreville, Virginia, a Washington suburb where he resides with his wife and three children. Other Suspected Poisonings The precise cause of his 2015 illness remains under dispute, but it raised parallels with the cases of several Kremlin antagonists who have died or become violently ill in suspected poisonings during President Vladimir Putin's 16 years in power. Most notably, former Russian security services officer Aleksandr Litvinenko died in November 2006 after he was poisoned with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 in London. British authorities accused former Federal Security Service officer and current Russian lawmaker Andrei Lugovoi of delivering the poison over tea at a London hotel, an allegation Lugovoi denies. The medical team that treated Kara-Murza in 2015 initially concluded that his illness may have been linked to his use of a prescription antidepressant and a possible reaction with an allergy medication he was taking. Independent experts told RFE/RL, however, that such a severe reaction -- including the failure of major organs -- to the drug Citalopram would be highly unusual. Kara-Murza and his family dismiss this theory. An independent analysis of his blood and tissue samples by a prominent French forensic and toxicology expert led to no firm conclusions. Yevgenia Kara-Murza told RFE/RL on February 2 that her husband had been traveling around Russia in recent weeks, conducting screenings of a documentary about former Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead outside the Kremlin in February 2015, and working with Open Russia representatives. Hundreds of thousands of people took part in anticorruption protests across Romania on February 1. Local media called it the largest wave of demonstrations in the country since the end of communism in 1989. Protesters denounced a government decree that could effectively grant amnesty to dozens of officials accused of corruption. (Reuters, AFP, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service) The regional police chief in the north of Kosovo has been suspended after he was accused of refusing to implement the government's policy on phasing out license plates issued by Serbia when Kosovo was still part of the country. Nenad Djuric was suspended after the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo announced on November 3 that he is suspected of criminal offenses related to his refusal to implement the plan. Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Svecla said that the refusal to implement the governments decisions represents a serious threat to the security and stability of Kosovo. The Kosovo police is one [force] and all its members should have the same mission: the rule of law and the creation of a safe environment for all citizens regardless of difference, Svecla said on Facebook. We will not allow any action that violates this mission, and together with the Kosovo Police we will continue its implementation. The main party representing Serbs in Kosovo, Serbian List, said that the decision to suspend Djuric was illegal. Goran Rakic, chairman of the party, said that the Serbs should "strengthen and build" their own institutions in northern Kosovo in cooperation with Serbia. Rakic said that he has called an extraordinary meeting of the Serbian List with the mayors of four municipalities in the north of Kosovo with Serbian majorities. The meeting will be held after the "illegal and anti-Serbian decision" to suspend Djuric, he said. Radic said he will call on Serbs to vacate institutions in the north, including judicial, police, and other institutions. Meanwhile, the head of the office for Kosovo in the Serbian government, Petar Petkovic, told a news conference on November 3 that Djuric was suspended because "he stood in defense of the Serbian people." He questioned what mistake Djuric had made by refusing to participate in the decisions of Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, which are political." Djuric said on November 2 that the police in the north would not implement the government's decision to issue warnings to drivers who have cars with license plates issued by Serbia. Djuric was appointed regional police commander in the north in June 2013 after Kosovo and Serbia reached the first agreement on the normalization of relations in the dialogue mediated by the European Union. The agreement stated that the regional commander in the four municipalities with Serbian majority is to be appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo. Kosovo has attempted several times this year to require its Serb minority to change their old car plates from before 1999 when Kosovo was still part of Serbia. Authorities began implementing the latest plan to phase out old vehicle license plates on November 1. Kurti announced the plan last week, saying drivers would first be given warnings during an initial three-week period starting on November 1. That is to be followed by a two-month period when 150 euro ($149) fines will be issued. There will then be another two-month period during which temporary license plates will be valid. If drivers do not change their plates by April 21, their vehicles will be confiscated, according to the government decree. Kosovo and Serbia fought a war in 1998-99, with Kosovo eventually declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. Ethnic Serbs in the north of Kosovo have been using car plates issued by Serbian institutions since the end of the war with the acronyms of Kosovar cities such as KM (Kosovska Mitrovica), PR (Pristina), or UR (Urosevac). The government in Kosovo regards the plates as illegal but until now has tolerated them in four northern municipalities with Serb majorities. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is expected to address Bosnia-Herzegovinas path to membership in the alliance during a visit to Sarajevo on February 2. Stoltenberg is due to meet with the president of the three-member Bosnian presidency, Mladen Ivanic, as well as Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic and other top officials. He will also deliver a speech at the Army Hall in Sarajevo. The 1995 NATO bombing of Bosnia targeted the Bosnian Serb Army and together with international pressure led to the signing of the Dayton peace accords that ended the Bosnian war. The military alliance has led multinational forces deployed to Bosnia after the war. In 2006, the country joined NATOs Partnership for Peace program and has been engaged in a dialogue with the alliance on its membership aspirations and related reforms since 2008. NATO is closely following reports about growing foreign interference in the Western Balkans and is helping countries to resist it, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said on February 2. Stoltenberg, speaking in Bosnia-Herzegovina's capital, Sarajevo, said that NATO has seen reports about "increased Russian influence" in the region, in particular about "Russian intervention in the political process in Montenegro" in 2016. "We are following that very closely, we work with partners, including Montenegro, to help them strengthen their intelligence capacities and defense institutions," Stoltenberg said. Montenegro is expected to join NATO this year, a move strongly opposed by Moscow. Montenegrin authorities say Russian and Serb nationalists last year were behind an alleged coup attempt there that included plans to assassinate the pro-Western prime minister Milo Djukanovic, because of his government's bid to join NATO. The Russian government denied involvement in such a plot. Stoltenberg said the best way to counter external influences was to ensure that "institutions in different Western Balkan countries are strong, modernized, and reformed." The Western Balkans include Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, and Kosovo. Based on reporting by Reuters and AP The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ordered Russia to pay opposition activist Aleksei Navalny more than 63,000 euros ($68,000) in compensation for unlawful arrests and other rights violations. The ruling was posted on the court's website on February 2 as Navalny, an outspoken anticorruption campaigner and critic of President Vladimir Putin, was on trial in the provincial Russian city of Kirov in a politically charged case. Navalny, a key leader of antigovernment protests in 2011-12, has been convicted twice on financial-crimes charges he says were trumped up by the Kremlin as retribution for his opposition to Putin. The ECHR ruled that Russia violated Navalny's right to free assembly seven times between 2012 and 2014 and had unlawfully detained him seven times. It also said that he was unlawfully placed in pretrial detention twice. The current trial began after the Supreme Court threw out a 2013 conviction and ordered a retrial. Navalny has announced plans to run for president in 2018, but if he is found guilty again he is likely to be barred from seeking political office. The court ordered him on February 1 not to leave Kirov while the retrial is under way. Navalny refused to sign the order, saying that he plans to visit St. Petersburg on February 4. Belarus is lashing out at Moscow after Russia said it had established a security zone on the border between the closely linked neighbors. In remarks published on February 2, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Vanshyna said the Russian move "contradicts a large number of bilateral agreements on the basic principle of transparency of the border between Belarus and Russia." It came a day after the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that a "full-fledged border-protection regime" was established following Belarus's announcement last month that it was abolishing visas for short-term visitors from some 80 countries, including the United States and European Union members. Moscow has said that the new visa policy, which takes effect on February 9, poses a security threat to Russia. In her comments to news site Tut.by that were also published on the ministry's website, Vanshyna said that Russia's decision was unilateral and had not been coordinated with Belarus. Russia and Belarus established what they call a "union state" in the 1990s, and there have been no border controls. The two countries have closer ties than any other former Soviet republics, but Belarus has hinted at concern over Russia's interference in neighboring Ukraine and Moscow bristles at Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's efforts to court the West. With reports by BelaPAN and Tut.by Anti-Kremlin activist Aleksei Navalny has been banned from leaving the Russian city of Kirov until his politically charged case is decided there. On the second day of his retrial on theft and embezzlement charges, he told the judge that the outcome was rigged. (RFE/RL's Russian Service) Serbian authorities said they have imposed restrictions on migrants in a camp near Belgrade after three men allegedly attacked a woman and her children near the refugee center. Officials said migrants staying in the center in Obrenovac on the outskirts of the capital will need special permission to leave and must be back by 10 p.m. each night. Although the so-called Balkan route to Western Europe was largely shut down last year, migrants continue to flow through Serbia to its northern border with Hungary. Over 7,000 migrants, mainly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, remain in the country, which is culturally and financially ill-equipped to care for them. About 500 of the migrants were moved to the Obrenovac camp recently from makeshift shelters in warehouses in Belgrade as temperatures dropped below freezing. The lockdown was imposed after a local woman complained that three men she described as migrants attacked her while she was walking with her three children near the camp. Police said they were investigating the incident. Authorities also are providing a special bus to take migrants back and forth between Obrenovac and Belgrade, "to avoid mixing" with the local population. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Addressing concerns that women are increasingly being left destitute as divorce rates rise and living standards fall, Tajik lawmakers think they may have found the solution -- making prenuptial agreements mandatory and legally binding for marrying couples. The proposed change was sent to parliament in November as an amendment to Tajikistan's family law. And despite skepticism by some who argue the Tajik people are not ready for the relatively common Western practice -- which can include agreeing prior to marriage on the division of property, finances, and even offspring in the event of a divorce -- the bill is widely expected to pass. Authorities in the predominantly Muslim country with a staunchly secular government say the bill -- initiated by the state women's committee -- is designed to ensure women's financial well-being after divorce. But officials also insist that men's rights will be protected, too. The state statistics committee has reported that some 9,000 divorce cases were recorded in 2016, a 4.4 percent increase over 2015. And as the number of women divorcees has risen, so have concerns that they and their children are being left without shelter and income. Young married couples in Tajikistan often live with the husband's family, or, if the family is particularly well-off, in a separate home provided by the husband's parents and registered in the husband's name. While family courts commonly order husbands to pay alimony and child support, in reality there is no guarantee that such payments will be made. Compounding the problem is that many Tajik men work as undocumented migrant labors in Russia and elsewhere abroad, making it difficult for courts to get an accurate assessment of husbands' incomes. Nowhere To Go The idea to make prenuptial agreements compulsory was first floated in 2010 as a means of combatting prostitution. It resurfaced in 2015 and gained traction when a 23-year-old woman divorcee was stabbed to death by her former father-in-law following arguments over her living arrangements. The woman and her two children had reportedly been living in her former husband's family home near the southern town of Kulob because she had nowhere else to go. The former father-in-law was reportedly furious with a family court ruling that said the woman and her children should continue residing in his house. In 2011, Tajikistan introduced compulsory prenuptial contracts for marriages between Tajik citizens and foreign nationals. "Prenups" for such marriages are drawn up by the authorities and include provisions for children and the Tajik national's living arrangements in the event the couple parts ways. Prenuptial contracts involving Tajik couples are otherwise extremely rare, with the authorities estimating there have been only three or four such contracts in recent years, all of them initiated by women entering a second marriage. The women reportedly indicated they had faced financial hardship after their first marriages fell apart. Men's Rights, Too While the idea behind making prenuptial agreements is primarily aimed at protecting women divorcees, potential grooms should not be discouraged by the prospect of having to sign a prenuptial agreement. Khariniso Yusufi, a lawmaker and former head of the state women's committee who was an early advocate of compulsory prenups, told RFE/RL in November that "the interests of both wife and husband" would be considered. The parliament's family-protection committee says it hasn't yet been finalized whether the marriage contracts would be written by officials or by the marrying couples within guidelines set out by the government. Although no date has yet been set for debate, the legislature is known to approve legislation proposed with government backing. At least one official, Justice Minister Rustam Shohmurod, has expressed reservations about the proposed measure, however. Speaking to reporters on January 25, he said the implementation of such a law would be "difficult," and warned about potentially unfavorable consequences. "Such restrictions run the risk of men refraining from officially registering their marriage," he suggested. Closing 'Nikoh' Loophole Tajik marriage ceremonies normally include registration at the Civil Registry Office followed by the Islamic matrimony ritual known as "nikoh," but some couples forgo the official service and opt for the nikoh only. Tajik laws do not officially recognize nikoh and require religious figures to perform the Islamic marriage ceremony only after the couple presents a civil-marriage certificate -- part of an effort to prevent polygamy and child marriages. Apparently wary that compulsory prenuptial agreements could lead to a rise in unofficial marriages, lawmakers have already drafted another bill aiming to close the loophole. The bill -- drafted by the state religious-affairs committee -- stipulates that only state-appointed mosque imams have the right to perform an Islamic marriage ceremony. Currently, any mullah or religious figure can conduct nikoh for a small fee, which allows room for some to perform nikoh without demanding a marriage certificate as required. Tajik social-affairs expert Jovid Juraev welcomes the authorities' efforts aimed at protecting women, and calls for mandatory prenups to be implemented despite "inevitable difficulties in the beginning." "Obviously, prenups are foreign to our traditions and mentality," Juraev says. "But if we use excuses...and don't implement it, the situation for women would never change." Juraev says mandatory prenups will help to strengthen the marriage institution as it sends a message to men that they can't easily walk out of marriage without facing financial consequences of divorce. Written and reported by Farangis Najibullah, with additional reporting by RFE/RL's Tajik Service correspondent in Dushanbe Mardoni Muhammad ON MY MIND Speaking to reporters yesterday, Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov provided a clue as to why fighting has sharply escalated in eastern Ukraine this week. Peskov said the renewed "fighting shows another reason for a swift resumption of a dialogue and cooperation between Russia and the United States." Russia, it appears, is again deploying its tactic of reflexive control -- the shaping of an environment to compel adversaries to behave in a manner advantageous to Moscow. The Kremlin wants a grand bargain with the West, and particularly with the United States, that gives it a free hand in Ukraine. Renewed violence in Ukraine would suggest that the Minsk cease-fire and the European-centered peace talks -- the so-called Normandy Format that includes Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine -- are a failure. The solution, of course, is for Russia and the United States to solve the problem without the Europeans and over the heads of the Ukrainians. Can you say Yalta! Or course you can! Meanwhile, circumstantial evidence is accumulating that it was the Russian-backed separatists that sparked the latest round of fighting, with Moscow's knowledge and apparent blessing. Russia warned the OSCE on January 26 that there was a risk of escalation in the Donbas. Two days later, on January 28, fighting escalated in the Donbas. Moreover, in a piece featured below, for example, Oleg Kashin cites reports that pro-Kremlin journalists were dispatched to the area of the recent fighting -- before it began. It all looks like a classic reflexive control operation. IN THE NEWS Russian President Vladimir Putin is heading to Hungary for his second visit in two years, a development that has many in the European Union looking on with concern. Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., a Kremlin critic whose sudden and severe illness in 2015 led to suspicions that he was poisoned, has been hospitalized in Moscow with similar symptoms, his wife told RFE/RL. Russia's Federal Security Service has established a security zone with border controls along the country's border with neighboring Belarus. The upper chamber of Russia's parliament has passed a bill that would decriminalize some forms of domestic violence. The bill now only requires Putin's signature to become law. Kremlin foe Aleksei Navalny says his retrial in a politically charged case is being rushed to a conclusion and that he expects the court will convict him in order to bar him from running for president in 2018, when Vladimir Putin may seek a fourth Kremlin term. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russia must pay Navalny 63,000 euros in compensation for detaining him while he was participating in demonstrations between 2012-14. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told German media that he is planning a referendum on whether Ukraine should join NATO now that polls show 54 percent of Ukrainians favor such a move. Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations said the Trump administration fully supports his country's territorial integrity and independence and will never accept Russia's annexation of Crimea. Ukraine says two of its soldiers have been killed in the country's east as heavy fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists entered its fifth day. Ukrainian military authorities say that an unarmed military transport plane was hit by antiaircraft fire from a Russian naval vessel over a disputed area of the Black Sea. A group of senior Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives have asked the Defense Department to investigate whether President Donald Trump's national security adviser violated the constitution by accepting money from Russia's state-funded RT television network. A Russian court has convicted a youth activist of terrorism-related offenses for a social-media post praising the mass killing at a gay nightclub in Florida last year, but declined to sentence him to prison. Authorities in Belarus have detained Ukrainian journalist Vitaliy Sizov and ordered him to leave the country due to the fact that he was barred from entering Russia. Fewer Russians are taking vacations abroad than in 2014, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reports. WHAT I'M READING Is It Putin's World Now? In a piece in The Atlantic, It's Putin's World, Franklin Foer looks at how Vladimir Putin has used so-called traditional values to divide the West and "become the ideological hero of nationalists everywhere." "Putin has inverted the Cold War narrative," Foer writes. "Back in Soviet times, the West was the enemy of godlessness. Today, its the Russian leader who seeks to snuff out that supposed threat. American conservatives are struggling with the irony. They seem to know that they should resist the pull of Putinism --many initially responded to his entreaties with a ritualistic wringing of hands -- but they cant help themselves." A Hacking Harbinger Writing in Lawfare, Arun Mohan Sukumar, who heads the Cyber Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, asks: "What Does Russian Hacking Of The U.S. Election Mean For The Rest Of The World?" Connecting The Espionage Dots In The Moscow Times, Eva Hartog and Mikhail Fishman comprehensively reconstruct the espionage case involving two FSB cybersecurity officials, a former employee of a cybersecurity firm, and a hacker group. A Russian Winter In Donbas In a column for Republic.ru, opposition journalist Oleg Kashin looks at the escalated violence in the Donbas this week and argues that contrary to predictions that the war in eastern Ukraine would settle into a frozen conflict like in Moldova's Transdniester, it is turning into a more dangerous and volatile conflict, as in Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia And Holocaust Remembrance On the Kennan Institute's Russia File blog, Izabella Tabarovsky looks at Soviet and Russian efforts to "universalize" the Holocaust. Russia As A Change Agent Also on The Russia Files blog, Maksim Trudolyubov, a senior fellow at The Wilson Center, looks at Russia's history of being a catalyst for change in the West. Talking Hybrid War Mark Galeotti, a senior research fellow at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, appeared on Reuters' War College Podcast to talk about Russia's hybrid war on the West. From Fake News To Fake Commentary In a piece on The Atlantic Council's website, Brian Mefford looks at a fake think tank that publishes fake articles, mixes them with legitimate analysis and a healthy dose of Russian propaganda. Mefford concludes that we should be aware not just of fake news but "fake opinion" as well. WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Treasury Department has eased some financial sanctions imposed on Russia's lead domestic security agency, a move experts said appeared to be aimed at helping U.S. technology companies. The directive, issued on February 2 by the department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, comes as the agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), is under close scrutiny for its alleged interference in last years U.S. presidential election. Speaking to reporters the day the directive was published, White House spokesman Sean Spicer denied the order amounted to an easing of sanctions. He said it was a "carve-out," which is common practice for the Treasury Department when clarifying the implementation of sanctions. Its a "regular course of action that Treasury does quite often when there are sanctions imposed," Spicer said. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded in a report last month that Moscow sought to influence the election won by Republican Donald Trump by breaching computer servers and political-party e-mail accounts, as well as through propaganda. Eight days prior to the report's release, then-President Barack Obama announced new sanctions against the agency, along with Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) and several related entities, in retaliation for the alleged hacking. But experts said that Obama's executive order, announced on December 29, was overly broad and hampered the ability of technology companies to do business in Russia because the FSB, in addition to conducting counterespionage and surveillance, also oversees licensing for some technology products that utilize encryption tools, like mobile phones or laptops. The new Treasury order authorizes IT companies looking to import, distribute, or use certain information technologies in Russia to pay up to $5,000 in a calendar year for licenses that might be issued by the FSB. 'Preventing A De Facto Embargo' Sam Cutler, a sanctions expert with the New York-based consultancy Horizon Client Access, told RFE/RL the move appeared aimed mainly at aiding U.S. companies. The FSB's "designation inadvertently caused compliance problems for U.S. companies exporting certain goods to Russia," said Erich Ferrari, a Washington-based lawyer who specializes in Treasury sanctions. "This general license was necessary to prevent a de facto embargo of certain goods reaching non-designated parties in Russia -- which is the majority of Russia." The directive also explicitly states that it "does not authorize the exportation, re-exportation, or provision of goods or technology to or on behalf" of the FSB. Adam Smith, who was a senior official with the Office of Foreign Assets Control until August 2015, said there were at least three other examples in the past 18 months of sanctions being rolled out. "But then the collateral consequences were significant, or even dire potentially, so then they pared them back, and that hopefully allows for greater targeting of nefarious activity," he said. Still, the decision comes at a time of heightened scrutiny about the FSB, the GRU, and other Russian security agencies and their purported activities in the United States. The new administration also faces persistent concerns over Trump's past statements that he wants to improve relations with Moscow that were badly strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. Kyiv, in particular, fears that a warmer relationship between Trump and the Kremlin will result in the lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. However, the February 2 order also explicitly stipulates that the exemption does not apply to products being shipped to the "Crimea region of Ukraine." In Moscow, there was no immediate official response to the announcement, but Nikolai Kovalyov, a lawmaker and former FSB director, said it was an indication that the Trump administration wanted to work more closely with Russia on fighting terrorism and other matters. "This shows that actual joint work on establishing an antiterrorism coalition is about to begin," Kovalyov was quoted by TASS as saying. "This is the first step on the way leading to cooperation in the war on terror." Ukraine says two of its soldiers have been killed in the country's east as heavy fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists entered its fifth day. The military said on February 2 that 10 other servicemen were wounded in the previous 24 hours. Ukrainian officials had reported the deaths of eight soldiers in the past few days, the highest casualty toll in weeks. In the separatist-held provincial capital of Donetsk, separatists said two civilians were injured by shelling late on February 1. The sides traded blame for the surge in hostilities that are concentrated around the government-controlled city of Avdiyivka, where shelling left many residents without electricity, water supplies, and heating in temperatures well below freezing. By February 2, the water supply and heating in the town north of Donetsk has been partially restored, the Associated Press reported. More than 9,750 people have been killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Based on reporting by AP and UNIAN The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has expressed "strong condemnation of Russia's actions" in eastern Ukraine and warned that Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until Crimea is returned to Kyiv. "Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine," she said on February 2 in her first public remarks before the Security Council since being sworn into office. "Eastern Ukraine, of course, is not the only part of the country suffering because of Russia's aggressive actions. The United States continues to condemn and call for an immediate end to the Russian occupation of Crimea," Haley said. The new American envoy said it was "unfortunate" that she had to condemn Russia in her first appearance before the council. "We do want to better our relations with Russia," she said, but "the dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions." Russia took control of Crimea in March 2014 after sending in troops and staging a referendum condemned by Ukraine and 99 other countries in the UN as illegitimate. More than 9,750 people have been killed since the conflict between Kyivs forces and Russia-backed separatists erupted in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces the following month. Fighting has flared in the past week in the country's east, with heavy fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists entering its fifth day. Ukrainian officials had earlier reported the deaths of eight soldiers in the past few days, a significant spike in casualties, and separatist fighters and civilians have also been killed and injured. Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the increase in violence. Russia's UN ambassador said observers have blamed the escalation on Ukrainian forces and he accused Ukraine of "desperately, frantically" trying to achieve a military victory. Vitaly Churkin, echoing comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day, told the UN council late on February 2 that Kyiv needs money which it "can swindle out of the European Union, certain European countries, and from the United States and from international financial institutions by pretending to be the victims of aggression." He called for a cease-fire and return to implementation of the Minsk peace agreement. But U.S. Senator John McCain said Russia is testing President Donald Trump by escalating the violence in Ukraine. He dismissed Putin's accusations that Kyiv is fomenting the latest fighting in an effort to gain support from the new U.S. administration. McCain, a senior Republican senator from Arizona and a regular critic of Trump as well as Russia, sent a letter to the president in which he urged him to provide lethal aid to Kyiv. "That this surge of attacks began the day after [Putin] talked with you by phone is a clear indication that Vladimir Putin is moving quickly to test you as commander in chief. America's response will have lasting consequences," McCain said in the letter released by his office. WATCH: Ukraine Fighting Rages For Fifth Day Putin, speaking in Budapest after a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, claimed "the Ukrainian leadership needs money, and the best way to get the EU, the U.S., and international organizations to pay is by posing as a victim of aggression." WATCH: Putin Blames Kyiv For Escalation In Eastern Ukraine Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko issued a statement urging the international community to "more actively put pressure on Russia in order to end the shelling." Ukraine has expressed concerns that Trump could roll back some sanctions imposed on Russia after its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and in retaliation for Moscow's military, economic, and political support for separatist militants in eastern Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly expressed hope for improved relations with Moscow. In Brussels, EU President Donald Tusk urged Russia to use its influence to "disengage the Russia-backed separatists" and to restore a cease-fire. The Ukrainian military reported two soldiers killed overnight on February 2 and 10 wounded in shelling in the government-held town of Avdiyivka, just north of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk. The separatists said one of their fighters was killed. "Moscow was putting Avdiyivka on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe," Poroshenko's statement said. WATCH: Intense Fighting Prompts Evacuations In East Ukraine At least 15 people have been reported killed in the Avdiyivka area over the last five days. More than 9,750 people have been killed since the conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in April 2014. With reporting by AP, TASS, and Reuters Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations said the Trump administration fully supports his country's territorial integrity and independence and will never accept Russia's annexation of Crimea. At a news conference in New York on February 1, Volodymyr Yelchenko said U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told him the United States is "completely against the way Russia is dealing with the eastern part of Ukraine." "She confirmed the U.S. position on Crimea, that the annexation will never be accepted," he said, adding that he was "absolutely satisfied" with her answers to inquiries about Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. While he was campaigning for office last year, President Donald Trump told ABC News he would "take a look" at the Crimea question and "that the people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were, and you have to look at that, also." While the Trump administration may be considering establishing a closer relationship with Russia, Yelchenko said, that is "not happening at the price of Ukraine." The U.S. Mission to the UN said Haley reaffirmed support for Ukraine's territorial integrity in her meeting with Yelchenko. Based on reporting by AP, dpa, ABC News, and TASS U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea with the reassuring message that the Trump administration would be paying attention to the region. Speaking at an air base near Seoul on his first foreign trip since taking office, he praised Washington's "enduring alliances" with Japan and South Korea. (AP) Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. A divided Virginia Supreme Court on Thursday reinstated a life sentence without parole for a juvenile offender that the U.S. Supreme Court had asked it to reconsider. In 2000, shortly before he turned 18, Donte Lamar Jones, now 34, and an accomplice robbed a convenience store in York County of $35. As they were fleeing, Jones shot a clerk in the back as she laid on the floor, killing her. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Jones was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. Then in 2012, in an Alabama case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences for juveniles who commit murders are unconstitutional. Jones filed a motion in York County to vacate his life sentence in light of the ruling. Capital murder calls for a sentence of death or life without parole. But Jones ultimately lost when the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that unlike in Alabama, a Virginia judge could suspend some or all of a life sentence and take into account the age, among other things, of a defendant. Jones appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. In January 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court held that its 2012 decision could be applied retroactively and, last March, the justices vacated life sentences without parole in dozens of pending cases including Jones which sent them back to lower courts for further consideration. On Thursday, in a 4-3 split, the Virginia high court reaffirmed its earlier ruling that the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in the Alabama case did not apply in Virginia because he did not receive a mandatory life sentence. A dissenting opinion states that it is unclear whether Jones received a hearing before he was sentenced as required in the Alabama case and that a hearing should be held to determine if he did. If he did receive a hearing, the minority argues, Jones motion to vacate his life sentence should be denied, and if he did not, a new sentencing hearing should be held. Bryan Jones, a Charlottesville lawyer representing another juvenile sentenced to life without parole, said Thursday that the decision is disappointing, but not surprising. The majority opinion, he contends, is inconsistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent and rulings from other federal courts in Virginia. The dissents reasoning is consistent with U.S. Supreme Court case law. I hope Mr. Jones appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, where I believe this opinion will be overturned, he said. He added: This case just means that for the moment Virginians will have to go through the federal courts to obtain relief from unconstitutional sentences. L. Steven Emmert, an appellate lawyer who practices before the Virginia Supreme Court, wrote in an analysis of the case on his website, www.virginia-appeals.com, that he tends to agree that Virginias capital-murder sentencing does allow a trial court to consider the defendants youth and related factors. But in doing so, Id hate to lose the avenue for delayed review that helped Richard and Mildred Loving obtain eventual justice, Emmert wrote. The Lovings pleaded guilty to violating Virginias law against mixed-race marriage in a case recently featured in a movie. The case was cited by the Virginia justices in both the majority and dissenting opinions in Jones case Thursday. Years after the guilty plea, the Lovings sought to vacate the conviction, arguing that it was unconstitutional. But there is a distinction between the Jones and Loving cases, Emmert explained: The Lovings convinced the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967 that the conduct they were punished for could not legally be prohibited. The commonwealth of Virginia is seeking answers about whether U.S. officials complied with a court order in implementing President Donald Trumps new policy on refugees last weekend at Washington Dulles International Airport. On Tuesday, Virginia had filed a motion asking to join a lawsuit in Virginias Eastern District against the president Aziz v. Trump over his Friday order restricting immigration and suspending admission of refugees. That suit charges that on Saturday customs officials at the airport in Northern Virginia forced two brothers who were flying from Yemen lawful permanent U.S. residents to give up their green cards. On Wednesday, state lawyers filed another motion, urging the court to make U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials show that they complied with an order U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued Saturday night. Her order barred for one week removal from the U.S. of green card holders arriving at Dulles. It also required that lawful permanent residents who were detained get access to legal counsel. In its motion Wednesday, Virginia asks the court to make customs officials show why they should not be held in contempt for failing to comply with the courts directive that they permit lawyers access to all legal permanent residents detained at Dulles. The motion says state officials have been trying since Sunday to determine whether federal officials removed from the U.S. any legal permanent residents after they knew of the judges temporary restraining order. The new court filing includes a declaration by Rep. Don Beyer, D-8th, former U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Lichtenstein. He writes that he spent more than four hours at the airport on Sunday and that attorney after attorney complained to me that CPB would not allow them access to the holding rooms where travelers may have been detained. To my knowledge, not a single attorney was permitted access to any detained traveler. The Virginia General Assembly is honoring a canine member of the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office for its heroic actions last year. Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania, put forward a resolution commending K9 Dux, a 2-year-old German shepherd who was shot during a pursuit of a suspect in October. The resolution says the incident occurred after Dux and his handler, Deputy Kory Kelley, got to the scene of what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. But the vehicles driver attempted to flee and began firing at the officers, according to the resolution. Dux attempted to subdue the man and prevented him from injuring any of the other officers at the scene, but he was shot twice and sustained severe injuries, the resolution reads. The story has a happy ending. After a nearly two-month recovery, Dux returned to serving and safeguarding the residents of Spotsylvania County, according to the resolution. The commendation lauds the dogs heroic actions to protect his fellow officers. The Senate approved the resolution late last month, and the House of Delegates will vote on it next. The resolution directs the Senate clerk to provide a copy of the document to Kelley as an expression of the General Assemblys admiration for service and sacrifices of all members of the law-enforcement community. King George County resident Joseph Conway, 34, who is accused of wounding Dux and shooting at deputies, faces charges including two counts of attempted capital murder and felony assault on a law enforcement officer. A jury trial has been scheduled for May 24-25. Here is text of the resolution: WHEREAS, Dux, a two-year-old German Shepherd with the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office, made a full recovery and returned to duty after he was wounded while defending his handler and fellow officers in October 2016; and WHEREAS, the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office fields a highly-trained canine unit within the patrol division, with a variety of breeds cross-trained in explosives and narcotics detection, a full-time narcotics detection unit, and a search and rescue team; and WHEREAS, Dux and his handler, Deputy Kory Kelley, arrived on the scene of what appeared to be a routine traffic stop on October 2, 2016; shortly after their arrival, the driver, a convicted felon who was wanted in connection with crimes in Fredericksburg, attempted to flee and began firing at the officers; and WHEREAS, Dux attempted to subdue the man and prevented him from injuring any of the other officers at the scene, but he was shot twice and sustained severe injuries; and WHEREAS, through the combined efforts of multiple law-enforcement agencies, the man was quickly apprehended, while Dux was transported to the CARE Emergency Animal Clinic in Central Park and received treatment for his wounds; and WHEREAS, after a long rehabilitation, and with the care and support of the entire Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office, Dux was declared fit for duty and returned to serving and safeguarding the residents of Spotsylvania County; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Dux for his heroic actions to protect his fellow officers and the residents of Spotsylvania County in October 2016; and, be it The DREAMers crowded into a General Assembly hearing room where oil portraits of immigrants hang on the walls. They had come to argue for a bill that would protect the right they now have to in-state tuition and against a bill that would require colleges to aid in the enforcement of federal immigration law. Both votes went their way at Tuesdays meeting of the House Education Committees subcommittee on higher education, but success on the tuition bill was short-lived. On Wednesday, the full committee rejected the proposal by Del. Alfonso H. Lopez, D-Arlington, who said he is trying to prevent the chaos that is looming for students caught in a very difficult situation not of their making. The students qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, the policy of then-President Barack Obama which, under an opinion from the state Attorney Generals Office, has allowed them to pay in-state rates at public colleges and universities. Lopezs legislation would have protected DACA students regardless of what might happen in Washington under the new Trump administration. Im paying in-state tuition like the American, Virginian and taxpayer that I am, said Jacqueline Cortes Nava, a fourth-year University of Virginia student. She is one of about 30 DACA students at U.Va. and 1,280 across the state paying in-state tuition. The subcommittee voted to send the bill to the House Appropriations Committee over the objection of Dels. Jimmie Massie, R-Henrico, and R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta, chairmen respectively of the subcommittee and education committee. It felt premature to me to be inserting our state judgment on a federal issue when the federal law is changing so dramatically, Massie said before the committee overrode the recommendation and voted to kill House Bill 1857. Lopezs bill also would have codified in Virginia law the DREAM Act, which has not passed Congress but would give undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children a path toward gaining legal status. About 11,530 people have been approved for DACA status in Virginia, but only 1,280 are enrolled in the states two- and four-year schools, Lopez said. In-state tuition gives her the opportunity to fully unleash my potential, said Jessica Morena-Caycho, a Virginia Commonwealth University junior, and does not in any way harm native-born Virginians. Morena-Caycho was among dozens of DACA students who attended the hearing, sitting on the floor before the lawmakers and spilling out into the hallway. All around them were portraits of Ellis Island immigrants that are part of a series called Faces of America. The students saw success in blocking the immigration-enforcement bill (HB2001) by Del. Charles D. Poindexter, R-Franklin County, which opponents feared would force educators to aid in the process of deporting students. I have lived in Virginia for 17 years, and up until a month ago, the only people I had ever felt safe divulging my legal status to were my professors, College of William & Mary student Allison Esquen-Roca said at the subcommittee hearing. Poindexters bill would put those relationships at risk, she said, forcing DACA students to go back into hiding. Requiring universities to enforce immigration laws would have a chilling effect on professors such as myself, said Leila Christenbury, a VCU professor. Look at these walls, she said, calling attention to portraits she said show this is a country of immigrants. It is our strength. Christenbury noted the backing international students are receiving from university leadership after last weeks executive order by President Donald Trump imposing travel restrictions on seven Muslim-majority countries. The order has highlighted the ideological fissure between academia and the new administration in Washington. Universities across the state have reiterated their support of DACA and international students and pointed to the protection they receive under the federal privacy law known as FERPA. On immigration status, U.Va. spokesman Anthony de Bruyn said by email that the university will not disclose information about individual students to anyone except as required by law, such as under court order or lawfully issued subpoena. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Aspiring entrepreneurs can now submit applications to be in the first group using Roanokes new startup accelerator. RAMP is looking for four or five small companies in the technology and healthcare industries. Organizer Robert McAden said hes already had informal conversations with some prospective startups from the area, but everyone will need to formally apply online between now and March 15. Participants will receive free office space inside the recently remodeled Gill Memorial Building on Jefferson Street, along with mentorship, business training and investor connections. In return, the entrepreneurs must commit to work on their startups full time and must be willing to consider staying around the Roanoke and Blacksburg region after graduation. The six-month program is a joint venture between Roanoke City, Virginia Western Community College and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council. It was designed as an economic development project to give some of the regions most promising startups the boost they need to grow and plant roots in Southwest Virginia. RAMP organizers first came together last summer, but the project is just now getting off the ground with building renovations complete. McAden, chairman of the RBTC board, said the first year of funding is mostly covered between government grants, sponsorships and private donations. The organization will keep raising money for future years. The RBTC is in the process of moving its offices into the second floor of the facility. It will be joined by Virginia Western in April, which will begin teaching classes in the downtown space. The first floor of the building is still available as rented office space, and entrepreneurs are expected to take over the third floor by June. RAMP is a startup too, McAden said. Well quickly figure out what works and what doesnt and kind of tailor the program and make the adjustments we need to be a successful startup and a successful program. The Salem Museum & Historical Society announces the opening of a new exhibit, along with a program that will transport visitors back along the Great Road to 1800s Salem. At Home Along the Great Road: Old Castle and Preston Place opens Feb. 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is Free. Salem was settled in the 1700s and, by the time of its incorporation as a town in 1802, was a busy stop along the Great Road from Virginia through Tennessee to Kentucky. Davy Crockett, Louis Philippe (a future king of France) and Andrew Jackson were known to have traveled the route and patronized Salems inns and taverns. Two homes along the road Old Castle and Preston Place are featured in this look at life in the 1800s. On opening day, docents will be on hand to answer questions about these historic homes and life in Salem. The exhibit is curated by Alex Burke, assistant director, and will run through March 25, 2017. Salem Museum's Speaker Series will present Preston Place: Past, Present and Future on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Learn about the historic significance of Preston Place the oldest home in Salem and its restoration and future as the home of the White Oak Tea Tavern. Preston Place (circa 1821) served as a residence for over 180 years. Its last owner, Dr. Esther Clark Brown, also operated her medical practice in the home. After her death, her family donated the property, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, to the Salem Historical Society. The Society has been hard at work restoring the structure for the last two years. In March, the historic home will open to the public as the home of the White Oak Tea Tavern which will feature a pub-style tea room, a light lunch menu, and gift shop. About the Salem Museum & Historical Society The Salem Museum & Historical Society is an independent nonprofit organization preserving and celebrating the history of Salem, Virginia, founded 1802, and the surrounding areas. The Salem Museum is located in the historic 1845 Williams-Brown House at 801 East Main Street, Salem, VA 24153. Open Tuesday Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Museum admission is free. For more information visit www.salemmuseum.org. Submitted by Frances Ferguson RICHMOND A General Assembly committee voted Thursday to let local governments take the lead on regulating Airbnb and other short-term rentals. While some local governments like Roanoke and Blacksburg already regulate Airbnb, a bill that passed the Senate Local Government Committee would allow localities to adopt a registry ordinance compelling short-term rental operators like Airbnb or their hosts to provide to the locality their name and address. The committee found the bill by Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment, R-James City, to be the middle ground between legislation proposed by Airbnb and legislation proposed by Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County. Stanleys bill would have slapped a $10,000 fee on homeowners illegally renting out their homes and the same fee for the hosting platform advertising the short-term rental. It gives local governments the autonomy to determine what is in the best interest of their particular jurisdiction as it may relate to Airbnb, Norment said. Senate Bill 1578 does not require localities to recognize and regulate short-term rentals. More than a dozen citizens, Airbnb hosts and local government representatives spoke in favor of the legislation. When presenting his bill, Norment pointed to Richmond and its roughly 900 unregulated Airbnbs as an example as to how difficult it can be for a locality to find out who owns those properties and where theyre located. The rise of Airbnb and other online home-sharing businesses has been a cause of concern for local government on the regulatory side, as well as for competitors in the hotel industry. The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association contends the short-term online rental market should be subject to the same laws and regulations are other businesses in the field. The VRLTA is a regular campaign contributor to Virginia politicians, and has given $4,000 to Norment since 1999, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. As Roanoke tries to implement its short-term rental policy, code enforcement officers struggle to find the exact location of illegally operating Airbnbs because the website often obscures the exact address of a residence until a traveler books and pays for a stay. In 2015, Roanoke created a special-use permit for Airbnbs, in which people pay an application fee and apply for a homestay permit from the Roanoke Board of Zoning Appeals, said Jillian Moore, city zoning administrator. Roanoke has issued eight permits to local Airbnb hosts, but a cursory glance on the short-term rental website shows 148 Airbnbs operating within Roanoke and Roanoke County. Some could plausibly be operating legally, but I dont want to pretend that we dont know there are enforcement challenges, Moore said. Blacksburg, which tightened its homestay regulations in December to account for Airbnbs, is seeing the same problem more rentals posted on the rental website than permits issued to operate the short-term rentals. The town has issued nine homestay permits granting Airbnbs, but the lodging website advertises more than 250 Blacksburg properties available for rent. Norments bill includes a fine of $500 for Airbnb hosts operating short-term rentals that are not included in the registry. His bill also clarifies the rules regarding Airbnb hosts serving alcohol to their guests, something they cannot do unless they obtain an ABC license just like a bed and breakfast or hotel. Airbnb guests are able to bring their own alcohol without incurring an ABC violation. The bill passed out of committee 9-2. The vehicle before us, I believe, gives local government really the authority that local government should have in regulating these uses, said Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington. Airbnbs are in local neighborhoods, residences are affected, neighbors are affected. Exterior of Wales High School. A MEMBER of staff was found dead at Wales High School. The body of Carol Banks, a cleaner at the school for 23 years, was discovered by a colleague on Wednesday. Headteacher Pepe Di'lasio said: "Sadly Carol Banks, a long-serving member of our cleaning team, passed away suddenly on Wednesday while at work here at the school. "Carol worked at the school for 23 years and she was a well-respected well-loved member of our community. "We have shared this sad news with our students and have offered support to those who may have been affected. "Our heartfelt sympathy is with Carol's family at this sad time." A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said there were "no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death". Top row (from left to right): Tayab Dad, Nasar Dad and Basharat Dad. Bottom row (from left to right): Matloob Hussain, Mohammed Sadiq and Amjad Ali. COUNCIL bosses have pledged to continue fighting the sexual exploitation of children in Rotherham after a gang of six men were jailed for a total of 81-and-a-half years. Three brothers and three other men were sentenced for 19 vile offences committed against two girls including rape and false imprisonment at Sheffield Crown Court today. Rotherham Borough Council leader Chris Read said the case showed the passage of time did not protect offenders. He added: This sentencing once again shows how this abuse will not be tolerated and how we will continue to seek justice for those who were abused in the past. Perpetrators must understand that the passage of time does not protect them. We will continue to work in partnership with the National Crime Agency as they pick up the mantle from South Yorkshire Police to continue to bring perpetrators of this kind of crime to justice. Brothers Basharat Dad (32) of Eldon Road, Eastwood, Nasar Dad (36) of Cranworth Road, Eastwood, and Tayab Dad (34) of St Lawrence Road, Tinsley, were convicted of 16 offences between them. Basharat was jailed for 20 years after being convicted of six counts of rape, five of indecent assault and one of false imprisonment. Nasar was jailed for 14-and-a-half years for one count of rape, inciting indecency with a child and false imprisonment and Tayab will spend 10 years behind bars for rape. Matloob Hussain (42) of Doncaster Road, Thrybergh, and Mohammed Sadiq (40) of Oxley Grove, Broom, were both found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. Hussain and Sadiq were both jailed for 13 years. Amjad Ali (38), of Worksop, admitted before the trial to sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. He was jailed for 11 years. Ian Thomas, the councils strategic director of children and young peoples services, said: Today we have once again seen justice being delivered with these long sentences handed down to those who have committed this awful historic abuse. We are sending a clear message to those who commit child sexual exploitation that this is not something which we will put up with here in Rotherham. Ian Thomas Not only does this send a message to those who have committed crimes in the past, but also to those who are committing crimes today. Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said society owed a "huge debt of gratitude" to the victims for coming forward to the police. She said: "The survivors will have given courage and inspiration to victims of abuse. "By continuing to successfully prosecute abusers, we are sending the message loud and clear that these despicable crimes will not be tolerated. We should not rest until justice has been served for the victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham and around the UK. "I would like to thank South Yorkshire Police for their hard work and the CPS for pursuing a successful prosecution." Lead investigating officer Det Chief Insp Martin Tate said the verdicts and sentences showed victims and survivors could have confidence in coming forward. Today's hearing is the culmination of a lengthy and complex investigation into the sexual abuse and exploitation of vulnerable children in Rotherham nearly two decades ago, he said. This is our third significant inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham and with the lengthy jail terms handed down to these individuals today, we have now put 18 criminals behind bars. "This was a South Yorkshire Police led investigation in partnership with Rotherham Council and the Crown Prosecution Service, and I would like to thank them for their assistance with the investigation. "Following the successes achieved, we will now continue to move forward using the learning and best practice we have acquired over the last few years, through work done with our brave victims, their families and partnership agencies, to apply this practice to future investigations. "Id encourage any victims and survivors out there who are yet to come forward to please get in touch or tell someone you trust. "Officers and specialist support agencies are here to listen, to investigate and to bring perpetrators of this heinous crime before the courts. Anyone who is concerned about the safety of a young person, or who may be suffering abuse themselves, should contact police on 101. Alternatively, call the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 01709 336080. In an emergency always dial 999. Newly-qualified PLOD officers of South Yorkshire Police. DEAF and hard of hearing residents can count on PC PLOD to help when they need it, after 18 police staff passed their sign language exams. The conscientious cops all passed their Level 1 British Sign Language (BSL) qualification as part of the forces Police Link Officers for the Deaf (PLOD) initiative. The officers, PCSOs and staff received their Level 1 Awards from Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Barber at a ceremony on Tuesday, January 24. They join 19 colleagues at South Yorkshire Police who are already qualified in BSL. Det Insp Jude Ashmore said: Congratulations to all of our PLOD members for successfully completing their course they have all done incredibly well in learning the basics of BSL. We hope this initiative will increase visibility within deaf communities, keeping people safer and increasing confidence in the police. The newly-qualified PLOD staff can give information, advice and support via sign language. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can contact police by text message on 999. For more information visit www.southyorkshire.police.uk/contactus. POLICE dog handlers have welcomed a clutch of cute new recruits. German shepherd PD Izzy gave birth to eight healthy pups in late December four male and four female. The dogs were born under the South Yorkshire Police puppy-breeding scheme, set up in 2007. Now eight weeks old, the two furry foursomes will soon take their first steps outside and begin exploring the world. They will soon be paired to their puppy walkers and will begin their journey on the forces training programme. PD Izzy has previously had a litter of 12 pups, who now work in Norfolk, Humberside, the West Midlands, the prison service and even Gibraltar. Botswana's State-owned Okavango Diamond Company's (ODC's) recorded an 80 percent leap in sales to $547-million last year due to improved global consumer demand, an official has said. Reuters quoted company deputy managing director Marcus ter Haar as saying that overall volumes increased by 115 percent to 3.44-million carats after post sale adjustments through the year. He, however, said that although sales were significantly higher last year, average price per carat slowed to $158.78 from $183.78, a year earlier. "The fall in average price per carat is attributable to the different mix of diamonds sold over the two periods," said ter Haar. ODC was established in 2012 to market a portion of Debswanas rough diamond production. Under the contractual agreements governing the sale of Debswanas diamonds, ODC was initially entitled to purchase and sell 12 percent of Debswanas total production in 2013, rising to 15 percent by 2016. ODCs sales are expected to be in excess of $400 million each year when it was established, making it a scale supplier of rough diamonds to the industry and the largest source of uniquely Botswana diamonds in the market. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished By Press Trust of India: Karachi, Feb 2 (PTI) Pakistani security forces have arrested 16 members of an entourage of the Emir of Qatar for breaking the barrier of a checkpoint in the troubled Balochistan province, official sources said today. An advance party of Qatars ruler which was going to Mashkeel for making arrangements of hunting the houbara bustard ignored Levies personnels signal to stop at their post and tried to escape by breaking the barrier in the Galngoor area of Noshki district, they said. advertisement "The security personnel chased them and detained 16 people travelling in four vehicles," one source said. The Levies also seized the four vehicles, he said, adding that the arrested members include three Bangladeshis and 13 Pakistanis. The ruler of Qatar is expected to arrive in the area for hunting in a few days. There is much resentment among the local populace in the Balochistan over the central government giving special permission and licenses to rulers from the Gulf states to come and hunt the Houbara Bustard, a rare species whose meat is much sought after because of its aphrodisiac powers. Last December, a team of hunters led by a prince from UAE was attacked by unknown men in the Guchak area of Panjgur in the restive province. The team of hunters led by Prince Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan was in Guchak to hunt the Houbara bustard when they came under attack. PTI CORR ZH --- ENDS --- Israeli Jews born in the seven Middle East countries subject to entry restrictions in the US will be spared from the ban. Citing security concerns, Trump had Friday suspended the entire U.S. refugee program for four months and banned for 90 days entry into the U.S. of nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somali, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, which are predominantly Muslim countries. The US embassy in Tel Aviv said Tuesday that travelers with an existing valid visa in their Israeli passport may travel to the United States, even if they are also a national of or born in one of the seven restricted countries. Embassy Tel Aviv said it will continue to process visa applications and issue visas to eligible visa applicants who apply with an Israeli passport, even if born in, or a dual national of, one of the seven restricted countries. Final authorization to enter the United States is always determined at the port of entry, it added. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Indian shares opened largely unchanged on Thursday following strong gains in the previous session after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stuck to the path of fiscal prudence. The benchmark BSE Sensex was up 32 points or 0.11 percent at 28,173 in early trade after climbing 1.8 percent on Wednesday to hit over three-month high, as Jaitley unveiled his annual budget offering something for everyone, ranging from welfare schemes for poor to tax sops for individuals and small firms, and a tax administration for the honest. The broader Nifty index was up 8 points or 0.09 percent at 8,724 in lackluster trade. The rupee opened higher by 4 paise at 67.44 per dollar, rising for the seventh straight session, as the U.S. dollar remained on the defensive on heightened uncertainty surrounding the new Trump administration. Tata Global Beverages rallied 5 percent. The company more than doubled its consolidated net profit for the December quarter on lower finance costs and favorable impact of exceptional items. Dishman Pharmaceuticals climbed 3 percent. The company informed that its Bavla facility was successfully inspected by the U.S. regulator. Mahindra & Mahindra lost 2.5 percent after reporting a 10 percent drop in January auto sales. Hero MotoCorp shed 0.7 percent and Tata Motors fell nearly 2 percent after unveiling their sales figures for January. Shree Renuka Sugars tumbled 4.5 percent after its quarterly net loss widened from last year. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com The Cabinet office is slated to release the Japan consumer confidence index for January at 12:00 am ET Thursday. The index is seen at 43.7, compared to 43.1 in December. Ahead of the data, the yen rose against its major rivals. As of 11:55 pm ET in the Asian session, the yen was trading at 121.66 against the euro, 142.85 against the pound, 113.79 against the Swiss franc and 112.81 against the U.S. dollar. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Forex News Galapagos NV (GLPG) has dosed the first patient in a phase IIa study evaluating GLPG2222 as an add-on to *Kalydeco in adult subjects with a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis harboring one F508del CFTR mutation and one gating mutation. In the study, dubbed ALBATROSS, up to 35 evaluable subjects will be included. Topline results are expected in Q4 2017. Galapagos is partnered with AbbVie in developing GLPG2222 in the US. Galapagos earned a $10 million milestone payment from AbbVie following the initiation of the phase I study of GLPG2222. Kalydeco, developed by Vertex Pharma (VRTX), is an approved drug for cystic fibrosis. GLPG closed Wednesday's trading at $67.24, up 3.29%. Galectin Therapeutics Inc. (GALT) remains on track to present top line data from its phase II trial of GR-MD-02 in patients with NASH cirrhosis, dubbed NASH-CX, by early December 2017. The trial has enrolled 162 NASH cirrhosis patients into the treatment phase. To date, 47 patients have completed all 52 weeks of infusions with GR-MD-02, and 122 patients have completed 26 weeks of infusions, the company noted. GALT closed Wednesday's trading at $1.01, up 2.02%. Ophthotech Corp. (OPHT) has initiated a plan to review its strategic alternatives in order to maximize shareholder value. As part of implementing the strategic plan, the company announced that Glenn Sblendorio will assume the role of President, effective immediately while Keith Westby will take on the role of Chief Operating Officer. The company's shares have been hard-hit after its two phase III clinical trials of Fovista anti-PDGF therapy in combination with Lucentis failed to meet their primary endpoints last December. The drug was being developed as a treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration. OPHT closed Wednesday's trading at $4.70, down 1.26%. PAREXEL International Corp. (PRXL) has agreed to acquire The Medical Affairs Co. LLC, a provider of outsourced medical affairs services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Terms of the transaction were not revealed. The acquisition is expected to close this month. PRXL closed Wednesday's trading at $70.32, down 0.80%. Sanofi's (SNY) Xyzal Allergy 24HR has been approved by the FDA as an over-the-counter treatment for the relief of symptoms associated with seasonal and year-round allergies. Specifically, two formulations of Xyzal are now approved for OTC use - 5 mg tablets for ages 6 years and older, as well as 0.5 mg/mL oral solution for ages 2 years and older, according to the company. SNY closed Wednesday's trading at $40.88, up 0.25%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Following reports of a contentious call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a Twitter post from President Donald Trump has raised further questions about the future of a U.S.-Australian refugee agreement. Trump's tweet Wednesday night was critical of the agreement, which calls for the U.S. to resettle 1,250 refugees from Australia currently held at offshore detention centers. "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Trump tweeted. The post from Trump came after a Washington Post report said the president blasted Turnbull over the agreement in a phone call on Saturday. Trump reportedly called the agreement the "worst deal ever" and accused Australia of seeking to export the "next Boston bombers." The call came as Trump's controversial executive order on immigration raised questions about the future of the refugees, who are held at offshore facilities due to Australia's strict immigration policies. Citing senior U.S. officials briefed on the exchange, the Washington Post said the call with Turnbull was expected to last an hour but was abruptly ended by Trump after just 25 minutes. Turnbull told a Sydney radio station his conversation with Trump was "very frank and forthright" but claimed the president did not hang up on him and said the call ended courteously. The official White House readout of the call said both leaders emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Conflict on the legalities as well as mounting taxes and fines have forced Uber to leave Taiwan. The U.S. based company has announced its move to halt the operations from February 10. There are reports that Taiwan's Investment Commission has urged Uber to suspend its in mainland China. The company has been facing opposition from the government for recruiting for transportation service, despite its registration as a software company. It has been asked to re-register as a transporting company to continue its business in Taiwan. Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communication has slapped Uber with a fine of more than $10 million and it has paid a portion of it. Uber have claimed to have around 10,000 drivers for its local services and more than one million riders in Taiwan. The taxi service based on technologies have experienced resistance from various parts of the world. Last year, the French government has introduced Tgevenoud law, making licenses mandatory for the drivers and preventing geo-locations software. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Shrugging off concerns about reports of contentious phone calls will other world leaders, President Donald Trump argued he has to be tough with other nations seeking to take advantage of the U.S. Trump pledged to those in attendance at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday that he would address the serious threats facing the world. "That's what I do. I fix things. We're going to straighten it out. Believe me," Trump said. "When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it. Just don't worry about it. They're tough. We have to be tough." "It's time we're going to be a little tough, folks," he added. "We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world, virtually. It's not going to happen anymore." Trump's comments came on the heels of reports of his combative phone calls with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. During his remarks, the president also vowed to "destroy" the Johnson Amendment, which he suggested is a threat to the freedom of religion. The Johnson Amendment prohibits non-profit organizations such as charitable foundations and churches from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Trump also once again defended his controversial executive order banning immigrants from several Muslim-majority nations. "We need security," Trump said. "There are those who would seek to enter our country for the purpose of spreading violence or oppressing other people based upon their faith or their lifestyle. Not right." Trump said his administration would develop a system in the coming days to help ensure those admitted into the country fully embrace American values of religious and personal liberty and that they reject any form of oppression and discrimination. (Photo: Michael Vadon) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Republicans remain committed to tax reform and boosting infrastructure spending but noted that the issues will have to wait until the spring. Ryan told Fox News the GOP has prioritized repealing and replacing the healthcare reform law known as Obamacare because the system is collapsing. "It's just the way the budget works that we won't be able to get the ability to write our tax reform bill until our spring budget passes, and then we write that through the summer," Ryan said in an interview on "Fox & Friends" on Thursday. The speaker said a proposed infrastructure package to help fix the nation's roads and bridges would also come out of the spring budget. Ryan pledged Republicans would not be distracted by obstructionist tactics by Democratic lawmakers, arguing that voters want Congress to get work done. "I understand they're upset because they had a bad election, and they're upset about it," Ryan said. "That's not going to deter us from getting our work done and do what were elected to do." Along with tax reform and infrastructure, Ryan the GOP would also strive to reduce regulation, improve border security, rebuild the military, and balance the budget. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Five Indians, whose release have been secured by the government after more than three years of custody in Togo, are being brought back home, the External Affairs Ministry said today. "These persons -Anthony Godwin, Navin Niravath Gopi, Tharun Babu, Nithin Babu and Shaji Abdulla Kutty- who had been in prison since 2013 were released by a Presidential pardon, on account of the persistent efforts of MEA and our High Commission in Accra. advertisement "External Affairs Ministry had also raised the issue with the Togolese leadership," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. He also said the High Commissioner spoke to the Indian nationals after their release. "They are in good health and are looking forward to reunite with their families in India. All of the Indian nationals are thankful to government of India for persistent efforts to secure their release," he said. Swarup further said that the travel arrangements are being made to facilitate their return and the air tickets are being organised through Indian Community Welfare Fund. Honorary Consul General of India in Lome is making stay arrangements till the necessary formalities for their departure to India are completed, he added. PTI PYK ZMN --- ENDS --- Nearly 1,500 employees and pensioners of BIS will get revised salary and payouts as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. By India Today Web Desk: In some cheer for autonomous organisations, the employees of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) can soon start getting revised salary as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan has approved the revised pay scales for the employees of BIS. BIS, an autonomous national standard body, is under the aegis of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. Here is all you need to know: "Approval has been given to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for applicability of revised pay scales to its employees on recommendations of Seventh Pay Commission," an official statement from the Consumer Affairs Ministry said. The statement said "financial arrangements to provide new pay scales to the employees of BIS will be made from own resources of this organization". The move will benefit more than 1,500 employees and pensioners of BIS, which was set up in 1987. The Seventh Pay Commission has recommended a 14.27 per cent hike in basic pay. It has proposed a 138.71 per cent hike in housing allowance (HRA) and 49.79 per cent for other allowances. The Pay Commission has also recommended doing away with 53 of the 196 allowances that government employees get besides moderation in several others. The recommendations cover 47 lakh central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners. This includes 14 lakh serving employees and 18 lakh pensioners in defence forces. The Narendra Modi government had approved the report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission in June 2016. Over eight months later, the Central government is still working out the math on allowances. advertisement ALSO READ: 7th Pay Commission: Your 7-point guide on the recommendations 7th pay commission: This is why Modi government not giving hike to 47 lakh employees 7th Pay Commission: In 70 years, senior govt officials' salary hiked from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2.50 lakh ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- Aamir Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Pepsi ad takes us back to the good ol' days. By India Today Web Desk: Did you know that even before she became Miss World, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan shot to fame with a Pepsi ad as the hot-girl-next-door? Yes, Ash featured in a television commercial with Aamir Khan way back in 1993, a year before winning the beauty pageant that set the stage for her acting career. ALSO READ: THESE Bollywood actors made 90s' music videos look super cool advertisement Their Bollywood outings remain etched in our memories, but do you remember your favourite celebrities in these vintage commercials? Prepare yourself for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, as we take you through this list of evergreen ads. 1. Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan in the Cinthol ad 2. Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Mahima Chaudhary in the Pepsi ad 3. Deepika Padukone in the Close-up ad 4. Saif Ali Khan in a Pepsi ad with his future wife Kareena Kapoor Khan 5. Salman Khan in the Limca ad 6. Juhi Chawla in the Fair & Lovely ad --- ENDS --- By SA Commercial Prop News Major player upbeat about European Real Estate prospects despite political uncertainty, Brexit and upcoming national elections. FIle photo of Berlin. Although commercial property markets is some parts of Europe experienced a slight downturn last year, investors appear unfazed by the geopolitical uncertainty and Brexit. Real estate professionals confirm that despite political uncertainties in Europe with regards to Brexit and upcoming national elections, the prospects for EU real estate markets remain very attractive for investors. According to the 2016 Q4 RICS Global Commercial Property Monitor, overall conditions in the investment market continue to improve at a significant rate across Europe. Meanwhile, occupier market dynamics appear most favourable in Hungary, Spain, Ireland and the Czech Republic, with strong rental growth projections being driven by rising tenant demand. ALSO READ: British Pound volatility brings hot opportunities for SA Property Investors Cities in Germany (Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin) and Spain (Madrid and Barcelona) alongside Amsterdam, Lisbon and Dublin continue to lead the way but the positive trend is also evident in some smaller markets, such as Budapest and Prague, with healthy feedback on both the occupier and investment segments of the market. In Paris there is more caution from the occupier side, with feedback from respondents based in Milan is also more measured if still generally positive. A key support for continental European real estate sector remains of course the accommodating monetary stance of the ECB. As has been well documented, the central bank not only remains committed to its existing programme of quantitative easing until at least the end of the year but has also made it clear that it is willing to add to the programme if necessary. ALSO READ: Study reveals Best Emerging Cities to make money from Property However, a more marked contrast to these results is evident in the feedback that we received from London. After an exceptionally strong run during 2014 and 2015, the monitor shows a generally flatter picture for demand now. Going forward, twelve month expectations are consistent with a further modest decline in capital values at the all-sector level. Market sentiment Post-Brexit: Post-Brexit, although investment demand continues to rise in the UK market, the majority of respondents anticipate some firms will choose to relocate from the UK to other European markets. More than 70% of professionals interviewed by RICS across all EU member states (with the exception of Italy) anticipate at least some operations to be shifted away from the UK over the next two years as a response to the Brexit vote; Around a quarter of respondents in Germany and Spain, and approximately one third in the Netherlands and Ireland, claim to have already seen evidence of firms looking to move part of their operations away from the UK. Interestingly, the proportion is even higher, at 50%, in Poland. ALSO READ: Brexit uncertainty starts to affect JSE-Listed property funds RICS Chief Economist, Simon Rubinsohn, commenting on the global outlook: The report confirm the performance of European markets on a global comparison during the last quarter of 2016 and the early signs of recovery in Russia and Brazil after three years of volatility. In other parts of the world, the outlook is not so positive. Feedback across the Middle East and Asia remains downbeat. Even across India, which until now had been comparably more upbeat than most Asian markets, seems to have been shaken by the unexpected demonetisation introduced in November. India has signed a $201.50 million financing agreement with the World Bank to improve the quality of technical education in the country. "Financing agreement for credit of $201.50 million for the 'Third Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP III)' was signed with the World Bank here on Tuesday," the Finance Ministry said in a statement. The project aims at improving quality and equity in engineering institutes in the states and take initiatives to strengthen sector governance and performance, it said. "The objective of the programme is to enhance quality and equity in participating engineering education institutes and improve the efficiency of the engineering education systems in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, the eight north-eastern states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands," the statement said. "The project has been designed as a disbursement-linked one, that is, the World Bank loan will be disbursed on achievement of specific outcomes," it added. The JNU Students Union members on Thursday urged HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to intervene and help roll back a change in the admission procedure for the M.Phil and Ph.D candidates. The JNUSU members met Javdekar and presented him a memorandum apprising him of "threats that the change in admission procedure would entail if implemented". "The UGC notification will undermine JNU's unique and decades-old deprivation point system in admissions, and the Prof. Nafey Committee Recommendations (obtained after years of felt need and struggle) to reduce viva weightage in M.Phil. and Ph.D admissions," the letter read. The notification in contention was adopted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Academic Council amid protests by many of its members and students on December 26 last year. It was issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on May 5 last year. According to it, the entrance test is to act as a qualifying exam and selected students are to be admitted solely on the basis of interview. "The fact that the UGC notification mentions that the written (test) will be qualifying is being interpreted by the JNU Vice Chancellor to mean that the written will be a mere qualifier and that final selection will be based only on viva, raising viva weightage in admissions to 100 per cent," the letter added. A total of 11 JNU students, who included the JNUSU President Mohit Pandey and other members of the union, also began their hunger-strike on Thursday as a way of protest. The Human Resource Development Ministry on Thursday signed an MoU for the third phase of Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP-III) with 18 states and a Union Territory for improving the overall standard and quality of technical institutes. To be implemented as a 'central scheme' from April 2017 with assistance from the World Bank, the project has an outlay of Rs 2,660 crore. It will be co-terminous with the 14th Finance Commission (2019-20). An estimated 200 government and government-aided engineering institutes and Affiliating Technical Universities (ATUs), including Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), will benefit from the project. Autonomous institutes will be entitled to funds of up to Rs 15 crore, non-autonomous institutes up to Rs 10 crore, ATUs up to Rs 20 crore and mentor institutions up to Rs 7 crore. Speaking on the occasion, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the programme was vital for the much-needed technical up-gradation in educational institutes. "Innovation and research can happen only when physical infrastructure and trained manpower is available," he said. The MoU was signed with seven low-income states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; three hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand; and eight north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The sole UT involved in the project is Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The TEQIP commenced in 2003 with World Bank assistance as a long-term programme to be implemented in three phases. The first phase ended in March 2009 whereas the second phase commenced in August 2010 and is scheduled to conclude in March 2017. India on Wednesday signed an agreement with the World Bank to facilitate credit of $201.50 million for TEQIP-III. The INIFD Gen-Next show at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2016, which has given the Indian fashion industry names like Kunal Rawal, Rahul Missra and Masaba Gupta, lent a stunning start to the 18th edition of the gala here on Wednesday. Five budding designers showcased a creatively exuberant collection at the Reliance Jio Garden. It began with Kolkata-based Soumyadeep Dutta, an emerging designer, who brought a touch of Bengal to the gala. His line was inspired by the traditional Bengali 'Laal paar saada sari' (red bordered white sari). Dutta's show was followed up by the label Pot Plant by designer duo Resham Karmchandani and Sanya Suri, who showcased menswear and womenswear in their latest range. Third came Nakita Singh, who showcased a line titled 'Outline', inspired by the technique of sketching. A new label Poochki by emerging designers Ishant Mukherjee and Anirudh Chawla showcased a wide range of frilled dresses, palazzos, jumpsuits and playsuits in mild colours like powder blue, yellow and red. Next up was designer Pallavi Singh, who showcased 'Tokyo Delhi' under her label ARCVSH. She showcased knee-length skirts paired with crop tops, long jackets, tube dresses and long kurtas. Do you chronically spend sleepless nights, have poor sleep quality or face difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep? Beware, you may be more than thrice at risk of developing asthma in adulthood, researchers have warned. Asthma affects approximately 300 million people worldwide, with major risk factors including smoking, obesity and air pollution. "The study found that those people with chronic insomnia had more than three times the risk of developing asthma, suggesting that any changes in the body due to insomnia may accumulate and result in more severe harmful effects on the airways," said lead author Ben Brumpton from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Norway. More recently, symptoms of depression and anxiety have also been associated with a risk of developing asthma in adulthood, the researchers said. For the study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, the team used statistical analysis to assess the risk of asthma among 17,927 participants aged between 20 and 65 years in Norway. The results showed that those participants reporting difficulty falling asleep "often" or "almost every night" during the last month had a 65 per cent and 108 per cent increased risk of developing asthma over the following 11 years, respectively. Similarly, those who reported waking too early without being able to go back to sleep "often" or "almost every night" had a 92 per cent and 36 per cent increased risk of developing asthma. For people who reported poor quality sleep more than once a week, the risk of developing asthma increased by 94 per cent. "As insomnia is a manageable condition, an increased focus on the adverse health effects of insomnia could be helpful in the prevention of asthma," suggested Linn Beate Strand from NTNU. Following the Pakistan Interior Ministry's statement that India should provide concrete evidence against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the man behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and whom Islamabad put under house arrest earlier this week, India on Thursday said all evidence against the terror mastermind was available in Pakistan itself. "The entire conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack case was hatched in Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a weekly media briefing here. "All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered from Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan," he said. Pakistan on Wednesday snubbed India's demand for a "credible crackdown" on militant groups following the detention of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, saying it does not need New Delhi's endorsement for its actions. "Pakistan does not need any certification or endorsement from India over the recent actions it has taken in relation to Hafiz Saeed," a spokesperson for the federal Interior Ministry said in a statement in response to Tuesday's statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The spokesperson said the actions taken by the government were carried out as per "obligations vis-a-vis listing of JuD under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December, 2008". He, however, said various actions that needed to be taken under the relevant resolution i.e. arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze were not taken for some reason by the previous regime. "India has constantly been using Hafiz Saeed's political activities as a tool to malign Pakistan," the spokesperson said, adding that the international community should take note and understand that Pakistan is a democratic country. "In Pakistan judiciary takes free, independent and transparent decisions." The Interior Ministry urged New Delhi to come up with undeniable evidence against the JuD chief if it were serious about the allegations. "India should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world," the statement said. The ministry warned New Delhi against "casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence", saying it would not help the cause of peace in the region. The firebrand leader, who has a $10-million bounty on his head, was taken away by police on Monday and escorted to a house where he is now under house arrest. Four other JuD followers were detained in the same operation. India said JuD was a front for the militant Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which it accuses of carrying out the attacks on India's financial capital Mumbai in November 2008 which killed 166 people. Islamabad briefly detained Saeed in the aftermath of the attacks but he was later released on court orders. Swarup on Thursday said Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple acts of terror directed at India. "So the so called concrete evidence that Pakistani establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need is to find the requisite political will," he added. Bombay High Court asked the state government to remove encroachments around Afzal Khan's grave or send forest officials permanently to the forest if they can't do their duty. By Vidya : Justice SC Dharmadhikari of the Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to do away with the illegal constructions around Afzal Khan's grave in Mumbai. Dharmadhikari said, "Remove encroachments around Afzal Khan's grave or send forest officials permanently to the forest if they can't do their duty." The division bench of Justice dharmadhikari was hearing a contempt petition filed by petitioner Milind Ekbote against illegal construction on forest land around the grave of Afzal Khan, a medieval Indian commander who served the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, and fought against Shivaji. advertisement Khan was killed at a meeting with Shivaji, and his army was defeated in the Battle of Pratapgad. Ekbote is the founder-president of Samasta Hindu Aghadi and chief executive of Pratapgad Utsav Samiti. Also read | Hema Upadhyay murder case: Bombay High Court rejects estranged husband Chintan's bail plea It is in Pratapgadh itself, a little distance away from the heritage fort of Pratapgad, where Afzal Khan's grave is located. It was way back in 2008 that Ekbote himself had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) talking about the encroachment around Afzal Khans grave. The PIL had claimed that the original tomb was measuring 5 square feet at the base of the fort, but now it was surrounded by unauthorised construction of 1,000 square feet. It also claimed that a number of other constructions had occupied the fort that belongs to the forest departments land. Ekbote has now filed a contempt petition, saying that the illegal construction has not been demolished. However, public prosecutor Abhinandan Vaigyani told the court that forest officials in Satara district had removed some part of the encroachment, but the government had decided not to demolish the grave, but put the constructed part around it to some official use. "For this, a proposal has been sent to the Government of India's environment and forest department. We are still awaiting a reply from them." The court then asked the state pleader to put on record whatever was being done in the area and has kept the case for hearing next week. Also read | Bombay High Court says it is not happy with CBI probe in rationalists Dabholkar, Pansare murder cases --- ENDS --- Hitting out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was "trying to back the perpetrators of the bomb blast in Punjab". "There was bomb blast a couple of days back in which six people died. And Arvind Kejriwal is backing the perpetrators of the blast. He is allowing them to contest elections. This is very dangerous for Punjab. If these elements gain strength in Punjab, then it will hijack all the development issues," said Gandhi during a public rally, on the last day of campaigning for the February 4 elections. Two men and a child were killed in the explosion on Tuesday evening just as a rally of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi ended at Maur Mandi town, 200 km from Chandigarh. The death toll went up later as some injured died in hospital. Gandhi's comments come as Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal earlier said in a statement that "the manner in which the bomb blasts were executed was a throwback to the days of terrorism". Badal said that the blast was a direct result of the AAP's nexus with radical elements. Earlier, Kejriwal had called for Badal's arrest, alleging that he had a role in the blasts. "To ensure peaceful elections, Sukhbir Badal should be immediately arrested. His role in yesterday's blast must be probed. He'll cause more violence," Kejriwal had tweeted. State Congress president and chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh has also accused Kejriwal for "promoting extremist forces" such as the Khalistan Commando Force. He said that Kejriwal, who had stayed at a KCF extremist's house in Punjab, was fanning terror forces through his actions. "Even if the AAP is not directly involved in the explosions, it was clearly promoting extremist ideology," he said. Addressing the rally, Rahul on Thursday also promised to curb the drug menace in Punjab by bringing in new law and also vowed to give treatment to every family in the hospitals. "If we come to power, we will give free treatment to every family in Punjab. We will also establish a state-of-art cancer hospital in Punjab, which will be well-renowned across the country," he added. The Congress on Thursday moved the Election Commission alleging that BJP leaders Keshav Prasad Maurya and Subramanian Swamy had made remarks amounting to soliciting votes in the name of religion and demanded "stern action" against the party. In a complaint to the poll panel K.C. Mittal, Secretary, Legal and Human Rights Department of Congress, said that Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya and BJP MP Subraminan Swamy had violated the model code of conduct ahead of elections in the five states. The party alleged that Maurya raked up the "contentious issue" of Ram temple last month and talked about its construction after assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. It said that after Maurya's remarks, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy had made remarks "welcoming the statement of Shri Maurya". "The statements made by Shri Maurya as well as Dr. Subramanian Swamy are in utter defiance of the instructions issued by the Commission and amount to soliciting votes in the name of religion," the party said. It said the statements were also in violation of the observations made by the Supreme Court and the BJP or its leaders cannot place any reliance on its 2014 manifesto "nor under the garb of manifesto rake up religious card to solicit votes in the name of religion". "As such, the Commission may be pleased to take stern action against BJP and their leaders and be restrained from addressing any rally, public or corner meetings or hold conferences during the operation of MCC (model code of conduct)," the party said. The Congress had earlier complained to the Election Commission on January 25 against Maurya for his remarks concerning construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya. Elections will be held for the Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh assemblies in February-March. The eighth edition of the Attakkalari Biennial is all set to reach new heights with its fresh and cutting edge choreography by newly-discovered talent. The 10-day-festival will have young talent sharing space with works by acclaimed and established dance companies from around the globe, marking the coming of age of the contemporary movement arts in the country. The event will be held across the city from February 3 to 12 at four iconic venues -- Ranga Shankara Theatre, Guru Nanak Bhavan, Chowdiah Memorial Hall and Alliance Francaise de Bangalore. "The festival is organised once in every two years. The Biennial 2017 will comprise of a series of initiatives that have enriched the dance community in Bengaluru and India in general," Festival Director Jayachandran Palazhy told IANS. "These are also great opportunities for the dancers and choreographers who are looking to challenge themselves," he said. "The programme includes a centre-stage that will feature internationally acclaimed dance companies from South Africa, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Korea, Finland, Norway and Germany," he added. Attakkalari's latest choreography, 'Bhinna Vinyasa' will also have its world premiere as part of this event. Many exciting events are planned to animate the cityscape, encouraging citizens to groove with dancers and choreographers of their choice from different parts of the world. Site-specific performances, city walks, master classes, workshops, film screenings and other lead-up activities will offer dance enthusiasts opportunities to actively participate in the festival. "This festival also marks the 15th anniversary of Attakkalari's continued efforts of disseminating and sustaining contemporary movement arts in and beyond the city," Palazhy said, adding: "These artists have carved a niche with their work and have emerged as important players in the field of contemporary movement arts." Kuwait has suspended the issuance of visas for nationals of Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan ' title=' Afghanistan '>Afghanistan and Iran. After US President Donald Trump's executive order banning seven Muslim-majority countries last Friday, the Kuwaiti government has told would-be migrants from the five banned nations to not apply for visas, as it is worried about the possible migration of radical Islamic terrorists, Sputnik International reported. Under the executive order signed by Trump, refugees from all over the world will be denied US entry for 120 days while all immigration from so-called "countries with terrorism concerns" will be suspended for 90 days. The countries included in the US ban are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Kuwait was the only nation to prohibit the entry of Syrian nationals prior to Trump's executive action. Kuwait City previously issued a suspension of visas for all Syrians in 2011. A group of militants bombed a Shia mosque in 2015, killing 27 Kuwaiti nationals. A 2016 survey conducted by Expat Insider ranked Kuwait one of the worst nations in the world for expatriates, primarily due to its strict cultural laws. As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Kuwait has become embroiled in escalated tensions between the GCC and Iran. Washington has been a guarantor of GCC security since the early 1990s, according to a Congressional Research Service brief. Observers have pointed out that most of the nations on Trump's list have substantial Muslim populations and are experiencing some form of economic or military conflict. This is the question a seven-year-old Syrian girl Bana Alabed -- who has garnered worldwide attention by tweeting about her life in Aleppoin Syria -- asked the US President Donald Trump in a fresh video. "Have you ever had no food, no water for 24 hours? Just think of refugees and the children of Syria," asked Alabed on Twitter. Alabed had earlier responded to a tweet of Trump wherein he had argued that the intention of his immigration ban was "about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!" Alabed responded by asking: "Am I a terrorist?" Trump recently signed an executive order that bans the entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Syria, into the US that evoked widespread panic among travellers. Soon after the ban, Alabed tweeted: "Dear Trump, banning refugees is very bad. Ok, if it's good, I have an idea for you. Make other countries peaceful." Alabed has been posting, with her mother Fatemah's help, heart-rending and emotionally strong tweets about life in the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo. Alabed and her mother have garnered more than 366,000 followers since September 2016 as they tweet regularly about war in Aleppo, including the story of her house being destroyed. US President Donald Trump has sparked a fresh diplomatic row -- this time with Australia -- by branding a refugee deal with the country as "dumb", days after holding a heated conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Senior US officials said on Wednesday that during the call on January 28, Trump blasted Turnbull over the refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it, the Washington Post reported. Trump also told Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that "this was the worst call by far". Australian government officials, who said the Post's account of the call was "substantially accurate", described the conversation as "robust" and admitted it was "shorter than expected", local media reported. "This is the worst deal ever," Trump fumed during the call, as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the US would honour a deal made with the Obama administration to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention centre off the country's coast at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, according to the Post. Trump, who on January 27 signed an executive order temporarily barring the admissions of refugees and citizens from seven Muslim majority countries, complained that he was "going to get killed" politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the "next Boston bombers". During the call, Trump was joined by chief strategist Steve Bannon, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. At one point, Turnbull suggested that the two leaders move on from their impasse over refugees to discuss the conflict in Syria and other pressing foreign issues. But Trump kept his focus on the issue and said: "I don't want these people." He also repeatedly mis-stated the number of refugees called for in the agreement as 2,000 rather than 1,250, according to the officials. Finally, Trump ended the call, making it far shorter than his conversations with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and French President Francois Hollande, according to the report. The US President returned to the topic late Wednesday night, writing in a message on Twitter: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Australia, according to the report, is one of America's staunchest allies. They share intelligence and have fought together in a number of wars, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Turnbull, on Thursday, refused to comment on reports of the conversation. He said conversations with world leaders are conducted "candidly, frankly, privately", but stressed Australia's solid relationship with the US was still in place. "I can assure you the relationship is very strong," he said. SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Feb-01-2017 20:58 TweetFollow @OregonNews Two Brothers Sue Archdiocese of Portland for Childhood Sex Abuse Two brothers allegedly abused by Father James Harris, one also by Father Maurice Grammond, filed a lawsuit. Salem-News.com (PORTLAND, Ore.) - In two lawsuits filed today in U.S. District Court in Portland, two brothers, now adults, allege that their Catholic priest sexually abused them when they were children living in St. Paul, Oregon. Father James Harris served as a Catholic priest in the St. Paul Parish in Silverton, Oregon in the mid to late 1960s when he abused the brothers and one of their childhood friends. Fr. Maurice Grammond also abused one of the brothers, the suit alleges. Fr. Harris, now deceased, was the subject of at least four prior sex abuse claims, all settled by the Archdiocese of since 2006, said attorney Gilion Dumas, who is representing the men who filed todays lawsuits. The suits allege that the two Plaintiffs and their family knew Fr. Harris from church and school. When their stepfather was diagnosed with leukemia, Fr. Harris began visiting Plaintiffs home to spend time with the boys and their family on a regular basis. Fr. Harris took the brothers camping and on other overnight trips, sometimes with other boys. It was on these trips that Fr. Harris sexually abused them. On one of these trips, Fr. Harris took one of the brothers to Seaside, Oregon where they stayed with Fr. Grammond, who molested the boy. Grammond is one of Oregons most notorious pedophiles. The Archdiocese of Portland first had knowledge that Grammond sexually abused boys back in 1957, said Dumas. The men filed the lawsuits using pseudonyms, as allowed under court rules for sex abuse survivors. The older brother, now 60, lives in Marion County. The younger brother, now 59, lives in Kitsap County, Washington. _________________________________________ Crime | Religion | Oregon | Most Commented on Articles for January 31, 2017 | Articles for February 1, 2017 | Articles for February 2, 2017 An online survey, conducted by social engagement platform LocalCircles, indicates that despite Akhilesh's claims, the 14.12 crore voters of Uttar Pradesh may be looking for an alternative in the assembly polls. By Prabhash K Dutta: After stripping his father Mulayam Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, which he founded and nourished arduously, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav launched his poll campaign with theme - 'Kaam Bolta Hai' (Performance Speaks). The final verdict will be out on March 11, but indications are that the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh assembly polls will be an uphill task for the young Chief Minister. advertisement An online survey, conducted by social engagement platform LocalCircles, indicates that despite Akhilesh's claims, the 14.12 crore voters of Uttar Pradesh may be looking for an alternative in the assembly polls. Also read | UP Election: Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance closing gap with BJP, says India Today-Axis Opinion Poll SAFETY WORRIES Only three per cent of the participants said that they felt safe in Uttar Pradesh. An overwhelming 82 per cent were concerned about their safety while 15 per cent said the police were responsive. The response of the UP voters corroborates the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) figures. UP tops the list of states in overall crime. Also read: How Budget 2017 may help BJP fare well in Assembly elections in 5 states POLICE, PROPERTY OFFICES MOST CORRUPT In the online survey, carried out ahead of the assembly elections, about 37 per cent respondents said that in Uttar Pradesh, police department is the most corrupt. Another 37 per cent put the property registration office as equally corrupt. Real estate is one of the booming businesses in Uttar Pradesh. With this horizontal expansion and change in the skyline, people's hope also inflated in Uttar Pradesh and so did corruption. AKHILESH IGNORED HEALTHCARE Another key area for Uttar Pradesh is healthcare. Private hospital and nursing homes have mushroomed in the state and with this the cost of treatment has also shot northwards. On the other hand, of all the poll-bound states, Uttar Pradesh's per capita public expenditure on health is the lowest. Akhilesh Yadav government spends 30 per cent less than the national average while Goa with a fraction of UP's population spends five times more. It is no surprise that about 89 per cent of respondents in the survey termed Akhilesh government's healthcare services as poor. About 79 per cent found healthcare infrastructure as bad. In terms of per capita income, Uttar Pradesh is just above Bihar in the country and one-sixth of Goa, which tops the list among the Indian states. UTTAR PRADESH: A NO-JOB STATE About 91 per cent of the participants of the survey felt that Akhilesh government has not done enough to create jobs. Respondents from far off places in UP lamented that there were no or very limited job opportunities for the youth forcing them to migrate for better livelihood. advertisement CORRUPTION HOLDS UTTAR PRADESH BACK Akhilesh Yadav has claimed a number of times that he has zero-tolerance for corruption. Amid his tussle with all-powerful uncle and former UP SP chief Shivpal Yadav, Akhilesh sacked two ministers from his cabinet on corruption charges. But that has not salvaged his government's image. About 73 per cent people echoed the need to fight corruption and improve ease of doing business for creation of jobs and achieve growth in Uttar Pradesh. CONSOLATION FOR AKHILESH The only consolation for Akhilesh Yadav seems to be coming from the field of infrastructure. Akhilesh himself claimed while releasing Samajwadi Party's manifesto that Lucknow-Agra Expressway was enough for people to vote for him. About 58 per cent people agree with Akhilesh Yadav that his government has done some 'Kaam' in building infrastructure. But 43 per cent people wish the new government to focus on building roads as top priority. Another 34 per cent said that the new government should improve availability of power in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav seems to have got the sense of public mood, which perhaps forced him to ally with the Congress by parting 105 seats. advertisement In 2012, when the Samajwadi Party was in the opposition, had contested all 403 seats but after five years of rule it agreed to contest in only 298 constituencies. What a climb down by Samajwadi Party under Akhilesh Yadav! WATCH NOW: --- ENDS --- Bill Self, Kurtis Townsend won't be on sidelines for KU's first four games Books, school supplies; fees, lunches and more. Back to school time can definitely be a stressful time for working parents. Luckily, for the parents of some 40 scholars, the financial burden of having to pay school fees have been lifted off their shoulders. On Tuesday, the Bank of the South Pacific (B.S.P) rewarded 40 students from primary and secondary schools for their hard work in the classroom. The programme is part of B.S.P School Scholarship for 2017, which gives good performing students the helping hand they deserve to advance their education. Head of Retail, Shirely Pauga, said there were 144 applicants who vied for the 40 slots. The number has greatly increased since last year but the bank chose the top students and vetted the students thoroughly to find those who have excelled in the classroom. You are the chosen ones, she told the students. We chose you because you have done extremely well and we want to see you succeed. Since we began offering these school scholarships, more than 300 students from across Samoa have been able to stay at school longer through the financial assistance from B.S.P. She congratulated the successful applicants and thanked everyone who applied. We hope this is the beginning of a long and promising education journey for our winners. Australias Ambassador for the Environment, Patrick Suckling, is heading to Samoa. He is scheduled to be in Apia on Monday 6 February, on his first official visit to Samoa in his capacity as the Ambassador for the Environment. During his time here, he will meet with high-level government officials and other stakeholders to discuss Australias position and ongoing assistance for climate change projects in Samoa. Mr. Suckling is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), most recently serving as Australias High Commissioner in New Delhi. He was previously posted overseas as Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington. In Australia, Mr. Suckling has served as First Assistant Secretary, Consular Public Diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs Division, D.F.A.T.; First Assistant Secretary, International Division, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; Assistant Secretary A.P.E.C. Branch, D.F.A.T.; and Director, Trade Finance Section, D.F.A.T. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work. So believes Toreka Maeavalu, 28, an unemployed mother of four children from Toamua. Her husband works at Fast Food, Vailoa, and is the only one to provide for their family with $150 a week. I have two girls and two boys attending Manumalo Primary School, she told the Village Voice. To be honest, we cant survive for one week from that $150. This $150 usually is spent by Wednesday, and then we sell niu at $1 each to stretch on to another week to survive on till the next pay day. But theres nothing we can do about it, life goes on but we have to be smart. She went on to say that all growth depends upon activity. Life nowadays is difficult but Im never too tired to face it but make it interesting even when its not. This is for the sake of our kids. I want to see them happy, I want then to be educated.life is very tough but at least we try. She continues, We access water supply and electricity but our land belongs to the Samoa Land Corporation. Were not so sure of when were going to leave here, but hopefully not too soon. Were lucky because we have our own land in the village to move to but for now, as Ive mentioned before, we take our family, children as our first priority, no matter the challenges around us. Toreka believes that there is nothing wrong with family faalavelave, village contributions and church. Im all good with those village, church obligations and faalavelave. Especially Im a Jehovah Witness church member which means that we dont have to donate much. With all the pressures, my first priority is to make sure we have enough for our family. Looking for a job is her other priority. Im looking for a job so that I could contribute to my family. We all know that no matter how hard we work there will always be challenges we face. Looking for a job is all about contributing for we all know that the increasing cost of living on is an ongoing issue nowadays and we need to work as much we can. Well never know what tomorrow will bring, but at least we get ready everyday. The most challenging issue everyday is trying to provide for my familybut Im sure If I get a job before the end of this month. That will really help! Aside from hardships, Toreka said that life in the village is great. For now, life is just great here. she said. Even though were about to move to the other side of the village, at least were still happy. All we have to do now is to enjoy what we have today and hope that with Jehovah everything will fall into place soon. Its back to school time and for secondary students about to undertake tertiary education at the National University of Samoa, its an extra special time. Reporters, Aruna Lolani, Seia Soloi and Fetalai Tuiluluu conducted a Q and A with some of the students to find out where they have come from and where they are heading. Mika Iakopo 19, Vavau Former Secondary School: Lepa College, Best Subjects: Samoan, English, H.P.E , Maths and Visual Arts Programme: Foundation student entering Marine programme Why study at N.U.S.? I have dreamed of becoming a sailor and I believe that N.U.S. is the best university to study at with different courses that will help my dream come true. Future career/job: How will you achieve your goals?: I am willing to do everything and by doing everything, I left my parents and my home in Vavau to seek education and am now staying at my dads sisters place in Vaitele. After getting your qualifications, will you work in Samoa?: After getting my qualifications I prefer working around the world where I can explore life, get myself a massive envelope of cash, and somehow find a palagi wife. MOM & DAD wish me luck, I hate leaving you two but I promise to make this year worth it. Tauatua Taioalo 16, Papaloloa Former Secondary School: Samoa College Best Subjects: Biology, Mathematics, Physics Programme: Faculty of Science Why study at N.U.S.? Because its the main university in Samoa and there was never any other option I considered apart from N.U.S. Future career/job: Surgeon Specialist How will you achieve your goals: Hopefully by getting a scholarship to study in overseas countries and studying more of the courses I need in order to achieve my goals. After getting your qualifications, will you work in Samoa? Yes. Other comments: I know that this year is going to be challenging and there will be a lot of distractions but with God, I know that this year is going to be great. Christian Ilalio 20, Vavau, Aleipata Former Secondary School: Lepa, Lotofaga Best Subjects: H.P.E, Visual Arts, Maths Programme: Tourism (I.O.T.) Why study at N.U.S.? Because its Samoas main university and this university is way better Future career/job: Hotel Manager How will you achieve your goals?: I will study hard so I can achieve my Foundation certificate and also obey my parents. After getting your qualifications, will you work in Samoa? Yes and hopefully I will also gain an opportunity to work in overseas countries if I end up working for Samoa. Tuiala. Tiotio 17, Aleisa Former Secondary School: Pesega College at Pesega Best Subjects: English, Computing and Biology Programme: Science at the Faculty of Science Why study at N.U.S.? For this year Im very excited to attend at the National University of Samoa and Im looking forward to learn new levels in the subject courses that Im taking. Future career/job: I want to become a dentist in the future. How will you achieve your goals?: To achieve my goals I need to study hard, rely on the Lords help and use my time very wisely. After getting your qualifications, will you work in Samoa? I n the near future, I want to work for my people and my country, Samoa. I want to help out to make our services better. Ben Une 17, Vaimoso Former Secondary School: Samoa College at Vaivase-tai Best Subjects: Maths, Biology and Physics Programme: Science at the Faculty of Science Why study at N.U.S.? Im very happy this year that I have made it to the National University of Samoa because it gives me more opportunity to get a good education Future career/job: I want to become an Engineer or a Doctor in the future. How will you achieve your goals?: Im aiming for higher marks by studying and putting God first in everything I do. After getting your qualifications, will you work in Samoa? Id like to work for my people and my country, Samoa so that I can give the people whatever they need. Adrian Roma 16,Alafua Former Secondary School: Samoa College Best Subjects: chemistry, computing and mathematics Programme: Foundation student in the Faculty of Science Why study at N.U.S.? I want to study and gain knowledge that will be useful in the future. Future career/job: Civil Engineer How will you achieve your goals? Everything is possible if you do your best. After getting your qualifications, will you work in Samoa? I am happy to work for Samoa and make a better life here if I do receive my qualifications. I know this year is very important to me in terms of trying my best to get a scholarship. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland today opened a new assembly plant in Bangladesh as it aims to make further inroads into the neighbouring country. Built over a period of 15 months in Dhaka, the plant is spread over an area of 37 acres and is a joint collaboration between Ashok Leyland and IFAD Autos Limited, Bangladesh. advertisement "With a comprehensive product portfolio, Ashok Leyland is working towards a renewed thrust in the international markets, with network expansion and dedicated products. Bangladesh is an important market for Ashok Leyland," Ashok Leyland Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Vinod K Dasari said in a statement. "With the inauguration of this new plant, together with the robust presence of IFAD Autos, the company expects to make significant inroads into this region," he added. The plant has a capacity to roll out 600-800 vehicles each month. It will also be facilitated with a bodybuilding and vehicle testing facility, which will become functional in the next two years. Ashok Leyland vehicles are currently available across Bangladesh. PTI MSS ABM --- ENDS --- Lets see. There is probably a logical explanation for Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaois consistent, bizarre attacks on the concept of family planning. The trouble is whatever that is it just sounds absurd, especially in a country where hardship, poverty, beggars and street vendors confront us everyday, in most places we look. Some time a while ago, we thought Tuilaepa might have had a slip of the tongue when he first made the point that family planning was interfering with population growth. Ive heard them say that the reason for this is because some parents cant afford to care for (too many) children, Tuilaepa said then. That should be said about countries overseas where it is cold but for us, we are used to running around with just a piece of lavalava from the morning until night. Tuilaepa said hundreds of Samoans have migrated overseas and this has created a gap, which needs to be filled. He added that the grass in many villages has overgrown because there are not enough people to cut it. Even when a light wind blows up a womans skirt, they cry family planning Well that was back in 2015. Today, the issue is back on the newsstands with the Prime Minister at it again. I encourage our people to do their part to increase the population, he said last week. People, especially couples, are prioritizing their work rather than making babies to increase our population. Especially the young couples, they shouldnt delay the process. Seriously this has got to be some sort of joke. Whats he saying? If he is serious, perhaps Prime Minister Tuilaepa should make an order for a half-day public holiday to carry out his plan? Now according to Tuilaepa, ten is a good number of children to have. For example, if you married in your early twenties, then you should have at least ten children, he said. This is very useful so that when you are old and crippled, at least you will have a lot of children to give you your cigarette and massage you. By all means an increase in the population might be a good thing for Samoa in as far as the statistics the government needs to increase incoming aid for development purposes go. But without jobs and the necessary economic muscle to provide support for an increase in the population, its irresponsible for someone in Tuilaepas position to continue to spurt out such nonsense. Its neither funny nor acceptable especially in a country where teenage pregnancy, rape and so many other social challenges are still screaming out for solutions we have yet to find. The fact is birth control should be regarded as a human right. It means our women and girls should have the right to choose when they want to have babies, not because some powerful government leader is nagging them to do so simply to satisfy some development goals. And here is whats beyond this writer. For so many years, Health officials and Family Planning workers have been toiling tirelessly to promote responsible birth control measures and family planning values among our people. Their work is critical to address social and economic challenges that often accompany the issue of having children parents cannot afford to look after. Weve seen these problems manifest in Samoa. For instance, not a day goes by on the Village Voice where we dont have parents talk about the struggles of trying to raise their families with so many children and no money. We even see these families out there. We see the children on the streets running around without clothes while parents contemplate where they will get the next meal. Their downtrodden faces tell a story. It is one of hardship, struggles and poverty due to the lack of income generating opportunities, jobs and much-needed opportunities to advance their lot in life. And yet all this is conveniently lost on P.M. Tuilaepa who is so obsessed and hung up on his ridiculous idea of making more babies. God help us! Re: The system as it stands I like this analysis of Samoans politics except for one error, namely the appointment of the now suspended Police Commissioner. He was another yes-man appointed to do the P.M.s bidding. The use of firearms in that drug raid at the maketi made the man who owns the country doubt the wisdom of his decision. If your sources are impeccable as you seem to imply (my uaea mosooi is not that effective), then the police force will continue its great work of protecting Samoa without its now suspended Police Commissioner. You might have noticed in the news the recent drug raid by the police, without the use of firearms and without much fanfare as was the case with the now suspended Commissioner. The lesson from the raid is that police are quite capable of performing their duties without the use of guns. Must admit though that the rest of your analysis made for painful reading especially for those politicians pointed out for ridicule. Vai Autu Dear Editor, The letter by your writer under the identity of L. Leilua as entitled Mind your own business in your issue of 31 January 2017 was full of trash and absurdity. Leilua has launched an attack against the tofaloloto by Afioga Anae Misa Pita and the Matautu Village who have reacted immediately to bring the problem with Rev. Opapo Soanai and the Siufaga E.F.K.S. under control. Unfortunately, Leilua was only armed in his attack with imprudent thoughts and immature views and that has made his attack look like a comic activity. Therefore, I have been urged to write to set the record straight so that the public would not be misled by the stupidity of Leilua. In clarification, when the E.F.K.S. Elders Committee gave its final decision on Rev. Soanai, the Siufaga E.F.K.S. wrote to the E.F.K.S. Elders Committee a strong-tasting and vindictive letter on 17 January 2017,about nothing else, but criticising Rev. Elder TautiagaSenara, our Pastor,in his role as played in the entire issue. The Siufaga E.F.K.S. has even gone to the extent of fabricating unfounded accusations against Rev. Senara, our Pastor, in regard to some criminal activities he was involved with in MatautuFalelatai a few years ago. In the same letter, Siufaga E.F.K.S. has resigned from the PulegaaFalelatai&Samatau and the E.F.K.S. as a whole. They said they will be joining the E.F.K.A.S. or the churchs equivalence in American Samoa. The letter by Siufaga E.F.K.S. was copied to all the Elders of the Matagluega a Aana and Anae Misa Pita as well. Anae is the current Chairman of both the village and the church in Matautu Falelatai. Anae received his copy of the letter on 19 January 2017 and most interestingly, both Rev.Senara and Rev. Soanai went to see Anae one after the other at his home in Vaivase-Uta on the same day seeking his assistance. Instead of siding with either one of the parties, Anae acted immediately to find out a solution to the worsening situation. He instantaneously called an urgent meeting of our village and church leaders in Matautu. During that meeting the leaders, under Anaes directions,were led to highlight the main issues that are needed to be dealt with and to identify the most appropriate strategic approach to confront the issues. Firstly is to clear the name of Rev. Senara, our Pastor, from the criminal accusations. Secondly is to save the PulegaaFalelatai&Samatau from being dissolved and going non-existence due to the move by the Siufaga E.F.K.S., as that would leave only three (3) congregations in the Pulega. To clearRev. Senaras name, Anae called a full meeting of the Matautu E.F.K.S. membership to be attended by all members ranging from the old people down to boys and girls. The well-attended meeting was held the very next day, Saturday 21 January 2017. Rev. & Mrs Senara were not invited to the meeting. As a result, not a single soul of the entire church membership has any knowledge of any criminal activity that Rev. Senara has been involved with as per the accusations by the Siufaga E.F.K.S. Therefore, Rev. Senaras name has been cleared. To save the Pulegaa Falelatai&Samatau, Anae called a meeting of the leaders or Faaaloaloga of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana which includes Anae, Misa, Nanai and Lupematasila of Matautu and Taefu, Lealaitanumoa and Faalavaau of Siufaga. Anaes intention was to seek the consensus of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana which is called the AfiogaTutasia leAigaTauaana, as that would be the only force that can convince the Siufaga E.F.K.S. to change their minds. The meeting of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaanawas held at Taefus residence in Siufaga on Tuesday 24 January 2017. It was not that difficult for the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana to reach a consensus or itsAfiogaTutasi. The leaders and members of the Siufaga E.F.K.S. were also present. They have heard the deliberations, the intention as well as the AfiogaTutasi. On Sunday morning, 29 January 2017, Rev. Senara and members of the Matautu E.F.K.S. were extremely shocked when Rev. Soanai and the Siufaga E.F.K.S. came to our church performing a traditional ifoga and apologising to Rev. Senara for the entire incident. Rev. Senara has accepted the ifoga wholeheartedly and he voiced his immediate forgiveness of Rev. Soanai and the Siufaga E.F.K.S. As a result, a letter signed by Rev. Elder Senara, Rev. Soanai, the TamaaigaTuimalealiifano and all the Faaaloaloga of the Falefitu a le AigaTauaana has been disseminated to the E.F.K.S. Elders Committee humbly requesting a reconsideration of their decision on Rev. Soanai. The above clarification represents the truth and the truth only.The traditional ifoga by Rev. Soanai and the Siufaga E.F.K.S. and the instant forgiveness by Rev. Senarais the fruit of the influence by the AfiogaTutasi of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana. Consequently, we were not putting our noses in someone elses business as per Leiluas letter.The Siufaga Village and the Siufaga E.F.K.S. is our business. It is traditional since the past, when major issues of this nature arise in Siufaga, Matautu intervenes with help. So does Siufagato Matautu. One would never leave the other to fight alone. Why? It is because Matautu and Siufaga are flesh and blood constituting one family which is the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana. On the other hand, every Dick and Tom and Harry in the E.F.K.S. nationwide knows that the Matautu E.F.K.S. is the mother congregation of the Pulegaa Falelatai&Samatau in terms of membership, assets, financial contributions and the first to establish. As always matter-of-factly, the financial contributions by the other three (3) congregations of the Pulega a Falelatai&Samatau adding together cannot even reach the amounts contributed by the Matautu E.F.K.S. alone. So the Matautu E.F.K.S has been duty bound as a senior congregation that looks after and protects the PulegaaFalelatai&Samatauwhenever its existence and stability has been threatened by issues like the on-going one. I wonder what Leilua would say with where we are now with this problem. I wonder how he would consider why both Rev. Senara and Rev. Soanai went to Anae for assistance. One can tell from afar that Leilua is not an heir of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana. That is why he is so angry because he is powerless, unrecognised and has no representation when it comes to the issues and decision making that affects the whole of Falelatai. Because if he was an heir of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana, he would have never disrespected the leaders or the Faaaloaloga of the AigaTauaana like what he has done to Anae. But he would be happy himself about the capabilities of the AfiogaTutasi of the Falefitu o le AigaTauaana which he is part of. If he is smart enough, he would apologise in public for his rudeness towards Anae who is a hardworking and a brave leader of Matautu. If not, that is definite proof he can do the same thing to his own leaders and elders. So he is therefore very weak and narrow minded because he does not even know that one of the most significant elements of Samoan culture is to respect your leaders and your elders. SOIFUA. Lupematasila Nanai Misa Faamanu Ivara Workers at the Ministry of Health are in a state of mourning after a colleague described as someone full of life was found dead in a toilet on Tuesday. The death of the 29-year-old was confirmed by an official at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital who spoke to the Samoa Observer on the condition of anonymity. Attempts to get an official comment from the hospital were not successful. When the Samoa Observer contacted the family for a comment, a family member declined saying they are still coming to the terms with what has happened. According to the Health official, the deceased was working in the Health Promotion Division. He will be sorely missed by everyone, the source said. He had such a pleasant personality. No one expected what has happened and we are all deeply saddened about it. This is a very sad day for health workers. The deceaseds smiling face was always seen on TV1 every evening conducting a Healthy Eating Programme after the Zumba. According to the source, he was in a meeting on Tuesday before tragedy struck. He said he wasnt feeling well and he went to the bathroom saying he had an upset stomach, the Samoa Observer was told. He was there for a while. It wasnt until other health workers looked for him when he was found dead in the toilet. The Samoa Observer was told that the deceased might have died from a heart condition. The health worked is from the village of Toamua. A former student of Avele College and a graduate of the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, he is survived by his wife and two daughters. The Land Transport Authority (L.T.A.) is assessing the use of coloured tyres in Samoa. This was confirmed by the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Titi Tutuvanu-Schwalger. Last month, a businessman and mechanic questioned the use of coloured tyres, specifically, green tyres in Samoa. Francis Uhrle bought green tyres from one of the local companies but his car was stopped by an officer of L.T.A. saying the tyres are not allowed and should be removed. However, the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Papalii Niko Lee Hang, later confirmed there was no particular law to prohibit the use of coloured tyres in Samoa. If they are cheaper then why not? said Papalii. But I cant recall any law prohibiting vehicles from using coloured tyres I cant see the problem with a car driving around with coloured tires. Those days we used to have white wall tyres. I dont see that anymore. Mr. Uhrle said that even after the confirmation from the Minister that it is not illegal to use coloured tyres; the L.T.A. officials still stopped his car. There is no law to stop or prohibiting the use of coloured tyres in Samoa, said Mr. Uhrle. So I dont know why L.T.A. is stopping my car. I have had the tyres for more than six months and all of a suddenly they say we cannot use them, he told the Samoa Observer. I had also queried the Police traffic officers whether there is a law about coloured tyres which they responded no. As a qualified mechanic from New Zealand, Mr. Uhrle said any product that is sold is passed by inspections to be safe. I dont see anything unsafe about the coloured tires, he said. You know whats not safe? The second hand tyres that they sell at second hand shops. They are not safe. I dont understand why the L.T.A. is prohibiting the use of coloured tyres in Samoa when there is no law. L.T.A. was contacted for a comment, but they said the C.E.O. is on leave until next week. The Acting Chief Executive Officer of L.T.A; Titi Tutuvanu Schwalger, replied to an email sent to them, confirming that there is no law against the use of coloured tyres. However, she said L.T.A. currently allows only private vehicles to have coloured tyres. L.T.A. being the regulator of Public Service Vehicles (P.S.V.) has prohibited Public Service Vehicles namely buses and taxis to use coloured tyres for the time being, she said. Meanwhile L.T.A is currently assessing the use of coloured tyres in order to decide on whether such a feature is appropriate and safe for use on P.S.V. The governments push to amend the Constitution to define Samoa as a Christian State could undermine freedom of religion. Thats the opinion of the National University of Samoas Director of Samoan Studies, Leasiolagi Dr. Malama Meleisea. Speaking to Radio New Zealand, he said he is unclear whether the Bill will guarantee religious freedom as the original Constitution intended. He said the Constitutional Amendment Bill (No.2) reflects concerns about the influence of other religions. "They are framing their concern about Islamism and so on in a very emotional way," Leasiolagi is quoted as saying. "So the leaders of the main Christian denominations are more or less saying that we want to protect our turf but in order for us to air these concerns we are going to frame it in the context of what is happening in the world." Leasiolagi said the Bill could give rise to discrimination and intolerance. The bill was widely supported by Parliament when it convened last week. According to the Constitutional Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2016s Explanatory Memorandum, the government aims to insert in the Constitution that Samoa is a Christian nation to declare the dominance of Christianity in Samoa. During the second reading in Parliament, Prime Minister Tuilaepa said the Constitutions reference to Christianity as it stands is only in the Preamble of the Constitution. The discussion of this bill is not new as it was introduced in our last Parliament sitting. And from that discussion, we saw how inadequate the Constitution was at the time. Inadequate in terms of how Samoa as a Christian State is not included in the body of the Constitution. Instead it is in the cover and the preamble of the Constitution, not within the body of the Constitution. This shows that it is not part of the Constitution. This does not stand in Court as it is not included in the body of the Constitution. Tuilaepa said he understood the main reason it wasnt included in the body of the Constitution then was because there were no religious wars in Samoa when the Constitution was initially written. He said that perhaps our ancestors were not thinking about it at the time. This means that we have been misled all these years. And every time we say that Samoa is founded on God because it is in within our Constitution, God mustve had a good laugh and thought that we have been fooling him. And it has been more than 50 years since we have been fooling God, because this is not in the body of our Constitution. That is exactly why the 47 members of our party (H.R.P.P) have decided to review and amend the Constitution to correct this. The main objective of the bill is that Samoas religious stance as a Christian nation may be firmly enshrined in the body of the Constitution. With the amendment, Tuilaepa said Christianity will no longer be at the Cover or the preamble of the Constitution. Rather it will become an integral part of the body of the Constitution. The phrase Samoa is founded on God will no longer be used. Instead, under the Constitution, it will be, Samoa is a Christian nation founded of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Finally, Tuilaepa said that religious wars are a common occurrence throughout the world and it has resulted in some great civil wars within countries. Therefore, it is the Governments duty to legislate accordingly, in efforts to avoid religious tensions in the future. Theres no doubt about it: The outlook for the oil industry is decidedly sunny as the Trump administration takes shape. But some energy analysts say a number of issues ranging from protectionist trade policies to the controversial executive order restricting travel from seven countries may put some segments of the industry at odds with the new president. Advertisement Its a more nuanced picture, said Rob Desai, energy analyst for the investment firm of Edward Jones. At first glance, it appears the oil industry and the Trump administration are practically joined at the hip. Trumps Secretary of State is Rex Tillerson, former CEO at ExxonMobil, the worlds largest oil company. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt each from oil-rich states have been nominated to run the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, respectively. And in one of Trumps first moves as president, he signed an executive order to green-light the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline. So far, so good for the industry, said Bernard Bud Weinstein, associate director of the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University. I think whats important about both of those pipelines is theyre critical components of North American energy infrastructure. But going into the second full week of the new administration, not every one of Trumps moves and overtures have been greeted with glee by the industry. The controversial order to restrict travel from seven Middle Eastern countries resulted in protests and withering criticism but may also prove troublesome for large, multinational U.S. oil companies. Even though the U.S. has dramatically increased its domestic production of crude in recent years, the country still imports just under 8 million barrels a day from foreign countries. Of that amount, about 500,000 barrels a day come from Iraq. Angered by Trumps immigration order, the Iraqi parliament has urged its government to retaliate by banning travel by airline passengers from the U.S. Such a move may hurt oil giants ExxonMobil and San Ramon-based Chevron who each have production facilities in Iraq. Security contractors and oil service providers often work in rotational shifts and go back and forth from Iraq every few weeks. We are reviewing the executive order to understand any implications for our employees, Kent Robertson, Chevrons manager for global external affairs, said in an email Monday to the Union-Tribune, adding that so far the order has had no impact on the company. The executive order may hurt Chevron and Exxon when it comes to competing for new contracts in the region, including Iran, said Saeed Irani, president of Irani Engineering, a company headquartered in Sacramento that drills and completes wells for independent petroleum producers. We have big oil companies like Total (based in France) and British Petroleum (BP, based in London), Irani said. So if you are seen as anti-Muslim, the heads of those countries might lean toward Total and British Petroleum rather than Exxon and Chevron. Its estimated the U.S. imports about a half million barrels a day from Iraq. Total production of the oil is not going to change but whos going to be making money off the oil? Irani said. Is it going to be American companies or is it going to be European companies or Chinese companies or Russian companies? This has created a situation that is not favorable to American companies in the Middle East. Within days of Trumps announcement on Keystone and Dakota Access, the new president also said he wants all pipeline companies and suppliers to use steel and other products made exclusively by U.S. companies. Thats not something the pipeline-makers want, Desai said. They want to have the lowest cost pipelines. That goes against at least one part of the energy sector. Oil refineries in the U.S. are also looking closely at another potential policy move. Trump has threatened tariffs on specific countries and industries and in response, Republican leaders in Congress are discussing a 20 percent border tax on all imports, including crude oil. At current prices, a 20 percent tax is estimated to cost U.S. refineries about $30 billion because most are equipped to handle heavier crude that comes from overseas destinations such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela instead of lighter crude that comes from most U.S. oilfields. At the same time, while a tax on imported oil would hurt refineries, it figures to give domestic shale producers a big boost. Having a tax on imported oil almost overnight makes U.S.-produced oil more valuable because youre not having to pay that tax on top of the import, said Desai. All that being said, the Trump administration is expected to be decidedly beneficial to the energy industry and the fossil-fuel sector in particular. Moves aimed at expediting energy infrastructure projects, relaxing a rule on methane emissions (issued by the Obama administration after Trumps election) and opening up federal lands to drilling have been applauded by the industry while drawing scorn from environmental groups. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to revive the coal industry. When it comes to environmental push back, we aint seen nothing yet, said Weinstein. The anti-carbon movement has been energized. A columnist on the Sierra Clubs website said, Big Oil won the 2016 election and now its drooling over the size of the spoils. A banner headline above the column urges readers to make monthly donations and Join The Fight, Protect Our Planet From Trump. Dan Jacobson, the state director Environment California, agrees that Trump has galvanized green activists. All these moves have environmental groups on red alert, Jacobson said. We have to make sure that all the protections weve gained over the past eight years dont get washed away because many of the protections of our beautiful places cant be undone. Desai anticipates more legal challenges from environmentalists, especially when it comes to midstream projects such as pipelines where state and local governments can challenge federal edicts. I think youll see a lot more push-back on those local levels, Desai said. We think it will take longer, even if (projects) get approved. So basically growth gets pushed out, things take longer and you get more challenges in courts, Desai said. Business rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski ALSO What a Trump presidency means for the energy landscape UBS analyst: Energy investments in 2017 look good OPEC agrees to curtail production San Diego Gas & Electric is plowing through a roughly $80 million upgrade to a key North County substation that officials say will provide 40,000 customers with a more reliable connection to the interstate power grid following the 2012 shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Two huge synchronous condensers will be installed inside a metal building now under construction at the utilitys San Luis Rey substation, built in 1941 on a fenced 7-acre property along El Camino Real just north of Mesa Drive in Oceanside. The site is one of three in San Diego County where SDG&E is adding the condensers to adapt to changes in the high voltage transmission grid. Advertisement These types of devices help us move power around, from San Diego to the L.A. basin, said Will Speer, director of electrical system planning for SDG&E, during a tour of the site this week. The massive machines will help control sudden increases or decreases in power as generating sources change continuously based on availability and need, making the system more stable and reliable, officials say. Each condenser weighs 400,000 pounds, or 200 tons, and is about 20 feet tall and 40 feet long, said Bill Posey Jr., construction manager for the project contractor Beta Engineering. Work on the San Luis Rey project began in June 2015 and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The substation is both a transmission and distribution point that can add power generated locally to the grid, transfer power from one substation to another, and take power from the grid for the areas homes, businesses and industries. Officials say the new equipment will help fill a need created by the retirement of the San Onofre plant in 2012 and the South Bay Power Plant in 2010, and the more recent rapid increase of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. San Onofre, which for almost 40 years supplied 20 percent of Southern Californias power, had huge turbines and other equipment that helped buffer the switches between the various generating sources in the region. In addition to the synchronous condensers being installed at San Luis Rey, the utility is also installing the machines at its Miguel substation in Bonita and in the switchyard at the old San Onofre plant. The ones at Miguel are expected to go online by this summer, and the ones at San Onofre should be operating by the summer of 2018. California is part of an interstate power transmission grid that stretches from Canada into northern Mexico, and east to Colorado. Instead of relying on a relatively few huge generating stations such as San Onofre and big coal and natural gas-burning plants, the grid is shifting its power sources to smaller fossil-fuel plants and more renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydro. Renewable sources of power change as the sun rises and sets, the wind grows and dies, and reservoirs fill and empty. The demand for power shifts daily according to consumers needs. As a result of all these things, the power flow in the grid is constantly shifting. The synchronous condensers have heavy internal components that spin constantly. They can absorb energy when the power flow spikes, or produce energy when power drops, for the few seconds it takes to keep a constant flow of electricity during the switch from one power source to another. These machines provide reactive power, Speer said. When you have problems on the grid, these machines help stabilize it. The condensers are being manufactured in Germany, and will be delivered to Oceanside in April on a 326-foot-long, multi-axle trailer, said Posey, the construction manager. The one I looked at had 136 tires in contact with the ground, Posey said. The machines will be installed on 6-foot-thick concrete pads inside a 42-foot-tall building being constructed on the site. A separate, slightly smaller building under construction on a 30-inch-thick concrete pad will house accessory equipment such as switching gear and circuit breakers. On Tuesday there were 40 workers at the San Luis Rey site, mostly employees of Beta Engineering and its subcontractors. Some days there are as many as 80 workers at the site, Posey said. Once the equipment is up and running, no one will work full-time at the substation. When operating, its run completely from Mission Valley, said Matt Huber, project manager for SDG&E. The facility, like all transmission substations in California, is controlled by the states Independent System Operator, a nonprofit corporation that manages power transmission throughout the state. They tell us to turn it on, or turn it off, or whatever we need to do, Huber said. The San Luis Rey project also includes the construction of a sound wall to contain the noise of the machines, and a screen, landscaping and vegetation to partially obscure the equipment from the public. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @phildiehl Two weeks ago, the website Yelp published its 2017 list of the top 100 places to eat in the U.S., and planted firmly in the middle at No. 51 is Sunny Side Kitchen in Escondido. The 2-year-old breakfast/lunch cafe in downtown Escondido was among the 100 restaurants nationwide to earn the most 5-star reviews on Yelp in recent years. Yelp is a crowd-sourced website, where the public can rate their visits on a scale of 1 to 5 and post photos of and reviews. The only other restaurant in San Diego to make the list is the Classic Malt Shop, a 50s diner in San Diegos Midway district that ranked No. 100. Advertisement Sunny Side Kitchen What: Family-run breakfast/lunch cafe When: 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays Where: 155 S. Orange St., Escondido Phone: (760) 294-4450 Online: sunnysidekitchencom.ipage.com/ Sunny Sides married co-owners Kathy and Bob Carpenter say the list published on the Yelp blog Jan. 17 caught them completely by surprise and has already doubled their business. When we read the blog we thought oh my God, this is huge, Kathy said. Were very proud of our five-star rating but we had no idea they did this kind of list. It came as a big shock. Besides a boom in business, she said the restaurant has been getting lots of media attention and has attracted the attention of Yelp fans from as far away as Los Angeles. Most diners who find the restaurant via Yelp are travelers and newcomers, so the list has brought in a lot of new customers. This is the fourth year Yelp has done a top 100 list and the first where the rules were changed to spotlight up-and-coming and newer restaurants, rather than major chain and famous restaurants that have amassed thousands of 5-star reviews since Yelp started in 2004. As a result, this years top 3 finishers this year were newer small-town delis and bistros in Texas, Florida and Virginia. Carpenter said she believes the reason for all the 5-star reviews at Sunny Side Kitchen is its mostly home-made menu with virtually everything cooked and prepared in-house, including soups, roasted chicken, dressings, sauces and baked goods, which are custom-prepared to order. Our menus small but we tailor it for whatever the customer wants when they walk through the door, she said. I get upset if people arent happy. Sunny Side Kitchens head baker and chef Kathy Carpenter hands out a menu during a busy lunch service on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) The Carpenters, who married in 2010, both came from a background of journalism. He wrote for car and truck enthusiast magazines and she was a newspaper food and features editor before moving into public relations. When she was laid off from her job in 2011, she decided to pursue a lifelong dream of working in the hospitality field. My Mom is a gracious hostess and a very good cook and Ive always admired her ability to feed people and make them feel comfortable, she said. I just loved food and always wanted to be the perfect hostess as well, so I decided to start small with the cookies I love eating and making for other people. Five years ago, the couple rented a booth selling bite-size cookies at the farmers market near the Sikes Adobe in south Escondido. When the markets sandwich maker left, the Carpenters added sandwiches to their product line. Then they added fresh-squeezed lemonade to wash everything down. Its been an organic growth process that served us well by bringing people along little by little, she said. Eventually their customer base grew large enough that they were able to open their restaurant in March 2015 at 155 S. Orange St. in Escondido. It seats 21 inside and 12 on the sidewalk. Sunny Side serves breakfast and lunch only. The bulk of its weekday business is lunch deliveries to businesses in the downtown area. Their signature items are their mini cookies and the Tuscan panini made with roast chicken, fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and four types of cheese. Kathy is the baker and head chef and Bob oversees the business and order management. Their next goal is to begin offering a special-menu dinner service two to three night a month. The couple who have four children and one grandchild between them work side by side in the restaurant every day, because they want to ensure the 5-star reviews keep rolling in. Its truly a mom and pop business, she said. I feel like its my responsibility to be there and feel connected to my customers. I want them to be happy and Bob feels the same way. pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com A jury has awarded more than $1 million to a former Chula Vista deputy fire chief who sued the city for discrimination after being fired. Deputy Fire Chief Jim Garcia argued the city discriminated against him on the basis of his age and disability when he was terminated Jan. 14, 2015, hours after talking to the citys risk management representatives about a work-related neck and spinal injury. Advertisement Garcias attorney, Bradley Gage, said Tuesday that Fire Chief Jim Geering told Garcia he was aware of his recent medical problems, and it was in the best interest of public safety that he leave. Gage said Garcia was terminated hours later without notification or cause and was told his position was being eliminated. However, his position was not eliminated, and in fact several new positions were created, many of which Garcia was qualified to fill, according to his complaint. But those positions were given to younger employees, which became a substantial motivator in Garcia suing, the complaint read. Garcia was 58 and the oldest of his peers when he filed his complaint in May 2015. In the case of Jim Garcia, firing an employee with 25 years of experience is quite important regarding the issue of public safety because you cant replace that knowledge easily, Gage said. Throughout the lawsuit the city maintained that Garcia was legitimately and appropriately terminated from his position in the best interest of public safety. A Chula Vista spokeswoman said Tuesday that city considers the damages excessive, and it is considering an appeal. During his tenure Garcia was recognized as Employee of the Year twice and he also twice received the Medal of Valor for saving lives. He was shocked he felt like his whole world had been ripped out from under him, Gage said of Garcia. The complaint states that on Jan. 14, 2014, Garcia went to risk management and said he thought he would need neck surgery due to a serious neck and spinal injury he received while employed with the Fire Department in 1998. Garcia later filed a lawsuit alleging that he was terminated due to his age and/or neck injury, and, that the city did not investigate allegations of discrimination. According to the city, Garcia had been a member of a prior Fire Department management team that received a vote of no confidence by more than 90 percent of the Fire Department and firefighters union Local 2180. It further argued that Garcia had also been subjected to a national censure by the International Association of Firefighters for participating in decisions contrary to the safety and welfare of citizens and firefighters. Gage disputed those claims in court. A Jan. 24 verdict by a San Diego Superior Court jury found in Garcias favor for disability discrimination, awarding him about $1.2 million in lost, past and future wages and past and future emotional distress damages. Garcias salary at the time of termination was about $150,000. Gage said Garcia told him he had planned to work for at least another five years, which the damages compensated him for in part. By Press Trust of India: Guwahati, Feb 2 (PTI) A suo-motu case has been registered against Assamese filmmaker Himangshu Prasad Das on charges of waging war against the country by allegedly seeking help from ULFA(I), through an open letter, to run his film in theatres across the state. "We had registered a suo-motu case a few days back against Das for trying to contact sources or persons inimical to the interest of India," Guwahati Police Commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath told PTI here. advertisement The police had issued a notice asking Das to appear before it, but he has not come yet, Nath said. Asked if Das will be arrested, he said, "We will at first interrogate him and then decide." Guwahati Police registered the case under various IPC sections including 121 (waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against the Government), 121(A) (conspiracy to overawe by means of criminal force or), 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, etc) at Panbazar police station and issued a notice to Das for appearing before them. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Unit) Suleman Ali registered the case on January 28. On January 24, Das, a graduate of National School of Drama, had allegedly written an open letter in his Facebook page to ULFA(I) chief Paresh Barua seeking help for continuation of his first film "Shakira Aahibo Bokultolor Bihuloi" (Shakira will come to Bokultols Bihu) in theatres across the state. The director had written the letter following hall owners decision to withdraw his film, which was released on January 20, to accommodate Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Raees" and "Kaabil" starring Hrithik Roshan that hit the screens on January 25, police said. Responding to the letter, Barua allegedly called up local TV channels and asked the hall owners to run Dass film if people wanted to watch it, or else ULFA(I) would oppose it. Assam Police Director General Mukesh Sahay had earlier said that police would look into the issue. PTI TR RG NN SRY --- ENDS --- Better. Faster. Cheaper. That was Fred Pappy Rohrs motto for manufacturing airplane parts, and it saturated Chula Vista from the early 40s through the 90s. Advertisement His business, Rohr Aircraft Company, played a major role in U.S. military aviation in WWII, and it changed the face of the city. By 1945, the company employed nearly 10,000 people in its 67 buildings on 162 acres along the Chula Vista bayfront from G Street to J Street. More than 70 years later, Rohrs lifes work is being honored in an exhibit at the Chula Vista Heritage Museum, which is housed in the Civic Center library on F Street. The exhibit includes photographs, archives from the librarys local history collection, memorabilia from the Rohr family and anecdotes from retired employees. Rohr died in 1965 at the age of 69. Chula Vista historian Steven Schoenherr, who spent nearly a year collecting historical information for the exhibit, gave a presentation during Sundays grand opening. A few dozen retired Rohr employees were among the nearly 200 that attended the event, including husband and wife Ray and Margie Inman. Margie Inman, 76, worked at Rohr between 1968 and 1976, starting as a switchboard operator. Ray Inman, 71, began in 1963 in the computer room, stacking computer cards. He later ran the machine that stamped Rohrs name onto employee checks. The reason I wanted to come was to send an email to my brother who worked for Rohr for 43 years and tell him all about it, Ray Inman said. This is wonderful to see. Mary Cecena and her sister Susan Flesch attended the event to see their fathers pay stub, which they donated for a display along with a canvas bag that held his earnings that one time. Mary said her dad, Arnold Cecena, was a spot welder at Rohr for 37 years, raising six children on a $54 weekly paycheck. Being born and raised here in Chula Vista, Rohr is part of our life, Cecena said. At the time, it was our bread and butter. On Dec. 10, 1954 it was silver dollar payday. Rohr paid all of his employees in silver dollars fresh from the mint factory in San Francisco, which ended up filling registers all over town. Several of Rohrs family members, including his granddaughter Jennifer Luther, attended the grand opening. Frederick Hilmer Rohr was born in 1896 in New Jersey to the son of a German immigrant, and he worked with his father as an apprentice in his sheet metal shop. Rohr served in the U.S. Navy during WWI and moved to San Diego in 1924, starting his own sheet metal shop. While working downtown at the San Diego airplane factory Ryan Aeronautical Company, he met pilot Charles Lindbergh. Rohr became one of the four members of the Night Hawk team that would build Lindberghs plane that got him across the Atlantic on the famous Spirit of St. Louis flight in 1927. After Lindberghs flight, Rohr went to work at Solar Aircraft Company where he developed a drop hammer system, an important innovation created to shape complex airplane parts, making them thinner and lighter. Today a drop hammer sits at Bay Boulevard Park as a historical landmark in Chula Vista. The success of the drop hammer led to a job for Rohr as a sheet metal engineer at the Boeing Airplane Company in Seattle. He started Rohr Aircraft Company on Aug. 6, 1940 out of his garage with four other men. Mainly because of Rohrs growth, Chula Vistas population went from about 4,000 in 1940 to almost 30,000 people in 1955. During WWII, thousands of women began working in factories at Rohr. They became known as Rosie the Riveters. Equally as important were the spot welders. Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas mother Paula Casillas worked as one at Rohr from 1942 to 1945. Casillas Salas said her family owes their middle-class life to Rohr. One thing my mother told me that was true of many of the Mexican-American families, was that working at Rohr took her out of the farm and into the factory, the mayor said. The family had a living wage with benefits that allowed them to buy a home and become part of the American Dream. Rohr was Chula Vistas largest private sector employer until the mid-90s. Specifically it was responsible for building the engine pods or nacelles for the B-24 long range bomber and building a portion of the F-14 Tomcat. Rohr also designed solid rocket motor casings, seals and nozzles for the space shuttle that launched in 1981. Rohr was bought by B. F. Goodrich in 1997 and the Goodrich Corp. was acquired by United Technologies in 2012. The former Rohr company is now known as UTC Aerospace Systems-Aerostructures. Today Aerostructures produces engine nacelles, the aerodynamic covering around an airplanes engines, for a variety of commercial airplanes. San Diego native Sean Watkins is best known for his Grammy Award-winning music with Nickel Creek, but thats just part of his story. An accomplished solo artist, he often performs with his sister, Nickel Creek co-founder Sara Watkins, in her band and in Watkins Family Hour, the all-star group they co-lead. Then theres Fiction Family, his band with Switchfoots Jon Foreman. Whats next? Its fun to veer into new areas of music for me, Watkins told the Union-Tribune last year. He performs Saturday at Del Mars intimate Brick15 on a double-bill with Willie Watson. Sean Watkins, with Willie Watson: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. Brick15, 915 Camino del Mar, Del Mar. $34. (858) 225-1315 or brick15.com. Advertisement Twitter @georgevarga george.varga@sduniontribune.com Downtowns Lyceum Theatre complex, home to San Diego Rep, is staging a grand reopening and the public is invited to join the festivities. The event takes place Tuesday (Feb. 7), starting with an open house from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. That will be followed by a performance from the Gilbert Castellanos Hammond B3 Trio. Castellanos, the renowned trumpeter and San Diego jazz institution, collaborated with playwright Richard Montoya of Culture Clash on the 2013 world-premiere Rep show Federal Jazz Project. Advertisement The event is free to the public; tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the theater, located at 79 Horton Plaza (downstairs between the Balboa Theatre and Broadway Circle). You must be present to receive a ticket. The Rep, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, has been in residence at the Lyceum since 1986. The complex has been under renovation for the better part of the past year. Parking for the celebration is at the 225 Broadway garage, for a flat rate of $10. The garage entrance is off Broadway Circle; turn south on Second Avenue from Broadway, then follow the circle around until youre directly across from the Lyceum. The garage entrance is on the left. The event is presented by the Horton Plaza Theatres Foundation, Civic San Diego and the Rep. Twitter: @jimhebert jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com Eli Broad, the prominent local philanthropist behind a massive effort to increase the number of charter schools in Los Angeles, is protesting the appointment of Betsy DeVos as secretary of Education. Broad sent a letter to U.S. senators Wednesday, asking them to vote against President Trumps nominee. I believe she is unprepared and unqualified for the position, Broad wrote. Indeed, with Betsy DeVos at the helm of the U.S. Department of Education, much of the good work that has been accomplished to improve public education for all of Americas children could be undone. Advertisement Betsy DeVos is a billionaire Republican fundraiser based in Grand Rapids, Mich. Before Trump announced her nomination, she spent her dollars and connections promoting school choice, in the form of both vouchers and charter schools. School vouchers use public money to fund private often religious schools, and charter schools are publicly funded, but can be privately run. Broad has contributed heavily through a political action committee to local school board candidates who support charter schools, and his philanthropic group is backing an effort to increase their growth in Los Angeles, which already has more such schools than any other city in the U.S. But despite their agreement on charter schools, Broad thinks DeVos views are too extreme. We must have a Secretary of Education who believes in public education and the need to keep public schools public, he wrote. During a contentious confirmation hearing last month, DeVos drew ire for her apparent lack of basic understanding of some key education laws. Before the hearing, Broad wrote, he questioned her support for unregulated charter schools and school vouchers. Her performance reinforced his doubts. On Tuesday, the Senate education committee voted along party lines to advance her candidacy. But her confirmation might be in trouble. On Wednesday, two Republican senators on the education committee who voted for DeVos to get through committee said they would vote no on the Senate floor. One more Republican defection would mean DeVos doesnt get the job. DeVos nomination has put Democratic charter school supporters in a hard spot because she also supports school vouchers. Vouchers are a third rail in Democratic politics they arouse fears not just about the draining of dollars from public schools but about erosion of the separation of church and state as well. At a rally in January, local union leaders passed out signs connecting Broad and DeVos. You can read the full letter here. Editors note: Education Matters receives funding from a number of foundations, including one or more mentioned in this article. The California Community Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles administer grants from the Baxter Family Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the California Endowment and the Wasserman Foundation. Under terms of the grants, The Times retains complete control over editorial content. Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com @Joy_Resmovits ALSO Trumps pick for Education secretary could put school vouchers back on the map Editorial: Betsy DeVos embarrassed herself and should be rejected by the Senate Lopez: A $471,000 charter school exec, and another case of gutter politics in LAUSD school board race Interest groups spent $309 million on lobbying California government officials last year, with new records showing the oil industry, environmental groups, labor unions and the health industry poured the greatest amounts into legislative and regulatory battles. It is the second time in the states history that more than $300 million has been spent in a year, just short of the record $314 million paid out for lobbying in 2015. Seeing such large amounts spent by moneyed interests is a concern, public advocates say, because it reflects an effort to exert heavy influence on government officials that average citizens may not be able to match. Advertisement Lobbying expenses, which must be reported to the state, include money that goes directly to individual lobbyists as well as other payments to influence, which can include cash spent on research, organizing public rallies, and television and radio ads that urge voters to contact their lawmaker on specific bills. The biggest spender was the Western States Petroleum Assn., which reported $7.7 million in payments for work, including a big push against Senate Bill 32, which requires greenhouse gas emissions to be 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. It was the battle of the year, said Jamie Court, executive director of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog. The oil companies spent a ton of money. The oil group said the measure puts accessible and reliable energy at risk. Expenses reported by the petroleum group included a total $721 spent on dinner at the Spago restaurant in Maui for eight lawmakers, including state Sen. Tom Berryhill (R-Twain Harte) and Democratic Assemblymen Miguel Santiago and Reggie Jones-Sawyer, both of Los Angeles. The group also picked up a $1,599 tab for Assemblyman Rudy Salas Jr. (D-Bakersfield) to stay at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Half Moon Bay. The associations president, Cathy Reheis-Boyd, said her groups expenditures for lobbying activities are a direct reflection of the enormous number of issues confronting the energy industry in California, and the potential impact those issues have on energy producers, refiners, consumers and businesses. Updates from Sacramento Chevron Corp., a member of the petroleum association, was the fourth biggest spender on lobbying last year, paying out $3 million. The oil industry did battle with the second biggest spender on lobbying last year, NextGen Climate Action, an environmental activism group founded by billionaire Tom Steyer. NextGen reported $7.4 million spent on lobbying, including support for SB 32. The spending included $19,608 for a legislative reception attended by 25 lawmakers and legislative staffers at an upscale Sacramento hotel. The vast majority of NextGens lobbying spending went to pay for television advertisements supporting SB 32 and other clean air laws, urging voters to contact their lawmakers and ask for a positive vote. Tell your legislator to stand up to the oil companies and protect our clean air laws, Steyer said in one of the ads. Steyer, who has been considering a run for governor, was seeking to counter the lobbying effort of the oil industry, a representative said. We ran clean air ads this summer that served as a counterweight to the oil industrys entrenched influence and helped pass historic legislation to combat pollution, said Andrew Santana, a spokesman for NextGen. The third biggest spender on lobbying in 2016 was the California State Council of Service Employees, which put $5.6 million into its advocacy efforts at a time when many state employee bargaining units were negotiating new contracts. Laphonza Butler, president of SEIU California, said its spending should not be compared to that of corporations like Exxon or R.J. Reynolds. It comes from small donors everyday working people, who contribute a small portion of their earnings to standing up for themselves and every other California family who is not a member of SEIU to fight corporate power by increasing the minimum wage or protecting women at work against sexual assault, Butler said in a statement. Health industry firms and groups and activists for accessible healthcare spent a combined $34 million last year getting their message to state officials. Two of the most lobbied bills included a failed measure providing prescription drug pricing transparency and a successful measure protecting patients who go to in-network hospitals from surprise, high bills from out-of-network physicians. The latter bill drew opposition lobbying from several physicians groups, including the California Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons and the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, who combined spent more than $600,000 on lobbying last year. The term World War III was invoked on both of the bills in terms of there was lots of lobbying on both sides, said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, a consumer advocacy group. In both cases, you saw a specific part of the industry pull out the stops in terms of money and lobbying to at least slow it down, if not stop it. Spending on lobbying does not always pay off. Tobacco industry groups, including giant tobacco firm Altria and RAI Services Company spent $1.1 million on lobbying last year, but failed to defeat bills that raised the smoking age to 21 and banned use of electronic cigarettes in many public places, including restaurants and theaters. The American Cancer Society and American Heart Assn. spent a combined $447,000 lobbying for the package of anti-tobacco bills. The tobacco industry spends a lot of money at the State Capitol to protect profits, but they do it at the expense of public health, said Lindsey Freitas, a senior director for the American Lung Assn. of California. patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com Twitter: @mcgreevy99 ALSO: Political Road Map: Revamped primaries changed California politics, but not like everyone thought Political Road Map: That love-hate relationship with California ballot initiatives Updates from Sacramento Animal-loving people and businesses will get a big pat on the head (and more) thanks to the San Diego Humane Societys 5th annual Animal Compassion Awards. The Humane Society is accepting online submissions for individuals and organizations that go above and beyond the call of humane duty in their support of our furry friends and the people who love them. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 12 on the San Diego Pets Magazine website. The magazines July issue will feature the winners. Advertisement The Animal Impact Award recognizes the powerful bond uniting people and their pets. The award highlights the impact an animal has had on humans life, or the extraordinary impact a human has had on the life of an animal. The 2016 Animal Impact Award went to Edwin Rivers, an Army combat veteran who found relief from PTSD through his puppy, Myles. When Myles needed emergency surgery that Rivers couldnt afford, the Foundation for Animal Care and Education stepped in. Myles is alive and well, and Rivers now volunteers for FACE. The Humane Hero Award recognizes an individual, group or business that creates positive awareness of animals. Last years award went to state Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, R-San Diego, and then-county Supervisor Dave Roberts for their work on behalf of animals and animal welfare. The Pet-Friendly Business Award honors a local business that rolls out the pet welcome mat in a big way. Categories include best pet-friendly hotel, best groomer, best dog park, best dog beach, best pet-friendly housing and best pet-friendly restaurant. In the latter category, the 2016 award went to the San Diego Cat Cafe, where customers can have their coffee and snacks while hanging out with adoptable cats provided by the Humane Society. Twitter: @karla_peterson karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com Theyve arrived as they have every year for the past quarter century major defense contractors setting up booths bristling with the latest military hardware next to small San Diego County businesses and charities that are geared to help veterans, and they all speak Marine. Sponsored by the nonprofit Marine Corps League and serenaded by a Marine band, the Marine West 2017 expo opened Wednesday morning under a big top erected on Camp Pendletons Area 22 parade grounds. Advertisement The trade show continues Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is expected to draw thousands of the regions Marines and sailors. Welcoming Marine West to his base, Brigadier Gen. Kevin J. Killea said the expo is going to give us the ability to stay ahead of our enemies by helping Marines constantly seek to innovate and modernize the force. On Wednesday, defense titans such as Raytheon showed off their missiles and other high-tech gadgets. Endeavor Robotics brought a squad of bomb detecting automatons that help Marines clear minefields and booby-trapped bunkers. And charities like the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Foundation came to share their stories with active duty troops and retired leathernecks who might not know what they offer. There are only three museums nationwide that specifically honor the Marine Corps,and were the only one west of the Mississippi, said Chris Weimer, the foundations director of development. We think thats a great asset for the West Coast and we want more Marines to know about us. Weimer graduated from MCRD in 2003 and went to Iraq. He was flanked at Marine West by the foundations board president, Bob Ross, who graduated from the boot camp in 1967 before getting shipped to Vietnam. The museum in MCRDs Day Hall features displays dating to the founding of the base in 1921, plus galleries that honor the Marines who fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Admission is free. Were here today so that Marines and the general public know that they can drive into MCRD to visit the museum every weekday and on Saturdays, said Ross. Just tell the guards that you want to go to the museum and show them your drivers license and proof of insurance at the gate. A lot of people dont know that. Retired Marine Maj. Gen. Michael R. Regner the senior military adviser to the Virginia-based Marine Corps League and the director of the expo said that the annual trade show doesnt just sell weapons to the Pentagon, its also a great chance for everyone from corporals to colonels to try to land a job or attend a college as they transition out of the service. I make a habit of telling each vendor, you make sure that if you see a young Marine or corpsman whos looking for employment, you give em your card, said Regner, the former commanding general of the 1st Marine Division. Dont just sell a product. Sell a service back to a patriot. Military Videos On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal cprine@sduniontribune.com The United States is condemning Irans recent ballistic missile test launch, calling it a breach of a United Nations resolution. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn on Wednesday told White House reporters that, As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice. Advertisement Flynn also said Iran has made a series of provocative moves, including its military support of Shia Houthi rebels in Yemens civil war. In October, Houthi rebels shot missiles at the U.S. destroyer Mason while it was sailing in the Red Sea. No one was injured. Welcome to The Intel, a blog examining the hot military news of the day Iran, which has fired off at least two other ballistic missile tests in the past two years, responded on Thursday with similar rhetorical heat. One official dismissed the U.S. presidents baseless ranting. An adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran will not yield to useless U.S. threats from an inexperienced person, according to Reuters. In this Iranian Fars News Agency photo, a Qadr H long-range ballistic surface-to-surface missile is fired by Irans Revolutionary Guard on March 9, 2016. Iran fired 2 missiles with Israel must be wiped out written on them as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Israel. (Omid Vahabzadeh / AP) Iran also said it doesnt need anyones permission to defend itself. Instead of thanking Iran for its continued fight against terrorism ... the American government is practically helping the terrorists by claims about Iran that are baseless, repetitive and provocative, said Bahram Ghasemi, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, as reported by Al Jazeera News. The back-and-forth continues an escalation of tension between the two nations. President Donald Trump has been critical of the nuclear accord implemented last year under the Obama administration that eased economic sanctions on Iran in return for assurances that Iran will ratchet back its nuclear activities. This morning just after 3:30 a.m. Trump tweeted: Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 He also wrote: Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Trump included Iran in a 90-day ban on immigrants from several mostly Muslim countries in recent days. Also on Twitter, public reaction to the Iran news widely diverged between Trump supporters and opponents. Iran is finding out that, there is a big difference between the Obama administration & the #Trump Administration! America's had enough! pic.twitter.com/PFuOOSXm13 ROCK ON OHIO (@ROCKONOHIO) February 2, 2017 So over the last 48 hours, Trump has threatened Mexico, Iran, Australia, and UC-Berkeley. Did I miss anyone? Radley Balko (@radleybalko) February 2, 2017 Military Videos On Now D-Day paratrooper from Coronado jumps again in France at age 96 On Now Remembering war's fallen, one name at a time On Now In Ramona, an airplane and an aviator provide living lessons on World War II 1:43 On Now Video: Navy's newest vessel sails into San Diego and a new future in surface warfare On Now Video: U.S. Navy files homicide charges over warship collisions On Now Stopping Marine hazing On Now Video: U.S. Navy Air Crew Grounded After Creating Vulgar Sky Drawing On Now Navy says Asia Pacific ship collisions were avoidable On Now Hundreds of recruits get sick at Marine boot camp On Now Cutler Dawson Talks Navy Federal jen.steele@sduniontribune.com Facebook: U-T Military Twitter: @jensteeley An independent monitor whom the Los Angeles Unified School District has to pay to watch over its programs for disabled students is under fire from the school district for alleged poor oversight of his own office, including the rising costs of two consultants, each earning more than $200,000 a year. David Rostetter was brought in to observe the school districts actions and make sure that it meets certain goals. The relationship between his office and the school system has sometimes been tense; one of his recent reports said L.A. Unified lacked appropriate and sanitary conditions for changing the diapers of preschoolers who had to wear them. The district had auditors look over Rostetters records, officials said, because monitoring costs were going up even though the school system has met 17 of 18 goals specified in a legally binding commitment to improve services for the disabled. Advertisement There is a lack of proper checks and balances to prevent, deter and detect errors and misappropriations. The risk is exacerbated by a lack of oversight, auditors wrote. Rostetter has denied allegations of mismanagement and accused the auditors of an incomplete or misguided interpretation of what they found. But he also has agreed to change some of his offices key practices. Programs for the disabled in the nations second-largest school system fell under federally authorized supervision, called a consent decree, in the wake of a 1993 lawsuit that contended the district ignored the educational needs of Chanda Smith and many other disabled students. In the more than 20 years since, the district has tried to satisfy a federal judge and advocates for the disabled. An independent monitor joined the mix in 2003, when the two sides agreed on specific goals that, if met, would free the district of supervision some officials consider costly and obtrusive. The district has identified 12.6% of its more than half a million students as disabled, and says about a third have moderate to severe disabilities and so are more expensive to serve. It spends $1.54 billion annually on special services for the disabled. The audit of Rostetters office, which was released this week, focused in large measure on his management of the office and the work of his two senior consultants, research director Jaime Hernandez and chief analyst Jay R. Alleman, during a four-year period, starting with the 2012-13 fiscal year. Hernandez was paid about $239,000 for the first two years, then more than $280,000 the next two years; Alleman about $195,000 the first two years, and $268,089 in the fourth for pay and expenses, according to the district. Their increased compensation accounted for most of the rise in expenses, from $713,126 to $849,710, over the four years. Rostetter, who lives out of state, is paid $255,000 annually and also filed $30,760 in expenses and additional fees last year. Auditors questioned his supervision of the employees, pointing out that he let them work outside of the office space provided at district headquarters and asserting that he lacked adequate documentation for the tasks they performed. Alleman, they said, was free to issue checks to any party without anyones knowledge. That included checks to himself. Auditors recommended, among other measures, that the districts legal office take over writing the checks. Because of our duty to safeguard public funds, [we] must ensure the reimbursed costs are reasonable, despite our limited ability to deny payment, district general counsel David Holmquist said in a statement Wednesday. Rostetter initially pushed back hard. In a December response that was incorporated into the final report, he said the auditors reached conclusions based on conjecture and speculation and made recommendations that would infringe on his independence. This week, in a letter to the district, he softened his tone, pledging to address the concerns. He said he would assume direct control over spending and insist on more complete documentation. Rostetter could not be reached for comment Wednesday. In an interview, Hernandez acknowledged that costs have risen, but he said that some of the problem relates to the districts malfunctioning student records system. The decree requires effective tracking of services to the disabled. Hernandez added that as long as the decree is in place, its 18 goals require ongoing review. He said the district also has yet to complete a full plan to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Before we leave, we have to make sure the district can monitor itself and identify and remedy non-compliance, Hernandez said. We need to see that the right systems are in place. Its getting there. To read the article in Spanish, click here howard.blume@latimes.com @howardblume Sara Yarjani loves yoga and meditation. She boasts a 3.89 GPA at the California Institute for Human Science in Encinitas, where she is known for her empathy and passion and is learning how to heal holistically. Shes the kindest person youll ever meet, said Ji Hyang Padma, director of the institutes comparative religion and philosophy program, who taught Yarjani in a 2015 class on mind-body health. But none of that mattered last week, when federal agents detained Yarjani at Los Angeles International Airport after President Trump issued his executive order imposing a 90-day ban on entry for nationals of Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries. Trump signed the order about seven hours before Yarjani landed at LAX on Friday night on a Norwegian Airlines flight from Oslo. Advertisement She was detained for 23 hours before officers with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection told her she was no longer allowed to enter the country and sent her back to Vienna, where she had been visiting her family during winter break. The agency did not respond to requests for comment. Trump said Sunday the ban was about terrorism and keeping our country safe. In a phone interview from Vienna this week, Yarjani, 35, tearfully recounted what she called one of the worst ordeals of her life. She said she landed at LAX with a valid two-year, multiple-entry student visa and expected processing at the airport to go as smoothly as it has since she arrived for the masters program in September 2015. But this time, she was taken out of line for questioning about her schooling and family and trips to Iran. Yarjani informed the customs officer who was questioning her that she is a permanent resident of Austria. She has lived outside Iran for most of the last 20 years. She said she was denied access to her phone, taken to a detention room, told to put her hands on the wall and searched by two female agents. Then she was brought to another room, interviewed in greater detail and told she could not enter the United States because her student visa was no longer valid. The officer, she said, then told her that she had two choices: sign an agreement to leave voluntarily or be subject to forcible departure, which would ban her from reentering the country, possibly for longer than five years. Yarjani said she was shocked and terrified and agreed to leave. Even after she made the decision, she still had to wait hours in detention with others. She said one elderly man told her he was so frightened he thought his heart would stop. A woman asked to sit with her and poured out her fears. Yarjani drew on her training and did her best to calm them with breathing exercises. She was allowed to make one call to her sister; another sister contacted the ACLU of Southern California on Saturday evening. ACLU attorneys, who filed a federal court motion late Wednesday to overturn the agreements they say Yarjani and other detainees signed under duress, referred the case to volunteer lawyers at the airport. Public Counsel, a Los Angeles-based pro bono public interest law firm, took it up. Kristen Jackson, a Public Counsel attorney, said the Customs and Border Protection window at LAX was closed by the time her office got the case about 7 p.m. Saturday, less than an hour before Yarjani would fly out. Calls and emails to officers got nowhere, even after a federal judge in New York issued a stay on deportations of those detained under the new order. It was absolutely shameful, Jackson said. No one took responsibility. They were hiding behind a shuttered window. Yarjani said the officers she encountered appeared confused about what to do. She said one apparently frustrated officer asked a colleague, What I am supposed to do with this student who has a 3.8 GPA with eight months to graduate? The colleague had no answer. Minutes before her flight departed, Yarjani was allowed to use her phone and saw messages about the judges stay from her family. She said she told an officer that it was now illegal to deport her, but the officer said yowza and did nothing. She was escorted to the plane by armed customs agents. Once seated, she burst into tears. For the first time I felt safe, she said. I suddenly realized how scared I was. She said she has been overwhelmed by the support of friends, colleagues, even strangers as she tries to figure out how to return to California to finish her program. Its so precious and valuable to me, she said, and Im forced away from it for reasons I dont understand. teresa.watanabe@latimes.com Twitter: @teresawatanabe ALSO L.A. federal judge orders a temporary halt to part of Trumps travel ban Muslim and non-Muslim women let their scarves send a message Confusion and relief at LAX following Trumps travel restrictions UPDATES: 11:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 8:25 p.m. Mayawati warned Muslim voters that if they voted for the Samajwadi Party, it will ultimately benefit the BJP. By Siraj Qureshi: A day before Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi held a joint roadshow in Agra, BSP supremo Mayawati warned her supporters in Aligarh that if the Samajwadi Party is able to form the government again in Uttar Pradesh, the lives of the people of this state will become like hell. She warned Muslim voters that if they voted for the Samajwadi Party, it will ultimately benefit the BJP. She said that if BSP forms the government, the farmers will directly benefit from it. The poor will get houses to live in and students will get scholarships to continue their studies. advertisement While speaking to India Today, Mayawati said that Mulayam Singh Yadav did grave injustice to his brother Shivpal Singh Yadav, due to his blind love for his son Akhilesh. But the vote base of the Samajwadi Party has completely evaporated after this dispute. Mentioning the Muzaffar Nagar, Dadri and Mathura riots, Mayawati said that the law and order in Uttar Pradesh have been destroyed by the Samajwadi Party. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mayawati said that the PM is giving communally-laced speeches and wants to instigate violence. She said that the BJP wants to end reservation at the behest of the RSS and it is also conspiring to end the minority status of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. She said that in the BSP government, all those who are conspiring to throw UP into another dark age of communal hatred will land in jail. Also read: Uttar Pradesh election: Congress-SP tie up rude shock for Mayawati, BJP banks on reverse polarisation Gangster Mukhtar Ansari joins BSP, Mayawati says he has been wrongly framed Mayawati damaging own brand value by inducting a criminal into party? --- ENDS --- Community activist Ted Smith suspected backroom dealing at San Jose City Hall. San Joses former mayor was asking the City Council for government money to help develop a project downtown. Smith filed a public records request for all communications related to the development from elected officials and their staff. The city responded, providing some records but maintaining that emails, texts and other communications sent by government employees on their private devices were not covered by the California Public Records Act. Advertisement Nearly eight years later, the downtown project is complete, helped in part by city funds approved by elected San Jose officials. Smith never received the communications he sought. But his request is likely to produce new rules to deter government officials from using private phones and computers to keep their communications secret. During a hearing last month, the California Supreme Court appeared ready to rule that government business conducted on private telephones and computers must be made public. The quandary expressed by justices was how to fashion a rule to protect the privacy of government employees and still ensure that public business was open to inspection. Smith, 71, a former lawyer who has spent much of his life working for nonprofit groups, said the behind-the-scenes dealings with the San Jose City Council and the developer remain important to know, even though the project is complete. I learned, early on, the famous Louis Brandeis quote, he said, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court justice who served from 1916 to 1939. Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants. That has always made sense to me. In examining Smiths case, the justices of the states top court grappled with several questions: How can government ensure employees retain business-related emails and texts on their private devices? What happens if the communications have been deleted? Will a new rule make it impossible for employees to discuss their work online for fear it will become a public record? Would a message to a friend or family member about a boss, a work project or colleagues have to be disclosed because the topic involved public business? If I say my boss is a jerk, am I conducting public business? Justice Carol A. Corrigan asked during the hearing. If I say my boss is a jerk, am I conducting public business? Justice Carol A. Corrigan Associations of cities, counties and school boards throughout the state have urged the court to side with San Jose. They argue that any rule that requires them to turn over communications on private devices would be a huge and costly burden. There used to be state funds for the public records mandate, San Jose Assistant City Atty. Nora Frimann told the court. That has gone away. The Public Records Act became law in the 1960s, when server meant somebody who serves you food, Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar noted during the hearing. Voters later enshrined the right to public records in the state Constitution. Karl Olson, representing the news media, including The Times, argued that many public officials are deliberately using personal computers and telephones to conceal their communications. The practice is widespread, Olson wrote. The examples Olson cited included Hillary Clintons use of a private account while secretary of state, the disclosure of emails that showed aides to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie created a mammoth traffic jam to punish a Christie foe, and a host of other cases involving public officials using private email addresses in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento. Without conceding that public officials are using private accounts to evade scrutiny, San Joses Frimann said making those communications public wouldnt necessarily provide the public with more information. If private accounts become public records, people will go to phones or meetings to protect confidentiality, the assistant city attorney said. Frimann also questioned how cities and counties would handle communications on Facebook, Snapchat or other forums. It sounds like a big practical problem, said Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar. The League of California Cities has urged the court to put the onus on individual officials if the justices rule that private devices are not off limits. The group posed the example of a city manager who emails a brother from home one evening. The city manager mentions that Walmart has applied for a permit and expresses his or her views. The brother responds, mentioning that a Walmart had recently located in his city. If the city then received a public records act request for communications involving the Walmart application, the city would have to search all the private devices of its employees and would be responsible for violating the law if the city manager refused to consent to a search of his home computer, the group said. Such a system is unworkable, the group said. Though Californias justices appeared to agree that government business done on private devices should be made public, some worried about the consequences of such a ruling. Justice Goodwin Liu, an appointee of Gov. Brown, warned: We are walking into a big unknown. Using the example of a camel peeking under a tent, Liu said a legal rule could jeopardize peoples right to privacy: Theres a whole lot of things under the tent. Liu also wondered how city officials would collect emails and texts from employees. Does the employer rifle through the emails and decide which ones are public business and which are not? he asked. Other members of the court suggested that public record requests will be specific enough to ensure that only relevant communications are disclosed. A trial court judge sided with Smith, but a Court of Appeal ruled for San Jose. The California Supreme Court will decide the case by early March. James McManis, Smiths lawyer, said in an interview that he hopes the court simply rules that government business on private devices is public record and allows future litigation to decide the parameters of what governments must do. When these guys think their private devices are safe, I think they are going to say all kinds of stuff they would never say on a city-owned device, McManis said. If the court rules, as it should, that these are public records, I guarantee you the use of private devices will stop immediately. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO First U.S. inmate to get state-funded sex reassignment moves to California prison for women Violent protests force cancellation of speech by Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley Betsy DeVos is unprepared and unqualified to be Education secretary, charter school booster Eli Broad says Two companies that manage the Mavericks big wave contest are seeking to restructure their debts in bankruptcy court, raising questions about whether the world-famous surfing event will happen this year. Cartel Management Inc. and Titans of Mavericks LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Los Angeles division of U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday. The filing allows Cartel and Titans to develop a reorganization plan to keep their operations going while paying off creditors over time. According to court records, Cartel faces claims of about $1.9 million and Titans of Mavericks faces more than $776,335 in claims from their top 20 creditors. Some of the debt appears to be shared. Advertisement It remains to be seen how this will all shake down, said Cassandra Clark, a board member for Mavericks Invitational Inc., a separate organization. We look forward to learning more. The contest generally occurs between November and March, depending on the size of the surf and weather conditions. Despite the large swells that hit Mavericks in November and January, the contest has not yet been held. The big wave venue is located off rugged Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay. The contest, which has been run nine times since 1998, is invitation-only and usually features 24 top surfers from around the world. When huge surf arrives, competitors get 48 hours notice to report for the one-day event. If held, this years contest would for the first time include a heat for women. The California Coastal Commission, which issues permits for the event, required Titans of Mavericks to allow female entrants for the 2016-17 wave season. San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who has worked to get women into the contest, said the event probably wont happen this year because of the financial problems. The commission also issues permits for the competition. Court records state that Titans of Mavericks owes the San Mateo County Harbor District about $6,700. Logistically, I dont see how this is going to happen, and I dont see another group coming in and getting the permits, Brennan said. This will be super disappointing for the contestants. As you know, this was the first year for women to compete. In a news release, the Committee for Equity in Womens Surfing said the group suspected there were problems. There were two days with perfect conditions in November and one day in January but no contest was called, the release said. What a let down. Cartel Management and the firms attorney could not be reached for comment Wednesday. dan.weikel@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @LADeadline16 San Diego County hospitals are among 159 statewide under fire from a national advocacy group for having high preventable infection rates, a criticism that is made more pressing by the revelation that some facilities are not getting inspected every three years as required by state law. Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of product research magazine Consumer Reports, recently filed a petition with the California Department of Public Health that was highly critical of how the regulatory agency uses the data that is collected and reported every time a patient gets one of several types of hospital-acquired infections.The nonprofit decries what it says is a firewall between the departments infection-tracking and investigation divisions and calls for inspectors to start receiving prompt notification when infection rates spike. Advertisement Lisa McGiffert, director of the Unions Patient Safety Project, said the mere fact that the departments own reports state that infection rates in some categories are higher than they should be is enough reason for government leaders to take the petition seriously. We think there is an opportunity here for the CDPH to work with hospitals in a way that has a little more punch that can create some change, McGiffert said. Though it would not grant an interview, the department said in emailed statements that it is already moving to change the way it performs licensing inspections. Last year the agency adopted a new inspection program that should ensure it is able to inspect each of the states 400 acute-care hospitals on time. The organization also said it is working to provide inspectors with more data about a hospitals past performance. CDPH developed and implemented a strategy to identify hospitals with high hospital acquired infection incidence to ensure they are making improvements, the statement said. As part of its petition, Consumers Union lists infection rates for each hospital in the state culled directly from annual reports published by the department that categorize each facility based on whether their hospital-acquired infection ratio was higher, lower or no different than predicted. Over the three years that the petition covers, every hospital in San Diego County has at least one type of infection that exceeded prediction, and some were much higher. UC San Diego Medical Center, which operates hospitals in Hillcrest and La Jolla, leads the state with higher-than predicted rates of Clostridium difficile, central line bloodstream and surgical site infections in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Other well-known hospitals at the top of the list were Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and Stanford Health Care. Reached Wednesday morning, UCSD officials said they believe ranking hospitals by hospital-acquired infection scores alone misses a bigger picture of quality. Frank Myers, UCSDs assistant director of infection prevention and clinical epidemiology, said that while infection numbers are adjusted for how sick patients are when they arrive at hospital and are compared to hospitals of similar capabilities the governments ability to make infection rates comparable remains imperfect. For example, he noted, UCSD offers various kinds of transplant programs that other academic hospitals dont. Because transplantation requires hospitals to suppress a patients immune system in order to avoid organ rejection, infection is statistically more likely in these scenarios. In this risk model they never ask us how many infections are bone marrow transplants or how many are transplants in general. That percentage can make a big difference, Myers said, adding that the hospitals generally low patient mortality rates show that infection is only one piece of a complicated safety picture. UCSD, he added, has repeatedly opened its patient charts to outside validation by the department of health to make sure it is reporting all infections and making appropriate changes to its infection-prevention programs. Scripps Health, which also has several hospitals on the greater than expected list, said it has put in place a program that has helped us significantly cut the occurrence of these infections. Kaiser Permanente said in a statement that, due to increased focus on the issue, infection rates have decreased significantly in 2016. And Sharp HealthCare said it puts a high priority on the issue and remains committed to this effort. Palomar Health, which runs Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital in North County, said it is doing well in reducing hospital infections and is aggressively taking all measures possible to ensure that our patients are safe from all types of infections. The state has 30 days to formally respond in writing to Consumers Unions petition. Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life paul.sisson@sduniountribune.com (619) 293-1850 Twitter: @paulsisson A speech by conservative firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled at UC Berkeley on Wednesday amid violent protests that prompted President Trump to suggest cutting federal funding to the university. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump wrote on Twitter. Its unclear whether Trump was actually threatening to cut funding or making some kind of rhetorical point. The larger UC system, for which Berkeley is the flagship campus, receives billions of dollars from the federal government to fund a variety of programs, notably research, student aid and healthcare programs. Advertisement If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 The university receives more than $8.5 billion in federal dollars for education, research and healthcare a significant chunk of the systems $25-billion budget. Federal funds are UCs single largest source of research dollars, amounting to more than $3 billion. Yiannopoulos talks, and attempts to talk, at other campuses, including UC Davis, have generated protests and anger from students and faculty, but top UC officials have generally said they believe he has a right to speak. Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesman, said campus officials went to extraordinary lengths over weeks of planning to help the Berkeley College Republicans prepare for the event. Dozens of police officers were brought in from nine of the University of Californias 10 campuses to assist, he said. But it was not enough to prevent what Mogulof said was an unprecedented assault on campus. University officials called off the Berkeley event about two hours before Yiannopoulos was to speak at the student union, where more than 1,500 people had gathered outside. A number of individuals wearing black and using paramilitary tactics had essentially invaded the campus, Mogulof said. They threw commercial-grade fireworks at police, started fires and threw barricades at the windows, he said. We thoroughly condemn the violence and lawless behavior and we deeply regret that the actions of a few trampled on the 1st Amendment rights of others, Mogulof said. Yiannopoulos, 32, writes for Breitbart News a popular website among the far right and he is an avowed supporter of President Trump. Hes also a flamboyant provocateur who has been denounced for propagating racism, misogyny and anti-Islam views, but he styles himself a champion of free speech. This summer, he gained notoriety for encouraging a barrage of harassment against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones, which prompted Twitter to ban him from the social media platform. Follow the latest Trump administration news on Essential Washington Masked protestors just shot off fireworks and are tearing down fences at Berkeley. Milo inside. pic.twitter.com/3SRNLjuTVn Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) February 2, 2017 Controversy, unrest and, occasionally, violence have followed his appearances on a speaking tour at colleges across the U.S., on which Berkeley was to be the last stop. Last month, a man was shot outside a University of Washington hall where Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak. Wednesdays decision by Berkeley officials is the second time in two weeks that rowdy protests have forced the cancellation of one of his lectures. UC Davis also canceled one of his speeches last month. On Thursday, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued a statement expressing her disappointment over Wednesday nights violence, but also criticizing Trumps tweet. President Donald Trump cannot bully our university into silence, Lees statement read. Simply put, President Trumps empty threat to cut funding from UC Berkeley is an abuse of power. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a Philadelphia-based group that promotes free speech and due process rights at colleges and universities, stated that there was no evidence that Berkeley as an institution had made any effort to silence Yiannopoulos. Conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos in 2015. (David Ng / Los Angeles Times) Those who engage in violent and/or destructive protests are ultimately responsible for their unlawful behavior and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by law enforcement, the group said in a statement. To punish an educational institution for the criminal behavior of those not under its control and in contravention of its policies, whether through the loss of federal funds or through any other means, would be deeply inappropriate and most likely unlawful. At Berkeley on Wednesday night, police clashed with protesters, and much of the university was placed on lockdown. Campus police repeatedly ordered protesters to leave the area, threatening the crowd with arrest. Most refused to leave. At one point, some toppled a generator that was powering a floodlight, and the machinery caught fire in the plaza outside the student union. The flames made for dramatic images from TV news helicopters. Campus police reported no major injuries and about a half dozen minor injuries, the university said in a statement. On his Facebook page, Yiannopoulos said that violent left-wing protesters had broken into a buildings ground floor, ripped down barricades and thrown rocks. My team and I are safe, Yiannopoulous said. In characteristic fashion, he pointed to the mayhem on campus to highlight his agenda: One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. During an appearance on Fox and Friends on Thursday, Kellyanne Conway, a Trump advisor, also touched on the campus protest. I dont even know if they know what theyre protesting, Conway said. Is it the free speech? Having somebody maybe on your campus who has a dissenting point of view or wants to present an alternative point of view? The protesters seemed as much drawn by Yiannopoulos platform as by the broader ascendance of far-right politics. Deandre Bitter, 72, brought a large sign with LED strips that brightly said No! A retired ship worker originally from Fresno, he stood near the rear of those assembled and said he brought the sign to a slew of recent protests, including a recent womens march, the airport demonstrations over Trumps travel restrictions and a protest at UC Davis. A bystander who said he was attacked by protesters looks for cover amid a UC Berkeley rally against a scheduled speech by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos. (Noah Berger / EPA) We go anywhere people are opposing Trump and his fascist regime, Bitter said. He viewed the vast majority of protesters as peaceful and attributed the violence to a handful of anarchists, who wore mostly black apparel. Others handed out yellow leaflets, calling Yiannopoulos a tool of Trumps possessive fascist government. He has no right to speak at Cal or anywhere else, the leaflet declared. By 8 p.m., the crowd had dwindled to a few hundred and spilled into the streets, marching down Telegraph Avenue. The group had a carnival-like element, with a five-piece jazz band that came together by serendipity, with tuba, trombone and clarinet players marching in step. Some came on purpose. Some came on accident, said one of the band members, who declined to be identified. But the levity was eclipsed by bursts of violence. A handful of demonstrators smashed dowels into a bank of ATMs. Photos on social media showed shattered windows at businesses. The sprawling group halted traffic at Telegraph and Durant avenues, where one driver plowed a white sedan into the crowd. One of the demonstrators grabbed on to the car for a block, then rolled off uninjured. Another motorist was injured by the crowd. Bryan Quintana, 29, who delivers food for an Italian restaurant, was in a car near the assembly when he said he was hit and pepper-sprayed by some of the demonstrators. I was driving really slow. And somebody hit my car and somebody hit my arm, and hit my head, Quintana said. His eyes were red and his arm was swollen. He was rattled, but other protesters stopped and rushed to pour water on him, to reduce the sting of the pepper spray. He later drove off to deliver an order about a mile away. On Tuesday, Yiannopoulos spoke at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where the university braced for large protests and stationed more than 100 police officers. About 150 protesters arrived and remained peaceful, and there were no reports of arrests, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. In his remarks there, Yiannopoulos extolled Cal Poly for having a student population that was mostly male, railed against abortion and provided instructions on how to apply to his male-only scholarship fund, the privilege grant, according to text of his remarks published by Breitbart. The cancellation of his talk at UC Davis sparked debate about the limits of free speech and hate speech. Davis College Republicans decided it was unsafe to continue the event after a large number of protesters blocked access to the venue, according to a release from the school. UC Davis interim Chancellor Ralph Hexter said he was deeply disappointed by the protests and the cancellation and said he worried that outside groups are using college campuses to trigger conflicts intended for the national stage. I get very, very alarmed with folks who dont treat [freedom of speech] for the treasure that it is, he said two weeks ago. So far, the UC system has resisted calls to cancel Yiannopoulos talks. At noon, just hours before Wednesdays event, Berkeley administrators issued a statement saying they were committed to tolerance as well as free speech. In the weeks before Yiannopoulos planned Berkeley appearance, administrators received hundreds of letters from faculty, students and others demanding they bar him from speaking. One letter from a dozen faculty members argued that his talk could be canceled on the grounds that his actions which they called harassment, slander, defamation and hate speech violated UC Berkeleys code of conduct. matt.hamilton@latimes.com teresa.watanabe@latimes.com peter.king@latimes.com Things just got tougher at one of the last places on San Diego Bay where working-class residents can afford to moor a boat. The Port of San Diego is installing meters at 54 formerly free parking spots along Harbor Drive next to the Laurel Street Mooring, where about 150 people keep their boats at much cheaper rates than theyd pay at a marina. A port spokeswoman said the meters are being installed to boost public access to the popular embarcadero by preventing monopolization of the parking spots, but some people with boats moored nearby say the port is trying to boost its revenues on the backs of ordinary residents. Advertisement The meters will make it more expensive and far less convenient for the owners to access their boats or take them out on the bay for a cruise or sail, said Rick Stratton, who has kept his boat at the Laurel Street Mooring for 15 years. The port district is out of control, said Stratton, accusing the agency of putting revenue ahead of its commitment to the public. I truly believe if they were able to they would put a bubble over this entire bay, put up meters and charge people to breathe their freaking air. Stratton said the four strips of bayside parking spots affected were clearly built with the intent of providing parking for the Laurel Street Mooring not for tourists because there are no attractions or restaurants within easy walking distance. There is no doubt the port is aware that the vast majority of these vehicles are the ports own boating tenants, said Stratton, adding that hes considered filing a lawsuit. Youd have to be a dummy not to realize they designed this parking area for the boaters. Port spokeswoman Tanya Castaneda, however, said demand has been increasing for those parking spots in recent years as the embarcadero has added new hotels, restaurants and attractions, such as the countys Waterfront Park and the Maritime Museum of San Diego. We understand they feel that they are actually entitled to it, but thats public parking, she said. Casteneda said increased activity on the embarcadero has prompted the port to evaluate all of its parking policies and make changes where appropriate. We have an objective under the Coastal Act and the Port Act to ensure access to the waterfront, and parking is part of access, she said. And we realized we werent doing a good job of managing parking. She said one goal of the shift in approach is making it easier for local residents to enjoy the waterfront. We dont want it to just be for cruise ship passengers we want it to be for everyone, Castaneda said. We want locals to come. She said the installation of the meters was prompted partly by some boat owners monopolizing spots for long periods of time or even parking there overnight, and others using the spots for long-term parking. When the port got some complaints during a community forum in August, Castaneda said officials decided to allow people to pay for a maximum of four hours of metered parking instead of the previously planned two hours. While the port expects the meters to generate many thousands of dollarss in revenue each year, Castaneda stressed that the money will be spent on things that benefit the public. Parking revenues support public services our harbor police, our 22 parks, environmental conservation and public art, she said. When people are enjoying the waterfront and the bay, they are enjoying the waterfront that the port has invested in. Stratton said its also frustrating that free parking will continue at some of the other mooring areas controlled by the port, which has 462 total mooring buoys at four sites: Laurel Street, Shelter Island, Americas Cup Harbor and Coronado Tidelands Park. Castaneda said the port is making changes based on locations with parking demand, not where it has mooring sites. Theres no unified policy for mooring parking, she said. We have individualized parking strategies for different areas depending on the need. The 54 parking spots have been subject to two-hour parking restrictions for many years, but Stratton and Castaneda agreed that aggressive enforcement of those rules only began a couple years ago. The port began installing new smart meters last week and they will be activated in coming days. Mooring a boat, where it gets hooked up to a buoy attached to a cement block on the floor of the bay, typically costs far less than keeping a boat at a marina. Stratton pays $138 a month, about the same as the other boat owners who use the ports four mooring sites. Prices at marinas vary by location and size of boat, but they range from $300 per month to more than $1,300 per month. The price differential makes sense, Stratton said, because marinas provide easier access to boats and amenities such as electricity and restrooms. The ports mooring sites were established in the mid-1980s at locations where many people had been individually anchoring their boats at no cost, leading to chaos and many abandoned vessels. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick Facing a projected budget deficit of about $50 million, San Diego officials plan to free up money by loosening two city reserve policies. The City Councils Budget Committee on Thursday unanimously approved the policy changes, which would free up about $28 million in the budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. Advertisement The policy changes, which the full council must also approve, would reduce the citys workers compensation reserve from 25 percent to 12 percent of the citys typical annual payout, and slow the pace of a plan adopted last year to increase the citys general fund reserve from 14 percent to 16.7 percent. The workers comp change would free up $25 million for the general fund by lowering the size of the reserve from $48 million to $23 million. Another $3 million would become available by delaying climb of the general reserve to 16.7 percent from 2021 to 2025, by increasing the reserve a quarter percent each year instead of a half percent each year. The city would have $180.1 million in reserves on June 30, 2018, instead of $183.1 million. City finance officials said the workers comp change makes sense because payouts are typically predictable in size and are paid over long periods, making giant spikes that require a large reserve less likely. While the citys progress would be slowed toward a 16.7 percent reserve, the level recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association, officials said it was important that they werent veering from their commitment to reach that level. Mary Lewis, the citys chief financial officer, called the changes fiscally prudent. Andrea Tevlin, the citys independent budget analyst, said she was mildly concerned how credit rating agencies would react to the changes, but predicted nothing significant would happen. Councilman Scott Sherman said he was comfortable with the new policies, particularly the workers comp change. The actions youre proposing today are reasonable and fairly modest, he told city finance officials. San Diego can also cover the deficit with $16 million of general fund money in a pension reserve fund and $15.2 million in cash the city refers to as excess equity. Some of that excess equity might be used to cover a $4.2 million deficit projected for the fiscal year that ends June 30. The city may also use $12.6 million the Chargers paid on Wednesday as a penalty for breaking the teams lease at Qualcomm Stadium, but some city officials want to use that money to pay down $38 million in remaining debt for 1990s stadium renovations. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick A woman agreed to help a man who wanted food, but then he hit her on the head and robbed her in La Mesa Wednesday, police said. She later picked the 19-year-old suspect out of a photo lineup and he was arrested in San Diego. Advertisement The victim told police she was sitting in her vehicle outside Dennys restaurant on Spring Street about 2 a.m. when a man walked up to her and asked for money to buy food, police Lt. Chad Bell said. She agreed to help him, but he hit her on the head with something like a metal pipe. He grabbed her purse, cellphone and keys and tried to steal her vehicle, Bell said. Medics took the woman to a hospital, where she was treated, then released. Investigators identified a possible suspect in the case who is acquainted with tenants in an apartment building next to the Dennys, Bell said. He said they showed several photographs to the victim and she identified one as her attacker. San Diego police came across him about 1 p.m. as a suspect in one or more hit-and-run crashes, Bell said. They notified the mans probation officer and La Mesa police that he was in custody. He was jailed on suspicion of robbery and attempted carjacking. A meeting to buy some car speakers in the College area Thursday morning turned violent, with a stabbing and a freeway collision, San Diego police said. It took police some time to sort out the connection between the wounded man walking down College Avenue and two people with crash injuries at a Del Cerro gas station about 5 a.m. Advertisement The stabbing victim, a man in his 30s, had arranged to meet someone at Dennys restaurant on Alvarado Road to buy some car speakers for a friend, police Sgt. Ray Battrick said. He was met by three men and a woman, and they all drove to a 7-Eleven convenience store on 70th Street, near Lindo Paseo at San Diego State University. Battrick said the victim was handing over money when an argument broke out and two of the men attacked and stabbed him. The attackers and their companions left in a white Nissan pickup. The victim followed in a red Acura. The got onto Interstate 8 at College Avenue and collided. Sometime later, a police lieutenant saw the stabbing victim, with wounds on his face and hands, walking along College Avenue near a row of university parking lots. It was not clear if he left his damaged Acura on the freeway. Meanwhile, a man and woman from the pickup called 911 from a Chevron gas state on Del Cerro Boulevard because they were injured in the collision, Battrick said. Police said the stabbing victim identified the man at the gas station as the one who knifed him. That suspect was placed under arrest before being taken to a hospital for treatment of his crash injuries. The woman and the stabbing victim also went to hospitals with injuries described as minor. A Fallbrook man who was shot to death by his mother-in-law had abused his wife for years, according to emotional testimony in a Vista courtroom on Wednesday. The daughter of 65-year-old murder defendant Cynthia Cdebaca said her husband physically and verbally assailed her, broke his teen sons pricey electronics and sprayed family members with water if they misbehaved. He once threw out the urn containing the ashes of Cdebacas late husband, the daughter said. The prosecution did not dispute the allegations, but argued the her son-in-laws behavior was not life-threatening and that Cdebacas actions were not justified. Advertisement Cdebaca has admitted shooting 53-year-old Geoward Estaquio about 8 a.m. on Feb. 11, 2014 her 63rd birthday after he made a snide comment to her. She shot him 12 times going out to her car twice to retrieve more bullets and reload then grabbed breakfast at a diner, ditched the gun, and gambled for a bit at a Temecula casino. Detectives found her that afternoon at a Fallbrook coffee shop. Cdebaca, who was in a wheelchair in court, has pleaded not guilty to murder. She faces up to 50 years to life. Jurors can also consider voluntary manslaughter or self defense. Closing arguments in the trial started Wednesday. Prosecutor Keith Watanabe told the jury Cdebaca made herself judge, jury, and executioner. Defense attorney William Stone said his client snapped after seeing her family abused, after knowing the depth of what was happening. She knew enough that she was overwhelmed, Stone said. In shooting Estaquio she acts out of rashness. She acts out of emotions, Stone said. The only verdict that fits here is manslaughter. Cdebaca lived at the home in Fallbrooks gated Peppertree Park neighborhood with her daughter Laura Salinas, Estaquio and the couples children, ages 12 and 15 at the time. She didnt testify in her murder trial, but in a videotaped interview on the day of the shooting Cdebaca told detectives she fired the fatal shots to protect her family from Estaquio, a reservist with the California Air National Guard. Cdebaca, who lived in a granny flat on the property, repeatedly told detectives that her son-in-law was mean and evil, and that she was afraid of him. When sheriffs detectives told her Estaquio was dead, she raised her hands over her head and loudly cheered thank you three times. She also tried to shake the detectives hands. Cdebaca suffered a major stroke on Sept. 11, 2001, and has not been the same since, her daughter testified. Before closing arguments, Salinas testified about the depth of abuse by her husband, and said that her mother insisted on living with her after spotting bruises on her daughters arms. Asked by Stone if her husbands behavior was abusive, Salinas said I can say that now. Yes. It was. She said her husband was very volatile, and that he would sometimes spray her mother with a hose. She said he once pushed her mother to the ground when she tried to intervene in a spousal argument. He also threw out the urn containing Cdebacas late husbands ashes because he just wanted to get rid of it, Salinas said. She also said she had been too embarrassed to disclose the range and types of abuse to authorities or to reach out for help. I loved him, Salinas said, and I always thought things were going to get better and I would somehow help him. On cross examination, Salinas said she did not want her husband dead, and that he did not deserve to die. Closing arguments are slated to finish Thursday, and the jury will begin deliberations. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT According to reports, the Indian Army was informed about the likelihood of killer avalanches before-hand claims the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment. By Jugal R Purohit: The death of 20 army personnel in avalanches which hit Kashmir's Sonamarg and Gurez sector on January 25 may have come as a surprise to many. However, the Indian Army was informed about the likelihood of these avalanches before-hand claims the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE). Ashwagosh Ganju, Director SASE said, "Avalanche is a result of many factors. These avalanches were predicted in advance. It can't be said that they will occur at so and so time and in such an such area but we have what is called an area forecast and we could tell them about the area concerned. This was passed on to the Army." advertisement "With the unprecedented, high intensity snowfall, we knew that an avalanche would strike but predicting intensity is not possible, still we had informed the people", he added. WE DID TELL THEM IN ADVANCE: AVALANCHE STUDIES' EXPERT Ganju emphasised that, "Army has its own compulsions so I will not be able to give you more about that. Avalanches can't be predicted specifically but we were accurate about the area. And we did tell them in advance'. Talking about the predictions, the Director of SASE said that reports are about 80-85 per cent accurate. With the vision to 'provide precision avalanche forecasting support to the services', SASE is spread out in key areas but to collect and assess information from all parts of Himalayas poses a challenge for the experts due to the vastness of the terrain and limited infrastructure. Also read: Jammu and Kashmir: Army bids farewell to 20 soldiers killed in avalanches A staffer said that SASE sends a general report before 5 pm with its predictions for the next 24 hours, "Those are public reports and are widely shared. We also send a detailed report to our users like the Army," he added. NO ANSWER FROM THE ARMY While the Army did not respond, senior commanders have admitted to the 'difficulty posed by the tough choices'. Also read: 80 individuals rescued by police after snow storm hits village in south Kashmir Also read: Air traffic, rail networks and road links resume in Kashmir after 4 days of snowfall The Indian Army paid respect to its twenty soldiers who were killed in snow avalanches in Kashmir last week. "In the pre-Kargil era, we would vacate some posts during the winter months but ever since, we are not a position to vacate any post facing Pakistan. We ask ourselves - can Pakistan occupy the post we vacate? If the conditions on their side are as bad, only then we vacate, if not, we stay even if this puts us at immense risk," explained a senior officer. advertisement In a series of avalanches and snow related incidents, the army has lost a total of 20 personnel in Kashmir. While fourteen were killed in avalanches in the Gurez sector, five were killed while the snow track they were walking on caved in at Machhal sector along with an officer who lost his life in an avalanche in Sonamarg. Also read: Leaders miss Republic Day celebrations in Kashmir due to heavy snowfall --- ENDS --- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama and spiritual leader of Tibet, will deliver the commencement address at UC San Diego on June 17, the campus announced Thursday. The commencement ceremony will be invitation-only, but the Dalai Lama will appear at a public event June 16 at UC San Diegos RIMAC Field. This will be his first stop on a planned U.S. tour this year, and details about how to attend will be announced closer to the event. The San Diego stop will be the Dalai Lamas second visit to the city this decade In 2012, he gave speeches at UC San Diego, University of San Diego and San Diego State University. Advertisement We are honored to host His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at UC San Diego and thankful that he will share messages of global compassion with our graduates and their families, as well as with a broad public audience, read a statement from campus Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, who met the spiritual leader in Dharamsala, India, last October. A man of peace, the Dalai Lama promotes global responsibility and service to humanity, he continued. These are the ideals we aim to convey and instill in our students and graduates at UC San Diego. In 1989, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet, and he is the first Nobel laureate to be recognized for his concern for global environmental problems. His travels has taken him to more than 62 countries spanning six continents, and he has received over 84 awards, honorary doctorates, prizes and other recognition of his message of peace, nonviolence, interreligious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion. He has also has written more than 80 books. This shall be a very special visit, said Lama Tenzin Dhonden, a Buddhist monk who lives in San Diego and organizes the Dalai Lamas conferences. San Diego loves His Holiness. His Holiness will come to San Diego to share an authentic message of peace and human value as the students enter their professional lives. The seeds of kindness and compassion shall sprout through their future work and spread these basic values throughout the world, Dhonden continued. Parents and members of the community will be able to share the celebration of graduation while receiving this message. Staff writer Gary Warth contributed to this story. Dalai Lamas last visit to San Diego Dalai Lama here today and why we care Dalai Lama arrives to rock star greeting Faith and reason: the Dalai Lama at UC San Diego Dalai Lama draws crowds to SDSU Photos from the Dalai Lamas 2012 San Diego visit The Dalai Lama arrives Dalai Lama at UCSD Dalai Lama at USD Dalai Lama at SDSU Twitter: @grobbins gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com Any day now, a group of private judges from the International Chamber of Commerce will decide whether Southern California Edison can collect billions of dollars in damages from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the company that built the flawed steam generators. Hearings in the case concluded in April. A final ruling is expected by the end of March in the years-old arbitration case. Advertisement The decision is important to ratepayers because they get 50 percent of whatever damages are awarded after legal fees expected to run into the millions and only in the form of a credit, not a cash rebate. Under the $680 million contract Edison signed with Mitsubishi to build the replacement steam generators, damages were limited to $138 million. Edison says it is owed much more. The agreement allows the recovery of consequential damages, such as the cost of replacement power if the plant stopped producing electricity. In the request for arbitration, SCE alleges contract and tort claims and seeks at least $4 billion in damages on behalf of itself and its customers and in its capacity as operating agent for San Onofre, the company said in a federal filing. The same document concedes the arbitration is a gamble. There is no assurance that there will be any recovery from MHI or that, if there is a recovery, it will equal or exceed the litigation costs incurred to pursue the recovery, Edison told investors. Mitsubishi declined to comment, except to issue a brief statement about when a decision might come. Based upon the same information that Southern California Edison has, we also think a ruling may be forthcoming in the first quarter, spokesman Patrick Boyle wrote in an email. Since the claim was referred to binding arbitration, few details have emerged about how often the sides met with the tribunal, what arguments they put forward or how much the case may cost to resolve. According to Edisons federal disclosures, Mitsubishi denied any liability and asserted counterclaims for $41 million. Edison denied any liability for the counterclaim. Just before Christmas, Edison and SDG&E sought to delay reopening the settlement talks as required by the commission, saying the discussions would be more productive if the utilities and consumer groups waited to find out how much in damages Mitsubishi might have to pay. Regulators rejected the idea, but some attorneys participating in the new round of settlement talks said the utilities request was not unreasonable. Edison makes a pretty good point: the discussions wont really become productive until the outcome of the Mitsubishi arbitration is clear, said John Geesman, a former California Energy Commission executive who now represents the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility. Depending on the size, that could be the tail that wags the dog, Geesman said. Edison has claimed at least $4 billion in damages, and $4 billion would go a long way toward making things right by the ratepayers. Edison spokeswoman Brown said the company is participating in fresh settlement talks even though the key piece of information millions, billions or nothing from Mitsubishi is yet unknown. The CPUC asked us to proceed as planned and that is what we are doing, she said. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald All bets on whether criminal charges will ever be filed against state utility regulators or utility executives rest with Xavier Becerra, appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to succeed former California Attorney General Kamala Harris. And Becerra isnt talking, at least publicly. Advertisement A spokeswoman for the Attorney Generals Office declined to comment on the investigation into possible corruption at the utilities commission, implying the case is still moving forward. We cant comment on ongoing criminal investigations to protect the integrity of any investigation, spokeswoman Brenda Gonzalez said in a statement. Becerra is paying attention. State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, met with the attorney general last month to discuss concerns about the close relationships between state regulators and utility executives they oversee. The meeting was a follow-up to a letter Hill and others sent to Becerra shortly after his nomination urging him to expedite the case and to bring charges. After their meeting, Hill said Becerra was interested in business practices at the utilities commission and pledged to look into the case. He was concerned and interested in the subject and was going to research the status of the investigation, Hill said. I appreciate his sincerity and I appreciate his commitment to justice in California. Im encouraged by what I heard and the direction I expect him to take the office. The criminal investigation of commission and utility officials dates back to September 2014, when Hill and others pressed Harris to investigate emails that surfaced as a result of a lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric. A PG&E natural gas pipeline exploded in 2010, killing eight people and destroying an entire neighborhood in San Bruno. The Northern California city sued the utility for access to emails and other records related to the accident. The emails exposed familiar relations between regulators and utility executives and made clear that they too often conducted commission business in private rather than at public meetings, as required by law. The pattern included shared meals at lavish restaurants, overseas trips and plush hotels, and on one New Years Eve in a private home along the Sonoma Coast, drams of Johnnie Walker Blue. The criminal investigation led Attorney Generals Office agents to execute a search warrant at the commissions San Francisco headquarters in November 2014. They showed up unannounced and carted away boxes of computers and other material. Two months later, investigators convinced a judge they needed to search the Los Angeles area home of Michael Peevey, the longtime commission president who had decided in late 2014 not to seek reappointment as the states top utility regulator. Again the agents seized computers and notebooks. They also found two sheets of paper RSG notes on Hotel Bristol stationery in Peeveys desk drawer. RSG stands for replacement steam generators, the equipment that caused the San Onofre breakdown. The notes were significant because they codified an early framework Peevey set out with Edison executive Stephen Pickett in March 2013 at the Hotel Bristol in Warsaw 21 months before the commission approved similar terms in a supposedly public proceeding. Peevey, a former Edison executive prior to his commission appointment, lives barely a mile from Pickett in the La Canada Flintridge section of Los Angeles County. Edison disclosed the Warsaw meeting days after The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the notes had been seized. Company lawyers said they thought the meeting was not reportable until they learned unspecified new information almost two years later. The utility was fined almost $17 million for violating rules on ex parte communications. The deal initially drafted in Warsaw meeting remains in full force, although it was reopened for further discussion last year amid public pressure. The Attorney Generals Office sought and received at least six warrants related to possible corruption at the utilities commission. For each, a judge decided there was probable cause to believe felonies had been committed. One of the most detailed affidavits filed in late 2015 shows the investigation focusing on $25 million the utility agreed to pay the University of California Los Angeles and other institutions at Peeveys request. There is probable cause to believe that Michael Peevey, former president of the California Public Utilities Commission, utilized his position to influence SCEs commitment of millions of dollars to UCLA to fund a research program, the affidavit said. The RSG notes included $25 million in greenhouse-gas research funding for the university paid by Edison and minority plant owner San Diego Gas & Electric a proposal not proposed publicly for 18 months. Commission officials say they are cooperating fully with investigators. They are doing so with more than $12 million in ratepayer funds paid to private-sector lawyers hired to respond to subpoenas and other requests. We retained services to help us do the important and necessary work of responding to the many records requests of the investigators, commission spokeswoman Terrie Prosper said. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Two years ago, Brown vetoed six bills aimed at reforming the California Public Utilities Commission. Last year, key reforms died in the Legislature, although moderate changes were signed into law. Now, a new bill from Sen. Hill is making its way through the statehouse. Advertisement Hill, the Democrat from San Mateo whose district includes San Bruno, said problems within the commission are deeper than he realized. There was a point we thought the PUC could be fixed by having commissioners who were simply not corrupt, he said. Now we see that as insufficient. It takes courage in that position. They need courage to stand up to the utilities and say no, force them to make changes that are necessary. They need to be the leaders they need to be. Senate Bill 19 would allow people denied access to public records to sue the commission in Superior Court an important change because current rules require people to take their dispute to the state appellate or supreme courts, which may not hear the case. Another provision requires regulators to seek help from the Attorney Generals Office before hiring lawyers to defend the agency a direct response to their decision to spend $12 million or more in ratepayer funds on private attorneys to respond to the criminal investigation. The bill also calls on state regulators to lobby the U.S. government to move millions of pounds of nuclear waste from San Onofre. News reports throughout 2015 sparked a spate of legislation aimed at reforming the commission. Six made it to the governors desk, but Brown vetoed them all. He said he supported some of the ideas individually but as a package they were unworkable and too costly. Some prudent prioritization is needed, Brown said at the time. The rejection of the reform legislation pushed then-Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles, to introduce a constitutional amendment that would strip the California Public Utilities Commission of much of its authority. We need to rethink the way we regulate utilities in the state, Gatto told reporters early last year. Its the opposite of too big to fail. Our concern is that the CPUC is too big to succeed. Soon after the amendment passed the Assembly on a 61-9 vote, Brown started negotiating with Gatto and other legislators. In June, the governor and lawmakers announced a reform deal for the commission, including transferring some authority to other agencies, tightening rules on ex parte contacts and allowing people to sue for public records in Superior Court. The compromise needed to be ratified by the Senate and Assembly, but in the last hours of the legislative session key parts of the agreement failed to win approval. Brown signed five other bills making some changes to commission rules. Those new rules require commissioners to report ex parte communications in ratesetting cases, adds credit-rating agencies and investment advisers to the list of parties that must disclose private contacts with regulators and allows the commission to impose higher penalties for violations. They also set rules over when regulators should be disqualified from a proceeding and allow the Attorney Generals Office to seek sanctions against commission employees who violate ex parte rules. TURN worked with then-Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, to pass one of the bills that Brown signed into law. Although we fought for stricter requirements including a ban on all private ex parte meetings in CPUC ratesetting cases, the ban was in the 2015 version of the bill that the governor vetoed, said Freedman, the TURN lawyer. Only by agreeing to compromise on this point was Sen. Leno able to avoid a veto in 2016. Commission officials said they already implemented other changes in recent years that strengthened their ability to protect consumers, safeguard the environment and assure California access to safe and reliable equipment and services. More improvements are coming, Prosper said. We are working on implementing the reform legislation that the governor signed into law as well as the efforts outlined in the governors message, she said. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Month after month of negative headlines and bombshell disclosures contributed to the commissions decision to reopen the San Onofre settlement last May. Edison is now telling investors it cant say what will happen with the agreement from 2014, which passed $3.3 billion in closure costs onto customers. Advertisement SCE is unable to predict the outcome of this matter, the company wrote in its latest quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Edison has consistently defended the commissions original decision as a good deal for consumers. The settlement ensures SCE shareholders, not our customers, pay for the faulty steam generators from the time they failed, spokeswoman Maureen Brown said. The settlement also reduced the portion our customers are paying in their monthly bills for past investments. Matthew Freedman of The Utility Reform Network or TURN, one of the architects of the 2014 settlement, said the meet and confer sessions ordered by regulators last month give ratepayers hope for meaningful relief from their multibillion-dollar debt, he said. The December ruling states that Edisons private conversations with Peevey disadvantaged ratepayers and benefited shareholders, he said. Based on this ruling, we expect that the CPUC will ultimately require some significant changes that benefit ratepayers. TURN and the commissions independent Office of Ratepayer negotiated and approved the arrangement because they felt it was the best they could do for utility customers absent an expensive court fight that might drag on for years. After the Peevey-Pickett meeting in Warsaw was disclosed, both groups called for the deal to be thrown out. Other advocacy groups joined them. San Diego consumer attorney Michael Aguirre opposed the San Onofre resolution from the day it was announced. He filed a federal lawsuit to overturn the decision, saying it was unfair to ratepayers and wrongly ended the commission probe into what caused the plant to fail. Aguirre lost his U.S. District Court claim in 2015 but quickly appealed to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellate judges are scheduled to hear arguments in the case at a hearing in Pasadena next week. Aguirre credits his federal lawsuit for pushing regulators to reopen the San Onofre record. Weeks after they did, commission lawyers filed a motion arguing that the appeal was moot and should be rejected. Aguirre said taking the entire San Onofre proceeding away from the utilities commission is the only way to secure a fair outcome. Even though it has now been disclosed that all of this illegal obstruction of justice took place, not one person has been held accountable under the law, he said, I would like to see a thorough and complete investigation and those who are responsible. Prosper did not respond to questions about the order reopening the San Onofre record because the proceeding is ongoing and the commission will eventually consider whatever new settlement terms are proposed. As we have an open proceeding, where ex parte communications have been prohibited, I will refer you to the decisions that have been issued, she said. The first meeting between Edison, SDG&E and the consumer advocates was Jan. 27. Another is scheduled next month before recommendations for a revised settlement would be put before the commission, likely by the end of April. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald One San Diego County congressman is taking a high-profile stand against the prospect of parking tons of spent nuclear fuel on the Southern California beachfront for decades to come. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, whose district includes the shuttered plant, introduced a bill earlier this month aimed at relocating the nuclear waste from San Onofre, where more than 8 million people live within 50 miles. Advertisement Its just located on the edge of an ocean and one of the busiest highways in America, Issa said of the plant, which is now being decommissioned. Well be paying for storage for decades and decades if we dont find a solution. And that will be added to your electricity bill. Edison is already at work shifting the radioactive waste into a burial site just north of the reactors. Utility executives plan to finish the job by 2019. The last hope for environmentalists committed to stopping the process may be a lawsuit pending in San Diego Superior Court, where a judge has ordered a hearing in March. They havent carefully looked at other places where this fuel could be safely stored, said Ray Lutz of Citizens Oversight, which filed suit against the California Coastal Commission challenging its 2015 permit for the storage facility. The location they picked may be the most convenient for Edison but its the absolute worst for everyone else, he added. You have the proximity to the ocean, the salt air, the tsunami risk, the earthquake faults, the 10-lane freeway, the railroad tracks and 8.4 million people within 50 miles. Lutz cited three possible locations that alleviate many of the concerns: east of Interstate 5 somewhere else on Camp Pendleton; a remote stretch of San Bernardino County east of the San Andreas Fault; or outside Tonopah, Arizona, at the Palo Verde nuclear plant co-owned by Edison. That doesnt take care of all of the issues, but it takes care of a lot of them, he said. For years, spent fuel rods from San Onofre have been placed into cooling ponds near the reactors and monitored around the clock. The pools were never meant to be permanent. They were designed to solve the waste-storage problem on a temporary basis while federal officials develop a national solution, like the repository long ago proposed at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Amid political squabbling, no such plan has been approved. Edison will have filled more than 100 steel-lined concrete canisters with 3.6 million pounds of spent fuel once the job is finished. The canisters can be shipped offsite if and when a location is secured, the company said. Edison said the protocol is safe and meets with federal and state approval. Dry cask storage is a proven technology that has been used for more than three decades in the United States, subject to review and licensing by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said Brown, the Edison spokeswoman. A growing number of environmentalists and activists is concerned that the strategy is not safe. They worry the casks are untested, susceptible to earthquakes and saltwater intrusion and that a leak could go unnoticed, threatening millions of people who live near the decommissioned plant. The issue of what to do with nuclear waste is a clear and present danger to every human life within 100 miles of San Onofre, said Charles Langley of the activist group Public Watchdogs, which is pushing Brown to revoke the permit issued by the California Coastal Commission in 2015. Everyone is whistling past the graveyard, including our regulators, Langley said. They are storing nuclear waste that is deadly to humans for 10,000 generations in containers that are only guaranteed to last 25 years. Lawyers for the Coastal Commission and co-defendant Edison sought to have the Citizens Oversight case dismissed, but a judge in November ruled the case should be heard. The stakes for the environment are so high, Superior Court Judge Judith Hayes said. The hearing in that case is scheduled March 30. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Officials with the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show introduced three new dog breeds this week that will be competing for Best in Show honors at this years program while also announcing that the event will additionally feature something not usually seen at the canine competition. Take a look. Excited to announce that cats will be back at this year's @akcdoglovers Meet the Breeds. #WKCDogShow pic.twitter.com/lI7slCuWeI Westminster Dog Show (@WKCDOGS) January 30, 2017 Advertisement Dogs and cats living together? Will there by mass hysteria? No, said organizers who explained that the felines wont actually be going claw to paw with their doggie counterparts. Rather, they will be featured in the Meet the Breeds event that will take place Feb. 11. It makes it interesting. Its a celebration of dogs and now cats but it needs to be a little bit of everything for everybody. Thats what we like about it, said Westminster Kennel Club spokeswoman Gail Miller Bisher to AM New York. A spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club, which puts on the joint event in conjunction with Westminster, further explained that the cats will be part of Westminster week but they wont be in the ring where the top dogs trot. Meet the Breeds isnt just dogs lined up and you play with them, there are booths that depict the country and origin of the animal and people decorate the booths, said American Kennel Club spokeswoman Brandi Hunter to USA Today. So cats are joining that and many will be dressed up and have their booths. The cats will also take part in an agility competition. The new dog breeds that will be joining their fellow tail-waggers are the Pumi, which is an ancient Hungarian herding breed. The Pumi is seen during a press conference in New York. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP/Getty Images) The sloughi, which is also known as the Arabian greyhound and is described by the AKC as reserved, graceful and noble. Toby, 5, left, and Izzy, 4, both Sloughi breed from Illinois owners, are shown at a press conference in New York. (Bebeto Matthews / AP) And the American hairless terrier which is said to be the first hairless breed to have originated in the United States. Candy, 2, left, Rodney, 7, center, and Johnny, 2, are three American Hairless Terriers. (Bebeto Matthews / AP) But will these new breeds hold a candle to last years champ, a German shorthaired pointer named CJ who hailed from Southern California? We shall see. The Westminster Dog Show will take place in New York City Feb. 13 and 14. 619-293-1710 debbi.baker@sduniontribune.com twitter.com/Debbi_Baker If you go to 120 Broadway in Manhattan, you will see the structure that inspired zoning laws in America. In 1916, the Equitable Building blocked the sun for its neighbors. In response, New York City adopted city-wide zoning laws. The idea spread. But in 1926, an Ohio realty company challenged the concept of zoning. It wanted to lease land in a residential zone to hotels and other businesses. Zoning laws, it argued, unfairly diminished the value of its property. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected that challenge, saying that nonresidential uses may have an increasingly deleterious impact on a residential district until, finally, the residential character of the neighborhood and its desirability as a place of detached residences are utterly destroyed. Advertisement Fast-forward to San Diego. A decade ago, the Pacific Beach Planning Group asked the city to stop an emerging commercial threat to residential neighborhoods short-term vacation rentals of under 30 days. Even though San Diegos zoning ordinances clearly prohibit short-term vacation rentals in residential zones, city officials decided not to enforce these sections, which are specifically written to promote neighborhood quality, character and livability. The city broke its zoning promises by allowing illegal commercial uses in residential zones. As a result, the dream of home ownership became a nightmare for many residents, who relied on zoning to decide where to buy homes and raise families. They bought in residential zones, but now find themselves living next to a hotel. As new City Attorney Mara Elliott put it: This is not what homeowners signed up for. Only it is worse than that. These hotels dont have on-site managers so there is no one to complain to when renters make it impossible to sleep. These hotels dont have safety regulations. These hotels provide no information about the strangers staying next to children. The problems go on, but can be summarized in a single phrase incompatible and illegal use in a residential zone. The city also created a nightmare for neighborhoods. When a home is converted to a short-term vacation rental, tourists replace neighbors. Do that enough times and youve utterly destroyed a neighborhood. How much is enough? Since 2007, the number of vacation rentals in Pacific Beach has jumped more than 30 times, topping 1,800 housing units. More than 7,000 vacation rentals now exist throughout affordable-housing challenged San Diego. That is enough to spur six town councils and the citywide Community Planners Committee to urge city officials, in writing, to enforce the municipal code and remove short-term vacation rentals from residential zones. It also is enough for fed-up residents. Citizens group Save San Diego Neighborhoods has received hundreds of letters from impacted citizens. Michael Whelan, a fourth-generation San Diegan, sent one. Frustrated with vacation rentals, Whelan moved to Oregon. He pleaded for San Diego to preserve whats left of the city my family has loved and lived in for generations. Lets be clear. Home-sharing, where an owner lives in a home and rents out rooms, is not the issue. The problem is short-term vacation rentals where no owners are present often when out-of-town investors convert homes to hotels. These owner-absent short-term vacation rentals are a huge problem and big business, generating more than 80 percent of what Airbnb receives from rentals in San Diego. It is little wonder that lobbyists for Airbnb a $30 billion company are fighting so hard. Progress, however, is being made. We heard it in this past election. The municipal code is very clear and does not allow short-term vacation rentals (in residential neighborhoods), Elliott said. The city and its politicians have been very reluctant to touch the issue because there are very strong lobbyists pushing them in one direction, but it is not fair to those whose neighborhoods have been affected and those whose lives have been completely changed because this industry is not regulated. Under my leadership, we will enforce the municipal code. This is an issue that has been brewing far too long with no action. We also heard progress from the other two candidates our group endorsed Barbara Bry (City Council District 1) and Georgette Gomez (City Council District 9). Our thousands of members, their friends and their families spoke clearly with their votes. They helped turn three underdog campaigns into victories. As the city attorney said, enforcement of the code is long past due. The time has come to remove short-term vacation rentals from residential zones. In addition, lets use this opportunity to create workable noise enforcement policies. We cant wait until our neighborhoods are utterly destroyed. Coat is a board member of Save San Diego Neighborhoods. 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. You can also leave a comment below As has often been noted, the best test of free speech is what we allow our enemies to say. This week, students at Cal failed that test. There are, of course, limits to free speech. The Supreme Court has said that you and I cannot yell fire in a crowded theater. But on Wednesday night, a group of students from the UC community attempted to set fire to a theater in order to prevent an incendiary Breitbart News editor from airing controversial views. Advertisement By all accounts Milo Yiannopoulos is a bomb thrower. It is almost as if he wishes to trigger violent reactions by advocating fringe right-wing positions. It might be said as well of the College Republicans at the University of California, Berkeley that they, too, were cultivating an already tense atmosphere by inviting Mr. Yiannopoulos to campus on the first week of the new administration, a week during which President Donald Trump confirmed he is indeed a divider, not a uniter. Yet free speech is not about whether we like what is being said. Universities are enlightenment institutions. They are supposed to cultivate the free exchange of ideas, even ideas that most of us will find foolish or even dangerous. This is so fundamental to the purpose of universities that faculty are still granted tenure, centuries after permanent employment was necessary to protect intellectuals from the wrath of the crown. If someone espouses nonsense, what better way to bring their foolishness to heel than to display it openly on campus, in the light of day? The use of violence and intimidation to prevent the free exchange of ideas must be vigorously opposed since this is fundamental to the mission of an academic community. The leadership of the University of California has been vigorous in the last week, penning two statements opposing President Trumps executive order on immigration as contrary to the values we hold dear. It has been less vocal in standing up for core values over which it has direct control. What about the right of Mr. Yiannopoulos, an invited speaker, to be heard? Such a stance is certainly going to be less popular than encouraging opposition to federal policies on immigration or climate change, over which the UC administration has little direct influence. It would also require action rather than rhetoric. But it is the right thing to do. In 1770, a mob attacked British soldiers garrisoning Boston. John Adams, a patriot and later president of the United States, defended the soldiers in court against the charge of murder. This was not a popular move at the time. Many Bostonians hated the British redcoats. But it was a principled stance that proved the character of Mr. Adams. Today, President Napolitano and other UC officials should defend Mr. Yiannopoulos right to free speech at the University of California, even while hating what he represents and what he is likely to say. Erik A. Gartzke is a professor of political science at University of California, San Diego. 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. You can also leave a comment below ALSO Heres why Milo Yiannopoulos is such a big deal at Berkeley, UCSD and elsewhere Kathy drove down to San Diego from Portland to join her brother in cleaning out her moms home after she passed away. She had to bring her dog for the 10-day unplanned trip. I hosted Kathy while she was in town, at the Mission Hills home I own and rent out short-term while my fiance and I are temporarily living elsewhere in San Diego. While she was here, Kathy sent her dog to our neighborhood doggy day care, bought pastries and coffee each morning from Gelato Vero and grabbed dinner from Saffron, Lucha Libre and other neighborhood eateries. Advertisement Kathy and her dog had a comfortable place to stay near her moms house; local small businesses enjoyed a customer; and my fiance and I earned some income to help pay the bills as I launch a new business. Hundreds of stories like this play out across San Diego every day scenarios in which homeowners benefit from using their own property for a little extra income, visitors get an affordable and unique travel experience, and neighborhood businesses get a nibble of the tourism pie once served exclusively to hotel districts and tourism zones. The benefits of home-sharing platforms like Airbnb are obvious enough to San Diegans that thousands of us have written, called and attended hearings to let policymakers know about the overwhelmingly positive impact short-term renting has had on our lives and communities. In addition to helping ease the burden of the high cost of living in San Diego, short-term rentals help pay for our streets, parks and libraries through the Transient Occupancy Tax visitors pay. In 2016 alone, Airbnb remitted $7 million in this tax to the city on behalf of its hosts. So why is short-term renting characterized in San Diego as controversial? Like so many popular innovations, short-term rentals took hold and blossomed faster than policymakers could create new rules that work. The city of San Diegos municipal code never contemplated this innovation, and thus has no rules to govern it. As so often happens, a very small number of challenges within a system that doesnt have clear rules led to frustration, confusion and battles over how they should be addressed. The primary concern one that everyone agrees with, including me is that there must be a way to rein in careless short-term rental operators. Weve all heard the stories in the media of houses in single-family coastal communities rented out for bachelor parties. This type of situation has led opponents to propose complete bans on short-term rentals in all single-family neighborhoods, with the premise that people who can afford houses in nice neighborhoods shouldnt be forced to endure the discourtesy of strangers. First of all, no one be they downtown condo dwellers or families in a Grantville apartment complex should be expected to live with poorly run rentals of any kind next door. The expectation of quiet enjoyment of ones home belongs to all of us. But banning short-term rentals almost certainly would be ineffective. Millions of people have embraced this type of accommodation, and banning it will simply force it underground ending the tax revenue stream and creating an enforcement nightmare with no funding source. And of course, those most likely to flout a ban are the very same unscrupulous operators who now allow loud parties in their rentals. Airbnb allows my fiance and I to earn extra income and get our business off the ground. We also believe in opening up our home to people like Kathy or those who could otherwise not afford to stay at a hotel. As hosts, we dont oppose regulations, but we need them to work. City Councilman Chris Cate, well known for his problem-solving approach, has proposed a framework that would require all short-term rental operators to register their units and pay a registration fee to fund enhanced enforcement. Operators would be slapped with a series of escalating fines for noise violations and risk having their permits revoked after three verified incidents. This type of common-sense regulations lets folks continue to make ends meet by sharing their homes while addressing challenges and abuses through effective, fully funded enforcement. The truth is, the vast majority of short-term rental operators are people like me who are mindful of our responsibility to our neighbors. Wanting to take part in the sharing economy shouldnt be controversial and it wont be, if our policymakers do their jobs and make sensible, fair regulations that ensure everyone benefits from sharing San Diego. Smith is founder of Short Term Rental Alliance of San Diego. 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. You can also leave a comment below Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. In a video uploaded to a Facebook page, Harish Rawat stars in and as Baahubali. The caption says, "Baahubali 2 trailer has released in Uttarakhand, watch the video". By India Today Web Desk: In this social media era, we have seen political parties doing whatever it takes to get more mileage online, especially when an election is round the corner. While some politicians promise everything from butter to fish if voted to power, some have fun piggybacking on popular movies. For instance, Tamil Nadu has seen a lot of Photoshop gimmicks to promote the late former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. A shoddy Photoshop job turned Tamil Nadu's Amma to Baahubali's Amma in 2015. advertisement In a similar stunt, banking on Baahubali and all the excitement ahead of the release of the trailer of the second installment of the successful movie -- Baahubali 2 -- a video was made showing Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat as "the saviour of Uttarakhand". The video shared from a Facebook page by the name of UP/UK live has already gone viral with nearly 5,000 shares and over 1,75,000 views. The video that begins with a montage of photos of Uttarakhand, then shows the text "saviour of Uttarakhand...Harish Rawat" before cutting into a scene where CM Rawat -- whose face is edited onto the muscular body of Baahubali star Prabhas -- is staring at Uttarakhand depicted in the form of a huge rock. The original scene in the movie shows how the hero of the first installment -- Baahubali - The Beginning -- the son of King Baahubali displays his enormous strength by lifting a gigantic Shivaling and carrying it atop a mountain. This scene: The 1-minute-long video also shows BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi astonished by how Rawat is "holding Uttarakhand high" with his strength. The video ends with a message saying, "jan jan ki hai yehi pukaar, Harish Rawat sarkaar, phir ek baar" along with the Congress party symbol. Watch the video here: Learning about the viral video that hails him a saviour, CM Harish Rawat told ABP News that the video was not made with the knowledge of the party. On asking whether he considers himself the saviour of the state, CM Rawat said, "I am a servant of Uttarakhand". --- ENDS --- President Trumps Jan. 27 decision to temporarily suspend admission of refugees and to block immigration from seven majority Muslim nations shocked many in America and around the world, where some saw it as a repudiation of American ideals. Heres a sampling of the international reaction, starting with five newspaper editorials, the first courtesy of a Google translation, the others from a Nexis news database search. Le Dauphine Libere (France): The most isolationist president in the contemporary history of the United States has not wasted time. In less than a week at the White House, Donald Trump has already implemented some of his campaign promises and the American nation has begun to fall back on itself. Advertisement The Independent (United Kingdom): They might as well take the Statue of Liberty down and give it back to the French. The Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan): We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people, Trump said. This is a dangerous jingoistic policy. This idea also would go against the traditional U.S. diplomacy of valuing human rights. The Straits Times (Singapore): He appears to be giving legislative credence to the theory of a clash of civilizations, which argues that cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the world after the passing of the Cold War. Americas multicultural history and contemporary identity stand tall in emblematic denunciation of such ethnic fatalism. Moves such as Mr. Trumps decision could unravel the edifice of that American identity by creating a class of religions and cultures to be trusted and therefore to be preferred over those that cannot. Americas feared ethnic outsiders seem to be Muslims today. They could be any other group deemed a threat tomorrow. ... While he is the most powerful person in the United States, he is not the only embodiment of American power or values. His actions may be law, but that does not make them right. Khorasan (Mashhad, Iran): The further we get into Trumps era, the more what he has cooked for the world amazes and occasionally sickens the world. ... Of course, one cannot say that Trump is a new Hitler, but the kind of mentality that believes that America should be first will give rise to tensions and clashes with other players on the international stage and even with other people, especially if the same sense of nationalism also develops in other parts of the world. Noticeably, that last one from one of the nations targeted in Trumps ban didnt go full Lily Tomlin. Elsewhere, Reuters/Japan reported that Hiroshi Mikitani, a Harvard MBA graduate who is CEO of e-commerce juggernaut Rakuten, did take a page from Tomlins awards-speech playbook and went on Twitter to express alarm over Trump. I am very sad to see what is happening now in the U.S. I came to U.S. when I was seven and I really respect big American big heart. ... My dad is crying in ... heaven. He went to Harvard, Stanford and Yale. ... Now I am really crying. The headline on one Irish Times editorial that ripped Trump inexplicably likened him to God: On the seventh day Trump rested. A letter in the newspaper from Irish expat Dermot Cooper took issue with coverage of the U.S. president: It is interesting to see the outrage against Donald Trump and him following through on election promises. It seems many people were happy to abuse Mr. Trump, saying he will never do this, never build that, etc. Now that he is actually doing exactly what he was voted in to do, we have outrage. It never seems to dawn on these protesters that 16 Muslim countries have banned anyone from Israel entering their countries. In fact, several of these countries will not allow anyone in if it is shown that these people have entered Israel at some point, regardless of whether they are Israeli or not. Seems yet again Generation Snowflake likes to pick and choose what issues it wants to protest over, regardless of the facts. The snowflake trope has gone international! In a column for The Gazette (Montreal), Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed reflected on how many Americans reacted to the presidents order: This past weekend in the United States, love Trumped hate. When U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order to prevent Muslim immigrants and refugees traveling in from seven Muslim-majority countries, including people already living in the United States, the good people of the United States of America came together to Make America Great Again. Lawyers sat on airport floors and offered their services pro bono, people delivered pizza, water bottles and other supplies to those protesting. I was reminded of the words of my childhood icon, Mr. Rogers: When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. That is what I teach my children. That is what I remind myself. Good will prevail. Mr. Rogers also liked to say, Please wont you be my neighbor? Trumps probably not a fan. An essay by Karen Brooks in The Courier Mail (Brisbane, Australia) saw Trump as a symptom of a much larger phenomenon: Its like the world is being redrawn in a series of binary opposites: left vs. right; cultural elite vs. real people; PC vs. non-PC; facts vs. alternate facts; news vs. fake news; men vs. women; Islam vs. Christianity, and on it goes. As if one side is right and righteous and the other wrong, deluded and dangerous. Instead of building bridges, weve leaders literally building walls between us and were helping them by clinging to a model of thinking about each other that came about during the French Revolution, when the notion of left and right was born. ... Voting these people in isnt a wake-up call except to a nightmare. Its a slap in the face to the left, right and center. Only the extremes of any side, the wealthy sycophants and their cheer squads, who refuse to tell the Emperor/Empress s/hes naked, reap the rewards. While Australian commentators were mostly critical of Trump, as was the case last week, he seemed to have more fans down under than in any English-speaking nation outside of the U.S. This is from a column by Andrew Bolt in The Daily Telegraph (Sydney): I hope Malcolm Turnbull watched Donald Trump on TV over the weekend. He would have seen real leadership. The prime minister could then have learned a lesson before its too late if it isnt already. ... Here was Trump barking out big decisions not just on the economy and trade, but on halting immigration from troubled Middle Eastern nations and building his wall on the Mexican border. Now compare. What has Turnbull done in his 16 aimless months to match what Trump has done in one week? ... Turnbulls low-energy and low-imagination response to Trump is a perfect example of his wider leadership failures. The low energy insult: Donald Trumps contribution to the lexicon. Reed is the deputy editor of the editorial and opinion pages. Have an idea for a topic that merits this sort of treatment? Write him at chris.reed@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: UTOpinion Recent budget memos make clear that a San Diego City Council majority supports a nationwide search to replace Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman in March 2018 when she must step down because of the delayed retirement pension program shes in. Good. Zimmerman, a 34-year department veteran, has avoided the controversy that plagued her predecessor and prompted then-Chief William Lansdowne, just before retiring suddenly in 2014, to seek a federal audit in a bid to restore faith in a department scandalized by 17 cases of officer misconduct in five years. Yet a 2016 report on traffic stops in San Diego revealed officers sometimes treat black and Hispanic drivers differently than white drivers. Advertisement Last May, Mayor Kevin Faulconer said he planned to look inside and outside to find the best man or woman to be the next police chief. Outsiders should be considered for any department thats seen scandal in recent years, especially police departments where culture sets a crucial tone. We are pleased now to see City Council members Chris Ward, David Alvarez and Georgette Gomez call for the national search to start soon with hearings in each council district so the public can weigh in on what qualities a new chief should possess. And we agree with Councilwoman Myrtle Cole: There may be outstanding internal candidates, but a national search will find the best and brightest. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: UTOpinion City leaders dropped the ball on center Regarding Convention center expansion clears legal hurdle (Jan. 26): Lets see. San Diegos leaders will spend $520 million on a convention center expansion but wont spend $400 million to have kept the Chargers and gotten a convention center expansion. Whats wrong with all the politicians? Owned by the hotel industry? Advertisement W. Taylor San Diego Lets be sure we think stadium site through I agree with Robert Salvis letter (Lets not rush to give away prized site, Jan. 28) and I am also concerned that the city will gift the stadium site to San Diego State University with no tax revenues to the city. 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. You can also leave a comment below I would like to hear a meaningful discussion on the use of the stadium site in the best interest of the city and for the residents of Mission Valley. I propose moving the convention center to the Mission Valley stadium site and selling the bay front property, now blocking the bay view. It would seem to me that this plan would relieve the downtown traffic problems on convention days and keep the Mission Valley traffic at a manageable level. The new bay front development would unlock the site for the benefit of the residents (taxpayers) of the city. Ken McTeer Serra Mesa Travel ban draws opposing viewpoints Regarding Trumps travel ban works against America (Jan. 31): Congratulations to your editorial board for correctly pointing out the unnecessary damage and disruption that resulted from this action. It makes no difference to Donald Trump supporters that the chance of their being the victims of terrorism is lower than being struck by multiple bolts of lightning. He can say, See, I did something, and they will parrot back, Yes, you sure did! For all of the pro-military posturing from the administration, we have made it far more difficult for our troops to gain the confidence of local populations around the world. We detained one of our own Iraqi interpreters. What a disaster. I differ on one point. I dont see ineptitude, I see calculated cynicism. Trump is pushing the boundaries to see what he can get away with. Only Republicans have the power to stop him. Phil Heinz Rancho Bernardo * * * Where were all the bleeding-heart liberals when President Obama stopped the Iraqis for six months? I neither saw nor heard any protests. Well, I almost forgot their president at the time was a bleeding-heart liberal himself. Such hypocrites. I did not vote for President Trump. Kenneth Johnson San Diego We can no longer sit on the political sidelines Regarding Dont give up already on President Trump (Jan. 27): For many years Ive had the attitude that whoever became president wouldnt affect my and my familys well-being. Sometimes Im going to succeed and sometimes I wont. You get the point. So now its time for those who are choosing to sit on the sidelines because of President Trumps election to make a decision: Do you really want to exclude yourself from living an involved life or do you want to include yourself among those of us that are engaged, regardless of whos running the government? We all know that change is inevitable; growth, however, is optional. Alan J. Weiss Temecula Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. The Poway Unified Board of Education took steps at the second January regular board meeting on Tuesday night to make sure parents and community members know their rights when it comes to the protection of student records. Board members began discussing the possibility of issuing a safe haven resolution at the Jan. 17 meeting. At the time, the board members were divided on moving forward with the issue, so it came back at Tuesdays meeting as a new business item for discussion. This discussion was spurred on by a Dec. 21 letter from State Superintendent of Education Tom Torlakson that urged all districts to support public schools remaining safe havens for students and outlined what exact student records it provides to law enforcement agencies. In his letter, Torlakson mentioned several school districts issuing safe haven resolutions and said he supported this. Student board member Ella Smith presented the members of the board with a letter she wrote on the issue, aimed at educating parents and community members on existing laws to protect student records and show that the district stands by its commitment to ensure the safety and well-being of its students. Five members of the community spoke Tuesday on this issue, all urging the district to adopt a resolution. Several said it would show that the board members care about student safety and that a resolution would provide a sense of security for students and their families. The board members agreed that Smiths letter should be posted on the districts website after some minor tweaks. A link to Torlaksons letter will be included with Smiths letter, to help parents more easily find the information on student records collected by the district. Board Vice President T.J. Zane said Smiths letter took into consideration the feelings he expressed about the issue at the Jan. 17 meeting and that Smiths letter removed politically charged aspects from Torlaksons letter that he found disagreeable. Board member Kimberley Beatty said she would like to see the bullet points from Torlaksons letter that detail information about student records inserted into Smiths letter, but the board members eventually agreed on linking to Torlaksons letter. Board President Michelle OConnor-Ratcliff suggested adding in more about how this affects parents of students coming on campus, saying that this especially applied to the upcoming LCAP forums, as this year they will be held on each schools campus. OConnor-Ratcliff said that she wants parents to feel safe in coming on campus and attending meetings there. The board was not in agreement over Sellers suggestion of going forward with the safe haven resolution. Sellers presented the board with a drafted resolution. At the Jan. 17 meeting, the board split on the issue of the resolution, with OConnor-Ratcliff and Zane saying they didnt feel the need for a resolution. OConnor-Ratcliff said she didnt want to issue resolutions outside of what board policy states, as it could lead to some groups feeling left out and marginalizied. Sellers pointed out that the board members had passed a resolution to make the week of Feb. 6 through 10 National School Counseling Week 2017 earlier and didnt see a difference between passing that resolution and a safe haven resolution. OConnor-Ratcliff said she personally supports the resolution, but it isnt supported by board policy. Board policy does not forbid resolutions of this nature, but resolutions like the safe haven resolution are not addressed. Sellers said the boards policy on resolutions might need to be freshened up. This issue has become more pertinent in the last two weeks since we last discussed this, said Sellers. Its no longer looming, but very real. There are many in the community who want to know where the board stands (on this issue). Zane said he believed Smiths letter covers what the resolution set out to do and was not in support of a resolution. The board agreed to put the resolution on the agenda for the Feb. 14 meeting as an action item after Darshana Patel said she didnt think the resolution would set a precedent and that it wasnt the same as recognition resolutions or awareness for causes. She also said she would be interested in working with Sellers to tweak the resolution before it is submitted to the district. Sellers said he would be happy to take community input on the resolution. Email: news@pomeradonews.com By a 3-2 vote, San Diego County supervisors directed staff to develop an ordinance banning marijuana storefronts and cultivation in the unincorporated county and to bring it to the board before a moratorium expires on March 16. The draft ordinance banning medical and non-medical marijuana facilities is on the agenda for the county Planning Commissions Feb. 10 hearing. The Ramona planning group will give a report on the supervisors hearing at its meeting Thursday night, Feb. 2. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Ramona Library Community Room, 1275 Main St. Two planning group members and two Ramona medical marijuana dispensary owners who attended the Jan. 25 hearing were disappointed in the supervisors action. It didnt appear that they listened to us at all, said planning group member Jim Cooper. The supervisors agenda item was to consider options to amend the countys medical marijuana collective facilities ordinance and whether to extend the moratorium on such businesses until Jan. 25, 2018. Most of the proposed regulations in Option 8 the county Planning Commissions recommendation to the supervisors were the result of a compromise between the Ramona planning group and dispensary owners to ease community concerns and prevent an influx of dispensaries. They included limiting the number of dispensaries in one community to two and in one supervisorial district to four, requiring a minor use permit and increasing the age to purchase medical marijuana from 18 to 21. Ramona planning groups acting chair, Dan Scherer, said a ban with a five-year amortization clause to give operators time to recoup their investment before shutting down, could lead to a third dispensary opening in Ramona. While two medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in the unincorporated county ShowGrow in Ramona and Outliers in El Cajon the owners of two other locations in Ramona, 1210 Olive St. and 618 Pine St., have the vested rights to secure a sheriffs operating certificate as both had made substantial investments and had approved building permits before the moratorium. As part of the compromise with Ramona, Dino Berardino volunteered to forego his on Pine Street and instead focus on opening one in Lakeside. Scherer told the Sentinel that Berardino does not have the vested right to open in Lakeside and if he does not open in Ramona he has no option to recoup his investment. Berardino could not be reached for comment. Before the moratorium the county had received two other building applications for medical marijuana facilities in Ramona. The two-hour hearing included a staff presentation and public testimony by two groups and about 30 individuals, some touting the benefits of medical marijuana and others stating opposition to dispensaries. One of the groups was Southern California Responsible Growers Council, which requested farmers be allowed to grow cannabis on their land, saying the product takes less water than avocados. Several individuals said they supported Option 8. County staffs other amendment options included increasing the buffer between a dispensary and homes, schools or parks from 1,000 feet to up to a mile, and requiring a major use permit. Vice Chairwoman Kristin Gaspar made the motion for development of a ban ordinance that would also prohibit recreational marijuana storefronts and cultivation, saying she had researched marijuana impacts in Colorado and there were significant increases in related traffic deaths, youth use, emergency room visits and crime. Gaspar said Proposition 64, Novembers voter-approved legalization of recreational pot, was not the focus, but its really important that we make decisions without blind eye to the challenges that also lie ahead of us. According to Gaspar, every city in her District 3 except San Diego has banned marijuana. She said it was her job to put public safety first. So at the risk of quickly becoming the most unpopular supervisor in this room Id like to make a motion to have staff bring back a ban ordinance for board consideration and allow the dispensaries with vested rights to move forward, Gaspar said. Supervisor Bill Horn seconded her motion. The two dissenters in the 3-2 vote were supervisors Greg Cox and Ron Roberts. Cox said he would pursue Option 8, noting the work by the planning commission and planning group. Roberts said he was convinced there are therapeutic benefits to medical marijuana. Marijuana of any kind is illegal under federal law, said Board Chairwoman Dianne Jacob. Saying she wont debate the medicinal purpose, Jacob added, If there is a medicinal use for it, then the dispensaries should be drugstores. Jacob, who could not muster enough votes for a ban last year when Dave Roberts was the District 3 supervisor, said, I do not want to see San Diego County become the capital of cultivation or dispensing of marijuana of any kindThis is not a desirable use of our land. And as far as water use goes and ag products, grow grapes. They take a lot less water than marijuana or avocados. The Planning Commission hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in the County Operations Center Conference Center Hearing Room, 5520 Overland Ave., San Diego. "President Trump is excited to honor the contributions, culture and rich history of African-Americans in our country," Trump spokeswoman said. By AP: Like his predecessors, US President Donald Trump plans to commemorate Black History Month with an official proclamation, a gala and receptions inside the White House to celebrate the contributions of the United States' black citizens. "I'm proud to honor this heritage and will be honoring it more and more," Trump said Tuesday as he surrounded himself with African-American supporters and government officials invited to the White House for a listening session. advertisement Black History Month is considered one of the nation's oldest organized history celebrations, and has been recognized by U.S. presidents for decades through proclamations and celebrations. Here is all about the history of Black History Month. Also read: Lalu calls PM Modi 'Indian Trump', slams Centre for presenting Budget despite E Ahamed's death HOW DID IT START? It was Carter G. Woodson, a founder of the Association for the Study of African American History, who first came up with the idea of the celebration that became Black History Month. Woodson, the son of recently-freed Virginia slaves, who went on to earn a Ph.D in history from Harvard, originally came up with the idea of Negro History Week to encourage black Americans to become more interested in their own history and heritage. Woodson worried that black children were not being taught about their ancestors' achievements in American schools in the early 1900s. "If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated," Woodson said. WHY FEBRUARY? Woodson chose February for Negro History Week because it had the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Lincoln was born on Feb. 12, and Douglass, a former slave, did not know his exact birthday but celebrated it on Feb. 14. Daryl Michael Scott, a Howard University history professor and former ASAAH president, said Woodson chose that week because black Americans were already celebrating Lincoln's and Douglass's birthdays. With the help of black newspapers, he promoted that week as a time to focus on African-American history as part of the celebrations that were already ongoing. The first Negro History Week was announced in February 1926. Also read: H1-B visa: India conveys concerns, interests to Trump administration "This was a community effort spearheaded by Woodson that built on tradition, and built on black institutional life and structures to create a new celebration that was a week long, and it took off like a rocket," Scott said. WHY THE CHANGE FROM A WEEK TO A MONTH? advertisement Negro History Week was wildly successful, but Woodson felt it needed more. Woodson's original idea for Negro History Week was for it to be a time for student showcases of the African-American history they learned the rest of the year, not as the only week black history would be discussed, Scott said. Woodson later advocated starting a Negro History Year, saying that during a school year "a subject that receives attention one week out of thirty six will not mean much to anyone." Individually several places, including in West Virginia in the 1940s and in Chicago in the 1960s, expanded the celebration into Negro History Month. The civil rights and Black Power movement advocated for an official shift from Black History Week to Black History Month, Scott said, and, in 1976, on the 50th anniversary of the beginning of Negro History Week, the Association for the Study of African American History made the shift to Black History Month. Also read: Modi's insistence, Trump's instigation, Pakistan's compromise: Hafiz Saeed on house arrest PRESIDENTIAL RECOGNITION Every president since Gerald R. Ford through Barack Obama has issued a statement honoring the spirit of Black History Month. Ford first honored Black History Week in 1975, calling the recognition "most appropriate," as the country developed "a healthy awareness on the part of all of us of achievements that have too long been obscured and unsung." The next year, in 1976, Ford issued the first Black History Month commemoration, saying with the celebration "we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." advertisement President Jimmy Carter added in 1978 that the celebration "provides for all Americans a chance to rejoice and express pride in a heritage that adds so much to our way of life," with President Ronald Reagan saying in 1981 that "understanding the history of black Americans is a key to understanding the strength of our nation." Also read: Protest against Donald Trump: These desi placards used by protesters are hilarious The White House said Trump also plans an official proclamation as well as other events. "President Trump is excited to honor the contributions, culture and rich history of African-Americans in our country," Trump spokeswoman Omarosa Manigault said. --- ENDS --- Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi has been "deprived" of its due share in central taxes for 17th consecutive year. By Mail Today Bureau: To ensure safety of women in the national Capital, the central government has increased the Nirbhaya Fund by almost 90 per cent in the Union Budget 2017-2018. In 2016-17, the Delhi Police got Rs 3.4 crore in the Nirbhaya Fund, but the allocation has been increased to Rs 28.9 crore. The Nirbhaya Fund was set up in 2013 in the aftermath of the December 16 Delhi gang-rape. This year, Delhi Police were allocated Rs 6,378.18 crore that was earlier Rs 5,913.74 crore. The Budget allocation for Delhi Police includes Rs 5,910.28 crore for Delhi Police (maintaining and enforcing law and order in the city), Rs 439 crore for the police infrastructure (office building and residential building projects) and the remaining for the Nirbhaya Fund. advertisement The Centre has not changed the Budget allocation for the Delhi government and granted Rs 758 crore, while the share in central taxes and duties (that is Rs 325 crore) for the Capital remained unchanged despite AAP government's demand for a hike. MANISH SISODIA: DELHI "DEPRIVED" OF DUE SHARE Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi has been "deprived" of its due share in central taxes for 17th consecutive year. "We had requested the Government of India a number of times to enhance the allocation to at least Rs 5,000 crore as share in central taxes as against Rs 325 crore being released to NCT of Delhi," he said. The budget for NCT of Delhi has increased from Rs 8,739 crore in 2001-02 to Rs 46,600 crore in 2016-17, whereas the share in central taxes has remained frozen at Rs 325 crore since 2001-02. Also, Government of India has not earmarked any fund to local bodies in the NCT. Also read: Union Budget 2017 has something for everyone: All you need to know The normal central assistance to NCT of Delhi during 2017-18 has been proposed at Rs 412.99 crore which is at the same level of current year 2016-17. There is no increase in the Normal Central Assistance in the year 2017-18. "Government of NCT of Delhi has already paid about Rs 96 crore as enhanced compensation to 1984 riot victims in the current year. However, in the Union Budget, an amount of Rs 75 crore in the current year RE and Rs 15 crore in the next year BE has been proposed for reimbursement to GNCTD," said Sisodia. An amount of Rs 5 crore as grant has been proposed for GNCTD towards Disaster Response Fund which is at the same level of Rs 5 crore in the current year. Meanwhile, Rs 17,810 crore has been allotted for the Metro projects under the ministry of urban development across the country. It includes Rs 2,700.01 crore for the equity investment, Rs 1,465.99 crore for subordinate debt, Rs 13,644 crore for Pass Through Assistance (PTA). Of Rs 17,810 crore, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will also get the allocation. Whereas, Rs 150 crore has been granted to DMRC for NCR expansion. For Phase III sanctioned fund, Rs 42,674.91 crore (including all taxes, extension in Noida, Ballabhgarh) has been given. advertisement Also read: Union Budget 2017-18: Income Tax rate halved to 5 per cent for Rs 2.5-5 lakh slab Photo gallery: Union Budget 2017 made easy for you in 10 slides --- ENDS --- By Peggy Kelly Santa Paula News The Santa Paula Unified School District Board adopted a formal resolution restating tough immigration protection status for all students. The board took the action at the January 18 meeting, a move following discussion of the resolution at a special workshop held January 14. At that workshop a consultant working with the district on school issues, noted Im applauding you on your resolution, similar to those in other districts where there is a large immigrant population. The resolution adopted by the board notes the anticipated tougher policy shift, expected in the wake of the inauguration of Donald Trump as president January 20, has created a climate of heightened concern and anxiety for many district students and their families. The 2011 Department of Homeland Security regulations, which govern federal and state enforcement regulations, notes that enforcement activities will not be conducted at any sensitive locations such as school (14th Amendment), which includes education-related activities or events when children are present, and may only take place at a school where prior approval is obtained from the Superintendent or designee, unless there are exigent circumstances. The resolution notes there is not written state or federal law that mandates that local school districts assist ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) that can lead to deportation. President Trumps recent immigration ban has parallels to the Immigration Act of 1917, which put unprecedented restrictions on immigration to America. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join One hundred years ago, the U.S. Senate passed a law that put unprecedented restrictions on immigration to America. The Immigration Act of 1917, which passed despite President Wilsons veto, introduced three major hurdles to aliens. First was a long list of characteristics that would disqualify immigrants from entry: all idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, epileptics, insane persons; persons who have had one or more attacks of insanity at any time previously; persons of constitutional psychopathic inferiority [homosexuals]; persons with chronic alcoholism; paupers; professional beggars; vagrants; persons afflicted with tuberculosis in any form or with a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease persons who have been convicted of, or admit having committed, a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; polygamists, or persons who practice polygamy or believe in or advocate the practice of polygamy; anarchists, or persons who believe in or advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the United States. Second, the fortunate candidate who avoided falling into any of these categories would next meet a literacy test. Any alien over the age of 16 had to read 30 to 40 words in the language of their choice English was not required. Interestingly, immigration authorities could exempt aliens from the literacy requirement if they were seeking asylum from religious persecution. Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today Third, the Immigration Act imposed a blockade on any immigrants from the Asiatic Barred Zone, a rule with parallels to President Trumps executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. This barrier stretched across the globe from the Pacific to the Mediterranean. Immigrants would not be admitted from Polynesian islands, Southeast Asia, India, southern Russia, or any middle-eastern country up to the banks of the Suez Canal. There were several motives behind the law. One was Americans resentment of Asian immigrants, who would work for lower wages than white employees. The rising number of Chinese and Japanese immigrants played on Americans fears that U.S. culture was being replaced by foreign influences. The fear and resentment of Asian immigrants grew over generations into something called The Yellow Peril, which cast Asia as a threat to Anglo-Saxon civilization. The Post wasnt buying any of it. And it used the occasion of a 1904 editorial to puncture the paranoia that is always so easily stirred by demagogues. The Yellow Peril Again All our truly great journalists, statesmen, and volunteer thinkers agree upon the existence of the yellow peril; but they radically disagree as to what the yellow peril is. Some hold that the triumphant Japanese will set the teeming millions of the Orient at work manufacturing cheap goods with which they will flood the Occident. Others hold that the yellow peril is military the Japanese arming the teeming millions aforesaid and flinging them upon the Occident in such wars as those that submerged ancient Rome. Happily, both perils cannot coexist. If the teeming Orient millions are at home manufacturing cheap goods they cannot be away from home making war. Further to allay fear, if the Orient sends forth floods of cheap goods the millions of buyers of those goods will, at least, survive the inundation else, how could goods be sold? Finally, if Japan means civilizationand who now doubts that she does? then she does not mean war; for civilization means peace, except in the minds of boy-men, who remain forever at the blood-and-thunder-novel stage of life. Yellow peril is not a bad subject for debating societies; but as a serious proposition it ranks with a pumpkin-shell with eyes, nose, and mouth cut in it and a candle inside. Editorial, July 30, 1904 The law was also spurred by a fear that a flood of immigrants, fleeing the European war, would sweep into the U.S. In an editorial published a month after the laws passage, the Post editors predicted immigration would continue at the high levels seen from 1912 to 1914. Immigration As against the theory that immigration would be of negligible proportions for many years after the war, even if we put no restrictions upon it, the fact that our net gain in alien population in 1916 was greater than in 1914 may have some significance. As compared with 1915 the number of immigrants increased by a hundred thousand in spite of all the obstacles raised by a second year of war, while the number of aliens departing from the country was smaller than in the year before by over a hundred thousand. Departures, in fact, were but little over one-fourth the average for 1912, 1913, and 1914. If any inference can be drawn from decidedly increased arrivals and decreased departures in the second year of war it is not that immigration after the war will be negligible. But if we assume that immigration will be negligible for many years, to say that we will admit only those who on the whole are most likely to make desirable additions to the population is still sound principle. It overthrows the theory that we are morally bound to hold an open door for whoever seeks residence here a theory which, in fact, we have never practiced, for we have always put restrictions upon immigration. Editorial, March 17, 1917 But the war-refugee flood never came. Total immigration dropped from 1.2 million in 1914 to 316,700 the following year, and didnt rise above this number for the next seven years. The 1917 Immigration Act remained on the books until 1952, when it was replaced by the McCarran-Walter Act, which finally allowed immigrants from the Asiatic Barred Zone to become naturalized citizens. Featured image: Shutterstock Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- Indonesia Madura BD Project Panorama, GlobalDatas latest release, presents a comprehensive overview of the asset. This upstream report includes detailed qualitative and quantitative information on the asset, provides a full economic assessment and reflects several parameters including (but not limited to) geological profile, asset development and specific challenges. Based on this analysis, future outlook for the asset is presented with possible trends and related scenarios identifying upside/downside potential. View Report @ http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/943634 Scope - Overview of the asset based on an analysis of the economic indicators - Key financial indicators including Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return - Review of factors affecting the economic outcome of the field including development overview, geology, challenges, reserves and production with qualitative perspective on of the overall assets life with GlobalDatas analysis on the assets future outlook - Detailed production profile for the asset, giving annual output rates for each commodity produced - Cash flow statements from our economic analysis of the asset including capital expenditures, operating expenditures and tax liability - Individual valuations for equity holders - Sensitivity analysis for asset value considering a range of factors Get Sample Copy Of This Report @ http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/943634 Reasons to buy - Understand the economic and non-economic factors that affect production of an asset - Benefit from an asset valuation derived from detailed research and modeling by our analysts - Basic view of various scenarios and its effect on the asset for risk or strategy planning - Utilize the quantitative and qualitative evaluation to ascertain trends within the region to inform decision making - Identify economic trends of an asset to determine investment requirements Table of Contents 1 Table of Contents 1 Table of Contents 1 1.1 List of Tables 2 1.2 List of Figures 2 2 Project Panorama 3 3 Project Update 4 4 Outlook 5 5 Asset Summary 6 6 Development Overview 11 7 Geology 12 8 Challenges 13 9 Reserves and Production 14 10 Economic Analysis 17 11 Appendix 21 11.1 Contact Us 21 11.2 Disclaimer 21 1.1 List of Tables Table 1: Project Details 3 Table 2: Participation Overview 6 Table 3: Key Valuation Metrics 6 Table 4: Asset Valuation Metrics 8 Table 5: Cash Flow Summary 9 Table 6: Fiscal Take Summary 9 Table 7: Production Summary 15 Table 8: Production Data 15 Table 9: Project Cash Flow 19 1.2 List of Figures Figure 1: Annual Cash Flow 7 Figure 2: Full Cycle Expenditure And Revenue Split 7 Figure 3: Remaining Expenditure And Revenue Split 8 Figure 4: NPV Sensitivity 9 Figure 5: Percentage NPV Difference 10 Figure 6: Production 14 About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries. Contact Mr. Nachiket State Tower 90 Sate Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: 518-621-2074 Website: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz San Antonio, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley. http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/ Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles. Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region. Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child. Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children. BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins. FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604. SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England. CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles. CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth. DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269 Contact Adam Green! c: 801-809-7766 e: g3president@comcast.net Master Christopher Jones and several business partners purchased the ship Mayflower about 1607. Its origins prior to that remain uncertain. Its first documented voyage of record was to Trondheim, Norway, in 1609. Andrew Pawling hired the ship to take a cargo of London goods to Norway, sell them off, and buy Norway goods (lumber, tar, and fish) to return back to England. Unfortunately on the return voyage, the Mayflower encountered a severe North Sea storm and the master and crew were forced to toss most of Pawlings goods overboard to lighten the ship. The home of Master Christopher Jones: Harwich, co. Essex, England. http://mayflowerhistory.com/ Following that, Christopher Jones seems to have stuck with safer trading routes. The Mayflower made numerous trips primarily to Bordeaux, France, returning to London with cargoes of French wine, Cognac, vinegar, and salt. The Mayflower could freight about 180 tons of cargo. The Mayflower also made occasional voyages to other ports, including once to Malaga, Spain, and twice to Hamburg, Germany. Upon returning from a voyage to Bordeaux, France, in May 1620, the Mayflower and master Christopher Jones were hired to take the Pilgrims to Northern Virginia. This was the first recorded trans-Atlantic voyage for both ship and master, though Christopher Jones had several crewmembers, including pilot and master's mates John Clarke and Robert Coppin, who had been to the New World before. The Mayflower was supposed to accompany another ship, the Speedwell, to America, but the Speedwell proved too leaky for the voyage so the Mayflower proceeded alone. Departing on 6 September 1620, the ship was at sea for 66 days, arriving November 9. The ship and crew overwintered with the Pilgrims and departed back for England on 5 April 1621, arriving back to England on May 6. Christopher Jones took the ship out for a few more trading runs, but he died a couple of years later in March 1621/2. The ship was appraised for probate purposes in May 1624, and was referred to as being "in ruins." It was only valued at 128 pounds sterling, and was almost certainly broken up and sold off as scrap. San Antonio, Texas General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Announces New Geneology Asset Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.xocohealth.goodchocolateblog.com/ The Mayflower was hired in London, and sailed from London to Southampton in July 1620 to begin loading food and supplies for the voyage--much of which was purchased at Southampton. The Pilgrims were mostly still living in the city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. They hired a ship called the Speedwell to take them from Delfshaven, the Netherlands, to Southampton, England, to meet up with the Mayflower. The two ships planned to sail together to Northern Virginia. The Speedwell departed Delfthaven on July 22, and arrived at Southampton, where they found the Mayflower waiting for them. The Speedwell had been leaking on her voyage from the Netherlands to England, though, so they spent the next week patching her up. On August 5, the two ships finally set sail for America. But the Speedwell began leaking again, so they pulled into the town of Dartmouth for repairs, arriving there about August 12. The Speedwell was patched up again, and the two ships again set sail for America about August 21. After the two ships had sailed about 300 miles out to sea, the Speedwell again began to leak. Frustrated with the enormous amount of time lost, and their inability to fix the Speedwell so that it could be sea-worthy, they returned to Plymouth, England, and made the decision to leave the Speedwell behind. The Mayflower would go to America alone. The cargo on the Speedwell was transferred over to the Mayflower; some of the passengers were so tired and disappointed with all the problems that they quit and went home. Others crammed themselves onto the already very crowded Mayflower. Finally, on September 6, the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, England, and headed for America. By the time the Pilgrims had left England, they had already been living onboard the ships for nearly a month and a half. The voyage itself across the Atlantic Ocean took 66 days, from their departure on September 6, until Cape Cod was sighted on 9 November 1620. The first half of the voyage went fairly smoothly, the only major problem was sea-sickness. But by October, they began encountering a number of Atlantic storms that made the voyage treacherous. Several times, the wind was so strong they had to just drift where the weather took them; it was not safe to use the ship's sails. The Pilgrims intended to land in Northern Virginia, which at the time included the region as far north as the Hudson River in the modern State of New York. The Hudson River, in fact, was their originally intended destination. They had received good reports on this region while in the Netherlands. All things considered, the Mayflower was almost right on target, missing the Hudson River by just a few degrees. As the Mayflower approached land, the crew spotted Cape Cod just as the sun rose on November 9. The Pilgrims decided to head south, to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York, where they intended to make their plantation. However, as the Mayflower headed south, it encountered some very rough seas, and nearly shipwrecked. The Pilgrims then decided, rather than risk another attempt to go south they would just stay and explore Cape Cod. They turned back north, rounded the tip, and anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor. The Pilgrims would spend the next month and a half exploring Cape Cod, trying to decide where they would build their plantation. On December 25, 1620, they had finally decided upon Plymouth, and began construction of their first buildings. Adam Paul Green was born to a multi-talented beauty queen Mother and a Father who, in addition to being a US Army Spy and a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent, was also a highly accomplished entrepreneur. Adam was taught at a young age that, in both life and business, loyalty is a requirement for success. He's had the honor of working directly with his father in several of the family businesses. In fact, this is where he learned crucial entrepreneurial skills and honed his talents with international business strategies and venture capitalism. http://www.MarketingChocolateInternational.com http://www.AdamPaulGreen.com http://www.ImAdamGreen.com Adam earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in International Business and Marketing from the University of Utah. He was hand-picked by the President of the University's renowned School of Business to compete with dozens of other ambitious nationwide-graduates for the opportunity to secure a lucrative job within a prestigious Fortune 100 company. http://www.mxicorp.com/fab/ http://www.Twitter.com/AdamPaulGreen http://www.ImAdamGreen.com About MayflowerHistory.com MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material. http://mayflowerhistory.com San Bernardino, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley. http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/ Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles. Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region. Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child. Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children. BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins. FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604. SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England. CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles. CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth. DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269 Contact Adam Green! c: 801-809-7766 e: g3president@comcast.net The Pilgrims did not leave behind any lists of the items they brought with them on the Mayflower, but historians have used a provision list put together by Captain John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) to take an educated guess. However, in 2012, Caleb Johnson, Simon Neal, and Jeremy Bangs started transcribing and studying a rare manuscript (a page of which is here illustrated) in the possession of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, that was written by one of the investors in the Pilgrims' joint-stock company. This manuscript actually contains several lists of suggested provisions the colonists should bring with them. It is the closest thing we can get to a list of what the Pilgrims would have actually brought. A summary of some of the key items on the provision lists: http://mayflowerhistory.com/pilgrim-history/ -Food and Drink: Biscuit, beer, salt, (dried) beef, salt pork, oats, peas, wheat, butter, sweet oil, mustard seed, ling or cod fish, "good cheese", vinegar, aqua-vitae, rice, bacon, cider. -Clothing: Monmouth cap, falling bands, shirts, waistcoat, suit of canvas, suit of cloth, Irish stockings, 4 pairs of shoes, garters. Slippers, plain shoes, little shoes, French soles, sewing needles. -Bedding: Canvas sheets, bolster "filled with good straw", rug and blankets. -Arms: Light armor (complete), fowling piece, snaphance, sword, belt, bandoleer, powder horn, 20 pounds of powder, 60 pounds of shot. -Household: Iron pot, kettle, frying pan, gridiron, two skillets, spit, platters, dishes, spoons of wood, napkins, towels, soap, hand mill, mortar and pestle. -Tools: Broad hoes, narrow hoes, broad axe, felling axe, steel handsaw, whipsaw, hammers, shovels, spades, augers, chisels, gimlets, hatchets, grinding stone, nails, locks for doors. Women of Early Plymouth: Governor William Bradford reported that the Pilgrims were worried that the "weak bodies of women" would not be able to withstand the rigors of a trans-Atlantic voyage and the construction of a colony. Prior to the Mayflower, very few English women had made the voyage across the ocean. Sir Walter Raleigh's Roanoke colony arrived in Virginia in 1587, and amongst those 120 colonists there were 17 women: a baby girl, Virginia Dare, was born after arrival. When re-supply ships came from England, they could not relocate the people. The colony had mysteriously disappeared, and was never seen again. The Jamestown Colony was founded in 1607, but relatively few women had yet made the voyage and taken up residence there. The Pilgrim husband, as head of the household, had an important and difficult decision to make. Building a colony would be hard on a woman's "weaker body." It might be safer and healthier to leave her behind, and have her come later once the houses were built, and the general safety and successfulness of the colony were better established. But that could be several years. Could he live several years without his wife? How strong was his wife anyway, could she really handle it? Was it right to put your wife's life in danger in this manner? As the Mayflower left England for America, there were 18 adult women on-board. Three of them, Elizabeth Hopkins, Susanna White, and Mary Allerton, were actually in their last trimester of a pregnancy. All the adult women on the Mayflower were married; there were no single women--although there were a few teenage girls nearing marriageable age. While no women would die during the Mayflower's voyage, life after arrival proved extremely difficult. In fact, 78% of the women would die the first winter, a far higher percentage than for men or children. Dorothy Bradford was the first woman to die, and the only woman who died in the month of December. While many of the men, including her husband, were out exploring on Cape Cod, she accidentally fell off the Mayflower into the bitter cold waters of Provincetown Harbor. Most of the women's death dates were not recorded, but we do know that Rose Standish died on January 29, Mary Allerton died on February 25, and Elizabeth Winslow died on March 24. Most of the women died in February and March. The extremely high mortality rate among women is probably explainable by the fact the men were out in the fresh air, felling trees, building structures and drinking fresh New England water; while the women were confined to the damp, filthy and crowded quarters offered by the Mayflower, where disease would have spread much more quickly. The two-month voyage was long enough; the women, however, remained living on the ship for an additional four months while the men built storehouses and living quarters on shore. Many of the sick were no doubt cared for on-board the ship by the women, increasing their exposure to colds and pneumonias. William Mullins died on February 21, apparently on-board the Mayflower since his will was witnessed by the ship's captain and ship's surgeon. His wife Alice and son Joseph had not yet died, but it wasn't too long before they did, orphaning their teenage daughter Priscilla in the New World. Only five women survived the first winter. One of the five survivors, Mrs. Katherine Carver, died in May of a "broken heart," her husband John having died of sunstroke a month earlier. Weak bodies or not, by the time of the famous "Thanksgiving," there were only four women left to care for the Colony's fifty surviving men and children. The four women were Eleanor Billington, Elizabeth Hopkins, Mary Brewster, and Susanna (White) Winslow. http://mayflowerhistory.com/women Adam Paul Green was born to a multi-talented beauty queen Mother and a Father who, in addition to being a US Army Spy and a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent, was also a highly accomplished entrepreneur. Adam was taught at a young age that, in both life and business, loyalty is a requirement for success. He's had the honor of working directly with his father in several of the family businesses. In fact, this is where he learned crucial entrepreneurial skills and honed his talents with international business strategies and venture capitalism. http://www.MarketingChocolateInternational.com http://www.AdamPaulGreen.com http://www.ImAdamGreen.com Adam earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in International Business and Marketing from the University of Utah. He was hand-picked by the President of the University's renowned School of Business to compete with dozens of other ambitious nationwide-graduates for the opportunity to secure a lucrative job within a prestigious Fortune 100 company. http://www.mxicorp.com/fab/ http://www.Twitter.com/AdamPaulGreen http://www.ImAdamGreen.com San Bernardino, California General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Introduces New Geneology Asset Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.xocohealth.goodchocolateblog.com/ Admittedly, Adam was not initially a fan of Network Marketing. He did not understand the business model because it was new to him. However, once he learned that the REAL focus of Direct Sales is to help average people get a taste of entrepreneurialism --- with minimal risk and at a low cost --- Adam was absolutely convinced of the potential with Multi-Level Marketing. http://www.Xocai.com http://www.MXICorp.com http://www.HealthyChocolate.com http://www.JeanetteBrooks.net Since joining MXI Corp (Xocai) as one of the original 11 founding distributors, Adam has discovered that many of his life-goals truly do align perfectly with Network Marketing. Adam enjoys helping others find significance. Adam is most grateful for the complete time-freedom he has with his fantastic wife and five children. It's my pleasure to introduce you to Adam Paul Green, MXI Corp Ambassador and Multi-Millionaire Earner. http://www.mxicorp.com/fab/index.php?dist=winnerscircle http://www.Youtube.com/AdamPaulGreen http://www.mxicorp.com/multimillionaires/ http://www.ImAdamGreen.com About MayflowerHistory.com MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material. http://mayflowerhistory.com A source from the Enforcement Directorate says the proposed law would strengthen the agency's hand. The law would target offenders who flee India after a criminal case is registered against them. By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: A law currently being drafted will be the first ever attempt by an Indian government to take stringent legal action against those offenders who flee the country once a criminal case gets registered against them. The proposed law, which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley mentioned during his Budget speech on Wednesday, would give complete power to all the central agencies including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax (I-T) department and state police departments to confiscate movable and immovable properties of all accused who flee the country. advertisement Currently, the process process of confiscation begins only once the investigation is complete, show-cause notices and summons are issued, and after getting the go-ahead from special courts. However, the new proposed law would allow for properties to get attached in the initial stage itself. A senior investigative official confirmed this, telling India Today, "As of now, the investigation takes lots of time. In case of big offenders, it takes few years. By the time the seizures process begins the offenders flee the country, making the investigation difficult and time-consuming. But now, the new law would enable agencies to attach the properties soon after offender leave the country, irrespective the investigation is completed or not." Also read: Union Budget 2017-18: List of things to cost more, less ED: LAW WOULD STRENGTHEN AGENCY'S HAND The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is quite happy with this announcement. It believes that "the new law would strengthen their hand" in big cases. "Once, the offenders flee the country, irrespective (of whether) the case is getting investigated under FEMA or PMLA or even the case is very fresh, his/her properties would get attached, at the earliest," a source told India Today. The source added that the law would also empower the Income Tax department to go after tax evaders. JAITLEY: LAW TO TARGET 'BIG TIME OFFENDERS' While presenting the Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government is considering such a law. "There have been instances of big time offenders fleeing the country to escape law. The government is considering legislative changes, and new law to confiscate assets of such persons," Jaitley said. Currently, the ED is probing cases against Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi, Zakir Naik, Nitish Thakur and Jatin Mehta, among others. These offenders named here have managed to flee India, raising serious questions over whether they will be brought to the book. However, if the proposal becomes an actual law, other offenders may not be so lucky and could lose their properties soon the moment the cross Indian borders. advertisement Also read: Special CBI court issues fresh non-bailable warrant against Vijay Mallya in loan default case Also watch: King of good times Vijay Mallya's, journey from kinghood to bankruptcy --- ENDS --- San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley. http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/ Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles. Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region. Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child. Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children. BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins. FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604. SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England. CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles. CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth. DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269 Contact Adam Green! c: 801-809-7766 e: g3president@comcast.net The Mayflower was hired in London, and sailed from London to Southampton in July 1620 to begin loading food and supplies for the voyage--much of which was purchased at Southampton. The Pilgrims were mostly still living in the city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. They hired a ship called the Speedwell to take them from Delfshaven, the Netherlands, to Southampton, England, to meet up with the Mayflower. The two ships planned to sail together to Northern Virginia. The Speedwell departed Delfthaven on July 22, and arrived at Southampton, where they found the Mayflower waiting for them. The Speedwell had been leaking on her voyage from the Netherlands to England, though, so they spent the next week patching her up. On August 5, the two ships finally set sail for America. But the Speedwell began leaking again, so they pulled into the town of Dartmouth for repairs, arriving there about August 12. The Speedwell was patched up again, and the two ships again set sail for America about August 21. After the two ships had sailed about 300 miles out to sea, the Speedwell again began to leak. Frustrated with the enormous amount of time lost, and their inability to fix the Speedwell so that it could be sea-worthy, they returned to Plymouth, England, and made the decision to leave the Speedwell behind. The Mayflower would go to America alone. The cargo on the Speedwell was transferred over to the Mayflower; some of the passengers were so tired and disappointed with all the problems that they quit and went home. Others crammed themselves onto the already very crowded Mayflower. Finally, on September 6, the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, England, and headed for America. By the time the Pilgrims had left England, they had already been living onboard the ships for nearly a month and a half. The voyage itself across the Atlantic Ocean took 66 days, from their departure on September 6, until Cape Cod was sighted on 9 November 1620. The first half of the voyage went fairly smoothly, the only major problem was sea-sickness. But by October, they began encountering a number of Atlantic storms that made the voyage treacherous. Several times, the wind was so strong they had to just drift where the weather took them; it was not safe to use the ship's sails. The Pilgrims intended to land in Northern Virginia, which at the time included the region as far north as the Hudson River in the modern State of New York. The Hudson River, in fact, was their originally intended destination. They had received good reports on this region while in the Netherlands. All things considered, the Mayflower was almost right on target, missing the Hudson River by just a few degrees. As the Mayflower approached land, the crew spotted Cape Cod just as the sun rose on November 9. The Pilgrims decided to head south, to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York, where they intended to make their plantation. However, as the Mayflower headed south, it encountered some very rough seas, and nearly shipwrecked. The Pilgrims then decided, rather than risk another attempt to go south they would just stay and explore Cape Cod. They turned back north, rounded the tip, and anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor. The Pilgrims would spend the next month and a half exploring Cape Cod, trying to decide where they would build their plantation. On December 25, 1620, they had finally decided upon Plymouth, and began construction of their first buildings. The End of the Mayflower: "Mayflower's End," by Mike Haywood. The Mayflower returned to England from Plymouth Colony, arriving back on 9 May 1621. Christopher Jones took the ship out on a trading voyage to Rochelle, France, in October 1621, returning with a cargo of Bay salt. Christopher Jones, master and quarter-owner of the Mayflower, died and was buried at Rotherhithe, co. Surrey, England, on 5 March 1621/2. No further record of the Mayflower is found until May 1624, when it was appraised for the purposes of probate and was described as being in ruins. The ship was almost certainly sold off as scrap. The claim, first originating from J. Rendel Harris' book The Finding of the Mayflower (1920), that the Mayflower ended up as a barn in Jordans, England, is now widely discredited as being a figment of an overzealous imagination on the tercentenary anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage, combined with a tainted oral history. None of the evidence has withstood subsequent investigation. Regardless of the lack of evidence for its authenticity, it has been featured in National Geographic on several occasions and is a tourist destination. It is important to realize that in 1624, when the ship was scrapped, it was not at all famous, and nobody would have thought twice about letting it rot away. The Pilgrims did not leave behind any lists of the items they brought with them on the Mayflower, but historians have used a provision list put together by Captain John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) to take an educated guess. However, in 2012, Caleb Johnson, Simon Neal, and Jeremy Bangs started transcribing and studying a rare manuscript (a page of which is here illustrated) in the possession of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, that was written by one of the investors in the Pilgrims' joint-stock company. This manuscript actually contains several lists of suggested provisions the colonists should bring with them. It is the closest thing we can get to a list of what the Pilgrims would have actually brought. A summary of some of the key items on the provision lists: http://mayflowerhistory.com/pilgrim-history/ -Food and Drink: Biscuit, beer, salt, (dried) beef, salt pork, oats, peas, wheat, butter, sweet oil, mustard seed, ling or cod fish, "good cheese", vinegar, aqua-vitae, rice, bacon, cider. -Clothing: Monmouth cap, falling bands, shirts, waistcoat, suit of canvas, suit of cloth, Irish stockings, 4 pairs of shoes, garters. Slippers, plain shoes, little shoes, French soles, sewing needles. -Bedding: Canvas sheets, bolster "filled with good straw", rug and blankets. -Arms: Light armor (complete), fowling piece, snaphance, sword, belt, bandoleer, powder horn, 20 pounds of powder, 60 pounds of shot. -Household: Iron pot, kettle, frying pan, gridiron, two skillets, spit, platters, dishes, spoons of wood, napkins, towels, soap, hand mill, mortar and pestle. -Tools: Broad hoes, narrow hoes, broad axe, felling axe, steel handsaw, whipsaw, hammers, shovels, spades, augers, chisels, gimlets, hatchets, grinding stone, nails, locks for doors. San Diego, California General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Reveals New Geneology Asset Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.xocohealth.goodchocolateblog.com/ Adam's hard work and creativity helped him land this job of a lifetime. He obtained incredible business experience there and spent years innovating, improving processes and setting sales records. Although this dream job in Traditional Corporate America was a fun challenge for him, and something he truly enjoyed mastering, Adam's natural entrepreneurial spirit kept nudging him to do something more significant with his time and talents. http://www.MyChocolatePod.com http://www.Facebook.com/AdamPaulGreen Since 2001, Adam has been involved in the Health and Wellness Industry as a successful Entrepreneur, Broker, Product Developer and Manufacturer of Cosmeceutical products. During his career, he has worked with some of the most recognizable Fortune 500 businesses along with many top international Network Marketing companies. Adam has consistently proven his unique ability to help his clients achieve their goals through creative Distribution-Channel Placement, innovative Product Development and custom Manufacturing. Adam currently owns three profitable businesses. http://www.ImAdamGreen.com About MayflowerHistory.com MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material. http://mayflowerhistory.com San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley. http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/ Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles. Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region. Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child. Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children. BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins. FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604. SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England. CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles. CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth. DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269 Contact Adam Green! c: 801-809-7766 e: g3president@comcast.net The Pilgrims did not leave behind any lists of the items they brought with them on the Mayflower, but historians have used a provision list put together by Captain John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) to take an educated guess. However, in 2012, Caleb Johnson, Simon Neal, and Jeremy Bangs started transcribing and studying a rare manuscript (a page of which is here illustrated) in the possession of the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, that was written by one of the investors in the Pilgrims' joint-stock company. This manuscript actually contains several lists of suggested provisions the colonists should bring with them. It is the closest thing we can get to a list of what the Pilgrims would have actually brought. A summary of some of the key items on the provision lists: http://mayflowerhistory.com/pilgrim-history/ -Food and Drink: Biscuit, beer, salt, (dried) beef, salt pork, oats, peas, wheat, butter, sweet oil, mustard seed, ling or cod fish, "good cheese", vinegar, aqua-vitae, rice, bacon, cider. -Clothing: Monmouth cap, falling bands, shirts, waistcoat, suit of canvas, suit of cloth, Irish stockings, 4 pairs of shoes, garters. Slippers, plain shoes, little shoes, French soles, sewing needles. -Bedding: Canvas sheets, bolster "filled with good straw", rug and blankets. -Arms: Light armor (complete), fowling piece, snaphance, sword, belt, bandoleer, powder horn, 20 pounds of powder, 60 pounds of shot. -Household: Iron pot, kettle, frying pan, gridiron, two skillets, spit, platters, dishes, spoons of wood, napkins, towels, soap, hand mill, mortar and pestle. -Tools: Broad hoes, narrow hoes, broad axe, felling axe, steel handsaw, whipsaw, hammers, shovels, spades, augers, chisels, gimlets, hatchets, grinding stone, nails, locks for doors. Women of Early Plymouth: Governor William Bradford reported that the Pilgrims were worried that the "weak bodies of women" would not be able to withstand the rigors of a trans-Atlantic voyage and the construction of a colony. Prior to the Mayflower, very few English women had made the voyage across the ocean. Sir Walter Raleigh's Roanoke colony arrived in Virginia in 1587, and amongst those 120 colonists there were 17 women: a baby girl, Virginia Dare, was born after arrival. When re-supply ships came from England, they could not relocate the people. The colony had mysteriously disappeared, and was never seen again. The Jamestown Colony was founded in 1607, but relatively few women had yet made the voyage and taken up residence there. The Pilgrim husband, as head of the household, had an important and difficult decision to make. Building a colony would be hard on a woman's "weaker body." It might be safer and healthier to leave her behind, and have her come later once the houses were built, and the general safety and successfulness of the colony were better established. But that could be several years. Could he live several years without his wife? How strong was his wife anyway, could she really handle it? Was it right to put your wife's life in danger in this manner? As the Mayflower left England for America, there were 18 adult women on-board. Three of them, Elizabeth Hopkins, Susanna White, and Mary Allerton, were actually in their last trimester of a pregnancy. All the adult women on the Mayflower were married; there were no single women--although there were a few teenage girls nearing marriageable age. While no women would die during the Mayflower's voyage, life after arrival proved extremely difficult. In fact, 78% of the women would die the first winter, a far higher percentage than for men or children. Dorothy Bradford was the first woman to die, and the only woman who died in the month of December. While many of the men, including her husband, were out exploring on Cape Cod, she accidentally fell off the Mayflower into the bitter cold waters of Provincetown Harbor. Most of the women's death dates were not recorded, but we do know that Rose Standish died on January 29, Mary Allerton died on February 25, and Elizabeth Winslow died on March 24. Most of the women died in February and March. The extremely high mortality rate among women is probably explainable by the fact the men were out in the fresh air, felling trees, building structures and drinking fresh New England water; while the women were confined to the damp, filthy and crowded quarters offered by the Mayflower, where disease would have spread much more quickly. The two-month voyage was long enough; the women, however, remained living on the ship for an additional four months while the men built storehouses and living quarters on shore. Many of the sick were no doubt cared for on-board the ship by the women, increasing their exposure to colds and pneumonias. William Mullins died on February 21, apparently on-board the Mayflower since his will was witnessed by the ship's captain and ship's surgeon. His wife Alice and son Joseph had not yet died, but it wasn't too long before they did, orphaning their teenage daughter Priscilla in the New World. Only five women survived the first winter. One of the five survivors, Mrs. Katherine Carver, died in May of a "broken heart," her husband John having died of sunstroke a month earlier. Weak bodies or not, by the time of the famous "Thanksgiving," there were only four women left to care for the Colony's fifty surviving men and children. The four women were Eleanor Billington, Elizabeth Hopkins, Mary Brewster, and Susanna (White) Winslow. http://mayflowerhistory.com/women San Francisco, California General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Declares New Geneology Asset Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.xocohealth.goodchocolateblog.com/ Admittedly, Adam was not initially a fan of Network Marketing. He did not understand the business model because it was new to him. However, once he learned that the REAL focus of Direct Sales is to help average people get a taste of entrepreneurialism --- with minimal risk and at a low cost --- Adam was absolutely convinced of the potential with Multi-Level Marketing. http://www.Xocai.com http://www.MXICorp.com http://www.HealthyChocolate.com http://www.JeanetteBrooks.net Since joining MXI Corp (Xocai) as one of the original 11 founding distributors, Adam has discovered that many of his life-goals truly do align perfectly with Network Marketing. Adam enjoys helping others find significance. Adam is most grateful for the complete time-freedom he has with his fantastic wife and five children. It's my pleasure to introduce you to Adam Paul Green, MXI Corp Ambassador and Multi-Millionaire Earner. http://www.mxicorp.com/fab/index.php?dist=winnerscircle http://www.Youtube.com/AdamPaulGreen http://www.mxicorp.com/multimillionaires/ http://www.ImAdamGreen.com About MayflowerHistory.com MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material. http://mayflowerhistory.com Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- Stephen Hopkins was from Hampshire, England. He married his first wife, Mary, and resided in the parish of Hursley, Hampshire. They had three (3) children: Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles; all baptized there. It has long been claimed that the Hopkins family was from Wortley, Gloucester, but this was disproven in 1998 with the discovery of his true origins in Hursley. http://mayflowerhistory.com/hopkins-stephen/ Stephen Hopkins went with the ship Sea Venture on a voyage to Jamestown, Virginia in 1609 as a minister's clerk, but the ship wrecked in the "Isle of Devils" (Bermuda). Stranded on an island for ten months, the passengers and crew survived on turtles, birds, and wild pigs. Six months into the castaway, Stephen Hopkins and several others organized a mutiny against the current governor. The mutiny was discovered and Stephen was sentenced to death. However, he pleaded with sorrow and tears. "So penitent he was, and made so much moan, alleging the ruin of his wife and children in this his trespass, as it wrought in the hearts of all the better sorts of the company." He managed to get his sentence commuted. Eventually the castaways built a small ship and sailed themselves to Jamestown. How long Stephen remained in Jamestown is not known. However, while he was gone, his wife Mary died. She was buried in Hursley on 9 May 1613, and left behind a probate estate which mentions her children Elizabeth, Constance and Giles. Stephen was back in England by 1617, when he married Elizabeth Fisher, but apparently had every intention of bringing his family back to Virginia. Their first child, Damaris, was born about 1618. In 1620, Stephen Hopkins brought his wife and children Constance, Giles, and Damaris on the Mayflower (child Elizabeth apparently had died). Stephen was a fairly active member of the Pilgrim group shortly after arrival, perhaps a result of his being one of the few individuals who had been to Virginia previously. He was a part of all the early exploring missions, and was used as an "expert" on Native Americans for the first few contacts. While out exploring, Stephen recognized and identified an Indian deer trap. And when Samoset walked into Plymouth and welcomed the English, he was housed in Stephen Hopkins' house for the night. Stephen was also sent on several of the ambassadorial missions to meet with the various Indian groups in the region. Stephen was an assistant to the governor through 1636, and volunteered for the Pequot War of 1637 but was never called to serve. By the late 1630s, however, Stephen began to occasionally run afoul of the Plymouth authorities, as he apparently opened up a shop and served alcohol. In 1636 he got into a fight with John Tisdale and seriously wounded him. In 1637, he was fined for allowing drinking and shuffleboard playing on Sunday. Early the next year he was fined for allowing people to drink excessively in his house: guest William Reynolds was fined, but the others were acquitted. In 1638 he was twice fined for selling beer at twice the actual value, and in 1639 he was fined for selling a looking glass for twice what it would cost if bought in the Bay Colony. Also in 1638, Stephen Hopkins' maidservant got pregnant from Arthur Peach, who was subsequently executed for murdering an Indian. The Plymouth Court ruled he was financially responsible for her and her child for the next two years (the amount remaining on her term of service). Stephen, in contempt of court, threw Dorothy out of his household and refused to provide for her, so the court committed him to custody. John Holmes stepped in and purchased Dorothy's remaining two years of service from him: agreeing to support her and child. Stephen died in 1644, and made out a will, asking to be buried near his wife, and naming his surviving children. BAPTISM: 30 April 1581 at Upper Clatford, Hampshire, England, son of John and Elizabeth (Williams) Hopkins. FIRST MARRIAGE: Mary, possibly the daughter of Robert and Joan (Machell) Kent of Hursley, co. Hampshire, prior to 1604. SECOND MARRIAGE: Elizabeth Fisher on 19 February 1617/8 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel, co. Middlesex, England. CHILDREN (by Mary): Elizabeth, Constance, and Giles. CHILDREN (by Elizabeth): Damaris, Oceanus, Caleb, Deborah, Damaris, Ruth, and Elizabeth. DNA HAPLOGROUP: R1b-M269 Contact Adam Green! c: 801-809-7766 e: g3president@comcast.net The Mayflower was hired in London, and sailed from London to Southampton in July 1620 to begin loading food and supplies for the voyage--much of which was purchased at Southampton. The Pilgrims were mostly still living in the city of Leiden, in the Netherlands. They hired a ship called the Speedwell to take them from Delfshaven, the Netherlands, to Southampton, England, to meet up with the Mayflower. The two ships planned to sail together to Northern Virginia. The Speedwell departed Delfthaven on July 22, and arrived at Southampton, where they found the Mayflower waiting for them. The Speedwell had been leaking on her voyage from the Netherlands to England, though, so they spent the next week patching her up. On August 5, the two ships finally set sail for America. But the Speedwell began leaking again, so they pulled into the town of Dartmouth for repairs, arriving there about August 12. The Speedwell was patched up again, and the two ships again set sail for America about August 21. After the two ships had sailed about 300 miles out to sea, the Speedwell again began to leak. Frustrated with the enormous amount of time lost, and their inability to fix the Speedwell so that it could be sea-worthy, they returned to Plymouth, England, and made the decision to leave the Speedwell behind. The Mayflower would go to America alone. The cargo on the Speedwell was transferred over to the Mayflower; some of the passengers were so tired and disappointed with all the problems that they quit and went home. Others crammed themselves onto the already very crowded Mayflower. Finally, on September 6, the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, England, and headed for America. By the time the Pilgrims had left England, they had already been living onboard the ships for nearly a month and a half. The voyage itself across the Atlantic Ocean took 66 days, from their departure on September 6, until Cape Cod was sighted on 9 November 1620. The first half of the voyage went fairly smoothly, the only major problem was sea-sickness. But by October, they began encountering a number of Atlantic storms that made the voyage treacherous. Several times, the wind was so strong they had to just drift where the weather took them; it was not safe to use the ship's sails. The Pilgrims intended to land in Northern Virginia, which at the time included the region as far north as the Hudson River in the modern State of New York. The Hudson River, in fact, was their originally intended destination. They had received good reports on this region while in the Netherlands. All things considered, the Mayflower was almost right on target, missing the Hudson River by just a few degrees. As the Mayflower approached land, the crew spotted Cape Cod just as the sun rose on November 9. The Pilgrims decided to head south, to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York, where they intended to make their plantation. However, as the Mayflower headed south, it encountered some very rough seas, and nearly shipwrecked. The Pilgrims then decided, rather than risk another attempt to go south they would just stay and explore Cape Cod. They turned back north, rounded the tip, and anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor. The Pilgrims would spend the next month and a half exploring Cape Cod, trying to decide where they would build their plantation. On December 25, 1620, they had finally decided upon Plymouth, and began construction of their first buildings. Master Christopher Jones and several business partners purchased the ship Mayflower about 1607. Its origins prior to that remain uncertain. Its first documented voyage of record was to Trondheim, Norway, in 1609. Andrew Pawling hired the ship to take a cargo of London goods to Norway, sell them off, and buy Norway goods (lumber, tar, and fish) to return back to England. Unfortunately on the return voyage, the Mayflower encountered a severe North Sea storm and the master and crew were forced to toss most of Pawlings goods overboard to lighten the ship. The home of Master Christopher Jones: Harwich, co. Essex, England. http://mayflowerhistory.com/ Following that, Christopher Jones seems to have stuck with safer trading routes. The Mayflower made numerous trips primarily to Bordeaux, France, returning to London with cargoes of French wine, Cognac, vinegar, and salt. The Mayflower could freight about 180 tons of cargo. The Mayflower also made occasional voyages to other ports, including once to Malaga, Spain, and twice to Hamburg, Germany. Upon returning from a voyage to Bordeaux, France, in May 1620, the Mayflower and master Christopher Jones were hired to take the Pilgrims to Northern Virginia. This was the first recorded trans-Atlantic voyage for both ship and master, though Christopher Jones had several crewmembers, including pilot and master's mates John Clarke and Robert Coppin, who had been to the New World before. The Mayflower was supposed to accompany another ship, the Speedwell, to America, but the Speedwell proved too leaky for the voyage so the Mayflower proceeded alone. Departing on 6 September 1620, the ship was at sea for 66 days, arriving November 9. The ship and crew overwintered with the Pilgrims and departed back for England on 5 April 1621, arriving back to England on May 6. Christopher Jones took the ship out for a few more trading runs, but he died a couple of years later in March 1621/2. The ship was appraised for probate purposes in May 1624, and was referred to as being "in ruins." It was only valued at 128 pounds sterling, and was almost certainly broken up and sold off as scrap. Scottsdale, Arizona General Society of Mayflower Descendant, Adam Paul Green (Ancestor Stephen Hopkins / Gen.No. 86,723) Reveals New Geneology Support Website for Local Enthusiasts http://www.ImAdamGreen.com Women of Early Plymouth: Governor William Bradford reported that the Pilgrims were worried that the "weak bodies of women" would not be able to withstand the rigors of a trans-Atlantic voyage and the construction of a colony. Prior to the Mayflower, very few English women had made the voyage across the ocean. Sir Walter Raleigh's Roanoke colony arrived in Virginia in 1587, and amongst those 120 colonists there were 17 women: a baby girl, Virginia Dare, was born after arrival. When re-supply ships came from England, they could not relocate the people. The colony had mysteriously disappeared, and was never seen again. The Jamestown Colony was founded in 1607, but relatively few women had yet made the voyage and taken up residence there. The Pilgrim husband, as head of the household, had an important and difficult decision to make. Building a colony would be hard on a woman's "weaker body." It might be safer and healthier to leave her behind, and have her come later once the houses were built, and the general safety and successfulness of the colony were better established. But that could be several years. Could he live several years without his wife? How strong was his wife anyway, could she really handle it? Was it right to put your wife's life in danger in this manner? As the Mayflower left England for America, there were 18 adult women on-board. Three of them, Elizabeth Hopkins, Susanna White, and Mary Allerton, were actually in their last trimester of a pregnancy. All the adult women on the Mayflower were married; there were no single women--although there were a few teenage girls nearing marriageable age. While no women would die during the Mayflower's voyage, life after arrival proved extremely difficult. In fact, 78% of the women would die the first winter, a far higher percentage than for men or children. Dorothy Bradford was the first woman to die, and the only woman who died in the month of December. While many of the men, including her husband, were out exploring on Cape Cod, she accidentally fell off the Mayflower into the bitter cold waters of Provincetown Harbor. Most of the women's death dates were not recorded, but we do know that Rose Standish died on January 29, Mary Allerton died on February 25, and Elizabeth Winslow died on March 24. Most of the women died in February and March. The extremely high mortality rate among women is probably explainable by the fact the men were out in the fresh air, felling trees, building structures and drinking fresh New England water; while the women were confined to the damp, filthy and crowded quarters offered by the Mayflower, where disease would have spread much more quickly. The two-month voyage was long enough; the women, however, remained living on the ship for an additional four months while the men built storehouses and living quarters on shore. Many of the sick were no doubt cared for on-board the ship by the women, increasing their exposure to colds and pneumonias. William Mullins died on February 21, apparently on-board the Mayflower since his will was witnessed by the ship's captain and ship's surgeon. His wife Alice and son Joseph had not yet died, but it wasn't too long before they did, orphaning their teenage daughter Priscilla in the New World. Only five women survived the first winter. One of the five survivors, Mrs. Katherine Carver, died in May of a "broken heart," her husband John having died of sunstroke a month earlier. Weak bodies or not, by the time of the famous "Thanksgiving," there were only four women left to care for the Colony's fifty surviving men and children. The four women were Eleanor Billington, Elizabeth Hopkins, Mary Brewster, and Susanna (White) Winslow. http://mayflowerhistory.com/women Adam Paul Green was born to a multi-talented beauty queen Mother and a Father who, in addition to being a US Army Spy and a Counter-Intelligence Special Agent, was also a highly accomplished entrepreneur. Adam was taught at a young age that, in both life and business, loyalty is a requirement for success. He's had the honor of working directly with his father in several of the family businesses. In fact, this is where he learned crucial entrepreneurial skills and honed his talents with international business strategies and venture capitalism. http://www.MarketingChocolateInternational.com http://www.AdamPaulGreen.com http://www.ImAdamGreen.com Adam earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in International Business and Marketing from the University of Utah. He was hand-picked by the President of the University's renowned School of Business to compete with dozens of other ambitious nationwide-graduates for the opportunity to secure a lucrative job within a prestigious Fortune 100 company. http://www.mxicorp.com/fab/ http://www.Twitter.com/AdamPaulGreen http://www.ImAdamGreen.com About MayflowerHistory.com MayflowerHistory.com, the Internet's most complete and accurate website dealing with the Mayflower passengers and the history of the Pilgrims and early Plymouth Colony. The website was first created back in 1994 (when the web was still mostly text!) as a simple, but complete, passenger list of the Mayflower. It has grown over the past twenty years as the author, historian Caleb Johnson, has researched and compiled material. http://mayflowerhistory.com Washington, DC -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/02/2017 -- A quality education is the bedrock of any society, and "a healthy nation is a wealthy nation". Without these two, education and health, it will be difficult to have a productive society. In an attempt to contribute its quota to the wellbeing and education of mankind, the Thomas Gaiter Foundation is dedicated to providing assistance and support to financially challenged students to acquire a quality education. Furthermore, the foundation extends its support to communities to help them improve the quality of health. The Thomas Gaiter Foundation wants the people who have been affected by their efforts to notice real improvement in their lives. They believe that their effort will go a long way to impact the lives of many people in not just the United States alone, but also across different countries. The program of the Thomas Gaiter Foundation is based on the key areas where they recognize the most need, and rely on active participation from partners and supporters. They have programs that cut across the Washington DC, Florida, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia, and international countries such as Haiti, Nigeria, Philippines, Vietnam, and Mexico. The Thomas Gaiter Foundation programs also include providing school supplies, food, clothing, support to the deaf, scholarships, safe water, disaster relief, support to the blind, medical mission, and assistance to the elderly. Among many other helps, the Thomas Gaiter Foundation provides scholarship to financially challenged students in the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing at Howard University in Washington DC. The Foundation has also touch the lives of Imo State students in Nigeria by providing school supplies. These are some of the examples of the many works the Thomas Gaiter Foundation has done in the United States and beyond. The Thomas Gaiter Foundation is a tax-exempt non-profit organization based in Washington DC, USA and it is on a mission to giving back to the community by providing quality education and healthcare. The Foundation was founded by Thomas E. Gaiter. To learn more about the Thomas Gaiter Foundation or Donate, visit their website on https://www.thomasgaiterfoundation.org About Dr. Thomas E. Gaiter Dr. Thomas E. Gaiter (Sr., MD., FAAFP) was the Chief Medical Officer of Howard University Hospital and the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at Howard University, College of Medicine. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians as well as a member of The Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. Dr. Gaiter received his medical degree at Meharry Medical College, where he was the Executive Vice President of the Pre-Alumni Council. He received a Bachelor's Degree from Tennessee State University, where he was a member of Alpha Mu Gamma Honor Society. Dr. Gaiter is certified by the District of Columbia Licensure Board. He is a member of the National Medical Association and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Dr. Gaiter believes in giving back to the community that gave so much to him by creating the Thomas Gaiter Foundation. Contact: Dr. Gaiter Washington DC 202-580-6526 thomasgaiterfoundation@gmail.com https://www.thomasgaiterfoundation.org [Cairo] Experts and stakeholders in Egypt warn of imminent water poverty as a result of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is about to become operational. Meanwhile, agricultural production consumes about 85 per cent of the countrys water resources, half of which goes towards rice irrigation. Rice cultivation consumes more than 10 billion cubic meters of water annually, or more than one-sixth of Egypt's share of Nile water, Khaled Ghanem, professor of Organic Farming in Al-Azhar University, told SciDev.Net. And this does not account for the water used for cultivation in unauthorized areas, estimated to be about a third of that used in authorized ones, he explained. But there could be a solution, in the form of a machine that ploughs fields in a manner that saves about half the amount of water usually used for irrigation, and a quarter of fertilizers used in cultivation. A specially imported unit, which sows rice seedlings mechanically, is mounted on the machine. The machines Egyptian inventor, Mohamed El-Sayyed El-Hagarey, a researcher at the Desert Research Center in Cairo, was granted the prestigious WatSave Award for Young Professionals from the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) during the Second World Irrigation Forum held in Thailand in mid-November. Rice cultivation consumes more than 10 billion cubic meters of water annually via traditional methods Sowing rice seedlings mechanically costs US$ 400 per acre, while sowing it manually cost US$ 150 The new machine ploughs fields in a manner that saves about half the amount of water usually used for irrigation, and a quarter of fertilizers used in cultivation, and a lot of time consumed in sowing seedlings The machine makes V shaped lines into the soil at a depth and width of 20cm, and sows rice seedlings automatically The V-shaped troughs maintains the water level necessary for rice to grow, but with less water than that is used in conventional agriculture that requires the entire plot of land to be completely submerged The machine also helped increasing the crop yield by 4.6 per cent In an interview with SciDev.Net, El-Hagarey explained his motivation for inventing the machine. He said that during cultivation, rice requires complete submersion in a layer of water 10-15 cm above the soil surface, which demands huge amounts of water and fertilizers. He designed the soil and water management machine to tackle this. The machine makes V shaped lines into the soil, at a depth and width of 20cm, and sows rice seedlings automatically. This operation maintains the water level necessary for rice to grow in the V-shaped troughs, which is less than the water used in conventional agriculture that requires the entire plot of land to be completely submerged. The machine was tested in a field in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate, which is known for rice crop cultivation in Egypt, with good results. It reduced the amount of water used by half, and the crop yield increased by 4.6 per cent, Al-Hagary said. This machine will save a lot of irrigation water in Egypt each year, which will help the country face these challenges and direct the water saved towards cultivating other crops. Khaled Ghanem, Al-Azhar University Atef Sweilem, water management and irrigation expert at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, (ICARDA), praised the machine, but added that saving water and fertilizers would not tempt small farmers to buy it, as the increase in the yield was not huge. He pointed out that the rice agricultural plots owned by most farmers do not exceed half an acre. Saving water and fertilizers does not mean much for farmers, who get water for free and fertilizers subsidized by the state, Sweilem explained. Therefore, he believes that Egypts ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources and Irrigation should play an important role in supporting farmers financially and with training in using the machine. Al-Hagary said the machine costs about US$5000, but needs further development before it is ready for commercial production. He intends to re-submit a proposal to the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology in Egypt, hoping it would support further development of the innovation. An earlier proposal made in 2014 went unanswered, and he had to design it at his own expense. Ghanem believes that Egypt needs to use this machine widely range for several reasons, the most important of which is the implications of Ethiopias Renaissance Dam on Egypt's share of water. He also referred to the effects of climate change including drought, desertification, and an increase in evaporation rates, as well as the water wasted along the Nile. This machine will save a lot of irrigation water in Egypt each year, which will help the country face these challenges and direct the water saved towards cultivating other crops, Ghanem said. He added: The concerned ministries might not pay attention to this innovation. The solution is to establish major companies to market similar innovations that can be funded by low-priced stocks, making them available to a larger number of consumers. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Middle East and North Africa desk. Several organizations in Australia are demanding to stop the use of shark nets. Shark nets are used in order to protect the people from shark attacks. As the government legalized the use of shark nets, there are many sharks caught in it and die. As reported by BBC, the use of shark nets has killed not only the sharks but also dolphins and turtles. Those who oppose the idea of the shark nets asked the government to stop. People might be safer to go to the beach, but the life underwater is in danger. Some people in Australia have lost the courage to go to the beach as the rate of shark attacks increase by the day. They do not want to risk their lives by diving or swimming in an ocean full of sharks. But when the use of shark nets was implemented, the number of beachgoers is on the rise once again. However, the solution seems to be the cause of yet, another huge problem. According to a report from ABC, 170 sharks have died in a three-month period since the use of shark net in West Australia. Thus, a passionate campaigner and diver, Madison Steward, took her camera underwater and shot the shark caught in a net. Sharing it on her site, she wanted people to see the real impact of the new policy implementation. On her campaign, Steward wanted people to respect the creature. She has been a diver since she was young and ocean creatures have been part of her life ever since. She wished people knew the beauty of underwater and preserved it. As she took the recording, the Fisheries officers in West Australia told her that she would go to court if she uploaded it. Yet, she had no fear and wanted people to gain awareness of ocean life. As the policy by the government about the use of shark net has added another issue in Australia, maybe it should be reconsidered. A 3-billion-year-old long-lost continent once resting between India and Madagascar now creeps under the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. The researchers believed that Mauritius Island was lying on a submerged continent. Lewis Ashwal, the lead author of the study and a scientist at the University of Witwatersrand, discovered that Mauritius island had a stronger gravitational pull than other parts of the Indian Ocean in 2013. The team also found zircons, iridescent rocks, dated back billions of years and other rocks dated no more than 9 million years old. Ashwal said that the fact that they have found zircons of this age proves that there are much older crustal materials under Mauritius that could only have originated from a continent. It is thought that Mauritius island was shaped by volcanic activity. On the other hand, the new study indicates that a primeval continent might have been left behind during the split up of the supercontinent Gondwana into India, Africa, Antarctica and Australia more than 200 million years ago. This brought forth the birth of the island that is now visible, according to CBS News. Ashwal said that based on the new results, this breakup did not involve a simple splitting of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. It was rather a complex splintering with fragments of continental crust of variable sizes left adrift within the evolving Indian Ocean basin. In a 2013 study, the results showed traces of ancient zircons in beach sand on the relatively young island. On the other hand, critics said that the zircon might have been traveled in trade winds or been carried along. Even so, in the new study printed in the journal Nature Communications on Jan. 31, 2017, the team found the zircons embedded in the 6-million-year-old rock called trachyte. This opposes the idea of the wind-blown transfer, according to Ashwal. Meanwhile, Alan Collins, a researcher at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said that several pieces of old continents are being discovered. He further said that it is only now as they explore more of the deep oceans that they are finding all these bits of ancient continents around the place, as noted by Fox News. A great number of giant poisonous jellyfish have swarmed the coasts of the Holy Land just a week after a mysterious gathering of sharks near the shores in Ashdod. Jewish believers are convinced that this sequence of strange occurrences must have carried a prophetic message as it coincides with the Torah's "Ten Plagues" that they were pre-scheduled to read this week in synagogues around the world. Breaking Israel News reported that a baffling number of jellyfish hovering the coasts of Tel Aviv and Haifa in Northern Israel has been linked to the plagues recorded in the Book of Exodus. Rabbi Yosef Berger identified the recent phenomenon as a message for modern world leaders, saying, "The purpose of Israel in the world today, just as it was in the Exodus from Egypt, is to show God's kingship to the nations of the world." "All these unusual phenomenon, from the lowest of the low, from the jellyfish and sharks, are just like the plagues," he said. "God is using Israel to send a message to the world and its leaders once again. He is still in the world, the master and king, guiding everything according to his will." Scientists at the University of Haifa confirmed that the occurrence was indeed unusual as they had previously studied the behavior of jellyfish coming in blooms. According to their research, large numbers of jellyfish usually swarm in warmer waters (83 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) at a conjunction with the full Moon. In this case, the massive gathering of jellyfish happened on a different Moon phase, in addition to a cooler water temperature of 62 degrees. This strange activity happened just a week after hundreds of Dusky and Sandbar sharks were found swimming near the coast of Ashdod. "We don't yet know why they are coming there," Adi Barash, a marine scientist at Haifa University, told Reuters. "It might be just because of the warm water, it might be because there is more food there, it might be for the gestation period, for the pregnancy, but we don't know yet." An alluring new species of hermit crab was found in the Caribbean. It is called the candy-striped hermit crab because of its bright red stripes on its white claws and legs. The hermit crab, which looks like a Christmas candy cane, was first seen by a diver named Ellen Muller, who is a photographer and naturalist on the island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela. Then, the scientist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., examined it and declared that it is a new species. He dubbed it "candy striped hermit crab," according to Fox News. Ellen Muller said that she was taking a picture of the lobster and that is the photo that started the whole thing rolling. She further said that she saw a strange crab that she had never seen before and she does a lot of night diving, so she had seen all the normal things. On the other hand, she said this was not normal. Rafael Lemaitre, a research zoologist at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, named the new species. Its Latin name is "Pylopaguropsis mollymullerae," which is derived from "Molly," Muller's granddaughter. Muller said she requested it to Lamitre to inspire her granddaughter to appreciate and protect the marine life once she grows up. She added that Molly is just seven so she does not quite understand it all but she is very happy about it. Ellen Muller found the new species about 14 meters below the surface and hiding in crevices. She described it as "tiny." Lamitre said that these crabs could be cleaners for the eel that eat on mucus or other bits on the eel's body. Their markings are somewhat of tropical cleaner fish that use their bright colors and patterns to present their services, according to New Scientist. Meanwhile, Jan Pechenik, a marine biologist at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, said that the idea that this animal might be cleaning moray eels is intriguing. He further said that the evidence is not entirely convincing. On the other hand, this would be the first example of a hermit crab cleaner if that is the case. The agency would be responsible for conducting entrance examinations for institutes of higher learning, allowing boards like the CBSE to focus on academics. By Varun Bidhuri: A new national testing agency will conduct all major entrance examinations for institutes of higher learning, finance minister Arun Jaitley announced in his Budget speech on Wednesday, freeing the CBSE and other such bodies from the responsibility so they can focus on academics. The government will also launch a SWAYAM platform with at least 350 online courses. This would enable students to virtually attend the programmes taught by the best faculty, access high-quality reading resources, participate in discussion forums, take tests and earn academic grades. Access to SWAYAM would be widened by linkage with DTH channels dedicated to education. advertisement Jaitley also promised reforms in the country's university watchdog UGC and greater administrative and academic autonomy to educational institutions subject to their performance. FOCUS ON SKILLS ACQUISITION About a 100 skill centres will be started around the country and more than 3 crore young people will benefit through a programme on skills acquisition called Sankalp at a cost of Rs. 4,000 crore. The minister set aside another Rs 2,200 crore on Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement. "It was heartening to hear finance minister Arun Jaitley lay emphasis on energising the youth of the country. This is indeed important and has to be done by creating an environment conducive to innovation and scientific thought process. The minister also offered to set up an Innovation Fund for secondary education for ensuring universal access, gender parity and quality improvement," said Professor Dheeraj Sanghi, dean of academics at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D). "But the national testing agency should not only manage large-scale tests, but should also have a wing for research on testing like ETS in the US." Also read: Union Budget 2017: 5 burning questions answered by experts Jaitley proposed to introduce a system of measuring annual learning outcomes in schools. Emphasis will be on science education and flexibility in curriculum to promote creativity through local, innovative content. The government also plans to create an innovative fund for secondary education for ensuring universal access, gender parity and quality improvement. This will include Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-enabled learning, transformation and the focus will be on 3,479 educationally backward blocks. Rakesh Sharma, ex-registrar of IIT-D and education secretary of Himachal Pradesh, said, "Regarding accessibility, it is very good that government has decided on 350 online courses; it will improve accessibility. For skill strengthening, the government has earmarked Rs 2,000 cr, which will lead to employability. The introduction of India International Centres across the country will open doors for the youth to seek jobs outside India." Also read: From Jaitley to poet-ly: Finance Minister's Budget presentations are always so shayarana PAVING WAY FOR FEE FIKES? Some experts, however, say the government may have paved the way for institutes to hike their fees, which will hit the students hard. advertisement "FM's talk about reforming the UGC and then providing financial autonomy is a way to convert well-established colleges into money-minting shops," said Abha Dev Habib, member of Delhi University's executive council. "In the name of financial autonomy, these colleges will be forced to generate own funds, primarily from students fees." Jaitley promised that the government will focus on the true potential of the youth. Manoj Varghese, senior communications consultant for the Delhi government's education department, said, "Good to know that around Rs 2,200 crore has been allocated for skill education and emphasis has been kept on quality and market relevance in vocational courses. This was the need of the hour. It will be good if this skill education is linked to our ITIs and polytechnics where actual training is being imparted." Also read: Union Budget 2017-18: List of things to cost more, less --- ENDS --- The European Southern Observatory released images of the stunning Cat's Paw Nebula and Lobster Nebula. It used the Very Large Telescope (VLT) Survey Telescope in Chile and the 256-megapixel camera to capture these spectacular phenomena. ESO stated that the Cat's Paw Nebula is one of the most active stellar nurseries in the night sky, nurturing thousands of young, hot stars whose visible light is unable to reach humans. It also stated that the Cat's Paw Nebula and the Lobster Nebula are made chiefly from hydrogen gas that is energized by the light of brilliant newborn stars. European Southern Observatory - NGC 6334 and NGC 6357, known as the Cats Paw and Lobster Nebula #Stunning #Space https://t.co/4HbhSKY30n pic.twitter.com/sxZHGBairz Jon TtRx (@JonTtRx) February 2, 2017 The British scientist John Herschel first discovered both nebulae on consecutive nights in June 1837 during his three-year expedition to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. They both belong to a family of nebulae called "emission nebulae," in which this name came from the faint infrared glow emitted by hydrogen atoms that were embedded within the cosmic clouds that shape the nebula, according to New Atlas. Its glow was described as youthful yet comprises huge stars that are around 10 times the mass of the Sun. The hydrogen atoms become energized and they glow because of the intense ultraviolet light. The astronomers used the OmegaCam that can observe across a wide wavelength range and covers a field of view the equivalent of 256 million pixels. This camera could take images 16 times bigger than those taken by the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Cat's Paw Nebula, with a code name "NGC 6334" also known as Bear Claw Nebula and Gum 64, is a type of an emission nebula. It is located in the constellation Scorpius. Meanwhile, the Lobster Nebula that has a code name "NGC 6357" is a type of diffuse nebula near the Cat's Paw Nebula. FLORENCE, S.C. HopeHealth was recently recognized as the first South Carolina community health center to be certified as an Advocacy Center of Excellence and the ninth center in the nation to achieve silver status. HopeHealth achieved ACE bronze status Dec. 21 and earned silver status certification Jan. 6. An Advocacy Center of Excellence, or ACE, is any health center that has achieved National Association of Community Health Centers measures of advocacy success and demonstrated ongoing commitment to advocacy by making advocacy an organizational priority. ACE certification is awarded at three status levels - Bronze, Silver, and Gold - and the designation is valid for two years. ACEs are not only actively engaged and involved with NACHC and federal policy issues, but also with their states primary care association and any key state-level policy issues impacting health centers and their patients. Staff advocates from HopeHealth will join the other 20 health centers that make up the South Carolina Primary Health Care Assocation at the South Carolina State House Feb. 14. There, they will ask state lawmakers to support the essential work of health centers. In March, HopeHealth leadership will travel to Capitol Hill with the National Association of Community Health Centers to advocate for Congress to provide that same support. The major areas of concern for community health centers are: The repeal of the Affordable Care Act without an acceptable replacement, possible cuts to Medicaid, a potential 70 percent funding cut, and changes to the 340B pharmacy program funding. Those wishing to express support for HopeHealth or other community health centers can sign up to become an advocate at saveourchcs.org. For more information, contact Tiffany Straus at tstraus@hope-health.org or call 843-245-2291. HopeHealth is one of 21 nonprofit, federally qualified health centers in South Carolina and provides quality and affordable health care services to individuals in Florence, Clarendon, and Williamsburg Counties. FLORENCE, S.C. -- A 55-year-old Florence man died overnight following a shooting incident Wednesday evening on Francis Marion Road. Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken identified the victim as Malcolm Kindred Kemmerlin. He died at a Florence area hospital following the incident, according to the coroner's office release. Kemmerlin's body has been sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for an autopsy. The Florence County Sheriff's Office responded to the shooting call at approximately 6:19 p.m. at 1446 Francis Marion Road, according to a release from Maj. Mike Nunn. The investigation into this incident is ongoing and more information will be released as it becomes available, Nunn said. Stay with the Morning News and SCNow.com for updates. Renuka Chaudhary, chairman of Parliament's Standing Committee of Environment and Forests, has told India Today that directions have been issued to the concerned authorities to take all steps to normalise the situation. By Supriya Bhardwaj: The Parliament's Standing Committee of Environment and Forests has taken suo moto cognisance of the oil spill in Tamil Nadu. The parliamentary body has also asked for a report from concerned authorities on what action has been taken on the matter. It has also issued directions to the state government as well as scientists to look into the matter and use various scientific methods to control this situation. advertisement The chairman of Parliament Standing Committee Renuka Chaudhary told India Today that directions had been issued to the concerned authorities that all steps should be taken to bring the situation to normalcy. "We cannot afford to look the other way. It poses a danger to life and ecology. We have given directions that various concerned authorities should be roped in and activated to deal with this crisis." Also read | Chennai beaches choked: Oil spill clean-up to take 2 more days The committee has also sought a report from Centre and the state government explaining what action has been taken. "We don't have the luxury to sit back and see marine ecology get damaged. We have pressed in people. We want Government of India to engage international scientists and experts to deal with a dangerous situation of this kind." She added that all parties have to come together and take collective action on this issue. Also read | Chennai oil spill: DMK hits out at lazy AIADMK government, raises issue in Parliament --- ENDS --- Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department Minister Jayakumar said that about 60 tonnes of sludge has been collected by volunteers from the affected coastal zone. By Pramod Madhav: Following the collision of two ships MT Dawn Kancheepuram and MT Maple, a disastrous amount of oil spilled into the sea. Initially, the Kamarajar Port officials declined of any such accidents but the accident couldn't be kept in the dark as the spilled heavy furnace oil landed on the seashore of Ennore and all up to Thiruvanmiyur beach polluting a coastal line of 24 km. advertisement Speaking on the issue, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department Minister Jayakumar said that about 60 tonnes of sludge has been collected by volunteers from the affected coastal zone. "Close to 1,500 volunteers were involved in this process. Thankfully the spill was not inside the sea and the boulder placed on the shoreline helped out in accumulating the oil," stated Jayakumar who also informed that 85 per cent of the operation is complete and the rest of 20 tonne sludge will be removed in the next two days. However, Jayakumar assured that the accident is not a major crisis as oil leak has only affected Ennore. When questioned if the ship companies be penalized for the polluting the environment, he explained that based on a collective report from many government organisations and taking under consideration on how the fishermen's livelihood has come under distress appropriate action would be taken. MINISTER'S CONTRADICTORY CLAIMS Jayakumar mentioned that a WhatsApp group which included 40 officers was created only for communicating on the issue and that the claims about men handling the dangerous oil without proper gear was false but shots from Ennore beach was contradictory to his statement. Upon inquiring about the deaths of 135 turtles most of them belonging to the endangered Olive Ridley species, he stated that no such report has emerged and that organisations which specialize in protecting the species are working round the clock as well. Jayakumar also rubbished the fishes becoming poisonous and requested the public to not believe in such rumours. Jayakumar was confident that with the full support of Tamil Nadu government, the situation has been contained. Also read: Chennai oil spill: DMK hits out at lazy AIADMK government, raises issue in Parliament Chennai: Cargo ships collision pollutes ecosystem near Ennore, Coast Guard swings into action --- ENDS --- Upper caste children in Madhya Pradesh reject midday meal cooked by dalit woman, and we thought caste system does not exist now. By India Today Web Desk: While us Indians have reached the moon, developed innovative techniques and made a worldwide name for us, some parts of our nation still believe in the not-so-existing caste system. The abolition of the caste system has been a belief that we all believe in but unfortunately it's not the reality and we all know it. The caste system has been conditioned so deeply into the minds of our people that no education seems to be eradicating it. advertisement In a shameful incident, which occurred in Madhya Pradesh's Tikamgarh, few children who belong to 'upper caste' denied eating the midday meal that was provided to them on the school premises, because the meal was prepared by 'Dalits'. Out of all, only 12 children ate the food because the woman who cooks for the school doesn't belong to the same caste as theirs. Also Read ||DM eats mid-day meal cooked by widow to prove she's not a bad omen|| The headmaster of the school feels that as the woman brings the food from home and doesn't prepare the meal within school premises, the children are feeling hesitant to eat the Midday Meal. But, this isn't the first time that children in schools have denied eating food made by Dalits. While some denied because of the caste, some sh because the woman was a widow. While we brag about an advanced nation, we really need to follow the motto, 'soch badlo, bharat badlega', and be better human beings than belonging to better castes. The deeply rooted 'casting' thoughts are a direct reflection of the parenting at the grassroot level of rural India and is a matter of great concern. --- ENDS --- Trump has described the call with the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, one of the United States' staunchest allies, as "the worst so far". The call had been scheduled to last an hour but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. By Reuters: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday that he had spoken candidly and frankly with US President Donald Trump, but would not confirm a Washington Post report that Trump had berated him over a refugee swap deal and cut the call short. The Post report said Trump had described the call with the leader of Australia, one of the United States' staunchest allies, as "the worst so far". It came less than a day after Washington had sewn confusion in Australia after saying it would apply "extreme vetting" as part of the resettlement deal. advertisement The deal was agreed late last year between Australia, which has fought alongside US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the administration of former President Barack Obama. As part of the deal, Washington agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Quoting unidentified senior US officials briefed on the conversation, the Post reported that Trump had told Turnbull he had spoken to four other world leaders on Saturday, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but said theirs "was the worst call by far". WORST DEAL EVER: TRUMP The call had been scheduled to last an hour but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. It also said Trump described the plan as "the worst deal ever" and accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers". Also read: Trump's ban on immigration: White House hints at including Pakistan in list Also read: How Donald Trump's new order on H1B visas will dent Indian IT sector Turnbull would not comment on the contents of the call other than to say he believed the resettlement deal remained in place. "These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them," he told reporters in Melbourne. The Washington Post report received almost blanket coverage in Australian media and was widely seen as embarrassing for Turnbull, whose conservative Liberal-National coalition has only a razor-thin majority after an inconclusive election last year. "Mr Turnbull needs to confirm or deny the accuracy of that report," Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Perth. Also read: JuD chief Hafiz Saeed detained: Is Pakistan on Donald Trump's radar? The resettlement deal was thrown into confusion after Trump signed an executive order last week that suspended the US refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Also read: What's in Donald Trump's order halting refugee program Also read: Green card holders impacted by Trump's anti-refugee order advertisement Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. The Washington Post also quoted the official read-out after Saturday's call, which emphasised "the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally'. It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. Also read: Indian-origin mom told to prove lactation at Frankfurt airport --- ENDS --- "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt seen by the AP. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it." A demonstrator puts a banner with an image depicting U.S. President-elect Donald Trump as he takes part in a protest against Trump, outside the U.S. embassy in Mexico City, Mexico November 14, 2016. (REUTERS: Henry Romero) By AP: President Donald Trump threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send US troops to stop "bad hombres down there" unless the Mexican military does more to control them itself, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press. The excerpt of the call did not make clear who exactly Trump considered "bad hombres," - drug cartels, immigrants, or both - or the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's response. advertisement Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. Trump's remark suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. Also read: Apple, Google, Facebook and others to jointly draft a letter protesting Trump's Muslim ban The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trump's determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. BUNCH OF BAD HOMBRES "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt seen by the AP. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it." A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided an excerpt to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. A Mexican reporter's similar account of Trump's comments was published on a Mexican website Tuesday. The reports described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontation conversation. Also read: Donald Trump's spokesman leaves India's UNSC bid hanging Mexico's foreign relations department denied that account, saying it "is based on absolute falsehoods." "The assertions that you make about said conversation do not correspond to the reality of it," the statement said. "The tone was constructive and it was agreed by the presidents to continue working and that the teams will continue to meet frequently to construct an agreement that is positive for Mexico and for the United States." Trump has used the phrase "bad hombres" before. In an October presidential debate, he vowed to get rid the U.S. of "drug lords" and "bad people." TRUMP DENIGRATING IMMIGRANTS "We have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out," he said. The phrase ricocheted on social media with Trump opponents saying he was denigrating immigrants. advertisement Trump's comment was in line with the new administration's bullish stance on foreign policy matters in general, and the president's willingness to break long-standing norms around the globe. Also read: 'Donald Trump won't tolerate China, Pak's double standards towards India' Before his inauguration, Trump spoke to the president of Taiwan, breaking long-standing US policy and irritating China. His temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, aimed at reviewing screening procedures to lessen the threat of extremist attacks, has caused consternation around the world. But nothing has created the level of bickering as the border wall, a centerpiece of his campaign. Mexico has consistently said it would not pay for the wall and opposes it. Before the phone call, Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the United States. 20 PER CENT TAX ON IMPORTS The fresh fight with Mexico last week arose over trade as the White House proposed a 20 per cent tax on imports from the key US ally to finance the wall after Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped his Jan. 31 trip to Washington. The US and Mexico conduct some $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to major environmental issues. advertisement Also read: IT stocks tumble 9 per cent on concerns over Donald Trump's new H1-B visa order Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner - a real estate executive with no foreign policy experience - with managing the ongoing dispute, according to an administration official with knowledge of the call.At a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May last week, Trump described his call with Pena Nieto as "friendly." In a statement, the White House said the two leaders acknowledged their "clear and very public differences" and agreed to work through the immigration disagreement as part of broader discussions on the relationship between their countries. --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Congress today said the Economic Survey reflects the "sorry state" of Indian economy and the government is unable to find short or long-term solutions to the problems faced by it. "Indian economy is in doldrums and a downwards trajectory on account of massive mismanagement and misdirected experimentation of Modi government," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. advertisement In a statement, he said the Modi government is clearly unable to inspire confidence in the private sector to borrow, invest, expand and grow. "Lack of financial acumen and understanding of Indian economys strength and fault lines by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team have led to the sorry state reflected in Economic Survey of falling exports, vanishing jobs, reduction in credit growth, depleting capital formation and massive downslide in demands and corporate sales. "Clearly, the Economic Survey proves that Modi government is clueless in finding a short or long term solution to these yawning problems faced by Indias economy," he said. Surjewala said the downward spiral predicted for the economy stands vindicated by the BJP governments Economic Survey released by the Chief Economic Adviser today. "Demonetisation has crushed Indias economy wiping away the huge domestic demand and capacity of the common man to purchase and consume," he said. The Congress leader said the Economic Survey has lowered GDP growth forecasts to 6.75 per cent by admitting that there may be a further downside due to demonetisation. "The monumental blunder of demonetisation has struck a decisive blow on Indias growth prospects, causing a massive loss to the economy of at least Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the interim, which is what a 1 per cent reduction in annual growth is worth. "The human cost, in terms of lost income, livelihoods and opportunities is much higher. Is PM Modi not responsible for this devastating loss of lives, income and GDP?" he asked. Surjewala said the Economic Survey seeks to submit an apology by speculating on the "possible benefits" of demonetisation and exposes the "falsehood" that it omits demonetisation from the list of Modi governments successes. "Just like when demonetisation was proved a human and economic disaster, Prime Minister Modi shifted the goalpost to a cashless economy; the Economic Survey preposterously states that the aim of demonetisation was to lower real estate prices!," he said. advertisement The Congress spokesman also raised the issue of Economic Survey making a renewed case for RBI transferring Rs 4 lakh crore to the government. "It suggests that this be used either to address NPAs and stressed assets or to retire a portion of the national debt. This shows how the government continues to be a suit-boot Sarkar as it tries to salvage the NPAs of its corporate cronies using public money. This is the real intent of PM Modi which stands exposed," he said. Surjewala alleged that "this is not the supposed windfall that was expected from the RBI after demonetisation but one, which did not materialise. This is the RBIs capital, which it deploys to stabilise the rupee as also our economy". PTI SKC ZMN --- ENDS --- TELoIP Tells All in Advance of ITEXPO By Maurice Nagle , Web Editor Theres no question development in software-defined solutions is leading networking into the next generation. Increased bandwidth and performance demands are urging enterprises toward network makeovers, many are leveraging SD-WAN and its sibling solutions to overcome these challenges in todays SaaS-tastic world. A preeminent provider of SD-WAN and SD-Internet solutions, TELoIP, will join the mass of industry leaders at next weeks ITEXPO. And, leading up to the event, TELoIP Chief Marketing Officer Kevin Suitor spent some time with TMC (News - Alert) to talk a bit about the year that was, what we can expect in Fort Lauderdale from the SD solution provider and 2017. Suitors complete interview is below. TMC: How have technology changes over the past 12 months helped businesses grow? KS: The move to software defined and software controlled networks is the largest market shift in 20 years. The Internet really moved to general use in 1991 and MPLS became the defacto standard and backbone beginning in 1996. For the past 20 years there has really been no other backbone network in use by service providers or enterprises. IDC (News - Alert) issued an SD-WAN market estimate last year calling for a $6B market by 2020 with a 90% CAGR. For Communications Service Providers and Resellers it is interesting to note that the two fastest growing sub-segments are Communication Service Provider Managed SD-WAN Services and Cloud Managed SD-WAN Services. The SDN (Software Defined Networking) market is being driven by two mega trends Public Cloud and IOT. Forrester (News - Alert) currently projects the public cloud market to grow to $236 billion in 2020, so the limitations of the traditional WAN model will become increasingly evident as this trend toward the public cloud continues to accelerate. The recently increased projections of the 2020 public cloud market reflects faster-than-expected growth, especially for cloud platform revenues, whose 2020 total of $64 billion will be 45% higher than Forrester projected as recently as two years ago. The much larger cloud application market will also grow faster, with the current 2020 projection of $155 billion being 17% higher than the 2014 projection. As a result, many companies are facing a new cloud-based reality where public cloud usage has surpassed internal WAN traffic. This means their network must effectively address both WAN and Internet and MPLS is not a suitable technology for the new reality. The important thing to recognize is that not all SDN solutions are created equal. Any SDN solution that does not address your growing public cloud requirements will be likely outdated before its even fully deployed. The second major mega trend is IOT or Internet of Things. This is significant because the market will move from millions of end-points to billions of end-points. Last years DDoS attack that shut down major portions of the Internet in October due to hackers using off the shelf botnets as the primary source of malicious attack. Unlike other botnet attacks, which are typically target computers, this one targeted internet of things (IoT) devices such as digital cameras and DVR players. SDN has the potential to solve two key IOT challenges: Providing a network that can support a large number of IOT devices connecting to cloud services and ensuring that IOT devices are placed into a safe, secure, protected route domain and ring-fenced from the Internet at large. This is important because of the sheer volume of devices that are projected to attach to networks over the coming years. BI Intelligence projects that there will be 34 billion devices connected to the internet by 2020, up from 10 billion in 2015. IDC is slightly more conservative theyre projecting growth to 25 billion attached devices. Between them IDC & BI Intelligence project IOT revenues to be between $4 and $6T by 2020. TMC: What does the term Collaboration mean to your business? KS: Most Enterprise Businesses today operate in the Cloud. Enterprises have already started to move their critical applications to the cloud. Every customer we talk to has some part of their business running in the cloud. The question usually comes down to What percentage of your business is running in the cloud? They most likely started with CRM (like Salesforce), then email and are now in the process of moving other business-related applications like voice and video (Skype for Business) or productivity and collaboration tools (like Office 365 or Google (News - Alert) Apps). But the fact is their critical applications, the ones that their business relies on are already in the cloud and there will be more to come. TMC: Are you using messaging technologies to communicate with your customers? How, or why not? KS: We are using a variety of messaging technologies. We recently added a tool to our web site called Drift messaging. With Drift web site visitors connect in real time with our sales and support team to get their questions answered in real time. The Drift tool is connected to Slack and SalesForce providing our team with an integrated manner of passing information and requests around the company in a seamless manner for web site visitors. In the near future we expect to leverage Drifts internal AI engine DriftBot to link to our knowledgebase and even more quickly answer visitors questions. TMC: Are you leveraging big data/analytics to operate more efficiently? KS: Our TELoIP Portal is built upon a big data engine. This engine inputs all the primitives from the thousands of TELoIP end-points and core devices and via custom queries we present that data in dashboards, reports and alerts to our partner and end user community. TMC: How can artificial intelligence best be used in business applications? KS: I think the DriftBot example above is a good use case for AI in business; I see some interesting possibilities for solutions like Amazons Alexa that combine AI with automation to simplify repetitive tasks or perhaps to reduce or eliminate keystrokes that could cause errors. Its early days but this is a promising area for application and solution development. TMC: Content marketing has become a hot topic recently. Have you defined a content marketing strategy and how has it helped you build your business? KS: We do have a content marketing strategy. At TELoIP we work to create 6 8 new pieces of relevant content per month. These range from short or long form videos, to infographics to blog posts describing how our technology works and how end users can benefit from deploying our technology. We augment this with several live events per month usually featuring our founder and CTO where customers and partners can receive unfiltered answers to their questions. TMC: How have the growing number of high-visibility security breaches impacted your outlook on security? Which breach is of greatest concern? KS: Last years major DDoS attack that shut down major portions of the Internet in October due to hackers using the Mirani botnet as the primary source of malicious attack. Unlike other botnets, which are typically made up of computers, the Mirai botnet is largely made up of internet of things (IoT) devices such as digital cameras and DVR players. SDN has the potential to solve many key IOT security challenges. We believe that SD-WAN with an embedded Software Defined Perimeter (SDP) security solution will become the obvious choice for most network architects. TELoIP is investing in developing cloud managed firewall capability and a comprehensive SDP solution to lock down and segment networks and prevent reoccurrence of IOT device related DDoS attacks similar to last Octobers. TMC: To what extent are you leveraging APIs to enhance business opportunities? KS: Our entire product is based upon APIs. As we move forward in time, these will be exposed to business partners to deepen our relationships. TMC: What percentage of your workforce would you consider mobile? What technology decisions have you made as a result of your mobile workforce, to ensure they have the tools they need to remain productive? KS: In todays world we need to consider that 100% of our workforce is mobile. Therefore, we take advantage of cloud based technologies when and wherever possible to ensure that developers and operations can collaborate on problems 7x24 from wherever they work, live or play. TMC: How are you handling shadow IT in your business? KS: The rise in personal apps and Shadow IT is causing a struggle for resources on the typical enterprise network and prevents IT Teams from ensuring full quality of experience for critical applications. Theres only so much bandwidth and resources available. For example, if a group of users decides to start streaming a sporting event or other type of rich media during work hours this will consume a lot of bandwidth resources and ultimately impact critical applications like VoIP. If someone needs to make a critical call during this time, you wont have enough bandwidth to ensure the call runs smoothly or even happens! TELoIPs SD-WAN solution provides a policy based approach to manage and mitigate the impact of unsanctioned applications on the enterprise and SMB network. TMC: How has the growth in the managed services market impacted your business? KS: Our primary channel partners are communications service providers and managed service providers who leverage the TELoIP Cloud to deliver SD-WAN services to their customer community virtually instantly. Therefore, as the community of CSPs/MSPs grow the number of potential partners for TELoIP grows. TMC: What emerging technology has the potential to have a disruptive impact on businesses in the coming years? KS: The Problem Business Is Moving to Cloud Network traffic patterns are changing. As recently as 5 years ago, 90% of traffic stayed within the corporate WAN. Access to the Internet was gated through corporate firewalls at key data centers and typically they handled a relatively small percentage of the overall traffic load. The traffic tromboning effect that creates delay and latency variation did not create the impact on the average user when they were performing research tasks or recreational browsing that is seen today the minute enterprises convert to using Office365 in the cloud. Today, everything is upside down. Internet traffic represents 70% or more of the overall network traffic and the traditional branch to data center corporate traffic represents 30%. Its not that the traditional traffic load has reduced, in many cases its grown as well albeit at a slower pace, it is that the tsunami of Internet bound traffic has swamped the MPLS backbone. As a result, many public cloud application providers are advocating for direct internet access from each remote site. While this solves the cloud application performance problem, it creates a security nightmare. Corporate finance has tightened the noose on IT in an attempt to curtail what is perceived as runaway spending and the network is seen as a primary source of savings since it is the last remaining element of IT to be converted to software and virtualized. It is expected that moving to software defined networks will enable organizations to meet the rampant need for bandwidth while curtailing costs and holding the line on overall budgets. This move to direct internet access has driven the emergence of hybrid WANs with a mix of MPLS and broadband services to support the cloud. This has created a more complex network environment as teams deal with the emerging threats posed by the expanded security environment as the corporate WAN moves from a handful of entry and exit points to hundreds if not thousands of points that need security controls enforced. The emergence of unified communications and collaboration suites such as Skype for Business has created an absolute requirement for a network which can provide a low latency, low jitter environment suitable for voice and video sessions. In summary, todays rigid MPLS network is too costly for todays network needs and moving to hybrid network designs with a large number of exposure points will create unwarranted stress on IT teams that are budget and resource constrained. Today, IT teams hate their WANs and the SD-WAN ROI is really compelling. This leads to the promise of SD-WAN. What if, SD-WAN packets took the best path every time? A dynamic, resilient network is possible utilizing an SD-WAN architecture. What if, your business-critical apps ran better? With simple access using a commercial internet connections, enterprises can rely on a fast, secure network without having to build out heavy infrastructure. Enterprises can add branch offices or move locations as they please, with agility versus legacy-based MPLS rigid management & infrastructure. SD-WAN layered with WAN optimization ensures that every employee has consistent and seamless access to the enterprises business-critical applications. End users can access apps behind the firewall or SaaS apps in the cloud as if they're working where the applications reside. What if, SD-WAN made the transition to the cloud simple, cost-effective, and fast? Legacy MPLS typically relies on incumbent global providers to connect branch offices, and when MPLS designs use multiple providers, they cannot inherently provide full transparency. With SD-WAN, every SaaS app becomes faster and more consistent over the Internet. Enterprises can build WANs using broadband connecting users directly to apps. By empowering customers to use broadband connections to augment or replace their current MPLS networks, SD-WAN improves customer responsiveness, increases cloud application performance, significantly reduces capital expense, and reduces operational expenses. SD-WAN provides a single, cohesive, agile centrally managed network, enabling end-to-end, real-time transparency. IT teams get a full view into network and application performance, supporting the business's execution objectives. What if every connection was encrypted and secure? Protect sensitive data from being stolen and make your applications faster. With MPLS services, inherent protection is provided, but no such assurances are available for the public Cloud when using broadband Internet. Any enterprise data moving to and from cloud services should be encrypted. What if you could have a dead-simple install? What if your project lead time went from three to six months' obtaining a new MPLS link, to ordering a new commercial internet service from your local cable co. or broadband provider, having that installed in less than a week, and then having an site install that takes minutes versus days. SD-WAN makes that promise a reality. All of the above, is possible. Lets look at a real customer case for a moment. A financial services customer wanted to reduce their WAN cost and simplify the complexity of their network. Their current environment had legacy branch routing technology and firewall technology from a variety of vendors, an MPLS backbone, and they had a desire to use broadband Internet as the WAN in place of MPLS. They also suffered from several low-quality links that connected various branch offices and the core network. The solution was to use TELoIPs SD-WAN technology at each branch location, use the SDN Overlays generated as the MPLS backbone replacement. This resulted in a secure network with 10 times the performance, at 70% of the cost, simple to manage, and fast to install. This is truly disruptive. TMC: What is your session at ITEXPO (News - Alert) about and who should plan on attending? Why should this be a must-attend session for the week? KS: I am participating in two sessions in the 5G Summit. The first is The 5G Trios: Small Cells on Wednesday morning at 9:00am. In this session Ill address six key topics: What is a small cell; I will review a small cell taxonomy; look at key use cases; breakout what the backhaul problems are and examine small cell viability and outlook. The second session is also part of the 5G Summit; it is titled In the End Its SDN. This one hour session will focus on software defined networking technologies as a key enabler for 5G. I will look at the technologies involved; what mega-trends are driving the need for SDN with a wireless network; the key 5G use cases and the impact of these use cases on architecture and design. Well also evaluate the requirements and service attributes demanded by this use cases and conclude by looking at the integrated 5G RAN / SDN backbone model and outlook. TMC: What are you most looking forward to at ITEXPO 2017? KS: I am looking forward to meeting potential partners and end users. If you want to meet onsite during the conference DM me at @kevinsuitor ITEXPO is an industry must for those in communications and networking, as it brings together the creme de la creme of industry thought leadership, and enthusiastically enters the next generation of solutions. Tickets are still available who doesnt want to be in sunny South Florida in the middle of February? Edited by Stefania Viscusi This is the prognosis of Cruise Northern Norway & Svalbard cruise association representing a dozen ports and tourism representatives from the region, many of whom will be represented at Seatrade Cruise Global in Fort Lauderdale March 13-16, 2017. 'Our two largest cruise ports, North Cape and Troms, will receive approximately 100 calls each in 2017 with up to 120,000 arriving passengers,' notes CNNS' md Erik Joachimsen. In total 416,000 passengers on 359 ships are expected to visit the region in 2017 which represents a 16% increase year-on-year. There is also positive developments at the smaller ports with most expected to experience a significant increase, Joachimsen added. 'This will also provide extra motivation for these destinations to develop new offers for the cruise lines and passengers,' he commented. Winter cruise business to Norway's far north has also picked up. For the first time, a German cruise line, AIDA, is offering cruises to Northern Norway in February and March. AIDAcara will sail sail four itineraries in 2017, calling at Vesteralen (Port of Sortland), Troms and Alta. UK operators which have pioneered cruising to North Norway in the winter months are returning again. Saga Cruises, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Fred Olsen and P&O Cruises are all operating winter cruises in Northern Norway in 2017. As well as hunting for the Northern Lights, there are many exciting activities and cultural experiences at all the destinations, notes Joachimsen. CNNS is arranging winter fam trips to selected cruise ports in Northern Norway and Svalbard for several cruise line executives in February and the month after. The groups maritime container terminal business recorded an overall handling volume of 6,368,000 teu in 2016, an increase of 109,000 teu from 6,277,000 teu seen in 2015, and welcomed 6,888 vessel calls, up 4% year-on-year. Contships intermodal business also reported a 9.7% year-on-year rise in transported volumes to 271,000 teu in 2016 from 247,000 teu in 2015. The container shipping business continues to face instability, competition, with shipping line re-organising their networks, said Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, president of Contship. The groups Medcenter Container Terminal in Gioia Tauro, which moved the biggest volume at approximately 2.8m teu in 2016 compared to 2.55m teu in 2015, has implemented cost-reduction measures that contributed to slight increase in volumes at a time when the container shipping sector is down. Contship said rationalisation and cost-saving initiatives are further required in 2017 to consolidate the trend towards recovery and ensure the medium to long term financial strength of the company. The group pointed out that the Medcenter Container Terminal recently welcomed the largest containership (20,000 teu) to call at an Italian port, demonstrating the terminals ability to adapt quickly to market demand and providing reliable stevedoring services. Syed Ali Shah Geelani complained of uneasiness and chest pain and was admitted to Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital (Srinagar) for treatment. By Press Trust of India, Shuja-ul-Haq : Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in Srinagar after he complained of chest pain. The family said that at around 11:45 pm Geelani complained of massive chest pain. The 87-year-old complained of uneasiness and was admitted to Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Hospital for treatment. advertisement At around 2:45 am, in police custody, Geelani was shifted where several tests including ECGs were repeatedly conducted. Also read: Kashmir unrest: Parents protest against shutdown; say Hurriyat, Geelani spoiling future of kids Doctors at the hospital said Geelani has been admitted to the ICU and his condition is stable now. He is being constantly observed by specialist. The separatist leader stayed back in Kashmir this season and did not follow his annual practice of shifting to Delhi during winter to escape the cold-related health complications. A spokesperson of Hurriyat has said that Geelani has requested people to pray for his speedy recovery. Also read: Kashmir unrest: Hurriyat's customised protest has an exception; Geelani grand-daughter's school not closed (With inputs from: PTI) --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Guwahati, Feb 1 (PTI) Describing it as a balanced and good Budget for the Northeast region, the CII Northeast Council today welcomed the Union Budget 2017-18 as "a good Budget with focus on poor, agriculture, growth, SME and integrity". In the Northeast, most of the industries are MSME in nature and increase in the disbursement of loan under the Mudra Scheme to Rs 2.44 lakh crore will give a much-needed impetus to the SMEs of the region, CII Northeast Council Chairman Sandipan Chakravortty said in a statement here. advertisement Abhijit Barooah, Co Chairman, CII North East Council said, "CII believes that the Budget is going to benefit the Northeast tremendously as the region has primarily an agriculture and rural-based economy and the government has given ample emphasis for the development of these two sectors." Transport is another sector where the government has put focus on and this will give major fillip to the ongoing as well as the planned projects in the transport sector in the region, Barooah said. He further added that the success of the Budget proposals would depend immensely on the execution of the schemes by the state government, banks and other organizations, especially in the rural sector. S K Barua, Chairman CII Assam State Council, said the Budget is likely to promote growth and the alocation of Rs 3.96 lakh crore in infrastructure woold increase growth, particularly in roads and railways with a major chunk of these expected to come in Northeast. Stating a 5 per cent reduction in taxation in MSME/ small industries is positive for the Northeast, Barus said reduction in personal taxation from 10 per cent to 5 per cent in the income slab of Rs 2.5 to Rs 5 lakh is also very positive, particularly for the salaried society in the Government sector and other middle class households. PTI ESB MM JM PS --- ENDS --- "On the north wall of the entrance doorway, we found a scene showing the solar boat of the god Ra-Atum being worshiped by four baboons showing the pose of adoration," Kondo said. Various scenes in the chamber depict Khonsu, his wife, the gods Osiris and Isis, and the ram-headed deities which are thought to be Khnum or Khnum-Re. One detailed painting, however, is perhaps most telling about Khonsu and his likely muse. "The tomb is beautifully decorated and probably dates to the Ramesside period," he said, referring to the span from 1292 to 1069 B.C. "The owner of the tomb is Khonsu, who has the title of 'the royal scribe.'" The ancient Egyptian's name is clearly written in hieroglyphics in the tomb. "While cleaning the area above the 'rump' to the forecourt, we found a hole," Kondo told Seeker. After entering the hole, he and his team were stunned by what they found: a previously unknown separate chamber. For Jiro Kondo and his team from Waseda University, it began as just another day of excavating at Luxor, an Egyptian city famous for its temples and other ancient monuments. The researchers were taking care of mundane tasks at an area to the east of the forecourt of the known tomb of Userhat, who was a royal scribe. Ra-Atum was a central ancient Egyptian deity, a sun god through which everything else was created. As for the baboons, they are also sometimes depicted as gods, but are linked to Ra-Atum and were believed to be the spiritual muses of scribes, directing their writing. Baboons vocalize loudly when the sun rises. They also like to warm themselves in the morning sun, perhaps explaining their mythical connection to Ra-Atum. One may wonder, though, why baboons were depicted at all, since they are not native to Egypt. Historians suspect that the primates were brought to Egypt from Nubia, which was a region that then encompassed part of Sudan. Based on this latest tomb find, and other ancient Egyptian depictions of baboons, these animals were popular in Egypt and many other parts of Africa. The world's first known baboon, discovered at a site called Malapa in South Africa, even hails from a region that's often referred to as the Cradle of Humankind. RELATED: Why Male Baboons Kill Babies of Their Own Kind "Baboons are known to have co-existed with [early humans] at several fossil sites in East Africa and South Africa, and they're sometimes used as comparative models in human evolution," said Christopher Gilbert of Hunter College, CUNY, who analyzed the first known baboon. By the time baboons were brought to ancient Egypt, they were kept as beloved pets by some, who might train them to pick figs and probably also benefitted from their morning calls, which could have served as a natural alarm clock. The word "baboon" may derive from the Egyptian god Baba, who was worshiped in predynastic times. Baboons were associated with wisdom, science and measurement - all useful skills for a royal scribe. Future excavations will help to determine if still more scribes will be found entombed at the site in Luxor. More treasures at this newly found tomb of Khonsu await too, as Kondo and his team work to access its inner chamber. Photo: Hall of the Tomb of Khonsu at Luxor, Egypt. Credit: Jiro Kondo, Waseda University WATCH: Who Is the Mystery Mummy Buried In King Tut's Tomb? A robotic spacecraft launched in September to return samples from an asteroid will spend about 10 days this month on a side job hunting for asteroids that may be accompanying Earth as it orbits the sun. So far, scientists know of only one so-called Earth Trojan asteroid, which was discovered in 2010 by NASA's infrared WISE telescope. The 1,000-foot object, known as 2010 TK-7, orbits roughly 60 degrees ahead of Earth. Osiris-Rex will pick up the hunt on Feb. 9, searching 60 degrees ahead and 60 degrees behind Earth's present position. These regions, known as Lagrange points, are among several locations where the gravitational tug-of-war between Earth and the sun balances out, making for potentially stable orbits for asteroids or other objects. NASA, for example, plans to position the James Webb Space Telescope, its follow-on to Hubble, at a Lagrange point about 1 million miles from Earth. Jupiter has a large group of Trojans in tow, bodies that scientists say are key to understanding how the solar system formed. Could similar primordial asteroids be circling Earth? RELATED: NASA's Bold Asteroid Sampling Mission Launches "That would be the most fascinating thing we could discover," Osiris-Rex lead scientist Dante Lauretta, with the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory told a NASA science advisory group last month. Compelling as the science may be, Lauretta authorized the moonlighting job because it provides an excellent dress rehearsal for some key sleuthing Osiris-Rex will do to help ensure its safe arrival at the asteroid Bennu in 2018. Astronomers don't know if Bennu has any small moons in orbit. Ground-based telescopes can only spot objects larger than about 65 feet. "That's a substantial object and we'd obviously want to know that it's there and plan our operations accordingly," Lauretta said. Osiris-Rex is due to put itself into orbit around Bennu for a two-year study and sampling mission. For target practice, as Osiris-Rex hunts for Earth Trojans it will attempt to locate several known objects in the main asteroid belt. "It's a great opportunity to exercise the operations system," Lauretta said. Osiris-Rex's detective gig will run from Feb. 9 through Feb. 20, with two days off due to spacecraft thermal issues. WATCH VIDEO: Does the Earth Have a Second Moon? A new population of Dryas monkeys has been spotted in camera-trap footage in Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The video is causing a stir because the small primates are critically endangered and were only known to exist at a tiny site far from the park. The footage - the first to capture the new population - was shot by researchers from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and shows the creatures making a living just inside the park's borders. The species was previously thought only to occupy a small area north of Salonga National Park, hundreds of miles west of the Lomami site. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) "red list" of threatened species currently lists the Dryas as critically endangered. According to the organization, there may be as few as 200 of the colorful, domestic-cat-sized creatures left. Hunting is believed to be the reason behind their near disappearance. The footage came at a high cost in preparation for the FAU team, which collaborated with the Lukuru Foundation and spent a semester's-worth of time getting camera traps in place on the ground, at mid-height and at the upper reaches of the park's rainforest. "It was an incredible experience to work in the canopy of such a remote site, and to get the first camera-trap videos of an extremely rare and elusive species," said Daniel Alempijevic, the FAU master's candidate who set the cameras, in a statement. Alempijevic had to become a quick study in the art of climbing to the treetops of the remote site. The cameras also caught bonobos, African palm civets, and pottos going about their lives in the park, but the Dryas monkeys were the stars of the show and, given their nature, made for an exciting find for the team. The move reflects the company's widening interests. Since its founding in 2003, it has branched out from a focus on manufacturing electric cars and components to producing solar energy technologies and renewable energy storage systems. Tesla Motors announced Tuesday morning that it had changed its name to Tesla Inc., according to a company filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company merged with SolarCity in November - a deal, valued at $2 billion, which could boost community- and utility-scale renewable energy projects from Brooklyn, New York to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. A month prior to the merger, Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk unveiled a collaboration with Solar City that would offer consumers an integrated solar roof, energy storage and charging system for Tesla's fleet of electric vehicles. Tesla is also helping California with its acute energy-demand needs. Following the massive Aliso Canyon natural gas leak in 2015, state regulators predicted energy shortages. The state greenlighted the installation of nearly 400 Tesla battery packs which could store wind and solar generation at peak times of the day and provide power to roughly 15,000 homes for four hours per day. RELATED: Renewables Will Create Nearly 30% of Earth's Power by 2021 One of the big hurdles for a more widespread deployment of renewable energy technologies is how to store the energy they generate when the wind doesn't blow and the sun isn't shining, which are often the times when energy demand is highest. Tesla's Powerpack and Powerwall lithium-ion battery systems have excited industry-watchers because of their improved efficiency, scalability and affordability. But Tesla still produces a lot of cars, manufacturing about 50,000 vehicles in 2016. It reported revenues in 2015 of roughly $4 billion and profits of $900 million. The company did not respond to a request for comment on its name change. WATCH: Will Your Hydrogen Car Explode? The Environmental Protection Agency's website has begun to transform under the Trump administration. A group of researchers have found what are likely the first steps in a major overhaul of a site that's been closely watched since President Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. Federal climate plans created under former President Obama, tribal assistance programs, and references to international cooperation have been stricken from the site. A mention of carbon pollution as a cause of climate change has also been removed and adaptation has been emphasized, indicating an attempt to separate the cause of climate change from the response. Some of the changes - like removing mentions to programs and task forces that have run their course as well as broken links - are housekeeping, according to an agency statement. Putting the web page changes together with Trump's statements dismissing climate change gives a clearer picture of his vision of "America First." It likely signals that the U.S. will be stepping back from addressing global climate change. And by removing the information, it could give Trump and Scott Pruitt, his nominee to head the EPA, more leeway to decimate funding for programs they see as incompatible with "America First." "If the public is unaware of partnerships depending on the EPA, it may be easier to shrink the EPA without raising as much concern," said Gretchen Gehrke, a data expert at Public Lab and a member of the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative (EDGI). RELATED: Trump's EPA Nominee Rejects Scientific Consensus on Climate Change The changes were shared exclusively with Climate Central by EDGI, a group of scientists tracking federal websites and data. They first noticed the changes on Jan. 22 on a page formerly called "Federal Partner Collaboration," but now dubbed "EPA Adaptation Collaboration." Researchers spotted further changes on Jan. 26 to climate and water and international cooperation pages. All the pages are subpages of the EPA's climate change page. Obama's legacy is being wiped away. One common theme running through the alterations is removing references to Obama-era projects such as the Climate Action Plan and other federal roadmaps to address climate change. The international partnership page also lost a paragraph affirming the U.S. commitment to the United Nations climate negotiations. "They're mostly scrubbing it of anything that has a hint of Obama," said Gretchen Goldman, the research director for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "The United Nations stuff being removed is also maybe not surprising but definitely not positive." Trump campaigned on a promise to revoke much of Obama's legacy, including on climate change. He's made good on that promise at the EPA by nominating Pruitt to head the agency. Pruitt dogged the EPA with lawsuits as Oklahoma's attorney general and has generally sided with oil and gas interests against environmental protections. Erasing mentions of Obama's executive orders is another move, albeit one that's a fairly common practice when the presidency changes hands. "I am actually surprised to say that none of this strikes me as particularly egregious, but perhaps that is because my expectations are so low," said Jessica Wentz, a fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. An EPA spokesperson said that all the changes were routine and in line with agency guidelines. Mentions of local commitments and partnerships have been scaled back. The EPA could also be heading toward a pull back from supporting U.S. communities, including some of the poorest in the country. The updated partners page has removed mentions of the Tribal Environmental General Assistance Program. That program provided $65.5 million to tribes across the U.S. in 2016 to help increase their ability to prepare for and adapt to climate and other environmental changes. The program requested $96.4 million in the 2017 budget to expand its scope of work. While the program still has a standalone web page as well as pages on regional EPA office websites, its disappearance from the partnerships page raises some warning flags about the future of the program. "I am very concerned about tribal rights under the new administration, and would keenly watch information regarding federal-tribal partnerships," Gehrke said. The new web page also includes language that "some" state, local and tribal activities are supported by the EPA, further opening the door to cut back funding and partnership activities. RELATED: Trump Picks Strident Foe of EPA to Lead the EPA "That combined with what they've already said about scrutinizing grants and contracts doesn't look good," Goldman said. "It sends a signal to EPA partners to be on high alert." International commitments could be in jeopardy. The EPA site is also missing mentions of the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That includes a paragraph on the EPA's international partnerships page stating that the U.S. is committed to the international community through the United Nations climate talks. The changes follows a pattern seen on the State Department's website. After the inauguration, a handful of pages on the U.S. commitment to international climate talks and funds were removed. Trump has pledged to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and he has taken a transactional view of international relations. That could lead to reduced funding for climate efforts in developing countries in particular. Recently leaked documents published by BuzzFeed News show newly minted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is even less committed to the Paris Agreement than his on-camera testimony would bely, further underscoring the possibility of the U.S. stepping back from a burgeoning leadership role on climate. Climate change is being disassociated from carbon pollution. In the process of removing a mention of Obama's Climate Action Plan, the partnerships page also no longer mentions carbon pollution as a cause of climate change. Removing the commitment to the United Nations process also came with removing a statement linking greenhouse gas emissions to climate change. Coupled with new language framing climate change as an adaptation issue, the early changes show that the EPA could continue its climate work but with less of a focus on reining in the underlying cause of climate change. That's underscored by a report from InsideEPA, an online news service that monitors the agency, showing that the Trump administration could soon start to remove what it's deemed as "propaganda" from the EPA site. Given Pruitt's dim views on the link between climate change and carbon pollution, it's likely that those references will be in jeopardy. "Highlighting adaptation is good for us in terms of food security, and even national security, but not coupled with a de-emphasis on our responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and do everything we can to mitigate the potential change," Gehrke said. Gehrke and her group will continue to monitor the EPA website as well as other federal climate sites. She said that EDGI monitors around 25,000 web pages across the government using proprietary software that allows them to track changes to the language and code. As more political appointees start their terms at the EPA and other agencies, there will likely be a lot more to monitor for clues about what comes next for climate policy. More From Climate Central: This article originally appeared on Climate Central, all rights reserved. Press Release February 2, 2017 IT'S THE GOV'T'S CALL WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLATION OF RP'S IMMIGRATION LAWS - GORDON Senator Richard J. Gordon on Tuesday stressed that the Philippine government has the final decision on issues involving the country's sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction, adding that foreign embassies can, under international diplomatic practice, lobby and request - both verbally and in writing - action on issues of concern to the countries or nationals they represent. Gordon issued the statement during the second hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations or the Blue Ribbon Committee on the alleged bribery by top Chinese casino mogul Jack Lam of some key officials of the Bureau of Immigration following the arrest of over 1,300 alleged illegal Chinese nationals at the Fontana Leisure Park and Casino in Clark Field, Pampanga. He reminded Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, "As far as I'm concerned, when our immigration laws are violated, that is your call, not the call of any embassy. That must be clear." This was prompted by reports that the Chinese Embassy had been breathing down immigration officials' necks for the release of the said Chinese nationals. Gordon noted that while it was understandable for an embassy to try to protect their citizens, for which the ambassador should be commended, the country's officials should not allow themselves to be cowed when the country's sovereignty is infringed through violation of its laws, especially by foreign nationals. "It's understandable that every embassy will try to protect their citizens. But it's still our decision. Insofar as we are concerned, it must be the government of the Philippines that must determine and its officials must be prepared to defend their action in protecting the country's sovereignty, laws and processes," the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee stressed. "When we run immigration, we have to do it properly. And the only point I'd like to make here is that when our people do their job, they must be supported. I commend the Department of Justice for having arrested--this is the biggest so far that they've arrested, 1,316 foreign nationals," he added. At the same time, Gordon also warned that when efforts at good governance are thwarted by bribery, trickery, chicanery and fraud resulting in misfeasance, malfeasance and non-feasance, the Blue Ribbon Committee shall exercise its oversight functions over government agencies and public officials. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has pledged support for Indian IT professionals following speculations on US President Donald Trump's executive order on H1-B visas. By Indrajit Kundu: Amid speculation that the United States administration under new President Donald Trump may soon reform the H1-B visa norms, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stressed on the need to protect Indian IT professionals working abroad. Pledging her support for Indian IT community aboard, Mamata tweeted, "IT professionals are our pride and inspiration. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters. We pledge our solidarity with our IT professionals in USA". advertisement The US H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows American companies to employ foreign professionals in specific areas that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized domains and any reform to it will have a direct bearing on Indian IT workforce. TRUMP'S ORDER AIMED AT OVERHAULING VISA PROGRAMME Thus, Indian IT firms are apprehensive about Trump administration's new draft executive order aimed at overhauling the country's work-visa programme. Once implemented, the reforms could have a direct impact on Indian IT professionals which constitute a major portion of the workforce in Silicon Valley. "News about H1-B visas is concerning. We must protect our IT companies and professionals and give them full support. India is proud of the world-class talent of its IT techies. It is our duty to secure their interests," tweeted the Trinamool Congress. VISA ALLOCATIONS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT According to reports, Trump's draft order seeks to "consider ways to make the process of allocating visas more efficient and ensure that beneficiaries of the programmes are the best and the brightest." Apparently, it proposes establishment of mechanisms to analyse the country's current immigration policy and its impact on American society, economy, work force, foreign policy and security. Recently, Donald Trump has signed an executive order that bans foreign nationals, mostly from a few Muslim countries from entry into the US leading to widespread protests across America. Also read: India's IT sector warns US against H1-B visa bill H1-B visa: India conveys concerns, interests to Trump administration Mamata Banerjee tears into Arun Jaitley's budget, call it clueless, useless Mamata Banerjee asks Trinamool leaders to refrain from launching personal attacks on PM Modi --- ENDS --- I had a civil conversation with John Yoo the other day. Thats the kind of upside-down world we live in now. As an attorney in George W. Bushs Justice Department, Yoo helped draft the notorious torture memos that gave the CIA wide license to aggressively interrogate detainees. A 2002 memo written by Yoo and fellow Office of Legal Counsel attorney Jay Bybee advised that if an enhanced interrogation method stopped short of death, organ failure, or serious impairment of bodily functions, it did not constitute torture. Which gave the CIA awfully wide leeway to waterboard and abuse and debase. Under normal circumstances, I would find it hard to restrain myself while speaking with Yoo, who after helping unleash our governments feral instincts returned to his distinguished teaching post at UC Berkeleys School of Law. After all, I published a book last year titled American Nuremberg by Rebecca Gordon, a University of San Francisco philosophy professor, who argued that Yoo and dozens of other Bush and Obama administration officials should stand trial for war crimes. But during last years presidential campaign, Yoo seemed to emerge as a critic of Donald Trumps chest-thumping statements about torture and his bombastic style, which he compared to that of early Mussolini. Trump was more eager to revive torture as some type of punishment or revenge rather than as a way to extract intelligence, Yoo told the press. Perhaps Yoo had grown remorseful about his role in legally justifying torture, now that a man of Trumps crude character has taken the reins of power. Last week, in a bizarre herky-jerky policy statement, Trump said he was letting Defense Secretary James Mattis a critic of torture override him, even though he remains convinced that torture does work. But while bowing to Mattis for now Trump also authorized the drafting of a sweeping executive order that would reopen the overseas black sites where the CIA conducted its darkest work. Its clear that with Trumps primal instincts, he is capable of plunging our security agencies into the medieval horrors of the recent past perhaps as soon as the next terror attack. If I expected some deeper reflection from Yoo, considering the perilous state of our nation, I was soon disappointed. As we spoke, he insisted that his memos, which have since been rescinded, outlined the correct procedure on torture. And sounding his own Trumpian chord, he criticized the Obama administration for weakening the CIA by downplaying the interrogation of suspects in favor of killing them with drone strikes. The CIA, he said, became politically risk-averse under Obama. No agency official was punished for the reign of torture, Yoo admitted. But careers were cut short and promotions denied. Which doesnt seem like particularly harsh punishment, considering the barbaric and sometimes lethal treatment of CIA prisoners that was spelled out in the 2012 Senate torture report and other documents. In fact, the only CIA officer who served time was John Kiriakou not for engaging in torture, but for blowing the whistle on it. It was the failure to hold accountable government officials like Yoo, and those who were higher on the chain of command, that led us to the jungle morality of Trump. Trumps current push for torture could not be happening without the normalization of torture during the last 15 years, Mark Danner, UC Berkeley journalism professor and author of Torture and Truth, told me. And that includes Obamas failure to punish any perpetrators or folks, as the former president preferred to call them: Its important for us not to feel too sanctimonious in retrospect about the tough job that those folks had. A lot of those folks were working hard under enormous pressure and are real patriots. And so, with Obama calling torturers real patriots, it was a slippery slope to Trump and his new CIA director, Mike Pompeo, who feel exactly the same way, if not more so. Meanwhile, Yoo occupies the distinguished Emanuel S. Heller Chair at Boalt Hall, and Bybee sits in his black robe on the federal appeals court in San Francisco. When a country loses its ability to demand a legal reckoning for those whove committed high crimes, then anything is possible. Those who should be judged become the judges or the teachers of legal ethics. 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 asked Yoo what he felt when he is called a war criminal by his critics on the left. It doesnt bother me. I would be disappointed in them if they thought otherwise and gave up easily. I expect them to demonize their enemies. I dont wake up at night in a cold sweat. I have no regrets. Like Trump, Yoo believes that torture works, despite all evidence to the contrary. Without waterboarding, we live in a less safe country that is Yoos message to those who condemn him. If liberals were honest, they would say they were all right with that. Conservatives never see the endless U.S. state of war in the Middle East as the biggest threat to Americans safety. Would Yoo consider a return to Washington if he gets a call from the Trump administration? Im not waiting by the phone. It would all depend on the right circumstances. Who knows? In todays Washington, Yoo could be a force of restraint. San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Talbot appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Email: dtalbot@sfchronicle.com Welcome to Grims Dyke Wood, a 4-acre patch of forest and clearings situated in the larger surroundings of Lambridge Wood amid the Chiltern Hills outside Henley-on-Thames, west of London. Richard Fortey, a former senior paleontologist at Londons Natural History Museum, bought Grims Dyke Wood in 2011 with the takings of a television nature series he narrated. Fortey is in demand for such projects as he knows how to turn science into an engrossing story, much along the lines of Stephen J. Gould: natural history as theater, televised or paginated, either will do. He is an adept in the exigent art of show and tell. The Wood for the Trees is one years biography, chaptered by months, of this 4-acre landscape. Prepare to get down on your hands and knees, to get dirty, to have the briars catch your skin, the seas of bluebells knock your eyes out (16 pages of color illustrations are included, including the bluebells, one of which is shocking white, just one in a sea). It is Forteys long suit to act on his curiosity, heightening its pressure with something of the random joy of a young boy. If an item looks curious, you dont walk by. You stop and interrogate, get personal. Who doesnt want to be thoroughly grossed out by poking at a slime mold or simply considering a great black slug, Arion ater, which is longer and chunkier than my middle finger. A deep-orange variety of the same species somehow looks more unwholesome as its mucus coating glistens in a sunbeam with lubricious succulence. In other words, I dare you to eat it. This will be a human history as well. The wood has been shaped and reshaped by the human hand since the Iron Age. Grims dyke is just such an ancient curiosity, running miles through the countryside, described elegantly by Fortey, mulled over, but refusing to surrender its purpose. Humans may not go back as far as the typical paleontologist looks, but for Forteys purposes here, they are indispensable to the genius loci. Without them, the wood would be a different place, tell a very different story. Without them, the wood might not exist at all, from calamity or folly. With each passing day of each month, Fortey lights out into the beech wood to see whats up. He proceeds as both romantic and forensic scientist. A wood in the United Kingdom is a special place. There arent many of them left. They are given names. You have little choice but to be romantic. Here is natural beauty: peacock butterflies, red-tailed bumblebees, enchanters nightshade, tree creepers, fiddleheads, flitter mice, maybe (never say never) a ghost orchid, puddingstone, herb Robert, violets and sweet woodruff (good in a glass of booze). But lurking in the background, immune to the romantic, if giving him time to swoon, is the scientist, hungry to catalog and unravel the mysteries. Fortey is fascinated by rumor of an earthquake, another curiosity that requires digging in the archives: In the autumn of 1683 the wood pigeons were again startled into panicky flight. ... Ague-fit of the Earth Hag put us in a strange consternation, he reads. Mother Earth was having a bad day. He conducts a moth inventory during that Junes nights. Our 150 or so moths include peach blossoms, green carpet, Chinese character, clouded magpies, willow beauties and the lobster moth, a deceiver to dumbfound John le Carre, which as larva imitate an ant, as caterpillars are very odd looking one of natures gargoyles ... and since it can be seventy millimeters long fully grown, it is quite enough to give a shock to any casual stroller, especially in the threat position, with the head arched back. As for those casual strollers, he has to remind himself that public footpaths are one of the most precious features of the English countryside. Although the public way has been moved, an ancient footpath crosses a section of his property, and he must allow for the right of people to walk where their forebears walked for centuries. A little moral philosophy mixed in with the science, the history, and the storytelling. The various owners of the wood put it to use according to their fancy. The area around Grims Dyke Wood is pocked with manor houses: Greys Court, Fawley Court, Badgemore House, Park Place. They are testament to unspeakable wealth accrued through trade and banking, and it was with a businessmans eye on the bottom line that they treated the woods as sustainable resources. The art of silviculture took shape, nothing in the woodlot would go wasted: Bavins for bakers, town billets for hearths, beech lined the canals, various woods were made into furniture or coal. Bows made out of the yew tree, properly exploited, could propel arrows through chain mail. The woods survival depended on it being useful. And wealth may save their bark once again. Estate duties introduced by the Asquith government gradually eroded the possibility of living off interest. But after a number of the stately piles were broken up or went public, the international 1 percent started snapping up those left in private hands, giving them a new coat of paint, maintaining the woodland, if for nothing more than privacy. Locally, George Harrison bought Friar Park; Fawley Court fell into the hands of a reclusive owner, with no expense spared; Park Place went to a Russian oligarch called Andrey Borodin for 140 million, the most expensive private house sale in English history. I know nothing about him. ... All I will say is that he has refused to allow a bat survey on a special site on his grounds which has been catalogued every year for the preceding twenty; I do not suppose we would have much in common. Only that, for the moment, even with their fickle custodianship, the trees have standing. Peter Lewis is the former director of the American Geographical Society. Email: books@sfchronicle.com The Wood for the Trees One Mans Long View of Nature By Richard Fortey (Knopf; 304 pages; $28.95) On January 13, 2015, I drove from our nations capital across its historic bridges to a cold parking lot at Fort Meyers, Virginia, where I felt jarred at seeing the vast hillside of solemn gravestones honoring those Americans who had sacrificed everything in our nations wars, including fifty-eight thousand who perished in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Hell No: The Forgotten Power of the Vietnam Peace Movement, by Tom Hayden Raya Bidshahri, a 21-year-old Iranian citizen, had her Silicon Valley future all plotted out. With her graduation from Boston University nearing, the wheels were turning for Bidshahris education startup. She had filed for a trademark and hired an employee, and was already talking to investors. She was even looking at Bay Area apartments, slowly coming to terms with how much an apartment South of Market or in the Mission would cost. It was all worth it, she reasoned: Where else would you go to change the world? But now, by virtue of her passport, her world has changed. Her status in a country that she thought held many more promises for a young entrepreneur is riddled with uncertainty. Following President Trumps ban last week on entry visas for people from seven predominantly Muslim countries, there is much anxiety. Immigration lawyers say students like Bidshahri are particularly vulnerable, as the visa programs that make it possible for international students like her to stay in the U.S. are destined for the chopping block. This shatters my dreams of being in the valley, Bidshahri said. There is currently no clear path for immigrant entrepreneurs like Bidshahri to grow their startups in the U.S. To make it easier, President Barack Obama had proposed the International Entrepreneur Rule in August. It would allow immigrants to stay in the U.S. to found and build startups in the U.S. for up to five years, provided that they met certain requirements. M. Scott Brauer/Special to The Chronicle This rule was approved by the Obama administration three days before Trumps inauguration and was slated to go into effect in July. But immigration lawyers expect Trump to scrap the rule. San Francisco immigration attorney Camiel Becker of the Becker & Lee law firm said that he is already advising clients to assume that the entrepreneurship rule wont see the light of day, based on a leaked draft of an executive order. In my view, theyre just going to keep taking away any benefits (to immigrants), even if taking it away is detrimental to our economy, he said. Ive told clients already, Lets move forward as if its not going to exist, but hope that it comes to fruition. Another easy target for the Trump administration is a visa program called Optional Practical Training, which allows graduates with degrees from accredited U.S. universities to spend up to a year working for a U.S. employer or creating their own company. In 2016, Obama extended that training timeline to three years specifically for students from overseas with degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. The extension was a boon to Silicon Valley because immigrants had more time to try to win an H-1B visa, which allows employers to hire foreign workers for skilled jobs. The federal government grants 85,000 H1-B visas each year. In 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency reported it received 236,000 H-1B applications a record high. The Trump administration is widely expected to do away with the three-year time frame for graduates with technical or scientific backgrounds. Getting rid of this extension would make it harder for U.S. companies to draw international talent, experts said. Although it is still unclear what exactly Trumps expected executive order will do, the anticipation of new restrictions already hurts the tech sector, said Vivek Wadhwa, a fellow at Carnegie Mellon University in Silicon Valley. Now (immigrants) say, Even if we get a green card, tomorrow Trump could turn on us, he said. Silicon Valley is going to pay for this. We need these immigrants. Manan Mehta, founding partner of Unshackled Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in tech companies with immigrant founders, said the H-1B visa program is not perfect: 13 of the top 15 H-1B visa filers are global outsourcing companies that pay lower than market-rate wages, he said. Its not just about Silicon Valleys desire for more H-1Bs we dont need more, Mehta said. We need to examine where they have gone, and why it hasnt worked for the American worker. Immigrants started more than half of venture-backed U.S. companies now valued at $1 billion or more, according to a study conducted by the National Foundation for American Policy. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Among the highest-valued U.S. tech companies with immigrant founders are Alphabet, the parent company of Google; Uber; and Palantir. At Boston University, Bidshahri is one of about 70 students in technical fields from countries affected by Trumps executive order. If these students cannot secure a visa by graduation, there are few options left for them to stay in the country. If the government doesnt plug up this this brain drain, the country is limiting its ability to compete in global markets, said Carl Guardino, CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Lets not be presumptuous to think that the rest of the world doesnt have smart people that want to create and innovate too, he said. Most startups fail. Thats by design, say the investors who fund them hoping for a handful to be big hits. But regardless of how Bidshahris company might have fared, hers is a shot that Silicon Valley may not get to take. She is already looking at other places to grow her startup Canada, or perhaps even Dubai. Bidshahri is frustrated. Frustrated at the uncertainty, frustrated that her Iranian parents may not be able to come watch her graduate in May, frustrated that she might not make it to Silicon Valley. She doesnt want to give up on her American dream. But if the presidents moves augur a lasting shift in how the United States treats those who want to build businesses and lives here, she feels she may not have a choice but to draw up new plans. Entrepreneurs, after all, must be flexible. Trisha Thadani and Dominic Fracassa are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @DominicFracassa Kevin Harrington, a longtime associate of Trump adviser Peter Thiel, has been appointed to a senior staff position at the National Security Council, the White House announced Thursday. Harrington, who was previously managing director and head of research for Thiel Macro, a hedge fund, will be deputy assistant to the president for strategic planning. While President Trump has a fondness for reality television, Harrington should not be confused with the similarly named investor who has appeared on ABCs Shark Tank. Heres how the White House describes his career: He consulted for the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), a Stanford foreign policy think tank, on the security of fissile materials and the protection of critical national infrastructure, and was a doctoral candidate in physics at Stanford University, where he was an NSF Fellow. A Goldwater Scholar, Harrington conducted mathematics research for the Department of Defense, and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in mathematics and physics from the University of Idaho. According to his LinkedIn profile, Harrington spent the bulk of his career with Thiels hedge funds, first Clarium Capital Management and then Thiel Macro, after leaving Stanford University, where he worked as a research and teaching assistant. His LinkedIn profile does not mention his degree from the University of Idaho, nor does it mention as specific degree earned at Stanford, though a 1995 Stanford news release describes him as having been the senior class president. Harrington had previously been named to Trumps transition team in a role working with the Commerce Department, according to the Wall Street Journal. In a 2007 story in Bloomberg Markets, Harrington said of Thiel, Peter is my foil, and Im his foil. Thiel was an early supporter of President Trumps campaign and spoke at last years Republican National Convention. He helped organize a meeting in December of top tech executives with the then-president-elect. Here is a video of Thiel and Harrington discussing the economy with Bloomberg. Owen Thomas is the San Francisco Chronicles business editor. Email: othomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @owenthomas In the latest skirmish over rent control in the Bay Area, a judge in Martinez heard arguments Wednesday for and against halting a voter-approved rent control law in Richmond pending the outcome of a lawsuit claiming its unconstitutional. Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Judith Craddick said she will decide next week whether to grant a preliminary injunction sought by the California Apartment Association, which represents landlords and is fighting the Richmond measure and a similar one in Mountain View passed by voters in November. The association filed a lawsuit Jan. 6, claiming that Richmonds Measure L, which got about 65 percent of the vote, violates federal and state laws. The association also asked for a temporary restraining order to halt enforcement of the law, which Craddick denied Jan. 6, allowing the measure to remain in effect. The preliminary injunction, if granted, would halt enforcement of the law pending a decision on the merits of the associations case. The law rolls back rents on pre-1995 multifamily apartments to July 2015 levels, and limits future increases to increases in the Consumer Price Index. It also imposes eviction controls on all rental units and establishes a five-member rent board to enforce rent control. The association, in a blog post, says the law is unconstitutionally vague, violates the Constitutions due-process clauses and runs counter to Californias Fair Employment and Housing Act. In court Wednesday, Leah Castella, an Oakland attorney with Burke, Williams & Sorensen who represents the city of Richmond, said the injunction should be denied because the association had not shown that letting the law proceed would cause irreparable injury, nor had it proved that it is likely to win on the merits of its case. Richmond Assistant City Attorney Rachel Sommovilla, said that courts have upheld rent control ordinances in such cities as San Francisco, Oakland, East Palo Alto, Santa Monica and Berkeley. However, the Richmond law has provisions that have not been challenged in other cities, said Karen McCay of Pahl & McCay, an attorney representing the association. For example, Measure L says that no more than two members of the Richmond rent board can be landlords or Realtors, but it does not limit how many can be tenants. The five-member San Francisco rent board, McCay said, must include two landlords, two tenants and one person who is neither a landlord nor a tenant. And unlike the Richmond rent board, San Franciscos does not have complete budget control. McCay said the association objects to 15 implementation provisions in the Richmond law that we think we could prevail on. She compared the law to a boat that we are poking holes in. Some of the holes are above the water line, some are below, but there are enough below that it is going to sink. Attorneys for both sides wrangled over whether letting the law proceed would cause irreparable harm. McCay argued that if the law is halted and later upheld, landlords would have to refund any rent to tenants that exceeded what the law allowed. However, if the law is not halted and is later struck down, there is no way for landlords to recoup from tenants what they could have charged while the lawsuit was pending. Castella argued that landlords could simply raise their rents to recover whatever they lost in the interim. But McCay said they cannot charge more than the market will bear, no matter what they lost. About 60 people crowded the courtroom. Juan Reardon, a homeowner and member of the Richmond Progressive Alliance, said he favors rent control because its fair, and we want our neighbors not to be pushed out of town by the forces of greed. Juan Lorenzo, who rents a two-bedroom apartment in Richmond, said his rent jumped to $1,335 from $1,000 last year. A lot of times, people are not being paid enough to afford those increases, he said through an interpreter. In Mountain View, the apartment association filed a lawsuit in December seeking to overturn voter-approved Measure V, along with a request for a temporary restraining order. The city did not oppose the request, and on Dec. 22, a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge approved the restraining order, which prevented the law from taking effect. Since then, the City Council, in a closed-door meeting, voted 6-0, with one member absent, to defend the rent control measure in court. The apartment association has until Friday to file a request for a preliminary injunction. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg Two people arrested in Fremont last week for stealing electronics gear from Tesla over a four-day period and selling it online are expected to appear in court Friday, officials said. John Winchester, 28, and Rosalinda Toscano, 23, face charges of stealing computers, iPhones, phone cases and USB ports from Tesla and attempting to sell the stolen goods online through eBay, according to court records. California Highway Patrol / / Authorities in Novato are searching for a driver who struck and killed a man on a southbound Highway 101 on-ramp in Novato early Thursday. A big-rig driver spotted the man, who was not identified, lying on the Atherton Avenue on-ramp to southbound lanes of the highway around 1 a.m., California Highway Patrol officials said. By Press Trust of India: Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) The secret behind Donald Trumps flowing mane is out with his longtime physician saying the US President takes a prostate-related drug to promote hair growth. The 70-year-old President takes medication for three ailments, including a prostate-related drug to promote hair growth, his longtime physician Harold N Bornstein told New York Times. advertisement The other drugs are antibiotics to control rosacea, a common skin problem, and a statin for elevated blood cholesterol and lipids. Bornstein, who spoke by telephone in four interviews over the past month, said Trump takes a daily baby aspirin to reduce the risk of a heart attack. Over all, he pronounced Trump healthy and his medical care "as exactly up to date". The disclosure that Trump uses a prostate-related drug to maintain growth of his scalp hair, which has not been publicly known, appears to solve a riddle of why Trump has a very low level of prostate specific antigen, or PSA, a marker for prostate cancer, the report said. Trump takes a small dose of the drug, finasteride, which lowers PSA levels. Finasteride is marketed as Propecia to treat male-pattern baldness. Bornstein said he also took finasteride and credited it for helping maintain his own shoulder-length hair and Trumps hair. "He has all his hair," Bornstein said. "I have all my hair." Trumps flowing mane has been frequently in the news and during the campaign in August 2015, Trump settled all speculation over his famed hairdo by proving in front of hundreds of people that his hair is very much "real" and no toupee. He called a person from the crowd to check out that his hair was real. Bornstein has been Trumps primary physician since 1980, and first stepped into the public spotlight when he released a brief letter about the Presidents health in December 2015. He said that he had had no contact with Trump since he became president, and that no one from the White House staff had asked for copies of the medical records that he has kept for the last 36 years, or called to discuss them. Trump is the oldest President to have ever taken office. PTI ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- The Rev. Franklin Fong will host the traditional blessing of the taxis at St. Boniface from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. Would he be blessing Ubers and Lyfts, too? (I posed the question with recent criticism of those companies in mind especially Uber, which temporarily stopped surge pricing during the recent one-hour cab strike at JFK Airport to protest anti-immigrant executive orders.) The prayer we are using is an interfaith wording, said Fong. Anything we can do to celebrate what we hold in common is needed right now. This really wasnt an answer, so I asked again. We dont know, said the Reverend, since the last time we did the blessings was over three years ago. I dont think at that time they were as popular a taxi service. And now for some fake news: In the New Yorker, Paul Rudnick shares an excerpt from Melania Trumps imaginary Inauguration Day diary. The first lady explains that when her husband said American carnage in his inaugural address, she didnt think listeners realized that American Carnage is the name of Donalds newest aftershave, which combines top notes of Bengay and Purell with a heady rush of Metamucil, the digestive powder that Donald also uses as a bronzer. At the fifth-floor cafe at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art on one of those many rainy days, I found myself foot-to-face with Einstein, a pigeon that I was told is a regular there. The maitresse d said she named the bird because he was smart. He was one of the six that took up residence there when the weather was warmer and windows on both sides of the seating area were open. Nowadays, the flock has been thinned to five, the population decline caused by a falcon who found it such a fine dining location that he ate one of the pigeons. The woman who named the bird opened the door and shooed him out, which she said after I praised her bird-handling skills was an easy feat. Im Grandma, she said. In her intensely personal book, A Train Through Time: A Life Real and Imagined, journalist and filmmaker Elizabeth Farnsworth, formerly of PBS NewsHour With Jim Lehrer, combines historical and emotional fact with a bit of fiction to paint a portrait that captures her childhood and also her professional life. Farnsworth is scheduled to be at Mrs. Dalloways bookstore in Berkeley on Feb. 15, and at Book Passage in Corte Madera on March 6. The train in the books title refers to the real City of San Francisco, aboard which Farnsworth and her father traveled from Topeka to San Francisco in the early 50s. The imagined in the title refers to her account of being on the train in 1952 they werent when in real life it was stranded in a Sierra blizzard for three days. Among the sources on which Farnsworth based her description were Chronicle news stories. Then-reporter Art Hoppe and photographer Ken McLaughlin skied to the train. I looked up Hoppes account, which was reverent about the heroism of the men who licked a blizzard to save the passengers from the City of San Francisco ... working almost without let-up. Did recent snowstorms similarly imperil the California Zephyr, which goes to Emeryville through the Sierra, and would todays rescue operations be similar? Snow and frozen switches still cause quite a few delays between Colfax and Reno, said Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham. Modern work rules can hamper getting back into operation because crews are forbidden by the Federal Railroad Administration to work past mandated limits on hours. A recent train from Chicago to Emeryville was delayed a total of 13 hours along its route. Some delays, however, can have benefits. Amtraks been trying to attract passengers for recreational trips, and Graham described taking a weekend Reno Fun Train with bars and dancing from Emeryville. By the time the train was halted by snow, she said, people had so well slaked their thirsts that they were making snow angels outside, having a wonderful time. It was, she said, Bourbon Street on steroids. Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Public Eavesdropping Im just not a connoisseur of dog butts, thats all. Every month or so, Khaled Turkmani buys a dozen roses, which he delivers to patients during visiting hours at Highland Hospital in Oakland, or he volunteers, bringing the homeless food or clothes. I understand their struggle. Supporting those who cant help themselves its something I hold very close to my heart, he said. While Im doing this, I imagine that a lot of other people are doing this for Syrians. After speaking out against Syrian President Bashar Assad in the early days of the uprising, Turkmani feared for his life and fled his homeland in 2011. Seeking safe harbor, he moved to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Thailand, eventually arriving in the Bay Area on a tourist visa at the end of 2014. I had no choice, he said. To gain freedom, that was the most important thing for the future of me and my family. He drained his savings to fly here and support himself while applying for asylum and seeking a job. Now an asylee, he has work papers and has since applied for permanent residency. With the help of Upwardly Global, which provides training and support for skilled, college-educated immigrants, Turkmani became an information technology consultant. In the wake of President Trumps executive order that halts the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely, and refugees from other countries for 120 days, Turkmanis dream of becoming an American citizen is up in the air. Hes worried that the directive which also suspends immigration for 90 days from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen may slow or end applications for green cards and citizenship, and will prevent his parents from visiting. The impact of war, and his longing for family, resonated with me. During World War II, when my parents were children, they were often on the move ahead of advancing enemy forces. Their families fled to Taiwan. Eventually, my parents came to this country as graduate students. My grandmother followed years later to take care of me, my brother and sister while my parents pursued their careers, contributing to the country theyd come to love. But now, families in the same situation, who want their elders to know their grandchildren, or to see each other after years of separation, have been cut off from each other. The executive order threw airports into chaos as border officials tried to sort out the details, protesters rushed in to demand the release of detained travelers, and pro-immigrant rallies broke out from Louisville to London. So many people have joined demonstrations, I believe, because of their shared connection, whether in their familys history or in solidarity with their friends, neighbors and colleagues. Each day has brought new tumult: Federal judges issued temporary restraining orders to block the detention of green-card holders and prevented the government from deporting some arrivals, and the president fired Sally Yates, the acting U.S. attorney general, when she refused to defend the travel ban. Im very worried and stressed out. I have no clue what will happen next, Turkmani said. Its super painful to hear from the president that we are terrorists. We are victims of terrorism, not the perpetrators. If we look to the past, we see what happens when we turn people into scapegoats, when hysteria shapes our laws and regulations. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act barred most Chinese laborers from coming to the United States. This legalized xenophobia, which lasted more than six decades, tore apart families and only ended in 1943, when China became an ally. The search for scapegoats repeated itself in that same era, when the father of Anne Frank desperately tried to gain passage to the United States for his family. Restrictive U.S. policies, touted as necessary to protect national security and keep out foreigners during war, barred the Franks. Later on, Anne, her sister and her mother died in the concentration camps. Here in America, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, also in the name of national security, that led to the deportation of 120,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps, where they lived under harsh conditions, their civil rights curtailed. Today we are witnessing a horrifying spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes after Trump signed the order. In the last week, a Texas mosque burned down in a mysterious fire, and in Quebec, gunfire killed members of a mosque. But demonstrations against the ban, and calls from concerned co-workers, have heartened Turkmani. Its a relief when American people are protesting on behalf of us, he said.I consider the United States my country, and Im grateful that there are people who care. Vanessa Huas column appears Fridays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com With the nomination of Donald Trumps pick, Neil Gorsuch, to the U.S. Supreme Court, its time to acknowledge one other casualty of our divisive presidential election: the wounded legitimacy of the Supreme Court itself. The sin at the heart of the matter was committed before the election: The Senate Republicans unprecedented nonresponse to President Barack Obamas nominee for the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia Merrick Garland. You dont have to be a constitutional lawyer to find the arguments in favor of this nonresponse to be preposterously partisan and the very opposite of the fairness demanded by the Constitution. Despite the well-established practice in treating the nominees of a president to a hearing, the Senate Republicans kept churning up reasons for inaction that were transparent excuses for partisan motives. We have to stop and consider the lasting implications for the courts legitimacy of this do-nothing-ism by the Senate. American moral philosopher John Rawls said that a simple notion underlies what makes democratic political power legitimate the Golden Rule. That is: When dealing with constitutional essentials, treat other citizens the way you would like to be treated and assume that others think of themselves as free, equal and sharing in common standards of human reason. We can see how Rawls standard challenges the Senate Republicans tactic. Assuming reciprocity, why not have the Senate Democrats, the next time they are in the majority, adopt the same tactic: Any GOP presidents nominee for the Supreme Court in an election year, when the majority of the court hangs in the balance, would get no hearing. No Republican would agree to such a principle. And that refusal confirms what is wrong about such an abuse of the Constitution: It violates the fundamental conditions of equality and reciprocity on which legitimacy depends. To be sure, the observance of correct constitutional procedures is a crucial dimension of legitimacy. On such grounds, Trump has a legitimate claim to the presidency. But other, ethical aspects of legitimacy cannot be dismissed out of hand. In the case of the election, these aspects pertain to such matters as the unjust practice of voter suppression. In the case of the Senate GOPs refusal to consider Garland, the departure from fair procedures and the spirit of fair play (which sounds quaint but refers to the ethical glue that keeps us as a people bound by the Constitution) erode the basis of legitimacy. In an authoritarian style of government, procedures can be a waste of time the sort of frivolous concerns of people who dont get the big picture (like getting our preferred free-marketer or antiabortion supporter on the Supreme Court). But embedded in procedures are fundamental matters of human dignity and the justification of the exercise of political power. If you cant give citizens reasons that both you and they could accept, then you are breaking faith with the people who constitute the political community. The legitimacy of the Supreme Court likely to take shape in a Trump presidency has been undermined. His election didnt resolve the problem but perpetuated it. A correction is called for. David E. DeCosse directs ethics programs at Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. The views are his own. It was intended to help San Francisco come up with a plan for alleviating its housing crisis. But the analysis by San Francisco City Controller Ben Rosenfield, finalized Wednesday, has generated nearly as much debate around City Hall as consensus, an indication of the political fights to come and just how challenging the problem is. The question before city officials is how much affordable housing developers should have to rent or sell in new market-rate buildings. Thats a huge issue in places like the Mission, where the construction of luxury apartment buildings has dwarfed the creation of housing for low- and middle-income residents. Rosenfields analysis concluded that developers can afford to rent up to 18 percent of new apartments and sell up to 20 percent of new condominiums at below-market prices without jeopardizing overall housing production. Thats less than the current requirement of 25 percent to get approval for new construction, but more than the 12 percent mandated by the city for most of the past several years. Supervisors Jane Kim and Aaron Peskin announced legislation Wednesday that would require developers to rent 24 percent of new units and sell 27 percent of new condominiums at below-market prices. Kim described it as pro-housing legislation that would encourage developers to build bigger, denser buildings. The proposal generated a harsh response from Mayor Ed Lee. We have got a city that is emotionally making decisions and putting out numbers there that have no relevance to what we economically can accomplish, Lee said Thursday. He supports legislation that sets the affordability requirement at between 16 and 18 percent for rentals, and between 18 and 20 percent for condominiums. The problem is what to do about a state law that allows developers to make their buildings 35 percent more dense including adding more floors than zoning allows if they provide a certain number of affordable housing units. The factors are complicated, but theoretically a 100-unit rental building could grow to 135 units if it meets certain requirements. Rosenfield said that if developers take advantage of that law to get whats known as a density bonus, they could afford to rent up to 24 percent of units and sell up to 27 percent of condominium units at below-market prices. Thats how Kim and Peskin get to the numbers in their legislation. Of the affordable units, 60 percent would be designated for low-income residents, those earning up to $59,250 per year for a family of four. The other 40 percent would be for middle-income residents, those earning up to $107,700 for a family of four. We think this will encourage developers to take advantage of the density bonus, Kim said. Were arguing that density is a good thing. We all need to build a little more. But critics point out that if developers dont take advantage of the density bonus law, they may not be able to afford to rent or sell so many units at below-market prices. So far, just one San Francisco developer has taken advantage of the law, although more are expected to do so. There are certain neighborhoods in the city like mine the outer neighborhoods where if you set the inclusionary percentage too high, you run the risk of killing projects altogether, said Supervisor Ahsha Safai, who represents the Excelsior. Safai, Kim and representatives from the mayors office all say that their preference would be to simply set higher affordability requirements for developers who take advantage of the density bonus program. But thats against the density bonus law. To get around that barrier, Rosenfield recommends that developers who take the density bonus option pay an extra fee that would go into a city fund that pays for the construction of low-income housing. I think its a really elegant solution. On-site units are good. Fees are good, too, said Dan Adams, direction of real estate development for Bridge Housing, a nonprofit developer. He was part of a group of outside consultants and nonprofit and private developers who helped Rosenfield conduct the analysis. But John Elberling, executive director of nonprofit developer Todco, criticized the recommendation, saying it would result in a windfall for developers because the fees are too low. He also said allowing developers to fee out will mean residents have to wait longer for the construction of new, affordable units. We dont get more units and the developers get a big windfall, Elberling said. Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Fat-cat tech types are often derided for shortchanging communities wherein they struck gold. But that wasnt case at Bimbos 365 Club, where Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger and his wife, Future Justice Fund founder Kaitlyn Krieger, hosted Take Back the Ball: A Night of Hope and Action fundraiser. On the same night that a certain presidential fat cat was celebrating his new reign in D.C., the Kriegers and co-hosts (Tides CEO Kriss Deiglmeier; Solidaire founder Leah Hunt-Hendrix; Heising-Simons Foundations Caitlin Heising) encouraged 500 guests (philanthropists, artists, politicos, activists) to Laugh it out, cry it out, dance it out. They raised $600K for rapid-response nonprofits (reproductive rights Groundswell Fund; the Fighter Fund for climate justice; and the Emergent Fund for at-risk communities) that nimbly aid the causes and fragile coteries now on the front lines amid a new world order. These proactive event organizers are an antidote to the cynicism, fear and anxiety many of us now feel, noted Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Tonight isnt about surviving the Trump presidency its finding a way to thrive despite the Trump presidency. Everyone here is a doer. Their agenda isnt one of opposition; its an agenda of positive change. And this fete was positively festive: Unassigned seating encouraged mingling with beneficiary representatives. McCalls Catering manned multi-culti buffets brimming with sushi, tacos, dim sum, hot dogs. Artspan artists created works in real time. Inspirational words by Live Free Campaign director Pastor Michael McBride rallied the crowd before hip-hop DJ Biz Markie set the dance floor on fire. Event designer Stanlee Gatti was fired up in his decor, multiplying the lush ruby red of Bimbos exquisite vintage interior with gigantic red balloons and glowing tabletops. Tonight were taking back the color red, declared the loyal blue-state denizen. Im over the politicization of red and blue. No one can own a color! In between side-splitting jokes, feminist Muslim comedian Zahra Noorbakhsh, a Fremont native, thanked rapid responders who will keep people like her off a registry. In being here, were rejecting despair, were rejecting hate and were rejecting apathy, toasted Kaitlyn Krieger. Our country is in crisis. So Id like to think of this as not the day of the inauguration but as the night we take back the ball and launch the resistance. Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicles society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow Two weeks into presidency, Donald Trump is facing calls for being impeached. But is it that easy to get a US president impeached? Here is how it works. By India Today Web Desk: WHAT IS IMPEACHMENT? Impeachment, in the simplest of terms, is a charge of misconduct issued against a government official that can lead to removal from office. In case of a US president, abuse of power or commitment of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors," as defined in Article II Section 4 of the US Constitution, he or she can be impeached. advertisement The US constitution defines impeachment as "the method for removing the president, vice president, federal judges, and other federal officials from office". WHAT ARE IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES? The grounds of impeachment have had different interpretations. Former President Gerald Ford once said, "An impeachable offense is whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history." In the Federalist Papers, impeachable offenses are defined as "those offences which proceed from the misconduct of public men, or in other words from the abuse or violation of some public trust." Till date, two US presidents have faced impeachment trials: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. Both of them were acquitted. Richard Nixon resigned from presidency right on the verge of impeachment for the Watergate scandal, before the proceedings could kick in. Also read: Monica Lewinsky breaks silence, says she regrets what happened between her and Bill Clinton HOW DOES A US PRESIDENT GET IMPEACHED? Impeachment cannot result in immediate firing of an official, or a president for that matter. It consists of a lengthy process that may or may not lead to removal from office. The process of impeachment for a US president begins in the House of Representatives, where the House Judiciary Committee holds hearings. Here, articles of impeachment against the said president, accounting the charges against them, can be presented. If the articles are approved by a majority in the committee, the House goes on to debate on them. At the end of this debate, the House votes against or in favour of impeachment of the said president. If a majority votes in favour of impeachment, on the grounds of the articles presented, the said president will face a trial in the Senate. If the president in question is unfortunate enough to have two-thirds of the Senate voting against them, he/she is then removed from office. At this point, the Senate can bar him/her from holding governmental office ever again. The process of impeachment is not a criminal proceeding, and does not have jail time or such criminal penalties imposed on the impeached officials. advertisement Also read: Monica Lewinsky American Crime Story docuseries in works CAN DONALD TRUMP BE IMPEACHED? Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro said President Donald Trump should be impeached if he orders the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) to ignore a federal judge's emergency stay on the temporary ban on refugees from entering the US. In an interview with told BuzzFeed, Castro called on Congress to "investigate whether President Trump intentionally exceeded his constitutional authority." There have been other issues that stirred debates about whether Trump can be impeached or not: The US Intelligence Community released a report last month which showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had backed Trump in winning the presidential election. While there is no solid evidence, there has been much hue and cry over the speculation. Many have argued that the wall along the US-Mexican border can cost Trump a lot if it ends in a full-fledged war, as "warring with the country's third biggest trade partner" can be counted as one of the "high crimes and misdemeanors". A report on Civilised says Trump has "more open lawsuits against him than any other incoming commander-in-chief," which is fairly over hundred, including sexual assault allegations. advertisement Also read: Violence, protests mar Trumps inauguration day; 217 arrested From his refusal to release tax returns to the Emoluments Clause, which forbids a president from doing personal business with foreign states while in Office, those arguing over Trump's possible impeachment have raised more than a few issues. Also... American University professor Allan Lichtman, the political historian who had predicted Trump's victory, has also predicted that Trump will face impeachment. --- ENDS --- When Pleasant Hill police asked for money for a canine unit last month, not only did city leaders give them money to buy two dogs - but citizens donated thousands of dollars to help with program startup costs. By contrast, Berkeley citizens are up in arms about a proposal by their Police Department to buy two German shepherd patrol dogs because they say the animals could be used to intimidate low-income people and racial minorities. The city, which three decades ago rejected a Police Department attempt to buy dogs, may be the only large city in California without its own canine unit. "A lot of people harken back to '60s and have bad memories of dogs being used inappropriately," said Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, particularly against civil rights activists in the South. Bates thinks a dog program could be useful, but will only support one if the city's Police Review Commission approves it. Right now, that doesn't seem likely, even though Berkeley police estimate they use dogs from neighboring police agencies about 30 times a year, typically to search for armed suspects. More for you BERKELEY / Police panel rejects K-9 unit proposal "I am totally against having a canine unit in Berkeley," said Commissioner Bill White, whose position is backed by the group Copwatch. White said most citizens who have spoken publicly have opposed the proposal, which could come up for a vote at the commission's March 24 meeting. White argues that the need is not great enough to justify the $30,000 startup costs and $12,000 to $16,000 a year to maintain a dog program. Police say the money would come from asset-seizure funds that must be used for front- line police work and would thus not affect the city's general fund. White also worries about what police will do with the dogs when they are not searching for armed suspects or missing people. "I'm thinking they're going to just use these dogs when there's nothing else to do to harass people in the lower income parts of Berkeley," White said. "When police cars come and people see dogs barking and frothing at the mouth, it's just an intimidating factor," he said. "I don't want to see Berkeley turn into a community where they have dogs like that." Lt. Dennis Ahearn, who is shepherding the dog proposal before the Police Review Commission, said officers would use dogs more frequently if they did not have to rely on outside agencies like BART, and the Oakland and Richmond Police Departments. "We don't like to be a burden on surrounding agencies and use up all our good will," he said. Dogs are much faster at searching areas for armed suspects, a process that can be very labor intensive, he said. "A block search can easily tie up eight to 10 officers for a couple of hours," said Ahearn. Berkeley, which has about 200 sworn officers, is perhaps the only police agency of its size in the state that does not have a canine unit, according to Ahearn. By contrast, the Pleasant Hill Police Department, which will pick up two German shepherds from a specialized Menlo Park company today, has 50 sworn officers. Until now, the city has had to rely on dogs from outside agencies when conducting searches. The Contra Costa city's police department faced no opposition when it asked for the dogs. "The city council and the citizens were in full support," said Corporal Todt Clark, who will be one of the department's dog handlers. Berkeley had a canine unit in the 1930s, Ahearn said, but disbanded it for reasons unknown to him. Then in 1975 the department proposed establishing a new dog unit, but in 1977 the City Council rejected the idea and banned the use of dogs, Ahearn said. The Police Review Commission later complained that the department subsequently did use dogs from neighboring agencies when an armed suspect barricaded himself in a store on Telegraph Avenue and when "Stinky" the rapist terrorized the city's flatlands neighborhoods. In response, the City Council in 1982 adopted its current policy of allowing the use of dogs from neighboring agencies in certain circumstances, Ahearn said. There have been no major incidents in recent memory involving dogs from outside agencies, and no lawsuits, he said. Ahearn did not know whether his department would go to the City Council if the police commission rejects the idea, which he said seemed likely. "They've made every indication that they're going to vote against it," he said. Bates said he wants to investigate the use of dogs in other progressive' cities like Santa Cruz and Santa Monica. He thinks it could be beneficial to have police dogs and handlers under the city's control. But he said the idea will probably be dead if the commission gives the thumbs down. "Berkeley is Berkeley, so we have to do what we can to make sure we reach a balance," he said. A protest at UC Berkeley over a scheduled appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos turned fiery and violent Wednesday night, prompting police to cancel the event and hustle the Breitbart News editor off campus. But even after the events cancellation, hundreds of protesters spilled off campus into the city streets, where the violence continued as they confronted drivers, engaged in fights, smashed storefront windows and set fires. Protesters decried President Trumps policies as much as they did the visit by Yiannopoulos, a gay conservative who has been making the rounds at college campuses across the country with his Dangerous Faggot talks, specializing in remarks meant to insult, offend and disgust liberals who disagree with his ideas. The trouble began around 6 p.m., two hours before Yiannopoulos was to begin his speech inside the student union building on Sproul Plaza. Protesters outside the building began throwing fireworks and pulling down the metal barricades police set up to keep protesters from rushing inside. Windows were smashed and fires were set outside the building as masked protesters stormed it. Police quickly evacuated Yiannopoulos for his own safety. Berkeley police said five people were injured and some people, including a man who said he had hoped to see Yiannopoulos speak, were seen with their faces bloodied. There were no arrests. Police said protesters threw bricks and fireworks at police officers. University police locked down all buildings and told people inside them to shelter in place, and later fired pepper balls and paint balls into the crowd of protesters who defied orders to leave the area. Police called in support from nine of the 10 UC campuses and the Oakland Police Department and Alameda County sheriffs department. This is what tolerance looks like at UC Berkeley, Mike Wright of Berkeley College Republicans, the group that invited Yiannopoulos to the campus, said outside the student union building as smoke bombs went off around him. As he spoke, someone threw a glass bottle of red paint at him. The bottle shattered and splattered paint on his clothing. Its sad, he said. On Berkeleys city streets, protesters took their rage against construction sites and businesses, smashing windows at banks and stores. They also confronted motorists, and at one point a driver sped off with a protester on the car hood. University officials had earlier rejected requests to cancel Yiannopoulos appearance. In a letter to the campus community last week, Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said, The U.S. Constitution prohibits UC Berkeley, as a public institution, from banning expression based on its content or viewpoints, even when those viewpoints are hateful or discriminatory. Protesters argued that what Yiannopoulos specializes in is hate speech, and that it didnt deserve to be protected. Its not a question of free speech, a protester said via megaphone, riling up the hundreds of protesters. Its about real human beings. Yiannopoulos appearances at some universities have resulted in violent confrontations between protesters and his supporters. Some private universities have barred him, and Twitter banned him in July for repeatedly breaking harassment and abuse policies. Berkeley College Republicans said all 500 tickets had been sold for Yiannopoulos scheduled appearance in Pauley Ballroom in the student union building. Yiannopoulos was expected to use the event to kick off a campaign against sanctuary campuses that have vowed to protect students in the country illegally as President Trump cracks down on illegal immigration. Campus police had been hoping to avoid a repeat of the chaos at UC Davis on Jan. 13, when protesters overwhelmed their barricades and shut down Yiannopoulos speech. In an interview with Fox News after Wednesdays cancellation, the 32-year-old Yiannopoulos a self-described libertarian, gay, Trump-supporting provocateur said college campuses are places where you should be able to engage with different ideas. Those who attend his appearances, he said, include people who dont necessarily agree with me but just want to hear the other side. They were prevented from doing so this evening by violence from the left the left that is terrified of anyone who they think might be persuasive or might be interesting or might take people with them. But UC Berkeley sophomore Jonathan Gow, 19, rejected Yiannopoulos insistence that free speech took a hit. The whole reason were here is for free speech, Gow said. Milos hate speech is not allowed here. When its hate speech, our free speech is to shut him down. Three lines of zip-tied metal fencing separated the crowd of protesters from campus police officers who had secured the building where Yiannopoulos was supposed to speak. He had arrived earlier, escorted by security, and had been waiting inside the student union building when the protests erupted. The protest turned violent around 6 p.m. when dozens of masked anarchists, dressed in black and wearing backpacks, emerged from the otherwise peaceful crowd. As Milo has got to go chants broke out, they struck: in small groups, at first knocking down the fences, cutting through the zip ties. Then they came in droves, as the dozens of university police officers in riot gear quickly retreated to an inner ring of fencing. Seizing the opportunity, the masked protesters ran toward the student center and breached the inner ring, picking up pieces of fencing and hurling them into the buildings windows. Glass shattered, but no one went inside, where Yiannopoulos was waiting for the event to begin. As some protesters yelled obscenities at police, others toppled a generator and light pole police had set up, spray-painting Milo with an X through it. Then they lit it on fire. From their backpacks, the protesters hurled dozens of fireworks. One of the black-dressed anarchists said he had been hit by nonlethal ammunition. The cops shot me with pepper balls, said the 26-year-old man, who called himself Zombie. It hurt. Carrying a thick black shield and wearing a milk-soaked kerchief over his face to protect against potential tear gas, Zombie said, Were anarchists. Fellow protesters unfurled a banner reading, This is war. Police soon declared an unlawful assembly and ordered everyone to leave, but hundreds of protesters stayed, filling the entire upper and lower plaza. Turn on the dance music, one masked woman yelled. UC Berkeley junior Fatima Ibrahim, 20, who clutched a resist fear sign with a red fist, said the timing of Yiannopoulos scheduled appearance stung. As a black Muslim woman, all three of those identities have been targeted throughout (Trumps) campaign, Ibrahim said. To have someone like (Yiannopoulos) come into my campus and affirm those peoples beliefs, its very, very hurtful. Hours after the event was canceled, the College Republicans issued a statement declaring the Free Speech Movement dead. It is tragic that the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement is also its final resting place, the statement said. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Sarah Ravani contributed to this report. Michael Bodley and Nanette Asimov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com and nasimov@sfchronicle.com A Singapore Airlines flight attendant was found dead in a San Francisco hotel Tuesday, the airline confirmed. Vanessa Yeap, 38, was found unresponsive in her room by the rest of her flight crew when she did not meet them in the hotel lobby ahead of a flight from SFO to Singapore. The Straits Times reports they attempted to revive her, but she was already deceased. An anonymous cabin crew member told the Straits Times that Yeap said she was feeling unwell when the flight landed at SFO. Yeap, who was born in Penang, had been with the airline for 16 years. "We can confirm with regret that one of our female cabin crew was found deceased in her hotel room in San Francisco on Feb 1, 2017 (Singapore time)," Singapore Airlines wrote in a statement. "Our immediate priority is to provide the necessary assistance to the family of the crew member. As the case is under the investigation of the local authorities, we are unable to share any further details. "The member of crew operated to SFO on flight SQ2/28 January and was due to have operated out from SFO on SQ1/1 February." SFPD confirmed they were aware of the incident and that the medical examiner's office is investigating Yeap's death. Yeap's brother is reportedly flying to San Francisco to claim her body. Financial startup SoFi is getting closer to its ambition of being able to replace your bank. SoFi, or Social Finance as it is officially known, announced Wednesday that it is acquiring Zenbanx, allowing SoFi to offer checking accounts, credit cards and international money transfers to its customers. San Franciscos SoFi began in 2011 by refinancing student loans taken out by graduates of elite universities. Since succeeding in that niche, the company has expanded into personal loans, mortgage lending, asset management and even life insurance. But until now it has not been able to accept deposits, one of the most basic functions of a bank. Zenbanx was founded by the former chief executive of ING Direct, Arkadi Kuhlmann. It has built a clientele for online savings accounts that allow customers to move easily among different currencies, while using ATMs to get access to cash. SoFi is tiny compared with even midsize banks it currently has about 225,000 members, as it calls its customers. But it has announced its Silicon Valley-grade ambitions to take on the biggest banks with advertising campaigns including one during last years Super Bowl that use the tagline Dont Bank. SoFi. SoFi has found a way to continue expanding its business at a time when most other online lenders have had to scale back their ambitions. Many online lenders pulled back early last year at around the same time that the leading company in the field, Lending Club, announced that it was parting ways with its founder, Renaud Laplanche, after discovering accounting irregularities and other problems. SoFi has set itself apart from other online lenders with a more personalized business model that offers customers more than just loans. Services like career advice and even dating events have kept customers engaged beyond the initial transaction. The latest acquisition will allow SoFi to extend those relationships further. By making it easy to move money among currencies, Zenbanx could be attractive for SoFis more elite, cosmopolitan clientele. Given SoFis frequent criticism of mainstream banks through interviews, blog posts and advertising, it has faced many questions about whether it could eventually become a bank itself. SoFi Chief Executive Officer Mike Cagney has said in the past that the company had discussed getting a bank charter in Utah. The Zenbanx acquisition would appear to give SoFi a way to offer the basic functions of a bank without needing a bank charter. Zenbanx completes its transactions through a partnership with WSFS Bank, which is based in Delaware. That setup is expected to continue after the acquisition by SoFi is complete, which is expected to happen in February. Nathaniel Popper is a New York Times writer. Bill Hutchinson / The Chronicle Police arrested a man Wednesday morning after he refused to be evicted from a San Francisco apartment by barricading himself inside and threatening to burn the building down, officials said. A private security guard called police about 11 a.m. after trying to evict a man from a multiunit complex on the unit block of Garlington Court in the Bayview District. Asghar Farhadis films, whether its A Separation, The Past or his newest, The Salesman, stay close to domestic life. The dramatic things that happen are the sorts of dramatic things that happen to real people, not people in the movies. The scale is small, the concentration is intense, and the results are surprising, always surprising, in their power. Farhadi seems incapable of shooting a boring scene. The film, a best foreign film Oscar nominee from Iran, is universal, and yet specific. It deals with human emotions that anyone can understand and recognize. But it also reveals, in passing, what its like to live in Tehran, and in a patriarchal Islamic culture. Basically, husbands and wives act like husbands and wives, but outside the circle of marriage, a womans rights are limited. The film starts with an evacuation. A man wakes up in the morning and finds that everyone in his apartment building is running down the stairs with only a few possessions that they can easily carry. Apparently, the building is in danger of collapse. He and his wife flee and have to find a new place. They take an apartment owned by a friend, who happens to be in their theater group. The films title, The Salesman, takes its name from Death of a Salesman, the Arthur Miller play that the husband (Shahab Hosseini) and wife (Taraneh Alidoosti) are starring in. He plays Willy Loman, and she plays Linda Loman, his wife; Farhadi gives us a number of scenes from the play, some in rehearsal, some before small audiences, over the course of the film. These scenes are interesting as discrete entities, if only for the chance to see a distinctly American drama performed in a foreign language and cultural context. But any connection between the Miller play and the rest of the film is tenuous, and so the Death of a Salesman element is ultimately not a strength of the film. Its not a weakness, either, except in the sense that its a recurring quasi-irrelevancy. On the plus side, it does establish the husband and wife as artists and give them a circle of acquaintances. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Habib Majidi/Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 HABIB MAJIDI/NYT Show More Show Less 3 of 3 This is what the young couple dont know about their new apartment: It was previously rented by a prostitute, and one day, while the husband is out, one of the prostitutes clients shows up and assaults the young wife while she is in the shower. The rest of the movie deals with the fallout from this assault, the effect on the womans sense of security, on the marriage, and on the husbands sense of himself and his own responsibility. If this were an American film, the course of action would be pretty clear. The couple would go to the police, and the assailant would be found fairly quickly it was obviously someone the previous tenant knew. But getting the authorities involved in Iran is risky. For a woman, it means being subjected to interrogation and possible accusation, so its not worth it. However, this means never achieving closure: no feeling of security for the woman and, for the man, the pressing and demeaning sense of being unable to protect his wife. How this weighs on the marriage and how this transforms each of the partners, subtly and gradually, are Farhadis areas of concern. If theres a connection between the Miller play and the film, its that both Willy Loman and this Iranian husband have a conception of what it means to be a man. And this conception cannot be dislodged by the wife, no matter the consequences. She can only stand and witness the husbands torments, even as she goes through her own. Hosseini and Alidoosti are superb, with rich internal lives that give depth to their characters actions and these characters are indeed active. Though much of the movie is about the psychological effects of a single violent act, this is not a story that stays entirely in the mind. The last half hour is as dramatic as anything in any film currently playing. Farhadi might just win an Oscar for The Salesman, but he wont be at the ceremony. Along with every other Iranian, as well as the people of six other countries, he has been banned from traveling to the United States. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle Salesman Drama. Starring Shahab Hosseini and Taraneh Alidoosti. Directed by Asghar Farhadi. In Farsi with English subtitles. (PG-13. 125 minutes.) To see a trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlKN5PBVLN8 BISMARCK, N.D. The acting secretary of the Army has ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to allow construction of the Dakota Access pipeline under a Missouri River reservoir, a North Dakota senator said, the latest twist in the months-long legal battle over the $3.8 billion project. The Standing Rock Sioux, whose opposition to the project attracted the support of thousands of protesters from around the country to North Dakota, immediately vowed to return to court to stop it. Sen. John Hoeven, a Republican, announced late Tuesday that Robert Speer directed the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with an easement necessary to complete the pipeline. President Trump signed an executive order signaling his support for the project a week ago. On Wednesday, Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Malcolm Frost said the Army has begun its review. These initial steps do not mean the easement has been approved, Frost said. Hoeven spokesman Don Canton said Speers move means the easement isnt quite issued yet, but they plan to approve it within days. The crossing under Lake Oahe, a wide section of the Missouri River in southern North Dakota, is the final big chunk of work on the pipeline designed to carry North Dakota oil through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois. The pipeline has been the target of months of protests led by the Standing Rock Sioux, whose reservation lies near the pipelines route and who have argued that its a threat to water and tribal artifacts. The developer, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, said the pipeline would be safe. The tribe has pledged to challenge any granting of the easement in court, and Chairman Dave Archambault renewed that vow Tuesday night. If it does become a done deal in the next few days, well take it to the judicial system, Archambault said. He added: This is a good indicator of what this country is going to be up against in the next four years. So America has to brace itself. On Wednesday, law enforcement evicted about 40 pipeline opponents from a camp the protesters set up on higher ground near their flood-prone main camp in southern North Dakota. The Morton County Sheriffs Office says the camp was on private property owned by the pipeline developer. Protesters in Facebook posts described what they called the Last Child camp as a peaceful assembly. Sheriffs spokesman Rob Keller says there were two initial arrests and no reports of injuries. An environmental assessment conducted last year determined the crossing would not have a significant impact on the environment. However, then-Assistant Army Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy on Dec. 4 declined to issue an easement, saying a broader environmental study was warranted. Energy Transfer Partners called Darcys decision politically motivated and accused then-President Barack Obamas administration of delaying the matter until he left office. Two days before he left the White House, the Corps started an environmental impact study of the crossing that could take up to two years to complete. On Jan. 24, just four days after he took office, Trump signed an executive action telling the Corps to quickly reconsider the Dec. 4 decision. The company appears poised to begin drilling under the lake immediately. Workers have already drilled entry and exit holes for the Oahe crossing, and the company has put oil in the pipeline leading up to the lake in anticipation of finishing the project, its executive vice president, Joey Mahmoud said. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) India has given sufficient evidence against the conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and Pakistan must realise that it is in its national interest and for its own credibility that action is taken against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, Congress leader Anand Sharma today said. "India has given sufficient evidence in the dossiers against the conspirators of the Mumbai terror attack. If Pakistan was sincere in ensuring prosecution and conviction, then the evidence is adequate. Pakistan must realise that it is in its own national interest and for its own credibility that action is taken. advertisement "It has already been delayed much and in the long run, it will hurt Pakistan itself. It is important that for the restoration of some trust and understanding and to create peace in the region, action is taken against Hafiz Saeed, action is taken against all the terror outfits and the terror syndicates operating from the soil of Pakistan must be dismantled," Sharma said. His remarks come a day after Pakistan asked India to provide "concrete evidence" against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed if it was "serious" about its allegations against him. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders - Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz - were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab Provinces Interior Ministry in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. On the H1B issue, Sharma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must protect the interest of Indian IT professionals and students and US president Donald Trump must be "made" to realise that Indian IT professionals are not immigrants and are skilled workers who have gone there temporarily. Sharma said that he along with his party expressed concern right after Modi had a telephonic conversation with Trump. "Prime Minister must protect the interest of Indian IT professionals and Indian students, both of whom will be adversely affected by the new bills and moves of US administration - one is on H1B visas. Our IT companies will find it difficult to work there. "The doubling of the salaries in this proposal and making that mandatory will not allow our IT professionals to get H1B visas. It will be counterproductive for US in the long run because Indian IT professionals are not immigrants and this the American president should be made to realise. They are skilled workers. They are temporarily going to America," he said. PTI TDS KUN --- ENDS --- SMYRNA, Del. Inmates at a Delaware prison took five corrections department workers hostage Wednesday, a move the inmates told a local newspaper was due to concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon, but four remained in custody and negotiations were ongoing as the evening stretched on, authorities said. A preliminary investigation suggests the incident began around 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said at a news conference. Other officers responded to help, and five Department of Corrections employees were taken hostage. Later, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmates fiancee and another persons mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons for doing what were doing included Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Bratz did not address the phone calls during the news conference or give details about negotiations, which he said were ongoing. He did not take questions. We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone involved and using all of our available resources, he said. The inmates released one hostage around 2:40 p.m., and that person was taken by ambulance to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Bratz said. Authorities dont know whether anyone else has been injured, he said. Bratz did not say how much of the prison, which houses about 2,500 inmates, was involved in the incident. But Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, said Building C was under the inmates control. Rogers described the hostages as four guards and one counselor. He said hed been briefed on the situation by the unions president, who was talking to officials at the scene. The officer who was released had been beaten and bruised and banged up, said Rogers. According to the departments website, the prison is Delawares largest correctional facility for men. It houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Rogers. Randall Chase is an Associated Press writer. 1 Sanctuary city funds: Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott blocked funding for the first time over sanctuary cities after Austins sheriff stopped complying with all federal immigration detainers. Abbott spokesman John Wittman said Wednesday that $1.5 million in previously approved criminal justice grants will no longer go to Travis County. The move follows Sheriff Sally Hernandez announcing after President Trumps inauguration that she would stop honoring all immigration holds in her jails. The blocked funding in Texas fifth-largest county is only a fraction of Hernandezs budget but funds programs such as crime victim services and drug treatment courts. 2 Manson follower: A parole panel on Wednesday recommended the release of a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson after California governors blocked four previous parole recommendations. Bruce Davis, 74, had his 31st parole hearing at the California Mens Colony at San Luis Obispo as he serves a life sentence for the 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald Shorty Shea. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Elizabeth T Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Drew Angerer/Getty Images Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee wants Stephen Bannon, the White House chief strategist, booted from his permanent position on the National Security Council, an unprecedented appointment by President Trump. By placing Steve Bannon - a man who has promoted the alt-right and white nationalism - at the center of our nations most senior diplomatic and intelligence council, President Trump has placed our national security in grave danger, Lee said in a letter addressed to Trump. There is no place for such inexperience and bigotry at the center of Americas national security apparatus. By Press Trust of India: Colombo, Feb 2 (PTI) India and Sri Lanka today signed an agreement to construct a multi-ethnic tri-lingual school in a north central district of the island nation that would provide opportunities to Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students to learn in a multi-cultural environment. The MoU was signed by Indias High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Secretary to the Ministry of Education Sunil Hettiarachchi. advertisement The secondary school located in President Maithripala Sirisenas home district Polonnaruwa will be constructed using a grant of SLR 300 million from the Indian Government. The project envisages construction of class rooms, laboratories and library, as well as procurement of furniture and other equipment. "The school would provide opportunities to Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students to learn in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural environment," the Indian High Commission said in a statement. "The project would also contribute to President Maithripala Sirisenas efforts to promote and strengthen reconciliation and unity in Sri Lanka," it said. PTI CORR PMS --- ENDS --- This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images Show More Show Less 3 of 3 SACRAMENTO California Democratic senators will meet with Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards and former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. next week during an annual policy retreat in Sacramento as lawmakers map out strategies to resist policies pushed by President Trump and his administration. Richards will speak Tuesday to Democratic senators about how to preserve access to health care nationwide at a time when congressional Republicans are working to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal the Affordable Care Act. Saeed has been placed under a 90-day house arrest. There have been reports that Islamabad has immense pressure from new US administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations. By Press Trust of India: Pakistan has placed Jamaat-ud- Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's name on the Exit Control List on Wednesday, two days after the Mumbai attack mastermind and his four aides were put under house arrest. The Interior Ministry has forwarded a letter to all provincial governments and the Federal Investigation Agency, which included names of 38 individuals placed on the list, preventing them from leaving the country. All of them were said to be linked with JuD or Lashkar-e-Taiba. advertisement The ministry had "placed Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and Jamaat-Ud-Dawa (JUD) on the Watch List as per UNSC 1267 Sanctions and have listed these organisations in the Second Schedule of the ATA 1997 (as amended)." Also read | Hafiz Saeed under house arrest, India welcomes move, protests expected in Pakistan: Top 10 facts "Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz are reportedly active members of the aforementioned organisations within the meaning of Section 11EEE(1) of the ATA 1997 (as amended)," read a notification issued by the ministry. "As such, they must be placed under preventive detention," it added. Saeed has been placed under a 90-day house arrest. There have been reports that Islamabad has immense pressure from new US administration to take action against Saeed and his organisations. Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009. Also read | Modi's insistence, Trump's instigation, Pakistan's compromise: Hafiz Saeed on house arrest WATCH NOW: --- ENDS --- Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajesh Modak confirmed the number of deaths and informed that many of the injured were still in critical condition. By Indo-Asian News Service: The death toll in a building collapse here in Uttar Pradesh rose to seven today, with three more labourers succumbing to their injuries, a police official said. Eight persons trapped in the debris of the six-storey under-construction apartment building, owned by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mehtaab Aalam, were also rescued, the police official said. Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajesh Modak confirmed the number of deaths and informed that many of the injured were still in critical condition. advertisement Also read: Kanpur: Under-construction building collapses in Jajmau, 7 killed Most of the victims were labourers and their families belongs from Chhattisgarh. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when the sixth floor was being constructed. All of a sudden, the building crumbled like a pack of cards and thereafter there was chaos and wails for help, an eyewitness told. All through the night, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, who were rushed in from Varanasi and Lucknow, continued their relief and rescue operations. FIR registered against SP leader Mehtaab Aalam and his contractor at Kaikeri Thana in Kanpur. The Army was also helping, a district official informed. But since the building is located in a narrow lane, rescue work was hampered. Also read: Mumbai: 5-storey Bandra building collapses, 6 children killed --- ENDS --- All the while that Ali lay on road, injured and bleeding, no onlooker came to his help, instead many took videos of his ordeal. By Rohini Swamy: In another horrifying incident, an 18-year-old boy bled to death after meeting with an accident as no one rushed him to the hospital but instead videotaped him dying and writhing in pain. Anwar Ali was riding a bicycle when he collided with a bus near the Ashoka circle in Koppal district of Karnataka today morning. All the while that Ali lay on road, injured and bleeding, no onlooker came to his help, instead many took videos of his ordeal. advertisement When taken to the hospital, Ali succumbed to his injuries; doctors said he could have been saved with timely medical assistance. The incident has sent shock-waves across the state, specifically after the Karnataka government passed the Good Samaritan Act that allows people to help the victims of accident without an legal hassles to deal with. Also read: Kerala: 20-year-old dies after being set on fire in college Also read: Biker, on phone, dies after horrific accident in Telangana Also read: 12 including 4 school girls killed in road accident in Madhya Pradesh Watch the video here --- ENDS --- The woman along with few other students were inside their class in School of Medical Education in Kottayam when Adarsh, a former student of the same college entered the class and poured petrol on her. "All the students ran out of the classroom, including the woman. The accused, however, chased the woman and set her and himself on fire with a lighter," said police. Both suffered severe burn injuries and the woman succumbed to her injuries last night. She was a physiotherapy student. According to the police, the two had been very close and Adarsh could not take it when the woman backed out from the relationship. Rhythmical experiments with the essence of the soil of Rajasthan is what comprises Kutle Khan's music. By Disha Roy Choudhury: A young man was playing khartal when a group of foreigners spotted him at the Artist colony of Jaisalmer. The next thing you know, he was performing before the audience in Corsica, France. This is how Kutle Khan's musical journey took off in the year 2000, after which, there was no looking back. During a recent chat with India Today Digital, the talented musician reflected upon his 16-year-long career, musical pursuits and upcoming projects for the year. advertisement On inheriting music and reviving it with time Kutle Khan hails from Rajasthan's Manganiyar district, where music has been his family tradition for years. With music being a part of his bloodstream, Khan says his father, Jethu Khan, introduced him to the world of creating tunes at the age of eight. Today, this musician has moved beyond his boundaries and has evolved as a global medium of reviving the authentic folk music of Rajasthan. Kutle's music genres that include folk and Sufi, require some basic insights, which Khan ensures while performing. "Hum audience ko har ek instrument ke baare mein batate bhi hai"(We also explain about each of these instruments to the audience), affirmed this multi-instrumentalist. And what makes these renditions unique? It is local music blended with contemporary styles, without compromising on its indigenous Rajasthani flavour. Each of Khan's compositions are adorned with instruments like the khartal or sarangi whose music is comfortably woven into a more regular saxophone or a flute. Also Read: Shalmali Kholgade's entry into Bollywood was a master stroke of serendipity On the Kutle Khan Project The renowned Kutle Khan Project has been framed along these very lines. If music is all-encompassing, Kutle proves it by promoting the small town, budding musicians of Rajasthan through this musical platform. ''Rajasthan ke chhote sheheron se naye artists dhundte hai aur woh isme gaate hai" (We pick up new artists from the small towns of Rajasthan who perform with me). The team, that has only grown in the past 6-7 years, now has over 40 artists who perform Sufi, folk, fusion and even Kutle's self-compositions. Also Read: When Tanmay Bhat cried, and Amit Trivedi could not help laughing On Coke Studio, performing abroad and his love for Indian audience In the recent years, the artist has shared stage with leading musicians like Amit Trivedi, Kailash Kher, Susheela Raman and Midival Punditz among others. He debuted at MTV Coke Studio with Trivedi's unforgettable composition Khari Khari in 2013. Besides contributing to platforms like Coke Studio and The Dewarists, Kutle has wooed the audience with his powerful music in more than 70 countries till now. So how does the west respond to his music? ''Unko thoda bohot samajh aataa hai, par unko rhythm achha lagta hai," (They don't understand much, but it is the rhythm that appeals to them) says Kutle. The man who has just returned from Jaipur Literature Festival says it is the Indian audience and their vibrancy that excites him more. advertisement Also Read: 5 binge-worthy, melodious music shows from India and Pakistan that are not Coke Studio The present and future of folk music Kutle believes that the world of music has evolved over the years. The audience is all ears to musical experiments and is gradually warming up to the feel of folk music, specially when it is modified into a new form to suit one's taste. Among his upcoming endeavours is a folk album that has already been recorded and is scheduled for release soon. He is also setting up the Kutle Khan Project Studio in Jaislamer to educate kids about our musical and cultural heritage. All set to perform at upcoming Riders Music Festival, Delhi, the artist said that he will be playing the khartal and morchang to accompany his self compositions. He will also be sharing stage with Monophonik, an Electronica player based out of Mumbai. Riders Music Festival will be held on 18-19 February at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi and will also host performers like Amit Trivedi, Kenneth Sebastian, Lucky Ali among others. --- ENDS --- advertisement Students in the Law Academy has been on strike for the last 23 days and protests turned violent after police teargassed the protesters. BJP called for district hartal on yesterday. By Jeemon Jacob: Both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have decided to intensify protests after CPI(M) student wing backed out from the ongoing student strike in Law Academy, Thiruvananthapuram. K.Muraleedharan, local Congress legislator joined the protest with indefinite hunger strike. Police shifted BJP former state President V Muraleedharan who was on hunger strike for the last seven days in front of the Campus and V V Rajesh, State Secretary of BJP replaced him in the protest demanding resignation of Principal Dr Lekhsmi Nair who is also a celebrity master chef. advertisement Students in the Law Academy has been on strike from last 23 days and protests turned violent after police teargassed the protesters. BJP called for district hartal on yesterday. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW STRIKE: Protesters alleged that CPI(M) and Pinarayi Vijayan government favoured the management and the Principal as they are close to the party leadership. Meanwhile, Principal Lekshmi Nair was asked to abstain from the teaching faculty and holding the post of Principal for five years by the Director board of the college. The student strike initially started as a protest against undemocratic functioning of self financing professional colleges in the state after Jishnu Pranoy, a Btech student committed suicide in the hostel. It has became a political issue uniting the opposition against Pinarayi Government. Social media grilled CPI(M) for dilly dallying in the crucial issues raised by the student unions. Now the students are demanding that the government should probe the violations in 12 acres of land allocated to the management. Former chief minister VS Achuthanandan has demanded a probe on the land allocation issue and Revenue Department was forced to probe the land allocation awarded in 1967. Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief V M Sudheeran told that Congress would support the student strike in Law Academy till the Principal Lekshmi Nair quits. Also read: BJP scores over CPI(M) in Law academy student strike in Kerala --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Juhi Chakraborty Mumbai, Feb 2 (PTI) He may be just in the fifth year of his Bollywood career but Varun Dhawan already has his eyes set on the kind of films that the Khans do and he says just like them he also wants to star in projects which appeal to pan-Indian audiences. advertisement The 29-year-old actor has done only Bollywood potboilers barring "Badlapur" and he consciously chooses the "masala" films because those are what people from all across the country can watch irrespective of states. "It is conscious decision for me (to do masala films). We need our films to do well. And commercial films dont only mean masala. Commercial films also mean that they are films that everyone in the country can watch - people in Bihar can watch it, people in Maharashtra can watch it, people all over the country can watch it," Varun told reporters during an interview on the sidelines of Lakme Fashion Week. "Sometimes we forget that in our country there are so many other people who are living and might have different preference. I am just trying to make that attempt which I think the Khans do wonderfully, they make films for the entire country. Also, Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan. My attempt is to make a film which everyone can enjoy." His fourth film was thriller "Badlapur", which was a far cry from what Varun did in his first three films -- "Student of the Year", "Main Tera Hero" and "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania". Even though it was a departure from his happy-go-lucky on-screen image, his dark and mature performance was appreciated. When asked if he would like to revisit the genre, Varun says, "100 per cent. In fact, by the end of the year there will be a surprise." The actor is currently awaiting the release of "Badrinath Ki Dulhania" which is the second offering from the "Dulhaniya" franchise. Besides that Varun is also stepping into the shoes of Salman Khan for "Judwaa 2". The film will be directed by Varuns father David Dhawan, who also helmed the first film which was about twin brothers Raja and Prem. "It is a daunting thing. I am just going to put my head down and go into the film and not talk much of it. Anything I do is going to be less. I am just trying to create two characters which people can love." PTI JCH BK --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Bangkok, Feb 2 (PTI) A lineage of multidrug resistant malaria superbugs has widely spread and is now established in parts of Asia, according to a new study which warns that further spread of these parasites through India to Africa poses a risk of global public health disaster. It is causing high treatment failure rates for the main falciparum malaria medicines, artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), researchers said. advertisement The emergence and spread of artemisinin drug resistant P falciparum lineage represents a serious threat to global malaria control and eradication efforts, they said. Researchers warn that malaria parasites resistant to both artemisinin and its widely used partner drug piperaquine are now spreading quickly throughout Cambodia, with fitter multidrug resistant parasites spreading throughout western Cambodia, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand. "We now see this very successful resistant parasite lineage emerging, outcompeting its peers, and spreading over a wide area," said Professor Arjen Dondorp, from Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Thailand. "It has also picked up resistance to the partner drug piperaquine, causing high failure rates of the widely used artemisinin combination therapy DHA-piperaquine," said Dondorp. "We hope this evidence will be used to reemphasise the urgency of malaria elimination in the Asia-region before falciparum malaria becomes close to untreatable. Noting that the further spread of these multidrug resistant parasites through India to sub-Saharan Africa would be a global public health disaster, the researchers call for accelerated efforts in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and closer collaboration to monitor any further spread in neighbouring regions. "We are losing a dangerous race to eliminate artemisinin resistant falciparum malaria before widespread resistance to the partner antimalarials makes that impossible," said Nicholas White, Professor at Oxford and Mahidol University. "The consequences of resistance spreading further into India and Africa could be grave if drug resistance is not tackled from a global public health emergency perspective," White said. After examining blood spot samples from patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria from sites in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, the team found that PfKelch13 C580Y, a single mutant parasite lineage, has spread across three countries, replacing parasites containing other, less ACT-resistant mutations. Although the C580Y mutation does not confer a higher level of artemisinin resistance than many other PfKelch13 mutations it appears to be fitter, more transmissible and spreading more widely. "The spread and emergence of drug resistant malaria parasites across Asia into Africa has occurred before. Last time it killed millions," White added. advertisement The study was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. PTI SAR SAR --- ENDS --- In a case of brutal domestic violence in Balkh, a man sliced off his wife's both ears without a reason or rhyme. By India Today Web Desk: The 21-year-old Zarina had to go through something most of us couldn't have ever imagined in our most terrifying of dreams. Zarina, who belonged to northern Balkh province of Afghanistan, was attacked by her husband without any reason. She got married to her husband when she was just 15. Her husband woke her up in the middle of the night, and chopped both her ears with a knife. "I haven't committed any sin. I don't know why my husband did this to me." She told Pajhwok news. advertisement The doctors said she was in trauma when she arrived at the hospital. The local police are investigating about the incident, but the husband is still walking free. But this is not the first time that horrific incidents of this sort has occurred in Afghanistan, the cases of mutilation, cutting of body parts and domestic violence have increased rapidly in the country. Even though the government wants to introduce laws to protect women, there are not enough laws which are strong enough to protect the women in Afghanistan because of strong armed individuals. --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) Top American IT company Microsoft today requested the Trump administration to ease travel restrictions on its employees affected by the Executive Order of the US President on immigration, visa and border security. In a letter to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary Gen (rtd) John Kelly, Microsoft Chief Legal Officer Bradford L Smith said 76 Microsoft employees along with 41 dependents have non-immigrant visas to live and work in the US and are impacted by the Executive Order. advertisement "After contacting these employees and their families, we have learned that some of them have particularly pressing needs. For example, we are concerned about families that have been separated as one or both parents were outside the US last Friday and therefore cannot re-enter the country and are stranded away from their homes," he wrote. "We are also concerned about an impacted employee inside the US with a desperate need to visit a critically-ill parent abroad. These situations almost certainly are not unique to our employees and their families. Therefore, we request that you create an exception process to address these and other responsible applications for entry into the country," he said. Smith said he believes such an exception under the existing framework of the Executive Order would help address compelling personal needs without compromising the Executive Orders security-related objectives. From the perspective of safety and security, a wide range of personal information is known about individuals holding non-immigrant work visas, including their occupation, place of work, place of residence, family members, state identification/drivers license information, and the existence of any criminal history, he wrote. These are not people trying to avoid detection. Rather, these individuals are "known quantities" in their communities: their character, personalities, conduct, and behavior is well recognised and understood by their employers, colleagues, friends, and neighbours, he added. Smith said these individuals fill critical roles in the organisations that employ them, whether they are doctors, scientists, engineers, medical technicians, researchers, architects, software developers, or any number of other highly skilled professionals. They are deeply valued contributors to the innovation, research, and business acumen of our nation, and they serve critical roles in the successful operations of US companies, he said. Smith said the individuals who would be eligible for the proposed exception have already been vetted on numerous levels by the US government for security risks in order to be approved for employment on a non-immigrant visa. PTI LKJ ANB UZM ANB --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Mumbai, Feb 2 (PTI) Specialised, leadership and expert are the most overused career buzzwords in India, according to a latest report by professional networking website LinkedIn which analysed the profile summaries of 39 million members in the country. LinkedIn announced the top 10 most overused buzzwords and phrases by Indian professionals in their LinkedIn profiles. advertisement Running for the sixth year in a row, the campaign encourages professionals to sharpen their profiles using language that is simple yet effective in describing their professional journey. The company analysed the profile summaries of 39 million members in India and compiled the Buzzwords 2017 list. The top ten India buzzwords are: specialised (1), leadership (2), expert (3), strategic (4), passionate (5), certified (6), responsible (7), excellent (8), experienced (9) and focused (10). A new addition to the top 10 list, specialised is this years most overused buzzword both globally and in India, the company said. Leadership has moved up two notches from last year, while passionate which was in the top three in 2016 closes the top five list for 2017. Some new additions to the list include words such as certified and excellent, while organisation which was the most overused buzzword in 2016 is off the charts this year. "With over one million people entering the workforce every month, the Indian job market continues to get more competitive," said Deepa Sapatnekar, Head of Communications, LinkedIn India and Hong Kong. "So, its essential for professionals to show up differently and create a compelling professional brand. Our data shows that historically, this is the busiest month of the year for LinkedIn profile updates," said Sapatnekar. The company said those looking to improve their LinkedIn profile this year should "mind their language" as profile summary is one of the first things people look at, so it is important to get it right. They also advised people to take a professional tone and be assertive and direct when they are talking about their achievements. They should list out all their relevant previous roles and describe what they did in everyday language. This will help people understand the breadth of your work story - a complete profile reflects a well-rounded person, the company added. PTI SAR AKJ SAR --- ENDS --- Barack and Michele Obama continue their post-presidency vacation this week, and the internet really seemed to like what the former president wore to a beach in the British Virgin Islands this week. Several Twitter users discussed Obama's decision to wear his hat backwards, others made Donald Trump jokes, and one even found a way to make a Game of Thrones joke. By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Shiv Sena workers from Wadala ward number 178 in Mumbai protested outside the Shiv Sena Shakha in the area to protest against the denial of ticket for BMC polls to their local leader Madhuri Manjrekar. Shiv Sena workers protested outside the shakha as Ameya Ghole, Yuva Sena officer-bearer and a close aide of Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, got the ticket. advertisement "We have never seen Ameya Ghole in the area or in our shakha. Whenever we need any assistance, local leaders Madhuri Manjrekar or Harish Shivalkar have come forward to help us. But the party has denied them ticket and instead given away the ticket to someone who has no local connect. If they don't give ticket to our candidate, we will not campaign for Sena candidate", said Shreedhar Thakur, one of the Shiv Sena workers from ward 178. Also read | Mumbai: Activist Makarad Narvekar, other prominent faces join BJP ahead of BMC polls Shiv Sena leaders today secretly distributed A/B forms at party chief Uddhav Thackeray's official residence Matoshree. Once this news was leaked, a huge crowd gathered outside Matoshree. 3rd Feb is the last date to file nomination for BMC polls. In order to prevent infighting in party, Shiv Sena this time distributed A/B forms very secretly and called the people to collect their A/B forms from Matoshree. Many Shiv Sena party workers had come there in the hope that they would get A/B forms but returned either empty-handed or with some assurance from party leaders. Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs from Mumbai were assigned the task of appeasing shiv sainiks who were sulking after not getting tickets. Shiv Sena broke with the BJP last week and decided to contest BMC and other elections all alone. But it seems that problems for Sena have increased due to this decision as many local shiv sainiks, who were anticipating ticket after the break-up, have been hurt for not getting the same. Many hurt sainiks have approached the BJP for ticket. Also read | BMC polls: Shiv Sena objects to MNS using Bal Thackeray's photo --- ENDS --- AMONA, West Bank Israels prime minister on Thursday vowed to establish the first new West Bank settlement in over two decades as soon as possible, promising to make up for the court-ordered demolition of an illegal settler outpost. Benjamin Netanyahus announcement was his latest step to expand Israeli settlement construction in the wake of President Trumps inauguration. Trump has signaled a far softer line toward the settlements, which are considered illegal by most of the international community. VALLETTA, Malta At age 24, Alex Mangion became Maltas first transgender politician when he won a local office on the conservative Nationalists ticket, a striking combination in a country that until recently had been a last bastion in western Europe of social norms largely dictated by the Catholic Church. The Nationalist Party recruited Mangion to run for Town Council with an eye toward grooming him as a candidate for next years parliamentary election. The party, which governed Malta for a quarter-century, hopes to reverse its stinging, landslide 2013 loss to socialist archrivals who returned to power with an agenda heavy on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. The Nationalist Partys having a transgender person in the party made people realize its not conservative any longer, Mangion, now 26, said as he strolled along a harbor promenade wearing a blue suit and tie typical of his profession. Mangion has notched a personal achievement as well: He was the first person in this tiny nation to be able to update the gender on his official documents without undergoing surgery or hormone treatment thanks to the passage of comprehensive transgender rights legislation. In 2015, the Nationalists sided with the socialist Labor Party to ensure unanimous approval of the bill. Other nations are taking note of Maltas remarkably rapid transformation from conservative outpost divorce remained illegal in the country until 2011 to increasingly liberal standard-bearer. There are countries which we had looked up to til now and that are said to be very progressive, said Helena Dalli, Maltas minister for civil liberties. But they are asking us now, such as Belgium for instance, whether they can take our model of law, the gender-identity law, so they can model their own law on ours. The conservative Nationalists are a microcosm of the evolution under way in Malta, an island nation of roughly 420,000 people where it seems just about everyone knows everyone elses business, and generations of gay people lived undercover to avoid the moral judgment of neighbors and colleagues. Malta allows same-sex civil unions and was the first European nation to ban gay-conversion therapy. Strategically sitting in the Mediterranean between North Africa and southern Europe, Malta has historical, cultural and anthropological ties to both continents. Frances DEmilio is an Associated Press writer. BUDAPEST, Hungary When Russian President Vladimir Putin last paid a visit to Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban was under siege for his autocratic style, Russia was isolated for its seizure of Crimea, and both men were called xenophobes for their hard-line stance on immigration. Two years later, as Putin landed Thursday for his first foray into Europe in the Trump era, it was a different story. Both men feel vindicated. There is talk of lifting the economic sanctions placed on Russia for its land grab in Ukraine. Their brand of nationalism has moved from the fringe to the mainstream. There was a note of triumphalism, even a bit of swagger, in the air. Putin is not in his hole anymore, said Balazs Orban, director of research for the Szazadveg Foundation, a think tank that advises Hungarys ruling right-wing party, Fidesz. Even so, beneath the triumph lies a strain of uneasiness. The visit is expected to be fairly low-key, an indication of the uncertainty surrounding the new Trump administration, analysts say. President Trumps intentions remain unclear, and the prospects of a grand bargain between Washington and the Kremlin are highly uncertain. In the meantime, leaders across Europe have been forced to recalculate the best way to balance pressures in the East and West. Nowhere is that challenge felt more keenly than in Central and Eastern Europe, historically torn between Russia and the West. That means the visit is being closely scrutinized by European and global leaders. They are looking for hints of how aggressive Putin and populist leaders like Orban will be in capitalizing on this new international climate and on Trumps stated desire for better relations with Moscow. Many in Hungary, skeptical that the Americans and Russians will actually bridge the chasm of interests dividing them, are injecting a note of caution about the balancing act ahead for leaders like Orban and his Fidesz party. Andras Racz, a Russia expert and associate professor at Catholic University in Budapest, predicted that the reset in relations between the United States and Russia would result in a brief honeymoon, but nothing else, soon overwritten by conflicting interests. As for Hungary, there is no trust on the Russian side toward Orban, Racz said. The Hungarian leader has been seen mostly as a useful tool for weakening European Union unity, he said. And the feeling is mutual, said Balazs Orban, the researcher, who is not related to the prime minister. Fidesz doesnt feel chemistry with the Russians, he said. They dont think they are friends of Hungary, necessarily. The warmer relations of recent years, he said, had more to do with economic necessity and Hungarys dependence on Russian energy. Rick Lyman is a New York Times writer. WASHINGTON The Trump administration condemned Iran on Wednesday for its recent test of a ballistic missile, saying it was putting Tehran on notice and threatening reprisals, still unspecified, from the United States. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, said Michael Flynn, the national security adviser, speaking in the White House briefing room. He said Irans test was the latest in a series of provocative actions that had destabilized the region and violated U.N. resolutions. New Zealand shares fell, with Fletcher Building and Freightways dropping, while A2 Milk Co gained on news a competitor may be taken over at a premium. The S&P/NZX50 Index dipped 1.96 points, or 0.03 percent, to 7.035.54. Within the index, 21 stocks fell, 19 rose and 10 were unchanged. Turnover was $108.3 million. Fletcher Building led the index lower, down 1.8 percent to $10.14, while Freightways dropped 1.7 percent to $6.87 and Meridian Energy declined 1.7 percent to $2.665. A2 Milk Co was the best performer on the index, up 2.7 percent to $2.29. UK consumer giant Reckitt Benckiser is in talks to buy Mead Johnson Nutrition, the US-based baby-food maker, for US$90 per share, nearly a 30 percent premium. The negotiations value Mead Johnson's entire share capital at approximately US$16.7 billion, according to Reuters. "It had a strong day based on the Mead takeover bid for one of their peers, that's certainly helped the performance today," said James Lindsay at Nikko Asset Management. "There's a couple of dynamics there. The volatility in the market, their peers in Australia have had trouble and Comvita as well, that secondary or grey market into China has been fraught with difficulties over the last few months. A2 has been well-supported out of Australia, their ownership levels are quite high there. They're owned a lot by retail investors and they seem to be a lot more quick with their ins an outs, it's a bit of a trading stock for some of those people so that adds to the volatility in that name." Sky Network Television dipped 0.4 percent to $4.55. US fund manager BlackRock has cut its holding of Sky to 9.3 percent, from the 10.3 percent previously held. "That didn't assist the price, with people still waiting for their likely poorer result and for the ComCom decision on the Vodafone merger, that's probably more weighing on them," Lindsay said. Fonterra Shareholders Fund units were unchanged at $6.19. The dairy cooperative's chief executive Theo Spierings told institutional investors at a briefing that it remains on track to meet its 2025 target to process 30 billion litres of milk from five to six milk pools, generating $35 billion in revenue as it pursues a strategy to process more higher value products. Outside the benchmark index, Veritas Investments spiked 60 percent to 24 cents. It has sold its Nosh food supermarkets to Gosh Holding for $3.98 million, with the transaction due to be completed on Feb. 10. The net sale proceeds after post completion adjustments will be used to repay Veritas groups bank debt to ANZ Bank New Zealand. Opus International Consultants dropped 2.1 percent to 93 cents. The engineering firm posted a $29.9 million loss on impairments against its Canadian oil and gas business, with revenue dropping 6.8 percent to $470.9 million. Abano Healthcare was unchanged at $9. The board has reiterated its recommendation that shareholders reject a takeover offer from its biggest shareholder, saying it had gained no traction and the share price would drop if it was successful. Briscoe Group was unchanged at $4.08. Managing director and majority shareholder Rod Duke said profit rose about 25 percent to $59 million in the year ended Jan. 29 as the household and sporting goods retailer resisted discounting to protect its gross margins. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKC - ADDITIONAL US PRIVATE PLACEMENT FUNDING SECURED Spark New Zealand Limited's Annual Meeting Results 2022 Fonterra Australia settles class action proceedings PFI - Q3 Dividend, Development and Divestment Update November 4th Morning Report FPH to announce half year results on 29 November 2022 ATM - FDA approval to supply infant milk formula to United States Steel & Tube - Adopts ESG World Platform BGP - 3rd Quarter Sales to 30 October 2022 GEO - Quarterly Operating Update Opus International Consultants sank into the red as a struggling oil and gas sector weighed on the engineering firm's Canadian business, triggering more impairment charges. The Wellington-based company reported a loss of $29.9 million, or 20 cents per share, in calendar 2016, compared to a profit of $16.7 million, or 11 cents, a year earlier, it said in a statement. The engineering firm wrote down the value of its Canadian Stewart Weir assets by $33.2 million and its Australian division by $4.4 million in the year, two segments it has previously cited as struggling. Revenue fell 6.8 percent to $470.9 million, led by a 30 percent slump in sales from its Canadian division, which chairman Kerry McDonald said was "hard hit by low oil prices and the resulting collapse in oil industry work." That downturn, which also weighed on the Australian business, prompted Opus to restructure its businesses last year along sector lines rather than country-based divisions to try to draw on staff expertise across borders. Staff wages fell 3 percent to $278.3 million, with Canadian employee remuneration down by a fifth to $50.2 million. Our new global strategy focuses on enhancing capability in proven areas of expertise, and better collaboration across the key global growth sectors of transportation, buildings and water," chief executive David Prentice said. "We are increasing the effectiveness of our excellent talent and providing clients with integrated engineering and wider solutions, regardless of where they are located." The board declared a final dividend of 2 cents per share, payable on April 3 to shareholders on the register on March 17. That takes the annual payment to 4 cents, down from 11 cents a year earlier which included a special dividend to account for Opus's strong cash position. The shares fell 2.1 percent to 93 cents. The engineering firm's operating cash flow shrank 22 percent to $14.4 million in the year and net loan repayments of $44.2 million left it with cash and equivalents of $30.1 million as at Dec. 31, from $59.8 million a year earlier. Opus had long-term borrowings of $54.4 million at the balance date, down from $89.4 million a year earlier. The company's New Zealand operation maintained earnings before interest and tax at about $36.9 million on a 1.2 percent increase in sales to $279.8 million. Local wages increased 2.9 percent to $140.8 million. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKC - ADDITIONAL US PRIVATE PLACEMENT FUNDING SECURED Spark New Zealand Limited's Annual Meeting Results 2022 Fonterra Australia settles class action proceedings PFI - Q3 Dividend, Development and Divestment Update November 4th Morning Report FPH to announce half year results on 29 November 2022 ATM - FDA approval to supply infant milk formula to United States Steel & Tube - Adopts ESG World Platform BGP - 3rd Quarter Sales to 30 October 2022 GEO - Quarterly Operating Update Metro Performance Glass, which has more than half the country's glass processing market, said annual net profit was likely to be similar or even lower than the prior year as local sales lagged behind expectations with dwindling work in Canterbury and a dip in Wellington. The Auckland-based company said it expects net profit to be in a range of $19 million to $20.5 million in the year ending March 31 versus a profit of $20.5 million a year earlier. Revenue is expected to be $240 million-to-$245 million versus $188 million in the prior period. The guidance includes seven months of trading from Australian Glass Group with sales estimated to be in a range of $27 million to $29 million. Metro Glass bought AGG in August for A$43.1 million. "Whilst Metro Glasss sales in the year to date have grown considerably versus last year, sales have recently lagged behind the companys expectations due to a fasterthanexpected slowdown in the Canterbury residential market and a shortterm drop in activity in Wellington following the November 2016 earthquake," the company said in a release to the New Zealand stock exchange. Metro Glass also noted that scaling up production and distribution capability in the North Island has added to operating costs in the short term. Meanwhile, momentum in the commercial project market continues to fluctuate, with certain large projects in particular facing protracted installation timetables. This volatility has resulted in inefficiencies for Metro Glass in production planning and inventory and labour management," it said. In Australia, it said the integration of AGG with Metro Glass is on track and the business has been trading to its expectations. Looking ahead, chairman John Goulter said the supportive construction market outlook will ensure revenue growth for several years but the company needs to focus further on automation, process and cost saving across manufacturing, logistics and glazing. The shares, which listed at $1.70 on the NZX in 2014, last traded at $1.89. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKC - ADDITIONAL US PRIVATE PLACEMENT FUNDING SECURED Spark New Zealand Limited's Annual Meeting Results 2022 Fonterra Australia settles class action proceedings PFI - Q3 Dividend, Development and Divestment Update November 4th Morning Report FPH to announce half year results on 29 November 2022 ATM - FDA approval to supply infant milk formula to United States Steel & Tube - Adopts ESG World Platform BGP - 3rd Quarter Sales to 30 October 2022 GEO - Quarterly Operating Update By Press Trust of India: New York, Feb 2 (PTI) A 38-year-old hijab-wearing cop has sued the New York Police Department, saying that fellow officers bullied her by calling "terrorist, Taliban" and while others tried to tear the headscarf off her head, media report said today. Danielle Alamrani who joined the department in 2006, was converted to Islam a year later. She started getting harassed, bullied ? and even beat up ? when she began wearing a hijab to work in 2008, according to a new lawsuit. advertisement Once she started going to work in head garb, Alamranis fellow officers retaliated by calling her names like "terrorist" and "Taliban" and telling her "that she should not be a police officer," claimed in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court. Things got so bad that in 2012 she was "physically attacked" by two officers who "attempted to rip her Hijab off of her head," the New York Post quoted the lawsuit as saying. The officers, including the equal employment opportunity liaison for her district, screamed "Muslim bitch" while they attacked her and said "I will punch you in the face," according to the lawsuit. Alamrani said she has social media evidence of the harassment. She collected the evidence in 2015 after a fellow officer posted pictures of her in her hijab at the gun range on Facebook. That prompted her co-workers, who didnt like what they saw, to make comments such as "f?king disgrace." They also called her a "moving target," the lawsuit said. "Many comments included threats of violence," said her lawyer Jesse Curtis Rose. Alamrani said she is seeking damages in an amount to be determined at trial. PTI AMS AKJ AMS --- ENDS --- Prime Minister Bill English has used his state of the nation speech to announce a $503 million boost to justice spending, adding 880 police officers and more staff in rural and regional police stations, as well as more resource for preventing crime. The Safer Communities package will fund 1,100 new police staff, the bulk of whom would be sworn officers, increasing the frontline officers to about 9,800 by June 2021, along with more than 3,200 other police staff. The package also includes funding for a national 24/7 phone number for non-emergencies, 140 more staff for 20 rural and regional police stations, 74 new specialist investigators for serious crime such as child protection, family violence and sexual assault, 80 additional officers to target organised crime, gangs and methamphetamine, and 20 additional ethnic liaison officers to support Chinese, Indian and other ethnic communities. "Although recorded crime has fallen since 2009, overall demand for police services has recently increased," English said. "That's down to the complexity and time-consuming nature of cases such as family violence, child abuse and sexual assault, as reporting of these crimes increases." All police districts will receive extra officers, English said, and 95 percent of the population will live within 25 kilometres of 24/7 police presence. The police Eagle helicopter will be available around the clock with the response time of 10-15 minutes, and there will be 12 new mobile policing units. English emphasised the package as part of what he calls "social investment" - changes to the way public services are provided including earlier intervention. "There is a group of around 1,000 five-year-olds each year who, in later life, are far more likely to commit crime, be on a benefit or go to jail, and theyre far less likely to succeed at school," English said. "Left alone, each of these children will cost taxpayers on average around $270,000 over the next 30 years, with some costing over $1 million. We will spend time and money now to change the course of their lives." The approach has shown "promising results", with the number of sole parents on a benefit the lowest since 1988 and 50,000 fewer children living in benefit-dependent households than in 2011, he said. Safer Communities is part of this strategy, with crime prevention often requiring intervention from education or housing agencies rather than the police alone, English said. The non-emergency number, to be launched from next year, is for reporting low-level or historic crime and giving information about suspicious activities. Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett, who is also the police minister, said the centralised service will make police more easily accessible. The number will be easy to remember, possibly a three-digit or 0800 number. Bennett said the government wants to attend 98 percent of home burglaries within 48 hours from the current 86 percent. It also wants to seize $400 million of cash and assets from gangs and organised crime, up from $230 million. We are prepared to put more of the worst criminals behind bars. Thats why part of the Safer Communities package is $115 million aimed at supporting the Ministry of Justice and Department of Corrections," Bennett said. "This will include a boost for Corrections rehabilitation and reintegration programmes and staffing. It also includes more money for supporting courts to handle more cases." English announced yesterday that the general election will be held on Sept. 23. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKC - ADDITIONAL US PRIVATE PLACEMENT FUNDING SECURED Spark New Zealand Limited's Annual Meeting Results 2022 Fonterra Australia settles class action proceedings PFI - Q3 Dividend, Development and Divestment Update November 4th Morning Report FPH to announce half year results on 29 November 2022 ATM - FDA approval to supply infant milk formula to United States Steel & Tube - Adopts ESG World Platform BGP - 3rd Quarter Sales to 30 October 2022 GEO - Quarterly Operating Update By Indrajit Kundu, Manogya Loiwal : Violence gripped Nagaland capital Kohima in the evening on Thursday with irate protestors setting ablaze the offices of Municipal Council and District Commissioner in Kohima. People were reportedly protesting against the 33 per cent reservation for women in the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections. Sources said that five Army columns have been deployed to help civil authorities in Kohima. Meanwhile, Nagaland DGP said that the situation has been brought under control. advertisement Protestors had gathered in large numbers outside the old secretariat. Nagaland has been tense following the deaths of two tribal protestors on Wednesday who opposed the ULB elections that were held across the state. The incident got embroiled in a political tussle after protestors allegedly refused to bury the deceased. Also read | Nagaland tense over anti-women's qouta stir, two killed in police firing One of the building's set ablaze by protestors. Elections to ULBs were held after a decade with 33 per cent women's reservation, a move that is being opposed by the tribals. On Tuesday night, there were massive protests by tribals outside CM's residence when police had to fire. Two of whom died yesterday. Section 144 remains imposed in Dimapur and curfew is in place. Ban on social media has also been imposed. Mobile internet services have been blocked across the state for an indefinite period and additional security put in place. THREE DEMANDS BY THE TRIBE COMMITTEE Nagaland Tribe Action Committee (NTAC) had put in three Demands to Governor of Nagaland. With regards to the ULB election issues which saw loss of two volunteers on January 31 after fire was allegedly opened on them by the state police at Dimapur in Nagaland. Various tribal representatives have come forward and formed NTAC in Kohima and demanded the three charter points to the governor of Nagaland. The chief minister along with his cabinet resigned from ministry. The ULB election process presently enforced must be declared null and void. The erring police officer and personal be immediately suspended. The Committee further stated the bodies of the deceased will not be buried till the state governor responds to the demands.In the past the MLA of 11th Northern Angami -II A/C Assembly Constituency Dr.Neiphrezo Keditsu had submitted his resignation from post of chairman of Nagaland State Mineral Development Cooperation.However, it is still unknown whether the resignation will be accepted or not. Despite repeated efforts Chief Minister Zeliang was not available for any comment. --- ENDS --- advertisement By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Feb 2 (PTI) The Nepalese Parliament today endorsed a bill on holding local body elections through majority votes though the agitating Madhesi parties have been pressing the government to fulfil their demands before holding the polls. With the endorsement of the bill, the House has passed all four bills related to local level elections as provisioned by the Constitution. advertisement The endorsement has paved way for the government to fix date for the local level elections which had been put off for more than one and a half decade. Earlier, the Parliament had endorsed three bills related to conducting elections in the country ? bill relating to the election commissions duty and responsibilities 2073, bill relating to voters list and election offence and punishment bill. According to the constitutional provision, the government is mandated to hold all three-tier elections ? general election, provincial election and local body election ? within a year. Madhesi parties had been pressing the government to fulfil their demands through constitution amendments before holding the polls. The major demands of the Madhesi parties include redrawing the provincial boundary and citizenship issues. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, had launched a six-month-long agitation during KP Sharma Olis premiership, from September 2015 to February last year, in which more than 50 people were killed. The agitation had also crippled the landlocked countrys economy as supplies from India were blocked. PTI SBP MRJ AKJ MRJ --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) In his first budget guidelines, new US Defence Secretary James Mattis has called for improving warfighting readiness and building a "larger and more lethal" fighting force. In his four-page budget guidelines signed on Tuesday, Mattis also launched the effort to devise the 2018 National Defence Strategy. advertisement "Yesterday, Secretary Mattis issued budget guidance to the Department, which provides a course of action to strengthen our armed forces and to make our nation more secure," Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said yesterday. The guidance lays out the framework to achieve those objectives via the budget process, to include a FY17 budget amendment proposal, the FY18 Presidents Budget request, the 2018 National Defence Strategy and the FY19-23 Defence program. "The Secretary is committed to achieving maximum value from every taxpayer dollar spent on defence. This process reforms our budget process to improve warfighting readiness, fill pressing shortfalls, and build a larger and more lethal force while taking care of our service members and their families," Davis said. The guidelines seek to address "urgent warfighting readiness shortfall across the joint force," and new requirements driven by acceleration of the campaign against ISIS. "It will also determine an approach to enhancing the lethality of the joint force against high-end competitors and the effectiveness of our military against a broad spectrum of potential threats," Mattis said. PTI LKJ BSA --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Dubai, Feb 2 (PTI) Omans national carrier is set to increase flight frequencies to its key destinations in India, bringing it to a total of 161 flights per week to boost the tourism sector. The airline said from February onwards, Bombay, Delhi, Calicut and Hyderabad will be operated with 21 weekly flights each, and Lucknow with 14 weekly flights. advertisement "The demand for all 11 of our Indian destinations has always been high and the increased frequencies offer yet more choice and convenience to our guests. Oman Air first launched flights to India in the 1990s and the demand for seats has grown exponentially not only increasing tourism traffic and revenue but also promoting vital trade agreements between the two countries," Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, Paul Gregorowitsch, said, adding that India is a key destination for Oman Air. The extended traffic entitlements will give a further boost to the tourism sector, prompting many discerning tourists to visit magnificent Oman as well as Indias beautiful touristic spots. This growing commitment in India is part of Oman Airs programme of fleet and network expansion. This has included the delivery of new aircraft and the introduction of a range of exciting new destinations and new products and services which contribute to a seamless passenger experience. Oman Air flies to 19 destinations in the Indian subcontinent that include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. PTI CORR AMS --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Karachi, Feb 2 (PTI) Pakistani security forces today killed the countrys most wanted gang leader, Baba Ladla, who was involved in several terrorist incidents and heinous crimes, in a shootout here. Pakistan paramilitary Sindh Ranger launched an operation in the citys Lyari area early this morning after being tipped-off about the presence of Ladla, leading to an intense exchange of fire with gangsters in which the wanted gang leader and his two accomplices were killed. advertisement The gangsters opened fire and lobbed hand grenades at the paramilitary personnel in which two constables were killed. Ladla alias Noor Muhammad was a symbol of terror in the impoverished Lyari neighbourhood, which is known for lawlessness, gang wars, drugs and other crimes in Karachi. Ladla and the two other gang members killed in the encounter were involved in numerous terrorist incidents and heinous crimes, a Rangers statement said. One Kalashnikov, a 9mm pistol, a 9mm mauser and a hand grenade were also recovered from their possession, officials said. According to Rangers, Ladla was wanted by police in more than 74 cases. The Lyari gang war ring leader was operating several torture cells in Lyari. The Sindh government had placed a head money of Rs three million on him in 2012. According to official sources, the killing of Ladla will go a long way in improving security of Karachi where an operation against criminals and militants have been going on since September 2013. Lyari has been in the grip of gangs since 1980s and several gangsters surfaced in the period. The area is stronghold of Pakistan Peoples Party of Asif Ali Zardari. PTI SH PMS --- ENDS --- The complainant also clarified that many of PETA's adds carry a double meaning quote which can provoke explicit thoughts in a child's mind. By Pramod Madhav: After a complaint filed by a child rights activist claiming that PETA websites carry sexual contents which are openly available to children, Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights has recommended to block all PETA web pages and take action against the sexually explicit ads shown on it. Enoch Moses, a social activist and researcher on children's behavior had earlier lodged a complaint with TNCPCR about how a child had complained to him that when she searched for PETA on Google, she was directed to images of nude models. advertisement "I found out how PETA has been using pornography and models to promote the cause of animal welfare. It is startling how PETA India has been allowed to use porn producers, promoters and other women who strip for money in advertisements, this is illegal in India", stated Enoch in his complaint. Enoch had also clarified that many of PETA's adds carry a double meaning quote which can provoke explicit thoughts in a child's mind. Based on the complaint, TNCPCR has recommended Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, DGP and Chairperson of NCPCR that the websites and web-pages of PETA be blocked immediately so that children may not be exposed to such contents. Also read: Jallikattu: Kamal Haasan takes on PETA activists, dares them to ban bull riding in 'Trump's USA' Also read: Jallikattu protest: Sasikala releases statement blaming DMK, PETA for ban on sport --- ENDS --- Six people, including a Congress worker were killed in a car blast in Bathinda's Maur. People behind the blast are being supported by Arvind Kejriwal, said Rahul Gandhi in Sangrur. By Ankit Tyagi: On the last day of campaigning before the February 4 voting, Rahul Gandhi today launched a frontal attack on the Aam Aadmi Party, which is contesting the Assembly election in Punjab for the time. Assembly Elections 2017: Full Coverage Speaking during a sanjha chulha (community kitchen) event in Sangrur, Rahul Gandhi accused Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal of supporting extremists. advertisement "Kuch din pehle bomb blast mein 6 log maare gye. Kejriwalji jo Delhi ke CM hain, wo in shaktiyon ko madad kar rhe hain, unhe khada hone de rhe hain (Kejriwalji is backing those who were behind the bomb blast which killed 6 people a couple days ago," Rahul said while referring to the January 31 blast in Bathinda district. ALSO READ: Phata kurta, nikla Rahul Gandhi: What the Congress leader said on Modi's kurta "Wo shaktiyaan jinhone pehle Punjab ko barbaad kiya, jinke kaaran hinsa hui thi, wohi shaktiyan phir khade hone ki koshish kar rahi hain (People who ruined Punjab, spread violence in the state, are again looking to spread their terror. This is a dangerous thing," he said. Six people, including a Congress worker were killed in a car blast in Bathinda's Maur. The blast took place during a road show by Congress' candidate Harminder Singh Jassi, who escaped unhurt. RAHUL SHARES DAAL, ROTI WITH VILLAGERS Dressed in white kurta, blue jeans and a half jacket, Rahul Gandhi sat on a wooden cot, flanked by the village headman and council members, and interacted with the residents of Baliyan village, 145 km from Chandigarh. He later shared a traditional meal with commoners and party leaders at the sanjha chulha (common kitchen) put up by the villagers. A number of village elders, women, youth, including girls, also shared the meal with the Congress leader. (With inputs from IANS) WATCH : India Today survey on Assembly elections 2017: Final verdict before the polls ALSO READ: Punjab Assembly election: Parkash Singh Badal vs Amarinder Singh at Lambi is mother of all battles Last minute push by Congress in Punjab; massive campaign with new slogan --- ENDS --- NEW DELHI: India has signed a $201.50 million financing agreement with the World Bank to improve the quality of technical education in the country. "Financing agreement for credit of $201.50 million for the 'Third Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP III)' was signed with the World Bank here on Tuesday," the Finance Ministry said in a statement. The project aims at improving quality and equity in engineering institutes in the states and take initiatives to strengthen sector governance and performance, it said. "The objective of the programme is to enhance quality and equity in participating engineering education institutes and improve the efficiency of the engineering education systems in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, the eight north-eastern states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands," the statement said. "The project has been designed as a disbursement-linked one, that is, the World Bank loan will be disbursed on achievement of specific outcomes," it added. Read Also: Dassault Systemes' SOLIDWORKS Data Receives Protection from Seclore India Uniquely Positioned To Benefit From Cloud In 2017: Oracle NEW DELHI: India will participate in this year's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual Russian business and economic event, as a guest country, a senior official said here on Wednesday. "This is to confirm that India has been invited as a Guest Country at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum which will be held in the city of St. Petersburg, Russia, from June 1 to 3, 2017," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in response to a question. "As a part of this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Forum as Guest of Honour. Other details of the Prime Minister's visit are being worked out, and we will announce them as and when they are finalised," he added. The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is a unique international event in the world of economics and business, held annually with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation. According to the Forum's website, in 2016 the event hosted more than 12,000 participants, including political and business leaders, leading scientists, public figures and members of the media from all over the world, to discuss the most pressing issues facing Russia and the global community. Read Also: Modi Hails Jaitley For Presenting 'Uttam' Budget India Wary Of U.S. Visa Bill Impact On IT Industry KOLKATA: An IIT Kharagpur student has developed a cost-effective way of creating brand awareness in tier-III towns for the sector. Chirag Anil Patil, final year student at the Vinod Gupta School of Management at IIT Kharagpur and on a summer internship with FMCG firm McCain foods, drove the FMCG major's town expansion strategy for Maharashtra and Gujarat, along with devising a new model for cost effective ways of creating brand awareness in new towns. "The objective of my project was to expand the company geographically and innovate to reduce the costs incurred in promotions. The company provided me the resources and access to experienced professionals working in the company to successfully complete my project," Chirag was quoted as saying in a media release. "I devised a model, which predicted sales of any new town using multiple parameters. My town visits helped me validate this model. Apart from this, I recommended a new cost effective idea for promotions and validated my idea by executing 3 pilots," he said. "The sales model devised in this project can be implemented across various industries," said Barnali Nag, faculty mentor for the project. The project provided cost-effective expansion for the company in eight small towns. Chirag set up counters to promote the company's french fries outside grocery stores to establish his hypothesis. The project has also won the first prize "Best B-School Project Award" for Business Expansion Plan in Tier-3 towns in India. Read Also: TCS Says DigiGaon Initiative Will Empower Common Man India Signs Agreement With World Bank To Improve Tech Education MUMBAI: Country's largest software exporter TCS has hailed the focus on digital initiatives in the Budget saying its implementation will empower citizens. "The proposed DigiGaon initiative to provide telemedicines, education and skills through digital technology will increase empowerment," its chief financial officer Rajesh Gopinathan said. Gopinathan, who is set to take over as chief executive later this month from N Chandrasekaran, said the Budget focuses on inclusion, transparency, fiscal responsibility and gives a big push to the digital economy. He gave the budget a rating of eight on ten. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is encouraging a shift to digital platforms with incentives to payers as well as merchants driving convenience, efficiency and transparency, Gopinathan said. An increase in allocation for the BharatNet project to 10,000 crore during the fiscal will bring high speed broadband connectivity to over 1,50,000 panchayats, with Wifi hot spots and access to digital services at low tariffs, Gopinathan said. The Tata Group company's smaller rival Mindtree also said that the Budget proposals are important from the cause of making India into a digital economy. "This budget has made special provisions to ensure greater financial growth, with emphasis on enhancing cybersecurity in finance, and bringing greater coordination and transparency between departments," its CEO and MD Rostow Ravanan said. He said the start-ups ecosystem will also benefit through the provisions like income tax exemption for smaller companies with a turnover less than 50 crore. Read Also: U.S. Industry Bodies Welcomes Budget, Say It Builds On Reforms Dassault Systemes' SOLIDWORKS Data Receives Protection from Seclore STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Scoot over greasy burgers and thousand-calorie meals: Jamba Juice has arrived in town. And with Staten Island's very first of such a franchise, Woodrow plays home to a menu of low-calorie foods plus fruits and veggies blended into juicy drinks and smoothies. The franchise is locally owned. "For years, my family would regularly cross over the bridge into [the] City to get Jamba Juice," said Lorraine Siconolfi through a press release from the Frisco, Texas-based company. As the "franchise partner" and the president of Four Girls and a Boy company, she added, "I was motivated to bring Jamba to Staten Island to inspire and simplify healthy living for our community. Jamba's handcrafted blends fit the active lifestyle of many New Yorkers seeking the balance of convenience, taste, quality, and nutrition. I'm excited to share my passion for Jamba and the benefits of blending!" Jamba Juice's first day of business, Thursday, Feb. 2, saw patrons steadily coming into the restaurant over the morning expressing delight for its opening. For every tip left in a container, staff cheer, "Tip, tip, hooray!" There are several seats and a few tables at which to sit, although no WiFi as of yet. Shots of wheat grass and ginger spiked with citrus are presented in souffle cups on small, square plates. Otherwise it's disposable packaging for breakfast items such as the egg and spinach wrap served steaming hot in a toasted whole-wheat wrap. The menu features steel-cut oatmeal with salubrious toppings, energy bowls that can be topped with fresh fruit, chia, granola, yogurt, peanut butter and/or clover honey. Meal selections include bistro sandwiches, flatbreads and breakfast wraps. The mainstay of the offerings are fresh squeezed juices, smoothies and "boosts" for the beverages like zinc, probiotics, soy protein, whey protein, pumpkin or chia seeds and kale. Store hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Jamba Juice is located at 1275 Woodrow Rd., Woodrow; 718-966-9200, JambaJuice.com. It is situated in a new strip mall with other food chains like Starbucks, making it the ninth such coffee shop on Staten Island, and Qdoba, a subsidary of Jack In The Box that is not yet open. This will be the borough's third Qdoba. The Department of Buildings issued a partial vacate order to the residents of a home on Forest Hill Road that was hit by a car Wednesday morning. (Saten Island Advance/Mira Wassef) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- The New Springville property damaged by a car crash Wednesday morning has been deemed unsafe, according to the Department of Buildings (DOB). The city agency issued a partial vacate order for the home at 1746A Forest Hill Road due to the structural damage the crash caused. "...Conditions in this premises are imminently perilous to life," said the vacate order, taped to the home's front door Wednesday afternoon. Three people people suffered minor injuries during the incident, which was reported at 8, said a spokesman for the FDNY/EMS. Two people refused medical attention, and a third person was transported to an area hospital, the spokesman said. The car that crashed into the building is a light-colored Toyota Camry. The driver was making a left turn out of Pierpont Place and lost control of the car which made a "U" turn onto the curb and careened into the home, according to a fire official at the scene. The house was occupied at the time of the crash. According to the DOB, the crash caused significant damage to the first-floor facade and dislocated the second-floor beam, making the second-floor rooms unstable. Five-time CM Parkash Singh Badal is facing perhaps the toughest political challenge of his seven-decade-long career as Punjab Congress President and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh takes him on from the Lambi seat. By Indo-Asian News Service: It couldn't have gotten bigger than this. For the first time in Punjab's political history, two stalwarts of two mainline political parties are headed for a face-off in the February 4 assembly elections. Assembly Elections 2017: Full Coverage Five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is facing perhaps the toughest political challenge of his seven-decade-long career as Punjab Congress President and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh takes him on from the Lambi assembly constituency in Muktsar district of southwest Punjab. advertisement Add to this the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the newest challenger to the Congress and the Akali Dal-BJP combine in Punjab, which has fielded Delhi lawmaker Jarnail Singh from this seat. Jarnail, a former journalist, came into limelight in 2009 when he threw a shoe at then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in Delhi, upset over the long delay in justice for victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the national capital and elsewhere following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. "All eyes are on what happens in Lambi. It is the most interesting contest ever for this seat and even in Punjab. No two bigger leaders have come face-to-face like this before. It is the mother of all battles," Sarabjit Singh, a farmer from the constituency, told IANS. AMARINDER'S LAMBI GAMBLE For Badal, 89, Lambi has been his traditional seat since 1997. In the 2012 assembly elections, he was re-elected by a margin of 24,739 votes against his Congress opponent, which was seen as a relatively small margin for an incumbent Chief Minister. Amarinder Singh, who turns 75 next month, has taken the risk of contesting from this seat even though he is also in the fray from his traditional home seat of Patiala-Urban and looks confident about taking on Badal. "I will thrash him here. I have come here (to contest) as I want to teach him a lesson for ruining Punjab," said an aggressive Amarinder, who has been indulging in no-holds-barred talk in recent days. AAP'S STRATEGY AAP candidate Jarnail Singh is focusing more on personal contact and small gatherings during his campaign. "I am getting a very good response from the people. They are fed up with the Akali Dal leadership because of their excesses, and the Congress. Our victory is definite," a confident Jarnail said. IS BADAL NERVOUS? The high-profile contest has forced Badal to spend more time in Lambi this time to ensure that his hold on the seat remains intact. "I will win very comfortably. They (Amarinder and Jarnail) can try their luck here but they will not achieve anything. This is not a personal but a political fight," said Badal, who is more restrained in his comments about his political opponents. advertisement In the 2014 parliamentary polls, the Akali Dal, of which Badal is the patron, maintained a lead of 34,219 votes in Lambi. Badal's daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is the Union Minister for Food Processing, had contested the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, of which Lambi is a part. The Chief Minister's estranged nephew, former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, lost the Lok Sabha election by less than 20,000 votes. The Lambi seat had seen 87.23 per cent polling in 2012. It had over 140,000 voters then. The number of voters this time is nearly 156,000. WATCH: India Today survey on Assembly elections 2017: Final verdict before the polls ALSO READ: Last minute push by Congress in Punjab; massive campaign with new slogan Amarinder Singh pulls out all stops on home turf Punjab Assembly election: Why Malwa region holds the key? --- ENDS --- STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Spring may be just around the corner. At least that's the word from Staten Island Chuck. Just before 7:30 a.m., heralded by top-hatted bugler John Franzreb, New York City's official Groundhog Day prognosticator crawled out of his burrow and looked for his shadow, but to no avail. An early spring is on its way, according to Chuck, who made his prediction at the Staten Island Zoo Thursday morning from behind a glass enclosure. Like the last two years, Chuck was held underneath a spacious glass enclosure and was then lifted into the enclosure via a small elevator, or the "Chuck-a-vator." The elevator remained above ground while Chuck searched for his shadow. Chuck's enclosure for his big day had to be modified after a tumultuous Groundhog Day in 2014. Charlotte, the groundhog clandestinely posing as Chuck, fell several feet after being dropped by Mayor Bill de Blasio. She died of "acute internal injuries" a week later. Zoo officials did not say the death was a direct result of the fumble though. In 2009, Chuck bit then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the hand. Mayor de Blasio -- perhaps mercifully for everyone involved -- did not attend Chuck's morning coming-out. Instead, City Controller Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Letitia (Tish) James were on hand to greet Chuck and proclaim his prediction. Stringer sought to reassure Chuck: "You're safe with us. We have your back," he said, nodding toward the groundhog, who remained ensconced in his enclosure. City Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl and Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) also stopped in to greet the furry prognosticator. "If you keep your face to the sun, your shadow will always be behind you," Titone joked. Award-winning screenwriter Danny Rubin, whose "Groundhog Day: The Musical" opens on Broadway next month, was also on hand. Deputy Borough President Ed Burke served as master-of-ceremonies. "This day is really all about the children," said Burke, author of a newly-published children's book on the legend of Chuck. Before the program got underway, the children's band Rock-A-Silly warmed up the crowd with the "Staten Island Chuck" song, exhorting the crowd of about 200 children and adults to "show your love for Chuck." "We love you Chuck," they shouted back. The crowd sipped hot chocolate to warm against the crisp, cold, and some donned warm hats that were distributed by Investors Bank, sponsors of the event. The student choir from PS 45, West Brighton, under the direction of Olta Minenna, also performed. Student Tara Murphy wowed the crowd with her rendition of the National Anthem. Not everyone in the crowd was happy with Chuck's prediction for an early spring. Siblings Jordan, 6, and Benjamin Owens, 10, said they were disappointed. They would rather have snow to go sledding. But their mom, Tamar Owens, had a different take: "Mom wants an early spring, because mom's the one who has to drive them around in the snow." According to the Zoo, Chuck has an 80 percent accuracy rate. This year third grade science classes from PS 45, taught by Cheryl Berretta and Tracey O'Donovan, have been assigned to keep track of Chuck's stats and declare if his prediction is correct for 2017. The number 40 is crucial to Chuck's prediction. The arrival of an early spring or the persistence of winter is measured by the amount of days over and under 40 degrees between the end of the Groundhog Day ceremony Feb. 2 and the six weeks until the first day of spring March 21. If the majority of the days in between are above 40 degrees, it's considered an early spring. If the majority of the days in between fall below 40 degrees, it's considered to be six more weeks of winter. After the SI Zoo celebration, Chuck was whisked off to Manhattan, where he and other special (human) guests helped unveil a new interactive exhibit at Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Times Square, and then make an appearance at the August Wilson Theater, to open the box office for the musical Ground Hog Day. John Griffiths Ron Ploucha In this 2015 AP file photo, Groundhog Club co-handlers John Griffiths, right, and Ron Ploucha carry Punxsutawney Phil on his rounds through downtown Punxsutawney, Pa. The livestream of this event has ended. UPDATE: What was Punxsutawney Phil's prediction? STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's Groundhog Day! And for those Staten islanders who are not aware that there is another furry prognosticator besides Staten Island Chuck, here is the lowdown on Punxsutawney Phil. It all started with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, founded in Punxsutawney, Pa., in 1887 by a group of groundhog hunters. The editor of the Punxsutawney newspaper was a member of the club, and he claimed that Punxsutawney Phil was the only true weather-predicting groundhog. Today, tens of thousands travel to Gobblers Knob, the location in Punxsutawney where Phil makes his prediction. THE TRADITION'S ORIGINS The Groundhog Day tradition can be traced to Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Those who celebrated Candlemas decided that clear skies on the holiday meant a longer winter. The Germans eventually began to believe that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow -- predicting six more weeks of harsh winter weather. And it was the Germans who brought this belief to the United States. When German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, they found a large number of groundhogs. And they tasked the groundhog, which resembles the European hedgehog, with the job of predicting the weather. WATCH PHIL'S PREDICTION Those interested in seeing Punxsutawney Phil make his prediction can view it here. The livestream will begin at 6 a.m. Page Content The Department of Youth Affairs is currently engaged in the preparation of a National Comprehensive Education Vision (Opvoed Visie) for St. Maarten. This vision focuses on the nurturing and upbringing of children and youth on the island and is part of the Action Plan for Children Rights which spans across, Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten , the Netherlands and the BES Islands by extension. To assist St. Maarten in preparing and formulating the plans of the vision, UNICEF consultant, Mr. Nils Kastberg is currently on the island to meet with various stakeholders of both private and public sectors. Mr. Katsberg is also scheduled to meet with the Council of Ministers as well as Members of parliament, which, due to time constraints, will be done in an informal setting. The outcome of these meetings will be used to eventually draft a proposal of the Comprehensive Educational Vision. However, the preliminary findings and best practices will be shared at the conference, which will be held on Bonaire in March 2017 with the four other countries. The wider community can also attend this two-day conference. Any individuals or groups wishing to participate in said conference can feel free to contact the department of Youth Affairs at +1 721 542 2056. It must be noted that the participants are responsible to bear all expenses for this conference . In Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance is facing stiff competition from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. By India Today Web Desk: The campaign for Assembly elections in Punjab and Goa ended at 5 pm today. Both the states will go to polls on February 4, and the results will be declared on March 11. In Punjab, the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance is facing stiff competition from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. In Goa, Laxmikant Parsekar-led BJP government is in contest with the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress and the Shiv Sena-MGP-GSM grand alliance. advertisement The Maharashtrwadi Gomnatak Party (MGP) which walked out of the alliance with the BJP just ahead of the election, has joined hands with the Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM). ALSO READ: Punjab Election 2017: Amarinder Singh pulls out all stops on home turf Here is all you need to know about the elections: In Punjab, election will be held on 117 assembly constituencies. Drugs and farmer suicides have dominated the campaign discourse. The Congress has named Captain Amarinder Singh as its chief ministerial face in Punjab, who will contest from Lambi as well as Patiala, his home turf. Amarinder Singh has vowed to defeat Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in the latter's backyard--Lambi. The Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Jarnail Singh, a Delhi journalist turned politician, from Lambi. Jarnail is best known for throwing a shoe at then Home Minister P Chidambaram in 2009. The Congress' latest entrant Navjot Singh Sidhu, a former BJP leader who was also in talks with the AAP ahead of the election, will fight from Amritsar East constituency. Sidhu, who called himself a born Congressman, will be in contest with Sarabjot Singh Dhanjal of AAP and BJP's Rajesh Hani. The seat is held by Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur. Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal is set to contest from Jalalabad, a seat he currently holds. A high-octane battle is expected in the constituency with AAP fielding Bhagwant Mann and the Congress fielding Ranveet Singh Bittu, grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. In Goa, 40 Assembly seats are up for grabs, with new player AAP nipping at the heels of the ruling BJP government. The BJP is banking on Narendra Modi's appeal and former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar's popularity to win the election the state. Speculations are rife that Parrikar could be back as the chief minister if BJP is voter to power but the party is tight-lipped on it. The Aam Aadmi Party has announced Elvis Gomes, a former bureaucrat, as its chief ministerial candidate. The party has launched a massive campaign and is banking on its "clean image" to woo the voters. In a setback to the BJP, RSS rebel Subhash Velingkar announced the formation of a new three-party political alliance between the Maharashtrwadi Gomnatak Party, the Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch. Former PWD minister and MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar is the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance. Meanwhile, the 48-hour prohibition in the two poll-bound states starts at 5 pm today and will continue will 5pm on Saturday. The Election Commission has imposed prohibition on broadcasting or propagating election-related material on TV, radio or newspapers. ALSO READ: Punjab election: Faced with dearth of party workers, AAP hiring labourers from Delhi, Bihar for publicity As elections approach, political parties flirt with Punjab's militant past Election effect: Goa not on a high as dry spell hits tourism ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- The Twitterati lashed out at Ram Gopal Varma after he shared an edited picture of Goddess Saraswati cradling a map of Andhra Pradesh in place of the veena, and compared it to a "gun". By India Today Web Desk: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma does it again. With a series of tweets about the Andhra Pradesh map, Goddess Saraswati, and elusive penis references, Varma managed to anger the Twitterati quite a lot. RGV began with tweeting pictures of Andhra Pradesh map, commenting on how it "looks like a gun." I love it that Andhra Pradesh map looks like a Gun ????????? pic.twitter.com/30Iz8p8yiM Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 31, 2017 It looks like Gun or something else is not the point but what it shoots is the point and what comes out is the main point ..Sashyashaamalam??? pic.twitter.com/yICobJZB8m Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 31, 2017 advertisement He continued to post the same picture again and again, making multiple references to Andhra Pradesh's phallus-like outline. I don't know why but Andhra Pradesh's map is reminding me of power and happiness and am feeling a supremely tremendous pleasure in it pic.twitter.com/J2Ta2U5gBF Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 31, 2017 I luv it that AP is standing up like a gun nd pointing straight to its objective nd it has ammunition of various kinds purposes to shoot pic.twitter.com/3ioMesJvz1 Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) January 31, 2017 But then, RGV took the joke a little too far and shared an edited picture of Goddess Saraswati cradling a map of Andhra Pradesh in place of the veena, a Reddit post that had gone viral. Under it, he wrote, "Never saw her so happy with even Veena in hand than how she seems to feel with AP gun in her hand ..May both the Godess and Gun bless AP." Soon, Twitterati came slamming, biting RGV's head off for his poor joke. @RGVzoomin Sir, With folded hands we request you to stop such tweets, as they hurt Hindus and women. Verma (@verma_vizag) January 31, 2017 @RGVzoomin kuch log hindu sanskriti ka koi mol nahi samaj te Nagesh kumar baghel (@Nageshkumarbag1) February 1, 2017 @RGVzoomin I'm shocked you Portrayal yo mother like this. . Jis naam ki khata hai usi ka apmaan . U nymphomaniacs. Dr. Kaushal Rajput (@mogambo_khushua) February 2, 2017 --- ENDS --- Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Tubelight director Kabir Khan claims that Salman Khan in his next film is not one but five times better than what he was in Bajrangi Bhaijaan. By India Today Web Desk: Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Tubelight director Kabir Khan cannot stop raving about Salman Khan's performance in his next film. "Salman will be seen in a completely different way in the film (Tubelight). If people have thought that Salman's performance is special in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, then his performance in Tubelight is five times better than it," said Kabir Khan. advertisement WATCH: Modi should not apologise for Gujarat riots, says Salman Khan Regarding Tubelight's present status, Kabir Khan also added that only a day's shoot is left. The film is scheduled for a release on Eid this year. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is one of the most highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time. As such, the pressure on Kabir to produce another blockbuster must be high. ALSO READ: Salman's lawyer gets death threat from international gangster When asked about it, Kabir said, "I made a film and now it's up to the audience to decide whether the film is good or bad. However, I don't carry forward the pressure of the past film. Otherwise, I would have made another movie like Ek Tha Tiger." "We have made Tubelight and if people like the film, the business will be similar or more than Bajrangi, and if they don't then it would be a bit low," said Kabir Khan. Kabir also said that the attack on director Sanjay Leela Bhansali by Karni Sena members on January 27 was "shocking and horrific." "I can't believe that it happened in my country. Everybody has the right to express things but in a democratic way and not in a hooliganism way. It's disgusting," (sic) said Kabir Khan. ALSO READ: Salman killed blackbuck too, why only protest about Bhansali, asks singer Abhijeet --- ENDS --- By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree The agency identified the assets as "7B and C, Doctor's Lane, Gole Market" and said they have been provisionally attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). By Press Trust of India: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday attached two flats worth Rs 100 crore in the posh Lutyens zone area of the national capital belonging to former Union Minister Matang Sinh in connection with its money laundering probe in the Saradha chit fund ponzi scam case. The agency identified the assets as "7B and C, Doctor's Lane, Gole Market" and said they have been provisionally attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). advertisement The immovable assets belong to Sinh and his estranged wife Manoranjana, officials said. SINH IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY Sinh is in judicial custody at present in this case. "The value of the attached immovable properties as on April, 2013 is worth approximately Rs 63 crore. However, the present market value of the properties is more than Rs 100 crore. Also read | Loan fraud: CBI files chargesheet against ex-minister Matang Sinh and 10 others "Sinh and Manoranjana Sinh are facing trial in the money laundering case before the special court under PMLA in Kolkata", the agency said. This is the fifth attachment order issued by the agency in the case where gullible investors from West Bengal and Assam were allegedly cheated of their hard-earned money worth crores. With the latest action, ED has so far attached properties worth Rs 700 crore in this case. An attachment under PMLA is aimed at depriving the accused from obtaining benefits of their ill-gotten wealth and such an order can be appealed before the Adjudicating Authority of the said Act within 180 days. --- ENDS --- Separatist rebels have been fighting government troops and volunteer brigades in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 in clashes that have killed more than 9,700 people. The peace deal signed in February 2015 called for a cease-fire, for heavy weapons to be pulled back from the front lines and for a political resolution of the conflict. The agreement has been observed only fitfully and skirmishes and artillery fire have persisted. 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Police had been called to Civic at about 10am on October 5, 2016, following reports of an aggressive man threatening the public. The man was arrested, and when officers searched him they found a knife. On Thursday, the 43-year-old appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court. He had been in custody since October, and faced sentencing after pleading guilty to two charges, of possessing an offensive weapon with intent and possessing a knife in a public place. The prosecutor called for a sentence of imprisonment. She said an aggravating circumstance was that the incident had happened in a "crowded place within the heart of Canberra". To teach class 4 students the importance of breathing and how living beings cannot survive without breathing, an experiment in the environmental studies textbook asks kids to suffocate a cat to death. By India Today Web Desk: A class 4 textbook for environmental studies titled "Our Green World" is used in a school in Delhi. While teaching children, as young as nine, the importance of the environment and conserving it is appreciable, the textbook in question indirectly encourages students to kill a fellow living being to learn that living beings cannot survive without breathing. advertisement YES! Under a subheading "Living things breathe", the textbook explains "living things need air to breathe" and that "no living thing can live without air for more than a few minutes." The textbook then says, "You can do an experiment" and encourages children to shut two kittens in two wooden boxes, one with holes on the lid and one without. The outcome of the experiment, that the kitten inside the box without holes on its lid dies, is to teach children that living beings cannot survive without breathing. Photo: Twitter (@priya_menon) Photo: Twitter (@priya_menon) Concluding this result on the next page with a pictorial depiction, the textbook says that the kitten in the box with holes survived because it could breathe through the holes on the lid of the wooden box. Twitter user @priya_menon shared the images of the textbook today. While some think the experiment is just another version of the Schrodinger's Cat experiment in quantum physics, others do not seem very amused by the experiment the textbook wants kids to conduct. @Priya_Menon can you send me all pics of the cover? let's see if we can legally get them to stop this. this is 'how to be a killer 101" mahima kukreja. (@AGirlOfHerWords) February 2, 2017 @AGirlOfHerWords @Priya_Menon the name of the publication is there PP Publication. Shouldn't they be held responsible? Mehul Ved (@mehulved) February 2, 2017 @Priya_Menon ?????? How absurd! Doesn't someone review this shit before it's authorized & approved to be used in schools?? A?nA?mAsAs??? (@jumlanomix) February 2, 2017 @Priya_Menon @SahilBulla thank God it doesn't recommend to use the maid's kid for this experiment. Sheikh Ji (@SheikhDilli) February 2, 2017 For those who don't know what the Schroginer's Cat experiment is, watch this video below: --- ENDS --- Refunds Customers who had booked tickets to Bali would receive a full refund, the airline said. Passengers due to travel from Bali to Australia on Friday would be taken on other carriers, including Virgin Australia, Some customers received a text message on Thursday night, alerting them to the cancellations. Fairfax Media understands some travellers received the SMS message at 11.15pm, after Tiger's customer call centre had closed for the night. Other passengers would be contacted "as soon as possible", the airline said. A statement on the airline's website said its call centre was "experiencing a higher than usual volume of calls". All refunds would be automatically processed within the next two to four days and sent to customers, the airline said. 'I feel so lied to' Angela Credit:Facebook Angela from Oak Park in Melbourne and her husband were booked to fly to Bali on Saturday morning. Tiger still has not contacted her to let her know their flight has been cancelled. "I feel so lied to," she told Fairfax Media on Friday afternoon. "If they had [have] refunded [us] earlier, I could have secured another reasonable fare." Angela paid $791 for the tickets on Tiger. She had to spend $1900, not including baggage, to book tickets with another airline on Friday afternoon. "There was zero communication. I work at the airport, I spoke to staff and was constantly told that all was fine." "Seriously, we could have gone to Europe. I have already exchanged my money and paid for accommodation that was non-refundable." Julia Roscoe Credit:Facebook Julia Roscoe, who had planned to fly to Bali with three others mid-February, said her entire holiday has been "absolutely ruined" by Tigerair's permanent cancellations. As a small business owner, Ms Roscoe rarely gets time off and she said she had booked this holiday well in advance in September last year. When Tigerair was suspended in the beginning of January, the 28-year-old's partner phoned the airline to ask about their flights. "They assured us that our flights would not be affected and when I requested a refund, just in case, so I could make alternate plans, they refused and again insisted that our flights would not be affected," she said. Ms Roscoe said there is no way she could afford other flights now and could only cancel the trip, which includes non-refundable bookings for accommodation, transfers and tours. "They insisted that wouldn't happen," she said. Tigerair had been carrying hundreds of passengers to Bali each day from Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth since March 2016. Last month however, Indonesia revoked the Virgin Australia Holdings unit's permission to fly, saying it did not meet charter flight regulations. The budget subsidiary of Virgin Australia had been expected to resume flights to the island on Friday, but on Thursday evening said final approvals had not been received. "Providing a reliable, low-cost service is critical for Tigerair Australia and our customers, and therefore our only option is to withdraw from flying to Bali altogether," Tigerair chief executive Rob Sharp said in a statement. On Thursday night, the airline said all affected customers had been "proactively notified" about the cancellations, but angry customers flooded the airline's Facebook page complaining that they had not been given adequate warning. "Drove 500 kilometres to Adelaide after being told it's a go ahead. Text at midnight to cancel. Pathetic," passenger Steve Hunter wrote. Another passenger, Morgan Davies, said: "You would have [known] by close of business today whether you could fly or not and yet still chose to wait til you told your customers. You have lost my business for life." Tigerair's domestic flights have not been affected and will operate as normal. Consumer advocate group Choice said Tigerair customers had been given a "raw deal" and should be compensated for both time and money lost. "Tiger's apologies are unlikely to move customers who have spent time and money planning their dream holiday to Bali only for it to turn into a logistical nightmare," Choice spokeswoman Nicky Breen said. "From the last minute cancellation for those booked on flights today to the decision to permanently withdraw operations from Bali, customers have been given a raw deal from Tiger. "For many travellers this is hard earned annual leave and pre-booked accommodation that they can't get back." Angus Kidman, editor in chief at comparison site finder.com.au, "Even if people have travel insurance, they are going to say 'you have to take it up with the airline first'," he said. Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the matter was one between the airline and the Indonesian regulator. "However the Australian government continues to work collaboratively with the airline and the Indonesian government. I am advised that Tigerair is taking immediate steps to minimise the impact for the affected passengers," Mr Chester said. Virgin Australia made the decision to give up on the Bali route for its international unit after posting a 37 per cent fall in second-quarter underlying earnings before taxes on Friday, as tough conditions persisted in the domestic Australian market. Australia's second biggest airline reported an underlying profit before tax of $45.9 million for the quarter ended December 30, compared with an underlying profit before tax of $73 million a year earlier. The collapse of national fashion brands Marcs and David Lawrence has added another 1130 workers to the retail rout that claimed close to 2000 jobs in the sector before Christmas. And retail insiders claim the rot that took down Payless Shoes and Pumpkin Patch in December has spread to Australia's upmarket, national fashion chains and warn of more pain to come. Insolvency insiders say a number of retailers have reached out to them in recent weeks as rising costs and slowing sales push them to the brink. Brand Collective chief Martin Matthews said he'd be very "surprised" if more retailers didn't hoist the white flag in coming months after Marcs and David Lawrence faltered under close to $30 million in debts. To be clear, this isn't a case of the new CEO not being able to perform. Under Larsson's leadership, Ralph Lauren developed a smart turnaround plan and executed well against it. It would be an understatement to say this doesn't bode well for the 50-year-old label. A "Stefan Larsson bump" had reinvigorated the company in the past year, as he moved quickly to fire employees, close stores, and refashion the dated brand into a modern, fast-moving company that better catered to today's shoppers. No longer. Ralph Lauren has announced that Stefan Larsson, the superstar CEO appointed to revive the struggling lifestyle brand little more than a year ago, would leave the company in May, citing clashes with founder and chairman Ralph Lauren on how to jump-start the business. Ralph Lauren stock fell more than 11 per cent on Thursday partly because investors felt misled by the founder. Credit:Bloomberg The stock fell more than 11 per cent on Thursday partly because investors felt misled by Lauren, the founder, who had persuaded them in June that he was ready to at least partly turn over the reins of his company to Larsson. Investors, and many new executives, came to Ralph Lauren because of Larsson's track record of running successful operations. The corporate world is littered with examples of executives who just weren't ready to let go. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, for instance, said in December he would step down as CEO for the second time in the company's history. He admitted that, the first time he tried to relinquish control, he wasn't "emotionally prepared" to do so. Ralph Lauren's explanation that its founder couldn't see eye-to-eye with his successor raises doubts about whether he will ever step aside and let someone else run the business. That includes not just supply chain and operations, but the emotional side of the business, such as design and style, that truly defines the brand's DNA. Of course, things turned out well for Starbucks investors when Schultz returned and jolted the coffee chain back to outsize sales gains and profitability. The difference is that Schultz stepped away while the company was going strong, only to see it falter in his absence. There are countless other examples where "goat tracks" across median strips indicate the real usage patterns, but a footpath or refuge island hasn't been provided. Canberra has an amazing collection of attractions, but a little more thought for those not in cars wouldn't go amiss. Andrew Dye, Melbourne, Vic Curtin clash The controversy over development in the Curtin shops is a microcosm of what happens in any city. As a former resident of Curtin, who still goes there, two things are apparent. One is the pleasure of the beautiful square surrounded by a variety of shops. The other is the increasing difficulty in finding a parking space. If the developers have their way the square will be less pleasant and the parking access much worse. I would suggest that if it is costing them money the owners of the shops, instead of boarding them up which will cost them more money, should relinquish their leases for a fair valuation to the government and move elsewhere. The patronage would ensure new tenants would do well. Howard Carew, Isaacs Thanks for the update on the owners' attitudes to their DA on part of the Curtin shops. ("Curtin shops stand-off", February 2, p.1). The run-down state of their building contrasts with the one of the same age in the square, containing the bank, hairdresser and baker among others. It looks modern and maintained, by the various owners. The owners of the block under review refuse to provide any details supporting their claim about "pumping money into it" and the building being at the end of its economic life. If they intend not to continue with the purpose of their lease (operating commercial businesses), perhaps the ACT government should offer the lease to people who will. The Curtin community should not pay when the owners won't. Peter Graves, Curtin West Basin wipeout Encouraging to see Caroline Le Couteur blow the whistle on the execrable over-development "planned" for Braddon. Now let her cast a critical eye on the even worse development set to pollute the lake shore and the natural amenity of West Basin. I would not vote for some slogan on number plates because, apart from being pointless, the options are so banal. Where was "Canberra The Warehouse Capital", or "Canberra The Developers' Paradise"? A. Whiddett, Yarralumla Counting the cost I compliment John McKerral (letters, January 30) for his comments about the real cost of solar electricity. The same analysis can be made for double glazing. In my case it works out at a break-even in about 50 years. The difference is we now have a more comfortable room temperature, especially in winter. Alan Parkinson, Weetangera Shorten lacking Bill Shorten's address to the National Press Club (January 31) opened by listing Australia's major deficits and lack of appreciable growth. He then moved on to Labor's three point plan: 1. jobs; 2. jobs and 3. jobs. Mr Shorten burbled for a solid hour about Jobsan Groath and Jobsan's children. He did not present as an alternative to Malcolm Turnbull. Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor Losing out Yanks were not happy that Trump won and we have a similar mindless mob bilious against Turnbull because he, too, has money and independence. Bunch of bloody losers. Robert S. Buick, Mountain Creek, Qld Time of the essence What possessed SBS to change the times for the SBS Viceland (Channel 32) Thai, Bangla, and Sri Lankan Sinhalese, News to between 3am and 5am when most viewers would be asleep? John Milne, Chapman Truncated address no credit to ABC I've just watched the PM's National Press Club address live well, most of it. The ABC telecast was cut in the middle of journalists' questions to allow for nearly two minutes of program promos. The next program, which started almost a minute early, was an old repeat. According to the ABC the PM's first public address for the year was not important enough to keep on air for its full time (to include all questions from the press gallery). In my time at the ABC a decision could be made to extend programs of national interest; by a senior producer or, if necessary, the head of programs. The flexibility existed to anticipate such a decision. National Press Club addresses by political leaders were scheduled to run their full time and, if they were important enough, able to run over. Today's ABC is not capable of such sensible action to the ultimate detriment of all Australians. Eric Hunter, Cook Weak PM? No Your Editorial ("Shorten stance sound on jobs", February 1, p14) suggests Malcolm Turnbull is "increasingly viewed by voters as weak, vacillating and devoid of any immediate plans, let alone an overarching policy narrative". How do you know? Do you make this judgment based on letters to the newspaper, or what is called the pub test? Some critics point to his apparent failure to act decisively on the Australian republic issue. But what can he do? If he is seen as weak on this issue then so is Australian public opinion. Do we want a leader who tries to be strong, who does not vacillate, who has immediate plans and an overarching policy narrative, like US President Donald Trump? Some would say the US has such a leader and the scenes of outrage across that nation show the American people are not happy campers. Robert Willson, Deakin So the Prime Minister has revealed that last year he donated $1.75 million to the Liberal Party. We would be far more impressed if he and his wealthy mates donated this kind of money to the many worthy charities in our community. Warwick Williams, Nicholls Malcolm Turnbull keeps telling us it is not his job to comment on other countries' domestic policies. Newsflash: migration, immi or emi, is not a domestic policy issue. It is a very global issue. This government's no-comments can only mean it supports Trump. Gives me the creeps. Anne Willenborg, Royalla, NSW Trust who? ("Swallow the money: Malcolm Turnbull's donation disclosure delay is foolish and unconscionable", canberratimes.com.au, February 1). Never you Malcolm, never you. John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW The stockmarket can report financial transactions on the day. Why does it take so long to report political donations? David Gibson, Bungendore, NSW Policies cruel I was appalled to hear Treasurer and former immigration minister, Scott Morrison, boast Australia's cruel refugee policies are "the envy of the world" and that Donald Trump's horrific and heartless policies show the rest of the world is "catching up" with Australia. Australia's policies might be the envy of the people Morrison mixes with, but they are certainly not the envy of the world. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Committee Against Torture, Amnesty International, Save the Children, Oxfam and many other government and non-government organisations have all condemned our policies as cruel, inhumane and contrary to international law. I am overcome with shame, grief and anger at our treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. I do not feel proud people like Trump and Morrison use the suffering of innocent, but desperate, human beings to further their cruel, racist and divisive policies. Charles Body, Kaleen "The White House says refugees involved in Australia's deal with America will go through 'extreme vetting'." (ABC News, February 1). We get an idea what this means in The Canberra Times ("Trump leaves experts out of the loop", February 1, p.4). Some Muslims returning to the US were handcuffed, forced to sign documents removing their right to live in the US and forced to buy tickets out of the US. Then they had their passports confiscated (on arrival in Ethiopia). Our refugees have been traumatised for years. Now they are going to be subjected to totally undeserved harsh treatment. And I dread to think what Trump-style "extreme vetting" might involve for a woman. We should send our refugees to Canada if we are too miserly to bring them to Australia. I suggest that anyone thinking of visiting the US should take their tourist dollars to a more civilised nation. I feel for all those brave US citizens standing up for their democracy in its darkest hour. Or is that yet to come? Rosemary Walters, Palmerston Attack unfair It is beyond comprehension to understand Pauline Hanson accepting the credentials of David Archibald in running for a seat in the WA Parliament. ("One Nation stand by WA candidate after calling single mums 'lazy and ugly"', Canberratimes.com.au, February 1). Has David Archibald stopped to think how the single mums became mothers? Where are the fathers of these children and why aren't they supporting the children they have brought into the world? Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW Standing tall (or not) I never stand for the National Anthem, Jeff Day (letters, February 1), but not for the same reasons as Anthony Mundine, perfectly valid as those are. We live in a world where the nation state and national governments have become almost irrelevant save as franchises for sporting events and branch managers for global capital respectively. Why should I stand at the playing of my market's jingle? Paul McElligott, Aranda TO THE POINT CAR WORKERS' PAY One factor contributing to the cessation of car manufacturing in Australia could be that the workers priced themselves out of a job. The evidence: the reported words of a Toyota factory worker "it's good money too and I'm not going to get this sort of money anywhere else" ("Toyota car plant to close in October", February 1, p20). Ken McPhan, Spence PROFITS BEFORE HOMES So we now have technology and techniques to clean asbestos from buildings with a guarantee that it's all gone. Pity these techniques won't be used on some of the remaining Mr Fluffy homes, especially where the owners would rather stay than move out. But of course the government would not then have access to the land and the subsequent profit. Frances Cornish, Spence CLEAN COAL, DIRTY LIE There is no such thing as clean coal. Anyone who tells you differently is either stupid or a liar. Coal is made up almost entirely of carbon. Burning coal produces energy by combining carbon with oxygen, producing carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere. Putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is a bad thing. Bruce A. Peterson, Kambah TAX-CUT FALLACY With the proposal for tax cuts for big business "to stimulate jobs", who believes the 679 corporations who did not pay any tax in Australia 2013/14 will employ more people as a result of a tax cut? Renowned economists tell us trickle-down economics do not work. Colin Handley, Lyneham KIDS AND POLITICS Was the chief Minister insensitive and wrong placing a large image of Muslim children on a billboard which resulted in their being subjected to hurtful comments? Should children be used to promote the views of political parties? Penelope Upward, O'Connor MCDONALD TRUMP It used to be said there had never been war between countries with McDonald's. It seems that, for the next eight years at least, there will be no war between countries which host a Trump enterprise. S. W. Davey, Torrens BILLBOARD BAGGING Despite tales from our Barr-geoisie, I doubt that we shall ever see a billboard lovely as a Northbourne tree. Humphrey McQueen, Griffith LESS MUNDINE, PLEASE Mundine = Mundane. Please media, give his predictable flame no oxygen. Linus Cole, Palmerston John Wetton, a bass player, vocalist and songwriter who adapted the dense, progressive rock he performed with bands such as King Crimson into mainstream hits with the supergroup Asia in the early 1980s, died on Tuesday near his home in Bournemouth, England. He was 67. A technically adept bassist with a smooth tenor voice, Wetton came up musically in London in the late 1960s and early '70s. He was part of a cohort of musicians, in groups such as Pink Floyd and Yes, who were known for an ornate, maximalist brand of rock. John Wetton was a technically adept bassist with a smooth tenor voice. Credit:AP King Crimson, founded in 1968, was another such band, and Wetton joined an incarnation of it in 1972, playing alongside the group's original guitarist, Robert Fripp, the drummer Bill Bruford, formerly of Yes, and others. He appeared on the group's albums Larks Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974) and Red (1974). Fripp disbanded the group in the mid-1970s, when it appeared to be on the brink of reaching a wider audience. "I didn't understand Robert's reasons then," Wetton said in 1999, "and I still don't." Australia's premier medical research funder provides almost no research into climate change impacts on health despite the issue providing "a huge challenge for the health sector", a group of leading scientists say in a new paper. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) pioneered studies on the urgent need for research into global warming's health impacts with a 1991 report. Despite that Australia had spent less than one dollar in every $1000 on health funding to the issue since, the researchers including Nobel laureate Peter Doherty said. It took until 2003 for the NHMRC to award its first project grant on the issue. "In 2016, none of the 516 funded project grants, totalling $420 million, included a climate change or heatwave focus", according to the paper published this week in Nature Climate Change. The near total lack of medical research into climate change and health comes despite heatwaves already killing more Australians than any other natural hazard. For instance, severe heat in the days prior to the 2009 Black Saturday fires killed more than twice the 173 bushfire fatalities, said Andy Pitman, one of the authors. More than $70 million that flowed to the Liberal and Labor parties ahead of last year's federal election at least half of all the money they collected is considered untraceable dark money. An analysis of the Australian Electoral Commission's latest financial disclosure returns by researcher Lindy Edwards reveals 66 per cent of Liberal Party income and 49 per cent of Labor Party income in 2015-16 cannot be attributed to any specific donors. That means it's almost impossible to tell where $45.8 million given to the Liberals and $24.4 million given to Labor actually originated, the University of New South Wales lecturer says. Both parties use fundraising bodies known as "associated entities" and loose definitions of what constitutes donation, which allows the monies raised to avoid proper scrutiny. He's the reporter whose sensational story dropped a political bombshell 16,000 kilometres away. Washington Post White House bureau chief Philip Rucker caught Canberra, Washington and foreign policy watchers around the world by surprise on Thursday with an explosive account of Donald Trump's combative phone call with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, described as new President's worst call with a roster of world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Minutes after the story was posted online, Rucker started fielding calls from Australian media outlets wanting his insider account of the potential clash between the leaders of the two longstanding allies. Mr Trump reportedly hung up after a 25-minute call in which he blasted Mr Turnbull, bragged about his electoral victory and accused the Australian Prime Minister of wanting to export the "next Boston bombers" to the US from Manus Island and Nauru. Taapsee Pannu has refused to "propagate fairness" and opted out of an event being organised by a fairness cream. By India Today Web Desk: Taapsee Pannu, who was catapulted to the big league after her film Pink became a runaway hit, has joined the likes of Kangana Ranaut and Ranbir Kapoor by taking a stand against fairness creams. The actor was supposed to be a part of an event in Jaipur that was to be held next month, but she pulled out when she learnt that it was being organised by a fairness cream. advertisement ALSO READ: Taapsee Pannu opens up on being eve-teased, being told her backless dress was the problem ALSO READ: Is Taapsee Pannu's nepotism remark directed at Varun Dhawan? Taapsee said, "I agree it was a last moment call but when I got to know that I will have to pose with the fairness brand during the event I decided to take my name out of that event. I have actually lost a few films because of being fair so I will definitely not propagate fairness in any way." Taapsee has made a conscious choice to stay away from fairness products, choosing instead to endorse those which promise a "natural glow." On the work front, the actor has two releases lined up for this month - Runningshaadi.com and The Ghazi Attack. ALSO WATCH: India Today's Photo Editor gives you a peek into Tapsee Pannu's cover shoot for #IndiaTodayWoman --- ENDS --- Malcolm Turnbull hoped he had found a kindred spirit in Donald Trump. "I suppose as both being businessmen who found our way into politics somewhat later in life, we come to the problems of our own nations and indeed world problems with a pragmatic approach," the Prime Minister remarked in November, having secured an early phone call with Mr Trump soon after his election victory. Then came an unprecedented roasting of an Australian prime minister by a US president. Mr Trump complained his most recent conversation with Mr Turnbull was the "worst call by far" among world leaders, only to later Tweet about the "dumb deal" to settle "thousands of" (actually 1250) refugees. The first call between world leaders should be an easy, low-key affair - some pleasantries, an acknowledgment of the importance of the relationship, possibly a tentative suggestion of a state visit. But the weekend chat between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was anything but ordinary. And people are now wondering how the extraordinary details were made public. There were only a handful of witnesses to the conversation which took place early on Saturday afternoon, Washington time. Mr Trump's controversial chief strategist Stephen Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn and White House press secretary Sean Spicer were in the Oval Office when the call was made. Mr Turnbull was the fifth world leader Mr Trump had spoken to that day. It was just after 5pm and the newly minted president had earlier finished calls with the leaders of Japan, Germany, Russia and France. New York: The revelation that Donald Trump berated Malcolm Turnbull, the leader of one of America's closest allies, during a recent official phone call has been met with shock, disbelief and some embarrassed humour in the United States, fuelling concerns about the US President badly damaging important international relationships. The Washington Post scoop revealing the tense conversation broke late in the day in the US and went on to dominate late night news television shows and social media, with many expressing disbelief that, of all the countries the US could have offended in the first weeks of a new administration, it would be America's genial allies across the Pacific. "Dear Australia: The majority of Americans who don't support Trump want to say we are sorry. We will make it up to you in four years or less," Ted Lieu, a Democratic congressman from California who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote on Twitter after the story broke. "I made a Top 100 Possible Trump Administration Foreign Crises list & I gotta admit 'Rupturing US-Australia Relations' was NOT on there," senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut who sits on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, also wrote. Manuka honey has a reputation as being something of a superfood - for both your wellbeing and your face. Labelled the "healing honey," it's long been used by Maori people in New Zealand as a remedy for wounds. For what it's worth, it counts the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow (manuka honey is definitely Goop approved) and Novak Djokovic as fans, and can be used in a range of ways - from using it topically on cuts and wounds, adding it to a tea to create a tonic, or as a treatment for spots. It's important to note however that manuka honey has a grading system for its potency, including sterile honey for topical use. Manuka honey has special antibacterial properties. The honey is made by bees from the nectar on the Leptospermum scoparium bush (perhaps better known as the Tea Tree or Manuka bush) and is famously made in New Zealand, and less famously so, in Australia (indeed there has been some argy bargy on who should have "exclusive rights" over the manuka name), and it has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Recent studies have found that it can zap superbugs like Golden Staph. It also works against other bacteria, can help balance the digestive system, and has antioxidants for boosting immunity. Research from the dentistry school at the University of Otago in New Zealand says that chewing on a Manuka honey product can help to reduce plaque and aid bleeding gums. Convicted murderer Ronald Ryan circa 1965 The petition for mercy was submitted by Ryan's solicitor, Mr Ralph Freadman. Asked if he had any further avenues of appeal, Mr Freadman said: "Not really, but if anything more turns up we would act on it." The struggle to save Ryan was waged all day yesterday through an amazing series of incidents which saw: Cabinet meet at 8.30 a.m. and decide after 45 minutes that Ryan should hang. Not for years has Victoria been in such a turmoil of protest marches, violence, speeches, accusations, Court appeals and thundering newspaper editorials, splitting the community" into bitterly divided groups. A 20-minute Executive Council meeting follow immediately and approve Cabinet's decision. Former Pentridge inmate Allan John Cane fly to Melbourne from Brisbane late last night in a vain attempt to see the Premier, Sir Henry Bolte, or the Attorney-General, Mr A. G. Rylah. 'Hopeless' Less than three hours after returning from London yesterday, Mr Philip Opas, Q.C., went before Mr Justice Starke in the Supreme Court to ask for a stay of execution to allow examination of new evidence. However, Mr Justice Starke, the trial Judge, in refusing the application, said it seemed "entirely hopeless and misconceived." On hearing the Council's final decision, Mr Opas said: "There is no hope now ... no other avenue open. "I can't understand it. Here is a man (Cane) coming to Melbourne this very night with what I feel is vital information and no one waits to see what he is going to say. Not drugged "It is beyond my comprehension that when there is relevant evidence available it can't be considered. "I am emotionally drained, but at the same time I now call for an unhurried, calm appraisal of capital punishment." Ryan's 75-ycar-old mother, Mrs Cecilia Ryan, spent an hour with him yesterday. He also spoke to two of his sisters and his step-brother. Ryan was due to attend Mass in Pentridge' s death cell two hours before his execution. He will be moved to the special cell early, as soon as he wakes. He has not asked for any special meals and will not be given any. He will not be drugged and will be allowed to make a final statement in the condemned cell, a few minutes before his execution, if he wishes. He will be given Extreme Unction, the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church, under the scaffold seconds after he is pronounced dead. His hands, handcuffed behind his back, will be freed so that they can be anointed. 'Realist' Ten private colleges have been stripped of their funding by the NSW government, documents released under freedom of information have revealed, with institutions offering diplomas in aged care, early childhood education and business administration all failing to meet minimum standards under the Smart and Skilled program. A further 17 colleges have been suspended, according to the documents obtained by NSW Labor, but the government is refusing to release the names of those colleges, despite more than 8000 students being put at risk of having taxpayer funding for the colleges withdrawn if the government decides to terminate their contracts. Labor's Skills education spokeswoman Prue Car called on Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who holds the Skills and Industry portfolio, to release the names of the colleges his department has suspended. Public schools' share of students have increased for the second year running nationwide, marking a determined end to a 40 year decline in government school enrolments. New figures from the Bureau of Statistics show that government schools in 2016 educated 65.4 per cent of all students, up from the historical low of 2014 when it was 65.1 per cent. Public school enrolments have declined at about 0.4 per cent per year since 1977, when 79 per cent of students went to government schools nationally. "These new figures see the reversal of the steady drift of students from government to non-government schools observed for much of the past 40 years," said ABS spokeswoman Michelle Marquardt. Millions of Australians are wasting money on drugs for back pain that do more harm than good, a study has found. Sydney researchers say patients taking commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are 2.5 times more likely to suffer from gastro-intestinal problems, such as stomach ulcers and bleeding. Yet anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, offer "very limited" short-term pain relief, according to the study's lead author associate professor Manuela Ferreira. "They do reduce the level of pain, but only very slightly, and arguably not of any clinical significance," she said. "If you consider the side effects, which are important, we argue that the benefit is not really worthwhile." Ten minutes after the first bell rang out at 8.42am at Bonnyrigg High School on Thursday, chaos unfolded in popular science teacher Carolyn Cox's classroom. Her Year 11 students were sitting in roll call, waiting for the bell for first period to ring at 8.55am, when one of their classmates allegedly walked into the room with an arsenal of weapons. The quiet student, who had never come to the attention of the school's principal or the police, allegedly walked in, stabbed two students and Miss Cox then calmly walked out of the school gates. 'He didn't say anything," said a female student who was present. "Everyone was just in shock, we didn't really realise what had happened." A 92-year-old man has been charged with sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl at a home on Sydney's northern beaches, police say. The man was arrested in Manly on Thursday and charged over the alleged sexual and indecent assault of the schoolgirl last month. The man is related to the girl he is accused of abusing, and cannot be named for legal reasons. Detectives from the State Crime Command's Child Abuse Squad launched an investigation after receiving a report that the girl had been assaulted on January 19. Detectives took the man to Manly police station, where he was questioned. By Rohit Kumar Singh: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav's penchant for donning new avatar continues unabated. While he was seen dressed as Lord Krishna in January, this month he was seen as a 'halwai' for Saraswati Puja. Incidentally, yet another picture of Tej Pratap went viral on social media. The young leader is seen making jalebis for his friends and supporters. advertisement The picture was clicked on Wednesday at his official bungalow 3 on Desh Ratna Marg in Patna with the members of youth RJD. Tej Pratap performing aarti on the occasion. As part of the celebrations, Tej Pratap also performed hawan and aarti. Interestingly, Tej took the task to prepare jalebis for the priests and others who had come for the celebrations. Tej serving sweets to the priests who attended the celebration at his residence. After the celebrations, Tej posted pictures of the celebrations on his Twitter and Facebook accounts. In January when Makar Sankranti was celebrated, Tej Pratap was seen dressed like Lord Krishna. He was clicked wearing a red crown embellished with peacock feathers. The viral image showed him playing a flute in the company of cows. Also read: Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tej Pratap calls PM Modi's BHIM app 'Vim', gets trolled on Twitter Lalu's son Tej Pratap dons Lord Krishna's avatar to ring in New Year Lalu's son Tej Pratap plays down PM's Kanhaiya jibe, calls himself descendant of Lord Krishna --- ENDS --- Premier Gladys Berejiklian has revealed that a decision on the future of council amalgamations in NSW is "imminent' following a "productive and robust" discussion during the first meeting of her new cabinet. After it was revealed that Ms Berejiklian was considering allowing residents to vote on mergers via plebiscites, the Premier would not be drawn on details at a media conference on Thursday. But she acknowledged the "angst" that mergers have caused in parts of NSW and declared: "I will fix this". "We know for a fact that this is an issue which has got lingering concerns in part of our community, which is why it's a topic of conversation," she said. Several people reportedly swooped by a bat in inner-city Brisbane could face dire consequences if they don't seek immediate treatment, health authorities warn. A public health physician said the apparent swooping behaviour was particularly concerning because it wasn't normal, indicating the creature may have been sick. Health authorities are worried about a bat swooping at Kangaroo Point. Credit:Andrew Taylor JAT Metro South Public Health Unit director Kari Jarvinen urged the people believed to have come into contact with the bat about 10pm Tuesday to seek urgent treatment. The swooping near the corner of Deakin Street and Shafston Avenue, Kangaroo Point, was reported by another person who sought help from Queensland Health. It's understood they were scratched. Jim Malo is fresh on the journalism scene, with just a couple of years of full time work under his belt. He got his start working with 7 News in Hervey Bay where he covered a 12-hour long police chase, a torrid local government election marred by allegations of affairs and a heart-breaking triple shooting. After 18 months of penance, Jim has returned to his home city of Brisbane (if you consider Caboolture a part of Brisbane. Most don't; he does). Jim Malo Credit:Robert Shakespeare Jim's passion for the media industry was sparked by work experience with 101.5 4OUR FM in Caboolture; where he scored a Saturday morning show at the age of 14, which he regrettably named The Music Blender. At university Jim took up reviewing music for student-run websites which fell apart to various degrees because they were run by students. In a way, he's pleased because you can no longer read his gushing reviews of dance music and below-average indie rock. One website has relaunched but he won't say which, just in case. In a toughening of Queensland's quad bike laws, children under the age of eight are now prohibited from being passengers and helmet use will be mandatory on all roads. Riders found not wearing a helmet on roads face a $362 fine and a loss of three demerit points. Helmets must now be worn on quad bikes in Queensland, if travelling on a road. Credit:Peter Stoop The new legislation, in effect from February 1, was based on recommendations from a 2015 coronial inquest into nine quad bike deaths. The coroner made 15 recommendations, including the mandating of training, helmets, and child-age restrictions. HTC already kicked off the year with the relatively early announcement of its U Play and U Ultra, two mid- to high-end phones built around a new glass design and some fancy software that adapts to your usage patterns. Those will be out in Australia soon enough, but between now and then we'll almost certainly learn about another HTC phone in the pipeline. At MWC 2017, we might be introduced to HTC's top-end phone for the year: the Ocean. By all accounts, it might be one of the more interesting announcements, potentially having no buttons at all and instead using swiping gestures to navigate around the interface. Combine that with modern specs and you've got yourself what seems like an awesome piece of hardware. Huawei P10 We're about to get our hands on the Mate 9 in a couple of days, which was one of Huawei's big announcements at CES this year and yes, it's big; the Mate 9 has a 5.9-inch screen. It also gets the awesome dual-lens Leica camera that debuted on the beautiful P9 last year, which can capture some awesome snaps in either monochrome or colour. But from everything we're hearing, MWC might be the place for Huawei to announce the P9's successor: we're calling it the P10 until we know otherwise. Leaked renders and early spy photos show a phone that looks similar in design and layout to the P9, though more refined: the fingerprint sensor might move to the lower front of the phone rather than the back, and the camera and display should get a bit of a makeover. Huawei is a fan of using its own processors and its own skin on top of Android, but exactly how they've evolved remains to be seen. Personal SMS messages of Telstra customers were sent to random recipients on competing networks across Australia on Thursday afternoon in a huge potential security breach for the telco. Unwitting phone users across Australia took to Twitter to express confusion about receiving random SMS messages from about 3pm. "I could have broken this guy's deal wide open," said Twitter user @IggyBusby, on receiving details of someone's business strategy that included the phrases "hold off on the" and "still in discussions with". Each Victorian state school student received $14,612 in combined state and federal funding, while their peers received $16,956 in New South Wales and $19,745 in Western Australia, according to a new Productivity Commission report. The trend has persisted for at least a decade, with every Victorian student receiving $2058 less state and federal funding than the national average in 2014/15. Victoria may be called the "Education State" but its public school students receive the least government funding per student in Australia. The figures coincide with a heated debate about education funding, with the federal government trying to thrash out a new four-year school funding deal with the states to replace Labor's Gonski agreements. The report on government services showed that state and territory funding per state school student decreased in South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and Northern Territory, while increasing in the other states. The figures were seized on by the Turnbull government as evidence that states had shifted the cost of running schools to the Commonwealth. "Australian families, teachers and students are being misled by some state and territory leaders who say they're for more funding but hypocritically fail to live up to their own lofty rhetoric," Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said. He said that between 2013-14 and 2014-15, the Coalition government boosted per student funding to government schools by 7.3 per cent and private schools by 5.3 per cent. Homeless people will be banned from camping in Melbourne, and a campaign will be launched to discourage donating items to rough sleepers, under a hardline council proposal. The City of Melbourne has been facing mounting pressure to "clean up" homeless camps in prominent CBD locations, following a huge surge in public complaints about aggressive begging, drug use and the visual impact rough sleeping has on the city. A report tabled late on Thursday afternoon by City of Melbourne acting chief executive Martin Cutter proposes councillors vote to ban any type of public camping. It is not clear if this means it will be illegal to sleep in a swag or a blanket, or if homeless people will be forced to sleep without any bedding or protection. Main Roads WA is considering whether to appeal a ruling compelling it to release Perth Freight Link planning documents, it confirmed on Thursday. The Information Commissioner on January 24 ordered the documents be revealed and the state has until February 14 to decide whether to appeal to the Supreme Court. The government being in caretaker mode did not impact on this action, a spokesman confirmed, as the order was against the Commissioner of Main Roads, not the Transport Minister Bill Marmion. Labor powerbroker Alannah MacTiernan has spent the past two and a half years trying to have the documents, including cost-benefit assessments and traffic modelling, released under Freedom of Information legislation. Cameron Bartkowski is running in WA's South West. Credit:Facebook But it appears another candidate has slipped through the net. On Wednesday, One Nation said it was standing by its candidate for the seat of Pilbara, David Archibald, despite his offensive and bizarre comments towards single women labelling them too "lazy to attract and hold a mate". Writing an article for the prestigious literary online magazine Quadrant in 2015, Mr Archibald claimed there were a number of welfare programs that should be slashed because they support "lifestyle choices that could be defunded". "The first that springs to mind is single motherhood," he writes. "These are women too lazy to attract and hold a mate, undoing the work of possibly three million years of evolutionary pressure." "This will result in a rapid rise in the portion of the population that is lazy and ugly. We know what causes pregnancy these days, so everyone who gets pregnant outside of marriage is a volunteer." Mr Archibald didn't just have a pot shot at single mums in the Quadrant article, he also had a swipe at childcare funding, spending on Indigenous affairs and the disability pension. "Second, the 800,000 Australians on the disability pension. OK, not all of them. But a good proportion are able to drive cars, bash police and each other, go fishing and so on," he wrote. "Now comes federally funded childcare. This is a lifestyle choice. Looking after children is very labour-intensive." Federal Shadow Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese, who was in Perth on Tuesday backing WA Labor's push to dump Roe 8, called on One Nation to dump Mr Archibald. "The idea that if you have a single mother you are somehow less of a human being, really belongs way back in the dark ages," Mr Albanese, who was raised by a single mother, told SBS. Despite the outlandish statements, Mr Archibald, who is running against the leader of the WA Nationals Brendon Grylls, told the ABC he stood by his comments. National Council for Single Mothers and their Children chief executive Terese Edwards said the One Nation candidate's comments were "disrespectful". "I just found it incredible that a man in 2017 would feel comfortable in being so disrespectful to women women who are doing a wonderful job in raising children by themselves," she told the ABC. Mr Archibald - a geologist and climate change skeptic - has written numerous articles for Quadrant, with one titled Evolution vs. Gay Marriage from August 2015, claiming a "successful culture" wouldn't allow homosexuality. "Homosexuality is part of the human condition," he writes in his premise. "But so is marriage, which is more than a mere societal construct, as those who are keen to change the long-established norms of mating and reproduction would have us believe. A successful culture wouldn't mix the two. A degenerate culture might." Even though One Nation is expected to be the wild card in the upcoming WA election with political pundits expecting the party to poll as high as 11 per cent, it has courted controversial with a number of its candidates. One Nation candidate for the seat of Dawesville, Lawrence Shave, had plans to open a "bikini baristas" drive-through coffee shop, where staff donned only scantily-clad swim wear. And party leader Pauline Hanson dumped Brian Brighton, who nominated for the seat of Joondalup because of his past criminal conviction. Mr Brighton was fined $5000 back in 1993 for stealing departure tax stamps and selling them for $1000 while working as a customs officer. He later told WAtoday he was planning to run as an independent in the March election and wanted wants all drug addicts to be dumped on an island to fend for themselves. But One Nation isn't the only party whose candidates have got themselves in hot water in the past week - highlighting questionable practices in the vetting process for candidates. The Liberal candidate for Mandurah David Forbes quit after revelations he used Twitter to call Malcolm Turnbull a "laughing stock" and to suggest women were often "office Nazis". Loading By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today sought cooperation from State Department officials, a large number of whom have openly expressed their dissent against President Donald Trumps policies, including banning citizens of seven nations from entering the country. "One of the great challenges and thrills for the State Department staff is deciding how to confront changing conditions in every corner of the world. And I encourage all of you to use your natural and well developed skills to adapt to changes here at home as well. I know this was a hotly contested election and we do not all feel the same way about the outcome," Tillerson said in his maiden address to the State Department officials. advertisement Hundreds of State Department officials waited for more than an hour in the lobby of its Foggy Bottom headquarters to listen to their new Secretary of State who has replaced John Kerry as the top American diplomat. "Each of us is entitled to the expression of our political beliefs. But we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team. Let us be understanding with each other about the times we live in as we focus our energies on our departmental goals," Tillerson said. "As Secretary, I will deploy the talent and resources of the State Department in the most efficient ways possible. That may entail making some changes to how things are traditionally done in this department. Change for the sake of change can be counter productive, and that will never be my approach," he said. "We cannot sustain ineffective traditions over optimal outcomes. I will gather information on what processes should be reformed and do my part to make sure we are functioning in the most productive and efficient way possible," he said. Regardless of the circumstances shaping the country or the department, everyone must all remain focused on the mission at hand before the country, he said, "I remind you that our undertakings are larger than ourselves or our personal careers". "Our duty is to faithfully represent our nation in the arena of foreign affairs. If we stay focused on the work before us, I promise I will work to ensure you achieve your own personal success and your professional satisfaction in what youre doing," he said. Tillerson urged individual working at the State Department to adopt a few core principles. "First I believe that any organization runs best when all of its members embrace accountability. From the mail room to the board room every member of team has a job to do," he said. "Secondly I want us to be honest with one another. Were on the same team. We share the same mission. Honesty with undergird our foreign policy and well start by making it the basis of how we interact with each other," he said. advertisement "Lastly were going to treat each other with respect. No one will tolerate disrespect of anyone. Before we are employees of the State Department, we are human beings first. Let us extend respect to each other, especially when we may disagree," Tillerson said. PTI LKJ UZM --- ENDS --- A top adviser to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fired back, saying that "the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless," according to the Reuters news agency, citing local media. "This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran," the adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, said. "Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself." A top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has hit back at Trump. Credit:AP The missile tests are not covered by the nuclear pact, and Iran claims that the launches do not violate other UN resolutions because the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. Bahram Ghassemi, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, called Flynn's comments "baseless, provocative and repetitive." Ali Akbar Velayati described Trump as 'inexperienced". Credit:SANA via AP Tillerson takes office after a chaotic first dozen days for the Trump administration marked by big swings away from national security and foreign policy stances in place under the Obama administration. The rise of figures such as Flynn and senior counsellor Stephen Bannon in the White House calls into question whether someone like Tillerson, a former oil company executive who is perceived to be a more mainstream Republican, will wield much influence. Trump campaigned on blowing up business as usual in Washington, apparently including the courtly traditions of US diplomacy. Still, the administration's tone has surprised allies and government employees who expected the new president to first spend time offering diplomatic niceties. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Credit:AP The severity of an order suspending the country's refugee resettlement program and temporarily banning entry from seven Muslim-majority nations blindsided even Republican supporters in Congress. Even before the order Friday, Trump's first days in office were marked by actions and statements that former US officials and some foreign diplomats saw as intentionally confrontational, such as a public spat with the Mexican president and dismissive comments about the European Union. Rex Tillerson. Credit:AP Trump in his inauguration address blasted America's trade partners and global outlook, and he used his first hosting of a foreign leader to praise Brexit as a stroke for British "sovereignty." He recounted his own frustrations dealing with the European Union in a real estate deal. "I had a very bad experience," he said. He called the 28-member body "the consortium." In between, his administration floated and then backed off a 20 per cent tariff on Mexican goods to pay for his promised border wall. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto cancelled a planned White House visit in protest, but Trump said the feeling was mutual. "Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route," Trump told Republican senators last week. "I have no choice." A day later, he stood beside British Prime Minister Theresa May for an event that is a staple of world leader diplomacy - the cordial and mutually congratulatory joint news conference. Trump largely used the forum to congratulate himself, and he sounded less than zealous about courting other countries. "We look to have a great relationship with all countries, ideally," Trump said Friday, as May looked on, a hint of apprehension visible in her smile. "That won't necessarily happen, unfortunately probably won't happen with many countries." Trump added that he hoped for "a great relationship with Russia and with China and with all countries, I'm all for that. That would be a tremendous asset." He noted that he believes torture tactics work against terrorism - a position anathema to most U.S. allies - but that he would defer to his defense chief, who opposes it. Tillerson did not attend, since he had not yet won the job at State. While Tillerson is an unorthodox choice, the recently retired ExxonMobil chief executive has been generally viewed as one of Trump's less provocative hires. Even so, Tillerson drew scant Democratic support with a vote of 56 to 43. Only four members of the Democratic caucus voted in favor of confirmation: Senators Heidi Heitkamp, Angus King, Joe Manchin III and Mark Warner. The 64-year-old Texan has no prior government experience. His admirers, however, say he has a vast knowledge of world affairs and geopolitics born of years of international energy exploration and production. He has remained publicly silent about Trump's controversial immigration order, and it's not clear whether Tillerson was even given a say over its scope or wording. His absence from the rollout of a policy that significantly affects the country's place in the world has sown doubts about the State Department's role in shaping White House decisions. A group of diplomats lodged a formal complaint against the order Tuesday in the State Department's "Dissent Channel," set up during the Vietnam War as a way for diplomats of all ranks to convey disagreement with foreign policy decisions. The communications are typically confidential and may be done anonymously. "They should either get with the program or they can go," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday. He later said diplomats have a right to raise concerns. One of Tillerson's chief outside backers, former defense secretary Robert Gates, said Sunday that the immigration order is likely to make his friend's job harder. Gates, a Republican who recommended Tillerson to Trump as a dark-horse candidate, is among a long bipartisan list of foreign policy experts who have argued that actions appearing to target Muslims play into the hands of extremists who claim that the United States is at war with Islam. Tillerson had said at his confirmation hearing that he does "not support a blanket-type rejection of any particular group of people," but he did not rule out a registry or database of Muslims. New United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley went further, rejecting the idea of a ban on Muslim immigration and calling a registry out of the question. Haley, who like Tillerson has no formal foreign policy experience, had also startled some UN diplomats in her first address at the world body Friday. "You're going to see a change in the way we do business," the former South Carolina governor said. "Our goal with the administration is to show value at the U.N., and the way we'll show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure our allies have our back as well." "For those who don't have our back," she added, "we're taking names." Haley spoke hours before the immigration order was issued. The White House also issued a scathing indictment of the United Nations last week, vowing to strip some U.S. funding and condition other money on reform and compliance with US objectives. Trump is breaking with the practices of both Republican and Democratic administrations by including a political adviser, Bannon, in National Security Council meetings with Cabinet officials. On Tuesday, European Council President Donald Tusk included "worrying declarations" from Trump among the challenges or threats to the EU, along with China, Russia and radical ideologies. "Capitals around the world are anxiously looking at how the new administration starts engaging with friends and foes," said Arturo Sarukhan, a former Mexican ambassador to Washington. "If the U.S. treats a neighbor, partner and ally like Mexico, a nation so relevant to the prosperity and security of the U.S., with ultimatums and bullying, they will probably feel that they themselves may be in for a rough ride." A European diplomat who recently met with Trump aides and pressed for cooperation at the United Nations and elsewhere to promote peace in the Middle East recounted a startling exchange with Jason D. Greenblatt, then Trump's in-house lawyer and now his chief of international negotiations. Loading "We are business people," the diplomat quoted Greenblatt as saying. "We are not going to govern this country with diplomatic niceties. We are going to govern it as a business." Rivals and partners: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the far-right Jewish Home party. Credit:AP Many settlers and their supporters who climbed the rocky hill to defend Amona blamed Mr Netanyahu for the community's imminent destruction. As the thousands of police officers carried red-faced settlers and demonstrators from the homes, bulldozers idled down the hill, ready to knock down the cheap metal caravans, as well as playgrounds, vineyards, olive groves and a synagogue. Hundreds of youths streamed into the outpost, ruled illegal by Israel's highest court, to fight the evacuation. Credit:AP "We will be the last to be dragged from our homes," said Eli Greenberg, 43, a father of eight who was barricaded inside his family's trailer on the bitterly cold mountaintop. "Why give this land to the Palestinians, who preach nothing but hate and violence, and want to destroy Israel?" he asked, speaking by mobile phone as police surrounded his home. "We feel good vibrations from Trump. This is the end of this terrible time." Israeli settlers shout as security forces arrive to evacuate the settlement, built on land owned by Palestinians. Credit:Getty Images The razing of Amona and the eviction of its families has been more than a decade in the making. The long timeline underscored the political challenges for Israeli leaders, who count on the support of 600,000 settlers now living in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem but have feared US condemnation under both Republican and Democratic leadership. By the early evening, Israeli security forces had removed 20 families from their homes and arrested a handful of activists who had turned out to support the residents. A settler barricaded inside a makeshift building in Amona surrounded by masked Israeli police. Credit:AP Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 15 police officers had been lightly injured in scuffles with settlers and their supporters. In an attempt to calm the settlers' fury, Israeli leaders promised that the dismantling of Amona would bring renewed building in the occupied West Bank. Israeli security forces arrive to evacuate the settlement. Credit:Getty Images Last week, Mr Netanyahu and Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that 2500 new homes would be built in the West Bank. On Tuesday, in anticipation of the Amona clashes, they promised 3000 more. An announcement of 5500 new homes would have brought swift, harsh condemnation from the Obama administration, which for eight years branded such building "illegitimate" and "an obstacle to peace" between Jews and Arabs. Settlers stand on the roofs of the Amona outpost, where 330 settlers have made their homes in defiance of Israeli and international law. Credit:Getty Images The Trump administration has so far remained silent. "This is a very difficult day," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, also a member of the Jewish Home party, said in an interview with the Israeli news site Walla. "We have tried and tried to prevent this from happening, but now we are watching 40 families being evicted from their homes. Israeli settlers, including children, barricade themselves in a house in Amona, West Bank, as Israeli security forces arrive. Credit:Getty Images "But we need to remember that this terrible day will eventually bring about new building in the West Bank," she said. Still, promises of new houses to come did little on Wednesday to douse the anger of hundreds of young activists who had trudged up the hillside overnight to protect Amona's residents and slow down the demolition. Police begin the process of evicting the settlers. Credit:AP Zvi Sukkot, a settler from the hard-line Yitzar community and an organiser with a bullhorn, said: "We are here to show everybody our strong Jewish connection to the land as told in the Bible." He didn't blame former president Barack Obama for the evacuation; he blamed Netanyahu. But other settlers turned their eyes toward Trump as the new beginning. Settlers throw stones at Israeli police in Amona, West Bank. Credit:Getty Images "After eight years of Obama, who didn't let us build, now we'll say, 'We will build and build,' " said Shilo Adler, who heads the Yesha Council, which represents the Jewish settlers in the West Bank. "Now is history-making time," Adler said. "This is the moment. This is when we tell Netanyahu: 'This is what we want. This is why we elected you.' " A settler holding a mobile phone is arrested during the evacuation. Credit:Getty Images Shilo Adler, who heads the Yesha Council, which represents Israeli settlers in the West Bank, said they wanted 100,000 new homes - which would at least double the Jewish population in the West Bank - on land the Palestinians seek for a future nation under the two-state solution. Last month, after the Supreme Court's eviction order was postponed one last time, the government announced that it had reached an agreement with the Amona settlers - a hefty payout and promises of another spot on the same hillside in exchange for a low-key, peaceful move. But as the days wore on, residents of Amona saw no new community being built for them, and Israeli human rights groups filed additional legal petitions on behalf of Palestinians who claim to own that land, too. The agreement broke down, and this week, the army gave the settlers 48 hours to leave peacefully. Most of the world considers the Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank to be illegal, not just those built on Palestinian private property. Israel disputes this. Inside Amona, young Jewish men and women hunkered down in abandoned houses, barbed wire strung up around doors and windows. They climbed on top of the caravans, waving Israeli flags, and protesters screamed at the police "Shame on you, this is the land of Israel" and "Jews should not evict Jews". "It feels great to see settlers being taken off my land and their caravans removed. The court has done a good thing, although it has taken a long time," said Ibrahim Yaqoub, 56, a Palestinian farmer who is part owner of the land. Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday he would issue an executive order for military support in his fight against illicit drugs, which he said was a national security threat, adding that he would "kill more" people if he had to. The mercurial leader ruled out declaring martial law and said he did not need extra powers, but wanted to bring the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) into his drugs war because he could no longer trust law enforcement agencies. All police operations in the drug crackdown were suspended on Monday due to deep-rooted corruption. President Duterte has placed an anti-drugs agency in charge of the campaign and has said he wants the armed forces to play a supportive role. "I still have to write the, whether it is a proclamation or an executive order, but I've taken in the AFP and raised the issue of drugs as a national security threat, so that I can call on the armed forces to assist," he said in a speech in Davao. Warning: graphic images Having made a shocking mess of his so-called "war on drugs" Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has now called in the troops in a dangerous escalation of what the United Nations has warned could amount to crimes against humanity. Vowed to "kill more" drugs suspects: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Credit:AP The death toll already tops 7200 as armed troops are set to be sent into thousands of barangays, or wards, targeting mostly poor and defenceless Filipinos. For decades Philippine soldiers have operated in a deeply rooted culture of impunity for serious crimes, including extrajudicial executions, claiming they were a result of "legitimate encounters." Australia joined an exclusive club on Thursday, getting a first-hand view of the new mode of international diplomacy that occurs when the US president is displeased. As the Turnbull government and the US embassy in Canberra repeatedly assured that the refugee deal with the United States would go ahead, the new US president took to Twitter to cast some doubt. "I will study this dumb deal!" he wrote, referring to the 1200 refugees the US agreed to take from Manus Island and Nauru. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser PHILIPSBURG:--- Recently, Parliament held a meeting to discuss the appointment of a quartermaster for the Integrity Chamber by the Dutch Government. Most Parliamentarians, however, overlooked the fact that the discussion had to be focused on the process, the procedure, the legality and the validity of said appointment. With the exception of MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, parliamentarians and members of government spoke more about the Integrity Chamber. It was also very sad to observe that half of the MPs present had absolutely nothing to say about the appointment neither about the Integrity Chamber. All the speakers practically agreed that breaches of integrity are common in Sint Maarten. And actually, the same can also be said of all countries. Each year, a list of countries is issued by Transparency International (TI), showing how each country ranks and scores as far as corruption is concerned. In 2016, TI investigated 176 countries and not one of them came close to a perfect score. The highest score of 90 percent went to Denmark and Zealand. The Netherlands scored 83 percent and ranked as the 8th least corrupt country. During the parliamentary debates, it was said that the Dutch wanted to impose an Integrity Chamber on Sint Maarten, while they do not even have one themselves. Although the Netherlands may not have an Integrity Chamber, it has two institutions that tackle integrity issues in government. Being a member of the GRECO (Group of States against Corruption), the Dutch government submits annual integrity reports to this European Union Entity. Furthermore, each municipality in the Netherlands has a B.I. (Bureau Integriteit or Integrity Office) which falls under BING (Bureau Integriteit Nederlandse Gemeenten). Albeit, even if the Netherlands did not have these two bodies, this does not justify Sint Maarten not having one! An Integrity Chamber is considered the watch dog in a country that guards against all integrity breaches. Currently, the highest integrity body in Sint Maarten, is our Parliament, which has done a bad job at dealing with integrity issues, since its inception in 2010. Unfortunately, Parliament, in many instances during the past six years, succumbed to numerous integrity breaches itself. On October 22nd 2014, Parliament passed a motion, instructing Government to establish a committee to review the findings of three integrity reports and to come up with a budget and a timeline. It is two years later and Parliament has heard nothing yet from this committee. Conversely, Parliament has also neglected, to follow up on the instructions given to government, two years ago. Furthermore, in 2015, Parliament established an Ad Hoc Committee of Integrity which tried to establish a code of conduct for parliamentarians. Nothing came out of this exercise, because our parliamentarians did not want to be subjected to any rules. Article 64 of the Constitution gives our parliament a very strong integrity tool which is, the right to carry out an in-depth investigation into wrong-doing in parliament and in government and if need be, parliament can ultimately submit its findings to the Public Prosecutor, according to article 80 of the Rules of Order of Parliament. Regrettably, during the last six years, Parliament has never made use of this right of inquiry. Indeed, Parliament itself, has several instruments at its disposal which can be used to effect greater integrity. Yet, Parliament has never made use of these instruments to promote integrity. Hence, we can only conclude that Parliament is either not willing or not capable of fixing we, to use the expression of the Prime Minister. This means then, that there is certainly a need to establish another body that is specifically charged with integrity issues. If countries, regionally and internationally, that have oversight bodies, which we call High Councils of State, still see the need to establish integrity commissions, then there must be something that an integrity commission can do that the other oversight bodies are unable to do. It is worth mentioning here that most CARICOM countries have established integrity commissions and that since June 2015, these commissions have formed the Association of Integrity Commissions and Anti-Corruption Bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean (AICACBCC). Since Sint Maarten has to totally revamp its Integrity Ordinance that was rejected by the Constitutional Court, SMCP proposes that the new entity be called the Integrity Commission, in keeping with the term used by countries in the Caribbean. We also recommend that the Sint Maarten Integrity Commission seeks membership to the (AICACBCC). The goal of the Integrity Commission is not to lock up people, even though this could be a result of its investigation, but to be the watch dog and to keep an eye on both the legislative and the executive branches of government. In addition, to uncovering corruption and exposing integrity breaches, Integrity Commissions regionally, as well as internationally, have also an educational component to their scope of duties. They provide education and training to civil servants and government officials and they also seek to develop an integrity awareness among all citizens and to reach out to all educational institutions. Given the above information about contemporary Integrity Commissions, SMCP encourages government and parliament to take the Constitutional Courts advice and develop an integrity commission similar to the ones in the region. SMCP believes that there is certainly a need for an Integrity Commission on Sint Maarten and the sooner the better! Wycliffe Smith Leader of the Sint Maarten Christian Party The Senate vote was largely along party lines, with all 52 Republicans voting in favor, along with three Democrats and one independent. Tillerson takes up his post at the State Department on Thursday morning when he will address staff. New US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at his swearing-in ceremony with President Trump By Reuters: Rex Tillerson's job as chief US diplomat became harder before it even began because of White House moves that have antagonised Muslim nations, European allies, Mexico and US bureaucrats, current and former US officials said. Hours after the Senate confirmed Tillerson as the 69th secretary of state by a 56-43 vote, the former Exxon Mobil Corp CEO was sworn in as the chief foreign affairs adviser to President Donald Trump. advertisement The Senate vote was largely along party lines, with all 52 Republicans voting in favor, along with three Democrats and one independent. Tillerson takes up his post at the State Department on Thursday morning when he will address staff. HAVE TO DEAL WITH MESSY TIES Under any circumstance, Tillerson would have inherited a messy globe with a civil war in Syria, nuclear-armed North Korea threatening to test an intercontinental ballistic missile and challenges from a rising China and an assertive Russia. Also read: Rex Tillerson, Trump's secretary of state, says would block China from South China Sea In the 12 days since Trump's inauguration, however, the White House has taken steps that foreign policy professionals view as self-inflicted wounds. "We've done a series of own goals," said a senior US official on condition of anonymity. "There are always mess-ups and friction with new administrations. That's not new. This is worse than usual." On Thursday, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto took the rare step of cancelling a Washington trip to meet Trump, who has repeatedly demanded Mexico pay for a wall on the US border. On Friday, Trump signed an executive order imposing a four-month hold on refugees entering the United States and a temporary bar on most travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. "GET WITH THE PROGRAM" About 900 department officials signed a memo dissenting from the policy, a source familiar with the document said, an unusual rebellion against a new president's policies. Also read: Barack Obama rejects Donald Trump's immigration ban, backs protests As reports of the internal dissent spread on Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said career officials who disagreed should "get with the program or they can go." The result has been that two constituencies Tillerson has to manage - foreign nations and the US diplomatic corps - have already got their noses out of joint before his swearing-in. "He will start at a disadvantage and will have to play catch-up to build trust with his foreign counterparts and with State Department employees," said John Bellinger, a State Department legal adviser under Republican President George W Bush. advertisement "Tillerson walks into a situation where he has got an unhappy and suspicious White House and he has an unhappy and suspicious workforce," said another former State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It would have been difficult enough given the chaos." Several current and former US officials said they were dismayed by the process that led to the executive order, with little evidence that there was broad consultation within the government, let alone with Congress or foreign allies. The secretary of homeland security, John Kelly, was reported to have been largely blindsided by the order. According to the New York Times, he was on a White House conference call getting his first full briefing on it when Trump signed the order. Loren DeJonge Schulman, a former national security council and Pentagon official, said the belief that Trump did not bring his top advisers into the discussion of the matter would itself handicap the new secretary of state. "The secretary of state's power and his influence primarily derive from the idea that he speaks for the president," said Schulman, now at the Center for a New American Security think tank in Washington, saying it was an open secret the White House may not be consulting cabinet officials on such matters. advertisement "The fact that foreign audiences will realise that on day one is going to definitely weaken his hand," she said. Also read: How Trump's new executive order on H1B visas will dent Indian IT sector --- ENDS --- NewVoiceMedia accelerates momentum in Europe with landmark customer FlixBus SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Marketwired) 02/02/17 , a global provider of inside sales and contact center technology that helps businesses sell more, serve better and grow faster, today announced that , Europes leading long-distance bus provider, is using its ContactWorld platform to enhance its contact center operations and customer experience throughout Europe. FlixBus signed a three-year agreement for NewVoiceMedias ContactWorld solution to replace unreliable, inflexible contact center technology which didnt provide omni-channel capabilities within Salesforce. NewVoiceMedias inside sales and contact center technology integrates seamlessly with Salesforce to ensure all customer interactions are tracked and service levels measured, offering FlixBus communications that are complementary to its Salesforce system. The company selected ContactWorld to support its rapid global expansion, for its deep integration with Salesforce, global insights, comprehensive reporting and rich functionality, in order to offer the best possible experience for its European customer base served from multiple locations, while improving the satisfaction of its advisors. With ContactWorld, the companys customer service agents will now benefit from immediate access to a customers entire history of interactions and inbound calls can be intelligently managed and routed, ensuring callers are connected to the most appropriate consultant improving handling time and customer satisfaction. With a true cloud environment, NewVoiceMedia also offers the company a flexible platform for growth and reduced capital investments. Furthermore, advisors can log into the same system wherever they are, as all they need is a phone and internet connection, meaning they can work from multiple locations. The platform offers a real-time window into the entire contact center operation, so advisors can be easily managed, and customizable, rich reports allow the company to understand where improvement opportunities exist. Daniel Krauss, Founder and CIO of FlixBus, comments, Following an extensive selection process, we are pleased to have chosen NewVoiceMedia as our long-term partner. We wanted a scalable, reliable, cloud solution with the best Salesforce integration on the market and were impressed with the features ContactWorld offers. Having all our customer communications and rich customer data together in one platform will completely transform the way we manage our customer service. Jonathan Gale, CEO of NewVoiceMedia, adds, Were delighted to be working with FlixBus, and accelerating our business throughout Europe. Our integration capabilities and scalable technology will help the company deliver a completely unique, personalized customer experience to thousands of customers around the world, while also improving advisor performance and satisfaction. And as a true cloud solution, FlixBus benefits from complete scalability as the business grows, as new functionality and consultants can be added in minutes. Launched in 2013 in Germany, FlixBus is a young mobility provider offering a sustainable, comfortable and favorable way to travel across Europe. The company offers an expanding network and 100,000 daily connections to 1,000 destinations in 20 countries. With services such as free WiFi, an innovative ticketing-system, flexible online booking, its own smartphone app and CO2 compensation, the Flix-comfort is state-of-the-art, with the customer enjoying a green and comfortable means of transport for any budget. For more information about NewVoiceMedia, visit Salesforce and others are among the trademarks of , inc. s cloud contact center and inside sales platform delivers more successful conversations. The leading vendors award-winning customer contact platform helps organizations worldwide build a more personal relationship with every customer or prospect. It joins up all communications channels without expensive, disruptive hardware changes and plugs straight into your CRM for full access to hard-won data. With a true cloud environment and proven 99.999% platform availability, NewVoiceMedia ensures complete flexibility, scalability and reliability. NewVoiceMedias 650+ customers include PhotoBox, MobileIron, Lumesse, Vax, JustGiving and Canadian Cancer Society. For more information, visit or follow NewVoiceMedia on Twitter Nicola Brookes Tel: +44 (0)7500 006 458 Email: Cyber Security leader Utimaco closes investment round led by EQT Mid Market AACHEN, GERMANY (Marketwired) 02/02/17 Successfully satisfied all regulatory requirements to close transaction EQT Mid Market Investment Strategy (EQT Mid Market) takes majority stake in Utimaco from PINOVA Capital, BIP Investment Partners and Management (Sellers) All Sellers re-investing significant parts and remain minority investors , a global leader in high-end cyber security solutions, has successfully received all regulatory approvals for its new investor EQT Mid Market, a deal first announced in October 2016. The investment will be used to further accelerate the growth of Utimaco worldwide with a particular focus on expanding its footprint in North America. Utimaco has shown in the past years immense growth in its position as the leading global provider of hardware security modules (HSMs) and compliance solutions for telecommunication provider regulations (LIMS). The new investment will provide the support needed to further enhance the companys progress through organic and inorganic growth opportunities. With the rising number of security breaches and exploits, corporations and governments around the globe feel the pressure to prevent potential attacks by ever better protection of their critical data and infrastructures. With EQTs support and global presence, we are in a strong position to take the next step and double down on our growth ambitions worldwide, said Utimaco CEO Malte Pollmann. Fredrik Atting, Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT Mid Market said: Utimaco has proven a truly impressive growth path in recent years. With its scalable, customizable product portfolio its perfectly positioned to capture more opportunities in such a dynamic and growing cyber security landscape. With EQT, additional value will be added through the industrial network and we are happy to be part of the next phase of Utimacos growth path. EQT Mid Market has agreed to acquire a majority stake from PINOVA Capital, BIP Investment Partners and Management, who all remain minority investors. The parties have agreed to not disclose details of the transaction. EQT is a leading global private equity group with approximately EUR 31 billion in raised capital. EQT has portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 15 billion and approximately 100,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership. For further information, please visit Utimaco is a worldwide supplier of professional cybersecurity solutions and is based in Aachen, Germany with offices worldwide. Since 1983, Utimaco has been developing hardware-based, high-security appliances (Hardware Security Modules) and compliance solutions for telecommunication provider regulations (lawful interception and data retention). Today, Utimaco is a world-market leader in both segments. Customers and partners of Utimaco in all parts of the world trust the companys long-term, proven reliability and investment protection, as well as its many certified IT security standards. Utimaco stands for recognized product quality, user-friendly software, excellent support and trusted high security. For further information, please visit Meghana Shendrikar/Maryam Nabi OneChocolate for Utimaco +1 415 989 9803 Fredrik Atting Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT Mid Market +49 89 25 54 99 25 Kerstin Danasten EQT Press Officer +46 8 506 55 334 Malte Pollmann CEO Utimaco GmbH +49 241 1696 0 KSIX Media Holdings Announces New Broadband Program Dramatically Increasing Customer Retention LAS VEGAS, NV (Marketwired) 02/02/17 KSIX Media Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: KSIX), a diversified media and internet company headquartered in Las Vegas, announced today a significant decrease in customer loss due to the National Lifeline Broadband Program. In the first eleven months of 2016 True Wireless lost an average of 2,086 customers per month. After just two months of providing the new broadband offering the companys average monthly loss has dropped to 514 customers. In 2016, the FCC adopted a comprehensive reform and modernization of the Lifeline Program to include broadband services affording qualifying low-income households access to the 21ST Centurys vital communication network: the Internet. Today consumers and students need Internet access for a full and meaningful participation in society, yet 43 percent of the nations low-income households say they cant afford modern broadband service. This reform has narrowed the digital divide, enabling these qualifying households to share in opportunities provided by broadband service. A key feature of the new program requires the customer to remain with a provider for 12 months, with few exceptions. Previously subscribers were allowed to change carriers after sixty days. In December, True Wireless expanded its subsidized voice service to included both broadband and voice. We wanted to be among the first providers offering broadband to our customers, said True Wireless President Mike Fina. Our company has always been a leader in the industry and we wanted to offer our customers this incredible opportunity the minute it was available, he added. True Wireless is offering the Broadband program in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Maryland, Rhode Island and parts of Texas. True Wireless has already converted the majority of its customer base to the new program and is currently enrolling all new eligible subscribers in the broadband program. The company is now offering a variety of Wi-Fi enabled and hot-spot capable handsets to new and existing customers. The National Broadband Program guarantees the subscriber a minimum of 500 voice minutes and 500mb of data. In available areas True Wireless is offering upgraded services that include unlimited voice, text and increased data. The ability to offer both broadband as well as voice and data bundled programs greatly expands the True Wireless product offerings, said Carter Matzinger, CEO of KSIX Media Holdings, Inc. This program addresses a true need to enable low income households the opportunity to access the Internet and we are working closely with Brian Cox and Mike Fina, True Wireless CEO and President, to develop new marketing lanes to reach those who are eligible to this expanded marketplace. This is an exciting time for KSIX and its shareholders. KSIX Media Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: KSIX) is an SEC fully reporting media and Internet company located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Currently, there are three divisions, KSIX, LLC, DigitizeIQ, LLC and True Wireless. KSIX and Digitize IQ operate a digital advertising network utilizing proprietary technology and intellectual properties designed to create new revenue streams and increase measurable audiences for clients. KSIX provides performance-based marketing solutions to drive traffic and sales. KSIX manages offer tracking, reporting, and distribution on the third-party platform. On December 14, 2016, KSIX entered into a definitive agreement with True Wireless that comprises a management agreement as well as an acquisition agreement subject to FCC approvals. True Wireless LLC, an Oklahoma company, is an eligible telecommunications carrier providing discounted and subsidized wireless (cell phone) service to those who qualify. The company provides government sponsored/supported cell phone service in Texas (TX), Oklahoma (OK), Arkansas (AR), Maryland (MD) and Rhode Island (RI). The service is subsidized under the Lifeline program. Americans who enroll in the program must qualify and maintain annual certification. Certain statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, may include forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual result and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or managements estimates or opinions change, other than as required pursuant to applicable securities laws. Contact Information KSIX Media Holdings, Inc Movement Intersections Across Palestinian, Indigenous, and Black Struggles Toronto 8 March 2016. First launched in Toronto in 2005, IAW has grown to become one of the most important global events Watch video Movement Intersections Across Palestinian, Indigenous, and Black Struggles Toronto 8 March 2016. First launched in Toronto in 2005, IAW has grown to become one of the most important global events in the Palestine solidarity calendar. This year, IAW took place in more than 150 cities across the globe. The week aims to raise awareness about Israels ongoing practices of apartheid, occupation and dispossession against the Palestinian people. Lectures, films, and creative actions will build support for the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement. Inspired by the ongoing popular resistance across historic Palestine and the intersections being made globally between various struggles with Palestine, we hope to make Israeli Apartheid Week 2016 a powerful contribution to the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice. Moderated by University of Toronto Divest Campaign. Presentations by: Kwara Kekana is the national spokesperson for the BDS-South Africa. is the national spokesperson for the BDS-South Africa. Remi Kanazi is a poet, writer and organizer based in New York City. His latest collection of poetry was published by Haymarket Books: Before the Next Bomb Drops . Organized by: UTGSU BDS Committee, CUPE 3902 BDS Committee. Only some days ago, the West Bengal government had decided to remove reference to Lord Ram from textbooks across the state, a step that raised many eyebrows. By Indrajit Kundu: Even before the furore over the West Bengal government's decision to remove reference to Lord Ram in textbooks in schools across the state had barely died down, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government has kicked up a fresh controversy. This time with its decision to add names of more than a dozen Trinamool Congress leaders in history books in the state. advertisement Also read | Secularising gone rong? Row after Bengal government replaces 'RAM' with rong in textbook rainbows India Today has accessed the draft copy of the new textbook prepared by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education, which includes a chapter on the Singur land agitation that once propelled Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress to power in the state. The book titled "Ateet O Aitjhyo" is being printed for class eight students to be taught in the upcoming academic session. Ateet O Aitjhyo textbook. Names of Trinamool Congress leaders. Beginning with a reference to chief minister Mamata Banerjee herself, the chapter on Singur also talks about Trinamool Congress leaders like Partha Chatterjee, Mukul Roy, Purnendu Basu, Ashima Patra, Dola Sen, Bratya Basu, Arpita Ghosh, Sovan Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Sovandeb Chatterjee, Subrata Buxi, Rabindranath Bhattacharjee and Becharam Manna among others. BOOK CHAPTER TERMS SINGUR STIR 'HISTORIC' Terming the Singur agitation "historic", the chapter describes Mamata Banerjee as the leader who organised the anti-land acquisition movement and gave a direction to the farmers' struggle. "The movement helped end the evil attempt to establish a factory for the one lakh rupee car project over land fertile for multiple crops, a move aimed at industrialisation for development and job creation", quotes a line from the chapter. Justifying the move, Aveek Majumdar, chairman of the expert committee responsible for re-designing the state government syllabus, said, "If they have led the movement, it is only legitimate that they should be included. Why should we exclude someone just because they belong to a political party." Majumdar says the syllabus committee took utmost care about striking a balance by keeping references to previous land movements like the Tebhaga agitation intact. "We have included Singur in continuity with other land movements in India. It is a contemporary movement that led to the Supreme Court verdict which changed the centuries-old land acquisition system in India", he added. In August last year, the Supreme Court had quashed the land acquisition by the erstwhile Left Front government for the Tata Nano project, terming it "illegal". The apex court had also ordered the state government to return the land to unwilling farmers who had opposed the project. The verdict was seen as a historic political victory for Mamata Banerjee, who had spearheaded the protest against the CPI-M government's decision to forcibly acquire the land for Tata Motors Limited. It was after this legal victory last year that the Mamata government began mulling the idea of including it in school curriculum. advertisement SINGUR MOVEMENT TO BE INCLUDED IN SYLLABUS "We want to include the Singur movement in school syllabus. We have already discussed the issue at length. A proposal in this regard is being sent to the 'Syllabus Committee' for inclusion of Singur movement in the school syllabus", state education minister Partha Chatterjee had announced in September last year. Also read | Bengal govt wants Singur movement part of school syllabus After coming to power in 2011, Mamata Banerjee, in her very first cabinet meeting, had announced that the Singur land would be handed back to the farmers who had opposed its acquisition. Subsequently, the government had passed a legislation in the state assembly to facilitate the land transfer. However, the Tatas had challenged the state government's "Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act of 2011" in the Calcutta High Court, which later struck it down as "unconstitutional". However, Mamata Banerjee won the final battle in the Supreme Court which ruled in her favour stating that the land acquisition by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-led Left front government was illegal. advertisement Interestingly, even the BJP government in Rajasthan recently announced that it would include a chapter on demonetisation and cashless economy in Class 12 Economics textbooks from the next academic session in the state. --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) In an aggressive move that could raise tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump today put Tehran "on notice" over a ballistic missile test and said it was "on its last legs and ready to collapse" until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of a terrible deal. advertisement "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. (It) Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!," he tweeted, signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. Trump said that Iran was "on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: USD 150 billion." The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administrations policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them "weak and ineffective". Earlier, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said that the Trump administration "condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk". "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, adding that recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-supported Houthis, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Irans destabilising behaviour" across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region," Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions ? including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms," he said. "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened." advertisement Senior officials said the US administration has all its options open. Describing the Iranian actions as destabilising, they said the US will respond to it appropriately. "There should be no doubt that the US is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising," a senior administration official told reporters yesterday. The United States is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Irans ballistic missile activity, the official said. "We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Irans ballistic missile programme," he said. MORE PTI LKJ NSA ZH AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered US officials to refrain from "removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa" who is arriving from one of the seven nations. By Reuters: A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban. Tuesday's ruling by US District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday. advertisement But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter. Also read | Trump's ban on immigration: See how the world is reacting to it In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered US officials to refrain from "removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa" who is arriving from one of the seven nations. IMMIGRANT VISA FIRST STEP TO GREEN CARD According to the US Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder. Birotte's ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travelers with non-immigrant visas. The US Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation. Trump's executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. Also read: Trump order banning some Muslim immigrants hits partial roadblock Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including US citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the US State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries. More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to US citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti. KIDS LEFT ALONE "It's terrible because I have children here who are without their parents," she said. Some other children in the group are US citizens whose parents were traveling with immigrant visas, she added. advertisement In Boston, US District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent US residents who entered from the seven countries. By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of "absolutely ignoring" rulings she believes should allow their departure. In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked "relevant visas as defined" under Trump's executive order. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States. --- ENDS --- When photography was invented in France in the 1820s, some artists predicted even feared that it would in time take the place of painting. That didnt happen, but photographers around the world consistently have recorded images that reveal... Everything you need to know about the Irish vs. No. 5 Clemson at Notre Dame Stadium Saturday night By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) Amid widespread criticism over the ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, the White House has said President Donald Trumps top priority is focusing on the safety and security of the US and not targeting any religion. "The Presidents number one goal has always been to focus on the safety of America, not the religion," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters yesterday. advertisement "He understands that its not a religious problem. Its a radicalisation problem; that theres a big difference between Islam, the religion, and radical Islamic terrorists that come here to seek to do us harm," Spicer said. He was responding to a question on an audio recording in which White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon is seen saying that Islam is a "dark religion". "Does the President share his chief strategists apparent beliefs on Islam?," Spicer was asked. "No," Spicer said. "I think the Presidents been very clear that his number one goal is not to target anyones religion, but places and areas where we believe that there is an issue," he said. "Thats what the executive order was all about making sure that areas that we dont feel have the proper mechanisms in place to assure the security, that when they travel to the United States, that we know that theyre coming here for peaceful purposes," Spicer said. During the campaign trail, Trump had repeatedly said he would temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the US. The executive order he signed on Friday banned entry from seven majority-Muslim countries -? Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen ?- for 90 days. The order also suspended the Syrian refugee program indefinitely. PTI LKJ BSA --- ENDS --- Uday Chopra just asked Nargis Fakhri out to join him in Rome in April. What is going on? By India Today Web Desk: Uday Chopra and Nargis Fakhri somehow manage to hit the headlines together. Kudos for that! At one point, their rumoured relationship was the talk of Tinsel Town even though Uday and Nargis never admitted of being involved with each other. WATCH: Nargis Fakhri conned off Rs 6 lakh through fraudulent credit card transactions In fact, it was earlier reported that Nargis had even quit Bollywood because of a broken heart but later, the actor denied it. advertisement To be fair, it was Uday and Nargis's Twitter banter which led people to believe that there's something going on between them. Now, just a while ago, Uday Chopra invited Nargis Fakhri to join him in Rome in April! I wanna go to Rome in April @NargisFakhri wanna join me? Uday Chopra (@udaychopra) February 2, 2017 Is it just one of those usual Uday-and-Nargis conversations on Twitter or is it something more? We can't wait to find out. ALSO READ: 5 best moments from All India Bakchod's podcast with Shah Rukh Khan ALSO SEE: Top 10 Shah Rukh quotes from the AIB podcast --- ENDS --- Cindy Hedrick and Skip Yeager are owners of the South Carolina Coastal Animal Rescue and Educational Sanctuary, known as SC-CARES, and Sweeties candy shop in Georgetown. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Students representing Lowcountry Preparatory School included third-graders Maisie Davis and Ashley ONeal; fourth-graders Nolan Bohan and Emma Rusnak; fifth-graders Ben Hall and Dale Sankum; sixth-graders David Allen and Brandon Mercado; seventh-graders Anne-Hackett Little and Cameron Tedrow; and eighth-graders Thomas Prosser and Olivia Collins. By Press Trust of India: From Yoshita Singh United Nations, Feb 2 (PTI) President Donald Trumps order to bar travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries is not the best way to protect America from terrorists and can spread "anxiety and anger", UN chief Antonio Guterres has said and called for lifting the ban. "In my opinion this is not the way to best protect the US or any other country in relation to the serious concerns that exist about possibilities of terrorist infiltration. I dont think this is the effective way to do so. These measures should be removed sooner rather than later," Guterres told reporters here, responding to questions on the travel and refugee ban imposed by the US. advertisement The UN Secretary-General emphasised that it is important not to have measures that "spread anxiety and anger" because then "we help trigger the kind of recruitment mechanisms that these (global terrorist) organisations are now doing everywhere in the world," he said. Guterres cautioned that banning people and refugees from entering other nations will not ensure that terrorists will not infiltrate as the extremist groups could circumvent measures and look at other ways to target nations and their citizens. The international community is dealing with "very sophisticated global terrorists originations", he said, adding that if terror groups want to attack any country they will not send people with passports from "hotspots of conflict". "They might come with passports from the most developed, credible countries or use people that have been for decades present in the country itself," he said. On the possibility that the Trump administration will cut US funding to the UN, Guterres said he will not comment on something that has not yet occurred. "Sometimes we talk too much about things that have not happened and when we talk too much about things that have not happened, you trigger the happening of those things. I will not be making comments on possibilities to enhance those possibilities to possibly be a reality," he said. Guterres stressed he will do "whatever" he can to prove the added value of the UN, to recognise the UN needs reforms and to believe that those reforms will be the best way to guarantee the support of all member states including US and its new administration. On the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees entering the US, Guterres said resettlement of refugees is in many situations the only possible solution. "The US has always been in the forefront of refugee settlement and Syrians at the present moment have more dramatic needs in the world. I strongly hope that the US will be able to reassess its very solid refugee protection in resettlement and I hope Syrians will not be excluded in that process," he said. advertisement Trumps controversial executive order, signed on Friday, halted the entire US refugee programme for 120 days, indefinitely banned Syrian refugees, and suspended all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia. PTI YAS UZM NSA AKJ NSA --- ENDS --- Two sent to hospitals with serious injuries from Wednesday evening wreck in Georgetown County Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea Eugene Cernan inside the lunar module after his second moonwalk of the mission. His spacesuit is covered with moondust. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the moon landings? Most likely, it's the statement: "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." These words, spoken by Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong as he became the first man on the moon, will be quoted and remembered for centuries to come. But what of the last words spoken by a man on the moon? That man was Eugene Cernan, mission commander of Apollo 17, and his speech ran thus: As I take man's last step from the surface, back home for some time to come (but we believe not too long into the future), I'd like to just say what I believe history will record: that America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow. And, as we leave the moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind. In many ways, it is more poignant than Armstrong's better-known message to the world. Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt photographed standing next to a huge, split lunar boulder during the third Apollo 17 extravehicular activity (EVA) at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. (Image credit: NASA/Eugene Cernan) Indeed, with the recent death of Cernan, aged 82, the broader legacy of the Apollo missions is becoming just that an increasingly distant legacy. Since Cernan and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt left the lunar surface and returned to Earth with command module pilot Ronald Evans on December 19, 1972, major developments have been made in robotic space flight. But a manned flight hasn't travelled beyond low Earth orbit in 45 years. The data and discoveries from the Apollo missions, and especially Apollo 17, are still being investigated today and have allowed us to develop understanding of not only the moon but the character and origin of other terrestrial planets including Earth. They have also given us a stronger sense of our place in the universe and on our own planet. Schmitt, Evans and Cernan are photographed with a Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) trainer during the rollout of the Apollo 17 rocket. (Image credit: NASA) Apollo 17 was the last of the J class missions which landed in the Taurus-Littrow valley in order to sample both the lunar highland material and investigate relatively new volcanic activity in the same area. The three-day mission broke a number of records, including the longest moon landing and the longest total extravehicular activities (EVAs), or moonwalks (22 hours 6 minutes in total). It also returned the largest quantity of lunar samples (294 lbs) thanks in part to Schmitt being a geologist clocked the longest distance travelled on the surface (35km), and registered the unofficial lunar land speed record (11.2mph, held by Cernan). A change in direction Originally, the Apollo programme planned ten missions to the lunar surface. But in 1970 and 1971, the last three Apollos 18, 19 and 20 were cancelled, partly so the Saturn V rocket could be used to launch the first American space station, Skylab, a mission that indicated the change in direction of human space exploration. This meant that when stepping off the lunar surface and into the lunar module for the last time, Cernan was well aware that for the foreseeable future he would be the last human to stand on the surface of another celestial body. Apollo 17 mission commander Cernan makes a short checkout of the Lunar Roving Vehicle during the early part of the first Apollo 17 extravehicular activity at the Taurus-Littrow landing site. The picture was taken by Schmitt. The mountain in the right background is the east end of South Massif. (Image credit: NASA) It also made the selection process for the crew of Apollo 17 more demanding this, after all, was the final moonshot. This led to demands in the crew selection and Schmitt, who was originally on the crew for Apollo 18, was swapped into Cernans crew, replacing Joe Engle, due to demands from the scientific community that a fully qualified geologist be sent to the moon. Though Cernan wanted to keep his original crew together, he was happy with the switch believing that Schmitt was an outstanding Lunar Module pilot while Eagle was merely an adequate one Upon leaving the lunar surface for the last time, Cernan set the lunar rover to record the assent of the module. He then wrote the initials (TDC) of his young daughter, Tracy, in the dust, a timeless message to any who followed him. Indeed, Cernan long felt that he wanted to share not only the images, samples and data from the moon but also to stop time, reach out and bring the feeling of being on the surface of the moon back home, fully aware that few people would ever have that chance again. He recalled later: Those steps up that ladder, they were tough to make. I didn't want to go up. I wanted to stay a while. The legacy of Apollo 17 was not just in the samples brought back but the images that captivated all on Earth and helped us to recognise our place in the universe. "The Blue Marble" image of Earth was taken by one of the crew, a single frame that shows everyone on Earth with the exception of the three men on the other side of the camera. It also captures the delicate, beautiful nature of our world and has become one of the most reproduced images in human history. The Blue Marble image of Earth, taken by the Apollo 17 crew. (Image credit: NASA) Apollo 17 also had probably the best science return of any Apollo mission. In addition to the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), which was deployed during all landings from Apollo 12, Apollo 17 also carried the Traverse Gravimeter Experiment. Other experiments included a biological cosmic ray experiment which consisted of five "moon" mice (unofficially named Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum and Phooey) implanted with radiation monitors. In this photo, taken during the second spacewalk on December 12, 1972, Cernan is standing near the lunar rover. (Image credit: NASA) The Apollo programme laid down the foundations for modern planetary science and the data and samples brought back have aided our understanding of the origin and evolution of the terrestrial planets. Indeed, one of Apollo 17's major discoveries was "orange soil": fine, coloured glass spheres discovered in Shorty crater and theorised to be volcanic in origin. Since the end of the Apollo programme, manned space flight has changed focus, instead investigating the challenges and methods for humans to survive long periods in space and focusing on space stations such as Mir, SkyLab and the International Space Station (ISS). But the moon is now once again a desirable target for not only the well-established space agencies, but also for China, India and private companies such as SpaceX. We can't ever change the name of the first person on the moon, but nearly half a century after the Apollo landings of the 1960s and 70s, we can change the name of the last. For now, that will remain "Eugene Cernan," but the achievements, sacrifice and bravery of Cernan and those who went before him, could yet pave the way for a new generation of pioneers. As Cernan wrote in his 1999 memoir: Too many years have passed for me to still be the last man to have walked on the moon. Somewhere on Earth today is the young girl or boy, the possessor of indomitable will and courage, who will lift that dubious honor for me and take us back out there where we belong. May humanity return to the moon in the same spirit as Eugene Cernan left it. In these troubling times, there is still good reason to hope. Kathryn Harriss, Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Planetary Science, University of Kent This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates and become part of the discussion on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The Earth's magnetic field surrounds our planet like an invisible force field protecting life from harmful solar radiation by deflecting charged particles away. Far from being constant, this field is continuously changing. Indeed, our planet's history includes at least several hundred global magnetic reversals, where north and south magnetic poles swap places. So when's the next one happening and how will it affect life on Earth? During a reversal the magnetic field won't be zero, but will assume a weaker and more complex form. It may fall to 10 percent of the present-day strength and have magnetic poles at the equator or even the simultaneous existence of multiple "north" and "south" magnetic poles. Geomagnetic reversals occur a few times every million years on average. However, the interval between reversals is very irregular and can range up to tens of millions of years. There can also be temporary and incomplete reversals, known as events and excursions, in which the magnetic poles move away from the geographic poles perhaps even crossing the equator before returning back to their original locations. The last full reversal, the Brunhes-Matuyama, occurred around 780,000 years ago. A temporary reversal, the Laschamp event (opens in new tab), occurred around 41,000 years ago. It lasted less than 1,000 years with the actual change of polarity lasting around 250 years. Power cut or mass extinction? The alteration in the magnetic field during a reversal will weaken its shielding effect, allowing heightened levels of radiation on and above the Earth's surface. Were this to happen today, the increase in charged particles reaching the Earth would result in increased risks for satellites, aviation, and ground-based electrical infrastructure. Geomagnetic storms, driven by the interaction of anomalously large eruptions of solar energy with our magnetic field, give us a foretaste of what we can expect with a weakened magnetic shield. In 2003, the so-called Halloween storm caused local electricity-grid blackouts in Sweden, required the rerouting of flights to avoid communication blackout and radiation risk, and disrupted satellites and communication systems. But this storm was minor in comparison with other storms of the recent past, such as the 1859 Carrington event, which caused aurorae as far south as the Caribbean. Aurora borealis. (Image credit: Soerfm/wikipedia, CC BY-SA) The impact of a major storm on today's electronic infrastructure is not fully known. Of course any time spent without electricity, heating, air conditioning, GPS or internet would have a major impact; widespread blackouts could result in economic disruption measuring in tens of billions of dollars a day. In terms of life on Earth and the direct impact of a reversal on our species we cannot definitively predict what will happen as modern humans did not exist at the time of the last full reversal. Several studies have tried to link past reversals with mass extinctions suggesting some reversals and episodes of extended volcanism could be driven by a common cause. However, there is no evidence of any impending cataclysmic volcanism and so we would only likely have to contend with the electromagnetic impact if the field does reverse relatively soon. We do know that many animal species have some form of magnetoreception that enables them to sense the Earths magnetic field. They may use this to assist in long-distance navigation during migration. But it is unclear what impact a reversal might have on such species. What is clear is that early humans did manage to live through the Laschamp event and life itself has survived the hundreds of full reversals evidenced in the geologic record. Can we predict geomagnetic reversals? The simple fact that we are "overdue" for a full reversal and the fact that the Earth's field is currently decreasing at a rate of 5 percent per century, has led to suggestions (opens in new tab) that the field may reverse within the next 2,000 years. But pinning down an exact date at least for now will be difficult. Magnetic reversal. (Image credit: NASA) The Earth's magnetic field is generated within the liquid core of our planet, by the slow churning of molten iron. Like the atmosphere and oceans, the way in which it moves is governed by the laws of physics. We should therefore be able to predict the "weather of the core" by tracking this movement, just like we can predict real weather by looking at the atmosphere and ocean. A reversal can then be likened to a particular type of storm in the core, where the dynamics and magnetic field go haywire (at least for a short while), before settling down again. The difficulties of predicting the weather beyond a few days are widely known, despite us living within and directly observing the atmosphere. Yet predicting the Earth's core is a far more difficult prospect, principally because it is buried beneath 3,000km of rock such that our observations are scant and indirect. However, we are not completely blind: we know the major composition of the material inside the core and that it is liquid. A global network of ground-based observatories and orbiting satellites also measure how the magnetic field is changing, which gives us insight into how the liquid core is moving. The recent discovery of a jet-stream (opens in new tab) within the core highlights our evolving ingenuity and increasing ability to measure and infer the dynamics of the core. Coupled with numerical simulations and laboratory experiments to study the fluid dynamics of the planets interior, our understanding is developing at a rapid rate. The prospect of being able to forecast the Earths core is perhaps not too far out of reach. Phil Livermore, Associate Professor of geophysics, University of Leeds and Jon Mound, Associate Professor of Geophysics, University of Leeds This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates and become part of the discussion on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com. Increased investment in public sectors, focusing on an inclusive growth of the rural sector and annihilation of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board are some of the highlights of the financial budget. By Manogya Loiwal : The Union Budget 2017 proposed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is being treated as a whiff of fresh air by the leading conglomerates of the country considering its propositions will surely make India a forward moving economy. The measures proposed and being taken by the present union government have certainly raised hopes among various sectors. Increased investment in public sectors, focusing on an inclusive growth of the rural sector and annihilation of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board are some of the highlights of the financial budget developed by the government. advertisement The fiscal deficit pegged at 3.2 per cent of GDP is also been regarded as a smart move. Sanjiv Goenka, the Chairman of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group praised the government's effort towards a cashless and modern economy. "The Union Budget represents a transformative shift in the way India thinks economics. It has moved from discretion-based to policy-based, from a cash-based system to cash-less system. The prime minister and the finance minister have created a new norm. The fiscal deficit at 3.2 per cent, reduction of Income Tax rate for MSMEs, carry forward of MAT benefit for 15 years, the changing of base year of capital gains tax from 1981 to 2001 are some of the many laudable steps in the budget," he said. BUDGET BOOSTS RURAL SECTOR The Emami Group of Companies headquartered at Kolkata has also welcomed the budget. The directors of the group which deals with personal care/cosmetics, healthcare, book and leisure, cements manufacturing, considered the budget as "growth oriented". Aditya V. Agarwal, one of the directors of the group of companies rated the budget as around 7-8 out of 10. He said,"It should overall help the economy because the rural and farm sector have been given the preference. A lot has been announced for MSME. It is specially good for Bengal, which is a farm based state. We are expecting more employment and infrastructural development." Harsh Vardhan Agarwal, another director of the group also added,"This is a growth oriented budget that can be expected to boost consumption. As part of the government's ongoing fiscal reforms, increased thrust on digital transactions and greater compliance will augur the nation to the next level of growth". MGNREGA GETS A THUMBS UP Appreciating the progressive approach of the government Rahul Todi, Managing Director of Shrachi Group said, "I think it's a forward looking budget. Increase public spending across sectors was the need of the hour in the wake of slowdown in the economy and thus creates the much required jobs in the economy. The new personal tax rates were also needed thereby encouraging more transparency." Shrachi's field of interest lies in real estate, information technology, financial services and engineering. Todi has also applauded the big push of the budget towards MGNREGA allocation at Rs 48,000 crore and the commitment of the government to build 1,00,00,000 houses by 2019 for the houseless and those living in kaccha houses. He believes the budget is a "great start MSME sector which creates most jobs given some incentive." advertisement Deepak Jalan, Managing Director of Linc Pen said,"Several new provisions and initiatives taken in the budget shall increase tax compliance and help reduce corruption substantially, which is widely appreciated. There is no change for companies of our size, which is understandable. I would give a thumbs up to the budget." Commenting on the effort of the budget to build a more transparent economy Gopichand Hinduja, the Co-Chairman of Hinduja Group said, "The budget is aimed at making the Indian economy more competitive and transparent. The proposed reform of political funding, which has been the long standing demand, will lead towards better governance. The abolition of Foreign Investment Promotion Board is a step in the right direction to improve the ease of doing business with India". --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: London, Feb 2 (PTI) President Donald Trumps closest advisor thinks the US will fight a war with China in the next five to 10 years over the strategic South China Sea claimed by the Communist giant, British media reported. "Were going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years, arent we?" Steve Bannon, a far-right figure, who has been given unprecedented power in the White House Bannon said on his radio show in March 2016. advertisement He said suggested that the US and China are headed towards war over the South China Sea. "Theres no doubt about that. Theyre taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face ? and you understand how important face is ? and say its an ancient territorial sea," the Independent quoted him as saying. Tensions between the China and the US and Japan, as well as other countries, have increased in recent years over a dispute about who exactly owns the part of the Pacific Ocean. China says nearly the entire South China Sea falls within its territory, with half a dozen other countries maintaining partially overlapping claims. China has built a series of artificial islands on reefs and rocks in attempt to bolster its position, complete with military-length airstrips and anti-aircraft weapons. The strategic South China Sea is rich in energy reserves, fishery resources and is a busy shipping route. Bannons sentiments and his position in Trumps inner circle add to fears of a military confrontation with China, after US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said that the US would deny China access to the seven artificial islands, the Guardian said. Since Trumps election, and the anti-Chinese rhetoric that marked the campaign that preceded it, the relationship between China and the US has become increasingly fraught. Last week a senior Chinese military official said that war with the US is "not just a slogan" and that it was becoming a "practical reality". The same official called for increased military deployments in the East and South China Seas to guard the area, according to the South China Morning Post. Bannons views are coming under increased scrutiny as he ascends to power within the White House. Over the weekend it emerged that Bannon had been appointed to a committee on which only senior generals usually sit. PTI AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- Failure is not an option at Peterson Peterson AFB CO (SPX) Feb 01, 2017 On September 22, 1960, President Eisenhower addressed the United Nations General Assembly and asked, "Will outer space be preserved for peaceful use and developed for the benefit of all mankind? Or will it become another focus for the arms race-and thus an area of dangerous and sterile competition?" While over 56 years have passed since his remarks, space remains on the precipice of danger. During that time, the United States has led the world in exploiting space for peaceful purposes, championing ... read more Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere of Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is aware of the efforts by the Turkish officers to obtain asylum in Germany, but he has recused himself from the matter. Merkel is currently on a trip to Turkey and it is possible the topic will be broached during her Feb. 2 visit. Karasu had been at home with his family when, on the night of July 15, he received an SMS from Turkey. "Have you seen what is happening?" Karasu thought to himself that it might be another terrorist attack, a bomb. But when he turned his television on, he could see how Turkish tanks were rolling toward people. "I didn't think something like that was possible," he said. "I was afraid." Karasu tried to get information out of Turkey, flipping through the Turkish television channels until he got in touch with his superior at the NATO base. Then he slept for a bit. "Whoever was responsible for this coup should be punished," Karasu says. He also wants to prove his own innocence. He has submitted a petition to a Turkish military court. "I will fight until the very end, even at the European Court of Human Rights if I have to." 'They've Branded Me a Traitor' Karasu's mobile phone rings. His daughter isn't feeling well and he finds someone to pick her up at school. Karasu is trying to ensure that things remain as normal as possible for his children, that they have friends and go to school, but normalcy isn't something he will be able to enjoy himself. Karasu has exchanged his uniform for a black suit, but many other aspects of his life have also been upended since the coup attempt. "I was expecting that I would be promoted to the level of general in the next few years," he says. "Now they've branded me a traitor." Karasu is puzzled over why he and his colleagues became the subjects of the purge actions. He says he's now certain that his career in the West led to his becoming a target. "The soldiers who have been effected by the purges have one thing in common," he says. "We are successful, oriented toward the West and stand for a secular state." In Turkey, politicians and the media alike are openly trying to stir public sentiment against NATO and the Turkish officers. Karasu believes that Erdogan and his supporters are seeking to prepare the public for Turkey's eventual withdrawal from the military alliance. In a report that is now being reviewed by the state office of criminal investigation in Rhineland-Palatinate, a Turkish reporter with the TV magazine show "Yaz Boz" described the NATO base in Ramstein as a safe harbor for "terrorists." He also claimed, without providing any evidence, that "they managed the coup attempt from here that night." The camera then cut to a string of duplexes in the neighboring village of Mackenbach, which the Turkish television station depicted as the epicenter of the insurgency against Erdogan. The reporter claimed that the putschists "continue to live here in luxurious villas." Karasu says he considers broadcasts like that to be tantamount to appeals for lynch justice. He still has his diplomatic passport, but it no longer provides him with any protection. Instead he pulls out the thin piece of paper that is the only thing preventing his extradition to Turkey -- the document confirming that his asylum application is currently being reviewed in Germany. "If I go back to Turkey, I risk arrest and possibly torture," he says. The apartment of his parents, who are in their seventies, has already been searched by police hoping to find Karasu. Waiting in Vain But as clear as their case appears to be, the officers have been waiting in vain for decisions on their asylum requests. "This will get decided at a high level," says one official at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Officials at the Interior Ministry and BAMF say that the NATO officers aren't being given special treatment with their asylum applications. But in smaller circles, top officials admit that the issue has been temporarily placed on the backburner in the hope that the situation in Turkey will quiet down and that the matter will resolve itself. At the moment, however, it appears that a return to law and order will not happen any time soon in Turkey, and pressure to make a decision on the asylum applications is mounting. "Germany cannot be allowed to become Erdogan's henchman in the fight against his critics," says Sevin Dagdelen, a member of parliament with the Left Party who is the daughter of Turkish immigrants. "There is no doubt that we cannot send these soldiers back to Turkey," says Stephen Mayer, a domestic policy expert with the conservative Christian Social Union. "They will land in jail there." Norbert Rottgen, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament as a member of Merkel's conservative CDU, also considers diplomatic concerns on the issue to be misguided. "Asylum procedures are purely legal in nature and political considerations are not and will not play a role." The uncertainty is also taking its toll on the officers. They haven't been receiving their military salaries since September and are forced to live off their savings. Neighbors have sought to be helpful. After learning that Karasu had been fired by the military, his neighbors dropped by with a loaf of bread. "They thought we could no longer afford to buy food," says Karasu. His wife cried -- the present had been brought over with the best of intentions, but it still symbolized the fall they had just experienced. "We are devastated," says Karasu. "Believe me, I have no sympathy for the putschists." Update: Following the original publication of this story in German on Friday, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik requested that the German government hand over the soldiers in question. Addis Ababa, February 02, 2017 (SPS) - Following its membership in the African Union (AU), Morocco is urged to efficiently contribute to the implementation of the UN-OAU (currently AU) Peace Plan for the decolonization of Western Sahara, and respect for the sovereignty of the Sahrawi Republic on its territory, President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) Brahim Gali stressed in Addis Ababa. "Following its membership in the AU, Morocco is urged to actively the efforts made by both organizations (AU and UN) to seek a lasting, just and sustainable solution to the Western Sahara conflict, a solution that guarantees respect for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, Sahrawi press agency SPS reported Wednesday. Sahrawi President stressed "the AU remains an important guarantor, by the side of the UN, for the implementation of the Peace Plan, delayed over the years by the hindrances put by Morocco, and the full settlement of the conflict between two members of the continental organization." Following his talks with the new UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres in Addis Ababa, on the sidelines of the 28th AU Heads of State and Government Summit which kicked off Monday, the Sahrawi President said that MINURSO must be able to carry out its mission properly to enable the Sahrawi people to freely determine their future. The Sahrawi President, also Secretary General of the Polisario Front, denounced the continuing Moroccan human rights violations in the occupied areas of Western Sahara, calling on UN to take an action in the face of this unacceptable situation. SPS 125/090/700 The BJP's election manifesto for Uttar Pradesh promises creation of Anti-Romeo Dals (or squads) near colleges to "ensure the safety of college-going girls" and "check eve-teasing". By India Today Web Desk: In its election manifesto for Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has promised to create Anti-Romeo Dals (or squads) near colleges to "ensure the safety of college-going girls" and "check eve-teasing". In a document that has communal overtones written all over it--the manifesto has brought up issues like the Ram temple, triple talaq and Kairana "exodus"--it is not difficult to see the kind of provocation the BJP is hinting at by creating an anti-Romeo squad. advertisement Is it a Love Jihad redux? The term Love Jihad first shot to prominence in Kerala and Karnataka in 2009 when Hindu and Christian groups alleged that women from their community were lured by Muslim youths into marriage and then converted to Islam. The term had died in oblivion soon after. It came back to life once again in 2014, particularly in Uttar Pradesh where caste and religion are deciding factors for voters. Love Jihad made national headlines in 2014 when a woman in Meerut alleged that she was gang-raped at a madrassa in Muzaffarnagar and forced to convert to Islam. It was also alleged that other girls were held captive at the madrassa. Right-wing groups were quick to pounce on the issue. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)' wing Dharma Jagran Manch launched a campaign asking Hindus to "fight" love jihad . Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh bypolls in 2014, the RSS had put Love Jihad on the cover of its mouthpieces Panchjanya and Organiser. ALSO READ: Uttar Pradesh: BJP MLA Suresh Rana booked for delivering hate speech in his constituency Moral police now a formal police? With the BJP promising a squad to counter Romeos, the debate in favour of moral policing gets a solid push. In October 2014, activists of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, a youth wing of BJP, allegedly vandalised a restaurant in Kozhikode, Kerala, and claimed the restaurant was indulging in "immoral activities". BJP manifesto highlights measures for women's safety. In 2015, a group of women in Uttar Pradesh had decided to take photographs of couples in public places on Valentine's Day and shame them on social networking sites. The Mahila Shakti Samajik Samita (MSSS), a group based in Noida, said such shaming would stop "obscene acts" by youngsters and discipline them. The frequency of such incidents has been indirectly proportional to the action taken by authorities against the culprits in such cases. Ahead of Valentine's Day, an election manifesto that talks about "safety of college-going girls" can act as a trigger for some social outfits known to act as moral police. Further, in a scenario where moral policing is backed by the state, such social groups may enjoy the status of formal police. advertisement ALSO READ: Ahead of election, Yogi Adityanath says situation in western UP similar to Kashmir in 1990 BJP doesn't know Romeo Romeo has been among Shakespeare's finest literary creations. Simply put, Romeo is a tragic lover who does not have a "happily ever after" with Juliet. To associate his name with rowdy behaviour and hooliganism is indeed a tragedy. For that matter, even Majnu, who is often derided by people, was never a sexual offender. Before naming its pro-women squad after Romeo, it would have helped the party to read a bit of Shakespeare. ALSO READ: UP assembly election: Do not let your votes go to waste, Mayawati tells voters What tickets to turncoats, we didn't have decent candidates in 150 seats in Uttar Pradesh: Top BJP leader ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- BSP chief Mayawati criticised the ruling SP government in Uttar Pradesh, saying it had simply renamed works and schemes launched by the BSP when it was in power. By Rajat Rai: Launching a scathing attack on the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress alliance for the Vidhan Sabha elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Wednesday said it is a partnership made out of restraints. "While Gundaraj prevails in the SP rule, Congress is making desperate efforts to save its face. Now it is up to you (voters of UP) to vote for a corrupt alliance or vote (for BSP) for prevailing law and order in the state. Our votes will be wasted if it go to SP or Congress", Mayawati, who held a rally each in Meerut and Aligarh, said. advertisement However, showing her concern for UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Yadav, Mayawati said he has been victimised by the former SP surpemo (Mulayam Singh Yadav) for promoting his son. "Putra moh ke liye Shivpal koh apmaanit kiya Mulayamji ne (Mulayam insulted Shivpal because of his progeny). Now Shivpal will teach him a lesson (in the elections) and both the factions (Akhilesh and Shipval) will try to cut each other's vote. Their cadre vote will divide and hence I would like to advise the minorities to vote for the BSP so that their votes do not get wasted", she added. Also read: UP election: Akhilesh on statewide tour to seek support for SP-Cong coalition, slams BJP and BSP 'SP ADAPTING WORK INITIATED BY BSP' Whatever developmental and public interest works are being carried out by the SP are a clear adaptation of the works initiated by the BSP (when it was in power). "Akhilesh has only changed the names (of the works and the schemes) and is mocking us," Maya claimed. Taking a jibe at the BJP and the SP's announcement of distributing laptops and mobiles, Maya said she would rather focus on giving financial help to the needy. "BJP does not have the guts to present the chief ministerial face as it does not have one. Our (BSP) prime motive is to stop such (BJP) communal forces from coming to power", she said. Also watch: Uttar Pradesh election 2017: Will Modi magic work or Rahul-Akhilesh combo click? --- ENDS --- T here are good reasons why people say markets hate uncertainty. Business needs the rule of law, and capitalism does not work when it is absent. There must be respect for property rights, the protection of patents, rules against the theft of intellectual property, the proper functioning of markets, belief that contracts once signed will be adhered to, timely and fair access to justice, and an expectation that regulators will be even-handed in the way they approach their task. When any of these are compromised or missing, it becomes difficult and costly for business to function. This is why, as the Lord Chief Justice recently said, you cannot begin to develop a modern economy if you do not have the rule of law. We have a deeply embedded legal structure in the UK that commands respect worldwide, but we must be careful not to take it for granted. Its familiarity, built up over 300 years, means we may not appreciate its value and fail to understand how its structures need nurturing, refreshing and constant attention if they are to continue to be relevant. It is an area where lawyers, in harmony with business, have to lead. The Lord Chief Justice was speaking at an event organised by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law to announce the launch of an initiative designed to identify and address specific legal challenges businesses face when they operate internationally. It has got the backing of some of Britains biggest companies including BP, BT, Diageo, Unilever, Shell, Vodafone and HSBC. There are two major problems. On the one hand, the world is in the midst of a revolution physical, digital and biological that is unprecedented in its scope and its speed, and which raises huge legal issues. How does the law keep up with advances in digital and the impact of big data on the rights of the individual and respect for privacy? How does it accommodate rules that may soon be drafted by computers running artificial-intelligence software? What is needed is a structured approach by lawyers to ensure they keep up, and are organised to promote and develop the rule of law in areas of concern to businesses across the world. This is what the Bingham Centre is offering to organise and provide. It cannot be left to government because its processes are too slow. Second, the fracturing caused by globalisation is creating an environment in which society increasingly sees business as the enemy. It often feels from the perspective of the boardroom of a multinational that, far from the law expanding to meet new challenges, the process is going the other way and the rule of law is diminishing. One of the major challenges, the boards say, is a move away from treating companies fairly. They are ever more concerned about the expropriation of assets, theft of intellectual property and imposition of retrospective taxes. In some countries, any attempt to assert corporate legal rights provokes an almost automatic retaliatory threat that the government will seize their assets. Nor are such issues and uncertainties confined to less-developed regions of the world. Royal Bank of Scotland last week set aside a further 3 billion against the possible cost of a negotiated settlement with the US judicial authorities over the selling of mortgage-backed securities 10 years ago. One can have ones own views about the culture and behaviours that created this problem but there remains an unsatisfactory lack of transparency around the judicial process today. It is surely astonishing, when one considers the size of the sums involved, that there should be such a lack of clarity over what the specific offences were. There is also a lack of consistency in the severity of the penalties and fines between domestic US banks and foreign-owned ones, and even variations in the treatment of different banks under foreign ownership. At least in the recent Rolls-Royce case, the settlement between prosecutor and the company had to be examined and approved by a British judge in open court. Such transparency is often completely lacking in other jurisdictions.This makes for a hugely challenging environment for companies. Guy Beringer, one of those behind the Bingham initiative and a former senior partner of Allen & Overy, says an examination of the top six risks on the register of any multinational firm will probably show they relate to corruption and integrity; regulatory certainty and predictability; enforceability of obligations; and supply chain integrity. These are all rule-of-law risks in one form or another. The challenge for companies facing these risks is that they lack the mechanisms to pursue legal change or embed legal certainty. They are unwilling to make the investment in acquiring the capability because they see such things as things too expensive, too long-term and therefore outside the horizons of a one term chief executive. So although the above risks are acute, and among the biggest they face, and can have hugely damaging adverse consequences there is little or nothing done to mitigate them. The Bingham initiative marks a significant shift in these leading companies to a collaborative pioneering approach. It signifies a realisation by leading corporates that it is not enough to do nothing, and that they must instead work together with the Bingham Centre to seek mechanisms to mitigate such long term risks. While the recent embarrassments of Rolls-Royce and Royal Bank of Scotland highlight the need, the real message of the Bingham Business Network is that it underlines the determination of the legal profession and business to maintain the enduring qualities, value and resilience of English law. C ongratulations to the bankers whove finally found someone to put US baby formula-maker Mead Johnson out of its misery. Theyve been hawking it around the market for a year or more. Danone turned its nose up, Nestle decided against, some thought Warren Buffetts Kraft Heinz might have a look. But one by one, they all thought better of it. Having exhausted the list of obvious suitors those in the baby business for whom the deal made sense it seems the net was cast wider to those for whom it didnt. Step forward, Reckitt Benckiser. Baby milk has no connection with Reckitts core health businesses. If anything, Reckitts Durex condoms should reduce demand for Meads products. But Reckitts growth levels are at their lowest since chief executive Rakesh Kapoor took over its cut its outlook twice in three months and he was determined to do a big deal. Its always tempting for a chief executive to buy his or her way to sales growth, but its rarely good for the shareholders whose cash is used to do it. Particularly when those acquisitions are in areas the boss doesnt know much about. Reckitts brands from Cif to Scholl already look overly diverse. Stretching itself even wider is a risk too far. But megadeals like this are mothers milk to the bankers, advisers and PR types whove got their teeth into this deal now. With such cheerleaders now lined up, you can bet its going to happen. Come clean, Glencore Russias President Putin was in a jam. He desperately needed inward investment and had a state asset ripe for privatisation the oil giant Rosneft. Yet sanctions meant he couldnt sell through the normal western channels. Step forward Glencores connected chief Ivan Glasenberg, a long-term friend of the high-ups in Qatar. Using his charm with both sides, he got the Qataris to invest billions in a deal to buy a near-20% stake. No mean feat, given Qatar has been on opposite sides to Putin in foreign policy rucks like Syria. But, as a Reuters probe shows today, this sale of the Russian peoples oil was done with too much secrecy. Sure, we know Glencore and Qatar pitched in 2.7 billion (2.3 billion) in equity, and Intesa bank provided 5.2 billion of debt.But that still leaves 2 billion of deal funding unexplained. Were told it came from Russian banks, but nobody will say which. Neither will anyone say how they were selected, or on what terms the loans were provided. Given the corruption in previous Russian privatisations, this is not good enough. As a FTSE 100 company, Glencore is in Londons prestigious corporate premier league. More transparency please. C onsumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser today surprised the City by revealing $16.7 billion (13.2 billion) takeover talks with US baby milk group Mead Johnson. The Dettol-to-Durex maker said it was in advanced negotiations for a deal that would value the target at $90 per share. A tie-up would create a home and health products manufacturing giant, bringing together Reckitts Nurofen and Harpic brands, with Illinois-based Meads Enfamil and Sustagen goods. The City cheered the news of the talks, which would be the second-biggest UK takeover of a foreign company since Brexit, after British American Tobaccos $49.4 billion swoop to take control of US rival Reynolds. Shares in Reckitt rose 161p, or 2.36%, to 6991p, while Meads shares surged 23.74% to $86 in after-hours trading in New York. Slough-headquartered Reckitt employs 37,000 people, including around 3000 in Britain, while Mead has around 7660 staff. Reckitts boss Rakesh Kapoor has long been on the hunt for a huge deal, with the company outbid in 2014 to buy the healthcare division of pharma giant Merck by Bayer. Nestle and yogurts maker Danone had also been linked to Mead. The latest deal would mark FTSE 100 firm Reckitts debut in the baby goods sector and boost its grip on fast-growing Asia markets. A deal would relieve pressure on Kapoor, who has faced criticism for his huge pay packet and is dealing with the fallout of a scandal in South Korea. The former boss of its Korean division was last month sentenced to seven years in prison over the sale of a toxic product linked to almost 100 deaths. Reckitt said it would finance the deal with cash and debt. It is working with Deutsche Bank and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Reckitt is likely to need the backing of its top shareholder, JAB Holdings, to clinch a deal. JAB, the Luxembourg-based conglomerate behind brands like Jimmy Choo, owns 8% of the consumer goods firm. It represents the interests of the firms founding family. Mead said that it remains committed to doing what is best for its shareholders. T rust cold, hard facts to get in the way of the Prime Ministers swagger as she came back from Washington clutching a promise of high-level talks to land a post-Brexit trade deal with the US. Theresa May believes an agreement would provide huge benefits to our economic muscle. But even if dealing with America First Donald Trump proves straightforward by no means a given the Centre for Cities this week reminds us whats at stake when we eventually pull out of the worlds biggest single market. Leavers have it that well be buccaneering over the high seas, snapping up deals in all four corners of the globe. Were also apparently talking to a dozen countries including China, India and South Korea, staking out possible agreements. It all sounds great in theory. But in practice the concerns of thousands of UK firms are likely to be focused on what happens in the decade or so while an inexperienced team of negotiators attempts to thrash out these notional deals. It may make difficult reading but the Centre for Cities sets out the damage that an increasingly certain hard Brexit could do to our towns and cities still vastly dependent on the EU as an export destination. Cities account for 62% of our exports and nearly half of those 48% end up in EU member countries. And for 37 of the 62 cities covered by its report, more than half of their exports headed to the continent. People voted Leave for different reasons: taking control, immigration and a general sense that the system wasnt working for them. But hard-headed economic rationalism wasnt among them if you compare the places with the biggest EU exports and the way they voted. Turkeys voting for Christmas comes to mind. On the Centres figures, the prize bird has to be Mansfield, which sends 70% of its exports to Europe but 63% of its people voted out. Doncaster and Barnsley follow close behind. The irony of this is that if we do land those free trade deals with China, India and suchlike those blue-collar workers who voted out could be even more cruelly exposed to global opponents with much cheaper labour costs. London is also in the firing line. Of the 127.4 billion in goods and services exported by the capital in 2014 thats 28% of the UK total in absolute terms 43% went to the EU. Its a lower share than the national average but a vastly bigger amount due to our dominant position in the UK economy. Its also nearly three times the 16% share we sent to the US. China accounts for a paltry 2%, and South Korea even less than that. If EU trade dipped by 10%, we would have to double exports to China or increase sales to the US by a third, the Centre calculates. Its deputy chief executive, Andrew Carter, says any situation which makes it more difficult will be felt throughout the country. London, dont forget, accounts for 30% of the tax take. At least here in the capital, we have a broader mix of markets and industries, giving us a chance of adapting and reinventing ourselves to take account of lower EU trade. One-trick ponies like Nissan-dependent, Leave-voting Sunderland, for example could find things tougher as nearly 60% of our cars went to the EU in 2015. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has even more bad news. It estimates that leaving the single market could hit trade by up to 30% over the next decade whereas gains from deals outside the EU would amount to less than a tenth of that. Im more inclined towards the scepticism of Europhile Ken Clarke, who laced his scepticism in this weeks Article 50 debate by delving into Lewis Carroll: Apparently, you follow the rabbit down the hole and you emerge in a wonderland where suddenly countries around the world are queuing up to give us trading advantage. Nobody knows yet whats at the bottom of this rabbit hole, but it wont be a tea party. D ownbeat figures from Vodafone today, which offered little hope of an improvement in the share price any time soon. The mobile phones giant said earnings for the full year will be at the lower end of forecasts. It cited intense competition in India and Britain as the reason why profits are being squeezed. Vodafone will still make about 4 billion (3.4 billion) profit, but thats less than the City had come to expect. The shares slipped 3p to 190p, continuing a bad run. On Monday, it revealed it is in talks to merge its Indian subsidiary with local rival Idea Cellular. That deal is intended to take on Reliance Jio, the 4G network launched last year. Chief executive Vittorio Colao pointed to growth in Europe and Africa as good signs. Overall, revenue in the past three months dropped by 3.9% to 13.7 billion. I t now seems like an act of diabolical genius. By holding the EU referendum, the Tories simultaneously put to bed an issue that had split their party for decades and created a chasm in an Opposition largely united on that same issue. Its like somehow putting out a fire in your own house by torching your enemys. Yesterday showed how Brexit has made the Labour family even more dysfunctional. Shadow ministers Dawn Butler and Rachael Maskell resigned (bring on yet another reshuffle!) before the vote on giving Theresa May the ability to trigger Article 50. Corbyn had imposed a three-line whip; three of his whips voted against the Bill. In total, one in four Labour MPs defied him. And it isnt over yet: shadow business secretary Clive Lewis said he could vote against the third reading of the Bill next week if Labour fails to get it amended. Although Corbyn has mishandled this, he was dealt a dire hand. Labour seats run the gamut from Karl Turners Kingston upon Hull East (estimated 73 per cent Leave) to my own in Vauxhall (estimated 78 per cent Remain, yet we have to endure Farages boating buddy Kate Hoey as our MP). The rebellion doesnt mean therell be another leadership challenge but the Brexit fandangos will still damage Corbyn. Thats because the Labour membership is very pro-EU. Stephen Bush reported yesterday in The New Statesman that more than 7,000 people have quit the Labour Party in the last week over the Partys Article 50 stance. For Corbyn, members were king when they chose him yet their wishes have been ignored on the biggest question facing the country. When he was elected, Corbyn was a Jesus figure and not just because of the beard. JC II was Labours moral saviour, a man who had repeatedly resisted temptation (expenses), won disciples (Corbynites) and had come to scrub away past sins (Blair). But supporters then began demoting him to John the Baptist, the forerunner who would anoint the true messiah. Both allies and enemies talk about Corbyn stepping down next year to make way for his younger, probably more telegenic mini-me. Names bandied about as possible successors include Lewis, shadow education secretary Angela Rayner and Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. But could they actually win? There is an attempt to load the dice in their favour. Labours Left want the rulebook amended this year, to lower the number of nominations by MPs a candidate needs to get on the leadership ballot paper. After all, the MPs who switched their vote to Corbyn in 2015 to broaden the debate wont make that mistake twice. Currently, candidates need the backing of 15 per cent of parliamentary colleagues; the Labour conference is expected to vote on whether to cut that to five per cent. But given that Brexit is dominating all, wouldnt the membership want a candidate who voted against Article 50? Only Lewis might qualify. Loading.... Theres an alternative narrative here, though. Corbyn going may just be wishful thinking. A political insider once told me his theory on Corbyns strategy: that his aim is actually to build a parliamentary grouping of ultra-loyal hard Left MPs. Deselections would help achieve that. As would driving out moderates such as Jamie Reed and Tristram Hunt. And losing a general election wouldnt matter you just want more hard Left MPs in the safest seats. Whatever Corbyns plan, though, Labours path ahead looks messy. And it faces its next big test with two by-elections in just three weeks time. Legislation to allow PM to start formal Brexit talks clears first Commons hurdle Theres no logic about life for Trumps Supreme Court pick American politics throws up a few doozies, doesnt it? Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee is Neil Gorsuch. In his 2006 book, The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, Gorsuch wrote that all human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong. Note the phrase private persons. Because Gorsuch is A-OK with the state killing people. As the Economist put it, he provides little relief for condemned prisoners appealing their death sentences. Whats doubly puzzling is hes a fan of small government, yet he supports the state interfering in the ultimate way. He wants Government to stop raiding pockets, but hes happy for it to wield the syringe. The eyebrows have it in Frontier Gorefest: Michael Smyth (Landon Liboiron) gets a face full of Declan Harp (Jason Momoa) (Netflix ) / Netflix Frontier, the latest hides-and-pelts drama to arrive on Netflix, is about the North American fur trade in the 1700s. Its like Lidls take on The Revenant, and stars Jason Momoa, the man mountain who played Game of Thrones Khal Drogo, dwarfs his own bodyguards and is the upmarket version of The Rock. He doesnt need to act much; his mere presence dominates every scene hes in. Momoa does have a great way with his eyebrows, though. Theres some hammy acting in Frontier, especially from the whisky priest whos on a one-man mission to undermine the sanctity of the cloth, but the wilderness is exquisitely shot. Watching it this week though, I thought its producers are lucky that Petas publicity junkies havent found it yet. For the animal rights group has just attacked Warhammer 40,000, the boardgame loved by vitamin-D deficient teens, for draping its miniature figurines in dead animals (actually: plastic). Theyd choke on their tofu salad if they saw all the skins in Frontier. * Health minister David Mowat says we have a duty to look after our elderly parents. Hes right. But the Government cant just absolve itself of responsibility for fixing the social care crisis. Too often, when the elderly have an acute illness, the first response is put them in a home, when they actually need treatment, then rehab. GPs also have to be able to see patients swiftly confusion requires a rapid response. So the underfunding of primary care is a disaster for the over-75s. An option would be to create more geriatric day hospitals, but with the Tories squeezing the NHS, I doubt theyll cough up the cash. Riccardo Tisci has left Givenchy after 12 years as creative director, it was confirmed today. In a statement from Givenchy, the brand said: "After a very successful twelve year partnership, the House of Givenchy and its Artistic Director, Riccardo TISCI, announce their joint decision not to renew their collaboration, effective January 31 2017." "I have very special affection for the House of Givenchy and its beautiful teams," said Tisci. "I want to thank the LVMH group and Monsieur Bernard ARNAULT for giving me the platform to express my creativity over the years." "I now wish to focus on my personal interests and passions." Givenchy SS17 at Paris Fashion Week 1 /38 Givenchy SS17 at Paris Fashion Week Givenchy at PFW Kendall Jenner walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid Getty Images Givenchy at PFW Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Givenchy at PFW Lily Aldridge Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Givenchy at PFW Irina Shayk Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Givenchy at PFW Frances Bean Cobain and Courtney Love Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Givenchy at PFW Lara Stone Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Givenchy at PFW Joan Smalls walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW Models walk the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW Kendall Jenner walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW Joan Smalls walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW Lineisy Montero walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW A model walks the SS17 runway Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Givenchy at PFW Designer Riccardo Tisci Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, states: "The chapter Riccardo TISCI has written with the House of Givenchy over the last twelve years represents an incredible vision to sustain its continuous success, and I would like to warmly thank him for his core contribution to the Houses development." Speculation surrounding Tisci's future at the fashion house has been circulating for several months, with rumours that he is being lined up for a significant role at Versace at their peak. A popular designer with the likes of Kim Kardashian - whose wedding dress he designed -, Beyonce and Madonna just a small selection of his biggest fans, all eyes will be on the Italian fashion designer's next move. Givenchy have confirmed that they will announce Tisci's successor at a later date. A wine bar where the creators of EastEnders wrote the soaps first script is to be reopened by Junior Bake Off judge and Leon co-founder Allegra McEvedy. Albertine in Shepherds Bush was opened by McEvedys mother in 1978 and quickly became popular in the TV and radio industry as it was near the BBC Television Centre. Chosen as the Evening Standards Wine Bar of the Year in 1997, it was where EastEnders creators Tony Holland and Julia Smith held meetings and watched the pilot episode in the Eighties. The bars name inspired the setting for the soap, Albert Square. Chef and food writer McEvedy whose late mother Sarah ran the bar, which she owned with her cousin Camilla Murray recently bought it from Giles Phillips, who has retired after being at the helm since 1983. Its really exciting, Ive always wanted to do this, McEvedy said. She remembers varnishing the bars original floors and going with her mother to pick out its church pews. New owner: Allegra McEvedy, right, pictured with fellow Junior Bake Off judge Nadiya Hussain / Mark Bourdillon It just reminds me of my mum, who died when I was quite young, 17. I have memories of going upstairs [after school] to sit on the high stool in the galley kitchen, watching her cook, doing my homework on the side, she said. The longer time goes on after someone dies, you begin to have less and less of their things around you, and so now [apart from great memories], what Ive got left of her thats physical is a ring, a hand mirror, and Albertine. London's best wine bars 1 /17 London's best wine bars The Laughing Heart The Laughing Heart is well-equipped for lingerers it is very much a place for gathering and cracking open as many bottles as is sensible. The personal touch of its convivial nature is echoed in a wine list that champions artisan growers, in turn showcasing the entire portfolio of a chosen small producer. Its by-the-glass list is short but precise, while its bottle menu is sprawling youll have time to explore more than one, considering the place stays open until 2am, with a kitchen open until 1am from Monday to Saturday. The late-night food isnt just your average stomach-lining grub either: chef Tom Angleseas innovative cooking melds British produce with Asian flavours his signature dessert is a creme brulee with sparky Sichuan peppercorns. P. Franco East Londons natural wine scene just keeps getting better and a lot of that is down to the team behind P. Franco. This unassuming Clapton wine bar was set up in 2014 in a former Chinese takeaway by Liam Kelleher and James Noble, of the Noble Fine Liquor shops. In the years since, it's garnered runaway praise for mixing an innovative wine selection with an eclectic, very contemporary food menu in utilitarian surroundings. It's so relaxed that they don't even have a wine list, technically the daily changing selection is delivered verbally. Bright and latterly Peg have followed in its suit all are wonderful places to take wining and dining back to basics. Benjamin McMahon Terroirs Just off Trafalgar Square, Terroirs is always busy. Evenings start at a hum and end on with a roar as reams of Londoners bravely battle their way through glorious bottle after glorious bottle. The list is long enough to offer lots of choice and good enough that youll struggle to make a bad one. Food is excellent and there is barely a better spot in town to quaff down a bottle than up against the bar. Theyre big on natural wine here: if youre unsure about organic and biodynamic wine, try it here. A slight price premium comes attached, but its good fun. Wine is categorised by region and includes lesser-spotted wines from the likes of Greece, Slovenia and Georgia. Humble Grape This wine-merchant mini-chain prides itself on its organic, sustainable producers and how well it knows them. The bars get their wines directly from artisan, often family-run producers this means they skip out the expensive distributors and both you and the winemakers save a little. Humble Grape is also so keen to stay in-the-know with its sources, the bar even gets producers in to train the staff. You can currently find the bars in Battersea, Fleet Street, Islington and Liverpool Street, with one more opening in Canary Wharf this summer. Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels This Covent Garden outpost of a popular Parisian spot offers a catalogue of wine options that focuses on lesser-known styles and varieties hence its popularity with those in the industry. French wine takes top billing, naturally, but there are bottles from around the world and the team are on hand to enthuse over what to try. Theres an impressive range by glass including an extensive selection of Madeira to facilitate more trying, while a fun touch is the inclusion of a mystery wine on the list. This regularly-changing offering costs 9 a glass and could be any wine from the list that costs between 35 and 95 a bottle. If you guess which one it is, you get a bottle free. Noble Rot Earlier this year, the World Restaurant Awards named Noble Rot the best Red-Wine Serving Restaurant on the planet. Yes, the vast majority of restaurants in the world serve red wine, but Noble Rot does do it particularly well. More than 60 per cent of its 700-bottle strong list is red, and wine leapfrogs food to the top of the agenda. The whole set up is rebellious in nature: the menu lambasts lazy misconceptions by proclaiming chardonnay to be the the worlds greatest white wine and its shop sells both its own magazine and tote bags emblazoned with Sex & Drugs & Pinot Noir. The food is not to be forgotten in the fracas: Stephen Harris of the Sportsman in Kent has a consulting role, making it easy to fill up both glasses and plates. Sager + Wilde This modern spot set up by wine experts Michael Sager and Charlotte Wilde is easy enough not to notice on the Hackney Road and the blinds on the windows do nothing to suggest they want people in. But to take it that way would be a mistake: inside, all marble, dark wood and glass bricks, is an unpretentious take on a wine bar, modern London and old Paris all at once. They serve up some unusual offerings, perfect for anyone wanting to explore and, happily, the small plates of food they serve arent very small at all. The more restaurant-leaning Paradise Row edition in Bethnal Green is also excellent, while the new Fare Bar and Canteen is natural wine hotspot. Gordon's Enough has been written about Gordons to sell the place a thousand times over. There isnt anything left to say, really: its an institution thats far more about the atmosphere than the wine served (though they do that pretty decently, too). Its family run, has been since 1890 and has become a London institution in its own lifetime. Some prefer it in the summer time, when the outside tables fill up, but the cave-like indoors are a wonderful place to get lost in. Just remember to get there early: Gordon's gets full to bursting extremely early. Info: 47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE gordonswinebar.com Comptoir Xavier Rousset can be found at the helm of many an acclaimed, wine-centric hotspot in London. Formerly head sommelier at Raymond Blancs Le Manoir aux QuatSaisons, Rousset went on to set up the 28-50 wine bars alongside restaurants Blandford Comptoir, Cabotte and Michelin-starred Texture. His most recent opening, Mayfairs Comptoir, showcases his love for a glass or two in more informal settings a cafe and wine shop during the day, a wine bar by night. Around 30 wines are available by the glass but more than 1800 are available by the bottle. Andrew Edmunds There are few better things to do in Soho than take your time over a bottle of wine. Where better to do such a thing than in one of the last bastions of Old Soho? Andrew Edmunds is small in size, but big in character, history and wine list. Wines by the glass at this restaurant start at a startling 4 something, and dont climb too much. A gloriously wide-ranging repertoire will take you up to the heady heights of a 475 1996 Abreu, but its possible to stay mercifully down to earth with enough bottles for less than 30. 10 Cases This small bistrot is a little like the French place you always wished you could find: somewhere for home-cooking and jugs of plonk. The only difference is that they dont serve any plonk they do, however, have a very respectable selection under 10. Wines can be bought by the glass, carafe or bottle, with bottles available to take-away or drink in with 12 corkage. Youll also never be tempted (nor able) to settle into ordering your favourite wine over and over again: wines are only ever purchased in 10 case orders, and once theyre gone, theyre gone in all its years of trading, the venue has never listed the same wine twice. 68 and Boston Bottles McEvedy, who still lives nearby and has known Phillips for years, said that having owned it for so long and with increasing rents he decided hed had his time. Id always said to him if you ever get to a point where you want to do something different, do give me a knock first, and Ill try and do it. When it reopens at the end of this month, the refurbished bar and its upstairs dining room where cookbooks and board games line the shelves will be slightly updated my mum was definitely more interested in the wine than the food but were going to be a wine bar with more food. New head chef and business partner Roberto Freddi will have a simple menu featuring soups, sandwiches and salads for lunch downstairs, with seasonal British and Italian plates upstairs, including smoked eels with yellow beetroots and pickled agretti and gnocchi alla romana. Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout P atrick Marber has had a lot of sleep recently, readying himself for the coming weeks. The playwright and director is currently juggling the West End transfer of Tom Stoppards Travesties, is halfway through Ibsens Hedda Gabler at the National and on Monday, starts rehearsals for Don Juan In Soho, his 2006 play in which hes directing David Tennant. Ill be exhausted once Don Juan opens, he tells me. Ill be happy in April to be back at my desk. Marber was 14 when he saw a school production of Travesties. I didnt understand a word of it, but there was a brilliance and energy I responded to. I became a Stoppard fan instantly. Its a slightly forgotten play, but dazzling Stoppard brilliance. The pair met in 1995 after Stoppard watched Marbers first play, Dealers Choice, and wrote to say hed loved it. When Stoppard asked Marber to direct Travesties for the Menier Chocolate Factory last year, starring Tom Hollander, he jumped at the chance. I would never have forgiven myself if I passed up the opportunity to do a Tom Stoppard play with him in the room. Though I was very scared to do it. They had ups and downs working together. Tom wasnt entirely convinced by the production until he saw it with an audience. Tom Hollander in Travesties / Johan Persson One of Travesties themes is memory. That wasnt apparent to me before, because I was with the younger characters, says Marber. Now Im mis-remembering things myself, I am much better equipped to direct it than I would have been 15 years ago. Marber is 52 now but still has a boyish grin. It remains etched on his face while he talks about EL Jamess Fifty Shades of Grey he rewrote the screenplay for Sam Taylor-Johnsons film adaptation but his script was ditched. What was his version like? She wasnt a virgin, he smirks. And there was no inner goddess. Doing the merengue? None of that. Did Christian Grey give her a first edition Thomas Hardy? No no helicopter shaped-balloon either. It was much more of a two-hander. Quite romantic, but I wasnt faithful to the tone of the novel. Taylor-Johnson, a friend, called him in 2013 asking for help with the script. Please not me, Sam! Marber replied. But she was persuasive: Theyll pay you anything you want. Marber was intrigued to read the novel and then went through phases of being interested, and then bored. He told Taylor-Johnson: Its impossible. But then the studio sent 17 pages of coherent and doable notes by Charlie Hunnam, who was originally cast as Grey. Marber was told to make Hunnams changes because Charlie is unhappy and wants the script improved. So Marber signed up. It was a lot of money and I hadnt earned proper money for a while. He believed it was going to be on the down-low. But I had literally opened my laptop when Variety announced I was rewriting it. The studio presumably leaked it. I was like F***ing hell! The same day, Charlie walked off the film. The producer told him to carry on. I was flying blind, so I just wrote what I felt was good. Sam was thrilled. The producer was thrilled. And then EL read it, and suddenly it was, Were not using your script. Marber says he was initially upset, but now seems remarkably charitable. EL invented it. I sort of approved of the fact she disapproved. People want me to go he throws his hands up in mock horror Oh, bloody EL! I cant. I thought she was wrong but she knows best about her material. The film made a fortune. What I wrote wouldnt have made a fortune. Even now he hasnt seen the film. Id probably quite enjoy it and find one or two lines I wrote and go Ooh! The debacle has made him choosier about film projects, though he is currently writing a screenplay. I have to write a film every year or two, to feed my children. Theatre remains his principal love. Tennant, he says, is also drawn to the excitement, the nervousness, the fear. Marber met the former Doctor Who star the same day in 1995 he was introduced to his wife, the actress Debra Gillett. Tennant and Gillett were both starring in What the Butler Saw at the National. Recently, Tennant mentioned to Gillett that he was looking to return to the stage, so Marber sent him Don Juan. Marber hasnt always had it this good. He was initially an actor and was 28 when he wrote his first play: I was really self-conscious. Then, after mega- hits such as Closer, he famously endured a bout of writers block, not helped by a move to the countryside with his three young sons. The chaos of the city helps me write. Its good for me to keep involved otherwise I tend to rot. Does it help that theres so much happening in the world? No. I feel daunted because Im not a writer who deals with political issues. So no Brexit or Trump play? No. I write from some unconscious place, in a dream-like state, and I dont know where Im going. Is his writers block over? He bangs the wooden table between us. I am happily writing again. Does he fear its return? Yes, although Ive always been a slow worker thats my speed. I really dont know why Im a writer, Im not cut out for it, temperamentally. Hes happier in dialogue than prose Youre disguised. Not fully present. Prose is so exposing your style, your vocabulary it makes me feel queasy. While writing doesnt get easier I always feel like the same idiot, worrying What is this nonsense? he feels directing does. Situations crop up where I think: I know how to handle that, but writing always feels new. Would he act again? Yes, but I dont have the stamina for eight shows a week. He corrects himself. Thats if anyone offered. I havent had an audition for 15 years. He says he doesnt really act anyway, he performs. Is he making that distinction because what he does is comedy? Yeah. I dont think like an actor. I couldnt take myself seriously doing a dramatic role. Marber actually started out in stand-up. It was a good education for a playwright, he says, taking a drag on an e-cigarette. It teaches you to hear an audience the difference between a proper laugh, a rhythm laugh and a cheap laugh. He wishes now, though, that he had a stage name: I was me, but a version of me, a persona. I found it disquieting. He calls the beginning of his career the zombie years, when you are half-living, half-dying on stage and you dont know whether youll survive a gig. What would he do after stage death? Slink away into the night. Stand-up made him thick-skinned about bad reviews. Recently though, hes had a run of happy reading. The morning after Travesties press night, Stoppard called and said, I havent had such good reviews for a decade! Marber beams with pride: It all paid off. @RosamundUrwin Buy tickets for Travesties with Evening Standard Tickets Buy tickets for Don Juan in Soho with Evening Standard Tickets Travesties is at the Apollo Theatre, W1 from Friday until April 29; Don Juan In Soho is at Wyndhams, WC2, from March 17 until June 10 Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from Londons theatre scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout Founder of Nagin Gang will contest the assembly election from the same area in Uttar Pradesh which once belonged to her rapist. Apart from her, women who founded Gulabi Gang and Belan Gang are also contesting from Bundelkhand. By India Today Web Desk: Uttar Pradesh Assembly election of 2017 is believed to have about 1,200 contestants belonging to three prominent political parties. About 100 tickets have been given to women by the three parties here. Amid the hustle and bustle of the forthcoming election, Bundelkhand is making headlines for its women contenders. The region has given strong women contenders belonging to progressive groups like Naging Gang, Gulabi Gang and Belan Gang. advertisement Also Read ||3 reasons why BJP's promised Anti-Romeo Squads in Uttar Pradesh is plain wrong|| SHEELU NISHAD: FOUNDER OF NAGIN GANG The 17-year-old Dalit girl hailing from Banda in the Budelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh, was raped by an ex-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA, Puroshottam Nath Dwivedi, in 2011. Sheelu having a Congress ticket, is contesting from the same area which was Dwivedi's bastion before he was sentenced for 10 years for rape. Sheelu, who was battered by the traumatising incident, vowed to fight injustice and formed a rebel group for women known as Nagin Gang. SAMPAT PAL DEVI: FOUNDER OF GULABI GANG Wearing pink sarees and wielding lathis, this group fights against domestic violence on women. The group was founded by Sampat Pal, who chose to empower women in the far hung villages of Bundelkhand. Pal is contesting the election on a Congress ticket this time. She contested elections in the past too. PUSHPA GOSWAMI: FOUNDER OF BELAN GANG In a bid to kick-start her political career, she might get a BJP ticket as the party has been planning to keep her by their side for its campaigning in Banda. However, it is speculated that she might contest the election this time. It should not come as a surprise if she is limited to the campaigning part of it. The chain of events has given women impetus to take on various atrocities against women. Incidentally, BJP has become the only party to give maximum number of nomination to women with 43 tickets. Also Read ||In BJP's second list of 40 star campaigners for UP, Varun Gandhi makes a quiet entry at 39|| --- ENDS --- T he global elite has had a bad press lately and its largely deserved. Daniel Levins Nothing But a Circus is about his experiences among them heads of government, leaders of think tanks and the bosses of multinational corporations and hes depressed by them all. His focus isnt just on the way power and money corrupt our better selves, though that much is clear. Rather, hes concerned at the way the corruption of the international elite ends up impoverishing the people they profess to serve. In the course of my work, he observes, I witnessed the disastrous ineffectiveness of multilateral institutions, aid agencies and prominent consultancies, which seemed organisationally inept and unwilling to rethink their palpably flawed approach to development. Actually Im still not clear what Levins own work is just that hes an international lawyer who has played a part in privatisation programmes (that infallible driver of corruption) and markets a platform to equip developing countries with financial expertise. Presumably he too has had his share from the aid trough. And just when he had the encounters he describes is also unclear. Whatever. His experiences at the UN, on the fringes of the US State Department and with international agencies induced in him a sense of boredom which will be familiar to anyone who has ever attended an aid conference: a boredom caused by overexposure to cloned, copy-paste advisory mandates that ended up as boilerplate diagnostic reports rife with platitudes and as cannibalised initiatives that imported and compounded the mistakes and shortcomings of previous projects. The jargon, the futility and self-importance of the experts, the sycophancy of the aides and interns all there. Theres a tragic-funny chapter on Angola about a conference where an economist described to a comatose audience the importance of financial risk management systems, even though most of his audience didnt understand English and the subject was irrelevant to the cash-based Angolan economy. Levin was then shown Luandas barter market, a remarkably complex and effective system which included a sophisticated exercise in shorting various commodities interestingly, the woman who conducted it was aware of the risks. His contention that individuals (not rulers) within developing countries are often better equipped than the experts (yep, them again) to identify countries needs is a running theme of the book. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review Its not just Africa. He recalls a dinner where a Chinese boss insisted on ordering a prodigiously expensive claret which he and his acolytes would not acknowledge was undrinkable the emperors new clothes. Theres the noisy Russian opposition politician who surfaces years later as a Putin stooge. Theres the suggestion that US companies who want the State Departments help getting foreign contracts may contribute to the Secretary of States family foundation to further their interests. Bernie Sanders, one for you. The book has flaws: the prose is effortful and the author is short on prescriptions for reform, other than the implicit one of pulling the plug on the international aid industry. But it makes you think. When Levin grew up in Africa in the Sixties he remembers it brimming with post-independence optimism. What went wrong? It all bears out the late Lord Actons observation that all power tends to corrupt everything here is just illustrative of that melancholy truth. D enise Gough enters a Kensington cafe wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the word IMMIGRANT. Well, I am an immigrant, grins the slight, blonde, 36-year-old actress, the seventh of 11 children from a working-class County Clare family. I am a white, English-speaking immigrant who has been allowed to use the NHS here and the jobseekers allowance when I needed it, and who got a full scholarship to a drama school. I came here looking for a better life and England allowed me to do that. Now it throws awards at me and puts me in magazines. I am an example of how, if you support immigration, then the immigrant gives back. Gough, who became a sensation in People, Places and Things first at the National Theatre in the autumn of 2015, then again when it transferred to the West End now sees such vocal political statements as her duty. She has turned up to awards ceremonies in T-shirts calling for equal representation of men and women on stage and screen, bemoans the lack of arts provision for working-class kids, speaks up if the casts or crews she works with are overly white, and says she only just stopped short of writing Repeal the 8th, the slogan of campaigners for Irish abortion rights, across her face before the ES photoshoot. Above all, if she sees young actors, to whom stardom has come suddenly and early, being arrogant or egotistical, she will tell them: Dont be an a**hole. My mother and father raised 11 children, my father worked as an electrician, there are people living in tents so get over yourself, do you know what I mean? Stardom did not come early to Gough. For years after drama school she struggled with bit parts, rejection and unemployment, being told she was too pretty, not pretty enough, or too scary. Nobody cared what she thought or felt. Theatre nerds knew she was a potent and protean performer whenever she was allowed to stop waitressing and act. In 2012, she was nominated for Outstanding Newcomer, aged 32, by the Evening Standard for her electrifying, disconcertingly sexual performances in Desire Under the Elms at the Lyric Hammersmith and Our New Girl at the Bush Theatre. But two years after that came her year in Siberia, when she was totally broke, tried and failed to get a job as a cleaner and ended up looking after her sisters kids in Hackney. ADEAM top, 620, at Selfridges, Oxford Street (0800 123400) / Kate Davis-MacLeod Then she was cast as the self-destructive actress/addict Emma in Duncan Macmillans People, Places and Things, an exploration of the lies that substance users tell themselves and others. It was a grandstanding powerhouse of a role that she grabbed with her hands, teeth and nostrils (she snorted a huge line of sugar in the audition). She speaks of Emma as a possessing spirit, and thats the way it looked from the stalls. She was nominated for Best Actress by the Evening Standard and won the corresponding Olivier and Critics Circle Awards. Addicts approached her on the street and told her she had helped them get clean. I saw her last show at the National, a matinee, and she came out at the end like Muhammad Ali after a world title win. The play opened doors that were previously closed. This year, she not only shares billing with Andrew Garfield and Russell Tovey in the Nationals milestone revival of Tony Kushners 1980s Aids-crisis drama, Angels in America, she also plays the title character in Conor McPhersons BBC2 thriller Paula opposite Victorias Tom Hughes, and stars alongside Idris Elba, Daniel Mays and Freida Pinto in Guerrilla, a study of the British black power movement by John Ridley, the screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave. Forget Siberia: this is the year Gough becomes a star. People, Places and Things changed my life, she says, simply. It changed the landscape of my career. That has a huge effect when you have been broke for a really long time and found it difficult to get in the room with people, and suddenly you are really shiny. I am so glad it happened now and not when I was 23. Fame at an early age can be infantilising, she adds, whereas today she is under no illusions. In BBC2s Paula / BBC/Sophie Mutevelian Both those television projects had to fit in around Angels in America, though. Gough regards the theatre as her natural habitat, and if the screen world turns its back because shes too mouthy (or, by the sexist standards of TV and film, too old) she will retreat there. The National is home, she says, and the chance to work with visionary director Marianne Elliott on Kushners play there was a no-brainer. First performed in 1993 and subtitled A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Kushners two-part epic is a sprawlingly inspired survey of gay America in the 1980s, taking on politics, Aids, religion and sexuality. With someone like Donald Trump in the White House, we need to be telling stories about the parts of society that are misrepresented, under-represented or not represented at all, Gough says. Angels is a good place to start. Its bold, brash and completely out there. Her character, Harper, is an agoraphobic Mormon housewife addicted to Valium and married to closeted gay lawyer Joe (Russell Tovey). Valium is gonna be a walk in the park after People, Places and Things, she grins. F***in hell, Im just gonna waft around. Gough was raised a Catholic by teetotal parents a pragmatic decision, she says, as they couldnt have afforded to raise their 11 kids and drink as well. She stopped believing in God as soon as I was told I was an evil child by a nun. There was no theatre within reach of her home but she was struck by the acting bug, as if by lightning, when she ad-libbed while playing Miss Hannigan in a school production of Annie, and heard everyone laugh. She left school at 15 and moved to London to be with a boy, which lasted about three weeks. In a previous, brief interview she told me her teenage years were wild and messy. Are we talking drink, drugs what? Yeah, yeah all of that, she says briskly, then grins mischievously. I was wild, a wild teenager, and that is all you are getting: but if this wasnt going in a magazine we could talk for hours. She had rough times. She told another interviewer about begging and picking up fag butts to smoke when she first arrived in London. She tells me now that she often found herself in dangerous situations, hanging out on Coldharbour Lane at three in the morning. PROENZA SCHOULER coat, 2,010 (proenzaschouler.com).ELLERY trousers, 695 (elleryland.com). DIOR boots, 940, New Bond Street (020 7355 5930) / Kate Davis-MacLeod The anger that turned her against the nuns and propelled her to London kept on burning, even when she won a scholarship to the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. I didnt feel I fitted in my body and felt really odd all the time, she says. I shaved my head, then went through a phase of having dreadlocks. Anything to detract from being looked at like a pretty girl. And it kept me safe, being an angry girl; if Id arrived in London as a broken ingenue it would have been a very different experience. But something about being young and Irish and bolshie meant that I found people who looked out for me and kept me alive, I guess. Denise Gough: in pictures 1 /6 Denise Gough: in pictures Denise Gough with her Best Actress Olivier Award last year In BBC2s Paula BBC/Sophie Mutevelian PROENZA SCHOULER coat, 2,010 (proenzaschouler.com). ELLERY trousers, 695 (elleryland.com). DIOR boots, 940, New Bond Street (020 7355 5930) Kate Davis-MacLeod ADEAM top, 620, at Selfridges, Oxford Street (0800 123400) Kate Davis-MacLeod Kate Davis-MacLeod Goughs current poise arguably make the years of rage, rejection and frustration worthwhile. She doesnt drink at all now, hasnt smoked for four years and meditates daily. She has a boyfriend, who helped her decompress after People, Places and Things. Hes a lovely man and hes been brilliant, and thats all we need to say about him, she says. Is he in the business? Yes he is. I am not telling you anything else. Was he around during the year in Siberia? Im not telling you any more. Shut up. God. No, no, no. Its too nice, do you know what I mean? Theres enough that gets given. You have to keep some things back. She rents a flat in Hackney, and waxes lyrical about its restaurants, especially Okko in Broadway Market. Her sister Angie, who works with organisations that introduce children to the arts for free, lives nearby and Gough is an enthusiastic auntie to her kids. Another sister, Kelly, is also an actress in London. Her huge crew of siblings also includes a dentist, a doctor and a heart surgeon, which gives her perspective on the small-town life she abandoned and the rarefied atmosphere in which she finds herself now. They did good, my parents, says Gough. They raised a whole family of very successful people and well look after them. All our medical needs are taken care of in this family. Were all useful apart from, you know, me. But I am treated better than my heart-surgeon sister and my doctor sister for pretending to do what they do rather than they are for actually doing it. Its very important, telling stories and all that. But were not saving lives. Angels in America opens 4 May. Each week hundreds of 20 tickets will be released for the Angels ballot presented by Delta for the following weeks performance (nationaltheatre.org.uk) D oes anyone else keep sneezing? Im not sure whether its down to flu, pollution or the many down-filled jackets currently sitting in my bedroom waiting to be returned. The recent cold snap showed my existing coats to be bloody useless in minus-two conditions. And so, for the first time since the Nineties, I decided to buy a puffa. This proved harder than expected. In the Nineties, things were simple: you wore North Face or Patagonia. Now that theyve gone mainstream, you have to consider What Your Puffa Says About You. Does a classic black one from an outdoor-clothing specialist suggest you are a) the local drug dealer or b) the muppet whos spent 499 on a fully baffled and hem-corded 800 fill goose-down jacket when the only climbing you do is on an escalator? Or you could be c) the Notting Hill mum in a belted (always belted gotta show off that slender waist AT ALL TIMES) 900 Moncler/Canada Goose/Woolrich puffa bought as a status symbol to accompany the Chanel handbag. Nah. Not really me. Which left me contemplating the fashion puffa, as seen at Balenciaga and as aped by a thousand Londoners who bought XL homages from Zara and Uniqlo and wore them falling off their shoulders. I tracked down Topshops sold-out pink one on eBay but decided against it ditto a silver one on the basis that I am not Honey G. Asos had a splendiferous range, but they were selling out faster than I could buy them. On the bright side, this has saved my family the indignity of walking around with a woman draped in what looks like her own duvet pilfered off her king-size bed. According to fashion search engine Lyst, puffa searches are up 38 per cent since December, which themselves were up 53 per cent year on year. Judging by the recent menswear shows, this is one trend that isnt going anywhere soon. Meanwhile, I still havent found what Im looking for. The struggle is real. Balenciaga Autumn Winter 2016 / Retna/Photoshot Access all ages Predictably, not everyone is delighted that Stranger Things Millie Bobby Brown, 12, is one the faces of Calvin Kleins new By Appointment range. To redress the what next toddlers? balance, I give you a pic of Lauren Hutton, who is 73 and recently kicked ass modelling in the Bottega Veneta show. Shot for the new Fan issue of Love magazine (out 6 February), here she is dressed in Vivienne Westwood. Why Vivienne Westwood, you might ask? When Loves editor-in-chief, Katie Grand, was working with Hutton, Malcolm McLarens name came up, causing Hutton to become teary. She said he was the love of her life, Grand says. So there you go. Hutton could have had any leading actor in Hollywood, and she chose a ginger English eccentric further proof that shes a boss. Lets make 2017 a year of inclusion, with room for inspirational women of all ages, be they 13 or 73. Lauren Hutton wearing Vivienne Westwood in Love. (Photographer: Alasdair McLellan for Love magazine) Dark star On these long winter nights, youd be quite justified in yearning for a new series of GBBO, and the comforting sight of Selasis iced ombre floral showstopper, or even just Selasi. But if your tastes run slightly... darker, theres The OA. Starring the brilliant Brit Marling, The OA (which debuted on Netflix in December but feels like it was overlooked in the pre-Christmas rush) is literally the most terrifying TV programme Ive ever seen, bar President Trump: The Inauguration. If you like sci-fi drama that makes you feel physically sick and hyperventilate-y, check it out. We can form a support group later. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial T he Line Hotel Theres lots of buzz about Koreatown not least because it has some of the citys best budget boutique hotels. The Line is the brainchild of the Sydell Group, which brought us New Yorks NoMad and Londons big 2017 opening, The Ned. Inside, the look is all polished concrete and minimalist furniture. The crowd here is young, fun and always ready to party. Join them at the hotels Eighties-themed bar, which hosts raucous karaoke nights. Rooms from 190 (thelinehotel.com) The Hollywood Roosevelt Sidestep the Walk of Fame and head straight here. The quintessential Hollywood bolthole, opposite the hallowed TCL Chinese Theatre, has hosted everyone from Charlie Chaplin to the Jolie-Pitts. When youre done taking a dip in the David Hockney-painted pool, dry off with a cocktail in hand from the hotels famous Bar Tropicana (though sadly the drinks arent free). Of the 300 rooms on offer, the Cabana Suites, with their sleek mid-century aesthetic and palm-fringed views, are the big draw. Rooms from 190 (thehollywoodroosevelt.com) Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel is an LA institution. Immortalised in Pretty Woman and revived by the Four Seasons Hotel group, the Beverly Wilshire is famous for its upscale clientele and impeccable service. Feast like a king (or queen the hotel is a favourite with the British Royal Family) at Wolfgang Pucks CUT, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, or get the Hollywood glow at the hotels outstanding Natura Bisse spa. As for shopping, Rodeo Drive is but a block away. Missing it would be a big mistake. Huge. Rooms from 595 (fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire) Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling (Credit: LMK) / Supplied by LMK The Ace Hotel Downtown LA What was once a cultural wasteland is now home to a new generation of chefs, artists and fashion designers. The Ace, with its spartan rooms and hipster mod-cons, has been at the core of downtowns revival. Sink a sundowner on the rooftop (the menu is train-themed the fruity Wembley Central is our fave), or catch a show at the hotels historic art deco theatre, where the sexy French choreographer Benjamin Millepied (Black Swan, former artistic director of Paris Opera Ballet and Natalie Portmans husband) debuted his LA Dance Project last month. Rooms from 209 (acehotel.com/losangeles) Los Angeles Checklist 1. EAT: Catch on Melrose Avenue for seafood served till late. 2. DRINK: Tenants of The Trees in Silver Lake. The Weeknds a regular. 3. VISIT: Before Chiltern came Chateau Marmont, Andre Balazs original party palace. 4. SEE: The Griffith Observatory one of La La Lands scene-stealers. 5. SHOP: The Apartment by The Line, for aspirational lifestyle goods. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial ' If Spain was a bit of toast, you might want to cut the crust off, someone once said, alluding to the concrete build-up of the Spanish coastline from Barcelona to Cadiz. Inland, however, is a country that has changed surprisingly little, a vast landscape dotted with ravishing towns and villages that rarely see a tourist in summer, let alone at this time of year. Spanish winters are often colder than you might expect, but one of the joys of visiting now is the Spaniards innate understanding of cold weather comfort food, such as this richly fulfilling one-pot wonder: a stewy soup infused like so much of the Spanish south with warm, spicy Moroccan flavours. When the days seem to be getting bleaker and colder and the nights never-ending, this is a favourite mid-week supper for us, giving a gratifying hit of colour and exotic warmth. Pair with a glass of cold white the two really go hand in hand. Spanish spiced soup Ingredients (serves 4-6) 2 chorizo sausages (150g), diced 1 onion, diced 1 carrot, finely diced 1 celery stalk, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 bay leaves 2 tsp of chopped thyme 1 tsp of dried chilli 2 big tomatoes, diced 1 tsp of ground cumin tsp of ground of smoked paprika 1 glass of white wine 900ml of chicken stock 20 saffron strands Squirt of honey 5 cavolo nero stems, roughly shredded and chopped Half a courgette, diced thinly 1 tsp of finely chopped tarragon To garnish 2 tbsp of yoghurt 1 tsp of ground cumin 2 lemons zested, plus juice of half a lemon Half a red onion, very finely diced London's top foodie influencers 1 /14 London's top foodie influencers Click through the gallery to find out who London's top foodies influencers are 1. Clerkenwell Boy @clerkenwellboyec1 Followers: 146k 2.Giulia Mule @mondomuli Followers: 56k 3. James Thompson @food_feels Followers: 77k 4. Leyla Kazim @thecutlerychronicles Followers: 86k 5. Chris Fynes @wethefoodsnobs Followers: 15.5k 6. Throughly Modern Milly @millykr Followers: 6k 7. Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley @hemsleyhemsley Followers: 265k 8. Rosie Birkett @rosiefoodie Followers: 50k 9. Tun Sin Chang @tschang Followers: 101k 10. KS T @ks_ate_here Followers: 44k Method Put your diced chorizo into a pot with a little olive oil and slowly start to crisp. After a few minutes, add your onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay, thyme and dried chilli. Turn down the heat and cook slowly for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin and paprika, and turn up the heat again for five minutes then pour in the wine and stock, plus the saffron and a small squirt of honey. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat and cook for a further 20 minutes. Leave the cavolo nero, courgette and tarragon until last, then cook in the pot for a further five minutes. Taste for seasoning before serving with the garnish. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram A bbey Road Studios, St Johns Wood. Londons A-list, including Kate Moss, Orlando Bloom, Sadie Frost and Salma Hayek, are assembled to celebrate Stella McCartneys debut mens collection. Neneh Cherry is on the decks, pizza from Homeslice is being served and the tequila is flowing fast. Move over Skinny Bitch (aka vodka soda lime), so long champagne theres a new fashionable tipple in town. With just 50 to 70 calories per 35ml shot, gluten-free and made from the agave plant (source of the clean-eaters favourite, agave syrup), the Mexican speciality is fast establishing itself as the style sets drink du jour. At a recent Frame party to celebrate the cult labels collaboration with supermodel Lara Stone, guests sipped margaritas, while at the Golden Globes the likes of Casey Affleck, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling and Tom Hiddleston knocked back Casamigos, the tequila brand set up by George Clooney and Mr Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber. Jazzini shot glasses by Massimo Lunardon, 175, at conranshop.co.uk The South Kensington Club, meanwhile, has seen a spike in tequila cocktail sales which may, says wellness manager Kalista Badenhorst, be due to the agave in tequila being linked to lowering blood sugar and cholesterol. Tequila Cocktails, 38, at assouline.com But the real draw? Tequila is miraculously hangover-free. Pure, clear tequila is low in hangover-inducing congeners, though the tequila most people remember from their student days is mixto, containing only 51 per cent agave. The purest tequila is blanco or silver (100 per cent agave) choose this if you want to feel chipper the next day. No wonder Rosie Huntington-Whiteley recently claimed tequila was her shot of choice, and Pharrell Williams asks for it on his rider. Whoever it was that sang that song was right: tequila, it makes you happy. The best tequila in town 1 /9 The best tequila in town La capilla served at Oriole Inca cocktail served at Nightjar The Mayans gift at MNKY HSE Dona Celia Anejo, 97.50, at harveynichols.com Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Famillia Tequila, Extra Anejo, 96.9 KAH Day of the Dead Tequila Reposado, 90, at harveynichols.com Patron Silver, 45, at waitrose.com Recipe Almost Iberico Sourby Ryan Chetiyawardana from Dandelyan bar A version of the classic Iberico sour that doesnt need fancy distillates and lots of prep, so have a go at home. Ingredients 25ml Reposado tequila 25ml Mezcal (Iberico if possible) 25ml lemon juice 25ml egg white 10ml honey 5ml walnut liqueur 1 endive leaf Method Muddle the endive in the bottom of a shaker, add all other ingredients, shake without ice and then shake hard with cubed ice. Double strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a melon ball. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @EsMagOfficial E verybodys got their favourite while some never stray from Sauvignon Blanc, others swear by Pinot Grigio. However, it can be seriously refreshing to try a new white wine and, with expert Anne Jones guiding the way, you might just discover a new favourite. So step away from the familiar names, get out of your wine rut and branch out. Anna Jones' top tips... If you like Sauvignon Blanc If you like crisp fresh whites such as Sauvignon Blanc, try looking for whites that come from relatively cool areas. My top tips for Sauvignon drinkers include Albarino from northern Spain and Gruner Veltliner from Austria. If you like Pinot Grigio If you like Pinot Grigio, try English whites, which have some of the same elegant floral beauty. If you like Chardonnay Prefer richer styles of Chardonnay? Then go to a slightly warmer area of Spain and look for white Rioja, which tends to have some use of oak, like new world Chardonnays. Chenin Blanc is a real chameleon too, and when it's from a warm climate it will appeal to Chardonnay-lovers, and when it's from a cool climate, it leans more towards Sauvignon in style. and picks... Heinrich Hartl Rotgipfler Waitrose A fresh, distinctive Austrian white, with lemon and lime fruit flavours backed by a rich seam of ginger and white pepper. Aging on the lees for 5 months adds touches of richness and complexity. Buy it here, 17.99 Waitrose Vina Taboexa Albarino Waitrose Cellar Great value Albarino with all the characteristic floral and perfumed notes you would expect plus bags of fresh, zingy acidity. Buy it here, 7.99 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, Montlouis Les Dix Arpents Waitrose Cellar A superb example of fine Chenin Blanc from Montlouis made by one of the Loire's rising star producers. This is a full, intense white that retains a crisp purity and vivid citrus, melon and pear fruit. Buy it here, 17.99 Stopham Estate Pinot Blanc Waitrose Cellar Fairly full in body, with plenty of juicy fruit intensity, the wine is refreshing and long with a delicate citrus and stone fruit finish. Buy it here, 14.99 Waitrose Gavi Waitrose Cellar Zesty citrus fruit and lightly floral characters - fresh, with notes of melon. Steely acidity and underlying mineral characters with a touch of fennel and spice, an apple and pear bouquet, followed by vibrant finish. Buy it here, 7.99 Domaine Paul Blanck Auxerrois Vieilles Vignes Waitrose Cellar An arresting Auxerrois from a vineyard of old vines that produce low yields of very concentrated, flavourful grapes. Rich in flavour but appetisingly savoury and dry, this has great depth, minerality and freshness. Buy it here, 14.99 Malvira Roero Arneis Waitrose Cellar A classic example of the Arneis grape variety produced to the southeast of Turin. Vivid yet broad, this is one of the forgotten grapes of Italy - persuasive tropical fruit with minerality and fine, clean finish. Buy it here, 10.49 Puklavec & Friends Furmint Waitrose Cellar Delightful floral aromatics of white blossom & herbal notes, balanced with exotic citrus fruit flavours. Buy it here, 9.99 Waitrose Gruner Veltliner Waitrose Cellar This aromatic and fresh wine has delicate flavours of stone fruits with a slight hint of white pepper. Excellent served with Thai spiced dishes or grilled asparagus. Buy it here, 7.99 You'll often get better value out of wines that aren't as well known on a global level, thanks to the universal rules of supply and demand. These wines are also worth trying just in order to broaden your repertoire and learn some new varieties that you might love. Anne Jones is the Waitrose Category Manager for wines, beers and spirits. Follow us on Twitter @ESLifeandStyle T he super-rich are always on the hunt for the biggest and most ostentatious toys on the planet, and todays billionaires know that theres only one way to display your outrageous fortune : in the form of a superyacht. These pleasure vessels offer everything an ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI) would expect - on-deck swimming pools, helipads, VIP suites, a fleet of onboard staff and space to park their gold-plated Lamborghini too. And with the rich list on the rise, the superyacht elite is growing - Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Steven Spielberg are all part of the fabulously wealthy seafaring gang. The status symbols of the rich are leaving their parking spots outside Harrods and Harvey Nicks and heading for the water. Here are seven things to know about the superyacht elite. 1. The most expensive superyacht in the world is rumoured to cost 400m Believed to be owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the emir of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates, the Azzam launched a new round of one-upmanship among the worlds super-rich when it debuted in 2013. At 590ft, the boat is longer than 12 double-decker buses and requires a staff of 50 onboard to operate. It also features two swimming pools, two helipads, a hall, a cinema, a mini-submarine and even its own missile defence system. 2. To qualify as a superyacht your boat has to be longer than 24 meters To call yourself part of the elite your boat must measure longer than 24 metres at the waterline and it also needs to require a professional crew to operate. Shutterstock 3. Most millionaires buy them secondhand It sounds surprising, but the majority of owners buy superyachts buy used vessels. They purchase the secondhand via brokers, and then refit the interior to their tastes. Luxury yacht sales company Camper & Nicholsons reported that the global number of yachts of at least 30 metres currently sits at 4,476. Just last year alone, 268 superyachts were sold secondhand at a total cost of $2.68bn (2.18bn). Thats an average of $10m per boat. 4. Most superyachts are owned by Middle Easteners Most superyachts were owned by Americans and Europeans, but recently the Middle East has climbed its way to the top of the ladder. In fact, one-third of the 200 largest yachts in the world are owned by Middle Easterners. Trappings of the super-rich 1 /12 Trappings of the super-rich Supercars A Maserati GranTurismo Diamonds... ... are the super-rich's best friend Private Jets... ... are de rigeur for the wealthy Mansions... .... preferably in Mayfair Mountain retreats... ... like this one, Chalet Uberhaus in Lech Top designers on speed dial... ... like Chanel's Karl Lagerfeld Country retreats... ... like this Kate Moss-designed on in the Cotswolds Luxury watches... like this IWC Portuguese Moonphase watch Mulberry accessories... ... even for their pets 5. Yachts are the biggest luxury holding by billionaires Nope, its not their private jets, expensive art collection, jewelry, cars or antiques, though those things come in just slightly behind. Shutterstock 6. A superyacht discovered a WWII wreckage Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's superyacht Octopus has been credited with a rather astounding discovery. The on board superyacht crew spotted a WWII-era battleship off the coast of the Philippines, while sailing through the area. The ship had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, and was spotted by the team, inculding Allen. Turns out, the previously undiscovered wreckage was from a Japanese battleship believed to have been sunk in 1944. 7. You don't have to own one to take a ride on one The brilliant news for us mere mortals is that you don't have to have millions in the bank to take a trip on one of these floating palaces - but you will need several thousand. If you're rich, but not super rich, you can charter a superyacht for a week or so. Since owners spend only around a couple of months per year on their superyacht, many opt to charter them in order to cover some of the expensive maintenance and upkeep costs. Prices can vary from 20,000 to as much as 4 million for a week. Follow us on Twitter: @eslifeandstyle T he devil makes work for idle thumbs. Instead of twiddling them behind the Oval Office desk, President Trump has been busy tapping out tweets into the small hours. The Donalds thumbs his weapon of choice have been hard at work. Trump is declaring a thumb war. But what exactly is it with Donalds digits? Much like his oversized ties and whispy combover, Trumps trademark thumbs-up crouched, slightly crooked fits with his brand of casual politics. An erect thumb is a sign of male confidence, says Judi James, a body language expert. Tony Blair used to do it. Its an alpha stance. Its a firm, affirmative gesture, the physical manifestation of an exclamation mark. Its quickly been co-opted as a symbol. Trump defied protocol when summoning the Brexit-backing Nigel Farage to Trump Tower in November before picking up the phone to Theresa May, then he skipped convention when posing with Michael Gove after an interview for The Times in January. On both occasions, there were no handshakes just beaming grins and thumbs-ups all round. Much has been made of the Presidents digital arsenal (not the Facebook thumbs-up likes his social media team scored with viral Build the Wall memes, but his hands). The powers not at his fingertips, its with them. That LOL he does, two L-shaped pinches either side of his mouth, is a reinforcement gesture, says James. The message is that hes right and that no one should argue. But theyre also intrapersonal. Its as much about convincing himself that hes right as anything else. There are plenty more: palms out means cautionary, look out, we dont know whats going on here, according to body language expert Mary Civiello. Pointing is accusatory; slicing sideways with open palms signifies precision; wild gestures are for whipping people up. Trump is a New York City creature, and New Yorkers tend to use a lot of hand gestures. Hes entertaining even if you dont buy a thing hes saying, says Civiello. Donald Trump Inauguration Day - In pictures 1 /44 Donald Trump Inauguration Day - In pictures Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States AP US President Barack Obama (right) and First Lady Michelle Obama (left) welcome Preisdent-elect Donald Trump (second right) and his wife Melania to the White House in Washington Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama stands at right as first lady Michelle Obama hugs President-elect Donald Trump at the White House in Washington Evan Vucci/AP The presidential motorcade drives down Pennsylvania Ave towards the U.S. Capitol in Washington Joe Raedle/Getty Images Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves as she arrives with her husband former President Bill Clinton Rick Wilking/Reuters People gather on the National Mall prior to the inauguration Patrick Smith/Getty Images Donald Trump's children Ivanka Trump (L), Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr, and Eric Trump arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington lex Wong/Getty Images US President Barack Obama (right) and First Lady Michelle Obama (second left) welcome Preisdent-elect Donald Trump (left) and his wife Melania (second right) to the White House in Washington Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images Members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the seats on the West Front of the US Capitol several hours before Donald J. Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Vanessa Trump and Jared Kushner arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Drew Angerer/Getty Images Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Bryan Woolston/Reuters People begin to gfill in the National Mall a short time before Donald J. Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Supporters and protesters turn out for the Inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump in Washington Theo Wargo/Getty Images A man walks a dog in a Donald Trump costume carrying a doll depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin holding an US flag as they head to join a demonstration at the US embassy in central London Hayoung Jeon/EPA President Elect Donald Trump's children Barron Trump (L), Tiffany Trump and Eric Trump arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Joe Raedle/Getty Images President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet President-elect Donald Trump at the White House in Washington Evan Vucci/AP Former US President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter arrive for the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators march on the street near a security checkpoint inaugural entrance Jose Luis Magana/AP Former US Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne arrive at the US Capitol in Washington Saul Loeb/EPA Demonstrators chant near a security checkpoint entrance to the inauguration, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 in Washington, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration Jose Luis Magana/AP US Senator Ted Cruz arrives for the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Former US President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush arrive John Angelillo/EPA The statue of Civil War General and former US President Ulysses S. Grant faces the Washington Monument and the crowd gathering for the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Carlos Barria/Reuters A military helicopter lands at the US Capitol Rob Carr/AFP/Getty Images Protesters attack a man trying to pass at an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington Bryan Woolston/Reuters President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrives for a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington Alex Brandon/AP Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington Bryan Woolston/Reuters Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife Karen, arrives for a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington Alex Brandon/AP The sun begins to rise behind the Capitol dome several hours before Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office as the 45th President of the United States in Washington Andrew GombartAFP/Getty Images Protesters move toward an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Bryan Woolston/Reuters The early morning sun lights up the Washington Monument as people gather on the National Mall prior to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Protesters chain themselves to an entry point Bryan Woolston/Reuters US Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden leave the White House for the final time as the nation prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington Kevin Dietsch/EPA But it gets murkier. His thumb-pinching OK gesture which, incidentally, means f*** off in Russia, the equivalent of the middle finger accompanied his inauguration address at the Washington Monument. But it has been seized on by conspiracy theorists who claim Trumps hand signals are associated with the Illuminati, as the sign looks like the number six repeated to make 666 the devils sign. Its possible to play down the stature of Trumps hands on the world stage. One Twitter user said: Trump can shake a babys hand and it would be like a normal handshake. And James too thinks the thumbs-up posturing is making up for something. Its alpha, but its apeing alpha, she says. The way I see it is that hes been around real alphas and wants to look like one. That picture of his dad on his desk is telling. Thumbs up, arms spread its a way of puffing himself up and making himself seem bigger than he actually is. Still, Trump is the one with his finger on the nuclear button. Fittingly, the 100,000 people who joined the womens march in London last month protesting against Trumps inauguration, rallied in Trafalgar Square, at the foot of David Shrigleys giant thumb sculpture on the fourth plinth. Some anti-Trump protesters have dropped the thumb altogether. Lady Amelia Windsor, the 21-year-old royal, posted an Instagram illustration of three clenched fists, thumbs tucked away, with the words, Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here. A million years ago, our ancestors evolved opposable thumbs. But that doesnt mean theyre unopposable. Follow Samuel Fishwick on Twitter: @Fish_o_wick T he fully restored 4x4 which is currently up for sale at a top London classic car dealer originally belonged to former Formula One racing driver Duncan Hamilton, before being bought by ex-ITN chief foreign correspondent Michael Nicholson. Nicholson drove the Range Rover daily during a four-year South African posting for the TV station, after which he and his family decided to use it to return home overland on a five-month, 14,000-mile expedition from Johannesburg to Somerset. He then chronicled the trip in his novel Across the Limpopo. The route took the Nicholsons through Zambia and Tanzania to Dar es Salaam during which the cars chunky bull bars came in handy during a face-off with some angry bull elephants. Kenya, Sudan, Egypt, Greece and western Europe were also traversed in the epic journey back to the UK. Years in dry storage followed, and now the fully renovated 4x4 is on the market for an undisclosed if likely commanding sum. Vendor JD Classics says its the most desirable Range Rover currently on sale. The dealers Derek Hood explained: The classic Range Rover market is hugely popular, and this is a wonderful opportunity to own a very special part of it. From its Le Mans-winning racing owner to its incredible journey through Africa chronicled in a book and many photographs accompanying the car this example has perfect provenance. Follow Evening Standard Motors on Twitter and Facebook. In February 2009, the flamboyant founder of what is now a failed airliner wrote to his then CFO Ravi Nedungadi, insisting the government had assured full support to Kingfisher. By Rahul Kanwal: A top bureaucrat under the UPA government might have helped tycoon Vijay Mallya to secure bank loans for his ailing Kingfisher Airlines, reveal a series of emails written by the fugitive businessman and accessed exclusively by India Today. Amitabh Verma, a joint banking secretary, might have mediated between Mallya on the one hand and then Congress-led government and banks on the other to push for Kingfisher's bailout from potential collapse. advertisement In February 2009, the flamboyant founder of what is now a failed airliner wrote to his then CFO Ravi Nedungadi, insisting the government had assured full support to Kingfisher. A meeting with the then banking secretary and the chiefs of the SBI and PNB would be held the same month, he wrote. "I am pleased to inform you that following my presentation, the finance minister has approved, in principle, the comprehensive financial restructuring package requested," read Mallya's email dated Feb 18, 2009. "He has advised the chief economic advisor, in the presence of Mr Pawar and myself, that (the) government will support Kingfisher and he has convened a meeting with the secretary banking and the chairman of SBI and PNB on Feb 25 & 26 in Delhi." MALLYA OFFERED TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH FM In another note to Nedungadi, accessed by India Today, Mallya offered to speak directly with the finance minister regarding his company's request to the SBI for finances. "Urgently advise if you want me to speak to the finance minister regarding the detailed list of banks who have given us short-term loans. Alternatively, I could speak to him about our application to SBI for comprehensive refinance," he wrote. In his third email, the billionaire bragged about spending time with Amitabh Verma. He also claimed all public-sector banks had been ordered to approve a financial package for his Kingfisher Airlines. Also read: Budget 2017: Proposed law would allow confiscation of assets of offenders who fly the coop "I spent the evening with Amitabh Verma. He says that he can get all PSU banks to approve our package in seven days," read his note to A. Raghunathan, the CFO at the time. "It has been done before! I need an urgent note," Mallya asked. But Mallya's subsequent communication to Raghunathan reflected his frustration with the then CMD of the UCO Bank, S.K. Goel. "Raghu, my apprehensions were correct! Somehow from the beginning I have always suspected UCO and Goel," he wrote. "What is most annoying is that they have no respect for urgency -- despite the finance minister calling Goel on October 28 and specifically telling him that we had to meet urgent commitments on Oct 31." advertisement In another note, Mallya claimed Amitabh Verma had advised then Oriental Bank of Commerce executive director Rathnakar Hegde to lend Rs 200 crore to his company. "At the Kingfisher Calendar launch yesterday, Amitabh Verma (Joint Secretary, Banking) brought Rat(h)nakar Hegde (Executive Director, OBC Bank) to me and said that he has told OBC to give Kingfisher Rs 200 cr. Amitabh repeated (in Ratnakar's presence) that we should talk to him and put in an application for Rs 200 cr which would get approved," the email read. "Between both of you, please put in the application urgently." MALLYA SOUTH CHIDAMBARAM'S INTERVENTION In a letter in March 2013, Mallya sought then finance minister P Chidambaram's intervention in securing a loan from the State Bank of India. The bank had already rejected the UB Group's request, he said. "Mr Shyamal Acharya, Dy MD, SBI, clearly stated that SBI would not cooperate in any way with the UB Group. He refused the issue of an NOC to United Spirits Limited. Further, he stated he was not interested in any meeting. I seek your urgent and kind intervention in facilitating a meeting with SBI," read Mallya's letter to Chidambaram, dated March 21, 2013. advertisement Also read: Ex-PM Manmohan Singh helped Vijay Mallya's sinking Kingfisher Airlines get bank loans, alleges BJP A day later, Mallya emailed the UB Group's president, informing him that the SBI had finally approved fresh infusion of funds into his embattled company. After India Today aired the story about Mallya's emails, the BJP accused the Congress of helping Mallya escape the noose. Congress leader Chidambaram, the former finance minister, however, described such notes as a routine for governments to receive. ROUTINE WORK FOR GOVERNMENT "These are statements made by people who do not understand how the Prime Minister's office functions. On any given day, you get dozens of letters, dozens of representations. They are marked down to officers, departments concerned to take appropriate action. If the prime minister receives a letter from a businessman, saying that a policy change is required or some forbearance is required, he marks it down to his staff. It's not the prime minister who starts taking every letter or starts replying to every letter, in which event, he'll be doing nothing else but replying to a letter. The question is, has anyone in the govt done anything illegal?" asked P Chidambaram. advertisement Also read: Vijay Mallya: Kingfisher a 'public service', not a 'private toy' Meanwhile, senior lawyer Sujay Kantawala has said that such allegations could not be brushed aside and there should be investigations. "It is on record that the top officials of the country have used their persuasion for a meeting and after the meeting, further money is doled out to the already beleaguered airline. All these issues require investigation. Prima facie, this stinks of a rat, it cannot be just swept away by saying that a particular judgment can be applied and not be applied, because every judgment applies in the facts of each case," said Kantawala. Watch | E-mail expose: Who forced bankers to bail out Vijay Mallya? --- ENDS --- W itnesses described seeing a dramatic police chase on a south east London street today as armed officers hunted for a person with a gun. Four people were arrested in Lewisham after the car came to a halt on Bellingham Road. Photos and video from the scene show a black car and several police cars blocking the road leaving traffic unable to get through. Witness Lisa Peirce said on Facebook she saw police chase a car down Hazelbank Road and two suspects being handcuffed. Dramatic: Police detained four men on Bellingham Road at the junction with Longhill Road. (@999London Twitter) / 999London Twitter The Met Police told the Standard they were called at around 1.10pm on Thursday to reports of a person believed to have a suspected firearm. Road blocked: Traffic was unable to pass through Bellingham Road. / @999London Twitter Armed officers sped to the scene on Bellingham Road, at the junction with Penderry Rise and Longhill Road where they detained four men in connection with the incident. A spokesman for the Met said officers are continuing with enquiries There were no reports of any shots fired or any injuries, police said. F our police officers were rushed to hospital after being sprayed with petrol by a man they were attempting to rescue from a burning house. The officers were today praised for their bravery following the dangerous confrontation in Walthamstow. The Met said police were called to a house in Hartington Road at 4.40pm yesterday after concerns for the welfare of the man inside. As they attempted to speak to him through a window, the spotted smoke and flames coming from a fire which had been started inside. The officers smashed down the door and found the 39-year-old occupant armed with a knife and bottle of accelerant which he proceeded to squirt at them, Scotland Yard said. The man was tasered and arrested on suspicion of arson with intent and GBH with intent. He was today being questioned in custody after being given a check-up in hospital. The four officers discharged from hospital last night after being treated for the effects of smoke inhalation. Inspector Jonathan Hinder of Waltham Forest police said: These officers showed great bravery to force entry into this property and bring a dangerous situation to a quick and successful conclusion. Without their swift actions, this incident could have had far more serious consequences and it once again demonstrates the dangers officers face as they carry out their daily duties. P olice have launched an appeal after a man was knifed during a fight in south London. A man, in his 30s, was stabbed in the stomach and wrist, in Thornton Heath on January 18. Metropolitan Police officers and paramedics from London Ambulance Service rushed to Parchmore Road just before 11pm following the incident. Detectives believe the victim, who has since been discharged from a south London hospital, was injured during an altercation. Police are now hunting a black man, in his 20s, described as around 5ft 7ins tall. He was said to have been wearing dark clothing at the time of the stabbing and was with by a black woman, also in her 20s and wearing dark clothes. Scotland Yard are appealing for witnesses to come forward. A spokesman said: The stabbing occurred on a main road and despite the late hour there is a possibility that were a number of people who could have witnessed the events leading up to the stabbing or the incident itself. No arrests have been made and enquires continue. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Croydon CID on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. A millionaires son who mowed down and killed a child actor and his aunt while fleeing from police is facing a severe prison term today after admitting manslaughter. Joshua Dobby, 23, crashed into 10-year-old Makayah McDermott and his aunt Rozanne Cooper, 35, as they walked to the park in Penge, south east London in August last year. He lost control of the Ford Focus which had been stolen a week earlier, ploughing into the family in Lennard Road before striking a tree. Makayah and Ms Cooper died from their injuries, while the boys twin sisters, Niyah and Yahla, 13, and cousin Eva, 8, were also injured in the crash. At the Old Bailey this afternoon, Dobby admitted two counts of manslaughter, having already pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving over injuries to Yahla. Joshua Dobby, 23, admitted manslaughter He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving over a police chase four days earlier, when he had careered through Kent roads while evading a police car in hot pursuit. Dobby managed to avoid being captured during that pursuit and stayed free for four more days until tragically killing Makayah and Ms Cooper. Investigation: The smashed car in Penge / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, the Common Serjeant of London, warned him: The defendant will be under no illusions that whatever form it take, he will have to serve a long sentence of imprisonment for such grave offences as these. Prosecutor Anthony Orchard QC told the court Dobby was on licence from an 18-week prison sentence for handling stolen goods at the time of the crash, and has an April 2010 conviction for aggravated vehicle taking which ended in a crash. Makayah McDermott was killed when a stolen car mounted the pavement and hit him At sentencing on March 10, Judge Hilliard will consider whether Dobby was on drugs at the time of the crash and assess if he should be given a life sentence under dangerousness guidelines. Mr Orchard said there was a hint in a letter Dobby sent to his girlfriend that drugs were involved, but he said toxicology tests proved inconclusive. At the moment, the prosecution is unable to say whether the defendant was under the influence of drugs, only that he was using previously, he said. Rozanne Cooper, the aunt of the children, also died / Facebook At sentencing, prosecutors will play footage from police dash cams as officers chased Dobby in both incidents, showing him speeding the wrong way along roads, swerving violently, and narrowly missing other pedestrians. Following the deaths, relatives and friends paid tribute to Ms Cooper and Makayah, who had just earned his big break as a child actor in a production of the Wizard of Oz. He, along with his sisters and cousin, were all talented actors and models, having appeared in magazine shoots, TV commercials, and on book covers. Aerial footage of the Penge crash Makayah himself had starred in an advert for Asda and was auditioning for the lead role in a TV series when he died. It also emerged that Dobby is the estranged son of millionaire Mark Dobby, who lives in a 2.7m house in Kent and runs a pet food wholesale company as well as an investments company and a property lettings agency. His barrister, Tyrone Smith QC, told the court: The defendant has been advised to expect a severe sentence. Dobby, who is of no fixed address, wore a black t-shirt and a chain around his neck as he appeared in court via videolink from prison this afternoon to enter guilty pleas. He was remanded in custody until sentencing. A n intoxicated teenager yelled Heil Hitler while pelting a group of Orthodox Jews with gas canisters in an anti-Semitic attack in north London. Patrick Delaney, 19, hurled abuse at a group of Jewish shoppers including a 13-year-old boy - as he drove past them in a van outside a Tottenham Hale retail park last January. He repeatedly shouted Hitler at a mum and her son before continuing the Nazi-related racist tirade with yells of Hitler is coming at two Jewish men. It is the second time Delaney, of Coggeshall in Essex, has been convicted of racial abuse after yelling tandoori and naan at someone in a swimming pool in 2012. He sobbed as he was jailed for six months at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday. His defence barrister claimed he bombarded the group after falling out with his girlfriend. Victim Chaya Stern and her son took shelter in a nearby supermarket - too afraid to leave and face their persecutor, the court heard. Prosecutor Lee Sergent said: "Mrs Stern said she tried to stay strong for her son but as they passed the van, some gas canisters were thrown through the van window at them. This incident has brought back bad memories and left me with a shocked feeling inside. "I know it will take time to get over it. We didn't do anything to these men, we didn't agitate or argue with them, we were just in fact people who wanted to go shopping." Passing sentence, Judge John Dodd QC told the defendant: "Your conduct was simply disgraceful, any civilised society cannot allow for such conduct to be tolerated or to be considered in any sense acceptable." He added: "We must show, all of us, compassion towards each other and even if you do not agree with the lifestyles of others, you must tolerate them, you didn't." Delaney of Twin Oaks Caravan Park, Coggeshall, Essex, admitted one count of religiously aggravated harassment in December. Barry Gilbert, defending, said of last year's incident: "He had fallen out with his girlfriend and he got very depressed about it." He added: "The use of nitrous oxide was to put his woes behind him for a bit." "As Mr Delaney is from a traveller background he has been the victim of similar abuse, it is appalling behaviour, it is disgusting," he added. Rabbi Herschel Gluck, president of London's Jewish Neighbourhood Watch group, Stamford Hill Shomrim, said the case was dealt with "extremely well" and extended compassion towards Delaney. He said: "One sees that everyone is taking this very seriously and everyone understands the sensitivity of this matter vis-a-vis the Jewish community. "I feel in general that a message has to go out that this type of behaviour is totally beyond the pale. On a personal level, I do feel for him. I feel that his family background is such that I have compassion. "I have worked over the years for the Roma community, the traveller and gypsy communities and I have a lot of compassion for them. I know the difficulties they face in society but, at the same time, this type of behaviour shouldn't be tolerated. "I think [there is] a general attitude in the country of being hostile to minorities, of not understanding the idea of tolerance, the idea of living in a society with people of different backgrounds and cultures. I think this needs to be dealt with in a constructive, positive manner." A career criminal who has the words Not Guilty tattooed on his arm has been jailed for 16 months after admitting beating up a woman over a 20 debt. Damian Sumer, 32, punched Maria Thorn in the face and then kicked her in the head as she lay on the ground when she could not pay back cash she had borrowed. Police revealed Sumers distinctive inking on his right arm when he went on the run shortly after the attack, on September 14 last year. At the Old Bailey today, Judge Anthony Morris QC branded Sumer a bully after hearing he has a catalogue of previous convictions for assaulting police officers, robbery, and burglary. She must have been terrified by what you did to her, he said. I am satisfied you are a bully and you have a short fuse these offences occurred as a result of you losing your temper. The judge said Sumer has a terrible criminal record, including three lengthy stints behind bars for burglaries, and many of his crimes were carried out to feed his drug habit. Sumer attacked Ms Thorn at her mothers house in Kings Road, Teddington, the day after she had borrowed 20 from him. When she could not pay back the money, he became agitated and then lashed out when Ms Thorn objected to him smoking a cigarette in the house. She fled after the attack and cowered in her teenage sons bedroom, the court heard. Sumer, formerly of Trimmer Road, Brentford, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the first day of his trial. He will serve half the 16 month sentence before being released, but has already been held for 129 days while awaiting trial. T wo women are among four senior officers who have made it to the shortlist to be the next Met Police Commissioner. Cressida Dick, who holds a senior position in the Foreign Office, and Sara Thornton, who heads the National Police Chiefs Council, are in the running for the 270,648 post. Ms Dick, 56, a former UK counter terrorism chief at the Met, is thought to be the frontrunner for the job and would become the forces first female commissioner in its 187 year history. This time Mayor Sadiq Khan will play a greater role in the selection of the candidate to succeed Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe who steps down at the end of the month. Shortlisted: Sara Thornton / Steve Parsons/PA He and Home Secretary Amber Rudd will share a final panel to quiz the final two candidates in the next few weeks. He has already met the shortlisted four. The Home Secretary will make the final choice. Assistant Commissioner: Mark Rowley / Jonathan Brady/PA Wire The other candidates are Met assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, the current head of UK counter terrorism, and Stephen Kavanagh, the chief constable of Essex. The Home Office has refused to confirm or give details of the candidates in a process which has been criticised for its secrecy. Shortlisted: Stephen Kavanagh Rory Geoghegan, director of the Centre for Public Safety, has called for an open system giving Londoners the opportunity to grill the candidates in a public forum. The new Met chief will face pressure from the Mayor to push through diversity in the ranks while facing the need to make further 400 million budget cuts. T he woman who was sexually exploited by multiple men in Rotherham from the age of 11 and made pregnant when she was 12 has told a court: "I feel my child was the product of pure evil." There were chaotic and emotional scenes at Sheffield Crown Court after two of six men jailed for sex offences relating to the woman and another victim shouted "Allahu Akbar" - translated as "God is greater" - as they were led from the dock. As their supporters began shouting down into the packed courtroom, one of the victims shouted back "justice is served" as police moved into the public gallery. Both victims had watched as Basharat Dad was jailed for 20 years and five other men, including two of Dad's brothers, were given prison sentences of more than 10 years for offences against the women between 1999 and 2001. The girl's pregnancy at the age of 12 made headlines in 2001 when she was portrayed as one of Britain's youngest ever mothers. Although five men were arrested, there were no prosecutions at the time after the victim told police she could not say which of a number of men she had had sex with was the father. But Judge Sarah Wright told the court that DNA analysis on defendant Amjad Ali has shown "that it was 60 million times more likely that you were responsible for her pregnancy rather than an unknown male". Judge Wright said Ali was not one of the five men named by the girl in 2001. She told him: "I have no hesitation in finding that you had sexual intercourse with her when she was heavily under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs such that she was unable to remember you." The victim, in an impact statement read to the court, said: "There's evil and truly evil people in the world. I feel my child was the product of pure evil." The woman, who listened as prosecutor Sophie Drake read out her words, said: "I was drawn into a world of fear, rape and horrific abuse. "I lost my childhood at the hands of those men." She described how she was shunned by many in her community who called her worse things than "dirty, cheap slag". She said: "No-one understood. No-one wanted to understand. I felt lost, isolated, trapped, ashamed and completely worthless. I was completely owned by these dirty old men who would do with me whatever then wanted, whenever they wanted." Judge Wright paid tribute to the woman, saying: "As a result of what happened to her, her childhood and adolescence was taken from her. "She remarkably transformed her life from thereon, putting her own child first. Hers is a tale of the most astonishing dedication and bravery." The court heard how the girl was plied with alcohol and drugs from the age of 11 when she began being sexually exploited by a number of men. The sentencing marks the end of a series of three major trials after Professor Alexis Jay's shocking report on child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Rotherham described how more than 1,400 children had been groomed, trafficked and raped in the town over a 16-year period. The three trials - based around two unrelated families and their associates - have resulted in 18 people being jailed for sentences totalling more than 280 years and are the last following South Yorkshire Police investigations. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has taken over all historic Rotherham CSE investigations with a team of more than 100 working on more than a dozen inquiries. Last year, the NCA said it had engaged with 133 victims and survivors but investigators were confident that Prof Jay was right when she said the total was around 1,400. Basharat Dad, 32, was found guilty of six counts of rape, five of indecent assault and one of false imprisonment and jailed for 20 years. Nasar Dad, 36, was found guilty of one count of rape, inciting indecency with a child and false imprisonment and jailed for 14 years and six months. Tayab Dad, 34, was found guilty of rape and jailed for 10 years. Matloob Hussain, 42, was found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and jailed for 13 years. Mohammed Sadiq, 40, was also found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and jailed for 13 years. Amjad Ali, 38, pleaded guilty last year to sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 and was jailed for 11 years. T he family of a mother of two who died six weeks after being diagnosed with the deadliest type of brain tumour will today launch a 1 million campaign to help save others. Sue Blasottas death six years ago at the age of 42 leaving children Sasha, now 19, and Daniel, 17 inspired her father David Taylor to set up the charity In Sues Name to continue her legacy of raising money for cancer research. Mr Taylor and Sasha, who gave birth to a daughter recently, decided to partner the charity Brain Tumour Research with a pledge to raise 1 million to fund studies at Queen Mary University of London into glioblastoma multiforme, the tumour that killed Mrs Blasotta. Mr Taylor, of Winchmore Hill, said she had faced death with amazing courage, adding: Her most worrying thought was how her family would cope when she had gone. She said, I have got the easy job as I am going to die and you have got the hard job, carrying on without me. Sue Blasotta with her two children Daniel and Sasha Blasotta / Nigel Howard He set up In Sues Name in 2014 to counter the lack of awareness of brain tumours and shortage of research cash. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer but the disease receives one per cent of the national spend on cancer research. Mrs Blasotta, who was married and worked for Reed recruitment consultancy and latterly as a school administrator, had done five sponsored runs for Cancer Research UK and a charity skydive after several family members were diagnosed with cancer. When she was being treated at the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, two other members of her Catholic parish in Palmers Green were also there due to brain tumours. One died aged 34, the other aged 42. Battled with cancer: Sue Blasotta / Nigel Howard She had gone to see her GP after being unable to hold a cup of tea passed to her in the school canteen. An MRI scan found lesions in the brain, later diagnosed as a stage four brain tumour. She died on January 8, 2011. Mr Taylor hopes the work of In Sues Name will help Sasha and Daniel to understand how much their mother was loved. Galvanized by the fact that treatments for brain tumour patients remain so limited, we are pledging to raise 1 million over the next 10 years to fund vital research, he said. We hope that this will lead to more effective treatments for brain tumour patients and ultimately a cure. It costs 1 million a year to fund research at the universitys centre of excellence, one of four supported by Brain Tumour Research. In the UK 16,000 people a year are diagnosed with brain tumours. One in five survives beyond five years. BTRs chief executive Sue Farrington Smith said the partnership with In Sues Name will lead to better outcomes for patients from improved awareness for earlier diagnosis to the development of more effective, personalised treatments and targeted drugs. She added: Through the funds generated, we will be able to significantly fast-track progress towards finding a cure for brain tumours. A policeman who drowned in the sea was a dedicated and popular officer whose death had been felt by his whole force, friends and colleagues said today. Steven Williams, 29, a British Transport Police officer based in Finsbury Park, was pulled from the sea in Brighton in the early hours of Monday. A major rescue operation was launched involving lifeboats, coastguards, fire crews, police, paramedics and a helicopter after a woman saw Mr Williams enter the water near Kings Road Arches and raised the alarm. He was pulled from the sea at 1.40am and paramedics tried to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead 20 minutes later at Royal Sussex County Hospital. Family and colleagues today paid tribute to Mr Williams, who had been in the pan-London response team for two years after being in the RAF. Friend Lauren Grey has set up an online fundraising page in his memory which today had raised more than 4,200 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. She said Mr Williams was one of the most caring and most generous people she had ever met. She added: Steven was always a big fan of the RNLI and donated to them himself. They hold a place very close to his heart, mine and all his family. She said the emergency services were truly amazing and did all they could to save Mr Williamss life. In a statement, Williamss family said: It is with deep regret that we as a family were informed that our beloved son Steven Williams died following a tragic accident at Brighton in the early hours of Monday morning. Steven will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues and always loved. Colleague Starbuck Coleman, who described the incident as an unfortunate accident, said: He was a very dedicated police officer who loved doing what he was doing. He was very enthusiastic, was always put up for calls and was someone who you wanted to see arrive at a scene. He was a very professional police officer and he was a pleasure to work with. He was a real character and everyone knew who he was. He talked about his time in the RAF a lot and he really enjoyed being a police officer. Another colleague said: He was known for being a real character. Its been a total shock to all of us. Sussex Police are not treating the death as suspicious. A post-mortem examination will be carried out for the East Sussex coroner before an inquest. Paul Crowther, chief constable of the BTP, said: He will be terribly missed by his colleagues and friends here. His death, even for those who didnt know him personally, will be felt across the force. To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Laurenandstevie Actors Dhanush, Sivakarthikeyan and Rana Daggubati took to Twitter and heaped praise on Thala Ajith Kumar. By India Today Web Desk: After keeping the fans with bated breaths, the makers of Vivegam have officially released the first look poster from the film. ALSO READ: Samantha to be brand ambassador of Telangana handlooms ALSO READ: Ilayathalapathy Vijay to romance Kajal, Samantha, Jyothika in his next ALSO READ: Has SS Rajamouli's Baahubali 2 earned Rs 500 cr even before release? advertisement Needless to say, Ajith Kumar is back with a bang sending his fans into a tizzy. While Ajith's chiselled physique is doing the rounds online, actors Dhanush, Simbu, Rana Daggubati and Sivakarthikeyan took to Twitter and lauded the Yennai Arindhaal star. Wow wow wow!! Outstanding! This is motivational this is inspirational! Really such phenomenal dedication! Ajit Sir you are truly a rockstar! pic.twitter.com/uY4FoCvoso Rana Daggubati (@RanaDaggubati) February 2, 2017 Hmmmm...naan appave sonnen..Thala na Thala dhaan..my George Clooney is now my Hugh Jackman. .watte transformation..loving it..?????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/Hm0yfmjNvE khushbusundar (@khushsundar) February 2, 2017 When a star puts in that extra effort eventhough fans r happy just to see him on screen..mania happens!??? #Vivegam ??? pic.twitter.com/U97EMBAnze Balaji Mohan (@directormbalaji) February 1, 2017 "BElieve in YOUrself"???To work thro all that pain & achieve this is Amazing!Wishing #Ajith sir & @directorsiva a hattrick with #Vivegam ! pic.twitter.com/YYNrTi59HA Vikram Prabhu (@iamVikramPrabhu) February 2, 2017 Titled Vivegam, the film will see Ajith Kumar as an Interpol officer, who is in charge of a crime in Chennai that leads him to different parts of the world. Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi has been roped in to lock horns with Ajith. He also went on the record saying that Ajith Kumar is the one and only superstar and that he's very excited to work with him. Kajal Aggarwal will be playing the leading lady in the film. Directed by Siva, the film is expected to release in the second half of this year. Vivegam has music by Anirudh Ravichander, who is collaborating with Ajith Kumar for the second time after the commercial success of Vedalam. --- ENDS --- L ondon has seen a huge rise in anti-Semitic hate crime, new figures show. Amid a record rise across the UK, there were 813 incidents of hate crime reported against London's Jewish communities last year, an increase of 65 per cent. There were also 205 in Manchester, which has the second largest population of Jewish people in the UK. More than three-quarters of 1,309 incidents recorded nationwide during last year - a 36 per cent increase on 2015 - took place in Greater London and Greater Manchester. A report by the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which monitors anti-Semitism, indicates that the Jewish community was targeted at a rate of more than three times a day last year across the UK. The total number of incidents surpasses the previous highest annual tally of 1,182 in 2014, and includes 107 violent anti-Semitic assaults, the highest number since 2010. There were also 65 incidents of damage and desecration to Jewish property and 1,006 incidents of abusive behaviour, including verbal abuse, graffiti and on social media. There is no obvious single cause for the record total last year, according to the CST, which has recorded the data since 1984. It is thought to be the result of a series of factors that include allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, a perceived increase in racism and xenophobia following the EU referendum and regular high-profile discussion of anti-Semitism, racism and hate crime, according to the study. The report said: "Rather than a single, sudden trigger event causing the 2016 record total, the high number of recorded anti-Semitic incidents is probably due to the cumulative effect of a series of events and factors that, taken together, have created an atmosphere in which the number of incidents recorded by CST has remained high over a sustained period of time." In 2016, anti-Semitic incidents were spread uniformly throughout most of the year, the report found. It said the most common single type of incident involved verbal abuse randomly directed at visibly Jewish people in public. CST chief executive David Delew said: "Whilst Jewish life in this country remains overwhelmingly positive, this heightened level of anti-Semitism is deeply worrying and it appears to be getting worse. "Worst of all is that, for various reasons, some people clearly feel more confident to express their anti-Semitism publicly than they did in the past." The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: This significant rise in deplorable hate crimes against Jewish Londoners is shocking and deeply concerning. Any type of anti-Semitic offence is unacceptable in our city. We need to send the message far and wide that anti-Semitism can never be justified and well act to stamp out it out whenever it rears its ugly head. I have adopted a strict zero-tolerance approach to anti-Semitism and all hate crime. I want our police officers to have the resources and training they need to investigate hate crime fully, including online abuse, and to ensure we have neighbourhood police teams that understand and reflect the communities they serve. We have increased the number of dedicated neighbourhood police officers across the capital and are setting up a new team of specialist police officers to investigate online hate crimes. This is a key part of my pledge to put victims at the heart of our policing plan in London. Home Secretary Amber Rudd described anti-Semitism as a "deplorable form of hatred" and said the Government is providing 13.4 million to protect Jewish sites. She said: "It is vital we ensure the safety and security of our Jewish community and this Government will continue to do all we can to stamp out these vile attacks." Labour's Deputy Leader Tom Watson said the findings of the report are "extremely distressing", adding: "We must root out anti-Semitism whenever it takes place and wherever it exists, as a party and as a country." A mbulance crews rushed to Stratford on Wednesday night after a man was struck by a car outside the West Ham game. The pedestrian was hit by a driver as he walked across Great Eastern Road outside Stratford station after the match against Man City. Police rushed to the area at 10.07pm and the man was being treated by paramedics at the scene. Video footage shows London Ambulance crews crowded around the pedestrian as the driver of the car sat nearby. Pedestrian: The man was crossing the road when he was hit / Michael Clarke Pictures showed the windscreen of the car smashed completely on one side. Police said they were called to "a collision between a male pedestrian and a car" Accident: Paramedics were treating the man at the scene / Michael Clarke A spokesman added: "The driver stopped at the scene. We do not yet know details of the man's injuries." A Ukip MEP has challenged Seb Dance to a public debate after the London MEP ridiculed Nigel Farage with a sign reading hes lying to you. Mr Dance said on Thursday he had no regrets for holding up the handwritten sign while Nigel Farage was speaking in the EU Parliament chamber. The incident was broadcast live on BBC News as Mr Farage delivered a speech about Donald Trump and his border crackdown. But Roehampton-born Mr Dance, who was elected to represent London in the EU Parliament in 2014, has now been challenged to a public head-to-head debate by UKIP MEP William Dartmouth. 'He's lying to you': The sign held up Londoner Seb Dance in the EU Parliament on Wednesday. / BBC News Mr Dartmouth, the Ukip MEP for the South West of England, sent an email to the whole of the European Parliament on Thursday. Head-to-head: William Dartmouth MEP has challenged Seb Dance to a public debate. / PA Archive/PA Images "There is only one side that has lied in this debate - it is not Nigel Farage, Mr Dartmouths email read. Labour MP and MEPs have consistently lied about the UK's access to the Single Market on BREXIT. I am formally challenging Seb Dance to a public debate. Otherwise it is clear that he is only capable of making FALSE ACCUSATIONS." M uslim leaders have issued a rallying cry for Londoners to come together to reject unjust policies pursued by Donald Trump. Members of the capitals Muslim community have backed a demonstration due to take place outside the US embassy in Mayfair on Saturday. It follows a march on Monday which saw tens of thousands of demonstrators bring Whitehall to a standstill. Mr Trumps executive order has stopped all immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia - for 90 days with an indefinite ban for Syrian refugees. Speaking at a press conference at the London Muslim Centre, Dilowar Hussein Khan, executive director of the East London Mosque, said Mr Trump is damaging the whole fabric of society and needs to be resisted. He said: This Muslim travel ban is completely unjust; it is discriminatory particularly for this time and age when we believe in a multicultural society. Dilowar Hussein Khan, left, speaks at the London Muslim centre ahead of this weekend's protest We believe in equality and I think what he is doing is damaging the whole social fabric of our society. Whats going to happen is a lot of people are going to take inspiration from him, especially those who hate Muslims and hate foreigners, and if we dont stop this we will see a rise in far right politics. I think its time all of us get together and make this demo a success. Mr Khan pointed out that during his campaign Donald Trump claimed that there were parts of London so radicalised that police officers feared for their lives. Thousands of protesters march to Downing Street in Trump rally 1 /48 Thousands of protesters march to Downing Street in Trump rally Caricatures: Unflattering pictures of the UK and US leaders. AFP/Getty Images 'No to racism': Protesters outside Downing Street. AFP/Getty Images Demo: Crowds packed out Whitehall to Parliament Square. PA Thousands: Westminster police tweeted this photo. MPS Westminster 'One nationality': Many signs carried pro immigration messages. REUTERS Dogs against Trump: One protester takes a break at the Westminster rally. REUTERS Speaker: Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti speaking to the crowd. Getty Images 'Full of garbage': A sign in Downing Street. Getty Images Prime Minister: Many banners carried messages targeting Theresa May, Getty Images 'Dump Trump': The signs carried personal attacks on the US President. Getty Images No Trump: Protesters chant and march. Getty Images Never again: Some posters looked back to the past. AFP/Getty Images Packed: Many protesters remarked at the amount of people. AFP/Getty Images Standstill: Buses had to divert because of the crowds. PA Anger: People demonstrate during a protest at Downing Street in central London. PA Crowds: Hordes of people took to the streets. Getty Images Anti-Trump: Thousands of people have slammed the President's policy. Getty Images Messages for May: Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside Downing Street. Getty Images 'Never again': Demonstrators march along Downing Street. Getty Images 'Muslim ban': Londoners marched with placards with messages for the PM. Getty Images NO: The anti-Trump rally spilled onto the road. Getty Images Humour: A sign drawing on a Mary Poppins pun. Caroline Lee Chants: The crowds were heard chanting 'shame on May'. Getty Images Welcome refugees: Protesters on Monday evening. PA Landmark: The iconic London eye seen in the background. PA 'Dangerous': One of the anti-Trump protesters. Lydia Ruffles Anti-Trump: Signs carried harsh words for the US leader. Emma Gibson Blocked: Protesters said Whitehall was brought to a standstill. Garry Knight 'Resist': A sign in Whitehall. Spectrum SINO Radio 'Bridges not walls': Many of the banners carried pro-globalization messages. Jessica Voorsanger Rally: The first crowds forming at the protest, which began at 6pm. Garry Knight United: Stop the War Coalition joined the protest. PA Gathered: People listened to speakers who fired up the crowd. Getty Images We stand together: Among the figures who were expected to attend were Lily Allen and Ed Miliband. Getty Images March: Some of the protesters holding placards. Getty Images Together: People of all ages joined in the rally. Getty Images Mr Trump was blasted by the Met Police for his comments, who said he could not be more wrong. Mr Khan added: We showed him there are no no go areas, in fact, there were no go areas for Muslims and people of other faiths and colour in the past, in the 70s and 80s. I couldnt go to certain areas of Tower Hamlets and I used to get attacked by the National Front and the BNP. Now we have moved on, but I think what President Trump is doing is he wants to take us back to those days of racism and hatred. Azad Ali, Head of Community Development & Engagement at MEND, added: We here in the UK are in a state of shock, were dumbfounded, we just cant believe how bad the situation is and we really need to wake up, we really need to see what is really taking place because we are sleep walking into, who knows, genocide. Bosnia didnt happen overnight, what happened in Nazi Germany didnt happen overnight. We should not allow this fascism to go unchallenged. R eports of the death of London nightlife have been greatly exaggerated. India Rose James, granddaughter of legendary pornographer and Soho property owner Paul Raymond, tells The Londoner that her plans to reopen the iconic nightclub Madame JoJos are gaining momentum. Im looking around it next week, now that the space has been dug, James told us last night. We plan to open in about 18 months. Madame JoJos entertained nightcrawlers with burlesque and bands during more than 50 years on Brewer Street but closed in 2014 when its licence was controversially revoked. James always intended a comeback and said work is now starting in earnest. She was adamant that Madame Jojos stays in the family. My grandfather first opened it so I thought I should be the one to do it, she said. I was like, We own the branding and everything, so why not? Thats my childhood, Im going to take it on. Her vision is classic. Its going to be just like it used to be but with some changes. Round the corner, her sister Fawn will open a theatre, to be called the Boulevard. It will have a revolving stage for comedy, music, variety and plays. Paul Raymond, the self-styled King of Soho, was among Britains richest men through his nightclub and porn empire. He died in 2008 but India Rose is keeping the legacy alive: last night she hosted the private view of a photography exhibition celebrating Raymonds life, at Greek Streets Soho Revue. James has a long history with Madame JoJos. Ive been going there since I was 14, she said. I used to sneak in there without ID, off the books. They let me in I was looked after, lets just say. All hail the Princess of Soho. ----- Even Labour job adverts are volatile. Last week shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Rachael Maskell called for a political adviser to work out post-EU strategy. Maskell, elected for York Central in the last election, was drafted into the front bench in the post-Brexit reshuffle.But winds change fast. Maskell quit the shadow cabinet yesterday to vote against Article 50. Pity the bushy-tailed politicos who applied for the job. US judge drank in Chancellors charm A farewell to Alexander Chancellor, who died last week at the age of 77, in this weeks Spectator. The magazine, which Chancellor edited between 1975 and 1984, includes a tribute from High Life columinst Taki and a charming recollection from Conservative peer Matt Ridley. Alexander was once prosecuted for driving while many times over the limit in (I think) Alabama, Ridley recalls. His lawyer tried the long-shot argument that, as a naive Brit, he felt unable to refuse his hosts hospitality. It worked. The judge promptly halted the trial and apologised profusely on behalf of America. Londoner's Diary: Wine prize for Baroness Trumpington at the Boisdale Cheers for the girl with a lonely earring Dave Benett/Getty Images Porter magazine held a congratulatory soiree at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery last night in honour of its new CEO Yana Peel, who has replaced Dame Julia Peyton-Jones. But the night didnt stop there: the crowd later descended on Marks Club for drinks and a candlelit supper, where guests included Net-a-Porters Alison Loehnis, Samantha Cameron and Newsnights Kirsty Wark, who hosted a Q&A with Peel. Im still trying to convince my staff that CEO stands for Chief Eternal Optimist, Peel said with a smile. What The Londoner really wanted to know was why Peel was wearing only one diamond earring. Im saving up for the other one, she joked. Nothing to wine about at Boisdale Dave Benett/Getty Images Boisdale Life magazine, edited by Harry Owen, held its maiden Editors Lunch in its Belgravia flagship yesterday with Stanley Johnson and Nancy DellOlio among the usual suspects, dining on langoustine and fine meats. A proper lunch needs no excuse but host and proprietor Ranald Macdonald came up with one as he used the break before the cheese course to hand out the Libertarian of the Year Awards. Tom Parker Bowles, who was unable to attend, was up for the food and drink columnist of the year award but lost out to William Sitwell. It was a fix, I would have won if Id been there, Tom joked to William in a text later on. Jonathan Young won the lifestyle columnist of the year award while it was a special occasion for Baroness Trumpington who got a magnum of 2003 Rothschild Limoux as her comment of the year award for her 2015 article If I ruled the world. Just what I need, the sprightly 94-year-old cheered as she received her prize. More wine! Thank youfor inviting me and honouring me at these wonderful awards, a fine idea to have such freedom of speech celebrated when so many people feel silenced. ----- Arts and fashion mag The Collective, created by designer Osman Yousefzada and featuring contributions from playwright Polly Stenham and gallerist Hans Ulrich Obrist, launched its new issue at the grand Mayfair home of art collector Fatima Maleki last night, co-hosted by Stenham and with guests like queen of vintage Virginia Bates and Tank fashion director Caroline Issa trading Vogue editor theories. The person who owns this house has some serious prescriptions, said one guest on seeing a cabinet full of pills on the wall. Darling, thats a Damien Hirst, her pal pointed out. Helen sizes up the men Getty Images DAME Helen Mirren is across the pond helping her husband, director Taylor Hackford, publicise his new film The Comedian. Starring Robert De Niro as a veteran comic, it was an apt choice for the couple, who previously owned a comedy club in New Orleans. Mirren still has a gift for humour. Speaking at a screening of the film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, she offered a joke. You know why women cant park cars? she said, raising her hands and holding them a few centimetres apart. Its because theyve always been told thats nine inches. Cue giggles from the women and embarrassed blushes from the men. When I was growing up, the mantra was, women are not funny, Mirren added. Of course, women are funny! Its just that they werent allowed in. ----- Bean ban of the day: hack Nick Cohen complained that Guardian HQ has closed its lentil and salad bar. One tweeter pea-shot back: Guardian hacks lose last claim to have their fingers on the pulses ... Follow The Londoner on Twitter and Facebook here C ommunities Secretary Sajid Javid today announced a 140 million growth package for London to help create jobs and boost firms and local economies. The funding will support local high streets, unlock sites for small builders and community-led housing groups, and help launch an air quality improvement project. Mr Javid said it came on top of almost 300 million already put into growth projects in the capital. Together with the new cash this could see 8,000 jobs created or safeguarded, 5,400 homes built and 350 million extra invested, he claimed. Mr Javid, speaking at a new hub for creative start-ups in Elephant and Castle, said: The Government is devolving powers and resources directly from Whitehall to local people who know their areas best. That is why were giving 141 million of new money to London to give businesses the support and opportunities they need to achieve their potential. This is on top of 294 million already awarded. Today I have seen for myself what this investment can bring, giving our entrepreneurs a head start with this creative enterprise hub. Some of the new cash will go to Mayor Sadiq Khans Skills for Londoners programme, which helps colleges skill up the workforce including at a construction academy and to supporting ex-offenders. A crowdfunding project, open to local community groups and social enterprises that want to regenerate their area, aims to help create more affordable workspaces. Cash will also go to a commercial boiler scrappage scheme and businesses will get help to reduce pollution caused by their operations. Mr Khan said: This funding will help us tear down some of the barriers that are holding back economic growth in the capital, and make our city more competitive. A n MP was caught by a mic muttering suicide as the House of Commons overwhelmingly backed the Government's Brexit bill. The legislation paves the way for the formal Brexit process to begin under Article 50, and was backed by a majority of 384 MPs on Wednesday night. But one male MP, clearly unimpressed by the outcome, voiced his disapproval with a single damning word. Just before the House of Commons broke out into a chorus of hoorays, a lone voice was clearly picked up by the microphone saying suicide. Announcement: MPs stand for the results of a vote on Theresa May's Brexit bill / PA There were 114 MPs who voted against the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, many of whom opting to vote in line with their heavily Remain-backing constituencies. Jeremy Corbyn was unable to contain a revolt on his frontbench that saw two shadow cabinet ministers quit and 47 MPs vote against the Bill. Shadow environment secretary and York Central MP Rachael Maskell and shadow equalities minister and Brent Central MP Dawn Butler both defied a three-line whip so they could vote in line with their heavily Remain-backing constituencies. Former chancellor Ken Clarke was the only Conservative to vote against the legislation. Social media has been rife with debate over which MP was behind the pessimistic prediction. Former Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg, Tory MP Ken Clarke and Labour MP for Ealing North Steve Pound are some of the names which have been suggested. Theresa Mays Brexit plan will be laid bare today for the first time when the government publishes its white paper. Legislation to allow PM to start formal Brexit talks clears first Commons hurdle MPs are set to spend the day poring over the bill after backing it by 498 to 114 in a vote on Wednesday night. The bill, which sets out the governments strategy for triggering Article 50 and beginning the process of leaving the EU, will face major scrutiny before it becomes law. Hundreds of amendments have already been tabled for next weeks House of Commons debate, with Labour vowing to force through alterations. Downing Street said the white paper would "reflect the Government's plan for Brexit as the PM set out in her speech on our negotiating objectives". L ondon MEP Seb Dance today said he had no regrets for holding up a sign behind Nigel Farages back with the message: Hes lying to you. Speaking after images of the cheeky sign held aloft in the European Parliamwent went viral, he said: Mainstream politics must be more willing to challenge the nationalists and the populists. When debates are time-limited it is impossible to challenge what hes saying, so I protested in the only way I knew how at that point." Labour MPs used Twitter to congratulate him for the stunt. Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry posted: Love @SebDance 'He's lying to you': The sign held up Londoner Seb Dance in the EU Parliament on Wednesday. / BBC News Mary Creagh tweeted: @SebDance you are a legend!!! Stella Creasy said: Good on @SebDance for calling out Nigel Farage for his use of alternative facts. While Ukip politicians branded Mr Dances behaviour as pathetic. Seb Dance has been praised by Labour MPs after holding his sign. / PA Archive/PA Images West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge tweeted: Disgusting behaviour by labour Mep Holding defamatory sign up behind Nigel Farage as he spoke today. Pathetic and cowardly If the British Labour Party want to start making signs to display while people are talking I've got a few for them let's start with sell out. Mr Farage was visibly fired-up as he delivered a speech to the parliament on Wednesday during a debate on US border controls. Wearing a Trump pin badge on his lapel, Mr Farage accused EU leaders of "anti-Americanism" as he defended the US president's controversial travel ban which sparked mass protests. L abour lost its overall majority on a major London borough today as a councillor defected to the Liberal Democrats over Europe. Tower Hamlets councillor Andrew Cregan revealed his decision exclusively to the Evening Standard and said Jeremy Corbyns decision to support the Government on triggering Article 50 had been the last straw. It is a blow to John Biggs, the Labour executive mayor who won control of the strife-torn borough in 2015 after disgraced Lutfur Rahman was removed from office. The balance of power now swings from a 24-22 Labour majority to no overall control. I have been passionately pro-European as long as I can remember but, after a three-line whip for Brexit, I cannot see Labour any longer as an unambiguously pro-Europe party, said Mr Cregan who chairs the Pensions Committee. That is not something I can agree with. It strikes at the very essence of why I got involved in politics. Mr Cregan, 33, said he had the greatest respect for his Labour colleagues on the council and said would support them in votes where it is due. But he criticised Mr Corbyns leadership, particularly on Europe and said he was dismayed by what is going on at grassroots level in the party. By contrast, he said, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron offered a clear lead against Brexit. The Liberal Democrats are fighting for Britain to remain an open, tolerant and united nation in Europe, he said. Senior Lib Dems were delighted to have a toe-hold on Tower Hamlets. Chris Maines, chair of London Liberal Democrats, said: Thousands of former Labour members and supporters across London have joined the Liberal Democrats over the past few months. They will help us provide the real opposition to this Conservative Brexit government, which does not represent the majority, and a Labour party getting in line behind Theresa May and pushing for a hard Brexit. Tower Hamlets was largely a Labour stronghold until 2010 when there was a takeover by Mr Rahmans controversial community based group. A controversial human rights lawyer who brought murder and torture claims against British Iraq War veterans has been struck off. Solicitor Phil Shiner claimed in 2008 that the British Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians during a battle four years previously. But he has now had 12 charges of misconduct found proved against him by a panel of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal - five of which for dishonesty. Mr Shiner, who worked for the now-defunct Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), previously admitted nine allegations of acting without integrity. This included making "unsolicited direct approaches" to potential clients. He did not attend the hearing, having written to the tribunal to say he was unwell and could not afford to pay for a defence lawyer. The tribunal heard in December the lawyer accepted he would be struck off the roll of solicitors as a result of the case, thought to be one of the most expensive ever brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Phil Shiner was accused of drumming up false abuse claims against British soldiers in Iraq / PA Nicola Lucking, chairwoman of the panel, said: "We have come to the conclusion the appropriate sanction is a strike off." The hearing finished earlier than expected as a result of Mr Shiner's absence and Andrew Tabachnik, representing the SRA, accused him of being "in a state of avoidance" to prevent proceedings from going ahead in full. The tribunal heard the effects of his involvement on British military personnel in "cold-calling" the family members of alleged Iraqi victims. Army Colonel James Coote, who was a major stationed in Basra, said the false claims made against British troops at the Battle of Danny Boy in 2004 had been "extremely stressful and demoralising". Mr Shiner had admitted acting recklessly by claiming at a press conference in February 2008 that the British Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians during the Iraq War battle. Mr Shiner agreed to pay Abu Jamal, named only as "Z" in SRA papers, thousands of pounds for referrals in the Al Sweady enquiry, which is prohibited. As a team leader at PIL, Mr Shiner authorised and procured payments and fee-sharing agreements with the agent between 2007 and 2010. One of those payments was for 25,000 on March 30 2009, which he admitted but had denied related to a publicly funded case as the SRA alleged. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) The voluntary retirement plea of BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, whose post on social media about sub-standard food triggered a controversy, has been rejected on grounds that a Court of Inquiry on his allegations is pending as also disciplinary charges against him. The move by the Border Security Force (BSF) has not been seen kindly by Yadavs family which alleged that the trooper was being "threatened and tortured mentally". advertisement Rejecting Yadavs Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) plea, BSF said it has been "cancelled pending the Court of Inquiry (CoI) and finalisation of its recommendations". "Cancellation of VRS was communicated to constable Yadav on January 30 evening only," BSF said in a statement while making it clear that he "has not been arrested" as alleged by the family. Yadavs wife claimed that her husband had called her this morning and claimed that he was being threatened and harassed and that he has been put under arrest. Officials in the force said as per the laid down procedure under a CoI, all witnesses in a case are questioned by the probe team till the investigation is completed even as the trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline on various counts and hence in such a case the privilege of granting a VRS to an employee is disallowed. A video shot by Yadav had surfaced last month in which he complained about the quality of food and after it had gone viral, it triggered a flurry of reactions with the PMO also seeking a detailed factual report on it from the Union Home Ministry and BSF. The ministry had informed PMO that BSF has maintained that there was no shortage of rations at any post and that security the personnel deployed along the borders never complained about food. The border guarding force had also came out with fresh guidelines for maintaining high quality of food for its personnel after the video went viral. Yadav, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle in the video, claimed that while the government procures essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers "sell these off" in an "illegal" manner in the market and the personnel have to suffer. He had also posted other videos in which he claimed that the quality of food served was not good. In the wake of its jawans taking to social media to air their grievances, BSF has also directed its special snoop teams to check on the morale of the jawans and the force even as it said instances of complaints being voiced via the social media were being dealt with "strictly". PTI NES SKL TIR SC TIR --- ENDS --- advertisement D onald Trump has sparked a war of words with Arnold Schwarzenegger after he offered a prayer for the stars television ratings on Celebrity Apprentice. The US President branded the Terminator star at a disaster during the National Prayer Breakfast in front of business, political and faith leaders. Speaking at the Hilton Hotel, Mr Trump offered a prayer to the former Governor of California who replaced him on the show after he pulled out to run his presidential campaign. He said: They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger to take my place, and we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. It's been a total disaster. And Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings." Mr Schwarzenegger was quick to fire back a response as he offered to switch jobs with Mr Trump so people can finally sleep comfortably again. More than 3,000 people were expected to attend the annual National Prayer Breakfast which brings together politicians with figures from the business and religious community. The gathering, convened on the first Thursday in February, has always included the American head of state. A speech by controversial journalist Milo Yiannopoulos was cancelled after a university campus was set alight amid an angry protests over the event. Hundreds of protesters joined a demonstration at UC Berkeley in California ahead of the planned speech by the outspoken Donald Trump supporter and Breitbart journalist. Police threw smoke bombs and fired fake bullets into crowds amid violent scenes at the university on Wednesday night. The 32-year-old Brits speech was cancelled over fears for students safety as the university was put on lockdown. A tweet from the establishments Twitter account read: 'Milo event cancelled. Shelter in place if on campus. All campus buildings on lockdown. #miloatcal." Furious protesters: Crowds descended on the university in Berkley / EPA Dramatic images showed huge flames rising from the campus as masked protestors stormed through the crowd and knocked down barricades. Protesters were pictured smashing windows of local shops and scrawling graffiti, which read kill Trump at a nearby bank. Trump supporter: A speech by Milo Yiannopoulos sparked violent scenes / Drew Angerer/Getty Images Breitbart editor Yiannopoulos wrote on Facebook that he and his team were safe after being evacuated from campus. He said: I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building. Strong words: Vandals scrawled graffiti on nearby buildings / REUTERS My team and I are safe. But the event has been cancelled. I'll let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. Huge flames: Protesters set fire to the campus / AP He also claimed that a Trump supporter wearing a Make American Great Again hat was assaulted and kicked while on the ground, according to local news site SF Gate. Controversial figure: Milo Yiannopoulos was evacuated from the building / Jeremy Papasso/Daily Camera via AP American police said at least six people had been injured during clash. A statement from University of California at Berkeley read: The violence was instigated by a group of about 150 masked agitators who came onto campus and interrupted an otherwise non-violent protest. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence and unlawful behaviour that was on display and deeply regret that those tactics will now overshadow the efforts to engage in legitimate and lawful protest against the performer's presence and perspectives. G iven everything thats happening in the news at the moment, youd be forgiven for wanting to pack up and move away to some remote location away from the rest of the world. But while it sounds ideal at times, what is it like in reality? Thats what Jimmy Doherty is attempting to find out in his new Channel 4 show Escape to the Wild. Doherty has his own experiences of moving out into the middle of nowhere, having ditched the rat race for a simple life in the British countryside. Channel 4 But in his new show he meets people who have taken things several steps further in their pursuit of a quiet, beautiful life. In Episode 1 he meets Simon and Sophie, who went travelling in Indonesia and ended up buying a beach and 11 acres of jungle land there. Now theyre building a family life for themselves in the wild, with one baby and another on the way. When we came here and we found this place, we just said weve got to make it work, says Simon. The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 1 /13 The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 Doctor Who The classic sci-fi show got a new lease of life with new companion Bill Potts BBC Line of Duty The BBC's acclaimed crime drama moved up to BBC One with more twists than ever before World Productions / BBC / Aidan Monaghan Broadchurch Chris Chibnall's mystery drama came to a close with a compelling final series ITV The Moorside Sheridan Smith puts in a stellar performance as she returns to TV in the BBC's Shannon Matthews drama Stuart Wood/ITV/BBC Apple Tree Yard Emily Watson starred in the BBC's gripping psychological thriller BBC/Kudos/Nick Briggs Fortitude, Series 2 Sky Atlantic's original Nordic noir-inspired chiller is back for more bloody mysteries Sky Atlantic Sherlock, Series 4 Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Holmes and Watson in the BBC's mega hit PA Taboo Tom Hardy's dark thriller is unlike any period drama you've seen before FX Networks No Offence, Series 2 Paul Abbott's comedy-drama continues to walk a tonal tightrope with total ease Channel 4/Ian Derry The Voice A move to ITV has given singing contest The Voice a new lease of life ITV Sophie adds: We bought a beach and built this place, and it was all a big adventure for us. It truly is a remote home the pair have a boat which is their lifeline. They have no local amenities, while theyve had to create their own electricity and plumbing systems. It all sounds like a lot of faff but when they spot a load of dolphins from their boat, youre reminded of the upsides. Lets face it: unless youre a bit mad, youll probably never do this. But if youre looking for a bit of sunny escapism in the gloomy winter, Escape to the Wild will have you dreaming of a new life. Channel 4, 9pm O ne day, about five years ago, Malachi Kirbys mother handed him a DVD boxset. She wanted me to watch it. I didnt know why, shes never done that with anything else before, or to this day. The DVD was Roots, the seismic 1977 TV saga about the lives of several generations of enslaved African Americans, descending from Kunta Kinte (the young Kunta was played by LeVar Burton, later known to Star Trek fans as Geordi La Forge). At that point in his life Kirby, like many young Britons, had some awareness of the transatlantic slave trade but had never really studied it. It blew my mind, he says of that first viewing experience. It affected me in such a way that I still struggle to articulate it. Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte in Roots / BBC He didnt know it then, but three years later a 25-year-old Kirby would be boarding a plane to New Orleans to begin production on an updated reimagining of the same story, this time produced by LeVar Burton and Mark Wolper, son of the original Roots producer David L. Wolper. In a cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, Matthew Goode, James Purefoy and Anika Noni Rose, the young, London-born actor had been cast as the lead, Kunta Kinte. The new Roots comes to BBC Four next Wednesday and has already been lauded by US audiences and critics, after first airing there last summer. Kirbys performance was singled out for particular praise, yet even before that American embrace, he felt a strong sense that this story was his story too. My last name is a direct result of [slavery], he says. I dont really know where to tell you Im from. I was born in London, my parents was born in London. Grandparents, as far as I know, Jamaican. I dont know my history past my grandparents. There arent any pictures of them, I dont know their names. Kirby learnt a bit more about his heritage when, as part of the promotion for the series, he and some other cast members were invited to take a DNA test. It told me what Id guessed before, which is that 75 per cent of my DNA is West African, 21 per cent South Asian and then theres various other parts. He grins: Its really cheesy but basically Roots got me to find out my own roots. Roots - trailer - History channel You wouldnt guess it from Kirbys spot-on American accent in the latest series of Black Mirror but he honed his craft appearing in the usual proving grounds of British telly; Casualty, Silent Witness, The Bill. In 2012, he played convicted murderer Danny McLean in My Murder, a BBC3 docu-drama about the 2008 killing of Shakilus Townsend. Townsend was played by Star Wars John Boyega, an old friend of Kirbys from their days as students at East Londons Identity School of Acting. In 2014, Kirbys stint on EastEnders playing Nancy Carters fiance coincided with Danny Dyers introduction to the soap. Kirby got on well with his co-star: He loved to laugh, cracking jokes all the time, and also I got a sense like he really looks out for people, yknow? Hes cool. BBC/A+E Stage roles offered the chance to experiment and earned Kirby a 2011 nomination for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards but until recently the screen parts he was offered were limited to drug-dealers and gang-members: I remember there was a point when I got into conversation with a casting director before an audition. We just had a bit of a chat and she was like, Oh my gosh, youre so lovely? Why are you playing a gang member?! Then she stopped casting me as them, basically, and started opening opportunities for other roles I guess my headshot looked like a gang leader. 'There was a period when I had apple pie as a treat every day of the week. It's not an obsession, it's love' Its easy to imagine how that conversation might have gone, because in person Kirby is indeed unfailingly lovely and remarkably polite. When we meet, the first thing he does is apologise for the bad weather outside. Hes always had this peaceable temperament, he says. On the Battersea estate where he grew up, some of the other kids got into trouble, stealing mopeds and blowing them up just silly things, but Kirby was more likely to be found in his room reading Artemis Fowl, Philip Pullman, the Harry Potters and Lord of The Rings Pretty much most of my books were fantasy or writing his own stories about far-off lands and make-believe worlds. Malachi Kirby - Roots He converted to Christianity a few years ago and these days his greatest vice seems to be an intense appreciation for apple pie: Its not an obsession, its love; theres a difference, he says, firmly. There was a period when I had apple pie as a treat every day of the week. I mean, like, a family apple pie. This is why I say love, because apple pie is the one thing I can eat and never get fat off. Even when hes kidding around, Kirby has a kind of self-possession which, on screen, translates into that elusive quality presence. He credits his inner-calm to spending lots of time in his own company, as an only child, but also to the influence of his mother, who became a single parent after Kirbys father died when he was six. The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 1 /13 The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 Doctor Who The classic sci-fi show got a new lease of life with new companion Bill Potts BBC Line of Duty The BBC's acclaimed crime drama moved up to BBC One with more twists than ever before World Productions / BBC / Aidan Monaghan Broadchurch Chris Chibnall's mystery drama came to a close with a compelling final series ITV The Moorside Sheridan Smith puts in a stellar performance as she returns to TV in the BBC's Shannon Matthews drama Stuart Wood/ITV/BBC Apple Tree Yard Emily Watson starred in the BBC's gripping psychological thriller BBC/Kudos/Nick Briggs Fortitude, Series 2 Sky Atlantic's original Nordic noir-inspired chiller is back for more bloody mysteries Sky Atlantic Sherlock, Series 4 Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Holmes and Watson in the BBC's mega hit PA Taboo Tom Hardy's dark thriller is unlike any period drama you've seen before FX Networks No Offence, Series 2 Paul Abbott's comedy-drama continues to walk a tonal tightrope with total ease Channel 4/Ian Derry The Voice A move to ITV has given singing contest The Voice a new lease of life ITV He left a big impact on me in that short space of time, a good impact, but it was my mum pretty much who raised me. It must be incredible for her to see him now, her son, starring as a character she introduced him to, in a show which clearly meant so much to her? My mum is interesting, he laughs. So, like, shes very expressive and loving but even if she does get excited about any of my achievements, she wont show it Theres something about her that wants to keep me humble. BBC/A+E Kirby has inherited this sangfroid, in that he insists hes never been star-struck and can conceive of no situation in which he would be: If I met the person who invented apple pie, maybe. Unlike many in his profession, he was never in it for the attention. Kirby grew up as the shy kid. Even around my family, I hardly spoke. I was very reserved. Now he uses this innate introversion to his advantage. It makes life more exciting because, now its a challenge every time I speak and its given him a natural facility for method acting: I wasnt a performer, so if I was to act I needed to be that person. If you asked Malachi to perform, Id just go back to shy guy. In a few days Kirby is off to Los Angeles to meet with his management but there are no specific plans and no anxiety about the vista of unscheduled time opening up before him. What will he do next? Thats the thing, I do. Like, I just do I dont see myself as an actor. Its something I do sometimes. I meet up with people and enjoy spending time with them. I live and things happen and I just do and I keep doing. Follow Ellen E Jones on Twitter: @MsEllenEJones Roots start on BBC4 on Wednesday February 8 at 9pm By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Feb 2 (PTI) The work on the long-awaited 1,680 km Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline will begin in Pakistan this month, a senior Pakistani official has said. Leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India performed the ground-breaking of the project in December 2015. The project would help ease energy deficiency in South Asia. advertisement The Express Tribune reported that the Tapi Company, having the mandate to run the pipeline, has awarded the project management consultant (PMC) contract to German firm ILF. Pakistans Inter State Gas Systems Managing Director Mobin Saulat told the daily that the consultant is ready to conduct route survey, detailed engineering and feasibility study this month. "A team from Turkmenistan will reach Islamabad on February 14 to begin work on the route survey, engineering and feasibility study to implement the TAPI pipeline project," he said. The team will first start work in Pakistan and then it will proceed to Afghanistan. "Pipeline construction and gas-field development has started in Turkmenistan and we appreciate efforts of Turkmenistan authorities to expedite the project," said Saulat. He said Pakistan had reiterated its firm commitment and continued to provide full support for the TAPI pipeline. Efforts to achieve financial closure were going on and the project would be commissioned as per schedule, he said. Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have already signed a USD 10-billion investment agreement for the TAPI pipeline in a bid to kick off activities, update feasibility study and finalise pipeline route in Afghanistan. According to the agreement, Turkmenistan will invest around USD 25 billion to deliver 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) to energy-hungry Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Of the total, USD 15 billion will be invested in developing the gas field whereas USD 10 billion will be poured into laying the pipeline over 1,680 km connecting Afghanistan, Pakistan and India with Turkmenistan. Officials said a consortium of Japanese companies was working on a fast-track basis to develop the gas field in Turkmenistan. A gas sale and purchase agreement had already been inked in 2013 to set the pricing mechanism under which the gas price at Turkmenistan border would be around 20 per cent cheaper than the price of Brent crude. Pakistan and India will receive 1.325 bcfd of gas each while Afghanistan would get 500 mmcfd. PTI SH ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- advertisement World Congress of Families XI, The Budapest Family Summit, to be Held in Hungary, May 24-28, 2017 Hungarian Government Delegation to Attend Feb. 2nd National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC Contact: Larry Jacobs, Managing Director, World Congress of Families, 815-997-7106, ljacobs@profam.org WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- The World Congress of Families (WCF) is proud to announce that World Congress of Families XI will take place in Budapest, Hungary, May 24-28, 2017. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Hungary has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most family-friendly countries in Europe. WCF Managing Director Larry Jacobs observed: "World Congress of Families is excited about our Budapest Congress and all of the exciting events during the 5 days of the Budapest Family Summit. Budapest is a beautiful, historic city and Hungary has demonstrated its strategic leadership as an advocate for the natural family in Europe. We believe that this Congress will strengthen our existing international network and help launch a new global pro-family alliance of countries dedicated to defending marriage, the family and the sanctity of human life. This new declaration and alliance, the Budapest Covenant, will be unveiled at WCF XI. The local organizing committee of WCF XI is led by Mrs. Katalin Novak, Hungary's Secretary of State for Youth, Family and International Affairs under the government's Ministry of Human Resources headed by Hungarian Cabinet Minister, Zoltan Balog. As a further demonstration of Hungary's commitment to family and faith, Minister Balog will lead a government delegation from Hungary that includes embassy officials and key members of the Hungarian Parliament that will attend tomorrow's National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. The Theme of World Congress of Families XI, Budapest Family Summit, is: Building Family-Friendly Nations: Making Families Strong Again. Most sessions will take place at the Budapest Congress Center with 3,000 delegates and attendees expected. Special sessions at WCF XI will include a Global Forum for Youth and Emerging Leaders, A Global Forum for Business Leaders, Political Leaders. The Budapest Family Summit will open with the Budapest Demographic Forum and will conclude on Sunday, May 28th with a World Congress of Families "Viva Familia" Family Festival and Parade starting at Lajos Kossuth Square. Prime Minister Victor Orban, Zoltan Balog, Katlin Novak, WCF Founder Allan Carlson and WCF President Brian Brown are expected to address the thousands of pro-family advocates gathered in the streets of Budapest to celebrate the natural family. The parade will be led by WCF, Hungarian state representatives, representatives of public organizations, families, children, and young people in traditional folk costumes. The assemblage will march with flags, signs and balloons to the Basilica where participants will receive blessings and release the balloons with a cry of "Viva Familia!" Hungary's leadership in defense of family, life, and Christianity is well known in Europe. The adoption of key provisions in the Hungarian Constitution in 2011 defining marriage between a man and a woman and protecting human life from conception to natural death have made the Orban government the hero of pro-family and pro-life leaders from all over the world. Hungary's leadership is fully committed to family friendly governance and has recently launched a new national motto, "Hungary, the Family Friendly Country." The first World Congress of Families was held in Prague in 1997, two years after WCF was founded by Dr. Allan Carlson following a trip to Moscow, Russia. Subsequent Congresses have been held in Geneva (1999), Mexico City (2004), Warsaw (2007), Amsterdam (2009), Madrid (2012), Sydney (2013), Salt Lake City (2015) and Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia (2016). Each Congress is unique, with its own theme to celebrate the Natural Family and discuss challenges facing families today, at the national, regional and international levels. WCF delegates affirm the Natural Family as the fundamental and sustainable unit of society and affirm the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), including Article 16, which states that "the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state." WCF also recognizes the sanctity and dignity of every human person from conception to natural death. Delegates at WCF include a wide range of leaders, activists, scholars, researchers, clergy, politicians, business executives, professionals, parents, and youth. The World Congress of Families maintains a network of leaders from more than 80 countries around the world who have helped inspire and coordinate the international pro-family movement. World Congress of Families is a project of the International Organization for the Family (IOF) which unites and equips leaders worldwide to promote the natural family. IOF has recently launched the Cape Town Declaration, where supporters of marriage and family are invited to stand up and sign this Universal Declaration for the Family and Marriage: opusf.co/2hwBhRg. More information is available at www.profam.org and www.worldcongress.org. Protecting taxpayers and crafting fiscally responsible budgets have been a hallmark of Nebraska Governors for decades. Each legislative session, the Governor of Nebraska presents budget recommendations to the Appropriations Committee for consideration, and works with State Senators to balance the state budget. As your Governor the last two years, I have collaborated with the Legislature to cut the rate of growth in government and build a culture in state agencies that respects the taxpayer through more effective and more efficient state government. With a downturn in state revenues, I have made cutting government spending and balancing the state budget without raising taxes my top priority in the current legislative session. To address the downturn in revenues, I have worked with my state agencies to constrain spending, and have recommended adjustments to the current years budget as well as a new two-year budget. Four principles guided my work on these budgets this year. First, the budgets do not raise taxes. Second, the budgets are balanced. Third, the budgets reduce government spending. Fourth and finally, we targeted keeping a healthy cash reserve, also known as the states rainy day fund. Its only a few weeks into the session, and our work on balancing this years budget is quickly progressing. Last week, the Appropriations Committee led by Chairman John Stinner advanced cuts to the current years budget for consideration by the full Legislature. It is important to make these adjustments to the Fiscal Year 2017 budget, because they will serve as the basis for the next two-year budget. At the time I made recommendations to the Appropriations Committee, I urged the committee members to advance the adjustments for consideration by the full Legislature by the first week in February. Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Stinner and the committee for their quick action! Addressing the current years budget is just the first step. The Appropriations Committee will now turn to consideration of my recommendations on the next two-year budget. My budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2017-2019 prioritize four key principles. First, it includes $440 million in direct property tax relief, including $40 million in targeted property tax relief for agriculture. Second, it increases funding for K-12 education by $90.3 million for a total of $2.05 billion in funding, a historic high. Third, this budget proposal continues Corrections reform with investments in security equipment and facilities to protect public safety. Fourth, it protects critical services in Health and Human Services, and funds requests to upgrade technology to improve services. Before I took office, the budget was growing at a rate of 6.5 percent a year. In the last two years, we slowed budget growth to about 3.6 percent annually, and my new proposal cuts the rate of growth even further. Overall, this budget has a nearly flat growth rate of 1.7 percent. Bringing the rate of growth in the budget down is important because we are required to balance the budget now, and it will create the opportunity to provide tax relief in the future. As we have worked through cutting budgets with state agencies and organizations that received funding from your tax dollars, I have called upon everyone to participate. In the Governors Office, we have constrained spending, and are operating with three fewer team membersa 13 percent reduction from a year ago. There are three groups in particular that I would like to highlight for their efforts to constrain spending. The Nebraska Tourism Commission testified in front of the Appropriations Committee, saying they were supporting our efforts by the Legislature to cut state spending. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission also recently committed to working with the Legislature and me to manage budget reductions. Additionally, the Nebraska Association of Resource Districts released a policy statement from their members stating they are willing to accept our fair share of reduction in funding for natural resource programs to balance the budget. Thanks to the Tourism Commission, Game and Parks, and the Resource Districts for supporting our efforts to cut spending and respect Nebraska taxpayers! As the Appropriations Committee moves to consideration of the next two-year budget, I urge them to keep the focus on constraining spending and balancing the budget without raising taxes. This work is not easy. Special interests and lobbyists continue to push back on efforts to cut state spending. As senators work on these budgets, they are listening. You can find contact information for your senator by visiting www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. You are also welcome to contact my office by calling 402-471-2244 or emailing pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov. With one hand holding a bottle of champagne and the other an oversized certificate declaring him the winner of $1 million from Publishers Clearing House, Bruce Saunders stood on the front porch of his western Davie County Monday and rattled off a list of things he plans spend his spend money on medical bills, fixing his lawnmower and helping family members. 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He brings this wonderful combination of humility, hospitality and insight to conversations that matter in education." -Bernard Bull "Attracting over 10,000 information professionals each year from all around the world to discuss trends and interests in the Library 2.0 Virtual Conference series would not be possible without Steves highly focused organizational skills, his creative thinking, his ability to connect people, and his infectious and motivating enjoyment for the work." -Dr. Sandy Hirsh, Director of the San Jose State University School of Information and Co-Chair of the Library 2.0 Conferences "The depth of your observations from last night is still resonating with me. I'm trying to think of another interview I've given where the questioner understood the material so well that he/she so regularly (and fluidly) went into new intellectual territory. I can't think of any. Pretty amazing. Thank you." -David Shenk "Steve is one of the most influential yet understated individuals in the world of Education. He gives thought leaders a widely attended global platform to voice their ideas to transform Education, and he does so with tremendous respect and intelligence." -Charles Fadel "Steve conducted the most in-depth interview I've ever been through and I enjoyed it to boot!" -Doc Searls "Steve is the Oprah of education." -Monika Hardy's Students "Steve is the 'white knight' of education reform." -Michelle Cordy "The nicest guy in ed tech." -Rushton Hurley "Steve is a national treasure." -Leonard Waks "Steve Hargadon is one of the most important change-makers of our time!" -Connie Weber "Steve is a connector. He is a bridge. He is a lifeline. He takes the lead. He gets things done. Quite simply, Steve Hargadon is a humble, kind, unsung hero who makes a difference in the lives of educators worldwide." -Joyce Valenza "Steve is a forge! The heat of the conversations he instigates and the amazing thinkers he interviews for The Future of Education, soften the metal of some of my most valued visions and reshape them into ideas that are better that excite me that make it hard for me to sleep. If we succeed in hacking education into something that is, once again, relevant, we will owe more to Steve Hargadon than we will ever know." -David Warlick "Steve Hargadon may be the most expert person in the country when it comes to organizing virtual events. It was fun to see how organizing a complex event with many speakers is properly done. If you havent had a chance to see him in action, I recommend attending any one of the upcoming Library 2.0 conferences. I dont expect that virtual conferences will go out of style any time soon. -Jim Lynch "He is a man of incredible character and wisdom, and again, I am lucky to know him and work well with him." -Lucy Gray Aurelia Cristea, a former minister in the Ponta Cabinet and former Social Democrat deputy, on Thursday told Agerpres that Liviu Dragnea should be replaced at the party's helm as this would be the only solution to keep the political formation going. "So far nobody has the courage to move to replace him. I think this is the only solution for the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Dragnea won't leave the PSD command unless sufficient members, sufficient organization heads demand this. Now it's the time to show some guts. Many are unhappy with Dragnea, but it's all about having the courage to stand up to him. It's the only solution for PSD to be able to govern in a fair manner to the benefit of the citizen. This would be good for all of us," said Aurelia Cristea. She explained that Liviu Dragnea will be the one to cause PSD's disintegration and that he can "blow up" the country, which is the reason why the party chairmanship should be taken by someone else. Aurelia Cristea also spoke of the Social Democrat leader's authoritarian behavior. "I think Dragnea's behavior already taps into pathology, only that he has concealed this very well so far. The moment he became Chairman he took all the decisions to make sure that no one balks and if anyone dares to, he is immediately shown as a bad example. There is no real debate based on arguments on any specific theme. (...) Everybody must string along and tell him he is the best and cleverest," Aurelia Cristea said. Aurelia Cristea announced on Wednesday her resignation from PSD, after more than 20 years of membership. She wrote on Facebook that she took "the decision in the early hours of the morning after a dark night for Romania because she cannot endorse - not even as a member - a criminal group that is temporarily at the lead of PSD and of the country." Cristea told AGERPRES on Thursday that at least for now she is not interested in joining any political party and that she can get involved in public life without being a party member. Most protesters who came to Bucharest's Victoria Square on Thursday evening, in front of the Government seat, have started chanting the National Anthem after 22:00. According to Gendarmerie representatives, approximately 70,000 protesters are in the square. The demonstrators have been handed out flyers with the National Anthem text. Moreover, some protesters have handed out leaflets with the Romanian Gendarmerie message, urging to a peaceful protest and including some pieces of advice for the participants in such events, such as that of not getting involved in conflicts. "You cannot buy all generations," "Repeal and then resign," "Romania - rule of law," "DNA [National Anticorruption Directorate] should come and take you," "No violence, don't hit the gendarmes," are a few of the messages displayed by the persons in Victoria Square. Some protesters are waving flags, others anti-government placards, and some have come with vuvuzelas or drums. Agerpres The leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD, at rule), Liviu Dragnea declared that a fundamental objective, which he assumes even with the price of his freedom, is that of a law of the magistrates' responsibility that would protect them from the "influence of any institution or individuals, whatever the quality of that person." "There was much talk during the campaign about our position regarding the Law of the magistrates' responsibility. I said then, I am saying it now, if a draft law that really takes this into consideration, that clarifies it, is drawn up, I will personally agree with it, in only one situation, if this draft law will manage to protect judges in Romania from the influence of any institution or individuals, regardless of that person's status. It's one of my fundamental goals that I will not back down from, not even with the price of my freedom. Until the time the judges in Romania are not sure, us as well, that they can judge only by their own conscience, there won't be a 100% confidence in justice and there will not appear so many discussions and disclosures about this system, " Dragnea stated on Thursday, in a press conference held alongside Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu. Agerpres Chairperson of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Raluca Turcan requested on Thursday, in a press conference, held at the Parliament Palace, the resignation of Interior Minister Carmen Dan, for the manner in which the institution took actions in the protest on 1 February, but also the resignation of Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea, saying that the party which Dragnea leads "transformed into a organized criminal group." She requested Grindeanu Government to repeal "the disgraceful ordinances" and to not "destabilize the institutional order." The Liberals' leader requested the resignation of Interior Minister Carmen Dan, pointing out that "she lied and endangered the citizens' life." Tucan requested the state institutions to "urgently" clarify the manner in which the Interior Ministry "decided to take action" in the demonstrations over the last days. She called upon the PSD leaders who gathered at the National Executive Committee meeting, asking them not to put Liviu Dragnea's interest above Romania's interest. agerpres. President Klaus Iohannis claimed on Thursday that the statement of First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans, according to which the measures taken by the Government can affect the allocations of European funds to Romania, is "slightly exaggerated." "In this stage I believe it's a slight exaggeration. No, but certainly everybody is worried for a good reason, and I have to admit it, no matter how hard it is for me," Iohannis stated at the Cotroceni Palace, when asked about the statements Frans Timmermans made. He added that at the European Council meeting on Friday he will "certainly" have a lot of informal discussions with the European leaders. "I'm not anticipating this scenario, but certainly, tomorrow I will have many informal discussions, because people want to know, they will want to know what is happening in Romania," the head of state said, when asked if he foresees a scenario in the context in which it was speculated in the public space that it's not excluded for Romania to be sanctioned by the EU. The European Commission requested Romania, on Thursday, to reassess the emergency ordinance regarding the amendment of the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as the draft law regarding pardon, evaluating the events over the past days as being "concerning". In the past 28 years, in one way or another, I have seen Romania's developments. If we see the progresses in this period, we can be only impressed by the force of will, that Romanian people have to become a functional European democracy, First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans stated on Thursday in a debate of the European Parliament plenary gathered in Brussels. Frans Timmermans also stated that the measures taken by the Executive in Bucharest could affect the European funds allocated to Romania. agerpres. Amazon began charging taxes on merchandise sold to Missouri customers Wednesday. Missouri joined a list of more than 30 states Feb. 1 where Amazon charges taxes. Amazon is charging customers a cumulative tax rate that includes state and local taxes. A refrigerator water filter purchased by a St. Ann customer on Amazon.com that would have cost $77.98 earlier in the week cost $84.50 on Feb. 1, which included $6.52 in state and local taxes. The cumulative tax rate in St. Ann is 8.363 percent. The cumulative tax rate includes state taxes, county and city taxes. The same water filter would cost a bit more or less, depending on the customers address. At a downtown St. Louis address, the cumulative sales tax rate is 8.679 percent. A breakdown of tax rates is available online at https://dors.mo.gov/tax/strgis/input.jsp. Some customers complained on social media about the higher cost, arguing Amazon shouldnt be charging taxes in Missouri when it doesnt yet have facilities here. Some have speculated that Amazon, which is expanding its warehouse footprint across the country, will soon open a Missouri facility in the St. Louis area. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment for this story. KIMMSWICK Supporters of getting the Delta Queen steamboat cruising again say safety concerns recently expressed by the head of the Coast Guard will be addressed before the vessel takes to the water. An exemption to the Safety of Life at Sea Act, a federal law that prohibits overnight excursions on wooden vessels, is needed before the boat can carry passengers. The 285-foot-long vessel, with 88 cabins, had the exemption for roughly 40 years before losing it in 2008. A bill introduced last month by Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., would restore that exemption and require, among other things, that the Delta Queen each year modify at least 10 percent of the wooden portions of the vessels superstructure to meet the U.S. safety law. But in an interview with the Post-Dispatch, Coast Guard Adm. Paul Zukunft cited safety worries such as the boats boilers, which date to 1926, being exposed to bare wood. He also was concerned that theres only one way on and off the boat, and said little work has been done to get the boat up to date. McCaskills office said those concerns are addressed in the bill before Congress, citing its provisions that boilers and generators must be upgraded within noncombustible enclosures equipped with fire suppression systems, and that multiple forms of egress be provided off the vessels bow and stern. The Delta Queen was bought by its current owners in February 2015 with the goal to restore the vessel. But plans for big repairs are stalled until the federal legislation passes and an engineering plan is in place that has the Coast Guards approval, said Leah Ann Ingram, the Delta Queens chief operating officer. She said the cost to upgrade the boat is $10 million. Doing big repairs before a detailed agreement is in place with the Coast Guard wouldnt make sense, she said. Under the best-case scenario, Ingram said the boat could be cruising in the spring of 2018 if an exemption passes this spring. The company had hoped to secure the exemption by the end of 2015, which didnt happen. The Delta Queen steamboat began service as an overnight passenger vessel in 1927. It carried passengers, cargo and automobiles between Sacramento and San Francisco, as well as dignitaries, including three U.S. presidents. A new restaurant and the corporate offices of the Delta Queen Steamboat Co. opened last fall in the Jefferson County river town of Kimmswick, but the boat remains docked in Houma, La. Its hoped the boat eventually will travel to more than 80 ports, including New Orleans and Memphis, Tenn., and on rivers other than the Mississippi to destinations including Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. FRIDAY Nelly and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra When 7:30 p.m. Friday Where Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Boulevard How much Sold out More info stlsymphony.org Nelly and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra are embarking this weekend on what could be a one-time-only event. The two will perform together Friday night at Powell Hall in a show that sold out quickly. Nelly and the SLSO will bring forward their twists to the St. Louis rappers hits such as Hot in Herre, Just a Dream and Country Grammar. David Robertson is conducting. By Kevin C. Johnson To the New Girl When Friday through Feb. 12; performances at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays Where .ZACK Performing Arts Incubator, 3224 Locust Street How much $10-$15 More info 314-534-1111; metrotix.com This piece by Samantha Macher reveals different responses to romantic loss vengeful or resilient, broken-hearted or relieved from 10 women addressing their successors in their exes lives. This Tesseract show replaces its production of The Vagina Monologues, which had to be canceled; tickets for The Vagina Monologues will be refunded or exchanged for To the New Girl. The show is a benefit for the L.E.A.D. Institute, which provides services for the deaf. By Judith Newmark SATURDAY Aaron Carter When 8 p.m. Saturday Where The Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Avenue How much $17-$67 More info ticketfly.com Former teen pop star Aaron Carter returns to St. Louis for a gig at the Ready Room. Hes amping up for the release of his EP LOVE. Sooner or Later is the latest single from the EP, and it follows Fools Gold. Carter is set to release a full album later in the year. By Kevin C. Johnson Black History Month at the Old Courthouse When Weekends in February, starting Saturday Where Old Courthouse, 11 North Fourth Street How much Free More info gatewayarch.com On weekends in February, the National Park Service presents a series of educational events to celebrate Black History Month. Visitors can contribute to an oil painting of Dred Scott and learn about his lawsuit for freedom from slavery (1 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 11 and 18); the case was heard at the Old Courthouse. Watch a live re-creation of Dred and Harriet Scotts trial in one of the restored courtrooms (1 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Feb. 11, 12, 18 and 19). Enjoy a brass quintet performance of jazz standards and patriotic favorites in the rotunda (noon Feb. 11). And learn about composer Duke Ellingtons five-decade music career (noon Feb. 18). By Gabe Hartwig Parade of Magic When 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday Where Kirkwood Community Center Theater, 111 South Geyer Road, Kirkwood How much $15 for adults, $5 for children 15 and under More info ibmring1.com The annual Parade of Magic goes far beyond pulling rabbits out of hats. It also supports the International Brotherhood of Magicians in St. Louis, whose members perform for and help patients of Shriners Childrens Hospital every month. The IBMs Ring One, made up of some of the best magicians in the Midwest, will perform two shows. By Valerie Schremp Hahn TUESDAY Something Rotten! When 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; through Feb. 19 Where Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand Boulevard How much $25-$88 More info 314-534-1111; metrotix.com In Elizabethan England, playwright Nick Bottom (Rob McClure, star of Broadway and the Muny) longs to make his mark. But how can he compete with Will Shakespeare (Adam Pascal, of Rent fame), a preening rock star who steals everybodys thunder? This musical spoof sets new, simultaneous standards in cognoscenti comedy and just-plain-silly hilarity. Read more about the show in Sundays A&E section. By Judith Newmark Terry Barber: Around the World in 80 Minutes When 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Where Sheldon Concert Hall & Art Galleries, 3648 Washington Boulevard How much $28 More info 314-533-9900; sheldonconcerthall.org On Tuesday night, St. Louis-based countertenor Terry Barber brings a program of beloved melodies to the Sheldon. A former member of Chanticleer whos performed all around the world, Barber will sing favorite tunes including Danny Boy, La Vie En Rose, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Shenandoah and more, in 10 languages. Hell be accompanied by Amy Greenhalgh, on violin and viola, Johanna Ballou on piano and Adam Anello on bass. By Sarah Bryan Miller THURSDAY Great Artists Series: Jonathan Biss When 7:30 p.m. Thursday Where E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall, 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Avenue How much $35 More info 314-935-6543; music.wustl.edu/greatartistsseries The Washington University Department of Music is filling a gaping hole in the St. Louis music scene by bringing in some of the worlds most notable classical musicians for solo recitals. The Great Artists Series has its premiere on Thursday evening with the superb pianist Jonathan Biss, one of the most thoughtful and intelligent exponents of his instrument performing today. Biss program is titled Late Style. The question of late style has long been of interest to writers and philosophers, from Adorno to Said, Biss says. What effect do years of accumulated knowledge and experience, combined with, perhaps, the realization that death is near, have on artistic creation? His program, with late works by Schumann, Kurtag Jatekok, Chopin and Brahms, with try to provide some answers to that question. By Sarah Bryan Miller A St. Louis Thing: The Post-Dispatch Trivia Night When 5:30-10:30 p.m. Thursday Where Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Boulevard, Forest Park How much $500 per table of 10; no individual tickets More info stltoday.com/trivia On the record: This is going to be a fun event. And full disclosure: A lot of Post-Dispatch staff members will be there, including yours truly. A St. Louis Thing: The Post-Dispatch Trivia Night includes an open bar and hors doeuvres during a cocktail hour, a VIP gift bag, valet parking, beer all evening, a raffle and silent auction, and lots of surprises. A portion of the evenings proceeds will benefit our 100 Neediest Cases campaign. By Valerie Schremp Hahn Fast forward Mardi Gras Taste of Soulard, Feb. 18-19 in Soulard: Sample Cajun-inspired dishes on a self-guided tasting tour of the neighborhood Mardi Gras Grand Parade, Feb. 25 in Soulard: The hours-long march features more than 100 floats, plus beads, street parties, live music and more Shen Yun, Feb. 25-26 at the Peabody Opera House: Chinese history and culture come to life through dancing, singing and live music I Am Not Your Negro has been praised for bringing African-American social critic James Baldwin one of the key voices of the 1960s back into the public sphere. Directed by Haitian-born filmmaker Raoul Peck, the 2016 documentary is nominated for an Academy Award. His drama Lumumba, about the Congolese politician, was released in 2000. His next dramatic feature traces the early years of Karl Marx. Recently, Peck spoke with Go! Magazine about I Am Not Your Negro. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. I Am Not Your Negro has a poetic quality thats unusual for a documentary. Why did you decide to take that approach? I wanted it to be very cinematic. I wanted to do a real film with images, which is telling a story as well. Not just a political pamphlet. What went into researching Baldwins work, which included the notes for the unfinished book, Remember This House? Once I had decided to bring Baldwin back somehow, I approached his estate. I wrote to them, and they responded, Come and see us which was already extraordinary, because they had a reputation for not even responding to your letters. I met with Baldwins sister Gloria Karefa-Smart, who really opened all doors for me. She gave me access to everything, published and unpublished. And once I had that, I had to make the ultimate Baldwin film, because nobody else would have had those rights and that type of access. Samuel L. Jackson provides narration for the film. How did he become involved? I had used the voice of a friend of mine so that we could edit the film. But I knew that it needed a well-known voice, and a great actor, to get it to where I wanted it to be. Very early on, Samuel L. Jackson was at the top of my list. I wanted somebody who would take the words and make them his own, so that you would not have any distance between those words and the voice. MIAMI Her water tasted like rusty pennies; the pepperoni pizza like metallic cardboard. The more chemotherapy sessions Monica Faison-Finch got, the faster her taste buds gave out. Over time she became thinner and thinner as her appetite diminished. Everything that touched her tongue was tasteless. But then, a miracle happened. When I tried the miracle fruit before my meal, my life changed, said Faison-Finch, who was being treated for cervical cancer. It was like the first time I had tasted food in about five or six weeks. It was like I was having my first meal. Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum), which grows on a small emerald tree, is a red berry native to Ghana. People have known for centuries that eating the tiny tropical fruit, the size of a large jelly bean, affects the way food tastes. Scientists say the fruit binds the taste receptors on the tongue. After eating just one berry, the flavors of the food a person eats within the next hour are greatly enhanced. Lemons taste like lemonade, strawberries as if they were on steroids. Homestead brothers Erik and Kris Tietig, owners of the Miracle Fruit Farm in Redland in South Dade, have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of miracle fruit to cancer patients at local hospitals, charity organizations and research universities since 1972. Over the decades, as the fruit became more popular, more people began to request it and the orders became too voluminous to handle. Thats when the brothers, who grew up on their parents farm, Pine Island Nursery, built a separate farm to cultivate, sell and donate the fruit in larger quantities. We are called and visited by people in one of the hardest times of their life, said Erik Tietig, 40. When were able to help them with the miracle fruit, mask that metallic sensation and actually enjoy a meal, its really a small victory. The fruit itself doesnt have much nutritional value. Its the unique glycoprotein called miraculin that conceals undesirable flavors and intensifies the natural flavors of the food. One of the most common complaints nowadays with our patients is the very strong, metallic taste that occurs in the mouth of the patients undergoing treatments, said Dr. Mike Cusnir, director of medicine at the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami Beach. Cusnir said one of his patients introduced him to the fruit in his office. He said he was shocked that researchers were not doing much with the revelation that the fruit can improve taste, which has been such a common complaint of our patients for decades. After losing a family member to cancer a few years ago, the Tietigs were determined to help people battling the illness. They came face to face with the reality that patients often suffer extreme nausea and aversion to eating and as a result, struggle with unwanted weight loss. Miracle fruit is not a fad. It doesnt cure cancer or even help prevent cancer, Erik Tietig said. But what it does do is help alleviate terrible symptoms of chemotherapy in a very real and a very immediate way. Although the Tietig family had been donating miracle fruit from Pine Island Nursery since 1972, the Miracle Fruit Farm didnt come into existence until 2012. People knew we had it through word of mouth, but over the years, we went from people calling in a dozen times a year to dozens every day, Erik Tietig said. The berries, which are in season year-round, are sold for 50 cents to $1 each. The majority of the farms production gets donated. The fruit is available for purchase because its the farms primary source of business and income, Erik Tietig said. However, he said the farm consistently donates the fruit to local hospitals, cancer centers and universities. The objective of cancer care is to add life to the years more than years to the life, Cusnir said. Anything we can do to keep the quality of life to the patient, so that we can keep the patient on the treatment by itself, its going to be beneficial, and it becomes a win-win situation. But it hasnt been that easy. Because the fruit is difficult to harvest, it took the brothers years to discover how to produce the fruit in large quantities. The fruit itself goes bad anywhere from one to three days after being picked off the tree. Most farmers had shunned the berry, because it has no commercial viability and is highly perishable. Consequently, patients were having a tough time finding it, Erik Tietig said. In the last six months, the brothers even rolled out miracle fruit tablets, designed to have a longer shelf life than the fruit. ST. LOUIS Consumers who were victimized by a nationwide telemarketing scam involving misleading computer pop-up ads are being targeted again by scammers, a St. Louis lawyer warned Wednesday. In an online notice, the receiver for companies sued by the Federal Trade Commission last fall warned that callers were telling victims that the "service" that they'd purchased as part of the previous scam isn't working, and that they're due a refund. The caller requests access to the consumer's computer, ostensibly to refund their money, receiver Claire Schenk of Thompson Coburn wrote. The consumers are then told that they somehow received an overpayment of up to $1,500, and the caller asks them to wire the money back, Schenk wrote. The callers may use "a high pressure tactic," she wrote, claiming that they will be fired if the money isn't returned. The over payment may also appear legitimate, as the scammers' access to the computer may have allowed them to move money between the target's accounts, Schenk said. A 68-year-old Washington state woman was the recipient of one recent. She asked that her name not be used because she says she has been repeatedly targeted and is embarrassed that she allowed herself to be victimized about a year ago in the original scam. Last Saturday, she says got a call from someone who said they were from the Global Connect, claiming that they had a refund for her. After they linked computers, the caller said he would transfer money into her account, then watched as she logged into her bank's online website, Like a complete dodo, to verify the balance. It appeared as if there was $1,500 more than there should have been. He flipped out, she said, and told her that he would be fired unless she wired it back via Western Union. Her suspicions aroused, she balked, at which point she says he threatened to drain her account. Her daughter took the phone and read the caller the riot act, she says, and the caller hung up. She believes that he's called back at least once. Schenk asks anyone who believes that they were targeted by either scam to call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP or submit a complaint via the FTC website at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov. The FTC complaint lawsuit claims that companies paid marketers to create pop-up ads that falsely claimed that consumers computers needed repair because they had been hacked or infected. Consumers were told to call a toll-free number claiming to be associated with well-known companies like Apple or Microsoft, but the calls were routed to a telemarketing boiler room in India where scammers tried to convince callers to let them take over their computers and pay for a fix, the complaint says. The suit named Global Access Technical Support LLC, which also does business as Global S Connect, Yubdata Tech, and Technolive, the suit says, and uses addresses in Creve Coeur and uincorporated St. Louis County near Ballwin. It also names Source Pundit LLC and Helios Digital Media LLC in Creve Coeur, Global sMind, Global S Connect in Clayton and VGlobal ITES Private Limited in India. The suit, amended in December, also names Rajiv Singh Chhatwal, Rupinder Kaur, Harinder Singh and Neeraj Dubey as officers or owners of the various companies. Lawyer James Crowe III said that Kaur and Singh had no involvement in the activities described in the FTC complaint. The other lawyers did not respond last fall to messages seeking comment. FRANKLIN COUNTY Three children allegedly taken by their mother when she left a state-supervised visitation in a stolen truck Wednesday evening were found safe in Union a few hours later. The children ages 8, 6 and 1 were all found safe along with their mother, Tonya Reed, late Wednesday night in Union. Authorities had released an endangered person advisory after the children were reported missing from a home north of Pacific. They said Reed drove off from a home in the 4000 block of Clay Ridge Drive in a truck with the children inside. She left after a dispute with the children's father, authorities said. Reed had been there for a visitation supervised by the Missouri Division of Family Services, authorities said. Authorities later found the truck abandoned at Rockwoods Range conservation area. They then checked a home in Valley Park, but Reed and the children had already been there and left in a different vehicle. That car was later found in the Union area. Reed was charged Thursday with stealing a motor vehicle. bond was set at $15,000. Court records say she is from Bland, Mo., about 35 miles west of Union and 80 miles west of St. Louis. NEW DOUGLAS, Ill. The parents of an infant who died after he was reported not breathing were charged Wednesday with involuntary manslaughter. Timothy W. Elkins Jr., 35, and Amy M. Elkins, 35, were also charged with one felony count of child endangerment and nine misdemeanor counts of child endangerment, according to the Madison County sheriff's office. Bail was set at $125,000 for each. Emergency personnel were called to the couple's home in the 400 block of North Main Street about 5:10 a.m. Tuesday after an infant was reported not breathing. they tried to revive the baby, identified as Matthew Elkins, 2 months old. He was pronounced dead at Staunton Memorial Hospital in nearby Staunton. Deputies launched an investigation, joined by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, said Madison County sheriff's Capt. Mike Dixon. The home was in "deplorable condition," the sheriff's office said Wednesday. Authorities said the "extreme living conditions and environment" that Matthew was living in contributed to his death. Eight other children living in the home were taken into protective custody, the sheriff's office said. The home was boarded up pending condemnation proceedings. New Douglas is about 30 miles northeast of downtown St. Louis. EAST ST. LOUIS A Nigerian man who defrauded hundreds of lonely U.S. women online was sentenced Thursday to 27 years in federal prison and ordered to repay $1.7 million. Olayinka Ilumsa Sunmola, of Lagos, bilked dozens of women in Missouri and Illinois alone, driving some to bankruptcy and at least one to the brink of suicide, prosecutors have said. Sunmola and others would pretend to be members of the U.S. military stationed overseas or businessmen working there, some of whom were widowers with children. They used pictures of men in uniform they found online, sometimes lifting pictures of dead servicemen from memorial websites. They wooed their "soul mates" via emails, instant messages, flowers, candy and other gifts. Some of the women bought wedding gowns or began to use the fake last names that Sunmola and the others were using. The scammers then began to concoct emergencies that grew ever larger until their victims' assets were gone, prosecutors said. One Bond County, Ill. woman bankrupted herself buying electronics and shipping them to Sunmola, re-shipping things he bought using stolen credit card numbers and taking out cash advances on a credit card. A woman identified in court last year only as Jane Doe No. 6 was a recently divorced single mother when she met Sunmola, who was claiming to be a U.S. Army major. She is also partially disabled and a survivor of an abusive relationship. Sunmola's victims didn't know that credit cards and checks he sent to them were bogus, and that the electronic items were fraudulently purchased. Sometimes victims would be tricked a second time, when contacted by fake foreign investigators who demanded thousands of dollars in customs payments to send back items they claimed to have seized. Sunmola persuaded some victims to send sexually explicit photos or videos, then used them for blackmail. In one case, Sunmola shared the pictures with a victim's relatives even after she paid him, prosecutors said. While "systematically destroying" the women, Sunmola used their money for lavish parties, two Range Rovers, four properties in South Africa and a $363,000 home in Nigeria, prosecutors said. After two days of a jury trial in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis in March, Sunmola pleaded guilty to eight felonies, including mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and interstate extortion. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge David Herndon. MARISSA A man was charged Wednesday with murder in the death of a St. Louis woman whose body was found in a landfill in the Metro East. In addition to first-degree murder, Paulren H. Stepter, 51, of the 6100 block of Laura Avenue, was charged with armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of Brandy Morrison, 23, court records say. Stepter was being held without bail. Police say Morrison was fatally shot early Friday in Stepter's home. Her family reported her missing Saturday, and police found blood in a trash bin near Laura Avenue. They traced the trash collection route to the landfill in Marissa, about 30 miles southeast of St. Louis, where her body was found Tuesday morning, according to Marissa Police Chief Tom Prather. Prosecutors also charged a second man who lived on the same block as Stepter in connection with Morrisons death. Courtney Williams, 40, was charged with tampering with physical evidence and abandonment of a corpse. His bail was set at $200,000 cash only. Williams has prior robbery and burglary convictions. Witnesses told investigators Morrison and Stepter were alone together in the basement of Williams home in the 6100 block of Laura early Friday, according to charging documents. After gunshots were heard coming from the basement, Williams forced the witnesses out of his home. The witnesses later saw Williams car in the back of the home with its trunk open, the documents said. The witnesses also said they had seen Stepter with a gun earlier that evening. A cadaver dog team found Morrison's body about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after investigators tracked the trash route to Waste Management Inc.s Cottonwood Hills landfill in Marissa. Waste Management Inc. takes trash from the St. Louis Refuse Department. An autopsy revealed that Morrison had been shot in the head at least once. Morrison lived in the 5600 block of Hiller Place in St. Louis. The Illinois State Police and the St. Clair County coroners office also are working on the case. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy WASHINGTON The day after President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, Sen. Roy Blunt used the moment to fund-raise for 2022. He was just re-elected two months ago. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who faces re-election next year, explained her opposition to Trumps education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos in an email to supporters that included an option to donate to her campaign. A spokesman said the primary goal of the email was to show supporters how she stood on issues while including an opportunity to contribute. The transmissions show how politics and policy constantly intersect here, even for those who are not up for election for nearly six years. In an email to potential donors, Blunt called Gorsuchs nomination our first big fight of President Trumps administration! He said that liberals in Washington are already lining up to block the nomination. And, Can you help with a quick donation of $3, $5, $10 or whatever you can afford? He ended his 2016 campaign with $289,478 in the bank. Blunt warned potential donors that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has even vowed to leave the seat open.'" Democrats say that is precisely what Republicans did last year in refusing to hold hearings or consider former President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. Burson Snyder, a spokeswoman for Blunts successful 2016 election victory over former Secretary of State Jason Kander, said the fundraising shows that Blunt intends to be involved in Republican causes in Missouri for a very long time. In fact, he is hosting a breakfast at Statewide Lincoln Days in Springfield in a few weeks (the weekend of Feb. 24) and will be part of many of the county Lincoln Days all over the state, she said. Blunts current term runs through 2022. McCaskills email said that she would oppose DeVos because in her confirmation hearings, the nominee "refused to commit to protecting our students from campus sexual assault. She was wholly uninformed about laws that protect students with disabilities. And she was totally unprepared to address the prevalence of gun violence in our schools. The email urges respondents to sign an online petition opposing DeVos but does not ask directly for money. It has a donate link at the end of the email. Blunt has said he will vote for DeVos, but has been getting a lot of pushback on that vote on social media. A post from the Facebook account of Darbie Valenti, the 2016-2017 Missouri Teacher of the Year, on Blunts page said that she opposed DeVoss nomination. Thousands of teachers in the Show Me state respectfully disagree with your decision to support Betsy Devos, the post from Valenti's account said. The online fundraising off the Supreme Court nomination is not Blunts only post-election fund raising. Earlier, his leadership Political Action Committee, Rely On Your Beliefs (ROYB), sent an invitation to potential donors inviting them to a 2017 ROYB Fund Family Retreat fundraiser March 17-20 at Disneys Yacht and Beach Club Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Snyder said that Blunt and his wife, Abigail, a lobbyist for Kraft Foods, will be at the fundraiser. Nixa, Mo. Missouris new governor introduced a $27.6 billion budget plan Thursday that offers a slight boost in cash for public schools, but could boot as many as 21,000 elderly and disabled residents out of nursing home and home care programs. The spending plan also cuts millions from higher education and public school transportation. Unveiling his first budget blueprint at a preschool in Nixa, Republican Eric Greitens said he is committed to making the tough decisions necessary to bring high-paying jobs to Missouri while spending our tax dollars more wisely. The outline would spend $336 million more than the current budget, but it would not raise taxes and would not offer raises to state workers, who are the lowest-paid in the nation. It would cut 188 positions from the state workforce of about 54,700, which already is at a 20-year low after former Gov. Jay Nixon reduced 5,100 positions over the past eight years. Although Greitens blames the federal Affordable Care Act for forcing spending reductions in the current and proposed budget, a summary shows he would spend about $130 million more in state funds in the department that oversees Medicaid funding. Missouri lawmakers have declined to accept an expansion of Medicaid that would have been largely paid for by the federal government, with some costs to be borne by the state. The reduction for in-home care and nursing home care would save an estimated $52 million. Under the proposal, about a third of the 60,000 people who receive the aid would no longer qualify because of tougher eligibility requirements. The proposed reduction was alarming to Carol Hudspeth, executive director of the Missouri Alliance for Home Care. Were deeply concerned about the impact the changes will have on our elderly and disabled, Hudspeth told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday. Medicaid providers also would see a 3 percent cut in their reimbursements from the state as part of a separate push to save money, said acting budget director Dan Haug. Greitens, elected as an outsider, made no mention of those cuts during his speech. He used the backdrop of a school for his announcement instead of unveiling his budget in a traditional speech to a joint session of the Legislature. He continued an election-time theme of blaming lawmakers in the capital city for many of the states ills. The fact is, Missouris budget is broken, Greitens said. For decades, insiders, special interests, lobbyists and prior politicians have made a mess of our budget. Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, shrugged off the attacks. Well let rhetoric go where it goes. Im pretty thick-skinned, Richard said. Greitens said the location of his speech, south of Springfield, was chosen because of his belief that schools must not lose money despite a tight budget. The proposal slightly increases funding for K-12 education, but it cuts programs affecting the St. Louis area, including a $2.9 million urban teaching initiative. State aid for school busing programs also is being slashed by $31 million, drawing the ire of local school boards. The continued cuts to school transportation funding often have to be made up at the local level, and that can have an impact on money available for the classroom, said Melissa Randol, executive director of the Missouri School Boards Association. State revenue continues to fall short of the level needed to fully fund our public schools. The budget proposal also reduces core funding going to the states two- and four-year colleges and universities by $90 million. That wasnt an easy decision, Greitens said of higher education reductions. Im confident this year they can tighten their belts just like the rest of us. Paul Wagner, executive director of the Council on Public Higher Education, warned that the governors budget could result in college tuition hikes. The cuts will slow our progress on keeping higher education as affordable as possible and as accessible to as many Missourians as possible. We look forward to working with the Governor and General Assembly to lessen or eliminate this cut so as to keep tuition increases and service reductions as low as possible, Wagner said in a statement. Said Greitens: I dont think that we need to raise tuition on our students. I dont think that our students should be made to pay for the mistakes of our past politicians and the promises they made. Although the governors speech was warmly received at the school, not everyone attending the event was supportive. Im worried about comments the governor has made that sound like he wants Missourians to choose between providing our kids with adequate health care or education, said Lexi Amos, 34, whose 13-year-old son with a disability attended the Nixa school. Thats not a choice we should have to make. State revenues this year have lagged behind estimates, primarily because of a slowdown in corporate income tax collections brought on by a change in law that altered how companies can pay their taxes. Already, Greitens has reduced spending in the current fiscal year by $146 million to keep the budget in balance. Greitens is backing a series of legislative initiatives that he believes will create more jobs in Missouri. They include a right-to-work law that critics say will weaken unions, as well as changes to the states legal system that he hopes will ease litigation costs for businesses. His proposal also would restore $2.5 million that was cut by Nixon last year from the states public defender system. And it would pay the $12 million yearly debt payment for the Dome at Americas Center, formerly the Edward Jones Dome. Although the Department of Public Safety will see a $5.2 million decrease, Greitens did earmark funding for bullet-proof vests and nonlethal weapons such as Tasers. The lions share of cuts in the department are coming from the directors office. The governor also allocated $250,000 to create a Blue Alert system that would establish a statewide notification system if an officer is attacked. He also wants to spend $11 million to fight opioid addiction. Greitens, who has been to Washington twice since being sworn in less than a month ago, is banking on help from President Donald Trumps administration for roads and other spending. Hes also hoping to reap some savings by investigating the states tax credit programs. We are doing a complete and total review of every state tax credit program to see where that money is going, Greitens said. The budget process now moves to the House and Senate for further debate. The Legislature must approve the budget by May 5. We have known for months now that this budget was going to be tight. But we are ready for the challenge and ready to get to work, said Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, who chairs the Senate budget committee. Kurt Erickson reported from Jefferson City. JEFFERSON CITY A moment long dreaded by the states labor unions and their supporters arrived Thursday, as Missouri lawmakers sent a proposal known as right to work to a Republican governor who has promised for months that he would sign it. When he does, Missouri will become the 28th right-to-work state, marking the first time in U.S. history that more than half of the nations workforce lives in states with such laws. The fast-tracked bill, which will prohibit unions from requiring workers to pay dues as a condition of employment, has been deemed both a solution for the states stagnant job growth and a thinly disguised effort to weaken union influence. Labor law experts and economists have found flaws with both of those arguments, but the issue has made for a heated debate in state legislatures across the country. Missouri Republicans insist that the laws have proven track records in states such as Indiana and Michigan, and that passing it will keep Missouri competitive. Its obviously an issue that stirs some deep passions on both sides, but its an issue that we think is critical to the economic future of Missouri, said House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff. As House lawmakers approved a measure sent to them by their colleagues in the Senate, Gov. Eric Greitens was speaking at a special needs school in Nixa, Mo., where he announced his spending plan amid a $456 million budget shortfall. Republicans in the Legislature, ecstatic to have an ally in the governors mansion, are hopeful the policy change will boost the states economy and send a friendly message to employers looking to set up shop in the Show-Me state. But for the hundreds of union members flooding the Capitol to protest the bill, its familiar action with a new and disappointing final outcome. Both chambers previously have passed right-to-work legislation, but former Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, vetoed those proposals. During final debate on the House floor, Republicans pointed to a grandfather clause protecting existing contracts until they expire as evidence of compromise. But Democrats slammed the urgency to push the bill through, saying they werent ever invited to the table to negotiate changes. Perhaps I was gone that day, because I didnt get such a phone call, said House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City. Democrats made one final attempt to attach a referendum to the bill, which would send the issue before voters in 2017. But like similar efforts before, it was easily defeated by the GOP supermajority. Republicans have continually argued that voters already weighed in through the 2016 election, in which conservative candidates swept Missouri at every level of government. The vast majority of us ran on right to work, said Rep. Charlie Davis, R-Webb City. Rep. Bob Burns, D-St. Louis County, said those campaigns and ultimately the bill were bought and paid for by David Humphreys, a GOP megadonor who has given millions to Republican candidates who support the legislation. This law is intrusive. Its being paid for by one billionaire in Joplin, Burns said. Meanwhile some Democrats, like Rep. Bruce Franks of St. Louis and Rep. Brandon Ellington, a Kansas City Democrat who leads the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus, said they didnt support the legislation but called on unions to become more inclusive. We cant just fight for protections when were not fighting for a diversified workforce, Ellington said. Lawmakers debated for more than two hours, amid cheers and jeers from union members in the gallery, but opponents to the legislation acknowledged a losing battle before the bill passed, 100-59. Its a sad day for working people, said Senate Minority Leader Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors. Union workers also lamented the bills passage, fearing it will lead to lower wages for the middle-class workforce. With todays passage of the deceptive right-to-work bill, Missouri is on a path that is dangerous to the well-being of working families and our neighborhoods as a whole, and for what to fulfill the agenda of out-of-state corporations that are putting unnecessary profits above the human needs of the neighborhoods where they do business, said AFL-CIO President Mike Louis. But business groups and GOP leaders quickly began to celebrate a long-awaited political victory. Were looking forward to the next step in this process, letting the rest of the country and the world know that we are open to worker freedom and we are open for business, said Missouri Chamber of Commerce President Dan Mehan. Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said he had been pushing for the change for 16 years. This may be one of the greatest days in the history of Missouri, as far as Im concerned, he said. If nothing else happens the rest of my life, I am pleased. WASHINGTON The Fixer in Chief has got this. The world is in trouble, but were going to straighten it out. OK? President Donald Trump said at Thursdays National Prayer Breakfast. Thats what I do. I fix things. Were going to straighten it out. The Negotiator in Chief warned Americans to be ready for more tough talk with foreign leaders even those leading Americas oldest and best friends. Like the one last week with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that, by multiple reports, got testy over an Obama administration promise to accept about 1,250 refugees from Iran, Iraq and other countries stranded on islands off Australia. The Obama administration had determined conditions were inhumane for the refugees. The call ended with Trump declaring, That was the worst call by far of all of his with foreign leaders, according to The Washington Post. But the Reassurer in Chief said Thursday not to worry there, either. To think of his actions as the art of the deal. He said hes tired of the U.S. getting bad deals, even with friends like Australia, which is one of a handful of countries that share the deepest of state secrets with the U.S. When you hear about the tough phone calls Im having, dont worry about it, he said, to applause, at the annual prayer service, a tradition started under Dwight Eisenhower. Its time were going to be a little tough, folks. Later, the Negotiator in Chief reappeared. I said (to Turnbull), Why, why are we doing this? Trump said. So well see what happens. We have some wonderful allies and in the end, we are going to keep it that way, Trump said, segueing to Reassurer in Chief. But we have to be treated fairly, also. Hours before, the Tweeter in Chief had appeared at the crack of dawn. Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a lifeline in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion, Trump tweeted. He was referring to a deal forged by his predecessor to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon in exchange for lifting sanctions and thawing frozen financial assets. His administration had announced this week it had put Iran on notice for any breaches in previous arms agreements, and the Commander in Chief said Thursday that a military option was not off the table. The Celebrity in Chief was out and about Thursday, too. In his prayer breakfast remarks, Trump doubled down on tweets critical of The Celebrity Apprentice, the NBC reality show he once ran, by joking that he would say a prayer for current host Arnold Schwarzenegger, to boost Arnolds lagging ratings. Later, in a meeting with Harley-Davidson motorcycle execs, the Commentator in Chief again extolled how he shocked the world and won Rust Belt states on Nov. 8, including Harleys home of Wisconsin, defying prognosticators. The president does this frequently, often in situations that raise eyebrows, sometimes to the point that his critics say he is distractedly obsessed with it. The Trader in Chief then said he had problems with the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Cleric in Chief surprised the prayer breakfast with a threat to totally destroy the Johnson Amendment, another Eisenhower-era legacy designed to prevent religious leaders from endorsing politicians from the pulpit or risk losing their tax-exempt status. It was passed in 1954 by a Republican Congress and signed by a Republican president, and the fact that some Republicans now want it repealed says much about the evolution of the GOP on the constitutional and traditional separation of church and state. This was one day of the Trump era. In his first two weeks on the job, Donald Trump has roiled official Washington and the embassies that populate the tree-canopied northwestern quarter of the city an Officialdom that had become accustomed to No Drama Obama and an America that had aspired to lead from behind. All administrations have pace. This ones, so far, has been frenetic. Through it all, President Trump has been one thing above all else: Disruptor in Chief. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Stay up to date on life and culture in St. Louis. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. UPDATED at 3 p.m. Friday with almost all of boil order lifted. BELLEVILLE Illinois American Water Company lifted its boil order Friday afternoon for all but about 100 customers near the site of a major water-main break Thursday morning. The company said the area still under the order is a narrow strip on both sides of Illinois Highway 161 from Roger Street northwest to Dutch Hollow Road. It includes the Dutch Hollow Village. Karen Cotton, company spokeswoman, said water-quality tests for all of the other affected areas demonstrated that the water is safe for drinking. About 75,000 residents were under the order. A 24-inch underground main burst shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday near Highway 161 and Patricia lane. Belleville Township District 201, which operates the East and West high schools, was back in session Friday morning -- a day after canceling the school day because of a water main break. The district said its water pressure in both schools was back to normal. The district announced on its Facebook page that each campus would have bottles of water available, but students were also being encouraged to bring their own bottles of water. Illinois American Water crews dug to the break and rerouted water supplies by Thursday afternoon to return nearly all of the system to normal pressure. Crews finished repairing the water main overnight, and water service has been restored to all of its customers, the company announced Friday. The boil order covered Belleville, Columbia, Swansea, Shiloh, Millstadt and Waterloo. The state requires boiling of water intended for drinking or cooking whenever system pressure falls below 20 pounds per square inch, about one-third of standard pressure. Customers in the affected area should bring their water to a rolling boil for 5 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. Many, but not all, of the areas schools canceled classes Thursday because of the water main break. Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert said pressure fell sharply throughout the city, then began rising again by late morning. Some places had no water pressure after it happened, Eckert said. I got the first text on this shortly before 7 a.m. Eckert said the city contacted neighboring fire departments with tanker trucks to be ready to assist if necessary. Illinois American is asking residents of the affected areas to bring water to a rolling boil for five minutes before using it for drinking or cooking. The water is OK for bathing, washing and other common uses. Many schools closed, hospitals coping All schools within Belleville School District 118 closed Thursday, and the district promised Thursday morning to care for students who already had left for school. Althoff Catholic High School and Whiteside elementary and middle schools were among the areas schools also closed. Belleville Township District 201, which operates the East and West high schools, canceled the school day Thursday before it began, said Superintendent Jeff Dosier. The district has about 5,000 students. Columbia and Waterloo public schools held classes Thursday. Employees covered water fountains and took other precautions, and made bottled water available. Brian Charron, Waterloo schools superintendent, said the buildings had reduced water pressure, but still enough to operate the lavatories. Charron said Belleville schools, much closer to the break, lost almost all pressure. Charron said the district will supply bottled water to students again Friday. Spokeswomen for Memorial and St. Elizabeths hospitals said both were operating normally with procedures for boil orders. The St. Elizabeths spokeswoman said hospital staff was distributing bottled water to patients and making other accommodations. We are fully functioning, she said. Early Thursday, Memorial Hospital diverted some ambulance arrivals and surgeries to its hospital in Shiloh, but restored regular operations by afternoon, a spokeswoman said. All surgeries scheduled for Friday will proceed. Cotton, of Illinois American, described the 24-inch pipe as a large service main and said the system only has a few lines that are 30 inches in diameter. She said the break affected about 30,000 customers, although she noted that Columbia, Millstadt and Waterloo buy water for their residents, meaning that each whole city is one customer. Thus, the 75,000 residents affected is an estimate, she said. Jennifer Meyer, environmental director for the St. Clair County Health Department, said the county quickly issued instructions to restaurants upon learning of the break. Meyer said restaurants must boil all water used in cooking and cannot operate coffee machines, ice makers or other equipment directly connected to the water supply. She said they also cant let employees wash their hands with tap water, even though the water company allows it. She said county inspectors were making rounds Thursday to enforce the order. Mark Onstott, owner of Tavern on Main at 301 East Main Street, said his restaurant stayed open with fresh ice and bottled water . He said the kitchen staff is using boiled water. Weve been through this before and know how to handle it, Onstott said. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requires a boil order any time water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch in any part of a communitys distribution system, according to an Illinois American Water statement on its Facebook page. The order will be in effect for 36 to 48 hours after water service is restored, which is standard, according to the statement. ST. LOUIS The leader of a local church is encouraging her community to care for people in need through a free food pantry steps from its front doors. The Rev. Jillian Embrey, of Southampton Church, said she came up with the idea to start a community pantry after seeing Facebook posts about small pantries at churches, schools and parks across the country. We had this old cabinet we thought would make a nice little food pantry, she said Wednesday. With some paint and a sign, the old cabinet became a new symbol of compassion in Southampton, a neighborhood between Kingshighway and Hampton Avenue south of Chippewa Street. When people are in a time of need, they can come by and take what they need to keep their family going, she said. The church at 4716 Macklind Avenue was formerly Southampton Presbyterian Church, which closed its doors as a fully functioning church in 2011 after 92 years due to declining membership. Its not a traditional functioning church, but we still do community ministry, Embrey said, through after-school programs and providing space for fitness classes, book clubs and other activities. She said she hoped the community would sustain the pantry indefinitely. A post about the Southampton Little Free Pantry received feedback from hundreds on the Facebook page We Eat Stuff Tuesday, with many people noting their desire to start something similar in other St. Louis neighborhoods. Since starting the pantry nearly three weeks ago, Embrey said it has received several food and baby items, including diapers and baby wipes, and has gone through a couple of cycles of getting full and emptying quickly. While some have donated produce, people are encouraged to limit donations to nonperishable and unopened items, she said, such as canned foods and boxed food items. People interested in donating can place items directly into the cabinet. ST. CHARLES A proposal to make this citys Interstate 70 outer roads one-way is stirring controversy much the way similar plans did in neighboring St. Peters and OFallon a few years ago. The St. Charles plan, along a four-mile stretch of the highway between Fairgrounds and Truman roads, is aimed at unclogging traffic at I-70 interchanges, especially at Zumbehl Road. Another goal is invigorating business development. But some existing business owners are opposed, worried that making outer roads one-way would make it more difficult for customers to get to them. It would kill us, said Brad Holzhauer, who owns Big St. Charles Motorsports, a motorcycle dealership just east of Truman. Youre going to cut my traffic down by half. There is no advantage to it whatever. City officials say, however, that other aspects of the plan such as 8 to 12 new on and off ramps would actually lead to better access to businesses. Moreover, they emphasize that no decision has been made and that they are merely circulating the idea to get public reaction several years in advance of whatever is built. That included an open house Tuesday on various road projects, the third and final in a recent series. The $60 million or more needed for the project hasnt been lined up yet, detailed engineering has yet to be done and planners have already begun tweaking the proposal to respond to concerns from the public. Its more about education, said Jim Wright, St. Charles public works director and a former Missouri Department of Transportation official. What the city wants is to get comments from the public in the early stages of this. In addition to one-way access roads and new ramps, the plan includes three so-called Texas U-turns allowing drivers to travel from one outer road to the other without stopping. Those would be on I-70 overpasses at Zumbehl and Truman and a new overpass planned about midway between them. There also would be a reduction in stoplights at Zumbehl and construction of a new north outer road segment where there is none now between Fairgrounds and Zumbehl. St. Peters grappled with the outer road issue for several years, trying unsuccessfully to negotiate a plan acceptable to a string of car dealers and other opponents along that citys portion of the I-70 corridor. Ultimately, aldermen in January 2014 killed a final attempt at compromise. Further west in OFallon, the City Council agreed to one-way outer roads between T.R. Hughes Boulevard and Bryan Road; later the plan was scaled back so the western end will be at Woodlawn Avenue instead of Bryan. City officials hope to begin construction on the $16 million project later this year. Any St. Charles plan will need City Council approval to move ahead. And like most major road projects, money from county, state and federal governments also would be needed. A small segment of the affected south outer road is in St. Peters. The St. Charles council in 2011 voted to oppose one-way outer roads but later relented a bit to allow them on a quarter-mile stretch of I-70 between South Fifth Street and Fairgrounds. That plan, to improve traffic circulation in and around the Fifth Street interchange, was completed in December. Councilman Dave Beckering said hes willing to consider the concept for the rest of I-70 inside his city, seeing it as part of a long-term strategy to deal with congestion as development across St. Charles County continues. Im open to the idea; we need to see the details, Beckering said. Councilman Jerry Reese is leaning against the plan. I think its going to hurt the businesses, he said. City officials say the information gathered on the proposal would be considered by MoDOT in an overall study of potential I-70 improvements across the St. Louis area. John Greifzu, St. Charles Countys assistant director of administration and a longtime advocate for updating the I-70 outer roads, was among officials at Tuesdays meeting touting the concept. Pointing to various vacant properties on a corridor map, he said traffic snags had helped spur some older businesses to close in recent years and kept replacements from coming in. Opponents such as Megan Crockett, manager of the St. Andrews Mini-Mart west of Zumbehl just outside the city limits, say the proposed cure would hurt, not help, business. She says shes not just worried about access to her store from I-70 drivers. She also says residents of nearby subdivisions to the west wont be able to easily get there. People will only be able to go one way past us, she said, referring to westbound traffic. Crockett said about a month ago she began circulating a petition to build opposition and that nearly 800 people had signed so far. She said its a mix of business people and residents from both the city and nearby unincorporated area. On the other hand, Tom Pundmann, with Pundmann Ford, said in an email that he now supported the concept after changes were made to deal with concerns he had. Meanwhile, the meeting Tuesday, at a firehouse on Boschertown Road, drew people with various opinions. Gloria Winston, who lives north of I-70, said she thought one-way outer roads would be difficult to navigate but was reserving judgment on the overall plan. However, another resident, Randy Thompson, said he commuted on the Page Avenue extension (Highway 364) and hadgrown used to the one-way outer roads already in use there. He said that although there was some inconvenience circling back, that road system worked overall. Carolyn Schroeder, another resident, came to the session with an unfavorable view of one-way outer roads. But after hearing one officials explanation of the merits of the overall plan, now Im not sure, she said. She added that she now realized its tentative nature. This is not carved in stone, she said. Theres a lot more study that is going to be done. SMYRNA, Del. Delaware prison officials say one hostage is dead and a second is alert and talking after authorities entered a building at the state's largest prison where inmates had taken staff members hostage. Officials announced in a statement Thursday morning that the building where the disturbance occurred at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center is now secure. The prison is in Smyrna, about 15 miles north of the state capital of Dover. Officials say after authorities breached the building, one Department of Correction worker was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. The inmates took four corrections department workers hostage Wednesday morning, prompting a lockdown of all Delaware prisons. The inmates released one staffer in the afternoon and another Wednesday night. At least one of those staffers had injuries that were not considered life-threatening. A news release from the Delaware Department of Correction says 14 more inmates were released about 12:30 a.m. Thursday from the building where the hostages had been held and were being held elsewhere at the prison. The news release said 46 inmates have been released from the building since the hostage situation began, including the 14 released early Thursday. Video footage taken by a WPVI-TV helicopter flying over the prison about 6:30 a.m. Thursday showed dozens of inmates being led out onto a paved recreation area and made to lie face down. The station said it was not immediately clear which building they were brought out of. It also was not clear if they were the recently released inmates or if they were among those released on Wednesday. The inmates told a local newspaper that concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States had prompted their actions. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses more than 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. Bratz initially said five employees were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said authorities don't know "the dynamics of the takeover" or whether inmates had been held against their will. One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasn't immediately available. Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper that her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Delaware Gov. John Carney spoke briefly, saying he had talked with the hostages' families. "As you can imagine, it's been very difficult for them as well," the new Democratic governor said. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. ___ Associated Press writers Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, David Dishneau in Hagerstown, Maryland, and Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. WASHINGTON Sen. Claire McCaskill will vote against Rep. Tom Price to become secretary of health and human services. Price, a medical doctor who has served in the House since 2005, would lead the department that oversees Medicaid, Medicare and is tasked with overseeing several aspects of the Affordable Care Act. McCaskill, D-Mo., said she would oppose Price because he didn't satisfactorily answer for his past proposals, which include turning Medicaid into a block-grant program. Congressman Price has made a career out of trying to dismantle Medicare, endangering the vital benefits that millions of our seniors rely on," she said. "I cant support a nominee so out of the mainstream, whose policies would do serious harm to the lives of hundreds of thousands of Missourians." Price would need a majority in the Senate, where Republicans hold 52 seats. Despite facing criticism for owning stock in companies that would benefit from bills he sponsored, he's expected to retain enough support to win confirmation. McCaskill's record of voting to confirm President Donald Trump's cabinet is mixed. She supported Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, but opposed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Education Secretary-designate Betsy DeVos. When the conservative government took power, one of its first steps was muzzling the nations scientists. Overnight, they had to get permission from political appointees to do media interviews. Government data archives began to disappear. Climate scientists were regarded as particularly suspect; one government expert on the fate of polar bears was trailed around a convention floor by handlers who interrupted reporters questions. This was Canada under Tory Prime Minister Stephen Harper between 2006 and 2015. In its first days, the administration of President Donald Trump is moving to replicate Harpers embarrassing, and ultimately unsuccessful, experiment. In Harpers defense, he learned the trick from President George W. Bush. Muzzling scientists does not work. They are too smart, and they find alternate paths to publish and archive their research. As Shakespeare said, truth will out. Besides, bad news doesnt stop being bad news just because the leadership puts a gag on it. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide stood at 382 parts per million when Harper became prime minister in 2006. Its 406 parts per million today. At 450 ppm, permanent and irreversible changes occur. Some scientists say its already happening. But the Trump administration, with allies in Congress, seems to think if it can just keep government scientists from speaking out, all will be well. At the very least, the government will no longer be siding with those who tell inconvenient truths that dont conform with the Trump agenda. Jobs and profits are at stake. In his first days in office, Trump issued what were in effect gag orders to scientists within the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. Official social media accounts were suspended. Scientists were ordered to submit their data for political review before publishing it. Trump appointed anti-science activists to run the EPA and to handle the transition at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. The EPA transition team argued the agency does not use science to guide regulatory policy as much as it uses regulatory policy to steer the science. And then theres the redoubtable Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, the chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. To say hes a Trump fan is an understatement. Better to get your news directly from the president, Smith said in a floor speech Jan. 24. In fact, it might be the only way to get the unvarnished truth. Smiths past targets have included the National Science Foundation, NOAAs climate research, the EPAs Science Advisory Board and anyone who cast doubt on ExxonMobils version of climate change. This year, Smith has broader subpoena powers and a new weapon, the so-called Holman Rule. It allows Congress to single out individual government employees in appropriations bills and cut their salaries to $1. The planet may be heating up, but those powers are chilling. In September 1986, a Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate confirmed Antonin Scalia, President Ronald Reagans nominee to the Supreme Court, by a vote of 98-0. Until his death nearly a year ago, Scalia was the courts conservative lion. The process of replacing him has demonstrated how thoroughly the disease of blind partisanship has infected America. Its got to stop somewhere. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump nominated Neil McGill Gorsuch, 49, to fill Scalias seat. Hes an Oxford, Columbia and Harvard Law-educated Republican blue-blood. Gorsuch has impeccable legal credentials, but then, so did Merrick Garland, whom President Barack Obama nominated for the same seat last year. Garland never came close to getting a confirmation hearing, much less a confirmation vote. Some Republican senators wouldnt even let him in their offices. Senate Democrats must decide if they want to play the same nasty game with Gorsuch. If they employ the filibuster, Democrats can derail confirmation proceedings. But Republicans hold the majority. Though it might eventually backfire on him, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., could invoke the nuclear option of eliminating the 60-vote cloture rule. Democrats could fight like Texans at the Alamo but to the same end. Absent some unforeseen bombshell, Gorsuch would surely be confirmed. Elections have consequences Novembers more than most and short of war and peace, lifetime Supreme Court appointments are the most critical. Nonetheless, some Senate Democrats want a fight, urged on by supporters alarmed at Gorsuchs legal philosophy, angry at Garlands mistreatment and furious that Trump, who lost the popular vote, gets to mold the Supreme Court. But you dont bring a knife to a GOP gunfight. Gorsuchs record suggests he is a more conservative version of Scalia, likely to favor corporate rights over workers rights, hostile to reproductive rights, in favor of the legalized bribery that is the campaign finance system. But he is, by all accounts, an eminently qualified jurist and, like Scalia, a brilliant writer. He will likely be evaluated as well qualified by the American Bar Association. Politics aside, judicial qualifications really are what matter. Senate decorum and respect started to erode the year after Scalias confirmation, when Democrats savaged Reagans nomination of Robert Bork. Reagan sent them Anthony M. Kennedy instead. Kennedy, who generally votes with conservatives, has nonetheless cast important votes upholding reproductive rights and gay marriage. At 80, Kennedy is said to be considering retirement; Democrats might want to delay provoking the nuclear option for that event. The last true swing justice was John Paul Stevens, an appointee of Republican Gerald Ford whose moderate views were largely unpredictable. He retired in 2010, a year when unflinching partisanship infected the body politic. When Stevens leaves, the lawyer and legal scholar Jeffrey Toobin wrote presciently, the Supreme Court will be just another place where Democrats and Republicans fight. For companies looking to improve logistics, one of their goals could be not just greater visibility, but also stronger collaboration with other businesses.This idea comes from Supply Chain Quarterly, which recently examined the idea of "collaborative technology partnerships" for better sourcing . However, there are multiple ways to approach collaboration in planning, so let's look at three of the processes potentially pointing the way forward.If collaboration is all about including more participants in the supply chain, then digitizing seems like a necessary step for the future. In an article for Manufacturing.net, Tyson Foods Senior Director of Business Process & Systems John Buckley described his company's approach to collaboration in the wake of new technical advances.As he puts it, the chance to share directly with third-party partners and suppliers should give businesses "even greater power" than was previously the case with data. Distributing important information among the supply chain can increase its value, Buckley argued, and also give companies a simple way to reach out to their consumers, who are often as hungry for information as the suppliers are.With better communication between parties, businesses may be able to make sure customer demands are driving all different parts of production. In an article for Apparel, Michelle Covey of GS1 USsaid that the tighter relationships are making meeting business audiences easier , as the endpoint stays in sight. This gets at a point behind many different positive innovations: Something which is good for the supplier is also fundamentally good for the customer.Another example of a customer-targeted change comes from Chain Store Age. This source said that Nebraska Furniture Mart has used its new chain to cleanly coordinate business, again with the final goal of a better customer experience. The store's supply chain and logistics general manager, Scott Hansen, explained the thought process behind this "Our customers look to Nebraska Furniture Mart to provide a wide selection of products and excellent customer service at a fair price," Hansen said. "The integrated supply chain planning and execution solution has helped bring all departments together onto a single platform to communicate in a common language. The bottom line, we have achieved more effective inventory investments and better customer service."Just as businesses share data to improve customer service, they may also need to counter security threats that threaten multiple points at once. But with increased digitization comes the risk that hackers might have more information to target, making supply chain risk a chief concern.According to a Forbes survey, the amount of businesses that are most worried about security issues could continue to rise. Out of 1,408 respondents, 30 percent believe that IT and security incidents are very concerning.Unlike other supply chain issues, this one has been at the top of the list for several years, maintaining a high spot since 2012. As such, the source said that the future of collaboration could also require some security measure that makes consolidating processes less risky.In all of this, enterprise continuity is a common thread. Supplier relationship management can keep complicated processes aligned with company goals. IN this week's Herald we talk to Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-on-Avon, about those national headlines about his business interests, his relationship with his constituents, and his frustration over the town's ongoing traffic problems. In this video clip we give you a taster of the interview. Pick up a copy of the Herald to the first instalment in full of our two-part interview in which Mr Zahawi also answers readers' questions, or download an e-edition from Thursday HERE. The second part of our interview will be published in the Herald of Thursday, 9th February. Los Alamos National Bank and FHLB Dallas Provided Funds for Project SANTA FE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A $500,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from Los Alamos National Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) will help fund a $15 million renovation project at Villa Hermosa, a 116-unit apartment community for senior citizens. The grant was awarded to Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority (SFCHA), a community-based organization that is spearheading the project. The renovation project will include new interconnected walking paths, as well as a new community center building with kitchen and laundry facilities for exclusive resident use. According to SFCHA Executive Director Ed Romero, the renovations to the building will enhance the residents quality of life. Thanks in part to the grant, the residents are going to enjoy some nice upgrades, said Mr. Romero. Were grateful to our bank partners for helping us secure this grant. Built in 1973, Villa Hermosa is comprised of six courtyard buildings containing 59 one-bedroom and 57 two-bedroom units. The project will be constructed in accordance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standards and will also feature a rooftop photovoltaic system, which will use the sun to generate some of the buildings energy. Rehabilitation will begin this month and will be completed in summer 2018. Residents will be temporarily relocated to neighboring vacant units on site during construction. FHLB Dallas annually returns 10 percent of its profits in the form of AHP grants to the communities served by its member institutions, like Los Alamos National Bank. AHP grants fund a variety of projects, including home rehabilitation and modifications for low-income, elderly and special-needs residents; down payment and closing cost assistance for qualified first-time homebuyers; and the construction of low-income, multifamily rental communities and single-family homes. Los Alamos National Bank is committed to our customers and projects that foster a better quality of life, said Dion Silva, Los Alamos National Bank Santa Fe market president. The AHP allows us to help our senior neighbors live more comfortably. This grant is one of three AHP grants awarded to SFCHA. Last year, the organization was awarded a $500,000 AHP grant for Pasa Tiempo, another apartment community for seniors, as well as Village in the Bosque in nearby Bernalillo. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 148,000 people living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, today. More than 20 percent of those residents are senior citizens. The AHP is a conduit for strengthening communities, said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. The AHP grant provides gap funding for projects that benefit residents, the community and our members. Mr. Romero said that without the grant, SFCHA would have had to delay or cancel other projects. We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to provide these amenities to our residents, said Mr. Romero. Its nice to be able to give the green light to projects that are going to make so many people happy. About Los Alamos National Bank Los Alamos National Bank (LANB) was established in June 1963 by a group of local investors who saw the need for a convenient, full-service community bank. Now one of the largest and strongest banks in the state, LANB continues to be locally owned and operated by Trinity Capital Corporation, a one-bank holding company. LANB is proud to be a part of sustainable development in northern New Mexico. It is invested in the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the communities it serves. For more information please visit lanb.com. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $58.4 billion as of September 30, 2016, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community investment by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 850 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202006353/en/ Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas Corporate Communications, 214-441-8445 www.fhlb.com Source: Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J. (PRWEB) February 02, 2017 ANE, Agency Network Exchange LLC, announced it added seven new agencies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey last year to grow its membership to more than 50 independently owned and operated agencies. The network, which began with just seven agencies in 2009, helped its members write more than $22 million in new business premiums over the last three years and paid more than $5.6 million in profit sharing to members in the same period. "ANE's continued momentum across New Jersey and Pennsylvania demonstrates that our business model is working for independent agencies that want to stay competitive and grow," said John Tiene, CEO, ANE. "ANE will continue to add talent, realign staff and invest in technology that drives our members' success and helps us achieve our goal of expanding the network across the Mid-Atlantic states." ANE added four agencies in New Jersey: U.S. Insurance (Newton, N.J.) Richards & Summers (Denville, N.J.) Livingston Insurance Agency (Livingston, N.J.) Fidella Insurance (Mount Laurel, N.J.) Absolute Insurance Agency (Upper Chichester, Pa.) Commercial Insurance Providers Group (Levittown, Pa.) The DeAngelo Company (Wyomissing, Pa.) ANE added three agencies in Pennsylvania: ANE Personnel Announcements ANE also named Neal Stanley as interim chief operating officer and consultant. Stanley joined the ANE Board of Directors in 2016 as its first independent member. Jocelyn Rineer was promoted to vice president, field operations. Stanley has over 40 years of experience as the president or senior officer of insurance companies and agencies. He recently retired from United Valley Insurance Services, Inc., one of the nation's largest agency networks, where he was a director and COO. He continues in a consulting role with the company, assisting its member agencies in perpetuation and acquisitions. Rineer joined ANE from E&K Agency, Inc. of Eatontown, N.J., where she served for 15 years as Commercial Lines marketing manager with responsibility for placing a wide variety of commercial lines risks with numerous standard and wholesale outlets. As director of Field Services, Rineer was the primary contact for ANE's New Jersey members. A licensed producer, Rineer is also a Certified Insurance Counselor. About ANE ANE, Agency Network Exchange LLC, was founded in 2009 to give independent insurance agents increased strength in the marketplace. ANE's innovative and flexible model for independent agencies responds to the individual needs of agencies of all sizes. The group pools premiums to increase contingent revenue, provides direct access to market so agents can close more sales, and provides active support to help agents be better business owners. Visit ane-agents.com for more information. Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/02/prweb14031587.htm BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CloudMoyo, leading cloud & analytics solutions provider, announced the opening of its new office in Overland Park, Kansas. The office will strengthen the company's commitment to support its local customers as well as continue its investment in Mid-America district. The company sees the local Kansas metro and larger Mid America district as a fast-growing market for embracing Microsoft Cloud. CloudMoyo has also expanded its team with key industry leaders to support this market locally with its proprietary transportation, cloud analytics solutions, and consulting services. Traditionally, the West Coast has been hailed for technological innovation. Kansas City is rapidly changing that. This metropolitan area of just over two million people can boast the headquarters of Fortune 1000 and fast-growing businesses. In continuing commitment, CloudMoyo is setting up a new office in Corporate Woods in Overland Park, KS close to the local Microsoft district office. The company has announced the appointment of Michael Hodges as Director of Cloud Analytics Practice and Jodi Mullen as Director, Sales & Business Development based out of this office. CloudMoyo is also adding Microsoft Azure technology leaders and resources to the practice. These investments add velocity to the rapid business expansion to service joint customers with Microsoft and other partners. Manish Kedia, CEO & President of CloudMoyo, said, "We believe that growing our presence in this growing market will help us execute with accelerated velocity on our vision of becoming the digital solutions partner of choice." He further added, "We are excited to be part of the Kansas City community and addition to our rapidly growing family. We will empower local customers to realize business value using our solutions & expertise in cloud analytics and Microsoft Cloud." Microsoft's Ervin Flores, General Manager, Mid-America Enterprise, said, "It is great to see the continued investment by Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform partner like CloudMoyo in the local Mid America district. Ervin further added, "This is again a testament to the fast-growing opportunities in the Mid America and the Kansas City region. We are excited with the new leadership, specifically the focus on Microsoft Azure Cloud Analytics solutions & managed services. We look forward to jointly empowering customers with their journey to intelligent cloud powered by Microsoft Azure & Cortana Analytics." Mike Hodges leads the Cloud Analytics practice for the office. Since working on a cellphone billing project in the 90's, Mike recognized the value of data and business intelligence. Working for Kansas City-based companies, like Sprint and Boehringer, has given Mike the ability to solve business issues on a global scale. Always willing to learn something new, Mike works with business leaders in different industries to determine the best solutions for their company. For the practice, Jodi Mullen leads CloudMoyo's business growth and strategic relationships with new and existing customers. Jodi is a Technology Sales leader from Oracle, Dell, and Cerner with over 20+ years of sales, IT experience, and healthcare industry expertise. She received a Bachelor degree in Computer Information Systems from DeVry University. About CloudMoyo:CloudMoyo is the partner of choice for solutions at the intersection of cloud and analytics with innovative product solutions for transportation, healthcare and services for enterprise cloud analytics. They help modern enterprises define their path to the Cloud and leverage the power of data driven insights. Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, with an innovation center in Pune, India, CloudMoyo is set apart by the company's relentless focus on delighting customers, their strong business domain experience, and a deep pool of technical talent with experience in the Microsoft Cloud. We are a trusted Microsoft partner focused on the architecture, design, development and managing operations for some of Microsoft's complex and critical systems. CloudMoyo is specialized in the areas of Cloud computing, Big Data and Advanced Analytics. We are a Microsoft Gold Cloud (Azure) Competency Partner and a Cortana Analytics Technology Alliance Partner. For more information, visit www.cloudmoyo.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cloudmoyo-expands-in-mid-america-with-new-office-in-kansas-city-metro-300401116.html SOURCE CloudMoyo - 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 master plan to give all Indonesians opportunity to move into digital economy - 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 roadmap outlines three major investment pillars -- technology talent, technopreneurship, and mobile payments - Investment commitment follows 600% growth in 2016 of GrabCar and GrabBike services in Indonesia JAKARTA, Indonesia, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grab, the leading ride-hailing platform in Southeast Asia, today launched its 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 master plan, endorsed by Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM), the Government of Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board. Under the plan, Grab will invest USD 700 million in Indonesia over the next four years to support Indonesia's goal of becoming Southeast Asia's largest digital economy by 2020. 'Grab 4 Indonesia' covers a range of programs that aim to provide all Indonesians an opportunity to move into the digital economy, including opening a Grab R&D centre in Jakarta to develop technology innovations for the Indonesian market, launching a social impact fund to invest in companies focused on deepening financial inclusion, and increasing access to mobile payments and financing opportunities across the country. The 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 master plan follows a strong year of growth in Indonesia for Grab, with its GrabCar and GrabBike businesses each growing more than 600 per cent over the course of 2016. Following its 2016 expansion to several new cities, Grab now brings the convenience and affordability of its multi-modal services to more cities in Indonesia than any of its competitors, including Jakarta, Bali, Bandung, Padang, Makassar, Medan, Surabaya and Yogyakarta. In addition, Grab continues to see highly active user engagement and stickiness across its multi-service platform, with one in three of Grab's Indonesian passengers using more than one Grab service. Grab's driver partners were a key pillar of the company's robust growth. As part of our longstanding mission to improve the lives of our driver partners, Grab drivers earn 40-70 per cent more per hour than the average transport or delivery driver in Indonesia, and Grab has generated over USD 260 million of income for its driver partners in Indonesia. H.E. Thomas Lembong, BKPM Chief, said, "The 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 master plan is testimony to Indonesia's conducive business climate. We welcome companies like Grab who want to contribute to Indonesia's economic progress and create jobs for Indonesians - to further strengthen the nation's competitiveness in the global marketplace." H.E. Rudiantara, Minister of Communication and Information Technology, said, "We want all Indonesians to benefit from information technology to improve their lives, develop new skills and build the next wave of global leaders in technology. Grab's investment to train and hire more ICT professionals and mentor young entrepreneurs will accelerate the growth of Indonesia's digital economy. This kind of app has to be positioned as a tool to spur and empower people and the economy." H.E. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs, said, "Indonesia's growth potential will depend in large part on the continued development of its infrastructure, including an efficient public transport network. Technology will play a major role, and services like Grab that leverage the power of data analytics will complement and improve the efficiency and reliability of our nation's transportation infrastructure, enabling Indonesia to progress even faster." Rosan Roeslani, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "The government and the private sector must work hand in hand to invest in human capital and enable Indonesia to move up the value chain. Grab's investment into the long-term future of Indonesia and opening of its R&D centre in Jakarta will boost our technology sector and provide more economic opportunities to all Indonesians." Anthony Tan, Group CEO and Co-founder, Grab, said, "As the largest homegrown technology startup in Southeast Asia, we are excited to make this significant investment in Indonesia's future and accelerate their transition to a fully integrated digital economy. The 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 master plan underlines our deep commitment to driving Southeast Asia forward and our excitement about the tremendous opportunities we see in Indonesia to help build and advance the country's digital infrastructure and ecosystem." Ridzki Kramadibrata, Managing Director, Grab Indonesia, said, "Since day one, we have demonstrated our commitment to Indonesia's long-term economic growth targets and job creation through the expansion of our business to multiple new cities, hiring a strong local team, and providing our Grab driver partners with compelling income opportunities. The 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 master plan takes this commitment one step further; each program represents a building block toward creating a foundation of sustainable growth for Indonesia's digital future. We will train engineers and invest in aspiring technopreneurs so that they, in turn, can develop technology solutions and create new economic opportunities." 'Grab 4 Indonesia' 2020 Master Plan Grab's master plan for Indonesia covers three major pillars: Create new information technology jobs and upskill Indonesia's human capital Grab will open an R&D centre in Jakarta and target hiring 150 engineers over the next two years. The R&D centre will focus on developing innovations specific to Indonesia by building on the success of Grab's existing localised solutions, including algorithms to address new road regulations in Jakarta and GrabHitch (Nebeng), a "bike-pooling" service that caters to nearly 1.4 million commuters in greater Jakarta.To equip Indonesian engineers with globally competitive skills, Grab will provide training opportunities at its R&D centres in Singapore, Beijing and Seattle. Fresh graduates with curious minds and a passion to improve lives in Indonesia are welcome to apply, and Grab will select potential engineers through on-campus interviews and partnerships with leading state and engineering universities. Invest in technopreneurship for social goodGrab will start the 'Grab 4 Indonesia' social impact investment fund to finance companies focused on deepening financial inclusion across all cities and income levels in Indonesia. Grab will invest up to USD 100 million in startups or aspiring technopreneurs to grow the next wave of Indonesian companies with social aspirations to bring more Indonesians into the digital economy. The fund will focus on the mobile and financial services industries, with a particular emphasis on serving smaller cities and communities who have yet to benefit from the digital economy. The 'Grab 4 Indonesia' social impact investment fund will help selected startups accelerate their products to market with both capital investment and technical assistance from Grab. In support of the "1,000 Digital Startups National Movement" initiated by the Government of Indonesia, Grab will also organise a series of entrepreneurship programs in collaboration with selected partners including educational institutions and entrepreneurship organisations. This will include seminars for aspiring technopreneurs and mentorship from Grab executives on developing sustainable business plans with social purpose. Expand access to mobile payments and financing opportunitiesGrab will continue to launch and enhance mobile services to increase Indonesians' access to mobile payments and financing opportunities. Grab will expand its mobile payment solutions in Indonesia through GrabPay Credits, its cashless stored value option, and existing partnerships with Mandiri and their e-Cash solution, while also continuing to develop a shared e-money payments platform with Lippo Group and Nobu Bank to enable all Indonesians to use Grab to pay for services and goods at Lippo's retail partners.In addition, Grab will provide its driver partners with access to more financing opportunities to purchase their own smartphones and automotive vehicles, giving them the opportunity to build sustainable livelihoods and become micro-entrepreneurs. Grab will continue to work with its banking partners, including Nobu Bank, to extend financing opportunities to all Indonesian consumers. Indonesia is Grab's largest market in Southeast Asia. Grab will continue to expand to more cities in Indonesia, grow its transport services, and invest in GrabPay as a mobile payments platform. Since its launch in 2012, Grab has evolved from a simple app for booking a taxi into the largest ground transportation app in Southeast Asia. To date, the company has more than 630,000 drivers and 33 million downloads across the region. About Grab Grab is Southeast Asia's leading ride-hailing platform. Grab solves critical transportation challenges to make transport freedom a reality for 620 million people in Southeast Asia. Grab's core product platform includes commuting solutions for drivers and passengers with an emphasis on convenience, safety and reliability, as well as its proprietary mobile payments platform, GrabPay. Grab currently offers services in Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. For more information, please visit: http://www.grab.com. For more information, please contact: Hume Brophy Asia[email protected] Sard Verbinnen & Co United States[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grab-to-invest-usd-700-million-in-grab-4-indonesia-2020-master-plan-300401050.html SOURCE Grab Inc. HOUSTON (PRWEB) February 02, 2017 Inspired by survivor stories he heard from the people who lived them, Henry Radoff decided to write "Breaking Free: A Journey for Survival" (published by Archway Publishing), which takes inspiration from Liny Pajgin Yollick's own experience. Written with narration from a grandfather interspersed with remarks from his grandson, "Breaking Free" tells the flight of a Jewish doctor, his pregnant wife and four others in 1938 as they attempt to escape the Nazi occupation of Freiburg, Germany, by journeying through the Black forest and, with help from to their surprise a dog guide, into a rescue camp at a ski lodge in Switzerland by traversing the Swiss Alps. Radoff hopes readers will understand the theme of hope and survival. He wants readers to realize that no circumstance is so great that they can't overcome it by having hope and a positive attitude. "Breaking Free" By Henry Radoff Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5in | 108 pages | ISBN 9781480839144 E-Book | 108 pages | ISBN 9781480839151 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Henry Radoff is a 73-year-old attorney who has been in practice in Houston since 1968. Now semi-retired, he works as a court receiver by appointment. Radoff attended both the University of Texas and law school before teaching a Holocaust course at Congregation Emanu El in Houston with his father for 30 years in his spare time. He is married to retired school teacher, Marla Krull Radoff; they split their time between their homes in Houston and Pensacola, Florida. Besides publishing "Breaking Free," Radoff wrote "Taking Chancey" and co-authored a movie script for "The Guide" with Kris White. Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the leading self-publishing company worldwide, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 888-242-5904. Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/HenryRadoff/BreakingFree/prweb14037532.htm BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, Southern Nuclear in collaboration with South Carolina Electric & Gas was honored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) with a Technology Transfer Award for the development and implementation of a project titled Pilot plant application of risk-informed in-service inspection to new build fleet. James Agold with Southern Nuclear's Engineering Programs worked with SCE&G on the project to develop more informed operational and maintenance policies. Agold, who retired from Southern Nuclear last year, accepted the award Tuesday night at the EPRI Nuclear Power Council Advisory Week in Charlotte along with Southern Nuclear and SCE&G colleagues in attendance. "I am proud of the Southern Nuclear team for continuously seeking innovative solutions that advance our industry and help deliver the nuclear promise of clean, affordable and reliable nuclear energy," said Southern Nuclear President and CEO Steve Kuczynski. "James and the team have developed policies for the new fleet build that will provide substantial benefits by reducing costs, worker exposure and radiation waste while improving plant safety." More specifically, the new policies will decrease the scope of the inspection population between 60-90 percent and provide a conservatively-estimated cost savings between $1 and $2 million per ten-year inspection interval. "The 2016 Technology Transfer Award winners have taken EPRI Research & Development to new levels in order to shape a sustainable energy system," said Arshad Mansoor, senior vice president of R&D at EPRI. "Working in a collaborative environment, their advancements benefit their utility and the entire industry because we all have a stake in power system transformation." About Southern Nuclear:Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is a leader among the nation's nuclear energy facility operators and an innovator in advanced nuclear technologies. Southern Nuclear is an essential part of Southern Company's energy portfolio, and its importance will continue to grow as America transitions to a low-carbon energy future. While the company produces clean, safe and reliable nuclear energy, it's also an economic engine powered by quality jobs and community service. Southern Nuclear operates a total of six units for Alabama Power and Georgia Power at the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala.; the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga.; and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Southern Nuclear is the licensee of two new nuclear units currently under construction at Plant Vogtle that are among the first nuclear units being constructed in the United States in more than 30 years. Southern Nuclear received numerous accolades in 2016 for leadership in the advancement of nuclear energy including the Special Achievement Award by the United States Nuclear Infrastructure Council and the Presidential Citation by the American Nuclear Society. Southern Nuclear also received two of the Nuclear Energy Institute's Top Innovative Practice awards and special recognition for achieving excellence in research and performance. Southern Nuclear's Plant Hatch received the ANS Operations & Power Division's Utility Achievement Award for plant improvements that resulted in a record-setting refueling outage duration. The company's headquarters is in Birmingham, Ala. Twitter: @SouthernNuclear; Facebook: facebook.com/southernnuclear; www.southernnuclear.com About Southern Company:Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 44,000 MW of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric utilities in four states, natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/southern-nuclear-wins-leading-industry-award-for-advancing-technological-solutions-300401414.html SOURCE Southern Nuclear AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Smart technology recruitment firm StartMonday Technology Corp. (CSE: JOB) (FRANKFURT: JOB) (the "Company" or "StartMonday") is pleased to announce that UK-based Atlas Hotels will commence using its technology this week. Atlas Hotels HR team now enjoys the ability to login and start using the novel technology to streamline the process of matching their next round of job-seekers to position openings using the 15-second videos, applicant tracking system, and careers-page solution provided by StartMonday. Atlas is the first hotel group from StartMonday's agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, (Press Release January 16) to onboard this innovative human resource solution, with more hotels and groups slated to start implementing the solution every Monday for the next few months. Atlas Hotels has 47 franchised properties in their portfolio. As stated previously, StartMonday is very pleased to have been selected to work with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, to help achieve the company's aim of recruiting the best possible talent to work within its hotels. Company co-founder and CEO Ray Gibson states, "We are working closely with Pippa Walker, Group People Manager, Atlas Hotels and we feel very confident that our system will work very effectively for her team. It's an intuitive platform for both employers and job seekers with plenty of ways for Atlas to promote and manage their brand and easy ways for candidates to apply from the web or from their smartphones. The system will be open to new client prospects as well as throughout the managed and franchised estates across IHG's six brands in Europe: Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, and Hotel Indigo. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Ray Gibson" CEO & Director About Atlas Hotels Specialising in the operation of branded hotels, Atlas Hotels is an award-winning hotel company owning and operating 47 hotels in the United Kingdom. The company has a reputation for excellence in their field and are the UK's biggest franchisee of the Holiday Inn Express brand with properties in Scotland, England and Wales. Visit: http://www.atlashotels.co.uk. About StartMonday (CSE: JOB) (FRANKFURT: JOB) StartMonday helps employers select better candidates, faster, with the power of 15-second video introductions. StartMonday's video-led mobile and web applications deliver a better impression of personality and customer skills, ultimately helping employers decide which candidates they should talk to first -- making the process much more efficient. StartMonday is focused on becoming recognized as an innovative and trusted brand for job recruitment. The Company is dedicated to building powerful tools for the Mobile Generation. The mission is to make recruiting, and work itself, an amazing experience for everyone. For more information please visit www.startmonday.com. About IHG IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (LSE: IHG) (NYSE: IHG) (ADRs) is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,100 hotels and more than 750,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme, with nearly 99 million members worldwide. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. Read our latest news and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the completion of the listing of the Company's shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the Canadian Securities Exchange and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward- looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. Contact: Walter Spagnuolo Invictus Investor Relations Office: +1.604.343.8661 Toll Free from North America: +1.800.274.8143 Toll free from Germany: +0800.180.6687 Toll Free From UK: + 0.800.014.8387 Email: [email protected] Website: www.startmonday.com Source: StartMonday Technology Corp. BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Around 70 soldiers from the forces of powerful Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have been sent to Russia for treatment, in one of the first overt signs of cooperation between Moscow and one of Libya's armed factions, an official and a military source said. Opponents of Haftar, head of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) based in the east of the country, worry that his engagement with Russia is an attempt to challenge the fragile U.N.-supported government in Tripoli, which he has shunned. Western officials see the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) as a way to stabilize Libya, which has been caught in fighting and rivalries among competing armed factions since the 2011 civil war that toppled veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi. An official from Haftar's forces' committee for the wounded said the fighters had left for Russia via Egypt, but did not provide any details. A military source confirmed the transfer of 70 patients by plane from Benina airport in Benghazi to Egypt, from where they were taken to Russia. The source said this would not be the last such operation for LNA wounded. Haftar, whose forces have been fighting against an alliance of Islamist militants and former rebels in Benghazi for two years, enjoys close ties to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. He has cultivated his friendship with Russia, visiting Moscow twice last year to ask for military aid. Haftar, a one-time ally of Gaddafi who returned to join the uprising in 2011, has largely shunned attempts to shore up the U.N.-mediated peace deal. He accuses the government of aligning itself with some of the country's Islamist-leaning forces. (Reporting by Ayman Al-Warfalli; writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) Pier Carlo Padoan, Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 18, 2017. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich ROME (Reuters) - Italy said on Wednesday it was ready to increase revenues and cut spending to meet Brussels' concerns about its 2017 budget, which the European Commission has said does not respect the European Union's fiscal rules. In a letter to the Commission, Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan outlined measures Italy was ready to adopt in 2017 to avoid being put on the Commission's blacklist of non-compliant countries. In a Jan. 17 letter, the Commission had asked Italy to cut its budget deficit this year by some 3.4 billion euros ($3.66 billion) more than Rome had targeted in its 2017 budget. Italy will "adopt the necessary measures," Padoan said in his letter to Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and Economic and Financial Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici, but he did not make any reference to size of the adjustment. The letter, posted on the Treasury's website, said the fiscal correction would be contained in a multi-year budget plan, known as the Economic and Financial Document, to be presented in April. Three quarters of the adjustment will come through revenue-raising measures, the letter said, and the remaining quarter by spending cuts. On the revenue side, it will include raising indirect taxes and excise duties, as well as efforts to combat tax evasion, Padoan said. He added that Italy's economic growth last year "probably exceeded" his most recent 0.8 percent forecast, without giving a new estimate. The data will be released on March 1. Italy has been wrangling with the Commission since it announced a 2017 budget last autumn that exceeded previously agreed deficit targets. The Commission is particularly concerned by Italy's public debt, which at around 133 percent of gross domestic product is the highest in the euro zone after Greece's. Rome's 2017 budget deficit goal is currently set at 2.3 percent of GDP, up from 1.8 percent agreed previously with Brussels. Italy's so-called "structural" deficit, adjusted for swings in the business cycle and one-off items, is set to rise by 0.6 percent of GDP this year, flouting EU rules that require it to fall by 0.5 points per year until reaching balance or surplus. The letter from the government of Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who took over from Matteo Renzi less that two months ago, now puts the ball back in Brussels' court. Rome's offer does not commit explicitly to any precise figures and is also vague on when the measures will become law. It says only that they will be adopted "within the timeframe of the approval of the Economic and Financial Document." (Reporting By Gavin Jones, editing by Larry King) MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Norwegian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it had summoned the Russian ambassador to complain after Moscow refused to issue visas to two Norwegian members of parliament. The ministry said the members of parliament's foreign affairs committee had been due to visit Moscow on Thursday and Friday after receiving an official invitation from Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council. It said Moscow had blocked the visas because of Norway's sanctions against Russia, imposed after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Foreign Minister Borge Brende said the visa denial was "highly regrettable" and that Norway had protested through diplomatic channels before summoning Teimuraz Ramishvili, the ambassador. "Meetings between parliamentarians are an important element of political contact. The planned visit ... would have brought this dialogue further," Brende said in a statement. "We find the Russian decision unjustified and unreasonable. We have urged the Russian authorities to look at this again," he said. (Reporting by Peter Hobson and Gwladys Fouche; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) By Pawel Sobczak, Lidia Kelly and Justyna Pawlak WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland is trying to improve relations with its eastern neighbor Belarus in the hope of also reviving the European Union's dormant Eastern Partnership initiative that targets six former Soviet republics, its deputy foreign minister said. The Eastern Partnership offered money, technical assistance and market access to the six countries - but without the prospect of EU membership - in return for their adoption of European democratic, administrative and economic norms. The initiative is widely seen as having failed, due partly to Russia's attempts to reassert its influence in regions it has traditionally dominated. Five of the countries involved - Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan - are weakened by "frozen conflicts" in which Moscow has a hand, while the sixth, Belarus, remains under the firm control of its veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Krzysztof Szymanski said much greater flexibility was required to revive the Partnership. Critics say it had been hobbled by the EU's 'one-size-fits-all' approach to a diverse group of countries. "Today one thing is certain - the Partnership will mean something if (the EU) comes up with diverse paths for these neighboring states," Szymanski said in an interview authorized for publication on Wednesday. Poland has held a series of diplomatic and business contacts with Belarus in recent months. "KIND OF A TEST" "It's a kind of a test, an attempt to open the door to see whether it could bring effects because there needs to be a will on both sides," said Szymanski. A Belarussian parliamentary delegation is visiting Poland this week. In December the speaker of Poland's upper chamber held talks with Lukashenko in Minsk. Polish media have reported that Belarus's largest state bank Belarusbank and energy firms Mozyr and Naftan are considering IPOs (initial public offerings) on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. In a move likely to have pleased Lukashenko, who brooks little dissent in a country he has ruled since 1994, Poland has also announced a substantial cut in subsidies to Belsat TV, a Warsaw-based satellite channel that has provided Belarussians with an alternative to state-run television for the past decade. The EU, which last year ended five years of sanctions against Belarus, is likely to welcome any rapprochement between Poland, its largest eastern member state, and Belarus as the bloc confronts a more assertive Russia on its eastern borders. EU officials rule out any breakthrough in relations while Minsk retains the death penalty, but Lukashenko has become more open to Western overtures following Russia's actions in Belarus's southern neighbor Ukraine. The Belarussian leader criticized Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014 and has also sought to lessen his country's traditional economic reliance on Russia, which has been locked in a protracted recession. "Even if (the Eastern Partnership) does not get revived it would still be good if bilateral ties between Poland and Belarus improve," said Szymanski. (Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Gareth Jones) U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrives to deliver remarks to Department of State employees at the Department of State in Washington, U.S., February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for unity and understanding on his first day at the State Department amid internal dissent over policies of President Donald Trump, which have also antagonized a range of allies. Within hours of starting the job, Tillerson reached out by phone to counterparts from Mexico and Canada, spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and met with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, department officials said. Hundreds of State Department officials greeted the former Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE: XOM) chief executive with applause as he entered the building. Louder cheers broke out when Tillerson thanked acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon for standing in after the departure of John Kerry. "Hi, I'm the new guy," said Tillerson, who was sworn in on Wednesday after the Senate confirmed him to his post despite concerns about his ties with Russia. Trump has called for closer relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In remarks that did not touch on foreign policy specifics, Tillerson addressed the dissent within the department that emerged this week in a memo signed by more than 900 officials in protest against Trump's decision to suspend the U.S. refugee program and restrict travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. "One of the great challenges and thrills for the State Department staff is deciding how to confront changing conditions in every corner of the world," said Tillerson, "I encourage all of you to use your natural and well-developed skills to adapt to changes here at home as well. "I know this was a hotly contested election and we do not all feel the same way about the outcome," said Tillerson. "Each of us is entitled to expression of our political beliefs, but we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team." He also signaled he would impose changes to improve the functioning of the department and said the security of diplomats was a priority. There was no readout after his meeting with Gabriel at the State Department, although discussions were likely focused on the NATO alliance, the future of the Iran nuclear agreement and trade. His separate phone calls with foreign ministers from Canada and Mexico coincided with Trump saying on Thursday he wanted early talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he wants to renegotiate or repeal. "I know him and we are very excited having the opportunity to work with him," Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said in an interview on CNN on Thursday evening, adding that he would meet Tillerson shortly. The two met a couple of times when Videgaray was finance minister and Tillerson at Exxon, he said. Tillerson also spoke by phone with Netanyahu, the State Department said in a statement. It did not say whether they discussed a White House statement that said Israeli settlements in occupied territories may not be helpful in achieving peace with Palestinians, adopting a more measured tone than its previous pro-Israel announcements. "In all of his conversations, Secretary Tillerson stressed America's steadfast commitment to its key allies and partners as it works to protect the interests and safety of the American people," acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. Tillerson inherits a messy globe, with war in Syria and Iraq, nuclear-armed North Korea threatening to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile, and increased violence in eastern Ukraine. Over the past 48 hours, more foreign policy challenges piled up as tensions erupted between the United States and ally Australia over an existing refugee swap, which Trump called a "dumb deal." Strains with Iran also increased after the White House said it was putting Tehran on notice for test-firing a ballistic missile and the new administration moved to impose sanctions on several Iranian entities on Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Additional reporting by Christine Murray in Mexico City; Editing by Grant McCool, Peter Cooney and Nick Macfie) UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G/A Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 1)* MutualFirst Financial, Inc. (Name of issuer) Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 per share (Title of class of securities) 62845B104 (CUSIP number) December 31, 2016 (Date of event which requires filing of this statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: Rule 13d-1(b) Rule 13d-1(c) Rule 13d-1(d) * The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 62845B104 Page 2 of 7 Pages 1. Name of Reporting Person Maltese Capital Management LLC 2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group* (a) (b) 3. SEC Use Only 4. Citizen or Place of Organization New York NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5. Sole Voting Power 6. Shared Voting Power 218,100 7. Sole Dispositive Power 8. Shared Dispositive Power 218,100 9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 218,100 10. Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares* 11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 2.98% 12. Type of Reporting Person* 00 SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 62845B104 Page 3 of 7 Pages 1. Name of Reporting Person Terry Maltese 2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group* (a) (b) 3. SEC Use Only 4. Citizen or Place of Organization USA NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5. Sole Voting Power 6. Shared Voting Power 218,100 7. Sole Dispositive Power 8. Shared Dispositive Power 218,100 9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 218,100 10. Check Box if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares* 11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 2.98% 12. Type of Reporting Person* IN, HC SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 62845B104 Page 4 of 7 Pages Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: MutualFirst Financial, Inc. Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 110 E. Charles Street, Muncie, Indiana 47305 Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing: This statement is being filed by (i) Maltese Capital Management LLC, a New York limited liability company ("MCM"), and (ii) Terry Maltese, Managing Member of MCM, with respect to shares of Common Stock that each of the foregoing may be deemed to have a beneficial ownership. The foregoing persons are hereinafter sometimes referred to collectively as the "Reporting Persons". Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office: The address of the principal offices of MCM and the business address of Mr. Maltese is Maltese Capital Management LLC, 150 East 52nd Street, 30th Floor, New York, New York 10022. Item 2(c). Citizenship: Mr. Maltese is a U.S. Citizen. Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 62845B104 Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) , or 13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a: (a) [_] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o). (b) [_] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c). (c) [_] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c). (d) [_] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8). (e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f) [_] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) [X] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h) [_] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); (i) [_] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3); (j) [_] Group, in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 62845B104 Page 5 of 7 Pages Item 4. Ownership. (a) and (b) Based upon an aggregate of 7,324,233 shares of Common Stock outstanding, as determined by the Issuer's most recently available 10Q filing, as of the close of business on November 7, 2016: (i) MCM owned directly no shares of Common Stock. By reason of its position as investment advisor, MCM may be deemed to beneficially own the 218,100 shares of Common Stock which are held of record by clients of MCM, constituting approximately 2.98% of the shares outstanding. (ii) Mr. Maltese directly owned no shares of Common Stock. By reason of his position as Managing Member of MCM, Mr. Maltese may be deemed to beneficially own 218,100 shares of Common Stock, constituting approximately 2.98% of the shares outstanding. (c) Number of shares as to which such person has: (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: No Reporting Person has sole power to vote or to direct the vote over the shares held by such Reporting Person. (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: MCM: 218,100 MR. MALTESE: 218,100 (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: No Reporting Person has sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition over the shares held by such Reporting Person. (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: MCM: 218,100 MR. MALTESE: 218,100 Each of the Reporting Persons hereby disclaims any beneficial ownership of any Shares in excess of their actual beneficial ownership thereof. Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class: If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: [X] . Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. Not applicable. SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 62845B104 Page 6 of 7 Pages Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company. Not applicable. Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. Not applicable. Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. Not applicable. Item 10. Certification. By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect , other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under 240.14a-11 . Exhibits: [Exhibit I: Joint Acquisition Statement, dated as of February 2, 2017.] SIGNATURES After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: February 2, 2017 Maltese Capital Management LLC Terry Maltese By: /s/ Terry Maltese By: /s/ Terry Maltese Terry Maltese Managing Member Terry Maltese EXHIBIT 1 JOINT ACQUISITION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(k) The undersigned acknowledge and agree that the foregoing statement on Schedule 13G is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned and that all subsequent amendments to this statement on Schedule 13G shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned without the necessity of filing additional joint acquisition statements. The undersigned acknowledge that each shall be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning the others, except to the extent that he or it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate. Dated: February 2, 2017 Maltese Capital Management LLC Terry Maltese By: /s/ Terry Maltese By: /s/ Terry Maltese Terry Maltese Managing Member Terry Maltese SK 27061 0003 7405056 A day after India's foreign ministry released a statement dismissive of Pakistan's arrest of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, the Foreign Office (FO) urged India to "look towards itself before it points fingers at others". Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Vikas Swarup had tweeted Wednesday saying, "Excesses such as yesterday's orders against Hafiz Saeed have been carried out before." Read more: India missed opportunities for peace: FO "Only a credible crackdown on the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks... would be proof of Pakistan's sincerity," he added. FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria, addressing a weekly briefing in Islamabad, said, "India should look towards itself before it points fingers towards others." "Pakistan has conducted operations against terrorist elements without discrimination," he asserted. Also read: FO rejects allegations of terrorist safe heavens in Fata Zakaria alleged that "India has been involved in terrorist operations in Pakistan," adding that there is "solid proof" that Indian state actors and institutions are involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan. "The interference of Indian state institutions in Pakistan's internal matters has been made apparent before the world," Zakaria said. Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa has said, Taking inspiration from war veterans and their spirit of sacrifice, Pakistan Army has always measured up to the challenges and expectations of our nation COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa visited 16 Baloch Regiment at Sialkot Cantt, where he was commissioned as Second lieutenant, said Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). It is pertinent to mention here that Qamar Javed Bajwa and his father had commanded this battalion. COAS spent the day with serving and retired soldiers and war veterans of the battalion who felt proud to see their officer as COAS. Recollecting the memories, COAS said that a unit is grooming place for soldiers as well as officers who undertake the challenges of professional life together. Earlier, on arrival at Sialkot COAS was received by the Corps Commander lieutenant General Ikram Ul Haque. The Afghan government controls less than 60 per cent of the country, a US watchdog agency reported on Wednesday, after security forces retreated from many strongholds last year. Afghan soldiers and police, with the aid of thousands of foreign military advisers, are struggling to hold off a resurgent militancy led by the Taliban, as well as other groups like Islamic State. As of November, the government could only claim to control or influence 57 percent of Afghanistans 407 districts, according to US military estimates released by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), in a quarterly report to the US Congress. That represents a 15 per cent decrease in territory held compared with the same time in 2015, the agency said in a report. SIGARs analysis of the most recent data provided by US forces in Afghanistan suggests that the security situation in Afghanistan has not improved this quarter, it said. The numbers of the Afghan security forces are decreasing, while both casualties and the number of districts under insurgent control or influence are increasing. More than 10 per cent of districts are under insurgent control or influence, while 33 per cent are contested, according to the report. Some of the most contested provinces include Uruzgan, with five of six districts under insurgent control or influence, and Helmand, with eight of its 14 districts under militant control or influence. US military officials say much of the loss of territory reflects a change in strategy, with Afghan forces abandoning many checkpoints and bases in order to consolidate and focus on the most threatened areas. Militants tried at least eight times to capture provincial capitals, although each assault was eventually beaten off. According to US military estimates, the number of Afghans living under militant control or influence decreased slightly in recent months to about 2.5 million people. But nearly a third of the country, or 9.2 million people, live in areas that are contested, according to SIGAR, leading to some of the highest civilian casualty rates the United Nations has ever recorded in Afghanistan. Afghan security forces also sustained heavy casualties, with at least 6,785 soldiers and police killed in the first 10 months of last year, with 11,777 wounded, SIGAR reported. Casualty figures are rarely released by the Afghan government, while difficulties in confirming and tracking troop numbers make any figures subject to wide variation. SIGAR reported some progress in combating corruption, which has plagued both Afghan military and political institutions. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Insurance Back Insurtech is transforming the traditionally rigid insurance space in response to modern consumer needs, says GlobalData Many propositions stemming from the insurance technology (or 'insurtech') space are designed to reinvigorate some of the most traditional methods and practices within the insurance industry, including product purchasing and distribution, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. According to the company's latest report, insurtech provides a means of accommodating the modern consumer, and challenges incumbents to embrace the unfamiliarity of new technologies. Insurtech start-ups are looking to provide consumers with quicker and easier access to insurance cover, as well as granting more autonomy when it comes to insurance dealings. Thomas McCourtie, Financial Analyst at GlobalData, explains: "The industry is looking to fall in line with other areas of commerce by providing consumers with quicker and more efficient services. Insurtech acts as the facilitator in developing new propositions which enable customers to obtain cover without the need to contact an advisor, and can be arranged remotely on a mobile device. "Good examples of this include the many online or app-based peer-to-peer platforms emerging from this space, which encourage users to group together and collectively share risk, often without the services of an underwriter." Financial services have been a particular advocate of new consumer technology, with many established providers, including those in retail banking, consumer payments, and even wealth management, introducing new services and platforms to help customers engage with their brands. Insurers have lagged behind these markets in the tech revolution but are now looking to follow suit. Despite the obvious benefits of consumer tech, some within the insurance space are hesitant when it comes to the launch of new propositions. Many are unsure of the impact on service or whether significant changes to backroom operations would be required. There are also those who, understandably, view insurtech as a threat rather than an opportunity, as insurers may not be willing to embrace new technologies. McCourtie concludes: "It is important that these providers welcome change, and are willing to consider introducing new technologies. Partnering with the groups developing these propositions may prove strategically canny as the agreement would be mutually beneficial. "Incumbents need start-ups for their technical prowess and start-ups need access to the wide customer bases commanded by the established providers. Failing to do so could result in an increase in competition, with insurtech proving a serious stand-alone competitor." About GlobalData 4,000 of the world's largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData's unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData's mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors. Author: Daniela GHETU on 02.02.2017 Archive Comment this article 0 comments Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail: Comment: < 10.000 car. Fill in the code from the image: To contain the resistance from within, the Iranian regime has used force, imprisonment and torture. The increased level of executions within President Rhonanis term is evidence that force and intimidation are their enforcement policies. The global community has had limited interaction with Iran, and it hoped that economic sanctions would encourage social and political changes. They believed that if Iran was losing out economically, the regime would consider change for the greater good of the people. However, Iran ignored the economic implications of its actions, and continued to oppress the people and ignore their basic human rights. Eight years ago, the Obama administration determined that a different approach was necessary. Economic sanctions were beginning to have an effect, and this brought Iran to the bargaining table. The Obama administration thought that concessions and a policy of appeasement would bring about a change, and create an ally out of a former enemy. It also expected that the new relationship would allow access to Irans influence in resolving other crises within the region. The Iranian regime has been known for its policy of exporting fundamentalism to other nations within the Middle East region. Nothing changed, and Obamas only achievement was that he curbed Irans nuclear ambitions in a limited way via the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The deal had little in the way of safeguards, so the success of the plan was in the hands of the regimes leaders, who promised to allow access for inspections and limited nuclear development. The deal did not address human rights violations. Political prisoners, and oppression of freedom of religion and speech were ignored an attempt to keep Iran at the negotiation table and limiting their nuclear development. Appeasement policies toward Iran have had far reaching implications for the nations in the region, especially Syria, resulting in increasing violence and war. Thousands have lost their lives, as people desiring freedom continue to fight oppression. The funds that they received as part of the agreement has fueled increased Irans meddling in the affairs of the region at large. Additionally, despite the concessions, Iran has not become a friend, as the United States wished. Theyve made no changes in how they deal with their people and have been difficult regarding inspections and other aspects of the nuclear deal. The incoming president, Donald Trump, will have a Middle East that is in a state of upheaval to deal with, instead the stable region that President Obama had planned. The United States needs to take a strict stand with Iran. The U.S. needs to lead the global community against Irans human rights violations. The United Nations released multiple resolutions regarding the situation of the Iranian people, including executions, arrests and torture. For these innocent people, the United States must support a policy that has real life consequences for the regime, unless they make significant changes in these areas. Iran also needs to give justice to the victims of the massacres, and those members of their government that sanctioned these killings must be punished. By ignoring these massacres, the United States and the global community allows Iran to continue acting without fear of reprisal. The Iranian people are the ones paying the price for appeasement. The people are being punished for disagreeing with the government, they are the ones being imprisoned, tortured, and separated from loved ones. They suffer the effects of human rights violations that continue, today. The global community, particularly the United States, must consider a radical change in their approach to Iran. The NCRI (National Council of Resistance of Iran) has continued to highlight human rights issues and the condition of political prisoners in Iran. Global leaders have joined their voices with President-Elect Maryam Rajavi, as she continues to raise awareness about the conditions in Iran under the mullahs regime. The Iranian massacres and the war in Syria were the main topics of a recent conference held in Paris at the end of November, 2016. For eight years, Ms. Rajavi has pointed out how the regime used the policy of appeasement at the cost of the Iranian people. Rajavi has shown how the regime cannot be accepted while they continue to oppress their people and commit crimes against humanity. US policy toward Iran should avoid appeasement, and focus on standing firm and making Iran follow through with their side of the deal, and if they dont, the regime must accept the consequences of non-compliance with the terms of the agreement. Otherwise, there will be no change, only a continuation of the chaos in the Middle East and the oppression of the Iranian people. Other reports indicate that the Iraqi decision to follow suit with Iran may have been motivated in large part by pressure from the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mainly Shiite militant groups that fights against ISIL but has also been accused of carrying out reprisals and human rights violations against Sunni populations. The paramilitary groups that comprise that coalition are largely financed and trained by Iran, and as with similar forces in Syria, some of them have sworn allegiance to the Iranian supreme leader over and above the government of their own country. The coalition reportedly told Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that it hoped not only that American nationals would be banned from traveling to Iraq after this date, but also that those already in the country would be expelled. Insofar as the response to Trumps executive order has given Iraq and Iran a pretext to work in concert while also ramping up anti-Western rhetoric in each country. This is particularly important because of its potential to have knock-on effects upon much more broad-ranging networks that include both the Islamic Republic of Iran and established terrorist groups. Throughout recent months, there have been various reports on Iranian efforts to establish itself as the head of a mainly Shiite hegemony spreading across the Middle East. The World Bulletin indicated on Monday that the Palestinian terror group had once again signaled its receptiveness to efforts at such reconciliation. While visiting Algeria, a senior Hamas official by the name of Sami Abu Zuhri declared without elaboration, Efforts and contacts are underway to boost relations with Iran and we hope we will achieve something positive. Iranian officials have explicitly indicated that their regional strategy extends from their own territory to the Mediterranean, where their control over the Syrian government in Damascus is crucial. That control has also opened up a new Hezbollah front against Israel by entrenching itself in the Golan Heights. Meanwhile, Hamas controls the Gaza Strip and expanded Iranian influence over that area would intensify the existential threat that Iran poses to the Jewish state. Under a United Nations Security Council resolution coinciding with the implementation of the nuclear agreement, Iran is called upon to avoid further development or testing of such weapons, and yet several such tests have taken place since nuclear negotiations ended in July 2015. Fox News reported on Monday that yet another such test had just been observed in an area about 140 miles east of Tehran. As is underscored by the recent boosts in relations among Iran and various regional terrorist groups, the danger posed by these weapons and their theoretical nuclear payloads is not just that they might be used by the Iranian regime itself against Israel or more distant targets. Rather, the threat also includes the possibility of such weapons being included in the ongoing smuggling of arms from the Islamic Republic to its terrorist proxies elsewhere in the region. It is noteworthy, that by escalation of public protests and social discontent inside Iran, which has caused more domestic suppression and daily violation of human rights, regime needs to export the crisis out of Iran more than ever, and this is the main motive behind all abovementioned ditch efforts, one should never imagine that Iran regimes power postures are out of its stable and powerful position. Tehran, was already anxious about a new team in Washington, and the end of former President Obamas golden era. Iran has highly concerned about the fate of the Nuclear Deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under this new administration. It is also clearly concerning to the US, based on recent remarks made by senior American figures. According to Senator Tom Cotton, a fierce critic of the JCPOA, the new President is going to be much more forceful on the terms of the nuclear deal itself, and that itself may cause the ayatollahs to walk away, but I also know that he intends to confrontIranian regional aggression, and their imperial project around the Middle East. US Army general and former CIA director David Petraeus, told the new administration to never rule out the possibility of military action. The US must prepare for action against Iran, if necessary, he said at a recent security conference. I told Trump we need to repeat what we want, for Iran not to have nuclear weapons and for the Islamic Republic to stop striving for a Shiite hegemony in the region. If you ask the Gulf States, their first problem is Iran, and only afterwards comes ISIS, Yemen Although senior Iranian regime officials have threatened to burn the JCPOA if the new administration decides to tear it up, as Trump threatened to do during his campaign, one principle should be kept in mind, writes Alavi, Iran needs the deal to remain intact more than any other party. Thus, the mullahs macho rhetoric is meant for domestic use only, in order to maintain a straight face. In a recent Asharq Al-Awsat interview, Petraeus said, Iran must accept a JCPOA revision. Otherwise, the US will be forced to adopt other methods to protect regional countries. Responding to such remarks, as well as the new administrations announcement to launch new missiles systems in the Middle East, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, along with with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, expressed his support at a joint press conference. Trump has spoken about containing Iran and its ability to cause mischief, and making sure Iran abides by the agreement, Jubeir said, adding, This is exactly our position. Signs point to President Trump strengthening the JCPOA provisions and strictly enforcing these measures. As a result, cheating on the margins, as Iran did under the appeasement policies of the Obama administration, will become much more difficult. Additionally, the Trump administration will most likely focus its attention on Tehrans support for terrorism abroad, such as Irans involvement in Syria, and human rights violations back home. Alavi writes, If the US administration penalized the mullahs in this realm in the coming months by, for example, encouraging activities aimed at isolating Tehran it will send a very strong message to the regime not used to such stark measures, and leave a lasting and meaningful impact on the establishments overall economic fortunes. He adds, To this end, Washington shouldnt be the least concerned about any recent saber-rattling from Tehran regime officials, as it is merely a sign of Irans fear about trekking into uncharted Trump territory. Nearly two dozen former senior American officials, many with close ties to the new president, signed a hand-delivered letter that urged the White House to work with the main Iranian opposition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), whos leader, Maryam Rajavi, is a Muslim woman who advocates a peaceful, progressive and tolerant interpretation of Islam. The NCRI is a conglomerate of Iranian dissident groups, including the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). All this and the new administration is just getting warmed up, concludes Alavi. That resolution, number 2231, replaced an earlier resolution on the same topic and in so doing it softened the language so that Iran would now be called upon to avoid the testing of weapons design to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, as opposed to being categorically barred from carrying out work on weapons that are capable of carrying such a weapon, full stop. It was never made entirely clear whether this softening was intention, but it seems clear from Sundays test launch and its predecessors that Tehran and particularly the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps are taking full advantage of the legal loopholes that implies. This has certainly not prevented the US from raising concerns over the Iranian regimes activities, even under the previous US presidential administration, which appeared to be committed to a more conciliatory policy on Iran. Around the time of the implementation of the JCPOA, President Obama even instituted new sanctions on individuals and organizations linked to the Iranian ballistic missile program, apparently in response to one test that had been carried out about three months earlier, after the nuclear agreement had been finalized but before it had been implemented. But President Donald Trump, in campaigning for office, repeatedly referred to the JCPOA as one of the worst agreements ever negotiated, as well as otherwise questioning the strength and wisdom of Obama administration policy. Consequently, many foreign policy watchers are anticipating a more assertive policy by the Trump administration on the nuclear issue and other matters relevant to US-Iranian relations. And a number of news outlets including Capital Public Radio have presented Sundays arguably illicit ballistic missile launch as the first major challenge to the Trump administrations plans for enforcement of existing and prospective restrictions on the Islamic Republic. The same outlet points out that sanctions on the sale or transfer of weapons to the Islamic Republic was one of the last issues to be resolved in the nuclear negotiations, and that its resolution essentially consisted of pushing the issue to the side and addressing the ballistic missile issue in a separate agreement that is technically unrelated to the nuclear deal. In light of this, the Iranians have had abundant opportunities to dismiss criticisms over such issues as having no bearing on the July 2015 agreement. At the same time, many of those officials have simultaneously expressed grievances over perceived violations of the spirit the agreement, as with the ongoing enforcement of sanctions that were not lifted under the JCPOA. Furthermore, Irans apparent intransigence on the weapons issue underscores the fact that this issue is not resolved, and helps to justify familiar suspicions about Tehrans intensions. These suspicions and these unresolved tensions were made all the more obvious by the ballistic missile test and the subsequent response. The Washington Free Beacon, although acknowledging that it is not clear what the Trump administration will do or whether the launch was technically a violation of the UN resolution, indicates that the administration made little effort to mince words but declared that it was concerned over the missile test as an example of the larger series of provocations the Iranians have been engaged in. CBS News reported that the US had followed up on these public statements by requesting an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council. The same report also indicates that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had responded to the backlash by reiterating Irans position that the ballistic missile issue is separate from the nuclear deal and therefore not the legitimate concern of the US or the UN. Zarif would not, however, admit that the test-launch had taken place, although he did not deny it either. Instead, the Foreign Ministry attempted simultaneously to deflect Western criticisms and to discourage punitive action by way of veiled threats. On one hand, Reuters quoted Foreign Minister Zarif as saying that Iran only intended its ballistic missiles for use with conventional warheads and that they would never be deployed in aggression but were instead part of a legitimate regional defensive strategy. On the other hand, Agence France Presse reports that Iran had also made public statements warning the US of the possible consequences of creating new tensions over the ballistic missile issue. Additionally, Irans English-language propaganda network Press TV noted that the Foreign Ministry had accused the US of playing political games with the issue. The report also made a point of claiming that there was no significant difference between the current US presidential administration and its predecessor, despite the clear appearance of conflict between them over the appropriate level of assertiveness in Iran policy. If this latter claim should be seen as dubious, so should the previous claim that Iranian ballistic missiles ought to be viewed solely as tools of legitimate self-defense. If nothing else, this is underscored by the repeated threats that Iran has made against the state of Israeli a threat that is backed up by well-established and apparently growing relations between the Islamic Republic and a variety of anti-Israeli terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. The existential threat that Iran poses to Israel is almost certainly a factor in the all-around hard line that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his fellow government officials maintain with regard to Iran. That perspective was clearly manifested in Netanyahus commentary on the nuclear agreement, and as a result Mr. Trumps inauguration as president less than two weeks ago was a probable sign that the special relationship between the two countries would be recovering after substantial discord between Netanyahu and Obama. Because of this shift, there is a fair chance that Israeli input will have a stronger impression on the Trump White House than it did on the previous administration. And Tel Aviv has weighed in heavily on the ballistic missile issue, with the BBC quoting the Israelis as saying that Sundays test launch was a flagrant violation of the UN Security Council resolution and of international will more generally. The same report declared that Netanyahu is clearly pushing Trump to take action on Iran, and that this will be high on the agenda when the two leaders meet in mid-February. Netanyahu himself said that he would urge the expansion of sanctions. But other groups, unrelated to both the Israeli and the US governments, are equally in favor of such measures. The National Council of Resistance of Iran, a coalition of pro-democracy Iranian resistance organizations, has put out a number of statements and editorials suggesting that the Trump administration should ramp-up the enforcement that had grown lax under the Obama administration, and also that it should direct this enforcement in particular against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is IRGC that has been consistently found to be responsible for the illicit ballistic missile sanctions, and there is little reason to think the most recent one will be any different. In addition, the IRGC is one of the main driving forces behind an ongoing domestic crackdown in Iran, which has targeted a number of Western nationals, including Americans. Sundays ballistic missile test gives groups like the NCRI additional fuel in their campaign for the imposition of relevant sanctions; but it also provides that group and others with a new reason for confidence that their efforts may pay off. According to Fox News, Republican Senator Bob Corker, the head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a written statement on the launch in which he seemed to specifically predict more punitive responses under the leadership of the newly inaugurated president. No longer will Iran be given a pass for its repeated ballistic missile violations, continued support of terrorism, human rights abuses and other hostile activities that threaten international peace and security, the statement said. Of course, it is easier to make such promises than to keep them, and a part of the reason why Iran has appeared to get a free pass so far is because it has generally had backing from two of the permanent members of the UN Security Council: Russia and China. And indeed, Russia has weighed in on the recent conflict in Irans favor, claiming that if Sundays test launch took place it would not be a violation of any agreement. The Russians also accused the US of trying to heat up the conflict by requesting urgent consultations among the Security Council members. This is only one piece of evidence to suggest that relations between Iran and Russia are continuing to develop. A look at the world of business provides more such evidence. Reuters reported on Monday that the Russian energy company Lukoil was exploring new opportunities for development projects involving Iranian oil fields. And on Tuesday, Euronews reported that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was planning to visit Moscow in March. But in the US, President Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in improving relations with Russia, perhaps while planning to rely on his past business relationships in interests for this purpose. If he successfully pursues this aspect of his prospective foreign policy, it could have knock-on effects on the Middle East by giving the US government new leverage to convince Russia to withdraw some of its support for Iran. Brookfield residents are being warned to keep an eye out for suspicious activity, after a man was disturbed at a Solomon Street address in the early hours of Sunday morning. The man is described as Maori or Polynesian, aged about 20-years-old with short black hair. Inquiries also indicate that there have been incidents of womens underwear being taken from clothes lines in the area in recent months, says a statement from police. Police are appealing to the public to report any sightings of males fitting the above description, acting suspiciously in the area. Any information can be given confidentially to Detective Shaun Skedgwell at Tauranga Police on: (07) 231 0432. Alternatively, information can be passed on anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line. The Green Party has announced a plan for universal Te Reo Maori in schools. The party has launched a petition to support the call, and will be engaging with parents, tangata whenua and the education sector this year to develop a policy on how it will be delivered. Green Party Maori development spokesperson Marama Davidson says the Green Party is committed to achieving the goal. Despite huge progress over recent decades, the survival of Te Reo Maori is still not assured. In 2013, only 3.7 per cent of New Zealanders spoke Te Reo Maori and the percentage of Maori who can hold a conversation in Te Reo Maori is falling. We have a responsibility to ensure our indigenous language not just survives, but thrives in Aotearoa, and introducing all children to it at school is one of the best ways to make that happen. President of the New Zealand Principals Federation Whetu Cormick applauded the announcement. NZPF led the establishment of a professional learning development programme, the Maori Achievement Collaborations (MACs) to support principals to transform the culture of their schools and open up to bi-culturalism, he says. Teaching Te Reo to every New Zealander will complement the MAC programme and greatly benefit all children in Aotearoa. However, ACT party leader David Seymour has spoken out in opposition to the proposed policy. Their first election year announcement could have been about housing, fixing educational failure, or raising productivity but instead they want to force Te Reo on students, who already have the choice of studying it. The Greens remain a party who put their ideology ahead of New Zealanders wellbeing. ACT supports students right to pursue the subject, but it should be optional. Tauranga intermediates already embracing Te Reo Whether or not Te Reo Maori becomes a compulsory subject is unlikely to affect Tauranga schools, many of which already insist upon Te Reo being a part of their curriculum. Otumoetai Intermediate principal Henk Popping agrees, saying Te Reo is widespread in most schools anyway. Certainly at Otumoetai Intermediate we try to incorporate Te Reo as much as we can. We dont have any bilingual classes but we do try to make it part of our lessons. Otumoetai Intermediate, like other schools, offers English and Te Reo, but also Mandarin, which is taught by language assistants paid for by the Chinese government. He says every teacher is expected to build Te Reo and tikanga into their own programmes. Whats more important is students having an understanding not only of the language, but of Maori culture as well. Aquinas College head of curriculum Fraser Graham says their school has compulsory Te Reo Maori for Years 7-9. We believe this is important for a number of reasons honouring our responsibility as treaty partners, acknowledging and celebrating the bicultural heritage of our nation. As a Catholic school, it is an important issue for us in terms of our commitment to social justice, as well as acknowledgement of the great variety and flavour that exists within human experience. Mount Maunganui Intermediate principal Lisa Morresey says the use of Te Reo Maori in classrooms often depends on teacher confidence. The teaching of other second languages also depends on teacher confidence and competence. Te Reo Maori is integrated into our topics and our learning where we can. We often use both languages in assemblies, formal occasions, newsletters, and in day to day use. We also have a bilingual class which delivers learning in both English and Maori. Personally, I think that Te Reo Maori is a taonga only found in Aotearoa/New Zealand. I believe by teaching and using Te Reo Maori we give our students a tremendous gift. The gift of identity, understanding, language, culture and history. She says if Te Reo Maori was to be compulsory for all students, the Ministry of Education would need to staff and resource schools appropriately. Book the date, put on your glad rags and glitter, and prepare for one sensational night of Frock n Roll! International celebrity, star of stage and screen and writer of The Rocky Horror Show, Richard OBrien likes to celebrate his anniversaries in style and this year will be no exception. On Friday, March 24, as Richard prepares to turn 75, hes also planning a glamorous night of humour and music at Taurangas Baycourt Theatre. Proceeds from the 75 Years Of Frock & Roll will be donated to the Starship Foundation. Joining Richard for the evening will be well-known broadcaster Mark Sainsbury, a long-time friend, who will act as The Interviewer for part of the show, a complete change from his last outing with Richard when he donned fishnet stockings to perform in the role of Narrator for the 2016 Hamilton production of The Rocky Horror Show. As the night progresses Richard will also be joined a prestigious group of musicians including virtuoso pianist Grant Winterburn and Taurangas favourite blues & roots band Kokomo. There will be singing! There will be dancing! This concert continues a tradition for Richard. He has long been a supporter of Starship Childrens Hospital. Five years ago he staged a similar event in at the Founders Theatre in Hamilton for his 70th birthday anniversary and, along with asking family, friends and fans to donate money to Starship in lieu of getting him a birthday gift, raised $32,000 for the national childrens hospital. This year the celebration of Richards 75th birthday will coincide with Starships own 25 year celebrations so, inspired by Richard, the team at the Starship Foundation have created a campaign called My Birthday for Starship. With this they challenge other New Zealanders young and old to give up their birthdays for Starship as part of a year-long calendar of activities to commemorate and celebrate the hospitals 25th year in service. Richard OBrien has been a wonderful supporter of Starship Foundation over the years and we are so honoured he has chosen to support us again by giving up his 75th birthday for Starship, says Starship Foundation chief executive Brad Clark. Its a brilliant concept, and one we hope will inspire others to jump on board and give up their own birthdays to help children, young people and their families from all over New Zealand. The staff of Taurangas Baycourt Theatre are also delighted to be part of the event. We are very honoured and excited to have Richard OBrien present his 75th Birthday Celebration at Baycourt. Richards generosity in making a contribution from this production to Starship is outstanding, says Baycourt manager Megan Peacock Coyle. Iranian regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini, sitting on the throne in Tehran, was determined to focus all power under his grip, unleashing his wrath against all Iranians, Alavi writes, adding, As he established his crackdown apparatus, Khomeini began setting his sights abroad, imposing his hegemonic desires through a doctrine of suicide attacks. The IRGC began training numerous proxy groups to help spread the Khomeinis terror under the pretext of Islam. He maintains that Khomeinis ISIS in Iran, some three decades before ISISs charge from Syria into northern Iraq, was the nesting ground for many fledgling groups who now cause havoc across the Middle East, Europe, and as far away as Argentina. Khomeinis interpretation of a divine religion spread the ideology of an Islamic Revolution. He desired a Shiite empire, and to this end targeted potential countries like Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen. His campaign resulted in death and destruction across the Middle East. There have been over a million killed and hundreds of billions lost in the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, according to Alavi, who also say that countless others were killed and injured in the aftermath of the 2003 war in Iraq, which Iran covertly occupied. He also points to the nearly half a million killed and over 11 million displaced from their homes in the Iran-backed war in Syria. All this has been parallel to Tehrans spree of assassinations against dissidents exiled across Europe. Iranian intelligence service, using embassies across the Green Continent as safe houses to dispatch their killers, began eliminating exiled dissidents in a campaign dubbed as the chain murders, Alavi writes. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has ramped executions up at an atrocious rate. Alavi believes that not a day passes without at least one execution somewhere in Iran, and that even the moderate President Hassan Rowhani has seen nearly 3,000 executions during his four year tenure. Yet probably the most atrocious act targeted an entire generation by massacring over 30,000 political prisoners in the summer of 1988. Most of these victims were members and supporters of main Iranian opposition group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Iran doesnt tolerate freedom of speech, as Alavi claims that academics, bloggers and journalists are targeted by the regimes crackdown apparatus. That the West will come to realize this true nature of Irans regime, is Alavis hope, because the international communitys failure to adopt serious measures has encouraged Tehran to continue hangings and escalate their involvement across the Middle East. Irans plan of establishing a Shiite Crescent, began decades before Daesh, and its onslaught in the Levant and Mesopotamia. The result of the appeasement policy of the Obama administration, Iran was able to have influence over Assad with troops in Syria. This also encouraged Tehran to look further. The victory in Aleppo will pave the way for liberating Bahrain, said IRGC General Hossein Salami. Alavi writes, Rest assured one day the world will come to realize how ISIS considered Khomeini, the founder of the first ever ISIS, as its mentor on how to spread their reign of terror. No wonder the Iranian people consider the current mullahs ruling Iran, all minions of Khomeini, the Godfathers of ISIS. Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an umbrella group consisting of various Iranian dissident groups, including the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), stated, The regime in Tehran is the source of crisis in the region and killings in Syria; it has played the greatest role in the expansion and continuation of ISIS. Peace and tranquility in the region can only be achieved by evicting this regime from the region. 23 senior former American government officials advised in a hand-delivered letter to the administration of Donald Trump, to adopt a policy supporting the Iranian peoples call for regime change. The Iranian regime is worried about President Trumps first position against radical Islamic terrorism. We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth, President Trump said. Tauranga woman Judy Richards is preparing to present a petition calling for the testing of foreign drivers who come to New Zealand. She was prompted to start the petition after her son, 23-year-old Rhys Middleton, was killed on February 7 of last year by a Chinese driver. Jieling Xiao was seen driving erratically before the accident, which claimed the life of the young motorcyclist. She was initially jailed for 17 months, but the sentence was overturned and she was later deported. It was that injustice that gave Judy the determination to see the rules change around foreign drivers in New Zealand. We started it when she appealed her conviction last year, and weve got over 5,000 online signatures, as well as physical signatures. The intent of the petition is make testing of foreign drivers mandatory, if they are here for more than three months. Visitors will be required to sit a full New Zealand drivers test and be issued with a New Zealand drivers license. Judy also plans to do something similar around immigration and justice, to stop foreigners who commit crimes in New Zealand escaping back to their own countries via deportation. Immigration need to align with the justice system, because it means anyone can come into New Zealand, commit a crime, and just get deported. Theyll never ever get punished. As recently as February 1, a foreign river on the wrong side of the road crashed into another vehicle carrying four Tekapo residents, seriously injuring one of them. The NZTA has declared New Zealand drivers should "be mindful" when it comes to slow, foreign drivers, but NZ First leader Winston Peters says thats outrageous. When we are in the United States, France, Russia, or and elsewhere overseas we have to abide by their road rule. The same should apply here. Yet the NZTA has advised the public to be mindful of these incompetent foreign drivers. Thats nonsensical. Whose country is this anyway? He says many foreign drivers struggle to handle New Zealands winding, narrow rural roads and state highways. Interim statistics from last year showed at least 25 people died in crashes where a foreign driver was at fault. NZ First is so concerned about this issue we have thrown our support behind Judys petition. The petition will be presented at 11.30am on February 14 to Winston Peters at parliament. From there, it will go to the select committee. If theres anyone in Wellington who can come support us, please do, says Judy. The online petition can be found here. The organisers of One Love want you to sing along to your favourite reggae tune and have a good time with your mates but well do our best to keep the noise level down, says event director Pato Alvarez. Last year, one of New Zealands biggest reggae festivals received more than 100 noise complaints across the two-day event at Tauranga Domain. This year, the message is simple: If surrounding residents have a reasonable noise complaint, theyll be listened to. We want to work alongside the community, the Police, and Tauranga City Council for this event,says Pato. We acknowledge the music will be audible beyond the venue and for this reason the hours of operation are restricted from midday to 10.30pm on Saturday, February 4, and midday to 10pm on Sunday, February 5, says Pato, as well as sound checks from 10am-11am on both days. As part of the resource consent process a noise management plan has been submitted and approved. A robust monitoring process is also in place to monitor noise levels throughout the event. We want to comply with our resource consent 100 per cent. An hourly update of noise monitoring from both within the city and from the surrounding areas will be available on their Twitter page https://twitter.com/one_love_nz or online at: http://onelovefestival.co.nz/livefeed/ Pato says TCC received 122 complaints in 2016. The majority of these complaints were in regards to noise levels. During the 2016 event strong easterly winds than expected occurred during Waitangi weekend, which resulted in noise traveling a greater distance than anticipated. This year, organisers have again engaged a professional security company for the event with increased roving patrols in surrounding streets. Police will also be in attendance at the event and surrounding streets to manage any public disorder issues and the liquor ban. We aim to be around for a long time as we love holding the event in our home town, says Pato, and he says they are working closely with Police to educate the public about the CBDs liquor ban. Pato is happy with the response from locals so far. Weve been in contact with the neighbours and have done a letter drop with information and contact details so we have personalised communication with them. We also very excited to host more than 15,000 out-of-towners this Waitangi weekend in the Bay of Plenty, especially Tauranga, Papamoa and the Mount. It feels so good to put an awesome event in our city, as we are locals, and it feels even better seeing all the local business benefitting from our event. Prime Minister Bill English has announced a significant investment in the police, including an additional 1125 officers over four years. Police Commissioner Mike Bush welcomes the news, saying it will increase their workforce by almost 10 per cent. I look forward to welcoming the 1125 new police staff who will help us achieve our mission of being the safest country. They will join a very committed team who are working hard to keep our communities safe. The Prime Ministers announcement includes putting an extra 880 new police officers into frontline roles including response, organised crime, gangs and methamphetamine, child protection, family violence and in rural and ethnically diverse communities. While crime is lower than it was five years ago, we have seen an increase in demand for police services in these areas, says Mike. The addition of these new staff means we can deliver more to support victims, prevent crime and hold offenders to account. The investment will see an increase in resourcing for every police district, including the Bay of Plenty. In addition to the 1125 extra staff, police have also received funding to establish a new single non-emergency telephone number. They will also have increased air support capacity through 24/7 availability of Eagle year round. A new single non-emergency number will mean members of the public can reach police for non-urgent issues by calling a single number, no matter where in the country they are. Their calls will be answered by specially trained staff who will be able to assist the caller with their query in a timely and efficient manner. The increased capacity of Eagle will mean it is available 24/7 with a deployment time of between 10-15 minutes as soon as a call comes in this will be on top of the work they will continue to do as police air support. He says policing is an exciting and rewarding career, and encourages all New Zealanders who have thought about becoming an officer to consider joining as one of the new recruits. For those of you who do choose to join, I look forward to welcoming you over the coming years into one of the best jobs you could ever have. Local MPs welcome extra police Tauranga MP Simon Bridges says knowing there is a nearby police presence at all times is something the community expects. National is making a commitment that people in cities, the regions, and rural areas will have officers they can call on 24/7. Our half-a-billion dollar Safer Communities package unashamedly targets offenders to ensure they are off our streets by providing additional resources to resolve more crime and target criminal gangs and organised crime. He says the investment in more officers means 95 per cent of New Zealanders will be within 25 kilometres of 24/7 police support, all year round. We want police attending home burglaries more quickly, seizing more assets from organised crime, reducing deaths from family violence, and reducing reoffending by Maori. Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller says the feedback he gets from the community is they want to see an active police presence locally. This announcement sends a clear signal that the National government is listening, and delivering, says Todd. As one of New Zealands fastest growing populations I expect the Bay to significantly benefit from this investment. I will be strongly advocating for an increase in police locally. With the Dubai Boat Show just around the corner, we take a look at the cultural impact of yachting in the UAE in our first of a two part series; starting with Erwin Bamps of Gulf Craft, a veteran in both the region and the luxury yachting industry. The Great Boom of Dubai I arrived just before the great boom of Dubai and the image the emirate is currently associated with, when there were little to no marinas for leisure craft, no yachting, no provision facilities, and if you look at the marinas in the spotlight today across the Gulf and the UAE, they were not built at that time, begins Erwin Bamps, CEO of Gulf Craft. There wasnt really a yachting culture at all, it was a boating culture and people were looking for fishing. It was only in the years after that when people moved to the water with their families. The marine industry was originally a mans world, and that quickly changed, and the requirement for luxury changed with it. It slowly became more about having a great time and sitting in a floating living room. It developed from a sport fishing culture to a yachting culture. The history of the UAE maritime culture is a long and rich tapestry of luxury state yachts and presidential vessels which gave way to the still nascent yachting culture we connect with the region today. The Future Yachting Hub of Dubai When you want to create a yachting culture, its not merely about organizing a show, but more importantly about creating destinations and marinas with a surface culture to provide support. What we see today is that a lot of these initial requirements are in place, but looking forward, the real exciting times are still ahead. In the last two months, we have seen the launch and opening of the Dubai Canal, which essentially turned downtown Dubai into an island, as well as the Dubai Harbour, which will have 1400 berths in the centre of an already thriving yachting community. Together with the Deira Islands and Mina Rashid, more than 3500 berths will soon be added to Dubai. The growth in infrastructure across Dubai is not an expansion of the current culture, but a platform for it to evolve into a destination and cruising ground, not just for locally owned yachts, but for those wanting to experience everything Dubai has to offer. The Factors Forging That Change The Middle East is reportedly the market with the highest propensity to buy a superyacht, and while the region has always been home to a strong culture of seafaring and luxury cruising, superyacht owners could not use their craft in this part of the world. The facilities that were available until now have been inadequate compared to regions considered to be traditional yachting destinations. However, today, destinations are being created in Dubai, making room for a flourishing yachting community in the country." The Dubai Boat Show, just one of the initiatives forwarding the notion of a superyachting hub in Dubai, is set to take over the docks from February 28th with Gulf Craft showcasing its largest ever superyacht line up. Dubai is a hub for many different businesses, and is a transit for different people. In terms of its geographical location," concludes Bamps. "DIBS is the best boat show to showcase what the yachting culture is about in the Middle East." We look forward to bringing you more insights to the show, the culture and the future of Dubai and the UAE with the next installments of our dedicated feature series. Stay tuned to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for on the spot updates. Oncologist Elisabeth Perez, who works at the Costa del Sol hospital in Marbella, has received a grant of 36,000 euros for research from the Carmen Lavigne Hinojosa prize, which is awarded every year by the provincial board of the Spanish Association against Cancer. Thanks to this financing, Dr Perez will be able to spend 12 months carrying out clinical tests on immunotherapy for cancer with semialogenic NK lymphocytes at the Centre for Applied Medical Research in Navarra, with the aim of improving the quality of life and extending the survival of cancer patients. The researcher took part in a press conference earlier this week and explained her future project, accompanied by the president of the provincial board of the Association against Cancer, Francisco Aguilar, and the president of the board's technical committee, Antonio Cobos, in the meeting room of the Rectorate building of Malaga university. Dr Perez explained that cancer immunotherapy consists of directing the cellular destruction mechanisms of the immune system to eliminate the cancerous tissue. One of the cells which is used for this process is the NK ('natural killer') lymphocyte. Its mission is to fight the tumors and defend the patient. This oncologist from Malaga intends to develop a clinical immunotherapy test with these NK cells at the Centre for Applied Medical Research in Navarra and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to produce a working hypothesis. This will begin with studies in cultivated cells and animal models in order to then check the effect of a new cellular immunotherapy treatment in metastatic patients. The therapy will mainly be applied to patients with cancer of the colon, breast, head and neck. At the press conference Dr Perez explained that the idea is to extract the NK cells which attack the cancer and then reintroduce them into the organism, alone or in combination with a treatment with drugs, and let them fight the tumor with the aim of improving the patient's quality of life and helping them to survive longer. "For me, as a researcher, it is a matter of pride and a personal and professional sacrifice to receive this award. Every since I began to study medicine I was struck by the immune system, and what our defences are capable of doing," she said. Meanwhile, Francisco Aguilar pointed out that the prize, which totals 60,000 euros a year, is thanks to the generosity of the Lavigne family. "This prize, which has filled us with pride, stems from the Lavigne Hinojosa family's commitment to cancer research," he said. In addition to the 36,000 euros allocated for Elisabeth Perez's research, another 24,000 euros has been awarded to the project 'New epigenetic therapies for the sensitisation of tumorous cells to radiotherapy', which is being led by Luis Sanchez del Campo at the University of Murcia. This blog generally follows traditional journalistic standards. It's not about opinions, though you may read one here occasionally. It's about facts that we think will be useful to rural journalists, non-rural journalists who do rural stories, and others interested in rural issues. We don't try to be provocative, so we don't generate as many comments as most blogs with the level of traffic we have, but we certainly invite comments -- and contributions, to . REPUBLICATION Andrew Cuomo File photo: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo talks at the Executive Mansion in Albany, N.Y., Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017. This week, Cuomo signed an order allowing the state's attorney general to investigate a local prosecutor over the handling of a fatal shooting by a Troy police officer. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink) (Hans Pennink) Feb. 02--Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order Wednesday giving the state attorney general's office the authority to investigate Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel E. Abelove for his controversial handling of a case involving the fatal shooting of a DWI suspect by a Troy police officer last April. The order empowers the office of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to conduct a wide-ranging public corruption probe of Abelove's conduct, including his decision to present the case to a grand jury that cleared the officer of wrongdoing less than a week after the shooting. Abelove took the case to a grand jury while the investigation was still ongoing, and the panel did not hear testimony from two civilian witnesses whose accounts may have contradicted the police version of what took place. Cuomo's order will enable Schneiderman, if necessary to empanel a grand jury and "to investigate, and if warranted, prosecute any and all unlawful acts or omissions or alleged unlawful acts or omissions by any person arising out of, relating to, or in any way connected with the incident and its subsequent investigation, including its grand jury presentation." Under state law, Schneiderman needs authority from the governor to investigate a sitting district attorney. Abelove, who is in his first term, faces potential consequences ranging from removal from office to criminal prosecution if Schneiderman's office uncovers wrongdoing. "Real questions have been raised here, and we owe it to the community and the victim's family to get to the bottom of them," said a source familiar with Cuomo's decision. Abelove abruptly presented the case to a grand jury last April without notifying the attorney general. At the time, the attorney general's office had announced it would review whether to investigate the shooting under the terms of an executive order Cuomo signed two years ago giving Schneiderman the authority to intervene in cases in which unarmed citizens are killed during police encounters. Many district attorneys, including Abelove, have challenged the governor's order giving the attorney general jurisdiction in those cases. The Times Union previously reported Abelove did not require French to waive his immunity from prosecution when the officer testified before the grand jury that cleared him. The decision by Abelove to not have the officer sign an immunity waiver shocked some legal observers and has raised questions about the validity of the grand jury's determination to clear the police officer. French has remained on administrative leave since the incident. Schneiderman's office said Abelove did not notify them that he was putting the case before a grand jury. The attorney general's office sought court intervention to overtake the case from Abelove, who agreed to turn over the case -- and his files and grand jury minutes -- in response to the lawsuit. The attorney general's ongoing investigation of the shooting death of 37-year-old Edson Thevenin is examining whether the incident unfolded as police officials described -- with the officer firing eight shots through the windshield of Thevenin's Honda sedan after the vehicle allegedly pinned the officer's legs against his police cruiser. People familiar with the investigation but not authorized to comment publicly said the attorney general's investigation has raised questions about whether that narrative is correct. "The family is very happy that Gov. Cuomo has decided that a full investigation is appropriate," said Michael A. Rose, an attorney for Thevenin's widow, Cinthia. "We've trusted that the people who are viewing the initial investigation regarding Edson's death are doing a full and thorough investigation, so that the truth will come out and the family will have the answers that they deserve." Another person familiar with the case said Schneiderman's office retained a private forensic specialist who visited Troy in early December to examine the car Thevenin was driving on the night he was killed. The forensic specialist also went to the shooting scene, according to two people familiar with the probe. The forensic testing was supposed to determine the angle of the shots that pierced the windshield in relation to where French was positioned when each shot was fired, including whether the officer was moving or in the path of Thevenin's vehicle when he fired. Troy police officials said Sgt. Randall French opened fired that night following a brief vehicle pursuit when he jumped out of his car and was trapped between his cruiser and Thevenin's vehicle, which was boxed in by two police cars. Thevenin was not armed, but police said under the circumstances they believe he was using his vehicle as a weapon, and the officer feared for his safety. Thevenin had a prior conviction for DWI. Abelove's office issued a statement less than a week after the shooting saying a grand jury reviewed evidence in the shooting and found no wrongdoing by police. "Specifically, the grand jury found that Sergeant Randall French's use of deadly physical force was justifiable under the law," the statement from Abelove's office said. Schneiderman first asked Cuomo to give him the authority to intervene in cases involving fatal police encounters in December 2014, following a grand jury's decision not to file charges in the controversial death of Eric Garner. The Staten Island man died when a police officer placed him in a chokehold as officers confronted him for selling untaxed cigarettes. The governor's executive order limits the attorney general's intervention to cases where there are questions about whether an unarmed civilian posed a threat to police at the time the civilian was subjected to deadly force. John W. Bailey, an attorney for Abelove, characterized the action by the offices of the governor and attorney general as "political." Abelove is a Republican. Schneiderman and Cuomo are Democrats. "Joel Abelove did not do anything wrong," Bailey said. "He was told by the AG that morning of the shooting they were not going to assert jurisdiction. He proceeded with his investigation and he presented the matter to a grand jury. ... Randy French was within maybe split seconds of losing his life and he had to make a split-second decision, which he did." Two civilians told police they witnessed the shooting and did not believe French was in imminent danger when he opened fire. The witnesses, Keith Millington of Cohoes and Phillip E. Gross III of Troy, were both interviewed by Troy police and the Attorney General's office. Abelove has declined to say what steps his office took, if any, to subpoena Millington or Gross or otherwise try to get them to testify before the grand jury. ___ By Brendan J. Lyons Times Union, Albany, N.Y. (c)2017 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Eric Schneiderman New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaks during a news conference in New York in a file photo. (Seth Wenig | AP Photo) NEW YORK (AP) -- New York's top law enforcement officer has joined lawyers for immigrants challenging President Donald Trump's executive order barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (SHNEYE'-dur-muhn) says in court papers the order unfairly targets Muslims. He also says it violates federal laws and harms New York's schools, businesses, hospitals and economy. The lawsuit joins one filed by the American Civil Liberties Union after Trump's order was issued the evening of Jan. 27. Judges have subsequently issued temporary stays on the ban. Trump has said his order is necessary to stop terror attacks by Muslim extremists. Lawyers for both sides are due in court Thursday. Schneiderman says there are 4.4 million foreign-born New Yorkers, 15,000 of them originally from one of the seven countries. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A former bookkeeper who says she's a compulsive buyer admitted Wednesday that she stole $500,000 from the doctor's office where she worked. Justine Smith, of Buffalo, pleaded guilty in Erie County Court to second-degree grand larceny, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing. The 56-year-old stole the money by falsifying business records while working in the office of Dr. Samuel Shatkin in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst from 2011 to 2016, according to Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. Smith told authorities she suffers from a compulsive buying disorder. Smith faces up to 15 years in prison when she's sentenced in May. SMYRNA, Del. (AP) -- Police used a backhoe to breach a building at Delaware's largest prison early Thursday, ending what the governor called a "torturous" hostage standoff that left one guard dead. Inmates used "sharp instruments" to assume control of the building at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center on Wednesday, taking three prison guards and a woman counselor hostage. The inmates told a local newspaper that concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States had prompted their actions. Authorities did not say how Sgt. Steven Floyd died. He was a 16-year veteran with the prisons agency. During the standoff, inmates negotiated to have the water turned on, which authorities said the prisoners used to fill up small foot lockers to build a wall at the prison entryways. Delaware State Police entered the building about 5:05 a.m. Thursday and found Floyd unresponsive. He was pronounced dead about 25 minutes later. The counselor, a Department of Correction employee, was rescued. Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security Robert Coupe said some inmates had shielded her from harm. She is being examined at a hospital. Coupe described the inmates' weapons as "sharp instruments" but did not elaborate. "My prayers all day yesterday was that this event would end with a different result but it didn't," Gov. John Carney said. "So today all of us mourn for the family of Sgt. Floyd." The prison is in Smyrna, about 15 miles north of the state capital of Dover. The governor said the priority now is to determine what happened and why. In a statement released Thursday, the new Democratic governor said officials will "hold accountable anyone who was responsible" for taking the hostages. He said officials will "make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again." It wasn't immediately clear whether any inmates had been held against their will. Coupe said all 120 inmates in the building were considered suspects while Department of Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps said dozens of inmates had been "released" during the standoff. The disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when a correctional officer inside Building C radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. A news release from the Delaware Department of Correction said 14 more inmates were released about 12:30 a.m. Thursday from the building where the hostages had been held and were being held elsewhere at the prison. The news release said a total of 46 inmates had been released from the building since the standoff began. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. The first hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later. Both had injuries that are not life-threatening, authorities said. Three maintenance workers who had been hiding in the basement were able to make their way to the roof, where they were rescued, Phelps said. Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper that her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. SMYRNA, Del. (AP) -- Inmates at a Delaware prison held five corrections department workers hostage for hours before releasing one injured person, according to state police, who were working with other authorities on negotiations as night fell. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna on Wednesday and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. A preliminary investigation suggests the incident began around 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said at a news conference. Other officers responded to help, and five Department of Corrections employees were taken hostage. The inmates released one hostage around 2:40 p.m., Bratz said. That person was taken by ambulance to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, he said. Authorities don't know whether anyone else has been injured, Bratz said. Officials were negotiating with the prisoners Wednesday evening, said Bratz, who didn't give further details and did not take questions. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone involved and using all of our available resources," he said. He did not say how much of the prison, which houses about 2,500 inmates, was involved in the incident. But Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, told The Associated Press Building C was under the inmates' control. Rogers described the hostages as four guards and one counselor. He said he'd been briefed on the situation by the union president, who was talking to officials at the scene. Video from above the prison Wednesday afternoon showed uniformed officers gathered in two groups along fences near an entrance to the prison. Later, video showed several people surrounding a stretcher and running as they pushed it across the compound. People could be seen standing near a set of doors with an empty stretcher and wheelchair. A Corrections Department spokeswoman said firefighters were called to the scene after reports of smoke and were being held on standby. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men. It houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It was the site of the state's death row and where executions were carried out. The prison opened in 1971. In 2004, an inmate raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours at the Smyrna prison, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. How Israeli high tech gets sold to countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel Trade and collaboration in technology and intelligence are flourishing between Israel and a host of Arab states, even if the people and companies involved rarely talk about it publicly. When a London think tank recently disinvited Bar from speaking on a panel, explaining that a senior Saudi official was also coming and it wasnt possible to have them appear together, Bar told the organizers that he and the Saudi gentleman had in fact been planning to have lunch together at a Moroccan restaurant nearby before walking over to the event together. They were out-Saudi-ing the Saudis, he says. Peace hasnt come to the Middle East. This isnt beating swords into plowshares but a logical coalescence of interests based on shared fears: of an Iranian bomb, jihadi terror, popular insurgency, and an American retreat from the region. IntuView has Israeli export licenses and the full support of its government to help any country facing threats from Iran and militant Islamic groups. If its a country which is not hostile to Israel that we can help, well do it, Bar says. Only Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq are off-limits. The Saudis and other oil-rich Arab states are only too happy to pay for the help. The Arab boycott? Bar says. It doesnt exist. Saudi officials declined to speak on the record about possible ties to Israel. Questions e-mailed to the kingdoms interior ministry and its embassy in Washington for this article were unanswered. A source in Riyadh, insisting on anonymity, e-mailed a statement denying any trade links between Israel and Saudi Arabia: In regard to defense systems technology, Saudi Arabia has never dealt with Israel in this field or any other field. Moreover, common sense tells us that in order for Saudi Arabia to get any weapon systems, they have to be bought under trade agreements made with friendly countries that manufacture those systems with official and approved export trade certificates from their governments. It is also certain that Israel is not among the countries that have commercial relations with the Kingdom. The Arab embargo of Israel, nominally in force since the Jewish states founding in 1948, necessitates that all business between Israel and most Arab states remain strictly off the books, cloaked by intermediaries in other countries. But the volume and range of Israeli activity in at least six Gulf countries is getting hard to hide. One Israeli entrepreneur set up companies in Europe and the U.S. that installed more than $6 billion in security infrastructure for the United Arab Emirates, using Israeli engineers. The same companies then pitched Saudi Arabia to manage overcrowding in Mecca. Other Israeli businesses are working in the Gulf, through front companies, on desalination, infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and intelligence gathering. Greetings from home - I returned to Israel this evening after an 18-day business trip.This evening I was told about a company in Israel that is white labeling (which means removing all signs of who the real manufacturer is) for sale to a hostile (i.e. Muslim) country. This is not uncommon. On the very first initial public offering on which I worked when I made aliya, one of the items we had to get permission not to disclose was the fact that the company was about to make a large sale in Malaysia. How does it happen? Jonathan Ferziger and Peter Waldman explain Interesting. Three of those four countries are also on the list of countries whose nationals are currently barred (or not barred depending upon whom you ask) from entering the United States under Donald Trump's executive order.Hey - don't tell the Democrats that. They think the Arab boycott exists and will continue to exist until we have 'peace' with the 'Palestinians.' Reality says otherwise.On the other hand, the Saudis like to hide reality: Read the whole thing . It's fascinating. Labels: Arab boycott of Israel, Israeli high tech, our friends the Saudis WASHINGTON - The Trump administration said Wednesday it was "officially putting Iran on notice" that it is paying attention to what it called "defiance" of nuclear agreements with its test launch of a ballistic missile. The launch, along with Tuesday's attack by Houthi rebels on a Saudi warship off the coast of Yemen, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilizing behavior across the Middle East," said Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's national security adviser. Flynn read the Iran statement at the regular White House press briefing, and did not take questions. In his first media appearance since the inauguration, Flynn recalled Trump's campaign criticism of the nuclear deal, negotiated by Barack Obama's administration with world powers and Iran, and the United Nations, "as being weak and ineffective." "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements," he said, "Iran now feels emboldened." The brief statement, calling the missile launch "provocative," did not outline any actions the administration intends to take. Iran's Sunday launch of a medium range Khorramshahr missile ended in failure, with the missile reportedly traveling about 600 miles before exploding in air. The United States called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Following the Tuesday session, new U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley said the world should be"alarmed" by the test, and called for the U.N. to take unspecified action. In a Tehran news conference Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif did not confirm that the launch had taken place, but said that "the missile issue is not part of the nuclear deal," since Iranian missiles are "not designed for the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead . . . Our ballistic missile was designed to carry a normal warhead in the field of legitimate defense." The agreement, which went into effect a year ago, prohibits development of ballistic missiles as part of a nuclear weapons program that the accord was designed to dismantle. Differences of opinion on whether the launch is a violation of the agreement rest on interpretation of both the strength of the nuclear deal, and on Iran's intentions. Although a number of Republican presidential primary candidates, and some members of Congress, have called for tearing up the agreement, Trump has not taken that position. He has called it a "bad deal," and said his administration would review it to determine if it should be renegotiated. U.S. partners in the negotiations, including Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, have warned against a renegotiation of the deal, under which severe restrictions on a nuclear program Iran insisted was solely for energy production was exchanged for a lifting of nuclear-related U.S. and international sanctions. The Saudi warship was attacked Tuesday by Houthi rebels in Yemen. A rebel "suicide boat" exploded after striking the ship, which was patrolling off the Yemeni coast. Two Saudi sailors were killed. Saudi Arabia is fighting Yemeni rebels from the Houthi tribe who have taken over broad swaths of the neighboring country. Its actions include off-shore naval patrols to intercept what it has said are Iranian arms supplies to the rebels. Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, is held by the gloved hands of handler Ron Ploucha during the 129th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. (Gene J. Puskar | AP) Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow? That's right, woodchuck-chuckers, it's Groundhog Day 2017. The famous prognosticator and "seer of seers" came out Thursday morning at Gobbler's Knob in Punsxutawney, Pennsylvania, and saw his shadow -- which means six more weeks of winter. According to an old German legend, if a groundhog sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early. (The pseudo-holiday originally started as badger day in European folklore, but German immigrants in Pennsylvania couldn't find badgers, so they started using groundhogs.) Of course, spring technically starts on the same calendar date every year: March 20, the vernal equinox. According to The Associated Press, the tiny meteorologist's "forecast" is actually decided before he "sees" his shadow on Groundhog Day. Records show he's called for an extended winter more than 100 times since 1887, and an early spring just 17 times. "This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype," Bill Murray said as weatherman Phil Connors in "Groundhog Day." The 1993 movie, co-starring Andie MacDowell, showed Murray's character reliving the same day -- Groundhog Day -- over and over again in Punxsutawney, Pa., a small town 65 miles outside of Pittsburgh. Other states have their own rodent forecasters. Georgia's groundhog, General Beauregard Lee, Ohio's Buckeye Chuck and New York's Staten Island Chuck don't always agree with Phil, either. Punxsutawney Phil doesn't have a strong track record for Syracuse and Central New York. From 2004 to 2013, there was no correlation between his predictions and the actual weather: In the five warmest periods after Feb. 2 over that stretch, Phil called for a late spring; in the coldest six weeks, in 2007, he promised an early spring. The NOAA also says there's no national correlation between Phil's shadow-sightings and the actual weather in February and March. The numbers since 1998 show the groundhog's shadow is just as reliable as flipping a coin. [February 01, 2017] DQ Global Adds New Features to its Perfect & Merge Data Cleansing Plugin for Dynamics 365 LONDON, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DQ Global a leading provider of CRM data cleansing software and data integration software solutions, today announces new capabilities for its Dynamics 365, Perfect & Merge Software Plugin. Perfect & Merge already offered productivity gains and many more capabilities than the out-of-the-box Dynamics 365 duplicate detection and it has just got better again. Improvements and new features include: Full support for integration with Dynamics 365 - online, IFD and On-Premise 4 to 6 times speed improvement for matching of records Rules based Master Record Merge (MRM) functionality for Best Record selection and general user navigation User interface enhancements for better: searching, sorting, filtering, reporting and general user navigation Martin Doyle (CEO DQ Global) says, "This is a major release and we are very confident it will help our existing and future clients succeed with higher quality CRM data. Perfect & Merge is now 4 to 6 times faster, matching 100K records in around 7 minutes and we have added powerful new Master Record Merge (MRM) automation as well as multiple user interface improvements." "We try to listen to our customer feedback and strive to improve our software in lie with customer requirements," said Martin. "We are delighted with the development progress and will continually strive for continuous improvement." With a user interface that is familiar to Dynamics 365 users, Perfect & Merge is easy to use and now even faster than before. In an independent review Perfect & Merge was described as having "functions that were streets ahead of the competition". Find out more about the key features or request a free 30 trial of Perfect & Merge for Dynamics 365 here: https://www.dqglobal.com/data-quality/crm-deduplication/perfect-merge-software-dq-pam/. About DQ Global DQ Global is a leading provider of CRM Data Cleansing Software and services that enables businesses to solve complex data quality challenges. DQ Consultants work alongside businesses to improve the quality of their data, empower them with more control and therefore increase their trust in their data. For the past 20 years, DQ Global has been helping clients succeed through delivery of higher quality data, for better informed decisions and hence better business outcomes. All trademarks and trade names mentioned herein are the properties of their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged. If you have any questions regarding information in this press release please contact: Mary Doyle | [email protected] | http://www.dqglobal.com |+44 (0) 2392 988303 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dq-global-adds-new-features-to-its-perfect--merge-data-cleansing-plugin-for-dynamics-365-300400634.html SOURCE DQ Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? [February 01, 2017] Trend Micro Positioned Highest and Furthest in the Leaders Quadrant for its Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision in 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced it has been placed highest and furthest in the Leaders quadrant for ability to execute and completeness of vision in Gartner (News - Alert), Inc.'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP)1. The company has been named by Gartner as a Leader in enterprise security solutions for endpoints and servers since 20021. "We feel that effective security requires a cross-generational blend of threat defense techniques. In my view, our placement of highest and furthest within the Leaders quadrant recognizes our visionary approach to security," said Kevin Simzer, executive vice president, sales, marketing and business development for Trend Micro (News - Alert). "We believe being positioned as a leader for so many years, demonstrates Trend Micro's unique capability to offer the latest technology while constantly developing the necessary techniques to fight tomorrow's threats. Our ability to protect enterprises throughout every aspect of their organization is what sets us apart." Trend Micro protects endpoints with XGen security, a blend of cross-generational threat defense techniques that intelligently applies the right technology at the right time, resulting in more effective and efficient protection against a full range of threats. Trend Micro is the first to infuse 'high-fidelity' machine learning into its approach- uniquely analyzing files both before execution and at runtime to block those with malicious intent and using 'noise cancellation' features, such as census checking and whitelisting, to reduce false positives. "Trend Micro's XGen security has advanced our organization's endpoint security tremendously," said Ty Smallwood, infrastructure and security manager for Navicent Health. "We now have one vendor that offers the full breadth of protection with visibility across our business. Their 24/7 customer support has always made Trend Micro available and responsive to our questions around the solutions and general threat intelligence." Trend Micro also protects server endpoints across the data center and cloud with XGen security, delivering optimized protection for workloads deployed on VMware, AWS and Microsoft (News - Alert) Azure. Managed through a single connected dashboard with full visibility across physical, virtual and cloud, Trend Micro's hybrid cloud security solution simplifies the deployment and management of security; speeds response to sophisticated attacks and accelerates compliance with key regulations such as PCI (News - Alert), HIPAA and others. To find out more information about user endpoint security, visit https://www.trendmicro.com/xgen. For more details on hybrid cloud security, visit https://www.trendmicro.com/hybridcloud. To access the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms report, visit https://resources.trendmicro.com/Gartner-Magic-Quadrant-Endpoints.html. Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About Trend Micro Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks, and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With over 5,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure their journey to the cloud. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com. 1 Gartner "Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms," by Eric Ouellet, Ian McShane, Avivah Litan; January 30, 2017 (previously Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Antivirus). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201006240/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The message from the majority of tech firms seems clear: as long as Donald Trump's immigration ban remains in place, we will oppose it. The latest method of protest will reportedly come in the form of a letter sent directly to the President, in which Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Uber, and others write that "a blanket suspension is not the right approach." Recode's Kara Swisher was first to report on the formal letter, a response to the last week's executive order that banned entry to the US for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen - for 90 days. It has also suspended the entire US refugee admissions system for 120 days and suspended the Syrian refugee program indefinitely. Recode has published a full draft of the letter, which you can read below. It mentions America being "the land of opportunity, - welcoming newcomers and giving them the chance to build families, careers, and businesses in the United States." Not since Apple's encryption battle with the FBI over the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone have so many Silicon Valley rivals been united against a cause. A huge number of CEO's, including Google's Sundar Pichai, Apple's Tim Cook, and Microsoft's Satya Nadella have spoken out against the ban and pledged to support any employees that may be affected by it. Protests have been taking place across the country, and yesterday brought news of Alphabet chairman Eric Schmidt's warning that Trump's administration will "do evil things as they've done in the immigration area." Here's the full draft of the letter: The carbon dioxide in the air acidifies the oceans, and this acidification is believed to negatively affect shellfish and corals. However, new research suggests that unicellular shellfish can create better shells thanks to the more acidic environment. Prior to this study, researchers believed that shellfish and corals find it harder to survive, because the process of chalk formation is more difficult in acidic seawater. Ocean Acidification, Not Detrimental For Shellfish The research, published Jan. 27, in the journal Nature Communications, was conducted by scientists at the Royal Dutch Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and the Japanese Agency of Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). The team concluded, after having conducted a series of experiments, that the ocean acidification could make the shellfish shells even more vigorous. The tiny shellfish are formed from one single cell and exist in large numbers in the seawater. However, since the acidity levels of the ocean have inflated by 30 percent since 1750, scientists were concerned about the well-being of these ocean creatures. "Ongoing ocean acidification is widely reported to reduce the ability of calcifying marine organisms to produce their shells and skeletons. Whereas increased dissolution due to acidification is a largely inorganic process, strong organismal control over biomineralization influences calcification and hence complicates predicting the response of marine calcifyers," noted the research. The theory supporting the scientific concern regarding shellfish and their capacity to form their shells under acidic water is based on the chemical interaction of the elements involved in this process. Limestone, which is made of calcium carbonate, will dissolve more easily in acidic water, which implies that less carbonate will be available for shellfish. As part of the experiments carried out in the study, the foraminifera regulated the acidity at a micro level; the acidity was significantly lower in those parts where shell formation took place compared to the rest of the seawater. Foraminifera produce large quantities of hydrogen ions through their cell walls, which leads to a higher acidity level in the near micro-environment. "Our physical model for calcification shows the dependence of foraminiferal biomineralization on the various inorganic carbon species present in seawater. We validate the importance of pH regulation on the foraminiferal calcification by application of a V-type H+ ATPase inhibitor, which plays a key role in aragonite production in scleractinian corals," also noted the research. Adaptive Mechanism In Sea Organisms Could Speed Up Global Warming This chemical reaction leads to an increase in the level of carbon dioxide at the expense of the carbonate. When this happens, the organisms immediately absorb the higher concentration of carbon dioxide through their cell walls, creating a lower acidity level on the inner side of the wall. Once this process is complete, the carbon dioxide is turned into carbonate once again, reacting with the existing calcium to form the lime. "Such an active biochemical regulation mechanism has never been found before," noted Lennart de Nooijer, NIOZ researcher and shared first author of the research. According to the scientists, future research could be carried out as an attempt to validate the connection between the formation of carbon dioxide and its consequences on global warming. If most of the organisms can go through the same process as the foraminifera in the research, the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in the oceans would grow, which would conflict with the water's ability to absorb the existing carbon dioxide in the air. Should this hypothesis be confirmed, this adaptive mechanism would speed up global warming. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On Tuesday, Kate Purchase, Justin Trudeau's director of communications, shared on Twitter that she was requesting the removal of Fox News's false tweet about the identity of the Quebec mosque shooter. The news outlet posted a tweet to its more than 13 million followers that featured an image of the Canadian prime minister. The tweet said that the Quebec mosque attack was done by a person "of Moroccan origin." The Trudeau photo was also accompanied by a quote that said: "We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a center of worship and refuge." Why Canada Reacted To The Fox News Tweet The Fox News tweet said that the "suspect in Quebec mosque terror attack was of Moroccan origin." The tweet was posted on Monday and was still there by Tuesday evening, but the network has taken it down after Purchase's message that asked for a retraction. Purchase said that the tweet "dishonors the memory of the six victims and their families by spreading misinformation, playing identity politics, and perpetuating fear and division within our communities." The Fox News tweet emphasized the fact that the suspect was of Moroccan origin. Morocco is a Muslim country. The tweet from Fox echoed President Donald Trump's false rhetoric that terrorists come from Muslim nations. Earlier today I sent an email to @FoxNews about their misleading tweet yesterday. We will continue to stand up for our citizens (1/3) pic.twitter.com/sGz47PxMcb Kate Purchase (@katepurchase) January 31, 2017 Refet Kaplan, Fox News managing director, sent out a statement that Fox News has "corrected the misreported information with a tweet and an update to the story on Monday. The earlier tweets have now been deleted. We regret the error." Identity Of Quebec Mosque Shooting Suspect Early reports about the Quebec mosque shooting that killed six people and left many wounded said that two men were arrested, one of whom was of Moroccan origin. The suspect behind the shooting was Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, a French Canadian reported to have "extreme nationalist views." He was reportedly a fan of right-wing leader Marine Le Pen and U.S. President Donald Trump. The second man who was mistaken as a suspect was Mohamed Belkhadir, a Canadian of Moroccan descent. It was later reported that he was praying at the mosque when the shooting happened and was trying to save a victim's life when he was arrested by police. Belkhadir called 911 after he heard gunshots and tried to flee from the scene when he saw someone approach with a firearm. Belkhadir said he thought it was the shooter when in fact it was a police officer. He was later on released without a charge. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple is reportedly thinking about taking legal action to pressure the Trump administration into rescinding the controversial executive order and immigration ban. The news follows worldwide outrage and public outcry regarding the executive order and comes days after Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and other Silicon Valley companies denounced the immigration ban and pledged to support legal actions against the executive order. Trump Executive Order: What Does This Immigration Ban Mean? The executive order signed on Jan. 27 denies refugees' entry to the United States for 120 days, suspends the Syrian refugee program indefinitely, and bans people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days. On Saturday, one day after President Donald Trump signed the executive order, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent an email to employees saying that Apple does not support this policy and the company's Human Resources, Legal and Security teams were getting in touch with staff affected by the order. Cook also pointed out that Apple would not exist without immigrants and said that the executive order had an impact on hundreds of Apple employees. The CEO also noted that he's been contacting people in senior positions within the White House to highlight that rescinding the executive order is important not just for Apple, but because the strength of the United States comes from its immigrant background. According to Cook, the immigrant background of the United States, more than any other country worldwide, paints it as a force with the ability and capacity to accept people from a wide range of backgrounds. That is what makes the United States special. Cook's comments echo those of other leaders in the technology field. Google co-founder Sergey Brin, for instance, shared his experience coming to the United States at the age of 6 as an immigrant from the Soviet Union - the States' greatest enemy at that point. The United States welcomed him and his family back then, but the new executive order paints a whole other reality. Apple Considering Legal Options Against Trump Executive Order According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple is now considering legal action to fight the immigration ban, hoping to convince the Trump Administration to rescind the executive order. Cook declined to detail the possibilities of this potential legal action, but did highlight that Apple wants to be both constructive and productive in its action. Apple's stance regarding the executive order was a no-brainer, says Cook, since the company is selling its devices in more than 180 countries worldwide and it's essential for Apple to "look like the world." At the same time, Apple itself would not exist if the Syrian immigrant father of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs was denied the opportunity to enter the United States. It remains to be seen whether the whole outrage of the people and the public stance of major U.S. companies and their leaders will have any influence on the immigration ban. Trump has not even entertained the possibility of rescinding the executive order, but the fight goes on. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Samsung Galaxy S8 is shaping up as a beastly device by all accounts, based on the rumors and leaks that surfaced so far. Samsung still has to wash away the Galaxy Note 7 disaster and a top-notch Galaxy S8 with high-end specs and features may well be the best start to regain consumer trust. While nothing regarding the Galaxy S8 specs and features is official just yet, recent leaks have tried to paint a picture of what to expect, so here's a preliminary comparison between the upcoming flagship and the current Galaxy S7 / S7 edge. Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Galaxy S7: Design In terms of build materials, Samsung is expected to adopt the same glass sandwich of the Galaxy S7 / S7 edge. However, the biggest design difference expected is that the Galaxy S8 series will reportedly not have a flat-screen variant all models will have curved-edge displays. The next-generation Galaxy S8 smartphones are also expected to sport slimmer top and bottom bezels and ditch the physical home button, contributing to a dramatic increase in screen-to-body ratio compared with the Galaxy S7 series. With no physical home button, the Galaxy S8 will likely have the fingerprint scanner either embedded into the display or rear-mounted. On the front, the smartphone is also expected to boast an iris scanner, borrowed from the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7. This would mark another notable difference compared with the Galaxy S7 series. When it comes to the sides of the device, another big change will reportedly consist of a new hardware button on the left of the device, serving as a dedicated key for Bixby Samsung's new virtual assistant. Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Galaxy S7 Series: Display The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus smartphones are rumored to feature 5.8- and 6.2-inch dual-edge QHD Super AMOLED displays, as opposed to the 5.1- and 5.5-inch QHD Super AMOLED screens of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. Moreover, the new generation could sport an aspect ratio of 18.5:9 instead of the 16:9 ratio of the current flagships. Otherwise, the resolution, auto brightness and color regime are expected to remain the same as on the Galaxy S7. Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Galaxy S7 Series: Processor, RAM And Storage The Samsung Galaxy S8 will most likely pack the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895 processors (based on region), which should deliver a significant boost in performance and battery life compared to last year's generation. In the RAM department, Samsung will likely not go overboard and equip the Galaxy S8 with a whopping 8 GB of RAM, but 6 GB should nonetheless be in the cards and would mark a notable improvement compared with the 4 GB of RAM found on the Galaxy S7 series. In terms of basic storage space, the Galaxy S8 is rumored to jump to 64 GB instead of the 32 GB base model of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. A microSD card slot for expandable memory should be on board as well, just like on the 2016 generation. Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Galaxy S7 Series: Camera The existing Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge already have impressive cameras with Dual Pixel focus systems, so Samsung may not make any significant changes in this department for the Galaxy S8. That said, the next-generation flagship smartphone from Samsung will likely have the same 12-megapixel main camera with an f/1.7 aperture, possibly with some new features. Earlier rumors had indicated that the Galaxy S8 would feature a dual camera system, but subsequent reports revealed that Samsung ditched those plans. Samsung Galaxy S8 vs. Galaxy S7 Series: Price And Release Lastly, pricing is another important aspect that will reportedly see a major change with the next-generation Samsung flagship. According to recent reports, the Galaxy S8 will be more expensive than any other Galaxy S series smartphone before it, priced at roughly 849 euros or $900. Moreover, the Galaxy S8 Plus will reportedly be $100 more expensive than the smaller Galaxy S8, which would put it at around $1,000. When it comes to release date, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge made their debut on Feb. 21 and went on sale on March 11, but the Galaxy S8 is expected later. The new-generation flagship is rumored to debut on March 29 and hit stores in mid-April. With no official information on the Galaxy S8, however, take all leaks and rumors with a grain of salt. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Remember those Verizon Wireless commercials that that featured the spokesperson asking, "Can you hear me now?" Well, the popular phrase is making a comeback, but this time it's the line that unlocks the latest phone scam. And saying "yes" is the magic word. The phone scam was first reported in Ohio and is sweeping through the state. As a result, the Ohio Attorney General's Office issued a warning on Monday to further prevent more people from getting swindled. Here's how the scam works: A call reportedly coming from an Ohio number (most frequently with a 330 or 614 area code) is made featuring a robot recording. (Keep in mind the number can be generated from the Internet and not necessary be from Ohio.) When a potential victims answers the call they may hear a noise as if the "person" on the other line dropped their phone. The robocall is then said to feature a female's voice that states, "Oh, sorry. I was just having some trouble with my headset." Followed by the phrase, "Can you hear me now?" If answered with a "yes," the call continues by revealing that the victim won a cruise or some other kind of vacation. This obviously makes it clear that the call is in fact a fake, but the damage has already been done. The scammers behind the robocall record the "yes" response to then use it to then steal the victim's identity and authorize charges on their phone or utility bills and on stolen credit cards. The robot may ask for a donation or money for said vacation, and when denied they play back the victim's "yes" response. How To Protect Yourself From The Scam 1. Don't Pick Up The best way to make sure theses scammers don't take advantage of you is by not answering calls from unknown numbers. If it is important, the person will leave a voicemail. 2. Don't Answer Do not give details away regarding personal information if asked. Refrain from answering any questions, especially if someone asks, "Can you hear me now?" 3. Don't Continue The Conversation If this robocall comes to you, just hang up right away without continuing any conversation. Report the number to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which will in turn help to monitor and put an end to the scam. Photo: Alon | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Another study shows how microgravity can affect the human brain, this time showing that astronauts brains compress and expand during spaceflight. MRI scans done on more than 20 astronauts revealed these results in new research from the University of Michigan, with the findings hoped to have applications in treating conditions that affect brain function. Changing Brain Shape Principal investigator Rachael Seidler and her colleagues scanned and examined 12 astronauts who were shuttle crew members for two weeks, as well as 14 others who spent six months on board the International Space Station. Comparing the scans, they found out that the volume of gray matter either increased or decreased, with the change depending on the length of time spent out in space. According to Seidler, the decrease in large regions of gray matter could be linked to redistributed cerebrospinal fluid in space. Gravity is not available to pull fluids down in the body, resulting in so-called puffy face in space, she said in a statement. This may result in a shift of brain position or compression. The team also detected increased volumes of gray matter in brain regions controlling leg movement as well as process movement information in the legs. This aspect may echo brain changes that related to learning about and adapting to microgravity. They also likened the brain changes to someone practicing a new skill 24/7, pointing to an extreme case of neuroplasticity in the brain since its a microgravity setting experienced 24 hours a day. The nature of the brain changes will still be studied further, but the findings may lead to new methods of addressing certain diseases. They may benefit people on long-term bed rest as well as those with hydrocephalus, where the cerebrospinal fluid collects and exerts pressure in ventricles of the brain. The next step for the team, which discussed their findings in the journal Nature Microgravity, is to determine how the brain changes last and whether those effects of spaceflight pinpointed are permanent or long-lasting in the body. Gene Effects Of Spaceflight NASA is yet to release official results from its unprecedented Twin Study, but early findings on twin brothers Scott and Mark Kelly indicated that space travel dramatically changes human biology, including gene expression. As twins, the astronaut brothers have almost identical genomes, so the study is observing biological changes brought about by extended stay in microgravity. Scotts telomeres, those protective caps found on each DNA strand, were found to be longer than his brothers when he returned recently to Earth. Those telomeres already returned to their normal length prior to the space mission, so scientists are analyzing how spaceflight caused them to elongate. Spaceflight can take its toll on the human body, as demonstrated by the return to Earth of astronauts such as Tim Peake after days in orbit. When they land back on Earth, their bodies likely need to readjust to the normal gravity back home. The ISS has about 90 percent of Earths normal gravity, but the continuous free-fall of the space laboratory during orbit allows the astronauts onboard to experience the weightlessness. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung has come under fire thanks to the battery exploding issues of the Galaxy Note 7. Users of the now defunct handset were experiencing severe issues with battery overheating and in many cases even explosions. Now, it seems the same issue has started plaguing users of the older-gen iPhone 6 Plus. What Really Happened A woman residing in Palm Harbor, Florida, has revealed that her iPhone 6 Plus caught fire in the middle of the night. She described her utter horror to WFLA, recounting she woke up at night due to the fire. It seems that she was quite lucky to have woken up before the flames got out of control. "My face was so close to the phone that when it immediately went up in flames, it woke me up. I'm luckily a light sleeper," said Amanda Bentz. Fortunately, Bentz's husband too woke up and was successful in smothering the flames with his shirt. However, parts of their curtains and pillows were singed due to the fire. The couple has demanded answers from Apple for what could have been a severe accident. Coincidentally, a man living just down the street from Bentz and her husband also reported issues with his iPhone 6 Plus. Greg Micelli reported that he was unable to charge his phone at night and when he woke up in the morning he found his phone's battery to be completely bloated. However, in this case the battery did not spontaneously catch fire. An Isolated Incident? In December, it was reported that a Shanghai-based consumer group complained about the battery of iPhone 6 smartphones which they claimed led to explosions in eight of the devices. At the time, Apple claimed that these incidents were due to the external conditions of the phone and not due to any defects in the batteries. Prior to this, in November 2016, it was reported that a pregnant Australian woman suffered severe burns on her arm when she fell asleep on top of her iPhone 7. Apple had asserted at the time that the reason for the overheating issues could be the use of third-party applications. There were also previous reports which noted that an iPhone 7 Plus exploded when it accidentally fell on the ground in China and also an Australian surf instructor claimed that his week-old iPhone 7 caused a fire inside his car. It is evident that explosions and serious overheating in Apple smartphones cannot be construed as isolated incidents any longer as there have been countless such reports. It would be a better idea for users of Apple's devices to maintain constant vigilance and to avoid sleeping with their phones on their beds at night. It would also be beneficial to consult Apple directly regarding any issues that the users may be facing until the company issues an update to eradicate these problems. Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It looks like Elon Musk's decision to join U.S. President Donald Trump's economic advisory group may be affecting Tesla Motors' vehicle sales. Following the move, several Tesla enthusiasts have canceled their reservations for the Model 3 sedan. These cancelations are not widespread yet but they do pose the question on how political affiliations can severely affect businesses. Before Donald Trump's election, Musk had indicated that he was against the former being elected as the President of the country. "He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States," Musk had said in an interview. However, after being elected as POTUS, Trump appointed Musk to serve on his Strategic and Policy Forum and the business magnate readily accepted the post. This move may have rubbed people the wrong way and possibly led to the sudden cancelations of their reservations for the Model 3. Irate people took to Twitter to voice their thoughts and share that they have canceled the reservation for the sedan. Reconsider working for this person. https://t.co/yFghApTQxv Thomas H. Ptacek (@tqbf) 30 January 2017 The Model 3 reservation has a $1000 refundable deposit and is Tesla's first mid-priced sedan which is all-electric. Tesla will begin production of the sedan later this year. How Many People Have Canceled? It is currently unclear just how many people have canceled their reservations due to Musk's association with President Trump. Tesla has nearly a year long backlog for preorders of the car. That people are canceling their reservations owing to the association is an assumption. Musk's association with President Trump potentially having a huge impact on Tesla's revenue is based on speculations alone. Therefore, it is understandable that the company has not come out with an official statement or commented on the Model 3 cancelations. However, it must also be mentioned that Musk has voiced concern and in a sense criticized President Trump's executive order to restrict immigration from seven Muslim majority countries. This suggests that Musk is not afraid of letting his opinions be known even if they differ from those of POTUS. Currently, Tesla Motors and Elon Musk do not seem to be worried about these cancelations as they cannot be categorized as widespread. However, it brings to the forefront similar issues that other businesses may also face in the coming months. Discrimination due to Musk's political preferences may indicate an underlying issue the whole country is facing due to people's differing opinions, views and political affiliations. There is no definite answer as to how these issues will be resolved or when, but only time will tell if Musk's involvement with the President could impact not only sales, but also the brand image he has been able to create so far. Photo: Sam Felder | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Semiconductor Fabrication Software Market - Drivers and Forecasts from Technavio Technavio analysts forecast the global semiconductor fabrication software market to grow at a CAGR of almost 2% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201005660/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global semiconductor fabrication software market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global semiconductor fabrication software market for 2017-2021. The report considers the revenue generated from licensing several software tools to semiconductor companies worldwide. The global semiconductor fabrication software market will grow at a moderate rate during the forecast period. This is due to the licensing or subscription business model followed by the semiconductor fabrication software vendors. Most end-users have already subscribed for the semiconductor fabrication software tool required for device designing requirement. Thus, semiconductor fabrication software vendors gain their revenue largely from the subscriptions, which are realized on a yearly basis. Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56179 Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Technavio hardware and semiconductor analysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing to the growth of the global semiconductor fabrication software market: Growing complexity of semiconductor device designs The growing complexity of the semiconductor chip designs has made the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices difficult and complicated. Some of the leading chip manufacturers suc as Intel (News - Alert) and Samsung look to avoid this impact by adding more engineers to the project teams. However, this impacts their R&D expenses as more capital is spent on paying employee salaries. Other semiconductor companies have shifted to a new business model (fabless semiconductor companies) to focus only on the design of semiconductor devices while outsourcing the production to foundries. Sunil Kumar Singh, a lead embedded systems research analyst at Technavio, says, "The features and functionalities offered by consumer electronic devices are increasing as electronic device manufacturers are focusing on differentiating their offerings from competitors. This explains the growing need for multifunctional ICs. Semiconductor device manufacturers have addressed this need by developing new and more complex architecture and design of semiconductor devices." Increasing requirement for SoC technology The last decade has witnessed a growth in the market for smart appliances and digital homes. This has resulted in the demand for high-power, efficient, and smart electronic devices from the end-user segment. These changes have been brought about by advances in device technology and the integration of billions of transistors on SoC. The high processing capability of these chips has made it possible to adhere to the demand for embedded graphics and multicore technologies. "The use of SoCs has grown substantially over the last five years. Many smart electronic devices such as wireless communication equipment, electrocardiogram, smartphones, telemetry devices, automotive body electronics, and others have started integrating this technology," adds Sunil. Demand for miniaturized electronic devices of high precision across sectors The demand for compact electronic devices has grown in many sectors like automotive, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and communications. This trend has forced semiconductor IC manufacturers to focus their R&D expenditure on reducing the size while optimizing the performance of ICs. This has led to the emergence of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and 3D semiconductor devices. This use of MEMS and 3D devices has led to the development of denser ICs over the last decade. MEMS and 3D ICs have many interconnects and transistors, without occupying any extra space, which requires finer deposition and patterning. Top vendors: Applied Materials Cadence Design Systems KLA-Tencor Mentor Graphics (News - Alert) Synopsys Browse Related Reports: Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like computing devices, displays, and lighting. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201005660/en/ The New York Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Time Warner Cable, now owned by Charter Communications, over slower-than-advertised internet speeds. Eric Schneiderman, the NY Attorney General, announced on Wednesday, Feb. 1 that the lawsuit filed in the New York State Supreme Court charged Spectrum Management Holding Co. and Charter for defrauding broadband customers with internet speeds far lower than they promised. Spectrum Management Holding Co. is the new name of Time Warner Cable's broadband service, since Charter acquired it. Spectrum-TWC Internet Speeds Defrauding Customers Marketing material dating back to January 2012 from Spectrum-TWC promised a "fast, reliable connection" anywhere within a household, notes the lawsuit. In a long investigation spanning over 16 months, however, the AG's office discovered that broadband speeds were in fact a whopping 70 percent lower than advertised, while Wi-Fi speeds were 80 percent lower than promised. Some customers shelled out as much as $109.99 per month for the service, yet they only got a third to a half of the internet speeds they paid for, the complaint further points out. The complaint outlines that Spectrum-TWC's scheme promised consumers that they would get internet speeds throughout their homes as advertised in various subscription plans. Knowingly Ripping Off Customers Spectrum-TWC failed to keep its promise because it leased older-generation modems to many of its subscribers, as well as Wi-Fi routers that it knew could not achieve the promised internet speeds. At the same time, Spectrum-TWC failed to make necessary adjustments to its network, such as increasing the number of channels for each service group, as well as the size of the service groups, which would allow customers to receive the promised internet speeds. "Not only did Spectrum-TWC fail to deliver the promised Internet speeds, it repeatedly assured subscribers that they could achieve the same results with wireless as with a wired connection, even when it knew that the wireless connection suffered from unavoidable, real-world limitations," adds the complaint. The allegations made in the NY AG's lawsuit confirm what many New Yorkers have been complaining about for a good while now - that Spectrum-TWC is ripping them off. Charter Is Disappointed Spectrum-TWC fails to deliver on its promised internet speeds even now, and the AG wants to make things right. Charter, for its part, offered a statement to USA Today expressing its disappointment in this lawsuit. "We are disappointed that the NY Attorney General chose to file this lawsuit regarding Time Warner Cable's broadband speed advertisements that occurred prior to Charter's merger," Charter tells USA Today. "Charter made significant commitments to NY State as part of our merger with Time Warner Cable in areas of network investment, broadband deployment and offerings, customer service and jobs." Recent reports indicated that Verizon was interested in acquiring Time Warner Cable parent Charter to better compete AT&T, which already acquired DirecTV and is waiting to finalize a deal with Time Warner (different company from Time Warner Cable). It remains to be seen whether this lawsuit against Charter and Time Warner Cable will affect the purported deal, but it will likely not have a major impact on the matter. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. [February 01, 2017] 2017 Japan Prize Honors Trailblazers in Life Science and Cryptography TOKYO, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Central to its deep commitment to honor the most innovative and meaningful advances worldwide, The Japan Prize Foundation today announced the laureates of the 2017 Japan Prize, who have pushed the envelope in their respective fields of Life Sciences and Electronics, Information and Communication. Three scientists are being recognized with the 2017 Japan Prize for original and outstanding achievements that not only contribute to the advancement of science and technology, but also promote peace and prosperity for all mankind. Emmanuelle Charpentier, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, Germany, and visiting professor at Umea University, Sweden, and Jennifer Doudna, Professor of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, are being honored for deciphering the molecular details of the type II bacterial immune system CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas and the creation of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system, a truly revolutionary technique in genetic engineering, far more economical and faster than those previously available. This overwhelmingly simple technique enables scientists to cut the DNA of any organism at arbitrary locations and edit freely by means of removing, replacing or insertion. It was adopted at an explosive pace as a research tool in the life sciences, and is now being applied to research in a wide range of fields, such as agriculture, biofuels, drug development and medicine, and in the future, may make it possible to correct mutations at precise locations in the human genome to treat and cure genetic causes of disease. Together, Charpentier and Doudna received the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences; the 2015 Gruber Foundation International Prie in Genetics; the 2015 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research; and the L'Oreal Unesco for Women in Science Award 2016. The advent of open digital networks, namely the Internet, has enabled us to lead infinitely more convenient lives. The ease and comfort which we take for granted today has been made possible due to security measures that prevent the theft and manipulation of valuable data. It is Dr. Adi Shamir who proposed many of the these underlying concepts in information security and developed a series of practical solutions. Dr. Shamir is the Borman Professor of Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute in Israel and an internationally-recognized cryptographer. His achievements range from the development of the "RSA cryptosystem," an innovative encryption technique utilizing mathematical methodology, to the proposal of the "secret sharing scheme," which ensures secrecy by breaking up classified information into parts and dispersing it among several individuals; the "identification and signature schemes" through which individuals can be identified without revealing secret information; and the generic "differential cryptanalysis," which deciphers common key cryptosystems. Dr. Shamir has also made significant breakthroughs in the research of side-channel attacks, which decipher code by monitoring the physical information of the computer carrying out the encryption, such as power consumption and noise. By developing cryptosystems which form the basis of information security, Dr. Shamir has paved the way to the fast and convenient open digital network environment that we take for granted today. These remarkable achievements have transformed cryptography into the modern academic discipline of cryptology. To honor Professor Charpentier, Dr. Doudna, and Dr. Shamir, the Japan Prize Foundation will host an award ceremony on April 19, 2017 in Tokyo. Each laureate will receive a certificate of recognition and a commemorative gold medal. A cash award of 50 million Japanese yen (approximately US $420,000) will also be given to each laureate. The Japan Prize is highly competitive: the nomination process ends in February, and, every year from March to November, the Foundation considers the nominations of 13,000 prominent scientists and researchers from around the world. About the Japan Prize Foundation The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and researchers, regardless of nationality, who have made significant contributions to the progress of science and technology, as well as society, to further the peace and prosperity of mankind. While the prize encompasses all fields of science, two fields are designated for the Japan Prize each year. Since its inception in 1985, the Japan Prize Foundation has awarded the Japan Prize to 86 laureates from 13 countries. For additional details about the Japan Prize Foundation and its activities, please visit http://www.japanprize.jp/en. CONTACT: Sakura Amend, 212-715-1611, [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2017-japan-prize-honors-trailblazers-in-life-science-and-cryptography-300400344.html SOURCE The Japan Prize Foundation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Intellinetics, Inc. Completes Convertible Debt Financing in Anticipation of Sales Growth via New Reseller Agreements Intellinetics, Inc. (OTCQB: INLX), an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software company focused on IntelliCloudTM (a cloud-based document management solution for the Small to Medium Business (SMB) market and business teams within large enterprises), announced it has closed the final tranche of a convertible promissory notes financing and raised a total of $1.25 million. Our two largest new channel partners are launching their sales efforts this quarter (Q1'17). The funds raised from the offering will be used for operations and investments in support of those launches and other similar initiatives where IntelliCloud will be integrated into the managed services and solutions provided to large dealer eco-systems. We expect these launches and subsequent rollouts will be important steps in growing our sales through channel partners throughout the year and beyond. We also expect to add additional significant distribution partners and are positioning ourselves for that growth. Matthew L. Chretien, President and CEO of Intellinetics, said, "It's encouraging to see the continued strong support of our investor community. The financing will enable us to ensure the right resources and programs are in place to sustainably grow our cloud revenue and supprt our strategic partners as they launch their initial sales efforts in the market. I firmly believe 2017 will be the tipping point for this channel and the entire company." IntelliCloudTM - Powered by the Intel (News - Alert) NUC IntelliCloud is a cloud-based document management platform that is optimized for the vast SMB market segment and business teams within large enterprises who are stuck with paper in business-critical processes. Thousands and thousands of people at any given moment depend upon IntelliCloud to perform their work. IntelliCloud, which is strategically packaged with Intel technology, provides Law Enforcement Grade security and compliance tools and is supported by a growing network of market-leading reseller partners. Resellers often attach IntelliCloud to the software, hardware, and/or services they already sell without the sales or technical complexity of other less effective options in the market. About Intellinetics, Inc. Intellinetics, Inc. is a Columbus, Ohio-based ECM software company. Intellinetics partnered with Intel to create the IntelliCloud Channel Program that makes it easy to add turnkey document workflow solutions to the copiers, productivity software and services they already provide. IntelliCloud provides dealers a "deploy once, use many" innovation where one IntelliCloud customer sale/activation creates endless possibilities to add other software applications that deliver more value and increase revenue. For additional information, please visit: www.intellinetics.com. Cautionary Statement Statements in this press release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding future business associated with any channel partner, distribution partner, or other reseller; Intellinetics' future revenues and growth including 2017; market penetration; and other intentions, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or strategies regarding future growth, financial results, and other future events are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risks associated with the effect of changing economic conditions, trends in the products markets, variations in the company's cash flow or adequacy of capital resources, market acceptance risks, the success of our channel partners and distribution partners, technical development risks, and other risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequently filed Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks. The company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Intellinetics disclaims any obligation and does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release. Expanded and historical information is made available to the public by Intellinetics and its Affiliates on its website or at www.intellinetics.com or at www.sec.gov. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005318/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Venezuelan government will increase cooperation with Colombia's military and police forces to face transnational crimes caused by drug trafficking, announced Friday by the Minister of... | Read More [February 02, 2017] CloudMoyo expands in Mid-America with new office in Kansas City metro BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CloudMoyo, leading cloud & analytics solutions provider, announced the opening of its new office in Overland Park, Kansas. The office will strengthen the company's commitment to support its local customers as well as continue its investment in Mid-America district. The company sees the local Kansas metro and larger Mid America district as a fast-growing market for embracing Microsoft Cloud. CloudMoyo has also expanded its team with key industry leaders to support this market locally with its proprietary transportation, cloud analytics solutions, and consulting services. Traditionally, the West Coast has been hailed for technological innovation. Kansas City is rapidly changing that. This metropolitan area of just over two million people can boast the headquarters of Fortune 1000 and fast-growing businesses. In continuing commitment, CloudMoyo is setting up a new office in Corporate Woods in Overland Park, KS close to the local Microsoft district office. The company has announced the appointment of Michael Hodges as Director of Cloud Analytics Practice and Jodi Mullen as Director, Sales & Business Development based out of this office. CloudMoyo is also adding Microsoft Azure technology leaders and resources to the practice. These investments add velocity to the rapid business expansion to service joint customers with Microsoft and other partners. Manish Kedia, CEO & President of CloudMoyo, said, "We believe that growing our presence in this growing market will help us execute with accelerated velocty on our vision of becoming the digital solutions partner of choice." He further added, "We are excited to be part of the Kansas City community and addition to our rapidly growing family. We will empower local customers to realize business value using our solutions & expertise in cloud analytics and Microsoft Cloud." Microsoft's Ervin Flores, General Manager, Mid-America Enterprise, said, "It is great to see the continued investment by Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform partner like CloudMoyo in the local Mid America district. Ervin further added, "This is again a testament to the fast-growing opportunities in the Mid America and the Kansas City region. We are excited with the new leadership, specifically the focus on Microsoft Azure Cloud Analytics solutions & managed services. We look forward to jointly empowering customers with their journey to intelligent cloud powered by Microsoft Azure & Cortana Analytics." Mike Hodges leads the Cloud Analytics practice for the office. Since working on a cellphone billing project in the 90's, Mike recognized the value of data and business intelligence. Working for Kansas City-based companies, like Sprint and Boehringer, has given Mike the ability to solve business issues on a global scale. Always willing to learn something new, Mike works with business leaders in different industries to determine the best solutions for their company. For the practice, Jodi Mullen leads CloudMoyo's business growth and strategic relationships with new and existing customers. Jodi is a Technology Sales leader from Oracle, Dell, and Cerner with over 20+ years of sales, IT experience, and healthcare industry expertise. She received a Bachelor degree in Computer Information Systems from DeVry University. About CloudMoyo: CloudMoyo is the partner of choice for solutions at the intersection of cloud and analytics with innovative product solutions for transportation, healthcare and services for enterprise cloud analytics. They help modern enterprises define their path to the Cloud and leverage the power of data driven insights. Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, with an innovation center in Pune, India, CloudMoyo is set apart by the company's relentless focus on delighting customers, their strong business domain experience, and a deep pool of technical talent with experience in the Microsoft Cloud. We are a trusted Microsoft partner focused on the architecture, design, development and managing operations for some of Microsoft's complex and critical systems. CloudMoyo is specialized in the areas of Cloud computing, Big Data and Advanced Analytics. We are a Microsoft Gold Cloud (Azure) Competency Partner and a Cortana Analytics Technology Alliance Partner. For more information, visit www.cloudmoyo.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cloudmoyo-expands-in-mid-america-with-new-office-in-kansas-city-metro-300401116.html SOURCE CloudMoyo [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 500-million year-old species offers insights into the lives of ancient legged worms by Staff Writers Toronto, Canada (SPX) Feb 01, 2017 A new species of lobopodian, a worm-like animal with soft legs from the Cambrian period (541 to 485 million years ago), has been described for the first time from fossils found in the Burgess Shale in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Details of the new species, called Ovatiovermis cribratus, are being published in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology this week. Dr Jean-Bernard Caron, senior curator of invertebrate paleontology at Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), associate professor at the University of Toronto in the Departments of Earth Sciences and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and lead author of the study, said: "Ovatiovermis is no longer than my thumb with all limbs stretched out and is only known from two specimens. "However this new species provides fantastic new insights into the ecology and relationship of lobopodians, a group of mainly Cambrian marine invertebrates which are key to our understanding of modern tardigrades, onychophorans and the largest group of animals on Earth - the arthropods." The researchers believe that strong recurved claws on the back limbs may have allowed Ovatiovermis and other related lobopodian species to anchor themselves on hard surfaces and stand more or less upright. Two long pairs of spinulose (hairy or spiky) limbs towards the front of the body would then have been used to filter or collect food from water and bring it closer to the animals' mouth. Cedric Aria, a doctoral candidate from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto and co-author of the study, explained: "The various adaptations of this new animal to anchored particle feeding are reflected in its name. The species, cribratus, is the Latin for 'to sieve', while the genus name, Ovatiovermis, refers to that posture it must have ordinarily adopted: a worm-like creature that stood in perpetual ovation." Even though lobopodians have long been known and studied, and occupy an intriguing position in the tree of life of invertebrate animals, their ecology had remained poorly understood. The authors of the study believe that their findings provide new views on the evolution of lobopodians and their relatives. Aria added: "We think that suspension feeding was common among lobopodians and turned out to be important in the initial evolutionary 'burst' of that colossal group of organisms that gave rise to water bears, velvet worms and arthropods. Interestingly, today, skeleton shrimps (Caprellidae), which are arthropods and thus much more complex living relatives of the lobopodians, have adopted a very similar lifestyle, and you can see them waving in the drifting water possibly much like Ovatiovermis used to. " Dr. Caron further stated: "These results contribute further evidence that suspension feeding was already a widespread mode of life during the Cambrian period. Its emergence has been important for the origin of modern marine ecosystems, and must have played a role in the rapid diversification of the first animals. " The researchers were surprised to find that unlike other suspension feeding organisms, O. cribratus, did not have any hard structures to protect its body. Dr Caron said: "Contrary to its relatives, this species does not have any spines or plates on its body for protection. Its 'naked' state begs the question of how it was able to guard against predators." The lack of body protection in O. cribratus demonstrates that organisms that lived in the Cambrian period did not exclusively develop hard defensive structures. The researchers speculate that O. cribratus may have lived in sponge colonies to avoid predators, or that by analogy with modern animals it used camouflage or was toxic or distasteful to predators. "However, this is a question that is difficult to solve with fossils, and it may remain forever one of Ovatiovermis' secrets," Dr Caron added. The new species is only the third lobopodian that has been formally described from the famous Burgess Shale site in Yoho National Park (British Columbia). It is one of the rarest species found there, and the only two known specimens of this species are now in the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Research paper Aheeva to showcase AheevaCCS V7 and new partner program February 8-10 at worlds leading business technology show Montreal, Quebec February 1, 2017 Aheeva - "Deliver better customer experiences", announced today that it will be showcasing its AheevaCCS V7, their multi-channel contact center software at ITEXPO, held February 8-10, 2017 at Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. ITEXPO is the worlds leading business technology tradeshow, and will converge education, innovation and networking across the entire community of IT professionals and thought leaders. Meet Aheeva at ITEXPO at booth 616 to learn more about AheevaCCS V7 and their new and improved partner program. At ITEXPO, executives, technology buyers, sellers, resellers and manufacturers from companies of all sizes and industries will assemble to forge new business partnerships, collaborate and learn together and from one another. Dozens of conferences sessions, keynotes and panels will be focused on helping attendees move their businesses forward. Chris Meyers, CEO of Aheeva explains "The trends are clear. Customer expectations are increasing, with 68% of 18-34 year-old consumers having higher expectations than last year. This combined with stats that show when engaged customers connect with engaged employees, companies experience a 240% boost in performance-related business outcomes. AheevaCCS V7 contact center software answers this call and allows their clients to deliver better customer experiences." Aheeva understands clients have more choice and expect to be served well, creating a memorable client experience is more important than ever. Aheeva will be showcasing how AheevaCCS V7 multi-channel contact center allows companies to do more with less. About Aheeva Technologies: Founded in 2000, is a Canadian developer, provider and specialist in contact center solutions. A multi-channel solution with inbound calling, predictive dialer, chat, reporting and quality monitoring tools that powers some of the largest BPOs in the world. Aheeva continues to provide efficient and cost-effective business communication solutions that compete in quality with those of larger international solutions providers. With international recognition and partners and clients in 30+ countries, Aheeva s business communication solutions are reaching a growing number of clients around the world. Aheeva Contact Costa Chatjiantoniou VP of Sales 514.223.2581 x207 [email protected] www.aheeva.com About TMC Global buyers rely on TMCs content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. This presents branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities for vendors/sellers. TMCs Marketplaces: Unique, turnkey Online Communities boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking. Custom Lead Programs uncover sales opportunities and build databases. In-Person and Online Events boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads. Publications, Display Advertising and Newsletters bolster brand reputations. Custom Content provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com. TMC Media and Analyst Contact: Jessica Seabrook Marketing Director 203-852-6800 x 170 [email protected] Share this Page Edited by Stefania Viscusi Heads up to prevent injury from falls Morning walks in my neighborhood are one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I love the coolness of daybreak and the special sightings of the stag and two does that frequent our open space. I also enjoy my walk because each day at... Signs that point to the best time for retirement Ive been thinking a lot about retirement lately. One of our amazing staff members, who has been with Senior Concerns for the last 13 years, retired last month. It just doesnt seem real. I always thought of Dana as young. Certainly not the person to... Rethinking the mandatory retirement age How old is too old for working at a job? Last week a news story hit my inbox and it really got me to thinking about age and retirement. The article noted that Target Corp. abandoned its mandatory retirement age of 65 for its CEO,... Tips to promoting a healthy nights sleep for children Question: Help, please. My daughter is almost 2 years old and has been an easy child to put into her own bed. Yet in the past few weeks she is purposefully stretching out the bedtime routine longer and longer. She wants more: more stories, more... This Account has been suspended. U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he expects President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees and nominee for U.S. Supreme Court will secure enough votes in the chamber for confirmation, despite concerns raised by critics. "This was a change versus status quo election," Kennedy said in the interview, which aired on CNN at about 5:30 p.m. (central) on Wednesday. "The people voted for change and we're going to provide that change." Kennedy, a Madisonville Republican who served as state treasurer for 16 years, was sworn in as Louisiana's newest senator in January. During the interview with Blitzer, Kennedy voiced his support particularly for the controversial Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. Speculation has mounted this week that DeVos, a proponent of vouchers and charter schools, may not muster enough votes for confirmation after some Republicans indicated they may vote against her. "She's stepped on some toes because she wants to change things," Kennedy said, adding that he thinks radical improvements are needed in elementary and secondary education. Kennedy has for several years volunteered three times a year to serve as a substitute teacher in local schools. "I know what it's like to be a teacher," Kennedy said. "It's tough." Kennedy also said he supports Trump's recent executive order putting an indefinite freeze on allowing refugees from Syria into the United States. "How are you gonna vet them?" he said. "We certainly can't call the Syrian government." Blitzer questioned Kennedy about Syrian refugees, including those in Louisiana, who are looking to improve their lives and be good citizens. "It only takes one," Kennedy replied. Advocate staff photo by David J. Mitchell -- This drainage canal, seen Monday, Jan. 30, is at the center of a lawsuit filed by Donaldsonville residents on Jan. 20. Residents claim Woerner Development Inc. dredged the canal and built weirs on the canal that runs through its sod farm. The changes, they allege, have caused water in Bayou Lafourche to flow up the canal, hinder drainage in the city of Donaldsonville and caused their house flooding in August. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission A long promised rethinking of school facilities in the wake of historic flooding last August will begin Saturday when the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board holds an all-day retreat. The board is also set to hear an update on the state of the school system's budget since the flood and the financial outlook for the system looking forward. School administrators had already been bracing for an eighth consecutive year of budget cuts, but the financial picture has worsened with ongoing expenses from the flood, greater-than-expected declines in enrollment and the likelihood of flat and even declining state per-pupil funding. Saturday's retreat will be the board's third since Superintendent Warren Drake took control of the school system in June 2015. One or more are planned this spring. The retreat, which starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., will be at the offices of Tech Park U, located in the Louisiana Technology Park, 7117 Florida Blvd. The meeting is structured as a workshop, where board members can speak at length on a small list of topics but will take no votes. Discussion about the state of school system facilities promises to dominate. The school system had 10 schools flood. Only one of those, Twin Oaks Elementary, has been repaired fully and students have returned. Drake has promised a top-to-bottom rethinking of school facilities. Adonica Duggan, spokeswoman for the school system, said board members will receive a lot of information, including detailed maps, showing a variety of options. Board members will also receive architectural assessments of the flooded buildings and the status of FEMA reimbursement. Were trying to give them all the information theyve been asking for as it relates to our plans for moving forward, Duggan said. Flooded Glen Oaks High returning to campus but to temporary classrooms Students from Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge are set to return their school grounds fo As part of that discussion, the board also plans to review student enrollment, the capacity of its buildings, attendance zone maps and early thoughts on school construction needed in the future. Board members will also get an update on the budget from Chief Financial Officer James Crochet. A recent audit of the Louisiana Department of Health raises red flags about the $12.2 billion agency's financial dealings, just as state legislators are looking for areas of the budget to trim. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor's report released this week found that the department didn't have a process in place to recover $29 million in Medicaid claims last year and filed more than $250 million in erroneous reports with the federal government. On top of that, there was no mechanism for tracking how $73 million in federal funds for a nutrition program for pregnant women and infants was spent, which the auditor warned could trigger federal compliance issues. LDH officials say that the department is working to rectify all of the issues raised. A plan for corrective action is to be completed by the end of June. "We take an audit like this very seriously and we use them as a road map to continually try to make improvements," LDH spokesman Bob Johannessen said. But the findings come as lawmakers already are eyeing the department's budget, and it's unclear how the information may be used by legislators in the coming weeks as they look for areas to cut. "They seem to be mismanaging a few things here," House Appropriations Chair Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, said of the audit. "That an agency that can misspend or not account for hundreds of millions of dollars makes it difficult for legislators to come in and listen to the administration discuss how their agency needs more money." Louisiana currently faces a $304 million state budget deficit that is prompting Gov. John Bel Edwards to call the Legislature into a 10-day special session beginning Feb. 13. Edwards is expected to reveal his recommendations for the budget on Monday. He has already said he thinks the state should pull $119 million from the Rainy Day fund to soften the blow, but some legislators argue that the state should try to keep more money in its reserves and instead make deeper cuts. LDH funding, which is about 44 percent of the entire state operating budget, includes $8 billion in federal dollars. State tax dollars make up about $2.8 billion, and the rest comes from fees and other sources. Leaders frequently note that an infusion of even more federal funding this year when the state expanded its Medicaid program meant about $184 million was freed up for other areas of the state budget. But LDH's large reliance on federal funding hasn't stopped legislators from questioning the rapidly ballooning allocation. Rep. Lance Harris, the GOP caucus chairman from Alexandria, has frequently questioned LDH's expenditures. He said he has not seen the audit Wednesday evening, but he plans to review it. "I think this is good for the conversation, especially since their budget has grown exponentially over the past year," he said. The audit says that LDH didn't collect $29 million that was owed for services provided to a Medicaid-eligible recipient during an eight-month period in the budget year that ended in June. LDH also didn't accurately complete quarterly reports required for $250 million in federal funds and didn't implement cost containment measures for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children program, commonly referred to as WIC. The report notes that it is unclear how much of the $73 million in WIC food costs puts the state at risk of federal repercussions. Generally, the auditor concluded that the Health Department didn't have an adequate measures in place to track compliance for the money it oversees. A spokesman for Edwards noted that the problems spanned before his administration took over. The findings in this audit are concerning, but since taking office this administration has made significant progress to address the issues from the previous administration, including rectifying the problems outlined in this report," Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said. "Through LDHs new procedures, were confident the claims process will be more efficient going forward." Johannessen said LDH leaders know that the Legislature expects better management. "We're going to do everything we can to fulfill that expectation," he said. He also defended some of the audit's findings. Johannessen said that the issue of $29 million in claims that have gone uncollected is a common issue among states because of the way Medicaid payments are handled. "It occurs with almost every Medicaid program," he said. He added that LDH is working to beef up its efforts in that area, though. "We're going to be aggressive in trying to collect these funds," he said. He also noted that the WIC program is under new leadership. Still, Henry said that the past actions could lead to issues with future federal dollars coming into the state, and he questioned whether LDH has been following directives from the Legislature. "Their internal audit functions are not adequate to make sure that the policies and procedures that we put in place are actually being maintained," Henry said. "The state could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars that have been either inaccurately reported or paid in error." "Maybe $200 million in errors isn't a big deal to them, but I can assure you it's a big deal to everyone in the Legislature," Henry added. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni boasts that his administration has introduced a very thorough background screening process for our coac A man who escaped from prison and avoided recapture for eight days conceived a child with his girlfriend while on the run, his lawyers say. Jacob MacDonald, 21, and another inmate Patrick McCurley, 28, made headlines when they used a cable tray to scale three fences at Canberra's Alexander Maconochie Centre on September 2 last year. Prisoners Jacob McDonald andA Patrick McCurley The pair had first climbed out a window of their accommodation before finding the cable tray behind the kitchen and industries area. Court documents said security cameras had captured the pair fleeing the grounds of the Hume prison, towards the Monaro Highway. It took six hours for their absence to be realised. But it was not until some eight days later when MacDonald was arrested at a home in Narrabundah. He later pleaded guilty in court to one charge of escape. MacDonald faced a sentencing hearing in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday, when it emerged that the 21-year-old and his girlfriend were now expecting a child. The man's defence barrister, James Sabharwal, said the child was due in May. Apart from the escape charge, MacDonald faces several charges relating to burglary and property damage to which he has also pleaded guilty. MacDonald's co-accused was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court last year. McCurley had been recaptured about 48 hours after the pair's escape when he crashed his car. How many global telecom executives does it take to change Telstra's woeful record on network outages? That might be the question everyone should be asking after a fire at one of its telco exchanges on Thursday prompted a nationwide outage and privacy breaches. In the last 12 months chief executive Andy Penn has added ex Nokia boss Stephen 'Burning Man' Elop to Telstra executive ranks, former Optus boss Kevin Russell, and Juniper Networks veteran executive Robyn Denholm. This month, Ericsson's former technology chief Hakan Eriksson also begins his new career as Telstra's chief technology officer. The good news is Telstra managed to get through the whole of January without a network failure to match the seven which blighted its service last year. Penn even had time to brag to his 40,000 Twitter followers on Tuesday. Tempting fate perhaps? Telstra continues to dominate the fixed telecommunications market in regional and remote areas despite the NBN's level playing field, according to the latest wholesale market report published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. However, the competition regulator noted it was pleased to see Telstra's competitors supplying nearly half the services in areas where the incumbent has traditionally dominated. NBN is being rolled out in regional and outer metropolitan areas first, and will start construction in capital cities this year. Credit:Glenn Hunt The majority of customers are now buying a 50 megabits per second service while the number of people taking out higher speed tiers of 100 megabits per second jumped to more than 200,000. Nearly 20 households have activated the gigabit per second service. The rollout of the government-owned national broadband network has focused on regional and outer-suburban areas since it started six years ago. The company recently warned the next construction phase will be in more congested inner-city areas and it expects to pass 5 million premises by the middle of this year. The problem with the potentially corrupt and insidiously opaque way political donations occur in Australia is not that it's in breach of the law. The problem is the opposite: it complies with the law. The law needs changing. Below we outline how. Again. Many lawmakers, including the leaders of the main parties, concede reform is long overdue. They could hardly do otherwise, given that a series of inquiries and reviews in the past decade have all recommended cleaning up the mess. What's that smell? Our politicians know conflicts of interest are inevitable, and that the question is how they are managed. But those same politicians seem unable to manage their blatant conflict on this issue. They are the beneficiaries of the very problem they have a duty of public trust to fix. In recent days, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has noted widespread community disenchantment with "politics as usual", while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has indicated he's open to a reform we and others have been urging banning foreign donations to Australian politicians and parties. Political leaders regularly keep people, especially the media, waiting. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull set a new record during a glass factory visit in Melbourne's industrial south-east. The visit had all the hallmarks of a Tony Abbott "no carbon tax" pitch, with Labor responsible for pushing up power prices for households and businesses like CSR Viridian Glass. A seemingly confident Mr Turnbull inspected furnaces and chatted with high-vis-clad workers and bosses, but more than an hour after the initial press call, the Prime Minister had not emerged from a private meeting. A young Iranian refugee who spent more than three years on Manus Island has been forcibly returned to Papua New Guinea after being intercepted by police on the way to submit his claim for asylum in Fiji. His lawyer said the 21-year-old refugee was bundled out of the car taking him to meet with Fiji's head of immigration and rushed at speed to the Nadi airport early on Friday morning. "There is no humanity in the world," a distressed Loghman Sawari told trauma worker Janet Galbraith after boarding a flight bound for Port Moresby. In a voice message to Kurdish Iranian journalist, Behrouz Boochani, who is still in the Manus detention centre, Mr Sawari told how he had asked to call his mother in Iran after his arrest. The request was ignored and he was beaten, he said. Publicly shaming Trump could have catastrophic results. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The characterisations provide insight into Mr Trump's temperament and approach to the diplomatic requirements of his job as the nation's chief executive, a role in which he continues to employ both the uncompromising negotiating tactics he honed as a real estate developer and the bombastic style he exhibited as a reality television personality. The depictions of Mr Trump's calls are also at odds with sanitised White House accounts. The official read-out of his conversation with Mr Turnbull, for example, said that the two had "emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally." Donald Trump with then-national security adviser Michael Flynn and chief strategist Steve Bannon during a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in January. Credit:Bloomberg A White House spokesman declined to comment. A senior administration official acknowledged that the conversation with Mr Turnbull had been hostile and charged, but emphasised that most of Mr Trump's calls with foreign leaders including the heads of Japan, Germany, France and Russia have been both productive and pleasant. Mr Trump also vented anger and touted his political accomplishments in a tense conversation with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, officials said. The two have sparred for months over Mr Trump's vow to force Mexico to pay for construction of a border wall between the two countries, a conflict that prompted President Pena Nieto to cancel a planned meeting with Mr Trump. Mr Trump told President Pena Nieto in last Friday's call, according to the Associated Press, which said it reviewed a transcript of part of the conversation: "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it." But even in conversations marred by hostile exchanges, Mr Trump manages to work in references to his election accomplishments. US officials said that he used his calls with both Mr Turnbull and Mr Pena Nieto to mention his election win or the size of the crowd at his inauguration. One official said that it may be Mr Trump's way of "speaking about the mandate he has and why he has the backing for decisions he makes". But Mr Trump is also notoriously thin-skinned and has used platforms including social-media accounts, meetings with lawmakers and even a speech at CIA headquarters to depict his victory as an achievement of historic proportions, rather than a narrow outcome in which his opponent, Hillary Clinton, won the popular vote. The friction with Mr Turnbull reflected Mr Trump's anger over being bound by an agreement reached by the Obama administration to accept refugees from Australian detention sites even while Mr Trump was issuing an executive order suspending such arrivals from elsewhere in the world. The issue centres on a population of roughly 2500 people who have sought asylum in Australia but were diverted to facilities off that country's coast at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Deplorable conditions at those sites prompted intervention from the United Nations and a pledge from the United States to accept about half of those refugees, provided they passed US security screening. Many of the refugees came from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia, countries now listed in Mr Trump's order temporarily banning their citizens entry to the United States. A special provision in the Trump order allows for exceptions to honour "a pre-existing international agreement," a line that was inserted to cover the Australia deal. But US officials said that Mr Trump continued to fume about the arrangement even after signing the order in a ceremony at the Pentagon. "I don't want these people," Mr Trump said. He repeatedly mis-stated the number of refugees called for in the agreement as 2000 rather than 1250, and told Mr Turnbull that it was "my intention" to honour the agreement, a phrase designed to leave the US President wiggle room to back out of the deal in the future, according to a senior US official. Mr Turnbull told Mr Trump that to honour the agreement, the United States would not have to accept all of the refugees but only to allow them each through the normal vetting procedures. At that, Mr Trump vowed to subject each refugee to "extreme vetting," the senior US official said. Mr Trump was also sceptical because he did not see a specific advantage the United States would gain by honouring the deal, officials said. Mr Trump's position appears to reflect the transactional view he takes of relationships, even when it comes to diplomatic ties with long-standing allies. Australia has sent troops to fight alongside US forces for decades and maintains close co-operation with Washington on trade and economic issues. Australia is seen as such a trusted ally that it is one of only four countries that the United States includes in the so-called "Five Eyes" arrangement for co-operation on espionage matters. Members share extensively what their intelligence services gather, and generally refrain from spying on one another. There also is a significant amount of tourism between the two countries. Mr Trump made the call to Mr Turnbull about 5 pm Saturday from his desk in the Oval Office, where he was joined by chief strategist Stephen Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn and White House press secretary Sean Spicer. "What I don't do is indulge in public commentary." The US-Australia alliance, based on 65 years of history, remained "rock-solid" he said. Under the terms of the refugee deal, it is possible that the United States could honour the agreement with Australia but not actually take all of the 1250 refugees as they could be rejected during the so-called "extreme" vetting process. Australian officials said there would be a flurry of high-level conversations overnight as diplomats from the two nations attempted to repair the damage done. One cabinet minister told Fairfax Media that the reported details of the fiery phone call - which the White House had initially claimed concentrated on the "enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship" in a bland official statement - were broadly accurate. "Malcolm has stood up for Australia, he actually had a row with the President of the United States and he hasn't crowed about it, he has since gotten on with the job," the cabinet minister said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We are offended but as long as these people [refugees] get off Manus and Nauru, that's the main thing. I'm confident the deal will be honoured, this is part of the process. Trump is trying to get the message out that he hates the deal but can't do anything about it." Australian government officials were shocked and blind-sided by the tweet Mr Trump put out on Thursday afternoon. The brutal question they now face is how they are going to manage the relationship when, after Mr Turnbull observed diplomatic courtesy and refused to comment on The Washington Post's report, Mr Trump without warning issued a tweet that humiliates one of the US's closest allies. Some in Canberra speculated that Steve Bannon, Mr Trump's close and most ideologically fierce adviser, may have leaked the details about the call in order to demonstrate that even if Mr Trump eventually accepts the refugee deal, he is doing so only grudgingly and angrily. Malcolm Davis, a senior defence analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the US alliance was too important to be rocked by Mr Trump's behaviour and Australia would need to essentially work around the current President if he was going to keep behaving like this. "For this to happen is unconscionable. I think that probably where we need to take this is [to] rise above it, make sure we don't let this derail a vital relationship because it's too important to let go. But we need to be on our guard because this guy is totally unpredictable He's completely clueless." Mr Trump's Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, had said on Wednesday that the President would "honour what had been agreed upon" but that the asylum seekers would be subjected to "extreme vetting". Opposition Leader Bill Shorten demanded Mr Turnbull "talk straight to the Australian people - tell us what's going on". The deal - to take asylum seekers currently on Manus Island and Nauru - was struck between Australia and the Obama administration and announced by Mr Turnbull in mid-November. In the days after the phone call, Mr Turnbull said Mr Trump had agreed to honour the deal, but Washington subsequently sent mixed messages and indicated the President was still considering whether to honour it. Mr Shorten - who had initially criticised Mr Turnbull for not standing up to the US President - demanded details about the phone call. Labor wanted the refugee deal to go ahead, Mr Shorten said, "but clearly President Trump and his people are saying one thing happened in this conversation, which is completely at odds with what Prime Minister Turnbull has told the Australian people". "They both can't be right and I think it's in the interests of the Australian people for Mr Turnbull just to be straight with the people and tell us what's really going on," he said. "If I was Prime Minister, I would want the United States to be our ally, and I'm sure that the Americans want Australia to be their ally, but if I was Prime Minister I would never just be a satellite of the United States, and it is important that Australia speaks its mind." US Senate Democrats expressed alarm at Mr Trump's rhetoric and behaviour on Thursday. A spokesman for Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, a ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he was "deeply concerned" about Mr Trump's treatment of allies, including Australia. "The United States continues to face a number of challenges and they can only be solved by working in concert with allies and partners who share our values and goals like Mexico, NATO, and Australia." Loading Already, this argument is toxic, with Labor's Jim Chalmers suggesting Turnbull would not be Liberal leader, and therefore PM , if he had not paid his way forward. Now that we know how much Malcolm Turnbull personally tipped in to rescue his sputtering re-election campaign, a 'reasoned' debate can ensue over the colossal scale of the pledge, what it says about the Prime Minister in particular, elections in general, and the extent of hidden financial influence. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the National Press Club on Wednesday. Credit:Andrew Meares Amazingly, this is an advance on the unproductive speculation over the quantum which exploded on Turnbull on Wednesday when the Australian Electoral Commission disclosures for financial year 2015-16 finally lobbed (a lazy seven months after the poll) to reveal precisely nothing. The explanation was that Turnbull's extreme generosity had come after the June 30 disclosure cut-off date which was itself beyond curious, given the election was on July 2. The vacuum simply sharpened questions around why someone who favours transparency and timeliness in campaign donations disclosure, insisted on keeping his own donations secret and planned to do so until February 1, 2018 purely because the rules allowed it. At an eye-watering $1.75 million, the Prime Minister's revelation came on Wednesday night during a 7.30 interview. This is a case of alliance shock for Australia. Donald Trump's rough treatment of Malcolm Turnbull is about more than their personalities, more than the refugee deal, and more than relations between two leaders. It's about the reliability of the US alliance. "It's not unprecedented for the leaders of the US and Australia to have a tough, difficult, robust conversation," says Sydney University's alliance historian, James Curran. "But it is unprecedented for this sort of private conversation to be leaked." And it was a leak, according to Turnbull, that leaves him feeling "very disappointed". While claims that up to 30 per cent of workers may be missing out on compulsory employer super contributions (currently 9.5 per cent of wages) may be far too high, there are undoubtedly deficiencies in the current arrangements. The problems stem from a lack of attention paid more than 30 years ago to details to ensure that employers meet their obligations and do not take advantage of any opportunities such as hiring contractors and black economy transactions to avoid their liabilities. Assigning the task of ensuring compliance to the Tax Office without accompanying strict pay as you go requirements has inevitably resulted in lengthy delays and protracted investigations to recover unpaid money. The system places the onus on individual workers to ensure they receive their compulsory super and then initiate Tax Office recovery action. Ensuring you are paid compulsory super can take a back seat to take-home pay and other entitlements. Credit: For the individuals concerned, pursuing their claims with their employers particularly involving small and even middle-sized businesses with cash-flow problems can be a daunting prospect, possibly putting the employees' jobs at risk. Adding to the problems with compulsory super is the fact that, regrettably, many younger and even middle-aged workers pay little attention to their superannuation. When compulsory super was introduced, workers could cash out their super at any age when they changed jobs. Since 1999, all new super contributions are untouchable until age 65 or retirement after a compulsory preservation age of 60 for most people. Obtaining compulsory super takes a back seat behind the essential needs of receiving take-home pay and retaining a job. Australian Border Force head Roman Quaedvlieg could become the next NSW police commissioner after the state's long-serving top cop Andrew Scipione announced he was bringing forward his retirement. Informed sources say Mr Quaedvlieg, the man charged with enforcing the Coalition's tough border protection policies, has signalled interest in the job but would want a remit to undertake moderate reform at the top of the NSW police force if appointed. The 52-year-old's potential recruitment would also likely come at a cost. Mr Quaedvlieg's Australian Border Force pay package of $731,000 is more than $100,000 higher than that paid to Mr Scipione. Mr Scipione announced on Thursday that after 37 years in the force, the last 10 as commissioner, he would retire on April 2. Five people were arrested as police moved to remove the homeless people from Flinders Street on Wednesday. Credit:Penny Stephens "I think we dealt that very fairly and honestly, for the last 2 weeks we have been telling people that yesterday was the drop-dead date that the scaffolding had to go in. "We did everything that would be part of the social compact to deal with people fairly and yet it still turned into a fiasco that required a major police exercise and a major city exercise. Police moving on the homeless on Wednesday. Credit:Penny Stephens "Maybe we move that line of engagement a little further forward." Some of the Flinders Street Station rough sleepers moved into motels on Wednesday and have been under the impression they could only stay there for a couple of days before going back to the streets. But Launch Housing, which is overseeing housing the city's homeless people, said all of those given motel accommodation could stay there until a more permanent solution could be worked out, such as a place in one of the 40 transitional units promised by the Andrews government. Deputy chief executive Heather Holst said some people had so far refused crisis housing. "That's partly because there's a lot of information flying around from different people about it, so we are trying to get a clear conversation going," she said. Before chaos broke out on Wednesday, Jonathan "Link" Hardy, a deaf aspiring bodybuilder who communicates using a pen and paper, wrote that he might move from Flinders Street if asked by police but "maybe when everyone leave I come back I'm not sure." Homeless man Glen had been living with his dog Tonka outside the station for more than a month. He was followed by a swarm of protesters, media cameras and people filming with their mobile phones when he packed up his three suitcases and left the camp following the arrival of special operations police. He is now stationed outside St Paul's Cathedral. "I look like an activist now because the professionals [protesters] brought banners and took over the joint," said the 32-year-old. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 20: Protest spokesperson Lisa Peterson speak to the media as City of Melbourne officers are seen dismantling the milk crate structures being used as shelter by homeless protesters in the City Square on May 20, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jesse Marlow/Fairfax Media) Credit:Jesse Marlow Homeless people's advocate Lisa Peterson, who was not involved in Wednesday's violence, condemned the action of protesters, some of who are believed to be from the Homeless Persons Union. "I think there were only half a dozen homeless people here yet it's became circus. The community didn't need a circus," she said. "We've been asking [for help] to get off the streets for almost a year, the sector and bureaucrats keep saying 'no' to every idea we give them. "This is their failing every bit as much as the fault of the protesters but again it's the homeless community of Melbourne who will suffer and that's not fair." Ms Peterson said there had been a marked drop off in public sympathy for the homeless in recent months during the intense attention on the Flinders Street camp - a phenomenon also observed by Ms Holst. "More people are asking questions that seem to be based on fear [such as] 'Aren't they dangerous' 'Would they break up houses or assault neighbours' that sort of stuff," Ms Holst said. "I have been really taken aback about the amount of that sort of talk." A number of the rough sleepers who had been sleeping at Flinders Street have been dispersed to other areas of the CBD with some setting up on the opposite side of the road or near St Paul's Cathedral. Cr Doyle said he expected to see homeless camps spring up again in the future. Loading A man continues to teach children even after pleading guilty to a sex crime against a former student. The Victorian teaching regulator has twice given the man the green light to teach, despite the teacher admitting to indecently assaulting the former student in the late 1980s. The teacher has been suspended for six months. Credit:Eamon Gallagher The teacher is now employed by a Catholic school and has been working there for nearly two decades. The Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) investigated the teacher in 2011, and a hearing panel "determined that the teacher was fit to teach," said the regulator's chief executive, Melanie Saba. A reward of $500,000 has been offered to help investigators solve a random sexual attack in broad daylight on a young woman in Burwood three years ago. A 21-year-old woman was walking west on the south side of the Burwood Highway, when she was approached from behind by a man between 10am and 10.15am on January 23, 2014, police said. "The victim was actually on her way to catch a bus to a university somewhere else in the metropolitan area," Detective Inspector Stephen Wilson said on Thursday morning. "The man grabbed the victim and forced her into an unoccupied house near the intersection of Burwood Highway and Station Street," he said. A explosion heard in Richmond on Thursday afternoon has left investigators scratching their heads. A Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesperson confirmed a loud bang was heard about 5.45pm near the Amora Hotel. However, no one was injured and no property was damaged. A police officer inspects the scene. Credit:Patrick Herve When firefighters arrived, they found a patch of burnt grass at the scene. The explosion appeared to have occurred in some bushes close to the hotel. A Victoria Police spokesman said authorities were still trying to confirm what caused the loud bang. A teenager was sexually assaulted in a park after she was led from a bar in Fitzroy, police say. Police say the 19-year-old met a man while drinking at a bar on Brunswick Street near the corner of Leicester Street, about 10pm on Friday, January 13. Police have released this image in relation to the Fitzroy sex assault. She told police she was led out of the bar by a man in the early hours of the following morning and taken to a nearby park, possibly a reserve on Cecil Street, where she was sexually assaulted. The man spoke with a European accent, possibly Swedish or German. More than 30 people have been apprehended in connection with more than 100 offences following a recent crime surge in one of WA's most remote towns. The recent crime wave in Fitzroy Crossing, 2500km north east of Perth, has led to extra officers, including detectives, being brought in to deal with the upsurge. The recent crime wave in Fitzroy Crossing, 2500km north east of Perth, has led to extra officers being brought in. In the past fortnight, the town has had to deal with a recent influx of people due to a range of factors. Many roads leading to other remote communities have been cut off due to flooding. The town's Cole's Express, BP Roadhouse, Fitzroy Crossing Inn and Fitzroy Crossing Lodge have all been targeted. More than 50 sites were target in anti-terrorism raids in and near Frankfurt on Wednesday. Credit:AP Amri was killed in a shootout with the Italian police days after the Berlin attack. The latest suspect had lived in Germany from 2003 to April 2013, the authorities said on Wednesday. What he was doing during that decade and why and how exactly he left or returned, federal officials admitted, they do not know. The Tunisian who was arrested on Wednesday returned in 2015, using an alias, de Maiziere said, and apparently seeking asylum. German police officers carry computers out of a mosque during a terror raid in Frankfurt. Credit:AP Among the many open mysteries was whether the Tunisian had again slipped across German borders in 2016. Frankfurt prosecutors cited Tunisian officials as saying the suspect not only had taken part in the 2015 museum attack, but also was linked to another, in early March 2016, on the Tunisian border town Ben Gardane. It was not clear if he was suspected of just planning that assault or actually taking part, in which case he would have again left Germany, and re-entered by August, when he was detained in Frankfurt and ordered to serve 43 days of an outstanding 2008 sentence for grievous bodily harm. After that, from September 27, the man was detained nearly 40 more days before what was supposed to be his deportation to Tunis, the Frankfurt prosecutors said. But, as with Amri, who slipped through the Germans' fingers several times over two years, the Germans said they could not deport the latest suspect because authorities in his country had failed to supply the necessary papers. He was therefore released November 4, said Alexander Badle, a spokesman for the Frankfurt state prosecutors. The suspect was watched around the clock until his arrest early on Wednesday, Badle said, declining to comment on what led the authorities to order the giant raids in Frankfurt and eight surrounding cities and districts in the vast conurbation where the Rhine and Main rivers meet. The Tunisian was the only person arrested in the raids, Badle said. He was held under a warrant issued Jan. 26 accusing him of supporting a foreign terrorist group. Investigation on that charge started in October, even before his release, according to the Frankfurt prosecutors' office. It was not clear if any of the remaining 15 suspects were held even briefly by the police. Badle said in a brief telephone interview that the main Tunisian suspect had no fixed address and had slept variously at the homes of friends and contacts apparently made in mosques. German authorities routinely lament that they cannot watch all those suspected of Islamic extremism, but they appear to have kept unusually tight 24/7 surveillance on the Tunisian, which presumably yielded the names or locations of other suspects across the Rhine-Main area, home to millions. The suspects listed on Wednesday include a 17-year-old German Iraqi who in July tried to head for Dubai and from there to Syria for training in using weapons and explosives by unspecified terrorist groups, Badle said. Another would-be recruit, identified only as a 16-year-old German Afghan, tried to leave Frankfurt last September and head to Dubai and then Afghanistan before going to Syria for training in weapons and explosives, the prosecutor said. In Berlin, up to 250 police officers and three heavily armed anti-terror units took part in the raid on a mosque in the Moabit district. Amri, the Christmas market assailant, had visited that mosque at least twice in the runup to his December 19 attack, and recorded a video dedicating himself to the Islamic State on a nearby bridge. The police said three men who frequented the mosque were detained on the street. They were ages 21, 31 and 45 and were suspected of being about to travel to Syria and Iraq to train and fight with the Islamic State, the police said. Two hold Turkish citizenship, and the third is German, said Martin Steltner, a spokesman for the Berlin state prosecutors. Merkel was far away in south-west Germany, receiving an award for showing charity toward the refugees from a group that honours a German Christian who took part in the unsuccessful plot to kill Hitler in 1944 and was executed by the Nazis in 1945. Loading News media accounts from the ceremony said neither Merkel nor other speakers referred to the refugees. Instead, their speeches concentrated on what they called the new threat to Europe: populism and the danger of a fissuring European Union. J/Boats News is a digest of worldwide events, regattas, and news for sailing enthusiasts and members of our J Community. Contributions regarding your racing, cruising or human interest stories on-board J's are welcome- please send to "editor@jboats.com". Seoul: With former UN chief Ban Ki-moon bowing out of South Korea's presidential race, Moon Jae-in, a human rights lawyer who grew up in a slum and has promised to shake up the system, is now the odds-on favourite to win. Ban said on Tuesday that he would not run for the presidency of South Korea, a surprise announcement that deprived beleaguered conservatives of their likeliest candidate to succeed the country's sidelined leader, Park Geun-hye. South Korean presidential contender Moon Jae-in in December. Credit:AP Moon lost the 2012 election to Park by more than a million votes, but is seeking to lead the liberal Democratic Party into the next election and end eight years of conservative rule. Like many on the South Korean left, Moon calls for sweeping reform of the chaebol - the big conglomerates that dominate the economy and have been at the heart of the political crisis - and claims he is the standard bearer for change. "If they don't like it, then they shouldn't take the job" White House press Secretary Sean Spicer said of administration officials. Credit:AP "What you have is a government filled with left-wingers who are deeply opposed to Trump, who froth at the mouth," said former House speaker Newt Gingrich, an informal adviser to the president. "This will be a real fight, because Trump is different. He was elected to be different, and if they don't want to be different, and if they don't want to serve in government with someone who is different, they should quit." If there is to be a fight, the other side is preparing as well. Faiz Shakir, national political director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the group plans to dedicate significant new resources - including much of the more than $US24 million in online donations that poured in over the weekend after Trump's immigration order - to protecting dissenters and whistleblowers. President Donald Trump has made it clear he does not like anyone to oppose his views. Credit:AP "Hopefully people know that, so they can reach out to us," Shakir said. Recent decades have seen a raft of reforms designed to encourage freer and more open airing of non-conformist views. Many were implemented as an antidote to the kind of tunnel vision that led the nation into the Vietnam War or as a reaction to the abuses of executive power by President Richard M. Nixon's administration. Sally Yates brought details of Flynn's calls with Russia to the attention of the President. Credit:AP This will be a real fight, because Trump is different. He was elected to be different, and if they don't want to be different, and if they don't want to serve in government with someone who is different, they should quit. Newt Gingrich The State Department, for instance, established the "dissent channel" upon which officials have been airing their disagreement with Trump's executive order suspending immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. A memo signed by hundreds of diplomats argues that the order "stands in opposition to the core American and constitutional values that we, as federal employees, took an oath to uphold." When the memo became public on Monday, Spicer said that those who signed it should consider resigning from their posts. More decisive was the administration's response to acting attorney general Sally Yates, a former President Barack Obama administration holdover, after she questioned whether Trump's immigration order was "wise or just" and told Justice Department attorneys not to defend it against court challenges. In announcing Yates' firing, the White House issued a statement notable for its scathing language. It called her "weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration" and accused her of having "betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States." "People have a right to express their mind, but I think there's a difference between expressing dissent and concern and not implementing a lawful order as the acting attorney general did the other night," Spicer said Wednesday. Gary Schmitt, a former official in the Reagan administration who is a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, argued on the think tank's blog that Yates overstepped in her refusal to implement an order that Justice's Office of Legal Counsel had deemed to be legal and properly drafted. But he also faulted the administration for issuing the order without consultation. "One begins to wonder if there is anyone in the White House who has actually spent anytime reading Article II of the Constitution, outlining the president's 'powers and duties,' and thought through what it means for the president to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed," Schmitt wrote. "Conjuring up an executive order of this significance without seeking (as apparently was the case) the advice of any of the cabinet members and departments they represent-Homeland Security, Defense, or State- and whose job it would be to implement and deal with its manifestly complex implications is irresponsible behavior on the part of the chief executive." Meanwhile, top White House officials have also begun escalating their ongoing war with the media - challenging not only the coverage they have received, but calling for it to be stifled and reporters to be fired. "The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while," chief strategist Stephen Bannon said in an interview last week with the New York Times. In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, presidential counsellor Kellyanne Conway said television networks should "cleaning house" of "these people who said things that just weren't true." "Not one network person has been let go. Not one silly political analyst and pundit who talked smack all day long about Donald Trump has been let go," Conway said. "I'm too polite to mention their names, but they know who they are, and they are all wondering who will be the first to go. The election was three months ago. None of them have been let go." FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 1, 2017, 2017 -- AutoNation, Inc. , America's largest automotive retailer, today announced that William "Bill" Berman, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been named President and Chief Operating Officer, effective February 1, 2017. Mike Jackson will continue as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation. $6 billion Mr. Berman has 30 years of retail automotive experience, including vast experience with used vehicle and parts and service businesses. Mr. Berman has served as EVP and COO of the company since 2015. Prior to becoming EVP and COO, Mr. Berman led the company's successful west coast region with over 75 stores and overin revenue. During his tenure as region president, Mr. Berman developed several key processes for used vehicle sales and Customer Care that were implemented from coast-to-coast in every AutoNation store. He is also the engineer on all of AutoNation's brand extension strategy, implementation and expansion. Mr. Berman is also a former California New Car Dealer Association board member. Mike Jackson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented, "Bill is an outstanding and exceptional leader, whose proven track record and ingenuity are vital for the next phase in AutoNation's history. He will continue to lead all operational functions, including the recently announced AutoNation brand extension strategy." The Company also announced that Marc Cannon and Donna Parlapiano have both been promoted to Executive Vice Presidents, effective February 1, 2017. Mr. Cannon is currently Senior Vice President, Communications, Public Policy and Chief Marketing Officer. Ms. Parlapiano is currently Senior Vice President, Franchise Operations and Corporate Real Estate. Mr. Cannon has over 30 years of automotive retail experience and is a graduate of the University of Miami. He is responsible for the company's marketing, advertising, communications and corporate affairs departments. He has overseen several successful initiatives for AutoNation, including the branding of all of its Domestic and Import stores under the AutoNation name from coast-to-coast and the development of AutoNation Express. Mr. Cannon was also responsible for the redesign of the company's logo and for introducing ROAD RUNNER as the company's wingman. Road Runner represents speed, expertise and ingenuity -- all attributes that AutoNation embodies, and can leverage to move the brand forward. Mr. Cannon was honored by Automotive News with the All Stars Award for Public Relations/ Communications, the only recipient from an automotive retailer to be granted this honor. Ms. Parlapiano has over 30 years of automotive experience and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Denver. Ms. Parlapiano is responsible for managing the company's $3.3B real estate portfolio and strategic planning of AutoNation's franchise network, consisting of 35 brands and 260 stores across the US. Prior to joining AutoNation, Ms. Parlapiano held several finance, operational and strategic management positions with Ford Motor Company. Ms. Parlapiano has been named one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Automotive Industry by Automotive News multiple times, and is an ardent advocate for underprivileged children. Mr. Jackson went on to say, "Marc and Donna, along with Bill, are key to AutoNation's continued growth and the implementation of our strategic brand extension initiatives. With this expanded executive team, AutoNation is well positioned for a successful future." Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... About Me William Kelly I am a freelance writer, journalist and historian whose major interests are music and history, with a special emphasis on the assassination of President Kennedy. View my complete profile Blog Archive City of Columbias Pet of the Week Meleas is a five-month-old pit bull puppy who is looking for a home to call her own. Meleas is happy to hang around with her humans, sunbath, snooze on a... For Dogs, its Trick and Treat Its almost Halloween, a great time to teach your dog a trick and give him a treat. Most trainers are fans of trick training. Its not as silly as it... As president of a small Baltic republic that was occupied by the Soviet Union for more than four decades, Estonias Toomas Hendrik Ilves is all too familiar with the way Russia has treated its neighbors. For years hes warned about the revanchist agenda and aggressive behavior of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And now that the world has seen the Kremlins reckless, ruthless actions in Ukraine and Crimea, influential leaders in the respectable salons of Washington, Brussels and other European capitals are starting to pay attention. Or, at least, they should be. Whats most threatening about Russias behavior, in Ilvess view, is that the old rules dont apply. But it should not have taken the invasion of Crimea to get that message across. The Helsinki Accords of 1975 were supposed to have established the territorial integrity of European nations, he says, and since Russias 2008 invasion of Georgia its been clear that Putin would just ignore them when he saw fit. The sanctions announced thus far by the United States and the European Union arent likely to do the job, Ilves told me last weekend on the sidelines of the Brussels Forum, a conference sponsored by the German Marshall Fund. The current measures threaten visa restrictions and asset freezes against Putins cronies, but the mood in Moscow is such that most of those on the list see having their names there as a badge of honor, says Ilves. So, where should the West focus its attention? Ilves eyes light up and he repeats one word: Banks, he says. Banks. The American sanctions have targeted one financial institution so far, Bank Rossiya, described by the U.S. as the personal bank for senior officials. But such measures could go much further. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States developed a complex and stringent system for applying economic sanctions to target terrorist funding. Ilves would like to see the same sort of tools deployed against many of the banks doing business with the Russian government and Putins cronies. Ilves also raises the idea of reviewing Europes recognition of Russian passports as trustworthy travel documents. A key element of Moscows game plan in the territories it wants to take is passportization, the cynicalnot to mention illegaldistribution of Russian passports to citizens of other countries. Thats what it did in the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the run-up to the 2008 War. Earlier this month it did the same thing in Crimea. If it were some other country that was a passport mill, there would be a reaction to that, says Ilves. Without getting into specifics, Ilves says EU countries should review their entire approach to dealing with Russian passports. This document is now being thrown all over the place, to everybody, it means nothing, and therefore we have to ceaseuntil we come up with a new policyrecognizing this as a legitimate travel document. Yet Ilves is worried that his fellow Europeans may not be up to the task. Robert Kagan was completely off when he said Americans are from Mars, Europeans from Venus, Ilves said, referring to Kagans widely discussed 2003 book, Of Paradise and Power, which postulated that the continent had adopted a post-martial worldview. Europeans are from Pluto. Ilves, whose family history straddles both continents, is trying to bridge that gap. Estonia, along with the other Baltic republics of Latvia and Lithuania, has obvious reason to fear Russian designs on its own territory. A quarter of the countrys 1.3 million people are Russian-speakers, and in light of Putins declared policy reserving Russias unilateral right to protect Russians abroadits pretext for the Crimea operationsome fear that the Baltics may be next. Estonia has had problems integrating its ethnic Russian population, and a 2007 riot over the governments relocation of a Soviet-era war statue was just the sort of incident that the Kremlin might take advantage of to stir discord (a nationwide cyber attack followed, which the Estonian government blamed on Moscow). Language rights have been a persistent flashpoint, since state employees are required to speak Estonian. Earlier this month, a Russian diplomat delivered a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva asserting that, language should not be used to segregate and isolate groups, and Russia was concerned by steps taken in this regard in Estonia as well as in Ukraine. To Baltic ears, thats an ominous sounding remark. But Ilves doesnt think Moscow will have much luck on that front. Ethnic Russians in Estonia, Ilves says, live far better, freer lives than Russians living in Russia. If you want to not have the euro, not get the real rule of law, have free movement of labor to Siberia, and stand in line to get a visa for the EU, I guess thats an option for somebody, but its not really a problem, he scoffs, with typically wry humor. Tallinn, he boasts, is a favorite destination for liberal Russians seeking escape from their more authoritarian society. Ilves himself is something of a poster-boy for Estonia as a modern, cosmopolitan European country with global connections, and hes easy to pick out in a crowd, since hes usually seen at public events sporting a bow tie. Born in Sweden to Estonian refugees, he was raised in New Jersey and graduated from Columbia University. He earned his stripes as a Cold Warrior when he was the head of the Estonia desk at Radio Free Europe. After Estonia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, he became Estonias ambassador to the United States, and thereafter launched a career in Estonian politics. Active and popular on Twitter, he embodies his countrys reputation for being tech-savvy. Indeed, in 2012, Ilves got into a high profile, rough-and-tumble Twitter spat with New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, who mocked Estonias austerity measures, which the country had undertaken in response to the worldwide financial crisis. Lets write about something we know nothing about & be smug, overbearing & patronizing: after all, theyre just wogs, Ilves began, unleashing a string of biting and witty responses. Estonia may be small, but its proud and has ambitions in the global economy. It is one of only four NATO members which actually spends 2 per cent or more of its GDP on defense, the minimum suggested by the military alliance. Estonia, the land where Skype was invented, produces more tech start-ups per capita than any other country in Europe. The hashtag #estonianmafia is playfully used to characterize the disproportionate presence of Estonians in the world of high-tech. Estonia also has diversified its energy supply so as to become less dependent on Russia, thus serving as a model for the rest of Europe. While Estonia receives 100 percent of its natural gas from Russia, this accounts for less than 15 percent of the countrys total energy use. For years, Ilves has been one of the loudest voices warning the West to reduce its energy dependence on Moscow. When U.S. Vice President Joe Biden President Ilves in Warsaw last week in a show of support for Eastern European countries feeling threatened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ilves urged him to seek changes to a U.S. law limiting gas exports to the continent. One hopes this advice, along with much else about Russia, will be taken more seriously now in Western capitals. Many Americans, witnessing a world of tumult and weary of two long wars, may not understand why they should concern themselves with quarrels in far away countries about which most know little. For them, Ilves has stern council: If you break the kind of rules that were just broken, he says, youre going to find yourself in a very big war somewhere. Is it a ban or a pause? That questionwhich has dogged President Trumps White House over the chaotic nature of an executive order restricting travel from Muslim countriesalso applies to its prickly relationship with CNN. On Wednesday, a day after Politico quoted an unidentified White House official as indicating that Trumps minions were snubbing the cable news outlet by refusing to appear on CNN programs, White House press secretary Sean Spicer contradicted that report. Theyre trying to cull CNN from the herd, an unidentified CNN reporter told Politico, theorizing that the White House is trying to punish the network and force down its ratings. Spicer told The Daily Beast that rumors of a CNN ban were inaccurate. Nope, he text-messaged in response to a query about what Politico described as the Trump White Houses refusal to send its spokespeople or surrogates onto CNN shows, effectively icing out the network from on-air administration voices. Spicer added: I think we have folks on today. Indeed, Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president specializing in national security and counterterrorism, appeared Wednesday afternoon on CNNs The Lead, the weekday program anchored by Jake Tapper. Politico reported that the last time a Trump official appeared on CNN was on Jan. 11, when former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, now a senior presidential counselor, went on Anderson Coopers prime-time show, AC 360. Spicers comment contradicting the Politico story may have reflected a particular delight the Trump White House seems to take in sowing confusion among members of the mainstream mediaor at least keeping the journalists who cover them perpetually off-balance. It came a only a couple of hours after Spicers boss once again trashed CNN as fake news, an epithet the then-president-elect unleashed during the Jan. 11 press conference in which he refused to take a question from CNN senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta. I dont watch CNN, the cable news-obsessed president claimed on Wednesday morning, albeit not credibly, during a televised White House meeting with African-American supporters, marking the first day of Black History Month. I dont like fake news, Trump added. In the Roosevelt Roomwhile cable outlets, including CNN, provided on-camera coverage of the get-togetherTrump heaped praise on one of the meetings participants, CNN contributor Paris Dennard, for defending his White House and doing very well in the hostile CNN community. In a dialogue with right-wing pundit Armstrong Williams, the president elaborated by repeating the charge leveled by his chief strategist, former Breitbart News chairman Stephen K. Bannon. A lot of the media is actually the opposition party, Trump claimed. Its a disgraceknowingly saying incorrect things. So its a very bad situation. But we seem to be doing well. Trump added: But in the meantime, they have to straighten out their act. Theyre very dishonest people. Wednesdays presidential eruption was the latest anti-press salvo in what Trump has called my running war with the media. On this past weekends installment of Fox News Sunday, White House aide Conway actually recommended that news organizations fire reporters and opinion writers who have criticized her boss. Not one network person has been let go, she complained to host Chris Wallace. Not one silly political analyst and pundit who talked smack all day long about Donald Trump has been let go. They are on panels every Sunday. Theyre on cable news every day. Conway continued: We know all their names. Im too polite to call them by name. But they know who they are, and theyre all wondering, Will I be the first to go? CNN declined to comment on the report of a ban or the latest White House broadsides. But during a panel discussion last week at the University of Chicagos Institute of Politics, CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker noted: They are trying to set up this war, which is a terrible word to use. Wars have consequences that are real. We shouldnt take the bait. Zucker added: It is incredibly inappropriate to try to delegitimize the media and journalism the way theyre doing it. This is the most contentious relationship between the White House and the media since Richard Nixon. If they want to have that kind of relationship, OKits their prerogative. While presidents through history have battled and belittled judgmental journalism outletsand President Obama and his aides regularly slagged off Fox News as a propaganda arm of the Republican PartyTrump & Co.s level of aggression echoes a time, nearly 50 years ago, when Nixon was placing journalists on his notorious enemies list while the White House was subjecting several reporters to IRS audits, phone taps, and FBI investigations. But in the case of CNN, the presidents anger could also have a deeply personal originhis feeling that Zucker, a longtime pal who as head of NBC greenlighted The Apprentice 14 years ago, has betrayed him with faultfinding coverage. New York magazine recently reported that Trump has claimed to associates that he helped Zucker obtain his current job by singing his praises at a 2012 charity dinner to Phil Kent, who was then chief executive of CNNs parent company, Turner Broadcasting. A CNN executive told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that Trump had nothing to do with Zucker getting his job, which he assumed in January 2013. The executive said Zucker had been in discussions for the position for months by the time of Trumps encounter with Kent. As for the Trump White Houses constant insults and threats of bans, I think we can say this is the new normal, said Kyle Pope, editor and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review. CNN may or may not come back into White House favor. Maybe somebody else will be on the outs, but this is what we have to expect. Theyve proven to be quite impulsive and thin-skinned, and they react to news reports quickly. Responding to Conways youre fired! suggestion, Pope said: The first thing to remember is that Kellyanne Conway cant fire a single reporter. She doesnt have that power. Nor does the president. Nor does Steve Bannon Its just a continuation of the campaign, part of their ongoing strategy to use the press as a foil and play to their base Its important not to get dragged into the partisan fight the White House wants to have. Lucy Dalglish, dean of the University of Marylands Philip Merrill College of Journalism, said any White House prohibition of administration officials from appearing on CNN or any other outlet would be an empty gesture. My initial reaction is theyre not going to let Kellyanne or Sean talk to you people? Yeah, well, fine, we dont care, Dalglish said. It will give CNN the opportunity to find some other people, and hear from some additional voices. Former Chicago Tribune editor James Warren, a media critic for the Poynter Institute and Vanity Fair, said the idea of such a ban is stupid. The parceling of officials to the TV folks is an old, old game and there are times when a White House gets pissed and just wont play ball with somebody, Warren emailed. But the egos of Conway and others won't be able to tolerate absence from a big dog like CNN for too long, he predicted. I've seen this show before. And, in the end, they'll exact a brief pound of flesh, then get back to playing the Washington media game. You can hear the Conway/Spicer/Zucker call already. MATTOON -- Arthur-based Village Square Real Estate has opened an office in Mattoon as part of its goal of serving the small towns of East Central Illinois. The debut of this Village Square office, 821 Charleston Ave., will be celebrated with an open house with refreshments from 4 to 6 p.m. today and a Mattoon Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony. Co-owner Justin Yoder, an Arthur native who now resides in Chicago, said he founded Village Square about two-and-a-half years ago to provide property sales and management services in his hometown area of Douglas, Moultrie and Piatt counties. Yoder said he and manager broker/co-owner Karen Good decided to open a Mattoon office after Village Square acquired rental housing there, including Lake Land Apartments along south U.S. Route 45 across from McDonald's. He said the new office will provide local management services for these properties. In addition, Yoder said the new Mattoon location is part of Village Square's goal of opening offices in other area communities. He said their offices are staffed by real estate brokers who are from the area, know the communities that they serve, and have working relationships with local contractors. "What we are really looking to do is focus on small towns," Yoder said. "We want to be a small town real estate company." Yoder said Village Square buys and sells properties ranging in size from single-family homes on up to apartment complexes. He said they offer a full range of real estate sales services, include contract for deed services for home buyers. The new Village Square office is located in a former podiatry office building at the southeast corner of Charleston Avenue and Ninth Street. "This all has been renovated from the time we purchased it a couple of months ago," Yoder said. He noted that local contractor Rob Ross of Skeborae Homes designed and built the tiny house-style frame for the new office's digital exterior sign. Dontrell Stephens was 20 years old when a Palm Beach County deputy shot him four times, paralyzing him for life. The Florida cop had pulled Stephens over for a bicycle infraction one morning in September 2013, then blasted him seconds later. He said he mistook the unarmed black mans cellphone for a gun and feared for his life. But cops would came back for Stephens years later. Months after he won a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the sheriffs department, Stephens was cuffed for selling drugs to undercover cops from his wheelchair. The agency said he sold marijuana, cocaine and a cough syrup that he claimed was mixed with codeine. The department appeared to gloat about Stephens October 2016 arrest on social media , posting his mugshot with the words, If you sell drugs near a DAY CARE CENTER you are going to get #BUSTED . (The facility in question was a YMCA that happened to offer child-care services.) Such announcements were rare for the office, and this one didnt mention a federal jurys decision last February to award Stephens more than $22 million for the officers violation of his civil rights. When asked about the online bulletin, a sheriffs spokeswoman told the Palm Beach Post , Stephens broke the law on more than one occasion. He was arrested on those charges. The post attracted criticism from Stephens attorneys, as well as citizens who saw Stephens arrest as payback. What better way to avoid paying $23 million dollars than to paint the victim as a criminal, lock him up and throw away the key, one woman wrote on Facebook. Another commenter added, If PBSO paid their judgment to the victim he wouldnt need to sell drugs. Im guessing a guy confined to a wheelchair doesnt have many job offers. Stephens legal team said the bust was no coincidence. He was absolutely targeted. Theres no question, Ian Goldstein, Stephens defense attorney, told The Daily Beast. Teri Barbera, the spokeswoman for the sheriffs office, said the agencys narcotics division encountered Stephens after receiving complaints about someone selling drugs in the area early last year. When deputies investigated the complaints further, they determined Stephens was their suspect. Its a crime if you do it one time, Barbera told The Daily Beast of Stephens drug sales. He did it three times before he got arrested. John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association, denied cops unfairly targeted the man in the wheelchair. When asked if Stephens was in authorities crosshairs over the lawsuit, Kazanjian said, Absolutely not. He was a drug dealer before the incident. He was a drug dealer after [the shooting], Kazanjian told The Daily Beast. He hasnt changed his profession. Stephens, who was undergoing medical treatment at a rehab facility three hours north of Palm Beach, was transported back to Palm Beach County to accept a plea deal on Monday. He was released that night in order to serve his nine-month jail sentence under house arrest, through a program with the sheriffs office, Goldstein said. Goldstein told The Daily Beast that Stephens pleaded guilty to the sale of cocaine, marijuana and a substance in lieu of a controlled substance for peddling over-the-counter cough syrup. He was also sentenced to two years of probation. Yet his troubles are far from over. As a result of the shooting, Stephens, who has an eighth-grade education and a conviction for selling cocaine at age 18, is paralyzed from the waist down. He is homeless, and his only source of income is a social security check, Jack Scarola, Stephens civil attorney, told The Daily Beast. One year after Fort Lauderdale jurors ruled in his favor, Stephens says he hasnt received any money, let alone an apology, from police. The jury awarded him $23.1 million, and that figure was later reduced to $22.4 million after subtracting medical bills already paid. But in order to receive a payout, Stephens needs the blessing of the Florida state legislature, which must approve any government-agency damages above the states cap of $200,000. He has not collected a penny of that judgment, Scarola said. He remains in very desperate financial circumstances right now. Its important to appreciate the distinction of winning a judgment and actually collecting any money. Scarola said the sheriffs office was responsible for putting Stephens in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, after his only alleged violation was a bicycle infraction. It seems to me that regardless of whether a legal obligation exists to pay that judgment, there is a very compelling moral basis to give this young man the money he needs to survive, Scarola added. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Deputy Adams Lin are appealing the $22.4-million judgment, and their attorneys will argue the case later this month. By setting him up [with the drug arrest], they did everything in their power to try to prevent him from getting a claims bill and collecting the money thats owed to him, Goldstein, the defense attorney, said. Its a purely political process, and the legislature is free to grant or deny a bill for any reason or no reason. Stephens faces an uphill battle. His attorneys must find sponsors for a claims bill, which can only proceed after the jury verdict is affirmed on appeal, Scarola told The Daily Beast. Scarola expects the appellate court to issue an opinion anywhere from weeks to six months after oral arguments. Then come deadlines to shepherd the bill through the legislature and to secure votes, which will require a significant lobbying effort. We knew about the problems that exist getting paid in a claims bills case, Scarola said. We know how long the road can be, but we also know that Dontrell was extremely deserving of every effort we could make to see that justice was done in his case. It could indeed take years, he added. And unfortunately, Dontrells survival hangs in the balance. Its not the first time the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office (PBSO) has come under fire for shooting an unarmed citizen. Stephens civil lawsuit is one of many filed in recent years against the PBSO, which in 2016 spent more than $4 million alone on settlements in wrongful death and excessive force cases . One $1.7-million payout the largest ever paid by the agency went to the family of Michael Camberdella, an 18-year-old with autism and bipolar disorder who was shot dead by police . The massive settlements eclipse those of previous years. According to the Palm Beach Post , PBSO spent only $1.7 million on wrongful death and excessive force cases from 2000 to 2015, despite deputies firing their weapons at 114 people and killing 45 during that period. These rising costs mirror a national surge in police misconduct payouts, which rose 48 percent from $168.3 million in 2010 to $248.7 million in 2015 across Americas largest cities, the Wall Street Journal reported. In Camberdellas case, the teens mother called police for help after he stopped taking his medication. A Palm Beach deputy arrived on the scene and, one minute later, shot Camberdella 11 times on the familys lawn before handcuffing his lifeless body, a civil complaint alleges. (The sheriffs office denied the allegations before the case was settled.) The next largest settlement, $562,500, was paid out for the death of 28-year-old Matthew Pollow , who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had dialed 911 for help during a mental health episode. Cops say a deputy fatally shot Pollow after he lunged at the officer with a screwdriver; Pollows family said in court filings that he was unarmed. The sheriffs department also paid $450,000 to Jeremy Hutton , a 17-year-old with Down Syndrome who had taken his mothers minivan for a drive. A deputy fired three bullets into Hutton, hitting his head, shoulder and hand. The teen, whose lawyers said had the mental capacity of a 3- to 6-year-old, survived. (In court documents, the sheriffs office denied liability.) In all three cases, the state attorneys office cleared these deputies of criminal wrongdoing. Deputy Adams Lin, too, was cleared of wrongdoing in the Stephens case. After that shooting, life would take drastically different paths for the two men involved. Stephens was reduced to lying on an inflatable mattress on a cousins floor and suffering from bedsores, anger and depression as his medical bills ballooned to $1.5 million. One bullet is still lodged in Stephens right arm. Deputy Lin, the divorced father of a young daughter, was promoted to sergeant by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. The cop, who served a tour in Afghanistan before the tragic encounter with Stephens, now teaches field training to new recruits. His military-style police uniform with fatigues, ballistic vest and bandoliers, and his experience as a U.S. Army Reservist, were all scrutinized in Stephens civil complaint and later at trial. (Stephens lawsuit took aim at the sheriffs community policing units, which allegedly had shifted from bike-riding officers interacting with the public, to cops policing communities as an aggressive, zero tolerance, force.) In a video deposition, Lin said he dressed to earn residents respect, the Palm Beach Post reported . One of the most important factors in law enforcement is your presence, the deputy testified. I believe and I was told you need that presence of looking professional but, at the same time, should have a command presence. Lin told the jury he was dedicated to the high-crime neighborhood where Stephens was shot, the Sun Sentinel reported . He took children to ballgames and assisted cleanup projects in the area. The cop also wanted to be ready for active shooter scenarios that have plagued the United States in recent years. As we say in the Army, 'We pray for peace, but we train for war, Lin testified. One life changed in an instant The morning he was shot, Dontrell Stephens biked to a convenience store near West Palm Beach to buy his favorite soft drink. It was 8:20 a.m., and the Magic Mart was out of Stephens prized Mistic juice, so he started pedalling home. Stephens and his brothers had bounced from foster care to shelters to the homes of friends and relatives all their lives. And on that day, Stephens happened to be jobless and living with a friends mother and her three other kids. Stephens would later testify that he smoked half a joint with his buddy sometime between 7 and 8 a.m., before he headed out for the day. As he rode through traffic, Stephens caught the eye of Lin, then a 36-year-old Palm Beach sheriffs deputy and nine-year veteran of the force, who was on alert that morning for reckless drivers in a school zone. Lin claimed that Stephens forced a truck to slow down to let him pass. The community policing officer told jurors that he decided to stop Stephens, who has long dreadlocks, not only to issue a citation, but also because he was unfamiliar to him. Moments before the traffic stop, Stephens took a phone call from a friend named Bluntbo and they made plans to play video games. The cyclist denied obstructing traffic or forcing trucks to slow down to avoid hitting him, court transcripts show. As he hung up his flip phone, Stephens heard sirens behind him. Deputy Lin activated the blue lights of his squad car, and Stephens rode up a ways before hopping off his bike and onto a lawn. Dashcam footage shows Stephens walking around a parked sedan with a cellphone in his right hand. He disappears from view as he encounters Lin, who is also off camera. Stephen testified that Lin was already pointing his gun at him and that he was terrified and scared for my life. As he faced the cop, Stephens still had his phone in his right hand. The conversation between the men was not audible in the footage. I got off the bike and I went towards him and I asked him what Im being stopped for. And he didnt respond, Stephens testified at trial in February 2016. He responded to put my hands up. And thats when I first responded to him and I put my hands up. And as soon as I put my hands up, he started shooting. The dashcam shows Stephens falling to the ground , felled by four rapid gunshots within four seconds of meeting Lin. Roll over on your stomach, the deputy commands. But Stephens couldnt move. One gunshot severed his spine and paralyzed him for life. In court, Lins version of events clashed with Stephens account. The deputy testified that he stopped Stephens after he caused a motorist to slow down, and because, as a community cop, Lin didnt recognize Stephens from the neighborhood. His suspicions grew when he activated his police siren and Stephens failed to immediately stop. When Stephens stopped in a patch of grass, the door to Lins patrol car was already open, and the cop was ready for a foot chase. My mind is, Im going to try to corner him to catch him, Lin testified . Im looking beyond him, to think about where hes going next. Lins mind darted steps ahead. The deputy, according to his own testimony, ran behind the closest car, a Mazda, even before Stephens dropped his handlebars. To be honest, I believed he was surprised by how fast I was able to round the corner [of the Mazda], Lin told the jury. Lin became uneasy when Stephens walked between the parked Mazda and another vehicle, and he ordered Stephens to stop and put his hands up. According to Lin, Stephens complied at first and raised his hands to his waist. He looked right through me like I wasnt even there, Lin testified. Stephens allegedly reached his left hand behind his back. When his hand went back up, he gripped a dark object, Lin said. The cop believed the object was a gun. First thought going through my mind is, Oh shit. Im dead. Im behind the eight ball, Lin testified, according to the Post. I thought about, obviously, am I going home? Am I going to see my kid? He grabbed his handgun and, from 10 feet away, fired four bullets. We shoot until the threat is gone, Lin testified, according to the Sun Sentinel . When the threat is no longer a threat. With Stephens handcuffed, Lin began searching for a weapon. He would only find the mans broken flip phone, now resting on his stomach. A dashcam video showed that when backup arrived, another deputy assured Lin, Relax. Hey, look at me. It sucks. You felt the need to do what you had to do, OK? Lin said he tried to save Stephens life by grabbing a medical pack from his trunk and administering an Israeli bandage on Stephens wounds. He called EMS and told them to hurry up, all while he and a fellow cop were trying to do our best job to comfort him. I shot this guy, Lin testified. I thought he was trying to kill me. Stephens attorneys dug into Lins military experience, saying he hadnt recovered from the horrors of his 10 months in Kandahar and Bagram, Afghanistan. They argued Lin was the only deputy out of 50 on community patrol who dressed for war, in fatigues, boots, criss-crossing bandoliers of ammo, and a flak jacket. There was no objective basis for Adams Lin to arm and equip himself this way to promote peaceful conduct in that neighborhood, Scarola told the jury. In Stephens civil complaint, Scarola described how Lin had guarded prisoners, including Taliban fighters, while also witnessing the coffins of fellow soldiers pass through his air base. Despite this experience, the sheriffs office did not conduct psychological evaluations of Lin as part of his return to work in 2008, and did nothing to determine whether he suffered from PTSD, court papers allege. In response, the sheriffs office denied conducting evaluations for potential PTSD symptoms, records show. The lawsuit also claimed Lins internal affairs file contained numerous citizen complaints and use of force reports, including one incident where Lin allegedly conducted an illegal stop and frisk on a woman after claiming she blocked traffic on a sidewalk. In another incident, Lin allegedly used the N-word while arresting a black man. The sheriffs office denied these allegations, as well. In a separate episode, the cop fired his Taser at a suspect less than a second after ordering him to drop a rock. In a written report, Lin claimed he demanded the man drop the object multiple times, but a Taser-mounted camera revealed he did so only once. The sheriff denied these allegations as phrased, court documents show. (When reached by The Daily Beast, an attorney for the sheriffs office declined to comment.) Meanwhile, Lins legal team zeroed in on Stephens previous cocaine conviction and his use of marijuana that morning. In court, Stephens said he was a little bit, not really high and had a plastic baggie of weed in his shoe when Lin stopped him a fact that Lins attorneys suggested was reason to flee the cop. (Stephens denied ever fleeing the officer.) And Stephens displayed strange behavior by failing to stop when Lin flashed his lights and siren, said the sheriffs attorney, Summer Barranco. She asked Stephens why he biked to a convenience store so far away when many other shops were near his residence. Stephens didnt have an answer. Barranco warned jurors not to compare the Stephens case with other high-profile shootings of unarmed black men in America. He didnt shoot this man because he was a young African-American man, Barranco said, before noting Lin is Asian-American and had denied racially profiling his suspect. Deputy Lin made a mistake, Barranco told jurors, but he shot Mr. Stephens in a split second when he reasonably believed he faced a deadly threat and he wanted to go home to his family that night. Named Community Policing Deputy of the Year in 2010, Lin told the jury that hed shoot Stephens again if the circumstances remained the same. If I was put in the same situation again ... I would make the same exact choice again ... if I saw a black object coming at me like a gun, he said. Darryl Lewis, an attorney for Stephens, appeared to capitalize on Lins phrase during closing arguments. I did the worst wrong, short of killing him, and I would do it again, Lewis said, parroting Lins statements. Everyone knows he would do it again, Lewis said. Now is the time for a jury to rise up and say No, you wont. After an eight-day trial, and just under four hours of deliberation, a jury of six women and two men ruled that Lin violated Stephens civil rights when he shot and paralyzed him. Stephens was wheeled into the courtroom after the verdict with tears in his eyes. He did not speak to reporters, but his court-appointed guardian did. It means his young black life matters and he didnt do anything wrong, Evett Simmons told the media that day in February 2016. Its hard to believe you can ride your bike with a cellphone and end up paralyzed for life. Barranco was in court months later asking the judge to dismiss the $22-million verdict, arguing that Stephens attorneys equated his shooting to those of other black men nationwide without letting the jury decide the case on its own merits. She also claimed their language influenced the jurys $16-million award for Stephens pain and suffering. It was subtle, Barranco said, according to the AP . Im not saying they were screaming, yelling, pounding their fists on the table. But race, she argued, was the elephant in the room. A judge disagreed in a ruling soon after, saying that the award wasnt excessive compared to the enormity of the harm [Stephens] has suffered. Repeat offender? Days after the verdict, Dontrell Stephens said he forgave the deputy who shot him, but that he would like an apology. Stephens, speaking at a press conference , spoke of how it felt to have his story heard three years later, and for the jury to recognize that he was telling the truth. You have to forgive people. You cant hold a grudge against people even if they did wrong, he told reporters, when asked about Deputy Lin. In an interview with WPTV , Stephens said, No, Im not mad at him. He just did the wrong thing. No one has given me an apology yet, he added. If I was to speak with him that would be my words. Are you going to give me an apology for doing the wrong thing? But in August 2016, as Stephens became desperate for money and was about to lose a one-bedroom apartment he shared with his three brothers, his attorney asked a federal judge for permission to garnish Lins wages. (That request was later denied, because of Lins $400-a-month child support payment to his ex-wife and related head of family expenses, a judge ruled .) That October, the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office arrested Stephens after conducting a series of undercover drug buys. According to probable cause affidavits, a dealer named Mike sold marijuana, heroin (lab reports later indicated the heroin also contained cocaine), and promethazine with codeine syrup out of the parking lot of an apartment complex in Royal Palm Beach. Authorities determined Mike was actually Stephens. During one alleged incident, an unidentified woman working with cops purchased $60 worth of weed. In another episode, the woman arranged via recorded phone calls and text messages to purchase $200 in marijuana and promethazine. She asked if Stephens could get her boy, or slang for heroin. Stephens told her to text him her requests, and he would call his guy to see what was available, a police report states. He dont have dat other stuff he say he only got lean, or promethazine with codeine syrup, Stephens texted the woman. She agreed to buy $40 worth, and $160 in marijuana and created a ruse where her husband would pick up the goods. Stephens agreed. In his probable cause affidavit, a male officer noted, When I pulled in, I saw Dontrell Stephens coming around the north side of the northernmost building. He was wearing grey pants and a red shirt ... and was in a wheelchair. The undercover officer pulled in, and Stephens approached his unmarked vehicle. He was looking around the parking lot as I spoke with him and appeared to be nervous. As I spoke with him it seemed as if he calmed down, the cop noted in his report. Stephens handed him a McDonalds bag, and the officer left, court documents allege. In a third buy, a Palm Beach narc purchased $60 of marijuana and $20 of heroin, a probable cause affidavit states. Stephens was ultimately charged with selling his wares within 1,000 feet of a church or school, because a YMCA day care was 379 feet away. Prosecutors granted Stephens supervised release to a rehabilitation center, where he continued to receive medical treatment after his arrest. Stephens, who has ulcers, kidney stones and other ailments, cannot use the bathroom on his own, the Post reported . Its really a sad situation because hes never really had much of a support system, Ian Goldstein, Stephens defense lawyer, told The Daily Beast. He and his brothers have been fending for themselves since small children. The mother passed away about a year ago. Its Dontrell and his brothers out there, trying to make it on their own. Goldstein said that Scarola assembled a team of volunteers to help get Stephens a place to live, medical treatment and educational opportunities. The goal here is to try to get Dontrell through his criminal problems and get him some life skills so that he can support himself and be a contributing member of society even with his disabilities, Goldstein said. For his part, Scarola told The Daily Beast that the sheriffs office had a significant motive to impair Dontrells reputation and make it more difficult to get a claim on his behalf by entrapping Dontrell into a sale of drugs. While Stephens shouldnt have sold drugs, he is under extreme economic pressure and has the desire not to spend every day by himself rolling around the streets, Scarola said. This month, Stephens plight made headlines again, when U.S. Marshals seized Deputy Lins car, clothes, TV and furniture to sell at a public auction in order to help cover Stephens medical expenses. The asset collection came after a federal magistrate gave Scarola permission to seize the property. When the marshals appeared at Lins door, he fainted and paramedics were called. Once he came to, Lin watched authorities haul away his belongings. It doesnt give me any joy to do this, Scarola told the Post . This was not a happy morning spent on Saturday. It was something we did because we felt an obligation to protect my clients interest. My client remains destitute. John Kazanjian, the Palm Beach County PBA president, called the asset seizure unacceptable. Its hard enough with whats going on across the country to get good cops to take these positions, Kazanjian told The Daily Beast. Now if you use force or youre doing your job, the next thing you know, youre being sued civilly. You could lose everything. The highly-publicized seizure, Kazanjian said, will make it much harder to get qualified candidates to step up and take these police jobs. In court papers, Lin accused the feds of also seizing his pets, which included two dogs, a cat, and an aquarium of fish a claim Scarola denied. Indeed, Scarola said many items, including those belonging to Lins daughter, were purposefully left behind. Days later, a federal judge ordered the return of Lins property because its value did not exceed the legal threshold of $5,000, and the officers belongings were trucked back to his townhouse. Despite the setback, Scarola has vowed to keep pushing forward with Stephens case. We are going to keep a close eye on the property [Lin] possesses, he told The Daily Beast. The legal eagle told the Post that Sheriff Bradshaw could have spared Lin embarrassment by paying the $200,000 he is required to pay by law. The sheriffs office, however, is waiting on the hopes of an appeal. While acknowledging Lins property may not amount to much, Scarola said, If I can collect $100 for Dontrell Stephens, Ill collect $100 for Dontrell Stephens." Trumps national security adviser launched a rhetorical shot across Irans bow on Wednesday, in a terse public statement that hinted at possible military action to come. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, said White House National Security adviser ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn in response to Iran testing a medium-range ballistic missile Sunday. What would the U.S. do if Iran fired another missile? Neither Flynn, nor other administration officials would say, though they said they were reviewing a range of options. Yet even as they insisted that the missile test was a violating of UN resolutions, those officials were careful to say this had nothing to do with the joint nuclear agreement signed by Iran and the worlds major powers signaling that President Donald Trump is trying to thread the needle between maintaining the nuclear pact and signaling to Iran that other bad behavior wont be tolerated. Flynn, for his part, said the previous White House let Iran go too far, unchecked. The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions, including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms, he said. The Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk. Trump administration officials explained that Wednesdays warning is intended to let Iran know that the U.S. is aware of what they are doingfrom backing Houthi rebels in Yemen to the latest ballistic missile launchand is considering a number of unspecified actions to check that behavior. The officials said Irans Sunday launch of the Khoramshar medium-range missile was highly provocative and in defiance of the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. (Tehran, it should be noted, does not share in that assessment.) The missile was inherently capable of delivering a nuclear device, said one of the officials, who added that the administration would be exploring what intelligence the U.S. could share with the UN Security Council, as the White House presses for enforcement of the resolution. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as a condition of briefing the press corps. The officials said the U.S. was also reviewing options for the next time Iran committed a perceived infraction included economic measures, but would not be drawn on whether there might be a U.S. military response. Still, the smell of gunpowder hangs in the air, and the Trump challenge will be red meat to Iranian hard liners who criticized the deal, and just possibly a kick in the gut for moderate Iranian politicians who staked careers on a nuclear deal yielding tangible economic benefits for their constituents. Those economic benefits have been slow to materialize, despite tens of millions of dollars flooding back into Iran with many sanctions lifted, plus the return of $400 million from the U.S. to Iran as a down payment on $1.7 billion settlement for a weapons sale Washington, D.C. refused to honor after the 1979 fall of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Obama administration had hoped to empower ordinary people and ordinary Iranian politicians with the influx of cash, to compete with the political power and influence of Irans deep state military and intelligence apparatus, which uses sanctions and their monopoly on major Iranian industries to fund a network of insurgencies and rebel groups to extend Iranian influence throughout the Middle East. Some observers see a great deal of danger if the new administration strays from that path. "If General Flynn has his way, Iran will resume it former position at the heart is the terrorism problem set, right after ISIS, said former CIA officer Scott Modell, of The Rapidan Group. Flynn's criticism of Obama's overly conciliatory posture toward Iran, along with his view that the challenge of his lifetime is defeating radical Islamism, raises the odds of U.S.-Iran escalation, he said in an email. Yet todays tough words could also be seen as a fulfillment of a Trump campaign promise. Trump pledged repeatedly to renegotiate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the so-called Iran Deal, which he called a lousy one, and to get tougher on Tehran. This may prove awkward as the White House works to rebuild a relationship with Moscow in hopes of settling the conflict in Syria and working jointly to defeat the so-called Islamic State. Russia and Iran have grown increasingly close, with Russia acting as the go-between to help broker the nuclear deal, and Russia and Iran working together to prop up the Bashar Assad regime in Syria. Either the White House is forcing Russia to choose between alliesor offering it a chance to use its influence to clip Irans ambitions. On Capitol Hill, the stern talking points aimed at Iran are proving succor to Republicanswho were almost universally critical of the Obama administrations rapprochement with Tehranand producing eye-rolls among Democrats, who were generally more supportive. "I am very impressed with their seriousness about pushing back against Iran violations on the nuclear deal, said Sen. Bob Corker, Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, after meeting with retired Lt. Gen. Flynn Wednesday. "I'm very enthused about where they are on this issue, he added, in comments to The Daily Beast. Even Republicans who are typically skeptical of Trump have lauded the development. On notice means that if they continue what is obviously breaking the Iran agreement, appropriate actions will be taken, Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told The Daily Beast. Its important to say to the Iranians that we know you have violated the treaty, and youre on notice now that's exactly the way to treat them. But to Democrats, putting Iran on notice is a senseless escalation in rhetoricespecially since Flynn offered no detailed plan on how to act in reality. Is it possible to be quoted sighing? said one senior congressional staffer of the announcement, insisting on anonymity. I dont know why the president is intent upon scaring everybody in America without giving us more details, said Sen. Claire McCaskill, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee. Reddit, the enormous online community-run forum, announced on Wednesday night that it was banning the white nationalist subreddit r/altright, due to posting of personal information, otherwise known as doxxing. Reddit is the proud home to some of the most authentic conversations online, a statement provided to The Daily Beast by the company read. We strive to be a welcoming, open platform for all by trusting our users to maintain an environment that cultivates genuine conversation and adheres to our content policy. Its a major switch for the self-proclaimed front page of the internet, which, in the name of open dialogue, had once been loathe to ban almost anyone. It meant that Reddit hosted some of the most misogynist, and hate-spewing communities on the web. The imposed ban indicates that the company is attempting to police its vast networks of users, particularly its most vitriolic and, in this case, potentially dangerous. This particular subreddit had earned upwards of a reported 16,000 subscribers once Donald Trump took office and often included white nationalist sentiments and dialogueechoing the public displays of leaders of the white nationalist movement like Richard Spencer. We are very clear in our site terms of service that posting of personal information can get users banned from Reddit and we ask our communities not to post content that harasses or invites harassment. We have banned r/altright due to repeated violations of the terms of our content policy. There is no single solution to these issues and we are actively engaging with the Reddit community to improve everyone's experience. This announcement comes on the heels of an open letter written to the Reddit community by founder Alexis Ohanian, published on the site on Monday night. In it, Ohanian shared the story of his familys immigrant background and condemned the recent executive order by President Trump which imposed a temporary ban on travel for individuals from seven predominantly Muslim countries. President Trumps recent executive order is not only potentially unconstitutional, but deeply un-American, Ohanian wrote. We are a nation of immigrants, after all. In the tech world, we often talk about a startups unfair advantage that allows it to beat competitors. Welcoming immigrants and refugees has been our country's unfair advantage, and coming from an immigrant family has been mine as an entrepreneur. (Reddit has not provided further comment on the reasoning behind the ban and Ohanian hasnt agreed to an interview after repeated requests.) After Ohanians letter was posted, The Daily Beast communicated with a moderator for the Trump-loving subreddit and asked how they thought the companys politics would affect their space on the website. At the time, they didnt seem to think a ban would happen. I don't believe it will have an effect on our subreddit, one moderator told The Daily Beast. As a privately owned company, Reddit is free to operate as it pleases, and this is merely a continuation of what it's already been doing. Their policy hasn't changed. As such, we will continue to abide by it to the best of our abilities. The post relies on the ridiculous premise that the Constitution guarantees rights to all immigrants, aliens and non-citizens, a moderator wrote in a Reddit private message to The Daily Beast. How ridiculous would that be of that was true? The United States would basically be legalizing its own foreign takeover. Reached by private message on Reddit, a senior moderator of the atlright subreddit who referred to himself as Bill Simpson told The Daily Beast that the forum was banned without notification or justification. So much for leftist tolerance. Our moderator team enforced stricter standards of behavior than reddit requires, and our users were very prompt at reporting violations so we could ban violators and delete posts and comments that broke the rules, he added. Additionally, Simpson claimed that the subreddit was banned because of its recent record monthly traffic. It's clear that Reddit banned us because we were becoming very popular and spreading inconvenient truths about who's ruining our country and robbing our children of a future, Simpson said. The AltRight represents tens of millions of decent White Americans who want their neighborhoods, schools, institutions, and country back. We are the decent people and we will no longer tolerate the anti-White establishment or be denied an identity. This is not the first time that the company has decided to intervene on a subreddit where they perceive violations of their terms of service were occurring. In November, reddit CEO Steve Huffman edited abusive comments made about him on the popular subreddit devoted to Donald Trump, the_donald. Huffman said he later regretted the move. As of this writing, the_donald has not been shut down. Reddit has faced criticism in the past, particularly from the Southern Poverty Law Center, for harboring racist and hateful forums. As the SPLC described it in a 2015 article, Reddit once housed a subreddit known as CoonTown which featured users wondering if there are any states left that are nigger free. That particular subreddit and another entitled r/Rapingwomen were shut down in 2015. During the 2016 election, r/the_donald became an extremely valuable mecca for Trump fans and even led to the current president of the United States participating in an AMA (ask me anything) session on the site. Currently, the subreddit claims to have over 350,000 readers. Updated at 10:15 p.m. Wednesday to add comment from the AltRight moderator. President Donald Trump may have tried to force the media to move on to his Supreme Court nomination with Tuesday nights reality-TV-style announcement from the White Houses East Room. But Samantha Bee was not going to let this week go by without laying into what can reasonably be described at this point as Trumps Muslim ban. Nice misdirection, Criss Angel, but you cant just shake your keys and distract us from this giant mess you made, Bee said at the top of Full Frontal on Wednesday night. Were not cable news. Were Americans. And we would like a word. Noting that Trump signed his possibly illegal executive order at a quarter to Shabbos on Friday night, when the government always rolls out the best ideas that its most proud of, Bee cut to a montage of the chaos at airports over the weekend and some of the best responses from lawmakers, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, who called the ban confusing. Confusing? Give Trumps ban some credit, Bee said. It was the HealthCare.gov of Islamophobia, the Ford Pinto of intolerance, a big fat cocktail of New Coke and Zima poured onto a Microsoft Zune playing an endless loop of the Star Wars prequel Jar-Jar Binks scene. What the fake news failed to mention, Bee reported, are all the terrorists Trumps ban will stop from entering the country. According to a Cato Institute study, there have been exactly zero deaths of Americans committed by refugees from the seven countries on the presidents list. Whatever, everyone knows you cant trust numbers, Bee said. Especially Arabic numbers. Look, we learned years ago that using national origin as a basis for exclusion didnt work and it pissed off our allies, she continued. Hey! You know what does work to prevent terrorist attacks? When presidents pay attention in their security briefings! Moving on to the debate over what to call the executive order, Bee said, Lawyers call it unconstitutional, but whats in a name? She added, The other important thing to remember about the not-a-Muslim ban is that Muslim President Barack Obama was the first to ban Muslims. He is a Muslim but he did ban the Muslims first and Republicans simply want to continue the good work of President Hussein Obama, the founder of ISIS. Defending Obama, whom Trump spokespeople have tried to blame for starting this whole mess, Bee said he didnt ban anyone, he just slowed down the visa process. Its the difference between going to the DMV on a busy day and going to the post office on Sunday, she said. And then there was Trump allegation that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was shedding fake tears over the refugees plight. What a refreshing rejection of political correctness, Bee joked. The president of the United States calling the Senate minority leader a lying sissy boy. Im sorry. Whos the bigger sissy? The Holocaust victims great-grandson who teared up over families being torn apart? Or the guy whos afraid to walk down stairs? For those keeping score at home, Bee summed up the story this way. When a Rite-Aid cashier says Happy Holidays to you instead of Merry Christmas, that is religious oppression. But when youre a legally approved green card holder whos refused entry into the United States, forced to surrender her green card, sent to Ethiopia even though youre from Yemen, and left in Tom Hanks-limbo at the Addis Ababa airport, thats an inconvenience. Typically, the question Is there a God? does not come up on late-night TV. But Wednesday night was different. Stephen Colbert is one of comedys most devout Catholicshe even teaches Sunday school. Ricky Gervais is one of its most outspoken atheists, happily getting into a philosophical debate with anyone on Twitter who disagrees with him. On Wednesday, they met on the Late Show couch, and Colbert presented Gervais with what he thought was a simple question: Why is there something instead of nothing? That makes no sense at all, Gervais replied, denying the premise of Colberts inquiry right off the bat. Surely, the bigger question is not why but how, he said. Why is irrelevant, isnt it? Asked by Colbert if there is a demiurge that started everything, Gervais said, Outside of science and nature, I dont believe so. He described himself as an agnostic atheist, meaning no one knows if theres a God. So technically, everyones agnostic. We dont know, Gervais continued. Colbert couldnt help but agree on that point. An agnostic atheist is someone who doesnt know if theres a God or not, as no one does, he said, adding, Atheism is only rejecting the claim that there is a God. Atheism isnt a belief system. Gervais summed up atheism this way: You say theres a God. I say, can you prove that? You say no. I say I dont believe you, then. If Colbert believes in one God, then there are about 3,000 to choose from if you go back through history, Gervais said. Basically, you deny one less God than I do, he told Colbert. You dont believe in 2,999 Gods. And I dont believe in just one more. I know that I cant convince you that there is a God, nor do I really want to convince you that there is a god, Colbert said, explaining that he personally has a strong desire to direct his gratitude for life towards something or someone. When Gervais brought up how difficult it is for some people to believe the Big Bang Theory, Colbert tried to describe that belief as similar to faith. Instead of having faith in God, he suggested, Gervais has faith in Stephen Hawking. But thats when Gervais went in for the kill. Science is constantly proved all the time, he said. If we take something like any fiction, any holy book, and destroyed it, in a thousand years time that wouldnt come back just as it was. Whereas if we took every science book and every fact and destroyed them all, in a thousand years theyd all be back, because all the same tests would be the same result. Thats good, Colbert had to admit. Thats really good. He may not have convinced Gervais that God exists, but Gervais may have done just a little bit to make Colbert question his faith. Megyn Kellys impending arrival at NBC Newsan event apparently as momentous, and disruptive, as a 747 landing in a cornfieldhas claimed its first casualty. Tamron Hall, for the past three years a co-host with Al Roker of the Today shows third hour as well as anchor of her own eponymous 11 a.m. MSNBC program, has abruptly left the broadcast network and its cable channel without so much as a goodbye. The 46-year-old Hall, whose final appearance was Tuesday on MSNBC, turned down a multimillion-dollar offer to stay, according to a person familiar with the situation, including a significant role on the first two hours of Today, the weekend Nightly News anchor chair, an expanded role on Dateline NBCessentially Lester Holts portfolio before he was named Nightlys weekday anchorand the opportunity to continue hosting her MSNBC show. Halls contract reportedly expired on Tuesday, and it was unclear what her next step will be. The Daily Beast has learned that she aggressively tried but failed to make a deal with ABC News, where a place on Good Morning America, which is neck and neck with Today in the ratings, might have made sense. But there was no room on the couch. A source at CNN, where CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker had spoken to the 45-year-old Kelly about joining the network, said it seems unlikely that Hall will end up there. In years past, according to a CNN source, Hall had entered discussions with CNN when her NBC contract was up, but her salary demands were considered too pricey. Fox News, another possibility suggested by industry observers for Hall, is also not vying for her services. Fox News, of course, is the cable outlet where Kelly had been a prime-time star; ironically, Halls agent Ken Lindner used to represent Kelly. Lindner didnt respond to a voicemail message seeking comment. Kelly is expected to start appearing on NBC's air in September, after her Fox News contract runs out, after reportedly turning down upwards of $20 million a year from Fox. Rupert Murdoch publicly announced he was keen to keep her, and urged her to quickly re-up; word is the Murdochs were upset when she instead succumbed to the charms of NBC News Chairman Andy Lack, but happy that Tucker Carlson is beating Kelly's numbers in the 9 p.m. time slot where Kelly had resided. Kelly will reportedly get her own show at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. on NBC; Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, who currently host the 10 a.m. hour, will stay at their current time slot or move to 9 a.m. depending on Kelly's show. Kelly will also anchor a Sunday night program and contribute to political coverage. NBC News issued a terse statement late Wednesday, calling Hall an exceptional journalist. The statement continued: [W]e valued and enjoyed her work at Today and MSNBC and hoped that she would decide to stay. We are disappointed that she has chosen to leave, but we wish her all the best." Hall said in her own statement: "The last 10 years have been beyond anything I could have imagined, and Im grateful. Im also very excited about the next chapter. To all my great colleagues, I will miss you and I will be rooting for you. An industry source noted that the written exchange, along with Halls manner of departure, was highly unusual; given that Hall is one of television newss highest-profile African-Americans, her unceremonious exit was not a good look for the first day of Black History Month. With Hall such a significant, and much-liked by viewers, member of the Today family, to not have a correspondingly affectionate farewell for her is jarringand perhaps telling of the circumstances behind her departure. It's really weird they didn't let her say good-bye on the air, said the industry source. We both know that's not how these things are done when a beloved member of the family departs. The Stop One Gourmet deli on the Lower East Side has been open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for years. It didnt even close during Superstorm Sandy that flooded its neighborhood and killed power there for a week. It had been so long, in fact, that owner Hroan Zokari had to swap out the lock Thursday morning before shutting down in protest of Donald Trumps executive order, which barred travel and immigration to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. Zokari was one of hundreds of Yemeni-American bodega owners who joined a citywide strike from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursdayperhaps the largest and most visible work stoppage yet in protest of what many consider a Muslim ban. Yemen is one of the seven countries on Trumps list. Were not gonna take this laying down, Horan said. Its gonna show not only New Yorkers but its gonna show nationwide what what immigrants do for this country. We play a role in every community. Many New York City bodegas are Yemeni-run. Whole families work in the stores, which sprinkle street corners throughout the five boroughs, often even selling alcohol over religious objections. Late at night, theyre frequently the only place to get a snack, drink, or toilet paper in many residential neighborhoods. Many customers are loyal and regular. The lives of the Zokari family are one such example. Hamood Zokari opened the store in the mid-1980s. Horan, 24, now runs it, and his cousin, Ayban, works behind the register. Both cousins were left with families split by the executive order, with no sense of when they will be able to reunite. Our wives are in Yemen, Ayban said. I have a daughter in Yemen, shes four years old. Aybans plan had been to do the same with for his daughter as his dad had done for him. His father, an American citizen, filed for Ayban to get citizenship when he was about five years old and living in Yemen. Many families have children live in Yemen for a while, where the cost of living and luxuries like private schools are much cheaper than in the U.S., a friend of the family told The Daily Beast. Ayban was planning to take his daughter to the U.S. embassy in Djibouti to file for her birthright: American citizenship. (There is currently no embassy in war-torn Yemen, where pro-government forces, Iran-backed Shia militias, and al Qaeda fragments are fighting for power.) Now, he doesnt know when hell be able to do that. My daughter, every time I spoke to her, and she asked every time, Daddy, when are you going to bring me here? Ayban said. And my answer was always, soon. They killed her dream, he said. Horan, the owner, also has a wife and 13-month-daughter daughter in Yemen. He told The Daily Beast he had just finished paying off visa fees for her to join him in the U.S. when the order hit. Its very husband for any husband to be in my shoes now, because you cant make [the] promises youre supposed to make, Horan said. Its just total chaos and you dont know what to expect. Were trying to stay strong, he added. Theres people who have it worse than us. Theres refugees who are starving, you know, running for their lives. So thank God we dont have it as bad as they do. So participating in the strike was a no-brainer. No matter of your religion, sexual orientation, race, color, creed nobody deserves to get the door shut in their face just because of a small group, Horan said. The family plans to join the Yemeni-American community at Brooklyn Borough Hall at 5 p.m. for the maghrib prayer and rally, in which members of the community will share stories of how their families are impacted by Trumps order. Strike organizer Debbie Almontaser said they had to move the time of the strike because the owners didnt want to betray regulars. Originally, we considered starting the shutdown at 8 a.m., but the grocers they made it clear they wouldnt be willing to close if that meant their regulars wouldnt get their morning coffee, Yemeni-American activist Debbie Almontaser said in a press release. Even when their lives have been turned upside down, they refused to disrupt the lives of the very people they serve daily. At 12:00 p.m. on the dot, a woman and her daughter came in to order a cheeseburger for delivery at Stop One Gourmet. Ayban told them he couldnt do it because they were about to protest the travel ban. Were closing right now, he said. Youre gonna close the store right now? The woman, Lakiya, asked. Thats right. Thats what Im talking about. In 1964 author James Baldwin expressed the frustration he felt as a child learning American history. When I was going to school, Baldwin said, I began to be bugged by the teaching of American history because it seemed that that history had been taught without cognizance of my presence. Baldwin beautifully captured the alienation that many African Americans experienced when confronted by a history that either grossly distorted or ignored their own past. It also highlights the continued importance of our annual commemoration of Black History Month each February. On Wednesday, for what has become an annual White House tradition, President Donald Trump kicked off Black History Month with a gathering of African-American leaders, including Housing and Urban Development Secretary nominee Ben Carson; Paris Dennard, an official with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund; longtime Republican strategist and media owner Armstrong Williams; and White House adviser Omarosa Manigault. Unfortunately, rather than highlighting the rich history of black America, the president's remarks unintentionally revealed his own lack of knowledge and appreciation of some of the most important and high-profile black historical figures. Trump offered a series of rambling and disjointed reflections about Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks, but the president could not seem to get beyond recent White House controversies, his rocky relationship with the media, and his apparent obsession with the black inner city. Last month, we celebrated the life of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., whose incredible example is unique in American history. You read all about Dr. Martin Luther King a week ago when somebody said I took the statue out of my office. It turned out that that was fake news. Fake news. The statue is cherished, it's one of the favorite things in theand we have some good ones. We have Lincoln, and we have Jefferson, and we have Dr. Martin Luther King. But they said the statue, the bust of Martin Luther King, was taken out of the office. And it was never even touched. So I think it was a disgrace, but that's the way the press is. Very unfortunate. As for Frederick Douglass, he is an example, according to the president, of somebody whos done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more. Not surprisingly, this statement has received a great deal of attention on social media owing to Trumps failure to identify any of Douglasss achievements. More problematic is it appears the president believes that the famous abolitionist leader is still alive. Most of Trumps address had nothing to do with African-American history or anything having to do with the past. In fact, it is probably not a stretch to suggest that the president has very little interest in history. Unless questioned directly, he rarely reflects on history unless it affects him directly, as in the case of personal stories about his father. Trump used this event to do little more than talk about himself and as an opportunity to discuss current policy and when it comes to the black community that begins and ends with the inner city. Were gonna need better schools and we need them soon. We need more jobs, we need better wages, a lot better wages. Were gonna work very hard on the inner city. Ben is gonna be doing that, big league. Thats one of the big things that youre gonna be looking at. We need safer communities and were going to do that with law enforcement. Were gonna make it safe. Were gonna make it much better than it is right now. Right now its terrible ... Trumps understanding of the black community is as superficial as his understanding of black history. This is something that we saw throughout the campaign, in speeches delivered to predominantly white audiences. The president approaches black Americans as a monolithic demographic, who reside in the inner city and face the same challenges of crime, unemployment, and drug abuse. Raising this theme in an address for Black History Month, however, reduces that history to a series of dangerous stereotypes. This is exactly what Black History Month was intended to challenge. In 1926, Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life (now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History) launched Negro History Week to confront the absence of black Americans in history textbooks and other materials. According to Woodson, If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated. The absence of African-American contributions to history was compounded by any number of gross distortions about the past. Even at the beginning of the 20th century, academic historians at elite universities argued that black Americans were unprepared for freedom after the Civil War. Many white Americans continued to embrace stories of loyal slaves and black mammies who cared more for their masters children than their own. Even as late at the 70s, most history textbooks used in American classrooms mentioned only two or three black people since the Civil War. In 1976, President Gerald Ford decreed Black History Month a national observance and encouraged Americans to seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history. Every president since has offered substantive and at times meaningful observations about the importance of black history. Bill Clinton encouraged Americans to visit Frederick Douglasss home in the Anacostia neighborhood of D.C., while George H.W. Bush was fond of quoting from Jacob Lawrences depiction of Douglass. Even George W. Bush knew enough to offer an overly simplistic observation that Douglass and Lincoln together were responsible for the end of slavery. It goes without saying that no president has come close to the eloquence and depth of thought that Barack Obama brought to his formal speeches and even casual conversations concerning black history. Unfortunately, it does not appear that Trump has an adequate grasp of any aspect of American history, including that of Abraham Lincoln. In an interview with Bob Woodward in April 2016, then-candidate Trump offered the following observations about Lincoln: He was a man who was of great intelligence, which most presidents would be. But he was a man of great intelligence, but he was also a man that did something that was a very vital thing to do at that time. Ten years before or 20 years before, what he was doing would never have even been thought possible. So he did something that was a very important thing to do, and especially at that time. A fourth-grade history teacher would most certainly flag this response as inadequate. The lack of knowledge about Lincolns accomplishments is startling and offers the most compelling argument for the study of African-American history as one of the central threads of our nations story. In his remarks the president mentioned, that we have a museum on the National Mall where people can learn about Reverend King and so many other things. We do indeed. Perhaps the president should mark his first commemoration of Black History Month with a visit. Kevin M. Levin is a historian and educator based in Boston. He is the author of Remembering the Battle of the Crater: War as Murder (2012) and is currently at work on Searching For Black Confederate Soldiers: The Civil Wars Most Persistent Myth for the University of North Carolina Press. You can find him online at Civil War Memory and Twitter @kevinlevin. Nour* fled Baghdad this week after a threat to her life. As an American green card holder, she is a prime target for terrorists. President Donald Trumps unexpected immigration ban has trapped her in a dangerous position. As an Iraqi, shes been forced into hiding while waiting for a viable path back to the United States. I really feel unsafe now, she told The Daily Beast. Me being around as a resident of the United States would make it way more dangerous than it used to be, with ISIS aroundanything could happen here because its not as safe as we think it is. She was caught in Iraq when Trump suddenly signed a confusing order banning many Iraqis from the United States. At the time, she had traveled to Iraq to address some unfinished business relating to her father's death. In the ensuing mayhem, her flight back to the United States was canceled. And as of Wednesday, no airline will book Nour a flight back to the United States due to the ambiguity surrounding the presidents order. For Nour and tens of thousands of others waiting to legally come to the United States, Trumps ban is not just an abstract middle finger to the Statue of Libertyit has been a personal tragedy. The erratic, confusing presidential order, signed Friday, halted the American refugee program and temporarily prevented citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States. The White House had not coordinated with the agencies that would be implementing it, leading to mass confusion about who it would affect, and questions about its legality. Nour and others are now trapped overseas due to a poorly thought out executive order that has been criticized as being simultaneously too broad and not precisely targeted to the problem of terrorism. For example, the ban prevents friendly immigrants from entering U.S. while saying nothing about many countries that have historically been a source of terrorists. The Assali family, a group of Syrian Christians, waited 14 years to sponsor six of their relatives to join them in the United States. Trumps executive order was issued during their 15 hour flight to the United States. After being detained for two hours, they were sent back on a plane to Syria. "They're distraught over the outcome, and they feel like they have been betrayed," Jonathan Grode, a lawyer for the Assali family, told The Daily Beast adding that the executive order led to a "feeling of helplessness that has caused a lot of anxiety. So while some have labelled Trumps executive order as a Muslim ban, many of those caught in its web are of other religions: minority Christians and Yazidis are also subject to the ban, which has created immense instability and insecurity for those seeking to immigrate to the United States. These persecuted peoples have not been given a special status yet by the U.S. government for entry, said Philippe Nassif, executive director of In Defense of Christians, a group that advocates for Christians in the Middle East. The unintended effects [of Trumps order] are that minorities such as Christians and Yazidis currently experiencing genocide... are unable to enter the United States because of the ban. Ahmed* is one such Yazidi refugee. His house, in Iraqs Sinjar province, was burned down. His cousin and his cousins sons were killed for working as interpreters with the U.S. Army. He has been displaced since 2014, and has applied for refugee status in the U.S., but Trumps ban halted the U.S. refugee processwith little indication of when it might begin again. Trumps order stopped everything We cant go back to Sinjar, our house was burned. We lost everything. And there [are] political and ethnic tensions there," he told The Daily Beast. Our lives as minorities in the Middle East became under a greater risk especially after Trumps order. Ironically enough, some of the immigrants caught up in the ban have been fans of Trump. The Assali family, Grode said, is a Christian family that has been generally conservative. And Nour, the green card holder trapped in Iraq, was sympathetic to Trumpuntil now. At first I thought Donald Trump could be a good chance for the [United States] to improve the countrys economy and offer better chances for all, she said. But with this order everything is going way worse, leaving every person who is related to any of the countries mentioned in a huge confusion, [unsure about] whats going to happen next. While Trumps ban was ostensibly to reduce the risk of Islamic terrorism, there is evidence that suggests his broadly-configured order actually hindered efforts to fight groups like ISIS. There are currently Iraqi pilots in the United States, training to fight terrorism alongside U.S. forces. Had they arrived a week later, they would have fallen under Trump's ban. And if they leave, neither they nor other Iraqi forces will be allowed to come back into the country under the current terms of the executive order. "At the point that the president signed that order into law, we had Iraqi pilots, with Iraqi passports training to fly aircraft in the United States, who are going to go back to Iraq and fly alongside our people to attack terrorists," said Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War vet who is a double amputee due to a rocket-propelled grenade that hit a helicopter she was co-piloting. Its a bipartisan concern: Republican Sen. John McCain also expressed frustration over the presidential orderIraqi pilots are currently training in his state of Arizona. "We need that training very badly. We need to have them training so they can protect American lives," McCain said. [Trumps executive order] has wide-ranging effects on our military, on our security, and it's going to hamper our ability to destroy our enemies overseas, Duckworth told The Daily Beast. Nearly one week after Trumps poorly-managed executive order, the White House and the administration is still trying to fix up this mess: military allies have been alienated, those who love America have had their lives upended, and those who have earned their place on U.S. soil are trapped overseas with their lives at risk. Meanwhile, the promise of safety? Dubious at best. *Some of the names used in this story have been altered in order to protect identities. As refugees, they face a personal risk if identified by their own names. with additional reporting by Saud Murrani Elizabeth LeCompte has an impressive arsenal at her disposalall charmingly deployeddedicated to the business of not answering questions. Her favorite method is to claim that she doesnt remember whatever event or moment in her life it is youre asking her about. She professes genuinely not to rememberbut her memory turns out to be better than she claims. Another method is to draw her colleagues into our conversation, claiming they would be better people to answer questions. One possible explanation of these diversionary tics is that the work she does is everything for LeCompte, and talking about the work is, at best, an irritation, and even an obstacle to a day of work shed rather be immersed in. The 72-year-old co-founder and director of the Wooster Group, one of the countrys foremost and most storied experimental theater groups, claims she is always thinking ahead of herself. Economical with her words and drily witty, LeCompte affects neither to have the time nor the inclination for rumination and self-reflection. We met at Wooster Group mission control at 33 Wooster St. in New Yorks SoHo, the theater groups Performing Garage home since its foundation in 1975: an upstairs office space filled with costumes and scripts and books on packing shelves and wall-space, and then downstairs the theater itself. LeCompte helped found the group with Willem Dafoe (with whom she had a 27-year relationship, and a son), Jim Clayburgh, Ron Vawter, Kate Valk, Peyton Smith, and Spalding Gray. Their first play, part of a series called Three Places in Rhode Island, was Sakonnet Point. The theater LeCompte has overseen in those 42 years is bravely conceived and staged, whether adaptations of classics like Hamlet and Troilus and Cressida, or original conceptions like Early Shaker Spirituals and its upcoming New York staging of The Town Hall Affair, starring Maura Tierney of ER and Affair fame. Tierney, a Wooster performer for several years, originally brought the idea to LeCompte, who then took some time to figure out how best to perform it. This inventive adaptation was inspired by Town Bloody Hall, the Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker 1979 documentary thatin all its grainy, weird gloryrevealed what happened at New Yorks Town Hall in 1971, when the author Norman Mailer chaired a panel about feminism. Guests included Jacqueline Ceballos, then-president of the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women, The Female Eunuch author Germaine Greer (a scowling, glamorous young gun back then), the author and activist Jill Johnston, and the critic Diana Trilling. It is a truly mesmerizing intellectual debate and occasional car crash to watch. Mailer is predictably sexist and awful (the debate was provoked by a piece he had written for Harpers magazine, The Prisoner of Sex), but he is also funny, and the women, trying to counter his misogyny, are just as commanding and just as funny. Greer has her own swagger, Trilling seems too grand for the earth, andamong the audience asking questionsis an unusually coy Susan Sontag and Betty Friedan. The Wooster Group will not be simply re-enacting this evening of cultural and political fireworks, but taking the words spoken that night and creating a unique theatrical experience from that. All this time the Wooster Group has made the kind of theater it is committed to rather than to fit any expectation, trend, hype, or nicheand the public has come. The august laurels and fellowships LeCompte and the Wooster Group have been garlanded with is testament enough to their originality and ingenuity. Just last autumn LeCompte was awarded the $300,000 Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. Chosen by a committee of arts leaders for their groundbreaking work in their chosen fields, previous winners have included Spike Lee, Bob Dylan, Laurie Anderson, Robert Redford, Frank Gehry, and Ingmar Bergman. Is the space on Wooster Street an emotional one, I asked LeCompte, given its theatrical history? I probably wouldnt be emotional until I was dead and thinking back from heaven, LeCompte responded sharply. Im not very sentimental. Im very into change. I dont hold on to things. I have to work for nostalgia. Im always very fascinated when it comes, and Im always suspicious of it too. Everything seems to be in the present. LeCompte doesnt have emotional attachments to memories, she said. She remembers the past, but not in a faraway wonderful way. Like me, LeCompte was struck by the humor of the Town Hall debate, and by the lesbian separatist Johnston, who freaked Mailer out by not playing nice or cute and polite as the other women did, culminatingmuch to the delight of the audiencewith her kissing another woman on stage. There was a certain kind of camaraderie between the sexes on stage, with the exception of Jill Johnston, said LeCompte. They all lived in the same universe. Most of the women had come up through men, so had learned a way of dealing with men thats sometimes an imitation of men. Thats interesting to watch. I dont think we would see that now. Women cant identify like that nowif you do you would be accused of submitting to patriarchy, and reinforcing it. Were going through a change where women fight against that, and the younger women dont recognize what we older women had to do in most cases to get along. LeCompte laughed. For LeCompte, Mailer was a performer with a certain kind of ego, testing the edges of his power with the women on the panel and the audience. He gets upset with Jill because he senses she is not of his world, shes an outsider. LeCompte knew Mailer when he was older, and more avuncular than combative. He reminds me of Donald Trump. He thought that women loved him, but didnt understand that they had to. LeCompte didnt attend the debate herself. She had been aware of it, but it seemed like an establishment event. Im not a hippie, but I came up through the 60s and drugs. It was too refined, it cost too much money. It wasnt where my fight was at the time. Watching the movie now, LeCompte is struck by Greer passing off as an attractive feminist, which was huge for women back then. But her need for Mailers attention is much more obvious now. Diana Trilling is more interesting, because shes working in an older system. She had a husband [Lionel] whose name was famous. Germaine had no man by her side but had the ability to make every man in the room be into her. You see these two ways of threading a way through patriarchy of the time. The timeliness of the piecewith the expression of womens collective anger against Trumpis coincidental, said LeCompte. It really is a historical piece. It might be in dialogue with what is happening now, but Im not trying to fix it. Im not trying to make it relevant. It might not even seem relevant or forward-thinking to younger women. They might ask why we are reifying women who seem so behind the times. LeCompte is not an artist who feels it necessary to engage with the Trump presidency directly. For me, Trump is trouble for us in a whole different way. Hes bigger than thatand more dangerous than most art is. I dont want to touch that. I dont want to make it normal, make it part of culture. Its too much for me. Running the Wooster Group is always perilous, and has been from the beginning, said LeCompte. Laughing, she likened the situation to being an endangered heroine in a silent film. When a representative from J.P. Morgan rang to say theyd been awarded the $300,000 Gish award, he was told the group was rehearsing and couldnt be disturbed. LeCompte was in pure ecstasy when she finally heard the news, after initially tetchily demanding of the representative, What do you want to bleed us of? She thought the call had to be about the group losing money, even the propertynot the sudden windfall that she was informed of. The money immediately went to the company, and the salaries of 16 full-time employees. The award came at a time when the Wooster Group was a month away from having to lay off half its staff, said LeCompte. The last couple of years had been particularly trying because of the rising cost of everything, LeCompte said, and the Gish money was vital because no one gives us money. We dont make art that can be invested in. It goes away, and were political in a way thats a problem. With such hardscrabble times, did she ever want to give up? No, another piece comes up and I go, This is the last piece Im going to do. Ill just get to get this one finished, then Im free. She laughed. A little like Death of a Salesman. And they keep coming, and as long as they keep coming, things come into my head and we keep going. I couldnt do anything else. I have no other talent than whatever it is that is here. *** LeCompte grew up in New Jersey, the second of four children. Nobody was artistic in her family, although her father was a musician who gave that up during the Depression when he got a degree in engineering, eventually becoming an architectural engineer. She spent a lot of time watching him drawing, designing buildings and products. Her mother, who attended Barnard, read a lot. Her father was from a poorer family, and won a scholarship to college. Oh, you girls, youre all going to be artists, he said to LeCompte and her sister. She was a very good piano player, LeCompte said. But he didnt push or encourage us that much. LeCompte acted out nativity scenes as a little girl, and at school she fought to be the only girl to be accepted into the architectural drawing course, especially enjoying drafting images of pipes and mechanicals. She recalled the girl gang she led at 7 or 8 that always fought a boy gang, and successfully, as we could climb quicker and higher in the jungle gym and so we could kick them. I liked to win and I liked to compete. I was the head of the cheerleading squad. I wasnt a cheerleader, but I liked to make the cheers. Cheerleaders are supposed to be popular people, but I dont think I was popular. I was always a little outside. I was always conscious I wanted to be an artist from 8 years old, but didnt know what that meant. I knew I couldnt join in regular culture. I had to figure out a place to stay outside it. I remember thinking I could learn all these cheerleading dancesBill Haley & His Cometsbecause I was really good at that but didnt want to put all my energy into it. I knew I was going to do something outside of that culture. The book Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin impressed her by relating how West made his paints from natural materials. LeCompte attended Skidmore College and began working at the Caffe Lena, a Saratoga Springs coffeehouse whose patrons included Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Joan Baez, Don McLean, and Arlo Guthrie. A theater companywhose number included Spalding Graywould use an adjacent loft. LeCompte was the only young person, and woman, as most were handsome gay men enlisted by actor John Wynne-Evans. He would dress me up, make me sit in a chair, and whisper lines into my ears, as I couldnt remember them. She and Gray became friends, and although she continued with her artselling postcards when she returned to New Yorkshe learned the craft of being a theater director alongside Richard Schechner of the Performance Group company. I liked working with people and making them do the things I wanted them to do, she said. In 1975, after five years with the Performance Group, she helped found the Wooster Group. As for how she feels about being called the queen of experimental theater, or even the term experimental theater itself, LeCompte seems nonplussed. Thats for somebody else. I just make theater and make it out of the company. When I asked if LeCompte ever wanted to direct on Broadway or TV, she said women in the 80s and 90s would ask her how to make it in theater, and she would recommend they go into TV. She suddenly said one of her actors had called her a totally realized person. Meaning what? Meaning I am very happy in what I do and I do it very well. LeCompte suggested Dafoe go into film, and that brought him huge fame. I think the problem with film for me is that is too intuitive, she said. Im not a good organizer. Im a little bit scattered and intuitive, and thats not a good thing for film or TV. She loved going to Hollywood with Dafoe, but as a visitor rather than filmmaker. I like trash television, but I never had any real drive to do that work. LeComptes trashy tastes extend to the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, home improvement shows on HGTV, Supernanny, cable news, silent films on TCM starring Lillian Gish, and the movies of Fritz Lang. One has to love LeComptes relatively highbrow definition of trashy: Its not exactly a rampant Real Housewives addiction. LeCompte doesnt have a favorite Wooster production, though was annoyed not to have been able to secure the rights to Harold Pinters 1957 play The Room recently. She is not nostalgic. She doesnt think about how SoHo has changed or see classic Wooster pieces through a golden-hued filter. Every piece is a new configuration of ideas and people, LeCompte said. Her love for theater is active, she said, then added vehementlywhen I asked if she worried about the company closing down because of a lack of fundsI dont care. I dont care if everybody dies and I die. I just want them to keep them alive enough so I can keep working. I really dont have the feeling for what they call legacy stuff. Its not in me. And I dont really like theater, frankly, if you want to know the truth. What did LeCompte mean? She has devoted her entire her whole life to theater. I think thats enough right there, she said grandly, to the laughter of her colleagues. Baffled, I asked if she was joking. Im not that interested in theater. I like musicals. I like big musicals. Oklahoma, West Side Storythey influenced me when I was young and came to New York City. I like opera, oddly enough. I go to the Met once or twice a year. More laughter. This is not who I am. Im not a consumer. This is all a joke. You cant make something of what I just told you. What a conundrum. Ill try to figure it out, I said. Good luck, LeCompte said. With Dafoe she attended the Oscars three times. I loved it the first time. It was fabulous. All these old movie stars were there. It was a blast, but also tiring because there was so much business Willem had to do at certain parties. The second time was really tawdry. I lost it. I saw everybody working in the same way I work, hoofing it. I lost interest. It was like one of those car shows where you just have to go and sell the goods. She and Dafoe were together for 27 years (they separated in 2004). I say 26. He doesnt know I was seeing someone, LeCompte said, laughing, adding again she is a fully realized person, an idea that apparently grew from attending therapy with Ari Fliakos, a Wooster Group actor she once had an antagonistic relationship with. The therapy they had together worked brilliantly, and their relationship improved, and helped her relationship with other performers and made her a better director. I recommend therapy to anyone in a work situation and you think youre not communicating properly, but not if youre married, LeCompte said, laughing. Had parenting changed LeCompte? I dont remember it, to be honest. Jack [born in 1982] was around all the time. He was with the company, and he just seemed to be part of my working day. Now hes a lawyer. There are no dream future projects for LeCompte. She doesnt sit around thinking about what shed like to do, as she is doing what she likes to do in that moment. She does not contemplate what being fulfilled means unless shes had enough white wine, she joked. She likes it if people are happy watching the Woosters work. A pause. Then it takes me a short time before I start to think, Maybe theyre not very smart. Thats part of my personality. So then I start to think, What am I really doing? So the next piece I try to do is what I really, really want to do, and if they dont like it I feel really fulfilled too. Thats why I think I am a realized person. If the piece is a failure in terms of a commercial success, I feel Ive won. If its a commercial success I feel really good, like a child. Was LeCompte still thinking ahead of herself now at the end of our interview as she was at the beginning, I wondered. Yep. Right now, I am wishing to god I could get home and get a glass of wine, a cool glass of Riesling, LeCompte said. So we should speed this up. She sounded serious, but also laughed. She also said, after my seeing The Town Hall Affair, she would like to chat some moreexcept this time she would be the one asking the questions. The Town Hall Affair is at The Performing Garage, 33 Wooster St., New York City, Feb 4-25. Book tickets here. The managing director of the International Monetary Fund urged global policymakers to stop inflation from becoming a runaway train at a time of extraordinary economic turmoil. The IMFs Kristalina Georgieva noted that the world economy has been hit by one shock after another the coronavirus pandemic, Russias invasion of Ukraine and a resurgence of inflation. But reining in rising prices should take priority, she said. If we do not restore price stability, we will undermine prospects for growth, she said. The Federal Reserve and other central banks have been raising interest rates to tame inflation. Georgieva acknowledged that the higher borrowing costs would pinch economic growth, but she urged policymakers to show restraint in spending money to ease the pain. MOSUL, IraqBoxes and containers are piled up next to operating tables, chairs, and fridges outside the empty shell of Salam Hospitals disemboweled main building. Both wings have been hit by coalition airstrikes, collapsing most of the seven floors within the hospitals beige exterior, leaving only a facade punctured by tank shells and marked by smoke stains rising from the ground floor windows. Volunteers navigate their way through a tangle of twisted aluminum strips that used to hold together walls. They pass contorted ventilation shafts collapsed onto a charred reception desk as they empty the gutted hospital of every last salvageable item. Anything still of use is trucked to a nearby hospital, where it is bolstering scarce resources. After three months of battle and over two years under the rule of the so-called Islamic State, Mosuls health sector is stretched beyond its limits, and the destruction of the citys biggest and most prestigious hospital weighs heavily on the people here. It is symbolic of the price the city has had to pay for its liberation, which remains incomplete. As the volunteershospital staff and also men from the neighborhoodcontinue to empty out the building, an elderly woman approaches their parked trucks. I need some medicine, she pleads with Col. Khaleed Whadia, an Iraqi special forces commander overseeing the removal. The womans voice is frail, her movements slow. She is hunched over in her long, wide dress, white hair protrudes from her black headscarf. We have nothing here, this is not a hospital anymore. Everything has been destroyed, says the colonel, almost apologetically. The woman persists, insisting on the urgency of her medical needs. You can have a look inside and see if you find anything yourself, the officer says finally. I have to go to a hospital, says the women despairingly, more to herself than the small crowd gathered around her, before shuffling off. *** Salam Hospital was the scene of ferocious fighting last December when the Iraqi armys 9th Division threw caution to the wind and thrust deep into ISIS-held Mosul. At the hospital, its forward units were quickly surrounded and viciously attacked by the insurgents. Only airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition and the intervention of elite counterterrorism troops allowed the soldiers of the 9th Division units to retreat, and even then at a heavy cost. Dropping at least 25 bombs, the coalition hit both buildings and the scores of armored vehicles the army left behind in the hospital complex. An elite outfit known as the Emergency Response Division finally secured the hospital in January, while other specials forces known as the Golden Division broke ISIS resistance throughout the east bank of the Tigris, which bisects Mosul, after three months of heavy fighting. The dark, scorched insides of Salam Hospital reveal the ferocity of the struggle. In the burned-out entrance hall, two motorcycles used by the insurgents to move through the city without being spotted by coalition surveillance have been blackened by the flames. Further in, unlit corridors are strewn with the detritus of war. An army helmet lies next to a padded cap worn by the drivers of the Soviet-era armored personnel carriers used by the Iraqi military. Ammunition holsters, flak vests, and shot-up personal armor have been tossed into a narrow outdoor area through broken windows, alongside a used antitank rocket launcher and empty ammunition boxes. Some of the gear is Iraqi army issue, some was carried by the insurgents. In a staircase lie two dead ISIS fighters. The stench of decomposing flesh is limited by the heavy burns to their bodies. A little further down the corridor, a swinging door leads to a part of the hospitals right wing, where the insurgents had set themselves up. In the dark reception room, piles of blankets and mattresses are revealed by flashlight. A pair of combat boots, jackets, and cargo pants worn by the jihadists have been discarded. Daesh [ISIS] threw away their clothes and put on civilian clothing. You see a lot of discarded clothes in the neighborhood. Many of them escaped, says Col. Whadia. ISIS remains in control of the west bank of the Tigris, and its defeated fighters desperately tried to cross the river from the east bank in small boats. Some may have remained in east Mosul to form sleeper cells. A carton of dates has been left on the reception desk, still edible, next to discs of rotting cream cheese. A metal bar and weights used by the jihadists to work out in their spare time indicate a long-term ISIS presence at Salam Hospital. *** Under insurgent rule, a spiral of decline preceded the hospitals destruction, says a doctor who worked here. Interfering little at first, the terror group soon began to charge patients for treatment that had been free before the jihadists took over the city in June 2014. The fees were modest for small services, but could rise to 100,000 dinars (roughly $100) for operations. With Mosuls economy in tatters, residents were struggling to afford such sums. The government stopped delivering medicine into Mosul soon after the ISIS takeover, and by the end of the first year of occupation, everything was in short supply. Eventually, the insurgents installed their own general manager, and the hospital slid into chaos. The management became a mess, says Dr. Atash, who managed to extract himself and his family from Mosul late in 2015, and now lives in Jordan. Before the bombs hit Salam Hospital, its doctors were busy dealing with the collateral damage inflicted by the coalition bombing throughout the city. The trauma doctors suffered a lot, says Atash. They had to treat the victims of the airstrikes. A lot of civilians were hit by the bombs, even in the first year. *** The fighting has ceased in east Mosul, and the militarys focus is now on the west bank of the Tigris, which makes up the front line in the half-won battle. The soldiers manning their positions in houses near the waterfront have a clear view of the city center that sits lifeless and forbidding by the side of the river. In the Al Zerai neighborhood near the vast Mosul Park, one of Mosuls five bridges can be seen beyond a highway running parallel to the Tigris. It has been blown up, and its severed ends are dipped into the river. Golden Division troops keep a close eye on the high weeds on the edge of the water, and scan the grey skies for enemy drones. ISIS has taken to converting commercial drones into remote-controlled bombers that drop hand grenades on their opponents, the latest innovation in the Mad Max warfare that characterized this conflict. The elite counterterrorism troops have been trained by U.S. special forces, but conserving ammunition does not seem to have been on the training schedule. As the radio chatter revolves around the latest drone sighting, automatic fire rings out along the river with little interruption. Almost as an afterthought, the soldiers sometimes also spray suspected sniper positions on the other side of the river with machine gun bursts. They spot at least five drones every day, and have shot down five of them in the past 10 days, according to Second Lieutenant Omar, whose platoon has ensconced itself in a palatial house in the affluent Zirai area. A few days earlier, the unit had to rush to the park, where ISIS fighters had crossed the river by hiding among civilians fleeing west Mosul by boat. They killed 14 insurgents who had come on an apparent suicide mission. Daesh want to die, or at least they dont want to be captured, says Captain Eshan, who led the soldiers rushing to the scene. The Golden Division is beginning to shift to new positions in preparation of the assault on west Mosul. The terror group can still draw on thousands of jihadists to defend its last major stronghold in Iraq, and the elite soldiers will soon be dealing with ISIS fanaticism at close quarters again. A new Arkansas law bans one of the safest and most common abortion procedures and allows family members to block an abortion by suing the abortion provider. Arkansas Act 45, signed by Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson last Thursday, bans dilation and evacuation abortions, the most common abortion procedure during the second trimester of pregnancy. Rushed from filing to law in less than two months, the legislation effectively blocks abortions after 14 weeks by making the safest procedure a felony. The earliest current abortion bans block the procedure after 20 weeks. With no exception for rape or incest, and a clause that allows a womans spouse or parent to sue an abortion provider, the law potentially allows the fetuss father to sue even in cases of spousal rape or incest, abortion rights activists say. The law could go into effect as early as spring. During dilation and evacuation procedures, surgical instruments are used to remove material from the womb. Its a common procedure, accounting for 95 percent of all second-trimester abortions (according to a CDC study), and 683 of Arkansass 3,771 abortions in 2015, the states health department told The Daily Beast. The procedure is also common after miscarriages, when fetal tissue is removed from the womb to prevent infection, and during medical tests, when uterine tissue is removed for testing. Arkansass new ban would make the procedure a felony only when used in an abortion. The D&E method is the most common method of second-trimester abortion in the United States and in the world, Laura McQuade, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, told The Daily Beast. It is the method endorsed by the World Health Organization, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Medical Association. The consensus from the medical community does not appear to matter to state Sen. David Sanders, a co-sponsor of the bill who testified that the procedure is gross to watch. You see a baby, an unborn life, a fetus, engaging in fight or flight reaction to the forceps going into the womb, trying to remove an arm, remove a leg, he said. The bills co-sponsor, Arkansas Rep. Andy Mayberry, called dilation and evacuation a gruesome, barbaric procedure during the bills introduction, adding that the routine procedure is one that no civilized society should embrace. When not working in the legislature, Mayberry doubles as the president of Arkansas Right to Life, a subsidiary of the National Right to Life Committee. Introducing the bill before the Arkansas House in January, Mayberry announced that the text was based on model legislation from National Right to Life that has been passed, or similar legislation has been passed in six states. Those six states are Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and West Virginia. In all but the latter two, which passed their bills in spring 2016, legal challenges have temporarily blocked the laws from taking effect. As in the other states, the Arkansas legislation takes a hard line against dilation and evacuation procedures, making their use a Class D felony, punishable by a $10,000 fine or six years in prison. Theyve been declared unconstitutional in Oklahoma and Kansas already, McQuade said of the set of bans. The Supreme Court has ruled states abortion laws are unconstitutional if they impose an undue burden on a woman attempting to terminate a viable fetus. But one particularly punishing element of Arkansass law has not been tested in court, even in Mississippi and West Virginia, where versions of the bans still stand, reproductive rights activists say. A clause in the Arkansas law allows a womans spouse, parent or guardian, or health care provider to sue an abortion provider for civil damages or injunctive relief that could stop the abortion. And because Act 45 does not provide any exceptions for cases of rape or incest, the clause could allow the fetuss father to sue an abortion provider even in cases of spousal rape or incest. Asked whether the clause would allow a father to sue in cases of spousal rape or incest, Mayberry told The Daily Beast that the bill wouldnt affect a woman seeking an abortion by any other method than dilation and evacuation, and that the bill prohibited the father from winning monetary damages in the event of rape or incest. The bill would not, however, prevent the father from seeking injunctive relief to stop an abortion under these circumstances. Weve tried to account for all the worst case scenarios, Mayberry said, adding that the injunctive relief clause doesnt have a whole lot of teeth, as it would block an abortion provider from performing a procedure already barred under the legislation. Abortion rights activists say the clause gives a womans family control over her health decisions. There is zero part of me that understands why a rapist or someone who got someone pregnant against their will, maybe incest, would have any right in that decision, Karen Musick, co-founder of Arkansas Abortion Support Network, told The Daily Beast. I cannot wrap my brain around the fact that there would be anyone who thinks otherwise. What thats getting at, really, is the autonomy and decision-making ability of a woman, McQuade said. The law itself is a major overstep into the doctor-patient relationship This is taking it one step further to say that women are incapable of making these decisions on their own and on their own behalf. As a result of Republicans supermajority in the Arkansas Assembly, the legislation moved from draft to law in less than two months. Filed Dec. 5, read in the Arkansas House for the first time on Jan. 9, and signed into law on Jan. 26, the bill sped through the states legislature with few revisions. One of the few dissenting voices came from Will Bond, a Democratic state senator from Little Rock. There is an injunctive relief section in the bill that, in my reading of it, would seem to allow litigation among family members, Bond told The Daily Beast. If one spouse sought injunctive relief to prevent a certain procedure, or possibly other family members have the possibility for injunctive relief, that was a concern of mine. The clause was one of a number of issues Bond had with the bill, including what he described as the legislations lack of exceptions for all but the most serious health issues. There is an exception for womens health in the bill, but it required irreparable harm [to the point of] permanent disability of a woman, Bond said. The way it was drafted, I had concerns that the womens health exception is way too narrow, and theres no exception for rape and incest. Reproductive rights experts say the ban on dilation and evacuations is virtually as effective as banning abortions after the first trimester. Realistically, under the new legislation, the only option that anyone in Arkansas would have would be to leave the state, Musick said. A small percentage of second-trimester abortions occur via medically induced labor, but this less common method is more time-consuming, requires a hospital stay, and often involves more complications. How it used to happen decades in the past was that a woman was induced to deliver, McQuade said. We do not want to get to that point. That it is not as safe for the patient. She added that Planned Parenthood would review its options but might refer patients out of state. And for women seeking an abortion in Arkansas, time is already against them. A 2015 Arkansas law requires a 48-hour waiting period between an in-person abortion consultation and the procedure. In Arkansas, which only has one dilation and evacuation abortion-providing clinic, the law often forces people to take days off work to travel to the clinic, attend the initial meeting, wait 48 hours, and finally obtain a procedure. Normally its going to be a week later, after a woman schedules around her work, travel, and family commitments, Musick said. Every week that goes past in an abortion makes the procedure more expensive and it makes it riskier. The earlier an abortion is performed, the safer it is. But the new Arkansas law, the first of its kind passed under the Trump administration, will not go unchallenged, its opponents say. Holly Dickson, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, said the group was aiming to make a case similar to those filed against the bills in Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Its been challenged in those first four and been enjoined in every state where theres been a challenge, she told The Daily Beast. The law takes effect 90 days after the end of Arkansass legislative session, which is expected in spring, McQuade said. The bills opponents would have to file their suit before the law took effect. The ACLU has been open in our intent to challenge this if necessary, Dickson said. Im sure thats what well do this time around. Again. Why is the war in Ukraine suddenly going from frozen conflict to scorcher? Is this Vladimir Putins way of testing Donald Trump, not two full weeks into his job as U.S. president, or is it just another provocation designed to keep Kiev weak and insecure after three years of invasion, annexation and occupation? True, fighting has continued more or less constantly in east Ukraine, the industrial heartland known as the Donbass, ever since the fighting was meant to have stopped as a result of not one but two cease-fire agreements. But this week it escalated in a dramatic fashion, and with clear signs of Kremlin support. Into the fray on the pro-Russian separatists side have come heavy-duty armaments such as Grad rockets and the Buk missile system which shot down MH17. (And theres only one place where the separatists can get this stuff). Also, Ukrainian soldiers are receiving ominous text messages on their cell phones, redolent of the kind of cyber-ops used against them before in the war, the technology and operators of which have been linked to Russian military intelligence hacking of the DNC and Hillary Clintons emails. According to Ukrainian official reports, at least 12 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 57 wounded since Sunday, along with civilian killed and five wounded. The Russia-backed separatists in Donetsk report at least nine of their fighters and five civilians dead, though it must always be cautioned that the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic has form for exaggerating or even outright fabricating reports of civilian casualties. Nevertheless the fighting is the worst seen in an urban area in well over a year. Avdiivka is of key economic importance to the Donetsk region, housing the vast Avdiivka coke and Chemical Plant, the biggest coke producer in Ukraine and one of the largest in Europe. The plant forms a key part of the metallurgy industry in the Donbass, the backbone of the regions economy, providing coke for steel works in Mariupol, another government-held city threatened by Russia-backed forces down on the Azov coast. Since the fall of Donetsk Airport to Russia-backed forces in January, 2015, Avdiivka has borne the brunt of fighting in the Donetsk area, and has been the scene of daily attacks since. Violence has remained at a relatively high level since March last year, when Ukrainian troops established control over the Avdiivka industrial park or promzona, which had formally laid in no-mans land since the signing of the second Minsk peace agreements in February, 2015, bringing them to within a few hundred meters of Russia-backed forces positions on the highway out of Donetsk city. The battle around Avdiivka began in the early hours of Sunday morning and there are two competing narratives of what happened. According to the Ukrainian military, Russia-backed fighters launched a series of assaults on Ukrainian positions both in the promzona, and to the southwest and east of the town. In response, say reports from both front-line fighters and the Ukrainian defense minister, Stepan Poltorak, Ukrainian forces mounted a successful counter-attack and took over some of the Russia-backed fighters foremost trenches. Meanwhile, the separatists and their handlers in Moscow claim that the battle was initiated by a Ukrainian offensive. Since then, fighting has intensified across the front line, well beyond Donetsk, with heavy shelling reported every day from Mariupol to the Luhansk region in the northeast. Devastating and highly inaccurate Grad multiple-launch rocket systems are now back in regular use. Video from Donetsk city on Tuesday morning showed repeated volleys of the 122-mm rockets flying out of separatist-held territory towards Ukrainian lines. There are also numerous reports of the use of such rockets both to the south of Donetsk and the east of Mariupol. While the Ukrainian military has reported the sporadic use of Grads on several occasions in the last year, this is the first significant use of the weapons in urban Donetsk since the summer of 2015. With artillery raining down on both sides of the front line, residents of Donetsk and Avdiivka have been comparing recent days to the darkest days of the war at the height of fighting in 2014 and 2015. One particularly disturbing development has been the dissemination of threatening SMS text messages in Avdiivka, addressed to Ukrainian soldiers, warning them that their bodies will be found when the snow melts, or that they are nothing but meat for their commanders. The appearance of such messages closely resemble those sent out en-masse during the bloody battle for Debaltseve in January and February, 2015, which ended in the fall of the city to the Russian army. These texts appear to have been broadcast by Russian electronic warfare systems, which have been documented in Donetsk within the last year, with the aim of demoralizing Ukrainian troops. Another is the return of the Buk surface-to-air missile system, with which Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014. The separatists published images today showing the wreckage of what they claimed was the wreckage of a Buk missile that had crashed, without detonating, in the Donetsk suburb of Makiivka, allegedly having been fired by Ukrainian forces at a drone operated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which is monitoring the conflict with the aim of securing a ceasefire. While the photos do appear to be genuine, the OSCE has explicitly denied that any of their unmanned aerial vehicles came under attack. There are also some reports from locals that the missile was fired from separatist-held territory. The humanitarian situation in Avdiivka is grim. Shelling has knocked out power supplies, and civilians have been left without running water, heat or light as temperatures reach -17 Celsius during the nights. The authorities have established field kitchens and warming centers, but announced that they are prepared to evacuate thousands of residents, though as of Wednesday, only 145, 88 of them children, have chosen to leave. What we have seen this week is a major deterioration. While the level of violence in Ukraine has ebbed and flowed on a relatively cyclical, though still deadly basis over the last year, there have been occasional flare-ups, most notably in December last year, when heavy fighting broke out and lasted for several days near Debaltseve, leaving dozens of fighters on both sides dead. However, this weeks combat differs significantly from Decembers. Firstly, the worst fighting is taking place in built-up, urban areas, posing a far greater risk to civilians than the battles in the countryside outside Debaltseve. Secondly, the increase in shelling, including the use of Grads, elsewhere on the front line is far more dramatic and widespread last year. This escalation comes as Ukraine is trying to shore up international support at a time of great uncertainty following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, whose relationship with the Kremlin has Kiev worried. Ukrainian President Poroshenko was in Berlin on Monday for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel but cut his visit short due to the fighting. Meanwhile, both Danish and French ministers have been visiting Mariupol this week. A video released on Tuesday by the Danish foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen, captures the sound of distant shelling as the minister expressed his concern about the deterioration. Many observers have noted that the explosion of violence came shortly after a phone call between Trump and President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, which, the Kremlin claims led to the two leaders agreeing to establish partner-like cooperation on the crisis in Ukrainesomething the White House did not mention. Could the Russians have launched an assault on Avdiivka having either felt they had received assurances from the White House that the US would not react, or to test the resolve of the new leader? Perhaps, but the relationship is likely more organic. An important factor is that, over the last year, the Ukrainian armed forces have become significantly more assertive and effective in prosecuting counter-attacks, and bolder in establishing control over hirtherto-undefended areas, such as Avdiivkas promzona or the villages of Novoluhanske [] near separatist-held Horlivka, and Vodyanoye, east of Mariupol. While such moves by the Ukrainian military do not constitute violations of the Minsk agreements as the areas involved were already designated as being on the government-controlled side of the demarcation line, and have helped the army secure vulnerable territory and combat issues such as smuggling (which has become a deadly, multi-million-dollar industry), they do provide certain opportunities for Russia and the separatists. Chiefly, the Russia-backed forces, having lost ground to counter-attacks near both Debaltseve and Avdiivka, can claim that Ukrainian forces are on the offensive, and justify their own attacks as retaliatory - a claim put forth this week by the Kremlin. Dmitry Peskov, Putins press secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that Ukraines actions in Avdiivka were nothing other than a provocation, claiming that Donbass militiamen had been forced to respond to a Ukrainian assault. But it is the actions of Russia-backed forces themselves that appear to be provocations, as their fighters conduct assaults without the necessary force to actually break through Ukrainian lines and Russian-supplied rockets and shells rain down to little apparent military effect bar the infliction of casualties. This is because the Kremlin has little to gain right now from an all-out assault as the sea change in Western politics, with the election of Trump and the strong possibility of a friendly government in France after the presidential elections later this year, means that the relief of sanctions is a growing possibility. Instead, sensing that the U.S. and European Union are unlikely to impose additional sanctions this year, the Kremlin can pursue the path most likely to undermine the fragile stability of the Ukrainian government by increasing the rate of attrition in the Donbass and creating the impression of an impending offensive. To boot, Ukrainian forces could be goaded into overreacting, allowing Moscow to claim that Kiev is abandoning the Minsk peace plan or even raising the possibility of an open intervention by Russian armed forces under the guise of peacekeeping. Indicative of this is the emphasis given by Russian media to alleged attacks by Ukrainian forces on Russian journalists in Donetsk. On Sunday a crew from NTV filmed what they described as a shelling attack, marked by a chorus of shrieking babushki and the curious absence of any visual evidence of an attack. Then, on Tuesday, two groups of Russian journalists reportedly came under fire. A cameraman from LifeNews, a channel suspected of having close ties to Russias security services, was, the network said, injured after a Ukrainian shell exploded nearby. Finally, today has seen what could be called a double provocation, this time in the Black Sea, after the Ukrainian defense minister reported that a Ukrainian military transport had been shot at by Russian sailors while flying over Ukrainian territorial waters. Despite photographic evidence that the plane had been struck by small-arms fire, the Russian military denied any such incident had taken place, instead accusing the Ukrainian aircrew of flying dangerously close to two drilling rigs and a Russian naval vessel. That the rigs were illegally seized by Russia during the annexation of Crimea and were operating in waters internationally recognized as being within Ukraines exclusive economic maritime zone did not prevent the Russian government from going further, by summoning the military attache to the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow tonight to answer for the Ukrainian crews clear provocation. Russia is playing a long game in Ukraine and the deadly violence around Avdiivka is just part of what looks likely to be a significant increase in pressure over the coming months as the Kremlin tries to do as much damage as possible while there is little probability of any real response from the West. The Federal Detention Center near Seattle is home to 563 men and women who are all waiting for something. Some are accused criminals approaching trial, others are immigrants facing deportation, a few are serving a sentence and waiting for their release date to arrive. For the last year, Russian hacker Roman Seleznev has been waiting for Donald Trump. Seleznev, 32, was once among the United States most-wanted computer criminals, sought for stealing credit-card numbers from restaurant point-of-sale systems and selling them in underground internet forums for millions. Then in July 2014 he made the mistake of leaving his native Russia for a resort vacation in the Maldives. U.S. officials persuaded local police to pick up Seleznev and turn him over to Secret Service agents, who hustled him onto a private jet, then onward to the U.S. Pacific island of Guam for easy extradition to Seattle. In some ways, Seleznevs rendition was not extraordinary. Russia has no extradition treaty with America, so U.S. cops have learned to indict Russian nationals in secret, then seek their arrest when they travel abroad. Thats what happened in January when police in Barcelona arrested 32-year-old Stanislav Lisov, wanted for allegedly looting U.S. bank accounts. And in October, Czech police picked up Russian national Yevgeny Nikulin in Prague on allegations he hacked DropBox and LinkedIn. Both men are fighting extradition to the U.S. Seleznev, though, is not just another Russian hacker. His father is Valery Seleznev, an outspoken member of the Russian parliament in the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, and a political ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The arrest immediately put added strain on U.S.-Russian relations already tested by Putins annexation of Crimea and the U.S.-led sanctions that followed. Russias foreign ministry held a press conference lashing out at the kidnapping, while the senior Seleznev insisted his son was no hacker, telling a Russian news agency, This is some monstrous lie and provocation. Adjudicating Seleznevs cases has been slow going for the U.S. In the last year alone the hacker has twice fired his lawyers, winning months-long postponements in his court dates each time. In April, frustrated prosecutors accused Seleznev of using delay tactics to try and put off the proceedings until after the 2016 election. Defendants false and naive belief that U.S. politics have any bearing on his case has been a constant theme in his conversations with his father. Prosecutors traced Seleznevs election insights to a cryptic Dec. 15, 2015, phone call between the hacker and his father. On that day, Roman called Valery in Moscow to break the news that hed lost a key motion attacking the lawfulness of his arrest. The senior Seleznev told him to keep his chin up, according to a translation by the Bureau of Prisons. Valery: You can be mad, but dont go wild with rage.Roman: No, I mean I need to keep going to go to the trial. I will keep going.Valery: Absolutely.Roman: Yes.Valery: Besides, the relationships between the countries can improve. You know what I mean?Roman: Thats what I am hoping for.Valery: Well, they will get better, I am sure about that.Roman: Well, some day they will get better for sure. [Giggles]Valery: No, I think that they are already better.Roman: Really?Valery: Uh-huh.Roman: OK, OK.Valery: Yes. Its unclear what inside information, if any, Valery Seleznev possessed on Dec. 15, 2015. Secretary of State John Kerry was in Moscow that day for preliminary meetings on the Syria crisis, which might have given the Russian lawmaker hope for better U.S. relations. The phone call occurred months after Russian government hackers first infiltrated the network of the Democratic National Committee, and was sandwiched between two milestones in Putin-Trump relations. Just five days earlier, on Dec. 10, 2015, retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn attended a Moscow conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Kremlin-controlled television network RT. Flynn was a paid speaker at the event. Vladimir Putin was the guest of honor at the evening gala that followed, and photographs and video from the dinner showed Flynn seated at his right handsomething barely noted at the time, but which drew renewed attention last month when Trump appointed Flynn as his National Security Advisor. Then on Dec. 17, Putin spoke publicly on GOP-primary frontrunner Donald Trump for the first time. He is a bright and talented person without any doubt, he said, describing Trump as the absolute leader of the presidential race. Trump returned the praise later that day. It is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond. By Dec. 20, Seleznevs father was urging his son to engineer a delay in his trial by claiming he and his lawyers needed an additional year to examine the voluminous evidence in the case. What I am saying is that one year will pass and another reporting period will start, he said. You know? Seleznev decided to reject a government plea offer of 17 years in prison. It seems like the political relationships are getting better, he told his girlfriend that day. Trump will be their president. He and Putin seem to be getting along. Despite the delays, Seleznev went to trial last August, and was convicted of 38 counts of computer intrusion and credit-card fraud. (Seleznevs attorney didnt respond to telephone and email inquiries for this story.) Hes looking at around 25 years in prison under Americas merciless federal sentencing guidelines, and still faces additional charges in Atlanta and Las Vegas for bank fraud and racketeering. His sentencing is set for April 2017. Since his trial, of course, Roman Seleznev has been proven right about the outcome of the election, and last month Donald Trump was sworn into the office he won with the covert support of Kremlin-controlled hackers. The question is whether Roman and Valery Seleznev were also right that Trumps election would improve Roman Seleznevs lot. Such an intervention could take many forms, ranging from pressuring prosecutors to seek a shorter sentence, all the way to executive clemency, in the mold of Obamas commutation of Chelsea Mannings 35-year sentence in January. The easiest and least politically fraught would be to wait for Seleznevs cases to run their course, then quietly send him home to Russia in a treaty transfer. Officially, Seleznev would then be expected to serve his sentence in a Russian prison, but hed be subject to that countrys rules on early release or parole. Given his political connections he might just be cut loose, but even if he wasnt hed be better off than in the U.S. federal system, which has no parole. But former prosecutors interviewed by The Daily Beast are doubtful that Trump will pull strings for the Russian hacker. I would be shocked, said David Hickton, who resigned in November as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where he oversaw significant indictments against Russian criminal hackers, and the first-ever indictment against intruders from the Chinese government. I think there would be all sorts of uproar if the practice of this administration were for the White House to interfere with cases being handled by the Department of Justice. Hickton, now director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy and Security, says previous administrations kept a strict written policy governing contact with Justice. It was generally not appropriate for people in the Department of Justice to talk to the White House about any particular case, he told The Daily Beast. No partisan interfering, no political interfering, and no interference from above. If Trump holds to the same ethical normsand, given the first few weeks of this administration, thats by no means a sure betSeleznevs prospects are limited. The president could legitimately pardon the hacker or commute his sentence, or enact a general policy that benefits future Russians targeted by U.S. prosecutors. Only time will tell. And Roman Seleznev has plenty of that. On the dark and cloudy morning in Brooklyn after Donald Trumps Election Night upset, 20 members of the nonprofit Make the Road New York gathered in the conference room of their office for an all-hands emergency meeting. The Latino and working-class organizing group, which specializes in immigrant rights, had not fully prepared for its nightmare scenario of Trump winning the presidency. Few people in the room believed the Republican candidate had more than a slim chance of victory. The mood was extremely emotional. Some were visibly distraught, some were furious, some even cried. But as the day went on, the small huddle of organizers got back to work to chart a course forwardto prepare for what Daniel Altschuler, their director of civic engagement and research, would later describe as a defining fight of our lives. The team worked the phones and started coordinating with their membership and allies in the community for future action and public protest. Within 24 hours, they had a plan for organizing a march that would take place in Manhattan the Sunday after Trumps election. Roughly 15,000 people flooded the streets to tell their next president, We will not let you tear our families apart. Make the Road New York, and local groups like it, were laying the groundwork for what the country would see on the news out of JFK International Airport less than three months later in response to President Trumps refugee and Muslim ban. This is man who actually won on a campaign of hate and xenophobia and sexism We knew we had to respond rapidly, Altschuler told The Daily Beast this week. Folks on our organizing team and communications team were poised to respond rapidly because of what we do We went out to the airport immediately on Saturday. I was en route to the airport around 11:30 a.m. We were on the phone with other groups, saying, Bring your people to JFK, bring your friends to JFK. Altschuler and his colleagues spent the following days in near-constant contact with attorneys on the ground and lawyers associations, lawmakers, reporters, the New York Immigration Coalition, and immigrant- and minority-rights organizations, including progressive Jewish and Muslim groups. And Make the Road New York was just one of many groups, virtually unknown and unheard of nationally, leading the anti-Trump mass resistance and airport demonstrations that erupted all across the United States over the weekend. News reports and TV broadcasts about the weeks protests described the events as spontaneous protests mounted in response to the Trump administrations travel and immigration executive order. But to Make the Road New York, and the groups like it across the country, there was nothing spontaneous about it. As some observers and activists were quick to point out, these grassroots and professional organizers had been waiting and planning for this type of mass, direct actionready-made to go viral on social mediaever since, well, Nov. 9. From the moment Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the general election, theyve been anticipating and mapping out their battle plans for Trumps orders on deportations, bans, and detention. So when you heard about a large crowd at an airport in the past few days yelling catchy slogans like FUCK TRUMP, FUCK PENCE, THIS COUNTRYS BUILT ON IMMIGRANTS, it was no spontaneous outpouring of support. It was the result of a lot of unseen work and man hours. It was a domino effect of rapid mobilization, said Renata Pumarol, communications director at New York Communities for Change, which was also on the ground at JFK. And going forward, we have our plans in place to resist Trump and pressuring corporate Dems to resist every appointment, every aspect of Trumps agenda. Over the past weekend, tens of thousands took to the streets in demonstrations in cities including Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Newark, and Los Angeles. Activists in New York who spoke to The Daily Beast were also in close communication with organizers at the OHare International Airport emergency protest, which took place simultaneously. We had been laying the groundwork for this for a long, long time, Hatem Abudayyeh, the Chicago-born Palestinian-American and executive director of the Arab American Action Network, told The Daily Beast. We partially have infrastructure in place already as an organizing institution that has a lot of relationships with the strongest organizing institutions in Chicago and around the country. We have been having conversations with our allies and friends and attorneyswed been having these conversation before the election. A week before the election, we all had panicked because we were thinking, Oh, man, this guy could definitely win. On Election Night, Abudayyeh and his co-workers knew they needed to prep for a surge in their workload and marching. Now he and his allies in Illinois want to be in the streets as much as possible, he said. Were inspired by whats happening all across the country, he added. The fascinating thing about Saturday is it just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger after the initial call to get out there at 6 p.m. By 8 or 9 oclock, folks saw this happening live on TV or live on Facebook or live wherever, and they came to it without knowing that it had been called for. He and fellow activists have been actively coordinating with other local advocacy groupsOrganized Communities Against Deportations, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, and the local Black Lives Matter chapter, to name a fewas well as private law firms extending offers of pro-bono work for refugee and immigrant families. Its been a round-the-clock blitz that those involved expect to continue indefinitely in the Trump era. We absolutely have our work cut out for us, Abudayyeh said. We talked about that the very first night [on Saturday], knowing we were going to be organizing til 2 in the morning and waking up at 6 to start all over again. Lara Kiswani, leader of the Arab Resource & Organizing Center, was still losing her voice as of Wednesday, when we talked on the phone. She and the center had been busy during the weekend of protest at San Francisco International Airport. Weve been preparing ourselves [since November] on getting people to understand the rights around protests, especially for undocumented people who are more vulnerable in these situations, she told The Daily Beast. Weve been digging in for a while given the Trump administration we have to deepen our work as were preparing for these mass mobilizations. Along with working with local union leaders and protesters, AROC is a member of the Bay Resistance action network, which is bound together by a text-alert system that goes out to the members and leaders of specific social-justice groups. The system is for when people are under threat or attackedand Saturday triggered the text-alert system, and we organized around it, and took some leadership, Kiswani said. We stuck around all day and night, and our demands werent met. So we decided to call for a shutdown [of the airport] on Sunday because those demands werent met. Our demands were simple: Let the lawyers in [and] let the families out. Its a time for a culture of resistance, she continued. The work now is to get the community to step up and be prepared and really build across movements while Trump is in office. From San Francisco to New York City, her fellow progressive activists are building toward the same long-term objectives of peaceful but noisy resistance. This is the moment, Altschuler said. We have to continue to elevate the very moral crisis that the Trump administration is creatingwe have to every day. It appears President Trump is enraged that the Prime Minister of Australia, my country of birth, asked him to honour an agreement struck with the Obama administration to take in 1,250 refugees currently enduring dire conditions in the island state of Nauru. The call between the leaders of two longstanding allies was the worst yet, according to White House insiders. On Twitter, the President said he would study the agreement but not before declaring it dumb. Hardly suggestive of an open mind. In his short but spectacular rise as a politician, its clear President Trump grasps the power of social networks like Twitter to create a movement. What a tragedy, then, he chooses to rally his base against the most weak and vulnerable people on earth. Im the first to concede Australia should not get a free pass on this issue. The deal with the Obama White House was a desperate effort on the part of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to save face, and political capital, over his governments inhumane treatment of refugees. Turnbull cannot credibly claim the moral high ground, but the apparent fissure in the relationship with the U.S. is a setback for both countries, and one whose greatest victims, yet again, will be those without a vote or a voice. This is a time for developed countries like the U.S. and Australia to show global leadership in devising a durable solution to a global refugee crisis brought about by the conflict in Syria, and from the after-effects of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, leaders of both countries are trying to wash their hands of the problem. But, if they pursue the current path, the blood stains will be ineradicable. President Trumps executive order on visitors, immigrants and refugees from several Muslim-majority countries is a radical departure from American values and an affront to common decency. Unless he changes course, his administration will quickly alienate a generation of millennials who prefer bridges to walls at home and overseas. Concerns about border security are legitimate. People are entitled to feel safe from external threats to their own country. But how wrongheaded to direct executive actions against the most vulnerable people on earth, and not the tyrants and terrorists who are already using this callousness as a rallying cry. It won't make America safer or stronger, but weaker and less safe. John McCain, Lindsay Graham and 1,000 State Department officials have made that exact point, but will this White House listen? Will they listen to the veterans who are pleading on behalf of Iraqis who risked their lives to work as interpreters during and after the invasion, and who have been detained at airports by virtue of their ethnicity and religion? Will they hear the cries of the family of a nine-year-old child with a congenital heart condition, or a cancer-stricken infant also held in custody at an American airport? Americans from every walk of life will rightly see this as indefensibly heartless and cruel. Our hope is that Congress and the courts live up to their obligation to act as a check on executive powers constitutional safeguards developed by the nations founders for precisely moments such as these. The United States already employs the most stringent vetting and background checks for refugees in the world. The presidents executive order acts as if those checks dont exist, but all the alternative facts in the world doesn't change the truth: not one refugee from the seven named countries has committed an act of terror on U.S. soil. For all the presidents dark murmurings about the next Boston bomber, the actual facts speak for themselves: the threat to America doesnt come from refugees, but from the very people from whom they are fleeing. Democracy doesnt begin and end with voting. We are obliged as citizens to hold our leaders to account between elections. Thats why Global Citizen is challenging the U.S. governments position on the refugee ban. We will implore our eight million members to rally to this cause until the Trump administration reverses these discriminatory executive orders. Until this happens, we cannot begin to address fully the worlds challenges. As Australia and the U.S. bicker over the plight of a handful of refugees, the global crisis worsens every day. Failure to act with compassion, and to honour their respective international obligations, will be a blight on the records of Turnbull and Trump. Its not too late for both to reverse course, and truly make their respective nations stronger and safer by embracing a policy towards refugees worthy of both countries proud record of welcoming settlers from across the world. Hugh Evans is the CEO of Global Citizen All eyes were on first lady Melania Trump at her husbands inauguration ceremony, where she drew comparisons to Jackie O along with sympathy from many internet denizens, who parsed her facial expressions and made gifs of awkward interactions with her husband. Two days after Donald Trump took office, Melania returned to New York with their son Barronand became the first first lady to live separately from the White House since 1853. Shortly after the election, Trump said his wife would remain in New York through the end of the school year, visiting him only on weekends. But sources close to the first lady say she hasnt yet decided if shell move to Washington. They will reevaluate toward the end of the school year if they will keep this arrangement or if Melania and Barron will move to Washington, a source told US Weekly. They could go either way right now. They will ultimately do whats best for Barron. The US Weekly report may fuel perceptions that Melania Trump will be absent in her role as first lady, both literally and functionally removed from the White House. Shes been silent and out of the public eye in the 11 days since her husband's swearing in, save for a single tweet from her official FLOTUS account about being deeply honored to serve as first lady. Melania previously talked about tackling cyberbullying in the role, in the same way Michelle Obama tackled obesity, yet theres no indication that she is taking steps to fulfill her first lady duties in a conventional way. Her conspicuous absence from the White House seems to be an extension of her muted presence during her husbands campaign. She was trotted out at the end of his stump speeches or for damage-control interviews, but otherwise was largely backstage. On Wednesday, it was Ivanka Trump who accompanied her father to Dover Air Force Base to honor the remains of Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, a commando who was killed during a special forces raid in Yemen on Sunday. Some have argued that Melanias decision to eschew tradition should be cheered as a sign of feminist progress. But if Melania doesnt care about fulfilling a visible and active first lady role, Americans do. I think the American people want to see a first lady who is engaged, and theyre hungry for that void to be filled because once a disaster happens the first lady is traditionally responsible for consoling the country, said Kate Andersen Brower, author of First Women: The Grace and Power of Americas Modern First Ladies . A recent Morning Consult Poll found that 51 percent of voters want Melania Trump to have an active role in her husbands administration, compared to the 45 percent who want Ivanka to have some official role. She is relinquishing a lot of opportunities to positively shape Donald Trumps image despite the fact that his popularity is plummeting, and that has been a standard role for first ladies to fill in the last three administrations, said Lauren Wright, a political scientist and author of On Behalf of the President, noting that Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush all helped to move public opinion on policy and public opinion about their spouses. Trump embarrassed his wife with his pussy-grabbing boast and subsequent allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. She couldnt even choose a signature cause without people pointing out the irony of taking on cyberbullying as the wife of the countrys most prominent bully. And, of course, there was the plagiarism scandal surrounding a speech she gave, portions of which resembled a previous one of Michelle Obamas. There is still debate among fashion designers about who will and who will not dress Melania. The media narrative thats already developed has already set her up for a challenge, which is not ideal in any communication strategy, said Wright. You want to be able to control the narrative. Melania does not appear to be in any rush to do so. As far as we know, she has not yet filled positions on her staff like press secretary, communications director, or chief of staff. Michelle Obama, by comparison, had a press secretary on the campaign and appointed a social secretary by November, after her husband was elected. Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a high-powered fashion operative in New York (she helped plan the Met Gala for years alongside Anna Wintour), will reportedly serve as senior advisor to Melania, who gushed about her impressive work ethic and fantastic taste in a recent interview with The New York Times. At the time, Wolkoff was working behind-the-scenes to plan President Trumps inaugural dinner. She did not respond to requests for comment from The Daily Beast. Update: The White House has announced that the first lady has appointed Lindsay Reynolds to be her chief of staff. "It has been an honor to take on the responsibility of the position of First Lady, with its long history as an important representative of the President, our family, and the traditions of our nation around the world," Melania Trump said in a statement. "I am putting together a professional and highly-experienced team which will take time to do properly." Reynolds, who was associate director of the White House Visitors Office under George W. Bush, will also serve as assistant to President Trump. Further, Wolkoff has told ABC News: "Mrs. Trump will be moving to D.C. and settling into the White House at the end of the school year, splitting her time between New York and D.C. in the meantime. Mrs. Trump is honored to serve this country and is taking the role and responsibilities of the First Lady very seriously." Celebrity Makeup Artist Laney Chantal Dead of Overdose LIVED HER LIFE TO THE FULLEST The 33-year-old worked with top stars and appeared on SyFys Face Off show. TUSCOLA -- When they came for him, Steve Koek's father was a 12-year-old boy living in Holland. It was 1942, and the Dutch underground took Joseph Koek and his two sisters into hiding to save them from Nazi persecution. It kept him from what happened to his parents, who were later captured and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where they died. They were among the millions of victims of the Shoah, as it's called in Hebrew, the Nazis' systematic execution of Jews. The stories that Koek said his father took so long to tell eventually included the confusion and regret that came along with that moment of separation. "He didn't know what was going on," Koek said. "He never saw his parents again. It gnawed on him that he didn't turn around and say goodbye." It was decades after World War II ended that Joseph decided to start telling people what he went through. But that will be just part of what Koek said he plans to talk about Saturday at the Douglas County Museum in Tuscola. He'll also tell of how he wanted to "carry this on" after his father died last year. Koek is 53 years old, young for a child of someone of the World War II generation. He lives in Naperville in the Chicago area, where his father settled after the war. For most of his life, Koek knew his father lived through the Holocaust but little more. Joseph held to what some told him before he left Holland, that the survivors were "good people" who deserved a chance to forget. "They thought it was for his own well-being," Koek said. "Their intentions were good." Various things led Joseph to change his mind, the biggest being about 12 years ago when he heard Holocaust survivor Sam Harris speak at the temple Joseph attended. After Joseph introduced himself, Harris told him "you need to be speaking if you're not," Koek said. So, Joseph was in his 70s when the proverbial "light bulb" came on, as Koek put it, and he realized he had a story that people, including his son, wanted to hear. "It was so nice to connect some of the dots and hear the story," he said. "And, I could see that, for him, it was liberating." Joseph became part of the speakers bureau of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie. Koek said Amanda Friedeman, the museum's family youth educator, became "Dad's best friend" and he also did volunteer work at the museum. "He was their guy," he said. "He was their star." Like his father, Koek shares the story of how Joseph and his family hid in the third floor of a house, "much like Anne Frank," before being separated after a few months. Joseph spent part of the following time living on a farm, where he broke his leg. That meant he was in a hospital when the Nazis raided the area of the farm and killed everyone there. Toward the end of the war, Joseph went to an orphanage and his two sisters were eventually brought there as well. Later, a family sponsored him for his move to the United States. "He never saw anyone killed," Koek said. "There were only some close calls." In 2015, Joseph received an invitation to tell his story as part of the program at the United Nations General Assembly's Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony. It was something he was "ready, excited and nervous" about doing, Koek said. The ceremony was scheduled to take place in January of last year. Joseph died a month before that. After his father's death, Koek told Amanda Friedeman at the Illinois Holocaust Museum that he "wanted to carry this on somehow." That led to his becoming an inaugural member of the museum's new effort, a "second generation" project that has children of Holocaust survivors continue to tell their stories, making sure we never forget even though the ones who lived through it might be gone. "I'm really grateful that the museum had that foresight," Koek said. "It's quite a responsibility. These stories need to be told. These stories need to be told in such a way that respects their memory and makes it clear that it can't happen again." Joseph called himself one of the "hidden children of Holland" and Koek felt he had that "hidden child within him" until he started to tell his story. During his presentations, Joseph often said he was "free at last." And with that freedom, Joseph believed, came a lesson that Koek said he also tries to share when he speaks about his father's story. Joseph always closed his presentations with these thoughts: "What the story of the Holocaust tells us is that there are people who hate other people so much that they will kill them, only because they believe different things or look different. "My story tells us that there are also people who will do anything to save others, including risking their own lives. "My wish is that you will grow up and belong to the second group." The state of the Texas judiciary is strong because of judges like Julie Kocurek, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht said Wednesday during a joint meeting of the Texas House and Senate. Kocurek, a state district judge in Travis County, was shot outside her home in late 2015 by a man who once appeared in her courtroom. She was hospitalized for several weeks, had almost 30 surgeries and lost a finger, Hecht said during his State of the Judiciary address. "I asked Julie about her plans," the chief justice said. "She could retire. She was eligible. But if she left the bench, people would think you can threaten a judge and scare her off, maybe scare off other judges, intimidate them, show that justice cannot stand up to violence. She would not do that." The attack on Kocurek highlighted gaps in security for judges, courthouses and their staff, Hecht said. He said those gaps include "inadequate training, communication and security protocols; inadequate resources; no state-level direction; and the ready availability of judges' personal information in publicly searchable government databases." Hecht said he wants legislation named in Kocurek's honor. Security for judges was among many topics that Hecht discussed Wednesday. Compensation What Kocurek endured is an example of the "personal sacrifice" she and other judges make and they should be paid with that and cost of living, salaries in other states, private sector pay and other factors in mind, Hecht told lawmakers and other state officials. The cost of legal services Hecht asked lawmakers to continue funding legal services for veterans and sexual assault victims. Legal costs are also a problem for the middle class and small businesses, Hecht said. The chief justice said he and colleagues in the judicial community are looking at recommendations to lower the costs of legal services. "If justice were food, too many would be starving," he told lawmakers. "If it were housing, too many would be homeless. If it were medicine, too many would be sick. If it were faith, too many houses of worship would be closed. The Texas judiciary is committed to doing all it can to close the justice gap, and we are grateful for your support." Electronic filing, access to court records Hecht advocated for a statewide, electronic court document system, saying it would be more convenient and reduce costs. The federal court system has PACER, which hosts court documents from across the country. Bail reform Two decades ago, Hecht said, one-third of the state jail population awaited trial. That figure has ballooned to three-fourths, he said. "Liberty is precious to Americans, and any deprivation must be scrutinized." The chief justice used the example of a woman arrested for shoplifting $105 in clothes for her grandchildren. She was jailed for about two months because her bail was set at $150,000. "This makes no sense," he said. Mental health "Like the bail system, ineffective approaches to mental illness cost defendants, the courts, the government and society," he told lawmakers. "The Judicial Council recommends changes in the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow more effective management of mentally ill criminal defendants and better procedures for obtaining treatment, medication, and restoration. I urge you to consider them." Fines, fees and costs More than 2,000 judges across the state last year worked 7 million traffic and minor offenses, Hecht said. Some paid the fines and went on with their lives. In about 640,000 cases (16 percent), defendants were jailed, he said. "Jailing criminal defendants who cannot pay their fines and court costs commonly called debtors prison keeps them from jobs, hurts their families, makes them dependent on society and costs the taxpayers money," Hecht said. "Most importantly, it's illegal under the United States Constitution. Judges must determine whether a defendant is actually unable, not just unwilling, to pay a fine. A defendant whose liberty is at stake must be given a hearing and may be entitled to legal counsel, another expense for the state." Guardianship reform, funding Hecht recommended that the Office of Court Administration's guardianship compliance pilot project which reviewed 10,000 cases of aging and incapacitated Texans who need help managing their affairs be expanded statewide. Texas has about 50,000 active guardianship cases and involves $5 billion, the chief justice said. Children's Commission Hecht asked legislators for financial assistance to continue funding the Texas Supreme Court's Children's Commission, which trains judges and lawyers handling children, foster care and human-trafficking cases. "The commission has always operated with federal grant funds," Hecht said. "Until those grants are again funded, I must ask this Legislature to make up the difference. Any lack of support for the commission now would be a sharp blow to improvements in the foster care system the Legislature is considering. Texas greatest asset by far is her children. The commission helps preserve that asset for us all." Judicial selection Candidates at the top of the ticket in the previous election affected judicial elections, Hecht said. Removing judges from the straight-ticket voting option might be a solution, he said. "In November, many good judges lost solely because voters in their districts preferred a presidential candidate in the other party," he said. "These kinds of partisan sweeps are common, with judicial candidates at the mercy of the top of the ticket. I do not disparage our new judges. I welcome them. But my point is only that qualifications did not drive their election; partisan politics did." Partisanship is harmful, he told guests. "Such partisan sweeps are demoralizing to judges and disruptive to the legal system," Hecht said. "But worse than that, and this is what I want to say: When partisan politics is the driving force, and the political climate is as harsh as ours has become, judicial elections make judges more political, and judicial independence is the casualty." Outside the courtroom Hecht touched on the relationship between law enforcement and civilians. "Judges across the country are concerned that recent tensions between law enforcement and communities, which have weakened our institutions, [could] erode public trust in the courts," Hecht said. "Trust is the judiciarys most important asset. People must not think the justice system is rigged. As the country works through its political and social differences, we want all to have utter confidence in the courts to be fair, to hear all sides, and to provide equal justice under law." There's not a single human being among us who doesn't take a chance -- or several -- every single day of our lives. Risks are all around us. Just getting out of bed is chancy -- you could fall and get hurt. Think I'm kidding? According to the National Safety Council, your risk of dying from falling out of bed is 1 in 366,804. No wonder I feel reluctant some days to move when my alarm goes off. My finely honed instincts must be in self-preservation mode immediately. Of course, we take measured risks all the time. We do get out of bed. We walk around our homes and, most of the time, don't fall and get hurt. Driving to work should be a pretty scary proposition. We can -- and should -- wear our seat belts, but the statistics don't lie: Your risk of dying as a car passenger is 1 in 17,625, according to government reports. In the Top 20 causes of death in the United States, heart disease is No. 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Better think again about eating that big burger from your favorite fast foot joint. Cancer is up there at No. 2. "Unintentional injury" is Americans' No. 4 cause of death, and the National Safety Council reports the No. 1 cause of unintentional death in America is accidental drug overdoses, which have surpassed auto accidents in that unenviable statistic. Suicide is No. 10 on the how-you're-most-likely-to-die list. Homicide is No. 16. There are dangers all around us. I choose to ride a motorcycle. That's a pretty dangerous endeavor. I always wear my helmet and other protective gear: gloves, boots, high-visibility padded jacket, etc. Still, being a motorcyclist makes me 27 times more likely to die than those who operate cars. Of course, helmets are 37 percent effective in preventing deaths, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. That helps my odds. But in 2015, 38,300 people were killed on U.S. roads, the National Safety Council reports. Yet we still drive our cars -- to work, to medical appointments, to visit friends and family. We take precautions, like wearing seat belts. Our vehicles have safety measures built in, from air bags to reinforced steel in helpful spots. But we all know we're taking a risk every time we turn on the ignition. Now, President Donald Trump's executive order regarding travel to the U.S. from certain countries has re-ignited the immigration fight among Americans. So, are you in a tizzy about terrorist attacks and refugees or immigrants carrying out such attacks? An American is just as likely to be killed by furniture as via a terror attack. Might make you tiptoe around the couch a little more carefully, huh? You and your fellow Americans also are more likely to drown in the tub or die in a building fire than to become victims of an act of terror. Your chance of dying in a terrorist attack is 1 in 20 million, according to at least one source. That certainly doesn't mean that we shouldn't do reasonable things to prevent terror attacks. It doesn't mean that losing even a single life to terrorism is the slightest bit less devastating. And when it comes to immigration, we should have our proverbial seat belts on to keep us relatively safe -- nothing is foolproof. But would you park your car in the driveway to spare yourself even the chance of being in an auto accident? Most people wouldn't. We take measured risks every day. Trump's travel ban, clearly aimed at Muslims, is not just unnecessary but, at the least, goes against the grain of what the United States of America is all about. There already are systems in place to vet people coming into this country from another nation. Not a single refugee has carried out a terrorist attack in the United States ever. And the majority of Muslims are just as peaceful as most Christians, Jews, et. al. Do you believe in freedom? Of course you do. Does freedom come with limits? Of course it does. That's why we have some of the most protected borders in the world. That's why it takes so long to become a U.S. citizen. We're doing enough already. Trump's executive order was unnecessary and just plain mean. I find it ironic that folks who griped about President Barack Obama and his use of executive orders -- which also concerned me -- appear to be all hunky dory about Trump issuing one EO after another, completely circumventing Congress and trying to go around our court system, too. Our president is not a king. We have three branches of government for a reason. Now, the courts need to step in and rule on behalf of our nation -- not in deference to one individual -- if Congress won't grow a spine and stand up to Trump itself. American values are reflected in our institutions. We have traditions for a reason. Putting a political "adviser" on the National Security Council isn't one of those. Firing the U.S. Attorney General for doing her job and doing it on behalf of the nation itself -- not at the behest of just one individual -- isn't an American kind of act, either. Working to "keep America safe" is a good soundbite, except cold, hard statistics just don't back up that notion. If Trump wants to keep America safe, he needs to enact more strict safety measures for automobiles. He should put money into cancer research, not a 30-foot wall that will only create a market in Mexico for 31-foot ladders. We all stay relatively "safe" from the risks that life throws at us with measured responses. We still take chances; we just do so knowing the risks and utilizing reasonable safety measures. There's nothing reasonable about this EO instituting a ban on travel for people in majority Muslim nations, even for a short period of time. The safety measures we have in place against "bad dudes," to use the president's term, coming into the United States already are effective and enough. The real question is whether traditional American values -- things like freedom, taking in "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," and doing unto others as we would have done unto ourselves -- are worth more than your fear. Well, are they? CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- A panel of area leaders including the Charleston mayor will be at Eastern Illinois University today to discuss the impact of the state budget stalemate -- going on two years now -- has had on the college. Hosted by the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA), the panel discussion is set from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Buzzard Hall Auditorium, with registration at 8 a.m. The event is part of a series of panels set at Illinois state universities tackling what the battle at the state level has done to higher education. According to the CTBA, the panel is expected to illuminate how budget cuts to higher education have impacted universities, local businesses and communities. Panelists for today will include Mayor Brandon Combs; Ralph Martire, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability executive director; John Miller, president, University Professionals of Illinois Eastern chapter; and Richard Wandling, political science department chair. According to the CTBA, state funding for higher education in the 2016 fiscal year was cut by $1.318 billion or 67.9 percent from fiscal year 2015 levels. On Wednesday, February 1, police moved in and raided the Last Child camp, the remnants of the Standing Rock camp. In a scene reminiscent of the American Indian Wars, they destroyed the camp and burned tipis. This move comes on the heels of Trumps Executive Order (EO) in support of the Dakota Access pipeline and the Keystone XL. The hypocrisy of Trumps EOs is dumbfounding. Apparently, the same people who lambasted Obamas EOs now laud Trump for doing the same. However, there is a salient difference, when Obama began using Executive Orders it was because he was facing an obstructionist Republican congress. The GOP now have control over both the House and the Senate. This raid comes after protracted protests from 200 Native American tribes and others that ultimately helped to halt DAPL under the Obama administration. During these protests, local authorities unsuccessfully tried to goad peaceful protestors into a conflict with dogs, pepper spray, water guns, sonic cannons, and rubber bullets. If built, the DAPL pipeline would transport 7.4 billion barrels of oil from North Dakotas Bakken formation. If it is built the 1,172-mile long pipeline would carry a half a million barrels of oil to market each and every day. This represents a carbon bomb of epic proportions. A pipeline is cheaper than trucks and trains and therefore reduces the cost of bringing such oil to market. However, there are very serious concerns about the propensity of such oil to spill and contaminate the drinking water of millions of people. Pipelines spill more often and are difficult to cleanup. As referenced by the Brookings Institute, A study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) found that US pipelines spilled three times as much crude oil compared to trains from 2004 to 2012. Simply put there is no safe way to transport oil. Some claim to support DAPL because of its economic value and because it creates jobs. The Dakota Access LLC, the company behind the pipeline, claims that the project will create 8,000 to 12,000 construction jobs and up to 40 permanent operating jobs. Brookings quotes Dave Swenson at Iowa State University who says that his research reveals that the economic benefits have been greatly exaggerated. He claims that the project will create only about 2 thousand construction jobs in Iowa for a single year. While jobs may be how some try to sell the pipeline, the tax windfall may be the real reason that some politicians are supporting the projects. The project will generate $156 million in sales and income taxes and $55 million in property taxes annually to the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. Regardless of the financial gains, this is an environmental catastrophe and a pressing human rights issue. As 350.org founder Bill McKibben described it last November, Standing Rock is the civil rights issue of our time lets act accordingly Trumps callous disregard for Native people fit into the context of the dystopia augured by his coalescing administration. Trump has nominated former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as the Secretary of State. Tillerson has equivocated on climate change at the Senate hearings and it is expected that he will lift sanctions against Russia so that Exxon will once again be able to move forward with oil extraction in the Russian Arctic. Domestically, Trump is making good on his promise to kill environmental regulations. In fact, Trumps war against the EPA has already begun. He has put the fox in the henhouse by nominating Scott Pruitt, climate denier and friend to the fossil fuel industry as head the EPA. 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 ... Republican candidates make final campaign pitch in Burlington Reynolds, Grassley, Miller-Meeks, and other Iowa Republicans made their final pitch to supporters during a campaign stop in Burlington on Friday. Nebraska's two main freight railroads, combined, plan to spend almost $1 billion less on capital projects in 2017 than they did a year ago. Union Pacific on Thursday said it plans to spend $3.1 billion on capital investments this year across its 23-state territory, about $400 million less than last year. Omaha-based UP spent $4.2 billion just two years ago. The announcement comes two weeks after BNSF Railway said it planned to spend $3.4 billion on capital projects, down $500 million from last year. UP said it plans to spend $300 million on further implementing Positive Train Control, a safety system aimed at reducing collisions involving trains. The company did not provide any other details on its capital plans, although it's likely the bulk will be spent on replacing and upgrading infrastructure and assets. BNSF, which is owned by Omaha-based Bekshire Hathaway, said it plans to spend $2.4 billion on maintaining and replacing its rail lines and maintaining its fleet. It also plans to spend $400 million on expansion projects, $400 million on new locomotives, freight cars and other equipment and $100 million on Positive Train Control. BNSF said it plans to spend $100 million on projects in Nebraska, down from $110 million in 2016 and less than half of what it spent on projects in the state in 2015. It did not provide any details on its planned Nebraska spending. UP did not provide any data for planned spending at the state level. UP, BNSF and other freight railroads have struggled with reduced carloads since the end of 2014, largely due to a drop in coal shipments. However, the trend has shown signs of reversing itself, with total carloads and intermodal traffic up 0.5 percent over a year ago, the third-straight month with a year-over-year gain, according to the American Association of Railroads. That turnaround has largely been driven by increased coal shipments, which were up 12 percent in January. "For most of last year, coal carloads were down sharply, but for the past couple of months, including January, they've been the major force behind rail carload gains," the association's Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics John T. Gray said in a news release. "We can probably expect continued uncertainty in energy markets going forward, but we're hopeful that improving macro-economic fundamentals will drive improvement in rail volumes for many commodity categories this year." If you have a big goal, its only human to want to think about the best possible result -- a future where you have successfully accomplished all you set you to do. But it turns out that fantasizing about the future can actually drain energy away from putting your goals into practice. The more positively people think and daydream about the future, the less effort they put into realizing that future, Gabriele Oettingen, a professor of psychology at New York University, told Entrepreneur. Oettingen, the author of Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, says this kind of mindset can ultimately be detrimental to your overall wellness. As pleasurable as these thoughts and fantasies are, they detract from mental and physical health, she says. They are a kind of a burden for success. Related: 3 Guidelines for Creating a Support Group That Will Push You to the Next Level When people entertain these positive fantasies, they can feel as if they have already achieved their goal. The imagining of the desired future is a state that is relaxing one, explains Oettingen. What you find then is that the energy goes down, blood pressure goes down. The problem with that is if your energy goes down when you positively fantasize about the future, then you will not be able to put in the effort that is necessary to implement it. Oettingens solution to this problem is a four-part system she developed called WOOP, or Wish, Outcome, Obstacle and Plan. Related: 7 Productivity Tips to Help You Accomplish Your Biggest Goals To start, Oettingen advises unplugging from your devices and getting into a calm and unhurried frame of mind. Wish: Think about what you want to happen. It can be a small wish for tomorrow or a big one for the coming year. Think about three or four words to describe it, and place it in the front of your mind. Outcome: Then ask yourself, what is the best outcome? Imagine and experience that scenario would look like and put that at the front of your mind. Related: The Books, Podcasts and TED Talks You Need to Stay Committed to Your Goals Obstacle: After that, switch gears and ask yourself, what holds me back? What will prevent you from accomplishing it. Imagine those obstacles. This is a way to articulate and then dismantle all potential excuses that could arise, according to Oettingen. Imagine all of those transpiring. Plan: Finally, one by one, imagine what you would do in the event one of those obstacles was thrown in your path. Alternate the thoughts, if X happens, then I will do Y. Oettingen believes that breaking your goal into these four specific pieces can help bring you clarity about what you can and cannot handle at a given moment. When things get stressful and the challenges come, it keeps you down to earth. Related: 6 Apps That Help You Stick to Your Goals Positive Thinking Could Get in the Way of Your Goals 9 Things Ultra Productive People Do Every Day Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved STAMFORD A city man whos believed to be connected to several shootings faces arson charges after police said he set a stolen car on fire. Tyreik Gantt, 19, of Connecticut Avenue, is being held on $200,000 bond on charges of second-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson and second-degree larceny. Police said their investigation began when a red Subaru Forester was found fully engulfed in flames on Oakwood Place on Jan. 14. The car had been stolen during an armed carjacking in Bridgeport about a week earlier and used in another carjacking in Norwalk, Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said. The Bridgeport victim, who was working as a pizza deliveryman, told police two men took his Subaru, money, cellphone and pizza on Jan. 8, according to the report. The same car was seen on Jan. 14 during a violent carjacking in Norwalk, where three masked men stole a black Toyota Camry from a Chinese food deliveryman and shot him in the leg and arm, police said. In Stamford, the investigation led police and fire marshals to find footage of Gantt and another man just moments before the car was set on fire. Conklin said Assistant Fire Marshal Antonio Forte discovered a video of the men pumping gas into the two stolen cars at a Shell station. Gantt is also seen pouring gas in the back passenger seat of the Subaru, Conklin said. Police recognized Gantt from previous arrests, but the other suspect has not yet been identified. Conklin said there are several ongoing investigations connected to the case. Gantt faces at least two other felony charges stemming from a Sept. 6 incident when police said he dropped a loaded gun during a foot chase. Police said he was wanted for questioning in several shootings in the city. Gantt is scheduled to appear Feb. 10 in state Superior Court in Stamford. noliveira@stamfordadvocate.com About 200 people rallied on the west steps of the Capitol Thursday to call for an end to the rape culture that exists in society. Rally organizer Linda Anderson said protesters made a huge bang with the Women's March on Lincoln last month and then another with former Sen. Bill Kintner's resignation. Kintner stepped down last month shortly before senators were scheduled to debate expelling him from office. He had remained defiant despite calls from his constituents, fellow lawmakers and the governor for him to resign after he used a state-issued laptop for cybersex with a woman he met online. Then, after the worldwide Women's March, he retweeted a comment on Twitter joking about sexual assault that offended many women and men. Mariah Easter said the rally on Thursday wasn't just about Kintner but the wider problem of rape culture. Anderson urged the group to call University of Nebraska-Lincoln officials and make sure they know marchers are not happy with the decision on the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Social media posts after the march last month said members of the fraternity verbally sexually harassed protesters, saying no means yes and shouting a phrase related to President Donald Trump saying in 2005 he could grab women by their genitals. The university opened a Title IX investigation into the incident to look at individual students, not Phi Gamma Delta or the neighboring Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Internal investigations done by the local chapters of the fraternities found the allegations were unfounded. "We're not finished," Anderson said. "We're going to keep rallying. We're going to keep doing things like this. Who's ready?" She was followed by multiple speakers, some of whom had been sexually assaulted. Marla Sohl, of the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, said women have been at this for centuries, and yet here they are, still discussing things like rape culture, power, privilege and the intertwining of oppressive issues in the workings of democracy. "We are tired. And we're tired of trying to explain why we're so tired," Sohl said. "But clearly, many of our family, neighbors and, yes, even elected officials will still cling to archaic ideas regarding women's work, women's voices and women's bodies." The Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee had a lot of questions Wednesday on a bill officials said was written to improve operations at the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill (LB417) covered seven topics, from alternative response for child welfare, to eliminating HHS reports that are now required by law. The bill also brought out opponents who favored continuation of a review team to monitor quality of developmental disability services. Committee member Sara Howard questioned the wide ranging topics in LB417, which pulled from multiple state laws. The bill has some positive aspects, but she had concerns about changes it would make to the department's alternative response pilot program, and the attempt to remove some reporting requirements needed for oversight by the Legislature, she said. "Requiring them to report to us shouldn't be considered a burden," Howard said. "It should be part of their job and part of our role of oversight." "Each of these issues sort of deserves attention on its own, especially alternative response, I would say," Howard said. Alternative response is a relatively new approach to serving families who have been reported to the department or police for what is considered low-risk child abuse or neglect. It allows help for those families without involving law enforcement or the courts. It was started as a pilot program in 2014 and is used in 57 of 93 counties. Department CEO Courtney Phillips said the program has had successes in allowing children to stay in their homes. LB417 would make the pilot program, which is set to end in July, permanent and remove many of the requirements now in law, giving the departments options in providing those services. A bill (LB225) introduced by Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue, also presented at the hearing, would extend the pilot program and require the department to provide an analysis of the challenges, barriers and opportunities that may occur if the alternative response implementation plan is made permanent. It would provide that child advocacy centers, along with law enforcement and county attorneys, may access appropriate information regarding cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. Many of those who testified at the hearing said they favored using alternative response but detailed some of the problems they had seen, and emphasized that it needed oversight if it was going to continue. Another aspect of LB417 would remove a requirement for a review team to monitor quality of developmental disability services, and replace it with a quality assurance plan. An advisory committee would provide oversight of the strategy. Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, testifying in opposition to the bill, said the department should have a plan for review of those services before it eliminates the quality review teams. Michael Chittenden, executive director of the ARC of Nebraska, said the bill could be dangerous for people with disabilities, by giving HHS too much latitude in determining support services and quality of programs. "History has shown us repeatedly that DHHS must have oversight to ensure that it is working within the boundaries that are set both by federal agencies and the state Legislature, and most importantly its stakeholders," he said. Without the guidance of people who need and benefit from the programs and those who oversee them, people have suffered and unfortunately sometimes died, he said. HS Football: North Penn upsets Pennsbury in instant playoff classic With the game on the line, North Penn coach Dick Beck opted to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt against Pennsbury. Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers has renewed his effort to end the practice of state lawmakers receiving free meals from lobbyists in the Capitol during the legislative session. Chambers said Thursday that his measure (LB445) isn't aimed at any particular lobbyists or senators but rather is intended to protect the Legislature from even the impression of undue influence. "I genuinely am concerned about the image of the Legislature," Chambers told members of the Legislature's Executive Board during a public hearing. "We should be above suspicion." A similar proposal he sponsored last year languished on the legislative agenda and never made it to a vote. One person testified in support of this year's proposal Thursday bringing a packed lunch to show senators how they could provide their own. No one opposed the change, although committee members asked detailed questions about exactly what would be included in the ban. Frank Daley, executive director of the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, told senators it would also prohibit nonprofits and trade organizations from providing breakfasts or snacks at the Capitol if those groups also employ registered lobbyists. Chambers' bill is specifically aimed at ending meals that are served to lawmakers during the waning days of the session, when debate begins in the morning and continues late into the night. Various lobbyists pool their money and pay for the meals as a group. The buffet-style meals are served in the senators' lounge near the legislative chamber; lobbyists are generally not present. Jim Otto, president of the Nebraska Retail Federation, plans the meals on behalf of the lobbyists and said they provided $10,173 worth of food in 2015. Committee members took no action on the bill Thursday. At all the doors she knocked on while campaigning in Lincoln's District 27, and among all the people she talked to, Sen. Anna Wishart never heard a negative comment about medical cannabis. Her opponent in the campaign, Dick Clark, recalled district residents as he walked door-to-door bringing up to him the importance of having the drug available in the state. "And that's me coming to the door with, 'Hey, I think your taxes are too high and they're taxing too fast and spending it too fast.'" Clark said. "Not exactly the come-on where anyone would think, 'OK this is the pro-medical marijuana legalization guy.'" Clark, a registered Republican with libertarian leanings, and Wishart, a Democrat, had great differences then. But now that Wishart is in the Legislature, they have found a common issue to support, a bill (LB622) that would legalize medical cannabis. When Clark heard about the bill, he sent Wishart a message via Facebook, thanking her for introducing it. "I was showing my parents and everybody, and I was, like, 'this is the coolest thing ever,'" she said. The bill has importance to Clark because of the positive effects of medical cannabis for his younger brother, Trevor. He's a little nervous about telling his brother's story -- outing him as he called it -- even though Trevor lives in a state where it's legal. His hesitancy is because the drug is not legal in the eyes of the federal government, and no one is quite sure what might happen next in Washington. Trevor Clark was diagnosed with diabetes as a child in Louisiana and Alabama. His case was severe, with his blood sugars bouncing all over the place and around 15 hospital admissions. High blood sugar damaged nerves in his body. If that wasn't bad enough, a car wreck when he was 17 gave him multiple spine fractures, and a full body cast. At the height of his illness and injuries, Trevor Clark spent several years in bed with intense pain, taking 11 hardcore narcotic painkillers, in addition to his diabetes medications. The drugs included opioids, such as fentanyl patches, morphine and methadone. He was so doped, his brother said, it was hard to even engage him. "The doctors said, 'Well, you know, we can keep this course for awhile, but in about 15 years we're probably going to be looking at liver failure for you because that's what happens with chronic opioid use,'" Dick Clark said. "For an 18-year-old kid, that's a pretty hopeless feeling." When a doctor suggested he research herbal medicine and cannabis, even though the doctor couldn't recommend it, he finally found a way to improve his health. His life changed quickly. He went back to school in a state where medical cannabis was legal. His health improved to the point where he eventually paddled 600 miles continuously in a canoe on an Alabama scenic river trail. "That's not just a sort of marginal change," Dick Clark said. "That's a life change. And it's made a real difference." He's 32 and has been off opioids for years. He now works as a product development director at a medical cannabis company in Colorado. It's immoral to prevent patients from accessing medicine a doctor believes would work for them, Dick Clark said. "We have to allow people to have hope in their treatment," he said. Wishart's bill is similar to one introduced last session by former Sen. Tommy Garrett. It would allow any mixture or preparation from the cannabis plant to be administered to a qualified patient as a liquid or oil, vaporized or in solid form. Smoking it would not be legal. Only certain medical conditions would qualify. And only a health care provider certified under the medical cannabis act could diagnose a patient for use of the drug. A patient registry would be part of the law. The Department of Health and Human Services would have oversight, and a medical cannabis board would advise on rules and regulations. Nine senators have signed on to the bill, including five on the Judiciary Committee where the bill will be heard. Wishart's office has met with many of last year's opponents to talk about objections and provide information. She is glad to have Clark's support. A lot of people in the Legislature have a deep respect for him, Wishart said. "To be able to come back together and work on an issue, that means a lot to me," she said. The bill will also have the support of many of the families with ill children who have worked hard in the past with Garrett on his medical cannabis bill (LB643). It was filibustered on the second round of debate last session and went down when it received only 30 of 33 needed votes. Shari Lawlor, whose daughter Brooke, 24, has severe epilepsy, continues to be a supporter of the bill. She and Josie Kranz, on the board of Nebraska Families 4 Medical Cannabis, say they will wait and watch to see how the bill does this session. If it doesn't pass, the group must make a decision on whether to step fully into an initiative petition drive to get the issue on the statewide ballot. They speculate it could cost about $1 million. "Why go through all that if they're going to finally come around like the other 28 states have, and give some of these people a chance at a better quality of life?" Lawlor said. The Judiciary Committee advanced a bill (LB167) on Friday that would reclassify the drug cannabidiol, which is being researched in Nebraska for several types of epilepsy. Currently, cannabidiol in any form is a controlled substance with no approved medical use, and possession and its distribution and sale is a criminal act in Nebraska. Cannabidiol is extracted from the Cannabis sativa plant and is distinct from the cannabinoid that is responsible for the drug-related high. Epidiolex, the drug product used in the research, is a plant-based pharmaceutical formulation of pure cannabidiol, according to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The research has started and UNMC is in the final stages of recruiting about 25 patients, said spokesman Tom O'Connor. Doctors say studies are accumulating data that so far have shown no major side effects from the drug. Catholic schools throughout the area are celebrating Catholic Schools Week this week. As part of the celebration, St Boniface School and Father McGivney High School teamed up Wednesday for a mass to welcome Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. After the mass, they held a ceremony to honor veterans. The mass was held at St. Boniface Church, with students from both schools in the choir and band. The ceremony to honor veterans was also held in the church immediately after mass. It was followed by a reception for veterans and other guests. During his sermon, Paprocki noted that Catholic Schools Week celebrated that schools are communities of faith, knowledge and service. He then talked about each of these things. We should do all we can to invite all to our schools, to share the faith, he said. He spoke of the two types of knowledge. There is knowledge of the world around us that we use our intellect and logic to learn about, and there is the spiritual gift of knowledge. In everything we do. Our school must strive to impact both types of knowledge, he said. Finally, he spoke about the service that Catholic students do. He mentioned the numerous service opportunities at the schools, from food and clothing drives to helping out in the parish. We strive to see acts of service as more than obligations, he said. After the Mass, the school held the veterans ceremony. The band played the marches from the various branches of the armed forces, and veterans were invited to stand when their branches march was played. Then each veteran was given the opportunity to introduce themself and say where they served and when. Some noted their connection to a student as their father, uncle or grandfather. The bishop then blessed the veterans. After the service, Paprocki said it is important to the Catholic church to show and strengthen the connection of the schools and church. A bishops visit is a visible sign of unity with the church, he said. Every parish school is not isolated. They are all connected to the church. After the service, Paprocki was going to spend time visiting classrooms at St. Boniface. The visit was part of a busy week for Paprocki. On Tuesday, he visited schools in Decatur and on Thursday, he was heading to Alton to visit schools there. Lewis and Clark Community College has crafted a Diversity Calendar for this spring that features an assortment of events, which are free and open to the public. America has always been an incredibly diverse society, said L&C Professor of History Kelly Obernuefemann. Our original colonies rarely agreed on anything. But now, when Americans are choosing sides and denigrating each other, it is more important than ever to remember that our diversity made our country strong and should be celebrated. Students and community members are invited to the following events, which are free and open to the public: Wednesday, Feb. 8 Judge Jennifer Hightower, Speaker Judge Jennifer Hightower will discuss the Madison County judicial system and present info pertaining to career success in the legal field and choosing law as a profession. She will highlight her background as an example and motivate students to strive for excellence. Student Activities Coordinator Jared Hennings will facilitate the event, which will be held at noon Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Reid Memorial Library. Thursday, Feb. 16 Underground Railroad Tour The Underground Railroad Tour will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16. Participants will meet at the Security Parking Lot and visit various locations throughout the Riverbend area where slaves sought refuge as they escaped the South. J.E. Robinson will provide the history and expertise, describing these noteworthy destinations. The tour is free, but reservations are required. Contact Hennings at (618) 468-6400 or jhenning@lc.edu to RSVP. Wednesday, March 1 The Past, Present, and Future of Family Leave Policies in the United States featuring Author Megan Sholar Author Megan Sholar will explore the challenges faced by working women everywhere during The Past, Present, and Future of Family Leave Policies in the United States at noon Wednesday, March 1 in the Ringhausen Atrium. Sholar, who is an instructor in the Honors Program at Loyola University, Chicago, will speak about womens rights and the Family Leave Act. Professor Obernuefemann will facilitate. Thursday, March 9 Trude Jacobsen, Speaker Trude Jacobsen, from Northern Illinois University, will speak to the issue of sex trafficking at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 9, in Trimpe 141. Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Adrienne Reed will facilitate. Wednesday, April 12 Discussion on Race and the Criminal Justice System Associate Professor of Sociology Jen Clines Race and Ethnicity class will host a discussion on race and the criminal justice system at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12. The location will be announced. Wednesday, April 26 International Student Festival An International Student Festival will be held Wednesday, April 26. The time and location will be announced later. This event is being planned by the International Student Association, along with L&C Diversity and Inclusion. Wednesday, May 3 Afriky-Lolo Dance Performance The African Dance and Drumming group Afriky-Lolo will perform at noon Wednesday, May 3, in the Benjamin Godfrey Memorial Chapel. Hennings will facilitate. For more information on the L&C Diversity Council, visit www.lc.edu/diversity or contact L&C Associate Professor of Music Peter Hussey at phussey@lc.edu or (618) 468-4727. This Lewis and Clark Diversity Council is supported by the Mannie Jackson Endowment and Center for the Humanities and is a Lewis and Clark Arts and Humanities Project, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville held a kickoff celebration for Black Heritage Month on Wednesday, Feb. 1 in the Morris University Centers Goshen Lounge, coordinated by the Campus Activities Board and the Black Heritage Month committee. The months theme is Uplift, Build, Remember. The opening celebration began with junior Taylor Robinson, a criminal justice major and president of SIUEs student organization One Mic, who offered a passionate, rhythmic presentation of an original spoken word piece, entitled Why it Hurts Being a Black American. The SIUE Gospel Choir also brought the audience to its feet with a powerful performance of the Black National Anthem. Jessica Harris, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Historical Studies, was the featured speaker. Harris shared the historic story of 1968 U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for their silent protest of injustice and inequality. As the visual representation of the years Black Heritage Month celebration and theme, we have a graphic showing a fist imposed on the continent of Africa, Harris said. There could not have been a more fitting symbol to represent the continued importance of recognizing and taking time to celebrate and learn the contributions that people of African descent have made and continue to make to this nation and the world. The Black Power Salute, especially for African Americans, has been popularized and become an emblem to resistance of oppression and a symbol of racial solidarity. Harris emphasized that Black history and American history are intrinsically intertwined and challenge the audience to be torch bearers and raise America up. Knowledge coupled with self-awareness is a powerful combination, she explained. It is this combination that makes this moment and any opportunity that any of us have to learn of and celebrate black heritage significant, inspiring and empowering. Venessa Brown, PhD, associate vice chancellor for institutional diversity and inclusion, also inspired the crowd to join together to uplift and build. Uplifting each other means getting to know each other, building relationships, all across racial, social, political and civic lines, Brown said. It means learning to agree to disagree and still understanding that were all in this together. Stand with me as a representative of this institution ready to uplift and build a better diverse and inclusive SIUE. Students in attendance left with an increased desire for continuous learning. My biggest takeaway was that we need to support each other, try to understand each other and make the world a better place, said senior mass communication major Damonti Batton-Jackson. We tend to focus on our differences versus what brings us together, added Dominique Davis, a junior studying psychology. It was imperative for me to be here. Im excited about the events happening the entire month. I have extremely high hopes to get the black community more involved and enjoy their SIUE experience, knowing that SIUE is supportive of our culture and is open to educating others who are less educated about our culture, added TaNia Jordan, Black Heritage Month committee chair and a senior pursuing a bachelors in liberal studies with a focus in public health and applied communication studies. The purpose of this months events is to have fun and bring unity to our campus. Numerous events are planned throughout February in celebration of Black Heritage Month, including a Black Film and Theater Symposium, a Black Theater Workshop, musical, comedic and crafting events, a Black Art Showcase, Black Business Expo and more. A complete schedule of events can be found at siue.edu/cab/blackheritagemonth. Illinois State police are urging residents to report instances in which automated phone calls begin talking about the ISP pension fund, and then request that money be sent immediately. The phone number associated with the calls has been faked to appear as a legitimate ISP number with a Springfield area code, according to a press release from the ISP office in Collinsville. The practice is known as caller ID spoofing. Residents should be wary of calls soliciting money regardless of the phone number the call is made from, particularly if the caller makes threats or becomes pushy. The ISP does not call to solicit money on behalf of the department and never asks people to send money for any reason, according to the release. Those who believe they have been scammed should call the ISP at (847) 294-4400 to file a report. Other agencies have had their share of scams as well, of course. Last week the Federal Trade Commissions Consumer Information Division warned of scammers who have targeted some African American church communities. The scammers approach churchgoers with an offer to pay their monthly bills for an up-front payment or processing fee. Because it comes up in church, the scam might seem like it could be legit, writes Sana Chriss, with the FTCs Southeast Region office. But take it from me and the FTC: there is no federal program that pays your monthly bills in exchange for payment of any kind. What really happens if you pay? They look real for a minute because they pay your bills electronically, Chriss adds, but then they cancel the payment. You think your bill is paid, but youre stuck with not only the original bill but a late fee because your payment wasnt actually processed. And now the scammers have your bank or credit information. Doesnt sound like much of a deal at all. There are legitimate government sites that can connect consumers with programs to help with things like medical bills or energy services for people who are eligible. In June of 2015, the Illinois Attorney Generals office warned consumers about phone scammers posing as representatives from the AGs office. Scammers called saying that recipients had warrants out for their arrest. Some received several calls, warning them to pay the fines within 30 minutes or risk arrest. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.0px; line-height: 10.3px; font: 9.0px Helvetica} Someone calling you to demand money up front is the hallmark of a phone scam, especially if the caller claims to represent a legitimate governmental agency, Madigan said in a news release. My office will never contact you seeking money or threatening your arrest. If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Timothy W. Elkins and Amy M. Elkins, both 35, were arraigned Thursday on charges related to the death of their 2-month-old son. Matthew Elkins was not breathing when paramedics arrived at the Elkins home at 406 N. Main St. in New Douglas, according to a press release from the Madison County Sheriffs Department. Emergency medical personnel arrived shortly after 5 a.m. and administered CPR. The infant was rushed him to Staunton Memorial Hospital where he died. Both parents have been charged with alleged involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. Investigators described a house that was in deplorable condition. Everyone who viewed the photos or was at the house is in agreement that this is the worst weve ever seen, Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons said Thursday. Gibbons said the couple had nine children all their own - who range in age from 4 to 15. The investigation revealed that they were all sleeping in the same room. The bedrooms were all piled high with trash and they were all sleeping on a queen size mattress, all together in the same space, Gibbons said. It was a horrible situation, and completely avoidable. No official cause of death has been confirmed though investigators suspect that it may be been from positional asphyxia. Court records at the Madison County Recorders office and the Madison County Assessors office show that the house was built by Habitat for Humanity and given to the Elkins on Nov. 7, 2012. It has just over a 1,000 square feet with a full basement and central air. According to court records, a foreclosure notice was filed on the home in 2014. According to the Sheriffs Department, the home had been boarded up by members of the New Douglas Building and Zoning Administration, pending condemnation proceedings. The couples children are now staying with a relative. All are under the protective custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. We will be taking all available legal measures to ensure the safety of these kids, Gibbons said. Timothy and Amy Elkins are being held at the Madison County Jail, in lieu of $125,000 bail each. In 2015 they were both charged with misdemeanors in Madison County Circuit Court for allegedly allowing two of their minor children to be persistently truant from school during a period from Aug. 13, 2014 to April, 27, 2015. Court records show that those charges were dropped in May of 2016. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Thomas Brown (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 13:28 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bddb9d8 3 Opinion refugee,Indonesia,US,immigration,immigrants-ban Free American President Donald Trumps executive order to suspend the United States refugee program and bar entry for citizens of seven Muslim nations could not come at a worse time for the almost 14,000 asylum seekers and refugees living in Indonesia. As part of this, refugee admissions will be suspended for four months and entry into the US will be barred for 90 days for those from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, citing Islamic terrorism as the reason. Indonesia hosts many asylum seekers and refugees from these countries. In particular 6.6 percent are from Iraq, 4.6 percent are from Iran and 9 percent are from Somalia. Around 50 percent are from Muslim-majority Afghanistan. The refugee suspension and apparent pushback against Muslim immigration will greatly affect those in Indonesia, since in recent years America has been resettling the majority of refugees from the country. According to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) statistics, of the 1,226 refugees who were resettled from Indonesia in 2016, 62 percent went to the US. The other major resettlement location was Australia, who accounted for 28 percent of the 2016 figure. Although it used to once resettle most refugees from Indonesia, Australias intake from Indonesia has been declining, with 808 refugees resettled in 2013, to 526 in 2014 and 425 in 2015 and finally 347 in 2016. With its policy to refuse resettlement for asylum seekers who arrived in Indonesia after July 2014, the number will continue to decline. European countries also used to provide a number of places, but with the refugee crisis on their doorstep this has all but stopped, with just a handful of refugees resettled to Sweden last year. It comes at a time when Indonesia finds itself overwhelmed with relatively high numbers of people seeking asylum in the country. In 2010, the UNHCR had registered 2,882 persons of concern in the country, but as of February 2016 the number had reached 13,829. Although not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol, Indonesia allows refugees to remain in the country until they can be resettled to a third country. Unable to work or access education, they spend years living in limbo waiting to be resettled. Under the Obama administration, the US demonstrated leadership in addressing the global refugee crisis, increasing the intake targets from 70,000 in fiscal year 2015, to 85,000 in fiscal 2016 and finally setting a new target of 111,000 refugee admissions in fiscal 2017. By contrast, in the first weeks of his presidency, Trump has suspended refugee intake, plans to halve the target for 2017 to 50,000 and is appearing to push back against Muslim immigration more broadly. In his executive order, Trump has asserted that Christians and other minority religions would be given priority over Muslims. This will greatly affect refugees in Indonesia, who are predominantly from Muslimmajority nations. With the number of forcibly displaced persons around the world reaching record highs, the UNHCR in Indonesia is finding it increasingly difficult to find resettlement countries. As a result refugees are forced to spend longer in the country, as waiting times continue to increase. With Australia reducing its intake, and Europe overwhelmed, this latest decision by President Trump casts serious doubts over the fate of refugees in Indonesia. With resettlement to the United States off the table, they have few options left available. *** The writer is an Australian researcher based in Indonesia for the last 18 months looking at refugee issues in the country. He also works for Same Skies, an NGO that works with refugee populations in transit in Southeast Asia . --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. A proposed convention of the states to consider specific constitutional amendments to rein in the federal government attracted strong support Wednesday at a legislative hearing. "The American people are asking for it," Mark Meckler, president of Citizens for Self-Governance and co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, told the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. "The federal government is too big and does too much," he said. Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, sponsor of the proposal (LR6), guided a similar proposal to the floor of the Legislature last year where it ultimately was shelved on a 25-18 vote that returned it to the committee. Ebke said the proposed convention of the states could only consider amendments limiting the size and scope of the federal government, proposals to impose fiscal restraints and imposition of term limits under the plan now being submitted to the states. It would take action by at least 34 states to convene a convention and the support of at least 38 states to ratify any constitutional amendments proposed by the convention. Ebke said fears of a runaway convention that would consider amendments on other topics are overstated. Some 2nd Amendment supporters expressed concern about chances that constitutional gun rights could be endangered. Mark Adamson of Gretna, who identified himself as a small businessman, urged the committee to take action that might help "get the government off my neck." Adamson said he is being "taxed and regulated to death." Kerrey Winterer of Omaha, former CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said regulation has become "a fourth branch of government." "The greatest threat is not ISIS, Russia or China," Steve Riese of Plattsmouth said. "It's the country's long-term national debt." Spokespersons for Nebraskans for Civic Reform and OpenSky Policy Institute were among opponents who testified against the proposal. Bri McLarty Huppert, speaking for NCR, said the scope of topics considered by a convention could not be limited once it convened. Renee Fry of OpenSky said any efforts to eliminate the federal income tax or require a balanced federal budget could have a devastating effect on programs like Medicare, Social Security and farm supports. Limiting the ability of the government to assume debt when that's required to meet needs or boost the economy would be counterproductive in recessionary times, she said. If families did not assume debt when needed, she said, people could not buy a home, go to college or deal with emergencies. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moh Zaki Arrobi (The Jakarta Post) Colchester, England Thu, February 2, 2017 09:17 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bdcbd9c 3 Opinion Donald-Trump,#DonaldTrump,travel-ban,US,immigration-policy,radicalism,xenophobia Free President Donald Trump has sprung yet another shock after he realized his dangerous campaign promise: banning travelers from several Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States. It is particularly ironic that Trumps decision came on Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan. 27). Seven countries from the Middle East and North Africa, namely Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan, were included in the ban list in his recent executive order. Citizens of these seven countries are deemed as posing a serious security and terrorist threat to the US. Accordingly, banning them is the best option to make America safer. In addition, this order clearly states that it is just the beginning of a broader ban in the future. In other words, other Muslimmajority countries are open to being added to the list. Previously Trump had signed an executive order to build wall along the border between the US and Mexico. The most recent order is extremely dangerous not just because it represents a racist and extremely xenophobic paradigm, but also because the consequences that might follow after the implementation of such policy. There are at least three serious consequences that might follow from this policy. First and foremost, the ban may galvanize protests and anger not only in the seven countries but also in the rest of the Muslim world. This anger could lead to violent protests as happened when Prophet Muhammad PBUH was insulted in the European publications Jyllands-Posten and Charlie Hebdo in previous years. Furthermore, it will harm relations between Muslim citizens and minority groups that are associated with the West such as Christian communities in Muslim-majority countries, including Indonesia. Given the unjust and oppressed condition of fellow Muslims in the US, Muslim communities might vent their anger on Christian communities that they perceive as synonymous with the West. Second, this discriminatory ban on travelers from specific Muslim-majority countries will equip the extremist groups with a weapon and ammunition in radicalizing and recruiting Muslims around the world. It is widely recognized that the radical and extremist groups frequently exploit the suffering of Muslims across the world to galvanize anger and radicalization in recruiting their supporters. The anguish of Muslims across the world has generated the global Jihad movement as represented in the case of Bosnia and Afghanistan, and the Syrian war recently. Akbar Ahmed eloquently reveals that the sense of Islam under siege has been a central point of understanding why certain people are committing acts of terror in the name of Islam around the world. According to Ahmed the global war on terror led by the US is perceived as not only targeting Muslim individuals, but also targeting Muslim countries as terrorist states such as Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Syria. With this in mind, it is ironic that a majority of the banned countries have experienced invasions or overthrows by US administrations. It is exacerbated by the Trumps statement that torture absolutely works in interrogation. Undoubtedly, such a policy strengthens the sense of Islam under siege within Muslim communities that could be potentially exploited by extremist groups. Third, it will reproduce the divisive discourse of the global war on terror after 9/11. It will resonate with former US president George W. Bushs controversial tenet of the global war on terror that nations of the world must be with us or against us. The ban on citizens from the seven Muslim-majority countries is likely to divide the Muslim world into two contrasting camps, namely good guys and bad guys. In this sense, it reproduces the divisive discourse between good Muslims and bad Muslims that existed after 9/11. Here good Muslims are the moderates, liberals and secularists that should be embraced by the West, while the bad Muslims are the radicals, extremists, Islamists that should be shunned. At his point, it is obvious that the citizens of the seven countries targeted are bad Muslims who should be prohibited from entering the USA. To sum up, rather than making America and the world safer, Trumps policy will benefit extremist groups as well as generate anger and hostility against the West and all things associated with it in the Muslim world. In other words, we are going to witness the spark of a fire across the world as Trump has decided to fight fire with fire. *** The writer, a former researcher at the Centre for Security and Peace Studies, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, is a post-graduate student at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom funded by the British Chevening Scholarship. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com. For more information click here. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, February 3, 2017 Ahead of the launch of the Telkom 3S Satellite on Feb. 15, PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) invited 250 students from four 3T regions (the frontier, outermost and remote regions), school students and orphans to the Cibinong Satellite Control Station in Bogor, West Java. During the study tour, dubbed Jelajah Angkasa Anak Bangsa (Young Indonesian Space Explorers), they learned more about the satellite. Were using the concept of a study tour to educate these young people about Indonesian satellite technology, said Abdus Somad Arief, Director of Network, IT & Solution. The launch will mark Telkom Indonesias 40 years of work in managing and operating satellites. For this program, we aim specifically at students living in the regions where our small ground or Earth terminals (SBK) are located, such as in Sabang, Merauke, Nunukan and Flores. They can learn about the impact the satellites have on the communication activities of the locals, Abdus Somad Arief explained. The participants comprised 32 students from four 3T regions, namely from SMAN I Sabang, SMP Keterampilan Negeri 9 Merauke, SMA 2 Nunukan, SMA 1 Soe Flores and 218 school students and orphans. Besides visiting the control center located at the Cibinong Satellite Control Station, they also got to experience a virtual trip from Earth to space using 360-degree virtual reality video and visited Dome Planetarium. Telkom will launch the Telkom 3S Satellite on Feb. 15 (Indonesia time) from the Guiana Space Center, Kourou, French Guiana. Up until now, all preparations are on schedule and, in this study tour, we also ask the participants to pray together so that the launch will be successful and the satellite reaches orbit without any problem. We also ask everyone to pray for a successful launch, as it will motivate us to give our best to the country and the people of Indonesia, Abdus Somad Arief said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hans David Tampubolon (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 10:17 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bdd210d 4 Art & Culture 1965-mass-killing,journalist,artwork,press Free A somber drawing of the 1965 genocide won the hearts of the judges of the 2017 Adinegoro Journalistic Award. The drawing, titled 1965 victims, depicts two graves lying silently side by side. The grave on the left is identified with a military boot on top of it, while the one on the right has a nameless wooden tombstone with the year 1965 engraved on it. The boot whispers Im so sorry and the nameless wooden tombstone replies I forgive you. The cartoon seems to offer an imaginary solution to the unresolved cases of the 1965 tragedy, which led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people due to their alleged connection to the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). The drawing was published by The Jakarta Post in its April 24, 2016, edition and the cartoonist behind it, Tommy Thom Dean T., said that the idea for his work came from the situation surrounding the 1965 issues. (Read also: From victims to survivors: The healing journey of the Dialita choir) Tommy Thom Dean T. (Thom Dean/File) The editorial team wanted me to create a drawing based on the 1965 tragedy. At that time [April 2016], there were a lot of families of the 1965 purge who demanded that the government issue an official apology for what had happened, Thom told the Post. What I thought at that time was that every nation has a bloody past. In Indonesias case, it is the 1965 communist purge. It will always be an issue among Indonesians for generations to come. So, when the living might find it difficult to find closure, I believe that the dead either the alleged communists who were killed or the soldiers who murdered them in 1965 are able to forgive one another in their graves. The year 1965 was a dark period for Indonesia and many still consider it as a taboo topic. During that year, the members of the PKI allegedly tried to topple then president Sukarnos administration through a coup, but they failed. What followed was the genocide of millions of people who were accused of being communists by the successive government. One of the judges for the drawing category, Dolorosa Sinaga, said that the reason Thoms drawing won was because its depiction of the 1965 issue was absolutely accurate. We believe the drawing speaks very loudly regarding the condition of the families and descendants of the 1965 victims. It shows how sad the situation is that they can only reach closure with one another in the afterlife, she said. Thom is one of six winners in six different categories for this years Adinegoro Award. The other five winners are Lewat Samping Memburu Ringgit (Shortcut for Ringit) from the Tempo magazine news team for the indepth reporting category, Di Bawah Ancaman Senjata (Under Siege) from Ella D. Effendi and Raedi Fadli of NET TV for the television feature news category, Tumpang Pitu Digerus (Tumpang Pitu Exploited) from Hermawan of the KBR Banyuwangi. Radio for the radio feature news category, Serangan Teroris di Jakarta (Terrorist Attack in Jakarta) from Very Sanovri of the Xinhua News Agency for the photo news category and Di Balik Aksi Brutal Jakmania (Behind Jakmanias Brutal Action) from Larissa Huda of tempo.co news portal for the special online journalism innovation award. The official awards ceremony for the winners will take place during the 2017 National Press Day commemoration in Ambon, Maluku, on Feb. 9. The quality of the journalistic works, including the implementation of the journalistic code of ethics in the process and in creating the works, is the main factor in determining the winners, award coordinator Uni Z. Lubis said in a written statement. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Los Angeles, United States Thu, February 2, 2017 Ellen DeGeneres has used "Finding Dory" to illustrate her stance on President Donald Trump's recent executive order on immigration and refugees. DeGeneres provides the voice of the title character in the Disney/Pixar hit. Trump hosted a screening of the animated film at the White House over the weekend. DeGeneres went over the plot of the film on her chat show Monday , mentioning that the animated fish she plays finds herself stuck in an aquarium institute "behind a large wall." She notes that the wall "has almost no effect" in keeping Dory and her friends from getting back to the ocean. She says Dory is helped by other sea creatures "even though they're completely different colors because that's what you do when you see someone in need, you help them." (Read also: Trump policy dims hope for refugees in Indonesian limbo) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jessicha Valentina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 11:26 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bdd5764 1 People lion,film,Movie-Lion,Saroo-Brierley,#film Free The Australian film Lion recently received nominations for several prestigious movie awards, including the 89th annual Academy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTAs. The movie is based on the true story of India-born Australian Saroo Brierley. At the tender age of 5, Brierley became lost on a train in India. He went through several transitions before being adopted by Australian couple John and Sue Brierley. Then, after 25 years, he found his birth family with help from Google Earth. Regardless of the movie's ending, the real Brierley and his birth mother Fatima Munshi are still making some adjustments. After leaving India at a very young age, Brierley admitted that he does not really understand his first language. We lived in a slum and did not have the opportunity to go to school, he told The Jakarta Post regarding his limited knowledge of his mother tongue. To communicate with his family, Brierley still relies on a translator. (Read also: Tearjerker 'Lion' makes you rethink your life) Since his family reunion in 2012, Brierley has been toying with the idea of taking Munshi to Australia. However, he realized it was not a good idea. We, as Westerners, are quick to say that you should do [certain things], but we have to be mindful of the person, he explained. I guess it is extreme to take an adult from her vicinity. In regards to the movie, Brierley said his family had yet to see Lion as he was still waiting for it to be translated. Nevertheless, he is excited about taking his family to see it. I do not think they understand what really happened and what I had been through [as shown in the movie]. Well, seeing is believing, said Brierley. (asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin I Wayan Juniarta (The Jakarta Post) Ubud Thu, February 2, 2017 14:14 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bdde810 4 Art & Culture Painter,bali,art-and-culture,exhibition,Indonesian-artists Free In Bali, locally produced alcoholic beverages, ranging from the palm toddy tuak, the palm spirit arak and the sweet, sticky rice wine brem, are a permanent fixture in the daily lives of residents. The liquors serve many roles, in both profane and sacred settings. They are the preferred rite-of-passage drinks for local youths trying to establish that important camaraderie with their peers; a leisurely beverage among adults evening congregations, where traded gossip ranges from political issues to village-level carnal infidelities; and a mandatory offering for the bhuta kala, a term encompassing the unseen creatures that roam the islands roads, rivers and forests. A regular sacrificial offering will pacify these creatures, turning them into dependable allies. Metabuh, the act of pouring into the ground a liberal amount of arak and brem, is an important part of this offering. An ongoing exhibition at Bidadari Art Space in Mas village, Ubud, presents a visual interpretation of the roles of alcoholic beverages on the island. Titled Tetabuhan, the exhibit, which runs until Feb. 27, features the works of Putu Bonuz Sudiana, a full-time painter, dedicated temple priest and part-time poet. Fellow literary man Wayan Westa penned an eloquent note for the displayed work, providing a connection between various meanings of the word tabuh, from musical sounds to words and later on the act of libation, to underline the importance of the ancient tradition of making offerings to maintain cosmic harmony. I love spending time with my musician friends, playing guitar and drinking tuak and arak. It was during one of these gatherings that the idea for this exhibition crossed my mind, Bonuz said. A native of Nusa Penida, an island southeast of Bali, Bonuz was educated at Denpasars Indonesian Fine Arts Institute (ISI) before participating in numerous group and solo exhibitions in his home country as well as in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. In 2015, he was inducted as a temple priest in his home village, serving pilgrims who visit the famous Giri Putri cave. (Read also: Who is the mystery woman in Sukarno's painting?) Energy of Woman (2016)(JP/I Wayan Juniarta) The new religious duty did not stop his passion for painting, or arak. I prefer arak because tuak always gives me a bad hangover, he said. The exhibition is a testament to those passions. Some of the works, including Because Life is Delicious, offer a narrative on liquor as a pleasurable personal pursuit, while others elevate alcohol into a poignant symbol of intoxication. In these works, Bonuz is not narrating a physical intoxication of slurred words and blurred visions, but a more destructive one the kind that results in a loss of self and kindness. Upeti (Tribute), for instance, depicts a group of low-income people sitting submissively on the ground while offering bottles of bright-red liquor to a demonic individual with a long tongue and dressed in a shirt and tie. (Read also: A Kiwi in the paddy) Party (2016)(JP/I Wayan Juniarta) Bonuz implicitly portrays how the permeating practice of offering bribes to powerful people has diluted the countrys political and economic system with so much alcohol that it has turned all people, especially politicians and bureaucrats, into a horde of manusa raksasa (demons) intoxicated by loba (greed) and angkara (lust). His status as a temple priest has not prevented him from using his brush to capture the religious intoxication that turns spiritual seekers into zealots, fanatics and radicals as proven in his work Looking for Holy Water. The title immediately brings to mind Churning of the Milky Ocean, a popular episode in Hindu mythology that narrates a bloody battle between gods and demons as the two sides compete for the possession of the elixir of immortality, Amerta. In Bonuzs world, the battle is about who has the right to declare that his or her truth is the ultimate one. Religious zealots and bigots are all in various states of religious intoxication, peddling their own versions of the truth as the valid one and labeling those who do not agree with them as infidels. It is only a matter of time before this competition turns into a bloody battle on par with that narrated in the Hindu myth. (Read also: For a clean body and soul) Collaboration: Speakers on a discussion on fine art in Sukawati, Gianyar, underline the need for more collaborative projects involving visual artists, writers, poet, and performer.(JP/I Wayan Juniarta) One question remains, however, on whether the message he tries to convey through those works will be able to reach a wider audience, particularly in this period when demand for contemporary paintings is waning and exhibitions often only attract an audience made up of an artists family, friends and a shrinking number of collectors. It was the question that an intimate gathering of artists and scholars tried to answer in a separate event organized by painter Made Kaek at his house in Sukawati, Gianyar. Among the speakers were notable scholar I Made Bandem and Ubud Writers and Readers Festival general manager Kadek Purnami. Given the lack of government funding and decreasing support among corporate sponsors, the answer, the speakers concluded, was collaboration. Joint events involving visual artists, writers, poets and performers would have a better chance of amplifying the important message across a wider audience. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 18:12 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bdf5953 4 Science & Tech Snapchat,Instagram,social-media,technology,#SocialMedia Free Instagram may have stolen Snapchats users through its Stories feature. According to kompas.com, there has been a 15-40 percent decline in the number of Snapchat users. Users of Snapchat stories are also beginning to look at their own content less and less. American-based analytics company Delmondo analyzed approximately 21,500 Snapchat Stories from August to November 2016. Nick Cicero, CEO of the company, explained that based on the analysis Snapchats unique viewer average had declined to about 40 percent. (Read also: Instagram Live Stories now available for all) Application analytics company, App Annie has also reported a decline in Snapchat application downloads. It announced that Snapchat was one of the top three most-downloaded applications in the United States for the first half of 2016, but dropped down to 11th spot when Instagram Stories was first introduced in August 2016. The ranking is the lowest in Snapchats history. On Jan. 31, App Annie recorded that Snapchat was ranked lower than Instagram in iOS application downloads, but was still higher in downloads for Android. Meanwhile, viewership numbers in Instagram Stories are reportedly increasing fast. Justin Rezvani, CEO of influencer platform theAmplify stated that on average, the companys influencer community has been seeing an increase in visits to their Instagram accounts. It is 28 percent higher than in Snapchat, he said. According to TechCrunch, Snap Inc. has declined to comment on the story. Instagram first introduced the Stories feature in August 2016. On Monday, the Facebook-owned company introduced Live Stories, an upgrade that enables users to do real-time broadcasting. (mas/asw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Good Indonesian Food (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 16:27 2102 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0bde62ca 3 Food Makassar,food,traditional,beef Free It seems that naming a shop or restaurant based on the street on which it is located has become quite common for food purveyors in the city of Makassar. One fine example is Warung Pangkep Sop Saudara Jl. Irian, which clearly informs us that it is situated on Jl. Irian. This establishment, which was founded in the 1970s, is the expert when it comes to sup saudara (beef soup with rice vermicelli). With one other branch to its name, this is very much a firm favorite for locals looking for a bowl of sup saudara, and many would agree it serves the best sup saudara in town. (Read also: Queuing for a bowl of hot 'bakwan Malang' in East Jakarta) Being in close proximity to Sentral Makassar Market has lent the eatery a huge advantage in the form of huge crowds of customers almost every single day, especially considering that it is possibly the only sup saudara joint in Makassar open 24/7. I encountered a slight problem trying to obtain a place to sit there not too long ago. It was 12 p.m. sharp and the eatery was at its most packed. The hot weather outside led to quite a few sweat patches as I waited for a vacant table. After about ten minutes, I finally managed to secure the perfect spot to enjoy my lunch. I spotted a few rows of bowls just behind the counter that were ready to be filled with soup. We are able to choose from the different soup ingredients, including hati sapi (beef liver), babat (beef tripe) and kikil (cow's hoof). I opted for a mixture of beef and paru goreng (fried beef lung). To the casual eye, the broth resembles a coto Makassar (Makassar beef soup) including its color. What differentiates them from each another is the ingredients. Sup saudara features mihun and perkedel kentang, and each spoonful of the broth is refreshing and delectable. The addition of a few squeezes of lime and a dab of sambal are more than enough to enhance the flavor. The tender beef and crispy paru goreng are palate-indulging wonders, and in just five minutes, I had completely finished my soup. This is the best sup saudara that Ive ever tasted, were the only words that I could mutter to myself afterwards. Explore more Indonesian cuisines here. Jl. Dr. Wahidin Sudiro Husodo (Jl. Irian), Makassar Open 24 hours daily Rp 30,000/US$2.30 per person Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Topics : Makassar food traditional beef Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 Incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama appears to be responding unhurriedly to public uproar over accusations he made against Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma'ruf Amin, saying he does not know when he will visit the Muslim leader to apologize. I havent had time [to meet him personally]. The point is, I will meet him, but I dont know when. Besides, I have sought forgiveness from him through the media, Ahok told journalists on the sidelines of a blusukan (impromptu visit) to Ciracas in East Jakarta on Thursday. Of course, we can meet to strengthen silaturahim [the bonds of friendship], he added. (Read also: Yudhoyono refutes allegation he influenced MUI to support son's candidacy) Ahok previously accused Ma'ruf, a noted religious figure, of making a biased recommendation about his blasphemy case. The non-active governor also claimed he had evidence of a conspiracy between Ma'ruf and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the issuance of the recommendation. Yudhoyonos son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono will compete against Ahok in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election. During his eighth blasphemy hearing on Tuesday, Ahok threatened Ma'ruf, who attended the trial as a witness, with legal steps for giving false testimony. The governor referred to Marufs testimony during the hearing, in which he repeatedly denied he had received a phone call from Yudhoyono on Oct. 6, one day before a meeting between Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executives, Agus and his running mate Sylviana Murni. Maruf also attended the meeting. On Wednesday, Ahok and his legal team issued an apology through the media and clarified that they would not file a report against Ma'ruf. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2 2017 State-owned diversified miner Aneka Tambang (Antam) is upbeat that it can deliver brighter results in commodity sales throughout 2017 following the governments recent decision to relax an export ban on low-grade nickel. We believe that our sales will only get better in 2017 because there has been an increase in capacity at our ferronickel plant. Moreover, we currently have a chance to export low-grade nickel once again, Antam marketing director Hari Widjajanto told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. Earlier this year, the government decided to relax the export ban for low-grade nickel with content below 1.7 percent, along with copper concentrates and washed bauxite in return for commitments from miners to convert their contracts of work (CoWs) into special mining licenses (IUPKs) and to develop new smelters within five years. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Closing Whiteclay's beer stores would be "only the first step" in ending issues surrounding rampant alcoholism along the Nebraska-South Dakota state line, supporters of a task force to address the situation said Thursday. "Is there one simple solution, one silver bullet, one person who could end the carnage? No, it will take all of us working together," said Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. No one testified against a measure forming the task force during a hearing of the Legislature's Executive Board. Senators took no action on the bill. Proposed by state Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, the bill (LB407) and a related amendment would form a task force of lawmakers that would consult with other state officials and public-health experts on policies and programs that could address Whiteclay-related problems. Voting members of the task force would include the chairperson and another member of the Legislature's State-Tribal Relations Committee, along with representatives of three other legislative committees: Health and Human Services, Appropriations and Judiciary. The bill was supported by public-health and substance abuse-treatment experts from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and St. Monica's, as well as the Nebraska chamber of the National Association of Social Workers, Lakota Hope Ministry, Nebraska Catholic Conference and Nebraska Family Alliance. Pansing Brooks said the measure will address the public-health issues related to Whiteclay beer sales, which are apparent not only among the Oglala Lakota people on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, but also on the streets of Whiteclay in Nebraska. State-Tribal Relations Committee Chairman Tom Brewer of Gordon, an Oglala Lakota tribal member whose legislative district includes Whiteclay, also supported the proposal. "We have to have a solution that is as big as the problem," he said. Meanwhile, activists said their focus is on shutting down Whiteclay's four beer stores. The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission plans to hold a hearing on the stores' liquor licenses in March. "Whiteclay remains open and the people continue to die or we stop the killing," Winnebago activist Frank LaMere said in an email. "It is that simple! There is no middle ground." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Thu, February 2, 2017 A police officer in Medan, North Sumatra, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on Wednesday for laundering money from the illegal drug trade. The Medan District Court said it had found Com. Ichwan Lubir, the former head of a narcotics unit with the Belawan Port Police, guilty of laundering Rp 2.5 billion (US$186,832) that he received from "drug lord" Togiman. The court also ordered the police officer to pay Rp 1 billion in fines or spend an additional four months in prison. (Read also: Jakarta Police launch app for public to report drug abuse) Togiman, who was tried with Ichwan, was sentenced to 12 years for his role in the case. His two accomplices, Janti and Tjun Hin, meanwhile, got two and a half years in prison each. Togiman, a notorious drug king pin in Medan, had already been sentenced to life imprisonment for running an illegal drug business in the Lubuk Pakam pentientiary in Deli Serdang. The sentences handed to the four defendants were lighter than those the prosecutors had demanded. They earlier asked that the court to sentence Ichwan, Janti and Tjun Hin to five years each and Togiman to 17 years in prison. The four defendants had shown good manners during the trial, presiding judge Erintuah Damanik said. The other mitigating factor for [Ichwans] sentence is that he has served in the police force for 16 years and he has a family, he added. (ary) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 The State Intelligence Agency (BIN) asserted on Thursday that it did not provide information on a phone conversation between former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Maruf Amin to the legal team of Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama. Previously, the Jakarta governor claimed in court that he had evidence that proved Yudhoyono had called Maruf and asked him to issue a fatwa stating that Ahok had committed blasphemy. The fatwa was instrumental in pushing the police to charge Ahok with blasphemy for his statement about a Quranic verse. (Read also: SBY calls for investigation into alleged 'Watergate' scandal involving Ahok) The information is the sole responsibility of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama and his lawyers, BIN official Sundawan said in a statement. Ahok, he added, had claimed he had obtained the information from an online article. Yudhoyono, who admitted that he did phone Ma'ruf but denied having a conversation about the fatwa, accused the government of illegal wiretapping. The spy body stressed that it only conduct wiretapping in the interest of national security and that it was always carried out according to prevailing laws and human rights principles. It added that the results of wiretapping would not be disclosed, let alone be given to outside parties. Through this official clarification [] BIN asserts that the information did not come from BIN, Sundawan said. (ary) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Corry Elyda and Winda A. Charmila (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2 2017 Amid opposition from neighborhood and community unit (RT/RW) heads, the city administration has decided to hold back the implementation of a gubernatorial decree obliging RT/RW heads to make reports through crowd-sourced public complaint application Qlue. We ceased to apply the decree in June due to the protests, acting Jakarta governor Sumarsono said in a recent interview. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login The residents of Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, are befuddled. Last week, Samsu Umar Abdul Samiun, the leader of the island regency, made headlines in national media. Not for good reasons, though. Samsu, who is running for reelection, was arrested by Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators last week after being named a suspect for alleged bribery in 2011. What has also put the Buton people in limbo is the fact that the Samsu-La Bakry pairing is the only ticket running in the Feb. 15 election. Will they let a graft suspect determine the future of the regency? On the other hand, if most of the voters tick the blank box on the ballot paper because they dont want a graft suspect leading them, then the whole election process will be repeated, which could risk leaving the regency with no definite leader for months. Indonesia is set to go through simultaneous regional elections on Feb. 15 in 101 provinces, cities and regencies. At least seven candidates, however, are suspects for various offenses, mostly corruption. General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Juri Ardiantoro said a suspect status could not prevent anyone from running in an election. The 2016 Region Elections Law states that a candidate loses his or her candidacy only if he or she is convicted in a legally-binding court ruling. Even if the candidates are detained, their names will still be listed on the ballots, Juri said on Tuesday. Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) commissioner Nelson Simanjuntak echoed Juris statement, saying that the country upholds the presumption of innocence principle. A problematic candidate is also running in Cimahi, West Java. In December last year, incumbent mayor Atty Suharti was arrested by the KPK. Graft allegations have also been leveled against the incumbent Takalar regent in South Sulawesi, Burhanuddin, and the incumbent Jepara regent in Central Java, Ahmad Marzuki, among others. In Sarmi regency, Papua, local KPU members annulled the candidacy of incumbent regent Mesak Manibor in late December after the Supreme Court declared him guilty of corruption in a final and binding decision. Mesak was replaced by Berthus Kyew Kyew. Other candidates who are implicated in other crimes include incumbent Jakarta governor and blasphemy defendant Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama as well as incumbent Gorontalo governor and defamation defendant Rusli Habibie. Well-known musician Ahmad Dhani, who is running for Bekasi deputy regent, was also named a treason suspect in December. KPU commissioner Sigit Pamungkas said the 2016 law was too lenient as it provided room even for defendants to run in elections. He said it was the responsibility of political parties to provide qualified and competent candidates. He added that the KPU did not have the authority to reject a candidate based on their track record. But Sigit said the KPU published information on candidates wealth and campaign funding. Similarly, Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) head Titi Anggraeni said the upcoming elections would mark a milestone in Indonesias fledgling democracy, but it was a milestone marred by a series of problematic candidates. Political parties have failed to produce qualified candidates for the citizens of this country. The party mechanism does not work, she said, adding that Perludem had also criticized the law that allowed former convicted criminals to compete in elections such as Abdullah Puteh, an Aceh gubernatorial candidate who is also a former graft convict. Civil societies and the media have a responsibility to help educate voters, she said. Of the seven candidates who are criminal suspects, five are backed by the countrys second biggest party, Golkar. Golkar executive Yorrys Raweyai said the party nominated the candidates because they had a good chance of winning their races. We based our decisions on survey results alongside subjective and objective assessments, he told The Jakarta Post. ----- Jon Afrizal and Andi Hajramurni contributed to the story from Jambi and Makassar Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Gorontalo Thu, February 2 2017 Gorontalo province has reported a shortage of 13,505 ballots two weeks ahead of the election to choose a new governor. Gorontalo General Elections Commission (KPU Gorontalo) official Verrianto Madjowa said Wednesday the shortage of ballots included damaged ballots and ballots with flawed printing. Our colleagues have gone to Makassar to make sure the replacements arrive on Thursday via airplane, Verrianto said. The printing company of some of the ballots is in Makassar, South Sulawesi. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tom Korosec (Bloomberg) Dallas Thu, February 2, 2017 The virtual reality headset maker that Facebook Inc. bought in 2014 for $2 billion used stolen computer code, a jury said in awarding $500 million to ZeniMax Media Inc. The case was over the Oculus Rift, the device that has put the social media giant at the forefront of the virtual reality boom. Wednesdays verdict in Dallas federal court is a rebuke to Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, who isnt a defendant but who told jurors in his first-ever courtroom testimony that it was important for him to be there because the claims by ZeniMax were false. An Oculus spokeswoman said the company will appeal. ZeniMax claimed it was responsible for key breakthroughs in the development of software and hardware for the headset, only to be betrayed when one of its star employees joined with two other entrepreneurs and purloined ZeniMaxs intellectual property for their own startup, Oculus VR. Facebooks acquisition of Oculus gave it a head start against Microsoft Corp., Sony Corp., Alphabet Inc.s Google and others competing for a piece of the virtual reality market thats forecast to exceed $84 billion in sales in 2020. Facebook began shipping the ski-goggle-like Rift for $599 in March. The case centered around the defection of video-game programmer John Carmack from ZeniMax, where he had designed blockbuster games Doom and Quake, to Oculus, where he was named chief technology officer in 2013. He acknowledged in testimony that he took with him e-mail records including computer code related to virtual reality. While the jury rejected trade-secret theft claims, it ordered Oculus to pay $200 million for violating a non-disclosure agreement, $50 million for copyright infringement and $50 million for improper use of ZeniMaxs trademarks. Jurors also hit Oculuss co-founders, Brendan Iribe and Palmer Luckey, with $150 million and $50 million in damages, respectively, for the trademark misuse. The jury found that Carmack took property belonging to ZeniMax but didnt order him to pay damages. The heart of this case was about whether Oculus stole ZeniMaxs trade secrets, and the jury found decisively in our favor, Oculus spokeswoman Tera Randall said in a statement. Were obviously disappointed by a few other aspects of todays verdict, but we are undeterred. Oculus products are built with Oculus technology. (Read also: Indonesia, Facebook to discuss efforts to curb hoaxes next week) ZeniMax said in a statement that while it regrets having to go to litigate to vindicate its rights, it was necessary to take a stand against companies that engage in illegal activity in their desire to get control of new, valuable technology. ZeniMaxs lawyer, Tony Sammi, argued at trial that Oculus committed a heist, covered it up by destroying evidence and made off with a lot of money when it was bought out by Facebook. He told the jury Oculus went from zero to hero using Carmacks innovations at ZeniMax to improve on the crude prototype for the Rift designed by Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey. If they could make it, whyd they take it? Sammi asked the nine-member jury in his closing argument. Zuckerberg testified for five hours during the three-week trial, denying ZeniMaxs allegations and saying its common for companies to come out of the woodwork and make such claims following an acquisition. Facebooks lawyer, Beth Wilkinson, underscored that point in her closing argument, saying ZeniMax ceased all work on virtual reality in early 2013 and didnt accuse Oculus of wrongdoing until Facebook announced the takeover in March 2014. Theyre jealous. Theyre angry, Wilkinson told jurors. Theyre embarrassed because they had the opportunity to get in on this. Zuckerberg had a vision and followed through on it, she said. He saw what these guys could do in the future and invested. ZeniMax had sought $2 billion from Facebook and Oculus to compensate for losses and unspecified punitive damages. (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rendi A. Witular and Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2 2017 Two months ago, Rizieq Shihab, 51, the prominent leader of the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), was over the moon. He led a group of clerics to mobilize conservative and moderate Muslims to stage two large rallies that turned out to be the biggest public mobilization since the lead-up to the Reform Era in 1998. The rallies were initially aimed at protesting Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Ahok Purnama for allegedly insulting the Quran, but turned ugly after indications that they were being used as attempts to overthrow the legitimate government. After many hailed Rizieq as being a grand imam for his perceived success in uniting Muslim communities as demonstrated in the rallies, his rise to prominence, however, was short lived. Since a couple of weeks ago, Rizieq, whom his supporters reverently called habib (descendant of Prophet Muhammad) has started to feel the noose tighten around his neck. A dozen or more police reports have been filed against him by many groups across the archipelago, alleging he was guilty of insulting the state ideology Pancasila, inciting hatred by criticizing new rupiah bills, defamation, cultural insults and insulting Christianity. He was also questioned as a witness in regard to treason allegations involving a number of activists accused of planning to exploit the Dec. 2 rally to topple the government. It was not until Monday that Rizieq was finally declared a suspect for allegedly insulting Pancasila and defaming the countrys founding president. But the devastating shot came earlier on Sunday afternoon when Firza Husein, 46, a treason suspect, was exposed as allegedly having an affair with Rizieq. Screen grabs of sex chats via WhatsApp that allegedly took place between her and Rizieq went viral through YouTube and other social media. A dedicated website, www.baladacintarizieq.com, was set up detailing the affair, but was shut down by the Communications and Information Ministry a day later, while a voice recording purportedly of Firza raving to a friend about her affair with Rizieq remained widely distributed through social media. Rizieq responded on Wednesday by saying the alleged sex chats were an orchestrated attempt to bring his morality into question, were contrived and constituted attempted defamation. I have been a victim of countless slander attempts, such as claims that I have six wives, I sodomize my followers, I have affairs with girls, I accepted a Rp 100 billion (US$7.51 million) bribe, I insulted Pancasila and so on, said Rizieq at the Jakarta Police headquarters. I put the case in the hands of God, he said. Firzas family has also denied the allegation, saying the circulating pictures and information were hoaxes. But the Jakarta Police have taken the issue seriously after a group calling itself the Student Alliance for Anti-Pornography reported the case to the police on Monday, as it deemed the screen grabs had disrupted public order. The police raided Firzas house in East Jakarta on Wednesday and confiscated bed sheets, pillows and a television. This [the raid] is a follow-up to a pornography report, Jakarta Police special crimes director Sr. Comr. Wahyu Hadiningrat said. He was referring to a webpage featuring explicit photos of a woman resembling Firza that went viral on social media. Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said that apart from the pornography case, the raid was also carried out to gather evidence for the treason case. We are killing two birds with one stone, he said. Firza was arrested for alleged treason along with 10 activists on Dec. 2, several hours before the start of a large rally to demand the arrest of Ahok, the first Christian of Chinese descent to govern Jakarta, in a blasphemy case. She was later released, but was arrested again by the police on Tuesday for alleged treason, and is currently being detained at the maximum security prison at the National Polices Mobile Brigade headquarters in Depok, West Java. Firza claims to be the chairwoman of a foundation linked to the family of former dictator Soeharto. However, Hutomo Tommy Mandala Putra, Soehartos youngest son, recently threatened to sue her for claiming to have a working relationship with the family. Argo said both Rizieq and Firza could be charged under the 2008 Pornography Law if found guilty of producing or spreading pornographic content. Over the years Rizieq has earned notoriety for criminal offenses. In 2003, during the presidency of Megawati Soekarnoputri, he was jailed for eight months for ransacking bars and karaoke parlors in Jakarta. During Susilo Bambang Yudhoyonos presidency in 2008, Rizieq was sentenced to 30 months in jail after his followers attacked a group of people in a Pancasila parade. After a hiatus from 2010 and 2011 due to a serious illness, Rizieq resurfaced in 2013, calling Yudhoyono a loser. He then withdrew from the limelight in 2014 and 2015, and resurfaced in 2016 with the rallies. Rizieq and his band of FPI followers were formed in 1998, with its first task given by the Indonesian Military (TNI) to help find a solution to the separatist movement in Aceh, according to media reports at the time. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has temporarily diverted its flights intended for Adisucipto Airport in Yogyakarta to Adisumarmo Airport in Surakarta, Central Java, after one of its planes overshot an Adisucipto runway lane on Wednesday night. All of Garuda Indonesia flights heading toward Yogyakarta, for a total of 34 flights, now will [be diverted] to Surakarta, Garuda Indonesia VP of corporate communications Benny S. Butarbutar said in an official statement on Thursday. The flights include 10 coming from and going to Jakarta, three to and from Denpasar, Bali, two to and from Makassar, South Sulawesi, and one flight from Surabaya, East Java. The airline would provide a bus at Adisumarmo Airport to transport passengers to Yogyakarta. Garuda Indonesia is still evacuating the Boeing 737-800 NG, which slipped on the runway and overshot a lane on Wednesday night. It carried 123 passengers, none of whom were harmed. Garuda aims to finish evacuating the aircraft on Thursday afternoon. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 The government denied on Thursday it had any involvement in the alleged illegal tapping of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's phone call with Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma'ruf Amin. Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration could not conduct any tapping intervention except to enforce the law. "[Tapping can only be conducted by] the Corruption Eradication Commission, the National Police or the Attorney General in relation to law enforcement," Yasonna told reporters. (Read also: SBY calls for investigation into alleged "Watergate" scandal involving Ahok) Previously, Yudhoyono called on the police to begin a criminal investigation into the alleged illegal tapping, which he claimed was as nasty as the Watergate scandal. The minister responded to Yudhoyono's call to Jokowi to step in if it was proven that the ex-president's conversation with the senior Muslim cleric was tapped by or with the help of law enforcers. In a hearing at the North Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, Ahoks legal team accused Maruf of bias in issuing a fatwa, alleging that the Jakarta governor had committed blasphemy, after receiving the phone call from Yudhoyono. (dan) Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 The government has denied involvement in alleged illegal phone tapping of the private conversations of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, which the former president has dubbed the Watergate scandal. President Joko Jokowi Widodos administration had not and would not conduct phone tapping, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said, adding that it was impossible to do so unless it was a law enforcement measure. "We can't do [phone] tapping except if it is planned by the Corruption Eradication Commission, the National Police and the attorney general, which are related to law enforcement," Yasonna told journalists on Thursday. His response followed Yudhoyonos call to Jokowi on Wednesday to step in if it was proven that the alleged tapping of his conversation with Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Maruf Amin was executed by or with the help of law enforcement officials. The Democratic Party chairman lambasted the government after his name was mentioned during a hearing on Tuesday for Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnamas religious blasphemy case. Ahoks legal team claimed that Maruf, who appeared as a witness at the hearing, received a phone call from Yudhoyono related to support for his eldest son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, who is running against Ahok in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election. In the hearing, lawyer Humphrey Djemat also claimed that Maruf had been influenced by Yudhoyono regarding the issuance of an MUI recommendation alleging that Ahok had committed blasphemy. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 About a hundred houses in Surakarta and Sukoharjo in Central Java were inundated on Wednesday and Thursday after the river Bengawan Solo overflowed. Three subdistrictsSangkrah, Sewu, and Semanggiwere flooded and hundreds of families took shelter in tents supplied by local authorities. The water was rising at about 4 a.m. this morning, and it rose higher this afternoon, resident Wardoyo said on Thursday. He added that residents in his area had left their houses on Wednesday. A volunteer, Budi Utomo, said the Indonesian Red Cross and the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) had distributed food to the residents in shelters. Surakarta BPBD executive officer Gatot Sutanto said the water in the river had increased quickly since Wednesday evening. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2 2017 The people and the environment in Jakarta and Semarang are not resilient enough to withstand ecological disasters due to the impact of a series of reclamation projects in the cities, according to a recent study. Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) researcher Henny Warsilah recently measured the resilience of three major coastal cities in Java: Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya. The Paris I-Sorbonne University graduate concluded that out of the three cities, only Surabaya had built enough resilience, both environmentally and socially. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2 2017 The Indonesian government has stepped up its game in its cooperation with Japan to revitalize the railway connecting Jakarta and Surabaya, East Java, by reviewing an option to build a high-speed railway. The project, most likely to be carried out under a government-to-government scheme with Japan, previously aimed to transform the existing railway connecting the countrys capital with East Javas capital along the northern part of Java into a medium-speed railway. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi stated that President Joko Jokowi Widodo had given the opportunity for Japan to submit a proposal for both a medium-speed and high-speed railway. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Cilacap Thu, February 2, 2017 The General Elections Commissions (KPU) Cilacap regency in Central Java has requested the police and Indonesian Military (TNI) to safeguard five polling stations at Nusakambangan prison island on the simultaneous regional election on Feb. 15 to prevent inmates from trying to escape from the island. Earlier in January, two inmates escaped from the island by climbing over a fence that had been left unguarded. They were recaptured after being on the run for over a week. We will erect five polling stations on Nusakambangan prison island. So far, there are 416 voters, around 30 percent of the total number of inmates. Each polling station will be able to accommodate between 50 and 100 voters, KPU Cilacap regency head Sigit Kwartianto said on Thursday. We do hope that everything will be safe and sound. We have coordinated with the police and TNI [to beef up security], he added. (Read also: Personnel readied to secure regional elections in C. Java) There are three candidate pairs running in this years election, namely incumbent Tato Suwarto Pamuji Syamsul, Taufik Nurhidayat Faiqoh Subky and Fran Lukman Bambang Sutanto. Of the total Cilacap population of 1.8 million, there are 1.5 million eligible voters. Cilacap is one of seven regencies across Central Java holding elections this year. Other regencies are Brebes, Banjarnegara, Batang, Jepara, Pati and Salatiga. (trw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak Thu, February 2, 2017 Landak General Elections Commission (KPU Landak) in West Kalimantan is partnering with students from Pamane Talino School of Pedagogy and Education in Landak to help raise peoples awareness about sole-ticket elections. This year, 10 regions, including Landak regency, are set to see candidates run uncontested in the 2017 regional elections, which will be held simultaneously on Feb. 15 in 101 cities, regencies and provinces across Indonesia. The first time sole candidacies were seen was in the first simultaneous regional elections in 2015. (Read also: Blank box to compete with sole candidates) KPU Landak head Lomon said many Landak people wrongly believed that a sole candidate would win an election no matter what and that there was no point in voting if their preference was not the sole candidate. We have visited students and briefed them about the problems surrounding sole candidacy and asked them to help spread the right information to prevent low voter turnout, Lomon told The Jakarta Post. He added that the students were equipped with materials about the election mechanism in regions with sole tickets. The most important thing is that people can vote by either perforating the picture of the candidate or the blank box next to it, Lomon said. Landak regental candidate Karolin Margret Natasa.(Courtesy of karolin.id/File) Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Karolin Margret Natasa, who is the daughter of West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis, and incumbent Deputy Regent Heriyadi are the sole ticket in the Landak regental race. Should the majority of voters perforate the blank box, the KPU will hold another election. (bbs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) urged relevant authorities on Thursday to strongly enforce a code of ethics in court after Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and his lawyers made what it called "arrogant and impolite" statements during a session of his blasphemy trial. Ahok accused MUI chairman Maruf Amin, who testified in the trial on Wednesday, of bias in issuing an edict alleging the governor committed blasphemy. "The MUI deeply regrets the defendant [Ahok] and his lawyers statements about witness [Ma'aruf], which tended to [...] discredit the witness' testimony in an arrogant and impolite way," MUI deputy chairman Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi said during a press briefing at his office on Thursday. He added that he urged the Judicial Commission, Supreme Court and Attorney General Office to enforce court's code of ethics and to tightly monitor the trial to ensure it was run in accordance with the code. Ahok has since issued an apology in a written statement, saying that he did not mean to discredit Ma'ruf, who is also an elder of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's biggest Muslim organization whose members are known to highly respect their leaders and elders. In response, Maruf said that although he had yet to hear the apology, he would forgive someone who had asked forgiveness. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 The Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (Gapki) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Rectors Forum (FRI) on a link-and-match program to prepare skilled workers. Both parties also agreed to boost research and development related to the palm oil industry, Muryanto Amin of Gapkis education advocacy department said after the MoU signing in Jakarta on Thursday. The agreement was expected to pave the way for students from universities under the FRI to work as interns in various companies that hold Gapki membership so that they could be well prepared before moving into work in the sector, he added. (Read also: Oil palm production falls only slightly despite severe drought) This year, we also want to persuade several universities, especially ones specializing in agricultural majors or located in palm oil producing regions, to collaborate with us in conducting specific research about the palm oil industry, said Muryanto. The projected research areas include the utilization of peatland, preserving nature in oil palm plantation areas and technological innovations. We also want to disseminate to young generations that the palm oil industry is actually not damaging to the environment, as long as you work properly, Muryanto added. Gapki membership currently incorporates companies working on 644 oil palm plantations across the country. Gapki has predicted that the countrys palm oil production could rise by 16 percent to 35 million tons in 2017, after the impacts of the crop-damaging El Nino weather pattern disappeared at the end of last year. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Eva Aruperes (The Jakarta Post) Manado, North Sulawesi Thu, February 2, 2017 The North Sulawesi Police have prepared to deploy additional personnel to secure elections in two regencies in the province, namely Bolaang Mongondow (Bolmong) and Sangihe, which are both deemed prone to conflict. Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Ibrahim Tompo said tight security precautions had been taken in the two regencies set to carry out regional head elections on Feb. 15. We have dispatched 125 personnel to Bolmong and Sangihe to secure regional elections there. But we will deploy 150 more personnel in every police precinct, said Tompo. He further said it was hoped elections in Bolmong and Sangihe would run safely and smoothly. We are striving to give a guarantee of security for all people in the regencies. It is also hoped all societal elements can contribute to creating public order and security, he added. North Sulawesi General Elections Commission (KPU) data division head Zulkifly Golonggom said voters in Bolmong numbered 167,551, spread across 15 districts, 202 villages and 346 polling stations. Meanwhile Sangihe recorded 105,193 voters registered in 15 districts, 167 villages and 299 polling stations. Currently, KPU offices in the two regencies are still in the process of sorting and folding ballot papers. The distribution of the ballots to districts will be conducted three days before voting day, said Zulkifly. Two candidate pairs, HR Makaganza-Fransiscus Silangen and Jabes E. Gagana-Helmut Hontong, will compete in the Sangihe election. In Bomong, the Yasti Soepredjo Mokoagow-Yanny Tuuk and Salihi Bue Mokodongan-Jefri Tumelap candidate pairs will vie for voter support. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said Thursday that the police would question the leader of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Rizieq Shihab, for the second time next week in Bandung, West Java. The police have named Rizieq a suspect of defamation involving the state ideology of Pancasila and founding president Sukarno last Monday in relation to a sermon in which he spoke unfavorably about the two that went viral. Boy has yet to reveal the exact day of the questioning session. However, he reminded Rizieq not to mobilize supporters to protest during the interrogation, like he did on previous occasions. It will be safer if those we are questioning do not bring along supporters, Boy told a press briefing at the National Police headquarters, extending his call to all public figures who are currently facing legal processes with the police. Boy cited a traffic jam that happened in Bandung because of a large number of FPI members who flocked to the Central Java police station during a previous questioning of Rizieq. Bringing supporters may disturb public order. In addition to the alleged defamation of Pancasila and Sukarno, Rizieq is also facing investigations by the Jakarta Police for allegedly defaming the national currency in his remarks that the new rupiah bills displayed the communist symbol of a hammer and sickle. He has also been accused of blasphemy for denigrating the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity. (wit) A man charged in a Tuesday morning robbery has been connected to an attempted robbery that happened earlier that day, according to Lincoln police. Damion Scott, 19, was cited Thursday on suspicion of terroristic threats in the early incident and on Wednesday, he was charged with robbery and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest in the later incident. He's in jail on a $200,000 bail. A 25-year-old woman told police she looked outside just after midnight Tuesday and saw a man in her Ford Explorer parked near 27th and Garfield streets, Officer Katie Flood said. She went out to confront him, then saw two other men standing nearby. One of the men pulled what she believed was a handgun and pointed it at her, Flood said. He fired what was later determined to be a pellet gun, hitting her four times in her back, shoulder and wrist and causing non-life-threatening injuries, she said. In interviews with police, Scott denied shooting the pellet gun, Flood said. He and four other men are also accused of robbing a 33-year-old woman about 90 minutes later outside her home near 84th Street and Nebraska 2. She told police she got home from work and a man with a handgun got into the passenger side of her car and grabbed her purse, then ran off. She was not hurt. Soon after, Flood said, an officer spotted a car matching the description she gave and tried to stop it, but the driver took off and crashed a few blocks away. Police arrested Scott and Deante Mullen, 18, on suspicion of robbery, and Justin Smith, 19, Patrick McGhee, 22, and William Cole, 19, on suspicion of accessory to a robbery. Police found a purse belonging to the 33-year-old and a black pellet gun in the car that crashed in southeast Lincoln, Flood said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2 2017 South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd expects to gain a bigger share of Indonesias smartphone market by tapping into the youth segment. Apart from offering products that suit young peoples needs, the firm also aims to build a life-supporting ecosystem that targets millennials, executives of its Indonesian unit have said. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Winda A. Charmila (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 Property developer PT Pembangunan Jaya is to provide temporary kiosks for Senen Market traders affected by a fire two weeks ago, after the installment of rolling doors at Block V is completed in March. Senen Market superintendent Edi Santoso said Wednesday that he was optimistic all traders from the affected blocks I and II could be relocated next month. Those who do not have kiosks will be chosen randomly on Friday at the latest to get a slot in the Senen Market parking area, Edi told The Jakarta Post. The company also recorded the identity of kiosk owners at blocks I and II and would relocate them as soon as possible. More than 1,000 kiosks in block I and II of the Senen Market were destroyed when a fire burned for more than 24 hours. As a result, traders set up in the streets around the burned building, which also caused them to lose more than half of their daily revenues. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi Thu, February 2, 2017 Anti-corruption activists have called on authorities to carry out a complete investigation into corruption allegations implicating two candidates for regent in Jambi. The coordinator of the Jambi chapter of the Corruption Eradication National Movement (GNPK), Yuniyanto Arif, said the cases of alleged graft implicating Sarolangun incumbent candidate Cek Endra and Muarojambi candidate Ivan Wirata, a former head of the Jambi Public Works Agency, must get serious attention from all anti-corruption agencies in the province. GNPK Jambi activists wanted law enforcers, both police and personnel from the prosecutors office, to completely investigate these cases, he said. Investigation into the Jambi Public Works Agency must be conducted not only on low-ranking officials but up to the agencys head, namely Ivan Wirata, said Yuniyanto on Wednesday. The GNPK Jambi recently reported graft allegations involving both regent candidates to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Attorney Generals Office (AGO). Cek Endra was reported over alleged corruption related to the disbursement of Rp 36 billion (US$2.69 million) worth of Sarolangun regional infrastructure development acceleration funds for the 2011 fiscal year. He was also accused of having been involved in the improper use of K2 contract worker funds worth Rp 42 billion. Meanwhile, Ivan was reported over alleged corruption related to the construction of the 5-kilometer-long Suak Kandis-Simpang village highway worth Rp 2.4 billion in 2012. We appreciate the Jambi Prosecutors Office [Kejati], which has detained four suspects in this case, but we want the police and the prosecutors office to also investigate Ivan, because he was the agencys head when the case occurred. We suspect his involvement, said Yuniyanto. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 Ride-hailing application Uber Indonesia is tapping into the tourism market in Bali, the main entry point for foreign tourists into Indonesia, with the recent launch of its UberTRIP service. UberTRIP, originally launched on the resort island in November last year, enables users to hire an Uber car and driver for more than five hours to explore tourist destinations in Bali. It will cost users Rp 300,000 (US$22.5) for five hours and Rp 1,000 per additional minute. In each city, we are given the opportunity to launch new products that can match local demand. In Bali, we see that other than UberX, there is a demand from passengers to be able to use Uber car services for longer periods of time, Uber public policy and government affairs head for Indonesia John Colombo said on Wednesday. (Read also: KPU partners with Uber to boost election awareness) Uber said the service would be useful for foreign tourists who might be unable to speak Indonesian, noting that six out of 10 Uber users in Bali are tourists, a figure that also includes domestic tourism. Indonesia itself aims to attract 15 million foreign tourists this year, from 12 million tourists last year. Meanwhile, Uber Indonesia communication head Dian Safitri said the company was continuing to with car rental business cooperatives in Bali for its service. It currently works with KSU ASEP for Bali, while it works with various other cooperatives in other cities, including Jasa Trans Usaha Bersama (JTUB) in Jakarta. (fsu/hwa) This article previously appeared under the title Uber to expand business to Bali. The title and some information from the previous article have been revised to maintain accuracy. The editor. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Leila B. Salaverria (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) Manila Thu, February 2, 2017 A human rights expert from the United Nations welcome the suspension of the Philippines deadly war on drugs, but insisted that an investigation on the unlawful deaths is still needed. Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, has welcomed the suspension of police anti-drug operations in the country. But Callamard also said this must be coupled with an investigation of all the unlawful killings, and those responsible must be held accountable. A pause in the war on drugs is welcomed. It must include Investigation of all unlawful death, accountability, reparation, Callamard said on her Twitter account. Callamard has expressed interest in conducting an inquiry into the drug-related killings in the country, but the plan has hit a snag. The Philippines invitation to her came with conditions from President Rodrigo Duterte, including a public debate with him. Callamard had asked the government to lift the restrictions, saying they run counter to the terms of reference and code of conduct for rapporteurs. But Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay earlier said the Philippine government would insist on the conditions. This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 Adisutjipto International Airport in Yogyakarta remains closed on Thursday after a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-800 airplane carrying 123 passengers from Jakarta to Yogyakarta skidded off the runway while landing last night, a Garuda Indonesia official said. The airport is still closed until further notice. We will move the skipped airplane as soon as possible, Vice president of corporate communications at Garuda Indonesia Benny Butarbutar told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. (Read also: Garuda aircraft skids off runway in Yogyakarta) According to Benny, the accident happened at 7:42 p.m. on Wednesday when the rain was pouring hard. All passengers were safe. The pilots of the flight were Capt. Rio Kurnia and Aulia Riyani and five cabin crew members were on board. He said the rain made the runway slippery. The aircraft was still on the runway, Benny said. (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dandy Koswaraputra (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta, Central Java, reopened at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday after being temporarily closed following an accident involving a Garuda Indonesia aircraft on Wednesday night, the flag carriers spokesperson said. We have moved the skidded airplane to a parking area, Garuda Indonesia vice president of corporate communications Benny Butarbutar told The Jakarta Post. (Read also: Garuda diverts Yogyakarta flights to Surakarta after runway accident) A Boeing 737-800 aircraft carrying 123 passengers from Jakarta to Yogyakarta skidded off the runway while landing at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday due to heavy rain and wet ground, according to Benny. We hope flight schedules will be back to normal this afternoon, he said. Benny said all of Garuda Indonesia flights heading toward Yogyakarta, for a total of 34 flights, which are now diverted to Surakarta. The flights include 10 coming from and going to Jakarta, three to and from Denpasar, Bali, two to and from Makassar, South Sulawesi, and one flight from Surabaya, East Java. (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, February 2, 2017 Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono denied an allegation that he was behind the Indonesian Ulema Councils (MUI) decision to issue a recommendation to categorize a speech by Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, which cited a Quranic verse, as blasphemous. Yudhoyono admitted there was a conversation between him and MUI chairman Ma'aruf Amin in October 2016 when his son Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono wanted blessings from the council for his gubernatorial candidacy. We talked on the phone at that time because I could not accompany Agus to visit the MUI. We were only asking each other what the best time was for us to meet to talk about Islam and other issues in the country. There was nothing else, Yudhoyono said on Wednesday. The Democratic Party patron said Agus, his oldest son, was a grown man who no longer needed his father to do everything for him or to take him everywhere. He said the recent accusation made by Ahoks legal team was a serious thing and needed to be investigated. I hope Pak Ahok and his legal team could hand me the transcript of my phone call. Otherwise it [the allegation] could have been manipulated, he continued. (Read also: SBY calls for investigation into alleged "Watergate" scandal involving Ahok) Yudhoyono was responding to a statement made by Ahoks legal defense team that Ma'ruf had exercised bias in issuing a recommendation about the governors alleged blasphemy. During the eighth hearing of Ahoks blasphemy trial on Tuesday, lawyer Humphrey Djemat claimed Maruf, who testified as a witness, received a phone call from Yudhoyono on Oct. 6. That was one day before a meeting between executives of Indonesias largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and Agus, who is running in the Jakarta gubernatorial election with Sylviana Murni, took place at the NU headquarters. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, February 3 2017 After facing a public relations disaster following a recent incident when one of its pilots appeared to be drunk while in the cockpit, budget carrier Citilink seems to want only one thing: a fresh start. The airline, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, confirmed on Thursday that its shareholders had officially dismissed president director Albert Burhan and operational director Hadinoto Soedigno, a month after they submitted their resignations soon after the embarrassing incident. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, February 3 2017 National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has temporarily diverted its flights intended for Adisutjipto International Airport in Yogyakarta to Adi Sumarmo International Airport in Surakarta, Central Java, after one of its planes overshot the runway at Adisutjipto on Wednesday night. All of Garuda Indonesia flights heading toward Yogyakarta, for a total of 34 flights, now will [be diverted] to Surakarta, Garuda Indonesia VP of corporate communications Benny S. Butarbutar said in an official statement on Thursday. The flights include 10 coming from and going to Jakarta, three to and from Denpasar, Bali, two to and from Makassar, South Sulawesi, and one flight from Surabaya, East Java. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login An inmate at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution assaulted a staff member Wednesday, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. The inmate hit the staff member once in the head with a homemade weapon about 6 p.m. in a housing unit, a news release said. Other staff in the area used force to subdue the inmate and stop the assault, the release said. The staff member was released after medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Neither the staff member's name nor that of the inmate will be released. The incident will be investigated, and the findings submitted to the Johnson County attorney, the release said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, February 3 2017 The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has decided not to press charges against Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama for making the allegation that its senior cleric Maruf Amin had lied under oath during his testimony for the formers blasphemy trial. MUI made the decision following a meeting between Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, one of the senior ministers in President Joko Jokowi Widodos cabinet, and Maruf late on Wednesday, during which the cleric issued a statement forgiving Ahok. In the meeting with Maruf, Luhut was joined by Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan and Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Teddy Lhaksmana. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Fri, February 3 2017 Former Belawan Police narcotics unit chief Adj. Comr. Ichwan Lubis was sentenced to two and a half years by the Medan District Court, North Sumatra, on Wednesday in a drug-related bribery and money laundering case. The officer was found guilty of accepting and laundering Rp 2.55 billion (US$18.5 million) from an international drug dealer. He must also pay Rp 1 billion in fines or serve an additional four months in prison if he is unable to pay. He was found guilty of violating Article 137 of Law No. 35/2009 on narcotics and Article 5 of Law No. 8/2010 on money laundering. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Manila Thu, February 2, 2017 The Philippine president has prohibited another key law enforcement agency from carrying out his deadly anti-drug crackdown after banning the national police from the campaign because of corruption. President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday his decision to exclude the National Bureau of Investigation the Philippine counterpart to America's FBI from the crackdown left him with fewer enforcers and raised the need for him to tap the military to help wage the campaign. Duterte says he will issue a formal order to harness troops in the fight against illegal drugs, which he has elevated into a national security threat. (Read also: Duterte: Junkies are not humans) Duterte again lashed out at critics of his campaign, including the dominant Roman Catholic church and U.S. officials, saying he did not feel like sending a Filipino ambassador to Washington. Editors note: This opinion piece was submitted by Christopher Marte, a Democratic candidate for City Council in District 1. The Lo-Down welcomes op/ed submissions from members of the Lower East Side community via the following email address: tips@thelodownny.com. Op/ed articles on this website reflect only the point-of-view of the author and not the editorial position of The Lo-Down. Growing up in the Lower East Side, I went to school and sat side by side with children of immigrants from all across the globe. We didnt think about living the American dream, we were too young to recognize the sacrifices and obstacles our parents made and overcame. We were just children of people who had been welcomed into a country that had welcomed immigrants since its founding. But children today do not get to enjoy this same naivete. They see the stories of their parents portrayed as alien, the travels of their families called illegal, and they listen to a President who wants to force their parents back to the dangers they fled in their countries of origin. My parents followed in the footsteps of millions who came before them when they arrived in Lower Manhattan, looking to live the American dream. But today that well-worn trail has been severed with a roadblock. It is inhumane to judge somebody based on where they are from, and it defies the core values of our country. And this is why I do not believe this barricade of bigotry is insurmountable. New York has always been the starting line. It was the starting line for our country as the nations first capital, it was the starting line for the Dutch before there even was a nation. Since then the Irish workers, the Jewish families, the Chinese store owners, and countless of other immigrant groups have created one of the most cherished and beautiful corners of Manhattan. This neighborhood should not fade away as a vestigial limb of our national body. Rather, as anyone who has walked the streets of Chinatown, or visited a bodega in the Lower East Side, or stood in awe of the towers in the financial district can tell you, this community is a beacon of openness in a country that is increasingly closed off. But if you listen to our President, he has told us that these open borders, these immigrant communities are toxic to our nation. He has rejected the truth we know. The truth that without immigrants, there is no nation. He has told us there is a difference between us and them, between citizens and immigrants, legals and illegals. But just in the past 8 days since the inauguration, we are proving him wrong. We marched in the streets as an entire genders rights were threatened, we chanted in the park as an entire religion was called dangerous, and we rallied at the airport as entire countries were closed off from our borders. I stand with my fellow New Yorkers in supporting our rights to organize at the airport, in the park, in the streets and in the courtroom. I stand with my fellow New Yorkers in remembrance of the immigrants who built our district, who built our city, who built our country, and I stand in acknowledgment of the millions that continue to do so. In these times of uncertainty we have to maintain our energy, our perseverance, our resistance. We cannot let two hundred years of progress be cut down in a few weeks or months. This battle may last four years and we need to hold ourselves accountable: staying alert, informed and ready to protect the values and principles of this land that we call home. Cindy Lange-Kubick Columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick has loved writing columns about life in her hometown since 1994. She had hoped to become a people person by now, nonetheless she would love to hear your tales of fascinating neighbors and interesting places. Follow Cindy Lange-Kubick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The bakery manager is leading me to where the paczki magic happens -- the cavernous kitchen in the back of the Russs Market on 33rd Street, south of Nebraska 2. Liz Bishop shows me the balls of butter-rich paczki dough in the cooler, the toasty warm rising room, the giant vat of oil for turning the dough golden brown, the tubs of powdered sugar and buckets of gooey fillings that make the Polish Paczki a paczki. Perhaps youve seen the oval pastries, bigger than a cake doughnut, smaller than a fritter -- like a Long John from another mother -- at your local Russs store. Nestled in boxes of four or eight, red ink proclaiming the unpronounceable 300-calorie wonders within? Paczki? PA-za-ke? PAW-awk-ee? Pas-Key? Pay-kkkkk-e? That would be POONCH-key, to you and me. Where the n comes from I do not know. As for the oo, ask a linguist. What I do know is that a paczki is a doughnut without a hole, stuffed with any number of sweet fillings and rolled in powdered sugar or sugar and cinnamon or glazed like a windshield in an ice storm -- and beloved by millions. When Liz started as bakery manager here eight years ago, she wasnt familiar with the paczki, she says, but she learned. It started as a way for European housewives to use up their rich ingredients prior to Lent. Like the eggs, the butter, the sugar and thats why the paczki is richer than a regular doughnut. The Lincoln-based chain began selling the traditional Polish pastries more than 20 years ago, said marketing director Marty Jarvis. Our bakery director found out about them when he went to a national bakers conference, Marty said. One of the conference leaders was Carl Richardson, aka, Mr. Paczki. The grocery store man from Michigan had stumbled across paczkis in a small-town bakery and began promoting them. (He died last year, co-founder of the National Paczki Promotional Board and a tireless paczki advocate. You dont have to be Polish to polish off a paczki, he told the Wall Street Journal in 2000.) And thus, with the help of Mr. Paczki, the pastry arrived in Lincoln. He was instrumental in getting us the details and the training to make them from scratch in our stores, Marty said. And true to the paczkis use-it-or-lose-it-before-Lent origins, the Lincoln grocer begins selling paczkis in early January and shuts down production on Fat Tuesday. (Also known as Paczki Day in American cities with large Polish populations). Here, paczki sales started slow, but they've risen to more than 3,000 paczkis per day in six Russs Market locations -- five in Lincoln and one in Hastings. (Paczkis are also sold in Super Saver stores, where I stumbled upon them a few years ago, puzzled and intrigued.) I tasted my first paczki Wednesday. May I recommend the white cream-filled dipped in powdered sugar? And for those who want to taste (and or test) their capacity for paczkis, may I recommend the annual Paczki Eating Contest at all six Russs Market locations at 2 p.m. Saturday? (A special celebrity edition will take place at the 66th and O store.) Everyone gets an eight-count box, Marty said. No one finishes it, and they get to take the rest home. Liz, the bakery manager on 33rd Street, will be at her store for the competition -- with separate categories for children and adults, a two-minute time limit and small wastebaskets for those who overdo. She wont be participating, she says, walking me back from the kitchen to the front of the store, where boxes of paczkis are stacked, waiting to be sold. Just the mere thought makes me turn green. Its not that she doesnt care for the Polish pastries that have a rich history and are on sale this week (four for $3 or an eight-pack for $4.99). She likes them just fine, Liz says, the apricot-filled glazed most of all. But Ive had my one for the season. Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel recorded a video message shared with employees Wednesday, urging them to support and reassure immigrant and refugee students in the wake of President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants from seven countries. It is during these times of confusion and concern that our students and families need us the most -- when it is most essential we pay attention to our childrens needs for reassurance and safety, he said. In the five-minute message, Joel makes an impassioned plea to teachers and other employees to set politics aside and uphold the districts philosophy of educating students of all nationalities and religions -- and of making sure families know school is a place that will remain stable and safe. Over the weekend, Trump issued an executive order that bans people from seven predominately Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely. The countries the order names are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. About 3,200 LPS students come from 116 countries and speak 68 different languages. More than 1,200 come from the countries named in the executive order, predominately from Iraq. Joel has spoken before about the need to make sure students feel safe, drawing in part from his experience as superintendent of Grand Island Public Schools in 2006, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials staged a raid on the Swift meatpacking plant there, taking into custody 278 people -- many of them parents of school children. In an interview, Joel said he decided to send the message to employees because of the uncertainty caused by the travel ban. Some students are afraid that relatives who have gone to their home countries won't be able to come back. And principals have said theres a lot of tension at schools. In the video message, he encouraged LPS employees to seek help from counselors, social workers or others if students need extra support. I believe we are each entitled to our own personal views and opinions and we need to respect one another and those views and opinions, Joel said. But I also believe when it comes to our children we need to leave politics at the door. As educators we must continue to uphold our philosophy of honoring and educating students of all nationalities (and) religions, to remain committed in working with the rich texture and diversity of ideas, talent and experiences that all students and families bring to our school and our community and our state. Despite confusing times, he said, the districts purpose is clear: to provide a safe, positive learning environment for all students. This is our legacy. This is what we do. This is whats important, he said. And we are going to shine through this as a beacon of light and hope for all our children because their success is what matters most. Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page Following a three-year review, the Higher Learning Commission issued its approval of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the university said Thursday. In maintaining its accreditation with the commission, UNL will continue to meet the requirements needed to receive federal funds for research and student financial aid. UNL has been continuously accredited by the commission, one of six regional accreditors recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, since 1913; its last accreditation was awarded in 2006. We are pleased to receive this very good news, said Executive Vice Chancellor Donde Plowman. We appreciate the thoroughness, thoughtfulness and engagement of the Higher Learning Commission during this extensive review process. Over the past two years, faculty, staff and students compiled an assurance argument that demonstrates how UNL was meeting criteria in areas tied to its mission, ethical conduct, teaching and learning practices and institutional resources and planning. In October, a nine-member team of administrators from the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences met with members of the UNL community in Lincoln to review the standards in person. Plowman credited the acting dean of the universitys graduate studies, Laurie Bellows, for her work leading UNLs part of the process. The commission recognized that throughout the university there is clear evidence of a drive to continuously improve institutional performance, Plowman said in a statement. 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Homeless Phuket man found with B100,000 in cash given temporary shelter, bank account PHUKET: A homeless and disabled Phuket resident, who was first believed to have been begging at Wat Chalong Fair, was taken to a temporary shelter and also to open a bank account by Phuket Police yesterday when he was found to be keeping B100,000 in cash earned from selling old and disused items on his person. crimehealthpropertypolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Thursday 2 February 2017, 11:21AM At 6:15pm yesterday, Lt Col Suchart Singha of the Chalong Police was informed that a group of beggars were operating at Wat Chalong Fair. At 7pm, after learning about the allegations, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Teeraphol Thipjaroen together with Col Chukiet Imjaitham and Lt Col Parinya Tanthasuwan of the Chalong Police, Mr Natthatwat Khwanpan from the Phuket Provincial Social Development and Security Office and Mr Suphawatthagun Khunnaluck of Chalong Municipality went to the area to carry out an inspection to see if they could find the beggars. Soon after they found a man with a disability to his left leg, who they assumed was part of the team, and took him to quiet area to question and search him. During the search officials found that the man, named as Mr Hokjai Saeong, 67, from Phuket, had a bag containing coins and B20 notes totalling approximately B1,000 in his possession. I only have this money with me, Mr Hokjai told officials. However, after searching Mr Hokjai further, Mr Suphawatthagun discovered an unusual bulge around his waist. As soon as officials tried to touch the bulge Mr Hokjai pushed their hands away. It was then found that Mr Hokjai had several bags containing cash strapped around his waist. Officials asked Mr Hokjai to remove the bags, which at first he was reluctant to do. However, he finally removed the bags and officials discovered it was 13 bags containing equal amounts of money. After counting all the bags of money officials found the cash totalled no less than B100,000. Maj Gen Teeraphol said, We discovered that Mr Hokjai was not actually a beggar as we first believed but was in fact a homeless man who sold old and disused items and that this was how he collected all the money. He told us that as he is homeless he has to carry the money on him all the time, he said. As we were concerned that he might lose or have the money stolen we first took him to the Mit Maitri Home Phuket temporary shelter and then to open a bank account, Maj Gen Teeraphol added. Although there were notable exceptions, Donald Trump famously lost the conservative intelligentsia - and went on to do quite well electorally without us. But conservative scholars will, I predict, be virtually unanimous in their praise of the president's choice of Judge Neil Gorsuch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to succeed Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. I know firsthand why: Gorsuch's combination of outstanding intellectual and personal qualities places him in the top rank of American jurists. If confirmed, as I expect him easily to be, he will certainly be a good justice and has the potential to be a great one. Gorsuch and I have worked together on academic projects, most notably when I was the editor of the Princeton University Press book series for which he wrote "The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia" -- an impressive, deeply scholarly book that was praised by bioethicists (including the liberal Daniel Callahan and the conservative John Keown) as well as academic lawyers - in 2006. The book critically engages the work of scholars (including myself) across a range of disciplines and representing a spectrum of viewpoints. Gorsuch went the extra mile in ensuring that his treatment of the work of other writers - especially those with whom he disagrees - was sympathetic and impeccably accurate. His sheer fair-mindedness was the thing I found most striking about working with him. When it comes to fitness for judicial office, the first criterion usually considered is intellect and education, and here Gorsuch is off the charts. Even people who do not share his political outlook or judicial philosophy, but have read his judicial opinions, recognize him as an intellectual superstar. Anyone who has heard him speak, and especially anyone who has spoken with him, probably has had that impression strongly reinforced. His opinions are marked by analytical depth and precision and remarkably lucid writing. In selecting Gorsuch, President Donald Trump has without question fulfilled his pledge to appoint a justice in the mold of Antonin Scalia - a conservative intellectual leader. Even those of us who refused to get on the Trump train after his nomination have to acknowledge that. But one respect in which Gorsuch is unlike Scalia is that he is not fiery or pugnacious. Rather, his demeanor is scholarly - one might even say bookish. Of course, most people are interested above all in how he is likely to vote on hot-button issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control, campaign finance reform and religious freedom. In the confirmation hearings, he will no doubt do what another friend of mine, Justice Elena Kagan, did and basically refuse to discuss these issues on the ground that they are likely to come before him. I expect what just about everyone else expects: Gorsuch, who greatly admired Scalia, thinks about the constitutional issues in these areas pretty much the same way Scalia did. If Democrats are looking for a point of vulnerability in either Gorsuch's integrity or impartiality, they won't find it. He is basically a Boy Scout. He's a faithful husband, a good father, a caring neighbor, a generous friend, a man of probity who holds himself to the highest ethical standards. Oh, and he will bring religious diversity to a Court that is entirely Catholic and Jewish: He's an Episcopalian. As Gorsuch himself has frequently observed, including in a widely noted tribute to Scalia, good judges sometimes have to vote or rule in ways they do not like - because that is what the law requires. Indeed, he noted, if a judge does not sometimes find himself voting or ruling against his own personal beliefs about politics or morality, as Scalia himself famously did in holding that the desecration of the American flag is political expression protected by the First Amendment, that is a sure sign that he is failing to do justice according to law. Naked, knife-wielding foreigner terrorises Pattaya market CHONBURI: A naked foreign man, thought to be a Russian, was overpowered after using a sharp knife and screwdriver to destroy goods and terrorise people in Pattaya in the early hours of this morning. crimeRussianpoliceviolence By Bangkok Post Thursday 2 February 2017, 04:43PM A naked foreign man, armed with a knife and a screw driver, walks along a soi in Pattaya Klang, Nong Prue in Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri, as police try to stop him. Photo: Post Today The man was running amok in shops at Mae Wilai market in Pattaya Klang area of Bang Lamung district when police arrived around 12.30am today (Feb 2), said Maj Pwatchai Sudsakhon, Deputy Crime Suppression Chief at Pattaya Police Station. The crazed man, aged between 25-30, did not cease his wild antics upon seeing the police. The officers followed him down the street and finally overpowered him about 20 minutes later, with the help of passers-by. He was taken to Pattaya Police Station. Thongyib Chomdee, 52, a vendor, said the man threatened people with the knife and screwdriver and destroyed goods being sold at the market. When the man saw her, he walked straight towards her shop. Terrified, she immediately locked the door to keep him out, she said. The naked man shook the door violently, trying to enter the shop. This was shortly before police arrived, the frightened vendor said. A video of the incident on Facebook showed the police following him and eventually catching him, and the naked man babbling on in heavily accented English, at one time mentioning many gangs in Pattaya. Read original story here. Thai woman, 29, dead after Phuket motorbike crash PHUKET: A 29-year-old Thai woman died in the early hours of this morning after crashing her motorbike into an electricity pylon on Soi Towdang Uthit Rd in Rawai. accidentsdeathtransportpolice By Yutthawat Lekmak Thursday 2 February 2017, 12:14PM Rescue worker attend to the woman at the scene of the accident. Photo: Chalong Police Lt Col Sakkarin Sangjaroen of the Chalong Police was informed of an accident at 3:04am today (Feb 2) where it was reported that a Thai woman had crashed her motorbike into an electricity pylon on Soi Towdang Uthit Rd in Rawai. We were told that the woman, Jiraporn Prakotr, 29, from Roi Et, was heading towards her home in Soi Towdang Uthit Rd when she lost control of her bike and crashed into the pylon, Lt Col Sakkarin told The Phuket News. She had sustained serious injuries as a result of the crash, and when the rescue team arrived she was not breathing. The team performed CPR before taking her to Vachira Phuket Hospital. Near her body was a red Yamaha motorbike, and we can confirm she was wearing a helmet, Lt Col Sakkarin said. At 3:20am we received information that Ms Jiraporn had because of her injuries. Her relatives has been notified, Lt Col Sakkarin added. UK Intellectual Property expert Weatherley to lead Phuket Business Dinner on Brexit PHUKET: The British Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (BCCT), will host a Phuket Business Dinner at the Amari Phuket in Patong on Monday, Feb 13, with guest speaker Michael Weatherley focusing on the topic Brexit Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. economicspolitics By The Phuket News Thursday 2 February 2017, 05:11PM Michael Weatherley was active in the Conservative Party pushing the Prime Minister to hold an EU referendum and was a keen supporter of Brexit. The event, organised in collaboration with French, German and Netherlands Chambers of Commerce, will start at 6:30pm and conclude at 9pm. Appointed Vice Chairman of Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (Los Angeles) & Motion Picture Licensing Company International (MPLC) in London in June 2015, Mr Weatherley currently handles studio and government relations and acts as the World Wide Board Director of the worlds largest non-theatrical licensing company, operating in 34 countries. Before joining MPLC, Mr Weatherley served as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) from 2010-2015 for Hove, focusing on intellectual property (IP) and copyright issues; and in September 2013 Prime Minster David Cameron appointed Mr Weatherley the first-ever Intellectual Property Rights Advisor to a PM. Mr Weatherley left Parliament in May 2015. During his term as IP Advisor, he wrote four internationally acclaimed reports. He continues to support and campaign for IP rights, attending conferences around the world and attending meetings with officials worldwide to discuss his recommendations for the European Commission on how to apply these observations to the current legislation talking place in other countries. Mr Weatherley was active in the Conservative Party pushing the Prime Minister to hold an EU referendum and was a keen supporter of Brexit. In addition to IP and Brexit issues, Mr Weatherley was Chairman of the Asian All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), and the APPG for Small Shops and APPG Small Businesses. Mr Weatherley is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant, owning a manufacturing business in Sussex prior to 2000, winning Sussex Company of the Year and awarded two Queens Awards one for Export and the other for Enterprise. To register for the event, click here. Cost is B890, including inter-buffet & soft drinks. Payment direct at the door. The Phuket News is a proud media sponsor of the BCCT Business Dinner series. Credit Councilwoman Leirion Gaylor Baird for quick reflexes on the need to reduce the citys property tax rate in reaction to the spike in property values in the latest reassessment. Some homeowners probably hadnt even got around to checking their valuations before Gaylor Baird fired out a press release that she would lead an effort to trim the citys property tax rate. Not only was Gaylor Baird the quickest, she is also right. Other parts of local government Lincoln Public Schools and the Lancaster County government are the biggest -- should adopt the same objective. The rapid increase in property values in Lincoln pushed upward by market demand -- would provide a windfall if elected officials leave property tax rates where they are. Home values in Lincoln jumped an average of 12.5 percent based on preliminary assessments, according to Lancaster County Assessor Norm Agena. Normally Agena and his staff do countywide assessments every three years. But Agena moved up the schedule in response to the hot retail market, which is exactly what he should have done. The state of Nebraska has rules that residential and commercial property in all counties must be assessed between 92 and 100 percent of market value. Failing to keep up will trigger a state review. The state Tax Equalization and Review Commission has authority to step in and order the increases. Its preferable to keep the process under local control. If the City Council leaves the rate where it is, City Hall could collect an additional $2 million to $3.5 million in property taxes, based on preliminary assessments. Leirion pointed out that next year the city will be in the second year of a two-year budget. Our tax levy is set to meet the needs of our budget. With this early and unexpected revaluation, Lincoln homeowners are, in ee3ssence, seeing a tax increase one that was not intended and is likely not needed to meet our budget requirements, the councilwomen said. For her trouble, Gaylor Baird was assailed by J.P. Sabby of the Lancaster County Republican Party. The local GOP increasingly has been inserting itself into city government politics, which is officially and by vote of the people, nonpartisan. From the sounds like local GOP operatives intend to try to pick Gaylor Baird off in the upcoming spring election simply because she is a Democrat. If they actually cared about governance, they would support her proposed cut in the property tax. Heres a suggestion on how Sabby and his henchmen could better utilize their time and talents. They ought to get together with Nebraskas all-Republican delegation in Congress to come up with a strategy to limit the damage that President Donald Trump is doing to Nebraskas economy with his anti-trade policies. Gaylor Baird is right to lead an effort to trim the city property tax rate. We wish her success. How many people have already voted absentee in South Dakota ahead of Election Day? elections I've got to love recent, numerous opinion letters in regards to the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, like the one from Jordan Milliken (" Representatives risking Nebraskans' lives ," Jan. 23), that read "ideas...should be presented, vetted and publicly weighed" or John Wild's submission ("Transparency needed in ACA replacement," Jan. 23), that read "the situation cries out for full transparency by Congress." Where were these two bleeding-heart liberals and others with similar letters to the editor when their revered democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, came up with the line "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what's in it?" It hurts when the shoe is on the other foot, doesn't it guys? Nebraska lawmakers debated a bill that could pave a way for Gage County to pay a $28.1 million judgment issued by a federal jury last year in the wrongful conviction of six people for a 1985 murder. Joseph White, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Thomas Winslow, James Dean, Kathleen Gonzalez and Debra Shelden spent a combined 75 years in prison for the beating death of Helen Wilson in her Beatrice apartment. After DNA evidence implicated a seventh person decades later, the six were cleared, and they sued Gage County, former Deputy Sheriff Burdette Searcey, Reserve Deputy Wayne Price and others for violating their civil rights. In July, a federal jury awarded five of them, plus the estate of White, a total of $28.1 million, three times Gage Countys annual operations budget. The county appealed the decision to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and is looking for ways to satisfy the judgment. One option, available to government entities in Nebraska since 1969, is the Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act, which established a method for people to sue political subdivisions in Nebraska and offered those subdivisions a chance to apply for low-interest loans from the state treasurers office to pay claims if they didn't have insurance that would cover them or could not raise taxes to do so. In October, attorneys for the six suggested Gage County ask about such a loan, but the state said it could not because the award was made in federal court, not state court. The bill (LB353) debated Wednesday was introduced by Sen. Roy Baker of Lincoln and would open the door for Gage County to apply by adding federal court judgments to the list of allowable claims. It does not mandate cities, counties and school districts to ask for the loans. Whats the county to do if the appeals are exhausted and all steps are taken? Baker asked the committee. At the end of the day, if none of those things are successful, then someone is going to have to pay something. Baker said the judgment was the result of actions by a small group of people, not the county as a whole. The rest of the people of Gage County didnt have any more to do with it than any of us, he said. But Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said voters there elected the officials responsible and should bear the result. Lets not make this a matter of good people, he said. Its a matter of some very bad things being done by those who represented that county, and they brought the liability with them. No one representing the county testified, but Gage County Supervisors Myron Dorn and John Hill were in the hearing room, as was the team of private-practice attorneys representing the county. The County Board talked about the legislation Wednesday morning, and Supervisor Erich Tiemann said he asked Baker not to sponsor it, describing the bill as an open purse for lawyers seeking to sue political subdivisions in the state. Gage County Attorney Roger Harris advised the board to wait until the appeals process is completed, adding that passage of Bakers bill could complicate settlement negotiations with the six. But attorney Jeffry Patterson, who represents four of the six, told the Judiciary Committee he has not talked with the county since the judgment was handed down. County Board Chairman Dorn said he's skeptical the bill will advance out of committee. All of a sudden -- all the funding issues they have -- and theyre going to make more funds available for something? I dont see them doing it. Patterson, who took the issue to the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys with Maren Lynn Chaloupka, another attorney representing the six, said the bill would give Gage County a way to pay the judgment promptly. What isnt outlined in state law, he said, is a procedure for addressing the situation Gage County faces right now where their ability to levy and collect tax doesnt meet (the $28.1 million judgment). Answering questions from Chambers, Patterson said the bill would not create unforeseen circumstances because the state treasurer would be required to review all applications. Three Gage County residents testified against the bill, saying county officials acted on behalf of the state during the cold-case investigation and prosecution of the six and that the state should pay the judgment. This situation is not the fault of the Gage County taxpayers, said Don Schuller, chairman of the county Democrats. The county is a subdivision of the state and the state has a responsibility to the county taxpayers in assisting the financial obligation of the judgment. Former District 30 Sen. Norm Wallman of Cortland noted that county officials used the death penalty -- a tool granted by the state -- as leverage over the six to obtain confessions from all but White. Chambers, who earlier said he was angered by that threat, noted again that the people of Gage County elected or hired the people involved. When people make a hard bed for themselves, they have to lay in it, he said. Greg Lauby, who has helped organize meetings of county property owners to discuss the potential effects of the proposed legislation, said he's worried that political subdivisions that apply for the low-interest loans could then levy high taxes to pay them back. Lauby asked the committee to delay consideration of the issue until it considers another bill introduced by Baker. That bill (LB656) expands the Nebraska Claims for Wrongful Conviction Act by adding wrongful incarceration as an offense that could be considered by the State Claims Board. It's set for a hearing on March 8. By Max Fenton fentonma@grinnell.edu In the aftermath of World War II, the United States embarked on an aggressive campaign of finding, prosecuting, and executing Axis war criminals. In the years after Japan surrendered in August 1945 and the Allied military occupation began shortly thereafter, a series of war crime tribunals were founded to try Japanese military officials. Arguably the most well-known of these courts, the Tokyo War Crimes Trials, tried over 5,700 Japanese officials for conventional, common crimes against humanity and wartime atrocities. One of the most conventional of these crimes was torture. Records and testimony show that multiple Japanese military officers utilized a wide array of cruel torture methods. One such method of torture reported by Allied POWs in Japan was the dreaded water torture or water treatment, wherein massive amounts of water were poured onto victims whose faces were often covered with cloth. This was to simulate the experience of drowning, and ultimately inflict psychological and physical damage to elicit a confession or information. Court records and eventual convictions indicate that this water torture was considered one of the most despicable and serious of torture methods, and several Japanese generals were eventually executed for ordering its use. 70 years later, water torture became a topic of great discussion once again, though it is no longer known by that name. It has since become known as waterboarding, infamous for its endorsement by the Bush Administration during the failed War on Terror. The authorization for such atrocities came from the highest echelons of the Department of Defense and the CIA. Since the revelation of torture and other atrocities committed by American soldiers during that lengthy conflict against an imaginary, amorphous enemy, the United States no longer has the moral high ground when it comes to the issue of torture. Grainy photos and testimony of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and other American detention centers are seared in the collective memory of the global community. Five years after Abu Ghraib came to light, the Obama Administration prohibited waterboarding and several other similar interrogation methods in 2009. Civil liberties groups worldwide hailed the administrations move. Despite this step in the right direction, all bets are off with the incoming Trump Administration. On January 24, the Senate confirmed Representative Mike Pompeo (R-KS) to be Director of the CIA. Though the current interrogation methods used must be listed in the Army Field Manual, Pompeos command opens the possibility of policy change for the worse. When asked by Senators whether he would bring back waterboarding and other such enhanced interrogation techniques, he answered that he would strongly consider it. Considering also that in 2014 he described CIA operatives who tortured detainees as patriots, it is looking increasingly likely that policies like waterboarding and other previously banned interrogation methods will be reinstated. Though fears that Pompeo may restore torture seem overblown, one only need look at his rhetoric to grow worried. Pompeo also claims that American Muslim leaders are complicit in terror attacks like 9/11 because they didnt speak out, a claim which is demonstrably false. He has been a frequent guest on noted racist Frank Gaffneys anti-Muslim radio show, and has characterized the War on Terror as a battle for good (Christianity) and evil (Islam) drawn on religious lines. Guess which side he falls on? The fact that our stance on torture has regressed in the last 70 years is unbelievably worrying. The same tactics we once executed foreign military officers for using are in fair play in the era of Trump. But where is the outrage? Mainstream media has only lightly touched on Pompeos torture record as part of a larger campaign to normalize his presidency. Even more worrying are the spineless Democratic senators who voted for Mike Pompeo in spite of his disgusting record, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. If the Democrats and their Senate leader cannot mount a challenge to someone who condones torture, can they really be trusted to resist the more worrying aspects of Trumps campaign promises? Hopefully Senate Democrats will grow a backbone and resist the injustices of the Trump Administration, especially as they relate to human rights issues. Sen. Deb Fischer is authoring a plan to secure the solvency of the federal highway trust fund while providing greater flexibility for states to speed up their highway construction programs. "I'm proposing things that I know work," Fischer said Wednesday during a telephone call from Washington prior to introducing her bill in the Senate. "We made it work in Nebraska," the Republican senator said. Fischer was the author of major highway construction legislation when she was a state senator, including a landmark bill to dedicate revenue from one-quarter of one cent of Nebraska's state sales tax to road construction. As chair of the Senate's surface transportation subcommittee, Fischer is positioned to help drive highway legislation in the Congress. Fischer's new plan would dedicate $107 billion over a five-year period from Customs and Border Patrol fees and revenue collected on freight cargo and passengers to the highway trust fund. That revenue from tariffs, duties, taxes and user fees now goes to the federal government's general fund. That infusion of funding would restore the solvency of the highway trust fund. Fischer's bill also would establish a new partnership arrangement between states and the Federal Highway Administration that would give states the opportunity to acquire authority over the design, permitting and construction aspects of federal-aid highway projects in exchange for remitting 10 percent of their federal-aid highway dollars back to the federal agency. "Any time you can speed up the process, you're going to save money," Fischer said. "And this would speed up construction in Nebraska." Fischer said she has not yet had specific conversations with the Trump administration about the president's plan for what he has described as a trillion-dollar infrastructure program that would spur the economy and create jobs. "I think it would make better policy to have (a proposal) that just addresses roads and bridges," the senator said. "We could have another bill for ports, another for pipelines," she said, and rail transportation would be another separate issue. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds a clear edge over the ruling Congress in Uttarakhand Assembly elections- which will go to polls on coming 15 February. Riding on the anti-incumbency wave of Harish Rawat government and the CMs tattered image after TV sting operations, BJP is hopeful of forming the next government in the hill state. Various factors indicates that BJP can win 35-38 seats in the 70 member Uttarakhand assembly. BJP is basking on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Congress has made Harish Rawat the face for the elections. Its Modi versus Har Da in Uttarakhand. The bygone three state assembly elections held in 2002, 2007 and 2012, clearly hints that close fight prevail between BJP and Congress and both the national parties have failed to fulfil the aspirations of the highlanders. Annoyed public dumped the ruling party and opted for other in anger in every election. Thats a set trend so far in Uttarakhand. One term for Congress, other for BJP. Congress rebels, who revolted against the Harish Rawat government and later joined the saffron party, provides additional muscles in many seats where the BJP was weak. In 2002 state assembly polls, Congress won 36 seat and BJP 19 seats. In 2007, BJP claimed 35 seats, reducing Congress to 21, to form the government. In the last Uttarakhand assembly polls, both Congress (32 seats) and BJP (31 seats) failed to achieve majority figure on their own. Congress formed an alliance government by taking help of BSP, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and thee independent MLAs. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat is appealing for providing him next five year, as in the existing term he failed to get sufficient time. Poll strategy wise the concept appears perfect, but the Rawat regime was no different from other Chief Ministers. Alike his earlier counterparts, Chief Minister Rawat failed miserably to do anything to check corruption, any check on illegal sand mining, tackling migration problem and ensure transparency in transfer/posting of government staff. The only hope of Harish Rawat to make a repeat lies of Congress sweeping the plain districts of the hill state like Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. Congress wants to capitalize on the big minority population of the two districts for the 2017 win. In the last election the 20 seats of Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar witnessed, BJP winning 11 seats from the two districts. Congress has laid more focus of the plain districts this time and as a strategy Harish Rawat is contesting a seat each from Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. But, BJP has made the issue political by advocating that why a leader like Harish Rawat is not contesting from any seat in from the hill. Over a dozen senior Congress leaders have abandoned their party to contest under BJP symbol. Five Congress rebels were sitting MLAs from the assembly seats located in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. So, BJP has made elaborated planning to overcome any anti-incumbency against their sitting MLAs from the two plain district by adopting the booster doze of Congress rebels. After Congress and BJP declared its candidates list, many ticket seekers became angry and are contesting as independent candidates. BJP have expelled 17 rebel party leaders who are contesting as independent candidates from different seats. Uttarakhand Congress is facing similar situation with over two dozen rebels. So, both national parties are facing common problem of rebels. BJP will cash on the anti-incumbency of Congress government, popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one rank one pension (OROP) implementation and surgical strike. The TV news sting operation against Harish Rawat, showing him taking about horse-trading, and his aide involved in chat demanding money for awarding liquor rights have damaged the image of the Congress government. OROP and surgical strike will help BJP as it is believed that one from every family from Uttarakhand serves in the Indian army. Harish Rawat fails to provide any logic on the reason for many senior leader from Garhwal leaving Congress. In fact after the revolt of ex-Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and others, Congress is struggling for big names in Garhwal. Harish Rawat is praying for the BJP rebels to hit their party more and help Congress to win in triangular fight in many seats. Thats the only imaginary thing that indicates return of Rawat government, otherwise BJP appears to bloom in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday alleged that insurgency has increased in Assam after the BJP-led government came to power in the state. "Insurgency problem has increased in the recent times. It has gone up after the new government came," he said in the state Assembly. Taking part in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address, Gogoi said, "To tackle the insurgency problem, I had initiated backward region development fund.Now, the Centre has stopped it." "Earlier, police modernisation was done completely on Central assistance, but it is not the case now. So, how are you going to handle the insurgent elements?" he asked. The senior Congress leader said he does not believe that corruption has ended as the people, against whom BJP had brought serious allegations of graft, were highly decorated in the current government. "Health, education and some other departments during my tenure must be very clean as the minister then, is the minister now," Gogoi said. He claimed that demonetisation has severely affected Assam, specially the weaker section of the society. He doubted the process of updating the NRC as speed of work has slowed down considerably. "Why is the border between India and Bangladesh not sealed fully in the last two and half years of the BJP government at the Centre? You just see how much sealing was done by the NDA and how much by the UPA," he said. About withdrawal of NSG commandos from his security cover and another former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta,Gogoi said it was done as "we are Assamese and Assamese people are polite". "The Centre talks about love for Assam, so why has it not done anything concrete or announced special funds to tackle flood and erosion problems of the state? There was nothing for the state in this Union Budget also," the Congress leader claimed. Attacking the BJP government for its "double standards",Gogoi alleged, "The state government always talks about its commitment towards the Assam Accord, but the Centre is planning to amend the Citizenship Act on religious lines." "You (Centre) talk about Ajan Fakir and Sankardeva, but evict people on religious identities. You are saying one thing and doing another. I do not know what the Governor is talking about," he said. The words tareekh pe tareekh were made famous by Sunny Deol in the Hindi film Damini, and truly adjournments are the big hindrance in dispensing speedy justice in India and contribute majorly to the system getting clogged. Chief Justice JS Khehar has little patience with lawyers and advocates who seek adjournment on flimsy grounds. A few months ago, when he had not become the CJI, he snapped when adjournments were sought in continuous cases. He angrily remarked what is happening? Why is everybody in a holiday mood? when a junior lawyer pleaded that he did not have the case papers. Justice Khehar offered him his file with the words here, take my file. Argue. Then he pressed the buzzer for recess and went to the inner chambers, instructing his staff to call him when the lawyers are ready. Again, a few days ago, he castigated the central government for seeking frivolous adjournments with a warning to impose heavy fines on such pleas. Justice Khehar said you (Centre) have been seeking adjournments in every matter. We havent done anything since morning. From now on, we will start imposing heavy costs for every adjournment. Then again, just a few days back when Justice Khehar found that states were not filing responses in time, he angrily asked, Is this a panchayat going on here that the states are not serious? He directed the states to file the responses in four weeks, failing which the concerned secretaries were directed to remain present in court. The same day, when a junior lawyer sought adjournment on the plea that his senior had gone out of station for personal reasons, the CJI snapped, is this a joke court or the Supreme Court? The Supreme Court has been making strong observations and passing many directives against repeated adjournments for the last few years, but in the absence of a deterrent or penalty, the judges of lower courts and lawyers have been ignoring all such remarks with gay abandon. In a situation similar to kids asking to be excused from going to school by thinking of ingenuous excuses every day, lawyers cook up various excuses to seek adjournments. But this goes against the interests of the clients they represent, whose cases are prolonged unnecessarily and they have to bear the lawyers fees despite nothing taking place on the day of the hearing. Witnesses also have to make repeated trips to give evidence. The apex court has repeatedly directed that witnesses must be examined continuously to avoid this. In January 2013, a bench of Justices DK Jain and JS Khehar had commented that the lavishness with which adjournments are granted is not an ailment exclusive to narcotics (case) trials; courts at every level suffer from this predicament. The institutionalisation of generous dispensation of adjournments is exploited to prolong trials for varied considerations. They went on to say that such a practice deserves complete abolishment. In May the same year, a bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra was even more sarcastic in saying that we hope and trust that trial courts shall keep in mind the statutory provisions and the interpretation placed by this court and not be guided by their own thinking or should not become mute spectators when a trial is being conducted by allowing the control to the counsel for the parties. The criminal justice system has to be placed on a proper pedestal and it cannot be left to the whims and fancies of the parties or their counsel. A trial judge cannot be a mute spectator to the trial being controlled by the parties the bench further said. In July 2016, the Supreme Court once again said that the virus of adjournments needed to be controlled. In the case Gayathri v. M Girish, the court said if a case ever exposed the maladroit efforts of a litigant to indulge in abuse of the process of court, the present one is a resplendent example. The factual narration, to which we shall advert to immediately hereinafter, would limpidly show that the defendant-petitioner has endeavoured very hard to master the art of adjournment and on occasions having been successful become quite ambitious. And the ambition had no bounds; it could reach the Everestine heights or put it differently, could engulf the entire Pacific Ocean. The court further said that a counsel appearing for a litigant has to have institutional responsibility. The Code of Civil Procedure so commands. Applications are not to be filed on the grounds which we have referred to hereinabove and that too in such a brazen and obtrusive manner. It is wholly reprehensible. The law does not countenance it and, if we permit ourselves to say so, the professional ethics decries such practice. It is because such acts are against the majesty of law. The legal fraternity is also concerned. Dushyant Dave, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association said that this is very unfortunate. The bar must realise that they have a responsibility towards the litigant. In any other country, you would have to face serious consequences by way of consumer court cases and complaints to the bar councils. Eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee also came down heavily on what he called utter nonsense and the greatest curse and was of the opinion that advocates must be brought under the Consumer Protection Act to make them responsible to their clients. But despite this, nothing seems to be happening and lawyers shamelessly approach the courts for repeated adjournments on frivolous grounds. Adjournments come under order number 17 of rule 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 which states as follows: 1. Court may grant time and adjourn hearing. (1) The court may, if sufficient cause is shown, at any stage of the suit grant time to the parties or to any of them, and may from time to time adjourn the hearing of the suit for reasons to be recorded in writing: Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted more than three times to a party during hearing of the suit. (2) Costs of adjournment in every such case the court shall fix a day for the further hearing of the suit, and shall make such orders as to costs occasioned by the adjournment or such higher costs as the court deems fits: Provided that,- (a) when the hearing of the suit has commenced, it shall be continued from day-to-day until all the witnesses in attendance have been examined, unless the court finds that, for the exceptional reasons to be recorded by it, the adjournment of the hearing beyond the following day is necessary, (b) no adjournment shall be granted at the request of a party, except where the circumstances are beyond the control of that party, (c) the fact that the pleader of a party is engaged in another court, shall not be a ground for adjournment, (d) where the illness of a pleader or his inability to conduct the case for any reason, other than his being engaged in another court, is put forward as a ground for adjournment, the court shall not grant the adjournment unless it is satisfied that the party applying for adjournment could not have engaged another pleader in time, (e) where a witness is present in court but a party or his pleader is not present or the party or his pleader, though present in court, is not ready to examine or cross-examine the witness, the court may, if it thinks fit, record the statement of the witness and pass such orders as it thinks fit dispensing with the examination in chief or cross-examination of the witness, as the case may be, by the party or his pleader not present or not ready as aforesaid. It is clear that since there are no set rules or prescribed reasons for which adjournments can be granted, it depends purely on the discretion of the judges. In granting adjournments, judges have to strike a fine balance between fairness and efficiency. The best way out of this predicament was described in the Australian case R v. Cox as the judge in exercising his discretion is not confined to regarding the interests of the accused. He is entitled to regard the interests of justice which may well be a different matter. Court cases cost money, use public infrastructure and time of judges. Lists of cases for hearing on a particular day are drawn up much in advance to efficiently utilise all resources as well as to give advance and timely notice to litigants and their lawyers. Ideally, lawyers get sufficient time to come to court well prepared. Postponements mean that less than optimal work is done in courts on that day and it adds up in wasting scarce resources. It also contributes in delaying justice and it is well known that justice delayed is justice denied. Hence, judges have to be strict with lawyers seeking repeated adjournments. Bringing lawyers under the Consumer Protection Act is one way to combat this menace, but just that is unlikely to yield the desired results. It will only add up to more disputes, this time between litigants and their lawyers. This writer had the occasion to tag along with a litigant on a visit to his lawyer. The case was in a lower court and related to an eviction suit. The hearing date had been given about a month back and the lawyer had the file with him all that while. But when the busy man finally had the time to see us, the first words he said was Oh, your hearing is tomorrow. I could not study the file. Then he flipped through the file and went on to ask basic questions about the case from the litigant. He was not even aware what had taken place at the last hearing and the status of the case. Finally, he himself got so confused that he could not figure out the line of argument or defense he could take up in court the next day. So he chose the easy way out and informed the poor litigant that he would seek an adjournment. This correspondent saw a large number of people waiting for the lawyers time and the complete chaos his office was in. His juniors had no inkling about the cases coming up for hearing in the next few days and kept asking the waiting litigants about the dates of the hearing. One got the feeling that the effort in that office was not on fighting the clients cases in the best legal way possible but to keep all of them confused and prolong the cases. One is not saying that this is done in all lawyers offices but the number of inefficient lawyers is infinitely greater than that of efficient ones, especially in lower courts where cases move at a snails pace. This reminded one of a joke one had heard a long time back. A lawyer stopped going to court on account of old age. He handed over his cases to his newly graduated son. After a few days, the son came home in high spirits with a box of sweets. Father, he said, I won that case you had been attending without result for the last 15 years, here have some sweets. The father immediately put his hand on his head in a pose of despair and said you fool, you got a verdict in a case that I kept on prolonging to put you through college and law school. Nothing will become of you. Although it is just a joke, it clearly describes the way the judicial system works in India where some lawyers keep manipulating both the courts and the litigants to maximise their returns. One feels that the time has now come to look into restricting the number of cases each lawyer can take up at a time, like it is done with the limit placed on statutory audits chartered accountants can take up in a year. It is often seen that lawyers accept more cases than their infrastructure or time allows them to handle and since they do not find the time to study the cases, they keep on seeking adjournments, prolonging the cases and clogging the system. This is highly unfair. Why should litigants suffer due to the incompetency of and lack of time management by lawyers? A system to put such restrictions in place can be worked out by the Supreme Court in consultation with the government, the Law Commission, the Bar Councils and other organisations representing lawyers and litigants. The restriction that was placed on chartered accountants was done to ensure efficiency and correctness of work. Overloading leads to being casual and the professional can sometimes cut corners to pass something which he would have examined more deeply if he had the time. The same goes for lawyers. With lesser number of cases, they would be able to give more quality time to the cases at hand. This would ensure that they would seek adjournments only for genuine causes. It will benefit both the judicial system and the litigants. Although the lawyers would feel that it will reduce their income, but once they start disposing of cases at a faster pace, their efficiency will increase and so will the flow the cases, restoring their income to previous levels or even increasing it. Justice will be the biggest gainer. The writer is Editor-in-Chief, www.indiacommentary.com Two days after suggesting Pakistan to ensure a credible crackdown on terror outfits, India on Thursday said all concrete evidence on Hafiz Saeeds role in Mumbai terror attacks was with Pakistan. All the concrete evidence on Hafiz Saeed's involvement in Mumbai terror attacks is in Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on Tuesday said that detaining of Jammat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan had been done earlier as well but there was a need for credible crackdown. Detention of Hafiz Saeed, others has been done by Pakistan in the past also; only a credible crack down on terror outfits will be proof of its sincerity, Swarup had said. Saeed, the mastermind of Mumbai terror attack, was placed under house arrest in Lahore on Monday, his outfit said. Punjab government's Home Department issued the detention order of Saeed and Lahore Police reached JuD headquarters in Chauburji to implement the order, it said. Punjab government's action comes amidst pressure from the Trump administration to act against terror. The US has clearly told Islamabad that in case of not taking action against JuD and Saeed, it may face sanctions. JuD is the front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit which is responsible for numerous terror attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror strike of November 26,2008, which was masterminded by Saeed. JuD has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in June 2014. The Border Security Force (BSF) has refused to grant voluntary retirement to Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav who created a flutter after his videos alleging poor quality food being served to troopers posted along the Line of Control (LoC) went viral, officials said on Thursday. According to BSF officials, Yadav had sought voluntary retirement from the force but the request was rejected as there is a pending court of inquiry against him for alleged indiscipline. Yadav, a constable in the 29th battalion, had posted several videos on social networking platform Facebook showing visuals of poor quality of food provided to BSF soldiers on the Indo-Pakistan border. He had alleged that BSF officers siphon off food supplies provided by the government. He had also expressed apprehension that his superiors may take action against him for exposing the deplorable conditions of soldiers serving on the border. Yadav's outburst has caused a storm on social media with many coming forward to express their support. The controversy forced Home Minister Rajnath Singh to call for a report from the BSF and order appropriate action. On January 17, the Delhi High Court, taking up a Public Interest Litigation filed by a former central government employee, asked the Centre about steps taken ti improve the quality of food for troopers and submit their response by February 27. An in-principle approval to set up six light-water nuclear reactors in Andhra Pradesh has been given, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. "The approval has been given for a site at Kovvada in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh for the six reactors in cooperation with the United States. Pre-project activities, including land acquisition, obtaining statutory clearances and detailed site investigations are continuing at the site," Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. "Discussions on techno-commercial aspects with M/s Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) to arrive at a project proposal have also started," the minister added. "The procedures involved in pre-project activities take time. Similarly, negotiations with foreign technology partners involving legal, regulatory, technical and commercial aspects also take time," he said. In addition to Kovvada, the government is exploring the possibility of identifying a suitable site in coastal Andhra Pradesh for locating nuclear power plants with Russian cooperation, Singh said in response to another question. "The Andhra Pradesh government has given its consent to carry out technical studies required to identify potential coastal sites for these nuclear power plants," he added. "Some sections of local people and certain groups have expressed their opposition to the location of nuclear power plants near Kavali in Andhra Pradesh due to safety apprehensions and loss of traditional means of livelihood," the minister said. The government is carrying out an extensive public outreach programme to spread awareness about nuclear power. Pakistan will have to take strong action against Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD) chief Hafiz Saeed and ensure that terror outfits operating in the country are dismantled to protect its own credibility, the Congress said on Thursday. "Dossiers have been given to Pakistan. If they were sincere, they would have taken action against Hafiz Saeed. Pakistan must realise that it is for its own credibility that action is taken," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told media outside the Parliament House. Noting that all terror outfits and terror syndicates operating from Pakistan must be dismantled, the former Minister of State for External Affairs, said it was important for "the restoration of some trust and understanding and to create peace in the region, action is taken against Saeed. India had earlier said Pakistan needed to do more to curb terrorism and sought a "credible crack down" on Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who now has been detained at his Lahore house under an anti-terrorism act by Pakistan. Pakistan on Wednesday snubbed India's demand for a "credible crackdown" against militant groups following the detention of Hafiz Saeed, saying it does not need New Delhi's endorsement for its actions. (With inputs from agencies) On 27 January, United States President Donald Trump issued an executive order that banned citizens from seven Muslim countries from travelling to the United States. The countries included in the 90-day ban were Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Libya; all refugees from Syria were banned indefinitely. The ambiguously worded ban did not clarify whether legal permanent residents (green card holders) were included in the ban on entry. According to news reports, the Trump White House departed from usual protocol in not informing either the affected countries or even the presidents own justice and homeland security departments that the ban was coming. US border officials who would be enforcing the ban did not know about it until President Trump had actually signed the document. What happened in the days after the ban was instituted has been seen by the world. Since the night the ban was passed, crowds of protesters have gathered outside US airports holding signs and banners welcoming immigrants and refugees. The American Civil Liberties Union filed and won injunctions whereby judges barred border officials from enforcing the ban and from deporting those who had valid visa documents. Teams of lawyers have gathered at most major US airports to provide legal representation to those being detained in violation of judicial orders. In New York, congressional representatives waited for hours until all detainees were freed. By Sunday evening, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security seemed to be backtracking on parts of the order, stating that it may not apply to those holding green cards. It was unclear, however, whether the language of the original executive order would be altered to reflect this new interpretation. Internationally, the outcry in the US was also seen in Europe. Protests were held in many European cities over the weekend, expressing solidarity with immigrants and refugees and with the protesters standing in support of them in the US. The Canadian prime minister issued a statement condemning the ban and offering temporary emergency refuge to those that the US was turning away. A large protest occurred on Monday in front of the British prime ministers residence at 10 Downing Street, with protesters demanding that she condemn the order. Even Israelis came out on the streets of Tel Aviv to protest Americas Muslim ban. Here is who did not care. On Sunday, President Trump called several world leaders. This included, among others, the king of Saudi Arabia. The press releases issued following the telephone call said that the two leaders had talked about creating a safe zone in Syria for those displaced by the war. They did not talk about the Muslim ban that Donald Trump had just instituted in his own country. If the issue was raised, neither official Saudi or American sources said anything at all about it. It was as if the events of Friday, the innocent people detained at US airports for hours, the crowds supporting them, the outcry and outrage around the world had just not happened. The contrast raises a question that few in Muslim countries wish to consider. It reveals first and foremost how self-serving some of the richest and most influential Muslim countries are. Even as ordinary Americans were braving extreme cold temperatures to protest what they saw as gross injustice, Muslim rulers did not seem to consider the issue worthy of attention. Americans were concerned about the principle behind the issue, the fact that discriminating against people based on their religion and national origin was not something they could permit in their name. Immigrants coming out of the secure areas of US airports into the arrivals lounge found huge crowds of strangers cheering them on. While Pakistanis have not currently been included in the list, it is quite possible that they may be added. This will impact all Pakistanis who are currently studying, receiving medical training and working in the US. That the ban is discriminatory, and particularly so against Muslims, is obvious. It is also true that many hundreds of thousands of innocent Muslims will pay the price. It is likely that Pakistanis will be among them. Students and scientists and all those who constitute the ranks of white-collar workers that Pakistan exports will feel wronged. Theirs will be a legitimate claim; after all, discrimination based on religion is always wrong, regardless of which country resorts to it. Yet even as Pakistanis may believe in this premise when it comes to the US and Western countries denying them visas, they are unwilling to take a stronger stand on the same issue at home. If one terrorist Pakistani does not make all Pakistanis terrorists, then it may also be true that not all Israelis are opposed to a free and independent Palestinian state. Yet Pakistanis are unwilling to consider this fact or have any opposition to the fact that no Israeli citizen (even if they are Muslim) is permitted to enter Pakistan. On the same note, it would be impossible to imagine a similar number of Pakistanis standing at airports or border posts to welcome Christian refugees or even Afghan refugees. The dissonance between what Muslims in general and Pakistanis in particular expect from the US and the West overall and what they are willing to do in their own countries deserves immediate and urgent attention. If religious discrimination is always wrong and the cruelties imposed on the borders of others undue and unwarranted, then so too are those we impose ourselves. Hatred, whether it appears at home or abroad, is the same venomous beast; the constrictions of borders and the imposition of bans based on generalisations is always wrong, not there or here, but quite literally everywhere. Dawn/ANN. For tourists from West Bengal smitten by the travel bug, the eternal favourite, Kerala, is calling. In its latest initiative to promote tourism in the time of demonetisation, Kerala Tourism along with the state government will be hosting the third edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale a global contemporary art festival that has lent a new tag to the state, the Land of the Biennale. The Kochi Muziris Biennale kicked off last year and will be on till 17 March. According to Nandakumar K P, deputy director, Kerala Tourism, The biennale is held on the trail of the spice route from Kochi to Muziris, the two ancient ports of Kerala, and we are looking ahead to revive them through tourism. We have invited 15 chefs from places across the world to churn out delights inspired by the Spice Route. Nandakumar was speaking at the Kerala Tourism Partnership Meet 2017 in Kolkata recently. There were around 48 holiday planners from Kerala to interact with the travel trade industry of Kolkata. Nandakumar said, Kolkata is our old tourist market and with the passing of every year, the tourist count from West Bengal is steadily on the rise in the state. Our travel industry is also gearing up with products that are in demand by Bengal tourists. We are receiving tourists from North Bengal towns as well. Besides Kolkata, Kerala Tourism is exploring the new tourist market of Ranchi. Nandakumar further said, We are hosting our campaigns in Ranchi, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad this year. Demonetisation has made its impact on the tourism industry in Kerala bringing about a 10 to 15 per cent dip in domestic tourists footfall. In a bid to tide over the economic crisis, Kerala Tourism is going all out to provide support to those travelling to its shores. Nandakumar added, Demonetisation has hit everybody but it will be helpful in the long run. Creating sustainable tourism that would be environment-friendly and secure at the same time is our agenda. The state has the highest number of global tourists coming from the UK, US and Gulf countries. The domestic tourists visiting the state are mostly from the metros. Nandakumar said, The best season to visit the state is during monsoon when hotel rates are slashed but the travel experience is incredible. We have received around 10 lakh global tourists and upwards of one crore domestic tourists till September 2016. We are looking ahead to have about 1.4 crore domestic visitors till March 2017. China has reportedly tested a new version of a missile capable of carrying a payload of 10 individual warheads, indicating a shift in China's nuclear policy or an attempt to put pressure on the Trump administration. The flight test of the Dongfeng-5C missile was carried out in January using multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, or MIRVs, reported the Washington Free Beacon website, citing US defence sources. The missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China, the report said. Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross said in a statement the test was monitored. "The (Defence Department) routinely monitors Chinese military developments and accounts for PLA capabilities in our defence plans," Ross was quoted as saying by the website. Earlier versions of the DF-5 have either a single warhead or from six to eight MIRVs, according to estimates, reported RT news. According to the report, the development may indicate a shift in China's nuclear deterrence policy to modify older rockets with new MIRV busses, which could mean China intends to increase the number of warheads it possesses. It is currently estimated to have about 250. China also began adding warheads to older DF-5 missiles in February last year, the report said, citing US intelligence agencies. US defence officials have previously warned that China's rapid development of long-range ballistic missiles, coupled with a lack of transparency about its nuclear capabilities, could bring uncertainty to stability in the region. The test comes amid a period of heightened tensions between China and the US in the wake of the election of Donald Trump as America's 45th President. Trump has threatened to oppose China on a number of fronts, from its military build-up in the South China Sea to its monetary policy. He has even cast doubt on Washington's long-standing commitment to the "one China policy", which regards Taiwan as one with mainland China governed by Beijing. Russia is a key political and economic partner in the endeavour to realise the comprehensive development of the Middle East and support its stability, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said at a meeting here. Sheikh Abdullah also emphasised the importance of strengthening joint Arab-Russian cooperation and taking it to a new level of building a true and meaningful partnership at the 4th session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum in Abu Dhabi, which he presided over on Wednesday. Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, Arab League Secretary General Abul Al Gheit, Arab Foreign Ministers and several other delegates attended the Forum. The UAE minister said trade between the two sides rose to about $15 billion as he thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his keen interest in deepening ties with Arab countries. In his speech, Sheikh Abdullah also referred to Iran's adoption of a sectarian approach and its support of terrorist and extremist groups, while endangering stability in the Arab world by interfering in its affairs. He said that terrorism and extremism have become a global plague that endangers the age old Arab values, including respect for diversity and tolerance. "This is further aggravated by the Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the dangers it poses on regional security and peace," he said. Sheikh Abdullah added that such an intervention needs to be addressed to prevent its expansion into the Arab region. "This is clearly evident in Iran's continuing occupation of the UAE's three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa," he said. The Foreign Minister also lamented the international community's failure to address the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and its flagrant violation of the rights of the Palestinian people. On the situation in Yemen, he stressed the importance of committing to supporting its legitimacy and maintain the country's unity. He offered his support for a political solution in Yemen based on GCC directives and Yemeni dialouge. Sheikh Abdullah also referred to the dangerous situation in Syria and Iran's intervention which undermined the political solution for the Syrian crisis. He also welcomed the Libyan political agreement, which was reached in Skhirat, saying there was no alternative to dialogue to address difficulties facing implementation of the agreement. During the session, the Russian Foreign Minister also highlighted the need to cooperate to counter terrorism and to prevent funding of terrorist activities and expressed sincere gratitude to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for hosting the Forum. The Russian Defence Ministry has summoned the Ukrainian military attache in Moscow and handed a protest note over plane manoeuvres over the Black Sea, a media report said on Thursday. The attache to the Ukrainian Embassy was summoned on Wednesday evening, the Ministry's spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said, Xinhua news agency reported. The note emphasised that the low-altitude manoeuvres by a Ukrainian An-26 military transport plane endangered personnel and equipment at two Russian drilling platforms in the Black Sea. The Russian side considered these actions as being "provocative," said Konashenkov. The Russian Black Sea Fleet said earlier on Wednesday that the Ukrainian military plane carried out two provocative approaches at an extremely low altitude to Russia's Tavrida and Crimea-1 drilling platforms. The Russia-Ukraine relations have strained over the Ukraine crisis and Crimea situation since 2014. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Overcast. High around 75F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of light rain late. Low 66F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Unpaid legislators? This state rep says no Organisation: Epic Sales Consult (FMCG Company) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda Reports to: Regional Sales Supervisor About US: Epic Sales Consult is a leading sales performance consultancy firm in East Africa, a pioneer in Sales Performance Consultancy Services across the EAC. (SPCS) We are specialized for the EAC markets and we exist with the primary zeal to save Peoples jobs, save our Companies & grow our economies by putting a stop to a dip in domestic & international sales. It is recruiting for a leading FMCG distributor. Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities: Selling: The Sales Representative will take responsibility for volumes development and customer service delivery for all individuals Range sell and execute all authorized products, packages and promotions Manage stock levels to ensure continuous availability and regulation rotation Solicit/sell all marketing equipment Obtain bets selling position in the account Merchandising: Fill and rotate all shelf, displays and equipment to Company standards Properly price products Accounts serviced as schedule Utilize point of purchase materials Delivery: Manage daily settlement and collection of payments Maintain records including route books Tracking Measures & Problem Solving: Record accurate core work measures Actively participate in problem solving meetings Key Result Areas: Achieving the sales target for the route Always secure a greater share of presence for the company versus competition in all outlets Execution of all sales programs within the route Achieving the sales Development Objectives Up-dating the route data on regular basis as and when it happens Reporting competition activities Follow the Companys credit policy Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience: The applicant should preferably hold a Bachelors degree or a Diploma in any business related field At least three years experience in similar position. How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to send their applications to recruitment@epicsalesconsult.com. All applicants will be responded to BUT only the qualified will be short listed. NB: The sensitivity of the positions requires applicants to provide a verification certificate, verifying authenticity of their Academic Documents. This is to be obtained from Document Verification Bureau. Tel:- +256 755132 656, Tel:- +256 755132 656, Deadline: 12th February 2017 Organisation: Uganda Christian University (UCU) Duty Station: Uganda Reports to: Financial Accountant About Us: Uganda Christian University was founded when the historic Bishop Tucker Theological College was promoted as a university in 1997. Bishop Tucker Theological College trained clergy and educators during its 84-year history from 1913-1997. The local chief, Hamu Mukasa, granted land for the college to operate in Mukono. International partnerships were part of the Colleges missionary history. The Church Mission Society teamed with Ugandan leaders and others to assure the College had the necessary intellectual and other capital. By the late 1990s, the Church of Uganda sought to have a broader impact on society through the higher education not only of clergy but of other professionals as well. Uganda Christian University was established in 1997. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Receipt all funds, cash and cheques coming into the College Bank all excess cash Pay and (prepare cheques or pay by cash) to all authorized persons whose requisitions have been dully approved The incumbent will reconcile the cash account at the end of every working day Alert the Bursar or the Accountant of any matter that may require his or her attention Perform any other official responsibility that may be assigned to by the Bursar Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience: The ideal candidate should hold a Uganda Diploma in Business Studies specializing in Accounting & Finance from a recognized Institution of Higher learning. A minimum of three years experience performing similar tasks in a reputable organization. Advanced computer skills in MS Office, Accounting software like SAP and FOCUS. Must be able to keep records Should be a mature and committed Christian of high integrity How to Apply: All qualified candidates should send two (2) copies of an application letter clearly demonstrating suitability together with updated Curriculum Vitae and three references.( Academic, Leadership and Pastoral). Please remember to attach two (2) copies of academic and professional certificates and transcripts and send to: The Manager Human Resource & Administration Uganda Christian University, Pilkington Building, P.O. Box 4, Mukono. Uganda E-mail to: jobs@ucu.ac.ug Deadline: 10th February, 2017 Still Standing: Four the Moments legacy honoured at Nova Scotia Music Week When a quartet of Halifax women began singing together a cappella in the name of social justice in 1982, there was little in the way of a music industry at play in Atlantic Canada. And even if there had been, its likely that Four the Moment would ... Amidst an artificial crackdown on Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed inside its territory, Pakistan has mounted a heavy infiltration bid on the international border. The fierce infiltration bids clearly give away the fact that the terror machinery operating from Pakistani soil was still very much intact and steps by its civilian government to put Saeed under house arrest was a mere tokenism owing to international pressure, particularly by the Trump administration in the US. The attack has been launched in the Samba sector of Jammu region, from where multiple successful infiltration bids have been made in the past to target vital military installations. On Thursday afternoon , the BSF foiled a fierce attack after a group of heavily armed terrorists reached close to international boundary on Pakistan side, taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth. The terrorists took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth, said a top BSF official in Jammu. Security officials said Saeed's detention was mere tokenism as, in the past, he has run the terror machinery while under house arrest. They said the Lashkar cadres were even more desperate to show their strength and it was not within the capacity of the Pakistan government to control them. The officials pointed out that such bids were made with the aid and support of state actors in Pakistan. "At about 3.30 pm, terrorists resorted to heavy attack on forward BSF troops deployed on duty mound by firing three Under Barrel Grenades, followed by the heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons," sources in BSF said . The BSF troops on duty points retaliated by carrying out coordinated effective fire over them, which forced them to retreat. The border guarding forces are on their toes as they apprehend more strikes along the IB, which may witness forced infiltration bids over the next few days. Pakistan on Wednesday snubbed India's demand of a "credible" action against Jamaat-ud-Dawaah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed who, along with four others, was placed under house arrest in Lahore. Pakistani Interior Ministry said New Delhi should provide "concrete evidence" against the Mumbai attack mastermind if it was serious about its allegations against him. A ministry spokesperson said Islamabad did not need any endorsement from India over actions against Saeed. Saeed was detained on Monday at JuD's Lahore headquarters at Masjid Al-Qudsia Chauburji and was later shifted to his Jauhar Town residence which has been declared as a sub-jail by authorities in Punjab province. The move came after years of pressure on Pakistan from India, the US and the UN to put the JuD chief on trial. His detention could potentially ease the recently escalating tensions with New Delhi. New Delhi, however, reacted cautiously to the development with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup saying Saeed's detention did not reflect the sincerity of Islamabad in tackling terror. "Only a credible crackdown on the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack and terrorist organisations involved in cross border terrorism would be proof of Pakistan's sincerity,'' he had said. (With inputs from agencies) 'Have you ever had no food for 24 hours?' This is the question a seven-year-old Syrian girl Bana Alabed -- who has garnered worldwide attention by tweeting about her life in Aleppoin Syriaasked the US President Donald Trump in a fresh video. my video to Trump. " Mr @realdonaldtrump have u ever had no food & water for 24 hrs? Just think of refugees & the children of Syria." pic.twitter.com/qbaZGp0MvB Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) February 1, 2017 "Have you ever had no food, no water for 24 hours? Just think of refugees and the children of Syria," asked Alabed on Twitter. Alabed had earlier responded to a tweet of Trump wherein he had argued that the intention of his immigration ban was "about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!" Alabed responded by asking: "Am I a terrorist?" Trump recently signed an executive order that bans the entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Syria, into the US that evoked widespread panic among travellers. Soon after the ban, Alabed tweeted: "Dear Trump, banning refugees is very bad. Ok, if it's good, I have an idea for you. Make other countries peaceful." Alabed has been posting, with her mother Fatemah's help, heart-rending and emotionally strong tweets about life in the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo. Alabed and her mother have garnered more than 366,000 followers since September 2016 as they tweet regularly about war in Aleppo, including the story of her house being destroyed. Erin Hoaglin and Tha Thoo from Lincoln, and Sarah Nelson from Denton are among 10 Nebraskans who will share over $49,000 in renewable Reaching Your Potential scholarships awarded by EducationQuest Foundation. EducationQuest awards Reaching Your Potential scholarships twice a year to Nebraska students who have overcome significant obstacles to attend college. Applicants are referred by community agencies and schools statewide. Since the program was developed in 2000, EducationQuest has disbursed over $4.9 million in scholarships to 432 Nebraskans. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus upcoming White House visit aims to cement ties to a surprisingly supportive U.S. president but it also presents a political minefield. While Netanyahu appears to have hit it off with President Donald Trump, he will have to tread carefully during their meeting or risk being seen as endorsing divisive policies that have alienated key constituencies in Israel and the United States. On the one hand, the prime minister is going to want to and absolutely should establish a close working relationship with the new president, said Dan Shapiro, who earlier this month completed his term as President Barack Obamas ambassador to Israel. But on the other hand, Shapiro said there is a risk that by seeming to associate too closely with certain proposals, and perhaps in some ways with him personally, theres an alienation factor for other key (American) constituencies that have been part of the bipartisan pro-Israel coalition. That is something the prime minister may want to keep in mind. In a sign of what could lie ahead, Netanyahu over the weekend set off a diplomatic incident with Mexico with a tweet supporting Trumps border wall a posting that Israel apologized for on Tuesday. Netanyahu also stayed conspicuously silent while American Jewish groups condemned an awkward White House statement about the Holocaust that made no mention of Jewish suffering. He also avoided speaking out on Trumps executive order banning travel to the U.S. for citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, despite deep misgivings among many American Jews and fears here that Israelis of Middle Eastern descent might also be affected. On the surface, Trump appears to be a welcome change for Netanyahu from Obama: they repeatedly clashed over Israeli settlement construction and the U.S-backed nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Trump has signaled a vastly different approach to both issues, and in their Feb. 15 meeting, Netanyahu will likely be looking to reach understandings with the tycoon-turned-president. He is expected to seek guidance on what sort of settlement construction will be tolerated by the Trump administration, and to push the president to revisit the nuclear deal or at least seek other ways to put pressure on Iran. The nationalist Netanyahu may also be looking for Trump to follow through on promises to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move long favored by Israel and vehemently opposed by the Palestinians. In a series of tweets, Shapiro said that both men will want their meeting to be a lovefest, but suggested that Netanyahu should beware. The real question is what does Trump want from the meeting? Netanyahu got a possible taste of the future what with his handling of Trumps proposed wall along the Mexican border. Responding to Trumps praise for Israels own border walls, Netanyahu sent out a Trump-like tweet: President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israels southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea, he wrote. Mexico quickly demanded an apology, and Netanyahu was forced into damage-control mode. Appearing to take another page from the Trump playbook, he angrily accused the media of inflating the issue. Shapiro said Netanyahu moved perilously close to involvement in U.S. affairs, apparently under pressure from Trump. It surprised me, that he kind of weighed in on a very divisive domestic American issue, considering that desire to maintain bipartisanship, and on an issue that doesnt really have a core Israeli interest, he said. It struck me as certainly possible that the administration sought that endorsement from him as kind of an early sign of friendship. Netanyahus conservative worldview tends to be in sync with the U.S. Republican Party and he has a long record of appearing to side with Republicans. But Trump is no mainstream Republican, and his recent policy pronouncements could trigger backlashes from some of Netanyahus most important constituencies. Trump angered U.S. Jewish groups across the political spectrum with his comments on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in which he made no mention of the Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews. Even the Zionist Organization of America, a right-wing group that has been supportive of Trump, expressed chagrin and deep pain. Trumps ban on refugees and visitors from the seven predominantly Muslim countries has also upset many American Jews, some of whom have strong memories of their forefathers fleeing persecution in Europe. In Israel, it set off a scare that tens of thousands of Israelis who were born in Muslim countries might also be caught up in the ban. The U.S. Embassy in Israel clarified that on Tuesday, saying Israelis of all backgrounds were eligible for visas as long as they are not dual citizens of the countries affected by the ban Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Few Israelis would be affected. Trumps travel ban also threatens to upset Israels Muslim minority, which has long had a rocky relationship with Netanyahu. Caught between a new U.S. president who shows little patience for critics and groups who fiercely oppose Trump, Netanyahu has kept noticeably silent. David Horovitz, editor of the centrist Times of Israel news site, said Netanyahu should show the courage to speak up. He also urged the Israeli prime minister to act as a fire prevention officer in an explosive Mideast region, with a U.S. president who has a potentially very short fuse. His embrace of Trumps Mexican wall did not make for a good start speaking out when he had no need to. His failure to highlight the Jewish problem with Trumps Holocaust Day statement was still more discouraging staying silent when he should have spoken out. He needed to find the words to convey concern at the too-sweeping entry bans, Horovitz wrote. He also urged Netanyahu to assert some leadership. For now, hes looking like Donald Trumps yes-man, he said. (AP) First the tiny drones buzz overhead to observe Iraqi soldiers. Then, the Islamic State groups flying machines return to drop a small explosive device to sow panic among security forces or deadlier still, to help guide a suicide car bomber to a target. And the innovations are expected to keep coming since IS has been spending freely on technology, even as their fighters face intense pressure from coalition forces, according to Iraqi military officials. The extremist group is hacking store-bought drones, using rigorous testing protocols and innovating tactics that mimic those used by U.S. unmanned aircraft to adapt to diminishing numbers of fighters and a battlefield that is increasingly difficult to navigate on the ground. The Associated Press visited a warehouse this week in the Shura neighborhood, the largest drone workshop uncovered so far, and saw accounting spreadsheets with purchases totaling thousands of dollars a month for drone equipment. One receipt dated just a few months before the Mosul operation began recorded the purchase of wires, silicon, electrical plugs, cables, rotors and GoPro cameras. Other receipts logged in spreadsheets included food delivery orders of fried chicken, taxi fares and repair costs to the houses hot water heater. Scattered among the stacks of paper were bits and pieces of the drones themselves. Most were destroyed by IS as they retreated, Iraqi officers at the factory said. But pieces of styrofoam wings, fins and radio transmitters remained, piled up in the corners of the factory on a recent visit. All the accounts were headed board of development and military manufacturing, some sub-headed air observation division. Handwritten notes instructed IS drone operators to write daily mission reports and monthly reports about the challenges and difficulties you face as well. In all, a half-dozen of the storehouses to make and modify the drones have been found recently in Mosul. A cache of documents also obtained this month in a smaller makeshift factory by a researcher in Mosul, Iraq, indicates that the group is testing small drones, which are normally used as playthings, with deadly intent. The researcher, Vera Mironova, is a labor economist by training and said her discovery of the drone paperwork which includes lists in English and Arabic of parts and one file marked Tool Kit that is a checklist of several dozen of the essentials is a sign of what is essentially a program to let machines make up for a shortage in manpower. Items 1-5 were GoPro and chargers; battery cable; laptop; explosives; and devices. Mironova, a fellow at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government, said the use of drones to both drop explosives and to direct more deadly payloads is an adaptation to the decrease in the number of attackers available. Early in the Mosul fighting, she said, suicide bombers tended to be deployed haphazardly more to frighten than to kill. But it didnt take the group long to need a new approach. Iraqi security forces report seeing drones used by IS for surveillance as early as 2015 in the fight for Ramadi in Iraqs western Anbar province. The first hints of the new tactics came in early 2016, when Turkish forces in northern Iraq saw toy-like drones overhead and then, within 15 minutes, were attacked by accurate incoming fire, according to Jonathan Schroden, director of the Center for Stability and Development at the Center for Naval Analyses. From there it was pretty clear where that was headed, Schroden said. They will look to continue to mimic what the U.S. and Western militaries have done with drones. They would look to integrate the kill chain. With Mosuls streets filled with debris, the drones can serve as a way for their operators to direct people on the ground including suicide attackers to an open path to bloodshed. The planes loaded with explosives do less actual damage, but can sow panic among troops fighting the extremists. First they come to observe and then they will return carrying bombs, Maj. Firas Mehdi said, cautioning the AP journalists with the special forces unit to remain under cover during an outing in December. Mehdi himself had been hit with shrapnel in his leg when a drone dropped a small bomb on his position a week earlier. A small, black rotary drone flew over their position from the IS held neighborhood just a few hundred meters away. Two Iraqi special forces soldiers rushed Mehdi into a concrete house for cover while half a dozen more spread out into the street and fired wildly into the air. An Iraqi special forces officer told the AP this week that at least three Iraqi troops had been killed by the drones and dozens injured. Iraqi special forces Brig Gen Haider Fadhil said in addition to conducting surveillance and dropping bombs, the drones were being used to guide car bombs in real time. They were giving instructions by radio to the suicide driver and following his progress by video feed. But many of these planes were shot down by our forces, and we jammed their control frequencies, which made some of them crash, Fadhil said. An Iraqi intelligence officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak to journalists, said he believes most of the drone parts were being purchased in Turkey and smuggled into Iraq through Syria while others were being largely made from scratch. Some of the designs are so simple, theres very little technical difficulty, he said. The little fixed-wing planes and choppers have appeared in several IS videos online showing the drones observing Iraqi troop movements from the air and suicide car bombs hitting their targets. In a Skype interview, Mironova, who contributed to an analysis of the documents for the Countering Terrorism Center at West Point, said that IS has shown itself to be innovative both with men and equipment. Its pretty amazing to see how they are mimicking Western militaries do just using commercial off the shelf technology, Schroden said. All of this is sort of driven by what the commercial sector develops. (AP) Well known community askan Reb Shia Markowitz will be taking on a volunteer leadership role in Agudath Israel of America, as Chief Executive Officer, where he will oversee operations and manage the many divisions that cater to the diverse needs of the Jewish community. The Agudah has grown rapidly over the last few years and now has entire divisions dealing with government advocacy, limud Daf Yomi, social services, youth programming, housing assistance, end of life issues, special education, yeshiva services, constituent services and job training and placement, among others. That significant expansion has brought with it a need for additional management within the Agudah, prompting the board of trustees to make this move. With a more than 30 year history as an advocate for the Jewish community, Reb Shia brings a wealth of experience to the Agudah, including eight years as CEO of the American and Canadian Friends of Keren Hashviis, eight years dedicated to saving Jewish teenagers as a member of the Agudahs Iranian Rescue Committee and 28 years as a board member at Dor Yeshorim. Reb Shia is well known as the founder of the Shmitah Fund and is also one of the founders of the 2003 Simcha Guidelines which established rabbinically endorsed financial standards for weddings and co-founder of Yeshiva Ohr Reuven in Monsey. In his new role as CEO of Agudath Israel of America, Reb Shia Markowitz plans to raise the awareness of the important and significant role that Agudath Israel of America continues to play in the daily lives of every individual in the Jewish community. My goal is to get the word out, to have the Klal understand that the Agudah is the only charedi organization that is servicing the community on so many different fronts. It is the Kehillah structure of the community, as it is the address that most people point to when critical issues arise. Reb Shia noted that while the Agudah was started by Gedolei Yisroel, under the direction of the Chofetz Chaim and other prominent Gedolim more than 100 years ago, its existence is as vital today as ever. The Agudah is there for everyone, said Reb Shia. Wherever, whatever, whenever. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of the Agudah, said that he looks forward to working closely with Reb Shia as the organization continues to meet the needs of the Jewish community, advocate for its religious and civil rights, and service its constituents through charitable, educational, and social service projects across North America. Shia Markowitz has been one of the outstanding askanim in Klal Yisroel for many years, said Rabbi Zwiebel. We are fortunate indeed that he has agreed to play this major new role in Agudas Yisroel. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) President Reuven Rivlin on Tuesday evening 4 Shevat spoke by telephone with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. During their extended and warm conversation, President Rivlin said, I am very happy for the opportunity to speak with you. It is a very important conversation for us. Mexico and Israel have warm and good ties and we see this in our close cooperation in many fields. The President stressed these strong ties were not just between states but between the peoples and between leaders who hold each other in great esteem. The President thanked President Pena Nieto for attending the funeral of Israels ninth President, Shimon Peres, in September 2016, and added that he was looking forward to seeing President Pena Nieto Israel again on his planned state visit during the coming year. President Rivlin spoke of the close connection between the State of Israel and the Jewish community in Mexico and said, This wonderful community plays an important role in Mexican society and economy, and serves as a bridge between our two countries. In relation to the current situation, the President sought to convey, The security situation in Israel, and the entire Middle East, brought us to the important decision to build a fence on our [southern] border. We have no intention of comparing the security situation in the State of Israel, and the steps forced upon us, to the situation of any of our friends around the world. The President stressed, I am sure that nobody intended to compare between the situation of Israel, and the situation of Mexico rather this was a misunderstanding. The ties between us are so very strong and important, and we must leave behind us any such misunderstanding. We share so much cooperation and I have no doubt that the future will only bring the strengthening of these ties. I am sorry for any hurt caused as a result of this misunderstanding, but we must remember that we are talking about a misunderstanding, and I am sure that we can put the issue behind us. President Pena Nieto thanked President Rivlin for his willingness to find a solution to the situation and said, I want to tell you very clearly Mr. President, that Mexico has always been willing to have a very close relationship with your country. I do want to tell you that Mexico is more than willing to maintain this mutual cooperation. Unfortunately, this cooperation has been hurt because of this tweet. He added that he was aware of the explanation given for the tweet, but said that its interpretation was inevitable. He said, This of course obviously generated various reactions in Mexico, I am certain that you are aware of these reactions. He added that Mexico had called for a public clarification on the issue. President Pena Nieto stressed, Mr. President, You can rest assured that Mexico wants to continue being a good friend of Israel. He concluded that he hoped the conversation between the two presidents, and the clarifications given, would help the two countries to continue their important relationship, and said he would convey this message to the Mexican people. The tweet referred to is one released by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressing support for US President Trumps plans to build a wall between Mexico and the US over the objections of Mexico. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Officials at Holloman Air Force Base say one person was killed and another injured in a training accident on a military range in southern New Mexico. Base officials say in a statement that the Tuesday night accident involved members of a ground-control party struck as two F-16 jets used unspecified air-to-ground munitions at a range thats part of the White Sands Missile Range complex near Holloman. The statement says the injured person was released from a hospital after treatment for specified injuries. Identities were not immediately released, and officials say the incident is under investigation. The statement says the two F-16s are based at Holloman but belong to a group that is part of a wing headquartered at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. (AP) MOUNT PLEASANT Employees at Promotions Unlimited didnt just lose their jobs last week when the company abruptly closed some may have also lost their last paychecks in a widespread attempt to pull the money out of their bank accounts. On Jan. 27, Promotions Unlimited, 7601 Durand Ave., discharged its last 48 employees after laying off about 30 others in the preceding several weeks. Employees say the company, a local distributor to independent pharmacies and in business for decades, did not pay them for their last week of work. But the damage may have been even worse than that for some of the ex-workers. An undated letter from company owner Lorraine Greenberg to the former employees, addressed to Dear ex-employee, informs the former employees of the permanent closing by Roosevelt Capital LLC, doing business as Promotions Unlimited. Greenberg states that 77 employees lost their jobs and adds, No severance will be provided in connection with the eliminations. Greenberg also writes that Paylocity, the payroll company Promotions was using, is reversing direct deposits of ex-employee paychecks. Debra Krehbiel, who was the accounts payable supervisor at Promotions/Roosevelt, said Paylocity normally did payroll for Roosevelt on Wednesday, then got the money from the company on Thursday. She said she assumes Paylocity learned, on that Friday, that the money was not available from Roosevelt to cover the Jan. 27 paycheck deposits. During the past couple of days, former Promotions employees have been working with their financial institutions to prevent those deposit reversals. For any reversal that may have succeeded, and if people worked until the last day, they would have no pay for their last three weeks at Promotions. Krehbiel said she split her paychecks between two financial institutions. She was able to stop payment from her Chase Bank account and closed the other account. Paylocity could not be reached for comment Thursday. Shameless Michelle Humburg, one of those discharged on Jan. 27, was the sales and customer service lead at Promotions Unlimited and had worked there 14 years. She said she got Greenbergs letter Wednesday and immediately contacted Educators Credit Union. Humburg was able to move her money from checking to savings, thereby thwarting the deposit reversal. But she had to leave her checking account open because of a small pending charge with Redbox, and worried that there could be a reversal attempt that would put her into negative figures. Humburg said so many fearful ex-Promotions employees contacted ECU about the attempted withdrawals that the credit union decided not to allow them. I think its shameless, Humburg said about the treatment of employees by Roosevelt/Promotions. Its very shady and its shameful. They (had) some very dedicated and honest people that stood by them till the end, she added. And we knew it was a sinking ship. Humburg said employees were, by company policy, owed pay for vacation they had earned, in the case of termination. She lost three weeks of earned vacation, with no compensation, and a friend there lost four weeks. Humburg also said money was withdrawn from the Jan. 13 and 27 paychecks for their 401(k) retirement contributions and medical and dental insurance but that it had not gone to those places. Deborah Mazzie, the company tracing specialist who worked there for 26 years until being laid off Jan. 13, said she learned Thursday morning that Roosevelt Capital or Paylocity was attempting to take a total of $954.72 from her and her partner Terry Yorks combined checking and savings accounts. Because the withdrawals were still pending, Mazzie and York were able to prevent them at the cost of $60 in fees, Mazzie said. But she said she knows of at least two other ex-employees who did see their paycheck deposits taken back. State Sen. Van Wanggaards office is looking into whether the move constitutes wage theft, Wanggaards chief of staff Scott Kelly said Thursday. Kelly said workers can file a labor standards complaint with the state Department of Workforce Development as a first step to collect money lost. Owners letter In her letter, Greenberg blames the companys former lender, Franklin Capital, for bringing down Promotions Unlimited, saying the closing was due to a sudden and unexpected refusal by the companys lender, Franklin Capital, to provide the company with access to necessary financing to continue operations. What a joke. Thats baloney, Humburg commented about the attempt to blame the lender. Greenberg also attempts to paint Roosevelt as blameless by writing that the circumstances prompting these actions were sudden, unexpected, profound, and beyond the companys control. Greenberg could not be reached for comment on Thursday. Employees did not view the end as unexpected. Like Humburg, Mazzie also said employees widely expected Promotions Unlimited to close within the next few months because vendors were not getting paid, except for the larger ones who required payment in advance. And because some vendors had stopped supplying merchandise, toward the end Promotions Unlimited was only able to partially fill some orders from pharmacies, Mazzie said. Wisconsin Circuit Court online records also suggest a company with financial troubles. Those records show one court action filed against Promotions Unlimited in January, six last year, none for 2014 or 2015 but about 70 court actions involving the company from 1996-2013. At one time, Promotions Unlimited had as many as 339 employees, Mazzie said. On Thursday, those laid off at the end, who had not already found other jobs, attended a rapid response session with Workforce Development Center personnel at the SC Johnson iMET Center, 2320 Renaissance Blvd., Sturtevant. Participating in that meeting was Wes Gable, their union representative for Teamsters Local 200 which represented the warehouse workers. Greenbergs letter to the ex-employees mentioned Gable as their representative but provided the wrong phone number for him. [COMMUNICATED CONTENT] Bar Ilan includes the largest electronic Library of Torah texts in the world. It is also one of the greatest Jewish technology projects carried out in history, bringing long lost texts back into circulation. Over 110,000 Responsa, thousands of Volumes, hypertext and linked to original sources all on a tiny Micro Chip and does not need any internet all self contained use it anywhere in the world! The texts included in the Library cover thousands of years of writing, from the Bible and the Talmud, through the Midrash and Halacha, the Seforim of the Geonim, the Rambam (Maimonides), Shulhan Aruch and their commentators, all to the Rabbis of our time. ( For the full listing of texts click here and well email it to you.) Bar Ilan is so appreciated there is virtually no Yeshiva that does not have one. Bais Medrash Gevoah, Ponevezh, Yeshiva University everyone is using and relying on the Bar Ilan Judaic Library in their daily study. Rabbis across America and around the world, use Bar Ilan in their daily work. It is common for Bar Ilan to get calls from Rabbis just to say, Yasher Koach Thanks. This project, which is one of the brightest jewels in Bar-Ilan Universitys crown, commenced approximately 53 years ago has become a veritable treasure that is accessible to all on one tiny micro chip USB which is searchable and printable truly nothing compares. To view Library click To visit Bar-Ilans Responsa Project click. TO SAVE MONEY TRY THE AUCTION for details click PS: Principals, Administrators & Teachers please note Bar Ilan is Approved by NYSTL For all BOE Funded Titles click A Finally Otzar HaChochma is NYSTL Approved click Latest Torah Apps check this link Hebrew Rabbi Cufflinks click FREE OFFER Would you like to learn how to TYPE HEBREW FAST without having to look at the keyboard? Now Learn to Type both Hebrew & English click. Congressional Republicans are moving to dismantle former President Barack Obamas rules on the environment, gun ownership and financial disclosure as they look to reverse years of what they see as excessive government regulation during the Democrats presidency. House Republicans are expected to vote Wednesday to scuttle a new regulation that prevents coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams. Lawmakers also are set to rescind a rule requiring companies to disclose payments made to foreign governments relating to mining and drilling. Rules on fracking, guns and federal contracting also are in the GOP cross-hairs as Congress moves to void a host of regulations finalized during Obamas last months in office. Republicans intend to repeal the rules using the Congressional Review Act, an obscure oversight tool that could become more familiar in the coming weeks as Congress uses it to overturn regulations federal agencies issued late in Obamas presidency. The law hastens the process for bringing legislation to the floor and removes the hurdle of a 60-vote threshold. Regulations imposed since June 13 can be invalidated on a simple majority vote of both GOP-led chambers and the presidents signature. Whats more, the law prevents the executive branch from imposing substantially similar regulations in the future. It is that aspect of the law that frightens environmental groups that have fought for years for the coal-mining rule and another rule to restrict energy companies from burning off natural gas during drilling operations on public lands. Using the review act to overturn a federal regulation is like burning down your house because you dont like the paint color, said Jenifer Collins, a clean water advocate for the environmental group Earthjustice. Collins calls the review act an extreme and blunt instrument that essentially prevents federal rule-makers from addressing a topic once Congress has acted. But House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans blame Obama, saying the rules Congress is rescinding are poorly crafted and hurt people. The stream protection rule is really just a thinly veiled attempt to wipe out coal mining jobs, Ryan, R-Wis., said. The Department of Interiors own reports show that mines are safe and the surrounding environment is well-protected, Ryan said, adding that the stream-protection rule ignores dozens of federal, state and local regulations already in place. The Interior Department said in announcing the rule in December that it would protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests, preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby waters. The rule maintains a long-established 100-foot buffer zone that blocks coal mining near streams, but imposes stricter guidelines for exceptions to the 100-foot rule. Interior officials said the rule would cause only modest job losses in coal country and could even create jobs as companies hire construction crews to haul and store debris. Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, senior Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said lawmakers should not fall for the coal industrys scare tactics and alternative facts. Repealing the stream protection rule is going to sicken and kill the very people Donald Trump falsely promised to help, coal miners in West Virginia and other states, Grijalva said. Congress has successfully used the 2-decade-old review act only once before when President George W. Bush signed a law negating a rule on ergonomic standards enacted during President Bill Clintons final months in office. (AP) [communicated content] Under the guidance of Gedolei Yisroel, Rav Pinchas Rosenbaum has recently launched Sikum Hadaf in English. Sikum Hadaf is a few minute audio review of the daily daf. Vshinantem sheyihiyu divrei Torah mechudadim bpicha (Kiddushin 30a): When people are taught diligently, the words of Torah should be clear in their mouths. A few years ago, Reb Pinchas fell ill and the doctors gave him mere months to live. Shocked into action by the prognosis, and in hopes of increasing his zchusim, he made the decision, once again to be actively Marbitz Torah, in the form of restarting the Sikum hadaf project. With this conviction, Reb Pinchas went to visit Reb Chaim Kanievsky for a brachah and guidance. Reb Chaim then advised Reb Pinchas on how to write the Sikum, advising him on what to focus on and what was not necessary. Reb Chaim also encouraged him to spread this project, saying it is a mitzvah to publicize this, for anyone who cannot repeat what he has studied, has not fulfilled the mitzvah of learning Torah. And so, with Reb Chaims bracha and support, Reb Pinchas went full steam ahead. At first he started writing a daily Sikum a daily summary of the Daf Yomi which would get sent out by email to anyone who signed up. Quite quickly, the email listing grew by leaps and bounds. Soon thereafter, the project caught the attention of a benefactor who undertook the financing of a physical publication. Every two weeks, 20,000 pamphlets are printed separate publications with two weeks worth of sikumim called mechudadim and consist of sikumim for the next 14 daf. These publications are distributed in Shuls and Kollels throughout Israel. This four-minute synopsis every day is enormously important. It gives a framework, so when youre learning, you can put all the pieces into one place. Rav Nosson Sherman, Editor in Chief, Artscroll/Mesorah Recently, his illness has worsened; Reb Pinchas continues to search for more ways to spread Torah. He began recording at first in Hebrew, now in English as well the Sikum Hadaf, which can be accessed through popular phone hotlines such as Kol Halashon in Israel and in the US. Within the next few weeks we will be launching a Sikum Hadaf website, but you can listen to English summaries on Kol Halashon: 02081917000 ext. 10 in the UK In the Zchus of being marbitz Torah Rav Pinchas Ben Feige Miriam should have a Refuah Shelemah! If you would like to receive the daily sikum in audio or print format or for more information please e-mail: Agudath Israel of America, a national Orthodox Jewish organization, welcomes President Trumps nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve as Justice of the United States Supreme Court. We are impressed with Judge Gorsuchs skill, experience, intellect and temperament. He seems to be eminently qualified for the post. Both his judicial actions and popular writings show Judge Gorsuch to be a champion of religious liberty and to possess a deeply ethical perspective on the infinite value of human life. These are two pillars of jurisprudence which, in Agudath Israels view, are essential qualities in candidates for the nations High Court. We intend to present a fuller analysis of Judge Gorsuchs record in the weeks ahead as the Senate considers this nomination. For now, we congratulate Judge Gorsuch on his nomination, and we look forward to him being approved as expeditiously as possible to serve as the nations 113th Supreme Court Justice. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) slammed the NYS Board of Regents Wednesday morning after this years Global Studies Regents examination featured a prejudiced political cartoon portraying Jewish soldiers in a disgusting and demeaning fashion. The political cartoon, which was part of last Tuesdays examination, illustrated three soldiers in the midst of fire hiding behind a table with the caption reading, I knew this peace table would come in handy someday, with one of the soldiers identified with a Star of David on their back. Who is responsible for allowing this incredibly biased, anti-Israel propaganda be part of a Global Studies Regents exam, Hikind said. I want to know who at the Board of Regents thought it was appropriate to incorporate such prejudice into their examination. This is beyond comprehension and is the epitome of disrespect to those who care deeply about Israels survival. Added Hikind: I call on the Board of Regents to apologize for their insensitivity and irresponsible decision to include such material in their curriculum. We send a very dangerous message when we elect to use propaganda like this in our examinations. What exactly are we testing our students on when we present them with biased cartoons? Rather than educating our children on issues in the Middle East, were presenting them with horrible, slanted images that will only jade their point of view moving forward. (YWN Desk NYC) Assuming the somber duties of commander in chief, President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip Wednesday to honor the returning remains of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in a weekend raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Illinois, was the first known U.S. combat casualty since Trump took office less than two weeks ago. An 8-year-old American girl was among 30 others killed in the operation on an al-Qaida compound, and three other U.S. service members were wounded. Trumps trip to Delawares Dover Air Base was shrouded in secrecy. It was not on the presidents daily schedule. A small group of journalists traveled with Trump on the condition that the visit was not reported until his arrival. He was joined by his daughter, Ivanka. Dover has long been the point of entry for fallen U.S. service members returning home. Former President Barack Obama lifted a ban on media coverage of the dignified transfer ceremonies, though families may still request privacy. Owens family is said to have asked that his return be kept private. A recipient of two bronze stars, a Joint Service Commendation and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among others, Owens joined the Navy in 1998 and received his special warfare training in Coronado, California. In a statement following his death, the Navy Special Command called Owens a devoted father, a true professional and a wonderful husband. His death underscores the human costs of the military campaigns Trump now oversees. Far fewer troops are serving in combat now than in the wars Trumps predecessors led in Afghanistan and Iraq, but thousands of Americans remain in hotspots around the world. In Afghanistan, where Americas longest war continues, about 8,400 U.S. troops are training and advising local forces. More than U.S. 5,100 troops in Iraq and about 500 in Syria are involved in the campaign against the Islamic State group. The U.S. also engages in counterterrorism operations mainly drone strikes in Yemen, where Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has exploited the chaos of the countrys civil war. Sundays pre-dawn raid which a defense official said was planned by the Obama administration but authorized by Trump could signal a new escalation against extremist groups in Yemen. More than half a dozen militant suspects were among those killed. The operation also took the life of the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed by a drone strike in 2011. As a candidate, Trump said he would be willing to take out the families of terrorists in order to root out extremism. On Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said no Americans will ever be targeted in raids against terror suspects. The presidents trip to Dover comes as he begins weighing whether to reshape U.S. military activities around the world. As a candidate, he vowed to be tougher on the Islamic State and at one point said he would be willing to send up to 30,000 U.S. troops to fight the extremist group in Iraq and Syria. Last week, Trump gave the Pentagon and other agencies 30 days to submit a plan for defeating the Islamic State. Trump has said little about his approach to Afghanistan. Obama had pledged to end the war there on his watch, but continuing security concerns prompted him to extend the U.S. military campaign, handing the war off to a third American president. Trump, who never served in the armed forces and received student and medical deferments during the Vietnam War, had an uneven relationship with the military community during the presidential campaign. About 60 percent of voters who served in the military supported Trump in the presidential election, compared with 34 percent who voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls. But Trump was also criticized by military groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, for his feud with the Khan family, whose Muslim-American son was killed while serving in Iraq. (AP) [By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times] At the behest of leading Poskim who reached out to the Five Towns Jewish Times, we are making this article available as a public service. First it was the thrips and aphids in the strawberries. Then it was the copepods in New York City water. And now, it is a mortgage or re-fi from Quicken Loans. Yes, it seems that using this monolith of an online mortgage originator is a major no-no for Jewish people who wish to keep Halacha. Rav Yisroel Reisman Shlita, a noted Posaik, Rav, Rosh Yeshiva and author of ArtScrolls The Laws of Ribis, told this author, We are disappointed that Quicken Loans does not allow the use of a heter Iskah for those who request to do so. Therefore, we cannot avail ourselves of loans from them. There is 77% Jewish ownership of this company. PHILOSOPHICAL EXPLANATION Before we get into the details, however, let us try to provide some philosophical explanation. Imagine the following scenario: The family lives in the old country. The eldest son has emigrated and has made it to New York and has an apartment in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Another son is about to seek his fortune in New York and needs a place to stay. He arrives at the brothers house. The brother tells him, Look, brother, you can stay in my apartment, no problem. And I will even charge you less than the Motel Six rates. It will only be $40 per night! The parents would certainly be upset at their eldest sons behavior. This is not the way one behaves with a brother. By the same token, the Torah views all Jewish people as one family. When a brother or sister needs a loan, therefore, we do not charge them interest, just as we would not charge them rent when they stay by us. Indeed, there are six prohibitions in the Torah associated with charging interest. The prohibition is called Ribis interest or Neshech. Anyone who has ever taken out an interest bearing loan can appreciate the fact that Neshech comes from the Hebrew root word, bite. Interest payments certainly do feel like a serious snake bite. QUICKEN LOANS Quicken Loans offers remarkably reasonable rates and is used by thousands and thousands of observant Jews. It is the largest online mortgage lender in the nation. It is also the second largest mortgage lender in the nation. Quicken Loans is located in Detroit, Michigan, and employs over 13,000 people. The problem is that it is owned by a corporation that is mostly owned and controlled by a Jew named Dan Gilbert and unless something called a Heter Iskah is implemented by the owner of the corporation, there are numerous prohibitions involved in obtaining a mortgage through this company. Rav Yisroel Reisman Shlita, a noted Posaik, Rav, Rosh Yeshiva and author of ArtScrolls The Laws of Ribis, told this author, We are disappointed that Quicken Loans does not allow the use of a heter Iskah for those who request to do so. Therefore, we cannot avail ourselves of loans from them. There is 77% Jewish ownership of this company. HETER ISKAH A HISTORY A Heter Iskah is essentially a document which converts a monetary loan into a joint business venture, with a silent partner and an active partner. Originally, the idea was based upon a Gemorah in Bava Metziah 104b. The active partner accepts responsibility on a certain percentage (often half of the amount), while the silent partner accepts responsibility on any profits or losses involving the other portion of the money. The problem is that now there is a Ribis problem the other way. The active partner is working on behalf of the silent partner without pay. This is benefitting the silent partner for use of the money. The solution is that if the silent partner pays the active partner for his work or time, then the Ribis problem is addressed when arrangements were made beforehand. However, since the silent partner is also working for himself only a minimum or symbolic payment is necessary. The custom is thus for the banker to pay the person taking the loan a one dollar bill. However, this solution was not as financially reassuring to lenders eventually required, and thus Rav Yisroel Isserlin (1390-1460), author of the Trumas HaDeshen (#302), developed a concept that the active partner would not be believed to say that there were losses unless two specific witnesses testified to that effect. Eventually, the Maharam (Vol. II #216), Rav Menachem Mendel Ben Avigdor the Av Beis Din of Cracow, expanded this concept to also include the active partner not being believed on the profits as well. He made a number of other tweaks as well. One of them was the institution of a Knas, a fine, instead of the active partner taking an oath. The knas could actually be a formula that mimics interest. The Mabit (Vol. I #244) also made some tweaks and updates. It should be noted that Rav Moshe Feinstein ztl held that a Heter Iskah is ineffective if one does not know how it works. DOES THE PROHIBITION APPLY TO CORPORATIONS? Rav Moshe Feinstein ztl (Igros Moshe YD II #62) writes that a person may loan money to a corporation without violating the restriction of Ribis. Some Poskim disagree with this leniency. Regardless, even Rav Moshe would agree that the prohibition exists when the borrower is an individual and not a corporation. Generally speaking the issue of a bank has been the subject of great debate well over a century ago. The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (65:28) even forbade depositing funds in a bank where they would lend to Jewish clients. The Shoel uMaishiv (MK III #31) disagreed but did agree that a Jewish owned bank would be subject to issues of ribis. The Maharam Shick (YD #158) viewed a corporation as a unique entity but only permitted it to collect Rabbinically forbidden ribis not regular interest. The Maharshag (YD #5) held a similar view. The previous Poskim, however, seemed to view corporations as a form of partnership CAN A HETER ISKAH BE USED FOR A PERSONAL LOAN? But a home mortgage is not necessarily a business venture. Can funds obtained from such a business venture be used for a personal loan? The Shoel uMayshiv (Vol. III #170) rules that it can, but other Poskim rule that it cannot, even though the Maharam permitted it as well. Some have developed a method where the acting partner must have certain other assets available that can also earn profits and that the active partner must take halachic possession of this in order to allow the funds of the silent partner to be used for personal use. MUST A HETER ISKAH BE LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE? Does the Heter Iska have to be a legally enforceable document or may it simply be a halachic document? Dayan Blau ztl held that it did not (See also Sefer Bris Yehudah #40). Others, however, seem to be of the opinion that it does need to be legally enforceable WHAT DOES ONE DO IF IT WAS DONE ALREADY? What should one do if the loan is already a done deal? May the ribis be paid anyway? Doesnt Quicken sell off the loan immediately? These questions are fairly complex, so each borrower should consult his or her own Rav or Posaik. There are some solutions that may perhaps mitigate the problem, such as having the payments made automatically where the bank is doing it rather than the individual. ARE AMORTIZATION SCHEDULES HALACHIC? Another question involves what is halachically considered principal and what is considered interest. There is such a thing as an amortization schedule where, depending upon how far along the loan is, some of each payment is considered principal and some is considered interest. Rav Moshe Feinstein writes (Igros Moshe YD III Hilchos Ribis 161:23) that until the loan is paid off, all the payments are halachically considered principal. If this is correct, then the last payments the borrower would be making would be considered ribis rather than a portion of the first one or two payments (assuming that it was sold after this point). Yet this is difficult to consider since the state banking laws in every state is that the amortization schedule tables are set in how to calculate payoff amounts and that the consumer must be informed of them. Regardless, each person should ask his Rav or Posaik what part of his payments are considered ribis and what is considered the principal. It is this authors contention and understanding that since state law determines what is considered the principal and the interest the whole loan is halachically considered as a bunch of mini loans bound together. There is a huge difference in this regard as to how to deal with the payments of the loan that have exceeded the original loan amount. At this point, however, this company does not seem to have agreed to work with a heter iska, so caveat mutuum borrower beware. The author can be reached at [email protected] President Donald Trump is questioning whether the University of California at Berkeley should be granted federal funding. Trump urges the school to honor free speech. Protesters hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and started a bonfire prompting university officials to cancel a talk Wednesday by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos out of safety concerns. Trump tweeted Thursday, If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Berkeley cancelled Yiannopoulos appearance after a crowd of some 1,500 gathered outside the venue. The 32-year-old right-wing provocateur is a vocal Trump supporter and a self-proclaimed internet troll whose comments have been criticized as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. (AP) Theres a disagreement between the rodents. Staten Island Chuck did not see his shadow this Groundhog Day. Spring is on the way! it was declared. Meanwhile, Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania predicted six more weeks of winter. Tens of thousands of people are in Gobblers Knob, the location in Punxsutawney, Pa., where the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil called for six more weeks of winter. Phil crawled out of his burrow and saw his shadow. Well have more winter weather, according to Phil, who made his prediction Thursday morning, disagreeing with Staten Island Chuck. Just before 7:30 a.m., New York Citys official Groundhog Day prognosticator crawled out of his burrow and looked for his shadow, but to no avail. An early spring is on its way, according to Chuck, who made his prediction at the Staten Island Zoo Thursday morning from behind a glass enclosure. According to the Zoo, Chuck has an 80 percent accuracy rate. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A New Jersey judge will rule next week on whether a criminal misconduct complaint against Republican Gov. Chris Christie in the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal can go forward. Last week the Bergen County prosecutors office wrote a letter to a different judge saying it wouldnt proceed with the case. Christies lawyer wants the case dismissed entirely. Christie has consistently denied any wrongdoing. But the judge said Thursday that he would consider former firefighter William Brennans complaint. Neither Christie nor his lawyer attended the hearing. The judge also denied Brennans request for a special prosecutor to be appointed. (AP) Hate crime against Jewish people in the UK increased by more than a third last year, with recorded incidents now at record levels, charity figures suggest. The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism, recorded 1,309 incidents in 2016 surpassing the previous high of 1,182 in 2014. Mark Gardner, from the CST, said anti-Semites currently felt emboldened. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the government was providing 13.4m to increase security in Jewish areas. The CST, which works with police to gather data, said recorded incidents last year had increased by 36% on 2015. More than three-quarters of all recorded incidents took place in Greater London and Greater Manchester, where the two largest Jewish communities in the UK are located. In Greater Manchester, there had actually been a 9% fall in the past 12 months, with 205 incidents being reported in 2016. According to the CSTs report: There were 1,006 incidents of abusive behaviour, including verbal abuse, hate mail and anti-Semitic graffiti Damage and desecration to Jewish property increased by a quarter to 81 recorded incidents There were 107 violent anti-Semitic assaults reported the highest number since 2010 287 anti-Semitic incidents involved social media Mark Gardner, from the CST, said the increase could be partly explained by a greater willingness to report incidents to the police. However, he said: Racists, including anti-Semites, feel emboldened, feel encouraged, at this moment in time, for a whole range of reasons, to come out with their hatred. They used to keep it under the ground. Now theyre coming out. A lid has been lifted off. The CST, which has recorded data since 1984, said a perceived increase in racism and xenophobia following the EU referendum and greater discussion of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party could explain the rise. READ MORE: BBC MK (Bayit Yehudi) Moti Yogev was a lone voice, joining Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan in condemning the hooligans who were holed up in the Amona shul. Veering from Erdans words, who just targeted the youths, Yogev added the entire matter of the eviction from and destruction of Amona was a chilul Hashem. However, despite being in the dati leumi party, he has the mentschlichkeit to call it what it was, a chilul Hashem. Yogev expressed outrage over their behavior, the chutzpah to attack police and create the chilul Hashem on such a magnitude as the event was being covered by world media. One French station aired the eviction live on YouTube! Clearly the government and police were sending a message, this evacuation would not be a repeat of the bloody 2006 evacuation of Amona under PM Ehud Olmert. Police arrived on day two with the same sweatshirts, no body armor and no helmets. There were no batons and no weapons visible. What was visible is that on day two of the eviction, unlike day one, police were wearing protective eyewear after some were injured a day earlier when youths hurled bleach at them. Day two was worse. Police began by repeatedly calling on the 50-100 youths in the shul to come out and avoid violence. Police waited hours, playing the cat and mouse game but it became clear the youths wanted a confrontation. Many were amazed how senior commanders permitted hours to pass, giving these hoodlums far more attention then they deserved. It was reported by the Amona resistance leaders that most of the youths in the shul were no residents but those who came to support their battle. In fact, it was many of the so-called Hilltop Youths that are so often the subject of praise from dati leumi rabbonim. These are youths who live with one another, living off the land, dropouts from school and society. Back in the 70s they were referred to as juvenile delinquents and in essence, they are the dati leumi tziburs sikrikim nothing more. They are not role models or anyone that one wishes to have one children emulate chas vsholom. They have their own Torah, which is often based on their own interpretation. They reject the government, the state, military service and what we call normal life. They are products of a failed education, one that inculcated them with an ideology teaching the land is more important than the Torah HaKadosha and life itself. They have lost sight of any baseline of normality and they claim to be builders of Eretz Yisrael. They provoke violence and worse among Arabs, and has total disdain for government authorities and agencies. Other than their dress and affiliation, they share a great deal with the sikrikim, who will often be found at violent protests just for the sake of protest. They are committed to nothing other than disobedience and defying authority. How shameful it is that prominent rabbonim and talmidei chacham praise these misguided youths, who are the victims of their hashkafa, that when it comes to Eretz Yisrael, the rule is , even if this means throwing caustic agents at unarmed Jewish police, or throwing a fire extinguisher at unarmed Jewish police, or metal rods, glass and flammable liquids. They have no limits for this is what they have understood from the settlement movement; the land is even more important than Torah and Halacha. Yes, MK Yogev was correct. The eviction of Jews from their homes in Eretz Yisrael was a chilul Hashem, but it was their High Court of Justice, and their Zionist government and their Achalta DGeula behind it all. Perhaps it is time for these prominent rabbonim to rethink for soon, or perhaps it is already too late, their hilltop sikrikim will take over and act as the Meah Shearim sikrikim do, threatening the elder rabbonim and burning the neighborhood down at will. They are all out of control, all creating Chillulei Hashem, and all should be ousted from their respected communities to protect the good name of those normal members of those communities. The video taken on site says it all. How dare Jews do what they did to this shul and then have the unmitigated chutzpah to point an accusing finger at anyone. If there were any policemen involved in the past two days events in Amona who respected or admired settlers, one can rest assured the next time he confronts them, his baton will be ready for action and the Amona resistance leaders are to blame. Avichai Bentzvi Yerushalayim NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN. DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE POSTED ON YWN? SEND IT TO US FOR REVIEW (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Following the announcements this week by Israel to build 5.500 new housing units throughout Yehuda and Shomron, the PA (Palestinian Authority) is turning to the United Nations for intervention. PA (Palestinian Authority) UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour accuses Israel of extreme illegal behavior, calling on the Security Council to take action against Israel. Mansour accuses Israel of destroying the two-state solution and any change of regional peace. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) As police were still evicting Jews from their homes in Amona on Wednesday 5 Shevat, the High Court of Justice handed down its ruling on the Yesh Din petition challenging the validity of the deal between Amona residents and the government. The deal, which was accepted by the residents, provided for relocating about a half of the families to a nearby area on the same hilltop. The left-wing organization told the High Court that the deal was based on shaky legal ground at best, leading to the court ruling it was no longer valid. Hence, the residents of Amona are homeless and many are residing in a high school dorm in Yishuv Ofra without a clue where they and their families will be living next week. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) CALEDONIA The prospective buyer of Caledonias Fairytale Farms plans to rename the equestrian farm Back Woods Farm LLC and add a riding school as soon as they get final approvals and meet conditions set Tuesday by the village Plan Commission. According to the listing with First Weber Realty, the 10.76-acre property at 7447 Seven Mile Road comes with a 2,232-square-foot house complete with a seven-stall barn and an indoor riding arena along the Root River. It is listed for $549,000. The current owner, Kiell Erlandsson, has moved on to a new horse farm on Highway 31 but hopes the next owners, Steve McQuality and Tamara Shabty of Burlington, can get their conditional use permit and close on the property. We think the petitioners are going to make a strong contribution to the village, Kiell Erlandsson told the commission. What they proposed to do is a necessary and needed part of the horse community. You need training and and you need boarding. Shabty proposes to house eight horses personally and up to seven more belonging to clients for training. In a letter to the commission, Shabty committed to conducting one to three lessons per day, up to five days a week, and periodically hold riding camps for children ages six and up. Were very excited and looking forward to moving to Caledonia. There is a lot of potential for growth, Shabty said. After more than an hour of discussion, the commission unanimously approved the use with conditions and pending approval of the Village Board, which meets at 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at the East Side Community Center, 6156 Douglas Ave. Conditions The buyers would be required to revise the site plan to include parking for trailers and guests as well as room for emergency vehicles, and prove their wastewater treatment system is licensed and can handle their business operation. They would also be required to comply with a manure management plan for the horses, which prevents stacking on the wetland part of the property or within 20 feet of the property line. The property is adjacent to the Root River trail next to the Caledonia Greenspace Tracks Trail. According to village documents, the owners would need to get state plan approval to spell out occupancy use for the buildings and also get approval of the Caledonia Fire Department. If they want any signage or a new fence, they would need to get that approved as well. Were not trying to beat on you, were trying to get things clarified, Jonathan Schattner, vice chairman of the commission, told Shabty during the meeting. Neighbor Fran Martin told commissioners they should walk the property and vouched for the property layout and proposed use. Having a facility for school horses and lessons is a real asset, Martin said. Erlandsson said he was surprised at all the requirements and hopes it is not a barrier to the sale of a property thats been on the market for over a year. Ive been trying to make it easy for people to move in and start a business. Somehow these guys didnt get the memo, Erlandsson said. Horse people are a big part of the village and we think it helps support property values. If everything is approved and the sale closes, Shabty said she hopes to start training operation this spring. This story has been corrected since publication on Feb. 2 to reflect the correct name of Back Woods Farm. NOTE: This article was originally entitled "SPO4 Pia Ranada's Rappler violated constitution to avoid bankruptcy?", but I updated the title recently to make it more relevant to current events. Rapplers SEC Documents DEFINITION: A Financial Statement (FS) is a summary report that shows how a firm has used the funds entrusted to it by its stockholders (shareholders) and lenders, and what is its current financial position. An Audited Financial Statement is an FS that has been audited by an independent accountant. DEFINITION: A General Information Sheet (GIS) provides information about a companys basic information, including SEC registration details, What is Rappler? 6419 Other monetary intermediation This class includes the receiving of deposits and/or close substitutes for deposits and extending of credit or lending funds. The granting of credit can take a variety of forms, such as loans, mortgages, credit cards etc. What the f*ck? 5813 Publishing of newspapers, journals and periodicals This class includes publishing of newspapers, including advertising newspapers; publishing of periodicals and other journals, including publishing of radio and television schedules. Publishing can be done in print or electronic form, including on the Internet. Constitutional Restrictions on Mass Media The ownership and management of mass media shall be limited to citizens of the Philippines, or to corporations, cooperatives or associations, wholly-owned and managed by such citizens. Is Rappler Mass Media? The term mass media in the Constitution refers to any medium of communication, a newspaper, radio, motion pictures, television, designed to reach the masses and that tends to set standards, ideals and aims of the masses. Philippine Depositary ReceiptIssued by a company facing foreign ownership restriction, such as a media company, in order to allow foreigners to invest tin the company. A PDR is an evidence of ownership of a foreign/foreign based entity in a Philippine corporation. Rapplers Creative Accounting The Foreign Funders NBM is a fund for independent journalism founded by three prominent journalists: Marcus Brauchli; Sasa Vucinic, founder and former head of the Soros-backed Media Development Investment Fund; and Stuart Karle... Rapplers Financials Based on Rappler's AFS from 2011 to 2015. Is there a reason other than money? Does Maria Ressa ask would-be investors, "Open-minded ka ba?"? Whose interests are Maria Ressa, Chay Hofilena, Paige Tinola, and SPO4 Pia Ranada serving? DONT FORGET TO SHARE! RELATED POSTS: In January 2016, butthurt college sorority blogger Chay Hofilena, with help from fellow college sorority bloggers Paige Tinola and SPO4 Pia Ranada-Robles , accused Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar of having political bloggers Sass Rogando Sasot and ThinkingPinoy (TP) on PCOOs payroll [ Rap ], essentially showing that Malacanang is doing something similar to the Office of the Vice-presidents (OVP) direct manipulation of Robredo-aligned netizens [ TP: #LeniLeaks ].The investigative piece was based solely on one anonymous insider source, and Rappler took no effort in getting the side of the accused prior to the articles publication.In response, I wrote a scathing rebuttal last week [ TP: Hofilenas Delusions ]. In that article, I showed how Hofilenas piece qualifies as a college sorority blog post at best.With that said, let me, ThinkingPinoy, show Hofilena how a real investigative piece looks like.Now, what should I write about?I was thinking of an appropriate topic then I remembered that Hofilena, in her college sorority blog post, conveniently assumed that Malacanang funds dominant Duterte-aligned social media personalities Sasot and TP then argued that its unethical.So why dont I talk about Rapplers finances?Lets do that.Despite having launched in January 2012, Rappler Inc. started pre-operations in 2011, so I acquired its Audited Financial Statements (AFS) for the fiscal years ending in [ 2011 ], [ 2012 ], [ 2013 ], [ 2014 ], and [ 2015 ].I have also acquired Rappler Inc.s [ 2016 General Information Sheet ] (GIS).Rappler Inc.s 2016 AFS still isnt available because it has yet to be filed.Moreover, I also acquired Rappler Holdings Corporations [ 2016 GIS ], along with its AFS for the years [ 2015 ] and [ 2014 ].Rappler Holdings Corporation is Rappler Inc.s parent company.The process of acquiring Rapplers docs wouldve been tedious, but I was lucky enough to get in touch with a few SEC people who hate Rapplers juvenile guts, so I got the documents in a jiffy.For easy reference, here are links to Rapplers Documents:Lets start.In its 2015 AFS, Rappler Inc said its primary purpose is to develop and sell news, information, social network services through various delivery formats, and that it is a subsidiary of Rappler Holdings. That is, Rappler Inc is the company that directly owns and controls the website Rappler.com, so its also the employer of college sorority bloggers Chay Hofilena, Paige Tinola, and SPO4 Pia Ranada-Robles.Now, a quick look at the Rapplers latest 2016 GIS shows that it used the Industry Classification Other Monetary Intermediation, despite describing itself as a news company.According to The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), Rev. 4 [ UN, p. 216 ]:What financial service does Rappler Inc provide, 5-6?Now, a closer look at Rappler's 2016GIS Page 1-A shows that the nature of its business is "Property Investment and Development"!Rapplers chosen classification raised suspicion from my end because an appropriate industry classification is available to begin with, particularly [ UN, p. 207 ]:Or if Rappler will argue that it isnt a newspaper, then it can still use 5819 Other Publishing Activities.But why did Rappler, despite having been pretending to be a news outfit since January 2012, still choose to be classified as Other Financial Intermediation?Something sounds fishy, right?I think the Securities and Exchange Commission needs to summon Rapplers accountants and its external auditor.But what exactly is so scary about being legally considered as a news (i.e. mass media) company?The answer lies in the constitution. Article XVI, Section 11 (1), of the 1987 Constitution states:The rationale? Foreign ownership of mass media companies allows foreign entities to influence the shaping of public opinion. Thats bad, especially if the foreign entity has more financial muscle than the Philippine Government itself. Yes, this is an issue of national sovereignty and national security.Just imagine China or the US owning ABS-CBN or Inquirer. Wouldn't that freak you out?Exactly. Thats why the constitution requires mass media companies to be 100 percent Filipino-owned.And that is what Rappler is not.In May 2015, Rappler proudly announced that it received investments from Malaysia-based North Base Media (NBM), which traces its roots to billionaire George Soros [ Rap ]. More on that later.Six months later, Rappler also proudly announced that it received investments from the US-based Omidyar Network (ON) [ Rap ], whose owner is known to have destabilized foreign governments. More on that later.Yes, two of Rapplers investors are foreign entities, which gives rise to two questions: Is Rappler considered mass media? And If so, did Rappler violate the constitution by receiving foreign funding?Opinion No. 24 s. 1986 of the Department of Justice (DoJ) states [ ChanRobles ]:That is, internet-based news outfits, or at least those who declare themselves as one, are considered mass media.Yes, Rappler Inc is a mass media company, so how does Rappler get away with getting foreign funding?Both of Rapplers press releases cited in the previous section mention a certain financial instrument called Philippine Depositary Receipts.In its 2013 Stock Market Outlook Report , RCBC Securities stated:In short, PDRs allow foreigners to skirt foreign ownership restrictions. Obviously, PDRs, which Rappler uses, are tools to cheat the constitution. Anyone who disagrees should take a drug test.Rappler enjoyed its biggest capital infusion in 2015, where it received a whopping P170 million from the issuance of stocks per 2015 AFS.In theory, and without the existence of PDRs, the new capital stock should have been issued to Omidyar and North Base, but of course, the law prohibits that.Instead, the additional stocks were given to Rappler Inc.s parent company Rappler Holdings, who now owns 98.84% of the news outfit per Rappler Incs 2016 GIS.This can only be possible if Rappler holdings issued P170 million in PDRs to Omidyar, North Base, and possibly, some other investor.And here lies another problem:Rappler Holdings gave Rappler Inc P170 million, but Rappler Holdings 2016 GIS shows that is just a company worth less than P12 million! Moreover, despite Rappler Holdings being the majority owner of Rappler Inc, it did not declare the latter as a subsidiary, in contravention with SEC regulations.How could a P12 million company with a reported 2014 income of just 355 pesos (yes, just 355) and a 2015 reported income of just P13,188 have P170 million to give away?It's as if P170 million came out of thin air!It could only mean one thing: through financing activities, i.e. issuance of capital stocks or availment of loans. Rappler Holdings reported neither in 2015.Magical! SEC Chair Teresita Herbosa, I think some people in Estancia need to do some explaining.But were not done yet.Rappler funder Omidyar Network owner Pierre Omidyar co-funded Ukraine revolution groups with US government [ Kyiv ].Thats one red flag, but theres more.North Base Media and Omidyar Network have one common denominator: the Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.In 2015, [ TechinAsia ] reported:Meanwhile, Soros is one of Omidyar Networks venture partners in India [ Omidyar ].And who is Soros? Heres a short description.Soros is a Hungarian-American billionaire who made his money by betting massively against the British Pound in the 1990s, causing a massive currency crisis in the UK [ Investopedia ]. Hes also convicted of insider trading in the US [ NYTimes ].Soros, a major Hillary Clinton donor, has also funded Media Matters, founded by David Brock, who operates on behalf of Clinton in several dubious capacitieslike running the Correct the Record SuperPAC, which hires Internet trolls to spread pro-Clinton ideologies on the Internet [ Observer ].Alright, so two of Rapplers funders have strong links to destabilizers Perfect!And you know what Rappler is doing to the current Philippine Government, of course.But wait, theres more!ONs and NBMs respective decisions to invest in Rappler could have been defensible if Rappler was financially viable. That is, ON and NBM could have argued that Rappler is a legitimate financial investment, that Rappler is financially viable.But that isnt the case.Throughout its history, Rappler relied primarily on capital infusions to keep itself afloat. Based on its financial statements from 2011 to 2015, Rapplers has posted multi-million peso net losses year after year.Rappler, in its five years of operations, was NEVER profitable. So why would two investment-savvy foreigners risk their money on a company that never made real money?But it gets worse: juxtaposing these Net Loss figures to their cash assets at the end of the year tells a grimmer story.As we can see, the net loss of any given year has always been greater than the cash held at the start of the year. That is, it is imperative for Rapplers owners to RAISE CAPITAL EVERY YEAR in anticipation of the massive financial hemorrhages it chronically suffers. That is, acquiring new capital is the primary reason why Rappler still managed to stay afloat since its inception.As you can see, Rappler continues to get capital infusions every year, despite the monumental losses it posts yearly. So why do people continue to fund in it? Do Rapplers investors care little about whether then can recuperate their investments?Imagine that Rappler is your own sari-sari store. Your store loses more than it earns and you have to shell out money from your own call center salary to restock the store every day. Imagine youve been doing this since 2011. Now, how would you convince your friend to invest in your store when your friend knows its a money drain?Well, Rapplers sari-sari store managed to do it.This defies logic under normal circumstances, but the circumstances are anything but normal.Rapplers funders are two government destabilizers. Now why did these financially savvy destabilizers give Rappler money? For profit? For financial returns?I dont think so.Rappler is dying, and funding from two foreigners with links to government destabilizers is what keeps it alive, so let me ask this:Did you like this post? Help ThinkingPinoy stay up! Even as little as 50 pesos will be a great help! Experts call on Ofgem to toughen up the rules for new energy suppliers An energy company which promises to give back 75 per cent of profits to its customers has been proposed by a couple in Scotland who say they are fed up with the Big Six energy firms treating people with contempt. The couple from East Lothian have set up a crowdfunding page to create the energy firm, Our Energy, which has a funding target of 450,000. The campaign states that if successful, the energy firm will be completely transparent and will be part owned by shareholders within three years. Energy firms say Ofgem should carry out more financial checks when granting new licences 'People in the UK have quite rightly lost trust in their energy suppliers. Why should we all pay higher prices just to line a shareholder's pocket?' asks David Pike who along with Karin Sode are behind the funding campaign. 'We want to bring democracy and transparency to the UK's energy market. Our customers will enjoy the profits and after three years will own the company. They will never have to switch supplier again, as they'll own the company and have complete trust in its practices,' he adds. David, who will become Our Energy's director, has previously worked for EDF and Scottish Power and says the big companies aren't going to change tactics anytime soon. Backed by a team of finance and business specialists, the crowdfunder has already raised more than 88,000 and has a deadline of February 24th for the rest of the money. The business of setting up an energy company has changed dramatically in the past few years, and there're now around 40 firms registered in the UK. The increased number of firms in the energy market has come about largely because of a prolonged period of low wholesale energy prices combined with the creation of technology to make it possible to set up online-only providers. David Pike and Karin Sode are behind Our Energy which aims to be 100 per cent transparent We take a look at the regulation in place for setting up a new energy firm, how the energy market has changed, what the future holds and what options consumers have for finding a cheap deal. How are new energy companies set up? Since 2014 the number of firms available has rocketed, partly because of a period of low wholesale prices and advances in technology. Companies, such as software firm Utiligroup, offer 'Supplier in a Box' packages which give firms 'all the tools they need to enter the market' including an energy licence from Ofgem. It offers three packages, starting from a very basic option which allows firms to enter the energy market to a premium package which comes with access to experts, customer service teams and consultancy support and it says it's helped more than 30 new suppliers enter the energy market. While it helps companies to get set up, it says the practice of buying energy is left up to the firm, which makes the decision over how much to buy and how to manage the risk of rising prices and market instability. Mark Coyle, strategy and marketing director for Utiligroup, says: 'We seek to help enable a better energy market for customers through expanded choice, better service and customer focus. 'We have been working within the energy market for twenty years and have a wonderful mix of diverse customers offering differentiated energy-related propositions across the majority of the independent supply sector plus other Big Six suppliers, meter asset providers, meter agents, energy distribution network businesses and energy trading companies. 'The supply company is responsible to produce or buy its own energy. As part of the market entry process we emphasize the importance of this and introduce companies to a diverse range of existing trading organisations prior to their market entry so that they can hedge their requirements and compete properly.' Does there need to be more regulation when companies are given energy licences? In order to operate, energy firms need a licence from Ofgem, all of which are listed on its website. Paul Green, chief executive of Energyhelpline, says Ofgem is failing to check the 'financial integrity of new suppliers' and this is why companies, such as GB Energy which collapsed at the end of last year, are at risk of going bust. He says there hasn't been enough regulation in place when it comes to new providers and he warns that more firms will close. It's rare for an energy company to go bust but there are now warnings that others will close He says: 'Small suppliers are at risk of closure due to Ofgem's incompetence with its regulations. 'Ofgem is almost exclusively to blame for hundreds of thousands of customers being left in a whirlwind of uncertainty . The energy regulator has failed small suppliers due to lacklustre checks and easily obtainable customer targets.' Green also mentions Ofgem's 'Confidence Code' when looking at the recent failing of GB Energy. It means accredited price comparison sites need to list all energy companies on the market. Green says the code led to GB Energy wrongfully gaining the majority of its customers. This is because it had to be listed by the leading sites and as it was listed cheapest for long periods of time, it received more customers than it could handle. He adds: 'If GB Energy were not given this 'free advertising' the company would have had to better plan the business' future, ensuring a more sustainable growth.' Green also says the closure of GB Energy could be a sign of things to come. 'Ofgem must use this as a warning sign. A more proactive approach is required to protect consumers from smaller suppliers that may not have sufficient financial planning,' he adds. As the temperature falls, energy price hikes are expected from smaller suppliers Peter Haigh, managing director of Bristol Energy, agrees that the reason for GB Energy's failure is more with how the energy firm was run and says rising wholesale prices can't be blamed. He says: 'Suppliers that don't do this [manage risk] are gambling on wholesale price movements, and will be forced to put their prices up for new customers. Or worse, may risk going out of business, because they don't have the energy or the money needed to service their current customers. 'This is not responsible practice and those who will now be suffering are GB Energy's customers, the industry and their own colleagues, who will lose their jobs.' ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS SWITCHING PROVIDERS? Are you having problems with your energy provider? We would like to hear your story. E-mail: rebecca.rutt@thisismoney.co.uk Juliet Davenport, founder and CEO of Good Energy, says: 'The regulator should have stronger due diligence processes in place before granting energy licences applicants must have proper risk policies, a clear route to market and credible management. 'Ofgem should also take another look at the functioning of the wholesale market at this time and review the regulations that are driving this "spiky" pricing in the market.' In response Ofgem told us: 'Independent suppliers have injected more competition into the market, which means lower prices and better customer service for consumers. Applicants have to go through a rigorous process to secure a supply licence. We carry out a number of checks before issuing a licence. 'There are further checks and requirements under the industry codes that must be met before a company can enter the market. 'In the event a supplier does go bust, we have introduced a safety net to make sure that customers have a continuous supply of energy and to protect their credit balances.' Price hikes are expected from smaller firms but SSE, British Gas and Eon have frozen prices Will energy prices stop rising or can we all expect higher bills? Wholesale energy costs have been steadily rising since the start of 2016 and according to the ICIS Power Index, wholesale electricity prices rose 43 per cent and gas 56 per cent, between late April and early November. This follows an almost two-year period where prices remained flat and there were no price hikes from the suppliers. Price hikes have been predicted and some smaller providers, such as Ovo, have already confirmed a price hike. But the Big Six providers are largely expected to keep prices the same, and SSE, British Gas and Eon have confirmed a price freeze until the spring. The reason the larger providers are able to keep prices stable, while smaller firms are increasing costs, is because they tend to buy energy in advance and have buffers in place so they can cope if prices rise significantly in a short space of time. The Big Six suppliers still dominate the energy market and serve the majority of homes On the other hand many smaller firms buy their energy on a much shorter-time frame and often on a daily basis, so if prices rise suddenly, they often struggle to be able to keep consumer prices at a steady rate which can cause problems if the majority of their customers are on fixed-price tariffs. Jamie Stewart, power markets editor for ICIS, says: 'Over the longer term, both gas and power prices moved steadily lower from early 2015 through to April of this year. This steady movement allowed many smaller suppliers to flourish by offering lower retail tariffs which were consistent with wholesale price movements. 'However few saw the magnitude of the price increases over the previous seven months coming so, unless companies had put in place adequate measures to protect themselves by hedging the risk of potentially significant price rises, the inevitable result was always going to be a tight squeeze on profit margins.' How can I get a good deal if I'm worried the company will go bust? The majority of the cheapest fixed-rate tariffs come from smaller suppliers and we're often asked by our readers what risks are involved with switching to a smaller firm. British Gas is the biggest UK gas supplier but there are now around 40 firms on the market Although it is rare for companies to go bust, the recent closure of GB Energy is likely to have an affect on the numbers switching to firms they've not heard of before. Andrew Beasley, managing director of Flow Energy, says: 'What is important in light of this announcement is that customers do not now feel deterred from selecting challenger suppliers. 'In contrast to recent years when the Big Six energy firms held a monopoly, the UK market is now hugely competitive, due almost exclusively to the efforts of challenger suppliers, and this must continue if we are to ensure the energy market works for the benefit of consumers in the long term.' If you're unsure if a company is genuine or not, you can always check the regulator Ofgem's website to see if it has a licence to sell energy and when this was granted. The regulator also has a scheme in place to protect customers should an energy company go bust. It will find a new supplier, as in the case with GB Energy, and any money in your energy account will be safe as it will be refunded to you by the new supplier. Ive been thinking about investing in buy-to-let for a while but decided to hold off for the past couple of years as there seemed to be so much change. Now Im hearing that it would make better sense to buy a shop with a flat above it as Ill make a better return. Is this true and should I do it? Many investors have started eyeing up commercial and semi-commercial property as a potential alternative to conventional buy-to-let Paul Goodman, chairman of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers, replies: The buy-to-let market has had the proverbial kitchen sink thrown at it over the past year or two. Existing landlords and prospective ones like yourself must be feeling like theyve sinned in another life. Take last years 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge on second homes, add in a dollop of the new stress and affordability tests that came into force on 1 January, and stir in the changes to buy-to-let tax relief that are coming in April, and its no surprise landlords and property investors have started to consider their options. Its an increasingly toxic cocktail. It may reassure you to hear that many investors, like yourself, have started eyeing up commercial and semi-commercial property (such as a flat above a shop, as you mention) as a potential alternative to conventional buy-to-let. This is largely because these properties are exempt from the major tax changes that have hit buy-to-let. Very simply, since the introduction of the stamp duty surcharge last April, a buyer of a mixed-use property will have been paying significantly less in tax than someone going for a traditional residential buy-to-let. These properties incur commercial property stamp duty, not the residential property tax where the surcharge is in place. For a mixed use property, you will also be hit less hard by the mortgage tax relief changes that are due to hit landlords of residential properties in April. This is because the commercial part of the property will be exempt from the changes. Semi-commercial property certainly represents a happy middle ground if youre not willing to dive into the complexities of pure commercial. It also means youre diversifying the risk by owning both residential and commercial properties. Its a small and measured step rather than a massive portfolio shift into the unknown. With the shop, youll also be able to circumvent some of the fees usually taken on by residential landlords. In commercial properties, for example, tenants usually take up the cost of insurance and repairs as well as business rates. Business tenants also tend to sign up for longer leases than their residential counterparts, which provides security. However, it should be pointed out that it's typically tougher to find tenants for commercial properties, so be prepared for longer void periods when you'll have to cover the mortgage payments but may not have rental income. Its worth noting that the start of business tenancies can be more labour-intensive if youre serious about making commercial part of your property portfolio, its important to vet prospective tenants carefully. You can access their companys information (if they are a corporate body) from Companies House if you have any concerns about their ability to make the rental repayments - although mixed use tenants are likely to be a blend of corporate and non-corporate. As with any financial commitment of this kind, there can be a level of complexity and a range of options that can be tough to get your head around. When looking at financing options, its worth speaking to a commercial mortgage broker to assess what choices are out there and to guide you as you find your feet. It's also crucially important to speak to your accountant on matters of tax advice. Considering whether there is sufficient demand from the type of tenants you need is critical Sarah Davidson, of This is Money, adds: Investing in property can provide both a steady income and great returns - but it's really important to remember that this is only true when it works. It's also possible for things to go wrong, and when you put all your eggs into one property, if they go wrong, all your capital is at risk. There are pros and cons of investing in semi-commercial and commercial property over buy-to-let - the most obvious benefit is that this sort of investment falls outside the new tax rules being brought in from April this year. This means you will be able to claim tax relief for expenses associated with it because it's considered a commercial enterprise. However, there are risks that come with this type of property too. Borrowing costs tend to be higher on commercial buy-to-let mortgages, which will eat into your margins, so you'll need to be sure that the rent you can charge will cover these adequately. If you're investing for a better yield than a simple buy-to-let offers but you haven't factored in higher costs, there could be little financial benefit. It's also worth noting that in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis when mortgage lending took a dive, the first loans to be pulled were commercial ones. This means that, were the market to dip again, you could find it much harder to remortgage a commercial or semi-commercial debt than a residential or buy-to-let mortgage. At the moment, there is a growing appetite from smaller specialist lenders looking to grow their market share by providing commercial buy-to-let loans - but these are by no means the norm. You're not going to find this sort of finance by walking into your local bank branch - you'll need a broker with experience to help you navigate. This will add cost into the initial investment - many brokers charge commission of between 1 and 2 per cent of the total loan. This is unlikely to be paid directly by you, instead the lender will factor this cost in - but it is reflected in the mortgage rate you'll pay. There are also likely to be more questions asked about your experience with property investment - many lenders want to see that you've managed a rental property successfully or held properties for business purposes in the past before they'll hand over a mortgage. It's not strictly a requirement, but you'll need to stack up the numbers to persuade them the loan makes sense. Careful thought should also be given to supply and demand in the area you're buying in. Whether you're investing in residential or commercial property, considering whether there is sufficient demand from the type of tenants you need is critical. If you buy a flat above a shop, you need to be confident it's not just young families looking to rent in your area or you may find the place hard to let. This means an empty property, no rental income and you may struggle to pay your mortgage on time if this persists. The same is true of commercial tenants - is the service they are providing in demand in the area? If they're opening a dry cleaner in a street with five other launderettes, they may struggle. Commercial rents are dependent on the profits of your tenant's business, so understanding their commercial market becomes much more relevant. It's an over-simplified example, but renting to a mini-cab office in 2005 might have made a lot of sense; today, uber's dominance of the taxi market in cities might make that business a total dud. Businesses depend on people having money to spend and this in turn is linked to the wider health of the economy. These are things it's vital to think about before taking the plunge. Whatever your decision, you need to feel comfortable that you have understood not only the benefits of your chosen investment, but also the risks. Hondas Swindon factory is capitalising on a post Brexit-bounce as the lower pound has boosted exports of its new British-built Civic hatchback to the USA and other international markets including Japan, executives revealed today. Hondas European spokesman Nik Pearson said: The lower pound after the Brexit vote has certainly helped exports Its a more profitable equation for us. Were now for the first time exporting to the USA and the weaker pound has helped. 'Were also sending the new Civic five-door to Japan which is a great achievement. The first cars have already been delivered to America. Post-Brexit bounce: Honda will export its new Civic model to the US for the first time Production at Swindon has increased from 133,000 vehicles last year to a predicted 150,000 for 2017. The news emerged at the international launch of the new UK-manufactured 5-door Honda Civic in Barcelona which hits British showrooms in March priced from 18,335. Pearson told the Daily Mail: 'Clearly we would like more certainty and clarity. But for the moment the advent of the weaker pound in the wake of the Brexit vote has helped us. The factory currently employs a workforce of 3,750 having recently taken of 600 new people as a result of the 200million investment in the new car. Honda had already re-configured its production mix to be less reliant on the European market and to increase sales to the US and other world markets. Before the launch of the new 10th generation Civic, some 40 per cent of Swindon-built cars were exported to Europe, 40 per cent to the rest of the world (but not the USA) and 20 per cent to the home British market. Now, with the new car, half of production is being exported to the USA, Japan and the rest of the world, with just 35 per cent to Europe and 15 per cent to the UK. Last year Honda sold a total of 59,141 cars in the UK last year of which 17,300 more than a third - were Civics. Tough times: Boss Christopher Bailey with Burberry model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley The bosses of easyJet and Sky have left Burberrys pay committee as part of a boardroom overhaul. Dame Carolyn McCall, chief executive of easyJet, and Jeremy Darroch, chief executive of Sky, left alongside non-executive member Matthew Key. Their departure follows a review of the companys business and is designed to bring Burberry more in line with the way other FTSE companies are run. The firm has been embroiled in a series of rows over pay in recent years, particularly that of boss Christopher Bailey who picked up a 28m pay deal in 2014. The reshuffle comes as Burberry embarks on an overhaul, amid falling profits and flagging demand for luxury goods in markets such as China. The company has also brought in a new chief executive following criticism from investors that outgoing boss Bailey, should not fill both creative and chief executive roles. Bailey, 45, will be replaced as CEO by Marco Gobbetti, the former boss of Celine, but will retain his creative role. Both will be paid 1.1m. Cheap holiday website On The Beach has seen a boost in profits recently and now its shares are getting a lift too. Yesterday they were raised when broker Investec effectively declared the shares were looking cheap and declared them a buy. Almost a month after the firm reported that profit was up 47 per cent year-on-year, Investec said it had a target price of 378p on shares. The brokers assessment came as OTB gains market share at the expense of traditional High Street-based tour operators. Investec said innovation was key to the firms success: In an industry that is persistently being disrupted, OTB invests heavily in order to ensure that product and technology are in line with consumer needs. The broker expects revenue to continue growing and said the business could potentially expand through acquisitions. The confident outlook sent On The Beach up 3.1 per cent, or 8p, to 266p. The FTSE 100 finished 0.1 per cent higher, or 8.5 points, at 7107.65. Hikma Pharmaceuticals was the highest riser of the day as President Donald Trump vowed to speed up new medicine approval. Its shares jumped 3.1 per cent, or 56p, to 1880p. Shire (up 2 per cent, or 87p, to 4466.5p) and AstraZeneca (up 1.2 per cent, or 53p, to 4247p) also enjoyed the boost from the new presidents promise. Pearson continues to recover after last months profit warning. Earlier in the week, Schroders had doubled its stake in the business, adding 42.3m shares to take its holding to 10.3 per cent. Pearson shares yesterday rallied 3 per cent, or 18.5p, to 637.5p. Cohort climbed on the acquisition of Marlborough Communications. The technology group has paid 5.1m for the 49.9 per cent minority holding in its subsidiary, the majority of which it bought in July 2014. In total, Cohort has paid 12.1m for the business, which provides specialist communications and surveillance technology to the defence and security sectors. Shares advanced 1.7 per cent, or 7.5p, to 440p. Telford Homes announced the purchase of a new site in Londons Bethnal Green. The residential property developer, which focuses on non-prime areas of the capital, paid 30.2m for a former London Electricity Board building. The site, which is just shy of an acre, is expected to cost about 95m to develop into affordable homes and commercial space, with work expected to complete in 2021. Shares gained 1.9 per cent, or 6.25p, to 337p. Circle Holdings has sold land in Manchester to the Department for Communities and Local Government for about 10.9m. The healthcare services firm, which valued the land at 5m in June, said it would use the proceeds to fund future opportunities, including a proposed new hospital in Birmingham. Shares rose 2.2 per cent, or 0.5p, to 23p. Low & Bonar leapt as it reported pre-tax profit had soared 21 per cent to 25.9m from last year. But with exchange rate fluctuations stripped out, revenue slipped 0.2 per cent in the year to November 30. Still, investors were cheered to find out they were set for a payout of 3p a share, up 8 per cent on last year. The performance materials company said that it had seen strong profit growth in a number of its divisions and that production issues, which had hit its coated technical textiles business, had been largely resolved. Peel Hunt, which has a buy rating on the stock, said there were challenges for the firm in Europe but it expects growth in the US and China. Shares rallied 2.9 per cent, or 2p, to 71.5p. Building products group Epwin said full-year profits would be in line with expectations despite tough market conditions. The firm, which provides repair, maintenance and improvement products to new build and social housing, said the performance of recent acquisitions was encouraging. The group warned that the long-term impact of Brexit on the industry was still unclear and that costs had increased since the fall in the pound. Shares climbed 1.7 per cent, or 1.75p, to 103.75p. The London Stock Exchange's merger with its German rival has been dealt a hammer blow after Deutsche Boerse chief executive Carsten Kengeter had his Frankfurt apartment raided by police amid a probe into suspected insider trading. Kengeter bought 4.5million (3.85million) of stock in the exchange he runs in 2015 only two months before it announced merger talks with the London Stock Exchange. State prosecutors in Frankfurt said the investigation centered on whether secret merger talks with the London Stock Exchange were under way when he bought the shares. They suspect that Kengeter knew of the possibility of a merger when he bought the shares which if proven is insider trading. Carsten Kengeter will be chief of the London Stock Exchange if the group's merger with rival Deutsche Borse goes through The two exchanges officially began talking in January 2016 about creating Europe's largest exchange. When the talks were revealed publicly in February 2016, shares in both exchanges soared. Deutsche Boerse's stock has gained around 11 per cent since Kengeter bought the shares. The prosecutors said: 'The initial suspicion results from talks held by the management of Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange between July/August and December 2015 that centered on a possible merger of the two companies and the question of where the holding company could be based.' Prosecutors searched the offices at Deutsche Boerse's headquarters in Eschborn near Frankfurt as well as Kengeter's Frankfurt apartment. Kengeter was not present during the raids. It said the raid aimed to clear up the course of talks between Deutsche Boerse and LSE. No deal: The 21bn Deutsche Boerse 'merger of equals' with the London Stock Exchange is far from being done But Deutsche Boerse defended Kengeter, stating the purchase was related to its remuneration programme. Deutsche Boerse's Joachim Faber said: 'The accusations are groundless.' The Deutsche Boerse supervisory board chairman added: 'Only in the second half of January 2016 did the two chairmen and CEOs agree to begin negotiations for a merger of LSE Group and Deutsche Boerse.' The investigation comes at a a critical moment for the merger. EU antitrust watchdogs are currently examining the deal and are due to make a decision by March 13. There is also growing resistance in Germany toward plans to put the merged group's main headquarters in London, opposition that has gained pace as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. London is set to become the home of the main holding company of the merged exchanges and the joint board, led by Kengeter, would also be based in the City. Shares in London Stock Exchange Group have fallen 12p at 3,185.0p this session. The British consumer goods giant behind Harpic, Dettol and Nurofen is seeking to buy an American baby formula maker for 13bn. Reckitt Benckiser, the Slough-based firm which also owns Strepsils and Durex, has confirmed it is in advanced talks with Mead Johnson a baby milk company. If the bid is successful, it will be the second-biggest buyout by a British company since Brexit, behind British American Tobacco. The offer, at $90 a share, is 30 per cent higher than Meads closing price. No pain, no gain: If the bid is successful, it will be the second-biggest buyout by a British company since Brexit Mead, which makes Enfamil baby formula, has been embroiled in a number of takeover talks since 2009 after being spun off from American drugs giant Bristol-Myers Squibb. It is one of the biggest formula makers in the world and has a large presence in Latin America and Asia. It had been rumoured that Swiss firm Nestle or French yogurt maker Danone would make a bid for Mead, as both already sell baby milk. But analysts ruled out Nestle due to competition concerns while Danone agreed to buy organic food manufacturer WhiteWave late last year instead. Andrew Wood, analyst at Bernstein, said Reckitts choice of Mead Johnson as a target came out of left field and it hadnt been considered as a potential acquirer because infant formula was considered too far away from its core business. Reckitt, which confirmed its offer late on Wednesday night, is likely looking to bolster its business in Asia where sales have been hit by the fallout after its steriliser product Oxy Sacsac led to 96 deaths between 2001 and 2011. It led to a boycott of Reckitts products in the country and a 300m compensation payout. Up until now, Rakesh Kapoor, the chief executive of Reckitt, has turned more to over-the-counter health brands such as Mucinex and Scholl for growth, with the home and personal-care divisions expanding more slowly. Reckitt said it expects to finance the possible transaction through a combination of cash and debt. SOUTH Africas public broadcaster, the SABC, is in trouble. It has been for years. But things are a little more dangerous than before. There are two critical processes on the go, one to address the SABCs financial and governance crises and the second to appoint an interim board. Each must be concluded in the public interest. If the processes unravel there may be little hope of arresting the SABCs long-term decline and marginalisation. And that will also be a problem for democracy. Through its radio and television offerings, the SABC has the widest media reach in the country. With the rise in sponsored, commercial content and fake news globally and in South Africa, the country needs a professional, independent public broadcaster offering context, professional fact-checked news and a multitude of views. The two critical parliamentary processes are the inquiry into the fitness of the SABC Board to fulfil its duties. This is being overseen by an ad hoc committee specially set up in 2016. The other is the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications appointment of an interim Board. The ad hoc has done admirable work. But the process of completing its task is being held up by bickering between the governing African National Congress and the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance. Its critical that this gets resolved. The work on appointing an interim Board is ongoing but it too needs to be concluded urgently. The ad hoc committee has hit a rocky patch. Members of the DA on the committee have walked out and havent endorsed a draft report produced by the remaining committee members. Their complaints are that the report only contains findings and doesnt include recommendations and that this has significantly watered down the power of the report. Also, in particular, they accuse ANC MPs of protecting Communications Minister Faith Muthambi by not including recommendations for her firing. The broadcasters Board and management fought against the process. They walked out of proceedings and refused to provide documents and then maliciously complied through sending hundreds of emails. But the committee stood strong. It heard testimonies from a range of key stakeholders. These included the public protector and the auditor general, as well as NGOs and human rights organisations. It also interviewed former Board members, former SABC employees and eight journalists who had been fired for standing up to management against its illegal ban on showing footage of violent protests. The committees subsequent draft report captured the hours of testimony and pointed to a number of deep structural challenges. It pointed to the conflict between the Broadcasting Act and the Companies Act. It said Muthambi had selectively used the Companies Act to give herself powers to fire Board members. The report said the SABCs independence needs to be protected and that the Broadcasting Act is undoubtedly specific to the SABC, and is therefore the primary law applicable to the public broadcaster. It also highlighted irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The report highlighted the problematic role of Minister Muthambi and her tabling of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill, 2015 which calls for her to be given powers to appoint Board members. The report stated that this showed the lengths that the minister has been prepared to go to concentrate power in the ministry. It pointed to her illegal role in appointing Hlaudi Motsoeneng to the position of permanent Chief Operating Officer, despite the public protectors findings that he lacked the necessary qualifications for the role. MBABANE Within six months, Swazi cellphone users could be carrying two gadgets, each operated by different mobile networks. This follows the January 31, 2017 deadline for the submission of comments to the Swaziland Communications Commission (SCCOM) following its intention to award a telecommunications service provider licence to Swazi Mobile Limited, which is owned by local businessman Victor Gamedze. The General Manager- Legal and Compliance of SCCOM, Ozzie Thakatha, was on national radio yesterday morning where he said they had received only three submissions. He said the submissions were from Swazi Mobile Limited, which has been highlighted as the preferred applicant and SDNET, which was another company that showed interest in being granted the licence and a certain unnamed individual. The individual was merely applauding the demonopolisation of the telecommunications industry which will allow new entrants into the sector and give a choice to consumers. During the programme Letishisako on SBIS 1, Thakatha said as SCCOM, they would meet this week to go through the submissions which they hoped would be a speedy process following the fact that those who had responded were very few. He also said one of those who made a submission said they were happy that there would be another mobile operator in the country. When asked when Swazi Mobile would start operations, Thakatha said the former, in their application, had mentioned that they would be able to be on the ground within six months of being granted the licence. MBABANE The buck stops at E1.3 million. This is the money that has been budgeted for the State Opening of Parliament, which will be officially opened by His Majesty King Mswati III tomorrow. The procurement committee met in Parliament with the Parliamentary Service Board (PSB) and at the time the meeting ended, the money was still at E995 000. The PSB is chaired by Presiding Officers Senate President Gelane Zwane and Themba Msibi. Other members are the Deputy Presiding Officers Senator Ngomuyayona Gamedze and Mbabane East Member of Parliament (MP) Esther Dlamini. Last year, the then newly-appointed members of the PSB were able to reduce the total budget cost for the State Opening of Parliament by almost E400 000. The PSB was at loggerheads with Senate President Zwane and Speaker Msibi over the preparations for the official opening of Parliament, with the presiding officers questioning the legality and authority of the board. As part of their protest action, both Msibi and Zwane boycotted the meetings of the PSB. However, this year the presiding officers have attended the meetings. Other members of the PSB are Senator Chief Kusa Dlamini, Mntfongwaneni MP Mjuluko Dlamini and former Nkilongo MP Trusty Gina with the Clerk to Parliament Ndvuna Dlamini being an ex-officio member. Yes, so far the cost stands at E995 000, but the ceiling is at E1.3 million as there could be unforeseen additional costs, said a member of the PSB. MBABANE The leakage of a letter addressed to His Majesty King Mswati III regarding the fired Swazi Judge, Justice Thomas Masuku, has now become a headache for the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). In fact, the JSC has launched an investigation into how the letter, which was confidential and strictly privileged to the King, was leaked and later used in the impeachment of suspended Judge Mpendulo Simelane. The JSC has since instructed veteran lawyer Zweli Jele to conduct the investigations. The hullabaloo over the leakage of the letter has resulted in Judge Simelane and his former lawyer Sipho Simelane pointing fingers at each other, especially on how the letter got to be unveiled and used during the impeachment. This is one of the key reasons the laywer (Sipho) withdrew his services as he alleges that Judge Simelane wants him to admit that he obtained the document from his sources. However, Sipho is denying that he was the one who obtained and/or leaked the confidential documents. The lawyer alleged that it was Judge Simelane who came with the confidential document to him. The document contains recommendations made by the JSC on Judge Masukus impeachment of 2011. During the impeachment, Judge Simelanes lawyer alleged the document was given to them by Justice Masuku. He referred to the document as a ruling of Judge Masukus hearing. He said it contained the evidence and the ruling. Sipho said it was addressed to the King because the recommendation was made to him. Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election. The world watched as he was sworn in at noon Eastern Standard Time on Jan. 20, less than two weeks ago. There are Americans dissatisfied with the outcome of the Nov. 8 election. One of the last people we expected to be in this category is President Trump himself. In his first days in the Oval Office, the president has renewed his complaint that millions of people voted illegally, depriving him of a popular-vote majority, the New York Times reported. In consecutive Twitter posts early on the morning of Jan. 25, the president wrote: "I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD [presidents capitalization], including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and ... even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!" On Friday, Trump tweeted Look forward to seeing final results of VoteStand. Gregg Phillips and crew say at least 3,000,000 votes were illegal. We must do better!" shortly after Phillips appeared on CNN. Phillips has claimed that the election was marred by 3 million illegal votes; perhaps coincidentally, Hillary Clintons margin of victory over Trump in the popular vote is 2.9 million. In an online post earlier this month, Phillips described "an amazing effort" by volunteers tied to True the Vote, an organization whose board he sits on, who he said found "thousands of duplicate records and registrations of dead people." Apparently, the president is putting stock in the allegations Phillips is making. He shouldnt. When the fact-checking organization PolitiFact looked into Phillips' claims, it said his inability to release the proof made his findings suspect: "Phillips will not provide any evidence to support his claim, which happens to be undermined by publicly available information. If Phillips does release a more detailed report, we will consider that information. But for now, this claim is inaccurate. We rate it False." The president also is contradicting his own lawyers. All available evidence suggests that the 2016 general election was not tainted by fraud or mistake, Trumps lawyers wrote in their response to recount petitions by Jill Stein, the Green Party presidential candidate. In Ohio, Secretary of State Jon A. Husted, a Republican, said in a Jan. 25 interview that there was no evidence that voter fraud was happening on a large scale. Then came the news Monday that Phillips the man the president has praised for his expertise in rooting out voter fraud is registered to vote in three states. Not a crime in and of itself, but he is guilty under the very criteria which the president cited on Twitter as examples of voter fraud. Furthermore, if we are including those registered to vote in two states, as the president put it, we would have to include Reince Priebus, the presidents chief of staff; Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner; Trumps youngest daughter, Tiffany; and Steve Mnuchin, Trumps treasury secretary-designate. Will the president be concluding that these family members and close aides have voted fraudulently? We are doubtful of that. It seems possible that the president endorsed Phillips without too much thought about the implications, the gravity of what he was saying. We urge President Trump to quickly get used to the idea that, in his current position, he must give careful consideration to his words and actions because of the effect they have on the lives of Americans, and of people around the world. In the meantime: The 2016 presidential election is over, and you won, Mr. President. That means that there are far more important issues upon which all of us need you and the White House to focus attention. UW-Madison is at a crucial point as Wisconsin prepares to debate its next state budget, and badly needs new public funding to stay competitive with its peers and reverse a slide in research rankings, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Thursday. Blanks speech to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents laid out the case she and UW-Madisons supporters are making to lawmakers as they craft the 2017-19 budget: The UW System and its flagship campus are a key piece of Wisconsins economy, and further cuts jeopardize its standing among top research universities. After absorbing cuts in five of the last six budgets, early signs indicate the UW System has better prospects this time around. Gov. Scott Walker has said the budget proposal he will announce next week will include new funding for the System tied to how universities perform in certain metrics, on top of funding to make up for an in-state tuition cut he proposed last month. That makes Blank optimistic, she told the Regents. But she laid the blame for UW-Madisons drop in rankings including its fall out of the top five in the National Science Foundations survey of research spending on declining state funding that has led the university to spend less on students and faculty than its competitors. Im very encouraged by the things that Im hearing from the governor and from legislators in terms of reinvesting in the whole University of Wisconsin System, and Im hopeful that we can all work together to change some of these worrisome trends, Blank said. Walker has downplayed the National Science Foundation ranking, saying UW-Madison places high in other rankings and remains a research powerhouse. Blank told the Regents new state funding would go toward hiring faculty members in high-demand fields, pursuing innovative educational technologies and bolstering financial aid with a new program for first-generation college students, Blank said. The program, which officials announced Thursday, pledges to cover the cost of tuition for one year for first-generation college students from Wisconsin who transfer to UW-Madison from one of several public two-year colleges in the state. UW-Madison would cover two years of tuition for first-generation students who are also eligible for the federal Pell grant. But Blank said the program which would cost $1.5 million per year will depend on UWs budget. I cant do this if I get budget cuts again this year, Blank said after her presentation. If we get some reinvestment in the university in whatever form that comes it will be a very high priority for us to launch this program. Asked if the proposal would affect his vote on UWs funding, Rep. Dave Murphy, R-Greenville, noted that the initiative was not part of the Systems request for a $42.5 million increase in state support, and said other colleges and universities have funded similar programs through donations. Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, co-chairman of the Legislatures powerful Joint Finance Committee, said he supports efforts to make college more affordable, but wanted to know more about changes to the rules for transferring between two-year schools and UW-Madison. Strong defense, pair of goals from Shaye Bailey hands Freedom WPIAL Class 1A championship A shutdown defense and a pair of second-half goals from junior Shaye Bailey led the Freedom Bulldogs to a convincing 3-0 win over Springdale Friday. Students who transfer from one of several two-year colleges to UW-Madison, and would be the first in their family to get a degree, will receive at least one year of free tuition at the flagship campus under a proposal officials will announce Thursday but only if the state provides enough new funding to make it happen. UW-Madison is also changing the contracts that guarantee admission for students who spend two years at the UW Colleges and certain technical schools, including Madison Area Technical College. The new contracts require students to maintain a higher GPA while at the two-year schools, and provide better information about what classes they must take to get into UW-Madison, said Steve Hahn, vice provost for the universitys Division of Enrollment Management. This will represent much more clarity for the student, Hahn said. The road map is now available to them. The proposal Chancellor Rebecca Blank plans to announce during a meeting of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents on Thursday calls for first-generation college students from Wisconsin who complete those contracts to receive scholarships and grants to cover their first year of tuition at UW-Madison. Those who are also eligible for federal Pell grants for low-income students would have two years of tuition covered, meaning they could finish their degree at UW-Madison without paying for tuition. The enhanced transfer contracts and commitment to provide aid for first-generation students gives Wisconsin families greater access to one of the top research and academic institutions in the world, Blank said. Whether the proposal becomes reality, however, will depend on if UW-Madison receives sufficient new investment in the 2017-19 state budget, according to a university statement. Im hearing support for providing additional dollars to higher education in the upcoming budget, and hope that UW-Madison will receive funds to allow us to launch this program, Blank said. UW-Madison officials did not say how much their proposal would cost, how many students they expect would benefit from it, or how much new state funding they would need for it to go forward. A spokesman noted that the incentive of free tuition could lead to greater demand for the program. Gov. Scott Walker has said the biennial budget proposal he will announce next week will include new funding for the UW System based on how universities perform in unspecified metrics. Walker has also pledged to provide new state funding to cover a proposed cut of in-state tuition for UW students. The System has asked for $42.5 million in new funding over the two-year budget, hoping Wisconsin will reverse a trend that has seen funding for public universities decline in five of the last six budgets. First-generation percentage has fallen UW-Madison officials say their proposal, which they are calling Badger Promise, creates new opportunities for first-generation students to attend the university. That groups share of the student body at UW-Madison has shrunk even as overall enrollment has increased. Its a trend that has led some education experts to question whether the university is committed to being accessible for low-income and first-generation students, or if UW-Madison is prioritizing wealthier out-of-state and international students who pay higher tuition. The campus had 5,440 first-generation undergraduates those who come from households in which neither parent has a college degree in the 2015-16 school year, down by nearly 1,000 students from seven years earlier. The universitys total number of undergraduates grew by 890 over the same time period. First-generation students are more prevalent among transfers, but their numbers in that category are declining as well. They made up 27 percent of transfer students in 2015-16, down from 34 percent a decade earlier. Contract changes provide clarity UW-Madison has long had contracts guaranteeing students admission if they complete their first two years at one of the 14 UW Colleges or schools, such as MATC. But officials say it can be hard for students to know what courses they need to take at two-year schools to stay on track for UW-Madison, and many dont take advantage of the contract program. UW-Madison has updated its contracts with the UW Colleges, and is working on doing so with MATC, also known as Madison College, as well as Milwaukee Area Technical College, Nicolet College and the College of Menominee Nation. The new contracts which will be in place regardless of whether the first-generation scholarship program happens spell out more clearly what classes will be required. Students will also have to maintain a higher GPA to be guaranteed admission to UW-Madison; the new minimum is 3.2, up from 2.8 under the previous contracts. Hahn said he did not believe the higher minimum GPA would make it more difficult for two-year students to get into UW-Madison, and said the clearer contracts and better coordinating between schools would benefit students. Students are now completely aware what our requirements will be once they go to one of our transfer partners, Hahn said. It allows the student to see their path toward completion. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Shaka Senghor's life is one of contemplation. Seeking refuge from an abusive childhood home, he ran headlong into the violent crack cocaine game of east Detroit. At 13, he found himself nearly beaten to death on a cold, tile bathroom. From there, he contemplated: "What kind of world do we live in when we allow this to happen to children?" A few years later in March 1990, as precious seconds ticked without medical help, the bullet-ridden teen rode in his friend's car as it sped to the nearest hospital. He contemplated the many young men befallen by similar violence. By the time he was in an emergency room, he just wanted a hug. But again he'd find no refuge - "No one thought to offer me what is the most simple of human gestures." He still contemplates the things he did - and more importantly didn't do - on one fateful night in 1991 as he walked away from a heated argument over drugs. He contemplates why he decided to turn around, brandishing the gun he'd use that night for murder. He had 19 years in prison to wonder and repent. And it was there that he found refuge - first in the musings of Plato, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X; later in his own writing. When he was finally released, in 2010, the prison guards left him a parting gift: "They told me, 'we'll see you in six months.'" He never made it back. And now he texts with Oprah. On Wednesday, Senghor recounted his own story of redemption during University at Albany's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. In the years since being released, Senghor - who now teaches at University of Michigan and has done stints at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab - has made criminal justice reform the focal point of his life, writing multiple books - including a best-selling memoir - about how forgiveness, compassion and knowledge pulled him from the brink of darkness. SEE MORE AT TU PLUS A county attorney's office in Minnesota expects to file charges soon, following completion of an investigation into Vireo Health's alleged transport of $500,000 of medical marijuana products from Minnesota to New York. No further information was available Thursday. Brian Lutes, an assistant county attorney in Wright County, Minn., said details would be forthcoming. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A demand for more in-depth experiences from learning how to scuba dive to dining in a private home in port are shaping what's new in the cruise industry this year. Other cruise news: a boom in Alaska trips, a few precious sailings to Cuba and potentially game-changing new technology. High Seas, High Tech Princess Cruises will debut a coin-sized medallion that passengers will use to be directed to their cabins, unlock their doors and alert crew members to their schedules and preferences. It will also streamline getting on and off the ship. Alaska Alaska expects 1.06 million cruise passengers this year, likely breaking its 2008 record of 1.03 million visits. The Alaska Travel Industry Association says larger ships are bringing more visitors, and several destinations have built out piers to accommodate bigger vessels. Smaller ships are simultaneously expanding service, specializing in more remote destinations the bigger ships can't reach. Cuba Long-term prospects for travel from the U.S. to Cuba remain uncertain under the new presidential administration. But for now, a number of cruises are scheduled through spring. Havana is on the itinerary for sailings from Florida in April and May aboard Royal Caribbean's Empress of the Seas, and in May on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky. The Fathom brand continues seven-night sailings to Cuba every other week through May. New Experiences Onboard And Onshore Royal Caribbean is the only cruise line offering scuba-diving certification through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Passengers begin the course at home online, continue lessons in a ship pool and finish with four mandatory open-water dives in ports of call. Carnival Cruise Line is offering longer sailings of nine to 15 days with options for more immersive and adventurous experiences beyond beaches and bars. Passengers might visit a school in Mexico or get a home-cooked meal at a private house in Jamaica. "People are looking for meaningful experiences," said Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer De La Cruz. MSC Cruises launches a wellness experience in April with personalized health assessments and fitness programs, along with a Weight Watchers cruise from Miami to the Caribbean in May. Princess is expanding Discovery at Sea offerings for kids with new programming such as MythBusters science activities. Princess is also featuring a new show, "Born to Dance," produced with famed composer Stephen Schwartz, paying tribute to Broadway's greatest choreographers and dancers. Holland America Line's new programs include cooking shows and workshops in partnership with "America's Test Kitchen," plus Rijksmuseum at Sea, with interactive displays about the famed Amsterdam museum as a tie-in to the cruise line's Dutch heritage. Norwegian Cruise Line has opened a new private destination in southern Belize called Harvest Caye with a beach, villas for daily rental, a lagoon for canoeing and kayaking, and "Flighthouse" with a zip line, ropes course and more. The port also makes it easy for guests to explore Belize on shore excursions. Cunard's Queen Mary 2 this year offers trans-Atlantic cruises themed on space exploration and fashion. Disney Cruise Line will offer Marvel Day at Sea programs featuring Marvel Comics characters. New Ships In November, Royal Caribbean debuted the world's largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, with a 5,479-passenger capacity, two 10-story enclosed dry slides and an escape game room. Some of this year's new vessels: Viking Cruises adds two more ocean-going ships; Crystal Cruises launches two new river ships this summer, Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler; Silversea Cruises launches Silver Muse in April; in July, American Queen Steamboat launches American Duchess, the first boutique paddle-wheeler vessel built for Mississippi River cruises. Albany An alternate juror sitting on the trial of Tyler Pascuzzi collapsed and went into cardiac arrest Wednesday in open court, but received life-saving aid from a town of Guilderland paramedic supervisor who happened to be testifying at just the right time, officials said. The juror, a woman whose name was not released, collapsed around 2:15 p.m., prompting Albany County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Collins to run to the first-floor, grab a defibrillator and return to the third-floor courtroom of state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin, where the trial is taking place. Luckily for the juror, the witness stand was occupied by Bonnie-Jean Johnson, the supervisor of paramedics for the town of Guilderland. Johnson used the defibrillator to resuscitate the juror, who was taken to an area hospital. "She immediately did what she does and saved the lady's life," Sheriff Craig Apple told the Times Union. "Good timing." Apple said it was "literally a blessing of quick thinking by the deputy and a blessing that the paramedic was there." In April 2015, Johnson accepted the Presidents Award For Exemplary Public Engagement from the University at Albany on behalf of Guilderland emergency medical service workers for "providing exemplary publicly engaged service in the form of quality emergency medical assistance and health education and training to the University at Albany and surrounding communities," according to a Facebook post by the Guilderland Police Department. "I'm not surprised at all," Guilderland Police Chief Carol Lawlor said of Johnson's heroics. "She's been with us a long time and she's very, very good at what she does and I'm proud of what she did today." Pascuzzi is on trial charged with killing Alicia Tamboia, 24, of Wingdale, Dutchess County, and Cody Veverka, 23, of Cairo, in a July 4, 2014 crash while allegedly driving 151 mph and with blood alcohol of 0.18 more than twice the 0.08 legal limit. Johnson testified about her work attending to Pascuzzi's injuries after the crash on the state Thruway in Guilderland about 11:40 p.m. Pascuzzi, 27, formerly of Colonie, whose trial began Monday, is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, aggravated driving while intoxicated, DWI and reckless driving. Attorney Stephen Coffey, who along with attorney Michael McDermott is representing Pascuzzi, said the defense does not plan to ask for a mistrial because of the emergency. The woman, one of three alternate jurors on the case, is not expected to return. rgavin@timesunion.com 518-434-2403 @RobertGavinTU Washington Rex Tillerson's most urgent task at the State Department will be to quell what some describe as a near-mutiny among its vast staff and to counter a growing sense of demoralization. Tillerson, confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday on a 56-43 vote, takes over a normally staid department that has been singularly roiled by President Donald Trump's controversial actions so far. Trump's critics at the State Department describe a level of chaos and confusion in the new president's foreign policy, from his baffling overtures to Russia and seeming snubs of NATO allies, to his dissing of Mexico and executive order banning refugees and immigrants from seven mostly-Muslim countries. "It has been head-spinning," said the U.S. ambassador to one of the nations caught up in the Trump tumult. The envoy did not want to be identified publicly given the uncertain transition. "There's a new level of consternation," said Anthony Blinken, who served as deputy secretary of state under President Barack Obama. He commented after the bungled start of Trump's travel ban order Friday, which saw people with valid U.S. visas and green cards suddenly detained at U.S. airports or stranded around the globe. The State Department was not consulted before the order was issued, sources said, even though it is responsible for issuing visas and vetting refugees. On Tuesday, a memo signed by at least 800 U.S. diplomats, consular officers and other Foreign Service employees dissenting to the ban on travelers or immigrants from the seven mostly-Muslim nations was submitted to the State Department. The department's so-called dissent channel is a rarely used but time-honored system that allows diplomats to offer opinions on foreign policy that diverge from the White House. The memos are usually confidential, but this one apparently the largest ever was widely circulated. "A policy which closes our doors to over 200 million legitimate travelers in the hopes of preventing a small number of travelers who intend to harm Americans will not achieve its aim of making our country safer," the memo states. "Such a policy runs counter to core American values of nondiscrimination, fair play and extending a warm welcome to foreign visitors and immigrants." In response, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said anyone who did not agree with the president "career bureaucrats," as he put it should consider quitting. Angst at the State Department was exacerbated by the abrupt ouster last week of several senior officials, including the undersecretary for management, Patrick Kennedy, and four top members of his team. Kennedy's departure was not unexpected. He had been a staunch defender of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump's presidential rival, especially over her handling of the attacks that killed four Americans in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. But losing Kennedy and the others left a department rudderless in several essential areas of operations and security. "As a career diplomat, I experienced many transitions and never saw anything like this dangerous purge of public servants now underway at state," Laura Kennedy, a former deputy secretary of state for Eurasia, said. Among those forced out was Victoria Nuland, an assistant secretary of state and highly regarded hawk on Russia. Trump has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and has vowed to seek a cozier relationship with Moscow. Jon Finer, who served as former Secretary of State John F. Kerry's chief of staff, said it could take months to fill so many high-level positions, leaving a "gaping hole" in U.S. diplomacy. Department veterans also decried what they described as a "no need to know" approach by Trump's aides, who they said had declined briefings by outgoing diplomats and had ignored policy papers prepared for the transition team. Nor was the State Department involved in preparation for last Friday's visit of British Prime Minister Theresa May, the first foreign leader to meet with Trump at the White House. Washington The Trump administration appears to be taking a low-key approach to a flare-up in violence in eastern Ukraine where the government accuses Russian-backed forces of stepping up attacks. White House spokesman Sean Spicer had little to say on Wednesday when asked about the administration's position on the renewed fighting. He said only that President Donald Trump has been kept aware of developments. A day earlier, the administration omitted any mention of Russia in a six-sentence statement. The omission of Russia contrasted sharply with statements from the Obama administration, which criticized Moscow. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 New York state officials once considered building a new $500 million home for the Department of Health, including 350,000 square feet of space for its famed Wadsworth Center at SUNY Poly's Albany campus. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's 2018 fiscal budget includes $150 million for a new Wadsworth and Department of Health campus to be built in the Capital Region, although the site has yet to be determined. Dover Air Force Base, Del. Assuming the somber duties of commander in chief, President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip Wednesday to honor the returning remains of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in a weekend raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Ill., was the first known U.S. combat casualty since Trump took office less than two weeks ago. An 8-year-old American girl was among 30 others killed in the operation on an al-Qaida compound, and three other U.S. service members were wounded. Trump's trip to Dover was shrouded in secrecy. The president and his daughter, Ivanka, departed the White House in the presidential helicopter with their destination unannounced. A small group of journalists traveled with Trump on the condition that the visit was not reported until his arrival. Marine One landed at Dover shortly before a C-17 believed to be carrying Owens' remains touched down. The president was expected to meet with Owens' family, which requested that the visit and the dignified transfer of the Navy SEAL's remains be private. Former President Barack Obama lifted a ban on media coverage of the dignified transfers, though families may still request privacy. A spokeswoman at Dover said about half of families choose to allow media coverage. Owens joined the Navy in 1998 and was the recipient of two Bronze stars, a Joint Service Commendation and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among other honors. In a statement following his death, the Navy Special Command called Owens a "devoted father, a true professional and a wonderful husband." His death underscores the human costs of the military campaigns Trump now oversees. Far fewer troops are serving in combat now than in the wars Trump's predecessors led in Afghanistan and Iraq, but thousands of Americans remain in hot spots around the world. In Afghanistan, where America's longest war continues, 8,400 U.S. troops are training and advising local forces. More than 5,100 U.S. troops in Iraq and 500 in Syria are involved in the campaign against the Islamic State group. The U.S. also engages in counterterrorism operations mainly drone strikes in Yemen, where Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has exploited the chaos of the country's civil war. Sunday's pre-dawn raid which a defense official said was planned by the Obama administration but authorized by Trump could signal a new escalation against extremist groups in Yemen. More than half a dozen militant suspects were among those killed. The operation also took the life of the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed by a drone strike in 2011. As a candidate, Trump said he would be willing to "take out" the families of terrorists in order to root out extremism. On Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said no Americans "will ever be targeted" in raids against terror suspects. The president's trip to Dover comes as he begins weighing whether to reshape U.S. military activities around the world. As a candidate, he vowed to be tougher on the Islamic State and at one point said he would be willing to send up to 30,000 U.S. troops to fight the extremist group in Iraq and Syria. Last week, Trump gave the Pentagon and other agencies 30 days to submit a plan for defeating the Islamic State. Trump has said little about his approach to Afghanistan. Obama had pledged to end the war there on his watch, but continuing security concerns prompted him to extend the U.S. military campaign, handing the war off to a third American president. Trump, who never served in the armed forces and received student and medical deferments during the Vietnam War, had an uneven relationship with the military community during the presidential campaign. About 60 percent of voters who served in the military supported Trump in the presidential election, compared with 34 percent who voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to exit polls. But Trump was also criticized by military groups, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, for his feud with the Khan family, whose Muslim-American son was killed while serving in Iraq. Albany Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order Wednesday giving the state attorney general's office the authority to investigate Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel E. Abelove for his handling of a case involving the fatal shooting of a DWI suspect by a Troy police officer last April. The order empowers the office of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to conduct a public corruption probe of Abelove's conduct, including his decision to present the case to a grand jury that cleared the officer of wrongdoing less than a week after the shooting. Abelove took the case to a grand jury while the investigation was still going on, and the panel did not hear testimony from two civilian witnesses whose accounts may have contradicted the police's version. Cuomo's order will enable Schneiderman, if necessary, to empanel a grand jury and "to investigate, and if warranted, prosecute any and all unlawful acts or omissions or alleged unlawful acts or omissions by any person arising out of, relating to, or in any way connected with the incident and its subsequent investigation, including its grand jury presentation." Under state law, Schneiderman needs authority from the governor to investigate a sitting district attorney. Abelove, who is in his first term, faces potential consequences ranging from removal from office to criminal prosecution if Schneiderman's office uncovers wrongdoing. In a statement, a spokesperson for Schneiderman said their office's Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit "will follow the facts of this case wherever they lead." The spokesperson said the family of Edson Thevenin, the man shot, and the Rensselaer County community deserve answers. Abelove abruptly presented the case to a grand jury last April without notifying the attorney general. At the time, the attorney general's office had announced it would review whether to investigate the shooting under the terms of an executive order Cuomo signed two years ago giving Schneiderman the authority to intervene in cases in which unarmed citizens are killed during police encounters. Many district attorneys, including Abelove, challenged the governor's order giving the attorney general that jurisdiction. The Times Union has reported Abelove did not require Sgt. Randall French, the officer involved in the shooting, to waive his immunity from prosecution when he testified before the grand jury that cleared him. The decision by Abelove to not have the officer sign an immunity waiver raised questions about the validity of the grand jury's determination to clear the police officer. French remains on administrative leave. Schneiderman's office said Abelove did not notify them he was putting the case before a grand jury. The attorney general's office sought court intervention to take the case from Abelove, who agreed to turn over the case and his files and grand jury minutes in response to the lawsuit. The attorney general's ongoing investigation of the shooting death of 37-year-old Thevenin is examining if the incident unfolded as police officials described with the officer firing eight shots through the windshield of Thevenin's sedan after the car allegedly pinned the officer's legs against his police cruiser. People familiar with the investigation but not authorized to comment publicly said the attorney general's investigation has raised questions about whether that narrative is correct. "The family is very happy that Gov. Cuomo has decided that a full investigation is appropriate," said Michael A. Rose, an attorney for Thevenin's widow, Cinthia. "We've trusted that the people who are viewing the initial investigation regarding Edson's death are doing a full and thorough investigation, so that the truth will come out and the family will have the answers that they deserve." Another person familiar with the case said Schneiderman's office retained a private forensic specialist who visited Troy in early December to examine the car Thevenin was driving on the night he was killed. The forensic specialist also went to the shooting scene, said two people familiar with the probe. The forensic testing was supposed to determine the angle of the shots that pierced the windshield in relation to where French was positioned when each shot was fired, including whether the officer was moving or in the path of Thevenin's car when he fired. Troy police officials said French opened fired that night after a brief vehicle pursuit when he jumped out of his car and was trapped between his cruiser and Thevenin's vehicle, which was boxed in by two police cars. Thevenin was not armed, but police said under the circumstances they believe he was using his car as a weapon, and the officer feared for his safety. Thevenin had a prior conviction for DWI. Abelove's office issued a statement less than a week after the shooting saying a grand jury reviewed evidence in the shooting and found no wrongdoing by police. "Specifically, the grand jury found that (French's) use of deadly physical force was justifiable under the law," the statement from Abelove's office said. Schneiderman first asked Cuomo to give him the authority to intervene in cases involving fatal police encounters in December 2014, after a grand jury's decision not to file charges in the death of Eric Garner. The Staten Island man died when a New York City police officer placed him in a chokehold as officers confronted him for selling untaxed cigarettes. The governor's executive order limits the attorney general's intervention to cases where there are questions over whether an unarmed civilian posed a threat to police at the time the civilian was subjected to deadly force. John W. Bailey, an attorney for Abelove, characterized the action by the offices of the governor and attorney general as "political." Abelove is a Republican. Schneiderman and Cuomo are Democrats. "Joel Abelove did not do anything wrong," Bailey said. "He was told by the AG that morning of the shooting they were not going to assert jurisdiction. He proceeded with his investigation and he presented the matter to a grand jury. ... Randy French was within maybe split seconds of losing his life and he had to make a split-second decision, which he did." Two civilians told police they witnessed the shooting and did not believe French was in imminent danger when he opened fire. The witnesses, Keith Millington of Cohoes and Phillip E. Gross III of Troy, were both interviewed by Troy police and the Attorney General's office. Abelove has declined to say what steps his office took, if any, to subpoena Millington or Gross or otherwise try to get them to testify before the grand jury. blyons@timesunion.com 518-454-5547 @brendan_lyonstu This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy The controversies piled up in the office of Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove in 2016. The first-term Republican faced criticism over how he handled several cases but it was a non-prosecution the quickly concluded probe led by Abelove after a police shooting that drew the ongoing scrutiny of Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office. A grand jury filed no charges in the case less than a week after Troy Police Sgt. Randall French shot at the windshield of 37-year-old Edson Thevenin's car, killing Thevenin after police said French's legs were pinned against a police cruiser following a brief pursuit. Critics questioned the quick presentation to the grand jury and witnesses went public with comments that questioned the police version of the April shooting. Abelove presented the case to the grand jury despite an executive order signed last year that gave the state attorney general's office the power to investigate police shootings that involve unarmed suspects. The case went before the grand jury even though police said they hadn't completed their investigation of the shooting. On April 20, Schneiderman announced his office would investigate the shooting and law enforcement officials familiar with the case said the attorney general asked Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the authority to probe Abelove's handling of the matter. Schneiderman's investigation remains open. Another case Abelove declined to investigate allegations that Martin Reid, the now ex-chairman of the Rensselaer County Legislature, received $15,000 in unemployment benefits to which he was not entitled after losing his day job -- also ended up in Schneiderman's hands. Reid, a Republican like Abelove, pleaded guilty in September to a felony charge in return for a sentence of three days in Albany County jail and payment of a $5,000 fine. But it was a case Abelove went forward with that also drew a rebuke. Acting State Supreme Court Justice Richard M. Koweek of Columbia County removed Abelove from prosecuting three men including two former employees of his office who were accused of playing a role in the leak of a 911 call that originated in the home of Jim Gordon, the GOP's 2015 candidate for Troy mayor. In that case, Koweek cited the use of a grand jury to indict Ronald Fountain, a retired Troy detective; Gary Gordon, a former district attorney's investigator; and Shane Hug, a former assistant district attorney, on misdemeanors and violations for allegedly conspiring to steal a copy of the 911 recording from Troy police on Oct. 19, 2015. The 911 call was made by Melissa Gordon, the wife of Gordon, a former Republican Troy councilman who lost last year's mayoral race to Democrat Patrick Madden. Troy political observers said the release of the tape damaged Gordon's mayoral campaign. Jim Gordon and Gary Gordon, a former Democratic candidate for sheriff, are not related. Abelove's office also lost prosecutions for failing to present felony cases to a grand jury in a timely fashion. It led to successful defense motions to have the cases dismissed in local courts for violations of the defendants' rights to a speedy trial. Abelove said he was reforming his office's practices to avoid such situations in the future. kcrowe@timesunion.com 518-454-5084 @KennethCrowe This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Shaka Senghors life is one of contemplation. Seeking refuge from an abusive childhood home, he ran headlong into the violent crack cocaine game of east Detroit. At 13, he found himself nearly beaten to death on a cold, tile bathroom. From there, he contemplated: What kind of world do we live in when we allow this to happen to children? A few years later in March 1990, as precious seconds ticked without medical help, the bullet-ridden teen rode in his friend's car as it sped to the nearest hospital. He contemplated the many young men befallen by similar violence. By the time he was in an emergency room, he just wanted a hug. But again hed find no refuge - No one thought to offer me what is the most simple of human gestures. He still contemplates the things he did - and more importantly didnt do - on one fateful night in 1991 as he walked away from a heated argument over drugs. He contemplates why he decided to turn around, brandishing the gun hed use that night for murder. He had 19 years in prison to wonder and repent. And it was there that he found refuge - first in the musings of Plato, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X; later in his own writing. When he was finally released, in 2010, the prison guards left him a parting gift: They told me, well see you in six months. He never made it back. And now he texts with Oprah. On Wednesday, Senghor recounted his own story of redemption during University at Albanys Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. In the years since being released, Senghor - who now teaches at University of Michigan and has done stints at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab - has made criminal justice reform the focal point of his life, writing multiple books - including a best-selling memoir - about how forgiveness, compassion and knowledge pulled him from the brink of darkness. His message is simple: Your worst deeds do not define you. Those guards, he said, werent wrong to bet on his return. In Americas prison system, where some-70 percent of offenders will find themselves back behind bars at some point, the odds were stacked against him. And as much as Senghor wanted to enter the world, the world was not the one he'd left all those years before. After nearly two decades behind bars - including seven years in solitary confinement - Senghor was confronted with a world that in his absence changed in all ways. Simple things like texting are, to the newly-released, immense challenges. If we are going to incarcerate as many people as we do, Senghor told reporters before his speech Wednesday, they should be able to fill out job applications when they are released. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Its hard for him to talk about his time in solitary confinement. It is Americas greatest shame, he said. He still remembers the smell of a man who lit himself on fire in hopes of getting out. Its torture. Its a level of brutality that would shock the American conscience." In 2015, Senghor was part of a bipartisan movement that included everyone from conservative megadonors Charles and David Koch, to CNN commentator Van Jones and the American Civil Liberties Union. That movement ultimately got the ear of Barack Obama, the first sitting president to visit a federal prison and who pushed for the federal government to end its use of private, for-profit prisons. Momentum seemed on their side. But under President Donald Trump, Senghor said hes concerned he and others will see their hard work rolled back. Its a familiar feeling: When youre black in America, you get used to not having policy makers that have your back, he said. Still, hes optimistic. In the midst of the chaos, he said, there are points of entry for compassion. Redemption is a cornerstone of faith. Whatever your religion is or isnt, our human connection is rooted in the faith that we are redeemable. RDownen@timesunion.com - 518-454-5018 - Follow @RobertDownenTU Tipperary County Council is looking at opening its own tourist office in Nenagh to avoid any repeat of the past number of years when Bord Failte have attempted to walk away from the town. Up to 2013, the tourist office opened for at least six months of the year, but that year, Failte Ireland threatened to close it. Following a campaign that involved the local tourism providers, Nenagh Chamber and then Minister Alan Kelly, as well as senior council officials, it was agreed the office would remain open for 10 weeks. However, the same threat was made over the past number of years, leaving the capital of North Tipperary at a disadvantage when promoting local attractions. It opened from the middle of June to the end of August. The office has been located in the former motor tax office on Banba Square for the last two years, but that looks likely to change from this season after the council revealed it is hoping to do a deal with Nenagh Arts Centre and open a permanent office in the one-time Town Hall. None of us were happy last year, district administrator Rosemary Joyce told Nenagh councillors at their Municipal District Council meeting. We are seeking quotes for a design as well as sources of funding, she said. The intention would be to refit the old reception area to the left of the entrance of the arts centre, and as well as having a tourist desk, have space to display material. At present, the downstairs portion of the arts centre is used by various community groups. The move was welcomed by MDC Cathaoirleach Cllr Phyll Bugler who said: We need a stand alone that tells people to come in. We need a good tourist office. She asked the council to try and have the tourist office on Killaloe bridge that served Ballina reopened after it, too, was closed. We are all well aware of the problems of the past few years, said Cllr Ger Darcy. North Tipperary is still on the bottom rung for tourism. He said the main agencies only wanted to sell Clare and the Ring of Kerry and they needed to stick our heels in the ground. However, town councillor Hughie McGrath was concerned the tourist office might be hidden away in the arts centre. He suggested that it be located in the motor tax office where there could be a coffee shop and a gift shop. It is a fabulous building and would sell itself as a tourist office, he said. Cllr McGrath asked if the council had any plan for the motor tax office. District manager Marcus O'Connor pointed out that it was unlikely that there would anything in place for the new office until 2018, and, in the meantime, the council may have to use the arts centre. When Failte Ireland downgraded the tourist offce, they based it on new innovations such as interactive information displays at rest stops on motorways as well as the number of people using the Discover Ireland website. The last figures for Nenagh tourist offce showed it was used by 34 people per day over its 10-week opening period. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Sinn Fein Senator Paul Gavan has accused the government of treating former workers of the Tipperary Hostel "with contempt". Twenty one workers employed as part of a Job Initiative Scheme who lost their jobs in 2010 are still awaiting payment of enhanced redundancy as recommended by the Labour Court. This week Senator Gavan raised the issue under Commencement Matters in the Seanad, after representations from his party colleague Cllr Martin Browne. The Tipperary Hostel Project to transform Tipperary Towns old workhouse into a tourism hostel closed before the work was complete in May 2010. Workers won the right to statutory redundancy only after SIPTU had brought a successful case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal in 2011. A further case was taken to the Labour Court by SIPTU in March 2016 in pursuit of enhanced redundancy payments in line with the norm for Job Initiative Workers who were made redundant. The workers were awarded a further payment of 3 weeks per year of service by the Labour Court but to date no payments have been made. Senator Gavan explained "SIPTU have written to the Department of Social Protection on several occasions raising this and related issues. The Department held one meeting with the union last June but since then have failed to respond to further correspondence from both SIPTU and the Workplace Relations Commission. These workers and their union have been treated with contempt" . Speaking to Minister of State Catherine Byrne in the Seanad on the issue Senator Gavan said " I have been unable to get a single straight answer on behalf of these workers. The government is playing ducks and drakes with this matter. These workers are waiting for moneys that are due to them on foot of a Labour Court recommendation. The disrespect shown to these workers, the Labour Court, and their union SIPTU is in stark contrast to the affording of moneys to banks and developers by this government." Senator Gavan continued " Is it okay for a Government Minister to ignore Labour Court recommendations? What signal does this send to employers and unions that a senior Minister is ignoring the highest body in the States Industrial Relations machinery? What about the Workplace Relations Commission which has been waiting for 5 months for a response as whether the Government will attend a hearing?" In response Minister Byrne gave "a personal commitment" to pass on the concerns expressed by Senator Gavan directly to Minister John Halligan & assured him that the Minister would respond to the matters. Tipperary County Council dealt with a total of 681 environmental complaints from the public last year in the Nenagh Municipal District Council area, local councillors have been told. The complaints covered a number of areas, including air, derelict sites, noise, waste enforcement, water and veterinary, environment engineer Michael Woulfe revealed. However, the biggest number of complainst were in litter, with 356 complaints, and dog control with 207. Only one litter complaint remains active, with none open concerning dog control. Meanwhile, the council collected a total of 11,080kg of waste from the gateway entrances to towns in the district. Thirty-eight litter fines were issued and there were 10 cases of illegal dumping. The council monitors up to eight locations in the district using CCTV and Mr Woulfe said that as technology improved, its use was becoming more successful in dealing with litter enforcement. The highest number of compaints still open deal with water, where six out of 19 remain open. In total, only 15 complaints remain open for the municipal area. Highlighting the success of Nenagh's civic amenity site at Limerick Road, it was reported that 62,240 people used the facility in 2016. Mr Woulfe also reported that the council had completed capital works in Cloughjordan, Rockvale and Kilmore, with work progressing at Boher progressing. Maintenance works were completed at Kilmore, Rockvale, Cloughjordan, Ballinree and Ardcroney. A total of 2,454 dog licences were issued in the district. A suicide awareness and prevention group is quickly becoming a beacon of light for hundreds of people in Tipperary following the establishment of Project Semicolon Nenagh- the first Irish branch of the international suicide awareness support group. After losing a close friend to suicide and hearing about several young people taking their own lives, 27 year old Gary Byrne decided to take action and set up the first ever Semicolon Project in Ireland on November 16 last. The first event for the group saw 150 people turn out on December 21st in Banba Square to 'light up the darkest day' and remember loved ones who had died by suicide. I felt I had to do something, explains Project Semicolon Nenagh founder Gary Byrne. Every week I was hearing about more people dying by suicide and every time I opened a newspaper there was another story about a family coming to terms with their loss. I had heard about Project Semicolon and liked their message. If we only reach one person with the group then its a step in the right direction. Two weeks ago the group held its very first tattoo day inviting locals to get inked with the semicolon symbol and joining in on the one small character, one big purpose movement as a tribute to lost friends or family members and as a unifying mark to support those with mental health issues. Over 200 people from Nenagh, Birr, Roscrea, Clonmel, Borrisoleigh, Galway and Dublin travelled to the pop up tattoo parlor in Razors Edge Barber shop in Nenagh to raise money for three local charities (Pieta House, Living Links Tipperary and Nenagh Ormond Search and Rescue) in all raising 6,000 across the two day event. Local musicians Slow Seas, Barely a Band, Lisa Manning and Voice of Ireland star Pauric O Meara entertained the crowds who waited patiently for their turn in the chair of tattoo artists Tom Carroll and Johnny Mitchell who gave their time voluntarily and worked until nearly 4am to get through the crowds of people who had come along to get their own semicolon tattoo. We were completely overwhelmed at the turn out to be honest. People were incredibly generous and travelled great distances to come and show their support, Gary told the Tipperary Star, adding that there are now plans to set up similar projects at other locations owing to the success of the Nenagh event. A special presentation is now organised for this Friday night, February 3 in Silvermine Bar Nenagh for the chosen charities with live music, DJ and food served on the night. The organisers would like to extend an invite to the entire community to attend the event and continue promoting the message of the Semicolon Project. The Semicolon Project gained international attention after it was set up in 2013 in the US and uses the semicolon as a symbol to represent a 'sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to - That author is you and the sentence is your life.' [February 02, 2017] Allied Universal Picks Up Security Services Division of Yale Enforcement SANTA ANA, Calif. and CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Universal, a leading facility services company and the largest security force in North America with over 150,000 employees, today has announced that it acquired the security services portion of Yale Enforcement Services, Inc. The Belleville, Illinois-based company offers a full range of solutions, including uniformed security professionals, mobile patrol, physical security and life safety. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Acquiring Yale's security services division is a strategic move that aligns with our goal of expansion in niche areas," said Steve Jones, Allied Universal CEO. "This allows us continuous growth in service areas well represented by Yale Enforcement." Yale Enforcement's 1,800-plus employees serve a range of vertical markets including healthcare, manufacturng, industrial, warehouse/distribution, commercial real estate and retail throughout the Central, Midwestern and Southern states. "Allied Universal sets the industry standard for professionalism and we know our security services clients will be well taken care of," says Barbara Yale, President and CEO, Yale Enforcement. Learn more about Allied Universal's service offerings at www.AUS.com. About Allied Universal Allied Universal, a leading facility services company and the largest security force in North America with over 150,000 employees, provides unparalleled security services and solutions. With headquarters in Santa Ana, Calif., and Conshohocken, Pa., Allied Universal combines people and technology to deliver evolving, tailored solutions that allow our clients to focus on their core business. An unrelenting focus on clients' success creates partnerships rooted in quality and value, and is supported by experience gained from being in business for over 50 years. Through our people and leading services, systems and solutionsAllied Universal is there for you. For more information, please visit www.AUS.com. https://www.facebook.com/AlliedUniversal/ https://twitter.com/AU_Services https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-universal http://www.aus.com/Blog To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allied-universal-picks-up-security-services-division-of-yale-enforcement-300401055.html SOURCE Allied Universal [February 02, 2017] CareerSource South Florida Brings TechHire to Overtown with an Award of $134,100 for an Overtown TechHire Initiative CareerSource South Florida awarded $134,100 to an Overtown TechHire Training Initiative. The goal of the TechHire Overtown initiative is to train eighteen students to become entry level professionals in high-demand IT careers. The students will attend a twelve-week IT Help Desk Certification Bootcamp. Each candidate will be enrolled in four weeks of Work Readiness training prior to attending the twelve-week IT Help Desk Bootcamp. A stipend will be provided to each student throughout the training. Upon successful completion, participants will have the opportunity to be hired by employers focused on hiring the eighteen TechHire graduates. Partner companies that have committed to the project include: 4IT, Azulle Tech, CompuCare Systems, Nerd Support, Conquest, and OpticalTel. The TechHire initiative is a bold multi-sector initiative that empowers Americans with the skills they need, through universities and community colleges, as well as, non-traditional approaches such as "coding boot camps," and high-quality online courses that can rapidly train workers for a well-paying tech jobs, often in just a few months. The White House announced Miami-Dade County as one of two "TechHire" communities designated in the State of Florida; representing the only TechHire community in South Florida. TechHire is a multi-sector national initiative launched one year ago by President Barack Obama to create a pipeline of Americans with technology skills. CareerSource South Florida (CSSF), Neighbors and Neighbors Association (NANA), and Florida Vocational Institute (FVI) formed a specialized collaborative partnership to provide training opportunities for the residents of the Southeast Overtown and Park West communities, which creates pathways to economic opportunity and upward mobility through job placement in technology. The TechHire bootcamp is being offered in Overtown allowing easy access to residents of Overtown. The initiative is currently accepting a limited number of applicants and will be hosting two orientation sessions for interested participants on February 1st and February 8th. To register for the orientation or learn more about this initiative please visit www.fvi.edu/helpdesk. About Florida Vocational Institute (FVI) Florida Vocational Institute's mission is to empower students through education to start achieving their dream jobs in information technology and healthcare in less than a year. FVI achieves this mission through a passionate experienced team all focused on helping our clients achieve success. FVI is the first IT Coding bootcamp in Florida that is approved by the US Department of Education for Federal Financial Aid. For more information please visit www.fvi.edu or for more information on this initiative please visit www.fvi.edu/helpdesk or call 786-574-3350. About CareerSource South Florida CareerSource South Florida is a public-private partnership that establishes state and federally funded workforce development and training policies for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. CareerSource South Florida's services and resources are available to everyone at no cost through a network of centers located throughout the region. For more information on CareerSource South Florida, including valuable resources for businesses and job seekers, please visit www.careersourcesfl.com or call 305-594-7615. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005942/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Foresters Financial Competitive Scholarship Program Now Accepting Applications from Community-Minded Students Foresters Financial proudly supports students who share the organization's commitment to doing more by awarding 250 community-minded scholars across North America with renewable scholarships worth up to $8,000 each. The program is currently open and accepting applications for the 2017-2018 academic year. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005769/en/ Foresters Competitive Scholarship Program is one of the ways that Foresters lives its purpose of enriching lives and building strong communities. The program is unique in that students must not only achieve a strong academic record but, more importantly, must demonstrate a commitment to community service. "Foresters is proud to present academic scholarships to students who share our values of doing more," said Cheryl Neal, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at Foresters. "Our 2016-2017 scholarship winners carried out an average of 800 hours of community service - a truly impressive achievement! Through our investment in their academics, we hope to help these students focus on their future and continue to make a positive impact in their communities." Ashtyn Shaw is an exceptional example of a Foresters Competitive Scholarship winner. She is currently attending the University of Oklahoma studying human relations with a minor in non-profit organizations - and she already has a wealth of experience in the field. Following her own personal battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 15, Ashtyn founded The Amazingly Small Heroes Project (The A.S.H Project), a charitable organization that sends volunteers to the Fort Worth, Texas children's hospital dressed-up as princesses and superheroes to cheer up children and their families who are battling serious illnesses. "My goal is to show the children that a child fighting for their life is just as beautiful as any princess and just as brave as any superhero," explained Ashtyn. "To the kids, these characters are real so to see their heroes take the time to visit them and tell them that they're strong, beautiful and more than just a kid in a hospital - that's an experience they'll remember." In the las five years alone, Foresters Competitive Scholarship Program has awarded more than 5,500 new and renewed academic scholarships internationally, an investment of more than $11.7 million (CAD). "The Foresters scholarship made it possible for me to go to the university of my choosing," said Ashtyn. "Foresters helps pay for my education, but at the same time it makes sure that I can focus solely on my education." Foresters Competitive Scholarship Program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc., and is open to eligible Foresters members1, their spouses and dependent children, grandchildren who will be continuing their postsecondary education and children under the care of a legal guardian who is an eligible Foresters member. Eligible students who demonstrate a commitment to volunteerism and maintain a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.8 or 70% may apply. Foresters members interested in applying for a scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year can do so from December 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017. For more information on Foresters Competitive Scholarship Program, visit foresters.com. About Foresters Financial Foresters Financial is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and total funds under management of $34 billion2. With a history of more than 140 years, we provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals, protect their families and improve their communities. For more information, visit foresters.com. Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries. Products offered vary by country. Not all products are available for distribution in all jurisdictions. In the United States, products are offered by The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries, including Foresters Financial Services, Inc. a registered broker-dealer. Securities, life insurance and annuity products are offered through Foresters Financial Services, Inc. or independent producers. Insurance products are issued by Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, New York, or The Independent Order of Foresters. Investment advisory products and services are offered through Foresters Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. In the United States, eligible members may currently only be anyone insured under a life or health insurance certificate, or an annuitant under an annuity certificate, issued by The Independent Order of Foresters. Foresters member benefits are non-contractual, subject to benefit specific Eligibility requirements, Definitions and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice. 2in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2015 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005769/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Global Connected Breath Analyzer Devices Market Driven by its Wide Array of Application in the Healthcare Sector: Technavio The global connected breath analyzer devices market is expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 1% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest report. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005443/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global connected breath analyzer devices market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global connected breath analyzer devices market for 2017-2021. By end-users, this market is divided into individual consumers and law enforcement segments. Breath analyzers, or breathalyzers are finding an increasing number of applications from the healthcare sector. Apart from measuring blood alcohol content, breathalyzers are used to detect jaundice, ulcers, lactose intolerance, and effectiveness of asthma drugs. These applications of breathalyzers are driving the growth of the connected breath analyzer devices market. Technavio's research study segments the global connected breath analyzer devices market into the following regions: Americas EMEA APAC Americas: largest connected breath analyzer devices market segment "The Americas constitute the largest segment of the global connected breath analyzer devices market. This is due to the stringent road safety regulations and the relatively stronger infrastructure of the law enforcement agencies in the region," says Sunil Kumar Singh, one of the lead analysts at Technavio for embedded systems research. The US is the bigges single contributor to the market, accounting for over one-sixth of the overall revenue of the market in 2016. Some of the leading breath analyzer companies such as BACtrack, Lifeloc Technologies, Intoximeters, Quest Products, and Akers Biosciences, are set up in the country. This provides consumers in the US access to a wider range of products options, which creates a high amount of revenue. Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56283 Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. EMEA: strict regulations driving market growth in the region Many of the countries in the European Union, as well as most CCASG countries, have extremely strict regulations to control alcohol and drug abuse, particularly regarding road safety, which is responsible for the high adoption of breathalyzers in the region. Additionally, African countries like South Africa and Nigeria are two of the most promising market in the region for connected breath analyzers. These countries favor the use of infrared connected breath analyzers, as a cost-effective, non-invasive method to detect several medical conditions. APAC to overtake EMEA by the end of 2021 "APAC is currently witnessing the migration of many established connected breath analyzer device manufacturing facilities to countries like China, Vietnam, South Korea, and India. The favorable political and economic factors, combined with the low cost of labor is responsible for the region for this migration," says Sunil. The mass migration of manufacturing facilities, combined with the emerging and relatively untapped market for connected breath analyzers, have supported the region to establish itself as a strong contender to the other segments. The region is also witnessing the emergence of several local players who have a native edge against the other players. These factors are expected to push for a swift growth of APAC, which is forecast to overtake EMEA by the end of 2021. The top vendors in the global connected breath analyzer devices market highlighted in the report are: Breathometer BACtrack DrinkMate Alcohoot Edge Browse Related Reports: Global Breath Analyzers Market 2016-2020 Global Respiratory Disposable Devices Market 2016-2020 Global Alcohol Testing Equipment Market 2016-2020 Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like computing devices, displays, and sensors. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, resellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005443/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Hemenway & Barnes LLP Welcomes M. Patrick Moore Jr. to Business Law Practice Hemenway & Barnes LLP, one of Boston's leading legal and fiduciary firms, today announced that M. Patrick Moore Jr. has joined its business and non-profit law practices as Counsel. Pat is a litigator with a unique perspective on the mechanics of federal and state government. He brings to clients a background in business and appellate litigation, and an understanding of legislative and regulatory initiatives at all levels of government. Before joining Hemenway & Barnes, Pat was an Associate Counsel and Advisor for Presidential Personnel at the White House, in the administration of President Barack Obama. There, he vetted prospective nominees for executive, judicial, and independent agency positions; evaluated clemency petitions; and analyzed legal issues on behalf of the President. Pat's experience in state govrnment includes roles as Deputy Counsel for Massachusetts Governors Deval L. Patrick and Charles D. Baker. In those positions, he drafted or evaluated innumerable laws and regulations and, in some cases, defended them against legal challenge. Pat is an Adjunct Professor at Boston College Law School, where he teaches Administrative Law. He is the author of "Regulations & Rulemaking," a chapter in the 2015 treatise LexisNexis (News - Alert) Massachusetts Administrative Law Manual. "Hemenway & Barnes advises clients on navigating a range of legal issues impacted by government actions," said Kurt Somerville, managing partner at Hemenway and Barnes. "Pat's experience in government law and litigation will be a great asset in meeting those challenges, and we look forward to working with him for the long run." About Hemenway & Barnes Based in Boston, Hemenway & Barnes LLP has served for 150 years as trusted counsel to the region's high net worth families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. The firm is a unique combination of legal and financial expertise, with a focus on providing each client with services that are specifically tailored and results-oriented. Areas of expertise include estate planning, estate and trust administration, litigation, business work, and real estate. Its affiliate, Hemenway Trust Company LLC, is a New Hampshire-based, private trust company offering a full range of wealth advisory and management services. For more information, please see www.hembar.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005014/en/ [February 02, 2017] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Commences Investigation on Behalf of BT Group plc Investors Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of BT (News - Alert) Group plc ("BT Group" or the "Company") (NYSE: BT) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On January 24, 2017, BT Group (News - Alert) disclosed that an internal accounting investigation identified a significant overstatement of earnings in BT Group's Italian business, that would require adjustments of approximately 530 million. The Company further statd that, "The improper behaviour in our Italian business is an extremely serious matter, and we have taken immediate steps to strengthen the financial processes and controls in that business. We suspended a number of BT Italy's senior management team who have now left the business. We have also appointed a new Chief Executive of BT Italy who will take charge on 1 February 2017. He will review the Italian management team and will work with BT Group Ethics and Compliance to improve the governance, compliance and financial safeguards in our Italian business." On this news BT Group shares fell over 20%, or nearly $5.05 per share, to close on January 24, 2017 at $19.38. If you purchased BT Group securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005415/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] IT Execs, Security Chiefs Lining Up For Mobile Security Exchange MORRISTOWN, New Jersey, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile security executives from various verticals, including government, financial services, and education are heading to Phoenix, Arizona this April to attend the Enterprise Mobility Exchange: Security West event, where CIOs, CISOs, VPs, and Heads of IT will join for a two-day information-sharing and benchmarking business meeting. The Exchange will focus on mobile security, corporate data protection, threat defense and detection, breach recovery, and the legal ramifications of a hack. Featured speakers, Think Tanks, and Round Tables will be mixed with one-on-one networking opportunities with on-site solution providers. "Regardless of whether sanctioned or supported by IT, employees are accessing corporate data via an increasing number of mobile devices," said Dorene Rettas, Head of US at Enterprise Mobility Exchange. "Enterprises that are not securing every endpoint are leaving themselves vulnerable to a breach. Enterprise Mobility Exchange: Security West looks beyond nework security to focus on all endpoints from smartphones to tablets and wearables, looking at current and future threats." Security West, held April 24 and 25, will feature opening keynote speaker Nick Savage, Assistant Acting Special Agent in Charge of Cybersecurity for the FBI, as well as Jamal Hartenstein, Data Privacy and Cyber Security attorney. Savage will take a look at defending the attack surface, establishing an effective defense and implementing an information assurance framework to secure the enterprise's endpoints. The legal aspect of a breach will be tackled, as Hartenstein addresses who's liable when it comes to security issues. Virginia Tech University CISO Randy Marchany will address securing the entire mobile world, as well as join a panel on the topic of BYOD in the enterprise. Derek Wheeler, the Assistant Director of Cybersecurity for the State of Maryland will also speak on how to secure tens of thousands of mobile devices across his public enterprise. About Enterprise Mobility Exchange Enterprise Mobility Exchange is an online community for business leaders seeking to leverage mobile technology and services to improve operational efficiency, increase customer acquisition, and drive profits. EME's multi-pronged approach provides industry news and expert commentary along with invitation-only events for high-level, global mobility professionals. These events bring together senior IT decision-makers from all industries. Learn more about what's happening in the industry by staying connected with the company's newsletter here. To learn more about the Security West event, contact Dorene Rettas at [email protected] or by calling +1-973-867-7744 SOURCE Enterprise Mobility Exchange [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] London/Atlanta Partnership Launches the P20 for the Global Payments Industry British and American government, business, and other influential leaders today announce formal creation of the "P20" and its inaugural meeting to be held in Autumn 2017, the first Transatlantic payments initiative of its kind. The P20 will convene 20 of the most influential leaders in the payments industry and top United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US) government officials and regulators annually to: highlight the importance of payments and Financial Technology (FinTech) to the world economy; the vital role played by London and Atlanta; and provide a long-term opportunity for a Transatlantic partnership intended to promote growth of the industry globally through improved regulatory frameworks, economic development, innovation, financial inclusion and overall cooperation. The P20 is a direct response to the ever-increasing need for greater regulatory clarity, consumer security, and innovation collaboration as it applies to the payments industry and related aspects of FinTech. The P20 will serve as a forum for thought leadership and action, along with best practices across many areas including regulatory and compliance frameworks, and pressing issues like cybersecurity, innovation and how FinTech can achieve greater financial inclusion for people in developing economies around the world. The P20 Annual Meeting will rotate between London and Atlanta, with the inaugural session taking place this October 9th and 10th in London. The inaugural meeting will be led by the P20 "leadership delegates" who will drive programming, presentations and outcomes. The event will also welcome participation from approximately 120 invited senior leaders representing relevant government agencies and offices, industry advocacy groups, academia, FinTech innovators, and payments industry executives from across the globe. "The P20 is the latest platform intended to provide greater access to talent, technology and business opportunities for Atlanta's Transaction Alley companies, and this process would not have gotten off the ground without the help of one of the ATPC's founding sponsors, Holland & Knight, LLP," said H. West Richards, American Transaction Processors Coalition Executive Director. "The unified support for P20 from Georgia's political leaders will ensure that both the public and private sectors are pulling in the same direction as we collaborate with new partners in London on critical issues for our industry, the economy and global payments best practices." "I am proud to support the P20 initiative to strengthen the ties between the City of Atlanta and the City of London. Atlanta is home to a strong and diverse workforce, and processes more than 70 percent o all payments in the United States each year," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. "Our two cities are major international financial technology hubs, and building stronger relationships between government and business leaders here and in the United Kingdom offers tremendous potential for the exchange of ideas, as well as trade and investment opportunities." Proposed goals for the inaugural conference will include some of the following: Recognize the unique and important position the payments industry holds in global commerce, and the associated responsibilities of industry and government Identify industry and policy challenges requiring attention during the next 10 years, and develop an agenda of short- and long-term goals Create a vision and framework for working together to promote financial inclusion through streamlining regulatory frameworks, improved security and innovation "I am excited to be supporting the American Transaction Processors Coalition to establish the P20, an important and timely initiative between the UK and US," said Alastair Lukies CBE, Chairman of the P20 Advisory Board and UK Prime Minister's Business Ambassador for FinTech. Mr. Lukies further stated, "To have Atlanta and London as a rotating venue for the business leaders across the globe in the payments industry, working with U.S., UK and EU leaders in regulatory, compliance and innovation is a powerful combination. This will ensure that consumers, all over the world, benefit from customer-centric innovation and economies benefit from improved systemic stability and security." The P20 mission charter is being crafted to address the improvement of regulation, innovation, cybersecurity, education and financial inclusion on a global scale. "I was delighted to be in Atlanta recently, which is recognized as the payments processing capitol in America as well as a leading global FinTech city, as we made preparations to launch the P20 meeting," said Mark Garnier MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for International Trade. "Atlanta is the perfect financial and transaction sectors partner for London, and the P20 is a reflection of our commitment." Mr. Garnier added, "Gathering together the top global payments companies with regulators and legislators from the UK and the US, the P20 will be a valuable forum for payments executives to discuss the biggest issues facing the industry. With over 20 British companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, our two nations share a strong business bond and this kind of collaboration in key sectors will help further strengthen these ties." "As Georgia continues to solidify its status as a national leader in business, the FinTech sector relies heavily on our state to meet the growing demands of an evolving society," said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. "International relationships like P20 provide an opportunity for our state to continue its dominance in payments, where more than 60 percent of the U.S. FinTech market is located. We look forward to sharing insights and best practices into how our robust infrastructure, skilled workforce and accessible resources play a huge role in the success of this industry in Georgia, and the industry's expanding role around the world." About London London is the financial services capital of the world and dominates payments in Europe. London boasts nearly 40,000 Financial Services companies employing more thank 60,000 workers in the FinTech sector alone; a large portion of which support the payments industry. About Atlanta Atlanta is the payments capital of the U.S., processing 75 percent of $7.4 trillion in annual payments while employing the lion's share of the FinTech workforce of nearly 40,000. About P20 Highlighting both London's and Atlanta's success in payments will help to further burnish London as the continued definitive financial capital of the world and Atlanta as the payments capital of the U.S. Collaborating will promote policies and economic development opportunities that provide honest, secure and reliable payments to the rest of the world - a vital step in helping to lift many places in the world out of poverty. The P20 will serve to open a vital and expandable London/Atlanta Transatlantic corridor that will provide numerous collateral benefits to both cities and nations. P20 will help drive future growth: payments processors on both sides of the Atlantic have grown by 10X in the last 15 years, working together to carry payments to the rest of the world presents a clear opportunity to grow the industries by 20X or 30X, inuring to the benefit of both citizens and shareholders. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005344/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Medical Marijuana, Inc. Subsidiary HempMeds Brasil Launches New Website SAN DIEGO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC PINK: MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, announced today that its subsidiary HempMeds Brasil has launched a new website featuring brand information, a navigable web interface layout, and online services available for medical marijuana customers. HempMeds Brasil is the first company to offer legal medical cannabis products to Brazil after receiving approval to import to those suffering from specific medical conditions. The new site comes on the heels of three major developments with the company. HempMeds Brasil has recently announced an expanded management team, approved importation of RSHO-X, and establishment of a new working relationship with Paragon Meds. "We are excited to announce the launch of a new website that we are confident will bring better service and availability of our products to consumers in Brazil," said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO, Dr. Stuart Titus. "We have reworked the website to benefit not only our customers, but those wishing to receive educational info about our range of products. Everyone will beable to easily access detailed information on our brands, the history of our company, the background behind the items we offer, and content aimed at providing insight into the very success stories that make our products so great." The new site will feature a form that would enable potential customers to speak directly to HempMeds Brasil team members, allowing them to receive references to doctors for access to CBD hemp oil products. Featured in the site are displays detailing pertinent information aimed at extending convenience for current customers. Established patients will also gain access to prescription delivery services, industry updates, treatment options and product details. Customers can also use HempMeds Brasil live support for any additional questions or needs Call: 21 4042 2095. About HempMeds Brasil HempMeds Brasil currently has three cannabis products approved for importation into Brazil as a prescription medication. The company had the first-ever cannabis product allowed for import into Brazil and its products are currently subsidized by the Brazilian government, under their health care system. As of 2015 ANVISA has allowed cannabidiol treatments for any medical condition a doctor sees could help the patient. HempMeds Brasil has had doctor prescriptions for Epilepsy, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Cancer, Autism, Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Pain to date and is working on additional approvals for multiple indications. About Medical Marijuana, Inc. Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com . To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here . Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products. FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Medical Marijuana, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. LEGAL DISCLOSURE Medical Marijuana, Inc. does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). These companies do grow, sell, and distribute hemp-based products and are involved with the federally legal distribution of medical marijuana-based products within certain international markets. Cannabidiol is a natural constituent of hemp oil. Public Relations Contact: Andrew Hard Chief Executive Officer CMW Media P. 888-829-0070 [email protected] www.cmwmedia.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medical-marijuana-inc-subsidiary-hempmeds-brasil-launches-new-website-300401123.html SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc. [February 02, 2017] New Media Improves Performance in Latest Pluripotent Stem Cell Applications A newly launched pluripotent stem cell (PSC) medium has been designed to respond to the latest challenges in stem cell research, showing improved flexibility and performance in modern applications like gene editing, single cell passaging and reprogramming. Researchers in these fields no longer have to adjust protocols or experiments to use media originally formulated for older applications. Thermo Fisher Scientific announced the launch of the Gibco StemFlex Medium today, along with key data and user experiences from beta testing sites speaking to the improvements the medium brings to the field. Media for culturing PSCs were originally formulated more than one decade ago, when research was focused on reproducibly deriving and maintaining stem cells. Today's applications are more complex and come with challenging cell culture requirements. When run with traditional media products, performance issues arise. "Novel stem cell applications put an unprecedented amount of stress on stem cells, and cell recovery can be poor with standard media," said Amy Butler, vice president, general manager of cell biology at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Using adjusted protocols may mitigate these problems, but it may also have an impact on downstream pluripotency. We formulated the Gibco StemFlex Medium to alleviate the compromises researchers have had to make based on available media and desired applications." With its new formulation, the Gibco StemFlex Medium tests better than standard media on metrics important to novel stem cell applications. The medium achieves up to a two-fold faster stem cell recovery following gene editing; it achieves as much as a five-fold improvement in clonal expansion following single cell passaging in the absence of ROCK inhibitor;consistently maintains pluripotency with weekend-free feeding schedules; and it also can be used for multiple matrices and passing reagents. With these gains in performance and flexibility, the medium enables progress in areas at the forefront of PSC research, including genome editing, single cell analysis, and reprogramming. "Our lab has built isogenic lines using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to study the effects of gene mutations on dystonia/parkinsonism and Parkinson's Disease, for which a lot of single cell passaging is necessary," said William Hendriks, Ph.D., Instructor in Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. "We've adopted Gibco StemFlex Medium for almost all of our culture. We observed that while traditional media works well for some cell lines, Gibco StemFlex Medium yields much better cell survivability after steps like fluorescence-activated cell sorting." "PSC lines generated from patients can be cultured in common stem cell medium, but I find they attach much better to matrices with the Gibco StemFlex Medium," said Bjorn Brandl, a staff scientist at The Zentrum fur Integrative Psychiatrie (ZIP) part of the Universitatsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Germany. "For genome editing experiments, I have found that StemFlex is a good medium since it enables robust culturing of single cell PSC from control and patient-derived cells." Gibco StemFlex Medium and the Gibco CultureOne Supplement, which launched last November, are the latest additions to Thermo Fisher's stem cell research product portfolio. Gibco CultureOne Supplement is designed for scientists differentiating human neural stem cells (NSCs) to neurons, and enables superior neuronal cell cultures by eliminating more than 75 percent of contaminating neural progenitor cells compared to conventional differentiation methods. The resulting cultures of evenly distributed, differentiated neurons enable improved downstream assays, accelerated neuronal maturation and seamless maintenance for five weeks or more. For researchers going from PSCs to neurons, the combination of Gibco StemFlex Medium and CultureOne Supplement removes the challenges of culturing cells and enables an improved downstream experience. The Gibco StemFlex Medium and Gibco CultureOne Supplement are for research use only. For more information on Gibco StemFlex Medium see thermofisher.com/stemflex. For Thermo Fisher's free educational resources for stem cell researchers, see thermofisher.com/psceducation. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of $18 billion and more than 55,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands - Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services - we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005300/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Synechron Collaborates With The South Florida Accelerator (TSFA) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Florida Accelerator (TSFA) has on boarded one of the top FinTech consultancies and technology services companies in the world to advance the innovation ecosystem that is South Florida. The South Florida Accelerator, a regional start-up innovation accelerator / aggregator, today announced Synechron, one of the fastest growing digital, business consulting and technology service providers, as an investor and strategic partner of its business platform and the launch of the FinTech Innovation Lab and Accelerator at Synchron's office in Sunrise. "Synechron is an uncontested leader in the FinTech business consultancy and technology services vertical which we are ecstatic to have the opportunity to partner with" said Thomas Buchar Managing Director of The South Florida Accelerator and Board Member of Innovation Florida. "The partnership will immediately generate 50 jobs to the South Florida community and ultimately contribute to the advancement of South Florida's innovation corridor." "I am proud that Innovation Florida was able to bring most of South Florida's thought leaders and top tech companies together and produce measurable results," says Zia Bhutta, Co-Founder of Synechron. "We are delighted for Synechron to become a technology leader in the South Florida Community and make an immediate commitment to job creation," adds Jimmy Thomas, Senior Director at the Sunrise/South Florida Office of Synechron. TSFA's mission is to identify visionary entrepreneurs and facilitate ideation by providing a clear path to success through a global ecosystem of innovation resources. TSFA is quite passionate about accelerating the maturation of new technologies and the generation of jobs in Florida's Innovation Ecosystem. In the strategic partnership with TSFA and Synechron it is expected that the initiative will create around 150 developer jobs within the South Florida community in te next two years. Synechron is a high growth business consultancy and technology services provider with a robust five continent client portfolio. Their clients include the top five U.S. Banks in capital markets and the top three insurance carriers. The partnership was brokered in part by Innovation Florida's Executive Director Maria Sachs. "The Synechron TSFA partnership will bring numerous opportunities to the region and create more jobs; especially for Florida's new university grads," said Sachs. "We are excited to support and continue the ongoing creation of new and exciting opportunities for technology and research companies for Florida, resulting in new industries and new capital being introduced," comments Innovation Florida Co-Founder and Greenspoon Marder's Co-Managing Director, Gerald Greenspoon. About The South Florida Accelerator (TSFA) The South Florida Accelerator (TSFA) is an innovation accelerator/aggregator with global connectivity. TSFA's mission is to identify visionary entrepreneurs and facilitate ideation by providing a clear path to success through a global network of strategic corporate partnerships. The company's venture fund supports the region's most creative and talented entrepreneurs, making their dreams real so people around the world live happier, healthier and richer lives. For additional information, visit www.tsfa.co. About Synechron Synechron, one of the fastest-growing digital, business consulting & technology services providers, is a $405 million firm based in New York. Since inception in 2001, Synechron has been on a steep growth trajectory. With 7,000+ professionals operating in 18 countries across the world, it has presence across USA, Canada, UK, France, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Serbia, Hungary, Germany, Italy, UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Japan, Australia and Development Centers in India. For more information, please visit http://www.synechron.com/ About Innovation Florida Innovation Florida serves to connect the state of Florida's technology assets through a shared resource and advocacy center that provides support in the areas of policy advancement, academic outreach, workforce development, talent acquisition, and entrepreneurialism. Innovation Florida's founders have strong relationships with the State University's Presidents and trustees, legislature, the startup, venture capital and tech communities that do business in Florida. Innovation Florida was co-founded by Greenspoon Marder, Citrix Systems, Inc. and The South Florida Accelerator. http://www.innovationflorida.co About Greenspoon Marder Greenspoon Marder is committed to providing excellent client service through our cross-disciplinary, client-team approach. Our goal is to understand the challenges that our clients face, build collaborative relationships, and craft creative solutions designed and executed with long-term strategic goals in mind. Since our inception in 1981, Greenspoon Marder has become a full-service, Am Law 200 and NLJ 350 law firm with 20 offices and more than 200 attorneys. We serve Fortune 500, middle-market public and private companies, start-ups, emerging businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs across Florida and the United States. http://www.gmlaw.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synechron-collaborates-with-the-south-florida-accelerator-tsfa-300401390.html SOURCE Greenspoon Marder; The South Florida Accelerator [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 01, 2017] A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Employers Holdings, Inc. and Its Subsidiaries and Revises Outlook to Stable Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG) (EMPLOYERS) today announced insurance rating bureau A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of "a-" of Employers Insurance Group and its four pooled property/casualty operating subsidiaries, Employers Insurance Company of Nevada (EICN) (Nevada), Employers Compensation Insurance Company (ECIC) (California), Employers Preferred Insurance Company (EPIC) and Employers Assurance Company (EAC) (both of Florida). Additionally, A.M. Best revised the outlook to stable from negative. Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the ICR of "bbb-" of EMPLOYERS parent holding company, Employers Holdings, Inc. The affirmation of the ratings and the revision upward of the outlook reflects EMPLOYERS excellent risk-adjusted capitalization, rapidly improving operatingearnings, and significant market expertise operating as a workers' compensation writer. EMPLOYERS also benefits from the financial flexibility afforded by its publicly traded parent, Employers Holdings, Inc. (EHI). Improved underwriting margins in recent years reflect the improved pricing flexibility through the use of multiple writing companies within a state, combined with ongoing underwriting initiatives, which has allowed management to focus on underperforming classes of business as needed. "Given the supportive capitalization of our consolidated group, strict underwriting guidelines and consistent underwriting strategy, we are pleased that A.M. Best has again recognized EMPLOYERS strong operating performance and market expertise by maintaining our A- (Excellent) rating," said Douglas Dirks, President and CEO of EMPLOYERS. About Employers Holdings, Inc. Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG) is a holding company with subsidiaries that are specialty providers of workers' compensation insurance and services focused on select small businesses engaged in low-to-medium hazard industries. The company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Insurance is offered by Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, Employers Compensation Insurance Company, Employers Preferred Insurance Company, and Employers Assurance Company, all rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Additional information can be found at: www.employers.com. Copyright 2017 EMPLOYERS. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201006401/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Mintz Levin Northern California Real Estate Practice Closes $1.3 Billion in Transactions in 2016 The Northern California Real Estate Practice of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. represents clients in a broad spectrum of acquisition, disposition and financing transactions for multifamily, office, and retail properties across the Western U.S. In 2016, these transactions totaled over $1.3 billion and involved more than 1,460 multifamily units and approximately 1.3 million square feet of office space. Among the representative transactions, the firm represented Pacific Urban Residential (PUR) in the diligence, acquisition, and subsequent dissolution of a single asset residential real estate investment trust (REIT) purchased from an affiliate of Grosvenor Group, which owned a multifamily property in Belmont, CA (News - Alert). PUR is a leading West Coast apartment investor that acquires and repositions apartment communities, providing needed housing for nearly 17,000 West Coast residents. This transaction was led by Gabriel Schnitzler, a Member of the firm's Real Estate Practice, with assistance from Carolyn Sha and Brandon E. Barker, attorneys in the Real Estate Practice, and Abraham A. Reshtick, a Member of the Tax Practice. In addition to representing apartment investors, Mintz Levin (News - Alert) has also worked closely with real estate investment firms that develop, own, and invest in office properties. Mintz Levin represented long-time client Menlo Equities in securing a $250 million syndicated financing for its new fund, the Menlo Equities Absolute Return Fund. The financing, led by PNC (News - Alert) Bank, also involved a revolving credit facility. Initially seeded with six office properties, the fund focuses on acquiring and operating core and core-plus office properties leased to investment-grade-rated and credit worthy tenants. In 2016 Mintz Levin also served as co-counsel in representing Santa Clara Campus Partners, a joint venture between Menlo Equities and Beacon Capital Partners, in a $399 million syndicated construction financing led by Wells Fargo (News - Alert). The loan was dedicated to executing phases two and three of Santa Clara Campus Partners' Santa Clara campus, which is pre-leased to Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company and Palo Alto (News - Alert) Networks. "Over the past year, the Northern California Real Estate Practice has completed sophisticated transactions that showcase its ability to leverage the skills and knowledge of Mintz Levin attorneys across its offices and practices for the benefit of our clients," said Paul Churchill, Managing Member of the firm's San Francisco office. For more information about Mintz Levin, please visit www.mintz.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201006405/en/ [February 01, 2017] Atlantic Sunrise Intervenor Says Pipeline Developer Seeks to Unlawfully Circumvent Due Process A spokesperson for an intervenor in the Atlantic Sunrise gas pipeline project said the developers are attempting to circumvent the federal review process and must be stopped immediately so regulators can conduct a thorough evaluation of the controversial project. Attorney Carolyn Elefant, spokesperson for intervenor Geraldine Nesbitt, said a new demand by Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB) and Williams Partners (NYSE: WPZ) that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) act in the pipeline case by February 3rd is an attempt to sidestep due process in such cases posing risks to the environment and to historic cultural treasures in addition to abusive use of Federal eminent domain power. Ms. Elefant urged the FERC Commissioners to summarily reject Williams's demand and to thoroughly evaluate inaccurate claims made by Williams throughout the review process and to assess the extent to which FERC staff recommendations were based on those claims. "Williams and the FERC Washington bureaucrats have selected the most environmentally and culturally destructive pipeline route through a portion of The Nesbitt Parcel," Ms. Elefant said, referring to property that has been in Ms. Nesbitt's family for generations. "We do not oppose the pipeline. There is a suitable alternative that utilizes existing rights-of-ways, including one this gas pipeline company already owns," Ms. Elefant said. "If the FERC staff had done its job properly and evaluated all the data submitted by all parties rather than just accept the claims made by Williams, the FERC Commissioners would have the information necessary to make an informed and appropriate decision in this case. That did not happen. And now Williams is trying to circumvent the review process with pressure with an extraordinary rush the Commissioners' decision." Williams corporate officer Rory L. Miller, in a January 27, 2017, letter to FERC Acting Chairperson Cheryl A. LaFleur, urged the Commission to accelerate the certification of the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project by February 3rd - less than a week away. Not coincidentally, the day before Mr. Miller sent his letter, FERC Commissioner Norman Bay, one of just thre current members of the Commission, announced he would resign effective February 3, even though his term does not end until 2018. The final Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the Atlantic Sunrise project was released by the FERC staff only one month ago on December 30, 2016, supporting the energy conglomerate's natural gas pipeline developers route choice and denying Ms. Nesbitt an opportunity to respond to the last-minute changes Williams had made in its original proposal. Even so, Mr. Miller, the Williams executive, claimed in his letter to the FERC chairperson that the pipeline expansion proposal had undergone "an extensive review" and had demonstrated "our collective efforts to design the Project in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts while fulfilling the critical need for the Project." Ms. Elefant countered that Williams and FERC's staff circumvented the requirements of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) by disregarding facts about significant and irreplaceable cultural and environmental resources on The Nesbitt Parcel affected by the project. "Williams and FERC utterly failed to sufficiently review the environmental and cultural factors that they are legally required to consider," said Ms. Elefant. "And if the goal was to minimize impacts, an acceptable alternative route was available. As for the 'critical need' for the project, the natural gas to be transported by the pipeline is destined for East Asia, not for America." Williams and the FERC staff disregarded extensive data submitted by Ms. Nesbitt's team of experts and ignored requests from federally recognized Native American tribes requests for on-site government-to-government consultation concerning the sacred cultural resources that would be damaged by the pipeline expansion. Williams's proposal would destroy dozens of culturally significant stone features that are directly within the pipeline path accepted by the FERC staff and recommended to the Commissioners. "Had they visited the site as they were urged to do by both Ms. Nesbitt and a Federally Recognized Tribe, FERC staff members could have seen with their own eyes the validity of the facts submitted on Ms. Nesbitt's behalf," Ms. Elefant said. Ms. Nesbitt has never opposed the pipeline. Instead, she has appropriately advocated for a more suitable location for the pipeline. "Williams could be turning dirt now," said Ms. Elefant. "Instead, Williams is essentially seeking relief from the FERC Commissioners to mitigate for its own incompetence." About Geraldine Nesbitt Geraldine Nesbitt is the owner of The Nesbitt Parcel in Dallas Township, PA. Ms. Nesbitt seeks to protect and preserve extraordinarily unique cultural resources on her property that are highly significant to several Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, which experts believe also qualify as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ms. Nesbitt is also seeking to protect significant environmental habitats on her property that experts state are comparable to, or exceed, with regard to biodiversity, any state park in Pennsylvania. About The Nesbitt Parcel The Nesbitt Parcel has been owned and conserved by the Nesbitt family for more than 120 years. Abram Nesbitt, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who funded the area's first hospital in 1912, bought the first section of the current ownership in the 1890s. Eventually, 40 other parcels were purchased and added together to form the current Nesbitt Parcel. The Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB) and Williams Partners (NYSE: WPZ) are enlarging and expanding the capacity of an interstate pipelines through what is called the Atlantic Sunrise project. Williams Partners seeks eminent domain powers to impact the land owned by Ms. Nesbitt. Note: The Nesbitt Parcel is private property and trespassers are subject to prosecution. Copyright 2017 by Geraldine Nesbitt. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201006428/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 01, 2017] Cornell SC Johnson College of Business Named; $150 Million Donation to Cornell University RACINE, Wis., Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- At a ceremony held recently at Cornell University, Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson, publicly announced a combined donation by SC Johnson and himself of $150 million to Cornell, the largest gift ever to the Ithaca campus and the second largest to name a college of business. Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/8029952-sc-johnson-gift-college-of-business-cornell-university The donation will support the newly-named Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, which includes the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the School of Hotel Administration, and the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. "With the newly combined College of Business and the new tech campus in New York City, Cornell is at an important inflection point," said Fisk Johnson. "It is my hope that this gift will give the business program at Cornell significant new impetus for growth, while enhancing its three individual schools and the qualities that make each exceptional. While the naming of the school by Cornell is an honor, this isn't about me or my family. It's about Cornell's future as the country's top business school, and the success of the three highly respected schools that comprise it." The gift includes a $50 million challenge grant that will build the college's endowment for faculty, students and programs. The challenge is expected to raise an additional $150 million. Combined with the gift by SC Johnson and Fisk Johnson, the challenge will bring the full impact to $300 million, which will bolster the college's endowment. "Cornell has been part of my family for more than a century. In 1918, my great-grandfather dispatched my grandfather to Cornell after one of the company's products wreaked havoc on the Model T radiators it was designed to protect. So, our very first graduate chemist, my grandfather, attended Cornell, and today Cornell has one of the top business schools where the company regularly recruits many talented graduates," Johnson said. Another element of the donation is the creation of the SC Johnson Scholars Program. Undergraduate students chosen from the Dyson and Hotel Schools will have the opportunity to participate in various events hosted by the company including summer internships. "With this gift, we can increase Cornell's competitiveness for top students and fund new interdisciplinary research initiatives in areas such as sustainability and technology," said Hunter Rawlings, interim president of Cornell. "It provides significant and permanent resources for all faculty, students and programs in the College, while supporting the unique strengths and legacies of its individual schools. It is truly a transformative opportunity." The Johnson family has been committed to Cornell and its mission for generations. Olaf Brauner, father-in-law of Fisk Johnson'sgrandfather H.F. Johnson Jr., began teaching there in 1896 and founded the Department of Art where he was a professor for more than 40 years. H.F. earned his degree in 1922. His son and daughter-in-law, Sam and Gene Johnson, both graduated from Cornell in the early 1950s. All four of their children attended Cornell, including Curt Johnson, Helen Johnson-Leipold, Fisk Johnson and Winnie Johnson Marquart. Over the years, the Johnson family has donated repeatedly to the university, including: The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management The Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Herbert Fisk Johnson Professorship of Industrial Chemistry Herbert Fisk Johnson Professorship of Urology Imogene Powers Johnson Senior Scientist Robert G. Engel Associate Dean and Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Samuel C. Johnson Chair in Sustainable Global Enterprise in the Johnson School Henrietta Johnson Louis Professor of Management The naming gift for the Johnson Graduate School of Management has delivered $100 million to-date. When given in 1984, it was the largest ever from individuals to a business school. Since 1937, SC Johnson has designated 5 percent of pretax dollars for philanthropy. The company is known for its commitment to health, environment, economic development and education. Notably, last year, the company announced a donation of at least $15 million to help protect children and pregnant women against mosquito-borne diseases like Zika. Education has always been a priority for the company. To name a few: $12.3 million to create 21 st Century Preparatory School, a K-8 charter school focused on economically-disadvantaged children in Racine, Wis. Last year, this school earned a state report card rating 20 points higher than the local public school district. to create 21 Century Preparatory School, a K-8 charter school focused on economically-disadvantaged children in Last year, this school earned a state report card rating 20 points higher than the local public school district. $15 million in matched donations to educational institutions by the company and SC Johnson people in the last 20 years. in matched donations to educational institutions by the company and SC Johnson people in the last 20 years. $10 million in scholarships for SC Johnson people and their families since 1959. in scholarships for SC Johnson people and their families since 1959. $3.5 million to Gateway Technical College (Racine , Kenosha and Walworth Counties, Wis.) for technical certificate bootcamps and other initiatives for chronically unemployed people. About SC Johnson SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE, KIWI, OFF!, PLEDGE, RAID, SCRUBBING BUBBLES, SHOUT, WINDEX and ZIPLOC in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN, TANA, BAMA, BAYGON, BRISE, KABIKILLER, KLEAR, MR MUSCLE and RIDSECT. The 131-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cornell-sc-johnson-college-of-business-named-150-million-donation-to-cornell-university-300400988.html SOURCE SC Johnson [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Nokia Board of Directors approves the Nokia Equity Program for 2017 and the issuance of shares held by the company Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release February 2, 2017 at 08:05 (CET +1) Nokia Board of Directors approves the Nokia Equity Program for 2017 and the issuance of shares held by the company Espoo, Finland - Nokia announced today that its Board of Directors has approved the company's equity program for 2017 (the "Nokia Equity Program 2017"). In line with previous years, the Nokia Equity Program 2017 includes the following equity instruments: An employee share purchase plan for Nokia employees in selected jurisdictions (the "Employee Share Purchase Plan"), entitling the eligible employees to contribute a part of their salary to purchase Nokia shares. After a 12-month holding period, Nokia will offer the employees one matching share for every two purchased shares held by an employee at the end of the holding period; Performance shares, which are dependent on the achievement of independent performance criteria ("Performance Shares"); and Restricted shares, which are used on a limited basis or in exceptional retention and recruitment circumstances ("Restricted Shares"). Nokia Equity Program 2017 The Nokia Equity Program 2017 is designed to support and align the participants' focus with Nokia's strategy and long-term success. Nokia uses Performance Shares as the main long-term incentive instrument with the intention to effectively contribute to the long-term value creation and sustainability of the company and to align interests of the employees with those of Nokia's shareholders. Performance Shares are also designed to ensure that the overall equity-based compensation is based on performance, while also supporting the recruitment and ensuring retention of vital talent for the future success of Nokia. Restricted Shares are granted on a limited basis for exceptional purposes related to retention and recruitment, primarily in the United States, to ensure Nokia is able to retain and recruit vital talent for the future success of the company. Since 2014, stock options have no longer been part of the Nokia equity programs. Employee Share Purchase Plan Under the Employee Share Purchase Plan, the eligible Nokia employees may elect to make monthly contributions from their net salary to purchase Nokia shares. Participation in the plan is voluntary. The monthly minimum and maximum contribution limit to the Employee Share Purchase Plan is EUR 15 and EUR 150, respectively. Consequently, the maximum participant contribution limit during the plan cycle is EUR 1 800. Generally, the share purchases will be made at market value on pre-determined dates on a monthly basis during a 12-month period. Nokia intends to deliver one matching share for every two purchased shares that the participant still holds on July 31, 2018, which marks the end of the Employee Share Purchase Plan cycle for 2017. The aggregate maximum amount of contributions that employees can make during the enrolment window for the plan cycle commencing in 2017 will be approximately EUR 60 million, which equals approximately 14.2 million Nokia shares using the share price of EUR 4.25. Accordingly, based on the matching ratio of one matching share for every two purchased shares, the number of matching shares would be approximately 7.1 million. The Employee Share Purchase Plan is planned to be offered to Nokia employees in up to 57 countries for the plan cycle commencing in 2017. The savings period is intended to start in July 2017 and the first monthly purchases are planned to be made in August 2017. Performance Shares Under the 2017 Performance Share plan, the pay-out will depend on whether independent performance criteria have been met by the end of the performance period. The performance criteria are Nokia's continuing operations average annual non-IFRS net sales and average annual non-IFRS earnings-per share (diluted). The 2017 Performance Share plan has a two-year performance period (2017-2018) and a subsequent one-year restriction period. The number of Performance Shares to be settled would be determined by reference to the performance targets during the performance period. For non-executive participants, 25 per cent of the Performance Shares granted in 2017 will settle after the restriction period, regardless of the satisfaction of the applicable performance criteria. In case the applicable performance criteria is not satisfied, employees who are executives at the date of Performance Share grant in 2017 will not receive any settlement. The grant under the 2017 Performance Share plan could result in an aggregate maximum settlement of 74 million Nokia shares, in the event that maximum performance against all the performance criteria is achieved. Restricted Shares Under the 2017 Restricted Share plan, the Restricted Shares are divided into three tranches, each tranche consisting of one third of the Restricted Shares granted. The first tranche has a one-year restriction period, the second tranche a two-year restriction period, and the third tranche a three-year restriction period. The grant under the 2017 Restricted Share plan could result in an aggregate maximum settlement of 4.5 million Nokia shares. Employees covered by the Nokia Equity Program 2017 In accordance with the previous years' practice, the primary equity instruments granted to executive employes and other eligible employees are Performance Shares. Nokia limits the use of Restricted Shares as means of compensation. Shares under the Restricted Share plan can be granted for exceptional retention or recruitment purposes, primarily in US markets to support the specific needs, practices and competitive market environment, to ensure Nokia is able to retain and recruit vital talent for the future success of Nokia. Nokia employees in up to 57 countries are planned to be offered the possibility to participate in the Employee Share Purchase Plan for the cycle commencing in 2017, provided that there are no local regulatory or administrative restraints in relation to such plan. Dilution effect As of December 31, 2016, the aggregate maximum number of shares that could be issued under Nokia's outstanding equity programs and stock option rights, assuming the Performance Shares would be delivered at maximum level, represented approximately 1.67 per cent of Nokia's total number of shares (excluding the shares owned by Nokia Corporation). The potential maximum number of shares that could be issued under the Equity Program 2017 represents approximately an additional 1.49 per cent, assuming delivery at maximum level for Performance Shares and the delivery of matching shares against the maximum amount of contributions of approximately EUR 60 million under the Employee Share Purchase Plan. Settlement of shares under various Nokia equity plans To fulfill Nokia's obligations under the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Restricted Share plans and the 2014 Performance Share plan in respect of shares to be settled in 2017, Nokia's Board of Directors has resolved to issue, without consideration, a maximum of 9.75 million Nokia shares held by the company to settle its commitments to plan participants, who are all employees of the Nokia Group. The performance period for the 2015 Performance Share plan ended on December 31, 2016, and Nokia's performance over 2015 and 2016, assessed against the independent performance criteria set out in the plan rules, was above the threshold performance level for the plan. The settlement to the participants under the plan is planned to take place in the beginning of 2018 after the restriction period ends. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS It should be noted that Nokia and its businesses are exposed to various risks and uncertainties and certain statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding: A) our ability to integrate Alcatel-Lucent into our operations and achieve the targeted business plans and benefits, including targeted synergies in relation to the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent; B) expectations, plans or benefits related to our strategies and growth management; C) expectations, plans or benefits related to future performance of our businesses; D) expectations, plans or benefits related to changes in organizational and operational structure; E) expectations regarding market developments, general economic conditions and structural changes; F) expectations and targets regarding financial performance, results, operating expenses, taxes, currency exchange rates, hedging, cost savings and competitiveness, as well as results of operations including targeted synergies and those related to market share, prices, net sales, income and margins; G) timing of the deliveries of our products and services; H) expectations and targets regarding collaboration and partnering arrangements, joint ventures or the creation of joint ventures, as well as our expected customer reach; I) outcome of pending and threatened litigation, arbitration, disputes, regulatory proceedings or investigations by authorities; J) expectations regarding restructurings, investments, uses of proceeds from transactions, acquisitions and divestments and our ability to achieve the financial and operational targets set in connection with any such restructurings, investments, divestments and acquisitions; and K) statements preceded by or including "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "foresee," "sees," "target," "estimate," "designed," "aim," "plans," "intends," "focus," "continue," "project," "should," "will" or similar expressions. These statements are based on management's best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Because they involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from the results that we currently expect. Factors, including risks and uncertainties that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: 1) our ability to execute our strategy, sustain or improve the operational and financial performance of our business and correctly identify and successfully pursue business opportunities or growth; 2) our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits, synergies, cost savings and efficiencies of the Alcatel-Lucent acquisition, and our ability to implement our organizational and operational structure efficiently; 3) general economic and market conditions and other developments in the economies where we operate; 4) competition and our ability to effectively and profitably compete and invest in new competitive high-quality products, services, upgrades and technologies and bring them to market in a timely manner; 5) our dependence on the development of the industries in which we operate, including the cyclicality and variability of the information technology and telecommunications industries; 6) our global business and exposure to regulatory, political or other developments in various countries or regions, including emerging markets and the associated risks in relation to tax matters and exchange controls, among others; 7) our ability to manage and improve our financial and operating performance, cost savings, competitiveness and synergies after the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent; 8) our dependence on a limited number of customers and large multi-year agreements; 9) exchange rate fluctuations, as well as hedging activities; 10) Nokia Technologies' ability protect its IPR and to maintain and establish new sources of patent licensing income and IPR-related revenues, particularly in the smartphone market; 11) our dependence on IPR technologies, including those that we have developed and those that are licensed to us, and the risk of associated IPR-related legal claims, licensing costs and restrictions on use; 12) our exposure to direct and indirect regulation, including economic or trade policies, and the reliability of our governance, internal controls and compliance processes to prevent regulatory penalties in our business or in our joint ventures; 13) our reliance on third-party solutions for data storage and service distribution, which expose us to risks relating to security, regulation and cybersecurity breaches; 14) inefficiencies, breaches, malfunctions or disruptions of information technology systems; 15) Nokia Technologies' ability to generate net sales and profitability through licensing of the Nokia brand, particularly in digital media and digital health and digital media, and the development and sales of products and services, as well as other business ventures which may not materialize as planned; 16) our exposure to various legislative frameworks and jurisdictions that regulate fraud and enforce economic trade sanctions and policies, and the possibility of proceedings or investigation that result in fines, penalties or sanctions; 17) adverse developments with respect to customer financing or extended payment terms we provide to customers; 18) the potential complex tax issues, tax disputes and tax obligations we may face in various jurisdictions, including the risk of obligations to pay additional taxes; 19) our actual or anticipated performance, among other factors, which could reduce our ability to utilize deferred tax assets; 20) our ability to retain, motivate, develop and recruit appropriately skilled employees; 21) disruptions to our manufacturing, service creation, delivery, logistics and supply chain processes, and the risks related to our geographically-concentrated production sites; 22) the impact of litigation, arbitration, agreement-related disputes or product liability allegations associated with our business; 23) our ability to optimize our capital structure as planned and re-establish our investment grade credit rating or otherwise improve our credit ratings; 24) our ability to achieve targeted benefits from or successfully implement planned transactions, as well as the liabilities related thereto; 25) our involvement in joint ventures and jointly-managed companies; 26) the carrying amount of our goodwill may not be recoverable; 27) uncertainty related to the amount of dividends and equity return we are able to distribute to shareholders for each financial period; 28) pension costs, employee fund-related costs, and healthcare costs; and 29) risks related to undersea infrastructure, as well as the risk factors specified on pages 69 to 87 of our annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 1, 2016 under "Operating and financial review and prospects-Risk factors", and in Nokia's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unknown or unpredictable factors or underlying assumptions subsequently proven to be incorrect could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. About Nokia Nokia is a global leader in creating the technologies at the heart of our connected world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry's most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing. From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience. www.nokia.com ENQUIRIES Media Enquiries: Nokia Communications Tel. +358 (0) 10 448 4900 Email: [email protected] Investor Enquiries: Nokia Investor Relations Tel. +358 4080 3 4080 Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Japan's Leading Architecture Firm Kengo Kuma & Associates Selects Dassault Systemes' "Design for Fabrication" Industry Solution Experience Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced that Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA), Japan's leading architecture firm, is using the "Design for Fabrication" industry solution experience to enhance the quality and efficiency of its architectural designs with a cloud-based collaborative design environment. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201005961/en/ V&A Museum of Design Dundee Credits Kengo Kuma & Associates (Photo: Dassault Systemes (News - Alert)) KKAA's designs introduce organic materials that are native to an architectural site's region - a sophisticated blend of architecture and nature that infuses bamboo, wood, stones and other reources with lengths, angles, cross-sections, arches, patterns and other parameters. Notable international projects include New National Stadium (Tokyo's 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Stadium, ongoing), the V&A Museum of Design in Dundee, Scotland (ongoing), the China Academy of Art's Folk Art Museum (Hangzhou, China) and Saint-Denis Pleyel Emblematic Train Station (Paris, France, ongoing). Dassault Systemes' "Design for Fabrication" industry solution experience, based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, provides KKAA with a reliable digital design and collaborative environment, for concept design through fabrication of any architecture project. This building information modeling solution (BIM) enhances KKAA's parametric design operation and data accuracy capabilities in its design and downstream processes. It also helps KKAA handle organic materials, whose different shapes, lengths and other irregular factors make their use in architecture difficult. In addition, because of the cloud, "Design for Fabrication" offers KKAA the scalability to support projects with colleagues in Tokyo, Paris and Beijing. It facilitates real-time access to a single source of project data, enabling KKAA to create more informed designs anytime and anywhere, reduce later rework, and more accurately predict project costs and timelines. KKAA has the flexibility to improve and refine designs to reflect detailed customer requirements, and can share design models with all stakeholders. "'Design for Fabrication' provides us with design control capabilities that improve our design speed and accuracy dramatically," said Toshiki Meijo, Chief of Design Division, KKAA. "Our team can access a single digital resource to better coordinate projects, gather feedback and make any necessary design adjustments. In the future, we plan to deepen this level of collaboration in order to manage multiple projects across offices worldwide while maintaining the high caliber of our designs." "Our industry solution experiences tailored for the architecture, engineering and construction industry provide digital continuity between design data and the fabrication model for the shop floor, to reduce redundant design, waste and rework," said Marty Doscher, Vice President, Architecture, Engineering & Construction Industry, Dassault Systemes. "Architects at KKAA can more efficiently work with fabricators and builders across the globe to create breathtaking architectural experiences." For more information on Dassault Systemes' AEC industry solution experiences, visit: http://www.3ds.com/industries/architecture-engineering-construction/ ### About Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 210,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass (News - Alert) logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170201005961/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Carl Prindle of Blueport Commerce to Speak at Boston's MITX Ecommerce Summit Blueport Commerce, the leading e-commerce platform for furniture retail, today announced President & Chief Executive Carl Prindle will join speakers from other top retail technology companies at the MITX Ecommerce Summit 2017 to be held on February 8, 2017 in Boston. Themed, "Accelerating Commerce," the summit will examine how companies are evolving their business and technology in mobile, social, machine learning and more to take advantage of what the future holds for ecommerce. Attendees of the all-day summit have access to panel discussions, case studies, and fireside chats with e-commerce experts tackling a variety of key topics. At 1:45pm on February 8th, Prindle will join a panel of other CEOs on the topic of "Democratizing Ecommerce" focusin on how each is bringing legacy industries into the modern retail economy and opportunities and innovations ahead. The Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange is a community of companies and individuals that drive the region's tech and innovation eco-system. MITX Ecommerce Summit 2017 Date: February 8, 2017 Location: PwC, Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA Panel Time: 1:45 - 2:30 About Blueport Commerce Blueport Commerce is the leading cloud e-commerce platform for furniture, used by the largest retailers in North America to run their omnichannel websites, provide better shopping experiences for their customers and drive sales online and in their stores. To learn more visit www.blueport.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or through our resource center. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005084/en/ [February 02, 2017] 99tests Launches World's Most Scalable & Fastest Test Automation BANGALORE, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 99tests Launches World's First Crowd Automation Platform Designed to Deliver Continuous Testing for Enterprise Clients 99tests has launched the world's most flexible and scalable test automation platform powered by crowd. Faster software development models require more efficient testing capabilities, something that the 99tests crowd platform can deliver. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20170112/456933LOGO ) The crowd automation platform can enable companies to achieve 10-fold efficiency in test automation in comparison to traditional automation techniques. Access to an on-demand QA team of skilled software professionals sourced through crowd makes it easy for enterprises to assess risks, plan tests and execute tests effectively. Additionally, the crowd also manages and maintains the automation scripts. The revolutionary platform is engineered to help developers get speedy feedback, minimize risks & improve software quality. With the 99tests crowd platform, companies are no longer bound by limited access to skilled manpowerfor test automation. The platform relies on its pool of over 20,000 talented software professionals to manage the entire project from execution of exploratory tests, test case writing, test case execution to creation and maintenance of automation scripts. The crowd sourced automation platform can test each feature in real time, resulting in shorter feedback loop for software teams. The scale and efficiency provided by crowd thus enables faster results that can significantly boost the development cycles for enterprises. This added agility implies companies can evolve fast and implement continuous testing for improving their app quality. Founded and headquartered in Bangalore, the company has helped over 200+ clients across the globe since its inception in 2010. Their latest clientele includes one of India's largest payment app, BHIM. The company has also been ranked by leading research firm, 'Gartner in their Market Guide For Crowd Sourced Application Testing.' With the new product launch, the company aims to help product owners optimize their testing efforts and achieve high productivity in software development. To learn more about crowd automation, visit: https://99tests.com/automation-testing About 99tests: 99tests is a product of Preenos Crowd Technologies Pvt Ltd. The company is funded by Infosys Co-founder, Kris Goplakrishnan; Allianz CIO, Steve Coles and Founder of Beenos, Teruhido Sato. 99tests is a crowd test automation platform for testing mobile and web apps by top notch testers. With over 20,000 crowd testers from 160+ countries, 99tests has helped over 200 clients including companies like P&G, Intuit and Security scorecard to test their software. Media Contacts: Tharika Tellicherry Marketing Head Preenos Technologies Limited, 3rd floor, No-22, Salarpuria Towers-1, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560095 +91-9611336528 Email: [email protected] Website: https://99tests.com/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] TrendForce Reports Global LCD TV Shipments Grew 1.6% Annually in 2016; Hisense Narrowly Beat TCL to Take Third Spot in Ranking Global shipments of LCD TV sets for 2016 increased 1.6% annually to reach 219.2 million units, according to WitsView, a division of TrendForce. Shipment growth was attributed to the strong sales in North America's distribution channels during the busy season, the increasing affordability of large-size TVs and the robust housing market in China. The top five TV brands by shipments in order are Samsung, LG Electronics (LGE), Hisense (News - Alert), TCL and Sony. Samsung and LGE retained No. 1 and 2 in annual ranking South Korea's Samsung and LGE again took first and second in the annual ranking with 47.9 million and 28.2 million TV sets shipped, respectively. "Samsung (News - Alert) posted flat annual growth for 2016 as it experienced shortages for mid-size panels through the year," said Ricky Lin, research manager of WitsView. Samsung's TV set shipments were especially affected by the earthquake in southern Taiwan last February and issues that its in-house supplier Samsung Display (SDC) had with the adoption of Black Column Spacer (BCS) technology. Lin added: "As Samsung and other TV brands competed for panel supply and switched to products belonging larger size segments, the average size of LCD TV sets also grew larger than originally anticipated for 2016." LGE registered a 4.1% annual decline in its shipments mainly because of the change in the brand's strategic priority. After the reorganization of the group company at the beginning of 2016, LGE shifted its focus from expanding shipments to raising product margins and controlling its inventory level. Hisense and TCL made gains by expanding into overseas markets China's Hisense and TCL took the third and fourth spot in the annual ranking by increasing their shipments 3.9% and 0.8% respectively, reaching 13.3 million and 13.2 million units. "Both brands relied on overseas markets to boot their shipments due to the gradual saturation of the domestic market," said Lin. Competition in China will become more intense as Internet brands offer high-specification products at reduced prices to take market shares away from local second- and third-tier brands. With survival at stake, major domestic brands will grow even larger and push smaller competitors out of the market. Sony ranked fifth in annual shipments with 11.7 million units, down 3.7% from 2015. Lin pointed out that large-size TV sets for the high-end segment will remain central to Sony's strategy in 2017. "The Japanese brand is also going to introduce OLED TVs with advanced in-house video and audio technologies," Lin also noted. "Sony has not featured OLED in its TV offerings since 2007. The latest OLED models are expected to spearhead a major campaign in the high-end market for the brand." Going into 2017, the market dynamics will be influenced by the closure of SDC's L7-1 fab and Sharp's (News - Alert) decision to not use its Gen-10 plant to supply other first-tier brands. WitsView expects TV makers will increasingly focus on developing and promoting higher-margin products such as models featuring huge 4K displays. Consequently, the average size of TV sets will expand significantly as well. WitsView's latest analysis puts global LCD TV shipments for 2017 at 225 million units, an increase of 2.6% from 2016. Models sized 50-inch and larger will make up nearly 30% of total shipments for this year, while the share of UHD-resolution products in total shipments will reach 31.5%. The high-end segment will be a highly contest area for major brands. Samsung has recently launched its Quantum (News - Alert) Dot (QD) TVs to compete against LGE's OLED products. From the design perspective, bezel-less and detachable models are some of the novel concepts that the market can expect this year in addition to ultra slim models. For further details and the table showing Global Ranking of Branded LCD TV Vendors by Shipments, 2015~2016, please visit: http://press.trendforce.com/press/20170202-2743.html About TrendForce (www.trendforce.com) TrendForce is a global provider of market intelligence on the technology industries. Having served businesses for over a decade, the company has built up a strong membership base of 500,000 subscribers residing the technology and financial services sectors. TrendForce has established a reputation as an organization that offers insightful and accurate analysis of the technology industry through five major research divisions: DRAMXchange, WitsView, LEDinside, EnergyTrend and Topology Research Institute. Founded in Taipei, Taiwan in 2000, TrendForce has extended its presence in China since 2004 with offices in Shenzhen and Beijing. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005472/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Level 3 Publishes the First Information Security Index in Brazil SAO PAULO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications is sharing the results of the Level 3 Security Index, a study conducted by leading analyst firm IDC to identify the information security and corporate IT infrastructure maturity of Brazilian organizations. In the Level 3-sponsored study, Brazil received an overall score of 64.9 points out of a possible total of 100 points. Read the Full Study Here: www.level3.com/SecurityIndex Key Findings: On average, companies in Brazil have two professionals dedicated to information security. have two professionals dedicated to information security. About 57 percent of interviewed organizations already use Managed Security Services (MSS) as a response to the lack of qualified professionals. Approximately 25 percent of companies cannot measure the impacts stemming from incidents related to information security. Only 42 percent of organizations claim to practice and generate metrics on the compliance of their information security policies. The report researched four topics: Awareness, Tools, Prevention, Mitigation. Awareness: The study showed large companies have greater difficulty with visibility of security issues. This lack of visibility is related to the complexity of their environments and systems. As for awareness to quantify suffered or mitigated attacks, 34 percent have complete visibility; the other 66 percent have no or partial visibility. When asked about measuring security incidents' impact, 25.5 percent don't know, and 32 percent know superficially, while 42.2 percent can detail the impact in every system or critical ones. Tools: The study showed internal technology tools are the most challenging area for security. This is because the acquisition of security-oriented technology tools, to some extent, are linked to companies' investment capacity. According to the research, more than 61 percent of companies believe only a few professionals are fully qualified or are below the ideal regarding the level of staff training to use the tools available. Prevention: Large companies are active in prevention, establishing and monitoring controls with greater attendance, ensuring a better level of performance. When asked about policies and information security standards established and documented, 28 percent do not have a set schedule to review and update, while 33 percent review and update only once a year. Mitigation: The study shows communication skills and the activation structure are, in many cases, informal and not well documented. 46 percent of companies have no frequency of revision for contingency and security procedures. When asked about the degree of alignment on information security, in the item "internal controls of fraud detection and prevention are periodically validated," 41 percent consider this is reality in their companies,, while 59 percent of respondents still consider it it distant. Next Steps: The study recommends these items to improve the overall maturity of information security for Brazilian companies: Think about hiring outsourced and managed services. Invest in tools that enable better control, visibility and automation to maximize the information security team's efficiency. Prioritize investments according to the priority of each environment, risk and impact assessment. Show the benefits of information security using well-defined metrics. Conduct safety tests more frequently and with a larger scope. 2017 Outlook: The study showed a more proactive outlook for information security in 2017. More than 42 percent of the companies surveyed intend to increase their IT budget for 2017 in comparison to 2016. The Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model is gaining traction not only for computing but also for storage a factor that increases concerns around security and governance of information. Key Quotes: Luciano Ramos, Software Research Coordinator, IDC Brazil "The index shows that Brazil still has a long way to mature in the area of security. Companies need to understand the importance of each of the areas analyzed in the index and balance their investment based on them. To advance from the current level, there are actions that need to be undertaken regarding team specialization, revision of processes and adoption of state-of-the-art tools. The evolution of Information Security is a subject that must be addressed continually." Andre Magno, Director of Data Center and Security, Level 3 Brazil "With the rapid growth of cybersecurity threats in Brazil, which is above the world average, we've noticed the need to develop a study that could reveal the current degree of maturity of security practices in Brazilian corporations. From this index, we can collaborate with the Brazilian market to focus on the main opportunities in the evolution of cybersecurity for their business and customers." Methodology: To reach this result, IDC interviewed 100 companies based in Brazil with more than 250 employees (most with more than 1,000 employees). They interviewed managers in four areas: awareness, tools, prevention and mitigation. During interviews with Information Security leaders, researchers assessed their degree of knowledge about the impact of security in business, detection skills and the ability to measure threats to their systems, among other topics. Also, they analyzed data available on IDC Global and Brazil, and the market to have more qualitative information. The final index is the mathematical weighting of the four themes proposed in the interviews. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC. About Level 3 Communications Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) is a Fortune 500 company that provides local, national and global communications services to enterprise, government and carrier customers. Level 3's comprehensive portfolio of secure, managed solutions includes fiber and infrastructure solutions; IP-based voice and data communications; wide-area Ethernet services; video and content distribution; data center and cloud-based solutions. Level 3 serves customers in more than 500 markets in over 60 countries across a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities. For more information, please visit www.level3.com or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Level 3 Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Level 3, Vyvx, Level 3 Communications, Level (3) and the Level 3 Logo are either registered service marks or service marks of Level 3 Communications, LLC and/or one of its Affiliates in the United States and elsewhere. Any other service names, product names, company names or logos included herein are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Level 3 services are provided by subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. The information contained under the title "About IDC" is provided by IDC and is solely responsible for its content. Forward-Looking Statement Some statements made in this press release are forward-looking in nature and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. Important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to: increase revenue from its services to realize its targets for financial and operating performance; develop and maintain effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; avert the breach of its network and computer system security measures; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; manage the future expansion or adaptation of its network to remain competitive; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; manage risks associated with continued uncertainty in the global economy; manage continued or accelerated decreases in market pricing for communications services; obtain capacity for its network from other providers and interconnect its network with other networks on favorable terms; successfully integrate future acquisitions; effectively manage political, legal, regulatory, foreign currency and other risks it is exposed to due to its substantial international operations; mitigate its exposure to contingent liabilities; and meet all of the terms and conditions of its debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Contact Information Media: Investors: Ashley Stewart Mark Stoutenberg +1 720-888-5950 + 1 720-888-2518 [email protected] [email protected] Paula Vivo Latin America +55 11-3957-2424 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/level-3-publishes-the-first-information-security-index-in-brazil-300393877.html SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Farfetch Group Announces 'Farfetch For All;' A Share Options Scheme For All Employees, releases strong key 2016 numbers LONDON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Farfetch Group announced today that from 1 February all employees will be offered share options in the company through a new initiative called 'Farfetch For All.' On the date of launch a total of 1,300 people, from junior staff to executives across 11 offices globally will be included in the scheme. The Farfetch Group grew at +70% over the 12 months ended 31/12/16 based on the value of goods traded across the platform. In the three months ending 31/12/16 the core marketplace delivered significant underlying profitability and grew traded merchandise value by +75%. Jose Neves, CEO and Founder of Farfetch, commented: "We have enjoyed outstanding success. The Farfetch Group is reshaping the role of technology within the luxury fashion sector. While doing that, we have become one of only 200 private companies globally to have achieved a valuation of over USD1 billion dollars. We are very proud of our achievements and want to reward our people who have helped to bring them to fruition. Our company culture and values have been built around the importance of working together and aspiring to a common vision. By launching 'Farfetch For All' we are reinforcing this message to our people and rewarding all who have participated in this journey so far; as well as hoping to attract new talent who embrace these values as we look to the future." The incentive plan to eward all teams will equate to an investment of USD40M (based on the latest company valuation), which is the single largest investment the company has made to date and reflects Farfetch's continued commitment to investing in its people. Looking ahead, Farfetch continues to invest in building a platform business that is API enabled to drive growth through innovation, third-party partnerships and access to new markets. One example of this is Store Of The Future, which is specifically focused on redefining the omni-channel retail experience for the customer, by leveraging the retail experience of our brand and boutique partners. Key elements and details of this will be shared at the FarfetchOS event, taking place in London on April 12, 2017. About Farfetch Farfetch is the online platform to shop the world's greatest selection of luxury. The e-commerce platform partners with the world's best luxury boutiques and brands, located from Tokyo to Toronto and from Milan to Miami. This unique business model guarantees an unparalleled range of pieces to shop; from established luxury brands to the most interesting new designers and one-of-a-kind styles. Founded in 2008 by the Portuguese entrepreneur Jose Neves, Farfetch is translated in 9 languages and services customers as a website and on-the-go app, making it easier than ever to shop luxury fashion. Offices are found in 11 cities globally and Farfetch express ships from partners to over 190 countries worldwide. In 2015 Farfetch developed proprietary business units Farfetch Black & White and Store of the Future to provide key technology and business solutions for brands and retailers to facilitate growth and champion innovation. The Brand also added renowned London boutique Browns to its portfolio in 2015. In May 2016 Farfetch secured a Series F round of investment of US $110 million, led by new investors Temasek, IDG Capital Partners and Eurazeo with existing investor Vitruvian Partners also participating in the round. The company is currently valued at over US $1 billion. www.farfetch.com @Farfetch To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/farfetch-group-announces-farfetch-for-all-a-share-options-scheme-for-all-employees-releases-strong-key-2016-numbers-300401338.html SOURCE Farfetch [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Season 3 of the Free Markets Series, featuring John Stossel and others - Now available online MONTREAL, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - After having been broadcast in the United States and Canada on PBS affiliates, the third season of the Free Markets Series is now available online for the entire Internet community. As of today, four new 30-minute episodes can be found on the dedicated series web library, and on social media networks as well. The Free Markets Series introduces viewers to some of the most dynamic and influential thinkers and activists exploring and analyzing the principles of the free market. Season 3 features: Ruth Richardson , former New Zealand Minister of Finance and radical economic reformer; , former Minister of Finance and radical economic reformer; John Stossel , long-time consumer reporter, author, television personality, and market enthusiast; , long-time consumer reporter, author, television personality, and market enthusiast; Brad Lips , CEO of the Atlas Network, a non-profit organization connecting free-market think tanks around the world; and , CEO of the Atlas Network, a non-profit organization connecting free-market think tanks around the world; and Lawrence White , economics professor at George Mason University primarily known for his research on free banking. These unique interviews are conducted by none other than Bob Scully, distinguished media personaliy and host of The World Show. One of the most engaging interviews is the one featuring John Stossel, who spent his early career debunking faulty products and shifty services. But over time, he began to notice that government regulations and programs often do not function as advertised either. When markets are free, however, cheaters tend to get caught, and goods and services tend to get better and less expensive. "We should all thank capitalism when we go to the supermarket: 30,000 products, the aisles are wide, it's well-lit, it's open 24/7 unlike anything the government does." Yet, as Stossel points out, we take such modern marvels for granted. Fiscal responsibility, the right to work, deregulation, free enterprise as poverty alleviation, and sound money are some of the broad principles eloquently defended by the featured guests of these new interviews. The Free Markets Series is produced by The World Show in partnership with the MEI. The World Show is a syndicated television program broadcast across North America, on 301 stations affiliated with American PBS, including in nine of the top ten Nielsen DMA markets. "The MEI and The World Show are proud to be able to offer television and Internet viewers the chance to discover or deepen their appreciation of some of the principles of the free market as expressed by these respected thinkers discussing their life's work," says Michel Kelly-Gagnon, President and CEO of the MEI. Season 3 of the series is available on our website. The episodes can be viewed, commented on, and shared through social media networks. * * * The Montreal Economic Institute is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit research and educational organization. Through its studies and its conferences, the MEI stimulates debate on public policies in Quebec and across Canada by proposing wealth-creating reforms based on market mechanisms. This project was made possible in part through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed by the interviewees in each of the episodes do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. SOURCE Montreal Economic Institute [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] LECTRA: Lectra appoints Jerome Viala Executive Vice President for the Group FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lectra appoints Jerome Viala Executive Vice President for the Group Chief Financial Officer since 1994, and from 2005 a member of the Executive Committee, Jerome Viala will greatly contribute to the implementation of Lectra's new strategic roadmap Paris, February 2, 2017 - Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jerome Viala, Chief Financial Officer to the role of Executive Vice President for the Group. As a result, Jerome Viala has been number two on Lectra's Executive Committee since January 1, 2017. "Lectra will soon announce a new strategic roadmap, revealing the Group's ambitions for the 2017-2019 period and beyond. I felt it was very important to involve Jerome even more in our new industrial adventure," stated Daniel Harari, CEO, Lectra. "Jerome and I have worked together for 26 years. During these years, I have appreciated his rigor, his ability to make decisions and stand by them, and his many human qualities." Since becoming CFO of Lectra in 1994, and member of the Executive Committee since its creation in 2005, Jerome Viala, 55 years old, has progressively taken on more responsibilitis within the Group. He is now in charge of coordinating the industrial, customer care, consumables and parts, and international human resources' activities. In parallel, over the last few years Jerome has become increasingly involved in developing Lectra's international operations, including the opening of Lectra's subsidiaries in South Korea and Vietnam. "Lectra's upcoming strategic cycle, to be presented on February 9, will be exciting due to the highly innovative way it creates value for our customers, and for the Group," underlines Jerome Viala. "I am thrilled about the opportunity to support the implementation of our new roadmap in its many aspects." Jerome Viala, a graduate of the ESC Bordeaux (KEDGE Business School, France), began his career as a credit analyst at Esso (France). He joined the finance department of Lectra in 1985, then successively held different financial positions in the Group before becoming Chief Financial Officer in 1994. About Lectra Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions (software, automated cutting equipment, and associated services) specifically designed for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles, and composite materials to manufacture their products. It serves major world markets: fashion and apparel, automotive, and furniture as well as a broad array of other industries. Lectra's solutions, specific to each market, enable customers to automate and optimize product design, development, and manufacturing. With more than 1,500 employees, Lectra has developed privileged relationships with prestigious customers in more than 100 countries, contributing to their operational excellence. Lectra registered revenues of $264 million in 2015 and is listed on Euronext. For more information, please visit www.lectra.com Contact - Lectra Headquarters / Press Dept.: Nathalie Fournier-Christol E-mail: [email protected] Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 64 42 37 - Fax: +33 (0)1 53 64 43 40 Attachments: //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a8f147c-b749-43a5-9162-8452b8cbd8e7 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Ayasdi Congratulates Mercy on Winning the Healthcare Informatics Innovator Award MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ayasdi, the machine intelligence company, today congratulated Mercy on being named one of the nation's most innovative healthcare organizations by Healthcare Informatics magazine. St. Louis-based Mercy, one of the largest Catholic health systems in the country, earned second place in the annual Healthcare Informatics Innovator Awards. The Innovator Awards recognize leadership teams from hospitals, medical groups, integrated health systems, and other healthcare organizations that have effectively deployed information technology to improve clinical, administrative, financial, or organizational performance. In recognizing Mercy, the magazine's judges cited its Clinical Pathways program's big-data breakthrough facilitated by an artificial intelligence-based application that identifies hidden patterns of care variation in high-cost procedures. Results from the initiative include: A significantly faster process to develop 30 best practice clinical pathways A $14.7 million in savings in fiscal 2016 and $9.4 million in savings to date in fiscal 2017 in savings in fiscal 2016 and in savings to date in fiscal 2017 A reduction in average length of stay for knee replacements from 3.3 to 2.4 days A data-backed process that drove clinician adoption and freed up time to focus on patient care "At a time when providers are under increasing pressure in transition to value-based payment models, we are gratified for our role in helping prestigious organizations like Mercy to achieve such meaningful outcomes," said Dr. Gurjeet Singh, chief executive officer, Ayasdi. "This award underscores the unique capabilities that artificial intelligence and big data offer to healthcare organizations in their pursuit of delivering the highest-quality and most cost-efficient care for their patients." Mercy's Clinical Pathways program began more than five years ago, as part of an effort to identify best practices for a variety of procedures andcare episodes. The original program approach involved a core group of providers, however that proved inefficient and vulnerable to bias and lack of buy-in. Mercy decided it needed a new process that was efficient, objective and backed by their own patient data. The decision was made to adopt the Ayasdi Care platform, which correlated and analyzed Mercy's electronic medical record and financial documentation, including information related to treatments prescribed, procedures performed, drugs administered, length of stay, and costs per patient. Specifically, the program incorporated the following elements: Artificial intelligence and big-data based methodology that enabled Mercy to leverage machine learning, statistics, and geometric algorithms to discover statistically significant internal relationships and refine their clinical pathways. These clinical pathways leveraged Ayasdi to aggregate all the varying procedures each patient received during a specific treatment. An application unique is its ability to accelerate the development of care models by drawing patient and clinical data directly from the health networks' integrated systems of record not just benchmark data. A deep dive on cost and quality and care variations in knee replacements. The new data insights-driven process trimmed 5 percent off the cost of knee replacement, while improving or maintaining low rates of mortality and morbidity across all cases. Mercy expects to develop and deploy more than 50 clinical pathways over the next three years. About Ayasdi Ayasdi is on a mission to transform healthcare by developing machine intelligent applications for the largest, most sophisticated health systems and payer organizations. Ayasdi's suite of healthcare applications examine billions of data elements from organizations' own systems of record to uncover pathways of the highest quality, source evidence-based patient care; reduce claims denials; define insurance members' interests, loyalty, and health; and discover genetic relationships to develop more efficacious and targeted drug therapies. Developed by Stanford computational mathematicians, Ayasdi amplifies machine-learning techniques with topological data analysis - automating and accelerating the extraction of knowledge from even the most complex healthcare data. Ayasdi is funded by leading venture capitalists including Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, Khosla Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners, FLOODGATE, GE Ventures, Citi Ventures, Centerview Capital and DraperNexus. Within healthcare, the company has partnered with Intermountain Health, Mercy, Mt. Sinai, UCSF, UBIOPRED and two of the four largest payers on their most difficult and value-laden challenges. To learn more, visit www.ayasdi.com/healthcare. About Mercy Mercy,named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2016 by Truven, an IBM company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 43 acute care and specialty (heart, children's, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. About Healthcare Informatics Healthcare Informatics serves as the leading source of information for forward-thinking professionals involved in the planning, development, and implementation of important technological trends that define tomorrow's healthcare. Pioneering concepts are presented and exchanged as important strategic and information technology issues facing organizations such as hospitals, medical groups, and integrated health systems are addressed. Members of the Healthcare Informatics community share a focus on healthcare IT leadership, vision, and strategydriving change forward by shaping innovations that point the way to the future of healthcare. To learn more, visit www.healthcare-informatics.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ayasdi-congratulates-mercy-on-winning-the-healthcare-informatics-innovator-award-300401421.html SOURCE Ayasdi [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] PeopleAdmin launches new principal assessment tool for K-12, delivering key insights that empower schools to identify top talent PeopleAdmin, the leader in talent management software for education, today announced the launch of a new solution designed to predict which principal candidates will have the most positive influence on a school, building on the company's suite of advanced analytics solutions K-12 leaders can use to hire, develop and retain top educators. The Principal Educators Professional Inventory (Principal EPI) is an instrument that measures candidates' strengths on dozens of data points to help match candidate characteristics to school needs - so school district leaders can objectively assess principal applicants and accurately predict their impact on student achievement. "Studies show that principals alone can account for 25 percent of a school's impact on student learning," said Jack Blaha, chief executive officer of PeopleAdmin. "The Principal EPI is a first-of-its-kind tool designed to help with the ever-present challenge of assessing knowledge, skills and dispositions, to employ the educators most capable of building a brighter future through education." Developed by the innovators behind PeopleAdmin's Teacher EPI - used by hundreds of schools and districts to assess teacher candidates' abilities to impact student growth - the Principal EPI is based on similar research compiled over many years in collaboration with a research consortium that includes the Northwest Evaluation Association, the University of Chicago, and other highly regarded institutions and experts. "We developed and validated the Principal EPI by working with experts from the Unied States and Canada, including more than 500 principals and leaders from 43 urban, suburban, and rural school districts," said Nick Montgomery, chief research officer at PeopleAdmin. "We're excited to offer schools a reliable, research-validated instrument for measuring individuals' leadership dispositions, principal responsibilities, and leadership skills. "The possibilities for empowering improvement are endless, especially in schools that have traditionally struggled to find principals who are the right fit," Montgomery said. The Principal EPI is part of PeopleAdmin's complete suite of solutions built specifically to help educational institutions manage the entire talent life cycle: from recruiting and hiring, to developing and retaining. PeopleAdmin launched the new solution at the American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) Personnel Administrator Boot Camp, in Anaheim, California, held Feb. 2-3, 2017. PeopleAdmin and AASPA are also co-hosting a webinar, "Today's Challenges and Emerging Practices when Hiring Quality Teachers and School Principals," on Feb. 14, 2017, at 11 a.m. Central time. For more information on this webinar, go to aaspa.org/events/webinars. About PeopleAdmin PeopleAdmin is the leading provider of cloud-based talent management solutions for education. Its software enables customers to streamline the hiring process, onboard new employees, efficiently manage positions and employee performance, develop compliant and defensible audit trails, and utilize industry-leading reporting and data-driven predictive analytics. PeopleAdmin's integrated talent management suite includes applicant tracking, faculty search committee management, position management, onboarding, performance management, professional development management and workforce planning, as well as a first-of-its-kind teacher candidate assessment tool created in partnership with a consortium of award-winning scholars, respected universities and research partners. PeopleAdmin solutions are rapidly deployed, easy to use and supported through a world-class customer service organization. Visit www.peopleadmin.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005964/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] LISNR's Innovative Audio Technology Will Enhance Visitor Engagement at Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center The Contemporary Arts Center is launching the "CAC Digital Docent" App, an acoustic guide designed by WNDERS that uses LISNR technology to enhance the visitor experience. The app allows visitors to explore more deeply the Tomas Saraceno installation on view in the lobby, and features exclusive content, messages and experiences including a personal greeting from the artist himself. The activation is powered by ultrasonic audio company LISNR and will be the first use of LISNR technology in any museum in the world. Instead of using outdated technology like headsets with recorded audio or Bluetooth beacons that require hardware, installation and maintenance costs, WNDERS, a mobile app platform for venues looking to enhance their visitor experience, opted to leverage LISNR SmartTone technology. SmartTones trigger the app upon entry. They direct visitors to additional exciting content tied to the exhibit, leading them on a journey through the artwork using video, images, and sound. The tones help visitors connect with Tomas Saraceno across social platforms, view related works. Visitors also have the ability to create a profile and digital collection of images and content. LISNR's high-frequency, inaudible Smart Tone technology connects mobile applications and devices. When played over speakers, mobile apps with LISNR recognize the tone via the microphone. This additionally also detects micro-location within the venue. The tone then directs the app to an action and in this case it is extra content. Existing audio speaers are leveraged to craft a unique, evolving experience as one moves through the space. According to CAC Director Raphaela Platow, the greatest benefit of LISNR technology is that it not only enables better data transmission, but does it in a cost effective way with minimal hardware, installation and maintenance. This makes it easier for non-profit arts organizations with smaller budgets to get into the innovation and technology game to enhance the visitor experience. "We are continuously looking for innovative and cost-effective ways to connect with our audiences and give them deep and exciting insight into the works on view and the artists who created them. LISNR technology will activate our new app throughout the exhibition space and not only provide people with diverse information but also help us understand better how visitors use and move about our spaces." According to LISNR Co-Founder Chris Ostoich, "LISNR has powered experiences and connectivity for some of the world's most admired brands and venues - including Wembley Stadium, The Staples (News - Alert) Center, The Grammys, The Cleveland Cavaliers and more. We are excited to partner with the Contemporary Arts Center, Tomas Saraceno and WNDERS on the first augmented audio museum experience in the world using LISNR technology." The CAC Digital Docent App will have a huge impact on how CAC visitors interact with our exhibitions, acting as an interactive, virtual gallery guide. "ArtsWave aimed to bring the spark of innovation into the arts this spring with its first arts hackathon, ArtsWave Tech, and we're thrilled to see the ideas coming to life," ArtsWave President and CEO Alecia Kintner said. "The CAC Digital Docent app is an example of the amazing things that can happen when the arts and tech communities of Greater Cincinnati come together." This intersection of art and technology represents a significant partnership with a prominent and innovative member of the Cincinnati for-profit business community and an innovator in the Arts sector LISNR is a technology company headquartered in the city's Central Business District. This is a company on the rise, having recently raised Series B financing led by Intel (News - Alert) Capital and named one of CNBC's Disruptor 50, a Gold Lion at Cannes Lions, and customers include The Cleveland Cavaliers, AEG, Budweiser, The Grammys, Visa and more. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202006080/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Top 5 Vendors in the Global Large Format Printers Market from 2017-2021: Technavio Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recent global large format printer market report until 2021. This research report also lists seven other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005767/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global large format printers market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) The research report on the global large format printer market by Technavio provides segmentation based on technology (aqueous ink, solvent ink, and latex ink-based LFPs) and geography (APAC, the Americas, and EMEA). "The global large format printer market size is expected to reach USD 2700.5 million by 2021, growing at a CAGR of close to 2% through the forecast period. APAC is the key market segment, driven by the rapid technological advances happening in countries like South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China," says Sunil Kumar Singh, one of the lead analysts at Technavio for embedded systems research. Competitive vendor landscape The key vendors in the global large format printer market - Canon (News - Alert), EPSON, Roland, and Mimaki, together account for over 89.26% of the market in terms of unit shipments (2016 figures). To address the requirements involving different levels of complexity from the end-user segments, vendors in the market are investing heavily in R&D to come up with customized and application-specific printers. To increase penetration in emerging economies, vendors in this market are focusing on the development of large format printer with a balance in quality and cost. Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56289 Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. About the top five vendors in the global large format printers market Canon Canon manufactures and sells office MFDs, plain paper copying machines, laser printers, inkjet printers, cameras, and lithography equipment. It predominantly sells products under the brand name Canon to dealers and retail outlets through independent distributors. The company has built a strong R&D base and spends heavily on product development activities. EPSON EPSON develops, manufactures, and sells information-related equipment, electronic devices, printers, and precision products. The company generates revenue through information-related equipment, devices and precision products, sensing and industrial solutions, and LFP segments. HP HP offers PCs, imaging- and printing-related products, networking products, enterprise IT infrastructure that includes enterprise server and storage technology, and multi-vendor customer services. The company generates revenue through personal systems, printing, and enterprise group. Mimaki Mimaki focuses extensively on the development of new and innovative products. The company generates revenue through machines, inks, and spare parts. Roland Roland offers a wide range of products such as vinyl cutters, thermal transfer printer and cutters, wide-format inkjet printers and printer and cutters, 3D scanners and milling devices, and engravers. It is one of the prominent vendors in the LFPs market because of the popularity of its eco-solvent ink-based LFPs and growing presence in the dye sublimation and UV solvent ink-based LFPs markets. Browse Related Reports: Global POS Receipt Printers Market 2016-2020 Global Printer Supplies Market 2016-2020 Global Production Printers Market 2016-2020 Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like displays, lighting, and sensors. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently. About Technavio Technavio is leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005767/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Blank Rome Welcomes Corporate & Securities Partner James Barnes in Pittsburgh Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that James J. Barnes has joined the Firm as a Partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities group and has been appointed Partner of Strategic Development for the Pittsburgh office and co-chair of the Firm's Family Office practice. Mr. Barnes joins Blank Rome from Pepper Hamilton LLP where his practice was concentrated on corporate and securities law, capital markets, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions. "We're excited to welcome James to the Pittsburgh office," said Alan J. Hoffman, Chairman and Managing Partner. "His vast experience in transactional law, which includes everything from counseling public companies to guiding family businesses, is a tremendous asset to our team. Additionally, James is skilled at managing and growing regional law firm offices, having previously served as managing partner of a Pittsburgh office for another firm. George Medved, Administrative Partner for our Pittsburgh office, and I look forward to the fresh ideas he'll bring to maintain the momentum and growth of our Pittsburgh office." With a focus on corporate and securities law matters, Mr. Barnes' experience includes working with companies to raise capital in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities. He regularly assists public companies with the preparation and review of their Securities Exchange Commssion periodic reports. Mr. Barnes also represents companies in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other complex corporate transactions. Mr. Barnes has experience on corporate governance matters and regularly advises boards with respect to compliance and best practices. Beyond that, a significant portion of his practice focuses on structuring equity-based compensation arrangements, incentive compensation plans, and executive employment agreements. In addition to his corporate and securities work, Mr. Barnes has a growing family office practice. In this capacity, he counsels clients on structuring and evaluating investment opportunities, and guides them through governance matters related to family office. "We've been eager to grow our family office practice and James' experience will be invaluable to our clients who are planning for their financial future," said Louis M. Rappaport, Co-Chair, Corporate, M&A, and Securities group. "Working in tandem with our finance, trusts and estates, matrimonial and family law attorneys, and others across the Firm, we're confident that James' vision for the practice will help us elevate our capabilities in this area." "I am thrilled to be joining Blank Rome," said Mr. Barnes. "I am energized by the ongoing growth of the Firm, and its commitment to expanding in Pittsburgh. I'm particularly looking forward to having the opportunity to help further develop Blank Rome's capabilities as it relates to counseling family offices, and collaborating closely with George Medved to enhance our presence in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania." Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Barnes is on the board of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and previously served as the chairman for four years. He also serves on the board of the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. Mr. Barnes earned his J.D. from the Howard University School of Law where he was managing editor of the Howard Law Journal, and his B.A. from Dartmouth College. Mr. Barnes joins Blank Rome just weeks following the addition of Amy L. Barrette and Jeremy A. Mercer in Pittsburgh as partners in the Energy, Environment, and Mass Torts practice group. Blank Rome opened its Pittsburgh office in 2015 to meet the growing demand for services from its clients with significant interests in Western Pennsylvania. The office has experienced steady growth, and recently moved into new space in the Union Trust Building. About Blank Rome Founded in 1946, Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and over 600 attorneys throughout the United States and in Shanghai who represent businesses and organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-up entities around the globe. With a strong focus on the key industry sectors of energy, maritime and transportation, real estate, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, chemical, gaming, technology, and manufacturing, Blank Rome advises its clients on a full spectrum of legal matters involving litigation; M&A and securities; finance, business restructuring, and bankruptcy; cybersecurity and data privacy; environment and mass torts; government contracts; insurance coverage; intellectual property; labor and employment; international trade; matrimonial and family law; policy and political law; tax and benefits; and white collar defense and investigations. The Firm also represents pro bono clients in a wide variety of cases and matters. Blank Rome is annually ranked and recognized for its leading middle-market corporate, M&A, real estate, and finance practices, to name a few, and is internationally acclaimed for its global maritime practice and capabilities. For more information, please visit www.blankrome.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202006234/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Johnson Controls prices $500 Million senior notes offering CORK, Ireland, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE: JCI) (the "Company"), a global multi-industrial company, today announced that it priced a public offering of $500 million principal amount of fixed rate senior notes that mature in 2047 and bear interest at a rate of 4.500% per annum. The Company expects that it will receive approximately $490 million of net proceeds from the offering after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses of the offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay outstanding commercial paper borrowings and for other general corporate purposes. The sale of the notes is expected to close on or about Feb. 7, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are serving as joint book-running managers for the offering. The offering is being made under the Company's effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from either Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-800-831-9146 (toll-free), or by emailing [email protected]; or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179, telephone: 1-212-834-4533 (collect). This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Nothing in this press release constitutes an offer to the public within the meaning of European Union Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (as amended) (the "Prospectus Directive"). The offering is not being made pursuant to a prospectus approved for the purposes of Prospectus Directive and no offering is being made which would require the publication of such a prospectus. About Johnson Controls Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and multi industrial leader serving a wide range of customers in more than 150 countries. Our 130,000 employees create intelligent buildings, efficient energy solutions, integrated infrastructure and next generation transportation systems that work seamlessly together to deliver on the promise of smart cities and communities. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. We are committed to helping our customers win and creating greater value for all of our stakeholders through strategic focus on our buildings and energy growth platforms. Johnson Controls International plc Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Johnson Controls International plc has made statements in this communication that are forward-looking and therefore are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements in this document other than statements of historical fact are, or could be, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "should," "forecast," "project" or "plan" and terms of similar meaning are also generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Johnson Controls cautions that these statements are subject to numerous important risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond Johnson Controls' control, that could cause Johnson Controls' actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Detailed discussions of risks related to Johnson Controls' business and the offering are included in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Johnson Controls International plc's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 2016 fiscal year filed with the SEC on November 23, 2016 and in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the prospectus supplement, respectively, each of which is available at www.sec.gov. Potential investors and others should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and should not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date of this document, unless otherwise specified, and, except as required by law, Johnson Controls assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update such statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this communication. CONTACT: Investors: Antonella Franzen (609) 720-4665 Ryan Edelman (609) 720-4545 Media: Fraser Engerman (414) 524-2733 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/johnson-controls-prices-500-million-senior-notes-offering-300401658.html SOURCE Johnson Controls [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Visit to Mexico Results in New Partnerships and Collaboration in Energy and Mining MEXICO CITY, Mexico, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada and Mexico are strong North American partners, bound in friendship by enduring economic, political, social and cultural ties. Our two countries share a vision of a future in which economic prosperity and environmental protection go hand in hand. Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, led an official visit and trade mission to Mexico this week. Minister Carr and Mexico's Secretary of the Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Collaboration in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development that will benefit both countries over the coming years by laying the foundation for greater trade, stronger growth and job creation. The Minister also congratulated the Canadian Electricity Association and Mexico's Asociacion Mexicana de Energia on the signing of a groundbreaking MoU that will further enhance electricity cooperation between our two countries. A delegation of 37 representatives from Canada's mining, energy and clean technology sectors were part of the trade mission one of the largest ever or Natural Resources Canada. Also, for the first time, Indigenous representatives were part of the delegation. The mission was successful in strengthening collaboration on mining, energy security and clean energy; creating new business partnerships that will match Canada's expertise, technology and resources with Mexico's needs to create jobs in both countries; and advancing Mexican interests in Canada. Minister Carr held successful meetings with his counterparts, including Secretary Guajardo, Secretary of Energy Pedro Joaquin Coldwell and Secretary of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development Rosario Robles Berlanga. The ministers exchanged views on a wide range of topics, including the future of the two countries' collaboration on energy and mineral development, and engagement with local communities and Indigenous peoples. Minister Carr will participate today in the launch of the Canada 150 celebration in Mexico at an event featuring the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Ballet Folklorico de Mexico and tomorrow will visit and tour Starcore International Mines Ltd.'s San Martin mine in Queretaro. Quote "Canaa and Mexico don't just share a continent we share a vision for a cleaner and more prosperous future for our citizens. The MoUs signed and the relationships deepened by our impressive trade delegation will generate new trade opportunities that will bear fruit for years to come." Jim Carr Canada's Minister of Natural Resources Related List of delegates Mission Innovation: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/resources/mission-innovation/18612 Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 02, 2017] Dole and Homeland Stores Donate Salad Bars to Two Oklahoma City Public Schools What is the main obstacle to getting kids to eat healthier? Research suggests that it might be simply a lack of healthy options. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202006346/en/ A new salad bar was donated by Dole Food Company and Homeland Stores to two public schools in Oklahoma City. The first was officially unveiled on Feb. 2 at a dedication ceremony at Hawthorne Elementary school. The new salad bars are part of an initiative by the United Fresh Start Foundation to increase healthy options for students and encourage greater consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. (Photo: Business Wire) As part of an initiative committed to increasing healthier options for students, Dole Food Company and local grocery retailer Homeland Stores have partnered to donate salad bars to two public schools in Oklahoma City. Working with the district's nutrition services department, these self-serve produce bars are the first to be implemented by the district, and will feature a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables to boost nutritious choices for students at breakfast and lunch. "Since one in three children, ages 9 to 11, is at risk or already overweight, we need to look at new ways to encourage healthier eating," said Bil Goldfield, Dole's director of corporate communications. "Our mission at Dole is to start the nutrition conversation early in childhood, and promote fresh fruit and vegetables as healthy food options. By providing salad bars that will enable schools to offer a variety of produce choices each day, we are hopefully establishing healthier eating habits that will last a lifetime." The two schools receiving the new salad bars include: Hawthorne Elementary School (Oklahoma City) Classen School of Advanced Studies (Oklahoma City) Representatives from Dole, Homeland Stores and the United Fresh Start Foundation presented Hawthorne Elementary School in Oklahoma City today with a new salad bar at a dedication ceremony. "Healthy eating options are key for a healthy lifestyle,and that's a high priority for us when it comes to feeding our kids," said Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Aurora Lora. "I am very appreciative of our community partners for bringing these salad bars into our schools, supporting all the great work that our School Nutrition Services Department is doing to provide fresh, and great tasting food choices for our students." "Homeland is thrilled to partner with Dole and the Oklahoma City Public School District to provide two salad bars to support healthy eating habits for the students of Oklahoma," said Homeland Store's CEO Marc Jones. "Supporting healthy communities is a core value at Homeland and we are proud of our over 100-year history in the state of Oklahoma. The earlier our children are given healthy food choices, such as fresh fruits and vegetables at school lunch, the earlier they will form healthy habits and develop the strength of body and mind necessary to take on the challenges of education and leading us in the future. As an employee-owned company, our employee owners live in the communities that we serve and see these two salad bars as one more step towards creating a healthier and stronger Oklahoma for all of us!" The salad bars were arranged through a partnership with the United Fresh Start Foundation to support Salad Bars to Schools, a program which has donated salad bars to 5,000 schools over the last six years and is benefiting 3 million children with increased access to fresh produce. The United Fresh Start Foundation works with the produce industry, foundations and allied businesses to support salad bars for schools nationwide, promoting salad bars as the most effective strategy for increasing children's produce consumption at school. "We are pleased to assist the largest school district in Oklahoma to begin implementing salad bars. Kids like fresh fruits and vegetables and when given the opportunity to make their own choices from a school salad bar, they will select and eat more fresh produce," said Tom Stenzel, President and CEO, United Fresh Produce Association. "Salad bars are a visual representation of healthy school meals, and this much-needed equipment is often a 'conversation starter' amongst students, school administrators and parents about the importance of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables for better health." Salad bars are scheduled to be expanded to additional schools in the district later this year, as well. Current USDA nutrition standards for school lunch include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables each week, and salad bars provide an easy way for schools to serve these options. Research and experience in schools across the country demonstrate that children significantly increase their fruit and vegetable consumption when given a variety of choices in a school salad bar. When offered multiple fruit and vegetable choices, children respond by incorporating greater variety and increasing their overall consumption. Nationwide, salad bars are changing school food environments and helping students make the healthy choice, the easy choice. About Dole Food Company, Inc. Dole Food Company, Inc., is one of the world's largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Dole is an industry leader in many of the products it sells, as well as in nutrition education and research. For more information, please visit www.dole.com. About Homeland Stores HAC, Inc. is a supermarket chain in the United States. Their headquarters is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. HAC operates under several banners including Homeland, United Supermarkets, Country Mart in Lawton, Oklahoma, Cash Saver Cost +, Piggly Wiggly, Food World, Beachler's IGA, and Super Save Stores in Texas. As of 2017, the employee owned regional supermarket chain operates 78 supermarkets in five states; Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. For more information, please visit http://www.homelandstores.com/. About The United Fresh Start Foundation The United Fresh Start Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused exclusively on increasing children's access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Affiliated with the United Fresh Produce Association, the Foundation is committed to helping today's kid's achieve the public health goal to make half their plate fruits and vegetables in order to live longer and healthier lives. The Foundation works to create an environment in which kids have easy access to high-quality, great-tasting and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, whenever and wherever they are choosing snacks or a meal. More information at: www.unitedfreshstart.org. About Oklahoma City Public Schools Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) is a multi-cultural district serving approximately 46,000 students. OKCPS students are educated throughout 54 neighborhood elementary schools, 16 secondary schools, 2 special centers and 15 charter schools located in a 135.5 square miles in the center of Oklahoma. More information at: http://www.okcps.org/. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202006346/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017 crime Council approves rules to limit self-storage growth Future self-storage facilities in the city of Thousand Oaks will be excluded from prime commercial areas, according to a new ordinance adopted by the City Council this month. In a... Dealership does Distinguished thing SPECIAL TRIPChildren from Boys & Girls clubs in Camarillo, Simi Valley and Moorpark, and Oxnard and Port Hueneme attended Misty Copelands Oct. 18 appearance in the Distinguished Speaker Series at... Stagecoach Inn honors veterans The Stagecoach Inn Museum is honoring those who served with a Veterans Day exhibit featuring museum volunteers who have served in the military as well as family members who have... 2 dozen VDCs in Jajarkot facing food shortage Two dozen VDCs in western Jajarkot, including Kortang, Pajaru, Suwanauli, Majakot, Daha and Garkhakot, are reeling under a food shortage following low crop yield due to a prolonged dry spell of last year. The Idol 4Ss VR headset is unique for Windows phones, but not enough to make up for other flaws. Get an HP Elite x3 if you want a powerful Windows phone, or an inexpensive model if you want Continuum support. Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test . We appreciated the Android version of Alcatel's Idol 4S, a good-looking phone with a sub-$400 price tag that also served as a gateway to virtual reality, thanks to an included VR headset. Alcatel has brought the phone to the Windows 10 Mobile platform, beefing up the processor and rear camera. But Alcatel also bumped up the price tag to $470 unlocked (though you can also get the phone through T-Mobile for $432). In some respects, this new Idol 4S retains many of the features that impressed us about the Android version, such as a colorful display and excellent audio. But in other ways, the Idol 4S for Windows Phone is a big step back, particularly with poor battery life. Even the prospect of a Windows phone with its very own VR headset can't overcome those flaws. Design: A lot like the Android version Stack the Windows version of the Idol 4S next to its Android counterpart and you'd have a hard time telling the two devices apart. They're both the same size 6.05 x 2.97 x 0.29 inches though the Windows version of the phone is fractionally heavier at 5.36 ounces. (The original Idol 4S weighs 5.2 ounces.) Alcatel Idol 4S for Windows More important, Alcatel has retained the handsome glass panels on both the front and rear of Idol 4S, ringed by a metal band around the middle. There's a small but noticeable lip on the front of the phone where the glass panel ends abruptly, but it's a pretty stylish look overall. I found myself frequently pressing an index finger onto the camera lens instead of the sensor. Comparing the Idol 4S to other Windows phones, it's roughly the same weight as the 5.3-ounce Liquid Jade Primo from Acer. Alcatel's phone is also more compact than the HP Elite x3, a 6.84-ounce behemoth packed into a 6.36 x 3.29 x 0.31-inch frame. Other design touches remain unchanged from the Android version of the Idol 4S, including the Boom key that sits beneath the volume rocker on the right side of the phone. On the Windows version, the button launches the Camera app and snaps photos. I noticed a couple seconds of lag when I fired up the Camera app. (The camera app took about a second to launch on the Android version of the Idol 4S.) Alcatel Idol 4S for Windows If I have a complaint about the Idol 4S's design, it's the fingerprint sensor. It's responsive enough at unlocking the phone using Windows Hello, but it's a little too close to the rear camera, which protrudes from the Idol 4S's back panel. I found myself frequently pressing an index finger onto the camera lens instead of the sensor. Display and Audio: Colorful screen struggles in sunlight Alcatel kept the 5.5-inch size of the Idol 4S's screen when it brought the phone to Windows, though it did downgrade the resolution to 1920 x 1080, a step down from the 2560 x 1440 resolution of the original phone. You feel the lower resolution's pinch when it comes to details. Watching Zootopia streaming on Netflix looked all right, but the individual details of the animal characters' furs never really popped. At least this panel offers vibrant colors. The screen registered 204.8 percent of the sRGB color gamut on our tests. That's much better than the Android version's 185.6 percent score. Indeed, Nick Wilde's orange fur and Judy Hopps' purple irises lit up the screen as I watched Zootopia. Alcatel Idol 4S for Windows Like the original Idol 4S, the display on this Windows version is pretty dim. We measured it at 228 nits, well below the smartphone average of 431 nits, not to mention other Windows phones, such as the Liquid Jade Primo (347 nits) and the HP Elite x3 (318 nits). I didn't have too much of a problem seeing the screen indoors, but that changed when I walked outside. Even on a partly cloudy day, I had a hard time seeing the screen in direct sunlight. The bundled headset is a decided step-down from the likes of such headsets such as Google's Daydream View or Samsung's Gear VR. The Idol 4S offers superior audio, thanks to dual multi directional hi-fi speakers that provide crystal-clear sound even as you crank up the volume. The ominous opening strings from the Jaws score echoed around me as I watched that movie on Netflix. While the opening shark attack got a little distorted at high volume, by and large the Idol 4S handled almost any audio I could throw at it. Virtual Reality: Headset included It's no overstatement to say that Alcatel puts the VR capabilities of the Idol 4S front and center with this Windows Mobile device. The phone comes with a companion VR headset just like its Android counterpart; pop the Idol 4S into Alcatel's headset, and you can watch 360-degree videos, play a handful of games and get an up-close and personal look at your photos. Alcatel Idol 4S for Windows (with VR headset) Alcatel's headset is comfortable enough, thanks to some foam lining, though it's a bit of a pain to set up the first time you dive into VR. Regarding functionality, the headset's a decided step-down from the likes of Google's Daydream View or Samsung's Gear VR, as a consequence of spartan controls you get a back and select buttons on the bottom of the headset, and that's it. You tap the buttons, and they're not always as responsive as they should be. The usefulness of the VR headset is further complicated by the stark reality of the Windows platform: there just aren't that many VR-friendly apps out there for Windows Mobile devices. There's no YouTube for Windows 10 Mobile, for example, which cuts you off from a lot of the VR content that's out there. The few VR apps available from the Windows Store seem mostly focused on emphasizing the potential of VR than creating something you'd return to again and again. Alcatel Idol 4S for Windows (with VR headset) It was pleasantly creepy, walking down abandoned tunnels and blasting the undead in the included Zombie VR game, but after a while, the action felt pretty repetitive, and I was fairly relieved once the zombie horde finally overpowered me, ending the game. MORE: Best VR Headsets Alcatel might counter that a VR headset capable of running some VR apps puts the Idol 4S miles ahead of other Windows phones that have no VR component at all. And the company has a point, particularly if Microsoft's push to get hardware makers to build Windows 10-friendly VR headsets pushes more app makers to develop apps that could also run on Alcatel's headset. It's hard to recommend the Idol 4S just on the merits of its VR experience, precisely because its VR apps are so early-stage. Still, at this point it's hard to recommend the Idol 4S just on the merits of its VR experience, precisely because its VR apps are so early-stage. What's more, the experience lacks the immersiveness that VR requires. I found that when I wanted to exit a VR game or video, I had to take off the headset, pop out the Idol 4S and manually exit the app the back button wouldn't take me back to Alcatel's VRLauncher app, which serves as a sort of home for the VR apps on your phone. Overall, it felt like a pretty clumsy experience. Performance: Snapdragon 820 inside The Android version of the Alcatel Idol 4S ran on a solid, if not top-of-the-line Snapdragon 652 processor with 3GB of RAM. Alcatel upped the ante on its Windows version, going with a faster Snapdragon 820 processor and 4GB of RAM. Though it's hard to compare phones across different platforms, you do get a sense of the under-the-hood powers of the Idol 4S for Windows, as apps launch quickly and perform well. However, when I played Modern Combat 5 on the Idol 4s, I noticed occasional lag, usually just before I was about to launch into a firefight. That hasn't happened when I've played that game on Android phones with comparable CPUs, which I think may say something more about the quality of Windows 10 Mobile apps than about this particular phone. The Idol 4S performed well in the JetStream 1.1 JavaScript test, which evaluates web-browsing performance. Its score of 59.74 was a shade behind the 60.65 turned in by the HP Elite x3 (which also has a Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM), but it clearly outperformed the Lumia 950's score of 40.20. The average smartphone turns in a score of 37.16 on this test. Camera: Underexposure issues As it did with the processor, Alcatel beefed up the camera for the Windows version of the Idol 4S, replacing the 16-megapixel rear camera on the Android version with a 21-MP shooter. The resulting camera takes some decent pictures, particularly when you've enable the HDR mode. But the camera tended to underexpose images slightly. Alcatel Idol 4S for Windows I should note that the first Idol 4S we tested had problems with the camera, particularly when it came to focusing on objects outdoors. Shots were often blurry and even the few that turned out OK, like a losing poker hand, only seemed to be able to produce sharp foreground images, even if the colors were accurate. A second review unit provided by Alcatel produced much sharper photos, so we're chalking up our first subpar experience with the camera to a defective unit. (That said, even the camera on the second Idol 4S we tested seemed like it was constantly searching for a subject when we tried taking a photo, which is not ideal.) Shooting indoors with the second Alcatel 4S review unit, the phone's camera accurately captured the vibrant reds of this rubber ducky, posing against a crimson background, though it's difficult to see where the duck ends and the wall begins. Still, it's hard to find fault with the Idol 4S's output here. Problems cropped up when we started taking photos outside. The building in the New York city scape look pretty dark, so much so that the details from the facade of the building in the right foreground of the image get lost in a shadow. That same exposure issue pops up in a shot of some avocados on a windowsill. The greens of the avocados blur into blackness, and it's hard to spot distinct the individual shape of each fruit. At best, the rear camera of the Idol 4S takes acceptable shots, but it's no standout feature. Up front, the 8MP selfie cam handles color as well as the rear camera without the focus problems I ran into. A self-portrait shot in broad daylight accurately picked up my complexion, and my hair stands out against the gray wall behind me. You can even make out a patch of blue sky. The results are less sharp when you move indoors into dimmer lighting, but even a selfie taken in my basement office turned out OK, if a bit muted. Battery If the camera is underwhelming on the Idol 4S, the battery is downright disappointing. Alcatel went with a 3000 mAh battery, which theoretically should provide enough juice to get you through a day. That's not what happened in practice, though. In our battery test, involving continuous web surfing over T-Mobile's LTE network, the Idol 4S gave up the ghost after 6 hours, 2 minutes. That's far below the average smartphone's time of 9:20, and the Liquid Jade Primo's 8:46 time. The Elite x3 has a screen-time feature that prevented us from running our battery test, but we noticed anecdotally that the phone seemed to last a while on a charge. If the camera is underwhelming on the Idol 4S, the battery is downright disappointing. Alcatel says the Idol 4S supports Quick Charge. I plugged the Idol 4s into the included wall charger when its battery meter showed 33 percent power. After 20 minutes of charging, the battery meter had climbed to 58 percent. Software As a Windows 10 phone, the Idol 4S faces the same challenges as other Windows mobile devices: there simply aren't enough apps when compared with the Android and iOS platforms. And that doesn't figure to change, with even Microsoft stopping updates for Minecraft Pocket Edition on Windows 10 Mobile. Unless you have a very good reason for being on the Windows 10 Mobile platform say, you want the integration with your works life it's really hard to recommend this OS over Android or iOS. That said, at least the Idol 4S features a good implementation of Windows 10 Mobile, with the platform's distinctive tile interface on the home screen. You'll find a lot of apps on the phone, though since many of them are in service of the included VR headset, you're unlikely to mind too much. MORE: Best Cheap and Unlocked Smartphones The Idol 4S also supports a pair of Windows 10 features, most significantly Continuum. Plug the phone into a dock that connects to a monitor, and you'll essentially be able to use your Idol 4S as a mobile PC. (You can only use apps built into the Universal Windows Platform, and you can't view multiple apps at the same time.) Alcatel doesn't include any accessories in support of Continuum with the Idol 4S, so you'll have to buy those separately. Still, it's nice to have that feature available on a phone that costs several hundred dollars less than the HP Elite X3 (although the Continuum-supporting Lumia 950 is even cheaper than the Idol 4S). The Idol 4S also includes Cortana, Microsoft's voice-powered digital assistant. Cortana's not my favorite digital assistant, but it can be useful for setting reminders and opening apps. Cortana's a little too eager to respond to questions with web-search results for my taste: asking Cortana who the U.S. president is produces a list of headlines, while iOS's Siri can give you an up-to-date answer. Bottom Line You interest in the Idol 4S will hinge largely on how much Continuum and virtual reality appeal to you. And while the Idol 4S can run Continuum for less than what it would cost you to get an HP Elite x3, you could save even more money, while trading off on performance, with a Lumia 950 or Liquid Jade Primo. And those phones don't have the battery issue we ran into with the Idol 4S. Even the Idol's distinguishing feature its included VR headset isn't polished enough to overshadow the phone's shortcomings. And the lack of VR apps for Windows 10 Mobile makes the headset feel more like a gimmick than a valuable add-on. The Idol 4S had a lot going for it as an Android phone; it's a shame all those features didn't translate well to Windows. Photo credit: Jeremy Lips/Tom's Guide Many years ago, Paul McCartney joked about the added pressure of having Yoko in the studio when they were recording the White Album in 1968, joking that in the future people would claim, they broke up cause Yoko sat on an amp. Well, we are close to 50 years since the split, and people still blame Yoko Ono for the dissolution of the band, simply because she fell in love with John and dared to make him happy enough to explore other non-Beatles options. Those same fans probably wont be thrilled at the news that Ono is now working with producer Michael De Luca on a film about their years together. The film will be penned by Theory of Everything writer Anthony McCarten, and will focus on both their love affair, and the anti-war efforts that saw Lennon targeted and monitored by the FBI. The story will focus on ripe and relevant themes of love, courage and activism in the U.S. with the intention of inspiring todays youth to stand up for and have a clear vision for the world they want, De Luca tells the Hollywood Reporter. I am also honored and privileged to be working with Yoko Ono, Anthony McCarten and Josh Bratman to tell the story of two amazing global icons. Hopefully it features the famous amp-sitting scene. Wouldnt be an Oscar-contender without it. Also, how great would it be if Sean Lennon played his dad? MORE MILITANT KANSAS CITY PROTESTERS NOW DEMAND LOCAL POLITICOS STAND UP TO PREZ TRUMP!!! Another weekend approaches and Kansas City "resistance" to the President endures.To wit . . .The rhetoric from these folks is far less flowery than last weekend's airport protesters and includes some of the more strident opponents to local authorities and politicos as well.Here is their statement via e-mail blast currently circulating . . .This past week, we saw Donald Trump issue a flurry of Executive Orders, a number of which explicitly target Muslims, immigrants, and refugees. Elected officials in Kansas City now have a choice: stand up and oppose these overtly racist orders, or acquiesce to the death culture of white supremacy.KS/MO DREAM Alliance, One Struggle KC, the Muslim Civic Initiative, KC QOC, and SURJ-KC are calling on all elected officials representing all levels of government in Kansas City to reject Trumps racist rhetoric and enact policies that protect ALL of our people.We hope you can show up with us.We will demand that our electeds use the entire reach of their power to prohibit their cities' police departments from complying with federal immigration authorities. We will demand public condemnations of Trump's orders. Finally, we will demand that our electeds publicly issue plans on how they will decrease police and state violence in communities of color generally. No public dollars, no public time should be spent enforcing the ban.Now is the time to decide what history will say about us. We either condemn and fight white supremacy, or we accept and normalize a politics of hate. To those we have elected to represent us in Kansas City: Which side are you on?############Developing . . . From The Office Of Kansas City Mayor Sly James: Protests and Peaceful Activism An important missive from Kansas City's top elected leader addresses concern over his recent participation in anti-Trump protest . . . He dodges the issue and attempts to paint the protest as something else despite a bevy of signs and chants which suggest otherwise . . .This is not about who we oppose or fear. This is about who we are and who we want to be.There is simply no getting around the fact that we are in the midst of polarizing times. Because of this, I want to acknowledge concerns raised by residents across our city in recent days and weeks.For politicians in Washington, it can be easy to toss around slogans or engage in politically-motivated policy making. However, by the time these decisions reach our cities, they have real consequences. They affect real peoples lives. The lives of teachers or parents, business owners and students in our communities. Our friends, neighbors, and family. People who want a better life for their kids and families. And what has come out of Washington in the last 10 days are actions that drive wedges between people.Whether its a travel ban that targets a religious group under the guise of national security, proposing walls to keep people out, or casually making false claims of widespread voter fraud these actions question the very foundation of our character as a people and a democracy. So when our community in Kansas City stands up for what it believes is right, or stands up against policies that do not reflect our character, I support it wholeheartedly.Protecting our country is a priority every elected official shares in every town, city and state. But we also know that our city is made stronger by our openness, diversity and tolerance.We have a lot to be proud of in our city right now, and we have big challenges we must work together to solve.I am proud of the thousands who have gathered in recent weeks to exercise their constitutional rights, to stand up, speak out, and show the country what our city stands for.But Im especially proud because our city has done it peacefully. This is the only way we can display what we stand for. Peaceful, focused advocacy.Mayors are a reflection of the values of the city they serve. Thats why I told people gathered at the airport this weekend - this isnt about President Trump or one party or the other. This is not about who we oppose or fear. This is about who we are and who we want to be. This is about us. Our character as a city and community. We cannot surrender to bigotry or manufactured fear. That undermines our focused and peaceful opposition to issues that drive wedges between us. We cannot realize our vision for a better future through anger. We cannot enhance, or honor, our community by violence.So its on us to speak out. But we can never compromise our character. We must agree on, and protect, the dignity of all our neighbors. As long as I am honored to serve the city I love as its Mayor, I will do all that I can to both stand up for and protect the citizens of this great city. And we will continue to be a city that welcomes people looking for a better life. A community that builds bridges across our divides, and works tirelessly to make our city the best place in the world to live, work and raise your family in peace and fellowship.###########You decide . . . The first results over January 2017 are negative in terms of business openings and closings, with the latter exceeding the former The first results over January 2017 are negative in terms of business openings and closings, with the latter exceeding the former. Specifically, figures supplied by the General Public Register (House of Companies) show 17 percent less openings than closures, compared to the corresponding year in 2016. Conversely, the rate of closures also slowed in January 2016, yoy, by 30 percent. According to the figures, 1,855 businesses opened last month, down from 2,232 in January 2016, a reduction of 16.9 percent. On the other side of the ledger, 2,863 businesses around Greece closed their doors for good last month, significantly down from a whopping 4,140 businesses in the corresponding month of 2016. In terms of major corporate entities, 47 societe anonyme (S.A) firms -- public limited companies -- began operation in January 2017, with 72 terminating their operation. 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 negotiating process on the Cyprus problem needs to be accelerated, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said The negotiating process on the Cyprus problem needs to be accelerated, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Ankara on Thursday. On his part Yildirim has said that Turkeys government hopes that there will be a solution the Cyprus problem and that the island will be reunified. In the meantime, tensions rose during a press conference Merkel held with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan following their meeting. During the meeting Merkel referred to Islamist terrorism, which incited the reaction from Erdogan. Erdogan asked Merkel to not use that phrase, because as a Muslim President he could not accept it. He said: "The Islamist terror expression gravely saddens us as Muslims. Such an expression cannot be used; it is not right because Islam and terror dont go side by side. Islam literally means peace, it cannot be associated with terror. Therefore, mentioning it side by side terror saddens adherents of this religion." Merkel in her response said that there was a difference between Islamic and Islamist, adding that she has specifically continued to ensure religious freedom in Germany. Source: SigmaLive Greek 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 Beekeepers laugh all the way to bank People from the Chepang community involved in beekeeping in the district have adopted modern technology to boost the productivity of honey. Bahrain has endorsed agreements related to introduction of value added tax (VAT) in the GCC, paving for the levy to be applied by mid-2018. Information Affairs Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al-Romaihi held a press conference at the Information Affairs Ministry, attended by Finance Undersecretary Arif Khamis, to provide details on the GCC's unified VAT agreement and the GCCs unified agreement on selective taxation. The minister said VAT will not be considered as an income tax, but will be applied to goods and services at 5 per cent, whereas basic food commodities, medicines and medical supplies have been exempted, according to a Bahrain News Agency report. He stressed that the applied percentage in Bahrain is the lowest among more than 150 countries adopting it, the report said. He added that the unified VAT agreement will come into effect in 2018 after it is approved by the legislative authority. The finance undersecretary said the two agreements have been signed in implementation of the 2015 Riyadh GCC Summit resolution. He emphasised that the tax will not affect persons with low or middle incomes, and that the list of commodities comprises more than 90 items while basic consumer commodities are exempted. He added that five GCC countries, including Bahrain, have signed the agreement, and that the administrative and legislative work will start soon. He pointed out that awareness programmes will be held to inform the public about the items on the list. He added that VAT taxes revenues are not included in the 2018 state budget, because there is no law to support it and that consultations are being held under the current financial situation to reach a budget capable of promoting national economy. He noted that the VAT tax is expected to be in force in mid-2018. Bahrain Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning has completed work on a major intersection at the entrance to Galali park coming from Raya Avenue at Muharraq Governorate. The project is part of the ministrys comprehensive plan aiming to improve the roads network in the kingdom, stated Sayyed Bader Alawi, the roads projects and maintenance director at the ministry. The BD197,539 ($520,278) project was awarded to Bahrain Motors. "It aims to construct a new intersection with two lanes in each direction instead of only one lane in order to ease traffic movement and create an entrance point to the Bahrain International Airport parking area along Raya Avenue," he explained. The scope of work included dredging and levelling works, removing the old asphalt layer and replacing it with a new one besides implementing a stormwater drainage network, installing a proper lighting network, implementing ground channels for future use and constructing pavements and signage.-TradeArabia News Service A high-level delegation from the Canadian province of Ontario met with HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and Member of the Supreme Council to discuss strengthening of commercial ties between the two countries. The discussions focussed on consolidation of commercial ties between Ras Al Khaimah and Ontario in line with the provinces Going Global trade strategy and on developments in e-government, an area in which Ras Al Khaimah has made considerable advances in recent years, said a statement. The 10-strong delegation was headed by Deb Matthews, deputy premier of Ontario, who is also Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, Minister Responsible for Digital Government and chair of the Cabinet, and Michael Chan, Minister of International Trade, it said. The delegation was accompanied by Masud Husain, ambassador of Canada to the UAE, and Emmanuel Kamarianakis, consul general of Canada to Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Earlier in the day Matthews and the delegation met with Sheikh Ahmad bin Saqr Al Qasimi, chairman of RAK FTZ, Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, managing director of RAK FTZ, and Ramy Jallad, RAK FTZs CEO. Topics included the continuing growth of Ras Al Khaimahs free trade zones and its manufacturing sector, in the context of Standard and Poors very recent affirmation of Ras Al Khaimahs A/A-1 rating and its prediction of GDP growth for the Emirate increasing to nearly 3 per cent, said a statement. Al Qasimi said: It is our pleasure to welcome this high-level Canadian delegation to Ras Al Khaimah and present the vast investment advantages that it uniquely offers to multinational investors. We are hoping that this visit will further foster strong and mutually beneficial relations between Canada and Ras Al Khaimah, he added. TradeArabia News Service Iran expects to sign its biggest oil refining contracts worth $8.6 billion with a number of Japanese, Chinese and South Korean companies this month or later, Deputy Oil Minister Abbas Kazemi said on Wednesday. The biggest deal is reserved for Japan's Marubeni, Chiyoda and Mitsui companies to upgrade Isfahan refinery, Kazemi was quoted as saying in the Iran Daily report, which cited Press TV. "Negotiations have been held with the three companies and the deal for this massive refining project worth $3.6 billion is expected to be finalized soon," he said. Another $2 billion contract is about to be signed with South Korea's Daelim to boost oil processing capacity at Isfahan refinery, Kazemi added. However, the most imminent contract, valued at $3 billion, is expected to be concluded within the next couple of weeks with the Chinese to develop and improve the quality of Abadan refinery. Kazemi said the formal implementation of the project beginning in the current Iranian month, which started on January 21, with the participation of energy officials from the two countries as well as senior directors of China's Sinopec Company. The scheme is planned to cut furnace oil production at the plant to about 20 per cent from the current 40 per cent, the official said. China has opened $1.3-billion credit line to finance the plan, he said, adding another $1.7 billion is expected to be opened in the spring. Iran plans to sign contracts worth $14 billion to fix and upgrade the quality of Tehran, Bandar Abbas, Isfahan, Tabriz and Abadan refineries, said Kazemi who is also managing director of National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company(NIORDC). Plans to construct 12 new oil refineries Meanwhile, Iran has begun the construction of 12 oil and gas condensate refinery complexes, said director of corporate planning at NIORDC, according to the Iran Daily report. Currently nine refineries with an aggregate total capacity of 1.73 million barrels are functioning across the country, added Arman Moqaddam, the report said, citing Mehr News Agency. Moqaddam further stated that Iran has 13,000 km of pipelines for the transmission of crude oil products. "More than 5,500 gas oil and compressed natural gas stations are operating in Iran," he added. You can opt out of certain types of cookies (e.g. those used in social media sharing) by choosing "I do not accept". The website will still largely function well, but with slightly less functionality in places. To manage your cookie preferences in future, visit the "Cookie Statement" link at the bottom of any page. CK Raut arrested in Janakpur Police have arrested Coordinator of the Independent Madhes campaign CK Raut from Janakpur on Thursday. Cambodia is the perfect holiday getaway for travelers with its historical sites and natural attractions. However, a trip to this wonderful place isn't complete without trying the local exotic food. And there's nothing more exotic than a crispy and crunchy fried tarantula. A-Ping or fried tarantulas are cooked just like any regular deep-fried dish. The 8-legged critters are seasoned with spices by dipping it into a water-based mixture. After the spiders absorb the flavors, they are deep-fried in a large wok. What's interesting is that travelers can get the chance to cook the tarantulas themselves as they listen to instructions from the cook. Eating A-ping is just like eating a soft-shelled crab according to GRRRLTraveler. Sellers would buy them from hunters at around 12 cents each spider and they would sell them at 25 cents each. According to CNN, Cambodians do really love to eat tarantulas compared to other Asian countries. Other countries just sell fried tarantulas to attract foreign tourists but it's a totally different case with Cambodia. It all started when there was so much poverty in Cambodia back in the 1970s. Most people suffered from hunger so they would just eat anything that they would find edible. The necessity resulted to a traditional exotic dish and aside from tarantulas, locals also eat scorpions, grasshoppers and silkworms. Nowadays, the A-ping has become a popular snack that both signify the history and culture of Cambodia. There are also other interesting superstitious beliefs about this dish because the locals say that eating one would make you beautiful. For those travelers who want to experience cooking and eating this dish, there are workshops offered by the locals. In downtown Siem Reap, classes are offered at $22 per person and are held every day between 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. Classes would last about 90 minutes and it's an experience that travelers would never forget. If travelers want a taste of Cambodia's exotic cuisine, then fried tarantulas are a must try. But aside from that, the place offers other exotic dishes beyond your wildest imaginations. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 US President Donald Trump's Muslim ban has affected lots of people, including Oscar -nominated Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. Because of the travel ban, the director will not be able to make it to Academy Awards. Farhadi's movie "The Salesman" is nominated in the Best foreign-language film category. The movie tells the story of a young couple in Tehran involved in a production of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." When they moved to a new apartment, a violent act connected to a former tenant changed their lives, CBS News said. Trump's order bans citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries (Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq) from entering the United States. According to The New York Times, Farhadi's ability to attend the Oscars is thrown into question because of this executive order. Some protesters have even called a cancellation of this year's Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement saying it was "extremely troubling" that Farhadi and the cast and crew of "The Salesman" could be barred from entering the US. Trita Parsi, director of the National Iranian American Council confirmed that Farhadi will not be attending the ceremony. In a Twitter post, Parsi said: "Confirmed: Iran's Asghar Farhadi won't be let into the US to attend Oscar's. He's nominated for best foreign-language film... #MuslimBan" But other reports say that the director might have been able to get an exception, but Farhadi says he will not get one condemning "the unjust conditions" forced upon some of his compatriots, as well as the "citizens of the other six countries trying to legally enter the United States of America." In a statement released about Farhadi attending the event, the director said that he has decided to not attend the Academy Awards Ceremony. He also said that humiliating one nation with the pretext of guarding the security of another is not something new, and this has always "laid the groundwork for the creation of future divide and enmity." See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Russia's Ruble may be failing in value but it does not instantly mean the rich European country has become more affordable for foreign travelers. Russia's capital of Moscow is expensive because the city's appearance itself is already a treat and common coffee is priced at $12. Travelers taking on Russia for the first time must beware things other than their budget to have the best out of their vacation. My Destination writes writes about Russian travels being as cheap as $100 daily if one can utilize the public transport system. The travel tips website notes that the Moscow Metro is one of the best transport systems in the world. The Troyka card, it mentions, costs only half a dollar, making it an efficient medium for transportation than taking a cab. Nightlife in Russia can be expensive but seemingly harmless pubs can do more budget damage than one can chew. Saint Petersburg Beer Bars offer a budget conscience-free selection of inebriation ranging about $3 for a half liter and $4 pizzas for something to chew on. Based on Lonely Planet's evaluation of Russia's restaurants and cafes, it would be wise to avoid these specialty venues if one wants to avoid paying a higher amount of tip for service. The travel website indicates tipping is "customary" in restaurants and cafes. Travelers eating in stalls or bars need not to tip their servers. Moscow dining need not be expensive -- if one focuses on Russia's street food options. Russia's stalls offer some delectable cultural dishes including baked potato or pancakes. Travelers dining in stalls often spend only $6 for a fulfilling meal. Multiply by two and Moscow tourists only spend about $12 for food. Contrary to what most travelers believe, hotels in Moscow are not all at a $1000 range -- luxury hotels are known to charge such exorbitant amounts. Pension inns or even bunk beds for backpackers cost only around $12 a day. Better accommodations such as apartment hotels can go for about $34 a day -- not a bad deal given one's impressions of Russian accommodation costs. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 A tropical holiday can be one of the best travel experiences in your life, and nothing beats the feeling of frolicking in the sand and swimming in the waves all day. But add a little alcohol into the mix and you've got you're a pretty sweet deal. Beach bars are part of any tropical paradise. Drinking an ice-cold cocktail with stunning views of the sea, need we say more? For your next beach holiday, here are some of the best beach bars in the world that you must definitely check out. Doyles On The Beach, Watsons Bay, Australia. The Sydney Harbor can be quite magical during sunsets, so why not spend some relaxation time and watch the sunset go down in the oldest beach bar in the world? Doyles On The Beach has been operating since 1885, so you know the bartenders sure know how to whip up a perfectly good drink. Z-Plage, France. If you have the extra cash and wants to feel like a celebrity for a day, then cozy up in this beach bar inside the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez in France. The perks include world-class bar service, enthralling views of the ocean, lounge chairs fit for a king, and a chance to meet a famous celebrity. Lagoon Bar, Bora-Bora, French Polynesia. Everyone dreams of having a Bora-Bora vacation even for just once in their lives, and here at St. Regis Bora-Bora, their beach bar is a slice of paradise. This beach bar is literally on the beach since it is suspended on stilts, so you can order your favorite beach cocktail while gazing at the crystal-clear waters and colorful marine life. Hula Hula Beach Bar, Croatia. Have you never heard of a Croatian beach party? Then you're surely missing out. Located in the island of Hvar, Hula-hula beach bar is a laid-back, beach party destination perfect if you want to dance while drinking your favorite cocktail. Oh, Beyonce has their approval, so you know this place is the bomb. Turtle Inn, Placencia, Belize. Do you ever just want to escape the stressful city life and have a relaxing tropical holiday that will make you forget all your problems even just for a while? Well then Placencia in Belize is the place to be. After bonding with the sea, make sure to drop by Turtle Inn for delicious Caribbean-themed cocktails, cozy atmosphere, and world-class wines. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Japan might have earned the title of being a nation of eccentricities, but it is also known as the land of awesome: from the best toilets and game shows to cuddle cafes. Here are five more updates from its travel sector and you'll find that most of them are pretty sweet and normal. Hot tub theme park. Are they serious? Yes. People will get to be on towels and robes all day as park attractions are all in hot tubs. You name it - rollercoasters, busses, carousel, and sky rides. The Spamusement Park Project in Beppu City would become a reality if they reached 1 million views. As of writing, they have gained 2.9million loves from people all over the globe. Beppu would like to be "spa city of the world." Will we see it happen? Cherry Blossoms. Blush pink sakura flowers will start to bud all over Japan, and people can get to see it as early as February. However, most cherry blossoms would be in full bloom by April. Take a trip and view the flowers yourselves and have a picnic with your family underneath the trees. Forecast shows that the budding will start south with Okinawa on mid-February and go to the north with Sapporo. "Your Name" (Kimi no Na Wa) Themed Trip. You have 26 days left to fill out the form and get a chance to win a trip to Tokyo and Gifu. To the fans of the anime, this is your chance live the sites depicted in the movie. Would you like to visit the shrine during the search for Mitsuha or to the shop where Tsukasa and Okudera-senpai ate gohei mocha? Take a chance on the application. You might find yourself living in the movie. Millennials snowboards for free. IPlayFukushima lets young foreign ones from ages 19 to 24 ski for free for just one day. If you're out of the age range, you get to pay 2,000 Yen or roughly $17 to enter. So, head to Fukushima's Aizu ski region and present your passport or visa to the ticket staff to any of the 22 areas of Aizu. Be careful travel firms. Travel companies who push their workers to do overtime be warned! It is illegal to have employees work beyond their hours. A man committed suicide years ago because of stress from working too much time as advised by their managers. Japan is now going after travel agencies who practice this illegal activity. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Austria might ban the use of burqa in public with fines amounting to 150. The policy was formed from "laying out a vision for the country as an 'open society that requires open communication," according to Vice News, but would be seen as a threat to tourism. Women from countries who wear them might find it difficult to remove their burqas or comply with rules. If they refuse to remove their burqas, authorities can have them accompanied to jail. Vienna's Chamber of Commerce Andrea Steinleitner posed the question, "Has anyone considered the impact this ban would have on tourism?" The law will have Austria deface its image by violating some rights of the women. The Local reported Austrian Hotel Association Michaela Reitterer as saying that she "understands the public's worries, but this is a symbolic measure which undoes all the work we have done in building tourism numbers from the Middle East." There is a great unrest among Arab countries, but the market audience is also one of Austria's largest tourist arrivals. Officials defended that by implementing the law, it "presents itself in a world-open and religiously neutral manner." Vice News quoted Integration Minister Sebastian Kurz as saying that "by prohibiting "anti-social symbols" like burqas, the country would be able to better integrate migrants." The initiative of course was stemmed from the rise of terrorism. Other countries like France, Bulgaria, and Belgium have already called out a nationwide ban on using burqa, while Italy and Switzerland have only some parts of the regions banning its use. The same report interviewed Women's Affairs Spokeswoman for the Islamic Religious Authority in Austria Carla Amina Baghajati who said, "It's channeling the emotions of people who are fearful, and who have an image fueled by populists that Muslims will take over our society, our identity." She further commented that "Clothing is a way of showing 'We will make you undress, we will force on you our way of life." See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 DoA takes responsibility of rebuilding Yamaleshwor The Department of Archaeology (DoA) is going to rebuild Yamaleshwor Temple which lies in the middle of Ranipokhari in Kathmandu. A young member of the Colours Junkanoo Group celebrates the spirit of The Bahamas during the opening of Caribbean Travel Marketplace at Atlantis Paradise Island. From left are Karolin Troubetzkoy, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), and Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie. CARIBBEAN TOURISM REQUIRES STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS, ASSERTS CHTA PRESIDENT THE BAHAMAS (February 1, 2017) - The Caribbean region's tourism growth potential in 2017 and beyond is enormous, but not without continued collaborative partnerships between the region's public and private sectors. Delivering the opening address of Caribbean Travel Marketplace at Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas yesterday evening, Karolin Troubetzkoy, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), described 2016 as a year of mixed blessings for the industry, and asserted that the regional private sector organization was resolved to continue answering the call from Bahamas' Prime Minister Perry Christie for greater collaboration across the region's key partners. "Last year, you issued a challenge to CHTA, CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organization), and groups like CARICOM (Caribbean Community) to work together to fully realize the potential which tourism holds for our economies and our people," Troubetzkoy told Prime Minister Christie, who also addressed the gathering this year. "Prime Minister, I am pleased to tell you that CHTA and CTO have answered your call, and are advancing initiatives which we believe can help make our region and our industry realize its full tourism potential," she added. Reporting overall growth in visitor arrivals to the Caribbean, the St. Lucia hotelier of the storied Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet resorts said tourism was challenged with forces that tested the region's fortitude. "From an unusually warm winter in some originating markets, a weak Canadian currency, Brexit, travel patterns affected by the Olympic Games, U.S. elections and political uncertainty around the globe to Zika and finally to our most unwanted visitor, Hurricane Matthew," she observed. Reflecting on the impact of Hurricane Matthew on parts of Haiti and The Bahamas, she thanked regional hoteliers for participating in an online auction which yielded US$70,000, $25,000 of which was presented to The Bahamas and $45,000 to Haiti for restoration efforts. 2017 has been designated by the Caribbean Tourism Organization as the Year of Adventure and the Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. "Adventure and sustainability well-define much of our appeal, and well-reflect the shifts we've been seeing in why people travel and what they are looking for...as the caretakers and marketers of this global treasure that we call the Caribbean, we have not only the mandate to showcase it to the world but also to ensure it is protected, enhanced and sustained," she said. "That's why issues like climate change, the development of our people, and the preservation of our natural, cultural and historical resources are intertwined with our marketing and indeed our marketability," she continued. Marketing, she affirmed, ought to embrace new and changing technologies to reach customers in addition to the changing visitor interests and expectations. Caribbean Travel Marketplace has attracted an estimated 1,000 registrants with a record number of new buyers joining tourism stakeholders on Paradise Island this week. Caribbean Travel Marketplace, produced by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, is hosted by The Islands of The Bahamas / Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association, Interval International, jetBlue Vacations, MasterCard and Sandals. Platinum Sponsors include AMResorts, Bonnier Corporation, C&W Business Solutions, Caribbean Wellness and Education, Marketplace Excellence Corporation, OBMI, Sojern, STR, Tambourine, TravelClick and Travelzoo. Adara, Alliance Connection, ARDA-ROC , Brides, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Conde Nast Traveler, Delta Air Lines, Figment Design, Local Measure, Northstar Meetings Group, Prevue, Questex Travel Group, Recommend, RoomKnights, Simpleview, SiteMinder, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time Inc., TravAlliance Media, Travel Agent Academy, Travel Channel, Travel Pulse, TripAdvisor, and TripMate have joined the event as gold sponsors, while Grupo BT Brands Travel and Travel Trade Exchange have signed on as media sponsors. About the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is the Caribbean's leading association representing tourism interests for national hotel and tourism associations. For more than 50 years, CHTA has been the backbone of the Caribbean hospitality industry. Working together with 1,000 hotel and allied members and 32 National Hotel Associations, CHTA is shaping the Caribbean's future and helping members to grow their businesses. Whether navigating new worlds like social media, sustainability, legislative issues, emerging technologies, data and intelligence or looking for avenues and ideas to better market and manage businesses, CHTA is helping members on matters that matter most. For further information, visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com ENDS Cornerstone to showcase TravelOptix, host reception at TTE at Olympia in London, UK (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - February 2nd, 2017 - Cornerstone Information Systems (CIS), a global leader in innovative technology solutions for travel companies, will be speaking and exhibiting at The Travel Technology Europe Show 2017 (TTE 2017). The event takes place February 22nd-23rd, at Olympia in London, UK and is expected to attract more than 6000 Travel & Tourism professionals and suppliers from around the globe. Cornerstone will also be hosting a Cocktails and Canapes reception at a nearby upscale gastropub. The companys CEO, Mat Orrego will be presenting at a session titled, Using the Cloud in Travel designed to help organizations explore how to build cost-effective architecture in the cloud including the licensing and delivery models that can optimize savings. The interactive session, which begins at 10 AM on Thursday, February 23rd, will be moderated by Glenn Watson, Business Solutions Manager of the Advantage Focus Partnership. Other expert panelists include Brian Mebourne, Senior VP of Technology, Open Destinations and Alex Bainbridge, founder, and CEO, The Spontaneous Travel Company. At the event, Cornerstone plans to showcase TravelOptix - a next-level analytics platform that allows TMCs to customize their own visualizations, data sources, and viewing device to uncover insights that help drive value internally and externally. The intuitive platform enables TMCs to optimize their business as well as regulate their policies and spend using rich dashboards, simple menus, and interactive analytics. Cornerstone will also be demonstrating its entire award-winning enterprise suite of business automation solutions that enhance travel from every touch point at booth #T81. Said Mat Orrego, TTE comes at a time when TMCs are thinking about how best to invest their resources to remain competitive and profitable. With the focus for 2017 likely to remain firmly on leveraging technology to optimize travel experiences and the bottom line, we are looking forward to sharing how our innovative solutions can help them drive customer engagement, productivity, and performance. To pre-book a demonstration with a Cornerstone expert contact ask@ciswired.com or call +1 812 330-4361 in USA/North America and +44 33 0808-0139 in UK/Europe. For more details on the Cocktails and Canapes reception and to register, click here. For additional information, visit ciswired.com. About Cornerstone Information Systems Cornerstone Information Systems is a global technology and services provider that has a unique domain knowledge in the travel industry, from how travel is operationalized to how information is managed. With a foundation in automation, we design, build, and deliver technology for travel companies and corporate buyers. We help our partners manage their process and information, to drive better decision making. Cornerstone has a single focus on travel data from the management of the reservation to the creation and presentation of information. The result is higher quality customer service and more nimble operational responsiveness at a lower cost with fewer resources yielding higher profit. We are people-centric, service-focused, and technology driven. Companies managing more than $25 billion in travel spend annually trust Cornerstone to help them proactively lower the costs of travel management and drive revenues through travel optimization. Founded in 1992, Cornerstone Information Systems is a privately held company headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana with customers in more than 50 countries. To learn more, visit ciswired.com ### Govt struggling to ease drugs shortage Despite releasing over Rs500 million to district public health offices to procure necessary drugs, the Health Ministry is still struggling to address shortage of drugs in district hospitals and health posts. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. TreeHugger met Wiarton Willie this morning, the world's only albino weather prognosticating groundhog. Wiarton Willie has spoken! Canadas most famous groundhog did not see his shadow this morning, which means an early spring is in store. The world awaited Willies prediction eagerly to see which of his fellow groundhog prognosticators he would agree with. Earlier today, Punxsutawney Phil of Pennsylvania predicted a long winter, while Shubenacadie Sam of Nova Scotia called for early spring. Now the vote is two to one, so warmer weather could be on its way. Willie is unusual because he is the worlds only albino weather prognosticating groundhog. He lives in the small town of Wiarton, Ontario, at the bottom of the Bruce Peninsula, not too far from where I live. So I packed up my kids in the cold darkness and made the trek to Wiarton, curious about the famous Wiarton Willie Festival thats been called one of the most popular events in Ontario. Fireworks were exploding over the town as I pulled in at 6:55 a.m., the morning still pitch black and a biting wind blowing in off Georgian Bay. Ive never started a day off with fireworks before, and I must say its an oddly exhilarating experience. A large crowd was gathered outside the towns arena where a live band on stage distracted the crowd from the stinging snow. (How the fiddle player managed to move her fingers, I do not know.) A free pancake breakfast was served indoors to anyone willing to brave the lineup. K Martinko -- Unfortunately this woman's hopes were dashed by Willie's prediction of early spring. K Martinko -- I stand with some Wiarton locals, sporting the handmade fleece groundhog "nose warmers" that were handed out to the crowd. Just after 8 oclock, I spotted Willie in the crowd. He was kept in a clear plastic box on a bed of hay and seemed quite curious about the excitement. He looked around wide-eyed, his nose twitching. A local explained to me that this Willie is much rowdier than past ones, which is why he must be kept in the box. The crowd started to chant, We want Willie! We want Willie! K Martinko -- Apparently this Willie is rowdier than his predecessors, hence the box. Mayor Janice Jackson stepped forward to converse quietly with Willie in Groundhogese. According to Willies humorous "autobiography," titled Carved in Stone: The Legend of Willie, having a working knowledge of Groundhogese is the first prerequisite for becoming mayor of Wiarton and surrounding area. K Martinko -- Willie, on his way to the stage Jackson consulted with her shadow cabinet, which includes the Minister of Inter-Burrow Affairs (to manage the political affairs); Minister of Hogwash and Hot Air (to handle the media); Minister of Marmot Management (to ensure the 'home front' is in good order); Director of Business, Buttons and Bows (to ensure we are well decorated); Director of Surf, Sand and Fun (to make sure there are lots of great activities to enjoy); and Mother Nature. The interpretation from the Groundhogese was loud and clear: spring is on its way. Some cheering ensued, although the informal polls conducted prior to the prognostication by master of ceremonies Kevin Forget of Ontario Travel indicated that most of the audience was hoping for a longer winter. After having spent much of January snowless, we Ontarians are not yet ready for spring. Before you start complaining, however, Willie urges you in his autobiography to think about the calendar: What the world of Humans has forgotten is that the vernal Equinox is March 21st. This is a Natural Law and cannot be manipulated by Humankind or the Natural world for that matter. Spring is thus contravened from beginning until then. Either the World of Humans cannot do math or they cannot do myth, but whichever one it is they havent quite got the joke. Karki cant be impeached: Subpanel A sub-committee formed under the Impeachment Recommendation Committee (IRC) of Parliament to investigate into charges against Lokman Singh Karki has concluded that the House cannot impeach a person who has already been dismissed from his post. KU padlocked for past 11 days; classes hit Classes have been affected Kathmandu University (KU) for the past 11 days due to the ongoing strike by the All Nepal National Free Students Union. Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 2 The government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it was not feasible to shift Aircel subscribers to other telecom operators as it would result in public dissatisfaction at large. In an application filed on the eve of the hearing slated for Friday, the Department of Telecom suggested that Aircel subscribers may be asked to avail of the Mobile Number Protability (MNP) facility to choose the service provider of their choice, if they wished to continue with the same number. The top court had on January 6 threatened to cancel Aircel's spectrum and licence in 14 circles if Maxis Group owner Malaysian businessman T Ananda Krishnan and the compay's official Ralph Marshall failed to make appearance in two weeks. It had asked the DoT to look for alternative service providers for 91 million Aircel subscribers. It had banned transfer of 2G licences from Malaysia's Maxis to any other firm on the ground that Maxis officials were avoiding judicial process in India. The licences were originally allotted to Aircel. However, the DoT said: "The provisional shifting of subscribers by the department against their choice may result in public dissatisfaction at large. Further, any such provisional shifting will result into shifting of revenue to other service providers and may require auction process to be followed." The government said: Any such shifting (of subscribers) is not feasible for the answering respondent (DoT) to implement." It said: "Whenever any licence is cancelled, a public notice is issued to all subscribers to avail MNP to retain their number before the network of cancelled licencee is stopped from operation." Earlier, a consortium of banks led by SBI had on January 24 moved the Supreme Court seeking to be heard in the Aircel-Maxis 2G spectrum case, saying it had implications for them. Rel Jio tariffs as per regulations: TRAI Telecom regulator TRAI has said the tariff plans of Reliance Jio are in compliance with its regulations and the existing tariff orders. It is likely to communicate the same to Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular, which had moved telecom tribunal TDSAT against the regulator for allowing the Mukesh Ambani-led telecom venture to continue free promotional offer beyond the stipulated 90 days. PTI Freebies taking toll: Vodafone Britains leading telecom major Vodafone on Thursday said competitive pressures in India with free services offered by new entrant Reliance Jio and the impact of demonetisation on prepaid top-ups led to a nearly two per cent drop in its service revenue from the country. The company also confirmed merger talks with the Aditya Birla Group's Idea Cellular as part of its third-quarter results for the period that ended on December 31, 2016. PTI Kulwinder Sangha Mohali, February 2 It was a day marked by roadshows and personalised contact by candidates for the Assembly elections in the SAS Nagar constituency. While the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party candidates held roadshows on the last day of electioneering today, the SAD-BJP candidate continued his programme of direct contact with voters, particularly in the citys commercial areas. While Congress candidate Balbir Singh Sidhu and his supporters moved through various parts of the city in their roadshow to woo voters, AAP candidate Narinder Singh Shergill also used tractors as part of the party roadshow to cover parts of the city and adjoining villages. The roadshows, with supporters carrying party flags and raising slogans, presented a colourful picture of the last-day attempt of the two contesting parties to impact electors. The roadshow of the Congress candidate started from Phase XI and, after moving through different areas, concluded in Phase V here. The number of cars used in the show was limited. The candidate and his supporters preferred to walk through parts of the city. During the roadshow, Balbir Singh Sidhu asked electors to vote for a candidate whom they had known for a long time and not for those who were new in the political arena. The sitting MLA asked the constituency voters to make the right choice as they had done in the last Assembly elections. He promised to continue to work for the development of the constituency if the voters gave him another chance. The roadshow of AAP candidate Shergill started from near Dara Studio and, after passing through Mohali village and main roads of Phases I, V, VII and XI, entered the rural areas. It covered different villages, including Kambala, Mauli Baidwan and Saneta, and culminated at the AAP office in Phase IIIB2. Shergill promised that the AAP would bring about changes in Punjab, which the people of the state wanted. He said the voters had a chance in the elections to get rid of the Akalis and Congressmen, who had been plundering the state for six decades. APPs main agenda was to remove corruption and the drug menace. Shergill said he had separate development plans for the city, villages and colonies in the constituency. SAD-BJP candidate TPS Sidhu and his supporters utilised the last day of electioneering personally meeting voters, particularly in the market areas. His supporters moved around in small groups of about five persons each and urged residents to vote for TPS Sidhu, who had served Mohali as the Deputy Commissioner and was well aware of the problems and needs of the residents. The SAD candidate had promised a green, clean and safe Mohali in line with his charter of vision released earlier. The charter included the setting up at least five all-women police stations, 100 per cent CCTV coverage of public places, affordable houses for the weaker sections, 24-hour drinking water supply and upgrading of the Civil Hospital. Vandana Shukla IN the opening scene of Francis Coppola's famous biopic Patton, based on the life of General George S Patton, the General is delivering a speech before the tired soldiers of United States Third Army, "I want you to remember that no **#** ever won a war by dying for his country, you won it by making the other poor *##*** die for his country, he roars. In the Indian context, the notion of veergati establishes the credentials of bravery, not survival tactics. Unless you die for your land, community, or honour, you are not brave enough. This strange construct of valorous identity has given bizarre heroic figures to our history. The notion of veergati is so embedded in our memories, in the construct of our identity; we carry it even to contemporary times. Added to this, a complete lack of academic research around the histories of specific communities and their role in shaping major events of history creates a complex web of misgivings. One is witnessing this around the controversy triggered by the film Padmavati. Facts documented by historians, the construct of the valorous identity of Rani Padmavati in public memory and the creative freedom exercised by the film's director has created a discord that is totally uncalled for. The timeline The historic siege of Chittor fort by Alauddin Khilji in 1303 AD, after hearing about the beauty of queen Padmavati (also known as Padmini), the wife of Rajput king Rawal Ratan Singh, is a documented fact. More than 30 years before Goswami Tulsidas composed the epic Ramayana, Malik Mohammad Jayasi, a Bhakti period Nirguni poet used the allegory of Padmavati and Khilji to compose one of the finest Sufi epic poetry Padmavat, around 1540 and dedicated it to Sher Shah. Padmavati was the princess of Ceylon. Her beauty was described by a parrot to Ratan Sen (in Padmavat the title is not Singh). Later, Khilji also hears of her beauty and attacks Chittor. When Khilji enters the fort, he finds both queens Padmavati and Nagmati had committed jauhar (self-immolation) after Ratan Sen's veergati. In the final verses of Padmavat the poet explains the allegory; by Chittor he means the body of man, Ratan Sen, the soul, Padmavati wisdom and Khilji delusion. The narrative also incorporates two young warriors Gora and Badal, saviours of Chittor, who later became part of folklore associated with Rajput valour. Around 1833, Lieutenant Colonel James Tod, who was also an oriental scholar, wrote Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, where he dwells on Rajput-Mughal alliances of different shades. He also incorporated the narrative of Padmavati, picked from the bard tradition and got it translated into Hindi and English. It also got translated into Urdu and Bengali later, different variants of the tale came into existence, mostly woven around the valour of the Rajputs, fighting Khilji and jauhar of thousands of Rajput women, along with Padmavati. Around the same time another long poem Chandan and Mrigavati, a tale of sati sacrifice, became very popular. The two tales were picked by the bards and so by a large population in the North, and the two became mythical figures in the course of time among Rajputs and Jains for jauhar and sati. In both traditions, sacrifice constructs the subtext of valour. Fading lines and fiction Time and again, Rajput fringe groups have violently objected to interpretation of historical characters associated with the Mughal period. At the time of the release of the film Jodha Akbar, similar unruly scenes were enacted, dismissing the marriage of a Rajput princess to the Mughal king. Rajput-Muslim marriages are a fact. Most of these were marriages based on political alliance. Their documentation began only in the Mughal period, but such marriages took place even before the Mughals. Several Rajput princesses were married to the Sultans of Gujarat and Malwa. About 27 Rajput-Muslim marriages are well documented by the Mughals. The first between Jodhabai and Akbar and the last one of Farookh Siyar, says Tanuja Kothiyal, Assistant Professor, history, Ambedkar University, and author of Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert. After the Jodha Akbar film controversy, a number of stories floated about Rajputs, who cleverly gave away concubines in marriage, and not the daughters borne by their Rajput queens. This was true partially. Initially the Rajputs did give away only the women lower in social hierarchy, to the Turks and generals of Sher Shah. Mughals were very particular about the blood line and only daughters borne by Rajput queens were accepted as the Mughal queens. The bhats kept a record of the blood lines from both sides of parentage of the elite Rajputs, for the Mughals, similar records were maintained. Syeed Inayat Zaidi has done a detailed study on the subject adds Kothiyal. From mid- 16th to early 18th century, documented evidences are available of such alliances. Mughal armies were made of Hindu Rajput generals and the courts had Rajput chiefs, they fought with great loyalty for their kings and earned their trust. Many Rajputs converted to Islam. In Akbar's time the Rajputs earned glory for their bravery, for giving precedence to loyalty before their own life, comments Rajiv Lochan, Professor history, Panjab University. But the construct of public memory is based on the fictional narratives available locally in the folklore or in epics like Padmavat that help reconstruct a glorious past, when Rajput kings fought great battles against the Turks, Mughals and the British, and their valorous queens preferred death while protecting their honour instead of getting defiled by the hands of invading Turks or Mughals. People are simple, they cannot understand allegories, they trust what their text books and Amar Chitra Katha tells them about Rajput glory, adds Lochan, who laments the laziness of Indian historians, who have little knowledge of local languages and cultures, and are far too tightly wrapped in ideological cocoons to make an effort to decode identities as they existed in historical times. vandanashukla10@gmail.com KC Singh SINCE the November 4 election of Donald Trump as US President and the Government of Indias demonetisation of high-value notes, domestic and international forces have menacingly challenged the existing domestic and international economic and political structures. There is an escalation of the process since Trumps inauguration on January 20. The linkage was conceded by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech that three factors conditioned his calculations: rate changes by US Fed; US shale oil as a balancer for moderating oil price; and anti-globalisation forces. All three are US related. The domestic developments can be examined first. The Modi government put India in long, and often, futile queues, for countering black money, corruption, counterfeit currency and the menace of terror financing. The unstated calculation was that nearly Rs 3 lakh crore, allegedly illicit money, would not get deposited, presenting a bonanza for government coffers. Since then, as pain multiplied and normalcy has been delayed, the goalposts got shifted repeatedly. Surprisingly, the issue is skirted in the BJP manifestos for the crucial state Assembly elections in UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, though the Budget speech on February 1 belaboured the point again. It is speculated that the demonetisation decision was taken by a small coterie of PMs advisers and cursorily run past the Cabinet, held captive till Modis address to the nation. Poor preparation was immediately obvious as chaos reigned with re-monetisation hobbled by extremely inadequate supply of new notes. The January 27 executive order by President Trump, banning the entry of refugees from Muslim countries for 120 days and visitors with valid visas, or even green card-holders from Libya, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia and Yemen, smacked of similar ad hocism. The US, like in India, adopted a high strategic tone, but facts did not match the claims. While 9/11 was cited, its perpetrators came mostly from Saudi Arabia, which was not targeted. Iran, which has never attacked mainland US, was listed although it is a principal antagonist of the ISIS and, along with Russian airpower and its own military advisers, has managed to stabilise Syrias Assad regime and rollback area controlled by the ISIS and other militant Sunni groups. Iraq has a friendly US government, though under Iranian influence, but nevertheless vital to countering the ISIS and radical Islam. The sacking of acting US attorney-general, a dissent note by some senior officials of the State Department and the bypassing of the Department of Homeland Security mirrors Modis demonetisation decision. The decision making centred on a handful of Trumps advisers, including his political adviser Stephen Bannon, a former publisher of Breitbart that is a platform for xenophobic, racist and anti-Semite alt-right philosophy. This shift of power in the worlds largest democracy, India, and the most powerful, the US, to leaders who are populist, autocratic and driven by messianic commitment to purge their nations ills is a mushrooming pandemic that may soon spill beyond the UK into Europe, where elections are due in France and Germany. Pankaj Mishras book Age of Anger: A History of the Present examines this phenomenon against the rise of liberalism over centuries. He concludes that the progress towards liberal, democratic values has not been linear or uninterrupted. Todays angst in the developed world is driven by globalisations eroding impact on the working classes and the dislocation of jobs due to mutated global manufacturing supply chains and technology and Internet-assisted new ways of commerce. North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), which Trump wishes to renegotiate, has allowed Mexico to create one million additional industrial jobs in the last 10 years. However, most of them cannot be re-shored to the US as higher US wages make them uneconomic. Contrariwise, profits from the illicit drug trade from Mexico almost rival the profits that Mexican companies exporting to the US from their legitimate businesses. It is one among various paradoxes and complications not easily reversible by an executive fiat. Thus India enters 2017 amid two major disruptions. Within India, the impact of demonetisation on the economy is still moot, with estimates of GDP dropping by moderate to high figures like 2 per cent. State elections will become the litmus test of public perception of its success. If the BJP wins in UP, retains Goa and snatches Uttarakhand, it will declare it as a resounding endorsement of demonetisation. Otherwise, the two issues will be promptly delinked. Abroad, a pincer move by the US President and the Congress is under way to target H1B visas and thus Indian software exports to the US, totalling half of over $100 billion global exports. This challenge to Indo-US relations should hardly be a surprise as Trump, even in his inaugural address, called for buy American, hire American. The UP and Punjab elections are critical to redefining electoral agendas in those states and beyond. The success of AAP in Punjab, led by a Haryana-born Hindu, would take Punjab beyond identity politics of a Sikh-majority state created after much acrimony in 1966. Similarly, the success of the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP in UP could transition UP to post-Mandal politics. This could shape opposition consolidation against the Modi-led BJP. While the AAPs rise is in keeping with the global shift towards populism, its agenda being non-regional and non-identity based makes it a potent force for left-of-centre consolidation all over India a space the Congress occupied since Indira Gandhis ascendancy. Akhilesh Yadav could take his party into that space. The Trump phenomenon has yet to fully play out, though Modi is past the halfway mark. Republicans controlling both Houses and most state governorships may have peaked. The 2018 election can reverse this dominance and even create conditions for Trumps impeachment if he continues his autocratic and erratic decision making. Contrariwise, he could adapt and grow beyond his election rhetoric and be the deal maker he claims he is. Modi, likewise, has to tailor his messianic zeal to respecting institutions and seek consensus, otherwise electoral setbacks in crucial states can embolden the simmering resentment in his own party. In conclusion, as The Economist in its review of Mishras book states: Ceaseless change gave birth to liberalism, which, for all the mistakes made in its name, continues to adapt. That has to be the hope for India and the US. The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 2 The state government today approved a policy on the purchase of land voluntarily offered to the government for development projects. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Haryana Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today. The policy aims at preventing distress sales of land by farmers and involving the land owners in decision making while locating the sites of development projects in the state. The two objectives are sought to be achieved by establishing a mechanism whereby (a) a farmer, before considering distress sale, is assured of approaching the government as a potential buyer for its projects (b) government can elicit if some land owners would be so keen about the benefits of a particular project that they would be willing to sell their land to the government for it. Under this policy, an online portal will be created where any land owner may at any time make an offer to sell his land. The High-Powered Land Purchase Committee will be headed by the Revenue and Disaster Management Minister and have Ministers of Finance, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates, Public Works (Building and Roads), Industries and Development and Panchayats as members. The other members included Administrative Secretaries of Town and Country Planning, Finance and Industries. The Administrative Secretary of Purchasing Department will be Member Secretary. Acts amended The Haryana Cabinet today took another farmer-friendly decision to cut short delays and repeated litigation in khasra girdawari, mutations, partition and demarcation revenue cases, by amending Sections 13, 16, 20, 111, 113 and 118, besides inserting Section 115-A in the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887. The amendment in Section 13 of the Act will minimise the delay and avoid continuous litigation, so as to restrict remand only by the First Appellate Authority and also insertion of provision of no appeal against the interim order. Further, by making amendment to Section 118 pertaining to mode of partition, there will be only one appeal and no further second appeal in revision and the appellate court will be bound to pass final order instead of remanding the case. The scope of Section 111 and 113 has been amended to facilitate submission of plan of partition. Section 115-A provides for settlement of disputes by conciliation. The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the Revenue Department to amend Sections 9, 9A, 17 and 18 and insert Section 18A in the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act, 1953. The amendment will ensure lease of agriculture land to the private sector on long-term basis, in such a way that the farmers/land owners are not alienated from their ownership rights. The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the Revenue Department to amend Sections 7, 18, 20, 22, 30 and 15A of the PEPSU Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1955, concerning land owners, tenants and their rights, applicable in areas of Charkhi Dadri, Mahendragarh and Jind districts. Amendment in Section 18 is to secure the rights of widow while inheriting tenancy. The amendment to Section 22 will exclude the rights of a company registered under the Companies Act, 2013, in acquisition of proprietary rights by tenant. New policy A policy regarding higher studies for in-service veterinary doctors of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department was also approved today. The Cabinet also approved the amendment in the Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch) Rules, 2008. As per the amendment, the proposed age of 54 years would be reduced to 50 years. Also, for Register A-1, where District Revenue Officers (DROs)/tehsildars are considered for selection to Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch) experience as Naib Tehsildars would also be considered. VAT exemption The Cabinet also approved the proposal to exempt bio diesel from levy of VAT by making a new entry 8A in Schedule B of the Haryana Value Added Tax Act, 2003. New tax range The Cabinet gave nod to the proposal of the Excise and Taxation Department to amend the Haryana Value Added Tax Rules to provide for a new tax range of Rohtak and re-distribute the districts in the ranges, which have now increased to five. Next Assembly session The next session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly will be held at the Haryana Vidhan Sabha here on February 27. Centralised counselling for medical PG seats To conduct a centralised combined counselling for admission to post-graduate (PG) courses like MD, MS, MDS and PG diploma in all medical and dental institutions, including those under private and deemed universities, and to rationalise the fee charged by private and deemed universities in the state, the Cabinet has approved a draft ordinance to amend the Haryana Private Health Sciences Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Fee and Maintenance of Educational Standards) Act, 2012. Now, all private health educational institutions will be included under the ambit of the Act. Henceforth, admissions to all under graduate and PG courses in medical, dental, ayurveda etc. in all government, government aided, unaided private institutions, institutes under deemed and private universities will be on the basis of UG NEET/PG NEET through the process of centralised combined counselling conducted by the state government. New legislation for protection of roads The Cabinet approved the draft of the Road Infrastructure Protection Act, 2017, for the protection of roads constructed and maintained by the Haryana Public Works (Building and Roads) Department, except national highways declared under the National Highway Act, 1956. Under the new Act, the roads constructed by the PWD would be protected from illegal encroachments and damaged by individuals or community. Revenue division count up The Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to create two new revenue divisions, namely Karnal and Faridabad, thus raising the total number of such divisions to six. Mass rapid transport system Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 2 Entrepreneurs choosing to set up industrial units in Haryana will now get clearance certificates from all departments concerned under one roof. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated the Haryana Entrepreneur Promotion Centre (HEPC), a nodal agency for granting clearances to new enterprises, at Panchkula near here today. Khattar also handed over clearance certificates for setting up four industrial units in the state, which would catalyse an investment of about Rs 972 crore and generate employment opportunities for as many as 3,645 persons. These four companies included Canpack India Pvt Ltd, Starwire (India) Ltd, Eglo India Production Ltd and Enrich Agro Food Products Pvt Ltd. Addressing mediapersons, Khattar claimed that Haryana had been able to achieve a phenomenal MoU conversion rate of 41 per cent as 148 of the 359 MoUs signed during the Happening Haryana Summit were under various stages of implementation. He said the HEPC would cause a paradigm shift at the government level for the ease of doing business for the investors and represent the commitment of his government towards implementing reforms in letter and spirit. The government, he said, was considering reducing power tariff for new industrial units, subject to the approval of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC). We have moved an application before the HERC and the moment it is approved, we will announce how much reduction in the tariff we can offer to the new units, the CM said. Khattar said besides the HEPC, clearance committees had been set up in each district headed by the respective deputy commissioner for approvals or clearances to projects of up to Rs 10 crore or change of land use for area less than one acre. For all state-level industrial clearances, the HEPC will have to grant services within a period of 30 days with an additional provision of 15 days for seeking any additional information from the investor. In case the HEPC fails to allow or reject applications within 45 days, it will be considered to be deemed approval of the unit, said Khattar. Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu, Minister of State for Mines and Geology Nayab Singh Saini, Minister of State for Cooperation Manish Kumar Grover and Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta were present. Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service Hisar, February 2 The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has asked the district administration to file a monthly security report about Dalit families in Mirchpur village with it. NCSC member Ishwar Singh told The Tribune today that he would send a letter in this connection. Dalit families had expressed concern about their safety to the commission member during his visit to the village yesterday. It may be mentioned that on Monday, a violent clash took place in the village in which nine Dalit youths were assaulted by upper caste youths. The administration has deployed a company of the Haryana Police in the village apart from setting up a police post there. It is necessary to instil a sense of safety among the affected families after the withdrawal of the CRPF from the village two months ago, Singh said. The NCSC member added that he had also asked the administration to inquire whether the clash on Monday had a link with the incident occurred in April 2010 when several Dalit houses were torched by a mob comprising upper caste residents resulting in the death of two persons. A three-member committee, led by the deputy commissioner, would conduct the inquiry. Since the victims belong to the same caste, which the victims who suffered losses of life and property during 2010 incident were, it is necessary to find out whether the latest incident had any link with it. The committee would submit a detailed report to the commission within 10 days, he said. SP Rajender Kumar Meena, however, maintained that a company of 100 cops had been deployed in the village. We also met the people from other communities and asked social representatives to ensure peace and safety of every person in the village. The SP said four persons had been arrested while the names of two of the 10 accused had been dropped after it was found that they were not involved in the incident. The police investigation is on. The police will not harass any innocent person, he said. Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 2 There seems to be no early resolution to the impasse between the state government and Jat agitators even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today reiterated that doors were open to dialogue. Yashpal Malik, national president of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti, today announced that dharnas would be held on alternate days in 11 districts of Delhi on the border with Haryana in support of protests being organised in the state. We will stage the first dharna at Alipur near Narela on the Sonepat-Delhi highway tomorrow. The next will be held at Kishanganj on the old Rohtak road on February 5, followed by another at Najafgarh near Bahadurgarh on February 7. In the next 22 days, we will hold dharna in 11 districts bordering Haryana, he said. He said dharna sites in Delhi had been chosen close to Haryana so that the protesters could return to the state in case any need arose. He said dharnas in Haryana would continue till the government accepted their demands. Repeating demands, he said they wanted reservation in the Centre and state, jobs to the next of kin of those killed, compensation to those injured in the agitation last year, action against MP Raj Kumar Saini, action against officers responsible for excesses, release of jailed protesters and withdrawal of all cases. Khattar reiterated his offer for dialogue today, but at the same time, said the government would come down with a heavy hand if someone tried to take the law into ones hands.Khap leaders and a faction of quota organisations met me on January 27. We accepted the demand of jobs for family members of those killed and started action on it. We have promised to withdraw criminal cases if wrongly registered. Of the 2,100 cases, 1,350 have already been disposed of. There is no point in continuing the agitation, Khattar said. Asked how such a large number of criminal cases were disposed of in a year unless those were fake cases or the government helped the accused being let off, he said in some cases the persons booked were not traceable or the police did not find evidence against the accused. Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, February 2 The second phase of winter sojourn of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh began in Kangra district today. Stress was laid on making Kangra district a political issue for the Assembly elections scheduled this year. While talking to The Tribune, Virbhadra Singh said the BJP was opposing his decision to declare Dharamsala as second capital of the state. The BJP had always acted against the interests of Kangra district. It had even opposed the Smart City status for Dharamsala as well, the Chief Minister alleged. He, however, remained non-committal about fighting the next Assembly elections from Kangra district. Responding to queries from newsmen, Virbhadra Singh said he could contest and win elections from anywhere. Kangra MLA Pawan Kajal offered the Chief Minister his Assembly constituency Kangra. In a show of strength a Samaan Rally was organised at Matour in Kangra Assembly constituency, represented by Pawan Kajal, to thank the Chief Minister for declaring Dharamsala as the second capital. Accepting the demands of Pawan Kajal, the Chief Minister announced a government degree college at Matour and an IPH division at Kangra. He announced the Kangra Dasehra as a district level fair and upgradation of the PHC at Tiara to Community Health Centre. With the said announcements the Kangra district would now have 20 government colleges. The Kangra Assembly constituency got two new government colleges during the stint of the present Congress government, including one at Matour and Takipur. The Takipur college was started last year and at present running from the building of the local government school. The Chief Minister claimed that he had shifted board of school education to Dharamsala in 1984. All important offices of Chief Engineers were in Dharamsala. Winter sojourn was started in 1994 and the Vidhan Sabha was started from Prayas Bhawan in 2005 before the Vidhan Sabha complex came up. The Chief Minister also said that he was astonished that instead of welcoming even former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar was opposing the move declaring Dharamsala as the second capital. Due to instigation of a few state BJP leaders, one union minister was pursuing cases against me. My single case of income tax was being probed by three investigating agencies, but I know the truth will prevail in the end, the CM said. The Chief Minister also released an audio CD of Additional Advocate General Vinay Sharma. Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma said that it disappointing that BJP leaders were criticising the announcement made by the Chief Minister declaring Dharamshala the second capital. State Youth Congress president Vikramaditya Singh, who also addressed the meeting, and said the winter sojourn at Dharamsala was planned long back to ensure equality of all regions. He blamed the opposition for playing divisive policies. He said that the unemployed allowance was already being given and the state government had set up an ADB sponsored Rs 640 crore Kaushal Vikas Nigam. Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, February 2 Deputy Commissioner Rohan Chand Thakur today directed the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) to get the premises of the Regal building, declared unsafe in 1994, vacated as it poses danger to the children, who go there for roller skating. A prep school, shops and offices are housed in the old building. The Deputy Commissioner convened a meeting of Additional District Magistrate GS Negi, ADC Ratan Chand Negi and Assistant Architect Planner of the SMC Rajiv Sharma and issued order to this effect. The district administration had swung into action as one portion of the building has developed a big crack, said officials. The Deputy Commissioner had issued order to the SMC to either demolish the building or get it vacated immediately. He directed the corporation to take action under Sections 258 and 259 of the HP Municipal Act, 1994, that provides for either getting it vacated or dismantled in view of the unsafe structure. The occupants of the building had raised the issue of safety of the building with the Deputy Commissioner. The children who went there daily for roller skating and studying faced the threat, said the Deputy Commissioner. The building is located in the sinking zone of the Lakkar Bazaar just behind The Ridge. The corporation has to get it vacated even if it is a disputed structure among different occupants or tenants as it is a question of public safety , he added. According to the official sources, the Regal building was built by the British about 120 years ago with a lead foundation. The Lakkar Bazaar road in front of the building has been sinking over the years. While the Municipal Commissioner was out of station, joint commissioner, SMC, Prashant Sirckek said they would take up the matter at the appropriate level as it was related to the safety of the structure and it would be dealt with technical committee. Lawmakers question priorities of infrastructure projects The government has built an overhead bridge at the crossroad at Bagdol, Ring Road even though a much busier intersection at Ekantakuna 300 metres away needs it more, said residents as they questioned official priorities. Tribune News Service Jammu, February 2 The Border Security Force (BSF) today foiled an attack on forward posts on the International Border by armed terrorists from across the border and managed to push them back. Giving details, the BSF PRO said around 3.30 pm, forward posts on the International Border in Samba sector were attacked by terrorists from the other side of the border, who were hiding in the wild grass. A group of heavily armed terrorists reached close to the international boundary on Pakistan side, taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth. Terrorists took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth and resorted to heavy attack on forward BSF troops deployed on duty mound by firing three under-barrel grenades, followed by heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons, the PRO said. Alert BSF troops on duty points, without caring for their personal safety and security, swiftly organised coordinated effective fire over them, not only to suppress their fire but forced them to retreat, he added. The PRO said the BSF sentries foiled the ferocious standoff attack by heavily armed terrorists from Pakistan by giving them a befitting reply, which could have been followed by forced infiltration, if succeeded in standoff fire. VK Kapoor RELATIONSHIPS are the web of life and influence how we think, feel and behave. We are the sum total of our experience. The relationship between a mother and a child is the most special. The emotional umbilical cord stays throughout life. The relationship is mental, moral and spiritual. Age is immaterial. The Mother is a symbol of strength and she is the only individual who loves you completely; a protective cover. There is something about losing ones mother that is permanent and inexpressible a wound that wont heal. I recently lost my mother. As the flames went up, I felt that a chapter of my life had closed. I could see her benign face, and many episodes of growing. I remember the expression on her face when she saw me in police uniform. She touched the ground, thanked God and blessed me. She had led a full life and died at 97. She had sustained a fracture, and walked with help. There were two nurses round the clock. On the fateful night, the nurse rushed to tell us that she was having problem breathing. We took her to hospital, where she expired. She was a simple, strong woman. My father was a PCS officer; she led a comfortable life. I was in Delhi when he passed away. She refused to come along with me, saying: Your father put me in this house, and I will only leave when I am dead. She was deeply religious. In spite of her age, she took bath early in the morning, prayed, and then started her day. When the demonetisation took place, she asked me to exchange her currency notes. I did the needful and gave her the smaller denomination. Hazaar, panchh sau, de note retired afsara verga ho gaye, vachiaran nu koi nahin puchhda (1000 and 500 rupee notes have become like retired officers, nobody bothers about them), she remarked. She had seen her husband retire, and then me. She was a source of strength. During the Emergency, I was the SP of Sonepat. During a family planning campaign, a constable was set afire and three persons were killed. After the Emergency, I faced a judicial inquiry. I was upset. She told me not to worry and made me join law classes in the evening. She built a house for me in Panchkula. She would say that every dark cloud had a silver lining. I survived the inquiry. The house is an asset, and after retirement, I took stress management classes. I got the assignment of training the Delhi Police. After her death, there is a permeating sadness in the house. She lived on the ground floor. When I go upstairs, I feel the vacuum. There is nobody to call me Kaka or Oye mundiya. Her bed and belongings are still there, but there is no life. The house looks empty. I feel desolate. I have lost my protective cover. I miss my bebe and know better than ever Maanvan thandia chhavan (a mother is like cool shade). Kanpur, February 1 Seven labourers were killed and a dozen others were injured after an under-construction building collapsed on Wednesday in Kanpur's Jajmau. Kanpur Police DIG Rajesh Modak told PTI that number of dead and injured may rise. The incident took place in KDA (Kanpur Development Authority) colony in the afternoon, when top floors of the seven-storey under-construction building started falling, Modak said. So far, seven bodies have been recovered and around a dozen injured have been sent to hospital, he said. Home Minister Rajnath Singh also tweeted on the incident, "Spoke to DG NDRF regarding the news of an under-construction building collapse in Kanpur. Two teams are rushing to the spot for rescue ops". "I offer my condolences to those who lost their loved ones in Kanpur building collapse. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said in a second tweet. Relief and rescue is underway with army troops also pressed into the operation. Senior administrative officials have rushed to the spot. According to the DIG, the exact number of dead and injured could be ascertained only after sometime as many more are fear trapped under the rubble. As per locals, the collapsed building belongs to Samajwadi Party leader Mahtab Alam but no official has confirmed this. PTI Legal Correspondent New Delhi, February 2 A special court here today gave a clean chit to former UPA Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran by rejecting CBIs charge that he had taken Rs 743-crore bribe from Maxis telecom to facilitate the Malaysia-based company to acquire Aircel in 2006. Special Judge OP Saini also rejected the Enforcement Directorates contention that the Aircel-Maxis deal involved money laundering by Maran and his brother Kalanithi. The special court is exclusively dealing with the 2G spectrum allocation scam cases and those arising out of the probe. The evidence gathered by the CBI and ED did not substantiate the charges of corruption and violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), it said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) However, the order would not have any effect on the two accused Malaysians Ralph Marshall and T Ananda Krishnan (Maxis owner) as the court has already segregated the trial against them from that of Maran brothers and others. The ED will file an appeal against the order. Sarbjit Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 2 The high-pitched campaign for the February 4 Assembly elections in Punjab came to an end this evening with the three main contenders SAD-BJP, Congress and AAP holding impressive roadshows to give a final push to their campaigns. As loudspeakers went silent at 5 pm, party cadres were seen going door-to-door to persuade the voters. AAP is fighting the Assembly elections in Punjab for the first time. Edit: No scope for violence The campaigning, that was often shrill and at times nasty, was marred by the twin blasts at Maur Mandi in Bathinda on January 31 in which six persons were killed and several injured. But for the Bathinda incident, campaigning in the state was by and large peaceful. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) In the first round, the electioneering revolved around the issues of drugs, unemployment, agrarian crisis and incidents of sacrilege. It was reduced to mere rabble-rousing in the last phase, with leaders making wild allegations against one another. What stood out was the participation of the Punjab youth in a big way. Polling for the 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab on February 4 will decide the fate of 1,145 candidates in the fray. There is a stiff triangular contest among the SAD-BJP, Congress and AAP candidates in a majority of constituencies. Other parties, such as the BSP, are in the election arena too. On the last day of campaigning, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi chose to focus on Malwa, including Lambi, where PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh is pitted against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal held a roadshow in Lambi. The AAP convener, Arvind Kejriwal, held one in Ludhiana. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal spent the day in Jalalabad, her husbands constituency. AAP's Bhagwant Mann and Congress Navjot Singh Sidhu drew huge crowds during campaigning. Among the key campaigners were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP chief Mayawati, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a number of senior leaders from various parties. The Prime Minister addressed two rallies in Jalandhar and Kotkapura where he sought votes on the stability plank, saying Pakistan was trying to disturb the states peace. On the other hand, Rahul claimed Punjab, a front-ranking state, had fallen behind as the ruling Akalis had plundered it to serve their own interests. He promised tough laws to curb the drug menace. New entrant AAP accused the SAD and the Congress of hobnobbing with each other and vowed to put the Badal family behind bars on the issue of drugs. All parties wooed the Dalits who constitute over 30 per cent of the electorate. Kohima/Dimapur, February 2 Curfew and Section 144 continues to remain imposed in Dimapur and Kohima districts of Nagaland after a clash between the state police and a mob broke out against the state government's decision to hold an election to urban local bodies (ULBs). (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The tribal groups have been opposing the state government's decision of granting 33 per cent reservation to women in the local bodies. Angry with the state government for deciding to hold polls on February 1 despite an earlier deal to postpone the election by two months, youths armed with spears and machetes had come out to the streets in protest. Tribal organisations were demanding the resignation of the TR Zeliang-led government after two people were killed and two others were injured in the state's commercial hub of Dimpaur when police fired on a mob comprising hundreds of armed youths trying to enter the private residence of the chief minister on Tuesday night. The Naga tribals set ablaze the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the district collector to protest against Chief Minister TR Zeliang's refusal to meet their ultimatum on Thursday. Polls for ULBs in Nagaland haven't been held for more than 10 years due to opposition from traditional tribal bodies who are against reservation for women in local administration. However, women groups in the state have long been campaigning for greater participation in public bodies. But tribal groups oppose it saying such reservation will disrupt the traditional division of responsibilities between men and women in accordance to existing customary laws. The whole thing is that we have to go back to the history. The agitation is to protect our rights. We are all born equal. I feel women reservation is not necessary in our state, said a local. Meanwhile, shops and government offices, educational institutions remained closed due to the indefinite bandh called by the JCC, since Tuesday night. In Dimapur, angry protesters set ablaze a government vehicle for defying the bandh call. Tension continued to prevail for the second day after the bodies of two persons, killed in police firing in Dimapur on Tuesday, arrived last evening, a police officer said. With the mob demanding that the bodies be paraded before the residences of Chief Minister T R Zeliang and ruling NPF party president Dr Shurhozelie, the NTAC constituted a committee to take up the matter with the government, an NTAC spokesman said. The committee was formed at an extraordinary emergency meeting held at Angami Public Organisation (APO) office here today, the NTAC spokesman said. The Committee comprises seven tribal organisations -- Zeliang, Chakhesang, Ao, Pochury, Rengma, Sumi, Lotha and Eastern Nagaland Public Organisation (ENPO) Kohima, representing six tribes from its region. NTAC Kohima, in a memorandum submitted to the Governor P B Acharya in absentia at the Raj Bhavan, today alleged that the situation had turned volatile as the Chief Minister and his Cabinet had decided to go against the democratic voice of the people to postpone the scheduled election to urban local bodies. The two youths, identified as Khriesavizo Avizo Metha and Bendangnungsang, have been declared Naga martyrs, who gave their lives for protecting the rights of the Nagas. Their funeral was scheduled for this morning, the spokesman said. The NTAC has also demanded the immediate suspension of the police officers and personnel involved in the "indiscriminate firing" leading to the death of the two youths. Further, it has also been decided that the bodies will not be buried until the demands are met forthwith, NTAC Kohima informed the Governor through the memorandum, the spokesman said. Yesterday, the state government decided to withhold the election process to 12 urban local bodies keeping in view the situation in the state. Agencies Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 2 The government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it was not feasible to shift Aircel subscribers to other telecom operators as it would result into public dissatisfaction at large. In an application filed on the eve of the hearing slated for Friday, the Department of Telecom suggested that Aircel subscribers may be asked to avail of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) facility to choose the service provider of their choice, if they wished to continue with the same number. The top court had on January 6 threatened to cancel Aircels spectrum and licence in 14 circles if Maxis Group owner Malaysian businessman T Ananda Krishnan and the companys official Ralph Marshall failed to make appearance in two weeks. It had asked the DoT to look for alternative service providers for 91 million Aircel subscribers. It had banned transfer of 2G licences from Malaysia's Maxis to any other firm on the ground that Maxis officials of were avoiding judicial process in India. The licences were originally allotted to Aircel. However, the DoT said: The provisional shifting of subscribers by the department against their choice may result into public dissatisfaction at large. Further, any such provisional shifting will result into shifting of revenue to other service providers and may require auction process to be followed. The government said: Any such shifting (of subscribers) is not feasible for the answering respondent (DoT) to implement. It said: Whenever any licence is cancelled, a public notice is issued to all subscribers to avail MNP to retain their number before the network of cancelled licencee is stopped from operation. Earlier, a consortium of banks led by State Bank of India (SBI) had on January 24 moved the Supreme Court seeking to be heard in the Aircel-Maxis 2G spectrum case, saying it had implications for them. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar had agreed to hear their plea on February 3 after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi demanded urgent hearing. Rohatgi had said public sector banks had lent money to Aircel and the court shouldnt pass any further orders without hearing them out. Rohatgi had emphasised that public sector banks were an affected party as they had substantial exposure in the telecom company. New Delhi, February 2 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday attached two flats worth Rs 100 crore in the posh Lutyens zone area of the national capital belonging to former Union minister Matang Sinh in connection with its money laundering probe in the Saradha chit fund ponzi scam case. The agency identified the assets as "7B and C, Doctor's Lane, Gole Market" and said they have been provisionally attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The immovable assets belong to Sinh and his estranged wife Manoranjana, officials said. Sinh is in judicial custody at present in this case. "The value of the attached immovable properties as on April, 2013 is worth approximately Rs 63 crore. However, the present market value of the properties is more than Rs 100 crore. "Sinh and Manoranjana Sinh are facing trial in the money laundering case before the special court under PMLA at Kolkata," the agency said. This is the fifth attachment order issued by the agency in the case where gullible investors from West Bengal and Assam were allegedly cheated of their hard-earned money worth crores. With the latest action, ED has so far attached properties worth Rs 700 crore in this case. An attachment under PMLA is aimed to deprive the accused from obtaining benefits of their ill-gotten wealth and such an order can be appealed before the Adjudicating Authority of the said Act within 180 days. PTI Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 2 Rich tributes were paid to the founder of The Tribune, Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, on the occasion of the 136th anniversary of the newspaper here today. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Justice SS Sodhi (retd), president of The Tribune Trust; Gurbachan Jagat, member of The Tribune Trust; Dr Harish Khare, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune Group of Newspapers; along with Santosh Tewari, Editor, Dainik Tribune; Surinder Singh Tej, Editor, Punjabi Tribune; and Anil Gupta, president, The Tribune Employees Union; led hundreds of employees in paying floral tributes to the great visionary who founded the newspaper at Lahore in 1881. An impressive function on The Tribune premises in Sector 29 marked the occasion. Washington, February 2 The Trump administration has no plans to come out with an executive order on H-1B visas, a prominent Indian-American donor and supporter of the US President claimed today, contradicting media reports that have generated anxiety in India. "There will be a need of more H-1B visas. The number of people on H-1B from India is certainly going to increase," Chicago-based Shalabh 'Shalli', Kumar and head of the Republican Hindu Coalition, told reporters at a news conference. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Responding to a volley of questions, Kumar claimed that contrary to the reports in the media, there is no executive order being worked upon by the White House on H-1B visa. For the American economy to grow, IT would have to play an important role. As such I visualise need of more IT workers in the US, he said, adding that the US has huge shortage of IT workers which can be filled up only by Indian IT professionals. Of the view that the Trump Administration would be working to ensure that there is no fraud and abuse of H-1B visas, Kumar said he believes that the White House would work to eliminate country-quota towards allocation of green cards for legal permanent residents. This would be of great help Indian IT professionals, he said, adding that the current wait time for Indians to get a green card could be as many as 35 years. According to reports, President Donald Trump may soon crack down on US temporary work visas, including the H-1B and L-1 visas that are used widely by Indian tech companies. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US firms to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. During his campaign, Trump had promised to increase oversight of our H-1B and L-1 visa programmes. Supporting the executive orders of Trump on immigration and visa ban, Kumar said he would prefer this to be expanded to other countries like Pakistan. Kumar said the US government is currently reviewing the list of countries, and if Pakistan does not start co-operating with the US, there is very high probability of it being included in the list of visa ban countries. Pakistan needs to act against terrorism. There cannot be any difference between what it says and what it does. Trump would not tolerate that, he said. In response to a question, he did not altogether rule out the possibility of him becoming the next US Ambassador to India. PTI Legal eagles: Govt can revise paper Legal experts invited by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday to discuss a report submitted by the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) have said that the government can make changes if need be. New Delhi, February 2 The voluntary retirement plea of BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, whose post on social media about sub-standard food triggered a controversy, has been rejected on grounds that a Court of Inquiry on his allegations is pending as also charges on disciplinary grounds against him. The move by the Border Security Force (BSF) has not been seen kindly by Yadavs family, which alleged that the trooper was being threatened and tortured mentally. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Rejecting Yadavs Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) plea, the BSF said it had been cancelled pending the Court of Inquiry (CoI) and finalisation of its recommendations. Cancellation of VRS was communicated to constable Yadav on January 30 evening only, the BSF said in a statement while making it clear that he has not been arrested as alleged by the family. Yadavs wife claimed that her husband had called her on Thursday morning and claimed that he was being threatened and harassed and that he had been put under arrest. Officials in the force said as per the laid-down procedure under a CoI, all witnesses in a case are questioned by the probe team till the investigation is completed even as the trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline on various counts and hence in such a case the privilege of granting a VRS to an employee is disallowed. A video shot by Yadav had surfaced last month in which he complained about the quality of food and after it had gone viral, it triggered a flurry of reactions with the PMO also seeking a detailed factual report on it from the Union Home Ministry and BSF. The ministry had informed the PMO that the BSF had maintained that there was no shortage of rations at any post and that the security personnel deployed along the borders never complained about food. The border guarding force had also come out with fresh guidelines for maintaining high quality of food for its personnel after the video went viral. Yadav, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle in the video, claimed that while the government procured essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers sell these off in an illegal manner in the market and the personnel had to suffer. He had also posted other videos in which he claimed that the quality of food served was not good. In the wake of its jawans taking to social media to air their grievances, the BSF has also directed its special snoop teams to check on the morale of the jawans and the force even as it said instances of complaints being voiced via the social media were being dealt with strictly. PTI Mohit Khanna & Minna Zutshi Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 2 AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal today alleged that the Punjab Government had suppressed the findings of the probe by the Zora Singh Commission into the Bargari sacrilege and Behbal Kalan police firing. He blamed Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal for orchestrating both incidents. He alleged, Sukhbir is a hardened criminal and could do anything to destabilise the state. AAP leader HS Phoolka said the commission had indicted the Punjab Government for improper handling of the case. Phoolka said they had got a copy of the report from a reliable source last night. He said it highlighted gross negligence on part of the police in handling the incident. On whether the police fired in self defence, the commission states the answer to this was found in the negative in view of the evidence. When both victims Gurjit Singh and Krishan Bhagwan Singh were in sitting position what impelled the police to fire at them and that too from a close range is beyond comprehension, more so when the victims were unarmed, said Phoolka, while reading out the report. Para 31 reads that there is a perception among people that the sacrilege incident took place at the instance of powerful people, said Phoolka. Asked to prove the veracity of the report, Phoolka said he challenged Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal to make the report public to lay bare the truth. Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Sangrur, February 2 Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said many anti-national forces were raising their ugly head and we must prevent the state and country from such forces. On the last day of the poll campaign in Punjab, Rahul addressed a gathering in Ballian village here and referred to the Tuesday nights car explosion in Maur Mandi, which left six dead. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Launching an all-out attack against Arvind Kejriwal in the backdrop of the Maur Mandi blast, Rahul accused him of helping forces who want to disturb Punjabs peace and push it back to the dark days of militancy. The blast had occurred shortly after the jansabha of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi, who is contesting the February 4 elections from Maur Assembly seat. Read: On last day of campaigning Rahul shares food with villagers Talking about drugs, Rahul said chitta had destroyed Punjab and their party on assuming power would end the problem of drugs. He said the Congress would arrest all smugglers of drugs and confiscate their properties. Rahul said they would clear all backlog of jobs and improve health facilities. He said the Congress would take effective steps to maintain law and order. He urged voters not to switch from one radical party to another. The most important thing is the atmosphere you live in. If that atmosphere gets spoiled, violence starts or anger prevails, then the work of farmers, labourers, weaker sections suffers, entire state suffers, Rahul said. Taking a veiled dig at the ruling Akalis and the AAP, Rahul said, from one extremist thinking, Punjab should not go to other extremist thinking. Congress is one such party which takes all sections along. We want that Punjab should rapidly progress. But if violence breaks, anger prevails, then everything will be destroyed. We have to understand that those forces, which destroyed Punjab earlier (referring to militancy period in the state), because of whom violence broke, such forces are yet again raising their head. Bomb blast took place and six people died (Maur). Arvind Kejriwal, who is Delhis Chief Minister, is helping these forces and helping them raise their head. And this is most dangerous thing for Punjab. If these forces raise their head again, then entire agenda will be hijacked and Punjab will look in some other direction, he warned. Rahul said, So, it is necessary all of us together, be from any religion, caste or creed, we all should again stand up so that we can build a Punjab, which was known for its spirit of giving, a path as shown Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh. Addressing the gathering while sitting on a cot with villagers and farmers of Ballian here, Rahul also talked about farmers issues, saying during UPAs time loans of farmers amounting to Rs 70,000 crore were waived off and promised that if Congress forms the next government in the state, the burden of states farmers will be lessened. After interacting with local villagers, Rahul also sat on a mat and shared food with them. From Sangrur constituency, Congress has fielded its former MP Vijay Inder Singla, who was also present. PTI inputs Chandigarh, February 2 The high-voltage campaign for the February 4 Assembly elections in Punjab came to an end this evening following hectic campaigning by various political parties. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday wrapped up his campaign during which he kept up the offensive against ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine and other rivals who gave back in equal measure. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The SAD-BJP combine is up against Congress and Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party which is fighting state polls for the first time. The election will witness key contests featuring several political stalwarts like Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, state Congress chief and former CM Amarinder Singh, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu who left BJP for the Congress, and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann. Key campaigners since the announcement of elections to the 117-member Punjab Assembly on February 4, included Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Others included Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, BSP chief Mayawati, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and a number of central ministers and senior leaders of various parties including the Congress, the SAD-BJP alliance and the BSP. The key issues during the campaigning included drugs, river water issue including SYL canal, cancer in parts of the state, law and order, sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib, farm debt, farmer suicides, and development. Read: On last day of campaigning Rahul shares food with villagers The thrust of canvassing at the fag end of electioneering was in the Malwa region of Punjab comprising 69 assembly seats. The dust settled at 5 pm when the loudspeakers went silent as parties asked their cadre to get on with the job of door-to-door campaign for persuading the voters for voting which will commence at 7 am on Saturday. Modi unleashed a poll blitzkrieg addressing two rallies Jalandhar and Kotkapura in the state where he sought votes for SAD-BJP on development plank and stable government in the border state where Pakistan is trying to disturb the peace. Modi attacked the Congress accusing it of forging an alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh and the Communist Party in West Bengal for lust for power. He also described the Congress as a boat which had already sunk. On the other hand, Rahul took the campaign to pocket boroughs of the ruling Badals, including Lambi, Majitha, and Jalalabad, taking on the opposition over dynastic politics and corruption. Rahul also declared Punjab Congress chief Amarinder as the partys chief ministerial candidate. He said Punjab, a front ranking state, had fallen behind as the ruling Akalis had allegedly plundered it to serve themselves, even as he raked up the drugs issue promising tough laws to tackle the scourge if the party comes to power in the state. The Election Commission has issued a detailed guideline to the District Election Officers in Punjab to ensure prohibition 48 hours before the end of the Assembly elections in the state. State Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said the prohibition will start at 5 pm today and will continue till 5 pm on Saturday. The Election Commission has also imposed complete prohibition on broadcasting or propagating election-related material on TV, radio and newspapers. Any such material influencing the voters would not be permissible during the 48 hours before the elections, the EC said. Campaigning for Goa Assembly elections which too goes to polls on February 4 ended today. Interestingly, in Goa, where the BJP is facing a rival in a rebel RSS leader, the party has not projected incumbent Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar as chief ministerial face and has often hinted at a Manohar Parrikar's return to the hot seat, apparently to cash in on his enduring popularity in the state. PTI Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Lambi/Badal, February 2 On the Badals turf, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today made five time-bound promises with the people of Punjab to put the state back on track. Amid cheering and clapping, he announced to curb drug menace and put those selling chitta behind bars within a month of forming the government. The Congress government, he promised, would accord 33 per cent share of panchayat land to the poor within two months. Other promises were jobs to the unemployed youth in the government and the private sectors within three months, revival of industry in Punjab, and free medical facilities for all within four months. In his speech at Man Singh Stadium, Rahul drew a big applause when he invoked Guru Nanak while hitting out at Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. The first Sikh Guru believed in selfless service (sab tera tera), but Sukhbir acts out of self-interest (sab mera mera). Sukhbir accumulated wealth by expanding his business empire, ignoring peoples welfare, he said. The Congress leader alleged the Badals were responsible for ruining the state. So, vote for Capt Amarinder Singh, who will be the next CM, and see getting Punjab transformed within days. Amarinder challenged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal by assuring the audience of putting all halqa incharges behind bars immediately after the Congress formed the government. He claimed the Badals were getting desperate for a win, evident from reports of distribution of money. Cash is being ferried to Lambi and Jalalabad in unsuspecting ATM vans, trucks and buses. It is strange that these vehicles are not being checked. The Election Commission should ensure checking of all vehicles, Capt Amarinder said. Sangrur: Interacting with villagers here, Rahul urged them to reject the Akali Dal as well as AAP. I appeal to Punjabs residents that they should not shift from one radical party (SAD) to another (AAP). Kejriwal is helping anti-Punjab forces, he said. Rahul spent about 30 minutes at Balian village, 9 km from Sangrur, and had food at the sanjha chulha (community kitchen) organised by party candidate from Sangrur Vijay Inder Singla. He also listened to the villagers grievances. Some farmers asked him how he would tackle farm crisis. Dalit girl students sought a hike in the scholarship amount. Capt fears revival of terrorism under AAP Kotkapura: PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday feared the revival of terrorism in the state if AAP was voted to power. Addressing an election rally here in favour of Congress candidate, Harnirpal Singh Kuku, the younger brother of Bhai Shaminder Singh, a former MP who was killed by militants in June 1991, Amarinder took on AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal for his stay at the house of a militant in Moga. Two days after his stay, there was a bomb blast in Maur Mandi, killing six persons. It was not a coincidence, alleged Amarinder. At the same time, he expressed sympathy with Punjabis lodged in jails outside the state for their alleged involvement in terrorism activities, He said if the Congress was voted to power, the government would get the innocent Sikhs released. Amarinder asked people to bring the Congress to power with two-third majority so that the government "has the power to make constitutional changes to bring Punjab back on its feet. TNS Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Samrala, February 2 These elections will be remembered as one of the most fiercely fought in recent times, for its a do-or-die battle for the three main parties in the fray. Congress CM candidate Capt Amarinder Singh has declared this election will be his last poll. AAPs national ambitions may be thwarted if it loses in the state and, for the SAD, this may be its last elections under its 90-year-old patriarch. Losing this one could possibly see the party falling apart. What has been unprecedented is the sheer numbers at AAPs roadshows. Never has such a popular surge been seen before. On the final day of campaigning today, party workers, wearing topis and carrying the party flag, were lined up along the Chandigarh- Ludhiana highway. Some were seen campaigning for candidates on motorcycles, tractors and hatchbacks. In Khamano (Bassi Pathana), buoyed by the political revolution promised by AAP, local youths held an impressive roadshow in favour of Santosh Singh Salana. In Ludhiana, a roadshow by AAP and its ally, the Lok Insaf Party, saw huge crowds cheering AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal. But the partys political rivals are cynical.They say it remains to be seen whether the AAP din will be translated into votes. The SAD-BJP and the Congress, too, organised roadshows and rallies. In Samrala, CM Parkash Singh Badal campaigned for Sant Singh Umaidpur. The Congress roadshow in Sahnewal by party candidate Satwinder Kaur Bittu was impressive and so were those by Kamaljit Singh Karwal in Atam Nagar and Kuljit Singh Nagra at Fatehgarh Sahib. Both the Akalis and the Congress hit out at the AAP for its alleged terror links, warning the voters not to get swayed by anarchists. In Samrala, an unusually aggressive CM called it a fight between vikas and vinash. He ended his speech, asking the people as to who would protect Punjabs interests better Punjabis or non-Punjabis. Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Bathinda, February 2 Malwa, comprising 69 of the total 117 Assembly segments in Punjab, will decide the fate of several heavyweights and decide who will form the next government in Punjab. It may throw up yet another Chief Minister from the region, be it from the SAD-BJP, the Congress or AAP. Punjabis all over the world are keenly watching the political Mahabharata being played out in Malwa with PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh fighting from Patiala and Lambi, five-time CM Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi, his son and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, firebrand AAP leader Bhagwant Mann and assassinated CM Beant Singhs grandson Ravneet Bittu from Jalalabad and former CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Finance Minister PS Dhindsa from Lehragaga. The CMs estranged nephew, Manpreet Badal, is was trying his luck from Bathinda Urban. He is pitted against Sukhbirs right-hand man Sarup Chand Singla. In Gidderbaha, Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring faces SADs Hardip Singh Dimpi Dhillon, a lieutinent of the Deputy CM. Agriculture Minister Tota Singh is facing a tough challenge from Sukhjit Singh Kaka Lohgarh, a three-time MP, and AAPs Daljit Singh. Malwa is restive. People say they are yearning for change. They complain about the high-handedness of halqa chiefs. In almost all constituencies, SAD-BJP candidates have faced voters ire with some villages boycotting them. Demonetisation seems to have eroded the BJP vote bank. The trading community is angry, and so are the farmers. Ignored by the SAD-BJP and the Congress, the Dalits seem to be gravitating towards AAP. The support of the controversial Dera Sacha Sauda to the ruling alliance has disappointed Panth supporters, who feel let down. There are misgivings in the minds of dera followers, too, many of whom are weighing their options whether or not to go by the dera diktat. In all likelihood, the dera vote will be split with some of it going to the Akalis, some to the Congress and some to AAP. In Delhi, AAP had emerged victorious, winning 67 of the 70 Assembly seats, despite the dera backing the BJP. Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 2 AAP leader HS Phoolka on Thursday alleged that the state government had deliberately suppressed the findings of the sacrilege incident at Bargari in 2015. While showing a copy of the Jora Singh Commission report, Phoolka claimed that the report was suppressed as it showed the negligence of police that shot dead two unarmed men from close range. Phoolka challenged Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal to make the report public. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) He said they received the copy of the report from a reliable source on Wednesday night. Over 100 pages of the holy book were found scattered in a street near a gurdwara located at Bargari village. The incident led to a protest at Behbal Kalan in Faridkot, in which two men were killed and more than 50 people, including 24 policemen, injured. Tribune News Service Mussoorie, February 2 Residents of the Mori development block in the Purola constituency have decided to boycott the Assembly elections scheduled for February 15. They are upset with the attempts of various political parties and Independent candidates to flare up regional sentiments to garner votes while they are struggling for basic facilities such as electricity, water, roads and agriculture facilities. Candidates dont have development as a poll issue. We have decided to boycott the elections till the pending issues are resolved, they added. Candidates from the Purola (reserved) constituency are interested in winning elections by playing the regional card and have completely sidelined the real development issues that are essential for the wellbeing of people, said Vinod, a resident of Mori. The major problem is the non-availability of road connectivity to more than dozen villages in the Purola assembly segment. Residents from Osla, Sar Badyaar, Fateh Parvat, Gangaad, Sankhal Kamra have to tread about 30-35 km on foot and pass through dense forest area to reach the tehsil and block headquarters in Mori. Around 33 villages do not have electricity arrangement forcing them to live as in feudal age. Health, water and sanitation are major issues along with the problem of agriculture produce. Red rice and Rajmah of Purola region can emerge as a major cash crop and provide employment to the farming community but the candidates are not ready to talk about ways to promote it in the national and international agriculture market. The condition of health services is pathetic as most of the primary health centres are functioning without doctors. Natural disasters have added to the woes and candidates have failed to provide any relief to the people who are awaiting rehabilitation. The issue of separate district that has been a long standing demand of the people from Purola is still unattended. The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Maal Chand while the Congress have fielded Rajkumar, BJP rebel from Purola. The BSP has fielded Ram Lal as its MLA but none of these leaders are talking on resolving development issues. LPG prices up Rs25 a cylinder Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has raised the prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Rs25 per cylinder. Tribune News Service Haridwar, February 2 The Airy and Pawar factions of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) have united in some segments of the district, making things difficult for the Congress, the BJP and the BSP. The Ranipur-BHEL segment is one such constituency where the UKD is making its presence felt. Popular local figure Taufiq Ahmed, who left the Samajwadi Party last month, is the UKD candidate from Ranipur-BHEL. A substantial number of voters belonging to the hill region and Muslims reside in the constituency. Taufiq Ahmed is bound to make things difficult for sitting legislator Aadesh Chauhan and Congress candidate Ambrish Kumar. Taufiq is getting a good response, which can be seen during his door-to-door campaign and daily colony meetings. People want change as both BJP and Congress are power hungry. These parties as well as the BSP and the Samajwadi Party didnt play any role in the statehood movement. Only Uttarakhand Kranti Dal was involved directly in the statehood movement and made the creation of Uttarakhand possible. This is the time when people should vote against these national parties which have failed in providing development in the hill state, said Taufiq. He said the national parties were power hungry while the UKD was concerned about the development of the state. People are realising their mistake of giving the Congress and the BJP two terms each in the past 16 years. Both parties are hand in glove as during elections they assure people of investigation in corruption cases of the previous government but dont do anything when in power, he added. Local residents Nazim, Rizwan, Rao Arif, Chamu Abdul and Manju Rana said Taufiq was seeking votes for development. He was personally hearing their problems while other candidates were waving to them while sitting on vehicles during campaigning. Washington, February 2 US President Donald Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refugee agreement which led to the US President abruptly end an hour-long phone call only after 25 minutes into speaking. Senior US officials said on Wednesday that during the call on January 28, Trump also boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win and informed Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day--including Russian President Vladimir Putin--and that this was the worst call by far, The Washington Post reported. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) This is the worst deal ever, Trump fumed as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the US would honour its pledge to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention centre off the countrys coast at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Deplorable conditions at those sites prompted intervention from the UN and a pledge from the US to accept about half of those refugees, provided they passed American security screening. During the call, Trump was joined by chief strategist Steve Bannon, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and White House press secretary Sean Spicer. At one point, Turnbull suggested that the two leaders move on from their impasse over refugees to discuss the conflict in Syria and other pressing foreign issues. But, Trump kept his focus on the issue and said: I dont want these people. He also repeatedly mis-stated the number of refugees called for in the agreement as 2,000 rather than 1,250, according to the officials. Finally, Trump ended the call, making it far shorter than his conversations with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and French President Francois Hollande. Trump, who on January 27 signed an executive order temporarily barring the admissions of refugees and citizens from seven Muslim majority countries, complained that he was going to get killed politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the next Boston bombers. Trump returned to the topic late Wednesday night, writing in a message on Twitter, Do you believe it? The (former President Barack) Obama administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! However, Turnbull told the media on Thursday that Trump assured him the US would take the refugees, CNN reported. Look, Im not going to comment on a conversation between myself and the President of the United States other than what we have said publicly, and you can surely understand the reasons for that, he said. Im sure you can understand that. Its better these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If youll see reports of them, Im not going to add to them. IANS Beijing, February 2 China has reportedly tested a new version of a missile that can carry up to 10 nuclear warheads, signalling a major shift in its nuclear capability as Beijing gears up for a possible military showdown with the US under Trump Presidency. The flight test of the DF-5C missile was carried out last month using 10 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles, or MIRVs, the Washington Free Beacon reported. The test of the inert warheads was monitored closely by US intelligence agencies, said two officials familiar with reports of the missile test. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Dongfeng-5C missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China, the report said. The missile is a new variant of the DF-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile that first went into service in the early 1980s. The [Defence Department] routinely monitors Chinese military developments and accounts for PLA capabilities in our defence plans, Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross was quoted as saying by the report. For decades, the US has put the estimated number of warheads in Chinas nuclear arsenal at about 250. But the report suggested that the latest test with 10 warheads meant the actual number could be larger. China also began adding warheads to older DF-5 missiles in February last year, according to US intelligence agencies. US defence officials have previously warned that Chinas rapid development of long-range ballistic missiles, coupled with a lack of transparency about its nuclear capabilities, could bring uncertainty to stability in the region. The timing of the test coincided with the election of Donald Trump as US President who signalled a tougher stance against China over a range of issues, from the trade deficit to Beijings military build-up in the disputed South China Sea. Chinese military expert from an institute affiliated with the Peoples Liberation Army, (PLA) said a new test would not have been aimed at Trump. The test of a nuclear missile requires permission from the highest level the Central Military Commission. It takes at least one year for the military to get the approval and to prepare for it, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted unnamed expert as saying. It is not a random decision to be made just because Trump is now in office, the expert said. Although China had made steady progress in nuclear arms development in recent years, the government had no plans to drastically adjust its nuclear policy, the expert said. Also recent commentaries in the official media here said China is stepping up preparedness for a possible military conflict with US after Trump election. A commentary in the official website of Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) said on January 20 the day Trump assumed Presidency that the chances of war have become more real amid a more complex security situation in the Asia Pacific. The commentary written by an official at the National Defence Mobilisation Department in the Central Military Commission, Chinas overall military high command said the call for a US rebalancing of its strategy in Asia, military deployments in the East and South China Seas and the instillation of a missile defence system in South Korea were hot spots getting closer to ignition. A war within the Presidents term or war breaking out tonight are not just slogans, they are becoming a practical reality, the commentary said. Recent images purporting to show Chinas Dongfeng-41 missile have surfaced on Chinese websites with reports suggesting that Beijing has deployed them in Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia. The missile, with a range of 14,000 km and a payload of 10-12 nuclear warheads, is considered one of the militarys most powerful. Global Times, a state-run tabloid in a recent commentary said the deployment of the DF-41 was a strategic deterrence tool and Beijing would ready itself for pressures imposed by the new US government. PTI New York, February 2 US First Lady Melania Trump and her 10-year-old son Barron may never permanently move to the White House, according to a media report. Donald Trump, 70, and his wife Melania announced in November that the First Lady would relocate from New York City to Washington, D.C., once their son Barron finishes up the school year. But a family insider has told the Us Weekly that may not happen. They will reevaluate toward the end of the school year if they will keep this arrangement or if Melania and Barron will move to Washington, the source was quoted as saying. They could go either way right now. They will ultimately do whats best for Barron, the source said. Though living apart is unprecedented for a President and First Lady, it suits the fiercely independent Trump, the report said. When ABC News asked if not having Melania, 46, or Barron around left him feeling lonely, he responded, No, because I end up working longer. And thats OK. For the time being, Donald, Melania and Barron will take turns shuttling 90 minutes door to door between their $100 million triplex apartment at 721 Fifth Avenue here and the White House. In a January article, Donald declared, Theyll come down on weekends. Melania is actively building her team, including hiring a chief of staff, a senior adviser and a social secretary, among other key positions, the source said. While she is a mom first, she is very much embracing the role and responsibilities of first lady, the source added. Despite her physical absence, Melania is listed third on the White Houses administrations website after Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence. Under a photo of the former model speaking at a Trump rally, her biography reads, Mrs Trump cares deeply about issues impacting women and children, and she has focused her platform as First Lady on the problem of cyber bullying among our youth. PTI Moscow (Russia): Following the Muslim ban in the US, Kuwait has now suspended the issuance of visas for travellers native to Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Tourism, trade and visitor visas from the above mentioned nations have been restricted following an order from the Kuwaiti Government to slap a blanket ban on possible migrants, according to Sputnik News. AFP Scandal threatens Fillons French Prez bid Paris: French presidential candidate Francois Fillon attempted to fight back on Thursday as pressure mounted on him to quit the race with some lawmakers from his own side urging him to drop his scandal-tainted bid to save the conservatives from defeat. Le Canard Enchaine newspaper reported the former PM had paid his wife thousands of euros for work she may not have done. reuters US judge rules in favor of banished Yemenis Los Angeles: In yet another challenge to Trumps travel ban, a California federal judge has issued a court order barring the US government from preventing more than two dozen Yemenis with valid visas from flying to Los Angeles. US District Judge Andre Birotte handed down his temporary restraining order on Tuesday following an emergency motion filed the same day. AFP Washington, February 2 President Donald Trump ripped into his Australian counterpart during their call last week, reports said, castigating a refugee accord he later described on Twitter as a dumb deal. The Washington Post said Trump abruptly cut short the fiery conversation after criticising the agreement to re-settle people kept in Pacific camps, sparking a war of words with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today after the report surfaced. Australia is considered a close US ally one of the so-called Five Eyes with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence and the call might have been expected to be smooth sailing. But, according to the Post, Trumps assessment was the opposite. Of his four conversations with world leaders that day, this was the worst call by far, it cited him as telling Turnbull, shortly before he terminated the telephone meeting. Australian government sources told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the report was substantially accurate. Turnbull said he was disappointed details of the very frank and forthright exchange had been leaked. As far as the call is concerned, Im very disappointed that there has been a leak of purported details of the call in Washington, he told Sydney radio station 2GB. But I want to make one observation about it the report that the President hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously. Meanwhile, the White House said the President would honour the agreement with Australia to accept refugees housed on islands off that countrys coast although he was unhappy about the deal. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said out of respect for Australia and its PM, Trump would allow the process to go forward. Agencies United Nations, February 2 UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for lifting a ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, saying such measures spread anxiety and anger and will not prevent terrorists from entering the US. In my opinion this is not the way to best protect the US or any other country in relation to the serious concerns that exist about possibilities of terrorist infiltration. I dont think this is the effective way to do so. These measures should be removed sooner rather than later, Guterres told reporters here, responding to questions on the travel and refugee ban imposed by the US. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The UN Secretary-General emphasised that it is important not to have measures that spread anxiety and anger because then we help trigger the kind of recruitment mechanisms that these (global terrorist) organisations are now doing everywhere in the world, he said. Guterres cautioned that banning people and refugees from entering other nations will not ensure that terrorists will not infiltrate as the extremist groups could circumvent measures and look at other ways to target nations and their citizens. The international community is dealing with very sophisticated global terrorists originations, he said, adding that if terror groups want to attack any country they will not send people with passports from hotspots of conflict. They might come with passports from the most developed, credible countries or use people that have been for decades present in the country itself, he said. On the possibility that the Trump administration will cut US funding to the UN, Guterres said he will not comment on something that has not yet occured. Sometimes we talk too much about things that have not happened and when we talk too much about things that have not happened, you trigger the happening of those things. I will not be making comments on possibilities to enhance those possibilities to possibly be a reality, he said. Guterres stressed he will do whatever he can to prove the added value of the UN, to recognise the UN needs reforms and to believe that those reforms will be the best way to guarantee the support of all member states including US and its new administration. On the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees entering the US, Guterres said resettlement of refugees is in many situations the only possible solution. The US has always been in the forefront of refugee settlement and Syrians at the present moment have more dramatic needs in the world. I strongly hope that the US will be able to reassess its very solid refugee protection in resettlement and I hope Syrians will not be excluded in that process, he said. Trumps controversial executive order, signed on Friday, halted the entire US refugee programme for 120 days, indefinitely banned Syrian refugees, and suspended all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countriesIran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia. PTI London, February 2 The UK Government today published a White Paper which lays out its 12 principles, including migration control, for an exit from the European Union, a day after Prime Minister Theresa May won overwhelmingly parliamentary approval to begin tough Brexit talks with the trade bloc. Minister for exiting the European Union David Davis told the House of Commons that that Britians best days are yet to come. The White Papers publication comes after pressure from MPs across the House of Commons and spells out in detail Mays 12 principles including migration control and taking control of our own laws. Davis said the government would publish another White Paper before the Great Repeal Bill, which would formally mark Britains intention to break from the laws governing the 28-member economic bloc after the June 2016 referendum in favour of Brexit. We approach the negotiation to come in a spirit of good will and working to an outcome in our mutual benefit, Davis told Parliament. I will not be throwing people out of Britain, he added, in reference to a question about the rights of European Union citizens based in the UK following Brexit. Reacting to Davis remarks, the opposition Labour said the document says nothing and had been produced too late for meaningful scrutiny. The White Paper comes a day after British MPs voted in favour of May invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon to trigger the two-year timeline to negotiate a new deal as a non-member of the EU. It confirms that the final Brexit deal will be presented before Parliament for ratification and that the UK would pursue a fresh tariff-free trade agreement with the EU after an exit from the common single market. PTI San Francisco, February 2 The largest US physician group urged President Donald Trumps administration on Wednesday to protect international doctors and seriously ill patients from an executive order that suspends travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. In a letter addressed to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, the American Medical Association warned that the order created barriers to healthcare by preventing international physicians from getting back into the country or obtaining visas. It also wrote that the order should not apply to patients who need timely medical care in the United States. The AMA is concerned that this executive order is negatively impacting patient access to care and creating unintended consequences for our nations health care system, the group said in a letter posted on its web site. It is vitally important that this process not impact patient access to timely medical treatment. Last Friday, Trump put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. Reuters reported earlier this week that Trumps order wreaked panic and uncertainty among refugees in the US pipeline with urgent medical needs, some of whom had prioritized applications. The order could mean as many as 800 people needing medical entry will be denied entry, said Karen Monken of HIAS, a Maryland-based refugee assistance organization formerly known as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Homeland Security said in a statement the executive order ensures a more rigorous vetting process. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to enforce all of President Trumps executive orders in a manner that ensures the safety and security of the American people, the agency said. The AMA letter also pointed to the importance of international medical graduates, who comprise one out of every four physicians practicing in the United States. They are more likely to work in underserved and poor communities, the group wrote, and fill training positions that face workforce shortages. Other physician groups, including the Association of American Medical Colleges and American College of Physicians, expressed concern in separate statements earlier this week that the order would create further barriers to care. Reuters MAW Enterprises rolls out New SKODA Rapid MAW Enterprises has launched the New SKODA Rapid, a car that is claimed to offer better performance and be suitable for Nepali terrain. It has an emotionally appealing design, class leading safety equipment and smart technology, the company said. Spot truckload freight volume continued a seasonal decline, falling 12% for the week ending Jan. 28 compared to the previous week, but overall rates moved little, according to DAT Solutions and its network of load boards. Unlike this time last year, spot freight activity did not drop off sharply toward the end of January as truck capacity increased 4.8%. Van load posts were 9% lower last week as truck posts increased 4%, which sent the load-to-truck ratio down 13% to 2.5 loads per truck. The national average van rate edged down 1 cent to $1.69 per mile and is down 8 cents from the week of Jan. 7 while slipping again in key markets: Los Angeles, $1.95 per mile, down 3 cents Chicago, $2.01 per mile, down 6 cents Atlanta, $1.88 per mile, down 1 cent Buffalo, $1.94 per mile, down 3 cents While Houston was one of a few major van markets where prices did not decline last week, unchanged at $1.54 per mile, outbound lanes from Dallas fell off the pace with Dallas-Houston falling 6 cents to $2.09 per mile and Dallas-Chicago down 1 cent to $1.13 per mile. All rates include fuel surcharges. In the reefer market, while volumes actually improved on the top 72 lanes for refrigerated freight, the reefer load-to-truck ratio fell a full 20% to 5.3 to 1 nationally as the number of posted reefer loads declined 14% and capacity rose 8%. The average reefer rate lost just 1 cent to $1.97 per mile but is 6 cents less than it was three weeks earlier. No single market or region is driving produce freight right now, so volumes are shifting around the country, according to DAT. Last week, the big swings were in the Midwest. The average rate from Grand Rapids-Madison, Wisconsin rose 31 cents to $2.71 per mile while Green Bay-Des Moines paid 13 cents better at $2.20 per mile. Green Bay and Grand Rapids also happened to have two of the biggest declines last week. Green Bay-Joliet, Illinois fell 31 cents to $2.92 per mile and Grand Rapids-Atlanta declined 25 cents to an average of $2.12 per mile. Flatbed load posts declined 15% and truck posts rose 3%. The load-to-truck ratio fell 17% to 18.1 loads per truck while the national average rate actually gained a penny to $1.91 per mile. Even with the small increase, rates are still down 1 cent from three weeks earlier after falling 3 cents the second week of the year. NAC receives Y-12e plane Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has received second Chinese-made Y-12e aircraft as part of a six-plane deal between Nepal and China. Tulsa Public Schools board member Wilbert Collins is stepping down from his seat and withdrawing from the Feb. 14 race, citing health issues that began after he filed for re-election. As a board member, Collins has represented District 2 for nearly five years. The schools in that district are Burroughs, Kendall-Whittier, McKinley, Mitchell, Owen, Sequoyah and Springdale elementary schools; Carver Middle School; Will Rogers College High and Junior High; and Booker T. Washington High School. Wilbert is a proud native of Tulsa and product of Tulsa Public Schools, his wife Joan Collins said Thursday in announcing that he is stepping down. Wilbert continues to be an ardent supporter of public education and Tulsa teachers. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1959 after attending Carver Middle School and Dunbar Elementary. Collins was appointed to the school board to fill a vacancy in July 2012 and then ran unopposed the following year. During his tenure, Collins has chaired the TPS Curriculum/Student Achievement Committee and Teaching and Learning Committee and served on committees including Human Capital, Finance and Communications. Board President Lana Turner-Addison said Collins has been an invaluable member who advocated for a diverse team to lead the school district and for high-quality teachers at low-performing schools. Mr. Collins was a very collaborative, supportive and involved board member who attended the board meetings and attended a lot of committee meetings where he served in a leadership role, Turner-Addison said. He was a great listener, but even more importantly than that, he would evaluate critical issues before making a decision. He understood that the primary focus and role that he had was to do all that he could as a board member to improve educational outcomes for kids. TPS Superintendent Deborah Gist said it has been an absolute joy working with Mr. Collins in the 18 months that Ive been in the district, and Im grateful for his service to Tulsa children. Mr. Collins has for his entire career had a deep commitment to education and specifically to the success of Tulsa, Gist said. As a lifelong Tulsan he wants the best for his city and knows that education has to be a key part of that work. Collins has also served on the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners, to which he was elected in 1998 as the first African-American member. Collins name will still appear on the February ballot with candidates Phil Armstrong and Amy Shelton. NCs Acharya at Parliament after a year Nepali Congress lawmaker Narahari Acharya returned to Parliament on Wednesday, almost after a year, following improvement in his health condition. A non-executive director of the Seven West Media board has resigned her position, just before a report on CEO Tim Worners consensual affair with executive assistant Amber Harrison is to be released. Shirley McGregor resigned yesterday after only 19 months in the role. She was one of only two women on the company board. In a three sentence statement to the ASX, Seven said The company thanks Ms McGregor for her service to the Board and wishes her well for the future. Meanwhile the report is expected to clear the Seven boss of allegations put forward by Ms. Harrison. Amongst her claims were allegations of drug-taking on company time, unauthorised credit-card expenditure and claims management tried to silence her. The Australian reports Ms. McGregor had become increasingly concerned about the companys corporate governance and the handling of the affair since it was made public in late December. Seven did not give a reason for her departure. Nepal proposes air service agreement with Aus Nepal has proposed signing a bilateral air service agreement (ASA) with Australia as the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines wants to spread its wings Down Under after acquiring new long-range aircraft. Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published February 2, 2017 Monroe, La. - Michelle Mulhearn, a senior aviation major from Kingwood, Texas, has accepted an internship at United Airlines. The internship will take place over the 2017 spring semester. While at United, she will be working in the Quality Assurance Department Technical Services at Uniteds Corporate Support Center located inside the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) in Chicago, Ill. Mulhearns roles will include helping United maintain the safety requirements for the Federal Aviation Administration, and also United Airlines quality standards and requirements. ULMs Aviation program director Paul Karlowitz said, [Mulhearn] is an excellent student and most deserving of this internship. She comes from an aviation family: Her father is an airline captain and ULM alumnus, [Mulhearn] has her private pilot's license, and her younger sister, Carlee, is here at ULM in the aviation program as well. Her mother Terri also attended ULM as well. Mulhearn will return in Fall of 2017 to finish her bachelors degree. She is a member of 31 Ambassadors and the Phi Mu sorority. The aviation program is thrilled that the program has been able to prepare students like Michelle to be competitive for, and to get these fantastic internship opportunities, Karlowitz continued. United Airlines and United Express operate an average of 5,055 flights a day to 373 airports across six continents. United has the world's most comprehensive route network with more than 700 mainline aircraft. For more information on ULMs Aviation program, visit https://www.ulm.edu/cbss/aviation/. Trost's two previous NSIC Track Athlete of the Week selections this winter came on Dec. 5 and Jan. 24. Another week and another Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference citation forToday the University of Minnesota Duluth junior All-American was named the NSIC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week for the third time this season. Trost, a native of Goodhue, Minn., received the latest honor after placing first among 32 runners in the mile run at the University of Minnesota's Jack Johnson Classic. She finished in a NCAA Division II automatic qualifying time of 4:46.79, which also is the nation's top clocking at the moment. PM Dahal inaugurates long-stalled Khimti-Dhalkebar transmission line The long-stalled Khimti-Dhalkabar electricity transmission line has come into operation after it remained stuck for over a decade owing to various circumstances. Many Thanks to our Advertisers When choosing between competing products and services, please consider our advertisers, who help support Brand New. GENEVA - UNHCR is deeply concerned about the plight of thousands of Yemeni civilians fleeing or caught up in heavy confrontations between the warring parties in the Red Sea districts of Al Mokha and Dhubab in Taizz governorate. Owing to ongoing military operations impeding humanitarian access, comprehensive displacement data is currently difficult to verify. Current estimates from various sources indicate that approximately 3,570 individuals have fled Al Mokha to districts in the neighboring governorate of Al Hudaydah, namely Jabal Ras, Hays, Al Garrahi, Al Khawkhah and At Tuhayat. There are conflicting reports as to the number of people that remain within the town of Al Mokha. Reports from a range of sources, including recently arrived internally displaced people from Al Mokha who met with UNHCR field teams in Al Hudaydah, inform that as many as 30,000 people have fled the fighting, with displaced families also reported to be moving rapidly between various locations within Taizz governorate. Whilst others caught up by in the violence remain trapped inside Al Mokha and Dhubab, intensified hostilities in Al Hudaydah are also making it difficult for those attempting to escape to safety. The area north of Al Mokha which includes the coastal road to Al Hudaydah is also a site of military operations and remains subject to attack, placing those trying to flee at great risk during flight. Inside Al Hudaydah, those displaced seek shelter wherever they can. Many are being hosted by the generosity of local families but remain in precarious conditions and in urgent need of aid. Thousands of civilians are being caught by the crossfire. This worsens the situation for an extremely vulnerable population and were mobilizing rapid assistance together with partners to help those displaced, says UNHCRs country representative in Yemen, Ayman Gharaibeh. UNHCR has pre-positioned emergency stocks in Al Hudaydah, comprising of emergency shelter kits and household assistance consisting of mattresses, sleeping mats, blankets, kitchen utensils and wash buckets. Distributions will commence this week as assessment missions take place to ascertain needs and numbers of those displaced. Since March 2015 some three million Yemenis have been uprooted from their homes. There are now two million internally displaced people across Yemen whilst another one million displaced have since attempted to return home as conditions across the country in places of origin or displacement continue to deteriorate. UNHCR continues to advocate for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach people in need and continues to call for a peaceful solution to end Yemens brutal conflict. UNHCR is also calling for the protection of basic rights and the physical safety of civilians across Yemen. For more information on this topic, please contact: Expressing shock at the scale of the devastation in Aleppo, Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR today called for accelerated and immediate humanitarian assistance for millions of people trying to rebuild war-shattered lives in Syria. There are people here some of them are returning to these ruins who need help, immediate help. They are cold, they are hungry, they need to work to earn some money. They need the elementary things in life, he declared in a statement after touring the ancient city of Aleppo on the third day of a landmark visit to Syria. Grandi, who on Monday visited Homs, added: We need resources, irrespective of all the politics around this war. This is absolutely necessary and urgent for millions of people in Syria. We saw it in Damascus, we saw it in Homs, we see it in Aleppo All the Syrian people need help. We cannot abandon them because the crisis is not over. "Everything has been ruined. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that despite following the conflict closely nothing had prepared him for immensity of the destruction he witnessed in Aleppo. The level of destruction is much bigger than I thought I didnt imagine it would be this widespread. You drive for miles and miles you see destroyed civilian houses, destroyed schools, destroyed hospitals. Everything has been ruined, he said. Filippo Grandi meets children at the Jibreen shelter in Aleppo, Syria. Jibreen is now home to over 5,000 people displaced during fighting in the city. UNHCR/Firas Al-Khateeb Calling for massive investment for reconstruction, Grandi said peace and stability had first to take hold and rapidly -- saying people could not wait any longer. These ruins speak for themselves. When you see childrens clothes hanging out of windows, kitchens cut in half by shells and rockets, the real lives of people interrupted by war as it was happening, I think this will weigh very heavily on the conscience of the world for generations, he added. A resident of east Aleppo talks to UN refugee head Filippo Grandi. She fled her home when the battle for the eastern neighbourhoods erupted. Today she has returned, and is receiving UNHCR relief assistance. UNHCR/Bassam Diab Grandi made an impassioned plea to the world to renew solidarity with those suffering from the effects of conflict in Syria and other places such as Iraq, Somalia and Yemen. The world has to go back to solidarity, has to think again of these people not with fear, not with suspicion, but with open arms, with an open mind, with an open heart. They need help, they need protection while the war goes on. One day, they will come back here, and they will reconstruct these cities. But now, in their hour of need, we cannot forget their plight we need to help them, his statement concluded. Rohingya refugee Rojia, 29, with her family in south-eastern Bangladesh. Her husband Shaha was the first to flee northern Rakhine state in Myanmar. She joined him later on a 10-km trek followed by a river crossing. UNHCR/Ikterrudin Mohammed Bayzid COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh In a quiet village in south-eastern Bangladesh, Baby Mukoroma sleeps soundly. Shes blissfully unaware of the worry on her mother Rojias face, or what she had to suffer so that her children can sleep in peace today. In a neighbouring district, 16-year-old Iliyas winces as he hobbles on his good leg. The long scar on his left leg is healing well, but he still needs crutches to get around. Iliyas and Rojia are among more than 60,000 Rohingya who are believed to have sought safety in Bangladesh since October 2016. They fled their homes in northern Rakhine state, Myanmar after militant attacks on several police posts triggered a security operation that resulted in the burning of houses, displacement of civilians and reports of rights violations. I heard gunshots and everyone was running." It was a Sunday and I went to the market to help my father sell vegetables, says Iliyas, recalling the day his life changed last October. I heard gunshots and everyone was running. I was shot in the leg and fell into a rice field. In Rojias village, most of the men had left pre-emptively, leaving the women at home. After armed men looted her house at gunpoint, the 29-year-old decided it was too dangerous to stay. Despite being nine months pregnant, she took her four children and joined a group headed for the Bangladesh border. They walked for more than 10 km, taking the back roads to avoid attention. I was exhausted and couldnt move anymore. My legs were swollen and my blood pressure was high, she says. With great difficulty, both Iliyas and Rojias family eventually crossed the Naf river into Bangladesh, where they found their relatives who had arrived earlier. My husband was already in Coxs Bazar and in touch with UNHCR, said Rojia. They sent an ambulance to take me to the hospital. Nine days later, my baby was born. Rojia, 29, with baby Mukoroma who was born 9 days after arriving in Bangladesh. UNHCR/Ikterrudin Mohammed Bayzid Iliyas was in equally bad shape. Unable to get proper treatment back home, his wound had been dressed with some local leaves and tied with strips of cloth. His leg and hands became swollen from infection. In Bangladesh, UNHCR and its partners took him to a local hospital, where they found that the bullet had broken his femur. They gave him life-saving surgery and inserted a metal rod to stabilize his leg. Today, Iliyas is recovering under the care of his relatives. UNHCR provided some clothing and a chair with a toilet seat and pan so that he does not have to be carried to the toilet repeatedly. He has asked for crutches so that he can get back on his feet again. Im happy to be alive, he says, adding that he would like to resume his Grade 9 education in Bangladesh. While the teenager tries to stay positive and forward-looking, he worries about those he left behind in Myanmar. My mother and siblings are running out of food and begging from house to house, he said. In Myanmar, UNHCR has been advocating for unfettered access to the affected areas in northern Rakhine state in order to determine and meet urgent humanitarian needs. The agency has also been appealing for full access to the new Rohingya arrivals in Bangladesh, where it is working with partners to provide protection and assistance to this highly-vulnerable group. "If there is peace, I will go back immediately." Rojias family is currently sheltering in a local village in Bangladesh. They pay 2,000 taka (around $25) to share a house with three other families, and live in fear of being arrested and deported. "We don't like staying in someone's house with other families. We don't like being a burden on them," she says. "If there is peace, I will go back immediately to Myanmar." Prior to the recent influx, UNHCR was assisting 33,000 Rohingya refugees in two official camps in Bangladesh. In addition, there were estimated to be several hundred thousand undocumented Rohingya living in makeshift sites and host villages. With these new arrivals, there is an urgent need to register and document all Rohingya in Bangladesh regardless of where they are, said UNHCRs Representative in Bangladesh, Shinji Kubo. This will help the government know who is on its soil. It will also help humanitarian agencies to target assistance to those who need it most, including host communities. Saraswati Puja observed (Photo feature) Shree Panchami, also known as Basanta Panchami or Saraswati Puja, was observed across the country on Wednesday by worshipping Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, learning, art, music and culture. Xiaomi previously revealed the Redmi Pro in July last year. Now, here's the latest news about the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 , leaked from China. The Redmi Pro had a 5.5-inch full HD OLED display and was available in three variants. The 32GB, which ran a MediaTek Helio X20 deca-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. The top-end variations were powered by Helio X25 deca-core processor with Mali-T880 GPU. The 64GB came with 3GB of RAM, while the 128GB one comes with 4GB of RAM. Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2: leaked details from China Now, It looks like the company is ready to introdue a new model in the series - the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2, which might be making its debut soon. Per Android Central, the leak suggests that the Redmi Pro 2 will have a 5.5-inch Full HD display, single camera at the back - with a better Sony IMX362 sensor with 1.4m pixel and Dual Pixel autofocus, and a 4500mAh battery. One interesting thing to note is that there's buzz that Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 will switch to a Snapdragon 66x series chipset. It'll be interesting to see what it offers, but considering Qualcomm has not confirmed anything about a new SoC in the Snapdragon 600 series, it may be a while before aficionados see the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2: why the change in rear camera? According to BGR, leakster @Kjuma's post had images of what looks like the product page of Redmi Pro 2, divulging details about the smartphone, including its pricing details. Based on the leaks, the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 will not have a dual rear camera and go for a single sensor instead. In addition, the leak said that the Redmi Pro 2 could be offered in two variants: 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage that will allegedly retail for $260 and 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage for $230. Are you a Xiaomi user? Did you like the initial specs and details about the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2? The Harvard Law Review hailed its firs female black president on Monday. ImeIme A. Umana, who belongs to the Class of 2014, will replace outgoing president Michael L. Zuckerman. A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Umana will be the 131st president of the Harvard Law Review. And although she is touted as the first black female president of the organization, it is not her first time to hold a high position. Five years ago, she served as the president of the Institute of Politics. According to Zuckerman, there were 12 candidate's that vied for the position this year, eight of whom are women and of different color. The process of choosing the position involved answering questions from a forum of editors, answering questions submitted by the readers, and mock editorial activities. Zuckerman has nothing but praise for his successor saying that with Umana's brilliance the Harvard Law Review is in good hands. He also mentioned that Umana's election is historical as the participation of women and people of color in the organization was marginalized in the past. He said that with Umana's appointment, there will be a much 'richer and inclusive legal conversation.' In the past, the organization was subject to criticism that it lacked representation of women and minorities in its staff. They addressed that by electing new editors that came from diverse backgrounds last year. Thus, in a way, Umana's election is like icing on the cake for women and people of color. In a report on the Harvard Crimson, Umana said during that time that the appointment might not automatically lead to students of color to feel included but it sends a message that everyone is accepted in the Harvard Law Review. Indeed, no one knows what the future lies ahead but it shows promise as the organization opens its doors wider. When it comes to higher education, there are students out there who are willing to take on a huge amount of debt in student loans because of the promise and investment they are going to earn after college or university graduation. But according to reports, student debt is getting heavier with California students. When it comes to students in California, with the cost of living and expenses in the state, students are protesting fee increases. Last year, 6 out of 10 graduates carried student loan debt and the average borrower holds around $28,400, as reported by Lend EDU. Student loans are not all bad, there are risks and rewards associated with the opportunity gained from higher education. It can be worth it. But California students are worried about the increasing college fees. The state of California can help these students get through it but the costs involved are high. According to a report from the Legislative Analyst's Office, the potential cost to help these students is about $3.3 billion per year. The state could help the University of California students, California State University and California Community Colleges students cover both tuition and living expenses, as reported by Los Angeles Times. But this is still an analysis because with the University of California having recently approved a tuition increase as well as other colleges considering a tuition increase, families are getting worried. Everyone is looking at the report with high hopes because it gives them the potential map that college affordability is possible and reducing student debt is realistic. However, it can take several years. In the report, 53 percent of University of California graduates and California State students end up with an average debt of $19,500. If a program that covers both tuition and living expenses would be realized then it can cover students' concerns who are still struggling to pay for housing, food and other expenses. For now, this is still in the drafts until the state can approve the budget. Watch the CBS clip of Jackie Ward reporting on the University of California Board of Regents plan to vote on tuition hikes: When SpaceX's founder, Elon Musk, told the world of his vision of a pod and tube-like transportation system, a lot of students, researchers and engineers jumped at the chance. The first Hyperloop competition was the design phase. That was when several teams detailed their vision of a pod that can cut the time between Los Angeles to San Francisco in less than 30 minutes. The next round involved the actual building of the pod and testing the pod. Students from Cornell spent their weekends, breaks and summer building the pod after finding out that they are coming in for the next round. The team built an 18 foot pod that uses scuba tanks to force compressed air downward, as reported by Cornell. The pod floats on a cushion of air above the track. They competed against teams that used magnetic levitation and other systems. Cornell joined OpenLoop, a team of sixty people that included other students from Princeton, Harvey Mudd College, University of Michigan, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Northeastern University. According to Nick Parker, they had to make some last minute fixes before heading to the competition but they were all happy that it worked. Cornell's pod passed the 100-point checklist during the Hyperloop competition at the Hawthorne site. They also did great in the design aspect even though there was a hiccup during the trial inside the tube. From the design competition that held over 1,000 students from 120 colleges around the world, the second round brought in a total of 30 teams to realize Elon Musk's vision of a "fifth mode of transportation." Into the second round, not a lot were able to compete because some teams could not get past the technical tests involved to reach the final round, as reported by The Verge. Watch the Openloop video below where the team gets ready for testing: Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has proposed to expand the free community college program to adults. The program, which is already a year-old, allows recent high school graduates to attend community college for free. NPR reported that Haslam announced the proposal on Monday night at the State of the State address. The proposal was said to have been well-received by members of both Democrat and Republican parties. The governor is pursuing his goal of making 55 percent of Tennessee's 6.6 million citizens achieve a postsecondary degree or certificate. The goal is expected to be reached by 2025. Currently, it was noted that the state needs over 870,000 postsecondary degrees or certificates to achieve that goal. Free community college to adults would help with the success of that goal, especially since it includes the 900,000 Tennessee citizens who have already taken some college classes but was not able to complete their degrees. According to RT, the program, which is named the Reconnect scholarship, is expected to cost $10 million per year. Gov. Haslam has explained that the program will not add a burden to the taxpayer. Instead, it will depend on money from sources such as federal Pell Grants and the state lottery. A few other states have also revealed their plans of providing free college. Earlier this month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that students from low-income families will be qualified for his free college plan. Students from families earning $125,000 or less per year will be eligible for the proposal. They may be able to go to state, city and even community colleges for free. It was noted that New York is already spending $1 billion every year on a tuition assistance program. Its awards cap is at $5,165. The University of Illinois has also announced a new initiative that includes a tuition freeze to boost its enrollment over the next five years. Moreover, a new Senate Bill, known as the Afford to Dream Bill, has been proposed to help undocumented students afford higher education. President Donald Trump has reportedly picked Liberty University Jerry Falwell to head a new task force that will curb college regulations and micromanagement from the Department of Education. Falwell told News & Advance last Tuesday that he had a conversation with presidential adviser Steve Bannon and other officials saying Trump is forming an educational task force that he was tasked to lead. He said that the task force will focus on issues that "impact higher education." At that time, he also said that he would speak with the President to further discuss it. Falwell, who is the son of the late televangelist Jerry Falwell, Sr., was in the news in the past for his criticism of the Department of Education. He accused the department of micromanaging universities and colleges as well as intruding into the accreditation process of the higher education institutions. Aside from that, Reuters reported that Falwell also wants to federal regulations on reporting and investigating sexual assaults in the campus which fall under Title IX, a law that prohibits sexual discrimination. Falwell believes that sexual investigations in campuses should be the job of the police. Meanwhile, in another interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, Falwell also mentioned that the task force will also look into the new "borrower defense to repayment" policies, which will allow defrauded borrowers to get their loans forgiven. When asked when the task force will be launched, Falwell did not give an exact timeline but said that it might be very soon based on Trump's style of governance. He said that everything was at the preliminary stage but he already received the green light from Bannon. Known as a very vocal Trump supporter, Falwell also said that Trump first offered the Department of Education position to him but according to him, he turned it down because he didn't want to be away from Liberty for a long time and he did not want to transfer his family to Washington. The good and the bad We need to conduct a careful study of both positive and negative effects of Nepals remittance-driven economy Arts and STEM can never exist on the same plane, at least that's the idea that has been instilled in our minds. However, the Harvard Medical School has created a course that melds the two leading to a deeper understanding of life, most especially of suffering and compassion. The Harvard Medical School (HMS) introduced its Wintersession course called "Creativity, Medicine and the Arts." Despite the course name, it is open and attended by various undergraduates from HMS, Harvard Law School, the Graduate School of Education, and the Harvard Business School. The workshops, led by Lisa Wong, a pediatrician and also the co-director of the Arts and Humanities Initiative at HMS, allows participants to re-think the idea that studying science doesn't mean giving up the arts. The workshops aim to reassure students that they can embrace both arts and science. Also a professional violinist, Wong said that arts and science is just part of one continuum. She then added that where doctors help their patients see the beauty of life, artists find ways to express pain and suffering. Wong recalled her own experience which involved Michelangelo's Pieta. She said she didn't want to look at the sculpture at first because it was so jarring. However, she told a group of participants, overcoming the feeling of revulsion at the sight of suffering allows physicians to understand and then care for their patients. Doguz Mordeniz, an engineering student from Turkey and was part of the movement workshop called ""Healing Narrative Through Movement," said that it showed him that every feeling can be expressed through movement. Meanwhile, at the Harvard Arts Museum, HMS assistant professor of pediatrics Elizabeth Rider and museum director Odo, told the story behind Doris Salcedo's "A Flor de Piel." He said that Salcedo painted it in memory of a nurse who was tortured in Colombia allowing students to look at the work of art on a different lens. The mystery of a Chinese tycoon's disappearance In 2015 five Hong Kong booksellers disappeared and later resurfaced in mainland China in the hands of Chinese authorities. Now, there are concerns that Chinese tycoon Xiao Jianhua, who has not been seen since last week, has met a similar fate. US defence chief Mattis heads to South Korea and Japan US defence secretary James Mattis is due in South Korea on the first foreign trip by a senior official in the Trump administration. UW Debate Team Performs Well During January Competitions University of Wyoming students didnt return for classes until Jan. 23. Tell that to the UW debate team. The debate, or forensics, team hit the road for most of January, competing in two events in Texas and another competition in Wichita, Kan. The teams first stop, shortly after the New Year, was the Fear and Loathing in Dallas Invitational, hosted by the University of Texas-Dallas. More than 50 teams from around the country participated. The freshman duo of Brent Lamb, of Kansas City, Mo.; and Yumasie Hellebuick, of Salt Lake City, Utah, continued their steady improvement, posting a .500 record in the preliminary debates. The two claimed wins over the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Kansas City Kansas Community College. The veteran team of Spencer Culver, of Kansas City, Mo.; and Carter Henman, of Cheyenne, broke away from the pack early, racking up three quick victories against the University of Kansas, Concordia College and Texas-Dallas. Despite the fast start, Culver and Henman ran into trouble against Kansas State and Wichita State. Both of those teams finished in the top eight. The Pokes chances of advancing to the elimination rounds ended after a close debate against Missouri-Kansas City. However, Culver and Henmans week in Dallas was just getting started. The William DeMougeot Debates, hosted by the University of North Texas in Denton, was the teams next stop. As the second half of the Texas Two-Step tournaments, the field of competition was as intense as it had been in Dallas, says Travis Cram, UWs director of forensics. Hellebuick and Lamb continued to perform well for such a young team in the open division, pulling in wins against the prestigious New York University and two teams from the University of Kansas, Cram says. Culver and Henman, however, were on the verge of a monster performance. During the preliminary debates, Culver and Henman put together a winning record with victories over Wichita State, the University of Iowa, Baylor and Missouri State University. That performance earned the duo the 11th seed headed into the single-elimination rounds. The two proceeded to tear through the field, pulling off three consecutive upsets. The duo overtook the sixth seed from Concordia College in the round of 16; third-seed Baylor in the next round; and second-seed Wichita State in the semifinals. Their run was finally halted in the finals by the undefeated (and tournament favorite) team from the University of Central Oklahoma. Culver and Henman also were among the tournaments top 25 individual speakers. Their performance was nothing short of remarkable, reaching further than any University of Wyoming team in the history of the Texas Two-Step, Cram says. The final stop was the Moorehouse Debates, hosted by Wichita State University. Culver and Henman once again jumped out to a strong start, peeling off victories against Kansas, Northern Iowa, Texas and Central Oklahoma. They reached the elimination rounds for the second straight tournament, but fell in the round of 16 to the University of Kansas. Although they were not able to repeat their performance, Henman was honored as the tournaments 20th best individual speaker. Hellebuick and Lamb also competed, grabbing key wins against Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Johnson County Community College, the University of Texas and Central Oklahoma. The forensics team is now sharpening its arguments and working hard for the last major policy tournament of the year, hosted by Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Cram says. In addition to its competition preparation, the debate team has plans for the spring semester. These include hosting the regional high school community in March for competitions on campus, as well as the inaugural UW intracampus debates, a daylong opportunity for all UW undergraduates interested in debating on campus. The work and effort that these students put into the activity is astonishing, Cram says. UW debaters sacrificed their winter break and put in the time necessary to prove to the nation that the University of Wyoming is one of the best educational institutions around. US puts missile test Iran 'on notice' US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor has accused the Iranian government of "malign actions" after a missile test. Murray SawChuck aka Murray The Magician, headliner at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, has just signed on to do a USO Tour this April for 2 weeks from April 5th to April 21st, giving back to the United States Veterans (Photo credit: Shane ONeal). He will be touring with 2 other magicians, Howard Blackwell from Charleston, SC and Dave Chandler from Boston, MA. Murray will be touring 6 locations. The locations are: Honduras AUTEC (Andros Island, Bahamas) Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Florida Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba San Juan, Puerto Rico Thule, Greenland Murray, who is originally from Canada, became a United States Citizen on February 13, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Murray stated after becoming a citizen, It was such an honor to become a United States Citizen that from that day on he wanted to give back to the United States Veterans by donating his time. Murray states about this tour, Its an absolute honor to do my first USO Tour as I looked up to entertainers like Bob Hope, Wayne Newton and Toby Keith that give back to the Veterans and I look forward to following in their footsteps! MPs approved the Brexit bill, which would allow the government to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and formally begin two years of exit negotiations, by a margin of 498 to 114. (AFP Photo) MPs approved the bill, which would allow the government to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and formally begin two years of exit negotiations, by a margin of 498 to 114. It was the first Brexit-related vote in the House of Commons, coming after more than 17 hours of debate, with a second and final vote in the lower house set for next week. The opposition Labour party ordered MPs not block the bill, but 47 rebelled against leader Jeremy Corbyn. He is yet to announce how he will respond to frontbenchers and other lawmakers who refused to tow the party line. MPs on Wednesday also voted on a Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment seeking to derail the Brexit bill, defeating it by 336 votes to 100. May is under intense pressure to push the bill through quickly, having promised EU leaders she would trigger Article 50 by the end of March. She told MPs she would publish a long-awaited Brexit strategy paper on Thursday, opening it to parliamentary scrutiny while the Article 50 legislation makes its way through parliament. "It will reflect the government's plan for Brexit," May's spokeswoman told reporters. The government had sought to exclude parliament, insisting it had the power to trigger Article 50 on its own, but the Supreme Court last week ruled it must consult lawmakers. Most MPs campaigned to stay in the EU ahead of last June's referendum, but as debate on the bill began Tuesday, many said they would accept the result, however reluctantly. The bill could be delayed in the upper House of Lords, where May's Conservative Party does not have a majority - and where the unelected peers have no fear of a public backlash. 'REMAINERS' DIVIDED A new survey revealed that MPs who campaigned to leave the EU are relatively united in what they want - whereas those who were on the other side have more diverse views. Some 72 per cent of Leavers favour controlling immigration or not paying into the EU budget over retaining access to Europe's single market. This reflects May's own position. She has said she wants to end the free movement into Britain of people from the EU, a demand she acknowledges is incompatible with maintaining membership of the single market. "Remainers are much more divided over what to prioritise - which may well make them less able to shape the debate," said Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe research programme. The vast majority of Leavers (86 per cent) also believe Britain will be able to make up for any loss in trade with the EU through other deals, whereas 71 per cent of Remainers believe it cannot. But Britain's former ambassador to the EU on Wednesday warned that the bloc would likely take a "hard line", demanding an exit bill of 40-60 billion (US$43-US$64.5 billion) as part of drawn out negotiations. "This is a humongous negotiation and project," Ivan Rogers told MPs. "I think it will take years to get to the other side of it." In a speech on Tuesday, Ken Clarke, who may be the only Conservative MP to vote against the Brexit bill, accused Leavers of pursuing a fantasy "wonderland". At just 143 words, the "European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill" has been tightly drafted, making it difficult to amend either to delay the government's plans or to tie its hands in the talks. But May's opponents are still trying, and dozens of amendments are scheduled for debate over three days in the House of Commons which begins on Monday. The bill will then move to the Lords for debate from Feb 20, with the government hoping for their approval by Mar 7. Merely a month after school opened again following the summer break, four ninth graders of the Muong Long Ethnic Minority Boarding School in Ky Son District informed their homeroom teacher that they would drop out of school to get married. Three girls tied the knot in October while another wedded a few days after the school-opening ceremony. The class homeroom teacher Vi Thi Sam said that she was no longer surprised to see her teenage Mong students quit school and get married so young. Poor, ethnic students dropped out for many reasons, she said, but the teachers and the school always tried to persuade them to study. But girls who stopped going to school to get married, in particular, are the hardest to talk out of the decision, Sam said. Efforts by the Muong Long school to protect their students from child marriage achieved little, even when they resorted to forcing the students to swear not to get married before finishing 12th grade. Most girls dont dare to swear, or they only promised the teachers that they would not marry before finishing ninth grade. Child marriage is common among Mong ethnicity people as they believe the ages of 13 or 14 are ready for marriage and starting a family. Older girls, aged 16 or 18, will be dubbed leftovers by her own village and family if no boys ask for her hand. The custom, against the law in Viet Nam which allows marriage from the age of 18, forced several children to drop out of school to get married illegally. Across the mountainous Ky Son District where a majority of Mong people reside, early marriage was a common reason for dropping out of secondary school in Huoi Tu, My Ly, Na Ngoi and Muong Long communes. Muong Long Peoples Committee Vice Chairman Va Cha Xa said that the rate of child marriage in the commune ranged from five to 10 per cent and showed little signs of decreasing. Life post-marriage of most of the newly-weds is difficult as they dont know how to take care of themselves, let alone a family, he said. Non-public health clinics have offered alternatives in health services. Yet they also present challenges to health authorities. What are the most common violations by these clinics? The establishment of non-public clinics in Ha Noi has given the public more options while choosing suitable health services, thus reducing the pressure on public health facilities. Thats the most important advantage we need to highlight. Regarding the violations, our examinations showed that the most common violations include running inaccurate advertisements, offering health services that have not been approved by relevant authorities, offering health services with no licence, charging customers more that the listed price and offering health services in the absence of professional health individuals who are in charge. Many non-public clinics are located in small rented houses, with the facilitys structure not suitable to run a health clinic, although it still meets the requirements to operate. The awareness and the sense to follow legal regulations are also sometimes limited. There are still many people who buy and take medicines without the doctors advice. Human resources at private clinics are limited; most full time doctors and pharmacists at private clinics are retired. Further, there is a shortage of high quality staff, with many employees working part-time. Apart from that, to maximise profits, many clinics intentionally ignore legal regulations. Moreover, inspection work is not carried out regularly. The inspection force is also limited and measures to tackle violations are not strong enough. In your experience, what measures should the Ha Noi Health Department implement to prevent wrongdoing and to make sure private clinics follow regulations? To strengthen state management in private health facilities, close collaboration between health and other relevant authorities of the city is required. Health inspection forces should strengthen and undertake inspection without prior notice at clinics which have a foreign element involved and those near established public hospitals. Its necessary to instruct private clinics to list the hotline phone number of the Hanoi Health Department, so that the public can file complaints. Besides this, there is a shortage of health inspection staff, so inspections are not carried out regularly. Health authorities at lower levels need to timely detect health clinics operating without licences. Strict measures to address the situation must be taken once violations are discovered. In distant suburbs, such as Ba Vi and Soc Son, there should be close monitoring of health professionals practicing traditional medicine without licence. As you mentioned, the role of health authorities at lower levels is very important in timely detection of violations and to strictly handle any wrongdoing. So what is the role of the Ha Noi Health Department? We do not dodge our responsibility in state management in Ha Noi. Actually in our monthly meetings with district authorities, leaders of health authorities made it clear and send official letters to district authorities requesting reinforcement of the responsibilities of local authorities. The Ha Noi Health Department always requires the public listing of certificates of health practitioners. For example, a list of medical staff working at a particular private clinic and the phone number of the hotline to reach the Ha Noi Health Department (043.998.5765) must be stated publicly, so that the public and health authorities can monitor and file complaints. The Ha Noi Health Authority has given the responsibility to medical units to monitor the operation of private clinics. Welfare of people is the most important. Therefore, people should fully practice their rights to monitor and participate in the management of private clinics along with the authorities through specific actions. Patients should ask private health clinics to present their operating licence and should inform relevant authorities when they detect violations at private clinics. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's (L) visit to Turkey will be her first since a failed coup in July against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) AFP/HO Merkel is expected to meet both President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during the hugely sensitive one-day visit to the capital Ankara. The relationship between the two NATO allies has been battered in the last months by a series of rows in the wake of the July 15 failed coup aimed at ousting Erdogan. Berlin has repeatedly expressed unease over the extent of the crackdown that has seen some 43,000 people arrested in the wake of the putsch, under a state of emergency that has now lasted over half a year. Erdogan, meanwhile, has vented his exasperation that Germany has not responded to requests for the extradition of hundreds of suspects linked to the coup, the Kurdish militant movement and the ultra-left. The number of asylum requests made to Germany from Turkish citizens has shot up from 1,700 in 2015 to 5,700 in 2016, likely due to the crackdown after the coup. Last week it was reported that 40 Turkish soldiers stationed at NATO bases had asked Berlin for asylum, with Turkey pressing for the bids to be rejected. While Germany has expressed alarm over an alleged deterioration of press freedoms in Turkey, Ankara wants Berlin to hand over the former opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper's editor-in-chief Can Dundar who escaped the country after the coup. But Dundar has founded a new anti-Erdogan news portal in Germany -- Ozguruz (We Are Free) -- and been received as an honoured guest by officials including President Joachim Gauck. - 'Important to talk' - The visit is all the more sensitive with Erdogan planning a referendum in April on new powers that critics say will create one-man rule. Merkel meanwhile is also thinking of elections at home in September where Turkey policy will be a key issue. Germany is home to some three million people of Turkish origin, the legacy of a massive "guest worker" programme in the 1960s and 70s and the biggest population of Turks in the world outside of Turkey. The controversy over Turkey's post-coup crackdown has dealt a new blow to its long-running EU membership bid, although Berlin has stopped short of backing Austrian calls for the entire process to be halted. "This trip is taking place because we are convinced it is necessary to stay in continuous contact with Turkey, an important NATO partner, a very important EU neighbour," said Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert. "These days it is important to talk," he added. Merkel will also want to press Turkey to keep implementing a deal that has so far successfully reduced migrant flows to Europe, despite threats by Erdogan to walk away from it due to a failure to fulfill a pledge to grant Turks visa-free travel. The chancellor's visit will be her first to Turkey since the coup, after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held prickly talks in Ankara in November. With the hugely controversial constitutional referendum looming in April, the visit has not been universally welcomed in Turkey with opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu saying he was disappointed in Merkel. "She could say that Turkey must improve its democratic standards and a separation of powers is the backbone of the highest democratic standards," he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. But Seibert said it was "absurd" to suggest Merkel was positioning herself to back Erdogan ahead of the referendum. A letter signed by Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said the PM agreed with the overall direction of the steel project in the economic zone located in the central Quang Ngai province. The letter instructed the various related ministries to assess and oversee the investment, technology and environmental impact of the project, in conjunction with Quang Ngai province People's Committee. As previously reported by VIR, Hoa Phat Group, among the country's largest steel producers, proposed last October to resume the construction of the Guang Lian steel plant in the Dung Quat Economic Zone, which had its investment certificate revoked in September due to long delay in construction. Accordingly, the new project will have a total investment capital of $3 billion and an annual capacity of four million tonnes. It will be built in two phases, with a capacity of two million tonnes each. According to the Dung Quat Economic Zone Management Authority, the steel plant with an annual expected revenue of $2 billion will not only contribute about VND4 trillion ($178.3 million) a year to the province's budget, but also create about 8,000 jobs. The approval of Hoa Phat's project comes after a 2016 year of intense public debate over environmental consequences of large steel plant. In April, a toxic waste spill from Formosa's $10.5-billion steel complex in the central Ha Tinh province caused mass fish death along the coast of four central provinces. In August, the government approval of Hoa Sen Group's $10.6 billion steel plant, which would be the largest in Vietnam, was met with widespread concerns over its environmental impact. Foreign tourists are hiking to exlore Cat Ba National Park. - Photo www.halong-bay-tours.com Cat Bi International Airport and the Ha Noi-Hai Phong expressway, which were put into service in early 2016, have helped reduce travel time from Ha Noi to Hai Phong. Direct flights between Hai Phong and countries such as Thailand and the Republic of Korea, localities such as HCM City and Phu Quoc Island District in Kien Giang Province in the south, a Lat City in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong and Nha Trang City in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa have been launched. Along with favourable transport infrastructure, efforts made by agencies to promote tourism and the involvement of large investors have turned Hai Phong into a popular tourist destination. At a workshop on Hai Phong tourism held by the municipal Department of Tourism, leading experts in this field from across the country discussed ways to boost local tourism through social communication and developing standard tourism products. Various tourism promotion activities have been conducted in Cat Hai District, which is the administrative management unit of the Cat Ba Archipelago, an attractive tourist site with leisure, exploration and ecological tourism in the Cat Ba National Park in the island commune of Viet Hai. Firms such as Vingroup, Sungroup and Him Lam have invested in luxurious resorts in Cat Ba and Do Son. Once operational, the projects are expected to become ideal destinations for both domestic and foreign holidaymakers. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Hai Phong, particularly Do Son beach town, has experience in tourism development. The northern port city welcomes a large number of visitors every year. In 2017 the locality is expected to greet 5.7 million tourists, the agency said, noting that the target is within reach as about 5.6 million tourists visited Hai Phong last year. Nguyen Quy Phuong, head of VNATs Travel Department, at a recent workshop on tourism development in Hai Phong said the city should make a breakthrough in tourism and consider the sector a driving force for local economic development. He also suggested the city step up State management to synchronously conduct tourism activities. To that end, Hai Phong should revamp the municipal Tourism Department, ensuring it has enough human resources capable of implementing the citys guidelines and plans, Phuong said. At the same time, it is necessary to develop spearhead tourism products, such as leisure tourism on Cat Ba Island in a sustainable manner, he added. Nguyen Thi Ha, director of Viettravel Hai Phong, described tourism products as decisive to tourism promotion, saying Hai Phong should connect with other localities to promote tourism products for the northern coastal region. Travel companies will introduce products for their customers, she said, underlining the need for Hai Phong to turn into an attractive and safe destination, different from others in culture and landscape. Channels should be built and updated with new mechanisms, policies and information about tourist attractions and Hai Phongs connection with foreign and domestic localities, Ha suggested. In particular, information about Cat Bi International Airport needs to be updated more regularly for partners and tourists, she added. Tran Thi Kim Quy, deputy director of Hung Vuong Investment JSC, investor of international brand names such as Cat Ba Resort and Flamingo Dai Lai in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, said the Cat Ba Archipelago has advantages for tourism development, with the most noteworthy being its biodiversity and Cai Beo, the most ancient fishing village in Viet Nam. However, Cat Ba has failed to fully tap its potential, she said, suggesting Hai Phong extend the duration of tourism projects on the islands to 70 years and shorten the time for administrative procedures while upgrading infrastructure in Cat Ba. A strawberries farm in South Africa. South Africas main products, such as fruits, wine and mineral products, have yet to successfully enter the Vietnamese market. - Photo www.getaway.co.za Ambassador Vu Van Dung held a meeting with leaders of South Africas Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) on Monday to discuss issues related to cooperation between Viet Nam and South Africa as well as the embassy and the DCCI. The Vietnamese diplomat believed Viet Nam and South Africa -- a large economy of Africa and the world -- hold great potential for stronger trade cooperation, with two-way trade reaching only US$1.2 billion in 2016. Viet Nam will host APEC Year 2017, with some 200 activities, and APEC High-level Week at the end of the year, which is a good opportunity for enterprises from Durban and South to reinforce connections with their partners in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. Dao Manh Duc, head of the Vietnamese Embassys office for trade affairs, said although Vietnamese products are suitable for the South African market, they are not as popular among South African consumers and businesses due to a lack of information and inadequate business exchange channels. Meanwhile, South Africas main products, such as beef, fruits, wine and mineral products, have yet to successfully enter the Vietnamese market, Duc said. He also asked the DCCI to enhance the sharing of information and partnership opportunities through trade promotion events hosted by the DCCI and increase meetings between trade delegations of both sides. Alta Keyter, DCCI director for marketing and communications, said in future, the DCCI would promptly update information about Viet Nams goods, tourism and trade fairs and exhibitions in its news bulletins, in addition to actively exchanging information with the Vietnamese Embassy to provide South African businesses with opportunities to study the market, products and tourism of Viet Nam. Durban is the largest port city in South Africa and a major container port of the southern hemisphere. It is an economic hub of South Africa with diverse sectors, including production, tourism, transportation, finance and import-export activities. With a long coastline, vast beaches, warm weather and unique culture, the locality is also an attractive tourist destination. The DCCI was established in 1856, grouping over 2,800 firms. It is one of the largest and most prestigious commerce and industry chambers of South Africa. At the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen, a parliamentary investigation into alleged impropriety in the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party will be launched. Hun Sen on Tuesday alleged that CNRP lawmakers had taken to gambling and had engaged in sex acts in parliament. He based his allegations on posts on an anonymous Facebook page that were widely circulated on social media this week. The lawmakers implicated in the scandal include Eng Chhay Eang, Yem Ponharith, Yim Sovann, Ho Vann, Long Ry, Chan Chheng and Pot Pov. The anonymous Facebook account, named Seyha, alleged that Ponharith had had an affair with his secretary and had a sexual encounter with her in the parliament building. Hun Sen asked National Assembly president Heng Samrin to hold a Buddhist ceremony in the building to cleanse it. Leng Peng Long, National Assembly spokesman, said the institution is investigating the allegations. This kind of behavior is immoral. However, there is no rule to impose a penalty on those who do it, he said. Ponharith could not be reached. The CNRPs deputy leader, Kem Sokha, on Tuesday posted on Facebook saying that the allegations were another attempt to smear the opposition ahead of local elections planned for June. We should acknowledge that when an election is approaching, there will be more stories, so we shouldnt be surprised. We must focus on our work, he wrote. Meas Ny, a social researcher, said the ruling party was setting a bad example by giving credence to rumor and innuendo, labeling the pre-election period as barking season. Late last year, Sokha was sentenced in case related to his alleged involvement in an extra-marital affair, a case that has seen five people detained so far. Opposition lawmakers plan to summon three government ministers to answer questions in parliament, but Prime Minister Hun Sen has intervened, pledging to block any attempt to summon them before parliamentary committees. The ministers who are to be summoned are Tea Banh, national defense minister, Ith Samheng, labor minister, and Veng Sokhun, agriculture minister. Son Chhay, a senior Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmaker, on Tuesday told reporters the officials would be summoned. On Wednesday, Hun Sen said he would block the request. I will not permit the request. You ought to obey the law by entering the national assembly first. If you disobey the law, how can you summon the others to address those issues? I will not permit it. You ought to obey the law, he said. Chhay said the refusal of the opposition to join sessions in the National Assembly in protest at legal action against its members, which is widely seen as politically motivated, was not unconstitutional. The Cambodia National Rescue Party has the right to summon the ministers to address the issues in order to ensure the effectiveness of government performance, he said. It is obligatory to summon ministers and the prime minister is obliged to send the minister here, he added. Leng Peng Long, National Assembly spokesman, said that they are still considering Hun Sens objection to the CNRPs request. They have the right to [call ministers], but they boycotted the meeting [on Tuesday]. Therefore, there is no balance between the two parties. President Donald Trump is a skeptic of climate science, questioning that human activity is the main cause of global warming. He has threatened to pull the United States out of the Paris agreement to limit greenhouse gases. But while Trump does not see climate change as a threat, the military he now commands, does. VOA's Steve Baragona has more. The United States is readying a group of roughly 300 Marines to deploy to Afghanistans southern Helmand province this spring to assist local forces retake several districts lost to the Taliban during the past year and defend the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, seen as the gateway to the rest of the country. The city has come under repeated Taliban offensive in recent months, but Afghan forces have been able to prevent the fall of Lashkar Gah. Helmand, the largest poppy-growing Afghan province, has been the scene of intense fighting throughout 2016. Clashes are ongoing in parts of the province, particularly in and around a key district center, Sangin. Wednesday, missiles fired by Taliban insurgents landed in the center of Lashkar Gah, killing a civilian and wounding several others. But newly installed provincial governor, Hayatullah Hayyat, appears confident Afghan forces with the help of American marines will prevail in the battlefield during this fighting season. We hope that we will expand the area and we will reach those people who are actually taken by the Taliban [and using them] as a human shields. We will be able inshallah [God willing] to extend our freedom and peace to their location, he told VOA by telephone from Lashkar Gah. A great step Hayyat welcomed the planned deployment of U.S. soldiers to Helmand, insisting their role will be limited to advising, mentoring and training Afghan forces. Sending additional number of advisors and soldiers to assist our guys in training and advisory role that is excellent because we need to develop our forces, their knowledge, their training and to equip our security forces. So, I think it is a great step and I am quite sure together we will achieve more in this insecure situation, Hayyat said. The U.S. Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction in his report this week said that eight out of 14 districts of Helmand are under insurgent control or influence. Governor Hayyat says Afghan forces have gained enough battlefield experience during the past two years and are better prepared to tackle Taliban insurgents in the coming warmer months when fighting is expected to pick up in Helmand and elsewhere in Afghanistan. But Hayyat urged the Taliban to cease violence in favor of finding a negotiated solution to the war. The doors are open for them [Taliban]. I think the only way is that we should discuss and we should come to the table of negotiations, that is the only way which can take us to a prosperous country and also to a stable situation, the governor added. Helmand is the largest of all 34 Afghan provinces and shares borders with Pakistan and Iran. Afghan authorities accuse both neighbors of interference in their country and supporting the Taliban. Calling on Pakistan, Iran Governor Hayyat called on Pakistan and Iran to use their influence with the insurgents to help Afghanistan bring an end to the conflict before it engulfs their territories. I would like to call on these people [Pakistan and Iran] that if they like peace, the Afghans also deserve that. So, I think the only way [for the two countries] is to push or use their influence on the Taliban and other insurgents to come and talk [to the Afghan government], the Afghan governor maintained. Hayyat dismissed assertions Taliban leaders and commanders have returned to Helmand from their sanctuaries in neighboring Pakistan. "I think, based on our intelligence information and investigative proofs that we have, they [Taliban] don't have a safe place here to live," the Afghan governor claimed. He suggested Irans link to the Taliban could be aimed at fueling the insurgency in order to obstruct construction of dams in Helmand and neighboring provinces of Nimrozz and Farha, which share a border with Iran. I think Iran is keen that we should not stop this water, the governor said. Pakistan and Iran deny allegations of supporting the insurgent violence in Afghanistan and maintain they are making all possible efforts to promote peace and reconciliation between the warring sides. Hayyat says he hopes President Donald Trumps new administration will continue U.S. assistance for Afghan military and civilian reconstruction programs. There are about 8,400 U.S troops stationed in Afghanistan as part of NATOs Resolute Support mission, conducting training, advise and assist missions, and counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida remnants and loyalists of Islamic State in Afghanistan. U.S. officials say the 300 Marines deployed to Helmand will be the largest number of Marines operating in the country since 2014, when most American combats troops left Afghanistan. The transition process at the African Union Commission has begun, following a meeting between newly elected chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat Chad's foreign minister and outgoing chairperson of the commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. In addtion, the outgoing chairman of the African Union, Chadian President Idris Debby, met Guinean President Alpha Conde the incoming chairman at the African Union's headquarters at the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, according to Jacob Enoh Eben, spokesperson for the former chairperson of the African Union Commission. The new African Union Commission head would have about three months to set up his cabinet. "In the case of this current transition the three months would be April, so they can go as fast as they want, but they would have a maximum of three months," Eben said. Eben expressed confidence that the newly elected head of the commission would move swiftly to assemble his cabinet. "Probably, within a month's period, you would hear them appointing the key staff, the chief of staff, key advisers with whom they would be working with, and even including members of the secretariat," Eben said. Africa and the ICC At the just-ended African Union summit of heads of state and government in Ethiopia, the leaders resolved to pull out of the United Nations-backed Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) unless the court undergoes some changes. The African Union previously had urged members not to cooperate with the ICC, after accusing the court of targeting Africans. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto had cases against them dropped by the ICC, while Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is under indictment for alleged human rights violations and crimes against humanity. Botswana is among the few countries in Africa to defy the continental body's call for member countries not to cooperate with the ICC. On his first trip to the European Union since the U.S. presidential election, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday headed to Hungary, the nation whose leader has cozied up to Moscow despite Russia-West tensions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a populist dubbed little Putin by his opponents, has been critical of the U.S. and of EU sanctions imposed on Russia for its action in Ukraine. Speaking ahead of Putin's visit, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the EU sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their objectives and cost Hungary some $6.7 billion in export opportunities. He also pointed at what he described as the previous U.S. administration's pressure on Hungary to prevent it from warming up to Moscow. The whole world is noticeably holding its breath while waiting to see if there will be rapprochement ... in American-Russian relations and if so, to what depth and dimension, Szijjarto said. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to mend ties with Russia, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russia's meddling in the U.S. elections. For the first time since his inauguration, Trump on Saturday had a phone call with Putin, which both the White House and the Kremlin described in strongly positive terms. If American pressure has been taken off European countries in terms of the sanctions, and there seems to be a good chance for this, I believe all of those who emphasized pragmatic relations and talked about the need to reevaluate the sanctions will be more courageous and that will be a new basis for debate, Szijjarto said Wednesday. Hungary has also voiced hope for better ties with Washington under Trump. Orban has criticized the past administration for what he described as attempts to influence Hungary's domestic policies, such as a ban on entering the U.S. for six Hungarians, including the then-head of the Hungarian tax office, because of corruption allegations. Orban, who has faced EU criticism for building a barbed-wire fence along its borders with Serbia and Croatia to stop migrants, has a sympathetic interlocutor in Putin, who has warned that flows of migrants could destabilize Europe. Putin's foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov hailed what he described as good personal ties between the Russian and Hungarian leaders. Putin last visited Hungary in February 2015, and Orban traveled to Moscow a year ago. Discussions focused on long-term supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary and a deal to expand Hungary's Soviet-built nuclear power plant with a 10 billion-euro loan provided by Russia. Ushakov said during this visit the parties will discuss the possibility of extending prospective Russian pipelines to Hungary, as well as the Paks nuclear plant deal. The plant, launched in the 1980s, now accounts for about 40 percent of Hungary's energy consumption, and building two new reactors there will double its output, Ushakov said. The project is still awaiting permission from the European Commission, which Ushakov said has stymied it with quibbles. Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't just appreciate Donald Trump's politics. He is starting to sound like him on Twitter. Over the past year, the Israeli prime minister has increasingly taken to social media to make policy statements. He also uses it to deride the Israeli media for its reporting on him. "It's fun. I enjoy it," he told the foreign media at a gathering last month. While he fully supported press freedom and the right to criticize, he added: "Guess what? We should have the freedom to criticize them, and that's what I do on occasion. And it's a lot of fun." In recent weeks, in the build up to Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration and in the days since, some of Netanyahu's posts have adopted the president's unmistakable rat-a-tat syntax. "President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea," Netanyahu tweeted on Jan. 28, posting pictures of the U.S. and Israeli flags next to each other. Trump retweeted it to his 23 million followers, contributing to it getting far more attention than Netanyahu's tweets normally do: 53,000 retweets and more than 100,000 likes. The ramping-up of Netanyahu's presence on Twitter and Facebook has largely taken place since he appointed a new English-language spokesman in early 2016 American-born David Keyes, who has a background in online video campaigns. "He speaks directly to the people and can bypass the often deeply biased traditional media," Keyes said last month. "The prime minister's innovative use of social media is making Israel accessible and understood to countless people around the globe." The 67-year-old prime minister also employs a 24-year-old, Topaz Luk, as director of social media strategy. The right-wing Israeli leader has dreamed of a Republican in the White House throughout his four terms in office, including three awkward years with Bill Clinton and eight years of dust-ups with Barack Obama. Obama's term ended with Netanyahu using Twitter to accuse the outgoing president of secretly backing an anti-Israel U.N. resolution. Trump has promised to carry out policies that Netanyahu has long sought, such as moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, rethinking a nuclear accord with Iran, and keeping quiet while Israel builds more settlements. The two men will meet in Washington on Feb. 15. Trouble Netanyahu's critics say social media can cause trouble when posts are misunderstood. In the case of his tweet about Trump and walls, it prompted a formal protest by the Mexican government, which saw Netanyahu as taking sides on a bilateral issue by supporting Trump's plan to build a wall on the U.S. southern border. Netanyahu said he was not commenting on U.S.-Mexican relations or the wisdom of Trump's wall, simply responding to comments from Trump that praised Israel's own wall-building. Trump may have been referring to the concrete-and-steel barrier Israel has built along and inside the occupied West Bank, which Israel refuses to call a "wall" at all, and which Palestinians regard as an illegal land grab. The wall Netanyahu boasted about in his reply is a smaller, less controversial steel barrier on the border with Egypt largely designed to stop illegal migrants from Africa. But whatever the source of the misunderstanding, Netanyahu knew who to blame. "The left-wing media is engaged in a Bolshevik hunt, brainwashing and character assassination against me and my family," he said in Hebrew, before going on to invoke one of Trump's favorite phrases. "It happens every day and night. They are producing about us a flood, there is no other word for it, a flood of fake news." Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik confirmed on Thursday the accuracy of VOA Bosnian Service's investigative report he spent close to $30 million on lobbying in the United States. Dodik, the president of the Republika Srpska, told journalists that the autonomous Bosnian-Serb entity has possibly paid about $30 million to firms lobbying the U.S. government in Washington. "It is public knowledge that for the past 10 years we have contacts with certain agencies [in the U.S.] Thanks to that we had a good standing of Republica Srpska in the past, and we were able to provide explanations regarding certain questions," Dodik said, according to Bosnian news agency FENA. Thats not a lot of money, if you consider the time over which it was spent. VOA's Bosnian service reported on Monday that Bosnian Serb leader spent $29,635,062,83 on lobbying efforts. The report was picked up by local media outlets and the news spread quickly through social media. On January 17, the United States Treasury department imposed sanctions on Dodik for an active obstruction of efforts to implement the 1995 Dayton Accords, which ended the bloody 1990s conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sanctions allow U.S. authorities to block access by Dodik to any of his property or assets that are under U.S. jurisdiction. Dodik was once commended as a democratic reformer in Bosnia, but ties with the U.S. and EU have soured over the past several years. During the same time, he has been praised by Russia, with which he advocates closer political and economic relations. Recently, Dodik has called for independence for Republika Srpska, questioned the legitimacy of the judiciary and even withdrawn Republika Srpska soldiers from the country's unified military. Dodik was also recently refused a diplomatic visa by the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo, which prevented him from coming to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Dodik claimed he had been officially invited to attend the event. However it turned out the invitation was for a private ball sponsored by religious and conservative groups. Burundian authorities say they have released more than 2,000 prisoners, including dozens of members of the opposition MSD party. The release of the prisoners began last week, and the court is expected to complete the process in the coming days. But MSD party officials argue the clemency order issued by the president does not help to solve the countrys political crisis. The courts in Burundi have been working around the clock to release more than 2,500 prisoners, after President Pierre Nkurunziza announced clemency. The courts have been releasing an average of 150 prisoners a day. Presidential deputy spokesman Karerwa Ndenzako says the pardon is for those with jail terms of less than five years. Whoever has been released has not been released because he is a member of this or that political party," said Ndenzako. "They have been released because the crimes they committed fulfilled the requirement in the presidential pardon and the message is to further consolidate peace and unity. Among those released are 58 MSD party opposition members. MSD Secretary General Abdoul Nzeyimana says the inmates being released did not commit crimes. He says it is right they get their freedom after being denied their rights for more than two years. He says they will not say thank you, because there are many Burundians who have been jailed against the law because of their political choices. Human right organizations say thousands of Burundians have been detained by security agencies and more than 250,000 have fled the country. U.N. investigators documented hundreds of cases of torture and ill-treatment since Burundi's crisis began in April 2015 when president Nkurunziza announced a plan to run for a third term in office. Since then, the country has been hit by a wave of violence and killings. Government officials believe the latest move will bring much needed stability and national reconciliation after nearly two years of political violence. Nzeyimana of the opposition MSD party disagrees. He says this is one way president Nkurunziza is using to show stability is returning to the country, but he says that is deceitful and a lie. He says there are more than 2,000 MSD party members in prison and only a few of the country's political prisoners were released. Nzeyimana says his party can not say anything constructive has been done. Ndenzako says this is the beginning of many things to come from President Nkurunziza. "People are never satisfied, but there is a beginning for everything," sais Nkurunziza. "So they should not take this for granted, they should be thankful even for the small mercies and expect the best in the coming days. Most people rest their hope on political dialogue, but talks have failed to take off several times when the government refused to meet some opposition members they accuse of fomenting violence in Burundi. Colombia's second-biggest rebel group, the ELN, freed a politician it had held captive for almost 10 months on Thursday, meeting a government requirement for delayed peace talks with the group to begin. The National Liberation Army released Odin Sanchez, 62, to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which will accompany him on a flight to Quibdo, in northwestern Choco province, a government official told reporters. President Juan Manuel Santos had conditioned talks with the 2,000-strong ELN, considered a terrorist group by the United States and European Union, on freedom for its hostages. The group has kidnapped hundreds of people over its 52 years to raise funds for the war and to use as bargaining chips with the government. Talks in Quito were delayed in November pending Sanchez's release and a government pardon for two jailed rebels. Sit-down negotiations are now set for February 7. "We have complied and turned over Mr. Odin, we expect the same respect for his word from @JuanManSantos, may he hand over our pardoned," the ELN said in a tweet, referencing Santos. The group later tweeted the two rebels had undergone a medical check and were released. FARC deal Santos signed a revised peace deal with the larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrilla group last year. Voters shockingly rejected the first version last month because they felt it was too lenient on the Marxist rebels. The FARC agreement was lauded internationally. Santos won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize last month for his efforts to end the conflict. More than 220,000 people have been killed in Colombia's long-running armed conflict. Founded by radical Catholic priests and inspired by Cuba's 1959 revolution, the ELN has been in on-and-off preliminary talks with the government since 2014. The rebels have remained active during that time, kidnapping and bombing oil installations, though in recent months they have released other captives. Sanchez has been referred to as the group's last remaining hostage, but many suspect it still holds unreported captives. The talks with ELN would most likely mirror those held with FARC. Peace with the two groups is unlikely to end violence in a country also ravaged by unrest from drug trafficking, but would allow economic development in once off-limits areas and shift more resources to fight growing criminal gangs. Analysts say the death of Congolese opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi could undermine a recent accord aimed at ending the countrys political crisis. Tshisekedi, who died Wednesday in Belgium at age 84, is remembered as a steady and honest dissenting voice during years of violence and political turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its predecessor, Zaire. Gerard Prunier, an author and historian specializing in Africas Great Lakes region, said, during the long rule of Mobutu Sese Seko, Tshisekedi refused to compromise on his beliefs or accept a highly paid position as a minister in Mobutus government. He was honest, he was steadfast and he even was big-headed, you could say, but at least he didnt change every morning and go for the money and the benefits, Prunier told VOA Thursday. His character was strong, but very difficult, which is why he survived all that long in opposition. He never tarnished his name. Tshisekedis death leaves a vacuum at the top of the party he led, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), and in the DRC political opposition at a particularly important moment. New Years accord In December, DRC political leaders reached a deal for an election to be held before the end of 2017 and for current President Joseph Kabila to step down early the following year. Kabilas efforts to stay in office past his mandated two terms have sparked widespread protests and drawn condemnation from around the world. Albert Moleka, Tshisekedis former chief of staff, said progress was made recently in implementing the accord, negotiated with the help of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) and the DRCs Catholic bishops. The accord calls for a prime minister to be selected from the opposition and for additional power-sharing. Moleka said Tshisekedis death is a challenge both for the negotiations and for the political situation overall, adding that its too early to know how events will play out. Lets see how the people will react, and I think the political priorities will come later, he said. Bruno Tshibala, assistant secretary general of the UDPS, said work remains to be done to finalize the agreement, and Tshisekedis death has added uncertainty to the process. The death of a great leader of the character of President Tshisekedi couldnt help but have a great impact on the negotiations to finalize the accord of December 31, 2016, and on the future of the country, Tshibala told VOAs French to Africa service. UDPS future Prunier is pessimistic about the immediate future of the opposition party and said Tshisekedi was the only thing that held it together. UDPS still existed because of him. His son will try to pick up the pieces as he can, Prunier said, speaking of Felix Tshisekedi, who some hope can fill his fathers shoes. Given the extraordinary disparity of the Congolese political landscape, nobody will manage to keep the UDPS in one piece. It will explode and go in various directions, Prunier predicted. Tshisekedi had also succeeded in unifying disparate opposition leaders, including Moise Katumbi, the governor of Katanga, to form a unified front against the Kabila government. Tshisekedi, born in Kananga, founded the UDPS in 1982 and was the runner-up in the 2011 general election, which Kabila won. He had traveled to Belgium this week for treatment when his condition quickly worsened. Radio France Internationale reported he died of a pulmonary embolism. The initial exams were good, but in a surprising manner, he succumbed, Tshibala said. Leading Congolese opposition figure Etienne Tshisekedi died Wednesday in Brussels of an undisclosed illness, bringing to an end a political career which spanned six tumultuous decades. His passing comes at a crucial time for the opposition as it fights to dislodge President Joseph Kabila. Etienne Tshisekedi founded the UDPS, the DRCs oldest and largest opposition party, in 1982 to fight the dictatorial regime of Mobutu Sese Seko. He had broken with his former boss and would remain the country's most prominent opposition politician for the rest of his life. He battled Mobutus successors first Laurent Kabila and then his son Joseph, despite Tshisekedi's poor health later in life. He boycotted the DRC's first multi-party elections in four decades in 2006, and then ran and lost in 2011, although he said the polls were rigged and declared himself the rightful winner. On October 4, Etienne Tshisekedi addressed his supporters in person for the final time. The 84-year-old was visibly frail. His speech lasted only several minutes, yet was received rapturously. Tshisekedi told his supporters that they would soon show President Kabila a red card and remove him from power. Tshisekedi had returned to the country from Brussels in July of last year to lead the charge against Joseph Kabila who, having served his constitutional limit of two terms in office, was due to step down in December; but, elections were delayed. Tshisekedis passing leaves the opposition at a crucial impasse. Albert Moleka, Tshisekedis former chief of staff, said to VOA, "who said that no other individual can match Tshisekedis charisma or capacity to mobilize the Congolese population for a struggle. Moleka believes, however, that the Rassemblement coalition and the UDPS have people capable of coordinating the different trends and ambitions within the movements. If they fail, Moleka says, the danger of breaking up is always there. Last year saw violent, deadly protests against Kabila. On New Year's Eve, the Rassemblement signed a deal with the ruling alliance to hold elections this year. The agreement leaves Kabila in office for the interim. Tshisekedi, as president of the Rassemblement, was to lead the monitoring committee tasked with applying the deal. His former chief of staff Moleka said for some in the presidents alliance, Tshisekedis death will be like a weight lifted from their backs since he was the central element of the agreement and the person who frightened them. Talking to local media, a government spokesman offered his condolences to Tshisekedis family and party. Late Wednesday and early Thursday, as news of Tshisekedis death spread, police fired tear gas to disperse supporters trying to gather outside his home in the Limete district of the capital. Blasted by mainstream leaders and embraced by the far right, the temporary U.S. travel ban has touched a raw nerve in Europe, before elections in several key European countries where immigration and security are hot-button topics. Some point to the border walls that have sprouted across the region and a controversial deal struck with Turkey as testament to the European Union's own fractured response to immigrants and asylum seekers. The European Union "is not in a good position to give opinions about the choices of others," Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano told the Corriera della Sera newspaper this week. Populist parties in Italy, which like Greece has faced waves of asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East, see things differently. "Only feminists, lawyers, dwarfs and ballerinas" are against the U.S. ban, said Forza Italia party member Maurizio Gasparri. Washington says the temporary ban targeting Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan aims to give U.S. officials time to set up stronger screening procedures against potential terrorists. Threats within borders But a sizable chunk of Western Europe's security threat is homegrown, experts note. In the case of the 2015 Paris attacks, "the perpetrators were born here and went through our public school system," said far-right expert Jean-Yves Camus. "They didn't come from Afghanistan or Syria. They wanted to take revenge on France, on a country they were citizens of." That has not stopped right-wing parties from hailing the U.S. ban and calling for similar measures in Europe. "Well done @Potus it's the only way to stay safe," tweeted Geert Wilders of the Dutch far-right Freedom Party, whose popularity is surging before March elections. In Germany, which weathered several terror attacks, the right-wing National Democratic Party hailed the ban as barring "pseudo refugees and Muslims." Meanwhile, in France, where far-right leader Marine Le Pen is expected to finish first in April's first round of presidential voting, a senior member of her National Front party suggested the country should follow America's example. "Why not?" FN Vice President Steeve Briois told Agence France-Presse. Other priorities On Wednesday, Le Pen's campaign chairman, David Racheline, dialed back the remarks, saying a travel ban was not the party's top priority. "We only said it was possible to do," Racheline told French radio. "What we want to do first is re-establish our borders." More practically, said expert Camus, a travel ban would be unworkable in France, where members of a large ethnic North African community regularly travel back and forth to their homelands. But calls for immigration curbs are resonating in France and elsewhere in Europe. An August Ipsos poll found that 57 percent of French believe there are too many immigrants here already; more than six in 10 believe refugees are unable to integrate. Jean-Francois Dubost, who heads Amnesty International France's population protection program, thinks those statistics tell only part of the story. "People are confused about the difference between immigrants and refugees," Dubost said. While many French support the rights of those fleeing war and terrorism, he said, many also say in surveys that France cannot handle more refugees. "But they cite economic concerns," he added, "not security ones." Europe's immigration record also reflects the gap between rhetoric and practice. While Germany has welcomed hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers, a policy that has cost Chancellor Angela Merkel voter support, others have failed to live up to their refugee promises. Smaller numbers, border fences France, for example, has resettled only about 5,000 of the 30,000 asylum seekers it vowed to take in from Greece and Italy. Others, like Austria, Hungary and Macedonia, have built border fences. On the whole, Europe has been "a lot more generous" than the United States in taking in refugees and migrants, said Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Center for European Reform in Brussels. "We've been more generous in the amount of money given to support refugees in the Middle East and also in the number of people entering Europe," he added. "So Europe still has some moral standing to say, 'We've done our best to cope with the refugee crisis in the Middle East.' " Yet he thinks Europe, too, will try to intensify surveillance cooperation and vetting mechanisms to weed out and send back potential terrorists, such as the Tunisian author of December's Berlin attack. "How do we make sure we remove these people, but still keep our doors open to people who have a well-founded fear of persecution and deserve asylum?" he asked. "That's a hard balance to strike." When European Council President Donald Tusk put out an open letter this week describing the Trump administration as a "threat" to Europe, his message was clear: Europe must unite or fall prey to threats from Russia. But European governments are far from united in their approach to U.S. President Donald Trump. Some governments, like that of Britain's Theresa May, see their interests better served by engaging and aligning with the new U.S. administration. Others, like Germany and France, have chosen to confront. The differing approaches show the challenges that European leaders face in adapting to Trump, whom they can love or loathe, but cannot ignore. Europe is not adapting very well at the moment, said John Ryan, a professor of political economy at the London School of Economics. I think there's a degree of shock at the election result, and also I don't think that European politicians or media really followed closely enough what Donald Trump was saying on the campaign trail. Among Trump's campaign promises that have jarred Europeans were his plans to restrict travel from some majority-Muslim countries and his pledge to demand more contributions to NATO from member countries that he says are not paying their share. Britain's alignment Britain has chosen the path of alignment, observers say, as a political necessity. One of the things politically that our government has to show is that post Brexit, Britain is not isolated, we have friends and we have allies. And if that friend and that ally happens to be the most powerful country on earth, so much the better, said Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at Kings College London. The EU's calls for unity have been blunt in their characterization of Trump's policies. In his letter this week, Tusk named worrying declarations by the new American administration among a list of external threats on par with Russia, China, and radical Islam. Those threats, he wrote, all make our future highly unpredictable. The language was striking, reflecting a growing nervousness among the EU leadership. In Brussels there is a degree of concern that pillars of the traditional transatlantic relationship are starting to look a bit wobblier than people would have liked, and that Europe needs to start preemptively talking about that, said Menon. Merkel's challenge American and European media have sometimes touted Germany's Angela Merkel as the new leader of the free world and some observers, as well as some leaders, expect some governments in Europe to rally around the German leader to present a united front. Quiet anxiety about the Trump administration turned into open criticism this week following the implementation of an executive order that temporarily barred entry into the United States for citizens of seven mainly Muslim countries.U.S. officials say the measure, supported by roughly one-half of Americans, is not aimed specifically at Muslims and was necessary to safeguard the American people, our homeland, our values against terrorism. The American action has been welcomed by a few far-right parties and governments in Europe, including the leaders of Hungary and Poland. But Merkel has emerged as the prospective leader of what media are characterizing as a continent-wide rebellion against Trump's policy. I have made it clear once again that the fight against terrorism does not justify a general advance against certain countries, she has said. Also critical has been French President Francois Hollande, who recently accused the new U.S. administration of encouraging populism, and even extremism. Neither leader is on secure ground as their countries prepare for national elections this year. Merkel, while riding high in the polls, has been weakened by the migrant crisis, which saw her country absorb 1.1 million migrants last year alone, and a rising far-right, anti-immigration movement. Hollande, with popularity ratings sinking to 4 percent at the end of 2016, will not run for re-election, and a strong push is under way from the right to elect anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen or at the very least a center-right candidate with views that are more sympathetic to Trump. You're talking really about whether Paris and Berlin and London could do something for European unity and that is very, very difficult with Britain on its way out [of the EU], and Paris and Berlin being under pressure from populist movements that are anti-European Union, said Ryan. Transatlantic relationship Observers note it is still early, and European leaders are waiting for more clarity on exactly what Trump's strongly stated positions will mean for the longer-term Transatlantic relationship. They are nervous, though, and how they adapt will depend on whether Trump follows through on his promises, as well as what the political landscape in Europe looks like after elections in France and Germany. This uncertainty could not have come at a worse time for Europe, wrote Hans Kundnani, a Europe researcher at the Transatlantic Academy. There have been many calls for Europeans to pull together and, as usual, some hopes that a crisis might force further integration. The U.S. president continues to be the subject of ridicule in some European newspapers and comedy shows. A newspaper in Britain on Thursday quoted Sir Bernard Ingham, a former spokesman for the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as saying Trump's narrowed eyes and belligerent posture make him appear like Italy's World War II leader Benito Mussolini with a wig. At some point, observers say Europeans will have no choice but to adapt and deal with the new administration. British media were certainly giving a free pass to Hillary Clinton, and really hoping or thinking that Hillary Clinton would win the election and really just cast Donald Trump in sort of a parody, and never really looked closely enough at his policy and now he's in power, said Ryan. There is a case for Donald Trump to moderate his stance, but at the same time, you have to ask the Europeans to moderate their statements when they don't like what they're hearing, Ryan said. Of course we can't ignore the president of the United States. We have to take him at his word, and from a European perspective, there has to be less talk and more getting on with things, he said. European Union heads of state meet Friday in Malta for a summit that will focus on curbing migration from Libya. More than 180,000 people attempted to cross the Mediterranean on smugglers' boats in 2016, and more than 3,000 migrants drowned. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the European Union hopes to boost the capability of Libyan security forces, but faces huge challenges in trying to stem the flow of migrants. 4 An Indonesian woman known as Linda (C) is helped by two Sharia officials after being caned for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. The man poised to become Haitis president on February 7 draws a parallel between himself and the new chief executive of the United States, suggesting his desire to forge a personal bond between Port-au-Prince and Washington. Like Donald Trump, Jovenel Moise has a resume steeped in business, but no previous experience in public office. A successful banana exporter, Moise earlier helped create a regional power company and ran a water distribution plant, among other pursuits. "President Trump and I are entrepreneurs, and all an entrepreneur wants is results, Moise said in an interview last week with the Reuters news agency. And therefore I hope we'll put everything in place to make sure we deliver for our peoples." But the Haitian businessman, 48, faces lingering suspicions related to his financial dealings. Late last month, he spent four hours in a closed Port-au-Prince courtroom answering questions about purported money laundering. He has denied the allegation, claiming its politically motivated. Moises opponents are pressing for a decision by inauguration day on whether formal charges should be brought. New president delayed This Caribbean nation of 11 million people has suffered a protracted election cycle. A first round of voting in 2015, was nullified after allegations of fraud. A second round, set for last October, was delayed after Hurricane Matthew struck, killing at least 1,000 people. Haiti was still struggling to recover from a massive 2010 earthquake that left at least 200,000 dead and the capital city in ruins. Moise, handpicked by former President Michel Martelly to represent his change-oriented Haiti Bald Headed Party, won nearly 56 percent of the November vote. Interim President Jocelerme Privert has led Haiti since Martellys five-year term ended a year ago. Moise has said as president he would govern inclusively. We have to work together, he told VOA in an interview in Haitis capital on the eve of his election victory. Maintain US relations Moise told Reuters he hopes that U.S.-Haiti relations will be based on a results-oriented cooperation in the interest of both countries. The United States is the biggest benefactor to Haiti, the Western Hemispheres poorest country. It had disbursed $3.9 billion in post-quake aid as of September 30, 2016, the State Department told VOA. The amount includes $2.5 billion in reconstruction and development spending. The new U.S. president has said his administration will scrutinize all foreign aid commitments. As a candidate, Trump criticized some aid spending in Haiti, alleging certain contracts benefited the family foundation and friends of his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, including while she served as secretary of state. The Clintons, including Bill Clinton, who as president ordered U.S. troops to Haiti in 1994 to return democratically elected Jean Bertrand Aristide to power after a military coup, denied any wrongdoing. Bill Clinton later served as a U.N. special envoy to Haiti. The Associated Press reported that the State Department found no evidence of preferential treatment or contracts. Military plans? Moise told VOA he wants to resurrect a standing army, which Aristide disbanded upon returning to Haiti. But he acknowledged theres no budget for an army in Haiti, where U.N. peacekeepers supplement civilian police in providing security. State Department special coordinator for Haiti Kenneth Merten told VOA the United States wouldnt support a Haitian army, with its history of coups detat. Weve spent a lot of money so Haiti could have a police force that is competent and transparent, Merten says. Jobs Moise campaigned on economic expansion, saying Haiti would use the people, the sun, the land and water. The president-elect wants to improve agriculture and develop more tourism. Haiti should have four or five tourist destinations, just like the Dominican Republic, he told VOA. Pierre Marie Boisson, chief economist of Haitis Sogebank Group, predicted that installing a democratically elected president and filling vacant parliamentary seats would improve the economy and inspire broader confidence in the countrys prospects. "We must expect a booming economy" in 2018, Boisson told VOA. He said the growth would be led in part by the apparel industry, which employs tens of thousands in Haiti. Some Haitians have fled their impoverished country, including thousands massing just south of the U.S.-Mexico border while seeking entry to the United States. After the 2010 quake in Haiti, the United States granted asylum-seekers temporary work permits and shielded them from deportation. That changed in September, with the Department of Homeland Security announcing renewed strict enforcement in light of Haitis improving economy. Israeli security forces continued working Thursday to clear the last remaining people from an illegal Jewish settlement in the West Bank. The operation to clear the Amona outpost began Wednesday with police confronting hundreds of residents and protesters who set up barricades and threw stones at officers. Angry protesters and settlers yelled at the police that Jews dont expel Jews. About 20 officers were hurt. By Thursday, the focus was on the synagogue in Amona where remaining settlers had planted themselves inside. Israels Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that the Amona settlement was built on private Palestinian land and would have to be demolished by February 8. Ultra-conservative Israeli officials fought to reverse the ruling. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved 3,000 new homes for the evacuated settlers and others elsewhere in the West Bank. As Amona's uprooted residents and their supporters bemoaned their fate, Arabs in a neighboring Palestinian village clapped and shook hands. Ibrahim Yakoob, 56, a Palestinian farmer who is part owner of the land that Amona occupied, told reporters: "It feels great to see settlers being taken off my land and their caravans removed. The court has done a good thing, although it has taken a long time." Israel's Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that the Amona settlement had been built on private Palestinian land and would have to be demolished, over the objections of ultraconservative Israeli officials who fought to reverse the ruling. Amona is the largest of about 100 unauthorized outposts erected in the West Bank without permission but until now generally tolerated by the Israeli government. Built in the 1990s, Amona stretches out over a rugged, grassy hilltop and looks out across a valley onto Palestinian villages. Palestinians say Jewish settlements on land they want as part of a future state are a major impediment to peace. Israel says the Palestinians' refusal to recognize the Jewish state is blocking Mideast peace. Israel was furious when the United States, under former President Barack Obama, abstained instead of vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution in December calling the settlements illegal and demanding that Israel stop building them. The new Trump White House has so far been silent on Israeli settlement construction, but Jewish settlers told reporters Wednesday that they expected the new U.S. administration would not stand in the way of a new wave of settlements in the West Bank. "After eight years of Obama, who didn't let us build, now we'll say, 'We will build and build,' " said Shilo Adler, who heads the Yesha Council, which represents Jewish settlers in the West Bank. "Now is history-making time," Adler told a reporter for The Washington Post. He said the settlers were seeking 100,000 new homes which would at least double the Jewish population in the West Bank on land the Palestinians seek for a future nation. Kosovo's president called on the European Union and NATO on Thursday to warn Serbia against inciting a new conflict in Kosovo and the Balkans. President Hashim Thaci's request followed a Brussels meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and the prime ministers of the two countries, which was convened by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. In a statement Thursday, Thaci accused Belgrade of inciting inter-ethnic hatred in northern Kosovo. Tensions started to build there in December when ethnic Serbs erected a wall at a bridge, saying it was to prevent landslides. The barrier was seen as a provocation by the ethnic Albanian majority. On Thursday, police said 200 ethnic Serbs gathered in northern Mitrovica, a Serb minority area, allegedly after reports of increased presence of Kosovo police there. Police said security was "generally stable.'' "I again invite Serbia to leave aside such practices that do not serve the process of reconciliation and normalization of our relations,'' said Thaci. Nikolic, a staunch pro-Russian politician, has warmed of an armed intervention if Serbs are "jeopardized'' in Kosovo. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksadar Vucic held an urgent meeting with Kosovo Serbs Thursday night - attended by Serbia's defense minister - on the Serbian side of the border with Kosovo. Vucic, a former ultranationalist turned a pro-EU reformer, said the Kosovo government in Pristina is conducting a "dirty campaign.'' "Don't be caught, peace is our interest,'' he said. Mogherini has urged the countries to normalize ties "both to preserve peace and advance toward the European Union.'' Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has not recognized it as a separate country. Serbia, backed by Russia, has sought to maintain influence in Kosovo's north, where most of the country's Serb minority lives. Thousands of NATO-led troops continue to control Kosovo's territory since a three-month air war in 1999 to stop a bloody Serbian crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists. Tensions between Pristina and Belgrade increased in early January with the detention of Ramush Haradinaj, a former Kosovo prime minister, on a Serbian warrant. Days later, a nationalist Serbian train with signs reading "Kosovo is Serbia'' was turned back from the border with Kosovo. Libya's U.N.-backed government has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's temporary ban on its nationals and those of six other countries entering the United States, which put in question attendance at a high-profile conference on Libya planned in Washington for mid-February. The executive order by Trump comes at a time of uncertainty over U.S. policy in Libya, which remains mired in the chaos that followed the NATO-backed 2011 uprising against longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi. The U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) was strongly supported by former U.S. President Barack Obama's administration, but it has struggled to assert its authority in Tripoli and beyond. Factions in eastern Libya aligned with a rival government and with powerful military commander Khalifa Haftar welcomed Trump's election, hoping for more support for their anti-Islamist stance. 'Unjust decision' Trump's travel ban has angered some Libyans, including students studying or planning to study in the United States. GNA Foreign Minister Mohammed Siyala called it an "unjust decision" that should be reviewed. "These actions represent racial discrimination on the basis of religion and are incompatible with human rights," he told local TV station Libya's Channel. Authorities in eastern Libya declined to comment on the ban for days. A spokesman for the eastern-based government said Wednesday, however, that the order "could not be rejected," given Libya's own institutional confusion. A member of the eastern parliament, Youssef al-Fakhri, said that despite Libya's political and security problems, the measure was "not appropriate." The order appeared to put in jeopardy the participation of Libyans invited to a February 16 conference titled "Libya-U.S. Relations 2017: New Vision, Hope and Opportunities." The event, co-hosted by the National Council on U.S.-Libya Relations, lists Libyan speakers, including two former prime ministers and the head of the National Oil Corporation. Several speakers are loyal to or connected with eastern-based factions. "We are clearly concerned with the risk of denial of entrance to some of our key speakers and participants from Libya," Hani Shennib, the council's president, said in an email. "However, we are working diligently with authorities here in the USA and we are hopeful that a resolution to facilitate entrance of our conference participants will present in the next 2-3 days." Exceptions to be sought A GNA spokesman, Ashraf al-Tulti, told Reuters that Libya's foreign ministry would request exceptions from the U.S. Department of State for Libyan attendees. Exceptions to the travel ban can be made on a case-by-case basis, and diplomatic visas are exempt. Tulti, who was invited to attend the Washington conference and holds a diplomatic passport, said he was still waiting for a visa. One Libyan speaker said she had a visa but was still investigating whether she would be able to attend. Under the order released Friday, travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are banned from entering the United States for at least 90 days. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said some countries "may not be taken off the list anytime soon, if they are countries that are in various states of collapse." A confirmation battle is brewing in the U.S. Senate over President Donald Trump's nomination of federal judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Some Democrats have come out against Gorsuch, and Trump is urging Republicans to change Senate rules if necessary to ensure his choice is confirmed. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington. As he arrived in Seoul Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he would sound out ally South Korea on efforts to rein in North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, including plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system there. Mattis visit comes amid reports that the North may be preparing to test a new ballistic missile in what could be an early challenge for U.S. President Donald Trumps administration. I will talk to them about THAAD absolutely, Mattis told reporters shortly before landing in South Korea, referring to the plans to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. North appears to restart reactor South Korea and the United States say the deployment of THAAD is designed to protect against North Koreas growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities. The North appears to have restarted operation of a reactor at its main Yongbyon nuclear facility that produces plutonium that can be used for its nuclear weapons program, according to a U.S. think tank, 38 North. China has objected to THAAD, saying it will destabilize the regional security balance, leading to calls from some South Korean opposition leaders to delay or cancel it. Next: Japan Mattis trip to the region, which also includes a stop in Japan, is his first since becoming Trumps Pentagon chief and is also the first foreign trip by any of Trumps Cabinet secretaries. Mattis is scheduled Thursday to hold talks with South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting president after President Park Geun-hye was impeached over a corruption scandal. U.S. officials have said the trip is meant to reaffirm ties with South Korea and Japan, U.S. allies hosting nearly 80,000 American troops, and the importance of the region overall. That U.S. reaffirmation could be critical after Trump appeared to question the cost of such alliances during the election campaign. He also jolted the region by pulling Washington out of an Asia-Pacific trade deal that Japan had championed. The Mexican government said Wednesday it will open a 90-day consultation period with private business groups about possible changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to re-negotiate NAFTA, a trade pact with Mexico and Canada in operation since 1994. Mexico says it will negotiate changes, but won't accept import quotas or new tariff barriers. Mexico's Economy Department said the consultations will be held simultaneously with similar talks in the United States. Manufacturers in Mexico have benefited from the pact, but Mexico's small farmers say they've been hurt. On Tuesday, President Enrique Pena Nieto reached an agreement with state governors to use their states' offices in the United States to help protect migrants there. Trump has pledged to increase deportations. The amount of money sent home by Mexican migrants living abroad rose to a record high in 2016, driven by a slump in the peso as well as concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump could block transfers to pay for his planned border wall. Remittances to Mexico totaled $26.97 billion in 2016, up nearly 9 percent over 2015, and the highest ever according to Mexican central bank figures that go back to 1995, data showed on Wednesday. Remittances rose by 6.2 percent in December compared with the same month a year earlier to more than $2.3 billion. Most of that came from the United States. Remittances saw the biggest jump in 10 years in November after Trump's surprise election victory. Families of Mexican migrants in central Mexico and migrants in Florida said concern about what Trump could do in office had pushed some to send home more money in November. But Mexico's peso saw a rocky year throughout 2016 and savvy migrants tend to send more money home following sharp losses in the currency. Remittances spiked in February, May, September and November, all months when the peso saw sharp slumps against the dollar. Since mid-2016, the peso began to be pressured by concerns that Trump could win and restrict free trade with Mexico. Trump, a Republican, ran a campaign steeped in anti-Mexican rhetoric and threatened to halt transfers from Mexican nationals unless Mexico agreed to pay for the wall he wants built on the U.S. southern border to keep out illegal immigrants. Mexico has said it will defend the free flow of remittances and tariff-free commerce under the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump says he will dump if he cannot renegotiate it to American advantage. A migrant deal between the European Union and Libya seems closer after leaders of the EU institutions met with the Libyan prime minister on Thursday. Details of the deal, proposed by the EU last week, were discussed ahead of Friday's informal EU summit in Malta. The main discussion point at the summit will be how to control migration from North Africa into Europe, before spring approaches, when the numbers are expected to increase. The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, will propose additional concrete and operational measures to EU heads of states on Friday to stop the trafficking and smuggling networks. Tusk says a deal between the EU and Libya is within reach. Now it is time to close down the route from Libya to Italy. []This is not sustainable for Europe or for Libya, as the smugglers let people drown and undermine the authority of the Libyan state for their own profit. The EU migrant proposal sets aside $214 million to train the Libyan coast guard, invest in local communities and financially support international refugee and migrant agencies. In exchange, the Libyan authorities are to stop the thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The prime minister of the Government of National Accord of Libya, Fayez al-Sarraj, says cooperation on migration issues is also in Libya's interest. This will lead us to solve the problem and to save the lives of the irregular migration and return them to the countries of origin, where they should hopefully find some jobs and some growth in order not to think of leaving and migrating at the risk of their lives. The migrants using the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy are mostly from African countries. Last year, 181,000 migrants arrived, and around 5,000 drowned during the crossing. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights have all criticized Libyas human rights record. Libya has been dealing with political instability, terrorism and economic stagnation since 2011. The authority of Prime Minister al-Sarraj does not cover the entire Libyan territory, but the EU backs his government. Watch: EU Summit Aims to Stem Migration From Libya The EU also selected five African countries Niger, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal and Mali which will all receive financial support to create jobs. In exchange, the countries have to cooperate by halting migrants who aim to travel to Europe illegally. While supporting EU migrant deals, members of the European Parliament condemned the U.S. travel ban during a debate on Wednesday. An executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump last week temporarily denied entry to citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. Barbara Spinelli, an Italian Member of the European Parliament, says that the condemnation by the EU of the U.S. is hypocritical. "I wonder if the EU institutions are aware of the worthlessness of their protests against Trump while at the same time developing operations that violate the Geneva Convention and ignore the clear recommendation made by the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights," she noted, " who said that the return of refugees and migrants to Libya should be avoided because those who try to escape face serious risks: torture in detention camps, sexual violence against women and executions. Despite the outcry by some about the treatment of migrants and refugees, there is heavy political pressure to control migrant flows. Right wing politicians in Europe who speak tough words on closing borders are ranking high in polls for upcoming elections in The Netherlands, France and Germany. A migrant deal between Turkey and the EU in March 2016 significantly reduced the flow along the eastern Mediterranean route, after more than a million migrants and refugees entered into Europe in 2015. German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Turkey Thursday to strengthen ties. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened several times to quit the deal over disagreements between Turkey and the EU over a range of issues. It may surprise some people to learn that in addition to its 50 states and Washington, D.C., the United States includes more than a dozen territories located in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean territories include Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thats where national parks traveler Mikah Meyer recently traveled to visit six pristine National Park Service sites. A centuries-old complex His first stop was the capital city of Puerto Rico, where he stepped into 500 years of history at the San Juan National Historic Site, a massive fort which was used to control the island. Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony for centuries but was turned over to the United States following the Spanish-American war of 1898. Today, visitors come to this World Heritage Site to learn about its history and unique architecture. I was just blown away by the size of it all, Mikah said, I mean some of the forts I've gone to thus far are maybe a city block in size or smaller, and this was three separate sites that were probably four or five city blocks combined. He noted how different it looked, compared to other forts he'd visited, from the American Revolution or the War of 1812. It was in such a completely different climate and had such a different ambiance to it than any of these other ones that I'd been to. Caribbean gem Mikah had another chance for great views of the stunning land and seascapes of Puerto Rico on his flight over to the island of St. Croix -- the largest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, but the least crowded. Mikah said it was fascinating to be in a beautiful place that was so non-touristy. He and his travel companion Andy Waldron felt like locals as they rented a car and drove to practically every part of the island, where they discovered the residents had a really laid-back attitude. Just off St. Croix is the Buck Island Reef National Monument, known for its nesting sites for turtles and birds, and its underwater trail. The small, uninhabited island and its surrounding reef were designated a national monument by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Basically he had gone there on vacation with his family, snorkeled this Buck Island Reef, thought it was amazing and decided to save it as a National Monument, Mikah explained. President Bill Clinton expanded the monument in 2001, declaring it the first marine protected area in the National Park Service. While hurricanes and rising sea temperatures have damaged and continue to threaten the fragile coral, many fish populations and a large number of native plant and animal species like the brown pelican and the St. Croix ground lizard are thriving in these protected spaces. Finding Nemo Despite his fear of the water, and inspired by what he might find in the clear blue sea, Mikah learned how to snorkel on the spot and dived in. He followed the markers of the underground trail where he explored the ancient barrier reef that wraps around two thirds of the island. They gave us an hour to snorkel around and it was kind of like being an explorer, he said. You'd be snorkeling and there would be this amazing brain coral that looks like a giant brain the size of a baby elephant and then you might come around the coral and see this amazing fish -- and it was like Finding Nemo in real life, he said, referring to the hugely popular 2003 film of the same name. But the most amazing moment of all, he related, was the giant school of fish that he encountered. I think it was 300 fish just came passing by, he said. So I was basically swimming with this school of fish. For someone who grew up in Nebraska, not near the ocean, it was just the complete opposite of what I was used to and it was so fascinating, Mikah said. It's definitely my new favorite national monument." Christians Place After Buck Island, Mikah headed to the Christiansted National Historic Site, which is home to a colorful old Danish fort. Their colors for their military sites were yellow and green so it was this glorious yellow with these gorgeous green shutters. The urban park features 18th and 19th century structures in the heart of Christiansted, the capital of the former Danish West Indies on St. Croix Island. Christiansted, which means Christians Place, was named in honor of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway, and was envisioned as a rival to Christiania (later Olso), Norway, in size. According to the National Park Service, it exemplifies the architectural, economic and political influence of Europe like no other place in the Caribbean. Mikah was particularly impressed by the history behind the strategic placement of the cannons around the fort. The tour guide, Bonito Vegas, talked to us about how you could see in the distance where the coral was, and so they knew boats wouldnt come in that way, so they didn't have to put cannons there, he recounted. But they knew this one section had deep water so if the boats wanted to come, this is where their cannons had to be. 2,000 years of human history The next stop for Mikah was the Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve on St. Croix Island. That site is a historical point but it's also an ecological preserve because they found that within this bay there's a bunch of marine life that universities from all over the country come to study and so the National Park Service has been able to preserve that. The site is also famous for its first European visitor -- Christopher Columbus. He stopped here on his second visit to the Caribbean where he came in search of fresh water, Mikah said. Caribbean wildlife Mikah was impressed by the diversity of the wildlife on the islands. Each place we went, even though they were so close, all had their own what I call national park zoo, he said. So in the San Juan National Historic Site there was this massive green iguana, he described, a color that you couldn't imagine was real or came from nature. And then there were the hermit crabs. They were everywhere, Mikah said. If it wasn't developed, it was covered in hermit crabsand I was scared of stepping on one, he recounted with a laugh. And on St. Croix, there were mongooses. Apparently the Europeans brought them over to eat the rats," Mikah said. But apparently they weren't too keen on rats, "so they ended up eating a bunch of the other species on the islands, which are now extinct, Mikah pointed out. But what really took his breath away, Mikah said, was the Caribbean marine life. Observing them in their habitat and exploring other underwater treasures was a transforming experience for him. Look, but dont touch! While snorkeling in Maho Bay on St. John Island, he saw sting rays and sea turtles. You wouldn't imagine this turtle that kind of plops around on sand being graceful but they are in the water, he said. They were made to swim. And at the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, he explored little coves and mangrove forests that help build a sustainable ecology. There are these trees that grow out into the ocean and actually help build new ground around the earth because they put their roots out into the ocean and then bits of debris and sand get caught on the roots and eventually those collect and become earth, he described. So they basically build habitats on level ground so they also serve as nesting areas for baby fish. Around the mangrove roots Mikah saw vibrant queen angelfish, which he described as a stunning visual scene. They are blue fish that have these magnetic yellow stripes down them, he explained. It looks like somebody painted them with glow paint. It was an honor for me to get to experience these places I just felt so lucky because this was something that a little kid from the prairie in Nebraska wouldnt have imagined himself doing. And yet here I was in my own country, seeing a landscape that was so foreign, and yet was part of my story and my nations story and will still be for years hopefully, if we keep protecting it. To learn more about his time in the Caribbean and the many other sites he visited, Mikah invites you to visit him on his website, Facebook and Instagram. It is a massive infrastructure project originating from Kenya, consisting of a 32-berth port on the countrys north coast, a railway, an oil pipeline, highways, international airports, and resort cities. LAPSSET stands for Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport Corridor, a project to connect Kenya with South Sudan, Ethiopia, and eventually West Africa. One of the project's creators, Gerrishon Ikiara, was Kenyas permanent secretary for the Ministry of Transport from 2003 to 2008. You know, for a long time, the products for the exports and imports going to those countries and other countries within East Africa, they have been uncompetitive in international markets, because of the costs of transportation, which has been taking as much as 30 percent of the value of those product, said Ikiara. It [LAPSSET] will make the countries exports much more efficient and rise in value and so forth. LAPSSET corporate affairs officer Benson Thuita says dredging of the first berth at the new Lamu port began in 2016. A new road linking Isiolo to Moyale, on the border of Ethiopia, was finished in September. He says the new Isiolo airport is ready to start operations; once open, it will facilitate the export of beef and the stimulant miraa to the Middle East. Regional circumstances changing Steve McDonald, a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, says the project has the potential to be a great advantage for the region, but circumstances have changed since its inception. The security situation in East Africa, the border situations between South Sudan and Kenya, the border situations between South Sudan and Ethiopia, the refugee flows in Uganda and Kenya and Ethiopia, the security situation is very, very dicey. And that is going to be a real challenge, said McDonald. Ikiara, on the other hand, believes the project may improve security. It is likely to open up the whole of northern Kenya, which for a long time has been a neglected area, and even help to possibly improve security and increase other economic activities, he said. But other issues are also at stake. In 2012, the group Save Lamu filed a petition against the government, warning of environmental degradation, "unprecedented" levels of population growth, and of the destruction of the towns cultural heritage. Lamu, whose old town is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, survives on tourism. Save Lamu Chairman Abubakar Mohamed Ali says that mangroves have been destroyed and local fishermen are trying to figure out how they will earn a living once their normal fishing grounds are occupied. So all these things matter a lot, towards these projects, said Ali. Despite these issues, Ali says he is now in favor of the project, in part because the Kenyan government has compensated local landowners, with some receiving the relatively large sum of about $14,500 for one-acre plots. And, Ali says the government is sending locals for training programs to make them employable. LAPPSET is an estimated $24 billion project, relying heavily on public-private partnership initiatives for funding. A nondescript metal box at the end of an unremarkable pier in Norfolk, Va. is one key to why the U.S. Navy is concerned about climate change. For nine decades, the Sewells Point tide gauge or its ancestors have been recording the sea level off Pier 6 at Naval Station Norfolk. The story it tells is clear. Between naturally sinking land and global warming driven sea level rise, the water is a half-meter higher than it was at the beginning of the last century. That's creating problems at the world's largest naval base. In rough weather, damaging surf slams against electrical, water and steam lines under the piers where the Navy docks its Atlantic fleet. High waves can keep sailors from getting to the ships. Even getting on base is getting harder as "nuisance flooding" becomes a regular problem, cutting off roads around the city of Norfolk. "It's not going to stop us from accomplishing our mission. We're the military. We'll figure it out," said Capt. Dean VanderLey, commanding officer of Naval Facilities Engineering Command for the Mid-Atlantic region. "But it just makes things more difficult." "The higher the sea level gets, the more we're going to have to deal with that," he adds. "I don't think we fully understand the scope of the problem. And we definitely don't fully understand the solution." Hoax vs. threat multiplier The commander-in-chief, President Donald Trump, has called global warming a hoax, although he now says there is "some connectivity" between human activity and climate change. The Pentagon, on the other hand, takes the risks of climate change seriously. Rising seas threaten coastal installations. Severe storms can cut off supply routes. Extreme heat limits training. "The military has seen climate change as a problem since 2003, if not earlier," says retired Army Gen. Gerry Galloway, now with the Center for Climate and Security. National security threats from climate change are included in eight defense and intelligence documents published before President Obama took office, according to the center. "Climate change acts as a threat multiplier for instability in some of the most volatile regions of the world," a group of high-ranking former military officials wrote in a landmark 2007 report. "Economic and environmental conditions in already fragile areas will further erode as food production declines, diseases increase, clean water becomes increasingly scarce, and large populations move in search of resources," the report continued. These conditions "foster the conditions for internal conflicts, extremism and movement toward increased authoritarianism and radical ideologies." Planning for the impacts accelerated under the Obama administration. In 2014, DOD published a "Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap" outlining risks and responses. While the new president is a climate skeptic, his pick for secretary of defense acknowledges the threat. Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis led the U.S. Joint Forces Command. The 2010 Joint Operating Environment report that he signed described climate change as "one of the 10 trends most likely to impact the Joint Force." It notes the melting of the Arctic and the competition for newly available resources "is but one example of potential security challenges that did not exist in the past." Eye to the future Trump supports a strong military, and "I personally don't believe that the administration is going to do anything that's going to interfere with the military being prepared," Galloway says. "Now, there will be fights over dollars," he adds, and who gets the resources will depend on the president's defense priorities. At Naval Station Norfolk, they already are adapting to the realities they see coming. Newer piers are built higher, with the utility lines under a protected concrete deck. "When we do construct facilities, we're doing that with an eye toward the future, as we always do," Capt. VanderLey says. "One of those things we see in the future is, potentially, sea level rise." VanderLey stays away from the politics of climate change and how the new administration might affect adaptation plans. "We're just trying to be good, smart engineers," he says. "And I can't imagine anyone's going to decide to stop being good, smart engineers. A protest turned violent Wednesday night at the University of California at Berkeley campus, where the polarizing head of an iconoclastic far-right website was scheduled to speak. Milo Yiannopoulos was invited by the campus Republican club to speak, but university officials canceled the event shortly before it was to begin, citing safety concerns. Hundreds of protesters smashed windows, set fires and clashed with police as they forced the cancelation of Yiannopoulos' appearance at the liberal-leaning institution. About 1,000 people had gathered on the campus, local media reported. Two hours before the speech, protesters tossed metal barricades and rocks through the buildings windows and set a generator on fire near the entrance, footage from news outlets showed. President Donald Trump expressed contempt for the protesters in a message posted on Twitter early Thursday. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" he tweeted. Police ordered protesters to disperse as the school put the campus on lockdown. Protesters also tossed bricks and fireworks at police in riot gear who fired rubber pellets back at the crowd, according to SFGate.com, a news outlet in San Francisco. Yiannopoulos, 32, is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump. He is also a self-proclaimed internet troll and was banned last year from Twitter after leading a harassment campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones, who is African-American. The Berkeley student Republican club had sponsored his visit to the campus. Pieter Sittler, a spokesman for the Berkeley College Republicans, told the Associated Press the club doesnt support everything Yiannopoulos says, but he gives a voice to repressed conservative thought on American college campuses. He uses levity and humor that should not be taken literally, Sittler said. University officials stressed they do not endorse Yiannopoulos ideas, which have been criticized as racist, misogynistic, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. But they say the university is committed to free speech and so did not initially prohibit his appearance. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Thursday he had spoken candidly and frankly with U.S. President Donald Trump, but would not confirm a Washington Post report that Trump had berated him over a refugee swap deal and cut the call short. The Post report said Trump had described the call with the leader of Australia, one of the United States staunchest allies, as the worst so far. It came less than a day after Washington had sewn confusion in Australia after saying it would apply extreme vetting as part of the resettlement deal. Deal to resettle 1,250 The deal was agreed late last year between Australia, which has fought alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the administration of former President Barack Obama. As part of the deal, Washington agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Quoting unidentified senior U.S. officials briefed on the conversation, the Post reported that Trump had told Turnbull he had spoken to four other world leaders Saturday, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but said theirs was the worst call by far. The call had been scheduled to last an hour, but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. It also said Trump described the plan as the worst deal ever and accused Australia of trying to export the next Boston bombers. Turnbull has no comment Turnbull would not comment on the contents of the call other than to say he believed the resettlement deal remained in place. These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, Im not going to add to them, he told reporters in Melbourne. The Washington Post report received almost blanket coverage in Australian media and was widely seen as embarrassing for Turnbull, whose conservative Liberal-National coalition has only a razor-thin majority after an inconclusive election last year. Mr. Turnbull needs to confirm or deny the accuracy of that report, Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Perth. The resettlement deal was thrown into confusion after Trump signed an executive order last week that suspended the U.S. refugee program and restricted entry to the United States for travelers from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq and Syria. Many of those being held in the Australian detention center, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. The Washington Post also quoted the official read-out after Saturdays call, which emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban. Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday. But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter. In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered U.S. officials to refrain from "removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa" who is arriving from one of the seven nations. According to the U.S. Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder. Birotte's ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travelers with non-immigrant visas. The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation. Trump's executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including U.S. citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the U.S. State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries. More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to U.S. citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti. "It's terrible because I have children here who are without their parents," she said. Some other children in the group are U.S. citizens whose parents were traveling with immigrant visas, she added. In Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent U.S. residents who entered from the seven countries. By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of "absolutely ignoring" rulings she believes should allow their departure. In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked "relevant visas as defined" under Trump's executive order. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States. A rights group is warning that militias within the Iraqi military are holding men fleeing Mosul in unidentified detention centers where they are cut off from contact with the outside world. In a report published Thursday, Human Rights Watch warns of a heightened risk of abuse of detainees who, after an initial screening by militias with the Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces (known as Hashd al-Sha'abi), are being held incommunicado and with no details being provided to their families about their location or why they are being held. "In case after case, relatives are telling us that their male family members are being stopped by PMF fighters and disappearing," said Lama Fakih, the rights group's deputy Middle East director. "While we cannot know exactly what has happened to the men detained, the lack of transparency, particularly for their families as to their whereabouts, is cause for real concern." PMF media spokesmen did not respond to a VOA request for comment on the HRW report. Families who fled eastern Mosul and passed through a processing site two kilometers south of the city told HRW researchers a similar story that they went through a screening process overnight and that men and boys over 15 years of age were separated from the women and other children. The military checked each of those males IDs against lists of people wanted by various Iraqi authorities for suspected affiliation with the Islamic State terror group. Two families said that at least eight men screened with them were detained after the ID check. But families also said they saw PMF fighters there, distinguishable by their badges. Additional accusations And on January 10, a soldier from Iraq's 9th division working at another screening site told HRW researchers that he had been stationed there for several weeks and that every night, PMF fighters from the area would arrive and seize men who were not included on the government's wanted lists. Rights researchers also interviewed families from the village of Nzara, 40 kilometers west of Mosul, who said that more than 100 fighters with the PMF's Badr militia had taken 260 families to a town 25 kilometers away for 15 days in November 2016, then sent them on to refugee camps. But five men who had left the village to sell their sheep never returned and later were seen presented on a local Iraqi television channel associated with the Badr group as captured jihadists. The men's families have tried to locate the detained men through negotiations led by tribal leaders, but to no avail. Another man who had left to sell his sheep described being attacked and detained by PMF fighters and eventually reunited with his family, but three men who had been with him in the car have yet to reappear. Vanishing into the night PMF militias do not have an official mandate to carry out screenings. In addition, Human Rights Watch says that as far as it has been able to determine, PMF groups have not been trained to carry out screening, raising concerns about possible ill-treatment. "Iraqi authorities should only allow bodies with a screening mandate to screen people and ensure that anyone detained is held in a recognized detention center accessible to independent monitors and granted their due process rights enshrined in international and Iraqi law," said Human Rights Watch. Iraqi law requires that authorities bring detainees before an investigative judge within 48 hours of their detention. "Some men appear to be vanishing into the night even after official screenings by Iraqi security forces confirmed they were not on their wanted lists," Fakih said. "It is crucial for the authorities to take all measures to ensure that their whereabouts are known and the scale of detention is documented." About 40 Iran-influenced militias make up the Popular Mobilization Forces. Shi'ite politicians led by former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose sectarian policies are blamed by some for the rise of the Islamic State group, have pushed for PMF fighters to be deployed inside Mosul in the battle to oust the jihadists from the city. The Shi'ite militias are concentrated mainly to the west of the city, and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi pledged before the campaign to retake Mosul was launched that they would not be used in the fighting inside Sunni Arab city. In late November, al-Abadi's supporters in Iraq's parliament voted to put the PMF on the government payroll and incorporate the militias in the national armed forces, ostensibly subordinated to the Iraqi military hierarchy. Rights groups have accused the PMF in the past of atrocities, torture and forced displacements of Sunnis. Report: Young boys tortured Human Rights Watch's report on the detention of Sunni males fleeing Mosul comes just days after the rights group accused the Asayish, the Kurdistan Regional Government's security forces, of detaining boys as young as 11 years old and torturing them in an effort to get them to confess to being Islamic State members. More than 180 Iraqi boys, most of them Sunni Arabs who had lived in Islamic State-held areas, are being held by the Asayish in two KRG juvenile detention centers, according to HRW. "These children were victimized twice first by the Islamic State, which they said was constantly trying to enlist them as fighters, and then by members of Asayish," said HRW's Letta Tayler, who interviewed some of the detained boys. "While we can't speak to the guilt or innocence of these boys, we have no doubt they have been severely traumatized." KRG officials have denied their security forces have subjected any detained children to abuse. "KRG authorities have established policies against acts of torture, which strongly prohibits physical and psychological torture of inmates," said Dindar Zebari, head of a KRG committee tasked with evaluating international reports. "The use of torture and physical punishment against prisoners including boys ages 11-17 is strictly prohibited. In Kurdistan region the rights of detainees are protected by the existing amended legislations and practices within the region," he added in a statement. More than 250,000 Romanians demonstrated on Wednesday against a government decree decriminalizing some graft offenses, seen as the biggest retreat on reforms since the country joined the European Union in 2007. Romania's top judicial watchdog, the Superior Magistrates' Council (CSM), earlier in the day filed a constitutional court challenge to the decree unveiled by the new Social Democrat government of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu. Numbers of protesters rose to a new high in the evening, reaching 130,000-150,000 outside the cabinet building in Bucharest. Another 100,000-150,000 were estimated by riot police to have joined similar rallies in 55 other towns and cities. The decree was approved by the cabinet on Tuesday evening. "Repeal it, then leave," protesters shouted. "Thieves, thieves." Many waved Romanian national flags. "Our chances are small but it is important to fight," said Gabriela Constantin, a 36-year-old architect. If enforced, as planned, within 10 days, the decree would, among other things, decriminalize abuse-of-power offenses in which the sums involved are less than 200,000 lei ($48,000). That would put an end to the current trial of Social Democrat party leader Liviu Dragnea, accused of using his political influence to secure state salaries for two people working at his party headquarters between 2006 and 2013. Dozens of other political figures from all parties stand to benefit from the decree. "I don't understand what the protesters are upset about," Dragnea told reporters on Tuesday. Two opposition parties, the centrist Liberals and the Save Romania Union USR, filed a no-confidence motion on Wednesday against the government which has little chance of succeeding. Shame, Resignation, Thieves As parliament opened for its first regular session of the year, USR lawmakers paraded banners reading "Shame" and other opposition deputies shouted "Resignation" or "Thieves". The Romanian leu fell as much as 1.4 percent against the euro to 4.5540, marking a seven-month low, while longer-term yields rose 14 basis points. Romania's Social Democrats won back power in a December 2016 election, one year after protesters drove them from office in an outpouring of anger over a deadly fire at a nightclub that many blamed on corruption and impunity. Anti-corruption prosecutors are currently investigating over 2,000 abuse-of-power cases. President Klaus Iohannis took part in an emergency meeting of the CSM, telling reporters afterwards: "The problem is that one cannot act the way the government did in a country with the rule of law, which Romania is and wants to remain." The European Commission said: "The fight against corruption needs to be advanced, not undone," Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker and his deputy said in a statement. "We are following the latest developments in Romania with great concern." Six western countries including Germany and the United States issued a joint statement warning that the government's move would undermine Romania's international reputation and position in the EU and NATO. The decree would apply to ongoing investigations and trials as well as new cases. Criminal negligence would no longer be an offense, and the definition of conflict of interest would be narrowed. The government on Tuesday also approved a draft bill that would grant prison pardons. It says it would bring the criminal code in line with recent constitutional court rulings and ease prison overcrowding, claims disputed by many senior judicial figures. Self-driving car prototypes appear to be getting better at negotiating California streets and highways without a human backup needing to intervene, according to data made public Wednesday by California transportation regulators. The data reflect safety-related incidents reported by 11 companies that have been testing more than 100 vehicles on public roads, primarily in the Silicon Valley neighborhoods where the technology has grown up. The reports were made to California's Department of Motor Vehicles, which posted them online. The documents catalog the number of times from December 2015 through the end of November that humans took control from a car's software for safety-related reasons. Waymo shows improvement Waymo, as Google's self-driving car project was recently rebranded, did far more testing than the other 10 companies combined. Waymo reported that its fleet drove itself more than 635,000 miles with 124 safety-related disengagements the equivalent of two incidents every 10,000 miles. That was a notable improvement over the prior year, when there were eight incidents per 10,000 miles. A reportable disengagement happens when the technology fails or the backup driver takes control out of concern the car is malfunctioning. Collisions must be reported Though imperfect, the data are the best peek the public gets into the fiercely competitive world of self-driving cars and how the prototypes are performing. California required the disengagement reports as part of regulations governing testing on public roads. Separately, the state also requires companies to report any collisions involving its cars. The Department of Motor Vehicles has been working on regulations that will define how the technology can be rolled out to the public when companies believe it is ready. When that will happen depends on several factors, including regulators' readiness and company confidence the vehicles are safe. Final rules due in six weeks While Tesla's Elon Musk has been bullish, talking about months rather than years, companies such as Waymo have suggested 2017 or 2018 is more realistic. The state expects to release final version of the public operation regulations within six weeks, according to Melissa Figueroa, a spokeswoman for California's top transportation official. The Department of Motor Vehicles made public a first draft in December 2015, nearly a year after final rules were supposed to be in place, and has since revised the language based on developments at the federal level and input from industry and other groups. A Somali-American youth group has rejected nearly $500,000 in U.S. government funding because of what it calls the new president's anti-Muslim policies. Minneapolis-based Ka Joog works to prevent the radicalization of Somali-American teens by militant groups like Islamic State and al-Shabab. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security awarded the group just under $500,000 through the government's Countering Violent Extremism initiative. But Ka Joog announced Thursday it would decline the award because of what it called "an unofficial war on Muslim-Americans and immigrants." "As an organization trying to bring change, we feel like this process has been hindered by the Trump administration [efforts] to instill fear, uncertainty and anti-Muslim sentiments," the group said in a statement. The group's name is Somali for "stay away," a message designed to encourage kids from steer clear of violence, radicalization, drugs and other negative influences. The Minneapolis office of the FBI honored the group in 2012. Last week, Trump signed an executive order that temporarily bans immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia. The administration has maintained that the ban is not aimed specifically at Muslims and that its purpose is to safeguard the U.S. public. Minneapolis is home to tens of thousands of Somali immigrants and refugees. Drug-resistant malaria "superbugs" are emerging in Southeast Asia, threatening worldwide control efforts, according to the authors of a new study. Researchers reporting in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that a lineage of the P. falciparum parasite, which causes the most dangerous form of malaria, is now becoming resistant to the most effective malaria drug, and the resistance is spreading. Artemisinin and combination therapies including artemisinin are considered the best possible treatment for malaria. The authors warned that resistance to the drug, and its widely used partner drug, piperaquine, was rapidly spreading throughout western Cambodia, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand. The researchers, from Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Thailand, said a global health emergency could occur if multi-drug-resistant parasites spread through India to sub-Saharan Africa. Oxford University professor Nicholas White, a co-author of the study, said public health officials were losing "a dangerous race to eliminate artemisinin-resistant falciparum malaria before widespread resistance to partner antimalarials makes that impossible." Global perspective urged White added that unless resistance was tackled from a global public health emergency perspective, "the consequences of [drug] resistance spreading further ... could be grave." In the Lancet article, researchers reported examining blood samples from patients with so-called uncomplicated malaria from a number of sites in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. They found a single mutant parasite lineage replacing parasites containing less resistant mutations in three of the four countries. "Superbugs," they noted, have evolved to contain multiple factors that make them "fitter and more transmissible." Drug-resistant strains of malaria have spread before from Asia into Africa, killing millions, according to the authors. They called for public health officials to work with policy, research and funding partners to respond to the current threat in Asia "to avoid history repeating itself." Mike Turner, the head of infection and immunology at Wellcome Trust in Britain, which funded the study, predicted that the number of deaths from drug-resistant malaria "will increase to millions of people every year by 2050" if nothing is done to address the current threat. According to the World Health Organization, there were 212 million cases of malaria globally in 2015, resulting in 429,000 deaths. Most of the victims were children in sub-Saharan Africa. Standing outside the scorched remains of what once was a mosque, Imam Osama Hassan expressed his sense of loss. It is just breaking the heart because this is the place, everyday we are here, he said. You cannot imagine seeing the fire. I never thought in my life I would see that. Heartbreaking disaster This past Saturday, a fire destroyed the Victoria Islamic Center in Texas. Local authorities along with federal agents are investigating the cause of the conflagration that gutted the interior of the building. Using the camera on his mobile phone in a Skype call, Hassan took VOA through the charred ruins inside the worship center. He said, As you can see from the site there is nothing left. Very sorrowful to see that now. He also expressed the hope that the fire last month was an accident and not a willful act possibly motivated by hate. Community support Such thoughts have been largely swept aside by an outpouring of support from the local community. On Sunday morning, several hundred people gathered at the site for a prayer service and a show of solidarity. Among the speakers was Rev. Dan Fultz, pastor of Victorias Grace Presbyterian Church. Speaking to VOA, he said, We are not a divided community on these kinds of issues. Muslims in Victoria are members of the community just like everybody else. Fultz, along with Catholic priests, other Christian clergy and Jewish religious leaders, began meeting on a regular basis with Muslim leaders over a year ago when police shootings of young black men in various cities around the country became a subject of heated debate. He said this inter-faith dialogue helped build a sense of connection among all the religious communities and that this contributed to the immediate response to the fire. Catholic and Jewish leaders have offered their own facilities to the 100-some Muslim residents of Victoria to hold services, but Hassan says, they are temporarily using a room in a school building at the Islamic Center site that was not damaged by the fire. The only problem is that it has no water or electrical service at the moment, so they use jugs of water for their ritual washing before a prayer session and a flashlight to illuminate the room for nighttime services. A million dollars in support Following a call for donations set up on the GoFundMe internet site, Victorias Muslims are already contemplating plans to rebuild. So far, the website has raised well over a million dollars for the effort. Hassan, an Egyptian by birth who has lived in Texas for 15 years, says the support of local people and the donations show the true character of the American people. He said he is grateful for their support as well as the donations that have come from other parts of the world. Surveying the ruins, Hassan said even though some of the walls remain standing, the damage is so extensive that a new building will have to be constructed. He and other members of the community are already discussing plans. Hopefully, we will be able to start the building again by the love and the kindness of the people around us, he said. The local fire marshal is continuing his investigation, which he indicates may take at least a couple of weeks to complete. WATCH: Town Rallies After Mosque Burns The Thai military government is making a new bid at political reconciliation ahead of general elections likely in 2018. The latest effort to advance the road map to democracy through cross-party talks is being led by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuan. Prawit said the aim is to establish among the divided parties common ground and solicit ideas on a range of issues, including politics, social development, the environment, foreign affairs and mass media. A political adviser to Prawit, Panitan Wattanaygorn, said the military is seeking a smooth transition of power back to a civilian administration. National reforms proposed The new initiative is part of national reforms the military sees as key, with the government setting up four committees geared to helping the steps along the political roadmap. Panitan said the government wants to listen to politicians concerns and register their ideas in the process. Some public contract could be constructed, but were not going to force anyone to sign anything if they dont want to and certainly making peace and reconciliation cannot be forced, Panitan said, adding progress will rest in the future elected government. A military-backed constitution, passed in an August referendum, provides added powers to the military in a future elected government, especially through an appointed 250-member Senate. New king Analysts say Thailands new king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, may also be an influence in the process after the 70-year reign of his father, Bhumipol Adulyadej, who passed away in October. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, in a commentary in the Singapore-based Straits Times, said the new kings reign will likely spell changes to Thailands political configurations and dynamics. The reign may also bring about a more level-playing field in Thai politics in the near term, Thitinan said. As Crown Prince, Vajiralongkorn had close ties with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who lives in exile after fleeing the country in 2008 following corruption charges. Thaksins political parties, including Pheu Thai, succeeded at several general elections since 2006 despite efforts by the military to promote the pro-establishment Democrat Party. In Thailands color-coded politics, red shirt supporters came under pro-Thaksin United Democratic Front for Democracy (UDD), with yellow shirts linked to the urban middle class Peoples Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). But PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan said the process must be genuine, promoting the rule of law and economic opportunity to succeed in the long term. If you do [promote the rule of law and economic opportunity] in the end thats what will bring unity back to our society, not just a superficial process of reconciliation where different groups come and sit in the same table for photo opportunities, Akanat said. Return to normal Kraisak Choonhavan, a Democrat Party member, said members from the major parties have been in informal talks for some time. Weve come to the conclusion that our national reconciliation is a prerequisite towards normalcy in politics in Thailand, a return towards elections and parliamentary rule, Kraisak told VOA. But the new draft constitution makes a return to normalcy very difficult. The military-backed draft, now with the king pending amendments, calls for a 250-member appointed Senate and a 500-member House of Representatives. The draft allows the Senate to vote in the selection of a prime minister, leaving the way open for a non-elected government leader. Bipartisan efforts undermined Kraisak said the current constitution, with the 250-member non-elected Senate, undermines the current bipartisan efforts at reconciliation. So even if we have a national reconciliation politically, the present constitution has thrown us into a maze of conflict in the future, he said. Its too late you see because the military, the junta, claim that they have national consensus through the non-transparent referendum that they made, he said. A senior member of the Pheu Thai Party, Somarn Lertwongrath, expressed doubts about the militarys reconciliation policy, despite both major political parties agreeing to reconcile. If the military regime really wants reconciliation it can be done. But I dont think they are ready to reconcile at all. They dont have any preparations [for it], Somarn said. The military try to keep everything under their power they will not reconcile with the political parties, thats the problem. I only hope that the military understands the fact that they are losing, they are not winning, he added. There have been calls for reconciliation throughout Thailands turbulent political history. But few of the recommendations have been taken up by authorities. Political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University, Titipol Phakdeewanich, said despite calls for reconciliation, the people in the northeast, largely backers of Pheu Thai, still dont trust the military amid a climate of tight control over political debate. When we look at reconciliation, then the best way to reconcile the country is to go back to democracy and return power to the people and set the rules of law and accept the result of the election that would be the best way to actually help the reconciliation, Titipol said. A U.S. Senate committee has voted to send to the full Senate the nomination of Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted on Pruitt's nomination one day later than scheduled because of a boycott Wednesday by the committee's Democrats. But Republicans temporarily suspended several rules Thursday to approve Pruitt's nomination. Members of the Senate Finance Committee did the same Tuesday and Wednesday to forestall votes on Steve Mnuchin, the treasury secretary nominee, and Tom Price, nominee for health and human services secretary. Senate rules require at least one minority member be present for committee votes to proceed. A visibly frustrated Finance Committee chairman, Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, led a successful effort to change the rules governing the panel, and Mnuchin and Price were swiftly approved with Republican-only votes. The only chaos we have in the Senate is because of Senate Democrats, said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. It is time [for Democrats] to get over the fact that they lost the election. The president is entitled to have his Cabinet appointments considered. Democrats insisted extra time to consider Trumps nominees was needed. The proposed Trump domestic Cabinet is an unprecedented swamp of conflicts of interest, failures of disclosure, and dark money secrets, said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. None of this is good. Shortened tempers and frayed nerves have been evident in a body that prides itself on decorum and lofty debate. Hatch said Democrats were acting like idiots, while Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, blasted Democratic delay tactics as a hissy fit. Congressman Mick Mulvaney moved closer Thursday to confirmation as White House Budget Director. In seperate votes, the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee approved the Republican lawmaker's nomination by votes along party lines. Mulvaney's nomination now goes to the full Senate. New secretary of state Rex Tillerson was sworn in Wednesday night as the new U.S. secretary of state, hours after his confirmation by the Senate. Vice President Mike Pence gave the oath to Tillerson in the Oval Office of the White House as President Donald Trump looked on. Tillerson thanked Trump for giving him what he called an "enormous opportunity," and said he will serve the interests of the American people at all times. Trump congratulated Tillerson, saying the new secretary is respected all over the world and will bring his unique skills and great insight into global diplomacy. Only three Senate Democrats and one Independent joined a united Republican caucus in backing Tillerson, who was confirmed by a vote of 56-43. Senators from both parties spent weeks mulling the Exxon Mobil CEOs cozy relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ability to put business interests aside and serve as Americas top diplomat. He [Tillerson] has done a tremendous job for one of the largest businesses in the world, said Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican. Now, his enormous experience, aptitude and talent are going to be put to work for the American people. However, Democratic Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland said, I remain concerned that Mr. Tillersons demonstrated business orientation would prevent him from being a secretary of state who forcefully advances the values and ideals that have defined our country." Cardin added that Tillerson will be asked to carry out Trumps dangerous and reckless foreign policy. Cabinet choices Meanwhile, the Senate also advanced three other Cabinet picks on Wednesday, as Republicans overcame dogged and, at times, unprecedented delay tactics by Democrats by taking unprecedented steps of their own. Senate committees advanced the presidents nominees for attorney general, treasury secretary, and health and human services secretary with Republican votes alone. The Judiciary Committee supported Republican Senator Jeff Sessions to become Americas chief law enforcement officer 11-9, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposed. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah described Sessions as a man who has devoted his entire life to the law to enforcing it, to protecting it, to defending it and, as a lawmaker, to improving it. Senator Sessions, although an amiable colleague, is well outside the mainstream of both Democratic and Republican positions on criminal justice reform, torture, privacy, and voting rights, said Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware. Democrats delayed votes on multiple nominees by invoking arcane Senate rules and exercising procedural tactics whenever possible. Tillersons confirmation was set back more than a week when Democrats insisted on a preliminary vote ahead of final confirmation, and did so after having invoked a rule that delays a floor votes on a nominee. Sessions would have been approved in committee Tuesday, but Democrats invoked a little-used rule limiting the length of time a committee can meet, then spoke at length in the Judiciary Committee, ensuring the time limit would be reached before a vote could be held. 'Nuclear option' But the ire of recent days could be dwarfed by the fury of a looming battle over Trumps Supreme Court nominee, appellate court Judge Neil Gorsuch. Unlike Trumps Cabinet picks, Democrats could both delay and block Gorsuchs nomination. Republicans, who control the chamber, could change Senate rules that currently allow the minority party to insist on a three-fifths majority to confirm Supreme Court nominees. A rules change has been called the nuclear option as it would forever alter the Senate, a body where the minority party historically has been able to curb the ambitions of the majority. Drought-ridden Somalia is at risk of a repeat of the famine that killed nearly 260,000 people in 2011 if aid is not stepped up over the next two months, United Nations agencies said Wednesday, calling for more funds. Five million Somalis do not have enough to eat because of a lack of rain that has led to poor harvests and livestock deaths, according to the U.N. With initial forecasts predicting a third consecutive poor rainy season in April, early action is key to prevent the situation from getting as bad as in 2011, experts at three U.N. aid agencies said in phone interviews. We really need to move now before we see the catastrophe of 2011 [repeated], Shukri Ahmed of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. Thousands died in 2011 drought In 2011 the humanitarian response was too slow and tens of thousands of people died before the famine was officially declared in July, Ahmed said. The crisis was worsened by conflict and a ban on food aid in areas held by Islamist militant group al-Shabab. The current drought is more extensive than in 2011, affecting the whole of Somalia as well as parts of Ethiopia and Kenya, said Arif Husain, chief economist of the World Food Program (WFP). Agencies are better placed to respond now because improvements in security and governance allow access to more regions, said the head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Somalia, Justin Brady. Preparations started early, with two drought warnings and a pre-famine alert issued over the past 12 months, but more funds are needed, he added. We have a very good chance to avert a famine in Somalia if the resources are there, he said. Response starts early, aid needed Brady said OCHA had appealed for about $300 million in aid for the first three months of 2017, but only about a third of the sum has so far been identified. What we spend now is going to be a minor amount of money compared to [what we would need] if we allow the situation to get further out of hand, he said, urging more donors to come forward. Funds would be used to secure water points, fight rising cereal prices, stock up feed for livestock and tackle the spread of diarrhea, cholera and measles, among other measures, the agencies said. This time around we are hoping that ... we will be in a position to respond better and more quickly, said Husain. African Union and Somali troops have driven al-Shabaab from major urban strongholds and ports, but they have often struggled to defend smaller, more remote areas from attacks. The Trump administration on Wednesday maintained a low-key approach to the latest flare-up of violence in eastern Ukraine, where the government accuses Russian-backed forces of stepping up attacks. The restrained tone may reflect the start of a new U.S. approach to dealing with Russia's cross-border activity, even as top U.S. officials are pledging to support Ukraine's sovereignty. White House spokesman Sean Spicer had little to say on Wednesday when asked for the administration's position on the renewed fighting that began over the weekend and persisted into early Wednesday. At least 10 people have been killed and dozens wounded. President Donald Trump has been kept aware of developments in Ukraine, Spicer said, and the White House will have further updates as we go on. It was not immediately clear when those updates would come. The new rhetoric comes amid significant concern in Europe about Trump's overtures to Russia. The new president has called NATO obsolete and challenged America's allies to take on greater responsibility for defending themselves, while raising the possibility of a new era of U.S.-Russian cooperation. On Tuesday, the State Department responded to the violence in Ukraine but omitted any mention of Russia in a six-sentence statement that called for an immediate cease-fire and full implementation of the agreements meant to outline a political resolution to the crisis. Trump's U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, met with her Ukrainian counterpart to reaffirm the United States' support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, according to a statement. The omission of Russia from the responses contrasted sharply with statements by the Obama administration, which sharply criticized Moscow for supporting and even directing attacks by the separatists, and not fulfilling its obligations under the 2015 truce plan signed in Minsk, Belarus. The State Department statement reaffirmed U.S. backing for the Minsk plan, but that reference only came about after internal interagency discussions in Washington. According to an American official with knowledge of the discussions, White House officials questioned why the Minsk agreements needed to be mentioned at all even though the U.S. has insisted for almost two years on the deal's full implementation. The official wasn't authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity. Change in tone The United States is deeply concerned with the recent spike in violence in eastern Ukraine, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in the statement. To avert a larger humanitarian crisis, we call for an immediate, sustained cease-fire and full and unfettered access for OSCE monitors. We also reaffirm U.S. support for full implementation of the Minsk agreements. During the last surge in violence in December, former State Department spokesman John Kirby had gone far further, accusing Moscow of backing a Russian separatist attempt to seize additional Ukrainian territory. In his December 20 statement, Kirby said Russia was violating its commitments and urged Moscow to use its influence over the separatists to stop the violence. And in the Obama administration's last days, then-White House spokesman Josh Earnest specifically criticized Russia for misrepresenting its activities in Ukraine, saying its public pronouncements routinely fly in the face of the facts on the ground there and in Syria. At his confirmation hearing earlier this month, Trump's incoming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson took a similarly stern line despite his close business ties with Russia stemming from his days as ExxonMobil CEO. He said Russia posed a danger and had invaded Ukraine, and that he would have recommended a far more robust response than Obama mounted after Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. New Defense Secretary James Mattis and CIA chief Mike Pompeo also had tough words for Moscow. Obama era officials as well as many in Europe are concerned about a possible shift in U.S. policy toward Russia, particularly as it relates to Ukraine and the potential for a lifting of sanctions on Moscow before the situation is resolved. On Tuesday, European Union President Donald Tusk mentioned Russia's aggressive policy towards Ukraine along with worrying declarations by the new American administration. He accused the Trump administration of seeming to put into question the last 70 years of American foreign policy. The United States and Mexico are both denying that U.S. President Donald Trump warned he was ready to send American troops into Mexico. The Associated Press and a Mexican journalist in Washington both reported that Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto during a phone call last week that he would deploy U.S. forces to deal with the "bad hombres down there" unless Mexico did more to control them. The AP account was based on a partial transcript of the call that it was given on the condition of anonymity by a person who had access to the official transcript. The AP noted it was not possible to determine the tone of Trump's remark. The New York Times said a senior administration official told the newspaper Wednesday night that Trump's comments were made in jest, and represented a standing offer to aid Mexico in fighting drug gangs and controlling the border. Mexican presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said it is "absolutely false" that Trump suggested he would send U.S. troops to Mexico. Sanchez said Trump and Pena Nieto acknowledged their differences on various subjects, but expressed a desire to maintain dialogue to reach agreement between the two countries. One of Trump's first acts as president was to sign an executive order for the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He promised throughout his campaign to build the wall and have Mexico pay for it. Pena Nieto has made it clear his government will not pay for the wall, and he canceled a planned visit to the U.S. after Trump signed the order. Their telephone call was intended to patch up relations. A prison guard was found dead early Thursday as police began clearing a building in a prison that had been seized by prisoners nearly 24 hours earlier in the eastern U.S. state of Delaware. Delaware State Police found two hostages while securing the building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. One was later pronounced dead, while the other was safely escorted to a local hospital. The hostage situation started Wednesday morning when prisoners took four guards hostage. Two of those hostages were released later Wednesday. Delaware Governor John Carney said Thursday the event serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers and that he is praying for the family of the dead officer. "We will hold accountable anyone who was responsible," Carney said, "and we will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again." In a phone call to a local newspaper made Wednesday during the hostage situation, prisoners said the reasons for their actions include Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse.'' The prisoners also complained of an insufficient prison education system and ineffective rehabilitation techniques. The prison houses approximately 2,500 inmates, and employs about 1,500 corrections officers. The United States has provided Syrian fighters battling the Islamic State group with armored vehicles for the first time, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command told VOA. Guardian armored security vehicles were delivered to the Syrian Arab Coalition, Major Michael Meyers said. The SAC is an Arab fighting force within the multi-ethnic, but predominantly Kurdish, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). A U.S. military spokesman, Colonel John Dorrian, said via teleconference from Baghdad Wednesday that the Guardians - fully armored, highly maneuverable and capable of carrying 10 soldiers each - will help SAC forces better withstand explosive devices and small-arms fire." The Syrian Arab Coalition is getting ready to continue their operations to isolate Raqqa," Dorrian said. "As they approach the city and get into tough fighting, this capability is going to increase their survivability." A VOA reporter in Kobani confirmed the vehicles, also known as M117s, were delivered on Tuesday. Each Guardian is equipped with machine guns and a grenade launcher. Multiple U.S. defense officials said the delivery had been in the works for months and was carried out under authority granted during the Obama administration. There is no change to current policy by providing support to the Syrian Arab coalition, Meyer said. Washington has supplied the SDF with light weapons and special-forces advisers in the past and has provided air support against Islamic State fighters. An estimated 20,000 SDF fighters are connected to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey considers a terrorist group. Even though the U.S. insists it only delivers military aid to the Arab fighters of the SDF, the assistance nonetheless has angered U.S. ally Turkey. Recognizing terror organizations as interlocutors and delivering arms to them through various ways will help terror gain strength and spread it, the Turkish National Security Council said in a statement issued after a meeting Wednesday chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Brazil and Latin America are recording lower numbers of Zika infections than last year, but all countries must remain vigilant against the virus, which can cause birth defects, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. The viral disease carried by mosquitoes has spread to more than 60 countries and territories since an outbreak was identified in Brazil in 2015, raising alarm over its ability to cause microcephaly as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome. "The prevalence of Zika is dropping, certainly in the Americas," Ian Clarke, WHO incident manager for Zika, said at a news briefing. He said it was not clear why infection rates were falling. "The anticipation was that we would see a second wave, certainly in Brazil, and we haven't seen it. And we don't believe this is because we're not looking. There's a lot of surveillance ongoing," Clarke said. Further research was needed, he said, into such issues as whether there was a "natural immunity" because of previous exposure. Wednesday marked the first anniversary of WHO's declaration that Zika constituted an international emergency. It lifted that designation in November while maintaining its advice for pregnant women and travelers. To date, 29 countries have reported thousands of babies born with Zika-linked microcephaly, which causes abnormally small-sized heads, often signifying arrested brain development. 'Expect to see outbreaks' Long-term efforts to fight the disease are required, such as against other infectious diseases, including malaria and dengue fever, Clarke said. "We should expect to see outbreaks. We saw it in Singapore, we will see it again." Angola said last month that it had recorded its first two cases of Zika virus. "In a couple of other countries we're doing some quite intensive surveillance work Tanzania and some others where we know there is the vector [the aedes aegypti mosquito], we know that there is chikungunya [another virus transmitted by mosquitoes], so really [we're] looking to see if we can find Zika," Clarke said. There is no preventive treatment against Zika, but drug companies are rushing to develop a vaccine. There are about 40 vaccine candidates, and five are entering or about to enter initial testing for safety and ability to induce an immune response, said WHO's Dr. Bernadette Murgue. The five experimental vaccines, as listed on the WHO website, are made by Gene One Life Science / Inovio Pharmaceuticals; Moderna Therapeutics; and by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Murgue said it would take at least two to three years before such vaccines could be registered for human use. The Zimbabwe pastor who fled to the United States after launching the popular #ThisFlag protest movement faces up to 20 years in prison for organizing protests against President Robert Mugabe in New York. Evan Mawarire was arrested at Harare International Airport on his return home Wednesday. He is yet to appear in court. Mawarire has been charged with subverting a constitutionally elected government, which carries up to 20 years in prison. Lawyer Harrison Nkomo said the charges arise partly from his role in organizing anti-Mugabe protests during the U.N. General Assembly in September last year. Mawarire is accused of organizing Zimbabweans "to converge in New York to confront the president of Zimbabwe who was attending a United Nations seminar and order him to immediately resign from his position accusing him of destroying the country," according to a police statement seen by The Associated Press and confirmed by his lawyers Thursday. Mawarire also is accused of using social media to incite "violent demonstrations" between August and last month. He rallied Zimbabweans to protest against the government of Mugabe, who turns 93 this month and is the world's oldest head of state. On Thursday, he was given two more charges: inciting public violence and insulting the national flag. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba on Wednesday said Mawarire was picked up on an outstanding arrest warrant. "He skipped the country, but as you know, going to America was never going to wash away his crimes. We were waiting for him to return," Charamba said. It was not immediately clear why Mawarire had chosen to return home. Some in Zimbabwe had criticized him for leaving the country amid the protests. At the time, he said he feared for the security of his family. Before he left Zimbabwe, Mawarire was detained and initially charged with inciting public violence before prosecutors changed the charges to attempting to overthrow a constitutionally elected government. A magistrate freed the pastor after ruling that it was unconstitutional for prosecutors to bring the fresh charges in court. Amnesty International's deputy regional director for southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, has called the latest charge against Mawarire "absolutely ridiculous and a total sham," saying it was meant to "punish him for speaking out about the declining human rights situation." Mugabe has said Mawarire and others should leave Zimbabwe if they were unhappy with the country's situation. The economy of this once-prosperous southern African nation has crashed, and both unemployment and frustration are widespread. Police in Zimbabwe have arrested a returning pastor who fled to the United States after leading protests calling for President Robert Mugabe's government to respect human rights and save a collapsing economy. Evan Mawarire was arrested Wednesday at Harare International Airport upon arrival in Zimbabwe after spending about six months in exile in the U.S. "He has been charged with subverting a constitutionally elected government, attorney Harrison Nkomo, who is representing Mawarire, told VOA on Wednesday. The same charges as last time [following his July protest]. I do not know what they are trying to do, so we will deal with it when we get to court. We have not been informed [of the court date], but I suspect we might go tomorrow." The pastor rose to prominence last April when he posted a Facebook video of himself wrapped in a Zimbabwean flag criticizing the country. The video sparked the #ThisFlag protest movement against the government. Mawarire backed a general strike last July calling for the Mugabe government to respect human rights and save Zimbabwe's ailing economy. Following the protest, Mawarire was arrested and charged with inciting public violence, but a court ruled that police had violated his rights and released him. He fled the country soon after. The European Union embassy in Harare said it is "concerned" about Mawarire's arrest. Amnesty International has castigated Zimbabwean authorities for arresting Pastor Evan Mawarire of #ThisFlag, who was arrested Wednesday in Harare when he returned home after a six-month stay in the United States. Mawarire, using the national flag, teamed up last year with Tajamuka-Sesijikile Campaign and staged crippling public protests against the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe. In response to the arrest of Zimbabwean pastor at the Harare International Airport and his subsequent transfer to the Harare Central Police Station, where he is being detained, Amnesty Internationals Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, had no kind words for President Robert Mugabes government. The trumped-up charge of subversion brought against Pastor Evan Mawarire this afternoon is absolutely ridiculous and a total sham. Coming after a similar charge against him last year, it is designed to make him stop his human rights activism and to punish him for speaking out about the declining human rights situation in Zimbabwe." Amnesty International said the Zimbabwean authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pastor Mawarire as he is a prisoner of conscience imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights. Mawarire was arrested in July last year and charged with incitement to commit public violence under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for leading a national shutdown against corruption and the declining economy. The United States Embassy in Harare has described as false, circulating reports that Zimbabweans can now travel to America without a visa. In a statement on its website, the embassy said, The U.S. Embassy in Harare is aware of false news reports stating that Zimbabwe nationals can now travel to the U.S. without a visa. There is absolutely no truth to these stories. It directed the public to visit its website for more information about obtaining a U.S visa. Indications are that nothing has changed from the way it used to grant visas to Zimbabweans. The website clearly stipulates that the purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying. There are nonimmigrant and immigrant visas that are granted by the embassy. Nonimmigrant visas include tourism and visit, temporary employment and business, study and exchange and government and international organizations. Immigrant visas include family-based immigration, fiance(e), employment-based immigration, diversity visa program and returning resident visa. U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed two executive actions designed to enhance U.S. security, the more far-reaching of which restricts any Syrian refugees from entering the United States for an indefinite period of time. Trump signed the orders at the Pentagon, where he participated in a swearing-in ceremony for Defense Secretary James Mattis. Soon after the presidents action, protesters staged public demonstrations in most parts of the country saying the order was not in line with Americas values. The executive order, titled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, calls for suspension of visas and other immigration benefits to citizens of countries of particular concern. As a reason for the order, the document cites the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, which were carried out by 19 foreigners who obtained visas to enter the United States without difficulty. It refers to other terrorism-related crimes committed over the past 15 years by foreign nationals who entered the United States using either short-term visas as visitors, students or temporary workers or as refugees seeking resettlement in the U.S. Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to entered the United States, the order states, and it calls for greater vigilance and caution by American consular officials before visas are granted. The order does not spell out which countries are of particular concern, although it authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to keep track of nations that do not provide adequate information about their citizens. White House officials indicated that Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia would be an initial list of countries of concern, but the order noted additional countries could be added to that list at any time. The order also suspends operations of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days, while the Secretary of State and other officials re-evaluate procedures to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States. It also limits the number of refugees that may be admitted to the United States to 50,000 during fiscal 2017, the 12-month period that ends on September 30. Under the order released Friday, travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are banned from entering the United States for at least 90 days. The United States Embassy in Harare says it is extremely concerned by the arrest of Pastor Evan Mawarire of #ThisFlag, who was detained by the police Wednesday and locked up at the Law and Order Section of Harare Police Station soon after he arrived in the country after a six-month stay in America. In a message posted on its Facebook page, the embassy called for the immediate release of the minister of religion, who mobilized Zimbabweans last year to engage in public protests calling for an end to the countrys economic decay and human rights violations. The embassy said, Pastor Evan is a citizen of Zimbabwe and should be allowed to live freely in his home country. We unequivocally believe in the basic right to freedom of speech and call on the Government of Zimbabwe to respect and to protect the human rights of all Zimbabwean citizens which are enshrined in the constitution. There was no immediate government reaction on these remarks as presidential spokesperson, George Charamba was not reacheable. Mawarire used the Zimbabwean flag to appeal to locals to stage protests against the governments lack of action on addressing the deteriorating social and economic situation. Mawarire is facing charges of attempting to remove a constitutionally-elected government. He left the country for USA claiming that his life was in danger. His family is still in the USA. In a related development, opposition political parties, civic society organizations and others, also condemned Mawarires arrest saying he did not break the law. In a statement, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai said, The callous arrest in broad daylight of Pastor Evan Mawarire came as no surprise to those of us who have always known that a leopard remains faithful to its spots. This is vintage Zanu PF and the message coming out of this arrest is that Zanu PF will go for broke in the campaign ahead of the next election. The world must brace for impunity and violence against the innocent citizens of our country. Party leader Morgan Tsvangirai further noted that if the regime thinks this arrest will cow the people of this country, then we have news for them. Zimbabweans will not be intimidated and they will fight for a truly free and fair election in which their voice will count. He said the arrest should must send a chilling message, particularly to those in the region and in the broader international community who thought Zanu PF was capable of reform. There cannot be reform without reformers and this impunity is a reflection of the true character of Zanu PF. However, we have always been a heroic people and we shall not be cowed. At the same time, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) also condemned the arrest of Pastor Mawarire saying it was a continuation of the undue victimisation and harassment of the cleric and human rights activist which is a gross violation of his human rights by the government of Zimbabwe. Mawarire as a bona fide citizen of Zimbabwe has a constitutional right to return safely to his country of birth without infringement of his rights by state security institutions. As far as ZimRights is concerned, the harassment of Mawarire is not merely meant to intimidate him alone, but all those speaking out their thoughts about the economic and political governance situation of the country in line with their right to freedom of expression. ZimRights said Mawarires peaceful actions as leader of #ThisFlag movement have always been within the confines of the law, and there should be an end to further harassment of the cleric. Another non-governmental organization, Heal Zimbabwe, strongly condemned the arrest, noting that it was a violation of a citizens fundamental human rights that are provided for in the constitution. In November 2016, during the United Nations Human Rights Council periodic review in Switzerland, Government assured the council that its human rights record had significantly improved which seems contrary to this incident. A religious group, The Christian Voice Zimbabwe, noted that Zimbabweans like Mawarire have a right to stage public protests. Director Tapfumaneyi Clement Zenda said ministers of religion are not only supposed to stick to the pulpit as they are allowed to speak about issues of injustice and human rights violations. We therefore implore the authorities to observe citizens rights and respect the supreme law of the land. We also encourage government to align the laws to the constitution in order for citizens to enjoy their full liberties. Such acts of subversion of human rights in this case specifically on men of the cloth pose a danger of destabilizing the good working relationship of the church in Zimbabwe and the government of the day. We therefore recommend the authorities to proceed by way of negotiations as opposed to heavy handedness. First National Bank of Osakis is one of the twenty-four Community Champions that worked with hundreds of organizations in their communities, providing funding, volunteers, materials, and services for their neighbors. Youth Service - Fully Qualified Team The Youth Service is celebrating the achievement of 2 of its employees who have recently qualified with a Post Graduate diploma, JNC-endorsed in Youth & Community work. The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) for youth and community workers is the body that sets the national framework used to grade and pay youth work jobs. The full-time youth work team is now composed of eight JNC qualified Youth & Community workers who are ready to deal with a variety of issues affecting young people. 2014 was a pivotal year in the Youth Services development - the department grew in size and gained four full time youth and community workers. The Service has always felt that young people deserve to be supported by highly trained, skilled workers and as a result these new employees were required to be JNC Qualified, a qualification which is validated by the National Youth Agency. Two of the newly appointed workers were JNC-qualified, the other two were enrolled in the Open University and have successfully completed a post-graduate Youth and Community Work JNC- endorsed qualification in December 2016. Gaining qualifications, specifically in youth work, enables workers to explore the theory behind youth work, its ethos, principles and practice. Handover of RGP Honorary ADC to HE The Governor At The Convent this morning, Inspector John Goodman, who retires at the end of the month after almost 38 years of service in the Royal Gibraltar Police, handed over the role of Honorary ADC to HE the Governor to Inspector Patrick Payas. Inspector Goodman has been carrying out the function of Honorary ADC for the last two years. The handover took place before HE the Governor Lt Gen Edward Davis and Commissioner of Police Eddie Yome. A scene from Sunday nights pilot episode of 24: Legacy. Foxs 24 spinoff, 24: Legacy, opens with a home-invasion scene. The camera pans slowly through a suburban house, past a photo of a mother, father, and daughter, before swooping up to a piece of artwork hanging on the wall. Inside the frame is a childs drawing, splattered with blood our clearest sign that something is very wrong with this picture, if the comically ominous music playing wasnt clear enough for you. Weve searched everywhere, its not here, one brown man says to another. For Sheik Bin-Khalid, he intones, before shooting the father in the head and walking out the door, past the mother, slumped against the wall with her throat slit, and the childs lifeless legs. These are the first images Americans will see after the New England Patriots face off against the Atlanta Falcons during the most American of traditions: Super Bowl Sunday. 24: Legacy will premiere in the coveted Super Bowl lead-out slot, one of the most watched TV hours of the year based on the ratings of previous shows to have aired directly after the big game, its all but guaranteed 20 million viewers, a massive audience any year, but especially in todays streaming era. Moving from the all-American sport straight into American-killing Muslims is a jarring transition any day, but even more so after a week where people across the U.S. filled the streets to protest the Trump administrations unconstitutional ban on seven predominantly Muslim nations. In this context, 24: Legacy is a painful reminder of why so many Muslims have been banned from entering the country: post-9/11 fears of the radical Islamic terrorist, and the presumption that youre guilty while Muslim, a narrative that pop culture has been playing into for years. The Islamic terrorist narrative is not atypical for 24 a show thats never been known for its subtlety or for TV in general. Hollywood has hardwired depictions of bad Muslims into the popular imagination since 9/11 to make them completely unremarkable. Outside of Islamic activist organizations, theres typically little outcry over the unrelenting portrayal of Muslims as terrorists in media. The producers of 24: Legacy likely didnt anticipate their series would be premiering at a moment when much of America might actually care. (For the producers part, theyre spinning it as Trump-era prescience.) The 24 spinoff stars Corey Hawkins as Eric Carter in effect, the new Jack Bauer a former Army Ranger who, along with his fellow Rangers, is now being hunted down by Islamic terrorists as retribution for killing their leader, Sheik Bin-Khalid, in Afghanistan. Its a story that would have fit neatly in the shows original run. When 24 first entered the TV landscape, it felt like a fresh, exciting entry. It had an innovative format that hyperadrenalized your standard action-thriller: Every season takes place across one day, with each episode accounting for one hour, unfolding in real time. But its popularity was also intrinsically tied to how much it tapped into Americas fears post-9/11 the first season premiered in November 2001, two months after the attacks and the debate around how government should deal with terrorism (the shows answer: with force). The second season was the first to incorporate Muslim terrorists, a plotline Fox capitalized on with billboards that read they could be next door. (24 producer Howard Gordon has since said this was his biggest regret.) Season four is when Islamic activist groups started to get pissed: One plotline features a seemingly normal Muslim-American family leading a double life as radical terrorists. The story line climaxes when the wife, Dina (Shohreh Aghdashloo), wants her teenage son to kill his American girlfriend. When he cant do it, she takes matters into her own hands and poisons her. It was so controversial, the Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR) sat down with 24 producers, a conversation that resulted in Kiefer Sutherland reading a PSA that aired during the fourth season, in 2005: Hi. My name is Kiefer Sutherland, and I play counter-terrorist agent Jack Bauer on Foxs 24. I would like to take a moment to talk to you about something that I think is very important. Now while terrorism is obviously one of the most critical challenges facing our nation and the world, it is important to recognize that the American Muslim community stands firmly beside their fellow Americans in denouncing and resisting all forms of terrorism. So in watching 24, please, bear that in mind. 24: Legacys arrival at this moment in American history highlights the awkward tension inherent to TV reboots, particularly ones linked to a larger, arguably dated, cultural discourse (see also: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy). In many ways, 24 reflected the Bush eras war on terror mentality, and was largely accepted by critics and viewers at the time within that context. When a show reboots, especially one with such explicit political overtones, should it pretend like nothing has changed in its absence? In the case of 24: Legacy, in some ways things havent changed: Terrorists from predominantly Muslim nations are still viewed as Americas primary enemy. But in important ways, the context has shifted: Americans are now more aware of the fact that equating Muslims with terrorism has consequences, and that words and images can deeply influence the political climate. It should be noted that not all villains on 24 have been Muslim, and not all portrayals of Muslims on 24 are negative but Muslim people on the show still often interface with the question of whether or not they are terrorists. One of 24s tendencies is to give a good Muslim character a subplot to offset the shows more damning portrayals. Its view of Muslims swings between two extremes: good Muslim, bad Muslim. In the eyes of the state, you either support terrorism, or youre a peace-loving Muslim (a refrain that also became par for the course during the 2016 election). 24: Legacys good Muslim story line, which revolves around the campaign director for a presidential candidate, Nilaa Mizrani (played by A Girl Walks Home Alone at Nights Sheila Vand, who brings some nuance to the role), hinges on whether or not she has terrorist ties. This use of morality as character development goes back to season two of the show, where one subplot revolves around a white womans fear that her sisters fiance, Reza, has ties to radical Islam. Hes eventually redeemed, but only after the show expends a huge amount of effort to make you think hes definitely a terrorist. As in Rezas case, even if a character turns out to be good, its only after creating a baseline assumption of guilt, essentially putting them on trial and forcing them to prove their innocence, while making aesthetic choices threatening music, suspicious glances, the character simply speaking Arabic that further make you doubt their morality. Its a setup thats typical of political thrillers is this person who I really think he is? and its been applied to white baddies on 24 as well. The difference is, Muslims lose their humanity when theyre turned into symbols of right and wrong, while white people dont get stuck with the stereotype. There are moments on 24: Legacy when the show critiques the state, moments when it explicitly says that Islamophobia is bad; but 24 is not about the instances when it pays lip service to ideas it doesnt have the range to do justice. The shows politics are most apparent when you judge it on an aesthetic level rather than a textual one. And the aesthetic of 24 is such that its most evocative elements are the ones you remember. Its a visceral show, meant to provoke a visceral response. The moments that stay with you are the ones that leave you feeling scared, angry, exhilarated. On Sunday night, though, it might just leave a bad taste in your mouth. Photo: Mike Windle/Getty Images Bel Powley broke out two years ago in the coming of age comedy The Diary of a Teenage Girl, and shes been spotted in a handful of smaller films since then, but her highest-profile roles are still on the horizon (see: Kirsten Dunsts directorial debut, The Bell Jar, slated for 2018). Today, though, The Hollywood Reporter announced that the actress has signed on to a new movie with Matthew McConaugheys weight behind it. White Boy Rick stars McConaughey and focuses on a Detroit drug dealer capitalizing on the crack epidemic of the 1980s. The movie is based on the true story of a man named Richard Wershe Jr., who went from being an undercover informant for police at 14 to a drug dealer in his own right, until his arrest at age 17. Powley will play the drug-addicted daughter of McConaugheys character, and the supporting cast includes Bruce Dern, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Rory Cochrane. The title role has not yet been cast. Twice now, Bruce Springsteen has had to burden his Australian fans with chatter about Americas screwups while touring the continent. But, for once, during his show in Melbourne on Thursday, the topic affected them directly. Springsteen addressed reports of Donald Trumps contentious phone call with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull which involved Trump reportedly hanging up on his fellow world leader over a disagreement on refugee entry as best he knows how: by trolling Trump though song. We stand before you embarrassed Americans tonight, he began. This is a song from 1965 by the Orlons. Were going to use this to send a letter back home. That song is Dont Hang Up, which has lyrics alluding to fact-checking and calling the person on the other line a baby. Who knew the Orlons would be so prophetic? But just in case Trump misses the message, the E Street Bands Steven Van Zandt has also spoken out on the one platform Trump cant ignore. Australia is, was, and always will be one of the USA's best friends and closest allies. Apologies for today's temporary embarrassment. Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) February 2, 2017 True-crime stories never really go out of style, and the genre has been especially booming as of late. The O. J. Simpson trial spawned not one but two massively acclaimed TV series; Serial got America into podcasts; HBO made mincemeat of Robert Durst with The Jinx; and Netflix gave the Amanda Knox murder the glossy doc treatment, then found even more success with the highly addictive Making a Murderer. Whatever the video equivalent of a page-turner might be, filmmakers Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi found it in the sad tale of Steven Avery, wrongfully imprisoned for a good chunk of his life due to police coercion. (Or was he?!) As the title suggests, Making Dennis Reynolds a Murderer focuses its parody on the Netflix series, and a passing familiarity with the cast of characters greatly enhances a viewers appreciation of the half-hour. Those who arent amused solely by the Sunny-fication of the true-crime format, however, will find a lackluster episode light on jokes that leans a little too hard on familiar beats. It seems like forever ago that Denniss willingness to reveal his cold-blooded, calculating seduction technique felt shocking; weve sunk so far that the suggestion that he may have taken another human life now feels like beating a dead horse. Or, in this case, beating a dead cat-woman. Dennis ex-wife and series regular Maureen Ponderosa a.k.a. Bastet, feline Egyptian god-queen has been found mangled and dead. Dennis instantly emerges as the primary suspect, and not just because hes got a lot of money tied up in Maureens alimony and her stomach-churning reverse-nipplectomy surgical procedure. Most of the episodes gags come from the fact that Sunny has gradually exaggerated Denniss mannerisms to the point where his behavioral profile pretty much fits that of a remorseless, sociopathic killer. Hes a cool customer before the confessional interview camera, maintaining an off-putting facade of affable normalcy, and readily offering extraneous details to help the police along with their investigation. But beneath his polite veneer beats the heart dramatic pause of a serial crow murderer. The revelation that Dennis tortured and murdered an innocent crow as a young boy alerts the presumed documentarians that theres a story here, just as little breakthroughs in true-crime accounts yank on one thread to unravel an entire plot. Acting-wise, Glenn Howerton has done most of the heavy lifting this season, and Making Dennis Reynolds a Murderer is no different. He fully leans into the archetype of the collected psycho, pushing the stock character to delirious extremes by engaging in a two-hour staring contest with himself. Cracks start to form in his exterior, as they must, and he very nearly outs himself. I killed them all, of course, would be a punchline if it came out of his mouth. Everyone and everything else revolves around him. Dee, Frank, Mac, and Charlie all appear as character witnesses to corroborate or disprove Denniss narrative, and each is less helpful than the last. As ever, Dees got her sights set on stardom, appearing as Maureen in the dramatized reenactment sequences until a flea collar sears her skin like a lightsaber. Apart from discrediting Dees testimony, Frank spends most of his time incriminating himself with unsavory talk about the various soups hed make from cats, children, hands, feet, whatever. Charlie and Mac each get one real scene apiece, and though Mac gets the money line about not understanding how Mystery Science Theater 3000 works, their reduced presence makes the episode feel thinner overall. At the cost of hewing faithful to the source of their parody, the script sequesters the characters in their own spaces and robs them of the group dynamic the shows foundation and most appealing aspect. The writers choice to spoof the true-crime genre and Making a Murderer would seem to imply some affection for those things, but as the final scenes of the episode make clear, this is not so. As the scope pulls back to reveal that the episode has been directed by Mac and Dennis as the first part of a protracted documentary series, they conclude with some pointed potshots at the genre itself. Mac explains, Its like eating a bag of chips: Its never gonna make you full, and at the end it makes you sick, but youre gonna come back for more. They fleetingly knock the willful concealment of information for the sake of drama, and the use of resolution-free endings to keep audiences on the hook. Of course, both are perfectly valid criticisms of documentary ethics, a debate that rages in some of the tighter circles of cinephiles. If only the episode had offered more of that deconstruction as it went through its sordid paces, thered be more to appreciate than Denniss descent into broad madness. Its easy enough to ape the look of Making a Murderer, but a good parody should crack it open and poke at the mechanisms that make it work, too. Other Notes: One of the clips of interstitial pseudo-news footage features actor Jay Jackson, who uses an awfully familiar cadence while delivering his strangely phrased report. Best line of the episode is a real barn burner this week. Maureens death elicits the twin gems of I guess she wanted more nipples? and You ever seen a grown woman take a dump in a sandbox? Macs utter disbelief that Mike Myers could have portrayed both Austin Powers and Fat Bastard is so perfectly expressed with, Multiple characters in the same movie? What is he, a wizard? But of course, the title remains with Frank yet again, always so cavalier about what a morally bankrupt person he is. As he hustles out of the building to flee a tense interview in a cab, he informs his driver, Im running away from an interview because I just got busted saying a lot of illegal stuff I definitely did. Mac and Dennis say they enjoy tooling on the film Operation: Dumbo Drop, a 1995 comedy in which Ray Liotta and Danny Glover attempt to smuggle an elephant through an active combat zone during the American occupation of Vietnam. It is, to put it charitably, not great. Judd Apatow, who is no stranger to impersonating other comedians on The Tonight Show, channeled a far more nasally comic for this stand-up set as he told certified kid jokes. Jimmy Fallon went next in the segment, taking on Steven Wrights persona as he delivered his set-up: What did the werewolf astronaut say? But Keanu Reeves proved his acting chops as the only non-comedian, when he nailed his octopus pun. As for the actual kid writers of these jokes? Well, were not pointing fingers, but some of this material has definitely made its way around elementary schools before. Following President Trumps news-filled week, including the immigration ban on seven mostly Muslim nations and the consequential fallout with Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, Samantha Bee turned a critical eye on Trumps loyal followers. As it were, Donald Trump and Paris Geller of Gilmore Girls have a lot more in common than youd think. While Trump was firing Yates for her betrayal and promoting those whove scratched his back regardless of their abilities or qualifications he was also pushing the idea that dissenters to his immigration policy must be against jobs going to Americans. Bee breaks down this argument by pointing to the Occupy movement: Liberal snowflakes are multitaskers; they can make a nuisance out of themselves over white jobs and brown refugees. Photo: Comedy Central Despite South Park coming out swinging last year with a few particularly scathing antiDonald Trump satirical episodes, the brain trust behind the long-running Comedy Central series wants to make it clear that satirizing the current political climate isnt an easy task in the slightest. How exactly, you ask? South Park co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone say they couldnt possibly write something more ludicrous than the idea of a former reality-TV star becoming president of the United States. Its tricky now because satire has become reality, Parker told ABC Australia. Its really hard to make fun of and in the last season of South Park, which just ended a month and a half ago, we were really trying to make fun of what was going on but we couldnt keep up, and what was actually happening was much funnier than anything we could come up with. So we decided to kind of back off and let them do their comedy and well do ours. With the duo now choosing to eschew tackling politics in their writing for the time being, they also said they were unsure that Trumps administration would bring with it a so-called golden age of satire. People say to us all the time, You guys are getting so much good material, like were happy about some of the stuff thats happening, Stone explained. But I dont know if thats true. It doesnt feel that way. Were having our head blown off like everyone else. All eyes are on you then, Alec Baldwin. A-list actresses of previous decades made their careers in rom-coms, but Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence have kept their distance from the genre. Photo-Illustration: Maya Robinson/Vulture In the beginning, we had Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan. Christened Americas Sweetheart, Roberts lent her girl-next-door star power to many a 1990s romantic comedy, including Pretty Woman, My Best Friends Wedding, Runaway Bride, and Notting Hill, while Ryan gave the genre some of its biggest hits, like When Harry Met Sally and Youve Got Mail. In time, they begot Sandra Bullock of While You Were Sleeping, Two Weeks Notice, and The Proposal and Reese Witherspoon, who faithfully served a stint as the lead of films like Sweet Home Alabama and Just Like Heaven. In the land of the romantic comedy, these women acted as its smiling stewards: Meet-cutes were had, misunderstandings were worked through, and mixed-up matches generally became couples by the final reel. Who have we got now? Much has been written about how the romantic-comedy genre, once a cinematic staple, has fallen on hard times as of late. In its heyday, a film like Pretty Woman was the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1990, but in 2016, theres not a romantic comedy to be found in the years 50 biggest movies. Tentpole blockbusters, animated spectaculars, and the occasional horror hit are the new order of the day, and mid-budget movies aimed at and starring women are increasingly lucky to eke out even a sliver of that studio pie. Box-office records are regularly rewritten in every genre but this one, where the list of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time has sat untouched for years. Up against those long odds, the cruelest hand the romantic-comedy genre has been dealt is that our new class of A-list actresses has shown little interest in doing that kind of movie. Jennifer Lawrence is better known for her franchise films and dramatic work than for making like Meg Ryan. Years ago in Crazy, Stupid, Love, Emma Stone sparkled like a classic rom-com heroine, but now shed rather work with auteurs than make the next Bridget Jones. And can you even imagine Kristen Stewart in a light-and-fluffy high-heels vehicle? Their cold shoulder is contagious: New recruits to the lady A-list, like Margot Robbie, Brie Larson, and Shailene Woodley, have no romantic comedies on their docket. For years, this was a genre that would mint superstars, and now young women are content to bypass it entirely. What happened? In part, this is because Hollywood let the genre become disreputable. Movies about women will always have a tough time garnering the same amount of respect as movies about men the umpteenth superhero film arrives with much more pomp and circumstance than a rom-com about a klutzy art restorer choosing between two suitors but when Hollywood finally had to pick the heirs to Julia, Meg, Sandra, and Reese, they didnt send their best. While the romantic-comedy genre was once the provenance of our biggest and best-liked women, it eventually became the domain of semi-popular actresses with little critical respect, like Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Lopez, and Kate Hudson basically, the B team. And while Katherine Heigl may have hoped, once upon a time, to become the next Julia Roberts, its safe to say that Margot Robbie doesnt aspire to become the next Katherine Heigl. Thats important, because our current crop of in-demand young women is unusually focused on working with critically acclaimed, high-level directors out of the gate. The usual tried-and-true career arc, where a star like Sandra Bullock would make mainstream Hollywood movies for ages before finally feinting towards more highbrow fare, has been upended. Jennifer Lawrence was nominated for her first Oscar at age 20, for the indie Winters Bone, before she ever went on to commercial success, and her biggest hit, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, didnt come until she had already won the second Oscar she was nominated for. Emma Stone is only 28, and shes already starred in three films nominated for Best Picture, one of which won that prize (Birdman) and another of which is about to (La La Land). Margot Robbies breakthrough came courtesy of Martin Scorsese, while Kristen Stewart is seeking out art-cinemas finest to work with. In short, journeyman rom-com directors like Marc Lawrence and Anne Fletcher arent getting anywhere near these young women. If they so much as flirt with the genre, its under the critical auspices of Oscar-friendly auteurs like David O. Russell, Woody Allen, or Cameron Crowe, the kind of men who would strenuously object to their films being defined that way. When people called Silver Linings Playbook a romantic comedy, my head snapped, Russell once told Indiewire, though his Oscar-winning film hits many of that genres most familiar beats. In the age of Marvel, only the most critically acclaimed directors still get to make mid-budget movies, and theyre all men whod rather make Oscar vehicles than strictly defined rom-coms. Just ask Lawrence, who recently shot the thriller Mother with Best Director nominee Darren Aronofsky, and will soon make the fact-based Bad Blood with another Best Director nominee, Adam McKay. Back in the day, Bullock, Roberts, and Witherspoon all had studio development deals where they could tailor material to their talents, but now, our best young women are increasingly dependent on what the male-driven, foreign-angling marketplace brings them and it aint rom-coms. In a way, though, the A-lists absence from the rom-com rolls has allowed the genre to find new life, powered by unexpected faces. When I think about recent romantic comedies that have really popped, theyre left-of-center movies with stars who dont traditionally get to make movies like this, including Trainwreck (which gave Amy Schumer her first proper big-screen bow), Obvious Child (an abortion-themed comedy that let Jenny Slate play the lead instead of the wise-cracking best friend), and the recent Sundance sensation The Big Sick (a Pakistani-American culture clash starring Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan). Hell, the biggest romantic comedy of all time is still My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which writer-star Nia Vardalos told with winning cultural specificity. All of those movies were able to use the very familiar rom-com structure as a Trojan horse to get unfamiliar ideas and faces onto the big screen, which produced an interesting friction for a genre that can sometimes run too smooth. So maybe this is the moment in the story where the heroine and her muse, split by contrivance, realize that they should get back together. Great work is being done in the romantic-comedy space right now, and for a crop of actresses intent on shoring up their critical bona fides, theyd be unwise to overlook it. Yes, there are all sorts of flashy, handsome studio suitors willing to woo our new A-listers, but in the end, perhaps its the humble, patient rom-com a genre that has stuck around and shown real character growth thats most deserving of an embrace. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. A four-time felon who was indicted last month for evading police was indicted Wednesday in the June robbery of a Waco smoke shop owner. Lemytrick Tarod Proctor, 32, was indicted on charges of aggravated robbery and credit card abuse against an elderly person. Because of his criminal past, a McLennan County grand jury charged Proctor as a habitual offender. Police say Proctor came to the One Way Smoke Shop, 5215 Sanger Ave., and asked to speak to the owner outside. Police reported the man, identified as Proctor, pushed the owner against a vehicle and took a wallet from his pocket. The man fled in a black vehicle, police said. Proctor was arrested in the incident after police say he tried to use a credit card belonging to the elderly man. Last month, Proctor was indicted on charges of evading arrest in a vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in an October incident in which police said he led them on a car chase before trying to hide in an apartment occupied by someone else. Bellmead police reported Proctor and Ayorinde Jelani Gibson, 20, fled from officers who tried to stop a silver Pontiac Grand Prix in the 700 block of Penton Lane about 1 a.m. Oct. 11. The vehicle had a license plate that matched a different vehicle, leading officers to think it may have been stolen, Bellmead officials said at the time. The pair continued into Waco, where police say Gibson jumped from the passenger seat as the car slowed on JJ Flewellen Road. A sheriffs deputy detained Gibson. Gibson has since been charged in a Bellmead aggravated robbery with Parrish Cobb, a University of Oklahoma defensive back. The university suspended Cobb from the team after his arrest in the case. Police say Proctor kept driving before stopping near Calumet Avenue and Bennett Street. Proctor abandoned the car and ran through a neighborhood until he reached an apartment on Delano Street, police said. A resident of the apartment came outside to see what the police activity was about when Proctor ran inside, locking her out, police said. Proctor remained in the apartment with the residents two children for a time before officers arrested him, police officials said. After Proctors arrest, officers found a gun in the car, officials said. Proctor has felony convictions for possession of cocaine, unlawfully carrying a weapon on licensed premises and two for evading arrest. His indictment as a habitual offender increases the minimum prison term if he is convicted to 25 years and bumps the maximum term to life in prison. Dina Dwyer-Owens, whose Waco-based franchising empire called The Dwyer Group oversees companies with $1.4 billion in global sales, traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to lobby for President Donald Trumps nominee to become secretary of labor, Andrew Puzder, whose confirmation hearing has been delayed a fourth time. Dwyer-Owens said she hopped a plane to the nations capital from Las Vegas, where she was attending the International Franchise Associations annual convention. She appeared at a forum designed to help people find out more about this nominee and to let them know he has a tremendous background in creating jobs, Dwyer-Owens said. Puzder, 66, CEO of the company that franchises fast-food outlets Hardees and Carls Jr., has come under fire from Democrats and labor groups who say he opposes increases in the federal minimum wage and has criticized worker protections implemented under President Barack Obama. The International Franchise Association has urged its members to sign petitions backing the Puzder nomination and dispatched Dwyer-Owens, a former chairwoman of the association, to the scene of the planned hearings. I went there to talk about him as the right guy to serve as secretary of labor, someone who knows what factors benefit and which deter job creation. We believe he is the right choice for the American workforce, and we tried to make that point to the media, Dwyer-Owens said. He took the reins of CKE Restaurants at a time when it was really struggling, and he has overseen a turnaround that has seen the company grow to 3,700 restaurants, most of which are operated by franchisees. Front-line experience She said Puzder has front-line experience and understands the challenges of small-businesses owners, and she thinks he treats his employees well. I know through my dealings with him at the International Franchise Association that he was open to minimum wage increases, but only at a pace that made sense, Dwyer-Owens said. If you start at what the minimum wage is now, $7.25 an hour, and then double it, small-business owners cant absorb that, cant stomach that. She said the number of entry-level positions would shrink, and business would cut positions, turning to automation or closing altogether. Dwyer-Owens said she and others summoned to Capitol Hill to support the nomination of Puzder stayed in space provided by U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., who serves as chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Among those attending was Michael Saltsman, research director for the Employment Policies Institute, who has written articles on the hazards of raising the minimum wage. One of his stories for The Wall Street Journal discusses restaurant closings in San Francisco and Oakland, California, in the spring of 2015 after the cities raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour and $12.25 per hour, respectively, in the fall of 2014. The Senate this week postponed a hearing on Puzder for the fourth time to give him more time to provide information about his personal financial status and how he will avoid conflicts of interest, according to a story from The Washington Post quoting an aide for the Republican chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The story also quotes Puzders spokesman, George Thompson, as saying Democrats attacks are delaying the process. Its unfortunate that the deliberate attacks from the Democrats and their special interests will persist because of those bent on obstructing President Trumps nominees, Thompson said, according to the Washington Post story. Andy Puzder is what Americas workers and small businesses need: a proven job creator. Delays part of process Dwyer-Owens said delays are just part of the process. I guess thats the way things work on Capitol Hill, Dwyer-Owens said. But listening to the leadership of the IFA, and judging by their confidence, I believe he will be approved. Dwyer-Owens, 54, now serves as co-chair of the company her late father, Don Dwyer, founded in 1981. It has grown to become a holding company for 14 franchising brands, among them Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Rooter, The Grounds Guys, Rainbow International. The 14 companies have a presence in 11 countries and 2,700 locations. Dwyer-Owens said she went to work for her father in high school at a restaurant in Waco called Texas Cattle Co., which he once considered franchising but did not. I made minimum wage, whatever it was then, and I did a little bit of everything, including cleaning the restrooms and serving food, Dwyer-Owens said. She said Puzder and others want the minimum wage to remain at a reasonable level so entry-level employees can get the skills they need to open their own restaurant. But some have criticized Puzder for his stance on labor issues. Comments on automation Business Insider ran a story in March on fast-food companies investing more in automation as labor costs increase and quoted Puzder on the potential use of more machines. Theyre always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, theres never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex or race discrimination case, Puzder said, as quoted in the article. A Dec. 8 story on Puzder in The New York Times notes the Business Insider story and quotes AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka as saying Puzder is a man whose business record is defined by fighting against working people. The Business Insider story also notes two op-eds Puzder wrote for The Wall Street Journal opposing minimum wage increases. In one, he opposes a call to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour. Donald Trump scored a major PR coup when Carrier Corp. and Ford Motor Co. concerned about potential tariffs and angering a new administration announced they would keep hundreds of manufacturing jobs in the United States rather than transfer them to Mexico. But if the 45th president really wants to revitalize U.S. manufacturing, hell need to focus on companies of the future, not the past because thats where the growth will be. A few decades ago, Rust Belt states like Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan churned out manufacturing jobs at a blistering pace. According to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, manufacturing jobs peaked in 1979 at nearly 20 million Americans. But 7 million of those positions have since disappeared. Foreign competition isnt actually the main culprit. About 85 percent of the jobs were lost to advances in technology and automation. Today, U.S. factories are producing 2.5 times as many goods as they did in 1980 but with one-third fewer employees. From an economic standpoint, thats exactly what you want increased production spread over fewer employees means higher wages. But it also sends another message: If the United States is to grow its manufacturing base, as President Trump has promised, it wont be because a handful of large, decades-old companies decide not to export a few thousand jobs. It will be because some of the fastest-growing companies in our country are creating 21st-century manufacturing jobs by focusing on new technologies. Consider space exploration. SpaceX, a rocket company famous for its plans to send humans to Mars, isnt just launching rockets. Its launching manufacturing jobs. In 2016, SpaceX dramatically scaled up production of its rocket cores from 18 to more than 30 per year, which has boosted demand for engineers with advanced degrees as well as skilled tradesmen. And those jobs pay well, with welders reportedly earning $31 per hour, on average. Private-sector space exploration is still in its infancy, but it and other industries will spawn numerous offshoot industries creating thousands of manufacturing and related jobs, and it wont be easy to offshore those jobs. There is another manufacturing industry thats likely to see significant growth: energy and refining. Innovative drilling techniques are behind the decade-old explosion in crude oil and natural gas production. In addition, several liquefied natural-gas terminals are currently under construction at several U.S. ports. Those high-tech terminals will have to chill natural gas to minus 260 degrees before it can be loaded on a tanker and exported. Its cutting-edge industries like these that could revive American manufacturing, but its not a given. Regulations that hamper new business creation and innovative ideas need to be scaled back. For example, Amazon just began its trial drone delivery service in the United Kingdom. Thats in part because of restrictive FAA regulations. And when the private sector can provide a service like SpaceXs efforts to shuttle people, satellites and supplies into space the federal government ought to be a catalyst rather than a roadblock. Finally, reforming the corporate income tax system is critical. Lowering the corporate tax rate, as Trump and Republicans have proposed, will do more to create manufacturing jobs of all kinds than any tariffs or restrictions the White House or Congress could impose. If Trump focuses on these reforms, rather than punitive tariffs, hell stand a good chance of rejuvenating American manufacturing. Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation, a research-based, conservative public-policy think tank based in Dallas. He is a health-policy expert and weekly contributor at Forbes.com. Whether you agree or not with Supreme Court justice nominee Neil Gorsuchs past rulings and writings many of them rigidly conservative little doubt exists about his qualifications. And as a forum discussion on high court justices last spring at Baylor Law School forcefully underlined, senators faced with saying yea or nay on any presidents Supreme Court pick should determine whether he or she is qualified not whether they like his or her judicial ideology. These are the standards by which Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were confirmed and, under ordinary circumstances, the same should hold for Judge Gorsuch. Problem is this vacancy involves what Democrats with lots of justification call a stolen seat. Upon the death of arch-conservative jurist Antonin Scalia in Texas last February, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took the unprecedented step of denying President Obamas pick both a fair hearing and up-or-down vote on the extra-legal grounds that no president should make a Supreme Court nomination in the final year of his presidency, that such a decision should be up to whoever wins the next presidential election. The Constitution recognizes no such fanciful shifting of Senate advise-and-consent goal posts. Baylor law professors including eminent scholar and legal godfather David Guinn, in discussing this conundrum last year, made it clear this was nowhere in the Constitution. They also stressed that, while they didnt exactly approve of Republicans action (or inaction), that body wasnt exactly violating the Constitution, either. Theres nothing in it specifically demanding they hold a vote. Its only implied. Given that Obama was cheated of his right to pick a successor to Scalia, its no surprise Democratic senators are now eager to return the favor and its hard for Republicans to blame them without complete hypocrisy. That possibility already has President Trump pressuring McConnell to gut the pivotal Senate rule requiring 60 votes to allow a vote on Gorsuch, but Leader McConnell is undoubtedly thinking of 2018, the fact he has but 52 Senate Republicans and the possibility the Republicans might lose the Senate and need that critical filibuster rule. Adults must finally take charge in the Senate and restore a sense of order and proper deliberation. Republicans clearly flunked the integrity test last year. We encourage Democrats to now demonstrate what they claim Republicans lack: Allow Gorsuch his hearing, press him with probing but legitimate questions, then permit an up-or-down vote. Democrats should make it clear, however, they expect similar respect from Republicans when the tables are turned. Unfortunately, Democrats own Cabinet-vote boycotts this week suggest little such statesmanship is likely. WAHOO -- Dr. Howard Hansons name will be read Friday as the selection process begins for this years Nebraska Hall of Fame inductees. The Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission will meet Feb. 3 to hear introductions of nominees. During this public meeting, the commission will review the nominations and determine if they meet the minimum qualifications as required by state statute. The commission will not hear testimony, but give nominators 10 minutes to introduce nominees and state their achievements and qualifications. Mary Bergan, Saunders County Historical Society board member and museum volunteer said she plans to attend with Dr. Larry Erickson, Wahoo native and professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State University, and Joan Shurtliff, whose brother had recently made attempts to nominate Hanson. Jerry Johnson of Wahoo has also been leading an effort to get the Wahoo-born music composer and Pulitzer Prize winner into the hall of fame. This is not the first year that Hanson has been nominated. He was nominated 10 years after his death in 1981. This was allowed at the time. But Johnson said legislative action in 1998 now states that no more than one person can be added every five years and only 35 years after that persons death. It has been 35 years since Hansons death and this is the first year he would be eligible for induction into the state hall of fame by the new law, Bergan said. I think he has a good chance because hes world renown, Bergan added. If Hanson were to be inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame, he would be the first linked to an expertise in music, Erickson said. Hansons boyhood home is located on the corner of 12th and Linden streets in Wahoo. The historical house is maintained by the Saunders County Historical Society. Hansons competition includes 11 other Nebraska natives, including Anna Sadilek Paelka, known as Willa Cathers inspiration for her novel My Antonia. Hanson was born on Oct. 28, 1896. He attended Wahoo Public Schools and then enrolled at Luther College. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for one of his symphonies and was the director of the famed Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. During 2017, the commission will review the nominees and will hold public hearings regarding the finalists in each of Nebraskas three congressional districts during the month of July. The Commission will meet to determine the selction on Aug. 2 at the State Capitol. For more information about attending the Nebraska Hall of Fame Commissions meeting and upcoming summer hearings, contact the Saunders County Museum at 402-443-3090. RAYMOND The move last week by President Donald Trump to clear the way for a revival of the Keystone XL Pipeline did not strike Ben Gotschall as unexpected. The owner of Davey Road Ranch and manager of Branched Oak Farm near Raymond knew it was likely to happen. Here we go again, Gottschall said he thought when he heard the news. It wasnt really a surprise. He said he was going to do it all along. Former President Barack Obama denied Canadian company TransCanadas permit to construct the pipeline in 2015, but last week Trump signed an executive order that could clear the way for the projects approval. The memorandum invited the company to resubmit an application and gave the State Department 60 days to make a decision upon receipt of an application. TransCanda submitted an application days after the order. KXL represents the safest, most environmentally sound way to connect the American economy to an abundant energy resource, said Company Spokesperson Terry Cunha. Gotschall has long been one of many voices opposing the pipeline, working alongside political group Bold Nebraska to fight its construction since 2010. Im going on a good seven years now, he said. The Keystone XL pipeline has seen vigorous opposition since its announcement. The project would expand an existing crude oil pipeline in the state. The pipeline would carry oil 1,179 miles across international borders, stretching from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City here in Nebraska. There, it would connect to the existing Keystone Pipeline that carries oil to the Gulf Coast. Opponents to the pipeline stress the hazards potential spills could pose to the Ogallala Aquifer, a vast reservoir of groundwater that rests below the surface of the western portion of the state that supplies drinking water to nearly 2 million people, according to the United States Geological Survey. Proponents argue it would reduce American dependence on foreign energy and create jobs. The expansions original route wouldve come close to ranching property owned by Gottschalls parents in north-central Nebraska. A new route takes it away from any family property, as well as the environmentally sensitive Sand Hills, but Gottschall still aims to do what he can to prevent the project from happening. He noted questionable tactics by the company to acquire land for the project as one reason he remained committed to its prevention. When theres injustice, youve got to fight it or you live with it, he said. And I prefer not to live with injustice. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts praised Trumps memorandum, arguing it would bring an economic boost to the state. Keystone XL will create good-paying jobs for Nebraska workers and bring property tax relief to counties along the route, Ricketts said last week in a written statement. Todays decision represents years of extensive environmental reviews that confirm Keystone XL complies with federal safety and environmental standards. With the federal approval process complete, state regulators must now work through the process in Nebraska to conduct their own thorough consideration of the project. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb) noted that shes long supported construction of the Keystone XL and said most of her constituents share that view. Trade unions also have supported the pipeline in the past. An Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the State Department in 2014 determined the project could potentially add 42,000 jobs during construction. Of those 42,000, about 29,000 would be spread throughout Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota and Kansas. Construction on the pipeline would generate approximately 3,900 temporary construction jobs in the project area. Not all of those jobs would be entirely new, according to the report, as some existing employees could likely be relocated to project areas. After construction, the project would require only 50 full-time employees 35 permanent and 15 contractors. The project could result in increased property tax revenues, according to the report. The document estimated the pipeline could generate approximately $55.6 million in its first year of operation. That amount would be shared among 27 counties in three states. About $11.7 million in Nebraska, which equates to roughly 6 percent of total statewide property tax revenues compared to the amount collected in 2010. Trumps memorandum directed the State Department to take the impact statement into consideration when making a decision. The executive order does not mean the pipeline will ever see the light of day, Gotschall said. Much is still up in the air regarding the action. Theres still a lot of uncertainty as to what it means, he said. We have to figure out what this executive memo means in the context of national and state law. The Nebraska Public Service Commission still needs to sign off on the project, and that process could take up to a year, Gotschall said. Further, TransCanada cannot apply to use eminent domain on land in along the proposed route until 2017 under state law. Were just going to see what happens and be proactive in educating people who are concerned, Gotschall said. Were not backing down by any means. The potential for spills leaking into local water sources is reason enough for residents across the state to take interested in the project, Gottschall said. Were downstream, he said. The pipeline will cross the Platte River, and where do people in Lincoln and Omaha get their drinking water? (Omaha World-Herald Staff Writers Paul Hammel and Joseph Morton contributed to this report) Like the conservative columnists playing a regular day in the culture wars, criticising the "hysteria" of anti-Trump activists in response to his executive order temporarily banning refugees and citizens from seven Islamic countries from entering the US. Such hypocrisy, writes David French in National Review, when the Obama administration's immigration edicts were just as bad. (No, they weren't.) So it's excruciating to watch the handful of politicians, journalists, experts and bureaucrats trying to business-as-usual their way through Trump's first fortnight, pretending we're not one tweet away from the collapse of the international trading order, or worse. Trump promised, in his pared-back style, a revolution from the grubbiest of grassroots. He's delivering. For all the talk about alternative facts, on some frightening level, the man says what he means and means what he says. This is what happens when a troll, a "malignant narcissist" according to some in the mental health fraternity, seizes the most powerful job on earth. The troll does not metamorphose into a statesman with respect for institutional norms just because he swears an oath one rainy inauguration day. (Allegedly, Donald Trump fully appreciates that some showers cannot be faked.) Demonstrators during a protest against Trump's controversial travel ban. Credit:AP Other commentators are bewildered at the apparent "ineptitude" and "incompetence" in Trump's "sudden" order. Never mind the merits of the order, they say where's the technocratic poise? Local officials received scant guidelines from the White House on implementing the ban, commonsense advice from the Department of Homeland Security was ignored, then conflicting pronouncements on green-card holders in transit to the US, Western leaders forced into special pleading for their dual nationals, airport chaos. But by now we ought to be grasping that chaos is the point: chaos being precisely what Trump promised and in his mind an affirmation of his potency. His early campaign vow to ban Muslims from entering the US had an enduring appeal among supporters. It was hard to envisage such a radical policy becoming a reality even after Trump's shock election win. What would the Saudis say? Well, bullies will always find a cowardly way to do their thing. The Trump White House picked seven rogue or failed states whose leaders can't effectively retaliate, but whose peoples collectively bear the brunt of Islamist oppression and violence. Ordinarily, images of distressed children and grandmothers detained by authorities and separated from loved ones would shame an administration into a spin offensive. Not so when the leader of the free world is empathy-impaired to the point of pathological; he blames the pandemonium on a computer outage and Senator Charles Schumer's fake tears. As for the protesters welcoming Muslims and the judicial ruling curbing the order these will be useful anti-liberal propaganda come the next terror attack on US soil. And the stories about travel plans thrown into doubt, lovers thwarted, careers trashed, the exemplary individuals caught in this net lauded filmmaker, artist, engineer, writer, journalist, academic, medical researcher 1, 2, 3 (does tuberculosis even exist in the Trumpian universe?) Tory MP, feminists, atheists, people who have internalised the American Dream more than most Americans, people who never even thought of themselves as Muslim while we're not on that topic for Trump, Steve Bannon and their most ardent supporters, the only sound sweeter than the bleating of global elites is the bleating of brown global elites. The family of a Brisbane backpacker missing in Central America has launched a desperate online appeal for help, as search teams struggle with difficult terrain to find him. Michael Eather disappeared on January 23 in Guatemala, in a river tubing trip gone wrong. Rescue workers prepare to search for missing Brisbane backpacker Michael Eather. Credit:Facebook A friend of the 23-year-old contacted his mother Tracy on January 24, telling her he had gone to the Cahabon River with a friend the day before and disappeared. "It appears that in the early hours of the morning Michael and his friend had gone back to the river, we believe that it was in a tube and that they had all been doing the same activity earlier in the day," his mother said. Atlanta: A CNN editor and producer has launched legal action after allegedly being wrongly detained at Atlanta's airport because of US President Donald Trump's ban on entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Mohammed Abdullah Tawfeeq, who has a green card, says in a federal lawsuit filed in the US on Monday that he was improperly detained and subjected to additional screening when he arrived from Iraq on Sunday. Tawfeeq, who has worked for CNN since 2004, arrived in the US as a refugee and became a legal permanent resident in June 2013, the suit says. He was one of 721 people detained or denied entry to the country after the surprise order was signed by Trump on Friday. A WCO A/P Regional Accreditation Workshop on Risk Management was conducted from 23 to 27 January 2017 in the WCO Regional Training Centre of Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Customs Academy - AKMAL), in close cooperation with Malaysian Customs and the ROCB AP. This important event was funded by the Customs Cooperation Fund of Japan (CCF-Japan). Following nominations by the WCO Members, the WCO Secretariat evaluated applications considering pre-determined criteria. This resulted in the selection of 13 participants from 11 countries to participate in the accreditation workshop. During the opening ceremony, Mr. Saidi bin Ismail, Deputy Director of AKMAL and the WCO representative highlighted the importance of risk management in Customs daily work as well as the necessity of having a pool of highly qualified advisors to conduct workshops and provide support to Customs administrations in order to enhance existing risk management practices. The WCO Accreditation Workshops on Risk Management are designed to develop a pool of advisors capable of using the WCO Risk Management Compendium, the WCO Diagnostic Framework and the WCO Capacity Building Development Compendium in order to deliver missions within Customs administrations on behalf of the WCO, leading to the development of effective risk management structures, procedures and products. At the end of the event, candidates who successfully completed this Workshop were considered as pre-accredited and as a second phase would be invited to an in-country mission as co-facilitators. Pre-accredited candidates who are successful during the second phase will become WCO Accredited Risk Management Advisors. Participants of the workshop also had the opportunity to attend the commemoration of the International Customs Day on the 26 of January organized in AKMAL. The event which was attended by the Honourable Minister of Finance II and officiated by the Honourable Chief Minister of Melaka had over 2,000 people also in attendance. During the opening ceremony, the Director General of Customs welcomed the 2017 theme of the International Customs Day, Data Analysis for Effective Border Management recognizing the key role of analysis in customs daily efforts, and particularly in the risk management context. State Police have arrested an 18-year-old man who they say sexually assaulted a 13- year-old female family member. State Police say they were called to the victim's school last week by school officials after the girl told them about the alleged assault by Jeremy Rhodes. The victim was interviewed, as well as close friends she told about the alleged incident. The girl allegedly told State Police the abuse had been happening for years, but the worst came during summer 2016. Sergeant Scott of the West Virginia State Police met with Rhodes, who allegedly admitted to the sexual abuse happening over several years. State Police say Rhodes also admitted asking the girl to send him sexually explicit photos of herself via social media. Rhodes was arraigned in Harrison County Magistrate Court and placed on a $15,000 cash or surety bond. If anyone has any further information in reference to this investigation, please contact Sergeant Scott with the WV State Police Crimes Against Children Unit at 304-367-2701. ALLETE, Inc. operates as an energy company. The company operates through Regulated Operations, ALLETE Clean Energy, and Corporate and Other segments. It generates electricity from coal-fired, biomass co-fired / natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar. The company provides regulated utility electric services in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers, and 10,000 water customers, as well as regulated utility electric services in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 145,000 retail customers and 15 non-affiliated municipal customers. It also owns and maintains electric transmission assets in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. In addition, the company focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects; and owns and operates approximately 1,000 megawatts of wind energy generation facility. Further, it is involved in the coal mining operations in North Dakota; and real estate investment activities in Florida. The company owns and operates 158 substations with a total capacity of 10,066 megavolt amperes. It serves taconite mining, paper, pulp and secondary wood products, pipeline, and other industries. The company was formerly known as Minnesota Power, Inc. and changed its name to ALLETE, Inc. in May 2001. ALLETE, Inc. was incorporated in 1906 and is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Orange S.A. provides various fixed telephony and mobile telecommunications, data transmission, and other value-added services to customers, businesses, and other telecommunications operators in France and internationally. It operates through France; Spain and Other European Countries; The Africa and Middle East; Enterprise; International Carriers & Shared Services; and Mobile Financial Services segments. The company offers mobile services, such as voice, SMS, and data; fixed broadband and narrowband services, as well as fixed network business solutions, including voice and data; and convergence packages. It also sells mobile handsets, mobile terminals, broadband equipment, connected devices, and accessories. In addition, the company provides IT and integration services comprising unified communication and collaboration services, such as LAN and telephony, consultancy, integration, and project management; hosting and infrastructure services, including cloud computing; customer relations management and other applications services; security services; and video conferencing, as well as sells related equipment. Further, it offers national and international roaming services; online advertising services; and mobile virtual network operators, network sharing, and mobile financial services, as well as sells equipment to external distributors and brokers. Orange S.A. markets its products and services under the Orange brand. The company was formerly known as France Telecom and changed its name to Orange S.A. in July 2013. Orange S.A. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France. This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article. In one of my periodic attempts to create themes for these columns, I developed a fiscal fights with friends category. Part I was a response to Riehan Salams well-meaning critique of the flat tax. to Riehan Salams well-meaning critique of the flat tax. Part II was a response to a good-but-timid fiscal plan from folks at AEI. to a good-but-timid fiscal plan from folks at AEI. Part III was a response to Jerry Taylors principled case for an energy tax. to Jerry Taylors principled case for an energy tax. And Im going to retroactively categorize my friendly attacks on the destination-based cash-flow tax as Part IVa, Party IVb, and Part IVc. Todays column could be considered Part IIIb since Im going to revisit the case against energy taxes. Except its not going to be a friendly assessment. Thats because theres a legitimate case (made by Jerry) for a carbon tax, based on the notion that it could address an externality, obviate the need for command-and-control regulation, and provide revenue to finance pro-growth tax cuts. But theres also a distasteful argument for such a tax and it revolves around crony capitalists seeking to obtain unearned wealth by imposing costs on their competitors. Elon Musk already is infamous for trying to put taxpayers on the hook for some of his grandiose schemes. Now, as reported by Bloomberg, he wants an energy tax on American consumers. Tesla Motors Inc. founder Elon Musk is pressing the Trump administration to adopt a tax on carbon emissions, raising the issue directly with President Donald Trump and U.S. business leaders at a White House meeting Monday regarding manufacturing. But what the article doesnt mention is that such a tax would make his electric cars more financially attractive. Its rather unseemly (and Im bending over backwards for a charitable characterization) that a rich guy is pushing a tax on the rest of us as a way of lining his pockets. Whats ironic, though, is that hes probably being short-sighted because a carbon tax presumably would hit coal, and thats a common source of energy for electrical generation. So while regular drivers would pay a lot more for gas, Tesla drivers would pay more at charging stations. Some big oil companies also are flirting with an energy tax for cronyist reasons. An article in the Federalist notes that some of those firms support carbon taxes because they want to create hardships for their competitors. carbon taxes do not affect all fossil fuels equally. So just as some fossil fuels are much more carbon-intensive than others, here we can begin to understand how, beyond the benefits of predictability, a carbon tax might actually help some fossil-fuel providers As a recent National Bureau of Economic Research working paper illustrates, for example, in the United States a tax on carbon would disproportionately impact the use of coal relative to natural gas for energy production. Dont be surprised, then, if some domestic producers of natural gas end up promoting a carbon tax, not only out of concern for regime stability but also out of a concern to make their product more competitive in the energy marketplace. To be fair, I suppose that Musk and the energy companies might actually think energy taxes are a good idea, so their support may have nothing to do with self-interest. But its always a good idea to follow the money when looking at how policy really gets made in Washington. Even more depressing, the adoption of one bad policy may lead to the expansion of another bad policy. More specifically, some proponents of energy taxes admit that ordinary taxpayers and consumers will be hurt. But rather than realize that a new tax is a bad idea, they decide to match a tax increase with more spending. Here is a blurb from a report by the American Enterprise Institute. Using emissions and other data from 2013 and 2014, we also find that the revenue from the carbon tax could be enough to expand the EITC to childless workers and hold other low income households harmless, combining a regressive tax with progressive benefits. This is not good. The EITC already is the fastest-growing redistribution program in Washington. Making it even bigger would exacerbate the fiscal burden of the welfare state. Republished from Dan Mitchell's blog. Daniel J. Mitchell is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute who specializes in fiscal policy, particularly tax reform, international tax competition, and the economic burden of government spending. He also serves on the editorial board of the Cayman Financial Review. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 02, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 02, 2017 | 03:29 PM | PADUCAH, KY A Hopkinsville woman was arrested Wednesday afternoon after police say she rammed a McCracken County jailers car and damaged two other vehicles while trying to flee from Kentucky Oaks Mall. The Paducah Police Department said Ben Green told officers he was working security at Dillards and was told by an employee that a woman had just left the store without paying for merchandise. Green located the suspect's unoccupied vehicle and blocked her in with his cruiser. Green said the woman, later identified as 34-year-old Quanta N. Burse, got into her car and rammed his cruiser repeatedly, also hitting vehicles parked on either side of her vehicle. She was eventually able to push the cruiser out of the way and flee the scene. Green said he was nearly pinned between the cars as Burse rammed them. McCracken County Sheriffs Deputies later located and pursued Burse on Interstate 24. She was eventually apprehended in Marshall County. Officers said Burse later admitted to shoplifting more than $1,000 in merchandise from Dillards. She reportedly told police she didn't realize that she hit Green's vehicle when she fled. Burse was charged with first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer and first degree criminal mischief. She was booked into McCracken County Regional Jail. Fall back tonight -- for the last time? Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 01, 2017 | 10:57 AM | MAYFIELD, KY Police have released the name of the man involved in a standoff at a Mayfield motel Wednesday. According to the Mayfield Police Department, detectives responded to the Wingfield Inn Wednesday morning on a tip concerning a wanted subject. Upon arrival, officers made contact with 54-year-old Robert L. Murphy of Princeton. Murphy was wanted for parole violations on charges of tampering with physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in a controlled substance, fleeing or evading and receiving stolen property. Police said Murphy was listed as armed and dangerous and considered an escape risk with violent tendencies. When contact was made with Murphy at his motel room, he slammed the door shut on officers and began to barricade himself inside, disregarding officers' orders to come outside. The Graves County Sheriff's Department and Kentucky State Police arrived on scene to assist, and after an approximate ten minute standoff, Murphy was taken into custody without further incident. He was booked into the Graves County Jail. DUKE ENERGY AGAIN "SHARES THE WARMTH" WITH INTERFAITH ASSISTANCE MINISTRY Duke Energy's Craig Debrew presents a check to IAM's David Cook...to help provide home heating assistance for those in need Duke Energy says its time again to Share the Warmth The company, its employees and customers team up to raise funds to help families struggling to pay their winter energy bills The program provided Carolinas customers with $1.4 million in bill assistance in 2016 CHARLOTTE Unseasonably warm temperatures right now might fool a few robins or crocuses, but Duke Energy employees know that its a long way to spring. Thats why the company is continuing its 31-year tradition by partnering with employees and customers to lend a hand to those struggling to pay their energy bills. Through its Share the Warmth program, the company works with more than 80 local agencies in the Duke Energy Carolinas service territory to aid qualified senior citizens, families and other customers with financial assistance. The company annually matches up to $500,000 in employee and customer contributions during the heating season. We are committed to providing affordable energy to all of our customers, but we know some struggle to keep their homes warm during the winter, said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, Duke Energys South Carolina president. As we move through another heating season, we want to remind our customers of the resources and support available to help with their winter bills. In 2016, Duke Energy, its employees and customers provided $1,400,000 in bill assistance to North Carolina and South Carolina customers through Share the Warmth. Since the programs establishment in 1985, it has provided more than $34.4 million to those in need. Duke Energy offers similar energy assistance programs across all of its service territories. We greatly appreciate the many customers and Duke Energy employees who contribute to Share the Warmth and our other energy assistance programs each year, said David Fountain, Duke Energys North Carolina president. Their generous support provides a meaningful impact for thousands of people across the Carolinas. Contributing online to Share the Warmth is quick and easy and contributions may be tax deductible. Additionally, Duke Energy provides energy efficiency products, services and information to help customers save energy and money. For more information and to contribute to Share the Warmth, visit duke-energy.com. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. If you see every problem as a nail, your solution always seems to be a hammer. That much was evident at a recent forum on road safety that brought together engineers and traffic police to discuss ways of making Winnipegs roads safer. The global statistics are startling. Every year, 1.3 million people are killed and 50 million are injured on average. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Safer signs, safer roads and more police are not enough to improve road safety, Free Press columnist Kelly Taylor writes. In Canada last year, 1,800 people died and 150,000 were injured, said Jeannette Montufar, founder of MORR Transportation Consultants, a practising civil engineer and one of the panellists at the Jan. 30 forum. Last year in Manitoba, we killed 112 people, up from 78 in 2015, she said. Most people read the headline and dont read the article, Montufar said. Why? Because weve become desensitized. Montufar drew a parallel to commercial construction: If I told you we were going to build a building over there and I could guarantee you only 100 people would die every year because of that building, you would say, Youre crazy! Youre fired! Youre so fired! Forum organizer Coun. Janice Lukes (St. Norbert) said bringing an end to the lackadaisical attitude about road safety is part of her push to have Manitoba and Winnipeg adopt the Vision Zero initiative, which began in Sweden with a goal of having zero fatalities on Swedish roads. Yet in reaction to the statistics, the members of the panel Luis Escobar, manager of transportation for the City of Winnipeg; Luis Miranda-Moreno, traffic engineering professor at McGill University; Staff Sgt. Rob Riffel, head of central traffic services for the Winnipeg Police Service; Montufar; Rebecca Peterniak, transportation infrastructure specialist for Fireseeds North Infrastructure and Dr. Lynn Warda, pediatric emergency physician all touted new systems and new approaches to roads and cars as solutions. On Tuesday at city hall, Lukes had urged the public works committee to target the $1 million for intersection improvements to ones most dangerous to pedestrians. Escobar argued the money is better spent on the worst intersections for vehicle collisions, to which councillors on the committee agreed. Absent was any talk of improving the single most important system in any car the driver. Montufar, whose teenage daughter is coming into driving age, said after the forum she agreed more work can be done on improving driver education, improving the graduated licensing program and offering drivers more opportunities to upgrade skills. She was particularly moved by Swedens requirement that student drivers are introduced to skid-recovery techniques before challenging for a drivers licence. Yet none of what the panel discussed was in any way incorrect. We do need better road systems, better signage and improved anti-collision technology in cars. The city of Winnipegs Escobar pointed to a number of traffic system enhancements many of which originated there that work to make streets safer. Among those are breakaway bases for stoplights and streetlights, safety curbs that rise a half metre or more to separate directions of travel and flashing overhead crosswalk corridor signs. Enforcement was also mentioned as a pillar of road safety. The Winnipeg Police Services Riffel correctly noted that without the threat of being caught, regulations are meaningless. Theyre all correct, but safer signs, safer roads and police dont go far enough. Enforcement cant fix the fact some are uninformed. The most reliable lane markings known to man wont help a driver recover from a skid. The best signage wont encourage a driver to look far enough down the road so as not to be surprised, or encourage constant scanning of mirrors to have a chance at avoiding being rear-ended. And a breakaway lamp post wont give a driver the skill required to brake, release and steer to avoid a collision. To her credit, immediately after the forum, Lukes herself was making the same point. Missing in all this was the human element, she said. Maybe we need to do a seminar on driver training. Engineering and enforcement alone wont fix whats wrong on Canadian roads. Better training will go a long way to reducing fatalities. Supplementing graduated licensing with a system to assess a drivers advancement in skill level would be a smart first step. It is indisputable better engineering will reduce the effect of human error, but it has also been proven human error can defeat the best systems. Reducing the possibility of human error has to go hand-in-hand with better engineering. If the life thats saved is someone you love, isnt it worth it? Kelly Taylor is an award-winning automotive writer who frequently writes about road safety. kelly.taylor@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/02/2017 (2103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SUPPLIED PHOTO Kayode Oderemi, his wife Afolashade Oderemi and their 4 children are becoming citizens at a ceremony Thursday at St. Amant Centre, where Kayode works. Like generations before him, Kayode Oderemi immigrated to Canada with his family for a better life. Like generations before him, the newcomer is filling a vital need for workers and people to keep the country growing. Coming to Canada was a big move but we were ready for it, said Oderemi, 49, who is married with four children. On Thursday, the former banker from Lagos, Nigeria takes the oath of citizenship at a ceremony hosted by his employer, St. Amant, a non-profit organization with programs and services that support Manitobans with developmental disabilities and autism. For Canadas 150th anniversary, employers across the country have been invited to host a citizenship ceremony. More than half of St. Amants 1,800 employees are newcomers to Canada. A report released by the province in January said 90 per cent of applicants for health care assistant jobs at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority are not born in Canada. If Canadas immigration system ever shut down, St. Amant and other health-care service providers would be in big trouble. They wouldnt be able to recruit someone to fill a vacant position, said St. Amant president and chief executive officer, John Leggat. Over-time rates would go up and the costs of providing services would go up substantially, Leggat said. For Oderemi, his part-time job there has allowed him to go back to school and get back to work as a business analyst. He said he sees himself as part of the St. Amant family. Hes devoted to his part-time shifts helping three young adults living in the community and grateful for the health care benefits and extra income he earns at St. Amant that help support his family. St. Amant is a great place, said Oderemi, who found a job there within six months of arriving in Canada in 2012 through the provincial nominee program. He underwent intensive training at the Independent Living Resource Centre and volunteered at St. Amant before being hired there part time, he said. He immigrated to Canada with his pregnant wife Afolashade Oderemi and their three children. Their fourth child, Mary, was born in Canada, automatically becoming a Canadian citizen. On Thursday, the rest of Marys family will take the oath of citizenship. We always wanted to live in a country where things are better than back home where theres security of lives and property, where everyone is equal and theres no discrimination between men and women, said Oderemi, whose wife is an accountant and works for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. They have three young daughters and a son, 13. Its the best education for our children, he said. In Nigeria they spent a lot of money on boarding schools and private schools that didnt offer an education as good as Canadas public schools, he said on the eve of his citizenship ceremony. The banker in him recognizes the value of being Canadian perhaps more than most people born here and was happy to pay the estimated $1,200 it cost his family to become citizens. We think like Canadians. Our children act like Canadians. Its natural for us to be Canadians, said Oderemi, who planned to wear a suit and dress Canadian for his citizenship ceremony. We want to be here and to make contributions. We want to be an asset to the collective, to be part of the roots of a country where everything is being done well. Tax money is being spent where it should be spent here. The standard of living is better, said Oderemi. Most people in resource-rich Nigeria live in poverty largely because of corruption, according to Transparency International. In its 2016 Corruption Perception Index, Nigeria scored 28 out of 100 with 100 being very clean and zero being highly corrupt. Canada scored 82. Its total love, Oderemi said of his new home country. Its very cold but the people, their friendliness and peaceful nature, warm us up. Hosting the citizenship ceremony at St. Amant has stirred a lot of excitement in the staff planning it and gratitude from the newcomers who work there, said Leggat. Its ensuring that people feel included. Weve had people say thank you so much for showing an interest in where we come from and what is important to us, he said. Through that process we all live richer lives. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Liberals will select a new leader in Winnipeg on Oct. 21. In a statement Thursday, the party said the leadership contest will formally begin May 15. Thats when contestants may begin submitting their applications. We are excited to announce this important date to our party members and also the general public, said Wendy Martin White, co-chair of the partys leadership committee. There has never been a more important time for Liberals in Manitoba and the selection of a new leader will help advance the rebuilding process that the party is currently undergoing. WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES Former Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari Liberals had anticipated a breakthrough in Manitoba in the 2016 provincial election as polls going into the campaign placed them in a promising position to form the official Opposition. However, the partys campaign, under leader Rana Bokhari, faltered, and the Grits won just three seats, one short of party status in the Manitoba legislature. Bokhari lost to the NDPs Wab Kinew in Fort Rouge and later announced her resignation as leader. Judy Klassen (Keewatinook) has served as the partys interim leader since October. She has not ruled out a leadership run. If she did contest it, she would be required to step down from the interim leadership by June 20. Leadership contestants will be subject to a green light vetting process conducted by an assessment committee, and the winner will be selected using a one-member, one-vote system, the party announced. It said it will launch a leadership contest web page on Manitobaliberals.ca by mid-month, and contest rules will be made available to members and the public via the site. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/02/2017 (2103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba RCMP are asking for help in locating a high-risk federal offender. The public is being asked to help find Kelly Trent Schoffer, 46. He is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for failing to comply with conditions of a long-term supervision order. Kelly Trent Schoffer The public is warned not to approach him. If you have any information regarding Schoffers whereabouts, contact the Manitoba RCMP at 204-984-1888. After normal business hours, contact either the appropriate RCMP detachment or the Winnipeg Police Service at 204-986-6222, or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 or toll free at 1-800-222-8477. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/02/2017 (2103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man who suffered a heart attack and was treated in a United States hospital, then got stuck with a $118,000 bill, says the province has told him it will not cover his costs. Robin Milne of Sprague, near the U.S. border in southeastern Manitoba, told media outlets the province contacted him with the news by telephone on Wednesday. Milne had a heart attack last October at his home and was taken to the nearest hospital across the border in Roseau, Minnesota. He had a stent inserted to unblock an artery at a Grand Forks hospital and is recovering. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen. There is a long-standing agreement between jurisdictions to provide care in such cases, but Milne has fallen through the cracks financially. The Free Press previously reported three other individuals in Sprague also face huge hospital bills of $40,000, $60,000, and $100,000 respectively for emergency medical procedures performed in the U.S. Sprague is 175 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg. The stories prompted Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen to launch a review of Manitobas longstanding health agreement with its southern neighbours. Milne told media outlets Wednesday that the province has completed its review and says it wont pay his costs. It will only negotiate with the Grand Forks hospital on Milnes behalf to try to get the bill lowered. The department confirmed it contacted Milne by telephone Wednesday, at the request of the minister, but revealed few details. As previously stated, the Minister does not have the authority to make payments where such payment is not authorized in the legislation, Goertzens office said. To ensure Mr. Milnes privacy is respected, the department is not prepared to elaborate with respect to the details of that conversation. As indicated by the minister last week, the department has been directed to undertake a review of the agreement. In earlier letters from the province, it said Milne elected to have the procedure done in the U.S. and folks in his area should consider purchasing private health insurance for outside-of-province care. Milne called that attitude very insulting and very unfair. Thats just a slap in the face. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The Winnipeg psychiatrist and palliative-care expert selected last fall to become a Manitoba senator has changed his mind about taking on the role. Dr. Harvey Chochinov was one of 145 Manitobans who applied last summer to fill three vacancies in the Senate from Manitoba. The independent senate appointments advisory committee reviewed the applications and forwarded a short list of names to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for consideration. Trudeau chose Chochinov along with former Winnipeg Art Gallery director Patricia Bovey and Marilou McPhedran, who was the director of the Institute for International Womens Rights at Global College of the University of Winnipeg. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES When the appointment was announced, Dr. Harvey Chochinov told the Free Press he was 'profoundly humbled and honoured' to be chosen. Bovey and McPhedran were sworn into office Nov. 10, but Chochinov was not. In December another senator told the Free Press he understood Chochinov had asked to complete his current research project before joining the Senate and would be sworn in after Christmas. However, he has now changed his mind. Chochinov did not respond to the Free Press inquiry about his decision, forwarding the request to the government instead. Due to personal, family and professional reasons, Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov has advised the prime minister that, regrettably, he is unable to accept the proposed appointment to the vacant Senate position for Manitoba, wrote Raymond Privet, director of corporate and media affairs for the Privy Council Office. An announcement regarding the current Senate vacancy for Manitoba will be made in due course. Chochinov is the director of the palliative care research unit at CancerCare Manitoba and chaired a national committee that consulted Canadians about medical assistance in dying. In October, when the appointment was announced, Chochinov told the Free Press he was profoundly humbled and honoured to be chosen. Manitoba Conservative Senator Don Plett said he is extremely disappointed in this development. While he said he cant be critical of Chochinov because he does not know the situation behind the decision, he said it reflects poorly on Trudeau for not ensuring his choices were actually willing and ready to serve. Manitoba has gone far too long without having a full slate of senators, said Plett. Manitoba has been shy of its full complement of six since March 2013. Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who couldnt get his planned reforms through the Supreme Court, stopped filling vacancies in 2013 and intended to kill off the upper chamber through attrition. Trudeau announced plans to appoint independent senators through an independent advisory board and application process. Previously senators were chosen by the prime minister and numerous governments had used the power to appoint highly partisan operatives including former MPs, failed candidates, former staff and major donors or fundraisers. The new process now requires people to apply to become a senator, the review board uses the applications to make a short list of recommendations to the prime minister and then the prime minister chooses the new senators. The list is non-binding but Trudeau has committed only to selecting senators from the list. All new senators are also appointed as independents, affiliated with no political party directly. In the summer of 2016, 145 Manitobans applied, 60 per cent of them male. The applicants were more diverse than the general Manitoba population with almost one in four indigenous, more than one in five from a visible minority and 10 per cent francophone. Two-thirds were between the ages of 50 and 70. Six were older than 70, and there were no applicants under the age of 30. Trudeau has now named 27 new senators using the new advisory board, including three from Manitoba. The first two were Raymonde Gagne, former president of the Universite de Saint-Boniface, and Murray Sinclair, former Manitoba judge and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They were sworn into office in April. There are five outstanding vacancies, including one each in Manitoba, New Brunswick and Ontario and two in Nova Scotia. mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Minnesota author and speaker Galit Breen, author of the bestselling book Kindness Wins spoke to parents at Cotters St. Cecilia Theatre on Wednesday night about kids and their use of technology. Breen engaged in conversation with the parents during her presentation about how to be kind online and how to set rules, guidelines, and consequences for childrens use of technology and social media. She has given this presentation over 1,000 times, she said, and the No. 1 question she gets from parents is how to get their kids to balance their time online with tangible and physical activity. Breens core message to the parents was to be proactive about engaging with their kids about online etiquette and promoting habits that encourage kids to be kind online, think about their online activity, and establish guidelines and rules about technology and social media use. You cant establish all the rules at once, its best to do that step by step so you dont overwhelm yourself or your kids, Breen said. She also talked about how to engage with their children when they break a guideline or rule and arrive at a solution collaboratively to fix or learn from a mistake. Chris Arnold, a father of Cotter students, raised a question about cyber-bullying and how bullying has been around forever, but with todays technology its easier to get away with and harder to monitor it. What we have today is immediacy; bullying is not new, he said. Technology creates immediacy these days. Breen responded by saying that the old ways of teaching about bullying and preventing it dont work well in todays technology-driven world. She suggested that the narrative and dialogue needs to be switched to pro-kindness and pro-empathy, teaching kids about how to be kind online, to think about what they post, and potential consequences. Its important to talk with your kids about their use of technology and teach them how to be kind and wise online ... to be proactive and get ahead of the problems before they arise, Breen said. You cant establish all the rules at once, its best to do that step by step so you dont overwhelm yourself or your kids. Galit Breen, author Some couldnt walk, but they all could dance. Local elders gathered Wednesday afternoon at the Winona Friendship Center for a dance celebration set to the jaunty tunes of the local group Rons Old Time Polka Band. The celebration was directed by Kairos Alive!, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis that seeks to engage all people but especially elders through dance and storytelling. People think that once you get older, you lose something, said Maria Genne, who founded the group in 1999 and now tours the region with her team of dancers and musicians. She was a sort of ringleader during the celebration Wednesday, starting lines of shuffling dancers and grabbing the hands of anyone who seemed to be feeling the groove. Even when we get older, the essence of ourselves is still there, she said. We should all try to hold on to our vitality. Ramona Hovell was feeling it, swaying in her wheelchair and exercising her singing voice even while fielding questions from a reporter. I just love music, said Hovell, who used to play the trumpet and used to dance at home with her husband, she said. I learned to dance early and plan on staying late. The band played Elvis, played classics like Goodnight, Irene and Roll Out the Barrel. For the past two numbers, Genne pulled out a maypole and had the circle of dancers grab hold of the streamers. They swung the long, bright ribbons in gentle unison, singing and humming along. When were having fun dancing together, when youre doing something thats beautiful, Genne said, youre going to feel good about it. Thursday and Friday, Kairos Alive! will visit the Black River Beach Neighborhood Center in La Crosse. The group last visited the area in January 2015, holding a dance celebration in the lobby at Winona Health. They wrote a grant, Genne said, with the sole purpose of coming back to Winona. Eloise, an elder dancer who attended Wednesdays celebration and asked to go by her first name, was sure to come. Lake Winona Manor is her home, but she said the Friendship Center sometimes feels like it. She, too, uses a wheelchair but spent Wednesday afternoon locking hands and arms with a parade of partners. I wish everyone who I dont know would come here, she said. I want to meet them. Thats how you make friends. When she was young, Eloise said, not many people asked if she cared to dance. Rob Nelson is busy reorganizing countless books, posters and other knick knacks at the Village Booksmith, yet hes still found time to bring a few classic events back to the downtown Baraboo bookstore. Wednesday night acoustic jam sessions returned this week, and the Etzweiler brothers are set to host their famous cutthroat quiz night at the bookstore Friday. Wisconsin Poet Laureate emeritus Bruce Dethlefsen again will take the Village Booksmith stage for a Feb. 10 poetry reading as well. Nelson, the new owner and manager of the bookstore, said Wednesday night jam sessions and Friday trivia are Village Booksmith traditions that go back many years. Thats one of the things that people have always liked about the space here, he said. It gives people an alternative to going and hanging out at a bar some evening if they want to do something social. While past jam sessions usually consisted of a few regular musicians who performed Wednesday nights, Nelson said he hopes to attract new talent as well. All skill levels are welcome to sit in with the group, he said, which might play a hodgepodge of anything from folk and blues to jazz-inspired medleys. Instruments can range from guitars and fiddles to bongos and marimbas. We try to keep it acoustic without amps and things because it is a small space, Nelson said. A classic Village Booksmith competition also will return to the bookstore, as brothers Peter and Chris Etzweiler host their cutthroat quiz night on Friday. Nelson said the contest is one of the most entertaining Village Booksmith events hes ever been a part of because of the priceless notoriety that comes with winning. The participants are bloodthirsty and cutthroat, he said, chuckling. The prizes we offer arent much its more the infamy of being the champion, and people really want to win. Peter Etzweiler said he and his brother Chris are trivia enthusiasts and have hosted the Village Booksmith quiz night since 2010. The contest consists of eight rounds, six of which include a series of 10 questions that pertain to a general topic. The other two are picture rounds, during which competitors must connect an image to a person, place or event. Etzweiler said the quiz night began after the former Village Booksmith owner, Annie Randall, asked him and his brother to host the event. Etzweiler said Fridays contest may feel different without Randall, who passed away in August. It will be a different quiz because Annies not there anymore, he said. She was an important part of what this quiz was, and she will be missed by all. But Etzweiler added that hes thankful Nelson has been able to carry on the traditions set by Randall and is looking forward to seeing the quizzical expressions from competitors as he and his brother host the contest. Its an opportunity for people to come together to stretch their brains, have a good laugh and play for bragging rights, he said. Some people hold those bragging rights really strongly, and I love seeing that. A jury Wednesday found a Sauk County man guilty of homicide and battery in relation to an October 2015 fatal stabbing in Baraboo. The verdict was returned shortly after 2 p.m. during what was the second day of deliberations in the trial of Jae M. Robinson, 29, of North Freedom. Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock read from a verdict form provided to him by the jurys foreman. The jury found Robinson guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and substantial battery as a party to the crimes. The convictions stemmed from a fight that resulted in the stabbing death of Anthony Inman, 36, of North Freedom, and injury of Anthony J. Peterson, 33, of Mauston. The cases of two other men who are alleged to have participated in the fight, and the woman who drove them from the scene, still are pending. Im just glad that they found the truth, said Stephanie Inman, of North Freedom, the victims widow. She said the length of deliberations made her nervous, but she was satisfied with the final outcome. The jury began deliberating after 3 p.m. Tuesday in what was the trials seventh day. Jurors were dismissed after 8 p.m. that night when it became clear they were not close to reaching a verdict. Deliberation picked up again Wednesday morning after 9 a.m. I was surprised, said Gary Benson, the boyfriend of Robinsons mother, after hearing jurys verdict Wednesday afternoon. The verdict brought muffled sobs from the courtroom gallery. Robinson hung his head as his defense attorney, Michael Covey of Madison, patted and rubbed his back. Screnock ordered that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections complete an investigation of Robinsons life history by April 7. That investigation will be used to assist Screnock at Robinsons sentencing hearing, which has been scheduled for May 1. During the trial, Robinson testified that he and Inman exchanged trash talk from down the street before Inman attacked him with an illegal butterfly knife. Robinson said he wrested the knife from Inman and only stabbed him with it after he continued to attack. Prosecutors contended that Robinson and his two friends lured Inman and Peterson to the intersection of Lynn and Walnut streets and ambushed them with blunt force weapons. They said the 26 knife wounds Inman received were not consistent with a self-defense claim. The fight occurred around 2:30 a.m. near the intersection of Lynn and Walnut streets. Inman, Peterson, Robinson, and his friend, Christopher L. Nash, 38, of Baraboo, had been drinking at the nearby Walnut Street Tavern earlier in the evening. Nashs case is scheduled for a trial in April. Co-defendant Matthew T. Harvey, 32, of Baraboo, who was driven to the scene by his girlfriend and is alleged to have participated in the fight, is scheduled for a trial in July. The case of the girlfriend, Amanda N. Rotar, 24, of Baraboo, who is alleged to have driven Robinson, Nash, and Harvey from the scene, has not been scheduled for trial. JUNEAU A 27-year-old Beaver Dam woman entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday after being accused of running a drug distribution ring in Beaver Dam. Lacresha A. P. Lightfoot, also known as LA, is charged with nine felony counts of manufacturing/delivering heroin in an amount less than three grams, six counts of manufacturing/delivering cocaine in an amount less than or equal to one gram and one count of possession with intent to deliver counterfeit narcotics. If convicted she could be sentenced up to 188 years in prison and $425,000 in fines. Lightfoot appeared before Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Martin De Vries Wednesday in Dodge County Circuit Court. According to the criminal complaint, Lightfoot is the central figure in a large-scale, organized drug distribution ring operating in Beaver Dam. The primary drugs sold in the operation were heroin and crack cocaine. The complaint alleges that Lightfoot operated the organization from locations on Rosendale Street, Lakecrest Drive and Spring Street (Shoe Factory Apartments). The organization is believed to have begun as far back as 2014 and included several individuals working within the ring, primarily as drug runners or deliverers. Three confidential informants for the Dodge County Drug Task Force repeatedly purchased drugs from Lightfoot and her associates. The complaint alleges that Lightfoot arranged most of the transactions directly using her cell phone number which she provided to the confidential informants for the purposes of purchasing drugs. Lightfoot allegedly told one informant that the number belonged to her and that she could use it for future heroin buys. Lightfoot sold the heroin to an informant behind Beaver Dam Community Library. Many of the drug deals took place in public locations throughout Beaver Dam including parking lots on North Spring Street. Lightfoot was convicted of possession of marijuana in Dodge County in 2016. Lightfoot has a telephone scheduling conference scheduled Feb. 13. The five towns in the Beaver Dam Community Fire and Rescue Association are closing in on agreement for a new three-year contract. From our end we are pretty much happy, Neal Stippich, chairperson for the Beaver Dam Town Board said over the phone. At the moment, the contract is making its way through the Beaver Dam, Calamus, Lowell, Westford and Trenton town boards. This new iteration of the rural fire and EMS contract will put all services provided by the Beaver Dam Fire Department into one contract. Previously there were two separate contracts one for fire and the other for EMS. As Beaver Dam Fire Chief Alan Mannel put it previously, including all services under one contract will eliminate cherry-picking specific services that the city provides. A town will have to take it all or leave it, which excludes the option for a town to contract with a private service. In addition, the city wants the towns to pay for a quarter of the total cost for new ice and water rescue equipment. The total cost for new rescue equipment is more than $222,000. The city is expecting the towns to pay more than $55,000 total for their share. The city has already budgeted their share of the costs this year in the capital improvements plan. Mannel said over the phone that the refined contract has the towns of Beaver Dam, Calamus, Westford and Trenton paying for 22.5 percent of their total share. Lowell will pay 10 percent. Stippich said that the town of Beaver Dam would agree to help pay for the new equipment. The township also requested that funding for the payments could come from a variety of sources that include donations and grants. The ice and water rescue equipment includes a new Hovercraft, boat and SCUBA rescue gear. These items havent been purchased. Last year, the town of Beaver Dam pushed back against paying for new rescue equipment. Representatives from the town of Beaver Dam previously said the cost should fall on the Dodge County Sheriffs Office. The town focused on a Wisconsin statute that indicates a sheriffs department is responsible for water rescues, which would include equipment, training, personnel and support. Chairpersons John Schmitt (Lowell) and John Kirchberg (Calamus) both said over the phone that they are comfortable with the new contract and believe the association will sign off on it this month. A final draft has been sent to the town of Beaver Dams attorney to review. Each town board has to sign off on the contract before it makes its way to the Beaver Dam Common Council. The contract will be brought back to the association this month for possible final approval. Under current Wisconsin law, law enforcement agencies have the ability to seize the fruits and tools of organized drug traffickers. This law is referred to as civil asset forfeiture and is typically used when we identify someone bringing dangerous and illegal drugs into our county and selling them to others. The civil asset forfeiture statute can be used under certain circumstances and assets can only be forfeited when used in the commission of a felony. Most commonly the statute is used subsequent to illegal drug sales as we look to hamper the profitability of drug dealers. For example, a drug dealer may sell drugs to a user and an arrest made of both individuals. The drugs are seized as evidence. The money is also seized as evidence, but a request will be made through the courts to also have that money forfeited. A judge must then approve the forfeiture which must also be consistent with, and be found by the judge, to be connected to the crime. Make no mistake, this isnt something law enforcement is able to get rich on. Rather, these forfeited funds currently must be split 50/50 when greater than $2,000 with the Wisconsin School Fund. Law enforcement agencies can only retain funds that are matched by expenses incurred. These forfeited funds do not inflate the budgets of law enforcement agencies, but rather help to offset taxpayer costs in continuing our investigations into criminal activities. Some of the funds that Dodge County has received from civil asset forfeiture have been utilize to pay for things like equipment for K-9 squad cars, surveillance equipment, and protective equipment to keep our law enforcement officers safe. Did you know that a vast majority of all property crimes law enforcement officers investigate are directly related to drug use and abuse? Why would we ever want to take resources away from those who are responsible for investigating these crimes? Asset forfeiture benefits everyone except drug dealers. Wouldnt you rather have drug dealers pay for these investigations than our tax dollars? Recently there has been legislation proposed to amend the civil asset forfeiture statute to take these funds from law enforcement agencies. Reasons given for amending the statute are aimed at a fictitious assumption that law enforcement abuses the system and uses the money to get rich. While abuses have happened in other areas of the country, our current Wisconsin laws just dont provide an opportunity for abuse. I can assure you that the Dodge County Sheriffs Office is not getting rich. However, the forfeitures that the sheriffs office has received have been put directly back into law enforcement investigations and have helped to offset taxpayer costs. My question to those who are trying to remove this legitimate law enforcement tool is why, when our state is in the midst of a drug crisis, are we looking to change this law in a way that will ultimately benefit drug dealers? As funding continues to be an issue at the local level for combating our heroin epidemic, and as we continue our work towards finding ways to save lives, it seems that the proposal may be a solution in search of a problem. The proposal will make law enforcements job financially more difficult and an obvious increased burden on the taxpayer. Ultimately the proposed changes will be more beneficial for the drug dealer than for the good of our community. I encourage you to contact your state legislators and encourage them to make law enforcement a priority and allow the civil asset forfeiture law to continue as is. Your input is important to law enforcement statewide as we continue our fight towards making Dodge County a safe and enjoyable place to live, work and visit. A former Mauston social studies teacher has been accused of having a sexual relationship with one of his students. Stewart Thompson, 25, is charged with child enticement, exposing a child to harmful material and sexual assault of a student by school staff. The first charge carries a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment and a $25,000 fine, the second carries a maximum penalty of three years and six months imprisonment and $10,000 fine, and the third carries a maximum penalty of a six-year incarceration term and a $10,000 fine. Thompson has been released on a $50,000 signature bond. According to the criminal complaint, the Juneau County Sheriffs Office was notified of an inappropriate relationship between Thompson and a student. On Jan. 26, two detectives followed Thompson and the victim. The victim parked her vehicle and entered Thompsons vehicle. Deputies followed as the two went to Quaker Stake and Lube in Middleton. Detectives observed the two having dinner at a restaurant and then driving back to Mauston. As Thompsons vehicle approached Interstate 90 exit 69, detectives activated their cars emergency lights and pulled Thompson over. The detectives said they were conducting an investigation, and then took custody of both people and their cell phones. In an interview with the victim, she said she met Thompson when she was a junior in high school and he was her history teacher. The two began messaging over text and Snapchat during the course of the second semester of her junior year. The messages included pictures of the victim in a bra and panties, and at least one occurrence of Thompson sending a picture of his genitals. The victim said she did not have sex with Thompson until after her 17th birthday, but had spent time together at his apartment, including kissing, while she was 16. Thompson gave her a Victorias Secret gift card for her 17th birthday, and their sexual relationship started shortly after. The victim said she had sex with Thompson at least 10 times. The two met at Thompsons apartment until the fall of 2016, when Mauston High School received an anonymous letter about the relationship. After that point, the two would meet at Thompsons parents cabin in Warrens. The victim said they would meet about one or two times a week. She said Thompson handed in his resignation Jan. 25 so it would be easier for the two of them to be together. She said the Middleton dinner date was their first official date, because Thompson was no longer a teacher. Thompson asked to talk to a lawyer before answering any questions. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance at 9 a.m. Feb. 28 at the Juneau County Justice Center in Mauston. Items are listed under the day of the event only, running as space permits prior to the event. To submit items, call 745-3511, email jcutsforth@capitalnewspapers.com or visit www.portagedailyregister.com. Include name and phone number. TODAY Library event: Toddler Thursday story time for children ages 18 to 36 months, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. This week toddlers will have fun with Socks in a story, song and counting, and craft. Registration is recommended to ensure enough supplies. For more information, call 742-4959, ext 211. Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portage World War II Museum, 119 E. Cook St., Portage. Free tours for veterans every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tours take 2 1/2 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690. Ouisconsing School of Collaboration Culture Project Night: 6 to 8 p.m. Lodi Charter School, 103 Pleasant St., Lodi. Students in grades three through five present projects on cultures from around the world. This event is free and open to the public. Portage Family Skate Park public meeting: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. All interested people are welcome to attend. Meetings will be held on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Cancellations will be announced on our Facebook page. Call 608-742-4959 for more information. Salvation Army Volunteer Appreciation Dinner: 5:30 p.m. Municipal Building, 115 W. Pleasant St., Portage. All are welcome. Please make a reservation by calling 920-980-7938. FRIDAY, FEB. 3 Art exhibit: Portage Center for the Arts Drury Gallery presents the exhibit The Flowers are Burning by Helen Klebesadel and Mary Kay Neumann, Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E. Cook St., Portage. Opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. The gallery is open from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Call 742-5655 for more information. Blood drive: Lodi Red Cross blood drive, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Faith Lutheran Church, 120 Faith Drive, Lodi. Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767 to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required. Fish fry: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus fish fry, Knights of Columbus Hall, 918 Silver Lake Drive, Portage. Cocktails at 4 p.m. Public invited. Cost is $10.75. Hope House support group: 1 to 2 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Has domestic violence touched your life in some way? Find connections with supportive individuals who have similar life experiences as you at Hope Houses newest support group. All are welcome. Held on the first and third Friday of the month. For more information, contact Katie Fluger, outreach advocate, at 608-356-9123. Seniors Bowling Social: 1 p.m. Fireball Lanes, 817 E. Wisconsin St., Portage. Cost is $6 and includes three games of bowling and shoe rental. Unique Singles: 5 p.m. Knight of Columbus Hall, Silver Lake Drive, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers. SATURDAY, FEB. 4 Annual Oyster Stew and Chili Supper: 4 to 8 p.m. Rosedale Presbyterian Church, Highway 33 between Cambria and Pardeeville. Menu includes oyster stew, chili, cheese, crackers, gelatin, cake, rolls and beverage. Cost for adults is $8, children ages 6 to 12 are $4 and children younger than age 6 are free. Library event: 10 to 11 a.m. FamilyFunEvent, Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. This months family event is a Valentine Party for children of all ages and will include some traditional story time elements such as a story and song. Families will then work on projects that include a fabric heart-shaped wreath, heart-shaped bird feeders, pop-up cards, and more. Activities include a giant tic-tac-toe game and word search. To top off the morning participants will make a love potion to enjoy with other refreshments provided by the Friends of the Library. Registration is not required. For more information, call 742-4959, ext. 211. University of Wisconsin Varsity Band Concert: 2 p.m. Portage High School, 301 E. Collins St., Portage. Michael Leckrone will be conducting the band in the high school gymnasium. Portage High School Alumni, Hyden Breene, trumpet, and Jaden Briggs, trombone, will perform with the band. They are both in their second year performing with the Varsity Band. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Portage High School Office or Bartels Middle School Office. Tickets for students and seniors are $5, adult bleacher seats are $10 and floor seating is $15. SUNDAY, FEB. 5 Bingo: 3 to 5 p.m. VFW Hall, 215 W. Collins St., Portage. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Hard cards are $1 and chips are available. All are welcome. Runs the first and third Sunday of each month. Zumba: 5:30 p.m. Rusch Elementary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. MONDAY, FEB. 6 Clinic: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Westfield Municipal Building, 129 E Third St., Westfield. Bring childs immunization record. Parents must accompany all children under 18 years of age. If this is not possible, call the Marquette County Health Department at 608-297-3135 prior to the clinic. Euchre card party: 6:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, W8267 Highway 33 East, Portage. Public welcome. Contact: Cloe, 429-2363. Knights of Columbus: 7 p.m. meeting, Knights of Columbus Hall, Silver Lake Drive, Portage. Zumba/Zumba Toning: 6 p.m. Harrisville. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. TUESDAY, FEB. 7 Blood drive: 12 to 4 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767 to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required. Photography Interest Group: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Northwoods Inc., Highway 51 South, Portage. Meet with fellow photographers to share photos and tips, explore new ideas and inspire creativity for upcoming events. Call Fred Baewer with questions at 608-742-4691. Zumba Toning: 4:30 p.m. Woodridge Primary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8 Bingo: 5:30 p.m. 131 Restaurant, North Main Street, Pardeeville. Bingo will be played every Wednesday, except the first one of the month. St. Vincent de Paul free medical clinic: 9 a.m. to noon. Wilz Drugs lower level, 140 E. Cook St., Portage. No appointments needed. Information needed is name, date of birth and a contact number. A chiropractor is available from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays. A foot clinic is available every week. The clinic can do exams and prescribe medications. Physical therapist available. Discounted medications are available at Wilz and Walmart. Call Bonny Oestreich, RN, at 608-234-0159 for information. Womens Civic League: Luncheon meeting, Dinos Restaurant, New Pinery Road, Portage. The program From Bean to Barn, Farming Fine Chocolate will be presented by Lisa Nelson, chief chocolate officer of Roots Chocolates. Social hour begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch at noon, followed by the program. All women in the community are invited. Call to make or cancel reservations by Feb. 5 to Kathy Crawford at 742-5262. Zumba/Zumba Toning: 5 p.m. Montello. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. Zumba: 5:30 p.m. 1208 Northport Road (the former Freedom Carpeting building). This is a $5 drop-in class. For more information, contact Deb at DJMACK00001@yahoo.com or Rena at 697-6713. Opponents of proposed expansion to Enbridges oil-carrying Line 61 are meeting Saturday in Madison for rallying, networking and to brace themselves for a fight to come. Our two major goals are first, to raise money for the landowners, said 350 Madison spokesman Ben Peterson, going on to explain the broader long-term hope: Its one of those things that a lot of people talk about it like it is far away, but were trying to remind people that it is something that is happening right here in Wisconsin, too, and it isnt going away. While the most visible environmental fights have been in opposition to the proposed Keystone Pipeline running from Canada to Louisiana, designed to carry about 830,000 barrels, and the Dakota Access Pipeline, which would carry about 470,000 barrels per day, Enbridges Line 61 is in the midst of ramping up from 400,000 barrels per day to 1.2 million barrels per day, carried from Superior to Flanagan, Illinois. Enbridge executives have also proposed the installation of a twin pipeline running parallel to Line 61 through its Dumke Road pump station north of Portage, Wyocena and Columbus before reaching Dane County, which would carry an estimated 800,000 barrels per day. The Pipeline Fighters Benefit Extravaganza is scheduled to begin Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, though doors open at 10 a.m. In the morning were having an art-build, which is something that weve done before, said Peterson. A lot of our events are supported by colorful signs and props and things like that, so people will be coming in around 10 oclock to work on projects and putting together new ones. In the evening the event will get up to speed with an opening ceremony, led by 350-Madison Co-Coordinator Phyllis Hasbrouck, with dinner featuring foods potentially at risk by environmental damage by the pipelines development, leading up to a handful of musical acts. The meal part of the night can feed the first 100 people, Peterson explained, although he said they are shooting to see around 150 visitors through the night, with capacity around 200. The landowners at the center of the event, who live near the current Line 61 in the area of Marshall, are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Enbridge for its failure to carry insurance protecting against potential environmental damage in the event of a spill. Enbridge carries standard business insurance, according to Peter Anderson, a member of 350 Madison and executive director of the Center for a Competitive Waste Industry, but that insurance does not cover liability specific to the environmental hazards of a potential oil spill. To develop the pipeline, Enbridge has negotiated approval and licensing through each county the pipeline passes. The Dane County Board required that the company carry a $25 million insurance policy against a spill and consequential environmental damage. Construction was approved by the Dane County Zoning and Land Regulation Committee with the stipulation requiring spill insurance in April 2015. Enbridge appealed that decision the following May. In July, the state Legislature passed a bill banning any such insurance requirements. The legislation voiding the insurance requirements of Enbridges permit were so specific, according Anderson, to only be applicable to one company. Its a tricky thing to do, said Anderson. They dont have to carte-blance the whole thing and that led them to some language in order to avoid some constitutional challenge and thats where they screwed up. In just over a month, Anderson expects that argument briefs will be due for the appeal process with the court deciding in the fall. The Columbia County Department of Planning and Zoning has not received any requests for development by Enbridge since 2014. Events goals The goal is to network, have fun, AND to raise money, Anderson said of Saturdays event. Legal costs can be quite substantial and we have a lot of big help from pro-bono attorneys, but there is a lot of cost and a lot of time going on. Theres going to be a lot of these legal costs and quite possibly civil disobedience. The organized effort against development of the pipeline has, like protests elsewhere, brought together a diverse coalition, in the case of Wisconsin, involving the Sierra Club and self-described progressive organizations and typically conservative farmers. Among the varied reasons for being involved in the cause, Anderson describes the highest stakes of any challenge Wisconsinites have had as citizens or us as a species. You recognize mortality and you see yourself and your future in your kids, and the idea of giving a world that is not a livable worldthats just anathema, he said. The tragedy is that we as people have been trained to respond to threats like a lion jumping on a caveman. We dont have a system to respond to react to a future crisis. Without diminishing the gravity of the situation, Peterson explained, goals for the day would be balanced out: Its important that people come and learn about the issues and figure out how they can help, but its also important that we have fun and celebrate some of our victoriessolidarity and fun. 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. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions. It also offers ProxyEdge, an electronic proxy delivery and voting solution; data-driven solutions and an end-to-end platform for content management, composition, and omni-channel distribution of regulatory, marketing, and transactional information, as well as mutual fund trade processing services; data and analytics solutions; solutions for public corporations and mutual funds; SEC filing and capital markets transaction services; registrar, stock transfer, and record-keeping services; and omni-channel customer communications solutions, as well as operates Broadridge Communications Cloud platform that creates, delivers, and manages communications and customer engagement activities. The company's Global Technology and Operations segment provides solutions that automate the front-to-back transaction lifecycle of equity, mutual fund, fixed income, foreign exchange and exchange-traded derivatives, order capture and execution, trade confirmation, margin, cash management, clearance and settlement, reference data management, reconciliations, securities financing and collateral management, asset servicing, compliance and regulatory reporting, portfolio accounting, and custody-related services. This segment also offers business process outsourcing services; technology solutions, such portfolio management, compliance, fee billing, and operational support solutions; and capital market and wealth management solutions. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York. 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.. Read More Veeva Systems Inc. provides cloud-based software for the life sciences industry in North America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The company offers Veeva Commercial Cloud, a suite of software, data, and analytics solutions, which include Veeva customer relationship management (CRM) and Veeva Medical CRM, Veeva CLM, Veeva CRM MyInsights, Veeva CLM, Veeva CRM Approved Email, Veeva CRM Engage, Veeva Align, Veeva CRM Events Management, Veeva Nitro, Veeva OpenData, Veeva Link, Veeva Network, Veeva Crossix, Veeva Data Cloud, and MyVeeva for Patients; and Veeva Vault, a cloud-based enterprise content and data management applications for managing commercial functions, including sales and marketing, and medical content and communications, as well as research and development functions, such as clinical, regulatory, quality, and safety. It also provides professional and support services in the areas of implementation and deployment planning and project management; requirements analysis, solution design, and configuration; systems environment management and deployment services; services focused on advancing or transforming business and operating processes related to Veeva solutions; technical consulting services related to data migration and systems integrations; training on its solutions; and ongoing managed services that include outsourced systems administration. The company was formerly known as Verticals onDemand, Inc. and changed its name to Veeva Systems Inc. in April 2009. Veeva Systems Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California. Anixter International Inc., through its subsidiary, Anixter Inc., distributes enterprise cabling and security solutions, electrical and electronic wire and cable solutions, and utility power solutions worldwide. The company operates through Network & Security Solutions (NSS), Electrical & Electronic Solutions (EES), and Utility Power Solutions (UPS) segments. The NSS segment offers copper and fiber optic cable and connectivity, access control, video surveillance, intrusion and fire/life safety, cabinet, power, cable management, wireless, professional audio/video, voice and networking switches, and other ancillary products for the technology, finance, transportation, education, government, healthcare, and retail industries, as well as telecommunications service providers. The EES Solutions segment provides electrical and electronic wires and cables, shipboard cables, support and supply products, low-voltage and instrumentation cables, industrial communication and control products, security cables, connectors, industrial Ethernet switches, and voice and data cables to the commercial and industrial, and original equipment manufacturer markets. The UPS segment supplies electrical transmission and distribution products, power plant maintenance, repair and operations supplies, and smart-grid products, as well as arranges materials management and procurement outsourcing for the power generation and transmission, and electricity distribution industries. The company serves contractors, installers, system integrators, value-added resellers, architects, engineers, and wholesale distributors in various industries, including manufacturing, resource extraction, telecommunications, Internet service providers, finance, education, healthcare, retail, transportation, utilities, and defense, as well as government customers. The company was formerly known as Itel Corporation. Anixter International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Glenview, Illinois. The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises that is investigating the controversial 6 billion oil cash bonanza is set to interface again with a team from Uganda Revenue authority and the minister of finance Matia Kasaijja. On Monday, the committee met the URA chairman board of directors Simon Kagugube who informed them that the money in question was removed from the URA account without the boards approval. Committee chairperson Abdul Katuntu says they want to establish the role played by the ministry of finance and the Uganda Revenue Authority in this controversial deal. The 6 billion-shilling golden handshake as it is commonly known was a presidential appreciation that was given to 42 government officials who helped Uganda to win a capital gains tax dispute against Heritage Oil and Gas Company. HDFC Bank Limited provides banking and financial services to individuals and businesses in India, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and Dubai. It operates in Treasury, Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking, Other Banking Business, and Unallocated segments. The company accepts savings, salary, current, rural, public provident fund, pension, and Demat accounts; fixed and recurring deposits; and safe deposit lockers, as well as offshore accounts and deposits, overdrafts against fixed deposits, and sweep-in facilities. It also provides personal, home, car, two wheeler, business, educational, gold, consumer, and rural loans; loans against properties, securities, rental receivables, and assets; loans for professionals; government sponsored programs; and loans on credit card, as well as working capital and commercial/construction equipment finance, healthcare/medical equipment and commercial vehicle finance, dealer finance, and term and professional loans. The company offers credit, debit, prepaid, and forex cards; payment and collection, export, import, remittance, bank guarantee, letter of credit, trade, hedging, and merchant and cash management services; insurance and investment products. It provides short term finance, bill discounting, structured finance, export credit, loan syndication, and documents collection services; online and wholesale, mobile, and phone banking services; unified payment interface, immediate payment, national electronic funds transfer, and real time gross settlement services; and channel financing, vendor financing, reimbursement account, money market, derivatives, employee trusts, cash surplus corporates, tax payment, and bankers to rights/public issue services, as well as financial solutions for supply chain partners and agricultural customers. The company operates 6,378 branches and 18,620 automated teller machines in 3,203 cities/towns. As of March 31, 2022, it had 21,683 banking outlets. The company was incorporated in 1994 and is based in Mumbai, India. The following companies are subsidiares of Quanta Services: (De) Lazy Q Ranch LLC, 1 Diamond LLC, 1Diamond AS, 618232 Alberta Ltd., 8246408 Canada Inc., Advanced Electric Systems, Advanced Electric Systems LLC, Advanced Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Alexander Publications LLC, Allteck GP Ltd., Allteck Limited Partnership, Apprenticeship Programs Inc., Arby Construction, Arcanum Chemicals LLC, Arnett & Burgess Oil Field Construction Limited, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners (Rockies) LLC, Arnett & Burgess Pipeliners Ltd., B&N Clearing and Environmental LLC, Banister Pipelines Constructors Corp., Banister Pipelines Constructors GP Ltd., Banister Pipelines Limited Partnership, Brent Woodward Inc., Brink Constructors Inc., Brink Constructors Inc. A Corporation Of South Dakota, Brown Engineering and Testing, CAT SPEC Ltd., CAT-SPEC Limited Partnership, CAT-SPEC Limited Partnership (Regd Name) CAT SPEC Ltd., CAT-Spec Limited Partnership, Canadian Utility Construction Corp., Cat Spec Limited LP, Cat Spec Ltd, Cat Spec Ltd. L.P., Cat Spec Ltd. LP, Cat Spec. Ltd. LP, Cat-Spec Ltd (A Domestic limited Partnership), Cat-Spec Ltd LP, Cat-Spec Ltd., Cat-Spec Ltd. L.P., Cat-Spec Ltd. LP, Cat-Spec Ltd. Limited Partnership, Catalyst Changers Inc., Chatham Electric, Citadel Industrial Services L.P., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd. L.P., Citadel Industrial Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Coe Drilling Pty Ltd., Computapole, Conam Construction Co., Consolidated Power Projects Australia Pty Ltd, Conti Communications Inc., Crux Subsurface Canada Ltd., Crux Subsurface Inc., Cutting Technology - 1 Diamond LLC, DB Utilities Inc., DE Lazy Q Ranch LLC, DNR Pressure Welding Ltd., Dacon Corporation, Dashiell (DE) Corporation (Dashiell Corporation), Dashiell Corporation, Dashiell Corporation DBA Dashiell (DE) Corporation, De Mears Group, De Mears Group Inc., Delaware Quanta Technology LLC, Delaware Underground Construction Co., Didado Utility Company Inc., Digco Utility Construction L.P. Digco Utility Construction Limited Partnership, Dorado Specialty Services L.P., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd. L.P., Dorado Specialty Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Dorado Specialty Services. Ltd. L.P., Driftwood Electrical Contractors, EHV Power ULC, ELITE PIPING & CIVIL L.P., ELITE TURNAROUND SPECIALISTS LTD, Elite Fabrication Ltd. Elite Fabrication LP, Elite Piping & Civil Limited Partnership, Elite Piping & Civil Limited Partnership, Elite Piping & Civil Lp, Elite Piping & Civil Ltd L.P., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd. L.P., Elite Piping & Civil Ltd. Limited Partnership, Elite Piping and Civil L.P., Elite Turnaround Specialists L.p., Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Lp, Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Partnership, Elite Turnaround Specialists Limited Partnership, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd Lp, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd., Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. L.P., Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. LP, Elite Turnaround Specialists Ltd. Limited Partnership, Energy Consulting Group LLC, Enscope, Enscope Pty Ltd, FIC GP LLC, Field Personnel Services LLC, First Infrastructure Capital Advisors LLC, First Infrastructure Capital GP L.P., Five Points Construction Co., G-Tek, G-Vac, GEM Engineering Co., Grand Electric Inc., Great Lakes Line Builders, Grid Creative Inc., Grid Manufacturing Corporation, Grid Training Corporation, H.L. Chapman Pipeline Construction Inc., Haverfield Aviation, Haverfield Aviation Inc., Haverfield International Incorporated, Heritage Midstream LLC, IM Electric Inc., IUC ILLINOIS LLC, IUC Nebraska LLC, InfraSource Construction LLC, InfraSource Field Services LLC, InfraSource Services LLC, InfraSources Construction LLC, Infraestructura ETP de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V, Infrasource Engineering Company PC, Infrasource Iowa Underground LLC, Infrasource Of Pa LLC, Integracion Tecnologica del Peru SAC, Intermountain Electric Inc., Intermountain Electric Inc. A Corporation of Colorado, IonEarth LLC, Irby Construction Company, Irby Construction Company Inc., Iron Mountain M.J. Electric LLC, Island Mechanical Corporation, J.C.R. Construction Co. Inc., J.C.R. Utility Construction Co., J.W. Didado Electric Inc., J.W. Didado Electric LLC, J.w. Didado Electric, JBT Electric LLC, Kingston Contracting Inc., Lazy Q Ranch LLC, Lazy Q Training Center LLC The Lazy Q Lineman School, Legend Foundation Services, Lex Engineering Ltd., Lindsey Electric L.P., Logical Link, Longfellow Drilling, M. G. Dyess Inc., M. J. ELECTRIC LLC IRON MOUNTAIN, M. J. Electric LLC, M. J. Electric LLC - Iron Mountain, M. J. Electric LLC DBA M. J. Electric Iron Mountain LLC, M.J. Electric LLC DBA M.J. Electric Iron Mountain, M.J. Electric LLC Iron Mountain, MTS Field Services, MTS Field Services (Richmond Co), MTS Quanta LLC, Manuel Bros. Inc., Marathon Construction Services, Mears Canada Corp., Mears Equipment Services LLC, Mears Group Inc., Mears Group Pty Ltd, Mears Installation LLC, Mearsmex S. de R.L. de C.V., Mejia Personnel Services LLC, Mercer Technical Services, Microline Technology Corporation, Mid America Energy Services Inc., NACAP Niugini Ltd., NC Northstar Energy Services Inc, NGI Construction, NGI Construction Inc., NGI Construction Inc. (FN), NLC CA. Inc., NLC FL. Inc. Northwest Lineman Center, NLC ID. Inc. Northwest Lineman College, NLC TX. Inc., NPC Energy Services LLC, Nacap Australia, Nacap PNG Limited, Network Communication Services, North Houston Pole Line L.P., North Houston Pole Line Limited Partnership, North Sky Communications, NorthStar Energy Services Inc., Northern Powerline Constructors Inc., Northstar Energy Solutions LLC, Northwest Lineman Center, Northwest Lineman College, Northwest Lineman Training Center, Northwest Lineman Training Center Inc., Nova Constructors LLC, Nova Constructors LTD, Nova Equipment Leasing LLC, Nova Group Inc, Nova Group Inc (CA), Nova Group Inc., Nova Group Inc. DBA NGI Construction, Nova NextGen Solutions LLC, O. J. Pipelines Canada Corporation, O. J. Pipelines Canada Limited Partnership, O.J. Industrial Maintenance, O.J. Pipelines Canada, One Call Locators Canada Ltd., P.D.G. Electric, PAR Electrical Contractors Inc., PDG Electric Co., Par Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Performance Energy Services Guyana Ltd., Performance Energy Services L.L.C., Phasor Engineering Inc., Phoenix North Constructors Inc., Phoenix Power Group Inc., Potelco Inc., Potelco Incorporated, Power Delivery Program Inc., Price Gregory International Inc., Price Gregory Services LLC, Probst Construction Inc., Probst Electric Inc., QEPC, QEPC Power Solutions LLC, QES GP LLC, QP Energy Services LLC, QPS Engineering LLC, QPS Engineering LTD., QPS Engineering PLLC, QPS Environmental, QPS Flint Construction, QPS Flint Tank Services, QPS Global, QPS Global Services, QPS Global Services (Richmond Ci), QPS Professional Services, QPSE, QS Mats, QSI Engineering Inc., QSI Finance (Australia) Pty Ltd., QSI Finance (Cayman) Pvt. Ltd., QSI Finance Canada ULC, QSI Finance GP (US) LLC, QSI Finance I (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., QSI Finance I (US) LP, QSI Finance II (Australia) Pty Ltd., QSI Finance II (Lux) S.a r.l, QSI Finance II (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., QSI Finance III (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance III (Lux) SARL, QSI Finance IV (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance IX (Canada) Limited Partnership, QSI Finance V (US) L.P., QSI Finance VI (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance VII (Canada) Limited Partnership, QSI Finance VIII (Canada) ULC, QSI Finance X (Canada) ULC, QSI Inc., QSN Lux Holdings I SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings II SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings III SCSp, QSN Lux Holdings IV SCSp, QTSL LLC, QUANTA FOUNDATION SERVICES, Quanta APL GP II Ltd., Quanta Asset Management LLC, Quanta Associates L.P., Quanta Aviation Services LLC, Quanta Canada GP ULC, Quanta Canada Holdings III Limited Partnership, Quanta Canada Holdings LP, Quanta Canada III GP Ltd., Quanta Capital GP LLC, Quanta Capital LP L.P., Quanta Capital Solutions Inc., Quanta Cares, Quanta EPC Services, Quanta Electric Power Construction LLC, Quanta Electric Power Construction Management Inc., Quanta Electric Power Services LLC, Quanta Electric Power Services West LLC, Quanta Energized Innovations Ltd., Quanta Energized Services U.S. LLC, Quanta Energized Services of Canada Ltd., Quanta Energy Services LLC, Quanta Environmental Solutions, Quanta Equipment Company LLC, Quanta Government Solutions Inc., Quanta Holdings I (Netherlands) B.V., Quanta Holdings II (Netherlands) B.V., Quanta Infraestructura de Chile SpA, Quanta Infrastructure Services LLC, Quanta Infrastructure Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Quanta Inline Devices LLC, Quanta Inspection Services, Quanta Insurance Company Inc., Quanta International Holdings (US) LLC, Quanta International Holdings II Ltd., Quanta International Holdings Ltd., Quanta International Limited, Quanta Kingsvale LP Ltd., Quanta Lines Pty Ltd., Quanta Maine Services LLC, Quanta Middle East LLC, Quanta Pipeline Services Inc., Quanta Power Australia Pty Ltd, Quanta Power Generation Inc., Quanta Power Inc., Quanta Power Solutions India Private Limited, Quanta Resource Development, Quanta Services Africa (PTY) Ltd., Quanta Services Australia Pty Ltd., Quanta Services Chile SpA, Quanta Services Colombia S.A.S., Quanta Services Costa Rica Ltda., Quanta Services Guatemala Ltda., Quanta Services International Holdings II LP, Quanta Services International Holdings LP, Quanta Services Management Partnership L.P., Quanta Services Netherlands B.V., Quanta Services Panama S. de R.L., Quanta Services Peru S.A.C., Quanta Services Puerto Rico LLC, Quanta Services of Canada Ltd., Quanta Subsurface Canada Ltd., Quanta Subsurface LLC, Quanta Tank Services, Quanta Technology Canada ULC, Quanta Technology LLC, Quanta Technology UK Ltd., Quanta Tecnologia do Brasil Ltda., Quanta Telecom, Quanta Telecom Services, Quanta Telecommunication Services, Quanta Telecommunication Services LLC, Quanta Telecommunications Services LLC, Quanta Underground Services, Quanta Underground Services (Culpeper Co), Quanta Underground Services (Spotsylvania Co), Quanta Underground Services Inc., Quanta Utility Engineering Services Inc., Quanta Utility Installation Company Inc., Quanta Utility Operation LLC, Quanta West LLC, Quantecua Cia. Ltda., R. R. Cassidy Inc., RMS Holdings LLC, RMS Holdings LLC (Delaware), RMS Welding Systems, RMS Welding Systems LLC, Ranger Directional, Realtime Engineers Inc., Realtime Utility Engineers Inc., Redes Andinas de Comunicaciones S.R.L., Riggin & Diggin Line Construction, Rms Welding LLC, Rms Welding Systems LLC, Road Bore Corporation, Ryan Company Inc. The, Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, Ryan Company Inc.(The), Seaward, Seaward Corp, Seaward Corporation, Service EC (DE) Inc., Service Electric Company (DE), Service Electric Company Inc., Service Electric Company of Delaware, Servicios Par Electric S. de R.L. de C.V., Servicios de Infraestructura del Peru S.A.C., Southwest Trenching Company Inc., Specialty Tank Services L.P., Specialty Tank Services LP, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Limited Partnership, Specialty Tank Services Ltd., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. (LP), Specialty Tank Services Ltd. L.P., Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, Specialty Tank Services Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold General LLC, Stronghold Holdings (BVI) Limited, Stronghold Inspection L.P., Stronghold Inspection Limited Partnership, Stronghold Inspection Limited Partnership, Stronghold Inspection Lp, Stronghold Inspection Ltd L.P., Stronghold Inspection Ltd., Stronghold Inspection Ltd. L.P., Stronghold Inspection Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Limited Partnership, Stronghold Ltd., Stronghold Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Management Holdings LP, Stronghold Specialty General LLC, Stronghold Specialty Ltd., Stronghold Specialty Ltd., Stronghold Specialty Ltd. Limited Partnership, Stronghold Tower Group LP, Stronghold Tower Group Ltd LP, Stronghold Tower Group Ltd., Stronghold Tower Group Ltd. LP, Stronghold VI LLC, Subterra Damage Prevention Specialists Ltd., Summit Line Construction, Sumter Utilities Inc., T. G. Mercer Consulting Services Inc., TA Construction, TC Infrastructure Services Ltd., Taylor Built, Texas Specialty Tank Services Ltd. LP, The Aspen Utility Company LLC, The ComTran Group Inc., The Hallen Construction Co. Inc., The Massachusetts Ryan Company Inc., The Ryan Company Inc Of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Inc., The Ryan Company Inc. (Massachusetts), The Ryan Company Inc. of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Incorporated of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company Of Massachusetts Inc., The Ryan Company of Massachusetts, The Ryan Company of Massachusetts (FN), Tom Allen Construction Company Inc., Tom Allen Construction Company of Delaware, Trans Tech Electric, TurnKey Automation Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Ltd., TurnKey Automation Ltd. Limited Partnership, TurnKey Automation Ltd. Limited Partnership, TurnKey I&E Ltd., Turnkey Automation Ltd. L.P., Turnkey Automation Ltd. LP., UCC Underground Construction Co. Inc., Ucc - Underground Construction Co., Underground Construction Co. Inc., Underground Construction Co. Inc. (Delaware), Underground Electric Construction Company LLC, Utilco Inc., Utility Fleet Services, Utility Line Management Services Inc., Utility Testing & Maintenance LLC, Utility Training Services Corporation, VALARD Polska sp. Z o.o., Valard, Valard, Valard Construction (Ontario) Ltd., Valard Construction (Quebec) Inc., Valard Construction 2008 Ltd., Valard Construction Australia Pty Ltd, Valard Construction LLC, Valard Equipment (AB) Ltd., Valard Equipment GP Ltd., Valard Equipment Limited Partnership, Valard Geomatics (Ontario) Ltd., Valard Geomatics BC Ltd., Valard Geomatics Ltd., Valard Mechanical Ltd., Valard Norway AS, Valard Sweden AB, Valard Zagreb d. o. o., Wade D. Taylor Inc., West Coast Communications, Winco Helicopters, Winco Inc., Winco Inc. an Oregon Based Corporation, Winco Powerline Services, Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Powerline Services Inc., Winco Services Inc., World Fiber Inc., and mmit Line Construction Inc.. Read More The minister of Kampala Betty Kamya has finally approved the Kampala capital city public Accounts Committee whose names were forwarded to her for approval by the lord mayor Erias Lukwango last year. Lukwango had complained several time urging kamya to spearhead the approvel of the member KCCA had forwarded to her office as their absence was affecting operations at city hall. However, according to the letter addressed to Lukwago from Kamya dated 30th January, Kamya said that she has exercised the power entitled to her in Kampala capital city Act to approve the recommended members of PAC. Among the members she approved include Bob Kabazuguruka,Pontain Kaweesa,Maria Nabbanja,Betty Bainomugish and Micheal Tugyefwena. She explains that she has thus authorised the City authority to proceed with the appointment of the said members The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited. Read More Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2021, the company marketed approximately 301 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States, Canada, and in 20 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. By Jose Maria Morcillo Lopez, Domonetio KNX Training Center. HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) is an integral part of every modern building and typically accounts for more than 60% of a buildings energy consumption. KNX offers solutions for 98% of the climate control systems on the market worldwide, either by controlling them directly, or via KNX gateways, and this offers a huge competitive advantage over other automation systems. From residential to industrial buildings, if your HVAC system has a KNX backbone, your control system will be structurally sound. KNX is a global standard and is used the world over. Indeed it is the main technology used for building management in countries such as Germany, Russia, China, Brazil and Colombia. The HVAC needs of the customer will, however, vary from country to country, so the type of HVAC control we provide will depend on the territory in which we are working. The first mistake made by a newbie KNX Partner is to assume that the functionality of cooling/heating systems is the same for all places and all types of building. Sometimes, the HVAC solution that we find ourselves working with may not be KNX-based at all, but does this mean that we should limit the use of KNX to, say, controlling the lighting only? The answer is a clear No! KNX Basic Elements Three elements must be considered when planning HVAC control using KNX: a sensor, a thermostat, and a controller or actuator. However, depending on the climate system, we could take out the thermostat, for example when controlling HVAC devices via direct gateways. The sensor receives the requirement from the user, for example, I want the set point temperature of this room to be 26C. The thermostat evaluates what the user wants, compares it with the actual room temperature, and if a heating/cooling demand is needed, it will send a signal to the controller to, for example, open the fan coil valve. In most HVAC systems, the thermostat is integrated into the sensor. However, it is also available as a separate functional block. Residential HVAC Control using KNX The first climate system that comes to mind in residential buildings is an air split, and there is a huge range of air-conditioning brands on the market. From the KNX side, there are two different ways to control splits: via a direct interface that is connected to the motherboard of the device; or by using an IR interface placed in front of the IR receiver. In both situations, we are emulating the remote controller, in the sensor (usually in a touchscreen). This means that the thermostat block has no function in such a system, since all of the logic is done by the AC machine under the commands coming from the sensor. Commercial HVAC Control using KNX The most commonly-used HVAC system in commercial buildings is the fan coil. A fan coil air-conditioning system uses an electro valve that is opened when cold/hot is needed, and three fans (or one fan with variable speed) that push the air out through the coil. In heating mode, when the valve is opened, the coil is filled with hot water, so when the fan blows air through the coil, the air is heated. In cooling mode, the coil is filled with cold water. In order to integrate a fan coil system with KNX, all we need is a 4-channel actuator with a fan coil application program. This is easy, fast, and affordable. In this situation, we need the three blocks mentioned above, namely the sensor, thermostat, and controller. Knowledge of Location It is important to take into account the needs of the user and the region in which we are working. Controlling an HVAC system in Colombia, for example, is not the same as in Germany, as heating is not a major issue in Latin America since outdoor temperatures in many areas never drop below 20C, especially in coastal regions. In very high-humidity regions, such as Thailand, Hong Kong or Mexico, controlling humidity is even more important than air-conditioning, requiring expertise in this area rather than in boilers. Conclusion KNX offers a great range of devices to control HVAC systems. Before making any decision about which product/brand to choose, I recommend that you look at the application program of the KNX device. If you have any doubts about your choice, ask your dealer for advice, as choosing the right KNX control for a specific HVAC system can make a big difference in terms of energy consumption perhaps as much as 20%. KNX is the most complete solution for HVAC control in the automation market. Understanding the local comfort requirements, being well-versed in the HVAC KNX devices application program, and knowing how the specific HVAC system control works, is key to success. Jose Maria Morcillo Lopez is a KNX Tutor for Domonetio KNX Training Center, with offices in Spain, Colombia and Peru. www.domonetio.com Undergrad research discoveries: Cookie Monster larvae and speck-sized cannibals Adult sea star: Karina Brocco French '16 shows an adult sea star pulled from a tank in Jon Allens ISC 3 lab. Adult sea stars are known cannibals; French discovered that the invertebrates start eating each other when theyre a couple days old. Photo by Joseph McClain Eating like Cookie Monster: Anna Klompen 17 holds a beaker that could hold uncounted numbers of larval marine flatworms, a species that grows up to eat oysters. Klompen discovered that the larvae eat, although they are really bad at it. Photo by Joseph McClain Photo - of - Hide Caption Anna Klompen is known in certain circles as Flatworm Mom. Karina Brocco French is developing her own alternate maternal identity: Cannibal Mom. The moms draw their names from monitoring the curious feeding habits of two different marine invertebrate species. Klompen 17 and French 16 made significant discoveries in Jonathan Allens lab in William & Marys Department of Biology. The two of them made a clean sweep of the undergraduate awards of the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Klompen won the award for best student poster and French took the honors for best student talk. Allen points out that both awards were in competition with M.S. and Ph.D. students as well as undergraduates. French won a second award for students who make use of an alternative hypothesis in their research. So there are three possible awards in this division and two William & Mary undergrads won all three, Allen said, noting that the awards recognize real contributions to science by the two young researchers. A predator the size of your pinky nail Klompen has been working with Stylochus ellipticus, a species of small marine flatworm thats a predator on oysters and barnacles. (I once accidentally called it a parasite my freshman year, and I was, ahhh, incorrect, she said.) The larvae of Stylochus ellipticus have always been hard to study. The young worms are too small to be seen with the naked eye and it takes a sharp eye to see even a full-sized adult. The ones I like the big ones that lay a lot of eggs for me I usually tell people theyre the size of my pinky nail to the size of my thumbnail, Klompen said. But they range up to a few centimeters. The worms are both ecologically and economically important, Allen explained, as the adults will eat barnacles, but seem to prefer oysters. Theyre really good at eating little oysters, Allen said. Allens lab has been trying to examine the early life stages of Stylochus ellipticus for some time in work funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Two previous students had failed at attempts to raise the worms from egg to juvenile stage. Allen admitted that he thought the students were doing something wrong, but Klompens work revealed that it was the scientific literature on the little worms that was wrong. Klompen explained that the literature held that the larvae didnt need much food. Some authorities even held that the larval stage of the worm didnt eat at all. They were wrong. It turns out that they need a lot of food, Allen said. They dont eat a lot of food. Theyre just really, really bad at eating. Never invite these things to your fancy dinner The larvae eat algae, and they require an enormous amount of algae, because Klompen describes their eating habits as just crashing into the food. They compare the feeding technique of a young Stylochus ellipticus to that of the Cookie Monster. You know: Cookie Monster has a big plate of cookies and hes like arrgh, arrrgh, arrgh! Allen said, mimicking the frenzied destruction of a plate of snickerdoodles so well known to viewers of Sesame Street. And most of the cookie doesnt go in his mouth; the pieces go over his head and on the floor. Aside from the advantages of impelling a professor to imitate a Muppet, Klompens insight into the feeding habits of young flatworms has potentially far-reaching implications for the Chesapeake Bay. She has begun a side project based on a hypothesis formulated from observing her young flatworms. Over time, in the course of the eutrophication of the bay, the algal levels have gone up so much, she explained. Because theres more algae, theres more food for these larval flatworms. At the same time, Klompen said, oyster restoration efforts are putting more oyster spat on shell in the bay, so theres more tender baby oysters for the adult worms to eat. More adults mean more eggs. And so theres this whole cycle thats started, she said. She is continuing her research, working to determine how much more algae is in the Chesapeake today versus the 1950s, the first step toward testing her hypothesis which hints that increased flatworm predation is a bigger problem for the bays oysters than is currently understood. When your specimens start eating each other French made her discovery on the feeding habits of juvenile sea stars while pursuing another line of inquiry. She said she was investigating environmental conditions that prompted the animals to grow spines. Her sea stars are the familiar five-armed starfish known mainly by their desiccated corpses that give a nice accent to a display of seashells. Before theyre dried out and placed on a shelf, they occupy a role in the marine food web as a keystone predator. French explains that a keystone predator has a larger impact on their ecological community than their biomass would predict and conducts a major role in shaping the environment. In the case of sea stars, cannibalism is a part of the keystone predator role. Marine scientists have known for a long time that adult sea stars are cannibals, but just as Klompen was the first to discover that her flatworm larvae actually eat, French is the first to record cannibalism among juvenile sea stars. Her discovery was a happy accident. As juveniles, sea stars become covered with spines, like weird little porcupines, Allen said, in contrast to their knobby adult bodies. French had planned an experiment based on a hypothesis that the presence of predators had an effect on spine growth in the baby sea stars. Her methodology was basically to put a number of sea stars in a dish, then introduce a predator cue a chemical identified with some organism that eats little sea stars. A cannibal the size of a grain of sand She didnt get very far, because her specimens, one after another, began disappearing. It didnt take long for the disappearances to start and it didnt take long to figure out what was happening. Theyve just metamorphosed. Theyve just turned from that larval stage and become sea stars. Theyre one or two days old and about the size of a grain of sand, French said. And they're already old enough to eat each other, which is insane. Even though theyve been really well fed as larvae, and you think youve treated them well, they cannibalize their siblings, Allen said. While Klompens flatworm larvae eat by the Cookie Monster, crash-and-thrash method, juvenile sea stars essentially set a trap for each other. The juvenile thats the cannibal will place its oral surface where the stomach is exposed to the juvenile that its going to eat, French explained. And it just kind of extrudes the stomach lining and just kind of externally digests its brother or sister. The discovery that her lab specimens were eating each other came as a blow to French, especially as the sea stars began eating each other even before she could introduce the predator cues. I was really angry, she said. This was supposed to be my honors thesis and it was November! She switched the focus of her research from spine growth in sea stars to cannibalism and prepared a set of new questions. First we wanted to see that behavior in a controlled environment, because we came upon it by accident, so we wanted to see if what we thought was happening was actually happening, she said. It was. It didnt take long for a carefully watched beaker of juvenile sea stars to start showing a drop in the census. Size matters. So does population density Then we wanted to determine if that cannibalistic behavior depended on the size of the juveniles and at natural densities like you would find in the field, French explained. Finally we wanted to see if that behavior would occur if they had other food sources available to them. She found that the frequency of cannibalism increased with density of the specimens and also that the little things ate each other at densities that would be found in the field. We also found that cannibalism was size-specific, French added. So, juveniles that are greater in size are more likely to be the cannibalistic juvenile. And the greater the size difference in the pair, the more likely that pair is to exhibit cannibalism. And, she concluded, we found that they cannibalize each other in the presence of an alternative food source, which for them is juvenile mussels. It didnt matter; they ate each other as well as the mussels. UK trade union underlines Toshiba, Euratom concerns 02 February 2017 Share Corporate and political challenges facing the UK's nuclear industry must not be allowed to derail new build projects, the GMB trade union said today. The government must step in, GMB said, to ensure NuGeneration's project to build a nuclear power plant at Moorside in West Cumbria remains on track despite the financial difficulties faced by its majority owner. NuGen, which is 60% owned by Japan's Toshiba and 40% by France's Engie, plans to build a plant of up to 3.8 GWe gross capacity using AP1000 nuclear reactor technology provided by Westinghouse. Toshiba Corp - which owns Westinghouse - has said it will review its nuclear reactor construction business outside of Japan. The company's president and CEO Satoshi Tsunakawa said last week: "We focused on the nuclear business among all of our energy businesses, but this will change. This will entail a review of our overseas (nuclear) business." Toshiba's domestic nuclear business would focus on maintenance, repairs and decommissioning of reactors, he said. The Japanese firm said in December it may have to write off "several billion" dollars because of Westinghouse's purchase of CB&I Stone & Webster - a US construction firm that specializes in nuclear power projects. The company said it needs to "determine the value" of the possible Westinghouse loss and the impact on Toshiba's financial forecast for 2016 announced in November. GMB said today "relying on foreign money" to build UK infrastructure is "always fraught with risks". "For several years, GMB has stated that the UK government cannot outsource responsibility for building nuclear power stations to foreign governments and companies," it said. "The remit of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority should be changed to the Nuclear Development Authority and charged with ensuring that the fleet of new nuclear power stations are brought on stream to replace the coal-fired and nuclear stations being decommissioned." Justin Bowden, GMB National Secretary for Energy, said in the same statement, "It looks increasingly like bad business investments may have busted Toshiba's role in a new nuclear facility at Moorside in Cumbria. The time is now right for the UK government to step up to the plate and fill any funding gaps to ensure this vital piece of infrastructure remains on track." Bowden added: "Britain desperately needs the security of supply that nuclear brings if we are to keep the lights on and the economy running over the coming years. Relying on foreign money to build our infrastructure is always fraught with risks, the sensible thing is for the government to step in and guarantee the funding, this will keep Moorside on track and push down the price we will all have to pay for the electricity it will produce." NuGen is one of two privately backed new build project developers in the UK. The other, Horizon Nuclear Power, is the UK subsidiary of Japan's Hitachi which plans to deploy the UK ABWR (Advanced Boiling Water Reactor) at two sites - Wylfa Newydd, which is on the Isle of Anglesey, and Oldbury-on-Severn, in South Gloucestershire. Euratom GMB said in a separate statement the UK must stay in the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) "until a viable alternative can be found which protects Britain's nuclear interests". The government last week published a bill that would empower the prime minister to leave both the European Union and Euratom. Parliament is currently debating the bill. The trade union said leaving Euratom threatened the UK's entire nuclear industry, "including severely delaying" EDF and China General Nuclear's project to build the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset. The plant will feature two Areva-designed EPRs at 1650 MWe each. The 1957 Euratom Treaty governs the peaceful use of nuclear energy within the EU. The Euratom Community is a separate legal entity from the EU, but it is governed by the bloc's institutions. Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis told the House of Commons on 31 January the bill makes clear that in invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to leave the European Union, the UK will also be leaving Euratom. Davis said this is because, although Euratom was established in a treaty separate to the EU agreements and treaties, it uses the same institutions as the European Union, including the European Court of Justice. Prime Minister Theresa May has stated her government will begin the formal process of quitting the EU by the end of March. GMB's Bowden said there is no need to leave Euratom "just because of Article 50". "It would be sensible to delay any changes to our membership of Euratom until arrangements are agreed to replace our membership with Euratom, that guarantee UK nuclear interests are protected to the benefit of everyone in the country. Britain must keep its powder dry until a replacement is in place that benefits the whole country," he said. "Theresa May's paranoia over Supreme Court influence in UK affairs is clouding her judgement over the much more important matter of safeguarding Britains nuclear industry," he added. The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) bill passed a vote in the House of Commons last night by 498-114 votes, a majority of 384. The bill is due to clear the Commons on 8 February and then be put before the House of Lords. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Sweden is the largest country in Northern Europe and the fourth largest in all of Europe. The country has 25 landscapes based on its geography, history, and culture. About 65% of Sweden is covered with forest, with its population concentrated in the southern part of the country. The highest point in Sweden, Kebnekaise, is 6,926 feet above sea level. Sweden has some of the highest mountains in Northern Europe. Highest Mountains In Sweden Kebnekaise Kebnekaise is the highest mountain in Sweden with an elevation of 6,909 feet above the sea level located in Sapmi. The Kebnekaise massif has two peaks with the southern peak being the highest. The glacier covering the southern peak continues to melt with fear that the southern peak will sink lower than the northern peak within few years. The north peak is the highest fixed point in Sweden. Kebnekaise lodge is located at the foot of the mountain and is the starting point for the ascent of Kebnekaise via the western route. At an altitude of 300 meters of Kebnekaise, there are peak cabins and rocky escapements. The peak of Kebnekaise is a small glacier which is less than ten meters high. About 10% of Sweden can be viewed from the summit of Kebnekaise. Sarektjakka Sarektjakka is Swedens second highest mountain and the highest point in Laponian area rises to an elevation of 6,854 feet above the sea level. It is located close to the border of Sarek National Park, south west of Sourva. The location of Sarektjakka and lack of proper road network makes accessibility to the mountain difficult. The mountain is also not popular due to its remote location thus it receives few hikers annually. Sarektjakka and its surrounding are covered by snow making it difficult for wildlife survival in the area. However, there are a few vascular plants as well as 15 species of mammals on this mountain. Kaskasatjakka Kaskasatjakka is the third highest mountain in Sweden at an elevation of 6,811 feet above the sea level. It is located north of mountain huts and research stations in the Tarfala Valley. Kaskasatjakka was first ascended in 1880 by Gustaf Bucht. The summit of Kaskasatjakka is a flat top-plateau which is covered by snow almost throughout the year. The mountain offers a great view of Tarfala Valley and the neighboring Kebnekaise mountain range. Kaskasatjakka and its surrounding are known for windy conditions and several research stations. Akka Akka is a massif in the northern Sweden at the southwestern portion of the Stora Sjofallet National Park. The massif of Akka has twelve peaks and ten glaciers with the highest peak, Stortoppen, measuring 6,611 feet above the sea level. Below the mountain is Lake Akkajaure which is regulated by the hydroelectric power station. Akka has an impressive appearance due to the large level differences. The mountain is a sacred place for the Sami community while hikers regard it with a sense of awe because of its beauty. Effects of Glaciations on Mountains in Sweden The majority of the mountains in Sweden are covered by glacier. However, glaciations threaten to significantly reduce the heights of some of the mountains. It is predicted that Kebnekaise will likely lose its status as the highest mountain in Sweden to the northern peaks because of the heavy glaciations that are taking place at the moment. The new status of the highest mountain in Sweden will affect tourism because of the inaccessibility of the northern peak. Kazakhstan is a country in Central Asia that used to be part of the Soviet Union and bordering both China and Russia. Kazakhstan is not only the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the largest landlocked country. The Turgai is the longest river wholly within Kazakhstan while the Irtysh River is the longest to partially pass through the country. Below are a few of the major rivers in Kazakhstan. Major Rivers Of Kazakhstan Turgai Located in the Turgai Valley of Kazakhstan is The Turgai River with an average water flow of about nine cubic meters per second and drains its water into the endorheic basin. The Turgai Valley covers a basin active with erosion and deposit of some minerals including iron ore. The Turgai valley comprises of many rivers and lakes, but the Turgai River is the longest of them to wholly pass through Kazakhstan with a length of 513 miles. Irtyish The Irtysh is a river which is also the main tributary of the Ob River which passes through Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. The Ishim and the Tobol River are the main affluent of the Irtysh River. In Kazakhstan, a section of the Irtysh River accommodates three large hydroelectric plants including the Shulbinsk, Bakhtarma, and the Ust-Kamenogorsk. There are also some highways built where the Irtysh River pass through in Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. Since time immemorial the Irtysh River has been a subject of conflict. In the 1580s the Russians began to build towns and fortresses including Tobolsk and Tara, among others. In the 17th century, the Mongolians became a neighbor to Russia in the South and controlled the upper side of the Irtysh River which resulted in conflict with the Russians. In the 1750's the Qing Empire from China defeated the Mongolians which led to the Russians increasing security on their border. In 1881 the border issue with the Qing Empire was resolved for Russia through the Treaty of Saint Petersburg. The Irtysh River is the longest river to pass through Kazakhstan with a length of 2,640 miles. Ishim The Ishim River passes through both Kazakhstan and Russia. The Ishim River is a tributary of the Irtysh River and is slightly navigable. The river freezes up during late November to March. To manage water levels and floods, a dam was constructed on the Ishim River in central Astana, a public beach. Kazakhstan intends to deepen the Ishim River to allow for small boats to pass through. The Ishim River is 1,522 miles long. Ural Originating from the south of Ural Mountains and emptying its waters into the Caspian Sea and flows through both Russia and Kazakhstan. It also happens to be the third longest river in Europe creating a border between the European and Asian continents. The Ural River is a habitat for some endangered species and migrating birds. The Ural is also home to numerous species of fish of the Caspian Sea who migrate to the Ural River Delta for spawning. The Ural River delta is also home to about 48 species of animals with most common predators and rodents. The water from the Ural supplies iron and steel industries, a hydroelectric plant and water reservoirs. Fishing is also an important activity on the Ural River delta accounting for half of Kazakhstan's fish catchment. The Ural River was highly contested since it was a major trade center situated on the Silk Road. After the Russian conquest of the Ural Basin fishing became the main activity. The Ural River is 1509 miles in length. Other Rivers In Kazakhstan There are plenty of rivers in Kazakhstan. The rivers provide water for fishing, hydroelectric power plants, mining industries, irrigation and many more activities including recreational purposes and providing a habitat for some marine and terrestrial animal species. The rivers of Kazakhstan are not only important to the ecosystem but also the culture of the people of Kazakhstan. South Australia has 353 separate protected areas occupying 19.6% of the states area of which 22 are national parks. The Belair National Park, commissioned in 1891, was the first national park in the region. The largest national park is the Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre which occupies an area of 5,209.00 square miles. Ecoregions Of South Australia The region has several distinct ecoregions. Under the desert and xeric shrublands biome is the Great Victoria Desert ecoregion, which is characterized by an arid climate and open woodland vegetation. Part of the Simpson Desert, the countrys fourth largest desert, lies in the Southern region of the nation. Another desert ecoregion in the area is the Tirari-Sturt Stony Desert, marked by sand dunes and gibber plains. On the coast of the South Australia sits the Eyre and York Mallee ecoregion, where the original woodland cover has been cleared to pave the way for agriculture. The area is also home to temperate forests as well as stretches of the savanna. The Wild Flora And Fauna Of South Australia South Australia is home to a variety of plants and wildlife. Seabirds found in the region range from petrels, ospreys, sea eagles, albatrosses, sooty oystercatchers, to the Australian fairy tern. Other birds recorded in the area include the hooded plover, Australian Shelduck, orange-bellied parrot, wrens, Chestnut Teal, emus, eagles, western yellow robin, banded stilt, short-tailed grasswren, Falcons, and egrets. South Australia boasts populations of kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, dunnarts, bats, euros, dragon lizards, yellow-footed rock wallaby, fur seals, and the western pygmy possum. The marine regions of the area provide habitats to whales, sea lions, dolphins, and other fish species. The flora of South Australia includes the species Acacia, dune thistle, shrubs, eucalyptus, saltbush, conifer, sedge, and flowering plants. Threats To The Wildlife Of South Australia Animals in the region face some threats, and some species have been recognized as endangered or vulnerable. The fauna is profoundly affected by habitat loss mainly caused by clearing of forests for agriculture as well as urban development. Some animals in the region exist only in limited ranges as their habitats continue to shrink. The invasion of predatory animals such as foxes has reduced the population of some animal species while grazing by domestic animals such as rabbits and cattle brings competition for food and other resources. Other notable threats include climate change, fires, diseases, illegal hunting, and pollution, especially in marine areas. Establishment Of National Parks In South Australia The National Parks and Wildlife Act (1972) provides the legal framework for the establishment of national parks in the region in addition to game reserves, regional reserves, conservation parks, and recreation parks. The custodian of the Act is the Department of Environment, Water, and Natural Resources. Since the first national park was established in 1891, other 21 have been commissioned over the years. Significance Of National Parks In South Australia National parks are crucial in protecting the ecosystems of the region. The parks monitor human activity to ensure the landscape is left unaltered and unspoiled. The parks protect unique plants and animals which would otherwise be vulnerable to extinction. The reserves also implement policies to restore populations of endangered plants and animals. The parks enable scientists and biologists to carry out safe research. The national parks are a symbol of natural heritage in the region and they also facilitate the areas tourism. The country of Poland is located in eastern Europe, with a coastline along the Baltic Sea. This article will discuss the native amphibians of the country. It will mention physical characteristics, habitats and range, as well as their current conservation status and what major threats they face. Some of the native amphibians of Poland: Agile Frog The Agile Frog, scientific name Rana dalmatina, is a species of frog that is a member of the Ranidae family of true frogs that are found on all continents except Antarctica. Adult males of the species seldom grow to be larger than 2.55 inches in length, while adult females are larger and can grow to be up to 3.14 inches in length. The upper-side of the species body is either a light brown, reddish-brown or light grey-brown color, while the belly is a white color that is spotless. The species also has dark brown colored triangle-shaped spots on the side of its head. This species habitat is in glades or other open sites that are located within light deciduous woodland, although it has also been known to be found in meadows and thickets. This species can be found across most of Europe. n Poland this species is only found in a small area in the south, close to the border with Slovakia. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the Agile Frog has been listed as a species of least concern since 2004 and its current population trend is decreasing. The major threats that this species faces are the drainage and pollution of its breeding areas, development and logging in its habitat and the road mortality rate. Carpathian Newt The Carpathian Newt, scientific name Lissotriton montandoni, is a species of salamander that is a member of the Salamandridae family that is made up of true salamanders and newts. Adults of this species grow to be about four inches long, with females usually being slightly larger than males. The upper-side of the species is either an olive-brown or yellowish-brown color and is generously speckled with fine dark spots. In contrast, the belly is either an orange or yellow color, with small black sides along the sides. The lower area of the tail is either a white or orange color with large black spots. The habitat of this species is in wet and shaded coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, as well as in meadow glades and sub-alpine areas. This species is native to the east Carpathian Mountains and easternmost Sudetes Mountains in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine. It has also been introduced into the Bavarian Forest in Germany. According to the IUCN Red List, the Carpathian Newt has been listed as a species of least concern since 2004 and its current population trend is decreasing. The major threats that this species faces are from the loss of its habitat due to logging and development, pollution due to sewage and the introduction of predatory fish species. Fire Salamander The Fire Salamander, scientific name Salamandra salamandra, is a species of salamander that is also a member of the Salamandridae family. Adults of this species usually grow to be between 5.9 to 9.8 inches long and weigh around 1.41 ounces. The species is usually black with yellow colored spots or stripes, although the coloration can vary enough where they can be almost completely black or yellow in color. There are also times where the yellow spots or stripes can be mixed or replaced with shades of red and orange, depending on the subspecies. Adult males and females look almost similar outside of breeding season, where males have a swollen gland around their vent. The habitat of this species is usually in wet and cool deciduous or mixed forests, as well as in small rivers and very well shaded brooks. This species is found across most of central, eastern and southern Europe. According to the IUCN Red List, the Fire Salamander has been listed as a species of least concern since 2004 and its current population trend is decreasing. The major threats that this species faces are from the localized threats of general habitat destruction, pollution of its breeding sites by agricultural chemicals, road mortality, collection for trade purposes and the introduction of predatory species, like crayfish. What is being done to help the native amphibians of Poland: There are steps that have been taken to try and help the native amphibian species of Poland. All three species mentioned above, as well as others, are listed on the Appendix II the Bern Convention of the European Union (EU) Habitats Directive. These species, as well as others, are also protected by national legislation from the government of Poland. Some of these amphibian species are also found in national parks or other protected areas that have been set in the country. Ivory Coast is a presidential representative democratic representative with the president serving as both the head of state and government. The president exercises the executive powers and is the commander-in-chief of the Ivorian armed forces. The president may negotiate some treaties and also table bills to the parliament. The president selects the cabinet which also answers directly to him or her. The president also appoints the prime minister except on one instance in 2012 when the premier was appointed by the international community as transitional Prime Minister following the resolution of the African Union. Ivory Coast has been served by five presidents since it gained independence from France in 1960. Presidents Felix Houphouet-Boigny Felix Houphouet-Boigny, popularly called Papa Houphouet by Ivorians, was the first president of the Ivory Coast serving for more than three decades from 1960 until his death in 1993. Born in 1905, Houphouet worked as a tribal chief and a medical aide before his election to the French parliament. He also served in different ministerial positions within the French government. He is credited for leading the country to independence in 1960. Under his presidency, Ivory Coast prospered economically. He maintained strong anti-communist policies which led to strained diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. Houphouet is accused of aiding conspirator who ousted Kwame Nkrumah from power in 1968 and the removal of Thomas Sankara from power in 1987. Houphouet died in 1993 from a terminal illness and was succeed by Henri Konan Bedie. Henri Konan Bedie Henri Konan Bedie was the Ivory Coasts first ambassador to the US and Canada following independence in 1960. He also served as the Finance Minister and as the National Assembly president from 1985 to 1990. He assumed the presidency on December 7, 1993, after the death of Houphouet. He was re-elected president of the Ivory Coast in 1995 after the main opposition parties boycotted the election. He encouraged national stability under his leadership. However, he was accused of political repression and high-level corruption. He was overthrown in a military coup in December 1999 for rejecting the demands of the rebel soldiers. He exiled first to Togo then to France. He was succeeded by retired General Robert Guei. Robert Guei Robert Guei was a career soldier who was trained in France and served under the French administration. He was appointed chief of the army by President Houphouet in 1990. After the death of Houphouet, Robert Guei distanced himself from Bedies administration leading to his dismissal in 1995. He was forced out of the army in 1997. When Bedie was overthrown in 1999, Guei was encouraged out of retirement to hold brief until the next election. In 2000, he stood in the presidential election but was defeated by Laurent Gbagbo. He was assassinated together with his family on September 19, 2002, during the civil war. 2010/2011 Presidential Crisis The incumbent president, Alassane Ouattara, succeeded Laurent Gbagbo in the hotly contested 2010 elections. Both Gbagbo and Ouattara took oaths of office further throwing the country into confusion. Sporadic violence and gunfire were reported across the country. Both sides were accused of mass killings of civilians leading to suctions and the freezing of assets. Gbagbo was arrested on April 11, 2011, after a failed negotiation to solve the presidential succession crisis. He was sent to the International Criminal Court for trial for crimes against humanity. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Windy with occasional light rain. High 66F. Winds SSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Some passing clouds. Low 41F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Somalia is officially known as the Federal Republic of Somalia. It is in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Kenya, the Gulf of Aden, Djibouti and the Indian Ocean. Somalia's population is an estimated 12.3 million. The Head of state in Somalia is the President whose office dates back to 1960. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the President incumbent of Somalia. The President of Somalia is the head of state, the commander-in-chief of The Somali armed forces. The President of Somalia is the representative of the Federal Republic of Somalia and the unity of the nation. The President of Somalia also is responsible for ensuring that the Somali constitution is implemented. Presidents Of Somalia Since 1960 Aden Abdulle Osman Daar Aden Abdulle Osman Daar was born in December 1908 in Beledweyne, Hiran, Somalia. Daar's political career began in 1944 when he joined the Somali Youth League (SYL) which was a nationalist organization that campaigned for Somalia's independence. In 1946 he became SYL's local secretary and a decade later becoming the National Legislative Assembly's chairman. Somalia gained independence in 1960 and Daar had already attained fame as a national figure which gave him victory as president. Mohamed Siad Barre Mohamed Barre was born on October 6, 1919, in Shilabo, Ogaden. In 1969 Barre led a coup d'etat. His idea was to steer Somalia into scientific socialism which saw most of Somali's industries, businesses, and banks nationalized. He introduced a new writing system for the Somali language. Later on, President Barre incited inter-clan rivalries that led to the collapse of his regime in 1991. Barre later died in political exile in Lagos in 1995. He was President of Somalia from 1969-1991. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was born on December 15, 1934, in Galkayo, Italian Somaliland and was the 6th President of Somalia. Ahmed was one of the founders of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front together with the Puntland State of Somalia where he served as the region's first President. In 2004 he co-founded the Transitional Federal Government and led Somalia as a President from 2004-2008. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was born on November 29th, 1955 in Jalalaqsi, Hiran, Somalia. He is the eighth President of Somalia and the President incumbent. Before going into politics, Mohamud was a University dean and professor and is the founder and also chairs the Peace and Development Party. Mohamud was named as one of the 100 most influential people by NY TIME magazine in 2013 due to his efforts to fight corruption and promote national reconciliation. Mohamud has been Somalia's President since September 10, 2012. Other Presidents of Somalia Since independence, Somalia has had a number of Heads of State. Sheikh Muktar was acting as President when Sharmarke was assassinated and before Mohamed Barre became president following the coup d'etat. Aden Madobe was also the acting President of Somalia when President Abdullahi Yusuf resigned. The Czech Republic, now known as Czechia, is a country located in Central Europe. The country was known as Czechoslovakia and was a part of the Eastern Bloc of the Soviet Union until the 1989 Velvet Revolution put in a new liberal democratic government. In 1993 Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This was the year that the country's current Constitution went into effect and the position of President of the Czech Republic was created. The president was elected by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate until 2012. That year the way the president was elected was changed and since 2013 the president is elected via popular vote. Presidents of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel Vaclav Havel (1936-2011) was the first president of Czechoslovakia in 1989 after his Civic Forum party played a significant role in the Velvet Revolution that toppled communism in the country. He was then elected as the first president of the Czech Republic in 1993 following the split of Czechoslovakia, serving form two terms as president until 2003. During his two terms as president Havel was active in the Warsaw Pact and helping to expand membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into Eastern Europe, with the Czech Republic joining in 1999. Vaclav Klaus Vaclav Klaus was the second president of the Czech Republic, serving two terms from 2003 until 2013. Despite the Czech Republic joining the European Union (EU) in 2004 under his watch, Klaus is a noted eurosceptic warning about the loss of sovereignty, being against the euro and even calling for the EU to be scrapped. Klaus's presidency was also controversial due to his skepticism that human activities had impacted climate change. He also criticized the NATO bombing in Yugoslavia during the late 1990s Kosovo crisis and has disagreed with recognition of Kosovo. Milos Zeman Milos Zeman is the current president of the Czech Republic, having been made the first directly elected president in the country's history in 2013. Since the start of his presidency, Zeman has been embroiled in various scandals and controversies. He has been accused of undermining the parliamentary democracy of the country and expanding his own powers by appointing his friend and ally Jiri Rusnok as the Prime Minister. In 2013 some were unhappy that he refused to grant tenure to literary historian Martin C. Putna, because of his provocative appearance at Prague Gay Pride back in 2011. In October 2013 Zeman met with Michal Hasek, the First Deputy Chairman of the winning Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and his allies in a secret post-election meeting to negotiate a possible coup within the party. The Duties of the President of the Czech Republic The government of Czechia is a parliamentary representative democracy, with the President acting as head of state and commander-in-chief of the country. The president plays a key role in appointing Supreme and Constitutional Court judges with the permission of the Senate, as well as the members of the Czech National Bank Board. The president also has the power to veto any bill back to parliament, unless it is an act that would change the constitution. The president can also dissolve the Chamber of Deputies to force a new election, but this can only be done under certain conditions that are outlined in the constitution. Tunisia is a semi-presidential republic with both a president and the prime minister. The president of Tunisia is the head of state and also the commander in chief of the Tunisian Army. The government of Tunisia is located in the country's capital and largest city, Tunis. The government system of Tunisia has gone through considerable changes since the Arab Spring in 2010. The president is elected by a majority and must be a Tunisian national who is at least 35 year of age. He or she is limited to two terms. The president has the responsibility of signing laws and putting certain drafts to a referendum. He or she is responsible for national security and foreign policy. The president can also appoint senior military officers and diplomats related to national security Presidents Of Tunisia Since 1957 Habib Bourguiba (1957 1987) Habib Bourguiba was a nationalist and a statesman who served Tunisia as countrys head from independence in 1957 to 1987. He first served as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tunisia before becoming the countrys first president upon the proclamation of Tunisian Republic. He negotiated for Tunisias independence in France and led an armed struggle for independence when negotiations with France failed. He was arrested and detained for his role in the armed conflict. However, in 1955 he returned to Tunisia leading to the formation of the first Tunisian Cabinet without French member. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (1987 2011) Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was Tunisias second president from 1987 to 2011. Before becoming the president, he held the premiers position in October 1987. He became the president after a bloodless coup that ousted the ailing President Bourguiba. Fouad Mebazaa (Jan 2011 Dec 2011) Fouad Mebazaa was sworn in Tunisias acting president in January 2011 and served until December 2011. After the exile of Ben Ali to Saudi Arabia, the constitutional council handed over power to him instead of the then Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi. Mebazaa was initially appointed to act as president for 45 to 60 days but extended her stay in the office due to the challenges of organizing for the election under the old constitution. He handed over the presidency to Moncef Marzouki on December 13, 2011. The Incumbent President (From 2014 to date) Beji Caid Essebsi jas been Tunisias president since 2014. Before ascending to the presidency, he served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and interim Prime Minister in 2011. He defeated President Moncef Marzouki in the first ever free elections in Tunisia in 2014. His efforts of unifying Tunisia and returning it to the economic growth path has so far bore fruits. Belgium has a federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy, where the king appoints the Prime minister to head the government. The governments formed after Belgiums independence in 1830 had the position known as formateur that lead and formed the government, but this position did not have well defined duties. It was in 1918 that the title prime minister was incorporated in the official documents. Over the time, the powers associated with prime minister increased over that of the King and in 1970, with the first state reform, it was incorporated in to the Constitution of Belgium. Prime minister presides over the Council of Ministers and is responsible for formulation of policies and their execution. Prime minister can also ask for a vote of no confidence motion, which can also lead to the termination of the government. When the prime minister resigns the government dissolves. Prime Ministers Of Belgium Since World War II Hubert Pierlot (1939-1945) Hubert was a lawyer prior to joining politics. He was sworn in as prime minister a short time before Belgium entered World War II. As a result of Belgiums occupation by Nazi Germany, he went to exile and headed the Belgian government from France and later from Britain. He both as prime minister and minister of defence from his position in exile. In 1940, the year Germany attacked Belgium, there was a serious disagreement between Huber Pierlot and the King of Belgium Leopold III. Hubert was of the view that the King should go to exile rather than surrender to German Army, which the King considered a cowardly act. After liberation of Belgium in 1944, Hubert returned to the country and headed the new government. Unable to resolve the new challenges facing the nation, his government failed and he resigned in 1945 before quitting politics in 1946. Paul Henry Spaak (1947-1949) Coming from a famous Belgian politically family Paul Henry Spaak was elected the prime minister of Belgium three times. Firstly from1938 to 1939, secondly in 1846 and finally between 1947 and 1949. He was one of the most prominent Statesman from Belgium in post World War II politics. He was a primary advocate for European cooperation. His role was crucial at the formation of European Economic Community, which was succeeded by the European Union. He was also behind the formation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Benelux agreement. In 1945, he helped in drafting the United Nations Charter and was elected as president of the United Nations first General Assembly. He retired from politics in 1966. Gaston Eyskens (1949-1950; 1958-1961; 1968-1973) Eysken was an economist and the prime minister of Belgium from 1949-50, 1958-61 and 1968-73. He faced major linguistic and ideological conflicts within Belgium in 1950. In 1958, he showed his leadership at finalizing the school pact, giving equal financial aid to parochial and public schools. Realizing that Belgium might no more be able to tackle the economical and political situations of Belgian Congo, in 1960 he persuaded the parliament to grant independence to Congo. The bloody wars that followed the independence of Congo and internal problems in Belgium toppled his government in 1961. Paul Vanden Boeynants (1966-1968; 1978-1979) Paul Vanden Boeynants was elected twice as the Prime Minister of Belgium. Paul, a French speaking Belgian politician, was a longtime Member of Parliament. In 1961 he served as the minister for the middle class. His handling of the language crisis (1968) in Belgium was criticized, but it was the corruption and fraud that eventually ended (1986) his career as politician. Later in 1989, he was kidnapped by left wing group, only to be released a month later by paying ransom of over $2 million. Economy of Belgium Belgium has an open vibrant economy based private enterprise economy and has capitalized on its geographical location. The country has a highly developed and efficient transport network system. The industries are concentrated in the highly populated areas like Flanders in the north. The country has few natural resources and therefore imports large quantities of raw materials and export substantial quantities of manufactured goods. The economy of Belgium grew by 1.4% in 2015. The Greek Prime Minister is the countrys Head of Government, directly at the helm of the Greek Cabinet. The position of the Prime Minister was created in 1843 after a revolution agitated for a constitution from the monarchy headed by King Otto. From 1967 to 1974, Greece was a military dictatorship. Today, Greece is a democracy. The Prime Minister is a member of the Ministerial Council, and together with the Ministers, they make government decisions. The prime minister heads the majority party in the legislature and unites the government. The government's headquarters is in the country's capital of Athens, which is also its largest city. Prime Ministers Of Greece Since 1974 Konstantinos G. Karamanlis (1974-1980) Konstantinos G. Karamanlis served as the Greek Prime Minister from 1955 to 1963 and held the position again in 1974 serving till 1980. He was born on March 8, 1907, to a schoolteacher. He studied law at the University of Athens. His entry into politics saw him elected to the legislature to represent Serres under the Peoples Party in 1935. He held several ministerial posts and gained a reputation for efficiency until he became Prime Minister in 1955. Georgios Rallis (1980-1981) Georgios Rallis was the Greek Prime Minister from 1980-1981. He was born on December 26, 1918, in Athens, Greece and he studied Law and Political Sciences at the University of Athens. He was elected to the countrys legislature in 1950 under the Peoples Party and was re-elected until the 1967 dictatorship, except in 1958. He served a Minister in various departments, and he was sent into exile in Kasos for resisting the military junta. Under Karamanlis, Rallis served as Minister for Interior, Minister in the office of the Prime Minister, Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs, Minister for Coordination and Minister for Foreign Affairs. Andreas Papandreou (1993-1996) Andreas Papandreou served as the countrys Prime Minister from 1981 to 1989 and again from 1993 to 1996. He was born in Chios, Greece on February 5, 1919, and he studied at the Kapodistrian University of Athens before leaving for the US, where he studied economics at Harvard University and obtained a doctorate. He became a US citizen and taught as a professor in several Universities. In 1959, he was invited back to Greece by Karamanlis on an economic development research assignment, and he was elected to parliament in 1964 after denouncing his American citizenship. He became the Greek Prime Minister in 1981 after the Panhellenic Socialist Movement won the majority seats in Parliament. Xenophon Zolotas (1989 - 1990) Xenophon Zolotas served as the Greek Prime Minister from 1989 to 1990. He was born on March 26, 1904, in Athens, Greece. Zolotas was an economist who studied at the University of Athens, University of Paris, and Leipzig University. He served as Professor of Economics at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Athens University until the military junta took over leadership in the country. He served at the helm of the Bank of Greece and became a non-Party Prime Minister after the 1989 elections failed to give the majority to either of the parties. Other Prime Ministers The rest of the Greek Prime Ministers are Tzannis Tzannetakis (July to October 1989); Konstantinos Mitsotakis (1990-1993); Konstantinos Simitis (1996-2004); Konstantinos A. Karamanlis (2004-2009); George A. Papandreou (2009-20110; Lucas Papademos (2011-2012); Antonis Samaras (2012-2015), and Alexis Tsipras (2015-Present). Kazakhstan is a country in Central Asia, with its borders extending from the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains. Kazakhstan is a former Soviet republic that achieved independence in 1991 and has since had nine different presidents. This article will discuss those who have served as president of Kazakhstan as well as the basic history and duties of the job. Select Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan Karim Massimov Karim Massimov was born in Astana, Kazakhstan in 1965. He then went on to graduate from the People's Friendship University of Russia in Moscow and then studied in China at Wuhan University in Hubei. In 2001 he served as the Minister of Economy and Budget Planning and as the Minister of Transport and Communications. From 2006 to 2007 he also served as the deputy prime minister of the country. During this time, he worked to improve Kazakhstan's relations with Israel, Iran, and China. In 2007 the Kazakh political shakeup took place when then Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov suddenly resigned his post following the increasing criticism he has been receiving from President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Nazarbayev nominated Massimov for the position of prime minister, and Massimov was appointed only two days after Akhmetov's resignation. Bakhytzhan Sagintayev Bakhytzhan Sagintayev was born in the Talas District of Kazakhstan in 1963. Following his graduation from Kazakh State University with a degree in economic sciences, he worked as a teacher of political economy at the Almaty Institute of National Economy. From 1988 to 1992 he then worked as an assistant at the sociology department of his alma mater. In 1992 he started his political career by working as the Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Small Business Support and as the Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Regulation of Natural Monopolies, Competition Protection and Small Business Support of Kazakhstan. In 2012 he became the Minister of Economic Development and Trade and the following year he was appointed as First Deputy Prime Minister by the president. He became prime minister following the dismissal of Karim Massimov. The Duties of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan: The position of the prime minister of Kazakhstan dates back to 1991, but it was not until the 1995 Constitution of Kazakhstan that the government had a clear outline. According to Article two, section one of the Constitution of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan is a unitary state with a presidential form of government. The president of Kazakhstan serves as the head of state and is the one who nominates the prime minister, who serves as the head of government at the pleasure of the president. The prime minister of Kazakhstan is also the person who chairs the Cabinet of Ministers, which is made up of 16 ministers and three deputy prime ministers. The Prime Minister of Somalia is the head of government and wields considerable power in the affairs of the country. In the recent past, the country has experienced enormous political instability since the collapse of the government led by Mohammed Siad Barre in the early 1990s. To this date, it experiences armed conflicts among militia groups most of which work towards the downfall of the government and seeks to control the main cities such as Mogadishu. However, since the creation of the position of Prime Minister, there have been sixteen of them. There was no recognized government from the year 1991 to 2000. Prime Ministers Of Somalia Since 1960 Abdirashid Ali Shermarke He was the Prime Minister of Somalia from July 1960 to June 1964. He was later elected the President of the country and served until his assassination in 1969. He was born in 1919 in Harardhere region. He completed his elementary education in 1936 after which he embarked on trading and later joined civil service with the Italian colonialists. He completed his secondary school while serving in the civil service in 1953. He then obtained a scholarship to study political science in Rome, Italy. Upon his return, he was elected to the legislative assembly and on independence, he was appointed Prime Minister. He then vied for the Presidential elections in 1967 and won. He served as President until his assassination in 1969. Abdirizak Haji Hussein He was born in December 1924 and died in January 2014. He served as the Prime Minister between 1964 and 1967. He was mostly self-taught and was fluent in both English and Italian. He had an Islamic scholarship background having been taught by his father who was an authority in the religious studies. Early on in his life, he served as an officer in the British Military as a clerk and an interpreter. He also served six months in prison for agitating for the independence of Somalia. Mohammad Ali Samatar He was the Premier from 1987 to 1990. He was born in 1931 and had a military background having studied in the elite Russia Academy. Having served as a Lieutenant General, he served as a minister of defense. He later served as the Vice President and then got nominated for the position of Prime Minister, and served for three years. Muhammad Hawadle Madar He was the Prime Minister for just a few months starting from September 1990 to January 1991. He had served as a member of the Socialist Party before his appointment. A full-blown civil war then erupted after his time in office and another candidate in Umar Ghalib was appointed. Political Stability in Somalia The history of the countrys political leadership has been characterized by assassinations and coups that have negatively affected Somalia. However, since the return to democracy in 1990, the government has worked to stabilize the political situation in the country. The Czech Republic, also called Czechia, is a country in Central Europe. Together with Slovakia, it was known as Czechoslovakia and was a part of the Eastern Bloc of the Soviet Union until the 1989 Velvet Revolution put in a new liberal democratic government. The position of prime minister was elected for the Czech Republic in 1992 and became official in 1993. The president of the Czech Republic directly appoints the prime minister. The prime minister has no term limits and can stay in office as long they keep the confidence of the majority of the Chamber of Deputies. Select Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus Vaclav Klaus served as the first prime minister of the Czech Republic from 1992 until 1998. He is also the longest-serving prime minister in the history of the country, having spent 5 years, 364 days in office. He was the last prime minister of the Czech Republic before the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and then continued to serve as prime minister of an independent Czech Republic. Klaus played a key role in dissolving Czechoslovakia as his party the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) won twice as many seats as the second place party the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) in the 1992 elections. Bohuslav Sobotka Bohuslav Sobotka is the eleventh and current prime minister of the Czech Republic. In October 2013 Sobotka led his Social Democratic Party (CSSD) to victory in the legislative election. A few days later President Milos Zeman held a secret meeting with Michal Hasek, the First Deputy Chairman of the CSSD and his allies in a secret post-election meeting to negotiate a possible coup within the party. They called on Sobotka to resign and kept him from the group negotiating the next government. When this event was found out about it sparked protests and led to Hasek resigning, allowing Sobotka to led the creation of the new government and become prime minister. Andrej Babis Andrej Babis is the current prime minister of the Czech Republic. He was born in 1954 in Bratislava, in what is today Slovakia. He has a background in commerce and entrepreneurship. Duties of the Prime Minister of Czechia The government of Czechia is a parliamentary representative democracy, with the prime minister acting as the head of government. The first job of the prime minister is to create a government and appoint other ministers to form a cabinet. The prime minister and the cabinet, made up of government ministries heads, are then held accountable by the Chamber of Deputies form their policies and actions. The prime minister is also responsible for the organized activities of the government and chairs their meetings. Tunisia is a representative democracy where the president of the country is the head of state while the prime minister who is the presidents appointee is the head of government. The prime minister can create and dissolve ministries except for the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense. He or she can also create and dissolve public institutions and administrative departments, issue governmental decrees with the consultation with relevant ministries, and endorse regulatory orders issued by ministries. The prime minister can also initiate a vote of confidence to the government through the parliament. Prime Ministers Of Tunisia Since 1969 Bahi Ladgham (1969 - 1970) Bahi Ladgham was a Tunisian politician who held several positions under President Habib Bourguiba. He was an activist for independence who was appointed the Prime Minister of Tunisia on November 7, 1969. He played a key role in the Franco-Tunisian independence negotiation and also found a solution for the Egyptian-Tunisian dispute. His good relations with foreign leaders played an important role in the Tunisian diplomacy. He consolidated national cohesion and strengthened the economy of Tunisia. Ladgham also served as acting president when President Bourguiba was sick and was admitted in Paris. He resigned from the premiers position on November 2, 1970, and retired from all his political activities in 1973. Ladgham died in Paris in April 1998. Hedi Amara Nouira (1970 - 1980) Hedi Amara Nouira was born into a wealthy family in 1911. He undertook his law studies in France and only returned to Tunisia in 1938 where he immediately got into politics. Before becoming prime minister, he served in several ministerial positions including Finance and Trade. Nouira was appointed the prime minister on November 2, 1970, with a charge to reform the national economy. He served as the Prime Minister of Tunisia for ten years, until April 1980. His tenure was marked by economic recovery and social progress despite the several crises in the country including power struggle and university riots in 1978. He died in January 1993 in La Marsa. Mohammed Mzali (1980 1986) Mohammed Mzali was a Tunisian politician who served in several ministerial positions including defense, sports, public health, and interior before his appointment as the Prime Minister of Tunisia in April 1980. He was seconded to the premiers position by the then presidents wife Wassila Bourguiba. He canceled the banning of wearing of hijab in public schools. He also improved the relations between Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. However, he was accused of corruption and enriching himself illegally. Rachid Sfar (1986 - 1987) Rachid Sfar was appointed the prime minister of Tunisia in July 1986 to redress the countrys finances. Before becoming prime minister, he served in several ministerial positions including industry, public health, and defense. His appointment to the premiers position coincided with the period of a weakened economy and depleted foreign reserves. He managed to stabilize the countrys economy by boosting trade and commerce between Tunisia and the European Community. He was a victim of President Bourguibas illness who sacked him for appointing one of the government officials when the president himself made the appointment. The Incumbent Prime Minister The incumbent premier, Youssef Chahed, was appointed in 2016. He is the second prime minister to be appointed under the new constitution. He succeeded Habib Essid who lost a parliamentary confidence vote in July 2016. Chahed is an Agricultural Economist who taught in France and other countries as a visiting professor. He is a member of the Nidaa Tounes political party. Guatemala is a country in Central America at the southern side of Mexico and is officially known as the Republic of Guatemala. Its capital, Guatemala City which is also the largest city, is home to the national palace of culture and the national museum of archaeology and ethnology. It is the most populous state in South America with a population of approximately 15.8 million with an area coverage of 42,042 square miles. Christianity remains a strong and vital in Guatemalan society as it is the main religion in the country. Religious Beliefs In Guatemala Roman Catholic Christianity The Catholic Church in Guatemala is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church in Rome under the leadership of the Pope. It was introduced into the country by the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century and remained the predominant religion in the country until the 20th century. Due to the increasing number of Protestants in the country, a religious movement by the charismatic Catholics was launched. The movement sought to increase the number of Catholic converts. Therefore, several priests worked towards ensuring this. Currently, the Roman Catholics in the country form approximately 50% of the countrys population, hence remains the dominant religion. Protestant Christianity Protestant Christianity in Guatemala is the second largest religion in the country constituting up to 37% of the entire population. The first Protestant missionary to arrive in Guatemala was Frederick Crowe in 1843 but was expelled by President Rafael Carrera, a Roman Catholicism fanatic, in 1845. In 1882, President Rufino Barrios invited several Presbyterian Methodist, and Baptist missionaries into the country to challenge the power of Roman Catholic Church. The number of Protestant Christians remained low until the arrival of the Pentecostal Protestants from the United States. Protestants in the country are mainly located in the northern highlands and are mainly the Mayan population. Atheism, Agnosticism, or Irreligion Atheism, Agnosticism, or Irreligion is the belief in the non-existence of a supreme creator or time referred to as non-religious in Guatemala. The most recent survey conducted in 2010 in the country revealed that up to 11% of the countrys population have no particular religion. It is among the countries with the highest number of atheists in Latin America. Other beliefs Approximately 2% of the entire Guatemalan population are of other religions evident in the country. Among the minority religions include Mormon, Jehovahs Witness, Traditional Maya Religion, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. Religious freedoms, religious tolerance in Guatemala There no official state religion in Guatemala but despite this, the countrys constitution recognizes the legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church. For other religious affiliations to be recognized by the constitution, they have have be approved by the government regulators. The Guatemalan constitution in Article 36 also recognizes freedom of religion to all citizens which is honored and protected by law. At the end of the civil war, missionary activities heightened in Guatemala and Protestants denominations have greatly grown. The denominations have lived in a mutual coexistence with little friction among them. LIGONIER The citys proposed and newly revised Strawberry Valley Cultural Trail project is stepping forward for funding. The Ligonier Redevelopment Commission approved funding not to exceed $480,000 for the first phase of the project Tuesday morning to complete the citys application for a Regional Cities Initiative grant from the Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority that is due Feb. 8. Originally named the Strawberry Valley Greenway, the project was estimated at a total cost of $4.65 million, but city leaders decided to break the project into smaller phases with the hope of better facilitating funding of the trail. The first phase, for which the RDC committed its funding, is projected to cost $1.4 million and will build on the current Elkhart Riverwalk with the paving of paths and construction of boardwalks connecting downtown murals, statues and historical landmarks to the citys parks. The trail will be used for more than just exercise and recreation, as was first envisioned; the new layout also makes it a destination for those wanting to learn the history of Ligonier, commissioners said. A preliminary design of the project shows the 5-mile path as a loop through the city, beginning with the existing riverwalk along the north side of the Elkhart River. It will connect to the east with Richmond Street, where both a pathway and boardwalk will be constructed. The path then will turn south onto S.R. 5/Cavin Street, where it will use existing sidewalks and new signs to point visitors in the direction of local landmarks and sites. An asphalt path around Pettit Memorial Park is also proposed. From there, the path will continue south, down an existing alley west of Main Street after a jog on Fourth Street. This will lead people south to Sixth Street and Prescott Park. The trail will go west on Sixth Street, eventually leading to a new asphalt path, to connect to the Ligonier Sports & Recreation Center and Kenney Parks current gravel walking path. Coming off of the northeast loop of Kenney Parks trail, the new cultural trail will use an existing alley to connect to Lincolnway West and lead west to Bridge Street, where it will turn north on a new asphalt path to finish the circuit at the existing riverwalk. New crosswalks, signs and mile markers with the Strawberry Valley logo will help users find their way around the loop. I think its an excellent use of the funds. I dont think a lot of people have any idea how its going to positively affect the city, Mayor Patty Fisel said. I think the design is going to impress them very much. The commissions funding will come out of a $2.2 million bond the RDC approved in 2015 for such projects and must be used by the end of its three-year agreement in 2018. Clerk-Treasurer Barb Hawn told commissioners that as of the meeting, there was $1.12 million still available. The commissioners approval will allow the city to move forward with its grant application for Regional Cities money, for which its requesting $285,200. To apply for part of the $42 million award to northeast Indiana by the Indiana Economic Development Corp., projects are required to have 60 percent of the cost provided through private contributions and 20 percent in local public funding, with the remaining amount from the RDA. But Triad Associates engineer Jonathan Moen and Fisel said they were assured in recent meetings with both the RDA and Noble County Economic Development Corp. that these percentages contain some flexibility. The Strawberry Valley Cultural Trail project is currently funded with 46 percent from private donations and 34 percent from the Redevelopment Commission. In that, the Noble County EDC also has committed up to 30 percent of construction costs over a three-year period, totaling $347,843, contingent on the project receiving Regional Cities funding. Commissioner Bryan Shearer questioned what would be done with the $480,000 if the city doesnt receive the funding its requesting and cant tackle the cultural trail project as its laid out. Moen contended an expansion of the trails on whatever scale possible would be beneficial to the city. We are not talking about small dollars here, but its an investment to the city, Moen said. As a city that would like to continue to grow and have opportunity, people look at recreational uses within the city. Thats not just residential, thats business that will look at these components whether to move into the city or not This is something that has a lot of benefit from many aspects. The deadline for Regional Cities Initiative funding applications is Wednesday, Feb. 8, and the RDA is scheduled to meet soon after on Feb. 14 to review proposals. Azerbaijan is dominated by three physical features including the Caspian Sea, the Greater Caucasus Mountains, and the extensive flatlands at the center of the country. The country is home to a vast variety of landscape with over half of the country consisting of mountain ridges, crests, and plateaus. There are three mountain ranges in the country covering 40% of its land area. These mountain ranges are the Greater Caucasus, the Lesser Caucasus, and the Talysh Mountains. The highest point in Azerbaijan is at Mount Bazarduzu at an elevation of 14,562 feet above sea level. Tallest Mountains in Azerbaijan Bazarduzu Mount Bazarduzu is the highest peak in the Greater Caucasus Range and the highest mountain in Azerbaijan. The mountain is located on the border of Russia and Azerbaijan on the southernmost part of Russia. Mount Bazarduzu has a relatively flat top while the slopes are steep. The peak of the mountain is covered with a glacier that was formed in the early 20th century. The northern slope of the mountain has two small glaciers. Mount Bazarduzu is covered by abundant vegetation including the alpine meadow while mountain goat is the most common fauna on the mountain. The first ascent to the top of Mount Bazarduzu was in 1847 by Alexandrov. Shahdagh Mount Shahdagh is the second highest peak in the Greater Caucasus Range at an elevation of 13,921 feet above sea level. The mountain is located in Qusar rayon, close to the border with Russia. Mount Shahdagh is characterized by prehistoric cave dwellings located at its base, indicating human activities around the mountain for over 9,000 years. Near the mountain also lies the ruin of the ancient town of Kabala which was the capital of Caucasian Albania. Mount Shahdagh has steep slopes and nasty winds blow towards its direction making its climbing very difficult. It is considered sacred and can only be approached by traditional priests according to the locals. Shahdagh also has a mysterious appearance and also covered with snow and ice. Tufandag Mount Tufandag is the third highest mountain in Azerbaijan at an elevation of 13,770 feet above the sea level. The mountain named Chingiz, a journalist and a national hero who was killed on the frontline of his duty fighting for Azerbaijan. Tufandag is opposite of Khynalyg and is considered a sacred place by the locals because of the presence of the ruins of the ancient villages that were destroyed by earthquake thousands of years ago.The summit of Mount Tufandag is covered with mist with winds blowing throughout the year. Tufandag is a major tourists attraction in Azerbaijan. Yarudag Mount Yarudag has an elevation of 13,504 feet above sea level. It is located near Kurush, Dagestan and it is the fourth highest mountain in Azerbaijan based on peakery data. It forms part of the Eastern Caucasus which stretches from Mount Kazbek up to Apsheron peninsula. Mount Yarudag is characterized by a flat-top summit covered with snow. The mountain is rarely visited by mountaineering because of its remote location. General Mountain Information Mountains of Azerbaijan are major tourists attraction, especially for the mountaineers and hikers. Because of the snow cover, there are little vegetation or wildlife activities on these mountains. Several rivers which run through the country are fed by the melting ice from these mountains, especially during summer. The country of Tajikistan is located in Central Asia and was formerly a Soviet Republic in the Soviet Union before gaining independence in 1991. The country is most known for its rugged mountainous landscape, which makes it a popular destination for hikers and climbers from around the world. This notable point on Tajikistan launches perfectly into the subject matter of this article, the tallest mountains in Tajikistan. The three tallest mountains in Tajikistan: Korzhenevskaya Korzhenevskaya is the third tallest mountain in Tajikistan, standing at a height of 23,310 feet tall. The mountain is found in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and its parent range is the Academy of Sciences Range that is part of the greater Pamir mountain range. Korzhenevskaya is one of the five snow leopard peaks in the former Soviet Union that a climber was required to summit in order to received the Snow Leopard award, the highest honor that a Soviet mountaineer could receive. This award is still recognized today by the Commonwealth of Independent States, a regional organization made up of nine of the former Soviet Republics. The mountain is named after Evgenia Korzhenevskaya, who was the wife of Russian geographer Nikolai Korzhenevskiy (1879-1958), the man who discovered the peak in 1910. The first ascent of the mountain was done in 1953 by A.Ugarov and his team of men. Ibn Sina (Lenin Peak) Ibn Sina, formerly named Lenin Peak, is the second tallest mountain in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, standing at a height of 23,406 feet tall. The mountain is found in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, sitting right on the border that Tajikistan shares with Kyrgyzstan. The parent range of Ibn Sina is the Trans-Alay Range that is part of the greater Pamir mountain range. Ibn Sina is also one of the five snow leopard peaks. The mountain was renamed in 2006 by Tajikistan to Ibn Sina. It is named after the Persian polymath Abu Ali ibn Sina (c.980-1037). The first ascent of the mountain was done in 1928 by Austrian Erwin Schneider (1906-87) and Germans Eugen Allwein (1900-82) and Karl Wien (c.1906-1937). Ismail Somoni Ismail Somoni is the tallest mountain in Tajikistan, standing at a height of 24,590 feet tall. Just like Korzhenevskaya, Ismail Somoni is also found in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and its parent range is the Academy of Sciences Range that is part of the greater Pamir mountain range. Ismail Somoni is the tallest of the five snow leopard peaks. In 1933 the mountain was named Stalin Peak, but was renamed in 1962 to Communist mountain as part of the de-Stalinization process in the Soviet Union. In 1998 Tajikistan renamed the mountain to be called Ismail Somoni after Isma'il ibn Ahmad (c.849-907), the man considered to be the greatest ruler of the Samanid Empire (819-999). The first ascent of the mountain was done in 1933 by Soviet mountaineer Yevgeniy Abalakov (1907-48). Comparing Tajikistan's mountains to the wider world The mountains of Tajikistan are among some of the tallest on Earth. The tallest mountain in Tajikistan, Ismail Somoni, stands as the 15th tallest mountain in Asia and the 50th tallest mountain on Earth. Mount Ibn Sina stands as the 42nd tallest mountain in Asia, while Mount Korzhenevskaya is the 47th tallest mountain in Asia. Cookies (illustration) By: Tanya Clark WorldWideWeirdNews.com (Scroll down for video) Several children and adults were rushed to a hospital after eating marijuana cookies at church, according to police in Indiana. Ellettsville police said that they have arrested 74-year-old Brian N. Jones, after being accused of passing around the marijuana cookies at the St. John the Apostle Church. Jones has been charged with criminal recklessness and possession of hash oil. According to the criminal complaint, the Ellettsville Police Department responded to numerous complaints from attendees of St. Johns Catholic Church after morning Mass, ranging from nausea, increased blood pressure, anxiety, lethargy and paranoia. The patrons had each claimed to have been given a cookie by a fellow church goer after the service. A cookie that a patron claimed was given to them after the Mass was sent to the Indiana State Police Laboratory for analysis. The Indiana State Police Laboratory found that the cookie tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a controlled substance. A total of six people were rushed to the hospital for treatment. The ages of the six victims range from 12 to 70. Ambulance (illustration) By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com (Scroll down for video) A young man of Taiwan, was rushed to a hospital after he collapsed while having sex with his girlfriend. The 22-year-old manas girlfriend from Keelung, told emergency workers that he had having difficulty breathing before losing consciousness. Huang and his girlfriend, Fu, 20, were having sex when they woke up at 5:00 a.m. During their love making session, Huang started to sweat and had difficulty breathing. aHe than lost consciousness and fell on the bed with a loud thud,a Fu said. Fu immediately called for help, and Huang was taken to the hospital, but he was later declared dead. Although there was no official diagnosis, doctors believe that Huang suffered a stroke or heart attack. Doctors are questioning whether the unusually cold weather temperatures may have played a role in his death. Dr. Shih, head of Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospitals emergency room, released a statement after the tragic incident, urging people to avoid strenuous sex when it is cold and to warm up with some exercise before being intimate. The video below shows Haung being rushed into the hospital for treatment. Dana Furtado By: Emily Lewis WorldWideWeirdNews.com People in Maine, are in shock after a former elected official, was found dead in his office next to a transgender woman. Friends and family members went looking for the man after he did not pick up his phone or answer text messages. They found former Old Orchard Beach Town Councilor Dana Furtado, 44, dead next to the body of Amber Morrow, 21, in a home that is listed as Furtados business address. Police are now investigating the deaths, which they say does not look suspicious. Detectives did not say how Furtado and Morrow knew each other. Furtado was the owner for a roofing company called D.M. Furtado & Daughter. Furtado left behind two children, Kaley, 17 and Keegan, 13. Kaley set up a GOFundMe page to collect money for her fatheras funeral expenses. So far, she raised $3,100 of their $5,000 goal. Chicken nuggets and French fries (illustration) By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com An angry McDonaldas customer sparked widespread panic after pulling out a toy gun and shooting customers and employees, according to police in New Zealand. Greymouth police said that they have arrested 22-year-old Jacob Martin Geels, after being accused of using a Nerf gun to shoot employees and customers at McDonaldas. Geels was convicted of disorderly behaviour at the Greymouth District Court. He was slapped with a $100 fine despite claiming that he was shooting the gun as a prank. According to the criminal complaint, Geels entered the McDonaldas and ordered chicken nuggets. After waiting a long time for his order, Geels became impatient and pulled out his toy gun. He began shooting the foam bullets at employees and customers while yelling obscenities. Geels then jumped on the counter and fired more bullets at customers. Geels then left the restaurant. Police learned that the customers and employees who were at the scene, panicked and were scared by Geelsa behavior. During questioning, Geels told police that he thought it was funny and didnt think anyone would care. The companyas ban on American products By: William Martin WorldWideWeirdNews.com A restaurant owner in Belgium, decided to boycott all U.S. products to make a political statement. David George, the owner of Zeezicht Cafe in Antwerp, announced that he has stopped serving U.S. brand products ain protest of President Donald Trump and his controversial executive order.a The restaurantas owner said that he gathered his staff members and told them that something had to be done against Trumps policies. One worker came up with the idea of aaboycotting all American brand foods such as Coca Cola, Heinz, Layas and American company cigarettes. George said that he and other staff members liked the idea. aAn economic boycott is probably the only measure Trump can understand,a he said. George said that they will begin buying from local companies even if the products are more expensive. Ironically, George is now following President Trumpas belief system that people and business should support their economy by patronizing local companies. President Trump has urged American citizens to aBuy American, and hire American.a Now, businesses in Belgium might just thank the President of the United States for bringing them more business. Ashley Glawe By: Tanya Clark WorldWideWeirdNews.com Firefighters in Oregon, were called after a womanas pet snake slithered into the hole of her ear piercing. However, they were unable to remove the pet python from her ear. Ashley Glawe of Portland, was forced to go to the hospital with her Ball Python named Bart, hanging from her ear. Glawe was playing with her snake without the plugs in the large hole in her ear lobes when the snake placed its head through the hole. However, Glawe realized there was no way to safely pull her pet out of her earlobe. She called firefighters before heading to Portland Adventist Hospitalas emergency room. While waiting for doctors to treat her, Ashley took a photo of the snake hanging from her earlobe. She shared the photo to Facebook, where she wrote: aBy far one of my craziest life moments. Went to the emergency room because my ball python decided to get stuck in my gauged earlobe.a Glawe said that doctors placed a string between her earlobe and the snake. They added lubricant and then they were able to pull Bart out safely. Glaweas ear was bruised, but the snake was unharmed. Though last years season may have hurt, Alaska fishermen may take some comfort in a disaster declaration made by the Department of Commerce last month. Then-Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker determined it and eight other commercial fisheries along the West Coast to have been failures, in a January 18 announcement. Low pink salmon runs across the Gulf of Alaska led to a significant drop in 2016 harvest numbers. This declaration provides Congress with a basis to appropriate disaster relief funding for economic assistance to affected communities. Should Congress appropriate relief funds, th... BBC Licence Fee Payers To Subsidise Local Media Retreat This article is old - Published: Thursday, Feb 2nd, 2017 The BBC has formally announced its Local Democracy Reporter project, which will see BBC fund contracts via external media companies to run reporters covering old school things like local council meetings. The plans have been mooted for a while, with various trials conducted last year including in Wrexham. Many believe the BBC have taken this action to help strengthen their recent Royal Charter renewal, with the BBC saying the project will help support local news generally and build a better understanding of local democracy. The likes of Wrexham.com, or MyWelshpool.co.uk (but not smaller operations like Deeside.com), could bid to run the contracts of a group of BBC funded reporters with the output then shared with a pool of other publications likely the BBC, the Leader and Daily Post locally. The position would be paid for by the BBC but the reporter themselves would be working for a host organisation. Others would be able to access the reports produced at the same time, for free. A Shared Data Hub is also being created with the output of that being shared locally across the UK. Trinity Mirror has a similar data unit where, for example, they will do the same FOI to all police forces and then produce local data sets for their local information sometimes with a UK wide context. Locally we were aware of the BBC Local Democracy Reporter via our work with the C4CJ at Cardiff University, and have lightly fed back our thoughts. We first spotted the trial taking place when we saw the BBC covering an obscure-ish Wrexham Council meeting a rarity itself let alone on a minor topic. Generally taxi licensing meetings get zero attendees from the media, scrutiny (such as yesterday) usually has Wrexham.com and at times the Leader also there with the Executive Board usually having both ourselves and the Leader. It is very rare to see the Daily Post in Council meetings anymore, likewise the BBC is unicorn-esque in Wrexham Council chambers. Media groups argue there is not enough resources and there is not much commercial value in spending a few hours documenting council stuff, as you the reader prefer other content. Such decisions are made by people in the media organisations, for example someone in Trinity Mirror decides that such local meetings are not a priority. In November when the Coca-Cola Truck brought its sugary festive spirit to town, two Daily Post reporters were dispatched byTrinity Mirror and were on site at Queens Square through the afternoon and into the evening for a several hour Live Blog. Under the new scheme the BBC will fund any such council coverage shortfalls, allowing both the coke truck tasks to be covered alongside the council coverage from the Local Democracy Reporter, without it costing a penny more. Locally during the project trial we attended meetings where the Leader would have usually covered it (the iPad upgrade councillors controversy!) not attended by that publication, however the BBC report was printed by them. We raised this issue in feedback, as the project is specifically not meant to mean local reporters are done out of jobs or there is reduced coverage. It will be interesting to see as this rolls out if the people of Wrexham benefit from an extra pair of eyes, or if the real benefit will be a shifting of wage bills from media companies to the BBC and in turn the tax payer. In the BBC explainer article under the title Why is it being introduced? the first two paragraphs talk about falling print readerships and advertising revenues in local papers. Such commentary will not do much to dampen the speculation we have encountered that see this as an effective subsidy to such media organisations, allowing them some effectively free local reporting. There has also been criticism that the deployment of the new Local Democracy Reporter areas have a coincidental rough match to existing patches covered by regional news groups although the BBC do say we have allocated them according to top-tier local authority area. Here in North Wales we will see just three roles created, with Cardiff and Newport alone getting that each, and South Wales getting 72% of the resources. Previously various industry representatives have voiced concerns that the BBC are intruding on local and regional media territory, one describing it as BBC imperialism through the back door. Concern was also raised about the anti-competitive nature of the BBC putting another workforce in their areas. Today the same people have said the project will enhance democracy and improve competition, despite there being very little difference between the proposals and the plan announced. 138 jobs are set to be created under the taxpayer funded scheme and a phased roll out is due through this year and into next, with the initial plan to have them in place before the elections in May apparently scrapped. For the record we did not use any of the BBC reporter coverage during the trial, but were provided access to it. We will apply to get access to the news bank for the area when launched. We will not apply for a reporter contract bundle or sub-bundle. The ethos of the project is to have more eyeballs on the workings of local democracy not less and hope that our reports on meetings give readers choice in coverage. Oxbridge Success For Wrexham Sixth Formers This article is old - Published: Thursday, Feb 2nd, 2017 Four students at Coleg Cambria are celebrating after being offered university places at Oxford and Cambridge. Former Darland pupils Kimberley Jones, Jodie Jeffs and Christian Smith have all received conditional offers to study at Oxford and Cambridge. An overjoyed Kimberly has been offered a place at Downing College, Cambridge to study Law meanwhile Jodie, has been offered a place to study English Literature at New College, Oxford. Christian has been offered a place at University College, Oxford to study Engineering. All three who went through a rigorous and testing process of interviews and exams and were thrilled with the offers. Kimberly said she praised the support of the tutors at Coleg Cambria, adding that she is overwhelmed to get the offer to study at Cambridge. Im over the moon with the offer Speaking about the opportunity, Chris said: Im over the moon with the offer and looking forward to a future within the Engineering industry. Im grateful for the opportunity to be able to study at such a prestigious University, added Jodie. Carys Jones a former Ysgol y Grango pupil has also been offered a place to study Law at Lady Margarets College, Oxford. Coleg Cambria runs a Gifted and Talented Programme for students with exceptional GCSE results with the potential to succeed at the highest academic level. Activities include hosting visits from Oxford, Cambridge and universities who specialize in Medicine; supporting students to attend events such as medic weeks and Oxford Summer Schools; a focus on preparation for the tests used by these universities and interview preparation sessions. Angela Woolrich Assistant Principal & Director of General Education: We have had a record number of students applying and going for interview to Oxbridge this year and are delighted that four of our students have been given conditional offers. We are very proud of them all and wish them every success this year in their A levels and in what is going to be a very exciting time ahead. Many of the northeast Indiana students who saw their academic careers fall apart when ITT Technical Institute folded abruptly last September have found new paths to their degrees at other area colleges and universities. A few barely missed a beat: Trine Universitys eight centers for graduate and professional studies had some in class for the start of the second fall quarter in October, said Jean Ruppert-Boling, vice president of enrollment. Others began taking online or in-person courses in January, bringing the total to nine students thus far. Indiana Wesleyan University, which is based in Marion and has a campus in Fort Wayne, has accepted 62 students from ITT since September. Not all the ITT students were from Fort Wayne, but most were in Indiana. Wesleyan has a generous credit transfer policy, a spokeswoman from the school said. ITT students were eligible to transfer up to 90 credit hours for courses earned at a grade of C or higher to its online and adult programs. Some students also were eligible for scholarships that reduced tuition by 10 percent. The collapse of ITT Educational Services, which came after the U.S. Department of Education banned it from enrolling new students with federal financial aid, was the most prominent in a series of sudden closures by for-profit institutions. MedTech College, American National University and Brown Mackie College, all of which had campuses in Fort Wayne, also shut down or began to wind down operations. Smooth transition ITT enrolled a number of nontraditional students and adults returning to school to begin or complete their education. Many balanced work and and a part-time class load, and some were in the latter stages of earning degrees. Just think about having spent all that time trying to get an education that would hopefully make them better, and realizing that this isnt going to work, said Chris Cathcart, vice chancellor of student affairs at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast. For a lot of people, this was an opportunity to make a better life for the family, so it would be a shock. Ruppert-Boling said Trine did everything it could to make the process of transferring as smooth as possible. I think when adults in particular make that decision to go back to school, its such a heartfelt decision, Ruppert-Boling said. Theres so many factors involved in it. I think these ITT students were hesitant to take that next step because they didnt know what to expect, if they would encounter the same experience. So far, our fall students have been very happy and were relieved that theyre relieved. Ivy Tech hosted two open houses last fall that attracted a total of about 25 students. It invited other institutions to participate, so even if Ivy Tech wasnt the right school for them they could find some type of relief, Cathcart said. The majority of students Ivy Tech saw were in various stages of a registered nursing program. ITTs nursing courses didnt meet the strict accreditation standards required for Ivy Techs nursing courses, and that made transferring difficult, especially for those near the end of their education. We found it easier to support students who were newer in their education program, who had just started, because they could transition into our school without a lot of loss, Cathcart said. Moving forward All the students Huntington University accepted were working on their bachelors degree in nursing. We looked pretty hard at credits and transferred about anything with an acceptable grade, said Sarah Harvey, HU registrar. Nursing courses were not applied as nursing, but as elective credits, in order to protect the quality of Huntingtons program, and core science and liberal arts credits also transferred. Ten students transferred to Huntington, and the school is still talking to 20 to 25 more trying to make a decision. The majority of the students who transferred to Trine have electrical engineering backgrounds. Trine doesnt offer that degree in its graduate and professional studies program, so it offered a wrap-around degree in applied management with a tech specialty in engineering. That meant they could transfer as many as 89 semester credits from ITT and other institutions, as well as military service, to get them as close as one year away from a bachelors degree. Students received individual counseling to help them decide whether to seek loan forgiveness for their ITT loans or use the credit transfer. Eight of the nine took the credits, Ruppert-Boling said. Nursing students had the same opportunity to earn a wrap-around degree, but passed it up. What we found is that the people who are in the health care field, with the hands-on, the applied science, really wanted to stay in that medical field, Rupert-Boling said. Huntington has seen the same kind of dedication in the nursing students it has enrolled. These students were very committed about finishing a degree, and I think that may tend to be a characteristic of nursing students. They may already be working in the field part-time or have some background. They know where theyre going, Harvey said. Everyone Ive talked to is someone who will bring a lot to our program. Its been exciting to see and I am glad we were able to reach out to them and help them out of that situation they were in. The schools continue to get new inquiries from displaced ITT students, and could enroll more down the road. According to archived information on startclass.com, the Fort Wayne ITT campus had 220 students enrolled, but that number could not be verified. ITT had 140 locations in 35 states, and some 35,000 students across the country were believed to have been affected by its shutdown. Going, going, gone The parent of ITT Tech, ITT Educational Services, is based in Carmel, and has begun auctioning off its assets. A few sales of buildings already have been approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The schools 30,000-square-foot Fort Wayne building, at 2810 Dupont Commerce Court, was listed for sale in October at a price tag of $3.3 million, according to Loopnet. No other information was offered. An online bankruptcy sale of the electronic testing and medical training equipment, office and classroom furniture, audio visual, network and telecom equipment, printers and more used in Fort Wayne has been set for Feb. 2. Equipment and furnishings at buildings in New York, Texas and California also are being auctioned the same day. Bidding was set to open Jan. 26. Collapsed Building Site & Former Chapel to Undergo Over 500k of Renovation Works This article is old - Published: Thursday, Feb 2nd, 2017 The site of a derelict building which dramatically collapsed and a former town centre chapel are to undergo more than 500,000 worth of major renovation works. The former store on Pen Y Bryn and the former Ebeneser Chapel at Bodhyfryd, will undergo the works thanks to more than 500k worth of development loans from Wrexham Council via the Welsh Government-backed scheme. The site of the derelict building on Pen-y-Bryn, which suddenly collapsed into the road in early 2015 will be redeveloped for commercial and residential purposes, with a combined 350,000 empty property loan and commercial property loan. The now-empty site on Pen Y Bryn, which lies on the southern route into Wrexham town centre, will have a new lease of life with a ground-floor retail development and 24 high quality flats above. Work, which will be carried out by contractors DMR North Wales of Coedpoeth, speaking about the project, John Small, Director of DMR said that work is expected to be completed by October 2017. Mr Small continued: Pen y Bryn will be a high-quality building offering value-for-money accommodation to let and a small selection of local shops. We would not have been able to start the Penybryn site or to follow such an ambitious build schedule, if it were not for the assistance of WCBC through their Vibrant & Viable Places initiative. Local Councillor for the Offa Ward, Cllr Alun Jenkins described the investment as a major boost He said: I and the Council have campaigned hard for improvements to this area over many years and created the Pen Y Bryn and Bridge Street Regeneration Area in 2002/3, which provided a blueprint for local land and property owners to work with the Council to bring about the comprehensive redevelopment of the run-down and unattractive areas which lie along one of the busiest entrances into the town centre. This very welcome redevelopment will be a major boost for the Pen Y Bryn area, showing the potential of the area and giving encouragement for further improvements to be achieved. It would not have been brought about without the vital Welsh Government VVP funding, for which we have been very grateful. Also due a revamp is the former Capel Ebeneser on Chester Road, which will be demolished and redeveloped as residential accommodation backed by a 250,000 empty property loan. In April 2016 Wrexham.com reported that plans to demolish the former chapel and develop flats on the site, had been submitted. More recently permission to demolish the building was granted. Welcoming the redevelopment programme, Carole OToole, Councillor for Maesydre Ward, said: I am delighted that VVP money is being used in Maesydre ward. Both developments are funded via the Welsh Governments Vibrant and Viable Places (VVP) scheme, which aims to regenerate and develop townscapes through positive investment. Due to the nature of the loan scheme, all repayments are reinvested in other eligible properties over a 15 year period. The two developments are part of a series of VVP projects across Wrexham, providing a total VVP investment of over 10.8 million and additional significant private investment for projects in the town aimed at enabling physical and economic regeneration of the Wrexham Town Centre and Caia Park and Hightown areas. VVP spend in Wrexham has included establishing Sprouts Nursery in Rhosddu, the creation of the Town Centre Masterplan and the creation of an Arts and Cultural / Market space in the Peoples Market. Cllr Neil Rogers, Lead Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said he was pleased to see both the sites being renovated. Bringing both back into use will be for the good of Wrexham and show the confidence that developers and landlords have in the town, said Cllr Rogers. We know that the Penybryn site has been of especial interest to local people, as it sits on one of the main arteries into town and its potential development has been of keen interest to residents and visitors alike. I also hope this development will help to kick-start the renovation of vacant properties around Wrexham, especially those in and close to the town centre. For further information about the range of residential and commercial property improvement loans available throughout the County Borough, contact Sion Wynne, Private Sector Improvement Officer on 01978 315 587 or emptyhomes@wrexham.gov.uk PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) -- A two-year-old Parkersburg boy is recovering in a Morgantown hospital after possibly overdosing. The mother, 27-year-old Stephanie Joy of Parkersburg, has been arrested and charged with child neglect creating the risk of death or injury, a felony. She was arraigned before Wood County Magistrate Brenda Marshall, who set bond at $250,000. Authorities responded to Joy's Lynn Street home about 4 a.m. Thursday and found the boy unresponsive. Parkersburg police say Joy told officers at the scene that her son had been having trouble breathing. The boy was taken by ambulance to Camden Clark Medical Center where authorities say he was given Naloxone, commonly called Narcan, a drug often used to stabilize opioid-overdose patients. He was taken to a Morgantown hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Police investigators and West Virginia child-protective services workers are continuing an investigation to determine what the boy ingested. Joy failed to post bond and is being held at the North Central Regional Jail. The University of California, Berkeley canceled a talk by Milo Yiannopoulos, a senior editor of Breitbart News, amid protests by thousands of students Wednesday night. The largely peaceful protest was accompanied by a section of anarchists who ignited a gas lamp, starting a blaze, threw fireworks at police and event organizers, and physically assaulted Trump supporters. Berkeley police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and noise grenades at the crowd. Police also declared a lock-down of the campus, telling students to leave campus, as they brought in larger detachments of riot-squads from outside police agencies to crack down on protesters. Wednesday nights event was the final stop in a nationwide college campus speaking tour for Yiannopoulos. Yiannopoulos is an extreme right-wing provocateur who presents the Christian world in a struggle for power against Islam. The 32-year old gay man titled his tour The Dangerous Faggot. Stephen Bannon, Trumps chief strategist and a major figure in his administration, was formerly the head of Breitbart News, which has ties to fascistic and white nationalist organizations. At multiple other campuses, including UC Davis and UCLA, Yiannopouloss events were canceled. On Tuesday night he spoke at California Polytechnic University. His speech was largely a diatribe against abortion rights. He appealed to Western Civilization to end abortion and attacked Muslim immigrants. Islam is always wrong, he told the crowd. At one of Yiannopoulos speeches at the University of Washington on January 20, a protester was shot and seriously injured, apparently by a Trump supporter. He told the BBC in an interview earlier this year that his alt-right supporters were motivated by hostility to political correctness. Yiannopoulos laces his attack on offense-taking and grievance-holding culture with xenophobia, racism and right-wing nationalism. In one speech, he said, Muslim immigrants were going to bring their delicacies with them: pork chops, yoghurt, and gang-rape. He has repeatedly advocated banning Muslims from entering the United States and Europe. He stresses that Islam, not radical Islam, is the problem. Such comments are in line with the early policies of the Trump administration, including the ban on refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly-Muslim countries announced last weekend. Wednesday nights scheduled event at UC Berkeley was hosted by the UC Berkeley college Republican club, a registered student organization on campus, and was not directly sponsored by the university. Leading up to the event, students expressed opposition to Yiannopoulos and his political views. Hundreds of teachers and faculty signed a letter asking the university to shut down the event. Several Trump supporters in attendance at the protest and the event were maced or assaulted, including a young woman who was being interviewed on ABC News. At one point a car sped through a crowd of protesters with one masked protester banging on its windshield. Later a man was mistaken for the driver and pepper-sprayed by a member of the crowd. Shop windows, cars and ATMs were bashed in the city. A Starbucks near campus was also looted. A loosely organized coalition calling itself ANTIFA, standing for anti-fascist, has been blamed for much of the violence. Self-proclaimed anarchist groups, referred to as "black blocs" for the color of the masks they wear, are an open door to infiltrators from the police seeking to use violent actions by individuals to discredit protest movements and set people up for arrest. This occurred in Oakland during the Occupy movement in 2011 and 2012. Louisianas new Blue Lives Matter law, signed into law last year by Democratic Party Governor John Bel Edwards, is already being used to provide cover for police and extend harsher penalties on the accused. The so-called Blue Lives Matter bill effectively extends extra protections to police and public safety professionals under existing hate-crime laws. These laws, implemented in states throughout the country, are meant to dole out harsher penalties for crimes committed against citizens based on race, gender or religion. Louisiana is the first state to enact a law that includes police officers as a protected class. Recent comments made by St. Martinville parish police chief Calder Hebert reveal the true extent to which this reactionary law will be used to persecute poor and working class citizens. Resisting an officer or battery of a police officer was just that charge, simply. But now, Governor Edwards, in the legislation, made it a hate crime now, said Hebert. We need the police and the public to work together. The policemen have a job. The public has the job of helping the police. And if someone happens to be involved in criminal activity, let the courts handle it. Dont resist physically. The implications of increased penalties tacked onto the crime of resisting arrest sets a dangerous precedent, as this particular charge has long been abused to unjustly prosecute alleged criminals. For his part, Edwards has stated that resisting arrest does not specifically constitute a hate crime under the new law, but he has launched no investigation into Heberts statements and stands by the law as written. Heberts words reflect a reactionary sentiment that is permeating the entire police apparatus in the United States, emboldened by the Trump administration. At his inauguration, Trump pledged to bring law and order back to the United States. He has filled his cabinet with generals and billionaires to enact this vision. Laws like these are likely just the beginning as Republicans and Democrats work together to attack the working class. This reactionary piece of legislation comes in direct response to the increased criticisms of police violence in the years following the death of Michael Brown at the hands of police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. Just last year in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the states capital, thousands of workers and youth took to the street in protest of the brutal murder of an unarmed man, Alton Sterling. These protests were met with harsh police crackdowns as dozens of peaceful demonstrators were arrested by heavily armed riot police, with at least one person saying he was beaten by police. State representative Lance Harris wrote the bill partially in response to the murder of a Texas sheriff who was reportedly targeted by the gunman for wearing the uniform of a police officer. Since the killing of Michael Brown in August of 2014, police in the United States have killed over 2,000 people, whereas intentional violence against police officers in 2015 actually dropped by about 20 percent. In Louisiana just last year, a New Iberia sheriff was charged for ordering deputes to beat incarcerated inmates and covering up the actions to avoid civil rights prosecution. Already in the United States, violence against police officers is heavily prosecuted. The death penalty is an all too common sentence given out to those found guilty of the rare police murder, and any kind of resistance to arrest is often met with violent police brutality. In Louisiana, there already exists a system of penalties against assaulting police officers that is much harsher than for any other form of assault. The writers of the bill admit that under these conditions the bill serves more of a psychological purpose, sending a message to the working class of Louisiana that dissent will be met with a brutal response by the state. In 37 states, assault on public officials is already used as a aggravating factor in sentencing, with harsh penalties doled out against even the most minor of infractions against public officials. The Louisiana law is already serving as inspiration for other states to pass similar legislation, with Pennsylvania, Mississippi and Wisconsin officials drafting laws extending prosecution to offenders. Wisconsin State Rep. David Steffen reportedly said, So if an assault happens against a police officer, specifically because hes a police officer, a judge and district attorney will have the opportunity to increase those penalties and prison times to appropriately punish those people. What it does is elevate specific actions against law enforcement to a hate crime. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, was elected following the disastrous and reactionary Republican administration of Bobby Jindal. Since taking office, however, Edwards has continued the right-wing measures of the deeply unpopular Republicans, approving further cuts to education and health care access to millions of working class families in Louisiana. The Conservative government of Theresa May has cleared all House of Commons hurdles to triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, beginning the British departure from the European Union (EU). Debate on the White Paper on Brexit, to be published today, will also be confined to three days, enabling May to meet her plan to initiate the two-year process in March. After a two-day debate, MPs first voted on a reasoned amendment tabled by the Scottish National Party (SNP) that would have denied the bill a second reading and prevented Brexit. The amendment, which stated that the government has left unanswered questions over the full implications of withdrawal from the single market, was backed by 33 Labour MPs, 50 SNP, seven of nine Liberal Democrats and Kenneth Clarke of the Conservatives. In the main vote, to give the Article 50 bill a second reading, May secured 498 votes to 114a majority of 384. A procedural motion on the three-day timetable saw the opposition vote fall by two to 112. After the three days of debate in the Commons, the issue will then be debated by the House of Lords. The government was always going to succeed, given that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had pledged to respect last years referendum vote, which the pro-Brexit faction of the ruling class won by 52 to 48 percent in a result that sent shock waves through the dominant sections of the bourgeoisie who supported Remain. Given the concern over the impact of exclusion from the European Single Market on UK business, and the public outcry over Mays embrace of President Donald Trump, the hopes of pro-Remain forces were for a sizeable rebellion that would give a firm basis for trench warfare over the coming months and a possible repudiation of the deal eventually struck by May with the EU. With almost two million people signing a petition opposing a planned state visit for Trump, the pro-Remain forces in the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and Greens sought to exploit the demonstrations Monday against Trump to stiffen the resolve of Labour MPs to defy Corbyns three-line whip. There was a measure of success, as Shadow Cabinet members Rachael Maskell and Dawn Butler joined Jo Stevens, who quit earlier, in resigning from the front bench shortly before the vote. The overall number of Labour rebels rose to 47over a fifth of the parliamentary partyhelping to boost the overall opposition vote from a predicted 90. Corbyn made placatory remarks regarding the latest rebellioninvolving many of the forces involved in last Septembers attempted coup to remove himwhile his shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry, pledged to fight for amendments to the Brexit bill to guarantee the fullest possible access to the single market, unimpeded by tariffs and red tape. However, in reality a lack of support from pro-Remain Conservatives means that none are likely to pass. Already by Tuesday, it was apparent that no rebellion was going to materialise within the Tory Party. The veteran MP Clarke was alone in denouncing Brexit, so that he was hailed as a hero by pro-Remain newspapers. He declared that even Enoch Powell, who in 1968 predicted Rivers of Blood would be produced by immigration, would probably find it amazing to believe that his party had become Eurosceptic and rather mildly anti-immigrant... He spoke sarcastically of pro-Brexit forces believing in a wonderland where suddenly countries around the world are queuing up to give us trading advantages and access to their markets that previously we had never been able to achieve as part of the European Union. Nice men like President Trump and President Erdogan are just impatient to abandon their normal protectionism and give us access. Articulating the essential concerns of much of big business, he concluded, Our membership of the European Union restored to us our national self-confidence, gave us politically a role in the world as a leading member of the union which made us more valuable to our allies like the US and made our rivals like the Russians take us more seriously because of our role of leadership in the EU and it helped to reinforce our own values as well. And our economy benefited enormously and continued to benefit even more as the market developed. Given the gravity of the crisis facing British capitalism post-Brexit, there was a sigh of relief and joy within the mostly pro-Brexit mediaand a cry of near despair in the editorial offices of the Guardian at the convincing majority won by the government. The Guardian has played the leading propaganda role in support of both remaining in the EU and seeking Corbyns removal on the basis of accusing him of being responsible for losing the referendum. In the days leading up to the vote, it ran articles calling for a Tory rebellion, as well as one by Polly Toynbee insisting, Labour MPs owe a duty to the countrynot Corbyns absurd three-line whip. In another article she described Clarke as magnificent, but only the lone refuser. She wailed, How did it come to this act of collective cowardice? Toynbee described the US as the global authoriser of racism, torture and climate-change denial, insisting that, Our safest haven is the European Union. This is no time to make ourselves the vulnerable vassals of Trumps every whim. Yet Brexit proceeds apace, despite such pleadingsand the more consequential and serious concerns within Britains boardrooms as to its impact, both economic and political. This is not because of a newly discovered commitment to the popular will among the corrupt political classes, but above all because the referendum vote has served to exacerbate divisions and tensions that were already apparent between British imperialism and its continental rivals, above all Germany and France. It cannot be excluded that the UK strikes some new deal with the EU, as is hoped for by the Lib Dems, SNP and Labours Blairite wing. But even May, who supported Remain, unlike the pro-Brexit forces to which she is now beholden, calculates that this would involve a humiliating and costly retreat. Hence she must now cling ever more firmly to the possibility of an alliance with Trump in the hope that this will force concessions from the EU, while compensating for the loss of European trade. That is why Mays response to the attacks on her relations with Trump earlier during Prime Ministers Questions was so hard-line--despite the damage it is doing to her government. When Corbyn asked her What happened? to her promise to speak frankly to Trump and whether she knew of his plan to bar migrants from seven Muslim countries, May retorted, He can lead a protest, Im leading a country ... The Right Honourable Gentlemans foreign policy is to object to and insult the democratically elected head of state of our most important ally. It is impossible to predict how deep the schism within Britains ruling class will become in the next periodIf this will end in a political realignment between pro-and-anti EU tendencies that many, including the leading lights among the 47 Labour rebels, are working forlet alone which wing will finally win out. What is certain is that the UK is entering a period of intense political crisis. Bitter conflicts lie ahead over whether Trump will give Britain anything worth having, given his protectionist America First agenda, or whether the UK must seek a place in a European block against the US. All sides will continue to poison the political environment with their opposing programmes for trade war, protectionism and appeals to safeguard the national interest. And the working class will be made to pay, amid calls for yet greater sacrifice of wages, working conditions and essential services in order to ensure that Britain remains competitive in an ever-more cut-throat world that only pits them against their brothers and sisters in the US and Europe alike. The US Senate voted Wednesday afternoon to confirm Rex Tillerson, longtime CEO of ExxonMobil, as secretary of state, the top US diplomatic representative. The vote was 56-43, largely along party lines, with three Democrats and one Democratic-aligned independent joining all 52 Republicans. Tillerson will take office with the weakest support in the Senate of any secretary of state in US history. The previous low in modern history was Condoleezza Rice, confirmed by a vote of 86-13 in 2005. Obamas two secretaries of state were confirmed by near-unanimous votes, 94-2 for Hillary Clinton and 94-3 for John Kerry. The significant vote against Tillerson is not a signal of any opposition by the Democratic Party to the right-wing rampage unleashed by President Trump since his inauguration January 20. The main Democratic criticism of Tillerson was from the right, denouncing him as soft on Russia because of his longstanding business ties to the worlds largest oil producer. In two hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and in floor debate on the nomination, Democrats also attacked Trumps conciliatory statements about Russian President Vladimir Putin and again cited claims of Russian hacking of the Democrats during the 2016 US presidential election, although there is no evidence that the embarrassing material released by WikiLeaks was actually supplied by the Russian government. Tillerson will take charge of a State Department that has been thrown into turmoil by the executive order signed by Trump January 27 banning all refugees for 90 days, as well as visitors from seven majority-Muslim countries that have been bombed by the United States or subjected to economic sanctions. More than 1,000 State Department career employees have signed a dissent cable opposing the executive order as cruel and inhumane, and damaging to US foreign policy interests. White House spokesman Sean Spicer has suggested that those diplomats should either get with the program or they can go. Ryan C. Crocker, a former US ambassador to five Muslim countries, including Iraq during the height of the Bush administrations war and occupation, told the New York Times, Tillerson faces the most difficult task of any secretary of state in the postwar era in trying to reconcile President Trumps intention to make a stark break from decades of bipartisan consensus US foreign policy leadership with the reality that, if he succeeds, such a break could lead to global chaos. Other Trump cabinet nominations continue to advance in the Senate, with the Republican majority brushing aside impotent and largely theatrical protests by the Democrats, who would happily confirm the vast majority of the nominees but fear the popular reaction. These fears have multiplied after mass nationwide demonstrations January 21 against Trumps inauguration were followed by a weekend of protests January 28-29 at US airports against the initial detentions of visitors and refugees under the terms of Trumps Muslim ban. On Tuesday, Senate Democrats blocked committee votes on three nominees: Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, Steven Mnuchin as secretary of treasury, and Congressman Tom Price to head the Department of Health and Human Services. But Senate Republicans regrouped and pushed through all three nominations Wednesday. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Sessions by a party-line 11-9 vote and sent his nomination to the floor of the Senate. The Senate Finance Committee, acting in the absence of the Democrats who boycotted the meeting to block the vote, suspended rules that require at least one member of the minority to be present to constitute a quorum. The committee then rubber-stamped the Mnuchin and Price nominations by identical 14-0 votes. Democrats boycotted another confirmation hearing Wednesday, this one for Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agencyagainst which he has filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of oil and gas polluters. Pruitts nomination was held over for another day. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee delayed a vote on Congressman Mick Mulvaney, nominated to Office of Management and Budget, to allow more time to review background material, but a vote to confirm will place on Thursday without further procedural obstacles. Three other nominationsCongressman Ryan Zinke of Montana to head the Department of Interior, former Texas Governor Rick Perry to head the Department of Energy and billionaire Betsy DeVos to head the Department of Educationwere approved by committees Tuesday and now await final confirmation votes by the full Senate. Zinke and Perry had substantial Democratic support in the committee votes and will be confirmed easily by the full Senate. Only the confirmation of DeVos is in question. Her committee testimony was such a devastating display of ignorance and opposition to public education that two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, announced their opposition in speeches on the Senate floor Wednesday. At least one other Republican, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, suggested his support was in doubt. Given the 52-48 Republican majority, two Republicans joining all the Democrats would produce a 50-50 tie, requiring Vice President Mike Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote. Senate Republican leaders were compelled to delay the floor vote to confirm Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general because his vote as a senator might be needed to save the DeVos nomination. While Democratic opposition has been hyped endlessly, both by the Democrats themselves and by the Trump White House, each for their own political reasons, the real attitude of the Democratic Party to the Trump administration was expressed in comments by Representative Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and one of the most adamant voices in the campaign over alleged Russian hacking. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Schiff worried that the ultra-right actions and statements of the Trump administration were radicalizing Democrats, and that the partys main task was to keep the protests against the new government under control. The radical nature of this government is radicalizing Democrats, he said, and thats going to pose a real challenge to the Democratic Party, which is to draw on the energy and the activism and the passion that is out there, but not let it turn us into what we despised about the tea party. He voiced concern over an escalating political polarization. The more radical the administration is, the more radicalized our base becomes, which just feeds the Breitbart crowd, and who knows where that ends, he said. Ive never been more worried about the countrys future than I am right now. The unstated conclusion is that the Democrats are concerned about a political movement from below, sparked by both the attacks of the Trump administration and the spineless capitulation of the Democratic Party, that threatens all the institutions of American capitalism. One week has passed since the SPD started its operation to elevate Martin Schulz to the leadership of the SPD and as the partys leading candidate for the federal election this autumn. Now the Left Party has responded to offer its support. On Monday, Gregor Gysi, the long-time party leader of the Left Party, who quit his post last year, gave a long interview to the Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel. He declared that the SPD had to be as socially democratic as it was under Willy Brandt and proposed the Left Partys Sahra Wagenknecht as future Economics Minister. Gysi described the newly announced Chancellor candidate and SPD chairman, Martin Schulz, as a fighter for social rights and expressed his own support for Schulzs hollow promises to oppose tax evasion and low-wages. When the interviewer stated that the main obstacle to Left Party participation in government was not social policy, but rather foreign affairs, Gysi replied that he had no problems with foreign policy. The criticism of the Left Party with regard to militarism was well known, he said, but just as well known was the fact that we make compromises. When asked, And how would this compromise look with regard to NATO? Gysi answered, You quote our program incorrectly. Nowhere do we say that Germany has to leave NATO. The Left Party is against NATO and favours a European security system, which includes Russia. But that is not an issue for the coalition, but rather a vision. In any event, consideration should be given to a new relationship with Russia and closer cooperation with this nuclear world power. On this question, however, Gysi saw more problems with the Greens than with the SPD. Cooperation with the SPD was now very important and urgent because the SPD had not only lost many voters during the years of the grand coalition (SPD with conservative parties), but had also gradually lost its historical value. Gysi stated: The European Union is about to destroy itself. Uncertainty in Germany is increasing and a third of the electorate now says: We have to try this way (i.e. red-red-green). I hope Martin Schulz understands this. Gysi's return to day-to-day politics and his campaign for a red-red-green government alliance are directly linked to the reaction of German political circles to Donald Trumps government in the US. Last year, Gysi retired his post with tears in his eyes and a big bouquet of flowers in his arms. But now, immediately after the Trump election, he has returned to centre stage. In December, the Left Faction in the European parliament elected him as their President, and in his Tagesspiegel interview on Monday, he announced his renewed candidacy for the Bundestag. Influential sections of the ruling class in Germany regard the Trump government and its aggressive America First policy not only as a danger, but also as an opportunity to pursue their own plans for world power. The SPD has reacted by building up the conservative party bureaucrat, Martin Schulz, who supports both the social attacks of Agenda 2010 as well as the brutal EU austerity program against Greece, as the new bearer of hope for the SPD. At the same time, former SPD party leader Sigmar Gabriel has switched from the Economics Ministry to the Foreign Office in order to assume responsibility for a new German global strategy. Gabriel told the business newspaper Handelsblatt: If Trump starts a trade war with Asia and South America, this will open up opportunities for us. Europe must now quickly work on a new Asia strategy and use the space that America frees up. It is this world-power-offensive by German imperialism that inspires and mobilizes Gysi and the Left Party. Gysi demands more toughness and self-confidence in dealing with the US. In an interview last Friday for German radio, Gysi stated: We have to find our own role and deal with Trump in a confident and confrontational manner. Otherwise we have no chance. If you want to win Trumps respect, you have to be self confident and even rude. That's what he likes. Then he learns how to deal with you. But when you seek to win his favour and say nothing. you are finished. He likes strong types, so you have to appear accordingly strong. Other top officials of the Left Party also use the widespread revulsion towards Trumps reactionary policies to advocate a strong, self-asserting policy on the part of Germany. Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Left Party parliamentary faction, called on the government in the party newspaper Neues Deutschland to break with subordination to US policy and replace NATO with a collective security system including Russia. For his part, Left Party foreign policy representative on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Stefan Liebich, criticized Trump for unnecessarily taking up the cudgels with the Peoples Republic of China. On the very evening of Trumps election in November, Liebich responded by demanding that Germany and Europe act in future with more strength, more independence, more self-assurance in future. It is time to end the pussyfooting with Washington. The demand that Germany once again appear more self-assertive and confrontational recalls the darkest chapter in German history. Similar appeals were made in the 1930s. A few years later, Europe lay in ruins. In addition to the 70 million victims of war, came the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. With his call for participation in government and his agreement with the SPD over foreign policy, Gysi is backing the change in foreign policy that began under the former foreign minister and newly designated federal president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Together with Federal President Gauck and Defense Minister von der Leyen (CDU), Steinmeier declared at the Munich Security Conference in 2014, that Germany must be ready to engage in foreign and security policy issues earlier, more decisively, and more substantially. In the following period the SPD-led foreign ministry has drawn up several strategy papers directed at militarizing Europe under German control. Steinmeier himself has publicly campaigned for Germanys new global role. Millions of people are alarmed and angry over the reactionary policies of the new American government. The Left Party is seeking to transform the growing resistance to these policies into support for a new round of German great power politics. On Tuesday, Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch, a federal appeals court judge from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, to the Supreme Court seat formerly held by arch-reactionary justice Antonin Scalia. Within Republican circles, the nomination was generally met with approval. Gorsuch was considered by the mainstream Republican establishment to have the requisite right-wing credentials, including his proven reactionary record as well as his aristocratic pedigree. In the prime-time press conference to announce the winner of the nomination, during which Trump jarringly assumed the role of the emcee of a reality-TV contest, Gorsuch delivered a few sound bites that clearly signaled his alignment with the reactionary legal tradition embodied by Scalia. Gorsuch praised Scalia as a towering judge, comparing him with Supreme Court justice Robert Jackson (1892-1954), who served as US chief of counsel during the Nuremberg Trials. Gorsuch declared, Justice Scalia was a lion of the law. More than any other figure, Scalias name is synonymous with the accelerating rightward march of the American judicial system over recent decades, which featured the dismantling of democratic institutions and protections and the implementation of increasingly reactionary and authoritarian doctrines. When Gorsuch swears fealty to Scalias ghost, he is signaling to the rest of the ruling class his alignment with that trajectory. The real Scalia was, of course, a bully and a thug. His supposed genius consisted of crudely bending the law to fit the predetermined outcome. There was nothing consistent or scholarly in his doctrine of constitutional originalism. (See: The legacy of Antonin Scalia) Scalia died on February 13 of last year during a secret Texas retreat with an exclusive aristocratic hunting society called the International Order of St. Hubertus, a Christian knightly order that dresses up in green robes decorated with a large cross. The Republican-controlled Senate refused to vote on President Obamas appointee to fill Scalias seat, Merrick Garland, leaving eight justices out of nine on the court ever since. Gorsuch also went out of his way at the Tuesday press conference to refer to his faith, a reminder that the litigation for which he is best known is the infamous 2014 Hobby Lobby case. In that case, the Supreme Court upheld the religious right of corporations to impose Christian religious views on their employees by denying women health care coverage for birth control and abortions. (See: The US Supreme Court and religion) The Supreme Courts opinion in that case, which purported to discover that corporations are entitled to religious freedom, was a brazen affront to the principle of separation of church and state. Gorsuch heard the case when it was before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. He joined the opinion that was later upheld by the Supreme Court, making him a hero in Christian fundamentalist circles. In that opinion, Gorsuch and his colleagues tendentiously rebranded a case of a corporation forcing its religious views on its employees as one of an oppressed Christian family whose sincerely held religious faith was being violated by the Obama administration. Given his positions on religious freedom in the Hobby Lobby case, some observers have pointed out that Gorsuch would likely side with businesses who refuse to serve customers based on anti-gay bigotry. Gorsuch has made clear his general contempt for the legacy of the civil rights movement and post-war reforms in American law, which often took the form of judicial interpretations of the Bill of Rights and the Civil War amendments that affirmed legal protections in areas where they had not previously been acknowledged. In the National Review in 2005, Gorsuch wrote, American liberals have become addicted to the courtroom, relying on judges and lawyers rather than elected leaders and the ballot box, as the primary means of effecting their social agenda on everything from gay marriage to assisted suicide to the use of vouchers for private-school education. This overweening addiction to the courtroom as the place to debate social policy is bad for the country and bad for the judiciary. These conceptions translate into unrestricted judicial warfare against civil rights, voting rights, protections against discrimination, gay marriage, abortion rights and other artifacts of the liberal social agenda of the past century. Meanwhile, when it comes to attempts by Christian fundamentalists to use the courtroom as a means of effecting their social agenda, Gorsuch is expected to provide his enthusiastic support. On the question of police brutality, Gorsuch has used the authoritarian doctrine of qualified immunity to bar civil rights cases against the police. In 2013, he supported granting immunity in the case of Ryan Wilson, who died after he was tasered in the back of the head and neck by a Colorado police officer. In the same case, the chief judge of the Tenth Circuit, Mary Beck Briscoe, wrote: A reasonable officer would know that aiming or recklessly tasing Ryan Wilson in the head under the circumstances presented was unconstitutional. Gorsuch is an opponent of doctrines requiring deference by judges to government regulatory agencies. This issue is worth billions of dollars to the corporations and businesses that seek to evade, for example, environmental protections, since it makes it easier for them to challenge and defeat those regulations in court. Gorsuch is also an opponent of overcriminalization of business, a term that translates to diminished oversight and regulations for corporate executives. Today we have about 5,000 federal criminal statutes on the books, most of them added in the last few decades, and the spigot keeps pouring, Gorsuch once wrote. Businessmen who import lobster tails in plastic bags rather than cardboard boxes can be brought up on charges. Mattress sellers who remove that little tag? Yes, theyre probably federal criminals too. While Gorsuchs positions are extremely reactionary by any objective measure or criteria, within the framework of contemporary American politics his nomination is viewed as a concession to the mainstream Republican establishment. His views are not substantially different from those of the numerous George W. Bush appointees sitting on the federal district and appeals courts around the country. Given the fact that the seat he has been nominated to fill was previously held by Antonin Scalia, the nomination of Gorsuch cannot be said to herald by itself a qualitative shift to the right on that Court. However, the retirement of one or more of the other sitting judges appears likely during Trumps four-year term. Justice Anthony Kennedy, 80, is the most likely candidate for retirement. Kennedy, a right-wing Republican appointee, occupies the ideological center of the Court, and often provides the swing vote on closely contested (5-4) cases. Some commentators have noted that Trumps second appointment to the Supreme Court is likely to be a more radical departure from mainstream American right-wing politics. Indeed, among the top three finalists from which Gorsuch was eventually selected was Eleventh Circuit Judge William Pryor. Pryor is a radical extremist judge, even judged by contemporary American standards. He opposes abortion rights, environmental protections, rights for criminal defendants, the separation of church and state, the Voting Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He contends that the government should be permitted to execute mentally ill people and has upheld convictions based on racial profiling. And he has argued that the states should remain free to protect the moral standards of their communities through legislation that prohibits homosexual sodomy. Slate columnist Mark Joseph Stern, gathering and summarizing Pryors judicial decisions, described him as a bomb-throwing culture warrior and Republican politician in robes. The appointment of such a figure to the Supreme Court would constitute a significant further shift to the right in the judiciary and in the American political establishment as a whole. As for Gorsuch, apologies are already being floated for the capitulation of the Democratic Party on the question of Gorsuchs appointment. In an op-ed column Tuesday in the New York Times, Neal K. Kaytal, a former acting solicitor general in the Obama administration, argued that Gorsuch brings a sense of fairness and decency to the job, and a temperament that suits the nations highest court. The column, which argues for confirmation, is titled, Why Liberals Should Back Gorsuch. Whether the Democratic Party makes a show of opposing the nomination or not, it is expected that Gorsuch will be asked during his confirmation hearings about Trumps executive orders, in particular last weeks reactionary ban on immigrants from certain Muslim countries. Republican senators will demand to know, directly or indirectly, whether he will uphold these and future presidential decrees. The author also recommends: Trump nominates ultra-right justice to US Supreme Court [1 February 2017] For his senior exit project at West Salem High School, Tsuezong Xiong decided to learn about his peoples history and share that knowledge. He presented his research into the history of the Hmong people and their culture at the school Monday night. In order to graduate, all West Salem students have to complete a senior exit project, which includes a project, written paper and an end of the year presentation. As part of his research, Xiong learned about the secret war, where the Hmong people in Southeast Asia worked with the United States military forces and the CIA during the war in Vietnam. He interviewed a Hmong veteran of the war as well as his father Neng Xiong, both of whom shared their stories with those gathered on Monday. I knew a little about my peoples history and culture, Tsuezong said. But when I got into this project I learned so much more. Neng, who born in the 1960s, shared his experiences of growing up during the secret war. Both his father and his older brother fought in the war, with the latter being killed on the front lines. After the United States pulled out of Vietnam, the Hmong were ostracized and hunted down for collaborating with the Western power. The communists would come into towns and villages, lining up those they wanted to kill, even young children. We were so scared, he said. It was like a nightmare to us. We decided to escape to the jungle. Neng and his family spent four years running and hiding in the jungles of Laos, living on insects, roots and leaves. They didnt have any belongings and only had the ragged clothes on their back. He spoke of playing cat and mouse with the communist forces trying to hunt them down, and of the atrocities he saw, including the murder of a couple and their child in front of him. Eventually, he was able to make his way to Thailand by crossing the Mekong River with a handful of other refugees using only a bundle of bamboo poles as a raft. After living in the refugee camps in Thailand, Neng was able to find a sponsor in Decorah, Iowa. With his sponsors support, he continued his education, finishing high school and getting a degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. That allowed me to make a better life for himself and his family, he said, before thanking those attending for listening to his story. Along with the presentation about the Hmong culture and guest speakers, Tsuezong also made egg rolls that he sold to staff at the high school and shared Monday night. Proceeds from those sales were donated to the American Legion. He said he enjoyed doing the SEP as it helps students experience something they might not have before. He hoped people learned a little bit more about his culture and that his presentation would inspire other students to share their own history and background. If we can express our culture, he said, it will let others express their feelings and thoughts as well. Buoyed by US President Donald Trumps election, Pauline Hansons anti-immigrant One Nation party has declared its intention to take government, or at least win the parliamentary balance of power, in a number of Australian states, notably Western Australia (WA) and Hansons home state of Queensland. The first test of Hansons ambition will come in the WA state election on March 11, followed by an election due in Queensland by early next year. Last November, amid a glare of media coverage, Hanson greeted Trumps victory by popping bottles of champagne on the Parliament House lawn in Canberra with other One Nation senators. Why Im celebrating is that I can see that people ... around the world are saying, weve had enough of the establishment, she said. I can see in Donald Trump a lot of me and what I stand for in Australia. Hanson solicited, via contacts in Trumps team, an invitation for one of her Senate colleagues to attend Trumps inauguration. She tweeted: Would you believe it? ... what an honour! The invitation was delivered via the office of US Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger, who contacted Darren Nelson, an economist who once worked for Trump and now advises One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts. An avid climate science denier, Roberts was himself in Washington during December, attending a conference of some of the worlds most notorious anti-climate science figures. He posed for photographs with Myron Ebell, of the oil industry-backed Competitive Enterprise Institute, who was picked by Trump to lead his Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team. Trumps administration is stripping powers from the EPA, thus boosting the profits of the energy conglomerates. Increasingly, Hanson is hailing Trumps policies as the basis for One Nation extending its power base from having three or four senators in federal parliament to holding office, initially at state level, possibly in coalitions with Liberal-National or Labor-led governments. This week, she praised Trumps refugee and immigration bans, accusing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of being too weak to make such tough decisions. Emulating Trump, Hanson whipped up fears of Islamic terrorism, calling for a total ban on Islamic immigration. The people of America have elected Donald Trump because they wanted to regain control of their borders and protect themselves against the influence and threat of radical Islamic terrorism, she declared. Hanson is cynically exploiting the widespread political disaffection with the establishment partiesLabor, Liberal-National and the Greenswhich are responsible for making deep inroads into the living standards of working people. She is seeking to divert this hostility in reactionary nationalist and anti-immigrant directions, blaming refugees, Asians, Muslims, foreign workers and free trade for the social devastation caused by the profit system. In states like Queensland and WA, the discontent has been intensified by the collapse of the mining boom that once generated jobs in mining projects and resources-related industries. There are now mining ghost towns and regions mired in recession. This has aggravated the social crisis caused by years of manufacturing closures and public sector cuts. WA was the site of the countrys biggest iron ore mines, once responsible for a substantial portion of the states tax revenues. Large liquefied natural gas (LNG) construction projects have been completed, ending the employment of thousands of construction workers, or put on hold. By the middle of 2016, the value of projects underway was only $1.6 billion, well below the $50 billion three years earlier. Even by understated official figures, WAs unemployment rate is near 7 percent, one of the worst in the country. The rate is 24 percent around the northern Perth suburbs of Balga, Mirrabooka and Girrawheen, and 21 percent in central Mandurah, about 70 kilometres south of Perth. Other areas in or near Perth have rates above 10 percent, including Gosnells, Maddington, Hamilton Hill, Rockingham and Midland. These are among the areas targeted by One Nation, which claims to have support as high as 30 percent in some pockets of the state. Hanson claims that One Nation will run 60 candidates in the state election. An opinion poll published in the West Australian last month put One Nations overall vote at 11 percent. That would be enough to win seats in the state parliament, giving it the capacity to hold the so-called balance of powerthat is, to form a majority by blocking either with Labor or the Liberal and National parties. Hansons campaign in WA is an eclectic grab bag. She has professed to oppose the destruction of jobs, and the planned privatisation of the states electricity grid, while calling for unspecified further cuts to government spending. At the same time, she has sought to foment divisive, anti-Muslim sentiment by calling for a ban on women wearing a burqa. For electoral purposes, Hanson has taken up various causes: more treatment for PTSD-suffering military veterans, legalisation of medicinal cannabis, more Australian-made products in supermarkets, a crackdown on politicians entitlements, and protection of the taxi industry against ride-sharing service Uber. While claiming to champion the downtrodden, her program serves the interests of the corporate elite, particularly national-based business, and sets sections of the working class against each other along ethnic and communal lines. As well as zero-net immigration, One Nation demands the imposition of tariffs on imports, in order to protect our manufacturing from further decline, closure or going offshore. Its climate change denying dovetails with the interests of the energy companies. Hanson first emerged in the late 1990s, denouncing Asians, Aborigines and welfare recipients, blaming them for the worsening conditions facing working people after 13 years of Labor government under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. When One Nation won nearly a quarter of the vote in a 1998 Queensland state electionthrowing official politics into turmoilthe media and political establishment launched a campaign to discredit and break apart the party, and ultimately railroad Hanson to prison in 2003 on trumped-up electoral registration charges. Today, while still depicting herself as an anti-elite political outsideradopting Trumps slogan of drain the swampHanson is making a clear pitch to join the political establishment. Speaking last month in Perth, Hanson said: The rise of One Nation in 1996 was unprecedented to the extent the major political parties had to get rid of me Back 20 years ago it was we were too much of a right-wing party and I think that tag has been lost from One Nation. We have gained more credibility because we have put up more policies. Even the leaders like [WA Premier] Colin Barnett and [Prime Minister] Malcolm Turnbull say we have more centre policies. The thing is, my policies have not changed over the years they have just been reported differently. These comments underline the degree to which the entire political establishment has shifted sharply to the right. In the 1990s, the Howard Coalition government adopted key planks of Hansons program, particularly her anti-refugee and anti-welfare policies, before it orchestrated the frame-up against her. Now, sections of the political, media and corporate elite are actively promoting Hanson to divert even greater political disaffection. In WA, the Liberals and Labor, who both once ruled out giving her second preference votes, are negotiating preference-swapping deals with One Nation in bids to scrape back into office. The author also recommends: Australia: Political instability deepens as Liberal Party faces potential split [29 December 2016] According to a Washington Post report Tuesday, the White House is preparing two executive orders that dramatically expand the Trump administrations attack on immigrant workers, targeting especially those immigrants, with or without papers, who make use of public services such as food stamps, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The newspaper published copies of the two draft executive orders, as well as accompanying memoranda urging Trump to sign the orders. One draft order pledges to [i]dentify and remove, as expeditiously as possible, any alien who has become a public charge and is subject to removal. The order would expand on Trumps threat to prioritize for deportation those undocumented workers who have criminal convictions or have merely been accused of a crime. In effect, receiving federal benefits to which they were legally entitled would be treated as a semi-criminal act, moving recipients up the priority list for deportation. The memorandum accompanying this draft order, written by White House staffer Andrew Bremberg, argues, The immigration laws must ensure the United States does not welcome individuals who are likely to become or have become a burden on taxpayers. The language of the order suggests that the Trump administration intends to expand the attack on immigrants receiving federal benefits to include those holding legal visas and work permits, or even green cards. It mandates the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to draft new rulessubject to public comment and review before enactmentunder which any alien would be subject to removal if they have become a public charge. The order goes on to claim that households headed by aliens are much more likely than those headed by citizens to use Federal means-tested public benefits, and it requires various federal departments to collect and publish statistics to prove this charge. The first draft order would also eliminate the Child Tax Credit for those immigrants without Social Security numbers who still pay taxes, and would also allow the government to seek reimbursement from all sponsors of immigrants for the costs of Federal means-tested public benefits provided to sponsored immigrants. In other words, the husbands, wives, children, parents, and employers of immigrants who sponsor an immigrants petition would be forced to pay for any benefits their relative or employee uses. The proposed draft sheds light on what the content of the term extreme vetting means for those attempting to enter the US. The order also instructs the agencies to deny admission to any alien who is likely to become a public charge. Under current immigration law, immigrants must already prove that they have relatives who can house them and ensure they will not become dependent on government programs. While the Obama administration treated this as one factor in whether an immigrant was admissible, the proposed new order would require denial of admission. A second draft order is aimed at closing employment opportunities for legal immigrants. It calls for a review of all work-related visas and a tightening of employment options for those without work authorization: those who enter the United States on student or tourist visas. It is already difficult for undocumented workers to acquire work permits. Usually this can be done once an immigrant has filed a petition to adjust their immigration status, to apply for asylum, or to gain immigrant benefits through a spouse or employer, but otherwise such migrants must work in the shadows. This draft order contains language aimed at presenting the persecution of immigrants as an effort to help American-born workers, and particularly minorities: The unlawful employment of aliens has had a devastating impact on the wages and jobs of American workers, especially low-skilled, teenage, and African-American and Hispanic workers. This is a particularly cynical lie, given Trumps adamant opposition to increasing the minimum wage and fund programs to assist these more oppressed layers of the working class. The second order instructs the government to begin publishing data in a format easy for the public to understand regarding immigration patterns to the United States and a detailed description of the effect of immigration on wages and employment of US workers since FY 2000. There are detailed instructions for the kinds of statistics to be collected, strongly suggesting that the new administration intends to launch a propaganda campaign scapegoating immigrant workers for the further driving down of living standards as a result of the decline of American capitalism. The Trump administration hopes to pit workers against one another along racial and national lines. Trump is cynically attempting to convince black workers that their enemy is immigrant workers when he claims that undocumented workers have a devastating impact on the wages of African-American workers. The same applies to Trumps appeals to teenage workers and disadvantaged youth. By claiming that workers benefits and social programs are threatened by immigrants, Trump hopes to channel workers anger away from the true source of the attacks on living standards: the corporations and banks that dominate Trumps cabinet and will dictate the policies of his administration. Far from generating funds that would be used to help working people, the crackdown on immigrants will come at the expense of the entire working class. A recent report from the American Action Forum found that deporting all undocumented workers would cost between $400 and $600 billion. Since Trump also proposes slashing taxes on the wealthy and on corporations, there is no question the working class will foot the bill. This vast sum will be used to hire an army of lawyers, ICE officers, and to build a network of internment camps to imprison the over 11 million deportees. At a press conference Tuesday of officials of the Department of Homeland Security, the interim head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed, in response to one reporters question, that ICE was looking to greatly expand its detention facilities. The attacks on access to benefits for immigrants are a warning that the government plans to limit access to social programs for all workers. Efforts to kick migrants off of social programs are a sign that the administrations top priority is cutting spending on public benefits, while drastically expanding government spending on war and police-state surveillance. The release of the two drafts indicates that the Trump administration is planning to intensify its attacks on immigrants. In so doing, Trump has the support of his newly-appointed Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, who pledged his full support for the already enacted executive orders during Tuesdays press conference. This analysis is long overdue and strongly supported by the departments career intelligence officials, the ex-Marine general said. Repeating the lies used to justify every attack on democratic rights over the last 15 years, he said: We cannot gamble with American lives. I will not gamble with American lives. These orders are a matter of national security. These words make the Democratic Party politically responsible for every element of the Trump attack on immigration. The overwhelming majority of Democratic senators voted to confirm Kelly last week, including Bernie Sanders, Tim Kaine, Charles Schumer and Al Franken. This exposes the fraud of the Democrats proclamations of support for immigrants. It was Democratic President Barack Obama who deported 2.5 million immigrants and who bombed or imposed sanctions on each of the seven countries listed in Trumps Muslim ban. The Democratic Party is responsible for passing the laws cited in Trumps executive orders. The Democrats provided the necessary votes for the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which was signed by President Bill Clinton, and for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which was supported by then-senators Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joseph Biden and Charles Schumer. The opposition to Trump must be built on the basis of a turn to the working class, the class which produces all of societys wealth and shares common interests across national boundaries. The Constitutional Court in Rome last month overturned parts of Italys 2015 electoral law, known as the Italicum. However, even without these sections, in particular a provision for a second round if no party reaches 40 percent in the vote for parliament, the courts January 25 ruling held that the law as a whole is still valid. This has unleashed a fierce discussion about early elections. Beppe Grillo of the Five Star Movement, the Lega Nord and also Matteo Renzi, who resigned as premier after the failed December 4 referendum on constitutional reform, are demanding immediate elections. Stop the delay, Matteo Renzi said at Democratic Party (PD) headquarters. The parties should immediately say whether they want to contest the ruling. The PD advocates the Mattarellum (a hybrid form of proportional representation and majority voting, which was in force from 1993 to 2005). Otherwise, the election should be held according to the existing laws. Renzi was satisfied that there is finally no longer an alibi. But President Sergio Mattarella is hesitating. The legislative period officially runs until 2018, and the current government under Paolo Gentiloni (PD), which Mattarella approved provisionally in December, enjoys a majority in both chambers. Gentiloni, Renzis former foreign minister, continues to rely on a coalition of the Democratic Party and the right-wing New Centre-Right (NCD). He is essentially continuing Renzis pro-EU and bank-friendly policies. Mattarella has no interest in holding quick elections, either under the Mattarellum (which he himself had designed 25 years ago), or even under the Italicum. In an amended Italicum, the election winner would only receive a majority if they reached 40 percent of the votea highly unusual outcome for Italy. What is far more likely is that the clear majority desired by big business, the banks and the EU would not emerge from an election. Mattarella insists that elections can only take place when there is a uniform electoral law applying to both chambers of parliament. This is still not the case, even after the recent Constitutional Court ruling. The Italicum applies only to the House of Representatives (lower house) and not to the Senate (upper chamber), which under Renzis constitutional reform would have been abolished as an elected body. The December 4 referendum failed, and so the Senate remains. Since then, different electoral systems apply to the two chambers. The government must now draw up a new electoral law, which must be agreed by both chambers, something that could take months. The text of the arguments underlying the ruling will only be issued in the second half of February. Banking crisis and social polarization Mattarella has many reasons to delay new elections. The government is under pressure from the EU and urgently needs time to get the acute banking crisis in Italy under control. The Italian banks are burdened with a gigantic mountain of bad loans, and risk drawing the EU and the euro into the crisis. At the end of December, a six-month emergency programme was approved by the EU in order to save Italys third largest bank, the ailing Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, from collapse, using state funds. While twenty billion euros of taxpayers money are flowing into the banks, the social situation of the working population continues to deteriorate. A wave of corporate bankruptcies, 40 percent youth unemployment and the continuation of social devastation and austerity measures are increasingly being aimed against the working class by the government. Working people are angry and bitter about the current situation. In early December, an Ipsos survey found that more than 80 percent of the population were dissatisfied with the economic situation. The No vote in the December 4 referendum was a clear rejection of the governments policy and the austerity diktats of the European Union. In recent weeks, new earthquakes and extreme winter conditions have exacerbated the social misery. On January 18, a devastating avalanche buried Berghotel Rigopiano in Gran Sasso. There were 40 people in the building, which was buried under the avalanche and moved several metres. Two escaped by accident and nine were rescued, but 29 people died. The tragedy has unleashed enormous public anger because help was seriously delayed and was only really in place after days. The deaths could have been avoided, and hotel guests and staff could have been rescued. Alarmed by the earthquake warnings, they had already packed their suitcases half a day before the disaster and were ready to leave. But they were not evacuated because the requested snowplough was slow in coming. Even when the avalanche came down the mountain, the emergency calls were first ignored. The prefecture responded by shrugging its shoulders and squandered vital hours. Recently, it was revealed that the luxury hotel had been built illegally on the scree of a previous avalanche. Just months ago, a case against the former hotel operator for illegal construction activities and corruption was halted. Had the authorities responded, no one would have been permitted to stay there, and no one would have fallen victim to the avalanche. For weeks, the Abruzzo region was being covered in deep snow. New tremors are still occurring. In August and October, two earthquakes devastated the area. Since then, thousands have had to live in inadequate temporary accommodation. A power outage affecting 300,000 people left them sitting in the dark in their container housing for days without heating. At least two pensioners froze to death. All these events are worsening the social misery. For years, large sections of the working class and the youth have increasingly turned away from the establishment parties. However, what is missing is a workers party that fights for an international revolutionary programme. As a result, only the parties advocating an aggressive nationalism a la Trump have profited. Beppe Grillo takes a stand for Donald Trump In first place, this applies to Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement (M5S). According to a January 13 Ipsos survey, the Five Star Movement, with 30.9 percent, is in front of the Democratic Party, with 30.1 percent, (while both the Lega Nord and Berlusconis Forza Italia only recorded about 12 percent). Grillo vigorously attacked the other parties saying they were deliberately delaying the elections until September because their newer MPs are only able to claim their pensions after September. He said that the current government majority created the worst institutional chaos ever, and that immediate elections should be held under the existing law, and that he would personally ensure that the Five Star Movement passed the 40-percent hurdle. Since Donald Trump took office, Grillo feels his fortunes are on the rise. Shortly after Trumps election victory, he declared on his blog that Trump had proclaimed a general fuck-off (un Vaffanculo generale). In an interview published on 22 January in the French Journal du Dimanche, Grillo praised the new US president and supported his policies on several points, while he called the European balance sheet a complete failure. I am quite optimistic, Grillo said when asked about Trump. He was saying sensible things, for example, about the need to bring back economic activity inside the United States again ... The big companies would no longer go to Mexico, but remain in the United States, they would receive tax relief. He is getting the small and medium enterprises moving and withdrawing the US Army, which was stationed in all four corners of the world. I agree with all this. Under Obama, foreign policy was a disaster, Grillo said. If Trump wants to move closer to Putin and put things back in good order, he deserves our support. Two giants talking together, this is the dream of the whole world! Clearly, Grillo is willing to serve Trump as an ally against the EU. This reinforces the crisis of the Italian government and the EU, and exacerbates the threat of war. Less than two weeks after Donald Trumps inauguration as US president, the political authority in Europe of the US government has been shattered. As protests against Trumps travel ban spread internationally and conflicts erupt between Washington and the European Union over trade and military policy, the outcome of the US election is plunging Europe into an unprecedented crisis. The new president is deeply unpopular in Europe. A FranceInfo poll found Trump had disapproval rates of 83 percent in Germany, 81 percent in France, 80 percent in Spain, 75 percent in Britain and 59 percent in Italy. The European population is sympathetically following protests in the United States and other countries against Trump, whose anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant measures are widely despised. They are seen for what they are: an attempt to persecute defenseless people based on appeals to nationalism and racism. While the popular opposition to Trump expresses hostility to chauvinism and war, the European ruling class is strengthening its military and police forces in preparation for conflict with Washington. Contradictions are emerging with enormous speed. In November, as he toured Europe to offer reassurances about Trumps election, President Barack Obama insisted that Trump had a deep commitment to NATO and the trans-Atlantic alliance. Barely two months later, conflicts unleashed by Trumps election have undermined the relations between American and European capitalism that have prevailed since World War II. Trumps election did not cause this breakdown. Rather, it served as its catalyst. His dismissal of the NATO alliance as obsolete arises from tensions among the NATO allies, centered on US imperialisms attempt to militarily counteract its decades-long economic decline, particularly vis-a-vis Germany. Since his election, Trump has demanded that Germany buy more US cars, threatened to slap a 35 percent tariff on German car exports, hailed Brexit as a model for a wider breakup of the EU, and chosen officials hostile to the euro. Trumps trade advisor Peter Navarro has denounced the euro, stating that it allows Germany to exploit other countries in the EU as well as the US with an implicit Deutsche Mark that is grossly undervalued. The US ambassador to the EU, Ted Malloch, said the euro could in fact collapse in the coming year, year and a half. Malloch speculated that the election this year of neo-fascists in the Netherlands, France and, possibly, Germany might destroy the EU. This is an unprecedented public declaration by Washington of hostility to the institutional foundations of European capitalism. In response, sentiment is growing rapidly within the ruling elites for a major reorientation of European foreign policy. Der Spiegel, the German equivalent of Time magazine, proposes a radical break in the alliance with the United States and better relations with China. It adds, A new Berlin-Beijing axis could at least partially replace the old trans-Atlantic order. EU Council President Donald Tusk issued a letter Tuesday, on the eve of the EU summit in Malta. It named the United Statesalongside Russia, China and Islamist terrorismas an external threat. The letter warned that the situation is more dangerous than ever before in the time since the signature of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community in 1957. Tusk calls for assertive and spectacular steps to use the change in the trade strategy of the US to the EUs advantage by intensifying our talks with interested partners. Among the EU Council presidents proposals are a definitive reinforcement of the EU external borders; improved cooperation of services responsible for combating terrorism and protecting order and peace within the border-free area; an increase in defence spending; [and] strengthening the foreign policy of the EU... The European ruling class plan to exploit hostility to Trump to justify aggressive military and police state policies must be rejected. Tusk seeks to further militarize a reactionary imperialist bloc, which collaborated with the United States in the wars in Libya and Syria. While mouthing sympathy for the plight of refugees, the EU has implemented policies that condemned thousands to drown in the Mediterranean. If Tusk cynically pays lip service to restoring socioeconomic welfare, it is because the EU is already hated by workers for its austerity policies, which have slashed living standards across Europe since the 2008 financial crash and provoked waves of social protest. Austerity will only intensify, however, if more funds are diverted to the military. Proposals like those of Tusk for a German-dominated EU to confront Washington simply pave the way for an escalation of conflicts, pitting European workers against their class brothers and sisters in the United States and splintering Europe itself. For all its militarist bombast, the EU is on the brink of disintegration. With Britain already set to leave amid escalating tensions between London and Berlin, the European press is full of proposals to shrink the EU or the euro zone to a core Europe that can formulate a unified foreign policy. These proposals include plans to expel from the euro zone countries devastated by EU austerity in southern and Eastern Europe, including Italy and Greece, punishing them with shock currency devaluations by the financial markets. A century after World War I, a new countdown to war has begun. It is rooted in inherent contradictions of capitalismbetween the globally integrated economy and the division of the world into antagonistic nation-states, and between the socialized character of production and the private accumulation of profit by the capitalist class. The economic and social contradictions that underlay the eruption of war in 1914 also led to the eruption of social revolution in Russia in 1917. The monumental experiences of the 20th century must guide the response of the working class to the present unfolding crisis. Before the ruling classes of the United States and Europe plunge humanity into another military catastrophe, the working class must develop a strategy for a united global struggle for socialism. Renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine has killed and wounded dozens on both sides as the Ukrainian armed forces and allied militias have clashed with pro-Russian separatist forces in Donetsk province. The fighting, while not as bloody as the battles that raged in 2014 and the winter of 2015, has seen heavy artillery and multiple Grad rocket launchers unleashed against civilian areas. The shelling has left Avdiivka, an industrial town of 20,000 which straddles the demarcation line between government and separatist-controlled territory, without water, electricity or heat in sub-freezing conditions. Not only are the lives of thousands of children in Avdiivka, and on all sides of the conflict, at risk, but to make matters worse the lack of water and electricity means that homes are becoming dangerously cold and health conditions deteriorating as we speak, Giovanna Barberis, Unicefs representative in Ukraine, said Tuesday. The European Union, NATO, the US State Department and the United Nations have all issued calls for a renewal of the cease-fire imposed under the terms of the Minsk accords negotiated in February 2015. Washington and its European allies have repeatedly invoked alleged violations of the accords by the pro-Russian separatists as the pretext for maintaining sanctions against Moscow. Violations by Ukrainian government forces entail no such repercussions. Nearly 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting since rebels in the Donbass region sought independence from the Ukrainian government following the 2014 US and German-backed coup that brought to power an extreme right-wing and virulently anti-Russian regime in Kiev. Washington and its allies accused Russia of instigating and militarily supporting the uprising in the east. The situation in eastern Ukraine combined with Russias reincorporation of Crimea in the wake of the coup were invoked as the justification for sanctions by both the US and the EU. Kiev and the separatists in Donetsk have each blamed the other for the latest outburst of violence. The current escalation in Donbass is a clear indication of Russias continued blatant disregard of its commitments under the Minsk agreements with a view to preventing stabilization of the situation, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement. For its part, Moscow pointed to an earlier statement issued by the Ukrainian defense ministry boasting that "the Ukrainian armed forces are advancing forward meter by meter" in the area around Avdiivka as proof that Kiev had launched the offensive. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the fighting was the result of a deliberate provocation by the government of President Petro Poroshenko designed to distract public attention from Ukraines protracted economic and political crisis. The German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung suggested that the real motive for this provocation lay in Kievs determination to disrupt any rapprochement between Washington and Moscow under the new US administration of Republican president Donald Trump and to prevent any easing of sanctions against Russia. The Ukrainian military is currently trying to shift the situation at the front line to their favor. Apparently, they accept the fact that tensions are increasing ... Behind this position, according to some members of the German administration, could be an attempt to worsen the situation to the extent that US President Donald Trump's plans to ease the sanctions are suspended, the newspaper reported. According to Berlin's interpretation, Poroshenko is ready to do anything to prevent the withdrawal of the sanctions. Stratfor, the private US intelligence company which maintains close ties to the Pentagon and CIA, also suggested such a motive in its analysis of the renewed fighting: Though Ukrainian officials accused Russia of orchestrating the flare-up to strengthen its negotiating position with the West, Kiev could have incited the violence to draw attention to the conflict and rally international support for continued sanctions on Moscow. As part of his governments attempt to shore up support for sanctions and to offset any possibility of a move by the Trump administration toward a less confrontational posture toward Russia, Poroshenko traveled to Berlin on January 30 for a meeting with Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel. During his visit, Merkel reiterated her governments support for keeping sanctions in place. Poroshenko staged a hasty exit from Berlin, claiming that he had to return to deal with the crisis in the Donbass. The State Departments response to the fighting in eastern Ukraine was notable for merely declaring that Washington was deeply concerned and calling for a cease-fire without placing the blame on Russia. Rossiiskaya Gazeta, a Russian government daily, called attention to the statement as an indication of a shift in US policy: Washington is not blaming the unrecognized republics for breaking the ceasefire, is not stating any support for Kiev, is not saying a single word about the role of Russia Different variations of these elements were, as a rule, a key part of all statements of Ukraine under Barack Obamas administration. On the other hand, US officials on the scene showed no such change in line, reflecting the increasingly open split between the Trump administration and the career employees of the State Department. Russia and the separatists initiated the violence in Avdiivka, US charge daffaires to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Kate Byrnes charged at an emergency OSCE meeting in Vienna Tuesday. We call on Russia to stop the violence, honor the ceasefire, withdraw heavy weapons and end attempts to seize new territory beyond the line of contact. The day before his first post-inaugural telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Trump declared, As far as the sanctions, very early to be talking about that. During the conversation itself, sanctions reportedly went unmentioned and there was no substantive discussion about Ukraine. Meanwhile, both the US and the German military continue to build up forces near Russias western borders. On Monday, US troops and tanks assembled for exercises in Poland that their commander acknowledged were meant to threaten Russia. The deployment had been made necessary by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the unlawful annexation of Crimea, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the commander of US ground forces in Europe, told the Washington Post. The last American tank left Europe three years ago because we all hoped Russia was going to be our partner. And so we had to bring all this back. Meanwhile German tanks and troops began arriving in Lithuania on Tuesday, the first entry of the German military into the former Baltic Soviet republic since its occupation by the Nazis during the Second World War. The German deployment is to include 450 troops and some 200 vehicles, including 30 tanks. In all, the NATO alliance has committed to moving four battalions, roughly 3,000 to 4,000 troops, to within striking distance of Russia in northeastern Europe as part of a permanent rotating deployment. Whatever the statements of the Trump administration about improving relations with Moscow, the fighting in Ukraine combined with NATOs aggressive military deployment on Russias borders are sharply elevating the threat of an armed confrontation between the worlds two largest nuclear powers. In an extraordinarily bellicose statement Wednesday, US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn accused Iran of destabilising behaviour across the Middle East and warned, As of today we are officially putting Iran on notice. He denounced Tehran for carrying out a ballistic missile test on Sunday and accused the Iranian regime, without any substantiation, of responsibility for an attack on a Saudi Arabian warship by Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday. Flynn appeared at the daily briefing for the White House press corps, which had no advance notice that he would make a statement. He was called to the podium by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer to deliver a blistering tirade not only against Iran, but also against the Obama administration, after which he walked out without taking any questions. Flynn gave no indication of the US actions being prepared against Iran. Hours later, in a closed-door briefing to the media, senior administration officials declared that the US intended to take appropriate action against Iran over its missile test. We are considering a whole range of options, one official said, refusing to rule out military action against Iran. Flynn condemned Sundays provocative ballistic missile launch, claiming it was in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Iran has repeatedly denied that its ballistic missiles can carry nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agencythe organisation responsible for monitoring Resolution 2231has confirmed this. An Iranian foreign ministry statement declared that missile tests are an integral component of Irans self-defence and rejected politically motivated comments regarding Irans missile program. Flynn provided no evidence to back up his claims, either on the missile test or the alleged attack on the Saudi warship. The national security adviser declared that Mondays attack on the Saudi naval vessel was one of a series of incidents in the past six months in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened US and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea. In these and similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region. Neither Flynn nor anyone else in the Trump administration has demonstrated that Iran is training and arming the Houthi rebels. What is clear, however, is that Saudi Arabia, in league with the US and various Gulf States, is waging a bloody war, in which more than 10,000 people have been killed, to oust the Houthi-led government in Yemen. Saudi warplanes, supported by the US armed forces, have killed civilians in attacks on hospitals and other non-military facilities. Flynns remarks follow the bellicose comments of the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, after an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, convened at Washingtons request over Irans missile test. Haley branded the missile launch as absolutely unacceptable and declared: Were going to act. Were going to be strong. Were going to be loud and were going to do whatever it takes to protect the American people and the people across the world. Tehran is already at loggerheads with Washington over the Trump administrations visa ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran. Tehran retaliated on Tuesday, imposing a ban on American citizens traveling to Iran. The Trump administrations immediate target is the nuclear agreement reached with Iran in 2015 by the Obama administration, along with Britain, Germany, France, China and Russia. The deal, formalised in UN resolution 2231, ended the crippling economic sanctions on Iran in return for the shut-down of Irans nuclear programs and intrusive inspections. Flynn condemned the Obama administration for failing to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions. He continued: President Trump has severely criticised the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration, as well as the UN, as being weak and ineffective. Speaking last March to the Zionist lobby group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Trump declared: My No.1 priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran This deal is catastrophicfor America, for Israel, and for the whole Middle East. He vowed to halt Irans missile program, claiming it threatened Israel, Europe and the United States. We are not going to let that happen, Trump stated. Israel, Washingtons closest ally in the Middle East, is armed to the teeth with the aid and assistance of the United States, and has built its own substantial nuclear arsenal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who bitterly opposed the 2015 nuclear agreement, immediately condemned the Iranian missile test on Monday. He said he would press the Trump administration to renew economic sanctions on Tehran when he visits Washington this month. The Trump administration includes pro-Zionist figures, such as his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, as well as politicians and generals who are deeply hostile to Iran. Newly-installed CIA chief Mike Pompeo led the campaign in Congress in 2015 to block the nuclear agreement with Iran. Flynn is notorious for his anti-Muslim xenophobia and outlandish views, which contributed to his removal as Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) director. The New York Times reported one case involving the attack on the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. Flynn blamed Iran and insisted that his DIA subordinates find evidence to prove he was right. None existed. Flynn told the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2015 that regime-change in Iran was the best means to stop Irans nuclear programs. In a book entitled The Field of Fight: How We can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies, he and anti-Iran hawk Michael Ledeen laid out a blueprint for war against Iran. They denounced Iran as the lynchpin of a coalition of nation states and terrorist groups focused on attacking the US. At the same time, divisions exist within the Trump administration over tearing up the 2015 nuclear deal. That would create a major rift with key European allies and undermine commercial opportunities, including for American corporations, which have an eye on the Iranian market and large reserves of oil and gas. At his confirmation hearing last month, Defence Secretary James Mattis declared that the nuclear pact was an imperfect arms control agreement but the US was obliged to continue to abide by it. For Mattis, the issue is a tactical onea clash with Iran might not be the top priority as Trump prepares to confront China. On his first overseas trip, Mattis is en route to East Asia to visit two American allies, South Korea and Japan. That said, Mattis is not opposed in principle to a war against Iran. During his time as head of the US Central Command, he was preoccupied with the alleged threat posed by the Iranian regime. He reportedly advised the Obama administration in 2011 to take military action inside Iran in retaliation for alleged attacks on US forces in Iraq by Iranian-backed militia. He was removed from his post after urging the deployment of a third aircraft carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf in preparation for war with Iran. The escalating war of words with Iran has its own logic. It could lead to clashes and conflict that would rapidly draw in other countries in the Middle East and internationally. The fact that the threat against Iran has emanated from Trumps National Security Council, a cabal of ex-generals and extreme right-wing figures, including the fascistic Stephen Bannon, Trumps chief strategist, is the sharpest of warnings. Less than two weeks in office, the Trump administration is rapidly emerging as a regime of militarism and war directed at any obstacle to the interests of the super-rich oligarchy it represents. On Sunday, under the cover of a moonless night, Navy SEAL Team 6protected by armed Reaper drones and helicopter gunshipsraided a village in central Yemen. At least 30 civilians were killed, seven of whom were children. One of these children was the eight-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, who was assassinated by a drone missile on the orders of Barack Obama on September 30, 2011. Two weeks after Anwar al-Awlakis assassination, US drones killed his son, 16-year-old American-born Abdulrahman al-Awlaki. In the wake of the latest action, Nasser al-Awlaki related to reporters how his eight-year-old granddaughter was shot in the neck, bleeding to death over the course of two hours. The raid, which took place in the Yemeni province of Bayda, reportedly targeted a suspected Al Qaeda operatives compound. Defense Department spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis initially denied that there were any civilian casualties. Yet as Sunday wore on, reports from Yemeni authorities and gruesome photos on social media forced the Pentagon to spin its statements more purposefully. On Monday, Captain Davis told reporters that the military was assessing claims of civilian casualties. Taking aim at the reports of women killed in the raid, he told reporters to Take reports of female casualties with a grain of salt. Not all female casualties are civilian casualties, Davis asserted. In many cases, and certainly in this one, females can be legitimate combatants. He claimed that as SEAL Team 6 attacked the village, female fighters ran towards established positions as though theyd been trained to be ready and trained to be combatants. He did not specify what role the seven slain children played in defense of Al Qaeda. The inescapable conclusion is that the US special force troops killed everyone they encountered, men, women and children alike. While the Pentagon quibbles about the definitions of civilian and combatant, it bears mentioning that President Obama himself redefined combatant to mean any male of military service agea definition that allowed him to deny slaughtering civilians in his drone raids. Trumps first military raid had in fact been planned for months under the Obama administration. The militarys Joint Special Operations Command had organized the operation at the behest of Obama, whose administration had overseen relentless aggression against Yemen under the pretext of counterterrorism. As Obamas days in office wound to a close, the administration decided to leave the raids fate in the hands of his successor. Trump, who had vowed during his campaign and inauguration to eradicate Islamic terrorism by targeting militants and their families, readily signed the order for the raid. This raid represents a new escalation of Washingtons ongoing assault upon Yemen. The Obama administration went to extraordinary lengths to support the aggression upon the impoverished country. The assassination of al-Awlaki, an American citizen, was unprecedented; yet Obama, a constitutional law scholar, dispatched his Department of Justice to argue for the executive branchs right to order the assassination of an American citizen without charging any crime, much less holding a trial. In a feat of judicial gymnastics, the administrationguarding its purported evidence against al-Awlkaki tightlyclaimed that the order was carried out with due process. Together with Obamas covert operations strikes in Yemen, his administration cooperated closely with the Saudi-led coalition that has pummeled Yemen relentlessly since 2015. Saudi Arabia used the pretext of fighting Houthi rebels to invade the country and install its own puppet government. As the World Socialist Web Site reported in 2015, Obama welcomed Saudi King Salman with open arms and signed a billion-dollar arms deal with him to support Saudi Arabias attacks upon its impoverished neighbor. The assault upon Yemen, which has been roundly criticized in the United Nations and by human rights observers, has escalated since then. It is overseen by a joint operations center in Saudi Arabia, where US military advisers work with both Saudi and British military to coordinate attacks that devastate farms, water bottling plants, and, in the case of this latest raid, a school and a mosque. Without Washingtons complicity, the warwhich has laid waste to numerous antiquities and cultural siteswould have been impossible. The United Nations has declared that the country is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe. Well over 10,000 civilians have been killed. An estimated 18 million people need some sort of humanitarian assistance. Nearly 4 million people have been forced from their homes since March 2015. Many have risked crossing the Gulf of Aden to shelter in refugee camps in Djibouti and Somalia (which is itself facing a grave humanitarian crisis). There are currently nearly 2 million refugees. Since the coalition began targeting Yemen, the poverty rate has exploded to 62 percent. Human rights observers report that the coalition has purposely taken aim at agricultural operations, such as farms raising sorghum, which Yemenis use for bread making. In addition, a naval embargo imposed by the Saudi coalition has reduced imports in a country where 90 percent of staple foods are imported. As a result, Yemens civilian population is suffering from a man-made famine in which hundreds of children die every day. Currently, half a million Yemeni children are severely malnourished. The raid in which Anwar al-Awlakis eight-year-old daughter was killed on Sunday might have escaped mention by the Pentagon had it not also resulted in the death of a Navy SEAL. Trump heralded the raid as a success, claiming that it had allowed the US to obtain important intelligence that will assist the US in preventing terrorism. He lamented the death of the 36-year-old SEAL in our fight against the evil of radical Islamic terrorism. He did not mention the death of al-Awlakis daughter nor those of the 29 other civilians killed. This is not such a radical departure from the Obama administration; in 2011, press secretary Robert Gibbs glibly stated that 16-year-old Abdulrahman al-Awlaki might have escaped his unwarranted death had he had a more responsible father. Yemen is one of seven countries from which Trumps widely-reviled executive order bans travel. Obama had previously listed these same countries for consideration of visa waivers. While many of Trumps voters might have hoped that his administration would signal a movement away from foreign military intervention, his authorization of force against the impoverished country of Yemenhis firstas well as his refusal to admit Yemeni refugeesindicates that he intends to continue and intensify the Obama administrations policy of militarism regardless of the costs to either the American working class or to civilians in Yemen, the entire Middle East and beyond. New shoreland zoning rules in La Crosse County aim to give property owners more flexibility while increasing efforts to mitigate the environmental effects of development. Thanks to Act 55, which was folded into the 2015-17 budget bill by the state Legislature, all counties in the state were required to adopt new shoreland zoning ordinances. The deadline for counties to adopt the new ordinances was Oct. 1, but counties that had their ordinance rewrites underway got some slack from the state Department of Public Resources, which has to approve their new ordinances. Nate Sampson, the countys zoning administrator, said the new ordinance isnt a radical departure from the existing rules, which hasnt been the case around the state. In some counties, the ordinance change has brought on a boom in applications for shoreland development because the state rules are less restrictive than what the local governments had in place, but that wont likely be the case in La Crosse County, said Sampson. Thats because the countys ordinance has been fairly well aligned with the state since the county first adopted its ordinance in 1984. Under the new state ordinance, local governments can no longer require an approval process or fee when a property owner wants to repair or replace a nonconforming structure within the footprint of the existing structure. In addition, nonconforming structures can be expanded vertically up to 35 feet above grade without any special approvals. But if they want to expand the footprint of the structure so that it covers more than 15 percent of the lot with impervious surface, then the property owners will be required to come up with a certified mitigation plan to keep additional runoff generated from going into the adjacent lake or river and carrying soil with it. Sampson said the county could require mitigation before for such variances but county officials didnt always do that. Mitigation plans could include creating or expanding a vegetation buffer, removal of imperious surfaces or creating a stormwater detention pond. The mitigation plans would have to be filed with the register of deeds office so the mitigation plans would be carried on by subsequent owners of the property. Overall, he said, I look at it as a win for property owners and at the same time it requires us to apply those mitigation standards where in the past they didnt have to be applied. The public hearing held Monday evening before the La Crosse County Boards Planning, Resources and Development Committee drew little comment, and the committee unanimously approved it. The ordinance requires final approval from the full county board, which net meets on Feb. 16. Cell towers A conditional-use permit application for a proposed telecommunications tower in the town of Holland that was pulled from consideration in December was back before county officials Monday. The main difference in the new application is the cell tower, which is proposed by Bug Tussel Wireless of Green Bay, meets the countys setback requirement, according to county planner Charlie Handy. Under regulations included in the states 2013 budget bill, local governments can no longer deny wireless tower permits solely for aesthetic reasons, limit the height of towers to under 200 feet, or require that antennas and structures be placed on public property, such as water towers. Basically, county and municipal governments cant say no to cell towers if they meet basic requirements. The tower, which would be on a 50-foot-by-100-foot parcel on Old Hwy. NA west of Hwy. 35, would be 195 feet high. A hearing in December drew about 20 concerned neighbors and lopsided commentary in opposition to the tower. Mondays hearing also drew anti-tower comments, and committee members voted 5-2 to delay consideration of approval for the application until the Feb. 28 committee meeting. The delay would still allow county board action on the permit within the required 90 days under state law. The committee later unanimously approved a conditional-use permit for a 240-foot cell tower in the town of Hamilton along the north side of I-90 just east of the boundary with the city of Onalaska. No objections were raised during the public hearing on this tower. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida Gov. Rick Scott is heading off to Argentina for another trade mission. Scott is scheduled to take a five-day trip in late April to Buenos Aires. This is Scott's 13th trip abroad since he became governor in January 2011. Former Gov. Jeb Bush took 16 trade missions during his eight years in office. Scott has defended the trips as a way to open doors for Florida-based companies seeking business abroad. The Republican governor has made job creation the main focus during his time in office. He has taken previous economic development trips to the South American countries of Brazil, Colombia and Chile, as well as Japan, Israel, England, France, Spain, Canada and Panama. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Scott Carey has a history of using his photography skills to try to change the world for the better. Most recently, he has trained his lens on the Syrian refugee crisis. The Onalaska man traveled to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan for a week in January to chronicle the humanitarian work performed by volunteers with the Syrian-American Medical Society. He will donate the photos he took to SAMS so the organization can use them to promote its work. Established in 1998 by Syrian-American physicians, SAMS is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, educational and humanitarian organization representing thousands of medical professionals from inside and outside the United States. SAMS isnt the first group Carey has helped with his photographic skills. Hes donated his time and work to local organizations such as the La Crosse Salvation Army as well as organizations further afield. Hes traveled to California to photograph groups working with at-risk youth and to Appalachia to record the work of a mobile medical team. Going outside the country, Carey traveled to Peru in 2011 to take pictures at an orphanage. As a veteran, Carey has used his photography to support the Warrior Scholar Project. The organization operates week-long academic boot camps at partner campuses around the country Photography has been a hobby for Carey since he was a youngster, taking a camera with him wherever he went. In the Army, Carey had a couple of his photos published in Soldier magazines photography contest. After Carey heard about a Chicago orthopedic surgeon who made an unsuccessful attempt to get into Aleppo, Syria, to offer his medical skills to the residents, the photographer became interested in medical missions to help refugees. His research led him to SAMS and its ongoing healthcare missions in the Zaatari refugee camp. He contacted the organization and offered his services. Leaving La Crosse Jan. 5, Carey flew into Amman, through Chicago and London, where he received orientation with the other members of the group heading to the refugee camp. From there, the volunteers were bused to the Zaatari refugee camp, about an hours drive from Amman. Upon arriving at the camp, the group had to go through a checkpoint to enter the camp. The guards at the gate check your passport against the list, and once everyone is checked, we proceeded in, said Carey. There are about 60,000 refugees at Zaatari. The camp has turned into a city. People live in established small, modest homes, made from a variety of materials. The camp is divided into neighborhoods. Residents have created an economy and subsequent small shops for basic needs. The mission group conducted clinics in two refugee camps and in a small town near a camp, performing eye surgery, oral surgery and heart catheterization. We worked at one of several clinics, Carey said. The clinic I was at consisted of a small pharmacy, a two bed ER, dermatology, ob-gyn (obstetrician/gynecologist), GP (general practitioner), internal medicine, dental and pediatrics. For the first two hours, I had to work as an assistant to a doctor as his nurse was late. I helped him administer cortisone shots and wrote in medical records. I then took photos. The next day found Carey at a small clinic in Marfraq where a GP, a pediatrician and a neurologist examined and treated the refugees. The next day, he photographed eye surgeons removing cataracts and implanting lenses. At the third clinic, he photographed doctors performing heart procedures. I watched three cardiologists perform heart catheterizations, said Carey. They rotated through patients with one always watching the performing doctor on a monitor from an adjoining room. Some patients were in and out in 15 minutes while others were up to an hour. Carey spent the last day photographing a GP in the Azraq refugee camp, an hour away from Amman. Security was tight there as well, with those entering needing to present their passports when checking in and out. I was most impressed by the volunteer doctors, said Carey, particularly the Syrian-American doctors living in America who volunteer to go to Jordan to treat Syrians. They were there to treat their people other Syrians. All of them felt very passionately about that. They were there to help their people. Carey considers the entire trip as bittersweet experience. The Syrians were safe in Jordan, but they wanted to go home, which was unrealistic, Carey said. They were getting the things they needed, but they had deep concerns for their future, or the lack thereof. I met a Syrian man who had been wounded in an airstrike, and I met a family who were victims of chemical warfare and were all suffering the medical consequences as a result. Carey found there are over a dozen international relief agencies working in each camp assisting the Jordanian government with the humanitarian crisis. Carey said the Syrians were very grateful for the care they were receiving. The Syrians were like any other people in that they wanted to practice their religion, they wanted to work, to raise their families and to have a future, Carey said. No different from me or anyone else. They were making the best of a bad situation. Despite the difficulties, while the Syrians ideally want to return home, they know it cannot happen, at least now, and universally, they conducted themselves with patience, dignity and respect. I never saw any problems. Through Careys generosity, SAMS will be able to use the photos and video he took, posting them on its website and on social media and using them in presentations and other promotions to publicize its work and secure more funding for current operations and future missions. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Federal prosecutors have indicted a Kansas hunting guide, two of his employees and a customer from Georgia on charges of violating federal hunting laws. U.S. Attorney Tom Beall announced Tuesday that 34-year-old Josh Hedges of Grenola, who owns Eagle Head Outfitters, was indicted on 12 counts of unlawful sale and transport of wildlife and one count of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. One of his employees, 32-year-old Allen Stroot of Park City, is accused of violating the Migratory Bird Act. Another employee, 25-year-old Jerad Stroot, of Colwich, faces six charges of unlawful sale or transport of wildlife. And 61-year-old Steve Seagraves of Douglasville, Georgia, a customer of Hedges' business, is charged with one count of violating the Migratory Bird Act. It wasn't immediately known if the men have attorneys. Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL) - Florida A&M University professor Reginald "Reggie" Ellis joined Jade Bulecza in the studio today to discuss the history of Black History Month and how citizens can get involved. FAMU has a number of exciting events planned for the month of February. Ellis highlighted the Black History Month Convocation that takes place later this month. A keynote will be delivered by history-making judge, attorney, and FAMU Board of Trustees member Belvin Perry Jr. The event will also feature FAMU Interim President Larry Robinson, Ph.D., the FAMU Student Government Association, and performances by the University's Concert Chorale and Wind Symphony. The Black History Month Convocation will take place on February 10th at 10:10 a.m. at the Jake Gaither Gymnasium. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. On Thursday, Mayor Andrew Gillum will host the second screening of the documentary Newtown at Florida A&M. Thursdays event comes as a follow up to the initial screening hosted at the Challenger Learning Center in November. Officials said that doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program will start at 6 p.m. A discussion and audience Q&A will follow immediately after the film. This event is being co-sponsored by FAMU SGA, The Campaign to Defend Local Solutions, the FAMU Office of Student Activities, and The Office of the Mayor. Filmed over the course of nearly three years, the filmmakers use unique access and never before heard testimonies to tell a story of the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting of schoolchildren in American history on December 14, 2012. Newtown documents a traumatized community fractured by grief and driven toward a sense of purpose. Joining the ranks of a growing club to which no one wants to belong, a cast of characters interconnect to weave an intimate story of community resilience. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tallahassee Police have identified the man who was shot and killed this morning at in apartment complex on 1700 Joe Luis Street. The Tallahassee Police Department said that Lester Denmark died after being shot at an apartment complex on 1700 Joe Luis Street early Thursday morning. When officers arrived, they found Denmark suffering from gunshot wounds. Sadly, he later died from his injuries. The case has been assigned to an investigator for a full follow up and they are processing evidence and interviewing all known witnesses. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call TPD at (850) 891-4200 or if they wish to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Florida is bracing for another round of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. In his proposed $83.5 billion budget released Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott included $1.9 million to fund 21 epidemiologists to work in county health departments, along with providing surveillance and outbreak control. "It is important that the department has individuals at the local level who have the skills to perform epidemiological analyses as well as manage the large volume of day-to-day reportable diseases, outbreaks and emerging disease," the Department of Health said in a release tied to Scott's budget release. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam told reporters on Tuesday he'd support efforts to prepare for the possibility that mosquitoes will again transmit the virus this year. "We know that warm weather can bring that back out," Putnam said. "A state that had 105 million visitors last year can't tolerate a widespread epidemic of a disease that would keep families away." Zika is particularly dangerous to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. Last year the state reported 1,325 cases of Zika. Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee Police Departments Special Victims Unit is seeking information on the location of Monique Smith. Smith was last seen on Wednesday February 1st in the area of the 2900 block of Jim Lee Road in Tallahassee. She is believed to be operating a 2013 black Nissan Pathfinder with Florida tag K530EM. Because of statements made by Smith, there is concern for her safety and well being. Smith is 36 years old, 58, 170 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tallahassee Police Department at (850) 891-4200. Even though I do not consider myself a birder, I thoroughly enjoy birds. Throughout the year, I listen for the delightful sounds of songbirds. I watch geese and ducks in the La Crosse River Marsh care for their young each spring. Looking aloft, I marvel at a hawk or eagle circling majestically overhead. The haunting call of a loon on a northern lake makes me stop and listen for more. And the V formations and honking of Canada geese as they make their way south in the fall foretell the winter ahead. Birds make up a large part of the nature I love. But two things Ive come across recently have me very concerned about the future of the birds I care about. Not long ago, I learned of a 2014 Audubon Society study raising serious concerns that climate change will have a dramatic effect on bird populations in the United States and Canada. Of the 588 species of North American birds studied, 314 are at risk from global warming, if it continues at its current pace. According to the Audubon website (climate.audubon.org), Audubon scientists used three decades of citizen-scientist observations from the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the North American Breeding Bird Survey to define the climatic suitability for each bird species the range of temperatures, precipitation and seasonal changes each species needs to survive. Then, using internationally recognized greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, they mapped where each birds ideal climatic range may be found in the future as the climate changes. The website has a map where users can click on their state and find birds that are climate-threatened or endangered. For Wisconsin, the list includes the bald eagle, wood duck, ruffed grouse, scarlet tanager, wild turkey, American kestrel and many more. Click on the bird species and see an animated map that predicts how that species summer and winter ranges will shift in 2020, 2050 and 2080. It is difficult for me to imagine that many of the bird species I have enjoyed may well become rare or missing from the Coulee Region in 30 to 60 years due to climate change. My second wake-up call came when I recently attended a screening of the documentary film The Messenger at the Myrick Hixon EcoPark. The film highlights challenges that songbirds face on a number of fronts in various parts of the world. It begins by telling us that songbirds have long been our ecosystems canaries in the coal mine. They are the sensitive animals that weaken or perish first before most other species, including man in the face of worsening conditions unfit for life. When birds are in trouble, we should take notice. Songbirds are now under pressure from a number of different threats that continue to escalate. Agriculture, forestry, development and fossil fuel exploration and production also affect songbird habitat. Neonicotinoid pesticides, implicated in the dramatic decline of bee populations, are frequently linked to the reduction in bird populations as well. These pesticides are water soluble and often run off farm fields during rains and into wetlands. There they kill beneficial insects, reducing the food supply of songbirds. In 1962, Rachel Carson published her now famous book, Silent Spring, about the dramatic decline in bird populations exposed to toxic, carcinogenic pesticides, primarily DDT. The book became a rallying call for action to ban these pesticides and eliminate their use. It was also a catalyst for the powerful environmental movement of the 1960s and 70s. In the first pages of Silent Spring, I came across a powerful quote from E. B. White: I am pessimistic about the human race because it is too ingenious for its own good. Our approach to nature is to beat it into submission. We would stand a better chance of survival if we accommodated ourselves to this planet and viewed it appreciatively instead of skeptically and dictatorially. When will we learn that humans need a healthy, sustainable, biodiverse planet in order to survive? The Messenger ends by telling us that during the last 40 to 50 years, songbird populations have continued to decline. They are currently half the size they were in the 1960s. Birds are the canaries in the coal mine for our planet. All signs point to them sounding an urgent alarm. We must heed their warning and act quickly to address climate change by moving to carbon-free, non-fossil fuel, renewable energies. Only by minimizing climate change, preventing habitat destruction and reducing our use of toxic chemicals will we avoid another Silent Spring. In fact our biggest challenge is not creating jobs, but finding people to fill them. We went from a focus on jobs, jobs, jobs, to talking about workforce, workforce, workforce. That will be my top priority for 2017 and beyond. Gov. Scott Walker As Gov. Walker noted in his State of the State Address earlier this month, Wisconsins economy is strong and growing. According to the most recent federal data, more people were employed in Wisconsin in 2016 than at any point in the history of the state. In December, unemployment dropped to 4 percent, its lowest point since January 2001 and the labor force participation rate (or the percentage of people working) in Wisconsin has consistently been among the highest of any state in the country. As the secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, I am responsible for carrying out the governors agenda to develop Wisconsins talent and, ultimately, helping to grow the economy. I agree with the governor that our biggest challenge right now is finding people to fill the jobs that are being created and available. Currently, there are over 80,000 job postings on our JobCenterofWisconsin.com website, a free resource that connects talent with opportunity 24 hours a day. It was an honor, and a true testament to the excellent work of our agency and our workforce partners, to hear Gov. Walker recognize some of our Wisconsin Fast Forward grant trainees during his State of the State Address. The governors signature worker training grant program and its expansion under the Blueprint for Prosperity initiative has improved the lives of working families across the state. To date, nearly 200 projects have been awarded over $18 million in funds to train 18,000 new and incumbent workers across Wisconsin. Governor Walker has made it a priority to reach our students early in school, so that they can make informed choices about the right career path for them. In his speech, he also highlighted four students who are part of our Youth Apprenticeship program. Since 2012, funding for this model program has more than doubled, from $1.6 million to $3.2 million this last school year. Enrollment for the 201516 school year reached a 10-year high with 3,044 youth from 271 school districts working at 2,151 businesses. In the same year, 83 percent of participating youth completed the program and received a state skill certificate. As of November 2016, 78 percent of two-year Youth Apprenticeship graduates were offered continued employment by the employer that provided their onthejob training. The governor also highlighted what we are doing to assist job seekers with disabilities find quality work. Over the first two years after Gov. Walkers A Better Bottom Line initiative, DWDs Division of Vocational Rehabilitation helped approximately 9,500 individuals with disabilities reach their employment goals. We are also participating in Project SEARCH, a national training program for young adults with disabilities that, under Gov. Walkers leadership, expanded from two employer sites to an expected 27 sites by the next school year. The program has demonstrated great success with 88 percent of the graduating class in 2015 gainfully employed. As demonstrated by these and many other results, working families across the state are winning thanks to Gov. Walkers commitment to building and strengthening the workforce. Now, with an even greater emphasis on rewarding work and helping more Wisconsinites move off government dependence and thrive in family-supporting careers, we look forward to even more success stories in the months and years to come. Public invited to comment on grizzly restoration plan A series of open-house meetings with videos and displays to explain the proposal to import grizzly bears into the north Cascade Mountains and to take public comments are planned this month. One of those meetings will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Putnam Centennial Center, 719 E Third St., Cle Elum. The federal government listed grizzlies as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to identify four potential recovery areas. After a series of evaluations, the group added the north Cascades to the list in 1997, one year after what remains the areas last grizzly bear sighting. Comments from the meetings will be added to a final environmental impact statement on the reintroduction plan, which is expected to be released this fall. A full decision on how to move forward is expected in early 2018. Webinars will also be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 14 and again 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 26. To register or leave written comments online until March 14, go to parkplanning.nps.gov/grizzlydeis. Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. Spry and sharp, Betty Daschler is a walking testament to the powers of exercise and sociability. The Washburn on the Park resident and member of La Crosses First Presbyterian Church has been attending Gwyneth Strakers twice-weekly Seniors in Motion class for several years. Her classmates helped her celebrate her 96th birthday Thursday morning in the churchs basement. I find if I dont exercise, I can feel it, she said. I slow down a bit. Daschler is the oldest participant in the program, which aims to help improve seniors physical wellness. During the hour-long sessions, participants do weight training, balance on one leg and do stretches to help build bone mass and help prevent serious injuries from trips or falls. Many of more than two dozen classmates said Daschler is an inspiration while sharing cake, coffee and ice cream with her after their session. She never misses a class, they said, and has an upbeat attitude throughout all the exercises. We always hope we would exercise long and hard enough to cause her to break into a sweat, Dick Berendes said. But she never does. Daschler said she moved to La Crosse from Arkansas a little over three years ago to be closer to her daughter Kathy Gholson and other family members living in Illinois. Gholson was there to celebrate her mothers birthday, and she called her mom her role model for her dedication and energy. Her mom walks almost every day, Gholson said. Shes a faithful member of the church, and she takes the time to read and do crossword puzzles to keep her mind sharp. As long as I have been her daughter, shes never sat around, she said. Daschler was a little taken back by the outpouring of support from her classmates. Along with cake and ice cream, they surprised her with cards, a bouquet of pink roses and a $96 gift card. I didnt expect all this, she said. Oh my goodness. At 96, she said she has learned to take each day as it comes. You have to get out of bed every day, she said, and shes grateful for all of the wonderful people she has built relationships with. I feel very blessed, she said. I thank the good Lord every day that I can get up and do these things. On July 17, 2016, a foreign drone coming from Syria infiltrated Israeli airspace, and the IDF's entire aerial defense array failed its attempts to shoot it down. A fighter jet was scrambled, Patriot missiles were launchedbut all in vain. The drone turned around and flew back to Syria, and the only thing that fell inside Israeli territory that day was shrapnel from the missiles that were fired at the drone, which injured a young girl in a kibbutz in the north. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Shortly before that, the Olinky family from Ness Ziona, who owns a small company called Chai Distributors, received interesting news. Their company may specialize in machine oil, but it won a unique contract from the Defense Ministry to provide the Israeli Air Force with an answer to the new threat in the sky: Drones that fighter pilots could use for target practice. "My brother deals with model airplanes and drones," Yitzhak Olinky, who works at the company, tried to explain. "This has nothing to do with the company other than the fact he is my brother and he also works with us. The fact he's building model airplanes has nothing to do with machine oil. That's just something my brother does." A Hamas drone on display in Gaza (Photo: AFP) Shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, or a drone) is complicated, and Israel's aerial defense array has encountered some difficulties in the field over the past few years. Quite a few drones were intercepted, but too often it took too long to shoot them down, and there were quite a few misses. The defense establishment decided to do something about it. Almost three years ago, the Defense Ministry turned to the biggest companies in the field to find one that could provide the IDF with a product that is meant to be quite simple in nature: A practice drone. In other words, a fairly cheap flying target that could be shot down during training to help prepare fighter pilots for the real thing. But Yedioth Ahronoth's investigative team has learned that the search so far included mostly baffling decisions, a lot of foot-dragging, lolly-gagging and repeated failuresall of which shocked experts in the field. The result was abysmal: The tenders being issued kept failing, with no serious company bidding on or winning them. And so, while Israel is considered an international power in the field of drones, the mission to save the IAF from its next failure has been entrusted to small companies that have absolutely nothing to do with the field. The tender that the Ness Ziona company wonwhich is meant to help the Air Force prepare for the threat more efficientlyhas been dragged out for almost three years without success. It was first issued in 2014 and failed, and again in 2015 when a different company that repairs off-road vehicles, got it. After having won, the company itself realized the Defense Ministry's requirements were too much for them to handle, and quickly backed out of the project. A simulation of a Hezbollah drone infiltrating Israel And so the project kept trudging on and encountering more and more snags along the way, until it recently ended up with the machine oil company from Ness Ziona. Gilad, a member of the family, is a talented model airplane enthusiast who was willing to invest great efforts in building what the Air Force needs, but he too is far from having the abilities of Israel's veteran drone companies, such as the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) or Elbit Systems. Since he doesn't even own a company in the field that the defense establishment could have given the contract to, the deal was signed with his family's machine oil company. But this effort also ended in naught, as expected, leading the Defense Ministry to once again search for a solution. Meanwhile, the Air Force doesn't have the practice drone it wanted. One can only hope the citizens of Israel don't have to pay the price in blood. Fighting against the Ababil Recent years saw several infiltrations of unmanned aircrafts into Israeli territory, leading officials in the defense establishment to realize this was a growing danger. The Iranian-made Ababil drone, which Tehran gave Hezbollah, infiltrated Israel at least four times, with the Lebanese terror group boasting its success by claiming to have reached "the northern Palestine skies." In October 2012, for example, one drone particularly embarrassed the IDF when it flew across the country, made it all the way to southern Israel and was only shot down by a fighter jet when it reached the Mount Hebron area. In July 2014, the IDF learned that Hamas also had the Iranian-made drone when the Gaza terror group managed to infiltrate Israel with one that was only shot down when it reached Ashdod. And if that's not enough, recent reports indicate Hezbollah has equipped the Ababil with bombs, which it was dropping deep inside Syrian territory. If at first Israel hoped these drone infiltrations were isolated incidents, with time, it became apparent that action was required. An Iranian drone on display in Tehran. "No one was worried about the first rockets and first Katyusha rockets either," said Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Milo, the former commander of the IAF's antiaircraft array. "The problem is that with time, the enemy develops an operational pattern, and when we came under fire of over 200 rockets on the darkest day of the Second Lebanon War, it set us straight. That is why the Air Force needs to train for the next stage when the enemy would be able to get several drones in the air at the same time." All are in agreement that to deal with the new threat, the Air Force needs to conduct specialized training to improve its performance. "When something is defined as a threat, then of course training is required," said Brig. Gen. (res.) Shachar Shohat, who was the head of the Air Force's aerial defense array until a year ago. The problem with this kind of interceptionas absurd as that may soundis actually the primitive nature of the infiltrating drone. The radar has a hard time identifying such a small and slow aircraft and even after it is identified, it's hard to intercept the dronemostly due to its small engine, which does not leave a heat signature for the advanced missiles to hone in on. "It's part of the a-symmetry of the modern battlefield," Shohat said. "It is actually the cheap and less sophisticated aircrafts that pose a significant challenge to militaries with advanced technologies." "Scrambling a fighter jet with missiles, and spending at times a million dollars on what the kids call a 'tiara' (a plain target), is not only strange, it's also complicated," added Brig. Gen. (res.) Milo. "The fighter jet moves at a speed of one kilometer in four seconds, and it needs to get the 'tiara' that is barely movingbut there are flukes." Milo says that generally speaking, the ammunition was not meant to be used on such targets. "There are missiles that can identify heat, but they were meant to locate a 16-meter aircraft with engines that emit such heat that if you stand behind (them), you'll turn into a burger. It's nothing like a drone." 'Hell if I know what they did' This prompted the Defense Ministry into action and in 2013 it issued a tender looking for an external consultant in the field. Aharon Vered, an Air Force veteran with decades of experience in the field of drones, was hired. Then, in February 2014, the ministry sent out a document to Israeli companies that specialize in drones, explaining what the Air Force was looking for. "The Air Force is looking for a practice enemy drone for interception training" to practice "risk management of different types of threats," it said. Until that point, pilots only trained twice a year using drones from abroad. This had to change, the document explained, "due to the need for a lot of training days." That is why the Air Force needed "a platform that can be used for intensive training with high availability throughout the year," which will be "cheap, safe, and easy to operate; allow to stage threats; and has qualities as similar as possible to the enemy drones." No one thought to entrust this task to a novice, which is why the document stressed that the company that wins the contract will be required to prove "its operational experience, the amount of flights (it conducted), its level of credibility, its ability to meet deadlines, and the number of crashes it experienced to this dateif there were any." To ensure that no one thought to "experiment" at the expense of the Air Force, the tender further stressed that it would "not consider systems still in developmental stages," and that the training will be done "based on tried-and-true existing systems." A simulation of a Hezbollah drone infiltrating Israel The winning bid, the document clarified, must meet the IDF's requirements at short notice in all areas of the country, so the Air Force jets could "practice locating and intercepting enemy drones in any area necessary, during the day and during the night." The Defense Ministry's experts had Hezbollah's Iranian-made dronewhich boasts a speed of up to 160 knots (about 185mph or 300kph)in mind when they issued the tender. According to the accompanying document, the practice drone must "reach a minimal flight speed of 60-140 knots, with an option of up to 250 knots." The drone must also have a piston engine, so the aerial defense systems would have a hard time identifying and intercepting it, thus simulating the real threat. The required flight time was "at least one hour." Ahead of the tender's publication, the Defense Ministry approached several leading companies in the fieldthe Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systemsbut the deadline passed, and no deal was made. "It was obvious this would happen," a defense official explained. "The requirements of the tender entailed high costs, but shockingly enough, when (the ministry) approached the companies, they initially didn't commit to paying for even one day of work. They just didn't list the number of 'operational days' the winning bidder would get. The expenses surrounding such a system could get to a million shekels, I estimate. What kind of an idiot would agree to get into this thing without basic commitments being made? Professionals in this field very much want to work and contribute to security, but it was obvious to me that no deal could be closed in this manner." And so, less than six months later, at the end of 2014, an official tender was issued for the first time, with an update: Adding eight fully paid work days and shortening the timetable for the drone to become operational. But these weren't the only changes. At this point, the external consultant Aharon Vered was no longer involved in the process and the tender included other significant changes: The flight time for the drone, which was previously one hour, was now increased to three hours. The winner of the bid was also required to show capability for 10 hours of continuous flight over two targets with several drones. The required speed, which was similar to the Iranian-made Ababil, dropped: Instead of reaching a speed of up to 250 knots, the tender required a speed of only 100 knots. "Hell if I know what they did there," Vered recently said in a private conversation. "The guys at the Government Procurement Administration cooked up that tender. Quite a few companies were interested during the initial stages, but later, almost all of them disappeared. The Defense Ministry decided it knew how to do this on its own, and the result is everything that's happening right now." And so, despite the changes made to the tender's requirements, no one had bid on it, except for one company whose bid, according to the Defense Ministry, "was ten times over the estimate" so the tender was canceled. The same company told Yedioth Ahronoth that it did not bid on the tender, and that it merely tested the waters and decided to pass up because the requirements were "delusional," as one senior company official put it. "They acted unprofessionally, which is why no one met the tender's requirements," said Ronen Nadir, whose company BlueBird Aero Systemsa leading company that sells drones all over the worldalso looked into the tender but chose not to make an offer. "I can't give details," he said, adding that defense officials are starting to worry. "Those who need to panic are now panicking." To intercept or not to intercept? The new tender requirements made the desired product more expensive, to the point that it wasn't financially worthwhile to shoot it down. "There is a big difference between a drone that flies for an hour to one that can fly for three hours," explained John Delamater, the president of AeroTargets International, an American company that manufactures practice drones for Western militaries. "It uses a lot more fuel, it's heavier, and if on top of that they require high speedyou need a different engine. Eventually, it definitely makes the drone more expensive." The next version of the tender in July 2015 was updated again, this time with a changed operational objective in the hopes that perhaps this time, a suitable supplier would be found; From s type of training that includes "identifying and intercepting enemy drones," the updated tender now determined that the fighter jets would work on "identifying and locking onto the target" onlywithout shooting it down. The Defense Ministry even added a clarification on the matter, saying a special payment will be added "if the Air Force decides to shoot down the drone." There is a sizable industry of practice drones in the world, with some of the manufacturers offering reusable drones to save money. But when the budget shrinks, the efficiency drops as well. "When a soldier is training and something is actually falling, his ability to be sharp is different," Milo explained. "A real takedown is not a simulation. There's no better practice." "Live fire is sometimes necessary," Delamater agreed. "The US Armed Forces train like thatinterception of aerial targets as well as surface-to-air missiles. To train the teams to accuracy, they check the success rate statistics and improve upon it." A Hezbollah drone shot down in northern Israel The updated tender also included a commitment by the Defense Ministry to pay the winning bidder for 44 work days spread over two years and to present the winner of the contract with a work plan six months in advance. And so, over a year and a half after the search had begun, two bidders were found: the veteran BlueBird Aero Systems, whose offer was higher than its competitor, Pro Jeepa company from northern Israel that specializes in repairing and upgrading 4x4 vehicles and also sells camping equipment. Surprisingly, Pro Jeep won the bid. When Yedioth Ahronoth called the company's offices to ask if they also worked with the Air Force, manager Guy Rafael responded: "We deal with jeeps, but we also develop systems." And are you going to save the Air Force from Hezbollah's drones? "I don't know what to tell you, but if you need seats for a jeep, come on Monday. We're open until 5pm." After having won the bid, Pro Jeep's management attended a meeting with the Air Force and Defense Ministry, after which they decided to withdraw their offer. Shortly thereafter, the Defense Ministry received their first letter on the matter from a veteran engineer called Alon Wallach, the CEO of Wireless Avionics and an expert in the field of drones. "The practice drones were truly my bread and butter in my work with NATO forces," Wallach told ministry official Lior Lavi. "To the best of my knowledge, there is no Israeli drone that is acceptable both in price and size that meets your requirements of 100 knots and three hours' flight time..." In his letter, Wallach noted it was a man called Arnie Goren, who works with him in the field in the US, who referred the jeep company to the tender and has been working behind the scenes as an adviser and subcontractor. "If you haven't been informed of this yet," Wallach continued, "I would like to bring to your attention the fact that Pro Jeep will probably not continue with the project, and the company has known this for several days now... for your information: Pro Jeep has never flown drones, not even model airplanes. It does not have any independent capabilities in the field. Arnie was the one who told them about the tender ... and even led them to bid, helped them answer the questions, and win." Alon Wallach "I thank you for your letter," Lavi responded. "I did not receive any message from Pro Jeep to indicate it had removed itself off the project ... we continue as usual." Shortly after that, the Defense Ministry received the official news that Pro Jeep had withdrawn from the project, and it was clear there was a problem. Goren recounted the chain of events that led Pro Jeep to drop the bid. "I came to a meeting at the Defense Ministry with the jeep company's people, and it was simply embarrassing. The guys from Pro Jeep preferred that I keep my mouth shut so as to not anger anyone, but the problems were fundamental. The people handling this project in the Defense Ministry, I think, didn't fully understand. For example, you can't ask for a drone with a scooter's engine that could stay in the air for many hours at high altitudes10,000-15,000 feet. I was sitting with an Air Force pilot and he asked: 'Wait a minute, why so high?' and then they started whispering amongst themselves." "They wanted a Mercedes at the cost of a Fiat Uno," Rafael from Pro Jeep said this week. "I realized that if I had won this bid, I would have lost a lot of money." After Pro Jeep backed out, the Defense Ministry gave the project to BlueBird Aero Systems, which is considered a professional and reputable company in the field. "At the moment, the tender is still ongoing," Lavi from the Defense Ministry told Wallach. "We're waiting on all the approvals from the Air Force." But it didn't take long before it became apparent that BlueBird could not meet the project's unusual requirements. "They have a very professional aircraft, but it's far from being able to reach the speed required in the tender," Goren explained. "It was clear that once again the tender would fail." And so it did. "The tender was canceled," Lavi informed Wallach a month later. "A new tender will likely be issued in the coming days." 'Not enough time' That was in mid-February. Around that time, another tender was issuedan amended version of the previous one. The requirements shrunk once more, in the hopes that perhaps this time someone would win the contract. The requirement for a three-hour flight time remained, but the required speed dropped to only 80 knotsa lot less than the speed initially required to match Hezbollah's drone. The cruising altitude also dropped to 9,000 feet. If anyone expected the industry's giantsElbit, Rafael and othersto jump at the new tender, they would be disappointed. This time, the winning bidder was Chai Distributorsthe family company from Ness Ziona that specializes in machine oil. A simulation of a Hezbollah drone infiltrating Israel Meanwhile, on July 17, 2016, a drone infiltrated Israel in the Golan Heights, and the failed attempts to shoot it down led Wallach to send yet another angry letter. "What happened in the Golan skies yesterday was a disgrace," he wrote to officials in the Defense Ministry. "Neither the Patriot (missiles) nor the Air Force planes could shoot down a lone drone ... I remind you of what I wrote to you quite a few months ago: Training with a (slow) practice drone, without physically shooting it down, is not worth much." "The attitude expressed in the three tenders ... led to a massive failure, the beginning of which we saw yesterday. I urge you to issue a tender that is in line with reality, or cancel it (you're great at that) and issue a new tender, a better one." He received a short message from the Defense Ministry the very next day: "You need to turn to the Procurement Control Unit at the Procurement and Production Directorate." Wallach answered with a detailed response: "Passing the buck to another department is inappropriate," he wrote, while explaining that in this mess "the initial definition of the solution to the problem was wrong. This is a professional, not procedural, matter. "We're talking about human lives, a waste of money, and so on. Not to mention the embarrassment for the best air force in the world that for ten years now can't really intercept slow drones in a timely manner. The answer is not a shortage of equipment or budget, it's an incorrect handling of the problem... if (the pilots) train properly and intercept practice drones, then they will know how to intercept drones of all kinds at the right time." "I've been alerting you to this for a year now," Wallach added, "and what you've been doing was mostly trying to shut me up... I have quite a bit of relevant experience in the field, which I am offering to you for free.... for example, the requirement of a continuous ten-hour flight over a determined target is nonsense that draws away from the technical effort and the costs.... the incident in the Golan ended within minutes. The incident over the Yatir forest (the drone in the south in 2012) lasted less than an hour. The incident in 2006 (a drone infiltrating over Kibbutz Kabri) even less. There's no need for a practice drone that flies for over an hour. That's utter stupidity..." This letter received no answer, as may have been expected. Instead, the tender remained in its current versionin the hopes that perhaps this time a solution to Hezbollah's drones would be found, perhaps with the help of the Olinky family's Chai Distributors. Gilad Olinky was supposed to present to the Air Force an initial demonstration of the drone he built late last year, but shortly before the demonstration he told them he could not make it. The drone he toiled over crashed during the testing stages. "I failed," he told us with apparent disappointment. "I didn't have enough time." Now, the baton has been given back to BlueBird, and even though it too did not present "tried-and-true systems" in line with the requirements, one can only hope that this time they'll succeed. For the sake of state security, of course. Defense Ministry: We acted professionally The Defense Ministry said in response that it "entirely rejects the claims and the attempt of agents with a clear business interest to influence the ongoing tender while raising claims of things that never were. "The entire process was done in accordance with the law and at no stage was one provider or another favored. Quite the opposite. The Defense Ministry will not compromise when it comes to performance and quality and will only choose a supplier that proves it can meet the Air Force's operational requirements, in accordance with the terms of the tender. "The tender was done entirely in accordance with the law and with Defense Ministry procedures, in full cooperation with the Air Force and based on its operational and technical requirements. To begin with, the tender was meant to add abilities, not to replace the IAF's current training methods, which have been using foreign-bought target drones for many years. Issuing a tender reflects the Defense Ministry's policy to favor Israeli-made products and to provide work to the Israeli industries. A Hamas drone on display in Gaza (Photo: MCT) "The Defense Ministry's Procurement Administration has acted professionally and with full transparency throughout the entire process and had approached the leading Israeli companies at its own initiative in the preliminary stage of the procurement process (including Elbit Systems, the Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael and Aeronautics). Based on the answers received in the preliminary stage, a financial estimate was done that was later updated after it became clear the bids received were much higher than that estimate. In addition to that, to ensure operational objectives are met, it was determined that winning the bid will be conditioned on a practical test proving capabilities. The tender, in which Pro Jeep was a leading bidder, was canceled after the company announced it could not meet the requirements of the practical test. The new tender that was issued later received three bids. Chai Distributors, which submitted the best bid, crashed the aircraft during preparations for the practical test. That is why the tender committee approved to examine the second bid by BlueBird, which is currently preparing for the practical test." External consultant Aharon Vered said in response that "It's been three years since I was last involved in this process and cannot have an opinion on the matter." BlueBird CEO Ronen Nadir said in response: "My comments were misunderstood. When I spoke about the lack of professionalism, I meant that in the previous tenders companies that had nothing to do with the field were selected. When I spoke of 'panic,' I meant the Air Force was looking for a solution and the panic was expressed in the fact they were firing in all directions in an irresponsible manner instead of checking whether the selected companies have the abilities." Guy Rafael, Pro Jeep's manager, said in response: "The requirements in the tender were unreasonable, and the subcontractor we hired didn't meet the objectives so I decided to withdraw so as to not make a mockery of myself. You can't just make accusations at the Defense Ministry. Our company doesn't deal with camping equipment, we're a workshop for upgrade 4x4 vehicles and do a lot of institutional work. The department that deals with the institutional jobs is called Pro Jeep Tech." Chai Distributors stressed the company had no ties to the tender or the drones field, except for one member of the family. NEW YORKIn the midst of a furious Middle East war nearly 70 years ago, a group of Israeli and Egyptian officers put down their guns, ate lunch together and discussed the prospects for peace in the region, according to a documentary film that premiered in New York last month. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The group included two men who would become leaders of their respective countries and fierce rivals - Yitzhak Rabin of Israel and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt. But on that day, the young officers interacted warmly and forged at least a modicum of trust. The details emerge in a 1994 interview with Rabin, then prime minister, that is the centerpiece of "Shalom Rabin," director Amos Gitai's new film about Rabin's bid for peace with the Palestinians. Yitzhak Rabin (Photo: IDF archive) Rabin says Israeli officers invited their Egyptian counterparts after surrounding their brigade at the Faluja enclave. Rabin was a leader of the elite Palmach fighting force. "He (Nasser) was a major. I was a lieutenant-colonel," Rabin says. "We offered them to come and have lunch at (Israel's) Kibbutz Gat and they came." Gamal Abdel Nasser (Photo: Gettyimages) The Israelis gave their word the Egyptians would return to their brigade safely. "Nasser was sitting next to me. He looked at the emblem of the Palmach and asked me what it meant and I explained. Then he told me the war we are fighting is the wrong war against the wrong enemy at the wrong time. And I remembered that, because he didn't say it in private." "And I believe at that time that we were very close to peace," Rabin says. "And what happened happened, and he went the opposite direction. I guess the road is much longer than we would have wished," Rabin says. As army chief in the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Rabin defeated Israel's neighbors including Egypt, led by Nasser, who had amassed tens of thousands of soldiers in Sinai near Israel's border. Nasser, who died in 1970, acknowledged in his war diaries that an Israeli officer approached Faluja in an armored vehicle with a white flag and it was agreed the two sides would meet the next day, Nov. 11, 1948, at Gat. In diaries his daughter Huda compiled into a book called "60 Years Since the July 23rd Revolution," Nasser wrote: "We were well-received. We met with the Jewish commander who said that he wishes to stop the bloodshed and that our situation is desperate. He asked for us to surrender. The Egyptian commander objected and he asked to pull out to Gaza or Rafah but the Jews refused and said they would agree on one condition: that the Egyptian army withdraw from all of Palestine. "We asked for the evacuation of the wounded to Gaza but they rejected that and said, 'We're willing to give you the medicine you need,' and finally we left. They offered us orange juice, oranges, sandwiches, chocolate, candy and biscuits." The diaries do not mention the commander or Rabin by name, and Nasser's daughter could not be reached this week for comment. Israel's southern commander at the time was the late General Yigal Allon. Nasser's successor Anwar Sadat signed a 1979 treaty with Israel. He was assassinated during a 1981 military parade by an Islamist army officer opposed to the treaty, which remains in effect. A Jewish gunman opposed to peace moves with Palestinians assassinated Rabin in November 1995. Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking has been gridlocked since 2014. Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) referred to Yedioth Ahronoth's story on the low effectivity of this year's flu cocktail vaccine. Litzman admitted, "I too fell ill with the flu." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The minister spoke at a conference dealing with aging and said, "I got vaccinated two months ago. The whole country saw me get a shot, but then two days ago I got out of bed after being sick for a week." That said, he stressed that this still does not mean one should not get vaccinated. "I got a vaccinated for many years, and nothing ever happened to me. The last time I took antibiotics was a long time ago." Litzman (Photo: Amit Shabi) Litzman laid the blame on the World Health Organization (WHO), whose erroneous recommendationthat the Israeli Health Ministry administer a flu cocktail vaccine that included strands that did not turn out to be particularly prevalent this winterresulted in the shots not being as effective as they were expected be. He said that the WHO "gives us the strands at the beginning of the year, and we're supposed to get a list of strands for next year pretty soon." Health Ministry Moshe Director General Bar Siman-Tov also referenced the issue. At this point, we don't know how effective the vaccine is or how the effectivity of next year's vaccine will be. But while you can wonder how effective the vaccine we administer is, the conclusion shouldn't be that we shouldn't get vaccinated," he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming White House visit aims to cement ties to supportive US President Donald Trumpbut it also presents a political minefield. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter While Netanyahu appears to have hit it off with President Trump, he will have to tread carefully during their meeting or risk being seen as endorsing divisive policies that have alienated key constituencies in Israel and the United States. "On the one hand, the prime minister is going to want to and absolutely should establish a close working relationship with the new president," said Dan Shapiro, who earlier this month completed his term as US ambassador to Israel. Trump (L) and Netanyahu (Photos: EPA, AFP) But on the other hand, Shapiro said "There is a risk that by seeming to associate too closely with certain proposals, and perhaps in some ways with him personally, there's an alienation factor for other key (American) constituencies that have been part of the bipartisan pro-Israel coalition. That is something the prime minister may want to keep in mind." In a sign of what could lie ahead, Netanyahu over the weekend set off a diplomatic incident with Mexico with a tweet supporting Trump's border walla posting that Israel apologized for on Tuesday. Netanyahu also stayed silent while American Jewish groups condemned an White House statement about the Holocaust that made no mention of Jewish suffering. He also avoided speaking out on Trump's executive order banning travel to the US for citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, despite deep misgivings among many American Jews and fears here that Israelis of Middle Eastern descent might also be affected. On the surface, Trump appears to be a welcome change for Netanyahu from Obama: they repeatedly clashed over Israeli settlement construction on occupied lands and the US-backed nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Trump has signaled a vastly different approach to both issues, and in their Feb. 15 meeting, Netanyahu will likely be looking to reach understandings with the tycoon-turned-president. He is expected to seek guidance on what sort of settlement construction will be tolerated by the Trump administration, and to push the president to revisit the nuclear dealor at least seek other ways to put pressure on Iran. Netanyahu may also be looking for Trump to follow through on promises to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move long favored by Israel and vehemently opposed by the Palestinians. In a series of tweets, Shapiro said that both men will want their meeting to be a "lovefest," but suggested that Netanyahu should beware. "The real question is what does Trump want from the meeting?" Netanyahu got a possible taste of the future what with his handling of Trump's proposed wall along the Mexican border. Responding to Trump's praise for Israel's own border walls, Netanyahu sent out a Trump-like tweet : "President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea," he wrote. Mexico quickly demanded an apology, and Netanyahu was forced into damage-control mode. Appearing to take another page from the Trump playbook, he angrily accused the media of inflating the issue. Shapiro said Netanyahu moved perilously close to involvement in US affairs, apparently under pressure from Trump. "It surprised me, that he kind of weighed in on a very divisive domestic American issue, considering that desire to maintain bipartisanship, and on an issue that doesn't really have a core Israeli interest," he said. "It struck me as certainly possible that the administration sought that endorsement from him as kind of an early sign of friendship." Netanyahu's conservative worldview tends to be in sync with the US Republican Party and he has a long record of appearing to side with Republicans. But Trump is no mainstream Republican, and his recent policy pronouncements could trigger backlashes from some of Netanyahu's most important constituencies. Trump angered US Jewish groups across the political spectrum with his comments on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in which he made no mention of the Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews. Even the Zionist Organization of America, a right-wing group that has been supportive of Trump, expressed "chagrin and deep pain." Trump's ban on refugees and visitors from the seven predominantly Muslim countries has also upset many American Jews, some of whom have strong memories of their forefathers fleeing persecution in Europe. In Israel, it set off a scare that tens of thousands of Israelis who were born in Muslim countries might also be caught up in the ban. The US Embassy in Israel clarified that on Tuesday, saying Israelis of all backgrounds were eligible for visas as long as they are not dual citizens of the countries affected by the banIraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Few Israelis would be affected. Trump's travel ban also threatens to upset Israel's Muslim minority, which has long had a rocky relationship with Netanyahu. Caught between a new US president who shows little patience for critics and groups who fiercely oppose Trump, Netanyahu has kept noticeably silent. BLACK RIVER FALLS The Black River Falls Police Department lost one of its own this week when its dog, Kilo, was euthanized, and law enforcement officials say it happened without their knowledge. One of my officers was euthanized without us knowing, Chief Scot Eisenhauer said. Had we known, we wouldve been down there for her. She was one of us. Kilo was sent last month to Haus Von Stolz Police K-9 Kennel for additional training and certification. After trainers there reported Kilo seemed to be struggling, she was taken to Wildwood Animal Hospital and Clinic in Marshfield, Wis., where she was diagnosed with a heart murmur. The kennel said it informed the department of Kilos struggles and visit with the veterinarian, but Eisenhauer said that neither he or Kilos handler were notified. Following a long discussion regarding the heart murmur including further diagnostics, medications and prognosis the decision for humane euthanasia was elected, said Beth Engelbert, an associate veterinarian with the clinic. With a heart condition, Kilo would no longer be able to work as a police K-9. Her training in apprehension made her unsuitable to be re-homed as a family pet. That decision happened, Eisenhauer said, without his or the police departments knowledge. The Haus Von Stolz kennel still owned Kilo, according to the Marshfield veterinarian, but Eisenhauer was under the assumption that the dog was a donation and belonged to the department. Last week, the Black River Falls Police Department held a fundraiser for its K-9 unit, and the money from the steak dinner will be used to help pay for Kilos replacement. Summit Nutritionals, a New Jersey-based company, has already stepped up in partnership with an Iron Ridge company, Jessifanny Canine Services, to donate a new canine officer to the department along with the training and certifications. Its tough, it really is, but we have new things on the horizon, Eisenhauer said. In the very near future we will have another dog. Iran said on Wednesday it had test-fired a new ballistic missile, prompting a tough response from a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Some of Iran's precision-guided missiles have the range to strike Israel. On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Iran's new missile test a "flagrant violation" of the UN resolution. He said he would ask Trump in their meeting in mid- February for a renewal of sanctions against Iran. Iran launches a ballistic missile Iran's defence minister said the test did not breach the Islamic Republic's nuclear agreement with world powers or a UN Security Council resolution endorsing the pact, An Iranian ballistic missile Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump entered the White House. Trump said during his election campaign that he would stop Iran's missile programme. "The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defence affairs," Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told Tasnim news agency. "The test did not violate the nuclear deal or (UN) Resolution 2231." Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said the United States was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilizing activity" after it fired the missile. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, without explaining exactly what that meant. Flynn said the missile launch defied the UN resolution that called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. A US official said Iran had test-launched a medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after travelling 630 miles (1,010 km). The Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday and recommended the missile testing be studied at committee level. The new US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the test "unacceptable." After first denying claims that it had launched any ballistic missiles , Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran would never use its ballistic missiles to attack another country. Some 220 Iranian members of parliament reaffirmed support for Tehran's missile programme, calling international condemnation of the tests "illogical." "The Islamic Republic of Iran is against weapons of mass destruction, so its missile capability is the only available deterrence against enemy hostility," the lawmakers said in a statement carried on state media on Wednesday. The state news agency IRNA quoted Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran's National Security Council, as saying Iran would not seek "permission from any country or international organisation for development of our conventional defensive capability". The Security Council resolution was adopted to buttress the deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear activities to allay concerns they could be used to develop atomic bombs, in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. The resolution urged Tehran to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics say the resolution's language does not make this obligatory. Tehran says it has not carried out any work on missiles specifically designed to carry nuclear payloads. The test on Sunday, according to US officials, was of a type of missile that had also been tested seven months ago. Iran has one of the Middle East's largest missile programmes but it has been dogged by a poor record for accuracy. However, Hossein Salami, deputy head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, said on the day of the test that the country was now one of the few whose ballistic missiles were capable of hitting moving objects. This would enable Iran to hit enemy ships, drones or incoming ballistic missiles. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav has demanded the government act to swiftly remove the ammonia storage facilities in Haifa Bay, following the release of a report pointing to the great danger the location of these facilities poses to the city and its surrounding area. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The danger is not only from the storage facilities, which are not underground and therefore highly vulnerable to a missile attack, but also from the ships that bring the ammonia to the port, according to the report, written by Prof. Ehud Keinan of the Technion, the former Dean of the universitys Chemical Engineering faculty. The report is based on a professional opinion by Prof. Keinan who warned that "the ammonia ship that enters the Haifa Bay every four weeks is akin to a ship carrying five primed atom bombs, each more deadly than the one dropped on Hiroshima." Ammonia storage facility in Haifa (Photo: Ido Erez) The report determines that any leakage, resulting from either a terror attack, an earthquake (the Carmel Mountain is an active seismic area), or even an accident could create a deadly cloud of highly poisonous gas that could kill over half a million people, depending on the prevailing wind conditions. Ammonia is a highly toxic gas. Exposure of 0.5 percent concentrate in the air causes death in 5-10 minutes, the report notes. The report points to four or five points of weakness in the ammonia container, saying ther is high probability it could "crack tomorrow morning." Israels ammonia needs are minimal. The vast majority of the ammonia stored in Haifa is used to manufacture fertilizers and other chemical products, primarily for export. The American owners of Haifa Chemicals have turned us into their backyard, as if we were some third world banana republic, Yahav said. The Haifa mayor said he sent the report to the Prime Minister's Office and the Supreme Court. Haifa Chemicals accused the mayor of deliberately misleading the public and making cynical use of a report that has already been rejected by security officials. Article reproduced with the permission of TPS The Amona evacuation reached a dramatic conclusion after more than 24 hours Thursday afternoon after police breached the outpost's synagogue and removed the last remaining protestors who had barricaded themselves in, armed with bleach and other objects used to violent effect. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Upon entering the synagogue after removing the steel blocks placed at the entrancea process that took an hour and a halfthe policemen were greeted by a barrage of stones, wooden planks and fire extinguishers, leaving at least 17 of them wounded. Activists pulled from caravans (: , ) X The security forces responded to the violence by spraying the youths with firehoses to prevent them from approaching and causing any further damage. Prior to this, smoke was also seen billowing above the building, which police found to contain obstacles at every entrance laid by the protestors. Last activists removed (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) After clearing the synagogue of the people, police officers removed all religious articles such as prayer books and Torah scrolls. Shortly after the ordeal had concluded, the police said that the rioters had sprayed them with pepper spray, inflicting a handful of light injuries. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky Police forces force their way into the synagogue (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) Since the evacuation got underway on Wednesday morning, more than 60 police officers sustained injuries in the clashes. Moreover, a total of 42 families were evacuated while more than 1,000 rioters were removed. Thirteen young protestors were arrested Officers at the scene ran out of patience by the afternoon after hours-long efforts to convince the remaining resistors to leave the synagogue peacefully proved futile, therefore dashing any last glimmers of hope for the residents and protestors still harboring residual optimism that the court-ordered evacuation could be prevented. Photo: Gil Yohanan After a full day of bitter standoff characterized by physical clashes with police, hundreds of youths began congregating at the synagogue overnight Wednesday and in a caravan adjacent to the synagogue where they remained throughout Thursday morning, stocked up, ready and waiting with surprises in a desperate final effort to repel the police. The surprises consisted of, among other things, paint-filled parcels and bleach ready to be thrown at the approaching forces from behind improvised fortifications. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky At 9am, policemen began closing in on the synagogue and blocking all roads leading to it as they prepared to remove the last 100 protesters remaining inside the building. The security personnel also spent hours communicating messages to the activists designed to calm anxiety and concerns. People removed from caravan (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Prior to the final operation, security teams managed to extricate all barricaded individuals from the caravan next to it by 12:30pm. Almost immediately after surrounding the synagogue, police were splashed with various substances while media crews also found themselves on the receiving end of the violent rioters anger as open windows spat forth a combination of the prepared surprises. Photo: Gil Yohanan Yair Frank, the rabbi of Amona, arrived at the synagogue to speak to the security forces and the activists assembled inside in an effort to avert yet another clash. I came here to be in the synagogue in the last moments, Rabbi Frank said. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky Photo: Yoav Zitun In the small hours of Thursday morning, food was passed through windows to the people inside the synagogue, as they energized themselves to face the police. The police announced that it was continuing its efforts to conduct a dialogue with the people, out of a desire to implement the evacuation with their agreement so as to avoid evacuation with force on the one hand, and at the same time preserving the holiness of the site. We still hope that these efforts will yield fruit and the evacuation will end peacefully. Photo: Effi Sharir Shortly after midnight, police forced their way into the home of Avichai Buaron, who led the Amona struggle, where they faced a feeble resistance in stark contrast to that put up in other buildings where they were forced to cut through chains. Photo: Effi Sharir The High Court of Justice accepted a petition by human rights group Yesh Din on Wednesday canceling the Amona compromise agreement. Photo: Gil Yohanan Police remove resistors (TPS) (TPS) X The court determined that the agreement reached between the settlers and the government is null and void, since it states that the evacuated settlers will be moved to land belonging to Palestinians. On another note, Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to establish a new settlement 'as soon as possible' to make up for demolished Amona. The evicted residents are currently staying at a school in the nearby settlement of Ofra. It is unclear how long they will remain in these makeshift conditions, and where they will go to until new homes have been built for them. Boxes to pack the residents' belongings Teams from the Defense Ministry entered the outpost Thursday evening to package and containerize all the residents personal effects, which will be warehoused until the residents tell them where to ship it. PM Benjamin Netanyahu will be embarking on a short two-day trip to Britain on Sunday, where he is set to meet with Prime Minister Theresa May for the first time since she took office. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter May recently met with US President Donald Trump and her meeting with Netanyahu will signal a clear message about the formation of a strong alliance between the three nations. Theresa May and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters, Getty Images) Britain supported the UN Security Council's Resolution 2334 against Israeli settlements and even took an active part in forming its content behind the scenes. Despite the public anger which ensued in Israel directed against the nations that lent their signature to the resolution, Britain appeared to backtrack on its position by strongly condemning US Secretary of State John Kerry's statement that Israeli settlements represent the main obstacle to way of peace. A spokesman for May said after the speech that it was clear that the settlements were far from the only problem in the conflict, adding that Kerry' assertion that the current Israeli government is the most right-wing it has ever been was inappropriate: "We do not believe that it is appropriate to attack the composition of the democratically-elected government of an ally." The spokesman also added that the British government held that negotiations could only succeed if peacefully held between the two sides with the support of the international community. However, the British government, the spokesman continued, maintained that the only option for a sustainable peace in the Middle East is the two-state solution and that building in what it described as occupied Palestinian lands is illegal, and therefore defended its support of Resolution 2334. "Citizens of Israel should live without fear of terrorism, which they have lived with for many years now," the spokesman added. Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet President Trump on February 15, and to set out days later to a weeklong diplomatic trip to Singapore and Australia. President Donald Trump's promised crackdown on "sanctuary cities" has triggered divergent actions from blue and red states, revealing the deep national divide on immigration as some move to follow his order and others break with the US government to protect immigrants in the country illegally. California, the nation's largest state, is pushing for a statewide sanctuary that would prohibit law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, while a fellow US-Mexico border state, Texas, is seeking to withhold funding from cities with the policies. Trump's recent executive orders threatening to withhold federal funding from communities with sanctuary policies and calling for a border wall have produced widespread protests and fears that more immigration restrictions are in the future. The president's supporters have hailed the efforts. It was hard to virtually impossible to watch the images coming out of the Amona evacuation . I must confess: I cried. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The shouting, the pushing, the cursing, the stone throwing and the barricade building: Israels Jewish citizens could not remain indifferent to the hours of broadcasting from the Amona evacuation. Nevertheless, there are likely those who are rejoicing. Years of settler arrogance, billions of shekels poured into the settlement enterprise and a tough (and "enlightened") rule over millions of Palestinians who are against us, as if they got what they deserved. About half of the police forces did not like what they were forced to do on Wednesday. But each and every one of them knew that without a rule of law in Israel we would have no state (Photo: AP) It was no coincidence that some 1,000 youth from outside the outpost gathered to rescue the caravans from the hands of 3,000 police men and women who arrived to evacuate them. If the right-wing parties represent at least half of the states population, about half of the members of the security forces did not like what they were forced to do on Wednesday. But each and every one of them knew that without a rule of law in Israelwe would have no state. For years, the settlers did as they pleased: They disregarded the government and law enforcement authorities. Now, for the third time in a generation, it was the governments turn to disregard them. One thing we should pay attention to is that this is the third time that a settlement is being evacuatedand it was always right-wing leaders who made the decision. The greatest right-wing leaders: Menachem Begin, who evacuated the Yamit region, Ariel Sharon, who evacuated the Gush Katif communities, and now Benjamin Netanyahu (who, by the way, handed Hebron over too as part of the Oslo Agreements). Its no coincidence that three right-wing leaders made this tough decision: They realized, even if it took them some time, that the doctrine they had followed for many years was unfeasible. In 2017, we can no longer sing The Jordan has two banks, this is ours, that is as well and believe in it. The world wont let us. The people of Gush Emunim and the others who still want us to show contempt towards the world, like they did at the time, are unaware of the world they are living in. The world has changed. They and their successors in Amona, at the Knesset and by the government table, know very well how to push the right buttons in order to present to the entire world what it means to evacuate a small outpost, with 40 families, at the top of a bald mountain. They know very well that if the worldand mainly the new US presidentis not shocked and doesnt shed rivers of tears, its possible that all Judea and Samaria communities, with hundreds of thousands of settlers in the settlement blocs, will be evacuated too. When will that happen? It could perhaps happen in a month, in a year or in five years. Possibly in 50 years. The world and the Palestinians have time. History will barely remember Begin, who said, If I am asked at the Camp David peace conference to return even one community to Egypt, I will pack my bags and go home immediately. For some reason, history tends to remember only the good things. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials for talks focusing on a troubled European Union deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants. Both leaders will also discuss a Turkish request for the extradition of around 40 soldiers, allegedly involved in Turkey's failed coup, who are seeking asylum in Germany. Merkel's visit to Ankara on Thursday comes as ties between Turkey and Germany are strained. Turkey frequently accuses Germany of not backing its fight against outlawed Kurdish rebels, and is pressing Germany to reject the soldier's asylum requests. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein met with his counterpart US House Speaker Paul Ryan in Washington on Wednesday to seek support for moving the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Edelstein told Ryan that it was important the issue passed in a bipartisan vote in Congress. "The significance of wide support in Congress could lead to global and regional support," Edelstein told Ryan. Knesset Speaker Edelstein meets with US House Speaker Paul Ryan in Washington. "If the American embassy moves, I am confident other countries will also move their embassies to the capital," he added. Edelstein invited Ryan on an official visit to the Knesset. After visiting Speaker Edelstein in Jerusalem last year, it was a privilege to host him at the US Capitol this afternoon," Ryan said in a statement following the meeting. "I reiterated my steadfast support for Israels security and her inalienable right to self-defense. The historic alliance between our two nations has never been more important, and I appreciate Speaker Edelsteins commitment to strengthening this special relationship, Ryan added. The Israeli speaker also met with Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Corker to discuss the situation in the Middle East. Edelstein asked Corker for his help in promoting economic, social and environmental cooperation with parliament speakers in the region in an effort to contribute to stability in the region and build relations between the different nations. In his first public remarks abroad as US defense secretary, Jim Mattis is criticizing North Korea for provocative acts that require new consultations with Japan and South Korea. Mattis spoke to reporters aboard his military plane Thursday en route to Seoul from Washington. Mattis says he needs to speak with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts during this trip about what new defensive steps might be needed to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The new Pentagon chief says his Seoul meetings will include discussion of deploying the US missile defense system known as THAAD. Senior ISIS leader Abu Abdullah was recently killed in a "work accident" when he was trying to rig a bomb on a roadside in southern Mosul and the device accidentally went off. A fellow member of the Sunni terrorist organization was also killed in the explosion. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Described as a bomb expert, Abdullah was a second-tier leader in the terrorist organization and had previously been responsible for dozens of detonations. He was renowned for rigging buildings with detonation devices as the terror cell tried to inflict as much damage as possible while they are being forced out of Mosul by the Iraqi army backed by the US-led coalition. ISIS shooting at Syrian army forces (Photo: AP) Abdullahs death marks yet another blow for ISIS after a number of leading figures were killed in recent weeks. On Monday, news emerged that the terror cells chief decapitator had been stabbed to death in western Mosul. The jihadist, nicknamed Abu Sayyaf, was reportedly killed by unknown individuals west of the city of Nineveh. Meanwhile, Abu Abdel Rahman, a brutal ISIS murderer who used a meat cleaver to slaughter women, was shot dead last week. The senior commander is believed to have been gunned down in the al-Askari neighborhood, which is yet to be liberated from ISIS control. DENVER (AP) A transit security officer talking to two women trying to catch a late-night train home was shot and killed after a man came up from behind, stuck a handgun to the officers neck and fired, according to Denver police. The armed officer, Scott Von Lanken of Loveland, Colo., was wearing a dark blue uniform similar to those worn by police. Von Lanken started as a civil service employee at the La Crosse Police Department in 1978 and was hired as an officer in 1982. He left the position after five years to become a pastor. Though Scott may have chosen another career path and left the agency some time ago, he was still a part of the La Crosse police family, the agency stated. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, co-workers and loved ones. Retired La Crosse police investigator Mike Rosenau worked alongside Von Lanken during his tenure with the agency and praised his even temperament. You could always depend on him to have your back, Rosenau said. In case he was targeted because he was believed to be a police officer, police Chief Robert White said, officers have been warned to remain vigilant. The shooting happened late Tuesday night near Union Station, a hub for buses and trains, and the citys pedestrian mall. Security camera footage helped police quickly find and arrest the suspected gunman, Joshua Cummings, 37. Police said Wednesday they were still looking for a motive for the unprovoked attack. According to police, Von Lanken was trying to help two women who were afraid they had missed the last light rail train when one of them said she saw a man with a swollen face and weird looking eyes walk up to the officer and say something to the effect of Do what you are told before she heard a gunshot. He ran away but police found Cummings hiding on the patio of a nearby loft apartment building with a 9mm handgun. Cummings, who has ties to a variety of cities in Texas, most recently Austin, was charged with a misdemeanor over five years ago out of state, police Commander Barb Archer said. Gary Kim, the manager of the Holiday Motel in the Denver suburb of Englewood, said Cummings had been staying there for about three weeks. Cummings previously stayed for about a month at the $365-a-week motel before leaving in late November and then returned in early January. Im just pretty blown away. ... He was one of my favorite tenants. I enjoyed seeing him, Kim said. The motel manager said he didnt know what Cummings did for a living, but he would often volunteer to help people pay their rent. Kim added that Cummings kinda looked like a hippy and had a full beard. He stayed at the hotel with a woman and a child, and Kim said he never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Von Lanken was a contracted security officer for the Denver areas Regional Transportation District employed by Allied Universal. Shellie Von Lanken told KUSA-TV in Denver that her husband of 35 years worked at least 65 hours a week to support her and their 32-year-old twin daughters, one of whom is disabled. It was unbelievable that any human being could even work what he was working, she said. He just worked his heart out. He would tell me, If I could keep working, I would get another job just so I could provide for my family. She added that if her husband were still alive, he would tell her and their daughters to forgive the shooter. Soon after the area of the shooting reopened Wednesday morning, a group of motorcycle officers taped a blue sign along with flowers on a pole at the scene of the shooting, offering their prayers as people walked by on their way to work. WASHINGTONUS President Donald Trump met on Thursday with Jordan's King Abdullah ahead of an annual prayer breakfast in Washington, a White House spokeswoman said. There was no immediate information provided about what Trump and the King discussed. Abdullah, the first Arab leader to hold talks with the new administration, had earlier in the week discussed the fight against Islamic State, the Syria crisis, and other issues with Vice President Mike Pence. Ireland-based low-cost airline Ryanair and the Israel Ministry of Tourism announced that the airline will begin serving a series of new routes in the coming months: seven from Tel Aviv to a variety of European cities and eight from the new Eilat Ovda airport to Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow and Kaunas. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "The significant entry of Ryanair operations into Israel is good news that will make an immediate contribution both in terms of increasing incoming tourism and in reducing the cost of flights in and out of Israel," stated Tourism Minister Yariv Levin. Ryanair's press conference announcing the flights (Photo: Amit Cotler) "I am pleased that the cooperation between the Tourism Ministry and Ryanair has gone up a level with the company expressing great confidence in the Israeli tourism product," he said. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel welcomed 2.9 million tourists in 2016, an increase of 3.6% over 2015 following intensive marketing efforts by the Tourism Ministry. X This is the first time the Irish company is increasing its operations in Tel Aviv and Eilat since the beginning of its operations in Israel. The new routes are expected to be operational in March of 2016, though comprehensive details remain to be divulged. According to Ryanair's website, flights from Tel Aviv to Cyprus will begin on March 28, with fares starting at 19.99, approximately 80 shekels. Ryanair has often made clear its plans to go beyond European airports and to use Israel to expand its Middle East market. Israel's airports are currently the only ones the low-cost airline company serves in the region, out of 33 partner countries in total. Ryanair's Chief Commercial Officer David O'Brien stated that to celebrate the launch of the Israel winter 2017 schedule, the company would release seats for sale from Tel Aviv and Eilat Ovda from just 20, which are available for booking until midnight Thursday. Three persons, two 52-year-old police officers and a 34-year-old security guard, were lightly wounded in a car ramming attack near the town of Adam, which is in the West Bank, nearby Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Footage of the attack X The three were transported to the hospital. A female terrorist reached the entrance of the town and rammed her car into a police cruiser, hitting the town's gate as well. She received medical treatment and is being interrogated by the security forces. Following a preliminary questioning, it appears the motive to have been "personal." The terrorist's vehicle (Photo: United Hatzalah ) The terrorist's vehicle (Photo: United Hatzalah ) The scene of the attack (Photo: United Hatzalah ) United Hatzalah EMT Michael Cohen reported, "When I arrived at the scene I saw a private vehicle had rammed into a police cruiser and the town's gate. I treated three people at the scene who were all thankfully just lightly injured. I joined other medical teams as we continued treatment during transport. All injured persons were transported to Hadassah Mt. Scopus Medical Center." Three citizens lightly injured in a car ramming attack near the town of Adam, which is in the West Bank. The three were transported to the hospital. A female terrorist reached the entrance of the town and rammed her car into a police cruiser, hitting the town's gate as well. She is receiving medical treatment and is being interrogated by the security forces. In the face of many challenges, including an endless churn of regulations from Washington, the efficiency and dedication of our producers has made the Third District the top-producing agriculture district in the country. Nebraska farmers and ranchers deserve not only our gratitude for their tireless work but also greater certainty and opportunity for future success. This was my motivation for founding the Modern Agriculture Caucus, of which I continue to serve as co-chairman. The caucus promotes innovation and science-based policies in agriculture while educating Members of Congress from urban areas about the needs of rural producers. These conversations are increasingly necessary as we prepare to work on a new Farm Bill. My new role as chairman of the Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee provides opportunities to work with House Agriculture Committee members on structuring parts of the Farm Bill. Because your input in this process is invaluable, I will be hosting a Farm Bill Listening Tour to hear directly from Third District producers. Dates and locations will be announced as soon as possible. As we work through these issues, I am pleased to have Sallie Atkins on my team as Agriculture Director. Sallie has firsthand knowledge of producers needs and concerns from her more than 30 years of experience in Nebraska agriculture. In addition to farming and ranching with her husband in Thomas County, she spends significant time each week traveling the Third District to meet with producers and agriculture groups. President Trump also recognizes the importance of hearing directly from Nebraska producers, demonstrated by his selection of numerous Nebraskans to serve on his Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee. Much of the reaction to President Trumps nomination of Governor Sonny Perdue for Agriculture Secretary has been positive, and I look forward to working with him to help U.S. farmers and ranchers feed the world. The official White House website has been updated with President Trumps policy plans, including his commitment to eliminate the Waters of the U.S. rule. This is welcome reassurance to farmers and ranchers across the country who do not want Washington bureaucrats controlling the puddles and irrigation ditches on their properties. The Death Tax is also on President Trumps list of regulations to abolish. Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota introduced H.R. 631, of which I am a cosponsor, this week to permanently repeal this onerous tax which penalizes farmers, ranchers, and small business owners who have worked all their lives to build their family businesses. The repeal bill falls under the jurisdiction of the Ways and Means Committee, and I will continue to advocate for its swift passage. While we work to get government out of producers way, we must also open more markets to their exports. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, found wide support within the agriculture sector, but President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from this agreement with 11 countries on the Pacific Rim during his first week in office. Though the TPP was not perfect, I supported establishing this framework for U.S. exporters to pursue greater economic opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region. Our country is moving in a new direction on trade, but agriculture can still benefit. In his executive order, President Trump announced his intention to pursue bilateral trade agreements. I was pleased to hear this, as I strongly believe our country must be a leader in writing the rules of the global economy rather than allowing other world powers to take our place. Moving forward, I will continue to advocate for bilateral agreements with the TPP countries to reduce barriers to our agriculture products in these growing markets. Many opportunities lie ahead to strengthen U.S. agriculture. I look forward to working with Nebraska producers and the Trump administration to ensure we get these policies right. As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More The La Crosse County Health Department is encouraging people to wear red on Friday as part of the American Heart Associations National Wear Red Day to focus attention on womens heart health. Heart disease has killed more women than men since 1984, according to health officials, who also note that many cardiac events can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes. People should begin heart health screenings in their 20s, with those tests including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index. The countys public health nurses offer a cholesterol screening clinic from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on the last Wednesday of the month. Call 608-785-9723 for an appointment. Although chest pain is the most common symptom of heart attack for both women and men, it is not always the main complaint for women. Following are heart attack signs: Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Women can and do experience chest pain, but they are more likely to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly nausea/vomiting, shortness of breath and abdominal, back or jaw pain. Anyone experiencing these signs should call 911 and get to a hospital as soon as possible. Measures to prevent heart disease include: Eating a healthy diet. Daily physical activity. Know your numbers, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar and BMI. Be aware of other risk factors, such as family history of heart disease. Do not smoke or quit if you do. Seek medical attention for any signs of heart disease. Stiri pe aceeasi tema - President Klaus Iohannis stated on Thursday, in respect to the modification brought to the Government Emergency Ordinance on energy that the MPs expect several clarifications from experts, as well as the European Commission's standpoint regarding the gas price capping proposal. Fii la curent - The Bucharest Auto Show (SAB) & Accessories 2022 opens on Thursday at Romexpo, the event being scheduled to end on October 16. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro Help your friends know more about Romania! - President Klaus Iohannis promulgated on Thursday a law that provides for an increase in the unemployment benefit to people with a contribution period of at least one year, which will be equal to the value of the reference social indicator. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste - Citizens expect professionalism, seriousness, integrity and public decency from prosecutors, Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu said on Thursday, at the Public Ministry's 2021 stocktaking report. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro - The National Weather Administration issued a Code Ember warning for torrential rain in nine counties and a Code Yellow warning for unstable weather in the western, central and northwestern parts of the country valid on Thursday and Friday. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste - The unprecedented European funds at our disposal can accelerate in these years Romania's deep modernisation, President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday in a message to the 20th anniversary of the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry - AHK Romania. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. - The Declic Community announced in a release on Thursday having filed a criminal complaint with the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), requesting an investigation into how plagiarism complaints against Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca were canceled in court. - FCSB qualified for the Europe Conference League soccer play-offs, after defeating Slovak team FC DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda with the score of 1-0 (1-0), on Thursday evening, on the National Arena in Bucharest, during the second leg of the competition's third preliminary tournament. Fii la curent In April, we have the opportunity to vote for state superintendent of public instruction. Whoever wins will oversee Wisconsin schools and make important decisions about funding, standardized tests and teacher certification. One of the candidates, John Humphries, has some worrisome ideas about how he wants to change our public schools. First, Humphries wants to hand over control of "failing" schools to anyone who wishes to bid on them. This means our local schools could easily fall under new management, and I worry that we would no longer have a voice in school decisions. When Humphries released information about how Wisconsin schools would be graded if he were elected, he admitted that most of them would be considered "failing" under his plan. This means that communities throughout the state could see the management of their local schools changed. What's more, Humphries wants to hand control of the DPI over to a statewide school board. Members of this board would be appointed by politicians in Madison, not elected by the voters. This would undermine local control of schools and hand important decisions over to unelected officials. The primary election for superintendent is Feb. 21. Please research all candidates thoroughly before casting your vote. Our schools depend on it. Imphal: An army jawan was injured in a hand grenade attack by suspected militants in Manipur's Bishnupur district, police said today. The hand grenade was hurled yesterday by suspected militants from a speeding car while a team of 2 JK Light Infantry was on foot, patrolling near Nachou Lamkhai along the NH-150, a police official said. The army personnel also opened fire on the car but the militants escaped, the officer said. The injured jawan, identified as MD Arshad, was rushed to Army Hospital at Leimakhong for treatment and he is reportedly out of danger. A case has been registered at Bishnupur police station in this regard, the official added. Gov. Scott Walker has appointed an Army veteran from Ripon as the new secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs with instructions to look into persistent reports of serious deficiencies in care at the states largest veterans nursing home. Daniel Zimmerman replaces John Scocos, who resigned effective last month amid a flurry of published reports about inadequate care at the King Veterans home. Walkers office said in a press release Thursday the governor is directing Mr. Zimmerman to immediately conduct a thorough assessment of the operations at Wisconsins veterans homes. Last year, Walker and Scocos pointed publicly to the nursing homes high quality-of-care ratings while defending it against newspaper articles on complaints about poor care. In December it came to light that the federal ratings should have been downgraded but a reporting omission by the state caused an eight-month delay. Ratings were lowered last year because of serious quality-of-care problems discovered after the February death of a 94-year-old resident and because of additional citations issued after a regularly scheduled inspection. Federal regulators notified the veterans affairs department in June that it was being fined $76,900 after rejecting the states appeal of the most serious violation. In September, a legislative committee ordered an audit of the veterans homes. In November Walker announced Scocos would resign. Federal regulators had notified the state on June 1 that it was being fined $76,900 in connection with the most serious citation, but the penalty wasnt made public until December after a request by the Wisconsin State Journal. Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said the governors top concern is the care of Wisconsins veterans. The union that represents workers at the home said they would welcome change, but that would mean the department would need to treat front-line staff better to reduce turnover and job vacancies that have been a problem since Walkers Act 10 devalued employees by eliminating most public-sector union rights in 2011. Overburdened staff have been struggling to provide the best possible care for King residents despite years of short staffing, Rick Badger, executive director of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 32, said in a statement. Without a fundamental improvement in the way staff are treated, the underlying conditions that make it hard to provide the best possible care will not change, Badger said. The union represents certified nursing assistants, food service workers, custodians and others at King, where there are more than 700 beds for veterans and family members. Evenson said Walkers efforts have delivered new employee positions, scheduling practices and increased compensation to help counter a national shortage of nurses. The state also appropriated $100 million to replace a vacant residence hall and make other improvements. Thursdays release from the governors office said Walker has also told Zimmerman to schedule regular discussions with veterans groups. The only group mentioned by name in the release was the County Veterans Service Officer Association, which has been unhappy with state changes affecting them. Zimmerman retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2008 after 25 years that included assignments in military intelligence, the governors office said. While in the Army, Zimmerman received the Bronze Star Medal twice and the Meritorious Service Medal five times, the governors office said. Zimmerman holds a masters degree in homeland security from American Military University in Charles Town, West Virginia, and received his bachelors degree from UWLa Crosse, the press release said. After retirement he worked as a training consultant for the federal National Guard Bureau and as an exercise officer and threat planner for the state Department of Military Affairs emergency management division, the release said. Zimmerman has served as vice president of the Ripon Area School District Board of Education, chairman of Big Hills Lake Management District, and president of two non-profit charitable organizations. Zimmerman wasnt among seven applicants the governors office disclosed in December. His appointment is effective immediately, the governors office said. Dans career is defined by public service, Walker said in the release. Wisconsins veterans deserve the best care and services possible, and with Dans experience in the military and government, I know he will serve as a tireless advocate for Wisconsins veterans. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, will oppose President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her decision was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday afternoon. Baldwin said the federal appeals court judge from Colorado does not have a "mainstream record," which will make it difficult for him to earn bipartisan support. The senator said she would not provide one of the 60 votes needed for Gorsuch to overcome a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. "Judge Gorsuch should be held to the same standard that Supreme Court justices have been held to previously and President Trump needs to earn 60 votes in the Senate, but I am not one of them," Baldwin said in a statement. "I have a number of concerns about this nominee's deeply troubling record, particularly his rulings against disabled students, against workers, and against women's reproductive health care." Baldwin's opposition is unsurprising to most, but drew immediate fire from Republicans with an eye on challenging her in 2018, who questioned what changed after a statement she issued Tuesday evening promising to meet with and consider Gorsuch. Baldwin is among a group of red-state Democrats who will be targeted by the right if they block Gorsuch, but face pressure from supporters on the left to oppose him. "Not only is Sen. Tammy Baldwin opposing a qualified nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court shes breaking her word to the people of Wisconsin after promising to 'fully review Judge Gorsuchs record' before making a decision. This is just further proof that after two decades of talk in Washington, Senator Baldwin has become an elite liberal insider who is set on playing political games and protecting the Washington status quo at all costs," said Republican Party of Wisconsin spokesman Alec Zimmerman. No Republicans have officially announced their candidacy for 2018, but rumored challengers include U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, businessman and former Senate candidate Eric Hovde, Marine veteran Kevin Nicholson and a handful of state lawmakers. In her Tuesday statement, Baldwin said the pick signaled the president is "intent on creating more division in our country." "The importance of the Supreme Court and the decisions they make have a profound effect on the daily lives of all Americans so I will do my job to fully review Judge Gorsuchs record," Baldwin said in her statement, adding that she looked forward to meeting with Gorsuch because of her concerns with some of his previous rulings. The Supreme Court seat, vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, has been open for nearly a year, after Republicans refused to hold confirmation hearings for Judge Merrick Garland, former President Barack Obama's nominee. Politicians on both sides of the aisle made the vacancy a key issue in the 2016 campaign. Democrats argued Republicans weren't doing their jobs by blocking hearings, while Republicans argued the seat should be filled by the next president. "The American people deserve an independent Supreme Court Justice who will protect the constitutional rights and freedoms of all Americans, not someone who will put his own political preferences above the law and legislate President Trumps far right agenda from the bench of our nations highest court. That is the test I will apply as I give fair consideration to this nomination," Baldwin said in her Tuesday statement. Trump this week urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to use the so-called "nuclear option," if necessary, to block Democrats from filibustering the nominee. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker may be grabbing headlines with a call to lower tuition as part of a campaign to cut the cost of attending University of Wisconsin, but UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank has an ambitious proposal of her own. Blank is proposing free tuition to transfer students who are the first in their families to attend college, provided state funding to the university in the 2017-2019 budget is adequate. The proposal, dubbed Badger First-Generation Transfer Program, was unveiled to members of the UW System Board of Regents at their regular meeting in Madison Thursday. The Badger Transfer Promise Program is an outgrowth of an updated transfer contract, effective this month, that guarantees students who complete an associate degree at any UW College can earn a bachelors degree at UW-Madison. The promise program would provide grant and scholarship aid equal to two semesters of in-state tuition, currently $10,488, to all first-generation Wisconsin resident students transferring under the contract. First-generation resident transfer students who are eligible for Pell Grants to low-income families will receive grant/scholarship aid equal to four semesters of instate tuition, currently $20,976. The program would, in effect, cover tuition costs left after other aid has been applied to a students school expenses. It is estimated to cost UW-Madison $1.5 million a year, campus officials said. Blank doesn't need approval for the program, but she won't be able to do it unless additional state funding to the UW System is adequate for UW-Madison's share to cover it, she said. Initial response from legislators who have a say in funding for the Univeristy of Wisconsin were less than enthusiastic. Mike Mikalson, aide to State Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, a frequent critic of UW who is vice-chair of the Commitee on Universities and Technical Colleges, sent this statement: "Senator Nass top priority is providing higher education cost relief for the students of middle class families. Senator Nass supports the governors call for a tuition cut, but at a minimum he believes the next state budget should continue the tuition freeze for two more years. While Chancellor Blanks plan is worthy of discussion, it should not replace a broader effort to protect Wisconsins middle class families that have been hammered by the previous tuition-setting practices of the UW System." State Rep. Dave Murphy, R-Greenville, chair of the Committee on Colleges and Universities, commented: Considering that this was not an item in the UW Systems budget request and other institutions have successfully implemented promise programs with private donations, I will evaluate Chancellor Blanks proposal in the context of the entire budget. Blanks bold proposal comes at a time when the campus is stretched from years of cuts in state funding, and a six-year freeze on tuition for resident undergraduate students. With the loss of some star faculty to other universities, UW-Madison has also seen its national ranking for research spending slip from the top five nationally to 6th for the first time since 1972. UW-Madison revenue overall has dropped 2 percent per year since 2013, Blank told regents. With faculty compensation dropping from 74th nationally in 2008 to 118th, and spending per student from 47th in 2008 to 63rd, the overall ranking of the university suffered. We averaged No. 33 in the nation from 20022007. Only 10 years later, from 2012-2017, we averaged No. 43 in the nation, Blank said. Although Walker wants to cut UW tuition after the freeze that campus officials say put the squeeze on operations he has indicated that state funding will cover the cut. Walker also has said that there may be additional funding to the UW in the upcoming budget, although it may be tied to performance measures not yet specified. Blank said that she is very encouraged by the things the governor and legislators have been talking about in terms of reinvesting in the UW. The governor and key legislators know about her proposal, Blank said after the regents meeting, but she would not say whether it would likely help secure a bigger investment in the university from state budget writers. The school is prepared to do its part to put any reinvestment to best advantage, she said. It is our job to be entrepreneurial and to build revenues in areas where we have leverage, Blank said. But we cant do this alone. For 169 years, UW-Madison has been a partnership with the state. We are doing everything we can to generate resources that we can use to reinvest. We need the state with us in this effort. The Badger Transfer Promise is one area where Blank pledged to spend reinvestment by the state. But it is just one part of a three-pronged vision. The other areas are: Faculty: Hiring more faculty in areas of high student demand like business, engineering and nursing where applicants now are turned away, and in areas where a couple of strategic hires can create a cluster of research strength. Increasing compensation so UW-Madison is more competitive with other institutions is important, she said. Educational quality: Continued investment in innovate educational technologies to serve students on campus and online, while ensuring a diverse and inclusive campus. Collage affordability also includes keeping financial aid as high as possible by expanding its availability to both low and middle-income students, Blank said. First-generation transfer students are a logical place to start, because all students in that class in 2015 had unmet financial need, she said. We know that first generation students often need additional support they dont have the family advising about college and their families often are not high income, Blank said. Such students are more likely to drop out that other students. They are a substantial part of the Wisconsin population who needs more skills. YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, ARMENPRESS. Chaired by Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan, the Government continued discussing public agency performance reports for 2016, including their compliance with the governments action plan for 2016, priorities and assessed performance. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian Government, reports were delivered by the following entities: Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technologies, State Committee on Science, State Food Security Service. Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyan reported that under the Improved Education program, 24 primary schools were founded in Armavir, Tavush and Lori Marzes covering some 750 children and 55 trained mentors. The Government approved the introduction of a national program referred to as Ararat Baccalaureate program under the Educational Excellence national program in regional secondary educational institutions. 5 non-profit organizations with the status of a state university were reorganized into foundations, and 3 state universities have received institutional accreditation for 4 years. 6 universities implemented projects in the framework of the Competitive Innovation Fund. Referring 2017 priority issues, Levon Mkrtchyan noted that they were intended to carry out radical reforms in higher education system. The Prime Minister noted that the Ministrys team is expected to do extensive work in 2017. Karen Karapetyan attached importance to the assessment of the effectiveness of programs implemented by means of credits and instructed to submit brief information about them. You are the most important link in the State. Your task is to work effectively and work with industry to solve your problems. We are spending less money on science, education, healthcare and other areas than it seems to be necessary for modern and civilized people, but at the same time we do not spend effectively. The amount spent and the results are inconsistent, we spend more than we get, Karen Karapetyan said, stressing the importance of spending and redistribution functions. Agriculture Minister Ignatius Arakelyan reported that work was carried out to solve priority problems in 2016. He noted that a number of measures were implemented to improve food security, develop various sectors, use arable land intended to improve the situation with subsidized fertilizers, seeds and diesel fuel, as well as provide advice. Referring to the programs intended for 2017, the Minister said it is planned to review the fertilizer subsidy program, considering that open tenders will lead to lower prices. Karen Karapetyan inquired about the works carried out for the training of farmers and cooperatives. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Robert Makaryan reported that there are 317 thousand rural household, 52 agricultural cooperatives, most of which are pasture user cooperatives. The Prime Minister stressed the need for clear formulation of plans in this regard. You should state clearly how many farms you want to have in 2017. That is to be the main driving force. We need to raise successful businessmen in order to show that people can make money in agriculture. The Prime Minister stated those priorities, based on which the agricultural sector may develop - digitization and capitalization, subsidy targeting, machinery and successful farmers. Subsidy should go those entities having specific logic. Another issue is how to support them. The business entity cannot be blamed for not being an agriculture professor. I want you to formulate a relevant philosophy, the Head of Government emphasized. Mechanization should be carried out after digitalization in order to calculate how much money is spent on manually or incomplete works, and hence estimate the service market demand, the return on investment, the capital necessary for investments and the form of business organization. The Prime Minister instructed those responsible to abide by this logic in implementing the priorities and actions set for 2017. Minister of Territorial Administration and Development Davit Lokyan noted that the Government has approved the regional development strategy for 2016-2025, which is designed to increase the competitiveness in the provinces and address socio-economic disparities between the regions. As a result of the implementation of the framework of cooperation with the EU started in the 7 pilot regional development projects, worth around 10 million euros. The Government approved a development strategy for the solid waste management system in 2017-2036. The methodology for the development and management of five-year development plans has been improved. As of January 10, 2017, about 625 community councils had approved five-year development plans for communities. A methodology has been developed for the preparation of municipal budgets. Coming to 2017 priorities, Mr. Lokyan said this year efforts will be made to develop strategies for regional development, hand over the management of various services to the private sector and streamline the waste management process. Communities have been tasked to achieve a 20 percent rise in annual budgets in 2017 and further clarify the distribution of funds. Regional and rural development programs shall be implemented by the European Union. Investment projects will be implemented within the framework of the administrative reform program. Prime Minister Karapetyan attached importance to the establishment of an analytical group of territorial administration, which is to digitize the subjects in territorial administration, clarify the functions of governors, balance responsibility and duties. You need to closely work with Marz governors on the implementation of community development programs. Community champions have to be selected and assisted in every way. We have to create a new approach to territorial management in order to have a distinct business, pragmatic, logical plan for each region and for communities by the end of this year, the Premier said, adding that it is necessary to develop a government policy for border communities, address the existing problems and provide jobs. Transport, Communications and IT Minister Vahan Martirosyan reported that several projects aimed at improving transportations, roads and the lifeline road network were implemented in the year under review. The North-South Road Corridor program is underway. In the railway sector, the T-3 level electric train was commissioned and pilot multimodal shipments from Europe to Iran via Armenia were launched in 2016. A new frequency distribution chart in the field of communications and information technologies was prepared in the period under review. Efforts are underway to work out a legislative reform package and strategic plans to promote the ICT sector in partnership with the private sector. Referring 2017 priority issues, Vahan Martirosyan reported that work on creating a common route network kicked off in 2016 to be continued into 2017, which aims to ensure the possibility of free movement of people. Having probed into the reasons behind the lack of regional passenger services between communities, the Ministry will take steps to address the issue. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Inmates in several correctional facilities of Turkey are banned from reading certain newspapers, including the Armenian Agos of Istanbul, Agos reported after being notified from an inmate in Izmir. The inmate sent a letter to Agos, saying he hasnt received the newspaper since December. The letter says the Turkish Justice Ministry banned inmates from receiving newspapers or books. The ministry justified the action saying inmates might get messages from criminals. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of establishment of the Armenian Army, an official reception was held in the NATO headquarters on February 1 hosted by the Armenian Ambassador to Belgium, Permanent Representative of Armenia to NATO and the Armenian military attache to NATO, the ministry of foreign affairs told ARMENPRESSS. The reception was attended by Ambassadors of NATO member and partner states, other diplomats, military officials and NATO officials. Ambassador Armen Yedigaryan, head of the Armenian mission to NATO, delivered opening remarks and presented the history of the establishment of the Armenian Armed Forces, the international military-political cooperation milestones of Armenia, the ongoing reforms in the Armenian Army and the nation-army concept. The Ambassador expressed assurance that the Armenia-NATO relations will continue to develop in a stable and mutually beneficial way. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced plans to hold a referendum on the issue of joining NATO. Four years ago only 16% of Ukrainians were in favor of joining NATO, now 54%, the President told Funke Mediengruppe newspaper. As President, I am obliged to be guided by the opinion of my people, I will hold a referendum on this issue, he said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Refusal of own soldier by Azerbaijani authorities is a crime, Davit Babayan, spokesman of the President of Nagorno Karabakh told ARMENPRESS, commenting on the recent sabotage actions of Azerbaijan in the line of contact and the attempts of the Azerbaijani authorities on renouncing their own soldier. Renouncing own soldier is not only a crime, it is also terrorism against its own people. They present this captured soldier in a way as if he came to get a visa or political asylum. You cant expect anything else from a terrorist state, Babayan said. Commenting on the sabotage operations of Azerbaijan, Davit Babayan said the Nagorno Karabakh forces are in control of the situation and are always ready to deliver an adequate counter-blow. Will the actions of the Defense Army [NKR forces] serve as a lesson? I think, yes, but not personally for Aliyev, because no one close to him dies, the deaths of soldiers arent a lesson for him. He wants similar actions to continue, he wants to inject another portion of anti-Armenian venom into his people and strengthen his leadership in that way. Now he tries to renounce the captured soldier, presenting him as decommissioned, violator of discipline. Aliyev needs dead heroes, in order to be able to speculate, or abnormal heroes like Safarov, who will completely depend on the leadership, Babayan said. According to him, 2017 is a special year for Armenians, the 25th anniversary of liberation of Shushi and Berdzor is marked. Azerbaijan tries to cast a shadow on this. Babayan stressed that Azerbaijan hasnt changed. Around 15:00, February 1, Azerbaijan tried to take advantage of the foggy weather conditions and attempted to make a sabotage-reconnaissance infiltration in the northern direction (Talish) of the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. NKR forces took countermeasures and repelled the Azerbaijani attack, inflicting losses. A 22 year old Azerbaijani soldier, Elnur Hussein Zade, a local of Barda city, was captured by NKR troops during the counter-operation. Azerbaijan suffered at least one wounded in action, which was officially confirmed by the Azerbaijani defense ministry. Azerbaijani media reports say the authorities are trying to renounce their own soldier. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan tasked to provide the 2017 business plans of state-owned companies in a three week period. In addition to overall presentation of business activities, the plans must include the following sections on a quarterly basis, income sources, estimated expenditures or including overall expenditures, expenditures of material production, repair costs, salary, administrative and other expenditures, taxes and other financial expenses, he said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Greece reported mass incursions by Turkish military aircraft on Wednesday, amid tensions over Athens' failure to hand over Turkish soldiers Ankara accuses of involvement in a coup attempt, Reuters reports. Defense ministry officials said they had recorded 138 violations of Greek airspace over islands in the central and southern Aegean, an unusually high number. They were intercepted, they said. Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos criticized what he called Turkey's "cowboy antics". "We want peace, we are not looking for a fight or for trouble in the Aegean, but there won't be an aircraft which will not be intercepted," Kammenos told Antenna Television. A Greek court last week blocked the extradition of eight Turkish military officers Ankara accuses of involvement in a failed coup in July 2016. Turkey said relations between the two countries would be reviewed. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. No vehicle crash happened in the Geghi village of Kapan region in the Syunik province. No servicemen were injured, spokesman of the defense minister Artsrun Hovhannisyan said on Facebook, denying media reports on a Ural military vehicle crashing into the river and 26 servicemen being injured. No one was injured. None of the servicemen were hospitalized, he said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The International Committee of the Red Cross is closely following media reports on the captured Azerbaijani soldier, Eteri Musayelyan, PR officer of the ICRC Nagorno Karabakh office told ARMENPRESS. In accordance to our mandate, the International Committee of the Red Cross is ready to visit the Azerbaijani captive as soon as possible, to observe his incarceration conditions and give him the opportunity of contacting his family, she said. Around 15:00, February 1, Azerbaijan tried to take advantage of the foggy weather conditions and attempted to make a sabotage-reconnaissance infiltration in the northern direction (Talish) of the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. NKR forces took countermeasures and repelled the Azerbaijani attack. A 22 year old Azerbaijani soldier, Elnur Hussein Zade, a local of Barda city, was captured by NKR troops during the counter-operation. Azerbaijan suffered at least one wounded in action, which was officially confirmed by the Azerbaijani defense ministry. Azerbaijani media reports say the authorities are trying to renounce their own soldier. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Arman Tatoyan, Ombudsman of Armenia, has difficulty in giving any guarantees regarding the freedom of blogger Alexander Lapshin, however specific actions are being taken in that direction, Tatoyan told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. Currently I am working with several reputable organizations. I cant guarantee results, but I hope they will have some effect. I agree with the Nagorno Karabakh Ombudsman, that from now on visits to Nagorno Karabakh must increase, including visits of international reporters, Tatoyan said, adding they are working with the NKR Ombudsman in designing a program on making the work of reporters in Nagorno Karabakh more effective. According to Tatoyan, the extradition of Lapshin to Azerbaijan can create serious human rights issues, in addition, in case of extradition, Lapshin will face serious punishment and revenge in Azerbaijan. Belarus police arrested Lapshin on December 15, 2016 in Minsk. Lapshin resides in Moscow and writes for the famous Russian Travel Blog. He is wanted by Azerbaijan for visiting Nagorno Karabakh in 2011, 2012 and 2016, and criticizing Azerbaijans policy in his blog. Baku demands the extradition of Lapshin from Belarus. Earlier it was reported that the Deputy Prosecutor General of Belarus has made a decision to uphold the request of Azerbaijans General Prosecutor on extraditing Citizen of Russia and Israel Alexander Lapshin, who is wanted for violating Articles 281.2 and 318.2 of Azerbaijans Criminal Code. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Kuwait H.E. Manvel Badeyan had a meeting on January 31 with Waleed Al-Khubeizi, Assistant of Kuwait's Foreign Minister for European Affairs, the ministry of foreign affairs told ARMENPRESS. Speaking about the Armenian-Kuwaiti relations, Waleed Al-Khubeizi said the high level and dynamic development of the relations forecast an excellent future for even more deepening and strengthening cooperation. He particularly noted that the development of business and commercial ties between Armenia and Kuwait is outstanding, and Armenia becomes more and more interesting for Kuwaiti investors and tourists. Ambassador Badeyan stressed the importance of direct flights and eliminating visa requirement between Armenia and Kuwait, and spoke about the strengthening and deepening of ties in technology, business, cultural and other fields. Both parties highlighted boosting joint actions aimed at deepening relations in tourism, expansion of the legal field, commercial, education and culture. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Ethnic Armenian Garo Paylan, HDP lawmaker of the Turkish Parliament, who was banned from the parliamentary session for using the word genocide, published an article on what happened and the purpose of his speech. Agos published the article. In the article, Paylan says he visited Berlin last week to take part in the Hrant Dink commemorative event. During the visit, he went to the Parliament of Germany, where he witnessed a commemorative event for the Holocaust victims. During the event, all lawmakers, Chancellor Merkel and ministers gave a standing ovation to the speeches and piano performance dedicated to the Holocaust victims. I was fascinated. The German Parliament was paying tribute to the victims of the great crime perpetrated by the Nazi government in the recent past. And I arrived from a completely different atmosphere. From a country, which is unable to face yesterdays calamity and continues the present one.I was saddened for my country; I went to a meeting with my eyes filled with tears.. Just a week ago, when I was delivering a speech on the constitutional changes, I was removed from the Parliament for speaking about what happened to my people during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. As an [ethnic] Armenian lawmaker, I am unable to speak about 102 year old sins, whereas the Germans, both left-wing and right-wing, pro-government or opposition, were facing their mistakes together, with great confidence. And no one was thinking that the German identity was being humiliated, Paylan said, mentioning that day by day it becomes more and more difficult to speak about history in Turkey. Commenting on his speech, Paylan said he aimed to mentally take the lawmakers back to the Ottoman period, when the constitutional discussions of those times began, trying to remind the mistakes of those years. The Nationalist Movement party labels the current proposed constitutional changes as Constitution of Turks. This scares me, since during those times Talaat Pasha and Enver Pasha engaged the Turks constitution with same logic, where some citizens were deemed as nothing. 1913-1923 passed with large massacres, genocides, pogroms. We massacred the Armenian, Assyrian, Greek and Jew peoples on large-scale. However, when I spoke about this in the Parliament, a big wave of anger occurred. For using the word genocide, I was subjected to an unprecedented punishment: I was banned from three parliamentary sessions, and my announcement was deleted from the Parliaments record, Paylan said. He stressed that his main goal was not to create a debate, but to urge to learn lessons from the past and to not repeat the same mistakes. I am concerned. Giving the powers of the Parliament to one person wont lead to good results. As result of the homogeneity ideology, the Christian and Jewish communities dropped from 40% to 1 in a thousand in Anatolia during the last Ottoman period. We paid a big price. However not only we, rather everyone have lost, everyone was stained because of the mistakes of a few people. For me, the problem isnt just the limitation of the freedom of speech in the Parliament, disrespect towards an elected official or the use or non use of that word. All of this are important, however the biggest fear is that Turkey is determined to take the path, which history warns not to take, Paylan said. He said events might lead to such development, where everyone will be harmed. This land, where we buried Hrant Dink 10 years ago, is today experiencing the skittishness of the dove. That skittishness is not irrelevant. We, Armenians, know this best. Thats why, I am addressing you, the majority, lets step back from this historic mistake, Paylan said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is a reliable and helpful partner for the EU, Armenpress reports Director General for Enlargement at the European Commission Christian Danielsson told the reporters in a briefing on February 2. Currently there is an agreement between Armenia and the European Union but we need a new one reflecting the future domains of the cooperation, Danielsson said. He added that at the moment Armenia and the EU negotiate on a new agreement. This agreement will cover a number of spheres, and of course, judicial reforms will be one of them. We provide assistance to all the key directions of justice and judiciary. Reforms in correctional institutions are also under our attention while the assistance for the creation of an independent and impartial judicial system is a priority for us, Danielsson stated. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economic Development and Investments of Armenia Suren Karayan received the delegation led by President, CEO and Director of "Lydian International Ltd Howard Stevenson. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, the Minister expressed satisfaction over the activities of the company in Armenia and added he would like to be informed on the ongoing works and expressed readiness to listen to problems and proposals. I am glad for the launch of the project and hope the construction works will continue at a faster pace and the enterprise will start operating in March, 2018 releasing its first product, Suren Karayan said, adding the Armenian Government attaches great importance to this project, which will foster the development of mining industry in Armenia. Howard Stevenson thanked the Minister for the reception and informed that new pace is given to the construction works in Jermuk city and Lydian Armenia will issue its first gold bar in March, 2018. "We find it very easy to work with the Government of Armenia since it is very open and prompt in responding to any of our proposals. We will implement the projects within 18 months, starting from now till 2018. We plan to invest 370 million USD and create 700 permanent jobs for 10 years and 1300 will combine jobs. By this project we expect to export products amounting to 259 million USD annually with an investment of 370 million USD. I think it will help the Government of Armenia to implement all its goals and projects, Howard Stevenson said. During the meeting the members of the delegation presented some issues related to the implementation of the project. Minister Karayan promised to discuss them and inform the leadership of the company on proposals. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The US authorities eased sanctions against Russias Federal Security Service. Armenpress reports, citing TASS, this information is contained in the General License No. 1 posted on February 2 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department. According to the license, "all transactions and activities" with participation of the Russian Federal Security Service, prohibited earlier by executive orders of the US President, are authorized with certain exceptions. Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has declined to make a statement on the United States decision. "First we need to understand what it is all about," Peskov said. "If we turn to the rocket engines matter, we will see that our US counterparts never impose sanctions that could damage their own interests." YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. On the last day of the official visit to Iran, the Armenian delegation led by Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan visited ETKA company providing logistical support to the army. Afterwards, the meeting between Vigen Sargsyan and foreign policy advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Akbar Velayati took place. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the MoD Armenia, highly assessing the centuries-old friendship between Armenia and Iran, the interlocutors expressed conviction that it is an important precondition for constantly deepening bilateral relations. Ali Akbar Velayati mentioned that Iran and Armenia already effectively cooperate in various economic spheres, and hoped that the visit of the Armenian Defense Minister will foster defense cooperation as well. The meeting addressed both bilateral and multilateral issues, particularly regional issues. Vigen Sargsyan and Ali Akbar Velayati shared the opinion that the creation of new hot spots will seriously jeopardize regional security; therefore it is necessary to combine efforts to prevent terrorism and extremism. Nagorno Karabakh conflict was also touched upon. The sides stressed that the issue can have no military solution and settlement can be reached through solely political methods. The Armenian delegation returned to Armenia in the evening, February 2. A Texas jury ruled in favor of software firm ZeniMax in a lawsuit which claimed the virtual reality technology was stolen A US jury Wednesday ordered Facebook and creators of its Oculus Rift to pay $500 million to gaming software firm ZeniMax in a lawsuit that claimed the virtual reality technology was stolen. The Texas jury made the award in a trial in which Oculus was accused of basing its Rift headset on technology stolen from ZeniMax's virtual reality software, court documents showed. The lawsuit claimed Oculus founder Palmer Luckey developed the virtual reality gear using source code illegally obtained from the gaming firm. ZeniMax said it was "pleased" about the award for "unlawful infringement of our copyrights and trademarks, and for the violation of our non-disclosure agreement with Oculus pursuant to which we shared breakthrough VR technology that we had developed and that we exclusively own." Robert Altman, ZeniMax's chairman and chief executive, said in the statement: "Technology is the foundation of our business and we consider the theft of our intellectual property to be a serious matter." Facebook acquired Oculus in 2014 for more than $2 billion and last year began selling the Rift headsets as part of the social network's push into virtual reality. OAKLAND, Calif.Just a few days less than a year since the Standards Board of the California Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA) heard dozens of performers express their concerns over the Division's continued attempts to require all adult productions in the state to use condoms and other "barrier protections" in creating sexually explicit content, the newly (re)created Cal/OSHA advisory committee met to look at the subject once againand this time, prominent members of the adult community were actually invited to participateand with any luck, the Cal/OSHA attendees actually heard what they were saying. Ostensibly, the committee meeting was to discuss two competing petitions which had been filed with the Board: One, Petition 557, filed by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and the other, Petition 560, by Free Speech Coalition (FSC)but in fact, during the roughly six-hour hearing, the petitions themselves were barely mentioned. The meeting, which was held in a conference room at the Elihu Harris State Building in Oakland, was sparsely attended, in part because of its location far from the state's epicenter of adult production in Los Angeles, and in part because the industry was well represented by a group that included FSC Executive Director Eric Paul Leue, FSC Director of Policy and Industry Relations Siousxie Q, attorney Karen Tynan, physician Dr. David Holland, infectious disease specialist and Cutting Edge Testing Clinic director Peter Miao, talent agent and FSC Board member Mark Schechter, and the entire Board of the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee (APAC): Co-Founder/Chair Chanel Preston, President Ela Darling, VP Mickey Mod and Secretary Verta. Also on hand and generally supportive of the performers was Israel Nieves of the San Francisco Public Health Department. The AHF side was led by former Cal/OSHA attorney Suzanne Marria, and included epidemiologists Drs. Gary Richwald and Jeffrey Klausner, as well as AHF Director of Advocacy and Policy Research Adam Cohen and a somewhat surprising fifth member: Jennifer Ketcham, and who holds a master's degree in social work and is a former adult performer/director under the name Penny Flame. For Cal/OSHA itself, the committee members consisted of Nathan Schmidt, assistant chief counsel to the Standards Board and this session's moderator; Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum, safety engineer Steve Smith, deputy chief Eric Berg, Standards Board executive officer Marley Hart, Standards Board senior safety engineers David Kernazitskas, Brandon Hart and Michael Horowitz. The day's discussion would consist of mainly four parts, including the question of whether adult performers are legally employees (and as such would be subject to Cal/OSHA regulations) or independent contractors or something else; whether it is necessary to amend the California Health Code, specifically Section 5193 which governs the state's bloodborne pathogen standards and contains the "barrier protection" requirement; whether additional safety precautions should be required, such as vaccinations for Hepatitis A and HPV, whether additional tests and/or use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be required; and whether the current standards allow for adequate medical record confidentialitythough there was little talk of that last point, as discussions of the other issues ran well over the time allotted. Leue set the tone of the meeting early on when he noted that "The reason the Free Speech Coalition filed Petition 560 is very clear, because there is an understanding on the other side of the room that it is not necessary to talk to our industry. We've gone through this process for over seven years, and sadly we were not welcomed in the room; our views, the views of our workers, the needs of our workers were pushed aside and not listened to "For us, what is important is that our workers are guaranteed rights and freedoms, control over their own bodies, that employers do not dictate sexual health choices, do not dictate the private lives of our workers and other things," he added. Leue stressed that scientific advances in healthcare had changed the discipline so greatly since the Health Code section was written in the early 1990s that Cal/OSHA was duty-bound to alter its predetermined policy, as stated on its agenda, that "all scientific data presented to and reviewed by Cal/OSHA shows that no alternative methods are at least as effective as barrier protection." Marria started the discussion of the legal status of adult performers by noting that through Petition 557, AHF wanted to insure that all adult employees get the "best possible protection" from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), that AHF supports Section 5193 but would be interested in resubmitting the proposed changes to that section that had been discussed at the February 2016 hearing as new Section 5193.1. Marria also claimed that based on two cases that had been heard by the Cal/OSHA Appeals Board, as well as a California Supreme Court decision, adult workers had already been deemed "employees" and were subject to the Cal/OSHA mandatesa claim that Leue described as an "alternative fact," the Kellyanne Conway phrase for "lie" that reportedly shot George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four to the top of the Amazon best-seller list. There followed a long discussion of how performers are hired/cast in adult productions, with the industry side of the table being unanimous in stating that essentially, most power lay in the hands of the performers themselves, some of whom had personal corporations (LLCs) which dealt with producers. Particular attention was paid to performers "no lists"lists which virtually all performers keep with names of other performers that they refuse to work with. Darling also brought up the fact, echoed several times during the discussion, that often, the performers themselves are producers in situations involving webcamming, content trades and sales on sites like Clips4Sale. Siouxsie Q referred to such entrepreneurs as "small business owners," and noted that in many cases, performers will only work with a spouse or long-time partner, negating the possibility of disease transmission between them. Verta stated that in her reading of the Cal/OSHA regulations, there is no definition of "adult industry employment," and Schmidt agreed. Marria then pointed out that nonetheless, Cal/OSHA had cited several production companies over the years with violation of the bloodborne pathogen (BBP) standard for failing to use barrier protections, and once again stated that the Appeals Board rulings in two cases, those of Treasure Island Media and "Echo Alpha," had settled the question of whether adult performers were employees. However, moderator Schmidt declared the legal decisions to be off-topic, and that part of the day's hearing was to explore just what performers' status is. Tynan added that the Supreme Court decision to which Marria had referred was several years ago and had involved farm workers (cucumber pickers), not adult performers. Cohen then asked for data as to how many adult performers are also producers, noting that at one point, APAC had said that 75 percent werea figure Preston later corrected to note that 75 percent of APAC members were. "Performers are in control of what they do or don't do," stated Schechter, adding that they were free to decline offers to perform in movies, and once on set, had almost complete control of the mechanics of each sex scenea point with which several performers present agreed. Leue questioned what type of content was under discussionrecorded content? Live cams? Clips?and stated that the various types of content made the discussion "very complicated," and suggested that a future meeting include "whiteboard sessions," one for the industry, one for AHF, where each side would list its major arguments. He also suggested that APAC would be willing to help create a performer survey so the performers themselves could better express their own views on employment. Ketcham agreed that whiteboard sessions would be a good idea, stating that "We're all interested in safety," but noted that her perspective on the issue had changed from when she was a performer to now. Dr. Richwald threw in the observation, "You can't lab-test an LLC, only a person." The committee members had been supplied with a multi-page "summary document" from CalOSHA, and Marria used it to claim that according to the Division, several performers had not been hired because of their insistence on using condoms and that others had experienced "workplace violence in production." Leue called such claims "insulting" and irrelevant to the discussion, and later speakersmost notably industry veteran Julia Annnoted that there's a difference between "workplace violence" and simply performing a sexual act (or in Ann's case, a BDSM scene) to which she had initially agreed but found off-putting in practice. However, Ann and several others noted, performers always have the ability to stop a scene if the action goes beyond their personal boundaries. The discussion then turned to how the Health Code might be changed regarding what testing should be required for performers, with all of the physicians weighing in to favor of adding some to the current regimen of nine, including throat and anal swabs to detect some bacterial diseasesand there was even more discussion about whether bacteria-based diseases should be part of a bloodborne pathogen regimen since they are, by definition, not bloodborneand a large part of the discussion centered around herpes, which the AHF side favored testing for, while Preston noted that a recent study had found that 90 percent of all Americans had the disease already. Cohen referred to a 2017 study (apparently the final version of a report that AHF had presented to the Centers for Disease Control nearly three years ago) which claimed high infection rates of some STIs among the performer population, but Preston pointed out that of the clinics providing data for that study, one was an "urgent care" facility which was involved only in treatment of disease, and should not have been included. There was also a bit of discussion of the use of PrEP to prevent HIV infection, and all present agreed that proper use of PrEP had been shown to be highly effectivethough the AHF side adamantly insisted that PrEP was no substitute for condom useand Cohen issued a veiled threat to Schechter by claiming that under California's agency law, talent agents are prohibited from sending actors into an "unsafe environment," which he stated that non-condom sets are. The topic of "condom rash" was also much in evidence, with several performers noting that they had experienced it after long sex scenes, and later, during the "audience participation" segment, Dr. Hernando Chavez suggested that if the committee would like to get a feel for condom rash, they should rub their forefingers briskly along their forearm for 45 minutes straightand they could even use lube! As part of the discussion of medical record confidentiality in the industry, Leue was called upon to explain how the industry's PASS system works, and he made it clear that only performers and the clinics they test at have access to the performers' test results, though it is common for the actors to share such results with the scene partner(s). It was noted that part of the discussion of proposed Section 5193.1 was a requirement that producers pay for talent testing, and Leue informed the committee of FSC's subsidy fund which currently reimburses performers for part of their testing expenses, and that plans were currently underway to expand that program. There was also discussion about whether Cal/OSHA should oversee performers' testing records as part of "medical surveillance," though Dr. Nieves felt that was only necessary in the case of active infections. Schmidt then opened up the floor for audience comments, and the speakers were almost entirely supportive of the adult industry's positionsexcept, of course, AHF employee Whitney Engeran-Cordova and patient Derrick Burts. Among those who spoke were Treasure Island Media casting director Kevin Kintero, director Mr Pam, directors/producers/performers Five Star, Carla Lane, Jonni Starlight and Riley Reyes, performers Ruckus, Sam Solo, Coco Kitty, Isabella Sorrentini, Stefani Special, Nikki Darling, Marcello and Julia Ann (who noted, "I have to medicate every time I use a condom" and that it takes a minimum of five condoms to shoot a scene), as well as married couple Alice and Justin Wilson (Alice: "Forcing us to wear condoms is forcing us to put something between us that we don't want and don't need"). Of particular note was a speaker identified only as Rachel, who worked in the industry as performer Ava Taylor and who was one of the main characters in the pseudo-documentary Hot Girls Wanted, who opined that producers actually cared little about healthcare, that the "underground" adult industry already exists, and that her agent often ignored her "no" list when booking her for production. Others who commented in support of the industry included former performer and sex worker Alex Sebastian Morgan, industrial hygienist Steve Derman and lobbyist Kevin Bland. Pictured: The adult industry members of the Cal/OSHA advisory committee. Pictured: 1987 AVN Awawrd for Best Softcore Release and 2017 AVN Award for Best Boutique LAS VEGASWhile much of the celebration during the annual AVN Awards centers on the performers and studios, the ceremony also honors the pleasure products and retailing segments of the industry. The thrill of winning an AVN Award is no less thrilling for inventors and store owners than it is for performers and directors. Stephanie Berman, CEO of Berman Innovations and inventor of the Semenette and the POPDildo, was gobsmacked when she saw her companys name scroll across the screens of The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas during the Jan. 21 awards ceremony. "What a true honor it is to be awarded the AVN Award for Best Small Manufacturer! said Berman, who attended the event with her wife. This night is all about celebrating the best of the best in the adult industry and to be chosen as the winner in this category is the highest recognition I could ask for. Thanks to the entire AVN staff for putting on another incredible show!" For some, winning an AVN Award was not only a a dream come true, but also a family tradition. Daniel Greenberg, owner of Cupids Closet in Westchester, Calif., took home the trophy for Best Boutique, 30 years after his father won his own AVN Award. I can't even begin to explain to you how much this award meant to me, especially the timing, and how thankful I am every time I think about it, Greenberg said. Greenbergs award came in a category that is still relatively new to the AVN Awards; retail categories were not added to the ceremony until the 28th annual AVN Awards that took place in January 2010. His fathers award from 1987 was for Best Softcore Release. That category, which in some years was known as Best Alternative Release, was discontinued after the 29th annual AVN Awards, which were presented in January 2012. Winners of the Pleasure Products and Retail & Distribution categories for the 2017 AVN Awards are as follows: PLEASURE PRODUCTS Best Condom Manufacturer Trojan Best Enhancement Manufacturer MD Science Labs Best Fetish Manufacturer Stockroom Best Lingerie or Apparel Manufacturer Fantasy Lingerie Best Lubricant Manufacturer System JO Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer Small Berman Innovations/POPDildo Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer Medium Jopen Best Pleasure Product Manufacturer Large NS Novelties RETAIL & DISTRIBUTION Best Boutique Cupid's Closet (Westchester, CA) Best Retail Chain Small Babeland Best Retail Chain Medium Ambiance, The Store for Lovers Best Retail Chain Large Lions Den Best Web Retail Store AdultEmpire.com Milo as "Ivana Wall," speaking at Louisiana State University on Sep. 21, 2016. Say the name out loud and you'll get the joke. "Right about now your dick is probably confused," read one of the slides on stage during the performance. Image: Reddit. Pro-Trump and extremist right wing/white supremacist personality Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to deliver a speech at U.C. Berkeley, but his appearance was canceled by university officials tonight after big protests on campus that got out of hand with some people setting some objects on fire. No arrests or injuries reported. Yiannopoulos is doing a speaking tour on college campuses to promote his male "Privilege" scholarship fund. The university made the cancellation announcement on Twitter around 9:15 PM local time, after the rowdy but peaceful demonstration had been going on in a nearby area of campus for an hour or so. You may recall that Mr. Yiannopoulos was "permanently suspended" from Twitter for directing his racist fans to attack "Ghostbusters" star Leslie Jones, who was mocked in a targeted harassment attack that included trolls sending her images of herself as an ape. Demo protesting Milo Yiannopoulos at @UCBerkeley has gotten a bit out of hand pic.twitter.com/drFjqiFkAL JesusCamposHernandez (@superzusgw) February 2, 2017 UC Berkeley campus police hyperbolically described the Wednesday night demonstrations as "major protest attacks" and warned to avoid the area. The protests continued, even after police orders to disperse. .@UCBerkeley Milo event cancelled. Shelter in place if on campus. All campus buildings on lockdown. #miloatcal UC Police, Berkeley (@UCPD_Cal) February 2, 2017 More at the New York Times: On Facebook, Mr. Yiannopoulos said he had been evacuated from the campus after "violent left-wing protesters tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building." He added, "One thing we do know for sure: The Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." A portable high-intensity light, the kind used on construction sites, was set afire, according to an image on Twitter. From the Los Angeles Times: Witnesses said some windows were broken at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union, where Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at an event hosted by the Berkeley College Republicans. This marks the second time in two weeks that rowdy protests have forced the cancellation of a Yiannopoulos speech. The same thing happened last month at UC Davis, prompting a debate about free speech protections and how universities should respond to so-called hate speech. This is Vincas Juska, a knygnesys "book smuggler" one of the brave people who defied Tsar Alexander II's "Temporary Rules for State Junior Schools of the Northwestern Krai" by smuggling books written with Latin characters into Lithuania, defying the ban put into place after the Polish-Lithuanian insurrection of 1863. The book smugglers worked to circumvent this ban printed Lithuanian language, enforced by the occupying Russian Empire, from 1865 to 1904. Sure, official language for state business is one thing, but crucially, schoolbooks had to be written using the Cyrillic alphabet, rather than Latin, which the Lithuanian language uses. It was a direct attempt to extinguish the Lithuanian language and, by extension culture. Underground schools were set up that used the smuggled books to teach proper Lithuanian sometimes as supplementary after school activity organized by sympathetic teachers, in churches, sometimes at home. The book smugglers became a symbol of Lithuanians' resistance to Russification. During the final years of the ban, an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 books were smuggled in annually. About one-third of them were seized by authorities. Lithuanian books reached every settlement in Lithuania, and many legal institutions served as undercover transfer points for the books. The bans lack of success was recognized by the end of the 19th century, and in 1904, under the official pretext that the minorities within the Russian Empire needed to be pacified after the Russo-Japanese War, the ban on Lithuanian-language publications was lifted. In 1905, soon after the ban was lifted, one of the book smugglers, Juozas Masiulis, opened his own bookstore in Panevezys. This bookstore is still operational, and a chain of bookstores operates in Lithuania under his name. LONDON (Reuters) - State-backed Lloyds Banking Group said on Wednesday it planned to ax 1,230 jobs as part of a three-year restructuring plan aimed at cutting costs and improving returns for shareholders. Employee union Unite branded the job losses, expected to hit the lender's retail banking, Group Operations, Customer Products & Marketing, and Finance and Risk divisions, as "horrific". The net total of planned layoffs is inclusive of 110 new roles that will be created across these business areas, the bank said. Lloyds announced in July it would cut a further 3,000 jobs and close 200 branches amid a more testing economic environment caused by Britain's vote to quit the European Union. The bank has already cut about 4,000 positions from its 75,000-strong workforce in 2016 and has closed around 100 branches so far this year. "The constant flow of job cuts across Lloyds must now be halted and staff be allowed to get on with delivering the high quality and impressive service they are so good at providing," Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer said in a statement. "The Lloyds management pursuit of this cuts agenda is counter-productive in their aim of a successful business." A spokeswoman for the bank said all affected employees have been briefed by managers and unions would continue to be consulted. "This process involves taking difficult decisions, and we are committed to working through these changes in a careful and sensitive way," she said. "Where it is necessary for employees to leave the company, it will look to achieve this by offering voluntary redundancy. Compulsory redundancies will always be a last resort." Unite said it would oppose all planned job losses and challenge senior management to ensure affected staff are offered alternative suitable employment. (Reporting By Sinead Cruise, editing by Andrew MacAskill and Rachel Armstrong) Photo: Vanessa Yeap/Facebook A Singapore Airlines stewardess was found dead in a hotel room in San Francisco on Tuesday (31 January) US time, just hours before she was scheduled to fly back to Singapore on a return flight. The deceased has been identified as Penang-born Vanessa Yeap, 38, a leading stewardess who has been with SIA for 16 years, according to media reports on Thursday. Yeap told her colleagues that she was not feeling well when she arrived in the US city, according to a Channel 8 report. Hours before the return flight, Yeaps colleagues were looking for her as she did not turn up at the hotel lobby. They later found her dead in her room. SIA said in a statement obtained by The Straits Times, We can confirm with regret that one of our female cabin crew was found deceased in her hotel room in San Francisco on Feb 1, 2017 (Singapore time). Our immediate priority is to provide the necessary assistance to the family of the crew member. As the case is under the investigation of the local authorities, we are unable to share any further details. The member of crew operated to SFO on flight SQ2/28 January and was due to have operated out from SFO on SQ1/1 February. Eric Yeap, brother of the deceased, told Channel 8 that he was on his way to San Francisco. In a post on his Facebook page earlier Thursday, he wrote, Ko Ko (Brother) love you always. A new service offers routine medical care for a fee over the Internet. Starting in Ontario, the creators hope to expand countrywide. Photo from Getty Images A new paid service in Ontario offering virtual doctor consultations has some health experts concerned the model could derail the public system. Maple allows clients to connect with doctors by instant messaging or video chat at any time of day, for a fee. The licensed physicians can offer basic medical care for non-urgent conditions, such as rashes, ear infections or coughs, according to its website. Services include sick notes, prescriptions, and, if needed, drug delivery. Maple CEO Brett Belchetz, who is also an emergency room doctor based in Toronto, says the technology is already used around the world, in places like the U.S., the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and other parts of Europe. Virtual care has become a very much predominant way of doctors seeing patients in a way thats convenient, and good in providing efficient care for the community, he told Yahoo Canada News. While this has become a normal part of care around the world, it hasnt penetrated into Canada. Read more: Belchetz wanted to address the issue of scrambling to get a doctors appointment last minute, as a way to free up space in walk-in clinics and emergency rooms. He also points to studies from the American Medical Association and Northern Ontario School of Medicine that show between 50-70 per cent of medical cases could be addressed through remote monitoring. At least half of the patients I see really dont need me to lay physical hands of them in order for me to give a diagnosis or to provide treatment, Belchetz said. So far, there are 50 Ontario-based physicians available through the website, who also work as family physicians or in the emergency room. Belchetz says there are plans to expand to British Columbia, Alberta and several Maritime provinces over the next few months, and throughout the country by the end of the year. Story continues Pricing depends on the time of day or night. Weekday consultations between 8 a.m. and midnight are $49, while weekend visits between 8.m. and midnight are $79. After hours appointments between midnight and 7:59 a.m. cost $99. Yearly personal and family memberships are also offered. None of these fees are covered by Ontarios public health care insurance. Belchetz believes Maple will prove its utility for lowering health-care costs, and governments will fund the service in the coming years. During the companys pilot phase, 95 per cent of cases were resolved without in-person care, he said. The service is especially useful for remote communities or people who cant travel to a clinic due to disabilities or other barriers. Ritika Goel is a Toronto family doctor and board member of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, a physician-led advocacy group that champions public health care. She says similar systems, such as ones in Australia, havent made a dent in wait times. Its really just a way of reordering the line based on the ability to pay instead of based on need, she said. While a patient might get what they need from an online consultation, Goel says there are benefits to regular doctor visits with one practice. Its really important for me that my patients are being seen by me because I know their full, complex medical history. So Im able to see things in the long-term context of their health care needs, she said. Will Falk is a member of the C.D. Howe Institutes health policy council and has written on the subject of virtualized health care services. He says there are many similar startups in Canada, such as Akira, a Canadian mobile app that connects users with doctors and nurses, and Equinoxe, which bills itself as Canadas virtual clinic. However, he sees these companies as playing around the edges until the public system opens up reimbursement. Clearly people who interact in virtual technologies in every part of their life are going to expect to be able to do that in health care, he said. If the public system doesnt offer that, theres going to be a market opportunity. By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA (Reuters) - A top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran will not yield to "useless" U.S. threats from "an inexperienced person" over its ballistic missile program. U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said on Wednesday the United States was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilizing activity" after it test-fired a ballistic missile. Trump echoed that language on Thursday, saying in a tweet "Iran has been formally put on notice" after his administration said it was reviewing how to respond to the launch that Iran said was solely for defensive purposes. Iran said on Wednesday it had tested the new ballistic missile but said it did not breach a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. "This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran ... the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless," Ali Akbar Velayati said, without identifying any U.S. official specifically in his comments. "Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself," he was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency. Khamenei is the country's most powerful figure. A U.S. official said Iran had test-launched the medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after traveling 630 miles (1,010 km). Iran said it had been a successful launch. A series of tests conducted by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in 2016 caused international concern, with some powers saying any launch of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles would violate U.N. Security Council resolution 2231. NUCLEAR DEAL The IRGC maintains an arsenal of dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles - the largest in the Middle East, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. Under the nuclear agreement, most U.N. sanctions were lifted a year ago. But Iran is still subject to an U.N. arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal. Trump has frequently criticized the Iran nuclear deal, which restricts Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of the sanctions, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. He tweeted on Thursday that Iran "should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them". Iran's Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday: "The missile test on Sunday was successful ... the test was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any U.N. resolution." German newspaper Die Welt, citing unspecified intelligence sources, reported on Thursday that Iran had tested a home-made cruise missile called "Sumar" that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Tasnim news agency two years ago published pictures of the Sumar missile, reporting that it was successfully test-fired. While Iran says its missile program is aimed at displaying the country's "deterrent power and its ability to confront any threat", some IRGC commanders have said that Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles were designed to be able to hit Israel. Iran refuses to recognize Israel. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Alison Williams) Research Study: Course Feedback Helps Underperforming Students Most Dashboards that report on course progress are more motivating for underperforming students than for those who are doing well, according to a new study from the University of Michigan and Blackboard. The researchers conducted interviews and simulations with 47 U-M undergraduates to find out how course feedback and dashboard tools can best support students. "This study is the first to specifically investigate how feedback and students' academic standing affects their experience with dashboards and points to the importance of considering how to design these systems to provide more personalized information that motivates students," said Stephanie Teasley, a research professor in the U-M School of Information (UMSI), who led the project in collaboration with researchers and staff from Blackboard. After putting students through various feedback scenarios, the researchers found that: The students with lower GPAs were more likely to turn on a summary feedback feature, check it regularly and take immediate action; Regardless of their GPA in real life, students who were told in the simulation that they were doing poorly were more likely to find the feedback useful; and Students at all performance levels said they found the dashboard feedback useful, and that they'd appreciate continuous access to it. "Underperforming students are the ones who have the most to gain from dashboards," Teasley said in a statement. "And a concern going into the study was that the dashboards would decrease their motivation. However, many of these students' comments reflected insights about what they might do to improve, which is one of the intended benefits of dashboards." The study was "funded by Blackboard and collaboratively designed and interpreted. All direct observation and findings were conducted by the independent research team at U-M," according to a press release. The full report is available on the Blackboard blog. THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Women whose breasts are predominantly made up of more dense, glandular tissue face higher odds for breast cancer, a new study finds. The researchers added that, based on their study of 200,000 women, breast density may be the most important gauge of breast cancer risk, eclipsing family history of the disease and other risk factors. "The most significant finding in this study is the impact of breast density on development of breast cancer in the population," said study senior author Dr. Karla Kerlikowske. She is a researcher in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Still, not everyone is convinced that breast tissue density is the preeminent risk factor for breast cancer. Dr. Kristin Byrne is chief of breast imaging at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She believes that the numbers in the study attributed to risk based on tissue density seem "incredibly high, especially when other risk factors were not taken into consideration." Byrne said, "Before these patients are placed on drugs such as tamoxifen, which have significant side effects and are intolerable for many people, more studies are necessary." As the UCSF researchers explained, glandular tissue appears dense on a standard mammogram, while fatty tissue is less so. And many factors can influence the composition of breast tissue. Overweight or obese women typically "have lower breast density, though age is a strong determinant of breast density as well," study first author Natalie Engmann, a Ph.D. candidate in UCSF's department of epidemiology and biostatistics, said in a university news release. "Dense breasts are more common in younger women, and most women experience a sharp decline [in breast density] during menopause that continues in the postmenopausal period," she added. "However, postmenopausal estrogen and progestin [hormone] therapy can reverse the decline of breast density with age." Denser breasts have been thought to be more prone to tumors because of cellular factors, and also because smaller tumors in dense tissue are tougher to pick up on mammograms. The new study sought to quantify the risk. To do so, Kerlikowske's team tracked outcomes for about 200,000 U.S. women in the national Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, a database aimed at assessing breast cancer screening. About 18,000 of the women had varying stages of breast cancer, while the remaining 184,000 did not. The study participants had their breast densities recorded and were split into four categories: category A, breasts made up almost entirely of fat; category B, breasts scattered with dense tissue but mostly fat; category C, those with moderately dense tissue; and category D, breasts where dense tissue makes up at least 75 percent of the breast. The research team then looked over a range of known breast cancer risk factors -- a family history of disease, a woman's prior history of benign breast lesions, her breast density and having a first baby after the age of 30 -- to determine the effect of each on cancer risk. Overall, breast density was the most prevalent risk factor for breast cancer, the UCSF team reported. Based on its calculations, Kerlikowske's team estimated that about 39 percent of breast cancers in younger, premenopausal women could have been prevented if those in the two higher tissue density categories had been shifted to a lower density category. About a 26 percent reduction in breast cancers for older, postmenopausal women was also estimated, using the same calculations. Unfortunately, there's not much a woman can do about the density of her breast tissue, the researchers noted. "Treatment with tamoxifen, an estrogen hormone blocker, is the only intervention currently known that substantially reduces breast density, and thus reduces breast cancer risk," Engmann explained. "However, tamoxifen can have serious side effects and is generally only recommended for women at high risk of breast cancer, with guidance from their physician. Our study highlights the need for new interventions to reduce breast density for women at average risk," she added. Simply gaining excess weight -- even though it tends to add fatty tissue to breasts -- would not lower a woman's risk for breast cancer. That's because the UCSF study, along with prior research, found that obesity also raises breast cancer risk in older, postmenopausal women. Other factors added less to overall breast cancer risk than many have previously supposed, the study found. For example, prior family history of the disease accounted for less than 10 percent of cases. And a prior patient history of benign breast lesions accounted for only about 7 percent of cases in premenopausal women and less than 9 percent of cases for postmenopausal women, the researchers reported. Finally, waiting to have a first child until after the age of 30 was linked with a nearly 9 percent added risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women and a 5 percent increased risk for postmenopausal women, the study team said. The study was funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and is published in the Feb. 2 issue of the journal JAMA Oncology. For her part, Byrne said women with dense breasts shouldn't panic at these results. "It is not clear if reducing breast density will decrease breast cancer risk," she said. "Older age and gaining weight after menopause are both related to lower breast density -- but are also related to an increase in breast cancer risk," Byrne said. The reasons behind the development of any one breast cancer remain complex, she added. "There are other contributing risk factors such as alcohol use, sedentary lifestyle, use of birth control, postmenopausal hormonal therapy, menstrual history, radiation exposure, as well as family history of breast cancer," she said. "I think that assessing all of these risk factors is necessary to decide what a person's actual risk is." Dr. Cynara Coomer is chief of breast surgery at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. She agreed with Byrne that any attempt to alter breast density comes with its own hazards. While gaining excess weight can lower tissue density, "obesity has been implicated in many diseases, including breast cancer, in postmenopausal women," Coomer said. On the other hand, "tamoxifen is the only medication that can decrease breast density," she said, but, "like much of medicine, the risks must be weighed against the benefits." Some of those risks include a higher chance of developing uterine cancer or deep vein thrombosis, which are blood clots in the legs, Coomer said. More information There's more on breast density at the American Cancer Society. THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A single dose of an experimental Zika vaccine protected mice and monkeys from the virus, researchers report. Following Zika virus outbreaks in Latin America and some parts of the southern United States, scientists have been trying to develop a vaccine against the virus. Several vaccines have been tested in animals, but this is the first one to show strong and long-lasting protection without the use of a live virus, the researchers said. However, animal research does not always pan out in humans. Traditional vaccines contain a weakened or killed version of the target virus or isolated viral proteins. This vaccine uses tiny strands of RNA that contain the genetic codes for making viral proteins, according to the study authors. One injection of the vaccine triggered a rapid immune response in mice and protected them from intravenous exposure to Zika two weeks later. That protection remained when the mice were exposed to the Zika virus five months after vaccination. The researchers also found that one injection of the vaccine in macaque monkeys provided strong protection against the Zika virus five weeks later. The findings were published Feb. 1 in the journal Nature. "We observed rapid and durable protective immunity without adverse events, and so we think this candidate vaccine represents a promising strategy for the global fight against Zika virus," said senior study author Dr. Drew Weissman, a professor of infectious disease at the University of Pennsylvania. "We hope to start clinical trials in 12 to 18 months," he said in a university news release. "Our work so far suggests that this new vaccine strategy induces a level of virus neutralization about 25 times greater, after a single dose, than one sees in standard vaccines," Weissman said. "If a vaccine is effective after just a single immunization, the infrastructure needed for its administration can be much simpler," he explained. Scientists have been scrambling to find a Zika vaccine ever since an outbreak began in April 2015 in Brazil. Thousands of babies in that country have been born with severe birth defects after their mothers were infected during pregnancy. The most common defect seen has been microcephaly, where the head and brain are abnormally small. But other birth defects have also been spotted with increasing frequency, including ones that damage vision, hearing and the nervous system. In the United States, 1,394 pregnant women have been diagnosed with Zika infection as of Jan. 24, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those pregnancies, 38 infants have been born with Zika-related birth defects, and five Zika-related pregnancy losses have been reported, the CDC said. More information The World Health Organization has more on Zika. This Q & A will tell you what you need to know about Zika. To see the CDC list of sites where Zika virus is active and may pose a threat to pregnant women, click here. THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Insomnia may increase adults' risk of asthma, a new study suggests. People with chronic sleep struggles were three times more likely to develop asthma than those without insomnia, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found. "Insomnia, defined as having difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep, or having poor sleep quality, is common among asthma patients, but whether insomnia patients have a higher risk of developing asthma at a later stage has not been thoroughly investigated," said study co-author Linn Beate Strand. The study included data from nearly 18,000 people, aged 20 to 65, in Norway. The researchers found that people who said they had difficulty falling asleep "often" or "almost every night" had a 65 percent and 108 percent increased risk, respectively, of developing asthma over 11 years. People who said they woke too early and couldn't get back to sleep "often" or "almost every night" had a 92 percent and 36 percent increased risk, respectively, of asthma. And those who had poor quality sleep at least once a week had a 94 percent increased risk of developing asthma, the findings showed. However, the study doesn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship between insomnia and asthma. Further research is required to confirm the findings, Strand said. About 300 million people worldwide have asthma, a chronic respiratory disorder characterized by wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Known risk factors include smoking, obesity and air pollution. "As insomnia is a manageable condition, an increased focus on the adverse health effects of insomnia could be helpful in the prevention of asthma," Strand said in a news release from the European Lung Foundation. According to study lead author Ben Brumpton: "A key finding in our study is that those people with chronic insomnia had more than three times the risk of developing asthma, compared to those without chronic insomnia, which suggests that any changes in the body due to insomnia may accumulate and result in more severe harmful effects on the airways." Brumpton is also affiliated with Norway's Trondheim University Hospital, in the department of thoracic and occupational medicine. Recent research also suggests that depression and anxiety may be associated with adults' risk of developing asthma, according to background notes with the study. The study was published Feb. 1 in the European Respiratory Journal. More information The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more on asthma. - Geogina Onuoha has exposed Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo's criminal charges in US - The actress released the document on her Instagram page on February 2, 2017 - Kemi reacted to the allegation calling them false Ex-governors daughter, Kemi Olunloyo is an allegedly wanted criminal in the US (see document) The battle between ex-Oyo state governor Victor Omololu Olunloyos daughter Kemi Olunloyo and Nollywood actresses Georgina Onuoha and Angela Okorie has developed a new twist as one of the actresses, Onuoha, has revealed documents alleging the self-claimed journalist has criminal cases to answer to in USA. Read her post below: s Actress Georgina Onuoha READ ALSO: Kemi Olunloyo blasts Governor Ambode for arresting Pretty Mike The actress went further to inform Nigerians who Kemi truly is and wants them to sign a petition to extradite the social media commentator to the US face the criminal charges against her. Onuoha wrote: Fellow Nigerians, you are dealing with a con artist.. she uses different names.. and has seven arrest warrant on her.. She jumped bail in Newton county Georgia Atlanta. Please sign a petition to extradite her back to go face the law. Our kids are our treasure and should not be endangered by folks like @hnnafrica who is not a U.S. citizen, says her Nigerian passport being held in Newton County expired, so she was able to get a new one. You must all report her pages and handles for her to take down every celebrity pictures she has there. Especially with Angela's son.. Many more to come.. Stay tuned.. You have to publicly apologize to all my colleagues you've ever insulted for no just cause. You can throw your son/kids out of a moving car to kill them!! but scum don't you ever name my kids again.. bring it on I'm waiting to release all your criminal records if you don't call All of my colleagues and apologize. Don't ever mess with me. @hnnafrica OluKemi Ashley Olunloyo submit your self to the authorities NOW.. ole .. End of Discussion.. Don't ever spread false news about me or any of my colleague again . Never you scum You will never call any Nigerian or Nigerians illiterates again.. I will release your attempted murder on your baby daddy if you don't apologize to Nigerians for terrorizing then on social media.. you scum @usapolicedept Actress Angela Okorie Don't want miss to the latest, hottest gist? Download Legit.ng news app on your android phone Meanwhile, Kemi has countered Onuohas allegation against her, calling it false. She promised to sue the actress for defaming her. She wrote on her Instagram page: Georgina by the time I'm done suing ya, you will end up losing that tiny bungalow of yours like Wachukwu lost his mansion after his assets were signed to me by a judge for making up a story that I spent jail time in Jamaica, a country I've never been which #Toronto police sent finger prints to. I always win. You have nothing to expose. Hey Scott Mills @Torontopolice pls educate her on this 2009 article she copied, pasted and altered. So laughable Georgina. You need to call that District Attorney office to update whatmy 7 charges are and put me on the plane with Kashamu so we go face our charges quick quick I'm soooo scared. Keep trying. Don't forget my 2003 charges too. You will show me in a US courtroom who charged me with attempted murder!! Very smart girl but not intelligent. You are still under investigation for the missing $10M and yet to tell me your relationship with Gov Ifeanyi Okowa and Uduaghan. You cannot intimidate a good journalist. Google the word EXPOSE. U can't expose someone for something on a search engine. #Pele #AshewoOshi you messed with the wrong journalist. My book just got juicier. Tell your fans about your so called colleagues you want me to apologize to roaming around #Gambia and your girl M--- pregnant for someone else instead of HER OWN husband. Did you help her get an abortion yesterday? Yes or No? Email me hnnafricanews@live.com with all answers. No distractions. Your fans are muted on my Twitter and Instagram. They can't comment and I get to remove theirs hoping to shut them down! Lol#GeorgiaOnmyMind naw. international pu**y. Send me my extradition ticket. For someone who lives in the USA bragging to @instablog9ja that she will donate $40 to do a background criminal check has to resort to an unverifiable newspaper article copy, pasted and altered! Sipping my wine working on your Abuja abortion visit READ ALSO: Kemi Olunloyo, Angela Okories fight get messier, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram drag in Kemi was deported from Canada in 2012 after spending five years in the country helping families of gun violence, according to Toronto Sun. When she was to be deported, she was tagged a flight risk. She had moved to Toronto in 2007. The outspoken journalist's trouble with the actresses started when she accused them of dating the former president of Gambia Yahya Jammeh. She alleged that Onuoha collected $10 million while Okorie collected $15 million from the ex-president. Watch KemiOlunloyo's interview below: Source: Legit.ng An unnamed male corps member stunned his fiancee and the entire NYSC camp recently when he proposed to her on his knees in the open. Male Corper Proposes To Fellow Corper Some online users believe this could have been an expensive joke common among Nigerian youths considering the fact that the identities of the duo remain unknown. WANT MORE? Download Legit.ng Wedding app for android to get the latest posts Some who saw the picture, opined that the photos are proof of the romantic nature of African men. Congratulations to them anyway! Source: Legit.ng By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - OPEC and non-OPEC producer Russia are shielding Asia from supply cuts agreed in a landmark deal last year as they fight to protect their share of the world's biggest and fastest growing oil market. Instead, they have reduced deliveries to Europe and the Americas as they implement a coordinated agreement to cut supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), seeking to reduce a global supply glut and lift oil prices. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) oil supplies to Asia rose by 7 percent between November and January, to 17 million bpd, meeting two-thirds of the region's oil consumption, data from Thomson Reuters Eikon showed. Under a deal agreed last November, OPEC pledged to cut production by around 1.2 million bpd in the first half of 2017. Other producers, including Russia, pledged to cut another 600,000 bpd. "For OPEC, and here we mean the Mideast countries, Asia is their core and growing market," said Tushar Bansal, director at Singapore-based consultancy Ivy Global Energy. "The last thing OPEC ... would want is that as they develop newer markets outside the region, some other players like Rosneft or Venezuela increase their market share in what is their backyard." While the OPEC and Russian cuts should eventually rebalance the market after a three-year glut, it will be slower in Asia unless regional demand picks up. In a sign of ongoing Asian oversupply, Eikon data shows that around 30 chartered supertankers, known as Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC), are sitting in the waters outside Asia's oil trading hub of Singapore and southern Malaysia, carrying about 55 million barrels of oil, enough to meet almost five days of Chinese demand. Asia has been the main source of global oil demand growth for the past two decades as consumption in economically developed nations has stagnated. Therefore, OPEC has raised its supply to Asia, and Russia has also re-routed a great chunk of its rising production towards China and the Asia-Pacific over the past decade. Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia as China's biggest supplier last year, exporting 1.05 million bpd of crude versus Saudi Arabia's 1.02 million. The increase in Asian deliveries contrasts with OPEC's global cut of over 1 million bpd in January, surprising market watchers with a compliance rate of over 80 percent. Russia, the world's biggest oil producer, also said it cut supplies by 100,000 bpd in January. "Oil stocks are drawing, especially in Europe. In Asia, strong demand is tightening the market, but it will take time," said Oystein Berentsen, managing director for crude at oil trading firm Strong Petroleum in Singapore. For the moment, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) suggests that global markets remain oversupplied, with around 95.8 million bpd of demand being met by 96.4 million bpd of supply. But given the cuts and an expected demand increase of up to 1.6 million bpd this year, the global market will likely balance this year. (Reporting by Henning Gloystein; Additional reporting by Florence Tan and Roslan Khasawneh in Singapore; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Christian Schmollinger) In recent years, the Transportation Security Administration has surprised and delighted many travelers by giving them free access to TSA Precheck, an expedited security process that allows them to breeze through airport security. But the days of the freebie are coming to a close. Starting early February 2017, TSA will significantly reduce access to [TSA PreCheck] expedited screening for non-enrolled travelers, TSA spokesman Mike England told CNBC in an emailed statement. To make sure you can access TSA Precheck, you need to apply for the program and fork over $85 for a five-year membership. Applicants must pass a background check and agree to give their fingerprints. Precheck members dont have to remove their shoes, belts, light jackets, laptops or liquids when moving through airport security. In the future, we intend to only have enrolled or pre-vetted passengers, or those screened by K9s, in the expedited screening lane, England says. A total of 30 airlines now participate in Precheck, including new airline partners Spirit, Virgin Atlantic, Aruba Airlines and Emirates, among others. If $85 seems a little steep to you, youll be happy to note that you can get the TSA Precheck fee waived. Here are two ways to score free Precheck: Reimbursement for application fee According to The Travel Sisters, a number of credit cards provide a statement reimbursement credit for the $85 application fee if you use the card to pay for Precheck. These include: Citi Prestige Card Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard Platinum Card from American Express Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN Centurion Card from American Express American Express Corporate Gold Card American Express Corporate Platinum Card U.S. Bank FlexPerks Gold American Express Card Chase Sapphire Reserve Traveler perk The Expedia+ Voyager Card from Citi reimburses TSA Precheck fees. Orbitz Rewards Platinum members also receive Precheck for free, according to The Travel Sisters. Story continues For more about getting through the airport quickly, check out 5 Tips to Avoid Long Airport Security Lines. Have you tried TSA Precheck? What do you think of the program? Sound off below or on Facebook. This article was originally published on MoneyTalksNews.com as 'How to Get TSA Precheck Free'. More from Money Talks News This is another in our continuing series of articles written in cooperation with Country Coon Prairie Preservation. Cooperation among historical preservation groups is essential for preserving and sharing knowledge and we are pleased to be able to do this. The next time you take a tour of Country Coon Prairie Church be sure to pay attention to the painting of Pastor Halvor Halvorsen that hangs in the social hall in the basement of this historic church. We have worked to uncover the history of this painting of Pastor Halvorsen and the artist who painted it, Olaf M. Brauner. As everyone knows, Pastor Halvor Halvorsen was one of the most beloved pastors at Coon Prairie, serving the area from 1872 to 1921. He arrived in Coon Prairie in in the later part of 1872 when he answered a call to serve the Coon Prairie congregation. He was ordained in Christiania (Oslo), Norway, by Bishop Jens Lauritz Arup in October 1872. He was soon on his way to Coon Prairie with his wife, Marie, and their infant daughter, Ingeborg, along with his wifes sister. They would arrive in New York and continue their journey to this place called Coon Prairie in Vernon County, Wisconsin. Pastor Halvorsen didnt grow up with the thought of becoming a pastor. He spent several years at sea and traveled extensively. Then he decided to study to become a missionary. He became a missionary and more. He studied theology and became a minister. And, thus began his legendary career as the pastor at Coon Prairie Church in Westby. He had an arduous schedule traveling to the many outlying congregations as their pastor along with his home church in Westby. He was often called out to accompany Dr. J.K. Schreiner and other doctors to visit the sick and dying from his extensive congregation. For those of his flock who had passed away, he would often have the task of writing their obituaries. If you have ever seen the obituaries he wrote in early editions of the Westby Times, they are signed with the distinctive, H.H. The Westby-Coon Prairie Lutheran Church, 1851-2001 book, contains the following about him: Pastor Halvorsen was not an outgoing person, for which he was, naturally criticized by some. Nevertheless, he was loved and respected far beyond any other person in that part of the country. He would hold many offices in the Norwegian Synod such as district president, general secretary, and editor. He also found the time to write three books. When the second Coon Prairie Church burned in 1909, it was Pastor Halvorsen who went into the burning church along with his hired man, Nordahl Buros, and rescued the Herbjorn Gausta oil painting by cutting it out of the frame with a jack knife. Because of their bravery, the Gausta painting still graces the altar area of the country church. The gold plaque on the frame of the painting by Olaf Brauner of Pastor Halvorsen is inscribed in Norwegian as follows: Minde om vistatsen i Boston, 1894, gave fra Olaf Brauner, rammen fra medlemmer af den norsk Lutherisk menighet. Translated to English, the inscription reads, Memorial on the bishops visit in Boston, 1894. Gift from Olaf Brauner. Frame from members of the Norwegian Lutheran congregation. Pastor Halvorsens daily register in the Coon Prairie Church records does not indicate a trip to Boston around that time. But the inscription says he did go to Boston. We do know that from 1894-1903, he was president (bishop) of the Eastern Norwegian Synod district so while Pastor Halvorsen was attending a conference in Boston in 1894 he must have sat for this portrait. The artist who painted this portrait was Olaf Martinius Brauner, who was a renowned Norwegian American painter, educator and sculptor. He was born in Christiania (Oslo), Norway, on Feb. 9, 1869. He received his early training from his father, Julius Brauner, who was one of the most celebrated engravers in Norwegian art history. Olaf, along with his parents, came to America when he about fourteen years of age. He studied art at the Massachusetts Normal Art School and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He taught at various universities and at the College of Architecture. He was also the head of the Cornell University Art Department. He is best known for his landscape and portrait paintings. He would often be commissioned to do portraits of prominent men in America and abroad. His paintings hang in many prestigious art museums and institutes. Olaf M. Brauner was married to Nikoline Bernsten (1870-1925). Together they had five children, Gertrude, Karen, Erling, Oalf and Arnliot. His daughter, Gertrude, married Herbert Fist Johnson, Jr. Their son, Samuel C. Johnson, established the S.C. Johnson Company in Racine, Wis., which is a well-known company today. Their daughter, Karen Boyd, inherited her grandfather, Olafs, love of art and donated many paintings to different art institutes. She was the head of the Racine Art Museum. Olaf Brauners first wife, Nikoline, died in an accident in Norway and he would later marry Inga Reiersen Lohne. They had two children together, Inga and Erik. Olaf M. Brauner died in Ithaca, N.Y., on Jan. 3, 1947, at the age of 77. You can contact us by calling 608-634-4478 to leave a message or email us at westbywihistory@gmail.com Our next meeting will be Monday, Feb. 6, at 1 p.m. at the Thoreson Museum. The meeting is open to everyone. Please join us. Finnish English CapMan Press release 2 February 2017 at 8.35 a.m. EET CapMan establishes a new investment area, CapMan Infra CapMan has established a new investment area, CapMan Infra, which focuses on Nordic mid-cap infrastructure assets. The new investment area will connect investors and Nordic infrastructure asset owners while creating value through local origination of investment opportunities and active ownership and asset management. The establishment of CapMan Infra is part of CapMan's growth strategy, which includes launching new value adding investment solutions. Ville Poukka, M. Sc. (Econ.) has been appointed to head CapMan Infra. Poukka joins CapMan from Danske Bank Corporate Finance, where he has been Managing Director and responsible for Nordic Energy and Infrastructure operations. Poukka has advised clients in several infrastructure transactions in Finland and Sweden. Poukka will officially start at CapMan during the second quarter of 2017. "We implement this investment strategy gradually based on investor preferences and asset characteristics. Managed account mandates or investments in single assets through club deal structures are a likely approach in the beginning but we are also considering the establishment of an infrastructure fund. For the time being, we are focused on origination and making the first investments," says Ville Poukka, Partner of CapMan Infra. CapMan Infra's investment focus is primarily core infrastructure assets in sectors such as energy, transportation and telecommunication. Key geographical markets are in Finland and Sweden, but assets in other Nordic countries can be considered as well. In addition to Poukka, CapMan Infra will include a small local team of experienced infrastructure investment professionals. The team with extensive networks in Europe will combine infrastructure deal-making and asset management experience. "Many investors look to allocate more capital into real assets in the current investment environment. There is high investor appetite for Nordic mid-cap infrastructure assets, but relatively few asset managers that are actively covering this space. CapMan's strengths are local know-how, an established market position and extensive investor networks. We have charted the market for a while and when the key person was found, everything came together. Now is a good time to implement our growth strategy based on active ownership also in this new investment area," says Joakim Frimodig, Director, Strategic Growth Initiatives at CapMan. For further information, please contact: Joakim Frimodig, Director, Strategic Growth Initiatives, CapMan Plc, tel. +3580 50 529 0665 Ville Poukka, Partner, CapMan Infra, tel. +358 50 572 9120 CapMan www.capman.com twitter.com/CapManPE CapMan is a leading Nordic investment and specialised asset management company. As one of the Nordic private equity pioneers we have actively developed hundreds of companies and real estate and thereby created substantial value in these businesses and assets over the last 25 years. CapMan has today 100 private equity professionals and manages 2.7 billion in assets. We mainly manage the assets of our customers, the investors. We also make direct investments from our own balance sheet in areas without an active fund. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors and value adding services to professional investment partnerships, growth-oriented companies and tenants. Our current investment strategies cover Buyout, Growth Equity, Real Estate, Russia, Credit and Infrastructure. We also have a growing service business that currently includes fundraising advisory, procurement activities and fund management. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B2Gold Corp. (TSX:BTO) (NYSE MKT:BTG) (NSX:B2G) (B2Gold or the Company) reports that the DENR has announced the results of the Philippines Mine Audit. Masbate Gold Project (MGP) is not among the mines to be suspended or closed. MGP will continue to work closely with the DENR to maintain compliance with regulations and continue to promote improved quality of life in the communities where we operate. Operations remain as normal at the mine. In 2016, the DENR conducted two mine audits at the Masbate Gold Project: the first in August and the second in September. Those findings were then provided for comment to the two companies that operate the Masbate Gold Project on October 11, 2016. Responses from Filminera Resource Corporation and Philippine Gold Processing and Refining Corp. were independently submitted back to the government on October 21, 2016 for review. Since the initial release of the Mine Audit findings in September of 2016, MGP has worked closely with the DENR to resolve the issues raised in the audit. Beyond the audit findings, MGP and the DENR both recognize that community relationships and community development continue to be priorities. MGP will maintain its leadership role to improve its ongoing programs by working with local communities. Masbate Gold Project operations are ISO 14001 compliant which demonstrates that our environmental systems meet Philippine requirements. MGP remains committed to industry best practices and to ensure that the Companies continue to comply with the terms of the ECC (Environmental Compliance Certificate) and other mine and environmental regulations, and fulfill their obligations to the DENR. Masbate Gold Project will promote continued community development while providing a modern, safe work environment for our workforce. MGP has an outstanding Safety Performance record that today stands at more than 478 days of accident-free operation. MGP is the largest producing gold mine in the Philippines. The operation is the largest employer on the island employing more than 1900 Filipino workers and contractors. B2Gold will continue to provide updates of MGPs progress with the DENR. On Behalf of B2GOLD CORP. Clive T. Johnson President and Chief Executive Officer For more information on B2Gold please visit the Company website at www.b2gold.com or contact: Ian MacLean Katie Bromley Vice President, Investor Relations Manager, Investor Relations & Public Relations 604-681-8371 604-681-8371 IMacLean@b2gold.com kbromley@b2gold.com The Toronto Stock Exchange neither approves nor disapproves the information contained in this news release. This news release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation, including statements with respect to future events or future performance; the expected resolution of the issues raised in the DENR Audit Report and the final outcome of the DENR Audit; the Company's environmental management systems meeting Philippine requirements and our operations continuing uninterrupted. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as expect, plan, anticipate, project, target, potential, schedule, forecast, budget, estimate, intend or believe and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could, should or might occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond B2Golds control, including the uncertainty whether the Company's response to the issues raised in the Audit Report will be satisfactory to the DENR and whether the issues raised in the DENR Audit Report will be resolved in a timely manner; the uncertainty of estimates regarding the costs of construction and the timing and amount of production; risks associated with the volatility of metal prices and currencies; risks and dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; financing risks; risks related to hedging activities; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for mining activities; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour; regulatory, political and country risks; litigation risk; risks related to environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations associated with mining activities; the ability to replace mineral reserves and identify acquisition opportunities; unknown liabilities of companies acquired by B2Gold; fluctuations in exchange rates; availability of financing and financing risks; risks related to operations in foreign countries and compliance with foreign laws; risks related to remote operations and the availability adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; risks related to reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; challenges to title or surface rights; dependence on key personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; changes in tax laws; community support for our operations including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time; as well as other factors identified and as described in more detail under the heading Risk Factors in B2Golds most recent Annual Information Form and B2Golds other filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), which may be viewed at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively. The list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Companys forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits or liabilities B2Gold will derive therefrom. The Companys forward looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. CLEARWATER, Fla., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United for Human Rights (UHR) held its last event in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month at their Florida headquarters and Information Center in downtown Clearwater. The center, which was opened on July 15th, 2015, is supported by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization. The event, which was moderated by Lee Meekcoms, UHR spokesperson, featured a Human Trafficking Panel led by: Connie Rose, the Director of Training and Survival Leadership at Selah Freedom, an organization that assists human trafficking victims; Diena Cannavino, the VP of Bikers Against Trafficking; and Muhammad Akbik, a Clearwater-based lawyer licensed in Florida, New York and Tennessee with expertise on human rights legislation. The panel addressed the question, What can you do to stop human trafficking? Both female panelists are survivors of human trafficking. Ms. Connie Rose told how she was abused and trafficked by her own father from the age of 2-19 years old. Ms. Diena Cannavino, who was also trafficked from a young age, enlightened guests on how to be advocates against human trafficking. Mr. Meekcoms said, I stand up for human rights because my grandmother was a survivor of the Nazi Auschwitz death camps. We must be constantly vigilant in stamping out human rights abuses to prevent any possibility of another Holocaust. United for Human Rights (UHR) UHR is a non-profit organization that assists and unites individuals, educators, organizations and governmental bodies at all levels around the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). They distribute booklets on the 30 articles of the UDHR, The Story of Human Rights" video and an educator's guide on the 30 articles. These materials are created in collaboration with the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology inspired the movement when he said, "Human Rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HOUSTON, February 2, 2017-- Atwood Oceanics, Inc. (NYSE: ATW) announced today that its Australia operating subsidiary's drilling services contract with Woodside Energy Ltd ("Woodside"), as operator, for the semisubmersible Atwood Osprey has been amended effective February 2, 2017 to substitute the dynamically-positioned, ultra-deepwater semisubmersible Atwood Condor for the Atwood Osprey for the Greater Enfield Project campaign. The work scope is expected to commence by first calendar quarter 2018 at an operating rate of $222,295 per day and for a total of 12 wells. The mobilization fee will be $36.5 million. Woodside and the Atwood Australian operating subsidiary have also reached a new agreement to utilize the Atwood Osprey for an additional exploration well. Drilling of the exploration well is expected to commence in 2018 at an operating rate of $190,000 per day. Rob Saltiel, President and CEO of Atwood Oceanics, commented, "This agreement ensures that the Atwood Condor remains working into mid-2019, while enhancing the drilling efficiency of the Greater Enfield Project. The additional well on the Atwood Osprey adds to our 2018 revenue backlog and increases our confidence that we can maintain continuous drilling operations on the Osprey in Australia. We are certainly pleased to be expanding our presence in this important market with a key client." Atwood Oceanics, Inc. is a leading offshore drilling contractor engaged in the drilling and completion of exploratory and developmental wells for the global oil and gas industry. The Company currently owns 10 mobile offshore drilling units and is constructing two ultra-deepwater drillships. The Company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Atwood Oceanics, Inc. common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ATW." For more information about the Company, please visit www.atwd.com. Forward Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release with respect to the future are forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's reasonable judgment with respect to future events. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated as a result of various factors including: uncertainties related to the level of activity in offshore oil and gas exploration and development; oil and gas prices; competition and market conditions in the contract drilling industry; our ability to enter into and the terms of future contracts; possible cancelation or suspension of drilling contracts; the availability of qualified personnel; labor relations; operating hazards and risks; terrorism and political and other uncertainties inherent in foreign operations (including risk of war, civil disturbances, seizure or damage to equipment and exchange and currency fluctuations); the impact of governmental and industry laws and regulations; and environmental matters. These factors and others are described and discussed in our most recently filed annual report on Form 10-K, in our Forms 10-Q for subsequent periods and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Each forward looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement and we undertake no duty to update the content of this press release or any forward-looking statement contained herein to conform the statement to actual results or to reflect changes in our expectations. http://www.vantagepointadmissions.com MBA Admissions Consulting: Reimagined Contact us for a Free Consultation! Vantage Point MBA Admissions ConsultingMBA Admissions Consulting: ReimaginedContact us for a Free Consultation! Signature Read More Hi there,Great that you're applying together! Definitely note that to the admissions committee in your applications! I've had clients in the past where when there is a double admit they will offer scholarships to at least one person in the couple so the overall cost is not as high. I've seen this a few times.Anyway, it looks like you both have competitive profiles but a few notes:- You are now at the higher end of the experience range for most schools on your list. Note that HBS over the last few years has seemed to have a preference for younger candidates who are earlier in their careers (2-3 years). This is just anecdotal and with the new dean, we're all waiting to see, but something to keep in mind.- As Indian engineers who work in technology you are competing in a VERY competitive group. As such you'll really want to focus on your other characteristics (your experience in Nigeria and with an NGO etc).- Leadership is key. There are so many people with strong profiles like yours who I see focus on their technical skills versus their higher-level strategy and leadership skills. This is a huge mistake. It matters less "what" the output of your project was - it matters more "how" you led the team. Please keep that in mind as you write your essays and you'll already start distinguishing yourself.Hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions. We've worked with many successful Indian applicants over the years! Best of luck!Kindly,Meredith_________________ Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said Wisconsin Republicans have followed through on a long list of policy objectives. He now expects the same thing in Washington, D.C. Schimel hailed the results of last Novembers election during the Monroe County Lincoln Day Dinner Sunday at Burnstads Restaurant. He said election of President Donald Trump and legislative majorities in both houses of Congress mirror the trend of Wisconsin since 2011, when Republican Gov. Scott Walker was swept into office along with Republican majorities in the state Legislature. Weve got a new responsibility, Schimel said. The burden is on us to lead ... In Wisconsin, we have already figured that out. He listed several Republican policies enacted since 2011, including: A requirement that voters show a photo ID before casting a ballot. Right to work laws that prohibit compulsory union membership. Concealed carry of firearms. Schimel said the next step is fighting what he described as an over-reaching federal government. He touted his lawsuits against the Environmental Protection Agency and National Labor Relations Board and pledged to fight a federal judges order to redraw Wisconsins legislative districts. He said the Department of Justice is putting our best lawyers on it but doesnt anticipate a final decision from the U.S. Supreme Court until early next year. We have worked hard at DOJ to hold this federal government at bay, Schimel said. Weve figured out how to win in the courts. He anticipates Trump will appoint judges who will use the 10th Amendment to protect state sovereignty. We left (the 10th Amendment) behind a long time ago, Schimel said. Were going to bring that back. Its alive and kicking. Schimel spoke two days before Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch for the U.S. Supreme Court. The pick has been widely praised by conservatives. Thank God it will be President Trump deciding the Supreme Court vacancy, Schimel said. Were going to start putting judges on the courts who respect life and respect the constitution. Schimel said Wisconsin is taking significant steps to fight the epidemic of fatal drug overdoses that killed 872 people in Wisconsin in 2015. He said the legislature has passed 17 bipartisan bills to deal with the crisis. It is going to take a while to get out of this problem, and there will be more tragedies before we do, he said. Schimel was elected to his first term in 2014 and told the audience he will run for re-election in 2018. orange that of Japan were instrumental in his development as a writer, informing his literary style as much as that of were informing his literary style as much as that of was and it informed his literary style as well as was informing both his literary style and was as it informed his literary style as much as were informing both his literary style in addition to 1. that of Japan / Japan ( parallelism ) 2. was / were ( subject-verb agreement ) 3. How they end ( modifiers/conjunctions ) Let's start with #1 on our list: that of Japan / Japan. parallelism Europe, China, and that of Japan Europe, China, and that of Japan Europe, China, and Japan Europe, China, and Japan Europe, China, and Japan We can rule out options A & B because "that of Japan" isn't worded the same way as the other two items on the list (Europe, China). Now, let's move on to #2 on our list: was / were. subject-verb agreement singular singular was was were We can rule out option E because it uses the plural verb "were" with a singular subject, which doesn't agree! Now that we're left with only 2 options, let's move on to #3 on our list: how they end. informing both his literary style and CORRECT as it as much as INCORRECT at the same time There you have it - option C is the right choice here! Hello Everyone!Let's take a look at this question, one issue at a time, and narrow it down to the right choice! Before we dive in, let's take a look at the original question and highlight any major differences between the options inRyunosuke Akutagawas knowledge of the literatures of Europe, China, andthe content of his fiction.(A)Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer,(B)Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer,(C) Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer,(D) Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer,(E) Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer,After a quick glance over the options, we have a few things we can focus on:This is an issue of! Let's take a look at each option, and determine which ones use parallel structure, and toss out the ones that don't:(A)were instrumental in his development as a writer, informing his literary style as much as(B)was instrumental in his development as a writer, and it informed his literary style as well as(C)was instrumental in his development as a writer, informing both his literary style and(D)was instrumental in his development as a writer, as it informed his literary style as much as(E)were instrumental in his development as a writer, informing both his literary style in addition toThis is an issue of! We know the subject of the sentence is "knowledge," which is asubject, and that means we need to use averb to match. Let's see which options use a singular verb, and toss out the ones that don't:(C) Europe, China, and Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer, informing both his literary style and(D) Europe, China, and Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer, as it informed his literary style as much as(E) Europe, China, and Japaninstrumental in his development as a writer, informing both his literary style in addition toWe need to make sure the ending makes sense, doesn't distort meaning, and is 100% clear for readers:(C) Europe, China, and Japan was instrumental in his development as a writer,This is! The modifier "informing both his literary style and..." is clearly modifying the subject "knowledge." It also follows the idiomatic structure "both X and Y" at the end when it says "both his literary style and the content of his fiction."(D) Europe, China, and Japan was instrumental in his development as a writer,informed his literary styleThis isbecause it's not written clearly. We have the pronoun "it," which could refer to knowledge or development. Vague pronouns are a major no-no on the GMAT! Also, the word "as" is a problem because it changes the meaning. This sentence is saying that Akutagawa's knowledge helped him develop as a writerthat it informed his literary style and the content of his fiction. This isn't true - he gained the knowledge first, and then it helped make him a better writer!It uses parallel structure, proper subject-verb agreement, and a clearly written modifier!Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it._________________ GMAT Study Plan for Verbal Suggest study time: Expected Verbal Score: Level of commitment Synopsis: Methodically cover each area without jumping around Review previous day's lesson & your mistakes Read 1,000-2,000 pages of good quality fiction books Make the most out of official GMAT questions Do not rush Spend the good hours of the day to study for the GMAT - if you study at night, on the train, or between TV shows, your learning will be sloppy and results will be inconsistent You must be methodical - if you read about the sequence of tenses and you have no idea what it is and it is not covered in your SC book - you must learn it elsewhere Make notes (not in the book since that's a lazy ass way that does not work. Actually do not write anything in the book). If you see something valuable/new - write it out in your notebook 1.5-2 months for 2-3 hrs 5 days a weekV35+: high (slightly above girlfriend/boyfriend)Combine 3 things:Have you ever created a report or a presentation that you were truly proud of? Maybe it was in the 7th grade or in college. Something that you felt you could impress someone with or perhaps a project that had an amazing level of attention to detail? It did not have to be appreciated or recognized but if anyone looked at it, they saw that a lot of work, effort, time, and love was put into it. Think of that - now you must do the same for the verbal section of the GMAT if you are serious about getting a solid verbal score.Without commitment/obsession/love for the GMAT, it will be hard to achieve a serious improvement. Even before we get started with this plan, there are certain success factors (study habits) that must be followed for all of these recommendations to work. Your success will be greatly determined by how much you are willing to follow these: Take a Diagnostic CAT Before you start your prep, it is absolutely essential to take a diagnostic test to see where you stand. GMAT Prep free CAT is an excellent source of an official testing process, and do not be afraid to use it. Often people leave GMAT Prep CAT for later, but now with the introduction of 2 exam packs, you have plenty of official practice tests to fall back on.After getting a score and a fair bit of analysis, figure out your strongest area among CR, SC and RC. Start with that area. Sentence Correction Advice from bb - SC was the easiest section for me, partially because I had to study English grammar for another test (English Language proficiency test similar to TOEFL), and I thought SC was the most clear-cut section. SC is based on rules and assuming you know the rules it is very clear which answer option is right - it is not something subjective such as CR or RC, which requires logic/processing. The key to SC was learning all the rules (which were finite) and once I knew most of them, answering SC's was easy. (not sure if you caught this, but in the last 2 sentences I switched from the past to present and back to the past tense. Not something traditionally considered correct and I hope you caught it; if not - you will have to train your ear.) Popular Sentence Correction Guides/Books GMAT Club Resources Misc. Resources Sentence Correction Question Banks Critical Reasoning The most helpful exercise on the CR for me (and a real eye opener) was answering the question without reading the choices first. You must be able to do this . If you can't do it, don't even bother moving along. You must answer every CR question in your own words first - that's the best and only strategy you can depend on to work for you and to save you time. Advice from bb - something that worked for me was treating CR as a game. You may think it is sick (and it probably is) but it sure helps make GMAT more fun. My favorite question type was Assumption questions - it was a world I never knew existed and I made a habit of trying to pin down the assumption an author made in a magazine, book, or anything else I read. I would also read through GMAT questions I have done in the past (not assumption questions) and would still try to pin down the assumption. It was a game, it was fun, and I got very good with assumptions, which not only helps with CR but is also very valuable when you have to prove your point or build an argument.The most helpful exercise on the CR for me (and a real eye opener) was answering the question without reading the choices first.. If you can't do it, don't even bother moving along. You must answer every CR question in your own words first - that's the best and only strategy you can depend on to work for you and to save you time. Recommended Books CR Strategy Resources Question Banks Strengthen/Weaken Resources Assumption Resources Inference/Bold Face Resources/Numbers & Statistics Minor Question Types Reading Comprehension Advice from bb - My most feared enemy and the hardest section was RC - I had a 40-50% success rate on it when just working on exercises in a book and if I took a test or computer based exercises where I could not control/extend time, the result was very often even worse. My challenge was lack of time to read the passage - I would rush through the passage, trying to catch as much details as possible (I have taken some speed reading classes when I was 14 or 15 but I am not sure about their value - if anything they gave me the wrong strategy) and at the end, walk out with a lot of details but unable to answer half the questions. I would then spend 2-3 mins per question trying to find the answer in the passage and re-reading the same sections of the passage over and over again. You are probably noticing that something is off with this strategy but I did not when I was answering the questions - I thought that was the best I could do. I have read the strategy of reading the entire passage first carefully (make notes, analyze authors tone, etc) but I did not think it was for me. I felt it was for native speakers who could read fast, get through the content, and not get bogged down in words they did not know. But after a week of really bad results (50% is really bad), and no other alternatives, I have tried the method of reading the full text. At first, I just did it to see how long it would take me to do this option, so I timed myself just reading the passage. I believe it was about 6 minutes. Then i answered 4 questions following it and that took 3 minutes (much less time than usual per question) but overall, it was 9 minutes (not very good if you only have 110 seconds per question or under 2 mins). However, the good news was that I got 3 out of 4 right (not a big deal since it could be a fluke). I practiced a few more passages and the results were very encouraging and impressive. I got close to 80% success rate based on 4 passages and 16 questions. Now my focus was to cut down reading time taken per question (I was never really able to improve it) and to answer more questions correctly (80% is good but 90% is better). What I ended up doing at the end was improving my SC and CR timing enough to compensate for my reading deficiency (more of this is covered in the timing strategies on the GMAT ). I attribute my 96th verbal percentile to this reading strategy as well as reading fiction books and being comfortable with complex texts with unknown words. RC Books There are 2 main books for RC: RC and Veritas Prep RC. Both are fairly skinnyAlternative Materials: both of the mentioned above books that are generally shorter but are not as detailed either: and PowerScore Verbal Bible.Polish your strategy (RC strategies are discussed here)Read Fiction (more about this here: ) RC Tips and Resources Common Pitfalls: More often than not, the most typical second best answer choice on the RC will be out of scope. I found it quite amusing and made a game out of it (I know, I am a bit over the top with RC but it was the hardest section for me to master). After a while, I can very quickly (i.e. immediately) pick out an answer choice that goes outside of the scope of the passage as a general question (purpose/title/etc) or even a more specific one. Another catch/trap you will see quite a bit is reliance on "trigger" words. For example, the passage will spend 2-3 sentences on one point and then at the end will flip it with a "but", "however", or another "trigger" word. This is designed to catch those who skim/skip or don't read attentively and is really a big reason to read the passage attentively (in my view) vs. just rushing through it. For example, a passage may talk about how the number of accidents has been growing and that many people have been injured in the last year in car accidents and at the end, say "but death rates have declined" and an example of a trap would be an answer choice that would say "Injuries and fatalities are rising as the result of car accidents." Finally a more subtle way to get many of us to pick the wrong answer choice is making the text very heavy fact-based with long complex words and terminology, which distracts from the simple task of analyzing the passage and asking why each sentence is put where it is put. Sometimes, you can get to the answer by just looking at why a certain sentence is in a certain spot. However, most focus on facts, understanding/remembering which minerals or microbes live in which environment, etc. The facts and dry details are there not to test your memory/knowledge of the subject but rather to distract and not let you see the passage structure clearly. ! Common Mistakes with RC 1. Not following a strategy or changing it on the test - biggest issue 2. Poor English vocabulary/skills - if you don't know what you are reading, how do you expect to answer the questions? 3. Taking too much time to answer each question 4. Having to re-read the passage multiple times 1. Always read the First and Last sentence more carefully no matter what. GMAT passages are very structured and the first stence will always contain the main idea and set the tone.2. Watch for trigger words such as "but, however, still, regardless, nevertheless, although" and others3. Always ask yourself why the author put this example here4. Pretend that you are very interested in the reading material or another option is to play a game with the author and try to prove the author wrong - pick at every word5. Always know what the main idea of the passage is, even if the questions are not asking for it6. It helps to know the vocabulary but you can make it - as long as you know all of the tone and general words, you will be able to tell author's direction. Specifics may not matter, though again, I have found that good vocabulary helps on RC7. Do whatever it takes to help you read/remember the passage better - write summary notes (even if you never go back to them), paraphrase each paragraph or even sentence, etc._________________ A young woman with tears in her eyes, took to her Twitter account to share how her babysitter killed her 8-months-old son, as she placed him in the bathtub and slept off. The mother of the baby, who was identified as @desslorraine on Twitter, posted a collage picture of her late baby boy with the caption: My sons babysitter left him unattended in the bathtub and passed. You will never be forgotten. May your beautiful soul Rest In Peace. See post below: PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App According to the pictures she posted on social media, one could see that the baby boy was rushed to the hospital before he gave up. The mother posted another picture saying: RIP Landon. You will always be mommys angel. Fly high baby See post below: Also paying tribute to the dead baby is popular American reality TV star, Kim Kardashian West, who posted the babys picture with the caption: This breaks my heart. Please pray for this family. Rest peacefully sweet angel. See post below: RIP! Source: Legit.ng As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ As President Trump takes the initial steps to get America out of poorly negotiated trade deals like NAFTA and TPP, Wisconsin Republicans are negotiating among themselves to eliminate guarantees that public construction projects are completed on time, on budget and built using local workers. The issue at hand is legislation to prohibit local governments from using Project Labor Agreements as part of the bidding process for government construction projects like schools, libraries and jails. Poorly negotiated, like NAFTA and TPP, this legislation will take job opportunities away from Wisconsin workers on taxpayer funded construction projects. Project Labor Agreements are one of the few tools that local governments have left to put Wisconsin first when it comes to public construction projects. Taxpayers throughout the state will be spending hundreds of millions of dollars building new schools and maintaining those already in use. Project Labor Agreements allow local governments to get up front guarantees to make sure that these schools are built by local workers and completed on time and on budget. No one wants the jobs for these projects to be filled by workers from Iowa, Illinois, or Minnesota, but this legislation sets the table to allow just that. Project Labor Agreements protect Wisconsin jobs on Wisconsin construction projects. PLAs are in place for the Northwestern Mutual expansion project in Milwaukee, Lambeau Field, Miller Park and the new Bucks arena. Toyota has used Project Labor Agreements for every American auto plant they have built. Even Wal-Mart is increasingly using PLAs for their construction projects. Like NAFTA and TPP, this legislation is another example of poorly negotiated policy from politicians who believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. A one-size-fits-all approach from Madison is bad for local governments, bad for construction workers and bad for Wisconsin. This legislation is a completely partisan effort to undercut both local government and construction workers. The bill prohibits local government from asking for up front guarantees in the bidding process to make sure that school, libraries, jails and other public construction projects are done on time, on budget and built with local workers. Instead, the proponents of this legislation believe that local governments should ask contractors to provide workplace guarantees out of the kindness of their heart. We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in construction projects in every part of Wisconsin. No guarantees for taxpayers, no guarantees for workers. Its poorly negotiated, completely partisan and bad for Wisconsin. Proponents say that they dont want to force non-union workers to contribute to a union. Wisconsins new Right to Work law specifically prohibits forcing any worker to join or make contributions to a union. The proponents of this legislation have brought forth a litany of alternative facts to defend these poorly negotiated bills. And last, but certainly not least, proponents of this legislation want to eliminate any up front leverage that local governments might have to guarantee that projects are done on time, on budget and built with local workers. With wide majorities in both houses of the legislature, Republicans will decide the direction that Wisconsin is going take. The irony is that with one party rule in Madison, Republicans are negotiating with themselves to undercut both taxpayers and workers. The only question is just how far they will go. Eliminating the use of Project Labor Agreements as part of the bidding process is a bad deal for Wisconsin. It is a poorly negotiated piece of partisan legislation. Unfortunately, the proponents of this legislation say that this is the path we are going to take whether you like it or not. Democrat Janis Ringhand, Evansville, represents the 15th state Senate District. Dear reader, we're asking for your help to keep local reporting available for all today during our fall fundraiser. Your financial support keeps stories like this one free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. We believe when reliable local reporting is widely available, the entire community benefits. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe A federal judge in Los Angeles issued a restraining order Tuesday night blocking the enforcement of part of President Trump's immigration ban, according to the L.A. Times. U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. ruled on a case filed on behalf of 28 Yemeni-born people who had received immigrant visas to come to the United States. The ruling grants a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the executive order signed by Trump on Friday. The judge's decision only applies to people with valid immigrant visas from the seven majority-Muslim countries on Trump's list; these are different from the visas held by students, tourists, and refugees, according to KPCC. Birotte's isn't the first legal ruling on the executive order: a federal judge in New York granted an emergency stay on Saturday night as thousands protested across the country, though it's not entirely clear to what degree that stay has been enforced. According to the IB Times, Birotte is now the fifth jurist to issue a ruling blocking some portion of the president's executive order. Birotte's order directs federal agents to stop "removing, detaining, or blocking the entry of Plaintiffs, or any other person from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen with a valid immigrant visa..." under the Trump travel ban. KPCC reports that attorney Julie Ann Goldberg filed the class-action suit Tuesday on behalf of more than two dozen people from Yemen who had been waiting to travel to the United States from Djibouti after fleeing civil war in Yemen. "These 28 people were not allowed to pick up their passports (from the U.S. Embassy). I have some families that are pretty devastated. I have a father who had his visa issued, and he got his passport, but his four-year-old child's is still at the enbassy. It has created this separation among families," Goldberg told KPCC by phone from Djibouti. On Tuesday night, Kayleen Hartman, a coordinator for Immigrant Defenders Law Center, told LAist thatto the knowledge of the volunteer attorneys working at LAXonly people with green cards (i.e. legal permanent residents) were being allowed on planes to Los Angeles, and that others were being turned away from boarding. Birotte himself is the son of Haitian refugees, according to KPCC. He was unanimously confirmed to the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles by the Senate in 2014. At the heart of the weekend conversation between US President Donald Trump and Australias Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was a deal struck with the Obama administration that would allow mostly Muslim refugees rejected by Australia to be resettled in the United States, Joinfo.com reports with reference to Time magazine. Turnbull declined to comment on reports in The Washington Post that Trump had described the agreement as the worst deal ever and accused Turnbull of seeking to export the next Boston bombers. Australias PM also would not say whether Trump had abruptly ended the expected hour-long conversation after 25 minutes as the Australian attempted to steer the conversation to other topics. Its better that these things these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately, Turnbull told reporters. Turnbull said the strength of the bilateral relation was evident in that Trump agreed to resettle refugees from among around 1,600 asylum seekers, most of whom are on island camps on the Pacific nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. I can assure you the relationship is very strong, Turnbull said. The fact we received the assurance that we did, the fact that it was confirmed, the very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance. But as Australians know me very well: I stand up for Australia in every forum public or private. The Washington Post story immediately shot to the top of trending topics on Twitter in Australia. It was plastered across the top of Australias major news sites, and the nations news networks launched into lengthy, running commentaries on it. Dumb Deal Following new public details about a recent phone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, President Donald Trump took to Twitter late Wednesday to criticize a deal brokered between Canberra and the administration of former President Barack Obama to resettle some refugees in the United States. Trump vowed to study this dumb deal, in which the previous administration agreed to accept 1,250 asylum seekers from Australian-run detention centers on the Pacific islands of Manus and Naururoughly half of the people who are stuck in limbo off the Australian coast. Australia refuses to accept them or even allow them to be processed on Australian soil. CNN reported that the disagreement came as the two leaders discussed an agreement, reached under the Obama administration, for the US to accept refugees from Australia who are living on islands in detention centers off the mainland due to strict government policies. Many of them are from the seven countries affected by Trumps travel ban. Trump on Friday also suspended the entry of all refugees for 120 days, along with indefinitely suspending the entry of Syrian refugees. Turnbull told Trump several times the agreement was for 1,250 refugees, not 2,000. He also said Australia was asking to submit them to the US for refugee screening, and if the refugees did not pass the US screening process, they would not come. Trump expressed concern as to how this agreement from President Barack Obamas administration would go forward given his executive order the day before temporarily suspending the US refugee program. Trump abruptly ended the call because he was unhappy, a source told CNN. White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not return requests for comments regarding the call. Thursday night, Trump tweeted, Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Sources say Trump insisted it was a very bad deal for the US to take 2,000 refugees and that one of them was going to be the next Boston bomber. Turnbull said the call ended courteously in a radio interview Thursday. When asked about the tweet labeling the agreement brokered with Obamas administration a dumb deal, Turnball said, while the deal may not have been one Trump wouldve done or considered a good deal, the President and his administration have committed to honor it. Earlier this week, however, Spicer said the Trump administration would honor the agreement, saying the refugees would be submitted to extreme vetting. Turnbull also told reporters Thursday that Trump assured him the US would take the refugees. Look, Im not going to comment on a conversation between myself and the President of the United States other than what we have said publicly, and you can surely understand the reasons for that, Turnbull said. Im sure you can understand that. Its better these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If youll see reports of them, Im not going to add to them. The Mexican government on Wednesday vehemently denied reports that US President Trump threatened to send American soldiers into Mexico during a phone call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Joinfo.com reports with reference to LA Times. Such a threat did not happen during that call, said a government statement released on Twitter Wednesday night. I know it with absolute certainty, there was no threat, Pena Nieto spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said in a radio interview. The things that have been said are nonsense and a downright lie. The Associated Press and a Mexican news website, Aristegui Noticias, reported earlier in the day that Trump had humiliated Pena Nieto during a phone call between the leaders on Friday. Trump threatened to send US troops into Mexico to stop bad hombres down there unless the Mexican military does more to control them itself, the Associated Press said, quoting an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation that it said was obtained from an unnamed source. The White House would not comment on the purported transcript and denied that the U.S. was planning to invade Mexico. A White House official pointed to a joint statement issued by the two leaders Friday noting they had discussed the need to work together to stop drug cartels, drug trafficking and illegal guns and arms sales. The news came the same day Australias prime minister refused to comment on reports that an angry President Donald Trump cut short their first telephone call over the weekend. Photo: Marco Ugarte / Associated Press. On 3-5 October 2017 Kyiv is going to host the Space and Future Forum to network international experts and youth, many of whom will also participate at the first CosmoHack in the world. Joinfo provides media coverage of the Forum, and some of its topics were already discussed ... The Japanese health ministry on Wednesday approved a plan for the worlds first transplant of retinal cells grown from artificially derived stem cells of another individual to treat serious eye illnesses, Joinfo.com reports with reference to Nikkei agency. The ministry determined that the proposed clinical research satisfied safety requirements. It will officially sign off on the project as early as this week. Researchers aim to begin surgeries in the first half of 2017. In treating a degenerative eye disorder in the past, researchers used induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells harvested from the patients own body. Employing donated cells will likely reduce the cost and time of the procedure by about 90%. The government-affiliated Riken research institute, Kyoto University, Osaka University and the Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital will carry out the study. Masayo Takahashi, the project leader for Riken, and others explained Wednesday to a health ministry panel that there are no concerns that iPS or other cells will turn cancerous. The study surgeries will cover about five patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration, an intractable eye disease that could lead to blindness. Kyoto University will provide Riken with the iPS cells that will be grown into retinal cells. Osaka University and the Kobe medical center will perform the surgeries. A solution containing the retinal cells will be injected into the back of the patients eyes. The iPS cells Kyoto University stores have qualities resistant to immunological rejection. The coming clinical research is not expected to employ immunosuppressant agents. The researchers say expenses will be limited to millions of yen and the time between differentiation of the iPS cells to the transplant could be shortened to as little as one month. In 2014, Riken and others performed the worlds first retinal transplant treating age-related macular degeneration with iPS cells. Those cells came from the patients body. The process cost roughly 100 million yen ($881,000), which included tests for cancer. The approximately 10-month preparatory period is also seen as a barrier to widespread adoption. Photo: iPS cells. Paul Kane/Getty ImagesBruce Springsteen is feeling a little embarrassed about the current political climate, and he found a unique way to express it while on tour in Australia. According to Billboard, the Boss opened his show Thursday in Melbourne by addressing the telephone call between President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, which reportedly featured a tense discussion about Mr. Trumps controversial immigration plans. Armed with only an acoustic guitar, Springsteen delivered a cover of doo-wop group The Orlons 1962 hit single Dont Hang Up, which features the lyrics Dont hang up like you always do / I know you think our love is true / Ill explain the facts to you, dont hang up. In a amateur video clip posted on YouTube, Springsteen told the crowd at AAMI Park, We stand before you [as] embarrassed Americans tonight, before launching into the Orlons cover. Following that, he announced, We come from a land of immigrants! This is an immigrant song" as the E Street Band kicked into "American Land," a track from the 2006 album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Prior to the show, E Street guitarist Steven Van Zandt also addressed the controversy on Twitter, posting the message, Australia is, was, and always will be one of the USA's best friends and closest allies. Apologies for today's temporary embarrassment. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) There are a lot of moving parts here, so let me address them one at a time, and hope Nasime, an otherwise welcome addition to Old Town, can smooth a few of the wrinkles. The wait: There's really no place for reservation-holders to wait inside the shoebox of a restaurant. Incoming parties should be advised of that on the site or over the phone, and directed to a bar nearby that can accommodate them. It might also help for the host to tell guests they have their table for an hour or 90 minutes (two people tend to eat faster than four) ahead of being seated, so as to better control reservations. The cold towel: Clearly a mistake on a winter night! Menu changes: They happen. But I can understand your disappointment, especially since the substitution was never announced online and the lone meat course was swapped out for fish. Gratis drinks: I'm confused here. What size was your party? Not sure why the females would get free drinks and any males wouldn't. At any rate, 45 minutes is a long time to wait for a confirmed reservation. Nasime should have apologized profusely and bought you all at least one round of drinks. It's just good PR. I'd be inclined to give the restaurant another chance, and eat on the early side (first seating) rather than later. Happy Hump Day, everyone. Hopefully by now, you've made plans for Valentine's Day. My Dining column this Sunday focuses on five ways you can improve on the occasion, including tips for scoring a good seat and suggestions for the best cheapest Champagne. And in the today's Food section, a bunch of us write about the things we love. (I *heart* "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook" by the late Judy Rodgers.) There's lots to chew over today. Let's get started. The purse-string (red-oval) contracts to detach the dying cell from its neighbours. Credit: Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore Researchers from the Mechanobiology Institute, Singapore (MBI) at the National University of Singapore have described how dying cells detach and are expelled from a tissue, and how tissue tension in the region surrounding a dying cell is remodeled. The work was published online in the scientific journal Development in November 2016. Maintaining tissue integrity during cell extrusion The tissues in our bodies, such as epithelial, nervous or muscle tissue, are all made up of millions of cells that are tightly packed together. Each cell lives in these conditions as an individual unit, but with their primary function dictated by the overall role of the tissue. Epithelial tissue, is found on the surface of organs or in the bodies cavities, and provides a means of protection; preventing fluids and other nutrients from leaking out of the body, and stopping harmful toxins from entering. The integrity of any tissue is crucial for their function, and this is especially the case with epithelial tissue. Just as a plastic bag would leak if it was punctured, so too would epithelial tissue if cells are damaged through injury or disease. Cells are also prone to dying when they are damaged and even the smallest holes left when a single cell dies, must be filled immediately in order to maintain the integrity of the tissue. The dying cell however, needs to be detached from its neighbours, and expelled, in a process known as cell extrusion. If this does not occur, the dying cell is stacked in the tissue and causes further damage to the neighbouring healthy tissue. Removing a dying cell from a tissue without compromising the tissue integrity is therefore, not a trivial process. How dying cells are removed from epithelial tissue To understand how dying cells are removed from epithelial tissue while the surrounding tissue remains intact and functional, MBI researchers, led by Assistant Professor Yusuke Toyama from the Institute, furthered their earlier investigations by viewing cells in a developing fruit fly pupae using live imaging. By analysing properties of cells surrounding a dying cell, as well as the dying cell itself, the team revealed a carefully choreographed sequence of molecular events that revolved around an interplay between the molecular structures holding the cells together, and the protein based contractile cables in cells located in the immediate area. Firstly, the proteins that connects the dying cell to its neighbours begin to be remodelled. Normally these adhesive structures exist in between cells of a tissue to physically hold the cells together. They also provide a means of communication between the cells. As the adhesions are remodeled and the protein components that make up the adhesions are reduced, the cells surrounding the dying cell essentially let it go. The result is a temporary reduction in tissue tension that extends into the tissue, away from the dying cell. This disengagement of cell adhesions allows the cell to be released from the tissue. However, to prevent the tissue from becoming leaky, the hole left behind must be closed immediately. This process was found to involve the formation and contraction of a protein based cable that passes through each cell surrounding the hole. Although this "purse-string contraction" has been described previously, the authors discovered that its formation was directly linked with the reduction in cell-cell adhesion components, and the subsequent detachment of the dying cell from its neighbours. In this case, it is the release of tension that was proposed to be the event that triggers the accumulation of the proteins required to make the contractile cable. The contraction of the cable then rebuilds tissue tension, which forces the cells that surround the hole to become stretched. Stretching the cells brings them within proximity of the cells on the other side of the hole, with which they can form new cell-cell contacts. This eventually reseals the gap that transiently formed to let the dying cell go. Ultimately, these findings provide new insights into the dynamic cellular processes that occur when tissue integrity is compromised. To avoid harmful consequences the body initiates a sequence of events that, as this study shows, is highly co-ordinated, and dependent on the physical interactions occurring at the cellular level. With tissue engineering reliant on our better understanding of how our bodies naturally form and maintain healthy tissue, the findings from this study will help scientists better implement engineered tissues in the future. More information: Xiang Teng et al. Remodeling of adhesion and modulation of mechanical tensile forces during apoptosis inepithelium, Development (2017). Journal information: Development Xiang Teng et al. Remodeling of adhesion and modulation of mechanical tensile forces during apoptosis inepithelium,(2017). DOI: 10.1242/dev.139865 (HealthDay)Flu and pneumonia vaccines may reduce heart failure patients' risk of dangerous respiratory infections, a new review suggests. More than 5 million Americans have heart failure, when the heart is too weak to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Respiratory infections are the leading cause of hospitalization for people with heart failure. These infections are associated with high death rates in a hospital, the review authors said. The researchers reviewed studies published from January 1990 to July 2016. These studies suggested that flu and pneumonia vaccines seem to help protect people with heart failure from life-threatening respiratory infections. People older than 65 with heart failure may benefit more from high-dose vaccination, the researchers said. "Vaccination represents a low-cost intervention that may be able to prevent the significant disease, death and cost associated with heart failure," said senior author Dr. Robert Mentz, an assistant professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. But, the evidence is still limited, Mentz's team said. That's because most vaccination clinical trials either haven't included heart failure patients or haven't looked at the impact of vaccines in heart failure patients. More research is needed, the authors said. The review was published Feb. 1 in the journal JACC: Heart Failure. "A deeper understanding of current vaccination practices within the heart failure population is necessary to guide population-level interventions aimed at improving vaccination rates," Mentz said in a journal news release. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends yearly flu vaccination for adults with heart failure. Heart societies such as the American College of Cardiology also advise an annual flu shot. The ACC also recommends pneumonia vaccination for people with heart failure. More information: The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more on The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more on heart failure Copyright 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: Claudia Knorr, FMP. Food seeking is a crucial survival instinct. However, until recently, little was known about how the brain regulates this behavior. Scientists at the Leibniz-Institut fur Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) and NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence in Berlin discovered a neuronal circuit which regulates the hypothalamus and activates food seeking in mice. Surprisingly, this neural mechanism appeared to utilize gamma oscillations, and does not depend on hunger. Optogenetics techniques shed light on the behavioral function of this circuit. The findings allow for better understanding of the mechanisms of feeding behavior, and could lead to development of innovative therapies to treat eating disorders. These results have been published in the scientific journal Nature. It is pretty normal that thoughts often revolve around food, even when you are not hungry. Food-seeking behavior, an instinct crucial for survival of our ancestors during hunting and gathering, leads us in the 21st century to a fridge or the supermarket. This behavior fascinates scientists as well, as impairments in this drive can be linked with eating disorders like anorexia nervosa. To understand how this behavior is organized, scientists study its neuronal mechanisms. Gamma oscillations organize communication in hypothalamus Gamma oscillations, occurring at a rate of 30 to 90 cycles per second, are waves of neural activity known to support major cognitive functions, including memory, attention and cognitive flexibility. Until recently, it was not known whether and how these processes regulate vital behaviours including food-seeking. A team of researchers led by Tatiana Korotkova and Alexey Ponomarenko at the FMP Institute/ NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence in Berlin found that the brain features a mechanism that directly informs the hypothalamus about cognitive processing using gamma oscillations as a common language. "Together with scientists in the U.S. and the U.K., we characterized this pathway at multiple levels, from anatomical connections to excitability of individual cells," says Tatiana Korotkova, describing their study published in the scientific journal Nature. Optogenetics helped to shed light on neuronal mechanisms To study this neuronal circuit, researchers used optogenetics, a novel method that allows activation of specific connections in the brain using light. Researchers found gamma oscillations in the lateral hypothalamus and its major gateway, the lateral septum, and noted that this brain rhythm increases as a mouse seeks food. "It was impressive to see that gamma oscillations had such a pronounced effect in LH, which was previously thought to respond mainly to chemical/hormonal signaling," explains Ph.D. student Marta Carus. In the study, replay of these oscillations in the brain, using optogenetics, led to food seeking. Food seeking independent of food consumption Remarkably, during gamma synchronization of this brain circuit, animals checked the food location even if they were not hungry. However, they did not consume more food than usual. Activation of this pathway also assisted in cognitively demanding situations, when the mouse had to find food using previous experience. The prefrontal cortex, a brain region that coordinates goal-directed behavior, was important for this. "Finding suitable food in the wild is tricky and time-consuming," says Tatiana Korotkova. "It's probably too late to start searching for food when an animal is already hungry, if it has no idea about what nutritional resources are available where. This circuit possibly makes us pay specific attention to food sources, such as spotting restaurants when exploring a new town, or regularly checking the fridge contents in our own kitchen." Researchers further managed to translate parts of the code used during gamma oscillations for communication in this neural pathway. Activity of many neurons in the lateral hypothalamus depends on presence of food: while some neurons are active close to food, others are preferentially active distantly from the food location. Researchers found that during gamma oscillations feeding-related cells are activated separately from feeding-unrelated cells with high temporal precision. "Preferential and selective control of feeding-related cells by rhythmic inputs to hypothalamus demonstrates a beautiful interaction of structure and function in the brain" says Alexey Ponomarenko. "Here we see how fast synchronization, combined with a precise information transfer between brain regions and cells types, drives behaviors crucial for survival." A disconnect between food-seeking behavior and metabolic needs is a symptom of many eating disorders, ranging from anorexia to obesity. There is still a long way to go for the development of effective medications, however, understanding of neuronal mechanisms which regulate feeding may lead to development of innovative therapies. More information: Marta Carus-Cadavieco et al. Gamma oscillations organize top-down signalling to hypothalamus and enable food seeking, Nature (2017). Journal information: Nature Marta Carus-Cadavieco et al. Gamma oscillations organize top-down signalling to hypothalamus and enable food seeking,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature21066 Provided by Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology A nationwide cancer registry of almost one million patients treated for hormone-sensitive breast cancer shows that one out of six women who should have received post-surgical treatment known as adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) did not get this recommended component of care. Adjuvant endocrine therapy - hormone-blocking drugs such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors that can lower the odds of cancer coming back - is associated with a 29-percent reduction in the risk of death for women with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. The study authors estimate that 14,630 women who did not get hormone treatment died unnecessarily between 2004 and 2013 from recurrence of their cancers. Adherence to the guidelines for AET after surgery slowly improved over the period studied. By the end of the study, however, 18 percent of women who could have benefited were still not getting potentially life-saving care. The researchers also found that about three percent of women who lacked hormone receptors were inappropriately treated with AET. "The use of adjuvant endocrine therapy slowly gained popularity over this time," said study senior author Dezheng Huo, MD, PhD, associate professor of public health sciences at the University of Chicago. "It improved after 2004, rising from 70 percent in 2004 to almost 84 percent in 2011. Then it declined slightly to 82 percent in 2013, when the study ended." "Our results suggest that it is still underused," Huo said, "and in some cases, misused, offered to patients who lack hormone receptors." The study, published Feb. 2, 2017, in JAMA Oncology, used data from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), which is supported by the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society. The NCDB collects information about cancer patients, treatments and outcomes from more than 1,500 accredited healthcare facilities. The authors found data from more than 2 million patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2004 and 2013. They narrowed that down to women at least 18 years old who had stage-1, 2 or 3 breast cancer, treated with lumpectomy or mastectomy, usually followed by radiation and, less often, chemotherapy. The women had to express estrogen or progesterone receptors. They wound up with records from 818,435 patients, who met the criteria and were likely to benefit. AET slows or stops the growth of tumors that feed on these hormones. Drugs such as tamoxifen, for example, attach to the estrogen receptor in a cancer cell and shut down the hormone's cancer-causing effects. Patients are encouraged to take the pills, one a day, for 10 years or longer. Compliance with AET guidelines in this study varied from hospital to hospital. The researchers selected 80-percent compliance with the guidelines as a reasonable goal for individual hospitals. They found that in 2004, only 40 percent of hospitals met that standard. By 2013, almost 70 percent of hospitals were reaching the 80 percent standard. "Still, 30 percent of hospitals were falling short," Huo said. Several factors influence compliance. Hormone therapy does have side effects, such as hot flashes or nausea. Patients taking tamoxifen have an increased risk of stroke. Those taking aromatase inhibitors have an increased risk of osteoporosis. Since there is no immediately detectable benefit from AET, some breast cancer patients choose not to take hormone therapy. Others begin therapy but lapse over time. Smaller studies found that 30 to 70 percent of patients discontinue AET within five years. Patients treated with surgery followed by radiation or chemotherapy were more likely to stick with AET. Women treated at larger hospitals, with 400 beds or more, were more compliant. There were also racial disparities. Black and Hispanic women are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to receive AET. Asian women are more likely to receive AET. Hospitals in certain geographic regions had better success. Those in New England and the upper Midwest achieved compliance rates seven to 12 percent higher than those in the South and West. The authors stress that their data has limitations. Previous studies suggest that adjuvant endocrine therapy may be under-reported, in some cases by as much as 10 percent. On the whole, however, the researchers note that although AET use has been steadily increasing. optimal usage, according to Huo, "has not been achieved." Because of these gaps, "certain women are being deprived of this life-saving therapy." More information: "Evaluation the quality of breast cancer delivery: Under- and misuse of adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients in the United States, 2004-2013," JAMA Oncology, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.6380 Journal information: JAMA Oncology "Evaluation the quality of breast cancer delivery: Under- and misuse of adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients in the United States, 2004-2013," Online ratings and discussions about the quality of care American doctors provide can add to their stress levels. Patients, on the other hand, feel that such information empowers them to make better informed health-related choices. This is according to a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer. Led by Alison Holliday of Harvard Medical School in the US, the study highlights how important it is to monitor the impact of independent and health system physician rating websites on both physicians and patients. Independent sites are hosted by private companies such as Healthgrades.com, and reflect crowd sourced numerical ratings and free-text narrative comments freely posted by online users. These sites tend to carry reviews on a small percentage of physicians, and then only a handful of comments per doctor at that. Health systems sites, in contrast, portray numerical ratings and explanatory comments collected from standardized health system patient experience surveys. These surveys are carried out as part of internal quality improvement programs of hospitals and health practices. To get a sense about the views and use of such sites, Holliday's team surveyed physicians and patients from four hospitals in a large accountable care organization in Massachusetts in the US. Their web-based survey was completed by 828 doctors, and a mailed survey by 494 patients. One in every two doctors (53 percent) said that they had read online reviews about themselves, while two in every five patients (39 percent) used the web to look up comments about their doctors. It was a more popular practice among younger people, women, and those with a college education. In general, doctors were less supportive than patients of sharing data publicly. They trusted information on health system websites more, while independent sites were the preferred go-to source for patients. "Patients may lack trust in health system websites due to concerns regarding bias, as these publish reviews regarding their own physicians," says Holliday. "Health systems seeking to publish patient experience survey data will therefore need to engage patients in their trust of what is very likely a new and complicated data source to them." It was found that online ratings and comments place an extra weight on doctors' shoulders. The majority (78 percent) surveyed noted that the possibility of negative online comments increases their job stress. Among physicians, 46 percent thought the practice could harm physician-patient relationships. Patients were more supportive of making in-house health system patient experience data available publicly. One in every four patients (29 percent) surveyed, however, said that their comments might be less candid if they knew beforehand that these would become public knowledge online. More information: Alison M. Holliday et al, Physician and Patient Views on Public Physician Rating Websites: A Cross-Sectional Study, Journal of General Internal Medicine (2017). Journal information: Journal of General Internal Medicine Alison M. Holliday et al, Physician and Patient Views on Public Physician Rating Websites: A Cross-Sectional Study,(2017). DOI: 10.1007/s11606-017-3982-5 Micrographs show the difference between treated and untreated bone cells in a mouse model of severe bone loss. Wisconsin researchers have identified two native protein factors that help keep mesenchymal stem cells -- the master cells that make bone and cartilage -- happy in the laboratory dish. The work could one day help make regenerating lost bone in patients a reality. Credit: Wan-Ju Li The prospect of regenerating bone lost to cancer or trauma is a step closer to the clinic as University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have identified two proteins found in bone marrow as key regulators of the master cells responsible for making new bone. In a study published online today (Feb. 2, 2017) in the journal Stem Cell Reports, a team of UW-Madison scientists reports that the proteins govern the activity of mesenchymal stem cellsprecursor cells found in marrow that make bone and cartilage. The discovery opens the door to devising implants seeded with cells that can replace bone tissue lost to disease or injury. "These are pretty interesting molecules," explains Wan-Ju Li, a UW-Madison professor of orthopedics and biomedical engineering, of the bone marrow proteins lipocalin-2 and prolactin. "We found that they are critical in regulating the fate of mesenchymal stem cells." Li and Tsung-Lin Tsai, a UW-Madison postdoctoral researcher, scoured donated human bone marrow using high-throughput protein arrays to identify proteins of interest and then determined the activity of mesenchymal stem cells exposed to the proteins in culture. A goal of the study, says Li, is to better understand the bone marrow niche where mesenchymal stem cells reside in the body so that researchers can improve culture conditions for growing the cells in the lab and for therapy. The Wisconsin researchers found that exposing mesenchymal stem cells to a combination of lipocalin-2 and prolactin in culture reduces and slows senescence, the natural process that robs cells of their power to divide and grow. Li says keeping the cells happy and primed outside the body, but reining in their power to grow and make bone tissue until after they are implanted in a patient, is key. The ability to precisely manipulate mesenchymal stem cells in the laboratory dish and keep them poised to divide and form bone on cue helps pave the way for using cell-bearing three-dimensional matrices to reconstruct large swaths of bone lost to tumors or major trauma. Because bone has some natural healing properties, things like breaks and fractures can often mend themselves. But when large pieces of bone are lost, clinical intervention is required. "We're seeking better treatments for bone repair," says Li, who is affiliated with the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. To engineer the growth of new bone in the body through regenerative medicine first requires generating large amounts of good quality cells in the lab, notes Li. In the body stem cells are rare. But if cell growth, differentiation and quality can be controlled in the lab dish, it may be possible to create stocks of cells for therapeutic applications and prime them for bone regeneration once implanted in a patient. The Wisconsin team successfully tested human cells treated with lipocalin-2 and prolactin to regrow bone by implanting them in mice with a calvarial defect, where part of the skullcap has been surgically removed to model critical-sized bone loss. The human marrow used in the new Wisconsin study was donated by patients undergoing hip replacement surgery. Thus, a caveat to the study is that the protein factors identified by Li and his colleague came from donors with osteoarthritis. However, Li expressed confidence that the factors from the marrow used in the study would be similar or identical to what occurs in a healthy patient. The new study, says Li, demonstrates a key improvement to the lab culture environment, which seeks to mimic the bone marrow niche where mesenchymal stem cells are found in the body. A research team led by Professor Ed X. Wu of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Hong Kong has used an innovative neuroimaging tool to interrogate the complex brain networks and functions. - (From left) Mr. Alex Leong, Professor Ed X. Wu, Dr. Russell Chan and Dr. Kevin Tsia, Faculty of Engineering, HKU. Credit: The University of Hong Kong A research team led by Professor Ed X. Wu of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Hong Kong has used an innovative neuroimaging tool to interrogate the complex brain networks and functions. The team has successfully manipulated two pioneering technologies: optogenetics and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), for investigation of the dynamics underlying brain activity propagation. Their breakthrough to simultaneously capture large-scale brain-wide neural activity propagation and interaction dynamics, while examining their functional roles has taken scientists a step further in unravelling the mysteries of the brain. It could lead to the development of new neurotechnologies for early diagnosis and intervention of brain diseases including autism, Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The findings have recently been published in the prestigious international academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The human brain is the source of our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, actions, and memories. How the brain actually works, however, remains largely unknown. One grand challenge for the 21st century neuroscience is to achieve an integrated understanding of the large-scale brain-wide interactions, particularly the patterns of neural activities that give rise to functions and behavior. In 2013, the Obama government in the US launched the BRAIN Initiative to "accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will enable researchers to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought." In November 2016, China launched its own initiative "China Brain Project", which aims to advance basic research on the neural circuit mechanisms underlying cognition in hopes to improve brain disease diagnosis/intervention and inspire development of brain-machine intelligence technology. The technologies adopted by Professor Wu's team optogenetics provides an important tool for understanding brain activities by turning brain cells on and off using light to see which ones contribute to certain functions and which ones go wrong in certain pathologies; functional magnetic resonance imaging or functional MRI (fMRI) is a large-view non-invasive imaging technique for detecting brain-wide activations. Researchers can make use of fMRI to visualise whole brain activity in response to numerous types of stimuli. Professor Wu's team has been a pioneering team globally in fMRI research, particularly in the investigation of visual and auditory functions, and brain connectivity. The synergistic combination of the two powerful technologies has enormous potential to spark a new age of interdisciplinary research to advance our understanding of the brain. The ability to modulate specific neurons on demand in a reversible manner and map their activities non-invasively simultaneously can enable researchers to interrogate the complex brain networks and functions. The experiments conducted by Professor Wu's team on rodents so far have revealed the dynamic network wiring in the mammalian species. Major research findings Connections between the thalamus and cortex are one of the most ubiquitous in the brain. They are responsible for many critical functions such as perceiving our five senses, producing meaningful motor actions and regulating the sleep-wake cycle. As such, abnormalities in this circuit have been implicated in many pathologies of the brain. Professor Wu's team revealed that functional connections between the thalamus and cortex can extend beyond the traditional boundaries delineated by previous studies. Based on the current knowledge, one expects a one to one relationship between the thalamus and the cortex (e.g., somatosensory thalamus and the somatosensory cortex). However, in their study, optogenetic excitation of the somatosensory thalamus also activates the visual, auditory and cingulate cortices; regions that have little to no connections with the somatosensory thalamus. Interestingly, this phenomenon only occurs during low, not high frequency, optogenetic excitation. Furthermore, they demonstrated that low frequency thalamic excitation can enhance visual processing and brain connectivity. These revelations demonstrate that the thalamus is not just a relay or passive brain region as initially thought. Rather, it can initiate brain-wide neural interactions at different frequencies. The human brain only accounts for 2% of the total body weight, yet it consumes about 20% of the total body's energy demand. Despite its importance, it is one of the least understood organs of the body. With the advent and utilisation of new neurotechnologies, Professor Wu's team hopes that their research findings will inspire further efforts to visualise complex large-scale brain networks, creating a comprehensive catalog of well-mapped brain connectivity maps. Furthermore, with a better knowledge of the brain's functional connections, there is a vast potential for neuromodulation techniques to solve the most pressing neuro-related diseases including autism, Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Through The Mission Continues, veterans transition to civilian life by volunteering on community service missions. Credit: Saint Louis University Veterans could better transition to civilian life by volunteering with civic service programs in their communities, Saint Louis University research suggests. "When veterans compete their military service, they go through a transition like all of us, when we change jobs, move to a new town or retire. It is a transition that takes focus, deep reflection and new information to discover the next challenge they will pursue along their journey in life," said Monica Matthieu, Ph.D., the lead author of the study and assistant professor of social work at Saint Louis University. "This study tells us that formal volunteering in a civic service program that engages the veterans in community service in their hometown is one option to aid in that transition. Some may call this a gap year, I call it a fulfillment year." The research is the first peer-reviewed and published national study of civic service among U.S. military veterans. It examined how volunteering affected the health and social life of U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, then participated in a formal civic service program. Civic service has accountability requirements, clearly defined goals and a stipend, making it more like a job than less structured forms of volunteering, such as helping out with child care or setting up for a church function. Researchers evaluated the impact of The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit that deploys veterans on six-month volunteer service missions with community agencies. The organization was founded in St. Louis in 2007 by Eric Greitens, who stepped down as CEO in 2014 and now is Missouri's governor. Researchers studied 346 veterans who completed the program in 2011-2014, volunteering 20 hours a week on specific projects for six months. Before deployment on civic service missions, more than 50 percent said they had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and nearly a fifth reported symptoms of depression. Nearly half had reported receiving treatment for a mental health condition. At the end of their civic service, more volunteers reported they had good or excellent health than before they volunteered. Their emotional health improved; more reported it was easier to perform everyday activities than before volunteering. Their PTSD symptoms significantly decreased, and the number of veterans who had probable PTSD dropped from 50 percent prior to civic service to 43 percent after. The number of veterans who had symptoms of depression also decreased - from 23.5 percent before civic service to 15 percent after. They said they felt less isolated and lonely, and realized help is available. "All veterans in the civic service program experienced improvements in health, mental health and social functioning," Matthieu said. "Importantly, even after controlling for current treatment, veterans with positive depression screens when entering the program benefited the most with significant improvements in purpose in life, enhanced social support and decreased feelings of loneliness. Those screening positive for probable PTSD, again, after controlling for current treatment, showed significant improvements at the end of the program." She said the actual mechanism of why volunteering improves mental health remains a question. "One of our theories has to do with behavioral activation and the purpose surrounding the activity. So in other words, when we get up and move and that movement is geared toward a purpose of helping others, it is like stepping outside our own lives to focus on the needs of others, that so many positive things come together," said Matthieu, who directs SLU's graduate-level social work education specializing in veteran's services. Veterans are eager to find opportunities to serve at home as they rejoin civilian life, she said. Matthieu speculated that for veterans, volunteering allowed them to find meaning and purpose again in life, which prepared them for the transition back to the civilian world. "This area of science around health promotion programs that make a difference in veterans' lives is really just starting," Matthieu said, adding that more research will follow. More information: Monica M. Matthieu et al, The impact of a civic service program on biopsychosocial outcomes of post 9/11 U.S. military veterans, Psychiatry Research (2017). Journal information: Psychiatry Research Monica M. Matthieu et al, The impact of a civic service program on biopsychosocial outcomes of post 9/11 U.S. military veterans,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.12.028 Of course there is no guarantee that he will be so rewarded, even though it is widely accepted among Republican money men that Mr. Buchan was an early backer at a time when most of Wall Street was hedging its bets, either wary of being associated with such a fiery figure or predicting that Hillary Clinton would win the election. And Mr. Trump has proved to be unpredictable in his appointments, often casting aside his most ardent advocates. Still, that Mr. Buchan is even in the mix highlights the extent to which those on Wall Street who were timely and generous in terms of deploying their checkbook are now poised for an outsize payoff. It is also a reminder that while bankers and traders may now be cheering Mr. Trump as the stock market surges, many of these same people were ducking fund-raising calls in the months before the election. As president, Mr. Trump has tapped a powerful circle of superwealthy businessmen to advise him, although only a few of them were among his original patrons. In fact, going into the election, his support was insubstantial among rank-and-file financiers, the many thousands of midtier executives in investment firms and hedge funds who are often the financial spine of a winning presidential campaign. All of which makes Mr. Buchan stand out, despite his attempt to keep a low profile. He declined to comment for this article. Russian authorities have charged two former officers in the Federal Security Service and an employee of cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab with committing treason in the interests of the United States, according to a lawyer representing one of the three. Ivan Pavlov identified the three on Wednesday as Kaspersky employee Ruslan Stoyanov and FSB officers who specialised in cyber security, Sergei Mikhailov and Dmitry Dokuchayev. My client, along with the others, has been charged with state treason and cooperating with US intelligence services, Pavlov told Reuters news agency in a telephone interview. He declined to say which of the three he was representing, saying only that Stoyanov was not his client. The Kaspersky team headed by Stoyanov has been cooperating with the FSB since 2013 in analysing cybercrime cases and offering expertise in criminal cases concerning cybersecurity, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported. Kaspersky Lab confirmed Stoyanovs arrest but said the charges related to a period before he joined the company in 2012. Al Jazeeras Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said that the trio were arrested late last year, adding that the charges were likely to carry between 12 and 20 years of prison terms. The news of the arrest didnt come out until mid January. Now weve had some charges announced. The big question is and it is unanswered at the moment what were they doing? he said. There are a couple of not necessarily mutually exclusive theories about this. One is that when the CIA said that it had high confidence that Russia was behind the hacking of Democratic Party National Congress emails in the run-up to the US presidential elections, it was information from these guys that gave CIA that high confidence, Challands said. Another theory is that these people were running a kind of shadow hacking group motivated primarily by profit selling information on important people to anyone who would buy it, private buyers or foreign intelligence services. Absurd insinuations According to the Russian news agency TASS, the Kremlin rejected speculation that the arrested FSB officers were complicit in hacking attacks during the US presidential election. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of media reports about the arrests but that Kremlin could not confirm anything about them. Al Jazeera Person accused of arson in Russia cafe confesses Bayramov: Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders next meeting will take place in Brussels this month Unity rally of participants start march in downtown Yerevan North Korea launches 4 ballistic missiles Council of Border Guard Troops commanders discusses situation at CIS external borders Armenia ex-President Kocharyan joins rally in downtown Yerevan Russia oil, natural gas companies plan to collaborate with Iraq Armenia army intelligence troops 30th anniversary is solemnly celebrated (PHOTOS) Rally of unity in support of Karabakh kicks off in downtown Yerevan Pentagon announces sending 8 NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine Armenian Apostolic Church Supreme Spiritual Council meeting ends, Armenia and Artsakh security discussed Tropical Storm Nalgae death toll climbs to 155 in Philippines Artak Beglaryan is appointed advisor to Artsakh Minister of State (PHOTOS) US House committee extends deadline for Trump to produce documents on Capitol attack Over 200 elephants die in Kenya amid drought 13 dead in cafe fire in Russia Armenia Security Council chief to head for Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania Rishi Sunak: State cannot fix all problems Newspaper: To what extent Armenia adheres to sanctions on Russia? Biden accuses Twitter of spewing lies Newspaper: There are active political processes in Karabakh Qatar FM slams hypocrisy of calls to boycott World Cup France, Singapore and Switzerland begin joint testing of experimental digital currencies Oil war is Biden's biggest mistake Japan considers possible deployment of hypersonic missiles by 2030 Germany to install better air defense system over Defense Ministry buildings Erdogan and Stoltenberg discuss war in Ukraine Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire in direction of Armenian positions True cost of Europe's rejection of Russian gas White House tries to explain Biden's statement about freeing Iran Former Pakistani Prime Minister: Either we will have a peaceful revolution or a bloody one Aramyan: Why are police officers' salaries increasing, while defense officers' are not? Pentagon and U.S. weapons manufacturers to discuss Russia, human resources and supply chain Ankara says U.S. may approve sale of F-16s to Turkey within few months IMF: Turkey should tighten monetary policy and give the Central Bank more independence Pope urges religious leaders to keep the world from brink of abyss Putin awards Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II with Order of Honor U.S. says G7 countries realize need for coordinated response to China Round-the-clock curfew is introduced in Kherson Borrell says they can't put China and Russia on same level Olaf Scholz calls on China to influence Russia G7 foreign ministers express 'unwavering commitment' to protecting Ukraine, criticized PRC and IRI Political technologist explains why Pashinyan was elected chairman of board of ruling party in Armenia Erdogan signs up for TikTok China's army is constantly preparing for war amid provocative U.S. actions Kalin: Armenia is constructive about normalization of relations Poland asks EU to suspend fines Putin: Situation in Ukraine was deadly for Russia Portugal to test a four-day workweek US embassy in Armenia issues statement ahead of November 5 protests in Yerevan Dollar, euro go up in Armenia Baku authorities once again refuse to allow PFPA to hold protest rally Iranians commemorate anniversary of US embassy seizure Richard Kauzlarich: Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs meeting in Washington 'will send message to Putin' Russia ratifies protocol on requirements for length of service of EEU bodies' employees for pensions Armenia deputy defense minister in Russia, discusses military cooperation Yerevan receives proposal to hold Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan interparliamentary talks Health minister: We will work with fallen Armenia detainees relatives one more time after which bodies will be buried Putin allows mobilization of citizens with unexpunged criminal record for serious crimes Arnika, NESEHNUTI NGOs of Czech Rep. issue joint statement on plan to expand gold mine in Armenias Karaberd Putin urges to evacuate civilians living in Kherson from the war zone Iran parliament speaker to visit Armenia Ruling force MP: Canada is opening embassy in Armenia because we are one of worlds most democratic countries Girl with Armenian roots ends up in Vladimir orphanage Erdogan says he has agreed with Putin to supply grain to needy countries for free Armenia President, UK envoy agree to continue cooperation, close contacts Armenia FM receives EU Monitoring Capacity Spanish MPs don't approve agreement with Baku as a sign of solidarity with Armenia Japan says North Korea may go ahead with nuclear test Armenia government to allocate about $5M to Karabakh refugees support program Belarusian border service: Border guards intercepts Ukrainian training drone President appoints Ruben Vardanyan as Karabakh Minister of State US embassy expresses concern about human rights violation in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan continues muscle play on Iran border Ibrahim Kalin says Turkey will become an important gas center one way or another Biden: We're gonna free Iran Reuters: G7 countries and Australia agrees on fixed price for Russian oil World oil prices dropping Wizz Air to launch new flights between Venice, Yerevan EU assesses Armenia, Azerbaijan border commissions meeting in Brussels as constructive Artsakh President convenes enlarged working consultation Envoy: China supports Armenians Azerbaijan MOD disseminates disinformation, Armenia army did not fire Armenia ruling party recounts congress voting results Quake jolts Turkey Newspaper: Armenia PM once again manipulates topic of negotiations, Karabakh conflict Newspaper: Studies underway on Armenia MPs business involvement US wants to prevent Germany, other allies from working together with China Protests turn violent in Iran's Alborz Province Portugal is considering abandoning golden visa scheme Biden and Erdogan to meet at G-20 summit NATO supports normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and welcomes EU efforts Bank of England raises interest rates by largest amount since 1989 Scholz says Berlin must change its attitude toward China Cavusoglu and Stoltenberg disagree over Sweden's and Finland's fulfillment of commitments Turkish Vice President to visit Azerbaijan and occupied Shushi Britain buys 250 million pounds worth of oil from Azerbaijan from July 2021 to June 2022 Yair Lapid congratulates Benjamin Netanyahu on winning election Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense spreads another disinformation ENISA: War in Ukraine, geopolitics fuel cyberattacks STEPANAKERT. The Azerbaijani side violated ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces more than 20 times, from late Wednesday night to Thursday morning. During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired around 130 shots toward the Karabakh position-holders. In addition to violation of ceasefire, the Azerbaijani side initiated a diversionary infiltration attempt at about 3:00 pm on Wednesday in the northern direction (Talish) of the contact line. The vanguards units of the Defense Army continue to confidently the military task set before them and are ready to neutralize any attack. STEPANAKERT. -- The authorities of Azerbaijan in the best traditions of Nazi policy were quick to distance themselves from captivated compatriot, serviceman Elnur Huseynzade, spokesperson for Karabakh president Davit Babayan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. His comment came in response to a hasty statement by Azerbaijani defense ministry dismissing the fact of a diversion infiltration attempt as well as involvement of the soldier. The captive is safe, even safer than at home in Azerbaijan where the authorities rushed to distance themselves from the soldier, Babayan said, adding that behavior of the Azerbaijani authorities once again demonstrates fascist attitude towards their own citizens. He said prisoner's relatives should not worry about his condition. We do not offend the prisoners, unlike Azerbaijan, and there are many examples, Babayan noted. Periodic diversion attempts by Azerbaijan are a manifestation of the fascist policy. However, this policy, pursues a specific goal, in addition to the global anti-Armenian objectives. 2017 is a special year for the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. We will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Shushi, Berdzor. Accordingly, in Azerbaijan they mark the 25th anniversary of the monstrous massacre in Khojaly which was organized by the Azerbaijani side itself. In addition, with the help of diversions Azerbaijan is trying to sow panic and to prevent large-scale rebuilding the village of Talish. It is strange that for many years Azerbaijani side is unable to understand the main features of the Karabakh people: we do not walk back, he added. Asked whether it is possible to exchange convict Elnur Huseynzade with the citizen of NKR Arsen Baghdasaryan, spokesperson said it is too early to ask questions. YEREVAN. The Armenian side is trying to secure guarantees for blogger Alexander Lapshin, Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan told reporters on Thursday. According to him, the work is conducted with a number of organizations. I agree with the statement of my colleague from Karabakh: it is necessary to organize trips to Karabakh frequently and to attract many foreign journalists, Tatoyan said. After his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2011 and 2012, famous blogger Alexander Lapshin was blacklisted by Azerbaijan. In June 2016, however, he paid a visit to Azerbaijan, but with a Ukrainian passport. Subsequently, he issued several articles criticizing the Azerbaijani authorities. Afterward, the Azerbaijani authorities issued an international search for this famous blogger. On December 15, 2016, he was detained in the Belarus capital city of Minsk, and based on this international search. Baku demands his extradition to Azerbaijan, and for visiting Artsakh. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and US Department of State Spokesperson John Kirby, however, had spoken against Lapshins detention and such extradition, noting the importance of upholding freedom of speech. YEREVAN. Armenia will have permanent trade attache in Beijing. The draft decision was adopted at the session of the government on Thursday. The trade attache will help to monitor the Chinese market, to make recommendations promoting exports and to establish business relations. Over $ 87 thousand will be allocated for the maintenance of the attache in 2017. According to the National Statistical Service of the Armenia, the trade turnover between Armenia and China made $454 million or 8.9% of the general foreign trade of Armenia in 2016. In comparison with 2015, the Armenian export has decreased from $165.3 million to $96.4 million. Import from China, on the contrary, has grown from $316.1 to $357.7 million. YEREVAN. At the beginning of this year, a business cooperation between the World Bank and Fambox, a startup operating in Gyumri Technology Center, has been established. For the first time in Armenia, the project will be implemented based on Marklogic database technologies. The cooperation was an occasion for the World Bank representatives to pay a visit to GTC in August 2016. After having been presented the technological descriptions of the required solutions, the Washington office of the World Bank assigned the accomplishment of the task to the startup. The choice of Fambox was not coincidental. The technological skills of the company completely met the requirements presented. The implementation of Marklogic technologies was a totally new challenge in Armenia. The trial project for the Bank was executed at a high level followed by the registration of the company as a partner of the World Bank. As a result, the startup received a contract with a duration of six months at an absolutely competitive price, GTC manager AmalyaYeghoyan noted. During the implementation of the program, besides the main specialists, an addition of five developers at a beginners level in Gyumri will become more experienced in implementing the newest technologies. Its a good opportunity to gain international recognition for Fambox and GTC in the sphere of Marklogic as well as new business opportunities and famous clients like the World Bank. As AmalyaYeghoyan added, GTC is rapidly becoming more experienced and is grasping the attention of the clients more and more. Especially during the recent years theyre in constant negotiations with both Armenian and foreign clients. The mother of captivated Elnur Huseynzade dismissed the claims by Azerbaijani defense ministry. In an interview with Istipress.com, Saida Huseynovsa said that after completion of military service Elnur returned to the army within reenlistment program. The last time he was at home the night before the incident. In a statement issued earlier on Thursday the Azerbaijani defense ministry said that Elnur Huseynzade was systematically violating military discipline and was subsequently demobilized from the armed forces, and is currently not a member of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. Earlier the Karabakh Defense Army said they managed to captivate Azerbaijani army serviceman Elnur Huseynzade during an infiltration attempt. YEREVAN. - Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan on Thursday received Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia, Lukas Gasser. The Premier noted that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Switzerland, which can be described as high-level stable relations. We attach importance to the cooperation with Switzerland and are interested in its development in all the spheres of mutual interest, Karapetyan stressed. At the same time, the Premier underscored the need for intensifying the trade and economic relations, noting that there is great unrealized potential in this sphere. In order to foster cooperation and activate business contacts, the Karapetyan stressed the importance of establishing direct air communication, as well as the fact that Armenia has been benefiting from the generalized system of preferences (GSP) provided by Switzerland. Stressing that the two countries have long-time close political relations, Ambassador Gasser, for his part, agreed that the potential for economic cooperation is far above what is being currently realized. The Ambassador assured that Switzerland is also eager to boost the bilateral economic ties. According to him, effective partnership has been established in the spheres of regional development, education, science and culture, a key achievement in the humanitarian sphere being the Swiss governments official statement on that the Francophonie summit will be held in Armenia next year. Furthermore, Lukas Gasser welcomed the Premiers proposal to establish direct air communication between the two countries, expressing readiness to support the launch of this process. Apart from this, the sides exchanged views on the cooperation prospects in the sphere of agriculture, tourism, information technologies, alternative energy and pharmaceuticals. Prime Minister Karapetyan thanked the Ambassador for the support projects of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which promote the economic development in the remote regions of Armenia. The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said, that the Russian President Vladimir Putin has guaranteed a reliable energy supply to Hungary. "It is important for us to receive Russian energy resources in Hungary. Mr. President (Putin) has guaranteed it, "said Orban, during a press conference, after his meeting with the Russian president. Despite it, the Hungarian prime minister said, that he was not confident about a stable supply of the Russian gas to Ukraine, and Budapest is ready to discuss the issue of the Russian gas supply by means of North Stream-2. The Russian president, in his turn, noted that technical capabilities allow them to supply gas to Hungary by the North Stream-2 and the Turkish Stream pipelines, but there are also other ways to supply. "Gas supplies through Ukraine are not excluded, if we consider them reliable. On the last day of their official visit to Iran, the delegation headed by Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan visited Etka company, which deals with supply provision to the army rear. Afterwards, Sargsyan met with the senior advisor for foreign affairs to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar Velayatu. Lauding the age-long history of the Armenian-Iranian friendship, the interlocutors expressed conviction that it is an important precondition for the continuous deepening of relations. Ali Akbar Velayati, for his part, noted that Iran and Armenia already cooperate effectively in a number of branches of economy. He also expressed hope that the official visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to Iran will contribute to the cooperation between the states also in the sphere of defense. Apart from this, the sides discussed both bilateral and multilateral issues of regional interest. Furthermore, Vigen Sargsyan and Ali Akbar Velayati agreed that the emergence of new tension spots will seriously harm the regional security. Therefore, it is necessary to join efforts for preventing the dissemination of terrorism and extremism, he said. Reference was also made to the Karabakh issue. The sides stressed that the issue has no military solution and can be normalized exclusively through politics. The Armenian delegation returned to Yerevan on Thursday evening. On the eve of the European Councils meeting, the heads of the Migration and Refugee Board turned to the participants of the Council, urging them to take decisive steps towards the protection of refugees. In particular, they referred to the cases, when refugees died while crossing the Mediterranean, as well as unbearable conditions of immigrants and refugees in Libya. The UN has called on the Libyan authorities to set up reception centers for migrants, where they can receive protection and assistance upon their arrival. It is also necessary to create more secure ways of reaching Europe. The EU should also take measures to fight against criminal networks, so that people wouldnt die in the sea or on land, on their way to Europe. Since the beginning of 2017 up to present, 253 people died, trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. UN officials expressed a hope that the upcoming meeting of the Council of Europe will develop an integrated approach towards the migration issue. YEREVAN. - Former Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan has been dismissed from the composition of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Council. Spokesperson for the RPA, Eduard Sharmazanov, said the aforementioned to journalists on Thursday. According to him, a decision was adopted at the session of the RPA Supreme Body on expelling all the former party members, who had submitted relevant applications for this, i.e. Hovik Abrahamyan, his brother Henrik Abrahamyan and National Assembly (NA) deputy Karine Petrosyan. Apart from this, inter-political and inter-party issues were discussed at the session as well. Furthermore, the election program of parties, which is at the final stage, was touched on. Asked whether the candidate lists were discussed, Sharmazanov said that this issue will be discussed in the first ten days of February. ''Don't worry, we won't delay,'' he said. Referring to the outflow from the party, the Spokesperson said that it is less than the inflow. He also thanked the former colleagues for the joint work. Responding to the question as to how they will fight against the former premier, he noted: ''The RPA doesn't struggle against any politician, all the more against former Republican Hovik Abrahamyan, regardless of the sphere these honorable figures are. All the forces, which are ready to start debate in a free and competitive struggle are our rivals. This is the path of Armenia.'' Editors' pick: Originally published Feb. 1. By Rem Rieder Traditional news outlets, particularly newspapers, are facing enormous financial challenges. With tensions between the Trump Administration and the media already high, a vigorous press is more critical than ever. An intriguing experiment in Philadelphia aims to improve the prospects that journalism, regardless of platform will survive and thrive. Last September, Gerry Lenfest, owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and philly.com, donated his holdings to a new nonprofit, the Institute for Journalism in New Media. Lenfest, a billionaire philanthropist whose mission is to preserve the news organizations for the sake of the region and not to amass big profits, hopes the new approach can be a test lab for innovative ways of safeguarding quality journalism. Ken Doctor, a top media analyst who writes at newsenomics.com, sees the initiative as a promising effort. "I'm impressed by the caliber of digital advisers that (institute CEO and Executive Director) Jim Friedlich is now bringing to the questions of Philly's future," Doctor said. "I believe that the models -- in reporting, in design, in mobile products, in new ad models and social distribution -- no longer need to be invented. They need to be applied to the local/metro press from the learnings of the increasingly successful national pioneers.... So the challenge, I think here, is fast innovation." Says Rick Edmonds, who analyzes media economics at Florida's Poynter Institute, a nonprofit journalism training organization, "It's a very interesting experiment." In October, Poynter honored Lenfest with its Distinguished Service to Journalism Award. In a recent interview, Friedlich, four months into his new gig, stressed the institute is strictly nonpartisan. At the same time, without mentioning the president, he emphasized the urgency of the undertaking. "There's little doubt that this mission is more important now than ever before," he said. "Journalists play a vital role as watchdogs of government, but don't always have the resources to properly do their jobs. Right now, some in government are fiercely critical of the media. A strong and independent press is fundamental to our democracy, but the news industry requires a sustainable business model to effectively meet its responsibilities. There is a need for a non-partisan institute devoted simply to making journalism more successful, more effective and more sustainable irrespective of politics." The institute is funded by an endowment, jump-started by Lenfest's $20 million donation and augmented by an additional $5 million gift from institute board member David Haas and the Wyncote Foundation. Once the institute has developed a track record, it will pursue fund-raising in earnest. While the Philly news outlets belong to a nonprofit, they still function as a business. But Lenfest converted Philadelphia Media Network, the parent company, into a public benefit corporation aimed at long-term sustainability rather than short-term profit. "Thanks to the structure, there is no debt, no debtors, no public shareholders or security analysts at the door," said Friedlich, a former Wall Street Journal business executive. "That's enormously liberating for the business and the journalism." It's important to note the Philly news outlets can't rely on the institute for handouts to cover losses. They have to make their own way. But they can benefit from both grants and expertise from the institute as well as the more forgiving corporate structure. Lenfest said supporting journalism is as critical as supporting museums and orchestras. He once said that while he has given away more than $1 billion, he has never undertaken anything as important as trying to save the Philly news organizations, given their essential role in a democracy. Friedlich said the institute has three objectives. The first is to support "the need and opportunity for heritage news organizations to evolve in the digital age, to develop new digital content, to communicate on new mobile and social platforms, and to find new ways to inform and delight readers." The second goal is to foster "fundamental innovation," news outlets or journalistic initiatives "that are built from scratch, native digital products and services that ultimately may disrupt heritage organizations." He cites Vox, Vice, Mic.com, Billy Penn and Quartz as examples. The third leg of the tripod is new tools that amplify the impact of great journalism. Said Friedlich, "We support investigative, enterprise and watchdog journalism, but seek to do so in a way that engages diverse new audiences, builds new organizational muscles and new technical skill sets. We are interested in experimenting in Philadelphia in ways that others can replicate around the country." The institute's first two grants went to the home team, the Philly news outlets. The first is for soon-to-begin cutting-edge digital training for the Philadelphia Media Network newsroom-social media, multimedia, analytics, digital storytelling, you name it. The second is to build on the news outlets' powerful project on environmental poisoning called Toxic City, a piece Friedlich found particularly impressive. The grant will cover additional environmental testing, outreach to affected communities, collaboration with local radio station WURD, investment in software for SMS messaging for areas with high cellphone but low Philadelphia Inquirer penetration, and reporting on public policy approaches by other cities with lead problems. In addition, the institute works with the news organizations day to day on such matters as best strategies for paid digital content; improving the mobile product; and building partnerships with other local news outlets. As for grants to other organizations and entrepreneurs in the region and across the country, the institute is brainstorming just where the innovation dollars should go. The current thinking is that given the enormous amount of innovation already in the works, it may well be most effective to support a number of initiatives rather than build its own lab. Meanwhile, word of the institute's work is spreading: Friedlich spent the holidays in Australia courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age. The institute is also working with the Dallas Morning News, New York's Daily News and Minneapolis' Star Tribune. "The mission has become national if not global," Friedlich said, "sustaining great metro journalism wherever it is practiced." And it's clear that Friedlich is finding that mission exhilarating. "I feel like I've died and gone to heaven," he said, "except for the dying part." Africa CDC Successfully Launched The agency was created to respond to fast-spreading disease threats, such as Ebola, and to establish early warning and response surveillance systems, respond to emergencies, build capacity, and provide technical expertise to address health emergencies in a timely and effective manner. Africa CDC, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has been launched Jan. 31, 2017, by heads of state and governments with a ribbon cutting at the African Union Commission Building B in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), posted a statement welcoming the news. Africa CDC Acting Director Dr Andrea Ammon said, "ECDC welcomes the Africa CDC to the international public health community. We look forward to exchanging knowledge and experience with each other." The agency was created to respond to fast-spreading disease threats, such as Ebola, and to establish early warning and response surveillance systems, respond to emergencies, build capacity, and provide technical expertise to address health emergencies in a timely and effective manner. "As an African-owned institution, the Africa CDC is uniquely positioned to help protect the health of the continent. It will also join the international networks of public health institutions to share information and improve surveillance of public health threats," the African Union said in a statement as the agency was in deveopment. The need for it was was recognized by the African Union in 2013 and formalized in 2015. African Union ministers of health adopted the Statute of the Africa CDC in July 2015 and urged that its establishment be fast-tracked. During 2016 alone, the African continent experienced disease outbreaks that included yellow fever, cholera, dengue, and other infections, underscoring the importance of the new public health agency. Its been a long road for City Lights Brewing, which opened this week in the Milwaukee Gas Light Building at 2200 W. Mount Vernon Ave. in the Menomonee Valley. Countless construction delays most due to complications of renovating 100-plus-year-old buildings caused the brewerys timeline to be lengthened by nearly nine months. But we've finally been able to get our first taste of the new brewery. Here are some of the interesting bits we found. 1. Craftsmanship Once you're parked in the spacious parking lot, you'll want to enter the main building through a doorway on the north side. Along the way, stop and appreciate the windows, which were created to meet the specifications of Alexander Eschweilers original architectural drawings for the building. 2. History lesson Be sure to read the historic homage to the Gas Light Building on the plaque next to the entrance. 3. Punch in Upon your arrival, head to the back of the tap room where you'll find a vintage punch clock. Record your name on one of the cards and punch in (and out when you leave). The brewery will track your time, and you'll be eligible for monthly prizes. 4. Have a seat If you're with a group, there are plenty of options for seating. Old hardwood flooring found in the next door building was fashioned into five tongue-in-groove table tops, two drink rails and two 8-foot communal tables. 5. Appreciate the beauty There's a natural beauty about the bar top which was made from old growth cypress which was pulled out of a river in Southern Florida. 6. A bird's eye view of the brewing Thanks to glass windows behind the bar, you can see the brewing process from beginning to end. 7. Find the crane Shiny equipment is cool, but maybe more interesting is the fact that, if you look closely (and up), you'll glimpse glazed Tiffany brick and beautifully refurbished original ceilings, along with an 1899 vintage crane from the building which has been repurposed to secure the brewerys milled grain. 8. Industrial chic In fact, much of the industrial charm of the historic building has been retained. Just take a look at the cement ceilings that linger above. 9. Creature comforts Of course, if you'd prefer something more plush, there's a small lounge area in the back of the tap room with leather couches and chairs. 10. Sample the City (Lights) And be sure to get what you really came for a taste of all four City Lights brews, including their IPA (hopped up with Citra, Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops), session IPA (featuring El Dorado and Centennial hops), brown ale (toasted nuts and a bit of hop) and amber ale (caramel and malt with Noble hops). Pricing is $5-6 for a pint and $10 for a flight. City Lights Brewing Co. is open Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. The ribbon has been cut at the new San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana, a passion project spearheaded by the Calderone Clubs Gino Fazzari. The restaurant, which is located in the former Thai Palace at 838 N. Old World 3rd St., hosted soft openings this week. Although a date has not yet been set, Fazzari predicts hell open the doors to the public sometime next week. In the meantime, we had the opportunity to take a peek at the space and try a few of the items on the San Giorgio menu, which includes appetizers, soups and salads, panini and the star of the show Neapolitan style pizza. San Giorgio is on the cusp of attaining its Vera Pizza Napoletano certification, an honorable designation which verifies adherence to traditional methods for producing authentic Neapolitan style pizza. Such certification requires that the pizza be made in accordance with a number of specifications, including ingredients, type of oven, baking temperature and the characteristics of the end product. According to the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana guidelines, "The consistency of the pizza should be soft, elastic and easy to manipulate and fold. The center should be particularly soft to the touch and the taste and appearance of the pizza must be evidenced by the red color of the tomato. "The crust should possess the flavor of well-baked bread. The slightly acidic flavor of the densely enriched tomatoes, mixed with the characteristic aroma of the oregano, garlic or basil ensures that the pizza, as it comes out from the oven, delivers its characteristic aroma of a fresh and fragrant typical Mediterranean product." San Giorgio will be the only VPN certified restaurant in Milwaukee, and one of only four in the state of Wisconsin (including Il Ritrovo and Harrys Prohibition Bistro in Sheboygan and Naples 15 in Madison). The restaurant, which possesses a classic modern feel, features stark white walls set against Cream City brick and exposed wood ceilings. Seating is available at the long marble-topped bar or at a variety of both high- and low-top tables. Ten seats along the pizza counter allows customers a view of the lovely cobalt blue pizza oven and the pizzaiolo at work. A full bar features cocktails and 13 draft lines featuring Italian classics like Peroni and Birra Moretti, along with a variety of Wisconsin craft beers. Meanwhile, the moderately priced wine list focuses on varietals from regions across Italy. Appetizers include standards like bruschetta, calamari fritti, arancini (saffron, mushroom and parmesan) along with mixed Italian olives marinated with aromatic lemon and orange peel, Calabrian peppers, extra virgin olive oil and Italian parsley. Polpette fatte in casa (housemade meatballs) feature beef, pork and veal served up in pomodoro sauce with basil and grated Grana Padano cheese. Soups include classics like pasta e fagioli and minestra di pollo arrosto con patate with rotisserie chicken, potato, carrots, celery, onion and rosemary. And salads include classic Caesar, wood-fire roasted beet salad, and the Don Antonio with roma tomatoes, basil, onion, red chili flakes, fresh oregano, garlic, olive oil and sea salt. Panini include ciabatta topped with porchetta, the traditionally seasoned slow roasted pork, picnic shoulder, broccoli rabe, wood-fired oven roasted bell peppers and provolone. Meanwhile, the rosticceria will showcase spit roasted Italian-marinated rotisserie chicken served up with crisp rosemary potatoes and sauteed rapini. The ten varieties of Neapolitan pizza (priced $10-16) include the classic Margherita with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh Fior di Latte mozzarella, Parmigiano, basil and extra virgin olive oil. The Genovese (pictured above) boasts basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, Grana Padano, salami, extra virgin olive oil, basil and cherry tomatoes. The glorious namesake, San Giorgio, boasts braised fennel, crisp pancetta, fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, baby arugula and extra virgin olive oil topped off with a sunny-side-up egg. Among the short list of sweets with which you can complete your meal (including tiramisu, gelato, sorbetto and cannoli) is San Giorgio's Nutella calzone featuring sweet ricotta cheese and Nutella wrapped in pizza dough, baked in the wood-fired oven and served up with fresh, seasonal berries and whipped cream. Raviolo of Nutella made by Mario! pic.twitter.com/2gjZ2dWue2 Pizzeria San Giorgio (@SanGiorgioMKE) January 31, 2017 Once open, San Giorgio will be open for lunch and dinner. Proposed hours are Monday through Thursday noon to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight. Wisconsin historian and UWM grad Mark Speltz has brought Badger State history alive in books like "Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsins Historic Bars and Breweries" and "Fill er Up: The Glory Days of Wisconsin Gas Stations," and via his work as a historian for Madison-based American Girl. But he's also worked to tell the story of Civil Rights here, via articles and exhibitions featuring Father James Groppi and others. His latest book, "North of Dixie: Civil Rights Photography Beyond the South," is a hard-hitting photographic look at the fight for civil rights, via work by Bob Adelman, Ruth-Marion Baruch, Charles Brittin, Diana Davies, Jack Delano, Leonard Freed, Don Hogan Charles, Gordon Parks, Art Shay, Morgan and Marvin Smith, and Maria Varela. There are images of protests and of confrontation, including images from Milwaukee. It is a powerful, powerful collection. As Speltz prepares to return to Milwaukee nex week for a free event on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. at Milwaukee Public Library's Washington Park branch, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd., we asked him to select his favorite images from "North of Dixie" and tell us what about them moves him most. GOLDMAN AND PARRISH, CHICAGO, 1946. Chicago History Museum. Protesters demonstrating against racial discrimination at the White City Roller Rink, 63rd and South Parkway (later King Drive). "Taken just after World War II, this photograph shows how black veterans that fought for freedom and democracy abroad endured a second class citizenship in America. Chicago veterans and CORE activists picketed outside a roller skating rink, aptly named White City, that would not allow blacks to skate there." CHARLES BRITTIN, NEAR LOS ANGELES, CA, 1963. Los Angeles, Getty Research Institute. Activists picketing at a demonstration for housing equality while uniformed American Nazi Party members counterprotest in the background with signs displaying anti-integration slogans and racist epithets. "Resistance to civil rights protests was not uncommon in the North. Members of the American Nazi Party counter-demonstrate efforts to end discrimination at a greater Los Angeles housing tract that would not accept African American residents. Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan turned up at protests in Milwaukee in the 1960s, too." COX STUDIO, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 1955. Washington, DC, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Visual Materials from the NAACP Records. San Francisco NAACP members during a Dont Ride campaign urging riders to boycott Yellow Cab and help stop hiring discrimination. "I happened across this compelling picture at the Library of Congress while cranking through reels of microfilmed photographs in the massive NAACP collections. I am repeatedly struck by the impeccably dressed demonstrators note the ladies white gloves picketing the Yellow Cab Company over hiring discrimination." DECLAN HAUN, CHICAGO, IL, 1966. Chicago History Museum. Chicagoans young and old blatantly expressing their distaste for open housing. "Crowds lined Chicago streets during the summer of 1966 as Dr. King and the Chicago Freedom Movement called attention to housing discrimination, slum conditions, and gross inequalities in the public school system blacks faced. Declan Haun beautifully captured this young girl's reaction." BOB ADELMAN, BROOKLYN, NY, 1963. Courtesy Bob Adelman. A woman blocking dump trucks, slowing construction through civil disobedience as part of a protracted battle against unfair hiring practices at the Downstate Medical Center. Brooklyn. "Images of female activistslike this well-dressed woman kneeling on a protest sign at an urban construction site are rarely considered iconic. The most circulated photographs tend to emphasize politicians, charismatic male leaders, and nonviolent protesters being brutally attacked in the American South. But to me, this photograph by Bob Adelman is everything. Ordinary Americans built, conceived of, and waged local civil rights campaigns from L.A. to Harlem and coast to coast." "Unknown Photographer, Milwaukee, WI, December 1966 2015 Journal-Sentinel, Inc. Member of Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council mopping floor of the groups Freedom House. The many photographs and news clippings pinned to the bulletin board behind him illustrate the young activists combined ability to generate press coverage and call attention to pressing concerns. This unpublished Milwaukee news photograph makes clear that local NAACP Youth Council members understood their determined actions and civil rights campaigns attracted media coverage and brought attention to issues plaguing the citys African American residents. Taken in December 1966, the bulletin board is filled with newspaper clippings and photographs related to the groups efforts to attack racism and end discrimination there earlier that summer." LEONARD FREED, BROOKLYN, NY, 1963. Los Angeles, the J. Paul Getty Museum, 2008.62.5 / Leonard Freed / Magnum Photos. Demonstrators sitting with signs and intentionally blocking traffic during protest on car-lined thoroughfare. "Whenever people complain about being inconvenienced by protests or highway closures, I think of this Leonard Freed photograph from Brooklyn. Dr. King and thousands of civil rights activists routinely blocked traffic, marched along highways, and disrupted everyday life to call attention to injustice. Activism is never convenient." CHARLES BRITTIN, LOS ANGELES, CA, MARCH 10, 1965. Los Angeles, Getty Research Institute. Protesters being physically removed during a demonstration against the shocking violence in Selma in March 1965. No clouds of tear gas or swinging clubs are present in these scenes outside the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles, but Brittins tight focus immediately draws viewers into one of the most dramatic struggles he documented for CORE. "Hundreds of protests erupted nationwide in response to the brutal beatings of marchers at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965. The dramatic arrests and removal of protesters at a Los Angeles demonstration was documented by Charles Brittin, a photographer with the civil rights groups Congress for Racial Equality." Unknown Photographer, Milwaukee, WI, September 1967. Courtesy Johnson Publishing Company, LLC. Comedian Dick Gregory (in white hat), Milwaukee NAAC Youth Council adviser Father James Groppi (center), and Ald. Vel Phillips (right) at a march for open housing. Gregorys participation generated media coverage locally and in national publications, including Jet magazine, in which this photograph ran. "One of my favorite photographs in the whole book, this picture from Jet magazine shows three important participants in Milwaukees rich civil rights history Ald. Vel Phillips, Fr. James Groppi, and comedian, Dick Gregory. The project that turned into 'North of Dixie' got its start in Milwaukee when, as a graduate student, I realized the visual history of critical civil rights campaigns in places like Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Los Angeles needed to be shared with readers. The images in 'North of Dixie' reveal what civil rights looked like up North and beyond Dixie." The annual U.S. Snow Sculpting Competition takes place Jan. 29-Feb. 3 in Lake Geneva. The event kicks off Lake Genevas annual Winterfest, which runs Saturday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Feb. 4 with a range of events including skating, tours, an ice bar, games and more. Luckily, the weather should hold for it. Snow sculpting events in Milwaukee, if I remember correctly, always seemed to land during the ever-unpredictable January thaws. Fifteen teams from across the country some from places as distant as Alaska will do battle, each with their own 9x8-foot cylinder of tightly packed snow. After about three days work, competitors will vote to name the best of the best. No, they are not allowed to vote for their own work. There will also be a "peoples choice" winner based on ballots available to the public at the competition. In the meantime, enjoy these photos of sculptures from a recent event in Lake Geneva, courtesy of Visit Lake Geneva. Dolphins Wow! This guy Team Wisconsin 1 Team Wisconsin 2 Lawrence Livermore scientist Joseph Wallace adjusts the microbeam aperture on the Rutherford backscattering spectrometry system, which is used to characterize radiation damage as a function of depth in the samples. Credit: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Materials scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have used a novel pulsed-ion-beam method to identify mechanisms of radiation defect formation in silicon. The research could have implications for improvements in modern electronics performance. Understanding radiation defects in crystals has been a major materials physics challenge for decades. Stable defect formation often involves dynamic processes of migration and interaction of point defects generated by energetic particles. The exact pathways of defect formation, however, have remained elusive, and most current predictions of radiation damage are essentially empirical fits to experimental data. This applies even to the best studied and arguably simplest material, crystalline silicon, which is the backbone of modern electronics. Until recently, scientists lacked experimental methods that could directly probe the dynamics of defect creation and annealing. In an article published in the Jan. 6 edition of Scientific Reports, the team from LLNL and Texas A&M University used a novel experimental method to study thermally activated defect interaction processes in silicon. The method exploits pulsed, rather than continuous, ion beams capable of probing defect interaction dynamics. By measuring temperature dependencies of the dynamic annealing rate of defects, the team found two distinct regimes of defect interaction, at temperatures above and below 60 degrees Celsius, respectively. The rate theory modeling, benchmarked against pulsed-beam data, pointed to a crucial role of both vacancy and interstitial diffusion, with the defect production rate limited by the migration and interaction of vacancies. "Direct measurements of the activation energies of the dominant dynamic annealing processes is key to understanding the formation of stable radiation damage in materials," said LLNL scientist Joseph Wallace, the lead author of the paper. "This work provides a blueprint for future pulsed-beam studies of radiation defect dynamics in other technologically relevant materials," said Sergei Kucheyev, the LLNL project lead. More information: J. B. Wallace et al. The role of Frenkel defect diffusion in dynamic annealing in ion-irradiated Si, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/srep39754 Journal information: Scientific Reports Hybrid-integrated master-oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) laser module for rubidium precision spectroscopy in space developed by the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut three of these MOPA modules along with two redundant modules are integrated into the laser system. Credit: FBH/schurian.com For the first time ever, a cloud of ultra-cold atoms has been successfully created in space on board of a sounding rocket. The MAIUS mission demonstrates that quantum optical sensors can be operated even in harsh environments like space a prerequisite for finding answers to the most challenging questions of fundamental physics and an important innovation driver for everyday applications. According to Albert Einstein's Equivalence Principle, all bodies are accelerated at the same rate by the Earth's gravity, regardless of their properties. This principle applies to stones, feathers, and atoms alike. Under conditions of microgravity, very long and precise measurements can be carried out to determine whether different types of atoms actually "fall equally fast" in the gravitational field of the Earth or if we have to revise our understanding of the universe. As part of a national consortium, Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut fuer Hoechstfrequenztechnik (FBH) and Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin (HU) now made a historical step towards testing the Equivalence Principle in the microcosm of quantum objects. In the MAIUS mission launched on January 23, 2017 a cloud of nano-Kelvin cold rubidium atoms has been generated in space for the first time ever. This cloud was cooled down with laser light and radio frequency electrical fields so that the atoms finally formed a single quantum object, a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). More than 20 years after the groundbreaking results of the Nobel laureates Cornell, Ketterle, and Wieman on ultra-cold atoms, preliminary evaluation of the sounding rocket mission data indicates that such experiments can also be carried out under the harsh conditions of space operation back in 1995, living room-sized setups in a special laboratory environment were required. Today's quantum optical sensor is as small as a freezer and remains fully operational even after experiencing huge mechanical and thermal stress caused by the rocket launch. This groundbreaking mission is a pathfinder for applications of quantum sensors in space. In the future, scientists expect to use quantum sensor technology to cope with one of the biggest challenges of modern physics: the unification of gravitation with the other fundamental interactions (strong, weak, and electro-magnetic force) in a single consistent theory. At the same time, these experiments are drivers of innovation for a broad range of applications, from inertial (non-GPS referenced) navigation to space-borne geodesy used to determine the Earth's shape. MAIUS laser system used to successfully create a Bose-Einstein condensate for the first time in space. It is about as big as a shoe box with a mass of 27 kg. FBHs laser modules are integrated on the bottom side of the heat sink, the top side houses modules for further processing of the light to be transferred to the main experiment. Credit: Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin Comprehensive know-how in laser modules designed for space applications For this mission, the FBH has developed hybrid micro-integrated semiconductor laser modules that are suitable for application in space. These laser modules, together with optical and spectroscopic units provided by third partners, have been integrated and qualified by HU to provide the laser subsystem of the scientific payload. The results of this mission coordinated by Leibniz Universitaet Hannover do not only prove that quantum optical experiments with ultra-cold atoms are possible in space, but also give FBH and HU the opportunity to test their miniaturized laser system technology under real operating conditions. The results will also be used to prepare future missions which are already scheduled for launch. MAIUS, however, is not the first sounding rocket test for both institutions' laser technology in space; the technology has already been successfully tested in April 2015 and January 2016 on board of two sounding rockets within the FOKUS and KALEXUS experiments. MAIUS: matter-wave interferometry under microgravity conditions The MAIUS mission is supported by the German Space Agency (DLR) with funds provided by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy and tests all key technologies of a space-borne quantum optical sensor on a sounding rocket: vacuum chamber, laser system, electronics, and software. MAIUS constitutes a historical milestone for future missions in space that will take advantage of the full potential of quantum technology. For the first time world-wide, a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) based on rubidium atoms has been created on board of a sounding rocket and has been used to investigate atom interferometry in space. Quantum optical sensors based on BECs enable high-precision measurements of accelerations and rotations using laser pulses which provide a reference for precise determination of the positions of the atomic cloud. The compact and robust diode laser system for laser cooling and atom interferometry with ultra-cold rubidium atoms has been developed under the leadership of the Optical Metrology Group at HU. This system is required for the operation of the MAIUS experiment and consists of four diode laser modules that have been developed by FBH as hybrid-integrated master-oscillator power-amplifier laser modules. The master laser is a monolithic distributed feedback (DFB) laser which is frequency-stabilized to the frequency of an optical transition in rubidium and generates spectrally pure and highly stable (~ 1 MHz linewidth) optical radiation with low output power at 780 nm wavelength. The three other laser modules feature a tapered amplifier chip with a ridge waveguide input section. These tapered amplifier chips boost the optical output power of a DFB laser to beyond 1 W without any loss of spectral stability. Two additional redundancy modules were integrated. Free space acousto-optical modulators and optical components are used to generate the laser pulses according to the experimental sequence. The laser light pulses are finally transferred to the experimental chamber by optical fibers. Furthermore, a laser technology demonstrator designed for future missions has been integrated, consisting of two micro-integrated semiconductor Extended Cavity Diode Laser (ECDL) modules developed by FBH. These modules are specifically required for future atom interferometry experiments that pose more stringent requirements on the spectral stability of the lasers. Credit: Wageningen University In addition to improving the ambiance in buildings, plants also purify the air. But how does this work, and which conditions are best for this filtering? Three scientists from Wageningen University & Research discuss the potential of plants as air purifiers. A NASA study in 1989 showed that some common houseplants can purify the air in buildings from toxic particles such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. Research by Fytagoras showed that the Adiantum fern is master air purifier, with the highest capacity per leaf area. Led by plant physiologist Pieter de Visser, the Greenhouse Horticulture business unit of Wageningen University & Research will be working with other parties in the ornamental plant chain to perform further research into these frontrunners. "The NASA study dates back nearly 30 years. Measuring equipment has become much more advanced, and extra studies are carried out since then" says De Visser. "We want to know if we can draw the same conclusions. We also want to learn how exactly plants purify the air. We know how the particles are captured by the plant, but it's not yet clear what happens next. Do the particles remain somewhere in the plant or are they processed in the assimilation chain? We hope to use the acquired knowledge to develop methods for optimising the purifying function of plants. This is a strong desire in practical terms too." Credit: Wageningen University Reducing absence through illness with houseplants Charlotte Lelieveld from Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra) is coordinating the project Plants for a good indoor climate. In this project the effects of ornamental plants on the health and wellbeing of people in office buildings and care institutions are being studied. "Many buildings have a poor indoor climate," says Lelieveld. "Lab studies show that plants can have a positive impact on a variety of health issues among employees and residents. Plants remove moisture and harmful substances from the air, and also create a pleasant ambiance in buildings". "As part of a consortium of knowledge institutes and companies we are researching how plants contribute to the air quality and wellbeing of people in practice situations. We are measuring the effects on the indoor environment as well as looking at the costs and benefits. Building owners often see 'plants' as a cost item. By translating our results into financial figures we offer building owners insight into the possibilities for cost reduction on energy-consuming air treatment systems. We are also studying whether there is a link between the presence of plants and a lower absence through illness and a higher productivity." Adiantum fern is master air purifier, with the highest capacity per leaf area. Credit: Wageningen University Trees and shrubs for more fresh air While Lelieveld studies the purifying effect of plants in offices, her colleague Tycho Vermeulen from the Greenhouse Horticulture business unit focuses on the health effect of greenery on an urban level. Vermeulen: "Many cities are interested in the effect of trees and shrubs on air quality. Where previous Dutch research was critical about the possibilities, German and British scientists have concluded that trees and shrubs can capture 10 to 15 per cent of harmful substances in urban areas. We are now working with the municipality of The Hague to see how green areas can contribute to reducing particulate matter in the city. As a scientist, I see plenty of possibilities." Rural Pennsylvania is one of many parts of the United States in which oil and gas mining activity occur. Credit: Rob Jackson Private landowners concerned about the risks of fracking may be able to prevent mining for oil and natural gas on their land in perpetuity without government regulation, according to a new analysis by Rob Jackson, professor of Earth system science at Stanford University, and his colleagues. Jackson and a team of legal scholars have assessed how an established legal agreement the conservation easement could enable individual landowners to restrict fracking on their property. They've dubbed this new approach a mineral estate conservation easement (MECE). Fracking (as hydraulic fracturing is commonly known) has dramatically increased in the United States and now accounts for about half of all U.S. oil output. Despite this growth, many communities remain concerned about public health and safety. As some local governments try to ban fracking, legal battles have yielded mixed success, largely because state governments are considered the greater authority on regulating oil and gas development. In Denton, Texas, voters approved a fracking ban only to have it overturned by the state legislature months later. "People concerned about groundwater contamination and other potential impacts of fracking may welcome a new option for permanent conservation," said Jackson. "The MECE is a conservation easement underground that provides landowners with legal flexibility to restrict hydraulic fracturing and other subsurface activities on their land in perpetuity." The analysis is published this week in Environmental Law Reporter. Nonregulatory action A conservation easement is a contract (usually between a landowner and a land trust) whereby a landowner voluntarily agrees to sell or donate the right to use a piece of property in a certain way, commonly agreeing not to develop it. The restriction on the property often diminishes its value and the law allows landowners donating a conservation easement to take a tax write-off of the difference in fair market value of the land before and after the easement. Donors with larger tax bills could see significant savings without being required to give up private ownership of their property. Map shows mineral estate conservation easements in each state. Credit: Stanford University Conservation easements are popular in the Americaover 100,000 easements cover 40 million acres of U.S. territoryand can be an attractive option for landowners. "Around the country, individuals and communities have expressed growing concerns over fracking's impacts on water quality, air pollution, and truck traffic. To date, though, there has been little meaningful action they could take," said James Salzman, professor of law at UCLA and a co-author of the study. The MECE could restrict mineral extraction under property, which could help landowners concerned about horizontal drilling and other activities. It gives people who own only the mineral rights on a property a new choice for setting aside those rights. The MECE would also allow landowners who own both the aboveground and belowground parts of their land to conserve what's underneath the property while retaining the right to develop on the surface with houses or other structures. "As conservationists worry about lack of environmental protection measures under the new administration, they will look to private law mechanisms to pick up the slack," said Jessica Owley, professor of law at the Buffalo School of Law and co-author of the study. "Our work is proposing a new twist on an old idea that will facilitate protection of land." Existing language The researchers found that many oil- and gas-producing states, such as Alaska, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming, already have statutory language that could support the formation of MECEs. For states where MECEs might not be legally supported, the analysis proposes amendments to state laws and the Internal Revenue Code that would allow MECEs to reach parity with the current use of conservation easements and be eligible for tax deductions. "This is about consumer choice," Jackson said. "The MECE could be a widely used tool for limiting hydraulic fracturing on property where desired." More information: Mineral Estate Conservation Easements: A New Policy Instrument to Address Hydraulic Fracturing and Resource Extraction. elr.info/news-analysis/47/1011 ing-and-resource-ext DNA double helix. Credit: public domain New research indicates that Baltic hunter-gatherers were not swamped by migrations of early agriculturalists from the Middle East, as was the case for the rest of central and western Europe. Instead, these people probably acquired knowledge of farming and ceramics by sharing cultures and ideasrather than geneswith outside communities. Scientists extracted ancient DNA from a number of archaeological remains discovered in Latvia and the Ukraine, which were between 5,000 and 8,000 years old. These samples spanned the Neolithic period, which was the dawn of agriculture in Europe, when people moved from a mobile hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled way of life based on food production. We know through previous research that large numbers of early farmers from the Levant (the Near East) - driven by the success of their technological innovations such as crops and pottery - had expanded to the peripheral parts of Europe by the end of the Neolithic and largely replaced hunter-gatherer populations. However, the new study, published today in the journal Current Biology, shows that the Levantine farmers did not contribute to hunter-gatherers in the Baltic as they did in Central and Western Europe. The research team, which includes scientists from Trinity College Dublin, the University of Cambridge, and University College Dublin, says their findings instead suggest that the Baltic hunter-gatherers learned these skills through communication and cultural exchange with outsiders. The findings feed into debates around the 'Neolithic package,'the cluster of technologies such as domesticated livestock, cultivated cereals and ceramics, which revolutionised human existence across Europe during the late Stone Age. Advances in ancient DNA work have revealed that this 'package' was spread through Central and Western Europe by migration and interbreeding: the Levant and later Anatolian farmers mixing with and essentially replacing the hunter-gatherers. But the new work suggests migration was not a 'universal driver' across Europe for this way of life. In the Baltic region, archaeology shows that the technologies of the 'package' did developalbeit less rapidly - even though the analyses show that the genetics of these populations remained the same as those of the hunter-gatherers throughout the Neolithic. Andrea Manica, one of the study's senior authors from the University of Cambridge, said: "Almost all ancient DNA research up to now has suggested that technologies such as agriculture spread through people migrating and settling in new areas." "However, in the Baltic, we find a very different picture, as there are no genetic traces of the farmers from the Levant and Anatolia who transmitted agriculture across the rest of Europe." "The findings suggest that indigenous hunter-gatherers adopted Neolithic ways of life through trade and contact, rather than being settled by external communities. Migrations are not the only model for technology acquisition in European prehistory." While the sequenced genomes showed no trace of the Levant farmer influence, one of the Latvian samples did reveal genetic influence from a different external sourceone that the scientists say could be a migration from the Pontic Steppe in the east. The timing (5-7,000 years ago) fits with previous research estimating the earliest Slavic languages. Researcher Eppie Jones, from Trinity College Dublin and the University of Cambridge, was the lead author of the study. She said: "There are two major theories on the spread of Indo-European languages, the most widely spoken language family in the world. One is that they came from the Anatolia with the agriculturalists; another that they developed in the Steppes and spread at the start of the Bronze Age." "That we see no farmer-related genetic input, yet we do find this Steppe-related component, suggests that at least the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family originated in the Steppe grasslands of the East, which would bring later migrations of Bronze Age horse riders." The researchers point out that the time scales seen in Baltic archaeology are also very distinct to the rest of Europe, with a much more drawn-out and piecemeal uptake of Neolithic technologies, rather than the complete 'package' that arrives with migrations to take most of Europe by storm. Andrea Manica added: "Our evidence of genetic continuity in the Baltic, coupled with the archaeological record showing a prolonged adoption of Neolithic technologies, would suggest the existence of trade networks with farming communities largely independent of interbreeding." "It seems the hunter-gatherers of the Baltic likely acquired bits of the Neolithic package slowly over time through a 'cultural diffusion' of communication and trade, as there is no sign of the migratory wave that brought farming to the rest of Europe during this time. "The Baltic hunter-gatherer genome remains remarkably untouched until the great migrations of the Bronze Age sweep in from the East." About the study The researchers analysed eight ancient genomes - six from Latvia and two from Ukraine - that spanned a timeframe of three and a half thousand years (between 8,300 and 4,800 years ago). This enabled them to start plotting the genetic history of Baltic inhabitants during the Neolithic. DNA was extracted from the petrous area of skulls that had been recovered by archaeologists from some of the region's richest Stone Age cemeteries. The petrous, at the base of the skull, is one of the densest bones in the body, and a prime location for DNA that has suffered the least contamination over millennia. Researchers scanned specimens kept at The Museum of Natural History in the U.K. Credit: Museum of Natural History Citizen scientists and bird lovers across the world have helped researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of South Florida uncover new secrets about the evolution of bird's beaks over time in a ground-breaking study published today in the journal Nature. The researchers have asked the public to help measure beak shapes from more than 2,000 bird species which have been 3-D scanned from specimens at the Natural History Museum and the Manchester Museum. Using the crowdsourced data, the team were able show that the diversity of bird beaks expanded early in their evolutionary history. The researchers found that the most unusual beak shapes often involved periods of exceptionally fast evolutionary change. However, once extremes are reached, the changes to bird beaks over time became much smaller as birds filled ever-narrower evolutionary niches. There are some examples - such as birds who have evolved in comparative isolation on remote islands such as the Galapagos and the Hawaiian archipelago - who have continued to evolve rapidly. The study was authored by University of Sheffield researchers Gavin Thomas and Chris Cooney along with Jen Bright, who recently arrived from Sheffield to join USF's faculty where she is an assistant professor in the School of Geosciences and a member of the Center for Virtualization and Applied Spatial Technologies. The research was funded by the European Research Council and by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. Scan of a hummingbird. Credit: Museum of Natural History "The shape of a bird's beak is an important indicator of the food it eats and the way it forages - its ecological niche," said Thomas, the project lead from Sheffield's Department of Animal and Plant Sciences. "This project has given us key insight into how evolutionary processes play out over millions of years - with major bursts of evolution as new groups emerge, and more fine scale changes thereafter. "With the efforts of our volunteers from across the world, the study has given us a unique new data set for the study of bird ecology and evolution." Taking measurements from animals in the wild would have been impossible but 3-D models taken from specimens in natural history museums provided new scope for this detailed study, the researchers said. Members of the public logged onto the website, www.markmybird.org (created by the Digital Humanities Institute at Sheffield) which allowed anyone to access 3-D models of the beaks and help create this new resource of bill shapes. Scan of a toucan. Credit: Museum of Natural History "The great diversity of bird beak shapes has long fascinated biologists and naturalists alike, including Darwin himself. It is wonderful to be able to use the information stored in natural history collections to shed light on how variation in this important ecological trait evolved," Cooney said. "It's striking how much the speed of evolution changes between different birds," Bright said. "It's a really dynamic process, and it means there are still lots of questions left to answer about how birds managed to come up with the range of beak shapes that they have." The project was split in to two main tasks: geometric morphometrics and evolutionary rates analysis, Bright said. Geometric morphometrics is a way of measuring shape in things that have complicated or highly variable geometries in this case, bird beaks. It works by dropping virtual "landmarks" on to the same place (for example, the beak tip) on 3-D scans of every beak, and then comparing the positions of these landmarks across all of the birds to see how their positions change. The diversity of bird bills. Credit: Gavin Thomas The researchers ultimately plan to complete scans for all of the more than 10,000 species of birds but they needed help to complete such a monumental task. Scanning the beaks in the museum takes time at most the research team could scan forty or fifty beaks a day, and just placing the landmarks on the beaks could take roughly three minutes per bird, Bright said. While nothing could be done to speed up the scanning, the researchers could make the landmarking process go faster if they had help. They decided to enlist volunteers and markmybird.org was born. To make the project more fun for participants, the scientists awarded badges to those who were prolific in helping. "This project could never have happened without two things: the help of all those volunteers who donated their time, and the collections of specimens held in the museums we worked in," Bright said. "The things you see on display when you visit a museum represent a tiny fraction of what they store; they're a treasure chest of scientific information." By taking 3-D scans and putting them online, the researchers have been able to open up some of the museum repositories to the public. Visitors to the website can interact with the 3-D model online, turning it over and zooming in for a closer look without risking damage to the specimens, some of which are priceless and unique. "Once you have that 3-D data, there are all sorts of scientific questions you can keep asking it," Bright said. "This sort of archiving and access to natural history collections is a key part of the work we're now doing in CVAST at USF, where we are working to build up a virtual library of specimens for people to see and use for projects like this one." More information: Christopher R. Cooney et al. Mega-evolutionary dynamics of the adaptive radiation of birds, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature21074 Journal information: Nature Poverty, unemployment and zero economic growth are the likely outcome for countries which choose renewable energy sources over fossil fuels, according to a study. Energy from fossil fuels appears to ignite economies into greater and more sustained growth, whereas energy from wind and solar power not only fails to enhance or promote economic growth, it actually causes economies to flat-line. The results, from an in-depth study of more than 100 countries over 40 years, pose a serious ethical dilemma, according to the lead author, economist Dr Nikolaos Antonakakis, Visiting Fellow at the University of Portsmouth Business School and Associate Professor at Webster Vienna University. Dr Antonakakis said: "Put simply, the more energy a country consumes, the more it pollutes the environment, the more its economy grows. And the more the economy grows, the more energy consumption it needs, and so on. "This poses big questions. Should we choose high economic growth, which brings lower unemployment and wealth for many, but which is unsustainable for the environment? "Or should we choose low or zero economic growth, which includes high unemployment and a greater degree of poverty, and save our environment?" Dr Antonakakis and co-authors, Dr Ioannis Chatziantoniou, at the University of Portsmouth, and Dr George Filis, at Bournemouth University, set out to study whether environmentally friendly forms of energy consumption were more likely to enhance economic growth. In the light of recent policies designed to promote the use of green energy, including tax credits for the production of renewable energy and reimbursements for the installation of renewable energy systems, the authors predicted that environmentally friendly forms of energy consumption would enhance economic growth. Dr Antonakakis said: "It turned out not to be the case." They argue that societies now need to rethink their approach toward environmental sustainability, and strongly question the efficacy of the recent trend in many countries to promote renewable energy resources as a reliable alternative for helping achieve and maintain good economic growth. The researchers gathered data on gross domestic product (GDP), CO2 emissions and total and disaggregated energy consumption for 106 countries from 1971-2011. The results were the same across all countries, from rich to poor. Dr Chatziantoniou said: "It's a very thought-provoking result and could, in a roundabout way, help explain why no country or state has yet managed to fully convert to renewable energy. "It could also be that we have not yet learned how to fully exploit the benefits of renewable energy we don't yet have the level of know-how." Of the countries studied, not one showed good economic growth while promoting and investing in renewable energy. The authors say the question now needs to be how should countries, especially rich ones which produce and therefore pollute a lot, protect the environment and create well balanced, sustainable societies. Dr Filis said: "We should probably start considering different economic growth paradigms, such as those of de-growth or a-growth, which could lead to a sustainable future without sacrificing economic resources and increasing unemployment. "Countries need to also invest in education and strengthen the quality of their institutions including promoting law and accountability and fighting corruption and the rise of autocracies. "The realisation that GDP isn't a successful measure of well-being, should be a turning point for societies." Although gloomy for the environment and those fighting to protect it, the findings did include a small measure of hope. Dr Antonakakis said: "The findings suggest we should wean ourselves off using GDP as an important measure of success and wealth. "GDP measures standard of living but doesn't take into account environmental pollution, the hours of unpaid work people do in their households and communities, the underground economy, the quality of goods and services, to name just a handful of factors not measured but which are vital to our wellbeing. "What you measure affects what you do, and if you don't measure the right thing, you don't do the right thing. This has substantial implications for economic policy makers who base their decisions solely on GDP terms." Economists have been working for some time, he said, on alternative ways of measuring success, including the Genuine Progress Indicator and the Human Development Index. The research is published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. More information: Nikolaos Antonakakis et al. Oil shocks and stock markets: Dynamic connectedness under the prism of recent geopolitical and economic unrest, International Review of Financial Analysis (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2017.01.004 Sandia National Laboratories researchers, left to right, Eric Schindelholz, Olga Lavrova, Rob Sorensen and Erik Spoerke examine points that can corrode on photovoltaic arrays. Sandia researchers collaborate to accelerate corrosion under controlled conditions to help industry develop longer-lasting panels and increase reliability. Credit: Randy Montoya People think of corrosion as rust on cars or oxidation that blackens silver, but it also harms critical electronics and connections in solar panels, lowering the amount of electricity produced. "It's challenging to predict and even more challenging to design ways to reduce it because it's highly dependent on material and environmental conditions," said Eric Schindelholz, a Sandia National Laboratories materials reliability researcher who studies corrosion and how it affects photovoltaic (PV) system performance. Sandia researchers from different departments collaborate to accelerate corrosion under controlled conditions and use what they learn to help industry develop longer-lasting PV panels and increase reliability. For example, work by Olga Lavrova of Sandia's Photovoltaic and Distributed Systems Integration department demonstrated, for the first time, a link between corrosion and the risk of arc faults in PV systems' electrical connections. Research by Erik Spoerke of Sandia's Electronic, Optical and Nano Materials department focuses on developing new nanocomposite films that could dramatically increase reliability. "One of our primary goals is to predict how fast corrosion will occur and what damage it does, given certain environments and materials," Schindelholz said. "This, in turn, gives us information to select the right materials for design or to develop materials for corrosion-resistance for a particular environment. It also allows us to assess the health and operational risk of systems as they age. This is especially important for solar energy systems, which are susceptible to corrosion but are expected to last for decades." Corrosion is no small problem. A 2002 study by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, backed by the Federal Highway Administration, estimated corroding metals in various industries, infrastructure and manufacturing cost $276 billion annually. Reproducing environmental conditions to study corrosion Researchers simplify complex environmental conditions in labs to study how materials corrode. It's not easy deciding which environmental conditions to reproduce. "Along the coast of Florida, it's humidity and sea salt in the air. In Albuquerque, we have high ultraviolet (UV) radiation, so UV might be one of the important parameters here. The parameters driving corrosion shift with location and materials," Schindelholz said. "The challenge lies in identifying the important parametersand then tuning the knobs in the lab to get something that replicates what we see in an outdoor environment." Sandia belongs to a new consortium aimed at speeding up development of new materials for photovoltaic modules, increasing reliability and lowering the cost of solar power-generated electricity. The Durable Module Materials National Lab Consortium (DuraMat) wants to build bridges between the national laboratories and industry so research at the labs can benefit the PV community. DuraMat's importance is underscored by the fact materials account for about 40 percent of total PV module costs. DuraMat, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in partnership with Sandia, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, will receive about $30 million over five years from the Department of Energy's (DOE) SunShot Initiative. The consortium is part of the Energy Materials Network, created by the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Using accelerated aging, forensics to see what's happening Lavrova leads projects on the reliability of PV systems, studying how aging affects solar cells and components and how everything performs together. Her team works with Schindelholz on two projects under the SunShot Initiative, a national effort to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity by decade's end. She also contributes to the module durability effort under DuraMat. One project, in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute, studies PV modules from different manufacturers to give the makers information on what kind of degradation they might expect over 30 years to help identify ways to slow it down. Sandia applies accelerated aging principles to speed up studies of slowly developing effects, including corrosion. The second project, with Case Western Reserve University, studies corrosion and other degradation from a forensic anglelooking back to see what's already occurred. Lavrova's team takes a big data analysis approach to study and analyze information from existing installations worldwide. "Is it 1 percent degradation a year or is it 2 percent? Maybe we'll see some that are a half percent, maybe we'll see some that are 10 percent. Was it a bad original product or was it installed in Costa Rica where the humidity is 80 percent every day?" she said. Spoerke's team wants to block corrosion altogether. Collaborating with Texas A&M professor Jaime Grunlan, the team is developing nanocomposite films made from inexpensive materials as barriers against water vapor and corrosive gases. The team hopes such composite materials, some 100 times thinner than a human hair, will improve ways to protect solar cells from corrosion. Inorganic components and organic polymers that make up thin films must be designed and mixed carefully. "It's about assembling those structures in the right way so that you can use inexpensive materials and still get the benefits you want," Spoerke said. "If you build a house, it's not just piling together the drywall and two-by-fours and shingles. You've got to use the two-by-fours to make the frame, set the drywall on the two-by-fours, and assemble the shingles on the roof." Thin films aren't the sole answer, but "I can envision that a technology like the one that we're developing could be part of a collaborative materials system to help replace glass in next-generation PV applications," he said. Systems containing metal subject to corrosion Sandia has studied corrosion for decades, analyzing the problem in all kinds of systems because anything containing metal is susceptible. Solar cells' electrical components are protected from corrosion by encapsulating polymers, sealants and glass, but water vapor and corrosive gases can permeate as materials and packaging degrade. Materials, for example, typically corrode faster in the higher temperatures and humidity of tropical coastal regions than in coastal Antarctica. Researchers accelerate these real-world conditions in environmental chambers to examine corrosion of electronics and other PV system components. Accelerated tests artificially speed up the corrosion effects of temperature, humidity, pollutants and salt water. For example, salt on icy winter roads or near oceans corrodes cars over time. Since automotive manufacturers can't wait decades to see how their products resist that, accelerated laboratory tests might spray salt continuously on a surface to qualify coatings and body materials to ensure they'll be safe and reliable over a product's lifetime. Engineers use corrosion chambers to study different materials in systems that must meet particular corrosion requirements, or to expose an electronic component to the environment to see what happens over time. "Instead of waiting for 30 years of operation outside under the sun, we bring our PV panels inside to expose them to much higher concentrations of light or put them in thermal chambers to simulate the equivalent of years of temperature cycles," Lavrova said. Accelerated lifetime experiments show in six months what could happen over decades, she said. Sandia also studies mechanisms underlying corrosion. "That's a greater challenge," Schindelholz said. "In atmospheric corrosion we have the chemistry of the atmosphere, the particles landing on surfaces, relative humidity, temperature and so on. We have to understand the interplay of these factors and their interaction with the metal surface." NoiseCapture shows the number of decibels in an audio recording. Credit: Alain Herzog/EPFL EPFL is asking Android users who visit or live in Geneva Canton to record the sounds around them with a special app. The data will be used to create a sound map, which will provide researchers with information on the quality of life there. "We are trying to collect as many sound recordings made all over Geneva Canton as possible both pleasant and unpleasant sounds. Even nature sounds are useful, as they will help us learn more about the canton's biodiversity," said Stephane Joost, a geographer at EPFL's Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG). Thanks to a new app called NoiseCapture, the general public can help map Geneva Canton's soundscape. Users just need to be in Geneva Canton to make the recordings using an Android smartphone. NoiseCapture came out of a European open-data research project called ENERGIC OD. The app parameters were developed by Lab-STICC a multi-disciplinary research lab that is part of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and based in Vannes (Brittany) and acoustic specialists at the French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport, Development and Networks (IFSTTAR). The app is just one component of a larger project called NoisePlanet, which offers a number of open-source noise-measurement tools. At EPFL, Stephane Joost is responsible for analyzing the data, which are displayed on a map. "The Swiss government already has a sound map of Switzerland called SonBASE. What's different about NoiseCapture is that it lets people describe sounds using key words." How does it work? When the app is installed, it calibrates the microphone so that recordings from all smartphones are comparable regardless of the brand. The app's recording function geolocates the sound and logs the number of decibels, frequencies, date and time of the recording. Users can also take a picture of the location, evaluate the sound's 'pleasantness' and add a comment. Credit: CNRS Descriptive categories let users provide further details on the recording, such as whether it's a mechanical sound, like traffic or construction, or a natural one, like birds or a stream. The minimum suggested recording time is 20 seconds. One spot, several contributors "We'll use an artificial-intelligence based algorithm to crunch the data. The more data people send in from all over Geneva Canton, the more accurate and meaningful the sound map will be," said Joost. In the best-case scenario, several contributors submit data on the same spot. To encourage this, the app's designers hold NoiseCapture parties where people make simultaneous recordings on a certain street or in a given neighborhood. Teaming up with the Geneva University Hospital The physiological effects of noise on the human body are numerous and well documented. They include heart problems, stress, insomnia and hearing damage. In November 2016, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported that Geneva was the noisiest city in Switzerland, followed by Basel and Lausanne. EPFL's LASIG has been working for many years with the Unit of Population Epidemiology, led by Idris Guessous, at the Geneva University Hospital. NoiseCapture is among their joint projects. "We analyze the spatial distribution of health-related data on people participating in the Bus Sante study," said Joost. "We are looking for links between this data and environmental factors, including the soundscape. The more we know about various disorders in specific areas of Geneva Canton, the better equipped we will be to address them." Another of LASIG's projects, Urbangene, studies how urbanization affects biodiversity. This project is jointly funded by Greater Geneva, Geneva Canton and the Gelbert Foundation. Researchers working on this project will also be able to use data produced by the sound-map project. Provided by CNRS Neolamprologus pulcher. Credit: Guerin Nicolas/Wikipedia (Phys.org)A trio of researchers with the University of Bern in Switzerland has found that at least one species of fish communicates with others of its kind using chemicals in its urine. In their paper published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, the team outlines experiments they conducted with a cichlid fish and what they discovered. Prior research has shown that some species of animals use urine as a means to communicate with one another. In this new effort, the researchers sought to learn if fish might also do so, because it seemed logicalthey are not able to speak and could easily transmit chemicals through water via urine. To find out, they inserted a partition in the middle of a fish tank that prevented fish on either side from interacting physically with one another. In some scenarios, the barrier had tiny holes to allow water to pass between the sides, while in others it did not. Also, some barriers were opaque and others were transparent. In addition, the researchers injected the fish with a blue dye that allowed them to see and measure urine being expelled by the fish once in the tank. The researchers measured how much urine was expelled under a variety of situationsin which only one fish was in the tank; in which there were two but they could not see each other; in which there were two and they could see each other but were or were not able to communicate via urine through the barrierthe team also used a variety of fish sizes and noted fish behavior throughout each test. The researchers looked at their results and noted that when two fish saw one another in the tank, they raised their fins and approached each other in an aggressive manner, and both emitted more urine than when they were not able to see another fish. Also, they found that only when the urine was allowed to move through the barrier was there a noticeable change in behavior of the fishin such cases, the smaller fish generally reduced its aggressiveness, yielding to the larger one. Interestingly, the researchers also noted that when the urine was not able to pass through the barrier and the fish were able to see one another, both emitted more urine than in any other scenario, apparently aware that their message was not getting through. More information: Dario-Marcos Bayani et al. To pee or not to pee: urine signals mediate aggressive interactions in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2260-6 Abstract The communication of aggressive propensity is an important component of agonistic interactions. For this purpose, animals use different sensory modalities involving visual, acoustical and chemical cues. While visual and acoustic communication used in aggressive encounters has been studied extensively in a wide range of taxa, the role of chemical communication received less attention. Here, we studied the role of chemical cues used during agonistic interactions of territory owners in the cooperative cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher. During staged encounters, we allowed either visual and chemical contact between two contestants or visual contact only. As chemical information in this species is most likely transferred via urine, we measured urination patterns using dye injections. Furthermore, we recorded aggressive and submissive behaviours of both contestants in response to the experimental treatment. Fish that had only visual contact with each other significantly increased their urination frequency and showed more aggressive displays compared to fish with both visual and chemical contact. Furthermore, appropriate agonistic responses appear to be dependent on available chemical information. This indicates that N. pulcher actively emits chemical signals to communicate their aggressive propensity via urine. Chemical communication thus plays a crucial role in multimodal communication of aggression in these fish, which highlights the need of studying the role of chemical communication during agonistic encounters in general, even if other signals are more obvious to the human observer. Journal information: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 2017 Phys.org The plan could see 85 wolves killed a year Italy on Thursday put on hold a controversial plan to cull five percent of its wolves, much to the relief of environmentalists and animal lovers who had mobilised across the country. The measure had been set to be adopted at a Rome conference of state and regional representatives but after meeting fierce resistance the decision was taken to study the issue further. "The wolves are not yet safe, but for the moment common sense has triumphed thanks to the protests," said Michela Vittoria Brambilla, head of the Italian league for animal and environmental protection. A new conference to adopt all or part of the plan was pencilled in for the end of February. The Canis lupus italicus, known for its pelt which reddens in summer, has been a protected species since 1971. There are believed to be some 1,600 of them living in the mountainous regions of the Apennines and up to 150 in the Alps. But opponents of the plan insist the lack of a recent population census means the numbers may be way offthe Apennine estimates range from between 1,070 and 2,472and therefore it is impossible to aim to cull five percent of them. They also say other measures to protect lifestock would be far more effective. Moreover, there are no statistics on the damage the noble predators cause. The wolf was once venerated here: fable has it a she-wolf suckled the twins Romulus and Remus, before the former went on to found Rome on the banks of the Tiber river, and the lupus is the city's symbol. Attacks in daylight But farmers today have little patience for these sleek hunters. Stefano Masini, head of the environment arm of Italy's agricultural association Coldiretti, says the situation has worsened in recent years. The number of wolves is rising sharply "and attacks on cattle multiply, now even in daylight", he told AFP ahead of the conference. The new plan envisages 22 measures ranging from conducting a fresh census, to installing electric fences to protect livestock, speeding up compensation payouts for farmers who have lost animals, and tackling crossbreading between dogs and wolves. In general the ideas have been well-receivedall except one: the controversial culling quota, which could see 85 animals killed a year. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has cried "SOS Wolf" on social networks, circulated petitions and organised a protest at the conference where demonstrators wore wolf masks and howled. Nearly 140 activists from the EcoRadicali environmentalist group held a two-day hunger strike against the project ahead of the Rome meet. "Shooting wolves (...) does not solve anything," the WWF said, especially as prevention techniques like electric fences or guard dogs have already proved effective where used. Bad dog EcoRadicali's Fabrizio Cianci said 300 wolves are killed by poachers every year in Italy, and slammed the cull quota as merely a way to legalise part of that figure and make the lives of lazy law enforcers easier. The government says studies show it is lone wolves who go after sheep, rather than those who live, move and hunt as a pack. It says targeting such animals would protect packs from gratuitous and unfounded attacks by irate farmers. WWF has scoffed at the idea of targetting specific wolves believed to have committed a crime. Masini from Coldiretti attempted to reassure animal lovers, saying that "if the other 21 measures are applied correctly, with the necessary financial resources, there will be no need to carry out the slightest cull". But should this wild creature be under the gun at all? Farmers and environmentalists agree on one key point: the real danger does not lie with wolves, but with Canis lupus familiarisownerless or abandoned dogs, left to roam free in spite of various laws brought in to tackle the problem. "Far more numerous than wolves, stray dogs compete with them for resources, (and) pose a serious health hazard and risk of cross-breeding," the plan says. It may be dogs that sink fangs into sheep or goats, but it is their elegant and usually shy cousins who pay the price: "the damage they cause to lifestock (is) wrongly attributed to wolves," it said. 2017 AFP Credit: Copernicus Sentinel data (2016), processed by ESA A river delta usually leads to the open sea, but the delta formed by the Okavango River is different. After rising in Angola and flowing through Namibia, the river meanders into Botswana, where it branches out to create an inland delta one of the world's most important wetlands. Wetlands, both coastal and inland, are important for people and the environment. Their many benefits include acting as natural safeguards against disasters, protecting communities most vulnerable to the devastating effects of floods, droughts and storm surges. They also provide a habitat for a multitude of animals and plants, and filter and store water. Every year, 2 February marks World Wetlands Day. It commemorates the Convention on Wetlands also known as the Ramsar Convention, which was signed on 2 February 1971 to provide a framework for national and international cooperation for the conservation and use of wetlands and their resources. This year's theme is 'Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction'. Well-managed wetlands provide resilience for communities against extreme weather and help to minimise the damage from these hazards. Coastal wetlands such as mangroves protect against flooding and serve as buffers against saltwater intrusion and erosion. Inland wetlands such as floodplains, lakes and peatlands and deltas like Okavango can reduce the risk of drought. The Okavango Delta, a World Heritage site, includes permanent swamps that cover about 15 000 sq km during the dry season but can swell to around three times this size, providing a home for some of the world's most endangered species of large mammals. In sharp contrast, the surrounding Kalahari Desert is a lifeline for local communities and wildlife alike and therefore it is extremely important that it is well managed. Through the GlobWetland Africa project, ESA and the African team of the Ramsar convention help to use satellite observations for the conservation, wise-use and effective management of wetlands in Africa. Through the project, African stakeholders are provided with methods and tools to fulfil their commitments to Ramsar. The Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite captured this image of the Okavango Delta on 2 December 2016. It has been processed in false colour to highlight variations in the water cover and differences in vegetation. A leopard at Mole National Park in Ghana. Credit: Image courtesy of Cole Burton University of Montana doctoral candidate Robin Steenweg shows how remote cameras can transform monitoring wildlife and habitat biodiversity worldwide in a paper published Feb. 1 in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. He and study co-authors, including UM Professors Mark Hebblewhite and Jedediah Brodie, call for a global network of remote cameras. The researchers believe a large-scale, connected network that collects and manages data from remote cameras could help meet goals to conserve wildlife and other natural resources. "There is so much remote camera data being collected out there by both research scientists and citizen scientists, we just need to link it together," Steenweg said. He points to examples such as Snapshot Serengeti and Snapshot Wisconsin, which use citizen-collected, remote-camera data to drive conservation. Researchers and resource managers currently use remote cameras to monitor wildlife all over the worldan estimated 20,000 cameras in 2015and more are added daily. Steenweg and colleagues propose regional networks could be pulled together in national and even global biodiversity monitoring systems. "A hundred years ago, meteorologists went through the same process of building a set of standardized weather stations that now number in the tens of thousands across the world," Hebblewhite said. "Without this network, modern-day climate science would impossible." A grizzly bear in Canadian Rockies. Credit: Robin Steenweg The researchers say ecologists already are linking together hundreds of remote wildlife cameras to successfully monitor biodiversity trends at regional scales, and they believe a global collaboration is the next step. The insights gained from remote cameras are powerful. Cameras have been used to document the first evidence of wolverine recolonization in California, endangered wildlife in Montana like wolverines and fisher, and elk and deer population trends in Idaho as an alternative to expensive aerial helicopter surveys. In the tropics and developing countries where it is difficult to observe or capture wildlife, noninvasive cameras are transforming ecology and conservation. Hebblewhite points to the Yellowstone and Yukon regions as an example of sharing resources. "We're linking together hundreds of remote cameras in the Canadian Rocky Mountain national parks so that wildlife managers can track trends of grizzly bears, lynx, wolverine and other sensitive wildlife species," he said. More information: Robin Steenweg et al, Scaling-up camera traps: monitoring the planet's biodiversity with networks of remote sensors, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (2017). DOI: 10.1002/fee.1448 Journal information: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Credit: Wageningen University In addition to rice or coffee, many Indonesian farmers grow vegetables such as hot peppers, tomato, cucumber or cabbage. Unfortunately, the quality and yield of these vegetables is often too low. This is why Wageningen University & Research plant scientists started a programme called VegImpact in which they have trained over 10,000 Indonesian farmers in efficient vegetable farming. The farmers were introduced to improved vegetable varieties, and taught about adequate fertilisation and how to protect crops against pests and diseases in a responsible way. Train the trainer The Dutch company East West Seed market leader in vegetable seeds in Southeast Asia already employed the product promotors before the programme started. "In an intensive training course and via demonstrations and practical assignments we showed them how vegetable farmers can improve their cultivation practices," Van Koesveld continues. "We focus on nursery management and the selection of strong seedlings, the responsible use of crop protection products and fertilisers, aiming at and cost price reduction and productivity improvement. The training is supported by a website, videos, brochures and four e-learning modules." Follow-up The initiators of VegImpact would like to follow up on the nearly concluded programme with a second stage, in which at least 100,000 farmers should be trained. Flip van Koesveld: "We would first train the trainers, e.g., experienced vegetable farmers and owners of so-called agroshops; shops that sell seeds, crop protection products and artificial fertiliser. These local trainers can then support producer groups and organise field visits and excursions at their respective production fields to exchange knowledge on the main cultivation aspects and improved varieties." More information: For more information, see www.vegimpact.com/ In 2015, the Pew Research Center released the largest study of American religious identity ever done in the United States of America, called "America's Changing Religious Landscape." The big discovery was that the number of American Christians had declined by 7.8 percent since the previous survey in 2007, while the number of Americans religiously unaffiliated had increased by 6.7 percent to 22.8 percent of the national population. The only bright spot for Christianity was that, even though evangelical Christianity had declined as a percentage of the national population (down 0.9 percent), it had grown in real numbers by 2.4 million adherents. There was a second important trend buried in the numbers and completely missed at the time. Hispanic immigration has propped up this declining American Christianity. The loss of Christian adherents would have been worse if it had not been for Hispanic immigration. Evangelical Christianity owed its increase largely to Hispanic converts from Catholicism, and both mainstream Christianity and Catholicism would have sustained bigger losses if it had not been for increases in Hispanic membership. These trends indicate that, if the USA builds an effective border wall, immigration will further decline and, along with it, the number of Americans identifying as Christian. The first trend is that the three largest types of Christianityevangelical and mainstream Protestantism, and Catholicismhad big losses between the 2007 and the 2014 surveys. Evangelicals lost 8.4 percent, mainstream Protestants lost 10.4 percent, and Catholics lost 12.9 percent of their members. Luckily, this was countered by newcomers joining these faiths. There were 9.8 percent new evangelicals, 6.1 percent new mainstream Protestants, but just 2 percent new Catholics. So, the final, overall numbers came out to a 1.5 percent increase for evangelicals, but a loss of 4.3 percent and 10.9 percent for mainstream Protestants and Catholics, respectively. The Pew report emphasized that many of these leavers left formal religious membership altogether. However, a significant number simply joined other types of Christianity. The second trend is that none of the three types of Christianity can sustain its numbers by generational replacement. That is, the children of these adherents are fewer than the number of adults. This is largely because of declining family size. For example, 30 percent of evangelicals were born in the generation between 1928 and 1946, while just 21 percent were born in the millennial generation between 1981 and 1996. As the older generation passes away and the younger generation ages, the total number of adherents will drop. The imbalance is similar for the other two forms of Christianity. Without an influx of new blood, all three types of Christianity will decrease in size. The third trend is that nearly 80 percent of the replacements for the losses in these types of Christianity come from Hispanics. All three have had a 5 percent increase in ethnic diversity in the seven years between 2007 and 2014. That increase is 80 percent Hispanic for all three forms of Christianity. Indeed, for Evangelicalism, the increase in the percentage of Hispanics accounts for its increase in real numbers of members. If Hispanic immigrants or their children had not joined these three types of Christianity, all three would have shown significant losses. Catholics would have dropped 12.5 percent of its members in those seven years (instead of 10.9 percent). Mainstream Protestants would have lost 9.2 percent (instead of just 4.3 percent), and evangelical Protestants would have lost 6.4 percent (instead of gaining 1.5 percent). The fourth trend is that this Hispanic increase came in different ways. Most Hispanic immigrants arrive as Catholics. Catholicism's 5 percent increase is part of the decades-long influx of Hispanic members that has kept the numbers of American Catholics fairly steady. It also has helped Catholicism to become the most ethnically diverse form of Christianity: 41 percent of Catholics are nonwhite, and most nonwhites are Hispanic. For the two forms of Protestantism, however, Hispanic membership has come from conversion. These are Hispanics who have been in America for a long(er) time, and they convert to this still-dominant form of American religion as part of the assimilation process. For the mainstream Protestant denominations, the number of converts was not enough to prevent a decline in membership but, for evangelical Protestantism, it was. What will be the impact of an effective wall between the USA and Mexico? These trends from the past eight years suggest that the number of Christians in the USA will decline faster than it has been. This will first be evident in Catholicism, but it will soon show up in the membership of the mainstream Protestant denominations and, then, among evangelical Protestant Christians. Nokia was the world's top mobile phone maker between 1998 and 2011 but was overtaken by South Korean rival Samsung after failing to respond to the rapid rise of smartphones Telecoms giant Nokia on Thursday said that falling network sales and costs stemming from acquisitions and its integration of Alcatel-Lucent had resulted in a "disappointing" loss in 2016. The firm recorded a net loss of 766 million euros ($826 million) last year, which chief executive Rajeev Suri described in a statement as a "year of transition." Suri admitted he was "disappointed" with the 2016 results but said he expected a better financial performance this year "as market conditions improve." "We remain in a position of financial strength," said the chief executive. Nokia has been going through a process of radical transformation over the last few years. In 2013, it bought 50 percent of its network activities from Germany's Siemens, and the following year it divested from its previously world-leading mobile phone business. It sold its mapping unit Here in 2015 as well as completing the deal late last year to buy Alcatel-Lucent, which had only recorded one year of annual profit since its inception in 2006. Nokia was the world's top mobile phone maker between 1998 and 2011 but was overtaken by South Korean rival Samsung after failing to respond to the rapid rise of smartphones. 2017 AFP Reddit has banned a forum for white nationalists from its social news website, citing the company's rules against posting personal information and online harassment. Reddit spokeswoman Anna Soellner said in a statement that the company banned its "r/altright" forum on Wednesday for repeated violations of its content rules. Soellner said Reddit users can be banned for posting personal information, but her statement doesn't cite any examples involving the banned forum. Thousands of users subscribed to the forum named for the "alt-right" fringe movement, which has been described as an offshoot of conservatism mixing racism, white nationalism and populism. Other sites, including 4chan.org, have been popular forums for the movement's followers, who rallied around President Donald Trump's campaign. Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian posted an open letter Monday in which he criticized Trump's recent executive order restricting immigration from seven countries, calling it "deeply un-American." "Our platform, like our country, thrives the more people and communities we have within it. Reddit, Inc. will continue to welcome all citizens of the world to our digital community and our office," he wrote. Reddit, which has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City, calls itself "the front page of the internet" and has millions of users. Another subreddit"r/the_donald"became a popular forum for Trump supporters during the presidential campaign. A one-sentence message at the link for the "r/altright" subreddit attributes its ban to an impermissible "proliferation of personal and confidential information." Soellner said there is "no single solution" to the rules violations that led to Wednesday's ban. "We strive to be a welcoming, open platform for all by trusting our users to maintain an environment that cultivates genuine conversation and adheres to our content policy," she said. Last year, Twitter suspended social media accounts belonging to several prominent members of the "alt-right" movement, including white nationalist Richard Spencer, who coined the term nearly a decade ago. Twitter said it suspended five of Spencer's accounts in November for violating a rule against creating multiple accounts with overlapping uses. But the company allowed him to reactivate one of them less than a month later. Heidi Beirich, head of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, said Reddit forums used to be a "cesspool of hate." "Until about a year ago, Reddit was just a free for all. There were no rules," she said. "It got to be too much even for Reddit." Kyle Bristow, a Michigan attorney who founded a self-described "alt-right" nonprofit educational group called the Foundation for the Marketplace of Ideas, said the Reddit ban and Twitter account suspensions are part of a recent corporate crackdown on "alt-right, right-wing political theory." "People will just simply go to different forums," Bristow said. 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Sweden's prime minister on Thursday criticized climate skeptics within the new Trump administration and warned that all countries need to "step up and fulfill the Paris Agreement." "The position we hear from the new administration is worrying" Stefan Lofven told The Associated Press after announcing an ambitious new climate law promising zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and a 70-percent cut to emissions in the domestic transport sector by 2030. The Swedish minister in charge of climate policy, Isabella Lovin, urged European countries to take a leading role in tackling climate change, now "the U.S. is not there anymore to lead." The new Swedish law sets long-term goals for greenhouse gas reductions and will be legally binding for future administrations. Lovin said Sweden wanted to set an example at a time when "climate skeptics (are) really gaining power in the world again," and felt encouraged by pledges by China and India to fulfill their commitments to the Paris Agreement. China is "investing billions and billions of dollars in solar (...) it's a game changer," she said warning that "those that are still wanting to invest in fossil fuels will be ultimately the losers." U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called climate change a Chinese hoax, has raised speculation that he might pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement. The new Swedish law enters into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. It was developed after agreement from seven out of the eight political parties in parliament. 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Researchers have discovered a new efficient way to generate thyroid cells, known as thyrocytes, using genetically modified embryonic stem cells. The findings, which appear in the journal Stem Cell Reports, are the first step to developing a similar protocol using human stem cells that will allow the modeling of thyroid disease to better understand its causes and the development of therapies. Thyroid disorders affect approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population and include Grave's disease or Hashimoto's disease, which can result in hyper or hypothyroidism, thyroid nodules, goiter or cancer. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), engineered mouse embryonic stem cells cultured in the lab to express a genetic switch for a specific gene, Nkx2-1, that is important for thyroid development. Then they guided the embryonic stem cells through various stages while switching Nkx2-1 on and off for short periods of time and found there was one narrow timeframe where turning on this gene converted the majority of cells to thyroid cells. "This method resulted in high yield of our target cell type, thyroid cells, but it may be applicable for the derivation of other clinically relevant cell types such as lung cells, insulin-producing cells, liver cells, etc.," explained Laertis Ikonomou, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at BUSM and member of the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston Medical Center and BUSM. The researchers hope this study will lead to the development of therapeutics or stem cell/genetic engineering technologies that will improve the quality of life for the many people afflicted with thyroid and other disorders. WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ Today, a collection of well over 100 businesses and trade associations that represent millions of American jobs announced a new coalition to stop the Border Adjustment Tax or BAT. Americans for Affordable Products (AAP) will run a national campaign to engage consumers and show lawmakers that pursuing tax policy that will result in higher costs for their customers on everyday items including food, gas and clothing is the wrong approach. The BAT is a component of the U.S. House Republican tax reform proposal, and will significantly hurt American consumers and the nations largest employers by increasing the cost of everyday products by up to 20 percent. As a business owner who works every day to add value to my customers and serve the needs of families, I am deeply concerned about the Border Adjustment Tax. Without question, it will increase prices paid by consumers and threaten the existence of companies like ours. We need Members of Congress to listen to the urgent objections of small business job creators and stop this giveaway to big corporations at the expense of middle income and working class families, said Learning Resources, Inc. Chairman Rick Woldenberg. Consumer Technology Association (CTA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro commented, While well intended, a proposed Border Adjustment Tax could increase prices on a wide range of basic consumer goods, hitting the pocketbooks of middle class Americans. We urge policymakers to incentivize U.S. manufacturing in ways that dont hurt the hundreds of thousands of American businesses who employ millions of American workers. The retail industry pays among the highest effective tax rates of all industries. We, therefore, enthusiastically support reforming the current tax code and welcome the fact that both the President and Congress do so as well. However, the Border Adjustment Tax is harmful, untested, and would put American retail jobs at risk and force consumers to pay as much as 20 percent more for family essentials. We are committed to working with Congress to ensure they understand the impact of this proposal, and to pursue tax reform that reduces rates and benefits American consumers, stated Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) President Sandy Kennedy. National Retail Federation (NRF) President and CEO Matthew Shay concluded, Whether its the automobile you drive, the gasoline you use, the groceries you put on the table, or the shoes and the clothes you put on your feet and back, the prices of all of those things will get driven up by the Border Adjustment Tax. Consumers ultimately are the losers from any effort to tax imports because the economy in the United States is driven by consumers. There are plenty of taxes already on hard working Americans and the retailers that serve them, and higher prices just add to that burden. We support creating a less complicated, more straightforward and equitable tax code, and will work with both the Administration and Congress to achieve that goal, but the Border Adjustment Tax is not the answer. Some may consider this a better way forward, but it is definitely not the best way. American consumers oppose a policy that exempts exports from being taxed while taxing imports because of the real-life impact it will have on their everyday lives and household budgets. For example, according to the NRF, upon passage, the BAT will cost American families as much as $1,700. While members of AAP oppose the BAT, they recognize the hard work by Members of Congress to reform the tax code and support provisions such as lowering the overall corporate tax rate and the territorial tax approach, which limits taxes on U.S. companies to income earned only in the United States. To learn more about AAP and its supporters, or the BAT, click here. Several Key BAT Opponents: Trump Campaign Senior Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow: This is an exercise in government planning and complexity that I believe is doomed to fail, conservative television commentator Larry Kudlow said of Ryans proposal on CNBC last week. Kudlow helped write Trumps tax plan I think the whole corporate tax reform, which is the most important pro-growth measure, will go down the drain over this.' (Rachael Bade, How Trump Keeps Trampling On Hill GOPs Big Plans, Politico, 1/17/17) Americans For Prosperity President Tim Phillips: Americans for Prosperity will be making the House GOPs border adjustment plan for tax reform a Rubicon for congressional Republicans to cross at their own risk. There is a strong disagreement over border adjustment tax, which is really a tariff, AFPs president, Tim Phillips, said in a call with POLITICO. This is something were going to fight tooth and nail. How tooth and nail? Phillips, says the group isnt ruling out attack ads or backing primary challengers of Republicans who back that sort of proposal, even though the group likes most of the House GOP plan. We have a history of following up, he said, and holding accountable members who dont see eye-to-eye with the group. AFPs network members from across the country have already started stopping in to their House members offices to lodge their opposition to the provision, Phillips said going as far as to compare the effort to the groups fight against Obamacare. Whether the group will get assistance from Trump who criticized the House Republican plan recently, before walking it back somewhat is another question. We certainly hope so, Phillips said. It would harm so many of the people who are the core of his constituency It will take the country and the Republican Party back a century to protectionism and again, tariffs, said Phillips, who added that it would lead to a loss of purchasing power for millions of Americans.' (Bernie Becker, Mnuchin Unruffled, Politico Morning Tax, 1/20/17) Club For Growth President David McIntosh: House Republicans now have a prime opportunity to undertake corporate tax reform, and theyve proposed some pro-growth ideas, including rate reductions, incentives for investment, and reform in how purchases are expensed. Unfortunately, all of that good reform could be wiped out by a separate complicated proposal from the House GOP that amounts to a costly new consumer tax called the Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) News Microsoft Touts Edge Browser Improvements in Windows 10 Creators Update The Microsoft Edge browser will get some improvements with the Windows 10 "creators update," which is expected to arrive sometime this spring. There will be enhancements for end users, along with standards support for Web application developers. Many of the improvements are showing up now for "fast-ring" Windows Insider Program testers. Some Edge features will make the "Redstone 2" (creators update) release of Windows 10, which is thought to be arriving in April. Microsoft Edge might not be seeing a lot of action among browsers, though. The U.S. government's Digital Analytics Program, which just tracks government Web site visits, mostly from within the United States, reported Microsoft Edge use at 3.6 percent over the last 90 days. Google's Chrome browser led the pack with 44.3 percent, followed by Safari (25.9 percent) and Internet Explorer (15.2 percent), according to those government stats. The 3.6 percent use rate for Microsoft Edge, as reported by the Digital Analytics Program, is lower than Net Applications' 5.3 percent figure for December 2016. However, StatCounter's estimate is even lower, with Edge use pegged at 1.6 percent in December. Planned for Creators Update On the end user side, the Microsoft Edge browser will have the ability to preview multiple open tabs in a thumbnail view when the Windows 10 creators update arrives, Microsoft announced on Tuesday. Open tabs can be set aside as a group, to be revisited later, which Microsoft sees as a way of staying organized and not losing tabs. A screenshot in Microsoft's announcement showed that tab collections can be saved from different time periods, such as "yesterday," "3 hours ago" and "just now." Users possibly will be able to block Flash use with the Windows 10 creators update. Microsoft had announced this capability back in December, but it wasn't mentioned in its announcements on Tuesday. The Microsoft Edge browser already has the capability to automatically pause Flash ad content that's not deemed essential. Developers can expect to see Content Security Policy Level 2 (CSP2) support in Microsoft Edge when the Windows 10 creators update is released. CSP2 is a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)-recommended approach that's designed to help ward off content injection attacks, as well as cross-site scripting exploits, because developers can "lock down the resources that can be used by their web application," Microsoft explained, in a Jan. 10 blog post. Essentially, developers tag the "allowed source URL values" in their code. Scripts that don't match the source criteria so specified will not get downloaded. Developers also will see WebRTC 1.0 API support in the Edge browser coming with the Windows 10 creators update, Microsoft explained, in a second announcement on Tuesday. In essence, Microsoft will enable video and audio communications in peer-to-peer scenarios, such as Skype calls between devices, which will work "across browsers and platforms." The WebRTC 1.0 addition is considered by Microsoft to be "legacy" support, based on the 2015 W3C standard. Going forward, Microsoft wants developers to consider using the Object Real-Time Communications (ORTC) approach instead. Microsoft added ORTC support to the Edge browser back in 2015. "Our intent is to support more recent versions of the WebRTC 1.0 API via the adapter.js library, which exposes the latest version of the WebRTC 1.0 API on top of ORTC," a Microsoft spokesperson explained, via e-mail. "Using this approach we will be able to provide complete support for recent versions of the WebRTC 1.0 API, enabling advanced audio/video functionality." Microsoft Edge also will get support for the "H.264/AVC and VP8 video codecs" for real-time communications (RTC). The added support "means video communications are now interoperable between Microsoft Edge and other major WebRTC browsers and RTC services." There's one caveat from Microsoft on the support for VP8, an open source codec fostered by Google. Its use in Microsoft Edge may consume more power and CPU cycles because the VP8 codec is purely implemented in software. "If your application uses VP8, we recommend testing on lower-end devices to ensure acceptable performance," Microsoft cautioned. Microsoft also plans to bring Brotli compression to the Edge browser with the Windows 10 creators update release. It's a lossless data compression format spearheaded by the Internet Engineering Taskforce. Brotli compression is expected to improve browser load times because of "20% better compression ratios," Microsoft explained, in its Dec. 20 announcement. Future Plans Microsoft also mentioned some still-to-come Microsoft Edge improvements for end users that presently are at the "early stages." It seems that these improvements will not make the Windows 10 creators update release. The Edge browser is being designed to support 3D "virtual and mixed reality." Microsoft is working to add WebVR support, which is described as an "experimental JavaScript API" for virtual reality devices. Another capability under development is the ability to buy electronic books from the Windows Store using the Microsoft Edge browser. Microsoft is testing the ability to control "font sizes, layouts, themes, navigation control, Cortana integration and more." Microsoft is also working on a payment checkout service using Microsoft Wallet on Windows 10 devices that will work with the Edge browser. It's a PayPal-like service that fills in payment and shipping information for online purchases. Lastly, Microsoft touted its Microsoft Edge Extensions partner ecosystem. It's still a small ecosystem, though. At press time, the Microsoft Store listed 22 extensions in total. Missing in action among Microsoft's various Edge announcements this week was any mention of Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge. It's a virtual machine browser security feature planned for the Windows 10 Enterprise edition that got highlighted during Microsoft's Ignite event in September. Back then, it was mentioned that Windows Defender Application Guard would be broadly available sometime in 2017. Future details will be coming in the Microsoft Edge dev blog, the Microsoft spokesperson stated. A more complete listing of features under development and under consideration for Microsoft Edge can be found at Microsoft's platform status page. More property buyers from the US are turning to Ireland, accounting for almost 20 percent of overseas inquiries for Irish property, media reports said... High house prices in the US have contributed to the strong demand for Irish properties. More property buyers from the US are turning to Ireland, accounting for almost 20 percent of overseas inquiries for Irish property, reported Irish Central, citing a survey from the Real Estate Alliance (REA). Property buyers from the US are increasingly securing homes and investment properties in Ireland, buoyed by a strong dollar and the lure of a resurgent economy for emigrants, said Eamonn Spratt, Chairman of the REA. Spratt also attributed the growing interest for Irish properties to the high house prices in the US. In November 2016, the average house price in the US stood at US$365,200 (S$515,776), compared to Irelands average house price of US$216,856 (S$306,238), noted Spratt. Given the rise in demand for Irish properties, the REA will hold an Irish Property Exhibition on 23 March at the Lenox Hotel in Boston. The REA is among the first groups to pioneer the sale of Irish properties in the US. Last year we brought the first Irish property exhibition to the US, and met with 425 potential buyers in New York, said Spratt. He revealed that 32 percent of the attendees were Irish families planning to return home, 19 percent were retirees looking to downsize, while 17 percent were young Irish people returning to work. Five percent of attendees were searching for a holiday home, and another three percent were keen to buy a second home with ties to family in Ireland, he said. A survey of attendees also found that 16 percent were investors, while eight percent were US-based people who have homes in Ireland, and were looking for them to be either sold or managed. Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg The Philippines on Thursday ordered the closure or suspension of more than two dozen mines after a government investigation found they had illegally cut down trees and polluted rivers. Most of the mines targeted by the order produce nickel and account for half of the Philippines' world-beating exports of the raw material used to make steel. Environment Secretary Gina Lopez, a staunch mining critic, said 23 mines had been told to close after illegally encroaching on watersheds, leaking waste into rivers and destroying trees. A further five mines have been ordered to suspend their operations, while the decision on another mine has been deferred. "The decision on the watersheds is non-negotiable. You cannot and should not and must not endanger the water supply of the Filipino," Lopez told reporters, showing photos of silted rivers and bare mountains. "No amount of money warrants the life of the Filipino. I don't care. That's water." President Rodrigo Duterte threw his support behind Lopez's crackdown, saying: "I support her. She (has) pro-people, pro-poor policies." The Philippines is the world's top supplier of nickel ore and the main exporter to China, and the move is expected to fuel a rally in global prices. In 2015 the Philippines produced about 24 percent of the nickel consumed worldwide, according to Morgan Stanley. The closures and suspensions were the result of a government audit started in July last year after Duterte was swept to power. The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, an industry group, warned the decision would hurt the country's nickel production and could discourage investment in the industry. It also accused Lopez of not giving miners an opportunity to address the audit findings. The move risked "sending signals out to the market and to mining investors that they are not welcome here", Ronald Recidoro, the chamber's vice president for legal and policy affairs, told AFP. Mining stocks fell on Lopez's announcement, including Nickel Asia, one of the world's largest nickel producers, which fell 0.58 percent to 6.81 pesos, up slightly from the intra-day low of 6.61 pesos. ajm/cgm/amj/ds The wife of Brazil's embattled former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva died on Thursday, a week after she was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage, doctors in Sao Paulo said. "An absence of blood flow in the brain was identified," doctors at the Sirio-Libanes hospital said, declaring Marisa Leticia Lula da Silva brain-dead. The family of da Silva, 66, had authorized the donation of her organs and "procedures were begun for the donation," the hospital said in a statement. Lula's family issued a statement thanking supporters for "all the expressions of sympathy and solidarity." Da Silva had been treated in intensive care since January 24 with a brain hemorrhage due to a ruptured brain aneurism. A minute of silence was held in the lower house of Congress in the capital Brasilia. Da Silva -- whose husband is universally known as Lula -- was first lady from 2003 to 2010. Although Lula left power with sky-high ratings and taking credit for Brazil's economic boom, his legacy has been badly tarnished by a subsequent recession and a string of corruption charges last year in which his wife was also indicted. Both Lula and his wife denied any wrongdoing. Lula's ally and successor in the presidency, Dilma Rousseff, described da Silva as "a fighter" and said "she had an important political role." She described the legal problems facing Lula and his late wife as "persecution." "They experienced great injustices. I imagine that Lula's pain now is intolerable," Rousseff said. "We are together president Lula, now and forever." Joao de Oliveira, a former head of the CUT trade union federation, praised da Silva's history as one of the original members of the Workers' Party Lula founded. "She made the Workers' Party's first red-and-white flag," he said. "We have high regard for her because she gave her whole life to build the partisan movement, the union movement." AFP News Zhang Yao recalls the moment he realised something had gone deeply wrong at the Chinese mega-factory where he and hundreds of thousands of other workers assembled iPhones and other high-end electronics. In early October, supervisors suddenly warned him that 3,000 colleagues had been taken into quarantine after someone tested positive for Covid-19 at the factory. "They told us not to take our masks off," Zhang, speaking under a pseudonym for fear of retaliation, told AFP by telephone. What followed was a weeks-long ordeal including food shortages and the ever-present fear of infection, before he finally escaped on Tuesday. Zhang's employer, Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn, has said it faces a "protracted battle" against infections and imposed a "closed loop" bubble around its sprawling campus in central China's Zhengzhou city. Local authorities locked down the area surrounding the major Apple supplier's factory on Wednesday, but not before reports emerged of employees fleeing on foot and a lack of adequate medical care at the plant. China is the last major economy committed to a zero-Covid strategy, persisting with snap lockdowns, mass testing and lengthy quarantines in a bid to stamp out emerging outbreaks. But new variants have tested officials' ability to snuff out flare-ups and dragged down economic activity with the threat of sudden disruptions. - Desperation - Multiple workers have recounted scenes of chaos and increasing disorganisation at Foxconn's complex of workshops and dormitories, which form a city-within-a-city near Zhengzhou's airport. Zhang told AFP that "positive tests and double lines (on antigen tests) had become a common sight" in his workshop before he left. "Of course we were scared, it was so close to us." "People with fevers are not guaranteed to receive medicine," another Foxconn worker, a 30-year-old man who also asked to remain anonymous, told AFP. "We are drowning," he said. Those who decided to stop working were not offered meals at their dormitories, Zhang said, adding that some were able to survive on personal stockpiles of instant noodles. Kai, a worker at in the complex who gave an interview to state-owned Sanlian Lifeweek, told the magazine Foxconn's "closed loop" involved cordoning off paths between dormitory compounds and the factory, and complained he was left to his own devices after being thrown in quarantine. TikTok videos geolocated by AFP showed mounds of uncollected rubbish outside buildings in late October, while employees in N95 masks squeezed onto packed shuttle buses taking them from dormitories to their work stations. A 27-year-old woman working at Foxconn, who asked not to be named, told AFP a roommate who tested positive for Covid was sent back to her dormitory on Thursday morning, crying, after she decided to hand in her notice while in quarantine. "Now the three of us are living in the same room: one a confirmed case and two of us testing positive on the rapid test, still waiting for our nucleic acid test results," the worker told AFP. Many became so desperate by the end of last month that they attempted to walk back to their hometowns to get around Covid transport curbs. As videos of people dragging their suitcases down motorways and struggling up hills spread on Chinese social media, the authorities rushed in to do damage control. The Zhengzhou city government on Sunday said it had arranged for special buses to take employees back to their hometowns. Surrounding Henan province has officially reported a spike of more than 600 Covid cases since the start of this week. - Distrust - When Zhang finally attempted to leave the Foxconn campus on Tuesday, he found the company had set up obstacle after obstacle. "There were people with loudspeakers advertising the latest Foxconn policy, saying that each day there would be a 400 yuan ($55) bonus," Zhang told AFP. A crowd of employees gathered at a pick-up point in front of empty buses but were not let on. People in hazmat suits, known colloquially as "big whites" in China, claimed they had been sent by the city government. "They tried to persuade people to stay in Zhengzhou... and avoid going home," Zhang said. "But when we asked to see their work ID, they had nothing to show us, so we suspected they were actually from Foxconn." Foxconn pointed to the local government's lockdown orders from Wednesday when asked by AFP if it attempted to stop employees from leaving, without giving any further response. The company had on Sunday said it was "providing employees with complimentary three meals a day" and cooperating with the government to provide transport home. Eventually, the crowd of unhappy workers who had gathered decided to take matters into their own hands and walked over seven kilometres on foot to the nearest highway entry ramp. There, more people claiming to be government officials pleaded with the employees to wait for the bus. The crowd had no choice as the road was blocked. Buses eventually arrived at five in the afternoon -- nearly nine hours after Zhang had begun his attempt to secure transport. "They were trying to grind us down," he said. Back in his hometown, Zhang is now waiting out the home quarantine period required by the local government. "All I feel is, I've finally left Zhengzhou," he told AFP. bur-tjx/oho/je/mca/cwl (Yahoo file photo) A 28-year-old man who defaulted on his national service (NS) obligations for 10 years, 4 months and 13 days was sentenced to four months jail on Thursday (2 February). Jonathan Tan Huai-En, the son of senior lawyer Tan Chee Meng, had pleaded guilty to two charges under the Enlistment Act. However, the sentence has been given a stay of execution as the younger Tan will be filing an appeal. He has been granted a $10,000 bail. Tan had moved to Canada with his mother, older sister and younger brother when he was 12. The family had no intention of returning to Singapore and took up Canadian citizenships in 2005. Tans father remained in Singapore due to a lack of work opportunities overseas. Tan also did not renounce his Singapore citizenship. Between December 2005 and June 2006, three NS registration notices were sent to his Singapore address. It was only in 2009 that Tans father informed the Central Manpower Base (CMPB) of the younger Tans intention to renounce his citizenship, but was told that Tan would have to fulfill his NS obligations first. Tan claimed that he realised that his NS obligations had not been resolved only in 2013, when he was told by his mother that he would be arrested if he returned to Singapore to visit his ill grandfather. He returned in May 2015 and reported to CMPB a day after returning. He enlisted in January 2016, at the age of 26. Tans lawyer Josephine Choo argued that Tan had no intention of returning to Singapore, and that the length of the default did not apply as a key indicator of culpability. She added that Tan was not aware that his NS liabilities were unresolved. It was also argued that Tan, who left the Republic after completing his primary school education, did not benefit from the Singapore citizenship. However, District Judge Shawn Ho ruled that Tan did gain from his Singapore citizenship given that primary school fees here are completely borne by the state, and in light of the fact that the same education costs at least $43,200 for international students. Story continues Judge Ho added that, beyond the monetary benefits, students in Singapore receive a first-rate education in a safe, peaceful and conducive learning environment, and that primary schools here provide a holistic and well-rounded education. The judge also pointed out Tan had gained an unfair advantage over his peers, given that he obtained two degrees from the University of British Columbia and a career at a multinational company during the period of default. It was also established that Tan still had substantial ties to Singapore, as Tans father was living in Singapore and is their familys sole breadwinner. However, Ho did take into account Tans testimonials from his NS supervisors when meting out his sentencing. Tan, as a preventive medicine technician, showed excellent work ethic and was praised as a role model. For remaining out of Singapore without a valid exit permit, he could have been jailed up to three years and fined up to $10,000. AFP News Pope Francis warned the world is on the edge of a "delicate precipice" and buffeted by "winds of war" as he held inter-faith talks with one of Sunni Islam's top leaders in Bahrain on Friday. The 85-year-old Argentine decried the "opposing blocs" of East and West, a veiled reference to the standoff over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in a speech to religious leaders in the tiny Gulf state. "We continue to find ourselves on the brink of a delicate precipice and we do not want to fall," he told an audience including Bahrain's king and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar mosque. "A few potentates are caught up in a resolute struggle for partisan interests, reviving obsolete rhetoric, redesigning spheres of influence and opposing blocs," he added. "We appear to be witnessing a dramatic and childlike scenario: in the garden of humanity, instead of cultivating our surroundings, we are playing instead with fire, missiles and bombs." The pope's visit, aimed at strengthening relations with Islam, comes with the Ukraine war in its ninth month, and as tensions grow on the Korean peninsula and in the Taiwan Strait. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who met Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in September, told journalists that there had been "a few small signs" of progress in negotiations with Moscow, warning that peace initiatives should not be "exploited for other goals". Francis, who is on his second visit to the wealthy Gulf, later met privately with al-Tayeb, with whom he signed a Muslim-Christian manifesto for peace in the United Arab Emirates in 2019. "This meeting has great symbolic importance, both locally and internationally, for promoting peace and peaceful co-existence between different religions and civilisations," said Hala Ramzi Fayez, a Christian and member of Bahrain's parliament. - Sunni, Shiite talks? - Leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics, Francis has placed inter-faith dialogue at the heart of his papacy, visiting other Muslim-majority countries including Egypt, Turkey and Iraq. Al-Tayeb, who met with the pope on previous Middle East visits, also called on Friday for talks between Islam's two main branches, Sunni and Shiite, to settle sectarian differences. Later, the pope addressed 17 members of the Muslim Council of Elders, an international group of Islamic scholars and dignitaries, at the mosque of the Sakhir Royal Palace. He told them dialogue was "the oxygen of peaceful coexistence". "In a world that is increasingly wounded and divided, that beneath the surface of globalisation senses anxiety and fear, the great religious traditions must be the heart that unites the members of the body," he said. He also struck out at the arms trade, a "commerce of death" that he said was "turning our common home into one great arsenal". The pope, who is using a wheelchair and a walking stick due to long-standing knee problems, began the first papal visit to Bahrain on Thursday by hitting out at the death penalty and urging respect for human rights and better conditions for workers. Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Bahrain's minister of finance and national economy, insisted the country has "led the region" with its criminal justice reforms. "We have some of the most robust and wide-ranging human rights and criminal justice protections in the region," the minister told AFP on Friday. "There are very well-established channels through which any of these critics can go, well established institutions of accountability," he said, adding that the pope's comments on the death penalty did not single out Bahrain. "It is important to note that that reference... was a general reference to countries around the world," the minister said. Bahrain has executed six people since 2017, when it carried out its first execution in seven years. Some of the condemned were convicted following a 2011 uprising put down with military support from neighbouring Saudi Arabia. cmk-lar/par/ho/th/dwo Episode 7 of Season 3 from Canadas own The Bunt Live podcast is live with one-time Darkstar pro and tech-gnar innovator Gailea Momolu. As always, Cephas and Donovan take no prisoners and egg their guest on to tell those stories that youre not going to find in any mainstream skate media outlet. Amongst other things, Gailea Momolu discusses growing up in Liberia, moving to Ottawa, Canada in 1991 and starting skating there, the black skater stigma of the early 90s, riding for Darkstar and his current occupation as an ambassador for a high end brandy company. If you need a reminder of who he is check out Gaileas Darkstar Battalion section below. Big up The Bunt listen to previous podcasts here. Using automation in your business is one way that small businesses can save money and improve productivity. In most cases, you may still need some supervision. But technology can potentially help you make your business and its processes more efficient. Here are 20 different small business jobs that you can consider automating. Jobs That Can Be Automated Product Assembly Assembly lines are perfect spots to integrate automation, since it involves a lot of repetitive activity. So if your business does any manufacturing, you could potentially use automation at for multiple steps of the process. Restaurant Tasks Likewise, restaurant settings where some of the functions can be repetitive, like fast food or pizza restaurants, can offer great opportunities for automation. Financial Clerking Banks and other financial institutions have begun automating some of the duties of tellers and clerks. For smaller businesses, any financial clerk position that requires just basic number crunching or analysis is something that could potentially be automated. Bookkeeping More specifically, bookkeeping is a job that small businesses could potentially turn to automation for, rather than hiring a dedicated bookkeeper. Telemarketing Basic phone sales can also be handled largely through technology and automation. So you could potentially turn to that technology rather than hiring actual telemarketers. Shelf Stocking For retail stores or any business that needs to keep its shelves stocked, automated machines have the ability to check stock of certain products and then replace those items when needed. eCommerce Packaging If you have an ecommerce business, you could also potentially utilize automation in your packaging process, rather than relying on human workers to prepare packages for shipment. Field Technical Work Field technicians are often responsible for checking the status of various equipment and then providing necessary repairs. But the Internet of Things makes it possible for businesses to track the status of tech equipment remotely and sometimes even make updates or repairs automatically. Basic Customer Service Bots make it possible for businesses to automate some basic customer service functions, though you may still want some human supervision to handle more complicated issues. Data Entry Data entry is another simple function that requires a lot of repetitive activity. Thus its something that definitely lends itself to automation possibilities. Manufacturing Line Sorting For businesses that manufacture products, you could potentially automate the sorting part of the process. Machines have the ability to detect imperfections and abnormalities so they can pick out any defective items. Some Agricultural Work Planting seeds, watering crops and doing other basic agricultural work can also be automated in some cases. Some Landscaping You can also automate basic landscaping work like lawn maintenance and fertilizing land. Ticket Taking For businesses that host events, taking tickets is normally something that would require the help of an employee. But now, there are machines that can take those tickets and even process the information for you. Restaurant Hosting and Seating Restaurants, coffee shops and similar businesses that might normally employ hosts or hostesses could also potentially get more efficient by employing technology that lets guests check in and choose their own seats. Tax Preparing For simple tax returns, you dont necessarily need to hire a tax professional anymore. Software and other technology can help to generate tax forms with just some basic information. Translation If youre looking for help with translation, there are plenty of automated tech tools out there that can help you get the basic gist of a document in another language. Some Cashier Functions Instead of relying on employees to complete transactions with customers, whether you have a store, restaurant or other business, some are starting to use self-serve kiosks to allow customers to complete their orders and pay. See Also: How to Turn Your Customer Complaints into Business Benefits Dispatching For companies that utilize transportation services, you might use the help of a dispatcher or two. But for those who dont fit into the category of public safety, it is actually possible to automate those dispatches to drivers and field workers. Basic Repairs You may also be able to use automation to make basic repairs, as long as the repairs are of the same nature so that the process is repetitive. Founders: Heres a business school lesson from Lyft and Uber. When you are running a startup locked in a head-to-head competition, you need to respond correctly to political events or you will lose customers. Case in point: Lyfts founders John Zimmer and Logan Green responded brilliantly to President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration, while Ubers founder Travis Kalanick made a series of blunders. A PR Disaster Unfolds On January 27, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that restricts immigration from seven countries, suspends all refugee admission for 120 days and bars all Syrian refugees indefinitely. This action led to widespread condemnation and protests at many airports, including New York Citys Kennedy airport, as refugees, visa holders and green card holders were denied entry into this country. In New York, the alliance of taxi workers condemned the order and asked its members to join a strike at the airport on January 28. This led to Ubers first misstep. While arriving travelers at JFK could not hail a taxi, they were able to summon Uber cars on the ride-sharing companys app. That led to a negative reaction among customers. When Trump backer and politico Roger Stone praised Uber in a tweet, the situation got worse for the ride share company. Customers in New York took to social media to suggest that Uber was trying to make money off the backs of striking taxi drivers. Later on January 28, Uber made mistake number two. It turned off its surge pricing at JFK airport. By eliminating surge pricing, Uber undercut New York City taxi drivers just as they went back to picking up customers in the wake of the protest. That further irritated many ride share customers in New York and elsewhere who supported the protests. In response, thousands of customers deleted the Uber app, showing screenshots of their actions on social media. Ubers CEO tried to stem the damage by explaining that the company was not trying to undermine the taxi strike in New York and that it would help its drivers who might have been adversely affected by the executive order. This was mistake number three. Ubers CEO Kalanick had earlier agreed to serve on President Trumps economic advisory council. Instead of using the executive order as an opportunity to tell the world, and his customers, that he would not help a President who harmed his drivers and upset his customer base, he issued a weak statement saying he would be engaging the Administration. That led to the perception that he preferred association with the President to doing what was right. On the morning of January 29, John Zimmer and Logan Green, founders of Ubers archrival Lyft, made their brilliant move, pledging $1 million to the ACLU to oppose the immigration order. In a statement emailed to their customers and posted on social media, they said banning people of a particular faith or creed, race or identity, sexuality or ethnicity, from entering the U.S. is antithetical to both Lyfts and our nations core values. To many ride share users, the two start-ups ended up on opposite sides of a political controversy. While the founders of the two companies might not be acting strategically, the situation shows that Lyfts founders made the right business decisions and Ubers founder made the wrong ones. In the eyes of most ride share users, Lyft was on the side of good and Uber on the side of evil in the controversy. As a founder, you are much better off running the ride share company praised by ordinary Americans concerned with this country doing what is right by people less fortunate than themselves than running the ride share company praised by Muslim-hating, border-closing, right-wingers. Fortunately, both in the United States and abroad, the former remains a larger market than the latter. Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now... Slovaks make up a significant portion of the population in Austrian villages near the border. Font size: A - | A + Austrians and Slovaks living in villages across the Slovak-Austrian borders met at their first joint ball in Bratislava on January 21. About 150 people from the Austrian villages of Wolfsthal, Hainburg, Berg as well as Wolfstahl's twin municipality, Bratislavas borough of Vajnory, attended the event at Dancehause in Kramare. Slovak Zuzana Ondrisova, councillor in Wolfsthal and organiser of the ball, was pleased by the view of Austrians and Slovaks who danced and were entertained together at the event. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement I organised this ball with the intention that people meet, get to know each other, in order that the community strengthens and barriers are broken, said Ondrisova as cited by the TASR newswire, adding that spending such pleasant moments can contribute to better neighbourhood relations. Among the attendants of the ball were the mayor of Hainburg, the deputy mayors of Vajnory and Berg as well as Gerhard Schoedinger, Mayor of Wolfstahl. Slavka Halcakova, Zuzana Ondrisova, Michal Oberman and Gerhard Schoedinger, from left (Source: Zuzana Zuzakova Photography) This is better than one hundred lectures, said Schoedinger, who perceived the ball be a successful event. At the Ball of Slovak-Austrian Neighbours, as the event was named, meals and beverages were served which contained ingredients especially from the local producers of Wolfshal, Berg, Hainburg and Slovak producers from Bratislava and its vicinity. The programme featured citizens of the Austrian border villages while the anchor duo consisted of Slovak actress Slavka Halcakova living in Wolfsthal and Slovak musician Michal Oberman living in Berg, leader of the Funkastic band featuring Slovak as well as Austrian musicians. The band itself performed at the ball. Hainburg is home to many Slovaks. (Source: Jana Liptakova) Austrian villages behind the Slovak-Austrian borders like Wolfsthal, Berg, Kitssee, Edelstal and the town of Hainburg have become homes to quite a large number of Slovaks. For example, in Edelstal out of 700 citizens more than one fifth are Slovaks. In Wolfsthal out of about 1,000 citizens almost one third are Slovaks. What many have already anticipated for several months is becoming reality, the Slovak media writes. Font size: A - | A + U.S. Steel Kosice, the Slovak plant of the US steel giant and the biggest employer in the east, is going to change hands. After 17 years, U.S. Steel seems ready to quit the factory, despite insisting that the information on the possible change of owner is speculation and rumour, the Pravda daily wrote. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The government is being informed about the current situation at U.S. Steel directly from the American owner of the Kosice steelworks, Prime Minister Robert Fico said after the cabinet session on January 24. However, he refused to comment on information currently leaking from negotiations concerning the possible sale of the steel giant, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Slovak government did a great deal in the past to maintain steel production in Kosice; a memorandum was signed between the government and U.S. Steel, Fico noted. Id prefer U.S. Steel to remain in Slovakia. The firm is fully in the hands of the foreign holder and its up to the owners to decide what they will or wont do with this company, the prime minister summed up. According to the prime minister, the attitude of U.S. Steel is correct, and the cabinet has been informed about a possible sale. Fico further stated that if it is clear that U.S. Steel is leaving Slovakia and that it wants to sell the Kosice steelworks, the state can start negotiating in this regard. He added that Slovakia might try to buy some kind of stake in the company. No one will give us a majority stake, but well try to put our foot in this companys door, he said. Much will depend on negotiations, as such a large company cannot operate without state assistance, PM said. They have to communicate with the state about many issues, so I think that when it comes to the fact that a new owner will come to Kosice and be interested in negotiating with the state, well try to take advantage of this moment to strengthen the position of the state [in the steelworks], he added, according to TASR There are basically two main aspects in which the state, as well as the Ministry of Economy, will be interested in if U.S. Steel is sold to a new owner to keep production in Kosice and to maintain the employment rate in the region, according to Economy Ministry State Secretary Vojtech Ferencz. U.S. Steel Kosice trade union leader Mikulas Hintos confirmed for TASR on January 24 that the steel mill is up for sale, but he added that he lacks further information both on the management's actions and on potential bidders. We asked U.S. Steel Kosice president Scott Buckiso recently for updates regarding the plants sale, Hinots said. He said that the plant is still on offer, but that the point of issue is price. To his mind, if somebody comes forward with an offer involving a large amount of money, theyll consider it, he said, noting that he had also been assured by Buckiso that the trade union will be the first to learn about such possible transactions 30 days in advance, as required by legislation. We have no insight as to whether the prospective buyer is from China, Russia, Ukraine or the Czech Republic. Nobodys ever told us, Hintos summed up. Slovakia needs someone who will not bend the definition of human rights depending on whom Robert Fico or Richard Sulik want to please. Less than dozen MPs were listening to Obudswoman Jana Dubovcova when she was presenting her report in March 2015. (Source: Sme) Font size: A - | A + In times when politicians display their brownish opinions for everyone to see as a kind of new virtue, the country needs a determined public protector of rights. More than ever before. It needs a counterweight to the hateful statements about those who are supposed to be incompatible with whatever the applauding majority labels as "our culture". Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Slovakia needs someone who will not bend the definitions of human rights, those that still make us a democratic and European country, depending on whom Richard Sulik or Robert Fico want to please. Read also: Read also: Battle for ombudsman post begins Read more We live in the times when they once again reach for collective guilt. With such ease as when someone self-prescribes a painkiller for chronic pain that only a positive vision for the country can heal. The brownish talk about "unadjustable Roma" or Muslim children of whom there should not be more than of the Slovak ones, will not heal the pains of Slovakia. Ombudswoman Jana Dubovcova never stopped talking about the segregation of disadvantaged children, about inappropriate interventions of the police against Roma or about the politicians insufficiently condemning extremism, even though those who are in power refused to listen. If the government replaces her with someone that lacks the determination to really protect the rights of the voiceless, then the country deliberately hands over another part of the public space to those who only see human rights as an obstacle. To their brownish success. Sme Parliament overrides presidents veto, despite protests from parents. Font size: A - | A + The lawmakers overrode the veto of President Andrej Kiska and approved the amendment to the law on social services, the so-called day nursery law, in its original version, despite the protests of parents, politicians and the providers of day nurseries. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Under the new rules, which will become effective on March 1, providing care to children younger than three years of age at the time parents or guardians are at work or study will be considered a social service. The day nurseries will be run by the municipalities, the self-employed or non-governmental organisations and they will have to observe strict requirements for hygiene, furnishing and staff, the SITA newswire reported. Kiska returned the law to parliament at the end of last year, casting doubt on the way the service was to be introduced. He considered it discriminatory against some groups and parents since the authorised recipients would be only parents or legal representatives who are employed or in full time study at secondary school or university. But the benefits of care and education in early childhood are not linked only to whether parents can go to work or school as they are able to place their child in day nursery, Kiska said, as quoted by SITA. Several opposition MPs supported the presidents objections. They say that approving the amendment will cause several problems to existing day nurseries and also parents, the TASR newswire reported. The law was adopted despite the petition signed by 2,985 people. Disrespecting the will of parents, the president and the operators of day nurseries will result in a more difficult harmonisation of family and work life for parents as the difficult conditions will increase the price of day nurseries and decrease their accessibility, wrote non-affiliated MP Simona Petrik and Lucia Gomez from the Alliance of Private Kindergartens and Nurseries in a press release. On the other hand, Jana Valova of Smer claimed that the law contains transitional provision until 2019. We need certain standards to observe the security of children in day nurseries, Valova said, as quoted by public-service broadcaster RTVS. The Alliance of Private Kindergartens and Nurseries, which represents some 150 founders of nurseries and kindergartens, meanwhile said it may turn to the Constitutional Court, RTVS reported. In general, 94 people left Bratislava municipality in 2015. Font size: A - | A + Public humiliation, cutting registered work hours and extreme supervision, Bratislava municipality employee, Zuzana Aufrichtova experienced all of this after she complained about a poorly written parking policy analysis that cost almost 100,000 and was hidden from the public. Due to constant pressure from superiors and her seriously ill mother, she decided to leave and publicly tell her story. Soon after, other ex-employees volunteered to speak out. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement After I directly confronted Bratislava Mayor Ivo Nesrovnal with those serious mistakes my superiors started to attack me in various ways, Aufrichtova told The Slovak Spectator. I knew that they were just looking for reasons to fire me. Tatiana Kratochvilova, Bratislavas former chief traffic engineer described similar experiences. As one of the leading people in the municipality she pointed out preference given to a certain supplier before others, or interference in selection procedures. Subsequently, she too experienced bullying which forced her to leave. An increasing amount of information is being hidden and [the municipality] lacks transparency, Tatiana Kratochvilova, Bratislavas former chief traffic engineer told The Slovak Spectator. People who are pointing that out get punished. Also former advisor to the mayor Michal Feik, former municipality accountant Katarina Petrusova and Eva Uhliarikova who worked on Bratislavas road management, all confirmed bullying at the municipality, specifically naming the municipalitys director, Martin Maruska. The Slovak capital, however, denies such practices. We have not registered such complaints, municipalitys spokesperson Ivana Skokanova told the Slovak Spectator. If they occurred they have to be recorded. Read also: Read also: Hlavkova: I wanted to do the right thing Read more Hidden analysis To prepare a new parking policy, Bratislava City Hall needed an analysis of revenues and expenses. Instead of launching a public competition to hire an external firm, it directly approached Deloitte. Bratislava already has a general contract with the company for audit services, therefore, it officially presented the parking analysis as consultations which are part of the audit services contract. The municipality ordered 1300 hours of those consultations at a rate 65 per hour. The price reflected the tariff rate in the contract, according to Skokanova. Deloitte was probably in a rush, as it handed over the audit with a serious mistake which would likely cost the city 1 million per year. It did not reflect the costs of the municipal police enforcing the new rules, according to Aufrichtova. The team working on the new policy, including Aufrichtova, pointed out the mistake and the firm corrected it. Yet she also discovered that Deloitte does not want the public to see the data. Thoug, as she recalled, the firm allowed municipal MPs to see it. As the analysis is paid for with public money it didnt seem right to me to hide it from the pubic, Aufrichtova said. Deloittes concluding report also contains recommendations concerning the process of future public procurement, which is the reason why it is not accessible to the public for the time being, according to Skokanova. However, even the Supreme Audit Office criticises the Slovak capital for concealing the contract. It is unacceptable that documents regarding public offers and financed from the budget of a self-government are concealed, Daniela Bolech Dobakova told The Slovak Spectator. Bullying After Aufrichtova pointed out the hidden analysis, her superior yelled at her and asked how dare she criticise a service provider. She then sent an e-mail to the Bratislava mayor to explain her doubts. The municipality subsequently adopted rules saying that its employees are not allowed to communicate with Nesrovnal or municipal MPs, Aufrichtova described the consequences. They also started to ask me with whom I have lunch and my superior demanded reports about my meetings, Aufrichtova said. It was strange but I saw it as part of tense situation. There is no ban against employees communicating with the mayor or the citys MPs, and city hall has organisational rules for such communication, Skokanova responded. However, the ban is not listed in the official rules but was ordered by superiors during a staff meeting and its violation would be considered serious misconduct, possibly leading to losing one's job, according to Aufrichtova. Later, someone changed her records of worked hours per month so she did not fulfil the required amount. This would again be a serious violation of the rules. City hall checked on the complaint and found no manipulation concerning Aufrichtovas shifts, Skokanova responded. Eventually, Aufrichtova left the municipality at the end of 2016. I can prove all my claims and Im willing to confront Mayor Ivo Nesrovnal, Aufrichtova said. Read also: Read also: Extremists repeatedly attack Somali woman Read more Parallel management The same people bullying Aufrichtova were also dealing roughly with Kratochvilova, she says. For example, the municipality director was publicly defaming her for fabricated rules violations. Furthermore, she faced a disciplinary commission and some workers were not allowed to speak with her. Those people are trying to rule the municipality behind Nesrovnals back, according to Kratochvilova We wont respond to questions that are presenting lies and manipulative claims to readers, Skokanova responded. As an example, Kratochvilova pointed to city halls intervention in the public competition for the head of the traffic engineering department. Despite the fact that Jan Kovalcik won the competition, the municipality decided that he will not get the position. It happened because someone called, Kratochvilova told The Slovak Spectator. Municipality director Martin Maruska called me and openly told me that Kovalcik simply could not win. Kratochvilova set the conditions for the new head and the commission is no obliged to choose from among the candidates, according to Skokanova. Unfitting employees Former employees agree that the bullying began after they pointed to some shortcomings or suspicions at the municipality. They experienced yelling, name calling and even public defamation at staff meetings. It was unpleasant, I discussed it with my lawyers but it cannot be compared to bossing which Kratochvilova experienced, Uhliarikova told The Slovak Spectator. Most employees have one-year job contracts, therefore, the municipality does not have to fire problematic people, it simply does not prolong their contracts, according to Uhliarikova. The National Labour Inspectorate received two complaints of bullying in the last five years, both of them in 2016. The subsequent inspection found no violation of legislation, according to the inspectorates spokesperson Viliam Kukumberg. Staff meetings look like any other staff meetings many people are present and most of them still work at the municipality without problems, Skokanova said. Yelling, name calling and vulgarism are not common practice of anyone at the municipality. In general, 94 people left the municipality in the first year after Nesrovnal took office in December 2014, former mayor deputy Ignac Kocek told the Novy Cas tabloid daily. There are dozens of people who have left due to bullying, according to Feik. They were primarily experts who have not been replaced and then we cannot be surprised that projects such as the Old Bridge, road reconstruction, competition for public lighting, parking policy and others are finished late, Feik told the Slovak Spectator. Skokanova responded that the municipality continually hires people to occupy open job positions. There are probably more of such people and it would be easier for them to protect their rights even in court if they were united, according to Petrusova. At first I didnt want to act publicly but now I see that there are many of us and we should unite, Petrusova told The Slovak Spectator. Minsters confirm talks over possible sale of Kosice plant. Font size: A - | A + The Slovak cabinet has confirmed that U.S. Steel is in talks over the potential sale of its Slovak subsidiary, U.S. Steel Kosice (USSK). The American steelmaker, which announced a multi-million dollar global loss in 2016, has neither confirmed nor denied that it plans to sell its plant in Kosice, where it employs about 10,000 people. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Chinese firm He Steel currently appears to be the leading bidder. U.S. Steel, which is currently the biggest employer in eastern Slovakia, signed a memorandum of understanding with He Steel in late January, the financial daily Hospodarske Noviny reported. We know that some talks at the level of U.S. Steel and potential bidders are taking place, said Economy Minister Peter Ziga, as quoted by the TASR newswire. However, I do not have enough information to make any specific comments. We received an assurance on the part of U.S. Steel that once they get to a place where they have anything tangible, we will be invited to the table for trilateral talks. The minister emphasised that U.S. Steel is a private firm. Therefore, its by virtue of goodwill and our high-quality relationship that we were even given such an offer, so I have nothing to add in terms of comments at this stage, said Ziga. Read also: Read also: Chinese company, He Steel, set to buy U.S. Steel Kosice Read more Prime Minister Robert Fico has earlier said that if the American owners decided to sell USSK, the state would consider acquiring part of the business. Neither USSK nor its American parent have commented on any possible sale. USSK remains profitable While the corporation as a whole reported a pre-tax loss of $165 million in 2016, U.S. Steel Europe, which is now comprised solely of USSK, registered pre-tax earnings of $185 million, the U.S. Steel website states. Fourth-quarter results for its European unit declined compared with the third quarter, primarily due to rising raw material costs, in particular for coking coal and iron, it reports. These adverse impacts were partially offset by increased shipments and reduced spending. Full-year European segment results for 2016 improved from 2015 due to lower raw material and energy costs along with better operating efficiencies from running at higher utilization rates, partially offset by lower average realized prices, the press release reads. However, the Kosice plant suffers from a shortfall in investment, stemming from significant cuts by its American parent following the financial crisis in 2009, according to the Trend weekly. As a consequence, the technology at the plant has become outdated and is unable to compete with other steelmakers. Investments totalling at least 1 billion are estimated to be required. But these are necessary only in order to support ongoing production; steel industry experts estimate that an additional 1 billion is needed to bring the plant up to a level at which it can compete with top European producers like Voestalpine or ArcelorMittal. Its outdated technology means that the Kosice plant struggles to supply sheet steel to the high quality standards required by the automotive industry. Its galvanising line, necessary for production of high-quality added-value steel, is almost 10 years old and does not fully meet the requirements of carmakers any more, Trend reports. Construction of the line began in 2005 and U.S. Steel spent a total of US$160 million on it. Ironically, a large market for automotive steel has developed in the region over recent years. Slovakia itself is already home to large factories run by three major carmakers Volkswagen Slovakia, Kia Motors Slovakia and PSA Groupe Slovakia, which makes the Peugeot and Citroen brands and the British-based firm Jaguar Land Rover is currently building a brand new plant near Nitra. More car manufacturing plants are clustered in neighbouring countries. According to its own data, U.S. Steel has invested in $820 million (760 million) in USSK over the last nine years, the Sme daily reported. Most of the investments are required to meet ever-more stringent environmental protection standards. Negotiations with the Chinese The US steel giant and Chinas He Steel Group signed a memorandum of understanding in Pittsburgh on January 26, Hospodarske Noviny wrote. He Steel has reportedly offered to pay 1.4 billion for USSK. Among others rumoured to be interested in acquiring USSK is the Czech company Moravia Steel, behind which stand Slovak billionaires led by Tomas Chrenek. The next step in a sale would be due diligence, which is expected to start in February. He Steel already owns one plant in Europe Zelezara Smederevo in Serbia, which it acquired from U.S. Steel last year. A range of Chinese investors have been looking to invest in European countries over the last five years. Stanislav Panis, economic analyst with J&T Banka, sees two reasons behind the Chinese interest. Firstly, via acquisition of companies they can obtain barrier-free access to the European single market, home to more than 500 million consumers. Secondly, they would kill two birds with one stone by exporting capital from China, where there is currently a low return on investment, he said. In their efforts to export their capital and diversify, they are willing to pay almost any price, much higher than their rivals, Panis told the Pravda daily. Read also: Read also: Trump to lure US firms back. How will this impact Slovakia? Read more The sale of the Kosice plant may be also be beneficial for its American owners, as US president Donald Trump is offering incentives and tax relief to US companies if they return parts of their business to the US. In particular, Trump has promised that he will reduce corporate income tax from 35 to 15 percent, but will impose a tax of 41 percent on US companies doing business abroad, Pravda wrote. Two MPs stand by their statements regarding Islam; one MP says he has already apologised for his comparison with Jews. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Two LSNS members who called Islam cruel, disgusting and an inhuman political system, and chair of OLaNO-Nova movement Igor Matovic who likened the political situation faced by opposition MPs to that of Jews in concentration camps, did not apologise on February 1, as requested. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Matovic (OLaNO-NOVA), Milan Mazurek and Stanislav Mizik (both Peoples Party Our Slovakia/LSNS), whose remarks were made in parliament, were supposed to do so at the beginning of the parliamentary sessions second day. The MPs thus face a penalty of 1,000 each, the TASR newswire wrote. Matovic did not attend the parliamentary debate, excusing himself for the absence. Mazurek and Mizik made appearances in parliament, however, they did not apologise for their statements on Islam, claiming that they stand by them. They addressed a mocking apology to Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS), who filed the motion against them. They called him an advocate of Islam and apologised to him if he felt affected by their comments on Islam. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Andrej Hrnciar (Most-Hid) rebuked the LSNS legislators. Youve misused your time for apologising by defending something you were supposed to apologise for, said Hrnciar, who was tasked with leading the session. Chairman of the parliamentary Mandate and Immunity Committee Richard Rasi (Smer) stressed that the comments made by the two MPs affected many people. You were expected to say sorry in a decent manner today, but you misused the time for your propaganda, Rasi noted, as cited by TASR. You avow to follow Christianity, but youve violated many Christian principles. You are spreading hatred and extremism. He also said he would summon the Mandate and Immunity Committee because of Mazurek and Mizik and propose the highest financial fine (1,000) for them. Danko does not intend to react to the LSNS legislators. His spokesperson, Zuzana Cizmarikova, told TASR that he is glad they came to parliament without an insignia promoting their party; however, he does not consider their appearance in the chamber an apology and it is now up to the Mandate and Immunity Committee to take steps against them. Matovic was supposed to apologise for comparing the political situation faced by opposition MPs in the parliament to that experienced by Jews in concentration camps. He claims he has already apologised directly during his appearance in the chamber at the time he used this comparison. The head of energy regulatory office resigned, angering the speaker of parliament. Font size: A - | A + After a conflict, stemming from the allegedly arbitrary increase of electricity fees for end consumers by the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO), became politicized, its head Jozef Holjencik announced his resignation on February 2 morning. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement He was invited to parliament to explain his decision on increasing prices for access to electricity and gas networks, effectively leading to a leap in the end prices for final consumers as of January 1. Apart from the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS), several opposition parties have also demanded Holjenciks resignation. Governing Smer vice-chair Peter Pellegrini also conceded such an option. Read also: Read also: Changes in utility tariffs cause backlash Read more But instead of reporting to parliament, the URSO head met with Prime Minister Robert Fico to hand in his resignation, the TASR newswire reported. I can inform that the head of this office announced to me as the head of the cabinet that he resigns from his position as URSO chairman, Fico said, as cited by TASR. Angered parliamentary speaker Speaker of Parliament and chairman of the coalition SNS party, Andrej Danko, said he had not known that Holjencik met Fico on Thursday morning. He added he had not spoken to Fico for four days, with the reason being exactly the issue of URSO. The speaker deemed it unprecedented that when the Slovak parliament calls on a top official to defend his actions and steps, he dares to send a letter at the last minute claiming as an individual, independent person, I consider it inappropriate for the chairman of the URSO to participate in the parliamentary session, the SITA newswire cited. Now, Holjencik has to send a letter of resignation also to President Andrej Kiska, who will accept it. The government will propose a candidate for the URSO head to the president. In the meantime, the office will be led by vice-chair Miroslav Celinsky who will secure its full functionality, SITA quoted Fico as having said. Speculations on new head The PM has refused to suggest who could replace Holjencik, arguing that the president is not a mere postman in this instance; he appoints and recalls officials, according to the law, and this means he has a certain space for free consideration, Fico said, according to SITA. Thus, this will probably require some discussion between the cabinet and the president to find a suitable candidate. The issue of a new head for the regulatory office has evoked many ideas and suggestions, with opposition parties coming up with a proposal to find an apt candidate. The URSO is, according to the law, an independent body and its head can be recalled only under circumstances specified in the law on regulation of network industries; this would apply, for example, if he were sentenced for a crime, or didn't act independently. Holjencik was appointed by the first cabinet of Robert Fico, in 2007. The first case of a staunch adult hater who spread racist opinions on Facebook ends after two appeals, with a two-year conditional sentence. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The life story of Rudolf Steigauf of Revuca is a text-book example and could serve in a manual of the Interior Ministry on rightist extremism, the Dennik N wrote. He hates Roma, Hungarians, refugees, as well as Zionists or all Jews in general. He opines, according to the daily, that parliamentary liberal democracy is not suitable, and needs to be replaced by a system of government designed, but not fully applied in fact, by Vojtech Tuka during the Slovak State during the World War II. Steigaufs role models are Andrej Hlinka and Jozef Tiso, he greets others with the wartime-state Nazi guards Na straz! And he wears slogans of the Slovak State, as well as badges with its top officials. (Before entering the courtroom, he hid the badges.) Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement On February 1, Rudolf Steigauf was sentenced for limiting rights, racial and ethnic hatred and defamation of a nation, of race and belief on the internet. After several cases in which teenagers and youths were sentenced for death threats and offers to pay for killing refugees, this is the first case of an adult man being prosecuted for his Facebook posts. Steigauf argues that he has not incited anyone to kill, burn to death, hang. However, he wrote that both the current and the former governments have deserved a rope for treason and for failure to manage the G. ethnic minority. He adds he could not have incited anyone publicly, as his Facebook profile is a private one, as the defence argued, and thus not everyone has access. If Facebook is not public, then I do not know what is, the judge stated during the trial. Defence offers counter-arguments The defence brought already notorious arguments, according to Dennik N, that Gipsy is a lawful term, that Steigauf did not call for abolishing all nationalist political parties, only the Hungarian ones, and all statements concerning the limiting of minorities rights, including the suffrage and creating a reservation for the Roma, were directed at politicians and parliament meaning they were sort of legislative proposals. On Facebook, Seigauf also proposed to strip suffrage and the right to be elected from various groups, but also all citizens who have not paid a single cent to state coffers, which, according to him, are 99 percent of Roma. When the court pointed out that he also is a beneficiary of a physical disability pension, he was insulted and pointed out that he had previously worked for 22 years. Steigauf was also sentenced, five years ago, for not paying alimonies for his child but is seen as innocent now, and he disliked the subject being mentioned in the courtroom as a comparison to his own statements. He came to the courtroom with about 20 supporters who hailed his innocence; he himself feels innocent, too. I stand firm behind my statements but I have not committed anything, I have not harmed anyone, he told the court. The former city police officer, miner and now welfare beneficiary deems his trial a political one and points out that when "Prime Minister Robert Fico mentions the Gipsy issue, it is not a crime. The man spreading hatred on Facebook had run for various parties, in the past, first for LSNS in 2012, then for the Slovak National Party (SNS) (after he was excluded from LSNS) in 2015 and then in 2016 for the extra-parliamentary Spolocne za Slovensko. A single judge in Revuca first sentenced him to a conditional sentence of two years but he appealed; then, Steigauf was sentenced to 40 months in prison. His lawyer appealed, and now the appellate Regional Court overturned the verdict and sentenced the defendant to two years conditionally. Security services stopped Slovak MEP Branislav Skripek at Istanbul airport. Font size: A - | A + A Slovak member of the European Parliament, Branislav Skripek, was invited to visit the USA. However, he could not get through passport control in Istanbul because of stamps in passport from neareastern countries, informed the portal Topky.sk. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The situation is a result of American President Donald Trump restricting inhabitants of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the USA for 90 days. Skripek who is also the head of ECPM (European Cristian Political Movement) accepted the invitation to a National Prayer Breakfast from senators John Boozman and Christopher Coons. However, airport security stopped him at Istanbul airport and did not allow him to get on the plane to Washington leaving him stuck in Turkey for two days. The workers at the airport did not accept his ESTA ID (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). and there were stamps from Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan In Skripeks passport. This immediately invalidated his authorisation and prevented him from stepping on board a plane destined for the USA. Read also: Read also: Slovak politicians thank Obama, wish success to Donald Trump Read more I was trying to get a renewed or activated ESTA ID for two days because as an MP of the European Parliament I have an exemption from that regulation, said Skripek for the Topky.sk tabloid news website. However, the system was so overwhelmed that it was impossible to solve electronically, he continued. American office workers were not prepared for the flood of requests which have appeared after the regulation of Donald Trump had been instated, stated Skripek for Topky. Even after two days Skripek's attempts were not successful and he had to return to Brussels. The president repeated that Slovakia has not forgotten about Ukraine. Font size: A - | A + Slovak President Andrej Kiska has spoken by phone with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko about the current situation in the Ukraine. Kiska wanted to be informed about actual developments in the east of the country and express his discomfort with the escalation of violence which caused suffering for more civilians, said Krpelan, the Presidents spokesperson, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement During the call, President Poroshenko pointed out the serious humanitarian situation caused by a cut in heat, water and electricity in the town Avdijivka, which affected more than 25,000 people. A solution to the situation is getting more complicated due to attacks from Russian separatists. Read also: Read also: Kiska's statements get harder: I was ashamed of the government Read more Poroshenko assured Kiska that the Ukraine is prepared to call an immediate truce and return to negotiations. Kiska repeated that Slovakia has not forgotten about the Ukraine and that it is necessary for international society to again scrutinise the conflict, stated Krpelan as quoted by TASR. Without ending the armed conflict the Ukraine cannot continue with reforms and renewal of the country. Both presidents agreed that the soonest possible introduction of a visa-free regime from the EU would give the Ukrainians a big boost. Government wants to save money by reducing election rounds. Font size: A - | A + Some months before the regional elections in November, parliament greenlighted a single-round voting system for regional governors on February 2. Parliament also passed the merging of regional and municipal election dates as of 2022. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Under the current rules, Slovak citizens and also foreigners having permanent residency in a municipality belonging to a specific self-governing region, may vote for regional governor and also regional deputies. If a candidate for governor fails to receive a majority of votes, a second round takes place to which the two most successful candidates advance. Read aslo: Read aslo: Election changes may help extremists Read more Coalition lawmakers, who introduced single-round elections point to practical experience. The runoff round turnouts are usually quite low and, therefore, elections in this case dont really reflect the will of voters, states the explanatory document attached to the legislation changes. The change should also save financial resources. During regional elections in 2013, two run-off rounds took place in five regions and cost an additional 2.4 million, according to the TASR newswire. Read aslo: Read aslo: Analyst: Society has the tools to prevent the worst from happening Read more However, the two-round system is a protective mechanism from extremist candidates as they benefit from the votes that are spread among the strong candidates for governor in the first round, political scientist Tomas Nociar told The Slovak Spectator back in December. Since 2001 Western armies have created a new, larger, better trained and armed army of snipers. This is partly due to the many new weapons, bullets and accessories have driven this sniper renaissance and new records keep getting set. Some of these new records were more a matter of chance than intent. The most recent (November 2016) example of that was a 1,800 meter shot by a British SAS (commando) sniper in northern Iraq. An SAS team was conducting a reconnaissance and surveillance mission for Iraqi troops, to obtain an accurate view of what the Iraqis would be advancing into as they made their way towards Mosul. The SAS spotter saw a group of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) gunmen in a village some 1,800 meters away and noted that the ISIL men seemed to be shouting at a group of women and children. It will never be known what exactly was going on out there but it was probably ISIL rounding up civilians to be human shields against air attack. The civilians had learned to avoid this sort of thing, especially since if the target was deemed important enough, air strikes would ignore human shields and bomb anyway. The ISIL men were not only shouting at the fleeing civilians but had raised their assault rifles and were apparently preparing to kill the women and children. The SAS sniper quickly sorted this all out and decided that it was, literally, worth a shot. The SAS man was using a L115A rifle and the new (since 2003) favorite among snipers, the 8.6mm (.338) Lapua Magnum round. The Lapua had already proved it could do very accurate shots at very long distances, but 1,800 meters was a few hundred meters beyond what the rifle was certain to hit. But this was a case where it was take a shot or watch the women and kids get slaughtered. So the SAS man took the shot which not only hit the target (the guy who seemed to be in charge) but the bullet passed through that man, hit another ISIL gunmen then ricocheted off a wall and hit a third gunman. A later investigation ascertained that all three ISIL men died, at least one of them lingered a while. The remaining ISIL gunmen scattered and the civilians got away safely. Normally details of commando operations are kept secret for a long time, usually to protect tactics and methods. But exceptional incidents like this, especially incidents that are demoralizing to the enemy. Before details of this incident were released various distorted descriptions of what happened were circulating among ISIL members and local civilians few people knew who actually did it and how. It has been found useful to publicize who carried out a particular mission because it sets the record straight and turns out to scare the enemy more than the distorted gossipy version, There have been a growing number of these spectacular sniper shots, and publicizing the details has caused the enemy, even homicidal Islamic terrorists, to adjust their tactics and to operate more slowly and with less confidence. Fear is an effective weapon and skilled snipers bring a lot of it to the battlefield. Then there is the anger factor, as during an incident earlier in 2016 when another SAS sniper used a new Israeli 8.6mm sniper rifle to kill an ISIL instructor who was about to demonstrate to his students how to behead prisoners by using a live victim. The British sniper was 1,200 meters away and managed to hit the ISIL instructor in the head at that range. The head shot caused the skull to sort of explode, which apparently made an impression on the ISIL recruits, especially after it was revealed that the SAS sniper was using a new Israeli designed rifle equipped with a suppressor. This is not a silencer but it does greatly reduce the flash and sound of the rifle. For long range shots this means those on the receiving end have a very difficult time telling where the shooter is and that often causes panic. The SAS sniper in Iraq also used a suppressor and for the same reason. If a sniper shot kills someone near y0u and there is never any apparent sound of firing, the incident is scarier still. For Islamic terrorists in general and ISIL in particular, letting it be known that some new Israeli tech was involved and the enemy becomes particularly agitated, enraged and dismayed. The Israel rifle involved during the Syria incident was the Dan .338, which was introduced in 2014 and was designed by an Israeli firm for the Israeli military. The manufacturer expected to sell many to foreign police and military organizations and the British, who have been using .338 rifles for nearly a decade, were apparently giving the Dan .338 some field testing. The Dan .338 is a 6.9 kg (15.2 pound) weapon that, with scope and loaded ten round magazine weighs about nine kilos (20 pounds). This is a bolt action, adjustable stock, weapon with a 737mm (29 inch) barrel. The design is very well thought out, showing the influence of the many Israeli snipers who contributed ideas and opinions to the designers. The British were already fans of the 8.6mm cartridge. Starting in 2007 the British Army began replacing most of its 3,000 7.62mm L96A1 sniper rifles with one modified to use the 8.6mm Lapua Magnum round. Snipers in Iraq, and especially Afghanistan had been calling for a smaller long range round because they found the 12.7mm rifles too heavy. The Lapua Magnum round has an effective range (about 1,500 meters) about 50 percent greater than the 7.62mm standard NATO round. Like most long range rounds, if the weather (clear) and winds (calm) are right, you can hit targets farther away. The 8.6mm round entered use in the early 1990s, and became increasingly popular with police and military snipers. Dutch snipers have also used this round in Afghanistan with much success, and had over a decade of experience with these larger caliber rifles at that point. Recognizing the popularity of the 8.6mm round, Barrett, the pioneer in 12.7mm sniper rifles, came out with a 7 kg (15.5 pound) version of its rifle, chambered for the 8.6mm. The 8.6mm also began setting records. Between 2009 and 2015 the distance record for sniper kills was held by a .338 rifle. In 2015 that record was broken by two Australian snipers in Afghanistan using M82A1 12.7mm (.50 caliber) rifles. In a coordinated shot at a Taliban leader 2,800 meters away the two snipers fired simultaneously and six seconds later the Taliban chieftain fell dead. It will never be known which of the two shots got him. The victim would not have heard the shot, the rifles were so far away and the bullet was travelling faster than the speed of sound. About two seconds later anyone with the dead Taliban man would have heard the two shots, but faintly as the shooters were so far (nearly three kilometers/two miles) away. The previous record shot was made in November 2009 by a British sniper (corporal Craig Harrison) who killed two Taliban in Afghanistan, at a range of 2,620 meters (8,596 feet). He did this with a L115A3 rifle firing the 8.6mm Lapua Magnum round. Before that the record was held by a Canadian soldier, corporal Rob Furlong, who dropped an al Qaeda gunman at 2,573 meters (7,972 feet) in 2002, also in Afghanistan with a 12.7mm rifle. These weapons are good at 2,000 meters or more, but weigh twice as much as the 6.8 kg (15 pound) 8.6mm rifles. In South Sudan fighting in the northeast, around Malakal city and the nearby oil fields continues. The violence began a week ago with skirmishes between government and rebel forces and kept escalating until it became full scale battles three days ago. Each side blames the other for starting and sustaining the violence. Foreign aid groups, who work with the government personnel on a regular basis, report extensive corruption in South Sudant. This results in much of the foreign aid being stolen and not getting to the people it was intended for. This is not surprising. South Sudan was recently rated the second most cprrupt (175 out of 176 countries) nation in the world for 2016. Sudan ranked 170 out of 176. Not surprisingly nearby Somalia was rated the most corrupt nations in the world and has held that dubious distinction for a decade. This is surely a record, but not one any nation cares to brag about. Corruption in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index is measured on a 1 (most corrupt) to 100 (not corrupt) scale. The most corrupt nations (usually North Korea, Somalia or, since 2011, South Sudan) have a rating of under fifteen while of the least corrupt (usually Denmark) is often 90 or higher. The current South Sudan score is 11 compared to 14 for Sudan, 12 for North Korea, 40 for China, 29 for Russia, 72 for Japan and 74 for the United States. A lower corruption score is common with nations in economic trouble. African nations are the most corrupt, followed by Middle Eastern ones. What is happening in South Sudan is happening throughout Africa and for the same reasons. Fixing an existing culture of corruption has proved a most difficult challenge. February 1, 2017: In Sudan the government ordered the destruction of 25 Christian churches in the capital. Most of the 41 million Sudanese are Moslem but three percent are not. Instead half of this minority are Christian and half practice ancient tribal religions. South Sudan was created in 2011 after decades of fighting over religious persecution of the Christian majority there. After the 2011 partition Sudan said that the northerners would create an Islamic state and that means little tolerance for kaffirs (non-Moslems). Most (60 percent) of the 11 million South Sudanese are Christians and they, along with the smaller number of Christians in the north have been increasingly (especially since the 1970s) victimized by northern attempts to Islamize the entire region. In South Sudan only about six percent of the population are Moslem and about 30 percent adhering to tribal religions. The UN is seeking to obtain another 4,000 peacekeepers from African nations and is having some success. These would be sent to South Sudan but it may take until the end of the year to obtain and deploy the entire force. January 31, 2017: Sudan will end all food and fuel subsidies by 2019. The end of consumption subsidies has stirred political opposition throughout the country, including members of the ruling party. The state finance ministry says the country can no longer subsidize energy and food prices like it could before 2011. When South Sudan became independent, Sudan lost about 70 percent of its daily oil production and that was followed by the prices for exported oil falling by more than half. The government now has a lot less to spend. Reports that the U.S. will end its late 1990s trade embargo of Sudan offer the country a measure of hope. The U.S. government said that it appreciates Sudans participation in the fight against ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). Sudan is also involved in operations against Shia rebels in Yemen. Sudan must still meet to other U.S. requirements before the embargo is lifted. For example Sudan must treat its own people better and eliminate the government sponsorship of tribal militias that fight rebels and other tribes the pro-government trines have long feuded with. The government tolerates criminal activity (rape, murder, robbery, slaving) by its supporters and thid is what got the president-for-life of Sudan indicted for war crimes. Eliminating this criminal behavior will take a lot of doing. It must also take genuine steps to ending its various military conflicts. Darfur is the one receiving the most prominent mention. Ending the embargo would make it easier for Sudan to receive hard currency remittances from Sudanese working overseas. It will also make it easier for foreigners to invest in Sudan. The lifting of U.S. sanctions was announced January 13. January 30, 2017: South Sudan rebels (SPLM-IO) claim to have repulsed an attack by soldiers in Upper Nile state. The rebels claim that the soldiers were aided by figthers from two Sudan rebel groups (JEM and SPLM-N). The attackers retreated back to their bases in nearby towns (Khor and Gabat) after having suffered dozens of casualties and losing three armored vehicles, including a T-72 tank. January 29, 2017: Ethnic and inter-communal violence continues to erupt throughout South Sudan. The violence routinely disrupts food distribution and government efforts to control the violence are at best haphazard. UN and AU (African Union) officials demanded that the South Sudan government and rebels immediately cease hostilities. The fear is that the current violence will evolve into mass atrocities -- in other words, genocidal violence. The demand has been made before and the fighting didnt stop. The UN, AU and IGAD (East African Intergovernmental Authority on Development) are considering imposing harsh targeted individual economic and political sanctions against leaders of both the government and rebel factions. AU and IGAD diplomats take the position that the August 2015 compromise peace agreement can still work. Interestingly enough, the South Sudan president attended the conference where this was discussed and agreements to try sanctions arrived at. Meanwhile, Kenya has agreed to continue to participate in peacekeeping operations in South Sudan. In November 2016 Kenya threatened to withdraw its thousand peacekeepers. January 24, 2017: Indonesia announced that it is investigating weapons smuggling accusations made against Indonesian police officers serving with the UN Darfur peacekeeping force. January 23, 2017: Ugandas Bidi Bidi refugee camp is being billed as an instant city. Bidi Bidi is about 40 kilometers south of the South Sudan border. As of mid-January 2017, the camp has between 250,000 and 260,000 South Sudanese refugees. Bidi Bidi opened the first week of August 2016 and was designed to hold 40,000 refugees. The fighting between government troops and rebels that broke out in Juba in mid-July quickly spread through the country. That led to a new flood of refugees. Sudan said that it signed a peace deal with the Darfur SLM-SR rebels. January 20, 2017: In North Darfur state Sudanese police officers arrested several Indonesian soldiers serving with the UN Darfur peacekeeping force on charges of smuggling weapons. The Indonesians had just completed their UN tour of duty and were at the airport in EL Fasher, preparing to fly back to Indonesia. The men arrested had weapons and a large amount of ammunition in their possession. The weapons included 29 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 61 pistols, six G3 rifles and four other firearms. The UN sait it alerted Sudanese authorities. The soldiers were later identified as members of the Indonesian Formed Police Unit (FPU), so technically they may have been serving as policemen. January 18, 2017: South Sudan banned several foreign aid groups from operating in the rebel-held Panyijiar county area (Southern Liech State). There are conflicting reports about the ban. It may be a tit for tat action because rebels detained a government-chartered aircraft in Panyijiar in December 2016. One aid group official said it is trying to work out a new operating agreement with the government. January 16, 2017: The Sudanese parliament passed legislation that puts the RSF (National Intelligence and Security Services Rapid Support Forces) under the control of the Sudanese military. The 30,000 man RSF was formed in 2013 from members of Janjaweed (pro-government tribal militias) that participated in some of the more notorious operations in the Darfur region. January 13, 2017: In South Sudan aid groups are asking for help in investigating allegations that 30-60 Sudanese refugees were killed in fighting that erupted December 25, 2016 in a refugee camp near Doro (Eastern Nile state). The violence continued until December 28. Local leaders now say 32 people were killed but that conflicts with other witness reports. One aid group reports 58 people are still missing. Eastern Nile is part of what was once Upper Nile state. The rebels and many international agencies still call it Upper Nile state. January 11, 2017: Funding shortages have forced the Sudan government to close 11 health facilities and another 49 could be closed. Despite help from the UN and aid organizations, Sudan says it cannot continue to operate the facilities because of shrinking oil income. Many of the facilities considered for closure, however, are in areas where Sudan is fighting rebels: South Kordofan state, Blue Nile state and the Darfur region. January 8, 2017: Since 2011 people in Sudan have been fleeing fighting in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. Many of them ended up in South Sudan. In early 2014, as the civil war expanded, some refugees fled north. Now refugee camps in Sudan are seeing even more refugees from the south. Aid organizations report that Sudans White Nile state now hosts around 85,000 South Sudanese. The al Kashafa camp has over 17,000 refugees. There are five other large camps in White Nile state. January 4, 2017: The Sudan government said that the JEM and SLA-MM Darfur rebel groups have agreed to a new round of informal peace talks. January 3, 2017: Sudan denied Darfur rebel allegations that its forces had killed 11 civilians and wounded 60 in the Nertiti refugee camp (Jebel Marra area, Darfur). The government accused SLM-AW rebels of committing the crimes. A spokesman for another Darfur rebel group, SLA-MM, said that government-backed militias were involved in the attack. Darfur rebels contend that is openly violating its December 31, 2016 promise to extend the unilateral ceasefire in the Darfur region and in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states. January 1, 2017: The UN and several aid groups are reporting that South Sudan is once again the verge of a severe hunger crisis. 70 percent of the country is risk of extreme levels of food insecurity (malnutrition and starvation) between now and July 2017. Professional Development Discovery Education to Present Two Free PD Events in SF and Seattle Discovery Education, a provider of digital content and professional development (PD) for K12 classrooms, invites superintendents and educators nationwide to participate in Powerful Practices: The Instructional Leadership Experience. These two, free, one day interactive PD events will take place Feb. 24 in San Francisco and March 10 in Seattle, WA. The sessions will engage participants in conversations with respected education experts and explore innovative instructional leadership practices that make a significant difference in teaching and learning. Discovery Education has designed these PD events to provide opportunities for educators to participate in hands-on activities throughout the day, explore digital resources that build student engagement and connect, network and collaborate with their peers. Powerful Practices is designed specifically for public and private school leaders interested in improving their students academic achievement through the application of innovative teaching and learning practices, according to a news release. Attendees are expected to leave this experience with cost-neutral, actionable strategies that can be implemented and scaled in any K12 setting. The Powerful Practices event in San Francisco will be held at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, and the one in Seattle will be held at the Hyatt at Olive 8. George Couros, a distinguished Canadian education leader and expert on the innovators mindset, will keynote both events. He has worked with all K12 levels as a teacher, technology facilitator and administrator, and is the author of the book, The Innovators Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity. During his keynote, Couros will discuss how to improve student achievement by leading with an innovators mindset. Then, participants will discuss best practices in personalized learning, literacy, culturally responsive teaching and student engagement. They will also explore how digital resources can be used to enrich inquiry-based learning experiences for all students, and how this approach can be effective when differentiating instruction to meet the needs of students with special needs and English language learners. For more details, or to register for either Power Practice event, visit Discovery Educations website. Student Information Systems PowerSchool Acquisition Expands SIS Platform With Enterprise Resource Planning Tools The company recently acquired administrative software solutions company SunGard K12. More than 100 million educators, parents and teachers now have access to a comprehensive and integrated platform that includes SIS, ERP and PowerSchools Unified Classroom platform. PowerSchool, a K12 education software company, Thursday unveiled the acquisition of SunGard K12 from FIS, a provider of financial services technology. Through the acquisition, PowerSchool is merging its student information system (SIS) and Unified Classroom platforms with the SunGard K12s enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions. School districts can now streamline business and HR processes on a single platform. By adding further capabilities in accounting, payroll and benefits administration, procurement, employee management and compliance and professional development to PowerSchools already comprehensive offering, school districts finally have an end-to-end, unified platform that will drive efficiency and productivity of K12 schools and all constituents, administrators, teachers and principals by giving them greater visibility and more control over staffing, finance, investments, compliance data and processes, according to a company statement. Ami Fogle, technology specialist business services at Blue Springs School District in Missouri, said in a statement that she was pleased to hear about the acquisition. We have been using the SunGard K12 business solution (ERP) since 1993 and have used the PowerSchool SIS since 2009. To know these two robust solutions will now work together will make running things at Blue Springs School District even more seamless," she said. SunGard K12's school administrative software is used by more than 1,400 school districts across the country. PowerSchool estimated the acquisition will impact nearly 100 million educators, students and parents using the PowerSchool SIS. The company did not disclose the exact amount it paid for SunGard K12, but it has spent $850 million over the last 18 months to acquire companies like Chalkable, Haiku Learning, Infosnap, Interactive Achievement, SRB Education Solutions and Tienet, reported Sacramento Business Journal. To learn more about the acquisition, watch the video below with PowerSchool CEO Hardeep Gulati and SunGard K12 CCO Adam Eberle. Further information is available on the PowerSchool site. * Reckitt in talks on $90/share cash offer, a 30 pct premium * Would take Reckitt into baby food market * Mead shares up 24 pct, Reckitt up 4 pct (Adds shareholder quote, context, Mead Johnson shares) By Martinne Geller Feb 2 (Reuters) - Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc is in advanced talks to buy Mead Johnson Nutrition Co in a $16.7 billion deal that would take the British consumer goods maker into the baby formula market and boost its business outside Europe. Best known for its Lysol cleaners, Durex condoms, Nurofen tablets and Scholl footcare products, Reckitt said late on Wednesday it was discussing a $90 per share cash offer, a 29.5 percent premium to Mead's closing price. Mead shares were up 24 percent at $86.39 on Thursday in New (KOSDAQ: 160550.KQ - news) York. In London, Reckitt shares were up 4 percent at 7,102 pence, as enthusiasm over the deal's potential to lift profits overshadowed questions around price and strategy for going up against tough rivals Nestle (Swiss: NESN.VX - news) and Danone (LSE: 0KFX.L - news) . "The shares are up because the deal as mooted is likely to be meaningfully EPS (earnings per share) enhancing," said Philip Haworth, investment manager at Kames Capital, which owns Reckitt shares. "That alone doesn't mean it is a good deal but management at RB have earned the right to be given the benefit of the doubt and to explain the strategic benefits to shareholders." A deal would be the latest in a series involving UK companies since the year began, as they consider options following the country's vote to leave the European Union. Reckitt said "the parties are presently engaged in a period of due diligence and contract discussion". It said a further announcement would be made as appropriate. Mead, which also confirmed the talks, is the world's No. 2 infant formula maker with its Enfamil brand. It was spun off from U.S. drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2009. It has been seen as a possible takeover target due to its big presence in China and Latin America, regions with fast-growing populations, as well as in the United States. Story continues Reckitt has a long history of successful deals, but its interest in consumer health products, such as over-the-counter medicines, had led to speculation about other potential targets such as the consumer portfolios of GlaxoSmithKline (Other OTC: GLAXF - news) , with its Sensodyne toothpaste, and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE - news) , maker of Centrum vitamins and Advil tablets. With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) those deals apparently out of reach, and Reckitt's core business slowing amid weakening economies and a boycott in South Korea due to a safety scandal, a move for Mead is logical, analysts and bankers said. "It's a branded consumer proposition with healthcare-y attributes," said RBC Capital Markets analysts, adding the absence of any product overlap meant antitrust scrutiny would be minimal. The proposed price represents a multiple of 17 times Mead's estimated 2017 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), analysts at Wells Fargo (Swiss: WFC-USD.SW - news) said. Nestle paid 20 times for the Wyeth (BSE: WYETH6.BO - news) baby formula business in 2012 and Danone paid 22 times for Numico in 2007. Still, the premium is in line with other recent consumer staples deals, and is appropriate given regulatory changes in China and price promotion, analysts said. Mead's share price has fallen by a third over the past two years, as sales have slowed and it lost market share. Its biggest market, China, has seen intense local competition amid a shift in buying habits away from traditional retailers into e-commerce and speciality stores. BETWEEN FOOD AND MEDICINE Bernstein analysts, who see the deal boosting Reckitt's earnings by 12 percent in 2018, said the move from "health and hygiene" into "infant nutrition" was not a big leap, considering the grey area between food and healthcare that Nestle has also been exploring, with its Health Sciences (Other OTC: HESG - news) unit. Reckitt said it expected to finance the deal through cash and borrowings, which could boost its debt to as high as 4 times EBITDA, according to Steve Clayton, fund manager at Hargreaves Lansdown Select. Yet he expects it to be able to pay that down quickly, as the combined business benefits from Reckitt's proven ability to build brands and its existing relationships with pharmacies and supermarkets. Sources told Reuters in 2014 that Danone was interested in Mead, but the French company is now buying soy milk maker WhiteWave, reducing the chances of a counterbid. Recent press reports have suggested Nestle might make a move for Mead, but the Swiss group could be put off by potentially having to sell parts of its existing baby formula business to appease competition regulators, sources said, noting also that private equity firms would struggle to compete against Reckitt. Bernstein analysts said buying Mead could spur Reckitt to make the often-speculated sales of its home and food businesses, which they said could fetch around 8 billion pounds ($10.2 billion). They said Unilever (NYSE: UL - news) or Henkel (LSE: 0IZ8.L - news) could be interested in the home business, while the food business, which includes French's mustard and Frank's hot sauce, could be attractive, too. ($1 = 0.7880 pounds) (Additional reporting by Simon Jessop and Pamela Barbaglia in London and Lauren Hirsch in New York; Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter) A Chinese tycoon who once ranked among the world's richest men is the mystery figure behind a 1bn-plus takeover bid for Doncasters Group, one of the UK's oldest engineering companies. Sky News has learnt that Beijing Xinwei, a telecoms technology provider, is in detailed talks to buy Doncasters in a deal that has raised security concerns about the sale of the British company's defence operations. Xinwei is headed by Wang Jing, a billionaire who in 2015 was ranked by Forbes magazine among the world's 200 wealthiest people. Sharp (Swiss: SHA.SW - news) falls in Chinese equity markets later that year, and the pledging of a multibillion dollar stake in Xinwei as collateral were responsible for a decline in his paper fortune of more than 80%, Forbes said. The reasons for Mr Wang's interest in Doncasters are unclear, and people aware of Xinwei's talks to buy the British company cautioned that there was no certainty that a deal would be completed. Sky News revealed last week that Doncasters' defence unit was expected to be separated ahead of a Chinese takeover amid concerns about the ownership of a unit which produces missile fins and components for launch systems. It is unclear whether those issues have been raised by the Ministry of Defence or other parts of the UK Government about the deal. Ministers previously intervened to prevent a Chinese takeover of Sheffield Forgemasters, which makes parts for the UK's fleet of nuclear submarines. Doncasters, which was founded in 1778 when Daniel Doncaster set up a hand-tool casting business in Sheffield, counts Boeing (NYSE: BA - news) and Rolls Royce (LSE: RR.L - news) among the customers of its broader aerospace business, which accounts for the vast majority of its sales. Doncasters' defence division accounts for less than 5% of group revenues, meaning that its separation is not material to the sale price, according to a person close to the company. However, a separation of the unit is potentially complex because of systems and other issues, another source added. Story continues A Chinese takeover of Doncasters could be signed within weeks of Theresa May's launch of an industrial strategy aimed at positioning the UK strongly to exploit emerging technologies. A green paper published last week said little about the issue of foreign takeovers of British companies, an issue that has previously attracted the Prime Minister's attention. A separate document on the issue relating to overseas ownership of critical national infrastructure is expected to be published by the end of March. Midlands-based Doncasters specialises in working with metals and alloys that are difficult to shape, and employs more than 5,000 people. It is expected to fetch well over 1bn from a sale, which is being handled by Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS-PB - news) . Blackstone (NYSE: BX - news) , Carlyle and Clayton Dubilier & Rice, three big private equity groups, have also examined bids for Doncasters, but sources said that Xinwei was now the only active party in talks with Dubai International Capital (DIC (Taiwan OTC: 1818.TWO - news) ), its current owner. Doncasters has been part of the portfolio of DIC, a private investment vehicle of the emirate's ruling family which is now being wound down, since 2006. In 2014, the British manufacturer made underlying pre-tax profit of about 136m, roughly flat on the previous year. A Doncasters spokeswoman declined to comment. By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Customers of a failed clearing house should only be made to stump up cash as a "last resort", otherwise they risk being put off using the system, global regulators warned on Wednesday. Clearing of many derivatives was made compulsory to inject more transparency and safety following the financial crisis, when their opacity helped to accentuate the market fallout. This has prompted the expansion of firms like LCH , Eurex Clearing and ICE Clear which stand between two sides of a stock, bond or derivatives trade to ensure the transaction is completed, even if one side goes bust. To avoid them becoming "too big to fail", the Financial Stability Board (FSB), which coordinates financial rules for the Group of 20 economies (G20), has published draft guidance which sets out how regulators can close down a failing clearing house. It also lists the tools they should have to move swiftly in a crisis to avoid contagion. The European Union has already pushed ahead with a draft law on equipping regulators with tools to tackle failing clearers. Clearing houses already have a default fund, but if losses are greater than the fund, then "margin" cash posted by clients, such as asset managers, could be used to plug the hole. Fund managers have fiercely resisted this, saying this cash is owned by savers and pensioners and the FSB says such "haircuts" should be "limited to use as a last-resort-tool", with alternatives including members contributing more into a clearing house's default fund. "Jurisdictions should take into due account the impact on financial stability and on incentives to centrally clear," the FSB says in its draft guidance. The financial sector has resisted attempts by regulators to set a fixed point beyond which closure of a clearing house starts automatically, saying attempts to keep them going should be given plenty of time. The FSB suggests several indicators that "should not be regarded as exhaustive or as fixed or automatic triggers", adding that national regulators should consider announcing publicly which ones shape their closure decision. The FSB said it will look further into the issue and may provide further guidance by the end of 2018. (Editing by Alexander Smith `) By Tulay Karadeniz and Ece Toksabay ANKARA (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the importance of freedom of opinion in talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, during a visit meant to help improve frayed ties between the two NATO allies. In her first trip to Ankara since a failed military coup in Turkey last July, Merkel, said she had agreed with Erdogan on the need for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Germany and Turkey have been at odds over Ankara's crackdown on dissidents since the abortive July 15 coup, as well as its allegations - rejected by Berlin - that Germany is harboring Kurdish and far-leftist militants. "With the (attempted) putsch, we saw how the Turkish people stood up for democracy and for the rules of democracy," Merkel told a news conference, when asked about concern over proposed constitutional changes that would strengthen Erdogan's powers. "In such a time of profound political upheaval, everything must be done to continue to protect the separation of powers and above all freedom of opinion and the diversity of society," she said, adding she had also raised the issue of press freedom. "Opposition is part of democracy," Merkel said. Turkey's allies, including Germany, fear Erdogan is using the coup attempt as a pretext to curtail dissent and Erdogan's opponents fear the planned constitutional changes will lead to an authoritarian state. The constitutional reform bill was submitted to Erdogan later on Thursday, parliamentary sources said. Once he approves it, the electoral commission will set a date for a referendum, expected in April. "It is out of the question for the separation of powers to be abolished," Erdogan said of the proposals, which would replace Turkey's parliamentary system with an executive presidency. "It gives more opportunity for the executive branch to work more swiftly. The judiciary will retain its power and function as usual with the new system." POST-COUP CRACKDOWN Erdogan also said Turkey may provide evidence to the German authorities after around 40 mostly high-ranking Turkish soldiers who worked at NATO facilities in Germany were reported to have requested asylum. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak said on Wednesday that Berlin was sheltering members of what Ankara calls the "Gulenist Terrorist Organisation" (FETO), the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Turkey blames for the coup bid. Gulen denies involvement. "If the Gulenists involved in the coup are fleeing to Germany, the Justice Ministry may send information and documents," Erdogan said, adding that the United States should take quicker action on an extradition request for Gulen. Turkey's defense minister has urged Berlin to reject the asylum applications and warned that a failure to do so could damage relations. Berlin has said the applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. More than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the police, military, civil service and private sector on suspicion of supporting Gulen since the attempted coup. Some 40,000 people have been jailed pending trial. Merkel, who later met Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, said the two countries could do more together to fight the PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. Turkey wants European countries to do more to root out PKK members there. "We talked in particular about how the PKK and everything associated with it in Germany is being observed and how we're also taking action against it because as I said, the PKK is, as a terrorist organization, banned in Germany too," Merkel said. "Our intelligence services and interior ministries need to work together more closely." In January Germany's chief prosecutor launched an investigation into possible spying by Turkish clerics and Merkel said during her visit to Ankara that "irritation or the feeling that people are being observed or spied on needs to be eliminated from the outset". Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said in an interview with Passauer Neue Presse newspaper that domestic Turkish conflicts should not be played out in Germany and that the country would not tolerate violence, spying or surveillance. (Additional reporting by Paul Carrel, Michael Nienaber and Michelle Martin in Berlin and Ercan Gurses in Ankara; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by David Dolan and Robin Pomeroy) No sector is having to innovate more swiftly than health services, which is a useful source of information on how and how not to enact change at pace. UK healthcare costs need to be reduced, and services improved, in order to cope with the demands of an ageing population. To help, small businesses, start-ups and even the NHS are turning to innovation, be that in business processes or technology. As a result, theyre picking up useful lessons for all sectors. But what does innovation look like in such a broad sector? Intelesant, for example, helps GPs track patient care via apps, Push Doctor offers video consultations between doctors and patients, and InTouch with Health optimises hospital management to increase efficiencies. Then there's eConsult, an online consultation service built with the help of GPs. "With ever-increasing patient numbers and dwindling resources, theres growing pressure on GPs to meet patient needs, says Dr Murray Ellender, GP and chief executive of the company. Many practices run at a loss, and theres a limit to the economies that they can make. They need to cut costs, but they face some stark choices. Do they reduce GP numbers and risk compromising the service they can offer, or do they try to make their practice more operationally efficient? This is where technology comes in, he says. Its essential for us to get involved in research programmes from an early stage to gain demonstrable evidence Jonathan Burr, Intelesant Mr Ellender compares eConsult to online banking; it enables customers to access their GP and medical expertise at a time that suits them, even if its a digital appointment. It also provides an online portal where patients can self-check their symptoms and receive on-the-spot medical advice 24/7, adds Mr Ellender. Its already being used in 300 UK practices. Innovating in such an area requires specialist knowledge, because eConsult is created by GPs, for GPs, says Mr Ellender. The company pooled its knowledge of patient consultations and trialled ideas with patients an important step for anyone attempting to innovate in healthcare, or another sector. Story continues Make sure you conduct real life trials and tests before launching on the open market, he says. A great deal was learned in the internal launch, as well as the subsequent pilot. Know your sector and its issues There are hurdles that are specific to health-related innovation. Companies in this space must be careful running such pilots, notes Intelesants Jonathan Burr particularly for projects such as his, which monitors dementia patients in their own homes. In our sector, one of our biggest hurdles is regulation, particularly information governance [a lot of digital health is about sharing of data] and consent, which is very relevant to the products for the older population, where dementia is prevalent, says Mr Burr. Knowing these challenges and responding to them efficiently is something that takes a considerable amount of time and commitment, which we have to allow for at each stage of development. Another hurdle, he adds, is that anyone commissioning a piece of technology or other innovation for health will need to be shown evidence of benefits and cost savings before they buy, necessitating more research than may be seen as standard in other sectors. Its essential for us to get involved in research programmes from an early stage to gain demonstrable evidence, he explains. This is true of all sectors. Your stakeholders will want to see evidence that the business will stand up, so be prepared to do the same from the beginning. Mr Burr adds that there will be such unforeseen challenges no matter what industry youre in: Be prepared to invest more than you thought you would need to, and make sure that your investors are in it for the long haul. Wheres the value for customers? Push Doctor enables GPs to offer video consultations with patients, thereby speeding up waiting times and offering advice more quickly, says Eren Ozagir, its chief executive and founder. Making that happen was easier thanks to the start-ups lack of legacy IT and communication silos. Were achieving efficiencies that larger firms often struggle to obtain due to old tech, legacy systems and lack of communication between departments and practices, he says. Innovate and move on dont be sentimental with your current products and solutions. The needs of customers evolve and so should you Mike Sanders, Intouch with Health Intouch with Healths innovations focus on business processes cutting paper costs, managing patients, tracking data so while its work involves making NHS trusts operate more efficiently, much of what it has learned works across sectors, says chief operating officer Mike Sanders. The companys product works, he says, because its flexible enough to be used in any clinic setting; is modular (so hospitals can pick and choose as well as implement it in phases); and benefits are tracked so that the company can prove its system works. If the customer cant prove the worth, then trust is broken, he says. While Mr Sanders notes the importance of keeping on top of your revenue to keep the wolves from the door he adds that its necessary to also look to the future or risk being left behind, regardless of sector. Keep moving ahead, he says. You may have heard the term that businesses eat their own children. Time moves on so do solutions, products and services. What you have today will be overtaken tomorrow, so be prepared to innovate and move on dont be sentimental with your current products and solutions. The needs of customers evolve and so should you. ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has accused Greece of provocative actions and warned there could be "no going back" if tensions were allowed to escalate, a newspaper said on Thursday, underscoring strains from territorial disputes and Athens' failure to hand over Turkish soldiers who fled after an abortive coup. Tensions between the NATO allies rose when a Greek court last week blocked the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers Ankara accuses of involvement in July's failed coup. The move angered Turkey, which said relations with Greece would be reviewed. On Wednesday, Greece reported mass incursions by Turkish military aircraft over the central and southern Aegean, which Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos called "cowboy antics". Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the mass circulation Hurriyet newspaper Turkey was behaving "reasonably". "Greece has been doing provocative things for a long time. We are behaving reasonably so there are no tensions with our neighbors," the newspaper quoted him as saying while on an official trip to Latin America. "We know how to give the necessary response, the minister's approach isn't new... If the situation escalates, God forbid, if there is an unwanted accident, there will be no going back." He did not specify what he meant by "no going back". Turkey and Greece came to the brink of war in 1996 over the ownership of uninhabited islets known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish. The two countries play an important role in the handling of Europe's worst migration crisis in decades and the EU depends on Ankara to enforce a deal to stem mass migration to Europe. (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu; editing by Ralph Boulton; Editing by David Dolan) MainEventTravel Becomes Official Travel Partner of Super Stack February 02 2017 Matthew Pitt Editor The one-stop travel service for poker players, MainEventTravel.com, has been appointed as the Official Travel Partner for all Super Stack poker tournaments in the United Kingdom, Spain and Gibraltar. Super Stack events have been a regular fixture in the UK where it has called the Poker Room formerly known as The Vic but it also hosts events in Spain. The UK-based events cost 170 to enter, as do events in Gibraltar, with Super Stack Spain costing 170. Four Super Stack events are scheduled to take place in Gibraltar during 2017 and all are played at the Sunborn Casino on board the Sunborn Super Yacht in Ocean Village. An additional six events are planned in Spain at the Torrequebrada Casino and Resort near the beachfront of Benalmadena near Malaga. As part of the deal, MainEventTravel is offering all Super Stack players a cost-effective travel service that is designed to meet all their needs and requirements, from hotel accommodation to car rental. MainEventTravel CEO Fraser MacIntyre said: "Were thrilled to become Super Stacks new Official Travel Partner. Its a fantastic tour with events taking place in some extremely glamorous locations. Like Super Stack, MainEventTravel.com aims to give players the very best poker experience possible at a cost that wont break the bank. Super Stack Partnership Manager Lina Anderson said: Were excited about our partnership with MainEventTravel.com. This years Super Stack series is one of the most exciting yet as we have secured fantastic, luxury high-capacity resort-casino locations in both Spain and Gibraltar. All our stops offer players amazing value air travel and hotel options. With 10 events already on the schedule, having MainEventTravel.com on board as our Official Travel Partner will be an added bonus for our players and provide that one-stop shop experience for all Super Stack travel requirements. MainEventTravel launched in 2012 and added clients such as the Genting Poker Series, Dusk Till Dawn, the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour and the now-defunct UKIPT to its portfolio of clients. Poker player Fraser MacIntyre acquired MainEventTravel in Oct. 2014. The mission facing the Navy SEALs as they approached a remote desert compound was a formidable one: detain Yemeni tribal leaders collaborating with al-Qaida and gather intelligence that could plug a critical gap in U.S. understanding of one of the worlds most dangerous militant groups. Instead, a massive firefight ensued, claiming the life of an American sailor and at least one Yemeni child, and serving as an early lesson for President Donald Trumps national security team about the perils of overseas ground operations. The raid Saturday in Yemens Bayda governorate, which also included elite forces from the United Arab Emirates, was the first counterterrorism operation approved by Trump, who took office a week earlier. And the death of Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, who would later succumb to his injuries, was the first combat fatality of Trumps young presidency. Special operations such as this have always been risky for presidents to approve. Trump and some of his advisers have promised to give the military greater rein in authorizing such missions as part of their desire to wipe out extremist threats. But the president has also said he is leery of getting entangled too deeply in costly operations overseas. In Saturdays operation, the SEALs faced difficulties from the start. After the U.S. forces descended on the village of Yaklaa, a heavily guarded al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) stronghold surrounded by land mines, militants launched an intense counterattack. As the pitched gunbattle continued, officials called in Marine Cobra helicopter gunships, backed by Harrier jets, to strike the AQAP fighters, according to U.S. officials familiar with the incident. An elite Special Operations air regiment was then sent in to pull the team and its casualties out of the fray, banking into the night under heavy fire to link up with a Marine quick-reaction force that had taken off in MV-22 Ospreys from the USS Makin Island floating offshore. The two units planned to meet in the desert to transfer the wounded SEALs so they could be taken back to the amphibious assault ship for treatment, but one of the Ospreys lost power, hitting the ground hard enough to wound three Marines and disable the aircraft. With the twin-engine transport out of action, a Marine jet dropped a GPS-guided bomb on the disabled $70 million Osprey to ensure that it did not fall into militant hands. Yemeni officials said the operation killed 15 women and children, including the 8-year-old daughter of the late radical Yemeni American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in 2011 in a U.S. drone strike. American officials said they were unable to immediately confirm the civilian deaths but suggested that most or all of those killed were militants. Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said women participated in the gunfight. According to current and former officials with knowledge of the operation, military officials had proposed it weeks before, under former President Barack Obamas administration, as part of an attempt to compensate for intelligence losses caused by Yemens extended civil conflict. Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a coalition of Arab nations launching air attacks on Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. The United States has provided some support to those air operations but has distanced itself over allegations of repeated attacks on civilian targets. After considering the operation for several weeks, Obama officials concluded that the raid would not be possible before the presidents Jan. 20 departure, and they began to tee up a final decision for Trumps top advisers. The operation, the first U.S.-led ground raid in Yemen since 2014, comes as the United States tries to rebuild a counterterrorism mission that has been severely curtailed since 2015. Last year, the United States established a tiny Special Operations presence in coastal Yemen, working alongside Emirati troops to keep tabs on AQAP activities. The group has been one of the most potent branches of the global militant network and has been involved in multiple plots to attack the West. The operation may also be a sign of things to come. The Pentagon, according to two defense officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, is drawing up plans to be considered by the White House that, if approved, could delegate decision-making for operations in Yemen to a lower level and accelerate activities against AQAP. While that would seemingly be indicative of a more aggressive stance by Trump, one official described the raid and the proposal as an outgrowth of earlier Obama-era operations that have pushed al-Qaida militants from their sanctuaries and provided more opportunities for U.S. strikes. We expect an easier approval cycle [for operations] under this administration, another defense official said. The same model was applied after an extended U.S. air campaign in Libya that pushed Islamic State militants into desert camps, where they were eventually pursued and destroyed by stealth bombers. A former senior defense official familiar with prior operations in Yemen said Saturdays raid and the potential for expanded operations were overdue. We really struggled with getting the White House comfortable with getting boots on the ground in Yemen, the former official said, like others speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Since the new administration has come in, the approvals [at the Pentagon] appear to have gone up. Already, the Trump administration, in a flurry of executive actions, has shown a penchant for tightly held decision-making that has left out key agency officials. Luke Hartig, who was a senior official for counterterrorism under President Barack Obama, cautioned that even swift or delegated decision-making on national security matters requires consultation with a range of agencies that could address legal, diplomatic and other questions. Its not about slowing things down its about making sure the complexities are well addressed prior to approval, said Hartig, who is now a fellow at New America and runs a research group at National Journal. The Trump White House touted the operation this week as a success. A release by the White House on Sunday said the raid killed 14 militants and captured intelligence that could deter future attacks. This week, Trump spoke with Owenss family to offer his condolences. The Washington Posts Louisa Loveluck in Beirut contributed to this report. A roughly five-month incumbent, former journalist and property manager is running for reelection for the Central New Mexico Community College board against an attorney, green building expert and community activist. Nancy Baca, 56, was appointed to the board to fill a seat in Sept. 2016 to fill a vacancy, and she has worked as journalist at the Albuquerque Journal, the Albuquerque Tribune and the Arizona Republic. She is currently a property manager. She has also done volunteer work on local political campaigns and is a member of the states Democratic party. Gina Naomi Dennis, 39, is an attorney who founded the green building consulting company Relerience. She is also serving as a board member of the La Montanita Co-op Food Market, and was a national delegate for Sen. Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. District 5 covers the central portion of town and includes the CNM main campus. The state appropriation for CNM was cut from $56 million to roughly $53.2 million, or about a 5 percent cut, according to school spokesman Brad Moore. The schools current community colleges current budget is about $226.9 million. Dennis said she wants to be a member of the governing board because she believes the community education system is broken, and she hopes to raise graduation rates and lower tuition. There are a lot of people who feel like their needs are not being met, Dennis said. She suggested CNM create hands-on-training programs in farming to educate the next generation of farmers and ensure we buy local. She suggested a similar program for renewable energy that would have students working in the solar energy industry. Dennis earned a bachelors degree from Spelman College, a law degree and a masters of business administration from American University. Bacas main concern is one shared by many board members, CNMs shrinking budget. She said long-term planning would be needed to weather the storm and to avoid cuts that will affect students. She is against raising tuition for students. She did praise CNMs recent programs that were tailored to the community needs such as a brewing academy, coding boot camp or a film tech program. Its innovative ways of delivering education and training people to work in the 21st century economy, Baca said. Baca earned a bachelors of art in organizational communication and management and at a later date a bachelors degree in journalism. Candidate Bios Nancy Baca District: 5 Place of residence: Albuquerque Age: 56 Education: Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, University of New Mexico, 1990; Bachelor of Arts, Organizational Communication and Management, University of New Mexico, 1983. Occupation: Property manager, 2005-present; freelance reporter and editor, 2005-2007; city editor and reporter, The Albuquerque Tribune, 2003-2005; training editor/reporter/editor, The Arizona Republic, 2000-2002; reporter and editor, the Albuquerque Journal, 1988-2000. Family: Ted Jurney, husband; no children. Political/government experience: CNM Governing Board, member, September 2016-present; volunteer work on a variety of local campaigns, 2008-present; vice ward chair, Democratic Party, Ward 18D, 2015-present; precinct chair, 352, 2012-present. Major professional accomplishment: Serving as president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, I advocated for improving news coverage of people of color and connected journalism students and professionals with training and jobs. Major personal accomplishment: I spent much of my career in New Mexico, which afforded me the opportunity to care for and help both of my parents as they aged and dealt with declining health. Gina Naomi Dennis Place of residence: Albuquerque Age: 38 Education: Master of Business Administration, American University, 2005; Juris Doctor, American University, 2003; Bachelor of Arts, Spelman College, 2000. Occupation: Lawyer/attorney, 2004-present; green building expert, 2009-present. Family: Single, no children. Political government experience: Elected as a national delegate for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at the Democratic National Convention, July 2016. I was a White House intern in the Office of the President West Wing, 1999. Major professional accomplishment: Elected as a board member of the La Montanita Co-op Food Market in November 2016. I won 1,202 votes in the election. The co-op represents 16,000 families. Im protecting local farmers and protecting our workers. Major personal accomplishment: I speak Mandarin Chinese. CNM District 5 Candidate Questionnaire 1. Why do you want to be a member of the governing board? Baca: To ensure every New Mexican has access to affordable education and the opportunity to keep learning and add new skills throughout their life. CNM is a resource for career advancement and a lifetime of education. Dennis: I was endorsed by the CNM Employees Union COPE/PAC. Our community education system is broken, but with my new leadership we can lower tuition, make graduation rates go up, and increase outcomes and jobs. 2. What is CNMs role in the state of New Mexico? Baca: CNM is an important force for change in our community. The college focus is on job training for a changing economy and workforce development spanning an entire career. Dennis: Its time for CNM to establish a farming program to educate the next generation of farmers and ensure we buy local.A Lets also establish a renewable energy program that prepares graduates for the job market. 3. How would you address diminishing state funding for higher education institutions? Baca: Our priority must center on long-term planning for declining revenue with a focus on retaining and improving services. I will protect those plans and advocate for new ideas for sustainable funding. Dennis: I implore our state government to treat education with fairness. Federal grants will also enable more economic freedom. We need CNM to rise from budget fatigue to a position of supporting students, workers and community. 4. Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens? Baca: No Dennis: No 5. Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding? Baca: No Dennis: No 6. Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony in New Mexico or any other state? Baca: No Dennis: No WASHINGTON Senate Republicans moved aggressively Wednesday to push through several of President Donald Trumps Cabinet nominees, the latest round in an escalating showdown with Democrats trying to thwart President Trumps administration. Republicans lashed out angrily at Democrats trying to stall the presidents nominees at the committee level, suspending the rules to approve two nominees, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., for secretary of health and human services and Steve Mnuchin to lead the Treasury. Republicans also advanced the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., for attorney general, and they finalized confirmation of former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson for secretary of state by a vote of 56 to 43. The day was not without its setbacks for Republicans, however. Two GOP senators, Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, and Susan Collins, Maine, signaled they do not plan to support the presidents nominee for education secretary, Betsy DeVos leaving Democrats one vote shy of the number needed to doom her nomination. Both senators cited their uncertainty about whether DeVos, an avid supporter of charter schools and school vouchers, is sufficiently committed to helping public schools. The drama on Capitol Hill unfolded at a time when Democrats, under intense pressure from liberal activists, have become increasingly emboldened to block Trumps agenda and appointees. Democrats were enraged by the administrations executive order issued over the weekend to bar travel to the United States by those from seven majority-Muslim countries. They galvanized around the firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates, who was dismissed for refusing to enforce the ban. And some Democrats were also angered by the presidents nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court on Tuesday night, arguing that Republicans cannot expect them to swiftly approve the selection after their blockade of then-President Barack Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland. Lawmakers began meeting with Gorsuch on Wednesday. Although several moderate Democrats said they remain open to the federal appeals judge, others, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., vowed to block him with a filibuster, which Republicans would need 60 votes to overcome. Meanwhile, Trump urged Senate Republican leaders Wednesday to be prepared to tear up the rules of the Senate and go nuclear if Democrats try to block Gorsuch that is, change long-standing Senate rules to permit the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee with a simple majority vote. I would say, If you can, Mitch, go nuclear, Trump said, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Because that would be an absolute shame if a man of this quality was put up to that neglect. I would say its up to Mitch, but I would say, Go for it. Several Democrats did side with Republicans to approve Tillerson, including senators from states that Trump won during the election: Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) and Joe Manchin III (W.Va.). Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., also supported Tillerson. There is little Democrats can do to prevent final confirmation of any of Trumps picks because the GOP needs only 51 votes to approve them in the full Senate and there are 52 Republican senators. With Tillerson, six high-ranking Trump nominees have been approved by the full Senate: Elaine Chao as transportation secretary; retired generals John Kelly and Jim Mattis at the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon; Mike Pompeo to lead the CIA; and Nikki Haley to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Over in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Republicans celebrated Sessions approval on a party-line vote of 11 to 9, with Democrats present and opposing his nomination. Senator Sessions has devoted his life to public service, and his qualifications cannot be questioned, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a statement following the Sessions vote. He has a history of protecting and defending the Constitution and the rule of law for all people. But a committee hearing to approve Trumps pick for the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, was delayed after Democrats failed to show up. So was a hearing to vet Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., to lead the Office of Management and Budget, which was delayed Wednesday, although the delay happened before the panel convened. And on Tuesday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the nominations of former Texas governor Rick Perry to be energy secretary and Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., to be interior secretary. Republicans came to the aid of Trumps nominees after Democrats dipped into their procedural arsenal to stall many of them at committee hearings on Monday, echoing growing liberal anger in the streets. Democrats are going to keep fighting back, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. We are going to stand with people across the country. And we will keep pushing Republicans to put country above party and stand with us. That stance was met with praise from liberal activists, labor unions and constituents. Were seeing someone who came into office with a historic popular vote loss come in and push a radical, unconstitutional agenda, said Kurt Walters, the campaign director of the transparency group Demand Progress. Yes, radical and bold tactics are what senators should be using in response. At Senate Finance on Wednesday morning, Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, rammed through Mnuchin and Price after Democrats did not show up for that hearing. Their nominations head to the Senate floor for an up-or-down vote, although it is unclear when that will occur. Republicans on this committee showed up to do our jobs. Yesterday, rather than accept anything less than their desired outcome, our Democrat colleagues chose to cower in the hallway and hold a press conference, Hatch charged. Incensed by the Democratic boycott, GOP members spent Tuesday exploring how they could quickly approve Price and Mnuchin and punish Democrats for their surprise move. Committee staffers scoured the panels lengthy rule book and discovered it permits the majority party to temporarily suspend the rules and meet without Democrats. Hatch said he consulted the Senate parliamentarian, who serves as a referee on all disputes in committees and on the Senate floor, who said doing so was within bounds. After weeks of back-and-forth about Trumps nominees, the boycott was the last straw, explained Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., who pushed staffers to explore their options. The ultimate result was not in doubt. Getting to the ultimate was in doubt, he added. For us, it was going to get done. Why not find a way to do it since they werent going to show up for a committee meeting? To them, slowing down the process just gave them the time to do that and try to make cases against us. Democrats were told Wednesday morning that Finance would reconvene. But they were not given any indication that Hatch would alter the rules, according to a spokesman for Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking Democrat on the committee. Democrats complained that Mnuchin misled the committee by initially misstating his personal wealth on a financial disclosure form and misrepresenting under oath how OneWest Bank, which he led, scrutinized mortgage documents. And Wyden pointed to discounted stock buys Price made in a health-care company, first reported by the Wall Street Journal. We felt it was important to say we need this information to do our job, Wyden said Wednesday after Hatch forced the party-line vote. Other Republicans dismissed accusations that the GOP is bending Senate procedure to quickly confirm Trumps picks. I think people expect senators to show up for work and be there. Its unfortunate, said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Democrats defended their actions as a necessary step to register their frustration after a small group of Republicans refused to allow them to question the nominees once new information came to light. Over at the Environment and Public Works Committee, where Pruitt is being considered, Republicans vented their frustration at the lack of Democrats who came. A GOP aide displayed a chart designed to show how quickly past EPA nominees were confirmed. Notably missing, however, was Obamas second EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy. Nominated in March 2013, McCarthy was not confirmed until July of that year at one point, Republicans on the Environment Committee boycotted a meeting to demand that McCarthy answer more questions. That was not a new president, newly elected, said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., arguing that the GOP boycott differed because it happened during Obamas second term. A newly elected president, I believe, has a right to their Cabinet. The Washington Posts Sean Sullivan and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. WASHINGTON Aftera 2 1/2-day fling in the outside world, Ollie the bobcat returned to the National Zoo late Wednesday afternoon. She had a cut on her left front paw and enough of life away from home, the zoo said. She showed up, as the day was waning, near the zoos Bird House, not far from where she vanished Monday morning. A zoo visitor spotted her running across a path about 4 p.m. and notified authorities, who hurried to the area and baited a capture trap. Within 15 minutes, she had strolled into the trap, said Craig Saffoe, curator of great cats at the zoo. She was taken to the zoo hospital, where she was 100 percent safe and sound, he said. The zoo said it planned to examine her thoroughly for any diseases she might have picked up during her stay in the wild. Saffoe said she probably hadnt gone far, and came right back home. I think she wanted to go out, have a little bit of fun, see what it was like on the outside, [then] I think Im ready to come back inside now, he said. Saffoe said he was over the moon, thrilled. When you find a member of your family, or you find somebody whos been missing, it just kind of fills you with joy, crazy joy, he said. Finding a bobcat in the woods of Rock Creek Park, where she had fled, was less of a chance than finding a needle in a haystack, Brandie Smith, the zoos associate director for animal care sciences, said Wednesday evening. Our first instinct was you know what, shes going to go out, and shes going to want to come back, Smith said. And thats exactly what she did. And we were ready for her the second that she came back. The zoo had announced earlier Wednesday that it had suspended its search for the 25-pound female. For the past two days, a team of zookeepers, police officers at the zoo and rescue experts from the D.C. Humane Rescue Alliance had looked for her in vain. The zoo said it received several reports from people saying they had seen Ollie in the nearby Cleveland Park and Woodley Park areas. Saffoe said the zoo received a report of the cat under a car about 10 p.m. Tuesday, and staff and zoo police went to the scene. They scoured the area for more than 45 minutes, he said, but no Ollie. I dont mean to be pessimistic at all but, were looking for a cat who could literally be sitting in a tree right next to us, Saffoe had said Wednesday morning. Bobcats are not aggressive with humans, and there was no danger to the public, experts said. Still, 13 nearby schools canceled their outdoor recess Tuesday, out of caution. D.C. school officials said they lifted that ban Wednesday after they heard from the zoo and were assured we are no longer in imminent danger. Ollie was last seen in her enclosure at 7:30 a.m. Monday. But when keepers returned about 10:40 a.m. for her breakfast, she was gone. The zoo declared a code green for an escaped animal. It is believed that Ollie climbed out of her enclosure, which sits near Rock Creek Park, through a small opening in a mesh net around her area. In an inspection Monday, zookeepers noticed that one piece of the mesh was broken and that there was a hole that measured about 5-by-5 inches. It has since been repaired. Being an adept climber, Ollie would have been capable of climbing and crawling through the hole, experts said. Bobcats eat mice, small deer, goats, chickens, rabbits and squirrels. They can run fast, climb well and leap into the air to grab low-flying birds. It wasnt the first time an animal has escaped from the zoo in recent years. In 2013, Rusty a red panda got out using overhanging tree branches. He was later found in a tree in a nearby neighborhood and nudged from his perch with a long pole. That same year, a nonflying vulture named Natalie used a wind gust to soar out of her enclosure. She was caught moments later in a nearby parking lot. Justin Wm. Moyer contributed to this story. Video link: http://wapo.st/2jRX3QM Video embed code: The banging sounded like furniture was being slammed in her daughters bedroom. Startled by the noise just before 2 a.m. on New Years Day, Suzanne Zaremba dashed down the hallway of her suburban Maryland home to 16-year-old Charlottes room. She found her slender, brown-eyed daughter wrestling with a masked intruder. Charlotte, she recalled, was screaming, Call 911! Suzanne, a 52-year-old registered nurse, shouted for her husband, Jim Zaremba. Then she vaulted onto the floor by the bedroom window, where Charlotte and the stranger were on their knees grappling with each other. Recounting what happened that night for the first time publicly, Suzanne said she wrapped her arms around Charlotte, trying to yank her away from the intruder. All three of them tumbled into the middle of the room where Charlotte had slept all her life. Then, without warning, the stranger pointed a gun at Suzannes chest, she said. She grabbed the barrel of the gun, which he held in his left hand, pushing it downward. The weapon went off and the bullet tore into Suzannes left leg. She cant remember hearing a second shot fired, but she looked down and saw Charlotte had been wounded, too. Charlotte was unconscious, and her eyes were wide open, and she was gasping for air, Suzanne said shortly after. She forgot about the gunman and began performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the younger of her two daughters, a high school sophomore who wanted to become a surgeon and who talked about joining the Peace Corps. Her husband, Jim, 51, also a registered nurse, had rushed into the room and began performing chest compressions. The intruder, whose eyes were the only visible part of his face, scooted backward to the bedroom wall, decorated with a jungle mural Suzanne had painted when she was pregnant with Charlotte. The Zarembas ignored him in their desperation to save their daughter. He could have shot both of us and left the room and ran away, said Suzanne, who insisted, I wasnt being brave. I was saving my baby. But the Ellicott City, Maryland, couple had done enough CPR in their lives to know there was little hope. Charlotte was dead or close to dying. I tried to will the bullet so that it just went through the one lung, Jim said. Because you can survive that. The intruder just sat and stared at the Zarembas. After a moment or two, he lifted the gun to his head. There was another shot, and he lay dying, too. It wasnt until Suzanne was released from the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center on the afternoon of Jan. 1 that she learned the name of her daughters attacker: Sean Crizer. He was just 15 years old and a classmate of Charlottes at Howard High School, police told her. They said, Do you know this name? And Jim and I looked at each other and said, No, Suzanne recalled. The Zarembas and their older daughter, Audrey, 20, had never heard Charlotte mention him. On Friday, the Howard County Police Department announced that after reviewing cellphone records and computers, it had found no evidence that Crizer targeted Charlotte. The teens were described as acquaintances, but investigators do not believe they had a close friendship or relationship. Police still do not know Crizers motive for entering the Zarembas house in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, and may never be able to determine his intent, the statement said. But in an interview with The Washington Post last week, one of Charlottes closest friends, Juliana Torres, said Crizer had asked Charlotte out for homecoming in the fall, and that she had turned him down. He asked her to homecoming, Juliana remembered, and she said she just wanted to go with her friends. [He told] her that he had feelings for her. She didnt reciprocate, but he didnt react poorly. She said she wanted to go with friends. She was kind about it. Juliana, 15, a sophomore at nearby Centennial High School, said Monday night that she had not yet been interviewed by police. Sherry Llewellyn, a Howard County, Maryland, police spokeswoman, said detectives declined an interview with The Post because the investigation is still active. Sean Crizer lived just a half-mile away from Charlotte with his grandfather, Earl Crizer, a retired technician with the National Institutes of Health. In an interview, Crizer said he was shocked by the news and grieves for the Zarembas. I feel a lot of pain because when I try to rest at night. I also think about the pain Seans younger brother has, in addition to my own personal pain, Crizer said. Crizer said he didnt detect anything unusually aggressive in his grandson, who had been an altar boy at an Ellicott City Catholic church. His grades were very good. Would he back talk . . . from time to time? Yes, Crizer said. Was it violent? It wasnt violent. But police said the teen had burglarized a couple of homes in the neighborhood, and had stolen the gun that he used in the shooting. After Charlotte was killed, the Zarembas heard that Sean Crizer might have asked their daughter to homecoming. But they still cant fathom what he was doing in her bedroom that night. His took his reasons with him and his feelings, Suzanne said. Two families lost a child that day. Suzanne entered her daughters bedroom, still hobbled slightly by the bullet doctors decided not to remove from her left leg. The blood has been cleaned from the floor and the room is filled with artifacts of Charlottes life: a Polaroid camera on a shelf, a stuffed hippo (her favorite animal) flopped on the bed, and a fish tank, with the teens handwritten instructions for My Fishy whenever she was away. Suzanne and Jim moved into this white brick ranch house, about an hour north of Washington, in 1999. Theyd been living in Southern California and chose Howard County for its affordability and good schools. Somewhere family-oriented, Suzanne said. Safe, Jim said. Now, nearly everywhere the Zarembas look, there are memories of Charlotte: The chickens she wanted as pets Phyllis, Gladys and Bertha in the coop outside her bedroom. A framed living room poster from an Amos Lee concert at the Santa Barbara Bowl that the entire family attended. And the chalkboard-painted door of Charlottes bedroom, scrawled with her words about fate: If yee cud chenge yer fet wutcha? Charlotte stayed in Girl Scouts even when her friends dropped out. Last summer she traveled to Costa Rica on a service trip through Global Leadership Adventures, where she worked in a rural village. Ive loved every minute, even breaking concrete in the direct sun, because I was besides amazing people helping to make an amazing change in the community! she posted on Instagram. This photo was taken of us on the playground with the children of Escuela Libertad. She already had plans to do another trip with the company this summer, in Peru. At Howard High, where she made the honor roll, her favorite classes were science and Spanish. She had set her sights on Towson University, her parents said. When Charlotte wasnt in school, she threw on blue scrubs and volunteered at St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, where she completed one shift in the pediatric emergency room and several others in the intermediate care unit. Although she talked about a career as a doctor, her father thought she might become an FBI agent because she loved watching Homicide Hunter on the Investigation Discovery network. She liked finding out how things happened, why they happened, Suzanne said. She liked puzzles, Jim said. Thats what drew her to medicine, Suzanne said. She wanted to fix things. On the last night of Charlottes life, she spent New Years Eve at the home of a sick friend, giving her a foot massage. Marisa Poisal, 15, a Howard High sophomore, said Charlotte might have stayed overnight if she hadnt been sick. She came here because she wanted to take care of me, Poisal said. She was going to stay here all night, but I was throwing up. Instead, Suzanne picked Charlotte up and drove her home. Now Poisal, who lunched most days with Charlotte in the atrium next to the school cafeteria, keeps a box of memories to remember her friend: the program from Charlottes funeral on Jan. 7, some concealer Charlotte had given her, and a roll of toilet paper that Charlotte fetched for her on New Years Eve when Poisal ran out of tissues. But Marisa also prizes Charlottes Instagram photos. Charlotte had two accounts: charlOttez, a public account with 64 posts, and her private one, with 521. Poisal laughed when she arrived at a photo Charlotte posted Dec. 14 of the two of them. Picture with someone I love bc I just decided to start writing the book of which Ive been thinking about the plot for months yall its gonna be great, Charlotte wrote. Poisal was privy to the plot of her friends novel-in-progress. Her book was about some sort of society where you werent supposed to have feelings, but this one character had feelings and . . . it was weird, Poisal said, smiling. And you had to take something, like a drug, so you wouldnt have emotion. The emotions hang over all the Zarembas. Jim said he draws on Taoism for strength. If I fill my heart with anger, guilt and despair, in the end it will only lead to my own demise, he said. If I fill my heart with love and appreciation of the time I had with her, then I can go on and be the person she wants me to be. I can go on and try to make the world a better place, as she was doing. He and Suzanne still have work to do. Thank you cards need to be written and mailed. A headstone needs the right words, and Jim is wondering whether the marker should be engraved with the lyrics of an Amos Lee song. And then there is Charlottes bedroom. Suzanne and Jim want to keep some of her clothes there shirts with hippos (which she fell in love with on a trip to Disney World at age 3), and a sundress with palm trees that she wore in Costa Rica. Were leaning toward keeping it intact, Jim said. Like a sitting room. Not like a shrine, Suzanne said. More of a place of peace. After all, your life shouldnt be defined by these horrible moments. Neither should your home. Mayor Richard Berry is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the man accused of being in a stolen van that crashed into a car two weeks ago, killing a 14-year-old girl and her mother. Berry announced the award on his Twitter feed Wednesday afternoon shortly after the US Marshals Service announced their own $2,000 reward for 24-year-old Paul Garcia. Garcia is now on the Marshals Most Wanted List for New Mexico. Police said he and Elexus Groves, 21, stole a contractors van, fled from a traffic stop, and crashed into a car being driven by Shaunna Arredondo-Boling. Arredondo-Bolings daughter, Shaylee Boling, died on the scene. Arredondo-Boling spent two weeks at the University of New Mexico Hospital. She died Tuesday afternoon. Her 3-year-old son, who was also in the car, suffered a broken leg. Garcia is wanted on multiple charges, including murder, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, fleeing an officer and several other crimes. Groves was arrested two days after the crash on the same charges. President Donald Trump on Wednesday paid tribute to the first U.S. service member killed in combat since he took office during an unannounced trip to Dover Air Force Base. Trump arrived at the Delaware military base Wednesday afternoon to receive the remains of Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois a Navy SEAL who died during a nighttime raid on al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula early Sunday in southwestern Yemen. Owens died during the first counterterrorism operation of Trumps presidency. In a statement Sunday, Trump touted the successful raid, which he said killed an estimated 14 al-Qaida members, while lamenting the loss of life. Americans are saddened this morning with news that a life of a heroic service member has been taken in our fight against the evil of radical Islamic terrorism, Trump said in the statement. The sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed forces, and the families they leave behind, are the backbone of the liberty we hold so dear as Americans, united in our pursuit of a safer nation and a freer world. My deepest thoughts and humblest prayers are with the family of this fallen service member. Trump was joined by his daughter, Ivanka, and Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Del. He attended the private ceremony with Owenss family, who requested that it be closed to the media out of privacy concerns. Owens, who enlisted in the Navy in 1998, had already been awarded two Bronze Stars with Valor distinguishing devices and will receive the Purple Heart posthumously. The raid also killed the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical Yemeni-American cleric who was killed during a 2011 U.S. drone strike. As leaders from across the business world chimed in to speak against the temporary travel ban President Donald Trump implemented last week on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries and refugees, one industry that relies on immigrant labor stayed under the radar: big pharma. According to a 2014 study by researchers at George Mason University, immigrants made up 13 percent of the U.S. population in 2011, but made up 17 percent of the pharmaceutical industry labor force. That reliance has only increased according to Justin Lowry, a postdoctoral researcher at George Masons Institute for Immigration Research: An estimate using 2015 data shows that immigrants made up 23 percent of the pharma workforce. Lowry said the industry is very heavily reliant on foreign-born workers. And among those who work in research and development the engine of discovery and innovation for the industry immigrants made up one-third of the labor force, according to the 2014 report. Foreign-born scientists made up 43 percent of medical and life scientists, the study found. In general, intellectual endeavors in the U.S. education, research they rely on immigrants, Lowry said. Its important to have innovation, and innovation comes from diversity. A difference in perspective allows for a difference in approach. Yet in the run-up to a big meeting Tuesday morning with Trump, the pharmaceutical industry was muted compared with other big businesses responding to the ban. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the trade group that represents the industry and usually speaks on its behalf, said it didnt have a comment about the ban. Neither did Pfizer, one of the worlds largest pharmaceutical companies. And those that did have a response to the ban often struck a neutral tone and focused on its employees. We are working to fully understand the implications of the Executive Order on our business and our employees, Astra Zeneca said in a statement. Upholding our steadfast commitment to associates of all nationalities and religions is core to our values as we work to address societys most pressing healthcare challenges, a Novartis statement said, noting that to date there had been no disruption to Novartis employees as a result of the order. Leaders in the biotech industry, on the other hand, were more vocal. The travel ban is causing confusion among several of my companys associates and I have been told by other biotech CEOs of similar responses across the industry, Ron Cohen, a chief executive of Acorda Therapeutics, said in an email. This is a difficult situation for scientists, doctors and other professionals whom we rely on to help invent and develop new treatments and cures for disease. If we restrict travel excessively, they will go elsewhere and their talents will enrich other countries. Its not necessarily surprising that pharmaceutical leaders didnt take a vocal public stand on Trumps policy on the eve of such a high-profile meeting. The industry has been hammered by Trump and accused of getting away with murder on pricing. The trade group launched a major ad campaign last week aimed at changing its image after a year of blistering congressional hearings and news stories about rising drug prices. The industry has been trying to fend off any government intervention on pricing. After the meeting at the White House, Merck chief executive Kenneth Frazier answered a reporters question about the ban. We have employees from around the world; we have to get the best scientists, the best employees around the world, so having access to those employees and having an environment in our companies that stimulates diversity and inclusion is very important to us, Frazier said. But the George Mason researchers said that the industrys competitive edge going forward may depend in large part on keeping and attracting its immigrant workforce for a reason none of those leaders brought up. Immigrants tend to come from countries that have fast-growing pharmaceutical markets places where U.S. companies would like to sell drugs. In other words, if those immigrant workers are deterred, they could easily become part of the competition. Given that the majority of immigrants within the pharmaceutical industry are from the worlds fastest growing pharmaceutical markets, the U.S. may benefit from the continued encouragement of immigration from those regions, the authors said. Failing to do so carries the risk that those individuals will use their skills and talents to build the pharmaceutical industries in the very countries that are emerging as the leading competitors to the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. The Air Force has taken the extraordinary step of reducing the rank of a retired four-star general after finding he engaged in inappropriate sexual acts with a lower-ranking female officer before he retired in 2010, the service announced Wednesday. Retired Gen. Arthur Lichte was reduced to major general following a probe by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations after a female officer alleged last summer that Lichte assaulted her twice in 2007 and once in 2009. The service did not substantiate the sexual-assault allegations, but found that the general engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with her. The Air Force takes all allegations of inappropriate conduct very seriously, said acting Air Force secretary Lisa Disbrow. We expect our leaders to uphold the highest standards of behavior. These standards and rules underpin good order and discipline. An attorney for Lichte, Larry Younger, said in a statement that Lichte did not commit a sexual assault and vehemently denies the unsworn allegations made against him. The general is not proud of what transpired but cooperated fully and provided statements under oath to defend against the allegations against him, Younger said. General (Ret.) Arthur Lichte has continually asserted that he is deeply sorry for the pain he has caused his family, especially his strong and loving wife, the statement said. He is regretful of the decisions he made that allowed him to find himself in this predicament. My client and his family ask for privacy to work through this difficult time. We will continue to appeal the Air Forces wrong decision concerning this unsworn accusation and the grade determination through the proper channels. Then-Air Force Secretary Deborah James, who left her job last month after President Trumps election, issued Lichte a letter of reprimand after reviewing the results of the investigation, said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman. The decision to reduce Lichte in rank was made Tuesday by Disbrow, after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis withdrew a Defense Department certification that Lichte had served satisfactorily as a four-star general. A 50-page report of the investigation released by the Air Force said that the investigation was launched Aug. 24 after the female officer, who has not been identified, made the allegations. During the first two incidents, the probe said, Lichte was the three-star vice chief of staff for the Air Force. When the third occurred, it said, he was the four-star commander of U.S. Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. The report, which is heavily redacted, said that the woman alleged that Lichte told her that if she told anyone what happened he would deny it until the day he died. The general made sexual advances on her, and she believed she had no choice but to engage because of his rank and position within the service, she alleged. The Air Force report recounts an unidentified witness overhearing a conversation between Lichte and the woman a day after she made the assault allegations in which he said the allegations were a surprise and apologized if thats how it was to you. Lichte noted that when the incidents occurred, alcohol was involved, the witness told investigators. It marks the second time in a year that an Air Force general has been disciplined for an inappropriate relationship. Last May, the service ended the career of Lt. Gen. John Hesterman, the assistant vice chief of staff, after finding he had exchanged sexually suggestive emails with a married woman in the service. Hesterman, who also was married, denied that he had a sexual relationship with the woman, but the emails led to his early departure from the service. He was allowed to keep his three-star rank in retirement. A Pentagon report released last May said there were 6,083 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2016. The United States and Mexico appear to have taken the first steps toward renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, according to a Mexican government documents, walking down a path that would fulfill one of President Donald Trumps big campaign promises and potentially transform the hemispheres economy. A communique posted by Mexicos foreign and economic ministries on a government website on Wednesday said that the Mexican government had begun a series of consultations with the private sector, a process which it said would take 90 days. The consultation in Mexico will start simultaneously with the internal process being carried out by the government of the United States, the document said. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and officials in the U.S. Congress said they had not yet been notified of any formal action. But trade economists said the process might be tied to U.S. legislation passed under former president Barack Obama that gives the president power to quickly broker a new trade agreement. Called fast-track authority, it requires the president to notify Congress 90 days before signing a new trade agreement. If the White House is indeed proceeding under fast-track authority, that suggests Trump could intend to scrap NAFTA altogether and forge bilateral trade deals with Mexico and Canada instead, said Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Trump and his administration have expressed a preference for bilateral deals, which they say allow the United States to better wield its economic heft at the negotiating table. I think they want to retire the name NAFTA, say they got rid of it, then put it into the history books, said Hufbauer. Its still possible, however, that the process will be terminated if the U.S., Mexico and Canada agree to terms overhauling NAFTA. Renegotiating NAFTA was one of the major promises Trump made on the campaign trail, where he criticized the 25-year-old trade pact for hollowing out Americas manufacturing sector. The news comes as Trump reassesses Americas system of trade and immigration. He has already pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a Pacific Rim trade deal crafted by the Obama administration. This historic shift in trade policy is likely to have wide-ranging implications for multinational companies, which have strung factories and facilities across the North America to take advantage of NAFTAs terms. It could also portend changes for American consumers, who for decades have enjoyed cheap goods manufactured just over the border. The specific effects on American businesses and consumers would hinge on the terms of the trade deals that replace it. But if tougher barriers to Mexican imports were to provoke retaliatory action by Mexico, the effect could be damaging to American manufacturing communities, said Hufbauer. There would be a lot of localized pain of going down this path, and there may be some products that are suddenly more expensive than they otherwise would have been. For Mexico, the ultimate goal in the trade negotiations with the United States is to maintain the flow of free trade that NAFTA has created between the two countries. The United States is Mexicos largest trading partner and the destination of 80 percent of its exports. We want to arrive at an agreement, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told reporters on Wednesday. Mexican officials plan to use the 90 day consultation period to meet with domestic industry leaders in farming, manufacturing, textiles, petroleum, and other sectors, to see what aspects of NAFTA could be improved. The discussions will be coordinated by the secretary of the economy. This gives us a very solid preparation to enter the dialogue once the 90 days passes, Videgaray said. At the same time, Mexico is also looking to expand trade ties with other countries, in case trade with the United States gets restricted. Mexican officials have already begun talks with Argentina and Brazil, and are interested in discussions with Malaysia, Australia, Singapore and others. Trump has already clashed publicly with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Following a spat on social media on Jan. 26 over who would pay for Trumps border wall, Nieto called off a scheduled visit to Washington the following week. The next day, Trump and Nieto discussed the U.S.-Mexico relationship by phone for an hour. During the campaign, Trump announced his intention to renegotiate the sweeping trade deal between the United States, Canada and Mexico on his first day in office. If I win, day one, we are going to announce our plans to renegotiate NAFTA, he told a crowd in Greensboro, North Carolina, in October. Influential in the negotiations are likely to be two men who are not yet confirmed for their positions: Commerce Secretary nominee Wilbur Ross and Trumps pick for the U.S. Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer. NAFTA became a divisive issue in the 2016 campaign, as critics on both the left and the right disparaged it for siphoning off good-paying American manufacturing jobs. Trump repeatedly criticized former President Bill Clintons role in negotiating NAFTA, calling it the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere. Economists have generally disagreed, or expressed more nuanced concerns. In a panel of 41 prominent economists surveyed in 2012 by the University of Chicago, 85 percent agreed or strongly agreed that Americans were better off under NAFTA than previously existing trade rules among the U.S., Canada and Mexico, while only 5 percent said they were uncertain. None disagreed with the statement. More recent research by John McLaren of the University of Virginia and Shushanik Hakobyan of Fordham University has shown that blue-collar workers in industries most affected by NAFTA had lower wage growth over the 1990s compared with other workers. The study concluded that the overall impact of NAFTA on American wages was small, but heavily concentrated in some communities. The trade pact dates to 1992, when President George H.W. Bush negotiated it in his final year in office. Congress approved the deal the next year under Clinton, and it finally took effect in 1994, establishing an unprecedented free-trade zone across North America. Over the next decade, the flow of goods and services between the U.S. and Mexico more than quintupled. By reducing barriers to trade, the deal aimed to knit the countries of North America closer together and expand their economies. It also specifically aimed to help the struggling Mexican economy. By raising the standard of living, many supporters argued the deal would cut down on illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States. In his criticism of trade deals, Trump has formed an unusual alliance with labor-friendly figures on the political left. Former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has said he hoped very much that President Trump will come on board and work with us as we revamp in a very fundamental way our trade policies. Republicans, however, have been more traditional defenders of open trade. who have traditionally viewed free trade as a driver of economic growth. As I frequently tell my friends in Mexico, we cant get a divorce. We need to figure out how to make this marriage work, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Tex., told CNN recently. Trump does not require Congressional approval to exit NAFTA. Article 2205 of the agreement allows any party to withdraw six months after providing written notice to the other parties. Trump would have to take additional steps to raise tariffs on imports from those countries. Ross echoed the need to renegotiate the deal in his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 18. He criticized the deal for its weak enforcement on environmental and labor standards, and said that NAFTA was logically the first thing for the Trump administration to work on. All aspects of NAFTA will be put on the table, Ross said. Former city councilor and prosecutor Pete Dinelli announced Wednesday he will not be a candidate in the race to replace Mayor Richard Berry. Dinelli, a Democrat who was widely expected to run this year, made the announcement in a blog post on his personal website. He cited the financial and emotional investment of the mayoral race as the factors behind his decision. My heart tells me to run, but my head tells me no, Dinelli told the Journal. All the reasons that led me to run last time still exist today. But unless youre committed to raising millions of dollars, you have no business being in this race. Dinelli ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2013 and 1989. He said he was so far unimpressed with those who have announced their intention to run and is not planning on endorsing another candidate at this point. Those who already have announced their candidacy are Brian Colon, the former chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico; state Auditor Tim Keller, a Democrat; City Councilor Dan Lewis, a Republican; retired police detective Michelle Garcia Holmes, an independent; former Bernalillo County Commissioner Deanna Archuleta, a Democrat; Old Town resident Stella Padilla, a Democrat; and talk radio host Eddy Aragon, an independent. Others who have expressed interest: County Commissioner Wayne Johnson, a Republican; Elan Colello, a Democrat and CEO of a virtual reality company; Scott Madison, a Democrat who works with the nuclear weapons program at Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratories; Susan Wheeler-Deichsel, an independent and founder of the civic group Urban ABQ; and City Councilor Ken Sanchez, a Democrat whos also weighing a campaign for Congress. James Lewis, president of the Alumni Association of the University of New Mexico and a former state treasurer, announced in late December he was no longer considering a run. In his blog post, Dinelli said he had concluded he would not be able to raise enough money from his supporters to run a viable campaign. He estimated a successful candidate will need $1 million for the initial election with another $500,000 for a runoff. Dinelli said his decision also took into account his age and the time he spends with his family. He is 65. At some point in time, quality of life means a lot to a person, said Dinelli. Whoever becomes the mayor will have a daunting task in front of them. Its difficult to determine whether President Trumps domestic policies or his international policies represent a greater threat to the United States. Im guessing international. Certainly, theres plenty at home to concern citizens who prefer the pre-Trump vision of America. But the people and a vibrant free press have ways to push back on some of Trumps more bizarre allegations and positions, and we can hope that the president will be somewhat restrained by Congress and the courts. But in international matters, considerable damage can be done before anyone has a chance to resist. Last weeks clash with Mexico is a good example. In fact, the incident the proposed beautiful wall, paid for by Mexico, the cancellation of Mexican President Pena Nietos visit, the proposed 20 percent border tax illustrates neatly just how President Trumps vaunted business experience has failed to prepare him for negotiations between countries, which are very different from negotiations between businesses. In business Trump can talk as tough as he wants, bluff, threaten and literally walk away from the table. But Mexico is literally our neighbor, and its comprised of people who have interests and concerns that go far beyond the monetary bottom line. I dont claim to be an expert on Mexico, but Ive lived within 150 miles of our southern border all my life, among many American Hispanics with current or recent ties to Mexico. Ive been to the border towns dozens of times and have traveled by train, bus and car as far south as the Guatemalan border. Ive explored beautiful, cosmopolitan Mexico City on the Metro and have traveled from coast to coast by bus. Indulge some generalizations, please: Mexico is a beautiful, rich, sophisticated country that deserves more respect than Trump has shown to it. Mexicans like the United States. They may have long memories back to the Mexican War of 1846-1848, for example, which was an American land grab of Mexican territory but they dont hold a grudge. In my experience, Mexicans are friendly and generous people, often reserved and dignified. They have a well-justified pride in their country. They want to think of Mexico as an equal partner with the United States, despite a long history of detrimental American interference in Mexican affairs. Of course, these are generalizations, and Mexicans dont have a monopoly on feelings such as these. But acknowledgement of Mexicos essential pride and dignity provides insight into the blunder that Trump is making of our relationship with Mexico. Imagine that you live next door to Trump. Youd like to get along with him, but hes narcissistic and condescending, but he accuses you of taking advantage of him. If he decided to build a wall between your properties, you might even welcome it. But would you take kindly to his demand that you pay for it? In fact, nothing is more un-neighborly than a wall. Trumps ultimatum was overbearing and condescending and tinged with more than a little traditional light-skinned versus dark-skinned racism. Mexicos reaction was understandable and justified. But its always a challenge to live next door to the most powerful nation on earth. The words of 19th-century Mexican President Porfirio Diaz bear repeating: Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States. But Mexico isnt going anywhere. Its a valuable trading partner or was, anyway and an essential ally in the defense of Western values. Our rich, symbiotic relationship has benefited both sides of the border for decades. Its not a relationship that we can afford to run roughshod over. Weve had our troubles and still do but Mexico is an old, valuable friend. And if Trump cant get along with Mexico, we are in real trouble with the rest of the world. John M. Crisp, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This week the state Legislature and Gov. Susana Martinez got New Mexico a step closer to budget solvency actually $190 million steps. Did lawmakers give the governor everything she wanted in three solvency packages? No. Did the governor rubber stamp all of their suggestions? No. And in a multi-branch system of democracy, that tends to be how things should work: Nobody gets everything they want so that most people get what they need. First, kudos to all of the lawmakers who attacked the current fiscal years $69 million budget shortfall even before the legislative session started Jan. 17. They deserve credit for their service to taxpayers, and for focusing on the job at hand. Martinez took her veto pen to their carefully crafted solvency plan and sliced around $26 million worth of proposed cuts and other budget fixes from one of the three solvency bills. Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, a fiscal pragmatist, says cutting those cuts wont do a lot for our reserves and our bond rating. And in the short term hes likely right. The deals mean the state has just $120 million in reserves or less than 2 percent of spending for fiscal 2017, which ends in June. But when average New Mexicans are faced with the choice of dipping into their savings or cutting essentials, they do the former. Thats exactly what Martinez asked school districts to do to use their cash balances that are over the amount they are recommended to keep in reserves to cover some of their operational obligations. State lawmakers agreed, albeit at a lower amount ($46 million vs. $120 million). Reducing a school districts savings account should not adversely affect classrooms despite the hue and cry the Albuquerque Public Schools administration raised earlier this month, complete with offering teachers and parents the scare tactics of looming layoffs and furloughs. APS had cash reserves of $53.9 million at the end of last fiscal year. As for the Martinez line-item vetoes, they are judicious and aimed at investing in the states job and built environment. She restored a cut to the Local Economic Development Act (aka the closing fund) that is used to brings jobs and business to the state and is how we can compete for and seal deals with companies looking for places to develop or expand operations. A couple of recent examples include Facebook in Los Lunas and Safelite AutoGlass in Rio Rancho. Those deals in turn create jobs, as shown by Wednesdays announcement of a $37 million contract with two Albuquerque solar companies to build Facebooks power system. The so-called Facebook effect means paychecks and infrastructure that go beyond the sought-after company. The governor also rejected a $4 million cut to the state 911 fund, likely because public safety is front and center in most New Mexicans minds. And she vetoed a $9 million raid on the state road fund, which is already severely depleted by annual payments to finance the Rail Runner commuter train and other projects. As roads deteriorate they only get more expensive to repair/rebuild, and New Mexico cannot drive into the future on crumbling highways and bridges just so two state agencies dont have to face budget cuts with everyone else. The governor also rejected an additional automatic 1 percent spending cut for state agencies that would have kicked in if projected revenues again fall short new numbers are expected next month, and declining oil and gas revenues are what got the state here in the first place. Martinez said, If further budget cuts are required, the Legislature should perform that function. And more cuts will likely be needed, as current projections for fiscal 2018 are for a $300 million to $500 million shortfall. But if the first two weeks of the 2017 legislative session show anything, its that when the budget going gets tough, New Mexicos lawmakers and governor can make the required tough decisions. 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. Copyright 2017 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE President Donald Trumps plan to build a border wall could run into a roadblock in New Mexico, in the form of more than 22 miles of state-owned land and mineral rights within 600 feet of the border. A group of Democratic state lawmakers filed legislation this week that would bar state land from being used, sold or transferred to facilitate the construction of the new border wall. If approved, the bill could set up a legal showdown between the state and the federal government. One of the legislators backing the bill, Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, said Wednesday that the measure, House Bill 292, is an attempt to respond proactively to what he described as an ill-conceived idea. Its more than a message, Martinez told the Journal regarding the proposed legislation. Its saying, You will not use state land for this purpose. However, State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, a Republican, has also waded into the debate with a different approach and a proposal for Trump. In a letter he sent to the president Wednesday, Dunn proposed a land swap in which state trust lands and mineral rights within three miles of the border would be exchanged for federally owned land in southern New Mexico. All of the state-owned land and mineral rights near the border are in the rugged southwestern corner of the state, including the Bootheel. Dunns proposal would mean an exchange of more than 32,000 acres of state land and mineral rights, a swap that Dunn said could defuse a politically charged debate over use of state lands along the border. In anticipation of the border wall, I am hoping to begin a discussion to take state trust lands out of the political process and focus on managing these lands for the trust beneficiaries, Dunn wrote in his letter. I do not wish to be part of political fodder for any side of this issue, he added. Although Dunn did not specify what federally owned land hed like to receive in return, he indicated his preference would be desirable land assets in Chaves, Lincoln and Otero counties that are currently under the control of the federal Bureau of Land Management. If the Trump administration were to refuse the offer, it would have to pay the State Land Office a $3 million easement fee to access state trust land, said Kristin Haase, an assistant commissioner in Dunns office. Much of the state-owned land in question is currently leased for animal grazing rights, according to the State Land Office. Theres little drilling happening in the state-owned subsurface mineral estates in the area. Revenues generated from state trust land from grazing leases, oil extraction and more go into a permanent fund that helps fund New Mexico schools and universities. Both in New Mexico and internationally, the border wall proposal has become a lightning rod for debate. Critics blast the idea as impractical and expensive. The American Civil Liberties Union in Las Cruces recently called the plan a 15th century solution to a nonexistent problem, citing historically low levels of illegal immigration along the Mexican border. And regional economic development officials have also expressed opposition to the plan, as New Mexicos exports to Mexico have surged to $1.68 billion in 2015 from $800.7 million in 2013. However, Trump has been undeterred by the criticism, and signed an executive order last week authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to begin work on building a border wall. In the order, the Republican president defined the wall as an impassable physical barrier. He also vowed that Mexico will either pay or reimburse the United States for the cost of building the wall, but Mexican officials have rejected the suggestion. New Mexico shares nearly 160 miles of border with Mexico, including some urban areas that are already fenced with 18-foot steel columns and rural stretches of low-vehicle barriers. Journal staff writer Lauren Villagran contributed to this report. FARMINGTON A new bill filed by a tribal lawmaker is proposing that the Navajo Nation lease land at the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry sites in order for two companies to continue growing pumpkins and popping corn. The bill, posted this week on the Navajo Nation Councils website, proposes that the tribe lease 12,766 acres of farm land to Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers Inc. and Upland Desert Popcorn LLC. In addition to the land, the companies would lease additional sites, facilities, irrigation equipment, water and utilities from NAPI. Both companies have previously leased land from NAPI. Pumpkin Patch has been operating at the farm since 1991, and Upland Desert Popcorn began in 2001. The contract between the companies and NAPI was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2016, and NAPI planned to use the land to grow wheat to supply its new flour mill company, according to The Daily Times archives. Pumpkin Patch co-owner John Hamby said in an email that the contract with NAPI allows the companies to remain on site through October in order to complete the processing of last years crops. NAPI CEO Wilton Charley could not be reached for comment. Delegate Leonard Tsosie is sponsoring the bill, which has been assigned to the Resources and Development Committee. The committee has final authority to approve and authorize the lease between the tribe and both companies for 15 years starting this year, according to the bill. The proposed lease agreement is attached to the bill, and it states the companies would pay the tribe a flat annual lease of $150 per acre, and NAPI cannot impose any additional payments. In a telephone interview, Tsosie called Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers and Upland Desert Popcorn good neighbors, explaining that both have provided job opportunities and economic development throughout the years. He said when he served on the Resources and Development Committee, he encouraged NAPI to extend its business relationship with the companies. The legislation states the tribe established NAPI as a tribal enterprise in 1970 to operate the Navajo Indian Irrigation Project and to manage an agricultural business. It further states NAPI has no leasing authority and has not submitted a lease management plan to the tribe for consideration, implementation or approval, and under the Navajo Nation Trust Land Leasing Act of 2000, the tribe can issue leases without the approval of the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary. Tsosie said because of that information, the tribe has authority over the use of the land. A Farmington family has filed a lawsuit alleging that their child developed an infection after her medical treatment was delayed by the arrest of her pediatric urologist, who faces federal child porn charges. Additionally, the family says they are emotionally disturbed over the possibility that their daughter may have been inappropriately touched or photographed by Dr. Guy Rosenschein, who was employed by Presbyterian Healthcare Services, according to the lawsuit. Both Rosenschein and PHS are among the defendants in the case. The lawsuit was filed in state district court Jan. 13, a week before a class-action lawsuit containing some of the same allegations was filed by two women whose children were seen by Rosenschein. The delay in treatment, according to the lawsuit filed by the Branch Law Firm, caused the child to suffer a horrific infection that required medical treatment and resulted in additional medical bills. In a statement, PHS told the Journal that upon hearing the criminal allegations against Rosenschein, it took immediate action to ensure that he no longer practiced in PHS facilities. We continue to work closely with law enforcement regarding their ongoing investigation of this physician, the statement says. We will keep our focus on the patients we serve and comment on legal proceedings in the appropriate venues. It is not clear who is representing Rosenschein. The family argues that Rosenschein performed surgery on their daughter, but due to his arrest was not available to provide follow-up care. PHS told the family that it did not have any other pediatric surgeons qualified to perform the procedure and, in the end, another hospital provided her follow-up care, according to the lawsuit. But the delay, the lawsuit alleges, resulted in an infection that required additional treatment. According to federal court documents, agents found photos of naked children in Rosenscheins home. Both lawsuits allege that Rosenschein had images of patients genitalia that were taken in a hospital setting. U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez has said there is no evidence to suggest the photos were taken at PHS or that they were not clinically appropriate. But Adam Funk, who is representing the Farmington family, said the images were taken on an iPhone 6, and in the time since that phone was released, Rosenschein only had privileges at Presbyterian and a hospital in Missouri. He said his clients told him that Rosenschein sometimes asked them to leave the room as he evaluated the child. They trusted him and they left, he said, leaving just him and the kid alone. Funk said his firm is representing multiple families whose children were evaluated by Rosenschein. SANTA FE A Senate committee had plenty of tough questions Wednesday after hearing a presentation from supporters of proposals to legalize recreational use of marijuana in New Mexico. But they had a few laughs, too. Sen. Pat Woods, R-Broadview, drew a few chuckles when he asked point-blank: Whats a joint cost right now on the street? No one in the audience seemed willing to admit knowing the answer, and there were a few jokes about the price depending on the size of the joint. But Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington, offered his own estimate, which he took care to point out came from Google, not personal experience. A joint costs about $4 to $5, he said, assuming marijuana costs $229 per ounce. The point the two Republicans seemed to be making was that taxing and regulating marijuana might make legal joints more expensive than illegal ones, undercutting the benefits of a legal market. They raised a variety of public safety-focused concerns, too. Economist Kelly ODonnell told the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee that she estimated a $412 million market in New Mexico for legal recreational marijuana. It could create 11,000 new jobs, she said. And theres potential to draw tourists or buyers from out of state, at least early on, before more and more states also make it legal, ODonnell said. She said its important to create a reasonable regulatory system that isnt so costly that it drives up prices. ODonnell didnt estimate for the committee the potential tax revenue that could be generated or what taxes should be imposed. Im an economist theres a downside to everything, she said, but I dont know what it is. Sharer, in turn, said New Mexico should make itself a leader in energy production wind, solar, oil, gas, whatever. Im OK with harvesting cow farts and sending those out, he said. PARTNERSHIPS: A proposal aimed at allowing the state and local governments to enter long-term partnerships with private companies to build big public projects is advancing through the Senate. The Corporations and Transportation Committee agreed to recommend approval of Senate Bill 143, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque. The projects covered by the law include broadband and telecommunications, public buildings and infrastructure, and improving state or locally owned real estate. We do need to be looking at ways to encourage investment in New Mexico, Padilla said. Dan McKay: dmckay@abqjournal.com It wasnt personal enough, she heard him say as he pinned her down with his knees and ground a bed pillow into her face. So he strangled her, she said. He grabbed a knife as she struggled to breathe. Then the world went dark. Eva Schwab tells me the story of how she nearly died Jan. 8 in her home near Lake Charles, La., strangled by a man she was engaged to be married to until that day. And maybe she wouldnt have been telling me that story, maybe she wouldnt have been hurt, maybe she wouldnt have ever met Donald Eugene Lees if she had heard an Albuquerque womans story first and if New Mexico lawmakers had acted more quickly once they heard it. Schwabs encounter with Lees, who sits now in the Calcasieu Parish Jail in Lake Charles, is terrifyingly similar to what Lynette Waters told me happened to her June 6, 2012, at the couples home in Albuquerque. On that day, she said Lees strangled her so brutally that his hands left bruises on her throat and robbed her of her voice for a time. He then grabbed a pillow and started suffocating her, she said. Lees was charged with felony counts of kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated assault on a household member. But a grand jury indicted him instead on five misdemeanor battery charges. The charges were cut to two in exchange for a no-contest plea. In October 2012, Lees was sentenced to probation and disappeared. He turned up in Texas more than two months later, his probation was revoked and he was sentenced to jail for 364 days. With time served, Waters calculated he would be a free man by November 2013. But she calculated wrong. By August 2013 he was back in Texas and in a relationship with Schwab. Oh, he was such a charming man, all this Baby, I love you, Baby, youre my whole world stuff, Schwab said. I didnt know anything about his past. Like he had in New Mexico, Schwab said he drove large road construction equipment, his job supposedly taking the couple from Texas to Colorado and finally to Louisiana. Like Waters, Schwab said her relationship to Lees was abusive. It took the strangulation attempt for her to leave him and call law enforcement. Calcasieu Parish Court officials say Lees, 51, is charged with domestic abuse battery/strangulation and domestic abuse aggravated assault both felonies. If convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison. Thats a key difference from New Mexico, where domestic violence strangulation is not always charged as a felony if authorities are not convinced that the persons hands are deadly weapons or that real harm was caused. In 2013 and again in 2015, bills were introduced at the New Mexico Legislature that would have clarified such strangulation and suffocation attempts as third-degree felonies, each punishable by up to three years in prison. (As a misdemeanor, its a maximum 364 days.) Both bills SB 262 in 2013 and SB 513 in 2015 passed through their respective committees but died when the sessions ended. Waters testified at those committees. No similar bill has been introduced thus far in the ongoing Legislature. That riles Waters. They just keep sweeping this under the rug, she said, her voice still hampered by the damage done to her trachea more than four years ago. This needs to be a felony because its attempted murder. Fiscal impact reports prepared by the Legislative Finance Committee for the bill in 2015 cited studies about how strangulation is often misunderstood, misidentified or minimized since most victims do not have visible injuries. Yet, the studies state, strangulation is a form of power and control that can have devastating psychological long-term effects on its victims in addition to a potentially fatal outcome. Almost half of all domestic violence homicide victims were strangled at least once before their deaths, the studies indicated. After Lees arrest this month, Schwab said a friend stumbled across my April 18, 2013, column about Waters ordeal with Lees. I felt like I was just punched in the stomach, like I was hit face first by a Mack truck. I couldnt breathe, she said. If only I had known about this before I started dating him. Or, Waters said, if only the penalties in New Mexico had been stronger. This week, I put both women in touch with each other. I think they have a lot to talk about. Im glad they are still able to. UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com or follow her on Twitter @jolinegkg. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor. GENERAL TRIAS, Philippines A fire at a major Philippine factory complex that injured at least 126 workers and sent thousands fleeing to safety may finally be put out Friday, more than 40 hours after it began, with six employees unaccounted for, an official said. Gov. Jesus Crispin Remulla said there was no indication of a considerable number of people being trapped in the factory of the House Technology Industries, which occupies six hectares (15 acres) of land in General Trias town in Cavite province, south of Manila. The fire started Wednesday night and has nearly been extinguished, he said. If there are many missing, youll have many families out in the door, he told The Associated Press, adding a head count by company officials showed six workers remained unaccounted for. At least 126 were injured, including two Japanese supervisors, he said. Firefighters and police investigators were waiting outside the gutted three-story building for the last embers to die and would start an inspection once its safe for them to enter, he said. The fire apparently started when a machine malfunctioned and triggered small explosions in a section with combustible materials as two shifts of workers of about 3,500 each were coming in and going out, he said. Massive amounts of black smoke billowed in the night sky as red flames raged late Wednesday through the factory, which employs about 15,000 workers and is the largest in Cavite province, he said. The factory, which manufactured pre-fabricated house parts for export to Japan, is located in a special economic zone in General Trias, about 26 kilometers (16 miles) south of Manila. In 2015, a fire that rapidly spread in a rubber slipper factory in a northern Manila suburb killed 72 people, prompting then President Benigno Aquino III to order a thorough inspection of some 300,000 factories in metropolitan Manila alone. He ordered charges to be filed against the owners of the Kentex Manufacturing Corp. and local officials, who he said ignored the factorys failure to meet safety requirements. The Kentex fire was one of the worst in the country after a 1996 disco blaze that killed 162 people in Manila. LAS CRUCES Las Cruces Public Schools will lose another $3.5 million from the current fiscal year so that the state can balance its budget. Gov. Susana Martinez on Tuesday signed into law Senate Bill 114, part of a package of three bills that will plug a projected $67 million deficit in the state budget for the current fiscal year. Together, the solvency bills will leave New Mexico with an estimated $120 million in reserves or less than two percent of spending levels. However. she used line-item vetoes to block efforts to sweep money from a state infrastructure bank, a 911 emergency services fund and other accounts based on her public safety concerns and future costs to the state. While they sent over a package that isnt perfect, Im pleased that it doesnt compromise our principles, Martinez said of lawmakers. It doesnt make our families foot the bill. Under SB 114, school districts with cash balances larger than three percent of their annual budget will face immediate budget reductions. The state will sweep those balances, about $46 million, based on the amount of cash the district had on June 30, 2016, the last day of the 2015-16 fiscal year. LCPS finished the fiscal year with around $10 million in cash reserves, but used about $3 million to give pay raises to most of the districts employees and to restore furlough days for all employees except central office administrators and school principals, according to Superintendent Greg Ewing. Of the $7 million that remained, the state is now taking half. Its money that was already budgeted, said LCPS spokeswoman Jo Galvan. Weve already allocated staff and teachers based on the funding we thought we had. This $3.5 million is a really hard hit. We are taking a look right now at how we are going to get through the end of the school year. Thats what the superintendents executive cabinet is looking at now. Each district is required to keep a portion of its budget in cash, and LCPS administrators say they rely on the money to provide a cushion in case of shortages. The funds are also used, particularly through the summer months, to cover some expenses while awaiting funding from state and federal governments. For instance, in July and August, the district will be expected to issue reimbursement for grants in the amount of $5.5 million, and the districts risk insurance premium of $6 million is also due. The district typically doesnt begin receiving funding from the state, which comes in 12 monthly installments, until mid-July. However, in her own budget plan which proposed to take $120 million from school districts around the state Martinez called the districts cash reserves slush funds, and said the funds are not being used in the classrooms. Ewing disagrees. These cuts are going to affect the classroom, he said. Let me be clear: These arent cuts to Las Cruces Public Schools theyre cuts to the children of Las Cruces Public Schools. Ewing said the district has already been cut to the quick. Over the past couple of months, we have given them a $2.6 million reduction in our State Equalization Guarantee, Ewing said, referring to the state funding the district receives per student. Then we had to write them a check for $500,000 from our transportation, and another $190,00 from our instructional materials budget. So far, cuts to the district have been about $3.3 million. The new cuts bring the total reduction this year to $6.8 million. What this essentially means is that half of our savings account now has to go back to the state, Galvan added. Ewing said he expects, though being good stewards of our budget, the district will be able to absorb the cuts, but the district will no longer be able to guarantee they wont be felt in the classrooms. We will have to adjust the ratios of how we allocate teachers to our schools, Ewing said. Unfortunately, this may mean larger class sizes. Our goal is to simply increase the average class size by one student. Thats a proposal that will have to be approved by the school board. Ewing also said the district will have 50 fewer employees in the district in fiscal year 2018, which he hopes to achieve by not filling positions left vacant through retirements and resignations. Were optimistic that we can absorb the cuts through attrition of employees, and at this time I have no intention of recommending to the board any furlough days, reduction of salaries, or layoffs for this school year, ending June 30, Ewing told the Sun-News. Were very proud of our employees and, as a former teacher, Im very proud of our teachers. As for my executive cabinet, we intend to continue to support every school employee. That is our goal. American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly criticized Martinez for reaching into the cash reserves of school districts. Governor Martinez is well-practiced at proclaiming her love for New Mexicos children and our public schools, but her actions continue to contradict her claims, Ly said. The governor needs to be honest with New Mexicans. If she really cared about our students and our schools, she would drop her opposition to closing tax loopholes for big business and find ways to raise new sources of revenues in order to fully fund our schools. A reduction in the districts cash reserves could ultimately impact the districts bond rating and bonding capacity. New Mexicos top credit rating has already been downgraded because of budget concerns, as plummeting oil and natural gas prices have led to lower-than-expected revenue collections for two straight years. Whether the solvency package approved Tuesday will help avert a second downgrade remains unclear. Were concerned because the state is using the school districts cash balances to get its own bond rating corrected, Ewing said. Basically, theyre just passing that on to the school districts around the state. We feel that we have given all that we are able to give. However, Ewing said the district remains committed to navigating the budgetary turmoil in order to provide the best education possible to children in Las Cruces. We intend to have school open every day, he said Teachers are encouraged to go into their classrooms and teach, and to take joy in imparting knowledge to their students. We are committed to fully supporting all of our schools. Damien Willis may be reached at 575-541-5468, dawillis@lcsun-news.com or @damienwillis on Twitter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 2017 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ Eddy County pecan producers, both residential and commercial, are being urged to check their trees for pecan weevils following a quarantine put in place by the state Department of Agriculture. The 60-day quarantine was issued last week for Artesia, Hobbs, Roswell and Clovis after reports said the insect was found on residential pecan trees in those cities. Its not the first time. But its in more residential than weve seen in the past, said Brad Lewis, assistant division director of Entomology and Nursery Industries at New Mexico Department of Agriculture. Lewis said the pest may have arrived in the area as a result of un-treated pecans transported into the state. Theyre brought in the state infested typically because people are unaware they are infested or unaware of the laws, he said. New Mexico requires in-shell pecans to be treated in cold storage before being brought into the state, however, exceptions do exist. Transportation of potentially infected pecans during a quarantine is generally exempted in Arizona, California and El Paso, Culberson and Hudspeth counties in Texas. Typically any product found to be infested may be destroyed at the producers expense. The current quarantine restricts transportation of potentially infected pecans in the four southeast New Mexico cities. However, even this quarantine has exceptions, including an inspection of a sample which shows no infestation or if the Department of Agriculture doesnt believe the product is at risk of having been infected. The quarantine is part of an eradication program, which has three stages: containment, control and cleaning. No state-line inspections are being done, however, to detect the transport of potentially infected trees or pecans. Pecan weevils will typically leave a hole in the shell about the size of a No. 2 pencil. Its this indicator that Woods Houghton of the Eddy County Extension Office said local producers should keep an eye out for and report immediately. Houghton said Artesia has about 25 residences with Pecan trees, and currently no Carlsbad infestations have been reported. Houghton said despite the issue, trees do not have to be cut down and pecans are safe to eat. DeJanay Booth can be reached at 575-628-5546, dbooth@currentargus.com and @DeJanayBooth on Twitter. 2017 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel have at least one thing in common: Both assumed office within the past seven days. Theoretically, that should help them work on rebooting transatlantic relations, which are in disarray following President Trumps recent rhetorical attacks on the European Union and Germany. But when Gabriel becomes the first foreign representative to meet with Tillerson in D.C. on Thursday, there might be a little problem: Gabriel is Germanys anti-Trump. The German foreign minister has not held back his views on Trump in recent months. Those views have ranged from calling the president a front-runner of a new authoritarian and chauvinist movement to defining him as a threat, among other remarks. If that is not what you would expect to hear from Germanys top diplomat, its probably because he was not a diplomat until last Friday. For months, Gabriel who is also the leader of the Social Democratic Party had been expected to run against Chancellor Angela Merkel in the general election in September. In a surprise announcement last week, he relinquished the candidacy and paved the way for former European Parliament president Martin Schulz, who is more popular in the polls. Instead, Gabriel was named foreign minister. His recent comments provide an insight into how one of the United States closest international allies might confront Trump in the years ahead. Germany has the biggest European economy, and its citizens particularly fear that Trump might cancel free trade agreements and threaten large German enterprises operating on U.S. soil. Shortly after assuming office, Trump complained that Germans were exporting a large number of cars to the United States but not importing a similar amount in return. Gabriel, then the minister of economy, reacted with a mere shrug, saying, The U.S. needs to build better cars. Gabriels anti-Trump comments are unlikely to create a backlash in Germany. Nearly 90 percent of Germans said in a recent survey that they did not want a politician behaving like the current U.S. president to rule their country. Germany is unlikely to approach the new U.S. administration in the way Britain has done, for instance. British Prime Minister Theresa May invited Trump for a state visit last week a decision that has resulted in protests and 1.8 million people so far signing a petition to cancel the visit. Gabriel, meanwhile, has confronted Trump on other issues apart from the economy. Reacting to the presidents inauguration speech, Gabriel described the remarks as highly nationalistic. The only thing that was missing was calling Parliament a talking shop, Gabriel said. Hes really serious about it, and I believe we have to wrap ourselves up warmly. We should neither be submissive nor should we have fear, he added. Responding to the presidents comments on what Trump called Merkels utterly catastrophic refugee policies, Gabriel said on a different occasion that the United States should ask itself why people were fleeing the Middle East in the first place. There is a link between Americas flawed interventionist policy, especially the Iraq War, and the refugee crisis, he said on Jan. 16. One day later, he tweeted: Populism, isolation and nationalism are the wrong answers to our problems today. Gabriel is not following Trump on Twitter. He does, however, follow Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The United States and Iran traded threats Thursday as both nations sought new footing in a power struggle that could jeopardize the landmark international nuclear accord that President Trump has called the worst deal ever negotiated. The Trump administration was preparing additional economic penalties on Iran related to the countrys recent ballistic missile test, with an announcement expected as soon as Friday, according to a U.S. official. When asked whether his administrations tough new posture could mean a military strike, Trump answered, Nothings off the table. That followed the White House broadside Wednesday in which national security adviser Michael Flynn warned that Iran is on notice over the test launch. He also cited Irans support of rebels seeking to overthrow a U.S.- backed government in Yemen. This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Irans supreme leader, was quoted by Reuters as saying Thursday. Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself. Speaking to reporters, Velayati brushed off what he called Trumps baseless ranting and pledged that missile tests would continue as Iran sees fit. The exchange surrounding the missile test is the most substantive between the two countries since Trump took office two weeks ago and suggests that each nation is willing to escalate tension at the outset. The posturing on the U.S. side appears to be mostly an attempt to seize the upper hand in what Trump officials have said will be a far tougher, less forgiving relationship with Tehran. Flynn directly blamed Barack Obamas administration for emboldening Iranian aggression and regional ambitions, and Trump has ridiculed his predecessor for seeking more cordial, if wary, relations. Trump is under political pressure to make good on campaign pledges to get tough on Iran, while Iran has a history of testing the resolve of new U.S. leaders. The Iranian leadership also faces domestic political pressures with a presidential election due this spring. It will take him a long time and will cost the United States a lot, until he learns what is happening in the world, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised address Wednesday, in which he also accused Trump of discrimination and recklessness. Rouhani, considered a cautious political reformer, presided over the partial warming of the three-decade freeze in U.S.-Iranian relations under Obama. Rouhani said that Trump, in temporarily halting travel to the United States from Iran and six other Muslim-majority nations, is trampling on all international principles and commitments. Iran had earlier vowed reciprocal measures for the ban, and the missile launch Sunday was widely seen as a test of the new U.S. administration. It is not clear whether the launch violates a U.N. Security Council edict, but the Trump administration maintains that it does. The United States called an emergency Security Council review of what it called a provocative breach. Clearly, we wanted to make sure that Iran understood that they are on notice this is not going unresponded to, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said. White House officials have refused to clarify the on notice statement either on the record or anonymously, but it could indicate additional economic sanctions, military repositioning or the first moves to undermine the nuclear accord that the Obama administration counted as a signature foreign policy accomplishment. Iran experts in the United States have said the most likely initial sanctions would probably mirror those Obama applied last year to Iranian companies and individuals that Washington accused of involvement in the countrys ballistic missile program. Most Republican senators assumed that sanctions are what Flynn had in mind from his comments Wednesday. We should stop the crap. I think I know what he means. . . . More sanctions, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The new sanctions were first reported by Reuters. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Thursday that he is in favor of new sanctions on Iran. Legislation is already in the works, but Republicans would need some Democratic support to reimpose penalties. I would be in favor of additional sanctions on Iran, Ryan told reporters. Id like to put as much toothpaste back in the tube as possible. I think the last administration appeased Iran far too much. Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the new administrations view of Iran is informed by much more than deep skepticism about the nuclear deal and fear over Irans potential threat to Israel. For Trumps senior national security brain trust, including Flynn, [Defense Secretary Jim] Mattis and key [National Security Council] staff, the enmity toward Iran is very personal, Sadjadpour said. They hold Tehran directly responsible for hundreds of U.S. military deaths in Iraq. As a Marine general, Mattis was a commander in Iraq and later head of the military region responsible for both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trump reiterated on Twitter on Thursday that Iran is formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Perhaps for emphasis, Trump followed that with a tweet specifically about the nuclear deal. Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion, he wrote. Most experts place the amount Iran recouped in frozen assets closer to $100 billion. There is little chance that Trump will immediately rip up the 2015 deal designed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Trump has not set out any plan in detail, but he has spoken of strengthening enforcement of the deal and improving on it. The United States would need the agreement of the other signers, including Russia and China, to renegotiate it. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was critical of the deal during his confirmation hearing last month but said it could be improved. A U.S. official who briefed reporters after Flynns announcement Wednesday said the new administration is keeping potential retaliatory actions strictly separate from the nuclear deal, although U.S. officials acknowledge that anything that affects the U.S.-Iran relationship has implications for the future of the pact. Few congressional Republicans are demanding an outright rejection of the nuclear accord, either, and say they are working with the new administration to tighten enforcement and raise the stakes for Iran for any violations. U.S. allies including Saudi Arabia and Israel, which worked to thwart the deal, now have an interest in keeping it in place for fear of the instability that could result from abandoning it. The 2015 deal lifted international trade and other restrictions on Iran related to its nuclear program in exchange for a halt in the most troublesome aspects of Iranian nuclear development. Iran claims it is not seeking a nuclear weapon. The deal left in place separate U.S. sanctions that could now be expanded or tightened. The risk analysis and policy organization Eurasia Group assesses a 60 percent probability that the deal survives but said in a memo Thursday that there is now initial downward pressure on that number. Trump is unlikely to tear up the deal and shoulder the full wrath of the international community, the memo said. Trump will walk a fine line, and probably try to keep the deal intact. Erin Cunningham in Istanbul and Karoun Demirjian in Washington contributed to this report. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is advancing a combative and iconoclastic foreign policy that appears to sideline traditional diplomacy and concentrate decision-making among a small group of aides who are quickly projecting their new America First approach to the world. Just before the Senate confirmed Trumps new secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, on Wednesday, national security adviser Michael Flynn made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room to deliver a tight-lipped warning to Iran over its most recent ballistic missile test. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, Flynn said. He blamed the previous Obama administration for failing to confront Iran forcefully enough over its malign actions and said Trump was changing course. Tillerson takes office after a chaotic first dozen days for the Trump administration that saw big swings away from national security and foreign policy stances in place under the Obama administration. The rise of figures such as Flynn and senior counselor Stephen Bannon in the White House calls into question whether someone like Tillerson, a former oil company executive who is perceived to be a more mainstream Republican, will wield much influence. Trump campaigned on blowing up business as usual in Washington, apparently including the courtly traditions of U.S. diplomacy. Still, the administrations tone has surprised allies and government employees who expected the new president to first spend time offering diplomatic niceties. The severity of an order suspending the countrys refugee resettlement program and temporarily banning entry from seven Muslim-majority nations blindsided even Republican supporters in Congress. Even before the order Friday, Trumps first days in office were marked by actions and statements that former U.S. officials and some foreign diplomats saw as intentionally confrontational, such as a public spat with the Mexican president and dismissive comments about the European Union. Trump used his inauguration address to blast Americas trade partners and global outlook, and his first hosting of a foreign leader to praise Brexit as a stroke for British sovereignty. He recounted his own frustrations dealing with the European Union in a real estate deal. I had a very bad experience, he said. He called the 28-member body the consortium. In between, his administration floated and then backed off a 20 percent tariff on Mexican goods to pay for his promised border wall. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a planned White House visit in protest, but Trump said the feeling was mutual. Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route, Trump told Republican senators last week. I have no choice. A day later he stood beside British Prime Minister Theresa May for an event that is a staple of world leader diplomacy the cordial and mutually congratulatory joint news conference. Trump largely used the forum to congratulate himself, and he sounded less than zealous about courting other countries. We look to have a great relationship with all countries, ideally, Trump said Friday, as May looked on, a hint of apprehension visible in her smile. That wont necessarily happen, unfortunately probably wont happen with many countries. Trump added that he hoped for a great relationship with Russia and with China and with all countries, Im all for that. That would be a tremendous asset. He noted that he believes torture tactics work against terrorism a position anathema to most U.S. allies but that he would defer to his defense chief, who opposes it. Tillerson did not attend, since he had not yet won the job at State. While Tillerson is an unorthodox choice, the recently retired ExxonMobil chief executive has been generally viewed as one of Trumps less provocative hires. Even so, Tillerson drew scant Democratic support with a vote of 56 to 43. Only four members of the Democratic caucus voted in favor of confirmation: Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Angus King, I-Maine, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Mark Warner, D-Va. The 64-year-old Texan has no prior government experience. His admirers, however, say he has a vast knowledge of world affairs and geopolitics born of years of international energy exploration and production. He has remained publicly silent about Trumps controversial immigration order, and its not clear whether Tillerson was even given a say over its scope or wording. His absence from the rollout of a policy that significantly affects the countrys place in the world has sown doubts about the State Departments role in shaping White House decisions. A group of diplomats lodged a formal complaint against the order Tuesday in the State Departments Dissent Channel, set up during the Vietnam War as a way for diplomats of all ranks to convey disagreement with foreign policy decisions. The communications are typically confidential and may be done anonymously. They should either get with the program or they can go, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday. He later said diplomats have a right to raise concerns. One of Tillersons chief outside backers, former defense secretary Robert Gates, said Sunday that the immigration order is likely to make his friends job harder. Gates, a Republican who recommended Tillerson to Trump as a dark-horse candidate, is among a long bipartisan list of foreign policy experts who have argued that actions appearing to target Muslims play into the hands of extremists who claim that the United States is at war with Islam. Tillerson had said at his confirmation hearing that he does not support a blanket-type rejection of any particular group of people, but he did not rule out a registry or database of Muslims. New United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley went further, rejecting the idea of a ban on Muslim immigration and calling a registry out of the question. Haley, who like Tillerson has no formal foreign policy experience, had also startled some U.N. diplomats in her first address at the world body Friday. Youre going to see a change in the way we do business, the former South Carolina governor said. Our goal with the administration is to show value at the U.N., and the way well show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure our allies have our back as well. For those who dont have our back, she added, were taking names. Haley spoke hours before the immigration order was issued. The White House also issued a scathing indictment of the United Nations last week, vowing to strip some U.S. funding and condition other money on reform and compliance with U.S. objectives. Trump is breaking with the practices of both Republican and Democratic administrations by including a political adviser, Bannon, in National Security Council meetings with Cabinet officials. On Tuesday, European Council President Donald Tusk included worrying declarations from Trump among the challenges or threats to the EU, along with China, Russia and radical ideologies. He said the change in Washington was part of an external threat that also included an assertive China, an aggressive Russia and radical Islam. Capitals around the world are anxiously looking at how the new administration starts engaging with friends and foes, said Arturo Sarukhan, a former Mexican ambassador to Washington. If the U.S. treats a neighbor, partner and ally like Mexico, a nation so relevant to the prosperity and security of the U.S., with ultimatums and bullying, they will probably feel that they themselves may be in for a rough ride. A European diplomat who recently met with Trump aides and pressed for cooperation at the United Nations and elsewhere to promote peace in the Middle East recounted a startling exchange with Jason Greenblatt, then Trumps in-house lawyer and now his chief of international negotiations. We are business people, the diplomat quoted Greenblatt as saying. We are not going to govern this country with diplomatic niceties. We are going to govern it as a business. The Washington Posts Carol Morello contributed to this report. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., was born in the United States, the son of a Palestinian refugee father and a Syrian immigrant mother. So perhaps its no surprise that he is one of the GOPs most outspoken critics of President Donald Trumps immigration order. Ive had both of those aspects in my life the immigrant aspect and the refugee aspect, Amash said in an interview Wednesday on Capitol Hill. I believe its important that we remain a welcoming country, that people feel they have the opportunity to come here and start a new life. Amash is one of six lawmakers of Arab descent suddenly thrust into the spotlight thanks to a heated national debate over Trumps executive order banning entry into the United States for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from around the world. But of the groups five Republicans, Amash is the only one who fully opposes Trumps order, despite widespread criticism of the policy and the way it has been applied to people from the Middle East. The split points to a deepening division between GOP partisans eager to applaud Trumps actions and others who are debating whether and how to resist in the early days of the administration, when dissent could risk a public rebuke from the president. Amash, who opposed Trump throughout the 2016 campaign, said some Republicans secretly oppose the immigration order but fear the political consequences of expressing their views. A number of colleagues have privately told me, Thank you for what youre doing, but they have difficulty then going on TV or in the press and saying the same thing, he said. A lot of it has to do with fear of the administration. The most confused position has come from Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who partly defended Trump on Monday during an interview with CNN. I dont want to say this was perfectly executed by any means and there has been some confusion, [but] I think we have to put it in perspective that it is temporary, that it does not target people per se based on religion, Issa said of the ban. The president is trying to react to a crisis that has been ongoing for a period of time . . . I would rather deal with what the presidents doing and make adjustments than to have a president that does nothing. We need to deal with a massive refugee problem. Asked Wednesday by The Washington Post whether his heritage affects his view, Issa was a bit more conciliatory. As the grandson of Lebanese immigrants, of course this issue hits home, he wrote in an email. I was, frankly, pretty disappointed by the way this ban was rolled out, especially before even the administration really knew all the details. In our district, weve been working on casework for two Iraqi interpreters whove needed help securing visas . . . Id also say some of our local tech companies are confused and concerned about the impact that the ban will have on their employees. Trumps order prompted chaos at U.S. airports, sparked widespread protests and drew a swift wave of legal challenges, plunging the nascent administration into chaos after only one full week in office. The policy is estimated to affect 90,000 people, some of whom were barred from boarding flights or detained upon reaching the United States. Amashs father was a wealthy Palestinian tool importer who immigrated to the United States with backing from a Christian church, according to the Almanac of American Politics. Amash has become a forceful critic of the executive order, primarily on legal grounds. But he said his familys experience coming to the United States reinforces his opposition to Trumps policy. My father became a refugee in 1948. They lived in [Ramallah, Palestine] until 1956 when a pastor and his wife from Muskegon, Michigan, sponsored my dads family to come to the United States. They arrived in New York City like a lot of immigrant families and started a new life here. Now, my parents have a son in Congress. Its really the American Dream, he said. His parents are obviously very concerned about Trumps order, Amash said, adding: Historically, our party has been welcoming to immigrants and refugees. My parents came here and became Republicans! They felt good about this country and felt good being Republicans. Louisiana Republican Rep. Ralph Abraham, who is one generation more removed from his Arab heritage, could not see the immigration issue more differently. I am behind Trump 100 percent on this, he said in a phone interview Tuesday. My father was Lebanese his parents actually came from Lebanon. He was, of course, born in the States. My mother was American, or non-Lebanese. So we have immigrants in our family, and I am very proud of that. But I come at the immigration issue as an American. Abraham, Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., and Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., all of Lebanese descent, support Trumps executive order. I am proud of my heritage and appreciate the contributions of our forefathers, but the future greatness of the United States depends upon the safety and security of Americans today, Graves said in a statement Monday. LaHood, son of former GOP congressman and secretary of transportation Ray LaHood, said the travel ban should be viewed as protecting our homeland and its citizens. The United States will continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for those looking to immigrate to a better way of life, but first and foremost, national security for our American citizens and our homeland must be priority No. 1, he said in a statement Monday. Neither Graves nor LaHood agreed to be interviewed for this article. Abraham, who just began his second term, aligned himself with this view in a video posted to Twitter on Monday. Its past time that we, President Trump, Congress, look out for the American people. President Trump is right when he says America first. We must secure our borders. We must vet these immigrants that want to come here and do bad and nefarious things to us as American citizens, he said.told the camera. But in Michigans 3rd Congressional District, Amash said his constituents have been harmed by the ban. In some cases you have people who just went overseas for a funeral or for a birthday and they want to come back to the United States, and now theyre in a difficult position, he said. It affects people of all backgrounds, whether theyre Jewish, Christian or Muslim. Were all Ollie the Bobcat, arent we? Busting out of that enclosure at the National Zoo, where Ollie played second-string cat next to those insufferable lions and tigers. We felt her pain, rooting her on during her ill-fated and all-too-brief escape. She was every American worker, underappreciated, shunted to the side. She was forced to share real estate with a caracal lynx a lynx! Have you seen the ears on that thing? As our new president might say: Sad! The bobcat habitat wasnt even on the zoos main circle around Big Cat mountain, just a little culvert, no more glamorous than the accounts payable or customer service department. No one was putting Ollie in a corner. She saw her opening and busted loose. Shes no fool. She knows whats happening in this town. First, the new administration targets the federal workers, next the immigrants, then the zookeepers. Ollie had a plan to get out while she could. Off the grid. Canada! She was a feline prepper. Sensing the constitutional apocalypse coming, she wanted to shake that dependence on the government kibble. Shed seen others try, of course. Rusty the red panda went on the lam in 2013, then got captured in Washingtons Adams Morgan neighborhood. That same year, Natalie the flightless vulture used a gust of wind to hang glide out of her enclosure. She was flyyyyyyyiiiiiiing! Then she landed in the zoos parking lot. She was back behind bars in no time. No, Ollie was going to do it better. She had her own Twitter account with an inspiring bio: Finally free and looking for some fun! Ollie started posting foodie picks of tapas and craft cocktails. She tried steak. Slammed tequila. She slept in. Got VIP tickets to big games. Went to shows at the Black Cat. All the things wed do if we busted out, Office Space-style. Some in the city freaked out about Ollie. Schools shut down recess to protect the kids. The residents of neighboring Woodley Park were demanding a wall be built around the National Zoo. The lynx, they said, should pay for it. Sweet, 25-pound Ollie, a 7-year-old from Texas, was labeled a menace. She was okay with that: Ollies the name. Fear me. Know me. This pussy grabs back! Ollie hissed. On the National Mall, folks were wary. If that animal comes in here, Im running, the security guard at the Smithsonians Museum of Natural History told me. She was checking bags by that giant whale, the elephant in the rotunda, the snarling, stuffed bears. There are live tarantulas upstairs. Surely, she has seen Night at the Museum. No, none of that worried her. But Ollie. She feared Ollie. Inside the museum was Ollies worst-case scenario. A taxidermied bobcat behind a glass case. Lynx Rufus, the placard reads, forever suspended in mid air, almost catching that startled pheasant, but not quite. Ill take a picture so I can find her, declared a 34-year-old visitor from Seattle who was eager to help catch the cat, whose fame had spread from coast to coast. Yeah, before she went missing, no one really bought the bobcat stuff, a zoo gift shop employee said. Now all of the bobcat toys are selling out. Sure enough, pandas galore. Elephants lining the shelves. Those lions forlorn. But only four Ollies left. Thats right, suckas! Bei-Bei who? Actually, those stuffed animals are lynxes, but they kinda look alike, the gift shop woman said. That lynx again. On Wednesday, the lynx in Ollies habitat was pacing. Her friend got out, but she didnt, explained a zoo worker doing repairs on the exhibit, which was surrounded by yellow crime-scene tape. The lynx chased after a cable the workers dragged across the ground, kitten-and-yarn style. Sad, sad lynx. Then zoo officials announced that they had suspended the search for Ollie. Shed won. Freedom lovers everywhere rejoiced. But the celebration was short-lived. Late Wednesday afternoon, just hours after shed accepted a Twitter invite for a steak dinner at Bobby Vans, Ollie was recaptured. There she was, right on the zoo grounds. In a cage by a bush. The look on her face. She was Melania at the inauguration, Chris Christie on Super Tuesday, Silda Spitzer at her disgraced husbands news conference. No tapas. No Canada. Stuck in Washington. We are all Ollie. President Donald Trump raised the threat of pulling federal funds from the University of California at Berkeley on Thursday after the institution canceled a talk by provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and put the campus on lockdown after intense protests against the planned speech. While Trump framed his early-morning tweet around free speech and opposition to violent demonstrations, his critics are likely to interpret the message as indirect support for Yiannopoulos, a polarizing figure who portrays himself as a champion of open expression. His detractors view him as a hatemonger. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump tweeted. Yiannopoulos echoed that sentiment Thursday. UC Berkeley should have all federal funding cut until it can demonstrate its commitment to the First Amendment and guarantee the safety of libertarian and conservative speakers on campus and the safety of their audiences. Nothing less will do. Berkeley is the flagship school in the University of Californias public university system. Student loans and grants make up the vast majority of federal funding to colleges and universities, along with grants for research given by institutions such as the National Institutes of Health. California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted on social media: As a UC Regent Im appalled at your willingness to deprive over 38,000 students access to an education because of the actions of a few. Yiannopoulos writes for the Breitbart website, which was led by Stephen Bannon, a key Trump adviser. Yiannopoulos has a large following as a self-proclaimed free-speech fundamentalist crusading against political correctness. He was banned from Twitter last summer after sending tweets targeting actress Leslie Jones, who is black. Some schools have canceled or indefinitely postponed events featuring Yiannopoulos because they often generate such intense responses. In January, a man was shot and seriously wounded as fights broke out during one of those events at the University of Washington. When the events are canceled, some call it censorship. Others counter that universities arent required to pay security and other expenses for speakers invited by student groups. The event has been canceled, the 32-year-old Yiannopoulos posted on his Facebook page. Ill let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. Free speech is an exceptionally volatile issue right now, with debate over code words, safe spaces, implicit bias and microaggressions on campuses across the country. Yiannopouloss events are flash points, and his cross-country tour touched off intense opposition Wednesday in Berkeley. The Daily Californian, the student newspaper at Berkeley, reported that protesters were chanting, No Milo, no Trump, no fascist USA, setting off fireworks, throwing rocks and bricks and pounding on windows. The paper reported that university police used rubber bullets and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Amid violence, destruction of property and out of concern for public safety, the University of California Police Department determined that it was necessary to remove Milo Yiannopoulos from the campus and to cancel tonights scheduled 8 p.m. performance, the university announced Wednesday night. The decision was made about two hours before the event to a crowd of more than 1,500 protesters gathered outside the venue. Berkeleys administration said it went to extraordinary lengths to plan for the event, working with the Berkeley College Republicans and adding crowd-control measures and dozens of additional police officers. Security officials said that about 150 masked agitators joined the demonstration, setting fires, throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks and attacking some members of the crowd. Officers from the city of Oakland and Alameda County arrived at 7:45 p.m. to help the university and Berkeley city police. There were no immediate reports of arrests or serious injuries. The shelter in place order was lifted about 10 p.m., although campus police warned that protests were still going on in the surrounding community and advised people to avoid neighboring streets. Campus officials said in a statement that they regret that the threats and unlawful actions of a few have interfered with the exercise of First Amendment rights on a campus that is proud of its history and legacy as the home of the Free Speech Movement. The demonstrators included Black bloc protesters, who wear masks and black clothing to present a unified front as they disrupt events, making it difficult for police to recognize individuals in the group. They are often seen at protests organized by groups such as Black Lives Matter and Occupy Wall Street, destroying property and setting fires. They torched a limousine in Washington last month on the day of Trumps inauguration, and a group spray-painted buildings and smashed electrical boxes during a demonstration in Portland, Ore., earlier in January. When a group of them arrived at Berkeley, it swiftly changed the tenor of the peaceful demonstration. Some at Berkeley were worried that Yiannopoulos was using the event to begin a campaign against sanctuary campuses and that individual students would be identified and targeted as examples of illegal immigration. A story posted Tuesday on the Breitbart website announced that MILO and the David Horowitz Freedom Center have teamed up to take down the growing phenomenon of sanctuary campuses that shelter illegal immigrants from being deported. MILO will kick start the campaign with a speech at the University of Californias Berkeley campus on February 1, where he, backed by the Freedom Center, will call for the withdrawal of federal grants and the prosecution of university officials who endanger their students with their policies . . . More than 100 faculty members signed two letters to Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks. One said: Although we object strenuously to Yiannopouloss views he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event. The faculty members said that Yiannopoulos has labeled Black Lives Matter a form of black supremacism and argues that the protest movement should be labeled a terrorist organization; he refers to principles of diversity at college campuses as anti-White racism. He has also denounced rape culture as a myth propagated by feminists aimed squarely at undermining masculinity.' They noted that Yiannopoulos sometimes singles out people on campus and cited an event in Milwaukee when he projected an image of a transgender student on a screen. Yiannopouloss views pass from protected free speech to incitement, harassment and defamation once they publicly target individuals in his audience or on campus, creating conditions for concrete harm and actually harming students through defamatory and harassing actions. Such actions are protected neither by free speech nor by academic freedom. Nils Gilman, associate chancellor and chief of staff to Dirks, responded that while the administration was sorry that some speakers would upset some people on campus, our Constitution does not permit the university to engage in prior restraint of a speaker out of fear that he might engage in even hateful verbal attacks. That debate forms of which are playing out on campuses across the country has particular resonance at Berkeley, where the Free Speech Movement began in 1964. Some members of that original movement wrote an op-ed in the Daily Californian defending Yiannopouloss right to speak: Yiannopoulos is a bigot who comes to campus spouting vitriol so as to attract attention to himself. His modus operandi is to bait students of color, transgender students and anyone to the left of Donald Trump in the hopes of sparking a speaking ban or physical altercation so he can pose as a free speech martyr. His campus events are one long publicity stunt designed to present himself as a kind of hip, far right, youth folk hero sort of Hitler Youth with cool sunglasses. The Berkeley College Republicans, who sponsored the sold-out event, had explained that while they dont agree with everything Yiannopoulos says and totally disavow any violence that might result from the event, they wanted to offer a chance for people to consider alternative viewpoints. . . . a peculiar groupthink phenomenon has formed here in Berkeley, where, in the eyes of many, there can be no viable solution to any problems we face other than the ones the progressive left has to offer, the executive board wrote. The Free Speech Movement is dead, the group wrote on social media after the protests. Today, the Berkeley College Republicans constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs seeking to cancel Milo Yiannopoulos tour. Their success is a defeat for civilized society and the free exchange of ideas on college campuses across America. We would like to thank UCPD and the university administration for doing all they could to ensure the safety of everyone involved. It is tragic that the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement is also its final resting place. A day-long hostage standoff inside Delawares largest state prison for men ended early Thursday after state police stormed the building, finding one corrections officer dead and rescuing another official who was being held hostage. Authorities said they were not able to immediately release a motive for the attack, nor were they able to say how many inmates were involved, saying that every inmate in the building at the time is considered a suspect as the investigation gets underway. This standoff began Wednesday about 10:30 a.m. when inmates at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, about 40 miles south of Wilmington, took four corrections department workers and, potentially, some fellow prisoners hostage inside one of the facilitys buildings. They were wielding sharp instruments, officials said Thursday, but they did not elaborate more on these weapons. Early Thursday, the siege ended after police breached the building and rescued a female staff member who was not injured. They also found Sgt. Steven Floyd, a 16-year veteran of the Delaware Department of Correction, but he was unresponsive. Floyd was declared dead a short time later, Perry Phelps, the states correction commissioner, said during emotional remarks at a Thursday morning briefing. We lost one of our family members and it pains my heart to make these statements, said Phelps, who paused to compose himself while discussing the standoff and, after, wiped tears from his face. Officials did not immediately elaborate on a cause of death for Floyd, saying more information would be released after an autopsy. Prisons across the state were locked down because of the standoff. Dozens of inmates left the building in Smyrna as the situation progressed, along with two of the four corrections officials who were being held, according to state officials. Three maintenance workers hiding in the basement were also able to make their way to the roof, where they were rescued, authorities said. Hostage-takers had apparently delivered a message to a local newspaper saying that their rebellion was a response to President Donald Trumps policies and concerns about what his administration would mean for the future of the prison. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now, they said during the second of two manifesto-like phone calls to the News Journal newspaper in Wilmington. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. Inmates were demanding education first and foremost, a rehabilitation program that works for everybody, and a comprehensive look at the prisons budget and spending, according to audio of the calls posted online by the News Journal. These demands given to the newspaper were similar to what inmates were telling police during negotiations conducted through a radio taken from a hostage, Robert Coupe, Delawares Homeland Security secretary, said at the Thursday morning briefing. Coupe said that while authorities were negotiating with the inmates at one point turning on the water in response to a demand they had made police were also preparing a tactical plan to storm the T-shaped facility and rescue the remaining hostages. He also said that inmates were trying to stall the police, who knew that one hostage was still alive but were growing concerned without any word about Floyds condition. Police came up with a plan to use a corrections department backhoe to knock down a wall inmates had built in an entryway using metal footlockers filled with water once it was turned back on, Coupe said. They knocked down the wall and, within two minutes, had removed the female staff member from the building. We are happy to say she was not injured in this ordeal, and I will go as far as to say that there were actually inmates that shielded this victim, said Coupe, who did not identify her. There were 120 inmates in the building during the siege, and they are all considered suspects, Coupe said. None of the inmates suffered any reported injuries when police stormed the building, he said. Officials vowed a thorough investigation to figure out what unfolded in the prison and to find out what can be done to make the states correctional facilities and their employees safe going forward. Today we mourn, Gov. John Carney, D, said at the briefing. And tomorrow and for a long time going forward, we also have to investigate what happened here, determine the facts to make sure that it never happens again. The best way that we can honor Sgt. Steven Floyd is to do this work diligently, together and expeditiously. Coupe said that the investigation would try to figure out how the takeover occurred, and said that it was too early to know if this was a planned event or something that spontaneously erupted. There are cameras inside the facility, and any video footage will be part of the investigation, he said. The Vaughn prison is the largest adult male correctional facility in the state, housing about 2,500 minimum-, medium- and maximum-security inmates, according to the Department of Correction website. It is the landing place for people who have not yet been convicted of a crime and those who have been sentenced to death. Executions are carried out there, according to the website, although the death penalty in Delaware has been struck down by the states Supreme Court. Inmate complaints about treatment within the prison, substandard medical care and poor record-keeping have increased in the past year, Stephen Hampton, a lawyer from Dover who has represented prisoners in civil rights cases, told the Associated Press. Rules prohibiting the commingling of pretrial inmates and those who have already been sentenced mean that detainees awaiting their day in court are locked up for much of the day, Hampton told the AP. These people do not have access to gyms or libraries and, Hampton said, there gets to be a tremendous pressure on these inmates. Sometimes theyll take a plea deal just to circumvent the restrictions, Hampton told the AP. A former Vaughn inmate also called the News Journal amid the chaos of the hostage situation Wednesday and told the newspaper that the takeover probably was the result of unresolved tensions finally bubbling over. The News Journal did not identify him, but reported that he lived in Building C, the same area of the prison where the hostages were taken. The former inmate told the News Journal that inside the prison, conditions are poor, inmates have limited access to education programs and issues with overcrowding mean that even those who exhibit good behavior arent able to be transferred to medium-security buildings. They just got to the point where theyre fed up, he told the local newspaper. If DOC is worried about the officers and not their demands, if nothing changes, I guarantee there will be another hostage situation in a different building. By the end of the day Wednesday, the hostage situation was gaining widespread attention, especially on social media, where people used the hashtag #VaughnRebellion to talk about the siege. The benefits of Albuquerques 42-year-old foreign trade zone just got a whole lot bigger, following federal approval to allow companies throughout the central Rio Grande area to participate. Under the expanded Alternative Site Framework, announced by Mayor Richard Berry on Thursday, all companies in Bernalillo and Valencia counties, and in Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Moriarty and Santa Fe, can now apply for inclusion in the foreign trade zone. Until now, the zone has been limited to companies within the original 62-acre site at the Albuquerque International Sunport. Foreign trade zone-eligible companies that import materials or products and then add value to them for re-export to international markets can avoid paying import tariffs. Companies that sell final products in the U.S. also can delay payment until their sales are complete, and some may be able to avoid tariffs even when selling on the domestic market. We are excited to make this tool more accessible to manufacturers throughout the region, Berry said in a statement. Companies that utilize the FTZ can greatly improve their cash flow by avoiding paying tariffs on imported materials until the final product is sold, and in many cases, can avoid having to pay them altogether. The zone has been used by only a few companies since its creation in 1984, largely because it required businesses to set up their operations at the Sunport, said Randy Trask, manager of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Trade Alliance. Companies could previously file for subzone eligibility outside the 62-acre site, but that cost tens of thousands of dollars in application and legal fees, plus a six-month wait. Now, under the reorganization, weve negotiated a newly designated geographic area, Trask said. Businesses can get their applications processed in just 30 days, and at a fraction of the cost. The expanded zone will make the recently announced Central New Mexico Rail Park in Valencia County more competitive, while helping small, cash-strapped businesses throughout the region conduct import-export operations. Without the reorganization, the rail park would have no access to the trade zone, Trask said. This makes the park more competitive in recruiting companies, and our existing small businesses can gain more access to it. It makes the region more attractive in general for companies to locate here, said Gary Oppedahl, head of Albuquerques economic development department. This is an important step toward helping our existing manufacturing base grow, in addition to becoming a more attractive location to recruit new companies, Oppedahl said. The city filed its application for foreign trade zone reorganization last year, after a public-private partnership headed by the Mid-Region Council of Governments commissioned a study on central New Mexicos existing transportation infrastructure, business climate and competitiveness to grow and diversify. We launched the feasibility study last March, but very quickly into the process we uncovered some immediate projects we could start pursuing, Berry said. There was no reason to wait until the study was completed to get to work on low-hanging fruit like our FTZ. AUSTIN, Texas Texas Republicans eager to reinforce President Donald Trumps call for a crackdown on illegal immigration pushed to deny state money for local jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate, an issue Gov. Greg Abbott has declared to be an emergency facing the state. The Republican-controlled state Senate on Thursday held its first hearing on a bill targeting so-called sanctuary cities, a meeting that was disrupted several times by demonstrators singing songs or directing jeers at Abbott. After more than 16 hours of testimony, the Senate State Affairs Committee approved the bill on a 7-2 party-line vote early Friday, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The move sends the measure to the full Senate next week. The GOP governor, who didnt attend the hearing, has also called for the power to remove from office any local elected officeholder who resists the federal government on immigration issues. The term sanctuary cities has no legal definition. The bill by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, would punish local governments if police dont comply with requests from federal immigration enforcement officers to hand over immigrants already in custody for possible deportation. You dont get to decide which laws you like, which laws you will honor, A.J. Louderback, sheriff of Jackson County and president of the Sheriffs Association of Texas told the panel Thursday. You dont get extra constitutional powers. Individual sheriffs and police chiefs particularly those in heavily Democratic areas of the state have long opposed enforcing federal immigration law. Abbott has already ordered $1.5 million withheld from the Austin sheriff who has said the jails in the states capital city would no longer honor most federal immigration detainers. That money supports projects such as family violence education and a special court for veterans, and Abbott has warned there could be more money cut. Sheriff Sally Hernandez, an elected Democrat in Texas most liberal city the home of the University of Texas has said her jails will only honor immigration holds on murder, aggravated sexual assault and human trafficking cases, a policy Abbott has called a threat to public safety. Hernandezs predecessor had allowed federal officials to use the jail to locate and detain immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally for possible deportation. Perry said local authorities must enforce the law. This is not a deportation bill, this is a rule of law bill, Perry said. We have almost a culture of contempt for federal immigration law. But critics of the measure have said it will make immigrant communities fear police and drive crime victims and witnesses underground if they worry they will be swept up for deportation. Perry said the bill excludes crime victims and witnesses from being subject to immigration inquiries. Sen. Eddie Lucio, one of only two Democrats on the State Affairs Committee, said he had moral objections to the bill. (This) undermines trust between police and immigrant communities. We risk further endangering women and children who fall prey to violence and extortion such as human trafficking, Lucio said. Opponents of the bill packed the Senate public gallery and the hearing was disrupted repeatedly in the first two hours. One woman yelled, Greg Abbott is a facist! prompting security to remove several people. Committee Chairwoman Joan Huffman warned that the chamber would be closed if the outbursts continued. Nearly 400 people had registered to testify on the bill for two minutes each. Abbotts move to declare a ban on sanctuary cities as an emergency issue allows Texas lawmakers to move quickly and push it to the front of the line in a 140-day session that ends Memorial Day weekend. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said he expects the Senate to pass the bill as early as next week and send it to the House. Trump signed an order last week to withdraw funding from sanctuary cities that decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. It didnt specify what kind of money could be pulled. In California, San Francisco officials sued over the order, saying it was unconstitutional and an invasion of the citys sovereignty. Melody Wattenbarger, CEO and president of Roadrunner Food Bank for the past 22 years, has given notice to the staff and board of directors that she will be leaving in a year. Shes been an icon in the community and has been serving hungry New Mexicans for the majority of her career, Roadrunner spokeswoman Sonya Warwick told the Journal on Thursday. We will miss Melody terribly, but she will be with us for the next year to help us through the transition. Wattenbarger has expressed a desire to retire and return to Texas to spend more time with family, Warwick said. As CEO and president, Wattenbarger has overseen all of Roadrunners operations, direct services, programs and fundraising. Roadrunner is the largest food bank and hunger relief agency in the state. During the last fiscal year it provided more than 32 million pounds of food. About 70,000 people each week rely on food from Roadrunner and its statewide network of partner food pantries, shelters and meal sites. Last year, Roadrunner rescued more than 25 million pounds of food that might otherwise have wound up in landfills. Mark Ryerson, Roadrunners board chairman, said, Whats nice about Melody giving us so much lead time is that it gives the board an opportunity to get together and do some planning to find her replacement. He added that it had not been decided if the board would conduct a national search. According to Roadrunners IRS 990 form, Wattenbargers annual salary is $117,784, with $7,689 in other compensation. WASHINGTON Here are a few leaks that have come out of the Trump administration in just the last 24 hours: President Donald Trump abruptly ended a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after condemning a refugee deal with the country and telling Turnbull this was the worst call by far he has had with a world leader. Trump threatened his administration insisted it was light-hearted Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto with sending American troops into his country. The White House asked Judge Thomas Hardiman to drive toward D.C. to amp up the drama in advance of Trumps Supreme Court pick on Tuesday night. (Hardiman was passed over in favor of Colorado federal appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch.) I wrote recently that not only was this the leakiest White House Id ever seen but also that the leaks whether purposely or not seemed to cast the president as a child who badly needs to be managed. Whats truly remarkable is that the leaking appears to be growing even more frequent and even more deleterious to President Trumps image within just the last few days. The first two leaks are of partial transcripts of phone calls between Trump and other world leaders. How many people have access to those transcripts? And who working for Trump could possibly think its a good idea to leak out transcripts that show Trump attempting to bully two staunch allies? This explanation, making the rounds on Twitter Thursday morning, doesnt exactly help Trump, either. Karen DaltonBeninato tweeted: It was at the end of a long day & he was tired & fatigue was setting in. CNN on White Houses response to Trumps hanging up on Aussie PM. The third leak is, to me, perhaps the most baffling. White House press secretary Sean Spicer spent a decent chunk of his briefing on Wednesday disputing media reports that Hardiman and Gorsuch had both been encouraged to come to Washington in a sort of Cannonball Run-like competition to fill the vacant seat on the highest court in the country. Which makes this sentence and its sourcing from The New York Times Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush all the more amazing: Three administration officials who did not want to be identified said Judge Hardiman hit the road to Washington to help them maintain the illusion that the selection process was still competitive. Three. Administration. Officials. These are not people opposed to Trump. This is not the loyal opposition. These are people who work within Trumps administration, people he and his team hired to help him run the country. And this trio of people are confirming information that makes it very clear the president wanted to run his Supreme Court announcement like a cliffhanger episode of reality TV. Why all the leaking? Ive got two theories: 1. Trump only really listens to things once they are presented to him via the media. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway acknowledged in the campaign that the best way to get through to him was often to talk on cable TV or to other reporters. Theres no indication that Trump has changed his voracious media consumption habits since he formally entered the White House. So its uniquely possible that these leaks are aimed at reining him in, showing him that when he acts like this with, say, world leaders, it makes him look bad. 2. There are people at senior levels within the administration who have major concerns about Trump and his fitness for office. In the long tradition of whistleblowers, they are using selective leaks to make sure that people know what is really going on inside the White House. Neither theory is a good thing for Trump. He is someone who has made very clear both in the business world and in his brief stint in politics that he expects unflinching loyalty from his staff. Hes not getting anything close to that right now and I have to assume, knowing what we know about him, its driving him crazy. Id say any sort of staff purge is unlikely this early in a presidency. But that would be based on the old rules governing how you do politics. And if President Trump has proven anything, its that he doesnt play by those rules. Hundreds of medical professionals are calling on the prominent Cleveland Clinic hospital system to cut its perceived ties to President Donald Trump in light of a contentious executive order that has temporarily banned people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering or returning to the United States including a resident at the clinic. Doctors, nurses and students have signed an open letter pleading with the clinic to publicly condemn Trumps immigration ban and use its power to protect medical professionals from deportation. The letter also urges the hospital system to cancel a fundraiser set for later this month at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Through this action you are supporting a president who has, in his first ten days in office, reinstated the global gag rule, weakened the Affordable Care Act, fast-tracked construction of both the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines through legally protected native lands, and banned legal U.S. residents from majority-Muslim countries, the signers said about the Cleveland Clinics upcoming fundraiser. All of these actions directly harm human health and well-being in the United States and abroad. Your willingness to hold your fundraiser at a Trump resort is an unconscionable prioritization of profit over people. It is impossible for the Cleveland Clinic to reconcile supporting its employees and patients while simultaneously financially and publicly aiding an individual who directly harms them. As controversy swirled around the clinic and its fundraiser, representatives of seven major medical organizations protested the Trump administrations immigration order Wednesday. In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, representatives of Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, the University of Michigan Health System and the University of California at San Francisco, among others, called the ban a step backward for patient care, research and medical education in the United States. The free exchange of ideas, experience, and perspectives is fundamental to patient care, training, and research. Patient care depends on good decision making, a process that can be derailed by bias and strengthened by diverse teams, they wrote. In 2016, they noted, more than half of the 7,024 of U.S. internal medicine residents doctors in training at teaching hospitals came from medical schools outside the country. A report from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that 260 students from schools in the seven countries affected by the ban are applying for residency training now, they said. Immigration policy that blocks the best from coming to train and work in the United States and blocks our trainees and faculty from safely traveling to other countries is a step backward, one that will harm our patients, colleagues, and Americas position as a world leader in health care and innovation, they wrote. In another letter Wednesday to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, the American Medical Association, the nations largest doctors group, voiced concern that this executive order is negatively impacting patient access to care and creating unintended consequences for our nations health care system. James Madara, the organizations chief executive, noted that a quarter of doctors in the United States graduated from an overseas medical school and that they are more likely to practice in underserved and poor communities, and to fill training positions in primary care and other specialties that face significant workforce shortages. Clarification of the order is urgently needed to ensure that it does not threaten the March match day when medical school graduates are assigned to training programs around the United States, Madara wrote. The turmoil over the Cleveland Clinic seems to arise from its perceived ties to Trump. Cleveland Clinic chief executive Toby Cosgrove is on an advisory council for the White House, along with several others, including executives from Walmart, JPMorgan Chase and General Electric, according to STAT News. The fundraiser Reflections of Versailles: A Night in the Hall of Mirrors, is scheduled for Feb. 25 at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort. The Cleveland Clinic has not responded to a request for comment, but hospital spokeswoman Eileen Sheil told STAT News that the event, which raises money to advance cardiovascular medicine, is still on. Several other medical institutions which have been affected by Trumps executive order also are planning to hold fundraisers this month at his resort. The call to cancel the Cleveland Clinic event comes just days after a 26-year-old medical resident at the clinic was stopped at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and sent back to Saudi Arabia, where she was born. Her passport is from Sudan, according to ProPublica, an independent investigative journalism organization. Sudan is one of seven countries included in the presidents executive order on immigration; the others are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Suha Abushamma, who is in the internal medicine residency program at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an interview with ProPublica that she had gone to spend time with family in Saudi Arabia and then onto Sudan, when she heard rumors about a possible travel ban. She cut her trip short and returned to the United States on Saturday. But at John F. Kennedy airport, Customs and Border Protection agents stopped her and told her she either had to leave on her own or she would be removed from the country. Im only in this country to be a doctor, to work and to help people thats it, she told ProPublica on her way back to Saudi Arabia. Theres no other reason. Abushamma has since filed a lawsuit against the president, claiming that she was unlawfully detained and then misled and coerced into signing away her visa. The lawsuit claims: The CBP agents did not tell her and she did not understand that she was actually signing a Form I-275, Withdrawal of Application for Admission/Consular Notification (Form I-275). No one told her that upon signing the form, her valid H-1B visa would purportedly be cancelled. Instead, CBP agents falsely told Dr. Abushamma that if she did not sign the form, she would be forcibly removed from the United States and banned from reentry for five years. Abushamma was neither allowed to speak with her attorney nor would Customs and Border Protection agents speak with the attorney, according to the lawsuit. About 7 p.m. Saturday, Abushamma, who had been texting with her attorney, David Leopold, sent him a message, Im going. I dont have a choice, according to the lawsuit. Leopold reportedly told her that her attorneys were in the process of filing a writ of habeas corpus on her behalf. The lawsuit states that she replied: I do not have the option. Its leave voluntarily or by force thats all. Ultimately, Abushamma signed the form and was put on a plane. A few dozen doctors from the Cleveland Clinic crowded outside the facilities Thursday, silently protesting Abushammas deportation, carrying photos of the medical resident and signs reading, #BringSuhaBack, according to Cleveland.com. The Cleveland Clinic has not publicly mentioned Abushamma by name but said that Trumps executive order has caused a great deal of uncertainty and has impacted some of our employees who are traveling overseas. We deeply care about all of our employees and are fully committed to the safe return of those who have been affected by this action, it said earlier in a statement. The Cleveland Clinic was in the news last month when one of its doctors went on an anti-vaccine rant in a column on Cleveland.com, claiming a flu shot made him ill. The hospital came out in support of vaccines, and Daniel Neides, medical director and chief operating officer of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, later issued an apology in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. On Thursday, the government agreed to allow another medical resident, Amer al-Homssi, a first-year resident in the Chicago area and a Syrian national, back into the United States a day after his attorney filed suit in federal court. Al-Homssi, who is training at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., had been stuck in Abu Dhabi, where he had traveled to get married. DC Comics has its highly anticipated solo film on the way in Junes Wonder Woman. But looking beyond that, Aquaman is shaping up to be the next big fish that could help DCs cinematic fortunes. From the outset, Jason Momoa has been hailed as an inspired pick to play the title role, with Patrick Wilson (villainous half-brother Orm), Amber Heard (Aquaman squeeze Mera) and Willem Dafoe (wise Dr. Vulko) also aboard. Now comes word that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Get Down) has been cast to play the evil Black Manta on the heels of the actor having been shortlisted to play young Lando Calrissian in Star Wars Han Solo spinoff (the part went to Donald Glover). Also this week: The Hollywood Reporter says that Nicole Kidman is in talks to play Aquamans mother for her fellow Aussie, director James Wan. So while many DC fans have trained their focus on the forthcoming Justice League and a solo Batman film (which now has no director), Aquaman is coming together in ways that boost our hope for what the Saw and Furious 7 filmmaker can deliver in creating his own Atlantis. Plus, big-screen Aquaman will be introduced to many superhero fans this November in Justice League; as one of the strongest metahumans around, Momoas hero should figure quite prominently in the action. This is the slated DC project that we predict will be the biggest surprise over the next two years (the film is set for October 2018). The biggest reason for our belief? Because in Wan, the film boasts a director who can juggle the storytelling threads within an action film the weakest aspect, by contrast, of Zack Snyders skill set. Now, if only someone of Forest Whitakers caliber would be cast as Aquadad. DALLAS Childrens Health has paid an almost $3.2 million federal penalty after a multiyear investigation into patient data privacy breaches. Scott Summerall, a spokesman for the health system, said Thursday that the Childrens Medical Center of Dallas self-reported the breaches that were part of the federal investigation. He said hospital administrators dont think the stolen data has been used in a way that has negatively affected patients or their families. We have also enacted many levels of protection across our variety of devices. We train our colleagues on the importance of protecting patient information, and the methods by which they do so, he wrote in an emailed response to questions from The Associated Press. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights said Wednesday that the finding against the hospital was the result of impermissible disclosure of unsecured health information. The hospital self-reported the loss of three devices, two of which contained patient data. According to the report, a BlackBerry containing unencrypted patient information for 3,800 individuals was lost at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in 2009, and an unencrypted laptop containing information for almost 2,500 patients was stolen from the hospital in 2013. Childrens issued unencrypted BlackBerry devices to nurses and allowed its workforce members to continue using unencrypted laptops and other mobile devices until 2013, according to the statement published on the Health and Human Services website. Summerall said the system decided to pay the fine rather than contesting the determination because it would be a long and costly distraction from our mission to make life better for children. SANTA FE Gov. Susana Martinez touched off a political donnybrook Thursday by using her line-item veto authority to ax $800,000 in emergency funds for the New Mexico court system for the second time in a week from a bill covering legislative session expenses. The governor signed off on the rest of the measure, House Bill 1, which appropriates $8.6 million to cover expenses of the 60-day legislative session that began last month. That means the roughly 450 session employees will likely get their paychecks today, something that had been in doubt until the bill was signed. Breaking from tradition, lawmakers tacked on an additional $800,000 to the feed bill for courts, and that is what Martinez vetoed Thursday. With the cash-strapped court system on track to halt jury trials starting next month due to a lack of funds, Martinez accused lawmakers of not thoroughly vetting court spending levels. Ive said since Day One that in order to solve our budget challenges, every branch of government has to contribute by tightening its belt that way our families dont have to, the two-term Republican governor said in a statement. Unfortunately, this has fallen on deaf ears in the Democrat-controlled Legislature. She also vowed to call a meeting of the state Board of Finance to address the court systems request for emergency funds, but that might not happen for several weeks. In response, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, blasted the governor for vetoing the court funds for a second time. Without additional funding, our state will be far less safe because of the governors veto today, Wirth said in a statement Thursday. The coming chaos in our courts system can be placed squarely at the feet of this governor. Other Democratic lawmakers launched similar volleys, with Sen. John Sapien, D-Corrales, accusing the governor of a lack of leadership. Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Daniels told members of the Senate Finance Committee later Thursday that the judicial system will have to stop conducting jury trials on March 1 if emergency funding isnt provided in the next four weeks. He also said the state Supreme Court is preparing to furlough employees, and shut the court, on nine separate days between now and the end of June. Our state is in a constitutional crisis, Daniels said. This is not a situation that can be fixed with a Band-Aid. The chief justice said court officials are willing to make their case to the Board of Finance, which is controlled by the governor, but pointed out that the board considered a similar request in December and put off making a decision, saying it should be the Legislatures job to fund the court system. Daniels said he did not want to enter the political fray over the issue, but he disputed suggestions the court system is squandering funds. Were saving money in every way we can, Daniels said, alluding to recent reductions in hourly pay and mileage reimbursement rates for jurors. Martinez last week vetoed lawmakers first proposed feed bill, prompting legislators to act quickly to pass an alternative bill that was delivered to her desk earlier this week. The bill signed Thursday by the governor appropriates about $300,000 less for session expenses than the measure previously vetoed by the governor, but some House Republicans said legislative spending should have been reduced even more, given an ongoing budget crunch thats prompted sweeping spending cuts. Im not totally satisfied with the amount of cuts we did to the legislative budget, Rep. Paul Bandy, R-Aztec, told reporters. Meanwhile, the roughly 450 legislative session employees had been uncertain about whether they would receive paychecks today the scheduled payday for all state workers but the governors approval of the measure makes it appear likely they will. A Department of Finance and Administration spokeswoman said payroll workers were writing checks by hand Thursday, with the intention of distributing them today. The bill also paves the way for lawmakers to begin receiving their per diem payments. Although New Mexico lawmakers do not receive a salary, they do receive a per diem currently set at $164 per day thats intended to offset the cost of lodging and meals. DENVER The Latest on the killing of a transit guard in downtown Denver (all times local): 2 p.m. A Denver area mosque warned federal authorities about the radical leanings of man who is now accused of killing a transit officer. A law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press that investigators interviewed Cummings in December after members of a Denver-area mosque reported concerns about him to the FBI. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity A Dec. 24 email to the Department of Homeland Security provided by an unidentified mosque says that a Muslim convert named Joshua from Pampa, Texas, said it was OK to fight to establish the rule of Islam. The suspected gunman, Joshua Cummings, has ties to several cities in Texas, including Pampa. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security didnt respond to requests for comment. Information from Associated Press writers Sadie Gurman in Washington and Jim Anderson in Denver. _____ 12:50 p.m. A court hearing for a man accused in the point blank shooting death of a transit guard in downtown Denver has been canceled. Joshua Cummings had been scheduled to appear in county court Thursday afternoon. He will instead appear in state district court Friday under a new policy for murder cases. Police are looking for a motive for the apparent unprovoked attack Tuesday evening near Union Station, a hub for buses and trains, and the citys pedestrian mall. Scott Von Lanken was shot as he was trying to help two women who were afraid they had missed the last light rail train. One of them told investigators the man walked up behind the officer. Police say they found the 37-year-old Cummings hiding nearby with a 9mm handgun. LUKEVILLE, Ariz. A Phoenix woman coming back from Mexico on Tuesday was arrested after border officers found drugs in her boat. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Lukeville port of entry in Arizona say they found 360 pounds of marijuana in a boat being towed in the back of her truck. CBP says the drugs are worth about $180,000. Lukeville is the port of entry used to get to and from the popular beach destination Rocky Point, also known as Puerto Penasco. WASHINGTON Senate Republicans on Thursday again used their majority to suspend committee rules and push through another Trump administration nominee, Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, bypassing Democrats who for the second day had refused to show up for a vote on his nomination. Elections have consequences, and a new president is entitled to put in place people who will advance his agenda, said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who chairs the Committee on Environment and Public Works. We took this extraordinary step because the minority members of the committee took the extraordinary step of boycotting. Committee Republicans approved Pruitts nomination 11-0 on a roll call vote and sent it on to the full Senate despite the objections of Democrats, who had already boycotted a Wednesday session in a show of solidarity against someone who has repeatedly sued the EPA in recent years. The committees move comes a day after Republicans used similar tactics to advance the nominations of Trumps treasury nominee, Steven Mnuchin, and his selection for health and human services secretary, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. The committees procedural rules allow them to be changed or suspended by vote of a majority of committee members at a business meeting if a quorum is present. Barrasso said the Senate parliamentarian had ruled Thursdays procedure proper under those rules, though the Senator added that the Democrats boycott had put us in. . .uncharted waters. Democrats specific objections to Pruitt turn not only on his anti-regulatory bent but on their concerns that he did not adequately answer the written questions they sent him following his confirmation hearing. From the outset of this confirmation process, Scott Pruitt has consistently misrepresented his environmental record and denied us the information we require to perform our duty to advise and consent, charged Delaware Sen. Tom Carper, the committee ranking Democrat. After the committee majoritys action, Carper responded: We cannot advise the full Senate on whether Scott Pruitt will lead the EPA in a manner that will protect the publics heath in the absence of critical information about his record. And we cannot consent to move his nomination forward until the Committee does its job and gets those answers. Pruitts written responses also reflected a more detailed and specific expression of doubt about the science of climate change, compared with the vaguer statements he made in his confirmation hearing. I am also aware that warmest year ever claims from NASA and NOAA are based on minimal temperature differences that fall within the margin of error, Pruitt asserted in one response. In actuality, however, NASA expressed a more than 95 percent certainty that 2016 was the warmest year on record (dating back to 1880) and NOAA gave a 62 percent certainty. The League of Conservation Voters reacted scathingly to the committees action Thursday morning. Its all too fitting that on Groundhog Day wed wake up to the same egregiously irresponsible tactics by Senate Republicans to ram through an EPA nominee who refuses to answer vitally important questions, Tiernan Sittenfield, senior vice president of government affairs, said in a statement shortly after the vote. Everything about Pruitt is antithetical to the vitally important mission of the EPA, and we call on the full Senate to reject his nomination. This is the story of how, in the hyperactive Age of Trump, something that initially appeared to be a major change in policy turned into a nothing-burger. Early Thursday morning, both political and journalistic antennae shot up when the Treasury Department posted a brief paragraph titled Publication of Cyber-related General License. Pursuant to last months sanctions by the Obama administration on Russias intelligence service for interfering in the U.S. election, it said, certain transactions with the service, known as the FSB, were to be authorized. At first glance, the notice appeared to be the first step toward lifting Obama-era sanctions on Russia, something President Donald Trump has indicated he might want to do as he fashioned a new relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. That interpretation was bolstered when former FSB director Nikolai Kovalyov, now a member of the Russian parliament, called it the first step on the way leading to cooperation in the war on terror. This shows that actual joint work on establishing an anti-terrorism coalition is about to begin, Kovalyov told Tass. The Russian news site reported that U.S. authorities have eased sanctions against Russias FSB. On Capitol Hill, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a strong sanctions supporter, told reporters that his staff was still examining the matter, although the initial read was that it was a technical fix. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., a member of the House Intelligence Committee, was far less sure. Instead of punishing Russia for its attacks on our democracy, Swalwell said in a statement, Trump is easing sanctions against its team of hackers, the FSB. He called on Congress to act swiftly to reimpose these sanctions so that those who attack America know theres a price to pay. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., said that Trump had inexplicably decided to reward Russia for bad behavior. For someone who purports to be the ultimate dealmaker, Pascrell said in a statement, this sounds like a raw deal to me. Sen. Cory Garner, R-Colo., chose the moment to announce he was joining a bipartisan group of sponsors of the Counteracting Russian Hostilities Act of 2017, a measure calling for even more sanctions against Russia. At the White House, press secretary Sean Spicer denied any policy change, saying such tweaks were standard operating procedure. By midafternoon, after failing to respond for hours to media calls asking for an explanation, Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control organized a call-in briefing with a senior Treasury official, who, it cautioned, could not be quoted. The official explained that U.S. exports of certain communications technology items, mostly consumer goods such as cellphones, tablets and low-level encryption software, were and remain legal. In the Russian system, however, the FSB is responsible for processing their import. Sanctions prohibiting any dealings with the FSB which charges a fee for its processing service meant that exports had stopped. U.S. exporters had complained, the official said, so the new administration looked into the matter and decided they had a point. The fix now allows U.S. companies, prohibited from dealing with the FSB in any other way, to pay up to $5,000 a year in FSB fees so that Russians can buy American-exported cellphones and other consumer items. Other sanctions remain in place. Another way to think about it, said Richard Nephew, a former sanctions coordinator at the State Department, is that the sanctions tweak permits Americans to get licenses to sell Russians things that protect them from government eavesdropping. . . . This in theory helps Russians get goods that allow them to have encrypted, sensitive conversations away from Russian government prying. WASHINGTON Senate Republicans pushed Scott Pruitts nomination to the Environmental Protection Agency through committee on Thursday, using a procedural maneuver for the third time this week to ignore Democrats and send one of President Trumps Cabinet nominees to the Senate floor. Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee suspended the panels rules and approved Pruitt on Thursday morning, with 11 votes in favor and none opposed. Democrats did not show up. Its disappointing [Democrats] chose that course of action, but we will not allow it to obstruct, Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said of the boycott. The minority wants political theater. The nation needs a new EPA administrator. Democrats accused Pruitt of stonewalling their requests for additional information. We still have not received the relevant documents and the substantive answers weve requested from Mr. Pruitt, Ranking Member Tom Carper, D-Del., said in a statement after the vote. We have made our requests perfectly clear, and I believe they are entirely reasonable. The drama on Capitol Hill is unfolding at a time when Democrats, under intense pressure from liberal activists, have become increasingly emboldened to block Trumps agenda and appointees. Democrats were enraged by the administrations executive order issued over the weekend to bar travel to the United States by people from seven majority-Muslim countries. They galvanized around the firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates, who was dismissed for refusing to enforce the ban. Some Democrats were also angered by the presidents nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court on Tuesday night, arguing that Republicans cannot expect them to swiftly approve the selection after their blockade of then-President Barack Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland. Democrats committee boycotts are not expected to bar any Trump nominees from confirmation. But Trumps pick for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, is encountering headwinds in the form of opposition from two GOP senators. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) signaled Wednesday they do not plan to support DeVos, leaving Democrats one vote shy of the number needed to doom her nomination. Both senators cited uncertainty about whether DeVos, an avid supporter of charter schools and school vouchers, is sufficiently committed to helping public schools. Republicans also advanced this week the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., for attorney general, and they finalized confirmation of former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson for secretary of state by a vote of 56 to 43. With Tillerson, six high-ranking Trump nominees have been approved by the full Senate: Elaine Chao as transportation secretary; retired generals John F. Kelly and Jim Mattis at the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon; Mike Pompeo to lead the CIA; and Nikki Haley to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. I think that Devos will finish on Monday and then Sessions I think will be the next one up, said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas. When Democrats boycotted a Senate Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, Republicans reacted by suspending the rules in order to approve Steven T. Mnuchin as treasury secretary and Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., as health and human services secretary. Their nominations now head to the Senate floor for up-or-down votes, although it is unclear when they will occur. Republicans on this committee showed up to do our jobs. Yesterday, rather than accept anything less than their desired outcome, our Democrat colleagues chose to cower in the hallway and hold a press conference, Hatch said. Separately, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday approved Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., to lead the Office of Management and Budget on a vote of 8 to 7. Among the yes votes was Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who had suggested he might vote against Mulvaney given his stance on curtailing defense spending. On Thursday, McCain said he voted for Mulvaneyto allow a full Senate debate on his nomination, but warned that he continues to have concerns about it. The Senate Committee on the Budget, which also holds sway over the nomination, also approved Mulvaney on Thursday morning on a party-line vote of 12-11. Democrats are going to keep fighting back, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. We are going to stand with people across the country. And we will keep pushing Republicans to put country above party and stand with us. In committee, GOP members incensed by Democratic boycotts spent the first part of the week exploring how they could quickly approve nominees such as Price and Mnuchin and punish Democrats for their absences. Staffers for the Finance panel scoured its lengthy rule book and discovered it permits the majority party to temporarily suspend the rules and meet without Democrats. Hatch said he consulted the Senate parliamentarian, who serves as a referee on all disputes in committees and on the Senate floor, who said doing so was within bounds. After weeks of back-and-forth about Trumps nominees, the boycott was the last straw, explained Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., who pushed staffers to explore their options. Some members of the GOP dismissed accusations that the party is bending Senate procedure to quickly confirm Trumps picks. I think people expect senators to show up for work and be there. Its unfortunate, said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Democrats, meanwhile, defended their protests as necessary to register their frustration after a small group of Republicans refused to allow them to question nominees once new information came to light. In the Environment and Public Works Committee, Republicans vented their frustration when Democrats did not show up for a vote on Pruitt that was scheduled for Wednesday. A GOP aide displayed a chart designed to show how quickly past EPA nominees were confirmed. Notably missing, however, was Obamas second EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy. Nominated in March 2013, McCarthy was not confirmed until July of that year at one point, Republicans on the Environment Committee boycotted a meeting to demand that McCarthy answer more questions. That was not a new president, newly elected, said Barrasso, arguing that the GOP boycott differed because it happened during Obamas second term. A newly elected president, I believe, has a right to their Cabinet. The Washington Posts Ed OKeefe, Sean Sullivan and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. WASHINGTON At a recent reception at WAMU, a couple dozen of the Washington, D.C., public radio stations most active community supporters gathered to meet the man succeeding a legend. Many were fans of Diane Rehm yet open to change theoretically. Rehm had built a loyal following over 37 years with her singular blend of charm and steel. The Diane Rehm Show aired on 198 stations and reached 2.8 million listeners a week by the time she signed off in December. Those gathered here were also still shell-shocked from the presidential election not simply because of Donald Trumps win, but by the disorienting coarseness of public conversation these days, the seeming disregard for fact and truth, the mad hyper-partisanship on both the left and the right. Joshua Johnson, freshly anointed to inherit Rehms microphone, sensed they needed a pep talk. He stood before the room without notes and took everyone back to first principles. Remember where the term broadcasting comes from? he asked. It goes back to the farmer casting his seeds broadly so that something might grow, he said. He pantomimed a farmer sewing handfuls of seeds. In just a few minutes his voice reached a crescendo, a bravura re-consecration of journalism in these times as advanced citizenship. There is still something to grow, he said. There are still seeds to cast. There is still something to build. There are still people to feed with useful, honest, fair, thoughtful information, and a conversation thats for everyone. After the applause, the energy in the room rose. The talk over wine and hors doeuvres was less woe is us and more on we go. These people werent just donors and volunteers; Johnson had renewed their membership in a larger mission. On the margin of the crowd, WAMU brass murmured to one another about just how perfect the new talk show host was turning out to be. When the one who would fill Rehms time slot was announced late last year, the reaction across much of pledge-drive land was Joshua who? The 36-year-old former drive-time host in San Francisco did not have a show of his own at the time. In fact, he was not on the air at all. There were much safer bets out there than Joshua, says Rupert Allman, executive producer of 1A, the new talk show hosted by Johnson. When Johnson came on the air from 10 a.m. to noon weekdays starting Jan. 2, it was the first time his voice had been heard daily across the nation. The safer bets included well-known public radio voices (whom producers decline to identify now), among 30 candidates for the job. But WAMU wasnt interested in playing it safe. Executives had been fighting a perception that the station, despite its perch in the nations capital, lacked the creative ferment of outlets in New York, Boston and elsewhere. They were stirred by the ambition to use this moment of transition to go big and bold. New show new voice. Listeners didnt realize it, but substitute hosts periodically filling in for Rehm last year were actually auditioning. Johnsons turn came at the end of September. First he shadowed Rehm for a day. He was tall and engaging, with gym-built arms stretching his suit. He endeared himself to the shows staff by pitching in with technical facility on such chores as drafting and recording promos measured to the second. Back in his hotel, he studied maniacally for his two-day stint as host. As he prepared for segments on child-care policy, 9/11 lawsuits and the week in politics, for inspiration he listened to music from Hamilton, where Lin-Manuel Miranda sings the hip-hop anthem of determined young dreamers: Im not throwin away my shot! The next day he took a seat in the studio, put on headphones and, if you were listening carefully, you might have heard the story of public radio in Washington beginning to change. Rehm, who was among those who had known nothing of Johnson before, tuned in. When he came on, I was listening from home, Rehm says. I went: Wow! Who is this fellow? There had been a subtle anticipation that the person to succeed Rehm would probably be a woman. After Johnson aced the audition and the interviews, station managers found themselves elevating an African-American man to one of the more high-profile platforms in public radio. Johnson came up with the name of the show, after WAMU had compiled a list of clunkier possibilities, reportedly including Talk Republic and The Follow. To Johnson, the expression 1A conjured the front page of a newspaper, a dive into the most urgent topics of the day. Station managers liked it for an additional connotation: 1A could be shorthand for the First Amendment. Now 1A, like The Diane Rehm Show, takes its place among four programs produced around midday that NPR distributes to independent member stations nationwide, along with On Point and Here & Now from WBUR in Boston and Fresh Air from WHYY in Philadelphia. 1A started on 169 stations and is now up to 194, which is less shrinkage from the Rehm show than executives feared, and already more than the target they had set for a year from now. Im ultimately less concerned with the number of stations carrying the show than with the audience, and whats the audience composition, said Jarl Mohn, president of NPR. He wants a larger share of 25- to 54-year-olds to tune in and more diverse listeners. Audience estimates wont be out for months, but an early data point was that the 1A podcast hit No. 4 overall on iTunes and No. 1 for news and politics. The expectations, said Mohn, are incredibly high. Johnson first dreamed of creating and hosting a radio show when he was about 5 or 6. He recalls prowling his grandmothers house after Sunday dinner with a stick in his hand as a microphone. He asked each guest what a carburetor was, and if someone didnt know, he explained. To this day I do not remember how a carburetor works, but I remember how I felt when I told them, Johnson said one afternoon at the station. I think from before I was old enough to know what I was onto, I was onto the idea that information was a currency, that it was a way to create influence, it was a form of power, it could confer attention, that it could confer prestige, and that it could change the way people interacted with you. It could foster trust. He is from West Palm Beach, Florida, the only child of a retired public school librarian and an Army veteran of the Vietnam War who owned a carpet-cleaning business. His stepfather is a teachers union executive. Growing up, he noticed there werent a lot of journalists who looked like him on television, but he paid close attention to pioneers such as Bernard Shaw and Ed Bradley. Radio was different. His mother introduced him to public radio during a middle school summer studies program in Philadelphia. She liked jazz, and the local jazz station segued into All Things Considered. Johnson became hooked on the dulcet sagacity of Robert Siegel. Besides being more contemplative than television, public radio was about sound, not color. I was very blessed in that I never grew up with the idea that public radio was just for white folks, that public radio was something that I could not have because Im black, he said. Until I got old enough to know what other people thought of NPR. He paused in mock shock at the stereotype that public radio is a home of white liberalism. Then it became clear, like: Oh. This is yet another one of those areas in which my friends are going to say Im acting white. But fortunately, my parents, my family, the people around me, my mentors were supportive enough that I never let that stop me. One of my goals here at 1A and also just personally is to make sure we broaden that conception, not just about race, although race is part of it, but also about politics. He wouldnt discuss his personal politics and said listeners of 1A will never hear him editorialize. He wears a bracelet that says: I Believe more a statement of optimism than ideology. His first job in public radio was working on a collaboration between WLRN in Miami and the Miami Herald. In 2010, he moved to KQED in San Francisco, where he served as the morning newscaster until early last year. As his career advanced he also resolved to be open as a gay man. They were connected decisions, he said. To go ahead into a white profession that I didnt see many people like me in, except for, at the time, Tavis Smiley and the decision to be out as much as I chose to be and just live my life and be happy. His partner owns a barbershop in San Francisco. They are in a long-distance relationship for now. There were moments of professional doubt on the way to Washington. A few years ago, Johnson attended a performance of Cirque du Soleil that opened his eyes and left him uncharacteristically sad. He felt he wasnt doing anything equally fun, creative and satisfying. He kept a fabric butterfly from Cirque on his desk at KQED. It spurred him to look for something more creative and useful and connective to do in radio. He eventually left his morning radio duties to work on a project he co-created called Truth Be Told, a show exploring race in America, while he also taught podcasting at the University of California at Berkeley. Only four episodes of Truth Be Told were distributed nationally, but that was enough to catch the attention of executive producer Allman at WAMU. When the door opened, Johnson said, I was ready to run through it and say, I believe that something great is on the other side. At the morning pre-show editorial meeting, Johnson stands, scrolling through a draft of the script on his tablet while eight producers sit around a long table. The discussion focuses on bringing in audience voices and personal stories in ways Rehm never did. She relied on live callers and also, during a show, would invite emails, tweets and Facebook posts. At 1A, days ahead of a show on a given topic, the call will go out from Johnson via his microphone and from producers via social media channels for listeners to submit their experiences. These telephone voice mails and digital voice memos are curated into montages or sequenced into clips designed to accent or challenge points being made in the live interviews that Johnson conducts in the studio. This is more than technological embroidery on the old talk show formula, Johnson and the producers say. Live callers slow things down with tangents about long-time listening, first-time calling and so forth (though 1A hasnt dispensed with live callers). The 1A pace is faster, and more voices make it on the air. Its a determined reach for the holy grail of all media today, to engage more intimately with listeners/readers/viewers and attract new ones especially younger ones, the sort who know how to create a digital voice memo and who may not be able to listen at 10 a.m. but will catch the podcast later and share it. We are going to make the world make more sense, and were going to do it with you, Johnson said of the relationship he hopes to establish with listeners. Were co-authoring this. On the air, Johnson sounds like a spirited, super-prepared graduate student who still has questions for the professor. Between segments on his first day, he tweeted his apologies for talking too fast and promised to do better. He flashes the technological and pop cultural fluency of a younger generation. During a segment on the risks and rewards of smart technologies like Amazon.coms Alexa, he joked about activating his listeners devices by saying the name over the air. He nonchalantly fielded a guests reference to Horcruxes (see: Harry Potter) and came back with an allusion to The Dark Knight. The tightrope Johnson must walk is to pilot a show that, paradoxically, is conceived as new but seeks to preserve an essence of Rehms legacy. (Rehm has just launched a podcast through WAMU called Diane Rehm: On My Mind.) But what if the new voice falters? Is there a Plan B for 1A? Allman chuckled at the question and proceeded not to answer it, except to note humorously that the show, after all, is called simply 1A not 1A with Joshua Johnson, nor The Joshua Johnson Show. Johnson said hes fine with that. What Im glad were doing is were creating a show that is built around an idea rather than an identity, he said. I am much more about preaching and living this gospel about the kinds of conversations were supposed to be having as Americans, and then doing it. And then once we do it, say, Now go and do likewise. To me thats much more fulfilling and fun than just saying, Look at me, Im a public radio star. RICHMOND, Va. Much of a legislative session is spent on matters that never become laws. Whether thats a waste of time or a crucial part of the democratic process came up for unusual debate Thursday after a committee chairman in the House of Delegates decided that it was time to move things along. Del. David Albo, R-Fairfax, who chairs the House Courts of Justice committee, decided that seven bills dealing with thorny issues of constitutional law were simply not worth discussing because theyll never be enacted. The bills covered weighty topics such as abortion, immigration sanctuaries and same-sex marriage, and came from Republicans and Democrats. In extraordinary letters sent to each bill sponsor, Albo essentially told them to get real. As you know, the Committee historically kills bills associated with liberal politics, and the Governor vetoes bills associated with conservative politics, Albo wrote. If we did spend the effort in hearing these bills, then we would have much less time to review the bills that actually have a chance to become law. The General Assembly is controlled by Republicans, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe is a Democrat who has promised to veto any measures that restrict access to abortion. Of the 2,172 bills introduced in the House and Senate last year, 811 were passed by the full Assembly. McAuliffe vetoed 32. Albo notedthat one of his subcommittees met until 10 oclock on Monday night. If he took up the seven bills, the soonest they could get on the docket was Friday. That meeting would take eight hours, he said. Then the full committee would have to meet over the weekend. So, he told them, hes not hearing the bills. Del. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, was so flummoxed by Albos letter that she held a news conference. I really struggled with whether or not to speak out, she said, but I felt like this was important enough. Boysko said she had never seen such an open acknowledgment of the machineries of power. I was a bit shocked by the fact that they would make it so clear . . . that what is a constitutional issue is not important enough to be addressed, she said. Her Whole Womans Health Act was aimed at bringing Virginia law into alignment with a recent Supreme Court ruling against using safety as a cover for restricting access to legal abortions. Boyskos measure would have eliminated Virginia requirements for licensing, second opinions and extra ultrasounds, among other steps, that make it more difficult to obtain an abortion. Several womens health advocates joined her in denouncing Albos step. I have a very simple message for Del. Albo and his caucus: Do your job, said Anna Scholl, the head of the ProgressVA advocacy group. The delegates should stay here until they get the job done. Every issue is important to someone. But Albo countered later in an interview that his committee is wrestling with several complex matters that take a great deal of time, such as the states DUI law and a measure about arresting terrorists. The work has to be done by next Tuesday, when the House has to send its bills to the Senate. Should I be spending time on bills that will never become law? Albo said. He conceded that its unusual to be so frank. I wanted to be upfront with people, he said. I didnt want to do anything secretly. The General Assembly is in the middle of a short, 45-day session. Next years is 60 days. Boysko and the others can have their hearing then, Albo said. Well pick a Friday, he said, and put up eight hours and let people have their day. RICHMOND, Va. The House of Delegates on Thursday approved a bill aimed at protecting religious organizations that decline to perform same-sex marriages. The measure passed on a largely party-line vote of 57-37, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting against it. Some supporters, including the bills sponsor, expressed concern about taking a position that has been widely criticized as endangering the rights of LGBT people. Describing the bill as something that has weighed a great deal on me, the sponsor, Del. Nicholas Freitas, R-Culpeper, said he would prefer to get the government out of the definition of marriage. But because Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, signed an executive order last month barring state agencies from doing business with companies that discriminate against people based on sexual orientation, Freitas said he felt compelled to act. Hanging over the debate was the ridicule and condemnation some states have received for actions seen as restricting gay marriage or LGBT rights. McAuliffe regularly uses North Carolina and its struggles with a bathroom bill as the boogeyman in warning lawmakers not to pass restrictions that will hurt the states ability to woo businesses and create jobs. With the legislation we have before us were actually poking a sore that none of us want to poke, said Del. Bobby Orrock, R-Caroline, adding thatwho said he had prayed about what to do. He had decided to support it, he said, with some hesitancy about how this will be phrased in certain quarters. Orrock said he supported the bill simply as a counter to what he considered McAuliffes overreach in issuing the executive order. Do NOT see this measure as Virginia taking a position in defiance of the Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, he said. I appreciate the fact that some of yall on the other side are wrestling with this issue, said one of the bills most ardent opponents, Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax. But he cautioned that beyond the moral question of supporting same-sex marriage, the bill raised a constitutional issue by carving out special protection for a specific religious belief. That is essentially establishing a state religion, he said. Its wrong. Its wrong for the message it sends and its also bad policy. Del. Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax, said the bills purpose of shielding organizations from being punished for refusing to perform a same-sex marriage had nothing to do with McAuliffes executive order, which was aimed at state contractors. This bill is an overreaction, she said. The measure now goes to the state Senate. Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network: The Budget has some good growth oriented features, which should help the overall economic growth. Whenever the economy grows by 1 per cent point, advertising grows by 1.5-2 per cent points and, therefore, this should benefit the advertising industry in the long run. There are several steps to encourage digitisation. This is the right direction and eventually this will also benefit the advertising industry. The fact that the Service Tax was not raised is a relief and the Finance Minister has taken into account the sufferings caused by temporary setbacks due to demonetisation and that is a welcome step. Personal taxation has shown some marginal relief, which should put some money into the pockets of people and spur the economy, though I wish some more had been done on that account. There was an expectation for corporate taxation to be reduced. Unfortunately, particularly for mid to large organised sector that has not happened, but hopefully it will happen in the near future. Overall, the Budget is better than what we had anticipated for the advertising & media industry, in my view. Vivek Bhargava, CEO, DAN Performance Group: Its a good budget overall and an extremely positive one for the digital industry. The strong focus on promoting a digital economy through various initiatives on the digital payments front will give a great impetus to the digital revolution that the country is currently undergoing. We are witnessing a significant increase in digital transactions owing to the cashless movement already, which is a huge indication of the times to come largely in the benefit of the common man. Its encouraging to see the government introduce movements like Digi-gaav and others which will take digital technology to the rural areas where most of the countrys population is actually based. This aggressive digital push is sure to contribute substantially in making India one of the fastest growing economies in 2017. Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman and CEO, FCB India: The focus on reviving rural consumption, digital India and SWAYAM were the highlights of Budget 2017 for me. The high impetus on digitisation will pave the way for empowerment of the common man. And will open doors to a massive opportunity, untapped as of now, in the digital space. Overall, a progressive budget. Zafar Rais, CEO, MindShift Interactive: The Union Budget 2017-2018 proposes reforms in tax rules with a positive impact on the corporate tax structure by providing a welcoming tax relief to medium and small business after the affects of demonetisation. The initiatives to encourage digital transactions have been maintained with an outlook on a digitised economy. Overall, the budget looks progressive, though we are awaiting more clarifications on the GST implementation. Venugopal Ganganna, CEO, Langoor: There are a few positives for the advertising world. The impact wont be an avalanche increase in spend in advertising rupees, but rather, more like drops filling up a bucket. Firstly, the strong push around digital transactions will result in greater digital spends. That should see some direct increase in digital marketing spends in particular. The reduction in tax rates will have some positives too. For smaller businesses, they will have slightly more room to invest within their business. That should see an increase in their marketing spends. News around making credit more available through banks will see businesses be more aggressive around building their brand. That increase in liquidity, especially for smaller businesses will directly impact advertising spend. The increased infrastructure spend will infuse some capital in the economy. Consumption should also increase given the reduction in tax rates at lower income levels. Both of these will see revenue growth for consumer brands, which will directly increase their budgets for advertising. We havent spotted any major negatives yet for this sector. Tripti Lochan, CEO, VML SEA & India: The Government has created a budget with prominence on digital. Demonetisations longer term benefits will percolate as the first step towards a cashless economy. But more importantly, there are incentives across all areas of the budget pushing digital. Ambika Sharma, Founder & MD, Pulp Strategy Communications: The latest budget announcement holds great promise. I am particularly enthused by the hike in capital allocation for women skill development initiatives to Rs 1.84 lakh crore for the 2017-18 fiscal. This move will empower women across the country and help them in becoming active contributors in the countrys growth. The allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for the BharatNet project is also promising, as it will bring high-speed internet connectivity to rural citizens in nearly 150,000 gram panchayats through Wi-Fi hotspots. With nearly 70 per cent of the countrys population living in rural and semi-urban geographies, the move will give the vision of a Digital India a big boost. On the business side, the reduction of corporate tax for MSMEs with annual turnover up to Rs 50 crore to 25 per cent is a very welcome move, which is expected to benefit nearly 96 per cent businesses in the industry. Given that corporate tax is one of the major expenses for the countrys MSMEs, the cut in tax rates will promote greater growth within the sector and will allow Indian businesses to become more competitive globally. Increasing the period for profit-linked deductions to three years out of seven years as against five years is also extremely positive news for the countrys entrepreneurial landscape. Since start-ups often do not generate any profits for the first few years of their operations, increasing the consideration period to seven years will benefit more start-ups and promote entrepreneurship across the country. The setting up of Payment Regulatory Board by RBI to replace BPSS (Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems) as the regulator of electronic payments is also a promising development in the quest to become a less-cash and digital-first economy. Ashish Shah, CEO and Founder, Vertoz: The Budget presented by the Finance Minister is encouraging for different strata of society. From agriculture and rural economy to digital initiatives and from FDI to relaxation in tax slab in the entry category, the Finance Minister had something for all. As a tech-based advertising firm, Vertoz welcomes these measures announced today to promote the digital sector. From infra layout to digital transactions and from introduction of Aadhaar Pay to cyber security, Budget 2017 is certainly a booster for the digital economy. In the second year of the unique engagement on Indian media, makers of Union Budget 2017-18 and policy planners will get interface with India Inc leaders to offer the most insightful and comprehensive budget impact assessment on Thursday, February 2, 2017, a day after the Union Budget is announced. CNBC-TV18 has consistently been the leader when it comes to demystifying and analyzing the Union Budget for the discerning Indian viewer every year. The channel has always been at the forefront of decoding the Union Budget and creating a platform for dialog and debate between industry and the government. Budget Verdict is one such initiative where the key mandarins of finance ministry and policy makers field questions from the invited corporate India Chief Executives. Policy architects and Key budget makers including Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog, Arvind Panagariya Vice-Chairman of Niti Aayog and the Secretaries panel from the finance ministry comprising of Shaktikanta Das - Economic Affairs Secretary, Hasmukh Adhia - Revenue Secretary, Ashok Lavasa, Finance Secretaryand Neeraj Kumar Gupta - Disinvestment Secretarywill field questions from CNBC-TV18s Managing Editor, Shereen Bhan and Mints Executive Editor, Anil Padmanabhan. Other dignitaries include Najib Shah, Chairman - Central Board of Excise and Customs and N K Singh, former Union Expenditure and Revenue Secretary and Currently Member BJP. The timing of the dialogue is important since it comes barely a day after the presentation of Union budget. The panel discussion will be followed by a key note address from Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines representative. The key highlight of the CNBC-TV18 Mint Budget Verdict will be the open house where India Inc leaders articulate their perspectives on the key policy document. CNBC- TV18 Mint Budget Verdict will have by far the biggest media play leveraging media assets of Network18 and HT Media. This guarantees an unprecedented audience reach encompassing diverse audiences across television, print and digital assets of the two groups. The event will be featured LIVE on CNBC- TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNN-News18, News18 India and IBN Lokmat. The surround via digital play would occur on moneycontrol.com and livemint.com. CNBC-TV18 Mint Budget Verdict will be webcast LIVE on livemint.com & CNBC-TV18s Facebook Page. Social media amplification would help integrate influencers outside of the venue to join the deliberations. Network18 & HT Media twitter and social media avatars will not only build-up the visibility for the engagement but also proactively amplify LIVE proceedings. The Federal Council Bern, 02.02.2017 - On 2 February 2017, the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) initiated the consultation on introducing the automatic exchange of information (AEOI) in tax matters with additional countries. The implementation of the AEOI is planned for 1 January 2018 so that the first exchange of information will take place in 2019. The consultation will last until 13 April 2017. The countries affected by the consultation are as follows: China, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Liechtenstein, Colombia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Montserrat, Aruba, Curacao, Belize, Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Cook Islands and the Marshall Islands. In order to join Switzerlands network of AEOI partner states, these additional countries will have to respect the principle of speciality and safeguard the confidentiality of the data delivered. The introduction of the AEOI with these states and territories confirms Switzerland's international commitment to implementing the AEOI standard. It is thereby reaffirming its intention to introduce the automatic exchange of information with states and territories that meet the requirements of the international AEOI standard, which has a positive impact on the integrity and competitiveness of Switzerland's financial centre. The vast majority of the countries committed to the application of the AEOI, and in particular the other international financial centres, have also included these states and territories in their lists of AEOI partner states. The consultation is running parallel to the consultation initiated on 1 December 2016 regarding the introduction of the AEOI with further states and territories from 2018/2019. Once the consultations have been completed, both proposals are to be merged into a single item and submitted to Parliament. From a legal viewpoint, the AEOI with the aforementioned states and territories will be implemented based on the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (MCAA). The MCAA is based on the international standard for the exchange of information developed by the OECD. Switzerland introduced the AEOI with all EU member states including Gibraltar in 2017, as well as with Australia, Iceland, Norway, Japan, Canada, South Korea and the British crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Data will be exchanged for the first time with these 38 states and territories in 2018. Address for enquiries Anne Cesard, Communications, State Secretariat for International Financial Matters SIF Tel. +41 58 462 62 91, anne.cesard@sif.admin.ch Publisher The Federal Council https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html Federal Department of Finance https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. 64 people requested asylum in Armenia in the second half of 2016. 9 in 64 are males and females under the age of 17. According to official data, 34 of the asylum seekers were Syrian citizens. 12 were Iraqis, 8 Iranians, 5 Ukrainians and 4 other nationals. 1 man had no citizenship. Overall 10 applications have been dropped or suspended. Somehow, some drivers still refuse to understand the danger of such actions , and place their lives in the hands of fate. A group of college students in Valley Brook, Oklahoma , were filming a DUI awareness promo last Sunday night, but their work was rudely interrupted by a driver.It is common when recording things on public roads to be interrupted by motorists, even though the film crew had requested the assistance of local police to limit traffic in the area and block the road.The interruption that we are referring took place because of the man, later identified as Richy Reese, was under the influence of alcohol.He was pulled over by an officer, who was at the scene of the DUI awareness promo recording, and was found to have a blood-alcohol content that was twice as high as the legal limit. The same driver had at least four DUI convictions, according to police officials quoted by Koco news.We are struggling to find a better definition of irony for a DUI than this situation, but we are sure that stranger things have and will happen.Like many other publications, autoevolution is against driving under the influence . Theres no excuse for getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after you have consumed alcohol. Be considerate, plan your steps ahead, and you will never do a DUI in your driving life.Its that simple - you just have to choose between drinking and driving, and the two directions must remain parallel forever. Otherwise, if they meet, a tragedy might happen, and people might die because someone got behind the wheel after having a drink. Dont be that person, and prevent your friends and acquaintances from being involved in a DUI. Industry analysts warn that the American corporation has endured its slowest month since January 2014 when sales are concerned, but the company has set its sights for a bright future.As GM notes, the conglomerate was the fastest-growing automaker on a retail sales basis in the world last year, but only when full-line companies are concerned.Meanwhile, Chevrolet was the number one full-line brand for two consecutive years in retail, and the bowtie has grown its market share by almost a full percentage point in spite of it leaving Europe at the end of 2015.In spite of the increase in market share, sales dropped by 1.9 percent for Chevy. The worst declines met were for the Cruze and Malibu models, which fell 39 and 43 percent when compared to January 2016.As Automotive News reports, General Motors told its dealers that it expects Chevrolet to gain retail market share, and the crossovers in the range will be responsible for a significant part of that effort.The GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Traverse, and Chevrolet Equinox are the models that will be introduced in the range to bring the necessary volumes to bring Chevy close to its expected figures.January was also the first full month of sales for the Chevrolet Bolt , which sold 1,162 units in the two states where it was available. February will bring the launch of this model in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Maryland, which should raise the figures for the brand. Crossovers are expected to be the big sellers for the bowtie, but the range of electric vehicles should be a positive addition to the results.Cadillac was the only brand in GMs portfolio that posted an increase in retail sales in January, while the other makes suffered decreases in the retail segment. On scene in Uxbridge earlier this morning, car into a pool. Occupants self extricated and were not injured pic.twitter.com/XVjxsDJG4s Matthew Gregoire (@BreakngNewsPhtg) February 1, 2017 The danger is real, and it comes in the form of swimming pools. While the threat was overlooked for decades, it appears that the culprits are people who have placed these constructions in their yards.Fortunately, the two teenage girls who drove a 2002 Lexus ES300 into a utility pole were not harmed by the vehicles immersion in a swimming pool. However, this could have ended in a tragedy, as the impact had the potential to be fatal if the circumstances were slightly changed.The cause of the wreck has yet to be concluded, but it looks like the 17-year-old girl who was driving lost control of the wheel on the way to the high school she was attending, CBS informs.The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m., when attention is faint for most drivers, and temperatures tend to be near freezing.Evidently, the vehicles speed could have been a factor here, as it was difficult to believe that a car that was being driven at a reasonable pace would crash into a utility pole and go through a fence if its driver was obeying the speed limit. We will not rush to condemn the teenage driver here, because you can have a stroke of bad luck and meet a patch of black ice when you least expect it.That is why you should always be alert while driving, and your mobile phone should be left alone when you are behind the wheel. Last year, we made a guide for beginner drivers , which we recommend to all those who have recently started driving . It applies to teenagers and adults that are new behind the wheel of an automobile. First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The Trump administration is being criticized for giving a top political adviser a seat on the presidents National Security Council, or NSC. Trump recently signed an order making changes to the NSC, which advises the president on national security issues and foreign policy. The order gave Trumps top strategist Steve Bannon a seat on the NCSs principals committee. The principals committee also includes top cabinet officials including the secretary of state and secretary of defense. The order also changed a requirement for other members of the principals committee the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence. These individuals will no longer be required to attend all meetings of the committee. They will only have to attend when "issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed." White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked whether the changes amounted to a demotion for the two officials. He called that idea nonsense. He said the order did not change the fact that those positions are still part of the NSC. Spicer added that the change will allow the officials to avoid some meetings that dont directly relate to their departments. Some are critical of Bannons seat in the NSC Most of the criticism of Trumps NSC reorganization has focused on Bannon. He was a close political adviser to Trump throughout his campaign and was appointed as his top strategist in the White House. Leon Panetta served in past administrations as secretary of defense and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He told CNN he was concerned about Trump giving a seat on the NSC to a political adviser. The purpose of the NSC is to provide the president with the best advice from the top national security experts, Panetta said. It isnt to have a political adviser who is going to make recommendations based on what polls well. Thats the worst thing you could do. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence. She told Maine Public Radio, (Bannon) does not have the expertise that the director of National Intelligence or the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have, and this is entirely inappropriate. Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, praised Trumps national security team overall. But he criticized the choice of Bannon. He called the appointment a radical departure from any National Security Council in history. Spicer responded to the criticisms by pointing out Bannons experience in the Navy and with international affairs. "He is a former naval officer. He's got a tremendous understanding of the world and the geopolitical landscape that we have now," Spicer told ABC's This Week. He added that "having the chief strategist for the president in those meetings, who has a significant military background, to help make and guide what the president's final analysis is going to be, is crucial. Is it legal? Some critics have cited a part of US law that outlines the legal structure of the NSC. The law mentions a requirement for NSC members to be appointed by the president, as well as by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. However, some legal experts who studied Trumps order have concluded that Bannon likely does not require approval from the U.S. Senate to sit on the NSC committee. One expert noted that Trumps order designates Bannon as an invitee to attend all meetings of the NSC, but not as a full member of the committee. Legal scholar Laurence Tribe from Americas Harvard University Law School tweeted his opinion on the issue. He said he does not believe Bannon needs Senate confirmation to serve on the principals committee, which in his words "isnt part of the NSC as such. Tribe added that the role Bannon has been given is crazy and dangerous, but it doesn't seem to violate any law, though it probably should. Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia announced he will introduce legislation to clarify who can legally serve on the NSC. He called Trumps choice of Bannon misguided and deeply troubling. Warners bill would require Congressional approval for a non-Senate confirmed political choice such as Bannon to the NSC. However, the legislation has little chance of passing in the Republican-controlled Congress. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reporting by VOAs Jeff Seldin and the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story strategist n. person good at making plans for achieving successful goals pertain v. relate to something demotion n. change in rank to a lower position inappropriate adj. not suitable clarify v. make something clear or easier to understand landscape n. particular area of activity crucial adj. extremely important or necessary consent n. permission for something to happen designate v. choose someone for a purpose or position Ralph Henry Reese remembers clearly the day he and his wife decided to start City of Asylum Pittsburgh. It was in 1997. He and his wife, Diane Samuels, were attending a talk by British Indian writer Salman Rushdie at the University of Pittsburgh. The famous author had just started making public appearances again after several years of hiding. Rushdies 1989 novel The Satanic Verses had offended many Muslims because of its portrayal of Islam. After its publication, the Supreme Leader of Iran issued a fatwa ordering Rushdies execution. While in hiding, Rushdie and other writers in danger formed the International Parliament of Writers.The group urged cities in Europe to provide support and safety for writers in exile. These cities became known as Cities of Asylum. Writers who stayed in these cities could feel safe and secure again. More importantly, they could also enjoy freedom of expression again. Rushdie spoke about the Cities of Asylum in that 1997 talk at the University of Pittsburgh. Almost immediately, Reese and Samuels started thinking about how they could make Pittsburgh a city of asylum, too. Reese grew up near Pittsburgh in a small town called Homestead, Pennsylvania. The area was home to one of the first big steel plants in the United States. A very famous small town because it was the site of the original labor riots back in the early steel industry. And it was sort of legendary and it was a much-studied community because of the turmoil and the immigrants in the community and the diversity of the people. For much of his adult life, Reese was an entrepreneur. He owned his own business. He describes himself as being able to create and develop ideas. And in 1997, a new idea presented itself. Rushdies mention of European cities of asylum made Henry Reese and Diane Samuels think about how they and the city of Pittsburgh might be able to help writers in exile. He [Rushdie] talked briefly about the City of Asylum network in Europe. And Diane and I had a house at the time. We were renting out -- it had been at one time a crack house and we had acquired it to keep it from becoming a crack house again. And we thought, what a perfect house for a writer. Shortly after hearing Rushdies talk, Ralph Henry Reese wrote to the Cities of Asylum network in Europe. He expressed interest in giving a writer in danger to a safe place to live. Several years went by before Reese and Samuels heard anything. Then, in 2003, they received an email. The Cities of Asylum program was looking to expand in the United States. And one year later, the City of Asylum Pittsburgh opened its doors. City of Asylum Pittsburgh began to provide sanctuary to a writer exiled under threat of persecution. Persecution meaning the writer could be endangered with prison, violence or censored in a way that you cant publish freely. City of Asylum Pittsburghs first writer was Huang Xiang, a poet from China. When he came here he wanted to celebrate his freedom. He had never been allowed to express himself. [He had] never been published. He'd been tortured where his mouth had been beaten in so he couldn't even recite his poetry publicly, or they try to prevent it. WATCH: Henry Reese on importance of learning English for writers in exile When Huang arrived in Pittsburgh, Reese says, he wanted to carve his poetry into the mountains outside the city. Huang spoke little English. He communicated through his wife, who translated for him. At first, Reese and Samuels thought they might have misunderstood Huangs wishes. "And we thought Oh are we really hearing this? Indeed, that was Huangs wish. But, Samuels came up with an easier way for Huang to display his words. So Diane came up with the idea of putting his poetry on the outside of the house there. So he immediately came and did this beautiful calligraphy. It became a landmark instantly people came looking for it. He would come out and perform at his house. The row house was once a drug house. Now, it is decorated with Chinese poetry. Huangs home is known as House Poem. Today, City of Asylum Pittsburgh is made up of several row houses on the block of Samsponia Way. Its other houses have names. The names serve as reminders of the exiled writers who have lived there. City of Asylum Pittsburgh has provided homes for exiled writers from six countries: China, El Salvador, Burma, Venezuela, Iran and Bangladesh. The program gives the writers a place to live, an income and medical benefits. It also provides support for them to continue being who they are: writers. We feel its extremely important that the writer maintain the identity of being a writer and the only way to do that, in exile, is to be published in the country youre in. Reese says the City of Asylum Pittsburgh offers its writers a chance to express themselves freely, without threat. And for some, that feeling is entirely new. Freedom of expression can inspire many people in a deep way. This is a country -- the United States is a country -- where First Amendment rights and the idea to speak your mind is just so deeply ingrained that I think that is fundamental and everybody feels that is a sense of entitlement. But, I think everybody in this community understands the value of what we have here, and is more committed to understanding the meaning of creative expression, First Amendment rights in a different way, than maybe we did before. Because we have monuments in our midst, living monuments, who represent what it's like to lose that. Im Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Next time on People in America, exiled writer and poet Tuhin Das talks about his experience at City of Asylum Pittsburgh. Listening Quiz See how well you understand this story by taking a listening quiz. Play each video, then answer the question. Quiz: Henry Reese, Co-Founder of City of Asylum, Pittsburgh Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words In This Story appearance n. the way that someone or something looks portrayal n. the act of showing or describing someone or something especially in a painting, book, etc. fatwa n. a ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority. turmoil n. a state of confusion or disorder crack house n. a house or apartment where the illegal drug crack is made, used or sold sanctuary n. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter endangered adj. seriously at risk or in danger persecution - n. the unfair or cruel treatment treat of someone, especially because of race or religious or political beliefs tortured v. to cause someone to experience severe physical pain especially as a form of punishment to force that person to do something or say something carve v. to create something by cutting into a surface calligraphy n. the art of making beautiful handwriting landmark n. an object or structure on land that is easy to see and recognize row house n. a house in a row of houses that shares a wall with the houses next to it entirely adv. completely or fully: not lacking or leaving out any part First Amendment an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, prohibiting Congress from interfering with freedom of religion, speech, assembly, or petition. ingrained adj. existing for a long time and very difficult to change fundamental adj. forming or relating to the most important part of something entitlement n. the condition of having a right to have, do or get something commitment n. a promise to do or give something midst n. used to say that someone is among the people in a group China is increasing efforts to stop deployment of an American anti-missile system on the Korean Peninsula. The missile system is called THAAD, short for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System. The deployment is one of several issues being discussed by South Korean and United States officials. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in Seoul Thursday on his first foreign trip as head of the Defense Department. Mattis spoke with South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. He restated the U.S. desire for strong cooperation with South Korea as it faces possible threats from North Korea. The defense secretary said America stands shoulder-to-shoulder with South Korea. He added that, Were it not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for THAAD out here. Other nations do not need to be worried about THAAD, he said. After visiting South Korea, Mattis planned to visit Japan, another U.S. ally in East Asia. U.S. and South Korean officials have repeatedly stated that the aim of the missile system is to answer the threat of North Korean missile attacks on the South. China, however, considers the planned deployment as a threat to its security. The deployment comes at a time when there are several difficult issues facing China and the United States. One is Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea. But defense experts say North Koreas nuclear and missile programs could likely be the biggest security problem facing the U.S. over the next two years. On January 1, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced that his country is close to launching an intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korea continues work on both its nuclear and missile programs, yet faces strong trade restrictions because of those activities. U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have criticized China for not doing more to control its neighbor. China has concerns about THAAD deployment China, however, objects to the anti-missile system being placed so near its borders. THAAD has a powerful radar system that China says would let the United States see far into Chinese and Russian territory. Tang Jianqun is director of the department of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies. He says there are two things about the system that worry China. This is not only a military system for the ROK [Republic of Korea]. This is actually a regional, a global plan, for the United States to have a shield in one hand and a sword in another, he said. Tang added that the THAAD system interferes with the balance of power among states that possess nuclear weapons. He said THAAD is part of a chain of systems that goes from Europe to East Asia and the Pacific. Tang said the Chinese government is concerned about U.S. radars in Japan, Alaska and on the island of Taiwan. This larger system is what China objects to, he said. Some experts say China also is worried that the deployment will hurt its efforts to expand influence in South Korea. The two countries have strong trade ties. And in 2015, the South Korean and Russian leaders visited China for a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Since that time, however, South Korean President Park Gyuen-hye agreed to the deployment of THAAD. Later, Park was impeached on corruption charges. The countrys highest court is now considering the case. China may have taken steps to show displeasure with the THAAD deployment. Jagannath Panda, an expert with the Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis in New Delhi, notes a drop in the number of Chinese making visits to South Korea. He says this has affected the South Korean economy. South Korean media have reported on other actions they say China has taken since the deployment was announced. These include travel restrictions on Korean performers, cancellation of some private charter flights and actions against a South Korean business, the Lotte Group. Lotte is one of South Koreas biggest conglomerates. It owns the property where THAAD is to be set up. The anti-missile system is expected to be put in place in May. However, there are concerns that growing public opposition may delay the deployment. Im Mario Ritter. Bill Ide reported this story for VOANews.com. VOAs Chris Hannas provided additional information. Mario Ritter adapted the story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story shoulder-to-shoulder idiom in cooperation with, working together closely provocative adj. causing discussion, or argument impeach v. to charge a public officials with a crime conglomerate adj. a large business composed of many different kinds of companies intercontinental adj. extending among continents; carried between continents ballistic adj. of or related to the movement of objects in flight The Chief Executive of Oxfam Ireland has suggested that the criticism by EU leaders of US President Donald Trumps Executive Order on refugees and immigrants highlights their own hypocrisy in the face of Europes flawed migration response. At an informal EU meeting in Malta on Friday, February 3, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and other EU heads of state and government will discuss closer cooperation with Libya on managing migration. The talks could see Libya receive aid in return for strengthened border control and surveillance to stem the flow of refugees and migrants coming to Europe. Oxfam described this as a deliberate outsourcing of migration control to a country mired in conflict where migrants are at great risk of abuse and even death. Such a move would mean EU leaders would again fail in their responsibility to uphold the rights of refugees and migrants. Oxfam Ireland Chief Executives Jim Clarken said EU leaders cannot speak out against President Trumps discriminatory and unjust Executive Order and then make a deal with Libya which also threatens the safety and dignity of refugees and migrants. I have met young people who have experienced horrific abuses in Libya and are now living in safety in Oxfam-supported centres in Sicily. People who have managed to escape have told us about beatings, burnings, starvation and exploitation. In their haste, European leaders are throwing money at authorities in war-torn Libya without the necessary checks and balances. A deal that aims to above all else stop migrants from entering Europe is dangerous and runs contrary to Europes core values shutting down borders does not stop desperate people searching for safety but forces them to seek more dangerous and exploitative routes. EU member states must put the rights, safety and dignity of people at the forefront of any plans to cooperate more closely with Libya. As leaders meet on Friday to discuss how to manage migration from Libya and other African states, Oxfam is calling for EU heads of state and government to manage migration with full respect for human rights and concern for the safety of people. Governments must protect migrants, grant international protection to refugees and promote safe and regular channels for migration, it said. Oxfam is calling for an EU migration management plan that: Delivers development aid for the sole purpose of poverty reduction. Under no circumstances should development aid be used to restrict mobility, as this may even work counter to the aim of reducing poverty. Ensures cooperation on border control is contingent upon demonstrated respect for human rights, mobility principles, and the rights of asylum-seekers. Includes credible monitoring schemes to ensure the implementation is in line with international law. If this is not possible, no deal should be agreed. Beyond Europe, Oxfam has joined the American Civil Liberties Union and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a lawsuit against President Donald Trumps executive order. The suit claims that the order violates federal law and calls on it to be declared unconstitutional. As a global organisation working in five of the countries - Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - affected by Trumps actions, as well as other conflict-affected countries, the order could jeopardise the charitys ability to address some of the worst humanitarian crises around the globe. In Ireland, Oxfam has urged the Government to step up its intake of refugees and help fill the void left by the recent actions of the US government. Oxfam is calling on leaders to increase the number of refugees resettled through the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, including some of those now denied a safe haven in the US. Oxfam is also calling for increased opportunities for family reunification in Ireland and for the Government to expand the Syria Humanitarian Admissions Programme to allow those fleeing persecution from other war-torn states such as Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Central African Republic to be granted refuge here. People can support Oxfam Ireland by joining their Right to Refuge petition HERE Failte Ireland have announced plans to win 157m in business tourism for Ireland in 2017. The Failte Ireland plans for the sector were delivered yesterday morning at a top level industry briefing for key players in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events) sector which took place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Attendees heard that the tourism authority will this year identify 550 leads for industry partners - a 10% increase on 2016. As one of the highest yield sectors in tourism, business tourism is growing year on year thanks to Ireland's competitive ranking in the international arena. Recent survey results have revised the value of each Business Tourism delegate upwards to 1,643 in 2016 (up from 1,500 in 2015 and 1,400 in 2014). Last year, the Failte Ireland Business Tourism and Events supported and converted 151m worth of business for the current and future years - 10m above its 2016 target. In addition, the team supported a further 27.2m in business won for regional Ireland. Speaking at the briefing, Director of Business Development, Paul Keeley said, "The generation of leads with the potential to secure conference business that delivers a higher number of delegates per conference, and therefore greater economic value, is the central focus for Failte Irelands Business Tourism & Events Division this year, as well as greater dispersion of conferences regionally." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Irish Independent has today reported that EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has said the majority of the 13bn that the European Commission says Apple must pay in back-taxes will remain with Ireland. This comes despite her own invitation to other EU member states to explore whether the money should be paid to them. Her offer to other states to seek a share of the funds has been controversial, raising the question of how Ireland could be owed tax also owned elsewhere. An initial deadline to collect the tax bill plus interest from Apple had passed, the commissioner said, but she was not concerned. Apple has said it will make the payment. The delay in collecting the tax reflected the complexity of locking away such a large sum for an extended period, Ms Vestager said. However, according to the report, other sources close to the situation have said the delay is down to the complexity of working out how much Apple must pay precisely, using the commission's formula. That work is being done by tax authorities in Ireland. "My guess is the large, large majority of the unpaid taxes would be due in Ireland," the commissioner told TDs and Senators at the Oireachtas Finance Committee yesterday. Source: www.businessworld.ie About us This time, the new Baleno has also been included in the list of Maruti cars with offers and comes with an exchange bonus of Rs 10,000 S Shreyash Nov 04, 2022 New Yorks political class has been radiating progressive outrage without pause since it became clear that Donald J. Trump would be Americas 45th president. The outrage reached its peak after the new administration published its immigration executive order. As a New Yorker, I am a Muslim. I am a Jew. I am Black. I am gay. I am a woman seeking to control her body, declared Empire State governor Andrew Cuomo. President Trumps executive order is simply un-American, pronounced New York City mayor Bill de Blasio. Never mind that the new policies seem to differ only marginally from Obama administration immigration strictures. And never mind that their clumsy rollout seemed designed to generate an over-the-top reaction. The new administrations suggestion that municipalities may lose federal aid for refusing to obey immigration laws as they relate to illegal aliensthat is, by making themselves so-called sanctuary citiesdrove up the decibel level at the outset. But such sanctions are far from the only dark cloud threatening New Yorks political culture, to say nothing of its fiscal stability. New York isnt alone in its objections to Trump administration immigration policies, but the level of New Yorks sanctimony places the Empire State in a class by itself. That some state and local officials disapprove of federal immigration law is obvious, as is the fact that for some time theyve been working to subvert the rules. For decades, big city mayors have been refusing to cooperate with federal immigration cops, in effect placing themselves above the law on the grounds that they disapprove of it. It doesnt help that the Obama administration was, at best, ambivalent about sanctuary cities. New York politicians have been remarkably disingenuous on the issue. As Ive said before, I say again today, if there is a move to deport immigrants, I say then start with me, grandstanded Cuomo, who was born and raised in Queens, as was his late father, Mario. Trumps immigration policy does not change who we are or how we go about our work, proclaimed de Blasio. This is a city of immigrants. We always have been for almost 400 years. This is self-evidently true, but essentially irrelevant, given that the issue is not history or custom but rather respect for the rule of law. The sanctuary-city debate is more than academic. In its most extreme application, a cutoff of federal aid to noncompliant municipalities could cost New York City hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. Public safety, anti-terrorism, and health-care funding will be hardest hit. It may not come to thatcertainly not without protracted litigationand de Blasio suggests that the city could absorb the bulk of such cuts, anyway. But whos to doubt that an explosive debate is in the works? More than sanctuary-city penalties are at stake. Trumps victory last November was about nothing if not national impatience with political elitism of the sort reflected in the sanctuary-city rhetoric common in New York. Cuomo and de Blasio are speaking to their respective political bases when they declare New York to be above the law on immigration, but the lawlessness doesnt stop there. New York is one of the nations leading energy consumers, yet it ostentatiously refuses to help produce any. Cuomos unilateral ban on hydraulic fracturing earns him points with Empire State environmentalists, but the message it sends to the rest of America is pretty clear, too: New York will gobble up megawatts like Girl Scout cookies while leaving it to other states to do the dirty work of hydrocarbon extraction. The state habitually ignores the rules of economics, in addition to the commonly accepted duties of citizenship, like obeying immigration laws. While the consequences have been a long time coming, they may well have arrived with President Trump. New York spends beyond its means to support programs of varying degrees of social utility, many of them wholly or in part unique to the state. To a large extent, New York has gotten away with it because state and local taxes are deductible against federal income taxes. That is, while Albany created the nations most expansive Medicaid program, and when Gotham declared free housing to be a basic human right, the associated spending was in effect subsidized by federal taxpayers all across America. Trump, with the backing of House speaker Paul Ryan, has proposed ending tax deductibility, or at least scaling it back. This could end up costing New York filers as much as $68 billion annually, or roughly $4,500 for each taxpayer who itemizes deductions. Ending deductibility is hardly a new idea; it pops up whenever serious federal tax reform is proposed. But it has never been on the table before in the context of a red-state/blue-state policy dichotomy, with the red states holding most of the cards. New Yorkers shouldnt assume that Republican members of Congress, many of whom have long resented what they see as a subsidy of profligate blue-state spending, will blink this time. New Yorks political and policy elite like to cast themselves as somehow exempt from the customs and conventions that bind most Americans. They do it in ways that many west of the Hudson River find contemptuous and condescending. The Trump ascension has everyone sailing uncharted waters, but it really does seem that the political math has changed. New Yorks elected leaders would do well to recognize that change and to scale back their intemperate, self-serving rhetoric. Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images A broad range of UK charities have seen an increase in giving following the election of Donald Trump as President, with refugee charities saying this is down to his immigration policy. JustGiving has seen a 51 per cent increase in donations to human rights, LGBTQ, Islamic, refugee and female causes in the 12 weeks since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States compared to the year before. A spokeswoman for the digital giving platform told Civil Society News that 1.5m had been donated to various human rights, LGBTQ, Islamic, refugee and female charities through JustGiving channels since 8 November 2016, when Donald Trump was announced as the President of the US. The spokeswoman said this represented a 51 per cent increase in donations to these causes, compared to the same data taken from the same period in the previous year. She said that donations to Islamic charities through JustGiving saw the biggest increase, up 85 per cent; followed by human rights causes which had seen a 32 per cent increase in the same 12 week period. While JustGiving couldnt be entirely sure how much of this increase was down to natural growth across its channels, the spokeswoman said that JustGiving was confident that Trumps election to the presidency had spurred on a spike in donations to the various causes. Refugee Action see significant increase in donations Wayne Murray, head of fundraising and brand at Refugee Action, also told Civil Society News that his organisation had seen a significant increase in donations, particularly since President Trump enacted an executive order bringing a temporary halt to all immigration to the United States, and indefinitely banning immigration from seven, predominantly Muslim countries last week. Weve seen a significant increase in unsolicited donations from people who have never supported Refugee Action before, said Murray. Weve seen in the response to a recent email to supporters that this issue is mobilising them to give and take campaigning actions. Many messages of support with recent donations say their reason for giving was to show support for refugees in light of Trumps actions. Refugee Action did not provide an exact figure in terms of donations at the time of publication. A spokeswoman for the British Refugee Council also said that it had seen a spike in donations since the refugee ban was introduced and provided anecdotal evidence of several gifts of 500, and some people have commented to say theyre specifically donating in response to the ban. International Aid charities criticise Trump A number of international aid charities based in the UK have also been quick to condemn a number of Trumps executive orders, including the travel ban. Tom Viita, head of advocacy at Christian Aid, said that Trump would do well to read his Bible before enacting discriminatory policies, and spoke out against favouring specific religious minorities over others. Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said the travel band was shocking and appalling, and called on the UK Government to do everything in its power to change this policy and to oppose it. ACLU raises 18m in 48-hours, after Trump travel ban While some charities in the UK have experienced spikes in donations since President Trump took office, charitable giving to various rights groups in the United States have seen huge increases. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced last week that it had raised over $24m (18.9m) in just 48-hours, after Trumps travel ban was enacted. Planned Parenthood, a reproductive health charity based in the United States, have also reported a surge in donations since the election of Trump, and his vice-president and noted pro-life campaigner, Mike Pence. The organisation received over 120,000 individual donations in the wake of the election, with a further spike since Trump signed an executive order banning the use of federal money going to international NGOs that perform, or provide information, about abortions. AbbVie Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals in the worldwide. The company offers HUMIRA, a therapy administered as an injection for autoimmune and intestinal Behcet's diseases; SKYRIZI to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults; RINVOQ, a JAK inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients; IMBRUVICA to treat adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and VENCLEXTA, a BCL-2 inhibitor used to treat adults with CLL or SLL; and MAVYRET to treat patients with chronic HCV genotype 1-6 infection. It also provides CREON, a pancreatic enzyme therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; Synthroid used in the treatment of hypothyroidism; Linzess/Constella to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation; Lupron for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precocious puberty, and patients with anemia caused by uterine fibroids; and Botox therapeutic. In addition, the company offers ORILISSA, a nonpeptide small molecule gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist for women with moderate to severe endometriosis pain; Duopa and Duodopa, a levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel to treat Parkinson's disease; Lumigan/Ganfort, a bimatoprost ophthalmic solution for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension; Ubrelvy to treat migraine with or without aura in adults; Alphagan/ Combigan, an alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist for the reduction of IOP in patients with OAG; and Restasis, a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant to increase tear production, as well as other eye care products. AbbVie Inc. has a research collaboration with Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc. The company was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. A large number of U.S. State Department workers have expressed concern about President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration. The Foreign Service officers and civil service employees added their names to a memo critical of the immigration order. State Department officials confirmed that the document was presented to the departments leadership through what they call the Dissent Channel. The channel is a way for U.S. diplomatic workers to offer their personal opinions about foreign policy issues. Last week, President Trump signed an order banning entry to refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries. VOA reporters have read an early version of the State Department memo. It says the signers are worried that the order will not achieve its goal to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States. The memo warns that the action will immediately hurt relations with allies in the fight against terrorism. It suggests other possible steps, including improving visa and immigration screening. State Department officials would not tell VOA how many people signed the dissent or what their duties are. However, sources tell VOA almost 1,000 people signed the dissent. Robert Ford served as the U.S. Ambassador to Syria during the presidency of Barack Obama. He says if about 1,000 people signed the document, it would be much larger than the number who signed a dissent criticizing the Obama administrations policy on Syria. Diplomats say that Dissent Channel memo had 51 signatures. Laura Kennedy is a former ambassador to Turkmenistan. She said the large number of signatures and its release to reporters are clear indicators of the widespread concern within the department over this specific policy step and unease over the broad direction of foreign policy." On Monday, presidential spokesman Sean Spicer rejected the dissent. Spicer told reporters that anyone at the State Department who opposes the order should, in his words, "either get with the program or they can go. He said the order is about the safety of Americans and the limits the president ordered are common sense. The State Department says it usually receives four to five Dissent Channel messages each year. Workers who use the Dissent Channel are guaranteed protection from punishment. Former diplomats strongly criticized Spicers reaction. Some consider it a threat against members of the Foreign Service. Harold Hongju Koh is a former assistant secretary of state and State Department legal adviser. He is a now a professor at Yale University School of Law in Connecticut. He told VOA the time-honored tradition of respectful dissent at (the) State (Department) is supported by the very American and constitutional values that this cable honors and that the executive order tramples. VOA Correspondents Steve Herman and Nike Ching reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story executive order n. an order that comes from the U.S. President or a government agency and must be obeyed like a law dissent v. to publicly disagree with an official opinion, decision or set of beliefs achieve v. to become successful; to reach a goal screen v. to examine (people or things) in order to decide if they are suitable for a particular purpose source n. a person, book, etc., that gives information indicator n. a sign that shows the condition or existence of something trample v. to treat other peoples rights, wishes or feelings as if they are worthless or not important Scientists are now able to better track the giant ice sheets movements Scientists say the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica may be melting faster than in past years, raising concerns about the consequences if it shrinks faster than expected. Its actually nicknamed the doomsday glacier because of what could happen if it began to rapidly add water to the ocean. In a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers suggest the massive ice sheet could begin melting twice as fast as in the past. To make their projections, the scienti... G Adventures, a Toronto-based tour adventure travel firm, has acquired the brand and intellectual property for the Swan Hellenic cruise brand. The company already operates expedition voyages and intends to start up the Swan Hellenic brand by 2018, according to media reports. The acquisition did not include the Minerva ship or the chartering of the vessel. An investigation is under way at the $3.3 million G H Woodworkers Federal Credit Union in Aberdeen, Wash., after several unusual events occurred last year that prompted the board to place its president/CEO on administrative leave and merge the cooperative. Penny S. Sudderth, who was appointed interim president/CEO of GHW FCU in March, confirmed Tuesday that an internal investigation was under way by its insurance company. She declined to give additional details about the investigation and did not know when it would be completed. There is an investigation under way by our bonding company, CUMIS, Sudderth said. I cant tell you anything because I dont know. World Council of Credit Unions is calling for 2017 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) nominations. The winners will be presented at the World Credit Union Conference, July 23-26 in Vienna, Austria. The DSA honors individuals and organizations that have provided outstanding service to credit union development outside their home country. The DSA Award is the highest honor one can receive in the global credit union community, said Brian Branch, World Council president/CEO. We are honored to be able to present this award to those who have went above and beyond. Individuals and organizations that have furthered World Councils vision to expand financial inclusion worldwide through the global credit union community via their activities and achievements are eligible for nomination by World Council member organizations and their affiliated credit unions. Individual recipients are those whose actions have significantly benefited global credit union development beyond their national boundaries. Institutional recipients are organizations or agencies that have provided financial or technical assistance to develop international credit union movements and their service infrastructures over an extended period of time. Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis Earns 2016 Employment Growth Award from National Industries for the Blind Published: 2017-02-02 Author: Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis | Contact: lhbindustries.com Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A Jump to: Main Digest | Publications Synopsis: Lighthouse for the Blind St. Louis receives Employment Growth Award for their efforts to increase employment retention, growth and upward mobility for people who are blind. Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis has been honored by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation's largest employment resource for people who are blind, with the 2016 Employment Growth Award. The award recognizes Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis' efforts to increase employment retention, growth and upward mobility for people who are blind. advertisements Main Digest Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis has been honored by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nation's largest employment resource for people who are blind, with the 2016 Employment Growth Award. The award recognizes Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis' efforts to increase employment retention, growth and upward mobility for people who are blind. "We are particularly proud to receive NIB's 2016 Employment Growth Award because 70 percent of working-age Americans who are blind are not employed," said John Thompson, president of Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis, also known as LHB Industries, Inc. "People in the blind community are one of the nation's greatest untapped labor resources - that is why the Lighthouse and NIB lobby for policy changes to help people who are blind become more independent through job training, education and employment to earn steady income." Kevin Lynch, NIB president and CEO, said, "It is an honor for me to recognize Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis with an Employment Growth Award for 2016. Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis continues to lead the way in creating employment and high-growth career opportunities for people who are blind." About Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis is a non-profit 501(c)3 enterprise that helps children and adults who are visually impaired maintain dignity and independence by offering employment, education and support services. Today, LHB is generating more revenues, sustaining employment and enhancing community services since its February 2014 purchase of all assets from the emergency survival kit production company Quake Kare, Inc. Quake Kare provides custom- and pre-packed disaster preparedness kits for virtually any type of crisis such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, blizzards, floods, accidents, terrorist attacks and building lock-downs. (http://www.quakekare.com). In June, 2015, LHB acquired all assets of Val-A Chicago, Inc., producer of the Tear Mender brand of non-toxic, all-natural adhesive and sealants for repairing clothing, fabrics, footwear, leather, upholstery, vinyl and other items for indoor and outdoor use. (https://www.tearmender.com). LHB currently employs 48 people who are legally blind in two assembly and packaging plants in St. Louis County to assemble, pack and ship Quake Kare and Tear Mender products, as well as LHB's flagship products for businesses, commercial, government and military customers. All sales revenues directly support LHB's 16 Blind Community Outreach Programs called "See the Future" programs, which provide support and resources to children and adults who are legally blind and visually impaired in Missouri and Southwestern Illinois. For details about Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis services and programs, call 800.542.3697 or 314.423.4333 or visit the website or www.lhbindustries.com About National Industries for the Blind Since 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on enhancing the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and its network of associated nonprofit agencies, including LHB Industries, are the nation's largest employer of people who are blind through the manufacture and provision of SKILCRAFT and other products and services of the AbilityOne Program. For more information about NIB, visit www.NIB.org Disabled World is an independent disability community established in 2004 to provide disability news and information to people with disabilities, seniors, their family and/or carers. See our homepage for informative news, reviews, sports, stories and how-tos. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook or learn more about Disabled World on our about us page. advertisements Disabled World provides general information only. The materials presented are never meant to substitute for professional medical care by a qualified practitioner, nor should they be construed as such. Financial support is derived from advertisements or referral programs, where indicated. Any 3rd party offering or advertising does not constitute an endorsement. Cite This Page (APA): Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis. (2017, February 2). Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis Earns 2016 Employment Growth Award from National Industries for the Blind. Disabled World. Retrieved November 5, 2022 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/awards/ega.php Permalink: Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis Earns 2016 Employment Growth Award from National Industries for the Blind Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, who has used science and technology to support development in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, has been chosen by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to receive the 2016 Award for Science Diplomacy. Pandor has been the Minister of Science and Technology for the Republic of South Africa since 2014, and previously held the role from 2009 to 2012. She has also served as a Member of Parliament since 1994, a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress since 2002. A teacher by training, Pandor has also served as South Africa's Minister of Education from 2004 to 2009. She was honored by AAAS not only for integrating science in policymaking within her own country, but also for her advocacy for young scientists and women scientists by supporting initiatives that encourage international collaboration for both groups. "Science not only enables us to more decisively respond to major societal challenges," Pandor said, "but also plays a critical part in helping to foster international partnership, friendship and solidarity." She explained that the role of science diplomacy is more important than ever, and said she is humbled and honored to receive this award. "Under her leadership, South Africa has made numerous contributions to building science structures in organizations such as the African Union and the Southern African Development Community, to strengthening the science granting councils of other African countries, and to expanding the role of the Global Research Council," wrote Tom Wang, AAAS' Chief International Officer and Director of the Center for Science Diplomacy, in a letter to the AAAS Board of Directors. Pandor promoted and expanded the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI). The program, established in 2006, is designed to attract and retain excellence in research and innovation at South African public universities through the establishment of research chairs at the institutions. In 2015, Pandor announced 20 new research chairs designated for women applicants, and the percentage of women in SARChI chairs has increased from 23 percent to 39 percent. She also helped to initiate and host Science Forum South Africa in 2015. The event was the first of its kind on the continent, and drew over 1,300 participants in its first year. The Forum aims to provide a platform for debate on the role of science, technology and innovation in society, as well as to promote international science partnerships. Pandor returned to host the 2016 Forum, which built on the success of the inaugural meeting and drew over 2,000 participants from around the globe. . SFSA 2016 focused on how to strengthen scientific engagement and collaboration across the continent of Africa. Pandor was nominated for the 2016 AAAS Award for Science Diplomacy by Jean Lebel, the president of Canada's International Development Research Center. In a letter of support, Lebel wrote that Pandor has worked tirelessly to connect research with sustainable development goals. Lebel also noted that Pandor is leading numerous efforts to promote research capacities of young and emerging scientists, particularly female scientists. "Under Minister Pandor's leadership, South Africa has become a catalyst for developing scientific capabilities across the African continent," Lebel wrote. Klaus Streicher, the deputy head of mission of the German embassy in South Africa, also submitted a letter of support. Streicher wrote that Pandor received the Grand Cross of Merit with Star and Shoulder Ribbon of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, one of the highest possible recognitions in Germany. Streicher explained that Pandor received the award to honor her commitment to promoting German-South African relations, particularly through scientific and technological cooperation. "Naledi Pandor is an outstanding woman committed to scientific advancement and cooperation not only in her own country, but with a global perspective," Streicher wrote. Pandor was selected to receive the award by an advisory committee, comprising of experts in science, international cooperation and diplomacy. The committee noted that Pandor has worked to integrate science in policymaking within her own country, and that she has launched numerous initiatives to promote collaboration regionally and with other countries. Pandor also led the implementation of South Africa's Ten Year Innovation Plan and the National Research and Development Strategy. Pandor earned a bachelor degree and Certificate for Continuing Education from the University of Botswana and Swaziland, and a master's degree in education from the University of London. She also obtained a master's degree in General Linguistics from the University of Stellenbosch in 1997. Pandor taught English in London and Botswana before joining the University of Cape Town as a senior lecturer in 1989. In addition to her service as Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Education for the Republic of South Africa, Pandor was the country's Minister of Home Affairs from 2012 to 2014. The AAAS Award for Science Diplomacy was approved by the AAAS Board of Directors in 2010 (it was formerly the AAAS International Scientific Cooperation Award, established in 1992). It recognizes an individual or a limited number of individuals working together in the scientific and engineering or foreign affairs communities making an outstanding contribution to furthering science diplomacy. The Award consists of a plaque and an honorarium of $5,000. The award will be bestowed upon Pandor during the 183rd AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston, Mass., February 16-20, 2017. The AAAS Awards Ceremony and Reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 17, in the Republic Ballroom of the Sheraton Boston Hotel. ### The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science as well as Science Translational Medicine, Science Signaling, a digital, open-access journal, Science Advances, Science Immunology, and Science Robotics. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes nearly 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world. The non-profit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert!, the premier science-news Web site, a service of AAAS. See http://www.aaas.org. For more information on AAAS awards, see http://www.aaas.org/aboutaaas/awards/. WASHINGTON -- High-concentration peroxide, sometimes promoted in alternative medicine circles for cleanses or as a so-called "natural cure," can lead to numerous life-threatening ailments and death itself, according to a paper published online yesterday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("Outcomes Following High Concentration Peroxide Ingestions"). "Ingesting high-concentration peroxide can cause embolisms affecting the cardiac, respiratory and neurological systems, leading to permanent disability or death," said lead study author Benjamin Hatten, MD, MPH, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colo. "Though touted by the alternative and complementary medicine communities as 'super water,' peroxide should not be ingested for any reason. Because there are also industrial uses, some ingestions have been accidental because of its resemblance to water." Dr. Hatten examined 10 years of poison control records for high-concentration peroxide ingestion (concentration strength of 10 percent or greater). Almost 14 percent (13.9 percent) of reported cases had embolic events and 6.8 percent of cases either died or exhibited continued disability. Life-threatening ailments associated with high-concentration peroxide ingestion include seizure, altered mental status, respiratory distress, stroke, pulmonary embolism and heart attack. Patients treated early with hyperbaric oxygen had improved outcomes. Caustic injuries were rare and routine endoscopy was not beneficial. "This product is meant to be used by the dropper and then diluted, yet we encountered many cases where it was stored at full strength in a clear vessel in the refrigerator," said Dr. Hatten. "This is a caustic liquid, and as with many poison prevention efforts, we recommend keeping this product in its original container and adding both child-resistant capping and a colorizing agent to reduce the possibility of accidental ingestion." ### Annals of Emergency Medicine is the peer-reviewed scientific journal for the American College of Emergency Physicians, the national medical society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research, and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies. For more information, visit http://www.acep.org. President Donald Trumps chief political strategist, Steve Bannon, has received much media attention since starting his job at the White House. Last week, Trump reorganized his National Security Council to give Bannon a seat on its principals committee. Lawmakers and former administration officials criticized the move. They said Bannon should focus on his role as political adviser instead of attending meetings with national security and military officials. Bannon also recently spoke out against the U.S. news media in an interview with the New York Times. He said, the media here is the opposition party. He added that he believes that news organizations had been humiliated by the 2016 presidential election result. They dont understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States, Bannon said. He was not immediately available for an interview with VOA. Bannon was born in November 1953 to working-class parents in Norfolk, Virginia. He once described growing up in "a blue-collar, Irish Catholic, pro-Kennedy, pro-union family of Democrats." His father, a telephone worker, was badly affected by the 2008 economic crisis. Bannon himself has criticized bankers and traders who were not punished for their role in starting the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Bannon studied urban affairs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. According to the Boston Globe newspaper, Bannon returned home to Richmond, Virginia, during the summer to work in a local junkyard. He went on to earn a graduate degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and later a masters in Business Administration from Harvard University. Bannon served for seven years in the U.S. Navy aboard ships. He also served on a guided missile destroyer in the Persian Gulf. Later, he was a special assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon. After his military service, Bannon went to work for investment bank Goldman Sachs. He later started his own investment company. He also produced films in Hollywood. Bannon produced more than a dozen movies during the 1990s. During that time, he made a deal that gave him a piece of ownership of several television shows. One of them was the hit show Seinfeld, which ended up making him millions of dollars. Before joining Trumps campaign, Bannon served as executive chairman of Breitbart News , a conservative news site. He took over the site after founder Andrew Breitbart died in 2012. Bannon has described the news site as a platform for what has been called the Alternative Right, or alt-right." The alt-right is a far-right movement that publicizes largely on the Internet extreme conservative ideas. Under Bannons leadership, the website published stories supporting nationalist, anti-establishment positions. It also published many stories in support of Trump and others critical of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate. Breitbart News has been criticized for publishing stories with racist and sexist ideas. One headline asked, "Would you rather your child had feminism or cancer?" Bannon left Breitbart News in 2016 to work as a senior member of Trump's presidential campaign. He said he has had nothing to do with Breitbart since then. Im Bryan Lynn. Cecily Hilleary wrote this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story strategist n. person good at making plan humiliate v. make someone feel ashamed of foolish blue-collar adj. relating to jobs that require physical work junkyard n. place where old or useless things are taken dozen n. twelve, or a group of twelve hit n. something recognized as a success headline n. title of a newspaper or website story feminism n. belief that women should have the same equal rights and opportunities as men DALLAS, Feb. 2, 2017 -- Experiencing multiple pregnancies increases a woman's risk of developing atrial fibrillation later in life, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation, which includes the inaugural Go Red for Women issue. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. In this first analysis to investigate a link between number of pregnancies and atrial fibrillation, researchers led by Jorge A. Wong, M.D., MPH, at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Christine M. Albert, M.D., MPH, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, analyzed data from 34,639 participants from the Women's Health Study. Study participants were a median age of 53, had a median of two prior pregnancies and were healthy at the start of the study. They completed annual questionnaires and observational follow-ups. After an average 20 years of follow up, 1,532 atrial fibrillation cases had occurred. "We found that an increase in the number of pregnancies was associated with a higher risk of future atrial fibrillation," Wong said. "For example, women with four or more pregnancies were approximately 30 percent to 50 percent more likely to develop atrial fibrillation compared to women with no pregnancies." Researchers speculate that the repeated exposure to physiological, metabolic or hormonal factors during pregnancy could explain the link. "The point here is not to discourage women from having children," Wong said. "However, our research highlights that something about pregnancy predisposes women to this greater risk, and more research is needed to help us understand why." Study participants were primarily of European descent, so the results may not be generally applicable to women of all ethnicities. In a separate study, researchers led by Lauren Tanz, MSPH, at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Janet W. Rich-Edwards, Sc.D., at Brigham and Women's Hospital, both in Boston, investigated the association between having delivered a premature baby and cardiovascular disease. Researchers reviewed data on 70,182 women in the Nurses' Health Study II and found that women who deliver a premature baby before 37 weeks gestation in their first birth have a 40 percent greater risk of later cardiovascular disease compared to women who delivered at term, and those who deliver before 32 weeks are at twice the risk compared to full-term deliveries. "Preterm delivery is independently predictive of cardiovascular disease, even after adjustment for multiple cardio-metabolic risk factors, and the association is only partially mediated by the postpartum development of traditional cardiovascular risk factors," the authors write. "Ultimately, preterm delivery may be a useful prognostic tool to identify high-risk women early in life who would benefit from early screening, prevention and treatment." Both studies are among new findings included in the inaugural Go Red for Women issue in Circulation. The special issue exemplifies progress made in research targeting women since the American Heart Association launched the Go Red for Women program in 2004 to develop a strategic and integrated approach for the care of women with heart disease. Back then, the landscape was much different than it is today, the journal editor notes. Among other gaps, "little was known about the impact of pregnancy and its complications on subsequent cardiovascular disease in the offspring and mother," write Circulation editor Joseph Hill, M.D., Ph.D., and Sharon Reimold, M.D., both cardiologists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. "This inaugural issue is a new effort to address the menace of heart and vascular disease in women. The issue celebrates contemporary research developments that guide care provided to women with cardiovascular disorders." ### Wong's co-authors are Kathryn Rexrode, M.D., M.P.H.; Roopinder Sandhu, M.D., M.P.H.; David Conen, M.D., M.P.H.; and Christine Albert, M.D., M.P.H. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI); National Cancer Institute; Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the Arthur J.E. Child Cardiology Fellowship; and the Swiss National Science Foundation funded the study. Co-authors with Tanz and Rich-Edwards are Jennifer J. Stuart, M.Sc.; Paige L. Williams, Ph.D.; Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D.; Stacey A. Missmer, Sc.D.; Kathryn M. Rexrode, M.D., M.P.H.; and Kenneth J. Mukamal, M.D., MPH. It was funded by NHLBI, National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. Author disclosures are on the manuscripts. Note: The American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association's policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding. Gatekeeper immune cells are fighting Zika virus with an arm tied behind their backs, scientists from Emory Vaccine Center report. Dendritic cells are "sentinel" cells that alert the rest of the immune system when they detect viral infection. When Zika virus infects them, it shuts down interferon signaling, one route for mustering the antiviral troops. However, another antiviral pathway called RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling is left intact and could be a target for immunity-boosting therapies, the researchers say. The findings are scheduled for publication on Feb. 2 in PLOS Pathogens. Zika was known to disrupt interferon signaling, but Emory researchers have observed that it does so in ways that are distinct from other related flaviviruses, such as Dengue virus and West Nile virus. The findings give additional insight into how Zika virus is able to counter human immune defenses. "This is the first demonstration of a flavivirus actively blocking translation of type I interferon, a critical set of innate immune signaling proteins," says Mehul Suthar, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and Emory Vaccine Center. In addition, the researchers found that Zika blocks the phosphorylation of the immune regulatory proteins STAT1 and STAT2, which has not been previously reported. The researchers studied a recently isolated Puerto Rican strain of Zika, as well as historic African and Asian strains. All of the tested Zika viruses blocked type I interferon signaling, suggesting a highly conserved mechanism amongst Zika viruses to inhibit dendritic cell antiviral responses. Zika's stealthy infection of dendritic cells resembles its effects on other fetal and placental cell types, including findings from the authors' previous publication on placental macrophages. "How Zika blocks translation of type I interferon is unknown and studies are underway to understand the mechanism behind this unique finding," Suthar says. The authors also suspect that Zika targets other immune pathways in dendritic cells in addition to interferon signaling and continue to investigate those. ### Co-first authors of the paper are graduate students James R. Bowen and Kendra M. Quicke, who are in the Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis and Microbiology and Molecular Genetics programs, respectively. Bali Pulendran, PhD and colleagues at Emory Vaccine Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center contributed to the paper. The research was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (U19AI083019, R56AI110516, R21AI113485, 2U19AI090023, 5R37AI048638, 2U19AI057266), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (5R37DK057665), Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Vaccine Center and Georgia Research Alliance. 1 February 2017 23:30 London, UK - A lineage of multidrug resistant P. falciparum malaria superbugs has widely spread and is now established in parts of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, causing high treatment failure rates for the main falciparum malaria medicines, artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), according to a study published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The emergence and spread of artemisinin drug resistant P falciparum lineage represents a serious threat to global malaria control and eradication efforts. The authors warn that malaria parasites resistant to both artemisinin and its widely used partner drug piperaquine are now spreading quickly throughout Cambodia, with fitter multidrug resistant parasites spreading throughout western Cambodia, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand. "We now see this very successful resistant parasite lineage emerging, outcompeting its peers, and spreading over a wide area. It has also picked up resistance to the partner drug piperaquine, causing high failure rates of the widely used artemisinin combination therapy DHA-piperaquine" says study lead author Prof. Arjen Dondorp, Head of Malaria and Deputy Head of the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Thailand, Asia. "We hope this evidence will be used to reemphasize the urgency of malaria elimination in the Asia-region before falciparum malaria becomes close to untreatable. Noting that the further spread of these multidrug resistant parasites through India to sub-Saharan Africa would be a global public health disaster, the study authors call for accelerated efforts in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and closer collaboration to monitor any further spread in neighbouring regions. "We are losing a dangerous race to eliminate artemisinin resistant falciparum malaria before widespread resistance to the partner antimalarials makes that impossible," said study contributor and Oxford and Mahidol University Prof Sir Nicholas White. "The consequences of resistance spreading further into India and Africa could be grave if drug resistance is not tackled from a global public health emergency perspective." After examining blood spot samples from patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria from sites in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, the study team found that PfKelch13 C580Y, a single mutant parasite lineage, has spread across three countries, replacing parasites containing other, less ACT-resistant mutations. Although the C580Y mutation does not confer a higher level of artemisinin resistance than many other PfKelch13 mutations it appears to be fitter, more transmissible and spreading more widely. "It isn't that the C580Y mutation itself makes the malaria parasites fitter, it is the other genetic changes that go along with it - hence the critical emphasis on the term "lineage". This is what makes superbugs - the evolution of multiple factors that make them fitter and more transmissible," explains Prof. Sir Nicholas White of Mahidol and Oxford Universities. "The spread and emergence of drug resistant malaria parasites across Asia into Africa has occurred before. Last time it killed millions. We need to work with our policy, research and funding partners to respond to this threat in Asia urgently to avoid history repeating itself." Dr Mike Turner, Head of Infection and Immunobiology at Wellcome Trust concurs: "Already hundreds of thousands of people every year die from drug resistant infections, including malaria. If nothing is done, this will increase to millions of people every year by 2050. The Oxford and Mahidol-led results show a worrying spread of malaria parasite resistance. Data to help track resistance to drugs, such as this study, are vital for improving treatment, diagnosis and prevention of drug resistant infections." ### This study was led by researchers at the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), the Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand and Oxford University, UK. The study was funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Press enquiries and interview requests: We have lead authors and experts available for interview and quotes on this study. ASIA media desks: please contact John Bleho Email: john@tropmedres.ac Mobile / WhatsApp /Facetime: +66.81.750.0539 Visit: http://www.tropmedres.ac UK, EUROPE, AFRICA & AMERICAS media desks: please contact Andrea Stewart, Head of Advocacy & Communications based in Oxford, UK time zone Email: andrea.stewart@ndm.ox.ac.uk Office: +44 (0) 1865 857 412 (Thursday 3rd February) Mobile +44 (0) 7528 132 489 (Friday 4thFebruary onwards) Visit: http://www.wwarn.org & http://www.tropicalmedicine.ox.ac.uk/home Study Reference: Link to go live February 1st 2017 23h30 UK time. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(17)30048-8/fulltext The spread of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in the Greater Mekong Subregion: a molecular epidemiology observational study. Imwong M, Suwannasin K, Kunasol C, Sutawong K, Mayxay M, Rekol H, Smithuis FM, Hlaing TM, Tun KM, van der Pluijm RW, Tripura R, Miotto O, Menard D, Dhorda M, Day NPJ, White NJ, Dondorp AM. Published online 23:30 GMT 1st February 2017 in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, THELANCETID-D-16-01360R2 S1473-3099(17)30048-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30048-8 Additional notes: The Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), http://www.tropmedres.ac is a research collaboration between Mahidol University in Thailand and Oxford University. This study was developed in partnership with multiple research groups and experts from across the Asia-region including the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network and The Institute Pasteur in Cambodia. The WorldWide Antimalarial Research Network (WWARN) mission is to support the WHO and national governments by providing comprehensive, timely, quality-assured evidence to track the emergence and spread of malaria drug resistance, and improve drug efficacy of existing antimalarial medicines and new drugs in development. Our international partnerships with MORU and Oxford University play an important role in gathering the evidence needed to inform malaria treatment policy and practice. Through this collaborative approach, WWARN will continue to provide valuable evidence to help save more lives and support the global effort to control, eliminate and eventually, eradicate malaria. Visit http://www.wwarn.org WHO Global Malaria Report http://www.wwarn.org/news/news-articles/who-releases-2016-world-malaria-report WHO Greater Mekong Sub-region Report http://www.wwarn.org/news/news-articles/new-report-details-who-efforts-eliminate-malaria-greater-mekong-subregion Prof Sir Nicholas White honoured in UK Queen's New Year's List January 2017 http://www.wwarn.org/news/news-articles/prof-nicholas-white-recognised-contributions-global-health-uks-new-years-honours Surveillance of molecular markers - http://www.wwarn.org/news/news-articles/new-programme-launches-molecular-and-vitro-surveillance-act-partner-drug-efficacy Two other recent Lancet ID studies report on molecular markers of resistance http://www.wwarn.org/news/news-articles/two-lancet-infectious-diseases-papers-highlight-importance-monitoring-failure INDIANAPOLIS - Online patient video journals or blogs--called vlogs--chronicling the good, the bad and the ugly of a specific medical condition can help both physicians and their patients, says Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research investigator Joy L. Lee, PhD, corresponding author of "Seeing is Engaging: Vlogs as a Tool for Patient Engagement," a commentary published online ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal The Patient. Accessible to viewers when and where they wish to watch, online videos are a popular platform for conveying knowledge and advice in numerous areas including current events, home improvement, cooking, travel and increasingly--through vlogs--health. "It is not always easy for physicians to engage patients in their own care," said Dr. Lee. "Vlogs may be uniquely suited to overcome barriers to patient engagement for individuals with chronic illnesses, especially those under 50 who increasingly reach out to the internet in so many aspects of their lives. Given the potential impact of online information, physicians and other clinicians should consider familiarizing themselves with key vloggers who can provide a window into a disease." According to a 2015 Nielsen study, YouTube reaches more 18- to 49-year-olds in America than any U.S. broadcast or cable network, with two-thirds of YouTube viewers using mobile devices. The Pew Center reports that three quarters of Americans who go online view videos. The commentary authors, including online video journalists--vloggers--Mary Frey, BA, and Peter Frey, MTh, MDiv, note that, similarly to other sources of medical information, some vlogs are more reliable than others, and recommend that health care providers curate lists of vlogs to highlight those that could be valuable to patients and providers. The Freys, a wife and husband, produce the popular The Frey Life that chronicles their experiences in managing Ms. Frey's cystic fibrosis. Their daily posts, which first appeared in 2012, attract approximately 15,000 viewers. Frey Life posts have included "Cystic Fibrosis Airport Precautions," "Unexpected Trip to Urgent Care" and "Why Can't Mary Eat". In some posts, Ms. Frey answers questions that viewers have submitted. Vlogs like Frey Life provides a platform for patients with chronic illnesses and their families to connect with others in similar circumstances, notes the commentary. Vlogs can reach those who are too ill or isolated to participate in support groups. These videos enable and encourage patients to communicate and learn from each other. CF is a chronic, often debilitating disease that requires complex daily care. Individuals with CF and other chronic diseases often have too little time or energy to interact with the health care system or with support groups. For these individuals, vlogs such as the Frey Life, can be an important resource. In the commentary, Ms. Frey notes that she views her blog as being supportive of others who are struggling with the disease. "We want to highlight the fact that [even though] a patient isn't beating the odds and breaking statistics, they are still special and they are not a lesser patient." "YouTubers like the Freys are becoming influential figures in the lives of many Americans, " said Albert Wu, MD, MPH, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, senior author of the paper. "Physicians should acknowledge that often they [vloggers] do a better job of engaging some patients, especially younger ones, and should we willing to add vlogs to their therapeutic toolkit." "Physicians should consider vlogs as one more tool that they can provide their patients and help them navigate this important resource," said Dr. Lee, who is a health services researcher focused on patient-physician communication. "And patients should consider vlogs as dynamic sources of information that can help them cope with their disease experience and ask better questions of their medical team." ### Ilene L. Hollin, PhD, MPH, of the National Pharmaceutical Council and the University of Southern California Schaeffer Center, is a also a co-author of the commentary. Studying mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins have fortified evidence that a key purpose of sleep is to recalibrate the brain cells responsible for learning and memory so the animals can "solidify" lessons learned and use them when they awaken -- in the case of nocturnal mice, the next evening. The researchers, all of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, also report they have discovered several important molecules that govern the recalibration process, as well as evidence that sleep deprivation, sleep disorders and sleeping pills can interfere with the process. "Our findings solidly advance the idea that the mouse and presumably the human brain can only store so much information before it needs to recalibrate," says Graham Diering, Ph.D., the postdoctoral fellow who led the study. "Without sleep and the recalibration that goes on during sleep, memories are in danger of being lost." A summary of their study appears online in the journal Science on Feb. 3. Diering explains that current scientific understanding of learning suggests that information is "contained" in synapses, the connections among neurons through which they communicate. On the "sending side" of a synapse, signaling molecules called neurotransmitters are released by a brain cell as it "fires"; on the "receiving side," those molecules are captured by receptor proteins, which pass the "message" along. If a cell receives enough input through its synapses, it fires off its own neurotransmitters. More specifically, experiments in animals have shown that the synapses on the receiving neuron can be toggled by adding or removing receptor proteins, thereby strengthening or weakening them and allowing the receiving neuron to receive more or less input from nearby signaling neurons. Scientists believe memories are encoded through these synaptic changes. But there's a hitch in this thinking, Diering says, because while mice and other mammals are awake, the synapses throughout its brain tend to be strengthened, not weakened, pushing the system toward its maximum load. When neurons are "maxed out" and constantly firing, they lose their capacity to convey information, stymying learning and memory. One possible reason that neurons don't usually max out is a process that has been well-studied in lab-grown neurons but not in living animals, asleep or awake. Known as homeostatic scaling down, it is a process that uniformly weakens synapses in a neural network by a small percentage, leaving their relative strengths intact and allowing learning and memory formation to continue. To find out if the process does occur in sleeping mammals, Diering focused on the areas of the mouse brain responsible for learning and memory: the hippocampus and the cortex. He purified proteins from receiving synapses in sleeping and awake mice, looking for the same changes seen in lab-grown cells during scaling down. Results showed a 20 percent drop in receptor protein levels in sleeping mice, indicating an overall weakening of their synapses, compared to mice that were awake. "That was the first evidence of homeostatic scaling down in live animals," says Richard Huganir, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience, director of the Department of Neuroscience and lead author of the study. "It suggests that synapses are restructured throughout the mouse brain every 12 hours or so, which is quite remarkable." To learn specifically which molecules were responsible for the phenomenon, the team turned to a protein called Homer1a, discovered in 1997 by Paul Worley, M.D., professor of neuroscience, who was also part of the team conducting the new study. Studies showed that Homer1a -- named for the ancient Greek author and the scientific "odyssey" required to identify it -- is important for the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, and for homeostatic scaling down in lab-grown neurons. Repeating his previous analysis of synaptic proteins, Diering indeed found much higher levels of Homer1a -- 250 percent more -- in the synapses of sleeping mice than awake mice. And in genetically engineered mice missing Homer1a, the previous decrease of synaptic receptor proteins associated with sleep was no longer present. To sort out how Homer1a senses when the mice are sleeping or awake, the researchers looked to the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, which drives the brain to arousal and wakefulness. By blocking or enhancing noradrenaline levels, both in lab-grown neurons and in mice, the researchers confirmed that when noradrenaline levels were high, Homer1a stayed away from synapses; when it was low, it collected there. To directly test whether the location of Homer1a was related to sleep, the team kept mice awake for four extra hours by placing them in an unfamiliar cage. Some then got two and a half hours of "recovery sleep." As predicted, levels of Homer1a in the receiving synapses were much higher in the sleep-deprived mice than in those that got recovery sleep. That suggests, says Diering, that Homer1a is sensitive to an animal's "sleep need," not just what time of day it is. Diering emphasizes that sleep need is controlled by adenosine, a chemical that accumulates in the brain as an animal stays awake, provoking sleepiness. (Caffeine, the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug, directly interferes with adenosine.) When mice were given a drug during sleep deprivation that blocks adenosine, Homer1a levels no longer increased in their synapses. "We think that Homer1a is a traffic cop of sorts," says Huganir. "It evaluates the levels of noradrenaline and adenosine to determine when the brain is sufficiently quiet to begin scaling down." As the final test of their hypothesis that scaling down during sleep is crucial for learning and memory, the researchers tested the mice's ability to learn without scaling down. Individual mice were placed in an unfamiliar arena and given a mild electrical shock, either as they woke up or right before they went to sleep. Some mice then received a drug known to prevent scaling down. When an undrugged mouse received a shock just before sleep, its brain went through the scaling-down process and formed an association between that arena and the shock. When placed in that same arena, those mice spent about 25 percent of their time motionless, in fear of another shock. When placed in a different unfamiliar arena, they froze sometimes, but only about 9 percent of their time there, probably because they were relatively good a telling the difference between the two unfamiliar arenas. Expecting that drugged mice that couldn't scale down during sleep would have weaker memories and therefore freeze less than undrugged mice, Diering was surprised that they were motionless longer (40 percent of their time) when returned to the arena where they were shocked. But the drugged mice were also motionless longer (13 percent of their time) when in a new arena. When the shock was given after the mice woke up, the drug made no difference in how long the mice froze in either arena, confirming that scaling down only occurs during sleep. "We think that the memory of the shock was stronger in the drugged mice because their synapses couldn't undergo scaling down, but all kinds of other memories also remained strong, so the mice were confused and couldn't easily distinguish the two arenas," says Diering. "This demonstrates why 'sleeping on it' can actually clarify your ideas." "The bottom line," he says, "is that sleep is not really downtime for the brain. It has important work to do then, and we in the developed world are shortchanging ourselves by skimping on it." Huganir says that sleep is still a big mystery. "In this study, we only examined what goes on in two areas of the brain during sleep. There are probably equally important processes happening in other areas, and throughout the body, for that matter," he adds. Among the events that require further exploration is how learning and memory are affected by sleep disorders and other diseases known to disrupt sleep in humans, like Alzheimer's disease and autism. Huganir also says that benzodiazapines and other drugs that are commonly prescribed as sedatives, such as muscle relaxants and other sleep aids, are known to prevent homeostatic scaling down and are likely to interfere with learning and memory, though that idea has yet to be tested experimentally. ### Other authors of the report include Raja Nirujogi, Richard Roth and Akhilesh Pandey of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This work was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Johns Hopkins Center for Proteomics Discovery, the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director (S10OD021844) and the National Institute of Mental Health (5P50MH100024). A long-standing mystery among marine biologists is why otherwise healthy whales, dolphins, and porpoises -- collectively known as cetaceans -- end up getting stranded along coastal areas worldwide. Could severe solar storms, which affect Earth's magnetic fields, be confusing their internal compasses and causing them to lose their way? Although some have postulated this and other theories, no one has ever initiated a thorough study to determine whether a relationship exists -- until now. NASA heliophysicist Antti Pulkkinen, who works at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has teamed with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, to determine whether a link exists. Strandings occur around the world, involving as few as three to as many as several hundred animals per event. Although a global phenomenon, such strandings tend to happen more often in New Zealand, Australia, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, said project collaborator Katie Moore, the director of IFAW's global Animal Rescue Program. Headquartered in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, IFAW operates in 40 countries, rescuing animals and promoting conservation to secure a safe habitat for wildlife. "These locations share some key characteristics, such as the geography, gently sloping beaches, and fine-grained sediment, which we think all play some role in these events," she said. Skewed Compasses Another possibility is that these animals' internal compasses are somehow skewed by humans' use of multi-beam echo sounders and other sonar-type equipment used to map the seafloor or locate potential fishing sites, to name just a few applications. "However, these human-made influences do not explain most of the strandings," said Pulkkinen, an expert in space weather and its effect on Earth. "Theories as to the cause include magnetic anomalies and meteorological events, such as extreme tides during a new moon and coastal storms, which are thought to disorient the animals. It has been speculated that due to the possible magnetic-field sensing used by these animals to navigate, magnetic anomalies could be at least partially responsible." Indeed, magnetic anomalies caused when the sun's corona ejects gigantic bubbles of charged particles out into the solar system can cause problems for Earth-orbiting satellites and power grids when they slam into Earth's protective magnetosphere. It's possible they could affect animals, as well, Pulkkinen said. "The type of data that Antti has accumulated, together with the extensive stranding data at our disposal, will allow us to undertake the first rigorous analysis to test possible links between cetacean mass strandings and space-weather phenomena," said Desray Reeb, a marine biologist at BOEM's headquarters in Sterling, Virginia. Reeb approached Pulkkinen about launching a research effort after hearing his presentation about space weather in June 2015. Massive Data-Mining Effort With funding from BOEM and NASA's Science Innovation Fund, Pulkkinen and his collaborators are carrying out a massive data-mining operation. The team will analyze NASA's large space-weather databases, including field recordings and space observations, and stranding data gathered by BOEM and IFAW. "We estimate that records on the order of hundreds of cetacean mass strandings will be available for study, thus making our analyses statistically significant," Pulkkinen said. "We therefore expect that we will be able to reliably test the hypothesis. So far, there has been very little quantitative research, just a lot of speculation," Pulkkinen continued. "What we're going to do is throw cold, hard data at this. It's a long-standing mystery and it's important that we figure out what's going on." The team expects to complete the study by the end of September and publish its findings in a scientific, peer-reviewed journal. Should the study reveal a statistical correlation, team members said the results won't necessarily imply a causal link. However, it would provide the first thorough research into this hypothesis and offer the first step toward determining if it's correct. "Save More Animals" "The results of this study will be informative for researchers, stranding network organizers, resource agencies and regulatory agencies," Reeb said. "If we understand the relationship between the two, we may be able to use observations of solar storms as an early warning for potential strandings to occur," added Moore, who said she "was immediately keen" to get involved in the study. "This would allow stranding responders in global hotspots, and really around the world, to be better prepared to respond, thus having the opportunity to save more animals." ### For more technology-related news, go to: http://gsfctechnology.gsfc.nasa.gov/newsletter/Current.pdf Leading up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the majority of polls had Democrat Hillary Clinton edging out Republican Donald Trump. When Trump won, criticism of this quantitative method of predicting elections swiftly took shape. As one Republican strategist noted on election night, "Tonight data died." Not so, according to a new study led by Northeastern network scientist David Lazer. The study found that national election polls remain a strong indicator of election outcomes. The researchers' statistical models, which leaned heavily on late polling data and current economic conditions, correctly predicted up to 90 percent of such direct executive elections. The findings will be published Friday in the journal Science. "We found that elections were reasonably predictable, but not overwhelmingly so," said Lazer, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Science. "The bottom line is that polls do surprisingly well across varied applications across the world, but they're not magic. I think the 2016 U.S. election is exemplary in that way." With their study, Lazer and his team set out to test whether global models of election prediction--that is, models that could be applied to an executive election anywhere in the world, not just one specific country--could be successful. While Lazer noted that election forecasting has been around for decades, his team's approach to take a global perspective was "demonstrably novel." The team developed statistical models to assess all executive elections across the globe since 1945. Specifically, they looked at whether the incumbent party's candidate--or the chosen successor of the current chief executive--won the subsequent election or if a candidate from an opposition party won. The researchers developed statistical models using data from nearly 500 elections. They then performed "live tests" to predict a number of upcoming elections, all of which fell between 80 and 90 percent accuracy in predicting the outcome. For example, they correctly predicted 10 out of 11 elections (90.9 percent) in Latin America in 2013 and 2014, and correctly called 29 out of 36 elections (80.5 percent) across the globe. Other findings: Lazer noted that surprisingly economic factors, such as unemployment rate and gross domestic product, weren't as strongly predictive in elections globally as they expected -- despite the fact that they are predictive in U.S. elections alone. Polling data, meanwhile, were "powerfully predictive." In one test that looked at 96 elections, a model using only up-to-date polling data was found to be 86.3 percent accurate -- and 87.9 percent accurate in elections where the incumbent was running Incumbent candidates were more likely to be reelected; however, that advantage did not carry over to a candidate in the incumbent's party when the incumbent himself wasn't running. Lazer co-authored the paper with Ryan Kennedy, associate professor at the University of Houston, who spent a year as a visiting researcher in the lab of Lazer and Stefan Wojcik, a former postdoctoral researcher who is now a data scientist at the One Earth Future Foundation in Colorado. All of the countries the researchers examined hold direct executive elections based on popular vote--except for the United States, which uses the Electoral College system. As a result, Lazer said his team based its prediction models on vote share to ensure a true apples-to-apples comparison. This means that in U.S. presidential elections, the models were technically predicting which candidate would win the popular vote. Ultimately, the models correctly predicted a popular vote victory for Clinton, which she indeed garnered, but overestimated her margin of victory of the popular vote by 5 percent. In addition to the latest polls and economic factors, the team's statistical models included factors such as whether one candidate was an incumbent or member of the incumbent party, the level of democracy in the country, and whether the country had good relations with the United States. The researchers found that if a country had strong relations with the U.S., it increased the probability the incumbent would win. They wrote that a possible reason for this is some scholars suggest good relations are accompanied by aid flows and political support that could impact an election. The researchers asserted in their paper that they "have shown that a global election prediction system is viable, and such efforts are likely to become more successful in the future, as the internet continues to expand access to information on elections around the world and polling techniques become more widespread." The results, they wrote, underscored that neither public opinion nor structural factors, like economic growth, are ever going to be perfect predictors of election outcomes. Rather, these factors can "provide a generally accurate representation of likely election outcomes and help us overcome the many biases associated with human 'gut feelings.' We predict that reports of the death of quantitative electoral forecasts are greatly exaggerated." ### Los Angeles, CA (February 2, 2017) The earlier that autism is diagnosed and treated in children, the better outcomes they will experience for future relationships and careers. However, most children aren't detected and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) until around age four, with children from economically disadvantaged or minority backgrounds detected and diagnosed up to two years later, on average. For all autistic children to get the care they need, researchers as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children be universally screened for ASD at 18 months and again at 24 months, among other strategies. A review of research and public health ramifications was published today in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, a Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences (FABBS) journal published in partnership with SAGE Publishing. In order to successfully diagnose all children who are at risk of ASD, researchers Fein et al. recommend using a combination of strategies, such as: Regular universal screening in the doctor's office: ASD screening should become a routine part of pediatric care. Doctors should not wait for a child to exhibit signs of ASD or for parents to express concern. Screening in other settings: screening should also take place in settings other than the doctor's office, such as day care, child care, churches, and other community settings in order to help reduce disparities--as many children do not receive consistent healthcare and may miss doctor appointments. Better dialogue between doctor and parent about developmental concerns: screening tools, such as questionnaires, should be routinely used in doctor offices. They can serve as ice-breakers for parents who may not raise concerns on their own and for doctors who may be concerned about upsetting parents. The researchers also recommend that government policy not continue funding early intervention using local property taxes, which results in children from wealthy states and communities receiving more access to treatment than children in poorer areas. They concluded: "The cost of effective early intervention is significant; however, the impact of failing to provide this intervention in long-term costs and unrealized human potential is much greater." ### Find out more by reading the full article, "Optimizing Outcome in Autism Spectrum Disorders," by Fein et al, in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences. For an embargoed copy of the full text, please email tiffany.medina@sagepub.com. Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 1,000 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. Our growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company's continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne. http://www.sagepublishing.com Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences is a publication of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (FABBS) that presents original research and scientific reviews relevant to public policy. This allows scientists to share research that can help build sound policies, allows policymakers to provide feedback to the scientific community regarding research that could address societal challenges, and encourages the scientific community to build models that seriously consider implementation to address the needs of society. http://journals.sagepub.com/home/bbs ST. LOUIS -- Veterans could better transition to civilian life by volunteering with civic service programs in their communities, Saint Louis University research suggests. "When veterans compete their military service, they go through a transition like all of us, when we change jobs, move to a new town or retire. It is a transition that takes focus, deep reflection and new information to discover the next challenge they will pursue along their journey in life," said Monica Matthieu, Ph.D., the lead author of the study and assistant professor of social work at Saint Louis University. "This study tells us that formal volunteering in a civic service program that engages the veterans in community service in their hometown is one option to aid in that transition. Some may call this a gap year, I call it a fulfillment year." The research is the first peer-reviewed and published national study of civic service among U.S. military veterans. It examined how volunteering affected the health and social life of U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, then participated in a formal civic service program. Civic service has accountability requirements, clearly defined goals and a stipend, making it more like a job than less structured forms of volunteering, such as helping out with child care or setting up for a church function. Researchers evaluated the impact of The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit that deploys veterans on six-month volunteer service missions with community agencies. The organization was founded in St. Louis in 2007 by Eric Greitens, who stepped down as CEO in 2014 and now is Missouri's governor. Researchers studied 346 veterans who completed the program in 2011-2014, volunteering 20 hours a week on specific projects for six months. Before deployment on civic service missions, more than 50 percent said they had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and nearly a fifth reported symptoms of depression. Nearly half had reported receiving treatment for a mental health condition. At the end of their civic service, more volunteers reported they had good or excellent health than before they volunteered. Their emotional health improved; more reported it was easier to perform everyday activities than before volunteering. Their PTSD symptoms significantly decreased, and the number of veterans who had probable PTSD dropped from 50 percent prior to civic service to 43 percent after. The number of veterans who had symptoms of depression also decreased - from 23.5 percent before civic service to 15 percent after. They said they felt less isolated and lonely, and realized help is available. "All veterans in the civic service program experienced improvements in health, mental health and social functioning," Matthieu said. "Importantly, even after controlling for current treatment, veterans with positive depression screens when entering the program benefited the most with significant improvements in purpose in life, enhanced social support and decreased feelings of loneliness. Those screening positive for probable PTSD, again, after controlling for current treatment, showed significant improvements at the end of the program." She said the actual mechanism of why volunteering improves mental health remains a question. "One of our theories has to do with behavioral activation and the purpose surrounding the activity. So in other words, when we get up and move and that movement is geared toward a purpose of helping others, it is like stepping outside our own lives to focus on the needs of others, that so many positive things come together," said Matthieu, who directs SLU's graduate-level social work education specializing in veteran's services. Veterans are eager to find opportunities to serve at home as they rejoin civilian life, she said. Matthieu speculated that for veterans, volunteering allowed them to find meaning and purpose again in life, which prepared them for the transition back to the civilian world. "This area of science around health promotion programs that make a difference in veterans' lives is really just starting," Matthieu said, adding that more research will follow. ### Authors of "The Impact of a Civic Service Program on Biopsychosocial Outcomes of Post 9/11 U.S. Military Veterans" are Monica M. Matthieu, Karen A. Lawrence and Emma Robertson-Blackmore. The paper is published in the February 2017 issue of Psychiatry Research. The Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice is the only academic unit of its kind, studying social, environmental and physical influences that together determine the health and well-being of people and communities. It also is the only accredited school or college of public health among nearly 250 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States. Guided by a mission of social justice and focus on finding innovative and collaborative solutions for complex health problems, the College offers nationally recognized programs in public health, social work, health administration, applied behavior analysis, and criminology and criminal justice. New research indicates that Baltic hunter-gatherers were not swamped by migrations of early agriculturalists from the Middle East, as was the case for the rest of central and western Europe. Instead, these people probably acquired knowledge of farming and ceramics by sharing cultures and ideas -- rather than genes -- with outside communities. Scientists extracted ancient DNA from a number of archaeological remains discovered in Latvia and the Ukraine, which were between 5,000 and 8,000 years old. These samples spanned the Neolithic period, which was the dawn of agriculture in Europe, when people moved from a mobile hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled way of life based on food production. We know through previous research that large numbers of early farmers from the Levant (the Near East) - driven by the success of their technological innovations such as crops and pottery - had expanded to the peripheral parts of Europe by the end of the Neolithic and largely replaced hunter-gatherer populations. However, the new study, published today in the journal Current Biology, shows that the Levantine farmers did not contribute to hunter-gatherers in the Baltic as they did in Central and Western Europe. The research team, which includes scientists from Trinity College Dublin, the University of Cambridge, and University College Dublin, says their findings instead suggest that the Baltic hunter-gatherers learned these skills through communication and cultural exchange with outsiders. The findings feed into debates around the 'Neolithic package,' -- the cluster of technologies such as domesticated livestock, cultivated cereals and ceramics, which revolutionised human existence across Europe during the late Stone Age. Advances in ancient DNA work have revealed that this 'package' was spread through Central and Western Europe by migration and interbreeding: the Levant and later Anatolian farmers mixing with and essentially replacing the hunter-gatherers. But the new work suggests migration was not a 'universal driver' across Europe for this way of life. In the Baltic region, archaeology shows that the technologies of the 'package' did develop -- albeit less rapidly - even though the analyses show that the genetics of these populations remained the same as those of the hunter-gatherers throughout the Neolithic. Andrea Manica, one of the study's senior authors from the University of Cambridge, said: "Almost all ancient DNA research up to now has suggested that technologies such as agriculture spread through people migrating and settling in new areas." "However, in the Baltic, we find a very different picture, as there are no genetic traces of the farmers from the Levant and Anatolia who transmitted agriculture across the rest of Europe." "The findings suggest that indigenous hunter-gatherers adopted Neolithic ways of life through trade and contact, rather than being settled by external communities. Migrations are not the only model for technology acquisition in European prehistory." While the sequenced genomes showed no trace of the Levant farmer influence, one of the Latvian samples did reveal genetic influence from a different external source -- one that the scientists say could be a migration from the Pontic Steppe in the east. The timing (5-7,000 years ago) fits with previous research estimating the earliest Slavic languages. Researcher Eppie Jones, from Trinity College Dublin and the University of Cambridge, was the lead author of the study. She said: "There are two major theories on the spread of Indo-European languages, the most widely spoken language family in the world. One is that they came from the Anatolia with the agriculturalists; another that they developed in the Steppes and spread at the start of the Bronze Age." "That we see no farmer-related genetic input, yet we do find this Steppe-related component, suggests that at least the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family originated in the Steppe grasslands of the East, which would bring later migrations of Bronze Age horse riders." The researchers point out that the time scales seen in Baltic archaeology are also very distinct to the rest of Europe, with a much more drawn-out and piecemeal uptake of Neolithic technologies, rather than the complete 'package' that arrives with migrations to take most of Europe by storm. Andrea Manica added: "Our evidence of genetic continuity in the Baltic, coupled with the archaeological record showing a prolonged adoption of Neolithic technologies, would suggest the existence of trade networks with farming communities largely independent of interbreeding." "It seems the hunter-gatherers of the Baltic likely acquired bits of the Neolithic package slowly over time through a 'cultural diffusion' of communication and trade, as there is no sign of the migratory wave that brought farming to the rest of Europe during this time. "The Baltic hunter-gatherer genome remains remarkably untouched until the great migrations of the Bronze Age sweep in from the East." About the study The researchers analysed eight ancient genomes - six from Latvia and two from Ukraine - that spanned a timeframe of three and a half thousand years (between 8,300 and 4,800 years ago). This enabled them to start plotting the genetic history of Baltic inhabitants during the Neolithic. DNA was extracted from the petrous area of skulls that had been recovered by archaeologists from some of the region's richest Stone Age cemeteries. The petrous, at the base of the skull, is one of the densest bones in the body, and a prime location for DNA that has suffered the least contamination over millennia. ### Entek, a Lebanon-based firm, has announced a joint venture with Indonesian company Separindo for the production, sales and marketing of polyethylene battery separators for flooded lead-acid batteries in Asia. The move should come as no surprise to the industry or Linn County residents, as Entek previously announced its plans to expand its manufacturing in Asia. A growing middle class in Asia, especially in China and India, means that many families and professionals can finally afford to buy automobiles. And those automobiles need batteries. The agreement commits Entek and Separindo to share technology and to integrate their manufacturing and sales efforts in Asia, according to a news release. The partnership will be the leader for lead-acid separators on the continent, and provide battery producers in the region expanded access to quality products, the news release states. Entek will bring its best-in-the-class manufacturing technology to the partnership and we will immediately start expanding the existing capacity in Indonesia, said Larry Keith, CEO of Entek, in the release. The company's in-house design and manufacturing group will start the design work to add capacity to the Indonesian facility. Entek, which also has a facility in Newcastle, England, is already the largest producer of lead-acid battery separators in the Americas and Europe. Roughly 325 of its 500 workers are based in Lebanon. At a Lebanon Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center lunch forum in October, Entek co-owner Kirk Hanawalt discussed the companys expansion plans and the Asia market. Hanawalt said that the company preferred to find a partner to establish a plant in Asia in order to help Entek navigate the business challenges there, which can go far beyond the language barrier. He added that China is now the largest automobile market in the world, but Enteks market share in Asia was small. Prof. Hufenbach is the first and, to date, only international scientist in the field of engineering to receive this prize, which has been presented during an official act of state in the Great Hall of the People, led by the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping. Apart from Prof. Hufenbach, Prof. Dr. Katharina Kohse-Hoinghaus of the University of Bielefeld, and three scientists from France, Mexico and the USA received the 2016 award. Since the early 1980s, Prof. Hufenbach has been committed to bilateral research co-operation between Germany and China - in the early stages as a member of TU Clausthal, later based at TU Dresden. 'For us, it has always been about fruitful joint projects aiming at the implementation of cutting-edge scientific expertise into technical processes', says Prof. Hufenbach. In 1994, Professor Hufenbach founded the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology at TU Dresden and turned it into one of the leading national and international research institutes in this field. Even today, he is still serving as Senior Professor on the institute's executive board . With over 240 employees and about 11 million euros in third-party funding in 2016, the institute is one of TU Dresden's key institutions of. From the very beginning, the success of the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology has been closely tied to major projects, co-funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG): 'Two research groups, three Collaborative Research Centres and one Priority Programme provided me with a highly qualified and financially secure environment, enabling me to push my ideas forward, acquire basic research findings and generate innovative scientific methods', Prof. Hufenbach on his time at the institute. Already in 1995, the Dresden Model of function-integrative system lightweight engineering in multi-material design was developed by Prof. Werner Hufenbach. This happened in the context of an innovative research network, linked to TU Dresden and many extra-mural research institutions. From 2002 to 2013, Hufenbach researched and taught at the Chinese German College (Chinesisch-Deutsches Hochschulkolleg, CDHK) of Tongji University in Shanghai, a TU Dresden partner university. Since 2015, he and CRRC Qingdao Sifang - the world market leader in the railway sector - have been developing an open innovation platform for lightweight trains of the future. This co-operation resulted in the establishment of a Dresden-based Chinese-German joint venture. Prof. Hans Muller-Steinhagen, Rector of TU Dresden states: 'We are exceptionally delighted that the Chinese government acknowledged the accomplishments of our colleague Professor Werner Hufenbach with its most prestigious award in the field of scientific and technological collaboration - the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award. As a University of Excellence, we are proud that this honour was bestowed upon a scientist of our university who, for decades, has successfully devoted himself to the integration of cutting-edge research into technical processes - inter alia, in co-operation with Chinese institutions. With this award, the so-called Dresden model of function-integrative system lightweight engineering in multi-material design gains even more international recognition.' Prof. Hufenbach on the Chinese award: 'This award is the pinnacle of my career as it connects science and technology. This connection was and still is a basic concern of my professional activity. This is also reflected in my Dresden Model of function-integrative system lightweight engineering in multi-material design. Today, this model is the national and international standard for modern lightweight construction. It contains the entire value-added chain, from materials development to design, simulation, process, quality and finally the product. The model is designed as a cross-materials and cross-industry approach and requires extensive cross-sectional knowledge.' The Saxon State Minister of Science and the Arts, Dr. Eva-Maria Stange: 'I warmly congratulate Prof. Hufenbach on this great state honour. Not only is he a founding member of lightweight construction at TU Dresden and in Saxony, but since then, he has also been setting international standards. His strong commitment in China brought international acclaim to the Free State of Saxony as a hub for lightweight construction. Experts from Chemnitz and Freiberg also benefit from this prominence. With his dedication in Saxony and China, Prof. Hufenbach proves that science is international and can only be successful if experts exchange their knowledge from different fields and closely co-operate with one another.' ### In the final months of World War II, as Allied Forces began to liberate the prisoners of Nazi concentration camps, they captured on film the horrors they saw around them. Soon, the whole world saw -- images of skeletal survivors bearing silent witness to what they and millions more had been forced to endure. Dr. David Boder was determined to give the survivors a voice. In the summer of 1946, the psychologist interviewed at least 130 Jewish survivors in nine languages in refugee camps in France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. With a wire recorder -- then considered state-of-the-art equipment -- and 200 spools of steel wire, Boder preserved some of the first oral histories of concentration camp survivors. He also recorded song sessions and religious services. A portion of Boder's work has been archived at The University of Akron's Drs. Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings Center for the History of Psychology since 1967. But it wasn't until a recent project to digitize the recordings got under way that a spool containing the "Henonville Songs," performed in Yiddish and German and long thought lost, was discovered in a mislabeled canister. "I think it is one of the most important discoveries from our collections in our 50-year history," notes Dr. David Baker, the Margaret Clark Morgan Executive Director of the Cummings Center. "The songs were recorded at a refugee camp in Henonville, France. The Nazis made the prisoners sing some of these songs as they ran to their forced labor sites and back each day. "That we could give the world the melody to a song sung by those sentenced to their death through forced labor during one of the most unspeakable horrors of the 20th century is remarkable," Baker adds. Retrieving the voices from steel wire proved challenging. While the Cummings Center had several wire recorders in its collection, none were compatible with the spools on which Boder made his recordings. James Newhall, a senior multi-media producer in Instructional Services at UA, led the search for just the right model. It took a year and it was actually his co-worker, Litsa Varonis, who spotted the unit on eBay. Varonis, now retired from UA, made the purchase and donated the recorder to the center. It was her husband, Orestes Varonis, a retired electrical engineer, who provided Newhall with valuable advice as he redesigned the recorder to use modern electronic components. "There was a lot of time spent on research and experimentation," says Newhall. "The recorder no longer uses vacuum tubes or rubber tires, and is mostly built from new parts. It has a more simple, and accurate, drive mechanism." From there, Jon Endres, a multimedia producer/media specialist with the Cummings Center, was able to put the recordings into a digital format. "It felt like I was helping in some way to bring these voices to the present, voices that had become somewhat lost to the historical record," says Endres. "The discovery of this single canister holding a lost recording means that these songs can be heard again, they can be studied and they can inform us in a new way about the experiences, the joys and the frustrations of these displaced persons." The Cummings Center shared the discovery with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and its staff helped with translations. The museum now has a digitized copy for its collection. Researchers from around the world have contacted Baker, eager to visit the Cummings Center and study the Boder recordings. "These songs, in the voices of those subjected to unspeakable cruelty, are a reminder of the power of memory, the value of history and the indomitable human spirit," notes Baker. "Hearing them sing again after 70 years of silence gives the world a greater understanding of the circumstances and experiences of those who were witnesses to a dark chapter in human history." ### Video: "Rebuilt Wire Recordeer Brings Post WWII Recording to Life Some cells excite the immune system. Others soothe it. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are one type of soothing cell, and previous work shows that cancer may specifically boost production of MDSCs as a way to tamp down immune response against tumors. At least that's how it works in mice. Now a University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy for the first time characterizes the uptick of these cells in the spleens of human cancer patients, paving the way for therapies directed against these suppressor cells that collude with cancer. "I would estimate that the majority of basic immunology has been worked out in mice, specifically in the spleens of mice because they offer ready access to large numbers of lymphocytes or splenocytes. Many versions of vaccines and tumor models rely on the responses of these mouse splenocytes. But it turns out we don't know as much about human splenocytes and their immunologic importance. There's a big leap of faith that mouse models are applicable to humans," says Martin McCarter, MD, investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and surgical oncologist at the University of Colorado Hospital. In fact, when McCarter, first author Kim Jordan, PhD, and colleagues examined the spleens of 26 patients with a variety of cancers, they found important differences between human and mouse splenocytes. First, whereas mouse splenocytes are plentiful, human splenocytes are less abundant. Second, while mouse splenocytes are easy to isolate, human splenocytes may include a complex mix of markers, making them more difficult to separate from the many other kinds of cells found in the spleen. "Basically, this means that it's really easy to find and study these splenocytes in mice and really hard to get your hands on enough human splenocytes to study," says Jordan, who is assistant director of the CU Cancer Center Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource and assistant research professor in the CU School of Medicine Department of Immunology and Microbiology. "Now with this paper we show how future researchers can isolate these human splenocytes, hopefully leading to more work in this area." However, when the team compared these spleens from cancer patients to spleens from patients with benign pancreatic cysts, they found an important similarity with existing mouse models: Splenocytes were indeed more prevalent in cancer patients than in the non-cancer control group. The team went an important step beyond characterizing and isolating these cells: "It's one thing to identify these cells and another to show their function," McCarter says. "We show that these cells are functionally immunosuppressive in humans, working to block T-cell responses." When increased splenocytes blocked T-cell responses, patients suffered - in this study, higher splenocyte counts were "associated with a significantly increased risk of death and decreased overall survival," the authors discovered. Many successful anti-cancer immunotherapies direct T cells to target tumors. For example, PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors prevent tumor cells from holding up a sort of biological "white flag" that disarms T cells that would otherwise target them. Another immunologic strategy called CAR-T cell therapy seeks to genetically equip T cells to recognize proteins specific to tumor tissue. Both therapies depend on T cell responses. And in both cases, a tumor's ability to spur the growth of myeloid-derived suppressor cells may blunt this response. "In recent years, we've started to crack open the shell of the immune response to tumors. Still, there are many elements of the immune system we don't understand, for example how tumors manipulate or utilize a patient's own immune system to block the immune response against their own tissue. Now we are taking steps to understand this process, and understanding the basic science allows us the opportunity to intervene with therapies to stop it," McCarter says. The group has already taken the obvious next step, running an investigator-initiated human clinical trial targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells in combination with existing immunotherapies in a way that could allow immune response to go forward. McCarter, Jordan and colleagues are excited to report the results of this small trial in a forthcoming publication. "Currently only about 20-40 percent of melanoma patients respond to these immune therapy checkpoint inhibitors for a variable amount of time," McCarter says. "By blocking or knocking down the myeloid-derived suppressor cells, we hope to improve this response rate." ### A nationwide cancer registry of almost one million patients treated for hormone-sensitive breast cancer shows that one out of six women who should have received post-surgical treatment known as adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) did not get this recommended component of care. Adjuvant endocrine therapy - hormone-blocking drugs such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors that can lower the odds of cancer coming back - is associated with a 29-percent reduction in the risk of death for women with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. The study authors estimate that 14,630 women who did not get hormone treatment died unnecessarily between 2004 and 2013 from recurrence of their cancers. Adherence to the guidelines for AET after surgery slowly improved over the period studied. By the end of the study, however, 18 percent of women who could have benefited were still not getting potentially life-saving care. The researchers also found that about three percent of women who lacked hormone receptors were inappropriately treated with AET. "The use of adjuvant endocrine therapy slowly gained popularity over this time," said study senior author Dezheng Huo, MD, PhD, associate professor of public health sciences at the University of Chicago. "It improved after 2004, rising from 70 percent in 2004 to almost 84 percent in 2011. Then it declined slightly to 82 percent in 2013, when the study ended." "Our results suggest that it is still underused," Huo said, "and in some cases, misused, offered to patients who lack hormone receptors." The study, published Feb. 2, 2017, in JAMA Oncology, used data from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), which is supported by the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society. The NCDB collects information about cancer patients, treatments and outcomes from more than 1,500 accredited healthcare facilities. The authors found data from more than 2 million patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2004 and 2013. They narrowed that down to women at least 18 years old who had stage-1, 2 or 3 breast cancer, treated with lumpectomy or mastectomy, usually followed by radiation and, less often, chemotherapy. The women had to express estrogen or progesterone receptors. They wound up with records from 818,435 patients, who met the criteria and were likely to benefit. AET slows or stops the growth of tumors that feed on these hormones. Drugs such as tamoxifen, for example, attach to the estrogen receptor in a cancer cell and shut down the hormone's cancer-causing effects. Patients are encouraged to take the pills, one a day, for 10 years or longer. Compliance with AET guidelines in this study varied from hospital to hospital. The researchers selected 80-percent compliance with the guidelines as a reasonable goal for individual hospitals. They found that in 2004, only 40 percent of hospitals met that standard. By 2013, almost 70 percent of hospitals were reaching the 80 percent standard. "Still, 30 percent of hospitals were falling short," Huo said. Several factors influence compliance. Hormone therapy does have side effects, such as hot flashes or nausea. Patients taking tamoxifen have an increased risk of stroke. Those taking aromatase inhibitors have an increased risk of osteoporosis. Since there is no immediately detectable benefit from AET, some breast cancer patients choose not to take hormone therapy. Others begin therapy but lapse over time. Smaller studies found that 30 to 70 percent of patients discontinue AET within five years. Patients treated with surgery followed by radiation or chemotherapy were more likely to stick with AET. Women treated at larger hospitals, with 400 beds or more, were more compliant. There were also racial disparities. Black and Hispanic women are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to receive AET. Asian women are more likely to receive AET. Hospitals in certain geographic regions had better success. Those in New England and the upper Midwest achieved compliance rates seven to 12 percent higher than those in the South and West. The authors stress that their data has limitations. Previous studies suggest that adjuvant endocrine therapy may be under-reported, in some cases by as much as 10 percent. On the whole, however, the researchers note that although AET use has been steadily increasing. optimal usage, according to Huo, "has not been achieved." Because of these gaps, "certain women are being deprived of this life-saving therapy." ### Additional authors of the study, "Evaluation the quality of breast cancer delivery: Under- and misuse of adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients in the United States, 2004-2013," were Robert Daly from the University of Chicago (now at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center), Olufunmilayo I. Olopade and Ningqi Hou from the University of Chicago, and Katharine Yao and David Winchester of North Shore University Health Center, in Evanston, IL. The National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society and the University of Chicago Cancer Center Pilot Grant funded this research. MADISON, Wis. -- The prospect of regenerating bone lost to cancer or trauma is a step closer to the clinic as University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have identified two proteins found in bone marrow as key regulators of the master cells responsible for making new bone. In a study published online today (Feb. 2, 2017) in the journal Stem Cell Reports, a team of UW-Madison scientists reports that the proteins govern the activity of mesenchymal stem cells -- precursor cells found in marrow that make bone and cartilage. The discovery opens the door to devising implants seeded with cells that can replace bone tissue lost to disease or injury. "These are pretty interesting molecules," explains Wan-Ju Li, a UW-Madison professor of orthopedics and biomedical engineering, of the bone marrow proteins lipocalin-2 and prolactin. "We found that they are critical in regulating the fate of mesenchymal stem cells." Li and Tsung-Lin Tsai, a UW-Madison postdoctoral researcher, scoured donated human bone marrow using high-throughput protein arrays to identify proteins of interest and then determined the activity of mesenchymal stem cells exposed to the proteins in culture. A goal of the study, says Li, is to better understand the bone marrow niche where mesenchymal stem cells reside in the body so that researchers can improve culture conditions for growing the cells in the lab and for therapy. The Wisconsin researchers found that exposing mesenchymal stem cells to a combination of lipocalin-2 and prolactin in culture reduces and slows senescence, the natural process that robs cells of their power to divide and grow. Li says keeping the cells happy and primed outside the body, but reining in their power to grow and make bone tissue until after they are implanted in a patient, is key. The ability to precisely manipulate mesenchymal stem cells in the laboratory dish and keep them poised to divide and form bone on cue helps pave the way for using cell-bearing three-dimensional matrices to reconstruct large swaths of bone lost to tumors or major trauma. Because bone has some natural healing properties, things like breaks and fractures can often mend themselves. But when large pieces of bone are lost, clinical intervention is required. "We're seeking better treatments for bone repair," says Li, who is affiliated with the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. To engineer the growth of new bone in the body through regenerative medicine first requires generating large amounts of good quality cells in the lab, notes Li. In the body stem cells are rare. But if cell growth, differentiation and quality can be controlled in the lab dish, it may be possible to create stocks of cells for therapeutic applications and prime them for bone regeneration once implanted in a patient. The Wisconsin team successfully tested human cells treated with lipocalin-2 and prolactin to regrow bone by implanting them in mice with a calvarial defect, where part of the skullcap has been surgically removed to model critical-sized bone loss. The human marrow used in the new Wisconsin study was donated by patients undergoing hip replacement surgery. Thus, a caveat to the study is that the protein factors identified by Li and his colleague came from donors with osteoarthritis. However, Li expressed confidence that the factors from the marrow used in the study would be similar or identical to what occurs in a healthy patient. The new study, says Li, demonstrates a key improvement to the lab culture environment, which seeks to mimic the bone marrow niche where mesenchymal stem cells are found in the body. ### Terry Devitt 608-262-8282 trdevitt@wisc.edu The Wisconsin research was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01 AR064803. DOWNLOAD IMAGE: https://uwmadison.box.com/v/bone-from-cells Cambridge, MA, February 2, 2017-- Cancer is a heterogeneous disease, with myriad distinct subtypes that differ in their genetic roots. As a result, cancers rely on varied pathways for survival--and respond differently to anticancer agents. The challenge for researchers is to precisely define those diverse pathways and pinpoint vulnerabilities that may serve as drug targets for new anti-cancer treatments. Investigators at Whitehead Institute and the Broad Institute have taken an important step in tackling that challenge: They have succeeded in identifying the set of essential genes--those required for cellular proliferation and survival--in each of 14 human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines that had previously been characterized by genome sequencing. By combining their "gene essentiality map" with the existing genomic information, their study revealed liabilities in genetically defined subset of cancers that could be exploited for new therapies. The report on their work, appearing in the online edition of Cell, is entitled, Gene Essentiality Profiling Reveals Gene Networks and Synthetic Lethal Interactions with Oncogenic Ras. A major aspect of the study focuses on the genes and protein pathways connected to the Ras oncogene, the most commonly mutated oncogene in human cancers which plays a role in AML as well as many other cancers. "For the most part, the mutant Ras protein itself has been considered to be 'undruggable'," explain Tim Wang, the paper's first author and an MIT graduate student researcher at Whitehead Institute and the Broad Institute. "An alternative approach has been to find other genes that Ras-mutant cancers rely on with the hope that one of them may be druggable. Unfortunately, such 'Ras-synthetic-lethal' genes have been difficult to identify,." notes Wang. Using CRISPR-based gene editing technique, the researchers could gauge the impact of individually knocking out each of the 18,000 protein-coding genes in the human genome. "This process rapidly enabled us to identify the short list of genes that were selectively required in only the Ras-mutant cells," explained David Sabatini, a senior author on the paper, as well as a Member of the Whitehead Institute, Pprofessor of Biology at MIT, and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "We think this general approach can be applied to find vulnerabilities in many more cancer types." In addition to defining the Ras-specific gene essentiality network, the data generated from this study also allowed the researchers to decipher the molecule function of previously unstudied genes. They started by focusing in on genes that were essential in some of the cell lines but dispensable for others. For each of these genes, the researcher sifted through their data to find others that showed a matching pattern of essentiality with the idea that all of them had similar functions. Indeed, this 'guilt-by-association' analysis revealed gene groups that were already known to act together and uncovered novel associations between genes that were not known to be related or had been previously unstudied. "What's particularly exciting about this work is that we have just begun to scratch the surface with our method," Wang concludes. "By applying it broadly, we could reveal a huge amount of information about the functional organization of human genes and their roles in many diseases." ### Tim Wang is a doctoral student at MIT, co-advised by Sabatini and Lander, and conducts research in the Sabatini lab at Whitehead Institute. David Sabatini is a Member of Whitehead Institute, where he conducts his research, and a Pprofessor of Biology at MIT. Eric Lander is president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a Pprofessor of Biology at MIT, and a Professor of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School Full Citation: Gene Essentiality Profiling Reveals Gene Networks and Synthetic Lethal Interactions with Oncogenic Ras Cell (online publication), Feb. 2, 2017 Authors: Tim Wang,1,2,3,4,5 Haiyan Yu,2 Nicholas W. Hughes,2,3,4,5 Bingxu Liu,2,3,4,5 Arek Kendirli,2,6 Klara Klein,2,6 Walter W. Chen,1,2,3,4,5 Eric S. Lander,1,2,7,* and David M. Sabatini1,2,3,4,5,8,** Affiliations: 1Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 2Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA 3Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA 4David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 5Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 6German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany 7Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA 8Lead contact *Correspondence: lander@broadinstitute.org **Correspondence: sabatini@wi.mit.edu Funding and Potential Conflicts: This work was supported by the NIH (CA103866 to D.M.S.; F31 CA189437 to T.W), the National Human Genome Research Institute (2U54HG003067-10) (to E.S.L.), and the MIT Whitaker Health Sciences Fund (to T.W.). D.M.S. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. T.W., D.M.S., and E.S.L. are inventors on a patent for functional genomics using CRISPR-Cas (US 15/141,348). T.W. and D.M.S are founders, and D.M.S. is an advisor of KSQ Therapeutics. Whitehead Institute is a world-renowned non-profit research institution dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research. Wholly independent in its governance, finances, and research programs, Whitehead shares a close affiliation with Massachusetts Institute of Technology through its faculty, who hold joint MIT appointments. Wednesday, February 1, 2017 In honor of Februarys Black History Month, enjoy this fascinating background about African-American funeral service traditions and how they evolved. Funeral director and funeral home owner Allen Dave presented this information about African-American funeral service traditions at the 2016 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) University. For 25 years, Dave ran a successful wedding event planning business. He became a funeral director in 2003 and now owns and operates multiple Allen Dave Funeral Homes and Crematoriums as well as cemeteries in Texas and Louisiana. It Started in Egypt African-American funeral service has roots in ancient Egypt. Egypt, of course, is part of the African continent. Historians credit the ancient Egyptians with the creation of embalming techniques and elaborate funeral services for the dead. The Egyptians used cloths, spices, ointments and special techniques to preserve the body, known as mummification. They created the sarcophagus, an elaborate burial container to further preserve the dead. They believed the preservation of the mummy empowered the soul after death. Egyptians built monumental structures to store the wealthy dead, with plenty of material goods to sustain the deceased in the afterlife. The Great Pyramid of Giza and its surrounding structures are an example of these majestic mausoleums built for pharaohs and members of the noble classes. West African Traditions Many of the people brought to the Americas as slaves came from West African tribes. In Africa, the older women were in charge of preparing the corpse, bathing and dressing the body. No one else was allowed to touch the body until the bathing ritual was completed. Before burial, there was a presentation of gifts to the deceased. As with the Egyptians, burial items were considered necessary for a comfortable afterlife. The mourners placed gifts in the coffin prior to burial. Public wailing and communal weeping was often the emotional climax of these traditional mortuary practices. The weeping was often started by the women who oversaw the bathing ritual. The mourners would visit the burial site in the days and weeks after the burial, to pray that the spirit of the deceased was at peace. A celebratory memorial service might be held a few weeks to a year after burial. This memorial service, featuring singing, drumming, dancing and feasting, honored the deceased one last time and marked the official end of the funeral ritual observations. In Ghana, located in the northwest part of the African continent, carpenter artisans are renowned for making fantastic coffins that represent a persons passions in life. Coffin shapes have included shoes, animals, automobiles, airplanes, cell phones, cameras, tools, cigarettes, boats and other fantastic designs. They are only made to order, using simple hand tools, and the coffins feature extravagantly painted finishes. Some coffins may take two to six weeks to complete. Slavery and Funerals in the Americas During 363 years of slavery in the Americas, it was against the law for slaves to give their loved ones a decent funeral and proper burial. In the early years, slaves were prohibited from gathering together in groups of four or more, out of the fear they would revolt against their masters. Deceased slaves were often buried without ceremony on non-crop-producing land in unmarked graves. Children too young to work in the fields were tasked with digging graves and burying the dead. Slave funerals took place late at night in hush harbors, wooded, secluded areas near the slave quarters. Eventually, slave rebellions took place and slave owners were forced to make changes and concessions to keep the peace. Some allowed families to live together, but the masters could still separate and sell off individuals if they so chose. The first African-Americans were denied the opportunity to mourn their dead with their traditional rituals from West Africa. But when a member of the masters family died, house slaves were responsible for washing, preparing and dressing the dead. They also were given the task of preparing the repast (pronounced re-pass), a meal for family and friends who gathered after the funeral. Recognizing they would never return to their homelands, the African slaves in America changed their attitudes toward death. Death was seen as relief from the agony and humiliation of slavery. With the introduction of Christianity to the slaves, death offered the chance to be with Jesus and go home to their mansion in the sky. Thus, the funeral evolved into a homegoing or homecoming celebration. Slaves were allowed to meet for religious services and funerals. Whites were reportedly shocked at the behavior of slaves at funerals, because they were happy, jubilant and celebrated the homegoing of their loved ones. Slave funerals in the Americas incorporated many aspects of West African funeral traditions. The body was bathed and wrapped in cloth, and laid out on a cooling board. The family gathered for a wake at night, with prayers and worship, and the body was carried to the grave before dawn. Burials would take place in the afternoon, with mourners working together to shovel the dirt to bury the deceased in the grave. Afterward, everyone would gather for a post-burial feast, the repast. Slave funerals served as the foundation for the successful form of black entrepreneurship in the funeral home industry, said Dave. Slaves, Undertaking and The Civil War The traditions of embalming and preserving the body in underground vaults became popular in the United States during the latter half of the 19th century, when modern embalming techniques were introduced during and after the Civil War. In the Civil War, black soldiers were recruited to bury the dead and keep records of burial sites for soldiers killed in combat. A number of Union soldiers or their families pre-paid for embalming and shipment back north in the event of a soldiers death in the war. Black assistants to doctors were trained in embalming and conducted much of the work. The combination of experiences with slave funerals and Civil War burial and embalming prepared African-Americans to become pioneering funeral service professionals. Prince Greer was an expert embalmer during the Civil War, and the first historically recorded African-American to hold such a position. Funeral parlors were among the first businesses opened by blacks after slavery was abolished and undertaking was a promising profession for any aspiring black entrepreneur. Many African-American funeral homes were among the first businesses to have telephones. The funeral director was a well-respected, and well-dressed, figure in the community, and the funeral home was a place of safety. [embedded content] The A.D. Price Funeral Home in Richmond, VA was among the first African-American business establishments in United States. The E.F. Boyd Funeral Home in Cleveland, OH was founded in 1905. Some of these businesses are in their 5th generation of family service. [embedded content] Black churches began forming Burial Societies around 1900. They collected money from church members to pay for families funerals, coffins and graves a forerunner to todays pre-need funeral plans. The National Negro Funeral Directors Association, now called the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, was established in 1907. The National Funeral Directors Association, established in 1912, barred membership by black funeral directors. Funeral service remained a segregated industry for decades, persisting into the latter half of the 20th century. (To be continued) Share this: Based on our research of ice rescue incidents and fatalities during the years 2006 & 2007, approximately 85% of the incidents were initiated as a result of humans venturing out onto the ice to rescue a domestic animal. The purpose of this article is three-fold. First, we need to educate the public about the need to control their pets and to prevent them from going out onto the ice because no ice should ever be considered as being "safe ice". Second, we need to also educate the public to call 911, rather than to make an attempt to rescue their pets that have fallen through the ice. And, third, First Responder agencies and their personnel need to be trained and equipped to properly, effectively, and safely respond to domestic animal rescues on and through the ice. NFPA 1670: Standard for Technical Rescue In February 2004, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) published NFPA 1670: Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search and Rescue Incidents. The purpose of this standard is to minimize threats to rescuers while conducting operations at technical SAR incidents. This standard deals specifically with identifying and establishing levels of functional capability for conducting technical rescue operations safely and effectively. Although these standards were designed for all types of Technical Rescue operations, they also address water and ice rescue operations. These standards are intended to assist the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) to: Assess the technical rescue hazard within their specific response area; Identify the level of operational capability needed; and Establish operational criteria. As a responder to technical rescue incidents, the AHJ needs to determine the level of response the authority is compelled to provide. The AHJ must then plan for it, train for it, and allocate the necessary resources to manage the appropriate response at that level. According to NFPA 1670, the AHJ shall establish levels of operational capability needed to conduct operations at technical SAR incidents safely and effectively, based on hazard identification, risk assessment, training level of personnel, and availability of internal and external resources. This standard also advocates the establishment of written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) consistent with one of these operational levels: Awareness level: represents the minimum capability of organizations that provide response to technical SAR incidents. Operations level: represents the capability of organizations to respond to technical SAR incidents, and to identify hazards, use equipment, and apply limited techniques specified in this standard to support and participate in technical SAR incidents. Technician level: represents the capability of organizations to respond to technical SAR incidents, and to identify hazards, use equipment, and apply advanced techniques specified in this standard necessary to coordinate, perform, and supervise technical SAR incidents Once the operational level has been identified, the AHJ shall establish operational procedures consistent with the identified level of operational capability to ensure that technical SAR operations are performed in a manner that minimizes threats to rescuers and others. Once the appropriate level of operational capability has been determined, the AHJ must then provide for training in the responsibilities that are commensurate with the operational capability of the organization, and provide for the continuing education necessary to maintain all requirements of the organization's identified level of operational capability. In order to meet the organization's identified level of operational capability, in addition to developing SOPs and providing necessary training for its personnel, the AHJ must ensure that equipment commensurate with the respective operational capabilities for operations at technical SAR incidents and training exercises is provided. Domestic Animal Rescue Many First Responder organizations have established policies that prohibit their personnel from responding to domestic animal rescues due to the inherent risk and danger posed to their personnel. However, it must be realized that if trained professional rescue personnel don't respond, then the public will do so at great risk to themselves. And, in doing so, the incident can escalate from an animal at risk of drowning to a human victim or multiple victim incident at risk of drowning. In order for First Response agencies to safely and effectively respond to any type of cold water and/or ice rescue incident, the First Responders must be appropriately trained for this type of incident, and they must have the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This should include an appropriately designed Ice Rescue Suit with integrated gloves, rigid sole boots, hood, and harness system. Other PPE equipment could include a helmet, cleats, and ice awls. In addition, the rescue personnel must be tethered to shore at all times with line that is specifically designed for use in water and/or on ice. In addition to this equipment, any rescue personnel venturing onto the ice or into the water to rescue an animal should also be equipped with an animal control pole. The purpose of the pole is to allow the rescuer to safely snare the animal and to restrain the animal while keeping the animal at a safe distance away from the rescuer and/or his/her equipment. The Ketch-All Company has been manufacturing qualify animal control equipment for over 50 years. According to their company, their goal is to provide the animal handling professional with the highest quality, safest & cost-effective restraint pole on the market. For information on their company and products, visit their website at www.ketch-all.com. Lessons Learned: Dog-rescuing hero picks up infection from dog bite On December 13, 2007, John Smith a New Jersey Firefighter, responded with his Fire Company to a detention pond for a report of a dog that had fallen through the ice. Upon arrival on the scene, Firefighters Smith and Roberts sledded onto the ice and made their way to the hole where Skipper, a black Labrador, was paddling in the frigid water. As the firefighters scooped the dog out to rescue it, Skipper bit through Smith's gloved left hand, penetrating the skin. Firefighter Smith suffered a broken finger and the bite allowed contaminated pond water to seep into the wound, causing an infection. As a result of this incident, Firefighter Smith has been out of work for the past six weeks. Although the doctors set the break, because of the infection Smith has been on antibiotics ever since, getting as many as four intravenous treatments a day for three weeks. On top of all that, Firefighter Smith also developed a case of the Shingles which he believes was caused by the stress the injury caused on this body. Smith is a professional firefighter and works part-time as a Fire Inspector for a smaller department, and also is an instructor at the state Fire Academy. For the six weeks, he's not been allowed to perform any work until the doctors clear him. Ice Rescue Training The focus of any ice rescue training program should be to prepare rescue personnel to safely and effectively respond to incidents on and through the ice. Training in personal safety and survival skills should be paramount. Rescue skills should include the use of a variety of equipment, procedures, and techniques and should include rescue protocols for active, as well as passive victims; the management of suspected spinal injuries; and domestic animal rescue. Summary Public Safety and Rescue agencies need to pre-plan ice and water rescue incidents, and personnel need to be appropriately trained to safely and effectively respond to incidents on and through the ice. Collaborative discussions and pre-planning should also be conducted with the community animal control officers. Humane Society representation can also be brought into the loop. Besides the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment needed for water and ice rescue incidents, First Responder agencies should also obtain animal control poles to prevent the animal from compromising the equipment or safety of the rescue personnel. Sir Ken Morrison, the man who took his fathers small grocery chain and turned it into one of the UK's biggest retailers, has died aged 85. The business started by his father on a market stall in Bradford in 1899 grew to become Britains fourth-largest supermarket chain and a FTSE 100 company. The supermarket tycoon joined the family firm after he finished National Service in 1952 and just four years later became chairman and managing director, stepping down from the latter role in 1997. He died peacefully at home in North Yorkshire, his family said in a statement. "Sir Ken was, of course, a unique figure in the history of grocery retailing in the UK," the family said. For more than half a century Sir Ken was "the driving force at the heart of Morrisons as it grew from two market stalls," they said. 'Great retailer, great character' Malcolm Walker, the chief executive of rival supermarket Iceland, was among those to pay tribute. "He was the nicest and kindest man I've ever met. He was very trustworthy, and a handshake was always good enough with Ken," Mr Walker told the Press Association. Co-op Group chairman Allan Leighton said: "Sad news on the passing of Sir Ken Morrison. He was a great retailer, a great character and a great inspiration." The company floated on the stock market in 1967 and went on to deliver year after year of unbroken profits growth, expanding at such a rate that by the end of 1999, it had 100 supermarkets. The entrepreneur was worth 1.05bn by 2013. Andrew Higginson, the current chairman of Morrisons, said: "Taking Morrisons from a small Bradford-based family business to a major UK grocery retailing chain is an outstanding achievement in the history of UK business. "On a personal level, Ken was an enormous help to me as we made some significant changes to set the business on a new course; his knowledge of retail and his strategic insights have remained as relevant and intuitive as they were when he first built the business." Sir Ken received his CBE in 1990 and was knighted in the 2000 new year's honours list for services to the food retailing industry. The British lamb industry could be destroyed by a post-Brexit free trade deal with New Zealand, Welsh rural affairs secretary Lesley Griffiths has said. Ms Griffiths told Assembly Members that a huge influx of imported lamb 'would absolutely destroy' the industry. "I do not want to say 'I told you so' but that was one of the issues we tried to get out there ahead of the referendum," she said. Phil Stocker, National Sheep Association Chief Executive, said a trade agreement would send a larger amount of sheep meat to UK retailers when the market is 'already suffering.' "NSA understands Australia has been pushing to increase its EU quota for many years now, so there is no doubt it would send larger amounts of sheep meat to Europe and the UK given the opportunity," Mr Stocker said. "The UK sheep sector is already suffering unacceptably high levels of imports of New Zealand lamb, much of which is sourced by retailers at times of the year when UK product is in plentiful supply." 'Tighter controls' Phil Stocker, National Sheep Association Chief Executive, said a trade agreement would send a larger amount of sheep meat to UK retailers The Welsh assembly committee was told up to 40% of Welsh lamb exports currently go to the EU and, if the UK was unable to strike a trade deal with the EU after Brexit, they would face a 12% tariff under World Trade Organisation rules. The NSA said the UK needed to be keen to see an outcome to Brexit whereby tighter controls on New Zealand lamb were put in place. They said a situation allowing new Australian products to be imported into UK retailers would make matters worse. "Recent figures from Meat and Livestock Australia show the country produced 516,366 tonnes of lamb and 196,040 tonnes of mutton in 2015/16, exporting 56% of total lamb production (worth $1.78 billion) and 91% of mutton production ($700 million). The main destinations were the Middle East, USA and China. "The UK is currently an importer and exporter of lamb, which helps balance supply and demand through the year and exploits ideal sheep producing conditions in the UK. "We currently export around 36% of UK lamb, with France and the rest of the EU taking the majority of this. A priority for our sector is negotiating a trade deal with the EU post-Brexit. "A free trade deal with Australia or New Zealand may be beneficial for some UK industries but could have a catastrophic effect on UK sheep farmers and we cannot sit back and be sacrificed for the benefit of others." 'Inextricably linked' Asked if the UK government would seek to take control of some of those matters, Ms Griffiths replied: "I do think they recognise that we are all equal. "We have made it very clear there can be no imposition, there has to be collaboration. "I mentioned about them thinking that maybe they have this magic set of powers because they have been the member state, but we have made it very clear that is not the case. "It is not part of the devolution settlement and we are all equal around the table." Sam McIvor, CEO of Beef + Lamb New Zealand said: "Our sheep and beef trade to both the UK and EU are inextricably linked through quota access and both are likely to be affected." New Zealand's sheepmeat quota to the EU of around 228,000 tonnes represents over half of New Zealand's sheepmeat exports. The UK currently takes half of that. "As the UK negotiates its exit from the EU over the next couple of years it will likely be negotiating how much of these quotas will be transferred solely to them and on what terms," said Tim Ritchie, CEO of the Meat Industry Association of New Zealand. On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dairy farmers have launched the 'Enjoy Milk' campaign to deliver a free range future for British dairy cows that consumers can trust. The Free Range Milk Marketing Board (FRMMB), representing a group of more than 700 dairy farmers, launched the new campaign this week. Campaigners behind the Enjoy Milk cause believe they have a new future for British Dairy cows. The Enjoy Milk campaign aims to provide consumers with the opportunity to choose milk from guaranteed grazing based farms whilst offering farmers a fair deal. The integrity of the Enjoy Milk campaign is based upon multiple principles, including the assertion that dairy cows should be allowed to graze grass as often as possible. Enjoy Milk describes this as 'free ranging' or 'free range', as has long been the case with eggs. Grazing on pasture There is a perception from consumers that this is how they would prefer cows to live their lives, with 86% of those surveyed in a 2015 YouGov poll agreeing that UK dairy cows should be able to graze on pasture and should not be permanently housed indoors. The campaign asserts that the definition of free range dairy farming is crucial in calling for legal clarity over the use of the term. In the meantime, the Free Range Milk Marketing Board has developed an application process and compliance procedure to ensure 100% integrity of the milk from Enjoy Milk dairy farms. Enjoy Milk dairy farms have to commit to the achieving maximum milk yield from grazing based forage, meaning that their cows have the most days possible for grazing outside. Whilst no dairy farm is the same, it is possible to objectively and simply determine whether an individual farm is committed to grazing or not. Routine housing of the dairy stock at times of the year when its reasonable to expect cows to be grazing in fields is not permitted. Exceptions will be made for adverse events requiring temporary housing, such as flooding or biosecurity issues. 'Clear evidence' of free ranging All applicants must provide evidence in support of the application to supply free ranging milk. In order to be robust but without causing an additional red tape burden on already hard pressed farmers, this evidence will rely on existing farm data. All Enjoy Milk producers will be asked to submit annual management plans showing clear evidence of the grazing period achieved. The Enjoy Milk team are also investigating an interactive package of software to make the process of compliance and monitoring easier and real time related. In the absence of a legal definition of free ranging for dairy cows, the purpose of these requirements is that there is complete clarity as to what the free range Enjoy Milk promise means, so every dairy farmer and consumers can buy in confidence. A Welsh free range egg producer has been handed an 18-month jail sentence for overstocking, although the sentence has been suspended. John Edward Morgan of Gorse Farm, Llandridod Wells in Powys pleaded guilty to two charges when he appeared before Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court. The first was fraud - making false representations that his company was producing free range eggs, when he knew that he was contravening regulations governing egg production as a registered egg producer by exceeding the stocking density of birds under free range status. This was contrary to Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006. The second was a regulatory offence committed between September 1, 2013 and May 1, 2015, of failing to keep a record of mortality levels of poultry, contrary to Regulation 24 of the Eggs and Chicks (Wales) Regulations 2010. Magistrates sent him for sentencing to Swansea Crown Court because of the seriousness of the offences. There, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years. John Morgan's son, Joseph Morgan, was fined by Llandrindod Wells magistrates for submitting the incorrect date of lay for the family's eggs. The date was submitted on transport documents that accompanied his eggs to a packing centre. He pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to comply with the Eggs and Chicks (Wales) Regulations 2010, by not recording the laying date of eggs laid from September 1, 2013 to May 1, 2015. Morgan was ordered to pay nearly 3,000 in total. He was fined 1,800, told to pay a contribution to costs of 1,000 and also a standard victim surcharge of 120. 'Significant discrepancies' According to details provided by the Welsh Government, the Morgans have two free range hen houses, which have a maximum capacity of 18,000 and 16,000 hens respectively. The eggs produced are sold to Oakland Farm Eggs. Between 2013 and 2015 a number of inspections were undertaken by egg marketing inspectors, which, the Welsh Government says, revealed significant discrepancies. The issues included: false declarations about the number of hens placed in the second hen house; significant anomalies surrounding the number of eggs laid on a particular date, leading to forwarding of the best before dates of the eggs at Oaklands Farm Eggs; the number of additional birds in the second house exceeded the allowed maximum stocking density permitted by law and the business should not have been marketing the eggs produced from that house as free range. The Welsh Government is considering a Proceeds of Crime Act application in order to recover the unlawful benefit obtained by the Morgans' actions. It said it was clear from the sentences imposed that such cases would not be dealt with lightly by the Welsh Government nor by the Courts. It said compliance with regulatory standards should be a priority for all concerned. Crackdown on overstocking Government agencies have been involved in a crackdown on overstocking by egg producers. As many as 200 egg producers are thought to have been involved in Government investigations into suspected overstocking on UK farms. They have been visiting pullet rearers, seizing documents under threat of police enforcement and have been pursuing legal action against the most serious offenders. Following the sentencing of Joseph Morgan, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said that the case should serve as a warning to egg producers that they must comply with the rules. A spokesperson said: Consumers rely on honest egg marketing to ensure that the eggs they buy are fresh and safe to eat, and that production methods are correctly described. This case should serve as a warning and reminder that APHA enforces egg marketing legislation robustly and that deliberate transgressions result in tough sanctions for those not willing to comply. Egg marketing inspections in Wales are conducted on behalf of the Welsh Government by the APHA. More birds than allowed Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have previously issued warnings to egg producers to avoid the temptation of ordering more birds than allowed under Government rules. In 2012 the then Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) said that farmers breaking the rules could face prosecution if they ignored warnings. It seems that APHA the successor to AHVLA is now getting tough, demanding sales records from pullet rearers and taking legal action. Sentencing John Morgan, the judge involve in the case at Swansea praised a very thorough investigation by officials and the "evident detail" that had gone into the audits of the Morgans operation. The Shadow Defra Secretary Rachael Maskell has confirmed that she will step down from her position on the Labour front bench to vote against triggering Article 50. Miss Maskell, an MP for York, said that the Government's plans for Brexit creates an "unjustifiable level of risk". The announcement makes her the fourth shadow minister to reign over last nights vote, which has paved the way for Britain to leave the EU. A number of other Labour frontbenchers also opposed the Bill, despite the leadership imposing a three-line whip. Explaining her position, Ms Maskell said: "I have consulted with my constituents and local businesses throughout the process and held a number of meetings for them to voice their opinions. "I believe that Theresa Mays Brexit plan is creating an unjustifiable level of risk at a time of national and international uncertainty and volatility, with silence on national security measures, no mention of climate change mitigation or environmental protections, and no guarantee of good jobs or employment rights. "The UK is no longer being offered a peoples Brexit but a Theresa May Brexit, which goes far beyond just leaving the European Union, as voted on at the referendum last June." It is not yet known who will be Corbyn's next pick for the Secretary of Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. During 2016, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP 3.37%) invested more than $2.8 billion in capital across several growth projects and strategic acquisitions, fueling double-digit year-over-year earnings growth. That growth enabled the company to announce an 11% increase in its distribution for 2017, marking seven straight years of double-digit increases. The company expects to continue growing in 2017 and beyond thanks to a rich pipeline of investment opportunities. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners results: The raw numbers Metric Q4 2016 Q4 2015 Change (YOY) Funds from operations $245 million $204 million 20.1% FFO per unit $0.69 $0.59 16.9% What happened with Brookfield Infrastructure Partners this quarter? Energy and transportation continued to drive results: Brookfield's energy segment fueled growth this quarter, with funds from operations rocketing 160% to $52 million. Powering those results was the company's partnership with natural gas pipeline giant Kinder Morgan KMI 0.72% ) Brookfield's transportation segment was the other driver of FFO growth during the quarter, with its FFO rising 21.1% to $115 million. Several transactions propelled that growth, including an incremental investment in its Brazilian toll road business, new toll road investments in India and Peru, and the acquisition of an Australian ports business. These acquisitions, as well as higher tariffs and volumes across its other operations, drove a 12% increase in full-year FFO to $423 million. Utilities segment FFO slipped during the quarter, falling 3% to $97 million primarily thanks to the sale of two transmission businesses. However, full-year FFO increased 8% to $399 million, benefiting from inflation indexation and the commissioning of several growth projects. Finally, FFO in the communications segment remained steady at $20 million. For the full year, FFO increased 28.3% to $77 million, although that's because Brookfield did not acquire this business until March of 2015. What management had to say CEO Sam Pollock commented on the company's full-year results, noting: In 2016 we expanded our business and generated FFO growth of 17%. We deployed over $800 million in organic growth projects in our utilities, transport and energy businesses and executed on $2 billion of investments, increasing our presence in several sectors globally. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners spent about $850 million on growth projects in 2016, which not only increased FFO last year, but will supply steady earnings for years to come. One project worth noting was the completion of the Chicago market expansion project within its Kinder Morgan joint venture. The project cost just $75 million, which was 10% below budget, and it will increase Brookfield's FFO by $10 million on an annual basis. Overall, the company delivered organic full-year FFO growth of 10% supported by growth projects, improving volumes, and higher rates. Acquisitions supplied the rest of the company's growth last year. While it completed several deals across its portfolio, the transportation segment was particularly active. The company not only boosted its Brazilian toll roads stake, it also added new toll road businesses in Peru and India. Brookfield has focused much of its attention on those three geographies over the past year, which has added new acquisition opportunities to its pipeline. Looking forward The largest-scale investment in that pipeline is the company's pending purchase of a stake in a natural gas transmission system in Brazil from oil giant Petrobras (PBR -3.06%). Brookfield will invest $1.3 billion to acquire about 28% of the Petrobras system, which is up from the 20% stake it initially expected to buy. Brookfield also plans to invest up to $200 million to acquire an interest in a telecom tower business in India. It's participating in a consortium to buy an entity that currently controls 10% of that nation's towers. The company is also exploring several other opportunities to expand its global tower business over the next year. Finally, Brookfield expects to close the acquisition of a water irrigation system in Peru shortly. While it's only investing $15 million in the transaction, it is acquiring a high-quality business for a good value as it continues to expand its water business. In addition to these transactions, Brookfield has its eye on two trends that could lead to additional deals over the next few years. First, it sees the potential to invest in Mexico thanks to the increased uncertainty in that nation as a result of the wave of protectionism in America. That situation caused the Mexican peso to drop to its lowest level since 1994, and it has slowed down foreign investment, which could open up the door for Brookfield to make acquisitions in the country on a value basis. Second, it sees corporations increasingly likely to sell non-core infrastructure assets so they can fund their capital program, similar to its deal for Petrobras' gas transmission business. In particular, it sees the likelihood for additional corporate carve-outs in the North American energy and Indian telecom sectors. Needless to say, Brookfield sees no shortage of opportunities to expand its global infrastructure portfolio. With the fourth-quarter earnings season coming to a close, it's time to update the list of the 10 biggest banks in America. Without further ado, here it is: Bank Assets (Millions) JPMorgan Chase (JPM 2.74%) $2,490,972 Bank of America (BAC 2.51%) $2,187,702 Wells Fargo (WFC 2.63%) $1,930,115 Citigroup (C 2.40%) $1,792,077 US Bancorp (USB 3.21%) $445,964 PNC Financial (PNC 2.08%) $366,380 Capital One Financial (COF 3.75%) $357,033 Bank of New York Mellon (BK 2.31%) $333,469 State Street (STT 3.26%) $242,698 BB&T (TFC 2.34%) $219,276 JPMorgan Chase maintained its position atop the industry, with $2.5 trillion worth of assets. That seems big, but if you also factor in the assets that JPMorgan administers for institutional investors, and are thus not on JPMorgan's balance sheet, the figure climbs to $23 trillion. Bank of America retained its position at No. 2. This isn't likely to change anytime soon, as it's neither aggressively growing its asset base nor contracting it. The one bank that could eventually challenge Bank of America for its slot is Wells Fargo, which just last year eclipsed Citigroup to become the third biggest U.S. bank. Wells Fargo has benefited from its prudence going into the financial crisis, which enabled it to more than double in size thanks to its 2008 acquisition of Wachovia. Citigroup found itself in the exact opposite situation. After going into the crisis as the biggest bank in America, Citigroup had to change course. It's since aggressively scaled back its operations to raise capital and simplify its operations. Outside the big four banks, U.S. Bancorp retained its rank as the nation's largest regional bank. Based in Minneapolis, U.S. Bancorp is arguably better positioned than any of these banks to outperform the industry in the years ahead. U.S. Bancorp is big enough to benefit from economies of scale, which is one of the reasons it's such an efficient bank. Yet it's small enough to avoid the more onerous regulatory environment confronting its multitrillion-dollar peers. Also on the list are regional banks PNC Financial, BB&T, and Capital One Financial, the last of which was once a monoline credit card company before acquiring its way into the regional banking space. Finally, the two biggest custodial banks in the country make the list, too -- Bank of New York Mellon and State Street. These institutions are unique because most of their size comes, not unlike JPMorgan Chase, from the fact that they administer assets for other institutions. To this end, each of these banks has more than $30 trillion worth of assets under custody, administration, or management. Ultimately, when it comes to investing in bank stocks, there are both positive and negative aspects that accompany size, as I noted with respect to U.S. Bancorp. How these aspects balance out is institution-specific and is something investors should look into before buying any of these stocks. You can get a leg up on your retirement savings by opening an IRA. Traditional accounts grow tax-deferred, while Roth IRAs can grow tax-free, keeping more of your money from Uncle Sam. But to get started with an IRA, you'll need to decide where to open one. Let's see how Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade, two brokerages that millions of people use for retirement accounts, compare for individual retirement accounts. Commission prices The cost to make a trade is declining with each passing day. You'll find that most trades are now priced at less than $10 at TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab. The following table shows how their commissions compare by investment type. Brokerage Stocks and ETFs Stock Options Mutual Funds Charles Schwab $8.95 per trade $8.95 + $0.75 per contract $76.00 per purchase TD Ameritrade $9.99 per trade $9.99 + $0.75 per contract $49.99 per purchase Ultimately, the difference in trading costs boils down to little more than $1 for most trades. The biggest differences are on mutual funds, but fund commissions may be irrelevant for many investors. Both brokerages allow their clients to trade select ETFs and mutual funds completely fee-free. Mutual fund selection and commission-free choices Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade are leaders in the industry when it comes to no-transaction-fee mutual funds and commission-free ETFs. The following table summarizes fund choices by brokerage, including no-transaction-fee mutual funds and commission-free ETFs. Brokerage Total Mutual Funds No-Load, No-Transaction-Fee Funds (NTF) Commission-Free ETFs Charles Schwab More than 5,400 More than 3,200 More than 200 (Schwab, Guggenheim, PowerShares, and more) TD Ameritrade More than 11,800 More than 3,800 101 (iShares, Vanguard, VanEck, etc.) Not every fund is available in a fee free format, but many brokers offer enough choices to create a diverse portfolio at a low cost. Schwab's commission-free ETFs include its own low-cost funds that offer broad exposure by market cap. TD Ameritrade's list includes a number of Vanguard and iShares funds that track well known indexes for rock-bottom expense ratios. Depending on how you invest, you could go far with the fee-free funds list offered by TD Ameritrade or Charles Schwab. Minimum deposit requirement for IRAs You won't have to empty your savings to open a retirement account. TD Ameritrade doesn't have a minimum account requirement. Charles Schwab requires a minimum deposit of $1,000 for IRAs, which is waived for investors who make automatic monthly deposits of at least $100. International stocks and ADR investments If foreign stocks are important to you, you may need to be pickier when you open an IRA through an online brokerage. While many brokers allow you to buy ADRs, not all brokerages route orders to international stock exchanges. A summary of foreign investments appears in the table below. Type of Investment Charles Schwab TD Ameritrade American depositary receipts (ADRs) Yes Yes Stocks traded on international stock markets Yes (12 markets electronically, and up to 30 via its Global Services Desk) No Mutual funds and ETFs of foreign stocks Yes Yes To summarize the differences succinctly, both brokers enable you to trade foreign companies with U.S. tickers, but only Schwab can route trades to international exchanges. Be advised that trading overseas can be costly, as it is standard for brokers to charge higher fees and commissions that vary based on the stock exchange. Mobile app reviews Mobile apps for phones and tablets make it possible to trade from anywhere you have an internet connection. Here's how users recently rated Charles Schwab's and TD Ameritrade's apps, as of Jan. 23, 2017: Brokerage Apple App Store Google Play Charles Schwab 4.0 stars 4.0 stars TD Ameritrade 5.0 stars 3.5 stars IRA fees: maintenance and inactivity fees All else equal, it pays to avoid fees if possible. Luckily, we have nothing to warn you about here. Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade do not charge maintenance or inactivity fees, which means you don't have to worry about being getting nickel and dimed with unexpected charges just for having an account. Research tools When it comes to making investments, having access to second opinions from research providers can help you make better decisions. We tend to think that access to research is good, especially if you can get it for free. Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade both offer research from S&P, Credit Suisse, and Morningstar, among others. For retirement investors, both brokers have their own proprietary tools to help you make better decisions. TD Ameritrade's Portfolio Planner can be used to score your portfolio's performance over time, and select from a pre-built target allocation based on your goals. Charles Schwab also provides calculators and worksheets to score your retirement portfolio, plus a portfolio profile to give you a deep dive into the makeup and performance of your portfolio compared to model portfolios. In either case, we've just scratched the surface. Both brokers have an large research library that is free for account holders. Where to open an IRA: Charles Schwab or TD Ameritrade? Depending on how you invest, either brokerage could be a good place for your IRA. Charles Schwab offers slightly lower commissions, and more commission-free funds, but it lags on mutual fund commissions and NTF mutual fund choices. TD Ameritrade delivers with lax initial deposit requirements and lower commissions for some mutual funds, but it doesn't offer as many international investment options. Truthfully, there isn't one broker to rule them all. It all depends on how you manage your portfolio. To be clear, The Motley Fool does not endorse any particular brokerage, but we can help you find one that is a good fit for you. Visit Fool.com's IRA Center to see how several leading brokerages compare on key features all on one page! Where the big perk of a 401(k) is an employer match, the advantage with an IRA is the flexibility. When you open an IRA account with a major discount brokerage, you'll be able to invest in virtually everything -- stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds, and more. But picking the best broker for an IRA can be a chore, as there are thousands of custodians to choose from. Today we'll examine two of the most popular brokerages, E*Trade and TD Ameritrade, to see how they compare for IRA investors. Commission prices Trading costs are just one of many things to consider. TD Ameritrade and E*Trade are priced very similarly for most trades, making the difference perhaps less important than other factors. Brokerage Stocks and ETFs Stock Options Mutual Funds E*Trade $9.99 per trade $9.99 + $0.75 per contract $19.99 per purchase TD Ameritrade $9.99 per trade $9.99 + $0.75 per contract $49.99 per purchase Of course, determining exactly how much you'll pay isn't as simple as looking at the standard commission schedule. Discounts are common in the industry, and savvy investors can collect thousands of dollars in bonuses and free trades by taking advantage of special offers for IRAs. Mutual fund selection and commission-free choices E*Trade and TD Ameritrade have a lot to offer the fund investor, as both offer thousands of mutual funds and ETFs that you can buy and sell without paying a commission. This table summarizes the differences between these brokers' fund freebies: Brokerage Total Mutual Funds No-Load, No-Transaction-Fee Funds (NTF) Commission-Free ETFs E*Trade More than 8,000 More than 2,600 More than 100 (WisdomTree, Deutsche Bank, Global X, and more) TD Ameritrade More than 11,800 More than 3,800 100 (iShares, Vanguard, VanEck, and more) The number of funds isn't everything. The type of funds matters, too. For example, E*Trade's commission-free ETF list includes niche offerings that focus on dividends, specific geographies, and individual sectors, for example. TD Ameritrade's commission-free ETFs are more "plain-vanilla" broad index trackers with thousands of underlying stocks and bonds. Depending on your preference, you can make a case that either company wins the advantage here. Minimum deposit requirement for IRAs You won't find yourself priced out of an IRA due to account minimums. TD Ameritrade and E*Trade feature no-minimum IRAs, so you can start with a balance that you deem appropriate. That said, keep in mind that mutual funds can have their own minimums. If you prefer to invest in stocks and ETFs, you can get started with less. Enough money to buy a single share of a stock or ETF is enough to make your first investment. International stocks and ADRs When it comes to international stocks, E*Trade and TD Ameritrade stick with the pack and only offer trading on U.S. tickers. Thus, investors can invest in foreign companies by way of ADRs, or in companies with dual listings on multiple exchanges, but neither brokerage will route orders to international stock exchanges. Type of investment E*Trade TD Ameritrade American depositary receipts (ADRs) Yes Yes Stocks traded on international stock markets No No Mutual funds and ETFs of foreign stocks Yes Yes The truth is that a minority of online brokers offer the ability to send orders over international borders. As for how this affects you, E*Trade and TD Ameritrade customers will be mostly limited to the largest of foreign companies (which are more likely to have ADRs), and funds or ETFs of foreign stocks and bonds. Mobile app reviews You can trade on the go with mobile trading apps for phones and tablets. Here's how each brokers' clients reviewed their mobile applications, as of Jan. 23, 2017: Brokerage Apple App Store Google Play E*Trade 3.5 stars 4.0 stars TD Ameritrade 5.0 stars 3.5 stars IRA fees: maintenance and inactivity fees Routine maintenance and inactivity fees charged by some brokers can drain your balance over time. Both E*Trade and TD Ameritrade can be classified as no-fee IRA brokers, which makes them suitable for accounts of all activity levels and sizes, not just the largest and most active accounts. Research and retirement tools We tend to think investors can benefit from having access to free research and tools to help find and manage a portfolio of great investments. Both brokers have a lot to offer the individual investor here. TD Ameritrade and E*Trade both provides insights from S&P Capital IQ, Credit Suisse, and Morningstar, among others. In addition, TD Ameritrade's Portfolio Planner and E*Trade's My Advisor use information you input to help design portfolios of funds that will meet your objectives and fit your risk profile. We should point out that we've just touched on a few of the perks you can expect to find in your account. Both brokers have deep research libraries and tools that truly have something for everyone. Brokers for IRAs: E*Trade vs. TD Ameritrade Truly, depending on how you invest, either brokerage could be a good choice for an individual retirement account. Differences in commissions are modest, and both brokers offer thousands of free funds, so the biggest difference might just be which funds are on its commission-free lists. Realistically, there isn't any perfect brokerage for every single person. It all depends on how a broker's pricing and offerings fit into the unique puzzle of your portfolio. To be clear, The Motley Fool does not endorse any particular brokerage, but we can help you find one that is a good fit for you. Take a look at Fool.com's IRA Center to compare several leading discount brokerages, and to see if you qualify for any special offers like cash bonuses or commission-free trades when you open a new account. Iran Zanta Launch Review Of Tehran's Best WordPress Web Design Agencies Iran Zanta help Iranians learn web development using WordPress through comprehensive courses, and can now help people find a professional web designer in their latest industry review. -- Web design is a crucial element in online success, no matter the venture. In a digital world, the website is the first impression, business card, handshake, salesman, store, and community hub all in one. To achieve this takes mastery over the form and function of web design, and the powerful and versatile tool that is WordPress. IranZanta can help Iranians find out all the information they could need to create a stunning web presence using WordPress, including comprehensive educational courses, online resources and more. They have now added a new review of the best web design agencies in Iran, for those who need a stunning web presence without having to master the art form themselves. Iran Zanta's new review lists the top web design agencies in Iran, offering a shortlist that highlights the outstanding work done by these brands, and a bullet-point list of their key features and unique advantages. This makes for easy and fast comparison, while an appended guide delves into the qualities a great web design agency should have, so individuals can evaluate their choice independently. The article is one of many to be published to the website, which regularly features the best information available on how to master WordPress using themes, plugins and custom coding. This new guide will help those without the time to master WordPress for themselves to get the best it has to offer, by enlisting the help of seasoned professionals. A spokesperson for IranZanta explained, "We are pleased to be able to help people find the best web development agencies in Iran right now. What's more, our checklist allows people to contact them with a concrete idea of the kind of questions they should be asking to ensure they can get the results they deserve. This will make the process so much easier for those who need a professionally designed website capable of performing to today's standards and best-practices." About Iran Zanta: Iran Zanta is an online resource center dedicated to providing the very best information available on WordPress. The website is regularly updated by a committed team of writers and researchers, who share the latest educational courses and developer resources, together with information on the best Iranian web designers of today. The site aims to provide actionable advice personal and business users. Contact Info: Name: PRWhirlWind Organization: PRWhirlWind Address: Ferdosi Street Phone: 00989177709870 Source URL: http://marketersmedia.com/iran-zanta-launch-review-of-tehrans-best-wordpress-web-design-agencies/166415 For more information, please visit http://www.iranzanta.com/ Source: MarketersMedia Release ID: 166415 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Heifer Project International, an Arkansas nonprofit corporation (Heifer International or we) maintains this website, the materials and content on the website, and certain other social media platforms to which the website links (collectively the Online Presence). 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Heifer International is not responsible for content found on other sites. Part of Heifer Internationals strategy is to make sure we leave communities in a place where they will succeed long after our involvement. One example of this is Heifer USAs work in the Appalachia. In 2011, we started working with Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture in Boone, North Carolina. Blue Ridge Women is strengthening the areas local food system by supporting women and their families with resources and education. Heifer USA helped Blue Ridge Women build a network of local partners, start to develop cooperatives and connect farmers to markets. Our direct involvement with Blue Ridge Women ended in 2015, but the group continues to thrive, building on the results of our work together. Celebrating the grand opening of the High Country Food Hub. Recently, members of the Boone community gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the High Country Food Hub, a collaboration of Blue Ridge Women, Watauga County Cooperative Extension Service and the Watauga County Commissioners. The facility provides livestock and produce farmers with cold storage space, which gives the farmers more flexibility and leads to access to more markets. "Without the food hub, we couldn't grow nearly as quickly or serve our customers as well because we'd have to invest so much more in infrastructure," said Bob Shipley of Shipley Farms. "This way, all the local farms can share it, so it's much more efficient." In the growing off-season, Blue Ridge Women plans to implement branding and growing standards for meat producers so their products can be sold online with a shared brand and shared standards. And Blue Ridge Womens Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training mentorship program also continues its success in training beginning and interested farmers. This year, Blue Ridge Women was able to give out nine grants of up to $2,500 to farmers in three counties. They are also assisting with proposal development and business planning, ensuring farmers understand what is needed to help their farms succeed. Some of the products available at Rose Mountain Butcher Shoppe. There are success stories from other parts of the region, as well. In 2014, World Ark featured Ann Rose, a farmer in Lansing, North Carolina. Heifer USA supported the launch of her Rose Mountain Butcher Shoppe. Unfortunately, her progress was derailed due an illness that sent her to the hospital for several months. But Rose did make a full recovery and returned to her shop, which she relocated to West Jefferson, a larger town that has more tourists and customers that fit her target market. She has been at the new site for a year and, after a lot of hard work, she turned a profit in 2016. Rose is currently sourcing products from 50 local producers (meat, produce, and products like pasta sauce, salsa, jams and jellies) in additional to creating her own products such as BBQ sauces and rubs. She is able to ship now, so place your orders! Debora Martinez shows off Heifer Guatemala's award-winning app. Heifers field technicians in Guatemala are going high-tech with a new app to tackle challenges on the farm. Heifers Guatemala team recently developed an application called 5 Manuales Pecuarios (5 Livestock Manuals) that can be used on Android devices. The app gives users solutions written by experts for goats and sheep, bees, native poultry, pigs, and fish and snails. If field technicians have a problem and they arent sure about something, they can look in the app, said Debora Martinez, communications coordinator for Heifer Guatemala, who led the effort to design the application. For Heifer Guatemala, it has opened up a door, an opportunity to improve peoples lives. The 243-page manual is the result of a year of brainstorming and collaboration with consultants, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, and project partner FUNDEBASE. The app is private, so only people with an association to these organizations can access it. Only Heifer Guatemala field staff are using the app right now, as a test run, but it will be available to more users soon. By the end of the year, Ministry of Agriculture extension agents will start using the manual, and so will specialists from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, a state-run university. In the future, Martinez and the Heifer Guatemala staff would like to find ways for project participants use the manuals directly, in their native languages or adapted for people who cannot read. Currently, the app is being translated to English so it can be used in the United States and other places where English is widely used. I would like for us to have more apps on more topics, like Cornerstones or Passing on the Gift, Martinez said. Themes that farmers are interested in, and this can be a way we can communicate with them. We also want to make things easier for field technicians, because they have a lot of work on their hands. Walking, traveling, all the hours, bad roads. We can make things easier for them, too. Austria is the latest European country to move to ban the full-face veil in public spaces. The countrys ruling coalition this week agreed to prohibit full-face veils such as the burqa and the niqab in courts and schools, while further investigating the possibility of banning headscarves for women employed in public services. The ban is part of a package of changes hammered out by the ruling Social Democratic party (SPO) and the centre-right Austrian Peoples party (OVP) to avert the collapse of their coalition government, which would have triggered snap elections. Other new policy goals they have agreed include expanding Austrias CCTV network and a compulsory integration year for asylum seekers, during which they would have to commit themselves to learning German and working for a charitable organisation. The ban on the full-face veil is seen above all as a symbolic measure designed to avert pressure from the anti-immigration Freedom party (FPO), which is currently leading in the polls. Only between 100 and 150 women are estimated to wear the full-face veil in Austria. A spokesperson emphasised the ban would apply for tourist destinations such as the Zell am See ski resort as well as the urban centre of Vienna. A similar ban has been place in France and Belgium since 2011, the Netherlands introduced a partial ban in 2015, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, endorsed her partys call to ban the full-face veil wherever it is legally possible last year. While the governments working paper also said civil servants in executive positions, such as judges and state prosecutors, should be forced to wear religiously neutral clothing, the Austrian justice ministry has distanced itself from the proposals, stating that guidelines already prescribe specific clothing in court. According to Der Standard newspaper, there are no women with headscarves working for Austrias police force or the countrys courts. The president of Austrias Islamic Faith Community, Ibrahim Olgun, criticised the proposed ban, saying that it would pull the rug from under efforts to create a good working relationship between the government and the Muslim community. Source : Guardian UK Activists looking to remove the names of British monarchs from Corks streets are upping their campaign painting over the name Victoria on a number of city street signs. Political and Irish language activist Diarmaid O Cadhla said that the group wants to honour local and national heroes instead of British artistocrats and criminals. The group has criticised the naming of Corks newly unveiled Victorian Quarter, which includes MacCurtain Street and nearby streets. This morning, members of the group painted over the name Victoria on street signs on the Victoria Road. The group are engaging in Civil Disobedience to remove Victorias name, stating that this is necessary in order to respect the memory of the millions who starved and were dispossessed under her reign, Mr O Cadhla said. The group has also criticised the naming of Corks newly unveiled Victorian Quarter, which includes MacCurtain Street and nearby streets. The area was named after the Victorian-age buildings in the area, though Mr O Cadhla has criticised the connections to Queen Victoria, who ruled Britain at the time of the famine. He said the group has put together a proposal that deals with the issue without erasing Corks history. The group has hit out at the Lord Mayor of Cork for refusing to meet with them in recent weeks. Correcting a wrong! Vulgar Victoria's name is removed in #Cork The Famine Queen committed genocide against #Irish & many other peoples. pic.twitter.com/c5odN1mOkC Diarmaid O CADHLA (@GraTire) February 2, 2017 When it comes to Victoria, it is glaringly obvious. There are mass graves in Cork with tens of thousands of people who died under her rule. We should remember the rule of these criminals and aristocrats in a more fitting manner. What does it say about us as a city? Do we have nobody worthy of commemoration? Members of the group will meet this evening to decide on their next course of action. A public meeting will then take place next Wednesday, February 8. Mr O Cadhla said, People are suggesting civil disobedience, everything from ripping down the signs to plastering over them. Nothing has been decided yet. He hit out at the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Des Cahill, for declining to meet with the group. We have been writing to City Hall since December looking to get a meeting with the Lord Mayor. Mr O Cadhla said the group have been redirected to the citys roads division, which is responsible for street names. Thats not good enough. The Lord Mayor is meant to be above politics he isnt obliged to meet with us, but if he wont meet people, what is he Lord Mayor for? Its very offensive that he would dismiss us. To be snubbed by City Hall is not good enough. The Lord Mayor rejected the claims he snubbed the group. Mr Cahill said, We responded to both letters that we received explaining that the process of naming roads comes under the roads directorate, not the Lord Mayors office. It is a long and complicated procedure and there is no value in me meeting with him because I cant tell him anything different to the roads department. This article first appeared in the Evening Echo. Update 1.30pm: Donald Trump has used social media to criticise Iran for testing a ballistic missile. The U.S. president has tweeted saying the Middle Eastern country is "on notice" and should be "thankful" for what he calls the "terrible deal" it previously got with America. Iran has defended the latest test and says it will not bow to pressure. Earlier: Iran has defended their ballistic missile testing after being put 'on notice' by the United States. The supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei (pictured), said that they will not bow to pressure. This response comes after President Donald Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn told reporters that the administration "condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk". He said "Iran is now feeling emboldened", criticising the Obama administration for failing "to respond adequately". A defence official said this week that the missile test ended with a "failed" re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. The official had no other details, including the type of missile. - Mfl Sas yesterday announced it plans to register planes in Ireland and set up bases in London and Spain to serve more leisure travellers at a lower cost to compete with expanding discount carriers including Norwegian Air Shuttle. Sas is seeking an air-operator certificate in Ireland with sites in London and Spain that will initially provide a small number of departures to complement existing services starting next winter, the Stockholm-based company said. The Irish unit will hire locally, while its cost advantage is more likely to come from lower social security expenses and taxes rather than from reduced wages, spokesman Fredrik Henriksson said. Services will begin with a handful of aircraft, with the same livery and service offering as Sass existing fleet. Elsewhere, Ryanair yesterday announced an expansion of its services between mainland Europe and Israel. The airline last week said it is close to signing a transatlantic connectivity deal with either Norwegian or Aer Lingus in the next few months. It is adding seven new routes from various European destinations to Tel Aviv and eight new routes to Eilat. Meanwhile, Wizz Air has cut its full-year profit estimate, citing pressure on fares in the industry. However, it said it would press ahead with plans to expand aggressively to build market share. Wizz Airs London-listed shares fell more than 9%, yesterday, their steepest decline since the aftermath of last Junes Brexit vote. The group has felt the effects of pricing pressures after larger low-cost rivals Ryanair and Easyjet put more seats on to the market to take advantage of previously low oil prices and to try to capture market share. Budapest-based Wizz lowered its underlying net profit guidance yesterday to a range of 225m to 235m for the year to the end of March, from a previous forecast of 245m to 255m. Underlying net profit for the third quarter was 13.5m, a year-on-year decrease of 21.5%, which Goodbody Stockbrokers described as disappointing. Our advice to exporters with sterling receivables is to understand the risks associated with being paid in a foreign currency. Your local bank or treasury service providers can help you with this, and help you with strategies to manage this risk. The regulations currently governing the free movement of goods, services, capital and people between Ireland and the UK will fundamentally change, once and if the UK parliament ratifies the Brexit deal some two years after Ms May invokes Article 50 next month. Our advice is to prepare for the worst-case scenario. It is crucial that exporters do an impact assessment, both on their own companys exposures and on their supply and on the exposures facing their customer chains to the exchange rate, customs, tariffs, Vat, visa requirements and EU regulations and legislation A slowdown in the UK economy could mean less demand for Irish goods and services. If your business is over-reliant on the UK market then now might be a good time to look at diversifying your export markets. Consumer habits and needs vary across the globe and this offers greater opportunity to sell your products. Research is crucial; find out what demand exists for your product or service in other markets and research the adjustments you may have to make to become attractive in other markets. Innovation is good for your business. The Irish Exporters Association can assist members on queries over access to market-specific information and to make introductions to potential markets. Keeping your product competitively priced in various markets is crucial. Average costs are lowered as a result of expanding operations. That can lead to greater economies of scale in productivity and efficiency. Selling existing products to wider markets and increasing reach will enable you to remain competitive. Companies currently trading into the UK need to upskill in supply chain management. Many of the hurdles that exist to trading into countries outside the EU could apply to future trade with the UK. Building a more market diversified export strategy now will help to build the skills necessary to continue trading successfully in a post-Brexit Britain. Many companies use the UK as a landbridge to access continental markets or to reach transportation hubs on the continent. Brexit could hamper Irelands main shipment route to continental Europe. At the very least it could extend transit times and add to borders and controls. Planning for this outcome is also something that Irish exporters should be considering by looking at alternative routes such as direct shipping to a Benelux or other continental port. If slower routes adversely impact the quality of your product then researching adjustments that could be made to your product or packaging may increase the lifespan of a product, particularly in the life sciences and food and drink sectors. Understanding the risks involved is paramount. The Irish Exporters Association can address the key worries facing its members. Seminars are being held all around the country to brief exporters on the possible implications. A key focus is to signpost and provide information. The UK has made the decision to leave and it has said what it wants from the negotiations. But it hasnt gone yet. We have traded with the UK for more than 1,000 years and we will continue to do so, but it is going to be different. It will be more like trading with countries outside the EU where the EU has a Free Trade Agreement. Preparation, planning and more preparation will be the key to success. Simon McKeever is chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association. Dozens of high-powered weaponry, including submachine guns and assault rifles, have been also seized, and eight people have been charged in connection with the Kinahan-Hutch feud murders. In a lengthy briefing on organised crime, Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan said that a year ago, after the Regency Hotel attack, she had stated that it would take time, money and resources to really tackle organised crime. With the anniversary of the Regency attack on Sunday, with fears of violence, the commissioner said that there were individuals determined on retribution, posing threats to individuals, the wider community and gardai. She agreed the Regency assault involving Swat-style gunmen brandishing assault rifles was a spectacular in that it was an elaborate murder. She said she was not embarrassed that Garda intelligence had not predicted the attack and said gardai cannot be everywhere and that criminals do not announce beforehand what they are going to do. The commissioner, accompanied by senior officers, said: There would be more operations in Ireland this year involving the Guardia Civil after the unprecedented presence of Spanish police here last September. The Gardas overseas liaison network will expand in Europe and further afield. Human trafficking was a growing area of organised crime and gardai expected more charges this year than ever before. Old silos of intelligence gathering and sharing in the organisation have been removed and replaced with a quicker, smoother system, resulting in recent successes. Garda HQ was working with the Department of Justice to establish what, if any, impact Brexit will have on the operation of the European Arrest Warrant system. The commissioner said she was determined to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups, including the Kinahan cartel, but said it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of persistence. She said 23m worth of drugs were seized last year and already more than 42m this year. Deputy commissioner John Twomey said more than 22,000 armed checkpoints and over 2,000 armed patrols had been conducted under Operation Hybrid, set up to prevent Kinahan-Hutch attacks. He said 3.8m had been frozen in bank accounts, 2.2m in cash seized and 2.2m recovered in taxes, along with the confiscation of 93 high-powered vehicles. Speaking to the Fine Gael parliamentary party last night, Mr Kenny also ruled out appointing a Brexit minister. This is despite a number of Fine Gael TDs, businesses, and other groups and parties calling for one. TDs at the meeting last night were spoken to by Mr Kenny about Brexit for half an hour, ahead of the Taoiseach travelling to Malta tomorrow for an informal EU summit with other leaders. Party sources confirmed Mr Kenny told the meeting he left Ms May in no doubt when she came to Government Buildings that Ireland would not stand for a border returning between the south and the north. Other sources confirmed Mr Kenny had explained he had made his point very strongly to Ms May. She in turn had accepted his points, but did not give a specific reply, he told TDs, Since the prime ministers speech on Brexit last month, there are concerns Britains decision to leave the EU customs union could see Brussels insisting on a hard border with the North. During the weekly meeting in Leinster House last night, Mr Kenny also said there would be no Brexit minister appointed. A number of Fine Gael TDs earlier this week said one should be appointed, as Mr Kenny was very busy and an individual Brexit minister would better help Irelands interests. Businesses also want one, as do three in four voters, according to a weekend poll. However, Mr Kenny told his party the Government was acting as one collective unit when it came to addressing Brexit. Ministers have also agreed to regularly update the party meeting about Brexit developments over the coming weeks. MEP Mairead McGuinness also told the meeting in Leinster House that it was important to use our allies among the 27 member states when it came to the Brexit negotiations and that care had to be taken with the language used during talks. Mr Kenny will travel to Malta tomorrow for an informal EU summit. He told Fine Gael TDs, MEPs, and senators that he would continue to press his counterparts about Irelands need to be treated differently and for a satisfactory outcome from the Brexit talks. Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar was yesterday in London for talks with his counterparts about Brexit and welfare changes for people. We often talk about the impact of Brexit on business, but I think its important that we also talk about the impact on people. There are 681,000 Irish-born residents living in the UK, of whom 14,000 claim some form of benefit or welfare, he said. Meanwhile, Mr Kenny said that he would be travelling to Washington to the White House for St Patricks Day, despite anger of the recent US immigrant ban. However, he said the visit to meet President Donald Trump would not be as celebratory as previous trips. The rental company has released a list of the most wish listed homes by Irish families, a feature on the site that lets people save and share their favourite homes. Out of three million international listings, the most wishlisted properties are all in Ireland, showing families here know the value of a staycation, the company said. According to Airbnb, the list shows Irish holidaymakers prefer tranquility over hustle and bustle as they tend to favour natural locations over hi-tech properties, choosing properties without television or internet access. The list also shows Irish users are drawn to unique architecture and immersive environments for their family holidays, said the company. The number one wish-listed spot went to a boutique country house with an Atlantic view in Co Sligo. The 200-year-old property is set on 10 acres, overlooking a prime surfing beach. Guests are invited to have a relaxing evening by an open fireplace, drink a glass of wine in the private bar or play a game of pool. The mill cottage in Co Kilkenny has been restored to recreate old-world charm. Another notable popular property on the list is a modern eco-home 15 minutes away from Oughterard, Co Galway. Described as the perfect retreat, the home is equipped with all the contemporary features a visitor could want, according to its owners. The property also has stunning lake and mountain views. Another Co Galway property, a restored pre-Famine cottage, invites visitors to relax and disconnect from modern technology. Affordability is an important factor for Irish families choosing properties, according to Airbnb. The most expensive property on the list, an 18th century converted barn nestled in a valley near the Wexford/Wicklow border, is available at the average rate of 340 per night. The seafront peninsula house in West Cork. The getaway retreat has a private shoreline. However, the spacious property sleeps up to 18 people between six bedrooms and an adjacent farmhouse making the renovated barn ideal for larger groups. Also making the list is a seafront peninsula house in West Cork, overlooking Kenmare Bay. Designed by renowned Irish architect Robin Walker, the home is surrounded by 12 acres of indigenous oak woodland, leading down to a small harbour with a private shoreline. Another Cork property, this time a 100-year-old cottage near Ahakista in West Cork, is described by its owner as an ideal location for a cosy retreat. During their stay, visitors are invited by the owners to take time to hike, bike, read, write, draw, think, play, live and make love. The enchanting mill cottage in Kells, Co Kilkenny has been restored to recreate old world charm, with a modern twist. The list also includes a thatched cottage on the Ring of Kerry, overlooking the Atlantic. A converted stable-yard in Dublin also makes the list, with an indoor pool overlooking Phoenix Park. Nobody does it better. Nobody manages to manipulate events and people in order to retain power, and particularly money, better than the Catholic Church. And sure, why wouldnt they? Nobody has been around as long, survived and prospered through empires and wars, held sway over the lives of millions, for good and ill. Through it al,l the institution has retained the ability to get what it wants on its own terms. The announcement this week by Education Minister Richard Bruton about plans to divest the new term is apparently reconfigure patronage from Catholic primary schools speaks volumes. Bruton comes across as genuine in his attempts to mould a primary school system befitting the society it serves. Currently, around 94% of the countrys 2,800 schools are under the patronage of the Catholic Church. This system sprang from the 19th century, long before the rise of Parnell, 1916, and the electrification of rural Ireland. Yet today, in the 21st century, the system persists. Despite the flight from the flock, despite the wishes of a substantial minority for a more appropriate education for their children, the Church maintains its grip. Many bishops have pleaded that they wish to see ordered change, yet a suspicion arises that they harbour a mental reservation invoking St Augustines make me pure, but not yet. Five years ago Brutons predecessor, Ruairi Quinn, attempted to tackle the problem. He set up the Forum For Patronage and Pluralism, which came to the conclusion that things had to change. That body, peopled largely by educationalists, determined that change would initially come in the form of identifying 28 locations where patronage could transfer from the church to another body. Twenty-eight out of more than 2,500 isnt exactly earth-shattering change, but even that couldnt be managed. So far, just 10 schools have been divested from the Church. Among the forums many recommendations was one that stipulated that there should be no cost to the exchequer for divestment. This might seem reasonable, considering the States role in education, but it was met with resistance within the ecclesiastical hierarchy. What we have we hold, was the attitude. Just dont mention the hundreds of millions still owed by the Church to the State for the victims of child abuse. (And yes, the latter is owed by congregations rather than the dioceses which generally act as patron, but its all part of the one, true Church). There is no doubt but that the bishops didnt like the proposals. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, a lonely progressive voice in the hierarchy, admitted as much in November 2015. I think that some of what I would call educational establishment in the Catholic Church are dragging their feet Admittedly communities dont like change, teachers dont like change, theyre not the only ones. I do feel, though, that we cant just go on talking. We have to really start showing things now, he said. Step forward Richard Bruton. He is taking another run at it. He quite obviously weighed up how far the Church might be willing to shift and designed his plan accordingly. Now, local education training boards (ETBs) will conduct surveys to determine where patronage should be reconfigured. The ministers initial target is for 150 schools to be transferred. Where schools are transferred, the Church will be paid rent. This could be of the order of 10,000-20,000 per annum, which would see up to 3m handed over each year to the bishops if 150 schools were reconfigured or transferred. So much for redesigning the manner in which the States children are educated for no additional cost. Not just that, but the Church will also decide to whom patronage is transferred. One would have thought that in a functioning democracy, such a decision would be made by some instrument of State. Instead, the departing institution actually gets to anoint its successor patron. THERE is another issue. The ETBs will determine where schools should transfer from Catholic patronage, but the board is also a patron itself, through its 11 national schools. The ETB schools, established in 2008, are multi-denominational, but at the outset, heavy lobbying by the Catholic Church ensured that faith formation classes and sacrament preparation is conducted during the school day. Some might see such activity as contrary to inclusivity in a multi-denominational school, but the Church got its way. There is, quite obviously, a glaring conflict of interest for the ETBs, acting as both quasi vendor in determining where schools should be divested, and purchaser in applying to be the new patron. And to whom is the Church most likely to favour with transferring patronage? Well, it would be advisable to keep in with the ETBs, as they decide where transfer occurs. In addition, the provision of sacrament preparation within school hours would find favour with the Church when deciding to whom it wishes to hand on the baton. Educate Togethers Paul Rowe has criticised the obvious conflicts of interest inherent in the proposals. He has a point. Educate Together, along with other patrons in gaelscoileanna, are completely disadvantaged in the system, and the goal of choice for parents is equally constrained. Its difficult to envisage proposals more tailored to the requirements of the Church as opposed to wider society in general and parents in particular. The way things stand, the Church will be in a position to continue having a wider influence on schooling than is appropriate for society today. Bruton does appear genuine in his efforts to do something. The stark reality, though, is that the Church has him wrapped neatly around its finger. Photo caption: Third-class students Alicia Ledden (left) and Jamie Carroll with Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, in the Central Model School on the campus of the Department of Education and Skills, as the minister announced plans to accelerate the provision of multi-denominational schools. Pic: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie HAVE asked Syrians waiting patiently in Greece for their passage to Ireland what made them put this country high on their wish list. Because we will have the freedom to practise our religion, they said. Clearly suspicion and even fear of Muslims exists here, as studies such as that of the University of Limerick sociologist Dr James Carr attest. But we are listed as being among the least Islamophobic countries in Europe. We are among very few countries in Europe with no far right in our politics. This is great news and we have to ask why? True we have common cause with refugees because we have been economic refugees throughout our history. We never had an empire, instead we fought one, and we empathise with Arab nationalism. But I think the most important element in our relative lack of Islamophobia is our Catholicism. True, there is deep racism in the Catholic countries of the former Eastern Bloc on the so-called frontier of Christendom and recovering from Soviet communism so clearly Catholicism in itself is no panacea. But I think the way Catholicism has pervaded our cultural traditions makes us receptive to other people of religion. I say this in the knowledge that nowadays Catholicism is loudly despised by all so-called progressive people in Ireland. But I think it behoves us to unpick the elements which make Ireland relatively Muslim-friendly, by comparison, for example, with secular France which seems poised to elect Marine le Pen of the National Front as its next President. Im neither Muslim nor Catholic Im Church of Ireland and as an outsider I see a marked commonality between Islam and Catholicism. By comparison with Judaism and Protestant denominations, they are both religions which appeal through the senses to the heart. Though neither has a good record in promoting women, both include imagery of the feminine which you dont find in Judaism or Protestant faiths. They are both despised by the voice of the Enlightenment, and often placed together in the same bracket. In his novel about the anti-Catholic riots in London in the 1740s Charles Dickens has the staunch Protestant Mrs Varden equate being a Catholic with being a Mussulman or a wild islander. All religions can be used by fundamentalists and people of all religions can be refugees. Indeed, some of my mothers family came to Ireland as Protestant refugees from France. But the voice of fundamentalist Protestantism holds sway now in the US while in France it is the latest Protestant denomination: fundamentalist secularism. It is important that we keep this fundamentalism out of the structures of our State. The idea behind it an enforced secular republic sounds good the creation of a neutral space in which all are cherished equally but look how it has worked out. Strictly secular republics such as France and pre-Erdogan Turkey have managed to alienate Muslims, fomenting racism and terrorism. The Muslim veil is such a stupid issue on which to divide a society but banning it had that effect in both countries. Dr James Carrs study of Islamophobia in Ireland makes very clear that when Muslims have been attacked in Ireland it has been for their religion, not their race, and documents episodes of Muslim womens hijabs being threatened and torn off. We humans have a natural and understandable fear of strangers from the time when we lived exposed to the elements and guarded our few possessions. Religion, as a form of social organisation, has taught us to equate progress with welcoming strangers because people who welcome strangers learn new things. They trade new things. They get new additions to the gene pool. They begin to believe that they, in turn, can venture forth in safety. The Bible is loud and clear on the subject of refugees. The mighty King James Old Testament (Exodus 23.9) says: Thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger for ye also were strangers in the land of Egypt. God is addressing the Jews, of course, who along with Christians and Muslims are People of the Book. Christians are enjoined under Vatican 11 to respect Muslims faith in our one God. If Donald Trump and his administration were genuinely adhering to the word of Gawd so mawkishly implored in his inauguration they could not ban new refugees from coming to their shores. Six of the nine charities which resettle Muslim refugees in the US are faith-based, whether Jewish or Christian, and they have been loud in their condemnation of the ban. Muslims do not fear other religions as much as they fear radical secularism. The tedious campaign for the removal of the Angelus in Ireland, for instance, is waged by atheists while Muslims and those of other religions value the space for faith. Muslims in Ireland tend to like Catholic schools though they can face well-documented problems getting into them. Thats why I think the ETBs Community National Schools which are favoured by Minister Richard Bruton in his new plan to create 400 new multi-denominational schools in the next 15 years, are such a good idea. They allow faith formation during the school day, according to the religions and ethical backgrounds present in the school, so they dont run the risk of promoting fundamentalist secularism as the State religion. I am not saying, in any shape of form, that our excellent Educate Together schools, opened in the absence of any provision at all for non-Christians, ever did that. But they were always offered as a choice along with other choices. If we scale our multi-denominational provision and we are going to have to do that for practical as well as ethical reasons I want the State to run the schools and I want them to reflect Irish culture by allowing diverse faith formation. This represents a new model for integration and we are well-set to pioneer it. So far, integration of religious minorities has gone relatively well in Ireland by comparison with the experience of some of our near neighbours. We could build on that to provide a unique Irish welcome to newcomers of all faiths. This would be the logical development of our Christian tradition. But one part of Brutons reconfiguration plan for our schools gives me heart-burn: the idea that the Department would lease the schools from the churches. Catholic and Protestant churches would wholly fail their Christian tradition if they took one cent piece from Minister Brutons department by way of a lease, let alone an annual rent of 10,000 or 20,000 as has been suggested. Those schools may have been built and staffed through the efforts of denominations but theyve been increasingly funded by the taxpayer since the foundation of the State. The churches should channel their Christianity and walk away from schools where parents want another patron as their gesture to those strangers to their religion who are strangers no more. Yale Professor to Speak on Frederick Douglass & Photography Laura Wexler Feb. 2, 2017 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. The co-director of the Yale Public Humanities Program, Laura Wexler, will visit Illinois Wesleyan University Feb. 9-10 as part of the Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program. Wexler is professor of American studies, professor of film and media studies, and professor of womens, gender and sexuality studies at Yale. She is founder and director of the Photographic Memory Workshop at Yale, and the former co-chair of the Yale Women Faculty Forum. She has received numerous fellowships and awards, including a Henry R. Luce Foundation Grant for a three-year project on Women, Religion and Globalization. Since 2011, she has been principle investigator on a project to make a web-based interactive research system for mapping, searching and visualizing more than 170,000 photographs from 1935-1945 created by the Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information. Wexler holds M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University in English and Comparative Literature. She will present a talk entitled, Frederick Douglass: On Photography at 4 p.m. Feb. 9 in Beckman Auditorium. In the 1860s, Douglass gave several public lectures where he discussed the importance of the then-new invention of photography. In Pictures and Progress he shared his vision of the role he hoped photography would play in fostering a more democratic society after the Civil War. Wexlers lecture engages with his critical thought in the context of his time, and ours. The presentation is free and open to the public. The purpose of the Visiting Scholar Program is to contribute to the intellectual life of the institution by making possible an exchange of ideas between the Visiting Scholars and the resident faculty and students. The Visiting Scholars spend two days on each campus and take full part in the academic life of the institution. Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappas mission is to champion education in the liberal arts and sciences, to recognize academic excellence, and to foster freedom of thought and expression. Illinois Wesleyans Phi Beta Kappa chapter received its charter in 2001. Wexlers visit to Illinois Wesleyan is also a co-curricular programming event associated with Illinois Wesleyans intellectual theme Womens Power, Womens Justice. By Reilly Kasprak 17 TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 2, 2017) - Belo Sun Mining Corp. ("Belo Sun") (TSX:BSX) has received the "Licenca de Instalacao" ("LI" or "Construction Licence") for its Volta Grande Gold Project from the Brazilian State Government of Para under the environmental authority, SEMAS ("Secretaria de Estado de Meio Ambiente e Sustentabilidade do Para" or "Para State Secretary of Environment and Sustainability"). The Construction Licence is the final governmental approval authorizing Belo Sun to proceed with the construction and development of its Volta Grande Gold Project. The project consists of an open pit, a gold recovery process facility, water and tailings management and supporting infrastructure. Peter Tagliamonte, President and CEO of Belo Sun, commented "We are very pleased to have received the construction licence. This marks a significant milestone in the development of the Volta Grande Gold Project, and we look forward to starting construction. We would like to express our gratitude to the state and municipal governments, as well as the local communities, for their ongoing support of this project." About the Company Belo Sun Mining Corp. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company with a portfolio of gold-focused properties in Brazil. The Company is currently focused on the development of its 100%-owned Volta Grande Gold Project. Belo Sun trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "BSX". For more information about Belo Sun please visit www.belosun.com. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 2, 2017) - Orca Gold Inc. (TSX VENTURE:ORG) ("Orca" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate on the Company's Block 14 Gold Project in the Republic of the Sudan, and provide guidance on the high-grade underground potential at Block 14. Highlights Drilling within the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") pit shells has confirmed the Mineral Resource and reduced the Inferred Resources to less than 3% of total materials within those shells: The updated Mineral Resource estimate, using a cut-off grade of 1.0g/t, comprises an Indicated Resource of 30.6 Mt grading 1.82g/t for 1.792 Moz of gold and an Inferred Resource of 9.7 Mt grading 1.7g/t for an additional 0.536 Moz; Drilling at a number of locations in Block 14 (See Figure 1 in this news release) has confirmed the potential of high-grade mineralization below the PEA pit designs: Wadi Doum: four plunging high grade shoots within and at the edge of the current resource contain high-grade mineralisation with intercepts including 25m at 18.40g/t (MET004DD), 27m at 5.47g/t (GSRC615), 30m at 8.06g/t (GSRC542), 30m at 5.83g/t (GSRC690) and 14m at 13.37g/t (GSRC691); Galat Sufar South: Intercepts at the footwall of the Main Zone included 30m at 7.98g/t (GSRC082), 17m at 4.72g/t (GSRC001) and 20m at 7.18g/t (MET007DD) while a high-grade plunging shoot intersected 100m south of the Main Zone footwall returned intercepts of 19m at 13.6g/t (GSRC003), 16m at 17.97g/t (GSRC081) and 7m at 9.67g/t (GSRC183); Liseiwi Target: Short drill programme confirms high-grade mineralisation with assay results of 10m at 15.32g/t (GSRC596), 8m at 12.8g/t (GSRC599) and 17m at 5.03g/t (GSRC595). Mineral Resource Estimate The Mineral Resource update was undertaken by MPR Geological Consultants of Perth, Western Australia as part of the Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") currently in progress. 6,236m of reverse circulation and 826m of diamond core drilling were completed to upgrade Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources. The programme targeted the 10% of material within the designed pits used in the Preliminary Economic Assessment (see Company News Release on July 26, 2016). Results of the Mineral Resource update are shown below at a range of cut-off grades: Block 14 Mineral Resource Update February 2017 Deposit Cut off Indicated Inferred Au g/t Mt Au g/t Au koz Mt Au g/t Au koz Galat Sufar South 0.50 64.3 1.17 2,426 22.3 1.1 787 0.60 54.1 1.29 2,246 18.3 1.2 716 0.70 45.8 1.41 2,073 15.1 1.3 651 0.80 39.0 1.52 1,909 12.6 1.5 591 0.90 33.3 1.64 1,755 10.6 1.6 535 1.00 28.6 1.75 1,609 9.0 1.7 485 1.10 24.5 1.87 1,473 7.6 1.8 438 1.20 21.1 1.99 1,347 6.4 1.9 395 Wadi Doum 0.50 3.8 1.83 222 2.9 1.1 98 0.60 3.2 2.04 213 2.1 1.3 84 0.70 2.8 2.24 204 1.5 1.5 72 0.80 2.5 2.44 196 1.2 1.7 64 0.90 2.2 2.62 189 0.9 1.9 57 1.00 2.0 2.79 183 0.7 2.2 52 1.10 1.9 2.95 177 0.6 2.4 47 1.20 1.7 3.10 172 0.5 2.6 44 Combined 0.50 68.0 1.21 2,648 25.1 1.1 884 0.60 57.3 1.33 2,459 20.3 1.2 800 0.70 48.6 1.46 2,277 16.7 1.3 723 0.80 41.5 1.58 2,105 13.8 1.5 654 0.90 35.6 1.70 1,944 11.5 1.6 592 1.00 30.6 1.82 1,792 9.7 1.7 536 1.10 26.4 1.94 1,650 8.2 1.8 485 1.20 22.8 2.07 1,518 6.9 2.0 439 Notes: Defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Numbers may not add up due to rounding. In comparison to the previous estimate (July 2016), Indicated Resources have increased by 10% or 159 koz and Inferred Resources have decreased by 15% or 98koz. The drilling was directed within the PEA design shells and has reduced the Inferred Resources within those shells to less than 3% of total material. Accordingly, the infill programme has successfully confirmed and expanded the PEA resource estimate. High-Grade Underground Potential Identified The recent infill drill programme at Block 14 has confirmed the potential of high-grade mineralization below the PEA pit designs. Similar potential has also been identified at the Liseiwi target. Wadi Doum At Wadi Doum, high-grade mineralisation has been identified in four plunging high grade shoots within or at the edge of the current resource. Significant intercepts include: 25m at 18.4g/t (MET004DD), 27m at 5.47g/t (GSRC615), 30m at 8.06g/t (GSRC542), 30m at 5.83g/t (GSRC690) and 14m at 13.37g/t (GSRC691), occurring at, close to the base of, or at the edge of the PEA design pit. (See Figure 2 in this news release). Galat Sufar South At Galat Sufar South, high grades were intersected at the footwall of the Main Zone (Main Zone FW) of the deposit where intercepts of 30m at 7.98g/t (GSRC082), 17m at 4.72g/t (GSRC001) and 20m at 7.18g/t (MET007DD) were received. In addition, a high-grade plunging shoot (320 Zone Shoot) was intersected 100m south of the Main Zone footwall returning intercepts of 19m at 13.6g/t (GSRC003), 16m at 17.97g/t (GSRC081) and 7m at 9.67g/t (GSRC183) (See Figure 3 in this news release). Liseiwi Target - Confirmed High-Grade Mineralization In late 2016, the Company completed a short programme of seven reverse circulation holes at the Liseiwi prospect, 15km north of Wadi Doum. Assay results are highlighted by intersects of 10m at 15.32g/t (GSRC596), 8m at 12.8g/t (GSRC599) and 17m at 5.03g/t (GSRC595). (See Figure 4 in this news release). Exploration in the first half of 2017 will focus on further developing Liseiwi as a high-grade target within the project area, as well as on the underground potential at Wadi Doum and Galat Sufar South, by extending the high-grade mineralization to depth). Commenting on these updates at Block 14, Rick Clark, CEO and Director of Orca, said, "The updated Mineral Resource achieved exactly what was planned with the conversion of most of the Inferred Mineral resources within the PEA design shells into the Indicated category. The new Resource will form the basis of the PFS and declaration of the first Mineral Reserves on the project. The conversion programme also confirmed the potential of high-grade underground options at both the Wadi Doum and Galat Sufar South deposits. Furthermore, the confirmation of high-grade mineralization at the Liseiwi target, north of Wadi Doum, could represent an expanded development opportunity at Block 14. We look forward to announcing the results of the upcoming drill programmes as they become available." About Orca Gold Inc. Orca Gold Inc. (TSX VENTURE:ORG) is a Canadian resource company focused on exploration and development opportunities in Africa, where it is currently focused on the development of its 70%-owned Block 14 project in the Republic of the Sudan. The Company has an experienced board of directors and management team and a strong balance sheet, with a treasury in excess of $9.5 million as at December 31, 2016. The technical contents of this release have been approved by Hugh Stuart, BSc, MSc, a Qualified Person pursuant to National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Stuart is the President of the Company and a Chartered Geologist and Fellow of the Geological Society of London. The Mineral Resource estimate was carried out by Nic Johnson of MPR Geological Consultants of Perth, Western Australia who is considered to be independent of Orca Gold Inc. Mr. Johnson is a member in good standing of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the commodity, style of mineralization under consideration and activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43101. Mr. Johnson consents to the inclusion in this press release of the information, in the form and context in which it appears. Samples used for the results described herein are prepared and analyzed by fire assay using a 50 gram charge at the ALS Chemex facility at Rosia Montana in Romania in compliance with industry standards. Field duplicate samples are taken and blanks and standards are added to every batch submitted. Figure 1 - Block 14, Showing Galat Sufar South and Wadi Doum Deposits as well as Liseiwi Target Figure 2 - High-Grade Shoots Within Wadi Doum Deposit Figure 3 - Main Zone Footwall Structure and 320 Zone High-Grade Shoot within Galat Sufar South Figure 4 - Liseiwi Target High-Grade Drill Section MELBOURNE, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - OceanaGold Corporation (TSX/ASX: OGC) (the "Company") notes that a press conference held today by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ("DENR"), Secretary Gina Lopez named OceanaGold's Didipio operation as the subject of a proposed suspension order citing alleged declining agricultural production. No further details of such an order were forthcoming at the press conference. We understand Didipio was one of 6 mining operations listed for proposed suspension, with another 23 mining operations listed for closure. The Company confirms that it has not received any formal suspension order from the DENR. Accordingly mining and processing activities are continuing unabated at the Didipio Mine. There is no legal basis for any proposed suspension. The Didipio operation is not in violation of any laws, rules or regulations, and the operation is not posing any threat to public, security, health, safety or otherwise. Mick Wilkes, President and CEO said, "This decision announced by the DENR Secretary is unjustified nor has any basis in law. We have not received any show cause notice from the DENR nor have we received a suspension order. Should we ultimately receive a suspension order as suggested today we have very strong legal grounds to have it overturned." "Our Didipio Mine is a partnership with the Government of the Philippines through the Office of the President and has a strong social license to operate. We are a large employer of Filipino nationals, and our Operation delivers significant benefits to the local communities. As proof of this, Didipio was announced as the joint winner of the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award in recognition of our exemplary performance in safe and environmentally responsible mining" added Mr. Wilkes. About OceanaGold OceanaGold Corporation is a mid-tier, high-margin, multinational gold producer with assets located in the Philippines, New Zealand and the United States. The Company's assets encompass its flagship operation, the Didipio Gold-Copper Mine located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. On the North Island of New Zealand, the Company operates the high-grade Waihi Gold Mine while on the South Island of New Zealand, the Company operates the largest gold mine in the country at the Macraes Goldfield which is made up of a series of open pit mines and the Frasers underground mine. In the United States, the Company is currently commissioning the Haile Gold Mine, a top-tier asset located in South Carolina along the Carolina Terrane. The Company expects the Haile Gold Mine to commence commercial production in early 2017. OceanaGold also has a significant pipeline of organic growth and exploration opportunities in the Australasia and Americas regions. OceanaGold has operated sustainably over the past 26 years with a proven track record for environmental management and community and social engagement. The Company has a strong social license to operate and works collaboratively with its valued stakeholders to identify and invest in social programs that are designed to build capacity and not dependency. In 2017, the Company expects to produce 550,000 to 610,000 ounces of gold and 15,000 to 17,000 tonnes of copper with sector leading All-In Sustaining Costs that range from $600 to $650 per ounce sold. LifeStyle The best LifeStyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel LifeStyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Deb Hutton and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand. Get Foxtel The New York Times recently ran a piece about the state of America's inner citiesand of course Donald Trump. Their conclusion is that the landscape of America's cities, and of American blacksthe "inner city" is clearly a racially loaded termis complex. I agree with that. I've classified America's cities into three major buckets: elite/vertical success cities like New York, workday/horizontal success cities like Dallas-Ft. Worth, and struggling cities like Youngstown, Ohio, or Flint, Mich. There's no one-size-fits-all model of cities. Some cities like New York indeed have become amazingly successful. But it's also true that many post-industrial cities remain in terrible shape. It's pretty obvious where Trump got the idea that inner cities and black America are in bad shape. He got it from urban progressives themselves. Even within the successful cities, there are immense divisions. Chicago is booming in its downtown and North Side. But the South and West Sides are seriously struggling. Black America also has a complex landscape. Highly educated blacks are doing very well. It's an under-reported story that upscale suburbs like Carmel, Ind., and Overland Park, Kan., are seeing strong black population growth and population share growth, although the totals in both cases remain modest. Cities like Houston, Atlanta, and Charlotte, N.C., are becoming magnets of black middle class. The black population is also strongly suburbanizing, part of the general trend of the diversification of the suburbs. The South retains a significant rural black population. But undoubtedly black poverty remains a big issue, both in cities and in suburbs. Black America as a whole remains far behind white America in economic success. Last I checked, black median household income was around $35,000, compared with $57,000 for whites. The wealth gap was event more stark, with the black household median at only $7,000 compared with $111,000 for whites. So the idea that America's cities are uniformly decayed or that black America is uniformly failing isn't accurate, but it certainly is true that significant portions are dealing with big-time problems. Where did Trump get his ideas about America's cities? The media have seemed to suggest he's simply holding on to outdated 1970s stereotypes. But that seems unlikely. He lives in Manhattan and started building there in the '70s. He knows the difference. It's pretty obvious where Trump got the idea that inner cities and black America are in bad shape. He got it from urban progressives themselves. In the last two years, the urbanist discourse has been increasingly dominated by racial issues: Black Lives Matter, housing discrimination and segregation, income inequality, and a general arguing that American society is saturated with racism that is the cause of copious and pervasive ills in the black community. It's only now, after Trump said basically "I agree", that all of a sudden people have started talking about this complex, nuanced landscape. Urban progressives need to take an accounting of how they have been talking about things too. The idea that Trump is intending to denigrate the inner city is obviously false. He uses the same type of rhetoric about "disasters" and such when talking about white working class industrial and mining towns. His whole point is that the people in these places are victims of a venal and incompetent elite. He surely means the same thing in describing inner cities. The difference is that he found a rhetoric that resonated with working class whites. That same rhetoric is not resonating with working class blacks. What poor whites interpreted as a validation of their worth, many blacks have interpreted as a denigration of their accomplishments in the face of adversity. Trump will never win the leadership class in cities. But if he's serious about wanting to help these communities, clearly on his to-do list is finding new rhetoric that speaks to the rank and file urban black community in a way that resonates. As for the word "carnage," I don't know how else to describe what's happening in Chicago. The global media have been full of front page-type stories over the last two years about the horrific violence there, and justifiably so. I agree completely with critics that Chicago's police department is in dire need of reform. The lack of internal reforms there may explain a lot of the difference in the crime trajectory of Chicago versus New York City and Los Angeles. But the attempts to explain away what's going on in Chicagonowhere near historic highs! St. Louis has a higher murder rate!is unbecoming. It is a legitimate disaster. There also does remain an immense amount of work to do on integrating blacks into mainstream American success. One mind-boggling factoid that I saw recently came from Mitch Daniels' open letter to the Purdue University community. It says that only about 100 black high school grads a year in the entire state of Indiana have GPAs and test scores at the average level of Purdue freshmen. Last year, Purdue only admitted 26 total students of all races from Indianapolis Public Schools. Daniels is making it his business to do something about it. Purdue is planning to open its own high school in Indianapolis to try to better prepare black students for college. America as a whole needs to do the same. Regardless of who or what is to blame, black Americans, and others left behind in our highly unequal cities, are our fellow citizens whom we should care about as neighbors. Integrating them fully into mainstream success is an imperative. Trump isn't wrong that there are big problems that need to be faced. The challenge I'd put to him is to engage seriously on the many complex structural challenges involved. Some problemsrebuilding water and sewer infrastructure, which is a dire needreally are "simple" problems of engineering and money. Many others like policing are not. In the near term, he needs to put his branding, A/B testing, etc. skills to work, and rebuild the way he talks about cities and the black community. That will be one test of how serious he is about rebuilding America's inner cities. This piece originally appeared at Crain's Chicago Business ______________________ Aaron M. Renn is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor at City Journal. Follow him on Twitter here. Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells aerospace and defense products and systems in the United States. It operates in two segments, Aerospace and Defense, and Real Estate. The Aerospace and Defense segment offers aerospace and defense products and systems for the United States government, including the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and aerospace and defense prime contractors. This segment provides liquid and solid rocket propulsion systems, air-breathing hypersonic engines, and electric power and propulsion systems for space, defense, civil, and commercial applications; and armament systems. The Real Estate segment engages in the re-zoning, entitlement, sale, and leasing of the company's excess real estate assets. It owns 11,277 acres of land adjacent to the United States Highway 50 between Rancho Cordova and Folsom, California east of Sacramento. The company was formerly known as GenCorp Inc. and changed its name to Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. in April 2015. Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1915 and is headquartered in El Segundo, California. AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, and onshore energy installations; marine insurance products covering offshore energy, cargo, liability, recreational marine, fine art, specie, and hull war; and terrorism, aviation, credit and political risk, and liability insurance products. It also provides professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, crime, professional indemnity, cyber and privacy, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers. In addition, this segment offers accidental death, travel, and specialty health products for employer and affinity groups. The Reinsurance segment offers reinsurance products to insurance companies, including catastrophe reinsurance products; property reinsurance products covering property damage and related losses resulting from natural and man-made perils; professional lines; credit and surety; and motor liability products. This segment also provides agriculture reinsurance products; coverages for various types of construction risks and risks related to erection, testing, and commissioning of machinery and plants during the construction stage; marine and aviation reinsurance products; and personal accident, specialty health, accidental death, travel, life and disability reinsurance products. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda. Legal & General Group Plc provides various insurance products and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Legal & General Retirement (LGR), Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), Legal & General Capital (LGC), and Legal & General Insurance (LGI). The LGR segment offers annuity contracts with guaranteed income for a specified time; longevity insurance products; lifetime mortgages; lifetime care plans; retirement interest only mortgages; and workplace savings scheme that provides corporate pension scheme solutions. The LGIM segment offers index fund management; active fixed income funds and liquidity funds; active equity management; solution and liability driven investment; multi-asset funds; corporate pension scheme solutions; and real assets. The LGC segment provides investment strategy and implementation, and direct investment and structuring services. The LGI segment offers protection products, such as health, disability, critical illness, and accident; individual term assurance; reinsurance; savings and death benefits; and annuities. It is also involved in the unit trust and institutional fund management, mortgage finance, treasury, building project and modular housing development, general insurance, and open-ended investment businesses. In addition, the company engages in the investment, operation, management, trading, and letting and operation of leased real estate; and construction of commercial buildings, financial intermediation, pension tracing and transfer, insurance agents and brokers, fund general partner, commercial lending, venture capital investing, contractual scheme, investor alternative investment fund, collective asset-management, and investment management activities; and provision of investment advisory, business information consultancy, and technology services. Legal & General Group Plc was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. operates as a seaborne shipping and logistics company in North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, South America, and internationally. It focuses on the transportation and transshipment of dry bulk commodities, including iron ores, coal, and grains. The company operates in two segments, Dry Bulk Vessel Operations and Logistics Business. The Dry Bulk Vessel Operations segment engages in the transportation and handling of bulk cargoes through the ownership, operation, and trading of vessels and freight. This segment charters its vessels to trading houses, producers, and government-owned entities. The Logistics Business segment operates ports and transfer station terminals, as well as upriver transport facilities in the Hidrovia region; and handles vessels, barges, push boats, and cabotage business. This segment provides its integrated transportation, storage, and related services through its port facilities, cargo barges, and product tankers to mineral and grain commodity providers, as well as to users of refined petroleum products. As of December 31, 2021, the company's fleet consisted of 36 vessels totaling 3.9 million deadweight tons. Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. was incorporated in 1954 and is headquartered in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands. S&P Global Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity, and automotive markets. It operates in six divisions: S&P Global Ratings, S&P Dow Jones Indices, S&P Global Commodity Insights, S&P Global Market Intelligence, S&P Global Mobility, and S&P Global Engineering Solutions. The S&P Global Ratings division operates as an independent provider of credit ratings, research, and analytics, offering investors and other market participants information, ratings, and benchmarks. The S&P Dow Jones Indices division is an index provider that maintains various valuation and index benchmarks for investment advisors, wealth managers, and institutional investors. The S&P Global Commodity Insights division offers data and insights for global energy and commodity markets and enable its customers to make decisions. The S&P Global Market Intelligence division delivers data and technology solutions for customers to provide insights for making decisions. It offers data and services that bring end-to-end workflow solutions, including capital formation, data and distribution, ESG and sustainability, leveraged loans, private markets, sector coverage, supply chain, and issuer solutions, as well as credit, risk, and regulatory solutions. The S&P Global Mobility division provides insights derived from unmatched automotive data, enabling its customers to anticipate change and make decisions. The S&P Global Engineering Solutions division offers engineering expertise and solutions in industries, such as aerospace and defense, energy, architecture, construction, and transportation. Its solutions empower business and technical leaders to transform workflows and make decisions. S&P Global Inc. was founded in 1860 and is headquartered in New York, New York. 12:16pm: Manfred has issued a statement disputing elements of Correas account. Per the commissioner, the league decided not to investigate the matter until federal authorities had wrapped up their work. But the leagues Department of Investigations circled back to Correas camp last summer (following his guilty plea) to request his cooperation, which was not forthcoming. Per Manfred: On July 21, 2016, Mr. Correa was informed directly that he would be placed on the permanently ineligible list if he did not cooperate with the Department of Investigations. Mr. Correa not only steadfastly refused to answer any questions, but also opposed the release of any documents by the government to the Office of the Commissioner. On August 23, 2016, Mr. Correas attorney told the Department of Investigations that Mr. Correa was not interested in providing any information directly or indirectly to MLB. The Department of Investigations was not provided evidence to substantiate the other allegations contained in Mr. Correas letter, but remains willing to meet with Mr. Correa at any time. 9:46am: Former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa, who is currently serving a 46-month sentence for improperly accessing the databases of the Astros organization, has leveled similar charges against the Houston front office via Twitter. His claim comes in the wake of the leagues decision yesterday to punish St. Louis in the form of two draft picks and $2MM (which will go to the Astros as a form of compensation). According to Correas statement, an unidentified member of the Astros organization accessed proprietary data on a St. Louis Cardinals server late in 2011. Further, he charges, the Astros utilized the Cardinals information to replicate and evaluate key algorithms and decision tools related to amateur and professional player evaluation. Most seriously, perhaps, Correa alleges that Houston GM Jeff Luhnow and then-assistant GM David Stearns were included in e-mail discussions about these efforts. Needless to say, these new allegations do not come from an outwardly credible or impartial source. As he acknowledges in his own statement, the apparent support for his allegations was obtained through unlawful methods. Weve yet to see or hear anything regarding actual proof for Correas assertions. And the league has given no indication that it has or will investigate the matter, despite Correa saying that he offered to provide commissioner Rob Manfred with information at the time that the scandal broke. The Astros will not issue further comment at this time, per David Barron of the Houston Chronicle. The organization did release a statement yesterday, saying that it had cooperated fully into the various investigations and emphasizing that it is pleased to have closure on this issue. The club stated that it was in support of Manfreds decision, calling it a clear message of the severity of these actions. And Astros general counsel Giles Kibbe recently told Barron and Chronicle colleague Jake Kaplan that, as we have previously stated, we did not have any of the Cardinals proprietary information in Ground Control or our database. Those interested in learning more about the background of this matter can find it in MLBTRs extensive prior coverage. This post lays out many of the key facts that emerged after a federal investigation was undertaken following the public release of proprietary Astros information. Additional information about Correas misdeeds was publicized for the first time over the weekend, including his potential role in the public leak and the nature of his access to the Cardinals systems. 02.02.2017 LISTEN Nana Nanabanyin Ninsin-Imbeah II, a former Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the defunct Alliance for Change (AFC), has advised the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, not to allow himself to be trapped into encouraging corruption. Nana Ninsin-Imbeah II, who worked for Nana Akufo-Addo as the Ashanti Regional Secretary on the Ghana Committee for People and Human Rights (GCPHR), condemned the undue delay and swift swearing into office of Mr. Boakye Agyarko as the Minister of Energy in the face of concerns by the minority members on the Appointments Committee. Nana Ninsin-Imbeah II, who is also the Ex-Nyimfahen of the Mfantseman Council in the Ashanti Region, said when issues are raised concerning people being considered for appointment to a position of trust, it is proper that the issues and concerns are properly investigated beyond reasonable doubt. According to him, people against whom concerns have been raised are hurriedly sworn into office, as if those raising the concerns do not matter. The ex-chief reminded the President that the extreme confidence, and overwhelming votes gained at the December polls to confirm him as the President of the Republic of Ghana, is a total indication of the trust the entire people of Ghana have entrusted to him, and urged President Akufo-Addo to be strict and firm in dealing with the people around him, because most of them have no name and honour to preserve, protect and promote, except he, as the President. The former AFC Co-oridnator noted that the President should have been concerned about what was being said about the Senior Minister, Mr. Osafo Maafo, so that it creates, at least, some level of respect for his office holders. Nana Ninsin-Imbeah II suggested that Mahama Ayarigas bribery allegation must be properly investigated, and not be seen as a mere joke to help clear any stain or dent on the creditability of the Minister. He wondered how the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana could always be accused of corruption, citing the concerns raised by P. C. Appiah Ofori, Algban Sumamu Bagbin and lately, Mahama Ayariga, to the extent of implicating the first Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei-Owusu, and Mohammed Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip, as the source of the alleged bribe. The ex-chief also called on the President to sit up and inject a high degree of decency, uprightness, accountability, transparency, fair play and justice into the Ghanaian society, to make the spirits of his descendants (J. B. Danquah, William Ofori Atta and Edward Akufo-Addo) who were part of the struggle of the independence of Ghana, proud and confident that their struggle has not been in vain. Nana Ninsin-Imbeah also urged the President to fully exhibit that the battle is the Lords, and not go onto the path of equalisation, but make sure anyone who goes astray is adequately and properly made to face the music, without any fear or favour. From Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi The Bank of Ghana has cautioned the public against investing with an unlicensed microfinance company; Agro Development Fund Services Limited. The company is reported to be operating from its office located at A67/3, Asufufu, opposite the Sunyani Traditional Council, Sunyani. A statement from the central bank and signed by its Secretary, Caroline Otoo said the company is carrying on the business of microfinance without a licence from the Bank of Ghana. The statement added that anyone who does business with Agro Development Fund Services Limited, does so at their own risk. The caution follows the recent debacle involving DKM Microfinance Company which was also based largely in the Brong Ahafo region. Affected customers are still being paid their locked up investments which are estimated to be running into millions of cedis. The unfortunate development follows the halt of the company's operations in 2015 for flouting some rules guiding legal operations in the financial sector. By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana The Nyinahin District Commander of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Christian Dogbatse has admonished senior high school students to steer off crime and violence since they were unattractive, unprofitable and dangerous. He indicated that crimes such as rape, defilement, stealing, robbery, assault and other offensive conducts do not only prove detrimental to oneself but society at large and added be mindful of the consequences of these crimes. Bear in mind that you have a future to pursue, and note also that your life is sure to be affected negatively when caught in such acts- youre most likely to be handed a jail term. ASP Dogbatse was addressing students of Nyinahin Catholic Senior High School in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region as part of a programme which is being undertaken by the police command in the district. The programme was based on the theme Consequences of Crime on the lives of students. Crime like fighting may begin with simple act of disagreements or misunderstandings; others like robbery also begins with little things like peer pressure and greed. All these negatively affect you and society in general, he added. He advised them to exercise greater self-control over their emotions and learn to handle disagreements in a more matured way. Headmistress of the School, Mrs. Emma Amoateng Mensah, bemoaned some of the activities of the students including rioting, theft, smoking etc which she described as very rampant on campus. She said some of the students showed so much aggression at the least provocation. She expressed profound gratitude to the Police for the initiative, saying, It will go a long way to reduce crime rate in and around Nyinahin. She advised the students to be patriotic and be ready to expose the bad nuts among them in the larger interest of society. Asp Dogbatse Addressing The Students Asp Dogbatse, (seated In The Middle Of The Front Roll), In A Pose With The Students & Staff After The Event Abidjan, Cote dIvoire, February 1, 2017 The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance access to quality financial services on the continent on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire. The agreement aims to create a collaboration framework to promote financial inclusion in Africa. This partnership is aligned with the Banks High 5 priorities and the Financial Sector Development Policy and Strategy. The Bank envisions a financial sector that is vibrant, innovative, robust and competitive both nationally and regionally. Modern financial systems will steadily expand their coverage, attaining almost universal access (at least 90 percent of the continents population) by 2025, providing essential financial services and products (deposit, payments, credit, and insurance), and improve quality and usage by offering a full range of financial products and services for the continents productive sector. The partnership will also strengthen the technical capacity of financial regulators and policy-makers across the continent to implement substantive policy reforms to advance financial inclusion. In order to implement its Financial Sector Development Strategy, the Bank relies notably on strategic and innovative collaborative partnerships with organizations like the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. On Tuesday, several AfDB departments involved in financial inclusion, namely Private Sector, Statistics, Human and Social Development, Renewable Energy, ICT, Gender Women and Civil Society, Agriculture finance and Rural Development joined a workshop led by the Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division to explore ways to enhance collaboration with the Alliance for Financial Inclusion. The Alliance for Financial Inclusion was represented by Norbert Mumba, Deputy Executive Director, and Efoe Koudadjey, Regional Coordinator Africa and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 350 million people are excluded from formal financial services. This includes approximately 125 million farmers that receive cash payments for the sale of agricultural products owing to lack of access to quality and appropriate financial services. AfDB and AFI agree on the need to scale up the effort in addressing the gender gap in access to financial services for women within the framework of the Denarau Action Plan, the AFI Network Commitment to gender and womens financial inclusion. AfDB and AFI observe that financial services offered through mobile technology have revolutionized and accelerated the economic landscape in agriculture, energy, microfinance, gender access, and SME financing in many African countries. They will seek to develop this further through initiatives such as the African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative and digital financial inclusion, where AFI members have been ahead of the curve for almost a decade now. The Alliance for Financial Inclusion is the worlds leading organization on financial inclusion policy and regulation. The member owned-network promotes and develops evidence-based policy solutions that improve the lives of the poor. AFI is led by its members, comprising mainly financial regulatory institutions and such as Central Banks, superintendencies and Ministries of Finance from developing countries. The network currently includes members from 94 countries working together to accelerate the adoption of proven and innovative financial inclusion policy solutions with the ultimate aim of making financial services more accessible to the worlds unbanked. AfDBs intellectual partnership with AFI will facilitate substantial returns for Africa by supporting a truly innovative model of collaboration and knowledge exchange among policy-makers, the private sector and other stakeholders that will shape financial inclusion policy-making on the African continent in years to come. At the signing of the MoU, Pierre Guislain, AfDB Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, said, The Bank will leverage its resources to support AFIs efforts on digital financial services, agricultural and SME sectors as well as gender. It will prioritize capacity building and knowledge sharing activities and nourish the dialogue for Africas policy-makers through global events and activities. Norbert Mumba, AFI Deputy Executive Director, said, Engaging with the AfDB to scale up and deepen financial inclusion in Africa has always been seen as a natural move for AFI in Africa, as it believes that AFI and the AfDB share the same objective of alleviating poverty and improving living conditions on the African continent. AFI considers the signing of this MoU as an important step toward improving in-country implementation of policies in African countries and making progress in achieving that crucial objective. A global award winning tech start-up, Asoriba has officially launched its church management software and social mobile app to offer a one stop solution for both church leaders, administrators and members which enhances efficiency in church administration and management. Speaking at the event, the CEO and co founder Nana Opoku Ware Ofori Agyeman-Prempeh said their product is designed to enable effective church administration for pastors and church leaders while building an awesome Christian community via its social mobile app with donation features. He noted that Asoriba is a unique web and mobile application that enables effective church administration for leaders, and seamless engagement with members via mobile phones (app, USSD and sms), whiles making it easy to pay tithes and offerings from your phone via mobile money and electronic cards. According to him, the total sign up is 1100 churches with 98percent from Ghana, total church database is over 68,000 people and the target is 1million people before the end of 2017. Patrick Ohemeng Tutu, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer noted that technology is taking over every activity we do, and its about time the church also empowers itself using such resources. He stressed on how many churches dont know their growth or declining rate, or which member didnt come to church on a Sunday. By using Asoribas technology, it will be very easy to manage and feed your members with Gods word while growing the church, which is the core mandate of every church leader. We must win more souls and feed the flock. He noted Asoriba is established to be the main technology partner of every ministry across the globe, he said. Launching the service, Bishop Eddy Addy, a founding Bishop of the Lighthouse Chapel International explained that, Asoribas innovation only goes to show the abundance talent that abounds in Africa. He noted that being sons of pastors and church leaders, the four co-founders really understand the challenge with church administration and built the product to solve the challenge. Product design Asoriba has two products, a church management software and a mobile app designed to make it easy for the church leader to nourish members by sending daily devotions or prayer points seamlessly via the members mobile phone. This is possible via the Devotional, Media, Podcast and Announcement feature in the Web App. The member will receive notices on his/her Asoriba mobile app or as an SMS. This means every morning before you get out of bed, you can have tailor made, spirit filled devotions from your own Pastor. And in the course of the day, you can listen to a past sermon, which could be audio or video from the Media feature in the mobile App. For those who do not have smart phones you can get SMS notifications. In case there is an event happening live, it can be streamed via the mobile app. This means, you will always stay connected to the Word of God and the church service no matter where you find yourself. Another critical and modern feature is the donation functionality in the app that enables members to donate to their church anytime anywhere using online payment platforms like Visa/Master/Verve Cards or Mobile money. The management software includes, a comprehensive and current member database, attendance monitoring tools, financial management feature, event creation and sharing tool, branch integrations and reporting system, group and leadership management functionalities and reporting tools. A vociferous member of the NPP communications team , Raphael Patrick Sarfo, has applauded the decision of the President, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo , to appoint Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare to head the National Health Insurance Authority ( NHIA ) Commenting on the rumour circulating on social media on a radio discussion , Raph as he affectionately called , thanked the president for rewarding competence and loyalty to the party He further narrated the contributions of the renowned Surgeon, Manager and outstanding Leader in the healthcare industry, having done exceptionally well during his days as the Chief Executive Officer ( CEO )of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital ( KATH ) He was also a Member the Health Sector Committees of the party that drafted the party 2008, 2012 and the recent 2016 Manifestos and Policy Documents and a Member of the Transition Sub-Committee on Health. Dr Nsiah-Asare's contributions to the campaign and the party was extra ordinary. He actively championed the stand of the party on all health issues and more importantly the NHIS. He coordinated the 3 Ahafo Ano Constituencies and delivered all the 3 seats handsomely for NPP. Dr. Nsiah-Asare organized and led health health outreach teams to constituencies across the country. He was the Chairman of the Medical Team-V-16 group. Dr. Nsiah-Asare was with us at the villages, towns and cities campaigning for NPP to come to power. " I am aware that he was the chairman of the civil society group , Movement for Change , that organised all the massive demonstrations in Kumasi and positioning him at such an institution where he over qualifies to handle will not be a bad idea at all ". " Apponintments to loyal, hard working and competent party persons will serve as motivation to the youth and others to sacrifice for the party in the future " In response to the arrest of Zimbabwean Pastor Evan Mawarire at the Harare International Airport and his subsequent transfer to the Harare Central Police Station where he is being detained upon his return to the country this afternoon, Amnesty Internationals Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, said: The trumped-up charge of subversion brought against Pastor Evan Mawarire this afternoon is absolutely ridiculous and a total sham. Coming after a similar charge against him last year, it is designed to make him stop his human rights activism and to punish him for speaking out about the declining human rights situation in Zimbabwe. The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pastor Evan Mawarire, as he is a prisoner of conscience imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights. Background Pastor Evan Mawarire was previously arrested on 12 July 2016 after he was charged with incitement to commit public violence under the Criminal Law Act for leading a national shutdown between 13 and 14 July 2016 against corruption and the declining economy. Even today, there are people who still do not believe that climate change is real. Climate change is directly or indirectly the result of anthropogenic and natural processes that heat up the Earths atmosphere. Climate change a living phenomenon. Climate change has been noted as a major peril to sustainable development, infrastructure, human health, settlement, agriculture and food security as well as forest ecosystems. Given its geographical position, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) alerts that Africas survival is at risk as no other continent will severely experience the impacts of climate change as Africa. The IPCC further alarms that climate change is a threat in Africa to economic growth, long-term prosperity and survival of the already vulnerable populations. I totally agree with the formal President of the United States of America, Barrack Obama that the danger from climate change is real, urgent, and severe. The change brought by a warming planet will lead to new conflicts over refugees and resources; new suffering from drought and famine; catastrophic natural disasters; and the degradation of land across the globe. In Ghana, climate change has been identified as a major impediment to development. Ghanas second national communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gives evidence that many of Ghanas economic assets such as the coastal zone, agriculture and water resources are affected by climate change, which is also affecting the social fabric in terms of poverty reduction, health and womens livelihoods, to which the combined impact is an obstacle to its proceeding development. Already Ghana has experienced a little of what climate change can do. The 2007 floods in Northern Ghana that displaced about 317,000 people, the 3rd June 2015 heavy downpour in Accra and the more recent heavy rainfall in Accra that ripped off the roofs of Ghanas Parliament House on 31st January, 2017 are some of the repercussions of climate change on human life and properties in the country. Ghana, beware because climate change is knocking on your door. While all these are happening, one pitiful thing is that many Ghanaians are not aware of the animal called climate change. In my previous post (27/02/2016) on Communicating Climate Change Impacts in Ghana, I recommended climate change adaptation on key issues like water, agriculture and health. Today, I wish to recommend to government and individuals to educate the public on climate change. Ghanaians need to be aware of the reality and severity of the impacts of climate change. I think government in particular owes Ghanaians the duty of making known to them what climate change is, its causes, observed and potential impacts as well as the mitigation and adaptation strategies. There is a saying that the only way for evil to succeed is for good men to sit aloof and do nothing. Although government has developed the National Climate Change Policy, communicates regularly to the UNFCCC and is embarking on some mitigation and adaptations projects (such as REDD+), a lot more need to be done on public education. Government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), and Forestry Commission (FC) should spearhead the climate change advocacy. They can also support, partner or sponsor organisations to get down to the grassroots, especially smallholder farmers and educate them on the nemesis of agriculture called climate change, because our entire economy depends on agriculture. Ghanaians need to be educated on the need to go green; the need to plant more trees, the need to avoid indiscriminate felling of trees in their homes and in the forests in order to control the excessive heat in the atmosphere. The public education should therefore be a wake-up call to all Ghanaians to rise up and face the challenge, to rise up and be agents of change. The public education could however be in vacuum if we (Ghanaians) do not change our ways of thinking. The power to stop the severe impacts of climate change rests within the individual consumers of environmental resources. Change begins with the mind and if only we could renew our minds as people and agree with Stewart Udall that plans to protect the air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man, we could make the Earth a better place. Archbishop Duncan-Williams says that we cannot control the negative atmosphere of the world, but we can control the atmosphere of our minds. Maybe we cannot control the causes and impacts of climate change now; we can make the Earth a better place for posterity by renewing our minds to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle. Francis Diawuo, Email: [email protected] University for Development Studies -Wa, Ghana. On Wednesday 1 February 2017 at about 15:30 hours, I had the opportunity to listen to a live radio programme on Asempa FM hosted by Kwadwo Asare Barfour Acheampong (KABA). At a point, he paused to inform the public of some breaking news regarding the seizure of five vehicles from the compound of Kofi Adams, the NDCS National Organiser. He was able to get Kofi Adams on the phone to confirm the veracity of what he had just heard about the impounding of his cars. What was interesting and shocking to me was how Kofi Adam was calm when answering the query as though he was a shy and well-behaved child who does not talk much. One would not think he was the vociferous Kofi Adams who was shuttling between radio stations lambasting NPP and Nana Akufo Addo for years until the declaration of Election 2016 results in favour of NPP and Nana Akufo Addo. Time indeed changes. This reminds of the song by the late renowned Ghanaian musician Akwasi Ampofo Agyei from Mampong in the Ashanti region titled, Time Changes. You can listen to the song using the web link below. Whoever thought Kofi Adams will ever talk calmly like a child? When his NDC party was in government, he was talking and behaving as if he held Ghana in his hands like a delicate egg that he could let drop and crash at his own volition. Was he not the one who led policemen to storm one Accra FM radio station to arrest one Nana Darkwah, my Kumawu compatriot, when he alleged on radio that former Rawlings could have possibly torched his Accra Ridge residence on a Valentine Days night on 14th February 2010? He was by then the Spokesman for former President Rawlings. He carried out the arrest of Nana Darkwah, had him arraigned and remanded in the Nsawam Prisons for some days without authorisation from the Rawlingses. He did that because his NDC party was in government and he felt he could get away with blue murder doing whatever he wanted by taking the laws into his own hands. In December 2008 when the late President Evans Atta Mills and NDC were elected into power, the then sacked Spokesperson for former President Rawlings, Mr Victor Emmanuel Smith, led a gang of NDC fanatics to embark on public confiscations of government cars and properties that were in the possession of the outgoing NPP Government Ministers and appointees. As it was in those days, so shall it be with NDC under NPP government today, but gone about lawfully. It is not gangsters but army officers, National Security personnel and operatives from DVLA going about impounding perceived government properties from people deemed to have acquired them illegally of whom Kofi Adams may be a principal culprit. Kofi, you can run but you cant hide, and time changes indeed. Go and read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 from the bible to better understand what is happening to you now. Yesterday, you were a macho man, swimming in riches, talking with authority, lambasting your political opponents as and when you liked as though Ghana and everything therein, were your private property. Today, you are playing the victim, having dubiously enriched yourself at the expense of the public. I heard you claim live on the radio that the two pickup trucks are your brothers but parked in your compound. How could you get money to purchase the three Land Cruisers and put up your numerous houses, a former school teacher and NDC National Organiser as you were? On the radio, you said to be in Dubai attending a meeting. What meeting is it? May I ask to know if you are there with former President Kofi Dubai Mahama? Maverick, but famous and popular Ghanaian musician Kwame A-Plus well said, or correctly predicted, in his 2016 song titled, Abn B Bom of which you can listen to via the link below, how Kofi Adams and his NDC bunch of political thieves would one day be held to account. Anyone who will try to protect any of the NDC STEALERS (thieves I mean to say) by claiming any of their numerously illegally acquired properties are theirs, be you a brother, sister, relative or friend to them, when the truth is uncovered, you could be charged with perverting the course of justice, so please take note. Indeed, the roll call bell is ringing for Kofi Adams and his NDC guys to render account of their service to mother Ghana and Ghanaians as predicted by Kwame A-Plus. Kofi, I wish you good luck. Time indeed changes. This is just the beginning. All those who have dipped their dirty hands in the State coffers or have abused their positions to enrich themselves must get ready to face the long arm of the law. I dedicate this publication to the ever cherished memory of the late Mr Akwasi Ampofo Agyei and the fearless Kwame A-Plus. Their predictions are now manifesting in the life of Kofi Adams, once a powerful man in Ghana who like Osuo Abrobo3 and his mannerisms of I dont fear huuuuu, but is now shaking like a leaf on a tree that has come under the intensity of the blowing Harmattan wind. Rockson Adofo (Written on Thursday, 2 February 2017) The youth of Nzema have expressed their displeasure and has kicked against the appointment of Dr. Ben Asante as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited. According to them his appointment by the President Nana Addo is indeed a wrong decision adding that he is a mole and an ardent NDC member and technically bankrupt. In a statement issued and signed by the Association's President Mark Asmah on Wednesday indicated that they are aware of his past dubious and corrupt dealings with Ghana Gas as a consultant when he was brought from Texas in 2010 by the NDC government to help kick start the Early Phase Gas Infrastructure Project. We are opposing his appointment since he is a total misfit to occupy the position and call on the president to immediately replace him since he is noted to be hostile and arrogant when was brought the former Petroleum Minister to serve his interest. They indicated their plan to petition the various quarters to ensure that he is replaced. Below is the full statement Nzema Youth Association Protest Against Dr. Ben Asante's Imminent Appointment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Gas The attention of Nzema Youth Association (NYA) has been drawn to an intense lobbying by Dr. Ben Asante and his surrogates to enable him occupy the enviable position of the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gas Company. This antics and machinations by Ben Asante, is what the NYA has vowed to resist and implore His Excellency Nana Akuffo Addo, President of the Republic not to cave in to those lobbyist, as Dr. Ben Asante; a Petro-chemical Engineer with specialty in natural gas is an NDC mole and technically bankrupt. A conclusion we have drawn from his dealings with Ghana Gas as a consultant brought in from Texas in 2010 by the NDC government to help kick start the Early Phase Gas Infrastructure Project. In fact, he was the Chief technical advisor to the Former CEO - Dr. Sipa Yankey. Today, five years down the line, the realities from the advices and decisions carried through by Ghana Gas makes Dr. Ben Asante a Misfit to the CEO position. Here are the facts; Foremost, the decision to relocate the Early Phase Gas Infrastructure Project from the Domunli enclave (site that had been concluded with all the geophysical test done) in the Jomoro District to Atuabo in the Ellemble District was masterminded by him to promote a parochial political agenda of his pay masters, most especially Hon. Armah Kofi Buah - then Minister of Energy and his surrogate, Dr. Sipa Yankey. Subsequent to the above, we would proceed by interrogating Dr. Ben Asante's advice on the following landmark decision carried through by GNGC. They are as below; What was Ben Asante's input in the controversial relocation of the Gas Processing Plant from the Domunli enclave to Atuabo, knowing very well that Atuabo does not have the geophysical advantages for the construction of a Calm Buoy to facilitate the transport of NLNG from the suppose NLNG plant which was an integral part of the Gas Master Plan? Where was Dr. Ben Asante when the decision was taken to extend a lean gas pipeline to a " No Man's Land" in the Prestea area knowing very well that an extension of the pipeline to the Tema Power Enclave where Gas is most needed could have averted this country the power crises which crippled this country's economy? What was Dr. Ben Asante's input when Ghana Gas was recording all those huge cost over-runs due to poor technical decisions that shot up the entire project cost beyond its $750,000,000 threshold? What was Dr. Ben Asante's technical input when GNGC delayed to tie- in the Atuabo Gas pipeline to the West Africa Gas Pipeline at Aboadze in order to make Gas readily available to the Tema Power Enclave? What was his input when GNGC decided to delay the construction of the LPG loading gantry project to pave way for a privately owned LPG Bay called Amorkyi Quantum Terminal to set up and enjoy monopoly for the usage of their terminal? Perhaps, to allow his pay masters to have a monopoly. Isn't it Dr Asante's vouch attempt to the position of Director of Projects at GNGC and his subsequent posting to Petroleum Commission; a position that he did not seem to like that is prompting his over-arching quest to the position of CEO of GNGC? In fact, this and many more technical ineptitude demonstrated by the Former CEO with the tacit support of Dr Asante that made this country incurred avoidable cost over- runs. Notwithstanding the above, we are of the firm belief that Dr Ben Asante was in bed with the NDC Government to push a parochial agenda. We also have it on record that when his name popped up as the CEO to be, there was jubilation amongst some prominent Senior Management staffs at GNGC perhaps to celebrate one of their own who is likely to cover- up for them. Whiles we have nothing against Dr Ben Asante's person, we strongly believe that his imminent appointment to the CEO position of GNGC will not bring radical positive changes to the company which has been a "sleeping giant'. What GNGC needs now is a radical shift from the past in order to make Ghana great. Thank you. Mark Asma President - NYA Residents of Sapele on Monday decried the incessant power outage by the authorities of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). They also condemned the attendant crazy bills by BEDC. The Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Hon Ejaife Odebala, elders and leaders of various political and non political groups in Sapele voiced their dissatisfaction, insisting on electricity for up to 18 hours daily. At a stakeholders meeting in Asaba, the speaker urged BEDC to stop bringing estimated bills. Dont take people for granted. Your actions show great disrespect for all of us. Sapele residents are paying bills. BEDC must provide meters to consumers. The officials must respond to fault reported by consumers. They must communicate. The irregularity in power supply has disrupted daily life he said. Episcopal Vicar and Dean, St. Patricks Catholic Church, Sapele, Very Rev Father Christopher Ekabo suggested ways towards a lasting solution to the crisis. At least 12 hours to 18 hours electricity should be given to Sapele. Anything less will not be good for the people. No more estimated bills. Prepaid meters should be made available to curb further collection of money by staffers of BEDC. The load shading should be done in a proper manner. The excuse of none payment of bills should be looked into the priest said. He urged BEDC to make a formal and public apology for it actions. After a heated argument, the stakeholders agreed on eight hours of power for a start, subject to further improvement within the shortest possible time. 02.02.2017 LISTEN As a dewy-eyed boy growing up in the tranquil town of Ile-Ife, Osun state, I felt nothing but pity for the people who have willfully subjected themselves to the throes of living in a big city like Lagos when they could have had a much better quality of life in their village or perhaps a nearby town. Why would anyone endure the notorious gridlocks, high population density and other challenges that are peculiar to Lagos? I simply couldnt understand. I cant live in Lagos, I would often say, without even thinking about it. I could live in Ibadan, Jos or even Kaduna but Lagos? No way! Then came National Youth Service and I was posted to Anambra state where in the course of my primary assignment I stumbled upon my dream job at the time and alas, the company was in Lagos! After an unsuccessful attempt to initiate a remote work arrangement so I could work as a freelancer from Ile-Ife, I took up full-time employment with the company and relocated to Lagos. That was in September 2012. It didnt take me long to realise that Lagos is not just a centre of excellence; it is the centre of excellence. In a way that no other city or state does, Lagos represents the broad spectrum of the multifaceted entity called Nigeria. Little wonder the state is bursting at the seams with a continuous influx of people from everywhere. Lagos has remained ever attractive to job seekers, businesspeople, foreign investors and virtually all ambitious Nigerians seeking to improve their lot. Among other impressive things about Lagos, I am especially delighted at the speed with which the states emergency service responds to distress calls from ordinary people. I have had to make a few such calls, the latest being on December 1, 2016 when my brother and his fiancee (as she was then) were involved in a ghastly road accident just outside Lagos. By the time we got to the scene of the incident around OPIC, after Berger, not less than four agencies were already on ground to rescue the victims and take them to the well-equipped Accident and Emergency Centre between Alausa and Ojota. That might not be a big deal in saner climes but in a nation like ours where very few states have a functional emergency response system, Lagos should be commended for setting the pace. Coupled with the impetus provided by a forward-thinking and responsive government, one factor that has facilitated the development of Lagos is a prevailing attitude that does not put the entire burden of growth on the central administration at the state or local government levels but shares it with the body politic through private sector partnership and community development associations (CDAs). It is not unusual to see communities building their own roads, providing streetlights and executing capital/labour intensive projects towards improving their living conditions. What baffles me however is how government and CDAs pay attention to apparently huge problems while totally losing sight of seemingly small, yet very important issues especially as regards health, safety and environment. One that I want to particularly highlight in this piece is the menace of uncovered drains and gutters. On December 17, 2015, my colleague and I were returning from a business meeting in Ikeja GRA when we saw a motorcyclist lose consciousness and plunge into the wide drain that ran alongside the road. Apart from the physical impact which is enough to knock out anyone, the microbial load in that gutter is lethal. Good Samaritans gathered to get the victim out and give him the little help they could while my colleague and I called 767. The Lagos State Emergency Service responded swiftly but whether the man survived is left to be determined. And that's only one of several such instances. I have personally witnessed four which could have turned fatal to various degrees. The very first one would have been tragic for me as I jogged excitedly to the e-branch of Guaranty Trust Bank along CMD Road to withdraw my transitional stipend so I could take care of basic needs before receiving my first salary. The JJC that I was, little did I know that the pavement on which I was running was actually a huge drain that was only partly covered. It was late in the evening and no one would have discovered me if I had not been providentially held back right at the edge of the last concrete slab that separated me from certain death. I still tremble each time I remember the incident. But not everyone would be so fortunate; hence my decision to write this piece in the hope of getting the message across to the right quarters. It's a terrible thing to have people die needlessly or suffer permanent disability simply because we are not careful to keep our environment reasonably safe. Philip Amiola wrote from Lagos, Nigeria. You can connect with him at PhilipAmiola.org or engage him via his Twitter handle: @PhilipAmiola The outgone NDC government has left the Nana Addo led administration an outstanding commitment of 17.2 billion cedis in the roads sector, Minister Designate for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Atta has revealed. He describes the figures as alarming as government's revenue streams are inadequate to meet the rising debts. Mr. Amoako Atta made the disclosure when he met the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Wednesday. There is a commitment of 17.2 billion cedis on road contracts and we have 1,282 road contracts with 87 bridges ongoing we have almost 900 million certificates raised and ready resting and gathering dust at the Ministry of Finance unpaid, he stated. He added, It's quite frightening and there is a huge funding gap and the true state of affairs is that awards were being made without proper reference to expected inflows. Meanwhile the road levy that is established to generate revenue to offset some of these debts is also not performing as expected. The fund is reported to be generating an annual return of 1.2 billion cedis. Energy sector levies increases road fund allocation The disclosure comes at a time that the NPP government has announced to review downwards the energy sector levies. The levy also increased the allocation to the road sector fund from 4 pesewas to 70 pesewas. Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko maintains that the revision is necessary to relief consumers of the huge tax burden. Responding to concerns on whether or not the energy sector levies were a nuisance tax, Kwasi Amoako Atta rather called for more pragmatic efforts to address the issue. Whatever we do to improve our economic situation, no matter the difficulty must be done with a human facewe needn't embark upon anything at all. By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana It is of course catastrophic that the status quo remains under the watch of Dr. Wilfred K. Anim-Odame. This man ransacked the Lands Commission for the 5 and years that he had been there before the NPP came to Power. Ghanaians are upset that this thief is back in office, and they are ever aware that the pillaging of the past shall continue unabated under his watch into the future, near and far. People do not understand why such a dyed-in-the-wool NDC surrogate would be reinstated as the Land Commissioner after an earlier dismissal that brought so much relief to the distraught citizens who had for one reason or the other suffered gravely at the unmerciful hands of this person. It may be true that his father was an NPP person, but this man is inextricably NDC, and of course a partner-in-crime of Ibrahim Mahama, the former Presidents brother. Let me state on authority that Dr. Wilfred K. Anim-Odame had a direct hand in the 680 acre land that was scandalously given to Ibrahim Mahama for a miserably cheap price. That land was never meant for sale. The legitimate owners exist and even one of their children was shot dead a few years ago for trespassing. How one could be said to be trespassing their own land remains mind boggling to me. Dr. Wlfred K. Anim-Odame was also behind the acquisition of that piece and parcel of land situate around the Survey Department in the 37 area by Ibrahim Mahama through his surrogates. This man was also directly involved in the coercion of that parcel of land for Ibrahim Mahama from the 37 trotro station extending backwards and sideways. Even, the businesses around area that had long acquired pieces of the land were served notice that their leases would not be renewed because there was a new owner. It would seem as if the documentation was not finalised before the change of power, so the new government must sit up and pay attention to this dangerous precedent. Here is the catch, though. Honourable Hackman Owusu Agyeman and Honourable Elisabeth Ohene are lobbying extensively for this NDC man to remain the lands commissioner. We do not know why, but can only deduce that they are doing that for some parochial interests that only Dr. Wilfred K. Anim-Odame can safeguard. This is worrisome because given the noise that is being made over this mans reinstatement, we cannot safely say that Ghanaians would maintain the NPP government past 2020. Your Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo, please treat this issue with the desperation of Ghanaians in mind, and be, respectfully, advised that maintaining this man in his position would spell danger to our bid for a 2020 repeat victory. I was horrified to read that the purported letter of reinstatement acknowledged diligence and dedicated service to the nation, which Dr. Wilfred K. Anim-Odame is totally divorced of. I wish to reiterate that this man is a land thief, a property looter, and, succinctly put, an NPP destroyer. Please heed the concerns of Ghanaians. Hackamn Owusu Agyeman and Elisabeth Ohene must stay away from these matters that will dwindle Akufo-Addos electoral fortunes for elections 2020. Accra, Ghana, 2 February 2017 - Emirates has launched an additional privilege to extend the usage of its luxury lounges at Dubai International Airport to its Loyalty Programme members and their guests at a minimal fee regardless of their class of travel. The pay-per-visit access will be available to Emirates Skywards members and their guests travelling on Emirates. Business Class travellers now also have the option to pay an upgrade fee to access the First Class lounges. Dubai International Airport is home to seven Emirates lounges spread over three concourses - A, B and C. In each of the concourses there is a dedicated Emirates First Class and Business Class lounge. Eligible guests can access the Emirates Business Class lounges in Dubai for a fee of US$ 100 and the Emirates First Class lounges for a fee of US$ 200. Business Class customers can also upgrade to First Class lounge access for a fee of US$ 100. Guests who have paid a fee for entry can stay for up to four hours. Currently, First and Business Class customers as well as Silver, Gold and Platinum Skywards members receive complimentary access to the lounges in Dubai. All Emirates lounges have been designed with careful attention to detail, with elegant architectural features, stylish interior spaces, timber trellis work and bespoke furniture from Italy. Emirates also continually invest to upgrade and refresh its lounge experience. The Emirates Business Class lounge in Concourse B recently underwent an US$ 11 million makeover. Besides a full range of gourmet cuisine - prepared on-site by Emirates Chefs a complimentary full bar service, shower facilities, a health spa, wine cellar and a dedicated childrens play area, the newly refurbished lounge also features three distinct concept areas: a barista experience in partnership with Costa Coffee; a Health hub with Voss water featuring healthier food and beverage options; and an exclusive first-of-its-kind Moet & Chandon champagne lounge designed for Emirates, all of which are complimentary for guests. The First Class lounges in Dubai are also a must-visit with a premium cigar lounge in Concourse A, a la carte dining and shoe shining services all complimentary for guests once inside. Emirates has the largest network of airport lounges worldwide. In addition to the seven in Dubai, there are 33 other dedicated Emirates Lounges in major airports across the globe. The airline has plans to extend pay-per-visit access to its outstation lounges in the future. For more information, please visit emirates.com Persons, who sign onto HFC Bank's Susu Plus account, are set to be rewarded for the thirteenth month of the year following the bank's revived campaign of that product. The savings deposit plan allows customers to deposit a fixed amount of money into their account for one year (twelve months) and be rewarded with the same amount on the thirteenth month. The General Manager of Finance and Strategy at HFC Bank, Benjamin Dzoboku explained that the positive feedback necessitated the rejuvenation of the product. The feedback from our customers has pushed us to refresh the product so that we can add more customers to the existing onesit applies to both individuals and companies as well. The Susu Plus account together with six others which have been in operation for about a year now has already attracted about 14,000 customers. HFC Bank is also projecting at least a seventy-five (75) percent increase in deposits by the end of this year. Mr. Dzoboku further stated that the continuous growth of the innovation should largely equip Small and Medium businesses to expand. Year on year I expect that this account should grow by at least 75 percent; Though the concept of the Susu Plus product is not new on the market, we believe that our approach with a refreshed campaign to create awareness for customers to save towards December, will push a lot of customers to us and we expect the results to be very good. Other benefits that come along with the Susu plus account include free charges on transactions (COT), ATM card, transfers, e-alert among others. The other six products in addition to the Susu plus account, include; Brainy child account, I DO account, smart savings account, 55 plus as well as home save plus account. By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not enthused about recent revelations by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia that the previous government failed to account for GH7 billion spent while in office. The immediate past NDC administration also expressed concern about the $14 million put out by Dr Bawumia on the yet-to-be-completed vice presidents' official residence at Cantonments, Accra, which has since set tongues wagging. The NDC, in a statement yesterday, expressed its displeasure with the vice president's revelation of the missing GH7 billion which was never captured in the books as liabilities to the state, describing it as most unfortunate. The NDC indicated, We are displeased by the tendency of the vice president to rush with information to the public and the media, particularly the structural measures and reforms without taking time to understand the rationale for the reforms and initiatives. The party explained that the GH7 billion that Vice President Dr. Bawumia was talking about is as a result of a major initiative or reform on government contracts and expenditure, which is part of the GIFMIS project that the new administration is expected to continue implementing. The framework is also covered in the new Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, under the Budget Responsibility provisions. The NDC explained that the fund was used for part of the contract database and outstanding commitment, and does not constitute conventional definition of arrears. The government is obliged to incorporate the commitments, as a first charge on the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA's) budget 2017. Revelation Dr. Bawumia on Tuesday blew the cover of the NDC's attempts to conceal the GH7 billion arrears, especially when it was not covered in the transition notes. The money was spent by the previous NDC government and was never accounted for, according to Dr Bawumia. Speaking on the topic: 'The Role of Integrity and Transparency in Accelerating Ghana's Development' at the launch of the Ghana Corporate Governance Initiative in Accra under the auspices of Action Chapel International, Dr. Bawumia said the current government discovered this while interrogating data on the previous government's expenditure. Dr. Bawumia added that the previous government failed to disclose this backlog of expenditure. Shock In preparing for this year's budget for example, we have been very surprised by the fiscal data, the data on our expenditure and our revenue. As we interrogated the data, we realized to our shock that expenditure amounting to GH7 billion was made by the previous government, but never disclosed. These came from 2014, 2015 and 2016, so where have they been hiding all these years? How are you supposed to manage an economy with faulty data? And so we have to emphasize that getting the data right is really very key because you are going into 2017 and suddenly you are told by the way that there is GH7 billion you have to pay next year that you did not anticipate. This is the reality, Dr Bawumia lamented. $14m Veeps' House The $14m uncompleted Vice Presidents House at Cantonments The vice president had equally expressed shock and dismay over the $13.9 million being spent on the construction of an accommodation for vice presidents, which has currently stalled. Tuesday evening's rainstorm that hit the capital also ripped off the iron sheet fence, exposing the building to the public. Dr Bawumia said such a huge amount could have been used to construct many boreholes, and believed that the award of the contract might not have gone through competitive tender process, adding, If it had, then Ghanaians would have known about it. He said this scenario showed that many contracts in the country were sole-sourced and were contracted to defraud the nation. The contractors of the multimillion-dollar building are Consar and they have left the site because the Mahama administration was unable to pay the contract sum of $13.9 million. However, the NDC is claiming that the $13.9 million was run, saying that the amount approved was $5.9 million. According to sources close to former President Mahama, the $13.9 million was the proposal from the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) the consultants for the project. Vice President Bawumia who was obviously upset with the revelation, questioned the alleged decision by the NDC government to invest $14 million on the project. I asked, 'how much is this house actually costing?' And I was shocked when I was told. Can you believe in Ghana we are building a house for our vice presidents, and this house is supposed to cost $13.9 million? I mean what sort of a house is this supposed to be? Is the gate made of gold? The pavement of gold? The blocks of gold? A house in Ghana for $13.9 million? I could not believe it, he charged. 02.02.2017 LISTEN The notion of sovereignty residing in the people has become nothing but a broken myth. I wonder when Ghanaians would be treated with much respect than being used as manipulative tools of dominance by politicians. Recent saga relating to expected increment of NSS salaries has suggested citizens are being treated more as "subjects". In the year 2014, the National Democratic Congress under John Dramani Mahama increased the NSS salary from 243.48 to 350 which was about 10% increment. In the year 2016, same government expected the economy to be capable of handling a 40% increase in NSS by 2017 reflecting a major shift from 350 to 559, despite the numerous debt "alooted" from foreign coffers which has landed the country almost in a second state of HIPIC. The question asked by skeptical Ghanaians is why didn't the government cause such increase while it was still in office? Why did it have to confer such burden on an incoming government which sought to "restructure the economy"? What was it's motive? Was it to satisfy a political vendetta against the new government? However, you cannot blame the 70,407 service personnel who have come to accept an increment as a ease of burden and have thereby made calculated budgets on how to utilize their expected increase, dependents who have high hopes of getting substantive revenue from service personnel. It is however a great dishonour to be "fooled"; receiving a bank alert that you have been credited an amount below your expectation. This should not be expected from a government desiring the welfare citizens and promising transparency to the people. The rise of "strong men" in the society who can "dis- amend" what has been amended without informing the people or going through the formal procedure is on a rampage. NSS increment is to take effect in January 2017, if for any reason the economy cannot support this change at a specific period, the people have the right to be well informed before time. But in a country where institutions are ineffective, it is not a surprise when citizens are told not to be subjects but are treated as subjects. its time citizens rise By: Rachael Omeife Department of Political Science KNUST-KUMASI. +233 27 228 6525 JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 2 February 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- 2017 will be an exciting time and may well be the beginning of a new era for productivity growth. Digital transformation will be a major business focus, and success will hinge on how successful we will be in leveraging the abundance of new technologies, with new processes and new skills. Transformation is not about making incremental improvements. It is about turning things upside down and taking exponential steps in a new direction. This will be very disruptive and will make us uncomfortable, but this will lead to growth. Here are the top 10 trends we believe will have the biggest impact in 2017. Data centre Trends 1. Productivity gains will be more about people, process and business outcomes Despite the explosion of new technology over the past 10 years, productivity has declined compared to the previous 10 years, even in the countries that are viewed to be the most tech savvy. Labour productivity, or output per hour, is calculated by dividing an index of real output by an index of hours worked. While IT has become more cost efficient in terms of managing infrastructure, this has not translated into increases in business goods and services. IT will begin to be measured on business outcomes rather than by how many Terabytes can be managed by one FTE (Full Time Employee). The hope for digital transformation is to reverse this trend in productivity. 2. The Agile transformation of IT The mantra for IT will shift from doing more with less to doing more - faster. Businesses are under tremendous pressure to transform and that means implementing innovative new applications and platforms for all aspects of their business. More IT executives are adopting Agile methodologies, working with the business units from the beginning and getting their feedback on a regular basis. IT must rethink their processes and reskill their people and their CIO must become a "business" CIO rather than a cost centre manager. 3. Buying models are changing The market is shifting away from technology asset purchasing. Businesses are rethinking the buying model for their IT purchases both in infrastructure and services. This is influenced by the advantages of reduced costs, increased agility and improved time to value of cloud and hosted services. 4. Accelerating transition to the cloud Cloud-first strategies are the foundation for staying relevant in a fast-paced world, according to Ed Anderson, research vice-president at Gartner. IT managers will be developing skills in cloud monitoring, cloud workload performance and security management, and cloud capacity management. It is no longer a question of "whether" but "when". Virtualisation, convergence, object storage and cloud management portals will facilitate the movement to cloud. Technology Trends 5. Bimodal IT Companies that are not born in the cloud have systems of record that they must maintain and modernise while they transform to new systems of innovation. Bimodal IT refers to having two modes of IT, each designed to develop and deliver information and technology-intensive services in its own way: * Mode 1: Traditional - emphasises safety and accuracy * Mode 2: Nonlinear - emphasises agility and speed IT must be able to manage both modes and implement systems that can bridge between these two modes. While some may consider this to be a data centre trend, this requires technology to integrate these two modes. 6. Flash first The TCO per bit cost for multi-terabyte flash is already lower than hard disks based on five-year projections for power, cooling, floor space, maintenance and ease of management. The cost argument against all flash is eliminated and you no longer have to argue with a user whether his data is tier 1 or 2. As a result, analysts are projecting that the revenue for flash storage will cross over the revenue for hard disks in 2017 as the transition to flash accelerates. 7. A centralised data hub Data is exploding, and data is becoming more valuable as we find ways to correlate data from different sources to gain more insight, or we repurpose old data for different uses. Data is our crown jewels, and IT will be creating a centralised data hub for better management, protection, governance and search of their data. This centralised data hub will need to be an object store that can scale beyond the limitations of file systems, ingest data from different sources, and provide search and governance across public and private clouds and mobile devices. 8. Real-time analysis, Hadoop, visualisation and predictive analytics will be a major focus Predictive analytics is becoming more prevalent as businesses try to anticipate the events that affect their business. This trend will see the expanded use of in-memory databases, and streaming analytics platforms to provide real-time analysis of developing trends. Real-time analytics will be connected with Hadoop analytics for further analysis and results will be stored in an object store for the possibility of future analysis. Analytic tools like Pentaho will combine structured and unstructured data from different sources to provide a 360-degree view for analysis. IT/OT/IoT trends 9. Smart IT: The integration of IT and OT Operational technology (OT) data may be data from sensors or logs that can augment the data from IT to provide a more complete understanding of an event or process. This will be the foundation for smart banks, smart retail, smart transportation, smart manufacturing, etc. Retailers are already at the forefront combining operational data from in-store sensors and social media to optimise purchasing and supply chain systems. More businesses will be looking for data integration tools like Pentaho to integrate their IT and OT data. 10. Growing awareness of IoT in the data centre The internet of things (IoT) is the networking of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items - embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect, exchange and even process data on the edge. The networking of things will impact every aspect of our lives. This goes beyond the integration of IT and OT and, except for a few applications like public safety, will not be a major IT trend in 2017. However, the decisions we make in IT in 2017 should be made with an eye to IoT. The integration of IT and OT with analytics is the first step. To address IoT requires more than the vertical integration of industry silos, but a horizontal platform of reusable components so that the front end is integrated with the backend business systems. Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Hitachi Data Systems. About Hitachi Data Systems Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., offers an integrated portfolio of services and solutions that enable digital transformation through enhanced data management, governance, mobility and analytics. We help global organizations open new revenue streams, increase efficiencies, improve customer experience and ensure rapid time to market in the digital age. Only Hitachi Data Systems powers the digital enterprise by integrating the best information technology and operational technology from across the Hitachi family of companies. We combine this experience with Hitachi expertise in the internet of things to deliver the exceptional insights business and society need to transform and thrive. Visit us at HDS.com About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2014 (ended March 31, 2015) totaled 9,761 billion yen ($81.3 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com The International Monetary Fund has begun talks with Ghanaian government over a possible renegotiation of its Programme with the Fund. The talks which begins on Thursday will last for about ten days follows a call by for a renegotiation of the programme to help create some fiscal space for the newly elected government. This weeks meeting is a prelude to the teams next review of the program. The IMF in April 2015 approved a three year programme for Ghana worth 918 million cedis to help put the economy of the West African country back on track. Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Marfo believes the meeting will afford the two parties the need to readjust the programme following a change in government. They are coming early February for discussion and subsequently for the review before our budget is read in March he said. From our view the programme must be reviewed because most of the targets have not been met in terms of deficit which is around 8 and 9 percent instead of 5 percent. Some Economic Analyst including a Senior Lecturer at the Economics Department of University of Ghana Dr Eric Osei Assibey had cautioned government to tread cautiously in renegotiating the programme. This could affect donor Confidence if we do not tread cautiously he warned. Disbursement Ghana has so far received 464.4 million so far under the programme to help put the economy back on track. The Board of the Fund is expected to approve the next tranche of the fund after a successful review later this month. Brussels (AFP) - Shutting the migrant smuggling route from Libya to Europe is "within our reach", EU chief Donald Tusk said Thursday, arguing that doing so would be in both sides' interest. Flanked by Libya's UN-backed leader Fayez al-Sarraj in Brussels, Tusk said he would propose extra "concrete and operational measures" to curb migrant flows when European Union leaders meet in Malta on Friday. Tusk said the EU "proved" it could shut the eastern Mediterranean route with its deal last March with Turkey that has slashed the numbers of asylum seekers landing in Greece, previously the main entry point to Europe. "Now it is time to close down the route from Libya to Italy," Tusk told reporters, adding he discussed the issue on Wednesday with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. "I can assure you it is within our reach," the former Polish prime minister said. "What we need is the full determination to do that." He said the EU summit in Valletta, which he will co-host as European Council president, will discuss boosting cooperation with Libya. "We have a shared interest and determination to reduce the number of irregular migrants risking their lives crossing the central Mediterranean," he said. "This is not sustainable ... as the smugglers let people drown and undermine the authority of the Libyan state for their own profit," he added. Though far fewer than the hundreds of thousands who had arrived in Greece before the deal with Turkey, a record 180,000 migrants landed in Italy last year while some 4,500 died on that central route. Unlike the asylum seekers arriving in Greece from war-torn Syria and other conflict zones, most of those leaving Libya are sub-Saharan Africans deemed illegal economic migrants who face voluntary or involuntary expulsion. The EU has begun training and equipping Libya's coastguard to crack down on the smugglers and its leaders are expected Friday to examine a proposal to release new funds for the training programme as well as for UN agencies that can help the Libyans look after the migrants. "We hope that EU mechanisms to help Libya will be more practical," Sarraj said, adding the funds so far come to "very small amounts". Sarraj's government is locked in a power struggle with a rival administration in eastern Libya as it seeks to end years of lawlessness following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi. Patrick A.K. Akorli, handing over the Cheque to Dr, Lawrence Sereboe , Director of the National Cardio Centre The management of the Ghana Oil Company (GOIL) has donated GH50,000 to the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to assist in their operations. The amount was part of deductions from the provident fund of the management staff. Presenting the cheque, the Group CEO/MD of GOIL, Patrick A. K. Akorli, acknowledged the good works and worthy contributions of the centre in health care delivery. He promised that the donation would be a regular feature to support the center. The Director of the National Cardiothoracic Centre, Dr. Lawrence Sereboe, was grateful for GOIL's donation and described the increasing cases of heart and chest-related cases as a big problem. Dr Sereboe called for a new equipped Centre to cater for the increasing cases, expressing concern about the cost of heart operation although the present cost per patient is highly subsidized. He appealed to other corporate organizations to support the increasing number of patients who cannot afford the cost of heart operations. Accompanying the delegation was some management staff, including the Chief Operating Officer of GOIL, Alex Adzew, and the Head of Finance Erasmus Ofori Sarkwa. E-zwich transactions recorded growth of 138 percent in 2016, rising from 2.2 million in 2015 to 5.3 million in 2016. Total transaction volumes for clearing house and Gh-link also increased by 7.4 percent and 8.8 percent respectively. While the adoption of e-Zwich by government resulted in a significant boost in transactions, cash withdrawals recorded the highest growth among e-Zwich transactions with total withdrawals made from e-Zwich cards increasing by 182 percent from 900,000 in 2015 to 2.6 million in 2016. Archie Hesse, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Interbank Payments & Settlements Systems (GhIPSS), who disclosed this to journalists in Accra, said products of his outfit improved by 25 percent compared to 2015. Total transaction volume increased from 16.6 million in 2015 to 20.8 million in 2016. Commenting further on the clearing house, Mr Hesse said cheque clearing continued to account for significant growth in clearing business, adding that express cheque clearing recorded the most growth, increasing by 60 percent in transaction volume. Both Express and Standard ACH direct credit increased by 12 percent. GhIPSS is however working with partner banks to find a lasting solution to the high volumes of ACH Direct Debit returns. Concerning the Gh-link, he said, the addition of more financial institutions and ATMs to the gh-link platforms accounted for more growth in Gh-link transactions. Transactions however recorded a 52 percent growth in 2016. This brings to 1,121 the total transactions in 2016 from 735 in 2015. And this growth is attributed to GhIPSS' continued PoS deployment to retail outlets. GhIPSS recorded over 7,000 transactions from e-Zwich international remittance platform. This platform allows e-Zwich cardholders to receive international remittance directly onto their e-Zwich cards or into their accounts from any Unity Link Agent in Europe. By Samuel Boadi The First Vice President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Clement Osei Amoako, has told the Ghanaian youth to stop blaming government for the myriad of challenges confronting the nation without proffering solutions. He said the young and active citizens must consciously see themselves as partners and stakeholders in nation-building. Speaking at the launch of 'The Active Citizens' Campaign in Accra last week, Mr. Osei Amoako called on all young and active citizens to improve their skills and knowledge to analyze and recommend solutions to problems rather than blaming government. In line with our national development agenda, a vibrant private sector that will drive growth and create jobs requires unfettered contribution of young enterprising citizens who are informed and can take business decisions, he said. Mr. Osei Amoako said everyone needs to be involved in dealing with matters that retard progress and must live as active and responsible citizens. He said Chamber will mentor and undertake capacity-building programmes for young enterprising active citizens to grow their businesses, as well as take leadership roles to continue the quest for excellence and deepen gains made in the countrys democratic, economic and social dispensation. The Active Citizens Campaign The Active Citizens Campaign' was launched by the Ghana Chapter of the Junior Chamber International (JCI), a global organization of young business executives to revive volunteerism among the youth. The project will engage the services of more than 50,000 youth to undertake charitable activities to improve the wellbeing of people. Speaking at the launch in Accra, Stephen Kwaku Darku, the National President of JCI Ghana, said the focus of the project is to empower the Ghanaian youth to contribute positively to national development. He said the project would focus on four key areas: education and skills training, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), environment and agriculture. Mr. Darku said, JCI Ghana will continue to foster global active citizens networking and partnerships among young people and provide the enabling development environment for mentoring young leaders to contribute to the various sectors of the Ghanaian economy. [email protected] By Cephas Larbi An Accra high court has ordered the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to reinstate a senior staff of the Service interdicted over the alleged issuance of fraudulent residence permits to some 22 Chinese nationals. The court, presided over by Justice Henry Kwofie, an Appeals Court judge sitting with additional responsibility as a high court judge, stated that the court had set aside the interdiction of Kwame Asuah Takyi, an Assistant Director of Immigration. He stated that the interdiction of Mr Takyi, who is also the Deputy Director, Legal and Immigration, was without basis. Justice Kwofie indicated that the plaintiff who had sued alongside Veronica Arddey, a Deputy Director of Finance, must be recalled to occupy his position with his accompanying rights, entitlements, allowances and privileges from the time of the interdiction till date. The court held that a supposed Daniel Taabazuing Committee set up to investigate the case was a sham, adding that the plaintiff must be reinstated without loss of seniority. Justice Kwofie however, did not grant Takyi's relief for general damages. On the general damages, the court stated that it agreed with the plaintiffs that their reputation had been soiled in respect of the wide publication of their interdiction, but could not grant the last relief. Touching on the reliefs sought by Veronica, the judge stated that he would enter judgement in her favour, even when she had completed her service at the GIS. The court awarded GH3,000 cost in favour of each of the plaintiffs. The trial saw among others, Dr. Peter Wiredu, a former Director of GIS, testifying in the case. Per a letter authored by one Dr. Adelaide Kastner on October 25, 2013, Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi was interdicted over his alleged involvement in the issuance of residence permits to the Chinese without due regard to the requirements and institutional procedural practices in relation to such permits. The letter, which was written in the name of the president, was not copied the Minister of the Interior, GIS Board, Director of Immigration or Victoria Ninette Baaba Asare, the supposed replacement to Takyi. It said, His Excellency the president has directed your immediate interdiction from duty. As a result, the plaintiffs proceeded to court, describing their interdiction as constructive dismissal. Mr Takyi, who was also acting as a deputy director, Legal and Immigration, was seeking a declaration that his interdiction and the events that followed amounted to constructive dismissal and was accordingly wrongful, null and void and of no legal effect. Aside the request for general damages for wrongful dismissal, the plaintiff, in his writ, argued that the interdiction was in contravention of the 1992 Constitution. [email protected] By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has indicated plans by his outfit to begin a process to change the retirement age of recruits in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). In this regard, the ministry will, in March this year, submit a proposal to parliament to increase the service period, which is currently at 25, to 30. This is in line with a promise by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to increase the retirement age of recruits during the 2016 election campaigns. Recruitments Addressing journalists on his first day in office at the ministry in Accra yesterday, Mr Nitiwul said if approved, the policy would not affect the number of personnel GAF recruited annually, adding that the challenge would be for their various commanders to manage them. Those who qualify to be recruited will be taken and those who do not qualify will be left out. The amendment bill will not affect recruitment in anyway, Mr Nitiwul said. The implication is that over the next four years, few people will be retiring from the military and, therefore, the number in the military will change drastically and the president is prepared for the consequences. Before being led to his office, Mr Nitiwul inspected a parade held in his honour at the ministry. Housing plan The minister also announced the roll-out of a housing programme dubbed Barracks Regeneration Project. Under the project, old houses will be renovated while new ones will be built to accommodate more personnel. There will be a prototype of the project in March which will involve all the stakeholders, he added. Ghanaian troops Commenting on the situation in The Gambia, the minister explained that members of the Ghanaian troop were currently protecting both the Ghanaian community and the President. He said there is a Ghanaian community in The Gambia where the troops had been stationed, and members of the community were all doing well. Mr Nitiwul said the troop will return home as soon as stability returns to The Gambia. Former female MPs of the 6th Parliament have paid courtesy call on the Chief of Staff, Hon. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare in her office at the Flagstaff House, Accra. The former legislators were inspired by the lady's feat of being the first female to hold the exalted office. They used the occasion to express their gratitude to President Nana Akufo-Addo for the honour done to womanhood and recognizing the potentials in national development. Hon Frema Osei-Opare, they observed, was one of them during the fourth and fifth Parliament but today she is the President's Chief of Staff something which elates them beyond words. They presented her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers with their names inscribed on it. Hon Frema, delighted by the visit, said she appreciated the words of encouragement from her guests adding that she shares the honour done her by the President with them and the rest of Ghanaian women. She said being an MP is very good but if they are out of Parliament they should still be part of all political activities both in their constituencies and at the national level especially since the campaign for 2020 starts now. We should never be complacent that we have won massively but should rather work hard to sustain the victory to enable NPP develop our nation, she said. The delegation included Hon. Esther Obeng Dappah, Hon. Gifty Kusi, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, Hon. Grace Addo and Hon. Rosemary Abrah. The Majority in Parliament has expressed fears that purported GHc 7 billion unaccounted expenditure by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, could compromise the International Monetary Funds (IMF) Extended Credit Facility (ECF) with Ghana. Addressing the press today [Thursday], the Chairman of Parliaments Finance Committee, Dr. Assibey Yeboah, speaking on behalf of the Majority, warned that if figures were not reconciled with the right data from the previous government, the country could be sanctioned by the IMF. He cited an instance in 2000 when Ghana was fined $39 million by the IMF. This press conference was in response to the Minority's attempts to downplay claims by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, that the previous government failed to account for GHc 7 billion they spent while in office. The Minority explained that, the fund was used for part of the contract database and outstanding commitment, and did not constitute the conventional definition of arrears. The Minority explained that, the Ghc 7 billion that the Vice President Dr. Bawumia is talking about is as a result of a major initiative or reform on government contracts and expenditure, which is part of the GIFMIS project that the new administration is expected to continue implementing. The framework is also covered in the new Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, under the Budget Responsibility provisions. Dr. Assibey Yeboah, however, surmised that the previous government may not have been forthright with the IMF. On the face of the reality that the arrears date back to 2014, then it will suggest that when the previous administration entered into negotiations with the IMF, full disclosure of data was not made available to the fund. Again, on account that arrears for 2015 and 2016 were not fully disclosed, that raises further questions on the integrity of data that we have been churning out over the past eight years. Implications for 2016 deficit Dr. Assibey Yeboah highlighted the implications for the year 2016, noting that, already deficit projected for 2016 is hovering around 8.5 to 9.5 percent of GDP, according to the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance. These new uncovered arrears could put the overall budget deficit at 10 to 11 percent of GDP For an economy like ours, the current deficit numbers show that in 2016 alone, our expenditures far outweighed our revenues by as much as $4 billion. There is an admission by the minority that the GHc 7 billion expenditure which had been kept out of the purview of the books of government constitutes rare expenditures that have been taken. IMF could clear up matter Given the ongoing implementation of the extended credit facility, Dr. Assibey Yeboah is of the view that the IMF stands in a better position to make some of these issues clear. As to whether this represents a breach of the ECF programme conditionality, we will know by next week when the mission chief is expected to brief donors on his findings. Under the programme, the government is not allowed to accumulate arrears. This may yet represent another serious breach of the programme and if care is not taken, punitive actions could be taken against Ghana, he said. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana Benghazi (Libya) (AFP) - Dozens of fighters commanded by a controversial Libyan military strongman were flown this week to Russia for medical treatment, a spokesman said Thursday, in the latest sign of Moscow's growing support for his forces. Around 70 members of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army were evacuated on Tuesday aboard Russian planes, LNA spokesman Mohamad Ghanim old AFP. He said Russia has agreed to provide care for up to 500 wounded fighters, or more "as needed". Emboldened by its military success in Syria, analysts believe Russia is increasingly turning its eyes to chaos-ridden Libya with support for Haftar, whose forces oppose Tripoli's internationally backed government. Chaos in Libya since the 2011 NATO-backed ousting of Moamer Kadhafi has seen rival parliaments and governments vying for control of territory, and jihadists including the Islamic State group have taken advantage to gain ground. Pro-Haftar fighters have been battling jihadists around Libya's second city Benghazi, 100 kilometres (600 miles) east of Tripoli. Russia has been cultivating Haftar as an ally, with the military chief making several visits to Moscow last year. In January, he met Russian officers and spoke via video link to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu while aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier off the Libya coast. The Minister Designate for Transport Kwaku Ofori Asiamah has reiterated government's commitment to build a fishing harbor in James Town in the Greater Accra Region, and one in Keta in the Volta Region. According to him, the projects will be done in collaboration with the private sector after a visibility study has been conducted. With any project, you must, first of all, do a visibility study to find out whether the project is viable So if by God's grace I am confirmed, we will collaborate with the private sector and build these two harbors, he said at the Appointments Committee of parliament. He stated that there is the need to involve the private sector since the government intends to make the sector lead in the agenda of economic growth. NPP believes that the private sector is key to our development and we want to provide the legal frame work for the private sector to come in and help but in every business, it's the decision of the private sector to decide whether it is profitable or not, he said. file photo He added that the growth of the private sector is connected to the government's policy of reducing taxes in some areas and scrapping those deemed to be nuisance. So the tax exemptions and other facilities that we need if the ministry of finance comes in and helps us in developing those projects we will invite them he said . The New Patriroitic Party(NPP) promised to contsruct a fishing harbor Keta in the Volta region and James Town in the greater Accra region. The aim is to improve the lives of fisherfolks in the two areas whose main occupation is fishing. By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana 02.02.2017 LISTEN It has come to light that the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration left a colossal debt of GHc17 billion within the road sector as a result of commitments with contractors. This was disclosed by the Roads and Highways Minister-designate, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, when he took his turn at the vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday. His disclosure was in response to a question from the Ranking Member on the Committee, who is the Minority Leader and also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, about how much the sector owed. Responding, the MP for Atiwa West, Kwasi Amoako-Attah stated that the debt was very huge and urged the new government to put strict mechanisms in place to deal with it. Mr. Chairman I can say that its frightening. I can tell you for a fact that it is huge, based on what I have read and what I have seen. Mr. Chairman, if you check all the three agencies together, Ghana Highways Authority, Feeder Roads and Urban Roads as at 31st December, 2016, there is a commitment of about GHc17 billion on road contracts, he noted. According to him, there are also many road contracts nationwide with about 900 million certificates ready at the ministry. We have 1,282 road contracts nationwide. We have almost 900 million certificates raised and ready, resting and collecting dusts at the ministry. If you come to the cocoa sector we have over GHc3 billion outstanding, so it's huge and this has to be managed very well and professionally, he explained. He, however, lamented over the amount of money brought in by the road fund, adding that the true state of affairs at the ministry is that awards are given without proper reference to finances. Its frightening; meanwhile the road fund, which is used to pay greater part of this debt only brings in per annum, GHc1.2 billion. So its quiet frightening and theres a huge funding gab. And the true state of affairs is, awards are given without proper reference to expected inflows to finance those projects. So those projects are ongoing, but they have to be managed well, otherwise in the next few years and months, its going to be dangerous. So the current government will have to adopt a lot of innovative ways in dealing with that problem, he posited. The nominee at the vetting, passionately appealed to the Nana Akufo-Addo-led government not to commit the same mistakes the Mahama-led administration did, else it would be disastrous. Meanwhile, Mr. Kwasi Amoako-Attah was the last nominee to be grilled yesterday, after Mrs. Ursula Owusu Ekuful Gloria and Mr. Kofi Adda, Ministers-designate for Communications and Sanitation and Water Resources respectively. By Maxwell Ofori, Parliament House Juba, South Sudan, February 2, 2017 African Development Bank Group Director General, East African Region, Gabriel Negatu handed over the keys to the new Bank-funded Customs Building to the Government of South Sudan on January 26, 2017. The Minister of Finance Stephen Dhieu Dau received the keys to the building on behalf of the Government. The new office building was built by the Chinese New Era Company through a grant from African Development Bank under the Public Financial Management and Aid Coordination (PFAID) project. The handover ceremony was attended by public servants from different Government Ministries. During the ceremony, Dhieu Dau said the dearth of trained finance managers has prompted his Ministry to hire a Debt Management Advisor, through another grant project from the AfDB. As a result, over 200 staff members from all departments in the Directorate of Customs including those from internal audits have been trained to manage all debts in the Ministry. The Minister also revealed plans to install debt management software to help manage public debts for the first time in history of the country. The African Development Bank Director General, East African Region, Gabriel Negatu, applauded the initiative and urged staff of the Customs Service to focus on delivering services in a transparent and professional manner. To date, the AfDB has secured over US $15 million to support domestic revenue mobilisation and enhance controls and transparency in the use of public funds in the country, Negatu said. Director General for Customs, Lieut. Gen. Akoko Noon, expressed his gratitude for efforts made by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to mobilize resources for the construction of the new Customs building. The new office structure will encourage staff to focus positively on their work, Noon said. The original Customs building dates back to 1927 and the structure had weakened over time. 02.02.2017 LISTEN When American film actor Robin Williams, who suffered from depression, committed suicide two years ago, Kenyan humour writer Ted Malanda feigned incredulity. I cant wrap my mind around the fact that depression is an illnessIn fact, it is such a non-issue that African languages never bothered to create a word for it, he wrote in his newspaper, The Standard, under the headline How Depression Has Never Been an African Disease. Mr. Malandas scornful quip captures the general African attitude, held as much by officials as by ordinary people, towards an epidemic of mental illness on the continent. In Mr. Malandas own country, which is one of the more stable in Africa, health experts have estimated that a fourth of the Kenyan population of 44 million suffers from a range of mental diseases, including schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, depression and severe anxiety. Kenya has only about 80 psychiatrists and 30 clinical psychologists, fewer than its 500 psychiatric nurses, of which only 250 work in mental health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), yet the country spends only about 0.05% of its health budget on mental health. About 70% of mental health facilities in the country are located in the capital, Nairobi. The mental health sector is only marginally better in more prosperous South Africa, which boasts 22 psychiatric hospitals and 36 psychiatric wards in general hospitals. Inequality, however, skews these facilities in favour of only about 14% of the population of 53 million, of which one-third are afflicted with mental diseases, according to experts. About 75% of mentally ill South Africans have no access to psychiatric or therapeutic care, experts say. The National Health Insurance programme, which could boost access to mental health care, will not be fully implemented until 2025, perhaps later. Oil-rich Nigeria offers a more dismal picture. Both South Africa and Kenya have more psychiatrists per capita, as well as more psychiatric beds per capita. The WHO estimates that fewer than 10% of mentally ill Nigerians have access to a psychiatrist or health worker, because there are only 130 psychiatrists in the country of 174 million people. WHO estimates that the number of mentally ill Nigerians ranges from 40 million to 60 million. Disorders like depression, anxiety and schizophrenia are common in Nigeria, as in other countries in Africa. In 2012, Ghana took a significant step forward in addressing the nations mental health when it passed Act 846, also known as the Mental Health Act, becoming one of the few countries in Africa to set out a mental illness policy. Early that year a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), a non-governmental organization, estimated that 2.8 million Ghanaians (out of a population of 25.9 million) had mental illness. Ghana has three psychiatric hospitals and about 20 psychiatrists currently. The HRW report cited the then-director of Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Dr. Akwasi Osei, as saying that drug-related psychosis affected 810% of all mental patients, while 2030% of patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia, 20% with bipolar disorder, and 1520% with major depression. Sadly, 97 out of 100 mental patients who need health care have no access to these services. Some politically stable countries that have enjoyed economic growth in the past decade also report high incidences of mental health disease, often linked to narcotic use. In Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa triggers of mental illness such as unemployment and violent crime are at critically high levels. The mental health picture is far worse in poorer countries, especially those that have recently experienced civil wars and conflicts, including Liberia and Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone was a mental health pioneer in Africa. The British established the Kissy Mental Home (now Kissy National Referral Psychiatric Hospital) more than 100 years ago, describing it in an inscription as the Royal Hospital and Asylum for Africans Rescued from Slavery by British Valour and Philanthropy. A place of confinement for traumatised freed slaves repatriated by British abolitionists, it was sub-Saharan Africas first, and for many decades only, Western-style mental hospital. It remains Sierra Leones only psychiatric hospital. There were a total of 104 patients at the hospital in 2015, of which 75 were men. Most of them were 40 years old or below. Patients live in deplorable conditions, and several of them wear chains. A 2016 report by Sierra Leones auditor general states that the hospital does not have a trained psychiatrist except for Dr. Edward Nahim, who is on contract since he retired years ago, and three psychiatric nurses. There is no clinical psychologist, no social worker, no occupational therapist, and no medical officer. The hospital is in a near-derelict state, and parts of it are in total disrepair. The WHO estimated early this year that 450,000 people in Sierra Leonewhich has a population of just over 7 millionsuffer from depression every year, and that 75,000 suffer from schizophrenia. There are only 250 hospital beds for psychiatric patients in the country. Sierra Leone emerged from a brutal civil war 14 years ago. A 2002 report by Dr. Soeren Buus Jensen for the WHO estimated that 400,000 of the countrys citizens suffered from mental health disorders like depression and post-traumatic stress disorderpartly the result of their exposure to severe potentially traumatic events during the war. Sierra Leones best treatment institution for mental illness is the privately owned City of Rest, which has 70 rooms, and began as a Christian charity. The mental health picture in Liberia, which similarly suffered a prolonged civil war, may be worse. Dr. Bernice Dahn, Liberias minister of health, stated in October 2015 that 400,000 Liberians (out of a population of about 4 million) suffer from various kinds of mental illnesses. About 43% of 1,600 households surveyed in 2008 met the diagnostic criteria for serious depressive illness, major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder. Liberias only psychiatrist, Dr. Benjamin Harris, told the Voice of America in 2010 of the growing problem of drug addiction linked to mental illness among young Liberians. He said that 27% of those surveyed out of 1,600 households had had substance-abuse related problems. He added that substance abuse was a growing problem in Liberia and warned that the situation could get worse. Liberia has only one psychiatric hospital, E. S. Grant Mental Health Hospital, now part of the government-owned John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia. It has 80 beds and housed 68 patients (48 males) in October 2015. The country has no rehabilitation centre for drug users. The widely held view in Africa that mentally ill patients brought the disease upon themselves by using illicit drugs may be one reason African governments do not prioritize mental health. Experts have also pointed to a tendency in Africa to view acute mental health diseases as supernatural afflictions that can be cured only through spiritual or traditional medicinal interventions. Families of the mentally ill often turn for a cure to these interventions, or to prayer campsretreats where the sick person is often chained to trees and prayed for. This practice is especially prevalent in Nigeria. The most visible sufferers of mental diseasethose often seen roaming the streets of overcrowded cities in Africaare poor and unemployed, and are therefore designated as vagrants. Vagrancy is a crime in many African countries, which is why many mental health hospitals in Africa serve as prisonsplaces where poor and vagrant youths are chained, away from respectable society. In September 2015 the United Nations General Assembly included mental health and substance abuse in the global Sustainable Development Goals, marking the first time world leaders recognized mental health as a global priority. African countries can begin to act on this recognition by increasing their spending on mental health; currently African countries dedicate on average less than 1% of their health budgets (themselves minuscule) to mental health, compared with 612% in Europe and North America. Africa Renewal 02.02.2017 LISTEN Slowly and steadily, Morocco has been establishing itself as a major economic force in sub-Saharan Africa, even as it eyes gaining readmission into the African Union (AU), which it left decades ago. Last July, King Mohammed VI of Morocco informed African leaders attending the AU summit in Kigali, Rwanda, of his countrys wish to return to the fold, saying, Morocco should not remain outside its African institutional family, and it should regain its natural, rightful place within the AU. Two months later the kingdom formally submitted a request to re-join the continental body, thus starting a process that may lead to its readmission at the next AU summit in Addis Ababa in January 2017. Morocco left the former Organisation of African Unity (AUs predecessor) in 1984, to protest the seating of the Polisario Front as representatives of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), a former Spanish colony west of the Sahara that Morocco considers part of its territory. SADR disputes Moroccos position, and 30 years later the dispute remains unresolved. In explaining Moroccos current decision to join the AU, the king said, When a body is sick, it is treated more effectively from the inside than from the outside. The kingdom has expanded its economic ties with many countries on the continent, mainly through trade and investments since it left the AU. It now seeks to return to the fold, boost these ties and settle the unresolved Western Sahara matter. Continental ambition We are Arabs, but we are also Berbers and Maghrebi, Brahim Fassi Fihri, the president and founder of Institut Amadeus, a Morocco-based think tank, told Africa Renewal. He was referring to the multicultural identity of his country, which is made up of mostly Berber and Maghrebi ethnic groups. He maintains that the decision by Morocco to leave the regional body three decades ago was a strategic mistake. Still, Africa is our natural home, he said. We may have left an organization, but we could never have left the continent. As a sign of its political solidarity with Africa, Moroccos national carrier, Royal Air Maroc, maintained its regular schedule to West Africa at the height of the Ebola epidemic two years ago, when all international air carriers, with the exception of Belgium-based SN Brussels, suspended flights to the affected countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone over contagion fears. The decision was based on humanitarian grounds, not commercialout of brotherly solidarity reflecting the kingdom's constant commitment to Africa, the airlines spokesman told Agence France-presse (AFP) at that time. The airline has expanded its network across the continent. Over the past decade, it has increased its flights to African destinations from 14 in 2007 to 32 in 2016. To some extent the story of the national carrier is a telling testament to its expansive economic ambition on the continent. Over the 10-year period starting in 2004, Moroccos trade with the rest of the continent grew by an annual average of 13% ($3.7 billion) in 2014, 42% of which was with sub-Saharan Africa. This represented just 6.4% of the kingdoms overall trade globally during the same period, according to a government report titled Morocco-Africa Relationship: Ambition for a New Frontier. First investor in West Africa Yet the most remarkable change was Moroccos direct investments in the continent. In 2015 it invested $600 million, with neighbouring Mali getting the lions share, followed by Cote dIvoire, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Gabon, according to the World Investment Report 2016, a publication of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Over the decade ending in 2016, Moroccos investment in sub-Saharan Africa represented 85% of its overall foreign direct investment (FDI) stocks, according to data from the countrys finance ministry and the African Development Bank. Moroccans became a more prominent investor on the continent, initiating 13 intra-African investmentsits highest in over a decade, reckoned a 2015 survey report by Ernst & Young, a global financial consultancy firm. The reason behind the growing interest in sub-Saharan Africa, says Ernst & Young, was that Moroccan companies are looking towards sub-Saharan Africa as their country becomes a platform for exporting to other African countries. Moroccos investments are mostly concentrated in banking and telecommunications sectors, which in 2013 accounted for 88% of its FDI stocks in sub-Saharan Africa. The countrys leading bank, the Attijariwafa Bank Group, and part of the kingdoms holding company Societe nationale dinvestissement (SNI), with 7.4 million customers and more than 16,000 employees, operates in 10 sub-Saharan African countries: Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Cote dIvoire, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. The Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur (BMCE) group has a network of 18 country operations, mostly in West, Central and East Africa through Bank of Africa, its subsidiary. Maroc Telecom, the leading national telephone company, operates in 11 African countries, such as Burkina Faso and Mali, under different names, including Moov in francophone West Africa. Preferred destination Beyond these traditional sectors, Moroccan companies have also ventured into insurance. The Saham Insurance Group, for one, began operations in 10 African countries in 2010, and continues to expand across the continent, most recently with the acquisition in 2015 of Continental Reinsurance Plc of Nigeria. For many years West African countries and to some extent Central African countries were the preferred destinations of Moroccos investment in sub-Saharan Africa. In his letter to the AU, the king explained that the important involvement of Moroccan operators and their strong engagement in the areas of banking, insurance, air transport, telecommunications and housing are such that the kingdom is now the number one investor in West Africa. He added, My country is already the second largest investor on the continent and our ambition is to be ranked first. Last October the king travelled to East Africa and Ethiopia, as Rwanda and Tanzania prepared to sign business deals. The Moroccans current visit to East Africa marks a serious intent to enter the region and widen their interests in Africa, The New Times in Rwanda reckoned. To some observers the reasons behind Moroccos foray into the continent are purely economic. Several Moroccan companies are betting their growth on sub-Saharan Africa, says Mr. Fihri. He told Africa Renewal that Moroccans, just like Americans, Europeans and Asians, are interested in Africa because it is a continent with huge growth potential. In September 2015, Abdelmalek Alaoui, a Moroccan editorialist and political analyst, wrote in La Tribune, a French weekly financial newspaper, Well ahead of other investors [before the latest rush on the continent], Morocco was able to see potential where others could only think of risks. Political leverage However, other analysts like Amine Dafir argue that Moroccos growing economic interest on the continent was designed to shore up influence it may have lost by withdrawing from the AU. Supporting Morocco in its application to rejoin the AU is a group of 28 African countries, representing more than the half of the votes (27) required for admission. The pro-admission countries penned a letter to the AU requesting the suspension of SADRs membership until issues surrounding the legality of its existence are resolved by the United Nations Security Council. Our demand is grounded in international laws, says Macky Sall, the Senegalese president, whose country is one of the signatories. Over the last three years, the king of Morocco, often travelling with a large entourage of businessmen, has visited several African countries, including Cote dIvoire, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal. Besides being the most vocal supporters of the kingdom, these countries are also the top five destinations of Moroccos FDI in sub-Saharan Africa. In November, the king hosted a gathering of 30 African leaders in the margins of the climate change summit in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, to coordinate [African countries] positions and speak with one voice to defend them, a senior Moroccan diplomat told the AFP, a French news agency. The AFP pointed out that hosting the summit was a diplomatic coup for the kingdom as it sought to reassert its influence in Africa. As Morocco pursues moves to have its AU membership reinstated, Jawad Kerdoudi, the head of the Moroccan Institute of International Relations, sees these efforts as a diplomatic victory born out of a deliberate and actions-driven strategy. Africa Renewal 02.02.2017 LISTEN Public procurement is fast becoming big business in Africa. It accounts for almost a third of the gross domestic product (GDP) in poor countries and up to 15% in developed countries. In some countries, the share of public procurement, which is the purchase of goods, works or services by government or public institutions, is more than half of government expenditures, according the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the UN Conference on Trade and Development. To encourage more private companies in Africa to participate in bidding these contracts, the United Nations Development Business (UNDB)the official online platform for information on procurement projects and contracts financed by multilateral development banks and governmentsis expanding plans to raise public awareness of its website for consultancy, contracts and export opportunities available worldwide. To be considered for contracts offered through the UNDB platform, companies have to register as subscribers on its website where tenders from governments and financial institutions, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank, are published to a global audience. The platform publishes more than $90 billion worth of contracts each year, giving companies around the world access to business opportunities in the international procurement market. UNDB publishes in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese and has clients in more than 180 countries. The number of African companies subscribing to the database, however, is still very lowwith the exception of companies from South Africa, Nigeria and Kenyadespite the fact that about 30% of the projects published on the platform are in Africa. Winning a government contract can be an enormous opportunity for any business, so every step of the procurement process can be vulnerable to integrity risks where undue influence, conflicts of interest and fraud may occur. The volume of financial flows involved makes this system one of the most important places to watch for those integrity risks. For this reason, institutions like the World Bank have come up with strict procurement requirements as a condition for development aid. Transparency in awarding tenders and contracts is crucial to ensuring efficient and accountable use of taxpayers money. Equally, transparency paves the way toward fair and better competition, which ultimately contributes to the best value for money for public projects. Recognizing the need for efficiency and more accountability and integrity in the management of public resources, the World Bank has been encouraging procurement reforms since the 1990s in member countries. Internal efforts, as well as assistance from international development agencies, are focusing on professionalizing and building capacity in national procurement systems. These efforts are consistent with the goals of good governance and prevention of corruption in the use of public funds, and they are also increasingly being linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), because public procurement can be used as a tool for achieving and sharing prosperity. Africa Renewal 02.02.2017 LISTEN When Bernard Natey could not find a qualified cardiac surgeon in his native Togo to implant a pacemaker in his heart to manage an irregular heartbeat, he promptly packed his bags for a hospital stay in neighbouring Ghana. In the capital, Accra, Mr. Natey told Africa Renewal that he planned to have the procedure at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the leading public hospital in Ghana, which offers advanced and specialized care that is rarely available in other West African health care institutions. The hospital prides itself on its ability to attract a sizeable number of its clientele from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Togo because of its expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery, burn treatments, cardiothoracic and radiotherapy services and nuclear medicine, among others. Mr. Nateys experience is typical of people across sub-Saharan Africa who need medical care but are unable to get it in their home country because of either unavailability or prohibitive costs. Almost half of people interviewed in 36 African countries told Afrobarometer, an independent pan-African research network that conducts public opinion surveys, that they had not had access to necessary medical care in either 2014 or 2015, while 4 out of 10 had found it difficult or very difficult to access needed care during that time. Across West Africa, such is the dilemma of many seeking quality health care. Citizens of Cote dIvoire, Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone can regularly be found traveling to Ghana for treatment. But what is it about Ghanas health care that draws both Ghanaians and outsiders? Guaranteed access The answer is availability and affordability. To make health care affordable to all, Ghana was one of the earliest African countries to introduce a universal health insurance system the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The country is currently implementing a private-public partnership programme that allows a network of private facilities to provide health care in areas without public health services. Although it faces challenges, this programme has been applauded internationally, including by the United Nations and the World Bank, as a model for sub-Saharan Africa in addressing the challenges facing its public health systems. The government-sponsored NHIS is funded mainly through taxation on selected goods and services. It covers treatment for the most prevalent diseases in the country, including malaria, skin diseases, stomach disorders, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, eye and ear infections, rheumatism and typhoid, and also covers dental care. Under the law, all residents are required to enrol and, unless they are in one of the exempted groups, pay annual premiums. In return they are not expected to make additional out-of-pocket payments when they require care. The scheme has gone through reforms since it was formally launched in 2004. In 2011 the NHIS was recognized by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for improving financial access to health care services, particularly for the poor and marginalized. NHIS had an active membership of more than 10 million people in 2013, estimated to be about 38% of the entire population. According to Afrobarometers ranking of countries by percentage of citizens without access to health care, Ghana had the fourth-lowest percentage (26%) over the past two years, just behind Algeria (25%), Cape Verde (19%) and Mauritius (2%). Ghanas performance may be attributed to the impact of the insurance scheme. A study on the impact of the NHIS on the use of health care, published in the Ghana Medical Journal in 2012, showed that people with health insurance were likely to obtain prescriptions, visit clinics and seek formal health care when sick. The authors said, Ghana governments objective to increase access to the formal health care sector through health insurance has at least partially been achieved. Another reason for the high use of health care is the way the government relies on the private sector to provide access. Ghana is ahead of many other [African] countries because it has a specific policy on the role of the private sector in health, the World Bank said in its working paper, Private Health Sector Assessment in Ghana. For example, the government entered into partnership with the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), a network of 183 Christian faith-based care providers, to offer health services in underserved areas. Under the accord, the government provides support to the network facilities in the form of salaries, equipment and supplies. As CHAG members operate in remote areas across the country, serving underprivileged communities, their network allows the government to extend health care to areas with no public facilities. The public-private partnership between the ministry of health and CHAG is unique in sub-Saharan Africa and works well, allowing CHAG to act as an extension of the government, particularly in underserved rural areas, the World Bank report concluded. Growing pains However, it has not been all smooth sailing for the NHIS since its launch over a decade ago. The scheme appears to be going through growing pains. According to the governments own estimates, only a little more than 38% of the population is enrolled, while hospitals are still asking some of those insured to pay for their care out of their pockets. Health care providers have repeatedly complained about not being reimbursed fast enough. Also, while the insurance is mandatory for all residents of Ghana and is financed by premiums from subscribers2.5% national health insurance levy, 2.5% social security and national insurance trust, deductions from the formal sector, funds from the government, charities, and returns from investmentstill experts say the scheme has been underfunded since 2009. The National Health Insurance Authority, which administers NHIS, notes on its website that 69% of those insured are exempt from paying premiums. Those exempted include people below 18 or over 70 years, pregnant women, the needy and those who belong to specific disability categories. The agency recognises that the cost of providing care has risen much faster than available financial resources since the scheme became operational in 2005, which has created persistent and growing annual deficits over the past several years. As Ghana prepares for general elections in December 2016, sustainability of the health insurance scheme has become a point of contention between the main political parties. The main opposition party argues that the scheme is dead but promises to revive it if elected, while the governing party points to the countrywide drive to have members of the medical scheme renew their annual membership as a measure of the schemes success. Beyond the political banter, however, most Ghanaians appear to agree on the need for reforms. In an effort to address the schemes sustainability, a commissioned government review has proposed reining in costs by limiting coverage to primary, maternal and child care. NHIS should be re-prioritized towards universal access to primary health care in the medium term, and progressive realization of universal access to higher levels of care in the long term, the review committee recommended in April. Even as the country grapples with its insurance schemes sustainability and, at times, with unreliable services in public facilities, Korle-Bu, the main public hospital in Accra, continues to attract patients from outside the country because of its reputation for advanced and innovative care. Africa Renewal Six Kindergarten pupils have been laid to rest in the Odoben Brakwa District in the Central region after they were smashed to death when their classroom walls collapsed on them. After some back-and-forth over where to bury them, there was consensus that it should be in the cemetery there. And so at the community, a procession of grieving parents, teachers and significant part of the community lead the way to two hurriedly dug pits. Six kids united in death will be divided into an Islamic pit for two and a Christian pit of four kids. It is to bury dead, what concrete school walls buried alive on a tragedy Tuesday that has grabbed national attention. At least 70 children were within the school structure at the time of the incident. Three are still hospitalised and one ther discharged. The school was built by the community - a self-help project. But it appears the project may not have helped as far as six parents are concerned. Around the cemetery, the contorted faces of the women doing a work of wailing that appears as customised for women as pushing is customised for them inside the maternity ward. The men hold back like a stoic patient with teeth clinched as he takes a shot inside the hospital. "Everything that happens we give to God", an Assembly man found a hiding place for consolation. But the commentary around the country wants to give this tragedy to man - negligent men. Some say, the writings were literally on the wall. Cracks, the handwriting of danger were conspicuous enough for the teachers to request that something be done about it - until nothing could be done about it. The walls came down, the kids went down under, and now the district is down in grief as six kids go down into a grave over which a tombstone should stand written - Negligence. Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected] The stock was unstoppable in 2015. It rallied 714.97%, to $13.61 per share. This unknown little company was making a big name for itself. They captured immense demand from China. They had to fight just to keep their product on the shelves. They told shareholders that there was plenty of growth left in the tank. Its a problem that many businesses wish they had. You probably guessed Im talking about Bellamys Australia Ltd [ASX:BAL]. Bellamys made early investors some great returns. Its those who bought into the hot stock myth well into bubble territory that are now licking their financial wounds. The current situation at the baby-formula company is far from rosy. From the start of 2016, the stock has fallen more than 72%. Only those who got in at the very start of 2015 are still sitting in a positive positon. Yet their potential returns have been severely reduced. Well, there are some outside factors, to be sure. But I place the bulk of the blame squarely on management. What happened to Bellamys shows you just how important a strong management team is to a companys fortunes. You can have a great product, and the right strategy. But if you dont have the right people executing, things can get out of hand. Of course, its not easy to tell from the outside what management is doing on the inside. Thats why, to their detriment, most investors tend to focus on financial or technical (charting) information. Management is usually an afterthought. Thats a mistake. The right management is extremely important for a business to succeed. Its something you might want to pay closer attention to in the future. You dont want to have the next Bellamys in your portfolio, do you? When it all fell apart Reported by the ABC: At the October meeting, the success of Bellamys in China was heralded with revenues up 331 per cent and regulatory changes were portrayed as long-term growth opportunities, with chief executive Laura McBain informing investors that the company had been planning for the changes for two years. But an update on 2 December, 2016, revealed a completely different outlook. Chinese sales werent everything they had hoped for. The company had a problem with moving inventory. And it was largely due to new regulations in China. Management overestimated demand and oversimplified the regulations. McBain tried to reassure investors saying Bellamys strong brand was key. The Companys approach to being a 100% certified organic brand is a key differentiator, and the reason why more than 110,000 people follow Bellamys on Facebook in Australia, and thousands more across social media platforms in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. But Facebook likes werent enough to stop a mass selloff in shares. The stock dropped 43.53%, to $6.85, on the day. One of the biggest sellers was FIL Investment Management. They sold 1.88 million shares on the day. A few days later, the company requested a trading halt. Their aim was to stop the selling frenzy for as long as they could. The halt extended until 11 January, 2017, putting investors in limbo. But the break in trading didnt do much to stop further selling. The stock opened down 34.97%, to $4.35, at the turn of the new year. In an update, the company said the halt was necessary. They needed time to sort out their financial situation. Yet in doing so, they prevented shareholders from exiting an already losing position. Demand was lower than management expected. And it led to mounting inventories, causing a shortfall in payments to suppliers. Because of such poor performance, management changed. Laura McBain stepped down from her position as CEO. And questions arose surrounding the abilities of other executives. Not long after, a class action suit was heading for Bellamys. Shareholders believed the company misled them with information about trading and future earnings. Its completely understandable that shareholders are angry. They entrusted their money to a management team that promised growth and didnt deliver. The good news is that you can avoid buying the next Bellamys at the tail end of the bubble. But, to do so, youll need to keep a close eye on managementas well as their books. Question everything Not that long ago, analysts were bullish on Bellamys. The stock was tipped to climb 3065% over the next 12 months. But there was a Tassie fund manager who didnt buy the hype. Tim Hannon believed Bellamys didnt properly understand their supply chain. It turned out he was right. And he saw their coming collapse before others. They suffered from the bullwhip effect, Hannon said. This is where swings in inventory increase when responding to demand. In Bellamys case, they ramped up production to meet demand. But management had overestimated demand. They were left with inventory worth millions, which they couldnt sell. Bellamys management also made some questionable trades in early 2016. Chairman Robert Woolley and CEO Laura McBain sold shares. Its something management does from time to time. And it is their right to do so. But Woolley and McBain sold when Bellamys was trading at around $14.50. Both pocketed around $2.92 million and $2.39 million respectively. Hardly a sign of confidence to shareholders going forward. Thats why its so important to keep your eye on a companys management. Question the future of earnings of all the stocks youre currently in. If youre looking to jump into an investment, dont forget to analyse the management team. Whats their track record like? Do they overestimate earnings? When is the last time they bought or sold company shares? Question their trades, predictions, guidance, and everything else. It could save you from buying stocks which promise growth, but ultimately fall short. Regards, Harje Ronngard, Contributing Editor, Money Morning PS: Small-cap stocks can be extremely exciting. But you dont want to be on the other side of the next Bellamys. Along with Tim Hannon, our small-cap specialist, Sam Volkering, also saw the coming downfall of Bellamys. He recommended selling out of Bellamys in his advisory service, Australian Small-Cap Investigator, for a 575% gain. While the stock continued to rise for a short while, Sam had the right idea to lock in a huge gain when he did. Staying in the stock too long would have seen potential returns rapidly disappear. To find out how Sam can help you get explosive returns while avoiding the next Bellamys, click here. From the Port Phillip Publishing Library Special Report: The Lazarus Project Your best chance to double every dollar you invest this year [More] The Federal Government has mandated the National Institute for Medical Research and the College of Medicine, Ibadan to do proper study of the two claims to HIV cure in the country. This mandate comes upon the heels of a statement by Nigerian university professor, Francis Otunta of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, claiming that a drug for the treatment and cure of HIV/AIDS has been discovered. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin at the Federal Government Town Hall meeting for the North Central Zone. A Nigeria university don, Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, recently claimed to have found a cure for the virus. The minister, who was responding to questions on the position of government on the claims, said getting a cure would be of public health interest to the country. According to him, Nigeria has about three million people infected with HIV, the second highest number in the world after South Africa. The minister, however, said that there were modalities recognised globally for disclosure of cure which must be followed. "What we need to do is to make sure that things are done properly. "The process to undertake is the animal experiment to be sure it is efficacious and safe before moving to human. "At the appointed time when we have the results, we shall come public," he said. Adewole said that the government was close to achieving the promise to make 10,000 Primary Health Care (PHC) service centres available to Nigerians. He disclosed that the European Union was investing in 650 PHC centres and the British government was funding 950. The minister said the FCT Administration was working to replicate the Federal Government model of PHC centre in the 225 wards in the territory. The Vice Chancellor of the institution located at Umudike in Abia state, announced the discovery of a drug which he claims is potent in the cure of the epidemic. Otunta told newsmen at the university campus on Wednesday, February 1, that the finding followed years of scientific research by the institution. He said that the breakthrough was made by Prof Maduike Ezeibe, a researcher in the university. BREAKING: Nigerian University finds cure for HIV/AIDS According to him, Ezeibe had presented the drug to the University management, Senate and Council, where he explained the processes he went through to arrive at his finding. The VC also said that Ezeibe had equally presented the drug to his colleagues in the medical field and nobody had contradicted his finding. READ ALSO: Nigerian arrested after 'discovering' the cure for AIDS (photo) Prof. Ezeibe is a researcher in Veterinary Medicine and one may wonder how he discovered a drug to cure a human ailment, he said. He commended Ezeibe for the breakthrough, saying: He has brought honour to the University and we are proud of him. Otunta said that the university was in the process of mass producing the drug for further clinical trials on persons living with HIV/AIDS in the country. Ezeibe, who is a professor of Veterinary Medicine and Clinical Virology, said that the drug was produced with Aluminum Silicate and Magnesium Silicate (Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate). He said that the two minerals are already in use as medicines for the treatment of various animal and human diseases. He said that 10 persons living with the disease, who volunteered, were made to apply through their doctor to the VC. They were treated daily with the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate (50 mg/kg), he said. Ezeibe said that the volunteers were subjected to monthly tests for viral loads and CD4-lymphocyte counts. With the antiviral effects of the medicine, its ability to reach all cells (as nanoparticles) and the lymphocytes, there is no more hiding place (sanctuary) for HIV, he said. He said that the medicine had been used to potentiate Ampicilin, Chloroquine, Piperazine and Sulphadimidin, among others, and could be a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria, if approved by relevant authorities. According to him, local and international medical companies will find the product as a veritable raw material. Ezeibe said that he presented the research findings to the World Virology Conference in Atlanta in 2015, and Antonio (Texas) in 2016. READ ALSO: Angels of death! Brothel in Lagos where HIV+ ladies parade themselves for men (photos) Besides, he said that the results of the laboratory tests had been published in many international scientific journals, including the British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, among several others. He said that he is also about to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with a U.S.-based Scientific Research Publishing, publishers of World Journal of AIDS, for the publication of his book How I came about the cure for HIV/AIDS. Ezeibe, who said that the medicine was patented in August 2014 in Nigeria, called on the Federal Government to help him to secure international patency for the drug. He said: If commercialised, the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate would become an alternative for petroleum to the Nigerian economy. While the professor may be entitled to his claim, hundreds of such claims are announced every year by scientists claiming to have found a cure to the deadly disease. However, there are standards criteria which demands rigorous clinical tests which have to be verified by various layers of health organisations. But in this case, none have been reported, so it is likely that the discovery is fake as nothing is yet confirmed.The Nigerian minister of health, has also denied knowledge of the claim. Source: Legit.ng - The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned comments made by the renowned Roman Catholic priest Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka - The group said the priest's ideologies are being controlled by hunger and lack of good education and knowledge on issues - The group also noted that all the leadership of IPOB are above 40 years and are older than Father Mbaka The IPOB has said that Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka is poorly educated The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned comments made by the renowned Roman Catholic priest Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka. The IPOB said the priest's ideologies are being controlled by hunger and lack of good education and knowledge on issues. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Powerful Emma, the group said Father Mbaka has many contradictions in his teaching when compared to the Holy Bible and the teaching of God. READ ALSO: Biafra is not from Igboland, IPOB clarifies IPOB said: "From what Usman Mbaka said in his video about IPOB, you would have thought that the same Jesus he worships, sells olive oil and pure water in his name, was 1000 years old when he started his ministry that changed the course of human history." The group noted that all the leadership of IPOB are above 40 years and older than Father Mbaka. "Every morning and night, this Fulani fake miracle selling superstitious idol worshiper kneel down to ask Jesus that died at the youthful age of 33 for money, protection and even more fools to attend his adoration ground for prayer to the same 33 year old saviour," the group said. The group said the preaching of its leader Nnamdi Kanu is an evidence that God has sent him to liberate the South-Easterners. Emma also said that these teachings show that God is with Kanu more than he is with Father Mbaka. READ ALSO: We depend on our monthly contributions, no politician is sponsoring us IPOB (video) "A man that destroyed Nigeria without firing a single bullet is greater than Nigeria, talk less of hungry, poorly educated men that think they are Igbo elites. "You see, Mbaka does not know the word of God, neither is he educated enough to understand historical events. It is fair to conclude therefore, that Usman Mbaka is not a priest of God. If Mbaka evidentially and demonstrably is not a servant of God, he must therefore a child of Satan and servant of Baal," Emma said. He added that the same Bible Father Mbaka is reading everyday is laden with instances where God raised children, from Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Samson, Jephthah and many others to do his will. "Why didn't God use Reuben who was the eldest son of Jacob instead of Joseph who is second to the last? Why did God choose baby Moses, even as he was in a basket to lead his people out of Egypt instead of Moses' father or another elder from the Hebrew community in Goshen Egypt? Why didn't God choose one of the elders of Israel to lead the assault on the land Canaan but instead chose Joshua? "Why did God choose Samuel instead of the older more established priests from the house of Levi to serve in his temple instead of the boy Samuel? "Why did God anoint and make a young David king over Israel when there were 'elites' and men of the law he could have chosen a king from? Why was Jesus the son of a carpenter, at the very tender age of 11 preach against the doctrine and hypocrisy of the all powerful Pharisees and Sadducees or the corruption of the Sanhedrin? Today the world knows only Jesus not the high priest of the temple or anyone from Sanhedrin. The same God has chosen Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB not anybody from Ohaneze Ndigbo, South-East or SouthS Governors Forum or so called elites. "On a temporal note, the greatest general in recorded history is Alexander the Great of Macedonian. Guess what, he conquered all the known world before the age of 30 which to Usman Mbaka is too young and age to be considered an elite. READ ALSO: IPOB spits fire, cautions DSS over Apostle Suleman's invitation "To him an Igbo elite is a corrupt disease ridden inconsequential Igbo homosexual trading his body for political favours from one Hausa Fulani town to another. This is the type of God forsaken cowards and people Usman Mbaka want to lead the resurgent Biafran agitation. The same old men that did nothing about Igbo presidency until IPOB came along, they did not build second Niger Bridge, they did not build Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, neither did they use their elitism to build Onitsha-Enugu Expressway either. The question Usman Mbaka must answer is, what has any of the men he is proposing should lead IPOB done for Biafra? Why didn't these 'elites' as he calls them rise up and agitate for Biafra before Nnamdi Kanu came, that is, before God determined that Nnamdi Kanu should come; who stopped them? Nnamdi Kanu, Uche Mefor, Clifford Iroanya, Emma Nmezu, Nnennaya Anya, Ikenna Nwanonenyi, Chika Edoziem, Uchenna Asiegbu and many others are more educated, sophisticated, patriotic and more enlightened than all the Igbo elites put together," IPOB said. Source: Legit.ng Editor's note: Reverend Steven Onwu, the executive secretary of New Initiative for Credible Leadership, in this piece condemns the activities of some Nigerian pastors. While warning Nigerians on having dealings with this pastors, Onwu said some of the prophets operating in Nigeria are agents of anti-Christ. My reading of the Holy Scriptures, at different times has intimated me with a dozen clues about the signs of end times. Our Lord and personal Saviour Jesus Christ Himself, foresighted this era and reeled out series of signs or symptoms of end times in prophecies at different intervals. Nigeria is profoundly a religious country, at least on the outward costume. And in the last 20 years of my existence, I have been thoroughly embarrassed by the multiplicity of preachers of the gospel or Men of God, (both men and women) some of whom are breakaway factions or rightly, rebels of their former denominations who pinned the splinter on account of reasons, a yawning distance from religion or Christianity. READ ALSO: Retirement policy can affect who becomes Nigerias president as we have influence on our members Pastors Looking at these developments and incidents in the Body of Christ in Nigeria, I am not only terrified, but visibly consumed by the fear of what next would happen. They arrest my sensibilities and strike me like the warning of Jesus Christ about the sprouting of many fake prophets, who claim to be Almighty Gods messengers, but churn out deceitful prophecies and sermons, as one of the signs of end times. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about many of these signs, but advised that these fake prophets, who are cast in the mould of the ancient Prophets of Baal should be ignored, as the time might not even be near. They are the anti-Christ and ungodly. But I fear so much that the church in Nigeria appears to be exuding these signs so competitively; to the extent self-acclaimed or anointed messengers of God hardly strike a balance between the power of God and worldly pleasures or excitements. Some verses in the Holy Bible, precisely in 2 Timothy Chapter .3: 1-5 assail me graphically with the experience in the Nigerian church, with some ministers of the gospel today. It proclaimed; But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. The Federal Republic of Nigeria has permitted its citizens unfettered liberty and inalienable right to freedom of expression, religion and association through its laws. In the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, these liberties are encased under fundamental human rights of all citizens, which the state must safeguard from reckless breach. READ ALSO: He's an anti-Christ: After doing this to liberate people from devil in 2017, Nigerians tear Catholic priest apart Unfortunately, it is the foundation of the multiplicity of religious groups or denominations within major religious sects in Nigeria. At a rough guess, Christianity has over 3,000 denominations in Nigeria. And the size and strength of some churches is not beyond family membership. As earlier stated, the trend has been consolidated because some jobless Nigerians, spurred by the devil wake up any day and claim to be Ministers of the Gospel, on the simple account of being summoned to the service of God Almighty through a vision. They claim power to solve every human problem; the power to heal, perform miracles, break barrenness; cause prosperity, cast out demons and witches and a lot more. I have realized that since Nigeria is a country whose people are afflicted in too many ways, when this obviously fake powers from the so called messengers of God are publicized to vulnerable Nigerians, who easily embrace it, a reason to establish a church is secured. And a church sprouts and the founder and owner starts his anti-Christ activities. What we are reaping today from this looseness is the stampeding of the land with multiple fake messengers of God, Pastors, false prophets, evangelists and Apostles. Added to it, they practice and impart Christian or religious doctrines which are bizarre, unbiblical, irreligious and ungodly to unsuspecting congregants who throng to such worship centers en masse in search of miracles, healing, deliverance and prosperity. READ ALSO: Pastors react to Buharis swift action in Adeboye's 'retirement' saga The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Nigeria has been inundated with registration of Christian religious groups. CAC has had difficult times trying to register churches which should not share similarity in at least, its identifiable name. To my amazement, decent or traditional nomenclatures of churches and places of worship such as the Roman Catholic Church, The Anglican Communion, The RCCG, The Methodists Church of Nigeria, The Apostolic Church of God and so forth have been exhausted. In their place, Nigerians are now stampeded with phrases, which pass as names of churches and worship centers. One hear names like The Living Seed Ministries Inc; The End Time And Apostolic Ministries; Lovers of God Church, Omega Ministries, Real Blessings of God Church Intnl, Mountain of Liberation, Anointment and Miracle Ministries, the Fire of Fire Oracle Church and so on. This phenomenon has hit Pentecostal churches in Nigeria so hard to the extent it is easier to believe some ministers of the gospel are ordained or summoned to evangelism by the devil than Almighty God. They execute their brand of evangelism indecorously and the focus is from start to the end, on the Pastor and how to quench his zeal for money. The focus of sermons is usually centered on prosperity, healing, and miracles. Ownership and membership of Board of Trustees is sourced within family circles. And until October 2016, when Financial Reporting Council (FRC) in Nigeria, invoked its Section 9:3 Governance Code to guarantee financial accountability for leaders or founders of non-profit organizations, which also included churches and ministries; the leadership succession line of these Pentecostal churches in Nigeria is usually erected and restricted to family members. Large portraits and billboards of husband and wife, (not Jesus Christ), adore the entrance of the churches and everywhere in the premises. Thus, the perception and appreciation of the church in Nigeria as business has created dupes and cheats, who hide under the Constitutional liberty of freedom of religion to abuse the very essence of God Almighty and the religion they have subscribed. READ ALSO: Prophet says Atiku will defeat PMB in 2019, Biafra will come to pass, makes 50 other prophecies These messengers of God are barren of the basic tenets of religion, which is peace, love and the quest for salvation. They are probably the early manifestation of anti-Christ. And their character is detectable. In these churches, the owners or Pastors are after money; they are proud, arrogant, abusive and disobedient. They are ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, treacherous, and reckless and self- conceited. They are epicureans at the expense of God and His people, by feigning the outward appearance of godliness, yet deny the power and spirit of Gbokood in their works of evangelism. My country Nigeria is badly hit be this generation of messengers of the gospel. They anchor fake sermons just to earn money; organize miracle crusades, but the focus is on how much money it would fetch; they assemble unemployed youth for job night vigil prayers for a fee and exploit childless women looking for the fruit of the womb. Some even charge consultation fees like medical doctors or Lawyers and every counsel they extend to worshipers attracts a fee. The tricks are multiple. Some of them have become divinators and forecasters of the future just to confer an aura of reverence on themselves, but their predictions occur in reverse mode. Now, their endless appetite for money has expanded tentacles and these messengers of God posture more as paid agents for masked forces in stimulating religious crisis in Nigeria. They forgo all religious decorum, mount the pulpit and haul out hate and inciting sermons. READ ALSO: READ what Adeboye has to say about pastors growing beards, elders dressing like youths They freely ask their congregants to go out and kill, against every injunction of God and the Holy Scriptures. They cause inter-faith hatred and divisions among Nigerians and smile to the bank in self- delusion of serving God. Nothing which streams from this category of messengers of God has any semblance of truth or about salvation. It is all about lust for material possessions and how to get richer with their families. But I am convinced that the Almighty God which Nigerians serve and Who keeps vigil over the country has kept a dossier on these fake pastors and prophets. And it appears their cup is already full. It is therefore, wiser for them to repent and genuinely turn to God for forgiveness, before He unleashes his wrath on them. Christianity is not a profession, but a vocation. So, those who are not divinely inspired should quit the stage and the inglorious acts before the hour of tribulation berths. If the push for this widespread fakery in the guise of Christianity is a consequence of lack of jobs, the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari is advancing loans to farmers even for this cropping season. They can approach the banks and get themselves busy on farms to be part of the national campaigns for food security in Nigeria and stop the spreading of anti-Christ messages and duping of people in the guise Christianity. Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Legit.ng Opinion page! Source: Legit.ng The Nigerian Army has assured citizens that bomb attacks by Boko Haram insurgents will soon end because the outfit is doing all possible to put end to them. Operation Lafiya Dole theatre commander Major General Lucky Irabor says Boko Haram bomb attacks would soon end. This assurance came from the Theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole Major-General Lucky Irabor during Thursday, February 2s press briefing in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. READ ALSO: Senate to probe Osinbajo's official residence with alleged N250m gatehouse Legit.ng has compiled some of the top talking points of the information-sharing event from the direct quotes of Major-General Irabor and they are: 1. Not fewer than 3,332 Boko Haram suspects were arrested between January 11 and February 1, 2017. 2. The coordinates used by the Nigerian Air Force in the Rann bombing were incorrect but there were Boko Haram insurgents in the area. Its the fact that the coordinates were wrong that led to that unfortunate incident of the accidental bombing of the IDP camp. 3. A rally has been held to sensitize people in areas prone to Boko Haram attacks and elsewhere about the need to be responsive to the threat and tip off security agencies. 4. For every bomb attack that occurs, 20 more have been prevented as the military's interceptions of Boko Haram's equipment and bomb materials show. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App 5. A Boko Haram attack on Rann IDP camp just about a day after accidental bombing by Air Force jet is proof that the insurgents were in the area when the coordinates were received by the pilot. 6. Nigerian Army seizes a truck carrying 278 bags of fertilizer used for bombs by Boko Haram hidden under bags of sugar. Source: Legit.ng Editor's note: Okanga Agila Legit.ng's guest contributor who writes from Benue state analyses the challenges faced by by sectors in Nigeria. He also compares the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration with that of other Nigerian leaders. Agila believes that President Buhari has done a lot to reshape the country especially, Nigeria's economic situation in the midst of adverse situation. No doubt, Nigeria is undergoing one of its toughest times in her recent history. Just yesterday, Nigeria was clad with the garments of oil boom or excess petro-dollars resources. There was enough for everybody or sector of the economy to blossom. The country had enough cash to pursue development projects, build its critical infrastructure to attract foreign investments and fortify its foreign reserve base. But its leaders and some privileged few in positions of authority wantonly fretted away these opportunities. Unfortunately, the country was suffocated with crass graft, greed of the ruling class laced in theft of the people's commonwealth and an unusual interest in weird politicking and such extremities. Nigerians acted like people destined to perish the next day. READ ALSO: Father Mbaka is 'hungry' and 'poorly educated' - IPOB Today, Nigeria has been aggressively used and dumped. There is poverty and misery in the land. There is hunger and thirst in the country. The citizens are unarguably going through the toughest of times. There is no enough money in the wallet to foot basic bills. There are frustrations in many families and homes. But Nigerians themselves are living witnesses to the downward plunge of the country in the last few years. And in no way was this message absorbed, expressed and amplified more pungently than their desire for a change of government. Nigerians expressed it through the ballot in 2015 with the enthronement of the APC-led Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB). His emergence symbolized hope for many and a renaissance in the leadership thought of the country. PMB in the last 20 months has tried to re-affix many of the wrongs he inherited in the country. But again, some dubious Nigerians or forces used to the old order of doing things have constituted themselves into stumbling blocks and saboteurs of the laudable initiatives, policies and programmes of the current administration. Its clear that a few dubious elite who prefer to see Nigeria a failed state, which is brought to its kneels in the midst of abundance, work assiduously day and night to frustrate every step to change the misfortunes of this great country. With paucity of funds and dwindling oil revenues, mounting problems and challenges neither recognize nor submit to such entanglements. The feeling is that these problems must be urgently remedied. But every Nigerian can testify that President Buhari has instituted accountability and transparency in the conduct of government business, by the judicious application of meagre resources to critical areas to ensure the even distribution of social wealth to the poor masses of Nigeria. READ ALSO: Another APC chieftain dares Obasanjo reveals when Igbos can vie for president But this again is being stifled with artificial setbacks deliberately created by enemies of the state, who shout loudest on the streets to conceal their moral dis-figuration. The thieving elite loath the relive the PMB administration is extending to the people and work underground more as destructive spies, to portray his administration as failed. Nigerians must be aware that these cartels of criminally-minded Nigerians have melted into vulnerable and unsuspecting communities in the country to ferment unnecessary and senseless crises. In effect, the sinewy resources accruing to the government which ought to have been channeled into critical sectors like power supply, education, agriculture, job creation and youth empowerment and so forth are wasted on the security of lives and property of law abiding Nigerians who have been unjustifiably brainwashed into brandishing swords and cudgels against themselves in a chilling exercise of bloodletting. This is the self-inflicted dilemma Nigerians have found themselves. But President Buhari has always resolved like today, more than ever before, never to relent in his pursuit of the populist cause or policies on his promise to better the lot of Nigerians. Apart from ensuring that no part of Nigeria is violently assailed and sized by hoodlums and other criminal gangs or terrorists; there are modest efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the ordinary, poor Nigerian masses. The N-Power job creation initiative to empower the teeming jobless youths in Nigeria and other social schemes for the elderly have started with beneficiaries gainfully engaged; the conscious and rewarding steps towards the diversification of the economy through agriculture with loans to farmers across Nigeria are praiseworthy steps. Furthermore, the bail-out funds to states under the yoke of workers salary debts; the revival of construction sites with renewal of abandoned contracts and award of fresh ones are some of the measures in place, which are the lights of promise of a greater and prosperous nation President Buhari intends to bequeath to Nigerians. READ ALSO: You cannot appoint Igbo party leaders - APC national leader to Okorocha Also, funds have been set aside in the 2017 budget to advance loans to Nigerians interested in the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises and similar businesses to stimulate capital inflow into the economy. At the last count, local contractors were cumulatively owed contractual debts in excess of N1 trillion, which dates back to the last 10 years. The current regime intends to begin gradual evacuation of these debts with the 2017 budget, in order to inject life into the economy and ameliorate the present hardships faced by Nigerians. These are major pluses for the masses of Nigeria. No Nigerian is in doubt about the deliberate frustration of the President Buharis regime by a cabal which has vowed never to allow him to succeed. Of course, Nigerians still recollect the National Assemblys (NASS) refusal to grant President Buhari the power to secure the $29 billion loan, which would have speedily activated most of the social schemes and developed critical infrastructure in the country. The suppression of the emergency powers Bill or economy stimulus Bill from the executive arm of government questions the readiness of Nigerias subordinate leadership to assist drive the needed change. These are just the few out of the several landmines strewn on the path of the good intentions of the Buhari administration. The massive recovery of looted funds would have served as an alternative in closing the financial gaps in public expenditure and the deficits in budgeting. But a greater part of this looted wealth, which its domiciliary has already been identified is stashed abroad and requires procedures and processes to cause repatriation of this looted Nigerian wealth. READ ALSO: Acting President Osinbajo makes another crucial decision in Buhari's absence These processes would not come in a jiffy, as it would take some time to materialize. Back home, looters charged to court are held up in the judicial traffic, but it is hoped that these cases would terminate soon to enable Nigeria recoup its stolen wealth and channel resources to development. Nowhere in the world has positive change come easily. It is resisted, attacked, frustrated and repressed by corrupted souls likely to be purged of such tendencies. Leaders who launch such changes pass through difficulties, blister nerves and cause tensions. But they eventually succeed with the active support and back-up of loyal and patriotic citizens, their only formidable strength. Thats why President Buhari needs the support of the Nigerian masses, which he perceives as too sidelined, neglected and humiliated for too long. It is a battle of Buhari against the devious cabal for the sake of Nigerian masses. READ ALSO: Political prostitution, GEJ to join Buhari in APC - Nigerians react to Senator Uba's defection It is therefore incumbent on all Nigerians to identify and support President Buhari to deliver Nigeria from this dubious cabal of sharks, who delight more in milking Nigeria. Buharis liberation of Nigeria is for the masses of Nigeria at the angst of these leadership hijackers and leeches on government. Therefore, Nigerians should wake-up from slumber, sleep with one of their eyes wide open to identify and shun the ploys they deploy to deceive them into mortgaging their future. No pain, no gain, says one of these songsters. Nigerians will only appreciate President Buhari when the battle is over, and they see and feel how much change has come to their country and themselves. So, PMB does not only need the strong ideological support of Nigeria, but also their unceasing prayers and commitment to the goals and aspirations of the great country they wish to dwell. Like President Buhari himself admitted, there are hard times, but it is a global phenomenon and experts are working round the clock to remedy it, much as he is making his own modest efforts back home. Everyone should be optimistic that Nigeria is prepared to come out of this mess better, stronger and with a more secured future. In President Buhari, Nigerians have sighted a promising leader and brighter hope for a prosperous nation and no one should allow questionable elements to blur this vision. Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Legit.ng Opinion page! Source: Legit.ng The Senate president, Bukola Saraki and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara are currently meeting with acting president, Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa in Abuja. While this meeting makes it the second time Bukola Saraki will be meeting with Osinbajo this week, it is Dogaras third meeting with the acting president in the week, Vanguard reports. The reason for their visit was yet to be known as at the time of filling in this reports on Thursday, February 2. Recall that Dogara was at the presidential villa for the first time this week on Monday, January 30, when he visited with Governor Rochas Okorocho of Imo state. On Tuesday, January 31, Saraki visited the villa with the speaker again. Later, Saraki informed journalists that his visit was connected with the 2017 budget defense. Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian army on Thursday, February 2, released a list of the 76 regular recruits intake for the 2016 recruitment process - The army said the result of the screening can be accessed on the forces portal - The Nigerian army also urged all candidates to check the website and print out the passed confirmation page' The Nigerian army on Thursday, February 2, released list of the 76 regular recruits intake for the 2016 recruitment process. In a statement signed by the Nigerian army chief administration M.I Alkali the result of the screening can be accessed on the forces portal, www.narecruitment.org. Alkali, a major general said the screening and examination was conducted on January 7, 2017. Alkali said: The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the general public that the result for the 76 Regular Recruits Intake Pre-Screening Examination which was conducted on Saturday 7 January 2017, is available on Nigeria Army Recruitment Portal. www.narecruitment.org. READ ALSO: Nigerian army reveals steps taken to stop Boko Haram bombings He enjoined all candidates to check the website and print out the passed confirmation page. The army said only candidates with the print out from the portal will be allowed to participate in the forthcoming zonal screening exercise slated to hold between February 19 and March 3. Successful candidates from the pre-selection are to attend the zonal screening at the designated zonal for their respective states, Alkali said. Candidates selected after the zonal screening exercise will commence training immediately at depot of the Nigerian Army in Zaria. READ ALSO: 3,332 Boko Haram suspects nabbed and 5 more takeaways from Lafiya Dole press briefing Candidates are advised to come along with a pair of white uncrested vest, a pair of blue shorts, original and photocopy of their credential, writing materials, white canvass and white socks, he said. Candidates are advised in their own interest not to give any form of gratification or inducement to any person or group of persons to assist them on the recruitment exercise," Alkali added. Source: Legit.ng - The killing of alleged Christians in Nigeria is becoming an international embarrassment to Nigeria especially as religious leaders are speaking out - Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the immediate past president of the country has met with lawmakers in the United States and proffered possible solutions to Nigeria's insecurity Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed the real solutions to the ethnic crises as well as attacks on Christians in Nigeria. Jonathan revealed ways the tension in Nigeria can be arrested The former president who is from Bayelsa, an oil-rich state in the Niger Delta region, spoke when he met with the United States Congress House sub-committee on Africa. Premium Times quoted a spokesperson to the former president, Ikechukwu Eze, as saying the meeting was part of efforts of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to continue to promote peace and prosperity in Nigeria and Africa. According to the report, the former president, who is the chairman of the foundation, was invited by the sub-committee and he said the government must implement the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference. READ ALSO: DSS gets warning from Christian youths over invitation of Apostle Suleman According to him, this is the only way to prevent ethnic and religious tensions such as the one currently ravaging the southern area of Kaduna state. The report said Jonathan also noted that violence was being fueled by impunity. According to him, those perpetrating violence in the country are encouraged because previous suspects are not arrested. Jonathan revealed ways to resolve the tension that has gripped the country Jonathan recalled how he tried to tackle the case of Kabiru Sokoto, the man allegedly behind the Christmas Day bombing of Saint Theresas Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger state. Sokoto who was arrested, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned by while Jonathan was president. The president was quoted as saying: That promise was fulfilled on the 20th of December 2013 when Kabiru Umar, aka Kabiru Sokoto, was sentenced to life imprisonment after my administration investigated that crime, identified him as the mastermind, arrested him and diligently prosecuted him and some of his associates. He said he supported true federalism as recommended in the report of the 2014 National Conference adding that this was the solution to the Niger Delta crisis. READ ALSO: Northern Christians reportedly suffering persecution daily He lamented that agencies created to handle the Niger Delta affairs have not been up to the task because of politics. Source: Legit.ng Bylaws Approved by the Membership, September 2015 ARTICLE I: Title, Organization, and Administrative Plan Section 1. Title. The name of the corporation shall be National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the Association. Section 2. Organization. The Association shall be designated as a nonprofit, educational association, organized under the 'General Not for Profit Corporation Act. The Association may seek tax exempt status pursuant to Section 501(C) of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 3. Publications. The official publication of the Association shall be the Journal of Singing. The intra-organizational publication shall be Inter Nos. The official website of the Association shall be established by the Board from time to time. Section 4. Administration. Except as otherwise set forth herein, the property, funds, and affairs of the Association shall be controlled and managed by a Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the Board), members of which are referred to as Directors, consisting of the President, Past President, President Elect, all Vice Presidents, Secretary/Treasurer, and all Regional Governors. The Executive Director, the International Coordinator, and the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Singing, attend meetings of the Board and may speak at meetings, but do not have a vote. The Board communicates with the Executive Director through the President of the Association. top ARTICLE II: Offices The Board shall determine the State of incorporation, physical location of the Executive Office, and Registered Agent for service of process. top ARTICLE III: Purposes The Association is organized to benefit the public good and generally enrich the public through: (i) encouragement of Members to achieve the highest standards in their teaching of singing; (ii) promotion of vocal education and research at all levels, both for the enrichment of the general public and for the professional advancement of the talented; (iii) requiring Members adherence to stated ethical principles in the teaching of the vocal arts; and (iv) organizing and affiliating its Members to provide nationwide accessibility to qualified teachers for all students of singing. top ARTICLE IV: Corporate Seal The Association shall have a corporate seal, which shall have inscribed thereon the name of the corporation, the words "Corporate Seal" and "December 1944." Said seal shall be kept in the Executive Office by the Executive Director of the Association. top ARTICLE V: Members Section 1. Election of Members. Applications for membership must be completed and signed by the applicants, specifying citizenship, residence, professional training and activities, teaching experience, and other pertinent data, and shall be accompanied by a letter of recommendation for membership from at least one Full, Emeritus, or Associate Member of the Association in Good Standing, defined in Article V, Sections 2 and 3. Applicants must also pledge in writing their acceptance of and conformance with the Code of Ethics and these Bylaws, as each may be adopted or amended by the Association from time to time. Applications for all membership classifications shall be submitted through the Association's Executive Office to the Vice President for Membership. The Board shall have power of review over all membership applications. Approval of a membership application shall not be complete until payment of all applicable dues, and may be conditioned upon submission of documentation to the Vice President for Membership. Section 2. Classes of Members. The Association shall be open to all individuals regardless of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, national origin, religion, or citizenship. There shall be five membership classifications Full Members. Full Members must be persons of known personal integrity whose professional training and/or experience qualify them to be teachers of singing or collaborative pianists. Full Members have all rights of membership, including voting and holding office at any level. Emeritus Members. Persons eligible for emeritus membership are Full or Associate Members of the Association who have attained their sixty-eighth birthday and have been Members in Good Standing for at least twenty years. Requests for this membership status must be sent to the Executive Director. Emeritus Members are not required to pay dues. They have full power of vote, but may hold office only at the chapter level. Associate Members. Associate Members must be persons of known personal integrity who are beginning teachers of singing or collaborative pianists with professional training. Associate Members have full power of vote, but may hold office only at the chapter level. Student Members. Student Members are actively training to be teachers of singing or collaborative pianists, or are beginning teachers or collaborative pianists, enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or masters degree program. Student members may only vote or hold office in SNATS Chapters. Student membership is separate from membership in a SNATS Chapter. A Member who holds status as an Associate or Full Member may not convert to Student Member status. Affiliate Members. Affiliate Members may be individuals in fields related to the teaching of singing, institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities, and business firms associated with music as determined by the Board of Directors. Affiliate Members may not vote or hold office at any level. Section 3. Dues. Payment of national dues in an amount determined by the Board from time to time is a condition of membership in the Association. Only Members have the right and privilege of using the NATS name and logo in conjunction with their own, and of participating in members-only events. Members shall only use the NATS name and logo as instructed or directed by the Association from time to time. The Board shall establish the amount of dues, the date on which dues are payable, prorating of dues, and establishment of various fees and administrative charges. The dues established above shall pay for the implementation of the stated purposes of the Association and shall entitle the paying Member to receive a full subscription to the Journal of Singing. A Member who has not paid dues by the date payable is not in Good Standing, as defined in Article V, Section 4. The Board will determine a date beyond the date payable after which membership is automatically terminated. Section 4. Standing. Good Standing. Good Standing is reserved for Members of the Association who are current in payment of dues and who have complied with all other terms of Membership, including, compliance with the Code of Ethics and these Bylaws. Good Standing is a requirement for all privileges associated with each class of membership, as cited in Article V, Section 1. All Emeritus Members are presumed to be in Good Standing. Any Member who voluntarily resigns from the Association is considered a former member and will automatically be returned to Good Standing upon payment of current dues. Lapsed Standing. Any Member who is delinquent in payment of dues is considered to be in Lapsed Standing. The Board may establish a date from time to time after which privileges of membership, including the right to vote and participate in Chapter events, are suspended. Lapsed Members will automatically be returned to Good Standing upon payment of dues and administrative costs for reinstatement as determined by the Board from time to time. Section 5. Disciplinary Action. Allegations of violation of the Code of Ethics or Bylaws, or of conduct detrimental to the welfare and best interests of the Association may be brought against a Member as follows: (1) by written report of any three Full, Emeritus, Associate, or Student Members in Good Standing; or (2) by written report from a non-Member. Said report shall be submitted to the President of the Association, or to the President Elect if the complaint is against the President. If the President or President Elect deems the case non-frivolous, it shall be forwarded to the Ethics Committee for resolution. Following referral of a matter to the Ethics Committee, the Ethics Committee shall investigate as it deems appropriate, and seek such resolution of the matter as it deems prudent and in the best interest of both the Association and the accused Member, in light of the circumstances. In the event that the Ethics Committee is unable to resolve the allegations, the President of the Association shall present the case to the Board for a hearing. The accused party(ies) shall be given a thirty days prior written notice of the hearing and shall be permitted to appear in person, in writing, by proxy and with or without an attorneys presence or assistance. At least one Member of the Ethics Committee shall attend said hearing. The Board holds the right to terminate membership, based on the results of that hearing. The Board may immediately terminate the membership of any Member convicted of a felony, or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, breach of trust, or sexual misconduct. Regions and Chapters shall immediately terminate the membership of a person whose Association membership has been terminated. Section 6. Resignations. Members in Good Standing may resign from the Association by submitting letters of resignation to the Association, which will remove those Members from the active membership roll. Section 7. Reinstatement. Members who resign in Good Standing may reactivate their memberships by requesting such action, submitting payment for current dues to the Association, and recertifying their acceptance of the Membership Terms, Code of Ethics and these Bylaws, as each may be adopted or amended by the Association from time to time. Lapsed Members who have been terminated for non-payment of dues may reactivate their memberships by requesting such action and submitting payment for current dues plus a reinstatement fee to the Association Section 8. Membership in Chapters. Active Members of the Association in Good Standing who are in compliance with the Membership Terms, Code of Ethics and these Bylaws, as each may be adopted or amended from time to time, may join a NATS Chapter (other than Student Chapters chartered under Article VII Section 4 below), upon payment to the Association of applicable Chapter dues and compliance with applicable Chapter membership requirements. top ARTICLE VI: Meetings of Members Section 1. Meetings and Notice. The Association shall hold General Business Meetings during National Conferences on dates determined by the Board, upon call of the President. Notice shall be given to all Members at least sixty days before the date by: (i) publication in the Journal of Singing or Inter Nos; (ii) direct postal mail; or (iii) electronically. Section 2. Manner of Acting. At any General Business Meeting of the Association each Full, Emeritus, and Associate Member in Good Standing shall be entitled to speak, make motions, and vote on all business matters brought before the membership. Section 3. Voting by Mail. A vote of the Association may be taken by mail. The vote of a majority of responses shall constitute the vote of the Association, provided that at least 5% of the membership eligible to vote has returned a valid ballot by the date specified. The result of such a vote shall be published to the entire membership. The date by which ballots must be returned in order to be counted shall be specified on the ballot. Section 4. Electronic Voting. A vote of the Association may be taken electronically. In any electronic ballot, however, Members may request a paper ballot. The vote of a majority of responses shall constitute the vote of the Association, provided that at least 5% of the membership eligible to vote has returned a valid ballot by the date specified. The result of such vote shall be published to the entire membership. The date by which ballots must be returned in order to be counted shall be specified on the ballot. Section 5. Quorum. Fifty (50) Members of the Association, including at least four Association officers, shall constitute a quorum at the General Business Meeting of the Association. Receipt of ballots from at least five percent (5%) of the membership eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum for mail and electronic meetings. top ARTICLE VII: Chapters Section 1. Establishing a Chapter. Any group of active Full, Emeritus, or Associate Members of the Association may petition the Board for a chapter charter for their geographic area. Chapter membership shall not be restricted by regional or district boundaries, but Chapters must be located within North America. Chapters shall abide by Association Bylaws, policies, and guidelines for the betterment of the membership and fulfillment of the Associations purpose. Section 2. Chapter Policies and Procedures. Chapters will establish their own Bylaws and operating procedures consistent with these Association Bylaws, and with the review and consent of the Board. Chapters shall accept and allow as chapter Members only Members of the Association. Section 3. Chapter Officers. Chapters will be responsible to elect officers, and annually report the name and full address of each chapter President to the Regional and District Governors and the Executive Office. Section 4. Student National Association of Teachers of Singing (SNATS). A Student NATS chapter (SNATS) consists of students under the sponsorship of a Member of the Association. A SNATS charter is issued upon the request of a sponsoring Member to the Association and approved by the Vice President for Outreach. Membership in a SNATS chapter does not constitute membership in the Association. Section 5. Association Events. Chapters may assist the Association, at the Boards request, with various Association events. In such cases, however, the Association shall be ultimately responsible for Board approved costs incurred in connection with the events, and shall be entitled to retain all fees, tuition, and other payments received in connection with the events. top ARTICLE VIII: Regions and Districts Section 1. Regions. The Board shall define and establish regional boundaries. There shall be a Governor for each designated region of the Association who shall be a Full Member in Good Standing of the Association, and who shall be elected by the membership of that region by vote, which may be conducted at a Regional Meeting, by mail, or electronically. Regional Governors shall assume office at the conclusion of the annual Board meeting or National Conference, serve for two years, and may succeed themselves once. Regional Governors who have served two terms in office may seek election to additional terms after a hiatus of at least four years following their most recent term in office. Regional Governors shall have direct responsibility over the affairs of their regions and for the coordination and operation of the districts falling within their regional boundaries according to these Bylaws. Regional Governors appoint District Governors and are authorized to appoint those regional officers they deem necessary for the successful operation of regional activities. Regional Governors shall be provided an annual approved reimbursement fund, in an amount determined by the Association from time to time, for the carrying out of their responsibilities. The Regional Governor may appoint a Regional cabinet made up of present officers at all levels and past Regional Governors who reside within the region, provided they remain full or Emeritus Members of the Association. This cabinet shall act as a Regional Board and assist the Governor in proper administration of the region. Prior to the end of each two-year term of office, it is the duty of the Regional Governor to appoint a nominating committee for the region to recommend a candidate or candidates for the office of Regional Governor. A current Regional Governor may not serve as a member of any Regional nominating committee for that region. Regional Governors may obligate their regions for only those funds available in their regions, through grants from the discretionary fund, or the regional allocations of the Association. Obligations beyond that level must have the approval of the Board of the Association. No Regional Governor shall have the authority to act as agent for the Association nor have the power to bind the Association. Section 2. Districts. The Board shall define and establish district boundaries within each Region. Each District of a Region shall have a District Governor, appointed by and responsible to the Regional Governor. District Governors shall serve terms of two years and may succeed themselves once. District Governors who have served two terms in office may be appointed to additional terms after a hiatus of at least four years following their most recent term in office, unless otherwise approved by the Board. District Governors shall be responsible for the administration and initiation of appropriate Association activities in their areas, assist with various NATS competitions, and will be provided with funds, through the Regional Governor, from the regional budget to assist in the work. District Governors shall be responsible for the recruitment of new Members and the communication of Association affairs, events, and proceedings to the local Members. District Governors may also initiate the organization of appropriate chapters within their geographic areas or in conjunction with other appropriate geographic areas. top ARTICLE IX: Board of Directors Section 1. General Powers. The Board shall derive its powers from the Association and shall have full authority to act for the Association, within the limitations defined by these Association Bylaws. The Board is responsible to the Association for all such actions, and shall keep accurate minutes of all its deliberations and decisions. An accurate report of the transactions of the Board shall be rendered to the Association by the Secretary/Treasurer at every meeting of the Association. The Board at its own discretion may study and formulate policies deemed necessary or expedient for the welfare of the Association. The Board shall consider, and upon its consent confirm all committee appointments made by the President and shall have final authority in establishing membership dues and the annual budget submitted to it by the President. The Board shall define and establish regional boundaries and may subdivide any Region into Districts functioning under District Governors for more effective communication and administration of Association business. The Board shall have power of approval of all requests for the establishment of a chapter. The Board shall have authority to establish new educational and executive activities of the Association within the limits of these Bylaws. Section 2. Regular Meetings. The Board shall meet during every conference held by the Association and at other times, in person or electronically, determined by resolution of the Board. Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President, or by any three (3) other Directors. Directors may attend Special Meetings in person, by telephone, or other electronic means approved by the Board. Subject to Article IX, Section 4 Waiver of Notice below, written notice of the time of any special meeting shall be given to each Director either by hand delivery, courier, FedEx or similar commercial delivery, e-mail, or facsimile transmission, at least two (2) days prior to the meeting. Section 4. Waiver of Notice. Notice of any special meeting or the place of any annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be deemed to have been validly given to any Director who signs a waiver of notice of such special or annual meeting, whether such waiver of notice be signed either before or after the meeting. Attendance of a Director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting and a waiver of any and all objections to the place of the meeting, the time of the meeting, or the manner in which the meeting has been called or convened, except when a Director states, at the beginning of the meeting, any objection to the transaction of business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Section 5. Quorum. Two-thirds of the Directors, including the President, shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business.Proxy voting is not permitted in meetings of the Board. A Regional Governor who is unable to attend meetings of the Board may send a Member in Good Standing from that region in his or her place, who will have full power of vote. Section 6. Vacancies. If any office on the Board, except President, falls vacant by reason of death, resignation, disqualification, or inability to act, the Directors remaining, by a majority vote, shall elect a successor, who shall hold office for the unexpired term or until a successor shall have been elected by the Members of the Association, and in the event of a tie vote by the Board, the President shall cast the deciding vote. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Past President shall serve the balance of the unexpired term. Any Director, whether elected or appointed, shall cease to hold office upon termination of membership, or may be removed from office by two-thirds vote of the Members voting at any regular meeting of the Association, or by two-thirds vote of the Directors. Section 7. Action Without a Meeting. Any action required to be taken or which may be taken at any committee meeting or any meeting of the Board may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so to be taken, signed by all Directors or committee members is filed in the minutes of the proceedings of the Board. Such consent shall have the same effect as a meeting vote, and shall be effective the date the last Director or committee member signs the consent or on the date otherwise specified in the written consent. Section 8. Financial Responsibility and Indemnification. Neither the Board, nor any individual Director, officer, representative, or agent, shall be required to accept financial responsibility for, and the Association shall indemnify and defend such individual against all damages, costs, claims, causes of action, liabilities, and expenses including reasonable attorneys fees incurred in connection with, duly authorized activities of the Association carried on in good faith, and in pursuit of the purposes and activities prescribed or authorized by these Bylaws. Section 9. Compensation. Directors shall not receive any salaries for their services, but by resolution of the Board, expenses of attendance, if any, may be allowed for attendance at each meeting of the Association, regular or special meeting of the Board. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any Director from serving the Association in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefore. Section 10. Committees. The Board may act by committees, consisting of two or more Directors, which shall have and may exercise all of the authority of the Board to the full extent allowed by law, except as limited by the resolution appointing the committee. top ARTICLE X: Association Officers Section 1. Officers. The Association officers shall include a President, President Elect, Past President, four Vice Presidents, and a Secretary/Treasurer. Each Association officer shall be elected by vote of the membership as provided in these Bylaws. The person elected for the position of President Elect shall serve one two-year term in that office, one two-year term as President, and one two-year term as Past President, and may not succeed himself or herself in any of these offices. Vice Presidents and the Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for two years and may succeed themselves once. Officers must be Full Members in Good Standing of the Association when elected and remain so throughout their terms of office. Section 2. Election. The Association Nominating Committee shall submit a slate of candidates for Association officers to the Board for approval one year prior to the beginning of the terms of the offices up for election. The slate of candidates, the date of distribution of the ballots, and the deadline for the return of ballots for the election shall be published in Inter Nos and NATS Online in the fall following the Board's approval of the slate. There shall be a ninety-day interval between the publishing of the slate and the deadline for the return of the ballots. Election of Association officers shall be by poll of the membership. Following the close of nominations, a full roster of duly nominated candidates shall be distributed to all voting members with a non-identifiable return ballot. The ballot will state the deadline for returning the ballot to the Secretary/Treasurer. Three Members appointed by the Secretary/Treasurer will count the ballots. No candidate may serve on the counting committee. A majority of all votes cast is necessary for election and those elected shall take office effective at the end of the national conference, or another time as determined by the Board from time to time. Section 3. Vacancies. National officers of the Association, whether elected or appointed, shall cease to hold office upon termination of membership, or may be removed from office by two-thirds vote of the Members voting at any regular meeting of the Association, or by a two-thirds vote of the Directors. Such action will be taken when it appears evident that an officer has been or is unable to serve or is otherwise disqualified. Any vacancy, however occurring, in any office, may be filled by action of the Board, provided, however, that the office of Past President may only be filled by a Member in Good Standing who formerly served as President of the Association. Section 4. President. There shall be one President who shall serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Association, presiding at all General Business Meetings of the Association and conferences of the membership, and shall preside at meetings of the Board, with the right and duty of exercising leadership in the programs of the Association, as defined in these Bylaws. The President shall be the primary point of contact between the Board and the Executive Director on matters of new policies and programs. The President shall see that the Bylaws of the Association are implemented and followed, and shall serve as representative of the Association with outside agencies, with the teaching profession, and with the general public. The President shall administer the overall policies adopted by the membership and the Board, and shall appoint all committees, including the national conference committee, in accordance with the Bylaws. The President shall determine the size, personnel, chair, and tenure of all special committees, and shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees except nominating committees. The President shall assist the Executive Director, Secretary/Treasurer, and other appropriate Association officers, to prepare and submit the annual budget to the Board for final action. The President shall initiate an annual external audit of the Association's financial affairs by a competent certified public accountant designated by the President. This audit shall be published annually. Section 5. Past President. There shall be one Past President, who shall be the immediately preceding President of the Association, and who shall serve for a period of two years. The Past President shall assist the new President as requested in the assumption of duties. The Past President shall also serve as chair of the Association nominating committee and director of the intern program. The Past President shall assume the chair at meetings in the absence of the President. In the event the Past President is not available, the President shall designate one member of the executive committee as chair. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Past President shall serve the balance of the unexpired term. Section 6. President Elect. There shall be one President Elect, elected by the Members of the Association, who shall serve concurrently with the new President for a period of two years. The President Elect shall be responsible to the President and shall undertake those duties assigned by the President. The President Elect shall serve as the Associations liaison with the NATS Foundation. The President Elect shall succeed to the presidency without further election unless due cause has been shown to break this automatic succession, in which case the Association nominating committee will present a new candidate for election to the office of President. Section 7. Vice Presidents. There shall be four (4) Vice Presidents, each of whom shall serve a term of two years, and can succeed themselves once, as follows: The Vice President for Auditions shall oversee the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards, National Student Auditions, and National Music Theater Competition. The Vice President for Auditions will actively schedule, promote, and conduct one of these while overseeing the work of those appointed to supervise the others. The Vice President for Outreach shall actively encourage, promote and oversee SNATS and student engagement in the Association, and shall promote and administer the discretionary funds. The Vice President for Membership shall promote and encourage new memberships and, with the assistance of the Executive Office and the membership committee, process new Member applications. The Vice President for Membership shall be the chair of the Membership Committee. The Vice President for Workshops shall schedule, promote, and oversee Association workshops. The Vice President for Workshops will involve successors in planning as early as possible in order to meet long-range planning needs of this function. Each Vice President shall submit an annual written report to the President, who shall include these reports in the Association's Annual Report. Section 8. Secretary/Treasurer. There shall be one Secretary/Treasurer who, with assistance from the Executive Office when requested, shall keep accurate minutes and records of Association and Board proceedings. These records shall be open to inspection by the membership during regular business hours upon reasonable prior notice. A written annual report shall be submitted to the President, who shall include this report in the Association's Annual Report. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for the issuance of all official notices and votes required to be given by, or in behalf of, the Association, and shall conduct whatever other correspondence or record-keeping is directed by the President. The Secretary/Treasurer shall supervise the keeping of the financial records of the Association and the handling of all savings and investments of the Association, according to the provisions of these Bylaws and shall be an ex officio member of the Investment Advisory Committee. top ARTICLE XI: Other Officials Section 1. Editor in Chief of the Journal of Singing. There shall be an Editor in Chief of the Journal of Singing who shall be selected by the President and approved by the Board in a regular or special meeting. This appointment shall be reviewed every two years by the Board and may be ended at any time by a two-thirds vote of the Board. The Editor in Chief shall receive a salary determined by the Board. The Board shall decide the amount of the budget, which the Editor in Chief will administer. The Editor shall be a nonvoting member of the Board. The Editor in Chief shall be responsible for the selection of Associate Editors and staff for the publication, and shall submit these selections to the Board for approval. The Editor in Chief, with advice from an Editorial Board, approved by the Board and appointed by the President, will determine the content of the various issues of the Journal. The Editor in Chief shall also determine format, cover, advertising rates, and other details of publication. Section 3. International Coordinator. There shall be an International Coordinator who shall be selected by the President and approved by the Board. This appointment shall be reviewed every two years by the Board and may be ended at any time by a two-thirds vote of the Directors. The International Coordinator shall maintain communication with international Members of the Association and other established voice teacher organizations. The coordinator shall facilitate the formation of other organizations related to singing where interest is expressed. Section 4. Historian. The President may appoint a Historian of the Association, selected by the President and approved by the Board. The appointment shall be reviewed every two years by the Board and may be ended at any time by a two-thirds vote of the Directors. The Historian shall provide a narrative of all national conferences, and may assist the Executive Office to collect, describe, preserve, and compile documentary sources significant to the history of the Association. The Historian shall have access to books, documents, papers, and records that are pertinent to the history of the Association. Executive Director There shall be an Executive Director of the Association recommended by the President, for Board approval, who serves at the pleasure of the Board. The Board shall determine the salary. The Executive Director shall be in charge of the Association's Executive Office, as directed by the Board and defined in these Bylaws. The Executive Director, with the assistance of the President, Secretary/Treasurer, and other appropriate Association officers, shall prepare and submit the annual budget to the Board for final action. The Executive Director shall supervise the collection of Association dues through the sending of notices and shall record all payments. The Executive Director shall supervise the processing of all applications for membership, changes in membership status, requests for dues adjustments, and updating of the membership roll and computer roster of the Association. The Executive Director shall serve as public relations officer of the Association, and at the direction of the President, shall handle all national announcements and news releases pertinent to the business and activities of the Association. The Executive Director shall prepare quarterly financial statements for the executive committee. The Executive Director shall maintain complete and accurate financial records of the Association, which shall be open to inspection by the membership at all times during regular business hours, given reasonable prior notice. The Executive Director shall serve as a nonvoting member of the executive committee, and shall attend meetings of the Association and Board. The Executive Director shall serve as a nonvoting member of the Board. top ARTICLE XIII: Committees Section 1. Standing Committees. The following committees shall be established and shall consist of the following Directors and/or other Association Members, for the purposes set forth below: Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Past President, President Elect, Vice Presidents, and the Secretary/Treasurer. The Executive Director shall serve as a nonvoting member. This committee shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Board and shall assume powers and duties as deemed necessary and delegated to it by the Board, to which it shall be responsible. Association Nominating Committee. An Association nominating committee shall be appointed at the beginning of each President's term. The Past President shall be a member of the committee and its chair. It shall be responsible for the nomination of persons to fill the offices of President Elect, Vice Presidents, and Secretary/Treasurer. There shall be no fewer than five Members in Good Standing on this committee. Members on the Board may be selected to serve on the committee, with the exception of the President. Membership Committee. The President shall appoint a membership committee, with the Vice President for Membership as chair. The committee shall assist the Vice President in membership promotion, recruitment, and retention, and be available to advise the Vice President for Membership and Executive Office on applications for membership. Investment Advisory Committee. An Investment Advisory Committee shall be appointed by the President. It shall be responsible for studying and recommending the investment of surplus funds and advise on the condition of funds in trust. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member. Journal of Singing Editorial Board. An Editorial Board for the Journal of Singing shall be appointed by the President. This Editorial Board shall conduct peer review and assist the Editor in Chief in all matters pertinent to the publication of the Journal. Ethics Committee There shall be an ethics committee of three Members, appointed by the President. Its responsibilities shall be the resolution of alleged violations of the Code of Ethics, and resolution of cases involving a Member's conduct alleged to be detrimental to the welfare and best interests of the Association. Section 2. Other Committees. Each President, upon assumption of office, may appoint those committees deemed necessary to the on-going business, operation, projects, and publications of the Association. Section 3. Terms of Office. All committee appointments must be ratified by the Board and shall have tenure not to exceed the term of the President. Committee appointments may be terminated at any time by two-thirds majority vote of the Directors. All Association Committee Chairs shall submit annual written reports to the Board, which shall be incorporated into the printed minutes of the Board meetings. top ARTICLE XIV: Financial Policies and Procedures Section 1. Funds. The Board shall be the legal custodian, within the provisions of the Association's charter and Bylaws, for all monies, bank accounts, records, and properties of the Association. The Secretary/Treasurer shall supervise the receiving and disbursing of all Association funds. Except as otherwise set forth by the Board from time to time, all checks shall bear two of the following three signatures: Executive Director, President, Secretary/Treasurer, or such officers as may be determined by the Board. The Association shall see that employees and Directors are bonded against dishonesty in the handling of Association funds and other assets. Section 2. Contracts. Except as otherwise set forth by the Board from time to time, and in consultation with the Executive Director, the President and either the Executive Director or the Secretary/Treasurer shall sign all major written contracts and statements of obligation of or to the Association that have been approved by the Board, and only contracts so approved and signed shall be valid. The Board will establish the definition of major contracts from time to time. Either the President or Executive Director shall sign all other contracts. Section 3. Records. Records of all transactions and all savings and investments shall be open to the membership at all times during regular business hours, given reasonable prior notice. top ARTICLE XV: Rules of Procedure and Amendment Section 1. Rules of Order. The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the meetings of the Board, Association, its regions, districts, and chapters, in cases in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or standing rules. Special rules of order for governing meetings of Members or the Board may be made at any time by vote of the Members present. Any motion or resolution offered for consideration shall be written if requested by any Member prior to action. Section 2. Proxies. Proxy voting is not permitted at any meeting of the Association or the Board. Section 3. Amendment of Bylaws. Any and all Bylaws may be amended or new Bylaws adopted at any regular meeting of Members of the Association, or by ballot. A two-thirds approving vote of all Full, Emeritus, and Associate Members participating is required. A quorum as stated elsewhere in these Bylaws is required. Notification of contemplated changes or amendments must be submitted to the membership in writing at least thirty days prior to the vote. Approved by the Board of Directors, June 27, 2015 Approved by the NATS Membership, September 30, 2015 International Congress of Voice Teachers The ICVT grew out of an interest in developing opportunities to share professional and artistic information on an international scale. NATS and dozens of other voice teacher associations entered into a Joint Venture Agreement to facilitate (by providing marketing services and managing funds) a world-wide gathering of voice teachers for master classes and sessions, very similar to the NATS national conferences, but international in scope. Every four years ICVT is held in one of the member countries, and since its inception the congresses have met as follows: 2022 Vienna, Austria 2017 Stockholm 2013 Brisbane 2009 Paris 2005 Vancouver 2001 Helsinki 1997 London 1994 Auckland 1991 Philadelphia 1987 Strasbourg ICVT 2021 - For the Sake of Music (Postponed to 2022) August 3-6, 2022 HOST: European Voice Teachers Association (EVTA)AUSTRIA Chairman: Professor Dr. Martin Vacha Email: office [AT] evta.at Download Event Flyer Van L. Lawrence Fellowship The Van L. Lawrence Fellowship was created to honor Van L. Lawrence, M.D. for his outstanding contribution to voice, and particularly to recognize the importance of the interdisciplinary education he fostered among laryngologists and singing teachers. It is awarded jointly by The Voice Foundation and the Foundation Heritage Fund of the NATS Endowment. The Fellowship winner will be provided with the opportunity to attend the annual Symposium on Care of the Professional Voice and visit laryngologists, speech pathologists, voice scientists, and research centers associated with The Voice Foundation during the fellowship year, with resulting research to be considered for expedited publication in the Journal of Voice or Journal of Singing. VAN L. LAWRENCE FELLOWSHIP for 2023 Deadline: November 15, 2022 The 2023 fellowship will be awarded at the next Annual Symposium - Care of the Professional Voice, May 31-June 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. Application instructions are listed below, and on The Voice Foundation website. Eligibility Requirements Candidates for the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship must be members of National Association of Teachers of Singing and actively engaged in teaching. The Fellowship will be awarded to candidates who have demonstrated excellence in their professions as singing teachers, and who have shown interest in, and knowledge of, voice science. The Fellowship is intended to provide opportunities for the Fellow to become more thoroughly acquainted with practices, techniques, technology, and people involved in laryngology and voice science. It is hoped that the opportunities and contacts provided through the Fellowship experience will enhance the teacher's ability to do meaningful interdisciplinary research, and will encourage the teacher to apply appropriate voice science advances in the studio. Award Amount The amount of the Van L. Lawrence Fellowship award is determined annually by The Voice Foundation and the Foundation Heritage Fund of the NATS Endowment. In recent years it has been $2,000. The funds are to be used to defray expenses for the Fellowship winner to attend the annual Symposium on Care of the Professional Voice (tuition shall be waived). Following the Symposium, the Fellow will be provided with the opportunity to visit laryngologists, speech pathologists, voice scientists, and research centers associated with The Voice Foundation during the fellowship year. Specific locations and durations of stay will be arranged in accordance with the Fellow's interests and needs and the availability of the centers to be visited. Following completion of the Fellowship experience, it is anticipated that the Fellow will have opportunities to consult with the scientists he or she has visited, and to apply his or her newly acquired knowledge in designing and executing a research project to help advance the field of voice teaching. The Voice Foundation will help provide review of the resulting paper and counseling regarding its improvement. When appropriate, the paper will be considered for expedited publication in the Journal of Voice or Journal of Singing. Selection Process The Van L. Lawrence Fellowship shall be awarded by the Board of Directors of The Voice Foundation and National Association of Teachers of Singing. The Fellowship Committee shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Board of The Voice Foundation and the President of National Association of Teachers of Singing and shall include at least one representative from the Board of Directors of The Voice Foundation and one representative from National Association of Teachers of Singing. Additional members shall be appointed at the discretion of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Voice Foundation and the President of National Association of Teachers of Singing. Application Requirements Fellowship applicants should write The Voice Foundation stating their desire to apply for a Van L. Lawrence Fellowship. The application letter should cover the following topics (as well as others which the applicant believes will strengthen his/her application, but please be as succinct as possible): Current application of scientific knowledge in the studio; The area of intended study and/or research project; How the Fellowship and research project will benefit your teaching; NATS chapter to which you belong; Also attach a detailed curriculum vitae. Members of NATS wishing to apply for the fellowship should write an electronic letter of intent to The Voice Foundation along with your CV combined into one PDF document. Include the area and methods of your proposed study. E-mail: office [AT] voicefoundation.org The fellowship will be awarded at 52nd Annual Symposium - Care of the Professional Voice, May 31-June 4, 2023, in Philadelphia. If you have any questions, please contact The Voice Foundation office. Past Van L. Lawrence Fellowship Recipients Two years ago, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman accused the nations largest retailers, including Walmart, of committing fraud by selling herbal supplements that didnt contain the labeled plant material. The shocking findingsfirst reported on the front page of The New York Timesresulted in an avalanche of class-action lawsuits that were consolidated and remain pending in federal court in Chicago. Plaintiffs have made claims for unjust enrichment, breach of express and implied warranties, and violations of deceptive trade practices under various state laws. In November, Walmart, Walgreens and NBTYthe supplement maker now known as The Natures Bounty Co.asked the judge overseeing the litigation to dismiss a second consolidated class-action lawsuit filed against them. Target, a co-defendant, filed a separate motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The 103 pages of allegations in the complaint, the retailers argued, is based exclusively on Schneidermans controversial probe and not on an independent factual investigation. Instead of conducting a reasonable factual investigation as the federal rules require, plaintiffs did just one thing before they filed these cases," asserted the Nov. 14, 2016 memorandum, filed by lawyers representing Walmart, Walgreens and NBTY. They read a single press release issued by the New York Attorney Generals Office." In the Feb. 3, 2015 release, Schneiderman announced DNA barcode testing results that indicated widespread deception: Several products testedincluding saw palmetto, St. Johns Wort and Echinacea, among othersfailed to contain the labeled herbs and were tainted with undeclared contaminants and fillers, such as rice and spruce. Industry executives immediately questioned the accuracy of Schneidermans results. The processing of herbs into an extract, experts said, can eliminate or alter the DNA, leaving a mistaken impression that the plant material is absent from the finished product. Walmart and its co-defendants have produced more than 12,000 pages of material, including internal and external testing of the supplements, manufacturing records and quality control procedures. However, plaintiffs did not reference the records in their second consolidated complaint or conduct new testing before filing the lawsuiteven after being authorized by the court to do so, said the retailers memorandum, which urged Amy J. St. Eve, a federal judge in the Northern District of Illinois, to dismiss the case. Courts across the nation have ruled government probes, like Schneidermans investigation, are immaterial to subsequent civil litigation, argued the defendants attorneys, including Amanda Groves of Winston & Strawn LLP, in the memo. Defendants cited a 1976 case, Lipsky v. Commonwealth United, in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed a lower court ruling to strike from a complaint allegations regarding an earlier complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The earlier complaint reportedly led to a consent judgement between the SEC and the defendant. Without its allegations about the New York AGs investigation and press release, the complaint contains no plausible allegation that defendants sell herbal supplements that were not made from the herbs cited on the product labeling," Groves and her co-counselors wrote in the court filing. Plaintiffs, in a response filed last month, rejected the idea that Schneidermans test results are irrelevant to the lawsuit. The test results showed that the very products at issue in this litigation did not contain the ingredients represented on their labels and instead contained adulterants and other undisclosed substances, results that go to the heart of the facts at issue in this litigation," wrote plaintiffs attorney Steve Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLC, and his co-counselors, in the Jan. 9, 2017 court filing. The retailers reliance on Lipskythe Second Circuit caseis misplaced, according to the plaintiffs response. Here, plaintiffs are entitled to rely on the results of third-party testing by a state attorney general to support their claims," the class-action lawyers wrote. To find the allegations regarding the NYAGs test results immaterial under Lipsky, such allegations would have to be incapable of support by admissible evidence. Because the NYAGs test results could be proved by evidence other than the cease-and-desist letters cited in the complaintsuch as the test results themselvesLipsky does not control and the allegations should not be stricken." Defendants criticism of DNA testing is also premature and irrelevant since plaintiffs arent required to prove their claims at this stage of the litigation, the filing declared. Berman and his co-counselors also responded to criticism that the second consolidated complaint didnt rely on plaintiffs own tests. They noted plaintiffs were not authorized to do any testing until Sept. 1, 2016, when the court lifted a stay imposed by federal judge John Darrah and instructed plaintiffs to file an amended complaint by Sept. 12. The eleven-day time period between the order lifting the stay and the due date for the second amended complaint was insufficient for plaintiffs to re-initiate their efforts to devise a testing protocol, implement such a protocol, and receive testing results," plaintiffs counselors explained. Even if Schneidermans allegations were stricken from the complaint, the lawyers rejected the notion that the lawsuit must be dismissed for failure to state a claim. They referenced other evidence to keep the lawsuit alive, including: A 2013 investigation by the University of Guelph in Canada. (In the study, researchers used DNA barcoding technology to test 44 herbal products. They found more than 60 percent of the products contained plant species not declared on the label); and FDA data establishing manufacturers have distributed contaminated herbal products. For instance, 615 supplements were flagged as being tainted between 2008 and 2015, the court filing said. Walmart, Walgreens and Nature's Bounty declined to comment for this article, while Target and the plaintiffs lawyers did not immediately respond Wednesday to requests for comment. The case, In re: Herbal Supplements Marketing and Sales Practice Litigation, is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1:15-cv-05070, before the Hon. Amy J. St. Eve. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Thank you for reading The Cascadia Advocate, the Northwest Progressive Institutes journal of world, national, and local politics. Founded in March of 2004, The Cascadia Advocate has been helping people throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond make sense of current events with rigorous analysis and thought-provoking commentary for more than fifteen years. The Cascadia Advocate is funded by readers like you and trusted sponsors. We dont run ads or publish content in exchange for money. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe LONDON The suicide attacks at Brussels Airport have led to intensified scrutiny of hiring, security and the lack of standardized procedures at airports across Europe, amid questions about whether the bombings last week could have been prevented. The head of the largest police union in Belgium warned on Thursday of a serious security problem at Brussels Airport, citing systematic security flaws, bureaucratic incompetence and the employment of baggage handlers with criminal records. His remarks came as the airport police wrote an open letter, cited in several Belgian newspapers, expressing deep concern about the level of security at the airport, echoing worries about procedures, staffing and the potential for infiltration by terrorists at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport after the deadly attacks in and near Paris in November. Bharati attended an English-style school until she was 8, when her father, after a falling-out with his business partner, took the family abroad. She studied at private schools in London and Basel for the next three years. When the family returned to Calcutta, she was enrolled in Loreto House, an elite Roman Catholic school run by an order of Irish nuns. The world of her childhood was tightly circumscribed. When she left the family compound, she was escorted by bodyguards. Until she left for the United States, she had never attended a party with boys. At the same time, she roamed freely through the vast storehouse of Indian folk tales and epics and made a close study of the endless family dramas around her. Image The cover of the novel Jasmine. Credit... Viking Books She earned a bachelors degree in English from the University of Calcutta in 1959 and a masters degree from the University of Baroda, in Gujarat, in 1961. After sending six handwritten stories to the University of Iowa, she was accepted into the Iowa Writers Workshop, where she studied with Philip Roth and Vance Bourjaily in her first year. She earned an M.F.A. in 1963 and a doctorate in comparative literature in 1969 at Iowa. I blossomed, because people didnt have preconceived notions of who I was and what I could do, Ms. Mukherjee told The Boston Globe in 1993. It was an enormous transformation in my life. She added, I really jumped the grooves. She married Mr. Blaise, a fellow student, in 1963. Besides her husband, she is survived by their son, Bernard; two sisters, Mira Bakhle and Ranu Vanikar; and two granddaughters. Another son, Bart, died in 2015. From those years I evolved a credo: Make the familiar exotic (Americans wont recognize their country when I get finished with it) and make the exotic the India of elephants and arranged marriages familiar, she wrote in Contemporary Authors. One bill, if approved, would prohibit landlords from interfering with tenants medical treatment. That is intended to prevent landlords from requiring tenants to attend substance-abuse programs with specific providers or get physicals from certain doctors. It would also create a way for tenants to take landlords who ignore that requirement to Housing Court. The bills also try to improve tenants access to emergency relocation services, making it easier for them to obtain stable housing if they are living in dangerous homes. In addition, all people on public assistance would be informed of their housing rights and would be advised that they could not be summarily evicted, even from a three-quarter house. The legislation would also require the agencies in a city task force, formed after The Times investigation, to publicly report every three months on inspections of three-quarter homes, including the number of tenants and the violations issued. City Councilman Ritchie Torres of the Bronx called the bills a game changer that would curb the excesses of predatory operators, whom I consider the scum of the earth. Councilman Torres, a Democrat, sponsored the medical-intervention bill and the bill making it easier to relocate tenants living in dangerous homes. Three other Council members, Donovan Richards Jr. of Queens, Corey Johnson of Manhattan and Jumaane D. Williams of Brooklyn, all Democrats, sponsored the other bills; Letitia James, the citys public advocate, co-sponsored the bills. Mayor Bill de Blasio has 30 days to review the measures and decide whether to sign them into local law. The city legislation does not address the underlying problems that caused the homes to multiply, such as the homelessness crisis and the lack of housing for the poor. The states housing allowance for single people on public assistance is $215 a month, not enough for much of anything in a city where the median monthly rent is more than $1,300. The state is not doing anything to curb the abuses and next to nothing to create permanent housing solutions, said Paulette Soltani, an organizer with the nonprofit groups Vocal-NY and the Three-Quarter House Tenant Organizing Project. Herb Oscar Anderson, the morning D.J. for the New York Top 40 station WABC-AM during most of the 1960s, died on Sunday in Bennington, Vt., near Hoosick Falls, N.Y., where he had a home. He was 88. The cause was kidney failure, said his son John James, an actor who played Jeff Colby on the prime-time soap opera Dynasty. When Mr. Anderson arrived at WABC in 1960, the station was in the early stages of a battle for listeners with WMCA, WINS and WMGM. He was one of the stations Swingin 7 air personalities, a group that included Scott Muni and was known as the All Americans. But Mr. Anderson was a throwback in a changing music scene, a fan of the big band sound, not necessarily the rock n roll he was playing on a 50,000-watt station that reached well beyond the city limits. My father walked into his job at WABC wearing wingtips and a suit and left in wingtips and a suit, Mr. James said. Likewise, he has not attended the Nathans weigh-in since 2014, his first year in office and the last time it was held at City Hall. (It now takes place at Brooklyn Borough Hall.) And even the most venerable of New York City events, the New Years Eve ball drop, has suffered the mayors lack of enthusiasm for acting as a city booster. Im not quite sure why a million people want to stand in the freezing cold for long, long periods of time, but they do, Mr. de Blasio said in December, shortly before the ball drop. In recent weeks, he has also decided not to go to more serious events. He did not go to the scene of a Long Island Rail Road derailment, defending the decision by saying the injuries had been minor. His staff weighed and ultimately decided against his making an appearance on Saturday at Kennedy Airport, where demonstrators had gathered to protest an immigration order by President Trump. But on the lighter fare that attends the office of mayor, Mr. de Blasio has often taken a certain pride in eschewing some of the appearances that his predecessors made, sometimes grudgingly, sometimes with great enthusiasm. Since Mr. Trump officially violated the lease when he assumed office, the agency is clearly obligated to cancel the lease or require that it be sold to another hotel operator. Ranking Democrats on the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over the agency have for weeks been asking it to address the lease violation. So far, the agency, which reports to the president, appears to have done nothing. Mr. Trumps lawyers preposterously contend that because he was not an elected official when the lease was signed, he hasnt broken it. Aside from violating the lease terms, Mr. Trump is very likely violating the emoluments clause by holding on to the hotel. His lawyers have said that he will donate profits from rooms rented to foreign governments to the Treasury, but thats no cure. Experts say it would be next to impossible to account for foreign profits which, of course, would be based on the hotels own calculations. Is the hotel prepared to open its books so the public can judge those numbers for itself? Congress ought to demand that the G.S.A. uphold the terms of the hotel lease and shame Mr. Trump into selling his other businesses, the fortunes of which are now hitched to the presidency. Democrats have been trying to do this, but the Republicans who run the House and Senate have not joined them. So far, they lack the spine to challenge the president. Just imagine how they would have reacted if Hillary Clinton had been elected and the Clinton Foundation were merely leasing a government building, let alone using it to generate revenue. If the agency doesnt act, a competing hotel could sue to demand that it cancel the lease because the presidents control of the hotel represents unfair competition. The Trump Hotel has been drawing business away from other hotels, precisely because its proprietor occupies the White House. Indeed, the hotel has promoted itself on Twitter with an image of a man relaxing in one of its rooms, gazing out upon a building that looks very like the White House (its actually the Environmental Protection Agency, which Mr. Trump campaigned to abolish). Since the election, embassies from countries that include Bahrain, Kuwait and Azerbaijan have held receptions at the hotel, and diplomats say its important that they be seen patronizing it. Image A tweet from Trump Hotels makes it clear that proximity to power is part of the sales pitch. Mr. Trump has boasted that the presidency boosts his brand. He should focus instead on how his commercial ambition is tarnishing the image of public service. If he continues to reduce the most powerful office in the world to a marketing scheme, ethical public servants, in Congress and across the government, cant stand by and watch. In its first steps toward commercialization, IBMs Watson took on grand, science-laden challenges like helping doctors diagnose cancer. But that is changing as IBM strives to build its artificial intelligence technology into a multibillion-dollar business. Today, companies including Geico, Staples and Macys are adding the Watson technology to answer customer questions or to improve mobile apps that guide shoppers through stores. Now in its broadest deployment so far, Watson will be assisting H&R Blocks 70,000 tax professionals this filing season at 10,000 branch offices across the country, where 11 million people file taxes. The H&R Block partnership with Watson, announced on Wednesday, is being presented to a wider audience with a 60-second television ad during the Super Bowl on Sunday. Mary Ritti, a spokeswoman for Snap, declined to comment for this story. Mr. Spiegel grew up in Pacific Palisades, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb, and attended Crossroads, a prep school in Santa Monica that counts Jonah Hill, Kate Hudson and Jack Black as alumni. He lived a privileged life, with expensive cars, exclusive club memberships and fancy vacations, according to records from his parents divorce proceedings. His father, John Spiegel, a securities lawyer who helped overhaul the Los Angeles Police Department after the Rodney King beating in 1991, also had his children volunteer and build homes in poor areas of Mexico. While many techies talk about how the industry is a meritocracy, Mr. Spiegel has not shied from his wealthy roots. In public comments, he has said he is a young, white, educated male who got really, really lucky. And life isnt fair. At Stanford, also his fathers alma mater, Mr. Spiegel majored in product design and started a handful of companies with Mr. Murphy, a fellow Kappa Sigma fraternity brother. (Their early start-ups flopped.) There, Mr. Spiegel also met some of the men who would become his mentors, including Scott Cook, then the chief executive of Intuit, and Eric Schmidt, the Google chairman, who taught an M.B.A. class that he attended. Mr. Spiegel really is the next Gates or Zuckerberg, Mr. Schmidt said in an interview, comparing the Snap chief to Microsofts co-founder, Bill Gates, and Facebooks chief, Mark Zuckerberg. He has superb manners, which he says he got from his mother. He credits his fathers long legal calls, which he overheard, to giving him perspective on business and structure as a very young man. When Snapchat started taking off, Mr. Spiegel did not wait to graduate from Stanford. He moved the company to the Venice Beach boardwalk, away from what he perceived as Silicon Valleys too-narrow focus on technology. MIAMI In a place that thinks of itself as the capital of Latin America, the Miami-Dade County mayors decision last week to jump out front and heed President Trumps executive order demanding cooperation with immigration agents has set off consternation and protests. Residents have marched on County Hall and accused the mayor, Carlos Gimenez a former Cuban refugee of betraying a county that proudly boasts the second largest number of immigrants in the United States and was considered a sanctuary city. Making matters worse, they said, Mr. Gimenez, who feared losing federal grant money, was the first big-city mayor to do so. Protesters have vowed to pack the county commission meeting next week. Its embarrassing in this city of immigrants, in a multicultural, diverse place like this that our mayor is not taking a strong stance, said Tomas Kennedy, 25, a college student from Argentina who became a United States citizen after being undocumented for 17 years, and who joined the latest protest Tuesday. He is an immigrant himself. He came here fleeing political persecution from Cuba. He knows firsthand what immigrants and refugees contribute to this county. Last Thursday, Mr. Gimenez directed county jails to fully cooperate with Mr. Trumps directive. The order targeted what are known as sanctuary cities and counties, which generally do not comply with federal requests to detain undocumented immigrants who have been arrested on unrelated charges until immigration officers can get them. In response to Mr. Trumps order, Mr. Gimenez directed county jails to detain people who were flagged by immigration authorities as possible illegal immigrants for 48 hours. She had her fun and, it appears, she was ready to come home. After a brief flirtation with freedom, Ollie, a 6-year-old bobcat living at the Smithsonians National Zoo in Washington, was found on Wednesday near the zoos birdhouse, officials said. Though they could not retrace the 25-pound bobcats nearly two-day adventure, officials said she might have left the property but most likely never strayed more than two miles from the zoo. Were just over-the-moon happy, Craig Saffoe, the zoos curator of great cats, said at an evening news conference. The email and the debate that has followed have forced a painful reckoning here in Plymouth, where many residents have been supportive of the plant, which has long provided this historic town with high-paying jobs, a boon to the tax base and contributions to charities. Finally, after weeks of escalating concerns, officials from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission agreed to meet with the residents and several elected officials here on Tuesday night. The meeting drew 300 people in a snowstorm to a nondescript hotel ballroom, where many were armed with neon green placards saying Shut Pilgrim Now. The residents said they viewed the damaging email as exactly the sort of evidence they needed to finally make a substantive argument against the station. But to the surprise of some at the meeting, the regulators acknowledged the problems. Donald Jackson, the inspector who wrote the email, discussed its main points. And the regulators said the problems raised in the message were being addressed and, most important, were not serious enough to close the plant. I have to have a sound technical and legal basis to do that, Dan Dorman, the regional administrator for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said in an interview after the meeting. At issue is Mr. Scaramuccis sale of his firm, SkyBridge Capital, to a division of HNA Group, a politically connected Chinese conglomerate that would become the firms majority owner. The sale has not been completed, and administration officials said the White House Counsels Office had predicted that it would take up to three months for Mr. Scaramucci to be cleared of potential ethics conflicts. The White House is operating without a functioning Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, which Mr. Scaramucci would have led. Part of the job is to help coordinate matters across government agencies, a pressing need as protests over the presidents immigration order sweep the country. The New York Times reported Tuesday that HNA Group has strong ties to Chinas ruling Communist Party and an opaque ownership structure. China experts say leading Chinese firms like HNA are looking for avenues of influence in a White House that is already stoking tensions on trade and other issues. HNA, a financial behemoth whose interests range from aviation to supermarkets, has said that SkyBridge will give it a foothold in Americas asset management business. The $180 million deal could be finalized as late as the end of June. To avoid conflicts of interest, Mr. Scaramucci had agreed to recuse himself from anything to do with SkyBridge and HNA. One ethics lawyer suggested that he could have steered clear of the entire financial services sector and still carried out his duties. LOS ANGELES A federal judge has dealt another blow to President Trumps executive order barring some foreigners from coming into the United States, in a ruling that added to the confusion over the legality of the immigration measure. Using more sweeping language than previous court rulings, Judge Andre Birotte Jr. of United States District Court here issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday evening requiring the government to allow in people with valid immigrant visas from the seven majority-Muslim countries Mr. Trump sought to block. The judges order affects only people who are seeking to live in the United States permanently and are taking the first steps to becoming a legal resident. This does not include tourists or students trying to enter the country. Beyond the restrictions the order imposed on refugees and visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries, it declared that the United States should keep out those with hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles and those who would place violent ideologies over American law, clearly a reference to Shariah. Rejected by most serious scholars of religion and shunned by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, this dark view of Islam has nonetheless flourished on the fringes of the American right since before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. With Mr. Trumps election, it has now moved to the center of American decision-making on security and law, alarming many Muslims. Mr. Trump has insisted that the executive order is not a Muslim ban, and his supporters say it is a sensible precaution to safeguard Americans. Asked about the seeming antipathy to Islam that appeared to inform the order, the White House pointed to Mr. Trumps comments in the August speech and on another occasion that signaled support for reform-minded Muslims. His administration, Mr. Trump said in August, will be a friend to all moderate Muslim reformers in the Middle East, and will amplify their voice. James Jay Carafano, a security expert at the Heritage Foundation who advised the Trump transition at the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, said the executive order was simply trying to get ahead of the threat. As pressure increases on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, he said, tens of thousands of foreign fighters will flee. Some could try to reach America, perhaps posing as refugees, he said, so stronger vetting of those entering the country is crucial. But critics see the order as a clumsy show of toughness against foreign Muslims to impress Mr. Trumps base, one shaped by advisers with distorted ideas about Islam. Theyre tapping into the climate of fear and suspicion since 9/11, said Asma Afsaruddin, a professor of Islamic studies at Indiana University and chairwoman of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy. Its a master narrative that pits the Muslim world against the West, appealing to Trump supporters who know nothing of Muslims or Islam beyond news reports of terrorist attacks, she said. The president also repeated claims that American communities are not safe: We need safer communities, and were going to do that with law enforcement. Were going to make it safe. Were going to make it much better than it is right now. Right now its terrible. Recent F.B.I. data indicates that crime rates have been dropping for decades, despite a slight uptick in violent crimes in 2015 that was mostly concentrated in urban areas, including Chicago, which Mr. Trump referred to as totally out of control. Mr. Trump also took the opportunity to call the news media the opposition party, something his chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, had said in an interview with The Times. Mr. Trump told the group: I mean, a lot of the media is actually the opposition party. Theyre so biased and really is a disgrace. Some of you are fantastic and fair, but so much of the media is opposition party and knowingly saying incorrect things. So its a very sad situation. But we seem to be doing well. Its almost like, in the meantime, we won. So maybe they dont have the influence they think, but they really are they really have to straighten out their act. Theyre very dishonest people. At other points Mr. Trump thanked Fox News for treating him very nice and insinuated that CNN was fake news. The group included more than a dozen people who introduced themselves briefly. They included a pastor and his wife, a former Capitol police officer, a defense employee, and an official with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, among others. Also on hand were members of Mr. Trumps staff, including Omarosa Manigault, a contestant from his programs The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice. She has been named director of communications for his Office of Public Liaison. Omarosa is actually a very nice person, Mr. Trump joked, prompting laughter. Nobody knows that but I dont want to destroy her reputation. Dr. Bornstein said that Mr. Trump had gone to his East Side office for annual checkups, colonoscopies, and other routine tests every year since 1980. Before that, Mr. Trump was a patient of Dr. Bornsteins father, Dr. Jacob Bornstein. At times in the interviews, Dr. Bornstein was moody, ranging from saying that Mr. Trumps health is none of your business to later volunteering facts. He also meandered, referring to his longtime study of Italian and stories about medical schools floating cadavers to an island off the waters of New York. He said he liked the attention he got from friends now that he was publicly known as Mr. Trumps doctor but disliked the fun made of me by the news media and strangers who have thrown objects at his office window and who have yelled at him on Park Avenue. Dr. Bornsteins first brush with the public was in December 2015, when he released a hyperbolic four-paragraph letter about Mr. Trumps health. If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency, Dr. Bornstein wrote. He offered scant medical evidence for his prediction beyond saying Mr. Trump had no significant illness and nothing that required treatment outside of his office. Eight months later, Dr. Bornstein stirred controversy by saying he wrote the letter in five minutes while a limousine sent by Mr. Trump waited outside. A second letter in September 2016 was more sober, although it omitted a number of details that would be part of a customary summary of a patients health. The letter did say that Mr. Trump is 6-foot-3, weighs 236 pounds, has a normal blood pressure of 116/70 and takes a drug called rosuvastatin (marketed as Crestor) to lower cholesterol and other lipids. Dr. Bornstein did not say how high the lipids were before the statin therapy, but he reported that the levels were in the normal range in recent tests: cholesterol, 169; HDL cholesterol, 63; LDL cholesterol, 94; triglycerides, 61. WASHINGTON For Judge Thomas M. Hardiman, the road to the Supreme Court ended in Altoona. This weeks high court runner-up who helped pay for his education by driving a cab drove east from his office in Pittsburgh shortly after noon on Tuesday, just as White House officials were whispering that he was heading toward Washington to an Apprentice-style finale with Judge Neil Gorsuch where President Trump would announce his first Supreme Court pick. At around 3 p.m., under the watchful eyes of a CNN camera crew, he stopped at a gas station in Altoona, then disappeared. The reason for his 100-mile trip whether it was to visit an old friend or to try to make powerful new ones at the Trump White House remains something of a mystery. Three administration officials who did not want to be identified said Judge Hardiman hit the road to Washington to help them maintain the illusion that the selection process was still competitive. Judge Hardiman did not respond to repeated requests for comment on Wednesday. His friends say he was simply visiting a colleague who lives in Altoona. The day began with a phone call from Don McGahn, the White House counsel, who informed Judge Hardiman that Mr. Trumps pick would be Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, another conservative appeals court judge, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. But putting on a dignified East Room ceremony announcing Judge Gorsuchs nomination was important for an administration struggling to recover from the self-inflicted wound of last Fridays executive order barring migrants from seven Muslim nations, which has provoked a powerful bipartisan backlash. MEXICO CITY The Mexican government said on Wednesday that it was beginning a 90-day consultation with the countrys Senate and private sector before talks with the United States to review the North American Free Trade Agreement. President Trump has said he wants to renegotiate Nafta to obtain a better deal for the United States, calling the accord the single worst trade deal ever approved in this country. He has threatened to pull the United States out of Nafta, which includes Mexico and Canada, if he cannot negotiate more favorable terms. Tensions have been escalating between the United States and Mexico since Mr. Trumps election, and last week, President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico canceled a trip to Washington after Mr. Trump again insisted on Twitter that Mexico pay for a border wall. But Mexico has pressed to establish a dialogue with the new administration in Washington. And on Wednesday night, the Mexican government denied an Associated Press report that quoted Mr. Trump, in an excerpt from a phone call last Friday, as warning Mr. Pena Nieto that he would send United States troops to Mexico to stop bad hombres down there if Mexicos security forces failed to do so. Catholics in Germany who have divorced and remarried without receiving an annulment may receive communion on a case-by-case basis, the German bishops conference announced on Wednesday. The decision is a major acceleration of a more welcoming but disputed stance on family life adopted by the Vatican under Pope Francis. The decision was not unexpected; many German bishops are generally considered to be within the more liberal wing of the Roman Catholic Church. It was they who, at a 2015 synod on family life, proposed inviting divorced and remarried Catholics who had not had their first marriages annulled to seek the counsel of a priest to determine their future participation in church life. But several German bishops have dissented, insisting that Catholics who have divorced and remarried must abstain from sex if they wish to receive the eucharist. After that synod, the pope released a sweeping document on family issues last April that signaled a more welcoming stance toward divorced Catholics. The document titled Amoris Laetitia, or The Joy of Love, and known as an apostolic exhortation did not require churches to offer communion to the divorced, but it left the door open for bishops and priests to determine. The Tunisian who was arrested on Wednesday returned in summer 2015, using an alias, Mr. de Maiziere said, and apparently seeking asylum. Among the many open mysteries was whether the Tunisian had again slipped across German borders in 2016. Frankfurt prosecutors cited Tunisian officials as saying the suspect not only had taken part in the 2015 museum attack, but also was linked to another, in early March 2016, on the Tunisian border town Ben Gardane. It was not clear if he was suspected of just planning that assault or actually taking part, in which case he would have again left Germany, and re-entered by August, when he was detained in Frankfurt and ordered to serve 43 days of an outstanding 2008 sentence for grievous bodily harm. After that, from Sept. 27, the man was detained nearly 40 more days before what was supposed to be his deportation to Tunis, the Frankfurt prosecutors said. But, as with Mr. Amri, who slipped through the Germans fingers several times over two years, the Germans said they could not deport the latest suspect because the authorities in his country did not supply the necessary papers. He was therefore released Nov. 4, said Alexander Badle, a spokesman for the Frankfurt state prosecutors. The suspect was watched around the clock until his arrest early Wednesday, Mr. Badle said, declining to comment on what led the authorities to order the giant raids in Frankfurt and eight surrounding cities and districts in the vast conurbation where the Rhine and Main Rivers meet. The Tunisian was the only person arrested in the raids, Mr. Badle said. He was held under a warrant issued Jan. 26 accusing him of supporting a foreign terrorist group. Investigation on that charge started in October, even before his release, according to the Frankfurt prosecutors office. Lennart Nilsson, an innovative Swedish photographer whose micro-cameras bared some of lifes previously impenetrable and breathtaking moments most memorably a human embryos maturation from the instant a sperm cell fertilizes an egg died on Saturday in Stockholm. He was 94. His death was confirmed by his stepdaughter, Anne Fjellstrom. Mr. Nilsson fused artistic and scientific virtuosity to blaze a new frontier in photography, especially within the womb. He transformed himself into a daring explorer, leading viewers of his images in books, magazines and television documentaries on fascinating journeys deep inside the human body. To do so he incorporated electron microscopy, endoscopic fiber optics and custom lenses. Im just a photographer who happened to be fascinated with mankind, he said on his website. In one book, Behold Man: A Photographic Journey of Discovery Inside the Body, he collaborated with Jan Lindberg, a pathologist, to depict and describe the bodys interior landscape. Concerned about the role hackers and false news might have played in the United States election, the Dutch government announced on Wednesday that all ballots in next months elections would be counted by hand. The decision to forgo electronic counting is a stark response to warnings that outside actors, including Russia, might try to tamper with pivotal elections this year in the Netherlands, France and Germany three major democracies in which establishment parties are facing pressure from right-wing populism of the kind that fueled Britains vote to leave the European Union and Donald J. Trumps triumph in the United States election. The cabinet cannot exclude the possibility that state actors might gain advantage from influencing political decision-making and public opinion in the Netherlands and might use means to try and achieve such influence, Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk said in a statement. Were talking about actors that both have the intention and ability to do this. Parliament recently discussed the finding by intelligence agencies that the Russian government tried covertly to help Mr. Trump, and Mr. Trumps allegations made without evidence that millions of undocumented immigrants had cast ballots, costing him the popular vote. WASHINGTON Just five days after taking office, over dinner with his newly installed secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, President Trump was presented with the first of what will be many life-or-death decisions: whether to approve a commando raid that risked the lives of American Special Operations forces and foreign civilians alike. President Barack Obamas national security aides had reviewed the plans for a risky attack on a small, heavily guarded brick home of a senior Qaeda collaborator in a mountainous village in a remote part of central Yemen. But Mr. Obama did not act because the Pentagon wanted to launch the attack on a moonless night and the next one would come after his term had ended. With two of his closest advisers, Jared Kushner and Stephen K. Bannon, joining the dinner at the White House along with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Mr. Trump approved sending in the Navys SEAL Team 6, hoping the raid early last Sunday would scoop up cellphones and laptop computers that could yield valuable clues about one of the worlds most dangerous terrorist groups. Vice President Mike Pence and Michael T. Flynn, the national security adviser, also attended the dinner. As it turned out, almost everything that could go wrong did. And on Wednesday, Mr. Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to be present as the body of the American commando killed in the raid was returned home, the first military death on the new commander in chiefs watch. WASHINGTON An internal Pentagon investigation found that senior officials at United States Central Command did not deliberately skew intelligence assessments about the war against the Islamic State, despite a widespread view among analysts within the command that reports were manipulated to present a distorted view of the military campaigns progress. The results of the investigation by the Defense Departments inspector general, released on Wednesday morning, largely exonerated the two men who led Central Commands intelligence analysis in 2014 and 2015, Maj. Gen. Steven Grove and his civilian deputy, Gregory Ryckman. Dozens of analysts at the command, known as Centcom, had anonymously accused the men of altering intelligence conclusions to paint a rosy picture of the campaigns military successes and the capability of Iraqi troops fighting Islamic State militants. The inspector generals investigation disputed those claims. We did not find that anyone intentionally attempted to distort intelligence, the report concluded. Nor did we find a systematic distortion of intelligence. At the same time, the 190-page report sketched a portrait of a sometimes dysfunctional intelligence headquarters at Centcom, the sprawling military command in Tampa, Fla., in charge of all American military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. It also cited several examples of changes to intelligence reports that led many analysts to believe that their bosses were manipulating the conclusions. Sisley was born in Paris to expatriate British parents; he lived in France almost his entire life. In his 20s he began painting landscapes in the forest of Fontainebleau, where an earlier generation of French artists Camille Corot, Theodore Rousseau, Charles Daubigny, and the other members of the Barbizon school began to imbue landscape painting with greater subjectivity. An undistinguished early genre picture, from 1865-66, sees Sisley follow Corots example in depicting flowering trees as a curtain of specked pigment. Most of Sisleys early work is gone. His house in the Paris suburbs was occupied by the Prussians during the Franco-Prussian War, and in a letter to a friend he said he lost everything he owned. As a Briton, Sisley didnt fight, but we know he went to Paris, and he surely would have had contact with fellow artists, fighting for the doomed French Army. (The most famous art-world casualty was Sisleys friend Frederic Bazille a retrospective of whom is at the Musee dOrsay in Paris and will open at the National Gallery of Art in Washington this April.) When the war ended, Sisley returned to Ile-de-France, where he grew interested in depicting the suburbs with the sensitivity once reserved for the countryside. A painting of the port in Marly, flooded after the Seine burst its banks, unifies sky, water and a cafe into an allover undulation of pigment. Only rarely do his landscapes disclose the transformations that the Industrial Revolution was wreaking. On a trip to London, Sisley ventured out of town and visited Hampton Court, where he painted a newfangled bridge from below, its cast-iron struts framing a Thames of blue and white blotches. The palette in these postwar paintings is a uniform one of blue, gray, white and green. He becomes a bit more experimental with his colors in the 1880s, and brush strokes get slightly freer, as well: Trees are stippled with a perpendicular brush rather than merely smeared horizontally. I dont want to overstate any break in style, though. As the Post Impressionists were preparing their emotional onslaught, Sisley stuck with what he knew, even if there was slightly more gesture in the riverside grasses and snowy skies he painted toward the end of his life. One of his final paintings, done on a beach in Wales during stormy weather in 1897, has sand of mauve breached by white waves, and almost recalls the chromatic experiments of Edvard Munch. This exhibition, curated by the Sisley scholar MaryAnne Stevens, plots Sisleys art not only through time but through the Ile-de-France region, which Sisley shuttled across as his interests changed and his money woes deepened. If your view of modern French painting inclines to only Paris and Provence, this show will introduce you to a new peri-urban geography of places physically on the cusp of the French capital but socially far removed. Argenteuil, Sevres, Saint-Cloud, Villeneuve-la-Garenne: those suburbs Sisley painted are places that contemporary Parisians now see from the scratched windows of the R.E.R. express trains, and while some remain fancy bourgeois commuter towns, others are now ringed by tower blocks. Remembering that these towns are not eternally bucolic may help contemporary viewers find greater relevance in Sisleys serene prospects. The landscape is never just the landscape; society is written across it too. Ari Wiseman, the deputy director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation since 2010, is stepping down to start an independent design studio in Los Angeles with one of his brothers, the artist and designer David Wiseman. Ari Wisemans departure will leave the museum with another major job opening at a time when it has been trying to replace its longtime chief curator, Nancy Spector, who in 2015 moved to the Brooklyn Museum. The Guggenheim is also recovering from the rejection of its plans to build a museum in Helsinki, Finland, which was voted down in November by city lawmakers. Mr. Wiseman had helped advocate for that project. The new Wiseman Studio will be devoted to the creation and exhibition of David Wisemans work; projects with galleries, museums and other artists; and programs that foster dialogue about design and nature. LOS ANGELES Now its war: Nickelodeon, once again winning the childrens ratings race against Disney Channel, has decided to throw its weight behind ... a princess. Nickelodeon has always had its share of magical kingdoms, but this Viacom-owned cable network has tended to leave the princess business to Disney. (And what a business it is, generating an estimated $5.5 billion a year in merchandise revenue alone.) But here comes Nella the Princess Knight, which Nickelodeon will introduce on Monday in a programming block for preschoolers. The self-designated Princess Police, mostly academics who use Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and their slender ilk to make points about their negative impact on young girls, have been a perennial thorn in Disneys side, even as the company has introduced black and Latina royals, along with a preschool one, Sofia the First. Will Nickelodeon now find itself in a similar position? Maybe not. The self-empowered Nella pushes boundaries, at least for television aimed at 2-year-olds, in the areas of race and gender. She is biracial, with a black father and a white mother, a decision informed by Nickelodeon research indicating that most children under 12 will be nonwhite by 2020 and that already 17 percent are biracial. The character also mashes together traditional boy and girl gender norms. Training Day, a series spun off from the Denzel Washington-Ethan Hawke film, catapults into a Trumpian universe. Powerless enters a DC Comics realm where the heroes dont have superpowers. And stream Amour in tribute to the French actress Emmanuelle Riva, who died on Friday. Whats on TV TRAINING DAY 10 p.m. on CBS. Set 15 years after the film, this new series stars Bill Paxton as Detective Frank Rourke, the leader of the Special Investigation Section of the Los Angeles Police Department and a brutally keen hunter of the most dangerous criminals, and Justin Cornwell as Kyle Craig, a squeaky-clean cop assigned to pose as Franks trainee and report back on his rogue methods. The show reflects a Trumpian vision of urban America, with the city depicted as a lawless hellscape in need of Franks tough love to restore order, James Poniewozik wrote in The New York Times. Mr. Paxton gets to deliver the best lines and blow the most stuff up, he added. Wry and swaggering, hes the only one having any fun here, which pushes the audience to Franks side. In this formulaic cop who wont play by the book setup, the book doesnt stand a chance. (This book was selected as one of The New York Times Book Reviews 10 Best Books of 2017. For the rest of the list, click here.) PACHINKO By Min Jin Lee 490 pp. Grand Central Publishing. $27. Min Jin Lees stunning novel Pachinko her second, after Free Food for Millionaires (2007) announces its ambitions right from the opening sentence: History has failed us, but no matter. Pachinko chronicles four generations of an ethnic Korean family, first in Japanese-occupied Korea in the early 20th century, then in Japan itself from the years before World War II to the late 1980s. The novel opens with an arranged marriage in Yeongdo, a fishing village at the southern tip of Korea. That union produces a daughter, Sunja, who falls in love at 16 with a prominent (and married) mobster. After Sunja becomes pregnant, a local pastor offers her a chance to escape by marrying him and immigrating together to his brothers house in an ethnic Korean neighborhood in Osaka. Together, they embark into the fraught unknown. Pachinko, the slot-machine-like game ubiquitous throughout Japan, unifies the central concerns of identity, homeland and belonging. For the ethnic Korean population in Japan, discriminated against and shut out of traditional occupations, pachinko parlors are the primary mode of finding work and accumulating wealth. Called Zainichi, or foreign residents, ethnic Koreans are required to reapply for alien registration cards every three years even if they were born in Japan, and are rarely granted passports, making overseas travel nearly impossible. From a young age, Sunjas oldest son sees being Korean as a dark, heavy rock; his greatest, secret desire is to be Japanese. His younger brother, Mozasu, even after he accumulates great wealth through his pachinko parlors, confides to his closest Japanese friend: In Seoul, people like me get called Japanese bastards, and in Japan, Im just another dirty Korean no matter how much money I make or how nice I am. Mozasus son, Solomon, learns this too quickly after graduating from an American university. He returns to Tokyo on an expat package with the Japanese branch of a British investment bank, then is fired once his ethnic Korean connections are no longer needed for a business deal. Still, Solomon is of a new, less wounded generation. He believes there are still good Japanese people and sees himself as Japanese, too, even if the Japanese didnt think so. The observation that writing about music is like dancing about architecture has been attributed to everyone from Martin Mull to Frank Zappa to Thelonious Monk. Its famous enough that its almost hackneyed by now, yet its as good a description as any for the nearly impossible task of using words to describe the sacredly wordless. Get bogged down in technical terms like diatonic interval and chromatic diesis and you risk sounding gratingly wonkish. Indulge in platitudes like lyrical melody and haunting chords and youre a pathetic lightweight, a philistine. So youve got to hand it to musicians who put down their instruments long enough to write entire books. Classical musicians, especially, carry a set of burdens that can make cross-genre endeavors uniquely challenging. They are confined to practice rooms for hours, days and years on end and tyrannized by necessary perfectionism; their achievements in many ways rest on their ability to shut out the noise of the outside world and play the same set of notes again and again. And while that can yield fine results, it doesnt always lend itself to the kind of divine hubris required to put your thoughts in print and expect anyone to care enough to read them. In a memoir published last year and two forthcoming this month, an oboist, a concert pianist and a guitarist set out to map the intersections of their musical lives and the much thornier vagaries of life in general. For Marcia Butler, the oboe was a protective garment and a ticket to the world, though both applications came at a steep price. As an awkward, antisocial preadolescent in 1960s Long Island, Butler is coerced into a binding and sickening pact with her father; if she confers sexual arousal by sitting on his lap, he will drive her to oboe lessons. My father was my epic Wagnerian Wotan, Butler writes in THE SKIN ABOVE MY KNEE: A Memoir (Little, Brown, $27), referring to Richard Wagners ruthless patriarch. I was his dutiful daughter Brunnhilde. Butler wins a scholarship to the Mannes College of Music, where she undergoes the perfunctory comeuppances of high-level music study, including an assignment to go back to the basics and practice nothing but long tones for three mind-numbing months. Long tones are notes held until you run out of breath, and anyone whos ever seriously studied a wind instrument (I played the oboe with varying degrees of resolve from childhood through college) will experience traumatic flashbacks reading about Butlers stages of grief around this situation. The time spent crying could be used for playing the long tones, she writes. You do as youre told. A contentious call that threatened to disrupt close relations with Australia. Twitter blasts against Iran. The disruptions emanating from the Trump White House will dominate a European Union summit meeting in Malta today. President Trumps deeply suspicious view of Islam, shared by several key advisers, appears to be reshaping U.S. policies on law, order and immigration. Speaking to a gathering of religious leaders in Washington, Mr. Trump brushed aside concerns about his handling of foreign allies, set off a feud with Arnold Schwarzenegger over TV ratings and pledged to destroy a law restricting political speech by tax-exempt churches. Later, he unexpectedly shifted his stance on Israel, warning against more settlement construction. SAN FRANCISCO Snapchat may have been built on disappearing messages. But as the social media darling hovers on the cusp of becoming a public company, its parent is trying to show how durable its business is. In its first public prospectus, Snap Inc. disclosed on Thursday that it had built a nearly $405 million advertising business in just over two years. While the filing does not indicate a price for an initial public offering, Snap is expected to seek a market valuation of more than $20 billion from investors. In the filing, Snap said that it wanted to raise $3 billion, an estimate meant to help determine registration fees. The company may seek as much as $4 billion, a figure that would make it one of the biggest tech offerings in United States history, according to Standard & Poors Global Market Intelligence. Snap filed confidentially to go public with the Securities and Exchange Commission late last year. Making the filing public was one of the companys final steps before it begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SNAP. If all goes well, the offering is expected to furnish its founders and early investors with a windfall. Republicans on Thursday took one of their first steps to officially dismantle Obama-era environmental regulations by easing restrictions on coal mining, bolstering an industry that President Trump has made a symbol of Americas neglected heartland. Using an obscure law that allows Congress to review regulations before they take effect, the Senate voted to reverse the Stream Protection Rule, which seeks to protect the nations waterways from debris generated by a practice called surface mining. The Interior Department had said the rule would protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests by keeping coal mining debris away from nearby waters. The Senate vote was 54 to 45, following a House vote for repeal on Wednesday. Make no mistake about it, this Obama administration rule is not designed to protect streams, Representative Bill Johnson, a Republican from Ohio who sponsored the move to reverse the rule, said on Wednesday. Instead, it was an effort to regulate the coal mining industry right out of business. The Senate also moved to reverse a separate rule requiring publicly traded oil, gas and mineral companies to disclose payments to foreign governments for licenses or permits. The disclosure rule was aimed at curbing bribery and at helping resource-rich developing countries hold fossil-fuel companies, and their governments, accountable. SACRAMENTO Its been said that all one needs to make wine is contained in the grapes themselves. But anyone who believes that must never have visited the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, an annual trade fair for the industry, which was held here in late January at the Sacramento Convention Center. The event is the largest such exposition in North America, and it draws businesses from around the world exhibiting their wares, along with wine producers from all over the Western Hemisphere. They came, of course, for the networking opportunities, the chance to talk shop with their peers and all the rest of the socializing that goes with conventions of any kind. Attendees also came for seminars and discussions of grape-growing, winemaking, marketing and business analyses, and maybe even for the keynote speaker, who this year happened to be me. Mostly, they come for the hardware, exhibited by roughly 700 companies and ranging from the mundane to the high-tech to the genetically manipulated. Chumleys is one of those New York City landmarks with so much history its hard to know where to begin in telling it. The West Village bar was a Depression-era speakeasy; a rough-and-tumble watering hole for generations of writers, including Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac and Norman Mailer; a divey hangout for N.Y.U. kids; and a bar tended and patronized by the firefighters of Ladder 5. It closed in 2007 after a wall collapsed, and the long effort to reopen the place became an adventure in its own right. It was finally resurrected in October by Alessandro Borgognone, an owner of Sushi Nakazawa, and Jim Miller, a firefighter. The black-and-white portraits of writers are still on the walls, but the beer-and-a-shot menu and the food have been elevated to appeal to a more upscale clientele. Jessie Dure, the 31-year-old bar manager, reflects the change in style. She is a reserved woman who reads scientific journals and books about wine and spirits. Indeed, she studied neuroscience at McGill University and originally planned to be a doctor, and attended Columbia Medical School. Between college and medical school, she worked at another longstanding N.Y.U. hangout in the Village, Dojo West, and the experience helped turn her into a bartender. LVMH, which also has brands such as Louis Vuitton, Celine and Fendi in its portfolio, does not break down the performance of individual maisons in its financial results. But the number of employees at Givenchy has more than tripled since Mr. Tisci joined the house in 2005, and sales revenue is believed to have grown to around 500 million euros ($539 million) annually. There are now 72 free-standing stores worldwide (compared with seven in 2005), with a Rome flagship set to open this year, and plans for a London store are underway for next year. Last week, LVMH, the worlds biggest luxury group, posted record revenue and profits for 2016, beating expectations because of strong sales in the United States and Europe and a pickup in demand in Asia. Riccardo has accomplished everything a designer can do for a brand, clocking a very respectable tenure and creating a fully realized language for them, Ms. Fargo said. So, why leave? Mr. Tisci said in his statement, I now wish to focus on my personal interests and passions. But rumors have suggested he may be headed to Versace. It would mean going home to Italy, and to a brand whose unabashed Italian sex and power-woman aesthetic mirrors his own. And Mr. Tisci is close to Donatella Versace (he shocked fashion in 2015 when he featured Ms. Versace, at least nominally a rival designer, in a Givenchy ad campaign). Besides, the suggestion, briefly beloved of the industry, that a designer needs a timeout from the increasingly endless show seasons, which was posited when both Mr. Simons and Ms. Waight Keller left their posts, increasingly seems like smoke and mirrors. After Dior, Mr. Simons took an even bigger job at Calvin Klein, and Ms. Waight Keller is said to be moving to a different brand (Givenchy?). Before his second full day in office was over, President Roosevelt had suspended all banking transactions in the United States. The goal was to stanch the hoarding of currency and gold by anxious depositors. Runs on the nations banks had pushed them into or near collapse. History calls it a bank holiday. That makes it sound cheerful. No confetti was involved. At 11 p.m. on Sunday, the new president ordered banking institutions the Federal Reserve Bank, commercial banks, savings banks, national banking associations, trust companies, credit unions and building and loan associations to stop the payment, export, withdrawal or transfer of currency and gold or silver coins or bullion. His proclamation took effect at 1 a.m. on Monday and was to be lifted after Thursday, March 9. On that day, and again by proclamation, Roosevelt extended the holiday indefinitely. By the time the banks finally began reopening on March 13, Roosevelt had delivered the first of his intimate fireside chats over the radio and had been granted what The Times described as practically dictatorial powers by Congress after he proposed a $500 million cut in federal salaries and pensions, and in veterans compensation. That would be the equivalent of more than $9 billion today. Agricultural leaders were urging Roosevelt to ask Congress for the same dictatorial powers to solve the farming crisis. The White House was preparing a $500 million unemployment relief program that would put people to work on government construction and reclamation projects. The president was moving to legalize the manufacture and sale of beer with up to 3.2 percent alcohol content. Taxes on this product, he said, would provide a proper and much-needed revenue for the government. And quench a few thirsts after 13 years of Prohibition. In its first 10 days, the fledgling Roosevelt administration generated five banner headlines in The Times. Only on March 11 and 12 did news from the capital share top billing, after an earthquake in Long Beach, Calif., killed more than 100 people. Its the kind of dish that people say is the first thing they learned to cook, that fed them when they left home, that inspires sudden and irresistible cravings. But when my hunger struck, I had no idea how to make it. I looked in my Chinese cookbooks, but it appeared in exactly none of them. Calling up my mother to ask her, I knew, would be like asking her to describe how to tie shoelaces: almost impossible to articulate, buried so deep in her muscle memory. In Chinese cooking, this dish is like air, present and invisible. I knew that I wasnt going to figure out a recipe for it, because I realized that my not knowing how to make this dish was akin to my Cantonese getting rusty, to not knowing when Chinese New Year is every year. Its because Im not an immigrant, only a son of immigrants, and so I know only the frayed facsimile of the world that my parents grew up in. Being part of a culture without living in it is like being in a long-distance relationship. You can make it work with grand displays of affection and splendid visits, but you dont get to have coffee together on a Sunday morning the little things, the stuff daily life is built on. I knew that if I were to have this recipe, it would have to come to me through my people or not at all. So I went online and found recipe after recipe, with an eye toward cobbling together my own. I read the cookbook author Genevieve Kos version and took from it the idea of just lightly cooking the eggs before finishing them in the tomatoes. I read Chichi Wangs version, on Serious Eats, and lifted her brilliant use of fragrant rice wine in the eggs and ketchup in the sauce. I read dozens of blog posts, mostly relating the same story over and over again a story of nostalgia, of Moms cooking, of home. I read the comments, also telling the same: Thank you, thank you, Ive missed this dish, thank you, thank you. And after all this reading, I started to realize what I was really seeing: people, just like me, missing a knowledge that they felt should be in their bones, coming to someone elses recipes to connect them to where they came from while being rooted in where they are. Recipe: Chinese Stir-Fried Tomatoes and Eggs A few weeks ago, in reaction to something we had written about blackness and whiteness in recent movies, my colleague Manohla Dargis and I received a note from a reader. Since when is everything about race? he wanted to know. Perhaps it was a rhetorical question. A flippant though by no means inaccurate answer would have been 1619. But a more constructive response might have been to recommend Raoul Pecks life-altering new documentary, I Am Not Your Negro. Let me do so now, for that reader (if hes still interested) and for everybody else, too. Whatever you think about the past and future of what used to be called race relations white supremacy and the resistance to it, in plainer English this movie will make you think again, and may even change your mind. Though its principal figure, the novelist, playwright and essayist James Baldwin, is a man who has been dead for nearly 30 years, you would be hard-pressed to find a movie that speaks to the present moment with greater clarity and force, insisting on uncomfortable truths and drawing stark lessons from the shadows of history. To call I Am Not Your Negro a movie about James Baldwin would be to understate Mr. Pecks achievement. Its more of a posthumous collaboration, an uncanny and thrilling communion between the filmmaker whose previous work includes both a documentary and a narrative feature about the Congolese anti-colonialist leader Patrice Lumumba and his subject. The voice-over narration (read by Samuel L. Jackson) is entirely drawn from Baldwins work. Much of it comes from notes and letters written in the mid-1970s, when Baldwin was somewhat reluctantly sketching out a book, never to be completed, about the lives and deaths of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Reflections on those men (all of whom Baldwin knew well) and their legacies are interspersed with passages from other books and essays, notably The Devil Finds Work, Baldwins 1976 meditation on race, Hollywood and the mythology of white innocence. His published and unpublished words some of the most powerful and penetrating ever assembled on the tortured subject of American identity accompany images from old talk shows and news reports, from classic movies and from our own decidedly non-post-racial present. Dogs put some really dumb things in their mouths, Dr. Levitzke said. We have dogs come in that have mouth and esophageal burns from drinking bleach. You never see a cat do that because theyre smart. Dogs will try anything once, sometimes twice. Indeed, a six-pound terrier-Chihuahua mix in Greenwich Village has made two emergency trips to the vet since December. I know it sounds like were horribly irresponsible people, said his owner, a 55-year-old woman who gave her name only as Jane. She said her husband, a retired lawyer, smoked daily and that a tiny piece of a roach or something must have fallen off the table. Preventing such cases would seem to be as simple as keeping ones stash secured, but that can be difficult. In Crown Heights, Brooklyn, there is a food-obsessed shiba inu who belongs to a woman who loves marijuana. One day in December she cooked an ounce and a half of pot in coconut oil to draw out the THC, put the oil in a big batch of brownies, made tea with the mostly spent leaves and threw them away. As she does whenever she leaves home, she secured the trash can with childproof locks and put it on top of the stove. The woman came home to a heap of trash on the floor and the dog sprawled in the midst of it. He was just really body stoned and completely jelly, said the woman, who produces fashion shoots and spoke on the condition that her name not be used. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth, his head was lolled over, but any kind of movement in his peripheral vision would just scare the crap out of him. Next time she makes brownies, the woman said, Im going to dilute the weed in a whole bunch of water so that its nothing, and then Im going to flush it down the toilet. Thousands of Yemeni-Americans and their supporters rallied in Brooklyn on Thursday to denounce President Trumps executive order on immigration, hours after hundreds of Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery stores around New York closed to protest the order. Waving American and Yemeni flags and holding signs in English and Arabic, the demonstrators filled the plaza at Borough Hall. They gathered for the Islamic sunset prayer and listened intently as a series of public officials greeted them with the words Assalamu alaikum and condemned the presidents order, which temporarily bars citizens of Yemen and six other majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States. This order goes against everything we came here for and everything America stands for, said Abdul Salam Mubaraz, a bodega owner who had closed his shop for the day and spoke from the stage. For people fleeing war-torn countries like Yemen, he said, the restrictions amounted to having the door of freedom shut by President Trump. Yemeni-owned bodegas are institutions in many New York neighborhoods, selling coffee and bagels, groceries, umbrellas and many other items. Organizers said several hundred had closed from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday in protest, which Eric L. Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, told the crowd, sent a loud and clear message to America. As a boy, his back sometimes sore from being whipped with a dog leash, he would watch documentaries. Nothing rivaled his fascination with shows about the Third Reich. The imposing uniforms and talk of a superior race enthralled him. Why cant I be as tough as they were? he wondered. He became a weight lifter and joined the professional wrestling circuit. For 20 years, he was a correctional officer on Rikers Island, retiring in 1999. And through the years, Mr. Schneider harbored a not-so-secret Nazi obsession. In retirement, Mr. Schneider found work as a guard and returned to the wrestling ring. In his free time, he went to events like the Chiller Theater Expo, an autograph-signing convention for the formerly famous and formerly almost famous. There he struck up a conversation with Ms. Boone, who was signing pictures for fans who recognized her from Channel 35, a public access cable station. She had also appeared in a few horror films. Mr. Schneider was a security guard and Ms. Boone was in need of protection. She told him she feared a violent man from a former relationship. Mr. Schneider became her protector. He would accompany her shopping and would stop by to check on her. She eventually moved into his home. And then he became a neo-Nazi. Mr. Schneiders motives were a bit muddled. In his telling, he intended to infiltrate the white supremacist movement in an undercover capacity. The reason, he said, was that Ms. Boone had been harassed by skinheads on a city bus. Distressed at her mistreatment, he began researching white supremacists online. But after a half-century fascination with the Nazis, Mr. Schneider found himself excited to be dialing the number for the National Socialist Movement. He spoke with a recruiter, filled out a membership application, and bought a brown shirt uniform. When it arrived, he tried it on immediately. It was almost like regressing back to age 6, he said. PENANG, Malaysia How does he do it? How does Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia stay in power despite allegations that he embezzled $1 billion from a sovereign wealth fund? Corruption is nothing new here, but the scale and implications of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) affair are staggering. It may be the worlds largest money-laundering scandal involving a sitting head of government. The case is being investigated by authorities in at least six foreign states, including the U.S. Justice Department. Yet theres been no mutiny within Mr. Najibs party, no vote of censure in Parliament, no mass protests. In both 2015 and 2016, tens of thousands of supporters of Bersih, an electoral-reform movement, took to the streets calling for Mr. Najibs resignation. But the demonstrations dont seem to have loosened his grip on his party, the United Malays National Organization, nor UMNOs grip on Malaysia: UMNO has been governing the country in coalition governments for six decades. Mahathir Mohamad, a former prime minister and former mentor of Mr. Najib who recently left UMNO, blames the political stagnation on personal patronage or what he calls animal feed. Others blame it on disarray within the opposition, an uneasy assemblage of parties representing different ethnic and religious interests. The real chasm is not between Muslims and others, but between the moderates and the extremists of whatever religion. A Reuters poll found that many Americans approve of Trumps travel ban, but thats not surprising. The same was true of barring Jewish refugees in the 1930s, and of interning Japanese-Americans in 1942. When were fearful, were vulnerable to politicians who play on our fears and scapegoat immigrants; in the fullness of time, we come to regret our xenophobic behavior and to appreciate the immigrants. So I apologize to Muslims. I have seen the worst of Islam, but also the best. The newly chosen Rhodes scholars include a Somali refugee, Ahmed Ahmed, who was born in a Kenya refugee camp and was admitted to the U.S. as a 1-year-old. Raised by a struggling single mom, sometimes showing up at high school at 5:30 a.m. to study, he attended Cornell and won the universitys outstanding student award. Such people dont threaten us, but enrich us. If we need an inspiring example of how moderates can successfully challenge extremists, consider an extraordinary Somali gynecologist, Dr. Hawa Abdi, who ran a displaced persons camp in Somalia, including a 400-bed hospital (and a jail for men who beat their wives). Islamic militants, enraged that a woman was running such an important enterprise, ordered her to hand it over. When she refused, 750 armed militants from the Party of Islam attacked the camp and ordered Dr. Abdi to run it under their direction. She refused. Yet Dr. Abdis camp, serving 90,000 people, was just about the only thing working properly in Somalia, and Somalis at home and around the world united to denounce the militants and speak up for her. The pressure on the gunmen grew. Finally, they slunk off. If Somalis can stand up to extremists, we can, too. Indeed, that is happening. When Japanese-Americans were rounded up, other Americans were silent. Today, it is heartwarming to see Americans of all creeds standing up against similar bigotry. In Victoria, Tex., after a mysterious fire destroyed the only mosque just hours after Trump announced his travel ban, local Jewish leaders gave Muslims a key to their synagogue. Four churches also offered their space for as long as needed, and in just a few days, people of all faiths contributed $1 million to build a new mosque. Refugees are men, women and children caught in the fury of war, or the cross hairs of persecution. Far from being terrorists, they are often the victims of terrorism themselves. Im proud of our countrys history of giving shelter to the most vulnerable people. Americans have shed blood to defend the idea that human rights transcend culture, geography, ethnicity and religion. The decision to suspend the resettlement of refugees to the United States and deny entry to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries has been met with shock by our friends around the world precisely because of this record. The global refugee crisis and the threat from terrorism make it entirely justifiable that we consider how best to secure our borders. Every government must balance the needs of its citizens with its international responsibilities. But our response must be measured and should be based on facts, not fear. As the mother of six children, who were all born in foreign lands and are proud American citizens, I very much want our country to be safe for them, and all our nations children. But I also want to know that refugee children who qualify for asylum will always have a chance to plead their case to a compassionate America. And that we can manage our security without writing off citizens of entire countries even babies as unsafe to visit our country by virtue of geography or religion. So the president, who was elected under the fog of Russian interference (now under investigation by both houses of Congress) and with a boost from the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (now under investigation by the Justice Departments inspector general), has just made a nomination to the Supreme Court: Judge Neil Gorsuch of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, in Denver. Pundits have been applauding like a pod of trained seals in the hours since the announcement, gushing about how brilliant Donald Trumps rollout of Gorsuch was, how immensely qualified he is and how difficult it would be for Democrats to block his nomination if they chose to do so. Lets tackle each of these individually, but lets do so under the umbrella of this ultimatum that I believe the liberal base is sending to the Democratic Party: Fight this, tooth and nail. Never give up and never give in. This seat on the Supreme Court was stolen from Barack Obama when Republicans refused to even hold hearings for his nominee, and the election was stolen from the American public by maleficent figures, foul of motive and moving in shadows. ISTANBUL Some American friends wanted me to visit in the summer to speak about a book of my essays on Syria and the Syrian revolution that is about to be published. The prospect of traveling to the United States made me uneasy. I had heard stories of Syrians being singled out for interrogation at American airports. And I wasnt certain I would be able to get travel documents and an American visa anyway: Because of my political activities, I am a man without a passport. But then, after President Trump signed an executive order barring even Syrians with valid passports and visas from the United States, I knew I wouldnt be able to visit my American friends any time soon. Mr. Trumps decision pronouncing Syrians dangerous and undesirable seemed quite similar to the way our own dictator, President Bashar al-Assad, has treated me and my countrymen. I have never had a passport. I was explicitly denied one by Mr. Assads regime because I am a writer who opposed his father and opposes him. In 1980, I was a 19-year-old student of medicine at the University of Aleppo when I joined the protests against the Hafez al-Assad regime. I was jailed along with hundreds of fellow left-wing students and activists. I spent 16 years in prison. After my release in 1996, I returned to Aleppo and my medical studies. After graduating in 2000, I decided not to practice medicine, moved to Damascus and worked as a writer. In March 2011, Syrians rose up against the Bashar al-Assad regime. I decided to write without any self-censorship in support of the revolution. The cost of writing with freedom was that I had to leave my home in Damascus, hide in myriad places across the country, and eventually seek refuge in Turkey. To live in exile without a passport or travel documents is to live with the knowledge of limited mobility in a world of militarized bureaucracy. The international disdain for Syrian refugees comes close to Mr. Assads approach to his ill-fated subjects. Most Syrians were never issued passports. For the Assad regime, passports are political and disciplinary tools. President Trump just reiterated his campaign promise to get rid of and totally destroy the law prohibiting churches and other nonprofit tax-exempt institutions from endorsing political candidates. This change would be horrible for politics and even worse for religion. The law, known as the Johnson Amendment, was written by Lyndon B. Johnson, then a senator from Texas, in 1954. It prohibits tax-exempt churches from endorsing political candidates. Mr. Trump on Thursday said repealing the rule would allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution, adding, Freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it is under serious threat. Lets start by clearing up two misunderstandings. The rule does not prevent churches or other charities from speaking freely. Religious leaders and churches have been weighing in on political issues for as long as there have been pulpits. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Jeremiah Wright and thousands of clergy on any given weekend have been energetic advocates of political or social causes. The rule does not even prohibit clergy from endorsing a candidate. Rather, it says that if a religious leader endorses a candidate, then his church cannot receive the significant benefit of tax exemption, and that people cannot, therefore, make a tax-deductible contribution to that church. To the Editor: Re Trashing Americas Ideals and Security (editorial, Jan. 30): Where was Jared Kushner, President Trumps son-in-law and influential adviser, when Mr. Trump issued his executive order that, as you say, excludes Muslims while giving government officials the discretion to admit people of other faiths? Mr. Kushner is the grandson of Holocaust survivors. His grandmothers family in Poland fled the Nazis and she did not go to the United States till several years later because at the time admission was denied to most Jews. You correctly point out that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattiss silence now is alarming. Mr. Kushners silence, and possible acquiescence, in this new policy, given his influence he is supposed to be the moderating voice in the White House is also troubling. SEYMOUR D. REICH New York The writer is a former chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Democrats, meanwhile, were bitterly remembering that last year Barack Obama had nominated an intelligent, well-spoken moderate moderate in the form of Judge Merrick Garland. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wouldnt even hold a hearing. Now Trump was expecting them to roll out the welcome mat for his guy. What to do? The Democrats could filibuster, but then McConnell might try to change the rules so it would only take a simple majority to push a Supreme Court nominee through. This is known as the nuclear option, a colorful but rather unnerving nickname now that weve got President Trump speaking so enthusiastically about going nuclear. The Gorsuch nomination is important, but there could be an even more critical one later if either Justice Anthony Kennedy or Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves the court. Kennedy is 80 and Ginsburg turns 84 next month. She once told me that she does the Canadian Air Force stretching and warming exercises almost every day at home, along with a more strenuous workout with a trainer twice a week. Close your eye and say a prayer for the Canadian Air Force. Meanwhile, about Gorsuch. Do you think the Democrats should: A) Fight! Fight! Fight! B) Save their ammunition. Things are just going to get worse. C) I dont want to talk about it. Im going to crawl back under the bed. Im sorry, you cannot pick C. Weve had the discussion about not crawling under the bed many times already. A lot of people are probably going to go for A, given the Trump administrations genius for generating fear and loathing. The other day I attempted to blot out the world by playing an online game called Two Dots, which is exactly as profound as it sounds. But instead of the dots, I got an announcement asking me to support the American Civil Liberties Union. PARIS The cover of Paris Match magazine late last year featured a handsome, 30-something man strolling arm in arm with an attractive blond woman in her 60s. The same couple were on the cover of a summer issue, holding hands at the beach, and on a spring edition dressed up for a state dinner. As France gears up for presidential elections in April (and probably a runoff in May), this unusual pair could help prevent it from becoming the next country to succumb to xenophobic populism. Hes the upstart presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, and shes his former high school French teacher, Brigitte Trogneux, now his close adviser and wife. Mr. Macron, the 39-year-old former economy minister, is now in second place in the polls. He surged past the conservative Francois Fillon this week thanks to Penelope-gate an investigation into whether Mr. Fillons Welsh-born wife held a well-paid government job but didnt actually work, and other allegations. Mr. Macron still lags the front-runner, Marine Le Pen, who wants France to slash immigration and leave the European Union. Mr. Macron is adamantly pro-Europe and quickly opposed President Trumps barring of refugees. Polls show that Mr. Macron would easily defeat Ms. Le Pen in a runoff. To the Editor: Re Long Critical of Trumps Ideas, Republicans Now Applaud Them (front page, Jan. 27): You report that congressional Republicans responded with applause to many proposals they have long opposed. Are Republicans so easily cowed by a Republican president who, as you note, is largely out of step with Republican dogma? Is Donald Trump to be given free rein to carry out his agenda regardless of the damage he is likely to inflict on the American people? In short, are there any adults left in the Republican Party willing to confront him? JAY N. FELDMAN Port Washington, N.Y. To the Editor: I have been surprised and chagrined at the lack of opposition to the Trump cabinet nominees by many Democratic senators. Even those claiming the progressive label are approving these cabinet nominees. Demonstrators objecting to this wimpy policy are picketing a number of offices of these Democratic senators. Yet there is very little media coverage of these protests. Officers dont act as if theyre above the law in our communities because of their training or community relationships. Eric Garner knew some of the officers involved in his killing, because they had harassed him many times before without any consequences. Mr. de Blasio exploits the rhetoric of social justice but is unwilling to make the changes to achieve it. He has done nothing to meaningfully fix the systemic accountability problems at the Police Department. Worse, after decades of releasing personnel orders transfers, promotions and disciplinary actions the city recently began to claim that a state law requires it to keep those records secret. The problem is that the de Blasio administration has decided to interpret the law to withhold records that had been open to the public for many years. While the police have told me that my family will learn the outcome of Officer Hastes trial, I have good reason not to trust their word. And that wont help other grieving families who are seeking justice and transparency. I believe that the current administration is even worse than the Giuliani administration when it comes to police transparency. Leadership requires more than rhetoric it comes from confronting police abuse with action. New York City must fire all the officers who engaged in misconduct in my sons killing, and ensure the same for officers guilty of misconduct in all incidents of police abuse. These officers are not safe for our communities and need to be off our streets. Until Mr. de Blasio and elected officials across the nation take that responsibility seriously, there will continue to be violence and unjust killings by the police, despite any number of body cameras, training sessions or cordial relationships between officers and civilians. What might seem like a small administrative change sends a powerful message of inclusion at a time when transgender people are having to fight in courts, legislatures and schools for basic rights and dignity. The ban on gay men and youths in Boy Scout programs was insidious, because it implicitly conveyed that gay men mentoring young boys could represent a danger. People supporting the ban also groundlessly argued that gay troop leaders could promote homosexuality. The exclusion of transgender boys had a similarly pernicious effect. Being barred from spaces and organizations for an immutable trait such as gender identity can be painful, particularly when the exclusion occurs during formative years. Such policies are predicated on outdated and harmful notions that transgender people pose a risk or that their gender identity is nothing more than a passing caprice. The Boy Scouts are recognizing transgender boys for what they genuinely are: boys. This extends the organizations values and programs to a wider pool. It also may help a new generation of Americans think more rationally and compassionately about gender identity. FRONT PAGE Because of an editing error, an article on Tuesday about supporters of President Trump and their views of his executive order on immigration omitted a key phrase about killings that involved immigrants from the seven countries included in the 90-day visa ban. Since Sept. 11, 2001, no one in the United States has been killed in a terrorist attack by an immigrant, or the son or daughter of an immigrant, from any of the seven countries. An article on Wednesday about the business dealings of Anthony Scaramucci, a former campaign fund-raiser for President Trump, described incorrectly a Manhattan building that was the subject of investment negotiations between Anbang Insurance Group, a Chinese financial colossus, and the family business of Mr. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. It is an office tower, not an apartment building. INTERNATIONAL An article on Jan. 5 about the rescheduling of the trial of a son of the president of Equatorial Guinea on embezzlement and money-laundering charges transposed two of the sons names. He is Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue (not Obiang Nguema). The error was repeated in an accompanying picture caption. An article and a picture caption on Friday about a court ruling that South Korea could keep a statue stolen from a Japanese temple in 2012, on the grounds that it had been taken from Korea centuries earlier by Japanese pirates, misidentified the subject of the statue. It represents a bodhisattva, a person on the path to enlightenment, who is known as Kanzeon in Japan and Gwaneum in South Korea; it is not a statue of Buddha. Rukmini Callimachi, who covers terrorism and jihadists for The New York Times, talks with Wesley about the political implications of the ban and whether it will resolve the problem it is intended to solve. And we speak with Armida Lizarraga, an education consultant who lives in Lima, Peru, with her husband, a United States citizen who happens to be one of Wesleys closest friends. We talk to her about her memories of living under Alberto Fujimori, the controversial former president of Peru who is now serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and human rights violations. At the end of the show, we offer some recommendations for emotional balms to help one another cope with the chaos of the world right now. Not surprisingly, Wesley and Jenna twin out by suggesting the same sort of feel-good cultural activity. How do I listen? Two ways From a desktop or laptop, you can listen by pressing play on the button above. Or if youre on a mobile device, the instructions below will help you find and subscribe to the series. On your iPhone or iPad: 1. Open your podcast app. Its a pre-loaded app called Podcasts with a purple icon. (This link may help.) Some readers would have liked to know more about Katyals background. Heres one email from Mithra Busler of Atlantic Highlands, N.J. The opinion piece by Neal Katyal, Why Liberals Should Back Neil Gorsuch, fails to disclose the many conflicts of interest that plague Mr. Katyals credibility as an evenhanded commentator. He is allowed to wave his position as acting solicitor general in the Obama administration as liberal bona fides but fails to mention that his current work involves representing large corporate interests in front of the Supreme Court. At least two of these cases would almost certainly benefit from the confirmation of the pro-corporation Gorsuch. I took this concern to both Op-Ed page and to Katyal himself. Jim Dao, the Op-Ed editor, said the editors had not been aware of Katyals cases before the court. Writers are required to disclose potential conflicts, he said, but the process got rushed in this case. Editors do try to ask writers directly, he said. On tight deadlines and the Katyal piece was done on tight deadline the question doesnt always get asked. So I dont blame the writer or the editor in this case. When I reached out to Katyal, he said he had not received such a disclosure request and had not had a conversation about potential conflicts. He also thought it was obvious to The Times that as a lawyer whose practice often brings him to the Supreme Court, he would have a case before it. More critically, Katyal said, it is common for Supreme Court lawyers not to mention litigation they have pending before the court when writing an opinion piece about a nominee or speaking to a reporter. Heres his response to me in full: It is a matter of public record that I am a Supreme Court lawyer and naturally will have matters pending before that court. It is quite common for Supreme Court lawyers to express views on nominees without explicitly mentioning their pending cases, as it goes without saying that a Supreme Court practitioner practices before the court. When many Supreme Court lawyers (including former solicitors general) wrote op-eds and publicly praised Judge Garland during his nomination, their pending cases were not mentioned either. The same thing happened with the chief justices and Justice Kagans confirmations; The New York Times is in good company. Moreover, it would be completely speculative to presume what a nominee might do as a justice in any particular case. That is especially true in light of my diverse caseload at the Court, which includes a variety of pending matters that might appeal to different judicial ideologies, or that have no clear ideological angle at all. All of that is presumably why your editors did not include such information in my article. The problem is that the op-ed did not note that Katyal is among the elite lawyers who argue before the high court. Katyal, in his original submission to Op-Ed editors, disclosed that he is a highly experienced litigator before the Supreme Court. The editors did not disclose that to readers. The Times editors lack of disclosure may leave Katyal open to unwarranted criticism, not only from readers but from others looking to challenge his motives. Im not suggesting Katyal is currying favor with a man who is almost certainly going to be on the court. I seriously doubt that he is. Plus, given the range of his clients, some might benefit and others not if Gorsuch is even on the bench when their cases come up. But The Times opens itself up to that criticism by failing to simply tell the readers more about who he is. She found a bright 400-square-foot one-bedroom in a lovely prewar building near Grand Army Plaza in Park Slope, listed for $387,000. Monthly maintenance was around $600. The block was enchanting, she said, with rowhouses looking like little castles. But the tiny bedroom was unrealistically small, she said just six and a half feet wide. The co-op board would let her move a wall and add a sliding partition. But a structural engineer told her the wall she needed to move was load-bearing and thus alterations couldnt be made. Later, farther south in Park Slope, she visited a duplex studio loft of around 700 square feet in a small condo building. It included a small balcony. The listing price was $625,000, with monthly charges in the mid $200s. She loved the open space and the balcony. But the finishes were fairly new, she said. They were not my taste at all. The interior could easily be renovated. She was more concerned with the location of the sleeping area, just beneath the roof. During the summer it would be incredibly hot and I would have to install a secondary air-handling system, she said. The apartment later sold for $605,000. That place wasnt for her, said the listing agent, Susan Little, a saleswoman at the Corcoran Group. It didnt need a thing. Ms. Asprea decided to continue the hunt with Ms. Littles help. Let us ponder the craftsmanship of that second sentence. With precision is the key phrase, of course, and it renders the statement almost axiomatically true. Do we have trouble taking the precise temperature of an entire planet and then divining, for a given period, exactly how much of the change in that temperature is caused by human activities? Well, yes. Anybody who did not know better might come away thinking there is room to doubt whether humans are the main cause of global warming. Mr. Pruitt did not actually say that, of course nowadays, hard-core climate denial provokes a furious response from Democrats in Congress and mild protest even from a few Republicans. Thus Mr. Pruitt and the other Trump nominees labored to avoid overt denial while signaling to their allies that there is enough doubt to justify inaction on emissions or even rolling back steps the Obama administration took. Theyre just trying not to look crazy, because if they look too crazy, then Susan Collins a Republican senator from Maine and a few of the moderate Republicans might jump ship, said Raymond T. Pierrehumbert, an American climate scientist who holds a chair at Oxford University, in Britain. Over the years, scientists have come up with a lot of ideas about why we sleep. Some have argued that its a way to save energy. Others have suggested that slumber provides an opportunity to clear away the brains cellular waste. Still others have proposed that sleep simply forces animals to lie still, letting them hide from predators. A pair of papers published on Thursday in the journal Science offer evidence for another notion: We sleep to forget some of the things we learn each day. In order to learn, we have to grow connections, or synapses, between the neurons in our brains. These connections enable neurons to send signals to one another quickly and efficiently. We store new memories in these networks. In 2003, Giulio Tononi and Chiara Cirelli, biologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, proposed that synapses grew so exuberantly during the day that our brain circuits got noisy. When we sleep, the scientists argued, our brains pare back the connections to lift the signal over the noise. Cape-based Tower Property Fund is planning to ring-fence its growing Croatian portfolio into a new investment vehicle, CEO Marc Edwards says, with the company having had "a transformative 2016". Tower released results for the six months to November on Tuesday, 31 January, highlighting it had acquired a R1bn retail property portfolio in the country, increasing the fund's total portfolio value to more than R5bn. The exposure to Croatia made up 28% of the portfolio by value. Edwards said Croatia was growing steadily from a low base after a recession thatended in 2015 and GDP growth of 2.5% was forecast for 2017. "The risk on our Croatian properties is low as we have secured long-term head leases from the sellers. We are planning to ring-fence our Croatian portfolio into a new investment vehicle to provide greater opportunity for growth in this exciting region," he said. It would be beneficial "to hold the Croatian and future offshore assets in a different structure". "Trying to raise funds in SA for projects in Croatia, at Croatian yields, can be difficult. We could move the assets into a separate company," he said. Distributable earnings for the period increased to R130m. Following the board's decision to no longer distribute oneoff earnings to shareholders as dividends, Tower's distribution per share declined by 15% to 38.4c per share. The number of shares in issue increased 42%. Edwards described 2016 as "a watershed year. Our assetmanagement company was internalised in line with market best practice and the company took the prudent decision to distribute only its core earnings to shareholders, being tenant rental, less expenses and interest." Bridge Fund Managers chief investment officer Ian Anderson said Tower could grow distributions about 10% per annum off the lower base it would create in the 2017 financial year. "The initial yield, plus double-digit growth in distributions over the medium term makes Tower one of the most attractively priced listed property companies in SA." Source: Business Day 2) He Was Something of a Red-Carpet Whisperer Tiscis designs became practically synonymous with award shows, galas or, really, wherever a celebrity was wearing clothes. He has dressed countless celebrities, including Michelle Obama, Cate Blanchett and Julia Roberts. Madonna sported his designs on red carpets (she wore a design with no derriere to the Met Gala), at her concerts (Tisci created pieces for her 2008 Sticky & Sweet tour) as well as at the Super Bowl (he outfitted her for her 2012 performance, above center). Beyonce wore his designs to the Met Gala for five years in a row, most notably a dress made entirely out of latex (above left) last year. As Tisci told the New York Timess Jacob Bernstein: I dont dress celebrities for the sake of dressing celebrities. I dress people I like. Image Riccardo Tisci and Lea T Credit... BFAnyc.com 3) He Pushed Unorthodox Ideas of Beauty Tisci cast his transgender Brazilian-born personal assistant and fit model, Leandra Medeiros Cerezo, in Givenchys fall/winter 2010 campaign, introducing her to the fashion world; she dubbed herself Lea T, the T standing for Tisci because she felt a part of the designers family. Tisci continued to promote Lea T as the face of Givenchy, and they paved the way for what most might consider to be nonconventional models. (She has also thrived outside the walls of the French fashion house, becoming the first transgender face of Redken and even appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show.) Tisci championed untraditional ideas of beauty across the board booking the albino model Stephen Thompson and countless androgynous talents. The authorities in North Dakota said on Wednesday that they had arrested about 75 protesters just south of a bridge that has become a focal point of demonstrations over the Dakota Access Pipeline. The dozens arrested belong to what the Morton County Sheriffs Department described in a statement as a rogue group that had set up camp on private property south of the Backwater Bridge, the site of previous standoffs between demonstrators and the police. After instructing the group to take down the camp, law enforcement officers advanced on the site around 3:30 p.m. local time and cleared the area within about a half-hour, according to the statement. Even in his last moments, as the inmates attempted to take over the building, Sergeant Floyd told a couple of the lieutenants to get out of the building, and it was a trap, he said. To save money, the state has relied on officers working overtime, rather than filling 90 vacant positions a point of contention with the officers union. Sergeant Floyds death is due directly to staffing issues, Mr. Klopp said. State officials said they would look into prison staffing, but declined to respond to Mr. Klopps charge that the issue was to blame for the sergeants death. Officials said that until they knew more about what had happened, they were treating all 120 inmates who were in the building at the time as suspects. The prison, which is near Smyrna, between Wilmington and Dover, houses 2,500 inmates over all. For hours, law enforcement officials negotiated with the inmates, who stalled for time. We had turned on the water as one of their demands, Mr. Coupe said. The inmates filled metal footlockers with water, and used them to barricade the doors. At first, officials thought that five employees had been taken hostage, but one who was hiding in another part of the building, unknown to the inmates, was able to escape. Besides that employee, said the correction commissioner, Perry Phelps, three maintenance workers that were hiding in the basement that the inmates didnt know about were able to make their way up from the basement to the roof. A tactical team rescued them, he said. On Wednesday, 46 inmates left the building and surrendered outside; by early Thursday, there were 74 inmates and two hostages left inside. The inmates who surrendered provided officials with information about the barricades and the locations of hostages, Mr. Coupe said. Much of the criticism of the executive order signed by President Trump has focused on foreigners prevented from entering the country, but a court filing in the legal battle over the travel ban reveals a far broader impact, imperiling the residency status of tens of thousands of immigrants everyone from asylum seekers to students and technology workers already living in the United States. Amid a storm of protest, Mr. Trump on Thursday continued to stick by the ban as essential to the safety of the nation, saying that in the coming days, we will develop a system to help ensure that those admitted into our country fully embrace our values of religious and personal liberty. We want people to come into our nation, but we want people to love us and to love our values, not to hate us and to hate our values, Mr. Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast. Now, the Department of Homeland Securitys internal auditor has entered the fray. The office of the departments inspector general announced late Wednesday that it would review how the agency carried out the executive order, which suspended the entry of all refugees for 120 days and blocked for 90 days citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The auditor said the review was a response to requests from Congress, whistle-blowers and to complaints received on a hotline. Robert Gregoire, the police chief of Augusta, Me., was sipping coffee at home on Monday morning when a neighbor knocked on his door to report something disturbing. The Ku Klux Klan had visited their street in the dead of night and left neatly folded fliers on peoples lawns. The flier said a neighborhood watch was being formed by the group. It offered an 800 number to call for reporting neighborhood concerns. It also contained an image of a hooded Klansman flanked by the flaming letters K.K.K. It featured the message, You can sleep tonight knowing the Klan is awake! About two dozen fliers were found in Augusta on Monday. Were not the only town or the only city in Maine to have this, Chief Gregoire said, naming several locations within a 40-mile radius, including Freeport, Appleton and Union. I think it seems like a trend going on across the country. The C.D.C.s numbers show that 91 people in the United States die every day from opioid overdose. The number of bodies from accidental overdoses that have come to the Montgomery County Coroners Office in the first 33 days of the year 163 is already more than half the yearly totals for the past two years. In 2015, the total was 259; last year, the number of deaths from January to September was 253, figures from the office show. In Ohio, fatal overdoses more than quadrupled in the past decade and by 2007 had surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death, according to the Department of Health. In 2015, 3,310 deaths were recorded in the state from unintentional drug overdoses, a 21.5 percent increase from the previous year, according to the C.D.C. Addiction is so entrenched and widespread that police officials say there are now third and fourth generations of prescription drug abusers. These days, hospitals in Cincinnati require drug testing of new mothers and infants because of a surge in newborns exposed to addictive drugs. The five states with the highest rates of death linked to drug overdose were West Virginia (41.5 per 100,000), New Hampshire (34.3 per 100,000), Kentucky (29.9 per 100,000), Ohio (29.9 per 100,000), and Rhode Island (28.2 per 100,000), according to the C.D.C. WASHINGTON Senate Republicans pressed forward on Thursday with the confirmation of President Trumps nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, suspending the Environment and Public Works Committees rules to approve the cabinet pick despite a Democratic boycott. The 11-0 vote sends the nomination to the full Senate, where Mr. Pruitt will most likely be approved next week. The move was one of several to break the logjam on Mr. Trumps incoming team. Party line votes in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Budget Committee also advanced the nomination of Representative Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina to be the White House budget director, despite deep concerns among Democrats and some Republicans over his tightfisted spending record. Senators on Thursday teed up what could be a week of rapid-fire confirmations, taking procedural votes to move forward with the nominations of Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama to be attorney general, Representative Tom Price of Georgia to be secretary of health and human services, and Steven T. Mnuchin to be Treasury secretary. WASHINGTON Congresss rush to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, once seemingly unstoppable, is flagging badly as Republicans struggle to come up with a replacement and a key senator has declared that the effort is more a repair job than a demolition. It is more accurate to say repair Obamacare, Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee and chairman of the Senate health committee, said this week. We can repair the individual market, and that is a good place to start. The struggles and false starts have injected more uncertainty into insurance markets that thrive on stability. An aspirational deadline of Jan. 27 for repeal legislation has come and gone. The powerful retirees lobby AARP is mobilizing to defend key elements of the Affordable Care Act. Republican leaders who once saw a health law repeal as a quick first strike in the Trump era now must at least consider a worst case: unable to move forward with comprehensive health legislation, even as the uncertainty that they helped foster rattles consumers and insurers. Insurers are threatening to exit the Affordable Care Acts market unless the Trump administration and Congress can quickly clarify their intentions: Will they support the existing public marketplaces, encourage people to sign up and keep federal assistance flowing to insurers, or not? The technical explanation is this: Apparently Russian border and customs officials are connected to the F.S.B., so theoretically, any visit to Russia that involves payment of a border tax is a violation of sanctions it would be material support to the F.S.B. That goes well beyond former President Barack Obamas intent. The adjustment keeps the sanctions focused on the intelligence unit of the agency. I havent eased anything, Mr. Trump told reporters as he was meeting with Harley-Davidson executives, and he was telling the truth. Still, whatever the intention, Russian officials spun the move as a signal that the Trump administration was paving the way for improved relations with their government. The Russian news agency TASS described the move as an easing of sanctions against Moscow, and quoted Nikolai Kovalyov, the former head of the F.S.B., responding: This shows that actual joint work on establishing an anti-terrorism coalition is about to begin. This is the first step on the way leading to cooperation in the war on terror. Pelosi offers help with presidential mental health bill Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, on Thursday enthusiastically volunteered to cosponsor not-yet-written legislation addressing the presidents physical, and mental, fitness, promised from an unlikely source: the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee. Allowing herself a brief tangent in her weekly press conference, Ms. Pelosi said she cant wait until the committees chairman, Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah, introduces a promised bill that would require presidential and vice presidential candidates to submit to an independent medical examination. I think its a very good idea, Ms. Pelosi said, grinning. Ms. Pelosi was referring to a recent remark that Mr. Chaffetz made to the Washington Posts editorial board, inserted at the end of a column about President Trumps erratic first week. In an interview Thursday, Mr. Chaffetz said his proposal, still in the development stages, would compel candidates to publicly release health details that might factor into a voters decision on Election Day. It would include any medications they are taking, which could have side effects that impair their decision-making abilities, he said. The Michigan group, Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities, in Dearborn, said it would also reject $500,000 in federal aid. Suehaila Amen, an executive board member, said that her group had already been discussing before the Reuters report came out whether to accept the grant, because some in the community see the hotly disputed program as a way to spy on Muslims. But the decision was sealed by Mr. Trumps statements and actions, Ms. Amen said. Youre talking about a president who has maligned the Muslims throughout the entire campaign, she said. We dont feel like we need to compromise our integrity, transparency and integrity in the community for some money or funding. Another organization, the Muslim Public Affairs Council Foundation, which has offices in Washington and Los Angeles, said it was waiting to see whether the administration moved forward with changes to the program before deciding whether to keep its nearly $400,000 grant. And Jihad Turk, the president of Bayan Claremont, a graduate college in Claremont, Calif., for Muslim scholars and religious leaders, said it would not accept its $800,000 grant, one of the largest awarded, if the administration renamed the program and entirely shifted its focus. The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment, though people briefed on the matter said there was fierce resistance inside the department to making changes to the program that could further alienate Muslim communities assisting antiterrorism efforts. During his confirmation hearing as department secretary last month, John F. Kelly stressed the need to build trust with Muslim communities. Democrats will still meticulously pick through the record of Judge Gorsuch, who sits on the federal appeals court in Colorado, in search of disqualifying material, and they are already raising questions about what they see as business-friendly rulings. But it is easy to envision them pressing him directly on whether he found the recent executive order on immigration, and perhaps others, to be constitutional. The wrong answer for Democrats or a refusal to respond directly could then translate into a reason to oppose Mr. Gorsuch. Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia, put it this way: The American people deserve a court that comprises those capable of serving as an independent and vigilant check on the other branches of government. Democrats are facing heated demands from many of their supporters to give no ground and stand firm against Judge Gorsuch in retaliation for the refusal by Senate Republicans last year to take up the nomination of Merrick B. Garland, picked by President Obama in March. But top Democrats believe that simply blocking the nomination without a reasonable rationale would make it easier for Senate Republicans to justify changing Senate practices to eliminate the filibuster against Supreme Court nominees. They were not happy when some colleagues said they would reject anyone before knowing the nominees identity even though that is what Republicans did when Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, shut down the nomination process last year before the choice of Mr. Garland. Democrats are making it clear that Mr. Gorsuch will have to attract at least 60 votes the threshold to defeat a filibuster if he is to take his seat on the court. That means at least eight Democrats will have to agree not to filibuster, and Republicans are already taking aim at 10 Democrats up for re-election in two years in states that Mr. Trump carried in an effort to bring those senators on board. In meetings since then between Mr. Trump and pastors, whether in public or private, Mr. Moore said, Mr. Trump consistently says, Everybody in this country has freedom of speech, except for you. Churches and clergy members are free to speak out on political and social issues and many do but the Johnson Amendment was intended to inhibit them from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Separately, the Free Speech Fairness Act was introduced in the House and the Senate on Wednesday. The bill would modify the Johnson Amendment by allowing churches and other charities to engage in political expression. However, most Americans, and even most clergy members, say they do not want churches and houses of worship to engage in partisan politics. Nearly 80 percent of Americans said it was inappropriate for pastors to endorse a candidate in church, and 75 percent said churches should not make endorsements, according to a survey released in September by LifeWay Research, an evangelical polling group based in Nashville. Moreover, 87 percent of pastors said they should not make political endorsements from the pulpit, according to a LifeWay survey conducted in 2012 of pastors in evangelical and mainline Protestant churches. (Clergy members who were Republicans were slightly more in favor of endorsements than those who were Democrats or independents.) Pastors and churches that endorsed candidates have seemed to have little to fear from the I.R.S. The overburdened agency has little capacity to investigate every report of a violation and there have been many. But only one church is known to have ever lost its tax-exempt status for partisan politicking, and that was in 1995, those on all sides said. It is impossible to know how many churches the I.R.S. has investigated. The agency does not make public when it investigates a church for violations, and an I.R.S. spokesman declined to answer questions related to the Johnson Amendment on Thursday. The flare-up and conflicting characterizations of the call from Mr. Trump and Mr. Turnbull threatened to do lasting damage to relations between the two countries and could drive Canberra closer to China, which has a robust trading relationship with Australia and is competing with Washington to become the dominant force in the Asia-Pacific region. A senior Trump administration official said the president told Mr. Turnbull on Saturday that the refugees could include the next Boston bombers. He also said he was going to get killed politically by the deal, given that the day before he signed an executive order to stem the refugee flow into the United States and refuse visas for all citizens from seven Muslim countries. The Trump administration official said the call was shorter than planned, and ended abruptly after Mr. Turnbull told the president it was necessary for the refugees to be accepted. The details of the call were confirmed by a senior administration official with direct knowledge of the exchange who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the diplomatic talks. President Trump is settling into life at the White House, which is well-stocked with his favorite foods. The citys restaurateurs are curious to see if the president, who is a homebody compared with his restaurant-hopping predecessor, will show any desire to engage with a culinary scene that became vibrant during the Obama administration. We asked a group of chefs, general managers and restaurateurs to give their recommendations for the commander in chief. Try some (more) steak. I was happy to see him when he went to Jean-Georges with Mitt Romney and he had the scallops on the table. I know he likes his steak well-done. 701 would be good for him. Ashok Bajaj, whose Knightsbridge Restaurant Group operates several eateries, including the Bombay Club, 701 Restaurant and Rasika. _____ Try some fancy chicken. One of my favorites that could fit in with the president is called Memphis Raines. Its a hand-breaded chicken cutlet that we dip in hot sauce. Its the best dressed-up buffalo chicken cutlet youve ever had. Casey Taylor Patten, the founder of the Washington-based hoagie chain Taylor Gourmet, who noted Mr. Trumps fondness for fried chicken. _____ Try some menu classics. We have some of our staple items from the very beginning. Our braised short rib was on the menu from Day 1. I dont think we would change it based on our clientele. Joseph Cerione, the general manager of Blue Duck Tavern, who also praised the bone marrow appetizer and an Americanized version of Peking duck. _____ Try a healthy version of a burger. I think our salmon burger would be awesome. Everyones going to offer him a hamburger, because thats what he says he likes. The salmon burger, I would say, because he probably needs to eat a little healthier. Ellen Kassoff Gray, a co-owner of Equinox, who also recommended a weekend vegan brunch for the first lady, Melania Trump. _____ Try letting the chef choose the menu. Ms. Trump offers a softer view into an administration that, so far, has been defined by its chaos. Last Wednesday, when Mr. Trump was railing against the news media and announcing his desire to open a widespread investigation into voter fraud, Ms. Trump posted a video of her infant son crawling on the White House carpet. Restaurateurs said her engagement with life here could have the same effect. She is viewed as the most approachable of the Trump clan, and perhaps the one most likely to solve political differences across the lunch table, or at least heal some rifts. There seems to be maybe a little more of a groundedness with her, Joseph Cerione, the general manager of Blue Duck Tavern, said in an interview. She was very friendly with Chelsea Clinton, so I dont know. Maybe well see her. Ashok Bajaj, who owns the Bombay Club, Rasika and the Oval Room, has paid attention to the food the new president eats. A recent photo taken at Jean-Georges, a three-Michelin-star restaurant on the first floor of Mr. Trumps namesake hotel in New York, made Mr. Bajaj hopeful that the president, who has expressed a fondness for well-done steaks, may be a fan of seafood. But he thinks the Trump children will be the bigger story. Whos going to set the tone in the city is not President Trump, Mr. Bajaj said. I think its going to be Ivanka and Jared, and I think its going to be his other family members. Warren Rojas, the editor of the Washington edition of the food website Eater, said in an interview that Ms. Trump might be the guiding light to how the Trump administration engages with the city and its restaurant scene. Mr. Rojas said that Eater, which maintains a map of Mrs. Obamas favorite restaurants, could focus more on Ms. Trumps habits than her fathers. Corpses of psychiatric patients were found with head injuries and unexplained bruises. Relatives were not informed of the deaths of their loved ones. The transfers of mentally ill patients were seen as business opportunities. Those were some of the findings of a South African government investigation published on Wednesday that determined that 94 psychiatric patients died of negligence last year after being moved by the authorities in Gauteng Province to facilities that were likened in some cases to concentration camps. The report prompted calls for criminal prosecutions. More than 1,300 patients under state care were transferred last year from a unit of Life Healthcare Group, a private hospital group in South Africa, to 27 charitable organizations in an effort by the health department in the province to save money. Pretoria, the countrys administrative capital, and Johannesburg are in Gauteng. The investigation was opened last September after 36 patients were found dead after being moved to some of the facilities operated by the charitable organizations. The report, by Professor Malegapuru W. Makgoba, the South African health ombudsman, found that the death toll was nearly 100, however. SEOUL, South Korea On his first mission to reassure an important American ally, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met on Thursday with top South Korean officials, who agreed to push ahead with the deployment of a new missile defense system. Thaad is for defense of our allies people, of our troops who are committed to their defense, Mr. Mattis told reporters, using the acronym for Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, the American antimissile system. It is meant to intercept North Koreas medium-range missiles. Were it not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for Thaad out here, Mr. Mattis added. There is no other nation that needs to be concerned about Thaad. South Korea was a logical first stop for Mr. Mattis, who will also visit Japan on the trip. Tensions have risen in the region after Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, proclaimed during his New Years Day address that his military was preparing to conduct its first test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. But he was hardly a firebrand. While he did not hesitate to advocate the legal rights of Muslims and other minorities whenever he felt they were threatened, he did not promote Islamic law and he backed a decision by the National League for Democracy not to field Muslim candidates in the 2015 election, telling a reporter at the time that it was not worth it given the polarized political climate. Instead, he expressed an inclusive vision that was shaped in part by his background as the son of an ethnic Burmese and Buddhist mother and a Muslim father from India. He was a man who could appreciate different traditions precisely because his own tradition in his country did not always receive the respect that it deserved, said Melissa Crouch, an expert on Myanmars Constitution at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. The main suspect, U Kyi Lin, had been jailed from 2003 to 2014 for smuggling ancient Buddha statues, according to police statements and leaked police documents. That would hardly be the profile of a radical Buddhist. Mr. Kyi Lin was pardoned in 2014 in a prisoner amnesty by the government of former President Thein Sein, who was an army general. Some lawyers wondered how the gunman had acquired a 9-millimeter pistol, which is manufactured by the Myanmar Army, in a country where civilian firearm sales have been prohibited for decades. There was also speculation about how the attacker could have carried out the killing in daylight in a public place that is among the countrys most secure and that regularly hosts national and foreign dignitaries. All of which lead Mr. Ko Nis friends and colleagues back to his efforts to challenge the military and its powerful supporters. BEIJING President Trumps combative phone call with Australias prime minister over a refugee agreement has set off a political storm in that country, one that threatens to weaken support for a seven-decade alliance with the United States just as many Australians say they want closer ties with China. Enthusiasm for the alliance in Australia, one of Americas closest partners, which hosts American spy facilities and rotations of American Marines, had already been under pressure from China, with which Australia conducts the most trade. Reports that Mr. Trump had scolded Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday, before abruptly ending the call, are likely to further undermine confidence in the United States, Australian analysts said. Trump is needlessly damaging the deep trust that binds one of Americas closest alliances, said Professor Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University in Canberra. China and those wishing to weaken the strongest alliance in the Pacific will see opportunity in this moment. In less than two weeks in office, Mr. Trumps actions have strained alliances and alienated potential partners of the United States, and his phone call with Mr. Turnbull seemed to be one more example, this time with a country that has fought on Americas side since World War I. Huge protests, among the largest since the fall of communism, have rocked Romania after the government passed a law that would effectively allow official corruption. More than 250,000 Romanians took to the streets, about half of them in the capital, Bucharest. Thieves, thieves, they shouted, denouncing the government and corruption. A few demonstrators clashed with riot police. The protests which continued Thursday night and were expected to swell further over the weekend erupted after the government adopted an emergency law on Tuesday night that would make official misconduct punishable by prison time only in cases in which the financial damage is more than 200,000 lei, or about $47,000. LONDON The European Union is accustomed to crises. But it is probably safe to say that none of the 28 leaders who are gathering in Malta on Friday expected the crisis that has overtaken the agenda: the United States of America. Like much of the world, the European Union is struggling to decipher a President Trump who seems every day to be picking a new fight with a new nation, whether friend or foe. Hopes among European leaders that Mr. Trumps bombastic tone as a candidate would somehow smooth into a more temperate one as commander in chief are dissipating, replaced by a mounting sense of anxiety and puzzlement over how to proceed. If many foreign leaders expected a Trump administration to push to renegotiate trade deals, or take a tough line on immigration, few anticipated that he would become an equal opportunity offender. He has insulted or humiliated Mexico, Britain, Germany and Iraq; engaged in a war of words with China and Iran; and turned a routine phone call with the prime minister of Australia, a staunch ally, into a minor diplomatic crisis. With the possible exception of NATO, where he has softened his tone, Mr. Trump has expressed disdain for other multilateral institutions such as the European Union. His praise has been reserved for populists and strongmen, like Nigel Farage, the former leader of the U.K. Independence Party, President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and, of course, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. BUDAPEST When President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia last paid a visit to Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban was under siege for his autocratic style, Russia was isolated for its seizure of Crimea, and both men were called xenophobes for their hard-line stance on immigration. Two years later, as Mr. Putin landed on Thursday for his first foray into Europe in the Trump era, it was a different story. Both men feel vindicated. There is talk of lifting the economic sanctions placed on Russia for its land grab in Ukraine. Their brand of nationalism has moved from the fringe to the mainstream. There was a note of triumphalism, even a bit of swagger, in the air. We all sense, its in the air, that the world is in the process of a substantial realignment, Mr. Orban said in a news conference after Thursdays meeting. We believe this will create favorable conditions for stronger Russian-Hungarian relations. Even so, beneath the triumph lies a strain of uneasiness. The visit is expected to be fairly low-key, an indication of the uncertainty surrounding the new Trump administration, analysts say. President Trumps intentions remain unclear, and the prospects of a grand bargain between Washington and the Kremlin are highly uncertain. And their policies often become harsher as well as broader, Mr. van der Maat said, as leaders climb what he called the ladder of violence moving from discrimination into more significant persecution. Large-scale deportations, such as those Mr. Trump promised on the campaign trail, would be a step higher on that ladder, Mr. Van der Maat said, because they would require the use of force and affect a wide segment of the population. The president last week signed an executive order that would give law enforcement officials expanded resources for carrying out deportations, and promised to punish sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal deportation efforts. Testing the limits of power Mr. Trump is a democratically elected president, and the United States is a democracy. But the experts caution that does not mean that the lessons of authoritarian behavior should be ignored entirely. Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Mr. Weiler said, were democratically elected, then systematically undermined democratic checks and balances to consolidate their own power. Leaders with authoritarian tendencies will push and push until they find a spot where they cant push anymore and if they dont, theyll keep going, Ms. Berman said. Were watching that process happen in not-so-slow motion in Turkey now, she said, where Mr. Erdogan has eroded the democratic system to the point where most analysts think its no longer democratic at all. Mr. Trumps refugee ban, if it is found to be legal, is not necessarily a step toward that kind of democratic decline, Ms. Berman said. The key thing to watch for, she said, is whether he will try to use the power of the presidency to push through illegal rules or overrule checks and balances. That has not yet occurred. But the ban is a sign that Mr. Trump is willing to push the limits of the norms of American governing. By circumventing normal procedures for drafting and issuing executive orders, the White House created confusion and chaos within the agencies that will enforce the new rules. On Monday, Acting Attorney General Sally Q. Yates said she did not think the ban was legal and directed the Justice Department not to defend it. Mr. Trump fired her later that day. While we dont believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, his press secretary, Sean Spicer, said in a statement, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal. The White House noted that the president has not taken an official position on settlement activity. It said he would discuss the issue with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel when they meet Feb. 15, in effect telling Mr. Netanyahu to wait until then. Emboldened by Mr. Trumps support, Israel has announced more than 5,000 new homes in the West Bank since his inauguration. Mr. Trump shifted his policy after he met briefly with King Abdullah II of Jordan on the sidelines of the National Prayer Breakfast an encounter that put the king, one of the most respected leaders of the Arab world, ahead of Mr. Netanyahu in seeing the new president. Jordan, with its large Palestinian population, has been steadfastly critical of settlements. The administrations abrupt turnaround also coincided with Secretary of State Rex W. Tillersons first day at the State Department and the arrival of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in South Korea on his first official trip. Both men are viewed as potentially capable of exerting a moderating influence on the president and his cadre of White House advisers, though it was unclear how much they had to do with the shifts. With Iran, Mr. Trump has indisputably taken a harder line than his predecessor. While the Obama administration often looked for ways to avoid confrontation with Iran in its last year, Mr. Trump seems equally eager to challenge what he has said is an Iranian expansion across the region, especially in Iraq and Yemen. In an early morning Twitter post on Thursday, Mr. Trump was bombastic on Iran. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile, he wrote. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! In a second post, he said wrongly, Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion. TEHRAN Until two weeks ago, Irans clerics felt comfortable leading worshipers in a chorus of Death to America while simultaneously signing a $16.6 billion deal with Boeing. Now, that status quo seems very long ago and the establishment is treading carefully, with even most hard-liners concerned that the smallest provocation could lead to military conflict. But some question how long their caution will last in the face of a Trump administration that has brought a new level of hostility and confrontation to a relationship that under President Barack Obama had been brittle but stable. Tensions flared this week after Iran confirmed that it had conducted a missile test and the national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, warned Iran that it had been put on notice. On Thursday, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qassemi, gave a mild rejoinder, saying, It is a shame that the U.S. government, instead of thanking the Iranian nation for their continued fight against terrorism, keeps repeating unfounded claims and adopts unwise policies that are effectively helping terrorist groups. Mr. Flynn also made clear that the challenge to Iran extended beyond the missile test, holding Tehran responsible for an attack on a Saudi warship by Houthi rebels in Yemen, who the United States says are supported by Iran. Iran denies that, but the remark was taken as a veiled warning about Irans support of regional proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shiite militias in Iraq. BAGHDAD The Trump administration amended its visa ban on Thursday to allow emigration by the families of Iraqi interpreters who served the United States government and military forces deployed in their country. The change, recommended by the Pentagon, eased some of the anger generated in Iraq by President Trumps executive order imposing the ban, which has stoked anxiety and confusion around much of the world since it was issued last week. The order temporarily blocked all Syrian refugees from entering the United States and suspended visas for applicants from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq. It applied to holders of so-called Special Immigrant Visas issued to interpreters who worked for the United States during its 2003-11 occupation, often at great personal risk, and to their families. In a statement about the change sent to The New York Times, a United States Embassy official in Baghdad said, The U.S. government has determined that it is in the national interest to allow Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (S.I.V.) holders to continue to travel to the United States. Iraqis who have received the visas, the statement said, may use them, and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad will continue to process and issue S.I.V.s to applicants who are otherwise qualified. Now that call converges with something we have to face, and its a very unpleasant topic, but we are in an outright war against jihadist Islamic fascism. And this war is, I think, metastasizing far quicker than governments can handle it. If you look at whats happening in ISIS, which is the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant, that is now currently forming the caliphate that is having a military drive on Baghdad, if you look at the sophistication of which theyve taken the tools of capitalism. If you look at what theyve done with Twitter and Facebook and modern ways to fund-raise, and to use crowdsourcing to fund, besides all the access to weapons, over the last couple days they have had a radical program of taking kids and trying to turn them into bombers. They have driven 50,000 Christians out of a town near the Kurdish border. We have video that were putting up later today on Breitbart where theyve took 50 hostages and thrown them off a cliff in Iraq. That war is expanding and its metastasizing to sub-Saharan Africa. We have Boko Haram and other groups that will eventually partner with ISIS in this global war, and it is, unfortunately, something that were going to have to face, and were going to have to face very quickly. By the authority vested in me as President 1 by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Purpose. The visa-issuance process plays a crucial role in detecting individuals with terrorist ties and stopping them from entering the United States. Perhaps in no instance was that more apparent than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when State Department policy prevented consular officers from properly scrutinizing the visa applications of several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans. And while the visa-issuance process was reviewed and amended after the September 11 attacks to better detect would-be terrorists from receiving visas, these measures did not stop attacks by foreign nationals who were admitted to the United States. Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001, including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program. Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant 2 during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism. In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including "honor" killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation. Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks 3 in the United States; and to prevent the admission of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United States immigration laws for malevolent purposes. Sec. 3. Suspension of Issuance of Visas and Other Immigration Benefits to Nationals of Countries of Particular Concern. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall immediately conduct a review to determine the information needed from any country to adjudicate any visa, admission, or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the individual seeking the benefit is who the individual claims to be 4 and is not a security or public-safety threat. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President a report on the results of the review described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary of Homeland Security's determination of the information needed for adjudications and a list of countries that do not provide adequate information, within 30 days of the date of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence. (c) To temporarily reduce investigative burdens on relevant agencies during the review period described in subsection (a) of this section, to ensure the proper review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening of foreign nationals, and to ensure that adequate standards are established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists or criminals, pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens from countries referred to in section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and I hereby suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of such persons for 90 days 5 from the date of this order (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas). (d) Immediately upon receipt of the report described in subsection (b) of this section regarding the information needed for adjudications, the Secretary of State shall request all foreign governments that do not supply such information to start providing such information regarding their nationals within 60 days of notification. (e) After the 60-day period described in subsection (d) of this section expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the President a list of countries recommended for inclusion on a Presidential proclamation that would prohibit the entry of foreign nationals (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas) from countries that do not provide the information requested pursuant to subsection (d) of this section until compliance occurs. (f) At any point after submitting the list described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security may submit to the President the names of any additional countries recommended for similar treatment. (g) Notwithstanding a suspension pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or pursuant to a Presidential proclamation described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case-by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked. (h) The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall submit to the President a joint report on the progress in implementing this order within 30 days of the date of this order, a second report within 60 days of the date of this order, a third report within 90 days of the date of this order, and a fourth report within 120 days of the date of this order. Sec. 4. Implementing Uniform Screening Standards for All Immigration Programs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall implement a program, as part of the adjudication process for immigration benefits, to identify individuals seeking to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis with the intent to cause harm, or who are at risk of causing harm subsequent to their admission. This program will include the development of a uniform screening standard and procedure, such as in-person interviews; a database of identity documents proffered by applicants to ensure that duplicate documents are not used by multiple applicants; amended application forms that include questions aimed at identifying fraudulent answers and malicious intent 6; a mechanism to ensure that the applicant is who the applicant claims to be; a process to evaluate the applicant's likelihood of becoming a positively contributing member of society and the applicant's ability to make contributions to the national interest; and a mechanism to assess whether or not the applicant has the intent to commit criminal or terrorist acts after entering the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of this directive within 60 days of the date of this order, a second report within 100 days of the date of this order, and a third report within 200 days of the date of this order. Sec. 5. Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for Fiscal Year 2017. (a) The Secretary of State shall suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days. During the 120-day period, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall review the USRAP application and adjudication process to determine what additional procedures should be taken to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States, and shall implement such additional procedures. Refugee applicants who are already in the USRAP process may be admitted upon the initiation and completion of these revised procedures. Upon the date that is 120 days after the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall resume USRAP admissions only for nationals of countries for which the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence have jointly determined that such additional procedures are adequate to ensure the security and welfare of the United States. (b) Upon the resumption of USRAP admissions, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, is further directed to make changes, to the extent permitted by law, to prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution 7, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual's country of nationality. Where necessary and appropriate, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall recommend legislation to the President that would assist with such prioritization. (c) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of nationals of Syria 8 as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I have determined that sufficient changes have been made to the USRAP to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest. (d) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 would be detrimental 9 to the interests of the United States, and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I determine that additional admissions would be in the national interest. (e) Notwithstanding the temporary suspension imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit individuals to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the admission of such individuals as refugees is in the national interest -- including when the person is a religious minority in his country of nationality facing religious persecution, when admitting the person would enable the United States to conform its conduct to a preexisting international agreement, or when the person is already in transit and denying admission would cause undue hardship -- and it would not pose a risk to the security or welfare of the United States. (f) The Secretary of State shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of the directive in subsection (b) of this section regarding prioritization of claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution within 100 days of the date of this order and shall submit a second report within 200 days of the date of this order. (g) It is the policy of the executive branch that, to the extent permitted by law and as practicable, State and local jurisdictions be granted a role in the process of determining the placement or settlement in their jurisdictions of aliens eligible to be admitted to the United States as refugees. To that end, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall examine existing law to determine the extent to which, consistent with applicable law, State and local jurisdictions may have greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement of refugees in their jurisdictions, and shall devise a proposal to lawfully promote such involvement. Sec. 6. Rescission of Exercise of Authority Relating to the Terrorism Grounds of Inadmissibility. The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, consider rescinding the exercises of authority in section 212 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182, relating to the terrorism grounds of inadmissibility, as well as any related implementing memoranda. Sec. 7. Expedited Completion of the Biometric Entry-Exit Tracking System. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall expedite the completion and implementation of a biometric entry-exit tracking system for all travelers to the United States, as recommended by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President periodic reports on the progress of the directive contained in subsection (a) of this section. The initial report shall be submitted within 100 days of the date of this order, a second report shall be submitted within 200 days of the date of this order, and a third report shall be submitted within 365 days of the date of this order. Further, the Secretary shall submit a report every 180 days thereafter until the system is fully deployed and operational. Sec. 8. Visa Interview Security. (a) The Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance with section 222 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1222, which requires that all individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa undergo an in-person interview, subject to specific statutory exceptions. (b) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of State shall immediately expand the Consular Fellows Program, including by substantially increasing the number of Fellows, lengthening or making permanent the period of service, and making language training at the Foreign Service Institute available to Fellows for assignment to posts outside of their area of core linguistic ability, to ensure that non-immigrant visa-interview wait times are not unduly affected. Sec. 9. Visa Validity Reciprocity. The Secretary of State shall review all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment. If a country does not treat United States nationals seeking nonimmigrant visas in a reciprocal manner 10, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by the foreign country, to the extent practicable. Sec. 10. Transparency and Data Collection. (a) To be more transparent with the American people, and to more effectively implement policies and practices that serve the national interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable law and national security, collect and make publicly available within 180 days, and every 180 days thereafter: (i) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation, or material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national security reasons since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; (ii) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and engaged in terrorism-related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and (iii) information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including honor killings, in the United States by foreign nationals, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and (iv) any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses. (b) The Secretary of State shall, within one year of the date of this order, provide a report on the estimated long-term costs of the USRAP at the Federal, State, and local levels. Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. DONALD J. TRUMP 11 THE WHITE HOUSE, January 27, 2017 The United States was fun while it lasted. But after 240 years, the American experiment is slipping away. We live in a flawed democracy now, according to one study . That seems generous. The United States looks more like a post-democracy. Our government illegally keeps tabs on our communications. Our Congressional representatives serve in districts with boundaries they have drawn to serve their own interests, not ours. A supposedly non-partisan law-enforcement agency interfered in a presidential election. Apparently, so did an unfriendly foreign power. Republicans in 10 states have introduced legislation to criminalize peaceful protesta right guaranteed by the First Amendment. Theres a well-traveled path between government and the corporate world, where tech companies are gobbling up and selling the intimate details of our personal lives, banks are riggingor crateringthe global financial system and giant multinationals are operating like sovereign states. We the people, upon whose consent rests the legitimacy of our government, are being played for suckers by those who govern. Enter Donald Trump. With his authoritarian bent, willful ignorance, susceptibility to conspiracy theories and predilection for belittling and bullying people who challenge or disagree with him (not to mention his propensity for flat-out lies), Trump represents the worst instincts of the American electorate. Though his unfortunate ascendance to the Oval Office is just the latest symptom of a democracy in decay, he may well prove to be the parasite that kills the host. Pairing the hollowed-out institutions of our republic with Trump, a megalomaniac grifter whom the ACLU calls a one-man constitutional crisis, has the potential to end the United States as we know it. Since his inauguration, Trumps team has manufactured one debacle after another, from Sean Spicers crowd-size lies, Kellyanne Conways alternative facts, the Holocaust Remembrance Day statement neglecting to mention Jews, the purge of senior diplomats at the State Department, the flurry of poorly reasoned and hastily written executive orders, and the firing of an acting attorney general who declined to swallow Trumps immigration poison pill. It makes you wonder what theyre doing out of public view, and whether theres merit to chatter theyre laying the groundwork for a coup detat. The idea is not as far-fetched as it should be. Trumps record of disregard for the law stretches back decades, at least to when the Justice Department named him as a defendant its a lawsuit against Trump Management, his fathers company, for racial discrimination. In the years since, there have been shady casino dealings, ethical concerns with the Trump Foundation and Trump University, his refusal to pay contractors, his groping of women and years of public statements presuming guilt for everyone from the Central Park Five for a brutal rape they didnt commit to Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server. Trump does what he wants, whether its legal or not, and lets his lawyers clean up his messes afterward. Hes clearly brought that chaotic sensibility to the White House, and its already spilled over to Homeland Security officers refusing to obey a judges ruling regarding Trumps executive order on immigration. Now his administration is consolidating power in an unprecedented way. Trumps continued insistence on non-existent voter fraud in 2016 seems like an early effort to begin undermining confidence in the 2020 election. Presuming we get to that point and he doesnt find some pretext for canceling or postponing the election, his history of ignoring the law makes it easy to imagine Trump refusing to leave office if he loses. Not only would acknowledging defeat after one term be a savage blow to his outsized ego, theres an excellent chance he and his advisors will want to prevent any scrutiny, even after the fact, of their actions. Even if Trump does go quietly in four or (God forbid) eight years, accrued power doesnt tend to diminish itself, giving little incentive to Trumps successor, whoever it may be, to reverse what Trump is attempting to establish as new norms: opacity, conflicts of interest, scapegoating his opponents, and his refusal, at a fundamental level, to tell the truth. Either way, how does American democracy recover when its citizens are so deeply divided we cant even agree on basic facts? Lets say Trump attempts to seize even more power or he leaves a nation so polarized that theres no common ground left. What happens next? Probably, the United States splits apart. This wouldnt be pretty: theres no constitutional provision to repeal the Constitution itself or to opt out of the union. Without one, any attempt to break away would be illegal under this countrys existing body of law. Then again, stealing elections or attempting to seize power outright are also illegal, so the Trumpists ability to maintain a chokehold over the entire country would depend onand this is a crazy thing to write about in the United Statesthe loyalties of the military. If the armed forces were to back Trump, American democracy is over. If they kept out of it, the country fractures and America comes to an end a different way. It certainly seems possible that states could try breaking away to go it alone, the legalities be damned. One poll indicates a third of California residents support peaceful secession. Their departure would surely spark other secessions by progressive parts of America, leaving behind a red-state hellscape straight out of Sam Brownbacks most deviant fantasies. States that left the union could band together under a new political arrangement, maybe something resembling a European Union in North America, with freedom of movement among members, open trade and a common currency. Another option could involve groups of likeminded statesor even portions of statesbreaking away from the country altogether in favor of new, smaller sovereign configurations. Journalist and author Colin Woodard suggested in 2013 that 11 distinct nations already exist within the United States, defined by their attitudes toward religion, guns, violence, immigration, racial differences and other issues. That seems like a logical starting point. In this scenario, people with similar cultural and political outlooks would band together in new nations reflecting their shared values. Woodard doesnt envision those 11 nations declaring independence from one another, but that would be a way to broadly satisfy the competing demands of different regions with seemingly irreconcilable political and cultural perspectives. If the United States does break apart, the biggest question is whether it could be accomplished peacefully or, as a young Alexander Hamilton wonders in My Shot in the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, Will the blood we shed begin an endless / Cycle of vengeance and death with no defendants? Maybe it wont come to that. Were already seeing state and municipal governments maneuvering to resist the Trump administration. Officials in California, long a leader in environmental standards, are vowing to lead the fight on climate change regardless of Trump. Massachusetts enacted health care reform in 2006, nearly three years before Obama took office, and wont give up on universal coverage just because the GOP has. Theyre teaming up with Virginia, Washington and New York to sue over the immigration ban executive order. A growing number of states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use. Cities across the country are refusing to use municipal resources to enforce federal immigration laws, even as Trump threatens to deny them federal funding for unrelated activities. Were also seeing overwhelming, and deeply inspiring, shows of defiance that have risen against Trump since Election Day and especially since January 20. The strength and tenacity of the resistance movement so far has clearly come as a surprise to Trump and the nihilists surrounding him, and hes petulant and undisciplined enough to let it provoke him in a way even the Republican Congress will have to repudiate. Look, we know youre probably overwhelmed (and overbooked) with all of the ludicrously cheap international flights that have been on offer lately. We get it. That being said, we also know youve always wanted to scope out Japan, so we dont feel so bad telling you that JetStar are going wild with ludicrously cheap return flights to the Land of the Rising Sun. This could be us but u playin. As of right bloody now, the airline is offering punters a buy-one-get-one-free deal, and a slew of basic flight packages are being matched with equivalent return tickets for exactly $0. JetStar have been offering Starter fares departing Sydney, Melbourne Tullamarine, Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Cairns. As for arrival? Well, youve got Tokyo Narita and Osaka to choose from. All of this means that, this arvo, it was totally possible for you to travel from Cairns to Tokyo, return, for $249. Really. Of course, people caught the hell on, and it now seems your (still gr8) options are now sliiightly limited. At the mo, it appears your best bet to nab one of the fabled $0 returns is to look at travelling from Sydney to Osaka from late April, with a return date sometime in May. Heres a sneaky screenshot on a deal we dearly want to pull the trigger on: Still, DEFINITELY have a gander yourself, cause this is nuts. The flights on offer depart between 23 March and 30 November 2017. All you need to do (apart from fantasise about cherry blossoms, neon lights and a billion varieties of Kit-Kats) is to select a valid Starter return flight, pick ya departure, and then snag the $0 one on the return. A few notes: theres no checked baggage included at that tier, so youll have to chip in if you want to smuggle back a lifetimes supply of Gundam figures and Japan-only vinyl pressings. Check out the entire deal right here. Bring us back some of those fancy selvage jeans from Osaka, please and thanks. Source: JetStar. Photo: Lost In Translation. By: Monroe County Friends of Animals MCFA donation boxes can be found at fine merchants throughout the area. Contact Keith Sanderson, PR director ***@maxapooch.com Keith Sanderson, PR director End -- Generous merchants place specially designed Monroe County Friends of Animals donation boxes in strategic locations to help homeless cats and dogs in Monroe County.Pam Crays, Fundraising Chair for the organization said, "We are very appreciative to the businesses who are helping us by placing Friends of Monroe County donation boxes in their establishments. The donations that generous patrons of the businesses make will be help us fulfill our mission"The stated mission of the Monroe County Friends of Animals is to: Support Monroe County government and other related groups to provide shelter, food, care, adoption and health services for stray dogs and cats; Support the prevention of cruelty to dogs and cats; Benefit public safety by reducing the number of stray, unwanted or abandoned dogs and cats; Assist in raising funds to support and promote the Monroe County animal shelter; Support local Spay/Neuter Assistance to Pets (SNAP) and other animal control initiatives; Provide education for responsible dog and cat ownershipThe establishments where the Monroe County Friends of Animals collection boxes can be found include:Charles Hall Museum and Timeless Treasures of Tellico PlainsAce Hardware Sweetwater Co-op in SweeterwaterFat Jack's Breakfast & Burgers in MadisonvilleGenovese's Restaurant in VonroeKat's Deli of Tellico PlainsKrambonz BBQ Tellico PlainsORNL Credit Union in MadisonvilleSimply Wine and Spirits in MadisonvilleYates Home Store in Tellico PlainsFirst American Cash Advance in SweetwaterSunset Wine and Spirits in MadisonvilleFoothills Plaza Wine and Spirits of MaryvilleSimmons Bank in SweetwaterCrays said, " On behalf of all the pets who will be served by the money donated, via these boxes, thank-you so much. "Many of the collection boxes were handcrafted by Norm Coe of Tellico VillageDale Polewach, President MCFA Board of Directors wrote "I thank Norm Coe of the TV Woodworkers Club for volunteering to build the collection boxes that are now distributed at fine merchants who support us throughout the area. Thanks to Norm's effort, donors and these merchants MCFA has already collected hundreds of dollars we might not have otherwise have collected."Merchants, foundations, or private donors who are interested in supporting Monroe County Friends of Animals can contact the organization at pamcrays@reagan.com and request information on how they can help MCFA with a donation box, or donations or by volunteering.MCFA is a not-for-profit volunteer organization with 501(c) (3) status located in Monroe County, Tennessee. This group was created in 2004 by concerned citizens who recognized a dire need existing throughout the county for animal welfare. They consulted with the County's governing body and entered into negotiations with the Monroe County government. This led to the formation of a county-run animal shelter, which was approved by a narrow commission vote at the end of 2004.The main thrust of MCFA's mission is to support the Monroe County Animal Shelter both monetarily in animal rescue efforts and with hands-on assistance in the shelter. In addition, MCFA provides other community services through its volunteers' network.MCFA is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to helping Monroe County give pets the lifesaving care they need. Celebrate A Wonderful Evening of Sustainable Fashion & Global Impact! Media Contact Isabel Walker isabel@rebuildglobally.org Isabel Walker End -- REBUILD globally, a non-profit social enterprise, invites the Central Florida community to attend their annual fundraiser Runway to Haiti: The Night Fashion Meets Impact on March 30, 2017 at 6:00 PM at the Orlando Country Club. The event will support REBUILD globally's education and job training initiatives that lead to dignified employment for craftsmen and women in Haiti.Runway to Haiti will begin with a cocktail reception where guests can bid on an array of silent auction items, connect with our community of business leaders and influencers, shop at thepop-up boutique, or step outside onto the balcony to enjoy the beautiful views of the Orlando Country Club while listening to a live band. The program will continue with dinner and the exclusive runway launch of the2017 collection and an exciting program featuring their global team."Runway to Haiti is our greatest celebration in Orlando where we share the impact and possibilities of social business, sustainable fashion and global development. This annual event has become one of the most unique opportunities in Central Florida to feature local - global partnerships"explained Julie Colombino, Founder and CEO of REBUILD globally.Sponsors for Runway to Haiti include the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and AIT Life Safety, among many other local partners. The ticket price for the event is $100.00 or $1,000.00 for a table of ten, while sponsorship opportunities range from $1,5000 to $10,000.To purchase tickets, please visit https://runwaytohaiti.eventbrite.com For more information or donate online, please visit www.REBUILDglobally.orgREBUILD globally is an organization dedicated to fighting poverty through education and job creation in Haiti. Founded in 2010 after the devastating earthquake, REBUILD globally has been recognized locally through the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce for its "unprecedented success" as a social enterprise. It works together with its for-profit partner,to create employment opportunities for local craftsmen and women. REBUILD globally has supported the education of dozens of children and has led to the creation of over 120 jobs in its community. The two-day symposium awarded the best papers in economics, finance and accounting Contact Sara Hassan Media Relations Specialist ***@zu.ac.ae Sara HassanMedia Relations Specialist End -- Zayed University launched the third annual UAE Quantitative Research Symposium (QRS) that brought together UAE-based researchers with their international counterparts in Dubai campus on January 28 and 29.Organized by the College of Business at Zayed University and the Association of Accountants and Financial Professionals in Business, the two-day conference saw a welcoming video by Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance and President of Zayed University.Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna pointed out that innovation is the cornerstone on which we build our future and ensure a brighter future for generations to come, in line with the directives of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who declared 2015 as the 'Year of Innovation' to provide a nurturing environment for innovation and according to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said earlier: "The future will be for those who adopt innovation."This came during the third annual QRS held under the patronage and in the presence of Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyanin efforts to promote world-class quantitative research and develop a research culture of excellence.Furthermore, the two-day symposium displayed a video by Her Excellency Shamma Bint Suhail Bin Fares Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth, who praised Sheikha Shamma's efforts in constantly creating innovative channels and ground-breaking initiatives that influence lives of children in the UAE, Middle East and Africa and reflect a profound human compassion.Sheikha Shamma Al Nahyan, a Zayed University graduate, inaugurated the sustainability session. She pointed out that sustainability is very crucial and can trigger a heated discussion. The UAE leadership plays a great role in driving sustainability and ensuring sustainable development through UAE Vision 2021 and 2030. "Its goal is to build a vibrant knowledge economy," she said.During the session, panelists discussed sustainability in line with the UAE Vision 2030, increasing the SME sector by encouraging social entrepreneurship and encouraging youth to be sustainable in both their professional and personal lives.Professor Paul Williams, Dean of the College of Business at Zayed University, said: "This high caliber event unites faculty from five different universities across the UAE. We also have scholars who flew in from France, Germany, Spain, the UK, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, and the US to present their research."He added: "We further have a great array of speakers from the private and the non-governmental sectors with us today. I would like to thank IMA for their generous support of this event. I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, who is supporting our research symposium for the second time."During the symposium, best papers were awarded and recognized. The best paper received the Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes Award, named after the keynote speaker of the 2016 symposium, who has been repeatedly distinguished for research achievements.William Megginson, Professor at the University of Oklahoma and a keynote speaker at the QRS, said: "The papers have been intellectually very good and strong and the non-academic presentations were also very informative. I would recommend to engage more students in future symposiums to build a great audience and exchange knowledge and skills in all fields of business."Also were present at the symposium, Francesco Caselli, Professor at London School of Economics, who gave a keynote speech on technology choice differences across countries and time."We are honored to have two world-class scholars, like Professors Megginson and Caselli as our keynote speakers this year. they are true pioneers in their respective fields and their research has inspired the works of not only Zayed University faculty, but also the academic studies by researchers across the country and the world," Kerim Arin and Christina Zenker, faculty members at the College of Business and members of the organizing committee, said.The symposium also saw the participation of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), the American University of Sharjah (AUS), and the American University in Dubai (AUD).Zayed University is today the premier national university in the United Arab Emirates and a regional leader in educational innovation and change. It has created and implemented a skills-rich, outcome-based general education program that systemically develops student skills, knowledge, and values associated with liberal learning and provided a solid foundation for pursuit of disciplinary majors and future careers. Zayed University welcomes national and international students, and provides them with a high quality education, offered by seasoned teaching scholars to prepare them to shape the future of the United Arab Emirates.Zayed University offers Undergraduate and Graduate degrees in the following Colleges: College of Arts & Creative Enterprises (recognized as substantially equivalent by NASAD), College of Business (Accredited by AACSB), College of Communication & Media Sciences (Accredited by ACEJMC), College of Education (Accredited by NCATE), College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Natural and Health Sciences, and College of Technological Innovation (Accredited by ABET). For more information, visit www.zu.ac.aeMedia contacts: Sara Sabry, Media Relations Specialist at the Office of the Vice President at Zayed UniversityDir-Tel: 025993630Mobile: 0566561059E-mail: Sara.Hassan@ zu.ac.ae Web: www.zu.ac.ae Panel discussion hosted a group of global smart transformation pioneers from Singapore, US, Holland and India By: Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications End -- UAE, February 1, 2017 - H.E. Dr. Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director General of the Smart Dubai Office, was the official representative of Dubai at the World Economic Forum 2017 in Davos, Switzerland. As part of the forum, a panel discussion was held on global smart transformation of cities, during which Dubai's participation held a strong presence. Along with Dubai, the panel discussion hosted a group of global smart transformation pioneers from Singapore, US, Holland and India.The Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impacts was the main topic of the forum, which saw the gathering of thousands of influential global business leaders and the world's pioneers of innovation and smart city transformation.The forum highlighted automation and smart transformation trends in prominent global cities led by Dubai as a pioneering global benchmark in technological innovation, which is reflected on its population who are feeling happy in all walks of life.During the panel discussion titled 'Envisioning Global Smart Cities', Dr. Aisha presented Smart Dubai's approach and strategy for implementing the initiative of transforming Dubai into the happiest and smartest city on Earth.She talked about the concerted efforts exerted by Dubai for smart transformation through technological innovation, which explores the power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its influence on communities and individuals in the future when Dubai would become the happiest and smartest city on earth. As an example, Dr. Aisha said Dubai visitors feel the difference immediately upon their arrival in Dubai because all vital smart services that they need are readily provided.In her comments at the conclusion of the forum, Dr. Aisha said: "Dubai is currently among the top global cities competing in the field of smart transformation and our successful, pioneering experience is being presently showcased in international assemblies. This would not have been possible without the keen vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who guided us to touch the needs of the people in Dubai by harnessing technology and innovation, so that those who live in Dubai would feel that the services they need are within reach and are seamlessly and easily provided anywhere and anytime. We are working on fulfilling this vision, which is aimed at making Dubai the happiest and smartest city on Earth."Dr. Aisha added: "Our ambition in Dubai is limitless, and so is our passion for discovering solutions and innovation in all fields. We are keen on seizing all global opportunities to share our expertise and experience with a view to supporting the world economic growth and the development of smart cities worldwide. We believe that the World Economic Forum as a global platform offers a chance for learning from various experiences and expertise from around the world and highlights the approaches and strategies followed for achieving such successes. This contributes to the future prospects of many cities and offers a range of innovative solutions along with challenges and obstacles faced by cities throughout their smart transformation processes. We in Dubai are sparing no effort to provide our expertise and showcase our smart transformation experience globally for the sake of sharing learnings that would serve the future of all mankind."During the forum, the UAE also launched its 'State of the Future' report, the first of its kind source of knowledge for the future of many strategic sectors such as energy, health and education. Earlier, the UAE announced the establishment of the world's first Fourth Industrial Revolution Council, which is the world's first open lab for experimenting, testing and applying the Fourth Industrial Revolution technology.These efficient initiatives as well as attending them at the global level are evidence of the UAE's leading position in adopting the future technology, and enhancing the future of the coming generations. Media Contact Mr Nahil Hilal Mr T.Vijay pr@ptlgroup.com.sg 68410826 Mr Nahil HilalMr T.Vijay68410826 End -- 19Dec 2016 Step into Soul Food and you will understand why this Social Enterprise sets itself apart. The restaurant is a commitment by a father who decided that he wanted to make a difference to less privileged individuals. And this calling is even stronger as he attributes his inspiration to his daughter.Mr Gerald Png, Founder of Soul Food, said, "As a parent of a child with special needs, it has always been on my wife's and my mind to discover what our daughter, Cheryl, would be happy and capable, of doing as an occupation. So when I noticed that she loves to potter with me in the kitchen, her enthusiasm inspired us to start a small restaurant and food production business - and Soul Food was borne from that".Since its inception on 11 January 2008, Soul Food's mission to extend possibilities for people with special needs has been sealed with the Delta Senior School, under their Work Exposure Programmes and the Singapore National Employers' Federation, under their Apprenticeship Work Programs for PWDs.Mr Png explains," To see our young trainees not giving up, even with the long training and exposure period and to see them growing from strength to strength, from confidence to competence - being able to produce high quality food, it reinforced our believe that if we give a person with special needs the time, the training and community they can attain a skill that will allow them to be meaningful contributors to society and have dignity in doing that".The organisers of the awards, the PTL Group, had identified this social enterprise that has made commendable efforts to effectively communicate their brand identity to be presented the Brand Morphosis Award.Held on 30of November, 2016 at ONE15 Marina Sentosa Cove, the Asia Enterprise BRAND Awards (AEBA) award presentation was honoured by Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC and Adviser to Tanjong Pagar GRC Grassroots Organisations for Moulmein-Cairnhill, Mr Melvin Yong.The Special Awards recipients also boasted outstanding individuals in the industry, including Renee Lim, Director for Marketing Communications at the Banyan Tree Spa, Milind Neurgaonkar, M.D. of Merck KGaA, and Benjamin Chan, Senior Manager, Marketing Communications and Development for Singapore Airlines Ltd.The Banyan Tree Spa, a second time winner at the AEBA, clinched the Asia Wellness Excellence Award, which celebrates beauty and wellness enterprises that go beyond to invest insurmountable efforts to exceed standards in health and quality.Singapore Airlines clinched the Asian Aeronautical Award. This award confers exemplary aeronautical enterprises in the region that are synonymous to stellar standards and top of the line facilities. They have been awarded the most number of accolades with a mere forty-four years of experience.Another notable winner was Merck KGaA which received the Heritage Pharmaceutical Award. The award recognises organisations that are intrepid and open to exploring new ideas, with the adoption of ground breaking concepts and technologies to meet market needs. Merck KGaA is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company that celebrates its 348anniversary this year.Nominees had to qualify through a rigorous 3-stage procedure of Participation, Judging, and Selection to finally make it to the Awards Ceremony. The criteria were based on Branding, Marketing, Innovation & CSR. There were four more categories of winners slated for the awards presentation event as follows:The pinnacle of the Asia Enterprise BRAND Awards 2014, the Grandeur Award is conferred to enterprises whose brand is established for at least twenty-five (25) years with strong market presence in Singapore. The award gives recognition to well-established enterprises that have displayed commendable success and outstanding credentials in their respective fields.The award acknowledges enterprises that have been in operation for at least fifteen (15) years with sterling accolades that have won them recognition in the industry. To recognise these rising brands with great potential for achieving lasting presence, the Novateur Award gives them the prominence needed to rank among tomorrow's leaders.This award is bestowed to enterprises established for at least five (5) years, have displayed strong innovation and are emerging to make a name for themselves in the industry. The Vanguard Award encourages and enables up and coming brands to stand out and triumph in an increasingly competitive environment.The Brand Morphosis Awards seek to award brands who have taken the next strategic step towards marketing and expanding their businesses. A brand that is able to effectively communicate their brand identity and products and services to their consumers is commendable. This award serves as a recognition and an encouragement that the awardee is on the right track to pushing their business frontier to the next level.PTL Group is a corporate branding enterprise, supporting businesses in their journey towards achieving long-term success in today's competitive marketplace. With the success of the Built Environment Industry Asia Awards, inaugurated in 2013, AEBA is poised to follow thia success in Asia.The Group manages a company's branding process from conceptualisation to strategic marketing, both locally and regionally. Combining astute project management, effective media and publicity, strong diplomatic relations and extensive regional connections, PTL Group specialises in a unique blend of accelerated marketing techniques that leverage unconventional branding and marketing campaign to speed up business growth and attain greater visibility within a shorter timeframe.Aimed at enhancing business success, PTL Group operates the awards platforms that drive business excellence, nurture entrepreneurs and empower them to: Enhance business relationships; Create brand value and differentiation; Expand regionally; Increase media exposure; and Achieve financial growth.At the heart of the company is a team of experienced professionals with over 50 years of collective experience in media relations, project management, marketing strategy and brand image. cbh copy Contact Constantinou Bros Hotels ***@cbh-cyprus.com Constantinou Bros Hotels End -- Constantinou Bros Hotels today announced its below Hotels have been recognized as winners by TripAdvisor in its 2017 Travelers' Choice Award for the Top 25 Hotels in Cyprus. In the 15th year of the awards, TripAdvisor has highlighted the world's top properties based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travelers around the globe. Winners were identified in the categories of Top Hotels, Luxury, Bargain, Small, Service, B&Bs and Inns, Romance and Family. The hallmarks of Travelers' Choice hotels winners are remarkable service, value and quality."TripAdvisor relies on the experiences and opinions of our travel community to determine the winners of the Travelers' Choice awards for hotels," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. "Travelers planning 2017 trips can find inspiration for some of the best places to book around the world from this diverse group of outstanding accommodations." Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites Hotel has been recognized as a winner in the Top 25 Hotels of Cyprus in 4 categories: #4 of Top 25 Hotels, ranking 1st out of 25 for Romance, #3 of Top 25 Hotels in Luxury and #6 of Top 25 Hotels for Service. Constantinou Bros Athena Royal Beach Hotel has been recognized as a winner in the Top 25 Hotels of Cyprus in 3 categories: #17 of Top 25 Hotels, #4 of Top 25 Hotels for Romance and #17 of Top 25 Hotels for Service. Constantinou Bros Pioneer Beach Hotel has been recognized as Top 25 Hotels winner in the category for Romance ranking #10.The TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award is a true source of pride for the entire team at Constantinou Bros Hotels and we'd like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on Trip Advisor. There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one's customers. With the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.About TripAdvisorTripAdvisoris the world's largest travel site**, enabling travelers to unleash the potential of every trip. TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools that check hundreds of websites to find the best hotel prices. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 390 million average monthly unique visitors*, and reached 435 million reviews and opinions covering 6.8 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 49 markets worldwide. TripAdvisor:Know better. Book better. Go better.Contact Information:Constantinou Bros HotelsTheas Afroditis Ave.P.O.Box 601828101 Paphos, Cyprus,Tel: +357 26965300Email: reservations@cbh-cyprus.comWebsite: http://www.cbh- cyprus.com By: ARMS ARMS document storage in Green Bay Contact ARMS ***@arms4rim.com 877-764-2767 ARMS877-764-2767 End --Organizations looking for secure, off-site document storage in Appleton and Green Bay are trusting Automated Records Management Systems (ARMS) for cost-effective expertise.ARMS is the leader in document storage in Green Bay and Appleton, Wisconsin, for customers ranging from non-profit organizations to insurance companies, healthcare organizations, leaders in the financial services sector and more."We have cost-effective processes in place that ensure safe document storage as well as ease of access," said Eric Haas, president and CEO at ARMS. "We have invested in technology that controls access to critical and confidential information around the clock."Off-site document storage provides an extra layer of protection against the risk of theft and environmental issues such as fire and floods. Companies increasingly are unwilling or unable to dedicate valuable space in their own buildings for document storage, and instead are turning to ARMS for the combination of safety, security and cost efficiency."Our customers can reduce their expenses associated with document storage by leveraging the facility and technology assets we provide," Haas said. "In addition, we deliver value across multiple information formats beyond paper document storage."ARMS also works with customers to create effective strategies that utilize its shredding services in Green Bay, Wisconsin. These cost-effective, convenient solutions help organizations protect sensitive documents and other storage media from unauthorized access.ARMS is an industry leader in records and information technology solutions, providing organizations "best practice" consulting in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area and across the United States. ARMS is an SSAE 16-audited company that meets today's information regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, HITECH and FACTA. Services include traditional document storage, certified information destruction, data protection and media vaulting, and automated workflow solutions.For more information about how ARMS can serve as your organization's document storage provider, please call 877-764-2767 or visit https://arms4rim.com/ View original post on document storage ( https://www.arms4rim.com/ arms-offers- cost-effective- docum... ) here. Bob Robles, L.Ac. Contact Many Rivers Community Acupuncture, LLC ***@manyriversacupuncture.com (860) 683-0011 Many Rivers Community Acupuncture, LLC(860) 683-0011 End -- Many Rivers Community Acupuncture is excited to announce that. Bob will provide acupuncture treatments on Saturdays from 8:30 am 1:00 pm.Bob Robles brings a wealth of experience to Many Rivers. A native of Bristol, Connecticut, Bob attended the New England School of Acupuncture in Massachusetts. After graduating in 2000 with a concentration in Japanese meridian therapy style acupuncture, he returned to Connecticut where he has run community acupuncture clinics in Newington, Bristol, and Southington.says Bob. "Running a clinic as a solo practitioner can be very isolating. As acupuncturists, our skills are always developing and evolving. I am looking forward to the collegiality, cooperation, and sharing of skills and ideas that occur in a multiple-practitioner clinic.""In addition, community acupuncture's emphasis is on accessibility. Many Rivers is the largest community acupuncture clinic in Connecticut, so I know that our patients will be able to get treatments whenever they need them, at a price they can afford."He has studied Balance Method Acupuncture with Dr. Richard Tan; he practices Korean Hand Therapy, Keiraku Chiryo Meridian Therapy, and Yoshio Manaka-style acupuncture;and has experience with cranio-sacral bodywork.says Bob. His father and brother became General Surgeons and his mother was a Registered Nurse."Bob is one of the most gifted acupuncturists I know," says Many Rivers owner, Carrie Sawtell, L.Ac. "He and I worked together in a community clinic in Newington when I had just returned to Connecticut from China. I was able to see first-hand his amazing clinical skills and wealth of expertise."Acupuncture involves more than simply putting needles in the correct places. "When discussing acupuncture, I usually emphasize the scientific understanding of how it works," continues Carrie. "It increases circulation, reduces inflammation, boosts the immune system, and stops pain. But there is another, more nuanced component of acupuncture in which acupuncture becomes an art.."Bob is a Licensed Acupuncturist and is board-certified in Acupuncture by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Many Rivers Community Acupuncture is located at 775 Bloomfield Avenue in Windsor, CT. Treatments are available on a sliding scale from $15 - $35, plus a one-time new patient fee of $10. Appointments can be booked online at http://www.manyriversacupuncture.com or by calling (860) 683-0011. ZEDRA expands their Singapore team to service growth in business relationships and client portfolios in Asia New hires bring a skill set that will undoubtedly support ZEDRA's current clients and expand its capabilities as it continues to grow By: www.zedra.com End -- ZEDRA is continuing to strengthen its industry presence with the appointment of two new Business Heads. Based in the Singapore office, Yuan Yuan Woo, Executive Director, and Nithya Camoens, Director, will be key to drive new business, foster relationship building and support the underlying efforts of the company as it continues to expand and grow in Asia."We are developing an experienced and highly qualified team by adding premium resources to help us manage our growing client base and, most importantly, to underscore our continued commitment to providing excellent client service," says Wendy Sim, Managing Director, ZEDRA Singapore.Yuan Yuan Woo will head new business for trust services. She will also have a focus on key client relationship management. Ms. Woo is a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountant (ISCA) and a Certified Financial Planner with Financial Planning Association of Singapore. She is also a qualified Trust and Estate Practitioner with STEP."Yuan Yuan has spent almost 20 years carefully establishing and maintaining trust structures with Asian families that has required a great deal of attention to detail and commitment as family dynamics change and evolve," continues Wendy. "She began her career in tax services for PwC, before moving to a number of private banks including Citibank, DBS and UBS where she advised private clients on succession and estate planning matters."Yuan Yuan Woo comes to ZEDRA with a serious skillset in client management and client focus. She has the adaptability, resourcefulness and marketplace knowledge required to help grow the Singapore office and our client business in Asia," says Niels Nielsen, ZEDRA CEO.Nithya Camoens will be responsible for developing corporate solutions to complement ZEDRA Singapore's private client offering.Nithya Camoens most recently spent five years at PwC Singapore, where she was responsible for managing the company secretarial practice there. Prior to PwC, she worked for a private management group whose international operations spanned the Asian continent, and rising through the ranks, she held various senior positions for the group's operations in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as assisted in the setup of offices in India, Mauritius and Cambodia. Nithya has a post-graduate diploma in Finance from theLondon School of Economics, and a First Class Honours Degree in Business Information Technology from Coventry University"We are thrilled to add Nithya to our team," says Wendy Sim. "In addition to her strong background in corporate organisations, there is no doubt she understands the discipline and dedication of being a team player with a varied experience in compliance, company legislation and corporate transactions""Nithya brings a solid understanding in corporate business, as well as great enthusiasm, experience and personality to the Singapore team," says Niels Nielsen. "I'm certain our clients and our extended ZEDRA team will enjoy working with her as much as I will."ZEDRA is an independent, global specialist in trust, fiduciary, corporate and fund services. The company was acquired from Barclays in January 2016 by an experienced independent investor group, led by two families, Sarikhani and Nielsen as well as Bart Deconinck as Deputy Chairman on the Board of Directors.Based in offices across 11 key jurisdictions, its 370 strong team of industry experts is dedicated to creating and delivering bespoke solutions for its clients. The business is focused on the strong commitment of an experienced team, fostering an entrepreneurial approach to delivering exceptional client services across its international markets.For further information, please visit www.zedra.com ZEDRA is an independent, global specialist in trust, corporate and fund services. The company was acquired from Barclays in January 2016 by an independent investor group, with an ambitious plan to grow the company, expanding and strengthening the services it offers to clients around the world. It currently has global offices in 11 jurisdictions, including Jersey, Guernsey, Luxembourg, the Isle of Man, the Cayman Islands, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Singapore, the UK and Switzerland.ZEDRA's 370 strong team of industry experts is dedicated to creating and delivering bespoke solutions for clients. The business is focused on the strong commitment of an experienced team, fostering an entrepreneurial approach to delivering exceptional client services.ZEDRA has diverse client base including high-net-worth individuals and their families, international corporations, institutional investors and entrepreneurs. Under the ownership of a private independent investor group, ZEDRA have the flexibility, boldness and expertise to respond to complex needs whilst maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance in an ever-evolving regulatory environment.www.zedra.com Investors spent 1.54 billion in 2016 in the Hungarian commercial real estate market surpassing the 2015 level by 107 per cent. Last year both office properties and retail properties were in request, thus CBRE is expecting a similar or even higher turnover for 2017. Commercial properties changed hands in the [] Chinese-owned Italian motorcycle brand Benelli is in the process of strengthening its middle-weight sportsbike portfolio Several months ago, a sharp looking street fighter with 600 badge was spied in China, sparking speculations that it was the next generation TNT 600i. However, in November 2019, Benelli unveiled the new gen TNT 600i which looked more like a facelift of the current version and had nothing in common with the previously spotted prototype. The sportier version of the 600 has now emerged online again, this time with SRK 600 moniker. It looks like Benelli SRK 600 is a premium alternative to the TNT 600i with additional features. Visually, the Benelli SRK 600 is up there with contemporary street fighters with a sporty headlamp, complete with aerodynamic cowl. The new motorcycle also features edgy fuel tank with sharp extensions and a stubby cantilevered tailpiece with contoured seat and a minimal taillight. As far as the hardware is concerned, the Benelli SRK 600 appears to inherit its TNT siblings components. The new street fighter is underpinned by a trellis frame which is supported by a sturdy inverted telescopic front fork and an eccentrically mounted rear monoshock. The alloy swingarm also looks pretty similar to the unit seen on the new TNT 600i. The 17-inch alloy wheels, thick rubber, twin front discs and a single rear disc are also identical to those of the TNT. The four down-tubes confirm that the 600 cc inline-four cylinder engine has been carried forward as well. On board the 2020 Benelli TNT 600i, the sweet sounding motor produces 81.6 hp and 51 Nm of torque. Transmission is a 6-speed unit. Considering that the SRK 600 will be positioned above the TNT 600i, we expect the motor to dish out a slightly higher power output. The SRK ditches the underbelly exhaust for a short canister which terminates just below the swing arm. From the spyshots, we can also observe that the Benelli SRK 600 is equipped with color TFT instrument panel, a flat handlebar, alloy brake and clutch levers. We expect the sportsbike to offer riding modes and a few electronic systems like multi-stage traction control and ABS. The Benelli SRK 600 is expected to make its world premiere at EICMA 2020 in November provided the even is not cancelled. We expect the motorcycle to make it to India a few months later. Benellis immediate focus in India after this lockdown period would be to upgrade its existing portfolio to BS6 emission standards before ushering in new products. New Toyota Corolla Facelift made its global debut about a year ago. The car has now been launched in India for a starting price of INR 15.87 lakh, ex-showroom for the petrol variant and INR 17.36 lakh, ex-showroom for the diesel variant. Design changes on board the new Toyota Corolla facelift includes a new bumper in the front flanked by sleeker and redesigned headlamp cluster. Updates at the rear include a pair of LED tail-lamps. Top of the line Corolla facelift will also receive LED headlamps flanked by LED DRLs. 2017 Toyota Corolla Facelift [table id=34 /] [table id=35 /] *ex-showroom, Delhi prices. New Toyota Corolla gets a new colour option Phantom Brown. It also gets new chrome door handles and a thin chrome garnish on the lower part of the doors. Overall, the design of the new Corolla is pretty much like that of the current one, with inspiration from brands Under Priority and Keen Look design language. Apart from the updated design, new Corolla is also loaded with new tech along with standard tech which is already on offer with the current variant. New tech includes LDA Lane Departure Alert, PCS Pre-Collision System, AHB Automatic High Beam. All three of these new systems rely on laser and a camera which is mounted on the windscreen. Powering the 2017 Toyota Corolla Facelift are the same engine and transmission options which are seen on board the current Corolla. In India, Corolla is offered with 1.8-liter petrol 138 hp / 173 Nm engine mated either to a 6 speed MT or CVT, and a 1.4-liter diesel 87 hp / 205 Nm mated to a 6 speed MT. Also See Toyota C-HR crossover heading for India launch in 2018 Key Features of the New Corolla Altis Exterior Features 1. Advanced Bi-beam LED Headlamps 2. LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) 3. New 3D bumper design 4. Advanced grille design 5. Stylish LED Tail Lamp 6. Sophisticated new alloys Interior Features 1. Newly designed Instrument Panel with Soft Touch Dashboard 2. Interior colour refreshed to flaxen Performance Features 1. Enhanced performance with 7 Speed Super CVTi with Sport Mode and Paddle Shift 2. New Corolla Altis will be available in the following engine options: 1.8 L petrol engine with Dual VVT-i 1.4 L diesel engine with Variable Nozzle Turbo and Intercooler 3. Sport drive mode adds to the responsive drive train Comfort & Convenience Features 1. Minus ion generator (nanoe) 2. Autofold and reverse linked ORVM 3. New Corolla Altis continues to offer opulent rear reclining seats Safety & Security Feature 1. 7 SRS Airbags 2. Hill Start Assist Control 3. Vehicle Stability Control 4. ABS & EBD with BA News Release Wraps came off the snazzy Toyota C-HR production-ready compact crossover at 2016 Geneva Motor Show last year. Built for the developed countries in Europe and the US, the car is now heading to India, reveals a new report. India launch of new Toyota C-HR will take place in 2018. Toyota C-HR is radical when it comes to styling. The car clearly targets young and active urban customers. While the production model derives the primary design cues from the concept, it emerges as a heavily watered down version. The concepts tightly arching roof has been replaced by a completely new element which favors rear seat passengers leg room. The aggressive sheet metal surfaces too have been mostly ironed out. The rear door handles are cleverly camouflaged into the C-pillar to have a coupe appeal. The rear fascia retains the steeply raked windshield, arrow shaped LED combination lights and a sporty bumper with pseudo air intakes. The interior design is still a mystery as Toyota did not reveal any interior images, nor did they allow us to get a closer look at the C-HR which was on display at their Geneva Motor Show pavilion. Based on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) modular platform which also underpins the new Prius, the C-HR is offered with a choice of two petrol and petrol-hybrid powertrains. Petrol engine options are in the form of 1.2 liter turbo engine generating 115 hp mated to either manual or automatic box. Second option is a 2.0 liter which is only offered with CVT. The car will be produced at Toyotas plant in Turkey, while the hybrid engine will be produced at their plant in the UK. It is too early to say about what will be on offer under the hood of India-spec variants. But this news surely brings fresh life into Toyota Indias future prospects. Photos Trees may be easy to spot on the plains of Africa but they are often overlooked as a source of income for farmers. A University of Illinois study shows trees on farms may help reduce rural poverty and maintain biodiversity. "Trees on farms in Africa often fall through the cracks -- they're not forests and they're not agriculture," says U of I's Daniel Miller, who studies environmental politics and policy. "In our study, we found about one third of all rural farmers across five study countries have and grow trees on their farms. Among those farmers, trees on farms contribute 17 percent to their annual household income, so they're very important for generating economic benefits for households." Miller's study used satellite images showing forest cover and nationally representative household-level data gathered from in-person interviews in Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. One thing he learned is that there are more trees on agricultural lands than expected -- about a third to more than half of the rural households report having on-farm trees. Fruit trees and cash crop trees such as coffee trees were the two most popular types of trees. Tree for timber and fuel were only reported by 5 percent of the households. Ecologically, trees could act as biodiversity corridors, Miller says. "One of the findings is that trees on farms are more prevalent near forests. They can provide wildlife or bird habitat linking different forested or natural areas, while at the same time providing income potential to poor farmers. They promise a potential win-win for conservation and development. "Overall, the results suggest that trees on farms should be given more attention in agriculture, food security and poverty-related policy debates in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly as the need to tackle climate change becomes more urgent," Miller says. Trees can play an important role in both climate change adaptation and mitigation. "Climate smart agriculture is a new buzzword," Miller says. "The World Bank has committed to making their agricultural investments climate smart by 2019. Trees are climate smart because they aren't as fragile as agricultural crops are to extreme shifts in climate. Oftentimes, trees can continue to produce when you might have a crop failure due to a drought. So, trees may provide a food source like mangoes or other fruit in times of difficulty." Trees on farms can also help mitigate some of the negative effects of climate change. "Trees sequester carbon through photosynthesis, so by not clearing them, you're not releasing the carbon into the atmosphere," Miller says. Because Miller looks at data from several angles, including the political implications, he is particularly excited about the national scale of the study. For policy makers, information presented at this scale -- as done in this study -- is especially useful in showing how trees benefit the five countries. "One of the major findings from this work is that national-level differences explained a lot of the variation in whether people adopt or don't adopt trees on their farms," Miller says. "Particularly in Francophone countries, which I personally know better, central governments have historically claimed any tree as being the domain of forestry, which may shape farmer willingness to grow and use trees. For example, for a long time in Niger, farmers were wary of having trees on their farms because the central government had a legal right to come on their land and claim the trees as their own. It's a legacy of colonial law in those countries. "More recently, the law in Niger changed to allow greater farmer control of trees. This change is a big reason for the exceptional re-greening that has happened across a large band of Niger," Miller says. "That's an extreme case, but it illustrates how national-level policies can affect farmer decision-making. Tanzania, with its record of community forest management, provides a contrasting case." A fungal form of meningitis leads to more than 600,000 deaths in Africa every year and is responsible for 20 percent of HIV/AIDS-related deaths globally, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An existing medicine could help curb these numbers, but its cost has been a barrier to access in some places. Now, scientists report in the ACS journal Organic Process Research & Development a more affordable way to make the drug. The antifungal flucytosine has been available to patients in the U.S. for decades. In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that patients with Cryptococcal meningitis, an infection of particular concern to people with HIV/AIDS, take flucytosine in combination with amphotericin B as a first line of defense. Flucytosine is now on WHO's Core List of Essential Medicines. However, the drug is not registered for use in many African countries, according to the non-profit Doctors without Borders, and where it is available, many patients can't afford it. Currently, making the drug requires a multiple-step process that involves fluorination, chlorination, amination and hydrolysis from uracil. To help slash flucytosine's price tag and improve its availability, Graham Sandford and colleagues at Durham University in the U.K. wanted to come up with a simpler, lower cost way to make the drug. The researchers developed a one-step technique to make flucytosine out of readily available, naturally occurring cytosine. Their process involved simultaneously pumping inexpensive fluorine gas and a solution of cytosine in formic acid through a steel tube. This fluorinated all of the starting cytosine, and the researchers were able to isolate high yields of the resulting flucytosine by recrystallization. The researchers say the method should be simple to scale up for manufacturing and could help lower the drug's cost. The one-step method has been successfully developed to pilot-scale by industrial collaborators Sanofi-Aventis and La Maison Europeenne des Procedes Innovants in France. Governments and politicians have attempted to exploit social media for their own ends. However, a study published in the International Journal of Electronic Governance reveals that governmental Twitter accounts across the European Union have almost totally failed. These accounts do not widely engage members of the public and have not created the "communities" their advocates desired in the quest to elicit public adoption of e-government. Konstantinos Antoniadis and Kostas Zafiropoulos of the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, and Vasiliki Vrana of the Technological Education Institute of Central Macedonia, in Serres, Greece, have explored mentions and replies on the well-known and popular microblogging platform Twitter. They found that mentions and replies to networks of 56 ministries with Twitter accounts in seventeen EU countries do not suggest that any of those accounts have built communities. Twitter had at the last count well over 300 million monthly active users a mere fraction of those of another social media service, Facebook with its almost 2 billion active users. Nevertheless, these are significant numbers of people that might be engaged by any person or any organisation with the wont to engage them online. The growth of Twitter was eventually noticed by governments and their advisers and has been adopted by them as a tool with which they might disseminate government information, provide access to services, connect with the public and "listen to the voice of people." The team suggests that the concept of e-government is yet to mature. There are signs that some "authority" users of social media, the members of the public with large, highly engaged followings themselves, may well represent a springboard for notices and responses from governments but this is yet to manifest as the desired Twitter communities the politicians seek. A number of animal studies and a small human pilot study have revealed that cannabinoids, extracts of cannabis legally sold as medical marijuana, could reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms in heroin users. In light of the opioid epidemic in the United States, this is a neglected area of research that quickly needs attention, argues Yasmin L. Hurd, PhD, the Ward-Coleman Chair of Translational Neuroscience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Director of the Center for Addictive Disorders for the Mount Sinai Behavioral Health System. Dr. Hurd, who studies the molecular and neurochemical effects of both cannabinoids and opioids, discusses her position in a brief review published February 2 in Trends in Neuroscience. While both cannabinoids and opioids regulate the perception of pain, the two drugs affect different parts of the brain and also affect how the sensation is communicated between neurons. For example, previous research shows that cannabinoids have a stronger effect on inflammation-based chronic pain, while opioids are particularly good at relieving acute pain. Problematically, opioids can quickly lead to a deadly addiction. "If you look at both drugs and where their receptors are, opioids are much more dangerous in part because of the potential for overdose. The opioid receptors are very abundant in the brainstem area that regulates our respiration so they shut down the breathing center if opioid doses are high," says Dr. Hurd. "Cannabinoids do not do that. They have a much wider window of therapeutic benefit without causing an overdose in adults. However, children have overdosed from consuming edible marijuana so that's something to consider when making decisions regarding medical use." "Surprisingly, the scientific community has been largely missing from most conversations and policymaking decisions regarding the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. Normally, preclinical models provide the foundation for clinical trials and then, after years of rigorous, structured scientific investigations, accrued evidence is evaluated by federal agencies to determine whether a particular compound should be approved for the treatment of specific symptoms/disease," explains Dr. Hurd. "For marijuana, such a bar has not been met. Decisions across the country have been driven, in large part, by anecdotal reports and lobbying efforts by a growing marijuana industry. Despite the challenges of prescribing the medical use of a plant without the normal, rigorous clinical study process and within our existing clinical structure, specific constituents of the plant could be more easily developed for medical indications." Accumulating evidence suggests that cannabinoids could have long-lasting therapeutic effects. Preclinical animal models have long demonstrated that cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid in the marijuana plant devoid of rewarding properties, reduces the rewarding properties of opioid drugs and withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, CBD directly reduces heroin-seeking behavior. A small pilot study in humans, led by Dr. Hurd, mirrored these animal findings. Dr. Hurd's human study revealed that CBD reduced heroin-related, cue-induced craving experienced by heroin users. Moreover, CBD's strongest effects were on the reduction of the anxiety induced by heroin cues. Politicians are only beginning to acknowledge that an epidemic of opioid overdoses is taking place across the United States, particularly in suburban and rural areas, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse is asking researchers to think creatively about new strategies for pain relief. Marijuana has been a neglected option because there are restrictions on studying its effects in humans. While there has been a growing interest by the scientific community in cannabinoids since the legalization of medical marijuana, we still don't know much about how it could be used therapeutically, despite at least a million people having been issued prescriptions. "We have to be open to marijuana because there are components of the plant that seem to have therapeutic properties, but without empirical-based research or clinical trials, we're letting anecdotes guide how people vote and how the policies are going to be made," says Dr. Hurd. "For one of the first times in US history, it is the general public and politicians, not scientists and physicians, who are determining the medical value of this drug in states where marijuana use has been legalized for medical purposes. Clearly, the legalization of marijuana has outpaced the science. But if we want to be able to accurately say something is medical marijuana, we have to prove that it is, indeed, medicinal." Studying mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins have fortified evidence that a key purpose of sleep is to recalibrate the brain cells responsible for learning and memory so the animals can "solidify" lessons learned and use them when they awaken -- in the case of nocturnal mice, the next evening. The researchers, all of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, also report they have discovered several important molecules that govern the recalibration process, as well as evidence that sleep deprivation, sleep disorders and sleeping pills can interfere with the process. "Our findings solidly advance the idea that the mouse and presumably the human brain can only store so much information before it needs to recalibrate," says Graham Diering, Ph.D., the postdoctoral fellow who led the study. "Without sleep and the recalibration that goes on during sleep, memories are in danger of being lost." A summary of their study appears online in the journal Science on Feb. 3. Diering explains that current scientific understanding of learning suggests that information is "contained" in synapses, the connections among neurons through which they communicate. On the "sending side" of a synapse, signaling molecules called neurotransmitters are released by a brain cell as it "fires"; on the "receiving side," those molecules are captured by receptor proteins, which pass the "message" along. If a cell receives enough input through its synapses, it fires off its own neurotransmitters. advertisement More specifically, experiments in animals have shown that the synapses on the receiving neuron can be toggled by adding or removing receptor proteins, thereby strengthening or weakening them and allowing the receiving neuron to receive more or less input from nearby signaling neurons. Scientists believe memories are encoded through these synaptic changes. But there's a hitch in this thinking, Diering says, because while mice and other mammals are awake, the synapses throughout its brain tend to be strengthened, not weakened, pushing the system toward its maximum load. When neurons are "maxed out" and constantly firing, they lose their capacity to convey information, stymying learning and memory. One possible reason that neurons don't usually max out is a process that has been well-studied in lab-grown neurons but not in living animals, asleep or awake. Known as homeostatic scaling down, it is a process that uniformly weakens synapses in a neural network by a small percentage, leaving their relative strengths intact and allowing learning and memory formation to continue. To find out if the process does occur in sleeping mammals, Diering focused on the areas of the mouse brain responsible for learning and memory: the hippocampus and the cortex. He purified proteins from receiving synapses in sleeping and awake mice, looking for the same changes seen in lab-grown cells during scaling down. Results showed a 20 percent drop in receptor protein levels in sleeping mice, indicating an overall weakening of their synapses, compared to mice that were awake. advertisement "That was the first evidence of homeostatic scaling down in live animals," says Richard Huganir, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience, director of the Department of Neuroscience and lead author of the study. "It suggests that synapses are restructured throughout the mouse brain every 12 hours or so, which is quite remarkable." To learn specifically which molecules were responsible for the phenomenon, the team turned to a protein called Homer1a, discovered in 1997 by Paul Worley, M.D., professor of neuroscience, who was also part of the team conducting the new study. Studies showed that Homer1a -- named for the ancient Greek author and the scientific "odyssey" required to identify it -- is important for the regulation of sleep and wakefulness, and for homeostatic scaling down in lab-grown neurons. Repeating his previous analysis of synaptic proteins, Diering indeed found much higher levels of Homer1a -- 250 percent more -- in the synapses of sleeping mice than awake mice. And in genetically engineered mice missing Homer1a, the previous decrease of synaptic receptor proteins associated with sleep was no longer present. To sort out how Homer1a senses when the mice are sleeping or awake, the researchers looked to the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, which drives the brain to arousal and wakefulness. By blocking or enhancing noradrenaline levels, both in lab-grown neurons and in mice, the researchers confirmed that when noradrenaline levels were high, Homer1a stayed away from synapses; when it was low, it collected there. To directly test whether the location of Homer1a was related to sleep, the team kept mice awake for four extra hours by placing them in an unfamiliar cage. Some then got two and a half hours of "recovery sleep." As predicted, levels of Homer1a in the receiving synapses were much higher in the sleep-deprived mice than in those that got recovery sleep. That suggests, says Diering, that Homer1a is sensitive to an animal's "sleep need," not just what time of day it is. Diering emphasizes that sleep need is controlled by adenosine, a chemical that accumulates in the brain as an animal stays awake, provoking sleepiness. (Caffeine, the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug, directly interferes with adenosine.) When mice were given a drug during sleep deprivation that blocks adenosine, Homer1a levels no longer increased in their synapses. "We think that Homer1a is a traffic cop of sorts," says Huganir. "It evaluates the levels of noradrenaline and adenosine to determine when the brain is sufficiently quiet to begin scaling down." As the final test of their hypothesis that scaling down during sleep is crucial for learning and memory, the researchers tested the mice's ability to learn without scaling down. Individual mice were placed in an unfamiliar arena and given a mild electrical shock, either as they woke up or right before they went to sleep. Some mice then received a drug known to prevent scaling down. When an undrugged mouse received a shock just before sleep, its brain went through the scaling-down process and formed an association between that arena and the shock. When placed in that same arena, those mice spent about 25 percent of their time motionless, in fear of another shock. When placed in a different unfamiliar arena, they froze sometimes, but only about 9 percent of their time there, probably because they were relatively good a telling the difference between the two unfamiliar arenas. Expecting that drugged mice that couldn't scale down during sleep would have weaker memories and therefore freeze less than undrugged mice, Diering was surprised that they were motionless longer (40 percent of their time) when returned to the arena where they were shocked. But the drugged mice were also motionless longer (13 percent of their time) when in a new arena. When the shock was given after the mice woke up, the drug made no difference in how long the mice froze in either arena, confirming that scaling down only occurs during sleep. "We think that the memory of the shock was stronger in the drugged mice because their synapses couldn't undergo scaling down, but all kinds of other memories also remained strong, so the mice were confused and couldn't easily distinguish the two arenas," says Diering. "This demonstrates why 'sleeping on it' can actually clarify your ideas." "The bottom line," he says, "is that sleep is not really downtime for the brain. It has important work to do then, and we in the developed world are shortchanging ourselves by skimping on it." Huganir says that sleep is still a big mystery. "In this study, we only examined what goes on in two areas of the brain during sleep. There are probably equally important processes happening in other areas, and throughout the body, for that matter," he adds. Among the events that require further exploration is how learning and memory are affected by sleep disorders and other diseases known to disrupt sleep in humans, like Alzheimer's disease and autism. Huganir also says that benzodiazapines and other drugs that are commonly prescribed as sedatives, such as muscle relaxants and other sleep aids, are known to prevent homeostatic scaling down and are likely to interfere with learning and memory, though that idea has yet to be tested experimentally. Other authors of the report include Raja Nirujogi, Richard Roth and Akhilesh Pandey of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This work was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Johns Hopkins Center for Proteomics Discovery, the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director (S10OD021844) and the National Institute of Mental Health (5P50MH100024). More information about Bahrain is available on the Bahrain Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-BAHRAIN RELATIONS The United States established diplomatic relations with Bahrain in 1971 following its independence from the United Kingdom. The U.S. Embassy in Manama was opened on September 21, 1971, and a resident ambassador was sent in 1974. The Bahrain Embassy in Washington, D.C. opened in 1977. The American community in Bahrain traces its origins to the arrival of missionaries from the Dutch Reformed Church in the late 19th century. The American Mission Hospital and the school which they established in 1903 continue to operate in Bahrain. The United States designated Bahrain a Major Non-NATO Ally in 2002. Bahrain plays a key role in the regions security architecture and is a vital U.S. partner in defense initiatives. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, and participates in U.S.-led military coalitions, including the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Bahrains security forces have supported the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, providing perimeter security at a military base. Bahrain was the first Arab state to lead a Coalition Task Force patrolling the Gulf region and has supported the coalition counter-piracy mission with a deployment of its flagship. In August 2019, Bahrain was the first country in the Gulf region to announce publicly that it had joined the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct to promote freedom of navigation in the region. The U.S-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) entered into force in 2006, generating additional commercial opportunities for both countries. In 2021, U.S.-Bahrain two-way trade exceeded $2 billion, up from $1.5 billion in 2020. Due to relatively limited energy reserves, Bahrain has been diversifying its economy away from oil and gas production and provides a climate that seeks to attract foreign investment and businesses. The primary U.S. exports to Bahrain include aircraft, machinery, and motor vehicles. The leading U.S. imports from Bahrain include aluminum, oil, textiles, and plastics. In 2019, the United States accounted for 12.4 percent of Bahrains non-oil exports. Bahrain has an elected lower house of parliament, the Council of Representatives (COR), and an appointed upper house, the Shura Council. Bahrain last held elections for the COR and municipal councils in November and December 2018. The United States supports Bahrains efforts to develop the parliaments institutional capacity and encourages inclusive and transparent governance. U.S. Assistance to Bahrain U.S. assistance enables the Government of Bahrain to continue to obtain the equipment and training it requires to provide for its own defense and to operate alongside U.S. air and naval forces. U.S. assistance strengthens Bahrains interoperability for regional security and counterterrorism cooperation; boosts Bahrains maritime defenses against smuggling and terrorism; and improves Bahrains ability to counter terrorism in a manner consistent with Bahrains international human rights obligations and commitments. Bilateral Economic Relations Bahrains economy remains dependent on oil and gas resources but has diversified in recent years. In 2019, oil and gas accounted for 17.8% of Bahrains GDP, followed by financial services (16.5%), manufacturing (14.5%), and government services (11.8%). The Government of Bahrain has targeted five sectors for future growth: tourism, financial services, manufacturing, logistics and information technology. The first Gulf Cooperation Council Member State to discover oil in 1932, Bahrain currently sources its oil and gas from two fields: the onshore Bahrain Field and Abu Safa, an offshore field shared with Saudi Arabia. Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) is currently undergoing a $5 billion refinery modernization project, the largest capital project in the countrys history. The April 2018 discovery of large unconventional oil resources off the Kingdoms western coast, as well as significant gas reserves discovered onshore, carry the long-term potential to reinvigorate the sector. The banking and finance sector is the largest non-oil contributor to Bahrains economy. Bahrain is home to 376 financial institutions and the second largest Islamic finance hub after Malaysia, with over $31.4 billion in assets under management. Aluminum manufacturing accounts for the bulk of Bahrains manufacturing sector, and contributes 12 percent of GDP. Aluminum Bahrain (ALBA), the state-owned aluminum smelter, recently became the largest single-site aluminum smelter outside of China with the November 2019 inauguration of its expansion. Bahrains Membership in International Organizations Among other regional and international organizations, Bahrain is a member of the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Gulf Cooperation Council, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League and World Trade Organization. Bahrain is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2018-2021. Bilateral Representation Principal U.S. Embassy officials are listed in the Departments Key Officers List. Bahrain maintains an embassy in the United States at 1255 23rd St NW, Washington, DC 20037; tel: (202) 342-1111. More information about Bahrain is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: CIA World Factbook Bahrain Page U.S. Embassy History of U.S. Relations With Bahrain U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page Export.gov International Offices Page Library of Congress Country Studies Travel Information More information about Oman is available on the Oman Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-OMAN RELATIONS The United States and Oman concluded a treaty of friendship and navigation in 1833. It was replaced in 1958 by the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights, and the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972. In 2009, the United States and Oman signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which has increased trade in both directions, created opportunities for U.S. and Omani businesses, and supported Omans goals of attracting investment and diversifying its economy. Oman plays an important role in helping the United States realize its wide-ranging goals to promote stability and prosperity in the region. Oman is strategically located on a key naval chokepoint through which 30% of the worlds maritime oil shipments pass. Omans longstanding partnership with the United States is critical to our mutual objectives, including increasing economic diversification and development opportunities, promoting regional stability, and countering terrorism. Demonstrating commitment to our security cooperation remains important in the context of Omans goals to enhance regional stability and end the conflict in Yemen. Oman is committed to facing its own security challenges, which include combating piracy, narcotics trafficking, and monitoring and controlling its borders. Oman has deployed assets to address increased insecurity along Omans land and sea border with Yemen. Oman and the United States signed a military cooperation agreement in 1980, which was revised and renewed in 2010. Under the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation, signed in 2006, and the environmental provisions of the FTA, the Department of States trade-related environmental cooperation programs focus on protecting the environment while promoting sustainable development. In 2016, the United States and Oman signed a Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which provides a platform for increased partnership in these areas. U.S. Assistance to Oman U.S. assistance contributes to efforts to counter piracy, narcotics, and wildlife smuggling; enhances law enforcement and investigations techniques; strengthens Omans capability to monitor and control its borders; builds counterterrorism capacity; and improves the interoperability of the Omani military with U.S. forces. In FY2021, Oman received $1.8 million in International Military Education and Training (IMET) assistance, and Omans IMET budget for FY2022 stands at $2 million. FY2021 financing for Anti-terrorism Assistance (ATA) was $1 million. Various U.S. agencies deliver customized training, exchanges, and Subject Matter Expert assistance. Primary partners include the Royal Office, Royal Oman Police (ROP), and the Royal Army of Oman. Bilateral Economic Relations Since the bilateral FTA came into force in 2009, trade has increased significantly in both directions. Some of the FTAs most important benefits include duty free treatment of goods and a no-minimum investment requirement for new businesses. Total bilateral U.S.-Oman trade in 2021 was over $3.2 billion. U.S. exports to Oman include vehicles, aircraft and engines, and industrial engines and machines. U.S. imports from Oman include industrial supplies, bauxite and aluminum, fertilizers, jewelry, plastics, and fuel oil. Omans relatively small market remains unfamiliar to many U.S. exporters. U.S. firms also face competition from re-exports from the United Arab Emirates and low-cost Chinese goods. Nonetheless, the Omani market presents opportunities for U.S. exporters both in traditional areas, such as oil/gas field supplies and services, and in priority sectors identified in Omans economic diversification strategy (including logistics, mining, tourism, manufacturing, and agriculture and fisheries). Membership in International Organizations Oman and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Oman is a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. It is not a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Oman also has representatives assigned to INTERPOL and is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force. Bilateral Representation Principal embassy officials are listed in the Departments Key Officers List. Oman maintains an embassy in the United States at 2535 Belmont Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-387-1980). More information about Oman is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: CIA World Factbook Oman Page U.S. Embassy History of U.S. Relations With Oman Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics Export.gov International Offices Page Library of Congress Country Studies Travel Information More information about Qatar is available on the Qatar Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-QATAR RELATIONS The United States established diplomatic relations with Qatar in 1972 following its independence from the United Kingdom in 1971. Bilateral relations are strong, with the United States and Qatar coordinating closely on a wide range of regional and global issues. Qatar has played a constructive financial, political, and military role in addressing regional turmoil, and in partnership with the United States, has contributed to progress, stability, and prosperity in the region. The United States and Qatar also cooperate on security in the Persian Gulf region, notably via hosting the Al-Udeid Air Force Base and CENTCOM Forward Headquarters, and Qatars support of North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. military operations in the region. Qatar is a major staging ground for air operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The United States welcomes thousands of Qataris students to study in the United States every year, and six major U.S. universities have branch campuses in Qatar. Exemplifying the strong bilateral relationship, the Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture began in December 2020 and will proceed in Qatar throughout 2021 with the involvement of the Government of Qatar, the U.S. Embassy in Doha, and various cultural and academic stakeholders. U.S. Assistance to Qatar The United States provides no development assistance to Qatar. Bilateral Economic Relations The United States and Qatar have extensive economic ties. As Qatars largest foreign direct investor and its single largest source of imports, the United States has developed a robust trade relationship with Qatar, with over 120 U.S companies operating in country. U.S. exports to Qatar increased by 47.7% from 2018 to 2019, totaling $6.5 billion in 2019. The United States is a leading equipment supplier and partner for Qatars oil and gas industry, and U.S. companies have played a significant role in the development of the oil and gas sector. In addition to energy, U.S. companies also performed well in export sales to Qatars defense, aviation, ICT, healthcare, food, and engineering/construction sectors. U.S. imports from Qatar include liquefied natural gas, aluminum, fertilizers, and sulfur. The United States and Qatar signed a trade and investment framework agreement and participate in annual bilateral Strategic Dialogues. Qatar announced a plan to invest $45 billion in the United States, in addition to billions of dollars worth of military and aviation, energy, and ICT contracts. Qatars Membership in International Organizations Qatar and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Qatar is an observer to the Organization of American States. Bilateral Representation Principal embassy officials are listed in the Departments Key Officers List. Qatar maintains an embassy in the United States at 2555 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 (tel. 202-274-1600). More information about Qatar is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: CIA World Factbook Qatar Page U.S. Embassy History of U.S. Relations With Qatar Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Country Page U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics Export.gov International Offices Page Library of Congress Country Studies Travel Information More information about the United Arab Emirates is available on the United Arab Emirates Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-UNITED ARAB EMIRATES RELATIONS The United States has had friendly relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 1971, following its formation and independence from the United Kingdom. The two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1972. The UAE plays an influential role in the Middle East, and is a key partner for the United States. The United States and the UAE enjoy strong bilateral cooperation on a full range of issues including defense, non-proliferation, trade, law enforcement, energy policy, and cultural exchange. The two countries work together to promote peace and security, support economic growth, and improve educational opportunities in the region and around the world. U.S. Assistance to the United Arab Emirates The United States provides Export and Border Security (EXBS) assistance to the UAE. Bilateral Economic Relations The prosperity of the UAE is based in large part on the countrys vast oil and gas reserves. It is the United States single largest export market in the Middle East and North Africa region, and more than 1,000 U.S. firms operate in the country. Many more U.S. companies, drawn by strong logistics and transport industries, use the UAE as a regional headquarters from which to conduct business throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia. The United Arab Emirates Membership in International Organizations The UAE and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Bilateral Representation Principal embassy officials are listed in the Departments Key Officers List. The United Arab Emirates maintains an embassy in the United States at 3522 International Court, NW, Washington, DC, 20008 (tel. 202-243-2400). More information about the United Arab Emirates is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: CIA World Factbook United Arab Emirates Page U.S. Embassy: United Arab Emirates History of U.S. Relations With United Arab Emirates Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Countries Page U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics Export.gov International Offices Page Library of Congress Country Studies More information about Algeria is available on the Algeria Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-ALGERIA RELATIONS Algeria is a strategically located country with which the United States engages on diplomatic, law enforcement, economic, and security matters. Ties stretch back to the 1795 Treaty of Peace and Amity, and in the modern era diplomatic relations date from 1962, when Algeria became independent from France. The United States and Algeria conduct frequent civilian and military exchanges. The two countries participated in the fifth U.S.-Algeria Strategic Dialogue in March 2022. They also held a Joint Military Dialogue that same month. U.S. Assistance to Algeria U.S. engagement in Algeria has three primary objectives: expanding our security and military cooperation, growing economic and commercial links, and building educational and cultural ties between Algerians and Americans. Exchanges of expertise play a valuable role in strengthening the U.S.-Algeria law enforcement and security relationship at both the senior and working levels. Programming from the State Departments Bureaus of Counterterrorism (CT) and International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) enables us to work with Algerian law enforcement and security agencies to interdict and investigate a wide variety of crimes and terrorist activities in strategic areas of capability like advanced investigative and prosecutorial techniques and border security. Our Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) has supported the work of Algerias civil society through programming that provides training to journalists, businesspeople, female entrepreneurs and parliamentarians, legal professionals, and the heads of leading non-governmental organizations. There are close to 5,000 alumni of U.S. government exchange programs throughout Algeria. Our programs support youth entrepreneurship and English language learning and teaching, womens empowerment, media engagement, and cross-cultural dialogue. In 2019, Algeria and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at protecting and preserving Algerias cultural heritage. Bilateral Economic Relations The United States is one of Algerias top trading partners, and Algeria is one of the top U.S. trading partners in the Middle East/North African region. According to the World Bank, the United States was the top source of stock Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Algeria as of 2020, providing 28 percent or $6.2 billion of total FDI. Most U.S. FDI in Algeria has been in the hydrocarbons sector. The two countries have signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that provides a platform to address impediments in the economic relationship and identify paths to broader commercial interaction. The two countries held TIFA talks in June 2022. The United States supports Algerias desire to diversify its economy, encourage a transition to renewable energy, move toward transparent economic policies, and liberalize its investment climate. Algerias Membership in International Organizations Algeria and the United States belong to several of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. Algeria is an active member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) and serves as the co-chair of the organizations West Africa Working Group. Algeria is also a Partner for Cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an observer to the Organization of American States, and an observer to the World Trade Organization. It also occasionally provides airlift and other logistical support to UN and AU peacekeeping operations. Bilateral Representation Principal embassy officials are listed in the Departments Key Officers List. Algeria maintains an embassy in the United States at 2118 Kalorama Rd NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 1-202-265-2800). More information about Algeria is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: CIA World Factbook Algeria Page U.S. Embassy History of U.S. Relations With Algeria U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics Export.gov International Offices Page Library of Congress Country Studies Travel Information Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe Russia has developed a new accessory for its Orlan 10 UAV that turns the aircraft into the equivalent of a cell phone tower, or a cell phone tower detector and jammer. Troops with the proper equipment and software can use the Orlan 10 to send and receive text, voice and images (including video). This system works with another Orlan 10 accessory; the RB-341V (Leer-3) that will precisely locate cell phone towers and can also jam those within six kilometers. Locating the towers is important because troops on the ground can then go destroy or capture the equipment. Artillery or airstrikes can, with an accurate location, destroy the cell phone gear remotely. These capabilities are nothing new, American aircraft have had this stuff for over a decade. Its not particularly high tech but it does represent a unique aspect of modern warfare in which cell phone networks often continue to function on modern battlefields and if the commercial networks dont the military can employ a temporary one largely suited to their own use. Russia has, since the 1990s, made quite a lot of money exporting military grade electronic weapons. They dont have the latest stuff, but are willing to provide gear that is still restricted to military use in the West. The Orlan 10 is one of two modern UAV designs Russia is known to have. It weighs about 15 kilograms (33 pounds) and can carry a payload of up to 6 kilograms of various kinds of recon equipment, including infrared cameras, or an array of multiple cameras used for creating 3-dimensional maps. Its gasoline engine provides a cruise speed of 90 to 150 kilometers an hour, a service ceiling of about 5 kilometers, and a flight endurance of 18 hours. Together with control and launch equipment, the Orlan-10 costs approximately $480,000. The aircraft is launched via a portable, folding catapult, and lands by shutting down the engine and deploying a parachute. Orlan 10 entered service in 2012 and has been used in Ukraine and Syria. Russia is using this combat experience to help export sales of Orlan 10 and the two new electronic warfare features. Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan continues to decline. Surprisingly the vocal popular support for Islamic terrorism in Pakistan was suddenly muted in late January as the military made some unexpected concessions regarding its support for terrorism and the government was able to go after a major Islamic charity that was long known (by literally everyone) as a front for Islamic terrorist fund raising. What caused this sudden change was the unexpected American threat to declare Pakistan a supporter of Islamic terrorism and restrict the movement of Pakistanis to and from the United States. What made this threat so convincing is that the newly (since January 20 th ) installed U.S. government started keeping campaign promises and banned seven nations (Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen) that have long been the source of most Islamic terrorism. Many in South Asia believe Pakistan should be on the list. Afghanistan and India have long called for such action against Pakistan but Pakistanis thought the Americans would never do it. The leaders of Pakistans Islamic parties, who normally call for violent demonstrations against any effort to shut down Islamic terrorists who only attack outside Pakistan were quiet. That was because many of their key supporters may be enthusiastic about Islamic terrorism, they are more concerned about family in the West, especially the United States, or seeking to go there. The Islamic political parties have grown stronger since the military cracked down on anti-Pakistan Islamic terrorists in 2014. But now even the military is concerned about Pakistan being labeled what it has long been; a major supporter of Islamic terrorism. The fear may not last, but its a refreshing change of attitude for people in the region, including most Pakistanis. Meanwhile there is less Islamic terrorist violence in Pakistani. In 2016 there were only 1,893 Islamic terrorism related deaths and for January 2017 the number was a quarter of the deaths for January 2016. Yet Pakistan remains the primary source of support for Islamic terrorism in the region. It is becoming increasingly difficult to deny this as more and more evidence surfaces. This has led to open discussions about how to deal with the mess these lies have gotten Pakistan into. Some of these public discussions feature Pakistani officials saying that to move against all Islamic terrorists in Pakistan too aggressively would mean more Islamic terrorist attacks inside Pakistan and that is not acceptable. While maintaining some terrorist sanctuaries makes sense to many Pakistanis it simply angers Afghanistan and India (and now Bangladesh as well) because they have long suffered from Pakistan based Islamic terror groups that had (and still have) sanctuary in Pakistan and until recently any Pakistani openly admitting that would be called a traitor and risk prison or death. What has been changing Pakistani attitudes towards this official denial was the growing evidence that the Pakistani position was all a lie and a self-destructive one at that. That includes Pakistan trying to blame all Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan on foreigners (usually India). This became embarrassing when Pakistani Islamic terrorists would get on the Internet and provide evidence that they, not India, did it. The Afghans and Americans also lost their patience with years of Pakistani promises that they were working on the problem when, in fact, that was all for show. Even major patron, arms supplier and ally China, concerned about current and planned major investments there, has threatened to cut back if Pakistan does not improve security and is calling for greater international efforts to do the same in Afghanistan where China has some major projects pending because of security concerns. This is a veiled criticism of Pakistani support of Islamic terrorism. Pakistan acknowledges that Chinese support is crucial yet even China has to deal with the terrorism threat created and sustained by the Pakistani military. All this has fueled the growing struggle within the Pakistani government as the military (and its intel branch, ISI) refuse to consider shutting down the remaining Islamic terrorist sanctuaries. While Afghanistans internal problems (corruption, ethnic and religious animosities) are caused and sustained by Afghans it doesnt help that neighbors like Pakistan actively keep the pot boiling. That is beginning to cause a lot more problems for Pakistan and in the long run that is a good thing for Afghanistan. The situation is different next door. India suffered 898 terrorism related deaths in 2016 and Islamic terrorism was not the major problem. The tribal rebels in the northeast accounted for 22 percent of the terrorism deaths in 2016. The Maoists were responsible for 48 percent and Islamic terrorists the other 30 percent. The Pakistani military was quite proud of its efforts to increase violence in Kashmir in 2016. Casualties among Indian security forces there hit a record high of 82 in 2016. Deaths had not been that high since 2008 when they were 85 for the year, down from 244 in 2005. Violence in Kashmir was highest since 2008 largely because the Pakistani military needed a distraction for the many Pakistani voters and politicians who are again trying to curb the power of the military. Despite being more active in 2016 the Maoists see themselves as facing extinction (communism as a global movement died in the 1990s) and the remaining ones in eastern India are trying real hard to survive. This includes a lot more terrorism (mainly bombings) and that means a lot more civilians killed. The Maoists are apparently willing to suffer the further loss of popular support those civilian deaths creates if it will help the remaining Maoists survive. Tribal Tribulations Pakistan considers Afghanistan a client state and many Pakistanis support that attitude because of the Pushtun threat. That threat is getting worse inside Pakistan. The Afghans are considered a collection of fractious tribes pretending to be a nation. With no access to the sea, most Afghan road connections to ports are with Pakistan. The Afghans resent this, especially since for thousands of years invasions of northern India (which, historically, lowland Pakistan was a part of) came out of Afghanistan where many Pushtun tribesmen would join the invaders. Pakistan and India are well aware of this, and still consider the Pushtuns a bunch of bloodthirsty savages from the mountains. Afghanistan has only been around for a few centuries and Pakistan was carved out of British India in 1947. Before that it was a collection of feudal states and tribal territories. When you get right down to it, Pakistan's big problem is that it contains two-thirds of the Pushtun people (who are 15 percent of Pakistan's population) while Afghanistan contains the other third (who are 40 percent of Afghanistan's population.) "Pushtunstan" is a nation of 30-40 million Pushtuns caught between Pakistan (still over 150 million people without the Pushtuns) and northern Afghanistan (with about 18 million non-Pushtuns) Without Pushtuns, Afghanistan would become yet another Central Asian country with a small population (neighboring Tajikistan has 7.7 million and Uzbekistan has 30 million). But Pushtunstan is never going to happen because the Pushtuns have long been divided by tribal politics and cultural differences. When the Pushtun aren't fighting outsiders, they fight each other. The violent and fractious Pushtuns are a core problem in the region, and have been for centuries. There is no easy solution to this and now more Pushtuns are openly calling for the establishment of a Pushtunstan and are making common cause with the Baluchis to the south (in Baluchistan) who have long fought to establish an independent Baluchistan. Both tribal separatist groups want to be rid of the Pakistani military and the Islamic terrorist organizations the military supports. January 31, 2017: The Pakistani military announced that it was not involved with any terrorism in Afghanistan. This assertion did not please or placate anyone in Afghanistan because the sanctuaries of the Afghan Taliban are still in use in southwestern Pakistan, just across the border from Helmand province, which is again largely controlled by the Taliban. This announcement was believed a response to the American threat to restrict movement of Pakistanis to the United States. The Pakistani military also said it agreed with the decision to put five leaders of Islamic terror group Jamaatud Dawa under house arrest and shut down its charities which actually collect cash for Islamic terrorist operations, frequently against India. This sort of crackdown has been used before and it was always temporary. India believes Pakistan is, as it did in 2001 (after Pakistani based terrorists attacked the Indian parliament building) and 2008 (after a major attack in Mumbai) going through the motions of cracking down on the terrorist organizations. In 2001, Lashkar e Toiba (which planned the recent Mumbai attacks) and Jamaatud Dawa (which provided money and other support) had its leaders put under house arrest and its offices closed temporarily. When the media heat was off Pakistan, the terrorist leaders were released, and the terrorist organizations reopened their offices under new names. Until 2008 India negotiated with Pakistan to reverse that decision. But Pakistan insists that the terrorists dedicated to seizing Kashmir from India are too popular, inside Pakistan, to really shut down. Since the 2008 Mumbai attack India has been pressuring Pakistan to really, really shut down operations like Lashkar e Toiba. Pakistan continues to resist in the expectation that it would get away with doing nothing. That has become more difficult as the international community, including the UN, has recognized Lashkar e Toiba and Jamaatud Dawa as terrorist organizations and threatened to declare Pakistan a "terrorist state." That would be interesting, as Pakistan has nuclear weapons and is keeps encountering evidence that Islamic terrorist groups are seeking an opportunity to seize one or more of these atomic bombs. January 29, 2017: In Pakistan, three days after pro-Islamic terrorist host Amir Liaqat was banned from appearing on TV, four of five online critics of the military who had mysteriously disappeared three weeks earlier reappeared and two of them promptly left the country. The kidnapping of these five men triggered nationwide demonstrations and unprecedented pressure on the the military to release them. Amir Liaqat is a self-described Islamic scholar and appears regularly on BOL TV, one of the many media outlets controlled by the military. Liaqat has been known to get people killed by accusing them of blasphemy. Like many Moslem majority nations Pakistan has laws that actually encourage religious violence. The most damaging instance of this are the blasphemy laws enacted in the 1970s. These allow for prosecution of anyone accused of speaking or acting against Islam. While no one had ever been officially executed because of these laws, many are accused and jailed each year, and often condemned to death (and later reprieved). But a growing number of those accused have been murdered by Islamic fanatics, who are a large, and violent, minority of the population. Accusations of blasphemy are mostly used by Moslems against innocent non-Moslems (usually Christians) but also against each other. Efforts to repeal these laws, or at least limit their misuse, are violently resisted by Islamic political parties and the military. It was the military that created these laws back when it decided to turn Islamic terrorism into a secret weapon for use against its enemies. The military still uses false blasphemy charges as an excuse to silence (often by death) media and political opponents. Liaqat accused five online critics of the military of heresy. These five had disappeared in early January and were believed to have been kidnapped by the military. This is often done to silence (via threats) or eliminate (via murder or public accusations of heresy) popular critics of the military. Since being banned the police has issued an arrest warrant for Liaqat because he already accused the missing five bloggers of heresy. It is rare for a civilian government to move against the heresy laws like this but the majority of Pakistanis want the heresy laws gone, no matter what the opposition the military or the Islamic political parties present. January 28, 2017: In northwest India (Kashmir) near the Pakistani border, another avalanche killed five soldiers on patrol in the same area where avalanches killed 15 soldiers on the 25th. All this took place near army camps that both nations maintain along the Kashmir border. Some of these camps are high up, at an altitude of 6,500 meters (20,000 feet) or higher. These are the highest military camps on the planet, the result of not precisely demarcating the 740 kilometer long border. One 75 kilometer portion is on the 6,500-7,000 kilometer high Siachen glacier. The reason for not precisely marking that part of the border was the inaccessibility of those 75 kilometers of ice and thin air. This bizarre situation developed in the late 1970s, when Pakistan began a campaign of Islamic terror attacks on Indian Kashmir. In response, India moved more police and troops to Kashmir and in 1984 moved troops onto the Siachen glacier to block Pakistan based Islamic terrorists from sneaking into Indian Kashmir. No terrorists appear to have ever used the glacier route into Indian territory but with the high levels of terrorist violence in Indian Kashmir, desperate measures seemed reasonable. Pakistan responded to the Indian action by moving troops up onto the glacier as well. Since then, over a thousand soldiers have died, and even more injured, while serving in those harsh conditions (thin air, intense cold, constant snow and ice plus frequent inaccessibility). After September 11, 2001, the two countries began negotiating a ceasefire, and one was signed in 2003. This ended the frequent gunfire on the glacier (usually initiated by the Pakistanis), but efforts to negotiate a withdrawal of troops from the glacier have so far failed. January 26, 2017: The Pakistani government, in a rare move, banned Amir Liaqat, a popular TV host from working on air because he regularly accusing Pakistanis or heresy if they are hostile to Islamic terrorism or the military. January 25, 2017: In northwest India (Kashmir) near the Pakistani border, two avalanches left 15 Indian soldiers dead. One avalanche hit a camp and the other one hit a patrol. January 24, 2017: For the first time Pakistan successfully tested its Ababeel missile. This is actually a new version of its Shaheen 3 IRBM (Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile) with a range of 2,200 kilometers and MIRV (Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle) capabilities meaning it could carry two or more warheads each able to reach a different target. Shaheen 3 had the longest range (2,700 kilometers) of any Pakistani missile and could reach all of India. Shaheen 3 had its first launch of this missile in March 2015. India said its anti-missile missiles could deal with this and Pakistan is implying that a missile with MIRV would defeat the anti-missile defenses. India described the Ababeel MIRV claim as a fake. January 22, 2017: In northeast India (Assam) the first clash with the tribal rebels took place with two soldiers were killed and three wounded in an ambush. Two rebels were also killed and the rest fled. In Afghanistan the governor of Helmand province (where the Taliban are most active and where most of the world supply of opium and heroin are produced) said provincial security forces had collected lots of evidence that Iran and Pakistan were supporting and supplying the Taliban in Helmand. January 21, 2017: In northwest Pakistan (Kurram) a local market near the Afghan border was attacked with a bomb that killed 25 civilians and wounded at least twice as many. The Pakistani Taliban is suspected as that group maintains bases just across the border in Afghanistan. January 20, 2017: Among recently released (by the United States) Osama bin Laden documents was a letter from an Islamic terrorist group operating in Indian Kashmir (from a sanctuary in Pakistani Kashmir) asking for advice on how to destroy their patron (the Pakistani military) after India had been driven out of Kashmir. It is no secret that even Islamic terrorist groups that profess loyalty to the Pakistani military contain many members who see the Pakistani military as impure (many officers and troops do not believe in Islamic terrorism and do sinful things like watch movies and drink alcoholic beverages) and thus in line to be cleansed. These bin Laden documents revive concerns about the Pakistani military. Since mid-2013, when the Abbottabad Commission report was leaked, the Pakistani military leaders realized they had to face some unpleasant realities. The Abbottabad Commission report was commissioned by the Pakistani government in June 2011 to get to the truth of how Osama bin Laden could hide out in Pakistan for a decade and the United States could send in commandos in May 2011 to attack the bin Laden compound in Abbottabad (a military town near the capital) and then get away to Afghanistan without any interference from the Pakistan military. The Abbottabad Commission did a thorough job, so thorough that when the final report was delivered in January 2013 the government ordered it kept from the public. The reason for this was that the report admitted corruption and incompetence in the government and military were the main reasons bin Laden could hide in plain sight, and also why the Americans could fly in from Afghanistan, kill bin Laden, take large quantities of documents from the bin Laden compound and get out without any casualties. After the report became public in mid-2013 the Pakistani military responded by blaming the Pakistani police and domestic intelligence agencies for not noticing the bin Laden compound in Abbottabad and admitted that the military was more concerned with guarding the border with India than the one with Afghanistan. Few people inside or outside Pakistan believed the military on this issue, and much else besides. January 19, 2017: In central Pakistan (Punjab) police clashed with a group of Islamic terrorists and killed four while three escaped. One of the dead turned out to be Asif Chotu, a key leader of Lashkar i Jhangvi, a local Islamic terror group responsible for several major attacks inside Pakistan. There was a $30,000 reward for the death or capture of Chotu. In the southwest (Baluchistan) Pakistan Islamic terrorists tried to enter Afghanistan (Helmand) using an escort of Pakistani border guards. The Afghan border guards confronted the group and that kicked off a two hour gun battle before the intruders retreated back into Pakistan. That was followed by a mortar attack on the Afghan border guards involved, leaving one Afghan dead and two wounded. Afghanistan complained to Pakistan but was told no Pakistani security forces were involved. January 17, 2017: Iranian military commanders appeared on a video posted to a government news site to describe the number of Afghan and Pakistani Shia mercenaries fighting for Iran in Syria against rebels (most of them Sunni) trying to overthrow the Shia government there. The video commentary described there being 18,000 Afghan Shia currently fighting in Syria and far fewer (less than a thousand) Pakistani Shia. Some 20 percent of Pakistanis are Shia and that comes to ten times as many Shia as Afghanistan has. Most of the Pakistani Shia Iran recruited are Baluchis who are 3.5 percent of the population. The disparity here can be explained by the fact that Iran pays well for those who sign on to fight in Syria and most of these volunteers are from Afghan refugees living in Iran. Many of these Afghans are apparently not Shia but need a job. In Pakistan a major source of Islamic terrorist violence has long been Sunni Pakistani zealots killing Pakistani Shia. Sunni religious conservatives believe that Shia are heretics and must die for that. January 16, 2017: Indian officials revealed that in the last two years Pakistani rockets and shells fired into India across the LoC (Line of Control) that separates Indian from Pakistani Kashmir has killed 26 Indian civilians and wounded another 158 wounded. The Indian government currently pays the families of those killed $38,000 and lesser amounts (plus free medical care) to those wounded. The government also paid to repair the 216 structures damaged by the rocket and shell fire. In northwest Pakistan (North Waziristan) the first 2,000 locals who fled to Afghanistan 2014, returned home. These Pushtuns fled after the army offensive against Islamic terrorists in North Waziristan began in mid-2014. About 20,000 of these refugees will return by the end of the month. January 15, 2017: In Bangladesh the government has persuaded the Burmese government to begin (this month) high-level talks about their border control problems. Burma is the cause of this mess by not controlling ethnic violence up there that has sent over half a million Burmese fleeing, mostly to Bangladesh. In response Bangladesh has already reinforced border security to try and stem the illegal migration. Bangladesh wants Burma to take back some or all of the more than 400,000 Burmese Rohingya Moslems who have fled across the border, usually as illegal migrants, since 2011. The situation got worse in late 2016 and over 40,000 Burmese Moslems have fled to Bangladesh since then. Bangladesh borders Burmas Rakhine State which contains most of the Burmese Rohingya Burma insists the Rohingya are Bangladeshis who are in Burma illegally. Burma also fears the Rohingya will be a source of Islamic terrorists. While Bangladesh has arrested a few Pakistan trained Rohingya Islamic terrorists the Rohingya have largely avoided Islamic terrorism. But in Burma the Rohingya, who trace their origin to Bangladesh, have suffered increased persecution in Burma since the 1980s, and especially since the 2011 elections that restored democracy and got lot of anti-Moslem Buddhist nationalists elected. Most Rohingyas are Bengalis, or people from Bengal (now Bangladesh) who began migrating to Burma during the 19th century. At that time the British colonial government ran Bangladesh and Burma, and allowed this movement, even though the Buddhist Burmese opposed it. Britain recognized the problem too late, and the Bengali Moslems were still in Burma when Britain gave up its South Asian colonies after World War II (1939-45). Any kind of peace deal with the Rohingya is unlikely as far as most Burmese are concerned. There is growing popular anger among Burmese towards Moslems in general and the Rohingya in particular. This is fed by the continuing reports of Islamic terrorism word-wide and especially in the region (Thailand, India, Bangladesh and China). January 14, 2017: In southwest Pakistan (port of Gwadar) the navy put into service two 600 ton, Chinese built, patrol ships to help protect the newly expanded port. Two more patrol ships (each 1,500 tons) are being built in China for delivery later in 2017 at Gwadar. There were rumors that these ships were a gift from China but Pakistan and China both declared that Pakistan bought the ships but would not say for how much. A month earlier the navy officially established Task Force 88 in Gwadar, a city of 100,000 and site of one of the biggest construction projects in the country. The new naval task force will use warships, maritime patrol aircraft and UAVs to guard the coastal areas from any Islamic terrorist attack against ships, especially Chinese ones. Pakistan has assured China that there would be no terrorist violence against Chinese working on upgrading the port of Gwadar and land links north to China. This is a key part of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This project began in 2013 when China agreed to spend $18 billion to build a road from Gwadar into northwest China. This will require drilling long tunnels through the Himalayan Mountains on the border (in Pakistani controlled Kashmir.) The road and a natural gas pipeline are part of the larger CPEC project. This will make it much easier and cheaper to move people, data (via fiber optic cables) and goods between China and Pakistan. China also gets a 40 year lease on much of the port facilities at Gwadar, which India fears will serve as a base for Chinese warships. The thousands of Chinese coming into Pakistan for this project are prime targets for Islamic terrorists and tribal separatists in Baluchistan. The people in Gwadar will benefit greatly from the construction and the expanded port. Because of that Pakistan has formed a special security forces, currently 20,000 strong, dedicated to keeping the foreign (mainly Chinese) workforce safe. January 9, 2017: Pakistan declared that Babur 3, the submarine launched version of its stealthy Raad (Hatf 8) cruise missile was ready for service after a successful test. This version has a range of 450 kilometers and can carry a nuclear warhead. In January 2016 Babur 2, the air launched version, with a range of 750 kilometers, was successfully tested. Babur/Hatf 8 is three decade old technology, been in service since 2007 and not as complex as the many ballistic missiles Pakistan has also built. Cruise missiles are cheaper than ballistic missiles, and can be recalled (useful if they have nuclear warheads). Three Islamic terrorists from Pakistan crossed the border in Kashmir and launched a night attack on an army base two kilometers inside India. Three civilian workers were killed and the attackers fled. Soldiers believe they later found and killed one of the attackers nearby. Several days later an Islamic terrorist leader in one of the camps just across the border in Pakistan described the attack differently saying that 30 Indian soldiers were killed and the four Islamic terrorists get back to Pakistan safely. In fact the small base was a temporary work camp for civilian contractors doing repairs and maintenance in the area. If 30 soldiers had been killed it would have been big, and detailed news in India. But in Pakistan supporters of Islamic terrorism (over ten percent of the population) believe what they want to believe. Unlike India, the Pakistani media is subject to censorship (via threats and worse). Most Pakistanis want that changed but thats another issue. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. 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The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California. 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. No one really knows how a stray cat named Pooh injured his back legs. It's possible a train, or maybe even a car, struck him in the small Bulgarian village where he lived. Whatever happened, Pooh had some serious injures, and he needed help quickly. Central Vet Clinic Pooh didn't really belong to anyone, although a local woman occasionally left food outside for him. When the woman noticed Pooh was hurt, she rushed him to Central Vet Clinic, a veterinary hospital in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital. Vladislav Zlatinov, a surgeon who worked there, was the first to examine Pooh. Pooh had severe soft tissue damage and open, infected wounds. Zlatinov knew he needed to act fast. Initially, Zlatinov thought he had only two choices - amputate the back legs high up on the limbs or, if that didn't work, euthanize Pooh to put him out of his misery. Central Vet Clinic But Zlatinov didn't want to do either of those things. He'd heard about Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick, a celebrity vet in the U.K., who'd done a complicated surgery on a cat named Oscar, repairing his injured back legs and attaching permanent prosthetics - tiny "peg legs" - into the cat's ankle bones. Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life "I had the vague idea that this is done, but it sounded impossible for our practice," Zlatinov said. "But I wanted to try." Central Vet Clinic The process wasn't easy. Zlatinov had to perform several surgeries to save the upper parts of Pooh's legs. Then Zlatinov organized to get custom-made prosthetics, which he drilled into Pooh's ankle bones, permanently attaching them to Pooh's legs. Central Vet Clinic "He's doing surprisingly well so far," Zlatinov said. "Pooh can move freely on flat surfaces - walking, running, even making small jumps. For now, he can't make bigger jumps. What's important is that he doesn't seem to be in pain." Central Vet Clinic Pooh might seem a little clumsy, but Zlatinov doesn't think this has anything to do with his artificial legs. "He is just one lazy, fat boy," Zlatinov said. "Eventually, he will be able to move freely ... if he loses the fat belly, of course." Central Vet Clinic Pooh seems to be getting used to his new legs already, and treating them like any other part of his body. "He grooms them and tries to keep them clean," Zlatinov said. Central Vet Clinic "We're very proud," Zlatinov told Reuters. "It was quite a success ... It gives hope to other patients." Central Vet Clinic Sometimes, a dog comes along who wins over so many hearts at the shelter that staff and volunteers have to take a deep breath before sending him off to his new home. Longmont Humane Society Make no mistake, when Beefcakes finally found his forever family this week, everyone at the Longmont Humane Society in Colorado cheered for the dog who had come such an impossibly long way in their care. But for an organization that helped the dog pick up the pieces of his life, it was a bittersweet farewell. When Beefcakes first arrived, he seemed every inch a broken dog. His face, having suffered a gunshot wound at close range, had to be practically put back together. But when it came to his heart, there was no reassembly required. Beefcakes' wall-to-wall grin never wavered. And that smile proved contagious. Dodo Shows Dodo Heroes Woman Devotes Her Life To The Stray Dogs Of Bali Longmont Humane Society "He gets a lot of people smiling every single day," Carrie Brackenridge, marketing and communications manager at the shelter, told The Dodo in December. "That's really how he prefers things. He adores being in the company of people. We all love being around him. He just makes people happy." In fact, Beefcakes was the only animal at the shelter to dispense with a kennel entirely - and call a staffer's office his home. Longmont Humane Society So you'll forgive shelter staff for acting like a protective parent when it came to sending Beefcakes off into the world. They had to be really, really sure. In fact, Beefcakes had already been adopted once from the same shelter back in July 2015. But that family, citing a change in their circumstances, returned him. Beefcakes was unfazed, settling back into life in his second home, where volunteers even took him along on shopping errands. Longmont Humane Society So when a couple offered Beefcakes a home this week, feelings were admittedly, guarded. "Because of his history and because he is so famous, we were pretty protective of him," Rhea Moriarity, the shelter's director of training and behavior, tells The Dodo. In fact, Moriarity personally delivered Beefcakes to his new family. "I took him to his new home so I got to meet with his adopters and talk to them pretty extensively about his history and his needs and ... keeping in touch with us," she says. "It was a little bit bittersweet. He's probably my favorite dog ever." Longmont Humane Society But it turns out, all the due diligence in the world couldn't take anything away from the perfect fit that was Beefcakes' new family. Longmont Humane Society "They've got some open space around them," Moriarity says. "They've got a nice big yard for him to romp around in. They often spend time up in the mountains in Colorado so they plan to take him with them." Which suits the dog with a passion for riding in cars just fine. Longmont Humane Society "They're planning on taking him on hiking and mountain adventures once the weather warms up and he can go up there with them," she adds. And he will, of course, be the only dog in the family. Just the way Beefcakes likes it. Longmont Humane Society In an Instagram video posted in 2014, two cats with short, stumpy legs slink across a tabletop, then patter up to each other and touch noses. They could almost pass for kittens because of their short legs, but the cats - Munchkin and Shorty - are actually fully grown adults. Munchkin and Shorty are munchkin cats, a relatively new "breed" characterized by a genetic mutation that causes short legs. These two cats belong to hotel heiress Paris Hilton, who seems to have penchant for buying tiny dogs and cats. "Love my lil low rider kitties Shorty & Munchkin," Hilton wrote below the video. "Look how cute & tiny their legs are." Shorty and Munchkin may be cute, but behind their appearance is a dark reality. Dodo Shows Odd Couples Dog Is So Gentle And Patient With Her Foster Kittens While cats can be naturally born with the genetic mutation that causes short legs (which is actually a type of dwarfism), people are deliberately breeding cats like this, simply because they think munchkin cats look "cute" and "adorable." Yet that genetic mutation also brings about a host of health issues. Most of these issues are related to bone deformities. "As far as what we know, the inappropriate bone formation absolutely leads to abnormal loading, which predisposes them to osteoarthritis," Dr. Carol Margolis, a veterinarian and lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, told The Dodo. "They can have spinal malformations, lordosis and scoliosis ... and they can be born with rib abnormalities." Muchkin cats also can't jump the way normal cats can, but the reason for this could be twofold. "Many of the descriptions of these cats is that they cannot jump due to their deformities, but the question is: Is it that they cannot jump, or they will not jump because their deformities are so painful?" Margolis said. While it's unknown how many munchkin cats exist, or how many people are breeding them, a quick Google search shows how easy to buy a munchkin cat. They can sell for between $300 and $1,200, which is a hefty price considering the vet bills owners may need to pay if the cats develop health problems. Munchkin cats are not yet recognized as a "breed" by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), which is the world's largest cat organization. "Breeding animals for exaggerated physical characteristics, particularly when it compromises overall health, is irresponsible," Katie Lisnik, director of cat protection and policy at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), told The Dodo. "Breeders should place the long-term health and welfare of their breeding animals and offspring above their efforts to win shows and garner fees." Munchkin cats can live between 12 and 15 years, although their lifespans are much shorter if they have health issues, Margolis said. What's more, breeding cats - not just munchkins, but any kind - can contribute to the serious problem of pet overpopulation. "Millions of dogs and cats are killed each year in U.S. shelters and approximately 25 to 30 percent of these animals are purebreds," Lisnik said. When a woman with five dogs got pregnant, many people told her she should give them up before the baby arrived - and so instead she did a photoshoot to prove them wrong. Sanjana Madappa works for Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA), a shelter in Bangalore, India, and has five rescue dogs all adopted from there. Madappa considers her dogs members of her family, and could never imagine giving them up for any reason, especially a pregnancy. "I see so many people give up their dogs to the shelter because they get pregnant," Madappa told The Dodo. "Some just don't care enough, but there are people who genuinely are misinformed and/or don't have enough support." Whenever Madappa would try to counsel families who were giving up their dogs because they were expecting, they would tell her that because she'd never been pregnant or had a child, she couldn't possibly understand. And then, Madappa found out she was pregnant. Friends, family and even her own doctor told Madappa that she should give up all five of her dogs before her son arrived. They kept telling her that her baby came first, but she couldn't imagine giving up five family members just to make room for one. "I didn't say much to people who told me to give them away," Madappa said. "I just nodded and smiled because sometimes you just can't change opinions. This photoshoot was my answer." Dodo Shows Odd Couples Kitten Isn't Sure About His Pittie Brother At First Since so many people couldn't seem to understand why Madappa would want to keep her dogs despite being pregnant, she decided to show them. With the help of photographer Bhargavi Naveen, Madappa, her husband and all five dogs did a photoshoot to show the world exactly how much this baby would be loved, both by his parents and his doggie siblings. Cujo, Diego, Leo, Credit and Munni were all more than happy to participate in the photoshoot and help announce their baby brother to the world. All five dogs were so gentle with their pregnant mom - and she knows they'll be just as gentle with their new baby brother. Madappa had a particularly difficult pregnancy, and was sick and bedridden almost the entire time. It was an incredibly challenging experience for her, and her dogs are the reason she was able to get through it. "The dogs were always there for me, especially when things got tough during the pregnancy," Madappa said. "From sitting in the bathroom with me while I was sick to staying awake with me at night when I couldn't sleep, they were a constant source of comfort to me." Finally, Madappa's son Ayan was born - and his new dog siblings continued to prove everyone wrong by being so gentle and loving with their new baby brother. "My youngest pup sleeps next to his cradle while another always comes running to check in on him if he starts crying," Madappa said. "They are so gentle with him. They never jump on me if I'm carrying him or up on the bed if he is on it. I didn't have to teach them this, they just knew." When Blaze's dad went out for a few hours, he left Blaze in their yard in Montana to run and play until he got back. He figured Blaze would be happy and safe there - until he came back and found that Blaze had gotten his head stuck in the wheel of a car. The wheel wasn't actually attached to anything, and so the frazzled man loaded Blaze - and the wheel - into his car and quickly drove him to St. Francis Veterinary Hospital. The vet was completely stumped as to how to help the very stuck puppy, and decided to call the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department for assistance. Battalion Chief Bill Fisher, firefighter Zach Osborne and Fire Marshal/Assistant Chief Brian Doherty met the puppy and his dad outside the veterinary hospital to assess the situation and see how they could help. They thought they might need to use some extraction tools to free Blaze - but in the end, all they actually needed was strength and coconut oil. "An ample amount of coconut oil was used to lube Blaze's head, ears and neck," Shelly Jones, office coordinator at the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department, told The Dodo. "Firefighter Osborne then pulled and squeezed the pup's loose skin and ears, and eventually his head out of the wheel hole." Blaze suffered some minor swelling on his neck, but for the most part he came out of the whole ordeal completely fine. He was calm, cool and collected while the firefighters worked to free him, and was incredibly grateful when they finally succeeded. "He was a very happy little pup when he was set free," Jones said. The firefighters were only at the veterinary hospital for around nine minutes, and the actual rescue only took about 30 seconds. Once Blaze was nice and oiled up, it just took a little strength to get him out and set him free. Last week, hunters with Japan's infamous Taiji dolphin hunt rounded up a superpod of 300 dolphins and drove them into the Taiji cove. There, they sorted out the younger, more "attractive" dolphins to sell to marine parks around the world, tearing them away from their panicked families and shipping them off to captivity, Some of the dolphins being held captive | Sea Shepherd It's estimated to be the hunters' biggest catch in years, and many photos emerged showing the sheer size of the pod, which was left in the cold shallows without food during the nearly week-long selection process. But while the magnitude of the capture is shocking, the stories of the individuals captured in the superpod are just as moving. Sea Shepherd, which has a team of volunteers on the ground to monitor the hunt, recently shared photos of one of the mother dolphins as she struggled to keep her baby alive. Dodo Shows Adopt Me! Scared Little Dog Is So Full Of Joy Now And Looking For A Family The mother dolphin, center, with her baby by her side. "This small baby swims in circles by its mother," Sea Shepherd wrote. | Sea Shepherd The mother and her baby had been passed over for capture, and were shut up in a side pen with the rest of the "rejected" dolphins. But even though the hunters had no further need of her, she was left there for days while the hunters sorted through the rest of the pod. The shallow water was freezing, and she had no source of food - but still had to find some way to feed her baby, who was likely still a newborn. The newborn, seen poking her head above the water in the center of the frame, never left her mother's side. | Sea Shepherd As the Sea Shepherd team watched, the mother and her baby swam in circles in the small "rejected" pen, with the mother swooping below her young baby to push her to the surface to breathe. "This baby must only be weeks old and we have watched mum swim under it numerous times to push it to the surface," Sea Shepherd wrote. "This is typical behaviour of a mother teaching her child how and when to take breaths." The baby surfaces to breath - her mother can be seen under the water. | Sea Shepherd "Dolphin mothers nurse for up to two years, so somehow, after four days of not eating [herself], bobbing in a freezing cold, shallow pool of water, stressed and traumatised, this mother has got to feed her child," the group wrote. "This is her best friend and only companion and she will do anything she can to keep her baby alive," the group added. Sadly, like many of the other individuals who were herded into Taiji's infamous cove, this mother and baby were soon lost in the confusion. However, there's a cautious hope that they survived, and stayed together - while the Taiji hunters usually kill the "rejected" dolphins for meat, they decided to release the traumatized survivors of the superpod back into the ocean. The panicked mother and her baby. "Mum hasn't left baby's side," Sea Shepherd wrote. | Sea Shepherd Other mothers weren't so lucky. And on Wednesday - just days after releasing the remaining dolphins from the battered superpod - hunters found a family of around 30 striped dolphins and promptly slaughtered them all. The hunt takes place from September to March, and each year hundreds of whales and dolphins are killed for their meat - many others are captured, as they can fetch well over $100,000 USD each. Hunters capture a frightened dolphin from the superpod - he will be sold into captivity. | Sea Shepherd Unfortunately, the volunteers recording the hunt aren't able to intervene. The area is heavily policed, as the hunt is backed by the city of Taiji, and any attempts to interfere would lead to immediate arrest. Instead, they're hoping that, by publicizing the fate of whales and dolphins like this mother and her baby, people will come together and create enough international pressure that Japan will have to halt the hunt. The best way to help? Avoid dolphin shows, as many marine parks and aquariums are the primary funders behind the hunt - and the brutal selection process that often tears babies from their mothers' sides. NEW YORKBetween reality and the bubble of fantasy news stories, these are tough times for satirists. The New Yorker magazine recently took steps to distinguish Andy Borowitzs humour columns from politically motivated false stories circulating online. His editor said the New Yorker was getting email asking if there was a difference between the two. So they changed the tag line for The Borowitz Report from the news, reshuffled to not the news on the magazines website. When the stories are shared online, they are more clearly identified as satire, said Nicholas Thompson, editor of NewYorker.com. Borowitzs columns take the form of news stories, like one headlined this week, Trump fires attorney general after copy of Constitution is found on her computer. One story last week: Trump enraged as Mexican president meets with Meryl Streep instead. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump We were worried that the world was going to blur what he does with what other people are doing, Thompson said. Other people had an economic scheme to manipulate American politics. What Andy does, in the great tradition of satire and humour, is poke fun at American politics. Theyre very different things. Thompson admits: Its a weird problem to have. The changes, first reported by WWD, have Borowitzs blessing. He came up with the not the news tag. It made more sense when people from another country would read one of my stories and not get the joke that was kind of predictable, Borowitz said. But the fact that so many Americans have to go to Snopes.com to find out that Trump didnt really hire El Chapo to be head of the D.E.A. or something like that, thats a reading comprehension problem. Satirists generally dont like to have the word satire in flashing lights atop their work; subtlety helps the humour. Most so-called fake news stories have clear political intent like a much-shared one about the pope supposedly endorsing Trump. Some are fanciful enough to draw a chuckle. The humour site The Onion bills itself as Americas Finest News Source. A story like Trump supporter has backup scapegoats ready to go in case immigrant crackdown doesnt solve problem isnt marked satire. People who visit the site should be familiar with The Onions reputation, but its unclear if any steps are taken to clarify the intent when a story is spread online. The Onions editor turned down a request for an interview. As the line has blurred for some, a website, realorsatire.com, has emerged to do precisely what its name suggests: enable readers to input the name of a site and determine its origins. It was created more than two years ago to help web users navigate through an explosion in clickbait sites, where enticing news nuggets mostly about celebrities are used to draw people in so they can see the ads, said Jack Shepler, president of the Indianapolis, Indiana-based Ayokay Creative, which built the site. We saw people finding these ridiculous stories and posting them as real, he said. The two weeks after the presidential election were the sites most heavily trafficked time, when publicity about manufactured political stories was at its peak, he said. Many manufactured news sites purposely resemble real news destinations, increasing confusion. Shepler said hes been surprised at how often people post clearly false stories even some of his relatives and thinks its because the desire to justify their beliefs is so strong theyll take virtually anything at face value. One site, NewsMutiny, bills itself as satire for the wise, news for the dumb. One of its featured stories suggests a zoo is encouraging its patrons to harass gay penguins. When questioned, some operators of sites that produce false news for political reasons have defended themselves by saying theyre producing satire, said Steve Bodow, an executive producer of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. I resent that as a citizen, but not as a satirist, Bodow said. More than the false news sites and competition, the New Yorkers Borowitz said that his job is made more difficult by the increasing absurdity of reality. Once youve had a country thats decided that a reality show host should have nuclear weapons, its kind of hard to come up with a satirical story that beats that, he said. At The Daily Show, Bodow and his fellow producer, Jen Flanz, have more material than they know what to do with. Trump is forcing writers and host Trevor Noah to find different ways of telling stories. Theres more to do beyond the common tactic of pointing out the hypocrisy of a politicians contradictory statements, he said. It feels vital, Bodow said. Were definitely energized. Read more about: SHARE: As Toronto area housing prices have soared, so too has conjecture about the role of foreign property buyers in driving up the market. When the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) released data on Tuesday showing only 4.9 per cent of transactions in the region involved offshore buyers, it was presented as proof that a lack of housing supply not foreign buyers is behind the region's rocketing market. But that hasn't stopped the sceptics from questioning the figure. Those who doubt TREB's findings compare Toronto's situation to Vancouver where they say the real estate industry underestimated the level of foreign ownership until a crisis in housing affordability prompted the government to step in with a tax that appears to have had dramatic results. Vancouver sales were down about 40 per cent in January, compared to the same month last year. They were 10 per cent below the region's 10-year January average. Toronto's Realosophy president John Pasalis is among those who fear the Vancouver experience is happening here. "Most agents' biggest concern is obviously not immigrants. It's the fact that when you have wealthy non-residents using homes as a safety deposit box it's not good, he said. It drives up house prices in Toronto and makes everything unaffordable." If things don't settle down in another year, he fears that local buyers will feel completely cut out of the market because they can't afford to buy anything. That could fuel the kind of emotional populist movement being seen in the U.S. with the election of President Donald Trump, said Pasalis. He also doesn't set much store by TREB's Ipsos poll of about 3,500 member agents. That's fewer than 10 per cent of the 47,000 board members 80 per cent of whom sell fewer than six properties a year, he said. "What TREB sought to do was get the ball rolling in terms of getting actual information because to date we haven't had any actual empirical information," said Jason Mercer, the board's director of market analysis. "If you look at the housing market in the GTA today and see the fact that active listings at the end of December 2016 were half of what they were at the end of December 2015, I think it's pretty difficult (not) to say that the real issue underlying price growth is the lack of inventory," Mercer said. "Our hope is that the results of this survey can certainly provide a benchmark and we'd be happy to see other organizations undertake their own research," said Mercer. But for now, TREB's 4.9 per cent is the only new number available. The federal government has budgeted $500,000 for Statistics Canada to develop methods for gathering data on foreign ownership. It has also convened a working group of government and the banking and housing sectors in Ontario and B.C. But there's no word on when any hard numbers will be available. A government spokesperson would only say that the results of the work will be announced once it is finalized. Ipsos vice-president Sean Simpson isn't entirely surprised that his TREB poll findings are being questioned. He cites an unrelated Ipsos study that tested the accuracy of Canadians' perceptions of their country. It showed Canadians believed 24 per cent of the population is Muslim. In reality, it is 3 per cent. The finding that only 4.9 per cent of transactions involved foreign buyers "is in stark contrast to the conjecture and speculation that is out there," said Simpson. "We build up in our mind that things are a certain way when, in reality, they simply aren't. I think that is the case here with the foreign buyers situation," he said. He also doesn't believe that the respondents could have skewed their answers, even if they had an interest in keeping the number of foreign transactions low to ward off a potential Vancouver-style tax that might sideswipe the GTA housing market. "Would they lowball it? I'm not necessarily sure they would know to what end we were asking the questions," he said. The subject of foreign property investment has gained momentum for the same reason real estate discussions hijack dinner party conversation. It's the craziness of the market, said William Strange, professor of business economics at U of T's Rotman School of Management. He is glad someone has finally started collecting numbers. But Strange says he has a lot of questions: Would the realtors surveyed necessarily know whether the purchasers were actually overseas buyers, or people moving around the country or region? Would they know where a buyer is in the Canadian immigration process? How many purchases don't involve agents? Many developers wouldn't necessarily use local realtors to market properties to foreign buyers. How do you get a more accurate picture given privacy laws and the reality that many deals are cash, so even mortgage information wouldn't provide a full picture? And Strange notes there's something contradictory in the real estate board's assertion that the 4.9 per cent is a relatively low number, at the same time its warning the number is high enough that a tax or policy intervention could distort the market by affecting communities outside the city or reducing the already scarce supply of Toronto rentals. Pasalis says 4.9 per cent doesn't reflect what he sees and hears from busy Toronto agents. One of those is Richard Silver, a Sotheby's agent, who has re-tooled his practice to go after the massive overseas market in China and India. He said that foreign transactions account for 20 to 30 per cent of his business. His office has introduced Mandarin classes and he is preparing for a trip to India to attend an international real estate conference. But Silver said the 4.9 per cent for foreign transactions sounds about right, given that most residential agents don't have the same kind of niche business. He stressed that he doesn't believe that foreign ownership will lead to streets of empty homes in the GTA. "The people who normally come and buy, they're not people who flip. They come and reside in the property and hold it. They're not speculating," said Silver. "Most of the people we deal with are coming here to live they're coming here because they're putting their kids through school. It's all about education for the most part." With files from The Canadian Press Read more about: SHARE: As recently as his town hall tour Trudeau was insisting that he was still interested in changing the voting system. In early December, the prime minister similarly told the Star editorial board that he remained committed to having a new system in place by 2019. I make promises because I believe in them... Canadians dont expect us to throw up our hands when things get difficult, he proclaimed. But things, as it turned out, never had a chance to get difficult. For it is fair to ask whether Trudeau was ever serious about keeping his word to Canadians. From day one, his governments actions on the file never matched his words. With a clock ticking on the logistical feasibility of replacing the first-past-the-post system in time for 2019, it took months for a special parliamentary committee to be set up. Once it was in place, the government never advanced a position or tried, in any way, to craft the consensus that it now says it has failed to find. For months on end, the opposition parties and Canadians alike were left to try to divine Trudeaus thinking. At times, it was as if the Liberals were going out of their way to ensure that no pattern could be discerned in the tea leaves they purported to be guided by. They rejected both the notion of putting various options to a consultative referendum or of asking Canadians for their preference in the massive online consultation they engaged in at the end of last year. In politics, a consensus is not like a rare mushroom only to be found by an extraordinarily lucky hunter. In any event, in this case, the government seemed more concerned with burying any hint of a consensus than unearthing one. It is true that the exercise did not elicit much appetite for a ranked ballot, Trudeaus preferred alternative to the first-past-the-post system. But then it is not as if the government even tried to make a case for it. The opposition parties feel that they were taken for a yearlong ride, and it is hard to disagree with them. As the sole elected MP of her party, Green leader Elizabeth May did double and triple duty last fall to participate in the process. Electoral reform is a longstanding priority of her party. On Wednesday she said she had never felt so betrayed by a government. For his part, the NDPs Nathan Cullen called the prime minister a liar. Expect parliamentary cooperation, going forward, to be hard to come by. There are those who will argue that Trudeau is wise to walk away from his electoral reform promise as he needs to clear the decks to focus on the Canada/U.S. front. But then one could make that same pronouncement about many other Liberal commitments including some that are more likely to act as irritants in dealing with the new White House. The plan to legalize marijuana comes to mind. The election of Donald Trump has brought about a major reallocation of government resources on Parliament Hill. But it would be easier to find virtue in the governments timing if it had shown one ounce of political will to fulfill its promise in the full year that preceded the American election. Or if Trudeau had not continued to maintain he still meant to go through with changing the voting system months after Trumps victory. The prime minister could have come to Canadians this week to say he had underestimated the time required to reform the system and that he needed to push back the deadline for achieving his goal beyond 2019. But Wednesdays announcement was about pulling the plug on the plan, not about recasting it. Canadian voters are a forgiving lot. The assumption by Liberal government strategists that most will not be inclined to punish Trudeau for breaking a promise that never ranked high in the electorates list of priorities is probably right. After all a plurality of Canadians did not hold it against Jean Chretien that he broke the more central promise to replace the GST. There are parallels. Both commitments were shiny Liberal platform objects that turned out to be little more than cheap props. Plus ca change! Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Read more about: SHARE: Toronto immigration lawyer Cecil Rotenberg was an extremely optimistic man who never thought the glass was half full. For him, the glass was always at least three-quarters full. During summer road trips in the 1960s and 1970s, his car overflowed with most of his six kids. He would take them chestnut hunting, apple picking, and fishing. He rented a recreational vehicle to take his family to California one year and to Louisiana another. To his eldest daughter, Marci Dinkin, Rotenbergs role in these family adventures reminded her of actor John Candy in the 1985 comedy Summer Rental. But on a very different trip taken by Khulan Bataa, Rotenberg was a saviour. Bataa had travelled to Toronto on a visitors visa from her home in Mongolia in 2007 for treatment of her leukemia that was not available in her homeland. Rotenberg, affectionately known as the grandfather of immigration law, fought an eight-year legal battle to allow her to stay in Canada for medical care. He gave me hope. He made me feel welcome, she said of Rotenberg. I was like his family. Rotenberg died of heart failure on Nov. 17 in Toronto. He was 82. He had a gift of making people feel very special, said John Edwards, an immigration consultant who worked on many files with Rotenberg. He was a real fighter for the underdog. He had a passion for what he did, said Mohsen Seddigh, Rotenbergs associate lawyer, and a childlike positive attitude about him that was not corrupted by his years of experience. Immigration lawyer Mario Bellissimo said Rotenberg was like the Wayne Gretzky of immigration law. He changed the landscape, said Bellissimo. Millions of people have benefitted because of the principles that could be applied to future cases, he said. Rotenberg was known for his creativity and resourcefulness as a problem solver and always had a Plan B in case the first plan didnt work. My dad wasnt a person who took no lightly, said Ira Rotenberg, the third of the six Rotenberg children. In two cases Cecil Rotenberg took simultaneously to the Supreme Court, he represented families who were denied entry into Canada because of the perceived toll their intellectually disabled children would take on Canadas social support system. As the Globe and Mail reported in 2005, both families had assured immigration department officials they would use private services to prevent their children from becoming a burden on Canadian society. The court sided with Rotenbergs clients. Cecil Lorne Rotenberg was born in Toronto in 1933 and grew up in the Bathurst St. and St. Clair Ave. W. area. His father was a lawyer who never retired. Rotenberg attended high school at Oakwood Collegiate and studied law at Osgoode Hall Law School. He started practising family law in the 1960s and gradually switched to immigration law in the 1970s. Rotenberg worked long hours throughout his career, often getting home at midnight. He combined business with family time, either inviting clients to his home for dinner with his family, or taking clients out for dinner with his kids in tow. Rotenberg had a global presence, meeting with his clients wherever they were. He told the Globe and Mail in 1996 that he typically travelled the equivalent of four times around the world every year in order to visit each of his nine associate offices two or three times. Rotenberg took on, and won, many different types of cases. One involved a Hong Kong man, Hui Xin Liang, accused by a local immigration officer of being in a fraudulent marriage with a Canadian woman because of some notes Liang had in his possession. The Star reported in 2013 that a federal court judge ruled the notes about his courtship were a memory aid Liang needed during his third interview with immigration officials. Liang had failed two previous immigration interviews because he was too nervous to answer some basic questions. Refugee matters were also close to Rotenbergs heart. In 1989, he called government efforts to eliminate a 124,000 refugee backlog the most reprehensible situation I have seen in my entire career. According to the Star, Rotenberg and another immigration lawyer went to the Federal Court to stop the streamlined refugee claims process, arguing the new process was preventing refugee claimants from accessing counsel. Like his father, Rotenberg never planned to retire. Even in hospital, where he was admitted five times for a total of five months in his last year of life, his hospital room became a law office as associates visited regularly to review case files with him. Rotenberg became animated whenever discussing work from his bed, sometimes forgetting family members were also in the room. His mind was sharp despite his body failing, said Bellissimo. I thought Cecil would just keep on going. Rotenberg is survived by his second wife, Miriam, five adult children, and 10 grandchildren. His oldest son died in 1999. SHARE: Rude and disruptive, or just doing his job by zealously representing his client in court? Toronto securities lawyer Joe Groia will soon have that question answered by the countrys top court. In 2012, a discipline panel of Ontarios legal regulator found Groia guilty of incivility for displaying a consistent pattern of rude, improper or disruptive conduct in the courtroom during the early part of the trial of his client, former Bre-X Minerals executive John Felderhof. He was suspended for two months and ordered to pay $250,000 later knocked down to one month and $200,000, which he has yet to serve and pay. He has always maintained he was simply doing his job as a forceful advocate for his client, who was facing serious charges. Several years and millions of dollars in legal fees later, Groia is gearing up for a final showdown with the Law Society of Upper Canada. The Supreme Court announced Thursday it would hear Groias appeal of his conviction, an appeal he has so far lost at every level of court in Ontario. His case has pitted those in the legal profession and academia who say defence lawyers must be zealous advocates to protect their clients best interests against those who say its crucial that a forceful defence be properly balanced with courtesy and respect. A date has yet to be set for the appeal to be heard. Legal observers say it could be one of the most important Supreme Court rulings for defence lawyers in recent memory. Certainly the issues that we intend to raise are the issues that go squarely to freedom of expression of lawyers, how do we best protect clients, and is it right that lawyers be looking over their shoulders for fear theyll be the next Joe Groia? he told the Star on Thursday. I do think that (the law society) didnt expect me to fight so strenuously and they didnt expect the bar to take my side as strongly as it has. In an interesting twist, Groia was elected a bencher of the law society a member of its board of directors in 2015 by thousands of lawyers across Ontario while his case against the law society was moving through the courts. Im always gratified by the fact that I was elected by lawyers in Ontario even after I had lost my case, at least in the early stage, because I think that sends a message that most lawyers dont agree with the law societys approach in this case, and 3,600 of them were willing to express that displeasure by voting, he said. The president of the Ontario Bar Association welcomed the Supreme Courts decision to hear the case, saying it will bring clarity to an important legal issue, particularly for defence lawyers. David Sterns pointed out that the law society began investigating Groia on its own initiative, and never received a complaint about his conduct from anyone involved in the Felderhof trial. So the continued prosecution of Groia, in my view, calls into question the priorities of the Law Society of Upper Canada, he said. The law society had fought against Groias appeal being heard at the Supreme Court, saying it did not raise issues of national importance. A spokesperson sent the Star a one-sentence comment Thursday: The law society will be interested to hear the views of the Supreme Court on this matter. Felderhof, a Bre-X vice-president, had been accused by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) of insider trading and other securities charges in one of the largest business scandals in Canadian history. He was acquitted of all charges by a judge in a 600-page decision in 2007. Among the law societys criticisms of Groia during the early part of that trial in the early 2000s were his characterizations of the OSC as the government and of its prosecution as lazy. He denies using the term the government sarcastically. Groia maintains it was the role of the trial judge to regulate conduct in the courtroom. Although he lost his appeal at the Ontario Court of Appeal last year in a 2-1 decision, he was heartened by the dissenting opinion of Justice David Brown. Brown found that the law society failed to take into account, in any meaningful way, the fact Groia had complied with the trial judges rulings on his conduct during the Bre-X trial and also complied when the OSC complained to the higher courts. Brown said he would have allowed Groias appeal. This case will bring into focus the role of the judge versus the law society in matters of alleged incivility, said Anthony Moustacalis, president of the Criminal Lawyers Association. The CLA will be adding its voice to the debate about where to draw the line between incivility versus forceful advocacy and who should draw it. SHARE: Searchers struggled to remain positive as the search for missing Toronto filmmaker Rob Stewart off the Florida coast continued Thursday. About 20 boats and 12 aircraft operated by volunteers have joined the search, which also includes members of the U.S. Navy, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. The search conditions continue to be great, Stewarts sister, Alexandra, told the Star on Thursday afternoon. A Coast Guard team remained on the water overnight, looking for traces of the 37-year-old as the search entered its third day. Stewart hasnt been seen since 5 p.m. Tuesday, when he didnt resurface while scuba diving in an area called Alligator Reef. Stewarts sister said that no evidence has been found of her brother. Were feeling terrible, she said. The search on the surface continues strong. Three helicopters were part of the search on Thursday, Coast Guard spokesman Nyx Congemi said. Coast Guard officials said theres no set time when a search would be called off. As long as theres a chance for survival, were going to search, spokesman Jonathan Lally told the Star Thursday afternoon. We remain hopeful were going to find him alive. Helicopter crews resumed their efforts as the sun rose Thursday, the Coast Guard said. The type of diving suit Stewart was wearing makes it difficult to search for him with thermal imaging, so that type of search was put on hold overnight, according to an update posted to Stewarts Facebook page by his friends and family. Stewart, best known for his documentary Sharkwater, was in the sunshine state to film a sequel called Sharkwater: Extinction. Friends say he was diving near the Queen of Nassau shipwreck in the Florida Keys and was less than 10 kilometres from shore when he apparently slipped underwater. He had surfaced and gave the OK sign and then he was gone, his sister, Alexandra Stewart, said Wednesday. The other diver got on board and was struggling to get on board and then fell unconscious. The crew of the boat lost sight of Stewart amid the commotion, she added, and there was concern her brother had lost consciousness as well. The dive was her brothers third of the day, she said, noting that he and his diving partner had gone down about 70 metres. Stewart is an experienced diver who started underwater photography at age 13 and had qualified as a scuba instructor trainer by 18. Stewarts sister and parents travelled to Florida when they heard of his disappearance, and are now helping manage search efforts. A gofundme.com page has also been set up in case search efforts are prolonged. By early Thursday morning, the site had collected more than $90,000 in donations. With files from the Canadian Press SHARE: At one Toronto refugee shelter, a family with four kids was asked to give up one of their two rooms for a newly arrived family so both could have a roof over their heads. At another, in the west end, a family of three stored their luggage in the staff office and spent the night in whats supposed to be the TV room for other residents. The recent shelter crunch has even prompted the Romero House, which has four locations in Toronto, to launch a community host program to ask neighbours, friends and supporters to open their homes to accommodate the overflow until a shelter bed is available for those knocking on its doors. Since the beginning of the fall, the peak season for refugee arrivals, Torontos already strained refugee shelter system has been dealing with what some operators call an unprecedented bed shortage. Some operators are even referring callers to shelters in Hamilton. The system is expected to be further strained with more asylum seekers anticipated to arrive via the United States after the Trump administrations recent executive order to limit immigration and refugees that is widely viewed by the immigrant communities there as xenophobic. Over the last few months, both Manitoba and Quebec have reported a spike in migrants smuggling through the U.S. border for asylum in Canada. We have had an overcrowded system because of the lack of affordable housing in the city and people are staying in shelters longer, said Hannah Deloughery, a housing co-ordinator at Romero House, which can accommodate as many as 40 residents at its locations. But we have never seen the lack of space like what we are seeing now. According to the city, on average more than 4,150 homeless people, including refugees, stay in Toronto emergency shelters each night. Although the system divided into co-ed, mens, womens, youth and family shelters is currently at 95 per cent capacity, occupancy for family shelters is at the seams. Toronto has 695 funded shelter beds for families and another 520 at motels. While the number of homeless contacting the city for referrals to available shelter beds rose by 13.2 per cent last year to 12,843, Patricia Anderson, a manager of the citys shelter support and housing administration, said calls from individual refugees and families looking for shelters almost tripled to 928. The family sector is especially tight. The city uses motel beds to accommodate families during high-demand periods. The city made 150 additional beds available before Christmas, bringing to 520 the number of funded motel beds. These are used as they are available, she said. We are working on making more motel beds available. The Immigration and Refugee Board said it saw the number of inland refugee claimants (those who arrived in Canada and sought asylum) increase to 16,914 in 2015, up from 10,751 in 2013 and half of them settled in Greater Toronto. While the final tally for 2016 isnt available yet, just nine months into the year, the number had already reached the total of the previous year. Francisco Rico-Martinez of the FCJ Refugee Centre, which shelters 30 women and children at four locations, said the current shelter crisis is compounded by the changes the former Conservative federal government made to expedite the processing of asylum claims under strict timelines. Refugee claimants now know they can get a hearing and a decision within months. If the decision is negative, they have to leave Canada quickly. So, instead of renting a place, they stay longer in shelters, said Rico-Martinez, whose centre had families staying in its staff meeting room on sofa-beds through December and earlier this month. Shelters run by the city dont ask for legal status and identification because Toronto is a sanctuary city that doesnt ask for status. You have undocumented clients coming to Toronto for shelters because they have nowhere to go in Peel or York regions. While the City of Hamilton is also a sanctuary city for undocumented migrants and accepts claimants in its shelter system, Rico-Martinez said families and agencies cannot afford the transportation to send the clients there. To manage the overflow, Romero House has asked its neighbours, supporters and former clients to provide free temporary accommodation, though Deloughery said the real solution lies in additional investment in the shelter system and developing more affordable housing. Kathy Mansfield, a clinical nursing educator, and her husband, Tim Stephenson, an IT manager, are among those who have opened their home to help. The high cost of rent is a big challenge in the city but it is where the jobs are. Offering a shelter is a small gift but its huge for someone who has lost their home, jobs and family, said Mansfield, who is currently housing Marino Miguela Botuli, an asylum seeker fleeing political persecution in the Congo. It allows them to proceed and settle. Another community host, Caroline Newton, said she had no hesitation when contacted by Romero House staff to offer her spare bedroom to a refugee from Ethiopia and will do it again. I always pay attention to refugee issues, but I didnt realize how bad the shelter crunch was, said Newton, a communications professional. I do have a spare bedroom and I have faith in the goodness of people. SHARE: Islamophobia struck a Quebec mosque this week. But it touched the Toronto area long before when a Markham school principal lashed out, last year, at Muslims online. The latest massacre in Quebec brought Canadians together. But last years outbreak of prejudice in York Region has only pushed people apart. Tragedy has a way of opening the heart, after the fact. Bigotry has a way of hardening the heart, in real time. A bungled response from Yorks school board, and its elected trustees, revealed not only religious discrimination but outright racism close to home. And speaks volumes about whats wrong with our education system systemic problems that require radical reform. A classroom, like a place of worship, should be a sanctuary, a place of learning, fostering and welcoming. When parents learned that school principal Ghada Sadaka had posted anti-Islamic material online, they had every right to assume the school board would act forcefully, expeditiously, transparently. Instead, they got an education in how school boards can retreat into opacity, obfuscation and obscurantism. A promised investigation into the principals misconduct was conducted in secret, and pointedly excluded the boards equity expert despite claims to the contrary. Sadaka publicly shared videos on Facebook purportedly showing Muslim takeovers of European cities, and articles claiming refugees had terrorist sympathies in Canada. Belatedly apologizing for the discriminatory posts, the principal promised to learn lessons from the experience. Give her credit for owning up to her mistakes unlike the school board, which brings discredit upon itself by downplaying its errors. Thus compounding them. Dismissing a black parents concerns about ongoing racism, York trustee Nancy Elgie used a racial slur the N-word in front of others. When the Star first sought comment in December, Elgie insisted, there is no merit in the accusation. After an investigation and corroboration of the allegation the veteran trustee changed her tune: There is no excuse for what I said, she admitted by email, acknowledging it was a horribly unacceptable statement. The N-word is uttered, a complaint is falsely dismissed as having no merit, the trustee apologizes weeks later when caught out, yet still refuses to resign. Elgies suitability to serve evaporated with that slur, but by refusing to do the honourable thing resign she has destroyed her credibility irretrievably. Against that backdrop of delay and dissembling, Education Minister Mitzie Hunter has sent in two outside investigators to probe the boards actions and inaction. They will examine questions of both personal prejudice and financial probity, for it turns out that trustees at the York Region board have also been flying high with some taking two or three trips to Finland, and jetting to the Netherlands. Yet the York probe is hardly an isolated example of a rogue board requiring outside intervention. In 2014, the province launched an investigation into the dysfunctional Toronto District School Board, weighed down by over-reaching trustees and a director who couldnt take direction. Torontos Catholic board, riven by trustee infighting and plagued by financial impropriety, was taken over by the province from 2008 to 2011, as were school boards in the Hamilton, Ottawa and Dufferin-Peel areas. Every boards abuses are different, each in their own way. Not every board is corrupt or incompetent. Racism isnt rampant, but recurring episodes of prejudice and misconduct underscore how boards cant cope with even the most elemental educational task providing a safe and secure learning environment. Our school boards share a common pattern: poor accountability, weak governance, excessive ambition. Most of Ontarios 700 trustees are presumably dedicated and hard-working, but their mandate remains a mirage with no taxing powers, nor any negotiating authority for teachers salaries. Too many trustees are elected with abysmally low turnouts, because voters have no idea who they are which is why so many incompetent incumbents cling to their seats. Too often they use school boards as stepping stones in their political careers, leaving a mess in their wake. They are part-timers just passing through, emasculated to the point of irrelevancy as they pretend to preside over unwieldy and unaccountable boards with sizable budgets. Time to phase out their phantom jobs. And consolidate our splintered school boards under the rubric of regional authorities reporting directly to the education ministry. That would restore a semblance of accountability to the broad electorate. And spare us the charade of perennial investigations (and provincial supervision) of rogue boards that are an embarrassment to the students they teach and the parents they serve. Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn SHARE: It was starting to take a toll. Liberal ministers expressed relief Thursday at the first cabinet meeting since Premier Kathleen Wynne stopped Toronto Mayor John Torys plan to toll the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway. As first disclosed by the Star, ministers from the 905 region warned Wynne at their previous cabinet meeting on Jan. 18 that tolling the city-owned highways would hurt them in next years provincial election. It was their alarm and a groundswell of opposition from other Liberal MPPs and Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area municipal leaders that forced the premier to make the U-turn that infuriated Tory. Finance Minister Charles Sousa, who represents Mississauga South, said residents have stated very clearly and loudly their concern about tolls without other transportation options available. They welcome the decision its a decision that theyve asked us to make, said Sousa, noting the province is doubling the share of provincial gasoline tax revenues to cities, which will mean an additional $170 million a year for Toronto alone. People all over Ontario certainly the municipalities that now qualify for more revenue theyre happy, he said. Tourism, Culture, and Sport Minister Eleanor McMahon, who represents Burlington, said the issue of affordability was top of mind among her constituents. People who travel to Toronto and have to take their vehicle would have been faced with increased costs of an average of about $1,000 a year, said McMahon, noting more public transit improvements are still required. Were not quite there yet and until we are I think its unfair that I ask my constituents to pay that, she said. Im happy that we came to the decision that we did. The premier sought advice and listened to her caucus and to concerns. Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca, who represents Vaughan, while his constituents know transit improvements are coming, there still arent enough options for commuters. They can see that the subway is going to be running to Vaughan in a few months. They know that were deploying more service on the Barrie GO line; they know that were building an LRT along with York Region along Hwy. 7. So they can see the evidence that its coming, said Del Duca. But they know it doesnt exist right now. They know they dont have alternatives. But, most importantly, they know theyre feeling a pinch on their pocketbooks, generally speaking. They have that anxiety. I think its reasonable and justifiable. Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister David Zimmer, who represents Willowdale, said residents in his riding were wary of increased gridlock on Bayview Ave. and Leslie St. if motorists skipped the DVP to avoid tolls. The folks in Willowdale are happy to see the traffic continue on the Don Valley rather than go down Leslie, Bayview, Don Mills Rd., and so on, said Zimmer. Liberal insiders note there was never a major 416-905 split in caucus over tolls. There were only three MPPs from Toronto who spoke in favour of them. Both Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath were also against tolling the roads. With files from David Rider SHARE: The U.S. military said late Wednesday that civilians were likely killed during a Navy SEAL raid in Yemen on Saturday, a ground operation that erupted into a massive firefight that also took the life of an American sailor. A statement issued by the U.S. Central Command said that an investigatory team has concluded regrettably that an unspecified number of civilians appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist U.S. forces that were receiving fire from all sides. Media reports from the region said that at least 10 Yemeni women and children were killed in the raid, the first counterterrorism operation authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump You never want to call something a success 100 per cent when someones hurt or killed, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday, referring to the death of Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, whose remains arrived Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base. Trump travelled to the Delaware base for the ceremony. The speed with which the military acknowledged the civilian deaths was in stark contrast to the investigations after most previous allegations of civilian casualties, which have often taken months, if not years. The goal of the operation was to detain Yemeni tribal leaders allegedly collaborating with Al Qaeda in Yemen and to gather intelligence about the group. Instead, a massive firefight ensued that brought in U.S. aircraft to strike the fighters and rescue the military team. One of the aircraft, an MV-22 Osprey from a U.S. naval ship offshore, lost power and hit the ground hard enough to disable it and wound two service members. The $70 million aircraft was then intentionally destroyed by a U.S. bomb to ensure that it did not fall into militant hands. Read more: Trump says religious freedom under threat, vows to repeal political limits on churches Trumps Supreme Court pick announcement became a prime-time affair Trumps bad hombres remark to Mexico was lighthearted, White House says The Central Command statement said that determined enemy forces included armed women firing from prepared fighting positions, and U.S. special operators were fired on from houses and other buildings. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has a horrifying history of hiding women and children within militant operating areas and terrorist camps, and continuously shows a callous disregard for innocent lives, Central Command spokesman John Thomas said in the statement. Thats what makes cases like these so especially tragic. The statement also said that the raid resulted in the seizure of materials and information that is yielding valuable intelligence to help partner nations deter and prevent future terror attacks in Yemen and across the world. Although U.S. forces have conducted airstrikes against Al Qaeda in Yemen in recent years, the operation was the first U.S.-led ground raid in Yemen since 2014. Read more about: SHARE: SMYRNA, DEL.Using a backhoe to smash through a barricade of footlockers, authorities stormed Delawares largest prison early Thursday and ended a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff involving inmates armed with sharpened objects. One hostage a guard died. A second captive, a female counsellor, was safely rescued minutes after the tactical teams forced their way into the all-male, 2,500-prisoner James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. Some inmates had shielded her from harm, officials said. Gov. John Carney called the uprising a torturous ordeal. In a statement, he said authorities will hold accountable those responsible and make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. Authorities did not immediately explain how 47-year-old Sgt. Steven Floyd died, but the head of the guards union said the 16-year veteran of the prison was forced into a closet and killed by his captors at some point. During the takeover, Floyd yelled to other guards who were coming to help him that the inmates had set a trap, saving some of his fellow officers lives, said Geoffrey Klopp, union president. The uprising began Wednesday when inmates with homemade weapons overpowered staff members, seized Building C and took three guards and a counsellor hostage. One inmate told a local newspaper via phone that that were demanding better education and rehabilitation programs behind bars and were also upset over President Donald Trump and all the things that hes doing now. Read more:Delaware inmates take hostages to protest Trump, prison conditions We know that the institution is going to change for the worse, he told The News Journal in Wilmington. During negotiations conducted for a while via an officers walkie-talkie, the inmates released two hostages and got authorities to turn the water back on, saying they needed it for drinking and washing. Instead, they filled up metal footlockers and built barricades at the buildings entryways. Officers finally went in with heavy equipment around 5 a.m. and found Floyd unresponsive, authorities said. He was pronounced dead about a half-hour later. The guards who were taken hostage were beaten severely by their captors and suffered broken bones, cuts and an eye injury, Klopp said. Authorities said their injuries were not life-threatening. It wasnt immediately clear how many inmates took part in the uprising. About 120 were in the building when it began, but dozens were let out as the standoff dragged on. Officers inside the cellblocks are not armed, for fear they could be overpowered and stripped of their weapons. Armed guards are posted in prison towers. The negotiations via walkie-talkie were broadcast online for more than an hour before officials blocked the transmission. The conversations were mostly calm, with moments of tension. At one point, an unidentified inmate told a negotiator that the prisoners wanted a formal apology from the governor for decades of oppression. The prison, about 15 miles outside the state capital of Dover, holds minimum-, medium- and maximum-security prisoners serving sentences, along with defendants awaiting trial, and has about 1,500 guards. Building C includes inmates being disciplined for infractions. While authorities investigate what went wrong, Delaware Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe noted that the prison system faces staffing shortages every day. Statewide, we are down on any given day about 90 positions, said Coupe, who added that the agency uses overtime to meet minimum staffing levels. Klopp said Floyds death was preventable and slammed the state for understaffing and low pay. In 2004, an inmate at the prison raped a counsellor and held her hostage for nearly seven hours before he was killed by a department sharpshooter. Klopp said none of the resulting recommendations for improving staffing were put into effect. Read more about: SHARE: Israels prime minister on Thursday vowed to establish the first new West Bank settlement in over two decades as soon as possible, promising to make up for the court-ordered demolition of an illegal settler outpost. Benjamin Netanyahus announcement was his latest step to expand Israeli settlement construction in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trumps inauguration. Trump has signalled a far softer line toward the settlements, which are considered illegal by most of the international community. Netanyahu spoke just as Israeli security forces were completing the evacuation of Amona, where they broke into a synagogue earlier on Thursday to remove dozens of Israeli protesters who had barricaded themselves inside. Read more:Violence erupts as Israel evicts West Bank outpost Netanyahus pro-settler government had unsuccessfully tried to block the evacuation of Amona. But Israels Supreme Court rejected all appeals after determining the outpost was built illegally two decades ago on private Palestinian land. Speaking at a ceremony in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, Netanyahu expressed great pain over the removal of Amona. We all understand the depth of the pain and therefore we will establish a new settlement on state land, he said. Already yesterday I formed a team that will determine the settlement location and get everything ready. And we will act so that it happens as soon as possible. According to the Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now, Israel has not officially broken ground on a new settlement since 1992. Since that time, however, it has greatly expanded its existing settlements and allowed dozens of unauthorized outposts to sprout up, in some case subsequently legalizing them. In all, some 400,000 Israelis now live in West Bank settlements, in addition to 200,000 others living in east Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim both areas, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future independent state. The international community has opposed the settlements, built on occupied lands sought by the Palestinians, as obstacles to peace. After years of clashes with the Obama administration, Netanyahus nationalist coalition has welcomed Trumps election. With Trump perceived as being sympathetic to the settlements, Netanyahu has announced plans to build over 6,000 new settlement homes since the new U.S. president was sworn in two weeks ago. The White House has not commented on the construction binge, a dramatic contrast to the harsh condemnations voiced by Barack Obamas administration and Israels allies in Europe. Netanyahu and Trump are expected to discuss settlement construction, among other things, when they meet at the White House on Feb. 15. Britain and Germany, close Israeli allies, as well as the European Union criticized Netanyahus approval this week of 3,000 new settlement homes in the West Bank. This spike in settlement activity undermines trust and makes a two state solution with an Israel that is safe from terrorism and a Palestinian state that is viable and sovereign much harder to achieve, said Britains minister for the Middle East, Tobias Ellwood. Amona has emerged as a symbol of settler defiance. On Thursday, Israeli police completed the evacuation of the wind-swept community, where hundreds of Jewish activists joined residents in resisting the pullout. Police began the evacuation on Wednesday, but dozens of activists remained holed up in the synagogue. Initially, police said 200 had barricaded themselves inside but later revised the number to about 100. On Thursday, several hundred Israeli forces surrounded the building, and officers wearing goggles and wielding plastic shields broke through the doors and sprayed water to push back defiant protesters. The officers faced especially tough and violent resistance, police said in a statement. Protesters sprayed fire extinguishers at police and threw rocks, paint bottles and wooden planks, police said. Slogans including Death to Zionists and a swastika comparing the Israeli police to Nazis were scrawled on the synagogue walls. The police later began dragging young protesters out of the building. Speaking to Israel Radio from inside the synagogue, the rabbi of Amona said the protesters were peacefully resisting the uprooting of the outpost. He spoke above loud noises and shouting in the background. Earlier Thursday, police removed protesters holed up in a small home nearby. Police said 24 officers were lightly injured throughout the evacuation, and 13 young protesters were arrested. Amona is the largest of about 100 unauthorized outposts erected in the West Bank without formal permission but with tacit Israeli government support. It witnessed violent clashes 11 years ago when police demolished nine homes found to have been built on private Palestinian land. The Supreme Court last year determined that the entire outpost was built illegally and ordered it demolished. On Thursday evening, the Israeli military said a Palestinian woman intentionally rammed her vehicle into a police car at the entrance to a West Bank settlement near Jerusalem, lightly injuring three people. Since 2015, Palestinian attackers have carried out numerous stabbings, shootings and assaults using cars, killing 41 Israelis and two visiting Americans. During the same time, Israeli forces have killed 235 Palestinians. Israel says most of the Palestinians killed were attackers while other died in clashes with Israeli forces. Israel says the bloodshed is fuelled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement, compounded by social media sites glorifying attackers and encouraging violence. Palestinians say it stems from frustration over decades of Israeli rule in territory they claim for a state. Read more about: SHARE: AVDIIVKA, UKRAINESalvos of artillery shook eastern Ukraine on Thursday, the fifth day of escalated fighting between government troops and Russia-backed separatist rebels. Two Ukrainian troops were killed overnight and 10 others wounded, the government said, while rebels said one of their fighters was killed. Shelling appeared to intensify after nightfall and both sides reported civilian deathstwo in Avdiivka and one in Donetsk city. Reporters for The Associated Press heard Grad rocket launchers fired on both sides of the conflict during the night. In the afternoon, shelling was heard in the distance from Avdiivka, a government-held town just north of Donetsk, the largest rebel-controlled city. At least 15 people have been reported killed since the fighting around Avdiivka surged over the weekend. More than 9,700 people have been killed since the war with separatist rebels began in April 2014. An agreement reached nearly two years ago called for a cease-fire and a pullback of heavy weaponry by both sides, but skirmishes persist. Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Volodymyr Yelchenko, told the Security Council that the Russian army and Russian-backed separatists had started the latest escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine. Russias U.N. ambassador, in turn, said that Ukraine had provoked the fighting. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of starting the escalation to rally support from the new U.S. administration and other Western powers. Ukraine is concerned that President Donald Trump could roll back some sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine, and that European Union members could follow suit. The Ukrainian leadership needs money, and the best way to get the EU, the U.S. and international organizations to pay is by posing as a victim of aggression, Putin said in Budapest after a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Later Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley condemned Russias aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine and warned Moscow that U.S. sanctions imposed after its annexation of Crimea will remain until the peninsula is returned to Ukraine. The new American envoy said it was unfortunate that she had to condemn Russia in her first appearance at the U.N. Security Council, saying we do want to better our relations with Russia. But Haley said the dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions. Shelling over the weekend damaged water, heating and electricity supplies in Avdiivka amid a strong cold snap. Residents nerves were raw. I was born in 1941. I was in a war at birth and now I see it again, said Valentina Pasternak, as she stood on her porch clutching two loaves of bread brought by aid workers. A shell had landed in her yard. By Thursday, water and heat had been partly restored, but Avdiivka remained without electricity. In Brussels, European Union President Donald Tusk urged Moscow to pressure the separatists to make sure the flare-up of fighting ends and a cease-fire is restored. Russia should use its influence to disengage the Russia-backed separatists, Tusk said. U.N. Undersecretary-General Jeffrey Feltman called on international community to help revitalize peace negotiations between Ukraines government and the separatists to prevent the current crisis from becoming a catastrophe. The United Nations political chief told the Security Council that since Jan. 7, and especially in the last few days, there has been a dangerous intensification of the conflict between government and rebel forces in eastern Ukraine. He said European monitors on Wednesday reported over 10,000 explosions in the eastern Donetsk region over 24 hours, the highest number ever recorded. Feltman said the monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also registered frequent use of heavy weapons banned by the Minsk peace agreements. He noted damage to houses and schools in populated areas of Avdiivka, which is a government-held town just north of Donetsk, the largest rebel-controlled city. He said the damage raises serious concerns about possible violations of international humanitarian law by all sides. Officials from both Russia and the Ukraine called for an end to the fighting and the implementation of a peace agreement. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONHeres what we know about President Donald Trump and the North American Free Trade Agreement. He thinks it is a catastrophe. He appears very serious about renegotiating it. He says he wants to begin the new negotiations quickly. Theres also a lot we dont know. First and foremost: what he wants to do about Canada. Trump has never been clear about his precise problems with a complex agreement he describes as one of the worst in world history. And all of his comments on the agreement have focused on Mexico, an ally he sees as an economic predator, and ignored Canada entirely. In his first extended comment on NAFTA since taking office, Trump suggested Thursday that he wants to see the agreement amended rather than scrapped. He also said he wanted to speed the opening of negotiations if possible, suggesting he wanted the senators in the room to reduce the 90-day notice period required before starting talks. I have very serious concerns about NAFTA. NAFTAs been a catastrophe for our country, Trump said at the White House. Its been a catastrophe for our workers and our jobs and our companies. Theyre leaving our country. I want to change it. And maybe redo it. He suggested an extra F could be added to the revised deal, for the word fair. Free and fair trade. Not just free trade, free and fair trade. Because its very unfair, he said. He added: I dont care if its a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA. Trump did not specify what changes he is seeking to the agreement, which has governed North American trade since 1994. The only major specific proposal he has made to date is a 35 per cent tariff on the Mexican imports of companies that have outsourced production from the U.S. And Trump has sent mixed signals on his willingness to preserve an agreement involving three countries. He suggested to Fox News last week that he wants to make only two-way bilateral agreements, something he also said on the campaign trail. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government has signalled its openness to a bilateral accord that would exclude Mexico. While paying no mind to Canada, the new president has turned Mexico into a punching bag. Maryscott Greenwood, senior adviser to the Canadian American Business Council, said concerns related to Mexico should not be allowed to hamper the successful Canada-U.S. economic relationship. Were not trying to throw Mexico under the bus here, but the political reality of the way Mexico is viewed currently and the way Canada is viewed is different enough . . . . Three Amigos has become Deux Amis, she said. We have figured out how to do business together, we have figured out how to make money together, how to grow together. And our point of view is: we ought to be taking on the world together and not be looking at each other tit-for-tat. And we hope thats the way the president and Congress will see it. An economic adviser to Trump, Stephen Schwarzman, told the Liberals in January that Canada has very special status and should not be enormously worried about trade talks. But Canadas ambassador to the U.S., David MacNaughton, said Canada must protect against about becoming collateral damage of a U.S. attempt to change its trade relationship with Mexico. Trump faces significant hurdles in persuading the Republican-controlled Congress of the merits of his approach. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has shown a willingness to accommodate Trump, came out firmly against tariffs in January. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday his administration has put Iran on notice, echoing comments from his top national security adviser that the U.S. will act against Iran unless it stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen. Trump and his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, didnt elaborate on what retaliatory actions the U.S. could pursue. Trump tweeted, Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! He added in another tweet: Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump As part of the nuclear deal struck during the Obama administration, Iran received access to an estimated $100 billion of its own money that had been frozen in foreign bank accounts. The U.S. did not give Iran $150 billion. Flynn on Wednesday forcefully denounced Irans behaviour in his first public remarks since Trump took office. He accused Iran of threatening U.S. allies and spreading instability throughout the Middle East while faulting the Obama administration for doing too little to stop the Islamic Republic. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, Flynn said from the White House podium. On notice for what, Flynn didnt say. Senior Trump administration officials said they were actively considering a range of options including economic measures and increased support for Irans regional adversaries. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, declined repeatedly to say whether military action is being considered. The warning was an early manifestation of Trumps promise of a tougher American approach to Iran. Yet administration officials emphasized that their allegations were unrelated to Irans obligations under the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama and world leaders negotiated. Though Flynn noted Trump has criticized that deal, officials declined to say whether Trump planned to follow through on his campaign pledge to renegotiate it. The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms, Flynn said. The White House also faulted Iran for backing Houthi rebels in Yemen who on Tuesday claimed a successful missile strike against a warship belonging to a Saudi-led coalition fighting to reinstall Yemens internationally recognized government. The media arm of the Shiite rebels said the vessel was believed to belong to the Saudi Arabian navy. Administration officials said Iran was providing key support by arming, training and financing the rebels, with a goal of leveraging its relationship with the Houthis to build a long-term presence in Yemen. The White House said the goal in putting Iran on notice was to signal to Tehran that it needed to rethink its behaviour. Flynn said Iran specifically violated the UNs ban on activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Irans Defence Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan confirmed Wednesday that Iran conducted a missile test, but did not say when the test was carried out or specify the type of missile. He insisted it wasnt a violation of UN. resolutions. The U.S. said the test was of a medium-range ballistic missile. It ended with a failed re-entry into the Earths atmosphere, said a U.S. defence official, who wasnt authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Reports of the test emerged after Trump signed an executive order last week temporarily suspending immigration from Iran and six other majority-Muslim countries. On one point, the U.S. and Iran agree: The test didnt violate the nuclear deal itself. Ballistic missile testing wasnt explicitly included in the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. But as part of the final negotiations, Iran agreed to an eight-year extension of a UN ban on ballistic missile development. The UN Security Council later endorsed the agreement, calling on Iran not to carry out such tests. But Iran has flouted the prohibition regularly in the past year-and-a-half, drawing sanctions from the U.S. but also diplomatic cover from Russia. At the request of the U.S., the UN Security Council held a session Tuesday to address the missile test. The council referred the matter to its committee on Iran and asked for an investigation. Iran has long boasted of having missiles that can travel 2,000 kilometres, putting much of the Middle East, including Israel, in range. Such capability would also put U.S. bases in the region in danger. Iran says its missiles are key to deterring a U.S. or Israeli attack. In March, Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles. One was emblazoned with the phrase Israel must be wiped out in Hebrew, sparking international outcry. Read more about: SHARE: Seated at a YYZ airport bar, I ordered a celebratory beer, pulled out my Canadian passport to triple check it was actually stamped, and let out a squeal of excitement. After an application process that had dragged on for several months, Id earned a visa to work in the United States. Moments before, when I passed my final interview, the immigration officer smiled and declared, congratulations and welcome. He knew as well as I did that Id just endured extreme vetting by the United States government Now, as the reality of the U.S. travel ban continues to sink in, I cant help but wonder: what if that immigration officer had called me back and torn up my visa? Not only would that be cruel and capricious; it would also be counterproductive. America already conducts extreme vetting on every visa-holder and refugee who enters the country. By banning many of them from re-entry, terminating ongoing applications, and barring new ones, the government is targeting precisely those who are least likely to pose a threat and most likely to contribute economically and culturally to the United States. I could easily be one of them. As a Canadian immigrant of Indian origin, I may be safe but only for now. Reports are already swirling about whether H1B visa-holders from all over the world myself included might be caught in the next executive order. I never thought Id have to justify my presence in the U.S., but here goes: in just a few years of residence, Ive immersed myself in American history, guided visitors around the Smithsonian museums, and contributed to my community by volunteering at food banks and the English Language Center. Through my professional expertise in media development, Ive helped shine a spotlight on social entrepreneurs, making it easier for them to create jobs, revitalize schools, and train a modern workforce. None of this should surprise the United States government it picked me out of thousands of qualified candidates because I posed no threat and promised to enrich my new home. To ascertain all this, the United States put me through a gruelling vetting process and I was born and raised in Toronto. My U.S. friends often joke that it must have been a piece of cake to hop down from Americas friendly, northern neighbour but that couldnt be further from the truth. Obtaining a visa to live in the United States is complicated, expensive, and lengthy. You have to recount decades worth of details on where youve lived, worked, and travelled; immigration officials question you, your friends, and your family to understand your motivations and ambitions; and youre on the hook for thousands of dollars, expensive lawyers, and an ever-expanding time commitment. Still, my friends do have a point hard as it is for me, a Canadian citizen, to obtain a visa, its much harder for immigrants and refugees from less privileged parts of the world. For example, refugees from Syria, one of the seven countries targeted by the White Houses travel ban are first screened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Then, a small group of referred individuals including survivors of torture, rape, and political persecution are subjected to intense vetting over multiple years. A senior Obama administration official called that process the most rigorous screening of any traveller to the U.S. I keep thinking about refugees and visa-holders who successfully made it through this gruelling process right before the White House released its Executive Order. America will now turn them away. For 90 days or longer they will neither be able to pursue the opportunities theyve earned nor reunite with the families theyve been waiting to see, just because they were born in one of seven countries on a list. For many of them reaching U.S. shores from war zones, after earning a new start, theyll be detained, deported, and left to feel unsafe again. Had that immigration officer changed his mind as I sat, giddy, in Pearson International, he would have shattered my ambitions. Still, Id have had the luxury of returning to a safe and welcoming country. The stakes are much higher for the exceptional, deserving individuals whom the White House has chosen to turn away. Well never know what they could have contributed to a country built on the power of immigrants pursuing their dreams. Laxmi Parthasarathy has spent her career focusing on media development and social entrepreneurship. She currently works for a global non-profit, did her graduate training at the London School of Economics, and has lived and worked in Rwanda, Swaziland, Canada, and the United States. @laxmisarathy SHARE: The Trump administration's hardball approach to trade is accelerating talks between the European Union and Mexico. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo have scheduled two new rounds of trade talks during the first half of the year as part of an effort to speed up the progress of a new, reformed free trade agreement, the European Commission said on Wednesday. The move comes into reaction to increased protectionism in the United States and elsewhere around the globe. "Together, we are witnessing the worrying rise of protectionism around the world," Malmstrom and Guajardo said in a joint statement. "Side by side, as like-minded partners, we must now stand up for the idea of global, open cooperation. We are already well underway in our joint efforts to deepen openness to trade on both sides. Now, we will accelerate the pace of these talks in order to reap the benefits sooner." The EU and Mexico last year initiated negotiations to update their existing free trade agreement from 2000. Their goal is to better mirror other trade deals negotiated more recently and include items such as increased participation of European companies in Mexican public tenders, improved cooperation on imports requirements related to food safety, plant and animal health, more flexible rules of origin and facilitating trade in energy products and raw materials. Between 2005 and 2015, the annual trade flow of goods between the two has more than doubled to 53 billion ($57 billion) from 26 billion. The EU is Mexico's third-largest trading partner after the U.S. and China. The EU is also a major investor in Mexico, accounting for over $130 billion in foreign direct investment in 2014. In the same period, Mexico accounted for more than $30 billion in foreign direct investments in Europe. The announcement of the accelerated trade talks, which will take place in April and June, comes as the Trump administration has signaled it will take an aggressive stance towards trade. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto called off a meeting schedule for January 31 last week after Trump continued to insist Mexico would pay for his proposed wall at the border. The situation heightened when Press Secretary Sean Spicer suggested the U.S. might consider imposing a 20% tax on imports from Mexico (an idea that White House later said was just one of many). The back-and-forth took place as Guajardo was in Washington, D.C., with Mexico's foreign affairs secretary Luis Videgaray Caso meeting with Trump officials. Andres Rozental, former deputy foreign minister and Mexican Ambassador to the United Kingdom, said the U.S. and Mexico have found themselves in the midst of a "serious disagreement" and potential crisis. "It's going to be a while before we're able to put this issue [of the wall] aside and be able to get back to a normal negotiating framework," he said. Trump met with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday, where the pair discussed a bilateral trade agreement between the U.S. and the U.K. The U.K. voted to exit the European Union in June 2016. Top Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro this week accused Germany of using a "grossly undervalued" euro to "exploit" the U.S. and its EU partners in an interview with the Financial Times. On Wednesday, German automaker BMW again reiterated the company will stick to its investment plans for Mexico and the United States despite Trump's threats of a border tax and other measures. "We need free world trade," said BMW CEO Harald Krueger. Repeats story published Feb. 1 California's Titans of Mavericks, a lifestyle brand and the operator of a global big wave surfing event, filed for Chapter 11 protection to "obtain a breathing spell" from the swells of business. The Titans of Mavericks event takes place at the Pacific Ocean break known as Mavericks located near Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco. The company holds the one-day competition sometime between November to March each year but if surf conditions are deemed unsatisfactory, the event is called off. The competition has been contested since 1999 but 2016 was only its 10th event. Last year's competition was won by Nic Lamb, a Northern California native, who defeated 23 all-male competitors and won $120,000, CBS News reported. "Since 2014, up to $3 million has gone into developing the brand and staging the annual event, which features the world's best surfers competing on waves that can reach 60 feet," Titans said in a statement on Wednesday. Titans has gained "explosive growth" since its founding and a sale will allow the company to "reach new heights in the right hands," Titans Founder Griffin Guess said in today's statement. Last year's competition was held in February. Though Titans said in court papers that it invites the best 30 surfers from around the globe, 24 men and six women, CBS reported that since it started, no woman has been invited. The company is also the owner of the Titans brand which includes media, distribution, apparel, hard and soft goods, a festival and licensing, all of which is intended to be sold, according to court papers. Titans generates revenue through sponsorships with third parties including Red Bull GmbH and Twenty-First Century Fox Inc.'s (FOX) Fox Sports, plus through the sale of clothing, hats, posters and stickers, court papers said. On Tuesday, the Capitola, Calif.-based debtor and its affiliate, Cartel Management, petitioned in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, listing $500,000 to $1 million in assets and $1 million to $10 million in liabilities. They intend to sell as a going concern. The company blamed its Chapter 11 petition on delayed "sponsorship payments, political complications, costly litigation and the need to maintain their necessary permits in the face of continuing efforts by certain third parties to negatively affect the debtors." What that means is unclear. Debtor counsel David L. Neale of Levene Neale Bender Yoo & Brill did not return a request for comment. Titans employs six workers and Guess is the sole manager of the company. He is also the sole member of affiliate Cartel's board of directors, court filings said. Merck (MRK) posted fourth-quarter earnings that were largely in line with estimates but issued a cautious outlook for the year and sees worldwide sales largely flat when compared to 2016. Non-GAAP earnings for the three months ended in December were 89 cents a share, meeting analysts' forecasts and falling 4.3% from the same period last year. Group revenue, Merck said, was $10.1 billion, modestly shy of the $10.22 billion estimate. Sales of the company's key Keytruda drug, however, beat forecasts, rising 125% from the same period last year to $483 million, well ahead of the $470 million figure forecasts by analysts. "The performance of Merck's broad and balanced portfolio allows us to remain committed to biomedical innovation that saves and improves lives and delivers long-term value to shareholders," said CEO Ken Frazier. "The momentum behind our pipeline and key product launches, including the continued growth and expansion of Keytruda into new indications and markets around the world, further reinforces our company's strategic direction." Merck said it expects to see full-year 2017 EPS of between $3.72 and $3.87 on sales of between $38.8 billion and $40.1 billion, "including an approximately 2% negative impact from foreign exchange." Full-year 2016 sales were $39.8 billion, the company said. Merck rival Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) said on Jan. 19 it would not seek accelerated approval for a combination of its Opdivo and Yervoy drugs as a treatment for newly diagnosed lung cancer. On Jan. 10, Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted and is reviewing an application for Keytruda plus chemotherapy for first-line treatment of patients that have metastatic or advanced non-squamous NSCLC, regardless of the levels of the PD-L1 protein, and with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. A decision is expected on or before May 10. The FDA in October approved Keytruda for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors have high expression of PD-L1 with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. Merck shares closed at $62.10 on Wednesday, up 0.18%. The stock has gained 4.72% over the last three months compared with a 6.3% advance for the S&P 500 Health Care Index. Updated from 9:10 a.m. with comments from Macy's If outgoing Macy's (M) CEO Terry Lundgren wants to cement his legacy, it's not about selling the company to private equity sharks or the real estate hogs over at Saks and Lord & Taylor owner Hudson's Bay Company (which is struggling, too) as a report Thursday in the New York Post suggests. Instead, it should be by doing something transformational that could set Macy's up for a future of success in the fast-changing world of retail. With Lundgren reportedly becoming open to offers from potential friendly buyers as a measure to head off a board shake-up spurred by activist shareholder Starboard Value, he should place a call to Ross Stores (ROST) CEO Barbara Rentler. Last year was another challenging one for Macy's, one that caused the stock to underperform the S&P 500 (a gain of 3.5% vs. 10%, respectively). Another solid year for Ross Stores propelled its stock up 23%. Ross Stores has a much bigger market cap ($26 billion) than Macy's ($9 billion) now. The total enterprise value, which includes debt, of Ross Stores is $25.5 billion compared to Macy's $15.6 billion. Given the current valuation disparity, Ross Stores has a powerful currency to barter with Macy's executives in putting together a transaction. Executives may be open to a greater stock to cash component --as would shareholders-- due to Ross Stores' proven ability to outperform in a difficult retail climate. Further, Ross Stores has a virtually debt-free balance sheet, 14.9% debt to equity ratio, which should help it to fund a major acquisition such as Macy's. In other words, Lundgren calling Rentler would unlikely be a waste of time. To be sure, a headline-grabbing combination has benefits for both parties. Macy's was late in entering the lucrative off-price retail business, only opening the first of six new Backstage off-price locations in September 2015. Since then, Macy's has decided it makes more sense financially to open Backstage shops inside of its department stores in order to maximize the store's productivity. This past fall, Macy's opened Backstage shops at about 45 of its stores. But given the dizzying amount of merchandise it sells both in stores and online, it would still be wise for Macy's to operate free-standing outlet locations. In Ross Stores, Macy's could gain instant access to more than 1,342 Ross Stores in 36 states as a means to profitably sell unsold wares. For Ross Stores, the company could become the exclusive off-price retailer for unsold Macy's and Bloomingdale's merchandise, giving it access to some best-in-class inventory that would aid efforts to wrestle market share from Marshall's and TJ Maxx owner TJX Cos. (TJX) . And Ross Stores could benefit directly from the sales and profits at over 827 Macy's stores, soon to be fewer due to planned closures, and 53 Bloomingdale's locations. TJX Companies is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells TJX? Learn more now. Further, seeing as the two boast very different business models, a deal would likely gain swift approval by regulators, unlike the one between Staples (SPLS) and Office Depot (ODP) that got shot down earlier this year. Roadblocks to this dream deal does exist, however. Macy's has a ton going on right now, such as working through 100 or so store closures, reviewing its real estate and remodeling its best stores. The notoriously cautious Ross Stores may not want to get involved amidst this turbulence. From a Macy's perspective, Lundgren may view it easier to just unload the iconic department store to private equity or Hudson's Bay and set off into semi-retirement --he will still be chairman after handing the CEO reigns to success Jeff Gennette this quarter. But boy, this deal would be a legacy sealer. Make the call Terry, it doesn't hurt to explore this one. A Macy's spokeswoman declined to comment on deal speculation. She added that Lundgren remains CEO. Updated from 8:02 a.m. EST with updated stock price and conference call details. Estee Lauder (EL) on Thursday reported second-quarter earnings that topped Wall Street's expectations as sales increased across nearly all of its segments. The stock gained 3.82% to $82.99 The New York-based cosmetics company posted adjusted earnings of $1.22 per share, surpassing analysts' projections of $1.17 per share. But revenue of $3.21 billion fell short of forecasts of $3.24 billion. The company's small, mid-sized and luxury brands continued to lead growth, contributing to "strong" sales increases, Estee Lauder said. Tom Ford was "particularly well received" by consumers, executives noted on a call with analysts this morning. The brand had growth in every category and in every region. Incremental sales from the company's recent acquisitions of By Kilian perfumes and BECCA and Too Faced cosmetics brands contributed about 90 basis points to sales growth during the most recent quarter. "We expect sales and profit growth to further accelerate in the second half of our fiscal year, due largely to strong product innovation, increased consumer coverage and improving trends in certain brands and markets," CEO Fabrizio Freda said in a statement. Net sales rose across its skin care, makeup and fragrance segments in the second-quarter, but hair care sales fell primarily due to a difficult comparison with several Aveda product launches a year ago. Most of Estee Lauder's geographic regions were also hurt by the strength of the U.S. dollar. Social and political issues, terrorism, currency volatility and economic challenges are impacting consumer behavior in certain places, such as Hong Kong and some emerging markets, the company said. Consumer purchasing in the Middle East continues to be soft, executives noted. Estee Lauder is also "cautious" about the decline in retail traffic, especially at mid-tier department stores and tourist-driven doors in the U.S. Despite the earnings beat, the company gave a downbeat outlook. Full-year earnings per share are expected to be between $3.29 and $3.33, missing analysts' estimates of $3.39 per share. For the third quarter, Estee Lauder sees earnings per share between 65 cents and 70 cents vs. the analyst consensus compiled by FactSet of 84 cents per share. Global prestige beauty remains a "vibrant industry" estimated to increase about 4% to 5%. The company said its annual growth has consistently outpaced global prestige beauty and despite "these global issues" is expected to continue to grow at least one percentage point ahead of the industry in the fiscal year. Updated from 12:01 with comments from Rep. Huizenga. A resolution to scrap an anti-bribery rule that affects oil, gas and mining companies is quickly making its way through Congress. Put forth by Republicans Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan and Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act seeks to nullify the Securities and Exchange Commission's resource extraction rule, finalized in June. The rule requires companies to disclose payments to foreign governments for the rights to commercially develop oil, natural gas and minerals and is aimed at preventing corruption. The House of Representatives passed the resolution to roll back the rule on Wednesday in a 235-187 vote. The Senate could vote on it as soon as Thursday. "Last night's vote helps reset the regulatory process," Huizenga, Capital Markets Committee chairman, said in a statement. "For too long, regulators have saddled U.S. companies with burdensome regulations putting them at a competitive disadvantage on the global stage. By sending the SEC back to the drawing board, Congress is demonstrating that it is serious about strengthening the economy, boosting private sector job creation, and helping American workers." Congress' swift action is likely to please the oil and gas industry, which has fiercely opposed the rule since it was first mandated under the Dodd-Frank legislation in 2010. The American Petroleum Institute successfully sued to overturn an original version of the rule in 2012, forcing an SEC rewrite. The lobbying group, whose members include ExxonMobil (XOM) , Chevron (CVX) , Phillips 66 (PSX) , ConocoPhillips (COP) and Apache (APA) , applauded the House's vote. API Director of Tax Policy Stephen Comstock in a statement calling it a "necessary step by Congress to establish sensible regulations that balance increasing transparency without diminishing our industry's competitive." The rule took effect on September 26, 2016, and it requires companies to be in compliance with it by September 30, 2018. The Senate is expected to pass the resolution to revoke the rule, and President Trump is expected to sign it. Congress killing the rule via CRA will not likely result in any significant improvement in the financial results of the companies that stood to be affected, Ed Groshans, analyst at Washington, D.C.-based investment research firm Height Securities, wrote in a note on Wednesday. Firms were likely in the process of determining how to comply with the rule, but significant expenditures for compliance would have likely be incurred in 2017 and 2018. The SEC estimated compliance could cost $55 million to $575 million for the more than 400 companies affected. Oxfam America, a nonprofit group that supports the rule and sued to expedite its enactment in 2015, slammed the House, which it said "voted for corruption" in a move that "provides zero benefit for the public but will instead allow corrupt elites to continue to stuff their pockets with oil money and steal from their citizens." Advocacy group ONE released a statement urging the Senate to safeguard the rule, which it says is aimed at "reducing corruption, ending extreme poverty, and strengthening our national security." It noted similar measures have been enacted in the U.K., France, Norway and Canada. Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, spoke in favor of maintaining the rule on the House Floor on Wednesday. She pointed out it would affect foreign companies publicly traded in the U.S., like Brazil's Petrobras (PBR) and China's PetroChina (PTR) , as well as companies based here. "A vote to roll back the SEC's resource extraction disclosures would be a vote to abandon U.S. leadership in the fight against global corruption," she said. Walden's announcement follows Tuesday's meeting between President Donald Trump and drug company executives at the White House. Celgene (CELG) Chairman Bob Hugin, Merck (MRK) CEO Ken Frazier and Amgen (AMGN) CEO Rob Bradaway were among the executives meeting with Trump. Rep. Greg Walden, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, on Thursday announced plans to consider legislation aimed at speeding Food and Drug Administration approvals of off-patent drugs that face scant competition. The Oregon Republican said the bipartisan legislation would provide incentives for generic drug development. The bill, titled The Lower Drug Costs Through Competition Act and sponsored by Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), is basically a copy of legislation the pair sponsored last year. A hearing on it could be held next week, although the committee has not set a date. "The bill will require the [Food and Drug Administration] to prioritize, expedite and review generic applications of drug products that are currently in shortage, or where there are few manufacturers on the market," Walden said. The legislation aims to create a Priority Review Voucher that would be awarded to manufacturers that bring a drug to market when there is no competition to an off-patent drug and obligate the FDA to rule within 180 days on an approval application for a qualifying drug. The bill also comes in the wake of last year's uproar over steep price hikes of Mylan's (MYL) EpiPen, which have averaged 25% yearly since 2007. The EpiPen is a hand-held epinephrine autoinjector used often used by patients themselves and emergency medicine workers to treat anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction, in life-and-death situations. The industry standard on drug price increases is roughly 10% annually. "President Trump made it clear in the White House meeting I attended with him and Vice President Pence, he wants competition that will bring lower drug prices, and that is precisely what this measure will accomplish," Walden added. The bill is also meant to prevent situations in which drugmakers suddenly increase the cost of an existing drug that doesn't have competitors. The lawmakers cited the 2015 decision by Turing Pharmaceuticals, led by hedge fund manager and "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, to jack up the price of Daraprim, an antiparasitic used to treat certain infections associated with HIV. It was then that the company raised the drug's price from $13.50 to $750 overnight. POTEAU, Okla. The SureStay Plus Poteau is opening its doors to guests in Poteau, Oklahoma. This property is one of the first of its kind to join one of the newest hotel brands in the industry the SureStay Hotel Group. The SureStay Plus Poteau will provide guests with an experience they can count on and the amenities today's travelers have come to expect. SureStay's service promise reflects the brand and the hotel's commitment to its guests: "If something goes wrong, we will make it right. You should feel sure about your stay." "The SureStay Plus Poteau is a welcomed addition to our growing portfolio of SureStay Hotels," said Shane Platt, Managing Director of SureStay Hotel Group. "We are thrilled to bring this new hotel brand to Poteau and believe this hotel will be an affordable, quality lodging option for travelers in this area." Located at 3111 N. Broadway, the hotel features 70 guest rooms and four suites, complete with flat screen TVs, a mini-fridge and microwave. The SureStay Plus Poteau also offers free Wi-Fi, complimentary hot breakfast, an outdoor pool, and guest laundry facility. For business travelers, the hotel provides a full service business center to meet guests' connectivity needs. The property's location is also optimal for guests interested in exploring the nearby area as it is within just a short drive from a number of popular outdoor attractions including the Talimena National Scenic Byway, Heavener Runestone State Park, Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center, Robbers Cave State Park, Lake Wister and Sardis Lake. The hotel is also within a short distance to one of the few remaining drive-in movie theaters the Tower Drive-In offering families a fun and unique night-out. "We take tremendous pride in our hotel, as our staff go above and beyond to provide guests with a clean, welcoming and comfortable stay," said Sue Werschky, owner of the SureStay Plus Poteau. "Travelers visiting Poteau can be sure about their stay at our hotel." Reservations may be booked by calling 1-800-827-8298 or by visiting surestay.com. About BWH Hotel Group BWH Hotel Group is a leading, global hospitality network comprised of three hotel companies, including WorldHotels Collection, Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group. The global network boasts approximately 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*. With 18 brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market. WorldHotels WorldHotels Collection is a privately held hotel soft brand within the BWH Hotel Group global network. Founded by independent hoteliers dedicated to the art of hospitality, and celebrating its 50th year anniversary in 2021, WorldHotels offers one of the finest portfolios of independent hotels and resorts around the globe, expertly curated to inspire unique, life enriching experiences that connect people and places. WorldHotels is comprised of four unique collections, each with its own personality and style to appeal to the needs of today's traveler. The collections include: WorldHotels Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted. For more information visit WorldHotels.com. *Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline. Kelly Dalton Director of Communications BWH Hotel Group Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed, 14 were wounded and 6 were injured in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine over the past day. Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spokesperson for ATO issues Oleksandr Motuzianyk said this at a press briefing on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Unfortunately, as a result of combat actions over the last day, two Ukrainian soldiers were killed, 14 were wounded and 6 were injured, Motuzianyk said. He specified that two Ukrainian servicepersons were killed as a result of enemy attacks near Avdiyivka. One soldiers was wounded near the city of Popasna, another four were wounded at the positions of Butivka mine when Russian backed militants shelled the Ukrainian army using mortars and guns. Other Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and injured near Avdiyivka, Motuzianyk said. iy President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu. This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State. The two leaders of both states discussed actual issues of bilateral agenda and outlined the priority directions of deepening cooperation between Ukraine and Israel. The two sides stressed on the need to enhance economic cooperation between Ukraine and Israel and agreed to take steps for the completion of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. It was also agreed on mutual support within international organizations on the basis of common interests, and taking into account Ukraine's membership in the UN Security Council. Both sides confirmed their willingness to work closely in order to strengthen the fight against terrorism, to promote peaceful settlement in the Middle East and to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. During the talks it was agreed upon the visit of Prime Minister of Ukraine to Israel. ish Ukraine gets about 80% of its gasoline imports from the Republic of Belarus, followed by Lithuania, Poland and Mediterranean countries. Consulting Group A-95 Director Serhii Kuiun has stated this at a press conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The market of gasoline imports is very diversified. We have 7-8 stable destinations. The largest one is, undoubtedly, Belarus, which covers 80% of import deliveries. Other important destinations are Lithuania, Poland and Mediterranean countries, Kuiun said. According to him, the market of diesel fuel imports is more balanced. Belarus holds about 30-40% here, Ukrainian plants - about 25-30%, Russia - about 20%. I think fuel deliveries from Russia will increase this year, Kuiun noted. mk New solar power plants financed by investors are expected to be built in Kherson, Odesa and Kharkiv regions, Stolychna Nerukhomist information and analytical portal reports. In 2017, a solar power plant with a capacity of 30 megawatts will be built within 60 hectares of Velyka Blahovishchenka Village Council. According to preliminary estimates, the project cost exceeds $10 million, the press service of Kherson Regional State Administration reports. A solar power plant is also expected to be built in the city of Bolhrad (Odesa Region). According to the press service of Bolhrad City Council, the plant with a capacity of 5 megawatts will be situated within 10 hectares of the former military training grounds. In addition, a solar power plant with a capacity of 1.8 megawatts will be built in the village of Vesele (Kharkiv Region) this year. According to Kharkiv Energy Cluster, the project is being implemented by the Institute of Sustainable Development. As Ukrinform reported earlier, 39 companies expressed interest in building solar power plants in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. mk Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman discussed priorities of bilateral cooperation and plans of the Ukrainian government for reforms with Foreign Minister of Denmark Anders Samuelsen. The meeting took place in Kyiv on Monday, the Governmental portal reports. The Prime Minister of Ukraine noted the importance of support of the Danish government for the efforts to conduct reforms in Ukraine. "Cooperation and friendly relations with Denmark are extremely important for us and we appreciate them," the head of the Ukrainian government said. In turn, the foreign minister of Denmark stressed that his country continued to support Ukraine, condemning the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russias violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. He also noted that the Ukrainian government had managed to achieve significant progress in the reforms and said that the Danish side would coordinate the project to support the fight against corruption in Ukraine within the framework of the "Anti-Corruption Initiative of the European Union." In addition, Anders Samuelsen stressed that Denmark was also developing a 5-year strategy to continue supporting reforms in Ukraine in the areas of decentralization, anti-corruption, energy, and public administration. ol GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Actions of the Russian Federation against Ukraine are unacceptable thats why Ottawa will continue supporting Kyiv. Defense Minister of Canada Harjit Sajjan stated this on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Im looking at the options right now in terms of how we can improve our support, what changes that we need to make, Sajjan said. He added he regularly receives information about the development of the situation in Ukraine. But one thing is for sure, that Canada remains committed to Ukraine, Sajjan stressed. iy Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko at the Council of Europe meeting in Strasbourg on Thursday will inform the European community about the situation in Avdiyivka. This has been reported by Governments portal. "On February 2, 2017, Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko will speak at the European Council meeting in Strasbourg on the topic "Decentralization in Ukraine: achievements and prospects". He will also inform the European community about the emergency situation in the city of Avdiyivka, Donetsk region," the report says. Within the event, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister will also meet with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland. ish Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy hopes that President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Paolo Alli will visit Ukraine in the near future. He said this during a meeting with Chairman of the NATO Office in Ukraine Oleksandr Vinnikov, the press service of the Verkhovna Rada reported. "We have an effective cooperation with the Parliamentary Assembly. We hope that the visit of PA chairman will be held as soon as possible to show a high level of our cooperation. I am open to dialogue," Parubiy said. In his opinion, the cooperation with NATO has to be confirmed at the highest level. ish President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has held a phone conversation with President of Slovakia Andrej Kiska. This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State. The Head of State has expressed gratitude to the Slovak leader for the consistent support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. The President has informed on the aggravation of the security situation in Donbas. Russian militants continue shelling Avdiyivka giving no chance to restore electricity supply. The world must exert greater pressure on Russia to achieve ceasefire, the President said. Andrej Kiska has expressed support for Ukraine and called for the immediate ceasefire. In the context of bilateral interaction in the European integration, the parties have discussed the participation of Slovakia in the reformation of the Ukrainian economy, as well as cooperation in the energy sphere. Special attention has been paid to Slovakias support in the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukrainians by the EU. ish 02/04/2017 By Katharine Webster Psychology major Pisey Hok knew almost nothing about research before he started working with Assoc. Prof. Jana Sladkova under an Emerging Scholars grant. Now hes helping Sladkova teach a class thats also an interactive research project, Diversity and Inclusion, on how students can use photography to convey their feelings, experiences and attitudes about race and diversity. Its a really good opportunity to learn more and work with a professor one-on-one, says Hok, who was born in Cambodia, then moved to Lowell as a child. When I was younger and people told me to go back to Asia, I laughed it off. But now Im really interested in race, inequality, diversity and social justice and in helping students tell their own stories through a racial or ethnic identity lens. The Emerging Scholars program, now in its sixth year, prepares undergraduates in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (FAHSS) for research careers while also providing valuable assistance to faculty members. Students apply for a $2,000 grant to work with a faculty member on a particular research project. The program, supported by the FAHSS dean's office and the office of the vice chancellor for research and innovation, accepts eight to 10 students each year. This years scholars are researching the experiences of LGBTQ asylum-seekers, eye movements associated with learning, musical playgrounds made from recycled materials and the experiences of college students who are adopted, among other projects. Past Emerging Scholars have gone on to deliver original research papers at conferences, join Ph.D. programs and do applied research in their fields. Photo by Richard Serna Photo by Richard Serna Eight of this year's Emerging Scholars on the porch of Allen House before their midyear presentation. Hok, a transfer student who had just completed a required Research I class and was starting Research II when he began working with Sladkova last fall, says he was amazed to learn how much goes into designing, funding and carrying out even a small, qualitative research project. Sladkova assigned him to research grants and draft inquiry letters about funding for Diverity and Inclusion. He also worked on formalizing the research design and winning approval from the Institutional Review Board, making posters to advertise the class and communicating with students who signed up. This semester, Sladkova and Hok will teach students about PhotoVoice, a form of participatory research in which marginalized groups use photography and digital storytelling to convey their perspectives and experiences. Assoc. Prof. Wael Kamal, director of the digital media program, will teach photo techniques. Diversity and Inclusion will culminate with a public exhibit and discussion of the students work. Emerging Scholars, supported by the Center for Women and Work, offers participants more than research experience. The scholars meet monthly with faculty to discuss research methods and challenges or to learn more about graduate school and research careers. They also present their projects publicly, both at a midyear event and at the annual Student Research Symposium. Photo by Katharine Webster Photo by Katharine Webster History major Emily Yunes chats with two other Emerging Scholars after their midyear presentation. History major Emily Yunes, another Emerging Scholar, is working with University Prof. Robert Forrant on a Lowell walking tour that will contrast the textile industrys historical reliance on slave-picked cotton from the South with residents strong support for the anti-slavery movement, which took root among the mill girls and even some mill owners. Yunes is digging into old newspapers, personal letters, church records and The Lowell Offering, a magazine written by and for the mill girls, who flocked to hear famous speakers like William Lloyd Garrison preach about the moral evils of slavery at Mechanics Hall and local churches. Everyone in Lowell seemed to have an opinion on it, Yunes says. Every two weeks, Forrant has Yunes research and write an essay on a minitopic, such as a location, person or event. Eventually, those essays will form the basis for a walking tour script, which they hope will become part of the Lowell National Historical Parks offerings. The project is giving Yunes exactly the kind of hands-on experience she needs for a career in educational outreach at a nonprofit such as AmeriCorps or the national park, she says. Im really enjoying the experience of how you put together the research and tell that story through a walking tour. Professor Forrant has helped me find the resources I need to broaden the project, and hes taught me a lot about writing and editing. And hes done so many walking tours downtown that he has a great handle on how to set one up. 02/02/2017 By Katharine Webster During last summers sweltering weather, Dayana Alabre and another student research assistant traveled to UMass Lowells Haiti Development Studies Center in Les Cayes one night each week for a live, online discussion in their British Literary Traditions class. Alabre and Ralph Douyon live outside the port city of Les Cayes in areas that often suffer electric brownouts. The problem only got worse after Hurricane Matthew slammed into Haitis southern peninsula in October, leaving Les Cayes infrastructure in tatters. Yet week after week, Alabre and Douyon make the trek to the center, which has more reliable electricity than most places thanks to its solar array and generator, to attend virtual office hours with their English professors at UMass Lowell. That persistence, her high academic performance and her community service just won Alabre the Jack M. Wilson Presidential Scholarship. The work she does in Haiti, under sometimes difficult conditions, is extraordinary, says Assoc. Prof. Keith Mitchell, who has both students in his online American Literary Traditions class this semester. English is not Dayana and Ralphs native language, but that has not been a barrier to their success in the class. Alabre is more modest. At first, she took one class at a time through the Division of Online and Continuing Education, starting with College Writing I and II. Now she is studying full-time. We had to start slowly to help me improve my writing because honestly, it was awful! she laughs. Photo by Robert Giles Photo by Robert Giles A young girl carrying water in Haiti. Alabre and Douyon are studying English so they can become teachers or get jobs working with other educational, scientific or aid organizations. In addition to their class-work, they are reading widely in English: Honors College Dean Jim Canning has sent them more than 70 books over the past 18 months, from Shakespearean comedies to Robert Parkers Boston-based detective novels. Canning also asked Mitchell for suggestions, and Mitchell introduced the students to novelist and essayist Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian-American who is now one of Alabres favorite writers. But Alabres first love is physics. She and Douyon use Skype to attend some of Physics Chairman Robert Giles classes, including an interdisciplinary honors seminar, Science and Technology in an Impoverished World. Alabre and Douyon both work 20 hours a week for the Haiti Development Studies Center (HSDC), which was founded by Giles in 2013. The center is a base for groups of UMass Lowell students and faculty to learn about Haiti and explore technologies that may provide sustainable solutions for its problems. Several successful projects have come out of the honors class, including the BioBubbler, an inexpensive sand filtration system that removes bacteria from drinking water (it won a major award in the 2014 DifferenceMaker competition) and cooking fuel made from agricultural and wood waste to replace traditional wood charcoal (Haiti is severely deforested). Photo by Robert Giles Photo by Robert Giles Dayana Alabre checks the temperature of the pans at a cook-off to demonstrate a new biofuel developed at the Haiti Development Studies Center. Alabre and Douyon work with the visiting students on developing the projects and demonstrating them in the community. They also translate when visiting students and faculty teach science workshops in local schools. For the past few years, Giles has funded the Haiti Development center and paid for Alabres and Douyons online English classes through grants and his own funds. To create more sustainable funding, the Office of University Advancement is actively seeking donors to help with the centers annual operating budget, including scholarships for up to four Haitian student research assistants. Giles says the scholarships are an investment in a country that needs more scientists and science educators. Were trying to create more opportunity in Haiti by expanding the skilled workforce, Giles says. Dayana studies all day long. When Im at the center and get up at 5:30 a.m., shes already in a corner somewhere studying. In the meantime, Alabre is thrilled and grateful that her work earned her the $1,000 scholarship, which is awarded to only two students in the entire UMass system. Upon learning of the award, I couldnt believe it. I was so shocked, so surprised, she says. Then when Professor Giles told me more about it and what it was for, I was really proud of myself. China started 2017 on a high note according to results of a survey released yesterday that showed manufacturing expanded in January at close to its fastest pace in two years. Heavy government spending and a boom in bank lending and real estate are helping to counter a slowdown that took growth in the worlds second-largest economy to 6.7 percent last year, the weakest rate since 1990. The National Bureau of Statistics purchasing managers index showed manufacturing growth at 51.4 on a 100-point scale on which numbers above 50 indicate an expansion. That was down only slightly from Novembers two-year high of 51.7. Forecasters expect growth to weaken further this year, however, as regulators try to cool what analysts warn is a dangerously fast run-up in debt and rising housing costs. The International Monetary Fund is predicting this years growth will slow to 6.5 percent. The latest data show a relatively strong start to the year, Julian Evans- Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report. The more important question is whether or not the current strength will be sustained, said Evans-Pritchard. We doubt that it will be given how reliant the recent recovery has been on support from monetary and fiscal policy that is now being withdrawn. Manufacturers have been battered by a slump in global demand for Chinese goods and steadily declining domestic economic activity. Exports shrank by 7.7 percent last year compared with 2015 while growth in Chinese retail sales decelerated to 9.6 percent from the previous years 10.6 percent. Chinese leaders have used repeated infusions of credit to prevent a sharper slowdown, which has temporarily set back efforts to reduce reliance on trade and debt-supported investment. A decline in construction spending as Beijing tightens controls in lending should weigh on demand for steel and other manufactured goods. The health of Chinese manufacturing is important to other Asian economies that supply raw materials and industrial components and to exporters of oil, iron ore and other commodities such as Australia and Brazil. Some individual indicators for new orders and other factors declined slightly in January, but industrial operations remain in the boom range, said economist Zhang Liqun in a statement released by the NBS and an industry group, the China Association for Logistics and Purchasing. Joe McDonald, Beijing, AP KYIV/GENEVA, 1 February 2017 Following intense fighting over the last two days around the town of Avdiivka, Donetsk region, more than 17,000 people including 2,500 children are facing freezing weather without any heating, electricity or water. Six schools and four kindergartens have also closed in the area due to the violence, putting education on hold and children under further stress, as they lose the much needed routine and stability of going to school. The electricity and water infrastructure in Avdiivka was extensively damaged on 29 and 30 January. The resulting power outages disabled water pumping from a backup reservoir that serves the town and on which the heating system relies. In temperatures plummeting to minus 17 degrees Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit), the situation could have catastrophic consequences for the residents of Avdiivka. Not only are the lives of thousands of children in Avdiivka, and on all sides of the conflict, at risk, but to make matters worse, the lack of water and electricity means that homes are becoming dangerously cold and health conditions deteriorating as we speak, said Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine. UNICEF and partners call for safe access to carry out immediate repairs to the damaged water and electricity infrastructure to prevent further suffering, she added. The water supply to other towns and villages in the Donetsk region has also stopped after the power supply to the Donetsk Filtration Station was cut on 29 January. The filtration station provides water to approximately 400,000 people. Water is now rationed and there is a possibility that the piped household water supply will stop altogether. ### The nine rowhouses a few blocks from Johns Hopkins Hospital stood for more than a century, through waves of immigration, two world wars, the upending of the citys economy and a shift in its racial makeup. The arched windows along the 900 block of North Bradford Street reflected both the boom and the decline of a great American city: the prosperous midcentury, when all nine households could afford the Formstone that covered their brick fronts; the tumult of 1968, when residents could smell the smoke from nearby riots; the white flight that would open the street to African Americans; and the drug wars that would drive many of them away. Since it was built on an old brickyard in 1905 by the two-story king of East Baltimore, hundreds of people have called the block home. But only one of them was there to see that history end. Mable Olds, 69, the last resident of 936 N. Bradford, was on hand to see the government-paid excavator roll up to the house where she and many mothers before her had raised her family. I dont know, Olds said on a sunny summer morning, standing by the manhole cover that had been home plate when her son played baseball on the narrow street. I just dont know about tearing down good houses. She was not the only one uncertain about the intentional destruction she was about to witness. Baltimore, like Detroit and other aging American cities plagued by abandoned housing, is spending millions of dollars tearing out blighted pieces of itself in the hope that, like a pruned tree, the rest of the city will bloom. As Marylands largest city has dwindled from a peak population of 950,000 in 1950 to about 620,000 today, the receding tide has left behind 17,000 boarded-up houses and buildings, unoccupied, unwanted and unstable. They are scattered throughout the city, with major concentrations on the east side, as well as in battered West Baltimore, where 25-year-old Freddie Grays death from an injury suffered in police custody triggered riots in 2015. Some of the vacant houses are brick hulks, roofless and irreparable, in such danger of collapse that the city keeps a demolition crew on standby 24 hours a day. But many are structurally sound, artifacts of Baltimores rich history and the craftsmanship of its earlier days. City planners hope the demolitions will give a boost to struggling, often crime-plagued communities. Others are skeptical or downright suspicious. I hope its not just to move black people out, Olds said. Thats a common fear in a neighborhood where Hopkins, a world-renowned and ever-expanding hospital, has just built a public charter school a block away and where millennials moving into rehabbed rowhouses play with their pets on a grassy, demolition-created field. People need houses, not dog parks, declared Oldss son, Barak Olds, who said the hospital has long been open about its desire to remake the area. When I was a kid, they used to have a model of the whole neighborhood at Hopkins, how they wanted it to look, he said. This is the fruition of that plan. A panoramic view of the houses on Baltimores North Bradford Street slated for demolition. Barak Olds takes a last look around the house he grew up in. Mable Olds looks around what used to be her home as former residents and relatives of former residents gather at 936 N. Bradford before it is demolished. (Photos by Bill OLeary/The Washington Post) Mable Olds raised her 44-year-old son and two daughters at 936 N. Bradford while working shifts at a laundry plant. She moved into the 760-square-foot rowhouse in 1974, bought it in 1978 for $4,000 and lived in it until there were only three other homes still occupied on the block. Olds was the last owner. The first was Lewis Crossont, a German American glass-factory worker who paid about $800 for the house in 1906 and moved in with his wife and sister. In the decades between, a factory foreman, barrelmaker and house painter made No. 936 home. So many families here, Olds said quietly. The glittered and glued letters C-H-L-O-E-E were still stuck on her granddaughters bedroom wall. A workman took up a fire hose, ready to spray down the demo dust. He grew up four blocks away from Bradford. Another worker, ready to stack salvaged bricks on a pallet, had an aunt who lived across the street. These were not strangers taking down the neighborhood. Oh, I knew Miss Emma very well before she went to the nursing home, said Jerome Reds Banks, pointing at one of the houses as he got ready to climb into the cab of his Hitachi excavator and knock it down. She was a good friend of my mothers. Across the street, as he waited in the shade to load his dump truck with the 10 tons of debris each house would produce, Big Mike Saunders, 59, remembered his own mother. She cleaned stoops on these streets for seven hours a day, going door to door with a bucket and a can of Ajax. He described the end of the milkman era and the bags of furnace coal you had to shove through basement windows. He learned to make sausage from the Polish butchers in the market, hunkered down during the riots and saw his black neighbors begin to move out when drugs came and crime soared in the 1990s. I seen this whole neighborhood change, man, Saunders said. A diesel engine revved to life across the street. Saunders leaned back on a stoop. He was going to watch it change some more. A league of nations When the 900 block of North Bradford Street was built in 1905, Baltimore was growing. It was the sixth-biggest city in America, and the great wave of European immigration was still depositing Poles, Germans, Italians and others in ethnic enclaves all over the city. A good many Czechs then described as Austro-Bohemians on census documents gathered in Little Bohemia north of Patterson Park, where a young builder named Frank Novak was putting up rowhouses fast enough to earn the two-story king moniker. He built the homes on North Bradford for about $700 each, with bricks produced around the corner on Eager Street and lumber brought up by ship from Georgia and North Carolina. They were alley houses, just 10 feet wide with shallow window arches and wooden stoops, and their three tiny bedrooms were crammed with big families like the Mifkovics. The exterior of Sophie Kilma's store at 929 N. Bradford St. in 1907. (John Dubas/Maryland Historical Society) Peter Mifkovic, a young laborer who came over from a village just north of Bratislava in what is now Slovakia in 1905, and his new wife, Agnes, moved into 930 N. Bradford, where all six of their children grew up. The house was a boisterous gathering place for the next half-century as the Mifkovic children married into German, Italian and Irish families. It was a league of nations around that dining-room table, remembered Mary Mifkovic, 91, who lives in a suburban retirement community. She was married for 62 years to Ed, the youngest Mifkovic boy, who was born in 1923 in one of the upstairs bedrooms. The two met at Martin Aviation, the airplane manufacturer where both worked just after World War II. Eds mother, who never learned much English, worked at a tomato cannery. One sister worked in a textile plant, two others for McCormick, all downtown factories. But after the war, Ed and Mary Mifkovic joined the growing migration to the suburbs. Everybody was sold on the idea that you wanted to live in an environment with grass and trees and new schools, said Francis ONeill, a Baltimore historian at the Maryland Historical Society. They built new roads making it feasible to commute back to the factories, but then the factories began to move out, too. A contagion of blight In a growing city, a vacant house is an asset. In a shrinking one, it is a menace. The empty yard becomes a dump; plywood sheets do little to keep out squatters, drug dealers, prostitutes and arsonists. Fires started in abandoned buildings cause hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and kill 45 people a year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Worse, blight is contagious. An abandoned house saps the property value of its neighbors and can trigger more decay. People start to lose faith in the block, said Alan Mallach, an economist at the Center for Community Progress and the former housing director of Trenton, N.J. People begin to care less. Those who can, think about moving. The countrys inventory of abandoned homes grew by more than 4.5 million between 2000 and 2010, fueled by the foreclosure crisis. Rust Belt mayors, confronted with neighborhoods that looked like deserted movie sets, started talking less about growth and more about right-sizing. Toledo and Akron, Ohio; Flint, Mich.; Buffalo and other cities began demolishing vacant structures as an alternative to managing them. Detroit has torn down almost 11,000 using more than $580 million from the federal governments Hardest Hit Fund, a program targeting the states most stricken by foreclosures. The promise of demolition is twofold. It eliminates the hazards associated with abandoned buildings and boosts the values of the houses that are left. It also creates green space sometimes urban gardens, sometimes weedy lots. Mallach has been bullish on demolition, touting its potential in an influential 2012 Brookings Institution report. He cites two recent studies that show healthy effects in Detroit and Cleveland. In Detroit, researchers found that each house that was knocked down boosted the value of nearby properties by more than 4 percent. But as more cities tear down more houses, he has become less certain. Neighborhoods that are largely intact can clearly benefit from having the vacant structures pruned out, he said. But sometimes, the bulldozers leave too many holes in the community fabric. In some cases, demolishing a lot of houses might be removing that neighborhoods chance to revive in the future, he said. Theres still a lot of ambivalence about it. Baltimore, still struggling to recover from the chaos and soaring crime that followed Grays death, has spent about $40 million laying siege to blighted neighborhoods since 2012. Approximately 500 rowhouses were knocked down in 2016, about the same pace as the previous year. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has pledged $74 million in state money. It would take about $500 million to clear away all of the boarded-up properties. City officials said residents of the affected neighborhoods have been overwhelmingly supportive, including those who have to be relocated. We have people saying When are you going to get around to our block? said Baltimore Acting Housing Commissioner Michael Braverman. Bradford, after requests from neighborhood leaders, made it onto the list in 2013. Photos and trash dot the street as demolition begins. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post) All the white folks were gone The block began to shift from white to black during the postwar migration to the suburbs. David Bell, 64, an African American who has lived on the opposite side of the block at 909 N. Bradford for most of his life, can remember when black families and aging immigrants lived side by side. The newcomers called the immigrants Germans no matter where they were born. We had an old German man next to us for a long time, used to give us candy, Bell said. All the white folks went to St. Wenceslaus [Catholic Church], and the black folks went to Israel Baptist. On a hot afternoon the week before the demolition was scheduled, Bell was sitting on a Bradford stoop with another longtime neighborhood resident, Alvin Gentry, 64. A commuter train roared by, close enough to make the pavement quiver. We used to walk those tracks before Amtrak came, Gentry said. Remember those smoky trains? Yes, I do, Bell replied. My grandmother would beat me for coming out of that tunnel all covered in soot, Gentry said. The Bradford of their boyhoods had clean sidewalks and flowers in the alley. Miss Ethel sold candy apples from her dining room and frozen ice pops from her kitchen. Mothers swept their stoops first thing every morning. Agnes Mifkovic, long widowed and still living at 930 N. Bradford, died in 1968 at 83. She lived to see the riots that year, with the National Guard there telling residents to stay indoors. Bell spent three years in prison for armed robbery in the 1970s. When I came out, he said, all the white folks were gone. Back then, Mable Olds knew everybody on the block and was known by all as Miss Beekee, a childhood nickname. Her three children rode bicycles on the street, went barefoot in the alleys and roamed freely. But by the mid-1980s, drug dealing was growing more common and more blatant. Youd hear gunshots all the time, Barak Olds said. All. The. Time. Every night. One night in the mid-1990s, his family was in the living room when the pop-pop-pops seemed closer than usual. They went out to find a woman lying dead at the end of the block. She stayed there for a couple hours, he recalled. The groups of men on the corners became more menacing. When a renter moved out, it took longer for a new tenant to move in. By the end of the 1980s, several houses on the block were empty. By the end of the 90s, some were uninhabitable. When the city listed Mable Oldss house for demolition in 2013, it was one of only three on the block that was not boarded up. They offered Olds a renovated rowhouse just around the corner on North Montford Avenue, a key-for-key swap. Financially, she traded a house with a resale value near zero for one on a block where rehabbed houses like hers have sold for $200,000. Its fine, she said of her new house, shrugging. She hasnt put up any of the photographs from No. 936. Shes worried about water stains on the living room ceiling. There are pigeons in the eaves. The city and state contract with multiple firms to demolish houses. But only one does more than knock them down and dump the remains. Details, a branch of the Baltimore nonprofit Humanim, deconstructs them and salvages the material for resale. To do the work, they hire ex-offenders, former addicts and other hard-to-employ residents. Many are from the area. Watch yourself! cried Ronald Fonce, 45, whose aunt lived a few yards away on Eager Street, as he dropped a window sash from what used to be Oldss upstairs window. Down came the mattress that a squatter had moved in after Olds had moved out in 2014. On the floor was a can of mixed vegetables, pried opened with a knife. Bernadette Buckson, 53, was tearing down the plasterboard in the tiny bathroom. Once, pulling down the ceiling in another teardown, $200 in cash floated past her head. Somebody hid that a long time ago, Buckson said. A recovering addict with an arrest record, Buckson had been turned down for jobs 32 times before being hired by Details. Even if she werent grateful for the work, she thinks its good to clear away the empty houses. I got clean and turned my life around, Buckson said. I think change is good. Later that morning, a voice called out from No. 920, where the crew was pulling out the heart pine flooring that would soon line the walls of a trendy new Baltimore restaurant called Gnocco. The thick joists were bound for the Exelon headquarters being built at Harbor Point. The bricks would be sent to downtown Washington for the restoration of the historic Carter G. Woodson house. Max, the voice called. Come see this. Max Pollock, the Details supervisor and an architectural history buff, came in to find his team looking up at an exposed joist with the words Rose Bessie and Hannamans painted on the side. The Rose was the coastal ship that delivered milled lumber more than a century ago, Pollock said. Hannamans was a local lumberyard. A former University of Michigan linebacker with a masters degree in city design from the London School of Economics, Pollock tears down houses with love. He tracks as much of the history of their builders and residents as he can and blogs about them at BaltimoreBrickByBrick.com. Hes got me walking down the street looking at bricks, Buckson said. Mable Olds talks with Jonathan Todd inside her former home at 936 N. Bradford. Also present, from left, are Thomas, Christopher and Chester Crossont, whose grandfather was the houses first resident in 1906. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post) Later that day, Jonathan Todd, a carpenter from the Baltimore suburbs, pulled up. He had never seen the house where his grandfather, Ed Mifkovic, was born. But hed heard the stories, and curiosity finally led him to Google the address. This is where they ate dinner, he marveled, standing for the first and only time in the kitchen of 930 N. Bradford. Some of its floorboards were already gone; the ground was littered with old-fashioned cut nails. I have a picture of them sitting around the table right here. He walked about in silence, amazed to discover his ancestral seat only days before it was to be demolished. God brought me here, he said. He knows Im sentimental. Lewis Crossont, the first resident of Mable Oldss house at No. 936, also has descendants in the area. His grandson Chester Crossont owns a racing garage in Baltimore County with his two sons. Reached by phone, Crossont, 70, said his knowledge of his family history is sketchy. His grandfather started as a furnace tender and worked his whole career in the Carr-Lowrey glass bottle factory. His dad, Ernest Lewis, was born in the house and grew up to be a steelworker at Bethlehem Steel. Crossont had never heard of North Bradford Street but knew that his father had grown up in East Baltimore. Told the block was going to be demolished, he said, Id like to see it. His family avoids the city, he said, usually passing through only on the way to Ravens games. Is it safe? A few days later, he, his wife and two sons walked into the living room of No. 936. Mable Olds walked in shortly after. It took a few minutes for the white descendants of the rowhouses first owner and its black final owner to feel at ease with one another. But they formed a connection from their common experience raising children, knowing Baltimore and, mostly, sharing the heritage of the petite front room, the cramped kitchen, the narrow stairs. They talked amid the exposed plaster lathing for nearly an hour, then for half an hour more in the street out front. They hugged each other goodbye, families linked by an address. An address about to disappear. Heavy equipment takes down the last remaining rowhouse on the west side of North Bradford Street in August. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post) Dust and history On demolition day, after the Bradford houses had been gutted of their valuable wood, Big Mike Saunders waited for rubble piles to be loaded. He, too, was ready to believe that those houses were going down to benefit the behemoth hospital down the road. You know whos going to buy these houses now? Hopkins people, Saunders said. That might be a good thing, he said; doctors and nurses make good neighbors. But still, its the hospital getting its way. The tensions between Hopkins and longtime African American residents is personal for Saunders. He said he is a cousin of Henrietta Lacks, the Baltimorean whose biopsied ovarian cells were cultured by a Hopkins researcher without her consent, forming a line of living cells still used by medical researchers. A best-selling book about Lacks is being turned into a movie by Oprah Winfrey. They robbed my family, Saunders said. They just do to African Americans in East Baltimore whatever they want to. Always have. Across the street, the Bradford houses basked in their final morning sun. It wouldnt take long now. Reds Banks, who can demolish more than 100 houses in a busy month and they are all busy now worked the long arm of his excavator like a prizefighter. The hose played on the bricks, ready to wet the dust. The rowhouses that sheltered 111 years of Crossonts, Mifkovics and Oldses shook at the first touch of the machines metal teeth. The bricks, last handled in 1905 by the masons who were building a booming city, shifted at the hydraulic bite. Banks pulled a lever, the bucket clawed at the wall, and, in a cloud of dust and history, they fell, done at last with their century of service to a city and its people. Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report. Black History Month always inspires references to Frederick Douglass, but this year, the celebration got off to a strange start with some stilted praise from President Trump. Tuesday, the president said that the 19th-century writer and abolitionist is an example of somebody whos done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice. Daguerreotype of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. (Via AP) What, exactly, about Douglass caught the presidents eye was not clear, although the Twittersphere quickly lit up with satirical suggestions. But if youd like to know more about this extraordinary American, the best place to start is with his first book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Published in 1845, the autobiography came stamped with the declaration Written by Himself. That claim of personal authorship was essential to Douglasss freedom and to his critique of Americas peculiar institution. Although it was illegal for slaves to learn to read or write, as a child in Baltimore, Douglass learned the alphabet from his owners wife, Sophia Auld. But when his owner discovered these lessons, he insisted they stop immediately. Whats more, he explained to his wife while Douglass was listening that such an education would spoil the boy and render him forever unfit him to be a slave. For Douglass, this was the first crack in the chains that enslaved him: These words sank deep into my heart, he writes, stirred up sentiments within that lay slumbering, and called into existence an entirely new train of thought. It was a new and special revelation, explaining dark and mysterious things, with which my youthful understanding had struggled, but struggled in vain. I now understood what had been to me a most perplexing difficulty to wit, the white mans power to enslave the black man. It was a grand achievement, and I prized it highly. From that moment, I understood the pathway from slavery to freedom. [Frederick Douglass: The most photographed American man of the 19th century] Realizing the power of literacy eventually led to his escape and to the composition of this startling book. In his clear, vivid style and remarkably even-tempered tone, Douglass describes not only what he endured as a slave but also how slavery corrupted his white owners. Beyond its illuminating historical record, Narrative offers a poignant reflection on the psychological agony of emerging from slavery. Literacy and the self-knowledge that it enabled came at a high cost, as Douglass writes: That very discontentment which Master Hugh had predicted would follow my learning to read had already come, to torment and sting my soul to unutterable anguish. As I writhed under it, I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out. In moments of agony, I envied my fellow-slaves for their stupidity. I have often wished myself a beast. I preferred the condition of the meanest reptile to my own. Any thing, no matter what, to get rid of thinking! It was this everlasting thinking of my condition that tormented me I often found myself regretting my own existence, and wishing myself dead. Fortunately, he resisted that despair, escaped to the North and blessed the nation with this revolutionary autobiography. Its almost impossible now to fathom the full extent of his accomplishment. While Ralph Waldo Emerson and other white writers were fretting about what a new American literature might look like, Douglass was busy producing it. Narrative was an instant bestseller in America, England, France and Holland. Pro-slavery forces quickly charged that the book was a fraud because no slave could possibly write that well, but on his international lecture tour, Douglass demolished that lie. And 10 years later, he struck back against those accusations by producing a fuller and even more elegant version of his life story called My Bondage and My Freedom. So, yes, he did an amazing job. The best job. Yuge. Ron Charles is the editor of Book World. You can follow him on Twitter @RonCharles. Marta Becket, a ballerina who drew audiences from around the world to an abandoned Mojave Desert stage she adopted after being stranded near the ghost town by a flat tire in 1967, died earlier this week at her home in Death Valley Junction, Calif. She was 92. Jeff Mullenhour, deputy coroner of Inyo County, Calif., said the cause had not been determined. Ms. Becket, a New York native, was a dancer who had performed in Broadway musicals and in the Radio City Music Halls corps de ballet in the 1940s and 1950s. She became frustrated by what she once told The Washington Post were too many artistic compromises and greedy producers, so she created a one-woman show and went on the road. As an itinerant dancer, she played community centers and college campuses. She said she was on her way with her husband and manager, Tom Williams, to an engagement when their trailer suffered a flat tire near Death Valley Junction, about 95 miles west of Las Vegas. While Williams fixed the tire, and Ms. Becket walked around the town, an borax mining complex built in the 1920s. She was riveted by the dilapidated social hall. The Amargosa Opera House in 2005 shows a mural depicting 16th century Spain. (Sam Morris/Associated Press) It was a theater! I couldnt believe it, she wrote in a biographical pamphlet. I had the distinct feeling that I was looking at the other half of myself. The building seemed to be saying, Take me, do something with me, I offer you life. Ms. Becket and her husband rented the building, and Marta Becket made her debut in 1968 at the renamed Amargosa Opera House. The town had once been called Amargosa, a variation of the Spanish word for bitter, and the opera house (once called Corkill Hall) had been the social epicenter of the town before it was abandoned in the 1940s. In the beginning, her only patrons were the three Mormon families who lived in the isolated town. The nearest town is 23 miles away from the opera house, but audiences filled its 114 theater seats so many times over the years that extra chairs sometimes had to be brought in. Ms. Becket wrote songs, dialogue, sewed costumes and painted sets. She danced every Monday, Friday and Saturday whether the house was full or empty as if thousands were watching. She spent six years drawing and painted imaginary fans on the opera houses walls and painted the ceiling with a blue sky, dancing cherubs, clouds and doves. I love dance. I love ballet. Its the world I want, she told the Associated Press 2001. Its mystifying. I feel as if this is what I was intended to do. Her husband left in 1983, leaving Ms. Becket and her longtime friend, emcee, stagehand, stage manager and silent sidekick Tom Willett as the towns only residents. Willett died in 2005. The Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, Calif. (Sam Morris/Associated Press) Louis Kavouras, chairman of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas dance department, described Ms. Beckets shows as vaudevillian, an assemblage of brief dramatic and comedic pieces, but always with a strange and contemporary twist. Kavouras said he was mystified when he saw Ms. Becket in 1992, then in her late 60s, rise to her toes and float across the stage in a difficult, shuffling ballet move known as a pas de bourree. It was magic, he said, like the hot desert wind flowing across the desert sand. Ms. Becket was born in New Yorks Greenwich Village on Aug. 9, 1924. According to the Times, she left high school and began performing in nightclubs. She danced in a 1946 Broadway revival of the musical Show Boat as well as the original Broadway staging of the musical comedy Wonderful Town (1953). She also worked at times as a book illustrator. She told the Times that she never returned to New York after her father died in 1970. In New York it was like door after door was closing in my face, she said. When I came here, there was no door to close. All along I knew all I needed was a space, a place where I could say, If people come, good, but if they dont, Im going to do my work anyway. The first three years I danced whether anyone was here or not. The effort is the joy. Ms. Becket continued flitting across the stage in her performances well into her 80s, although health problems slowed her in later years. She gave a final performance in February 2012, before turning the theater over to a nonprofit group to serve as an artistic sanctuary. Todd Robinson, who made the 2000 documentary film about Ms. Becket, Amargosa, once told the New York Times: Theres something really wonderful about the fact that she picked the most desolate spot in America to do this. It says you can have your life on your own terms, but youll have to sacrifice. It says the process is the point. And people come away from there inspired. Ms. Beckets autobiography, To Dance on Sands, was published in 2006. The s'mores dessert at Convivial. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) The Girl Scouts may have been marking the 100th anniversary of their cookie sales by introducing two smores-inspired creations to their lineup, but it turns out the organization was on point when it comes to contemporary dessert trends. [There are Girl Scout cookies well always love. And then there are the other ones.] The graham-cracker-chocolate-marshmallow combination that generations of Americans have grown up dropping into er, cooking over campfires continues to be a favorite inspiration for even the highest echelon of chefs. Dominique Ansel, the French-born, New York-based chef who invented the pastry phenomenon known as the Cronut, is a fan. I love the taste of it. I love the textures of it, Ansel said. Smores also appeal to his interest in interpreting classic American desserts. As to his customers, I think what people like about it is the nostalgia. Ansel is satisfying that nostalgia with two takes on smores. At Dominique Ansel Kitchen in New Yorks West Village, he serves the Ultimate Smore, with speculoos cookies, maple-infused whiskey ganache, sea salt and a honey marshmallow torched to order. At Dominique Ansel Bakery in Soho, the pastry chefs Frozen Smores consists of a vanilla ice cream center, surrounded by shards of chocolate wafers and a layer of honey marshmallow that is also torched right before its served on a smoked willow branch for that campfire flavor. We just cant make enough, Ansel said of the frozen treat. Like Ansel, Cedric Maupillier is a French native who came to appreciate the smore only after arriving in the United States. The smores dessert cold and hot, crunchy and silky on the menu at Convivial, Maupilliers restaurant in Washingtons Shaw neighborhood, features a warm chocolate sponge cake base, followed by salted caramel sauce, chocolate ice cream, graham cracker crumble and meringue. Its capped with a marshmallow disc that is, of course, torched to order. Its such an easy recipe to start with, Maupillier said. With just a little imagination, you can come up with some creative riffs, he said. Tiffany MacIsaac, of Shaws Buttercream Bakeshop, agreed. Its really hard to mess up. Its three ingredients. You can make a really decent version of a smores dessert with really little pastry training. Her smores offerings include the Happy Camper bar (layers of marshmallow and chocolate ganache on a graham cracker base), a layer cake, a macaron and a cupcake. For All-Purpose pizzeria next door, she developed a smore soft-serve ice cream, with graham crumble, marshmallow fluff and chocolate sauce. Other interpretations around Washington include a smores dessert burrito at Rito Loco and a smores empanada at the Prospect. The smore is something thats kind of universally loved, MacIsaac said. People just want it all the time. In other words, they want some more. Joshua Johnson, host of 1A on WAMU, speaks during a morning staff meeting. (Hector Emanuel/For The Washington Post) At a recent reception at WAMU, a couple dozen of the Washington public radio sta tions most active community supporters gathered to meet the man succeeding a legend. Many were fans of Diane Rehm yet open to change theoretically. Rehm had built a loyal following over 37 years with her singular blend of charm and steel. The Diane Rehm Show aired on 198 stations and reached 2.8 million listeners a week by the time she signed off in December. Those gathered here were also still shell-shocked from the presidential election not simply because of Donald Trumps win, but by the disorienting coarseness of public conversation these days, the seeming disregard for fact and truth, the mad hyper-partisanship on both the left and the right. Joshua Johnson, freshly anointed to inherit Rehms microphone, sensed they needed a pep talk. He stood before the room without notes and took everyone back to first principles. Remember where the term broadcasting comes from? he asked. It goes back to the farmer casting his seeds broadly so that something might grow, he said. He pantomimed a farmer sowing handfuls of seeds. In just a few minutes his voice reached a crescendo, a bravura re-consecration of journalism in these times as advanced citizenship. There is still something to grow, he said. There are still seeds to cast. There is still something to build. There are still people to feed with useful, honest, fair, thoughtful information, and a conversation thats for everyone. After the applause, the energy in the room rose. The talk over wine and hors doeuvres was less woe is us and more on we go. These people werent just donors and volunteers; Johnson had renewed their membership in a larger mission. On the margin of the crowd, WAMU brass murmured to one another about just how perfect the new talk show host was turning out to be. Johnson prepares to go on the air. (Hector Emanuel/For The Washington Post) When the one who would fill Rehms time slot was announced late last year, the reaction across much of pledge-drive land was ... Joshua who? The 36-year-old former drive-time host in San Francisco did not have a show of his own at the time. In fact, he was not on the air at all. There were much safer bets out there than Joshua, says Rupert Allman, executive producer of 1A, the new talk show hosted by Johnson. When Johnson came on the air from 10 a.m. to noon weekdays starting Jan. 2, it was the first time his voice had been heard daily across the nation. [WAMU taps a lesser-known radio host to succeed Diane Rehm] The safer bets included well-known public radio voices (whom producers decline to identify now), among 30 candidates for the job. But WAMU wasnt interested in playing it safe. Executives had been fighting a perception that the station, despite its perch in the nations capital, lacked the creative ferment of outlets in New York, Boston and elsewhere. They were stirred by the ambition to use this moment of transition to go big and bold. New show new voice. Listeners didnt realize it, but substitute hosts periodically filling in for Rehm last year were actually auditioning. Johnsons turn came at the end of September. First he shadowed Rehm for a day. He was tall and engaging, with gym-built arms stretching his suit. He endeared himself to the shows staff by pitching in with technical facility on such chores as drafting and recording promos measured to the second. Back in his hotel, he studied maniacally for his two-day stint as host. As he prepared for segments on child-care policy, 9/11 lawsuits and the week in politics, for inspiration he listened to music from Hamilton, where Lin-Manuel Miranda sings the hip-hop anthem of determined young dreamers: Im not throwin away my shot! The next day he took a seat in the studio, put on headphones and, if you were listening carefully, you might have heard the story of public radio in Washington beginning to change. Rehm, who was among those who had known nothing of Johnson before, tuned in. When he came on, I was listening from home, Rehm says. I went: Wow! Who is this fellow? [Radio icon Diane Rehm signs off after 37 years] Before coming to WAMU, Johnson had been a morning newscaster at KQED in San Francisco. (Hector Emanuel/For The Washington Post) There had been a subtle anticipation that the person to succeed Rehm would probably be a woman. After Johnson aced the audition and the interviews, station managers found themselves elevating an African American man to one of the more high-profile platforms in public radio. Johnson came up with the name of the show, after WAMU had compiled a list of clunkier possibilities, reportedly including Talk Republic and The Follow. To Johnson, the expression 1A conjured the front page of a newspaper, a dive into the most urgent topics of the day. Station managers liked it for an additional connotation: 1A could be shorthand for the First Amendment. Now 1A, like The Diane Rehm Show, takes its place among four programs produced around midday that NPR distributes to independent member stations nationwide, along with On Point and Here & Now from WBUR in Boston and Fresh Air from WHYY in Philadelphia. 1A started on 169 stations and is now up to 194, which is less shrinkage from the Rehm show than executives feared, and already more than the target they had set for a year from now. Im ultimately less concerned with the number of stations carrying the show than with the audience, and whats the audience composition, said Jarl Mohn, president of NPR. He wants a larger share of 25- to 54-year-olds to tune in and more diverse listeners. Audience estimates wont be out for months, but an early data point was that the 1A podcast hit No. 4 overall on iTunes and No. 1 for news and politics. The expectations, said Mohn, are incredibly high. Johnson first dreamed of creating and hosting a radio show when he was about 5 or 6. He recalls prowling his grandmothers house after Sunday dinner with a stick in his hand as a microphone. He asked each guest what a carburetor was, and if someone didnt know, he explained. To this day I do not remember how a carburetor works, but I remember how I felt when I told them, Johnson said one afternoon at the station. I think from before I was old enough to know what I was onto, I was onto the idea that information was a currency, that it was a way to create influence, it was a form of power, it could confer attention, that it could confer prestige, and that it could change the way people interacted with you. It could foster trust. He is from West Palm Beach, Fla., the only child of a retired public school librarian and an Army veteran of the Vietnam War who owned a carpet-cleaning business. His stepfather is a teachers union executive. Growing up, he noticed there werent a lot of journalists who looked like him on television, but he paid close attention to pioneers such as Bernard Shaw and Ed Bradley. Radio was different. His mother introduced him to public radio during a middle school summer studies program in Philadelphia. She liked jazz, and the local jazz station segued into All Things Considered. Johnson became hooked on the dulcet sagacity of Robert Siegel. Besides being more contemplative than television, public radio was about sound, not color. I was very blessed in that I never grew up with the idea that public radio was just for white folks, that public radio was something that I could not have because Im black, he said. Until I got old enough to know what other people thought of NPR. He paused in mock shock at the stereotype that public radio is a home of white liberalism. Then it became clear, like: Oh. This is yet another one of those areas in which my friends are going to say Im acting white. ... But fortunately, my parents, my family, the people around me, my mentors were supportive enough that I never let that stop me. One of my goals here at 1A and also just personally is to make sure we broaden that conception, not just about race, although race is part of it, but also about politics. He wouldnt discuss his personal politics and said listeners of 1A will never hear him editorialize. He wears a bracelet that says: I Believe more a statement of optimism than ideology. His first job in public radio was working on a collaboration between WLRN in Miami and the Miami Herald. In 2010, he moved to KQED in San Francisco, where he served as the morning newscaster until early last year. As his career advanced he also resolved to be open as a gay man. They were connected decisions, he said. To go ahead into a white profession that I didnt see many people like me in, except for, at the time, Tavis Smiley ... and the decision to be out as much as I chose to be and just live my life and be happy. His partner owns a barbershop in San Francisco. They are in a long-distance relationship for now. There were moments of professional doubt on the way to Washington. A few years ago, Johnson attended a performance of Cirque du Soleil that opened his eyes and left him uncharacteristically sad. He felt he wasnt doing anything equally fun, creative and satisfying. He kept a fabric butterfly from Cirque on his desk at KQED. It spurred him to look for something more creative and useful and connective to do in radio. He eventually left his morning radio duties to work on a project he co-created called Truth Be Told, a show exploring race in America, while he also taught podcasting at the University of California at Berkeley. Only four episodes of Truth Be Told were distributed nationally, but that was enough to catch the attention of executive producer Allman at WAMU. When the door opened, Johnson said, I was ready to run through it and say, I believe that something great is on the other side. NPR is counting on Johnson to capture a younger, more diverse audience. (Hector Emanuel/For The Washington Post) At the morning pre-show editorial meeting, Johnson stands, scrolling through a draft of the script on his tablet while eight producers sit around a long table. The discussion focuses on bringing in audience voices and personal stories in ways Rehm never did. She relied on live callers and also, during a show, would invite emails, tweets and Facebook posts. At 1A, days ahead of a show on a given topic, the call will go out from Johnson via his microphone and from producers via social media channels for listeners to submit their experiences. These telephone voice mails and digital voice memos are curated into montages or sequenced into clips designed to accent or challenge points being made in the live interviews that Johnson conducts in the studio. This is more than technological embroidery on the old talk show formula, Johnson and the producers say. Live callers slow things down with tangents about long-time listening, first-time calling and so forth (though 1A hasnt dispensed with live callers). The 1A pace is faster, and more voices make it on the air. Its a determined reach for the holy grail of all media today, to engage more intimately with listeners/readers/viewers and attract new ones especially younger ones, the sort who know how to create a digital voice memo and who may not be able to listen at 10 a.m. but will catch the podcast later and share it. We are going to make the world make more sense, and were going to do it with you, Johnson said of the relationship he hopes to establish with listeners. Were co-authoring this. On the air, Johnson sounds like a spirited, super-prepared graduate student who still has questions for the professor. Between segments on his first day, he tweeted his apologies for talking too fast and promised to do better. He flashes the technological and pop cultural fluency of a younger generation. During a segment on the risks and rewards of smart technologies like Amazon.coms Alexa, he joked about activating his listeners devices by saying the name over the air. He nonchalantly fielded a guests reference to Horcruxes (see: Harry Potter) and came back with an allusion to The Dark Knight. The tightrope Johnson must walk is to pilot a show that, paradoxically, is conceived as new but seeks to preserve an essence of Rehms legacy. (Rehm has just launched a podcast through WAMU called Diane Rehm: On My Mind.) [Diane Rehm interviews Joshua Johnson] But what if the new voice falters? Is there a Plan B for 1A? Allman chuckled at the question and proceeded not to answer it, except to note humorously that the show, after all, is called simply 1A not 1A with Joshua Johnson, nor The Joshua Johnson Show. Johnson said hes fine with that. What Im glad were doing is were creating a show that is built around an idea rather than an identity, he said. I am much more about preaching and living this gospel about the kinds of conversations were supposed to be having as Americans, and then doing it. And then once we do it, say, Now go and do likewise. To me thats much more fulfilling and fun than just saying, Look at me, Im a public radio star. David Montgomery is a staff writer for the magazine. To comment on this story, email wpmagazine@washpost.com or visit washingtonpost.com/magazine. Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious has died of a heroin overdose in New York. His mother, Anne Beverley, found him dead in bed with his sleeping girlfriend in an apartment in Greenwich Village this morning. There had been a party in the flat to celebrate Mr Vicious release on $50,000 bail yesterday pending his trial for the murder of his former girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, last October. The precise details of his death are unknown but party guests say Sid Vicious real name John Simon Ritchie took some heroin at midnight. His mother, once a registered addict, said: He knew the smack was pure and strong and took a lot less than usual. Shortly after taking the drug Mr Vicious, 21, collapsed, went into seizure and displayed the symptoms of overdose. He revived 40 minutes later and went to bed with his girlfriend, Michelle Robinson, at about 0300 local time. The first police officer on the scene later in the morning was Robert Zink who discovered a syringe, a spoon and what is probably residue near the body. The troubled punk musician renowned for his violent behaviour had been on a detoxification, methadone programme in prison, but he had developed a 40 a day habit since meeting Miss Spungen last year. It was the second time Virgin Records the Sex Pistols label had to bail out Sid Vicious. He was re-arrested after his initial bail for assaulting Patti Smiths brother, Todd, in a New York disco and had just served another 55 days in prison. A spokesman for Virgin boss Richard Branson said: In retrospect he was obviously far safer in jail where the temptations that ultimately killed him were not present. Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McClaren who was planning a comeback for the band also blames the person who gave him the heroin at the party. Courtesy BBC News In context The autopsy confirmed Sid Vicious died from an accumulation of fluid on the lungs, characteristic of heroin abuse. Anne Beverley and Malcolm McClaren were involved in a wrangle over where Vicious should be buried. Mr McClaren thought he should be buried in London, his home town, but Vicious wish was to be buried with Nancy Spungen in Philadelphia. Ms Beverley scattered her sons ashes in the Jewish graveyard where Ms Spungen had been interred, without seeking the familys permission. The Sex Pistols re-formed for their 20th anniversary in 1996 with original bassist Glen Matlock taking the place of Sid Vicious. The Sperbeck family, from left, Cara, Brenda, David and Brittany, are treated to a panoramic view after riding the Banff Gondola to the top of the 7,486-foot Sulphur Mountain in Alberta. (Courtesy of Brittany Sperbeck) Our readers share tales of their ramblings around the world. Who: Brittany Sperbeck (the author); her parents, David and Brenda Sperbeck; and her sister, Cara Sperbeck, all of Gaithersburg, Md. Where, when, why: Traveling approximately 2,500 miles from the District, my family and I explored the vast peaks and gorgeous lakes of the Canadian Rockies for 10 days. From the unique, turquoise-colored Lake Louise, to Banff and Jasper national parks, the Canadian Rockies have been on my familys bucket list for years. In August, we finally crossed it off as we embarked on an adventure that led us to discover Mother Natures amazing gifts, including deep canyons and high mountains, cold glaciers and hot springs. The Vermilion Lakes are famous for their reflections. (Brenda Sperbeck) Highlights and high points: At an elevation of 7,486 feet, Sulphur Mountain was the literal high point of our vacation. As we soared above the clouds in the Banff Gondola, which carried us to the top of the mountain, we were greeted with spectacular panoramic views that made us feel like we were stepping into a postcard. Following the boardwalk to the peak, we got a birds-eye view of a few places we had visited up close, including the beautiful Bow River, the renowned, palace-like Fairmont Banff Springs hotel and the quaint town of Banff. Another high point was Takakkaw Falls, Canadas third-highest waterfall. The word takakkaw means it is magnificent in the Cree language, and that pretty much sums up the experience of visiting this famous site, where we managed to see and stand under a double rainbow. However, I would recommend bringing an umbrella, as we got quite wet from the waterfalls mist! Cultural connection or disconnect: It only got up to 27 degrees while we were there. Brrrr!! Just kidding! It was 27 degrees, but in Celsius, which means it was about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Since our neighbors to the north use the metric system, it was difficult at times to know the exact temperature or even how fast we were driving. All of the hiking trails were labeled in kilometers, so we had to use our basic knowledge of conversion and math to figure out trail lengths. Also, because the currency is different, it was a nice surprise to figure out that my $10 bag of maple-flavored coffee was actually just $7 in U.S. currency. Before leaving, we also had the chance to try some Canadian cuisine, including the countrys most famous dish, poutine. This tasty side consists of french fries topped with cheese curds and light brown gravy. It tasted just like it sounds delicious! We also couldnt leave Canada without trying Tim Hortons, a Canadian chain that is famous for its scrumptious doughnuts and coffee. Biggest laugh or cry: During an eight-hour scenic drive from Jasper to Banff on the famous Icefields Parkway, we took a detour to see the ancient Athabasca Glacier and the Glacier Skywalk. Not only did we get to ride in a massive vehicle with huge tires up to the glacier, we also got to walk on this enormous, 1,200-foot-thick piece of ice. After walking on the glacier, we faced our fears and walked onto the Glacier Skywalk, where all that separated us from a 918-foot drop was a piece of glass. I will never forget the feeling of sheer terror, combined with absolute amazement and a sprinkle of wonder, that we experienced with the waterfalls and valleys below us and the clouds right above us. How unexpected: It was definitely wedding season in the Canadian Rockies: We were able to witness two elopements, a bride rushing to her wedding and two wedding parties posing for pictures with the famous reflecting Vermilion Lakes as a backdrop. Fondest memento or memory: My family and I left Canada with a new favorite color: the rich, deep blue of Moraine Lake. As in some of the other lakes we visited (among them Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, Peyto Lake and Maligne Lake), the unbelievable blue is caused by rock silt that comes from melting glaciers that run into the lakes. The silt then reflects both blue and green colors. Some may say this is just simple physics, but I think its magical, just like all of the peaks and valleys we saw during our trip. To tell us about your own trip, go to washingtonpost.com/travel and fill out the What a Trip form with your fondest memories, finest moments and favorite photos. More from Travel: Spending Christmas Eve at an onsen in Japan Walking Spains Camino de Santiago In Portugal, a personal Age of Discovery Flight-delay compensation companies are real, but you should think twice before using them. You might be able to file the claim yourself and keep more of your money. (iStock) If youve experienced flight delays while traveling in Europe, you know the drill: At some point, an airline representative pushes a brochure into your impatient hands that promises you compensation under European law. Thats what happened to Bjorn Bieneck after he flew from Copenhagen to Dulles International Airport on Scandinavian Airlines recently. The online travel agency he used, Travelocity, even sent him a reminder that the airline owed him money for the four-hour delay and offered him a way to collect up to $414 through a company called AirHelp. (Travelocity has a business relationship with AirHelp under which compensation claims are referred to AirHelp for mediation.) Little did Bieneck know that hed stumbled upon an emerging industry that should not have to exist but does. Is AirHelp legitimate? asked Bieneck, the chief executive of a marketing company in Fredericksburg, Va. Short answer: Yes, the company is real, but you should think twice before using it. You might be able to file the claim yourself and keep more of your money. [Travelers question whether proposed consumer-friendly initiatives will fizzle under Trump] EU 261, the law that allows travelers like Bieneck to collect compensation, was adopted in 2004. The regulation established common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding, flight cancellation or significant flight delays. The fines, which range from 250 to 600 euros ($261 to $626) per passenger, are meant to discourage airlines from keeping their passengers waiting. They apply to flights within Europe and certain flights operating from Europe. Airlines are not fans of EU 261 its a pricey rule. A recent estimate by the London office of the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright estimated that airlines pay well in excess of $209 million per year in EU 261 claims in Britain alone. The fee is so unpopular that one large European airline, Ryanair, added a $2.60 fee to the cost of its tickets to cover expenses related to EU 261 claims. The regulation has a few loopholes. For example, it contains no explicit provision for a timely payment of claims. So some airlines have dragged their feet or created administrative obstacles to prevent consumers from filing successful claims, according to travel experts. Enter the professionals, a collection of small companies that promise to cut through the red tape and secure your refund quickly for a price. These services charge a contingency fee, payable only when you collect. Because the companies are privately held, its difficult to obtain audited financial information from them. AirHelp claims to have processed more than $85 million in total compensation for inconvenienced passengers since it was started in 2013, and helped more than 1.3 million people worldwide. The airlines have notoriously made it difficult for people to claim the compensation that they are entitled to, says Henrik Zillmer, the co-founder and chief executive of AirHelp. Its easy to get the upper hand on people who dont know the law or their rights. AirHelp uses a custom database of global flight disruptions to validate claims and then generates and submits claims electronically to make the process as smooth and fast as possible, Zillmer says. It charges a 25 percent commission for airline claims and automatically deducts the fee from the payment its customers receive, forwarding the balance directly to them. [Does penalizing airlines for customer service infractions do any good?] EU 261, the law that allows travelers like Bieneck to collect compensation, While the process may be quicker, it is at times more convoluted. After Bieneck filed his claim, AirHelp sent him a notice that warned him it could be two to three months before he had an answer and that Scandinavian might try to contact him directly or lowball him with an offer of a voucher instead of the cash required by law. We kindly ask you to ignore any approaches and forward all correspondence to us, AirHelp said in the letter. That kind of email makes passengers like Bieneck suspicious. He should be, says Dan Clarke. As the owner of the British tour operator RealWorld Holidays, hes involved in hundreds of EU 261 claims a year, often on behalf of large groups. In our experience, there is absolutely no need at all to use a third-party company to make your claim, says. The procedure is simple and straightforward, and following a series of court actions, airlines now have almost no get-out clauses. None of this should be happening in the first place. The airlines should have come up with a reasonable way to compensate their own passengers without getting governments or a group of entrepreneurs involved in a private transaction between a company and its customers. So how, exactly, do you file an EU 261 claim? Its simple. British Airways, for example, has step-by-step instructions and an online claim form on its website. And while its true that claims normally go off without a hitch, you can run into problems. Thats where having a company like AirHelp can help. When Dirk Schlenzig flew from Berlin to London on British Airways this summer, an engine failure caused a four-hour delay and created an opportunity to file an EU 261 claim. Schlenzig, who works for a marketing agency in Erfurt, Germany, applied for the 250 euro ($259) compensation to which he was entitled, but the airline ignored him. So he turned to a company called ClaimCompass, which retrieved the money minus a 25 percent commission within about a month. [Do airlines always give out accurate compensation information? DOT fines say no.] Alexander Sumin, the chief marketing officer at ClaimCompass, says companies like his appeal to the public because seeking compensation is so often characterized by infinite administrative procedures, long waiting times and poor customer service. But the real problem, he adds, is that almost no one knows they deserve it. Nearly 90 percent of passengers are completely unaware of what exactly they are entitled to, Sumin says. Airlines are not obliged to proactively inform them of their rights because of the way the law works; it is the claimants responsibility to ask for compensation. A similar situation exists in the United States, which has fewer, but equally obscure, regulations regarding passenger compensation. Thats why European companies like ClaimCompass, AirHelp and others are eyeing the vast American market for lost-luggage claims made under the Montreal Convention or for oversold flights under United States law. Bienecks case had a happy ending. Two weeks after he submitted a claim through AirHelp, Scandinavian accepted it and agreed to pay him. Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Email him at chris@elliott.org. OBB Austrian Railways Nightjet, top, launched in December with 15 routes and refurbished train cars. (OBB-Austrian Railways/ ) The clock tower perched above Hamburgs main train station was tolling midnight when I boarded the Borealis sleeper train in the autumn of 2014. During daylight hours, I had made the trip from Copenhagen part ferry, part train across the Baltic Sea, and now I was bound for Amsterdam. Had I known that I would be among the last passengers to make this nocturnal journey across the peat bogs and swamp forests of the eastern Netherlands, I might have splurged on a bottle of champagne in the bar car. The route was cut before Christmas. A couple of days later, after sipping a sparkling water in the sleek first-class lounge (free with my ticket) at Amsterdam Central Station, I boarded the Pollux sleeper train bound for Innsbruck, Austria. My compact compartment was tidy and comfortable with a respectably fluffy pillow and gleaming chrome sink. As I looked forward to unwinding with a Swedish crime novel and a mini bottle of Riesling in the bar car, I heard a knock at my compartment door. This was, in itself, marginally thrilling: having grown up romanticizing the old-fashioned glamour of European train travel, the knock held the promise of Agatha Christie-esque intrigue. A slight young man in a conductors uniform explained in flawless English that a mix-up had occurred: I would unfortunately have to move cabins. He offered me two small, complimentary bottles of red wine the second an extra one to thank me for my patience. Do you have white? I asked, hoping I didnt sound ungrateful. He shook his head. They cut the restaurant car in March. But less than an hour later, as we sped toward the famed spires of Cologne, he knocked on the door of my new compartment proffering a sheepish smile and a small bottle of champagne. Take it, he said, What are they going to do to me? Theyve already given me the sack. A former City Night Line train car. Nightjet updated many of them for its service. (Agencja Fotograficzna Caro/Alamy Stock Photo) His name was Marc, he was 23 years old, and his favorite route was the Lupus from Munich to Rome among a slew of City Night Line routes slated to be cut, he lamented. According to Marc, the impending layoffs explained why his colleagues had, among other more indelicate acts of rebellion, placed stickers around the train that read Der Nachtzug darf nicht sterben! (The night train must not die!) This news surprised me. In the preceding few years, Id crisscrossed the continent on the Pegasus from Amsterdam to Zurich, the Metropol from Prague to Budapest and the Lusitania from Lisbon to Madrid. Carriages were usually packed, a fact confirmed by Marc. People love taking the night train, he sighed. Since that mostly nocturnal adventure from Copenhagen to Verona, Italy, Internet searches for night trains have read like obituary pages. The Perseus, a City Night Line sleeper from Paris to Berlin, made its final voyage in December 2014. The Kopernikus from Amsterdam to Prague? After the Amsterdam-Cologne section was slashed that same month, the route met its final demise two years later. Other night train services have been reduced or shortened: Since December, passengers who bunk down on the Balkan Express, launched in 1971 to run overnight from Istanbul to Belgrade, Serbia, must disembark in Sofia, Bulgaria. In late 2015, when Deutsche Bahn announced that it would terminate remaining City Night Line routes by the end of the following year, the endangered night train seemed to be on the verge of extinction. These cuts have not gone unnoticed by the public. The slow death of the night train has sparked dissent on social media and in cities across Europe, with protesters holding pajama party-style protests at train stations. Led by the Berlin-based coalition Back on Track, night-train loyalists contend that service cuts contradict agreements forged at the 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris, where delegates made a well-publicized journey on the Train to Paris to promote sustainable transport. Because the German government owns Deutsche Bahn, online petitions target not only the train company but also Federal Minister of Transport Alexander Dobrindt. According to an emailed statement from Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman Susanne Schulz, Ridership figures are not the main problem. Yet the approximately 1.3 million nighttime riders per year represent only about 1 percent of daytime riders, meaning that DB considers the niche business of night train services a money pit, with high operating costs, a 40-year-old fleet of sleeping cars and annual double-digit losses that translate into tens of millions of euros. Thats despite numerous attempts, Schulz explained, to reform the night-train services in order to save them. In October, OBB-Austrian Railways offered solace to train enthusiasts by announcing that it would refurbish the City Night Line fleet and relaunch six of its discontinued routes, including Hamburg to Zurich and Munich to Venice. Nightjet kicked off in December, with 15 routes, eight of which allow vehicles and motorbikes on the train. New beds are among Nightjets updates. ( OBB-Austrian Railways/ ) Stylish and comfortable seats in a Nightjet car. (OBB-Austrian Railways) OBBs rebranding effort, according to spokesman Michael Braun, includes new beds, redesigned bathrooms, state-of-the-art technology and an extensive breakfast menu for sleeping-car passengers. (In the budget-friendly couchette cars, youll wake up to coffee and Vienna rolls with butter.) The Nightjets carbon footprint will be admirably light. OBB trains run with 93 percent renewable energy, mostly produced by our own reservoir power stations in the Alps, Braun said in an email. Despite industry-wide financial pressures that Deutsche Bahns Schulz partly attributes to increasing competition from budget airlines, the Nightjet offers evidence that the irresistible allure of the night train endures. Perhaps we can blame the cinema: Picture the sultry rendezvous in Casino Royale between James Bond and Vesper Lynd, sipping red wine in the dining car of the Pendolino sleeper as the passing countryside plunges into darkness. (How was your lamb? she asks. Skewered, Bond says.) How would those smoldering glances play out against bright orange Easyjet seats, as flight attendants upsold perfume and Cadbury gift boxes? And if Easyjet offered lamb, would even James Bond dare to order it? Sleeping-car passengers can enjoy an extensive breakfast menu. ( OBB-Austrian Railways) Last year, I found myself in Spanish Basque country, needing to get to Paris. I booked a couchette on an SNCF Intercite de Nuit train, hopping on at Hendaye near the French border. My compartment felt aged and worn, as if it had last been updated around the time Edith Piaf made her final recording. But the linens were fresh, I had a decent nights sleep and it was cheaper and easier than hustling to Bordeaux to catch a budget flight. At dawn, the conductor brought me a brioche and a cafe au lait in a paper cup, which I sipped as the Loire Valley flew by. Among widespread cuts to night train services this year, SNCF, Frances state-owned railway, will run its last sleeper on the Paris-to-Hendaye route in July. Yet as we pulled into the 19th-century Gare dAusterlitz, smack on the Left Bank of the Seine, I remained blissfully unaware that this could be my last chance to wake up on a train slowly rolling into Paris. Chandler is a Minneapolis-based freelancer. Her website is sarahchandler.us; find her on Twitter at @chandler_sarah. THE DISTRICT Officials: Fatal fire was intentionally set A fatal fire at a home last week in Northeast Washingtons Trinidad neighborhood was intentionally set, according to the D.C. fire department. The body of Awlachew Ayele, 66, was found by firefighters after they extinguished Thursdays early-morning blaze in the 1100 block of Queen Street NE. Doug Buchanan, the spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department, said the fire has been ruled incendiary. That means investigators believe the fire was intentionally set but does not necessarily mean it was arson, which refers to a fire set with criminal intent. Fire officials would not comment further on the cause. D.C. police said the case remains under investigation and the cause of death for Ayele is pending from the medical examiners office. Peter Hermann Four are wounded in Southeast shooting Four people, including a 17-year-old girl, were shot and wounded Tuesday night outside a strip of stores on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast Washington, according to D.C. police. Authorities said none of the injuries appeared life-threatening. The other victims were two men and a woman. All were taken to hospitals. The shooting occurred about 10:30 p.m. in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, lined with a liquor store, two markets and a sandwich shop. Police reported that at least 12 gunshots were fired into a crowd. A police report says officers found a male victim in front of the shops, and he told them others had been hit. Two had gone inside one of the markets and a third had gone into a house on nearby Mellon Street. Peter Hermann VIRGINIA Va. dog to compete in Puppy Bowl XIII Around this time every year, some of the nations greatest athletes convene on the gridiron to determine once and for all who will emerge victorious from hours of heated competition as millions watch. Yes, its the Puppy Bowl, which airs Sunday ahead of the Super Bowl. And this year, a special deaf pup from Virginia named Oliver will be among the contestants. As the Richmond Times-Dispatch first reported, Oliver was among 78 puppies, including three with special needs, selected from more than 30 rescue groups nationwide for Puppy Bowl XIII by Animal Planet, which puts on the event to raise awareness for animal adoption groups. Oliver, an English pointer whos about 7 months old, came to the Puppy Bowl from Green Dogs Unleashed, a rescue agency in Troy, Va. Justin Wm. Moyer Concern over safety of young mom and son Authorities said they are concerned about the safety of a 16-year-old mother and her infant son from Fairfax County, as the two have not been seen in almost 2 weeks. Police in Fairfax County said they have been searching for Lizzy Lizbeth Rivera Colindres and her 5-month-old son, Aidan David Castillo Rivera, since Rivera Colindress mother reported her missing Jan. 15. The two were last seen the day before at their home on Rhoden Court in Springfield. Police said they initially believed that Rivera Colindres left voluntarily with her son and the boys father, Ivan Castillo Rivas, 18. But now say they have received information indicating that she and the baby might be in danger and left home out of fear of Castillo Rivas. Rivera Colindres is described as Hispanic, about 5-foot-6 and about 125 pounds. She has long black hair with light-colored streaks in it, according to police. She wears glasses. Anyone with information is asked to call 703-691-2131. Dana Hedgpeth John B. King Jr., who served as education secretary during the last year of Obamas presidency, will head the Education Trust, which advocates for high academic achievement for all children, especially children of color and those from low-income families. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg) John B. King Jr., who served as education secretary during the last year of Barack Obamas presidency, has a new job: He will become the new president and chief executive of the Education Trust, an organization that advocates for vulnerable students and supports many of the education policies embraced by the Obama administration. The driving mission behind all my work in education has been a commitment to ensure educational opportunity for the students who are most vulnerable, said King, who has frequently said that New York public school teachers saved his life by turning school into a refuge after his parents died when he was young. The new position gives King a platform to advocate for the needs of disadvantaged children in the states that gained new authority over schools under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which followed No Child Left Behind. [John King: Polarizing, powered by personal story] It also means that he will serve as a watchdog of the agency he used to lead. The Education Trust is among many advocacy groups that are concerned that the Trump administrations states rights approach will mean lax enforcement of civil rights in public schools, a fear stoked by President Trumps nomination of Betsy DeVos as education secretary. During her confirmation hearing last month, DeVos passed up a chance to reassure senators that she would not seek to scale back the Education Departments civil rights work, and she declined to commit to enforcing new regulations meant to hold schools accountable for serving all children. She also suggested states should decide whether to enforce a landmark 1975 federal law that protects students with disabilities and then later said she was confused about the law. The Education Trust opposes DeVoss nomination. Its not clear that she is fully committed to the civil rights responsibilities of the department, and its also not clear shes committed to the critical federal role in ensuring that states and districts use their flexibility under ESSA to ensure opportunities for the students who are most vulnerable, King said. That said, as a former secretary, I am hopeful if Ms. DeVos is confirmed, that she will ultimately champion the civil rights mission of the department. [Is government a force for good or does it really suck? Education Dept. is at a pivot point] King said he has spoken to DeVos and conveyed to her the message he tries to deliver in every setting: The department has a critical role in protecting civil rights, advancing equity and supporting educators. Thats been the role, he said. Certainly thats not partisan. King will start March 6, replacing Kati Haycock, who founded the Education Trust 25 years ago and is retiring. The organization is based in Washington but has regional offices in New York, Michigan and California. David V. Britt, chairman of the Education Trusts board, called King exactly the right leader to extend and expand the organizations work. Janet Murguia, president and chief executive of the National Council of La Raza, an organization that advocates for Latino civil rights, also cheered Kings appointment, calling him a fearless champion for the countrys children, especially our most vulnerable kids. King is a career educator who founded and led charter schools in Boston. He served as New Yorks commissioner of education before joining the U.S. Education Department in 2014. He became education secretary in 2016, after his predecessor, Arne Duncan, stepped down. The Education Trust promotes strong accountability measures for schools and was a forceful voice in pushing to maintain annual testing and test-participation requirements in the new federal education law. It also advocates for high academic standards in K-12 schools and more equitable funding for public schools. The organization also works on higher-education issues, including improving college access and completion rates, especially among low-income students and students of color. When five boys spray-painted a historic black school in Ashburn, Va., with swastikas, WHITE POWER and vulgar images, they were motivated more by teenage naivete than by racial hatred, a Loudoun County prosecutor concluded. Three of the boys are minorities themselves, and one also marked the walls with BROWN POWER. None had previous troubles with the law. So Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Alex Rueda prepared an unusual sentence recommendation meant to educate them on the meaning of hate speech in the hope that they come to understand the effect their behavior had on the community. The boys, who are all 16 or 17, have been sentenced to read books from a list that includes works by prominent black, Jewish and Afghan authors, write a research paper on hate speech, go to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and listen to an interview with a former student of the Ashburn Colored School, which they defaced. The school taught Loudoun Countys black children from 1892 until the 1950s, a period during which they were barred from attending school with white students. The five teens pleaded guilty this week to destruction of property and unlawful entry before Judge Avelina Jacob in Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. [The full reading list in the sentence order] Rueda said the boys could benefit from understanding the devastating power of hate speech. The daughter of a former librarian, Rueda said she learned about the world through books. Police said the boys went to the building late Sept. 30 with spray cans and defaced the aging facade of the historic school. It really seemed to be a teachable moment. None of them seemed to appreciate until all of this blew up in the newspapers the seriousness of what they had done, Rueda said. The boys targeted the building because it is owned by the Loudoun School for the Gifted, and one boy had left the private school on unfavorable terms, Rueda said. So it really seemed to be an opportunity to teach them about race, religion, discrimination, all of those things. Before the vandalism, students at the Loudoun School for the Gifted had been working to restore the site so it could serve as a sober reminder of the countys segregated past. The slurs painted there devastated the students who had started the meticulous restoration work and were raising money through bake sales and yard sales to fund the project. [Historic black school defaced] Deep Sran, founder of the Loudoun School for the Gifted, said he felt the sentence was appropriate. He said he was especially pleased that the order includes listening to an interview with Yvonne Thornton Neal, one of the Ashburn Colored Schools former students. We thought it would be good to really understand the story of Ms. Neal and the local community and why it was so important to them, Sran said. The vandalism occurred during a contentious election season, stoking fears that racial tension in the suburban D.C. community was growing. An outpouring of support followed from community members who volunteered on a community restoration day to help undo the damage and from people around the world who donated through a GoFundMe page, giving more than $60,000. Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder pitched in an additional $35,000. Ruedas reading list includes The Beautiful Struggle, the memoir of Ta-Nehisi Coates; and Night, Elie Wiesels searing account of Auschwitz. She also included two works by Afghan author Khaled Hosseini and other important works by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. The boys are also sentenced to write a report that will be a research paper explaining the message that swastikas and white power messages on African American schools or houses of worship send to the African American community as well as the broader community, which includes other minority groups. They also must write reports on the books they read. If the boys complete their sentences, their cases will be dismissed. Chinas rented boyfriends have a role in eroding Donald Trumps support base. Heres how. During Chinese New Year, millions of workers travel home to their families, and some singles put safeguards in place. Those Tiger Moms and Dads back in the village are tenacious with questions: why arent you married, or at least engaged? Any female over 27 in China gets stigmatized as a leftover woman and so, the practice of leasing a short-term lunar love has sprung up. Before Chinese New Year, more than 300 boyfriend rental adverts were on Taobao, the online shopping platform. Chinas independent dames could surf, hire a squire and then present their faux beau in the village, after using the journey as tutorial time to learn about each other and devise a relationship history. Tiger Mom/Dad is satisfied, the family visit goes well, the gent-for-rent gains cash without losing honour (a rented partner will stay the night but most stipulate no special services), and the slowing Chinese economy has some stimulus. This custom is recent but not new. What makes it more interesting still this year is the small print reported in some of the contracts. The daily rate for a rented boyfriend advertising on Taobao ranged from about RMB800 to RMB2,000. But, note, that figure was just to show up. Many rented boyfriends charge extra for specific activities. Some of the additional charges: shopping cost an extra RMB15 per hour; watching a movie 10 extra (double that for a horror film); and drinking cost an additional 50 per 100 millilitres of wine. (A male merlot tax? In reality, it would be charging for enduring the hangovers, because of the hard drinking expectation placed on men at Chinese banquets. Anyway, this is one supplement the girlfriend should be happy to pay, as the more her boyfriend drinks, the likelier he is to blurt out his rented Romeo status. Re which: can she get a refund for any errors that blow her cover? Does he offer insurance?) The additional price list is what inspired me to see the global potential in this Lunar New Year trend. Its currently very clear that Donald Trump isnt one for looking East, or indeed anywhere outside the US, to discover new customs, but I wonder if there is something in this rental model that could work in America. Specifically in rust-belt Trump-voting bastions. There are plenty of women looking for love in the USA. How about unemployed white male non-college-educated Trump voters rent themselves out to these women to go shopping, or as company for a cocktail? (Consumption of pink drinks would presumably carry a higher rate, in a macho reimagining of the scale of extras.) It would be money for said young man. And a new place in the world he might not have an education but hes now a bachelor in economics. Why, though, would American women pay to do this? The obvious immediate benefits are to have someone to carry the shopping bags, and to stand in the queue at the bar. But theres a longer-term angle here. Unemployed male voters are a crucial part of Trumps support. If rented out as described, they would get used to a woman as the boss (or big gun, their real turn-on), realize hey its not so bad, and gradually become less mentally opposed to whichever woman one day tries to do what Hillary Clinton couldnt. Trump cant complain its hiring American. Asia, its feathers ruffled after Trump abandoned the Trans-Pacific Partnership, feels flattered. And a new global hashtag is born: less #girlboss, more #girlfriendboss. A training exercise for Maryland State Police involves practice in reaching the ground from an airborne helicopter. (Maryland State Police Aviation Command) Maryland State Police took their medical helicopters out of service over the past three days to examine tail rotor blades after two recent inspections revealed cracked paint, officials said. About half of the fleet of 10 was expected to still be out of service through Thursday morning, but police officials said they have been using medevacs from other police agencies to respond to emergency calls. All but two areas on the western and eastern edges of the state are expected to have their Maryland police helicopters by the end of Thursday, state police spokesman Greg Shipley said. We have maintained medevac service throughout this period, Shipley said. Helicopters from Delaware State Police and U.S. Park Police covered calls, he said. Maryland uses AgustaWestland AW139 aircraft as its medical helicopters. Each aircrafts tail rotor has four blades. As of Wednesday afternoon, Shipley said, 36 blades from nine helicopters had been inspected. Two dozen blades were deemed fine, because whatever paint cracks were found were addressed by new paint. The 12 other blades were sent to the manufacturer for further testing, although it is unclear if there is anything wrong beyond the paint cracks, Shipley said. The 10th helicopter already was in Philadelphia at the manufacturer for routine maintenance when the issues arose, Shipley said. New blades sent by the manufacturer Wednesday will replace the 12. After Maryland workers install them and test the helicopters, the remainder of the fleet will be put back into service. We are doing all of this out of an abundance of caution, Shipley said. NBC4 in Washington first reported the issues. The problems surfaced on Jan. 9 during a regular inspection, when a maintenance worker noticed cracked paint on a tail rotor blade. The paint was sanded off and the blade itself was in good shape, Shipley said. The blade was repainted, and the helicopter went back in service. On Sunday, during inspection of a different helicopter, cracked paint was found on a tail rotor blade. That was when state officials decided to immediately inspect all of the tail rotor blades, Shipley said. The state fleet of medical helicopters has been widely debated since 2008, when one of the helicopters crashed, killing four of the five people on board, including a teenage patient and the crew. The state reduced its helicopter fleet from 12 to 10. [Maryland State Police medevac service faulted, defended at hearing] The state also replaced its aircraft, selecting the AgustaWestland AW139s. Maryland Del. Jay Jalisi (D-Baltimore County), who sits on legislative panels with oversight over the helicopters, called Wednesday for the state police to release detailed inspection reports to shed light on the states helicopter maintenance and spending. Having problems with most of the fleet means the system is not working as its supposed to be working, Jalisi said. We shouldnt have to ground any helicopters. Maryland State Police divide the state into seven coverage areas to deploy the helicopters. Until all of them are back in service, Shipley said, helicopters from other parts of the state or other agencies can be used. A federal judge has ordered Marylands top two legislative leaders to testify and turn over records for a lawsuit challenging the 2011 redrawing of the states congressional districts, which effectively ensured Democratic control of seven out of eight U.S. House seats. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) have fought efforts to examine their intentions during the redistricting process, claiming that legislative privilege protects them from records requests and litigation related to internal deliberations. But U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar ruled Tuesday that the ability to discover evidence lies at the heart of this case and that the legislatures direct role in the redistricting process supports overcoming the legislative privilege. Bredar wrote that the protections Miller and Busch had claimed do not apply in certain types of federal lawsuits, particularly those that dont involve financial liability. His order also applies to a number of other current and past state officials who have received subpoenas, including Jeanne D. Hitchcock, who chaired the states redistricting commission and was former Democratic governor Martin OMalleys appointments secretary; former commission member Richard Stewart; and state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery). The plaintiffs are Maryland residents who have asked the court to block the state Board of Elections from enforcing the voting map, which they consider to be gerrymandered, or manipulated in favor of one political party. What we were seeking in the motion was an opportunity to ask these people questions, said their attorney, Michael B. Kimberly. And were pleased were going to have that opportunity. The offices of Miller, Busch and state Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D), whose agency has defended state officials involved in the case, declined to comment on the decision. Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who has proposed overhauling the redistricting process for the past two years, returned to the topic during his State of the State address on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to pass legislation that would create a nonpartisan commission to draw the states voting boundaries instead of leaving it to elected officials. Democrats, who hold strong majorities in the legislature, have resisted such efforts, saying that redistricting changes should apply to all states, including those that are widely considered to be gerrymandered in favor of Republicans. Miller said Wednesday that the Senate will pass a bill this year that lumps states together for redistricting purposes. He did not provide specifics. Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer declined to comment on the lawsuit but said the governor believes that voters should choose their elected officials, not the other way around. The lawsuit focuses on Marylands 6th Congressional District, which covers a large swath of Montgomery County, then meanders north to the Pennsylvania line and west to West Virginia. It alleges that state officials drew those lines to help unseat then-Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R), a 10-term incumbent who lost to Democrat John Delaney in 2012. The plaintiffs, some of whom were moved from the 6th District to the 8th District when the lines were redrawn, claim that the new boundaries violate their First Amendment rights by subjecting them to disfavored treatment because of their voting preferences. Bredar threw out the case in 2014, but the Supreme Court later ruled that the matter should have gone before the District Courts three-judge panel. Last year, the panel decided 2 to 1 that the lawsuit could go forward. Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report. Two people have been arrested in London in the hacking of storage devices that record data from D.C. police surveillance cameras, law enforcement authorities said Thursday. The arrests were made in the south London neighborhood of Streatham and followed a search warrant that was served Jan. 19, the day before the presidential inauguration in the District. Britains National Crime Agency, similar to the U.S. FBI, said in response to a question about the cyberattacks in the District that its agents had made the arrests. The names of the suspects, a man and a woman, were not divulged. British media, which first reported the arrests, indicated that each suspect is 50 years old and that the man is British and the woman is Swedish. [D.C. police departments closed circuit camera system hacked] British officials said both suspects bailed out of jail. Inquiries are ongoing and we are unable to provide further information at this time, the statement from the National Crime Agency says. D.C. officials said last week that the hack appeared to be an extortion effort that was localized. A spokeswoman for the D.C. mayors office also confirmed the arrests. No other details were divulged. City officials revealed the hack last week and said ransomware had been left on the camera system between Jan. 12 and Jan. 15. The cyberattack affected 123 of the 187 network video recorders in the closed-circuit TV system for public spaces across the District. Officials have said that public safety and security for the inauguration were not jeopardized. The officials also said that the city paid no ransom and resolved the problem by taking the devices offline, removing software and restarting the system. Ransomware is malware that is said to be proliferating. It infects computers, often when users click on a link or open an attachment in an email. It then encrypts files or otherwise locks users out until they pay. Clarence Williams contributed to this report. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused an explosion and fire inside a D.C. police drug vault last week, but officials now say only about 150 of 52,000 packets of narcotics were significantly damaged or destroyed. Dustin Sternbeck, the chief spokesman for the D.C. police, said officials are working with prosecutors in the U.S. attorneys office to determine what, if any, pending criminal cases might be affected by the potential loss of evidence. [Explosion erupts in drug vault at D.C. police evidence storage facility] The explosion occurred the afternoon of Jan. 25 inside the vault located in a warehouse on the grounds of the police training academy on D.C. Village Lane, in Blue Plains, at the southwestern tip of the District. One civilian suffered minor injuries. An attorney with the Internal Revenue Services professional standards office in Washington has been charged with conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, U.S. prosecutors said. Jack Vitayanon, 41, an IRS attorney since 2012 allegedly participated in a meth ring with others in Arizona and on Long Island between about September 2014 and January, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in Brooklyn federal court Wednesday. Public records show Vitayanon living in the U Street corridor. Prosecutors said the criminal complaint noted that during one alleged transaction, Vitayanon directed a buyer to make a cash deposit of $1,650 to Vitayanons bank account to cover the cost of one ounce of meth including shipping via FedEx and my Ubers. A federal attorney working for the IRSs Office of Professional Responsibility broke bad and supplemented his income by selling distribution quantities of methamphetamine, Robert L. Capers, U.S. attorney for the eastern district of New York alleged in a statement about the charge. Vitayanon was ordered detained and agreed to be transported to Brooklyn in a first court appearance Thursday before U.S. Magistrate G. Michael Harvey of Washington. His attorney, Edward C. Sussman, declined comment. No court date in New York has been set pending his transfer, prosecutors said. John Lattuca, a Homeland Security Investigation special agent, stated in a court affidavit that in a recent negotiation and sale Vitayanon was recorded via internet-based video chats. That alleged transaction included a Dec. 15 video chat between Vitayanon, who was at his apartment, and a person in Oceanside, N.Y., in which prosecutors assert Vitayanon appeared to be smoking meth from a glass pipe during the call. A search warrant of Vitayanons apartment seized additional amounts of the suspected drug, paraphernalia, packaging materials and drug ledgers, authorities alleged. He was arrested Wednesday in Washington, prosecutors said. A Maryland teenager has been charged with killing a man in a Prince Georges County gas station, police said Thursday. [Man fatally shot at District Heights gas station is identified] About 4:40 p.m. Monday, officers responded to the gas station in the 3200 block of Walters Lane for the report of shooting, Prince Georges County police said in a statement. They found 20-year-old Carrington Daye Jr. suffering from a gunshot wound inside, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said. On Thursday, police said that they arrested 18-year-old Stephon Robinson of District Heights in connection with the crime, and that the shooting was related to an ongoing dispute between the suspect and the victim. Robinson was charged with first- and second-degree murder, among other charges, according to police. Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 301-772-4925 or visit pgcrimesolvers.com to submit a tip online. (Karen Attiah/The Washington Post) A day after joining a court fight challenging the legality of President Donald Trumps ban on travelers from seven countries, the Commonwealth of Virginia asked federal officials to provide more details about precisely how many people were detained, and whether any Virginia residents were still being held. [Virginia enters federal court fight against Trump travel ban] In a show-cause motion filed in federal court in Virginia, Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) demanded that officials explain exactly what happened last weekend at Dulles International Airport after the presidents order went into effect. Citing news reports that travelers had been held and were not allowed to speak with lawyers even after a judge placed a temporary restraining order on the presidents ban Herring noted that he was deeply concerned. [Waiting for a refugee family, in the wake of Trumps ban] Although many aspects of these events are disturbing, I am particularly troubled that Virginia residents were detained, or returned to the country from which their travel originated, despite having been previously issued lawful permanent residence status or lawful student or work visas, Herring wrote in a letter to the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Customs that was released by his office. In the motion, Herring called on federal officials to submit sworn statements to address four key questions: The time officials received the notice of the temporary restraining order on Jan. 28; the number of air passengers that arrived at Dulles International Airport from Jan. 27, 28 and 29 with lawful permanent residence who were removed from the United States both before and after the receipt of the actual notice of the restraining order; whether any such arrivals were denied prompt access to counsel; and the names and titles of all government officials, if any, who instructed Customs and Border Protection personnel not to comply with the temporary restraining order. [Acting attorney general declares Justice Department wont defend Trumps immigration order] Herrings letter underscores the lingering confusion surrounding much of what happened during the weekend at the Virginia airport where, according to lawyers, between 50 and 60 legal residents were tricked into giving up their status. Several lawsuits have been filed across the country challenging the presidents travel ban. [ States are joining the legal battle over Trumps immigration order ] The Virginia lawsuit was filed by attorneys for two Yemeni brothers who arrived at Dulles International Airport over the weekend and were quickly put on a return flight to Ethiopia. The brothers were coerced into signing documents that petitioners believe waived their visa rights, according to court documents. The motion also said several members of Congress went to Dulles to resolve the crisis and to ensure compliance of the temporary restraining order, but were turned away. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said he went to the airport and Customs and Border Protection officials told me nothing, and it was unacceptable, according to the motion. Booker continued: I believe its a Constitutional crisis, where the executive branch is not abiding by the law. Freezing and nerve-shattered residents of an eastern Ukraine town battered by an upsurge in fighting between troops and Russia-backed rebels flocked to a humanitarian aid center to receive food and warm up. Heavy shelling of government- held Avdiivka, just north of the rebel stronghold city of Donetsk, began over the weekend and persisted into yesterday. Donetsk city also was hit. At least 10 people have been killed since Monday and dozens wounded. Separatist rebels have been fighting government troops and volunteer brigades in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 in a conflict that has killed more than 9,700 people. A pact reached nearly two years ago in Minsk, Belarus, called for a cease-fire, for heavy weapons to be pulled back from the front lines and for a political resolution of the conflict, but the agreement has been observed only fitfully and skirmishes and artillery fire have persisted. In a worrisome sign, an Associated Press reporter saw rebel artillery positions in the center of Donetsk city yesterday. What sparked the recent escalation is unclear. But each side could find negotiation benefits in it. The Ukrainian government, concerned that the new U.S. administration might take a comparatively soft line on Russia, could point to the escalation as evidence that Russia cannot be trusted. That prospect was acknowledged by President Vladimir Putins foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. Kiev is trying to use the fighting it provoked itself as a pretext to refuse to observe the Minsk agreement and blame Russia, he told reporters. But by showing the strength of the rebels and their Russian backers, the fighting could send a signal to Washington that Moscow holds power in the region and the United States should offer concessions to Moscow if it wants peace in Ukraine. The escalation seems to be another reason for the soonest possible resumption of dialogue and cooperation between Russia and America, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. In the late morning, shelling subsided; there were unconfirmed reports the sides had agreed to a cease-fire to restore electricity and water supplies. The power outage hit amid a strong cold snap, with temperatures in Avdiivka as low as minus 18 Celsius. Hundreds of city residents streamed to a stadium where aid agencies were distributing food, and to warming stations. The Ukrainian governments press office for the military operation in the east reported one soldier killed, and nine soldiers and one civilian injured yesterday. In Makiivka, the rebel-controlled northeastern suburb of Donetsk, two coal miners were injured by shelling as they were walking to work, the rebels Donetsk News Agency reported. An Associated Press reporter outside Avdiivka saw a transporter carrying Grad multiple missile launcher with empty rounds drive away from the front line yesterday. Grad is among the heavy weaponry that both warring parties committed to pull back when they signed a cease-fire agreement in Minsk in 2015. Inna Varenytsia & Jim Heintz, Avdiivka, AP A 22-year judge in the District was selected Thursday as the head of the D.C. Court of Appeals. Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, 55, was named chief of the D.C. Court of Appeals after the current chief, Eric T. Washington, announced he would not seek a fourth consecutive term as head of the nine-member court. The Court of Appeals is one of the most powerful courts in the District, overseeing D.C. Superior Court cases that have been under appeal. The court also oversees the D.C. Bar, which incudes the admission of attorneys to the bar, as well as the discipline of its members. Blackburne-Rigsby was the only candidate vying for the chiefs position, according to the Districts Judicial Nomination Commission, which selected Blackburne-Rigsby as the courts chief. The seven-member commission includes chairman and U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, four D.C. attorneys, a local minister and a representative of the AFL-CIO. In 1995, Blackburne-Rigsby was appointed as a magistrate judge in D.C. Superior Court. In 2000, she was appointed an associate judge by then-President Bill Clinton. And in 2006, then-President George W. Bush appointed her to the Court of Appeals. When she assumes the chief position on March 18, Blackburne-Rigsby will become the third female judge to serve as chief of the Court of Appeals. She is married to D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert R. Rigsby. Federal officials apparently are working to reinstate the visas of two Yemeni brothers who were turned away at Dulles International Airport last weekend, according to the attorney general of Virginia. Tareq and Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz, ages 21 and 19, flew into Dulles on Saturday with plans to reunite in Michigan with their father, a U.S. citizen. But attorneys who filed suit on their behalf say that in response to President Trumps travel ban they were detained and coerced into renouncing their claims to legal permanent residence in the United States. They were then sent to Ethiopia and eventually Djibouti. Now, Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) says they probably will be allowed into the country. The government has moved quickly to make the case go away to avoid being subject to an order compelling it to produce information about its actions, Herrings spokesman Michael Kelly said in a statement. They now appear to be working out some kind of arrangement with the Aziz brothers, the named plaintiffs in the suit, that would apparently resolve Petitioners claims, presumably by getting them back into the country. Records in U.S. District Court in Alexandria said the parties have signed an agreement to resolve the brothers claim. An attorney for the Aziz brothers declined to comment, as did a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office. The case is among several filed nationwide in response to the presidents executive order, which placed a ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. [Denied entry: Stories of refugees and immigrants barred from the U.S.] The Commonwealth of Virginia intervened in the Aziz brothers suit, asking why Customs and Border Protection officials should not be held in contempt for their actions this past weekend. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema issued an order late Saturday that all legal permanent residents be given access to lawyers and none be deported. Such access was not provided and respondents have not disclosed, despite request, whether any such persons were removed from the United States after they knew of the order, attorneys for the commonwealth wrote. Its not clear how the resolution affects the 60 John Does listed as plaintiffs in the case. On Thursday morning, a new plaintiff asked to intervene. Sahar Kamal Ahmed Fadul tells a story similar to that of the Aziz brothers. She came to Dulles on Saturday morning from Sudan to meet her fiance, Osman Nasreldin, a U.S. citizen who lives in Colorado. When she arrived, she was stopped by customs agents and was forced to surrender her visa and accompanying immigration documentation, according to her brief. Falud, like the Aziz brothers, says she was compelled to sign a form rescinding her visa application and was put on the next flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Nasreldin met Fadul, a microbiologist, on a 2011 trip to visit his family in Sudan, according to court documents. They stayed in touch, and Nasreldin visited Fadul twice in her home country over the next three years. In 2014, they became engaged and made plans to marry in the United States once Nasreldin finished school and began working as a dental hygienist. Fadul received her visa in October 2016 after an extensive vetting process, her filing says, and bought a ticket to the United States on Jan. 1. When she arrived at Dulles on Saturday and was detained, she had no access to a telephone and was never given the opportunity to contact her fiance, according to the motion. Notably, Ms. Fadul does not speak English, and no interpreters were provided for the detainees. She was given no translation of the form she was asked to sign, her lawyers said, which waived her right to enter the United States. She was then informed that she would be returned to Addis Ababa immediately by Ethiopian Airlines, and she was placed on a flight that same night. She was also informed that her passport would be held by the airline until she was able to reimburse the airline for the cost, the brief says. Faduls fiance, in Colorado, had to scrape together $2,000 to get her out of the Addis Ababa airport and back to Sudan, said Timothy Heaphy, her attorney. Heaphy, a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, said he took the case because he was frustrated with the presidents immigration order and wanted to get involved. He plans to ask at a hearing Friday to join the Aziz brothers case. An interior view of one of the rowhouses slated for demolition on North Bradford Street in Baltimore. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) Walls may not talk, but they do tell stories. When Bill OLeary, Whitney Shefte and I set out to profile a single block of rowhouses being demolished, we started with the blank faces of boarded-up buildings in a city with 17,000 of them. But through interviews, old documents and a couple of lucky encounters, the human history of these century-old rowhouses near Johns Hopkins Hospital began to reveal itself. Our search began with Baltimore housing officials, who provided us with a list of houses slated for demolition. Even better, they gave us the name of a small nonprofit, Details, scheduled to bring down the 900 block of North Bradford Street with its crew of ex-offenders and hard-to-employ locals from the neighborhood. In the dusty days we spent with them, they helped us understand East Baltimores evolution. [Read and watch: Life, death and demolition] Max Pollock, the groups personable supervisor, was a link both to recent residents and to the blocks deeper past, which he had researched as an architecture and history buff. He introduced us to Mable Olds, a 69-year-old African American woman who was the last owner of No. 936 and who had recently traded her old house for a newly refurbished one around the corner. Pollack also knew something about the 1905 builder of the houses, a turn-of-the-century developer who sold many of them to immigrants from what was called Austro-Bohemia on period documents, now known as the Czech Republic. Slowly, the Bradford block began to feel less like a patch of decay and more like a place with a vibrant past. The 900 block of North Bradford Street in 1907. (John Dubas/Maryland Historical Society) The act of walking through the various houses, seeing the wallpapers, peeling paints, even some remaining personal effects, got me ruminating on the passing of time, said OLeary, the Washington Post photographer who shot more than 8,000 images for the story. Gas lines were revealed behind the ceilings, indicating that when these homes were built, they were illuminated by gaslight. We made more than a dozen visits to Bradford Street in the weeks before demolition, joining conversations on nearby front stoops that provided a trove of neighborhood history. Post video journalist Shefte and her colleague, McKenna Ewen, filmed from above, flying a drone over some of the citys most abandoned areas and causing some concern below. People think youre from the police, she said they were told. On one trip, I spent hours in the photo archives of the Maryland Historical Society. From my desk, I pored over records archived by genealogy websites. The immigrants who first called Bradford home appeared in handwritten census documents starting in 1910, including, in No. 936, the Crossonts. I traced the familys progress through the 20th century, as Baltimore boomed and then declined and as white workers migrated to the suburbs. After cold-calling nearly every Crossont in Maryland, I found Chester Crossont, a garage owner in Baltimore County. His father, Ernest, was born in the house in 1910. I knew it was somewhere in that part of Baltimore, but I had no idea where, he exulted. One day, when Shefte was shooting video on the block, a young man pulled up to the curb. He was Jonathan Todd, a carpenter from outside the city who had, for reasons that he could not fully explain, decided that day to pay his first visit to the house where his grandfather Ed Mifkovic had been born. His parents, aunts and uncles had regaled him with tales of family gatherings at No. 930, where his great-grandmother had lived until the 1960s. But Todd, 32, had never seen it before. He marveled at the posters on each door, announcing that the century-old block was scheduled to become a grassy lot just weeks later. It was fate that I came now, he said. Jonathan Todd explores the house his great-grandfather owned on North Bradford Street before it is demolished. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) On the Friday before the houses came down, Todd came back to Bradford at our invitation, bringing faded midcentury photos of his ancestors crammed around the table in one of the blocks identical tiny kitchens. Crossont came too, bringing his wife and grown sons. We met at No. 936, where Crossonts grandfather had been the first owner, and were joined by Olds, who was its last. They talked for more than an hour about their shared history, finally hugging on the sidewalk, connected forever by an address. Witnessing moments like that helped me better understand why buildings are not just structures but are physical connections between generations, Shefte said. A week later, the block was gone. But its stories remain. Ollie the bobcat escaped her enclosure at the National Zoo, but her brief fling with freedom came to an end Wednesday. (Barbara Statas, Smithsonians National Zoo) Were all Ollie the Bobcat, arent we? Busting out of that enclosure at the National Zoo, where Ollie played second-string cat to those insufferable lions and tigers. We felt her pain, rooting her on during her ill-fated and all-too-brief escape. She was every American worker, underappreciated, shunted to the side. She was forced to share real estate with a caracal lynx a lynx! Have you seen the ears on that thing? As our new president might say: Sad! The bobcat habitat wasnt even on the zoos main circle around Big Cat mountain, just a little culvert, no more glamorous than the accounts payable or customer service department. No one was putting Ollie in a corner. She saw her opening and busted loose. Ollie the bobcat back in a cage after being recaptured. ( Amy Enchelmeyer/Smithsonian's National Zoo) Shes no fool. She knows whats happening in this town. First, the new administration targets the federal workers, next the immigrants, then the zookeepers. Ollie had a plan to get out while she could. Off the grid. Canada! [Fear among federal workers facing a hostile Trump presidency] She was a feline prepper. Sensing the constitutional apocalypse coming, she wanted to shake that dependence on the government kibble. Shed seen others try, of course. Rusty the red panda went on the lam in 2013, then was captured in Adams Morgan. How basic, Rusty. Adams Morgan? H Streets way more happening. That same year, Natalie the flightless vulture used a gust of wind to hang-glide out of her enclosure. She was flyyyyyyyiiiiiiing! Then she landed in the zoos parking lot. She was back behind bars in no time. No, Ollie was going to do it better. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) She had her own Twitter account with an inspiring bio: Finally free and looking for some fun! Ollie started posting foodie pics of tapas and craft cocktails. She tried steak. Slammed tequila. She slept in. Got VIP tickets to big games. Went to shows at the Black Cat. All the things wed do if we busted out Office Space-style. Some in the city freaked out about Ollie. Schools shut down recess to protect the kids. The residents of neighboring Woodley Park were demanding that a wall be built around the National Zoo. The lynx, they said, should pay for it. Sweet, 25-pound Ollie, who is about 7 years old and from Texas, was labeled a menace. She was okay with that: Ollies the name. Fear me. Know me. This p---y grabs back! Ollie hissed. On the Mall, folks were wary. If that animal comes in here, Im running, the security guard at the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History told me. She was checking bags by that giant whale, the elephant in the rotunda, the snarling, stuffed bears. There are live tarantulas upstairs. Surely she has seen Night at the Museum. No, none of that worried her. But Ollie. She feared Ollie. Inside the museum was Ollies worst-case scenario. A taxidermied bobcat behind a glass case. Lynx Rufus, the placard reads, forever suspended in midair, almost catching that startled pheasant, but not quite. (It seems no one told Ollie that she, too, is a member of the lynx family.) Ill take a picture so I can find her, declared a 34-year-old visitor from Seattle who was eager to help catch the cat, whose fame had spread from coast to coast. Yeah, before she went missing, no one really bought the bobcat stuff, an employee at the zoos gift shop said. Now all of the bobcat toys are selling out. Sure enough, pandas galore. Elephants lining the shelves. Those lions forlorn. But only four Ollies left. Thats right, suckas! Bei Bei who? Actually, those stuffed animals are lynxes, but they kind of look alike, the gift shop woman said. That lynx again. On Wednesday, the lynx in Ollies habitat was pacing. Her friend got out, but she didnt, explained a zoo worker repairing the exhibit, which was surrounded by yellow crime-scene tape. The lynx chased after a cable the workers dragged across the ground, kitten-and-yarn style. Sad, sad lynx. Then zoo officials announced that they had suspended the search for Ollie. Shed won. Freedom lovers everywhere rejoiced. But the celebration was short-lived. Late Wednesday afternoon, just hours after shed accepted a Twitter invite for a steak dinner at Bobby Vans, Ollie was recaptured. There she was, right on the zoo grounds. In a cage by a bush. The look on her face. She was Melania at the inauguration, Chris Christie on Super Tuesday, Silda Spitzer at her disgraced husbands news conference. No tapas. No Canada. Stuck in Washington. We are all Ollie. Twitter: @petulad Virginia Del. Dave Albo (R-Fairfax), left, who chairs the House Courts of Justice committee, decided that seven bills dealing with thorny issues of constitutional law were simply not worth discussing because theyll never be enacted. (Steve Helber/AP) Much of a legislative session is spent on matters that never become laws. Whether thats a waste of time or a crucial part of the democratic process came up for unusual debate Thursday after a committee chairman in the House of Delegates decided that it was time to move things along. Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), who chairs the House Courts of Justice committee, decided that seven bills dealing with thorny issues of constitutional law were simply not worth discussing because theyll never be enacted. The bills covered weighty topics such as abortion, immigration sanctuaries and same-sex marriage, and came from Republicans and Democrats. In extraordinary letters sent to each bill sponsor, Albo essentially told them to get real. As you know, the Committee historically kills bills associated with liberal politics, and the Governor vetoes bills associated with conservative politics, Albo wrote. If we did spend the effort in hearing these bills, then we would have much less time to review the bills that actually have a chance to become law. The General Assembly is controlled by Republicans, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe is a Democrat who has promised to veto any measures that restrict access to abortion. Of the 2,172 bills introduced in the House and Senate last year, 811 were passed by the full Assembly. McAuliffe vetoed 32. Albo notedthat one of his subcommittees met until 10 oclock Monday night. If he took up the seven bills, the soonest they could get on the docket was Friday. That meeting would take eight hours, he said. Then the full committee would have to meet over the weekend. So, he told them, hes not hearing the bills. Del. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) was so flummoxed by Albos letter that she held a news conference. I really struggled with whether or not to speak out, she said, but I felt like this was important enough. Boysko said she had never seen such an open acknowledgment of the machinery of power. I was a bit shocked by the fact that they would make it so clear . . . that what is a constitutional issue is not important enough to be addressed, she said. Her Whole Womans Health Act was aimed at bringing Virginia law into alignment with a recent Supreme Court ruling against using safety as a cover for restricting access to legal abortions. Boyskos measure would have eliminated Virginia requirements for licensing, second opinions and extra ultrasounds, among other steps, that make it more difficult to obtain an abortion. Several womens health advocates joined her in denouncing Albos step. I have a very simple message for Delegate Albo and his caucus: Do your job, said Anna Scholl, the head of the ProgressVA advocacy group. The delegates should stay here until they get the job done. Every issue is important to someone. But Albo countered later in an interview that his committee is wrestling with several complex matters that take a great deal of time, such as the states DUI law and a measure about arresting terrorists. The work has to be done by next Tuesday, when the House has to send its bills to the Senate. Should I be spending time on bills that will never become law? Albo said. Through a spokesman, House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) defended Albos decision, saying such tactics have been used before. When the Democrats were in control, they would wait until the last day and adjourn without hearing pieces of legislation, Howells aide Christopher West said. Were under a tight deadline and there are a lot of bills that need to be heard before crossover. Albo conceded that its unusual to be so frank. I wanted to be upfront with people, he said. I didnt want to do anything secretly. The General Assembly is in the middle of a short, 45-day session. Next years is 60 days. Boysko and the others can have their hearing then, Albo said. Well pick a Friday, he said, and put up eight hours and let people have their day. Khizr Khan, a Gold Star father who prominently opposed Donald Trumps anti-Muslim rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign, went to Capitol Hill on Thursday to denounce the presidents controversial travel ban. The malice of Donald Trump is evident, Khan said at a news conference. He was joined by several Democratic lawmakers, who introduced a Freedom of Religion Act in response to the presidents executive order temporarily banning refugees as well as citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States. It is time for patriotic Americans to regain control of this government, the House and Senate, said Khan, a Pakistani-born U.S. citizen from Charlottesville. Both sides, Republicans and Democrats, are patriotic Americans. This is the only way we will endure this shameful period of this administration. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) is the lead sponsor of the religious-freedom bill, which he said would prohibit the use of faith-based litmus tests to ban immigrants, refugees and international visitors trying to enter the country. The legislation failed last session, but Beyer said Trumps executive order demanded its reintroduction. Khizr Khan, a Pakistani American lawyer and Gold Star father, speaks Thursday on Capitol Hill. (Alex Brandon/Associated Press) Lets not mince words: This ban is the culmination of xenophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric by President Trump and makes us less safe, said the congressman, who went to Dulles International Airport last weekend to demand that those affected by the ban be allowed into the country. Trump ignores the very real, human consequences of this action. Bill co-sponsors who also spoke were House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joseph Crowley (N.Y.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.). No Republicans are co-sponsors. The White House says that the travel ban is designed to give the United States time to improve its security-screening processes and that the ban is not aimed specifically at Muslims. These [countries] were identified because their governments lacked the ability to properly screen. . . . It has nothing to do with religion, Michael C. Short, a White House spokesman, said Thursday. Its patently false, misleading, and they should knock it off. Khan, who is Muslim, first entered the spotlight at the Democratic National Convention in July, when he held up a pocket Constitution during his speech and wondered aloud whether Trump had ever read it. Khans son, a U.S. Army captain, was killed in Iraq in 2004 while protecting his unit from a suicide bomber. After the convention, a Democratic activist from Tennessee started an online fundraising campaign to try to persuade Khan to run for office. Asked Thursday whether he had decided to do so, Khan answered, Not yet. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) gestures during a news conference at the Capitol in Richmond on Jan. 19. A new poll shows his job approval ratings are at an all-time high. (Steve Helber/Associated Press) Republican political strategist Ed Gillespie and Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam are leading in the early days of their primary contests for Virginia governor, according to a new survey released Thursday. But most Democrats and Republicans are undecided, which means the June primaries are wide open, according to the first gubernatorial polling by the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University. [See the poll results here ] Northam drew support of 26 percent of Democratic-leaning voters, while 15 percent backed former congressman Tom Perriello (D), who jumped into the race a month ago. Nearly 6 in 10 voters were undecided. [Perriello shakes up the 2017 governors race] Gillespie was far ahead of the four-man GOP pack with support from one-third of Republican-leaning voters in head-to-head matchups. State Sen. Frank W. Wagner (Virginia Beach) drew 9 percent; Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart had 7 percent; and distillery owner Denver Riggleman had 1 percent. About half of those voters were undecided. Stewart is trying to ride the same populist wave that thrust President Trump into the White House, voicing similar views about immigration and attacking Gillespie as Establishment Ed. But he was the only candidate for governor with a net negative approval rating of the 15 percent of voters who knew him, 8 percent disapproved of him while 7 percent approved. Quentin Kidd, director of the Wason Center, said the results show Gillespie in a comfortable position but that Northam has not locked up Democratic support two years after he announced his candidacy. Perriello clearly feels like hes tapped into something among Democrats which is why he got into the race, and the poll demonstrates to a certain extent he is right, Kidd said. Northam has the lead, you cant deny that, but if those 58 percent [of undecided voters] dont break in Northams favor, this primary race could really be the one to watch. It could really be a nail-biter. [Stewart gives away automatic rifle as a fundraiser for campaign ] Virginia has no party registration, and voters can cast ballots in either major partys primary. The poll had some good news for Democrats. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed approved of the job that Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) is doing, the highest it has been in Wason Center polling since McAuliffes term began in January 2014. More than half of respondents also said they thought Virginia was headed in the right direction. Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D), who is running for reelection, got a 36 percent approval rating while 18 percent disapproved. Thats a better performance than a year ago, when just 33 percent approved of his performance and 27 disapproved. But the survey showed the current Democratic candidates for governor are largely unknown. Even after Northam enters his fourth year in statewide office, almost two-thirds of voters have no opinion of him. They are similarly unsure of Perriello, a one-term congressman who has been out of office since 2011. Northam had $2.5 million in campaign accounts heading into 2017 and endorsements from nearly every Democrat elected to statewide or federal office. Voters were also largely unfamiliar with the Republican field. Gillespie, who nearly unseated U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner in 2014, was the best known and most favored of the four GOP candidates. Three in 10 voters had an opinion of him, and 20 percent approved. Survey respondent had mixed feelings about President Trump, with half of voters saying they are optimistic about his term and 45 percent saying they are pessimistic. Nearly 9 in 10 Republicans said they were optimistic. Polling spanned from Jan. 15 to 28 before and after the inauguration. The poll surveyed 1,002 Virginia voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. Other findings: More than half of voters opposed a bill pending in the General Assembly that would prohibit abortion after 20 weeks, with no exceptions for rape and incest. About 40 percent of men and women supported the proposal, while two-thirds of independents opposed it. While Virginians overwhelmingly supported McAuliffes order protecting gay and transgender employees of state contractors from discrimination, they also supported by a slimmer margin a bathroom bill that would require people to use the facility corresponding with their sex at birth. A bill to do that died in committee in the current legislative session. A majority of those polled said they support expanded solar and wind energy and oppose fracking. More Virginians oppose than support expanded nuclear energy or coal mining. As the state grapples with a $1 billion budget shortfall, 57 percent of voters supported raising taxes to avoid budget cuts. Majorities of independents and Republicans opposed tax increases. Poll respondents prioritized cuts to transportation over public safety, health care, education and social services. A majority of voters also backed repealing the federal health care law only if a replacement plan is ready, and 58 percent said the state should step in to help those who lose insurance if Congress does not. The poll also found broad support for key provisions of the law, including requiring insurance companies to cover people with preexisting conditions. Three-quarters of Virginians support decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, penalizing offenders with fines instead of jail. HAVANA, LA HABANA - JANUARY 5, 2016: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, center, is pictured with delegates in front of the historic Hotel Hotel Nacional during a Virginia trade mission to Cuba last year. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post) RICHMOND -- Virginias House of Delegates is a noisy place. It runs on pomp and arcane rules, as befits a body that starts every day with the be-gloved installation of a ceremonial mace, but the members can be rowdy. They cut deals in the back of the room, summon pages for trays of food and murmur rrrurrrrrllll every time someone says the word rural in a floor speech. But Wednesday brought an unusual silence to the chamber. Del. Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) stood to make what seemed like routine observations about a press release issued by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) the day before. McAuliffe announced a bipartisan task force called Engage Cuba, convened to build economic ties with the island after relations were re-established by former President Barack Obama. Miyares, whose mother fled the Castro regime, was not a fan. As his words grew more emotional, his colleagues began to pay more attention. What separates us from Cuba and from many other countries in the world is what I call the knock on the door, Miyares said, then leaned forward and rapped seven times on his desk. It was a sound thats usually only heard when the Speaker of the House raps his gavel. Delegates are programmed to respond to that sound. Here, when we hear that, that means a neighbor has come over to say hello, he said. But in Cuba, when you hear this, and he leaned forward and rapped again, it means something entirely different. Now the place was utterly silent. Miyares told of how his uncle heard that sound and was hauled out of his house and subjected to a mock execution, because he didnt want to join the communist militia. His cousin, he said, bore scars on his wrists from being in a Castro gulag. People living under that oppression feel a profound sense of hopelessness that they have been forgotten, he said. And while what the governor wants obviously is to engage in business, he failed to acknowledge human rights abuses, Miyares said. Growing angrier, the delegate held up photos of people he said were political prisoners, including one woman who had her hand chopped off because she spoke out against the government shutting down the only school in her locality. There was no mention of such things in the press release, he said. Noting that McAuliffe holds the same seat that Thomas Jefferson once held, he invoked Jeffersons words from the Declaration of Independence about all men being created equal. Surely this governor can take the time to advocate for those same timeless principles to the Castro regime today, Miyares said. As he finished, the House erupted in applause. Republican members stood, Democrats did not. One Republican staffer noted that Democrats had chastised Republicans for failing to stand when another delegate defended civil rights icon John Lewis against dismissive language from President Trump, and suggested that Democrats now were showing a lack of respect for human rights. Most Democrats were clapping, though. Which perhaps raised the question of whether they were sending their own signal to the governor. Brian Coy, the governors spokesman, did not address why there was no mention of Cubas human rights record in the press release. But he said McAuliffe wants to connect with Cuba to help Virginias economy. Gov. McAuliffe disagrees with Del. Miyares, as well as President Trump, that building walls around America is the best way to make life better for our families, Coy said via email. The Governor is working every day to create new jobs and economic activity for Virginians. House Democratic Leader David J. Toscano (Charlottesville) said there was no message in the members applause. I think that was a human reaction to a family whod been through a terrible experience and not a reflection of agreement with his political position, he said. Total merchandise imports during the month of December 2016 fell by 2.9 percent year-on-year to MOP6.78 billion, according to information released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). Imports of motor vehicles and mobile phones declined by 52.5 percent and 46.1 percent respectively. During the same month, total merchandise exports from Macau amounted to MOP753 million, down by 16.1 percent year-on-year, according to DSEC. Of this amount, the value of domestic exports (MOP156 million) slid by 12.2 percent, while the value of re-exports dropped 17.1 percent year-on-year. As a consequence, the merchandise trade deficit amounted to just over MOP6 billion in December last year. Looking at the whole of last year, the total value of merchandise imports fell by 15.7 percent to MOP71.35 billion when compared with the previous year. Meanwhile, the total value of merchandise exports for 2016 dropped by 6 percent year-on-year to MOP10.05 billion, thus the trade deficit stood at MOP61.31 billion. Analyzed by place of origin, imports in 2016 from mainland China (MOP25.84 billion) and the European Union (MOP17.03 billion) decreased by 18.9 percent and 9.6 percent respectively year-on-year. However, imports from Portuguese-speaking countries (MOP666 million) increased by 10.7 percent. External merchandise trade totaled MOP81.4 billion in 2016, down by 14.6 percent compared with the MOP95.36 billion registered in 2015. After getting death threats from Al-Shabab militants, Mohamed Dahir Saeed and his wife fled their native Somalia with plans to seek safety in Australia. They arrived in nearby Indonesia, only to be told the sea is closed for anyone attempting to make the perilous boat journey south. That was two years ago. Now another chance may be disappearing for Saeed and thousands of other asylum seekers who have made it to this Southeast Asian country with dreams of finding better lives elsewhere. The majority of people here, the U.S. takes them, Saeed said. Now the U.S. they say no Somalian, no Iraq, no Syrian, no Iran, no Sudan. [] So maybe we will go to another place. I hope, he said, seated outside his tiny house perched above the Ciliwung River. For thousands of asylum seekers and refugees from Iraq, Somalia and other conflict-scarred countries, Indonesia is an often years-long hiatus as they wait for the U.S. or another country to accept them. President Donald Trumps travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim countries and suspension of the U.S. refugee program has now made their tenuous situation even more uncertain. Indonesia is home to nearly 14,000 men, women and children seeking resettlement in other countries, according to UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency. About 7,500 have been recognized as refugees, giving them the prized U.N. card that inches them closer to realizing their dreams of a better life. But last year just 610 were resettled in other countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany and New Zealand. At least 2,700 of those in limbo here are from countries listed in Trumps 90-day travel ban: Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya. Asylum seekers in general are affected by his 120-day suspension of the U.S. refugee program, and by his decision to cut the number of refugees the U.S. accepts this budget year by more than half, to 50,000. Some 3 million refugees have been resettled in the U.S. since Congress passed the Refugee Act of 1980, according to the Pew Research Center. Saeed, 31, said that if he had the chance hed tell the U.S. president that as a Somalian hes a peace man. He said he left Somalia after Al-Shabab militants fighting the government pressured him to join their group, and that one of the militants wanted Saeeds wife for himself. Now in Somalia there is a war from Al-Shabab and government. So these Somalis who run from Somalia, they need peace because they need to work, they need to feed their family. They are looking for a better life. Indonesia, a vast but poor archipelago country of more than 250 million people in Southeast Asia, might seem an unlikely refuge. Initially, many people fled there because they believed it would be a jumping- off point to reach Australia by boat. That possibility no longer exists: Since September 2013, the Australian government has turned back the often barely seaworthy vessels. Puncak, a small West Java city nestled beneath a mountain that tempers Indonesias tropical heat, is a magnet for men from the Middle East seeking sex and a pleasant climate. Because of its proximity to Jakarta, where asylum seekers can be summoned for a refugee interview, and because of the low cost of living, many families from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Pakistan and other nations also scrape out an existence there. Saeed is waiting in Puncak for a UNHCR interview he said he was told could happen in a year. Before that, he and his wife stayed on Batam, an Indonesian island near Singapore, in accommodations overseen by the International Organization for Migration. It was good there, he said. Food, a room and an operation for his wife to remove a cyst that made her infertile. But when UNHCR told them there would be no refugee interviews there, they made the agonizing choice a month ago to come to Java. They sold their mobile phones for money. His wife is sick again, but an operation is out of the question. One plus: The cool climate means they dont to buy a fan or an air conditioner an unthinkable expense. Despite the meager existence in Puncak, the endless days of boredom, the frustration and the waiting, living among the general population is for many preferable to the alternative of staying in one of the Indonesian governments overcrowded detention centers or camps. The government of predominantly Muslim Indonesia allows asylum seekers to live in the community but they are not permitted to work and lack access to schools and public hospitals. There is no financial support unless a nongovernmental group gets involved. If relatives or friends abroad stop sending money, surrendering to a detention center is the only option left. Khairullah, a minority Sunni Muslim from Iraq, said he fled Mosul about two years ago with his wife and two young sons. The Iraqi city was liberated last month from Islamic State group militants who captured it in the summer of 2014. I want to go outside [Iraq] because there my life is very dangerous. Maybe Im dead, maybe my wife is dead. Maybe one of my children, said Khairullah, who ran a barbershop in Iraq. He said he couldnt afford to live in Turkey or Jordan, but a friend convinced him that life in Indonesias camps was decent, with two rooms for a family, money and food. When I come here to Indonesia, I go to the camp, I dont see this. One room, small room, no money, food no good. I cant stay there. Now the family, expanded to five with the birth of a daughter in Indonesia, waits to hear the outcome of a refugee interview they had five months ago. Khairullah said a sister in Iraq sends USD300 a month, but not always because of the chaotic conditions in the country. Now we see the Trump news. No Muslims. Dont come, Muslims, he said, cradling his toddler Rawan. You know, I dont sleep at night, just thinking. What about my future? For me its OK. But what about the future of my sons? What about my daughter with no ID? What about them? I dont know what I do. Stephen Wright, Puncak, AP CALIFORNIA Pulse shooters wife detained for evaluation A federal judge in California declined Wednesday to release the widow of the man who killed dozens of people at a Florida nightclub after prosecutors said she accompanied her husband on scouting trips for potential targets. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu in Oakland said she wanted a psychiatric evaluation done of Noor Salman, 31, before deciding whether to release her from jail pending a trial on charges of supporting her husbands attack and lying to investigators about it. Salman has pleaded not guilty. Federal authorities arrested Salman last month at her mothers home in suburban San Francisco, where Salman moved with her 4-year-old son after her husband, Omar Mateen, killed 49 people and wounded 53 others on June 12 at the Pulse nightclub. Associated Press Guards taken hostage in Del. prison: At least four guards and a counselor were taken hostage by inmates Wednesday inside a Delaware prison, according to a union attorney, and all the states prisons were put on lockdown as police swarmed the facility. Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, said inmates had taken control of one building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. Injuries to both officers and inmates were reported, he said. Pittsburgh schools closed over chlorine in water: Insufficient chlorine in Pittsburghs public water supply led to the closure Wednesday of nearly two dozen grade schools and a boil-water advisory in neighborhoods that include the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority said the advisory applied to 100,000 customers in the city of more than 305,000 residents. Associated Press Johnny Depps former business managers countersued the actor claiming his lavish lifestyle that cost more than USD2 million a month to maintain caused his recent financial troubles and that the star ignored their repeated warnings. The countersuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by The Management Group comes about two weeks after Depp sued the company alleging it grossly mismanaged his earnings. The lawsuit said Depp paid more than $75 million to buy and maintain 14 homes, including a French chateau and a chain of islands in the Bahamas. Depp also spent heavily to buy a 150-foot yacht, fly on private jets and cultivate collections of fine art and Hollywood memorabilia requiring 12 storage facilities to maintain, the lawsuit said. Depp was repeatedly warned by the company that his spending was out of control but ignored his former advisors advice to control his spending, the lawsuit said. Depp, and Depp alone, is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today, the lawsuit stated. Depp sued The Management Group on Jan. 13 seeking more than $25 million he contends was mismanaged. His lawsuit also alleged the company failed to file Depps taxes on time, costing him $5.7 million in penalties. The countersuit said Depps tax returns were always filed on time, and taxes were paid when the star had money available to pay them. The company handled his finances from 1999 until early 2016, an especially lucrative period in the actors career. During that time, Depp launched the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and other big-budget releases, including Alice in Wonderland and the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Depps attorneys did not immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment. The countersuit seeks a judges ruling that Depp is to blame for his financial troubles, and $560,000 in fees The Management Group said it is owed. The money being sought comes on top of $4.2 million the firm announced on Jan. 13 that it was seeking from Depp for repayment of a loan it said it made to the actor. Depp is not the first blockbuster star to take his former managers to court alleging mismanagement. Nicolas Cage sued his former business manager seeking $20 million for alleged mismanagement in 2009 and the manager in a countersuit cited the actors spending for his financial troubles. The case was resolved before trial. Anthony McCartney, Los Angeles, AP BRAZIL Zika infections down, but caution still urged Brazil and Latin America are recording lower numbers of Zika infections than last year, but the World Health Organization says all countries must remain vigilant against the virus that can cause birth defects. The viral disease carried by mosquitoes has spread to more than 60 countries and territories since an outbreak was identified in Brazil in 2015, raising alarm over its ability to cause babies to be born with microcephaly, a condition often accompanied by severe brain damage. Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the WHO declaring Zika an international emergency; it lifted that designation in November. The prevalence of Zika is dropping, certainly in the Americas, said Ian Clarke, WHO incident manager for Zika. He said that it isnt clear why infection rates are falling and that more research is needed into whether there is a natural immunity due to exposure. Reuters SOMALIA Famine looms without more aid, U.N. warns Drought-ridden Somalia is at risk of a repeat of the famine that killed nearly 260,000 people in 2011 if aid is not stepped up over the next two months, U.N. agencies said on Wednesday, calling for more funds. Five million Somalis do not have enough to eat because of repeated rain failures that have led to poor harvests and livestock deaths, according to the United Nations. With initial forecasts predicting a third consecutive poor rainy season in April, early action is key to preventing the situation from getting as bad as in 2011, experts at three U.N. aid agencies said in interviews. We really need to move now before we see the catastrophe of 2011 [repeated], said Shukri Ahmed of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. In 2011 the humanitarian response was too slow and tens of thousands of people died before the famine was officially declared. Reuters Mexico expects NAFTA talks with U.S. to start in May: Mexico expects to begin formal talks from around the beginning of May on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement following a 90-day consultation with the private sector, the government announced. President Trump has vowed to scuttle NAFTA, which also includes Canada, if he cannot recast it to benefit U.S. interests, raising the risk of a major economic shock for Mexico. Syrian opposition says U.N. cant pick peace talks delegates: Syrias main opposition body says it would be unacceptable for the United Nations to choose opposition delegates to the next round of U.N.-based peace talks, scheduled for Feb. 20 in Geneva. The armed opposition separately said it would not accept invitations to talks that do not lead to a transition of power to a transitional governing body. The U.N. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has said the United Nations would choose the oppositions representatives if it cannot agree on a delegation. Canada calls off electoral reform effort: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government has dropped plans to overhaul the countrys electoral system. Trudeau had vowed during the 2015 election campaign that Canada would have a new voting system by the 2019 election, a reform expected to benefit smaller parties. Momentum waned in December after the minister in charge dismissed a report urging a referendum before changes were made, something Trudeaus Liberals didnt deem necessary. Six bodies found in Mexicos Guerrero state: Mexican police have found the bodies of six men reportedly kidnapped by an armed gang in the southern state of Guerrero. The state prosecutor, Xavier Olea, said two women who were kidnapped along with the six men had been released alive. Olea said the kidnappings were reported Monday. The bodies were apparently found Tuesday in a rural mountain community north of the resort of Acapulco. The area has been the scene of turf battles involving drug gangs and vigilante forces. Five bodies found in collapsed tannery in India: A six-story tannery under construction in the northern Indian city of Kanpur collapsed, killing at least five workers, injuring 17 and possibly trapping up to 30 others. Building collapses are common in India, where high demand for housing and lax regulations have encouraged some builders to cut corners. In 2013, 74 people were killed when an eight-story building being constructed illegally in Mumbai caved in. From news services Regarding the Jan. 28 editorial A baseless assault on voting: The voting rolls of our 51 voting jurisdictions are maintained by the 50 states and the District. Those voting rolls are used in presidential elections, elections for senators and representatives, and for state and local offices. Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution charges the states with regulating voting for the Senate and House, subject to alterations made by the Congress. It is questionable whether the executive branch, without the consent of Congress, may examine those voter rolls, let alone propose alterations to them. Of course, the Trump administration and the Republicans in Congress seem to have little knowledge of the Constitution. Article I, Section 9 bars any person holding any position of trust in the federal government from receiving any gift or emolument from a foreign country. Because President Trump has refused to divest himself of his business interests, if an embassy in Washington rents rooms in Mr. Trumps D.C. hotel, Mr. Trump will receive a benefit and violate the emoluments clause. Of course, Congress will look the other way, given that Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) plainly violated the text and the spirit of Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution by refusing to take any steps toward providing advice and consent on then-President Barack Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Given this, Im glad Mr. Trumps first nominee for the Supreme Court says he will follow the Constitution. Joel M. Cockrell, Damascus Bernie Sanders, an independent, represents Vermont in the U.S. Senate. President Trump and other Republicans have talked about the greed of the pharmaceutical industry. Recently, Trump said (rightly) that Big Pharma is getting away with murder. But talk is cheap. The question is: Will Republicans really have the guts to join me and many of my colleagues in standing up to the drug companies to fight for American consumers and end the disgrace of having our country pay by far the highest prescription drug prices in the world? If Trump believes what he has said about the industry, he will rally his party to help save American lives. Heres why. The five largest drug manufacturers made more than $50 billion in profits in 2015. Meanwhile, nearly 1 out of 5 Americans could not afford the medicine they were prescribed. The result: Millions of Americans became sicker, and some ended up in emergency rooms at great cost. Others unnecessarily lost their lives. It is beyond comprehension that while Americans are suffering and dying because they cannot afford the medications they need, the 10 highest-paid chief executives in the pharmaceutical industry collectively made $327 million in 2015. These executives get richer while Americans die. Thats not acceptable. The root of this problem is that we are the only major country not to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry. You can walk into a pharmacy today and the price could be double or even triple what you paid for the same medicine a year ago, and there are no legal barriers in place to stop these arbitrary increases. Pharmaceutical corporations can raise prices as high as the market allows. If people die, it is not their concern. If people get sicker, it is not a problem for them. Yet, 50 miles from my home in Vermont, the same medications manufactured by the same companies in the same factories are available for a fraction of the price. A 90-day supply of Januvia, which treats diabetes, is $505 in the United States but $204 across the northern border. A 90-day supply of Advair, used in asthma inhalers, costs about $222 in Canada and approximately $464 in the United States. A years supply of one of the most important treatments for advanced prostate cancer, Xtandi, is sold for about $30,000 in Canada. Patients here pay about $130,000. Outrageously, our government, and therefore U.S. taxpayers, paid for research that led to Xtandis discovery. This state of affairs is unacceptable. Until recently, Trump agreed. Yet after one meeting with pharmaceutical lobbyists, the president started reversing course. Instead of negotiating drug prices down, he talked about cutting taxes for drug companies that already make billions on the backs of American consumers. Again, this cannot continue. That is why I am introducing legislation to end this insanity, allowing Americans to buy the same drugs they receive now, but from Canada, at far lower prices. The drug companies, with nearly 1,400 D.C. lobbyists and enormous amounts for campaign contributions, will fight back. Recipients of their contributions in Congress will tell us that allowing the importation of prescription drugs would compromise the safety of Americans. This is absurd: We can eat fish and vegetables from all over the world but somehow cannot import brand-name prescription drugs, manufactured by some of the largest companies in the world, from an advanced country such as Canada? Its nonsense. But you dont have to take it from me: Members of the pharmaceutical industry say the exact same thing. Peter Rost, a former vice president of Pfizer, said in 2004 that it was outright derogatory to claim that Americans would not be able to handle reimportation of drugs, when the rest of the educated world can do this. Furthermore, the United States already imports roughly 80 percent of the key ingredients in its medicines from other countries, including developing countries such as India and China. According to Kaiser Health, 19 million Americans have bought cheaper prescription drugs from other countries. To afford their vital medications, they shop online, sometimes from pharmacies that havent been properly regulated. Our bill will in fact improve safety by ensuring that only prescription drugs sold by Food and Drug Administration-certified foreign sellers, such as pharmacies regulated by Canadas health system, will be permitted to be imported, protecting Americans from the snake oil some are buying right now. The bill will also deal with the most critical safety issue: Drugs dont work at all if patients cant afford them. Drug companies wont surrender the billions in profits they receive from U.S. consumers easily. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most powerful political forces in this country. Drug companies have spent more than $3 billion lobbying since 1998 and have many members of Congress defending their interests; during the 2016 election alone, the industry made more than $58 million in political contributions. So we will need to fight together to get Americans the medications they need at prices they can afford. If the president meant what he said during the campaign, he will join me in this fight. It cant wait any longer. HERES ONE sure way to know when Xi Jinpings secret police have illegally abducted someone outside the country and then forcibly transported them to China: when the victim is obliged to issue a statement denying that any such thing occurred. Thats what has happened to billionaire investor Xiao Jianhua, who disappeared from the Four Seasons hotel in Hong Kong on Friday and, according to police and the South China Morning Post, crossed the border to the mainland. On Wednesday, a full-page advertisement in Mr. Xiaos name appeared in a Hong Kong newspaper, insisting that its not true that Ive been abducted and taken back to the mainland. Previous abductees have been forced to deliver similar declarations, making them a clumsy signature, rather than an act of concealment, of Mr. Xis thugs. The regime certainly has cause to hide this particular kidnapping, and for more than one reason. It represents another major violation of the legal autonomy Beijing guaranteed to Hong Kong when it obtained sovereignty over the former British colony 20 years ago. It is an affront to Canada, of which Mr. Xiao is a citizen, though he has spent most of his life on the mainland and no doubt is considered Chinese by the regime. The disappearance also looks like an effort by Mr. Xi and other elite figures to cover their tracks. A prodigy who entered Peking University at 15, Mr. Xiao built an investment empire by amassing shares in banks, mining and insurance companies and other properties, and developed close connections with the Communist elite. According to the New York Times, Mr. Xiao paid $2.4 million in 2013 to buy shares in another firm held by Mr. Xis relatives after a report by Bloomberg News on the familys wealth. Mr. Xiaos spokesman said he did it for the family, the Times reported. Another deal linked him with Jia Qinglin, a close ally of former president Jiang Zemin. Mr. Xiao may be the legitimate target of a corruption probe: He denied rumors he was evading prosecution when he first came to Hong Kong, where he has lived for a number of years. But Chinese analysts believe it as likely that he knows too much about Mr. Xi, who has been striving to consolidate his personal power and eliminate all opposition to his regime. To do so, he has been ready to take increasingly audacious steps outside China, where the regime is using visa denials, financial leverage, intimidation and, in the case of ethnic Chinese, kidnapping to silence its critics in the international press and academia. In 2015, Chinese agents seized five men involved in a Hong Kong-based book-publishing operation; one was taken from Hong Kong. Another, Swedish citizen Gui Minhai, disappeared in Thailand, and remains in custody. Protests and diplomatic demarches had no effect on the regime, which appears not to grasp that its actions are helping to radicalize a once moderate and loyal opposition in Hong Kong. Mr. Xiaos disappearance may add more momentum to the incipient movement seeking Hong Kongs full independence, and it will certainly contribute to what already has been sinking investor confidence in the islands legal system. Perhaps Mr. Xi regards those as bearable costs for his own protection. You want bipartisanship on Supreme Court nominations? Lets have a consensus moment around Sen. Ted Cruzs idea that having only eight Supreme Court justices is just fine. There is certainly long historical precedent for a Supreme Court with fewer justices, the Texas Republican said last year when GOP senators were refusing even to give a hearing to Judge Merrick Garland, President Barack Obamas nominee. Cruz cited a Democratic court appointee, Justice Stephen Breyer, to give his case heft. He noted that Justice Breyer observed that the vacancy is not impacting the ability of the court to do its job. If that argument was good in 2016, why isnt it valid in 2017? After all, some Republicans were willing to keep the seat vacant indefinitely if Hillary Clinton won the presidential election. I would much rather have eight Supreme Court justices than a justice who is liberal, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in October. [Hugh Hewitt and Ronald Klain: How will Neil Gorsuch change the Supreme Court?] 1 of 14 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad The scene as President Trump announced his Supreme Court nominee View Photos President Trump chose Neil Gorsuch, a judge seen as similar to the late justice Antonin Scalia, for the Supreme Court. Caption President Trump chose Neil Gorsuch, a judge seen as similar to the late justice Antonin Scalia, for the Supreme Court. Jan. 31, 2017 Vice President Pence talks with Maureen Scalia, widow of the late Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia, before the announcement of the Supreme Court nomination. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) went further: If Hillary Clinton becomes president, I am going to do everything I can do to make sure four years from now, we still got an opening on the Supreme Court. Yes, Republicans do have a principle on nominations: When the Supreme Courts philosophical majority might flip, only Republican presidents should be allowed to appoint justices. We are in for a festival of GOP hypocrisy in the debate over President Trumps nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Republicans will say that because he is decent and well-qualified, Democrats have no business blocking him. But its hard to find someone more decent or qualified than Garland, as many Republicans acknowledged. Garlands experience, temperament and character mattered not a whit to the GOP. In fact, the party seemed to fear that in a hearing, hed come off as too sensible. And you can count on charges that Democrats are being partisan in their concern that Gorsuch, based on his record, is a conservative judicial activist who will tilt sharply toward corporations over workers, and against environmental and other forms of protective regulation. But conservative judicial mavens have already made clear that outcomes-oriented jurisprudence is their thing now, even if they disguise it behind grandiloquent words such as originalism and textualism. Trump, after all, picked Gorsuch from a roster prepared for him by right-wing interest groups. Let this nomination also be the end of any talk of Trump as a pro-worker populist. Gorsuch is neither. Trump could have made things harder for Democrats and progressives by nominating a genuine moderate. Gorsuch may be nice and smart, but moderate he isnt. At least I understand Republican and conservative hypocrisy on this subject: They are focused on power and who will wield it. I find it harder to understand well-meaning people who were appalled by the hyper-politicization involved in the Garland blockade but now claim that an effort to stop Gorsuchs confirmation will only make matters worse. Worse? Really? If someone slugs you, should you be condemned if you defend yourself by swinging back? If a bully makes someones life miserable, will taking him on and calling his bluff only make matters worse? [Gorsuchs chance to correct Scalia on the Constitution] Perhaps you think the above is hyperbolic, and I accept that my line of thinking wont appeal to pacifists. But if you are not a pacifist, ask yourself how this procedural extremism will be halted if one side is rewarded for violating all the conventions and rules of fair play and the other side just meekly goes along. The Rubicon was crossed with Garland. Conservatives complain about the treatment of Robert Bork when he was nominated to the court in 1987, and they turned the word Borked into a battle cry. But Bork got a hearing and a vote on the Senate floor, which he lost. To be Merricked is to be denied even a chance to make your case. The Garland case was only a particularly egregious example of what we have to fear even more of in the months to come. The road to the outrages we are seeing from Trump was paved by his partys violation of long-standing norms. Such norms were brushed aside again Wednesday when the Senate Finance Committee suspended the rules to ram through two Trump Cabinet nominees. How often will Republicans run roughshod over their opponents to do Trumps bidding? There comes a time when the only way to stand up against future abuses is to insist that there will be no reward for the abuses that have led us to this point. If not now, when? Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Libby Copeland is a former Washington Post reporter who writes on culture and human behavior. If youve switched physicians in search of someone more caring or left an exam feeling unseen and unheard, you will find much to appreciate in Danielle Ofris perceptive book What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear. The shortcomings of the patient-doctor relationship are on full display as Ofri probes what goes wrong in the exam room and tallies the impact on the care we get. We often think of medicine in terms of numbers and statistics. How many possible diagnoses are there for this mystery ailment? Whats the success rate for this surgery, or the likelihood of remission after chemotherapy? We rightly want our doctors knowledgeable about the latest treatments and side effects. [Ditch the empathy, its corrosive, Paul Bloom argues] But Ofri makes a compelling case that patient-doctor communication in the exam room is as crucial to diagnosis and treatment as expensive tests and procedures. Offering empathy, asking open-ended questions, involving the patient in a treatment plan and checking again and again to make sure patients understand are all key to making the sick better, she writes. "What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear," by Danielle Ofri (Beacon) Ofri, a physician at New Yorks Bellevue Hospital and a professor at the New York University School of Medicine, delves into medical research and draws on her years of practice and observation to illuminate vital aspects of the patient-doctor relationship: Good communication lowers anxiety, raises patient confidence and makes us more likely to adhere to treatment plans. Longer visits with primary-care doctors are correlated with fewer malpractice suits. Doctors who listen well are more likely to uncover hidden causes of illness, such as sexually transmitted diseases. In one study, back pain patients receiving electrical stimulation experienced far more pain relief when accompanied by a physical therapist who was a good listener. Research shows that patients who visit more empathetic doctors even shorten the duration of their colds by more than a day. [A history of Bellevue, a public hospital that truly served the public] Weve known for decades that doctors who offer empathy, build trust and set expectations help their patients fare better. As far back as 1964, a study conducted with abdominal-surgery patients illustrated what Ofri calls the demonstrable effect of the simple act of talking. Before surgery, half of the patients were visited by an anesthetist who said pain afterward would be normal and would last a limited amount of time, and explained how patients could relax their muscles to lessen the pain. These patients needed half the pain medication of others who didnt receive a pain talk. If we are an overmedicated nation, better communication would seem an easy and cheap way to relieve that burden except that listening takes time, and doctors dont usually have that. Ofris insights are particularly instructive as the medical profession increasingly suffers from tight schedules, packed waiting rooms and tightwad insurance companies. With patient-doctor communication more important than ever, Ofri shows how it gets fouled up, pointing to unspoken assumptions, rhetorical differences and language barriers. (And shes not talking about nonnative speakers of English; medicalese is its own language, impenetrable to laypeople.) When patients go to the doctor, Ofri writes, theyre inclined to tell the story of their illness, from beginning to end, while doctors are trained to look for the chief complaint. Little wonder, then, that research shows doctors typically interrupt patients within 12 seconds. The difference in speaking styles sets up an experience in which patients feel rushed and unheard, and doctors feel impatient about their rambling patients. Too often in exam rooms, we are speaking past each other. An open, welcoming physician can draw out crucial information that otherwise might lie hidden. Ofri recounts examining a woman with a tense smile who described the pains she had in various parts of her body. After the woman left the exam room, she returned and, clutching the doorknob, said, Doctor? She hesitated. Do you think its possible . . . She hesitated again. Do you think its at all important that these are the same spots where my boyfriend shot me with a dart gun? The hand-on-the-doorknob phenomenon is . . . well known to all doctors, Ofri writes. A physician can proceed assiduously through a detailed history and physical with a patient, but it is only when the patient is halfway out the door that the important information spills out. Ofri invited the woman back into her office so they could continue talking, clock be damned. Ofri seeks to humanize a profession often seen as haughty, privileged, uncommunicative and indifferent to criticism. Shes also sensitive to her colleagues resistance to hokier-sounding soft stuff such as communication, empathy and connection. Something that simple and intuitive, something that doesnt require specialized knowledge, can feel threatening to a physician who has spent a decade training to acquire unique medical knowledge. . . . Theres something vaguely discomfiting to realize that the techniques shamans used centuries ago can sometimes be as effective as our pharmaceuticals backed by million-dollar mega-trials. But, as Ofris compelling argument makes clear, modern medicine could benefit from a better understanding of how human beings like to be treated when theyre at their most vulnerable sick and confused and naked save for a thin paper gown. If only doctors could bill for listening. The Jan. 29 Local Opinions essay by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Jim DeMint, D.C. defied a responsibility of governing, proposed that Congress nullify the Districts democratically enacted Death With Dignity Act. Having Congress interfere with our local laws is not new for us. Lawmakers have followed this pattern of despotism for decades, often while railing against federal overreach in their districts. When then-President Barack Obama designated Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, Mr. Chaffetz said it was a slap in the face to the people of Utah, attempting to silence the voices of those who will bear the heavy burden it imposes. The irony of Mr. Chaffetzs statement was compounded by the near absurdity of his reliance on the Declaration of Independence to justify his crusade against the Death With Dignity Act. For some who are suffering immeasurably, their pursuit of happiness may mean ending their life on their own terms rather than being forced by a congressman thousands of miles away to live out their last days in agony. It is our unalienable right as citizens of this great nation to determine this question for ourselves. The Constitution has 27 amendments. An amendment liberating the District has yet to be added, but we will rage as citizens and taxpayers for statehood and representation. We will fight to escape tyranny for all D.C. taxpayers, for our children and, yes, for the sick and dying. Lynette and Ryan Craig, Washington Having recovered from their indignation over then-President Barack Obamas concern with Jewish settlements on the West Bank (a concern shared by Yitzhak Rabin, among others), the esteemed members of Woodmont Country Club may want to redirect some of that high dudgeon to the fact that the White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that made no mention of the slaughter of 6 million Jews [Jews intentionally left out of Holocaust remarks, White House says, news, Jan. 30]. Not only was the White House statement fully consistent with the strategy of Holocaust deniers, but also the omission was endorsed by President Trumps chief of staff, Reince Priebus, who noted there could be nothing nefarious here, because the president has dear family members that are Jewish. Michael B. Lehrhoff, Gaithersburg I am a Holocaust survivor and believe that President Trumps not mentioning Jews in his statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day is unimportant. What is unfortunate is that the majority of the international community supports former president Barack Obamas nuclear agreement with Iran and is silent on Irans threat to Israel. Mr. Obamas Middle East policy is not only an existential threat to Israel but also contrary to the interests of our Sunni Arab friends and allies. Ruben Moller, Wheaton Boris Pasternak with his mistress and muse, Olga Ivinskaya, and her daughter, Irina, in the late 1950s. Pasternak channeled his love for Ivinskaya, and his frustration with their relationship, into his novel Doctor Zhivago, whose heroine was inspired by her. ( Schewe / ullstein bild via Getty Images ) Lev Golinkin is the author of the memoir A Backpack, a Bear, and Eight Crates of Vodka. Its standard for biographers of writers to chronicle the sacrifice the artist makes for his muse. As Anna Pasternak evinces in Lara: The Untold Love Story and the Inspiration for Doctor Zhivago, the muse often suffers as well. Lara is the account of the tempestuous and often tragic love affair between renowned Soviet novelist and poet Boris Pasternak and his mistress Olga Ivinskaya, who became the inspiration for Lara the heroine of Doctor Zhivago, Pasternaks novel that shook Soviet society and the world. By the time the already legendary Boris met Olga, he was in the middle of a loveless marriage, his second. Olga, 22 years his junior, had been widowed twice. The two were smitten with each other from their first encounter. Over the next 14 years, passion and trauma drove Boris to channel his love for her and frustration with their relationship into the anti-Soviet Doctor Zhivago; Olga became the manuscripts typist, advocate, agent and martyr, being twice imprisoned in the Soviet labor camps for her relationship with Boris. Lara can be erratic for the first 50 pages, as it sets up short backgrounds of the Pasternak and Ivinskaya families, only to reset the timeline in the next chapter. This pace may be especially disorienting to readers unfamiliar with Soviet history, since the book covers the impact of events such as Stalins purges and collectivization efforts on the Moscow literati scene. [The battle of Doctor Zhivago] "Lara: The Untold Love Story and the Inspiration for Doctor Zhivago," by Anna Pasternak ( Ecco) After its hectic exposition, the book excels as it chronicles the private tension between two lovers saddled with other families, and the wider antagonism between Pasternak and the Kremlin. We see Boriss guilt over his treatment of both Olga and his wife; Olgas unfailing desire for Boris even as he refuses to wed her; and looming over it all, the Soviet state apparatus as it threatens to swallow both lives. These twin storms feed into Boriss work on Doctor Zhivago. The authors talent provides him with a certain degree of protection even as colleagues are snatched up, tortured and executed around him. (Stalin, who appears to have had a fondness for Boriss translations of Georgian poetry, personally shielded him.) And yet, as the Zhivago manuscript grows, so does the danger from the party, which is keenly aware of the explosive potential of an author of Boriss caliber (indeed, the CIA would go on to use the book to destabilize the U.S.S.R.). The Kremlins wrath falls on Olga and her daughter, Irina, who are imprisoned in the camps: Olga before Boriss death, and both Olga and Irina after it. The story of Yuri and Lara of Doctor Zhivago, into which Boris poured his love of and anguish over Olga, becomes intricately tied to the real-life romance of Boris and Olga. Lara accomplishes this by interpolating the narrative with passages from Doctor Zhivago as well as Boriss poems inspired by his relationship with Olga and encounters with the Soviet system. And if the two never had a child (Olga miscarried after being tortured by Stalins secret police), Lara makes it clear that the fruit of their union was the book itself. Given its setting, Lara could have easily devolved into a melodramatic saga of ill-fated passion in a time of tyranny. Instead, Anna Pasternak admirably refuses to reduce the lovers to stock tragic figures. She presents a warts-and-all, at times scathing portrait of the pair. Boriss fame was impacting his ego; he did not consider Evgenia enough of an artist to merit her difficult, emotional behaviour, she writes, bluntly summing up the authors relationship with his first wife. Boris may have been courageous in his art, Pasternak remarks when reflecting on his second marriage, but in his personal life he was disappointingly weak. Neither does Olga, who often appears to care less for her children than for her affair, escape criticism. One of the books most heartbreaking lines is when Pasternak points out that Olgas daughter, Irina, knew too young that Olgas romantic life took priority, even as that romance placed her children in danger. Anna Pasternak is Boriss grand-niece, which adds two dimensions to the book. Its clear that the archival research, interviews and field trips to Russia stemmed from a passionate desire to understand and appreciate her past. That yearning to touch family history is palpable in some of the books lyrical passages, such as the reenactment of Boriss funeral: That evening there was a crash of thunder and a heavy downpour. People put their hands over their candles to protect them from the heavy raindrops, and still went on, reciting one poem after another in the flickering candlelight. More important, the author discloses that one impetus behind Lara was to rectify what she sees as the familys wronging of Olga. The Pasternaks have always been keen to play down the role of Olga in Boriss life and literary achievements, she states in the prologue. At its heart, Lara is a quest to give recognition to a woman immortalized in Doctor Zhivago, yet consumed by the meat grinder of the Soviet state, then erased by the Pasternak family. This awareness is what makes Lara so timely. The rehabilitation of Stalins victims began under Nikita Khrushchev and gained steam in 1988, when Princeton scholar Stephen F. Cohens biography of Nikolai Bukharin helped Mikhail Gorbachev exhume the long-anathemized Bolshevik revolutionary. The U.S.S.R.s collapse 25 years ago furthered this by granting historians access to previously sealed KGB archives. Its an ongoing process: Moscows Gulag Museum opened last year. And paradoxically, this is taking place amid a disturbing resurgence of the cult of Stalin, from books justifying his crimes to shops peddling T-shirts and window decals bearing his visage. The ominous ease with which one of historys most brutal dictators can get a second chance at a legacy makes Lara the story of one of Stalins innumerable victims a particularly poignant book. Members of the media raise their hands to ask questions during a daily briefing conducted by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer at the White House on Jan. 23. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) If, as Fred Hiatt noted in his Jan. 30 op-ed, Why the media should not become the opposition party, President Trump considers the press an enemy, he has his reasons. Foremost, whenever Mr. Trumps pledges as a candidate or Mr. Trumps policies as president are the subject of coverage, the press often treats the truth as an enemy, some have noted. Todays news coverage about Muslim bans and religious discrimination illustrates the point. The executive order in question draws distinctions based on nations, not religious affiliation. The seven nations affected by the order were designated by former president Barack Obama for changes in the entry visa process. No wonder recent polls register a paltry 19 percent approval rating for the major media, which is less than past approval rankings of Congress and possibly lower than traffic jams, hornets nests and clogged sewer pipes. Steven Sarfatti, Cabin John Long-time adversaries Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Etihad Airways PJSC announced deals covering catering and aircraft maintenance and said the agreements could act as a springboard to a broader alliance. While the accords amount to contract wins for Lufthansa worth more than 200 million euros (USD216 million), the carriers said theyre targeting further tie- ups in cargo, procurement, information technology and new code-share routes, and could form a full joint venture, the closest relationship open to airlines from different regions. The German carrier said its also open to cooperation with Alitalia SpA, in which Etihad has a 49 percent stake. The companies are drawing closer as Lufthansa struggles to cut costs and add low-cost flights amid union opposition just as Abu Dhabi-based Etihad grapples with losses from European partners. James Hogan, who leads the Mideast group, said yestedays announcements mark a major step and that closer ties to the German carrier would bring vital scale, while his counterpart Carsten Spohr said talks are already underway on a deeper deal. This is just the beginning of something that could be of significant size, Spohr told Bloomberg Television following a joint ceremony in Abu Dhabi. Today marks the start. I think theres room for more. A joint venture could be a potential next step, and there are other ideas. The initial accords between the carriers are modest, with Lufthansas Sky Chefs arm set to provide in-flight food to Etihad at 16 cities worldwide under a $100 million contract. The Lufthansa Technik maintenance unit will also explore cooperation with Etihad Aviation Group and its partner carriers, according to Spohr, who said that deal may be worth more than 100 million euros. Hogan, who plans to stand down later this year, said the accords with Lufthansa are the most significant struck by his company outside of its investments in so-called equity alliance partners, and will form a platform for a much wider strategic collaboration. Spohr said the carriers still hold different perspectives on a range of topics and restated his opposition to the funding of airlines through state aid, something he has previously claimed helped Etihad and Gulf peers Qatar Airways and Emirates became major global players. All the same, the pair will be putting these differences aside, he added. Lufthansa is struggling to keep pace with network rivals including British Airways owner IAG SA, in which Qatar Air has a 20 percent stake, just as discount operators led by Ryanair Holdings Ltd. eat away at its market share on short- haul routes. Etihad has failed to halt losses at Air Berlin Plc and Italian flag carrier Alitalia SpA, in which it has built up holdings as part of the equity alliance tying together eight carriers spanning Europe to Australia. Etihad and Lufthansa began working together in 2016, announcing or code- share or joint sales agreement covering four routes and brokering a deal for Air Berlin to lease 38 surplus planes and crews to the larger German carrier. Talks are underway about the addition of further code-share destinations as early as next winter, Spohr said, and Etihad will also relocate terminals alongside Lufthansa in Frankfurt and Munich to aid cooperation. Both carriers have announced plans for major Europe-Mideast initiatives in the past, only for them to fail to materialize. Etihad said in 2012 that a code-share pact with Air France-KLM Group could become a much larger strategic partnership, while Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines were exploring a deal as recently as September 2015. Under joint venture agreements, which require antitrust immunity, airlines can effectively operate as a single carrier on specified routes, coordinating timetables and sharing costs and revenue. Deena Kamel Yousef, Richard Weiss, Bloomberg Victoria Bassetti is the author of Electoral Dysfunction and a contributor at the Project on Government Oversight and the Brennan Center for Justice. Caroline Fredrickson is president of the American Constitution Society and the author of Under the Bus. The Justice Department under Jeff Sessions, if he is confirmed as President Trumps attorney general, will be free to prioritize marijuana prosecutions over civil rights investigations of police departments, or to focus more on voting fraud than environmental crimes. Elections have consequences. Changed law enforcement priorities are among them. Thats politics. It is not, however, politicization of the Department of Justice. Thats an altogether different and more dangerous phenomenon. Its what happens when an attorney general or president employs the enormous power of the department, with its 10,000 lawyers and 13,000 FBI agents, to pursue personal or partisan goals. It happens when impartiality is thrown out the window and vindictiveness and vendetta take over. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Is Sessions the man to ensure this does not happen? This weeks showdown between President Trump and acting attorney general Sally Yates changes the equation. The independence of the department is under threat. Protecting it must be Sessionss top priority. Yet thus far he has offered little more than bland assurances of fairness combined with worrying hints of blindness to the gravity of the situation. Mondays firing of Yates represents an ominous signal that Trump does not understand the departments crucial role in impartially administering justice. Rather than pausing and listening to a well-respected career prosecutors profound concerns, the president responded with summary termination and a statement that she had betrayed the department. If this were a singular event just a high-stakes confrontation with an Obama administration holdover involving a controversial presidential decision it might not be so alarming. But there are other signs of looming politicization, and of Trumps failure to understand the need for clear lines of division between the Justice Department and his White House. While on the campaign trail last fall, Trump threatened to kill AT&Ts proposed merger with Time Warner a deal we will not approve in my administration. Then in January, Trump blasted Time Warners CNN (Your organization is terrible) at his first news conference as president-elect. So AT&Ts chief executive made a pilgrimage to Trump Tower to try to mollify the president, and worryingly, we dont know what was said or promised at the meeting. Never mind that the proposed merger is a law-enforcement matter for the Justice Department; Trumps behavior hints that he feels merger decisions should be based at least in part on his snap judgment or personal animus toward a company or business sector. Weve seen this movie before. In 1971, President Richard Nixon called Deputy Attorney General Richard Kleindienst about the departments handling of an antitrust case involving International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT). The ITT thing stay the hell out of it. Is that clear? Nixon instructed. My order is to drop the Goddamn thing. Is that clear? It does not strain the imagination to envision Trump making a call like that. Not too long ago, he repeatedly threatened to jail Hillary Clinton. After the election, he reversed position. Both statements suggest he thinks that the decision whether to prosecute should be made based on his whims. Trump has many other reasons to want to meddle with the department. For example, the FBI is investigating Russian interference with the election. In addition, the department is overseeing a $7.2 billion settlement with Deutsche Bank, which holds more than $300 million of Trumps debt. Other possible conflicts abound. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Possibly aware of concerns about potential interference, Sessions said the right things at his nomination hearing. The attorney general must be willing to tell the president or other top officials no if he or they overreach, Sessions said. He or she cannot be a mere rubber stamp to any idea the president has. These are the right sentiments. They are also the sentiments that got Yates fired this week. But is Sessions prepared to go that far? Will he really say no to the president? Sessionss record of close personal and political relationship with Trump suggests perhaps not. He was a featured speaker at nine Trump rallies during the campaign. He officially nominated Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Yet despite his role as frequent surrogate for the president during the election, he said he would not recuse himself from investigations into the 2016 election. Theres no magic I will be fair wand to cure this dilemma. Sessions must provide a more detailed explanation of how he will insulate the department and himself from improper interference, and the White House counsels office should make clear its rules for avoiding interference with the administration of justice. This weeks confrontation with Yates shows how high the stakes are. In this tiny town of rolling hills in far western Maryland, many of President Trumps supporters have a message to those protesting his policies: Take a deep breath and stop yelling. Many here say the president is simply doing everything he promised to do and that he was elected to do fight political correctness, protect the country from terrorists, crack down on illegal immigration, make Washingtons swamp dwellers uncomfortable and show strength to other countries. Critics are unfairly exaggerating the effect of Trumps executive orders and complaining without giving him a fair chance, supporters say, just as critics blew some of his comments and jokes out of proportion during the campaign. I think people are just picking sides and not really getting all of the facts that they need, said Charisse Smith, 25, a waitress at Annies Kitchen Country Restaurant on Main Street who voted for Trump. They just go along with their side. Theyre not digging into what theyre actually saying. Theres wide support in this town of roughly 320 for the presidents rapidly implemented ban on refugees and on citizens of seven countries that are predominantly Muslim, along with Trumps decision Monday night to dismiss the acting attorney general who refused to defend the executive order. Did you really think he was going to go too long without those two words: Youre fired? said Buz Gosnell, 71, a retired helicopter pilot who had fried fish for lunch at Annies on Tuesday. Hes the first president since Teddy Roosevelt to really do what he says hes going to do. . . . Its what executives are supposed to be. The welcome sign for Accident, Md., which voted overwhelmingly for President Trump. (Zoeann Murphy/Zoeann Murphy) Others at the restaurant that afternoon agreed. A 60-year-old who works in the oil and gas industry said he is relieved to have a tough businessman in the White House and hopes Trump will slam the door shut on all Middle Easterners. A 26-year-old IT worker with a bushy beard said everyone should support enhanced screenings at airports and struggles to take protesters seriously, referring to them as an entertaining show that keeps airing new episodes. [Trump is right, in a way: These Christian Syrians in Pa. back the travel ban] Accident yes, thats really its name is located in Garrett County, surrounded by West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Most versions of the story of how the town got its name involve two groups of surveyors who accidentally assessed the same patch of land. This county has long been deeply conservative, and Trump won here with more than 77 percent of the vote while the blue state of Maryland went to Hillary Clinton, who received 60 percent of the vote statewide. One local pointed out that even the weekly newspaper is named the Republican. The mountainous area is also dotted with expensive weekend homes that belong to residents of Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore, who tend to be more liberal. During the Womens March on Washington the day after Trumps inauguration, a bus filled with women from St. Louis broke down in Accident and the pink-hat-wearing passengers decided to march there, instead. Accidents Main Street features the staples of a small, rural community a credit union, a white clapboard Lutheran church, a decades-old car dealership, a laundromat and Annies, which serves breakfast all day. Theres also a creamery that produces goat cheese sold at Whole Foods and Wegmans, an organic grocery store that carries almond milk, and Moonshadow, a restaurant known for its craft brew list and locally sourced ingredients. Its peaceful, said Smith, who has worked at Annies for 10 years. And the people are nice and its not too crowded. Karen Engel, shown here at Ruth Enlow Library in Accident, Md., was a lifelong Democrat who voted for President Trump. (Zoeann Murphy/Zoeann Murphy) In high school, Smith traveled with her church youth group to Columbus, Ohio, and got a little glimpse into what lifes like in the cities. It was a pretty big culture shock from what Im used to, she said. Theres no way I could do it. I like my country life. Smith and her husband, who works for the county health department, live comfortably in a house they own just outside of Accident. They make enough money to cover their mortgage, car payments and other bills. She thinks America should be more like Accident. [These Muslim families sought refuge in Americas heartland. Now Trumps visa ban is tearing them apart.] I think a lot of city people always think that were so ignorant, and were just hillbillies, and I dont believe that at all, Smith said. We might not always be super-educated in politics, but were just human beings like everyone else. Religion guides Smiths life, and she acknowledges that Christianity has its own extremists, like those who violently attack gays. So she understands that the horrific acts committed by Islamic State terrorists cannot be held against all Muslims. But, she asks herself, can the United States protect itself while helping Muslims from other countries, especially those fleeing war? I think as Christians we definitely need to be reaching out to these people, and I think our country should be helping them, she said, but I dont think letting them come in and just have free rein of our country. Karen Engel, a retired hairdresser who lives in the next town over, said her niece attends West Virginia University and has a co-worker who is from Syria and is nervous about what could happen. This summer, Engel was in Ocean City and skipped the fireworks display for fear that the crowd could be targeted by terrorists. Before the election, Engel said, she was discussing Trumps proposed Muslim ban at that point a wholesale barring of foreigners of Islamic faith and a friend posed a hypothetical: Three people show up at your house, starving and needing a place to stay. Engel said she would help them. Then the friend asked what she would do if there was a chance one might stab her. Engel changed her answer. I dont know whos the bad person in the bunch, but Im not willing to let anyone in, said Engel, 58, a lifelong Democrat who voted for Trump. [The tale of a Trump falsehood: How his voter fraud claim spread like a virus] Engel was one of nearly two dozen women, mostly retirees, who gathered at Accidents library on Tuesday afternoon to sample various teas from around the world. One woman gave a spirited defense of Trump but declined to give her name, for fear that someone on the Internet would come to her home. Patrice Wells, 63, is one of the countys rare liberals and said she is horrified by the presidents ban and other actions he has taken. In my opinion and in my heart and in my stomach, America is the place for refugees and immigrants. Thats what our country was built upon, said Wells, who lives about two miles outside of town. Wells has lived in the county since 1982 and has slowly seen the overwhelmingly white area gain some diversity thanks to seasonal workers from South America who work at the nearby ski resort and to international students at Garrett College. She said her neighbors could benefit from learning more about the world. If you live in an area thats all white and all Christian and you think that thats the only way that there is, then those other people are scary, and so in trying to keep their families safe and keep their surroundings safe, then the thought is: I dont want them here, Wells said. As the older women drank tea and chatted, Casandra Kinzey applied for jobs using one of the librarys computers. Kinzey, a 24-year-old mother of two, remembers being in fourth grade on 9/11. Her teachers turned off the lights and turned on the news. It terrified me because we didnt know what was going to happen, she said. Thats the scariest part not knowing. Trumps aggressive personality makes her feel safer, and shes glad he implemented the travel ban. Its to protect our people, she said. Theres been a lot of trust when it comes to that situation and obviously we made the wrong decisions. I honestly feel there could have been more security. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., who is of Palestinian and Syrian descent, is the only Arab-American GOP lawmaker to fully opposed Trumps travel ban. Hes seen here on Sept. 19, 2015, in Mackinac Island, Mich. (Carlos Osorio/AP) Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) was born in the United States, the son of a Palestinian refugee father and a Syrian immigrant mother. So perhaps its no surprise that he is one of the GOPs most outspoken critics of President Trumps immigration order. Ive had both of those aspects in my life the immigrant aspect and the refugee aspect, Amash said in an interview Wednesday on Capitol Hill. I believe its important that we remain a welcoming country, that people feel they have the opportunity to come here and start a new life. Amash is one of six lawmakers of Arab descent suddenly thrust into the spotlight thanks to a heated national debate over Trumps executive order banning entry into the United States for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from around the world. But of the groups five Republicans, Amash is the only one who fully opposes Trumps order, despite widespread criticism of the policy and the way it has been applied to people from the Middle East. The split points to a deepening division between GOP partisans eager to applaud Trumps actions and others who are debating whether and how to resist in the early days of the administration, when dissent could risk a public rebuke from the president. Amash, who opposed Trump throughout the 2016 campaign, said some Republicans secretly oppose the immigration order but fear the political consequences of expressing their views. A number of colleagues have privately told me, Thank you for what youre doing, but they have difficulty then going on TV or in the press and saying the same thing, he said. A lot of it has to do with fear of the administration. The most confused position has come from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who partly defended Trump on Monday during an interview with CNN. I dont want to say this was perfectly executed by any means and there has been some confusion, [but] I think we have to put it in perspective that it is temporary, that it does not target people per se based on religion, Issa said of the ban. The president is trying to react to a crisis that has been ongoing for a period of time . . . I would rather deal with what the presidents doing and make adjustments than to have a president that does nothing. We need to deal with a massive refugee problem. Asked Wednesday by The Washington Post whether his heritage affects his view, Issa was a bit more conciliatory. As the grandson of Lebanese immigrants, of course this issue hits home, he wrote in an email. I was, frankly, pretty disappointed by the way this ban was rolled out, especially before even the administration really knew all the details. In our district, weve been working on casework for two Iraqi interpreters whove needed help securing visas . . . Id also say some of our local tech companies are confused and concerned about the impact that the ban will have on their employees. Trumps order prompted chaos at U.S. airports, sparked widespread protests and drew a swift wave of legal challenges, plunging the nascent administration into chaos after only one full week in office. The policy affects an estimated 90,000 people, some of whom were barred from boarding flights or detained upon reaching the United States. Amash has become a forceful critic of the executive order, primarily on legal grounds. But he said his familys experience coming to the United States reinforces his opposition to Trumps policy. My father became a refugee in 1948. They lived in [Ramallah, Palestine] until 1956 when a pastor and his wife from Muskegon, Michigan sponsored my dads family to come to the United States. They arrived in New York City like a lot of immigrant families and started a new life here. Now, my parents have a son in Congress. Its really the American Dream, he said. His parents are obviously very concerned about Trumps order, Amash said, adding: Historically, our party has been welcoming to immigrants and refugees. My parents came here and became Republicans! They felt good about this country and felt good being Republicans. Louisiana Republican Rep. Ralph Abraham, who is one generation more removed from his Arab heritage, could not see the immigration issue more differently. I am behind Trump 100 percent on this, he said in a phone interview Tuesday. My father was Lebanese his parents actually came from Lebanon. He was, of course, born in the States. My mother was American, or non-Lebanese. So we have immigrants in our family, and I am very proud of that. But I come at the immigration issue as an American. Abraham, Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) and Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), all of Lebanese descent, support Trumps executive order. I am proud of my heritage and appreciate the contributions of our forefathers, but the future greatness of the United States depends upon the safety and security of Americans today, Graves said in a statement Monday. LaHood, son of former GOP congressman and secretary of transportation Ray LaHood, said the travel ban should be viewed as protecting our homeland and its citizens. The United States will continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for those looking to immigrate to a better way of life, but first and foremost, national security for our American citizens and our homeland must be priority No. 1, he said in a statement Monday. Neither Graves nor LaHood agreed to be interviewed for this article. [Why let em in? Understanding Bannons worldview] Abraham, who just began his second term, aligned himself with this view in a video posted to Twitter on Monday. Its past time that we, President Trump, Congress, look out for the American people. President Trump is right when he says America first. We must secure our borders. We must vet these immigrants that want to come here and do bad and nefarious things to us as American citizens, he said.told the camera. But in Michigans 3rd Congressional District, Amash said his constituents have been harmed by the ban. In some cases you have people who just went overseas for a funeral or for a birthday and they want to come back to the United States, and now theyre in a difficult position, he said. It affects people of all backgrounds, whether theyre Jewish, Christian or Muslim. Read more at PowerPost Groups gather for the Womens March on Washington on Jan. 21. The campaign arm for House Democrats is hiring organizers in 20 key districts to harness grass-roots outrage against President Trump to elect Democrats in 2018. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) Democrats are moving urgently to harness the wave of grass-roots protests that have greeted President Trump in his first weeks in office to reclaim the House majority in next years midterm elections. As of this week, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is hiring full-time operatives to do political organizing work in 20 key Republican-held districts an unusually early investment in House races that do not even have declared candidates yet. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), the committees chairman, called the move unprecedented for Democrats, who need to pick up two dozen GOP-held seats to win the majority. Weve seen women and people gather around America to march for progress; now were asking them to run for office, to volunteer and to vote, he said. I can very safely say that the DCCC has never done this this early, and I dont know of any other of the campaign committees that have launched an initiative like this this early. [United by post-inauguration marches, Democratic women plan to step up activism] The March Into 18 effort comes after consecutive weekends of large-scale protests nationwide targeting Trump and his policies. On Jan. 21, a day after Trumps inauguration, more than 1 million gathered in Washington and cities across the country to rebuke Trumps policies and remarks about women, minorities and immigrants. Last weekend, thousands more protested Trumps executive order temporarily halting refugee admittance and barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Lujan also pointed to smaller-scale protests that have sprung up against GOP plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act such as a constituent event held last month in a Denver suburb that ended with Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) leaving through a back door. [Republicans look to avoid YouTube moments in fight over Obamacare repeal] None of the protests were formally organized by Democrats, but Democratic officials have fervently embraced the activism. On Saturday, for instance, numerous elected officials and candidates for Democratic National Committee leadership posts went to airports around the country to join in protests against the travel ban. The DCCCs organizing push is aimed at turning that activism into votes come November 2018. The new field operatives, Lujan said, will be hired in most cases from within the targeted districts and who have previously worked on House campaigns there. We were able to quickly reach out to people we have trained as organizers, that have already been on campaigns, that know the communities and leaders, that know many of these districts, he said. Were bringing them right back into the fold. A person familiar with the committees plans said the operatives will develop relationships and coordinate with local grass-roots leaders who are already taking part in protests and work with them to build capacity teaching them, for instance, how to set up phone banks, write letters to newspapers, organize rallies and meetups, and use social media to promote events and share photos and video. A March Into 18 website featuring a photo of the Jan. 21 Womens March on Washington invites voters to sign up and get information on local events such as lawmakers town hall meetings. The DCCC is also placing Twitter ads targeting people who have followed or shared information about protests and events in the targeted districts. The 20 targets include many of the districts where Democrats hoped to unseat Republicans last year including suburban districts in California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Colorado. But they are also going into districts represented by veteran GOP lawmakers such as Reps. John Abney Culberson (Tex.), Peter J. Roskam (Ill.), Edward R. Royce (Calif.) and Pete Sessions (Tex.) who did not face a strong 2016 challenge but where Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton ended up beating Trump. Democrats fell short of aggressive expectations last year, picking up six seats after leaders including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) spoke openly of gaining the 30 seats necessary to oust Republicans from the majority. Republicans are aware of the head winds they will probably face: They underwent a midterm reversal of their own in 2006, when Democrats won the majority and Pelosi became House speaker. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) a former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the DCCCs counterpart said the GOP still had demographic and geographic advantages to rely on. But he said the mood of the electorate will matter most. Nobodys had a good off-year election since 2006, whether it was us or them, he said. When you do things, you create opposition, so its going to be a much tougher environment. Looking toward 2018, Democrats are hoping to avoid the dip in voter engagement they saw in the past two midterms under President Barack Obama, through which Republicans were able to build their strongest House majority since 1930. Major elements of the traditional Democratic coalition younger, poorer and minority voters simply did not turn out as strongly as they did in presidential election years. Lujan acknowledged that will have to change if Democrats can expect to retake the majority in two years: A big part of this initiative is to help educate voters and create more awareness of the importance of midterm elections, and to stay just as active in a midterm election as you would in a presidential election. Read more at PowerPost Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of a Chinese-born Canadian billionaire reportedly seized in Hong Kong by mainland Chinese police, in a case that could rekindle concerns about overreach by Chinese law enforcement in the semiautonomous city. Xiao Jianhua is in mainland China, according to Hong Kongs South China Morning Post yesterday, citing an anonymous source close to the tycoon, one of Chinas richest individuals. Overseas Chinese news sites said earlier that Chinese police officers escorted Xiao from his suite at the luxury Four Seasons Hotel last Friday and took him away. Such news sites carry reports of political gossip and corruption scandals that can be difficult to verify in tightly controlled China. The reports contradict a front-page ad on the same day in the Ming Pao newspaper purportedly in Xiaos name, denying he was taken against his will. That would be an apparent breach of the citys mini-constitution, which prohibits mainland Chinese law enforcement agencies from operating in Hong Kong. Let there be no misunderstanding! the statement said. Its not true that Ive been abducted and taken back to the mainland. Xiao is the founder of Beijing-based Tomorrow Group. The 46-year-old is worth nearly USD6 billion, making him Chinas 32nd wealthiest person, according to the Hurun Report , Chinas version of the Forbes Rich List. Its unclear why Xiao was targeted, but his case has parallels with that of five Hong Kong booksellers, who disappeared in 2015 only to turn up under control of the mainland authorities, sparking fears that Beijing was eroding Hong Kongs wide autonomy and rule of law. The five sold gossipy books about Chinas communist leaders that were banned on the mainland but popular with Chinese visitors. Chinas Ministry of Public Security and Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment yesterday, a public holiday in China. The Hong Kong police force said yesterday they have asked Chinese authorities for help in following up on the case. In response to an inquiry about Xiao, the police force said initial investigations showed the subject crossed into the mainland at a border checkpoint Friday. They had launched the investigation after receiving a request for assistance from a family member on Saturday but a day later, the relative asked to withdraw the report after getting word that he was safe. Xiao is reported to have built his fortune in part because of close connections with the families of Communist Party leaders. In 2014, reports said he fled to Hong Kong following rumors he was the target of a graft investigation reports he denied at the time. A wide-reaching anti-corruption crackdown led by Chinese President Xi Jinping has snared dozens of executives at state companies. Chinese state media said in 2013 that Xiao controlled nine publicly listed companies and had stakes in more than 30 financial institutions. The New York Times reported in 2014 that a company Xiao co-founded paid $2.4 million to buy shares in an investment firm held by Xis sister and brother-in-law. Rupert Hoogewerf, the Hurun Reports publisher, said Xiao holds the reputation of a maverick visionary who makes major decisions on his own and has gone to lengths to obscure Tomorrow Groups holdings, which include banks and securities companies. Hes one of the kings of capital of China, Hoogewerf said. Theres not many people moving money in the same way. According to the Ming Pao ad, Xiao was out of the country for medical treatment and would address the media once he finished his treatment. It followed similar statements the company posted this week on its Twitter-like Sina Weibo account, which have since been deleted. The ad said Xiao is a Canadian citizen and a Hong Kong permanent resident and enjoys protections of both, and also has an unspecified diplomatic passport. Xiao was named ambassador-at-large for Antigua and Barbuda in 2015, according to the Antigua governments website. The ad cited Xiao as saying he was a patriotic Chinese businessman who has always loved the party and the nation, and has never participated in anything that would hurt the countrys interests or the governments image, let alone support any opposition forces or groups. Its not unusual for officials, executives and other individuals detained by Chinese security to be pressured into releasing messages to their relatives or on their social media accounts claiming that all is well. Such messaging, coupled with censorship of reporting online by domestic media, has been seen as part of the Chinese authorities efforts to tamp down concerns about the safety of the individuals concerned. The Canadian Consulate said it was aware of the reports and had contacted authorities to gather additional information and provide assistance. Jean-Francois Harvey, a Hong Kong-based lawyer, said he expected the case would further alarm mainland Chinese investors and businesspeople who have closely watched Beijings anti-corruption crackdown and the countrys economic slowdown. In the wake of the booksellers incident, Xiaos disappearance is likely to further degrade the perception that Hong Kong, unlike China, has an independent judiciary that operates outside of the political system, he said. People will be questioning whether Hong Kong is a safe haven, Harvey said. I think the answer to that question is very, very clear now, sadly. Kelvin Chan, Hong Kong, AP Seats on the Democrats side of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing room were empty Wednesday during a boycott to delay the confirmation vote on Environmental Protection Agency administrator-designate Scott Pruitt. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Senate Republicans pushed Scott Pruitts nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency through committee on Thursday, using a procedural maneuver for the third time this week to ignore Democrats and send one of President Trumps Cabinet nominees to the Senate floor. Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee suspended the panels rules Thursday morning and approved Pruitt, with 11 votes in favor and none opposed. Democrats did not show up. Its disappointing [Democrats] chose that course of action, but we will not allow it to obstruct, Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said. The minority wants political theater. The nation needs a new EPA administrator. Democrats accused Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma, of stonewalling their requests for additional information. We still have not received the relevant documents and the substantive answers weve requested from Mr. Pruitt, the committees ranking Democrat, Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), said in a statement after the vote. We have made our requests perfectly clear, and I believe they are entirely reasonable. [Everything you want to know about the Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings, votes] (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post) The drama on Capitol Hill is unfolding at a time when Democrats, under intense pressure from liberal activists, have become increasingly emboldened to block Trumps agenda and appointees. Democrats were enraged by the administrations executive order issued over the weekend to bar travel to the United States by people from seven majority- Muslim countries. They galvanized around the firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates, who was dismissed for refusing to enforce the ban. Some Democrats were also angered by the presidents nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court on Tuesday night, arguing that Republicans cannot expect them to swiftly approve the selection after their blockade of then-President Barack Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland. Democrats committee boycotts are not expected to bar any Trump nominees from confirmation. But Trumps pick for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, is encountering head winds in the form of opposition from two GOP senators. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) signaled Wednesday they do not plan to support DeVos, leaving Democrats one vote shy of the number needed to block her nomination. Murkowski and Collins cited uncertainty about whether DeVos, an avid supporter of charter schools and school vouchers, is sufficiently committed to helping public schools. Republicans also advanced this week the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) for attorney general, and they finalized confirmation of former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson for secretary of state by a vote of 56 to 43. Six high-ranking Trump nominees have been approved by the full Senate: Tillerson; Elaine Chao as transportation secretary; retired generals John F. Kelly and Jim Mattis at the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department; Mike Pompeo to lead the CIA; and Nikki Haley as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. I think that DeVos will finish on Monday and then Sessions I think will be the next one up, said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.). When Democrats boycotted a Senate Finance Committee meeting Wednesday, Republicans reacted by suspending the rules to approve Steven T. Mnuchin as treasury secretary and Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) as health and human services secretary. Their nominations now head to the Senate floor for up-or-down votes, although it is unclear when they will occur. Republicans on this committee showed up to do our jobs, committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said. Yesterday, rather than accept anything less than their desired outcome, our Democrat colleagues chose to cower in the hallway and hold a press conference. Separately, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday approved Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) to lead the Office of Management and Budget on an 8-to-7 vote. Among the yes votes was Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who had suggested he might vote against Mulvaney given his stance on curtailing defense spending. On Thursday, McCain said he voted for Mulvaney to allow a full Senate debate on his nomination, but warned that he continues to have concerns. The Senate Budget Committee, which also held hearings on the nomination, also approved Mulvaney on Thursday morning on a party-line vote of 12 to 11. Democrats are going to keep fighting back, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). We are going to stand with people across the country. And we will keep pushing Republicans to put country above party and stand with us. [Fact Checker: Senate Democrats misleading language on a 60-vote standard for Supreme Court nominees] In committee, GOP members incensed by Democratic boycotts spent the first part of the week exploring how they could quickly approve nominees such as Price and Mnuchin and punish Democrats for their absences. Staffers for the Finance panel scoured its lengthy rule book and discovered it permits the majority party to temporarily suspend the rules and meet without Democrats. Hatch said he consulted the Senate parliamentarian, who serves as a referee in all disputes in committees and on the Senate floor, who said doing so was within bounds. After weeks of back-and-forth about Trumps nominees, the boycott was the last straw, explained Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who pushed staffers to explore their options. Some members of the GOP dismissed accusations that the party is bending Senate procedure to quickly confirm Trumps picks. I think people expect senators to show up for work and be there. Its unfortunate, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) said. Democrats, meanwhile, defended their protests as necessary to register their frustration after a small group of Republicans refused to allow them to question nominees once new information came to light. In the Environment and Public Works Committee, Republicans vented their frustration when Democrats did not show up for a vote on Pruitt that was scheduled for Wednesday. A GOP aide displayed a chart designed to show how quickly past EPA nominees were confirmed. Notably missing, however, was Obamas second EPA administrator, Gina McCarthy. Nominated in March 2013, McCarthy was not confirmed until July of that year and at one point, Republicans on the committee boycotted a meeting to demand that McCarthy answer more questions. That was not a new president, newly elected, said Barrasso, arguing that the GOP boycott differed because it happened during Obamas second term. A newly elected president, I believe, has a right to their Cabinet. Ed OKeefe, Sean Sullivan and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost Real estate developer Anthony Greenberg and his wife Keiko read a book with their daughter Emiko. The library is an intimate reading nook off the living room. It incorporates a sliding glass door opening to a patio. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) Real estate developer Anthony Greenberg is used to hiring architects, reading blueprints and overseeing construction. As a principal of the Chevy Chase, Md.-based JBG Companies (now merging with Vornado/Charles E. Smith), Greenberg specializes in creating large, mixed-use complexes near transit stations. Among these projects are the 4.6-acre Fort Totten Square in Northeast Washington and buildings within the 30-acre neighborhood surrounding the Twinbrook Metro station in Rockville. In addition, Greenberg and his wife, Keiko, a nephrologist (kidney specialist), both 40, have renovated several homes in the District and Baltimore. So when it came to their latest move from Charm City to the nations capital, the Greenbergs were well prepared to build a dwelling from the ground up. They began looking for a wooded site and were about to make an offer on a tear-down property in Glen Echo Heights. [Renovation transforms drab Maryland house into a magic box] But their plans changed when Anthony Greenberg went to look at a 1967 modern house for sale in Bethesda. When I walked in, I saw the opportunity to do something really great here, he says. There was a ton of natural light from clerestory windows, skylights and large plate-glass dormer windows. The design needed a major refresh, but I knew it would lend itself to both minimalist and midcentury modern design. Greenberg was so taken with the property that he signed a contract without his wife seeing the house. I trusted him, Keiko says. And if it didnt work out, I could blame him, she says with a smile. I also like modern architecture and its clean lines, and this house has that. 1 of 15 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad How a developer reconstructed his own house View Photos JBG Companies Anthony Greenberg and his wife modernize a home in Bethesda. Caption JBG Companies Anthony Greenberg and his wife modernize a home in Bethesda. Anthony and Keiko Greenberg purchased the low-slung residence in Bethesda, designed by Washington architect Charles F.D. Egbert, for $1.075 million in 2013 from the original owners. They spent about $600,000 to renovate and moved in during fall 2014. Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. The Greenbergs purchased the low-slung residence, designed by Washington architect Charles F.D. Egbert for $1.075 million in 2013 from the original owners. They spent about $600,000 to renovate and moved in during fall 2014. For help with remodeling, they turned to architect Ali Reza Honarkar of D.C.-based Division One. The firm is best known for the Lacey condominium and other contemporary residential designs in the Districts Shaw neighborhood. Honarkar had previously assisted the Greenbergs with two home renovations and had conceived some designs for JBG, including a proposal for an edgy 7-Eleven. The shape of the store was very sculptural. I thought the design would make a better house, and we used some of those ideas here, Greenberg says, pointing to the homes new steel entrance canopy. [Home designs that came from the art] The developers strong interest in architecture runs deep. His great uncle, Edgar Kaufmann, built two masterpieces of modern 20th-century design: Frank Lloyd Wrights Fallingwater near Pittsburgh and a desert house in Palm Springs, Calif., created by Austrian-born architect Richard Neutra. The Greenbergs purchased the low-slung residence, designed by Washington architect Charles F.D. Egbert for $1.075 million in 2013 from the original owners. They spent about $600,000 to renovate and moved in during fall 2014. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) For the Bethesda house renovation, Greenberg encouraged Honarkar to put his stamp on the details. The most noticeable new designs are the industrial-style arches forming the entrance canopy and a large, pivoting front door, all made of steel. The architect similarly used the metal to create a railing for the staircase to the basement and a storage bin for logs next to the fireplace on that lower level. But Honarkar did not go overboard with the contemporary additions. He maintained the original footprint and spirit of the one-story house, and reconfigured some rooms to better suit the Greenbergs and their 1-year-old daughter, Emiko. My approach was to show respect, the architect says. The house was worth saving, and we didnt want to radically change what was there. It just needed a lot of updating. On the exterior, the stucco walls were painted white and wood trim changed to black to heighten the visual contrast between elements. Windows, doors and lighting were replaced, and the original oak floors were sanded and stained a darker color. Honarkar did not blow out the main interior to create an open-plan layout, as expected of many house remodels these days. Instead, he erected a wall to separate the entrance hallway from the library behind it. For help with remodeling, the Greenbergs turned to architect Ali Reza Honarkar of D.C.-based Division One. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) On the hallway side, that partition incorporates a niche for a tall, striped print by Washington Color School artist Gene Davis to provide a graphic focal point from the front door. The library is now sequestered from the foyer as an intimate reading nook off the living room. It incorporates a sliding glass door opening to a patio. The heart of the home is the combined cooking and dining space situated between the living spaces and bedrooms. We entertain there a fair amount. Its good for a casual brunch or a playdate for Emi, but also for sit-down dinners, Keiko says. The kitchen was completely overhauled with a new 12-foot-long, marble-topped island, German-made cabinets and stainless-steel appliances. The dining space, once a wood-paneled den, now centers on an Italian aluminum table set with Danish chairs. The nearly 10-foot-long, vintage console next to the table was purchased online through 1stdibs and fits perfectly into a space within the side wall. Mounted in the ceiling is an unusual metal-rod chandelier designed by Los Angeles-based Brendan Ravenhill to accentuate the rooms modern vibe. Originally, the house had four bedrooms, but one of them was incorporated into the master suite as a walk-in closet. Lined with storage on three sides, the open closet centers on a bench illuminated by a new skylight. The heart of the home is the combined cooking and dining space situated between the living spaces and bedrooms. (Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post) The original small closet in the master bedroom was absorbed into the new master bathroom with its soaking tub, glass-lined shower and all-white finishes, per Keiko Greenbergs request. I have always associated white with cleanliness, order and peacefulness, she says. Emiko sleeps in one of the original bedrooms, its back wall decorated with colorful dots resembling a spot painting by British artist Damien Hirst. The next-door bedroom is reserved for guests, including Keikos parents, who recently stayed with the Greenbergs for about three months. Anthony Greenberg served as the general contractor for the remodel and selected some finishes that had been already tested in his development projects. The stacked subway tile pattern in the hallway bathroom and large porcelain tiles in the master bathroom were used in the Fort Totten Square apartments. In the basement sitting room, also used as a wine cellar, the illuminated G on the wall came from a tower crane sign at the Galvan development near the Twinbrook Metro station. One of the assets of the house is an office with a kitchenette that is attached to the garage at the front. The space was used by the former owner, a psychiatrist, to consult with patients and is separated from the rest of the house by a courtyard off the kitchen. The homeowners use the space with its kitchenette as a guest room, an exercise room and a yoga studio. If we build a lap pool in the side yard, it could become a pool house, says Anthony Greenberg. That vision is just one of the plans for the house that the developer is thinking about for the future. For now, he is content to sip his morning coffee in the library, watching for signs of wildlife in the woods outside the window. Most of my development projects take five to 10 years to complete, Greenberg says. Renovating this house was fun because the results were so immediate. People visit the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in 2012. The structure consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments and was built in the 18th century. (Harish Tyagi/EPA) Astrologer Vinod Shastri practices next to the ancient observatory here, where the astronomers of the maharaja once monitored the heavens. Normally, customers coming to Shastris tiny office a fading sign over the door reads Astrological Council & Research Institute give a handful of rupees in exchange for his help predicting auspicious times for marriage, charting a career path or healing a broken heart. But in the past six months, a rhetorically pugilistic, orange-haired politician from another continent has loomed large in their catalogue of worries. It began with a dark-suited hotelier from Mumbai who jetted in for a day with one question: Would Donald Trump win the presidency? Shastri now fields up to five calls a day from clients wanting to know what the stars and planets have to say about the worlds uncertain, post-fact future. Many are scared, he said. Vinod Shastri, an astrologer and university vice chancellor in Jaipur, India, says he has seen an increase in concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump among his clientele. (Annie Gowen/The Washington Post) When I told them that he will win, their response was that America will be destroyed and that he can do anything, Shastri said. Now clients are wondering how his relationships will affect Indian leaders, how he will do for India, his relationship with U.K. [and] the effect he will have on Indian-U.S. business relations. Indians have long embraced astrology, the practice or, as many would say, pseudo-science of divining the future by the movement of the celestial bodies. Families pairing up their daughters and sons for marriage consult star charts before the deal is sealed, and businesses hold launch dates on auspicious days and times. Indian politicians are particularly superstitious, known to consult their pet astrologers on cabinet shake-ups and big speeches. Vaibhav Magon, 25, the founder of Askmonk, an astrology application for mobile phones, says his business has seen a huge spike in Trump-related queries to its in-house astrologers in recent weeks mostly from investors and would-be immigrants worried about visas. People are uncertain about the future, and theyre looking for astrologers to guide them or come up with a solution, he said. It is not surprising that his Indian clientele would turn to astrology during tumultuous times, he said. Astrology is inherent within us, whether its taking a decision to get married or starting up a business. An Askmonk reading of Trumps horoscope using his birth date of June 14, 1946, has gone viral, with readers flipping through its pages over a million times, Magon said. In it, a soothsayer reveals that Trump determined, elusive, with a deep obsession for power will withdraw from war zones and drop in popularity after 2019, with the presidency eventually taking a toll on his health. To achieve his best, the astrologer recommends that the new president wear a 6.25-carat ruby ring and keep a self-portrait in a wooden frame facing south in the Oval Office. On a winter trip back to India, Raj Agarwal, 25, a construction project engineer in Chicago, posed questions about Trump to Askmonk and his three family astrologers, including the wizened guru in a temple in the hill village where he was born. Agarwal has been working in the United States on a temporary H-1B visa, a program for highly skilled foreign workers that the White House has targeted for reform, and was worried that the program might be modified or changed. People in my age group want to know if theyre in a position to rise in their careers and what the future looks like. Thats what I want to know, Agarwal said. Is he going to do something thats going to put my future in the line of fire? If so, Id rather stay back [in India] and build something here. The astrologers all agreed that prospects for the international community in the United States do not look good and warned him to watch Trumps new policies carefully. Nevertheless, Agarwal says, he decided to go back to Chicago for now. In Jaipur, Shastri works in the shadow of the palace complex built by a ruler named Maharaja Jai Singh II, a warrior statesman who also had a keen interest in architecture, astronomy and the arts. Jai Singh loved to study the skies but also never left his palace without checking his horoscope, the local guides say. In summers, Shastri and about 30 other pandits, or priests, still gather at sunset around the huge sundial at the Jaipur observatory, known as Jantar Mantar. They are there to measure air currents with flags and smoke to predict the strength of the upcoming monsoon. Now Shastri, a vice chancellor at Rajasthan Sanskrit University, predicts there is more than monsoon turbulence coming in the Trump era. He sees a shake-up of the existing world order. Many countries, their styles of business, style of work, all will be different. The idea of international relations will be changed, he said. Business will grow, but intellectuals will not be happy. Read more: Meet the astrologer who brought the cosmos into the Reagan White House India may give billions of free money to its citizens. What would Gandhi think? Trumps extensive deals in India raise conflict-of-interest concerns Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Defense Secretary James Mattis focused on the nuclear threat from North Korea in his first overseas trip Thursday, sending a signal about U.S. defense priorities at the outset of the Trump administration. Mattis began a lightning-fast visit to Asia this week the first foreign trip by a member of President Trumps still-incomplete Cabinet less than two weeks after being sworn in as the Pentagon boss. After touching down in Seoul, Mattis met with senior officials in the South Korean capital, including Hwang Kyo-ahn, the acting president. The retired Marine generals visit takes place at a time of political upheaval in South Korea caused by a major political scandal as the Constitutional Court considers whether to uphold lawmakers vote to impeach President Park Geun-hye. [North Korea at the top of the agenda as Mattis heads to Seoul] Speaking to reporters before his arrival, Mattis said he would use the talks in Seoul, and those later in the week in Tokyo, to solicit the views of South Korean and Japanese leaders about how best to mitigate the threat from Pyongyang. Together we confront the North Korean situation, he said of the two U.S. allies. The visit is an indication of mounting worry about what Mattis described as unpredictable actions by North Korea. Kim Jong Un, North Koreas young leader, suggested at the beginning of the year that his country would soon be ready to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), making a strike on the United States possible. North Koreas secretive leadership has already conducted five nuclear tests the most recent in September stoking U.S. worries about the countrys offensive ability. Patrick Cronin, a scholar at the Center for a New American Security, said that despite sanctions and dire poverty, North Korea was on the cusp of being able to demonstrate and deploy all the sinews of a nuclear-weapon state. Indeed, within the span of President Trumps current four-year term in office, it is probable that Pyongyang will deploy a mobile, nuclear-tipped ICBM capable of striking U.S. territory, he said. Last month, then-Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said the United States would shoot down an ICBM from North Korea only if it posed a direct threat. How the Trump administration will approach that prospect remains unclear. While Trump has tweeted North Korean development of a nuclear-capable missile able to strike U.S. soil wont happen, he has also made isolationist comments and suggested that non-nuclear states should be able to acquire nuclear weapons. [ Ex-diplomat: Ive known that there was no future for North Korea for a long time] Mattis declined to say what additional actions the U.S. might take in an attempt to rein in North Korea. He did say he would address deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Aerial Defense system, or THAAD, with Korean officials. If it were not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for THAAD out here, Mattis said. With South Korean elections on the horizon and China continuing to demonstrate its opposition to the defense system, the future of the THAAD is likewise uncertain. A former head of U.S. Central Command, Mattis has spent much of his career focused on military issues in the Middle East, and said his first trip would seek to update him on the challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. Mattis support for the U.S. alliance with South Korea and Japan will go some ways toward assuaging fears among Asian allies, rattled by political tumult in America and Trumps questioning of U.S. military partnerships in the region. The president has also pulled out of a major trade deal with Asian allies. The trip takes place amid broader tumult in U.S. foreign policy, as Trump and his advisers threaten Iran and deliver jolts to relationships with allies such as Mexico. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news The seal of the CIA is seen during a visit of President Trump to the agencys headquarters in Langley, Va., on Jan. 21. (Pool photo by Olivier Douliery/European Pressphoto Agency) A CIA veteran who ran one of the agencys black site prisons before advancing to the spy services upper ranks has been named deputy CIA director, the agency announced Thursday. Gina Haspel, 60, spent much of her 32-year CIA career in undercover assignments overseas and at CIA headquarters, including serving as the agencys top representative in London and as the acting head of its clandestine service in 2013. But her extensive involvement in a covert program that used harrowing interrogation measures on al-Qaeda suspects is likely to compound mounting concern among human rights organizations at a time when the Trump administration has signaled that it may seek to reestablish CIA prisons overseas. CIA Director Mike Pompeo described Haspel as a proven leader with an uncanny ability to get things done and inspire those around her in a statement announcing her appointment as his deputy. [Trump visits CIA headquarters after sharply criticizing the intelligence community] The release listed awards that Haspel has earned during her career, but it made no reference to her involvement in the interrogation program, which was dismantled by President Barack Obama in 2009. We are obviously still so strongly opposed to her appointment, said Raha Wala, director of national security advocacy at Human Rights First. Her fingerprints are all over the torture program, not to mention destruction of evidence. Republican leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees praised the pick. But two Democratic members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Martin Heinrich (N.M.), issued a statement saying that Haspels background makes her unsuitable for the position. Haspel ran one of the first CIA black sites, a compound in Thailand code-named Cats Eye, where al-Qaeda suspects Abu Zubaida and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were subjected to waterboarding and other techniques later condemned as torture. Haspel later served as chief of staff to the head of the agencys Counterterrorism Center, Jose Rodriguez, when he ordered the destruction of dozens of videotapes made at the Thailand site. Rodriguez wrote in his memoir that Haspel drafted a cable ordering the tapes destruction in 2005 as the program came under mounting public scrutiny and that he then took a deep breath of weary satisfaction and hit Send. The Justice Department spent several years investigating alleged abuses in the interrogation program and the destruction of the tapes, but no charges were ever filed. Perhaps anticipating controversy over Haspels selection, the CIA took the unusual step of soliciting testimonials from seven former top intelligence and congressional officials. Their statements of support were included in the agencys release. Former CIA director Michael Hayden described Haspel as a trusted friend, lieutenant and guide to the sometimes opaque corridors of American espionage. Former CIA officials said that Haspel was highly regarded as an effective officer and leader at the agency, with some believing she had been unfairly penalized for her role in counterterrorism operations that were launched after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and carried out with the legal approval of the Justice Department. Haspel was passed over in 2013 for a permanent assignment as head of the CIAs clandestine service, although agency officials said the decision was not driven by her connection to the prisons controversy. That issue has been reignited by President Trump, who said during an interview last week that he believes that torture works. Absolutely, I feel it works, he said. He added that he would defer to Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on decisions about interrogation policy, but a draft executive order distributed in recent weeks calls for an examination of whether the CIA should again be given authority to detain and interrogate terrorism suspects. U.S. officials have said that Pompeo was angered that he was not consulted on the order. It surfaced publicly after he said during confirmation hearings that he would refuse any order to resume the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques cant imagine I would be asked to do so. Julie Tate contributed to this report. By visiting Japan and South Korea on his first official overseas trip, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is seeking to reinforce key alliances after President Donald Trumps campaign-trail complaints that defense treaties disadvantaged the United States. The visits also reflect the urgency of concerns on both sides of the Pacific about North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Mattis, a retired four-star Marine general, inherited a North Korea problem that has grown more worrisome as the communist nations leader, Kim Jong Un, claims progress toward fielding a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the United States. Former Secretary of State John Kerry said in early January the U.S. may need more forceful ways of dealing with North Korea if it develops a ballistic missile of intercontinental range. Mattis, who entered office hours after Trump on Jan. 20, is due to arrive today in Seoul, where he will meet with his counterpart, Defense Minister Han Min Koo, amid a swirl of political turmoil. President Park Geun-hye was impeached in December and the constitutional court is reviewing whether to formally end her rule. Later in the week, Mattis is to hold talks in Tokyo with Defense Minister Tomomi Inada and other senior Japanese government officials. North Korea is expected to be at or near the top of Mattis agenda. Beyond its long-range missile aspirations, the North already has missiles capable of hitting South Korea as well as U.S. bases in Japan. Trump said during the campaign that while he supports the alliances with Japan and South Korea, he would not rule out abandoning them if they refuse to pay more for their own defense. It could be that Japan will have to defend itself against North Korea, he told a campaign rally in August. The first foreign leader he met as president-elect was Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; theyll meet again in Washington on Feb. 10. Mattis has said little in public since taking office. But he has left no doubt that Americas security alliances, including those in Asia, are a top priority. He is the first recently retired military officer to serve as defense secretary since George C. Marshall in 1950-51 during the Korean War. Pentagon chiefs regularly visit South Korea and Japan, reflecting their status as U.S. treaty allies. Chuck Hagel, who visited the heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea as defense secretary in September 2013, said in an interview that Mattis is making the right move. It was a smart decision to visit these allies early, Hagel said. He believes officials in Tokyo and Seoul are wondering: Can we rely on the U.S.? What is the future here? The U.S. has about 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea and about 50,000 in Japan. Hagel said Tokyo and other U.S. allies in Asia have been particularly upset by Trumps decision to pull the U.S. out of a Pacific Rim trade initiative, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the centerpiece of former President Barack Obamas effort to strengthen U.S. economic ties in the region. Kent Calder, director of Asia programs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said Mattis could bolster Japans confidence by explicitly reaffirming that disputed East China Sea islands are covered by the U.S.-Japan defense treaty. The islands are controlled by Japan, which calls them the Senkaku, but also claimed by China, which calls them the Diaoyu. Chinas regional role and military modernization will also loom over Mattiss meetings in Seoul and Tokyo. All are hoping to persuade China to use its influence over North Korea to contain or curtail Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs. Mattis said at his Senate confirmation hearing the U.S. should do whatever it takes to stop North Korea from acquiring a nuclear-capable missile of intercontinental range. Its a serious threat, he said. Anthony Ruggerio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a foreign policy think tank, said Mattis could advance U.S. security interests by encouraging Tokyo and Seoul to improve their bilateral relations, which are strained by disputes. While the two of them may have issues with each other, they need to be unified against North Korea, Ruggerio said. Robert Burns, Washington, AP A woman reacts as she looks at a gruesome collection of images of dead bodies taken by a photographer, who has been identified by the code name Caesar. The photos were displayed at the United Nations headquarters in New York in 2015. A Spanish citizen who identified her brother in the collection is bringing a case against nine Syrian officials. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) The first criminal case in a Western court against members of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government began with a WhatsApp message. Amal was alone in her hairdresser shop in a working-class neighborhood of Madrid when she clicked on the link. The face of her long-lost brother, Abdul, popped up on her smartphone. Amal and her younger brother, Abdul, were inseparable growing up in an upper-class home in a village in Idlib province in northwestern Syria. Amal left Syria at the age of 19, following her fiance, a medical student, to Spain and later she became a Spanish citizen. Before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Amal would fly home to visit Abdul and her family at least once a year. They kept in touch on WhatsApp, and spoke on the phone about once every 10 days until a January afternoon in 2013 when Abdul, at age 43, disappeared. Amal was not sure what had happened to her brother until that moment in 2015 when she stared down at Abduls lifeless, dirt-covered face, half in shadow. There was a piece of white tape on his forehead with illegible markings on it. The picture had been found on the Facebook page of a human rights group and forwarded to Amal by a relative. Once Amal had recovered from the shock of seeing her dead brother, she sent a message to the Facebook page in which she provided Abduls full name, along with her contact information. She included a photo of Abdul from before his arrest by Syrian forces. Amal did not realize it at the time, but her response had opened a legal pathway which international war crimes investigators had long been waiting for. As a Spanish national, Amal could bring a case on her brothers behalf. In a complaint filed on Wednesday with the Spanish National Court in Madrid, she was identified as the indirect victim of the crimes which were allegedly committed against her brother. The 95-page complaint singled out nine Syrian individuals as those responsible for Abduls death. They ranged from senior officers at the intelligence branch, where he was tortured and killed in 2013, to the leaders of the Syrian intelligence and security services who oversaw his detention and thousands of others. The complaint accuses the nine defendants of state-sponsored terrorism. Stephen Rapp, who led the State Departments Office of Global Criminal Justice until August 2015, said the grounds were similar to those brought in Cold War-era cases against Latin American leaders. The complaint was filed by a legal team led by Almudena Bernabeu, a San Francisco-based lawyer who brought a similar case in Madrid in November 2008 that resulted in a Spanish court order for the extradition of El Salvadors former vice defense minister for alleged war crimes. Many of the details about the criminal complaint have not been made public, including the full names of the victim and his sister, to protect their family members still in Syria. Spanish prosecutors asked Amals legal team not to disclose the names of the nine defendants, in hope that they could be caught unawares outside of Syria and apprehended. Country code 34 The Spanish case emerged from a grim trove of more than 50,000 postmortem photographs which were taken at Syrian military hospitals between 2011 and mid-2013 and then smuggled out of Syria by a military-police photographer later code-named Caesar. From the 50,000 photos, 6,700 individual corpses were identified. Activists working with Caesar started to post many of the images on a Facebook page in March 2015, in hopes that family members in Syria and around the world would come forward to provide information about their loved ones. The goal was to identify the victims and create a database that could be used to bring war crimes charges against members of the Assad government. The photos posted on the Facebook page were cropped to show just faces and exclude gruesome details about how the victims were tortured and starved. Soon after the photos were posted on Facebook, Abduls eldest son spotted his fathers face on the website. He showed the image to his mother, who was not convinced that it was him. Abduls family in Syria sent the picture to a niece in Egypt, who, in turn, sent the link to Amal. The three-seat hairdresser shop, located in the Chapinero neighborhood, was empty when Amal saw the image. It was lunchtime, and she had no customers. She said her body started to shake. The Facebook page was managed by a group called the Syrian Association for Missing and Conscience Detainees, which had an office in Istanbul and took the lead in analyzing the Caesar photos. The FBI had reviewed the trove and concluded that they were authentic. On April 28, Rapp visited the groups Istanbul office and was given a printout listing the names, phone numbers and email addresses of victims families willing to cooperate in any future legal proceedings. One of the numbers on the list jumped out at Rapp. It started with the country code 34 the one for Spain. Eureka, Rapp said he thought. The printout also listed a hotmail.es email address for Amal. Rapp knew that Spanish prosecutors had a tradition of going after high-level international actors. Spanish law would allow the first prosecution targeting members of the Assad regime in the West but only if the family member in question was a Spanish national. Exciting possibility in Spain, Rapp wrote on May 5 to Bernabeu and Zakariya Sallan, of the Syrian Association for Missing and Conscience Detainees. On May 6, Sallan wrote to Rapp and Bernabeu after talking to Amal by phone. She has important information, Sallan told them. Not only was she a Spanish national, he said, but she is the victims sister and ready to work with [Bernabeu]. This is great news! Rapp said in response. Bernabeu met with Amal at her hairdresser shop in July. Amal asked to see a full-body photograph of her brothers corpse. Bernabeu pulled out her laptop and brought up one of the photos. It showed Abduls emaciated body strewn on a dirt floor. His hands were clenched and covered in dust. He wore brown-colored underwear and nothing else. Burn marks were visible on his neck and body. Markings on and next to his body identified him as a detainee and indicated which intelligence branch was holding him. Amal told Bernabeu that her brother was the one who everybody in her large family admired the most. He dropped out of school at the end of the ninth grade. He went from driving a bus to having his own taxi. Later, he got a van and became a delivery driver. He drove a 60-mile daily route resupplying small shops that sold sodas, snacks and other supplies. Investigators think government forces may have thought he was providing supplies to besieged areas. Amal said he was not politically active. Nobody understands how and why he was picked up, she said in an interview. Amal provided Bernabeus legal team with pictures of Abdul from before his abduction. One showed him wearing a loosefitting, short-sleeve, V-neck shirt and sitting on his living-room couch. He looked healthy and happy. The before shot was labeled as exhibit #9 and submitted to the Spanish National Court on Wednesday along with 3,600 pages of evidence. It should have been one of the most congenial calls for the new commander in chief a conversation with the leader of Australia, one of Americas staunchest allies, at the end of a triumphant week. Instead, President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it. At one point, Trump informed Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day including Russian President Vladimir Putin and that this was the worst call by far. [Why Trumps rebuke could be good for Australias prime minister] Trumps behavior suggests that he is capable of subjecting world leaders, including close allies, to a version of the vitriol he frequently employs against political adversaries and news organizations in speeches and on Twitter. President Trump speaks on the phone with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office on Jan. 28, 2017. (Pete Marovich/Pool photo via European Pressphoto Agency) This is the worst deal ever, Trump fumed as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the United States would honor its pledge to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center. Trump, who one day earlier had signed an executive order temporarily barring the admission of refugees, complained that he was going to get killed politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the next Boston bombers. Trump returned to the topic late Wednesday night, writing in a message on Twitter: Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! [Heres what the dumb deal on refugees with Australia actually says] U.S. officials said that Trump has behaved similarly in conversations with leaders of other countries, including Mexico. But his treatment of Turnbull was particularly striking because of the tight bond between the United States and Australia countries that share intelligence, support one another diplomatically and have fought together in wars including in Iraq and Afghanistan. The characterizations provide insight into Trumps temperament and approach to the diplomatic requirements of his job as the nations chief executive, a role in which he continues to employ both the uncompromising negotiating tactics he honed as a real estate developer and the bombastic style he exhibited as a reality television personality. The depictions of Trumps calls are also at odds with sanitized White House accounts. The official readout of his conversation with Turnbull, for example, said that the two had emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. (The Washington Post) A White House spokesman declined to comment. A senior administration official acknowledged that the conversation with Turnbull had been hostile and charged, but emphasized that most of Trumps calls with foreign leaders including the heads of Japan, Germany, France and Russia have been productive and pleasant. Trump also vented anger and touted his political accomplishments in a tense conversation with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, officials said. The two have sparred for months over Trumps vow to force Mexico to pay for construction of a border wall between the two countries, a conflict that prompted Pena Nieto to cancel a planned meeting with Trump. Even in conversations marred by hostile exchanges, Trump manages to work in references to his election accomplishments. U.S. officials said that he used his calls with Turnbull and Pena Nieto to mention his election win or the size of the crowd at his inauguration. [In fight with Trump, Mexico has plenty of ways to punch back] One official said that it may be Trumps way of speaking about the mandate he has and why he has the backing for decisions he makes. But Trump is also notoriously thin-skinned and has used platforms including social-media accounts, meetings with lawmakers and even a speech at CIA headquarters to depict his victory as an achievement of historic proportions, rather than a narrow outcome in which his opponent, Hillary Clinton, won the popular vote. The friction with Turnbull reflected Trumps anger over being bound by an agreement reached by the Obama administration to accept refugees from Australian detention sites even while Trump was issuing an executive order suspending such arrivals from elsewhere in the world. The issue centers on a population of about 2,500 people who sought asylum in Australia but were diverted to facilities off that countrys coast at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Deplorable conditions at those sites prompted intervention from the United Nations and a pledge from the United States to accept about half of those refugees, provided they passed U.S. security screening. [After years of hosting a notorious refugee camp for Australia, Papua New Guinea says: Enough.] Many of the refugees came from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia, countries listed in Trumps order temporarily barring their citizens from entry to the United States. A special provision in the Trump order allows for exceptions to honor a preexisting international agreement, a line that was inserted to cover the Australia deal. But U.S. officials said that Trump continued to fume about the arrangement even after signing the order in a ceremony at the Pentagon. I dont want these people, Trump said. He repeatedly misstated the number of refugees called for in the agreement as 2,000 rather than 1,250, and told Turnbull that it was my intention to honor the agreement, a phrase designed to leave the U.S. president wiggle room to back out of the deal in the future, according to a senior U.S. official. Before Trump tweeted about the agreement Wednesday night, the U.S. Embassy in Canberra had assured Australian reporters that the new administration intended to take the refugees. President Trumps decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed, an embassy spokesman had told the reporters, according to an official in the Sydney consulate. This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the White House and on to this embassy at 1315 Canberra time. The time the embassy said it was informed the deal was going ahead was 9:15 p.m. in Washington, one hour and 40 minutes before Trump suggested in a tweet that it might not go ahead. During the phone conversation Saturday, Turnbull told Trump that to honor the agreement, the United States would not have to accept all of the refugees but only to allow each through the normal vetting procedures. At that, Trump vowed to subject each refugee to extreme vetting, the senior U.S. official said. Trump was also skeptical because he did not see a specific advantage the United States would gain by honoring the deal, officials said. Trumps position appears to reflect the transactional view he takes of relationships, even when it comes to diplomatic ties with long-standing allies. Australian troops have fought alongside U.S. forces for decades, and the country maintains close cooperation with Washington on trade and economic issues. Australia is seen as such a trusted ally that it is one of only four countries that the United States includes in the Five Eyes arrangement for cooperation on espionage matters. Members share extensively what their intelligence services gather and generally refrain from spying on one another. There also is a significant amount of tourism between the two countries. Trump made the call to Turnbull about 5 p.m. Saturday from his desk in the Oval Office, where he was joined by chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn and White House press secretary Sean Spicer. At one point, Turnbull suggested that the two leaders move on from their impasse over refugees to discuss the conflict in Syria and other pressing foreign issues. But Trump demurred and ended the call, making it far shorter than his conversations with Shinzo Abe of Japan, Angela Merkel of Germany, Francois Hollande of France or Putin. These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately, Turnbull said at a news conference Thursday in Australia. If you see reports of them, Im not going to add to them. A. Odysseus Patrick in Sydney, contributed to this report. Editors note: This article has been updated and a reference to an AP report on the details of a phone conversation between President Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto removed because they could not be independently confirmed. Read more: Cruel in the extreme: Australia accused of ignoring appalling abuse of refugees Who is affected by Trumps travel ban Call it a ban. Call it, as the president did on Twitter, keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country! Either way, civil liberties lawyers assert, the executive order temporarily barring the entry of refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries is unconstitutional. But legal analysts say they might have a tough time proving that in court, even with early legal victories and swelling support from people across the country. Analysts across the political spectrum say that the president has vast authority to bar the entry of people to the United States, and to do so without the consent of other branches of government. [Ban or no ban? Trump settles the debate over his executive order.] The law states that if the president finds that the entry of any aliens would be detrimental to the countrys interests, he has broad power to impose restrictions. There are good reasons for that, analysts say. If, for example, the residents of a particular country contracted a deadly, contagious disease, you would want to shut down travel from that country, said Leon Fresco, the deputy assistant attorney general for the Office of Immigration Litigation in President Barack Obamas Justice Department. Fresco said the same power that gives the president authority to do that seems to give President Trump the authority to enforce his ban. His view is not universal. Acting attorney general Sally Yates, an Obama holdover, declared this week she would not defend the order a decision that led to her firing because she was not convinced it was lawful. The ACLU and others have filed several potential class-action claims around the country alleging individual cases of wrongdoing, and attorneys general in four states moved this week to join the burgeoning court battle. Amazon chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, has spoken out against the order. Civil liberties and immigration lawyers are waging a wide-reaching public and legal resistance campaign hoping to push the judiciary to overturn what they call antiquated legal precedents and toss the order. Federal judges have consistently sided with the challengers in early suits, producing a nationwide stoppage on Customs and Border Protection detaining or deporting green-card holders or those with valid visas who arrive at U.S. airports. A panel of United Nations human rights experts said Wednesday that the order violates the United States international human rights obligations. State Department diplomats have signed a memo objecting to Trumps order, arguing that it will not deter attacks on American soil. After the order first came down, protests erupted at airports across the country. The Homeland Security inspector general announced late Wednesday he would investigation the orders implementation. [Civil liberties advocates continue pressing Trump administration on immigration order] The mass action, analysts said, is intended both to prevent the White House from trying to marginalize individual judges who rule against the administration, as well to show the many other lives affected by the order. That might push the judiciary to a tipping point to conclude that precedents shaped in a pre-civil rights era founded on rulings such as one upholding the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and another approving the expulsion of communists no longer apply. Judges look at the newspapers, too, said Peter J. Spiro, a professor of immigration and constitutional law at Temple University. The fact that they see spontaneous public unrest about the order, that empowers the courts in pushing back against the administration and finding a way to striking down the law. Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in an interview this week he believes the order violates the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, international treaties and the First Amendment. Of particular significance, he said, is an exception to the refugee ban for those who are members of a minority religion and who are fleeing a country. That, Romero and others say, seems to favor non-Muslims. And Trump himself said in a recent interview with CBN News that persecuted Christians would be given priority. Were confident that we can win, and fortunately, President Trump and those around him make it very easy to reveal that bigotry, said lawyer Gadeir Abbas, who is among those involved in a broad legal challenge to the order. The ACLU is still haggling with the government over a list of people who were detained when the order first went into effect over the weekend. The government said late Tuesday no one was being detained, though some people might be facing extra processing. The ACLU wants an accounting of those who were once held and those who might have been removed after it filed its lawsuit. There also remain questions about implementation. Lawyers recently obtained a letter from the State Department that provisionally revokes all nonimmigrant and immigrant visas of nationals of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen which they say demonstrates the effect of the order in a way they did not previously understand. Its shocking, to say the least, said Susan Cohen, who is working with the ACLU on a case in Massachusetts. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday the administration would dial back its position on green-card holders from the affected countries. They had initially been allowed in only with waivers, which will no longer be needed, Spicer said. The lawsuits challenging the executive order allege that it is essentially a tool for discrimination that damages states interests and violates peoples constitutional rights. The problem, analysts said, is that some, though not all, case law suggests noncitizens outside the United States have no such rights. And in a way, all immigration law is essentially discriminatory. The notion that it is unconstitutional to discriminate against foreign nationals based on their national origin is political correctness run amok, said Stewart Baker, a former Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for policy in President George W. Bushs administration. We admit French nationals without a visa but dont give the same right to Polish nationals, and we have for decades without a constitutional challenge. Fresco, the Obama Justice Department lawyer, said that although the challengers might argue otherwise, courts are likely to use a low standard to determine whether the order passes muster, essentially asking whether it has any rational basis. The administration, he said, will likely argue that the threat of terrorist attacks justifies the order. Trump and his aides have cited as evidence in favor of the ban attacks that it probably could not have prevented. But they would face a low burden, analysts said, and have some facts on their side. For example, Abdul Razak Ali Artan, the college student who drove his car into a crowd and then stabbed and slashed people in a spree that injured 11 at Ohio State University in November, was born in Somalia, which is covered by the ban. These are countries where there are active anti-U.S. terrorist organizations operating, Baker said. Fresco said lawyers for the other side, though, could present evidence that public safety was not the orders real purpose pointing to the chaotic rollout and even public comments by those associated with the administration. Trump promised on the campaign trail a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States and that pledge remains on the campaign website. Former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a vigorous Trump supporter, used the term Muslim ban a term Trump now takes issue with in talking about the orders origin in a recent television interview. Ill tell you the whole history of it, Giuliani said on Fox News. So when [Trump] first announced it, he said, Muslim ban. He called me up. He said, Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do it legally. Rachel Weiner, Mark Berman, Glenn Kessler and Abby Phillip contributed to this report. Syrian Democratic Forces Commander Rojda Felat drives to Tal Samin outside of Raqqa on Nov. 24, 2016, shortly after the village was captured from Islamic State militants. (Alice Martins/For The Washington Post) Planning for the final assault on Raqqa, the capital of the Islamic States caliphate, had been grinding on for more than seven months. There had been dozens of meetings of President Barack Obamas top national security team, scores of draft battle plans and hundreds of hours of anguished, late-night debates. There were no good options, but Obamas top foreign policy advisers were convinced that they had finally settled on an approach that could work arming Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, current and former U.S. officials said. There was just one problem: The Obama team had deliberated for so long that there was little time left to pull the trigger. Trumps advisers had also sent word that they wanted to make the decision. So on Jan. 17, just three days before the transfer of power, Obama directed his national security adviser to hand over to the Trump team a paper detailing the plan to arm the Kurds, including talking points that President Trump could use to explain the move to Turkeys president, who officials knew would be furious. The Turks viewed the Kurdish fighters as terrorists and their No. 1 enemy. Obama hoped that his last-minute preparations would clear the way for Trump to authorize a swift assault on the Islamic States most important stronghold, where U.S. intelligence officials say militants are plotting attacks outside Syria. Instead of running with the plan, Trumps national security team deemed it wholly insufficient and swiftly tossed it. To the incoming Trump administration, Obamas approach was so incremental and risk-averse that it was almost certain to fail. They provided the information, but we found huge gaps in it, said a senior Trump administration official who reviewed the document. It was poor staff work. The Obama White House viewed its Syria plans as the product of years of experience in a region where every move carries unintended and potentially catastrophic consequences. Those who steered the Obama administrations Syria policy insisted that the new White House did not understand the complexity of the issue, but soon would. The troubled handoff of one of the United States most vexing national security problems shows how far the pendulum has swung between two presidents who in many ways are opposites. Obama sweated the smallest details of U.S. military and intelligence operations, often to the point of inaction. Trump has made it clear that he prefers to go with his gut and has promised a swift and brutal campaign that will utterly destroy the Islamic State. In meetings with his national security team, he has signaled his desire to give Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, whom he regularly refers to by the nickname Mad Dog, a free hand in doing whatever it takes to fight terrorism. [In deadly Yemen raid, a lesson for Trumps national security team] It is up to Mattis and the rest of Trumps national security team to translate the presidents campaign-trail pronouncements into policy. Trumps more aggressive approach could speed the destruction of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, but it also could lead to an increase in civilian deaths, fueling anger toward the United States. Trump and his top advisers also could decide to increase coordination with Russia and even Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to seize Raqqa. Or he could ultimately conclude, as Obama did, that arming the Kurds represents the best of several bad options. The policy dilemmas that Obama and his team spent more than seven months deliberating will be decided over the course of the next 30 days in a review led by Mattis and the Pentagon. Trump has directed his defense secretary to bring him multiple options and to ignore the restrictions on troop numbers and civilian casualties that were put in place by Obama. The message to the Pentagon was to widen the aperture, said the senior administration official, who, like other current and former officials, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive planning. Give us all of your options. A member of the Peoples Protection Units in a village close to the front line in Tal Samin, Syria, on Nov. 24, 2016, during operations to isolate the city of Raqqa. (Alice Martins/For The Washington Post) Target: Raqqa The policy dilemma facing Trump began with a decision made by the Obama administration in a moment of desperation in 2014. Islamic State fighters had just seized huge swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria. Obama decided to intervene militarily but ruled out the use of American ground forces on the front lines. The Pentagon needed to find local partners in a hurry, and the Syrian Kurds stepped forward. The budding U.S. battlefield alliance with the Kurds carried big strategic risks. The Kurdish fighters who volunteered to help the Americans had ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which the Turkish and U.S. governments considered a terrorist group. [The uneasy mix of forces battling the Islamic State] In contrast to Obama, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not see the Islamic State as his countrys No. 1 threat. In private meetings with senior U.S. officials in 2014, Erdogan said the Kurds were his top concern and that removing Assad ranked second, according to U.S. and Turkish officials. By the fall of 2016, after two years of tension between Obama and Erdogan because of different priorities, a U.S.-backed offensive using Kurdish forces to recapture Raqqa was finally within sight, and Army Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, asked for authorization to arm them for a push into the city. The proposal divided the Obama White House. Then-Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter backed the plan, but others worried that it would deepen the rift with Ankara. Among the biggest skeptics was Susan E. Rice, Obamas national security adviser. When she asked Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whether an immediate decision was needed, the general said he was still evaluating whether Turkey was serious about an offer to provide its own forces to take Raqqa instead of the Kurds. For two years inside the Pentagon, Turkeys promises of sending rebels and later its own troops were viewed with deep skepticism and derisively dubbed Erdogans ghosts or the unicorn army, according to current and former defense officials. Carter and other defense officials worried that Dunfords response gave the White House another reason to delay a decision. By late 2016, Dunford had concluded that the Turks would not produce the forces to retake Raqqa. With less than three weeks left in the Obama administration, Dunford and Carter submitted a formal request to arm the Kurds for the assault with armored vehicles, antitank weapons, Russian-made machine guns and mine-clearing equipment. The Pentagon pushed for an immediate decision, warning that if the Kurds did not receive the equipment by mid-February, their offensive on Raqqa would stall. A decision not to arm the Kurds could delay the Raqqa operation by up to a year, U.S. officials warned. The Pentagon also was alarmed by increasingly dire warnings from senior counterterrorism officials about terrorist attacks being planned inside the city. [Tracing the path of four terrorists sent to Europe by the Islamic State] On Jan. 10, just 10 days before Trumps inauguration, Obamas top advisers huddled in the White House Situation Room to weigh the Kurdish proposal, which would be the last major national security decision of the outgoing administration. Carter argued that the Kurds understood that they would have to turn Raqqa over to local Arab forces as soon as the Islamic State was defeated. Samantha Power, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and the U.S. ambassador in Ankara, along with others, warned that moving forward with the plan would further damage relations with Turkey. It also would put the United States in the unacceptable position of supporting allies of a terrorist group that was carrying out mass-casualty attacks on a NATO member, they said. Everyone in the Situation Room that day agreed on the need to consult with the Trump team. There was no point taking such a consequential step if the new president might reverse it. At the end of the meeting, Rice thanked everyone for their hard work and led a champagne toast. Shortly afterward, Rice spoke to retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, her counterpart in the incoming administration, about the proposal. Dont approve it, Flynn responded, according to two former officials briefed on the exchange. Well make the decision. On Jan. 17, Obama chaired his final National Security Council meeting and directed his team to leave the decision on arming the Kurds to the Trump administration. In one of his last acts as commander in chief, he approved the deployment of two or three Apache attack helicopters to Syria and authorized the Pentagon to provide more support to Turkish forces fighting for the Syrian town of al-Bab. Rice prepared briefing papers for Flynn, emphasizing the importance of moving quickly to arm the Kurds. Obama told a small group of aides that he would personally discuss the importance of the matter with Trump on the morning of the inauguration, possibly in the limousine on the way to the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremony. Welcome to the NBA, Obama said he planned to tell his successor, according to officials present. Manbij Military Council recruits at a graduation ceremony Nov. 27, 2016, after completing military training provided by U.S. Special Operations forces in the countryside of Aleppo province, Syria. (Alice Martins/For The Washington Post) A new plan The recommendation was dead on arrival at the Trump White House. The Obama plan required U.S. forces to train the Kurds in using the new equipment and fighting in a densely packed city, but it lacked details about how many U.S. troops would be required and where the training would take place, the Trump administration official said. Trump officials said they were dismayed that there was no provision for coordinating operations with Russia and no clear political strategy for mollifying the Turks. Nor were there contingency plans if the Kurdish attack stalled, the senior Trump administration official said. What bothered us most of all was that there was no Plan B, the Trump official said. To the Trump team, it seemed that Obama administration officials had delayed authorizing the plan because they knew it was inadequate and did not want to be held responsible, the official said. A senior Obama administration official said the criticism was unfounded and a sign of the new White Houses intelligence insecurity. In addition to the short memo that Rice gave Flynn, the outgoing administration left a thick package of supplemental material, the Obama official said. Most of the shortcomings outlined by the Trump team were obvious to Obamas advisers, he added. In fact, the senior Obama administration official said, arming the Kurds was Obamas Plan B, after it became clear that Plan A using Turkish forces to take Raqqa would not be feasible. It is up Mattis and Dunford to sort through Syrias many complexities and come up with a new plan. At the end of Obamas term, Dunford emerged as one of the most passionate supporters of arming the Kurds, the senior Obama administration official said. Aides declined to describe Mattiss thinking on the option. Trump has promised to give Dunford and Mattis a free hand, which could lead them right back to some variation of the Obama plan. Hes a businessman, the senior Trump official said of the new president. His attitude is that I am hiring really good people to make these decisions. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson assured career diplomats Thursday that he values and will support their work, as he began his first day running a department in turmoil over the policies of the new Trump administration. Tillerson told hundreds of employees gathered in the State Departments lobby that among the core principles with which he will run the department are respect and honesty, even over points of disagreement. It was a thinly veiled reference to a dissent memo that has been signed by unprecedented numbers of diplomats and other employees objecting to President Trumps order suspending travel to the United States for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim nations and ceasing refugee admissions for the time being. Tillerson said he appreciates dissenting views. Honesty will undergird our foreign policy, he said. Well start by making it the basis with which we interact with each other. Then he addressed the lingering concerns head-on, suggesting they have no reason to fear retaliation for expressing alternative viewpoints. No one will tolerate disrespect of anyone, he said. Before we are employees of the State Department, we are human beings first. Let us extend respect to one another, especially when we may disagree. As Tillerson entered the buildings lobby shortly after 10 a.m., holding hands with his wife, Renda, he was greeted by applause from hundreds of employees who had been waiting as long as 90 minutes. The traditional welcoming was polite, but the applause was not as loud, sustained or filled with gleeful hoots as it was when former secretaries John F. Kerry and Hillary Clinton first arrived. The warmest applause came when Tillerson thanked Thomas Shannon, the No. 3 official in the department, who had been serving as acting secretary of state until Tillerson was confirmed. When Tillerson joked, Hi, Im the new guy, he was met with laughter and clapping. He made almost no mention of foreign affairs, and focused his remarks on letting the employees know he cares about their work and their safety. You are our emissaries of our nation and the ideals we stand for, Tillerson said. When people see you, they see America. But Tillerson also delivered some subtle warnings that he may make changes at the department, and that he expects employees to get behind the new administration. I know this was a hotly contested election, and we do not all feel the same way about the outcome, he said. Each of us is entitled to the expression of our political beliefs. But we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work well, as one team. In addition to the dissent memo, a few career Foreign Service officers have resigned in protest of the new administration, and others have expressed doubts about whether Trump understands or values the traditional work of diplomacy. Tillerson signaled Thursday that he grasped the risks diplomats often face. In an apparent reference to the 2012 attack at the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, in which Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed, he made an expansive list of those he considers State Department family. Among them were Foreign Service officers, civil servants, locally hired staff, third-country nationals, interns and contractors. When I wake up each morning, the very first thing I ask myself is, are all of our people safe? he said. Driving the point home, he walked down some steps after finishing his speech and paused to pay his respects at a wall displaying memorial plaques to State Department employees who died while on duty. And he pledged that over the coming days he would make the rounds of the building, aiming to shake hands with everyone. In his first full day on the job, Tillerson spoke by phone with the foreign ministers of Canada and Mexico, and met with the foreign minister of Germany. Tillerson takes office just as tensions with Iran are rising over its latest ballistic missile test. On Wednesday, just before Tillerson was being confirmed in the Senate, national security adviser Michael Flynn appeared at the White House press briefing to announce that Iran was being put on notice over what he called its provocative breach of a U.N. Security Council resolution. Iranian officials brushed off the remarks by what they called the inexperienced Trump administration, and vowed to continue testing missiles. Trump and his advisers have said they will take a more aggressive stance with Iran, particularly on U.N. sanctions related to missile tests like the one Tehran conducted last weekend in an apparent measure of the fledgling administration. With Tillerson in place now, it remains to be seen how much of an impact he will have in defusing the tensions or guiding the confrontation. In addition, Tillerson has dozens of positions that must be filled with nominees who require Senate confirmation. Tillerson is the only person in the State Department who has been nominated and confirmed so far. Two deputies, six undersecretaries and 21 assistant secretaries all require Senate approval. The handful of career diplomats who are staying on at least temporarily in the same jobs they held in the Obama administration stood behind Tillerson as he spoke Thursday. The majority of the senior jobs at the State Department are being done by temporary, acting substitutes who were deputies under their previous bosses. The U.S. military said late Wednesday that civilians were likely killed during a Navy SEAL raid in Yemen on Saturday, a ground operation that erupted into a massive firefight that also took the life of an American sailor. A statement issued by the U.S. Central Command said that an investigatory team has concluded regrettably that an unspecified number of civilians appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist U.S. forces that were receiving fire from all sides. Media reports from the region said that at least 10 Yemeni women and children were killed in the raid, the first counterterrorism operation authorized by President Trump. [In deadly Yemen raid, a lesson for Trumps national security team] You never want to call something a success 100 percent when someones hurt or killed, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Wednesday, referring to the death of Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, whose remains arrived Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base. Trump traveled to the Delaware base for the ceremony. The speed with which the military acknowledged the civilian deaths was in stark contrast to the investigations after most previous allegations of civilian casualties, which have often taken months, if not years. The goal of the operation was to detain Yemeni tribal leaders allegedly collaborating with al-Qaeda in Yemen and to gather intelligence about the group. Instead, a massive firefight ensued that brought in U.S. aircraft to strike the fighters and rescue the military team. One of the aircraft, an MV-22 Osprey from a U.S. naval ship offshore, lost power and hit the ground hard enough to disable it and wound two service members. The $70 million aircraft was then intentionally destroyed by a U.S. bomb to ensure that it did not fall into militant hands. The Central Command statement said that determined enemy forces included armed women firing from prepared fighting positions, and U.S. special operators were fired on from houses and other buildings. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has a horrifying history of hiding women and children within militant operating areas and terrorist camps, and continuously shows a callous disregard for innocent lives, Central Command spokesman John J. Thomas said in the statement. Thats what makes cases like these so especially tragic. The statement also said that the raid resulted in the seizure of materials and information that is yielding valuable intelligence to help partner nations deter and prevent future terror attacks in Yemen and across the world. Although U.S. forces have conducted airstrikes against al-Qaeda in Yemen in recent years, the operation was the first U.S.-led ground raid in Yemen since 2014. President Trump and Iran traded sharp statements Thursday, with Trump amplifying warnings over Tehrans missile tests and a top adviser to Irans leader saying it was not the first time an inexperienced person has threatened his country. The exchanges reflect the Trump administrations toughening stance on Iran, but also point to wider changes in the White House as it advances a combative and iconoclastic foreign policy. The shifts appear to sideline traditional diplomacy and concentrate decision-making among a small group of aides who are quickly projecting their new America first approach to the world. Just before the Senate confirmed Trumps new secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, on Wednesday, national security adviser Michael Flynn made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room to deliver a stern warning to Iran over its most recent ballistic missile test. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, Flynn said. He accused the previous Obama administration of failing to confront Iran forcefully enough over its malign actions and said Trump was changing course. On Thursday, Trump reiterated his administrations warning to Iran, writing in a tweet that Tehran was formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Later, Trump told reporters that nothing is off the table regarding a possible response to Irans missile test, but gave no specifics. In Tehran, a top adviser to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fired back, saying that the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless, according to the Reuters news agency, citing local media. This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran, the adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, said. Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself. The missile tests are not covered by the nuclear pact, and Iran claims that the launches do not violate other U.N. resolutions because the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. Bahram Ghassemi, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, called Flynns comments baseless, provocative and repetitive. Tillerson takes office after a chaotic first dozen days for the Trump administration marked by big swings away from national security and foreign policy stances in place under the Obama administration. The rise of figures such as Flynn and senior counselor Stephen K. Bannon in the White House calls into question whether someone like Tillerson, a former oil company executive who is perceived to be a more mainstream Republican, will wield much influence. US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with leaders of conservative groups to discuss the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) Trump campaigned on blowing up business as usual in Washington, apparently including the courtly traditions of U.S. diplomacy. Still, the administrations tone has surprised allies and government employees who expected the new president to first spend time offering diplomatic niceties. The severity of an order suspending the countrys refugee resettlement program and temporarily banning entry from seven Muslim-majority nations blindsided even Republican supporters in Congress. Even before the order Friday, Trumps first days in office were marked by actions and statements that former U.S. officials and some foreign diplomats saw as intentionally confrontational, such as a public spat with the Mexican president and dismissive comments about the European Union. [No Gday, mate: On call with Australian prime minister, Trump badgers and brags] Trump in his inauguration address blasted Americas trade partners and global outlook, and he used his first hosting of a foreign leader to praise Brexit as a stroke for British sovereignty. He recounted his own frustrations dealing with the European Union in a real estate deal. I had a very bad experience, he said. He called the 28-member body the consortium. In between, his administration floated and then backed off a 20 percent tariff on Mexican goods to pay for his promised border wall. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled a planned White House visit in protest, but Trump said the feeling was mutual. Unless Mexico is going to treat the United States fairly, with respect, such a meeting would be fruitless, and I want to go a different route, Trump told Republican senators last week. I have no choice. A day later, he stood beside British Prime Minister Theresa May for an event that is a staple of world leader diplomacy the cordial and mutually congratulatory joint news conference. Trump largely used the forum to congratulate himself, and he sounded less than zealous about courting other countries. We look to have a great relationship with all countries, ideally, Trump said Friday, as May looked on, a hint of apprehension visible in her smile. That wont necessarily happen, unfortunately probably wont happen with many countries. [British lawmakers tell their prime minister: Your groveling in front of Trump is embarrassing] Trump added that he hoped for a great relationship with Russia and with China and with all countries, Im all for that. That would be a tremendous asset. He noted that he believes torture tactics work against terrorism a position anathema to most U.S. allies but that he would defer to his defense chief, who opposes it. Tillerson did not attend, since he had not yet won the job at State. While Tillerson is an unorthodox choice, the recently retired ExxonMobil chief executive has been generally viewed as one of Trumps less provocative hires. Even so, Tillerson drew scant Democratic support with a vote of 56 to 43. Only four members of the Democratic caucus voted in favor of confirmation: Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.). The 64-year-old Texan has no prior government experience. His admirers, however, say he has a vast knowledge of world affairs and geopolitics born of years of international energy exploration and production. [Trumps travel ban could make Rex Tillersons potential job harder, a former defense secretary says] He has remained publicly silent about Trumps controversial immigration order, and its not clear whether Tillerson was even given a say over its scope or wording. His absence from the rollout of a policy that significantly affects the countrys place in the world has sown doubts about the State Departments role in shaping White House decisions. A group of diplomats lodged a formal complaint against the order Tuesday in the State Departments Dissent Channel, set up during the Vietnam War as a way for diplomats of all ranks to convey disagreement with foreign policy decisions. The communications are typically confidential and may be done anonymously. They should either get with the program or they can go, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday. He later said diplomats have a right to raise concerns. One of Tillersons chief outside backers, former defense secretary Robert M. Gates, said Sunday that the immigration order is likely to make his friends job harder. Gates, a Republican who recommended Tillerson to Trump as a dark-horse candidate, is among a long bipartisan list of foreign policy experts who have argued that actions appearing to target Muslims play into the hands of extremists who claim that the United States is at war with Islam. Tillerson had said at his confirmation hearing that he does not support a blanket-type rejection of any particular group of people, but he did not rule out a registry or database of Muslims. New United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley went further, rejecting the idea of a ban on Muslim immigration and calling a registry out of the question. Haley, who like Tillerson has no formal foreign policy experience, had also startled some U.N. diplomats in her first address at the world body Friday. Youre going to see a change in the way we do business, the former South Carolina governor said. Our goal with the administration is to show value at the U.N., and the way well show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure our allies have our back as well. For those who dont have our back, she added, were taking names. Haley spoke hours before the immigration order was issued. [As U.S. ambassador to U.N., Nikki Haley would face worlds most intractable conflicts] The White House also issued a scathing indictment of the United Nations last week, vowing to strip some U.S. funding and condition other money on reform and compliance with U.S. objectives. Trump is breaking with the practices of both Republican and Democratic administrations by including a political adviser, Bannon, in National Security Council meetings with Cabinet officials. On Tuesday, European Council President Donald Tusk included worrying declarations from Trump among the challenges or threats to the E.U., along with China, Russia and radical ideologies. Capitals around the world are anxiously looking at how the new administration starts engaging with friends and foes, said Arturo Sarukhan, a former Mexican ambassador to Washington. If the U.S. treats a neighbor, partner and ally like Mexico, a nation so relevant to the prosperity and security of the U.S., with ultimatums and bullying, they will probably feel that they themselves may be in for a rough ride. A European diplomat who recently met with Trump aides and pressed for cooperation at the United Nations and elsewhere to promote peace in the Middle East recounted a startling exchange with Jason D. Greenblatt, then Trumps in-house lawyer and now his chief of international negotiations. We are business people, the diplomat quoted Greenblatt as saying. We are not going to govern this country with diplomatic niceties. We are going to govern it as a business. Cunningham reported from Istanbul. Carol Morello and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: Iran nuclear deal is in the crosshairs and may not survive a Trump administration Trump redefines the enemy and 15 years of counterterrorism policy Europes threat list includes jihadists, Russia and Donald Trump Members of the Pollution Response Team remove black oil washed ashore as a thick oily tide from the sea lapped at the coast, a day after an oil tanker and an LPG tanker collided off Kamarajar Port in Ennore, in Chennai, India. (Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images) Nearly a week after the collision of two cargo ships spilled several tons of oil into the waters off southern India, hundreds of local officials and fishermen continued to struggle to clear the sludge that is now spreading into additional coastal areas, damaging local fishing communities. The two ships, carrying liquefied petroleum gas and oil, collided Saturday near the Kamarajar port in the Bay of Bengal, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The ocean looks black and shiny. The rocks are slippery with the slick, said Venkatesh Angamuthu, a 36-year-old fisherman in the Mugathuvarukuppam village. Fifty of us from my village have been assisting the disaster team for the last two days to remove the slick manually with buckets. We have no protective masks or gloves. Our fish market is fully down. Observers say port officials lost crucial time fighting the spill because they were in denial about its extent for the first two days. At first, the port released a statement saying that there was no damage to the environment like oil pollution. But local fishermen began reporting a thick film of oil on the water. It was only on the third day that cleaning began. Later, officials kept revising the estimate of the leak, from one to 20 tons of oil. The government was in denial; we lost precious time because they kept saying, Everything is under control, said Nityanand Jayaraman, an environmentalist who works among fishing communities in the state. On Thursday, officials said that a total 60 tons of oil had spilled. (Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images) The leaking ship was made to stand there for two days, although it kept asking the port for permission to berth and unload the oil. In the meantime, the slick kept splitting and floating, making it difficult to contain. Some patches of slick spread more than 20 miles along the coast. On Thursday, officials said that a total 60 tons of oil had spilled. About 85 percent of the estimated 60 tons of oil has been taken out until today. Fortunately, the spill is not in the mid-sea area, otherwise it would have been very difficult, said D. Jayakumar, the fisheries minister of Tamil Nadu. The government deployed super sucker machines, but they were mostly ineffective, Jayakumar said. About 1,500 people, consisting of coast guard workers and local fishermen, have been pulling out the sludge manually with buckets, he said. It is not unlike drawing water from a well. Local people reported that many fish and turtles have died, prompting environmentalists to warn of deeper damage to marine life. They also accused port authorities of being ill-prepared to deal with the environmental disaster. Meanwhile, fear of buying and consuming fish spread across the state. The government collected and tested fish samples and declared Wednesday that there was no contamination. Local officials also staged a public event where they ate fish to tell people that there was nothing to fear. We ate the fish near the sea, not in a restaurant, not in our homes yesterday, Jayakumar said. We want the fish market to resume. Activists say that the government is understating the damage. Opposition lawmaker Kanimozhi, who uses only her first name, wrote a letter to the national shipping minister Wednesday saying the marine ecosystem has been irreparably damaged. New Delhi has ordered an investigation. Angamuthu, the fisherman, said the crisis is far from over. Nobody is buying the fish. It has a strong, foul smell of oil, he said. We dont want our nets to get exposed to the oil and get damaged. The sea is our mother, but we do not think it is safe to go in. Read more: Africas leaders consider a future when the U.S. no longer cares How do people define their national identity? By language. Europes threat list includes jihadists, Russia and Trump Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A British bookshop owner who asks customers for a 50-pence (62-cent) browsing fee has been branded the bookseller from hell. Steve Bloom, who runs second-hand emporium Bloomingdales in Hawes, northern England, says he makes the request to find out whether visitors are serious about buying books, but does not actually collect the money. He also apologized for using an expletive in describing a customer who ignored the fee request as a pain in the backside. John Blackie, chairman of Hawes Parish Council, said the customer complained one of more than 20 complaints the local authority has received in the past four years about Blooms entry fee and his rudeness. Blackie said Wednesday that bookseller from hell Bloom was harming the reputation of Hawes, a community in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales that he called very much a friendly town. He seems to have a strategy unlike anybody elses, Blackie said. He charges 50p, people object and he is very rude to them. Yet he feels that improves his business. Bloom said the council was overreacting, but acknowledged that he is not really a people person. Some customers who reviewed the store on the Yell website branded Bloom rude, miserable and a disgrace though other commenters said the story about his behavior had made them want to visit. AP Australians are used to seeing their relationship with American presidents as pals across the Pacific whose worldviews mesh and whose major disagreements are too few to count. That was, however, before Donald Trump picked up the phone. Word that President Trump blasted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in a call last Saturday because of a refugee deal between the two nations bewildered this country of 25 million people that, in many ways, had long seen its closest military and diplomatic ally as a kind of benign big brother. While experts say the alliance isnt under threat, Trumps tough talk could work in the prime ministers favor if the deal holds. The revelation that the U.S. president characterized his conversation with Turnbull as the worst call by far among four world leaders he spoke with Saturday could generate some badly needed sympathy for the prime minister. It also could provide a reality check for future policies by Australia which has stood by Americas side in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also is increasingly engaged as a political and trade partner with Asia. It forces us to drop romantic notions of the alliance and now be more realistic, said a former Australian foreign minister, Bob Carr, speaking at a forum in Singapore, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Thursday. (The Washington Post) [No Gday, mate: On call with Australian prime minister, Trump badgers and brags] Australia has more at stake in U.S. immigration policy than many other developed countries. The agreement with the Obama administration to settle some 1,250 men, women and children in the United States if they can pass security checks is seen as vital to the political fortunes of the Liberal-National Coalition government. Turnbull and his cabinet are desperate to resolve the fate of the Iranians, Sri Lankans and others living in two detention camps that have caused Australia international embarrassment. But Trump is regarded with suspicion by many Australians, and the leader-to-leader tension could blunt opposition party attacks that Turnbull hasnt done enough to challenge the U.S. presidents immigration policies. Turnbull has been lagging in opinion polls, and his domestic credibility wasnt helped when he refused to join the international condemnation of Trumps executive order temporarily barring refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States. Turnbull wouldnt confirm details of the call, but he alluded to Trumps hostility. We have had very frank and forthright discussions in which of each of us has expressed our views, he said in a radio interview after news of the conversation broke. As Australias prime minister, it is my job to stand up for Australia. Even figures in the opposition Labor Party conceded that Turnbull was in a difficult position trying to persuade the new president to uphold a promise made by the Obama administration. I dont believe Turnbull did the wrong thing, Graham Richardson, a senior cabinet minister in a previous Labor government, told Sky News. I think we are just facing a normal Trump tantrum. Later, Turnbull tried to counter reports that Trump had abruptly ended the call. Turnbull told Sydney radio station 2GB that Trump had not hung up on him. He said the conversation had ended courteously. Other Australians hope the Trump presidency will prompt their country to adopt a more independent foreign policy. Trump has rudely dismissed the Australian prime minister, Carr said in an email. This is a damn healthy thing for Australia. The presidents treatment of the prime minister, which was first reported in The Washington Post, was front-page news across Australia. Such hostility was genuinely shocking in a nation used to hearing sanitized versions of prime ministerial phone calls from official spokesmen. Reporter drops sensational bombshell from 16,000 km away, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. On Monday, after his testy phone call with the president, Turnbull told reporters the new administration had promised to go ahead with the deal. The affirmation was greeted by Australians as evidence their close relationship with the United States would continue under Trump. Less than two hours after the U.S. Embassy in Canberra told Australian reporters on Thursday that the White House had locked in the agreement, Trump tweeted that he will study this dumb deal! The comment appeared to place the deal in doubt and showed how Trumps apparently spontaneous tweets are creating havoc for American allies around the world. In public, Turnbull essentially pretended the tweet didnt exist. I have a clear commitment from the president, he said afterward. It has been confirmed by his spokesman. . . . We expect the deal and that commitment will continue. Experts said the critical tweet would alarm Australian officials, who have become used to a close relationship with their American counterparts. Trump is needlessly damaging trust within one of Americas closest alliances, wrote Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University, in an email. Many Australians are wary of economic refugees arriving to take advantage of their generous social security system. That fear has prompted political parties from both sides to house asylum seekers who arrive in boats at two isolated camps on Pacific islands in the nation of Nauru and on the island of Manus in Papua New Guinea. Tough conditions in the camps have been condemned by dozens of human rights, medical and refugee organizations, but the policy remains popular with many ordinary Australians. The government acknowledges it cannot leave the refugees there indefinitely, but it has vowed not to allow them into Australia. Reneging on that promise would do Turnbull huge political damage. As he continues negotiations with the Trump administration, Turnbulls professional background may be of use. As a young investment banker, he was an adviser to Kerry Packer, Australias richest man at the time and a friend of the Trump family. Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news From Redbook Little Meredith Celine Mike spent almost the entirety of her first three months of life fighting to survive in the NICU. But her happy ending comes complete with a welcome home parade and fireworks. The Mike family, from Kentucky, spent a decade trying to conceive, according to what mom Nicole Mike told ABC News. Along the way, Nicole and husband Blaine dealt with infertility, an ectopic pregnancy, and an adoption that fell through before Meredith was finally conceived naturally. Their baby girl, Meredith, was born October 24, 3 months early and 1 month after Nicole had been put on bed rest at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Meredith was immediately taken to NICU after birth, where doctors and nurses fought to keep her alive and healthy through "pneumonia, collapsed lungs, heart surgery, and the threat of blindness" over the course of 3 months. In that time, the Mike family's Middlesboro, Kentucky community rallied about the stressed parents. As ABC reported, teachers at the school where Nicole was a teacher even donated their sick days to her so that she could stay with her daughter longer. But that was only the start of it. When Meredith was finally able to go home on January 25, she was welcomed to Middlesboro with pink balloons and streamers lining the town's streets, 2 pink-bowed 12-foot teddy bears on the front lawn of her family's home, and a "parade" of between 75 and 100 cars. There were even pink fireworks that lit up the sky. Seriously it's the stuff of small town feel-good dreams. Despite the trials she experienced in her first few months, Meredith (who now weighs 6 pounds) "is expected to live a normal, happy, healthy life," as her mom reported to ABC. Having a preemie spend extended time in NICU is incredibly hard and can be an isolating, emotionally and financially taxing experience. The Mikes were so lucky to have such a strong network of support and love as they cared for their daughter and Meredith is lucky to grow up in a community that adores her so much already. Story continues (h/t Babble) Follow Redbook on Facebook. You Might Also Like French authorities have taken the next step in their investigation of Kim Kardashian Wests Paris heist. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians met with a French judge and attorneys in New York City on Wednesday, a source confirms to PEOPLE. Kardashian testified in the robbery case in order to identify the men that broke into her apartment at the No Address Hotel during the early hours of Oct. 3. This morning, Kim had a meeting with the French judge handling her robbery case. Kim answered questions. She said it went fine. She is just happy that she didnt have to go to Paris, the source says. Kardashian West, 36, was in the city for Paris Fashion Week and was held at gunpoint by masked men who stole millions of dollars worth of jewelry from her including a $4 million ring. Per the French justice system, alleged victims in criminal cases are not required to testify in the country. Instead, judges are able travel to them in order to interview them, and the alleged victim is not required to undergo cross-examination. RELATED VIDEO: Kim Kardashian Wests Shocking Oceans Eight Cameo Yes, Theres a Jewelry Heist On Jan. 9, 17 individuals were arrested across France in connection with the heist. Seven were later released, and four individuals were indicted by French authorities on Jan. 12. The remaining six suspects were charged on Jan. 13. Multiple sources confirmed to PEOPLE that Kardashian West was deeply shaken after the traumatic incident, and she went on to take a three-month hiatus from the public eye and social media. She has since stepped back into the spotlight and made her first official public appearance since the robbery on Jan. 13 at her longtime makeup artist Mario Dedivanovics Masterclass in Dubai. Earlier this week, the reality star flew from Costa Rica, where she enjoyed a family vacation with the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner crew, to N.Y.C. with her daughter North, 3, and son Saint, 13 months. Her husband Kanye West, who did not join the family in Costa Rica, is currently in Los Angeles. Leave it to Logo to dress the cast of RuPauls Drag Race to the nines for season 9. The network revealed Thursday a fierce photo of the queens who will vie for the title of Americas Next Drag Superstar when the reality competition returns later this year with a shocking opening that will go down as one of the most jaw-dropping moments in Drag Race history, according to a press release. Season 9 boasts competitors from around the world, including London native Charlie Hides, who makes the journey stateside as part of the lineup, while Trinity Taylor who won the title of Miss Pulse in 2011 at the Orlando, Florida nightclub joins the show after defeating Drag Race alumnus Alyssa Edwards at the 2014 National Entertainer of the Year pageant in Louisville, Kentucky. Four of the 13 total competitors hail from New York City, with the rest of the ladies representing cities like Las Vegas, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Since its inception, RuPauls Drag Race has evolved into a global phenomenon, spawning spinoffs (RuPauls Drag U) and contemporary drag icons (Bianca Del Rio, Sharon Needles) across its eight-year run, and, for his hosting duties, even won RuPaul his first Emmy last year. RELATED: Hear more of the latest TV news from this week The upcoming edition of Drag Race premieres this spring on Logo, though an exact date has yet to be announced. Until then, check out the full RuPauls Drag Race season 9 cast below. AjaBrooklyn, New York Alexis Michelle New York, New York Charlie HidesLondon, U.K. Eureka OHara Johnson City, TN Farrah Moan Las Vegas, Nevada Jaymes Mansfield Madison, Wisconsin Kimora Blac Las Vegas, Nevada Nina Bonina Brown Atlanta, Georgia Peppermint New York, New York Sasha Velour Brooklyn, New York Shea Coulee Chicago, IL Trinity Taylor Orlando, FL Valentina Los Angeles, CA Original content is going to take center stage on Netflix throughout 2017, but that doesnt mean that the company has given up entirely on licensed content. In fact, Februarys lineup is chock full of licensed gems, including some stellar animated films that are great for both kids and adults as well as some more mature comedies and one of the most critically acclaimed shows of last year. Don't Miss: iOS 10.2 jailbreak brings all these hot tweaks to your iPhone Weve already shared the full list of movies, shows and specials coming to Netflix in January, but below weve gathered the ten that you absolutely cant miss this month if you have a Netflix subscription: Corpse Bride (February 1st) Finding Dory (February 1st) Magic Mike (February 1st) The Nightmare Before Christmas (February 1st) American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (February 2nd) Santa Clarita Diet (February 3rd) Superbad (February 4th) David Brent: Life on the Road (February 10th) Chefs Table: Season 3 (February 17th) Sausage Party (February 23rd) Now that youve seen the best, be sure to take a look at the rest heres the full list of everything that will be added to Netflixs catalog this month. And heres the full list of everything that will be removed from Netflix in January, in case you want to watch these shows and movies before they expire. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com 1. The United States' resettlement program is the largest in the world, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Since 1975, the country has welcomed more than 3 million refugees. In fiscal year 2016, 84,955 refugees resettled in the U.S. 2. An October 2016 poll by the Pew Research Center found 54 percent of Americans believed the U.S. did not have a responsibility to accept refugees from Syria. Previous polls in 1958, 1979 and 1980 found most Americans opposed admitting refugees. 3. On a similar note, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found more Americans support President Donald Trump's recent travel ban than disapprove of it. The January poll found 49 percent of Americans agreed with the order, which temporarily suspends the refugee program and bans nationals from seven countries from entering the U.S., and 41 percent disagreed. Respondents were largely split down partisan lines. 4. The U.S. Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program is the only formal program in the world that is specifically designed to bring unaccompanied refugee children into a unique domestic foster care system. Since its founding after the Vietnam War, the program has accepted about 13,000 minors. 5. The U.S. only had one Syrian orphan from the current crisis as of December 2016. 6. Contrary to what many assume, since 9/11, only three resettled refugees have been arrested for planning terrorist activities. 7. In fiscal 2016, the highest number of refugees from any country came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. The Congo accounted for 16,370 refugees followed by Syria, Myanmar, Iraq and Somalia. 8. Muslims made up nearly half, or 46 percent, of refugee admissions in fiscal year 2016, according to Pew. Christians, on the other hand, accounted for 44 percent of refugees admitted. 9. California has received the most Syrian refugees since the start of the conflict in 2011, welcoming 2,132. Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania received the next highest numbers, according to the federal government. 10. Six states, including Wyoming, Mississippi, Hawaii, Delaware, Alaska and Alabama, have received no Syrian refugees since the start of the conflict in 2011. Devon Haynie is news editor, international for U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dhaynie@usnews.com. CORNELL, N.Y. (AP) -- Cornell University officials say the Ivy League school will use a household products company's $150 million gift to bolster the college's business schools. H. Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of Racine, Wisconsin-based S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., joined Cornell officials in Ithaca on Tuesday night to outline the plans for the donation, the largest made to the university's upstate campus. Johnson announced on Saturday that he and his manufacturing company were making the gift to the newly named Cornell S.C. Johnson College of Business. Johnson received his undergraduate degree from Cornell and holds three master's degrees from the university. Cornell's Board of Trustees voted Saturday in Manhattan to rename the university's business college in honor of the Johnson family. The 131-year-old, $10 billion company makes such brands as Pledge, Raid, and Windex. Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz From Road & Track For a very specific sort of person, the Mercedes-AMG E63 Wagon is the perfect car. It's fast as hell, practical, and blends into the background in a way that no other performance car does. Oh, and it's rare. For 2018, the Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon is back, and promises all sorts of longroof greatness. And yes, it's coming to the U.S. Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz Like the 2018 E63 S Sedan, the E63 S Wagon uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that sends its 603 horsepower to all four wheels via a clever all-wheel drive system. Dubbed 4Matic+, this AMG-exclusive system has a continuously variable torque split front-to-rear. Most of the time, it sends just a little power to the front axle to get you out of corners quicker, but put it in Drift Mode, and it's purely rear-wheel drive. Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz A new nine-speed gearbox with a wet clutch in place of a traditional torque converter manages all the engine's power. Mercedes quotes the 0-60 mph acceleration at an astonishing 3.4 seconds. That's quicker than the manual-equipped Corvette Grand Sport we tested last year. Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz The E63 S Wagon also uses an AMG-tuned version of Mercedes' air suspension, that allows for three damper settingsComfort, Sport, and Sport+.The beautiful interior and semi-autonomous tech found in all new E-Classes completes this compelling package. Photo credit: Mercedes-Benz The Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, before arriving in U.S. dealers in the fall. We were seriously impressed with the E63 S Sedan when we drove it last year, so the Wagon shouldn't disappoint. And besideswhat's not to like about a 603-hp station wagon with a Drift Mode? You Might Also Like In Las Vegas real estate, the highest bidder doesn't always get the spoils. Even an offer above list price can be undermined by a bad loan, a long list of contingencies or other complications that stall the deal. In fact, Jason Abrams, principal with the Abrams Group, says, "Often a buyer offers higher because their terms are weak." Before you accept an offer, some of Las Vegas' top real estate agents, as identified by Agent Explore, a real estate technology company (and a U.S. News partner), say to look out for these red flags. [Read: 4 Ways to Sell Your Las Vegas Home Fast.] A Questionable Loan There are several ways to finance a house, and when you're selling, you should understand how the buyer plans on paying. Shane Nguyen, broker and owner of 1st Priority Realty, says, "You want to evaluate the probability of closing easily." A cash offer is often your best chance, but you want to request a proof of funds letter to ensure the buyer actually has the cash available. More often than not, however, a buyer will finance the house with a mortgage. While all serious buyers should have a prequalification letter (a letter indicating they qualify for a loan), a preapproval letter is better. It means the lender has evaluated the buyer's finances and credit report in detail, while a prequalification letter only relies on information supplied by the buyer. Even with preapproval, a mortgage can still be denied, so you should be familiar with the lender and the type of loan. An experienced agent likely has experience with a range of lenders and could offer insights. [Read: A First-Time Homebuyer's Guide to Las Vegas.] Abrams explains, "You have to do some research to see if it is a valid lender. You want to ask what type of loans do they normally do if you are not familiar with them." In terms of the type of loan, FHA loans (mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration) often come with a longer list of home inspection requirements than a conventional loan. According to Abrams, the requirements can make it more difficult for a buyer to secure the final approval. "You have to call and have an open dialogue with the lender to figure out if the buyer is actually going to be able to close," he says. Your agent should be able to find out details such as the buyer's credit score and debt-to-income ratio. Story continues Weak Finances Even without talking to the lender, there are clues that might suggest the buyer can't afford your home. Two factors to consider: the amount of earnest money the buyer offers and the percentage he or she puts down. If either is low, it could mean the buyer does not have much cash on hand, which could result in the buyer not getting approved for a loan. A weak financial position could also increase the likelihood of the buyer backing out of the deal. A Less-Motivated Buyer Investors who plan to rent out the property once they buy are common in Las Vegas, but because they may make offers on multiple homes, they may be less likely to close than a first-time buyer who is planning on living in the home. "First-time buyers most likely do not want to lose a house. Investors, on the other hand, are OK if they don't get the house," Nguyen says. [Read: 100 Best Places to Live in the USA.] Buyer's Plans Clash With HOA Rules If you live in a development with a homeowners association, you need to understand how restrictions may impact potential buyers. For example, many HOAs do not allow homes to be rented, so an offer from an investor wouldn't be considered. Or, perhaps your HOA does not allow owners to park a car outside overnight, which would pose a problem if a buyer owns multiple cars. It's also common for an HOA to have restrictions on pets. "When I am selling a home in an HOA community, I always ask the seller to see their resale package first," Nguyen says. Ultimately, experts agree that every sale is unique, and every offer should be evaluated case by case. When you're considering agents, ask them how they present and evaluate offers because working with a diligent agent is a great way to avoid running into a red flag. Abrams says, "My job is to lay out all of the offers. Call every agent and every lender, and give advice to my client on which offer is going to be the best." Looking for a real estate agent in Las Vegas? U.S. News' Find an Agent tool can match you with the person who's most qualified for the job. Misti Yang is a freelance writer and public speaking professor in Las Vegas. From stolen HVAC units days before closing on her home in Las Vegas to a faulty title on the home she sold in Atlanta, Yang understands the challenges of buying and selling a home. Yang previously wrote Yelp's weekly newsletter for Las Vegas and continues to pen stories about food and travel. You can visit her website and connect with her on Twitter. Silicon Valley billionaire and President Donald Trump adviser Peter Thiel was able to gain New Zealand citizenship in 2011 despite never having lived in the country, because a top lawmaker decided his entrepreneurial skills and philanthropy were valuable to the nation, documents reveal. Thiel didnt even have to leave California to become a new member of the South Pacific nation. He was granted citizenship during a private ceremony held at the New Zealand Consulate in Santa Monica. The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs yesterday released 145 pages of partially redacted documents detailing how Thiel became a citizen. His status was first reported by The New Zealand Herald newspaper last month and raised questions because Thiel didnt fulfil the usual criteria requiring people to live in the country. In his application, Thiel wrote that he owned a home in New Zealand but if he was granted citizenship, he would need to continue residing in the U.S. to manage his California-based companies. He said he realized his circumstances wouldnt usually qualify him for citizenship, but that he believed he was an exception. In the course of pursing my international business opportunities, my travel, personal philosophical commitments and benefaction, I am happy to say categorically that I have found no other country that aligns more with my view of the future than New Zealand, he wrote. He said that as part of his study into how he could contribute to the local entrepreneurial environment, he had consulted with John Key, who was New Zealands prime minister at the time. Thiel wrote that it would give me great pride to let it be known that I am a New Zealand citizen. However, Thiels citizenship status only became publicly known following last months newspaper report. The 2011 documents show that Thiel also remained a citizen of Germany, where he was born. Thiel, 49, co-founded PayPal and was the first professional investor in Facebook. He secretly bankrolled a lawsuit against the news and gossip site Gawker which led to its bankruptcy and closure. Forbes estimates his net worth at USD2.7 billion, which makes him one of New Zealands wealthiest citizens. He has been an important adviser to Trump, who has vowed to put America first. When considering Thiels application, New Zealand officials noted that he had established a venture capital fund in New Zealand which had invested in a Wellington-based online accounting business, Xero. Mr. Thiel has demonstrated his philanthropy through making a million-dollar donation to the Christchurch earthquake relief fund, officials wrote as part of a letter recommending his application be approved. His citizenship was granted through a special approval by lawmaker Nathan Guy, who at the time was the Internal Affairs minister. Opposition lawmaker Iain Lees-Galloway tweeted yesterday that the decision was entirely about money and that citizenship shouldnt be for sale. AP ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports The Packers ruled out linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (knee) after he missed practice all week. That leaves rookie Quay Walker to wear the communication helmet on defense against the Lions. The only game Campbell has missed the past six seasons was Week 18 last season when he was inactive to rest for the postseason, not for [more] Milan (AFP) - AC Milan's suffered a blow as midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura was ruled out for the rest of the campaign following surgery on torn thigh muscles on Wednesday. Italy international Bonaventura is one of Milan's key players and is expected to return to fitness "within four months". "AC Milan announces that Giacomo Bonaventura was in Turku, Finland where he was operated on by Professor Sakari Orava, assisted by Milan medical chief Rodolfo Tavana," Milan said on their website. "Professor Orava has expressed his satisfaction with the outcome." Bonaventura is expected to return to competition "within four months notwithstanding complications." The seven-time European champions have missed out on European competition the past few seasons and are currently seventh in the league table, 14 points behind leaders and champions Juventus. Rossoneri hopes were compounded further last weekend when full-back Mattia Di Sciglio, also an Italy international, suffered ligament damage in his right ankle during a 2-1 loss at Udinese. Amazon reported that profit leapt during the year-end holiday shopping season, but the tech giant saw shares sink as revenue fell shy of high expectations. While revenue rose to $43.7 billion from $35.7 billion in a similar year-over-year comparison, Wall Street had expected Amazon to take in more cash during the key holiday shopping season. "Amazon is usually a retailer that operates at full volume, the noise of its sales growth a clarion call in an often muted retail sector," said GlobalData Retail analyst Anthony Riva. "However, this quarter that volume seems to have been turned down a couple of notches." Amazon shares were down more than four percent to $805.40 in after-market trades that followed release of the earnings report. Net income for the quarter was $749 million, compared with $482 in the same period a year earlier, according to earnings figures. While Amazon is known for its huge online retail operations, it is also a major provider of cloud computing, and is a rival to Netflix in streaming video. It has been ramping up efforts in artificial intelligence with its Alexa-powered speakers and partnerships with makers of connected devices. Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said the company is looking for growth via its "Prime" subscription service, which gives customers access to video, music and other services and free two-day shipping. Bezos said in a statement that Prime Video was now available in some 200 countries and territories. Its retail operations took in $26 billion in North America and $14 billion in the rest of the world. - 'Super Cloud' - Amazon Web Services and rival Microsoft Azure will be the "only two super clouds" where businesses rent storage or computing power for online operations, but that value is already built into the share price, Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry said in a note to investors. The earnings report said the cloud unit known as Amazon Web Services saw revenue jump 47 percent in the quarter to $3.5 billion. Story continues - Echo resounding - Devices infused with Alexa artificial intelligence were top selling products at Amazon.com during the holiday season, according to the company. Sales of Echo home virtual assistant devices, which are built with internal machine smarts, jumped nine times higher than during the same quarter a year earlier, Amazon said. Alexa was one of the big winners at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, cropping up in TVs, cars, fridges -- you name it -- in what appeared to be a breakthrough moment for the smart technology. - Out to deliver - Amazon continues to invest in its core retail network. This week Amazon announced plans to strengthen its distribution muscle by building its first air freight hub -- an investment of nearly $1.5 billion. A hub for the company's growing fleet of Prime Air cargo planes will be built at an airport in northern Kentucky, adding more than 2,000 US workers to the approximately 10,000 people it already employs at fulfillment centers in that state. Low cost and fast delivery are a fundamental part of Amazon's appeal to consumers, but are also its "Achilles' heel" because speedy shipping can be most costly, said analyst Riva. "As much as this quarter has been more subdued, Amazon remains firmly on the front foot in terms of innovation," Riva said. "This alone will continue to make it a retail out-performer, at least in sales terms, over the next year and beyond." CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (AP) _ Amdocs Ltd. (DOX) on Wednesday reported fiscal first-quarter profit of $97.8 million. On a per-share basis, the Chesterfield, Missouri-based company said it had net income of 66 cents. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 90 cents per share. The results matched Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of 90 cents per share. The provider of computer systems integration posted revenue of $954.7 million in the period, surpassing Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $954.5 million. For the current quarter ending in April, Amdocs expects its per-share earnings to range from 90 cents to 96 cents. The company said it expects revenue in the range of $940 million to $980 million for the fiscal second quarter. Amdocs shares have climbed almost 1 percent since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $58.72, an increase of 6 percent in the last 12 months. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on DOX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/DOX _____ Keywords: Amdocs, Earnings Report President Donald Trumps nomination of Rex Tillerson for secretary of state is headed toward Senate confirmation after several Democrats crossed party lines to back the former Exxon Mobil CEO. The vote on Tillerson, scheduled for today [Macau time], comes as tension continues to build among congressional Republicans and Democrats over Trumps executive order on immigrants and refugees. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared the order a litmus test for Trumps remaining Cabinet choices. Any that refuse to publicly reject the horrible new policy should be opposed, the New York Democrat said. But the Democrats just dont have the numbers to block Tillerson from becoming the nations chief diplomat. Republicans hold a four-seat advantage in the Senate and during a procedural vote Monday on the nomination, three Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Mark Warner of Virginia cast their ballots for Tillerson. Theyre unlikely to change their minds. Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, also supported Tillerson. The nomination needs only a simple majority to be confirmed. The opening days of the Trump administration have seen little of the honeymoon period new presidents usually experience. The chief battleground has been Trumps executive order temporarily blocking refugees worldwide and anyone from seven Muslim-majority nations. With liberal groups pressing them to fight Trump, Democrats used delaying tactics on Trump nominees yesterday. Its one of their limited weapons as the congressional minority to hamper the GOP. Several other votes are planned today to get Trump nominees approved by committees, clearing them for confirmation in the full Senate. Republicans said they would try anew to push two Trump nominees through the Senate Finance Committee, a day after Democrats said both men had lied to Congress about their financial background and blocked those votes. Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., is Trumps pick for health secretary, a post that would place him at the lead of Republican efforts to erase former President Barack Obamas health care overhaul. Democrats cited a newspaper report that officials of an Australian biomed company said Price received a special offer to buy their stock at reduced prices, despite Prices congressional testimony that the offer was available to all investors. Democrats said a bank run by wealthy financier Steve Mnuchin, Trumps designee for treasury secretary, used a process for handling home foreclosures that critics have associated with fraud. Both men and congressional Republicans said theyd done nothing wrong. Richard Lardner, Washington, AP By Sankalp Phartiyal MUMBAI (Reuters) - The government of the Indian state of Karnataka said on Thursday it welcomed a proposal from Apple Inc to begin initial manufacturing operations in the state, in a sign the tech company is slowly moving forward with plans to assemble iPhones in the country. "Apple's intentions to manufacture in Bengaluru will foster cutting edge technology eco system and supply chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally," the government of the south Indian state said in a statement. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters, however, that no deal, or memorandum of understanding had so far been finalised with the Karnataka government. The person, who asked not to be named, said if Apple did go ahead with plans to begin assembling the iPhone, it was likely to do so initially at a plant being set up by its Taiwanese manufacturing partner Wistron Corp <3231.TW> at Peenya on the outskirts of the tech hub of Bengaluru, Karnataka. Apple was not immediately reachable for comment. Cupertino, California-based Apple, is keen to assemble its phones in India, one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets. Apple representatives met with federal and state government officials in India last week, as it is lobbying hard for a raft of tax and sourcing concessions from India, before it begins to assemble iPhones in the country. Following the meetings, Apple said it appreciated the open and constructive dialogue it held with Indian officials, around the expansion of its local operations in the country. Any final decision around manufacturing in India however, is likely to still be contingent on the government's willingness to concede ground on the concessions sought by the company. Last month, Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said India would consider Apple's request for incentives to invest in the country with an "open mind." On its part, the government of Karnataka said on Thursday it was "committed to new initiatives in any sector for manufacturing and will provide a conducive environment for investment." (Writing by Euan Rocha. Editing by Jane Merriman) A sounding rocket flew successfully into the Alaskan sky Jan. 27 to track down nitric oxide, a byproduct of auroras (northern lights) that form in the region. The Polar Night Nitric Oxide experiment (PolarNOx) lifted off from the Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska and flew almost 176 miles (283 kilometers) high. The mission's goal was to see how much nitric oxide there is in the atmosphere, and how high it goes. Nitric oxide is generated during an aurora but is not "significantly destroyed" during the polar night, and under certain conditions it could make its way into the stratosphere and destroy ozone, NASA officials said in a statement. The ozone changes could in turn change stratospheric temperature and affect wind circulation on the Earth's surface. PolarNOx reached an altitude of almost 176 miles (283 kilometers) during a sounding rocket launch Jan. 27, allowing it to investigate the levels of nitric oxide in the atmosphere. NASA/Jamie Adkins "The rocket team did a great job of pointing us at the star and our spectrograph saw it clearly throughout the flight," Scott Bailey, the principal investigator for PolarNOx from Virginia Tech, said in the statement. "We got plenty of data to work through." Auroras are created when charged particles streaming from the sun (also known as the solar wind) energize gases in the magnetosphere, which is a region of the upper atmosphere. When the gases release this added energy, they also emit light particles (photons) in specific wavelengths, which are visible as different colors in auroras. Another stunning view of NASA's PolarNOx experiment and its Black Brant IX sounding rocket launching from from the Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska on Jan. 27, 2017. NASA/Jamie Adkins PolarNOx is the first of three missions that will launch from the range between January and March. The others, which will include two sounding rockets each, will further probe the nature of auroras, including "the interaction of the solar wind, the magnetosphere, Earth's upper atmosphere and the structure of the resulting aurora," NASA said. The other missions are expected to fly between Feb. 13 and March 3. Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Editor's Recommendations Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! With this withering tweet late Wednesday night, President Donald Trump put a refugee deal agreed with the Obama administration to take in 1,250 refugees in jeopardy. The message appeared to be a reaction to a report in the Washington Post about a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull which went badly awry. The agreement, Trump reportedly told Turnbull on Saturday, was the worst deal ever. It would get him killed politically at a time when domestic sentiment was pushing him to secure American borders against would-be terrorists. Australia, by urging him to honour the deal, was seeking to export the next Boston bombers. The U.S. leader cut this expected one-hour call after 25 minutes, the Post reports. This extraordinary chain of events has put the country in the unusual position of being at the center of an international diplomatic furore, and the 24-hour global news cycles. And for the most part, it would be fair to say that Australia has not responded overly favorably. Local television and social media exploded overnight on what was quickly dubbed Phonegate. Everything from Donald Trumps approach to phone etiquette and lack thereof did he or didnt he hang up? to what this diplomatic feud means for Turnbull and his meager political capital came under scrutiny. There was little public or political sympathy for Turnbull, the center-right leader who was re-elected in 2016 and has been accused of being lackluster in defending Australian principles of the fair go in his dealings with the U.S. on refugees and human rights, among other things. Many wondered if the deal to resettle refugees from an offshore Australian detention center had now been cancelled which would be a humiliating snub to Turnbulls government. The Prime Minister wouldnt comment on the Post report, saying only that he had received assurances the deal was still on. President Trumps decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed, an embassy spokesman had told the reporters, according to an official in the Sydney consulate. This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the White House and on to this embassy at 1315 Canberra time. Story continues Turnbulls political opponents werent convinced. Opposition leader Bill Shorten urged the Australian leader to come clean about what was actually said during the conversation. Talk straight to the Australian people, tell us whats going on, Shorten said. Clearly President Trump and his people are saying one thing happened in this conversation, which is completely at odds with what Prime Minister Turnbull has told the Australian people. They both cant be right and I think its in the interests of the Australian people for Mr Turnbull just to be straight with the people and tell us whats really going on. The apparent diplomatic snub has raised patriotic concern over perceived disrespect to the Australian leader. On 24-hr news channel Sky News, a panelist on political journalist David Speers show, retiree Lyn Ryan, said he was angered by the bullying and pushing around I find it offensive as an Australian. But some panelists on right-wing talk show Paul Murrays show, also on Sky News, had sympathy for Trumps position. Malcolm Roberts, a senator for the anti-immigration One Nation party, applauded the U.S. Presidents hard-line stance. It shows the difference between these two leaders, he said. Donald Trump understands his main responsibility as a government is to protect peoples lives, to protect property and to protect freedom. He is standing up for his country in scrutineering this deal. Possible solutions ranged from sending Mr Turnbull on an emergency make-nice visit to Washington, to organizing a meeting between Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and US secretary of state Rex Tillerson, to inviting Mr Trump for a state visit to smooth things over. Murray, the host, said Australia should have expected this kind of treatement at some point. The reality is that a lot of Americans voted for a more inward-looking, more insular America. They didnt want the worlds policeman, they didnt want them solving the worlds problems, theyve got enough problems in their own backyard, he said. I think we are just going to have to accept that from time to time we have to cop the raw end of the pineapple because America will look after itself under Donald Trump. The last word belongs to The Boss. Bruce Springsteen, who is currently touring Australia, opened his show in Melbourne overnight with a nod-nod-wink-wink performance of Dont Hang Up. An insider told TIME that he began with a few words about the call: We stand before you, embarrassed Americans, tonight what else can I say but st is fed up man. The E Street Band needs some Aussie spirit. The audience loved it, by all accounts. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was Thursday accused of "buying" his narrow election victory last year after he admitted personally gifting Aus$1.75 million (US$1.32 million) to the cash-strapped Liberal Party campaign. The multi-millionaire former banker, known as "Mr Harbourside Mansion", had repeatedly dodged questions about the issue, but changed his mind during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "I contributed Aus$1.75 million, that was the contribution I made," Turnbull said late Wednesday. "It's been talked about and speculated about, so there it is." The Sydney Morning Herald said it was the largest political donation by an individual in Australian history. Turnbull's Liberal/National coalition was narrowly re-elected after a fiercely fought campaign last July, and the Labor opposition claimed it effectively bought power. "It stinks. Malcolm Turnbull had to buy his way out of trouble," said shadow finance minister Jim Chalmers. "He couldn't win an election on his merits so he got out his wallet. "If he didn't have $1.75 million to splash about he wouldn't be the leader of the Liberal Party and he wouldn't be the prime minister." Reports said the cash was used to fund television advertising, direct mail-outs and opinion polls. Treasurer Scott Morrison lashed out at Labor's "grubby smear" of Turnbull. "It's a grubby political smear from a grubby political hack, from a party of hacks led by Bill Shorten," he said. Turnbull is reportedly worth Aus$200 million through his previous careers as a barrister, businessman and investment banker. Under Australian law, political parties receive public funding according to how well they perform in an election. The funding, which is received after the polls, is usually insufficient to pay for campaigns, with parties having to approach donors -- individuals and companies -- to boost their kitty. Story continues Labor relies on donations and affiliation fees from trade unions for much of its funding. All donations above Aus$13,000 at the national level have to be disclosed. Turnbull's gift did not show up in Australian Electoral Commission figures released this week for the last financial year ending June 30, piling pressure on him to come clean. It turned out the donation was made in the current financial year -- pledged before the election but the cash arriving after the polls -- and so could have remained secret for another 12 months. British Prime Minister Theresa Mays government on Thursday published its Brexit white paper, detailing the prime ministers 12 point plan for leaving the European Union. Meanwhile, nearly 2,600 miles from London in Tbilisi, Georgia, people celebrated hard-won approval to travel to the EU visa-free. In Georgia, the EU is still considered the destination, not something from which to escape, it seems. Mays white paper, titled The United Kingdoms Exit from, and New Partnership with, the European Union, came a day after the U.K. House of Commons passed a bill allowing May to begin negotiations to leave the EU. In the paper, the May government seemed to double down on the notion that leaving the globes largest trade bloc will make Britain more, not less, global. We are a great, global nation with so much to offer Europe and so much to offer the world, it states. Among the 12 points enumerated in the plan are providing certainty and clarity and taking control of our own laws. Also listed is controlling immigration and, specifically, the number of EU nationals coming to the UK. Indeed, control over European migration is to be a central point in the impending negotiations. Former chancellor George Osborne said during the debate on the Brexit bill that immigration control, and not the economy, was the governments priority. On the other end of the EU travel spectrum stands Georgia. The eastern european country spent four years working to meet tough benchmarks to get the European Parliaments blessing for its citizens to travel without visas to the EU. Among other things, it developed policies to better handle migration and to fight against corruption and organized crime. This process itself is important for our society, David Bakradze, Georgian ambassador to the United States, told Foreign Policy. Why? Because Georgians wanted to come closer to Europe. Europe is Georgias destiny. Its our home, said Bakradze. And what of the reality that some in Europe are looking to leave? That is the choice that is made by the British people, by the UK citizens, Bakradze said. Our choice supports the EU. Photo credit: VANO SHLAMOV/AFP/Getty Images By Andrei Makhovsky and Andrew Osborn MINSK/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarus said on Thursday it suspected Russia was trying to restore a formal border zone between the two countries, a move it said flouted agreements on freedom of movement and trade and raised questions about Moscow's real intent. Belarus spoke out after the publication of three decrees signed by Alexander Bortnikov, the head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), that ordered border zones to be set up in three Russian regions adjacent to Belarus. In the years after the 1991 Soviet collapse, border controls existed but were removed as the two countries, both former Soviet republics, grew closer again. "The Russian side took a decision to set up border zones on the frontier with Belarus without advance warning, flying in the face of all existing agreements," Maria Vanshina, a spokeswoman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday. "Many people get the impression that these actions are designed to restore full control over the Belarusian-Russian border, something that was scrapped more than 20 years ago." Russia and Belarus have long been part of a political and economic union that provides for open borders and allows citizens from both nations to work and settle in the other without going through immigration formalities. But relations have soured since Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko criticized Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014. Since then, the two have fallen out over gas pricing, with Russia cutting oil deliveries to Belarus, while Russian moves to try to expand its military presence in Belarus have come to nothing. Lukashenko, who has often played Russia and the West off against each other to extract concessions from each, has responded by becoming friendlier with the West. Belarus said last month it would allow visa-free entry for the citizens of 80 countries, including the United States and the European Union, for visits of up to five days. Soon afterwards, Russia's FSB border guards were ordered to mark up border zones in three Russian regions next to Belarus, to erect signs indicating their status, and to fix the exact place and time when people and vehicles could enter the areas. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Thursday. (Editing by Robin Pomeroy) HONG KONG Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua reportedly taken away from his Hong Kong hotel by mainland police, in a case that has parallels with last years disappearances of five booksellers. SOUTH KOREA Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that he wont run for the presidency, a surprise announcement that removes a key figure from the scramble to replace impeached President Park Geun-hye and further stirs the countrys already tumultuous politics. NEW ZEALANDs recently appointed Prime Minister Bill English announced yesterday that the country will hold a national election in September in what will be a test of his popularity following the surprise resignation of former leader John Key. AUSTRALIAs prime minister Malcolm Turnbull would not say how many refugees from Pacific island camps will be resettled in the United States after President Donald Trumps administration said extreme vetting would be used to check their cases. JAPAN Officials have rejected President Donald Trumps suggestion that Tokyo is seeking to weaken the yen against the U.S. dollar to gain a trade advantage. INDIA The shares of top Indian IT companies sank this week in response to news of proposed U.S. legislation that could make it harder for companies to replace American workers with those from countries like India. USA Leading Democrats have come out in staunch opposition to Donald Trumps nomination of Neil Gorsuch (pictured) for the vacant position on the Supreme Court. The president named the Colorado appeals court judge yesterday to replace the late Antonin Scalia. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he had very serious doubts about Judge Gorsuchs nomination. UAEs top diplomat yesterday came out in defense of Trumps order temporarily barring citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. The comments by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (pictured, right) could help bolster the administrations assertion that the directive was not intended as a ban against Muslims. EU-MEXICO The European Union and Mexico are to speed up talks on a new trade agreement as U.S. administration moves to renegotiate major international trade pacts. EU and Mexico trade chiefs have agreed to hold negotiations on April 3-7 and June 26-29. They will also meet between rounds to push for further progress. Their current trade pact dates from 2000. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f35585%2fd33c53db-e14e-4bc8-a826-2e8bc3d4731c Ever in tune with your emotions, Queen Bey has delivered what you wanted the most more photos of her instantly iconic pregnancy shoot with Awol Erizku. Beyonce's twins, who have not been born yet, are already the subjects of the world's most liked Instagram photo a title they captured from Selena Gomez on Thursday. So it only made sense to give them some more time in the sun. SEE ALSO: Beyonce's big announcement gave an incredible start to Black History Month A photo posted by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Feb 1, 2017 at 10:39am PST The new pictures are featured alongside poetry from Warsan Shire, the Somali-British writer whose work is heavily featured in Lemonade. There are also several throwback shots of Jay-Z and Blue Ivy, as well as a few mesmerizing GIFs. You can marvel at the photos in full on Bey's official website. Image: Courtesy of Beyonce.com Image: Courtesy of Beyonce.com Image: Courtesy of Beyonce.com Solange also posted one of them to Instagram. A photo posted by Solange (@saintrecords) on Feb 2, 2017 at 5:55am PST Do we think Beyonce can breathe underwater? Probably, right? BONUS: One 'Pitch Perfect' actress writes songs for Rihanna and Beyonce Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f370313%2f488e6e97-3fa5-4ec9-ae0e-0daa79e7fa1c On Feb. 1, 2017, Beyonce stopped the world yet again by announcing that she is pregnant with two more heirs to the Carter-Knowles dynasty. But we should be ashamed of ourselves for our surprise at the glorious news. Because she tried to give us this beautiful gift around Christmas, and we were too foolish to realize what was right before our eyes. SEE ALSO: Beyonce's pregnancy photo destroyed an Instagram record because of course it did See, Bey Instagrammed a festive slideshow for the holidays, including a shot of her flashing two fingers. You know, FOR TWINS. A video posted by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Dec 17, 2016 at 8:05pm PST That is not a peace sign! Yeah, sure, maybe she was, as always, trying to remain in control of her privacy by not exposing her fingertips to potential hackers while still offering a message of peace earth to the Beyhive. But maybe it was a message of a far greater hope two children in her blessed womb that could certainly save humanity from its own wretched ways with coordinated outfits and harmonies ripped straight from the heavens. It's important to note that Bey it looks like more than a month passed between this holiday photoshoot and the maternity shoot, and she likely took the festive snaps well before sharing them. Beyonce gave us another clue around Christmastime when she took Blue Ivy to Mariah Carey's show and posed with Carey's twins in what, in hindsight, was clearly an act of surveillance. Backstage at Christmas time with our beautiful children. @beyonce #christmas #family #love A photo posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Dec 12, 2016 at 7:50pm PST Some fans allege she was dropping hints as far back as July 2016. Without knowing when Bey actually conceived the twins, it's hard to say whether or not the theory holds up. But if Bey used in vitro fertilization, twins could have been the plan all along. Story continues A photo posted by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Jul 28, 2016 at 6:28pm PDT Just prior to Instagramming the two gesture/backwards peace sign, she shared a photo of a bottle of champagne with no evidence that she herself drank any of it herself. Although Beyonce always has plenty to celebrate, posting a photo of a bottle of alcohol on its own is not the norm for her. This was a special occasion. A photo posted by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Jul 28, 2016 at 4:44pm PDT Now, all we can do is learn from our mistakes and remind ourselves that every vacation selfie, every Ivy Park athleisure ad is written in code. Whenever Bey bestows content upon our hungry souls, we most celebrate, yes, and decipher the messages. We must be active participants of the countdown, and maybe when the promised ones arrive, we will be as prepared as we possibly can be for their majesty. But probably not! Paris (AFP) - One of France's richest men, 91-year-old rightwing senator Serge Dassault, was fined 2 million euros on Thursday for tax fraud and barred from holding elected office for five years. The head of aviation and software giant Dassault Group, which owns Le Figaro newspaper, was only spared jail because of his age. Dassault is France's third wealthiest person, with a net worth estimated by Forbes magazine of $14.8 billion (13.3 billion euros). A Paris court found him guilty of hiding tens of millions of euros from the taxman in accounts in Liechtenstein and Luxembourg over a period of 15 years. The accounts contained 31 million euros in 2006, a figure that had fallen to 12 million euros in 2014. The court said "the scale of the fraud, its duration and the political function carried out for a part of the period" would have justified a custodial sentence, had it not been for Dassault's "great age". Dassault announced plans to appeal. He will not be forced to relinquish his senatorial seat -- which is up for grabs again in late 2017 -- until after the appeal is heard. It is the second time a court has ordered that the controversial tycoon be stripped of his political position. In 2009, his re-election as the mayor of the Paris suburb of Corbeil-Essonnes was annulled over allegations he bought the votes of poor families of immigrant backgrounds. The court heard that the money Dassault kept in foreign accounts may have been placed there in the 1950s by his father Marcel, who was imprisoned and deported during World War II for refusing to collaborate with Germany's aviation industry. Marcel Dassault -- who changed his original surname Bloch to Dassault, which sounds like the French phrase for "on the attack" -- developed a propeller used by French pilots in World War I and went on to build fighter jets and establish Dassault Aviation. ORINOCA, Bolivia (Reuters) - Bolivia on Thursday opened a $7 million museum dedicated to President Evo Morales and indigenous peoples in Morales's birthplace of Orinoca high up in the deserts of the Bolivian antiplano. Morales ordered the museum to be built by decree shortly after he became Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2006, creating a place to hold hundreds of his gifts as well as photos, videos and archeological treasures. "This town that has raised me, this town that has taken care of me, I want to say 'thank you, we will keep working'," said a tearful Morales at the inauguration some 400 kilometers (249 miles) from Bolivia's main city of La Paz. Morales was elected to a third consecutive term in 2014, a leftist holdout on a continent that is largely moving to the political right, and is seeking a way to run again in 2019 despite losing a referendum over a fourth term. The museum, which Bolivia's minister called the largest and most modern in Latin America, tells the country's history with a focus on the achievements of Morales. It is divided into three wings, each named after mythic animals in Bolivian history. Andean music and traditional dances from dozens of nearby communities rounded out the opening of the so-called "Museum of the Democratic and Cultural Revolution." Some have criticized the museum as a waste of money that is too remote to attract tourists. Bolivia is in the middle of its worst drought in 25 years. It declared a state of emergency in November amid protests in major cities and conflicts over the use of aquifers. (Reporting by David Mercado and Santiago Limachi in Orinoca, and Daniel Ramos in La Paz; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Sandra Maler) Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's Supreme Court named a new justice Thursday to oversee cases against politicians caught in a giant corruption probe after the previous judicial pointman was killed in an airplane crash. Justice Edson Fachin, picked to replace the late Teori Zavascki, is seen as a safe pair of hands for the sprawling probe into bribery and embezzlement from state oil company Petrobras codenamed Operation Car Wash. The scandal has already claimed a string of high-profile figures and the Supreme Court -- which hears cases involving sitting politicians -- is about to look at a flood of new allegations. Fachin promised to be effective in tackling the Petrobras saga, in which politicians took bribes from business executives to hand out inflated contracts for work with the oil company. Much of the bribe money was funnelled into political party campaign funds. Fachin "recognizes the importance of his new duties and reiterates his promise to perform his duties with prudence, speed, responsibility and transparency," his office said in a statement. Silvia Batini, a prosecutor and law professor, told AFP that Fachin would likely keep Car Wash on a steady path, allaying fears in some quarters that the judicial upheaval could derail the process. "He's the court member closest in profile to Zavascki, technically speaking. In terms of the rhythm of dealing with the case, we can expect a certain continuity," Batini said. The Supreme Court's workload has grown with the decision to accept mass plea bargains negotiated by prosecutors with scores of executives from the Odebrecht construction firm, one of the main players in the embezzlement scheme. Car Wash prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol told AFP last month that the number of suspects would double, given the allegations made in the plea bargains. President Michel Temer is among those alleged to have taken illegal money from Odebrecht, according to Brazilian media. Zavascki's sudden death shocked the Brazilian political world, but despite claims by the judge's son that the crash was "too much of a coincidence," no evidence of foul play has emerged. Another judge involved in the Petrobras probe, Sergio Moro, hailed Zavascki as a "true hero." London (AFP) - Prime Minister Theresa May's government published its blueprint for Brexit on Thursday after winning a first parliamentary vote on a bill that would empower her to start pulling Britain out of the EU. London is aiming for a "new, positive and constructive partnership between Britain and the European Union that works in our mutual interest", Brexit minister David Davis said as he launched the 77-page document in parliament. The plan says Britain will aim to create a new mechanism to settle trade disputes once it leaves the European Union and pass new immigration and customs laws. The blueprint set out in writing the 12 negotiating objectives May laid down in a landmark speech last month. It outlined Britain's aims as May prepares to begin the process of officially quitting the EU following last June's historic referendum vote. The "White Paper", which came a day after the government comfortably won a first vote on triggering the start of divorce negotiations, also said Britain will pull out of the single market in order to control immigration from the EU, which ran at 284,000 in the year to June 2016. Britain will look to strike a new customs agreement with Brussels, enabling it to forge its own trade deals with the rest of the world, it said. Davis said Britain wanted to build a strong, alternative partnership with Brussels. "This government will make no attempt to remain in the EU by the backdoor, nor will we hold a second referendum on membership," the document says. "Instead, the strategic partnership which we seek will underpin free trade between the UK and EU... as well as the closest possible cooperation on key issues like security, foreign policy and science and technology." - May wins emotional vote - A fortnight ago, May outlined her exit strategy in a speech to foreign ambassadors. She warned Britain would feel free to set competitive tax rates if it cannot strike a free trade deal with the EU. Story continues MPs on Wednesday approved the first stage of a bill for triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which would fire the starting gun on two years of exit negotiations. May wants to deploy Article 50 by the end of March, so the legislation process is going through parliament at speed. After an emotional debate on Wednesday, MPs voted by a margin of 498 to 114 in the first Brexit-related vote in parliament's lower House of Commons. Scottish nationalists and rebels from the main opposition Labour Party made up the bulk of the 114. Many pro-EU MPs voiced their anguish at voting against their own deeply-held beliefs to pass the bill, which is expected to receive final approval by the House of Lords next month. One opposition MP was heard shouting "Suicide!" as the result of the vote was announced in the chamber. - Rights of EU nationals - The Times newspaper said May was facing a revolt from backbenchers in her centre-right Conservative Party unless she guarantees the right of more than three million EU citizens living in Britain to stay. The premier wants the reciprocal rights of Britons in Europe guaranteed. In parliament, Davis said: "I'm not going to be throwing people out of Britain. "We owe a moral responsibility, a moral debt, to the EU nationals here," he said, adding that the same extended to British citizens abroad, "and we will protect both". Opposition MPs blasted Davis for publishing the document only minutes before they could question him on it in parliament. Dozens of amendments are scheduled for debate over three days in the House of Commons from Monday. The bill will then move to the upper House of Lords for debate from February 20, with the government hoping for their approval by March 7. But the bill could be delayed in the Lords, where the Conservatives do not have a majority -- and where the unelected peers have no fear of a voter backlash. Madrid (AFP) - A coalition of groups representing Britons living in EU nations joined forces Thursday to defend their rights as Britain readies to pull out of the bloc and thousands of expats worry about their future. In an "Alternative White Paper" timed to coincide with the British government's launch of its blueprint for Brexit, organisations representing British citizens living in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain called for their rights as EU citizens to be preserved after the pull-out. "The (Brexit) referendum gave no mandate to alter the rights of these people," read the document drafted by Jane Golding and Jeremy Morgan, two British lawyers living in Germany and Italy respectively, and endorsed by 10 groups. "It was no part of the (pro-Brexit) Leave campaign that their rights should be torn up, quite the contrary. "It is therefore essential that whatever steps are necessary to protect these rights are taken, and taken as a matter of urgency to bring an end to the anxiety that they are feeling about their personal futures and those of their families." The document called for expats' pre-Brexit rights to be included in EU withdrawal negotiations and explicitly guaranteed in a final agreement "so as to give it the force of international law." It is estimated at least 1.2 million British citizens live in the 27 other EU member states, though that number could be far higher. Chief on their minds are healthcare, pensions, the right to work, to study, and to generally remain in their country of residence -- all of which are addressed in the "alternative white paper." In Spain, for instance, which counts a huge British community, many of them pensioners who have moved to better climes, healthcare is a huge concern, particularly with the fall in the pound following June's referendum. For now, it is covered by Spain's social security system under EU mechanisms that allow Britons to receive the same treatment as locals, and many would not be able to pay if that right were taken away. Story continues The "alternative white paper" also highlighted the case of professionals such as nurses or architects whose qualifications are recognised EU-wide, and would have to re-qualify in their country of residence. "It's very important to speak with one voice," Golding, a member of Germany's "Brits in Europe" association, told AFP. "These are real people, real lives, real problems we're facing." It's Britney, b****... or is it? It took more than $80,000 and 90 cosmetic procedures, but this Britney Spears superfan from Los Angeles is committed to looking like his idol. Read: Dad Drops $37G for Daughter's Plastic Surgery: 'It's the Best Gift Ever' Meet Bryan Ray, 31, who dedicated his money, his looks and his life to looking like the pop princess. He said it all started when he was 17, and Britney Spears was at the height of her career. "She was just the biggest star in the world, and I just gravitated toward her so much," Ray told InsideEdition.com. "It was also the time where she was exploring her own sexuality, and she was getting some flak for it, but she was doing her own thing, and I really looked up to that." When Ray went for his first procedure to get veneers, his orthodontist asked who he wanted them modeled after, and he answered, "Britney Spears." "I had no idea going into it how I would feel," Ray explained. "After the procedure was done, it was just a complete transformation." Ray said he has received at least 90 procedures since then, including regular Botox treatments, fillers, laser hair removal, lip injections, and a rhinoplasty when he was 21, according to Caters News. His beauty routine also comprises of countless skin care treatments, including avoiding the sun at all costs to keep his skin looking young. In addition to having gone to every single Britney Spears tour including a small show at the House of Blues in L.A. in 2007 Ray has learned the dance choreography to every single one of her songs, which he performs while impersonating the pop star. The superfan said he's even met his idol three times, including once during her 2006 break down. "It was really sad to see her in that state," Ray explained. "She was speaking in a British accent, she was talking a mile a minute. It definitely wasn't the same Britney this was a really different experience." Story continues Read: Nurse, 25, Undergoes Butt Lift Surgery to Look Like Kim Kardashian But, he explained the way she handled that part of her life only inspired him more. "She started off so young, and she was this sort of unattainable star," Ray said. "She had personal problems, which we all do, and she was able to come back from that. It's such a testament to her character." Recently, Ray was noticed for his unique looks and was recruited to be part of reality show Plastics of Hollywood that followed him through his budding career as a model. Watch: Piece of Me? First Look at Controversial Britney Spears Lifetime Network Biopic Related Articles: Lost amid coverage of President Donald Trumps harmful executive orders and the alternative facts proclaimed by his spokespeople is the targeted killing program he inherited from Barack Obama. Those wondering whether Trump would have qualms about using armed drones already have their answer. On the first, second, and third day of his presidency, Trump authorized drone strikes in central Yemen. These operations cumulatively killed five suspected members of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Trump has already demonstrated his clear willingness to utilize this awesome lethal program. Well soon know whether he also plans to adhere to the principles and processes for the use of drones detailed by Obama and what that decision will mean for the effectiveness of the drone program. Drone strikes in non-battlefield settings (Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan) were a fundamental component of Obamas foreign-policy legacy, both because of his unprecedented expansion of their use and because of his unexpected (but minimal) reforms in terms of accountability and transparency. Indeed, the Obama administration deserves credit for trying to create a lasting policy and legal framework to govern the use of lethal drones. This effort began during the 2012 presidential campaign, with the development of formal standards and procedures (dubbed the playbook) designed to constrain a more hawkish prospective Mitt Romney administration. The discussion, which involved exhaustive interagency debates, continued long after the 2012 election. In December 2016, the Obama administration finally published a 61-page compendium of decision-making processes and standards for targeted killings. Fully capturing these reforms, and assessing whether they would endure into the Trump presidency, requires talking to people with firsthand insight into their drafting and implementation. Late last year, I convened 20 outside experts and government officials (both former and, at the time, current) who worked on or studied drone strikes for an off-the-record discussion. (A summary of the discussion is available here.) Four fundamental themes emerged. First, participants unanimously agreed that the domestic legal underpinning for targeted strikes the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force had been stretched beyond the point of being credible. That law was written in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 but is now used to justify strikes against terror groups that either did not exist at the time of that attack, or are wholly unaffiliated with al Qaeda. One participant dubbed it a failure of democracy and a legal time bomb. Therefore, it was agreed that the Trump administration should propose, and Congress should pass, an updated authorization that includes the Islamic State. But theres no initial indication Trump is interested in pursuing such an updated law. Second, though generally supportive, participants noted that there are downsides to greater transparency about who can be targeted and how many noncombatants are killed in such operations. In particular, targeted terrorist groups are aware of when the United States will and will not launch attacks, and have therefore increasingly intermingled with civilian populations or used as human shields when traveling. In addition, the more the public knows about the standards applicable for drones, the more they may demand that similar standards are met for attacks using other weapons systems, such as artillery shelling and cruise missile strikes. Thats part of the reason why the Obama administrations compendium of drone processes dont include suggestions for greater transparency. Third, meeting participants described the Obama administrations approach as highly centralized and tailored for the president and his senior aides, particularly onetime counterterrorism czar and later CIA Director John Brennan. Obama was described as having a legalistic mindset that compelled him to scrutinize the evidentiary basis for individual strikes. Though nobody can know how carefully Trump who has promised to both eradicate radical Islamic terrorism and avoid overseas commitments intends to weigh evidence for proposed strikes, you might be able to guess. And this would mean there would be less apparent accountability at lower levels in the chain of command because its not clear who is weighing the evidence, if the buck doesnt stop with the president. Indeed, commanders for Yemen are reportedly preparing to ask the White House for more direct authority over lethal counterterrorism operations, in a sign that they believe they should be empowered to conduct drone strikes and raids without sign-off from Washington. Fourth, the participants broadly agreed that many of the Obama-era reforms would survive into the Trump administration, because explicitly removing them would be burdensome and could spur backlash from the national security bureaucracy. This would particularly be true for strikes conducted by the Joint Special Operations Command, because the standards and processes are now embedded within military doctrine passed on to new commanders and action officers. Regional military commanders are also aware that one Civilian Casualty event (an airstrike that causes civilian casualties) can greatly reduce a host-nation governments cooperation for months at a time. However, several believed (or hoped) that the requirement that an individual pose a continuing, imminent threat to U.S. persons in order to be targeted would be rescinded. Relaxing targeting standards, they said, would provide the flexibility needed to counter increasingly networked adversaries. The Trump administration is clearly undecided about some aspects of its lethal counterterrorism operation policies. White House spokesman Sean Spicer, when asked about the Jan. 29 Navy SEAL raid in Yemen, flatly declared, No American citizen will ever be targeted. Hours later, an anonymous official reversed this position: U.S. policy regarding the possible targeting of American citizens has not changed. I have been told by an involved U.S. government official that all aspects of American counterterrorism strategy, including non-battlefield drone strikes, will be formally reviewed and revised in due time. In light of the tragic raid, which killed AQAP operatives as well as a Navy SEAL and an unknown number of civilians amazingly acknowledged by CENTCOM only after a three-day delay its easy to imagine Trump deciding to follow Obama in relying more heavily on drone strikes than manned raids. Some policy incoherence can be forgiven in the first weeks of a new administration. But the past two weeks during which Trump signed a slew of executive orders and presidential memos apparently without consulting or notifying the affected agencies, let alone Congress do not bode well for those hoping for a careful consideration of drone program rules inherited from the Obama administration, much less a concerted pursuit of new reforms. Photo credit: Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustration The company that makes Budweiser the popular brew that rebranded itself as America last summer appears to be wading into the nations immigration debate in the wake of President Trumps travel ban last week. Anheuser-Busch InBev on Wednesday released a 60-second Super Bowl commercial focused on the companys founder, German immigrant Adolphus Busch. The ad follows Busch as he travels from his native country to St. Louis, where he fatefully meets his future father-in-law Eberhard Anheuser also German-born, and the eventual co-founder of the iconic brewing company. Related: 55 Major US Companies Founded by Immigrants The ad includes dialogue such as, You dont look like youre from around here and Go back home, while showing a journey fraught with struggles, echoing the challenges faced by refugees and immigrants today. At the end of the ad, Anheuser orders a beer for Busch, calling him my friend, marking the start of a relationship that eventually leads to the creation of the largest American beer maker. (Anheuser-Busch became a Belgian-owned company in 2008 after InBev bought the company for $52 billion.) The commercial highlights the positive impact that many immigrants have had on the U.S., while the current conversation about immigration is centered largely on terrorism or how undocumented workers are taking U.S. jobs. Theres data to back up the economic message of the commercial, too. A study last year from the National Foundation for American Policy found that immigrants started more than half of the 87 U.S.-based startups worth $1 billion or more, including WeWork, Moderna Therapeutics and SpaceX. Their companies on average employed 760 workers. The founders hail from India, Israel, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, among 15 other countries around the world. About a quarter of the founders first came to the U.S. as international students. This is hardly a new phenomenon, as the Budweiser ad shows. Another study from Partnership for a New American Economy found that almost a fifth of Fortune 500 companies in 2010 were founded by immigrants, many of them as far back as the 19th century. (Notable example: Communications giant AT&T traces its roots to the Bell Telephone Company, founded by Scottish immigrant Alexander Graham Bell.) Story continues Related: After Three Years of Extreme Vetting, I Nearly Gave Up on My American Dream Another fifth of the companies were founded by children of immigrants, such as Apples Steve Jobs, whose parents came from Syria, one of the countrys affected by President Trumps recent travel ban. Bob Miner, founder of Oracle, had parents who emigrated from Iran. In total, immigrants or children of immigrants founded 40 percent of the 2010 Fortune 500 companies, employing 3.6 million people at the time, with combined revenue of $4.2 trillion. Many of these companies are American business icons, including McDonalds (child of immigrant), Ford (child of immigrant) and Google (immigrant founder). Click here to see other major U.S. companies that were founded by immigrants. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: BOSTON (AP) A nationwide campaign to get more Muslim Americans involved in local politics is being launched by a Massachusetts nonprofit. Jetpac Inc. is focused on training Muslim Americans how to leverage social media, data analysis and other critical political tools to build winning campaigns for city council, school committee and other down ballot races. A separate political action committee, the Jetpac Action Fund, is also being formed to raise money for Muslim American candidates. The goal is to build stronger, more sophisticated grassroots political organizations with an eye toward the 2018 elections, according to Shaun Kennedy, Jetpac Inc.'s executive director. "The community as a whole is about 50 years behind in terms of organizing," said Kennedy, who is not Muslim. "The younger generation is trying to step up. The older generation just tried to fly under the radar. They didn't want to be part of the political conversation. Unfortunately they are now, whether they like it or not." Roughly 3.3 million Muslims were living in the U.S. in 2015, representing about one percent of the population, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. But Muslims hold few notable elected offices. There are currently two Muslim members of Congress Minnesota Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison and Indiana Democratic Rep. Andre Carson and just a handful holding local offices in California, Michigan, New Jersey and elsewhere. "When I'm asked to give a number, I usually respond with 'not enough'," Kennedy said. Jetpac's effort is among a number seeking to turn the energy of recent protests against President Donald Trump's administration into political momentum for the next election cycle, observed Deborah Schildkraut, a political science professor at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, who's not affiliated with the organization. "The timing is very smart," Schildkraut said. "With all the marches and protests we've been having, there's this question about how to turn this into something of consequence. It's about harnessing that energy and striking while the iron is hot." Story continues Schildkraut said it remains to be seen whether the Muslim American community's primary challenge is developing and recruiting candidates and campaign operatives, or actually getting non-Muslim voters to support them. Jetpac, which stands for Justice, Education and Technology, grew out of the political campaigns of founder and Democratic Cambridge City Councilor Nadeem Mazen, Massachusetts' first elected Muslim officeholder. The nearly 2-year-old organization is looking to export lessons learned during Mazen's winning campaigns in 2013 and 2015, including how to deal with the inevitable backlash from anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic groups and individuals who target their faith, said Kennedy, who served on the 2015 campaign. "Any Muslim candidate doesn't need to draw attention to the fact that they're Muslim. Someone else is going to do that for them," he said. "At the end of the day, they are running as Americans. They're not Muslim American candidates but American candidates who just so happen to be Muslim." By Nia Williams CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Crews have nearly finished cleaning up 35 barrels of crude oil that leaked from a pipeline at a facility owned by Tundra Energy Marketing Ltd in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada's energy regulator said on Thursday. There were no injuries or fires as a result of the spill, which occurred Tuesday evening at a Tundra's Ingoldsby facility, 270 kilometers (168 miles) southeast of Regina. It was the second crude oil spill in a matter of weeks for the privately-held company, after more than 1,000 barrels leaked onto aboriginal land in Saskatchewan. The Ingoldsby facility comes under the jurisdiction of Canada's National Energy Board because it is a federally regulated site, and an investigation into the root cause of the leak is underway. "Our inspectors were there on site and they are satisfied the cleanup is moving ahead appropriately," NEB spokesman Tom Neufeld said. The January spill is being investigated by the Saskatchewan government, which said it will provide assistance to the NEB on the latest leak if requested, but could not speculate on the cause of the Ingoldsby incident. "Our investigation continues into the spill on the Ocean Man First Nation and we will release those findings when complete," a Saskatchewan government spokeswoman said. In a statement released on Wednesday, Tundra said it discovered the leak on Tuesday night and shut down operations immediately. All of the crude oil spilled was contained within Tundra's lease site. The pipeline was last inspected by the NEB in July 2016. (Editing by Alan Crosby) By David Ljunggren and Rod Nickel OTTAWA/WINNIPEG (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking a low key approach to dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking to avoid clashes while indirectly signaling the two leaders' differences to a domestic audience. Insiders acknowledge the cautious strategy could anger progressives whose support helped bring Trudeau to power in 2015 but say for now, he has no choice but to hold fire: Canada sends 75 percent of its exports to the United States and could suffer if it is targeted by Trump. "Why poke a grizzly bear while it's having lunch? Trump has just got into office and he is formulating his economic plans," said one senior political source. While Trudeau's close friendship with former President Barack Obama was often referred to as a "bromance" and "dude-plomacy," Canadian prime ministers have not always had close ties with U.S. presidents. Still, few in Ottawa have experienced anything like Trump, insiders said. "He is totally unpredictable," said another government source. Although Canada regards the United States as its closest ally, Trudeau has yet to visit Washington to see Trump. A visit tentatively scheduled this week was canceled after a shooter killed six Muslims in a Quebec mosque and no new date has been set, said two people familiar with the matter. Michael Kergin, a former Canadian ambassador to Washington, said Trudeau's caution was wise. "He's been playing it pretty well by restraining the temptation to be publicly critical of the president. At the same time, it's a delicate balance," said Kergin, now a senior adviser at law firm Bennett Jones. Trudeau was also right not to follow British Prime Minister Theresa May in rushing to Washington to "gin up a special relationship," only to watch Trump make an unpopular move on immigration after she left, Kergin said. Trump labeled a refugee swap deal with Australia "dumb" on Thursday after a telephone call with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the Washington Post reported was acrimonious. Turnbull kept any sparring behind closed doors. Trudeau, however, has taken indirect shots. When Trump signed orders banning people from seven Muslim-majority states, Trudeau tweeted that Canada was open to those fleeing war. His chief spokeswoman blasted U.S. network Fox News on Tuesday for a tweet falsely claiming the Quebec gunman was of Moroccan origin. But she said nothing publicly when Trump's spokesman said the attack on Muslims showed why it was important to suspend immigration from Muslim nations. This approach infuriates the opposition New Democrats, who have called on Trudeau to denounce Trump's "racist" immigration policy. Trudeau team members acknowledge that over time, Liberals could lose support before a 2019 election if the prime minister is deemed not to be standing up for Canadian values such as inclusiveness. "That is a risk, but we'll address it closer to the time," said the first Ottawa insider. Surveys show the Liberals have a healthy, but narrowing, advantage over their nearest rivals. Pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research said it was too early for Trudeau to be aggressive. "He has to avoid making any kind of criticism. Trump has a very thin skin and he's quick to lash out," he said. (Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Alan Crosby) Mongolia is out of cash, but it has big bills to pay. Bills worth $580 million, in fact. So citizens are scrounging up cash and donating money, jewelry, and even horses to the government to help it cling on long enough for an international bailout. The country has a $580 million bond payment due in March. So the government is negotiating a bailout with China and the International Monetary Fund amid a historic economic crisis, but it may not come in time. Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat said he didnt ask citizens to donate their cash and valuables (including horses, as Reuters reports), but his government certainly wouldnt say no to the extra help. The government cannot prohibit the start of any citizen-run campaign, he said. But he added that the cabinet has decided to spend voluntary donations on health, education, and reducing smog, as well as public infrastructure. The donations are sorely needed as Mongolias economy has gone from double-digit growth a few years ago to a nosedive. One reason is Mongolias dependence on mining a great strategy during the commodities boom but less brilliant as prices softened and key customers like Russia and China bought less ore. A mining boom is not a sustainable development strategy, Katie Putz, a Central Asia expert at the Diplomat, told Foreign Policy. By 2016, foreign investment dried up, and commodity prices sank, while recessions in neighboring Russia and China infected Mongolias economy, Putz said, flatlining growth last year. Adding fuel to the fire is the dzud a fierce weather combination of severe wind and drought that has disastrous effects on the Central Asian steppe. Mongolia is still recovering from a dzud in 2016 that killed more than a million animals and livestock. At best, Mongolia could see just 1.4 percent growth in 2017, according to the Asian Development Bank. To cope, Mongolia slashed welfare and public services spending, even with steep unemployment. One Mongolia store owner told the Nikkei Asian Review that eight out of 10 adults she knew lost their jobs amid the economic slump and are struggling to get by. They are cutting [back] on even basic foods to buy fuel for their stoves. Look how few shoppers we have, she said. Story continues Prime Minister Erdenebat said he had found a solution to pay off the March bond payment, but financial analysts are skeptical. Barring a magic bullet, getting an IMF bailout could be a make-or-break moment for Mongolia. If they dont get the IMF bailout, where do they get the resources for this payment, without which they cant do a new bond to refinance? Its a chicken and egg situation, a Hong Kong-based trader told Reuters. Photo credit: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images By Emile Picy and Sophie Louet PARIS (Reuters) - France's Francois Fillon accused his opponents in the government on Wednesday of fomenting a scandal in an attempt to scuttle his presidential campaign, as a new poll showed him no longer favourite to win power. The second negative poll since the weekend for the erstwhile frontrunner coincided with an emergency meeting at which he urged fellow conservatives to stick by him during an official inquiry into allegations he misused over a million euros of public money. The scandal, which surfaced a week ago when a newspaper said the 62-year-old ex-prime minister had paid his wife Penelope 500,000 euros for work she did not seem to have done, forced Fillon to cancel a trip to Iraq and Lebanon to deal with the crisis. The poll by Elabe pointed to rising support for far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen and made centrist Emmanuel Macron the candidate now most likely to win the presidency, with voters appearing to desert Fillon in large numbers. "We are facing an institutional coup d'etat," Fillon told The Republicans party lawmakers at a meeting, according to one who was present. "This operation does not come from within our own camp, this affair is coming from those in power". Responding for the ruling Socialists, government spokesman Stephane Le Foll said the accusation was "not acceptable". Despite Fillon's appeal to members of his party, one of them broke ranks publicly to say it was time to consider an alternative candidate. "We're like the orchestra on the Titanic as it sinks," said Georges Fenech, a conservative lawmaker. "The only line of defence is the facts, not who started off the scandal." FURTHER ACCUSATIONS Refusing to abandon his candidacy, Fillon told a business convention that he would fight the allegations "until the end". Republican party bigwigs later rallied behind Fillon at a meeting, unanimously supporting him and ruling out the possibility of coming up with a plan B, conservative Senate leader Gerard Larcher said. As tensions in his camp hit fever pitch, Fillon grappled with further accusations that took the total amount involved in the scandal to more than one million euros, and beyond his wife to two of his children. It was a report in the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine that lit the fuse a week ago, accusing Fillon of paying half a million euros to his wife Penelope for work as an assistant that she appeared not to have done. On Wednesday, the paper reported further sums paid to her and two of his children. Fillon has said the work was genuine and that he will step down should preliminary inquiries lead to a full judicial investigation. The couple and some of their associates have since been interviewed by police who continued hearings on Wednesday with others linked to the affair. Wednesday's Elabe poll showed Fillon's score fell by 5-6 points to 19-20 percent for the first round of the presidential election, set for April 23. Voting intentions for Macron were unchanged or up 1 point to 22-23 percent. Le Pen's first round score was up by 3 points to 26-27 percent. That scenario would prevent Fillon getting to the May 7 final round. Elabe predicted Macron would beat Le Pen in the runoff with 65 percent of the vote. Should Fillon make the runoff, he too would beat Le Pen, but by a lower margin, at 59 percent. However, another poll by Ifop Fiducial offered Fillon some relief by showing him with a slight edge ahead of Macron in the first round, which would allow him to reach the runoff where he would beat Le Pen. The revelations are particularly damaging because of the squeaky-clean image that won Fillon his party ticket in last November's primaries, Yves-Marie Cann, head of political studies at Elabe, told Reuters. "These accusations are hitting at the load-bearing wall of his popularity." The scandal has heightened investor concerns amid fears that Le Pen could win and take France out of the euro and the European Union. On Wednesday, the jitters affected financial market measures of French state borrowing costs. The gap between French and Belgian government borrowing costs hit its widest since at least April 2008. (Additional reporting by Michel Rose and Leigh Thomas; Writing by Andrew Callus; Editing by Brian Love and Janet Lawrence) Mexico City (AFP) - China's JAC Motors and a Mexican firm are teaming up to invest $212 million in a plant to produce sport-utility vehicles in central Mexico, officials said Wednesday amid trade tensions with the United States. The deal will expand the capacity of a plant owned by the Mexican company, Giant Motors Latinoamerica, in Ciudad Sahagun, central Hidalgo state. Giant Motors director Elias Massri said production is expected to begin on March 28, with 1,000 vehicles in the first year and the goal of making 10,000 units per year by 2021. The factory, which already produces trucks for China's FAW brand, will make two JAC SUV models. The SUVs will be sold in Mexico, Central America and South America. The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose stiff export tariffs on companies that ship jobs to Mexico. "When you can't look only to the north, you can look to the east," Hidalgo's governor, Omar Fayad, said at a news conference in Mexico City. US auto giant Ford decided last month to cancel plans for a $1.6 billion factory in the northern state of San Luis Potosi, though the company denied it was due to Trump's threats. Trump has also lashed out against General Motors and Toyota. Mexico is the world's fourth biggest car exporter. After miles of watching center pivots and transmission lines and scanning treetops with binoculars, Ross Winton and Amaia Demaray had spotted only one eagle, flying away from a swan-filled pond on Clover Creek. Their Jan. 13 drive along the Bennett Hills foothills north of Bliss was an annual survey of bald and golden eagle numbers one of nine eagle-counting routes between Raft River and Bruneau that contribute to the U.S. Geological Surveys national monitoring of bald eagle populations. I joined Winton and Demaray that day, a frigid morning when fields were frozen lakes, with crop stubble propping up ice sheets at strange angles. Population science, I figured, was an excellent reason to get out of the newsroom for a few hours. Removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species in 2007, the bald eagle now flourishes across the nation thanks to the banning of the pesticide DDT and the protection of nest, feeding and roost sites, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says. Idahos bald eagle population has generally risen since the 1980s but with big spikes and drops in various areas, said Winton, a Jerome-based regional nongame wildlife biologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The Bliss-to-King Hill route he drove Jan. 13 yielded 29 bald eagles in 2015 but just one a year ago perhaps because good fish runs in northern Idaho drew the eagles there instead. And milder winters might boost recorded numbers just because survey teams can get around better on rural roads. As always, Winton added, interpreting the behavior of wildlife populations calls for humility. We dont know half of why they do what they do. Still, he seemed eager to record more than one eagle on wildlife technician Demarays clipboard. Not too eager, however, to stop for a better look at about 50 swans in one of the White Arrow Ranch ponds. After noting the lone eagles flight, Winton fastened a scope to the open window of his Fish and Game truck and focused on the honking crowd. I see lipstick, he said. But did that bill marking identify the trumpeter or another Idaho native, the tundra swan? One has a teardrop and one has lipstick, and I never can remember which is which. The Sibley Guide to Birds, kept handy on the floor between us, settled the matter. Trumpeters, Winton announced. Theres a bunch of juveniles in there, too. Nice, of course, but not the goal of this survey. As we headed west along Clover Creek, I tried to contribute by pointing out a couple of big lumps in a distant tree. Winton and Demaray turned their binoculars there and, kindly, identified the lumps: a magpie and a pheasant. Moments later, the trucks approach flushed a lot of pheasants and sage grouse. Another treat, but still not bald eagles. Northwest of Bliss, Winton turned west onto 1200 South, approaching a Clover Creek crossing and a big tree with a well-earned reputation. And it delivered. Six eagles roosted in its branches, and another flew off as the three of us got out with the binoculars, the scope and the clipboard. Five adults and two juveniles, the team concluded. The Eagle Tree has worked again, Winton said. (Yes, that name is attached to more than one Magic Valley tree.) As we approached Pioneer Reservoir, Winton explained that open water there can attract a lot of waterfowl and, thus, the eagles that prey on them. But its shallow and freezes easily. Indeed, we found Pioneer Reservoir frozen. There are a lot of geese flying all over the place, though, Winton said. But no eagles. Nobodys home. Surveyors often find golden eagles roosting on hillsides beside Old U.S. 30, he told Demaray as we drove past them, so watch for the silhouettes. But those hills and other typical roosts on the route also came up empty. By the time they reached King Hill, only a line of more Eagle Trees had added to their count. The days tally: nine adult bald eagles and five juveniles. Just about the midpoint of the range of recent years totals. Winton has other interesting tasks on his schedule this winter: keeping tabs on the distribution of pygmy rabbits a species that has been petitioned for Endangered Species Act protection swabbing the muzzles and wings of hibernating bats to check for the fungus that causes the devastating and rapidly spreading white-nose syndrome, and mist netting cave entrances at dusk as bats become active in late winter. I just might find another excuse to get out of the office. New York City's Public Art Fund is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a group show that will be viewable on digital advertising spaces across the city, as well as a series of installations by Anish Kapoor and other artists. Founded in 1977, the Public Art Fund mounts free contemporary art exhibitions around the New York and is known for the seminal exhibition "Messages to the Public," which ran from 1982 to 1990 on the 800-square-foot Spectacolor light board in Times Square, featuring works by 70 artists including Guerrilla Girls, Alfredo Jaar and Keith Haring. Marking the organization's 40th anniversary, the new exhibition "Commercial Break" will be based around the same concept -- "disrupting the daily flow of advertising that regularly saturates the urban landscape" -- while involving a new generation of 20-plus artists and the latest in digital advertising. Through March 5, "Commercial Break" will be presented on a billboard in Times Square (15-second videos every five minutes); Barclays Center's 360-degree "Oculus" LED marquee in Brooklyn (30-second videos once an hour); 19 digital screens at Westfield World Trade Center (a 10-second video every 100 seconds); and in hundreds of LinkNYC wifi kiosks (15-second displays throughout the day), as well as at publicartfund.org. Works include Mary Reid Kelley and Patrick Kelley's "Crete Meat," a satire of advertising that will show in Times Square; a virtual reality video by Jacolby Satterwhite inspired by the soundscapes of musician Nick Weiss at Barclays Center, and a work by Turkish-born artist Hayal Pozanti at Westfield World Trade Center said to echo "the artist's plea for tolerance, understanding, and empathy in the world today." Also as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations, on March 1 a new commission by artist Liz Glynn will go up in Central Park's Doris C. Freedman Plaza. Taking inspiration from a Gilded Age Fifth Avenue ballroom, "Opera House" will transform the plaza into a ballroom featuring Louise XIV replica furniture recast in concrete. "Opera House" will be in place through September 24. An installation by Anish Kapoor will then open in May in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The artist's "Descension" is a massive spiraling funnel of water that creates a dynamic negative space. In June, Katja Novitskova's "Earth Potential" will go on display in City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan. The artist creates large, flat, cut-aluminum sculptures featuring digitally printed imagery, with a second layer of printed aluminum covering the sculptures in alien-like animals and organisms. Additions to the 40th anniversary lineup are to be announced early this year. Information about the exhibitions can be found at publicartfund.org. Washington (AFP) - Civilians were "likely" killed in a US commando raid in Yemen over the weekend and children may have been among the dead, the US military's Central Command said. The January 29 raid against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has garnered wide attention because a Navy SEAL was also killed and several more wounded in what marked the first operation of its kind authorized by President Donald Trump. A Yemeni provincial official had previously said 16 civilians were killed in the raid -- eight women and eight children -- but CENTCOM did not provide any numbers. "A team designated by the operational task force commander has concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed in the midst of a firefight during a raid in Yemen January 29. Casualties may include children," CENTCOM said in a statement. The civilian deaths appear to have occurred when US aircraft were called to help the commandos as they conducted the dawn raid that US officials have said killed 14 AQAP members. "The known possible civilian casualties appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist US forces in contact against a determined enemy that included armed women firing from prepared fighting positions, and US special operations members receiving fire from all sides to include houses and other buildings," the statement read. Officials were conducting an ongoing "credibility assessment" to see if there may have been additional civilian casualties in the intense firefight. Navy SEAL Team Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, was killed and three other US troops were wounded in the action. Three more service members were injured when the tilt-rotor aircraft they were in made a hard landing. That aircraft, a V-22 Osprey, was then intentionally destroyed by US troops to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. CENTCOM described the raid as a "complex" situation that included small-arms fire, hand grenades and close air-support fire. Story continues "Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has a horrifying history of hiding women and children within militant operating areas and terrorist camps, and continuously shows a callous disregard for innocent lives," CENTCOM spokesman Colonel John Thomas said. "That's what makes cases like these so especially tragic." US special operations forces had mounted the raid in the Yakla region of Baida province against AQAP, which Washington views as the global terror network's most dangerous branch. The raid snagged "an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said earlier. But "you never want to call something a success 100 percent when someone's hurt or killed," he told reporters. Trump and daughter Ivanka earlier flew from the White House aboard the Marine One presidential helicopter to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the repatriation of Owens's remains. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A deadly dawn raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen earlier this week "likely killed" civilians and could include children, the U.S. military said on Wednesday. Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware in an unexpected visit to meet with the family of William Ryan Owens, a chief special warfare operator who died in Sunday's raid. "The known possible civilian casualties appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist U.S. forces...," U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The U.S. military has said 14 militants were killed in the raid in al Bayda province on a branch of al Qaeda known as AQAP. Medics at the scene, however, have said around 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Sandra Maler) By Valerie Volcovici (Reuters) - Scientists may steal a page from the oil industrys playbook to stop President Donald Trump rewriting the U.S. position on climate change, by relying on an obscure law meant to ensure federal agencies present accurate information. The 2001 Information Quality Act, passed under Republican President George W. Bush, has for years provided a way for companies and their lobbyists to challenge federal agencies assumptions on issues ranging from the threats posed by global warming to the health effects of petrochemicals. Now, as Trumps leadership seeks to get the Environmental Protection Agency into line with the new administrations more pro-business and anti-regulation agenda, the act could become a tool for rebellious scientists and climate advocates, legal experts said. Trump has expressed doubts about the science behind climate change, putting his administration on a collision course with an overwhelming majority of scientists who believe that human consumption of fossil fuels is warming the planet and triggering sea level rise and more frequent powerful storms. A spokesman for Trump's EPA said last week that the agency's website is under review, raising worries of a rewrite that could put the site at odds with EPA employees' own research. A Trump administration official did not respond to a request for comment. "Posting blatantly false information on the EPA's website would violate the Information Quality Act," said Romany Webb, a climate law fellow at Columbia University. "The guidelines clearly state that information disseminated to the public, including via a website, must be substantively accurate." Michael Halpern, deputy director for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit climate science advocacy group, said the Information Quality Act could be one of the options scientists consider using to ensure federal agencies match scientific research. "UNCHARTED TERRITORY" The Information Quality Act allows individuals who object to information presented by a federal agency to request a correction. If the agency denies the request, the individual can appeal in a process overseen by an independent inspector general. In the case of the EPA, the appeal would go to a panel of political appointees who will likely be named after Trumps pick to head the EPA, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, is confirmed. The EPAs Inspector General, however, is already in place: Arthur Elkins, a former EPA lawyer appointed by Barack Obama in 2010. "We have discretionary authority to look at anything we think is important and valuable to the agency's activities," Alan Larsen, counsel to the Inspector General, told Reuters. "If employees were asked to do something improper ... they could bring that to the IG's office." The Washington Post reported this week that a member of the Trump transition team had sent an email stating inspectors general across federal agencies were being held over on a "temporary basis." After some backlash, Trump transition team members then sought to reassure the inspectors general they would not be forced out, the Post reported. There are other ways employees can flag their concerns, including by complaining to the agencys Scientific Integrity Officer. The Scientific Integrity Office meets quarterly with the Inspector General's office to discuss complaints. Industrys use of the Information Quality Act over the years has had mixed results. Just five of the 20 requests for correction filed in 2014 ended up fully or partially corrected, according to a report to Congress. Halpern said, however, that he expected better results if scientists file complaints rather than industry. Overruling a correction request brought by scientists within the agency, he said, could violate the EPAs scientific integrity policy, which states agency scientists have the right of last review over information that relies on their expertise. A former EPA official who asked not to be named said that, under normal circumstances, the internal mechanisms to protect website accuracy should work, but added "we're in uncharted territory." Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's ELN guerrillas freed a hostage and the government released two rebel prisoners in exchange, clearing the way for peace talks to begin next week. The government hopes talks with the one remaining active rebel group in Colombia will seal a "complete peace" to end Latin America's last major armed conflict. Odin Sanchez, a former lawmaker held captive since April 2016, was handed over to the Red Cross in the remote jungle region of Choco in western Colombia. He was later welcomed by relatives and supporters waving signs and playing music in Quibdo, the regional capital. "We have to unite to make those devils... join in a dialogue, so we can talk about peace and so they will release anyone else they may be holding," he said. The government in turn released the two jailed rebels, Nixon Cobos and Leivis Valero, in the mountains of Santander, in the northeast. Described by their side as in poor health, they were met by ELN delegates on their release from prison. "Welcome to freedom," the force's radio station ELN Ranpal said on Twitter, hailing the move as "a triumph for consensus between the sides." - Peace talks - The exchange clears the way for formal talks to open Tuesday in the Ecuadoran capital Quito. The ELN, or National Liberation Army, is the last active rebel group in a country torn for more than half a century by a conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people and left 60,000 missing. President Juan Manuel Santos is trying to end the fighting for good. He won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his efforts. His government is currently implementing a historic peace deal with the country's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). - 'Complete peace' - The successful prisoner exchange left Santos beaming with optimism. "This conflict is over," he said, as he opened a summit of Nobel Peace Prize winners in Bogota. Story continues "We did it. What seemed impossible, we made possible," he said, vowing the ELN talks would lead to "complete peace." Sanchez voluntarily went into ELN custody last year to take the place of his brother Patrocinio, a former governor who had fallen ill after three years in captivity. Patrocinio grew emotional talking about his brother's sacrifice, in an interview with AFP ahead of his release. "It was very brave," he said. "I spent more than two years with my hands and feet chained, in an airtight room in total darkness." The ELN accuses the powerful Sanchez family of backing right-wing paramilitary groups in the Choco region, their political stronghold. Patrocinio denied that claim, saying the ELN really only wanted ransom money. He said multiple ransom payments had been made, but declined to say how much. - New hostage dispute - Despite the hostage release, the negotiations look set to be tricky. They will mark the fifth attempt to make peace with the ELN. Both the FARC and ELN formed in 1964, and have funded themselves with ransom kidnappings and drug trafficking. Incidents involving ELN forces have kept tensions high in recent months. On Tuesday the rebels announced a new hostage seizure, a Colombian soldier they captured last week. The government condemned the abduction. - Resistance to peace - The peace process also faces ongoing resistance from conservative opponents who accuse Santos of granting impunity to rebels guilty of war crimes. Santos had to revise the FARC accord after voters narrowly rejected it in a referendum last October. Colombia's territorial and ideological conflict has drawn in dozens of guerrilla and paramilitary groups, drug gangs and state forces over the decades. Rights groups say massacres, rapes and other atrocities have been committed on all sides. A teachers' union in western Venezuela alleged on Thursday that the ELN had been luring Venezuelan minors with gifts to try to recruit them to its ranks in an area around the two countries' border. Venezuelan authorities did not comment. From Popular Mechanics A report in Defense News states China is making steady progress on its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong. Under construction near Shanghai, Shandong is set to be China's first domestically produced aircraft carrier and the first to be combat-ready. Previously known as Type 001A, the carrier's official name was recently announced on Shandong province television and radio. Shandong is currently under construction at the Dalian shipyards, where the nation's first aircraft carrier, Lioaning, was converted from a rusting, unfinished ex-Soviet Navy hulk to active duty Chinese Navy ship. In a rundown on Shandong's construction progress, Defense News says "the new carrier is broadly similar to the Liaoning and retains the ski jump for launching aircraft, but contains a revised flight deck arrangement." The article states the superstructure-the island overseeing the flight deck from where flight operations are controlled-has been mated to the hull and the ship should be launched later this year. "Launching" in warship construction is the floating of a partially constructed hull in water. The ship will still require several more years of fitting out before it can be commissioned into military service and considered ready for combat. Like Liaoning, Shandong will also utilize a STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) system. Under STOBAR, aircraft are launched taking off from a ramp on the ship's bow. Although China has constructed traditional steam-powered catapults at its naval aviation base, it apparently wants to leapfrog to the latest Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) technology, which is being fitted to the U.S. Navy's new Ford-class carriers. The short take-off ramp method of launching planes is less than ideal. In order to take off in such a distance without a steam or electromagnetic-powered assist aircraft must keep their takeoff weight down. That, in turn, limits the amount of weapons and fuel they can carry, curtailing their range and combat effectiveness. It also rules out using larger and slower propeller-driven aircraft such as the U.S. Navy's E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft. Story continues Unlike U.S. Navy carriers, Shandong will likely be limited to an all-fighter fixed wing aircraft force, with early warning and control provided by land-based aircraft. This will ultimately restrict how far the carrier can operate from land-based support. Shandong will be China's first combat-ready carrier. The first, Liaoning, will probably remain a training ship for future carrier crews. According to Defense News, China's naval aviation base appears to have an EMALS catapult installed. The article also states that an aircraft mock-up with a large rotating rotodome over its fuselage, like the E-2D Hawkeye, has also been sighted. This suggests that the Chinese Navy's future carriers will have both new features, making them increasingly capable versus the U.S. Navy's Nimitz and Ford-class nuclear aircraft carriers. Read more at Defense News You Might Also Like A new artificial-intelligence system designed to imitate the way the brain handles vision can diagnose a rare eye condition just as well as eye doctors can, a new study shows. The new system, which focuses on identifying a rare eye condition called congenital cataracts, could also help diagnose other rare diseases someday, the researchers said. In the study, scientists in China used an artificial neural network named CC-Cruiser. This network was a "convolutional neural network," meaning it was designed based on the way neurons are organized in the brain region that deals with vision. The scientists wanted to see if neural networks could help address rare diseases, which afflict about 10 percent of the world's population. [10 Technologies That Will Transform Your Life] "We were inspired by the work of the DeepMind group, [which] beat professional human players at classic video games," said study co-lead author Dr. Haotian Lin, an ophthalmologist at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China. "Since AI can play games against human players, why not create an AI that could act equally as a qualified human doctor?" Previous research suggested that convolutional neural networks are good at scanning data to recognize images, Lin said. The scientists reasoned that a convolutional neural network could be effective at scanning images of eyes to diagnose congenital cataracts, which cloud the lens of a child's eye from birth and can lead to irreversible vision loss. The researchers first "trained" CC-Cruiser using photos taken as a part of the Childhood Cataract Program of the Chinese Ministry of Health. The photographs included 476 images of children with normal eyes and 410 pictures of children with congenital cataracts of varying severity. After this training, the researchers tested the network. They gave CC-Cruiser data from 57 patients, including 43 who had normal eyes and 14 who had congenital cataracts. The neural network identified potential cases of congenital cataracts with 98.25 percent accuracy, estimated the location of the cataracts with 100 percent accuracy and suggested the proper treatments with 92.86 accuracy, the researchers said. Story continues Then, in a more difficult test, the researchers mimicked the real-life rareness of congenital cataracts. They gave CC-Cruiser images from 300 normal cases, and just three images from children with congenital cataracts. The neural network successfully excluded the normal cases, identified the three cataract cases, and provided accurate evaluations and treatment decisions, the researchers found. However, when it came to a test that used 13 images of normal eyes and 40 pictures of cataracts found on the internet, CC-Cruiser was slightly less successful. The neural network identified potential cases of congenital cataracts with 92.45 percent accuracy, estimated the location of the cataracts with 94.87 percent accuracy and suggested the proper treatments with 89.74 accuracy, the researchers said. This discrepancy could be due to how photos of eyes can vary greatly according to the lighting, angle and resolution of different imaging machines that doctors use, the scientists explained. The researchers also compared CC-Cruiser's accuracy with that of real-life eye doctors. They had the neural network and three ophthalmologists, ranging in expertise from novice to expert, look at 50 cases involving a variety of challenging medical situations designed by a panel of experts. The researchers said the neural network performed as well as the eye doctors; for instance, CC-Cruiser identified all of the patients who had congenital cataracts, while all three ophthalmologists missed one case. Currently, the main strategy to help people who have rare diseases involves building specialized care centers, but these are often very expensive and geographically scattered, leaving many rare-disease patients without adequate care, the researchers said. They reasoned that neural networks could, over the internet, help provide computerized expertise on rare diseases for many hospitals. To this end, the researchers also developed a website for CC-Cruiser (Hospitals can upload clinical data to the cloud-based platform for the neural network to evaluate. Patients and doctors can also interact via the website. This research into identifying and assessing congenital cataracts could also work on other diseases that rely on diagnoses via medical imaging, Lin said. Creating a robot doctor like Baymax from the movie "Big Hero 6" "is one of the wildest dreams for human beings," Lin told Live Science. "We believe that our work could represent a practical step to a real-world Baymax." [The 6 Strangest Robots Ever Created] Rigorous clinical trials are still needed "before we put the AI into regular clinical practice," Lin said. The scientists detailed their findings online Monday (Jan. 30) in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Kinshasa (AFP) - Volatile Congo faced uncertainty Thursday after the death of Etienne Tshisekedi, the veteran politician who recently banded the opposition together to end President Joseph Kabila's rule of the mineral-rich nation. Business was slow and some shops closed in Democratic Republic of Congo's usually bustling capital of 10 million people, Kinshasa, where large crowds gathered around Tshisekedi's home and the headquarters of his UDPS party. Kabila, who has ruled the vast unruly nation for 16 years, refused to step down on completing his final mandate in December, but then struck a power-sharing deal with the opposition that provides for elections late this year. "There should be a week of national mourning to pay him homage," said taxi-driver Adonis Matondo. Tshisekedi died Wednesday aged 84 in Brussels, where he had been flown for medical treatment January 24 just as talks were scheduled to end the nation's months-long political crisis. His body will not likely return home before Monday, with Brussels authorities announcing funeral wakes to be held at his family's request on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Belgian capital. The burly politician, who in the 1960s received the country's first doctorate in law, had been ill for some time, receiving treatment in Belgium, the former colonial power. - Talks in limbo - After two years there he returned to DR Congo in July, where hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to welcome him home. He was a veteran politician, the ally-turned-enemy of despot Mobutu Sese Seko, then the rival to the father-son Kabila dynasty. He opposed Laurent Kabila when he took over from Mobutu in 1997, then Joseph who stepped in on his father's assassination in 2001. A spokesman for the ruling parties, Andre-Alain Atunda, paid tribute to his "combat for democracy". Exiled millionaire and potential presidential candidate Moise Katumbi hailed his peaceful fight for democracy and dubbed him "one of the leading figures of our country's history." Story continues The opposition coalition he put together recently is headed by his Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) and is supposed to be negotiating the next steps in the New Year's Eve power-sharing deal agreed with Kabila. Brokered by the country's influential Roman Catholic bishops, the deal means that Kabila can remain in office until elections in late 2017, in tandem with a transitional body and a new premier, who is yet to be agreed. But the talks aimed at avoiding all-out conflict in the country of 71 million people appear to be in limbo, with no progress reported in recent weeks. - 'The worst time' - Tshisekedi's death "comes at the worst time for the establishment of the new transition," Thierry Vircoulon, an eminent Paris-based Congo analyst and academic, told AFP. "Tshisekedi was supposed to have chaired the Transition Council and they will now have to agree on a new opposition figure though there is already disagreement on who should be the premier," added Vircoulon. Tshisekedi's death also leaves this year's planned elections "increasingly jeopardised", he added. Voters in DR Congo were originally to have chosen a new president in 2016, but the authorities had said the electoral registers must be revised, a huge enterprise in a country almost the size of western Europe. And in a highly controversial ruling, the constitutional court had said Kabila could remain in office until an election was held. Kabila, 45, has been in power in one of the least developed countries in the world, since the 2001 assassination of his father Laurent at the height of the Second Congo War. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders described Tshisekedi as a "remarkable political figure". His "last fight (...) for the constitution and democracy culminated in the New Year's Eve agreement," Reynders said in a statement, adding that "Belgium joins ... the Congolese people in their grief and their desire to see his work bear fruit". By Aaron Ross KINSHASA (Reuters) - The death on Wednesday of Congo's opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi leaves opponents of President Joseph Kabila seriously weakened in their bid to force Kabila to quit power after he defied constitutional term limits to stay on last year. Democratic Republic of Congo has never experienced a peaceful transition of power and Kabila's refusal to stand down when his final term expired in December has raised fears the chronically unstable country could slide back into civil war. Despite his 84 years and failing health, Tshisekedi known as "the Sphinx" for his sparse but profound statements, remained the undisputed leader of the opposition to Kabila. He was expected to head a transitional council to oversee Kabila's exit by the end of this year under a deal struck on Dec. 31. As hundreds of mourners congregated in front of a hastily-erected, candlelit shrine at his house in the Limete district of the capital, Kinshasa, on Thursday, many said they had little faith that anyone else could carry on his legacy. Nearby, police fired tear gas at more than a hundred Tshisekedi supporters from his Union for Democracy and Social Progress Party (UDSP) as a nearby vehicle burned, a Reuters witness said. Tshisekedi founded the party in 1982, creating the first organised opposition party under former leader Mobotu Sese Seko's single-party rule. Many admired him for remaining outside the folds of power in a country where many opponents have cycled in and out of government over the decades. "He never betrayed the nation," said Rejeton Tshawuke, 35, his eyes misty, speaking over the loud wails of female mourners. "We can't invest hope in just anyone. Many opposition leaders are only interested in money." In an interview on Thursday, Okello Oryem, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in neighbouring Uganda, told Reuters that the instability almost certain to follow Tshisekedi's death meant there should be no rush to push Kabila out of office in accordance with the December deal. "There might be a need to examine the whole time agreement," he said. "(Tshisekedi's death) might cause some ripples and a shaking of the system, hence the need for Kabila to continue holding the country together until such time as things stabilize." SUCCESSION Tshisekedi's credibility with an impoverished and frustrated population enabled him to mobilise the masses like no other figure in the country. Tens of thousands lined the streets of Kinshasa last July for his return from two years abroad for medical treatment. But his critics say he failed to leave in place political structures that could survive him. His absence from Congo touched off bitter infighting within the UDPS. His son Felix's rapid ascent within the UDPS ranks has led to criticism that the party had become a private family patrimony. He is now tipped to become the next prime minister in a forthcoming power-sharing government. There are few obvious opposition leaders to assume Tshisekedi's leadership role. The former governor of Congo's copper-mining region, Moise Katumbi, has consolidated support from several prominent opposition groupings for a planned presidential bid. However, Katumbi has been in self-imposed exile since May after the government accused him of plotting against the state - charges he denies. Meanwhile, negotiations on implementing the December deal had already stalled amid wrangling over the composition of the power-sharing government, rendering the prospect of an election by the end the year increasingly remote. (Additional reporting by Ed Cropley in Kampala; editing by Ralph Boulton) By Hilary Russ NEW YORK (Reuters) - Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy called on Thursday for an expansion of the state's system for municipal intervention to help avert a crisis in cities struggling with fiscal problems. The Municipal Accountability Review Board that Malloy plans to introduce in his Feb. 8 budget speech would create four tiers of oversight with increasing levels of review and intervention, based on municipalities' fiscal condition and the amount of state aid they get, the governor said in a statement. Factors that go into the determination would include bond rating, fund balances and state aid as a percentage of budget, the statement said. "With this system, the state will be poised to intercede early to put struggling local governments on a path to sustainable fiscal health before they are on the brink of a fiscal crisis," he said. It would build on the state's existing Municipal Finance Advisory Commission. As part of the state's two-year budget proposal, the plan would have to be passed by the time lawmakers end their session on June 7, though they could be called into a special session. Such a program could not come soon enough for the capital city itself, Hartford, rated in junk territory at Ba2 with a negative outlook by Moody's Investors Service. Hartford could need "extraordinary assistance" to avoid insolvency, according to a January report from the Yankee Institute for Public Policy. The state's other three big cities - Bridgeport, New Haven and Waterbury - have also had to cut services and dip into reserves amid pension pressures and other fiscal challenges, the report found. Many U.S. states have such programs, but the degree and scope of intervention can vary widely. (Reporting by Hilary Russ; Editing by Tom Brown) Members of conservation groups gathered on Jan. 30 in Helena, Mont., to protest a plan to transfer public lands to the states or sell them off to private individuals or companies. (Photo: William Campbell/Corbis via Getty Images) Following backlash from conservationists across the Western states, Rep. Jason Chaffetz announced that he is pulling a bill that would have sold off more than 3 million acres of federal land. I am withdrawing HR 621, Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday night about the proposed legislation. Im a proud gun owner, hunter and love our public lands. The bill would have disposed of small parcels of lands Pres. Clinton identified as serving no public purpose but groups I support and care about fear it sends the wrong message. The bill was originally introduced several years ago. I look forward to working with you. I hear you and HR 621 dies tomorrow. The bill was introduced to the House on Jan. 24 and would have directed the secretary of the interior to sell off lands in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. A 1997 report to Congress identified the acreage but warned that many lands identified appear to have conflicts which may preclude them from being considered for disposal or exchange. The parcels, whose borders havent changed in the intervening years, comprise an area roughly the size of Connecticut. The pushback to Chaffetzs bill culminated in a rally of more than 1,000 people at the Montana statehouse Monday. Demonstrators gather at the state capitol in Helena, Mont., for a rally in support of federal public lands. (Photo: William Campbell/Corbis via Getty Images) This aint about politics, whether youre a Democrat or Republican or Libertarian or vegetarian, these lands belong to you, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said during the demonstration. Theyre our heritage. Theyre our economy. Theyre our quality of life. Jeopardizing what it means to be a Montanan and transferring those lands is wrong-headed. Im pleased to stand here today and say loud and clear Ive said it before and Ill say it again wholesale transfer of public lands will not happen. Not on my watch. The Public Lands in Public Hands rally was set up by an alliance of conservation groups and featured speeches from Bullock and U.S. Senator Jon Tester (via cell phone). More than 46,000 people have signed one petition against the land transfer. Hundreds more from across the political spectrum gathered for a similar protest in Santa Fe, N.M. Story continues Every one of you is a #publiclandowner with a responsibility to help #keepitpublic. A photo posted by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (@backcountryhunters) on Jan 30, 2017 at 12:41pm PST Ive never been a public activist before, but, boy, I am now, Montana resident Teri Sinopoli told the Great Falls Tribune. The Montana-based outdoors group Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, of which Donald Trump Jr. is a member, was a major opponent of the legislation. The group also opposed the rumored nomination of Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., for secretary of the interior due to her misguided positions on public lands. The Cabinet nomination went to Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana. Representative Chaffetz should never have introduced this ill-conceived bill, said BHA President and CEO Land Tawney in a statement Thursday, but the instant and overwhelming response by sportsmen and women forced him to listen and ultimately abandon HR 621, which would have seized millions of acres of public lands. His fellow lawmakers should take note of the ire and rapid response by hunters and anglers. We arent going away. But conservationists, including Tawney, are not done fighting legislation introduced by Republican members of Congress. Unfortunately, there are those who will continue to perpetrate bad deals like this one, Tawneys statement said. American hunters and anglers will be there every step of the way. Mr. Chaffetz took the first step. Now he needs to kill HR 622, the Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act, which would eliminate hundreds of critical law enforcement jobs with the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. Our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines of conservation and already do more with less. Lets give them the resources they need to do their jobs. In January, Congress passed a rule, also opposed by the BHA, that would make it easier to transfer federal land to the states, disregarding their economic value for tourism and recreation. Arizona congressman Paul A. Gosar submitted a resolution earlier this week that would hamper the National Park Services ability to limit drilling and mining in national parks. Our Constitution covers many matters related to our government, but the nomination and approval process for the Presidents cabinet wasnt defined in great detail by the Founders. The Obama Cabinet, 2009 The Constitution, in Article II, Section 2, says that the President shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for. The Appointments Clause allows the President to make nominations for appointed positions like cabinet officers, but the Senate controls the process, including the rules that allow a nomination vote to get to the full Senate floor. If the Senate isnt officially in session, the President does have the power to appoint officers directly using his recess appointments powers, but modern parliamentary techniques used in the Senate rarely allow an opportunity for such appointments. There is little doubt that the direct nomination and approval of cabinet officials falls under the Appointments Clause while the Senate is in session. In the 1st Congress, President George Washington nominated Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Henry Knox to his first cabinet, and the Senate approved the nominations by a simple majority vote. Since then, the Senate has been the gatekeeper of cabinet approvals. The Senate website has a detailed history of the various nomination processes since 1789. It was Washington who established the precedent that the President would inform the Senate of his choices after he made them, and not officially ask for consent prior to the nominations. The Senate didnt have issues with rejecting lower-level nominations early on in the 1st Congress. In August 1789, it rejected Washingtons nomination of Benjamin Fishbourn to the post of naval officer for the Port of Savannah. The spat between Washington and the Senate over Fishbourn led to the Senate agreeing to record its nomination votes; it had intended to take nomination votes in secret. Story continues The first high-profile cabinet rejection by the Senate was in 1834, when President Andrew Jackson lost a fight to get Attorney General Roger Taney named as treasury secretary, in the bitter contest over the Second Bank of the United States. The Senate rejected Taneys nomination by a 18-28 vote, but a determined Jackson was able to get Taney appointed as the Supreme Courts chief justice in 1835 when his Democratic party had a slim Senate majority. Since Taneys rejection, it has been a rare occasion for cabinet officers to have their nominations rejected in a full Senate vote. Senate records show that only nine Cabinet nominees have been rejected once their nomination made it to a full floor vote. The last major cabinet rejection was related to John Tower in 1989. Tower had headed the Senate Armed Services Committee until he retired in 1985. President George H.W. Bush had nominated Tower as defense secretary. The public debate over Towers nomination included a lot of mudslinging, and Tower lost the vote along party lines in the Democrat-controlled Senate. He was the only former Senate member rejected for a cabinet position by the Senate in its history. Dick Cheney was later approved in Towers place. Another 12 cabinet nominations have been withdrawn during the process in the Senate or didnt proceed due to Senate inaction. Most recently, the nomination of Tom Daschle by President Barack Obama was withdrawn in February 2009 for the position of Secretary of Health & Human Services. In all, there have been more than 500 cabinet nominations considered by the Senate since 1789, so the success rate of cabinet nominees in the Senate has been very high. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily Could California really become its own country? Executive Orders 101: What are they and how do Presidents use them? Who can be excluded as an immigrant to the United States? Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f35652%2f3f72faee-cb29-4ddf-83dc-5fac28f10399 Fact: Puppies are the cutest. Corgi puppies, even more so. SEE ALSO: Gather round and be blessed by this precious puppy's 'newborn' photoshoot So can we blame the internet for wanting to Photoshop this adorable corgi puppy into as many different places as possible? Image: javareallysucks/reddit No. We cannot. In fact, we encourage and we celebrate the results of this incredible Reddit Photoshop battle. Thank you for spreading this happy corgi everywhere it seemed appropriate, and even some places where it wasn't appropriate. We first travel to Spain, where this pupper is about to teach some bulls how actual running is done. Image: stupidphotoshop/reddit This pup is so photogenic that Reddit made it the spokesdog for its new dog food. Image: KrombopulosJeff/Reddit Someone imagined this puppy as the next city-wrecking monster. With a face like that, we should just let him do it. Image: ]workingat7/reddit His cuteness is so overwhelming, even cheetahs can't handle it. Image: useingatlin/reddit This doggo is also active in the community, doing his part to promote equality for all. Image: albo_underhill/reddit You never know what cute beasts live deep in the desert. Image: AttackPony/reddit We would risk the zombies to pet this pup. Image: ]smudgyboar/reddit This corgi truly loves everyone, even letting Putin hitch a ride. Image: gnostic_cat/reddit With a smile like that, this pup is ready for Hollywood. He looks right at home in Forrest Gump. Image: goodboyotis/Reddit Keep cutin' it up, doggo. The internet loves you. A passion for dance is usually developed at a young age. Dedicated dancers spend hours in the studio rehearsing and sharpening their skills. They live and breathe their craft. A number of organizations recognize dancers' hard work and dedication and offer scholarships to reward their efforts and help them as they pursue dance careers. [Explore resources and tips on finding college scholarships.] Students who dream of becoming professional dancers should look into the Princess Grace Foundation--USA's Princess Grace Dance Awards. This is a national program for emerging dance -- as well as film and theater -- artists. Eligible undergraduate students must have already completed one year of higher education as a dance major at a nonprofit school. They must also be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and be nominated by a school department chair or dean or company artistic director Further, applicants must submit a personal statement and compilation of work samples. A panel of experts review applications and base award decisions on an applicant's artistic merit, how the award will help the applicant's artistic development and the applicant's potential to succeed and impact the dance world. Recipients can use the scholarship for tuition only. The deadline to apply is May 1. The Association of Dance Conventions and Competitions offers College Dance Scholarships for high school seniors who have participated in two ADCC 2016-17 membership competitions. Each year, ADCC awards between 12 and 18 scholarships that range between $500 and $1,000. [Learn how to use your talents to earn scholarships for college.] Applicants must have been accepted to a four-year accredited institution for the 2017-18 academic year. To apply, they must complete the online application and submit high school transcripts, a headshot, a letter of recommendation from their dance studio director and a personal essay. 2017 applications will be available soon and are due by Aug. 1. Story continues African-American students interested in pursuing performance arts majors, including dance, should consider the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's CBC Spouses Heineken USA Performing Arts Scholarship. This $3,000 award is open to students who will be enrolling as or are currently full-time undergraduate students in a performance arts major that will lead to a career in this field. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, have a minimum 2.5 GPA, demonstrate leadership ability and be involved in community service activities. As part of the application, they must submit a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, their federal Student Aid Report and a two-minute video of their performing arts skills. The deadline to apply is April 21. Find [scholarships that spotlight actors, singers and dancers.] Part of being a dancer means taking physical health seriously. Student members of the Society of Health and Physical Educators should consider applying for the organization 's Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarship A $1,250 award is available to undergraduate juniors and seniors, and a $1,750 award is available to graduate students. Recipients for both awards also receive a complimentary three-year membership. Applicants must be current members but they may join at the time of application. They must also be studying health or physical education majors, including dance; have a minimum 3.5 GPA; and demonstrate character and leadership. Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation, official transcripts and a letter from their school's dean or registrar showing their full-time status. The deadline to apply is Oct. 15. In addition to these scholarships, be sure to talk to your prospective or current institution's financial aid office and ask about additional scholarships that may be available for dancers. Other opportunities may be available. Brynne Ramella is a senior content associate with Cappex.com, a free resource that helps match students with their best-fit colleges and provides thousands of scholarships. (SMYRNA, Del.) Police breached a building at Delawares largest prison early Thursday, ending a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff that left one staffer dead. Inmates assumed control of the building at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center on Wednesday, taking four employees hostage. The inmates told a local newspaper that concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States had prompted their actions. Authorities did not immediately explain how the employee died. They said Delaware State Police entered the building about 5:05 a.m. Thursday and found the man unresponsive. He was pronounced dead about 25 minutes later. A second Department of Correction employee who had been held hostage was rescued. She is being examined at a hospital. The prison is in Smyrna, about 15 miles north of the state capital of Dover. Delaware Gov. John Carney said the priority now is to determine what happened and why. In a statement released Thursday, the new Democratic governor said officials will hold accountable anyone who was responsible for taking the hostages. He said officials will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. Details of how the inmates managed to take over the building were not immediately clear. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said authorities dont know the dynamics of the takeover or whether inmates had been held against their will. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses more than 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. A news release from the Delaware Department of Correction said 14 more inmates were released about 12:30 a.m. Thursday from the building where the hostages had been held and were being held elsewhere at the prison. The news release said a total of 46 inmates had been released from the building since the hostage situation began. Story continues The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later. One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasnt immediately available. Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmates fiancee and another persons mother. The mother told the paper that her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons for doing what were doing included Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. According to the departments website, the prison is Delawares largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. A long standoff at a Delaware prison in which inmates took guards hostage seemingly ended in tragedy on Thursday when a guard was found dead in the facility, PEOPLE confirms. A building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware, was secured, a spokesperson with the Department of Correction said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. With the building secured, the standoff is seemingly over. The unnamed guard was found unresponsive at around 5 a.m. on Thursday less than 24 hours after inmates took at least four corrections officers hostage Wednesday morning, the spokesperson said. Officials entered the building at 5:06 a.m. and the man was pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m. Another employee was rescued and is being examined at a local hospital, the spokesperson said. BREAKING: A DOC employee was killed in the hostage situation. Building has been secured, situation considered over. Presser later this a.m. pic.twitter.com/a54BSysUkQ Brittany Horn (@brittanyhorn) February 2, 2017 Details surrounding the nature of the mans death have not been made public. Delaware Gov. John Carney released a statement in the wake of the officers death, writing that he is praying hard for the fallen officers family. We will stand by the fallen officers family and fellow law enforcement officers during what is an extremely difficult time, Carney continued in the statement obtained by PEOPLE. The situation began at around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday when inmates in the facilitys Building C allegedly took the officers hostage. One of the officers was later released with non-life-threatening injuries. On Wednesday, The News Journal received two phone calls from inside the facility, with an inmate allegedly saying that President Donald Trumps administration will do harm to the institution, according to the publication. We got demands that you need to pay attention to, that you need to listen to, the man allegedly said in one phone call, the paper reported. Story continues The man allegedly demanded better treatment from the corrections officers as well as better rehabilitation and education programs. He also said inmates demand to know how tax dollars are being allocated to the prison, the paper reports. Carney called the incident a long and agonizing situation. Our priority now will be to determine what happened and how this happened, he continued in the statement. We will hold accountable anyone who was responsible. And we will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center is the states largest correctional facility for men, housing 2,500 inmates, including maximum security inmates, according to the Delaware Department of Corrections website. The prison carries out executions and houses inmates on death row. REPORTING by HARRIET SOKMENSUER Photo credit: AP From Esquire The standoff at a Delaware prison ended Thursday morning after police stormed the facility, where, according to Fox News, they rescued one prison worker and found another one unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead. The rescued worker is alert and talking, The Associated Press said, and the prison is now fully secure. Early on Thursday morning authorities were negotiating the release of two prison guards from James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware, where inmates seized control of a building on Wednesday and took hostages, including four prison employees and dozens of fellow inmates. Two of the prison workers had been released as well as 46 inmates, according to Fox News. Before the standoff ended, 82 inmates remained inside the building. The tense situation began around 10:30 am on Wednesday when inmates took control of one building, Fox News reported. The building houses between 120 and 150 people. Initial reports said inmates had taken five prison employees hostages, but that was later changed to four. One worker was released roughly four hours after the standoff began. A second employee was set free shortly before 8 p.m. Both hostages suffered non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Earlier, an inmate at the prison who claimed to be a hostage called The News Journal newspaper on Wednesday afternoon and said one guard had been stabbed. James T. Vaughn Correctional Center is the state's largest prison for men with about 2,500 inmates. Around late morning on Wednesday-when a Delaware Department of Corrections spokeswoman said an emergency situation was reported at the prison-police and other emergency vehicles started to swarm the facility as helicopters circled overhead. At first, authorities said there had been very little communication between officials and inmates. The inmate who called The News Journal said there were "a lot" of hostage takers and ticked off a list of demands, which, as The News Journal described, "sounded rather as a hodgepodge of five-dollar words meant to give the impression of a manifesto or decree." Story continues What was clear, however, was that the prisoners were demanding reforms and they were upset with Donald Trump. "Everything that he did," an inmate told the News Journal. "All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. We know the institution is going to change for the worse." The caller also said education and effective rehabilitation for prisoners was a priority. DEVELOPING: Guards reportedly being held hostage by inmates at prison in Delaware. https://t.co/fSXD0TJT0x pic.twitter.com/oz7lVNgZja - NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) February 1, 2017 The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center opened in 1971 and includes minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and houses detainees awaiting trial. It is also the site of the state's death row and where executions were carried out. A corrections officer was assaulted at the prison last week, the union representing the guards told the Associated Press. Guards were reportedly removing dinner trays when an inmate threatened an officer and squirted an unknown liquid on the officer's upper torso and arm. As a result, about two dozens inmates had been moved to a higher security area earlier that day and refused to eat dinner. Photo credit: AP Wednesday's incident isn't the first hostage situation at the prison. In 2004, an inmate raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. The Associated Press contributed to this post. You Might Also Like WASHINGTON (AP) As President Donald Trump presses for Senate confirmation of his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, much of the initial, intense pressure will be on moderate Democrats, especially those up for re-election next year in states that Trump won handily. Some of those senators are keeping their options open, saying they will wait to meet with the nominee and make a decision in time. Some have signaled or pledged opposition. Several said in statements that Gorsuch too often sided with corporations and against the working-class voters they are trying to court in their re-election bids. Led by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Democrats are insisting that Gorsuch get 60 votes of support in the 100-member Senate, saying that would make it clear that Gorsuch is mainstream enough to be confirmed. It's unclear if Republicans, with a 52-48 majority, will be able to woo the eight Democrats they need. Liberals are pressuring Democrats to resist Trump and all his nominees. But that could prove politically costly for the 10 Democrats up for re-election in Trump states. "The minority needs to decide whether or not they want to go to states like North Dakota and Montana and Missouri and Indiana and West Virginia where Mr. Trump won by 17 points or more and talk to the real people there, and say 'we're going to stop what was clearly your will," said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Conservative groups will add to the pressure. The Judicial Crisis Network is pledging to spend $10 million to make sure that Gorsuch is confirmed and has already made an ad buy in a few crucial states. A look at Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in Republican-leaning states, and what they have said about Gorsuch. ___ Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. Baldwin, who rarely bucks her party, says Gorsuch is "someone who will have a hard time earning bipartisan support." Story continues She said she looks forward to meeting with him "because I have a number of concerns and questions about his deeply troubling record, particularly his rulings against disabled students, against workers, and against women's reproductive health care." ___ Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio Brown, who faces a possible rematch with Republican Josh Mandel, was one of a handful of Democrats who has already announced his opposition. He said Gorsuch's record "is far outside of the judicial mainstream." "The people of Ohio deserve Supreme Court Justices who will defend the rights of working families over Wall Street and corporate special interests - and Judge Gorsuch's record doesn't pass that test," Brown said. ___ Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa. Casey said he would review Gorsuch's record. He said in a statement that he is concerned that far-right groups had too much influence in the nomination, and that the current Supreme Court "has moved far outside the mainstream and has too often favored big corporations at the expense of our workers and middle-class families." ___ Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind. Donnelly, a conservative Democrat, released a sparse statement: "As I have said part of our job as senators includes considering, debating, and voting on judicial nominations, including to the Supreme Court. I will carefully review and consider the record and qualifications of Neil Gorsuch." ___ Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D. Heitkamp, who represents heavily Republican North Dakota, issued a statement that said she takes the role of vetting Supreme Court justices seriously, but didn't mention Gorsuch. ___ Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V. Manchin, who often crosses the aisle to vote with Republicans, met with Gorsuch Wednesday. He has backed Schumer's call for a nominee who can get 60 votes but also said a justice needs to be confirmed. "To have the judicial branch work, you have nine members of the highest level," he told reporters as he began his meeting with the nominee. "Eight doesn't work." Speaking of the pressure on Democrats seeking re-election in states that Trump carried in November, Manchin said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Wednesday: "I didn't come here to say, 'Oh, my goodness, if I don't do this, I might not get re-elected.' " ___ Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo. McCaskill tweeted before Trump made his nomination Tuesday that "We should have a full confirmation hearing process and a vote on ANY nominee for the Supreme Court." After receiving some angry comments on Twitter, McCaskill tweeted again: "Why would anyone think that because I support confirmation hearing & 60 vote threshold for SupCt nominee that means I'm folding to Trump?" ___ Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. Nelson said he's concerned about his record on voting rights issues and campaign finance, but "I will base my decision on a full examination of Judge Gorsuch's judicial record and his responses to senators' questions." ___ Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. Stabenow says she has "deep concerns about Judge Gorsuch and the impact his rulings would have on Michigan families." However, she added that she takes "my responsibilities as a senator seriously and plan to meet with him and thoroughly review his record." ___ Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. Tester said it's important that Gorsuch understands the Constitution and is willing to defend it. "I look forward to sitting down with Judge Gorsuch, looking him in the eye, asking him tough questions, and finding out if he shares our Montana values," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report. U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattiss visit to South Korea and Japan marks the first foreign trip by any senior official from U.S. President Donald Trumps administration. It is meant to signal to Americas traditional East Asian allies that they are, in fact, still allies. Matthis, speaking in Seoul on Thursday told Hwang Kyo-ahn, acting president of South Korea, that the alliance between their two countries is strong. He is expected to give similar assurances when he travels to Japan, his next stop. Its a priority for President Trumps administration, Mattis told reporters en route to Seoul. We pay attention to the Northwest Pacific, to our two strong allies. Those two strong allies are seemingly appreciative of the visit. I think there is hope in [South] Korea and Japan that Mattis and [Secretary of State Rex] Tillerson will become a center of gravity for U.S. foreign policy decision making in Asia at least, James Schoff, senior fellow in the Carnegie Asia Program, told Foreign Policy. Yet on Tuesday, just days ahead of Mattiss trip, Trump told leaders from the pharmaceutical industry that Japan was intentionally devaluing its currency and engaging in global freeloading. (Yoshihide Suga, Japans chief cabinet secretary, said Trump completely misses the mark.) And while Mattis was airborne, the Washington Post reported that Trumps 25 minute call with the prime minister of Australia, a key U.S. ally in the Asia Pacific, consisted of Trump bragging about his electoral victory and hanging up over a deal struck between U.S. President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over refugees. This, after a presidential campaign in which Trump insisted South Korea and Japan needed to pay more for their own defense, that both countries should have nuclear weapons (neither South Korea nor Japan wants to) and that he would be willing to meet with North Koreas Kim Jong-un (neither South Korea nor Japan supports that, either). Mattis made clear ahead of his trip that he would not be announcing changes to U.S. policy like demanding that Americas key Asian allies start paying more. But, if recent events are any indication, that may not ultimately be Mattiss call. Photo credit: Song Kyung-Seok-Pool/Getty Images The Directors Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA have denounced President Donald Trumps executive order barring people hailing from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the country. The guilds issued the statements Tuesday in reaction to the Jan. 27 order to suspend entry of refugees to the U.S. for 120 days and impose an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria. A 90-day ban was also placed on citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. The DGA, which has 16,000 members, said: The DGA strongly believes that artists regardless of their national origin, faith, or gender should be able to come to the United States to showcase their work. Policies that prevent this, without due consideration, should be of concern to all who care about art and cinema. The open exchange of art is core to who we are, its what motion pictures and television are increasingly about drawing humanity together, transcending borders and cultures. The DGA will continue to support the ability of artists to work and share their art in the United States. SAG-AFTRA, which reps more than 160,000 performers, said: SAG-AFTRAs membership includes creative professionals from all over the world. This union values equality of opportunity regardless of race, gender, creed, disability, sexual orientation or country of birth. Any public policy that enacts discrimination based on religious or national background runs absolutely counter to those values and will be vigorously resisted. This immigration policy is misguided and we will support our fellow artists every step of the way. The presidents of the Writers Guild of America issued a statement Sunday blasting Trump. It is both unconstitutional and deeply wrong to say that you cannot enter our country because of where you were born or what religion you were born into, said WGA West president Howard Rodman and WGA East president Michael Winship. Julia Louis-Dreyfus referred to the WGA statement at the SAG Awards on Jan. 29 after receiving a trophy for best actress in a comedy series for her work on Veep. Story continues Louis-Dreyfus said, Our sister guild, the Writers Guild made a statement today that I would like to read because I am in complete agreeance with it. Our guilds are unions of storytellers who have always welcomed those from the nations and of varying beliefs who wish to share their creativity with America. We are grateful for them. We stand with them, and we will fight for them. Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi has already announced that he wont attend the Academy Awards due to the order, which would likely have banned him from entering the U.S. unless he was given special consideration. Farhadis film The Salesman is nominated for the foreign-language film Oscar. Related stories Jon Stewart on Trump Presidency: 'Purposeful, Vindictive Chaos' Neil Gorsuch Nominated to Supreme Court -- D.C. and Hollywood React How to Live Stream Donald Trump's Supreme Court Justice Announcement Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has refused an offer to join Corinthians of Brazil that would have included generous wages and a bullet-proof car. The Ivory Coast star, 38, is out of contract after a spell at Montreal Impact and was offered $120,000 (110,000 euros) a week, a 24-hours-per-day translator, six return tickets to Europe -- and a bullet-proof car. Drogba said on Twitter on Wednesday that he had spoken with the Corinthians president Roberto de Andrade to decline the offer. "I'm very honoured... but it doesn't feel like the right move for me at this time," wrote Drogba. The club thanked the player for showing an interest. "Life is made on choices and this renowned player will head for other horizons this season," Andrade said in a press release headlined "Thanks anyway, Drogba". In mid-January Corinthians' sporting director Flavio Adauto had indicated that Drogba had been approached by the club and that his relatively modest demands would be met. Drogba moved to Chelsea from Marseille in 2004, remaining at Stamford Bridge until 2012 then returning there for the 2014-2015 season. A Champions League and four-time Premier League winner with the Blues, Drogba has hinted at a return to Marseille. The former Ivory Coast captain has also played for Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray in Turkey. By Katharine Houreld NAIROBI (Reuters) - Armed cattle herders have been flooding onto farms and wildlife conservancies in drought-ravaged northern Kenya, leading to violence in which at least 11 people have been killed and a tourist lodge torched, residents said on Thursday. The residents have accused some local politicians of encouraging herders to bring tens of thousands of cattle onto farms and ranches to drum up support for the August elections. Cattle rustling and competition for grazing have long troubled the area, which is a popular safari destination for visitors, but severe drought and political rivalries ahead of the elections have exacerbated the situation, residents said. "The drought has been a problem for years but people have been living peacefully. This (flare-up) is because of politics," said Francis Narunbe, a local chief of the Turkana tribe. Elections in Kenya have often been marred by violence, fueled by tribal rivalries and disputes over land. After the disputed 2007 vote, more than 1,200 were killed after political protests turned into ethnic clashes. In Laikipia, north of Nairobi, herders from the Samburu and Pokot tribes tend to back the opposition, while smallholder farmers from the Turkana and Kikuyu ethnic groups usually support President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee party, said Martin Evans, head of the Laikipia Farmers' Association. "There's political incitement," he told Reuters. Lawmakers representing constituencies in Laikipia and the surrounding area could not be reached for comment. County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha said the situation was under control and blamed drought in the region for the tensions. "It is a conflict over pasture," he said. "Once the rains come, they will leave." The rainy season usually starts in March or April. Three people were killed and two injured in December when they tried to recover stolen animals, said Narunbe. Another man was killed in clashes with police when a tourist lodge was torched on Sunday, Kyatha said. Small farmers also say armed herders have robbed them. "Two months ago, my brother was killed and they (the herders) took 42 goats," said shopkeeper Emuria Lorere. "They killed seven people." Wildlife conservancies say wild animals have been killed, including six elephants, and pasture has been destroyed. Five tourist lodges in the Laikipia have shut in the past month. "It's the worst we've ever seen it," Frank Pope, the chief operating officers of Save the Elephants, told Reuters. "It's competition for the last grass." (Editing by Edmund Blair and Ralph Boulton) MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday prohibited another key law enforcement agency from carrying out his deadly anti-drug crackdown after banning the national police from the campaign because of corruption, and suggested he will use the military instead. Duterte said his decision to exclude the National Bureau of Investigation the Philippine counterpart of America's FBI from the crackdown left him with fewer enforcers and increased the pressure for him to tap the military, which has been busy battling Muslim extremist groups on three battlefronts in the south. "We can't use the police because it is corrupt. I cannot trust now the NBI because it is corrupt," Duterte said in a speech in his southern hometown, Davao city. "I have limited warm bodies, I still have so many wars to fight." Human rights groups expressed alarm at the president's statement, fearing that the deployment of counterinsurgency forces may worsen rights violations in a campaign that has already left thousands of drug suspects dead, including many in suspected extrajudicial killings. Duterte has denied authorizing enforcers to kill unlawfully. The president cited instances in which suspected drug lords managed to get access to cellphones while in NBI detention by paying off agents, leading him to lose trust in the investigation agency, part of the Department of Justice. The 170,000-strong national police were barred from carrying out raids and making drug-related arrests after a group of officers used the crackdown as a cover to kidnap and kill a South Korean businessman for money in a still-unraveling scandal. That left the much-smaller Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to wage the crackdown, which began after Duterto took office in June. Duterte again lashed out at critics of his campaign, including the dominant Roman Catholic church and the United States, which under then President Barack Obama expressed alarm over the widespread killings. Duterte has repeatedly threatened to roll back Philippine engagement with the U.S. military, and on Thursday said he was considering an adversarial diplomatic gesture. "No ambassador will go there," he said. "I don't feel like sending one." IRVINE, Calif. (AP) _ Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (EW) on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter profit of $158.5 million. The Irvine, California-based company said it had net income of 73 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 75 cents per share. The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 71 cents per share. The medical device maker posted revenue of $767.7 million in the period, also exceeding Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $755.9 million. For the year, the company reported profit of $569.5 million, or $2.61 per share. Revenue was reported as $2.96 billion. For the current quarter ending in April, Edwards Lifesciences expects its per-share earnings to range from 79 cents to 89 cents. The company said it expects revenue in the range of $760 million to $800 million for the fiscal first quarter. Edwards Lifesciences expects full-year earnings in the range of $3.30 to $3.45 per share, with revenue ranging from $3 billion to $3.4 billion. Edwards Lifesciences shares have climbed almost 5 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has increased nearly 2 percent. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $98.02, a rise of 24 percent in the last 12 months. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on EW at https://www.zacks.com/ap/EW _____ Keywords: Edwards Lifesciences, Earnings Report WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eleven civilians were killed in four separate air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria between Oct. 25 and Dec. 9, the U.S. military said on Thursday. "Although the Coalition takes extraordinary efforts to strike military targets in a manner that minimizes the risk to civilian casualties, in some incidents casualties are unavoidable," the military said in a statement. In an incident on Dec. 7, near Raqqa, Syria, the military said seven civilians were killed in an air strike on a building where Islamic State fighters were present. The number of civilians killed since the start of the air campaign in 2014 totals 199, the statement added, but the estimate is far lower than those provided by monitoring groups. At least 2,358 civilians have been killed by coalition air strikes, according to monitoring group Airwars. The coalition has conducted more than 17,861 air strikes since the start of the operation, as of Jan. 31, with 10,993 in Iraq and 6,868 in Syria, according to U.S. military data. The total cost has been $10.9 billion at an average daily cost of $12.5 million. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe) PARIS (AP) Egyptian human rights organizations, already under intense pressure from authorities, are now being targeted by volley after volley of malicious emails, according to a report published Thursday by a prominent internet watchdog. More than half a dozen groups have been targeted, including the prominent Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a group founded by investigative reporter and rights advocate Hossam Bahgat, according to Citizen Lab, an interdisciplinary research group based at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs. Also targeted was the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, and Nazra for Feminist Studies, according to Citizen Lab. So too were the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression and a seventh, unidentified group. Egypt has waged a wide-scale crackdown on dissent since the military overthrew an elected Islamist president in 2013. Local rights groups have had their assets frozen and their leaders subjected to travel bans as the government has carried out a grinding investigation of their activities and foreign funding. The emails were disguised as messages about the government's sprawling investigation, also known as Case No. 173. The emails directed recipients to knockoff websites aimed at harvesting internet passwords. Citizen Lab said whoever sent the more than 90 malicious emails followed the government's investigation closely. Within hours of lawyer Azza Soliman's arrest at her home in December, for example, several of her NGO colleagues received booby-trapped messages purporting to carry copies of her arrest warrant. Citizen Lab said it found snippets of Egyptian slang in the code used to design the malicious websites but stopped short of blaming anyone for the campaign. An Egyptian Interior Ministry official denied the government was involved, telling The Associated Press that prosecutors had not authorized surveillance in the NGO case. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to address the issue publicly. Story continues ___ Associated Press writer Heba Afify in Cairo contributed to this report. ___ Online: Citizen Lab's report: https://citizenlab.org/2017/02/nilephish-report/ BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The European Aviation Safety Agency denied a report on Iraqi state TV on Thursday that it had lifted a ban on Iraqi Airways entering European airspace. Iraqi State TV had earlier cited Iraq's transport minister Kadhim al-Hamami saying the agency had removed the airline from a European blacklist. "As far as EASA is aware, no update of this list has been performed since last December," a spokesman for the Cologne-based agency said in an email. There was no one immediately available to comment from the ministry or the television station, which later stopped running the story in its news updates. The national carrier was banned from flying to Europe in 2015 because it did not meet International Civil Aviation Organization safety standards. (Reporting by Saif Hameed; Editing by Louise Ireland and Andrew Heavens) Brussels (AFP) - European Parliament leaders on Thursday urged the EU to reject Ted Malloch if he is named US President Donald Trump's ambassador to Brussels, calling him hostile to the bloc. The leaders of the main parliamentary groups said Malloch, whom they called Trump's likely choice, has openly backed the dissolution of the 28-nation European Union much like the collapse of the Soviet Union. The leaders of the conservative European People's Party, the largest group in the parliament, the Socialists and Democrats and the liberal ALDE group wrote to European Council President Donald Tusk urging him not to accept Malloch's credentials if he is appointed ambassador. "The prospective nominee... eloquently supported dissolution of the European Union and explicitly bet on the demise of the common currency within months," EPP chairman Manfred Weber and ALDE President Guy Verhofstadt wrote in their letter. "These statements reveal outrageous malevolence regarding the values that define this European Union," they wrote. They warned that if such remarks come from an official US representative, they could harm the transatlantic relationship that has preserved peace and prosperity for seven decades. "We are strongly convinced that persons seeing as their mission to disrupt or dissolve the European Union, should not be accredited as official representatives to the EU," they added. Socialists and Democrats leader Gianni Pittella warned that Malloch's appointment could "potentially contribute to the spread of populism and euroscepticism across Europe." He added: "Malloch should not be accepted as an official representative to the EU and should be declared 'persona non grata'." Malloch is a professor at the Henley Business School in the English city of Reading. The Henley website said he held an ambassadorial level position at the United Nations in Geneva from 1988-1991 and has served on the executive board of the World Economic Forum. Earlier this month, the departing US ambassador to the EU, Anthony Gardner, warned that the Trump administration would be committing "sheer folly" if it supports the bloc's breakup. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk, the chairman of EU leaders' meetings, called on Russia on Thursday to use its influence with rebels in east Ukraine to stop a recent spike in violence there. "We are reminded again of the continued challenge posed by Russia's aggression in eastern Ukraine," Tusk told a news conference. "The fighting must stop immediately. The ceasefire must be honored." "Russia should use its influence to disengage the Russian-backed separatists." The latest spike in violence in east Ukraine - where Russia-backed rebels face off against Kiev government troops - coincides with the taking office by the new U.S. President Donald Trump, who has promised to seek rapprochement with Moscow. The Kremlin has said the latest flare-up of hostilities in eastern Ukraine shows the need for a swift resumption in dialogue between the United States and Russia. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska) By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Medical experts who assess workers to see if they need disability benefits often dont reach the same conclusion, according to a review of research that questions the quality of these evaluations. Private insurers and government programs in many countries worldwide use medical experts to evaluate workers who claim that illness or injury limits their ability to work. The experts decide whether the employees health problems merit disability benefits designed to replace lost wages. For the current study, researchers examined data in 23 studies conducted between 1992 and 2016 in 12 countries in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Northeast Africa. In 63 percent of studies, medical experts reached only low to moderate agreement on workers capacity to do their jobs, researchers report in The BMJ. This problem seems to be universal, said senior study author Dr. Regina Kunz, a researcher at the University of Basel in Switzerland. What we found is the challenge to decide on the threshold when a health problem is severe enough to qualify for disability benefits, Kunz added by email. No gold standard exists as of today to determine this threshold. For the current analysis, Kunz and colleagues examined data from 16 studies conducted in an insurance setting and seven done in research settings. Studies done in the insurance setting were conducted with medical experts assessing claimants who were actual workers seeking disability benefits or actors portraying hypothetical cases. Workers were seeking benefits for mental health problems in 38 percent of cases, physical injuries or illnesses in 25 percent of instances and a combination of both mental and physical issues in 38 percent of cases. Only seven of the insurance studies, or 44 percent, were generalizable to real life evaluations, the study found. Another three insurance studies, or 19 percent, were rated as probably generalizable. Researchers saw an excellent level of reliability in results for just two insurance studies. By contrast, five of the studies done in research settings, or 71 percent, had excellent reliability in results, the current analysis found. Conclusions were particularly unreliable when medical experts assessed workers for subjective complaints or chronic health problems, or when they didnt use a standardized set of measurements or questions to determine if people needed disability benefits. Taken together, the authors conclude, these results suggest that there might be greater need for strategies to improve agreement when patients present with subjective complaints and better understanding of factors that contribute to variability in evaluations of capacity to work. One limitation of the current study is that the researchers looked at previous studies with wide variation in design, outcome measurements and size, the authors note. This made it difficult to draw statistically meaningful conclusions from the current analysis, they point out. Mental health problems in particular can stymie evaluators, and are often exacerbated because people dont get adequate mental health care or vocational services, said Dr. Robert Drake, a health policy researcher at The Dartmouth Institute in Hanover, New Hampshire, who wasnt involved in the study. Many people are disabled temporarily and need help but get trapped in the disability system, Drake said by email. Continuing reviews do not help. We need to have more sensible rules, and patients need better mental health and vocational services. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2kuezhN The BMJ, online January 25, 2017. Ann Voskamp has been a successful Christian author for the past decade, with a largely conservative evangelical audience. On Thursday morning, she stood outside the National Prayer Breakfast to protest President Trumps order restricting entry into the U.S. by people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. I just think were called as the church right now to stand up and to be on the right side of history that says, We will risk, we will open the doors for children who are starving, Voskamp said, holding a sign and standing outside the Washington Hilton as Trump spoke to religious leaders inside. If we as Christians say we are pro-life, that means we have to be pro-refugee. Voskamp and her friend Vickie Reddy co-founded a group called We Welcome Refugees after a trip to Iraq in 2015. I sat in a shipping container with Yazidi women who had fled ISIS up Mount Sinjar. They had two arms and they had to decide which of their little children they could grab and take with them and which of their children they would lose. And sitting there, listening to their stories, stewarding their stories, I realized it could be me, Voskamp said. I think once you look into the eyes of people who have fled war, who have left home because home has become the mouth of a monster, you realize that national security cant ever negate compassion for people who need refuge. Jesus was a refugee. Were called to love our neighbor without exception. Reddy also attended the protest Thursday morning, which drew about 150 members of local churches, many of which have been working to help refugee families find housing and jobs. Both Voskamp and Reddy said they had never taken part in any kind of political protest before. We just wanted this to be a prayerful witness to give moral courage to people walking in the room, Reddy said. I think compassion and security dont have to be mutually exclusive. I know how the refugee resettlement program works. I know how thorough the vetting is, she said. Theres always room for security to be relooked at and reconsidered, and absolutely we should be doing that, but I think that the shutting down of the program for any period of time and preventing Syrian refugees from coming here is not necessary. The reality is that being a refugee is one of the hardest ways to get into this country. Its not an easy way for terrorists to infiltrate or anything like that, because the vetting is so thorough. Story continues Michael Wear, who was a top White House faith issues adviser to President Obama during his first term, and who oversaw faith outreach in Obamas 2012 reelection campaign, took part in the protest as well. Especially as Donald Trump is receiving a lot of acclaim from some portions of the religious community for his Supreme Court nomination, it was important that the message was sent that were not forgetting about this [executive order], Wear said. Were going to affirm when he does good and were going to stand up when he does wrong. Im glad to be outside the breakfast this year. The travel ban should be rescinded, Wear said. Voskamp said she expected to be criticized by many evangelicals, but felt it was vital to take a stand. We need to keep talking to each other, we need to keep dialoguing. We need to keep educating each other about what the process already is, she said. Voskamp said that last fall she and her family sponsored a family that relocated to the U.S., and theyre in the process of sponsoring three more. Were looking at children right now in Aleppo who are starving to death, she said. Our refugee family, our newcomer family, has told us that they have family in Aleppo eating grass. Read more from Yahoo News: President Donald Trump on Thursday set a tight timetable for re-negotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, calling the deal with Canada and Mexico a catastrophe for American workers. Free traders dont quite see it that way. But even they agree the 1994 pact could use an update. Its just an old house that needs some work done, Carla Hills, who served as the U.S. Trade Representative during the NAFTA negotiations, told Foreign Policy. She said there are a host of things that could strengthen the agreement. Other trade experts agree. Theyre just not sure they want Trump in charge of the job after all his talk on the campaign trail of demolishing the pact and building a wall to stem illegal immigration from Mexico. Hes too fixated on tariffs and on Mexico paying for the wall, Charles Skuba, a former trade official at the Commerce Department, told FP. Lets hope he thinks more comprehensively and is more deliberative and consultative when talks actually begin. Trump, speaking to lawmakers at the White House Thursday, named his commerce secretary Wilbur Ross as his top negotiator on the deal and set a 90-day timetable to open talks. Meanwhile, Mexican negotiators have agreed to meet with their American counterparts and are working on a similar timetable. When NAFTA was ratified more than 20 years ago, the world economy wasnt nearly as interconnected, and the internet barely existed. And the deal itself has reshaped the economies of the three participants, causing a surge in Canadian productivity and growth in Mexicos manufacturing sector. Canada is now Americas second-largest trading partner with $575 billion in total goods trade during 2015; Mexico is third, with $531 billion in two-way trade. From 1994 to 2000, the value of U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico grew at an average annual rate of 11 percent, compared with 8 percent with the rest of the world. What we want is to maintain free access for Mexican products, without restrictions, without tariffs and quotas, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said earlier this week. Story continues Here are a few areas of improvement the Trump administration and free traders might agree on: Rules for digital products and data. When we negotiated NAFTA, we didnt have digital trade flows. You didnt have a cell phone or laptop. We had no rules for that, Hills said. Cross-border trade in items like smartphones is absent in NAFTA, for example, as is cross-border exchange of data such as digital music and movies. Hills suggested new regulations are needed to update NAFTA for the digital age. This would benefit the United States, where companies like Apple create digital products, and where Netflix creates digital content consumed around the world. New regulations for cross-border shopping. Presently, American shoppers can buy up to $800 worth of products from retailers in Mexico and Canada whether in a bricks and mortar store, or online without having to pay an import tax. In Canada and Mexico, that dollar amount is much lower; Canadians can only purchase $20 tax free, and in Mexico, that amount is $50. Such low thresholds are disincentives for Canadian and Mexican consumers to buy from American online retailers like Amazon or Etsy. Gary Hufbauer, a former trade official in the U.S. Treasury Department, told FP that Mexico and Canada could raise their minimum amounts to a few hundred dollars. That might incentivize them to buy more from U.S. online retailers. Tighten rules of origin. These regulations dictate where products are sourced from. For instance, under NAFTA, 62.5 percent of the material in a light truck or car made in Mexico must be from North America to be able to enter America tariff free. Ross has suggested that he wants to renegotiate these rules to raise that minimum percentage, hoping to benefit the U.S. auto industry in particular, by cutting Asian factories out of the loop. Though Mexican officials are wary of America First, national-content rules in negotiations, they generally are open to tightening the rules of origin. Change the name. Hufbauer said the acronym NAFTA is a dirty word for both Republican and Democratic protectionists. Changing the name might make a revised agreement more palatable for politicians and the public. The political quest to bury NAFTA is so strong and has been endorsed by both parties, that maybe one of the big outcomes of this is that we say, There is no more NAFTA. (Business groups have urged Trump to pull a similar cosmetic lift with the now-defunct Trans-Pacific Partnership, giving it a new name to keep benefits for U.S. exporters.) Its not just Mexico that is nervous about finding a way to tweak NAFTA: Lawmakers in U.S. states heavily dependent on Mexico also want the pact to stay. Texas shipped more than 15 percent of its total exports to Mexico in 2015, the third largest amount by state in the country. Tellingly, according to the Texas Tribune, the entire Texas GOP congressional delegation is opposed to changing NAFTA. Its very clear that NAFTA has been good for our economy, Rep. Will Hurd, a Republican who represents a broad stretch of the border in Texas, told FP. We should be strengthening it and using it as a tool to improve North American competitiveness. Photo credit: YURI CORTEZ/Getty Images By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - A former senior executive of Tenet Healthcare Corp has been indicted on charges that he participated in a scheme to pay bribes for patient referrals, enabling the U.S. hospital chain to fraudulently bill state Medicaid programs for $400 million. John Holland, a former senior vice president, was charged in an indictment filed in federal court in Miami with four counts of mail fraud, health care fraud and major fraud against the United States, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday. The charges came after Dallas-based Tenet and two of its Atlanta-area units reached a settlement with the Justice Department and agreed to pay more than $513 million to resolve criminal charges and civil claims in a related settlement. "These charges underscore our continued commitment to holding both individuals and corporations accountable for their fraudulent conduct," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Blanco said in a statement. Holland, 60, of Dallas, pleaded not guilty during a court hearing in Miami. Richard Deane, his lawyer, said he believed "the company's resolution should have ended the matter." "Mr. Holland is not guilty and we now look forward to presenting this case to a jury," Deane said in a statement. Prosecutors said Holland beginning in 2000 was chief executive of Tenet-owned North Fulton Medical Center Inc in Roswell, Georgia, and served as senior vice president of operations for Tenet's southern states region from 2006 to 2013. The indictment said that from 2000 to 2013, Holland and others engaged in a scheme to pay over $12 million in bribes and other illegal inducements to the owners and operators of a firm that operated clinics in Georgia and South Carolina. In exchange, the clinics, which provided prenatal care to mostly undocumented Hispanic women, referred patients to Tenet hospitals and arranged for services to be provided to patients and their newborns at Tenet hospitals. Story continues Prosecutors said Holland sought to conceal the scheme by circumventing internal accounting controls and falsifying records. Prosecutors said the scheme enabled Tenet hospitals to fraudulently bill the Georgia and South Carolina Medicaid Programs for over $400 million, and allowed Tenet to obtain more than $149 million in Medicaid and Medicare funds. The indictment said Holland also made false statements to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General about its compliance with the terms of a 2006 agreement reached as part of an earlier settlement. The case is U.S. v. Holland, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, No. 17-cr-20054. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; additonal reporting by Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Bernard Orr) By Stephen Eisenhammer and Anthony Boadle BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil should push through a bill in the first of half of this year to ease limits on foreign purchases of agricultural land in a bid to rekindle economic growth, the agriculture minister said in an interview, adding it would be accompanied by measures to prevent speculation and ensure farms are not left idle. The bill, which is with the president's chief of staff and must go before Congress, is part of a broad series of reforms from oil to airlines as the new government seeks to unwind 13 years of protectionist leftist policy and reverse Brazil's worst recession on record. In 2010, former leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva effectively banned foreigners from owning large farms. Reversing that move has been eagerly anticipated by international investors who are keen to move into one of the world's largest agricultural markets that has continued to grow while the rest of Brazil's economy languished. Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi provided new details on the timing of the bill and the restrictions his ministry was seeking. "There will be changes," Maggi said in an interview in his office in Brasilia on Wednesday. Asked if the bill could pass in the first half of 2017, he said "it could." "I'm not worried about the ownership of the land ... I'm worried about the use of the land," Maggi added. The bill would, according to the minister, seek to avoid land speculation and large foreign investment funds buying vast swathes of territory only to leave it idle if commodity prices fell. Instead, Maggi said reforms would look to support foreign investment in agricultural products with longer production cycles such as oranges, pulp, sugar cane and coffee. Restrictions could apply to soy, corn and other crops which are harvested the same year as they are planted, he said. Maggi said there was particular appetite from foreign pulp and U.S. soy producers to buy Brazilian land. But he dismissed the idea, proposed by some in the government, that 10 percent of proceeds from any foreign land purchase go towards land reform to benefit landless farmers and peasants. "It won't work. I'm against that. It's a penalty for the person to come here, a tax," he said. The planned changes come as Brazil looks to open markets while much of the world appears to be turning inwards. In the United States, a rival agricultural powerhouse, President Donald Trump tore up the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. "A lot of opportunities will open up now... These changes that President Trump is proposing, and the form in which he's doing it, are disrupting many markets," Maggi said. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS A former soy farmer who grew his business into the largest producer in the country before becoming governor of the agricultural state of Matto Grosso, Maggi has long riled environmentalists who accuse him of overseeing vast deforestation. In 2005, Greenpeace awarded him their Golden Chainsaw award, "for the Brazilian person who most contributed to Amazon destruction." Maggi dismisses such allegations, arguing that no major agricultural producer preserves as much land as Brazil, where 61 percent of the country is protected by strong environmental legislation. Without touching this area, Maggi says he wants to increase Brazil's share by value of the global agriculture market to 10 percent in five years, from 7 percent today. In order to do that, he has traveled extensively since taking the job in May, visiting Asia and Europe. He highlighted Vietnam and Malaysia as exciting potential growth markets. But some of his most passionate and difficult work is, perhaps ironically for a Cabinet minister, trying to row back government interference. "One of the things that most affects the results of producers is bureaucracy, rules passed years ago that make very little sense today and cost money to adhere to," Maggi said. His ministry has identified about 200 rules and regulations that are judged to be antiquated or inefficient. These will be updated to try and reduce the cost to producers. "Leave the market freer so that it can run faster!" he said. (Reporting by Stephen Eisenhammer, Anthony Boadle and Daniel Flynn; Editing by W Simon and Lisa Shumaker) By Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is expected to impose sanctions on multiple Iranian entities as early as Friday following Tehran's recent ballistic missile test, but in a way that will not violate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said about eight Iranian entities were to be sanctioned, or "designated" in U.S. legal jargon, for terrorism-related activities and about 17 for ballistic missile-related activities under separate existing U.S. executive orders. The source declined to name the entities. The sources said the new sanctions had been in the works for some time and that Iran's decision to test-fire a ballistic missile on Sunday had helped to trigger U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to impose them. The White House signaled a newly aggressive stance toward Iran on Wednesday when Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser, made a statement putting Iran "on notice" for test-firing the missile and senior U.S. officials said the administration was reviewing how to respond. The new sanctions may be the leading edge of a tougher policy but the sources stressed that the United States was imposing them in a manner so as not to conflict with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under which Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions. Trump said earlier on Thursday that "nothing is off the table" in dealing with Iran following the missile launch, and his fellow Republicans in Congress said they would back him up with new sanctions. Trump's comment was in response to a question about whether he would consider military options to respond to Tehran, a day after Flynn's comment about putting Iran "on notice." The sanctions are not likely to have much, if any, practical effect on the Iranian entities or on U.S. companies or individuals who are, with few exceptions, barred from dealing with Iran. The sanctions are to be imposed under Executive Order 13224, which freezes the U.S. assets of entities or individuals who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism, and Executive Order 13382, which freezes the assets of weapons of mass destruction proliferators or their supporters. Given the long history of U.S. sanctions against Tehran dating to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, there are unlikely to be any assets under U.S. jurisdiction to be blocked. However, the sanctions could have the effect of dissuading foreign companies from dealing with the Iranian entities who are designated, said Brookings Institution analyst Robert Einhorn. Spokespeople for the White House, the State Department and the Treasury Department had no immediate comment. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Chris Reese and James Dalgleish) By Stephen Nellis and Mica Rosenberg SAN FRANCISCO/ WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Among Silicon Valleys top tech employers, Facebook Inc could be the most vulnerable to U.S. President Donald Trumps expected crackdown on guest-worker visas, according to a Reuters analysis of U.S. Labor Department filings. More than 15 percent of Facebook's U.S. employees in 2016 used a temporary work visa, giving the social media leader a legal classification as a H-1B dependent company. That is a higher proportion than Alphabet Inc's Google, Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc or Microsoft Corp. (Graphic: http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/FACEBOOK-IMMIGRATION/010031Q63Y3/index.html) That could cause problems for Facebook if Trump or Congress decide to make the H-1B program more restrictive, as the president and some Republican lawmakers have threatened to do. Both Trump and Attorney General nominee Senator Jeff Sessions have opposed the program in its current form. They have also indicated that they are open to reforming it to ensure the beneficiaries of the program are the best and the brightest, according to a draft executive order seen by Reuters. Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the draft. The Trump administration has not proposed any new rules that would target companies with the H-1B "dependent" classification. But the fact that Facebook alone among major tech companies falls into that category suggests it is the most exposed in the industry to any changes in H-1B visa policy. Facebook declined to comment on the matter. Trump administration officials could not immediately be reached for comment. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday that Trump would target H-1B visas as part of a larger immigration reform effort through executive orders and Congressional action, but gave no details. H-1B visas are intended for foreign nationals in "specialty" occupations that generally require higher education, which according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) includes, but is not limited to, scientists, engineers or computer programmers. The government awards 85,000 every year, chiefly through a lottery system. Story continues Companies say they use them to recruit top talent. But a majority of the visas are awarded to outsourcing firms, sparking criticism by skeptics that those firms use the visas to fill lower-level information technology jobs. Critics also say the lottery system benefits outsourcing firms that flood the system with mass applications. H-1B dependent status is mostly held by these outsourcing firms such as India's Tata Consultancy Services or Infosys. The status was introduced in the late 1990s in an effort to ensure that companies did not use the visas to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. The status requires companies to prove they cannot find U.S. workers for the jobs. Facebook listed itself as a dependent company in its applications for H-1B visas with the Labor Department last year. Before he took office as president, Trump discussed changes to the H-1B visa program with top technology executives, including Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. Those changes included possibly ending the lottery and replacing it with a system that would award the visas to the highest-paying jobs first, a move designed to reduce their issuance to outsourcing firms. Such a move could soften the blow from any H-1B changes for Facebook and other major technology companies. The average salary offered for Facebook H-1B jobs was $145,550, according to its application filings last year. Tata, a traditional outsourcing firm, offered $67,950 on average, barely above the $60,000 floor set by law for the H-1B program. The draft executive order did not mention specifics about the lottery. It did require the U.S. secretary of labor to provide the president with a report on the actual or potential injury to U.S. workers caused, directly or indirectly, by work performed by nonimmigrant workers in the H-1B visa program. We are hoping that the final draft will have more details, said Russell Harrison, director of government relations at IEEE-USA, a group that represents U.S. engineers and favors that H-1B reform. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Mica Rosenberg in New York; additional reporting by Andy Sullivan in Washington, D.C.; editing by Bill Rigby) Stockholm (AFP) - Denmark's Novo Nordisk, the world's top insulin maker, said Thursday its 2016 net profit was below forecasts due to falling product prices in the US, a huge market for the company. The group, which controls nearly half of the global market for insulin, posted a nine percent rise in 2016 net profit, but its operating income fell by two percent to $48.4 billion (45.1 billion euros). After announcing in September that it would slash 1,000 jobs around the world, the group expects another slowdown in its 2017 operating performance. Net profit in 2016 stood at 37.9 billion kroner (5 billion euros, $5.4 billion) with a turnover of 111.8 billion kroner, up six percent, at the top end of the downwards- revised forecast range in October. For 2017, it expects sales growth of between one and six percent in Danish kroner and a rise in operating profit between zero and five percent. "2016 was a challenging year. While we met our financial guidance for the year, strong market headwinds in the USA meant that we had to revise our long-term financial targets," chief executive Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen said in a statement. Novo Nordisk said it held a 37 percent market share of diabetes treatments in the US. But sales of its products in the world's largest economy fell by two percent last year due to lower prices and the loss of a contract for its top-selling insulin drug Novolog. Eleven patients filed a lawsuit in a Massachusetts federal court on Monday, accusing Novo Nordisk and two other insulin makers -- France's Sanofi and American Eli Lilly -- of fixing the life saving drug's prices. Novo Nordisk said it did not expect the lawsuit to cause financial harm to the company. In the long term, Novo Nordisk said it expects its operating profit to grow annually by five percent. This target had remained at 20 percent for 20 years until February 2016, when it was slashed to 10 percent. "However, 2016 was also a year in which we announced very encouraging clinical data for our key products, providing a solid foundation for future growth," Jorgensen said. His comments come three days after the company announced it would invest 135 million euros over the next 10 years at an Oxford University research centre to find treatment for type 2 diabetes. MILWAUKEE (AP) Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke earned more than $105,000 for speaking engagements last year nearly quadrupling his yield from 2015 as he became nationally known as one of the most vocal supporters of President Donald Trump. Documents reviewed by The Associated Press Thursday show Clarke was in high demand in 2016 and was invited to speak at more than three dozen events across the country. In 2015, Clarke earned $27,400 for speaking engagements. Clarke makes $132,000 as sheriff. The financial records, disclosed by Clarke annually to Milwaukee County's Ethics Board, illustrate his rise as a national figure embraced by conservatives for his unapologetic, sometimes confrontational, style of talking. He was one of the few African-Americans to speak at the Republican convention last year and has been critical of the Black Lives Matters movement. The 2016 records were submitted to the county on Monday and Clarke posted them on his Facebook page as the media became aware of them. His office declined further comment. Some examples of Clarke's 2016 speaking engagements: "The New Majority," a conservative group, paid Clarke $15,000 on Oct. 5 to speak at a Los Angeles event. Women of Washington paid Clarke a $7,500 honorarium to be the keynote speaker for a July 26 event in Seattle. The U.S. Concealed Carry Association gave Clarke $5,000 to speak at an April 29 even in Atlanta. Clarke was provided gifts and his travel was often covered. Including his speaking fees, he received over $220,100 to participate at events in 2016. In 2015, he received more than $124,500 in gifts, travel expenses, speaking fees, and media interviews. In 2014, when he successfully ran for re-election, he participated in three events including two with the National Rifle Association, but he received no payment for speaking. As Homo sapiens, and our Neanderthal cousins before us, began spreading around the planet from Africa starting tens of thousands of years ago, the waves of migration led to a mixing of DNA among different human populations in various parts of the world, giving us the diversity of humans today. And once agriculture became a way of life for early Home sapiens about 12,000 years ago, the mixing of DNA sped up drastically. But there seem to have been some human settlements that largely evaded mixing and mating with other H. sapiens thousands of years ago, their DNA remaining more or less the same to this date as it was then. One such group of people have been identified as the Ulchi, indigenous people who inhabit the Amur Basin area in far east Russia, whose DNA and appearance matches those of people who lived in the region about 7,700 years ago. An international team of researchers collected DNA samples from two women who lived in the area where Russia borders China and North Korea almost 8,000 years ago. Their bodies were found along with three others in a cave called Chertovy Vorota (Devils Gate) in a mountainous coastal area, a site that was first excavated by a Soviet team in 1973. On examining the DNA, and comparing it with populations of modern ethnic groups, researchers found a high level of genetic continuity over the eight millennia. This phenomenon in the Far East is in stark contrast with the genetic makeup of populations in Western Europe, where human DNA from the time we were hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago is very different from modern humans. Genetically speaking, the populations across northern East Asia have changed very little for around eight millennia. Once we accounted for some local intermingling, the Ulchi and the ancient hunter-gatherers appeared to be almost the same population from a genetic point of view, even though there are thousands of years between them, Andrea Manica from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the senior author of the study, said in a statement Wednesday. Story continues Devil'sGateSkull Photo: Yuriy Chernyavskiy Apart from the Ulchi, the samples from Devils Gate are also closely related to a number of Tungusic-speaking communities in present-day northeast China, as well as to Koreans and Japanese, although to a lesser extent. Our work suggests that these groups form a strong genetic lineage descending directly from the early Neolithic hunter-gatherers who inhabited the same region thousands of years previously, Veronika Siska, also from Cambridge and lead author of the study, said. The women from 7,700 years ago most likely had brown eyes and thick, straight hair and almost certainly had lactose intolerance. However, they probably did not turn red as a reaction to alcohol, the skin reaction now common across the region. Another important conclusion from the findings is that agriculture was perhaps not introduced to the area by migrating farmers, but instead, developed on its own over time. Likely causes for this were the sheer size of the region and dramatic variations in its climate. The study, published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances under the title Genome-wide data from two early Neolithic East Asian individuals dating to 7700 years ago, also involved researchers from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology in Korea, and Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin in Ireland. Related Articles New York (AFP) - The Tribeca Film Festival will open this year with a documentary and concert to celebrate Clive Davis, the legendary music executive who signed stars from Janis Joplin to Whitney Houston. The New York festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro in 2001 in the wake of the September 11 attacks, will open on April 19 with the premiere of "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives." The screening at Radio City Music Hall will be followed by a concert by artists signed by Davis including Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson and Earth, Wind & Fire, the festival announced Thursday. Davis, 84, was raised in a humble home in Brooklyn and worked his way to Harvard Law School and a legal career, through which he became the surprise president of Columbia Records at age 35. He became famous for his skill at identifying artists who would go on to massive careers who also included Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Aerosmith. Davis remains a music executive at Sony, which bought Columbia Records in 1988, and is host of an annual party of A-listers on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The film will be based on his 2013 autobiography, "The Soundtrack of My Life," which also drew attention for Davis's coming out in it as bisexual. The documentary is directed by relatively unknown Chris Perkel, who worked with Cameron Crowe on his 2011 film "Pearl Jam Twenty" on the grunge band. His first feature as a director was "The Town That Was," a documentary about a 1962 fire that obliterated the mining town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - Inmates at a Delaware prison were still holding two correctional staff members hostage on Wednesday night after releasing two others during an uprising at the facility, state officials said. One of the released hostages, an officer, was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Delaware State Police spokesman Sergeant Richard Bartz told reporters. All those held at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna were state Department of Correction employees. Officials previously said a total of five staff members were taken hostage, but later lowered the number. Armored vehicles, SWAT teams and emergency medical personnel converged on the prison, the News Journal of Delaware reported, and aerial video from WPVI television showed dozens of uniformed officers amassed in formation. "We've put all the resources that we have to bear to get our employees out," Delaware Governor John Carney told a news conference on Wednesday evening. Inmates were demanding improved conditions and wanted to speak with senior officials, the website of the News Journal of Delaware reported, citing phone calls with people inside the prison that were relayed through relatives of prisoners. The first officer was released by inmates at the prison, about 40 miles (64 km) south of Wilmington, on Wednesday afternoon and inmates released the second officer in the evening, state officials said. The second officer's condition was not immediately known. More than 20 inmates caught up in the uprising were released during the day, Department of Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps told reporters. A correction officer radioed for help on Wednesday morning from the C building, which houses more than 100 inmates, Bartz said. The News Journal reported receiving a call from a woman who said her fiance was an inmate being asked to relay demands, and that the voice an of unidentified man was patched onto the line. Story continues "Working with the Department of Correction, the FBI and the Delaware State Police will continue negotiations to obtain a peaceful and safe resolution," Bartz said on Wednesday afternoon. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said later: "Once this matter is resolved safely, then that will be the time to talk." The men's prison holds about 2,500 inmates, including some sentenced to the death penalty, according to the prison's website. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Laila Kearney, Daniel Trotta and Ian Simpson; Editing by Chris Reese and Peter Cooney) Jessica Camacho made her debut appearance as Gypsy in last nights episode of The Flash, and apparently, a lot of fans fell in love with her portrayal of the Earth-19 bounty hunter. To show her gratefulness for all the kind words she has received, Camacho took to Twitter and Instagram to thank the fans. See her posts below: In last nights Season 3, episode 11 of The Flash, Gypsy arrived on Earth-1 to bring H.R. (Tom Cavanagh) back to Earth-19 for his crime of inter-dimensional travel. In an attempt to free H.R. from his crime, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) demanded a trial by combat, which Gypsy accepted. When H.R. and Barry (Grant Gustin) thought that Cisco would never win the fight, the two tried to ambush Gypsy, but were easily defeated. Although Gypsy is a more experienced viber than Cisco, the S.T.A.R. Labs resident mechanical engineer defeated Gypsy in the duel using the stratagem that Julian (Tom Felton) taught him. But instead of killing her, Cisco allowed her to return to Earth-19 without a second thought. It seems, however, that fans wont have to wait that long to see Gypsy again. Last December, YVRShoots spotted Camacho filming some scenes with Valdes, Gustin, Keiynan Lonsdale (Wally/Kid Flash) and Violett Beane (Jesse/Jesse Quick) in downtown Vancouver for an upcoming episode. The exact scenes they were shooting were unclear, but a fan who was in the location at the time wrote on Twitter that the actors were filming a sequence involving Savitar and Grodd. Grodd is set to return to The Flash in Season 3, episodes 13 and 14, so its likely that Gypsy is going to appear in at least one of those episodes. An all-new episode of The Flash airs on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. EST on The CW. Check out the synopsis and trailer for Season 3, episode 12, titled Untouchable, below: Story continues Barry and the team at S.T.A.R. Labs work together to bring down Clive Yorkin (Matthew Kevin Anderson), a criminal metahuman who is methodically killing people by causing them to decompose at an accelerated rate. Joe (Jesse L. Martin) becomes his next target but its Iris (Candice Patton) who is caught in the crossfire. The Flash mentors Kid Flash and begins to elevate the newer speedsters training to another level. Jessica Camacho Photo: Getty Images/Vivien Killileas Related Articles Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump's brief honeymoon from global affairs is over. After a week of relative calm and domestic preoccupations, actors from Russia to Iran are testing the new US president's mettle. On the face of it, a recent Iranian ballistic missile test and a Russian-backed incursion deeper into Ukraine appear to have little in common and less to do with the man in the Oval Office. But make no mistake, both were moves designed to test the Republican leader. Trump's election has ended diplomatic business as usual. No one is quite sure what the neophyte president knows about the world or what he will decide on any given issue. Tehran and Moscow apparently have decided to find out. Since Trump spoke to President Vladimir Putin for an hour on Saturday, there has been a significant increase in violence around the Ukrainian industrial hub of Avdiivka. It is unlikely that Trump gave Putin the green light for operations, but since the call, 19 people have died as separatists shelled the town of 20,000 with repeated rounds of Grad multiple rocket systems and artillery fire. During Barack Obama's presidency, such incursions brought swift condemnation, calls for Russia and its allies to return to ceasefire agreements, support for Ukraine and a drip-drip of US and European sanctions against Moscow. During the last four days of increasing violence, European capitals shouted concern, but Trump's White House -- which is still finding its feet -- made no public comment. Instead, the State Department released a comment on day three, saying it was "deeply concerned with the recent spike in violence" and noting Ukrainian casualties, but without naming the culprit. On day four, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the president has been "kept aware" of the situation. - Transatlantic unity? - There is growing concern among European diplomats that Trump, at best, is showing neglect. At worst, Ukraine may be collateral damage in his desire to improve relations with Russia. Story continues "Transatlantic unity has been decisive in pushing back against Russian aggression against Ukraine in the last years," said Ulrich Speck, a foreign policy analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute. Sanctions -- agreed between Obama and German chancellor Angela Merkel -- helped stop Russian advances, Speck said. Obama and Merkel made any sanctions relief contingent on Putin respecting the Minsk ceasefire agreement. "If this unity falls apart, Russia could feel encouraged to restart the war in Eastern Ukraine, in order to destabilize the Ukrainian government," said Speck. There are early signs that the unity is already fraying. The Kremlin's readout of the Trump-Putin call spoke of "restoring mutually beneficial trade and economic ties" -- an oblique reference to sanctions. Colin Kahl, who was intimately involved in managing the Ukraine crisis in Obama's White House, expressed concern that Trump could back Russia's view of events and "blame the victim," causing a split with Europe. The real danger, he said on Twitter, is "Ukraine feeling abandoned" and so Ukrainian nationalists take matters into their own hands -- deepening the spiral of violence. - Missile offense - Transatlantic unity is also being tested in the Middle East. On Wednesday, after days of evasion, Iran's Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan presented another problem for Trump when he admitted that the Islamic Republic recently tested a ballistic missile. The medium-range missile was fired Sunday and saw a "failure of the re-entry vehicle," according to one US official. But the test was not just military in scope -- it was also a political statement. Throughout the election campaign, Trump has sounded a tough tone on Iran, vowing to stop Tehran's missile program and tear up a deal curbing its nuclear program. With the ball in Trump's court, the administration reacted by "officially putting Iran on notice" that business as usual was over, according to Trump's national security advisor, Michael Flynn. Quite what that means remains unclear and even imposing more sanctions would be a heavy lift. Under UN resolutions, Iran is prohibited from testing ballistic missiles that could carry a nuclear weapon, but previous tests have brought a cautious response from European countries who fear undermining the nuclear deal. A call for sanctions would also test Trump's burgeoning relationship with Putin, who would likely veto any resolutions. US officials say they are determined to show Iran that there is a new sheriff in town. But it's still unclear whether the new sheriff can lay down the law. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f369750%2fe5a6263f-f394-42cb-8198-9d8f613a05eb Many people might immediately associate the term "royal baby" with the UK's Prince George, but we think Bhutan has got a cuter kid in its ranks. Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck is Bhutan's youngest royal, who just so happens to be turning 1 on Feb. 5. SEE ALSO: Prince Harry gets schooled by some young rappers To commemorate the occasion, the Bhutanese website Yellow has made the Crown Prince the cover model for the February edition of its desktop calendar. The website promises the photo will "melt your heart," and with those puffy cheeks, a regal-looking yellow robe and that smile, it sure does. It's not the first time he's been the face of the calendar; he also made an equally cute appearance last September. Still with the puffy cheeks. Image: yellow The Crown Prince is the son of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who also has a birthday in February, and Queen Jetsun Pema. The Queen of Bhutan has also shared images of the family on her Facebook page, which is pretty goshdarned adorable. Alexandre Bissonnette has been charged with six counts of murder: Reuters Fox News has deleted a false and misleading tweet that claimed the suspect in the Quebec mosque terror attack was of Moroccan origin, following a call from the office of the Canadian Prime Minister for the network to remove the post. Six people were killed and a further 19 injured in the attack on the mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers on Sunday. More than 50 people were at the mosque when the attack took place. The man alleged to have carried out the attack is French-Canadian Alexandre Bissonnette, a 27-year-old student who is charged with six counts of murder. The tweet, which was sent on Monday, stated: Suspect in Quebec mosque terror attack was of Moroccan origin, reports show. The message was accompanied by a picture of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a quote from him, which said: We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge. Early reports of the shooting suggested two men had been arrested following, one of whom was of Moroccan origin, though the man was found to have been a witness and later released by police without charge. Fox News is yet to remove false tweet identifying suspect in the Quebec City mosque mass shooting as Moroccan: https://t.co/OHjZU2CZM6 pic.twitter.com/j81WDWoVTe Media Matters (@mmfa) January 31, 2017 Mr Trudeaus spokeswoman, Kate Purchase, on Tuesday demanded that Fox News either retract or update the tweet to reflect the suspects French-Canadian nationality. Ms Purchase said the false and misleading tweet dishonoured the victims by spreading misinformation, playing identity politics, and perpetuating fear and division within our communities. Fox News did not immediately delete the tweet, but later complied. Refet Kaplan, managing director at FoxNews.com, said in a statement on Tuesday: FoxNews.com initially corrected the misreported information with a tweet and an update to the story on Monday. The earlier tweets have now been deleted, CNN reported. We regret the error. Ms Purchase responded to Fox News by tweeting: Thank you @FoxNews for deleting the tweet. We appreciate it. Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - As the prospect of a hard Brexit looms, Frankfurt is taking big strides in the competition among European financial centres to lure banks away from London. On Monday, representatives from 25 major banks trooped into the unremarkable office block on the outskirts of Frankfurt that houses German financial regulator BaFin. As British lawmakers prepared to debate the bill set to launch the country out of the European Union, the bankers were learning about the registration process and regulatory requirements in Germany. "We now have to be pragmatic and give financial institutions the necessary clarity about regulation," BaFin's deputy bank oversight director Peter Lutz told journalists at a press conference following the meeting. "The way BaFin presented itself really came across well. From our perspective it was a success," Oliver Wagner, managing director of the Association of Foreign Banks in Germany (VAB), told AFP. Britain's departure means London-based banks may no longer be able to serve clients in the remaining 27 EU member states or perform euro-denominated trades under so-called "passporting" rules. Although Prime Minister Theresa May promised a Britain "open for business" in January, many banks are considering moving some activities out of London's "Square Mile" rather than gamble on the government and Brussels striking a deal preserving those rights. While not quite matching the excitement and charisma of London, Frankfurt has clear advantages as the financial centre of Europe's biggest economy and seat of the European Central Bank. - 'Flexibility' - To obtain a banking license in Germany, Lutz told representatives from global banks based in the US, UK, Australia and Japan, institutions would have to establish a significant presence including managers and risk management staff. "No one seriously believed they could just open a letterbox firm here," he said. Story continues But BaFin president Felix Hufeld also promised the necessary "pragmatism and flexibility" to deal with the Brexit fallout. "Good supervisors have to be able to improvise," he said, according to the text of a speech he gave in London Wednesday. The thicket of skyscrapers by the Main river is not alone among European financial centres in chasing a Brexit boost to business. Paris, Amsterdam, or Dublin could stand to gain from transplantations just as much as Frankfurt. But Germany's is the first regulator to publicise a well-attended meeting with banks to discuss the details of potential moves. While banks are keeping their cards close to their chests for now, media reports suggest Goldman Sachs, Lloyds, UBS and Citigroup are considering moving business to Frankfurt. - All to play for - But competition is heating up. HSBC has already said it will transfer around 1,000 staff -- 20 percent of its total in London -- to Paris, which as well as being France's financial hub outshines Frankfurt as a global city. Talks with other banks remain "informal", Benoit de Juvigny, secretary-general of France's AMF regulator, said in December. A delegation of Paris business leaders and politicians will venture to the British capital next week on a wooing mission, following up a jaunty advertising campaign telling London-weary bankers "Tired of the fogs? Try the frogs!". But the City of Light has to battle anti-business perceptions owing to high income taxes, a financial transactions tax, and the government ruling out easing dismissals of financial workers. In Amsterdam, deputy mayor Kajsa Ollongren told AFP the city was in talks with "more than a handful of banks and major financials" with "genuine real interest" in the city. Local authorities have hired more people to staff a sales drive to banks, but face an uphill battle against bankers' fear of a 20-percent cap on bonuses in the Netherlands. As a native English-speaking capital just an hour's flight from London, Dublin may be a more obvious choice than any mainland city. Media reports suggest Standard Chartered, Barclays, Credit Suisse and Bank of China are all looking closely at Ireland. Dublin's biggest challenge is its infrastructure, with overcrowded roads, a single-runway airport and few properties for sale meaning less spare capacity for a sudden influx of bankers. For now "it's still too early to say" whether Frankfurt is beating out the other contenders, VAB director Wagner said. "We're counting on decisions being made in the next two months" around the time Britain triggers formal exit talks, he added. burs-tgb/mfp/jh Tunis (AFP) - Germany has extradited to Tunisia a man linked to the slain suspect of the deadly Christmas market attack in Berlin, the prosecution in the North African country said Thursday. "A Tunisian connected to Anis Amri was expelled from Germany on Wednesday," said prosecution spokesman Sofiene Sliti. Amri allegedly rammed a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin on December 19, killing 12 people, before being shot dead four days later by police in Italy. The extradited Tunisian, whose identity was not revealed, "was not involved in the attack in Berlin" but would face charges for "belonging to a terrorist group", said Sliti. Tunisian authorities say they have evidence that he aimed to join a jihadist group in Syria. Shortly after the Berlin attack, authorities in Tunisia arrested four suspects before concluding that they had "no connection" to the attack. But a nephew of Amri remains in detention in Tunisia, also on suspicion of having intended to join jihadist organisations. BERLIN (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel criticised the German government's handling of Greece in a letter he wrote to Chancellor Angela Merkel last month, a newspaper reported on Thursday. Handelsblatt newspaper said Gabriel - who swapped the Economy Ministry for the Foreign Ministry last week - had expressed his "great concern" about the talks on Greece's financial rescue and thought the government in Berlin should play a "more constructive role". Germany wants the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to have a stake in Greece's bailout to give the rescue plan greater credibility, but also opposes granting Athens significant debt relief. The IMF says it will only join in if this rescue is the country's last and it includes significant debt relief. Gabriel, a member of the Social Democrats (SPD) - the junior coalition partner to Merkel's conservatives - said the German Finance Ministry and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seemed to have such diverging stances that reaching an agreement "at this time seems impossible". Germany, Europe's largest economy, has opposed large-scale debt relief unless Greece completes wide-ranging reforms and keeps running budget surpluses of 3.5 percent for the medium-term after the end of the bailout program in 2018. In the letter to Merkel, Gabriel proposed only requiring Greece to have a 3.5 percent primary budget surplus for the next three years, Handelsblatt said. It reported that German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, a member of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), had replied in mid-January, saying that relaxing budget demands would lead to more calls for forgiving part of Greece's debt pile, which Germany is against. (Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency advanced Thursday to the full Senate for a vote after Republicans rammed his nomination through committee in defiance of a Democratic boycott. For a second straight day, Democrats refused to show up for committee nomination votes, and Republicans countered once again by temporarily suspending committee rules that require at least two members of the minority to be present for a vote to be held. "We will not allow it to obstruct," Senate environment committee chairman John Barrasso said in a terse opening statement, delivered to a hearing room with no Democrats present. Two minutes later, the committee approved Scott Pruitt 11 to 0 to be the next EPA administrator. His nomination heads to the Senate floor for a full vote. Partisan tensions have climbed during Trump's first weeks in office, as the new president signs controversial executive orders aimed at rolling back health care reforms, approving two delayed pipelines, restricting new regulations and imposing travel bans on people from seven Muslim majority nations. On Wednesday, furious Democrats boycotted a Senate Finance Committee vote on the nominations of Steven Mnuchin to head the US Treasury and Tom Price to run the Department of Health and Human Services. They also refused to participate in that day's vote on Pruitt, whom they see as a fossil fuel industry ally and a global warming skeptic. When they continued the boycott Thursday, Barrasso called the delay "unprecedented" and used the power of the majority to ram the nomination through. "We had an election last November. The people spoke and now it is time to set up a functioning government," Barrasso said. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer hinted at the difficulties his Democrats had with Trump's cabinet picks. "Many of the nominees have philosphies that cut against the very nature of the department to which they were nominated," he said on the Senate floor. The confirmation of another controversial pick, education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos, is in trouble, with two Republican senators announcing their opposition. A confirmation vote on DeVos is expected Monday. By Maayan Lubell BET EL, West Bank (Reuters) - For many in the Israeli settlement of Bet El, deep in the occupied West Bank, Donald Trump's choice of Jared Kushner as his senior adviser on the Middle East is a sign of politics shifting in their favor. They regard Kushner, whose family's charitable foundation has donated tens of thousands of dollars to their settlement, as part of a diplomatic rebalancing after what they view as eight years of anti-Israel bias under the U.S. administration of Barack Obama. "He will stand up for our interests. I suppose he will lean in our favor," said Avi Lavi, 46, who has lived in Bet El for more than 40 years. "He'll be fair, as opposed to Obama, whose policy leaned always towards the Arabs." New U.S. President Trump says his son-in-law Kushner, 36, is capable of brokering the "ultimate deal" to deliver peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Roi Margalit, manager of the Bet El Yeshiva, a seminary complex with around 400 students, said Kushner, an Orthodox Jewish father of three, understood the position of Israeli settlers better than previous envoys. "At least now we have someone who knows us," the 43-year-old added. "He will now have to study the other side (the Palestinians) and see if there is any common ground." Trump's pick for Israeli ambassador has sparked particular enthusiasm in the community: David Friedman, who chairs the American Friends of Bet El Institutions fundraising group. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Kushner and Friedman. Kushner, a businessman who built his career on real estate and publishing, has said little about his views about one of the world's most intractable conflicts, either during the campaign or since Trump took office. The big question for the Palestinians is whether he can be an impartial actor given his family foundation's past financial ties to Bet El. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been careful to say he looks forward to working with the Trump administration, but others are less optimistic. Wasel Abu Youssef, a senior official at the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the main Palestinian political umbrella body, said Kushner could not be a neutral envoy if he was supportive of Israeli settlements. Hani al-Masri, a political scientist and director of the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies, said Kushner would be a representative of Israel rather than of the United States. "If he attempts to resume negotiations, he will seek to hold them at a lower level than previous negotiations. It will be more biased to the Israeli position in an era where Israel is more extreme." 'NATURAL DEALMAKER' Palestinians want the West Bank and Gaza Strip for an independent state, with its capital in East Jerusalem. Israel has built about 120 settlements in the West Bank. About 350,000 settlers live there and a further 200,000 in East Jerusalem, among about 2.6 million Palestinians. Most countries consider the settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace as they reduce and fragment the territory Palestinians need for a viable state. Israel disagrees, citing biblical, historical and political connections to the land and security interests. Bet El, a community of 1,300 families perched on a hillside where many believe God promised Jacob the land, has been financed in part by donations from American backers. Among its donors have been the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which gave $10,000 in 2003, and the foundation of Charles and Seryl Kushner, the parents of Jared, which gave $38,000 in 2013, U.S. tax records show. The New York-based American Friends of Bet El Institutions hosts dinners to raise funds for the settlement, which overlooks the Palestinian city Ramallah. Kushner has left it up to his father-in-law to comment on what role he might play. "Jared is such a good kid and he'll make a deal with Israel that no one else can," Trump told The Times of London newspaper last month. "He's a natural dealmaker - everyone likes him." Middle East analysts say the settlement donations by Kushner's family foundation are not necessarily deal-breakers. After decades of failed negotiations, the real test is whether he is prepared to rethink the way the Middle East peace process is conducted, said Hugh Lovatt, a fellow of the European Council on Foreign Relations. "If he reverts to pushing for a process for the sake of process and diplomatic prestige, then he will prove no more successful than his predecessors," Lovatt told Reuters. "If he acquiesces to Israeli territorial demands and gives a green light to more settlement activity, he could even do irreparable damage to the prospects of long-term peace." A key diplomatic factor will be whether the Trump administration commits itself to a two-state solution - Israel and an independent Palestinian state living side-by-side. This remains firmly the goal for the Palestinians and, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israelis. But some of Kushner's supporters in Bet El appear to be heading in a different direction - and the political voice of hardliners could prove a significant obstacle should peace talks resume. "The two-state solution is a scam," said Shai Alon, the head of the local council, who describes himself as optimistic about the "Trump era". "It's not going to happen." (Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Luke Baker in Jerusalem, Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Editing by Luke Baker and Pravin Char) Harley Offers Clarity in Trump Brouhaha Harley-Davidson officials will be meeting with Donald Trump after all it just won't be in Milwaukee. Several news outlets this week reported that a Trump visit to Harley's Milwaukee headquarters had been scrapped due to concerns that the visit would bring with it an excessive number protesters and bad PR. A group calling itself the Milwaukee Coalition Against Trump claimed credit for the abandoned trip, which would have been Trump's first official visit outside of Washington, D.C., since being sworn in as president a few weeks ago. For its part, however, Harley-Davidson claimed no such trip had ever been planned, reportedly issuing a statement that said, in part: "We do not have a scheduled visit with the president this week at any of our facilities." A few hours later, however, we couldn't help spotting a message from Harley-Davidson on Trump's preferred means of communication, Twitter. screen-shot-2017-02-02-at-14-22-35 A tweet from the company's official account read: "We welcome the opportunity to meet with the administration [Thursday] on how US manufacturing can unify the country." Somewhat confused, we got in touch with the good folks at Harley-Davidson to see if they could shed some light on these two seemingly contradictory statements. Turns out they're both correct. There's no scheduled presidential visit but "Harley-Davidson executives are scheduled to meet with President Trump in D.C. [on Thursday]," according to Harley-Davidson representative Katie Whitmore. "Were looking forward to this visit as it is a testament to our American heritage and the great work our employees do every day to build Harley-Davidson motorcycles," she told me. "As a proud U.S. manufacturer for more than 114 years and as a company that values freedom and unity we look forward to talking with the president about Harley-Davidson and the future of U.S. manufacturing." Story continues Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider Harley-Davidson takes immense pride in its American heritage, so it seems plausible that company execs will receive a warm welcome from the man who declared in his inauguration speech: "From this day forward, it's going to be only America first... We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American." But that latter assertion may see Harley-Davidson taking a certain amount of heat. The company has a number of factories in the United States but also manufactures bikes elsewhere, like India, and, as critics are often eager to point out, it is a company that (like pretty much ever major manufacturer everywhere in the world) relies on a number of foreign parts. Additionally, according to a report in Computer World, the company outsourced the bulk of its IT jobs in 2012. Al-Hol (Syria) (AFP) - Syrians fleeing the Islamic State group in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor are taking dangerous smuggling routes through mined territory to reach safety, but harsh conditions await near the Iraqi border. Hundreds of people have arrived from Deir Ezzor to the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Hasakeh province, particularly after recent heavy fighting between the jihadists and government forces. The city has been besieged by IS since early 2015, and the group already controlled around half the city before making fresh advances last month. The assault sparked fierce fighting with government forces and has brought new misery for residents. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said IS sought to prevent people fleeing neighbourhoods under its control by arresting them, opening fire on departing civilians and executing those suspected of smuggling. Sara, a Deir Ezzor resident in her thirties who did not give her family name, described a harrowing journey to Al-Hol. "We came here through a smuggling route, across mined areas, and we were very afraid," she told AFP. "My husband is still there but we have no information about him and it is impossible to make contact with him." - Cold, sick - "Our conditions are difficult, we have nothing but canned food and the weather is very cold," Sara said. Inside the camp, administered by Kurdish authorities with help from the UN refugee agency UNHCR and other humanitarian groups, displaced families lined up for water and fuel. The UN says more than 500 displaced Syrians, mostly from Deir Ezzor, are currently in Al-Hol, though a local official put the number closer to 800. Children gathered around an open fire, rubbing their hands together for warmth in the freezing desert winter. A woman baked bread on a metal dome placed over a bonfire as snowflakes drifted down around her. The camp is home to tens of thousands of people, including Syrians displaced from IS-held areas in Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces, as well as Iraqis fleeing the city of Mosul across the border. Story continues Recent arrivals from Deir Ezzor complained of the bitter cold and limited resources and said officials barred access to nearby Hasakeh city, controlled by Kurdish authorities. "There are sick people in the camp and they won't allow us to leave," one Deir Ezzor resident in the camp told AFP, without giving his name. "We're detained here even if we have a sponsor... we appeal to international organisations to get us out, because the conditions here are very difficult," he added, his face wrapped in a scarf. More than half of Syria's population has been displaced since the country's conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011. The war has also killed more than 310,000 people and drawn in players including neighbouring Turkey, government ally Russia, and jihadists like IS. - 'It is safe here' - The Observatory also said it had received reports from Al-Hol that displaced civilians there were prevented from leaving to nearby cities. The monitor said it had documented the deaths of at least six people from Deir Ezzor, among them two children and an elderly woman, from lack of medical care and harsh conditions in the Rajm al-Salibeh area where the camp is located. "We're happy to be in the camp because it is safe here, but the conditions for the Iraqis are better than ours," complained Suad, a former teacher from Deir Ezzor. But Yerevan Hussein, a camp official, said all residents were being treated equally, despite limited supplies, including the recent arrivals from Deir Ezzor. "They live in a special camp and the management of the camp is meeting their needs," she told AFP. She said camp officials were "helping those who wish to fly to Damascus or the Gulf," while those in need of medical attention were allowed to go to Hasakeh city if they were "sponsored by someone living there." Moscow police to residents: Stop reporting moose sightings MOSCOW (AP) Police in the northern Idaho city of Moscow are telling residents to stop calling to report moose sightings. The agency in a statement Wednesday says it has been receiving many calls but that its well aware that moose are in the city and is monitoring the situation along with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Police say theres no need to report a moose unless the moose is posing an immediate safety threat. Police are also reminding residents not to approach moose as moose are wild animals. Idahos indigent care program request $18M from lawmakers BOISE (AP) Managers for Idahos catastrophic health care program say they are struggling to predict how much money they will need next year due to uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act. Roger Christensen, chairman of the Catastrophic Health Care Fund board and a Bonneville County commissioner, told members on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee Wednesday that the program is requesting $18 million for fiscal year 2018, the same as this year. The Spokesman-Review reports that the program provides indigent medical care to Idahoans. The costs are split between county property taxes and state general funds. Costs have dropped over the past few years as more Idahoans have found other resources for medical care, including subsidized insurance through the states online health insurance marketplace exchange. In fiscal year 2016, the program cost, between counties and the state, was $33.9 million. In 2012 it was $56 million SW Idaho woman pleads guilty after daughter malnourished CALDWELL (AP) A 22-year-old southwest Idaho woman has pleaded guilty to felony injury to a child after authorities reported finding her daughter severely malnourished. Tiffany Knapp of Caldwell made the plea Monday in 3rd District Court. Court documents say police in March performed a welfare check on the 8-month-old infant and found she only weighed 11 pounds. The child was placed into foster care where authorities say she gained more than 4 pounds over the next 20 days. Authorities say the child had been prescribed a special formula to help her gain weight but had been given only Kool-Aid and watered-down milk. Knapp wasnt arrested until September. She faces up to 10 years on prison at her sentencing scheduled for April 3. Age-related hearing loss has long been thought of as an inevitable part of getting older, more a nuisance than a life-altering medical conditionat least by those not experiencing it. But thats all changing. In the past two years, the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) have published reports calling untreated hearing loss a significant national health concern, one thats associated with other serious health problems, including depression and a decline in memory and concentration. Several studies even suggest a link between hearing loss and dementia. The estimated 48 million Americans affected by hearing impairment didnt need that memo. More than 100 years ago, Helen Keller, who was deaf and blind, described the isolation caused by hearing loss aptly when she said: Blindness separates people from things. Deafness separates people from people. Lise Hamlin, director of public policy for the nonprofit Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) echoes that sentiment. Were social creatures," she says. "When you shut down the ability to talk and interact with people, that isolation affects your health and your ability to participate in society. Recent research shows that the number of Americans of working age with hearing loss has declined slightly, but it continues to be a problem for seniors, affecting 28.6 million Americans ages 60 and older. Despite the prevalence of hearing loss and the negative impact it can have on health and quality of life, relatively few people seek treatment. Almost half of the 131,686 Consumer Reports subscribers surveyed for our 2015 Annual Fall Questionnaire reported having trouble hearing in noisy environments, yet only 25 percent had their hearing checked in the previous year. And according to research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, just 14 percent of those who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them. Story continues People dont seek help for several reasons. A common one, according to NAS, PCAST, and others, is that they cant afford it. NAS reports that hearing aids cost an average of $4,700 per pair in 2013 and can climb to almost twice that price. And theyre usually not covered by health insurance or Medicare. No wonder the market for less expensive, over-the-counter hearing helpers known as PSAPs (personal sound amplification products) is growing. We dug deep to find out why hearing aids and treatment for hearing loss can be so costly, and whats being done to bring solutions within reach. We also tried several PSAPs to determine whether theyre an affordable alternative to hearing aids for some people. Heres what we uncovered. Great Strides in Treating Hearing Loss Though most of us take our hearing for granted until we begin to lose it, the ability to perceive and make sense of sound is a marvel. In simple terms, sound waves travel through the air to the inner ear. There, microscopic hair cells convert them into electrical signals that are shuttled to the brain, which interprets them as meaningful sounds, language, music, and more. But a constellation of abnormalities in the auditory system can cause this process to malfunction. For those who have mild to severe hearing problems (see Degrees of Hearing Loss), hearing aids have traditionally been the solution. These prescription devices contain a microphone that picks up and converts sound waves into electrical signals and an amplifier that makes the signals louder. The amplified sounds are directed by a speaker to the inner ear, where hair cells detect them and send them to the brain. Worn in or behind the ear, hearing aids have come a long way since the handheld ear trumpets of the 19th century, particularly in the past 20 to 30 years. (See our hearing aid buying guide and ratings of brands and retailers.) Todays aids are smaller and, thanks to digitization, better at amplifying sound specifically in the frequencies where its needed. Most aids can now be adjusted by wearers for a variety of environments, from quiet rooms to loud parties. Modern hearing aids are also better at reducing unpleasant feedback and background noise. They often have telecoils, small copper wires that improve sound clarity by picking it up directly from phones and public-address systems. At the higher end, hearing aids may have features such as Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to stream music and take phone calls through them. A result of this progress is that 46 percent of our survey respondents reported that they were very or completely satisfied with their aids. Just 3 percent of those who reported trouble hearing but dont use hearing aids noted that they had tried the devices and found they didnt work. Despite the advances, experts say that even the most sophisticated devices cant fully normalize impaired hearing. As Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports chief medical adviser, notes: No hearing aid can match the efficiency and function of the human ear. Theres nothing like the real thing. And some people benefit more from hearing aids than others. You can have two people with identical audiograms who have very different functionality, says Debara Tucci, M.D., a professor of otolaryngology at the Duke University Medical Center, referring to a commonly used hearing test. In many cases, people dont think their hearing loss is severe enough to warrant treatment or they simply dont want to wear aids. Then theres the image problem: Hearing aids are still sometimes viewed as a sign of faltering health. Theres much more of a stigma about wearing a hearing aid than there is for wearing glasses, says James C. Denneny III, M.D., CEO of the American Academy of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery. More on Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids Priced Out of Treatment Options You can buy the newest smartphone, a far more complex device than any hearing aid, for less than $1,000. But hearing aids typically cost $3,300 to $8,000 per pairand prices continue to rise. (Check our advice on how to save on hearing aids.) Groups such as NAS and PCAST say that hearing aids are more expensive than they should be. The PCAST report cites a 2010 study that found that the cost of hearing-aid components could be purchased for less than $100. The professionals who sell hearing aids, most of whom are audiologists with doctoral degrees, note that the price also covers many services. Todd Ricketts, Ph.D., director of graduate studies in hearing and speech sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explains that evaluating people and then selecting, fitting, and adjusting hearing aids to ensure that they work as well as possible is exacting and time-consuming. But bundling the price of the product and services together makes it more difficult for people to know exactly what theyre paying for. According to the NAS report, this lack of transparency also forces consumers to pay for services they may not need. Whats more, neither Medicare nor a majority of commercial insurance planswhich often follow Medicares leadcover the cost. Nor do they offer coverage for an additional fee, as many plans do with dental and vision care. Given the established link between hearing loss and other serious health problems, why dont private insurers or Medicare pay for hearing aids? I dont know why we dont cover the cost of hearing aids, said a spokesman for Aetna, Matthew Clyburn, when we asked. Medicare doesnt cover them either, so it doesnt seem to be highly out of the ordinary, he added. None of the representatives of the six large health insurers we spoke with could pinpoint reasons for this lack of coverage. (A few states require such coverage, and some insurers offer discounts on hearing aids.) The National Association of Insurance Commissioners said its a business decision. In response to our questions, a Medicare spokeswoman sent an email explaining that she couldnt address why hearing aids are excluded from its coverage. She suggested that we refer to the Congressional Record of 1965the year Medicare was signed into lawfor an answer. From the outset, Medicare specifically excluded hearing aids from coverage. They were far more affordable when the program was created, and hearing loss wasnt viewed as a significant health concern. As Kim Cavitt, Au.D., an audiologist and adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University, says, You dont die from hearing loss. But the continued lack of coverage has not gone unnoticed by certain members of Congress. They, like lawmakers who tried before them, are pushing to make hearing aids more affordable and easily available. We know now that 70 percent of all seniors between 65 and 84 who need a hearing aid simply do not get one, many times because they cant afford it, says Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, who introduced a bill in 2015 that would require Medicare to pay for the devices. People with untreated hearing loss are cut off from their communities, she says. They feel isolated and depressed. We must get agreement in Congress that people need to hear. Dingells bill failed to get traction, but she says she plans to reintroduce it this year. In December, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced legislation that would make simple, more affordable hearing aids easier for consumers with mild to moderate hearing loss to obtain. The legislation would allow such devices to be sold over-the-counter and eliminate the requirement that consumers have a medical exam or sign a waiver before purchasing them. The latter is still on the books. But the Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it would no longer enforce the medical exam or waiver requirement. Affordable Over-the-Counter Solutions Given the high cost of hearing aids, its no surprise that were seeing a growing array of less expensive OTC products, such as wireless headphones for TV watching and phone apps that amplify sound. But PSAPs, which range from about $10 to $500 each, are the most common OTC option. They sit in or behind the ear and have some of the same components as hearing aids: a microphone, an amplifier, and a receiver. In theory, they should boost the volume of the sounds you have trouble hearing. Some may reduce background noise, as many prescription aids do. Most PSAPs are fairly basic, offering few or no adjustments for varied environmentssay, outdoor spaces or movie theaters. And unlike a majority of hearing aids, PSAPs are generally analog, not digital, so theyre usually less able to reduce annoying feedback and to consistently target only the frequencies in which users really need amplification. Thats a big difference, says Cavitt, who co-authored a 2016 study comparing PSAPs with hearing aids. When the sound comes in, does it merely amplify it, or can it also suppress feedback or extraneous noise? These differences may be challenging for consumers to discern. PSAPs arent regulated by the FDA as hearing aids are, and manufacturers arent permitted to call them hearing aids or claim that they improve impaired hearing. (In fact, according to the FDA, the devices arent meant to compensate for hearing loss but are intended for non-hearing-impaired consumers to amplify sounds in certain environments.) And because PSAPs are so loosely regulated, their manufacturers arent held to the same safety or efficacy standards as hearing-aid manufacturers. Consumers have no way of knowing whether one PSAP is better manufactured than another, says Neil DiSarno, Ph.D., chief staff officer for audiology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Experts agree that people who already have moderate to severe hearing loss wont benefit from PSAPs. To see how well they work for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, Consumer Reports had three volunteers who fit that definition test four devices. We found that the higher-end PSAPs helped some of our volunteers hear better, especially while watching TV. (Get details on the results of our tests at Are OTC Hearing Helpers Any Good?) Ricketts urges consumers to see a hearing professional to determine their level of hearing loss and which frequency ranges need amplification most. A hearing specialist can also diagnose more easily remedied conditions such as earwax buildup or more serious problems such as ear-canal tumors. A majority of audiologists dont sell PSAPs or adjust those that consumers buy on their own, although this might soon be changing. Even if PSAPs are not perfect, Denneny says, they may give people a relatively simple entry point into the healthcare system at a markedly reduced cost. Types of Hearing Loss There are two main types of hearing loss; some people have a mixture of the two. Sensorineural hearing loss, the most common, is usually caused by the destruction of hair cells in the inner ear. The damage to hair cells can be due to aging, certain medications, heredity, exposure to loud noises, and nerve damage from illnesses such as mumps. This is the type of hearing loss that most often affects people over 60. It's treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants. These devices send sound signals directly to the auditory nerve, which then carries them to the brain. Conductive hearing loss occurs when a physical block such as earwax or a malformation of the ear stops sound from traveling through the ear canal. Removing the blockage or corrective surgery usually restores hearing. Degrees of Hearing Loss Hearing loss is measured by degrees ranging from mild to profound. Although the best way to know whether you have a hearing impairmentand to what degreeis to see an audiologist or other hearing professional, this can give you an idea of where you may fall on the scale. 1. Mild Difficulty hearing soft speech or quiet conversations, or sounds such as a babbling brook. 2. Moderate Trouble hearing conversations amid background noise; inability to hear the hum of a refrigerator motor. 3. Moderate/Severe Difficulty understanding group conversations or hearing sounds such as a running shower or an air conditioner. 4. Severe Inability to hear speech at normal volumes and sounds such as a toilet flushing or a garbage disposer. 5. Profound Difficulty hearing or total inability to hear even the loudest of noises, such as a revving motorcycle engine. Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the March 2017 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2017 Consumers Union of U.S. For some people, stuttering is a lifelong speech disorder that can interfere with school, social life, career choices and overall self-esteem. But it doesn't have to. People can learn how to manage stuttering and go about their lives with confidence. Adult Stuttering For Jenny Striplin of Santa Clarita, California, the turning point came when she and her then 2-year-old son attended a Mommy-and-Me toddler group. When it was their turn for round-the-circle introductions, Striplin managed to get out her son's name -- but not her own. Striplin felt other parents around the circle staring. "Everyone kind of looks at me with eyes as big as can be," she recalls. "It seems like they're all hoping you can do it, but it's making them uncomfortable. And you could tell they wished they could do something for you." Striplin decided it was time to do something for herself. So she made an appointment with a speech-language pathologist, and asked to try a wearable device that she'd heard helps some people with stuttering. It lets users hear their own voices with a shift in pitch and slight delay, which may increase their fluency. After a trial run with the device gave only temporary improvement, Striplin and her therapist agreed to a long-term treatment plan. [See: 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore.] When growing up, Striplin had never let stuttering stop her, whether participating in local beauty pageants or rushing a sorority as an undergrad. For a long time, she believed that avoiding stuttering was a manner of mechanics. "I thought, 'I have control of this if I really speak slowly and enunciate,'" she says. "And if I think about what I want to say." By graduate school, she thought she'd surmounted stuttering. But in certain stressful periods in adulthood, stuttering resurfaced with a vengeance, making it nearly impossible to speak even to closest family members, forcing her to resort to texts and emails. Story continues So she committed to relearning the basics of speaking with her speech-language pathologist, which helped her realize that stuttering wasn't her fault: "I truly have a speech disorder. It's not just my laziness or inability to slow down." Now she has methods to make her speech more rhythmic, or to get out of a block if she's stuck on a word. In fact, her speech sounds clear and fluent. Who Stutters and Why? At some point, everyone has speaking glitches, or disfluencies. For example, using fillers such as "like" or nonword fillers such as "um" and "uh" are common disfluencies, but not speech disorders . About 5 percent of people have stuttering as a speech disorder at some point in their lives, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, or ASHA. Scientists are investigating possible biological and genetic causes. Brain images have shown some difference in teens and young adults who stutter, but the research isn't definitive. Chronic stuttering appears to be likelier for those who have a family history of the disorder, stuttering that lasts longer than six months to a year without improvement, stuttering that starts at age 3-and-a-half or later, and coexisting speech and language issues like language delays. Boys are more likely to stutter than girls. Repeating partial words, sounds or syllables may indicate a stuttering problem, as do speech blocks, when a person knows what he or she wants to say, but is unable to produce the sound (think: long pauses). People who stutter often struggle with secondary behaviors, also called emotional overlays, such as facial grimaces or head movements, says Diane Paul, director of clinical Issues in speech-language pathology for ASHA. "When somebody's having a block and can't get the sound out, they may do something else like touch their glasses or tense up," Paul says. "Some people may have more negative reactions to their own stuttering and less confidence in speaking." [See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids' Health.] Early intervention is important. If you suspect your child may have a speech problem, make an appointment with a speech-language pathologist. If stuttering is diagnosed, the therapist will work with you and your child to develop an individualized treatment approach. With preschoolers, training parents to help their kids is a major facet of treatment, says Roberta Kornfield, a speech-language pathologist in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. "One of the first things we ask parents is to slow down their speech," she says. "Maybe to simplify their language; not ask so many questions. So we're taking a lot of the communicative stress off children." Kornfield uses strategies based on the Lidcombe program, a stuttering plan developed in Australia that promotes positive reinforcement for kids when they speak fluently. As a child progresses, parents can begin to address less-fluent speech, Kornfield says, with feedback like: "Hmm; that sounds a little bumpy or sticky," and encouraging him or her to try again to sound nice and smooth. With older kids, Kornfield helps them develop fluency-facilitating techniques. For instance, one method, called early-voice onset, involves stretching out the initial sound at the beginning of an utterance. The child starts the sound very quietly then increases volume, so it sounds like a glide. The more kids work on such techniques, first practicing at home and then in real-life situations, the more improvement they'll see. When Your Child Stutters Annemarie Whitesel of Charlotte, North Carolina, witnessed the toll stuttering took on her daughter, Brittany, now 26. "She's very proud of the fact that she stutters, now," her mother says. "That was not the case when she was growing up." Speech therapy helped, Whitesel says. Brittany learned how to use breathing techniques and other tools. But she still struggled. "Her own name is probably the hardest word for her," Whitesel says. "The consonant "B" is the most difficult. So just introducing herself to someone new was not something she ever wanted to do." Isolation was a problem. "My daughter is someone who, at home, was always very vocal and would struggle through the stuttering," Whitesel says. "But once she'd leave the house, she would be a completely different person. She never wanted to go anywhere. She didn't want to go out to eat. She would never talk on the phone. She wouldn't meet anybody." Brittany didn't want to be treated differently than other students. If she had to give a speech in class, she did it, her mother says, but it was "horrible" for her. "When you're tired or nervous, that's the worst time to speak," Whitesel says. "Your body's not relaxed and you're tense and your brain is on overload. So you tend to stutter more. Thankfully, she had teachers who graded her on content, not delivery." High school graduation was a tipping point, Whitesel says. Away at college, no longer with familiar teachers and kids, Brittany became isolated and depressed, and her mother was concerned about her well-being. In desperation, she searched online and discovered the National Stuttering Association. (Whitesel is now an NSA board member.) For mother and daughter alike, traveling to their first chapter meeting was a breakthrough. "Brittany was for the first time in a room with young people and adults her own age" who stuttered, Whitesel says. "She realized, 'There are people like me.' When she walked out of there she was almost skipping. It was life-changing for her." After a three-year break in which Brittany helped her mother start a local NSA chapter, she returned to college to complete her senior year, this time far more socially engaged and with much more self-confidence. "She had this attitude of, 'No. 1, I know I'm not the only one who stutters," Whitesel says. ""And No., 2, it doesn't define who I am; it's just something that I do.'" [See: When Health Treatments Go From Hospital to DIY.] You can help someone who stutters by being a good listener. "Give the person time to talk and focus on the message, not how they're saying something," Paul says. "Don't look away. Listen to what somebody's saying. Don't finish their sentences." Adds Whitesel: "It's crucial to not break eye contact with that person. To not jump in and assume you know what they're trying to say. It's just giving them the respect and the time and the patience to just say what they want to say." Lisa Esposito is a Patient Advice reporter at U.S. News. She covers health conditions, drawing on experience as an RN in oncology and other areas and as a research coordinator at the National Institutes of Health. Esposito previously reported on health care with Gannett, and she received her journalism master's degree at Georgetown University. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at lesposito@usnews.com. (Reuters) - Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday: SUPREME COURT NOMINEE Trump urges Senate Republicans to "go nuclear" and impose a rule change to force a simple majority vote toward confirmation if Democrats block his U.S. Supreme Court nominee. ADMINISTRATION Public refusals by two U.S. Senate Republicans to support Betsy DeVos, Trump's pick for education secretary, raise the possibility of a rare congressional rejection of a Cabinet nominee. The Senate confirms Rex Tillerson as secretary of state despite concerns over his ties to Russia, while committees approve Jeff Sessions, one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet selections, as attorney general, as well as two other nominees. Evangelical Christian leader Jerry Falwell Jr. will head an education reform task force under Trump and is eager to cut university regulations, including rules on dealing with campus sexual assault. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS The White House puts Iran "on notice" for test-firing a ballistic missile and says it is reviewing how to respond, abruptly adopting an aggressive posture toward Tehran that could raise tensions in the region. Defense Secretary James Mattis is expected to underscore security commitments to South Korea and Japan on his debut trip to Asia this week as concerns mount over North Korea's missile program and tensions with China. Tillerson sees his job become harder before it even begins because of administration moves that have antagonized Muslim nations, European allies, Mexico and U.S. bureaucrats. COUNTERTERRORISM The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter tell Reuters. Trump pays his respects to a U.S. Navy SEAL who died in a raid on al Qaeda in Yemen that went wrong, the first military operation authorized by Trump as commander in chief. TRAVEL BAN Trump will likely face questions about his executive order restricting some travel to the United States when he meets with the CEOs of major U.S. companies at the White House on Friday. U.N. human rights experts warn that asylum seekers could face torture if not given haven and the Vatican calls for openness to other cultures, adding to a drumbeat of criticism of Trump's travel curbs. RELATIONS WITH MEDIA Trump lashes out at one of his favorite targets for derision - the news media - complaining to a group of his supporters attending a Black History Month session that most reporters who cover him are a "disgrace." (Compiled by Bill Trott, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney; Editing by James Dalgleish and Andrew Hay) TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) The president of Honduras' governing party is denying an international watchdog's report that alleges she and her husband are among dozens of people linked to corruption and violence against land activists. Gladys Aurora Lopez is vice president of congress and leads the National Party. She is calling for London-based Global Witness to retract the report it released this week. Lopez said Wednesday it is "false, misrepresented and manipulated information" that "harms my prestige and the image of Honduras." Global Witness featured Lopez prominently in its report. It said her husband controlled a hydroelectric project in western Honduras that was opposed by indigenous activists, three of whom have been slain. It also said his two dam projects received licenses when she was in congress, a possible conflict of interest. Among the numerous concerns addressed by 2010s Dodd-Frank financial reform bill was the so-called resource curse, whereby mineral or fossil fuel-rich countries are unable to transform their wealth into economic growth and development, often falling victim to corruption and poor governance. The final bill included a measure, co-sponsored by Senators Ben Cardin and Richard Lugar, requiring that all oil, gas, and mineral companies on the U.S. stock exchange disclose any payments they make to foreign governments for licenses or permits for development. It aimed to curb bribery and give poor countries rich in resources a chance to hold their governments and resource-extraction companies accountable. After years of delay, on June 27, 2016, the Securities Exchange Commission published a final version of the rule that enforces Cardin-Lugar. It was set to go into effect in 2018. Recommended: Donald Trump's Dishonorable Blunder Down Under On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to kill that rule and effectively gut Cardin-Lugar using a special authority that allows lawmakers to undo recently passed regulations. The Senate will likely take up a complementary measure in the coming days. It is expected to pass. In an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal last week, Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy declared that the rule would put American businesses at a competitive disadvantage a position echoed by the American Petroleum Institute (API), the top energy-lobbying group in Washington, and the oil giant ExxonMobil, one of APIs top members. Over the years, ExxonMobil has claimed that Cardin-Lugar, if turned into an enforceable rule by the SEC, would compel the company to disclose private, internal data. That, in turn, would place it a severe competitive disadvantage relative to the BPs and Shells and Rosnefts of the world, the company has argued. How Tillerson, confirmed as secretary of state today, thinks about corruption and regulating the resource-extraction industry matters. During Tillersons confirmation hearing earlier this month, Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine raised the point that ExxonMobil has conducted business in countries afflicted by the resource curse like Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Angola. How will you work with nations that suffered under this resource curse ... [and] make sure they respect human rights, the rule of law and our longstanding commitment to transparency and anti-corruption? he asked. Tillerson, in response, touted the role of USAID in strengthen[ing] the institutional capacities and set standards of expectation in the developing part of the world including those that have resource wealth. (Donald Trump has yet to appoint anyone to head up USAID.) Story continues Recommended: Its Putins World While SEC filings do not show that Tillerson played a direct role in ExxonMobils lobbying over Cardin-Lugar, between October 25, 2011, and January 31, 2012, company representatives filed a number of comments and attended meetings with SEC commissioners concerning the rule, focusing largely on the competitiveness argument; API also lobbied the commission on several occasions. Exxon was just incredibly vocal and aggressive, Zorka Milin, the senior legal adviser of Global Witness, an international anti-corruption NGO, told me. What are they fighting so desperately to hide? After the SEC first published the rule in 2012, API, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and the National Foreign Trade Council sued the SEC in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to undo the rule, and the court vacated it. But in 2014, Oxfam sued the SEC for dragging its feet on drafting the rule; in 2015, a federal judge ordered it to fast-track the rule, and it complied. In an email, ExxonMobil spokesman William Holbrook wrote that the company believes the best approach would be to adopt a rule consistent with Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative principles, referring to a parallel system similar to the one envisioned in Cardin-Lugar. Several years ago, Steve Coll helped explain why companies like ExxonMobil might prefer this alternative: It is a voluntary regime and, according to its critics, includes slow, insufficient enforcement mechanisms. ExxonMobil executive have also sat on the initiative's board, Coll reported. Recommended: How to Build an Autocracy Yet 30 countries have enacted laws mirroring Cardin-Lugar that feature the same reporting requirements. The requirements are so similar, in fact, that companies would have been able to file the same report with the SEC as they do with other jurisdictions, Milin explained. According to the Natural Resource Governance Institute, 120 companies have reported their foreign government payments under the British, Canadian, French, and Norwegian laws, including BP, Shell, Total, Gazprom, and Rosneft. Of these companies, payments totaling $150 billion have been made to governments in 102 countries. The companies which are reporting under U.K. law such as BP and Shell have not noted that this has been overly burdensome, Milin said. The point of Cardin-Lugar was not to malign foreign governments or multinational companies like ExxonMobil, but simply to compel them to play fair. And as Richard Lugar pointed out in 2015 while the measure was mired in bureaucratic hell, Allowing for greater transparency of government finances gives the United States more information about what actions these governments are takingits a tool of soft power, in other words, using American business interests to help the Washington further its interests abroad. Tillersons critics will remain skeptical over his ties to Russia, a country where ExxonMobil has done lucrative business which may soon receive relief from sanctions under Donald Trump, and question whether his recusal agreements with the company are sufficient, especially as the lengthy list of Donald Trumps conflicts of interest grows. Questions about whether Tillerson can, with satisfaction, leave behind ExxonMobil and its concernsover things like Cardin-Lugarwill dog him through his tenure at State. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. (WASHINGTON) Moving to dismantle former President Barack Obamas legacy on the environment and other issues, House Republicans approved a measure Wednesday that scuttles a regulation aimed at preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams. Lawmakers also voted to rescind a separate rule requiring companies to disclose payments made to foreign governments relating to mining and drilling. Republicans said the votes were first in a series of actions to reverse years of what they see as excessive government regulation during Obamas presidency. Rules on fracking, guns and federal contracting also are in the cross-hairs as the GOP moves to void a host of regulations finalized during Obamas last months in office. Make no mistake about it, this Obama administration rule is not designed to protect streams. Instead, it was an effort to regulate the coal mining industry right out of business, said Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, who sponsored the disapproval measure on the stream protection rule. The House approved the measure, 228-194. Nine Republicans voted against repeal, while four Democrats supported it. Lawmakers approved the financial disclosure measure, 235-187. The rule, which grew out of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law, was intended to promote transparency so citizens in some of the worlds most impoverished countries can hold their governments accountable for the wealth generated through mining and drilling. Republicans said the regulation placed an unfair burden on U.S. companies by requiring them to hand over key details of how they bid and compete while many foreign competitors are under no obligation to do the same. The GOP said the cost of compliance is estimated at $590 million a year money that could be used to help produce more oil, gas and mineral resources. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said the only reason to repeal the disclosure rule was to help corrupt governments steal money from their people. Story continues Republicans voted to repeal the Obama-era rules using the Congressional Review Act, an obscure oversight tool that could become more familiar in the coming weeks as Congress uses it to overturn regulations federal agencies issued late in Obamas presidency. The law hastens the process for bringing legislation to the floor and removes the hurdle of a 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Regulations imposed since June 13 can be invalidated on a simple majority vote of both GOP-led chambers and the presidents signature. Whats more, the law prevents the executive branch from imposing substantially similar regulations in the future. It is that aspect of the law that frightens environmental groups that have fought for years for the coal-mining rule and another rule to restrict energy companies from burning off natural gas during drilling operations on public lands. Using the review act to overturn a federal regulation is like burning down your house because you dont like the paint color, said Jenifer Collins, a clean water advocate for the environmental group Earthjustice. Collins calls the review act an extreme and blunt instrument that essentially prevents federal rule-makers from addressing a topic once Congress has acted. But House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans blame Obama, saying the rules Congress is rescinding are poorly crafted and hurt people. The stream protection rule is really just a thinly veiled attempt to wipe out coal mining jobs, Ryan, R-Wis., said. The Department of Interiors own reports show that mines are safe and the surrounding environment is well-protected, Ryan said, adding that the stream-protection rule ignores dozens of federal, state and local regulations already in place. The Interior Department said in announcing the rule in December that it would protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests, preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby waters. The rule maintains a long-established 100-foot buffer zone that blocks coal mining near streams, but imposes stricter guidelines for exceptions to the 100-foot rule. Interior officials said the rule would cause only modest job losses in coal country and could even create jobs as companies hire construction crews to haul and store debris. Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, senior Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said repealing the stream protection rule would sicken and kill the very people Donald Trump falsely promised to help, coal miners in West Virginia and other states. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., displayed a bottle of brownish water he said came from a constituents well near a surface coal mine. He challenged lawmakers to drink from it and said the stream rule was one of the only safety measures protecting people in coal country. Congress has successfully used the 2-decade-old review act only once before when President George W. Bush signed a law negating a rule on ergonomic standards enacted during President Bill Clintons final months in office. Associated Press writer Marcy Gordon contributed to this story. Rome (AFP) - Italy was set Thursday to give an initial green-light to a plan to cull five percent of its wolves in a move that has sparked a national outcry. The measure is set to be adopted at a Rome conference of state and regional representatives but will still have to be approved by parliament, and has met fierce resistance among environmentalists and animal lovers. The Canis lupus italicus, known for its pelt which reddens in summer, has been a protected species since 1971. There are believed to be some 1,600 of them living in the mountainous regions of the Appenines and up to 150 in the Alps. But opponents of the plan insist the lack of a recent population census means the numbers may be way off -- the Apennine estimates range from between 1,070 and 2,472 -- and therefore it is impossible to aim to cull five percent of them. They also say other measures to protect lifestock would be far more effective. Moreover, there are no statistics on the damage the noble predators cause -- with bears stories often stealing the limelight in the Italian press. The wolf was once venerated here: fable has it a she-wolf suckled the twins Romulus and Remus, before the former went on to found Rome on the banks of the Tiber river, and the lupus is the city's symbol. - Attacks in daylight - But farmers today have little patience for these sleek hunters. Stefano Masini, head of the environment arm of Italy's agricultural association Coldiretti, says the situation has worsened in recent years. The number of wolves is rising sharply "and attacks on cattle multiply, now even in daylight", he told AFP. The new plan envisages 22 measures ranging from conducting a fresh census, to installing electric fences to protect livestock, speeding up compensation payouts for farmers who have lost animals, and tackling crossbreading between dogs and wolves. In general the ideas have been well-received -- all except one: the controversial culling quota, which could see 85 animals killed a year. Story continues The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has cried "SOS Wolf" on social networks, circulated petitions and organised a protest at the conference. Nearly 140 activists from the EcoRadicali environmentalist group held a two-day hunger strike against the project ahead of the Rome meet. "Shooting wolves (...) does not solve anything," the WWF said, especially as prevention techniques like electric fences or guard dogs have already proved effective where used. - Bad dog - EcoRadicali's Fabrizio Cianci said 300 wolves are killed by poachers every year in Italy, and slammed the cull quota as merely a way to legalise part of that figure and make the lives of lazy law enforcers easier. Faced with the backlash, officials from some regions little affected by wolves -- such as Lazio or Puglia -- have disassociated themselves from the plan. Piedmont, where attacks on livestock are on the rise, has called for further study. The government says studies show it is lone wolves who go after sheep, rather than those who live, move and hunt as a pack. It says targeting such animals would protect packs from gratuitous and unfounded attacks by irate farmers. Masini from Coldiretti attempted to reassure animal lovers, saying that "if the other 21 measures are applied correctly, with the necessary financial resources, there will be no need to carry out the slightest cull". But should this wild creature be under the gun at all? Farmers and environmentalists agree on one key point: the real danger does not lie with wolves, but with Canis lupus familiaris -- ownerless or abandoned dogs, left to roam free in spite of various laws brought in to tackle the problem. "Far more numerous than wolves, stray dogs compete with them for resources, (and) pose a serious health hazard and risk of cross-breeding," the plan says. It may be dogs that sink fangs into sheep or goats, but it is their elegant and usually shy cousins who pay the price: "the damage they cause to lifestock (is) wrongly attributed to wolves," it said. LONDON (Reuters) - Less than two weeks after Donald Trump's inauguration and amid anger over his immigration policy, hundreds of Britons are betting that the U.S. president will not last a year in office. Bookmaker Ladbrokes is offering odds of 4/1, or 4 pounds for every one pound wagered, on the real-estate tycoon being replaced as president of the United States in 2017. "It's incredible how many people are betting, taking the 4/1 about him being replaced this year, and even the 11/10 on him being impeached or even resigning in the first term," said Matthew Shaddick, head of political odds at Ladbrokes. He said several hundred punters had laid bets, typically worth about 25 pounds ($31) each. Among a blackboard of "Trump Specials" on offer at a Ladbrokes shop on London's Strand were a 4/1 wager on the former reality TV star serving a full two terms in office, as well as 5/2 odds on Trump's planned state visit to Britain being cancelled. British lawmakers will hold a debate on Feb. 20 on a petition signed by more than 1.6 million people calling for the state visit to be called off to avoid embarrassing Queen Elizabeth. "I think most UK bookmakers lost an awful lot of money when he [Trump] was elected in November, so perhaps some of us are going to get a little bit back on some of these markets," said Shaddick. (Reporting by Ritvik Carvalho; Editing by Dominic Evans) By Tanisha Heiberg PRETORIA (Reuters) - More than 300 union members and representatives from the poultry industry marched through South Africa's capital Pretoria on Wednesday to protest against chicken imports they say are destroying their business and threatening jobs. The poultry business in South Africa has been fighting against competition from producers in Brazil, the European Union and the United States with industry experts predicting thousands of job losses. Carrying placards with the words: "EU dumping destroys jobs" and "We demand fair play", the workers clad in green, red and yellow shirts representing their respective unions disrupted traffic in the city's streets. The workers delivered a list of their demands at the European Union offices, including a call to end dumping. "These chicken pieces are sold below the cost of production which constitutes unlawful dumping," a memorandum handed by representatives from the poultry industry and the unions to EU officials said. Domestic producers have long complained about cheap imports from overseas companies of chicken portions still on the bone, popular locally but generally less favoured by consumers in the United States and Europe. EU officials rejected the dumping claims, saying the local industry was suffering from various factors, including higher drought-induced feed prices. "This is something we have to reject fully. As we speak now there is no dumping charge against European producers," EU head of trade, Massimo De Luca, told reporters on the sidelines of the march. The EU contributed 63.1 percent of the total poultry imports into South Africa in November, according to the latest data from the South African Poultry Association. South African poultry producer, RCL Foods, cut 1,350 jobs and reduced production by 50 pct at its Hammersdale factory in the KwaZulu-Natal province in November. Listed counterpart Astral also cut production as it felt the adverse effects of an over-supplied domestic market. [nL8N1DV58H] "We have to get a message across to the EU that their dumping is harming our industry," Astral managing director of agriculture, Gary Arnold, who attended the march, said. South Africa, which has a preferential trade agreement with the EU, in December last year introduced a provisional safeguard duty of 13.9 percent on chicken imports until July this year in response to the industry's problems. Local trade agency International Trade and Administration Commission has launched investigations into the poultry industry to address the crisis in the domestic market. (Editing by James Macharia. Editing by Jane Merriman) New York (AFP) - Hundreds of Yemeni and Muslim Americans bowed their heads in unison at outdoor prayers in New York on Thursday, closing grocery stores to protest against President Donald Trump's travel ban. The Muslim call to prayer rang out from loudspeakers erected outside Brooklyn's city hall as the hundreds of faithful turned toward Mecca, standing shoulder to shoulder and bowing their heads to the ground. Only the whirring of two helicopters monitoring the hours-long protest could be heard between prayers in the ordinarily bustling plaza outside Borough Hall, as non-Muslims stood watching in respectful silence. Organizers said up to 1,000 Yemeni-owned grocery stores would close across New York's five boroughs from noon to 8:00 pm (0100 GMT Friday) to protest against the travel ban on immigrants from seven Muslim countries. To highlight the role of immigrant labor in the city, protestors left their shops to gather in Brooklyn, waving American and Yemeni flags, chanting "United We Stand Against the Muslim Ban" and "USA!" Trump's explosive executive order came into effect last Friday, closing US borders to refugees for 120 days and to visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. Syrian refugees have been banned indefinitely. "No ban, no wall, justice for all," they shouted before the prayers in reference to the Republican president's plans to build a wall on the Mexican border as part of his tough new immigration policies. They held up homemade placards with slogans like "Muslim Lives Matter," "Hate Will Never Make Us Great" and "Mr Trump, Where's Your Wife From?" in reference to the first lady's Slovenian birth. Several members of the mostly male crowd said the vast majority were Yemeni Americans who were joining a public protest for the first time, closing their shops to send a message to the new commander-in-chief. Story continues At the back, a smaller group of Muslim women gathered after sundown to chant, "say it loud, say it clear Muslim refugees welcome here." - Don't care about the money - Trump said the measures were necessary to protect America from September 11, 2001 style extremist attacks and would allow authorities to determine whether visa procedure needed to be more severely vetted. The New York protesters said the ban was racist and unjust. "We stand here for justice, for dignity," said Yousef al-Baadani, 31, enveloped in a US flag knotted around his neck to fend off the winter chill. Like many others he works in a grocery store, his in Queens, that is known in New York as a "bodega." The shops -- which sell everything from deli food to household goods -- often keep long hours and are considered essential to the daily routines of many New Yorkers. "Most of the stores closed today," Baadani told AFP. "We don't care about money, we just care about freedom and we need no racism inside this country," said one protester, threatening more demonstrations and further shutdowns if necessary. "He held the people in the airport, he didn't let them get into the United States. That's racist," said bodega manager Adam Zokari, 19, who said he knew two people detained on arrival before being released. In the decade that he has lived in America, he said he had never seen anything like the travel ban. "We love America. It's my country. It's my family's country," said bodega worker Walid Mohammad, 31, who said his visa-carrying brother was sent back while en route to New York. Mohammad said he had lived in America for eight years and his father for 35 years. He had closed his store for eight hours. Sending a message to the 70-year-old billionaire turned president was the priority, he said: "We want to tell him, he did a lot of wrong." Volunteers The Senior Companion Program at the CSI Office on Aging needs volunteers, age 55 and older, to assist homebound seniors by providing friendly visits, transportation or other assistance as needed. Senior Companions make positive impacts by helping to improve the mental and emotional status of their clients. Senior Companions receive a stipend per hour of service (to income eligible seniors) and can work between 15 to 40 hours a week. They receive reimbursement for mileage, and training on age-related problems. Information: Dandre, 208-736-2122, or toll free, 800-574-8656. Volunteers St. Lukes Home Health and Hospice is looking for new volunteers to join its team to share compassion and care and increase the quality of life for patients and their families. The program is designed to offer companionship and socialization to patients as well as respite and support for the caregivers. Information: Marie Sharp, 208-814-7603 or sharpm@slhs.org. Volunteers Auburn Crest Hospice is in search of volunteers in Twin Falls, Jerome, Minidoka and Gooding counties. Auburn Crest, a hospice agency in Twin Falls, works with patients and families to create meaningful end-of-life experiences. Hospice volunteers play a vital role in the lives of those with life-threatening illnesses and their caregivers, families, and friends. Volunteer tasks may include: support for patients (visiting, reading, taking walks, writing letters, playing music, massage therapy or beautician services for volunteers with the necessary skills, and also pet therapy); respite and support for family members (assist with shopping or household maintenance, or allow family caregivers the opportunity to take care of necessary errands); bereavement support programs; and administrative work in the office. Volunteers are required to submit to a background check (at no personal cost). Information: Sheri at 208-735-7450, 208-404-4561, Sheri.Bernt@auburncrest.com or visit 397 Blue Lakes Blvd. N., Twin Falls. Volunteers Horizon Home Health and Hospice is looking for volunteers to join their team to provide quality compassionate care to patients through the following activities: companionship, socialization, respite, and support for patients and families and much more. Information: Cynthia Nixon, 208-800-8085 or cnixon@horizonhh.com. Volunteers Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for volunteers to visit with patients and their families, and volunteers to provide handyman services, play the piano at assisted living centers, and help with art projects for their patients at assisted living centers. If you have a special talent to share with others, contact Nora Wells at Hospice Visions, 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org. Volunteers Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for men and women to serve as Veteran-to-Veteran Volunteers for their veteran patients. All ages of veterans from all branches of service are welcome to join Hospice Visions volunteer forces as part of the We Honor Veterans program. Information: Nora Wells, volunteer coordinator at Hospice Visions, 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org. Volunteers The Fifth Judicial District CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Program is seeking community volunteers to become advocates for abused children. Advocates receive training and support to investigate, report, monitor and advocate for children involved in the child protection system. Advocates are needed in all eight counties of the district, and the program needs volunteers in the Mini Cassia area. Information: Tahna, 208-735-1177. Drivers The Twin Falls Senior Center needs drivers to deliver meals to homebound seniors in Twin Falls Monday through Friday, and the routes take an hour or less to complete. Commitment is based on your availability. Volunteers must be 18 years of age with their own car, and have proof of liability insurance and a background check. Drivers receive 54 cents a mile fuel reimbursement. Information: 208-734-5084. Volunteers The Twin Falls Senior Center has a ladies group (The Crazy Quilters), who are looking for individuals to put finishing touches on quilts as a group while socializing. The group meets from 9 a.m. to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All quilt project proceeds are given to the Twin Falls Senior Center. Information: 208-734-5084. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f369747%2fca515af6-21f7-4e1d-b59b-854f2a57f11d Twitter and mistaken identities go hand in hand. Seems like not a day goes past that someone isn't getting the hate (or praise) that's meant for someone else with the same name. This particular story is a little more unusual though, given that it involves a comedian, a famous musician and, uh, the son of the President Of The United States. SEE ALSO: Comedian's rant about car thieves is a pure joy to behold See, Shannon Noll is an American comedian known for her off-kilter impressions, as well as her self-described likeness to Barron Trump. In fact, she's putting on a play called Barron Trump: Up Past Bedtime. But the controversial decision to "take aim" at Trump's 10-year-old son means she's coming serious under fire. And this, friends, is where the other Shannon Noll comes in. See, Australia has a Shannon Noll too. He was the runner-up in Australian Idol way back in 2003, and he is a kind of a beloved national figure albeit one that people sometimes like to gently make fun of. Good bloke. So while people have been taking to Twitter, intent on blasting American Shannon Noll, they have instead been making fun of old mate, Aussie Shannon Noll A.K.A. @NOLLSIE. Poor Nollsie! Hey everyone, this girl is using #BarrronTrump to make herself famous. @NOLLSIE using children is sooo brave and innovative. #hack What the what? (@RukusRowdy) January 28, 2017 @NOLLSIE YOU ARE A NASTY SICK BITCH. WHO ARE YOU TO SAY CRAP ABOUT OUR PRESIDENTS SON. A SICK PERVERTED IDIOT. THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. dkb2016 (@DebbieN19740081) January 29, 2017 @NOLLSIE you worthless piece of shit. If you do the barron Trump play your career will be over. Phil Denston (@PhilDenston) February 1, 2017 Aussie Shannon was forced to clear the error up. Story continues Hey all, Shannon Noll is a female comedian in the US, I have no idea about all this Barron Trump business, so please get your facts right! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 @NOLLSIE : Sorry, you have a lady's name. My apologies.. BK (@BKaysac) February 2, 2017 Because he is a good bloke, keen to right wrongs where he sees them, Australian Shannon Noll has also been redirecting the trolls to the female comedians account. One by one. @RoxineEvans @NewsEp24 Shannon Noll is a female comedian in the US you idiot! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 American Shannon Noll noticed. @NOLLSIE please don't send them back Shannon Noll (@snapplegate87) February 2, 2017 @snapplegate87 they were pretty hectic! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 @NOLLSIE yeah, our country's a little wild right now Shannon Noll (@snapplegate87) February 2, 2017 @snapplegate87 it sounds like it, I hope it works out for you guys! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 At the very least something positive is coming of all this: American Shannon Noll and Aussie Shannon Noll are mates now. [h/t Pedestrian] The Impeach Donald Trump Now campaign, which called for the presidents impeachment for serious violations and unprecedented level of corruption since he took the office, has gained over half a million signatures. The campaign, an independent public interest initiative, is led by nonpartisan and nonprofit Free Speech for People and RootsAction. As of January 20, 2017, President Trumps refusal to divest from his business interests has placed him in direct violation of the U.S. Constitutions Foreign Emoluments Clause and on a collision course with the Constitutions Domestic Emoluments Clause and with the federal STOCK Act [Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012], according to the campaigns website. The campaign claims that Trumps business holdings in the U.S. and across the world show conflicts of interest, which violate the American constitution. Ron Fein, legal director of Free Speech For People, on Tuesday alleged that Trump is making profit at public expense. On inauguration day, we issued the call for Congress to investigate whether President Trump should be impeached for violating the Constitution by holding onto his business interests, Fein said in a statement. Donald Trump is profiting from the presidency at public expense, and people are suffering as a result. On Jan. 23, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal legal watchdog, sued Trump accusing him of breaching the countrys constitution by letting his businesses receive payments from foreign governments. The lawsuit alleged the 70-year-old president accepted cash and favors from foreign governments through guests and events conducted at his hotels, leases in his buildings and real estate deals across the world. The American constitution allows a president to be impeached for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. However, the process is complex. It begins in the House of Representatives. Following this, it goes to the Senate where a vote is conducted to remove the president from office. While the House needs a majority vote, the Senate requires a two-thirds vote to impeach the president. If Trump is ousted from office through this process, Vice President Mike Pence will take his place. Story continues There has never been an impeachment by both the House and Senate. However, some presidents have come close to getting impeached. Richard Nixon stepped down from his office, paving way for Gerald Ford to take office in 1974. And in 1998, Bill Clinton was impeached by the House but not the Senate. Related Articles INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indiana lawmakers are reworking a bill after critics charged that it would sound the death knell of auto manufacturer Tesla's ability to sell cars in the state. After nearly two hours of testimony Wednesday, House transportation committee Chairman Ed Solidary called a recess and said he would hammer out a compromise between conventional auto manufacturers, their dealership franchises and Tesla. The Valparaiso Republican said the committee would reconvene Thursday for a vote on an amendment. Tesla has an unconventional business model and sells its high-end electric cars directly to consumers cutting out conventional third-party auto dealerships. That gives them a competitive advantage over traditional auto makers who are forbidden by state law from competing with their own licensed franchise dealerships, proponents of the measure said. But the bill, as written, would institute a policy change that flies the face of pro-business steps Republicans who control the state have proudly taken over the last decade to lure in business. Their efforts include cutting corporate taxes, offering financial incentives to businesses and limiting government regulation. "We are a very pro-business state, but at the same time (we need to) maintain loyalty to those people who have provided jobs, invested billions of dollars in our state and have serviced the consumers of Indiana for many, many years," said Soliday. Supporters say the bill is needed to ensure consumers are protected. And they raised fears that foreign competitors could capitalize on the state's current law and muscle American manufacturers out. It's a variation of a theme raised frequently by President Donald Trump, who has called for protectionist trade policies, especially when it comes to Mexico and China. "Half of the steel industry doesn't exist today because of bad actors who didn't play by the rules," said Keith Busse, CEO of Steel Dynamics, who blamed China for eviscerating the steel industry that once thrived in northwest Indiana. Story continues But Tesla supporters say the concerns, while valid, are still a smoke screen for a measure targeting a company that challenges that status quo. This is the third year in a row that the Indiana Legislature has considered a bill that would drive Tesla from the state unless it adopted the franchise model. If signed into law as-is, Indiana would join states including Michigan in banning direct sales. Arizona, Maryland, Texas and Virginia have also passed laws to protect dealership franchises, according the National Conference of State Legislatures. "The only people advocating for these changes are the manufacturers, the dealers and the dealers associations who have a vested interest," said Indianapolis realtor and Tesla enthusiast Mitch Rolsky. Tesla owner and employee Gene Voss added that he would "hate to be a state that shuts the door on this kind of technology, this kind of innovation." Soliday angrily denounced as "offensive" those who suggested the bill was an attempt to stifle an innovative company. He said the market was in upheaval from technology changes, globalism and the Internet and wanted to ensure that consumers would have safeguards to protect their vehicle purchases. "We keep hearing Tesla, Tesla, Tesla," said Soliday, who said the bill is not, in fact, about Tesla. We need "protection for our consumers that will apply in a new world that no one anticipated." By Timothy Mclaughlin (Reuters) - The Republican-controlled Iowa state senate voted on Thursday to cut Medicaid funding for family planning services to abortion providers including Planned Parenthood. State senators passed the bill 30-20, advancing it to the Republican-controlled House. The vote was along party lines, with one independent voting in favor of the measure. Republican Governor Terry Branstad has said he supports the bill. Planned Parenthood draws the ire of many Republicans because it provides abortions, and Republican President Donald Trump has pledged to defund the organization. "This change will allow Iowa to restrict government funding to family planning services away from organizations that perform abortions that are not medically necessary," Republican Senator Amy Sinclair, one of the bill's sponsors, said on Thursday before the vote. Planned Parenthood denounced the vote. "The Republican lawmakers who continue to advance this bill should be ashamed of themselves. They are playing political games, with the lives of low-income Iowans at stake," Planned Parenthood of the Heartland said in a statement. "This bill does nothing to advance their extremist agenda to limit access to abortion. Instead, it blocks access to crucial family planning services for thousands of Iowans the very services that most effectively prevent abortion. Its a self-serving, misleading and dangerous political game." The bill directs the Iowa Department of Human Services to discontinue the Medicaid family planning network waiver on July 1 and replace it with a state family planning services program. Eligibility requirements for the new network would remain the same, but no funding would be provided to organizations that provide abortions or maintain facilities where abortions are carried out. Planned Parenthood is Iowa's largest abortion provider with 12 clinics in the state, but no public money is used for abortions, according to the Des Moines Register. Branstad has proposed paying for the new state-run program by shifting $2.8 million in funds from services for vulnerable adults, families and children, the newspaper reported. Planned Parenthood is also facing a funding cut in Texas, where a judge is considering the move, which the organization has challenged in court. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Tehran (AFP) - Iran on Thursday rejected a warning from President Donald Trump over its latest missile test as unfounded and provocative, reflecting growing tensions between Tehran and the new US administration. "Claims made by US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor are baseless, repetitive and provocative," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state news agency IRNA. Trump himself tweeted on Thursday that the Islamic republic was now formally "on notice" after Sunday's missile test. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" Trump tweeted, echoing similar comments by National Security Advisor Michael Flynn on Wednesday. As tensions simmered, US media reported that the Trump administration is poised to levy more sanctions on Iran. CNN said they are likely to be levied on individuals or entities linked to Iran's missile program. Trump was referring to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers that took effect in January 2016, lifting international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's atomic programme. Asked by a reporter if military action was a possibility, Trump said "nothing is off the table". On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn insisted the missile test was in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. That calls on Iran not to test missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Iran has confirmed that it had tested a ballistic missile, but denied that it violated the terms of the nuclear deal. Tehran says its missiles do not breach UN resolutions because they are for defence purposes only and not designed to carry nuclear warheads. - 'Sinister intentions' - The US warning drew a defiant response from Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. "The number of Iranian missiles, warships and defence missile launchers is growing every day, and the sky, land and sea is under the control of this nation," said General Hossein Salami, the number two in the Guards which is in charge of weapons programmes. Story continues "This is not a land where an outsider can set foot with sinister intentions," he said. The White House has not amplified on its warning over the missile test, apart from Trump not ruling out any options. And it remains to be seen if Washington will push for new sanctions. The measures reported by CNN are likely to replicate actions taken by Barack Obama's administration, which targeted firms and the Revolutionary Guard's missile command. Ghasemi said that the US warning came at a time when "the efforts by the Islamic Republic of Iran in fighting terrorist groups in the Middle East are known to all". "It is regrettable that the US administration, instead of appreciating the nation of Iran for its continued fight against terrorism, is in practice aiding terrorist groups by repeating baseless claims and adopting unwise measures." Ghasemi singled out for criticism the travel ban slapped by Trump on seven mainly Muslim countries, including Iran. He also dismissed charges of Iranian meddling in the region, saying Tehran wanted good relations with its neighbours based on "mutual respect and non-interference in countries' domestic affairs." BERLIN (Reuters) - Iran has tested a cruise missile called "Sumar" that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons in addition to test-firing a medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday, German newspaper Die Welt reported Thursday, citing unspecified intelligence sources. No comment was immediately available from Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency or from Iranian authorities. The newspaper said the Sumar cruise missile was built in Iran and traveled around 600 km in its first known successful test. The missile is believed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons and may have a range of 2,000 to 3,000 km, the paper said, citing intelligence sources. Cruise missiles are harder to counter than ballistic missiles since they fly at lower altitudes and can evade enemy radar, confounding missile defense missiles and hitting targets deep inside an opponent's territory. But the biggest advantage from Iran's point of view, a security expert told Die Welt, was that cruise missiles are not mentioned in any United Nations resolutions that ban work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. International sanctions on Tehran were lifted in January last year under a nuclear deal brokered in 2015 by Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the United States. Under the nuclear deal Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for lifting of most sanctions. According to a 2015 U.N. resolution endorsing the deal, Iran is still called upon to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. News of Iran's reported cruise missile test came hours after Washington said it was putting Iran "on notice" for its ballistic missile test and signaled that it could impose new sanctions. Iran confirmed on Wednesday that it had test-fired a new ballistic missile, but said the test did not breach the Islamic Republic's nuclear agreement with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the pact. (Writing by Andrea Shalal, Addirional reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Ankara; editing by Ralph Boulton) By Ayat Basma MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Yousef, 14, pushes a wheelbarrow through a sprawling camp in Iraq running errands for pennies, the only source of income for his family of 11. On a good day, he makes 2,000 dinars ($1.70) but if business is slow he scrambles to find leftover bread and food to sell to sheep owners in the crowded Khazer camp, near Mosul, home to Iraqis displaced by the fight against Islamic State. "Eleven people and I am the only one supporting them. My father is old," Yousef told Reuters, adding that he does some trips for as little as 250 dinars. Like millions of children in the country, Yousef's hopes of an education ended when Islamic State swept through northern Iraq in 2014. Many parents opted against enrolling their sons in Islamic State-run schools for fear they would be recruited to join the militant group, leaving the children to find jobs to help support their family. A report by the U.N. children's agency UNICEF last year said that almost 3.5 million Iraqi children of school age were missing out on an education, with more than half a million estimated to be at work rather than in class. The need for income was heightened after the World Food Programme said on Friday it had halved the food rations distributed to 1.4 million displaced Iraqis because of delays in payments of funds from donor states. Ahmed Ali, a former factory worker in Mosul, said his children had to go to work as he could not find a job. "It is a very painful situation. Of course I feel sorry for them. What did he do to deserve this? My son is eight years old now and he doesn't know how to write down his own name," Ali said. With the recapture of eastern Mosul last month, there is hope that children will begin returning to school. Twelve-year-old Mortada is one of those keen to ditch his work selling empty plastic bottles and catch up on three years of lost education. "Of course, school is better than work. In the future, I want to be a doctor or a pilot," he said. ($1 = 1,181.0000 Iraqi dinars) (Writing by Patrick Johnston in London; Editing by Alison Williams) BURLEY A Declo man charged with leaving the scene of an accident that killed a man in eastern Cassia County has struck a deal with the prosecutor. Silvestre Cabrera-Ledesma, 33, is charged with felony leaving the scene of an accident in October that resulted in the death of Angel Martinez-Pedraza, 41, who was killed after he was thrown from an SUV when it rolled on Yale Road. A change of plea hearing in the case is set Tuesday in Cassia County District Court. According to a plea agreement, Cabrera-Ledesma will plead guilty to the charge, and the prosecutor will recommend he be placed in the states retained jurisdiction program also known as a rider. Hell also recommend a prison sentence of three to five years that will be up to a judges discretion after the rider. Cabrera-Ledesma will also be sentenced to a one year drivers license suspension. Hell be free to ask the court for a lesser sentence under the plea agreement. Police say Cabrera-Ledesma, who was also injured in the crash, did not report the crash and left the scene. He later turned up at Cassia Regional Hospital, where he was questioned by police. He said he was drinking prior to the incident and called a friend to come and pick him up from the crash site. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Iraqi forces face a massive challenge as they press on to retake western Mosul, but the days of the Islamic State group are numbered, a UN envoy said Thursday. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared on January 24 that his forces had retaken east Mosul and the battle was now moving to the other side of the Tigris River. "This steady progress should not conceal that fighting has been and will be a massive challenge, in particular inside the old city in western Mosul," UN envoy Jan Kubis told the Security Council. "Yet in the rather short foreseeable future, the liberation operations in Iraq are coming to an end - the days of the so-called ISIL are counted." Iraq launched an offensive in October to drive out IS fighters who seized Mosul in 2014. Kubis voiced concern over the "extremely high percentage" of civilian casualties, adding there was "clear evidence" from gunshot wounds that civilians were being targeted by IS combatants. The envoy added that civilians will be at "extreme risk" when the fighting starts in the western sections of Mosul. (This version of the Jan. 30 story corrects name, location of military airport near Damascus to al-Seen, 70 km from capital, not Dumeir, 40 km from capital) BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters killed at least 14 Syrian soldiers in a fierce attack on a military airport northeast of Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported on Monday. The British-based Observatory said the ultra-hardline group had launched the assault on Sunday near the al-Seen airport some 70 km (44 miles) from the capital, taking over several positions in the area held by the Syrian army. Islamic State controls vast areas of eastern Syria including most of Deir al-Zor province and its de facto Syrian capital of Raqqa. It seized the historic city of Palmyra, some 200 km from Damascus, in December for the second time in the six-year Syrian conflict, driving out government forces which with Russian military support had recaptured it in March. Islamic State, which declared its self-styled caliphate across areas of northern Iraq and eastern Syria as it swept through the region in 2014, is being beaten in its Iraqi stronghold of Mosul. But it has been on the offensive in recent weeks in Syria, also waging attacks against long-besieged pockets of government control in the city of Deir al-Zor. (Reporting by John Davison) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to visit London next week for talks with British counterpart Theresa May, the two governments said on Thursday. Netanyahu's office said he would travel to London on Sunday and meet May on Monday morning before flying home later in the day. Netanyahu himself said in a speech to settlers in the occupied West Bank that he would be raising the subject of Israel's archfoe Iran. "I shall discuss with her the changing reality in our region and the need to adopt new and shared approaches to the great threats in our region, chief among them the threat of Iran," he said. US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Iran was now formally "on notice" after a recent missile test. Netanyahu is a fierce opponent of the nuclear deal with world powers, including Britain, in which Iran pledged to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. A spokeswoman for May said the two leaders would "talk about a range of security and international issues, including the Middle East peace process." She said the prime minister would raise Britain's concern about how the "continued increase of settlements activity undermines trust." There has been a sharp acceleration in Israeli settlement expansion plans since Trump took office last month, with more than 6,000 new homes announced in less than a fortnight. British Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood warned on Wednesday that the plans made the two-state solution "much harder to achieve". Britain voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution passed in December demanding a halt to settlement construction. The vote prompted Israel to temporarily scale back relations. But Britain refused to sign the final statement of a Middle East peace conference held in Paris last month that was strongly opposed by Israel. It said it had "particular reservations" about the meeting taking place without Israeli or Palestinian representatives. Tokyo (AFP) - Japan's Supreme Court has rejected a man's demand that news search results of his arrest on sex charges be deleted from Google, ruling that to do so would violate freedom of expression. Japanese media said it was the first decision by the nation's top court involving the "right to be forgotten" relating to internet searches. "The deletion (of references to the charge) can be allowed only when the value of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure," the court said in a statement posted on its website. Tuesday's decision came after the Saitama District Court, north of Tokyo, in December 2015 upheld a temporary injunction against Google ordering it to delete search results about a man convicted on charges related to child prostitution and pornography. The Tokyo High Court last July had overturned the lower court decision, saying there was no such legally protected right. While the top court set strict conditions for allowing the deletion of certain references, it did not mention the "right to be forgotten" recognised in 2016 in overhauled EU rules on internet data protection. The Supreme Court said conditions for deleting search engine results include factors such as the degree of damage caused to privacy, how broadly specific searches can be carried out and the social standing of individuals in question. Tomohiro Kanda, the man's lawyer, called the decision "disappointing", saying that ensuring a crime is remembered differs from having the name of a person associated with it "passed on for many years". The Japanese office of Google welcomed the ruling. "We're pleased that with these latest rulings, the Supreme Court has unanimously recognised... that any decision to delete information from search results should prioritise the public's right to information," it said in a statement. TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that currency policy was not an issue that should be discussed between leaders of countries as doing so would make it a political issue. Abe made the remark in parliament when asked by a lawmaker if he would discuss currencies in a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump next week. "I'll explain (our policy) if asked," Abe said. (Reporting by Leika Kihara and Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Chris Gallagher) After a mosque in the small town of Victoria, Texas, burned to the ground last weekend, the local Jewish and Christian communities there have come together to help those affected. Members of the BNai Israel temple gave the keys to their synagogue to the Muslim community so they would have a place to worship, USA Today reports, and four churches in the town also offered space for the mosques Muslim congregation to hold services, according to NPR. Jewish community members walked into my home and gave me a key to the synagogue, Dr. Shahid Hashmi, a co-founder of the Victoria Islamic Center, told the New York Times. We were very happy to do this, Melvin Lack, treasurer of Congregation BNai Israel told USA Today. You feel whats happening in the community and everyone reacts. The fire occurred just hours after President Donald Trump announced the controversial executive order that bans immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, according to USA Today. However, the cause of the incident hasnt been determined yet, and authorities there are still investigating. We are praying that it is an accident because the thought of actually somebody doing something terrible like that is beyond imagination, said Abe Ajrami, a member of the mosque, according to the Advocate. Children from the local Catholic school in Victoria also visited the mosque on Wednesday, forming what the Islamic Center called a human chain of love and peace, according to a Facebook post. The students also presented the Muslim community with a tree. The tree will be planted in the grounds of our new mosque & prominently displayed to remind us of this beautiful moment, the post reads. This is the spirit of love where the cross hugs the crescent. In addition, the Islamic Center also received financial support: a GoFundMe page has raised more than $1 million for reconstruction, according to USA Today. By Monday, the day after the page was created, the campaign was already close to hitting its target of $850,000. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) A man who received a life sentence at age 16 for his role in a fatal robbery is getting out of prison. A Tampa judge on Wednesday ruled that 39-year-old Floyd LaFountain has been jailed long enough and resentenced him to 22 years. With time served, LaFountain should walk free in a few days. LaFountain expressed remorse for the 1994 death of 73-year-old Manuel Huerta. A series of court decisions declaring it unconstitutional to give juveniles life sentences opened the door for a reduced sentence. Prosecutors noted LaFountain's good behavior in prison. The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/2jvRlIg ) reports he'll serve 15 years of probation and was ordered not to return to the Athol, Massachusetts area where he was raised. Sixteen-year-old triggerman Kyle Moran also received a life sentence. "John Wick" star Keanu Reeves is set to star in a romantic thriller dubbed "Siberia" from director Matthew Ross. The film, which is scheduled to start production later this year, follows American diamond merchant Lucas (Reeves), who travels to Russia with his Russian partner, Pyotr, to sell rare blue diamonds of suspicious origin. When the deal begins to sour and his partner goes missing, Lucas sets off to Siberia to find him, but instead falls for local cafe owner Katya and starts a steamy affair. Meanwhile, his two worlds are on a collision course. Stephen Hamel ("Passengers") and Reeves will produce through Company Films, along with Gabriela Bacher of Summerstorm/Film House Germany, with IM Global to begin selling international markets at the Berlin Film Festival. WME represents domestic rights (via Variety). Banjul (Gambia) (AFP) - Ten of the new Gambian government's 18 ministers were sworn in, less than a week after freshly-elected President Adama Barrow arrived in the country following a major political crisis. In a vote in December, Barrow defeated longtime leader Yahya Jammeh, who for several weeks refused to step down. Barrow left the country for Senegal, where he remained until Jammeh agreed to step aside and go into exile. Among the cabinet members sworn in were Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe, a veteran of the opposition to Jammeh's regime. Special advisor to Barrow, Mai Fatty, was sworn in as interior minister, while the ex-treasurer of the main former opposition, Amadou Sanneh, became minister of finance. Fatty was the defence lawyer for several opposition figures before going into exile and setting up his own dissident party in 2009. He returned to The Gambia in 2011. Darboe, the head of the United Democratic Party, ran for president against Jammeh four times -- in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 -- but was defeated. Along with several other opposition figures, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in jail last summer for participating in an unauthorised protest. He was released four days after Jammeh lost the vote to Barrow on December 1. Sanneh too was sentenced to five years in prison in 2013 for writing an open letter alleging that two opposition activists risked death if they were not allowed to go into exile. He was granted a presidential pardon on Monday. Barrow last week chose a former minister of Jammeh's government as vice-president. Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang has been described as the woman who persuaded The Gambia's divided opposition parties to club together and field a single candidate in the election which Barrow eventually won. Eight more ministers have yet to be named. "The rest of the appointments ... will be determined based on their skills, their experience and their professionalism," Barrow's spokesman Halifa Sallah told reporters. Story continues In another development Barrow renamed The Gambia's intelligence service, seen under Jammeh's rule as an instrument of brutal repression. The new body, named the State Intelligence Services, "shall no more arrest, detain or undertake any activities that are unconstitutional especially with regards to human (and) civil rights", an official statement said late Tuesday. Barrow later dismissed the head of the service and appointed his successor, according to a statement read on state television late Wednesday. TWIN FALLS The fourth and final suspect in the violent robbery of a Twin Falls man later found dead will go to trial later this month following the sentencing of his three co-defendants, including the victims girlfriend, who was sentenced to prison on Friday. Dwayne Lee McCormick, 32, appeared in court Monday for a final time before the case goes to trial Feb. 14. The only hiccup, McCormicks attorney said Monday, could be that two or three witnesses key to McCormicks defense just arent there, despite a private investigator trying to track them down. My client and I are speaking about how to proceed if the witnesses cant be found, attorney Steven McRae said. We couldnt go (to trial) without those witnesses. McCormick is accused in the violent beating and robbery of Tigre Darin Martinez, a 45-year-old father of three who was found dead shortly after the robbery. McCormick faces up to life in prison on felony counts of robbery, robbery conspiracy and aggravated battery. But neither McCormick nor his co-defendants were charged with Martinezs death because an autopsy revealed he died from a toxic amount of methamphetamine, not the vicious beating. Martinezs girlfriend, 21-year-old Laaken Shai Draper, was sentenced to two to eight years in prison Friday on a robbery conspiracy charge. 5th District Judge Richard Bevan handed down the sentence during a highly emotional hearing in which Martinezs sister, Tabithea Clifford, once again delivered a passionate victim impact statement, like she did at the sentencing of Caleb Jon Hinton, another of the co-defendants. But this time was different, as Clifford talked about meeting her brothers girlfriend. (Tigre) brought her over and introduced her to daddy and me, Clifford told the court. He does not do that unless he really cares and loves a girl. I remember when he was standing there smiling at us with his arm wrapped around you, a huge smile on his face. He did not realize at that time she would literally be ordering his death in the future. Draper pleaded guilty in October, admitting she helped plan the robbery and alerted Hinton when Martinez was alone and it was safe to carry out the crime. She said she went outside while the others bound, gagged and beat her boyfriend, and didnt know what happened inside the house until later. Laaken, you will never have my forgiveness, but you will have my pity, Clifford said. You could have made something of your life. I know this because my brother believed in you. I just hope you live a long life, so you can live knowing you could have saved my brothers life. But you turned your back and premeditated a robbery that caused his death. Draper sobbed throughout Cliffords statement. I promise you I didnt know, she said when Clifford finished. If I did, I would have died trying to save him. Draper repeated that line again during her own statement to the court, adding that Hinton was physically abusing her and emotionally manipulating her. She said he forced her to be part of the plot to rob Martinez. The judge said Drapers claim that she would have died trying to save Martinez rings extremely hollow. Fifteen months later, looking back, its a major problem for you, Bevan said. But in the instant of the moment, you were one of these four who took this mans life without really caring if he lived or died. Bevan also commended Draper for the progress shes recently made Draper said shes 10 months sober, and court records show she excelled on court compliance as she passed drug tests and attended counseling and substance-abuse treatment. Draper is the third person to go to prison in the case. Hinton was sentenced to 15 to 20 years, while Katie Lynn Pingree, 20, was sentenced to three to five years for aiding and abetting robbery. As part of plea deals in all three cases, each agreed to testify against their co-defendants, meaning all three will be available to testify at McCormicks trial. Rostov-on-Don (Russia) (AFP) - His name is fit for a king, and he's being treated like one: Tsar the liger cub, born from an extremely rare lion-tiger romance, is proving a hit for a travelling Russian zoo. Stretched out in the zoo director's van, the stripy Tsar -- whose name is a throwback to the Russian emperors of centuries past -- impatiently awaits his milk bottle. "We don't leave him in a cage -- it's too cold outside," said zoo chief Erik Airapetyan. "We keep him here with us -- he even sleeps in our bed." With the tawny fur of a lion cub but covered in black stripes, Tsar was born on November 11 while the zoo was on tour in southern Russia's Rostov-on-Don region. Airapetyan and colleagues are feeding him with goat's milk, and so far, he drinks about a litre (two pints) a day. His mother Princess, the zoo's only tigress, had a difficult birth and has been unable to suckle him. She has given birth to a total of three liger cubs, but only Tsar has survived, according to Airapetyan. "Hybrids like this are extremely rare -- and generally they are weaker than lion cubs or ordinary young tigers," explained Dmitry Miloserdov, a researcher at Moscow's Darwin Museum of natural history. "But if you take good care of them, they can grow up and live a long time," he told AFP, adding however that male ligers are born sterile. Mindful that Tsar's survival is against the odds, the zoo is catering to his every whim: he has an unlimited milk supply, sleeps 16 hours a day, and plays whenever he wants. "We're all taking care of him -- we're very proud of our little treasure. He's unique, our stripy lion," Airapetyan smiled. Neither Princess or Tsar's father, Caesar the lion, have access to the cub for the moment. At two and a half months old and weighing five kilograms (11 pounds), he is "still too small and fragile" to meet his parents, said Airapetyan. Story continues - Unlikely love - Princess and Caesar have occupied neighbouring cages for years and "are used to one another", according to the zoo director. Every time she is in heat, the zoo faces a tricky dilemma: offer Caesar as a suitor, or deal with the wrath of a sexually frustrated Princess. "So we dared to half-open the dividing wall between the cages," Airapetyan recalled. "Then seeing that everything was going well, we took to risk of leaving them face to face." When it became clear Princess was pregnant, "everyone was so happy", he said. "It's so rare, a liger! Right now there are only about 20 in the world," he added, grinning from ear to ear. Ligers, like tigons -- cubs born to a lioness and a male tiger -- can only be born in captivity, Miloserdov noted, not least because almost all wild lions live in sub-Saharan Africa, and tigers in the jungles of Asia. "They only cross over in India -- but even there, their cycles of being in heat are very different," Miloserdov said. For now, Tsar is only the size of a large house cat and "he often sleeps in my arms," said Airapetyan. "But when our little king grows up, he will surely be heavier than his parents," he predicted. Ligers can weigh more than 400 kilograms (63 stone), compared to a maximum weight of about 300 for a tiger and 250 for a lion. Hercules the liger, who lives at a wildlife reserve in United States, is the world's largest living cat, at 418 kilograms and 3.33 metres (10 feet 11 inches) long, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. ROME (AP) The Knights of Malta religious order is seeking to move beyond its showdown with the Vatican, even while acknowledging the crisis had hurt donations for its humanitarian work and put into question the future of a conservative cardinal. The senior leadership of the ancient aristocratic order held a press conference Thursday, its first since the top knight, Fra' Matthew Festing, publicly battled with Pope Francis, lost and resigned. Headlining the event was Albrecht von Boeselager, the Knights' foreign and interior minister who was sacked by Festing. Boeselager was restored to office thanks to Francis' controversial intervention and is running the show pending the election of a new grand master to lead the order, which runs a vast aid operation around the world and has a unique sovereign status that enables it to function as its own country. Boeselager said Festing had been "ill-advised" by others in taking on the Vatican. He said he welcomed Francis' decision to name a delegate to help reform the order and said its sovereignty was never in question. "I think this crisis has reaffirmed that the relations between the Holy See and the order are good and I am convinced they will improve further," he said. Still unresolved is the fate of Cardinal Raymond Burke, the Vatican's envoy to the Knights who is widely seen as having been behind Boeselager's ouster. Burke, a doctrinal conservative and Francis critic, has now been sidelined since Francis has decided to appoint a "special delegate" to help reform the Knights' constitution and some aspects of their religious life. "We will not make comments on the role of Cardinal Burke in the future. That is left to the decision of the Holy Father," Boeselager said, adding that Francis has said his new delegate, not Burke, will serve as his sole interlocutor with the order from now on. The order's health minister, Dominique Prince de La Rouchefoucauld-Montbel, said the crisis had had a clear effect on donations a drop as much as 30,000 euros for the latest fundraising drive in France alone. "So today, our job is to show the work is still on and we have to get the (donors') trust back," he said. Boeselager said Francis has written a letter assuring the order that its sovereignty is not in question, and that his delegate would intervene only on religious issues, not governance ones. BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The Latest on a legal dispute over an irrigation project on Montana's Yellowstone River that officials say will help endangered pallid sturgeon but wildlife advocates say could doom the endangered species (all times local): 11 a.m. Wildlife advocates say they'll fight the government's request to lift a 2015 injunction barring construction of an irrigation dam on the Yellowstone River in a legal dispute over the fate of a fast-disappearing, endangered fish. Federal agencies want to begin construction on the dam and an artificial fish bypass channel in July. Government attorneys argued in court documents filed Wednesday night that the bypass is the pallid sturgeon's best hope and would allow the fish to reach upstream spawning grounds. Biologists have doubts the bypass would work. Jonathan Proctor with Defenders of Wildlife said Thursday that the best solution is to remove an existing rock weir at the proposed dam site and install pumps to provide river water to croplands in Montana and North Dakota. The case is before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris. ___ 7:18 a.m. U.S. government attorneys are asking a federal judge to lift an injunction blocking a proposed Yellowstone River irrigation dam that wildlife advocates say could doom an endangered fish. The dam would divert irrigation water for 55,000 acres of croplands in Montana and North Dakota. It would include a fish bypass channel so that decades-old pallid sturgeon could reach upstream spawning grounds. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris blocked construction two years ago, saying federal agencies hadn't shown the bypass would work. Federal officials concluded after further study that the bypass channel is the sturgeon's best hope. Fisheries scientists have doubts. . TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) The Latest on an Indiana man charged with punching a police officer at an Elizabeth Smart event (all times local): 12:35 p.m. Kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart is thanking police after an officer stopped a man with a knife from approaching her at an event at Indiana State University. Smart's spokesman issued a statement Thursday saying she "is grateful for law enforcement and Indiana State University's quick response and that the event and her work continued undeterred." ISU Police Chief Joseph Newport says 80-year-old Claude Hudson was fiddling with a 3-inch knife, then concealed it and headed toward Smart, who was signing books. Hudson is accused of punching the officer who stepped in to stop him from reaching Smart. Hudson of Terre Haute, Indiana, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a battery charge. A judge set his bond at $25,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation. Authorities say he has a history of arrests in California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Tennessee. ___ 11:55 a.m. Authorities say a man punched a police officer who stopped him from approaching kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart with a knife. Eighty-year-old Claude Hudson of Terre Haute, Indiana, pleaded not guilty to battery Wednesday. The charge stems from an event Monday at Indiana State University, where Smart spoke about overcoming adversity. She was 14 in 2002 when she was abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom and held for nine months. ISU Police Chief Joseph Newport says Hudson was fiddling with a 3-inch knife, then concealed it and headed toward Smart, who was signing books. Hudson punched the officer who stopped him. Hudson's public defender and Smart's representative haven't responded to requests for comment. There was no answer at a phone listed for Hudson in Terre Haute. Investigators have found no connection between Hudson and Smart. WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST): 8:30 p.m. Sen. Bernie Sanders says President Donald Trump may be right in claiming he won the general election votes of some former Sanders supporters. A participant in a White House meeting Thursday says Trump said he got those votes because he and the Vermont independent think some trade treaties have hurt Americans. The participant spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting. Sanders was not present. He said in an interview later that many working-class Democrats who backed him in the presidential primaries are "disgusted" with U.S. trade policy and probably voted for Trump. An early November ABC News-Washington Post poll showed 8 percent of Sanders supporters planned to back Trump. Alan Fram ___ 6:45 p.m. The White House says new Israeli settlements or the expansion of existing ones beyond their current borders may not help achieve peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Spokesman Sean Spicer says President Donald Trump's administration doesn't believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, although it has yet to take an official position on settlement construction. Spicer says Trump looks forward to continuing to discuss the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the White House on Feb. 15. In Israel on Thursday, Netanyahu vowed to establish the first new West Bank settlement in more than two decades "as soon as possible." Trump has signaled a softer line toward settlements, which most of the international community views as illegal. ___ 6:25 p.m. The White House is trying to clean up after President Donald Trump's contentious phone call with Australia's prime minister. Chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon met with Joe Hockey, Australia's ambassador to the U.S., at the White House Thursday. The White House says they conveyed to the ambassador Trump's "deep admiration" for the Australian people. Story continues Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke by phone over the weekend, but the call ended earlier than scheduled. The president expressed frustration during the call over an Obama administration refugee deal with Australia. The White House deepened its condemnation of the deal Thursday, saying Trump was "unbelievably disappointed" in the agreement. ___ 6: 20 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence is planning a trip to Europe later this month to attend the Munich Security Conference and visit Brussels. The White House says Pence will be engaging with allies in Europe "about how to deepen and strengthen the Trans-Atlantic alliance." Pence met Thursday with German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel. The White House says the pair discussed the trip as well as the importance of close German-American ties. They also agreed on what the White House called "NATO's centrality in ensuring the security and stability of North America and Europe" while saying NATO "must adapt to confront threats to our countries such as violent extremism and terrorism." ___ 6:15 p.m. Donald Trump's longtime physician tells The New York Times the president takes a prostate-related medication for hair growth. Dr. Harold Bornstein said Trump takes small doses of finasteride, which is marketed as the male pattern baldness treatment Propecia, The Times reported Thursday. The drug also lowers levels of prostate specific antigen, or PSA, a marker for prostate cancer. The newspaper reported that Trump also takes antibiotics for rosacea, a skin condition, and a statin for elevated blood cholesterol and lipids. He takes baby aspirin for heart attack prevention. The White House would not comment. When the 70-year-old Trump was a candidate, Bornstein wrote a note declaring that, if elected, he would be the healthiest president in history. Bornstein later said he had written the letter in five minutes. ___ 5:40 p.m. President Donald Trump and the king of Jordan have discussed with the possibility of establishing safe zones for refugees in Syria. Trump met briefly Thursday with King Abdullah II at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. A White House statement on the meeting says Trump "highlighted Jordan's critical contributions to defeating ISIS and discussed the possibility of establishing safe zones in Syria." The president also addressed the importance of strengthening Jordan's security and economy, as well as "Jordan's essential role in serving as a model of tolerance and moderation in the region." ___ 4:45 p.m. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's business leaders' forum, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Kalanick wrote that he'd spoken with Trump Thursday and "let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the President or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that." The ride-sharing company has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike at New York's JFK Airport. The strike was inspired by Trump's executive order temporarily suspending the country's refugee program. Kalanick subsequently condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott have continued. ___ 4:40 p.m. A planned weekend protest march outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is back on after two other groups took over its organization. Alex Newell Taylor of Women's March Florida said Thursday that her group and South Florida Activism have taken over the march from Stephen Milo. He had issued a statement earlier saying Saturday's March to Mar-a-Lago was being canceled because of safety concerns. Newell Taylor says the groups have more experience organizing demonstrations than Milo and believe they have the expertise to keep it peaceful. The president is scheduled to be at Mar-a-Lago this weekend for the first time as president. The protest will be aimed at the president's moratorium on refugees from seven primarily Islamic countries and other issues. More than 2,000 people have registered on Facebook to attend. ___ 3:45 p.m. A participant in a White House meeting with Donald Trump says the president says he ended up getting votes from a lot of supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders. The person says Trump said he received those votes because both he and the Vermont independent have long complained that some trade treaties have been bad deals for Americans. The participant said Trump offered no evidence of how he knew he received backing from Sanders supporters. Trump met Thursday with four leading members of Congress in a session that focused chiefly on trade. An ABC News-Washington Post poll conducted days before the November election showed 8 percent of former Sanders supporters said they planned to vote for Trump. The participant spoke on condition of anonymity to describe discussions in a closed-door meeting. ___ 3:05 p.m. A third congressional committee will investigate Russia's interference into the 2016 presidential election. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island announced the Senate judiciary panel they lead will investigate Russia's interference in the U.S. election as well as elections of other democratic nations. U.S. intelligence agencies believe Russia has tried to influence other democratic elections in Europe. The senators say the goal of the investigation is to "shine a light on Russian activities to undermine democracy." The House and Senate intelligence committees are conducting their own investigations into the intelligence agency findings that Russia hacked Democratic Party emails and tried to influence the election to help President Donald Trump win. Trump has said he wants to improve U.S. relations with Russia, even as he acknowledged Russia was behind the election hacks. ___ 2 p.m. President Donald Trump says he's looking at "re-doing" the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he says has been a "catastrophe for our county." The president made the comments in a pair of meetings Thursday with lawmakers and employees from the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company. Trump has long railed about the country's trade deals, claiming they put American workers and companies at a disadvantage. Trump says he doesn't care if "it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA," as long as it's fairer for U.S. workers. He says, "All of the statutory guidelines we're adhering to I would like to speed it up if possible." He says his Commerce secretary nominee, Wilbur Ross, will lead the negotiations. Economists generally attribute the loss of manufacturing jobs to China, not Mexico. ___ 1:50 p.m. Organizers have canceled a planned weekend protest march outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, saying they had concerns about safety. Lead organizer Stephen Milo said in statement Thursday that Saturday's March to Mar-a-Lago is being canceled because of "the possibility of the march turning into an angry confrontational demonstration vs. a joyful show of unity" as originally envisioned. The president is scheduled to be at Mar-a-Lago this weekend and will likely attend an American Red Cross fundraiser there Saturday night. The protest was to be aimed at the president's moratorium on refugees from seven majority-Muslim countries. Milo said the decision came after meetings with West Palm Beach, Florida, police officials. More than 2,000 people had registered on Facebook to attend the march. ___ 1:20 p.m. The White House says a new Treasury Department action does not mean the U.S. is easing sanctions on Russia. Treasury had amended the sanctions former President Barack Obama slapped on Moscow in retaliation for election-related hacking to allow "certain transactions" with Russia's Federal Security Service, or the FSB. White House spokesman Sean Spicer called the move part of the "regular course of action." Some U.S. companies had expressed concern that the sanctions would limit their ability to sell electronics to Russia. The FSB has control over imports to Russia of devices with encryption technology. Obama levied the sanctions after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the presidential election on Trump's behalf. Trump had frequently talked about wanting a warmer relationship with Russia, sparking concern among allies. ___ 1:10 p.m. The White House says President Donald Trump was briefed about plans for a raid by U.S. special operations forces in Yemen four days after his inauguration, and he authorized the plan last week. White House press secretary Sean Spicer says planning for the raid originated under President Barack Obama's team. He says the plan was first sent to the Defense Department the day before the November 2016 presidential election. Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens was killed in the assault, and three other U.S. service members were wounded in the firefight with militants from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. That's the group's Yemen affiliate. Spicer says it's difficult to call it a success because of Owens' death, but the administration considers it a "successful operation." ___ 12:40 p.m. President Donald Trump says bikers were with him all the way during his campaign. Trump met a group from Harley-Davidson Thursday after they rolled up to the south lawn of the White House. He greeted the five bikers warmly, saying, "Made in America, Harley-Davidson." Trump added that during the campaign, bikers "were with me all the way." But he did not hop on for a ride. Trump joked to the journalists gathered to watch the welcome: "Boy, would you like to see me fall off one of these!" Earlier this week, Trump cancelled a Thursday trip to Wisconsin, where Harley-Davidson is located. ___ 10:20 a.m. A Trump administration official says President Donald Trump was "very strong" in his recent call with Australia's prime minister. The official says Trump was particularly concerned about an Obama administration deal that would allow mostly Muslim refugees rejected by Australia to be resettled in the United States. According to the official, the Saturday call ended early, after about 30 minutes. That's about half as long as some of Trump's recent calls with other leaders. The tensions between Trump and Australian leader Malcolm Turnbull were first reported by the Washington Post. The official disputed a report that Trump ended the call by hanging up on Turnbull. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the call publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Julie Pace ___ 10 a.m. President Donald Trump says he'll work on developing a system to make sure that people entering the United States "fully embrace our values of religious and personal liberty." That's what he's saying in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. He also says the U.S. must "protect religious liberty" and be "safe and secure." Trump says America has the "most generous immigration system in the world" and "there are those that would exploit that generosity." He says there are people who would enter the country with the "purpose of spreading violence." ___ 9:40 a.m. President Donald Trump says Americans shouldn't worry about his "tough" phone calls with world leaders. Trump says: "We have to be tough." The president is speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast. He says the world is "in trouble" and other countries have been taking advantage of the United States, but his administration will "straighten it out." Trump's comments come amid reports about his calls with leaders from Mexico and Australia. The White House says Trump's comment to Mexico's president that he would send U.S. troops to stop "bad hombres down there" was "lighthearted." ___ 9:35 a.m. President Donald Trump says he'll work to "get rid of and totally destroy" a provision that bars churches and other tax-exempt organizations from supporting candidates for political office. Trump in an appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington says religious freedom is a "sacred right." He's not saying how or when he'd try to repeal what's known as the Johnson Amendment after then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, who pushed for it to be enacted. Trump thanked Americans for their prayers as he begins his administration, saying they've been a "constant source of strength." The president also took a dig at Arnold Schwarzenegger. He's the new host of "The Apprentice," the show Trump previously hosted. Trump says that since Schwarzenegger took over, the show's rating have been down, and Trump asked the audience to "pray for Arnold." ___ 7:28 a.m. President Donald Trump is questioning whether the University of California at Berkeley should be granted federal funding. Trump urges the school to honor free speech. Protesters hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and started a bonfire prompting university officials to cancel a talk Wednesday by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos out of safety concerns. Trump tweeted Thursday, "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Berkeley cancelled Yiannopoulos' appearance after a crowd of some 1,500 gathered outside the venue. The 32-year-old right-wing provocateur is a vocal Trump supporter and a self-proclaimed internet troll whose comments have been criticized as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. ___ 7:25 a.m. Germany's foreign minister is heading for Washington to meet newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to convey what he calls an "offer of friendship and trust." Sigmar Gabriel's trip on Thursday follows criticism by Chancellor Angela Merkel of President Donald Trump's restrictions on immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. It also comes amid concern in Berlin about the new administration's intentions on trade. Gabriel is also expected to meet with Vice President Mike Pence. He stresses the United States' longstanding status as his country's closest ally outside Europe. Gabriel says, "The friendship between two nations is far more than thriving cooperation between governments, but without good and trusting relations between both governments, it can't go well." ___ 7:21 a.m. President Donald Trump says Iran was on the verge of collapse until the U.S. gave it a "lifeline" in the form of the Iran deal. The president tweeted Thursday, "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile." He adds, "Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" Trump was repeating comments made by National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Trump also tweeted, "Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion." Flynn said Wednesday the "Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions" and put Iran "on notice," without elaborating on what actions may be taken. Paris (AFP) - The French presidential election that could propel far-right leader Marine Le Pen to power has sustained a series of jolts -- and one of her main rivals is now fighting to stay in the race. Europe's shift to the right, the victory of Brexit in Britain and Donald Trump's ability to win over American voters form the backdrop to a contest being watched closely around the world. In France itself, the context is highly unusual -- Francois Hollande is the first French president since 1958 to renounce a bid for a second term, after a trouble-plagued five years in power. An already unpredictable contest has taken a new turn with mounting accusations that conservative candidate Francois Fillon had used public funds available to MPs to pay his wife and children hundreds of thousands of euros for "fake jobs". Fillon, 62, a deeply Catholic former prime minister who snatched the Republicans nomination by campaigning as a man of integrity, was the long-time frontrunner. Now embroiled in accusations made by the Canard Enchaine newspaper, critics are beginning to wonder aloud if he can carry on. A poll Wednesday showed for the first time that Fillon would crash out in the first round of voting, on April 23. "I will be a candidate," he insisted Wednesday after he was mobbed by reporters at an ordinarily routine campaign appearance. Fillon had earlier told lawmakers of his Republicans party that he was the target of an unprecedented smear campaign. "We know where this affair comes from, it comes from the government, it comes from the left," he said, according to those at the closed-doors meeting. The main beneficiary of Fillon's woes is centrist Emmanuel Macron, the photogenic 39-year-old former investment banker who served as economy minister in Hollande's cabinet -- and irritated some colleagues with his raw ambition. Macron is rising fast, but his programme remains short on detail. It is early days, but the survey published Wednesday, of 1,053 people by the Elabe group, showed Macron would reach the second round and face Le Pen in a runoff. Story continues - Focus on Le Pen - Le Pen, however, is the main reason that Europe is holding its breath ahead of May's presidential result. The 48-year-old has worked hard to try to give her National Front (FN) party a softer image after her father, Jean-Marie, repeatedly described the Nazi gas chambers as a mere "detail of history". She senses her chance to seize power, riding a wave of suspicion of mainstream politics. Le Pen wants to pull France out of the EU -- a potentially mortal blow for the ailing bloc -- and her proposals to give French nationals priority over housing, for example, still raise hackles for many. Yet the party is a slicker, more media-savvy operation than when her rabble-rousing father reached the presidential runoff in 2002, only to lose to Jacques Chirac. But polls currently show she wouldn't win the second-round runoff in May, as voters switch to her opponent. Le Pen has her own expenses troubles at the European Parliament, which is demanding that she repay 300,000 euros ($323,000). - Audacious comeback? - While Fillon knocked out former president Nicolas Sarkozy in the conservative primary, Benoit Hamon put paid to the hopes of former prime minister Manuel Valls in the leftwing contest. A 49-year-old radical leftwinger with an ambitious proposal to pay a universal basic income in a world of dwindling work, Hamon will probably need to gather the votes of Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon to stand any chance. But for the next few days, all eyes will be on Fillon. He has admitted to employing his wife, Penelope, and two of his children during his long career in parliament, with Le Canard Enchaine reporting they were paid a combined pretax income of around 900,000 euros ($970,000). But Penelope is accused of having barely worked for her salary, which reportedly reached 10,000 euros a month in 2007, leading to a preliminary investigation into possible misuse of public funds. Penelope also worked at a literary review owned by a billionaire friend of her husband's, where she allegedly earned another 100,000 euros. After investigators searched parliament and interviewed Fillon and his wife at length this week, cracks are starting to show in the increasingly anxious Republicans party. Who could stand in if Fillon is forced out? Several names were on the lips of rightwing lawmakers on Wednesday. Some suggested Alain Juppe, the 71-year-old political veteran whom Fillon beat in the party's November primary. But others hinted that a former president who claimed last year that he would withdraw from political life could make a comeback. Is France ready for an audacious new bid by Sarkozy? JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - At least 94 psychiatric patients died of negligence in South Africa last year after they were moved from a licensed home to unregistered facilities, the health ombudsman said on Wednesday, sparking public outrage. About 1,300 psychiatric patients were moved from a unit of the Life Healthcare Group to charities during last year in a cost-cutting bid by the health department in Gauteng province, the commercial hub where Johannesburg and Pretoria are located. The ombudsman said that all 27 facilities to which the patients were transferred operated under invalid licenses. Experts say mental health care takes the backseat in funding and public hospitals do not have enough equipment or staff. "The decision was unwise and flawed, with inadequate planning and a chaotic and rushed or hurried implementation process," Professor Malegapuru Makgoba said in his report. The main opposition Democratic Alliance party criticised Gauteng's provincial government over the scandal, while several horrified callers to radio shows and on social media demanded an overhaul of the health department in the country. Makgoba said the death toll was "a provisional number" and could rise because more people were coming forward with information. He said only one person died from a mental illness. "It's remarkable that only one person has died from a mental health-related illness," he told journalists. The other 93 "have died from other things like dehydration, diarrhoea, epilepsy, heart attacks, all other things except mental illness". He recommended that the rest of the patients who had been moved to the unlicensed facilities be transferred to hospitals. The head of the provincial government health department, Qedani Mahlangu, resigned a day before the report was released. In September, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi asked Makgoba to investigate after 36 patients following their transfer from the licensed home to various NGOs. (Reporting by James Macharia; Editing by Tom Heneghan) By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The head of the U.N.-backed Libyan government told top European Union officials on Thursday the bloc must provide more money and other assistance to secure Tripoli's help in curbing the flow of African migrants to Europe. Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj was in Brussels on the eve of an EU leaders' meeting in Malta where they will throw political weight behind new efforts to curtail the arrival of refugees and immigrants from Africa, through Libya to Italy. The bloc is stepping up the training of Tripoli's coast guard and offering more money and aid to Libya and other African countries to seal their borders so migrants seeking better lives in Europe do not get through. But Sarraj, in joint statements with European Council President Donald Tusk who will chair the EU summit in Malta on Friday, said this was not enough. "We hope that the EU mechanisms to help Libya will be more practical. We are not going to mention the amount of money that ... dedicated to Libya for this help because they are very humble, very small amounts," he said. MIGRATION DEAL The EU has not given an overall figure for aid to Libya, but it has seen only a fraction of the maximum of 6 billion euros ($6.5 bln) pledged last year to Turkey in a deal that slashed arrivals of people from the Middle East to Greece. "Now it is time to close down the route from Libya to Italy," Tusk said. Sarraj also suggested he could ask foreign vessels to enter Libya's territorial waters depending on aid he would get to build up the navy. For now, an EU mission runs in international waters only, including to intercept smugglers' boats. The deadly route across the Mediterranean is now the main gateway to Europe, with some 181,000 arrivals in 2016. It is run by smugglers who operate with impunity in Libya, which slid into chaos after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. But getting a migration deal with Libya is difficult. Sarraj's government is struggling to establish control and is contested by various factions, including by the powerful warlord Khalifa Haftar, who is being courted by Russia. The bloc is looking at whether it can give funding to the U.N. refugee and migration agencies - UNHCR and IOM - to improve conditions for refugees and migrants in the camps, which are run by the government and militias alike. ($1 = 0.9246 euros) (Additonal reporting by Robin Emmott, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska) Alexandria (United States) (AFP) - One of the boys in the seven-member Syrian family due to arrive in suburban Washington this week would have slept under a duvet dyed in the red, white and blue of the US flag, a centerpiece for the room in which he was to start his new life. The apartment was furnished, the kitchen stocked with crockery. But the future tenants, a family of refugees, are now stranded in Amman, Jordan -- thousands of miles from the US capital where, with a flourish of his pen, President Donald Trump changed their fate. "Your trip has been postponed until further notice," an International Organization for Migration employee informed them last Saturday. The call came a few hours after the US president signed an executive order barring all refugees for 120 days, and Syrians indefinitely. Faraj Ghazi al-Jamous, a 45-year-old bricklayer, fled four years ago to Jordan with his wife Camila and their five children, whose ages now range from five to 20. First they found shelter in a refugee camp, later in a small home in the Amman suburbs. There they were screened as they made their way through the bureaucratic webs of the United Nations and the US government, before finally securing the rare status of refugees. The United States accepted relatively few Syrians under Barack Obama -- just 12,500 in 2016. His successor has slammed the door shut. "We were so excited to leave," this father told AFP, sitting in a Amman hotel room the IOM had set them up in for a few days. "We dream of a new life, far from our country destroyed by the war." "Everything was ready in Virginia to welcome us. We have photos of our future home." They were originally slated to fly to Washington on January 20 -- the day Trump was inaugurated -- but their Turkish Airlines flight was canceled due to fog. Their flight reservations were rescheduled for February 1. In the meantime, Trump signed his decree. - 'Crushing' - Story continues Dozens of volunteers from the St John's Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia had been preparing to welcome the al-Jamous family to their new home, setting up sofas, tables and a television. The US federal government gives about $1,100 to refugee families when they arrive; some public benefits at the federal and state level are also available. But aid organizations are vital to these families, helping them to navigate the complexities of tasks like finding housing and registering for social security. Last June the local congregation voted to take this family under their wing. Once the al-Jamous' file was approved, the church accrued donations to sign a one-year, $1,900-monthly lease for a ground-floor apartment in a quiet residential complex comprising several three-story beige buildings. For months church members collected donated goods in perfect condition, which now gather dust as they sit unused. "It was crushing to find out that this family, that was sitting at the airport waiting to get on a plane... got the rug pulled out from under them," said Diane Brody, a lead volunteer at the Alexandria church. "We've been in touch of them. We're emotionally attached to them," she said. "We're praying very hard and doing what we can do to influence people to maybe get them an exception or something." Faraj's brother, Qusai al-Jamous, has been in the US with a work visa for four years and now has a green card, and lives just a few kilometers away. "Everything is ready here. They are approved. They went through the whole process," the 43-year-old business reporter said. "You try to step on a solid floor, and you find yourself stepping on a cloud." Some 100 State Department-approved refugees were assigned to the local branch of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area for resettlement in the Washington region by the end of February, according to the non-profit's spokeswoman, Autumn Orme. Just 45, most of them Afghan, managed to obtain permission to come between Monday and Thursday. After that, the program is suspended, and the organization does not yet know whether exceptions will be possible. In Amman, the al-Jamous left their hotel Wednesday and piled into two small taxis destined for a small house in the suburbs. Mother Camila, one of the many faces of the immigration ban, prays the US leader will change his mind. "I implore President Trump to help us," she said. "We are refugees, we are vulnerable." Whether they will ever gain permission to enter the US hangs in the balance: Trump's executive order proclaims that the Syrian refugee program will only reboot when the US administration deems it in "the national interest." TWIN FALLS A man who pleaded guilty to four counts of possessing child pornography was sentenced to four years of probation Monday and must register as a sex offender. Andrew Michael Hawley, 32, of Twin Falls was at one time charged with 45 felony counts of possessing sexually exploitative material of a child. He faced up to 10 years in prison on each charge. Authorities began investigating Hawley in 2015 when Twitter employees notified police that an account registered to a Twin Falls phone number and IP address uploaded seven images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Investigators later seized Hawleys laptop, where they discovered close to 100 images portraying children mostly between the ages of one and 15 being sexually exploited. Hawley avoided a trial in October when he pleaded guilty to four of the counts. As part of a plea deal, his sentence was based almost exclusively on a presentence psychosexual evaluation: if the evaluation showed he was a high risk to reoffend, prosecutors would have sought a prison sentence. Instead, the evaluation showed he was a low or low-moderate risk to reoffend. District Judge Randy Stoker imposed a three to 10 year underlying prison sentence on each of the four charges, then suspended the prison terms and ordered probation. Hawley must register as a sex offender, and as a term of his probation cannot access the internet without permission from his probation officer. He also must pay $2,182 in court costs, money that will in part go toward a victims crime fund. A federal judge in Los Angeles has become the fifth U.S. jurist to block President Donald Trumps executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, forbidding federal officials from enforcing the law. Federal judges in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington state issued similar orders during the weekend. U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. late Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order in a case involving 28 Yemeni-born people, some of whom already lived in the United States and family members who had received visas to travel to the United States. Trump last week signed an executive order barring Syrian travelers indefinitely and for at least 90 days travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also shut down the U.S. refugee program for at least 120 days. Trump said he signed the order to better protect Americans from terrorism while his administration develops extreme vetting procedures. The order sparked widespread airport protests during the weekend and lawsuits filed by at least four attorneys general. Birotte said his order should apply to anyone trying to enter the U.S. on a valid visa, the Los Angeles Times reported. He forbade border agents from removing, detaining or blocking the entry of affected travelers or canceling validly obtained and issued immigrant visas. The order has prompted widespread condemnation internationally and led to the replacement of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who, questioning the legality of the order, directed Justice Department lawyers not to defend it. She was fired Monday night and replaced by Dana Boente. Much of the confusion surrounding the order involved whether legal, permanent U.S. residents were included in the blanket ban. Reports during the weekend indicated many were coerced into signing away their green cards. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly late Sunday said green-card holders were not included in the travel ban. He said Monday some of the countries on the banned list could remain there longer than 90 days and added other countries could be added. Related Articles BURLEY A Burley woman accused of breaking her 5-month-old babys leg and wrist has taken a plea deal. Taylor Rae Bruce, 20, entered an Alford plea on a charge of felony injury to a child. Using an Alford plea means a person doesnt admit to all the elements of a charge but admits prosecutors may have enough evidence to prove them guilty. Bruce was charged in January 2016 along with Juan Antonio Rebollozo. Charges against Rebollozo were dismissed in October. A sentencing hearing in Bruces case is set at 10 a.m. March 28 in Cassia County District Court. Under the plea agreement, a felony charge of aggravated battery will be dismissed along with new charges against Bruce of possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. The state will recommend that Bruce be placed in the states retained jurisdiction program also known as a rider. After the rider, a judge would decide if shell go on probation, or to two to seven years in prison. Under the agreement, Bruce is free to argue for a lesser sentence and she agrees to pay reasonable restitution costs in both cases. She also waives the right to appeal the sentence, judgement or motions or withdraw her guilty plea. If I plead guilty to injury to a child they would drop the aggravated battery and the new drug charges, Bruce wrote in the plea agreement. The baby was taken to the hospital on Jan. 14, 2016 after Bruce told hospital staff she dropped him on the kitchen floor. The baby was later taken to a Salt Lake City hospital where hospital officials requested a meeting with detectives to discuss the childs injuries. To a reasonable degree of medical certainty the injuries/findings described cannot plausibly be explained by accidental injury, pre-existing medical illness or reasonable discipline or benign-events, Dr. Antoinette Laskey, medical director for the Center for Safe and Healthy Families wrote about the babys injuries. The injuries, she said, should be considered consistent with inflicted trauma or child abuse. Bruce said she and the baby were asleep at Rebollozos home when the baby began fussing and crying. She got out of bed and attempted to find the baby a bottle, and when she could not find one, she tried to give him his pacifier but it slipped from her hand. When she reached for it, she said, the baby shifted and she dropped him. BOISE A bill to cut Idahos income taxes by $51 million passed the Idaho House Thursday and now heads to the Senate. I think its important to remember that tax cuts are not static, said Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, who is sponsoring the bill. Moyle said the tax cut would help to stimulate the economy by leading to more consumer spending and also helping to draw residents and businesses who may be deterred by the fact that Idahos income tax rates are higher than neighboring states. If somebody buys a Twinkie with that money, somebody made that Twinkie, Moyle said. Somebody grew the wheat that went into that Twinkie. Moyle said funding the states educational system, the focus of the last three sessions, is also a priority of his and that there would be enough money left to fund increasing education spending even with the tax cut. The bill passed the House on a 58-11 party-line vote; Coeur dAlene Republican Luke Malek was absent. It would exempt the first $750 of taxable income from taxation and also cut the top tax rate from 7.4 to 7.2 percent. Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, questioned whether the state can afford the tax cut, saying the state could be looking at hundreds of millions in additional expenses if the Affordable Care Act is repealed the state exchange may not be subsidized in the replacement, she said, and tens of thousands of people may lose their insurance and fall back onto state and county indigent care. Also, she said, while the state has been raising spending on public schools for the past two sessions, the higher education system has not received the same sort of help, and a task force Gov. C.L. Butch Otter created to study the system hasnt even had its first meeting, let alone issued recommendations that may call for more spending. This bill proposes we chop up our boat for firewood when were still in the middle of the ocean, Rubel said. Rubel said the bill would provide no meaningful relief for working families at all and questioned whether it would help the economy, saying some states with high per-capita gross domestic products have high taxes while there are poor states with low taxes. Theres just no data case to be shown here that all of a sudden when you cut your rates youre going to be the land of milk and honey, she said. Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, compared Idahos tax structure with neighboring states, arguing Idahos taxes are lower than they look due to the states higher personal exemption. Nevada and Wyoming, which dont have an income tax, arent seeing a huge growth in the number of businesses as a result, he said. We dont see them flocking to Winnemucca, Gannon said. We dont see them going to Gillette, Wyo. A few Republicans who voted for the cut said it doesnt go deep enough and called for more systemic reforms to Idahos tax structure. Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Idaho Falls, said he would like to see the sales tax on groceries and the accompanying tax credit eliminated as well. Thompson said he would support the current proposal but wishes it were twice as much as it actually is. Moyle introduced income tax cut bills in 2015 and 2016 that passed the House but didnt go anywhere in the Senate. While it remains to be seen what will happen to this one, Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said last week he believes there is a greater willingness to cut taxes among his Senate GOP colleagues this year than in the past due to the states higher-than-projected revenues and because education funding has been increased for the past couple of years. By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - Macy's Inc has settled its lawsuit accusing J.C. Penney Co of interfering improperly with its exclusive merchandising agreement with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. New York State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Oing in Manhattan ordered the case's dismissal this week, following a joint request from Macy's and J.C. Penney. A lawyer for Macy's confirmed on Thursday that the case has been settled. Terms were not disclosed. Neither retailer immediately responded to requests for comment. The settlement ends a five-year-old case rooted in a 2011 agreement in which J.C. Penney was to sell Martha Stewart's bed, bath and kitchen products in stores then being overhauled by Ron Johnson, J.C. Penney's chief executive at the time. Macy's said this agreement undermined its own exclusive right under a 2006 contract to sell the same kinds of products under the Martha Stewart brand. In June 2014, Oing ruled against J.C. Penney, following a trial in which Martha Stewart herself had testified. Two years later, he ordered J.C. Penney to pay Macy's about $3.5 million of damages. Both companies appealed from that order, but the settlement ends the appeals process. Macy's previously settled separate claims against Martha Stewart's company. Johnson's overhaul at J.C. Penney is now widely considered a failure, after it caused a big decline in sales and led to his firing in 2013. Sequential Brands Group Inc bought Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in December 2015 for roughly $353 million. The case is Macy's et al v. J.C. Penney Co, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 650197/2012. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Diane Craft) Barcelona (AFP) - Catalonia's separatist government hit out Thursday at reported plans by Madrid to close schools in the northeastern region and even take control of the police to stop a contested independence referendum. The latest spike in tensions between the wealthy Spanish region and the central government comes as jitters continue in Europe following Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union. "This threat is very serious and affects the essence of democracy: stopping access to polling stations," Neus Munte, spokeswoman for the Catalan government, told regional radio RAC1. Catalonia's government decided last year to hold a Scotland-style binding referendum for independence this September -- a move ratified in a resolution voted by the majority separatist, regional parliament. But Madrid insists any such vote would be illegal and Spain's Consitutional Court has suspended the resolution. Conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is determined to stop a referendum from happening, saying he is against any move that threatens Spain's unity. According to media reports in Spain's main dailies on Thursday, Madrid is considering drastic measures, such as closing public schools where polling booths are normally set up or taking control of Catalan police, which is normally managed by the regional government. In a press briefing, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria refused to comment on the allegations, merely calling for "dialogue." The war of words comes ahead of the high-profile trial Monday of former Catalan president Artur Mas, over a previous contested referendum initiative. Mas and two former members of his government will be in court over their role in staging a symbolic, non-binding independence referendum in 2014 despite it having been banned. More than 80 percent of those who cast their ballot did so for independence -- although just 2.3 million people out of a total of 6.3 million eligible voters took part. Story continues Accused of serious civil disobedience, Mas faces a 10-year ban on holding public office, as do his two former associates. Faced with their possible conviction, Munte hinted earlier this week that the referendum could be brought forward as a form of retaliation. "We are living through very exceptional circumstances... and the timeframe could be re-assessed," she said. Catalans have nurtured a separate identity for centuries, with their own language and customs. Their long-standing demands for greater autonomy were exacerbated during Spain's recent economic crisis, leaving many resenting the amount of taxes they pay to the central government in Madrid to subsidise poorer regions. Matthew McConaugheys True Detective character, Rust, describes himself as a realist and McConaughey is calling for the same approach to President Donald Trump. During an interview on BBC One, Andrew Marr asked about whether its time for Hollywood or cultural elite to give Trump a break. McConaughey, the star of Gold, departed from the oppositional views many other actors or celebrities have taken to Trump. Well, they dont have a choice now, McConaughey told Marr. Hes our president. And its very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time as weve had. At the same time, its time for us to embrace and shake hands with this fact and be constructive with him over the next four years. McConaughey emphasized the need to be constructive with the new administration, but added, Well see what he does compared to what hes said. Its unclear when McConaughey filmed the interview, which aired on BBC One Sunday in the U.K., after Trump signed an executive action limiting immigration. McConaugheys wife, Camila Alves, is from Brazil. [People] Related: Watch Jimmy Kimmel Live on Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f370181%2fc9544a0c-a8c4-455e-9e5a-b161bce9df88 Matthew McConaughey has a message for Hollywood (that we have a feeling they will probably ignore). While sitting down with the actor to talk about his new film Gold, an interviewer from ChannelFI said "Every single American actor or arty type who comes over to London dumps on Trump," and asked if it was time for Hollywood and America's cultural elite to give "this guy a break. "Well, they don't have a choice now, he's our president," McConaughey replied. SEE ALSO: The stunning moment Whitehouse.gov changed hands "And it's very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time that we've ever had. At the same time, it's time for us to embrace, shake hands with this fact, and be constructive with him over the next four years," he continued in the interview now removed from YouTube. "So, even those who most strongly may disagree with his principles or things he's said and done - which is another thing, we'll see what he does compared to what he had said - no matter how much you even disagreed along the way, it's time to think about how constructive can you be. Because he's our president for the next four years. At least." Though it's unclear when the interview was actually recorded, it aired Sunday morning in Britain, two days after Trump signed the executive order for his highly problematic Muslim ban. Is now the time to start listening to Matthew McConaughey? We don't know. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain asked President Donald Trump on Thursday to help Ukraine defend itself against an increase in recent attacks from Russia. "In light of the latest Russian attacks and the prospect of future aggression against Ukraine, I urge you to exercise the authority given to you by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to provide defensive lethal assistance to Ukraine to defend its territory against further violations by Russia and its separatist proxies," McCain said in a letter. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu) Canada has its Sasquatch. The Pacific Northwest has its Bigfoot. And Oakley has its Wild Hairy Man of Birch Creek. Even those who dont believe in him are still afraid of him at least at night, wrote The Oakley Herald editor Charlie Brown in July 1932. One man was riding alone in Birch Creek Canyon south of town when he spotted the legendary figure. The rider later described the hairy man as a gorilla-like creature, unclothed, (and) hairy. Others who reported seeing the hairy man described him similarly. Explanations around town were plentiful. Perhaps the hairy man was an escaped lunatic. Or perhaps he was a hermit who had lived in a cave so long he had lost the ability to speak. Brown had great fun in speculating about the hairy man in the Herald. Is he a moonshiner trying to frighten inquisitive prowlers from his workshop? Brown wrote. Or is he simply some farmer who really believes in showing how much he feels the Depression? But Browns favorite theory was that the hairy man had been harassed and nagged by a shrewish wife to the point where he rebelled and sought a relief by hiding out away from civilization, wrote Kent Hale in his book A History of Oakley, Idaho. While his articles about the hairy man had a tongue-in-cheek character, Brown became indignant when the First Segregation News of Hazelton suggested the tales were fish stories, Hale said. Brown invited the Hazelton editor to Oakley to meet the hairy man, but it isnt known whether he accepted. Sightings of the Wild Hairy Man of Birch Creek continued until after the Herald was discontinued. Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn are set to join forces once again -- this time for a feature about police brutality titled "Dragged Across Concrete," which is to be directed by "Bone Tomahawk" filmmaker S. Craig Zahler. The two actors last worked together on "Hacksaw Ridge," directed by Gibson, with the movie now nominated for six Oscars, including for best director and picture, following an awards sweep at the Australian Film Academy's prizes, as well as three Golden Globes and two SAG nominations. "Dragged Across Concrete" will also see Vaughn reteam with director Zahler following their work together on the prison drama "Brawl in Cell Block 99". Pegged as a gritty crime thriller, the "Concrete" script centers on on two policemen, one an old-timer (Gibson), the other his volatile younger partner (Vaughn), who are suspended from the force after the media get a hold of a video displaying their "strong-arming tactics." Strapped for cash, the duo turns to the criminal underworld to make ends meet where they "find far more than they wanted awaiting them in the shadows." Keith Kjarval of Unified Pictures is producing along with Dallas Sonnier of Cinestate and Assemble Media's Jack Heller. Kjarval's Unified Film Fund I is financing (via The Hollywood Reporter). Melania Trump was a no-show in Delaware Wednesday as her husband paid his respects to a Navy SEAL killed during a raid in Yemen. Read: Navy SEAL Identified As First Combat Casualty Under Trump President Trump made an unannounced trip to Dover Air Force Base to honor the returning remains of the SEAL killed in the raid over the weekend that took out more than a dozen militants but also a number of civilians. Assuming the first lady duties was Trump's daughter Ivanka, who accompanied her father as they paid tribute to 36-year-old Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens. Attending Chief Ryan Owens' Dignified Transfer yesterday with my daughter Ivanka was my great honor. To a great and brave man - thank you! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 An 8-year-old girl was also among the 30 people killed in the operation inside an al-Qaida compound, three other U.S. military members were also injured. Melania Trump has not been seen at a public event since a prayer service 12 days ago. In the new US Weekly cover story "Melania and Donald ... Separate Lives," the magazine suggests the first lady "may never move into the White House." The report has been flatly denied by a spokesman for Trumps third wife. Read: Scrawl of Duty: Handwriting Expert Reveals What Trump's Penmanship Says About His Personality "Mrs. Trump will be moving to D.C. and settling into the White House at the end of the school year, splitting her time between New York and D.C. in the meantime," the spokesperson said. The statement added that she was "taking the role and responsibilities of the first lady very seriously." Watch: Melania Trump Spotted for the First Time Since Inauguration, Avoids Manhattan Protests Related Articles: FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) German automaker Daimler AG said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net profit jumped 18 percent but offered only a modest outlook for future earnings as it prepares to spend heavily on new models and advanced technologies such as autonomous driving. Net profit for the quarter hit 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion), boosted by strong sales of new SUVs under the company's luxury Mercedes-Benz brand. Group revenue rose 1 percent to 41 billion euros. For the full year, Daimler made 8.78 billion euros net profit, up 1 percent from 2015. CEO Dieter Zetsche said the company's strong profits equipped it to confront challenges from new technologies such as autonomous vehicles. "Those who wish to shape the future of the automobile at the forefront of the automotive industry need both financial strength and innovative skill," Zetsche said in a statement. "In 2016, we demonstrated that the combination of these two factors at Daimler is stronger now than ever before." The company is working on a new EQ brand of electric vehicles and has signed an agreement with ride-hailing company Uber to cooperate on building and operating self-driving vehicles. Under the deal Daimler would in coming years introduce autonomous vehicles that would operate through Uber's ride-sharing network. The company said profits "would increase again slightly" in 2017, as spending on research and development as well as plants and equipment would "increase significantly." Such spending can sap short-term profits because the returns on new products take years to materialize. Companies like Daimler and luxury competitors such as Volkswagen's Audi brand and BMW must constantly improve their new models or lose sales. Daimler shares were off 2 percent at 68.02 euros in early afternoon trading in Europe. Automakers are spending heavily on new technologies even while it is uncertain when, or if, consumers will embrace them. Few consumers, for instance, opt for electric cars due to higher price tags and concerns about limited range and places to charge them. Yet automakers who don't have them risk being left behind if and when demand takes off. Story continues Research and development spending rose 15 percent to 7.6 billion euros in 2016 money that was spent on new models, environmentally friendly drive systems, safety technology, autonomous and assisted driving and digital connectivity of the company's products. For the fourth quarter, booming profits at Mercedes-Benz outweighed losses at the company's truck business, which lost sales in Turkey and the Middle East. Operating earnings at the luxury brand rose 53 percent to 2.56 billion euros, driven by higher vehicle prices and sales of new SUVs. The company said its profits from the full year meant it will pay up to 5,400 euros in profit-sharing bonuses to 130,000 eligible workers in Germany. They'll get the money in their April paychecks. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the figure in the last paragraph is euros, not dollars. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged Turkey to uphold democracy as the country heads toward a critical referendum on boosting the powers of the presidency, comments that ended up being part of a tense exchange with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Merkel was in Ankara for talks with Erdogan and other Turkish officials aimed at soothing relations that have been strained by, among other things, Turkish accusations that Germany does not support Turkey in its fight against terror groups. Erdogan ended up taking offense at the German leader's use of the phrase "Islamist terror," saying the two words should not be placed side-by-side. Merkel's visit was her first to Turkey since a failed coup there in July and comes as the country prepares to hold a referendum on whether to switch to an executive presidential system. Critics who oppose the proposed change say it would concentrate too many powers in Erdogan's hands and further erode the separation of powers in the country. "I pointed out that in such a phase of deep political change, everything must be done to preserve the separation of powers, and above all freedom of opinion and the plurality of society," Merkel told reporters during a joint press appearance with Erdogan. "Opposition belongs to a democracy. We see that with one another every day in democratic states," she said. She also called for elections observers to be allowed to monitor the vote. Erdogan rejected the notion that the presidential system he has long sought threatened the separation of powers. "First of all, there's not an ounce of truth to this," he said. "There's a legislative organ; an executive one as well; and a judicial." Erdogan also reproached the German leader for using the phrase "Islamist terror" during their joint appearance. The expression saddens Muslims because Islam and terror cannot coexist, he said. Story continues "Personally, as a Muslim, as a Muslim president, I can never accept this," Erdogan said. Merkel responded by saying Germany makes a linguistic distinction between "Islam" and "Islamist." "I would like people in Turkey to know, in any case, that we do not just respect and value Muslims, but we want to work well together and fight this terrible terrorism together," she added. Merkel later toured parts of Turkey's parliament building, which was damaged during the failed coup. She met with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who called for greater cooperation from Germany against the movement led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Turkey of orchestrating the coup. Turkey also wants Germany to extradite some 40 soldiers allegedly involved in the coup attempt and to reject asylum requests from people linked to the movement Turkey blames for the coup. Merkel urged Turkey to relay concerns about possible criminal activities of Gulen supporters in Germany through security channels and to refrain from using an organization running Turkish mosques to spy on people in Germany. "Irritations, or the feeling that people are being spied upon, needs to be prevented from the start," Merkel said. __ Associated Press writers Geir Moulson and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed. Mexico City (AFP) - The Mexican and US governments denied a report that US President Donald Trump told Mexico's leader that he may deploy US troops to deal with drug cartels because Mexican soldiers are doing a bad job. Mexican journalist Dolia Estevez, citing "confidential" US and Mexican sources, said Trump made the threat during an hour-long phone call with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday. Trump told Pena Nieto that "maybe" he should send US troops to defeat the cartels because "Mexican soldiers are not doing their job well," according to the report published by the website proyectopuente.com.mx. But Mexican and White House officials vehemently denied the report. "It's a lie of the size of its bad faith," Pena Nieto's spokesman, Eduardo Sanchez, told AFP. The White House also denied to AFP that Trump threatened to send troops to Mexico. If confirmed, the report would contradict the tone of the conversation that was reported in near identical statements issued by the two governments last Friday. The statements both described the phone call as "constructive and productive," while Trump told a news conference that it was "very friendly." The phone call came as bilateral relations plunged into the biggest diplomatic crisis between the two neighbors in decades. Trump angered Mexicans last week by ordering the construction of a massive border wall and vowing to make their country pay for the wall. Pena Nieto has pledged that his government will never pay for the barrier and he canceled a meeting with Trump scheduled for this week in Washington. In Friday's statements, both sides said the presidents recognized their public differences over the wall but that they instructed their teams to continue the dialogue between the two governments. In addition to the row over the wall, Trump wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico. Mexican officials expect talks to begin in May. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's foreign minister travels to New York on Thursday to meet U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres just days after talks with Trump administration officials were undone by a dispute over U.S. plans to build a border wall. The government said in a statement Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray would meet Guterres, as well as members of the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas. Videgaray's talks with Guterres would focus on Mexico's priorities at the United Nations, while economic and social issues were on the agenda for the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas meetings, the statement said. Last week Videgaray and Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo had to break off meetings in Washington with Trump advisers after a Twitter spat broke out between Mexico's president and U.S. President Donald Trump over the southern border wall. While Videgaray and Guajardo were in meetings, Trump tweeted that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto should cancel a planned visit if he was not prepared to pay for the wall that the former real estate tycoon wants to keep out illegal immigrants. Pena Nieto duly canceled the planned visit to talk to Trump, which was meant to take place this week. The two leaders on Friday talked by phone to try and smooth over the incident, though tensions flared again on Wednesday after media reports suggested that Trump had threatened to send U.S. troops to Mexico to battle its powerful drug lords. Mexico's government said the reports were wrong. Luis Almagro, head of the Washington-based Organization of American States, talked to Videgaray by phone on Wednesday about the Mexico-U.S. relationship, the OAS said in a statement. Almagro voiced his concern and solidarity with Mexico about the possible effects of Trump's wall and his measures against immigrants, the regional diplomatic bloc said. (Reporting by Natalie Schachar; Editing by Dan Grebler) Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico's vaquita marina is edging closer to extinction as scientists warned that only 30 were left despite navy efforts to intercept illegal fishing nets killing the world's smallest porpoise. "The already desperate situation has worsened, despite existing conservation measures and current enforcement efforts," said the report by the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA). "At the current rate of loss, the vaquita will likely decline to extinction by 2022, unless the current gillnet ban is maintained and effectively enforced." An analysis of acoustic data from the upper Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico found that, as of November, only about 30 vaquitas likely remained in their habitat, the report said. A previous census between September and December 2015 had found around 60 vaquitas. There were 200 of them in 2012 and 100 in 2014. Authorities say the vaquitas have been dying for years in gillnets that are meant to illegally catch another endangered specie, a large fish called the totoaba. Smugglers ship the totoaba's dried swim bladder to China, where it fetches tens of thousands of dollars and is eaten in soup. Known as the "panda of the sea" because of the dark rings around its eyes, the 1.5-meter (five-foot) cetacean has rarely been seen alive. In a possibly last-ditch effort to save the vaquita, scientists plan, after getting government approval, to capture specimens and put them in an enclosure in the Gulf of California where they can reproduce. Some environmentalists oppose this because of the risk that vaquitas, which only exist in the Gulf of California, could die in the process. "Illegal fishing continues and if we don't capture them, they will die anyway," CIRVA chairman Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho told AFP. - 'Many questions' - CIRVA recommends "urgently" locating and putting vaquitas in a temporary sanctuary this spring, and keep them there for up to one year. Rojas-Bracho said the program could begin in the fall, around October. Story continues Their capture would take place in a staged manner, which will be reviewed by CIRVA at appropriate intervals, with the option of stopping it if necessary. Vessels, small aircraft and dolphins trained by the US Navy could be used to locate vaquitas, which could be caught with a light salmon gillnet and then taken to a shore-based enclosure with fences. Four possible sites are being considered. But CIRVA acknowledges that "capturing and housing vaquitas will be difficult, and perhaps impossible, and the species may not prove to be suitable for such conservation actions." "Many questions still need to be resolved. Importantly, it is unclear whether vaquitas can be captured safely, or how they will react to handling, transport, and confinement." One CIRVA member disagreed with the plan, "believing that there are too many unknowns and maybe some 'unknowables' surrounding the plan," the report said. - Illegal fishing's 'alarming levels' - President Enrique Pena Nieto deployed the navy in 2015 to stop illegal fishing, increased the vaquita protection area and imposed a two-year ban on gillnets. Drones joined the effort last year. But the high levels of illegal fishing, the discovery of three dead vaquitas last year and the population's decline "demonstrate that present enforcement efforts have been insufficient," CIRVA said. The committee called for a permanent ban on all gillnets and that their sale or possession on land in the vaquita region be made illegal, as well as "more vigorous efforts to prosecute" totoaba smulggers or anyone connected with illegal fishing. During 15 days in October and November last year, 105 pieces of illegal, abandoned or derelict fishing gear were found and 85 were removed, the new report said. "This shows that illegal fishing activities, particularly the setting of large-mesh gillnets for totoaba, continue at alarming levels within the range of the vaquita (habitat)," the report said. CIRVA said the government should speed up efforts to teach alternative fishing methods to local fishermen. Pena Nieto earmarked $70 million to help fishermen during the ban. mike hager A Michigan man falsely claimed his mother died in Iraq after President Donald Trump's travel ban went into effect, a local imam said Wednesday. Mike Hager, the man, had told a local Fox affiliate that his mother was stranded at an Iraqi airport after Trump's executive order barring immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries went into effect on Saturday. Hager an American citizen and a former refugee from Iraq said he was allowed to board a flight home, while his mother was not. Hager said he had traveled to Iraq with relatives to visit his ailing mother. "They destroyed us. I went with my family, I came back by myself," Hager said. "They destroyed our family." However, a local imam, Husham Al-Hussainy, clarified to the Fox affiliate that Hager's mother had actually died on January 22, five days before Trump signed the executive order. Al-Hussainy said Hager's mother had been receiving treatment for kidney disease in Michigan. Since Trump's election in November, there have been several incidents in which local officials have said individuals embellished incidents related to the president. A Muslim teenager who reported being harassed on the New York City subway by supporters of Trump fabricated the story in December, police said. And an 18-year-old student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who claimed that she was assaulted and robbed by two white men in the morning after Trump's election admitted to police she fabricated the incident. NOW WATCH: Trump's Attorney General pick wants access to everyone's phones here's why that's a problem More From Business Insider TWIN FALLS You are outnumbered, and death by chocolate is certain. The Rotary Club of Twin Falls 12th annual Death by Chocolate returns from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Canyon Crest Event Center. Twenty-five local chefs are participating, and each one creates about 1,000 pieces each. That means 25,000 pieces of chocolate will be ready to eat in one room. Death has never been so sweet. Mountain View Barn has participated in the fundraiser for the past two years. The Jerome business is in the brownie category for the third year. Owners John and Nina Hollifield are bringing a treat that is two layers of brownie with white chocolate in between. It was created by their chef C.J. McGuire. I just think its a great community event, Nina said. Each year Im just amazed by the community support for it. Its an amazing fundraiser. The Hollifields plan to attend again this year because its a night of desserts. Its chocolate, John said. Its all good. Local chefs compete in the categories of Best Chocolate Brownie, Cake, Cookie, Candy and Unique Dessert. Winners are determined by public voting and judges. Attendees taste, judge and vote for their favorites. Judges will also vote for their favorites in each category, as well as the best high school, and award the best overall chocolate item. Last year an estimated 900 people attended the event. Organizer Jill Skeem said this year the designated overflow parking lot is at 582 Pole Line Road next to Pizza Pie Cafe. Canyon Crest Restaurant will be offering Death by Chocolate drink, appetizer and dinner specials starting at 4 p.m. Thursday. Admission is $15 per person in advance and $20 at the door. Advance tickets will be sold at twinfallsrotary.org until 2 p.m. Thursday and at Kurts Pharmacy until 6 p.m. Thursday. All proceeds will benefit local charities and Rotary projects. There will be a no host bar, silent auction and raffle throughout the evening and live music by the Jason Lugo Band. There will be free coffee and water. I just hope every comes out and supports Rotary, Skeem said. Its been 12 years, I think people love the event. Chocolate participants include: Alices Sweets; Ashley Manor Care Centers; Bridgeview Estates; Brookdale Twin Falls; Cactus Petes; Candy Cravings; Canyon Ridge High School; Carlas Creations; Cloverleaf Creamery; CSI Baking & Pastry Arts; CSI Culinary Arts; Daisys; Fredericksons Fine Candies; Magic Valley High School; Mountain View Barn; Rocky Mountain Chocolates; Scooters; Sharis Cafe; Sips N Sweet Treats; St. Lukes Magic Valley; Sweet Creations by Tammy; Taylor Made Cakes; Twin Beans Coffee Co.; Twin Falls High School; and Twin Falls Senior Center. Emily Dumas, manager of Sips N Sweet Treats, said this year they are competing in the cookie category with their double chocolate cookie aka double chocolate fudge. Cookies are our specialty, Dumas said. Its what we do. We made sure to get in the cookie category this year. Its a pretty popular cookie, weve had some pretty good feedback about it. Its kind of a brownie cookie. On Wednesday, Dumas said they were prepping everything for the big chocolaty night Thursday. We are almost done baking them and will spend all day tomorrow frosting them, Dumas said. Come vote for us, its a great cookie. (Reuters) - A white Minnesota man was found guilty of opening fire and wounding five men protesting the fatal shooting of a black man by police officers two years ago. A jury found Allen Scarsella, 24, guilty of 11 counts of assault and one count of riot when he shot and injured five black men, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said on Wednesday afternoon. "We are pleased with the jury's guilty verdict against Allen Scarsella today," Freeman said in a statement. "As I said at the time we charged Mr. Scarsella and his companions, the racist language he used in the videos and on social media is just not acceptable and the actions he took as a result of those racist beliefs were heinous. The jury obviously saw it the same way," Freeman added. Freeman said prosecutors will be seeking "the stiffest possible sentence" at Scarsella's sentencing, which is scheduled for March 10. A spokeswoman from the Hennepin County Attorney's office said prosecutors would likely seek a 19 year sentence for Scarsella. Protesters had been demonstrating the fatal shooting by police in November 2015 of Jamar Clark, 24, when Scarsella and three other men wearing masks entered a encampment of demonstrators. All four were arrested and charged. Scarsella admitted to the shootings, prosecutors said in a complaint. During his trial, Scarsella testified he was acting in self defense because he was afraid of being attacked while he was filming the demonstration. The other three men are facing lesser charges. Clark was killed during a struggle with Officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, who are white. The incident came at a time of intense debate in the United States over police use of force in minority communities. Last year, authorities announced the two officers would not face charges after an internal investigation determined they did not violate police policy and were justified in the use of deadly force. (Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by Alan Crosby) Good morning. These are todays top stories: Trump responds aggressively to world leaders President Donald Trump had a series of confrontational encounters with world leaders over the past few days. He said Wednesday that he has formally put Iran on notice after a ballistic missile test. Then he called a refugee agreement between the U.S. and Australia a dumb deal, after blasting the Obama administrations decision to accept 1,250 refugees from Australian-run detention centers in a reportedly hostile phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. He also warned Mexicos leader that hes prepared to send U.S. troops across the border to stop bad hombres down there. Philippine factory fire injures dozens A massive fire broke out in a large factory near Manila, injuring more than 100 people, some critically. At least three people are reported missing. Accused baby snatcher heads to court A court hearing is scheduled for Gloria Williams, who is accused of stealing a newborn from a Florida hospital and raising the baby girl as her own for 18 years. Williams is facing kidnapping charges. Groundhog predicts more winter Punxsutawney Phil, a world-famous and fickle groundhog in Pennsylvania, saw his own shadow this morning, indicating theres no early spring in the forecast. The prediction means Americans will have to brace for six more weeks of cold weather. Beyonce is pregnant with twins Beyonce is expecting twins with her husband Jay Z. The superstar announced the news on Instagram, sharing a photo with fans. Our family will be growing by two, she wrote. The post is reportedly the most liked picture ever on Instagram. Also: Trump apparently threatened to pull federal funding from the University of California at Berkeley after violent protests forced the school to cancel an event with Milo Yiannopoulos, a right-wing Breitbart News editor. Story continues Former Vice President Joe Biden has launched a nonprofit foundation that aims to protect civil rights. Hillary Clinton will release a new book of personal essays this year that include her experiences during the 2016 presidential campaign. Former President George H. W. Bush, who was recently hospitalized for pneumonia, will perform the pre-game coin toss at the Super Bowl. Some monkeys in the Netherlands are basically using Tinder to find mates for a study. The Morning Brief is published Mondays through Fridays. Email Morning Brief writer Melissa Chan at melissa.chan@time.com. Reunion. Thirty-three years after it broke ranks with the African Union (AU), then known as the Organization for African Unity, Morocco has been readmitted as a member of Africas main regional body after a vote at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday (Jan. 30). Moroccos readmission means that all African nations are now a part of the AU. Africa wants to speak in one voice. We need all African countries to be a part of that voice, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, said after the vote. But despite Moroccos readmission, the dispute which triggered its exit from the union still remains. In 1984, Morocco left the AU after the body decided to recognize the independence of Western Sahara, also known as Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), and admitted it as a member state. Morocco has long contended the territory is under its control. While most of the territory has been annexed by Morocco since 1975, it has been in involved in a violent conflict with Western Saharan independence movement Polisario Front which insists the territory is a sovereign independent state. Until a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations (UN) in 1991, both parties remained at odds resulting in the displacement of 90,000 people, according to UNs Refugee Agency. When Morocco formally requested to be readmitted into the AU last July, it also asked the body to reconsider its stance on recognizing SADRs independence. With Morocco back in the AU, there are fears it could step its bid to secure the region. For its part, SADR has diplomatically accepted Moroccos readmission. Mohamed Yeslem, foreign minister of SADR, says he hopes the readmission will result in a solution to the territorial dispute through a referendum and a United Nations resolution. The UN currently does not recognize SADR. Story continues Despites Ellen Johnson Sirleafs idealistic view of Africa speaking with one voice, Moroccos readmission was not a smooth-sailing process. As many as 15 of the AUs 54 member nations, including continental bigwigs Algeria and South Africa, longtime supporters of SADRs claim of independence, were against readmitting Morocco. Moroccos request to rejoin the AU also signals a significant shift in the North African countrys foreign policy. Previously focused on Europe, under King Mohammed VI, Morocco has increasingly looked to the south for more friends. In 2016, King Mohammed VI visited six African countries, including Nigeria and Ethiopia, two of the continents leading economies, signing trade deals in a bid to deepen its relationship with those countries as it seeks to establish itself as a more dominant player on the continent. Sign up for the Quartz Africa Weekly Brief the most important and interesting news from across the continent, in your inbox. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it had felt from U.S. President Donald Trump a willingness to work with Russia without prejudice during his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, the RIA news agency reported. "You could feel the willingness from the American side to work together in a business-like manner without any (anti-Russian) phobias," RIA quoted Georgy Borisenko, head of the North America Department at Russia's Foreign Ministry, as saying. (Reporting by Peter Hobson; Editing by Andrey Ostroukh) The average snowpack across California hit 173% above average Thursday thanks to eagerly awaited drought relief from several strong storms, according to a report from state water monitors. The news is welcome relief for officials in a state that has spent the last five years combatting the effects of an intense drought. Drought stretched across the entire state at this point last year, according to data from federal drought monitors. New figures released this week show 70% of the state drought free. The high snowpack in the states Sierra Nevada mountains is particularly good news for California as melting snow provide a third of the states water supply during the spring and summer, according to an LA Times report. Officials in the state welcomed the news but remained cautious about water conditions in the state. When to end the state of the emergency remains under consideration in the governors office. Were halfway through our wettest season, and conditions have been encouraging, Jeanine Jones, Californias interstate water-resources manager, told TIME in mid-January. I would say were cautiously optimistic. California Governor Jerry Brown first declared a state of emergency of in January 2014 calling for the states resident to slash water consumption by 20%. Later measures tightened restrictions. YANGON, Myanmar (AP) Myanmar police have arrested a man they say is a conspirator behind the assassination of a longtime legal adviser of the country's leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Myint Swe was arrested on Monday in southeastern Karen state that borders Thailand. Police alleged he hired the suspected gunman, Kyi Lin, who was arrested right after he shot Ko Ni in the head at close range at the Yangon airport on Sunday and tried to flee. Ko Ni was a prominent Muslim lawyer who advised Suu Kyi's ruling National League for Democracy party. He specialized in constitutional law, criticizing army interference in politics and advising Suu Kyi's party how to try to get around statutes in the army-imposed constitution that gave the military undue power in the government democratically elected in 2015. He was also an advocate for the Muslim minority in the overwhelmingly Buddhist country, a position that earned him the enmity of ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks and their allies. Police said Myint Swe had been interrogated since Monday but refused to disclose any details. They said an initial interrogation of Kyi Lin showed that the killing was aimed at destabilizing the state. They did not elaborate. Government officials have described the gunman as an ex-convict who had been imprisoned for illegally trading in Buddha's statutes. ___ This story has been corrected to show that initial interrogation concerned Kyi Lin not Myint Swe. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did not hold back when voicing concerns over President Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon, on Capitol Hill Thursday. During her weekly press briefing, Pelosi called Bannon a white supremacist twice and lamented that Trump appointed him to the National Security Council (NSC) while diminishing the roles of the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, who is the nations highest-ranking military officer, and the director of national intelligence (DNI), who heads the nations intelligence community. Whats making America less safe is to have a white supremacist named to the National Security Council as a permanent member, while the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Director of National Intelligence are told, Dont call us, well call you, she said. Its a stunning thing that a white supremacist, Bannon, would be a permanent member of the National Security Council and dismissing the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the director of national intelligence as members. For its part, the White House has rejected the idea that the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman or the DNI have been excluded at the NSC. On Monday, press secretary Sean Spicer blasted reports on the subject as utter nonsense, arguing that the security officials would still attend NSC meetings in their portfolio and that they were welcome to attend more. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP) Before joining Trumps presidential campaign, Bannon was the executive chairman for the far-right Breitbart News website outlet. He is a prominent figure of the so-called alt-right, which critics describe as a rebranding of white nationalism. Bannon told Mother Jones last summer that the website is the platform for the alt-right. Breitbart News rejects the white nationalist label and told The Hill last November that the conservative website was preparing a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against a media company for its baseless and defamatory claim that Breitbart News represented white nationalism. Story continues Bannon is reportedly an architect of Trumps highly controversial executive order that blocks entry by people from seven Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and Africa for 90 days, while barring all refugees from entering the country for 120 days. In December 2015, Trump called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. The plan later evolved into a vow for extreme vetting, which the White House now claims its executive order helps implement. Read more from Yahoo News: Within hours of Judge Neil Gorsuchs nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, a statement calling him a threat to patient-centered health care for millions of Americans went up on the website of Compassion & Choices, an advocacy group working to improve care and expand options for the end of life. The options it wants to expand are for terminally ill patients to obtain a lethal dose of barbiturates to take if and when they decide to die. This is an issue on which Gorsuch is an expert, as the author of a book on the subject, an essay on constitutional law and moral philosophy titled The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. To save time for the senators who will have to vote on his confirmation: He doesnt care for the idea. The issue may not have a lot of current salience at the Supreme Court; a 2006 ruling basically said the states can decide this question for themselves, upholding Oregons first-in-the-nation law on physician-assisted dying. Five other states Washington, Montana, Vermont, California and Colorado have passed similar laws, and there are bills pending in at least 16 others. In Vermont, a suit seeks a religious exemption for doctors from the requirement to inform terminally ill patients of their end-of-life options. Compassion & Choices is opposing the suit, although it is undoubtedly a long way from reaching the Supreme Court. But C&Cs director of legal advocacy, Kevin Diaz, is already worried. Gorsuch wrote a concurring opinion in the 2013 Hobby Lobby case, holding that businesses could refuse on religious grounds to pay for contraceptive care for their employees. A judge who is willing to allow others, including corporations, to impose their religious beliefs on individuals making personal health care decisions at the end of life would be a dangerous addition to the nations highest court, Diaz says. The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia by Neil M. Gorsuch. (Amazon.com-Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The crux of Gorsuchs argument, which he pursues through thousands of years of Western philosophy and centuries of American jurisprudence, is summed up pithily in his first chapter: the idea that all human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of life by private persons is always wrong. Story continues The phrase about private persons is crucial; it allows him to pursue his argument without grappling with the morality of the death penalty or, for that matter, war. So is the word intentional; he allows that a doctor or family member may honor a terminally ill patients wishes to stop receiving treatment, as long as the intent was to stop suffering, and not to hasten death even if death was the certain result. (In an aside that should reassure the National Rifle Association, he uses a similar line of reasoning to argue that the gun shop owner who sells a gun is likewise absolved from being his brothers keeper.) In fact, theres more agreement here than perhaps meets the eye. Gorsuchs title refers to assisted suicide and euthanasia, but those are mostly straw men in the context of the debate, at least in the United States. (European countries such as Holland and Belgium see things a little differently.) Euthanasia killing someone without his or her conscious request and assent is widely regarded as immoral and is illegal almost everywhere. Nor do states as a rule permit assisted suicide for people who just want to end their suffering, mental or physical. Compassion & Choices is fighting for what it calls medical aid in dying, which means the provision of lethal drugs to people who are, in fact, dying, typically with a life expectancy of six months or less. Many a third to a half, by some estimates never even take the pills. Just having the pills in their possession provides comfort. Gorsuchs position here might seem like boilerplate conservative thinking; certainly it would resonate with the religious right, although Gorsuch himself is a mainstream Protestant Episcopalian. And his argument is directed, in part, against another well-known conservative judge who has appeared on many shortlists of potential Supreme Court nominations, Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit. Posner, whose political views tend toward the libertarian, has argued in favor of permitting some form of assisted suicide. But he has also, uncharacteristically for a judge originally appointed by President Ronald Reagan, upheld in some recent rulings a right to abortion. Is there a correspondence between how a justice might view medical aid in dying and abortion? Last fall, in assessing President-elect Trumps list of possible Supreme Court nominees, National Review approvingly quoted a blurb for Gorsuchs book that said it builds a nuanced, novel, and powerful moral and legal argument against legalization [of assisted suicide and euthanasia], one based on a principle that, surprisingly, has largely been overlooked in the debate the idea that human life is intrinsically valuable and that intentional killing is always wrong. Gee, the magazine went on to speculate, might that principle have any application to abortion? TOKYO (Reuters) - Nestle unveiled sushi-shaped versions of its KitKat chocolate biscuit bar in Tokyo on Thursday. The 3-piece sets are modeled on tuna, sea urchin and omelet sushis, but are actually raspberry, mascarpone cheese, and pumpkin pudding KitKats atop sugar-coated puffed rice. Nestle Japan's KitKat marketing manager Ryoji Maki said the idea was to create a fun variation of the traditional chocolate bar in the run-up to Valentine's Day. "I hope our customers have fun with the look of this 'sushi' KitKat," Maki told Reuters Television. The "sushi" KitKats are not for sale, but customers who spend more than 3,000 yen ($26)in Nestle's new KitKat store in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district will receive a pack as a gift from Friday. "It's the Valentine's season, so I hope these 'sushi' chocolates can be an additional item to the chocolate gifts to make it more surprising and fun," Maki said. Japan is home to many exotic KitKat flavors including sake rice wine, baked potato and soy sauce. Japanese women buy chocolates for their partners and colleagues on Valentine's Day, while men return the favor a month later on White Day. (Reporting by Hyun Oh; Editing by Darren Schuettler) YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigeria will soon pay all the overdue cash stipends it owes former militants who signed up for an amnesty in 2009 in the Niger Delta oil hub, the government said on Thursday. Militants have threatened to resume attacking oil facilities should the cash payments not be made. "We advise all to remain calm as all stipend arrears and other outstanding payments under the program will soon be paid," the office of the government amnesty program said in a statement. The government has been holding talks with militants to end attacks on crude pipelines, which reduced Nigeria's output by 700,000 barrels a day for several months last year. Authorities had originally cut the budget for cash payments to militants to end corruption. They later resumed payments to keep pipeline attacks from crippling vital oil revenues. Two months of stipends were paid out in January, but the amnesty office said foreign schools fees and other allowances had not been sent by the federal government yet. Each former militant is entitled under the amnesty to 65,000 naira ($213.68) a month plus job training. President Muhammadu Buhari met Niger Delta leaders and representatives for the militants in November to discuss their demands but little progress has emerged publicly since then. The militants and residents who sympathize with them say they want a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished region. Crude sales make up about 70 percent of government revenue and the attacks have worsened an economic crisis brought on by low global oil prices. ($1 = 304.2000 naira) (Reporting by Tife Owolabi and Ulf Laessing; Editing by Larry King) Maiduguri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Nigeria's army on Thursday said 112 people were killed in an air strike that hit civilians and aid workers rather than Boko Haram militants. "Statistics show that 112 persons died from that incident and 97 others were wounded," said the head of Nigeria's counter-insurgency operations, Major General Lucky Irabor. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has previously said the death toll from the incident in Rann, Borno state, on January 17, was 90 and could be as high as 170. The chairman of the Kala-Balge local government area, in which Rann is located, went further, telling reporters 234 people had been buried and two more had died in hospital. But Irabor told a news conference in the state capital, Maiduguri, had made a mistake. Verifying death tolls is notoriously difficult and mostly impossible in the remote region, where access is still strictly controlled by the military. An air force board of inquiry has been set up to look into the circumstances of the strike, which was meant to target Boko Haram fighters allegedly in the Rann area. Irabor told reporters a raid by Boko Haram fighters on Rann the day after the bombing, which happened during food distribution for the displaced, showed they were in the vicinity. "It was just that the coordinates were wrong and that's what led to that very sad incident, and we regret it once again," he added. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said it was necessary to do everything possible to make progress on the nuclear deal with Iran and that he did not see any indications during a visit to the United States that Washington would terminate it. U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier on Thursday that "nothing is off the table" in dealing with Iran following its test launch of a ballistic missile. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Toni Reinhold) London (AFP) - Britain's future trade arrangements with the EU will not be concluded until the early mid-2020s at best, its former ambassador to the bloc said Wednesday, warning of "feisty" negotiations ahead. London will conclude free trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries much quicker than with the European Union, which is serious about demanding an exit fee from Britain, Ivan Rogers said. The former diplomat, who quit last month as Britain's ambassador to the EU, said the divorce process was likely to get "feisty". "It's a negotiation on a scale that we haven't experienced probably ever but certainly since World War II. This is going to be on a humongous scale," Rogers told parliament's European Scrutiny Committee. He said proceedings were still in the "phoney war period" and would undoubtedly descend into an "extremely feisty atmosphere" and a "mercantilist fist-fight", before reaching a conclusion. British Prime Minister Theresa May intends to trigger Article 50, which starts a two-year clock ticking to departure, by the end of March. Even after talks conclude, senior European figures believe it "would probably take until the early mid-2020s" before any deal is ratified across all the European national and regional parliaments, he said. Rogers said that post-departure, he was in "no doubt" that Britain would negotiate free trade agreements with other countries faster than it would with Brussels. While several EU figures think the Brexit separation deal must be concluded before talks on future trade arrangements, Rogers said he thought it "inevitable" that the two would have to take place concurrently. The EU has estimated Britain's departure bill at 55 billion to 60 billion euros, EU sources told AFP. From the EU's point of view, UK withdrawal will "explode a bomb" under its seven-year budget, costing poorer countries up to 12 percent of the structural funding they receive from Brussels, Rogers said. Story continues Richer states like Germany and France would be under pressure to make up the shortfall. Rogers said he quit his post nine months early because he thought the same team in place at the start of the Article 50 process should see it through to the end. "If we get it right, the country gets to the other side of it prosperous and healthy and maybe even happier on sovereignty," he said of Brexit. "If we get it wrong, there could be very severe complications." A senior European diplomat also on Wednesday compared May to someone ditching their subscription but still wanting to maintain all the services, warning that getting Britain out of the EU would be as easy as "getting an egg out of an omelette". When the Treasury Department issued a highly technical revision to sanctions on Russia Thursday morning, the reaction online was swift, merciless, and wrong. Lawmakers, scholars, and even former Treasury officials thought President Donald Trump had just eased penalties on Moscow, imagined payback for the election meddling. But in fact the modification announced Thursday was a long-contemplated change to deal with unexpected consequences of slapping sanctions on the Russian security service, or FSB. In December, then-President Barack Obama hit the FSB in retaliation for the spy agencys hacking and leaking campaign during the 2016 election. The FSB doesnt just spy: It also regulates the import and sale of products featuring encryption technology, like Apple iPhones. Obamas sanctions prevented American technology companies from acquiring the necessary licenses to sell their products in Russia. So on Thursday, the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a revision. American technology companies can now buy the necessary licenses at a value of up to $5,000 from the FSB in order to sell their products in Russia. But on both sides of the Atlantic, that technical adjustment has been interpreted as an easing of sanctions. Many Americans were aghast that Trump would dial back the pressure on Moscow; some Russians viewed the fiddling as the first step in the forging of a grand alliance to fight terrorism. Putins thugs meddle with an American election, and President Trump gives them a thank you present, House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement. I have been asking the same question for awhile: What do the Russians have on President Trump? Relaxing sanctions was a terrible idea when it was first floated by Trumps campaign, and it is an even worse one now as European leaders wonder whether the Trump Administration shares its predecessors commitment to NATO, said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Story continues The minor move elicited strong reactions in Moscow, too but of a different kind. Nikolai Kovalyov, a former FSB director who now serves in the Russian Duma, said the move heralded the beginning of a rapprochement between Russia and the United States. This shows that actual joint work on establishing an anti-terrorism coalition is about to begin, Kovalyov told the TASS news agency. This is the first step on the way leading to cooperation in the war on terror. Trump, meanwhile, appeared to have been completely blindsided by the new policy, telling reporters Thursday, I havent eased anything! Obama first slapped the FSB with sanctions in December, in retaliation for its campaign to hack into the computer systems of the Democratic Party and leak sensitive documents. Whether Trump will preserve those sanctions represents a key question as he seeks closer relations with the Kremlin, including a possible alliance in fighting the Islamic State. There are a whole slate of other economic sanctions the U.S. maintains on Russia, fruit of the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, that Trump has also suggested rolling back. Thursdays announcement from the Treasury Department appears to have caught the White House by surprise and highlights the state of disarray within the Trump administration as it continues to staff key posts and get up to speed on government initiatives. Though the policy change will have little substantive impact on the American sanctions regime against Russia, the confusion surrounding the tweak inevitably plays into Putins hands. Because its so sensitive and the issue is so heated, its already become a propaganda victory for Putin, one former Treasury Department official said. DMITRY ASTAKHOV/AFP/GettyImages iStock/Thinkstock(SMYRNA, Del.) The Delaware Department of Corrections veteran who died during a day-long hostage situation inside a prison "saved lives in an emergency situation" by warning other officers to get out, according to a union official. Sgt. Steven Floyd, 47, who was found dead early Thursday morning, was forced into a closet by inmates during the siege at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, which lasted nearly 24 hours, and later found unresponsive, said Delaware Correctional Officers Association President Geoff Klopp. "Sgt. Floyd was a great man," Klopp said. "Even in his last moments as the inmates attempted to take over the building, Sgt. Floyd told a couple of lieutenants to get out of the building, that it was a trap." Klopp appeared emotional at a news conference Thursday afternoon as he described Floyd, a 16-year veteran, as a loving husband, father and grandfather who "worked overtime three or four times a week to put his kids through college." "This has absolutely been probably the hardest day of my life," Klopp said. Officials said this morning that authorities are investigating how the hostage situation occurred, adding that the motive is not clear. Officials said some inmates had sharp instruments but did not offer more details on the weapons. About 120 inmates are considered suspects in the investigation at this time, officials said. The incident came to an end just after 5 a.m. Thursday, when Delaware State Police breached the C Building, where the situation with two remaining hostages was unfolding, according to the DOC. One of the two hostages, Floyd, was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m., the DOC said. It was unclear how he died or if the death was a homicide. The second hostage, also a DOC employee, "was safely rescued" the DOC said. She was not injured, said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coop, who added that some inmates allegedly "shielded" her and "ensured her safety." After the final two hostages were found, C Building was secured. Klopp said the Floyd family is "absolutely crushed." Klopp said he wants Floyd to be remembered as the "happy smiling man that he was. ... The guy that worked with all the new guys and trained them, and went the extra mile for any human being." The incident began Wednesday around 10:30 a.m. when inmates in C building took four hostages. Inmates in C Building are either heading from lower security to higher security, or from higher security to lower security, Coop said. The first two hostages were eventually released on Wednesday. Three maintenance workers hid in the basement during the ordeal and the inmates were unaware of them, said Perry Phelps of the DOC. Late Wednesday night, the maintenance workers made their way to the roof and were rescued, Phelps said. Officials said the decision was made to go in Thursday morning because through negotiations authorities believed inmates were using stalling tactics to buy time to build barricades. Officials said inmates had filled their lockers with water to make a heavy barricade. Authorities used a backhoe to break down the door and enter the building, officials said. Klopp blamed staffing issues for Floyd's death and vowed to work with legislatures to make sure this never happens again. The corrections department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about staffing. The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center is Delaware's largest male correctional facility, with approximately 2,500 inmates. Klopp said discussions about DOC issues including staffing, training, retention, shortages and overtime have been ongoing for some time, and he said he had no assistance on these issues from Delaware's previous governor. Klopp said he's had good conversations with Delaware Gov. John Carney -- who became governor in Jan. 2017 -- and he has faith they can work together to fix the "systemic issues" in the DOC that he said have existed for at least the last eight to 10 years. Carney vowed to leave "no stone unturned" in the investigation. "We will bring every resource that we have to sort out this issue and this problem to make sure correctional facilities are secure and that the employees who work there are safe," he said. Carney said flags in Delaware will be flown at half-staff and said in a statement that he is "praying hard for the fallen officer's family." Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Few days after the yellow cab drivers went on strike in New York against U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order, Bodegas across the city plan to shut down for most of Thursday to protest the immigration ban on seven Muslim majority countries barred from entering the U.S. The strike is being carried out by Yemeni-Americans who own small grocery or corner stores generally known as bodegas. Yemen is one of the countries that has been barred from entering the United States under Trump's executive order. Over 1,000 store owners across the city will shut down their shops for eight hours on Thursday as a mark of protest. "This shutdown of grocery stores and bodegas will be a public show of the vital role these grocers and their families play in New York's economic and social fabric," organizers wrote on Facebook. "During the shutdown, grocery store owners will spend time with their families and loved ones to support each other; many of these families have been directly affected by the Ban," they added. Zaid Nagi said all of his businesses will be closed from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Thursday. He owns and invests in about 20 grocery and cell phone stores in the Bronx, New York. He mentioned that his mother had been facing problems with her visa and is currently stuck in Jordan. "We are hard working individuals who work long hours to establish businesses, who play by the rules that have been set by the system. Our community was shocked when the executive order was released," Nagi said. One among the organizers of the strike, 27-year-old Widad Hassan said that they had been planning to take action soon after the executive order was declared. He also said that the businesses incurred loses because merchants could not visit their families in the U.S. after the order. "A lot of these stores have been in the neighborhood for twenty or thirty years," Hassan said. "And lot of people have been asking us, Wouldnt this hurt them because theyll be losing money? The business owners have said the important thing is the statement being made. Many have been emotionally devastated. They cant focus on work because theyre separated from their family members." Story continues The protesters have also planned a rally and public call to prayer on Thursday evening at Brooklyn Borough Hall, "where some merchants will share the impact the Ban has had on them and their loved ones," and "stories read on behalf of families who are afraid to come forward." Related Articles Madrid (AFP) - They met at university 14 years ago, became firm friends, founded Spain's far-left Podemos party off the back of a wave of anti-austerity protests and catapulted it to national prominence. But now Podemos chief Pablo Iglesias and his deputy Inigo Errejon are engaged in a high-profile duel over how to steer the party towards taking power that will culminate on February 11-12 at a key congress. Iglesias, 38, and his 33-year-old political secretary start their separate campaigns on Saturday ahead of the congress which will vote a new leadership council in, and may see one of them evicted from their post. When they first met at the cafeteria of Madrid's Complutense University in 2003, they were far from imagining that in 2014 they would co-found an anti-austerity party along with other academics that would become Spain's third political force less than two years later. "I had been told about a young, very intelligent guy who looked like he was six, when in fact he was 19," Iglesias said in 2015, joking about his deputy's famous baby-face looks. From there began years of "rare intellectual complicity", according to Iglesias, until their very public fall-out last year, propped up by relentless tweets and interviews on either side. Ironically, in his 2011 thesis on Evo Morales's left-wing party in Bolivia, Errejon thanked Iglesias, "a comrade with a sharp mind and Bolshevik drive" who had taught him about "the art of war" and how to practise it "methodically and with persistence." - 'Machiavellian congress' - Enric Juliana, a journalist at Spain's conservative daily La Vanguardia who knows both well, describes them as "strong personalities" gearing up for a "Machiavellian congress." "Errejon doesn't just settle for being deputy, he isn't an assistant who accepts this role and has the patience to serve the leader" he says, describing him as quietly calculating. Story continues "Iglesias is direct, sometimes abrupt, he attacks head-on," adds Juliana, saying he "paved the way" for Podemos to happen. "But at times he struggles to control his character, he has a commanding spirit." Iglesias is the only child of a health and safety inspector and union lawyer, brought up in a working-class district of Madrid. Strongly politicised from an early age, he became a member of the youth organisation of Spain's Communist Party aged 14. Charismatic, the pony-tailed Iglesias embodies the meteoric rise of Podemos, which after two general elections now has 71 parliamentary seats as part of a left-wing coalition with former communists Izquierda Unida. A formidable debater, he has sometimes shocked with his ferocious attacks on the Socialists, which Podemos wants to replace as Spain's main left-wing force. Errejon grew up in the wealthy suburbs of Madrid, his father a high-ranking civil servant while his mother stayed at home -- both left-wing activists. A disciple of Argentina's post-Marxist political theorist Ernesto Laclau, he developed Podemos's now well-honed strategy opposing the "people" against an unyielding ruling class -- particularly potent during Spain's severe economic crisis. - 'Enfant terrible' of politics - Their end-game remains the same -- to challenge the ruling regime and the European Union's austerity policies, says political scientist Jaime Pastor, who was a professor at the Complutense and is close to Podemos. "They both also want (Podemos) to rule" by winning the next general elections, he adds. But they disagree on how to get there, particularly since Podemos appears to have lost steam since elections in December 2015 saw them unseat the traditional two-party system. Errejon questions his party's alliance with Izquierda Unida, wants Podemos to be more open, talk to the Socialists and continue to struggle for change -- but from within parliament. Or, as he sums up, stop being the "'enfant terrible' of Spanish politics." But Iglesias wants little to do with the Socialists, believing Podemos must not only work from within parliament, but also go back to the streets and shake things up as a protest party. Juliana does not believe Podemos will split up after the congress. "But what was a group that conveyed novelty, innovation and audacity could now have morphed into a group of young people fighting." (Reuters) - One male prison officer is dead and a female colleague has been hospitalized after they were held hostage overnight by inmates at a prison in Delaware, state officials said on Thursday. The hostages were removed by police at about 5 a.m. local time from James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, a men's prison in the town of Smyrna, where an uprising began midday on Wednesday, the state Department of Correction said in a statement. (Reporting by Laila Kearney) Will 2017 be the year the Senate fully embraces the digital revolution? Sure, senators use Twitter, Facebook and even Snapchat. But theyre strictly analogue when disclosing information about their campaign finances. Thats where a new bill from Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, comes in. Dubbed the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act, Testers legislation, which the Center for Public Integrity has learned will be formally introduced today, would require U.S. Senate candidates to file their campaign finance reports electronically like all other federal candidates not on paper, as is the current practice. Its hard to say this is a bad bill," Tester told the Center for Public Integrity in an interview. "It saves money and adds disclosure, so what could be bad about that? The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that taxpayers would save about $500,000 a year if senators electronically filed these reports. Nearly all federal candidates and committees began electronically filing their campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission in 2001. But the Senate was exempted from the e-filing requirement. Testers proposal is popular on both sides of the aisle. More than 60 sitting senators plan to co-sponsor the bill this year or have previously supported Senate e-filing, according to research and reporting by the Center for Public Integrity. Yet the bills fate is likely controlled by just one man: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who campaign disclosure advocates accuse of blocking similar legislation in years past. McConnells plans this year for the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act are unknown. Representatives of the Kentucky Republican did not respond to a request for comment for this story, nor did spokespeople for President Donald Trump. Tester said his goal now is to get a "good bipartisan push" for the bill so that McConnell "won't be able to say no." Story continues Tester added that he will also introduce two other campaign finance-related measures today. One targets politically active "dark money" nonprofit groups and the other seeks to amend the U.S. Constitution to clamp down on corporate politicking. Both face long odds in the Republican-controlled Congress. This story is part of Federal Politics. Click here to read more stories in this series. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Heres how support for e-filing breaks down: Thirty-four members of the Senates Democratic caucus co-sponsored the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act in the last Congress, as did 11 sitting Republican senators. That includes conservative Republicans such as Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley of Iowa as well as liberal darlings like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Then add at least three of the five newly minted Senate Democrats Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. All are expected to co-sponsor Testers bill. Meira Bernstein, Hassan's press secretary, told the Center for Public Integrity that increased transparency in campaign spending is critical to our democracy. Added Van Hollen: I strongly support the effort to make the electronic filing of campaign finance reports mandatory so that everyone can easily find out who is contributing to candidates for U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, four other sitting Democratic senators, each of whom did not sponsor the bill in the last Congress Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Patty Murray of Washington expressed support for Senate campaign finance e-filing. This is a common-sense reform that will also save taxpayers money, Baldwin told the Center for Public Integrity. Sen. Murray plans to co-sponsor this bill when it is reintroduced, said Eli Zupnick, a spokesman for the assistant Democratic leader. We plan to co-sponsor, said Bennet spokeswoman Laurie Cipriano. We support the policy and have no other comment at this time, said Casey spokeswoman Jacklin Rhoads. Furthermore, seven other sitting Republican senators and two other sitting Democrats have previously co-sponsored the e-filing bill, some as recently as 2014. Those lawmakers are Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, John Cornyn of Texas, Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, John McCain of Arizona, Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. Related: Do your senators support e-filing campaign finance reports? Cornyn himself is among the roughly one-fifth of sitting senators who already voluntarily e-file copies of their campaign finance reports. Its unclear whether any of these senators plan on co-sponsoring the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act this year. Spokespeople for these lawmakers either did not respond to requests for comment or said the senators were still in the process of reviewing the legislation. Then theres first-term Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California, who also voluntarily e-files copies of these disclosures. Her spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment. Officials for the Senates two newest Republican members John Kennedy of Louisiana and Todd Young of Indiana declined to comment for this story, as did a spokesman for first-term Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. The Senates two other Democrats Bill Nelson of Florida and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan have never previously co-sponsored earlier versions the Senate Campaign Disclosure Parity Act. Nor have the 31 other Senate Republicans, even though 12 of them had prior experience e-filing campaign finance reports as members of the U.S. House of Representatives. For his part, Tester is determined to keep fighting for progress. "E-file is a good enough bill to stand on its own feet," he told the Center for Public Integrity. "The House already does it. The Senate needs to do," he continued. This doesnt do anything more than add more accountability to the process. This article was co-published by TIME and Public Radio International. Related story: Senators resist the Internet, leave voters in the dark This story is part of Federal Politics. Click here to read more stories in this series. Related stories Copyright 2017 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. Rome (AFP) - More than 1,750 migrants have been rescued in the Mediterranean within 24 hours, Italy's coast guard said Thursday, as EU leaders prepared for a summit on stemming the flow of boats from North Africa to Europe. On the eve of the Malta meeting, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and his Libyan counterpart signed a deal in Rome on tackling people smugglers in the North African country. Italy pledged money, coastguard training and equipment to assist the UN-backed government and urged EU leaders to do the same when they meet in Valletta to address the worst migrant crisis since World War II. Closing the smuggling route from Libya to Europe is "within our reach", EU chief Donald Tusk said Thursday. But Doctors Without Borders retorted that "declaring war on people smugglers does nothing to end the wars, poverty and lack of alternatives that fuel their trade". Italy's coast guard said around 450 people were pulled to safety on Thursday in five separate operations, while more than 1,300 others had been rescued the prior day from 13 makeshift boats. Thursday's migrants were saved by the Aquarius, a humanitarian ship chartered by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF). France's Bouan, operating under Frontex, and two Italian trawlers also took part. MSF said earlier Thursday that the first 100 migrants saved at dawn -- including seven women and 41 unaccompanied minors -- had warned them others were also adrift at sea. Picked up off the Libyan coast, the migrants -- travelling with only an old compass to help them navigate and no life jackets -- said they had set off with other people. "Those on board tell us there are other boats needing help so the crew is searching hard and fast," MSF Sea said on Twitter. On the Aquarius, the idea of blocking migrants in Libya where they are victims of abuse and torture seems utterly inhumane. "The Libyans shoot us like dogs," Boubacar, a 17-year-old Guinean, said according to a SOS Mediterranee spokesman. Italy says some 4,480 people were rescued and brought to the country in January, while the UN says over 220 people died or were lost at sea. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The Palestinian U.N. ambassador is accusing Israel of an "extreme barrage of illegal behavior" over the last 10 days and demanding that the U.N. Security Council take action. Riyad Mansour says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approval to build 6,000 new homes for settlers is "unprecedented," saying it exceeds the number for all of 2016. He says Netanyahu is "destroying the two-state solution by the continuation of this illegal behavior." Mansour and the head of the Arab Group at the U.N. spoke to reporters Wednesday after meeting with Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, Volodymyr Yelchenko, the current council president, to protest the action on new settler homes and call for the council to implement the resolution it adopted in December condemning Israeli settlements and demanding a halt to new construction. (SACRAMENTO, Calif.) A parole panel on Wednesday recommended the release of a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson after California governors blocked four previous parole recommendations. Bruce Davis, 74, had his 31st parole hearing at the California Mens Colony at San Luis Obispo as he serves a life sentence for the 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald Shorty Shea. Davis was not involved in the more notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate and six others by the Manson family the same year. During the half-century since the slayings, parole panels have now decided five times that Davis is no longer a public safety risk. Officials have cited his age and good behavior behind bars that includes earning a doctoral degree and ministering to other inmates. Governors, however, have the final say on release. Gov. Jerry Brown will have about five months to consider the latest recommendation. Brown rejected a previous recommendation last year. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also concluded that Davis remains too dangerous to be free. Davis testified at his 2014 hearing that he attacked Shea with a knife and held a gun on Hinman while Manson cut Hinmans face with a sword. I wanted to be Charlies favorite guy, he said then. Attorney Michael Beckman, who has been fighting for years for the release of Davis, said he is the most rehabilitated prisoner among the 2,000 Beckman is representing in the penal system. Theres no one even a close second, he said. Now all we have to do is get past the governor, which hasnt happened the first four times, Beckman said after the hearing. Im sort of at the end of my wits on what to do. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey objected to the possible release of Davis. She called the Manson-related slayings some of the most horrific crimes in California history. Story continues We believe he continues to exhibit a lack of insight and remorse and remains a public safety risk, she said in a statement after the parole decision. Gary Hinmans cousin, Kay Martley, said Davis crime was so heinous that he should die in prison. Hinman was tortured for three days, Martley recounted in remarks prepared for the parole hearing. This wasnt a crime of passion or impulse; this was slow, calculated and cold-blooded, she wrote. Martley, who traveled from Hinmans native Colorado to attend the hearing, said she was angry about the recommendation for parole. Just because hes going to be 75, hes considered a low risk even though they said he has a personality disorder that hes going to have to work on his narcissistic behavior, need for acceptance, his grandiosity, she said. Martley and Sharon Tates sister, Debra Tate, who also attended the hearing, said Davis twice started to rise from his chair in apparent anger and pointed at a parole commissioner when he objected to her questions. Beckman said his client was merely reacting out of frustration to misinformation that Sheas body had been dismembered, when he said an autopsy shows it was intact. He did not jump out of his chair but he did react a little defensibly and he apologized profusely several times, Beckman said. Tate said opponents of Davis parole are gathering signatures online to present to Brown. Davis was convicted with Manson and another follower, Steve Grogan, in the twin slayings. Grogan was paroled in 1985 after he led police to Sheas buried body. Robert Beausoleil, convicted in Hinmans death, remains in prison. Manson and followers Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles Tex Watson are imprisoned for the Tate killings. Their co-defendant, Susan Atkins, died of cancer behind bars in 2009. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f370355%2fa7433546-a8cf-4820-ad81-90292ea4ca41 The confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education is at an apparent standstill with 50 votes for, 50 against, going into a Monday vote. Pressure from constituents has led two republican senators to say they'll vote 'no' on DeVos but despite pressure from voters, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania still plans to confirm. It's worth noting, perhaps, that Toomey has received considerable campaign contributions (over $60,000, according to the Center for American Progress) from DeVos in the past. SEE ALSO: Some evidence Trump is probably using to make his wild voter fraud case After placing several calls and faxes to Toomey's office without changing the republican senator's vote, a Pennsylvania teacher named Katherine Fritz decided to raise a DeVos-amount of money to "buy" Toomey instead. Fritz created a GoFundMe titled simply, "Buy Pat Toomey's Vote" with the express purpose of raising $55,800 roughly the amount DeVos has donated to Toomey's campaigns to send to the senator to encourage him to vote no on DeVos. As of this writing, the GoFundMe has raised over $12,500. Image: screenshot, gofundme "This campaign isn't actually about buying a vote from an elected official. But it is about using satire to point out the various ways in which our elected officials can legally! take money from the same people that now seek political office," Fritz writes in the GoFundMe description. The money raised by the campaign, which can't be directly used to "bribe" a politician, will be donated to three Pennsylvania education organizations: Camp Sojourner, the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network and the Children's Literacy Initiative. South Korea and the United States on Thursday agreed to push through with the deployment of a US missile defence system strongly opposed by China, the prime minister said. Hwang Kyo-Ahn and US Defence Secretary James Mattis confirmed that the two allies will go ahead with the installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)system in the South this year as planned, the prime minister's office said. Mattis arrived Thursday in South Korea on the first leg of a trip that also includes Japan, two key allies rattled by US President Donald Trump's ascent to power. It is the first overseas tour by a senior official in Trump's administration as concerns rise about the direction of American policy in the region under the protectionist and fiery leader. On the campaign trail, Trump threatened to withdraw US forces from the two countries if they do not step up their financial support. Some 28,500 US troops are based in South Korea and 47,000 in Japan. The rhetoric has raised concerns in both Seoul and Tokyo, and in a statement this week South Korea's defence ministry said it hoped Mattis' trip would be "an opportunity for the Trump administration to maintain and strengthen US commitment" to their alliance. "President Trump ... wanted me to make a very clear statement about the priority that we place on this alliance between our two allies", Mattis said at the start of his talks with Hwang, who serves as the South's acting leader following the impeachment of President Park Geun-Hye in December over corruption charges. The two allies last year announced plans to deploy the THAAD system following a series of North Korean atomic and missile tests, infuriating China which fears it will undermine its own ballistic capabilities. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un boasted last month that the country was in the "final stages" of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile. But it remains unclear whether the missile shield system would actually be deployed in South Korea after the country's leading presidential candidate and opposition member Moon Jae-In argued the decision should be left to the next government. Story continues South Korea may hold elections in a matter of months if the Constitutional Court signs off on Park's impeachment. Should it reject the impeachment and restore her to presidency, the election would take place in December. - Final stages - The prime minister said the fact that South Korea was the first country for an overseas visit by Mattis underscored the "importance" Washington put in the alliance between the two countries. Mattis is due to hold talks with Defence Minister Han Min-Koo Friday, before heading to Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- who is scheduled to meet Trump next week in Washington -- told lawmakers he intends to press Mattis about "the significance of the Japan-US alliance". Mattis' Asia tour comes as relations between the US and other world powers such as Mexico and Australia get off to a rocky start. The Washington Post reported late Wednesday that Trump ripped into his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull during a call last week, with the US president apparently fuming at a refugee accord he called "dumb" and cutting the call short. Australia is a close US ally, and one of the so-called "Five Eyes" countries with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence. Trump has meanwhile angered Mexicans by ordering the construction of a massive border wall and vowing to make their country pay for it. Manila (AFP) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced Thursday the military would take a leading role in his deadly drug war, while vowing to kill more traffickers and addicts. "I'm taking in the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and raising the issue of drugs as a national security threat so that I will call on all the armed forces to assist," Duterte said as he promised to kill more "son of a bitch" drug addicts. His comments were the first following a report from Amnesty International that the killings in the drug war, in which more than 6,500 people have died in seven months, may amount to crimes against humanity. They were also the clearest signal of Duterte's plans for the drug war, after he admitted this week the police force that had initially led the campaign was "corrupt to the core" and said they would no longer be allowed to take part. The 71-year-old former state prosecutor won presidential elections last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society within six months by killing tens of thousands of people. However Duterte has had to sideline the police after a series of scandals emerged over the past month in which police were caught committing murder, kidnapping, extortion and robbery using the drug war as cover. In one of the highest-profile cases, anti-drug officers kidnapped a South Korean businessman then murdered him inside the national police headquarters as part of an extortion racket, according to an official investigation. - Gone 'crackers' - Amnesty on Wednesday accused police of systemic human rights abuses in the drug war, including shooting dead defenceless people, fabricating evidence, paying assassins to murder drug addicts and stealing from those they killed. It also said police were being paid by their superiors to kill. Amnesty said it documented victims as young as eight years old. "The police are behaving like the criminal underworld that they are supposed to be enforcing the law against," Amnesty said as it warned that the International Criminal Court may need to investigate possible crimes against humanity. Story continues However Duterte was unrepentant on Thursday as he launched a profanity-laced tirade against his critics and rejected charges of human rights abuses. He gave a lengthy explanation of the problems for people who used the highly addictive methamphetamine known locally as shabu and may have gone "crackers". "And you bleed for those son(s) of a bitch," he said, adding that roughly 3,000 had been killed so far. "I will kill more. If only to get rid of drugs." Police have reported killing 2,555 people in the drug war, while nearly 4,000 others have died in unexplained circumstances, according to official figures. As he announced plans for using soldiers in the drug crackdown, Duterte remarked how he only had "limited warm bodies" and discussed the pros and cons of imposing "martial law" to fight drugs. "If it's really needed to preserve the country, maybe. But it's not the right thing to do at this moment, as you can see," Duterte said. The defence department, which oversees the military, has asked Duterte's executive secretary for a written official order to serve as legal basis for the military's participation in the drug war, ministry spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP. Phelim Kine, Asia deputy director of Human Rights Watch, warned that using the military for policing forces anywhere "heightens the risk of unnecessary or excesive force and inappropriate military tactics". "There is also a deeply rooted culture of impunity for military abuses in the Philippines," with only one soldier convicted of an extrajudicial killing since 2001, Kine said. (credit: Geoff Livingston) On January 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily suspending refugee admissions to the United States and travel from several countries in the Middle East. In the immediate aftermath of the order, several lawsuits were filed, and multiple judges have issued stays against parts of the order. What are the best constitutional and statutory arguments for and against the orders legality? Peter Spiro holds the Charles Weiner Chair in international law at the Temple University Beasley School of Law. He is the author of Beyond Citizenship: American Identity After Globalization and At Home in Two Countries: The Past and Future of Dual Citizenship. Anil Kalhan is associate professor of law at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. He is Chair of the New York City Bar Associations International Human Rights Committee and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for the Study of Law and Society at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. This show was engineered by Jason Gregory and produced by Nicandro Iannacci. Research was provided by Lana Ulrich and Tom Donnelly. The host of We the People is Jeffrey Rosen. Get the latest constitutional news, and continue the conversation, on Facebook and Twitter. We want to know what you think of the podcast! Email us at editor@constitutioncenter.org. Please subscribe to We the People and our companion podcast, Live at Americas Town Hall, on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. We the People is a member of Slates Panoply network. Check out the full roster at Panoply.fm. Despite our congressional charter, the National Constitution Center is a private nonprofit; we receive little government support, and we rely on the generosity of people around the country who are inspired by our nonpartisan mission of constitutional debate and education. Please consider becoming a member to support our work, including this podcast. Visit constitutioncenter.org to learn more. Story continues Recent Stories on Constitution Daily The Constitution and the cabinet nomination process Supreme Court nominations 101: What happens next? Podcast: Has President Trump violated the Emoluments Clause? Super Bowl ads, for all their running dachshunds and anthropomorphic foodstuffs and movie stars past their prime, often offer surprising insight into the state of the American psyche. 2016s ads, with their Seth Rogen/Amy Schumer political campaigns and their opioid-induced constipation meds, took a fairly sharp look at the issues dominating the cultural landscape, while 2015s largely offered a portrait of masculinity under siege by hunger and tiny cars and erectile dysfunction. So the question for 2017 is, how political will this years Super Bowl ads be? With the country still largely divided over the efficacy and legitimacy of President Donald Trump, will brands lean in to the conflict or try their utmost to avoid it? As some early reveals have indicated, its tricky territory to navigate, with even the blandest of cultural icons (Tom Brady, avocados) falling into the divide. Recommended: 'The Daily Show' Lives On (on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert') The earliest signal comes from Budweiser, whose minute-long ad, Born the Hard Way, debuted early. After a weekend of protests regarding President Trumps ban on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, the spot is undeniably timely, focusing on a German immigrant who makes it to America. Despite hazardous voyages and furious crowds who shout, Youre not wanted here, the young man arrives in St. Louis, where, it turns out, he ends up becoming one half of the duo that created Budweiser. The message is indisputable: Immigrants have long formed the fabric of American culture, even birthing the most iconically American beer that exists today. Adolphus Busch made an incredible journey to this country, and thats really what this is about. Its about his vision, his dream, everything that he does to achieve that, Ricardo Marques, the vice president for Budweiser in the U.S., told Adweek. Even though it happened in the 1850s, its a story that is super relevant today. But he denied that the ad was deliberately drawing parallels with topical events, stating, Theres really no correlation with anything else thats happening in the country. Story continues Recommended: How to Build an Autocracy Predictably, though, the spot has been interpreted as offering a clear-cut message. Budweiser Debuts Pro-Immigration Super Bowl Ad, the right-wing news site Breitbart reported, while The AV Club announced, Budweiser to ruin red-state Super Bowl parties with pro-immigration ad. It seems, with this particular campaign, that Budweiser is working on multiple fronts: On the one hand, it can signal its virtue winkingly to liberal consumers, while assuring conservatives that its simply telling its own origin story, which happens to embody the archetypal American dream. By no means is this kind of complex maneuvering going to be anomalous over the next four years. As Nato Thompson, the author of Culture as Weapon told me last week, I think that under Trump were going to be in for a lot more of brands for social justice, because, I suspect, a lot of people are going to be unhappy with him, even if they supported him ... a lot of companies will be able to position themselves as being against the current system, when really in fact theyre not against it at all. There are, of course, brands that stay out of the fray altogether, like Skittles, whose new Super Bowl ad plays on the premise that everyone likes candy, regardless of generation. And there are those that are comfortable enough with their consumer base to take a firm posture, like Kia, whose new ad featuring Melissa McCarthy focuses on the perils of being a devoted eco-warrior. But there are also companies that get dragged into the debate whether they want to or not. Avocados From Mexicos new ad, timed to coincide with the biggest night of the year for the fruit, has been inadvertently politicized by President Trumps suggested tariff on Mexican imports to pay for a border wall. And Intels ad, featuring Tom Brady at home, attempts to sell the superstar athlete as an everyman (eating breakfast, brushing his teeth, going to the bathroom), but coincides with recent sportswriters stating that Brady no longer gets a pass on his longtime friendship with Trump. In the end, only time will tell if Budweisers pointed ad gets a pass from Trump fans. As recent months have shown, when it comes to the 45th president, not even the most established brandsYuengling, New Balancecan avoid controversy. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Tuesday was a revealing day for President Trumps foreign policy Wednesday, as leaked transcripts and readouts put a far darker spin on the presidents calls with Mexico and Australia than the official White House line. From allegedly joking about bad hombres and a U.S. incursion into Mexico, and sparring with the Australian prime minister over a refugee agreement signed by President Obama, they are self-imposed setbacks. Trump publicly addressed the reports Thursday morning, saying at the National Prayer Breakfast that they should be ignored. When you hear about the tough phone calls Im having, dont worry about it, he said. Just dont worry about it. But his aides are troubled. Inside the White House, there is recognition that the current tenor of the calls cant continue without a significant impact on U.S. foreign policy. Separately Wednesday, National Security Advisor Mike Flynn announced that the U.S. is putting Iran on notice after a ballistic missile test in violation of a UN Security Council resolution. But Administration aides offered no details about what that status meant and what its impact would be on the still-active Iran nuclear agreement. TIMEs new cover story features Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist who has taken on an increasing role in policy and national security decisions. Tumps immigration order is legal for now. And inside Californias plan to resist Trump. Here are your must reads: Must Reads Is Steve Bannon the Second Most Powerful Man in the World? TIMEs David Von Drehle on Trumps strategist A Billionaire Resistance Targets President Trump from the Right TIMEs Philip Elliott on Trumps Koch problem Trumps Supreme Court Pick Puts Democrats In a Bind TIMEs Tessa Berenson on the Gorsuch pick California Prepares to Resist the President in Uncertain Times TIMEs Katy Steinmetz on the protest movement Story continues Trumps Immigration Order Is Legal-for Now TIMEs Massimo Calabresi on the challenges to the executive order This Was the Worst Call by Far Trump badgered, bragged and abruptly ended phone call with Australian leader [Washington Post] Sound Off When I ran for president, I had to leave the show. Thats when I knew for sure I was doing it. And they hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take pace my place, and we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. Its been a total disaster. And Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings, okay? Trump joking at the National Prayer Breakfast We cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team. Newly sworn-in Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his welcome address to the department Bits and Bites President Trumps Bad Hombres Comment Intended as Lighthearted, White House Official Says [Associated Press] Jon Meacham: Our Historical Ambivalence About Immigrants Is a Great American Paradox [TIME] Trump Attends the Return of the Remains of the Navy SEAL Who Died in Yemen [Associated Press] Trump Administration Puts Iran On Notice [TIME] President Trumps Team Cant Decide Whether the Travel Ban Is a Ban [TIME] President Trump Thinks Republicans Should Get Rid of the Filibuster, If They Have to [TIME] President Trump Threatens to Yank U.C. Berkeleys Federal Funding Over Protests Against Milo Yiannopoulos [TIME] The Uncomfortable Love Affair Between Donald Trump and the New England Patriots [New York Times] President Trump on Thursday threatened to revoke federal funding from the University of California, Berkeleymoney that supports the schools scholarships, scientific research and more. Trumps statement followed protests on the campus that turned destructive and forced the cancellation of a Wednesday event with controversial far-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump said in a tweet. Its not clear if Trump intends to act on the threat, but he made similar arguments on the campaign trail, faulting universities for extreme censorship and promising to end political correctness. If he did take action, such a move would impact student financial aid, research funding and healthcare. The entire University of California system receives about $8.5 billion federal funding annually. That includes $1.6 billion in student aid and $3 billion in research funds. At U.C. Berkeley, more than half of the schools annual research funding comes from the federal government. The university was awarded $307 million in federal funding for research in the fiscal year ending June 2016a sum largely contributed by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. That represented 55% of the total research funding awarded that year. The remaining research funding comes from state agencies and nonprofit organizations. Among the projects that benefit from such funding, the groundbreaking CRISPR technique, which can edit DNA, emerged in part from National Science Foundation funding at Berkeley. Jennifer Doudna, a molecular and cell biologist at Berkeley, is one of the scientists who developed the technique. Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor of California and a Democrat running for governor in 2018, criticized Trumps threat in a tweet, saying he is appalled at your willingness to deprive over 38,000 students access to an education because of the actions of a few. Story continues University Chancellor Nicholas Dirks last week voiced support for the right of students to host Yiannopoulos on campus, while also condemning him for engaging in hate speech. He originally declined to cancel the event but directed students to guidelines for protesting safely. We could not plan for the unprecedented, Dirks said in a statement Thursday, adding that a large group infiltrated a crowd of peaceful students and used violent tactics to close down the event. The violence last night was an attack on the fundamental values of the university, which stands for and helps to maintain and nurture open inquiry and an inclusive civil society, the bedrock of a genuinely democratic nation, he said. His statement did not mention Trumps threat to cut funding. (WASHINGTON) President Donald Trump warned in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart that he was ready to send U.S. troops to stop bad hombres down there unless the Mexican military does more to control them, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press. The excerpt of the call did not detail who exactly Trump considered bad hombres, nor did it make clear the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos response. Mexico denies that Trumps remarks were threatening. Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. Trumps remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. Eduardo Sanchez, spokesman for Mexicos presidential office, denied the tone of the conversation was hostile or humiliating, saying it was respectful. It is absolutely false that the president of the United States threatened to send troops to Mexico, Sanchez said in an interview with Radio Formula on Wednesday night. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. The Mexican Foreign Relations Department had earlier told The AP: The negative statements you refer to did not occur during said telephone call. On the contrary, the tone was constructive. The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trumps determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. You have a bunch of bad hombres down there, Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt given to AP. You arent doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it. Story continues A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided only that portion of the conversation to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. The Mexican website Aristegui Noticias on Tuesday published a similar account of the phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation. Mexicos foreign relations department said the report was based on absolute falsehoods. Americans may recognize Trumps signature bombast in the comments, but the remarks may carry more weight in Mexico. Political analyst and former presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar notes Pena Nieto had enjoyed an apparent spike in his low approval levels, as Mexicans rallied around him for publicly challenging Trump in the border wall dispute. The latest remarks could undercut that, if Pena Nieto is viewed as weak, he said. Trump has used the phrase bad hombres before. In an October presidential debate, he vowed to get rid the U.S. of drug lords and bad people. We have some bad hombres here, and were going to get them out, he said. The phrase ricocheted on social media with Trump opponents saying he was denigrating immigrants. Trumps comment was in line with the new administrations bullish stance on foreign policy matters in general, and the presidents willingness to break long-standing norms around the globe. Before his inauguration, Trump spoke to the president of Taiwan, breaking long-standing U.S. policy and irritating China. His temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, aimed at reviewing screening procedures to lessen the threat of extremist attacks, has caused consternation around the world. But nothing has created the level of bickering as the border wall, a centerpiece of his campaign. Mexico has consistently said it would not pay for the wall and opposes it. Before the phone call, Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the United States. The fresh fight with Mexico last week arose over trade as the White House talked of a 20 percent tax on imports from the key U.S. ally to finance the wall after Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped his Jan. 31 trip to Washington. The U.S. and Mexico conduct some $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to major environmental issues. Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner a real estate executive with no foreign policy experience with managing the ongoing dispute, according to an administration official with knowledge of the call. At a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May last week, Trump described his call with Pena Nieto as friendly. In a statement, the White House said the two leaders acknowledged their clear and very public differences and agreed to work through the immigration disagreement as part of broader discussions on the relationship between their countries. ___ Associated Press writer Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report. President Donald Trump appeared to threaten withdrawing federal funding from the University of California at Berkeley after protests forced the university to cancel an event with Breitbart News editor and far-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at the university after being invited by the Berkeley College Republicans. A statement released by the university said about 150 masked agitators had interrupted an otherwise non-violent protest and the university police had therefore decided to cancel the event. Yiannopoulos wrote on his Facebook page that violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades. Berkeley received approximately $370 million for research in federal funding from 2015-2016, according to the university website. Yiannopoulos, a Trump supporter who styles himself as promoting free speech, was barred from Twitter last year for his role in inciting harassment against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones. Yiannopoulos is a senior editor at Breitbart, the website where Trumps chief strategist Steve Bannon made his name. President Trumps presidency has included a number of executive orders released over his first 100 days. Below youll find the full text along with summaries of some of the more notable declarations, as provided by the White House and Federal Register websites. April 26: Enforcing Statutory Prohibitions on Federal Control of Education Summary: The action gives Education Secretary Betsy DeVos nearly a year to gauge the federal governments role in public education in order to make a determination on whether there is overreach. The order is similar in practice to a number of others Trump has issued in the past three months to address varying corners of Washington. (UPI) April 25: Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America Summary: Establishes a task force to make sure regulatory burdens do not unnecessarily encumber agricultural production, harm rural communities, constrain economic growth, hamper job creation, or increase the cost of food for Americans and our customers around the world. April 21: Identifying and Reducing Tax Regulatory Burdens Summary: Trumps order will direct Treasury to review recent tax regulations to see whether they place an undue financial burden on taxpayers, are needlessly complex, create unnecessary requirements or exceed whats allowed under the law. Separate memos call for a review of the designation process for systemically important financial institutions and orderly liquidation authority. (Bloomberg) April 18: Buy American and Hire American Summary: The order looks to bolster protections for certain American-made goods and calls for a review of the H-1B visa program for skilled workers, with the goal of reforming the program, senior administration officials said. (CNN) March 30: Opioids Summary: The goal is to create a panel to combat Americas opioid crisis. The panels mission would be to identify federal funding streams that could be directed to address the crisis, for everything from medical treatments to long-term support services. The commission would also aim to identify areas in the United States with limited treatment options, review ways to prevent opioid addiction including possible changes to prescribing practices and consider changes to the criminal justice system to provide support for incarcerated individuals after their release from prison. (STAT) Story continues March 6: Revised travel ban Summary: The updated version of the travel ban after the original was struck down in court. The order temporarily halts immigration from six majority-Muslim countries, down from the seven in Januarys language (Iraq was removed from the list). The Jan. 27 order was to be revoked when the revised ban went into effect on March 16, but it too has been blocked by the courts. Feb. 8: Trio of law enforcement-related executive orders Summary: One order directs the Justice Department to define new federal crimes and increase penalties for existing ones to further protect local and federal officers from acts of violence. Another order calls for the creation of a task force to reduce violent crime even though the murder rate has declined sharply in recent decades and a third is aimed at dismantling international drug cartels. Taken together, the directives, announced amid a national dialogue about racial bias in policing and appropriate police use of force, suggest that the White House wants to prioritize law and order and align itself closely with local law enforcement. (Associated Press) Feb. 3: Fiduciary Duty Rule/Core principles for regulating the United States financial system Summary: President Trump will halt an Obama administration regulation, hated by the financial industry, that requires retirement advisers to work in the best interests of their clients, while the new administration reviews the rule. The president also will order a review of Dodd-Frank Act rules enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Trumps directive stalls the so-called fiduciary rule, which was set to take effect in April, that the Obama administration said would protect millions of retirees from being steered into inappropriate high-cost or high-risk investments that generate bigger profits for brokers. (Bloomberg) Jan. 30: Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs Summary: Major regulations are typically reviewed by the White Houses Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before they are issued. That review will continue under this new measure, but agencies will also have to identify which two regulations will be repealed to offset the costs of any new rule. (Reuters) Jan. 27: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States Summary: This act limited immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. The ban has been challenged successfully by civil liberty groups, but Trump has defended the order and mocked Sen. Chuck Schumer for crying at one of the many antiban protests. As the protests sprang up across the country, former President Barack Obama released a statement saying that he was heartened by the level of engagement taking place. Jan. 27: Rebuilding the U.S. Armed Forces Summary: President Trumps order to review and expand the military, including potential overhauls of nuclear deterrent and missile defense systems. Jan. 25: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements/Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States Summary: President Trumps order to begin construction of the wall and detention facilities along the Mexican border while limiting funding to sanctuary cities. I believe the steps we will take starting right now will improve the safety in both our countries, going to be very, very good for Mexico, Trump said. A nation without borders is not a nation. Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders, gets back its borders. Jan. 24: Construction of American Pipelines Summary: President Trumps orders to continue the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, and to use American-made products when doing so to the extent possible. Jan. 23: Hiring Freeze Summary: A halt to hiring of civilian employees for federal positions across the executive branch, excluding military or national security personnel. Jan. 23: Mexico City Policy Summary: The Mexico City Policy prohibits foreign aid from the U.S. to be given to any nongovernmental organization (NGO) abroad that discusses abortion as a family planning option. Currently, taxpayer dollars cannot be used to fund abortion procedures in other countries, but the order expands that oversight and also prohibits organizations from receiving U.S. family planning funding if they offer abortion counseling or advocate for abortion rights in other countries even if the medical procedure is legal in that country. (Time) Jan. 23: Withdrawal of the United States From the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Agreement Summary: President Trumps order to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and agreement, which included the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Vietnam and seven other allies. (AFP) Jan. 20: Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal Summary: The order directs federal agencies to stop issuing regulations that would expand the Affordable Care Acts reach. It also directs them to grant waivers, exemptions and delays of provisions in the act that would impose costs on states or individuals, potentially including the laws penalties on people who remain uninsured a key provision. The order also says federal agencies must allow states greater flexibility in carrying out the health care programs. (Associated Press) BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Hungary on Thursday to discuss prospective energy projects with its leader, who has cozied up to Moscow despite Russia-West tensions. It was his first trip to the European Union since the U.S. election. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a populist dubbed "little Putin" by his opponents, has been critical of the U.S. and EU sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Speaking after the talks, Orban deplored the West's "anti-Russian policies," which he said hurt Hungary's trade with Russia and cost some $6.7 billion in lost export opportunities. "It's wrong to try to settle problems unrelated to the economy with economic methods," Orban said in a reference to Western sanctions against Russia. "The world is changing, helping improve conditions for cooperation between Russia and Europe." For his part, Putin hailed Hungary as "an important and reliable European partner for Russia." U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to mend ties with Russia, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russia's meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. For the first time since his inauguration, Trump on Saturday had a phone call with Putin, which both the White House and the Kremlin described in strongly positive terms. Ahead of Putin's visit, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto criticized the previous U.S. administration for pressuring Hungary to prevent it from warming up to Moscow and voiced hope that Trump will take a different course. "If American pressure has been taken off European countries in terms of the sanctions and there seems to be a good chance for this I believe all of those who emphasized pragmatic relations and talked about the need to reevaluate the sanctions will be more courageous," Szijjarto said. Putin and Orban share a disdain for the Obama administration. The Hungarian premier had criticized it for what he described as attempts to influence Hungary's domestic policies, such as a ban on entering the U.S. for six Hungarians because of corruption allegations. Story continues Orban, who also has faced EU criticism for building a barbed-wire fence along Hungary's borders with Serbia and Croatia to stop migrants, has a sympathetic interlocutor in Putin, who has warned that inflows of migrants could destabilize Europe. Putin last visited Hungary in February 2015, and Orban traveled to Moscow a year ago. Then and now their discussions focused on long-term supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary and a deal to expand Hungary's Soviet-built nuclear power plant with a 10 billion-euro loan from Russia. Both projects, however, are still far from being implemented. Putin and Orban said Thursday they talked about the possibility of extending prospective Russian pipelines to Hungary, but the prospective Nord Stream II and the Turkish Stream pipelines are still in the planning phase. Putin vowed that one way or another, Russia would find a way to supply Hungary with the gas it needs. Russian supplies now account for at least 60 percent of Hungary's gas consumption. "We will do everything to ensure supplies to Hungary," Putin said. The deal for Russia to build two additional reactors at the Paks nuclear plant, which was struck two years ago, still hasn't taken off the ground because the EU's regulatory demands. Orban voiced hope that the last remaining obstacles will be removed and construction could finally start. Putin said Thursday that, if necessary, Russia could raise its loan to fully cover the costs of the 12-billion euro project. The plant, launched in the 1980s, now accounts for about 40 percent of Hungary's energy consumption and new reactors will allow it to double its output, Putin said. __ Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed. Budapest (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban cemented closer ties at talks Thursday, amid growing EU rifts over sanctions against Moscow because of its meddling in Ukraine. The Budapest meeting with the right-wing Orban -- who wants the European Union to lift its punitive measures -- was Putin's first visit to a bloc member since the shock election of US President Donald Trump in November. Experts said Trump's ascendancy and the wave of populism sweeping across Europe is emboldening the two strongmen to push harder against the EU. At a joint press conference with Putin, Orban denounced what he called "a strong anti-Russian atmosphere" in the West. "Anti-Russian policies have become fashionable in the West," he said in the Hungarian parliament. But "the world is in the process of a substantial realignment and we believe that this realignment will create more favourable conditions for the EU-Russia," Orban added. "It's hard to foresee global economic prosperity without Russia." Putin meanwhile hailed Hungary as an "important and reliable partner for Russia in Europe". - Close ties with Putin - The Kremlin hopes that Trump's apparent affinity for Putin will lead to a thaw in frosty ties between Moscow and Washington. Relations have plunged to a post-Cold War low over Ukraine, where violence again escalated this week despite a December ceasefire. The eurosceptic Orban -- one of the few leaders to publicly support Trump -- enjoys close ties with Putin but has yet to break ranks with the EU and formally oppose the sanctions imposed on the Russian economy for the last three years. "Orban will take a step closer to Putin in terms of rhetoric due to a change in the international context," said political analyst Andras Deak in Budapest. EU sanctions were extended in December until the end of July 2017, despite some nations increasingly questioning their impact. Story continues Brussels' focus on maintaining unity on Russia sanctions could take a backseat as fears mount that Trump's policies pose a major threat to the already bickering bloc and nationalist parties gear up for elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany. Thursday's discussions included Russia's planned expansion of Hungary's only nuclear power plant and other energy issues, with Budapest highly dependent on Russian gas imports. "We are ready to finance the expansion 100 percent," Putin said on Thursday. Construction of two 1,200 megawatt reactors at the Paks plant outside Budapest has been viewed sceptically by the European Commission, which is yet to give its green light to the project. - 'Disrupt' EU and NATO - Ahead of the visit, the Kremlin said the meeting "bears witness to the personal ties and confidence" between Orban and Putin. The pair have met regularly over the past six years and Orban was the first European leader to welcome Putin after his annexation of the Black Sea Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. While state media hailed the new meeting as a sign of Hungary's key role in improving East-West relations, the left-leaning news website 444.hu said Putin was counting on Orban to help "disrupt the (EU and NATO) from the inside". Orban said last month that Trump's aggressively nationalist push signalled a welcome move away from the "illusion of federalism" to a "bilateral" era, notably in economic and military matters. As Putin's convoy left the parliament area, around two hundred demonstrators, one holding a placard reading "Russians go home!", blew whistles in protest at the visit. "A war criminal like Vladimir Putin has no place in the Hungarian parliament," said one of the protest organisers during a speech. "It is to Viktor Orban's shame that he welcomed such a person," said Viktor Szigetvari. Thursday's visit took place amid a sudden uptick in bloodshed in eastern Ukraine, with at least 20 people killed in recent days. Russia and Ukraine lashed out at each other, with Kiev saying one of its planes was shot at over the Black Sea during what Moscow called a "dangerous flyby". Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Thursday also warned he wants to hold a referendum on his country joining NATO, in comments bound to further irk Moscow. The conflict has claimed nearly 10,000 lives since 2014, more than half of them civilians. The Kremlin denies backing the insurgents in eastern Ukraine and only admits that Russian "volunteers" and off-duty soldiers have entered the war zone of their own free will. "Ukrainian authorities are not ready to apply the terms" of the 2015 Minsk peace accords, Putin said Thursday. Aden (AFP) - Suspected Al-Qaeda militants in southern Yemen killed six policemen Thursday and their jihadist group was targeted in a raid likely carried out by the US Navy, security and tribal sources said. In the first incident, a vehicle exploded as a group of about 30 members of the Yemeni security forces travelled from the town of Loder to the southern city of Aden, the security source said. "An exchange of fire with Al-Qaeda fighters" followed the blast, the source said, adding that "six of our men were killed and others were wounded" in the ambush. Separately, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) away, a known Al-Qaeda haunt in the mountains of Khabar Al-Maraqsha was targeted by naval forces operating in the Gulf of Aden, tribal sources said. The sources were unable to say if the targets had been hit or there had been any casualties, but added that the attack was "probably the work of the US Navy". There was no immediate confirmation of the report. The incidents come after an American raid in southern Yemen at the weekend that US military says was "likely" to have killed civilians, in the first such operation authorised by President Donald Trump. The US military said it lost a Navy SEAL during the land and air strike in the Yakla region of Baida province that had killed 14 members of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The United States views AQAP as the global network's most dangerous branch. A Yemeni provincial official had previously said 16 civilians were also killed in Sunday's raid -- eight women and eight children -- but the US military's Central Command did not provide any numbers. In a report issued on Thursday, the International Crisis Group warned that Al-Qaeda could benefit from military actions like the deadly US raid. "The Yemeni branch of Al-Qaeda is stronger than it has ever been," ICG said. "The first military actions by the Trump administration in Yemen bode poorly for the prospect of smartly and effectively countering AQAP," read the report. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Colombia's second-largest rebel group on Thursday freed a captive former congressman whose release was a key condition for the start of peace talks with the government. The National Liberation Army turned Odin Sanchez over to a humanitarian commission including members of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Sanchez was expected to be welcomed as a hero in his native Quibdo, in western Colombia, for his brave decision last April to swap himself for his ailing brother, who had been taken captive by the ELN a few months earlier. "I've always been free spiritually," said Sanchez, apparently good health, in televised comments from the jungle hideout where he boarded a helicopter to freedom. President Juan Manuel Santos has made Sanchez's release a condition for starting long-delayed peace talks with the group known as the ELN. A peace deal with the much larger Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is now being implemented. "The road to starting the negotiations and having a complete peace is now clear," Santos, winner of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, said at a conference in Bogota with fellow laureates. The ELN and government have been holding exploratory peace talks for more than three years. Almost a year ago they announced the start of formal negotiations. But those talks were frozen before getting off the ground after the ELN announced last April it was holding Sanchez, who had agreed to a shocking swap to free his ailing brother, who had been taken captive by the guerrillas a few months earlier. Last month, the government and ELN hammered out a deal to start peace talks with the rebels committing to free Sanchez in exchange for the government's releasing of two jailed ELN leaders, which took place simultaneously Thursday. With both sides having apparently fulfilled their commitments, the public phase of the peace process is set to begin next week in Ecuador. Story continues Nobody is expecting a quick deal however. While much smaller than the FARC, the Cuban-inspired ELN is seen as more ideologically entrenched and has a decentralized decision-making structure that may make it harder to reach consensus among its 1,500 fighters. Meanwhile the conflict continues to rage. Last week the ELN captured an off-duty soldier, accusing him of spying on the rebel group. By Harriet McLeod CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - The white supremacist who murdered nine black parishioners in a racially motivated attack at a South Carolina church suffered from a number of mental disorders, his attorney said ahead of his federal trial, according to newly unsealed court documents. Dylann Roof, 22, was sentenced to death in January after being convicted of hate crimes, obstruction of religion resulting in death and firearms charges for the massacre during a Bible study meeting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on June 17, 2015. Roof's mental health records so far remain private. But documents unsealed by U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel on Wednesday provide a glimpse of the psychological issues raised as defense lawyers questioned Roof's competency. On Dec. 6, a day before the guilt phase of Roof's federal death penalty trial began, defense lawyer David Bruck asked Gergel for accommodations in court to help Roof understand the proceedings. A psychiatrist who examined Roof as his mental capacity to stand trial was weighed found he suffered from a social anxiety disorder, mixed substance abuse, a schizoid personality disorder and a possible autistic spectrum disorder, and had a history of depression, the court records show. The defense said another expert also had offered evidence at a competency hearing of an autism diagnosis. Roof's high IQ "is compromised by a significant discrepancy between his ability to comprehend and to process information and a poor working memory," the defense argued in the unsealed motion. Roof underwent two competency hearings during his trial, and Gergel ruled the defendant was fit to face a jury and represent himself during the sentencing phase. During Roof's opening statement to jurors last month, he said there was nothing wrong with him psychologically. He faces a second death sentence if convicted of murder charges in state court. No trial date has been set. (Reporting by Harriet McLeod; Editing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Colleen Jenkins) Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, President Donald Trump's doctor, told The New York Times in several interviews that the president is taking medication to treat three conditions, including one designed to promote hair growth. The medications include finasteride, a prostate-treatment drug that's also marketed to individuals for male-pattern baldness, a drug to treat rosacea ("common antibiotic" tetracycline) and a statin to control high blood cholesterol and lipids (blood fats). The finasteride seemingly explains Trump's low levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a prostate cancer marker, since the drug lowers such antigens. Trump has often taken good-natured ribbing about his hair, perhaps most memorably on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" back in September when Trump let Fallon mess up his full head of hair to laughs and applause from the audience. Trump also takes a baby aspirin every day to lower his heart attack risk, according to Bornstein. These interviews come after Bornstein released two letters about Trump's health, one in December 2015 and another in September 2016. In the first, he wrote, "If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." White House officials did not respond to The New York Times regarding Bornstein's latest claims nor whether he is currently Trump's doctor. U.S. News reached out to the White House to independently verify the report, but did not hear back before this was published. Bornstein, who the Times says was "moody" during parts of the interviews, says he and the president haven't had contact since he assumed the role nor has the White House asked for Trump's medical records. He did add that if he were Trump's White House doctor, "he doubted that he would include in Mr. Trump's annual checkup any psychometric tests as a base line for potential dementia," The New York Times reports. This is despite Trump's father having Alzheimer's in addition to experts suggesting political leaders have tests like this done. Story continues He also discussed a number of concerns about Trump's health with the Times, including a question about Trump's characterization of himself as a " germaphobe." Bornstein says he hasn't talked to Trump about this but that "we are very careful to keep the examining rooms spotlessly clean, which we do anyway.'' Following exams, however, "he always stands there and changes the paper on the table himself," according to Bornstein. Trump called himself a germaphobe as recently as last month in a press conference, though he denied having a fear of germs in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter back in 2015. 10 Seemingly Innocent Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore When to Fire Your Doctor David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com. (WASHINGTON) Republicans jammed two of President Donald Trumps top Cabinet picks through the Senate Finance Committee with no Democrats in the room Wednesday after suspending a rule that would have otherwise barred them from taking the vote. The tactic seemed a warning shot that they might deploy brute political muscle in the upcoming fight over the Supreme Court vacancy. With a near-toxic vapor of divisiveness between the two parties across Capitol Hill, nasty showdowns broke out elsewhere as well. One Senate panel signed off on Trumps choice for attorney general only after senators exchanged heated words, and another committee postponed a vote on the would-be chief of the Environmental Protection Agency after Democrats refused to show up. Busting through a Democratic boycott of the Finance panel, all 14 Republicans took advantage of Democrats absence to temporarily disable a committee rule requiring at least one Democrat to be present for votes. They then used two 14-0 roll calls to approve financier Steve Mnuchin for Treasury secretary and Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., to be health secretary, ignoring Democrats demands that the two nominees provide more information about their financial backgrounds. All the nominations will need full Senate approval. Underscoring Congress foul mood, Finance panel Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Democrats should be ashamed for staying away from his committees meeting. I dont feel a bit sorry for them, he told reporters, adding later, I dont care what they want at this point. Trump won one major victory, as the Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson to be secretary of state. The mostly party-line 56-43 vote came with Democrats critical of Tillersons close ties to Russia as former Exxon Mobil CEO. Tillerson was sworn in later Wednesday at the White House. But the prospects that GOP donor Betsy DeVos would win approval as education secretary were jarred when two GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Alaskas Lisa Murkowski, said they opposed her. Both challenged her support for public education, and their defections meant Vice President Mike Pence might need to break a tie in a Senate that Republicans control 52-48. Story continues Congress day was dominated by confrontation, even as lawmakers braced for an even more ferocious battle over Trumps nomination of conservative federal judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Democrats were already furious over Republicans refusal to even consider last year President Barack Obamas pick for the slot, Judge Merrick Garland. Trump fueled the fire by urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to go nuclear shorthand for a unilateral change in the chambers rules so Democrats cant block Gorsuch with a filibuster. Without a rules change, Republicans will need at least eight Democrats to reach the 60-votes necessary to halt filibusters, or endless procedural delays. Democrats boycotted Wednesdays abruptly called Finance Committee meeting, as theyd done for a session a day earlier. They say Price and Mnuchin have lied about their financial backgrounds and must answer more questions. Its deeply troubling to me that Republicans on the Finance Committee chose to break the rules in the face of strong evidence of two nominees serious ethical problems, said the panels top Democrat, Ron Wyden of Oregon. Democrats say Price had special access to low-priced shares in an Australian biomed firm, even though he testified the offer was available to all investors. They say Mnuchin ran a bank that processed home foreclosures with a process critics say invites fraud. The two men have denied wrongdoing and have solid Republican backing. The Senate Judiciary Committee used a party-line 11-9 vote to sign off on Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., for attorney general. That came after Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had misrepresented remarks hed made about Sessions weeks ago. Cruz wasnt present as Franken spoke. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, interrupted Franken twice, calling it untoward and inappropriate to disparage the absent Cruz. Franken said Cruz personally went after me, he personally impugned my integrity. Angrily pointing at Cornyn, he asked, You didnt object then, did you? Cornyn said he wasnt sure he was there when Cruz spoke. At the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Democrats boycotted a planned vote on Scott Pruitt, Oklahomas state attorney general in line to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The vote was postponed. Pruitt has questioned the scientific consensus that human activities are contributing to global warming and joined lawsuits against the agencys emission curbs. Another panel postponed a vote on Trumps pick to head the White House Budget Office, tea party Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., as Democrats asked for more time to read the nominees FBI file. ___ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Michael Biesecker contributed to this report. Its quickly become a familiar arc in the volatile Donald Trump presidency. First, Trump issues a policy declaration that triggers massive protests in major cities. Then reporters descend on smaller places where they find Trump supporters who say they dont understand what all the fuss is about. That geographic juxtaposition of Trumps defenders and detractors oversimplifies the dynamic following last weekends eruption against his executive order, which indefinitely bars Syrian refugees, temporarily suspends all other refugees, and temporarily bars citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the country. The huge crowds that mobilized against the orderjust eight days after millions turned out for the womens marches against Trumpgathered not only in coastal Democratic bastions like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle, but also in interior cities like Kansas City, Nashville, and Boise. Yet the gulf between metro and non-urban America is real and widening. That chasm shaped 2016 results, with Hillary Clinton winning 88 of the countrys 100 most populous counties, and Trump carrying about 2,600 of the other 3,000. The unmistakable signal of Trumps first weeks is that his governing agenda will further divide the racially diversifying urban centers increasingly integrated into a globalizing information-age economy from the smaller places that feel excluded, if not threatened, by each of those changes. Its transformation against restoration. The divide over Trumps protectionist trade agenda provides one measure of that split. But no issue presses at this fault line more powerfully than immigration. Today, his executive order is generating the shockwaves. But Trumps determination to build a border wall with Mexico, his exploration of new limits on legal immigration, and his (underreported) push to intensify the deportation of undocumented immigrants are likely to spark increasing resistance over timeas would any move against the so-called dreamers, who were illegally brought to the United States as children. Dozens of mid-sized heartland cities are now actively recruiting immigrants to reverse population and economic decline. Immigration remains an important boundary line between the two Americas the parties now represent. Nationwide, people born abroad now constitute over 13 percent of the total populationthe most since 1910. But in both congressional and presidential elections, Republicans still rely mostly on the parts of the United States least touched by these changes. Thats one reason why, despite some defection primarily from legislators in swing states, Trump has avoided a full-scale revolt against his executive order from congressional Republicans, especially in the House. In the House, nearly 85 percent of Republicans represent districts where the foreign-born share of the population lags below the national average, according to calculations from the Census Bureaus American Community Survey by my colleague Leah Askarinam. By contrast, over 60 percent of House Democrats represent districts where the foreign-born population exceeds the national average. In the Senate, Democrats hold most of the seats in the 20 states with the highest share of foreign-born residents32 out of 40. Republicans hold 44 of the 60 seats in the 30 states with the fewest. Recommended: How to Build an Autocracy Similarly, Clinton won 16 of the 20 states where immigrants represent the largest population share; Trump won 26 of the 30 where they represent the smallest share. Of the 100 House districts with the smallest share of foreign-born residents, Trump won 91 and congressional Republicans hold 87. Of the 100 districts with the largest share, Clinton won 94 and congressional Democrats hold 85. Recommended: Red State, Blue City These contrasts all follow the broader measures of demographic divergence between the parties in Congress. The districts with big immigrant populations also tend to have larger-than-average numbers of college-educated whites and minorities, whether native- or foreign-born. Seats with those characteristics are the foundation of the Democratic House coalition. Conversely, the preponderantly white, heavily blue-collar, and often non-urban districts that underpin the House Republican majority almost all have fewer immigrants than average. Today these patterns favor Republicans because immigrantslike the overall minority population and white college graduatesare concentrated in fewer districts, mostly in urban areas. But each of those three groups is steadily growing as a share of the total population. Immigrants, and minorities more generally, continue to diffuse into new communities beyond the traditional big-city melting pots; dozens of mid-sized heartland cities are now actively recruiting immigrants to reverse population and economic decline. Over time that diaspora may change the calculus for Hill Republicans who now feel little incentive to question Trumps immigration offensive. Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, has spent the last several years carefully building support for immigration reform in red communities among law enforcement, religious leaders, and business executives, an experience he recounts in his compelling upcoming book, There Goes The Neighborhood. Recommended: Donald Trump's Favorite Topic for Black History Month: Himself Noorani acknowledges that few congressional Republicans represent communities that today feel directly threatened by Trumps immigration hard line. At this moment in time, they remain isolated from the [foreign-born growth], he said. But I would argue that the rate of change in the foreign-born population in [many of] these districts is faster than what we are seeing in other parts of the country. The bubble is going to pop in the very near future. The appeal of Trumps brusque economic nationalism to blue-collar whites, especially in the Rustbelt, will challenge Democrats to make gains that offset his. That will raise the pressure on Democrats, both in presidential and congressional races, to make breakthroughs in metropolitan centers less receptive to Trumps insular agenda, particularly across the Sunbelt. But the Hill Republicans who are embracing Trumps defensive nationalism on immigration and trade face their own challenge. They are implicitly wagering they can continue to barricade themselves into districts sealed against a society growing more diverse demographically and globalized economically. If that gamble fails, the literal and symbolic walls against the world that Trump is constructing could prove a tomb for the Republican majorities in Congress. Related Videos Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. After nearly 12 years at Givenchy, designer Riccardo Tisci is leaving the French luxury label. The Italian-born designer, who often dressed A-list celebrities like Beyonce and Kim Kardashian, wrote a thank-you note on Instagram, accompanied by a picture of a sunset, thanking "my incredible team, the magical atelier and everyone who made these 93 collections possible and all the other crazy adventures. Your love and support, in the day and in the night, will forever remain in my heart." It wasn't known where Tisci would land next. He gave no hints in an official statement issued along with Givenchy, which called the move a "joint decision not to renew their collaboration." Tisci said in the statement that he had "very special affection for the House of Givenchy and its beautiful teams." He added: "I now wish to focus on my personal interests and passions." For its part, Givenchy lauded the designer's achievements. "The chapter Riccardo Tisci has written with the house of Givenchy over the last 12 years represents an incredible vision to sustain its continuous success, and I would like to warmly thank him for his core contribution to the House's development," said Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Givenchy's parent company. The statement added that a replacement would be named at a later date. Women's Wear Daily, citing unspecified sources, called the parting "mutual and amicable." The news came the same day Stefan Larsson, who took over as CEO for Ralph Lauren less than two years ago in hopes of revitalizing the iconic brand, said he was leaving the company. Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab on Thursday unveiled a plan to invest $700 million in Indonesia over the next four years, as transport app competition in the country accelerates. The company, whose main service in Indonesia is an app for hailing private cars and motorbike taxis, said a key part of the investment would be opening a research and development centre. The move ups the ante between ride-hailing services in Southeast Asia's top economy, where the growing use of smartphones and need for motorbike taxis in traffic-choked cities has led to rising popularity of transport apps. Singapore-headquartered Grab, considered the leading ride-hailing app in Southeast Asia, sees its main competitors in Indonesia as US firm Uber and homegrown outfit Go-Jek. Unveiling the plan in Jakarta, Grab chief executive and co-founder Anthony Tan said: "We are excited to make this significant investment in Indonesias future and accelerate their transition to a fully integrated digital economy." The news came the same week that Grab announced it had hired the former head of Indonesia's national police, Badrodin Haiti, to oversee corporate governance in the country. Hiring a former top law enforcement official could help Grab with the regulatory hurdles facing ride-hailing startups in the country. Authorities have placed conditions on the services, including that they register with local partners. As part of its new investment, Grab plans to open a research and development centre in Jakarta and hire 150 engineers over the next two years. It will invest up to $100 million in startups and entrepreneurs as part of a "social impact" initiative aimed at bringing more Indonesians into the digital economy, Grab said in a statement. Grab operates in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Its core product platform includes private cars, motorbikes and taxi-hailing services which are rapidly gaining popularity in a region that is home to over 600 million people and a rising middle class. Bucharest (AFP) - Romanians have protested in huge numbers this week against government decrees that many fear will undermine the long battle against a scourge that has long plagued the EU country: corruption. The biggest demonstrations since the fall of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 saw as many as 300,000 people hit the streets in the capital Bucharest and other cities. This followed the issuing of a government decree 24 hours earlier that decriminalises certain corruption offences and makes abuse of power punishable by jail only if the sums involved exceed 44,000 euros ($47,500). - Brussels is watching - The European Union has long taken Romania to task over slow progress dealing with corruption and organised crime since the ex-communist country joined the bloc together with Bulgaria in 2007. Every year, Brussels assesses the two nations' progress on graft reform in what is known as the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism review. In the latest report released in January, the European Commission praised Romania's efforts on corruption and hinted it could soon drop the procedure. But the new emergency decrees set off alarm bells in Brussels, with top European Commission officials expressing their "deep concern" and warning against "backtracking". Graft watchdog Transparency International ranked Romania below all but three of its fellow EU states in a January report based on public perception of the prevalence of corruption. Worldwide, the country ranked 57th in the world. - Cleaning house - Launched in 2002,Romania's DNA corruption agency has become a powerful actor in the fight against graft. The EU has ranked it among the bloc's five most efficient anti-fraud bodies. Run by chief prosecutor and former professional basketball player Laura Codruta Kovesi, the agency has done some serious housekeeping in recent years. Between 2014 and 2016, 1,171 people were found guilty of abuses of power which collectively earned them a fine surpassing a billion euros ($1.1 billion). Story continues More than 2,000 other cases are still being investigated. Many of the officials caught up are from the left-wing Social Democratic Party (PSD), which was returned to power in recent elections. The party has accused the DNA of conducting a witch hunt. - Hot cases - A total of 27 officials, including former prime minister Victor Ponta, were tried in Romania in 2015, a national record. Aside from Ponta, five ministers, 16 lawmakers and five senators have faced trials. Ponta still stands accused of graft on two counts, the more recent linked to financing of the campaign which saw him take office in 2012. Ex-social democratic prime minister Adrian Nastase is the most eye-catching case of a former high-ranking official to be found guilty. He received two jail terms on two counts of corruption, marking a turning point in the anti-graft fight. Nastase was found guilty of misusing 1.5 million euros of funds for an unsuccessful 2004 presidential campaign and attempted suicide in a bid to avoid jail. Released in the first instance in 2013, he was again placed behind bars in early 2014 for receiving bribes totalling 630,000 euros before being set free seven months later. - New scandal - The left-wing government insists its new decrees are bringing legislation into line with the constitution and will help to reduce overcrowding in prisons. But critics say the main beneficiaries will be the many officials and politicians ensnared in the anti-corruption drive, including PSD leader Liviu Dragnea. Dragnea, who is currently on trial for abuse of power involving a sum that falls below the decrees' new ceiling, has hit out at a "campaign of lies and disinformation". A previous conviction for voter fraud bars him from office. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian authorities have charged two officers in the Federal Security Service and an employee of cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab with committing treason in the interests of the United States, a lawyer representing one of the three said. Ivan Pavlov identified the three as Ruslan Stoyanov, head of Kaspersky's computer incidents investigation team, and two officers working for the FSB's Information Security Centre, Sergei Mikhailov and Dmitry Dokuchayev. "My client, along with the others, has been charged with state treason and cooperating with U.S. intelligence services," Ivan Pavlov told Reuters. The arrests were made at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow after U.S. intelligence officials accused Russian hackers of sabotaging last year's U.S. election in favour of President Donald Trump. Moscow denies the allegations. Russian newspaper Kommersant first reported the arrests last week, which it said took place in December. The Kaspersky team headed by Stoyanov has been cooperating with the FSB since 2013 in analysing cybercrime cases and offering expertise in criminal cases concerning cybersecurity, Kommersant reported. Kaspersky Lab confirmed Stoyanov's arrest but said the charges related to a period before he joined the company in 2012. Pavlov declined to say which of the three he was representing, saying only that Stoyanov, the Kaspersky executive, was not his client. A Kremlin spokesman said Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of media reports about the arrests but the Kremlin could not confirm anything about them. (Reporting by Svetlana Reiter, Maria Kiselyova and Jack Stubbs; Editing by Christian Lowe and Angus MacSwan) Moscow (AFP) - A Russian opposition politician and well-known Kremlin critic was in intensive care Thursday following organ failure in a sudden illness, two years after suffering a suspected poisoning, supporters said. Vladimir Kara-Murza was on a ventilator and undergoing "renal dialysis and other intensive care procedures," lawyer Vadim Prokhorov wrote on Facebook late Thursday. Kara-Murza was in a "critical state," he said. The 35-year-old Kara-Murza was an ally of the late opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead close to the Kremlin in 2015. Until last year he was deputy chairman of the Parnas liberal party led by former prime minister turned Kremlin critic Mikhail Kasyanov. He now works as the federal coordinator for the Open Russia foundation of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oil tycoon who served a decade in jail after openly opposing President Vladimir Putin. Kara-Murza was hospitalised in 2015 and diagnosed with acute kidney failure in connection with poisoning and tests found high levels of heavy metals in his blood. He asked Russia's Investigative Committee to probe whether he had suffered intentional poisoning but no criminal case was opened. "The symptoms are apparently similar to those that were then," Prokhorov told Interfax news agency Thursday. The reasons for the activist's sudden illness were not clear to doctors, he added. Asked by the Moskovsky Komsomolets daily if poisoning was suspected, Kara-Murza's father said from the hospital that the doctors "do not think so." "It's just that the poisoning two years ago didn't pass without a trace. My son's health is weakened," said Kara-Murza's father, who is also called Vladimir. Kara-Murza's illness drew the attention of several US lawmakers, including Senator John McCain, a longtime national security hawk who said he was "heartbroken" to hear of his friend's hospitalisation and demanded those responsible be brought to justice. Story continues Senator Marco Rubio and others framed it as a test for the administration of US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly stated he wants closer ties with Putin and the Kremlin. "I urge the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Tillerson, to make Kara-Murza's cause America's cause, question Russian authorities about this, and ultimately hold Putin accountable if (Kara-Murza) was targeted by the regime," Rubio said. House Democrat Steny Hoyer said the "possible poisoning only makes the case for tough sanctions against the Russian leadership stronger." Trump aides have said the president is re-considering the existing sanctions regime. Kara-Murza fell ill Thursday morning and was urgently hospitalised, his wife Yevgeniya was quoted as saying on Open Russia's website. In Open Russia, Kara-Murza has carried out projects including backing a group of young opposition politicians to stand in last year's parliamentary elections. Khodorkovsky wrote on Twitter that Kara-Murza "is in the hands of a good doctor. Let him work!" In 2016 Chechen strongman and Kremlin loyalist Ramzan Kadyrov prompted outrage by posting a video on Instagram of Kara-Murza and Parnas party leader Kasyanov in the cross hairs of a sniper scope. Here we have Leonardo DiCaprio preparing to enjoy a dinner of expensive meats, courtesy of the exact person you would probably expect: Salt Bae. 2017 Oscar adayi sensin dedi#saltbae #saltlife #salt @leonardodicaprio A photo posted by nusr_et (@nusr_et) on Feb 2, 2017 at 5:27am PST As you'll recall, Salt Bae aka Turkish chef Nusret Gokce rose to unexpected internet fame thanks to a video posted to his Instagram account. In the clip, Gokce slices a slab of meat with finesse and artfully sprinkles the dish with a healthy dose of salt. Ottoman steak A video posted by nusr_et (@nusr_et) on Jan 7, 2017 at 2:44am PST The internet lost its collective sh*t over his technique, meme'd Gokce into oblivion and now, well, he's sprinkling salt all over a mesmerized Oscar winner's dinner (and maybe into his glass of expensive red wine). Good for you, Salt Bae. Keep climbing that social ladder. [H/T: The Cut] Watch TV shows, movies and more on Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS> is discussing a supply deal with Japan's Murata Manufacturing <6981.T> for batteries for its Galaxy S8 smartphones, the Nikkei business daily reported. The Galaxy S8 will replace Samsung's Galaxy Note 7, which was recalled globally last year after battery defects led to numerous phones catching fire. Wrapping up its months-long probe, the smartphone maker said last month that faulty batteries from two suppliers - affiliate Samsung SDI Co Ltd <006400.KS> and China's Amperex Technology Ltd - were to blame for the product's failure that wiped $5.3 billion off its operating profit. Samsung's mobile chief, Koh Dong-jin, said in January that procedures had been put in place to avoid a repeat of the fires. Murata may replace Amperex as one of the two battery suppliers for the S8 depending on how the talks proceed, the Nikkei report said. (http://s.nikkei.com/2kY7OSs) Samsung and Murata did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours. (Reporting by Laharee Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) BANGKOK (AP) Almost three tons of scales from endangered African pangolins, hidden in sacks, have been seized at Bangkok's main airport. Wildlife anti-trafficking organization Freeland said Thursday that the haul was worth more than $1 million dollars on the illegal market, and represents as many as 6,000 dead animals. The scales were sent from Kinshasa in Congo, via Turkey and had a final destination listed on the sacks as the Laos capital, Vientiane. They were seized from two separate flights, three weeks apart, in December into Suvarnabhumi Airport although the seizures were announced only on Thursday. Steve Galster, a representative from Freeland, said organized crime was behind the pangolin trade, and that it was a problem "we have not yet seen any big people behind this fingered or arrested." Pangolins are endangered and it is illegal to trade them. Their scales are falsely believed to help cure diseases in Asia. By Carolyn Crist (Reuters Health) - Not only does bullying at school affect students emotional and social lives, it also directly affects their schoolwork and engagement in the classroom, suggests a U.S. study. Students who faced bullying for much of their time in school had the greatest risk of low achievement and engagement, researchers found. And kids who were victimized only in earlier years showed gains in self-esteem, school performance and how much they liked school after bullying stopped. Bullying and peer victimization in school-age children has become more important in recent years because we recognize the damage it can do, said lead author Gary Ladd, a psychology researcher at Arizona State University in Tempe. Nationally, there have been high-profile suicides and school districts trying to implement bully prevention programs, Ladd told Reuters Health. Teachers, parents, school administrators and anyone who knows a school-age kid should understand these effects. Ladd and colleagues followed 383 children - about equally split between boys and girls - from kindergarten through senior year of high school. With regular surveys, they measured the degree and frequency of peer victimization that kids experienced including physical, verbal and relational bullying as well as their academic self-perception and level of school engagement. They also used grades and teacher evaluations to measure academic achievement. Based on these data, the study team categorized victimization into five types based on when it began and ended and how intensive it was. Some kids were never or rarely bullied, some were victimized in their early school years but not in later years, while another group was increasingly victimized in later years. In Kindergarten, 21 percent of children experienced severe victimization and another 38 percent experienced a moderate level of bullying. These proportions declined steadily over the years until the final year of high school, when less than 1 percent were severely victimized and just under 11 percent were moderately bullied. However, across the years, 24 percent of kids fell into the researchers category of high-chronic victimization. And these were also the ones most likely to have low school engagement, academic self-perception and academic achievement, particularly in math, the study team found. Some pockets of children remain bullied across their school careers, Ladd said. Thats a long time to be continually bullied. Were most concerned about those kids. The fact that bullying typically starts in the younger grades and declines into middle school and high school runs counter to popular culture, which depicts the most severe bullying after elementary school, the authors write in the Journal of Educational Psychology. In the movies, you see the mean girls in high school, but it often begins as kids enter kindergarten and learn how to assert themselves in a large group of peers, Ladd said. We may be waiting too late to look for warning signs. Among the five groups, Ladd and colleagues note that the early victims typically became less bullied over time and it would be interesting to investigate how these students were able to escape victimization as they moved through school. On the other hand, the group that was victimized later in life became more bullied by middle school and had achievement levels similar to the chronic group. The fact that children whose victimization levels declined over time showed improvements in academics was a very encouraging finding, said Jonathan Nakamoto, an education researcher at nonprofit agency WestEd in Los Alamitos, California. Nakamoto, who wasnt involved with the study, has previously researched the link between bullying and academic achievement. This suggests that many anti-bullying interventions could improve students academic outcomes as well as reduce bullying, he told Reuters Health by email. There are some quick wins that teachers can do to combat bullying. Nakamoto pointed to the California Department of Educations Safe and Supportive Schools program, which recommends best practices to improve school climates for learning. With bullying, the department suggests that teachers and parents educate themselves about different types of bullying, create safe spaces to talk, and take action when students seem isolated. When children are just starting school, pay attention to certain comments about kids not liking them or not letting them play, Ladd said. Take it seriously. Our boys will be boys and girls will be girls mindset prevents us from seeing whats happening. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2kRRBS2 Journal of Educational Psychology, online January 30, 2017. From Popular Mechanics What has become known as the March for Science officially has a date. It'll happen on Earth Day: April 22, 2017. The March for Science will take place on April 22, 2017. We hope to see you in D.C. and around the world! #ScienceMarch pic.twitter.com/tXzvu8SsS3 - March for Science (@ScienceMarchDC) February 1, 2017 The scientific community has expressed indignation at a number of policies set forth by the new Trump administration. The president's decision to defund NASA's Earth Science divisions-and more recently to censor environmental agencies such as the EPA, the National Parks Service, and the Department of Agriculture over climate change data-has spurred scientists around the world to speak out against the administration. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="Trump%20May%20Gut%20NASA's%20Earth%20Science%20Budget" customimages="" content="article.24031"] The International Astronomers Union and the American Astronomical Society have also issued statements opposing Trump's executive order that limits immigration into the country, specifically from predominantly Muslim nations. An open letter to President Trump signed by over 150 science agencies and societies argues that this limitation of free travel is broadly harmful to the scientific community, and the United States suffers directly from such a policy. The Executive Order will discourage many of the best and brightest international students, scholars, engineers and scientists from studying and working, attending academic and scientific conferences, or seeking to build new businesses in the United States. You Might Also Like By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - Bank of Nova Scotia , Canada's third-biggest lender, said on Thursday it would spend C$1.3 billion ($1 billion) over the next three years on technology that will benefit customers as well as lower operating costs and increase profits. The bank is investing in new digital technologies in response to customers transacting far less in branches and using mobile banking apps much more. It had already announced plans to cut 5 percent of branches in the next two years. In a presentation to analysts, Scotiabank said half of its C$2.6 billion ($2 billion) technology budget for the next three years would be invested in digital technology as it looks to position itself at the forefront of banking innovation. That will support investment in projects such as new facilities set up to develop technology like blockchain and artificial intelligence. The bank, which has the biggest international presence of Canada's major lenders, said 45 percent of the new digital investment will be in Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile, which it has identified as its most important overseas markets. "Our customers want to do more of their banking through digital channels," said Scotiabank Chief Executive Brian Porter. "We intend to be a digital leader in the financial services industry not only here in Canada, but also in our key Pacific alliance markets of Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile." Scotiabank said it had set medium-term targets for at least seven out of 10 of its customers to bank online, at least 50 percent of products to be sold online and less than 10 percent of transactions to take place in branches. The bank said last year a cost efficiency program would deliver a 200-250 basis point improvement in its productivity ratio by 2019. It said Thursday the changes are expected to result in an additional 100 basis point improvement beyond 2019. The majority of the additional efficiency improvements relate to lower operating costs, and progress made so far has increased the bank's confidence in its ability to meet its medium-term financial targets, it said, adding that the changes should contribute to improved profitability in the medium term. The bank's medium targets are for annual earnings per share growth of 5 percent to 10 percent and a return on equity of 14 percent-plus. (Editing by Nick Zieminski and Tom Brown) Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Thursday defended her decision to vote against President Trumps education secretary nominee, billionaire GOP donor Betsy DeVos. In an interview with Yahoo News Global Anchor Katie Couric, Murkowski cited both her experience with the public school system in her home state and a flood of messages from her constituents as influences in her decision. Murkowski argued that while DeVos is an advocate of alternatives to public schools, many rural communities in Alaska are not able to sustain multiple schools. In so many of our communities, we dont really have an opportunity for school choice, Murkowski said. If you are a remote, small community in western Alaska, the thought that you could have an alternative school just doesnt exist. The strength of the public school system was really what Alaskans cared about, and they were very concerned that Mrs. DeVos simply lacked that experience when it came to how we build a better public school system. That is what I was hearing. She also said she was concerned about DeVos commitment to students with disabilities. In her confirmation hearing, DeVos fumbled a question about the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, saying she believed it to be a matter thats best left to the states. Murkowski said compliance with federal laws like that is not negotiable. Its these assurances that allow for a system where all of Americas kids can get a good education, Murkowski stated. Assuming all Democratic senators vote against DeVos, the upcoming vote would stand at a 50-50 tie, with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also against the pick. In that case, Vice President Mike Pence would cast the tie-breaking vote. Murkowski said she was unaware of any other Republican senators who were considering voting against DeVos. When asked whether she would be comfortable if DeVos were to be confirmed, Murkowski said, Ive made clear that she does not have my support, so I think thats a pretty clear statement. Story continues Although she said she had not communicated with anyone in the Trump administration since announcing that she would oppose DeVos, Murkowski acknowledged the possibility that she would become the target of the harsh criticism the president likes to dole out via his Twitter feed. I cannot live in fear of a tweet, Murkowski said, laughing. We as lawmakers should not. What we need to be doing is working for the people that we represent, trying to do best by our states and their people, and doing so in working with a new administration. Speaking about Trumps turbulent first two weeks in office, Murkowski said there are a lot of bumpy spots in the road right now, a lot of things that have made many of us uncomfortable. She cited her own very real reservations about Trumps executive order temporarily barring entry to the U.S. for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries and suspending the U.S. refugee program. The senator also touched on Trumps remarks Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast, which he used to taunt his Celebrity Apprentice successor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, about the shows ratings. Im hearing that comment for the first time, Murkowski told Couric. And it is, I think, rather extraordinary, given what the focus is at the National Prayer Breakfast. To bring up ratings in that manner, I find that a little more than a little bit surprising. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said on Thursday that a re-examination of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico "makes sense," but praised the 23-year-old trade pact as a "strong anchor" for markets. Hatch, a Republican from Utah, said he appreciated Trump's desire to modernize NAFTA, adding that decisions involving tariffs should be made in consultation with Congress. "NAFTA has served as a strong anchor for our markets in the northern hemisphere and helped to expand trade opportunities for American products, goods, and services," Hatch said. "Given that the trade pact is now more than two decades old, a re-examination of the agreement to ensure it remains the best possible deal for American workers and entrepreneurs in the 21st century global economy makes sense." (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Alan Crosby) It was an emotional reunion as a Maryland brother and sister pair embraced a retired firefighter, 58 years after he rescued them from a flaming home. Read: Mom Meets the Daughter She Gave Up 34 Years Ago for First Time: 'I Was Afraid She Would Hate Me' "Thank you for just doing your job, and I hope we can remain friends forever," said Michael Hart, 61, during the Tuesday ceremony held at the Prince George County Fire Department. Michael was just 3 years old when retired firefighter Stu Newman, 84, rescued him and his sister from a devastating house fire in August 1959. Michael and his younger sister, Linda Hart, who was 2 at the time, were taking a nap upstairs, when a fire broke out in their home, according to spokesman Mark Brady of the Prince George's County Fire Department. Their mom had been doing laundry downstairs when she noticed the smoke, but couldn't get to her children upstairs in time. Instead, she ran into the street and called for help. A county police officer and firefighters Stu Newman, who just recently started working at the department, and Carl Hartman responded to the scene. Newman was able to climb a ladder leading to the rear of the house, and reach 2-year-old Linda, whom he was able to safely bring to paramedics. He later found 3-year-old Michael, who was in much worse shape. Read: Woman Is Reunited With Biological Mother Nearly 50 Years After Being Given Up For Adoption "I just knew he wasn't breathing well," Newman said, according to an interview with NBC. "So I took my mask and gave it to him." The siblings were taken to the hospital, where they were treated for smoke inhalation. Over the years, the life-changing incident became nothing more than a story passed on by aunts and uncles. A few months ago, Michael was rummaging through a box of family memorabilia, when he came across a newspaper clipping of the event. He then realized the two firefighters were named, and took to Facebook to track them down. Story continues Eventually, a Facebook friend recommended Michael reach out to Brady, the fire department spokesman, with his story. "Of course I recognized Stu Newman's name anybody who has been with the Prince George Fire Department for any amount of time would have known him," Brady told InsideEdition.com. Firefighter Hartman, however, died several years ago. In front of friends, family, and the Prince George Fire Department, the Hart siblings and Newman met for the first time on Tuesday, nearly 60 years after the brave rescue. Read: Sharp-Dressed Rescue Dog Plans Reunion With Foster Brothers and Sisters With Facebook Post Michael even invited the 84-year-old retired firefighter out to lunch with his family, as a gesture to continue the friendship. "[Newman] remembers that incident like it was yesterday," Brady said. "When a firefighter saves children, it's something you never forget." Watch: Sisters Reunite With Their Long-Lost Mother After Being Separated for More Than 40 Years Related Articles: Iran on notice. National security advisor Michael Flynn made a surprise visit to the White House briefing room Wednesday, where he delivered a stern rebuke to Iran for their recent missile test, and quickly walked off. The White House was officially putting Iran on notice Flynn said, without going into detail. The announcement marked the harshest language from the Trump administration yet, and signaled a major shift in how Washington will deal with Tehran. Trump has long railed against the 2015 deal with Iran to curb its nuclear weapons program, a deal many Iran hawks including Flynn, and to a lesser degree Defense Secretary Jim Mattis thought gave too much away for too little in return. Again with the Tweets. On Thursday morning, Trump Tweeted, Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! and Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion. The missile. On Sunday, Iran launched a medium-range Khorramshahr missile, which flew about 600 miles before exploding in the air. The launch didnt violate the nuclear deal, but theres plenty of debate over whether it violateed U.N. resolution 2231, which solidified the international communitys acceptance of the pact. The Iranians had announced late last year they were going to conduct such a test, Matthew McInnis, an Iran expert at the American Enterprise Institute told SitRep. Theyre trying to do a signaling game here he said, and noted the muted nature of Tehrans announcement of the test. Theyre not being in-your-face provocative, which indicates that the Iranians are treading somewhat carefully because theyre unsure about how the new administration will react. Yemen. Another major point of contention is Iranian support for Houthi rebels in Yemen. We assess Iran seeks to leverage this relationship with the Houthis to build a long-term presence in Yemen, a Trump administration official told reporters during the background briefing. This support risks expanding and intensifying the conflict in Yemen. The official added, there are a large number of options available to the administration. We are going to take appropriate action. Story continues There have been rumblings that the new administration is open to taking more direct action in Yemen, which was borne out last weekend in the disastrous raid by Navy SEALs on an al Qaeda camp in the country. The raid left one SEAL dead, and six other U.S. troops wounded. In a statement released Wednesday, the U.S. Central Command said it has concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed in the midst of a firefight during a raid in Yemen Jan. 29. Casualties may include children. Blame. The operation, planned by the Obama administration but approved by President Trump, is a matter of concern for the Pentagon. Reuters reports U.S. military officials have said Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. The New York Times notes that Trumps new national security team, led by Mr. Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency and a retired general with experience in counterterrorism raids, has said that it wants to speed the decision-making when it comes to such strikes, delegating more power to lower-level officials so that the military may respond more quickly. Indeed, the Pentagon is drafting such plans to accelerate activities against the Qaeda branch in Yemen. Grown ups. Coming into Trumps inauguration, there was a consensus that new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly were supposed to be the grown-ups, the rational elders who would bring a note of caution and experience to the Trump administration, write FPs Dan De Luce and John Hudson. But after less than two weeks in office, doubts are growing among lawmakers and career government officials that those seasoned hands have much say in White House decision-making or much influence over the impulsive president and his inner circle, led by the anti-globalist, right-wing ideologue Stephen Bannon. Putin testing Trump. The Trump administration is facing its first major test in Europe as volleys of Russian artillery and rockets continue to pound Ukrainian forces in the countrys contested east, reigniting the frozen conflict and killing about a dozen Ukrainian soldiers since Sunday, FPs Paul McLeary writes. A Pentagon official told FP they had expected Russian aggression in Ukraine this spring, and Alexander Vershbow, until late last year was deputy secretary general of NATO, added, the Kremlin may be trying to test the new administration to see if they distance themselves from Kiev, and tell [Ukrainian president] Petro Poroshenko that he has to make the best deal with Russia, which of course would destroy him politically. Wikileaks turns to French elections. On Tuesday, Wikileaks promoted 3,630 documents from its archives on center-right presidential candidate Francois Fillon. None were of the salacious variety, FPs Emily Tamkin and Elias Groll report. Yet the move has stoked fears among European security officials that WikiLeaks will repeat its U.S. electoral influence performance in France and perhaps elsewhere in Europe. Some even worry that the propaganda apparatus will partner again with Russian operatives with the aim of tilting the outcome of elections in favor of Kremlin-friendly candidates. Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley. Knifey-spoony President Trump has gotten himself into a diplomatic spat with one of Americas closest allies, Australia. The Washington Post reports that Saturdays phone call between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull quickly descended into acrimony. Trump was reportedly upset at a deal between Australia and the U.S. in which his predecessor, President Obama, agreed to take in 1,250 refugees currently seeking shelter in Australia, proclaiming that I dont want these people. Trump told Turnbull it was the worst call by far of his day and cut the talk short, ending what was expected to be an hour long call in just 25 minutes. Mexico There are dueling accounts of another Saturday phone call between President Trump and a head of state. The AP reports on what is says is an internal White House transcript of Trumps call with Mexicos Enrique Pena Nieto in which Trump threatened to unilaterally send the U.S. military to Mexico to deal with bad hombres, saying I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it. Mexicos foreign relations department denied the account of the conversation, saying it was a constructive call. CNN reported a different version of the conversation, saying a transcript depicted a more cooperative tone, with Trump willing to help with [the bad hombre problem] big-league. Budget Defense Secretary James Mattis gave some of the first clues about his budget priorities in a budget guidance memo on Wednesday. Breaking Defense reports that despite President Trumps big pledges on modernization and increasing the number of active duty troops, Mattiss memo mostly punts on those issues until 2019. In the meantime, Mattis plans to prioritize readiness and the war against the Islamic State. Russia Russia has now charged four men with treason in favor of the United States, CNN reports. The arrests of three of the men two former employees of Russias Federal Security Service and a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky Labs but a fourth man has been charged as well. A lawyer for the man, Ivan Pavlov, wouldnt say who his client is but said that the man is charged with passing information to American intelligence. The acts behind the charges are still unclear but the context of the arrests, coming in the midst of US intelligence reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, have lead to speculation that they could be related to the hacks of the DNC and Hillary Clinton campaigns. Libya Russia is providing medical care to 70 wounded militants loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar in a sign of Moscows growing involvement in the Libyan conflict and warming relations with Haftar. Reuters reports that the 70 fighters traveled to Egypt before flying to Moscow for treatment. Russia has been courting Haftar for some time, most recently flying him out from Libya to the Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov for a video conference with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Extremism The Trump administration is changing the focus of the Department of Homeland Securitys countering violent extremism, dropping efforts to fight other kinds of extremist ideologies in favor of a sole focus on Islamist extremism. Reuters reports that the program has changed its name to Countering Radical Islamic Extremism following suggestions from Trumps transition team. The program awards grants to various community organizations, but Trump administration officials may be looking to halt the delivery of funds for previously-awarded grants. SEALs A group of Navy SEALs drove down a Kentucky highway showing their partisan political colors by flying a Trump campaign flag from a military vehicle. Footage of the vehicle flying the flag surfaced on social media but the vehicles ownership couldnt immediately be identified. ABC News managed to track down the vehicle and its owners, with a Naval Special Warfare Group 2 (NSWG2) spokesperson telling the outlet that the vehicle belonged to an East Coast-based unit, which would be SEALs. San Francisco (AFP) - The parent of the fast-growing social network Snapchat filed public documents for a share offering Thursday, seeking to raise up to $3 billion in a keenly anticipated Wall Street debut. California-based Snap Inc., which had earlier filed confidential documents for an initial public offering, was expected to be one of the biggest tech company IPOs in recent years with a valuation likely to top $20 billion. In documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Snap said it took in $404 million in revenue last year but lost $515 million. Snapchat, known for its disappearing messages, has become hugely popular with young smartphone users. But the company has recently been expanding its offerings to allow publishers to deliver content through the platform. According to the filing, 158 million people use Snapchat daily, and over 2.5 billion Snaps are created every day. Snapchat has partnerships with dozens of publishers and organizations, including one announced Thursday by the New York Times. Snapchat said it expects to derive most of its revenue from advertising, where it will compete against rivals such as Google, Facebook and Twitter. The company noted that since its inception it has been losing money and "may not achieve or maintain profitability." - Social media fatigue - Snapchat reportedly spurned a multibillion-dollar offer from Facebook, preferring to remain independent. Snap's offering on the New York Stock Exchange is the largest for a technology company in the US since Chinese-based Alibaba listed in 2014. The documents did not provide share pricing and noted that the amount to be raised could be revised before the market debut, which is likely to take place in March. While some analysts say Snap has the potential to challenge Facebook, others say it could end up like Twitter, which consistently lost money and whose existence as an independent firm is in peril. Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry advised investors in a note to steer clear of the IPO, calling the value of Snap "hyper-inflated." Story continues "We are at the tail end of social-media boom - novelty is giving way to fatigue," Chowdhry said in the note. "Durability is absent in SnapChat - it's the next Groupon, the next Zynga, the next GoPro, the next FitBit." All of those company's lost luster after public debuts accompanied by high expectations. Snapchat will be competing with throngs of smartphone apps for advertising dollars, the analyst reasoned. The Snap IPO will be structured with different share classes, allowing co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy to control 88.6 percent of the voting rights. - Snapchatter edition - Earlier Thursday, the New York Times said it would create a daily Edition for Snapchatters in the US, Canada and Australia based on its Morning Briefing, or summary of major news. This will appear on Discover, the section of the Snapchat app where users can find content from media companies. The Times cited data from Nielsen saying that Snapchat each day reaches 41 percent of all 18-to 34-year-olds in the United States, compared to just six percent for US network television. The company last year hit the market with camera-equipped sunglasses called "Spectacles" and renamed itself "Snap" to show it was no longer limited to a single product. The head of Sony's entertainment business stepped down Thursday to devote energy to Snap. The free service launched in 2012. Michael Lynton was leaving his job running the Japan-based company's pictures and music business as of February 2 to spend more time as chairman of the board of Snap Inc., Sony Corporation said in an earlier release. An investor in Snap, Lynton has been on the board nearly four years. He will stay on as "co-chief executive officer" of Sony Entertainment, working with Sony Corporation chief Kazuo Hirai to find a successor, according to the company. Ashgabat (Turkmenistan) (AFP) - A choir of 4,166 people in isolated ex-Soviet Turkmenistan has broken a world record by singing a hymn penned by the nation's strongman president, in the latest choreographed show of support. The rendition of 'Forward, only forward, my dear country Turkmenistan' by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov entered the Guinness Book of Records for most people singing in the round, a Guinness employee told AFP by email on Monday. "I was witness to a huge surge of patriotism as Turkmen citizens performed in a single breath the song of the head of state," Seyda Subasi, an adjudicator of Guinness World Records, told Turkmen state television after last week's performance. The performance featured a big-screen video of Berdymukhamedov playing a synthesiser and singing along with his people. The song was performed inside a giant yurt -- a traditional nomadic tent dwelling in Central Asia -- which measured 35 metres in height and 70 metres in diameter. Singing in the round is when performers sing the same piece but start at different times so that the music overlaps. The previous holder of the record was tech firm Google, whose 3,798 company employees sang pop musician Pharell's song 'Happy' in the Irish capital Dublin in September. The record-busting is not the first by Turkmenistan, which has claimed a number of unusual titles in recent years. After coming to power in 2006 following the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, 'the Father of the Turkmen', Berdymukhamedov set about reducing signs of his predecessor's bizarre cult of personality and creating space for his own. In May this year the government unveiled a golden-leaf statue of Berdymukhamedov on horseback in downtown Ashgabat, echoing a similar effigy to Niyazov that once rotated to follow the sun's movements in central Ashgabat but has since been relocated to the suburbs. In August the country published Berdymukhamedov's 'Forward only forward' poem, later converted into a hymn. TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp on Thursday said it does not plan to sell its pictures business after suffering a $1 billion writedown, and instead aims to turn it around by adding sales channels and making more use of movie characters. "We believe in long-term upside potential for pictures," Chief Financial Officer Kenichiro Yoshida said at an earnings briefing, reiterating that Sony continues to regard the business as important to the group. The pictures writedown, brought about by a shrinking market for movies on disc, prompted Sony to cut 11 percent off the group's full-year operating profit outlook to 240 billion yen. The cut could have been more severe were it not for a weaker yen and Chinese smartphone makers' strong demand for Sony's image sensors - itself a business only just recovering from earthquake damage. Sony's semiconductor division, which makes the sensors, is now likely to lose only 19 billion yen on an operating basis this financial year, rather than the 53 billion yen previously forecast. Even so, fluctuation in the smartphone market means Sony has to maintain a cautious stance, Yoshida said. SHORT-TERM HURT The pictures division, which also includes media networks and television programs, underpinned Sony's earnings while its core consumer electronics business struggled against low-cost Asian rivals. Such was the profitability of pictures that activist shareholder Daniel Loeb urged Sony in 2013 to partially spin off the division so it could pump cash into reviving the electronics business. Sony did sell some pictures assets, and the electronics business has since returned to profit. Its movie studio, however, now trails rivals in box office share and hit films. Pictures' current struggle "partly stems from Sony's focus on short-term profit over many years," Yoshida said. Citing the sale of rights to Spider-Man merchandise and a Latin American TV channel in fiscal 2011, a number of short-term measures at the cost of long-term profit and cash flow reduced pictures' profitability, he said. That business, which currently accounts for some 10 percent of Sony's overall sales, can recover through expansion in growing markets such as China as well as by bolstering sales of merchandise after films are released, Yoshida said. Chief Executive Officer Kazuo Hirai is currently taking on a larger role in pictures, notably at Sony Entertainment where he is seeking a successor to resigning CEO Michael Lynton. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Christopher Cushing) THABAZIMBI, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa's agriculture ministry is registering pesticides for use against the fall armyworm in the event that tests confirm the presence of the Central American pest in the country's maize belt, a spokesperson said on Thursday. Countries with confirmed outbreaks can face import bans on agricultural products because the armyworm is classified as a quarantine pest. The pest can also cause extensive damage to crops and has a preference for maize, the regional staple. South African authorities expect to make a positive identification within days. The use of pesticides on commercial crops in South Africa is strictly regulated and legal clarity around what chemicals to use will be required to fight any armyworm outbreak. "We don't have any registered pesticides for the fall armyworm because we have never had it here before. We are busy with the registration process now," Bomikazi Molapo, the spokeswoman at the agriculture ministry, told Reuters. Industry sources have raised concerns about the fact that no pesticides for fall armyworm are registered in South Africa. A larvae outbreak which has damaged maize in South Africa's Limpopo and North West provinces is "strongly suspected" to be the invasive armyworm that has attacked crops in neighboring countries, a scientist said on Monday. The infestation of fall armyworms - an invasive Central American species that is harder to detect and eradicate than its African counterpart - has erupted in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi and follows a crippling El Nino-triggered drought which scorched much of the region last year. Damage in South Africa has so far been mainly on white maize planted for seed production. Industry group Grain SA said in a note to its members on Thursday that they should only apply pesticides to their crop after consulting representatives of chemical companies. A drive through parts of the maize growing area in Limpopo by a Reuters journalist this week revealed that some of the crop there was planted early and is almost ready for harvesting, so would not be affected. (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by James Macharia) Seoul (AFP) - South Korea's Hanjin Shipping -- once the country's largest shipping company and the world's seventh biggest -- is expected to be declared bankrupt this month, a court said Thursday, resulting in thousands of job losses. Hanjin filed for bankruptcy protection in August after creditors refused to further help the firm, which was sinking under the weight of $5.37 billion of debt. The company started going under after the shipping industry suffered its worst downturn in six decades owing to slumping global trade and a slowdown in China. The Seoul Central District Court said in a statement it would end court receivership and declare the company bankrupt on February 17 following a two-week period for appeals. Hanjin's demise would reportedly cost about 3,000 jobs, including those employed by the company and others working for its suppliers. The court made its decision after it became clear that Hanjin's liquidation value would be greater than its worth as a going concern, the statement said. Hanjin had sold most of its assets and the court determined there was little possibility of it being kept afloat. South Korea slammed North Korea on Thursday for denouncing the joint military exercises by Seoul and Washington, scheduled for next month, as a rehearsal for an invasion. An official from Seoul's unification ministry told Yonhap News Agency that Pyongyang should end its nuclear threats. "If North Korea wants to see an improvement in the inter-Korean ties and peace on the Korean Peninsula, it should stop its bellicose rhetoric and take the path toward denuclearization and changes," the official said, according to Yonhap. On Wednesday, North Korea threatened to take actions over the upcoming military drill, which the reclusive country thinks will lead to "shameful destruction." North Korean leader Kim Jong Un believes that South Korea and the U.S. are using the joint drills to prepare for a nuclear war. Despite receiving sanctions from the United Nations over its nuclear advancements, North Korea says that its development of nuclear weapons is a deterrent against what the country believes to be Washington's hostile policy toward it. The South Korean ministry official also reportedly said that the North's statement about the March drill came sooner than they expected. "The level of North Korea's bellicose rhetoric seems to be similar to that of last year, but North Korea's comments on pre-emptive strikes warrant close attention," he added. The comments come as U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived Thursday in Seoul to reiterate Washington's commitment toward strengthening the military in the face of North Korea's growing threats. The defense ministry said that Mattis headed to the U.S. Forces Korea headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, after arriving at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 45 miles south of Seoul. He is scheduled to attend a dinner event arranged by Defense Minister Han Min-koo after meetings with Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin, Yonhap reported, citing sources. Story continues Mattis will also hold a separate meeting Friday with Han and Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se to discuss the North's nuclear and missile threats. Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea have agreed to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system amid North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities. In recent months, North Korea has carried out several ballistic missile tests and ramped up its nuclear program, increasing tensions with the West and its southern neighbor. During his New Year address, Kim claimed that the country has entered the final stage of preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Related Articles For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Los Angeles (AFP) - President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to withdraw federal funds from UC Berkeley after violent campus protests forced the cancellation of a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a firebrand editor of right-wing news site Breitbart. The disturbances were a fiery reminder of the university's history as a cradle of the 1960s anti-war movement -- and a sign of the sharp tensions pitting America's mostly left-wing student body against a far-right minority. Hundreds of students and other protesters chanting "shut him down" smashed windows at the University of California campus, set wooden pallets ablaze and threw fireworks and rocks as police in full riot gear responded with tear gas. The university was placed on lockdown as the sold-out appearance by Yiannopoulos, a conservative provocateur and self-proclaimed internet troll who styles himself on Facebook as "Dangerous Faggot," was canceled Wednesday evening. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday. About half of research at Berkeley is funded by the federal government, according to the university website. Berkeley however has been struggling in the past years with budget shortfalls and spending deficits. Trump's top political adviser Stephen Bannon is the former chairman of Breitbart News. - 'Dangerous Faggot' - Yiannopoulos, Breitbart's technology editor, is a flamboyant firebrand reviled by his critics as racist and misogynistic but who casts himself as a gay crusader against "political correctness." He is often portrayed as a leader of the so-called alt-right -- a white nationalist extremist fringe that has found a home on Breitbart's pages -- although he has sought to distance himself from the movement. He is however a vocal supporter of Trump -- nicknaming the billionaire "Daddy" during his election campaign. Story continues The 32-year-old Briton is probably best known for inciting a campaign of online abuse against the African-American "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones. Twitter banned him in July. The Berkeley event was to be the last stop of a college speaking tour that has drawn big crowds and also sparked fistfights, a shooting and at least one other cancellation. According to an article on Breitbart News, Yiannopoulos was planning to use the event to launch a campaign against so-called sanctuary campuses, which have declared their opposition to Trump's tough stance toward undocumented immigrants. Yiannopoulos said on Facebook he was evacuated "after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building." "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." UC Berkeley, one of the top public universities in the United States, is the home of the 1960s "Free Speech Movement" that helped launch the era's student protests against the Vietnam War. - Violence deplored - The mayor of Berkeley, one of America's most liberal cities, deplored the violence by a "small minority" of protesters. They "provided the ultra-nationalist far right exactly the images they want to use to discredit the vast majority of peaceful protesters in Berkeley and across America who are deeply concerned about where the country is heading," said Jesse Arreguin, the mayor. Similar protests at the University of California at Davis last month also forced the cancellation of speeches by Yiannopoulos and Martin Shkreli, a former pharmaceuticals boss who became a hate figure after jacking up the price of a life-saving drug. The events at Davis and Berkeley were organized by conservative student groups. A similar invitation to speak at UCLA was rescinded. Officials at the three University of California campuses stressed that they did not invite Yiannopoulos or endorse his ideas but were committed to free speech. More than 100 UC Berkeley faculty members had signed two letters sent last month to the school's chancellor, urging him to cancel the event. "Although we object strenuously to Yiannopoulos's views -- he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny -- it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event," read one of the letters. They cited as one example an incident in December at the University of Milwaukee where Yiannopoulos openly mocked a transgender student, displaying her name and photo on screen. Madrid (AFP) - Wonder goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi left Barcelona with a 2-1 Copa del Rey semi-final, first leg advantage over Atletico Madrid to take back to the Camp Nou next week. Suarez's solo effort and a thunderous strike from Messi gave Barca a deserved commanding lead at half-time. Yet, Atletico roared back after the break as Antoine Griezmann halved the arrears and the hosts went close to an equaliser as they piled on the pressure in the final stages. However, Diego Simeone's men were left to rue their slow start with Barca now favourites to make a fourth straight Cup final ahead of the second leg on February 7. "It is normal that playing here at their home they would push us and they were much better in the second-half than the first," said Suarez. "The didn't have anything to lose. They risked a lot more and made us suffer a little." The honours have been split two apiece in the four previous two-legged ties between these sides in the past three seasons. Yet there was a gulf in class as Barca took control in the first 45 minutes. It took just seven minutes for Suarez to open the scoring with his seventh goal in nine appearances against Atletico. The Uruguayan ran half the length of the field, leaving Diego Godin and Stefan Savic in his wake, before slotting the ball home with the outside of his foot into the far corner. Suarez should have had a second when he was played in by Neymar, but, inside of going for goal, the former Liverpool striker tried to return the ball to the Brazilian who couldn't control. Messi was the source of most of Barca's best moves and sealed a scintillating first-half performance with a stunning finish for the second 12 minutes before half-time when he blasted home off the inside of the post from outside the box. Atletico had offered precious little other than one effort from Koke that dipped onto the roof of the net before the break. However, the hosts were a team transformed after the break with Fernando Torres introduced alongside Griezmann up front. Story continues "We spoke at half-time and I think in the second-half we got close to the team we have always been," said Atletico boss Simeone. "I am left with that positive feeling. We were close to a draw, we fronted up against all the difficulties we faced in the first-half." Atletico were back in the tie just before the hour mark when a free-kick to the back post found Godin and his header across goal was turned home by Griezmann. The French international had a glorious chance to then level moments later when he was picked out perfectly by Filipe Luis's low cross. However, Griezmann's effort was straight at Jasper Cillessen, who saved from point blank range. Barca could have put the tie to bed with a third away goal as a Messi free-kick was brilliantly turned onto the bar by Miguel Angel Moya. Neymar then had a glorious chance as Messi again split the Atletico defence, but his careless finish flew miles over the bar with just Moya to beat. Barca could and arguably should have been punished in the latter stages as Torres flicked another fine Luis cross inches wide. Torres also fired wide with a much better opening from the edge of the area before Griezmann rifled a thirty-yard strike inches past Cillessen's far post. STOCKHOLM (AP) Sweden's prime minister on Thursday criticized climate skeptics within the new Trump administration and warned that all countries need to "step up and fulfill the Paris Agreement." "The position we hear from the new administration is worrying" Stefan Lofven told The Associated Press after announcing an ambitious new climate law promising zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and a 70-percent cut to emissions in the domestic transport sector by 2030. The Swedish minister in charge of climate policy, Isabella Lovin, urged European countries to take a leading role in tackling climate change, now "the U.S. is not there anymore to lead." The new Swedish law sets long-term goals for greenhouse gas reductions and will be legally binding for future administrations. Lovin said Sweden wanted to set an example at a time when "climate skeptics (are) really gaining power in the world again," and felt encouraged by pledges by China and India to fulfill their commitments to the Paris Agreement. China is "investing billions and billions of dollars in solar (...) it's a game changer," she said warning that "those that are still wanting to invest in fossil fuels will be ultimately the losers." U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called climate change a Chinese hoax, has raised speculation that he might pull the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement. The new Swedish law enters into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. It was developed after agreement from seven out of the eight political parties in parliament. Geneva (AFP) - A Swiss court has slammed shut the Alpine country's open-door policy toward Eritreans which had automatically granted them refugee status. In announcing its decision Thursday, the court said the lax policy was unjustified. It had also been criticised by several Swiss politicians who claimed it was being abused. To qualify as a refugee upon arrival in Switzerland, Eritreans simply needed to say that they had left their country "illegally". That description could feasibly apply to anyone who flees the Horn of Africa nation, where an autocratic government enforces universal military conscription and requires citizens to secure exit visas before travel, which are rarely given out. After a review of the policy, a federal administrative court in the Swiss city of St-Gall ruled that "the illegal exit from (Eritrea) cannot in itself justify recognition as a refugee", a statement said. The court cited several cases where Eritreans had been granted asylum in Switzerland but later returned to Eritrea for short visits. According to the court, those cases proved that Eritreans who left their country illegally were not necessarily subject to mistreatment upon their return, undermining their claim to asylum. In June, a UN-backed investigation said the Asmara regime led by president Isaias Afwerki's had "enslaved" 400,000 people. The United Nations had also previously reported that 5,000 Eritreans risk their lives each month to flee the nation where army conscription can last decades. Eritreans topped the list of asylum seekers in Switzerland last year, with just over 5,000 individual requests. The federal court ruling, which was made on Monday but publicly released on Thursday, cannot be appealed. Switzerland on Thursday slapped penalties on British bank Coutts & Co, saying it "seriously breached money laundering regulations" in connection with the scandal-tainted Malaysian state fund 1MDB. Switzerland's financial market regulator Finma ordered Coutts -- one of the world's oldest private banks which is partially owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland -- to pay back 6.5 million Swiss francs ($6.5 million, 6.1 million euros) in illegally generated funds. It also said it was considering opening legal proceedings against the bank employees responsible. Finma launched its investigation into Coutts early last year amid suspicions that some of the billions of dollars that were allegedly stolen from 1MDB passed through banks in Switzerland. Coutts, whose international business was sold in 2015 to Swiss private bank Union Bancaire Privee (UBP), has a branch based in Zurich. Finma said Thursday its probe "uncovered serious deficiencies in the bank's anti-money laundering processes for business relationships and transactions associated with the alleged corruption scandal involving the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB." It accused the bank of failing to "adequately clarify the circumstances surrounding a number of business relationships and unusually large, high-risk transactions," and of not reporting any suspicions to Swiss authorities in a timely fashion. "Given the inadequacy of the bank's anti-money laundering controls in this particular case, Coutts was in serious breach of its duty to ensure proper business conduct," it said. Finma said Coutts, through its Singapore branch, was the first Swiss bank to accept assets from individuals associated with the 1MBD fund, back in 2003. A total of $2.4 billion in 1MBD-related assets were transferred through Coutts's accounts in Switzerland, it said. Finma pointed to a range of suspicious transactions, including an account opened in 2009 for a Malaysian man who said he planned to deposit $10 million in family assets. Story continues Just a few months later, around $700 million were transferred into that account from the 1MBD fund, Finma said, pointing out that "reasons given for this transaction were inconsistent, and some information was changed retrospectively." Finma has been cooperating with authorities in other countries, including Singapore, which last December slapped Coutts with a $2.4-million fine over its connection with the 1MBD scandal. And since Coutts belonged fully to RBS during the period in question, the Swiss regulator said it had brought the case to the attention of its British counterpart, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Founded in 2009 by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, 1MDB has been the focus of multiple investigations around the world into allegations that billions were looted from it. Damascus (AFP) - Syria's military said Thursday it had captured a string of towns and part of a key highway from the Islamic State group in the northern province of Aleppo. Since launching a broad offensive against the jihadists nearly three weeks ago, the army has taken around 250 square kilometres (100 square miles) of territory, it said in a statement carried by official news agency SANA. The army said the advances form "a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh," using an Arabic acronym for IS. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have steadily advanced in Syria's north since announcing they had retaken full control over Aleppo city in late December. It was the biggest blow to Syria's rebel movement since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011. Syria's army on Thursday also said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab. Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, is the last remaining IS bastion in Aleppo province and is seen as a prize by nearly all sides of Syria's complex war. Since December, Turkey-backed rebel fighters known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fierce fighting Thursday on the edges of Al-Bab left 11 IS fighters and seven Euphrates Shield fighters dead. "There may be Turkish soldiers among the Euphrates Shield toll, but we don't know yet," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. - 'Flagrant violation' - Euphrates Shield forces are on the edges of the IS-held town, while government and allied fighters are still approximately seven kilometres to the south, according to the Britain-based monitor. "Regime fighters and Euphrates Shield forces are within sight of each other, but they haven't attacked each other yet," he told AFP. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged last month that "the operation in Syria's Al-Bab will be finished in a short time, God willing." Story continues But Ankara's involvement has angered Damascus, which on Thursday said it delivered two letters to the United Nations Security Council rebuking Turkey's military operations in Syria. "In recent days, Turkish armed forces have carried out an incursion into Syrian territory and have occupied some Syrian villages, including two west of Al-Bab," said the letters, sent by the foreign ministry and published by SANA. "This represents a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the rules of international law," they said. The letters accused Ankara of supporting "terrorism" and said the Security Council should act to "put an end to the violations of the Turkish regime". In January, Turkey's air force began carrying out joint bombing raids around Al-Bab with Assad ally Russia. The two parties back opposing sides in the war but have joined forces in recent months to try to bring an end to the bloody conflict. More than 310,000 people have been killed in Syria and millions have been displaced since the uprising broke out nearly six years ago. By Ellen Francis BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian musician Kinan Azmeh has toured the world for years to international acclaim but his planned return on Thursday to his home in the United States has been thrown into uncertainty. The clarinettist and composer, who won standing ovations in Beirut on Wednesday night at the final concert of his latest tour, is a green card holder based in New York. But U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order halting the entry of refugees and of immigrants from seven mainly Muslim countries has put his plans - and those of thousands others - in doubt. "Any way you look at it, it's an insult to humanity, to all of us," the 40-year-old musician told Reuters. Born and raised in Damascus, Azmeh has lived for 16 years in the United States, where he received his doctorate degree in music. Last month he performed in China with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and his current tour took him to Europe and then Beirut on Friday, when the order took effect, wreaking havoc for many would-be travelers and plunging America's immigration system into chaos. Trump's executive order froze the U.S. refugee program, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and temporarily banned citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Syria. "I saw it on my news feed on my phone, the moment I landed at the airport," Azmeh said. Tens of thousands of people have protested in U.S. cities and airports against the travel curbs, which also sparked court challenges in the U.S., and Azmeh said he was reassured by the public outcry. "People are being discriminated against," he said. "It's comforting to see people taking to the streets to express empathy." Many of the protesters "who went out to JFK airport haven't been affected by this decision," he added. "Despite that, they feel they must express their opinion." Despite the challenges he could face en route to New York, "the issue is much bigger than me," said Azmeh, whose green card means his prospects are better than other Syrians. Still, he does not have a backup plan if he is barred from entry. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he said. Many travelers aren't as optimistic, after hundreds of visa holders were kept from boarding U.S.-bound flights this week, detained at American airports or denied entry. "There are people whose lives have been completely upended by this decision...college students with visas who aren't allowed in, fathers going to see their children," Azmeh said. The restriction on legal permanent residents, or green card holders, was among the most confusing elements in Trump's order. Administration officials had said such permanent legal residents were barred from entry, although they could apply for a waiver and be rescreened. The White House said on Wednesday it had issued updated guidance, clarifying that green card holders do not need a waiver to enter the country. Since conflict erupted in Syria nearly six years ago, Azmeh has not returned to the country of his birth. "I miss it," he said. "It's hard to elaborate on that with words, I elaborate with music." The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, made more than 11 million Syrians homeless and created the world's worst refugee crisis. The music "opens up a wide horizon of freedom," he added. "But of course, the concert ends, and you go back to real life. You remember the people who, today, are stuck in limbo or have lost their homes." (Editing by Dominic Evans) Between the unrest resulting from police brutality by white officers involving black men to protests over President Donald Trump's travel ban affecting citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, cultural and racial tensions are especially high in America today. While adults are typically able to think through their stance on issues of race and culture -- even as divisions remain among people of all ages -- children have an even tougher time processing their views about what's going on. Bias from the media, and even within our own communities, can have a much greater effect than previously thought, resulting in the development of embedded prejudice and racist behavior in children before they even comprehend what racism means. [See: 10 of the Biggest Health Threats Facing Your Kids This School Year.] Racism and Prejudice in Toddlers Harvard University psychologist and racism expert Mahzarin Banaji found in her own research that children as young as 3 years of age are susceptible to racist behavior within a few days of being exposed to it. Children form biases early, and can quickly pick up on cues from adults as well as peers. Kids may be exposed to prejudiced attitudes at home, as well as at school. These learned biases can have a significant impact on how they perceive and treat others. In the U.S. and around the world, such prejudices can affect how kids (as well as adults) treat others. The British Department of Education reports that approximately 20 children are suspended or expelled for serious acts of racism every day in the UK alone. Blurring Lines: Is It Ever "Just a Joke?" Often adolescent ethnic bullying is done under the guise of humor. We're all familiar with tasteless jokes based on racial or cultural stereotypes. To feel resolved of responsibility a person may say he didn't mean anything by the joke or even note that his best friend is of a different race, or that she's a racial minority herself. Others might simply say you're being overly sensitive if you take issue with a bigoted wisecrack. We might even find ourselves laughing at those same jokes on occasion. Story continues While this may appear harmless, being on the receiving end of racial humor can often have long-term adverse effects on one's emotional psyche, self-worth and overall mental health. [Read: Parenting in a Divided Nation: How to Preserve Vital Relationships.] When Prejudice Shapes Self-Esteem While an adult with healthy self-esteem may have an easier time brushing off racism, for children or teenagers still trying to figure out where they fit in the world, being exposed to racism can inflict long-lasting emotional and mental damage. According to recent studies and a 2015 review published in Plos One, there is a strong correlation between racism and poor health, increased levels of stress, depression, anxiety, aggression and even high blood pressure. A University of Melbourne study found a strong correlation between racism and mental health outcomes. Having studied 461 individual cases of racism and their links to mental health issues, lead researcher Naomi Priest reports a significant and direct link on the impact racism has on children, and the way they view their self-worth later in life. In another study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders by researchers Dana Sahi Iyer and Nick Haslam, 86 percent of the South Asian-American women interviewed reported experiencing racism as children through bullying and teasing. As a result, they suffered from low self-esteem, depression, poor body image, eating disorders and other feelings of self-hatred. Empowering Our Children to Stand Up for What's Right As parents, the most impactful thing we can do is to prepare and empower our children to react appropriately when tough situations arise. By teaching our children to address these situations calmly and assertively, we put the power back into their hands. It's important for children who experience racism to understand it's not their fault. [See: How to Be a Good Listener.] By learning to confront the situation with calm assertiveness, and openly sharing their experiences with friends, authority figures and family, not only will our kids feel empowered, but they will also learn positive, non-violent ways to deal with negative situations. This will give them the confidence to stand up for themselves and those around them to ensure a better, brighter future. Dr. Shimi Kang is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, researcher, media expert, writer and TEDx keynote speaker. She is the author of "The Self Motivated Kid" and the best-selling "The Dolphin Parent: A Guide to Raising Healthy, Happy, and Self-Motivated Kids." Dr. Kang is the medical director for child and youth mental health for Vancouver Coastal Health Community Programs and a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia. She's the proud mother of three amazing but exhausting children. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f35538%2f058ff3f1-efd7-4268-9d33-f0d99e29fccf It's the start of the school year and many students are feeling a sense of trepidation and excitement. So it's no wonder this thoughtful welcome note was given to grade four students at Bowen State School in Queensland, Australia, has gone viral. SEE ALSO: No one attended this teacher's class, so he tweeted his confusion and heartbreak The note was posted on the school's Facebook page on Jan. 23, and introduces each item the kids are about to receive in a goodie bag. "I'm so glad that you're here. Here is a little goodie bag to help kick off the year," the note reads. "The eraser is to remind you that is OK to make mistakes, we'll work and learn together, no matter what it takes. "The stickers mean we'll stick together and work hard as a team. The puzzle shows how we fit together, working towards a common theme." "The bookmark is to show you, you always have a place. If you ever feel lost, we'll help you find your space. The smarties are to remind you how smart I think you are," the note continues. "Work hard and do your best. Remember to aim far!" The note isn't the teacher's original writing, however. It's a poem slightly adapted from the internet, the school's acting principal Jemille Malouf told Mamamia. But that hasn't spotted the flood supportive comments on social media, where the post's been shared more than 30,000 times. Proof that a little kindness goes far. The Founding Fathers probably had rip roaring discussions in formal settings, public houses and their homes in the months before writing our Constitution. They penned a resilient enduring document. That resulted partly from their awareness that they were human, and that perfection is an ideal but not absolutely achievable or static in an ever-changing world. The Constitution of the United States and each states constitution cope with those realities via their provisions for amendment. Amendments are, and should be difficult to achieve. The process was made arduous to guard against frivolous, fleetingly expedient, imprudent emotion-driven, or regionally or factionally biased changes. Arguably, an easily amended constitution is no constitution at all. Yet, history underscores how willfully blind our Founding Fathers could be for the sake of expediency and how culturally and politically myopic they were, even assuming the most idealistic best of intentions. I know that is a strong statement. Yet, I think Americas early history surrounding slavery, womens suffrage and overarching concepts of voting rights and representation supports if not totally validates the assertion. Furthermore, the Constitutions failure to even address, let alone reign in, the corrosive effects of political parties, produced an ongoing unity-undermining co-dependency disorder among our institutions and citizenry. Given all the givens, Im a steadfast Democrat. Yet, in my heart I wish America were an issue-driven rather than party-driven nation. And, no, I dont entirely accept the premise that parties represent issues. They represent overarching philosophies, and they are instruments of coalition-building regarding issues affected by those philosophies. Nonetheless, its intellectually dishonest to think that two major parties adequately and precisely delineate the nuances of the full spectrum of individual issues confronting society. Indeed, parties often simultaneously support separate issues that contradict one-another or the partys overarching philosophy. The larger the party, the truer that statement. Who among us truly supports 100 percent of a partys positions? Who can honestly say they never find themselves, by default, aligning with their party simply out of tribal loyalty, especially when confronted with issues beyond personal understanding? And who isnt often exasperated that our elected representatives dont defer, or are unable to defer, decisions to a direct vote of the citizenry? In his presidential farewell George Washington said, However (political parties) may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion. Political parties undermine our democracy through the blatantly unethical practice of gerrymandering. Gerrymandering often results in the U.S. congress and state legislatures having disproportionately more representation by the party with fewer national or statewide votes. That outcome scandalously thwarts representational democracy. I lived in New Zealand in the early 1990s and was impressed by how they overcame this problem in their parliament. They instituted Proportional Representation. Its refreshingly straightforward. Kiwis elect MPs by party for each region (like Americas states or Idahos legislative districts). Their parties also elect a national pool of at large representatives. When the election is over, the national parliament seats all regionally elected candidates. Then it adds the few at-large candidates necessary to adjust the overall parliament composition to the ratio of national popular votes by party. Using such a system at the federal and state levels in America could drastically improve fair representation of the full electorate. It would also incentivize vastly greater voter participation. Many nations and American states provide for referring issues directly to citizens via plebiscites. They all have their distinctive mechanisms for invoking or allowing and subsequently enacting plebiscites. So, its hard to identify one ideal model. Yet, moving Idaho toward easier and more frequent utilization of plebiscites merits consideration. It would far better endow representative democracy than recent actions making Idaho ballot initiatives harder to achieve or enforce, or the current proposal to radically marginalize the executive and judicial branches via an unprecedented increase of legislative interpretive and enforcement powers. Voting rights per se embody an essential American value. However, voting rights arent explicitly defined in the U.S. Constitution. The insightful 2013 article by Soros and Schmitt in the Journal Democracy explains that our Constitution authorizes states to conduct elections and conduct voter registrations. It itemizes reasons or practices that may not be used to prevent citizens from voting. It also identifies positions that individual citizens arent eligible to vote for. But the specific right of each citizen to vote is not categorically, explicitly, and unequivocally defined. Some scholars argue the U.S. Constitution implicitly guarantees the right. Regrettably that is not the same as specifically, categorically, and explicitly defining the right. The latter is needed to blunt egregious new registration obstacles, roll purging, and imposing logistical restrictions on demographically targeted precincts. Lastly, while there are legitimate issues surrounding the concept of affirmative action, one demographic remains egregiously and unconscionably underrepresented in our Congress and statehouses. I refer to gender balance. Gender is the sole identifier that transcends every other demographic, be it race, national origin, religion or political affiliation. While righting this imbalance in the U.S. Congress would be a challenging redesign, it would be an easy fix in Idahos Legislature. Each legislative district already has an A and B seat. Assigning male representation to A or B and female to the other would bring about a long overdue and much needed diversity of perspective to our state government. We recently amended Idahos Constitution to guarantee hunting rights. Shouldnt it be much more urgent, ladies, to demand a constitutional guarantee of fair legislative participation to Idahos largest single demographic? Brasilia (AFP) - An ally of Brazilian President Michel Temer, millionaire businessman Eunicio Oliveira, was elected Senate speaker Wednesday, despite being named in the investigation into the Petrobras corruption scandal that ensnared his predecessor. The Senate vote was a victory for the center-right president as he seeks to push through sweeping pension and labor reforms to haul Latin America's largest economy out of its worst recession in a century. But it also served to underline the ongoing threat Temer faces in the multibillion-dollar scandal centered on state oil company Petrobras. Oliveira, a powerful figure in Temer's PMDB party, replaces fellow party member Renan Calheiros, who steps down after being charged with corruption in the Petrobras case. However, Oliveira could eventually face charges himself. In a plea bargain, a former executive for construction firm Odebrecht -- which has admitted to paying fat bribes to land inflated Petrobras contracts -- named him as one of the politicians involved in the scheme, according to Brazilian media reports. A source close to Odebrecht confirmed the reports to AFP. Oliveira, 64, is a senator for the state of Ceara, in Brazil's impoverished northeast. He runs a small agribusiness empire and also a security and logistics firm that has recently won hefty federal contracts, according to the newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo. In his 2014 financial statement, he declared assets of 99 million reals ($31 million) -- triple what he declared when he was elected to the Senate three years earlier. Calheiros, who successfully battled finish his term as speaker after being caught up in a dozen graft investigations, now takes over Oliviera's old job as PMDB leader in the Senate. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas Republicans eager to reinforce President Donald Trump's call for a crackdown on illegal immigration pushed to deny state money for local jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate, an issue Gov. Greg Abbott has declared to be an "emergency" facing the state. The Republican-controlled state Senate on Thursday held its first hearing on a bill targeting so-called "sanctuary cities," a meeting that was disrupted several times by demonstrators singing songs or directing jeers at Abbott. After more than 16 hours of testimony, the Senate State Affairs Committee approved the bill on a 7-2 party-line vote early Friday, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The move sends the measure to the full Senate next week. The GOP governor, who didn't attend the hearing, has also called for the power to remove from office any local elected officeholder who resists the federal government on immigration issues. The term "sanctuary cities" has no legal definition. The bill by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, would punish local governments if police don't comply with requests from federal immigration enforcement officers to hand over immigrants already in custody for possible deportation. "You don't get to decide which laws you like, which laws you will honor," A.J. Louderback, sheriff of Jackson County and president of the Sheriff's Association of Texas told the panel Thursday. "You don't get extra constitutional powers." Individual sheriffs and police chiefs particularly those in heavily Democratic areas of the state have long opposed enforcing federal immigration law. Abbott has already ordered $1.5 million withheld from the Austin sheriff who has said the jails in the state's capital city would no longer honor most federal immigration detainers. That money supports projects such as family violence education and a special court for veterans, and Abbott has warned there could be more money cut. Story continues Sheriff Sally Hernandez, an elected Democrat in Texas' most liberal city the home of the University of Texas has said her jails will only honor immigration holds on murder, aggravated sexual assault and human trafficking cases, a policy Abbott has called a threat to public safety. Hernandez's predecessor had allowed federal officials to use the jail to locate and detain immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally for possible deportation. Perry said local authorities must enforce the law. "This is not a deportation bill, this is a rule of law bill," Perry said. "We have almost a culture of contempt for federal immigration law." But critics of the measure have said it will make immigrant communities fear police and drive crime victims and witnesses underground if they worry they will be swept up for deportation. Perry said the bill excludes crime victims and witnesses from being subject to immigration inquiries. Sen. Eddie Lucio, one of only two Democrats on the State Affairs Committee, said he had "moral" objections to the bill. "(This) undermines trust between police and immigrant communities. We risk further endangering women and children who fall prey to violence and extortion such as human trafficking," Lucio said. Opponents of the bill packed the Senate public gallery and the hearing was disrupted repeatedly in the first two hours. One woman yelled, "Greg Abbott is a facist!" prompting security to remove several people. Committee Chairwoman Joan Huffman warned that the chamber would be closed if the outbursts continued. Nearly 400 people had registered to testify on the bill for two minutes each. Abbott's move to declare a ban on sanctuary cities as an emergency issue allows Texas lawmakers to move quickly and push it to the front of the line in a 140-day session that ends Memorial Day weekend. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said he expects the Senate to pass the bill as early as next week and send it to the House. Trump signed an order last week to withdraw funding from sanctuary cities that decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. It didn't specify what kind of money could be pulled. In California, San Francisco officials sued over the order, saying it was unconstitutional and an invasion of the city's sovereignty. BANGKOK (AP) Thai media organizations are protesting a bill that would require journalists to be licensed and would establish a council that can penalize news outlets for violating professional standards. The bill was submitted Thursday to a military-appointed body tasked with reforming the Thai government. Journalists delivered a protest letter to the body and four former journalists resigned from the group that authored the bill. "It will bring Thailand back to the dark ages, when state power was in control of the media," says Thepchai Yong, president of the Confederation of Thai Journalists. The government says the legislation is needed to clean up corruption and prevent false reporting. But critics say it is a way for officials to avoid scrutiny. The Thai press is already kept on a leash. Self-censorship is widespread due to Thailand's draconian lese majeste laws, under which insulting the monarchy can land someone up to 15 years in jail. Last July, the ruling junta gave regulators the power to shut down broadcasters deemed a threat to national security, and in December the junta passed a cybercrime act that strengthens online censorship. The bill was given to the National Reform Steering Assembly, the body that heads various subcommittees that are tasked with enacting political reform by Thailand's military junta, including the media. Thepchai delivered the protest letter to the steering assembly, while the four former reporters resigned because they said their views were ignored. Journalists said it was unacceptable that the bill would require individual reporters to be vetted and licensed by the government. "This is unprecedented. Journalists don't need practicing licenses," said Thepchai. "By licensing the media, it means you have direct control over them." Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha has said that all professions need to be trained and standardized, and that journalists were no exception. Coauthors of the bill say licenses are necessary to deter false reporting and corruption. Story continues "Be a good man and good woman, and tell the truth... don't do this gray business," said Kanit Suwannate, air chief marshal and chairman of the committee that proposed the bill. "(Misreporting) has occurred, but I cannot tell you the evidence, because they try to hide the way they run the business." The bill will be debated by the steering assembly. Then it must be approved by the Thai cabinet and parliament before becoming law. The proposed 13-member media ethics committee would have four seats reserved for government officials, and would set standards and "codes of conduct," and would have the power to fine and confiscate the licenses of broadcasters and newspapers that violated them. Journalists say because of the nature of Thai politics, the government appointees would be able to put pressure on other council members. By Arshad Mohammed and Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rex Tillerson's job as chief U.S. diplomat became harder before it even began because of White House moves that have antagonized Muslim nations, European allies, Mexico and U.S. bureaucrats, current and former U.S. officials said. Hours after the Senate confirmed Tillerson as the 69th secretary of state by a 56-43 vote, the former Exxon Mobil Corp CEO was sworn in as the chief foreign affairs adviser to President Donald Trump. The Senate vote was largely along party lines, with all 52 Republicans voting in favor, along with three Democrats and one independent. Tillerson takes up his post at the State Department on Thursday morning when he will address staff. Under any circumstance, Tillerson would have inherited a messy globe with a civil war in Syria, nuclear-armed North Korea threatening to test an intercontinental ballistic missile and challenges from a rising China and an assertive Russia. In the 12 days since Trump's inauguration, however, the White House has taken steps that foreign policy professionals view as self-inflicted wounds. "We've done a series of own goals," said a senior U.S. official on condition of anonymity. "There are always mess-ups and friction with new administrations. That's not new. This is worse than usual." On Thursday, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto took the rare step of cancelling a Washington trip to meet Trump, who has repeatedly demanded Mexico pay for a wall on the U.S. border. On Friday, Trump signed an executive order imposing a four-month hold on refugees entering the United States and a temporary bar on most travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. "GET WITH THE PROGRAM" About 900 department officials signed a memo dissenting from the policy, a source familiar with the document said, an unusual rebellion against a new president's policies. As reports of the internal dissent spread on Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said career officials who disagreed should "get with the program or they can go." The result has been that two constituencies Tillerson has to manage - foreign nations and the U.S. diplomatic corps - have already got their noses out of joint before his swearing-in. "He will start at a disadvantage and will have to play catch-up to build trust with his foreign counterparts and with State Department employees," said John Bellinger, a State Department legal adviser under Republican President George W. Bush. "Tillerson walks into a situation where he has got an unhappy and suspicious White House and he has an unhappy and suspicious workforce," said another former State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It would have been difficult enough given the chaos." Several current and former U.S. officials said they were dismayed by the process that led to the executive order, with little evidence that there was broad consultation within the government, let alone with Congress or foreign allies. The secretary of homeland security, John Kelly, was reported to have been largely blindsided by the order. According to the New York Times, he was on a White House conference call getting his first full briefing on it when Trump signed the order. Loren DeJonge Schulman, a former national security council and Pentagon official, said the belief that Trump did not bring his top advisers into the discussion of the matter would itself handicap the new secretary of state. "The secretary of states power and his influence primarily derive from the idea that he speaks for the president," said Schulman, now at the Center for a New American Security think tank in Washington, saying it was an open secret the White House may not be consulting cabinet officials on such matters. "The fact that foreign audiences will realize that on day one is going to definitely weaken his hand," she said. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by James Dalgleish and Diane Craft) SMYRNA, Del. (AP) Police breached a building at Delaware's largest prison early Thursday, ending a hostage standoff that left one corrections officer dead. Delaware Gov. John Carney called the situation "torturous" and promised a full investigation. Here is what authorities say happened during the ordeal that began Wednesday: Around 10:30 a.m.: A correctional officer inside Building C at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center radios for immediate assistance. Shortly thereafter, four workers are taken hostage in the building. Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security Robert Coupe says the inmates used sharpened objects to take over the prison. 2:25 p.m.: The first hostage is released. That person is examined and released from a hospital shortly thereafter. Around 8 p.m.: A second hostage is released. The hostage is taken to a hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening and later released. 10:52 p.m.: Three maintenance workers who were hiding in the basement were able to work their way up to the roof. Tactical teams rescue them. 5:06 a.m.: Authorities breach Building C and rescue a third hostage, a female counselor, who Department of Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps said was "alert and well." Coupe said some inmates "shielded" the woman so she wouldn't be hurt. 5:29 a.m.: The fourth hostage, Sgt. Steven Floyd, is pronounced dead. 5:32 a.m.: Authorities secure Building C. Israels plans to build more settlements in Palestinian territories may not be helpful in achieving peace, the White House said. More here British Prime Minister Theresa May revealed Thursday the white paper detailing her plans for Britains formal exit from the European Union. More here Were tracking the news stories of the day below. All updates are in Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5). Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump stepped up his war of words against the world, firing on friend and foe alike even as his new top diplomat arrived for work. Even Russia, with which Trump hopes to mend ties, was not spared: US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said sanctions will stay until it ends its occupation of Ukraine. Trump also returned to the charge against Iran, his spokesman insisting "nothing is off the table" when asked about options for a military response to Tehran's latest missile test. The White House is drawing up expanded sanctions against Iran, hours after National Security Adviser Michael Flynn put Tehran "on notice" over the missile and support for Yemeni rebels. Sources familiar with the planning told AFP the sanctions will likely be levied on individuals or entities linked to Iran's missile program and imposed under existing presidential powers. Trump himself said many countries are "really terribly taking advantage of us" and even accused Australia of trying to foist more than a thousand "illegal immigrants" on the United States. And, not content with bashing one close ally, he repeated his claim that the 23-year-old NAFTA trade agreement with Mexico and Canada had been a "catastrophe" for the US economy. And into this maelstrom, on Thursday, walked the man that will have to help him guide US foreign policy through the years ahead, newly anointed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. - The new guy - The 64-year-old Texan oilman, who left the chief executive's suite at ExxonMobil to come to Foggy Bottom, was greeted on arrival at the State Department by around 2,000 staff. "Hi, I'm the new guy," he told the crowd of diplomats and civil servants, before thanking them for their service and laying out the principles of his management style. Trump's pick as Washington's top diplomat arrived to take charge of a department already simmering with indignation at the new administration's hardline immigration policy. Story continues In an unprecedented show of defiance, around 1,000 diplomats signed a "dissent memo" denouncing the suspension of refugee arrivals and a visa ban on seven Muslim-majority countries. There is also deep disquiet about the aggressive stance that Trump, guided by his nationalist White House strategist Steve Bannon, has taken in the field of foreign relations. But Tillerson sought to reassure his assembled employees that he respects their expertise and patriotism, receiving several rounds of warm but relieved applause during his speech. "I know this was a hotly contested election and we do not all feel the same way about the outcome," he told them. "Each of us is entitled to the expression of our political beliefs, but we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team," he urged the staff. Admitting that, while the State Department's 75,000 employees have an average of 11 years experience each, he had only been in his new post for 25 minutes, he vowed to get to work. On his first day he spoke by phone to his Canadian and Mexican counterparts and met with Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, eager for assurances on European security. Mark Toner, the department's acting spokesperson, said in a statement that in all of his introductory calls the new secretary "stressed America's steadfast commitment to its key allies and partners as it works to protect the interests and safety of the American people." - 'Not a bad thing' - Earlier, Trump had hailed Tillerson at a national prayer breakfast, declaring that the oilman's friendship with foreign leaders like Russia's Vladimir Putin would prove an asset. "Some people didn't like Rex because he actually got along with leaders of the world," Trump said, referring to concerns that Tillerson is too close to the Russian president. "You have to understand that's a good thing, not a bad thing. He is respected all over the world and I think he will go down as one of our great, great secretaries." If as supporters of the veteran executive predict the new secretary proves to be a steady hand on the tiller, not only US diplomats but America's friends abroad will be relieved. Buenos Aires (AFP) - A sunny day at the beach took a bizarre twist in Argentina when some 20 police officers arrived to expel three topless women -- now the center of a national protest movement. With summer in full swing in the southern hemisphere, the three Argentines had shed their tops to sunbathe last weekend at the beach in Necochea, a resort town 500 kilometers (300 miles) south of Buenos Aires. But local police in shorts and fluorescent vests arrived to tell them they were breaking public decency laws. The women argued they were doing nothing wrong -- leading to an escalating row that drew in police reinforcements and a giant crowd of onlookers, some yelling at the women to get off the beach, others shouting their support. Eventually, the women decided to leave what one of them called the "fascist beach." A video of the standoff has now gone viral online -- stoking outrage among women's rights activists in a country known for machismo and high levels of violence against women. Activists have called a topless women's march in support of the three women for Tuesday in the capital. They are calling the protest the "tetazo," which roughly translates as "breast smack." A judge meanwhile dismissed the charges against the three women brought by a male beachgoer. "A woman baring her breasts does not constitute an act that harms others, and is therefore outside the authority of the courts," local criminal court judge Mario Juliano ruled Wednesday. He called on the police to be more "prudent." For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> President Akio Toyoda said on Thursday his company had increased its U.S. production in the past three decades, and that the Japanese brand should also be considered as a U.S. manufacturer. Toyoda's comment comes as global automakers face pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has demanded that more cars sold in the United States be made locally to increase jobs and shrink the U.S. trade deficit. Trump singled out Toyota in a tweet last month, criticizing the plans by Japan's biggest automaker to build a second plant in Mexico. Since then, Toyota has announced plans to invest $10 billion in its U.S. operations to increase production and create more jobs. "Things are very different in 2017 than they were in the 1980s. Today, we produce a large number of cars locally and we have developed a strong local supply chain," Toyoda told reporters at an event in Tokyo, referring to America. "We may be a Japanese brand ... but we're also one of America's car makers." The United States is Toyota's biggest market, and vehicle sales in the country comprise around one-quarter of the automaker's global sales. It operates 10 manufacturing plants in the country, and locally produces around 56 percent of its vehicles sold there, according to calculations based on company data. Trump has focused on protectionist trade policies in his first weeks in office, formally withdrawing the United States from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade talks and has said he would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Toyoda said his company would adapt to any "rule changes" to the NAFTA trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Automotive trade will be high on the agenda when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits Trump in Washington next week. Toyoda denied media reports from earlier this week which said he would meet Abe on Friday ahead of the summit, saying that while he would like a meeting with the prime minister, it was still unclear whether one would take place due to scheduling issues. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Writing by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) Our hypocritical morons we sent to Boise have been moaning about the feds interfering with the states, but they do the same thing by imposing laws and regulations on our counties and cities which interfere with local rights. Now they want to ignore the laws of the land because they don't follow the Founders. Since the elected (insert your own description here) seem to be living in the early 1900s not the 1700s or the 21st century, it is hard to believe they have any idea on the Founders' wishes or intentions. If they really want to follow the Founders then they better realize the Founders believed government had no business regulating liquor, bars, breweries, prostitution, and marijuana, all of which the Founders freely enjoyed. While I am not advocating these, one has to wonder why if it was good enough for the Founders why not us. By Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House put Iran "on notice" on Wednesday for test-firing a ballistic missile and said it was reviewing how to respond, taking an aggressive posture towards Tehran that could raise tensions in the region. While the exact implications of the U.S. threat were unclear, the new administration signalled that President Donald Trump intended to do more, possibly including imposing new sanctions, to curb what he sees as defiance of a nuclear deal negotiated in 2015 by then-President Barack Obama. The tough talk commits the administration to back up its rhetoric with action, which could cast doubt on the future of the Iran agreement and sow further uncertainty in an already chaotic Middle East, experts said. Trump has frequently criticized the Iran nuclear deal, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. Officials declined to say whether the military option was on the table, although Pentagon spokesman Christopher Sherwood said: "The U.S. military has not changed its posture in response to the Iranian test missile launch" on Sunday. A fiery statement from Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, marked some of the most aggressive rhetoric by the administration that took office on Jan. 20, making clear that Obama's less confrontational approach towards Iran was over. Flynn said that instead of being thankful to the United States for the nuclear deal, "Iran is now feeling emboldened." "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," he told reporters in his first appearance in the White House press briefing room. He said the launch and an attack on Monday against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-allied Houthi militants off the coast of Yemen underscored "Irans destabilising behaviour across the Middle East." Iran confirmed it had tested a new missile but said it did not breach a nuclear accord reached with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the pact. 'HOW WOULD U.S. RESPOND?' Analysts said Iran could interpret Flynn's warning as bluster given that the Trump administration is still formulating a response. "It's a vague way of drawing a line in the sand," said Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-Americas. "Taken literally, it could mean: 'You do this one more time and youll pay for it.' But how would the U.S. respond?" The warning could foreshadow more aggressive economic and diplomatic measures against Iran. Three senior U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a range of options, including economic sanctions, was being considered and that a broad review was being conducted of the U.S. posture towards Iran. One official said the intent of Flynn's message was to make clear the administration would not be "shy or reticent" towards Tehran. "We are in the process of evaluating the strategic options and the framework for how we want to approach these issues," the official said. "We do not want to be premature or rash or take any action that would foreclose options or unnecessarily contribute to a negative response." "Our sincere hope is that the Iranians will heed this notice today and will change their behaviour," he said. Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump became president. RISK OF MISCALCULATION The issue came to the forefront on the same day that the U.S. Senate confirmed former Exxon Mobil Corp Chief Executive Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. Trump told Tillerson at his swearing-in ceremony that "although you inherit enormous challenges in the Middle East and around the world, I believe we can achieve peace and security in these very, very troubled times." Simon Henderson, a Gulf expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said there was a danger of a miscalculation by Washington or Tehran. The question now is will the Iranian logic be: My goodness, this guy is serious, wed better behave ourselves?' he said. "Or do they say: Why dont we tweak him a bit more to see what he really means, maybe test him." The administrations tough statement came midway through a three-day exercise by 18 U.S., French, British and Australian warships and an undisclosed number of aircraft close to Iranian waters in the Gulf, according to a statement by U.S. Central Command. Trump is due to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a strident critic of the Iran nuclear deal, at the White House on February 15. The U.S. president and Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Salman, spoke by phone on Sunday and were described by the White House as agreeing on the importance of enforcing the deal and "addressing Irans destabilising regional activities." Sunni Muslim-dominated Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca and other Islamic holy sites, and Shi'ite Muslim-majority Iran are regional rivals. (Additional reporting by Jonathan S. Landay, Roberta Rampton, Idrees Ali, Yeganeh Torbati, Lesley Wroughton, Yara Bayoumy and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) U.S.-Australia relations have been plunged into confusion, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, after an unexpectedly hostile 25 minute phone call on Saturday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The White House readout of the call, also released Saturday, said, Both leaders emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. But according to the Washington Post, Trump spent the call bragging about his electoral victory and complaining about a deal under which the United States is to take refugees from an Australian detention center before he informed the prime minister that this was the worst call by far of his day. The call turned south over an agreement former President Barack Obama struck to take 1,250 refugees from Australia. Many of the refugees are from the Middle Eastern countries affected by Trumps temporary travel ban. After news of the calls content came out, Trump did his version of damage control by turning to Twitter. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 One might imagine that Trump and Turnbull would see eye to eye on immigration policy. Turnbull has pushed a strict immigration policy for years. In October 2016, he was looking to propose a law that would permanently ban boat asylum seekers from Australia from later trying to re-enter as tourists or businesspeople. But one would, evidently, be wrong. The fallout from the call rattled Australia, a historically close U.S. ally. Australias former foreign minister Bob Carr said, America has taken a nationalist direction and wont be returning to global leadership as weve understood it. Story continues Other Australians were blunter. Im not sure the Trump administration gives a crap about the Australian alliance, Sydney Universitys alliance historian James Curran told the Sydney Morning Herald. But there could be broader ramifications for the historically strong U.S.-Australia partnership. Australia has deployed its military to Afghanistan for 15 years to support U.S.-led operations. Both countries are also part of the Five Eyes intelligence allies. Before the U.S. presidential election, Australia was looking to strengthen its intelligence and defense ties to the Five Eyes group, a strategy that this call, and what it signifies, might change. Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images President Donald Trump might consider the media the opposition party, but that wont stop the annual black-tie White House Correspondents Dinner to go on as scheduled. Weve received some queries about the 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner, which will be the first since the new administration took office, White House Correspondents Association President Jeff Mason wrote to members in a Thursday email obtained by TheWrap. The White House Correspondents Association will hold its annual dinner on April 29 at the Washington Hilton. The organization has not yet announced a host for the annual event, which draws top TV and print news reporters as well as Hollywood celebrities. In recent years, the so-called nerd prom has become a showcase and lightning rod for pointed political satire for a rotating line-up of comedians. Also Read: Have Donald Trump's Attacks on CNN Hurt Ratings? Trump and members of his team have been increasingly combative with members of the press, referring to CNN as fake news and labeling mainstream media the opposition party. And Trump himself has been outspoken about political satire about his campaign and presidency, particularly on NBCs Saturday Night Live. It is unclear if Trump will attend the event. A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment. Despite the heightened scrutiny, Mason said the show will go on. This year, as we do every year, we will celebrate the First Amendment and the role an independent press plays in a healthy republic, he wrote. We will also reward some of the finest political reporting of the past year while using our scholarship program to highlight and support up-and-coming journalists who are the future of our profession. Mason continued, In the meantime, the WHCA will pursue its core mission of advocating for journalists ability to ask questions of government officials, push for transparency from the presidency, and help Americans hold the powerful to account. Story continues Earlier this week, TBS announced Full Frontal host Samantha Bee is planning to hold her own dinner the same night as the annual White House Correspondents Dinner. The Not the White House Correspondents Dinner will take place April 29 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. Also Read: Is Trump Exploiting UC Berkeley's Left-Wing History With New Threat of 'No Federal Funds'? Executives at TBS offered their full support of the gala by nodding politely and then muttering under their breath as we turned around, Bee said. The evening is sure to bring plenty of surprises, music, food, and laughter and if youre not careful you just might learn something. Specifically, youll learn how screwed wed be without a free press. All proceeds for Not the White House Correspondents Dinner will go to benefit the Committee to Protect Journalists. Were really doing this, Bee said. This is not a joke. Related stories from TheWrap: Is Trump Exploiting UC Berkeley's Left-Wing History With New Threat of 'No Federal Funds'? Have Donald Trump's Attacks on CNN Hurt Ratings? Thousands Demand Disney CEO Bob Iger Speak Out Against Trump Travel Ban Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump ripped into his Australian counterpart during their call last week, reports said, castigating a refugee accord he later described on Twitter as a "dumb deal." The Washington Post said Trump abruptly cut short the fiery conversation after criticising the agreement to re-settle people kept in Pacific camps, sparking a war of words with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Thursday after the report surfaced. Australia is considered a close US ally -- one of the so-called "Five Eyes" with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence -- and the call might have been expected to be smooth sailing. But, according to the Post, Trump's assessment was the opposite. Of his four conversations with world leaders that day "This was the worst call by far," it cited him as telling Turnbull, shortly before he terminated the telephone meeting. Australian government sources told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the report was "substantially accurate". Turnbull said he was disappointed details of the "very frank and forthright" exchange had been leaked. "As far as the call is concerned I'm very disappointed that there has been a leak of purported details of the call in Washington," he told Sydney radio station 2GB. "But I want to make one observation about it -- the report that the president hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously." He added that Canberra had "very, very strong standards in the way we deal with other leaders and we are not about to reveal details of conversations other than in a manner that is agreed". The Post's account is markedly different from the official read-out of the call provided by both governments. Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with then president Barack Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Story continues There were fears the new US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. - Diplomatic crisis - After the Post story broke late Wednesday, Trump weighed in on Twitter and threw the agreement into doubt. "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" he wrote. After seeing the tweet, Turnbull insisted Trump had already agreed it would go ahead. "The commitment made by the president in that call was made and we announced that and it was confirmed by his spokesman a day or so later," he said. Reports of the Turnbull-Trump conversation came as the US and Mexican governments were denying claims that the former reality TV star had threatened to send troops into Mexico to deal with drug cartels. Mexican journalist Dolia Estevez, citing "confidential" US and Mexican sources, said Trump made the threat during an hour-long phone call with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday. Mexican and White House officials vehemently denied the report. Relations have plunged into the biggest diplomatic crisis between the two neighbors in decades. Trump angered Mexicans last week by ordering the construction of a massive border wall and vowing to make their country pay for the wall. Pena Nieto has pledged that his government will never pay for the barrier and canceled a meeting with Trump scheduled for this week in Washington. In addition to the row over the wall, Trump wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Mexican officials expect talks to begin in May. President Trump dedicated a portion of the National Prayer Breakfast to take a dig at Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying The Celebrity Apprentice ratings went "down the tubes" after Trump left the show. Read: Raw Deal: Trump Blasts Schwarzenegger as 'New Celebrity Apprentice' Ratings Drop The Terminator star replaced Trump on Celebrity Apprentice and the ratings have not been as desirable for the NBC reality competition show as they have been in years past. "They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place," Trump said at the annual event. "And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. "It's been a total disaster and I just want to pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings." Read: Schwarzenegger Steps In for Trump as 'New Celebrity Apprentice' Host, Reveals Catchphrase The former California governor quickly responded on Twitter in a video suggesting they swap positions. "Hey Donald, I have a great idea," Schwarzenegger says in the video. "Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV because you're such an expert at ratings, and I take your job, and people can finally sleep comfortably again." Watch: Scrawl of Duty: Handwriting Expert Reveals What Trump's Penmanship Says About His Personality Related Articles: Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Thursday said Iran was now formally "on notice" after a recent missile test, while also claiming the Islamic Republic was on the brink of collapse when it signed an international nuclear deal. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" Trump tweeted, echoing similar comments by National Security Advisor Michael Flynn the day before. But there has been scant detail from the White House as to what the warning actually means in practical terms. It remains to be seen if the White House will push for sanctions this time around. Flynn insisted that Sunday's missile test was "in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231," which calls on Iran not to test missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapon. Iran's ballistic missile program has been a bone of contention with the West since the nuclear deal took effect in January last year. A previous, while controversial, test was not found to be in breach of the UN guidelines. A senior Trump administration official said that it was clear the missile was capable of carrying a nuclear payload, while a second official said it was not considered a breach of the nuclear deal. Both Trump and Flynn have been harsh critics of Tehran and vocal opponents of the nuclear deal with world powers that saw Iran curb its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. "Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion," Trump said in a second pre-dawn tweet. He was referring to an estimate of the value of sanctions relief that Iran obtained from the White House -- then under president Barack Obama -- in exchange for signing the deal. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The conviction of a Navy sailor who took photos of classified areas inside a submarine is getting a new look from the Trump administration. An attorney for Kristian Saucier, who is serving a one-year prison sentence, said he was encouraged by President Donald Trump's national security adviser to seek a pardon. Trump has said he is reviewing the case. Saucier pleaded guilty last year to unauthorized detention of defense information for taking the photos inside the USS Alexandria when it was in Groton, Connecticut, in 2009. In pleading for leniency, he argued the prosecution was driven by sensitivity about classified information amid the scandal involving Hillary Clinton's emails. "The Justice Department at that time was under pressure to do something," his attorney Ronald Daigle Jr. said. "So he got prosecuted for it. I don't think it's fair because she didn't get prosecuted for anything." Saucier has said he merely wanted service mementos, but federal prosecutors said he was a disgruntled sailor who put national security at risk by taking photos showing details of the submarine's propulsion system and reactor compartment and then obstructed the investigation by destroying a laptop and camera. Prosecutors also rejected comparisons to Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state. After Trump's election, Daigle discussed the case in an hour-long November meeting inside Trump Tower with Michael Flynn, the president's national security adviser, who encouraged a formal pardon request, Daigle said. Jeffrey Addicott, a professor at St. Mary's University School of Law, filed the request for a pardon. In an interview last week with Fox News' Sean Hannity, who had previously had Saucier's mother on his show, Trump was asked about a possible pardon and said he was reviewing the case. "I think it's very unfair in light of what's happened with other people," Trump said. Story continues Tom Carson, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, declined to comment on the pardon request. The investigation began in 2012 when a waste station supervisor in Connecticut found Saucier's cellphone with the submarine photos atop a pile of demolition trash and alerted a retired Navy friend who contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Saucier, who is from Arlington, Vermont, was a 22-year-old machinist mate on the nuclear-powered attack submarine when he took the photos. He knew they would be classified but he wanted to show his family what he did in the Navy, his lawyers said. He denied sharing the photos with any unauthorized recipient. Saucier began serving his sentence in October at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, and Daigle said his client is optimistic about a pardon. "He is very thankful and grateful that it seems like the president and White House are actually listening and maybe going to take a look at the case," Daigle said. "So his hopes are up." Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticsm of NAFTA Thursday, but indicated he would be willing to renegotiate rather than scrap the pact with Canada and Mexico. "NAFTA has been a catastrophe for our county," Trump told lawmakers. "I don't care if it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA, but we do have to make it fair and it's very unfair to the American worker and very, very unfair to companies." Trump has repeatedly trashed the 23-year-old pact, as part of a tough stance on trade that has included threats to slap tariffs on imports from Mexico. In a meeting later with executives from the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company, Trump said trading partners have taken advantage of the United States "really, really terribly" and hinted he would use tariffs to help the American brand. He recalled that former president Ronald Reagan imposed a big tariff on motorcycles in 1983 when the US market was dominated by Japanese manufacturers. "We are going to help you, too." "This administration, our allegiance will be to the American workers and to American businesses like Harley-Davidson," he said. "We are going to be competitive with anybody in the world. He said he wanted to add another "F" to NAFTA so it would encompass "free and fair" trade. Mexico's government has said it expects negotiations to modify the agreement to begin in May. Bilateral trade between Mexico and the United States amounts to half a trillion dollars a year, and some 80 percent of Mexican exports go to the United States. But Trump has said the $60 billion trade deficit with Mexico proves NAFTA was a bad deal. There were fiery scenes at UC Berkeley Wednesday night as a student protest turned ugly. Read: Scrawl of Duty: Handwriting Expert Reveals What Trump's Penmanship Says About His Personality Riots broke out during a demonstration over a planned appearance by controversial political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos. The appearance was cancelled after demonstrators set fires around the campus, banks were vandalized and some were pepper-sprayed. The campus went on lockdown until 10:55 p.m. due to a "violent demonstration" happening in the area. Following the cancellation, Donald Trump took to Twitter to slam the university, threatening to cut federal funds to the school. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom quickly fired back at the president. As a UC Regent I'm appalled at your willingness to deprive over 38,000 students access to an education because of the actions of a few. pic.twitter.com/zzUaaaUM3u Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 2, 2017 "Violent left-wing protesters tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building," Yiannopoulos said in a video posted to Facebook. He added: "One thing we do know for sure: The Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." Read: Jimmy Kimmel Spoofs Trump's Supreme Court Nomination Event: 'You're Hired!' Yiannopoulos, the editor of right-wing outlet Breitbart news, was barred from Twitter over the summer after he allegedly incited trolls to go after Saturday Night Live actress Leslie Jones. Story continues As a result, he was the first person ever booted from the microblogging site. The British-born Greek pundit was invited by the Berkeley College Republicans, who wanted to showcase a different perspective of politics on the otherwise liberal campus. Watch: Melania Trump Spotted for the First Time Since Inauguration, Avoids Manhattan Protests Related Articles: President Trump tweeted that he may seek to cut federal funding for the University of California, Berkeley after violent protests forced the cancellation of a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative provocateur and outspoken Trump supporter. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump tweeted on Thursday morning. Yiannopoulos had been invited to speak on campus by a group of Berkeley Republicans, but the event was called off by the university after protesters clashed with police, lit fires and smashed windows outside the student union, forcing a temporary lockdown. CNN reported that some even threw commercial-grade fireworks and rocks at police. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Six people were treated for minor injuries, Berkeley officials said. About 1,500 people had gathered outside the student union where Yiannopoulos was due to speak. The school condemned the violence, saying it was instigated by a group of about 150 masked agitators who came onto campus and interrupted an otherwise non-violent protest. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence and unlawful behavior that was on display and deeply regret that those tactics now overshadow the efforts of the majority to engage in legitimate and lawful protest against the performers presence at Berkeley and his perspectives, the school said in a statement. We regret that the threats and unlawful actions of a few have interfered with the exercise of First Amendment rights on a campus that is proud of its history and legacy as the home of the Free Speech Movement. People protesting controversial Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos take to the streets in Berkeley on Wednesday night. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) Yiannopoulos, a senior editor for the Breitbart website and self-proclaimed super villain, is no stranger to controversy. He was permanently banned by Twitter last summer after he spearheaded a harassment campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones. Story continues And his speaking tour of college campuses has been marked by protests, threats and occasional violence. Last month, UC Davis abruptly canceled one of his speeches after protests erupted there. Slideshow: Event canceled as thousands protest in Berkeley >>> UC Berkeley officials and UCPD went to extraordinary lengths to plan for this event, working closely with the Berkeley College Republicans and putting the appropriate resources in place to maintain security, the Berkeley statement explained. Officials were in contact with other university campuses where Yiannopoulos had been asked to speak, and they paid close attention to lessons learned. Dozens of additional police officers were on duty for Wednesdays scheduled event, and multiple methods of crowd control were in place. Ultimately, and unfortunately, however, it was impossible to maintain order given the level of threat, disruption and organized violence. Milo Yiannopoulos: For 30 years, the left has been able to bully people into silence by name calling and theyve forgotten how to argue. pic.twitter.com/I2R0se8NON Fox News (@FoxNews) February 2, 2017 Yiannopoulos blamed the violence on the partisan protesters looking to silence him. The left cannot tolerate anyone on their campus who does not subscribe to their own crazy views, he said in an interview with Fox News. I am not a scary far-right neo-Nazi, as some of the protesters claim. Trumps tweet about the Berkeley protests appears to be another example of the presidents early-morning habit of reacting to cable news segments. Shortly before Trumps tweet Thursday morning, Fox & Friends aired a segment on the protests during which a guest called for the defunding of the school. More from Yahoo News: ROME (Reuters) - Protesters chanted outside the U.S. embassy in Rome on Thursday against President Donald Trump's order to restrict entry into the United States for refugees and citizens of seven Muslim countries. Last week's executive order blocked citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and placed an indefinite hold on Syrian refugees. "I fear the worst is yet to come," said Fouad Roueiha, 37, who was born in Syria and raised in Italy. He brought his son and daughter with him "to teach them about civic duty", and said the order prevented them from visiting family in Florida. The order sparked large protests across the United States and in other countries. In Rome, a few dozen protesters waved signs reading "No Ban, No Walls" and "Trump, ban torture not Muslims" in English. A candlelit protest was due to be held later in front of the embassy by a group of Americans who live in Italy. "If discriminatory policies take hold, it's a danger for everyone everywhere," said Michael Stiefel, 50, a lawyer and a U.S. citizen. Antonella Napolitano, 35, who works for an Italian rights group that helped organize the protest, said: "One hundred years ago Italian immigrants in America were treated badly. There can be change. History does not have to repeat." (Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Andrew Roche) On Wednesday, the White House put out a statement from National Security Advisor Michael Flynn criticizing Irans recent ballistic missile test as well as a number of attacks in recent months by Iranian-supported Houthi militias against American, Saudi, and Emirati ships off the coast of Yemen. The statement then criticizes the Iran nuclear deal and the Obama administration, before concluding that we are officially putting Iran on notice. This is the Trump administrations first meaningful foray into Iran policy since taking office. In some ways, it is reassuring, as parts of the statement are reasonable. And it does not appear that the administration is at least at this point determined to walk away from the nuclear agreement. But then President Donald Trump started tweeting. And now, there are some reasons for concern. First the good news. The elements of the official statement calling out Irans destabilizing behavior in the Middle East are on point. Indeed, the Barack Obama administration was also worried about missile launches off the coast of Yemen, which is why last October it struck Houthi radar sites and, over the past year, pursued a number of interdictions of Iranian arms shipments to the Houthis. Additionally, over the last five years the Obama team used a series of sanctions measures to target Houthis in Yemen for their threatening and destabilizing activities, as well as scores of powerful sanctions on Irans ballistic missile program and its support for terrorism and regional violence. But fair or not, there was a perception across the Middle East that the Obama administration overlooked some of these problematic actions because of its prioritization of the nuclear agreement. So for the new team to come in and signal that this is a priority should be reassuring to some of our Gulf partners and send an unambiguous message to the Iranian leadership. But the Trump team needs to be careful. The Yemen conflict is a difficult and ugly slog in which Americas core interests are not fully engaged, which is why the Obama administration chose for the most part to stay out. There is a value in reassuring partners, but it must be weighed against the risks of diving into a quagmire. Moreover, the Houthis are not under the direct control of Iran. Compared to other non-state proxies such as Hezbollah or Iraqi Shiite militias, the Iranian-Houthi connection is weak. If the United States threatens direct action against Iran for behavior taken by a proxy Iran cannot or does not actually control, that can be a dangerous pathway towards unintended escalation. Better to tie any threats to Irans shipment of weapons to the Houthis an action Irans government has control over and which is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions pertaining to the Yemen conflict. The Trump administration also called for a U.N. Security Council consultation to discuss and highlight Irans ballistic missile test. This is also a reasonable step and is reassuring in that despite their disdain for multilateral institutions the Trump team in this case appears to recognize the value of holding such a session and using it to politically isolate Iran for a provocative test. Moreover, doing so is a good step for counterproliferation efforts. The U.N. has unique abilities to rally member states to publicly identify and target nodes in Irans missile and nuclear proliferation networks, including through the implementation of sanctions. Whether the missile test is a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, the resolution recognizing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear accord with Iran, is open to interpretation. It is up to a panel of experts that monitors implementation of the Security Council Resolutions against Iran to conclude that. Those experts couldnt reach consensus about whether similar tests last year constituted a violation; the panel merely called them inconsistent with the spirit of the resolution. So, it was unwise for the Trump administration to so quickly call it a violation, putting it at odds with the Europeans and the Russians. But the biggest problem with the statement is that Flynn used it to criticize the nuclear agreement as weak and ineffective. And then, Trump doubled down on this position, tweeting this morning that Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse before the JCPOA and claiming Iran had received $150 billion as part of the deal a number that has been repeatedly debunked. None of the steps Iran has taken in recent days violated the JCPOA. And more importantly, this whole situation would today would be much worse if Iran was significantly closer to a nuclear weapons capability, which it would be without the nuclear agreement. Iran was not on the verge of collapsing in 2013 when the nuclear negotiations began in earnest, but it was weeks away from being able to produce enough highly enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. As for the claim of $150 billion, no one knows precisely what the number is but most experts put the funds Iran was able to obtain in the aftermath of the agreement at far less than $150 billion. And these funds were not a giveaway, but Iranian money that it had obtained through trade in past years but was unable to repatriate because of sanctions imposed by the Obama administration. The bottom line is that a medium range ballistic missile test and some delivery of arms to a second-tier proxy are a problem, but not a problem on the same level as obtaining a nuclear weapon, which the agreement has thus far stopped. Even if the Trump administration wants to walk away from the nuclear agreement or provoke the Iranians to walk away, criticizing the deal was unwise. If it wants to build international support and put more pressure on Iran, the statement should have reaffirmed Americas commitment to abiding by its obligations to the letter and spirit of the nuclear agreement and called on Iran to do the same. Critiquing the deal just isolates the United States from the rest of the P5+1, which does little to increase pressure or leverage on Iran. Finally, the most newsworthy part of the statement came at the very end where the administration made clear it was putting Iran on notice. On the one hand, this could be an effective tactic. Trump is seen as dangerous and unpredictable; a tough statement that does not commit the administration to specific action could be a useful deterrent. The Iranians want no part of a direct confrontation with the United States and Trump could, in theory, use his reputation as an impulsive and unstable actor to be crazy like a fox to deter Iran and force it to scale back some of its destabilizing behavior in the Middle East. Unfortunately, there is little indication that he and his team have the deftness to pull this off and plenty of signs that he may just be plain old crazy. It is not clear if they have a next step planned or are even working an interagency process to develop options such as new sanctions, more aggressive interdictions, or targeted strikes if Iran responds by escalating. Reports that Secretary James Mattis, while on his trip in Asia, had to convince Flynn to tone back the statement and that U.S. Central Command did not know the statement was coming are disconcerting, as Centcom would play a central role in developing response options. The reality is that most of the options that the administration develops would require support from partners across the globe, which means they require President Trump to be doing a better job of building coalitions and treating our allies with respect. Add to that the fact that the Trump team does not have the good communication channels with Iran that the Obama administration used to deescalate tensions and there is a high risk of the situation quickly exploding. Image credit: Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustration President Trump took advantage of his appearance at the annual National Prayer Breakfast Thursday to get in a dig at his rival Arnold Schwarzenegger, the movie star and former California governor who took over for Trump as host of NBCs Celebrity Apprentice. Speaking at what is typically a pious and reflective event, Trump suggested praying for Schwarzenegger, whose ratings have suffered in comparison to Trumps during his years as host. We had tremendous success on the Apprentice, and when I ran for president I had to leave the show. Thats when I knew for sure I was doing it, and they hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, Trump said. And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. Its been a total disaster. And Mark [Burnett] will never, ever bet against Trump again. And I want to just pray for Arnold if we can for those ratings. Trump retains an executive producer credit on The Celebrity Apprentice, and apart from his ego investment in having the highest television ratings stands to profit from any publicity he can generate for the show. Schwarzenegger responded swiftly with a video posted on Twitter. Hey, Donald. I have a great idea. Why dont we switch jobs? You take over TV because youre such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job so people can finally sleep comfortably again, he said. Schwarzenegger has said that he became a proud Republican in 1968, before he was even a citizen, after hearing former President Richard Nixon speak about small government, free trade and defending liberty with a strong military. Leading up to the 2016 general election, Schwarzenegger announced that for the first time since becoming eligible to vote in 1983, he would not support the Republican presidential candidate. Story continues But as proud as I am to label myself a Republican, there is one label that I hold above all else American, Schwarzenegger wrote in October. So I want to take a moment today to remind my fellow Republicans that it is not only acceptable to choose your country over your party it is your duty. After Schwarzeneggers version of The Celebrity Apprentice debuted with a 44 percent drop in ratings, Trump mocked the Terminator actor on social media. Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got swamped (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT, Trump wrote, So much for being a movie star-and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1. But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary. President Trump and Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Photos: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images, Evan Vucci/AP) Schwarzenegger responded by wishing Trump well as president and encouraging him to work for all Americans: I wish you the best of luck and I hope youll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings. The National Prayer Breakfast, which started in the Eisenhower era, is an annual gathering hosted by members of Congress and organized by The Fellowship, a Christian foundation. In his speech, Trump also praised the U.S. military, vowed to take care of the countrys veterans and promised to totally destroy the Johnson Amendment, a rule that strips tax-exempt status from churches that support or oppose political candidates. He also, for what may be the first time in his public career, expressed doubts about the importance of being rich: So easily we forget this, that the quality of our lives is not defined by our material success, but by our spiritual success. I will tell you that. And I tell you that from somebody who has had material success and knows tremendous numbers of people with great material success the most material success many of those people are very, very miserable, unhappy people. Read more from Yahoo News: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump met on Thursday with Jordan's King Abdullah ahead of an annual prayer breakfast in Washington, a White House spokeswoman said. There was no immediate information provided about what Trump and the King discussed. Abdullah, the first Arab leader to hold talks with the new administration, had earlier in the week discussed the fight against Islamic State, the Syria crisis, and other issues with Vice President Mike Pence. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, writing by Roberta Rampton) By Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed to free churches and other tax-exempt institutions of a 1954 U.S. law banning political activity, drawing fire from critics who accused him of rewarding his evangelical Christian supporters and turning houses of worship into political machines. Speaking to U.S. politicians, religious leaders and guests such as Jordan's King Abdullah at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, Trump used the opening moments of the usually solemn affair to deride actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, his successor on a reality TV show, for his viewership ratings. He also said almost every other country was taking advantage of the United States. Trump took aim at a long-standing statutory barrier between politics and religion called the Johnson Amendment. It prohibits tax-exempt organizations such as churches and other places of worship, charities and educational institutions from directly or indirectly participating in any political campaign in favor or against a political candidate. "I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution. I will do that, remember," Trump said. Trump previously spoke out against the amendment during the campaign and won the support of evangelical Christian leaders including Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. A change in the law would require action in the Republican-led U.S. Congress, and Republican lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation that would reverse the policy. After Trump's remarks, Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters he has "always supported" eliminating the Johnson Amendment. Critics including the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State expressed alarm. "President Donald Trump and his allies in the religious right seek to turn America's houses of worship into miniature political action committees," said the group's executive director, Barry Lynn. Story continues "It would also lead some houses of worship to focus on supporting candidates in exchange for financial and other aid. That would be a disaster for both churches and politics in America," Lynn said. Peter Montgomery of the liberal advocacy group People For the American Way said Trump wants to pay back religious conservatives who helped get him elected "by letting them turn their churches into political machines with tax-exempt charitable dollars." Scrapping the Johnson Amendment has been a goal of Christian conservatives, who contend it violates free speech and religious freedom rights. The U.S. Constitution's First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion and bars the government from establishing an official religion. "We are encouraged to see that President Trump understands the very real constitutional violation posed by the Johnson Amendment and that he is committed to restoring a pastor's right to speak freely from the pulpit without fearing government retribution," said Erik Stanley, senior counsel for the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom. 'PRAY FOR ARNOLD' Trump said Schwarzenegger, the Republican former governor of California, had disastrous ratings on the NBC reality TV program "Celebrity Apprentice," which Trump previously starred in. "They hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place. And we know how that turned out," Trump said. "It's been a total disaster. ... And I want to just pray for Arnold if we can, for those ratings, OK?" Schwarzenegger, who endorsed Ohio Governor John Kasich over Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, shot back, alluding to the controversies of Trump's first two weeks in office. "Hey Donald, I have a great idea," Schwarzenegger said in a video. "Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV, because you're such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job. And then people can finally sleep comfortably again." White House spokesman Sean Spicer later called Trump's remarks "light-hearted" and part of an "absolutely beautiful" speech. Trump a week ago put a 120-day halt on the U.S. refugee program, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump defended his directive on Thursday as crucial to ensuring religious freedom and tolerance in America, and said he wanted to prevent a "beachhead of intolerance" from spreading in the United States. He also called terrorism a fundamental threat to religious freedom. "The world is in trouble, but we're going to straighten it out. OK? That's what I do. I fix things," Trump said. "When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it," Trump added, apparently referring to telephone conversations including one with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. "It's time we're going to be a little tough folks. We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. It's not going to happen anymore," Trump said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton; Writing by Will Dunham; Editing by Alistair Bell) Following new public details about a recent phone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, President Donald Trump took to Twitter late Wednesday to criticize a deal brokered between Canberra and the administration of former President Barack Obama to resettle some refugees in the United States. Trump vowed to study this dumb deal, in which the previous administration agreed to accept 1,250 asylum seekers from Australian-run detention centers on the Pacific islands of Manus and Naururoughly half of the people who are stuck in limbo off the Australian coast. Australia refuses to accept them or even allow them to be processed on Australian soil. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 The Washington Post reported that Trump criticized the deal during a phone conversation with Turnbull on Saturday that anonymous senior officials depicted as hostile. The call, which the Post said the White House declined to comment on, reportedly centered on the refugee deal and was prematurely ended by an aggravated Trump. If the tone of the call is verified, it would represent a startling departure from the manner in which previous American leaders have addressed their counterparts in Australia, which has been a steadfast American ally for decades and allows Washington to base hundreds of Marines there. According to the Post, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters earlier this week that Trump agreed during the phone call to honor the agreement, and said that the refugees would be subject to extreme vetting procedures. However, the officials cited by the Post, who had reportedly been briefed on the call, said Trump told Turnbull that he was going to get killed politically if he honored what he called the worst deal ever. Tightening up immigration was one of Trumps core campaign promises and among the first issues he took up during his first week in office. His executive order barring all refugees and banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries caused chaos over the weekend, prompting protests, confusion and knotty legal cases over refugees, immigrants and permanent residents detained at airports across the United States. A swirl of confusing leaks from the White House about President Trumps contentious interactions with the leaders of some of the countrys closest allies, and accusations by anonymous sources in the military that a fatal raid in Yemen was undertaken without adequate preparation are all contributing to a growing sense of chaos inside a Trump administration that hasnt yet reached the two-week mark in its four-year term. Compounding the tension in Washington was the administrations vague threat of impending action against Iran over that countrys recent test of a ballistic missile and the actions of rebels it is supporting in Yemen. Related: After Three Years of Extreme Vetting, I Nearly Gave Up on My American Dream On Wednesday night, the Washington Post revealed that Trump had an extremely contentious call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last weekend, in which the president -- in between boasts about his election victory -- berated Turnbull over an agreement the Obama administration reached with Canberra to accept 1,250 refugees currently detained offshore by Australian authorities. Reporting byThe Washington Post and Australian news outlets described a tense and at times angry conversation that Trump told Turnbull was the worst call by far he has had with a foreign leader. Trump appeared to confirm that he was upset with the deal late Wednesday night, tweeting out, Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! The reported call has caused political havoc for Turnbull in Australia, a country that has long been one of the United States closest and most reliable allies. Related: How Long Can Trump Tolerate the President Bannon Headlines? Conflicting reports also arose late Wednesday about Trumps conversation with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto over the weekend. The Associated Press initially reported that it had been provided a transcript of part of the conversation in which Trump took the Mexican president to task for not addressing drug violence strongly enough in his country. Story continues You have a bunch of bad hombres down there, Trump allegedly said. You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it. The story immediately blew up on social media, because it gave the impression that Trump had, in effect, threatened to invade the United States southern neighbor and third largest trading partner. A few hours later, CNN offered a different version of the story, reporting that what the AP reviewed had apparently been part of a White House staff-written readout of the conversation. The real transcript, part of which the network said it was provided, showed that Trump had not threatened to send US troops into Mexico, but had offered Pena Nieto military assistance if he needed it. Related: The Emerging Arms Race at Sea for the US, China and Russia According to CNN, the transcript has Trump saying, You have some pretty tough hombres in Mexico that you may need help with. We are willing to help with that big-league, but they have to be knocked out and you have not done a good job knocking them out. This is, to put it plainly, bizarre. Readouts of presidential conversations with world leaders are sanitized summaries of calls, in which a shouting match is reduced to a frank exchange of ideas and an outright threat becomes one of various options that were discussed. What they never do is try to escalate an already tense situation. Why a readout that so grossly misrepresented the presidents words would have been created in the first place is mysterious. That it would have been leaked to the press is closer to incomprehensible. As if reports of Trump treating leaders of the countrys closest allies like hotel suppliers who displeased him werent alarming enough, Reuters early Thursday reported that senior military officials are claiming that a disastrous raid in Yemen last week that killed a Navy SEAL, wounded several other Americans, and took the lives of an unknown number of civilians was approved without sufficient planning. Related: China Just Gave Trump a 999-Foot-Long Middle Finger According to the news agency: U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. These claims raise a number of troubling questions, chief among them being why military officials would even ask permission to undertake an operation that they saw as ill-conceived in the first place. It suggests that either the Trump administration was pressuring the Pentagon into taking actions it wasnt prepared for, or that military officials are throwing the White House under the bus for a botched operation they dont want to take the blame for. Neither is a particularly encouraging scenario. All this came after a day in which Trumps controversial National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, made an unannounced appearance in the White House briefing room Wednesday afternoon to tell reporters that the administration was officially putting Iran on notice over what he described as violations of a United Nations resolution affirming a deal to shut down its nuclear program and attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen who receive backing from Tehran. However, Flynn abruptly left the podium before elaborating on what it meant to put Iran officially on notice leaving it to Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who said only that the US would not sit by and not act on those actions. By the end of the day, there had still been no clarification of what, if any, steps the administration is considering. Nevertheless, the administration sent out its surrogates to insist that the move had been a success. Sebastian Gorka, an assistant to the president, appeared on Fox News channels Sean Hannity program to claim that the vague threat was actually deadly clear. Related: The US Navys $13 Billion Answer to China and Russia We dont have a national security team made up of 28-year-old grad school students who have degrees in fictional writing. We have a very serious national security team, Gorka said, apparently in reference to one of former president Obamas close advisers. We sent a very clear message. We recognize that Iran is not just another country. It's not Belgium, it's not Trinidad and Tobago. It is a state sponsor of terrorism that is destabilizing the region. We have to send a message, and I think the message was sent. Trump himself addressed the issue early Thursday morning in a pair of tweets, writing, Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a lifeline in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion. But he also offered no clear indication of what actions the White House is planning to take. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Mexico City (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's "violent" words against the media are worrying and set a bad example for despots who could feel freer to muzzle journalists, a press rights group said Thursday. "Donald Trump's attitude toward the media is extremely worrisome, of course, for the United States, for freedom of the press in that country," Reporters Without Borders director general Christophe Deloire told AFP. "He never ceases -- with his words, on Twitter -- to be violent against journalists and we can already see a form of radicalization against journalists that is worrisome, but it's even more troubling for the rest of the world, since he gives a truly bad example," he said. Trump and his aides have had a tense relationship with the media that began during the US presidential campaign and has become more confrontational since his inauguration on January 20. The US leader has accused news organizations of peddling "fake news" and journalists of being "among the most dishonest human beings on Earth." "Many despots or presidents of restrained democracies will seize on it, saying: 'Look, even the US president says journalists are the most dishonest people on Earth,'" Deloire said. "This will authorize some to fight journalists even harder and restrain freedom of press." Deloire spoke on the sidelines of a news conference to present a Reporters Without Borders report on violence against journalists in Mexico's drug cartel-plagued eastern state of Veracruz. At least 99 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000, including 17 in Veracruz in the past six years, the report said. The violence has forced many journalists from around the country to take refuge in Mexico City, Deloire said, but some also flee abroad. "The country where most Mexican journalists go into exile is the US and Trump's remarks about migrants and journalists are evidently extremely troubling for those journalists," he told AFP. Trump has called Mexican migrants "rapists" and drug runners, and vowed to make Mexico pay for a massive wall across the southern US border. By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. senators on Wednesday delayed a committee vote on President Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency after the panel's Democrats boycotted the meeting, saying that nominee Scott Pruitt doubts the science of climate change. The boycott in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee delayed the transition to a new administrator for the agency. Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat, said he could not support Pruitt, a Republican and the attorney general of Oklahoma, for a public health position because he "denies the sum of empirical science and the urgency to act on climate change." At a committee confirmation hearing last month Pruitt, who has sued the agency he intends to run more than a dozen times on behalf of the oil-drilling state Oklahoma, expressed doubt about climate change science. But Pruitt said he would be would be obliged for now to uphold the agency's 2009 "endangerment finding" that carbon dioxide emissions harm public health. The finding is the agency's basis for regulations on those emissions. Senator Tom Carper, the panel's top Democrat, said Pruitt had provided "woefully inadequate" answers to written questions and had not named one agency regulation that he supported. "If Mr. Pruitt is serious about leading this important agency, he should be more than willing to provide straightforward answers to our fundamental questions," Carper said. Republicans decried the move by the Democrats. "This is simply a senatorial temper tantrum," said Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, another oil state. Trump, like Republican Senator Jim Inhofe on the panel, has called climate change a hoax. Trump has promised to make changes at the agency including doing away with previous President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan that cracks down on emissions from coal-fired electricity generators. The plan was suspended by the Supreme Court last year. John Konkus, a spokesman for Pruitt's confirmation team, said Democrats and the EPA under Obama had "put politics and rhetoric ahead of their core work and ahead of the welfare of the American public." In 2013, Republican senators on the panel boycotted then- Obama's second term pick for the agency, Gina McCarthy, saying they were "completely unsatisfied" by her answers to more than 1,000 written questions they had asked her. She was eventually confirmed. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; editing by Bill Trott and Grant McCool) ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish authorities ordered the detention of 177 police officers, the state-run Anadolu agency said on Thursday, widening a crackdown against people accused of links to a failed coup in July. The suspects, from 25 provinces, were being sought on suspicion of using ByLock, an encrypted smartphone messaging app, the agency said, citing the Ankara prosecutor's office. The government has accused the network of cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the coup, and says it made use of ByLock in the attempt. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied the charge and condemned the coup. In the post-coup crackdown, Turkey has jailed some 40,000 people pending trial and has suspended or dismissed more than 125,000 from the military, judiciary and public services. Among the suspects sought on Thursday were police officers who had previously been dismissed over alleged links to Gulen's network, Anadolu said. It said some of suspects had already been detained and would be brought to Ankara for questioning. President Tayyip Erdogan declared emergency rule after the failed coup, enabling the government to bypass parliament in enacting new laws and limit or suspend rights and freedoms when deemed necessary. Rights groups and some of Turkey's Western allies fear Erdogan is using the coup as a pretext to stifle dissent, but he says the moves are necessary to protect democracy and root out Gulen supporters. Turkey, a NATO member, has been hit by a series of bombings and shootings in the past year in addition to the coup, in which soldiers commandeered tanks and fighter jets in a bid to seize power, killing at least 240 people. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by David Dolan and John Stonestreet) UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, blamed Russia on Thursday for the recent surge of violence in eastern Ukraine and warned Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until Moscow returns Crimea to Kiev. "I consider it unfortunate on the occasion of my first appearance here I must condemn the aggressive actions of Russia," Haley said, making her first public remarks inside the Security Council since being sworn in as the United States' representative to the United Nations last month. "It shouldn't happen, or be that way. We do want to better our relations with Russia. However, the dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions." Her remarks came amid speculation over new U.S. President Donald Trump's intentions towards Moscow. Trump has praised Russia's President Vladimir Putin and expressed a wish for improved relations between the two countries. Haley made clear that tensions over the Ukraine would not end soon, including the matter of sanctions slapped on Russia related to the annexation of Crimea three years ago. "Eastern Ukraine of course is not the only part of the country suffering because of Russias aggressive actions. The United States continues to condemn and call for an immediate end to the Russian occupation of Crimea," Haley said. "Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine." The United States and other Western powers imposed sanctions on Russia in 2014 over its annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine and its support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia had blamed each other for a surge in fighting in recent days that has led to the highest casualty toll in weeks and cut off power and water to thousands of civilians on the front line. The Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists accuse each other of launching offensives in the government-held industrial town of Avdiyivka and firing heavy artillery in defiance of the two-year-old Minsk ceasefire deal. (Reporting By Ned Parker; Editing by Bernard Orr) By Patricia Zengerle and Sabine Siebold WASHINGTON (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday that Germany wanted to keep working on the transatlantic relationship but that it was important for Germany and the United States to stick to shared values such as freedom of religion. U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries has caused international outrage. German Chancellor Angela Merkel raised the issue again during a visit to Ankara on Thursday, saying that fighting terrorism did not justify placing Muslims under general suspicion. During a visit to Washington, Gabriel said: "We share a fixed set of values with the USA but these values, which include the freedom of religion and dealing fairly with each other in the world, must be upheld - we must not deviate from them." Gabriel held talks with Senator Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations committee, and Ben Cardin, the panel's most senior Democrat, on Thursday. Corker told Reuters after the meeting that they had a "frank conversation" on a wide range of topics. "We have some issues we need to work out but we respect the ultra-important role that Germany played in the European Union, the vice that they're in in many ways, the difficulties they're dealing with," Corker said. Corker said NATO was among the issues they discussed. Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members such as Germany that do not spend 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on their militaries. "Our NATO allies that are not doing the things they are supposed to be doing funding-wise have got to step up," Corker said, adding that this had been discussed for years in the U.S. Senate and now action needed to be taken. "And I think they know that, and they're prepared to do that. And at the same time, they point out, they have huge burdens on refugees. Which I think is a fair assessment of where theyve been," Corker said. Merkel and Trump underscored the importance of the NATO alliance during a phone call on Saturday. Merkel has said Germany will work to increase its defense spending - now at 1.19 percent of GDP - but also warned that it would take time to achieve the goal. [ Gabriel is due to meet U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later on Thursday. (Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Andrea Shalal) By Andrew Chung and Lawrence Hurley (Reuters) - When gay former law clerk Joshua Goodbaum married his partner in 2014, he got effusive and emotional reassurance from his former boss, President Donald Trump's conservative U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Goodbaum, now an attorney in Connecticut, recalled fondly their conversation on the week of the wedding: "He said, 'This is a wonderful thing. You'll see how your relationship grows.'" Goodbaum, who in 2009 served as a clerk for the Colorado federal appeals court judge, added: "I have never felt the least whiff from him of homophobia or intolerance toward gay people." As the U.S. Senate weighs whether to confirm the Republican president's nomination of Gorsuch for a lifetime seat on the nation's highest court, his views on social issues, such as gay rights, are under scrutiny by Democrats and Republicans alike. The Supreme Court periodically makes landmark civil rights decisions such as the 2015 ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide. In their current term, for instance, the justices will tackle a major transgender rights case. For a year, the court has had eight justices, not the requisite nine, because Republicans refused to consider Democratic former President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland. Democrats remain furious with the Republicans for that, and are scouring Gorsuch's record to build their case against his Senate confirmation. When he was named as a nominee by Trump on Tuesday, Gorsuch, 49, immediately came under attack from liberal groups that pounced on his social issues record, which is thin but offers clues on how he might behave as a justice, if confirmed. Like Goodbaum, friends and acquaintances of Gorsuch, many of them Democrats, said he is genial, tolerant and respectful. In some ways, he differs in style from the justice he was named to replace, the late Antonin Scalia, who was known for being combative and blunt on the bench. Gorsuch would not put politics before the law, these people said. But his conservative legal philosophy indicates he would likely vote with like-minded conservative justices on the closely divided court. He rejects the idea that liberals can press their social agenda in the courts. That could signaled he may be less likely to side with Justice Anthony Kennedy, a conservative who often casts the deciding vote in close cases. Kennedy has joined with liberal justices in backing gay marriage, abortion rights and, most recently, a limited form of racial preferences in college admissions. It remains an open question whether Gorsuch would vote for conservative agenda items such as expanding religious liberties in a way some critics say allows for discrimination against gays and others, restricting voting rights and lifting campaign finance restrictions. 'ADDICTED TO THE COURTROOM' In a 2005 article for conservative magazine National Review, Gorsuch said liberals "have become addicted to the courtroom, relying on judges and lawyers rather than elected leaders and the ballot box, as the primary means of effecting their social agenda on everything from gay marriage to assisted suicide to the use of vouchers for private-school education." Some liberal politicians and advocacy groups have labeled Gorsuch a conservative hardliner in part over his role in deciding a 2013 case involving the Christian owners of the arts-and-crafts retailer Hobby Lobby. The ruling allowed owners of private companies to object on religious grounds to a federal requirement that they provide insurance to employees that pays for women's birth control. It was affirmed by the Supreme Court. "We absolutely must not confirm a Supreme Court nominee who has ruled that the religious beliefs of employers can trump the law," said Rachel Tiven, chief executive of Lambda Legal, an advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. On another issue, Gorsuch last October said his colleagues on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should have reconsidered a ruling that prevented Utah Governor Gary Herbert from suspending funding to women's healthcare and abortion provider Planned Parenthood over videos purported to show its officials negotiating the sale of fetal tissue. In 2006, Gorsuch wrote a book arguing against legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia. After Trump nominated him, many social conservatives and religious groups, perhaps looking back at his book, said they hoped Gorsuch would vote on the court to roll back abortion rights. In the book, Gorsuch cited the "inviolability of human life," calling it a "basic good." The Knights of Columbus, a Roman Catholic fraternal organization, said Gorsuch would uphold religious freedoms "and the right to life of every person." Former clerks said they do not know how Gorsuch, a member of the Episcopal church, would vote on gay marriage or abortion. But they said he never brought his religion into his work. "Hes not the kind of person to use his post to push an agenda," said Jason Murray, a Gorsuch clerk in 2011 who is a Democrat. "You could certainly say Judge Gorsuch is a conservative. But I dont see how his personality or record bears out that he is an extremist," Murray said. Some who know Gorsuch personally said his respect for legal precedent could prevent radical attempts to change the law. "He's very sensitive to the importance of societal stability. So if he were to change Roe v. Wade significantly I would be surprised," added Tracy Ashmore, a Democratic lawyer from Denver, referring to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion. (Additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley in Washington; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Will Dunham) By Arshad Mohammed, Matt Spetalnick and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is poised to impose new sanctions on multiple Iranian entities, seeking to ratchet up pressure on Tehran while crafting a broader strategy to counter what he sees as its destabilizing behavior, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. In the first tangible action against Iran since Trump took office on Jan. 20, the administration, on the same day he insisted that nothing is off the table, prepared to roll out new measures against more than two dozen Iranian targets, the sources said. The announcement is expected as early as Friday, they said. The new sanctions, which are being taken under existing executive orders covering terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, may mark the leading edge of a more aggressive policy against Iran that Trump promised during the 2016 presidential campaign, the sources, who had knowledge of the administration's plans, said. But the package, targeting both entities and individuals, was formulated in a way that would not violate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by Trumps predecessor Barack Obama, they added. The sources said the new sanctions had been in the works for some time and that Iran's decision to test-fire a ballistic missile on Sunday had helped trigger Trump's decision to impose them, although Washington has not accused Iran of violating the nuclear deal. The White House signaled a tougher stance toward Iran on Wednesday when Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser, said he was putting Iran "on notice" after the missile test and senior U.S. officials said the administration was reviewing how to respond. A top adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said his country would not yield to "useless" U.S. threats from "an inexperienced person" over its ballistic missile program. The adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati did not identify a specific U.S. official in his comments. The impact of the new round of sanctions will be more symbolic than practical, especially as the move does not affect the lifting of broader U.S. and international sanctions that took place under the nuclear deal. Also, few of the Iranian entities being targeted are likely to have U.S. assets that can be frozen, and U.S. companies, with few exceptions, are barred from doing business with Iran. But the administration is working with congressional staffers and outside experts on a still-evolving comprehensive plan aimed at hitting as many of Irans pressure points as possible, including its already restricted nuclear program, its missile development and its support of militant groups in the region. Though development of the new approach is in its early stages, options under consideration include exercising zero tolerance for even the most minor Iranian violations of the nuclear deal and officially designating Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, the sources said. Michael Flynn did not put Iran on notice as mere empty words, said Mark Dubowitz, an Iran sanctions expert and head of the conservative Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies who is advising the Trump administration and lawmakers. "Iran's continued missile and terrorism activities will lead to dozens of new U.S. designations and tough new congressional sanctions. This is merely the beginning of what Flynn meant. "NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE" Trumps declaration that nothing has been ruled out in response to Iran appears to leave open the possibility of military action, though experts say both sides will take care to avoid armed confrontation in the oil-rich Gulf. Still, the U.S. threats of reprisals, coupled with Irans defiant reaction, could dangerously ratchet up tensions between the two countries. Every recent U.S. president, including Democratic predecessor Obama, has said that U.S. military options were not off the table to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. But Trump and some of his aides have gone much further in their rhetoric, especially in criticizing the Iran deal as weak, ineffective and in need of renegotiation. Irans continued missile testing has been a source of controversy. In the latest move, one source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said about eight Iranian entities were to be sanctioned, or "designated" in U.S. legal jargon, for terrorism-related activities and about 17 for ballistic missile-related activities under separate existing U.S. executive orders. The source declined to name the entities, which were targeted under executive orders signed by George W. Bush in 2001 and 2005. Sanctions designations can lead to asset freezes, travel bans and other penalties. The White House declined comment. A U.S. State Department official, asked for comment, replied: As standard policy, we do not preview sanction decisions before they are announced. Leading a chorus of Republican calls for new sanctions, Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said the United States should stop "appeasing" Tehran. "I would be in favor of additional sanctions on Iran," Ryan told reporters at a weekly news conference. "Id like to put as much toothpaste back in the tube as possible. I think the last administration appeased Iran far too much." Like every Republican in Congress, Ryan opposed the nuclear agreement with Iran that went into effect early last year. But Republican lawmakers said they were working with the Trump administration to push back on Iran as much as possible without risking the international uncertainty that would come with tearing up the pact. "Now we have a partner that's willing to deal with Iran in the way that Iran should be dealt with. ... And so we're in a real different ball game," Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters. Corker said his committee was "in the early stages" of working on legislation related to the nuclear issue. Trump's administration has already begun looking at actions it could take without waiting for Congress, where Republicans would have to win some Democratic support to pass any new sanctions package, congressional aides said. For example, Trump could impose sanctions already authorized by existing laws, but which were not put into effect by the Obama administration. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay; Writing by Matt Spetalnick and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and James Dalgleish) By Alex Dobuzinskis and Mica Rosenberg LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban. Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday. But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter. In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered U.S. officials to refrain from "removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa" who is arriving from one of the seven nations. According to the U.S. Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder. Birotte's ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travelers with non-immigrant visas. The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation. Trump's executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including U.S. citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the U.S. State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries. More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to U.S. citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti. "It's terrible because I have children here who are without their parents," she said. Some other children in the group are U.S. citizens whose parents were traveling with immigrant visas, she added. In Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent U.S. residents who entered from the seven countries. By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of "absolutely ignoring" rulings she believes should allow their departure. In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked "relevant visas as defined" under Trump's executive order. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Congressman Jason Chaffetz said on Thursday he plans to withdraw a bill that would have sold off more than 3 million acres of federal land to private interests after it drew a barrage of negative comments from hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Chaffetz said in a post on the Instagram social media site that he would scrap the so-called Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2017, which he introduced last week, saying he feared it sent the wrong message. Im a proud gun owner, hunter and love our public lands, the Utah representative said in a comment, beneath a photo he posted of himself outdoors wearing hunting gear and holding a dog. I hear you and HR 621 dies tomorrow, added Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. HR 621 is the abbreviated name of the bill, which would have directed the Interior Department to sell off 3.3 million acres of federal land including "to non-federal entities" across 10 western states, which Chaffetz had said were small parcels of land that former President Bill Clinton previously identified as serving no public purpose. Sportsmen and women, hunting groups, and outdoor gear retailers had flooded Chaffetz's Instagram account with thousands of posts, urging him to "say no to HR 621" and to "#keepitpublic.". Conservation and hunting and gaming advocacy groups have been raising concerns over the past month about what they see an aggressive strategy by Congress to make it easier to transfer public lands to state control or sell it off. Last month, on the first day of the new Congress, the House passed a rules package that contained a measure that would facilitate a public lands sell-off by directing the Congressional Budget Office, which provides lawmakers data for budget decisions, to assign no monetary value to the lands. Outdoors groups say public lands hold value for the outdoor recreation economy. The Wilderness Society values that industry at over $646 billion. Story continues "I dont think anybody had expected the backlash that has happened as a result of these bills. People are upset out here in the west and it is one of the hottest political issues in western states," said Brad Brooks, Idaho Deputy Regional Director for the Wilderness Society. President Donald Trump has advocated for opening up public land for more drilling and mining, although he has said that public land should stay under federal control. (Reporting By Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Tom Brown) By Jane Wardell and Roberta Rampton SYDNEY/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. ties with staunch ally Australia became strained on Thursday after details about an acrimonious phone call between its leaders emerged and U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal between the two nations on refugee resettlement was "dumb." During a 25-minute phone call last Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Trump accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers" under the agreement, the Washington Post reported. The Post, which cited unidentified senior U.S. officials, said that Trump abruptly ended the call and told Turnbull that it was the "worst call by far" he'd had with a foreign leader. The description of the call and a subsequent tweet from Trump promising to study what he called a "dumb deal" caused concern among lawmakers from Republican and Democratic parties. "We always have reason to be concerned with respect to anytime our relationship with an ally might go sour. My hope is that it won't," Republican Senator Mike Lee told CNN. "My hope is that we can achieve whatever objectives the president's willing to pursue in a way that won't damage the trade relationship or won't damage other aspects of our relationship," Lee said. Representative Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, urged Trump to apologise, while Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said he called Australia's U.S. ambassador to express his support. During former President Barack Obama's administration, the United States agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The rift between Washington and Canberra that has developed over the resettlement deal could have serious repercussions. Australia and the United States are among five nations that make up the Five Eyes group, the world's leading intelligence-sharing network. Later on Thursday, Trump told reporters at the White House he would "respect" the refugee agreement with Australia. But Trump made it clear he was not pleased, saying it was an example of countries taking advantage of the United States. "Why are we doing this, what's the purpose? So, we'll see what happens," Trump said. REFUGEES AT ISSUE The call between Trump and Turnbull came at the end of a day of widespread protests and confusion over Trump's order for a 120-day halt of the U.S. refugee program and a 90-day suspension on visits from people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Many of the people being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and human rights groups, fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump was "unbelievably disappointed" and "extremely, extremely upset" with the deal, but said it would go ahead. Spicer said all refugees presented to the United States would be subject to "extreme vetting" to ensure they do not pose security risks. Turnbull told reporters he was surprised and disappointed that details of the call with Trump had been leaked but gave few particulars other than to deny reports Trump had hung up on him. "As far as the call is concerned, the report that the president hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously. And as far as the nature of the discussion, it was very frank and forthright," he told a Sydney radio station on Thursday. UNPRECEDENTED ACRIMONY Political analysts said the acrimony between the two countries was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former U.S. President Richard Nixon and then-Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who withdrew the country's troops during the Vietnam War. "Even that was always done in the language of foreign policy niceties," said Harry Phillips, a political analyst of 40 years experience at Edith Cowan and Curtin universities in Perth. Australia, New Zealand and the United States have been allies under a formal security treaty since 1951. They co-operate on military matters in the Pacific region, although today the treaty is taken to relate to conflicts worldwide. The United States plans to send extra military aircraft to Australia's tropical north this year as part of a U.S. Marines deployment that will bolster its military presence close to the disputed South China Sea. Australia is also one of 10 U.S. allies purchasing Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet program. (Additional reporting by Eric Walsh, Susan Heavey and Ayesha Rascoe in Washington and Colin Packham in Sydney; Writing by Jane Wardell and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Paul Tait, Jeffrey Benkoe and Grant McCool) By Phil Stewart and Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's defenses secretary told South Korea on Thursday the two allies would stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" to face the threat from North Korea, in a message of reassurance after Trump questioned aspects of the alliance in his campaign. Jim Mattis' two-day visit comes amid concern that the North may be readying to test a new ballistic missile, in what could be an early challenge for Trump's administration. Mattis, in his first trip abroad as Pentagon chief, vowed to strengthen ties in talks with South Korean Prime Minister and acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn. "Right now we have to address the reality of the threat that your country and my country faces and we intend to be shoulder-to-shoulder with you as we face this together," Mattis said at talks with Hwang in Seoul. Hwang, who is serving as acting president after President Park Geun-hye was impeached over a corruption scandal, called for increasing pressure on Pyongyang, including by strengthening sanctions and pressing forward with a strong, united defenses. "South Korea and the United States must try to extract a change in North Korea's strategic calculus by deterring the North's aggression," Hwang said in a statement. North Korea, which regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and its main ally, the United States, conducted more than 20 missile tests last year, as well as two nuclear tests, in defiance of U.N. resolutions and sanctions. The North appears to have also restarted operation of a reactor at its main Yongbyon nuclear facility that produces plutonium that can be used for its nuclear weapons program, according to a U.S. think-tank, 38 North. In his New Year's speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his nation was close to test launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Trump on Jan. 2 tweeted, "It won't happen!" about North Korea's pursuit of a nuclear-tipped ICBM, although his precise meaning was unclear. The Pentagon has said it would not necessarily strike a test-launched ICBM if it did not pose a threat. Mattis' trip to the region, which will include a stop in Japan, is the first foreign trip by any of Trump's cabinet secretaries. U.S. officials have said the trip is meant to reaffirm ties with South Korea and Japan, U.S. allies hosting nearly 80,000 American troops, and the importance of the region overall. That U.S. reaffirmation could be critical after Trump appeared to question the cost of such alliances during the election campaign. Trump also jolted the region by pulling Washington out of an Asia-Pacific trade deal that Japan had championed. MISSILE DEFENSES Both South Korea and the United States on Thursday recommitted to plans to deploy a U.S. missile defenses system, known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), in South Korea later this year. "THAAD is for defenses of our ally's people, of our troops who are committed to their defenses," Mattis told reporters shortly before landing in South Korea. South Korea and the United States say the deployment of THAAD is designed to protect against North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities, which have been advancing despite years of efforts by the international community. China, however, has objected to THAAD, saying it will destabilize the regional security balance, leading to calls from some South Korean opposition leaders to delay or cancel it. Mattis, without citing China explicitly, said "no other nation" needed to be concerned about THAAD. "Were it not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for THAAD out here," Mattis said. Mattis, who will hold more talks in Seoul on Friday before heading to Japan, suggested he was coming into a region with an open mind about what might be working - and what might not be - in the strategy to deal with Pyongyang. "Strategies are games of give and take and I have to see their (South Korea's) view of it," Mattis said. "Have we maintained what passes for peace so far? To a degree we have. But we're not trying to just look at today. We're looking at today and we're looking at tomorrow. And I need to see where they view this going right now." Once fully developed, a North Korean ICBM could threaten the continental United States, which is about 9,000 km (5,500 miles) from North Korea. ICBMs have a minimum range of about 5,500 km (3,400 miles), but some are designed to travel 10,000 km (6,200 miles) or more. Former U.S. officials and other experts have said the United States essentially has two options when it comes to trying to curb North Korea's fast-expanding nuclear and missile programs - negotiate or take military action. Neither path offers certain success and the military option is fraught with huge dangers, especially for Japan and South Korea, U.S. allies in close proximity to North Korea. (Editing by Nick Macfie, Robert Birsel) WASHINGTON (AP) -- Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's council of business leaders, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Kalanick wrote to his employees that he'd spoken with Trump on Thursday to "let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that." His departure came on the eve of the first meeting of the group at the White House, planned for Friday. Disney CEO Bob Iger won't attend either; instead he will be at a company board meeting in California, according to a person close to Iger who requested anonymity to discuss the CEO's schedule. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. Led by Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and chief executive of the private equity group Blackstone, the council has about 15 members, including the leaders of Wal-Mart, Tesla, the Cleveland Clinic and Pepsi. The council is "designed to provide direct input to the president from many of the best and brightest in the business world in a frank, non-bureaucratic, and nonpartisan manner," according to a Blackstone press release in December announcing its formation. Yet public outcry about Trump specifically his executive order suspending the country's refugee program and halting other aspects of immigration has put some business leaders in an uncomfortable spot. Uber, a ride-sharing company popular in urban, largely Democratic areas, has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike to and from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport that was in response to the executive order. Kalanick condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott had continued. One woman urging boycotts for all companies tied to Trump said only total resignation from the Trump business forum would satisfy her. Story continues "This is not a 'seat at the table' moment. This is a flip-the-table moment," said Shannon Coulter, one of the organizers of the anti-Trump social media campaign "Grab Your Wallet." Other forum members said they'd keep their commitment. Toby Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, is planning to attend. "He has an opportunity to talk directly to the president, and that is a good opportunity," said spokeswoman Eileen Sheil. Sheil said the clinic employs doctors and caretakers from many countries, and was directly affected by the travel ban. She said a Sudanese citizen who is a first-year resident at the Cleveland Clinic is stuck in Sudan and unable to return to work. General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra remains a member of the advisory group and plans to attend the Friday meeting, spokesman Patrick Morrissey said. Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk said in a statement that he'd attend. He said he and others on the council "will express our objections to the recent executive order on immigration and offer suggestions for changes to the policy." __ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Washington, Bernard Condon in New York and Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. MUMBAI (Reuters) - U.S. ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies said on Thursday it has tapped Madhu Kannan as its chief business officer for India and emerging markets. The company said Kannan will be responsible for growing its business in India as well as across new emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region, through strategic partnerships. Uber declined to provide details on the countries that would fall under his purview. Kannan was previously the group head of business development at Tata Sons and prior to that he was chief executive of the Bombay Stock Exchange. India, one of the world's fastest growing taxi markets, has become Uber's main battleground in Asia after it folded its China business into local rival Didi Chuxing. It is locked in a fierce market share battle with domestic rival Ola in India, but Uber's CEO Travis Kalanick recently said he does see a path to profitability for the ride-sharing firm in India. (Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Euan Rocha) By J.R. Wu TAIPEI (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc said it will suspend its service in Taiwan from Feb. 10, firing the latest salvo in the ride-hailing service company's long-running dispute with the island's authorities over mounting fines. Uber's move comes after Taiwan recently raised fines against unlicensed ride-sharing services, targeted at Uber, which the company said were the highest in the world. Taiwan has maintained Uber's business is illegal, and at one point last year even considered ordering it to leave the domestic market. The U.S.-based firm has been asked to pay T$328.59 million ($10.57 million) in fines so far, with over half the sum slapped on it since early January, when higher penalties of as much as T$25 million per infraction took effect, according to figures from Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications. Uber has paid T$68.25 million to date, the ministry said. The company has protested fines against it and defended its model, and in November issued an open letter to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to intervene, appealing to her push to turn Taiwan into a Silicon Valley in Asia. But the higher fines seem to have driven matters to a head. "We will pause our operations until the president and her government find a solution," Damian Kassabgi, director of Uber's public policy in Asia-Pacific, said in an emailed statement. Uber said there was no timeline for how long the suspension would last. The suspension would not affect UberEATS, its the meal takeaway service that relies primarily on scooters for deliveries and was launched in November last year on the island. "From the view of protecting consumer rights, the government must have some control," Hu Ti-chi, a ministry official, told a news briefing on Thursday. "Our position has never been to chase Uber out. If there is anywhere we can counsel we will provide it, but it must be a legitimate business." Uber operates in Taiwan as an internet-based technology platform rather than as a transportation company, which local taxi companies and Taiwanese authorities have said is a misrepresentation of its service. The company has argued that it provides a technology service and has said there are over 10,000 driver-partners, mainly local citizens, registered on its platform in Taiwan who use the opportunity afforded by Uber to earn money. Hu said if Uber is not regulated as a transportation company, it can be regulated as a transportation service provider and collaborate with local taxi companies. There was room to discuss how it could be regulated, Hu said. Uber said in a statement that it had taken the initiative in discussions with Taiwan, including securing local insurance and reaching out to collaborate with the local taxi industry. Uber, headquartered in San Francisco, has been facing similar legal scrutiny in markets across Asia. With steep fines imposed on its drivers in Macau, Uber had decided to pull out of the Chinese-ruled gambling hub, although later it aborted the plans citing support from residents. In Japan, which bars non-professional drivers from offering taxi services, it was blocked by authorities from setting up in two cities while it also faced opposition from established taxi operators. But a window of opportunity finally cracked open with the ride-hailing firm starting pilot services for elderly people in rural towns last year. In Tokyo, Uber operates as a travel agent, connecting users to established taxi company drivers. ($1 = 31.0830 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Himani Sarkar) TWIN FALLS Connie Stopher plans to take a multi-pronged approach to economic development when she takes the helm at the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization in March. Stopher, 32, of Bandon, Ore., has been named the next executive director of SIEDO following Jeff Houghs resignation in September. Having worked in economic development organizations in Idaho and Oregon, Stopher brings experience she believes will guide her work as businesses face low unemployment in the Magic Valley. Aside from recruiting businesses and a work force, she plans to focus on encouraging entrepreneurs. Those are great ways to create homegrown growth in your community, she said during a phone interview with the Times-News. Im really excited to work with all the folks there. Hough, who succeeded former longtime director Jan Rogers, had directed SIEDO for about six months in 2016 before he resigned, citing personal reasons. Twin Falls builder Brad Wills became the interim director shortly after Houghs resignation. The search for a new director began in late October, with more than 30 applicants responding even from outside the country, Wills said. The whole selection committee was really excited, he said. Shes really bright, has a good background and theyre confident shes going to be able to carry on the success of SIEDO. Stopher joined the South Coast Development Council in Coos Bay, Ore., in 2014 as the executive director. Prior to that, she worked for Bannock Development Corp. in Pocatello. She has a bachelors degree in political science and a masters degree in public administration from Idaho State University. Stopher took control of the South Coast Development Council, a failing organization, and built it up mostly on her own steam, Wills said. Its a hard position to be in because theres really no playbook, he said. Youve gotta be really a self-starter. In Coos Bay, Stopher launched a business retention and expansion program and added hundreds of new jobs. Its probably equally or more important that you take care of the companies that are already in the area, Wills said. To encourage more local startup businesses, Stopher said SIEDO can connect people with resources. The Hispanic community has shown an entrepreneurial spirit in the Magic Valley, but may not be aware of resources, she said. While Stopher enjoyed her successes in Oregon, she and her husband, Patrick, wanted to return to Idaho. We missed Idaho, she said. All of our family live in that general area. And the move will come in time for her to start her own family here: Stopher is expecting her first child in August. I actually applied for the job before I knew I was expecting, she said. Stopher will begin March 15, and Wills said he will continue working with SIEDO until he is no longer needed for the transition. We are excited to add Connie Stopher to SIEDO in support of our many communities, regional and state partners, said Dan Olmstead, SIEDO chair, said in a statement. She brings extensive skills in all areas of economic development having run a successful like organization in Oregon. She offers the ability to develop a vision for the region to move the organization and economic successes in Southern Idaho forward. Brussels (AFP) - Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage and other members of Britain's anti-EU party UKIP in the European Parliament are suspected of having misspent more than half a million euros in EU funds, a parliamentary source said Thursday. The new case, reported first in the British daily The Guardian, emerges after a scandal last year involving a European political grouping dominated by UKIP, the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE). The parliament now suspects that the UKIP MEPs used more than 580,000 euros (around $630,000) to pay for assistants who were not really doing parliamentary work, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those targeted in the new probe include Farage, who led Britain's vote to leave the European Union and is now closely aligned with US President Donald Trump, the source said. Farage is a controversial figure in the EU. His speech to the parliament in Brussels on Wednesday prompted a British Labour MEP to raise a sign with an arrow pointing to Farage: "He's lying to you." The list also includes Farage's successor as UKIP leader, Paul Nuttall, as well as party colleague Raymond Finch who joined Farage in paying the wages of parliamentary assistant Christopher Adams. Farage's wife, who was employed as an assistant by another UKIP MEP, is on the list of eight assistants targeted, whose contracts have been suspended. Parliament officials have yet to recover the misspent funds, the source said. The parliament's administrators believe that the real activities of these assistants were not linked to the European mandate of their employer, but to UKIP's national activities, the source said. A UKIP spokesman said: "We are appealing each and every one of the allegations that have been made." He added: "We have been here since 1999 and have scrupulously applied the rules of the European Parliament with very few problems. "It would appear that post-Brexit, there is an element of vindictiveness in the way in which the European Parliament is behaving." Story continues In the earlier scandal, ADDE came under scrutiny for soliciting European funds to finance "non-eligible expenses" linked to UKIP campaigning in Britain. These included spending for surveys ahead of the 2015 general elections and the referendum in June last year in which the country voted to leave the EU. It was ordered to reimburse 173,000 euros. The European Parliament will meanwhile shortly begin taking money from the salary of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to recover funds paid to a party assistant, a parliamentary source said. Avdiivka (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukraine's president appealed for more global pressure against Russia on Thursday as Moscow-backed rebels and government forces clashed around a frontline town in an upsurge of fighting that has claimed a reported 25 lives. The sworn foes have been exchanging mortar and rocket fire near the flashpoint eastern town of Avdiivka that sits just north of the pro-Russian rebels' de facto capital of Donetsk. The outburst of violence since Sunday has reignited fears of full-scale warfare returning to eastern Ukraine after a relative lull in 33 months of bloodshed in the European Union's backyard. The Avdiivka shelling left more than 20,000 people without heating or water in freezing winter weather and authorities scrambling to provide relief. The escalation in fighting has sharpened attention on a conflict that had slipped from recent focus despite having claimed more than 10,000 lives. The United States' UN ambassador Nikki Haley on Thursday condemned Russia's "aggressive actions" in Ukraine. The fresh fighting comes at a potential watershed moment for Ukraine as it seeks to maintain US support despite US President Donald Trump's bid to mend ties with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Moscow and Kiev have traded blame over who started the latest round of violence. AFP reporters have witnessed the rebels on the attack. "The world should be more actively putting pressure on Russia in order to end the shelling," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a statement. The Ukrainian army's general staff also convened a meeting of the G7 group of global powers representatives and the UN Security Council members' ambassadors to Kiev focused on the latest violence. "Moscow is putting Avdiivka on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe," Poroshenko said. But Russian President Vladimir Putin countered that the latest fighting was "provoked by the Ukrainian side". Story continues The seemingly irreconcilable differences are rooted in Kiev's worries that Putin is trying to stamp his authority on eastern Ukraine to give him leverage over Trump on other global issues. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg did not blame Russia directly but said that Moscow had "considerable influence" over the militia forces now on the attack in east Ukraine. Moscow denies accusations from Kiev and its allies that it sparked the war in 2014 and has sent in troops to keep Ukraine under its thumb after its tilt towards the West. - Mortars and gruel - Thursday morning began with echoes of rocket fire on the outskirts of blue-collar Avdiivka and the death of a woman in a shelling attack. It ended with still more shelling and the death of two more locals. The insurgents also said one more of their fighters was killed in the clashes while the Ukrainian army reported two deaths. Army officers were distributing gruel and tea to hundreds of people in makeshift street kitchens as the sound of exploding shells shattered the air. They also set up seven camps where people could warm up, with temperatures falling to minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus four degrees Fahrenheit) at night. "Right now we are making buckwheat and millet porridge," said a 40-year-old serviceman who gave his name only as Taras. "We hope to get some canned meat in the evening," he told AFP. - Why Avdiivka? - The industrial town of Avdiivka was seized by separatists when the conflict started in April 2014, following the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russian leader, but was recaptured by government forces several months later. The town has a giant coke plant that produces natural gas for generating heat and electricity and also has important roads used by the separatist fighters to move around machinery and weapons. Moscow and Kiev agreed on Wednesday to promote a new truce that would also open escape routes out of the devastated town. But coke plant spokesman Dmytro Murashko told AFP that those trying to leave Avdiivka fell under heavy shelling and had to return to the town. A Ukrainian fighter from Kiev who only gave his nom de guerre -- 'The Zoo' -- said he was certain that Russian forces were leading the offensive. "No one else could coordinate this so well," he told AFP. burs-zak/pvh It didnt take long for things in Ukraine to go south in the Trump era. Before last falls U.S. election, Ukraine had finally appeared to be stabilizing after several tumultuous years. The country was receiving generally good grades and assistance from the International Monetary Fund; it enjoyed the political, diplomatic, and financial if not quite military support of the West; and it was making headway on internal reforms in the legal, economic, social, educational, health, and energy sectors. Finally, its armed forces had successfully transformed themselves from the 6,000 combat-ready troops available in mid-2014 to a powerful, battle-hardened army that managed to fight Russia and its proxies to a standstill in the east. Now, fighting has again flared up in the east, after many months of relative quiet. That fighting is accompanied by a new, though faint, promise of a settlement, in the form of a Trump administration intent on pursuing a grand bargain with Russia that could settle the Ukraine conflict once and for all, perhaps even by restoring its territorial integrity. The problem is that a settlement on Ukraines declared terms would not be in its interest and Russia might be counting on just that. Perversely, the current state of affairs in the Donbass that is, a semi-frozen conflict has become the best option for Kiev. True, soldiers and civilians on both sides of the front continue to die, and this is not a good thing. But Ukraine has been spared immense costs: Its no longer obliged to sustain a rust belt that once drained its coffers, endure the regions corrupt oligarchs, political elites, and criminal gangs, or appease its pro-Soviet and pro-Russian population. Had Russia not occupied the Donbass after the 2014 Euromaidan revolution, Kiev would not have been able to adopt systemic reforms and construct an increasingly stable and democratic state enjoying the support of its patriotically inclined citizens. Since Russias occupation of the Donbass and of equally anti-Ukrainian Crimea has forced Moscow to bear the economic costs of both depressed regions, it is small wonder that Ukraine has been in no hurry to implement the Minsk accords and bring the Donbass back into the fold. Story continues By contrast, Russias enthusiasm for the Donbass has declined precipitously since early 2014, when its little green men seized Crimea, fomented unrest in eastern Ukraine, and planned on transforming several of Ukraines southeastern provinces into New Russia. The New Russia project quickly foundered on the lack of enthusiasm of most Ukrainians in the region for secession and the ability of the Ukrainian armed forces to push back the separatists into the enclave they currently occupy. The shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 demonstrated the political perils of conducting a destabilization process via proxies. At the same time, Moscow has been disinclined to pull out entirely, seeing the conflict as a way of ensuring it has a lever to maintain control of Ukraines future. And so Moscow continues to support economically and militarily an ongoing conflict that has lost its promise and become a liability. Donald Trumps election throws a wrench into this stable, if less than ideal, equilibrium. His affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin bespeaks a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy toward understanding Russias perspective and away from understanding Ukraine. No less troubling is that Trumps opposition to the EU and NATO, his endorsement of Brexit, his demonization of Germany, and his support of right-wing populists threaten to undermine Europe and its institutions, sever the transatlantic relationship, and destroy the notion of a coherent West. These moves will encourage Putin to seize the initiative and search for a new solution to the current Donbass quagmire. A military escalation, in which Putin uses the new administration as an excuse for a full-scale invasion to claim eastern Ukraine, seems unlikely but it is not impossible. Putin could read Trumps unqualified support of him as a green light to settle the nettlesome Ukrainian problem with one blow. During the phone call between Putin and Trump on Jan. 28, the two leaders reportedly discussed partnership on a range of issues, including Ukraine. As many have noted with alarm, the days following the phone call have seen shelling in the town of Avdiivka and the city of Mariupol. But Putin surely recognizes that a frontal assault would not only produce enormous Ukrainian and Russian casualties and destroy a significant portion of Ukraine. It would also deplete Russias human and economic capital, create a massive Ukrainian resistance movement, produce millions of refugees, and force Russia to institute a long-term occupation regime that could overtax the economy and destroy the Russian state. Few rational leaders would embark on such a suicidal course of action unless ideology or personal ambition gets in the way. What seems more likely is that the escalation is a prelude to discussions of a grand bargain between Trump and Putin that involves eastern Ukraine in some way. In whats often described as a best-case scenario for Ukraine, Putin could use the occupied Donbass to acquire concessions on other issues, whether the lifting of economic sanctions, or cooperation in the preservation of Bashar al-Assads regime in Syria. Putin would then withdraw his troops from Ukraine, cut off assistance to the separatists, and inform Kiev that it can have its territory back. Such a move would win Putin points with the United States and Europe, enabling him to portray Russia as a peace-loving and magnanimous country committed to stability and friendship with the West. Domestically, Putin would have to frame the withdrawal as a victory for Russia, but, given the effectiveness of his propaganda apparatus, he should be able to persuade a majority of his public of the wisdom of such a move, especially in light of Russians growing Donbass fatigue and the Russian money and lives that ending the occupation would save. Kiev couldnt turn down such an offer, because it has continually insisted that the Donbass must, and will, be brought back into the Ukrainian fold. But the consequences of this gift would be ugly. Kiev would likely face an all-out war with the abandoned separatists, one that it would probably win, but then have to follow with enormous investments to fix the devastated region and try to win the hearts and minds of its anti-Kiev population. Estimates of how much it would cost to undo the damage done by Russia start at $20 billion, according to economist Anders Aslund; Ukraines entire budget amounts to about $26 billion. No less debilitating for Ukraine would be the political consequences of reintegrating the occupied Donbass. Several million anti-Western voters would be brought into the fold, to vote against Ukraines pro-Western reforms. The pro-Russian political forces that ruled and still rule the region would get a second life. And the oligarchs and thieves who mismanaged the Donbass for decades would return to power. The Donbass would then play the same retrograde role it has played in Ukrainian politics since independence in 1991. Political tensions would increase, East-West polarization would return, Kiev would be rendered politically and economically impotent, and Putin would have achieved what he wanted all along a thoroughly unstable Ukraine, minus the cost of funding a low-level conflict in an economically doomed enclave. Of course, its impossible to say just which of these scenarios ranging from all-out war to dumping the Donbass to some other intermediate move will happen. The point is that, with Trumps unpredictability, radicalism, and pro-Russian sympathies, all of them are now possible or far more possible than they were before Trumps election. Since the status quo that has held for the past two years is unlikely to do so for long, Ukraine needs to develop a realistic strategy toward the occupied Donbass one attuned to the new geopolitical circumstances and prepare for all of Trump and Putins possible faits accomplis. The good news is that Ukraine is prepared for all-out war with Russia; it is also prepared for and could cope with aid cutoffs from Washington and the end of sanctions. The bad news is that Kiev is thoroughly unprepared for the one scenario that could destroy Ukraine at little cost to Putin: Russias return of the Donbass. Whatever Kiev decides to do, Ukrainians must first decide what they believe is more important: independence or territorial integrity. The Minsk accords enabled Ukraine to enjoy the first and aspire to the second. This state of affairs could not have lasted forever, but Trump and Putin have brought it to a premature end. Before Trump, Ukrainians could avoid making too many tough decisions about their strategic priorities. After Trump, they cannot. Photo credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images By Gleb Garanich and Natalia Zinets AVDIYIVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian separatists accused each other on Thursday of carrying out fresh artillery attacks on frontline residential areas in eastern Ukraine, resulting in civilian casualties on both sides. The reports follow a short lull in fighting in the wake of the deadliest clashes in recent months that have brought global attention back to the conflict. NATO and the EU have called on Russia to use its influence with rebels to stop the violence. The head of the Ukraine-controlled Donetsk regional administration, Pavlo Zhebrivsky, said a humanitarian aid point in the government-held industrial town of Avdiyivka had been hit by mortars late on Thursday. "According to preliminary figures, one person has been killed and one wounded in the attack. Shelling continues," he said on Facebook, blaming Russia-backed rebels. In a separate post, Zhebrivsky said one civilian was killed by shelling in another part of the industrial town that has been the focal point of the recent flare-up in hostilities. Damage from the escalation has cut power and water supplies to thousands of residents on both sides of the front line at a time of freezing winter temperatures, prompting warnings of a potential humanitarian crisis from aid agencies. Separatist officials said around 10 civilians had been wounded as a result of fresh shelling by Ukrainian forces, also on Thursday evening, separatist website DAN reported. None of the casualty reports have been independently verified. Earlier the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine called for all sides to hold fire to allow the emergency repair work to be carried out on damaged utilities infrastructure. In a statement, the head of ICRC in Ukraine, Alain Aeschlimann, warned of "potentially tremendous humanitarian consequences" if the situation for civilians living near the eastern front line does not improve. A Reuters witness in Avdiyivka said the intermittent boom of artillery fire could be heard in the distance throughout the day. A February 2015 'Minsk' peace agreement locked the two sides in a stalemate which has been broken periodically by surges in fighting that Kiev and the Kremlin accuse each other of instigating. Thirteen Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and around 30 wounded since Sunday, according to the military's press service in Kiev. Separatists have also reported casualties among their fighters but not provided an exact toll on a regular basis. The clashes come as Kiev seeks to persuade the United States and the European Union of the need to maintain economic sanctions against Russia linked to its involvement in the conflict and annexation of Crimea. Moscow denies accusations from Kiev and NATO that it supports the separatists with troops and weapons. This is the first significant escalation of violence in Ukraine since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose call for better relations with Moscow has alarmed Kiev with the conflict unresolved. On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kiev of provoking the flare-up as a ploy to win the support of the Trump administration. But U.S. Senator John McCain said Russia had instigated the violence to test Trump, and he urged the president to give Ukraine the lethal aid it needs to defend against the attacks. Fighting between pro-Russian separatists and government forces first broke out in April 2014 after a pro-European uprising in Kiev ousted a Moscow-backed president. Close to 10,000 have since been killed. (Additional reporting by Alexei Kalmykov and Pavel Polityuk in Kiev; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Hugh Lawson) WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. military has concluded that 11 civilians were inadvertently killed in airstrikes in Iraq and Syria that targeted Islamic State militants and equipment late last year. That brings the total number of innocent civilians killed since the U.S. began striking IS to almost 200. U.S. Central Command says four reports of possible civilian deaths were found to be credible. One strike one was near Raqqa, Syria, in December, and three were in Mosul, Iraq, in October and December. Seven reports were found to be not credible, and 10 reports are still being reviewed. Independent monitoring groups and activists have repeatedly said that coalition and other airstrikes have killed hundreds of civilians. The U.S.-led coalition began airstrikes in Iraq in August 2014, and began in Syria a month later. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Thursday condemned Russia's "aggressive actions" in Ukraine and pledged strong US support to Kiev even as the new US administration seeks to improve ties with Russia. In her first public remarks at the Security Council, Haley asserted that US sanctions imposed on Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea would remain in place until Moscow gave back the peninsula to Ukraine. "We do want to better our relations with Russia. However, the dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions," she said. A surge in fighting in eastern Ukraine has presented the new administration of President Donald Trump with a first test of its Russia policy and Haley's comments were closely watched for signs of any shift. The US ambassador opened her remarks stating that it was "unfortunate" that her first appearance at the council required her to "condemn the aggressive actions of Russia", describing this as a "replay" of past US statements. "The United States stands with the people of Ukraine who have suffered for nearly three years under Russian occupation and military intervention," she said. "Until Russia and the separatists it supports respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, this crisis will continue." The United States "continues to condemn and call for an immediate end to the Russian occupation of Crimea," she added. "Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control over the peninsula to Ukraine." While the statements were in line with those of the previous US administration, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he detected a change in tone. "I detected quite a bit of change of tone," he told reporters after the meeting. "It's just the beginning of the road and hopefully the road will lead to something more constructive." Story continues - Ukraine, Russia trade accusations - The sharp escalation of fighting since Sunday in the town of Avdiivka has raised concerns of a humanitarian crisis, with some 20,000 people left without heat or water in freezing winter weather. At least 23 people have been killed in mortar and rocket attacks. "This escalation of violence must stop," Haley said, pledging US support for the Minsk agreements aimed at ending the conflict. Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over who was responsible for the flare-up of fighting. Ukrainian Ambassador Vlodymyr Yelchenko accused Russia of blocking repair work to restore electricity to Avdiivka. "This is another clear evidence of the Kremlin's intention to create a humanitarian catastrophe in Avdiivka as it was done by the Russian army in Aleppo," he charged, referring to the city seized by Syrian government forces with Russia's military support. Churkin accused Kiev of igniting fighting to attract international attention and draw support from the new US administration. "Kiev is trying to use the clashes that they themselves started as a pretext to pull out of the Minsk agreements," said Churkin. The Minsk agreements, backed by France and Germany, lay out a series of measures to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine -- but their implementation has been faltering. "Kiev intends in this way to keep on the international agenda the crisis that they themselves started and suck in newly-elected heads of states," Churkin said. The conflict has killed nearly 10,000 people since 2014, more than 2,000 of whom are civilians. Washington (AFP) - The US House of Representatives voted Thursday to remove an Obama-era regulation on background checks that aimed to prevent the mentally ill from obtaining firearms. The Republican-led House voted 235 to 180 largely upon party lines to bar efforts by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to bar disability recipients with mental disorders from owning guns. The legislation now heads to the Senate. Barack Obama had sought to tighten gun safety legislation during his eight-year presidency but was largely rejected by Congress. Instead, he unveiled a series of executive actions in 2015 aimed at reducing the nation's rampant gun violence, including overhauling the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. Under the new action, the SSA would be required to include in the background check system mental health information on beneficiaries who are prohibited from possessing a gun. The rule guiding the strategy was issued in December, and came into force on January 18, two days before President Donald Trump took the oath of office. "The Obama administration's rule is discriminatory and deprives law-abiding Americans of their constitutional rights," House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte said in a statement after the vote. "There is no evidence suggesting that those receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration are a threat to public safety." According to the rule, the government would inform the FBI if and when an individual meets the criteria for inclusion in the background check system "due to a mental health prohibitor," but would provide no details on the individual's specific diagnosis. The rule also had a provision that allowed individuals to contest the prohibition. Trump last year campaigned heavily on a pledge to uphold Americans' constitutional rights to bear arms. Los Angeles (AFP) - In yet another challenge to President Donald Trump's travel ban, a California federal judge has issued a court order barring the US government from preventing more than two dozen Yemenis with valid visas from flying to Los Angeles. US District Judge Andre Birotte handed down his temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Tuesday following an emergency motion filed by immigration attorney Julie Goldberg and her associate Daniel Covarrubias-Klein on behalf of 28 plaintiffs. "These are people escaping war, I have people who are injured, people who aren't getting proper medical care, children that have died (while awaiting their visas)," Goldberg, who is currently in Djibouti, where her clients are held up in transit, said by telephone. "These are the women and children of US citizens and I need to get that message across," she added, clearly frustrated by the plight of her clients, some of whom are living in a house she rents in the tiny African nation. Birotte's ruling comes on the heels of similar orders issued by judges in several other US states, including New York, Virginia and Washington. Among those left in limbo in Djibouti because of Trump's temporary travel ban is a Yemeni man whose wife and daughter are US citizens, but whose three-year-old son is an immigrant visa applicant with a passport stuck at the US embassy in Djibouti. Another is an elderly woman who planned to join her son -- a US citizen -- and his family, and a six-year-old child whose mother is a US citizen. - 'People escaping war' - Goldberg, who has law offices in New York and Los Angeles, said she has some 214 Yemeni clients who have been affected by the travel ban and who are now stranded in Djibouti, unable to return to their war-ravaged country. She said another 1,000 people, most of them from Yemen and Somalia, had their visa appointments at the US embassy in Djibouti canceled and were also stranded. Story continues "How is banning a three-year-old child preventing terrorism from happening in the US? I just need to know," the attorney said. "We are not banning terrorists, we are preventing children from being with their parents." Goldberg said that despite the court rulings issued by several federal judges instructing the US government not to implement Trump's executive order, and despite the White House clarifying that holders of green cards would not be affected by the ban, people were still being turned away by the airlines. "Green card holders can come in, but the airlines won't take them because Customs and Border Patrol is telling them that if these people are not admitted, you are responsible for the carrier fees, which are $10,000 a shot," Goldberg said. "We are trying to track down an airline that is willing to respect the system of government we have in the United States and honor the court order." Klein said it was concerning that immigration officials were apparently wilfully ignoring rulings by federal judges and expected the legal challenges to reach the Supreme Court. "It's unclear how this is going to play out in the interim but we expect these cases to make their way to the highest court in the land," he said. Trump's executive order suspends entry of all refugees to the US for 120 days, bars Syrian refugees indefinitely and blocks citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entry into the US for 90 days. A U.S. lawmaker is sounding the alarm that President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations could soon expand to people living in the Caribbean. The warning from U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke of New York comes as leaders in the Caribbean community in the U.S. are increasingly debating whether they are safe from the Trump administration. Clarke, a Democrat who skipped the president's inauguration to attend the Women's March on Washington last month, heavily opposes Trump's 90-day travel ban in part because of the large Muslim population in Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. "We have to make sure we come together," said Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who represents New York's Ninth District, during a recent emergency meeting Sunday with constituents in New York City. The congresswoman organized the meeting at the Makki Mosque in Brooklyn in an area known as Little Pakistan, the Jamaica Observer reported. She live streamed the two-hour gathering on her Twitter feed and Periscope with the hashtags: "#BrooklynResists", "#NoWallNoBan" and "#MuslimBan." The video features hundreds of attendees standing and sitting, listening to Clarke and other Muslim women speaking in opposition to the president's executive order. Clarke did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment from International Business Times. Rumors have spread in recent days within some Caribbean communities in the U.S. that Trump's orders could eventually include non-immigrants, permanent residents or U.S. citizens of Caribbean descent. A Jamaican civic commentator, Marlon Hill, posted a blog post Monday that advised all Caribbean residents to apply for citizenship immediately if they had not done so. The Trump administration has not indicated it will expand the travel ban to include other nations. Story continues Meanwhile, many undocumented Caribbean nationals fear the possibility of deportation amid Trump's promise to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, Joan Pinnock, a member of the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board in the U.S., told RJR News. Malcolm Nance, a MSNBC terrorism analysts, noted during a segment that aired Saturday that Trinidad and Tobago have more terrorists than the seven Muslim-majority countries banned by Trump. Nance said the U.S. has "not banned terrorists from Brazil. ISIS has dozens of members from Brazil or Trinidad or The Bahamas who have more terrorist members than any of those other countries." Trinidad's government dismissed Nance's claims and added that the U.S. and Trinidad have unified security operations. "Trinidad and Tobagos unshakable commitment to combating terrorism and religious extremism, in all its forms, cannot be called into question and we will continue to work with our partners in the international community, particularly the United States, our major trading partner, until this threat to world order and security is addressed," Trinidad's Prime Minister Keith Rowley said in a statement. Related Articles Washington (AFP) - US lawmakers moved Wednesday to strike down an anti-corruption regulation that would have required oil, gas and mining companies to disclose payments to foreign governments. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to repeal a rule issued last year by US financial market regulators under the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law. Republicans and lobbyists said the Securities and Exchange Commission rule, which had not taken effect, put US industry at a competitive disadvantage. Similar rules have been adopted in the European Union and elsewhere. The move came the same day the Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump's secretary of state pick, former Exxon Mobile chief Rex Tillerson, who opposed the rule. The Senate also will have to vote to repeal the rule, which would mark a victory for opponents after years of courtroom and legal battles seeking to overturn it. The Senate vote has not yet been scheduled. The regulation would "give foreign companies an advantage over American public companies," said Republican lawmaker Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. But Stefanie Ostfeld, deputy head of Global Witness' US office, said the House move was "a vote for bribery." "Make no mistake this vote by the Republican-controlled house works in favor corruption and is against core American values," she said. "Gutting this law will mean oil, gas and mining companies can continue to do secret backroom deals with corrupt regimes, tyrants and dictators all over the world." Since the measure's creation in 2010, 30 other countries had adopted similar rules, she said. NEW YORK (AP) America's self-image is forever intertwined with the melting pot. It's a nation that welcomes the world's wretched refuse, a nation built by immigrants, a nation whose very motto is "E Pluribus Unum" Out of Many, One. America's history also is replete with efforts to shut the golden door to arrivals from China, from Eastern and Southern Europe and most recently, from predominantly Muslim nations. America's relationship with immigration is ... complicated. "Many of us politicians, people who are speaking out against the impact of the administration's actions are saying, 'We are a nation of immigrants. This goes against our most important values.' And that is absolutely true," said Erika Lee, director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota. "But we also have a long record of barring immigrants, denigrating them, building walls. That's the flip side." Said Mae Ngai, a professor of history at Columbia University and author of "Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America": "We struggle over these things. Both strains have always been present." The leaders of colonial America knew they needed immigrants to populate their new land. But Benjamin Franklin grumbled about an influx of "swarthy" Germans, and the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 made it harder to attain citizenship and easier to deport non-citizens deemed dangerous. The acts were controversial; most were allowed to expire in a few years, but the deportation law remains, even today. And their justification that some or many immigrants were dangerous interlopers has been invoked again and again. The rise of the Know Nothings, a nativist and populist movement of the 1840s and '50s, was spurred by the rise in German and Irish immigration, and by fears that the Catholic newcomers were loyal to a foreign entity the pope and incompatible with American values. Story continues "If you substitute 'Muslim' for 'Catholic,' they would sound very similar to what you hear today," Lee said. In 1868, the U.S. signed a treaty encouraging Chinese migration; 24 years later, the Chinese Exclusion Act turned away immigrants from what was even then the world's most populous nation. What had happened in between? The Chinese immigrants who had shouldered much of the work of building the West had come to be seen as a threat the "Yellow Peril." Fear and bigotry were intermixed. In 1917, Congress passed legislation requiring a literacy test for immigrants, though only after four presidential vetoes. "They knew they couldn't say, 'Keep out the Jews and the Italians,'" but that was the purpose, Ngai said. In 1921 and 1924, in the aftermath of World War I and the Red Scares that followed the Russian Revolution, the first quotas took effect, setting limits for immigration from countries that were seen as undesirable. There was to be little immigration from Africa, none from Asia or Arab countries, and the flow from southern and eastern Europe was curtailed. Jewish refugees from Europe were blocked during and after World War II first because of fears that they might be German sympathizers, then because of fears that they were Communists. "History doesn't look too kindly on this, because we know how preposterous this was," said Rebecca Kobrin, an assistant professor of history at Columbia. But for all Americans' suspicions of immigrants, said Maria Cristina Garcia, professor of American studies at Cornell University, there has been an appreciation of what they did. "Since the early republic, Americans have recognized that immigrants are essential to nation-building: Immigrants farmed the prairies, worked in the factories, built the streets, canals and railroad tracks. They mined the ore, planted and harvested the crops, and provided basic services. Government and business actively recruited foreign labor to facilitate economic growth," she said. As hard as it often was and as much bigotry as immigrants endured immigration became central to the American narrative. "It's fundamental," said William Thiesen, 37, a New Yorker visiting the city's Tenement Museum on Tuesday. "I think being an American is being an immigrant. It's the American fabric. We're all immigrants." It was Israel Zangwell, a British writer, who dubbed America "the Melting Pot" in his 1908 play of the same name. His Russian-Jewish immigrant hero proclaims: "what is the glory of Rome and Jerusalem where all nations and races come to worship and look back, compared with the glory of America, where all races and nations come to labour and look forward!" More than 100 years later, despite some apprehensions of the moment, that feeling persists. "America has been the dream for every educated young person," said Sontu Barua, a government employee in the sprawling Indian city of Lucknow. "It remains a land of opportunity." More than 700,000 citizenship applications were filed from October 2015 to June 2016, about 25 percent more than the year before. The U.S. issued more than 10 million visas in 2015. But the United States is far less inviting than it once was: The number of immigrants obtaining legal permanent resident status in 2010 was just over a million almost precisely the same number as it was a hundred years earlier, when the population was less than a third of what it is now. American ambivalence is reflected in the Statue of Liberty. Emma Lazarus's "The New Colossus," with its siren call to "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore," is inscribed on a tablet in the statue's base. Lady Liberty herself, a gift from France to commemorate the American and French revolutions, is not placed to welcome immigrants. "She faces the city," said Columbia's Ngai. "She doesn't face the arrivals." ___ Associated Press writer Tim Sullivan in New Delhi contributed to this report. Washington (AFP) - The new US Secretary of Homeland Security told Fox News late Wednesday that he hopes the US-Mexico border wall ordered by President Donald Trump can be built in two years. "The wall will be built where it's needed first, and then it will be filled in. That's the way I look at it," retired Marine general John Kelly told Fox. "I really hope to have it done within the next two years." Trump has signed an executive order designed to meet his campaign pledge to build a wall along the 2,000 mile (3,200 km) southern US border, with the stated goal of keeping out undocumented migrants, drugs and criminals. Some 653 miles of border already features fencing that blocks people and/or vehicles. Kelly said that protecting the southern border is "a layered approach" that includes physical barriers as well as technological sensors "and things like that". Kelly, who will oversee the wall's planning and construction, said that the Trump administration officials "already have the authority" under existing law to start the project. Trump has said that his cost estimates for building the wall range from $4 to $10 billion, but other estimates put the price at $11 billion for 400 more miles of fencing. The MIT Technology Review estimated that a 1,000 mile steel and concrete wall would cost $27 to $40 billion. Kelly was optimistic about what he called "the money aspect." "I think the funding will come relatively quickly," Kelly said, adding that construction could begin in just a few months. The White House can divert existing funds toward the project, but the Republican-controlled Congress would need to allocate funds if the wall is to be anywhere near completed. Trump's campaign vow to make Mexicans pay for the wall has caused a diplomatic row and sparked patriotic fervor south of the border. Mexico has categorically ruled out paying for the wall or reimbursing the United States for it. WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration on Thursday revised recent U.S. sanctions that had unintentionally prevented American companies from exporting certain consumer electronic products to Russia. The change allows firms to deal with Russia's security service, which licenses such exports under Russian law. The Treasury Department said U.S. companies can now apply to Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, to sell low-level encrypted electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets. Those products had not been intended to be covered by the sanctions which the Obama administration imposed on Dec. 29 after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election. In pursuit of such applications, Treasury will also allow firms to pay nominal fees of up to $5,000 per year to the FSB. The FSB is the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, but it also holds some regulatory responsibilities. FSB permission or notification is required by Russian law for encrypted devices to be imported, but such contact was barred under the Obama sanctions. The technical fix was announced at a politically charged time in Washington. Democrats and Republicans alike are concerned that the Trump administration may move to ease sanctions against Russia while the election meddling allegations remain unresolved and it continues destabilizing actions in Ukraine and Syria. Treasury officials said shortly after the election meddling sanctions were announced, several American businesses and consulting companies began to seek the change, saying their exclusion from the Russian electronics market was an "unintended consequence" of the broader sanctions. The change does not affect other Obama-era sanctions on the FSB or other Russian entities. The Treasury notice used technical language to explain the change. It said it would now allow "certain transactions" with the FSB "that are necessary and ordinarily incident to requesting certain licenses and authorizations for the importation, distribution, or use of certain information technology products in the Russian Federation." Story continues It did not elaborate initially, leading to speculation that the move was more than just a technical fix. The White House denied it was easing sanctions. "I haven't eased anything," Trump said in response to a shouted question from a reporter at the White House. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the move was part of a "regular course of action" in adjusting federal regulations. Separately, the Treasury Department added products to a list of medical items that require clearance for U.S. companies to sell to Iran. The Obama administration eased sanctions on Iran as part of a landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, including a ban on the sale of many medical devices. That change affected products used for nuclear medicine purposes that might have uses in an atomic weapons program. Washington (AFP) - The White House on Thursday defended a US special operations raid in Yemen as a "success by all standards," even though multiple civilians and a Navy SEAL were killed, and the mission was beset with problems. Sunday's raid -- the first authorized by President Donald Trump -- saw US special operations forces enter the Yakla region of Baida province and target a compound occupied by Al-Qaeda in the Arabic Peninsula (AQAP) operatives. Washington views the Al-Qaeda affiliate, known for plotting attacks in other countries, as the global terror network's most dangerous branch. Navy SEAL Team Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, was killed and three other US troops were wounded in a fierce gunfight. Three more service members were injured when their tilt-rotor aircraft made a "hard landing." The $75 million MV-22 Osprey had to be destroyed in place to avoid having it fall into enemy hands. And on Wednesday, the Pentagon acknowledged that several non-combatants, including children, had apparently been killed in the raid. A Yemeni provincial official had previously said 16 civilians were killed -- eight women and eight children -- but the Pentagon did not provide numbers. Washington is also facing questions on whether an eight-year-old American girl died. Local sources say the girl was the daughter of senior Al-Qaeda cleric and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 US drone strike. After previously saying the raid snagged an "unbelievable" amount of intelligence, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday the raid had been successful. "When you think of the loss of life throughout America and institutions and in terms of the world, in terms of what some of the individuals could have done, I think it is a successful operation by all standards," Spicer said. But he added it was hard to talk of success when an American was killed, and praised the sailor's sacrifice. He made no mention of the civilian victims. Story continues - 'Moonless night' - Spicer said the plan had been under consideration since November 7, and officials under the administration of Barack Obama reviewed and approved it January 6, but did not proceed because they were waiting for a moonless night -- the next one wouldn't be until after Obama had left office. But Colin Kahl, a former senior Obama administration security official, said on Twitter that "team Trump didn't do a careful vetting of the overall proposal or raid" and that Obama had taken no decision, believing the raid represented an escalation of US involvement in Yemen. The operation was said to have targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda and a Yemeni official said Apache gunships also hit a school, a mosque and a medical facility all used by Al-Qaeda militants. The New York Times reported Thursday that AQAP fighters may have known an attack was coming, possibly by increased drone activity in the skies. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the militants had engaged US forces in a firefight and, to the commandos' surprise, several women picked up weapons and started firing too. "It was a situation that resulted in our forces... (needing) to call in aerial gunfire support," he said. Trump, who has vowed to fight Islamic extremism relentlessly, on Wednesday traveled to an air base in Delaware to receive Owens's body. Human Rights Watch said the United States should compensate the families of those "wrongfully" killed or wounded in the raid. The conflict in Yemen escalated two years ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched air raids against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, who had taken over the capital and seized swathes of the country's center and north. Washington (AFP) - The US Treasury tweaked its sweeping sanctions on Russia's FSB intelligence agency Thursday to make sure US traders in Russia can obtain FSB-required import permits for certain US technology goods. The White House quickly denied reports that the move constituted an "easing" of pressure on Russia by the new administration of President Donald Trump. "I haven't eased anything," Trump said during a meeting with executives of motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson. The previous Barack Obama administration slapped a total ban on Americans' transactions with the FSB on December 29 in retaliation for alleged Russian interference in the US elections. The Treasury ruled Thursday, however, that US importers in Russia who are required to obtain FSB permissions for certain imports for sale to Russian entities -- not to the FSB -- would be able to do so. Specifically they are allowed to pay the FSB up to $5,000 a year in fees for the permissions. The ruling does not in itself permit any specific sales of US goods to Russia; certain technology goods are already tightly restricted under US rules. Doug Jacobson of Washington trade law office Jacobson Burton Kelly PLLC called the move "a very minor issue." It "allows US companies to obtain licenses and approvals from FSB to import certain software and IT equipment containing encryption into Russia," he said on Twitter. "This does not permit sales to FSB. Only allows US persons to deal with FSB to obtain permits to import such items into Russia." The Trump administration has been expected to attempt to reset relations with Russia after they sank to the lowest level in decades under Obama, in part due to Moscow's support for embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russia's 2014 invasion and annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. In December, Obama expelled what the White House called 35 Russian "intelligence operatives" and placed the FSB and other Russian agencies and individuals on its sanctions blacklist after US intelligence agencies said that President Vladimir Putin personally directed an effort to interfere with the US presidential election via computer hacking and disinformation campaigns. VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican said on Wednesday it was worried about U.S. President Donald Trump's moves on immigration, in the Holy See's first comment since his executive order banning travel into the United States by citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. "Certainly there is worry because we are messengers of another culture, that of openness," the Vatican's deputy secretary of state, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, told an Italian Catholic television station in answer to a question about Trump's order. Becciu, who ranks third in the Vatican hierarchy, was asked about the executive order as well as Trump's promise to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. "Pope Francis, in fact, insists on the ability to integrate those who arrive in our societies and cultures," he told TV2000. Some Roman Catholic leaders in the United States have criticized Trump's executive order. Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago said on Sunday it was "a dark moment in U.S. history" and that it was "contrary to both Catholic and American values". Last February, while returning from a trip to Mexico, Pope Francis said then-candidate Trump's view about building walls was "not Christian". (Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Protests against the introduction of seats reserved for women in northeastern India erupted once more into violence Thursday, with a mob setting fire to a municipal building in the state capital of Nagaland. Nagaland remained tense last night after 15,000 people ran riot in Kohima, where protesters, mostly tribals and representatives from the local bodies, have opposed local government moves to safeguard civic seats for women. The local government's introduction of a 33 percent reservation for women in upcoming elections for urban local bodies prompted protests that spiralled out of control on Wednesday. Two people have died in clashes with the police in Kohima, which remained shut down for the second consecutive day. "Today the people initially only gathered for the funeral and condolence meeting of those who had lost their lives, but they soon started protesting," LL Doungel, director general of Nagaland police told AFP. "The protestors swelled to around 10,000 to 15,000 and went on a rampage. They demanded that the chief minister resign immediately and later ransacked and burned the local municipal council building," he added. A Press Trust of India report said that the protesting tribal organisations allege that the state government's decision to reserve 33 percent seats for women in the local elections infringes their special rights under India's constitution. "There is anger among the people. Unless the situation improves, we will continue our protests," Kevichata Sechi, a senior representative of a protesting tribal organisation told Hindustan Times. Dozens of armed tribal and guerrilla militias operate in India's seven northeastern states, including Nagaland. NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Red pandas are the Houdinis of zoos. The raccoonlike creatures, who lounge on tree branches like stuffed animals made real, have escaped exhibits in the United Kingdom, California and Washington, D.C. They're often retrieved in days, if not hours. But at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, Sunny has been AWOL for more than a week. The 19-month-old broke out on a stormy night likely after her lust-driven male companion, Thomas, began to pursue her. Red pandas, which are native to China, are in their breeding season, the zoo said on its website. And the animals, with their white-trimmed faces and furry red tails, can become "agitated." Sunny has so far evaded infrared cameras, search dogs and drones, not to mention zoo staff and volunteers. "I'm sure someone took it," Brianna Maison, 22, a college student in Norfolk, said Wednesday at the zoo with her children. Sunny may have slipped from a wet branch, which helped her escape, the zoo said. And the theory surprised no one who passed by the exhibit at lunchtime Wednesday. Frequent visitors said large branches from a tree in the enclosure had sloped above a pedestrian walkway. "We used to wonder what kept them from getting out," said Karen McSpadden, 32, of Virginia Beach. "I guess nothing was." The branches looked freshly sawn. The zoo declined to comment on Sunny, referring The Associated Press to its website and Facebook page. The tree-branch escape plan isn't new. A red panda named Rusty likely climbed to freedom on rain-soaked branches at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in 2013, according to a news release. (Those trees were trimmed as well). But Rusty was found nearly 24 hours later. The search for Sunny continues. Greg Bockheim, the Virginia Zoo's executive director, told the Virginian-Pilot on Tuesday that reports of sightings continued. And he's taken them seriously, searching miles away with a thermal imaging camera. Story continues "It's very upsetting, but I don't blame the zoo at all," Amanda Mills, 29, of Chesapeake, said as her 6-year-old son Caeden gazed at Thomas. "I think somebody out there has got her and just isn't ready to give her up." Rob Vernon, a spokesman from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, said zoo escapes in general are rare and the animals are often found quickly. But not always. A 10-year-old red panda in China was found in August after 242 days, according to media reports. The animal was less than 3 miles away. Amona (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli police forced hardline Jewish settlers from the barricaded synagogue of a wildcat outpost in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, completing an emotive battle to evict residents. The operation, by hundreds of police at the Amona outpost near Ramallah, was the final act of a drama which prompted the government to pledge building a new settlement for the first time in 25 years. Israel has now approved more than 6,000 homes for settlers since US President Donald Trump took office having signalled a softer stance on settlement construction than predecessor Barack Obama. Officers had struggled for hours to break into the prayer hall to remove the last holdouts in the push launched on Wednesday on 200 to 300 people trying to block clearance of the outpost ordered by the Israeli Supreme Court. The court ruled in November 2014 that the outpost was built illegally on private Palestinian land but settlers, who have a powerful voice in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government, won repeated postponements. Police had tried to negotiate the voluntary departure of dozens of what they called "anarchists" who barricaded themselves inside a synagogue, but entered the building after talks broke down. Broadcast live by Israeli radio and TV, the events were the culmination of years of political, legal and human drama. Police had to force their way through metal plates and wooden beams which barred the synagogue doors and windows, advancing behind riot shields and wearing protective googles against protesters' spit and showers of corrosive liquid and projectiles. Inside, dozens of young men formed a human barricade. Police eventually made their entry by cutting through the prefabricated structure with a power saw and once inside carried out one protester at a time. Hundreds of young religious-nationalists had slipped past army roadblocks early on Wednesday in a show of support for Amona residents. Story continues They were fired by the belief that the West Bank, the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, is Israeli according to the Bible, regardless of what Israeli judges, Palestinians or the international community says. "We are leaving here with a broken heart," Amona Rabbi Yair Frank told reporters in the empty synagogue after the eviction. "We did it all for the land of Israel and the people of Israel." - Arrests - Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said eight officers were injured in Thursday's confrontation after 24 were hurt the day before. "Fourteen people were arrested yesterday and we are counting the arrests for today," he told AFP. Amona's buildings are to be razed next week, he said. Settlers complained that police used excessive force. Eliana Passentin, a spokeswoman for the Benjamin Regional Council which covers settlements in the Amona region, said police were being "very violent" on Thursday, "very different from yesterday." "We condemn violence on both sides but people here have a right for peaceful civil disobedience." The demolition could also usher in what Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman called "a new era" for settlement building. Netanyahu pledged Wednesday the formation of a group to quickly find a site for a new settlement for the evicted Amona residents. "We shall establish a new settlement on state land," he reiterated in a tweet on Thursday. "We shall work in order that this will happen as soon as possible." - New settlements - All Israeli governments since 1967 have built settlements but none has formally created a new outpost since 1992, before the Oslo peace accords signed with the Palestinians, said settlement expert Hagit Ofran of the Peace Now NGO. She called the announcement "very dramatic," saying that since 1992 the settler population grew only by construction within existing settlements or by retroactive approval of outposts such as Amona, formed without formal government sanction. Hardliners within the governing coalition -- viewed as Israel's most right-wing ever -- had bitterly opposed the eviction and spent months trying to pass legislation to overturn the court order. The United Nations considers all Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land illegal and regards their construction as the biggest obstacle to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Israel seized both the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day war and has since moved about 600,000 of its citizens onto land the Palestinians want for their own state. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned Wednesday that the quickening expansion of Jewish settlements risked making a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict impossible. WASHINGTON President Trump faced criticism for using his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday to mock the ratings on his old reality show, The Apprentice, but White House press secretary Sean Spicer says its wrong for people to hone in on those comments. Spicer discussed the speech in his daily briefing on Thursday when Yahoo News asked him why the president felt the prayer breakfast was an appropriate venue to discuss television ratings. The press secretary noted that Trump was introduced by the shows producer, Mark Burnett, at the breakfast. Look, Mark Burnett, the creator of The Apprentice, who is a longtime supporter of the prayer breakfast but also has a personal relationship, was there. He meant it as a lighthearted moment, and I think if you look at the totality of his remarks, they were absolutely beautiful. And I think to hone in on that it was a lighthearted moment he was trying to have with a big supporter of the national prayer breakfast and a personal friend, Spicer said. Trump hosted The Apprentice in both its original and Celebrity versions for its first 14 seasons, from 2004 until early 2015. He retired from the show to run for president but remains an executive producer. Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger replaced Trump as the host this year. Trump brought up the show early in his remarks at the prayer breakfast as he thanked Burnett for the introduction. We had tremendous success on The Apprentice. And when I ran for president I had to leave the show. Thats when I knew for sure I was doing it, and they hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place. And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes. Its been a total disaster. And Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again. And I want to just pray for Arnold if we can, for those ratings, OK? Trump said. Some observers, including Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume, thought Trumps boasting about his ratings was inappropriate for the religious event. Story continues Good grief, Hume wrote on Twitter. Schwarzenegger also fired back at Trump with a tweet of his own, where he wrote, The National Prayer Breakfast? Schwarzeneggers tweet included a brief video message to Trump that implied people are uneasy about the presidents performance. Why dont we switch jobs? You take over TV because youre such an expert in ratings and then I take over your job, and then people can finally sleep comfortably again, Schwarzenegger said. Ratings for The Apprentice have gone down since Trump stopped hosting the show. According to the Los Angeles Times, the show was watched by 3.7 million viewers on Monday while Trumps final episode in February 2015 was viewed by 6 million people. The bulk of Trumps speech at the prayer breakfast was not about his old show. Trump discussed how grateful he is to have people pray for him and how he is inspired by military families. He also talked about how moved he was to attend a memorial service on Wednesday for a Navy SEAL who was killed during a raid in Yemen last weekend. We will never forget the men and women who wear the uniform. Believe me, Trump said. From generation to generation their vigilance has kept our liberty alive. Our freedom is won by their sacrifice, and our security has been earned with their sweat and blood and tears. God has blessed this land to give us such incredible heroes and patriots. They are very, very special, and we are going to take care of them. Trump also talked about his experience being raised in a churched home and the importance of spirituality. Our soldiers understand that what matters is not party or ideology or creed but the bonds of loyalty that link us all together as one. America is a nation of believers. In towns all across our land its plain to see what we easily forget so easily we forget this that the quality of our lives is not defined by our material success but by our spiritual success, Trump said. I will tell you that and I tell you that from somebody that has had material success and knows tremendous numbers of people with great material success the most material success. Many of those people are very, very miserable unhappy people. Read more from Yahoo News: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Thursday it would respond to Iran's ballistic missile test and other hostile actions, a day after President Donald Trump's national security adviser put Tehran on "notice," but it stopped short of providing any details. "We will have further updates for you on those additional actions, but clearly (national security adviser Michael Flynn) warned to make sure that Iran understood that they are on notice that this is not going unresponded to," White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters. (Reporting by Timothy Ahmann; Editing by David Alexander) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will honor a U.S. agreement with Australia to accept refugees housed on islands off that country's coast although he is unhappy about the deal, the White House said on Thursday. "The deal that was cut by the last administration is something that he's extremely, extremely upset with," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at a news briefing. "He does not like it." Spicer said that out of respect for Australia and its prime minister, Trump would allow the process to go forward under conditions set under by the deal that provide for "extreme vetting" of the refugees. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe and Susan Heavey; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by James Dalgleish) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration clarifying that legal permanent residents, or green card holders, do not require a waiver to enter the United States. "They no longer need a waiver because if they are a legal permanent resident they won't need it anymore," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at a news briefing. The restriction on green card holders was among the most confusing element in the executive order signed on Friday. Initially, administration officials said such permanent legal residents were barred from entry under the executive order, although they could apply for a waiver and be rescreened. After the ensuing outcry -- including legal challenges -- over legal residents being detained, the Homeland Security Department said on Sunday green card holders would be allowed on planes to the United States and would be assessed upon arrival. "We expect swift entry for these individuals," DHS said. Spicer said the White House counsel issued an update on Wednesday to clarify that those legal permanent residents no longer need a waiver. "Initially, as the program was lifting off, the idea was that they would go through be granted a waiver, of which everyone was," Spicer told the news briefing. "In the sake of efficiency, we have interpreted the guidance to all of these agencies ... that that does not apply, they no longer need a waiver." (Reporting by Roberta Rampton and Doina Chiacu; Editing by David Alexander and Sandra Maler) The US president's executive order is a complicated beast: Getty A week on from the Trump travel ban, the absurdity of the Executive Order Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States is getting clearer. When the White House published the new Presidents travel ban last weekend, it appeared to bar almost all nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen from travelling to America. The only such people allowed would be those with a green card entitling them to permanent residence in the US, or one of five specific visas for official bodies such as the United Nations. Any normal visitor to the US from one of those countries, whether on holiday, seeing friends and family, or on business, it seemed, was banned. Horribly hardline, but at least clear. As airlines struggled to make sense of the order, thousands of prospective passengers were turned away from airports across the world because they were regarded as ineligible to travel. Some airlines changed their staff rosters to avoid, for example, an Iranian pilot or Somalian cabin-crew member being assigned to a New York-bound plane. Forty-eight hours later, though, it turned out that the rules would affect only a tiny number of people. Late on Sunday evening, the Foreign Office clarified that the ban applied only to people who, in effect, failed two tests. They held a passport from one of the seven countries on Donald Trumps list, and were also boarding a flight from one of those seven countries to the US. If you are travelling to the US from anywhere other than one of those countries (for instance, the UK) the executive order does not apply to you and you will experience no extra checks regardless of your nationality or your place of birth, said the Foreign Office Some media misreported that the travel ban was only for direct flights from those seven countries to America. It took about five minutes work with the OAG Pocket Flight Guide to Europe, Middle East and Africa to conform that the grand total of flights from Tehran, Baghdad, Tripoli, etc to the US is zero. Story continues Therefore it must apply only to passengers on connecting flights making airside transfers to America. Anyone who went through passport control between flights at Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt, etc would reset the clock by going landside. They would be boarding from a service from the UK, France or Germany, rather than one of the seven benighted countries. You might be thinking, Surely everyone in that position would just exit the transit lounge and come back in, then? but its not as easy as that. Even for airside transit at Heathrow, for example, not all nationalities are equal. There are 57 varieties of passports, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and including all seven specified nationalities, whose citizens require a visa simply to change planes at a UK airport. The only exception is if they have an impressive visa from another country, such as a US green card; a normal American visa for business or tourism is insufficient. Given that theres so much red tape involved when all you want to do is spend a couple of hours drinking coffee or shopping in the transit area, dont even ask about the complications of landside transit. Happily, there are plenty of other possibilities. Sudanese people, for example, can make their way across the border to Eritrea, get a visa on arrival, and then check in at Asmara airport for a flight via Cairo, Dubai or Istanbul to a wide range of US destinations. Iranians, Iraqis, Libyans and the rest can find similar workarounds. The Trump travel ban may be proving as illusory as many other presidential promises, but there are plenty more nations where the barriers are real. Even in Europe, you can be turned away from Serbia if you have a Republic of Kosovo entry stamp in your passport. Many countries that are mainly Muslim such as Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia do not allow anyone whose passport indicates they have visited Israel. In my experience Israeli border staff are happy not to stamp your passport, though if you are crossing by land from Jordan or Egypt then the exit stamp will give you away. Frequent travellers to the region circumvent these restrictions by having two passports (and then trying to remember to present the right one). But if you happen to have been born in Israel, regardless of your nationality, the Foreign Office warns you may not be welcome in Saudi Arabia. India has harsh stipulations for foreigners of Pakistan and Bangladeshi origins as well as nationals of those countries. They face a wait of at least seven weeks to obtain a visa. Perhaps Donald Trump should have studied such hardline policies first. His inept attempt to look tough has proved pathetic. Yet, I dont agree that the new President should be disinvited from his impending state visit. The more that a leader attempts to build barriers, the more we should welcome him in to demonstrate the virtues of travel, tolerance and internationalism. Rosa has spent the last decade caring for elderly Americans in Utah who are no longer able to safely take care of themselves. One of them is my feisty step-grandma, who lives in the stormy darkness of advanced Alzheimer's disease. Rosa came from Mexico to work in the United States, eventually becoming a certified nurse assistant. She now often pulls 16-hour double shifts and regularly contends with getting smacked or scratched by the dementia patients she lovingly tends to. Last week the president of the United States ordered my country to wall itself off from Mexico. He did not mention any new, lawful channel for Mexicans to do the essential work that Rosa and millions like her do now -- some with authorization, some without it. That means that many American families in the future who need care like Rosa's will face the bitter reality of life without it. There are reasonable people who support the president's order, because there is a serious and very real problem with migration between the U.S. and Mexico. But the problem is the illegality, not the migration itself. The black market that has dominated U.S.-Mexico migration for decades has harmed both country's workers, drained public coffers and bred threats to national security. The president's order rests on the idea that solutions to this problem are more unilateral coercion, more expensive militarization and more affronts to our neighbors' dignity. This is a costly path that will not work. First, the order will oblige U.S. taxpayers to spend anywhere from $15--25 billion to $38 billion up front, and unspecified billions in later maintenance. Then come the more serious costs. The wall will likely leave the black market largely intact, and will funnel cash to organized criminals by raising smuggling revenues. The very proposal of a wall has already ruptured bilateral relations, and could poison U.S.-Mexico cooperation to stem illegal migration from Central America. A wall will likely reduce somewhat the flows of labor across the border. That would choke off the fuel of Mexican labor to the U.S. economic engine, making American firms less productive and cutting both jobs and wages for U.S. workers. Story continues There is an entirely different and enormously better way to address the same problem. To see why, look closer at Rosa. She has been a godsend to my family. But the benefits of Rosa's work ripple across the entire Salt Lake Valley and across the nation. Without Rosa's labor, which American workers are not available to replace, there would be no jobs for the American staff alongside her in the memory-care facility: the administrators, the social workers, the physical plant operator and others who have technical and language skills that Rosa doesn't. Rosa lives and spends her earnings in Utah, stimulating the local economy. Rosa's work frees up my family to do work they are better suited for than care work. Rosa's work raises the value of Americans' shares in the national chain that runs the facility. Read this twice: Rosa creates jobs for Americans every morning. In other words, Rosa exemplifies the colossal opportunity for exchange between two neighboring countries. Both the U.S. and Mexico benefit much more when that exchange happens through well-regulated channels. Walls throw away those opportunities in favor of impoverishment and crime. There is a specific alternative to the wall. I worked to craft that alternative together with a bipartisan, binational group of top experts led by Ernesto Zedillo, the former president of Mexico, and Carlos Gutierrez, the U.S. secretary of commerce under George W. Bush. Our group represents Americans and Mexicans, Republicans and Democrats, labor and employers, diplomats and lawyers, economists and national security officials -- speaking with one voice. This is the first specific model for regulating U.S.-Mexico labor mobility endorsed by a group this authoritative and diverse. We set out the details in a report called Shared Border, Shared Future: A Blueprint to Regulate U.S.-Mexico Labor Mobility. Our vision ends unlawful migration between two neighbors with a bilateral agreement to carefully regulate low-skill migration for work across the border. That vision rests on history, cooperation, and innovation -- and it is specifically designed to protect workers in both countries. The last major immigration reform, in 1986, was billed as a once-and-for-all solution to the black market. But it dealt only with migrants already here, and created no serious channel for lawful, mutually-beneficial labor flows. So the black market quickly resurged, and just four years later it was bigger than before the reform. Mexican migration is not a temporary phenomenon. It has been vital to the U.S. economy since the 1920s, and it will continue for our lifetimes. In recent years an average of 174,000 Mexicans have crossed the border from south to north, and about that many from north to south. Our vision rests on cooperation. There can be no solution to bilateral problems from the suspicious glares of two enemies through a rusting fence. The U.S. and Mexico have cooperated to regulate labor mobility before, in 1910, 1919-1921 and 1942-1965. Those agreements were successful in quelling the black market, and they can do so again. We propose several innovations to fix the problems with past agreements, including a fee system to protect U.S. worker priority for jobs, a visa cap that can respond to changing conditions and a system to quash unscrupulous recruiters. While the president formulates his plans, Rosa keeps showing up at six each morning, working with her American colleagues to care for her American patients, helping make this country great. Michael A. Clemens is an economist at the Center for Global Development in the District of Columbia and the IZA Institute of Labor Economics in Bonn, Germany. His research has won the Royal Economic Society prize and he is the author of the book "The Walls of Nations," forthcoming from Columbia University Press. Paris (AFP) - Embattled French presidential hopeful Francois Fillon warned Thursday of a plot to "steal" his voters as a scandal over payments to his wife rumbled on, fuelled by new footage from an interview. Fillon's campaign has been struggling since it emerged that his Welsh-born wife Penelope was paid 830,000 euros ($900,000) as a parliamentary assistant over more than a decade -- despite almost no one recalling her on the job. On Thursday, one of France's main investigative news programmes, Envoye Special, aired previously unseen footage from a 2007 interview in which she said, referring to her husband: "I've never been actually his assistant." The candid remarks in the interview with Britain's Sunday Telegraph were likely to compound suspicions that she was paid for a fake job. The Canard Enchaine newspaper has unearthed payslips showing she earned thousands of euros a month from 1998 to 2007 and again in 2012, as an assistant to Fillon and his 2002-2007 replacement in parliament. Her lawyer, Pierre Cornut-Gentille, insisted her remarks had been "taken out of context." Fillon, a conservative who had been leading the race before "Penelopegate", has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. But an Elabe poll on Wednesday showed his campaign to be in deep trouble. The survey showed he would crash out in the first round of the election in April behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen and fast-rising 39-year-old centrist Emmanuel Macron. The poll showed Macron going on to easily defeat Le Pen in May's runoff. On Thursday, a combative Fillon ploughed on, using a rally in the northeastern town of Charleville-Mezieres to lash out at the left, which he accuses of being behind the revelations. "They are not looking to see justice done but to take me down and, beyond me, take down the right and steal its vote," he accused. But many conservatives are dismayed by the scandal, fearing it could cost them an election they expected to handily win after five years of troubled Socialist rule. Story continues "It's scandalous that his wife received such huge sums of money," said Anne Serise-Dupuis, a 66-year-old Republicans voter in the southwestern city of Bordeaux. "He should withdraw. He has been disqualified." A Harris Interactive poll showed a majority of Republicans supporters still having faith in Fillon, however. - Juppe as Plan B? - It is not illegal in France to hire family members as parliamentary assistants -- provided they have real jobs. Fillon, 62, claims his wife, whom he previously portrayed mainly as a home-maker, looked after much of his constituency business in the central Sarthe region while he was in Paris. This week it emerged that he also had two of his five children on the payroll. Investigators this week raided his parliamentary office and interviewed the couple as part of a preliminary probe into possible misuse of public funds. Penelope's lawyer said she had handed over "all the details proving the existence of a real job". The allegations are all the more damaging given that Fillon, a devout Catholic, campaigned as a sleaze-free reformer who would slash public spending to stop France living beyond its means. A group of leading Republicans said Thursday they would stand by their man. "We give Francois Fillon our complete support because his commitment to France is vital," the group, which included former finance minister Francois Baroin, touted as a possible replacement for Fillon, wrote in the rightwing Le Figaro daily. But some dissident voices have already emerged. Republicans MP Philippe Gosselin said he and other party members would call on 71-year-old Bordeaux Mayor Alain Juppe -- whom Fillon beat in a primary -- to step in if Fillon decided to stand aside. Meanwhile, the surprise winner of the Socialist nomination, Benoit Hamon, met President Francois Hollande as he searches for support within his fractured party to mount a credible challenge to Le Pen, Macron and Fillon. Hamon, a 49-year-old leftwinger with a radical proposal to pay a universal basic income in a world of dwindling work, will probably need to win over the votes of Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon to stand any chance. Washington (AFP) - A longtime CIA clandestine operations official reportedly involved in its much-criticized "black site" interrogations after the 9/11 attacks was named number two at the US spy agency Thursday. Gina Haspel, the first female head of the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine service, was named deputy director of the overall organization under its new director, Mike Pompeo. A veteran of the agency's undercover spy operations, Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and served in posts around the world, including a stint in the US embassy in London in the late 2000s. She was named acting head of the CIA National Clandestine Service in 2013, but was replaced within weeks -- reportedly due to concerns over her senior role in the post-9/11 interrogation operations, which involved methods widely deemed to be torture, such as waterboarding. - 'Secret Thailand prison' - The Washington Post reported that year that she "had run a secret prison in Thailand where two detainees were subjected to waterboarding and other harsh techniques." That was where Al-Qaeda suspects Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were interrogated and repeatedly waterboarded. The Post said Haspel was also involved in the 2005 destruction of the CIA's videotapes of its "enhanced interrogation" sessions of several detainees in Thailand. Lawyers for Al-Qaeda detainees had wanted the tapes for evidence in court cases. Pompeo praised Haspel in a statement, saying "Gina is an exemplary intelligence officer and a devoted patriot who brings more than 30 years of agency experience to the job. "She is also a proven leader with an uncanny ability to get things done and to inspire those around her," he said. Three former CIA chiefs and other top intelligence officials including James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence, also voiced strong support for her. Haspel's appointment comes amid concerns that the US intelligence services under President Donald Trump could return to the harsh and possibly outlawed tactics of secret arrests, renditions and torture. Story continues Trump has said he thinks torture works but that he will defer to Defense Secretary James Mattis on the issue; Mattis has said he is opposed to torture. In his confirmation hearings to be CIA director, Pompeo said he would "absolutely not" resume the use of banned interrogation tactics. - Following orders - In a subsequent statement, CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu would not comment on Haspel's links to its interrogation program. "As has been well-documented, the former detention and interrogation program was authorized by President [George W] Bush six days after 9/11, reviewed and determined to be lawful by the Justice Department, and implemented by the CIA. Eight years ago in January 2009, an Executive Order ended the program," he said. Former CIA acting director Michael Morrell said Haspel had done nothing wrong or illegal in her work at the CIA. "Some of the assignments that she took on have later come under political fire, but in each case she was following the lawful orders of the president," he wrote on the website The Cipher Brief. "And, in each case, she carried out her responsibilities within the bounds of the law and with excellent judgment," he said. He acknowledged that she drafted a cable instructing other operatives to destroy the interrogation tapes. "She did so at the request of her direct supervisor and believing that it was lawful to do so. I personally led an accountability exercise that cleared Haspel of any wrongdoing in the case," Morrell said. - Democrats object - But late Thursday two Democratic senators expressed their concerns over Haspel's appointment in a letter to President Trump. "Her background makes her unsuitable for the position," said senators Ron Wyden and Martin Heinrich. They said their specific reasons were contained in a separate classified letter. Senator Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he wanted to hear from Haspel herself on the issue. "I appreciate Ms Haspel's many years of service at the CIA, yet I want some reassurance from her that she intends to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law," he said in a statement. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested he would consider removing U.S. sanctions on Russia in order to improve ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department made a small tweak to the sanctions currently in place, issuing a license permitting U.S. firms to work with the Russian Federal Security Service to restart sales of encryption technology to Russia. In the scheme of U.S. sanctions, the change was small, but hopefully not the beginning of a much larger unraveling. The Trump administration would risk U.S. credibility and crucial alliances with security partners if it were to lift the powerful economic sanctions on Russia that target its territorial aggression in Crimea and eastern Ukraine without Russia first fulfilling Minsk deal, a protocol meant to pave the way towards peace. As a former senior official at the Treasury Department, the agency that crafts and enforces sanctions, I know firsthand how powerful sanctions can be as a national security tool. Im also keenly aware of how damaging a change in course on sanctions out of step with close international allies or without a strong basis of support from Congress could be to U.S. foreign policy. If Trump were to enact such a change, he would make any future U.S. sanctions less credible, available, and powerful. Rumors flew last week that the White House was preparing an executive order to lift sanctions on Russia. A call over the weekend between Trump and Putin that covered restoration of mutually beneficial economic ties may support this prospect. If Trump were to press ahead with a plan to unilaterally cancel sanctions, he would collapse the carefully coordinated transatlantic foreign policy stance on Russia that so many of my colleagues at the Treasury and State Departments built. He would also end the powerful economic leverage that joint U.S.-EU sanctions constitute. Plus, he would make the United States look weaker on sanctions than Europe does, upending conventional wisdom. For the business community, Trump stands to open a new chapter of legal liability for companies still bound by European sanctions and wondering if the pendulum will eventually swing the other way. European officials tell me (and everyone else concerned with European unity, security, and the transatlantic relationship) that they would scramble to stay on the side of the United States, yet maintain a tough stance toward Moscow. The rift between British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Russia policy would find itself in the spotlight. European agreement on the sanctions would probably collapse. And this disarray and the cleavage in transatlantic ties would work out very well for Putin. Putin would not be the only U.S. competitor to benefit from the breakdown of the transatlantic security relationship, the bedrock of U.S. national security since World War II. Leaders of proliferation networks, terrorist organizations, and organized criminal groups might feel emboldened by the reduced U.S.-EU ability to collaborate in deterring serious security threats. I expect that this would make it more difficult to use sanctions to effectively expose, condemn, and hinder these threats. Im also worried about the White House would send a message that sanctions are arbitrary if Trump were to pull back Russia sanctions unilaterally, with nothing in exchange. The United States wary allies might be less inclined to partner with the United States on sanctions in the future. Whats more, those targeted by sanctions would be less likely to see sanctions as serious and would seek to circumvent them rather than pursue constructive behavior changes. Ultimately, these responses would undermine the ability of Trump, and his successors, to use sanctions as a tool of statecraft. The greatest national security tests Trump will face are yet to come. Whether from Iran, North Korea, Russia, or the Islamic State, economic sanctions will likely be part of an appropriate policy response. But Trump may limit his ability to use sanctions if he erodes his credibility and the powerful transatlantic security alliances. A misstep on the U.S. relationship with Russia could do just that. Photo credit: MIKHAIL KLIMENTIEV/AFP/Getty Images Riyadh (AFP) - Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi on Thursday urged the administration of his US counterpart Donald Trump to lift its travel ban on Yemenis, arguing they are the victims of terrorism. Hadi, whose government is backed by Washington in its war with Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, made the appeal in a meeting with the US ambassador to Yemen, Matthew Tueller, whose mission has been moved to Riyadh because of the conflict. The ban, which Trump imposed last Friday on citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries, including Yemen, should be lifted for dual nationals, Yemenis "with business interests or family ties, and for students in the US", said Hadi. "Yemen is suffering, like other countries, from terrorism and making efforts to confront and eradicate terrorism," said the Yemeni president whose administration has been driven out of Sanaa by the war. On Monday, the Yemeni government warned that Trump's order banning travellers from the seven countries on the grounds of protecting US citizens from terrorism would only serve to encourage global "extremism". By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hundreds of New York City bodegas, grocery stores and restaurants owned by Yemeni Americans closed for hours on Thursday in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policies, organizers said. Loyal patrons who rely on the stores for staples of daily life had to look elsewhere for lunch after more than 1,000 locations shut their doors from noon to 8 p.m. in a move coordinated by groups including the Muslim Community Network and the Yemeni American Community. Bodega, a Spanish word meaning wine shop, is New York City slang for small stores selling everything from deli foods to newspapers and cat litter. "We want to send the message that we're here," said Sulaiman Alaodyi, a 24-year-old cashier at the Best and Tasty deli in the borough of the Bronx, a bodega that is normally open around the clock. This was the first time it closed its doors since it started business nine months ago. The protests followed the decision by Trump's administration to put a four-month hold on letting refugees into the United States and to temporarily bar travelers from Yemen, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Somalia. The order, which is being challenged in U.S. courts, left some travelers stranded and others held at airports on arrival. It provoked an outpouring of anger and dismay from immigrants, refugees and supporters. Many store owners and workers who shut up shop were going to rally and hold public sundown prayers outside Brooklyn Borough Hall. "We're going to go out and support all our brothers and sisters who are detained in airports and in other countries that can't get back," Alaodyi said. "This is just not fair." New York City is home to many immigrants from Yemen, a country of about 24 million in the Arabian Peninsula. Many live in Brooklyn, but some are in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx. Golden Deli, a Yemeni-owned bodega in Manhattan, was swelling with customers who picked up early lunches before it closed. Nermin Radoncic, 22, walked up shortly after workers pulled down the shutters at noon. Story continues Radoncic, who lives nearby but is moving to Queens, was disappointed he could not buy a pastrami and Swiss sandwich on his last day in the neighborhood. But he said he supported the protest. "They make the bomb sandwiches," Radoncic said of Golden Deli. "This is like the best deli out here. Trump is a jerk." (Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio) (NEW YORK) Hundreds of ethnic Yemeni business owners who operate New York City corner bodegas and neighborhood delis closed shop Thursday in protest of President Donald Trumps travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The shops were locked at noon and were to remain shuttered until 8 p.m., according to organizers of a late afternoon rally in downtown Brooklyn. At least 1,000 Yemeni-run small businesses are a part of many New Yorkers daily lives, said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who planned to attend the rally. Haron Zokari closed his Manhattan deli at noon, as well. He said his wife and baby are stuck in Yemen after almost completing a four-year, green-card process. We are trying to stay strong, he said. Theres people there who are refugees and who are starving and running for their lives, so thank God we dont have it as bad as they do. Trumps executive order barred people from Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria from entering the U.S. for 90 days. Under the order, travelers have been detained, sent back from the United States or stranded in other countries. Zaid Nagi, who owns three delis in the Bronx, said the ban disrupted plans to bring his mother to the United States, where he has lived for more than 20 years. The 36-year-old married father of four said the point of the protest was to say, We are part of this community. We are not who this order is trying to say we are. He said most of his customers had expressed solidarity with the shutdown. They know who we are. They know we are human beings just like them, he said. I believe in the good people of America. Shutterstock The only thing keeping Time Warner Cable from being the most hated company in America is Comcast, and it tried to merge with them once. So word that the company is getting dragged into court by New Yorks attorney general is likely going to be greeted with cheers, especially when people discover its over Time Warner Cables slow internet speeds. New York AG Eric Schneiderman is alleging that Time Warner Cable inflated its internet speeds in advertising while simultaneously leasing routers and modems to their customers that couldnt possibly meet those speeds. And this is just the latest step in a long argument: Charter, the owner of Time Warner Cable, was contacted last year about the issue. The big problem for the company is that even if they can prove the gear is up to snuff, theyve still got the problem of oversubscription. If youve ever wondered how wires from an era when the internet was how you caught fish can carry so much data, they cant! Instead your internet provider is gambling that at any given time, there wont be enough people using the internet at the same time to cause a slowing in traffic. This is not a great gamble to make when part of your market is one of the largest metropolitan areas on the face of the planet. The AG can almost certainly argue Time Warner knew that it was oversubscribed and reaching advertised speeds was impossible. This is just the preliminary round, as this case could take years. But were betting that right about now, the executive suit is hoping nobody remembers that time the company called one of their customers the c-word on her bill. (Via Gizmodo) HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwean pastor at the centre of a protest movement against President Robert Mugabe was charged on Thursday with plotting to overthrow the government and insulting the national flag after he called for demonstrations last year. Evan Mawarire, who was arrested on Wednesday on his return to Zimbabwe from the United States, faced the same charges last July but the magistrate court then freed the preacher because police did not follow proper procedure when arresting him. A police statement seen by Reuters said Mawarire incited the public to "revolt against a constitutionally elected government" between July and December by circulating videos on social media urging people to demonstrate against Mugabe's administration. Mawarire was accused of organising a protest against the 92-year-old Mugabe on Sept. 22 when the veteran leader was attending an annual meeting of the United Nations in New York. His lawyer Harrison Nkomo said the 39-year-old pastor, who faces a 20-year jail term if convicted, was also slapped with a lesser serious charge of insulting Zimbabwe's flag. The charge emanated from an online video that he posted last year where he was draped in national colours lamenting the country's economic and social decay. Mawarire, whose #ThisFlag movement last year helped organise one of the biggest anti-government protests in the last decade, is expected to appear in court on Friday, said Nkomo. Mugabe has held power in the former British colony since independence in 1980. He routinely accuses opponents of being funded by Western powers to remove him from office. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Dominic Evans) HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) The Zimbabwe pastor who fled to the United States after launching the popular #ThisFlag protest movement faces up to 20 years in prison for organizing protests against President Robert Mugabe in New York. Evan Mawarire was arrested at Harare International Airport on his return home Wednesday. He is yet to appear in court. Mawarire has been charged with subverting a constitutionally elected government, which carries up to 20 years in prison. Lawyer Harrison Nkomo said the charges arise partly from his role in organizing anti-Mugabe protests during the U.N. General Assembly in September last year. Mawarire is accused of organizing Zimbabweans "to converge in New York to confront the president of Zimbabwe who was attending a United Nations seminar and order him to immediately resign from his position accusing him of destroying the country," according to a police statement seen by The Associated Press and confirmed by his lawyers Thursday. Mawarire also is accused of using social media to incite "violent demonstrations" between August and last month. He rallied Zimbabweans to protest against the government of Mugabe, who turns 93 this month and is the world's oldest head of state. On Thursday, he was given two more charges: inciting public violence and insulting the national flag. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba on Wednesday said Mawarire was picked up on an outstanding arrest warrant. "He skipped the country, but as you know, going to America was never going to wash away his crimes. We were waiting for him to return," Charamba said. It was not immediately clear why Mawarire had chosen to return home. Some in Zimbabwe had criticized him for leaving the country amid the protests. At the time, he said he feared for the security of his family. Before he left Zimbabwe, Mawarire was detained and initially charged with inciting public violence before prosecutors changed the charges to attempting to overthrow a constitutionally elected government. A magistrate freed the pastor after ruling that it was unconstitutional for prosecutors to bring the fresh charges in court. Amnesty International's deputy regional director for southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, has called the latest charge against Mawarire "absolutely ridiculous and a total sham," saying it was meant to "punish him for speaking out about the declining human rights situation." Mugabe has said Mawarire and others should leave Zimbabwe if they were unhappy with the country's situation. The economy of this once-prosperous southern African nation has crashed, and both unemployment and frustration are widespread. He may have been the second man to walk on the moon, but on Tuesday morning Buzz Aldrin was the very first astronaut to ever walk at New York Fashion Week: Mens. I didnt realize we were in for a nude beach, remarked the newly minted 87-year-old model after the presentation, still donning his silver Nick Graham-designed NASA jacket and silver sneaks as he eyed his fellow models shedding their duds backstage. A beautiful view, indeed. Aldrins graduate astronautics degree from M.I.T. proved handy while making his walk for the shows finale. I wasnt sure what side to get on, Aldrin remarked, referring to the crowd lined up tangent to the presentations linear walkway. If I walked too close to the people, then not enough of them would see it. Im always calculating time and distance. Aldrin was joined at Skylight Clarkson by another space buff, and a repeat Nick Graham show attendee and collaborator Bill Nye, who initially bonded with the designer over their shared love of space and Carl Sagan. Nye opened Grahams presentation with a brief science lecture. The theme of the collection? Life on Mars. Speaking of life on Mars, Nye reflected on another popular space persona post-show: Elon Musk, who spoke at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara this past fall. The young people went running to the front, and knocked people over when he did his talk, Nye said, referring to the SpaceX chief executive officers announcement of his plans to develop an interplanetary spaceship to transport humans to Mars. The thing is, to have a colony on Mars I think thats not an especially good idea, Nye added. Theres no substitute for Earth. This idea well go Terraform Mars, youre freaking high. Theres no way the Earth is it. So you gotta take care of it. Story continues At that, a new cluster of fans wandered over to prod the Science Guy for a selfie. Im going to face the sun, Nye told them, looking toward the window. So if you want a picture, go over there. Related stories: Five Minutes With New York Fashion Week: Men's Ambassador Fabolous Boss Heading to New York Fashion Week: Men's Six Influencers You Can Expect to See at New York Fashion Week: Men's Is Apple considering the possibility of going round with the Apple Watch? That's a question many are asking after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Thursday published a patent application from the company on a "charging apparatus for wearable electronic device" technology. A new patent points to a possible round Apple Watch. Credit: USPTO A new patent points to a possible round Apple Watch. Credit: USPTO The patent centers on a method for boosting the battery life of the smartwatch, but oddly includes images of not a rectangular Apple Watch, but a round version. But first, the patent. Apple's application, which was discovered by 9to5Mac, centers on a technology that would place what amounts to an external power source on the smartwatch's band. From there, the power is transferred to the smartwatch, effectively boosting its battery life far beyond what you'd find in the built-in battery. The patent application calls for a separate "apparatus" that would attach to a band, or, in some cases, would be embedded directly into the band. In either case, it would deliver power to the device. MORE: The Apple Watch 2 Has a Killer Feature No One is Talking About The patent application is the latest in a growing line of patents Apple has sent to the USPTO related to using a smartwatch band to add features to the device. Last month, for instance, a patent surfaced, detailing links within the band that could add a camera, touchscreen, and other features to a smartwatch. Considering smartwatch cases are rather small and getting smaller, Apple apparently believes that the watchband could be useful in enhancing its features and delivering more power. But what about the latest patent application's drawings? In most smartwatch patents, Apple displays images that look like its Apple Watch, rectangular face and all. But in this patent application, it's showing a round face. While that might appear to be just a generic image it's using to showcase its technology, it's worth noting that the back of the round face comes with the same charging area as the current Apple Watch. In other words, Apple is showcasing a patent that comes with a possible design concept for the Apple Watch. Story continues This is just a patent application, but in a market where the round Samsung Gear S3 offers more sex appeal, it's good to know that the company has at least thought about a round Apple Watch. See also : The Most Amazing iPhone 8 Concepts Instagram users may soon be able to post multiple images in a single post, with the company reportedly testing out the feature in its latest Android beta release, as first discovered by Droid Life. Currently, only brands and advertisers have the ability to publish several photos in a single post, which users can swipe through horizontally -- but it seems the social media platform is now well on its way to approving the feature for wider public. A new update pushed to beta testers on Android reveals the beginnings of an album-posting option, which will let users select up to 10 images to post at once, with separate filters and edits available for each. Details on when the new feature will be made available to the wider Instagram community are currently scarce, and it seems the company is not yet ready to release any further information. Macklemore Hikes (Around) Mount Rainier In This Columbia Sportswear Campaign Macklemore likes nature. It hasn't been confirmed what Ryan Lewis thinks of it. If you know anything about Macklemore, its probably that hes responsible for the hit "Thrift Shop," and that hes a serious Seattle Seahawks fan. It also turns out hes something of an outdoorsman, and really digs exploring Mount Rainier. "When you look out of the window after a year of touring and see Mount Rainier on the horizon, it means that you've made it home," says Macklemore in Columbia Sportswears newly released video (above). While summiting the 14,410-foot Rainier is possible without major mountaineering experience (a guide is highly recommended), Columbia couldn't verify whether hes climbed the peak himself. For now, his love of Rainier is on record for a promotion spot for the Portland, Oregonbased brand's Tested Tough campaign. This is my home. This is my upbringing. This is what matters. This is #TestedTough. @columbia1938 A video posted by Ben Haggerty (@macklemore) on Feb 1, 2017 at 10:00am PST And although this is an advertisement, the short video is refreshingly earnest and fun to watch if, like us, you can't get enough of the national parks. MORE: The 23 Best National Park Adventures "I have been tested tough numerous times in my life," Macklemore says in the ad. "For me, it's being a good dad. Being a good partner. Doing the right thing. Staying sober. Battling addiction. And that's a test I'll never fully win. I just have to go day by day. Be present. Show up for my family. Be of service to others. These are all moments where I'm constantly tested." In between shots of his Rainier hike one of the riskier ones you can take are clips of the rapper hanging out with his family, and recording and playing live shows. But it wraps up with Macklemore looking out on the National Park below and Rainier's volcanic peak towering behind him in the background. "If you want a dose of humility, if you want a dose of perspective, of what really matters, of impermanence," he says, "there's no better place to be than outside." As the rest of the world comes to grips with the impact of Donald Trumps executive order prohibiting immigrants from seven countries from entering the United States, tech companies have been doing their best push back and figure out how the ban could impact the industry. Microsoft is taking things a step further, and in a lengthy plea the company lays out the need for formal exemptions of certain travelers, citing issues its own employees have had to deal with regarding the ban, and insisting that the current state of affairs simply isnt acceptable. Don't Miss: If you have a 9 to 5 job, youre working exactly one hour too many The crux of Microsofts argument is that the government already has a wealth of information about many people in the visa program, and that preventing those individuals from traveling serves virtually no purpose. U.S. immigration authorities already have a wide range of personal information about individuals in the visa categories that we have proposed, the company explains. This includes individuals occupation, place of residence, place of work, family members, state identification/drivers license information, and the existence of any criminal history. In short, these individuals are known quantities in their communities: their character, personalities, conduct, and behavior is understood by their colleagues, employers, friends, and neighbors. Microsoft suggests creating what it calls an exemption for Responsible Known Travelers with Pressing Needs, which would allow verified individuals who travel for work, students, and certain other low-risk individuals the ability to travel as needed for their occupation or education. Many of these individuals also fill critical roles in the organizations that employ them, whether they are doctors, scientists, engineers, medical technicians, software developers, or any number of other highly skilled professionals, Microsoft says. They are deeply valued contributors to the innovation, research and business acumen of our nation, and they serve critical roles in the successful operations of U.S. companies. Story continues The company has filed a formal request with the government for the exemption program to be considered, though whether it has a chance for approval or will fall on deaf ears remains to be seen. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com By Jussi Rosendahl and Tuomas Forsell HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish network equipment maker Nokia reported its quarterly profits fell less than expected, helped by cost cuts and the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent, and said the tough global market was starting to stabilise. Nokia and its rivals, Sweden's Ericsson and China's Huawei, have struggled lately as telecom operators' demand for faster 4G mobile broadband equipment has peaked, and upgrades to next-generation 5G equipment are still years away. Nokia bought Franco-American Alcatel-Lucent last year to broaden its operations and is currently axing thousands of jobs as it seeks to cut 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) of annual costs by 2018. Nokia said that while it expected the global networks market to fall around 2 percent this year, it saw opportunities in markets such as North America, India and Japan. "We continue to expect our performance to improve in 2017 and see the potential for margin expansion in 2017 and beyond, as market conditions improve and our sales transformation programmes gain further traction," Chief Executive Rajeev Suri told reporters on a conference call. "Our plan is to make the most of the market this year, be efficient, maintain our pricing discipline, ensure our synergies happen and we get the cost reductions." PRICE PRESSURE Shares in the company - which are down 24 percent from a year ago - rose 3.5 percent by 0905 GMT. "Nokia, Ericsson and also Huawei are focusing more on profitability than growth. Although the market will decline this year, price pressure will ease," said Inderes analyst Mikael Rautanen with an "accumulate" rating on the stock. Nokia's fourth-quarter group earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) fell 27 percent from a year ago to 940 million euros ($1 billion), but were well above analysts' average forecast of 788 million euros in a Reuters poll. The networks unit's sales in the quarter fell 14 percent, more than expected, but its operating margin came in at 14.1 percent, ahead of a market forecast of 11.7 percent. In full-year 2016, the networks margin was 8.9 percent, and for this year Nokia expects a margin of between 8 to 10 percent. "Topline was a little soft, but it was offset by good profitability... which seems to stem from efficiencies and everything that Nokia has done," said OP Equities analyst Hannu Rauhala, with a "buy" rating. "Worries about Nokia's profitability are easing a little." Once the world's biggest mobile phone maker, Nokia was caught out by the rise of smartphones and ended up selling its handset business to Microsoft in 2014, leaving it with the networks business and a portfolio of technology patents. In December, Nokia filed a string of lawsuits against Apple for violating its patents, and the legal battle is expected to delay further returns from Nokia's potentially highly lucrative patent royalty portfolio. Last month, Nokia's name returned to the smartphone market as HMD Global - a new company ran by former Nokia executives - launched new Nokia handsets under a licensing deal. ($1 = 0.9264 euros) (Additional reporting by Eric Auchard; Editing by Stephen Coates/Keith Weir) Nokia was the world's top mobile phone maker between 1998 and 2011 but was overtaken by South Korean rival Samsung after failing to respond to the rapid rise of smartphones (AFP Photo/Irene Stachon) (Lehtikuva/AFP/File) Helsinki (AFP) - Telecoms giant Nokia on Thursday said that falling network sales and costs stemming from acquisitions and its integration of Alcatel-Lucent had resulted in a "disappointing" loss in 2016. The firm recorded a net loss of 766 million euros ($826 million) last year, which chief executive Rajeev Suri described in a statement as a "year of transition." Suri admitted he was "disappointed" with the 2016 results but said he expected a better financial performance this year "as market conditions improve." "We remain in a position of financial strength," said the chief executive. Nokia has been going through a process of radical transformation over the last few years. In 2013, it bought 50 percent of its network activities from Germany's Siemens, and the following year it divested from its previously world-leading mobile phone business. It sold its mapping unit Here in 2015 as well as completing the deal late last year to buy Alcatel-Lucent, which had only recorded one year of annual profit since its inception in 2006. Nokia was the world's top mobile phone maker between 1998 and 2011 but was overtaken by South Korean rival Samsung after failing to respond to the rapid rise of smartphones. JAKARTA (Reuters) - Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab on Thursday said it will invest $700 million to expand in Indonesia over the next four years, marking its biggest-ever investment in any country. Grab's push in what has become its largest market is set to intensify the competition among ride-hailing firms in Indonesia. Grab's rivals in the country include U.S. firm Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] and home-grown app Go-Jek. Grab will open a research and development (R&D) center, start a new investment fund and develop its payment platform in Indonesia. It had also hired Indonesia's former national police chief to oversee corporate governance. Grab said its R&D center in Jakarta will develop localized solutions such as algorithms to address the road regulations in the Indonesian capital. It will also invest up to $100 million in early-stage start-ups or aspiring "technopreneurs". Grab, which was co-founded by Harvard Business School graduate Anthony Tan, raised $750 million in a funding round last September, more than a month after its Indonesian rival, Go-Jek, received $550 million from investors including KKR and Warburg Pincus. (Reporting by Eveline Danubrata; Editing by Himani Sarkar) British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon calims that Russia is " weaponising misinformation" and has "created what we might now see as the post-truth age" (AFP Photo/CHRIS J RATCLIFFE) (AFP/File) London (AFP) - UK Defence minister Michael Fallon on Thursday accused Russia of "weaponising misinformation", in a stark warning on cyber warfare in which he also took aim at Kremlin-backed media. "Today we see a country that in weaponising misinformation has created what we might now see as the post-truth age," Fallon said during a speech at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. "Russia is clearly testing NATO and the West. It is seeking to expand its sphere of influence, destabilise countries and weaken the alliance," he added. The defence minister's comments follow allegations by US intelligence agencies of interference in the country's elections by Moscow, which prompted the outgoing administration to impose sanctions on Russian agencies. Fallon referred to the allegation in describing a "persistent pattern of behaviour" by Moscow. He drew on other cases linked to Russia such as a 2015 cyber attack on the German parliament, warning of possible future interference in Germany's elections later this year. "(Russia) is undermining national security for many allies and the international rules-based system. "Therefore it is in our interest and Europe's to keep NATO strong and to deter and dissuade Russia from this course," said Fallon, who also called for London to engage with Moscow. His remarks come after NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg last month said there was a monthly average of 500 "threatening cyber attacks" against the military alliance's infrastructure in 2016, an increase of 60 percent on the previous year. Echoing Stoltenberg's calls for greater focus on cyber security, Fallon said: "NATO must defend itself as effectively in the cyber sphere as it does in the air, on land, and at sea so adversaries know there is a price to pay if they use cyber weapons." The minister also took aim at Kremlin-backed media, such as television channel RT and Sputnik news agency, which he said were responsible for spreading "Soviet-style misinformation". In December the European Parliament approved a motion condemning the outlets for disseminating "absolutely fake" news. LONDON (Reuters) - Vodafone, the world's second-biggest mobile operator, said on Thursday that the rate of growth in its international business division had slowed, echoing a similar warning given by British rival BT last week. BT, Britain's dominant fixed-line telecoms operator that provides networked IT and cloud services to companies and governments around the world, had said that it had seen a marked slowdown in its international order book, prompting it to take a more cautious approach to the sector. Vodafone, reporting its third-quarter results on Thursday, said it was also seeing lower rates of growth in its global enterprise division, and said it was taking a more disciplined approach to agreeing contracts. Neither spelled out whether the slowdown in spending was due to concerns by corporate customers for the global economy or whether it reflected competitive pressures from cloud service specialists such as Amazon Web Services. "Global enterprise used to grow (around) 5 percent, now it's 2, so yes there is a deceleration," Vodafone Chief Executive Vittorio Colao told reporters. "What I hear, what I see is there is a pressure on revenues and we are a little bit stricter on the profitability of some contracts, so we don't always bid to the last penny to win." BT issued a major profit warning last week, with the business hit by a slowdown in British government work and an accounting scandal discovered in its Italian business. The firm also said it had seen a drop in new work from multinational companies, forcing it to lower its growth forecasts for the unit. "We're taking action to address this trend," BT Finance Director Simon Lowth told analysts. "We are now more cautious on the outlook for the international markets for this year and next and we've revised downwards our expectations of future growth rates in this part of our business." IT research firm Gartner has predicted that spending on global communications services will rise by 1.7 percent this year, while it expects IT services to rise by 4.2 percent. (Reporting by Kate Holton and Paul Sandle) Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. said Thursday export revenues increased 3 percent last year to $841 million from $840.7 million in 2015, led by a significant increase in shipments of automotive parts. TMPC disclosed the numbers during a meeting with Toyota Group of Export Suppliers and Philippine Economic Zone Authority director-general Charito Plaza. TMPC president Satoru Suzuki said Toyota Groups exports of automotive parts accounted for 21 percent of the countrys auto parts exports in 2016. The group informed Peza about the challenges that the auto manufacturing industry was facing, while Plaza gave assurance of policy consistency and a revolutionized Peza to improve the business climate. Toyota Group committed to help the country achieve sustainable growth and progress through the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy or Cars program. ADVERTISEMENT We would like to take advantage of the current market growth to further develop local production with support under the Cars program. Through investments, employment generation and more parts export, the auto industry will play a great role in economic development, Suzuki said. Toyota registered with the Cars program in July 2016 with an initial investment of P3.2 billion in vehicle production and parts localization. The company said in December last year it would increase its total outsourced local parts by 16 percent, or a total of 317 part numbers, in collaboration with 30 auto parts makers which included small and medium-sized enterprises. TMPC said it would also undertake in-house parts production under the Cars program. Toyota Group pledged to put in combined investments of P7.5 billion in new projects that would also involve the manufacture of automotive parts of Toyota Vios, the groups entry model in the Cars program. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo on Thursday said she was thrilled over the inclusion of Great Sta. Cruz Island, also called Isla de Sta. Cruz, in Zamboanga City in the 21 Best Beaches in the World list by international publication National Geographic. We are so proud about this citation and happy about its very timely announcement, which comes right after our visit there in December, when I had pushed for the islands immediate improvement and development as an ecotourism destination, Teo said. The Great Sta. Cruz Island used to be under the supervision of the Philippine Tourism Authority, the Department of Tourisms infrastructure arm. PTA is now called the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo In 2011, the island was turned over to Zamboangas local government under the City Tourism Offices Protected Management Unit. Teo has instructed DoT Region 9 Director Antonio Blanco to coordinate with TIEZA to assist Zamboanga in upgrading the islands facilities, building additional cottages, and offering more nature-based recreational activities. ADVERTISEMENT The planned development will highlight its conservation and preservation, it being a protected area. Nonetheless, the outcome should enable locals and foreign visitors alike to enjoy the islands beauty, but still strictly maintaining it as a day destination. We would like to attract genuine ecotourists as they take responsible, ethical and sustainable tourism to heart, Teo said. On its website, National Geographic was quoted as saying: Hardly lacking in gorgeous beaches, the Philippines claims a pink-sand variety, too. The blush color comes from billions of pieces of crushed red organ-pipe coral, seen in every handful of sand. The number of visitors to the island is regulated, and advance arrangements should be made through the tourist office in Zamboanga. The other beaches cited in the NatGeo list are: Playa del Amor in Marietas Islands in Mexico; Cathedrals Beach in Ribadeo, Spain; Anse Source dArgent in La Digue, Seychelles; One Foot Island in Aitutaki, Cook Islands; Sunset Beach in Brunswick Islands, North Carolina; Lazy Beach in Koh Rong Island, Cambodia; Bowmans Beach in Sanibel Island, Florida; Shell Beach in Shark Bay, Western Australia; Lyme Regis in England; Cannon Beach in Oregon; Carmel City Beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Noordwjk Beach in The Netherlands; Papakolea Beach in Hawaii; Reynisfjara Beach in Iceland; Pelican Beach in South Water Caye, Belize; Blue Bay in Mauritius; Cas Abao Beach in Curacao; Sleeping Bear Point in Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan; Piscinas Beach in Arbus, Sardinia; and Corniche Beach in La Teste-De-Buch, France. The Philippines was also part of NatGeos List of Top Destinations for 2016. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. A commitment to inspiring and encouraging personal progress, Johnnie Walker introduced the #KeepWalkingPH 21 Day Challenge and urged Filipinos to overcome their self-doubt and take the first step toward achieving their ambition. Held in SM Aura Premiers IMAX Cinema on Jan.11, the evening saw a coming together of Manilas tastemakers, celebrities, and media partners celebrating Johnnie Walkers legacy of inspiring personal progress. Among the guests who publicly declared their ambitions that night were former Pinoy Big Brother housemate Patrick Sugui, actors Khalil Ramos and Sarah Carlos, comedian Rodfil Obeso, and Asias Next Top Model finalist Jodilly Pendre. Teen Kapamilya star Khalil Ramos shared his ambition during the Johnny Walker #KeepWalkingPH challenge An initiative under the Keep Walking Philippines campaign, the #KeepWalkingPH 21 Day Challenge asks participants to publicly declare their goals through 21 social media posts. Johnnie Walker believes that every Filipino is capable of overcoming self-doubt and thus, inspires everyone to take that first step towards personal progress. When our abilities are questioned, we lose confidence in ourselves. Self-doubt is the universal barrier to progress that we all have to face on a daily basis, shares Diageo Philippines General Manager Vanee Gosiengfiao. The Johnnie Walker brand has always encouraged people to keep walking towards personal progress and continues to do so through the #KeepWalkingPH 21 Day Challenge, a simple yet meaningful act that helps us form a habit that encourages self-belief. ADVERTISEMENT Through its Keep Walking Philippines campaign, Johnnie Walker has recognized the inspiring stories of those we consider modern-day heroes. As evident in the stories of photographer Xyza Bacani, director Brillante Mendoza, and innovators Aisa and Raphael Mijeno of SALt every Filipino has the ability to progress towards big bold heroic ambitions. Overcoming the uncertainty in ones self can be the driving force to success as long as you keep working at it. For more information about the Keep Walking Philippines campaign and 21 Day Challenge, you may visit Johnnie Walkers official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JohnnieWalkerPhilippines. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Private telephone conversations between President Sisi and his Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry were aired on Mukameleen television; a Turkish based channel that has close ties with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. Five separate conversations allegedly had the two officials discussing matters related to Cairos ties with the Gulf States, especially Saudi Arabia. In one of the conversations, Foreign Minister Shoukry advised President Sisi not to honor Irans invitation to the Lausanne Conference on Syria last October because it could complicate relations with Saudi Arabia, already strained by the current dispute over the two islands of Tiran and Sanafir. Riyadh and Cairo have different positions to end the Syrian conflict. Shoukry opined that it would have been preferable to attend the conference if the invitation came from Washington. In another conversation following the deadly December 2016 church bombing that killed at least 25 people, they discussed Qatars displeasure with Cairo linking it to the assailants. An Egyptian doctor named Muhab Qasim allegedly planned the operation while receiving orders, logistical and financial support from Brotherhood leaders in Qatar in order to destabilize Egypt, cause sedition and divide the national ranks. Doha was unhappy that the statement mentioned its name and that prompted a statement from the Gulf Cooperation Council in support of Qatar. Shoukry informed Sisi that the Qataris pushed for the statement to be issued while the Saudis perhaps used this as a means to continue tension with us [Egypt] as the more moderate countries resisted before calling for a watered-down and balanced statement, which was later released. Sisi and Shoukry also talked about Kuwaits effort to warm up relations between Cairo and Riyadh but Saudi officials requested that they have to consult King Salman before the initiative could be pursued. Kuwait hopes to resolve the differences between the two countries in order to encourage the resumption of Saudi oil supplies to Egypt, which was suspended in November as positions became divergent. The leaked telephone conversations are yet to be independently verified and it is still unclear how the television channel got access to them. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement condemning the attack of the Saudi naval frigate in the Red Sea by the Houthi Movement earlier this week killing at least two people. During a meeting with a delegation of the Lebanese Communist Party, President Michel Aoun has added his voice to the tense debate over the reform of the electoral law ahead of the parliamentary elections by stating that verbal bickering does not lead to an outcome. He called for the continuation of our struggle until we attain truthful popular representation and rule clear of personal interests in a bid to build the state and create a powerful system. The Lebanese are divided over the system to adopt in electing members of the parliament with many seeming to back the adoption of a proportionality approach in order to have a balance between majority and minority. Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, recalled that when the government pledged in its ministerial statement to grant priority to stage the elections, it did not separate between this end and the efforts to find a new election law. He acknowledged that there are opposing views but that does not necessarily mean that we have reached a dead end. Hariri called for efforts to continue in order to have a law acceptable by each party and sect. State Minister for Parliament Affairs Ali Qansou opined that having Lebanon as one electoral district on the basis of proportionality could help to end the debate as the cabinet prepares to tackle the issue during its meeting scheduled for next week. The Progressive Socialist Party has meanwhile raised the alarm over the representation of the minority Druze community, warning that any electoral law containing the proportional representation system would marginalize Druze in the political system. MP Farid Khazen from the Change and Reform bloc claimed that some political parties are blocking the reform by refusing all the proposals made. He lamented that it is impossible to reach an election law that satisfies everybody. Women right groups are demanding that 30% of the parliament seats be reserved for women as their quota. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, during a meeting with Maronite bishops, stated that efforts to adopt one standard are ongoing. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, Michael Flynn stated during a press conference at the White House. President Donald Trumps National Security Advisor warned that Irans missile test that was carried out over the weekend is a sign of the continuous malign actions. He renewed Washingtons call for Tehran to respect UN Security Council resolution 2231 and not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Irans defense minister General Hossein Dehghan confirmed the test on Wednesday stating that it was in line with our plans and we will not let any foreigner meddle with our defense issues. In a defiant message, he stressed that our nation has tested itself in this path and other countries have tested us too but their statements and measures cannot affect the will of our nation. Dehghan did not state the type of missile that was tested. Die Welt, a German newspaper, reported that it was a cruise missile named Sumar. It added that it was successfully tested and travelled for around 600km. According to the report, it has the capability of carrying nuclear weapons and has a range of between 2,000 and 3,000km. The missile test did not violate the UN Security Council resolution or the July 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the so-called P5+1 that ended the countrys controversial nuclear program. However, Washington considers the test absolutely unacceptable saying instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened. Relations between Tehran and the Trump administration are expected to be tense as the latter questions Irans destabilizing behavior across the Middle East by transferring weapons, supporting terrorism and violating international norms. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. After his historic visit in Addis Ababa that was crowned by the official integration of Morocco as a full-fledged member of the African Union, King Mohammed VI flew on Wednesday to Juba on an official visit to South Sudan. During the visit, taking place under the sign of solidarity and inter-African action, King Mohammed VI will co-chair with President Salva Kiir the signing ceremony of several cooperation agreements. These agreements will translate Moroccos commitment to the development of the continent, as it was stressed by the King in the landmark speech he delivered on Tuesday in Addis Ababa before the 28th summit of the African Union. My country has opted to share and transfer its know-how; in concrete terms, it is offering to build a safe, solidarity-based futureWe enthusiastically invite African nations to join our countrys dynamism and to give new impetus to the whole of our continent, King Mohammed VI pointed out in his speech. This is the path to solidarity, peace and union chosen by my country. We reaffirm our commitment to the development and prosperity of African citizens, insisted the King who is confident that building more peaceful bilateral and multilateral relations helps create an environment conducive to development and growth. The Moroccan ruler, on each of the 46 visits he paid to 25 African countries, since coming to power in 1999, has translated his calls for inter-African cooperation and solidarity into concrete actions, through the signing of numerous agreements and the launch of many social development projects. These projects do not benefit the country where they are implemented only. They also create wealth for neighboring countries and populations, and benefit the continent as a whole. Part of Moroccos vision of south-south cooperation in the continent that is underpinned by solidarity and humanism, and in a humanitarian gesture reflective of the Kings care to assist the South Sudanese people, a Moroccan multi-purpose military field hospital was set up in Juba recently. The facility is operated by 20 physicians specializing in pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, traumatology, dentistry, ophthalmology and ENT medicine. Besides, ahead of the Sovereigns visit to Juba, a Moroccan delegation including experts in the fields of construction, urban planning and architecture travelled to Juba to examine South Sudans request to benefit from Moroccos expertise in their project to build a new administrative capital. By Emmanuel Vitus Agbenonwossi, Accra-Ghana Congos veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi passed away Wednesday in Brussels at 84. Tshisekedi, who pushed for democratic reforms for decades in the mineral-rich Central African nation died after he went to Brussels last week for a medical check-up. Tshisekedi had been in Kinshasa since mid-last year and participated in the countrys national dialogue to avert a crisis due to the election stalemate. His party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) the oldest and traditionally most vociferous opposition party he founded in 1982 confirmed his death in a statement from Kinshasa. The UDPS wishes to inform the national as well as the international public of the death of its President Mr Etienne Tshisekedi Wa Mulumba who died this Wednesday February 1, 2017 at the St. Elisabeth Hospital in Brussels, the statement said. Etienne rarely seen without his flat cap before his death was in commands authority in the party for his long career in opposition including to Mobutu, when he earned the Sphinx nickname for not speaking much but causing a lot of trouble when he did. Congolese mourn the Sphinx of Limete Following the news on Wednesday night, members of the opposition took to social media to mourn their leader they nicknamed Tshitshi. Opposition leader and member of the Rassemblement opposition coalition launched by Tshisekedi last year, Moise Katumbi said he was deeply saddened by the death of the Father of the Congolese democracy. We have just lost one of the most iconic figures of the history of our country. A deep sense of sadness has overwhelmed the heart of all Congolese. Until his [Tshisekedi] last breath, the father of our democracy fought dictatorship that is rampant in our country, fought for the first democratic changeover in 2016 and stood up against the injustice of which his compatriots are victim. He made a gift of his life for the interest of the people, and will never be thanked enough for that, Moise Katumbi said. Honoring the The Sphinx of Limete a reference to Tshisekedis birthplace Government figures, paid tributes with Aubin Minaku, general secretary of the presidential majority, and president of the National Assembly, saying: A Baobab (tree) has just fallen. Etienne Tshisekedi remains an icon. May his soul rest in peace. The cathedral of the resistance is gone, commented former DRC finance minister, Freddy Matungulu Mbuyamu. His colleague, former transports and communications minister, Joseph Olenghankoy, said he was distraught, but we will achieve his dream of a state of law in the DRC. A man who fought autocracy his entire life Despite serving as the countrys most iconic opposition figure, he never managed to ascend to Congos highest office. He was named prime minister four times in the 1990s as Mobutu contended with pro-democratic currents in the country, but Tshisekedi never lasted more than a few months as he repeatedly clashed with the autocrat. He went into exile in 2000 after repeated clashes with the government of Joseph Kabilas father, Laurent, who became president after Mobutus departure. Tshisekedi once declared himself president after the 2011 election, which was marred by allegations of vote rigging by the ruling party. Recently he accused Kabila of treason for not stepping down at the end of his mandate. He was poised to take the top post in a transitional council agreed in December 2016 under a deal to pave the way for the first peaceful transition of power in the country. Following decades of conflict and misrule, Congo is trying to stamp out remaining pockets of rebellion and build on relative stability that has helped it to lure investors and rival Zambia as Africas top copper producer. The European Union (EU) has pledged to release 33m aid to the new Gambian government. The aid was frozen two years ago due to concerns over human rights and good governance under former autocrat Yahya Jammeh-led government. The EU envoy in the Gambia, Attila Lajos said the sum of 33 million will be made available to the Barrow administration. It is a fundamental concern of the European Union to support this democratic process in this country We are at the start of a completely new chapter of the history of the EU-Gambia relations, Lajos told journalists after a meeting with President Adama Barrow. The Gambia, Africas smallest mainland country was nearly thrown into political instability after former President Yahya Jammeh attempted to overturn a poll loss last December. The new president who returned to Gambia last week has sworn-in 10 cabinet ministers in the capital Banjul on Wednesday. Among them are former political prisoners who were detained by Jammehs regime including leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) Ousainou Darboe. Adama Barrow had earlier promised to release all political prisoners and set up a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate possible crimes committed by his predecessor. In keeping with its south-south cooperation policy towards African sister nations, Morocco will contribute $5.1 million to cover feasibility studies of the project to build South Sudans new capital. The announcement was made on Wednesday in Juba, where King Mohammed VI is paying an official visit. Together with South Sudans President Salva Kiir Mayardit, the two Heads of state chaired the signing ceremony of multiple cooperation agreements, chief among which were the agreements relating to building Sudans new capital. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Moroccos interior Minister Mohamed Hassad expressed Moroccos willingness to contribute to the development of South Sudan through sharing experience and expertise in the field of urban planning. In this respect, he said Morocco will provide the $5.1 million required for the feasibility studies of the mega-project. He added that Morocco will support the next phases relating to the project by providing assistance in terms of financial and technical partnerships. He said the project will be led by Moroccan real-estate and construction company Al Omrane under the supervision of an Executive Committee appointed by the King. The two countries also signed other agreements to foster bilateral cooperation in fields relating to housing and urban planning, political cooperation, investment promotion, double taxation avoidance and countering tax evasion, agricultural cooperation, industrial cooperation, mines, vocational training and enterprises. The Kings visit to South Sudan is part of a momentum in Moroccos African foreign policy, which was bolstered by the readmission of the Kingdom to the African Union by a landslide majority from member states. The Royal visit to Juba evidences once again the depth and credibility of Moroccos commitment towards tangible south-south cooperation in Africa underpinned by solidarity and co-development. Our advertising solutions help brands engage with deeply immersed audiences wherever they are, and however theyre listening. Its the ROI you want for your marketing investment. 34 more villages in Georgia to be supplied with natural gas The Government of Georgia continues work to ensure natural gas supplies to villages throughout the country.At a cabinet meeting, the Government of Georgia decided to supply 34 more villages with natural gas, which will affect approximately 11,000 households countrywide.A total of 20 million GEL (about $7 million/6 million*) will be spent to provide natural gas to thousands of families.Georgias Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, said at the meeting that over 160,000 gas subscribers have been connected to Georgias natural gas grid over the past few years, for which 241 million GEL (about $90 million/83 million*) was allocated for this purpose.Natural gas is now available to one million people in Georgia thanks to the Governments efforts to ensure reliable access to natural gas. EU making great efforts for visa-free regime with Georgia, Ukraine The EU is making great efforts to totally remove the visa regime with Georgia and Ukraine, European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn said during a PACE winter session.He said Georgia should meet more than 40 and Ukraine more than 150 economic and political conditions of the EU in order to achieve the complete abolition of the visa regime.The European Parliament on Dec. 15, 2016 approved the completion of the legislative process to cancel the visa regime for citizens of Ukraine and Georgia.The decision was made by the majority of MEPs. The News in Brief European Georgia Files for EPP Membership Former UNM members who split from the party and are now using the previously nominal European Georgia party as their new political platform, have applied for observer membership in the conservative European Peoples Party (EPP), which has the largest group in the European Parliament. David Bakradze, Giga Bokeria, Gigi Ugulava and Gigi Tsereteli came today to present me their new political project, European Georgia, President of the European Peoples Party Joseph Daul wrote in a Facebook post on January 23 following the meeting with former UNM leaders. Formal procedures for our new partys EPP membership have already been launched and we hope to be fully represented [in EPP] as soon as possible, Gigi Ugulava, who was recently released from prison, stated after the meeting. Speaking on the matter, Davit Bakradze, the former leader of the UNMs parliamentary minority group and chairman of the partys political council, stated that the new political party has numerous supporters in the EPP. It is of the utmost importance for us that our political force continues our partnership with the European Peoples Party, so that we become members of this family, and through this manage to offer a better tomorrow for our citizens and our country, Bakradze added. If accepted, European Georgia will be the second EPP observer member from Georgia; the UNM was incorporated as an observer member in September, 2008. Joseph Daul also noted that he was particularly pleased to see Gigi Ugulava, whose sentencing Daul has regarded as politically motivated. My thoughts go out to the other political prisoners still detained in Georgia and I call on PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili for their immediate release, he added. Kvirikashvilis office responded to Dauls appeal with a statement on January 24 saying that the Government cannot engage in the process of releasing sentenced individuals, only on the grounds of their political belonging and cannot contribute to the syndrome of impunity. These are not the values of a Western, democratic and constitutional state. The Georgian Governments adherence to these values cannot be compromised in response to politically motivated statements, according to the statement. In democratic systems, offenders are held accountable for their crimes, including criminal acts committed with violence, resulting in deaths, torture, dishonour and humiliation, the statement adds. Ugulavas release featured at the Council of Europes Parliamentary Assembly session as well. In his opening remarks on January 23, Assembly President Pedro Agramunt welcomed the release of Gigi Ugulava, stating that he had pushed for the former mayors release. Upon my election as President, I decided to concentrate specifically on this issue [of political prisoners] ...these initiatives, which I was not alone in undertaking, brought results. In Russia and in Georgia, Ms Savchenko and Mr Ugulava were released and in Azerbaijan a considerable number of civil society activists and journalists were also released and I welcomed this development, Agramunt said. (Civil.ge) Georgia to spend about 40 million GEL on Municipal Elections 2017 Georgias Central Election Commission (CEC) will be given almost 40 million GEL to organise and hold the Municipal Elections 2017. The sums have already been allocated from the state budget. A corresponding resolution was published at the Legislative Herald of Georgia on January 20. The document contains a detailed scheme of the distribution of the money. The CEC will have 39,011,899 GEL at its disposal, and these sums must be spent on the following: Voting-related costs 28,120,049 GEL Election subjects funding 7,610,000 GEL TV advertisement for election subjects 2,242,850 GEL Training for election staff 1,030,000 GEL The Municipal Elections in Georgia are scheduled to be held in autumn 2017. (Agenda.ge) Majority refuses inter-faction group on commercial deals By Messenger Staff European Georgia, which consists of former members of the United National Movement (UNM) party, initiated on Wednesday the creation of an inter-faction confidence group, which would monitor and investigate high-profile commercial deals over the country's important facilities or strategic directions.Majority Georgia Dream leading figure Mamuka Mdinaradze stated the majority would initiate the creation of an inter-faction group on high-profile commercial deals when there would be enough grounds for this.Mdinaradze made the statement in response to the parliamentary opposition European Georgia initiative about formation of such a group.One of the main reasons for the initiative was the recent deal between Georgia and Russias energy giant, Gazprom, over the gas transportation payment Georgia would receive. The deal was condemned by the opposition and the public expressed its concern.The new deal with Gazprom reached on January 10 2017 means Georgia will receive money and not in kind natural gas for Russias gas transportation to Armenia via Georgia.Under the previous agreement, which expired on December 31 2016, Russia paid to Georgia for gas transportation by supplying natural gas to the amount of 10% of the volume of all transported gas.Energy Ministry representatives have stated that monetary compensation would be lower than the price of the gas Georgia received free of charge.The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, stated Georgia had no other choice but to accept Russias conditions.The Georgian population has not access to the information of how much money Russia will pay to Georgia. Only the Government knows what the amount of the payment is.The Prime Minister stated the document signed with Russia would be publicly aired as soon as possible.Mdinaradze stated the public has already received all necessary information about the deal; however this is the controversial statement as all the main questions remain unanswered.With regards to the creation of the group, if created it must be composed of professionals.Such a group should have influence on the processes until deals are signed, it should carry out expert analysis of the deals and issue recommendations to the Government. Otherwise, there is no sense to debate the agreement after they are already signed. The News in Brief Georgia in PACE Resolution on Media Freedom in Europe The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted on January 24 a resolution calling for strengthening independence and diversity of the public and private media in Georgia. The resolution Attacks Against Journalists and Media Freedom in Europe was adopted with 110 votes to 15. Both opposition and ruling party lawmakers of the Georgian delegation supported the resolution. The resolution says that it welcomes Georgian legislation, which provides a framework for freedom and stability of the media as well as the law on broadcasting, but encourages all responsible authorities to continue strengthening the independence and diversity of the public and private media. The Assembly reiterated the concerns expressed in PACEs Resolution 2035 (2015), stating that it regrets the past and continuing changes in media ownership in Georgia, which have an impact on media pluralism and diversity in Georgia. Efforts to change the ownership of the countrys most popular pro-European TV station have caused continual concern among many international interlocutors and in civil society, the statement reads referring to the ongoing ownership dispute over Rustavi 2. GDDG lawmakers requested removal of the two clauses, arguing that Rustavi 2 maintained independent editorial policy and that its management remains the same, but the motion was outvoted with 98 against 24. Rustavi2 maintains a critical position towards the government and is constantly progressing. Maestro TV shares have not been acquired by a new shareholder. No legal case has been submitted to the court regarding ownership of the company, GDDG-drafted explanatory note stated. According to the resolution, the Assembly also notes with deep concern that media freedom is absent in other territories of member States which are de facto controlled by separatist regimes, namely in Nagorno-Karabakh of Azerbaijan, Abkhazia and South Ossetia of Georgia, and Transnistria of the Republic of Moldova. The resolution was based on a report compiled by Ukrainian lawmaker Volodymyr Ariev, chairman of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE, a body which is made of 324 lawmakers from the parliaments of the Council of Europes 47 member states. (civil.ge) New awareness campaign to boost EU-Georgia integration Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Georgia Janos Herman believes Georgia has never been so close to Europe as it is now. Attending the official launch of an EU-Georgia relations awareness campaign today, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili praised the efforts of the campaign to bring Georgia and its people closer to Europe. The 150,000 campaign comes as part of the EU-funded Facility for the Implementation of the Association Agreement in Georgia project. The campaign aims at raising public awareness on EU-Georgia political and economic relations and the benefits the country will receive. The six-month campaign will be carried out in several stages through direct and indirect communication promoting European values. This includes but is not limited to exhibitions, video clips, success stories, competitions and other forms of communication that better explain the values Georgia and Europe have in common. Kvirikashvili said Georgia, with its "ancient history, culture and rich traditions is approaching a "free and independent European family. The PM believes Georgia will contribute to diverse European culture and strengthen its peace and security. He further positively assessed the reforms Georgia has been carrying out under the Georgia-EU Association Agreement (AA) which was signed on June 27, 2014. Prime Minister said "as anti-Western propaganda keeps growing it is important that people receive truthful and comprehensive information on Georgias path towards Euro-integration. Our citizens should have as much information as possible on EU-Georgia political and economic relations. They should be aware how each of us could benefit from the AA and visa-free travel, Kvirikashvili said. He said the role of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European & Euro-Atlantic Integration and the NATO-EU Information Centre would be important in the successful implementation of the campaign. (Agenda.ge) Investigation launched into incident at kindergarten An investigation has been launched into an incident that took place at one of the kindergartens in Tbilisi. Experts of the Criminal Police are working at the incident site. A mother accused a teacher of having physically assaulted her 3-year-old child, and claims that the child now has injures to the ear. The child is being subjected to an examination at the National Forensic Bureau. The Kindergartens Administration claims that they already talked to the teacher and are waiting for the investigations results. The teacher is temporarily suspended from work. She denied all the allegations of violence. The Kindergartens Management Agency is also studying the case. A criminal case is opened into the fact. (1tv.ge) We have read Mr. Dauls statement; we dispute that claim - Party of European Socialists We have read Mr. Dauls statement urging the Prime Minister of Georgia to release so-called political prisoners. We dispute the claim, the Party of European Socialists says in its Facebook post. Our firm belief is that Georgia is a successful country which is developing its democratic institutions and excelling at the introduction of European standards. Since 2012, Georgia has achieved exceptional progress in protecting democracy and human rights, advancing the independence of its judiciary, and promoting media pluralism. We must all support the development of this young democracy and its European integration, the statement says. As a reminder, Joseph Daul calls on Georgias PM to immediately release the countrys political prisoners. I am sorry for all the political prisoners who are detained in Georgia, and I call on Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to immediately release them, European People's Party President Joseph Daul said after meeting with the leaders of the European Georgia party. Joseph Daul met with Davit Bakradze, Gigi Ugulava, Giga Bokeria and Gigi Tsereteli in Brussels. "Today I met with Davit Bakradze, Giga Bokeria, Gigi Tsereteli and Gigi Ugulava. They introduced their new political project, European Georgia. I was happy to see Gigi Ugulava, who has recently been released from prison after spending 2.5 years behind bars. I am sorry for the other political prisoners who were detained in Georgia and I call on Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili to immediately release them, says Joseph Daul in a statement released by European Georgia. (IPN) @amysherman1 Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo easily beat his Democratic challenger Nov. 8th, but national Democrats are targeting his swing district in Miami-Dade in 2018. Curbelo's district is one of 20 districts that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee identified as part of it's "March into 18" project which includes hiring full-time organizers and launching digital ads in each district. "Organizers will focus on the importance of the midterms to provide a check on Republicans, like Representative Carlos Curbelo, and give them the tools to register voters and turn out Democrats in their communities in 2018," states the press release. The DCCC describes the project as an "earlier-than-ever" effort but Democrats will face an uphill battle against Curbelo. On Nov. 8, Curbelo easily beat former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia 53-41 percent to hold on to his seat in District 26 which spans Westchester to Key West. Curbelo first ousted Garcia in 2014. Curbelo succeeded by distancing himself from Trump in the immigrant-rich district and bashed Garcia, the former head of the Cuban American National Foundation, for his support of President Barack Obama's reset with Cuba. Curbelo also reminded voters that Garcia's campaign chief was sentenced to jail in an absentee ballot scheme in 2014 although Joe Garcia himself wasn't charged. Curbelo didn't vote for Trump and instead voted for a third-party candidate. In 2016, the DCCC initially backed Annette Taddeo in the primary but when she lost it switched gears and backed Garcia. So far, no Democrats have filed with the state Division of Elections to challenge Curbelo. The district is the only one in Florida targeted by the DCCC for this project. Here's a look at Curbelo's Truth-O-Meter record from PolitiFact Florida. Add former State Sen. Lisa Carlton to the list of potential candidates for statewide office in 2018. Hours after Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, announced she was running for Florida Agriculture commissioner, Carlton confirmed to the Times/Herald that she is weighing getting into the contest as well. Orlando Republican Paul Paulson has also filed for the seat. Carlton, a Sarasota County Republican and rancher, was in the Florida Senate from 1998 to 2008. She said since then she has stepped completely away from politics to focus on raising her family and her family's citrus and cattle ranch businesses. But with her children off to college, Carlton said she's been talking to allies statewide about running for commissioner of agriculture. "I'm seriously considering running for agriculture commissioner," Carlton said. Carlton knows first hand about the struggles of Florida's citrus industry. She said her ranch has about 100 acres affected by greening, the disease that has ravaged Florida orange groves. "It's devastating," Carlton, 52, said of the planting and re-planting her family has gone through trying to save their groves. Though Carlton served 14 years in the Legislature between the House and the Senate, she said she's been away from the process for so long she sees herself as more of an outsider now. Carlton said she would have backed former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, if he had run. But Crisafulli announced at the beginning of January that he was going to pass on the race. Current agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam faces term limits in 2018 and cannot seek re-election to the post. He is expected to run for governor in 2018. @MichaelAuslen John Morgan says he hasn't decided whether to run for governor in 2018, but he sure does sound like it. The Orlando trial lawyer is traveling the state making stops at political clubs on a talking tour (he calls politicians' usual listening tours "a bunch of B.S."). On Thursday, it brought him to Capital Tiger Bay Club in Tallahassee, where he palled around with lobbyists and politicians. He's touting his agenda: Prison reforms, decriminalized marijuana, better prison system and a higher minimum wage. If he doesn't run, Morgan plans to back a constitutional amendment to raise the wage. "People do not make enough money to survive," he said. Morgan funded and chaired the Amendment 2 campaign last November, which earned 71 percent of the vote to legalize medical marijuana in Florida. That and his high name recognition "for better or worse" from $80 million in annual spending on advertising for his law firm Morgan & Morgan mean he's prepared to run, Morgan says. "It was kind of like running a statewide race to tell you the truth," he said. After the November election, political consultants started to convince him to run. He says he won't decide until after an upcoming vacation to St. Barts -- and he may wait until next year. A longtime Democoratic donor, he is likely to run as a Democrat. But he may attempt an independent bid. "I think this last election showed us that there may be a new party out there, and it may not be Democrats, it may not be Republicans," Morgan said. "What's really driving politics today is financial security." Still, he acknowledges an independent run may not work. As well as Morgan, former Congresswoman Gwen Graham, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn are considering Democratic primary runs. Republicans Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate budget chair Jack Latvala are considering running. The Montana Natural History Center announces its February programs. miniNaturalist Pre-K Program February's theme is "Diggin' Dinos and Fossils." Thursdays, Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23 from 10 to 11 a.m. This program is free with admission. All ages welcome. First Friday Gallery Opening The Montana Natural History Center is pleased to announce a First Friday Gallery Opening: "Magnificent Montana" by local artist Tom Curry. View his landscape and wildlife photography at the free opening on Friday, Feb. 3, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and throughout the month. Saturday Kids' Activity MNHC's Artist in Residence, Peggy Christian, will teach new photography techniques as you study specimens in the exhibit hall. Create a photographic collage with text to form a narrative. Access to a phone or camera that can print to an air printer is required. Saturday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. Free with admission. Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter Meeting The Glacial Lake Missoula Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute will now meet at 3:30 p.m. every third Wednesday of the month at MNHC. These meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to learn about and discuss Glacial Lake Missoula. Naturalist Trivia Night Show off your skills or learn new facts during a fun game of Naturalist Trivia. You can bring a team or join up with other friendly naturalists when you arrive. The Valentine's Day-themed evening will be hosted by special guests. Everyone is welcome. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. $5 donation; MNHC members free. Sip & Sketch: Photographic Curiosity Cabinet MNHC's Artist in Residence, Peggy Christian, will guide you through the process of combining photography and words to create a unique and beautiful work of art. Practice mindful photography as you explore a specimen, resulting in a deeper connection. Peggy will direct you in carefully editing your photos, and you'll choose six that will provide a narrative. Add text to develop the story and, finally, affix photos and text to a wooden canvas. Learn how photography can go beyond simple documentation it can be used to sharpen your senses, heighten awareness, and, yes, tell stories. Access to a phone or camera that can print to an air printer is required. Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. $30; $25 MNHC members (includes two beverages and all materials). Sunday Discovery Day Master Naturalist Micki Long will introduce you to the beauty of the winter landscape along the Bass Creek trail in the Bitterroot. Spend an afternoon outside on snowshoes. Trip leaves from the Bass Creek trailhead. MNHC has snowshoes to borrow. Pick them up the week before the program. Sunday, Feb. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m. Free. RSVP is required. Please email mickilong@gmail.com if you would like to attend. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a regular meeting Friday, Feb. 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Headquarters in Helena. The commission will look at a variety of issues and make final decisions on Future Fisheries Projects, a rule allowing lighted nocks on arrows, and 2017 spring turkey license quotas. Also on the agenda for a final decision from the commission are the approval of waters for commercial bait seining annual rule and the wildlife management area biennial public use rule. The commission will also hear proposals on a recreation access agreement on The Nature Conservancy lands in FWP Region 2 and 2017 migratory bird regulations. Several projects will come before the commission for its endorsement: Skyles Lake Fishing Access Site right-of-way realignment Milwaukee Fishing Access Site lease agreement with the Montana Department of Transportation. Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site bridge realignment White Bear Fishing Access Site land disposal Edgar Bridge donation on the Clarks Fork River Mussel inspection and decontamination lease sites Right-of-way expansion through Ninepipe Wildlife Management Area Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Gordon Conservation Easement addition FWP ensures its meetings are fully accessible to those with special needs. To request arrangements, call FWP at 406-444-3186. For the full agenda and background on the scheduled topics for the Commission meeting, go to the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov; under Quick Links click Commission Meeting & Agendas. International student enrollment at the University of Montana has taken a nosedive since 2014 after climbing significantly in 2012, according to UM. The total headcount of international students was at 384 in the fall of 2016, Tom Crady, UM vice president for enrollment and student affairs. University statistics show 593 in the fall of 2014. This fall's international headcount translates to an estimated 230 or so full-time equivalents, according to UM, Crady said, and of those, only 17 were freshmen entering UM. "I will tell you that international students are a big part of the marketplace, and it's unusual to have numbers that low," Crady said this week in testimony to the Montana Legislature. However, Crady brought on at UM last summer to reverse its downward enrollment slide said there's potential to increase that population, albeit in the future. He said it's especially important to draw international students who are seeking degrees at UM. "It's an untapped population I think we can do very well with," he said. UM is behind in international recruitment for the coming school year, though, said Crady, who was tapped just last week to handle international enrollment. In an interview Wednesday, he said UM has received just 35 applications from degree-seeking foreign students, far short of ideal. "I would always like to see between 700 and 1,000 applications," he said. Last week, Provost Beverly Edmond announced in an email that Crady would oversee international enrollment and recruitment. The responsibility had been under the Global Engagement Office, and some faculty had advocated that Crady's office also be charged with international recruitment. In the email, Edmond said she was making "structural changes" with Academic Affairs, particularly within global engagement. She also said Paulo Zagalo-Melo would no longer serve as associate provost for global century education, and she would restructure the position after seeking input from stakeholders. However, in a phone interview, Edmond said she was committed to the global initiatives at UM. She selected Effie Koehn, director of international students and scholars, to serve as interim director of the Global Engagement Office. *** The goal to increase international enrollment isn't new at UM or at other colleges and universities in the United States. That's because foreign students represent big money at a time budgets are tight at higher education institutions. In 2015, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office counted the increase of foreign students in the United States at 68 percent since 2010; in spring 2016, the agency counted another 6 percent bump from the previous year. At UM, international students pay full fare, and in June 2015, a UM official estimated the tuition of just five students would cover the recruitment budget of an estimated $100,000. At the time, UM was changing its recruitment strategies in the hopes of bringing in even more international students, a segment of the population already on the upswing then. Numbers have fallen since, though. "It's different than what I've observed at my former institution. I don't know the answer to it," Crady said. As he delves into the international enrollment program at UM, he said he will evaluate the recruitment budget, trends, and strategies. One challenge in international recruitment is foreign governments changing incentives for students to pursue their education abroad. For example, in 2014, the number of international students from Brazil at UM was 104, but it fell to 49 the following fall. According to headcount data provided by Crady this week, UM had 180 total international students enrolled in 2010; the number jumped to 461 in 2012 and rose to 593 in the fall of 2014. Since then, though, it has dropped. In the fall of 2015, the total headcount was 450, and in the fall of 2016, it was 384, according to UM. Of those students, 185 are undergraduates seeking degrees, and 82 are graduate students seeking degrees. "It's a market that we could strengthen," Crady said. UM has an English Language Institute that serves students with limited English proficiency, and Crady said it is strong. The institute helps professionals, such as Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows seeking leadership development, and students who may seek a degree elsewhere. On Christmas Eve 2015, after Charlie Ann Wyrick stopped showing up for work, Sherrie Harguess and her son went to the house on Whitaker Drive where Wyrick and Emmanuel Gomez lived. Harguess, the mother of one of Wyricks coworkers at Pattee Creek Market, said she previously saw bruising on Wyricks arms and scratches on her neck. She believed Wyrick was in a violent relationship with Gomez, on trial for deliberate homicide after her body was found at the bottom of a ravine in the Deer Creek drainage. I offered to take her out of state. I offered to take her away, anywhere she wanted to go I would take her there, Harguess said. When she got to the house, she said Gomez was in the partially-open garage, putting a duffel bag in the back of an SUV. She repeatedly asked where Wyrick was. Gomez came out and told her the two of them fought and Wyrick left. Then he took a drag off a cigarette and told Harguess that Wyrick "ain't coming back." Harguess told him she was calling the police. She said Gomez laughed, and went back into the garage. *** Until Wednesday, Gomezs trial primarily focused on the story of his and Wyricks relationship leading up to late December 2015. Friends and coworkers testified they saw a series of injuries on Wyrick, who told them she slipped on ice or hit her nose on a staircase. Wyricks grandmother, Lucy Carlson, said the summer before Wyricks death she asked her granddaughter, who had come to visit her in Helena, to stay in town and not go back to Missoula. She would be a lot safer and she could live with me if she needed to, Carlson said, adding she had lots of protection at her house and knew how to use it. Instead, Carlson said Gomez came and got Wyrick, and the pair went back to Missoula. On Dec. 16, 2015, days before she went missing, Wyrick called her brother Maxwell Straight, who also lived in Missoula, asking him to come pick her up from the hospital, where her boss had taken her after she came to work with a rib injury. Straight said he brought her home, and said she told him she planned to stay through the weekend until a friend from Helena could come pick her up and take her back there to see her 5-year-old son for Christmas. Straight said he offered to take her to Helena that day. I had gas money. I could go drop her off and everything would be alright, he said. But Wyrick left the house the next day, not coming back until Dec. 20, the last night Straight saw her. The following morning, Dec. 21, Wyrick was gone, leaving her phone behind. Another person who lived in the house told Straight Gomez came to the door and Wyrick left with him. Roommates testified that later that morning, Gomez and Wyrick were arguing in their room when there was the sound of a thump and a scream. A couple who also lived at the house said they came upstairs and saw Gomez driving away in an SUV, and found spots of blood from his door out onto the front steps to the snow where the vehicle had been parked. After Harguess called police, Lt. Sandy Kosena went to the house where Gomez and Wyrick lived after obtaining a warrant. In the SUV that was parked in the garage, she found a wallet with Wyricks drivers license and other personal items. *** After Wyricks body was found, deputy medical examiner Dr. Nikki Mourtzinos at the Montana State Crime Lab conducted an autopsy. While a stab wound to her chest that hit her lung ultimately led to her death, Mourtzinos said Wyrick had survived for a while after receiving the injury. She had a torn spleen, a broken rib and bruises across her body, all of which would have happened while she still had a heartbeat, the doctor said. The investigation of the case never found a knife or other weapon that caused the stab wound. Wyricks mother Crystal covered her face and cried into her husbands jacket while Mourtzinos testified to the injuries Wyrick. Mourtzinos said she couldnt give a time or day of the death. While Wyricks body wasnt found until Dec. 27, six days after the fight at the home she shared with Gomez, the doctor concluded she didnt live long enough to die from hypothermia. A crime lab DNA analyst, Jennifer Revis-Siegfried, tested blood samples found on the steps of Gomezs home, inside the SUV and on a towel at the home. Although some contained a mix of multiple DNA profiles, including Gomezs, they were primarily composed of DNA that matched Wyricks. My name is Stacy Hunt. I own a small business here in Missoula, focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and Ive worked with federal agencies for 17 years. I am intensely aware of the impacts of climate change and the importance of our federal energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. We are greatly concerned with our nations dismissal of climate change impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC has made it abundantly clear that warming will continue through to the next century. IPCC and dozens of other respected international (and national) agencies prove this science. It is simple fact. Another simple fact: our western states will be impacted more quickly and severely than our eastern sisters, and these impacts are very real for Montana. Temperature and precipitation changes will wreak havoc on Montana and we must address these issues in our national policy on climate change mitigation and adaptation. In Montana, we are in a unique position. Our economy is both a necessary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and on the front lines of those most economically challenged by the impact of climate change. These two things have historically been adversarial. But its our responsibility to find a path that secures stability and growth for all Montanans, while protecting valuable resources. The risk to Montana due to climate change impacts are as follows. This is not exhaustive. *** Agriculture: The Montana Farmers Union celebrating their 100th anniversary this year issued a report that concludes that climate change will cost the Montana agriculture industry $736 million a year and almost 25,000 jobs by 2055. This impact is a result of significant decreases in rangeland cattle and grain production, increases in threatening weeds and pests, increased temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations, and water shortages. *** Tourism, outdoor recreation and hunting: More than 10 million people visit Montana each year, spending $5.8 billion, supporting 64,000 jobs and generating $403 million in tax revenue. This includes visits to national parks, fishing, hunting, snow and water sports. Climate change is already: Reducing snow sport tourism; our 17 ski resorts employ more than 1,100 people and have seen radical decreases in snow cover and visitors since 2006. Warming our waters, increasing stress and decreasing fish stocks and increasing waterway closures. Creating habitat and disease-related risks for land wildlife populations, which will sacrifice not only hunting tourism, but a huge source of our residents food and an strong tradition of hunting that is inherently and uniquely Montana. *** Forest fires: Climate change has doubled the area affected by forest fires in the U.S. West in the last 30 years and is increasing the length of forest fire season in Montana. This has severe consequences to our timber industry, access to public lands, hunting, fishing, outdoor recreation, and the health of Montanans, especially our very young and very old. Our nations policy and action on climate change must not falter and our legislators hold huge responsibility to work across federal agencies and party lines. We must insist that our government creates and implements sound energy and climate change policy to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. I do not profess to hold all of the solutions to this incredible problem. There are many people out there who are brighter, more informed and more qualified to assist our nation and Montana - in tackling this significant problem. But, at the very least, we must ask our legislators to: Ensure that climate change science is recognized as the fact that it is. Ensure that our newly appointed cabinet members do not gut climate change by pulling out of the Paris climate change talks. We must be part of this global community. Ensure that our new administration does not gut our federal programs that reduce carbon emissions in our country and Montana such as the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Ensure that moving forward, our energy policy and portfolio is balanced and includes an aggressive renewable energy portfolio. We must not be silent. Our welfare depends on us. With winter in full swing, Im enjoying the wild meat that went from our public lands to my freezer food that not only helps sustain my body, but my spirit, and reminds me of how fortunate we are to have such an abundance of public lands, wildlife and hunting and fishing opportunities throughout Montana. While theres intangible benefits to such things that go far beyond economics, our wildlife, wild places and hunting and fishing heritage also helps sustain local communities. On my frequent hunting trip to Lincoln, I have met hunters from Missoula, Ovando, Helena, Great Falls, Butte and Kalispell at local hotels, restaurants, bars, gas stations, convenience stores and, sometimes, in the mountains. Ive met and talked to a diversity of Montanans from all walks of life. We dont all think alike, but there are a few thinks we all share in common: A deep appreciation for our wildlife, public access to public lands, and hunting. The area around Lincoln is one of my favorite Montana hunting haunts. Its just enough off the radar to avoid the weekend crowds and retains what makes Montana such an authentic state; friendly faces at the coffee shop, and real ranchers and loggers. Like many Montana communities, Lincoln fell upon hard times with the wax and wane of the timber and mineral industries. Yet the silver lining to this Montana town continues to be the rivers and forests that unite residents and bring visitors to the southern tip of the Crown of the Continent region. The Big Blackfoot River is a storied gem home to Westslope Cutthroat and bull trout. The fishing is good all year long, and provides an excellent diversion on warm, autumn days when its too hot to hunt. Deeper into the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, hunters like me have been venturing into these mountains for decades in pursuit of to elk, deer, mountain lion and bears. Just a step from Lincolns porch lies backcountry that looks largely the same as it did when Lewis and Clark traveled through well over a century ago. Here, critters have room to roam as do we hunters who pursue them. Places like Granite Butte, Nevada Mountain, and Alice Creek sustain an abundance and diversity of wildlife, and all lie within the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest which is currently revising its 30-year-old forest plan that guides the management of these public lands. Throughout the next year the Forest Service will be engaging with the public to hear peoples opinions on how it should be managed for the next 30 years, when many of todays hunters will be sharing the woods with grandchildren. Now is the time for residents and visitors alike to chime in on how they want to recreate in and travel through this slice of wild Montana. We hunters and anglers know all too well that wild places are getting smaller and harder to find across our nation. Yet here in Montana, we hold strong to places like Lincoln places where elk, deer, bears and moose still have a place to grow and thrive. Its places like Lincoln where Montanans like me head to each autumn to fill our freezers, and its places like Lincoln where our money spent on hotels, gas, food and other expenses go to our friends and neighbors to help sustain this bedrock Montana community. Lets keep it that way. Lets make our voices heard! As a direct support professional with nine years full-time experience, I have intimate knowledge of the limits imposed on adults with disabilities caused by inadequate staffing in their homes. Hygiene and health needs are a priority and must necessarily be a one-on-one situation. If there is one staff for six adults in a home, you can imagine the line-up for showers, toileting and meds. Hopefully one more staff will be in by mealtime! This is often complicated even further by clients in wheelchairs, and the always-varied range of disability and independence. To fill a shift with those ongoing work conditions requires a higher wage than Starbucks or Taco Bell or Herbergers. For clients who are able to learn new skills and who try to live as independent and thriving adults, it is sad when common outings such as shopping for food or common needs are postponed, or performed only by staff sent to shop for multiple clients. The possibility of learning new skills - crafts, cooking, fitness, education - are also very sadly postponed, and the persons amazing hope and possibility are stifled. Use of remote video monitoring in some homes replaces actual in-person staff for many clients. Few of us prefer to talk to a person in Indiana whom we have never met personally - still less do we prefer to discuss private health issues or emotional issues with them. That service was initiated to save money on staffing costs, but to see it lived out every day is heartbreaking. Some clients do not have staffing for their homes at night, and cannot use the remotely monitored camera set-up, so they are sent to other homes to sleep on a couch, or use a spare room in another facility that has staff for the night. Clients must transfer to other homes with staff during the daytime when their normal staff and roommates go shopping. Due to lack of funding for staff, these inhumane, invisible consequences for our vulnerable and silent clients also affect each of us while we are at work, and the unfairness of the staffing issues colors our entire life. The last increase direct support professionals earned was 2 percent two years ago, equaling only $0.18/hour. It is extremely difficult to find, extensively train, and then keep compassionate and caring workers with a starting wage of $10/hour. Please do all in your power to encourage the legislature to increase staff wages and funding for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our wonderful state of Montana. Regarding the unfortunate but necessary killing of mountain lions up Grant Creek by Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the persistent blathering of environmentalists and their Bambi-inspired pseudo-science is predictable, but annoying. Those of us who didn't learn all we know about nature from Disney movies know territorial aggression is completely natural. Mountain lions do not sing and dance with the other wildlife. They are territorial predators and as such attack and sometimes kill other mountain lions and other predators that could compete for resources or threaten their young. Despite the protests of a few quixotic hippies, humans have just as much right to defend their territory against the same threats. I have a 4-year-old nephew who frequently visits his grandparents up Grant Creek. This area is not rural, let alone wilderness, to those of us who actually live in rural Montana. I applaud FWP for taking whatever steps necessary to protect children and pets in their own yards. And my family and I will continue to kill predators on our property as we deem necessary to protect ourselves and our pets regardless of the delicate sensibilities it might offend. Robert Boren, St. Regis I am a member of Missoula Rises and on Jan. 25, Sen. Steve Daines staffers refused to hear our concerns regarding our current political state. I want to express my opposition to Daines support of Trumps pending cabinet appointees. The night before the meeting was cancelled, I wrote a letter about the personal impact Jeff Sessions appointment as attorney general will have on my future. Within those 650 words, I included details of my lifes journey as a member of the LGBTQ community. I provided details on events, places and situations where I have had to hide who I am from everyone around me. I also shared a very personal story about a nightmare I had on the evening of the election that involved government officials unmarrying my wife and I, pulling us apart and telling us to never see each other again. When the Marriage Equality Act was passed in the summer of 2015, my lifetime of hiding felt as though it had ended. My feelings of fear and frustration had been lessened. In my letter, I asked Daines not to support someone who is going to move backwards in the progress of equality for our community, no matter who they love. Jeff Sessions record does not demonstrate any support for my community and with his appointment there is no reason to believe this will change. He has supported criminalizing LGBTQ activity and discriminatory laws to harass members in the LGBTQ community. Also, he has co-sponsored and voted for the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prohibit marriage equality. Lastly, I asked Senator Daines not to make my nightmare a reality for thousands of members of the LGBTQ community and myself. We cannot claim to be a democracy if our voices are silenced. Errin Koehler, Missoula I have heard that there is serious consideration, with the new Donald Trump Republican state and federal "management," being given to public funding for things like target/magnet/private K-12 schools, to give "taxpayers a choice." I think there are many things wrong with that. 1. Historically, public funds were channeled for private schools when there were documented deficiencies with the public systems. Looking online at the statistics from Montana public schools; Montana is first or close to it in all categories, compared with other northwest/western states. I found no evidence that Montana public schools have miscued so to be punished by having funds diverted to the private sector. 2. I read that parents are unsatisfied with how their children are taught/treated, and want to send them to alternative schools. OK, but I don't want my taxes to subsidize their desire. 3. I believe in the quality of our Catholic and private schools here in Missoula. They have a fine record of achievement. But, I don't think the public ought to pay for their upkeep, since they are not required by law to service all of our citizens. I think we parents should find private funding to provide that atmosphere for our kids if we so choose. We should not punish our Montana schools for doing a good job by cutting funding even more. In overview, I learned that in war and in educational affairs, government agencies should be funded to do these chores, not "advisors" or private contractors. These are societal public concerns (war and education), not business motivated and controlled concerns, since profit goals and lack of public supervision result. Michael O'Lear, Missoula HAMILTON Nearly four years ago, John N. Miller of Missoula allegedly threatened to strike two officers with a toilet tank while nude. He was formally charged in that case this week. Miller, 45, appeared in Ravalli County Justice Court Tuesday on a felony count of assault on a peace officer and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. The case dates back to March 2013 when sheriffs deputies were called to an apartment in Stevensville at 2:16 a.m. for a reported disturbance. The first officer on the scene looked into the apartment and saw Miller running around naked inside, according to an affidavit. The officers could see broken items scattered about the apartment, a refrigerator turned on its side and a broken window and door. After Miller refused to come outside, the officers entered. Inside, they found several weapons lying around and noticed a law enforcement duty belt on the floor, the affidavit said. Initially, they couldnt find Miller. He did not respond to their requests to show himself. Eventually, the officers heard Miller talking in the bathroom, but they were unable to understand what he was saying. The affidavit said he eventually burst from the bathroom holding a porcelain tank of a toilet above his head. Believing Miller meant to hit them with it, the officers deployed their tasers several times to subdue the man. Miller continued to resist after being handcuffed. His loud statements did not make sense to the officers. Ravalli County Deputy Attorney Angela Wetzsteon said Miller was initially involuntarily committed to the state hospital at Warm Springs following his initial arrest. A warrant for his arrest was also issued in 2013. Wetzsteon said Miller was picked up by Missoula police recently following some sort of welfare check, and arrested on the outstanding warrant. Bail was set at $5,000, which was the amount requested in the 2013 warrant. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy BILLINGS More than 60 alternative government Twitter accounts including two for Yellowstone National Park and one for Glacier have popped up across the United States in the wake of the Trump administrations mid-January order that Interior Department employees stop making posts on a National Park Service account. This whole dimension of communication didnt exist before and hadnt been controversial because it was used as a means to amplify talking points, said Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which revealed a list of the new Twitter accounts in a Wednesday email. But now all the talking points are thrown out the window. The weekend shutdown of a National Park Service Twitter account was ordered after the agency posted photos of a smaller crowd attending President Trumps inauguration in comparison to when President Obama was sworn in. The step is just one that the Trump administration has taken to control information coming from government agencies. Last week the Environmental Protection Agency was ordered by the new administration to halt all press releases, blog updates or posts to the agency's social media accounts, according to an Associated Press report. Ruch said the attempt to control information shows how much the political landscape has changed because of social media in just the past few years. No one would have noticed such a move in the early years of the Obama administration, he said. President Trumps actions have prompted a revolt unique to a new world where social media has provided the ability for people to circumvent the normal channels for releasing information to the public. The list PEER referred to has been compiled by Alice Stollmeyer, a digital advocacy strategist from Brussels with a background in science and communications, according to her LinkedIn account. Her public list of Twitter accounts is titled Twistance: Twitter+resistance=#Twistance. US federal #science agencies going rogue. Shes also posted another public list called Twistance 2 that listed 33 other rogue alternate accounts for agencies like Homeland Security, FEMA and the Department of Education. The alternative Yellowstone accounts include @YellerstoneNPS, which describes its site as The official Twitter feed* of Yellerstone National Park. *some facts may be alternative." More popular, with more than 37,000 followers, is @AltYellowstoneNatPar, which says it is An unofficial group of employees, scientists and activists in and around Yellowstone national park. We will try and keep you informed, when others can't. The @GlacierNPSAlt site simply says it is The alternative Twitter site for Glacier National Park. It has already gathered more than 20,000 followers. The fact that in only a few days the sites have logged thousands of followers impressed Kirsten Stade, advocacy director for PEER. These alternative accounts have tapped into a current that the rest of us dream of, she said, referring to others with Twitter accounts. Twitter users skew younger, she said, which also means that the accounts may be reaching a new audience for scientific, climate and research issues by government agencies. @NastyWomenofNPS, The Unofficial Resistance team of nasty lady rangers your elected officials warned you about, posted comments by former Park Service Director Jon Jarvis supporting the social media revolt. I have been watching the Trump administration trying unsuccessfully to suppress the National Park Service with a mix of pride and amusement, Jarvis said in a statement posted on Sunday to the Association of National Park Rangers Facebook site. The NPS is the steward of Americas most important places and the narrator of our most powerful stories, told authentically, accurately, and built upon scientific and scholarly research. The park ranger is a trusted interpreter of our complex natural and cultural history and a voice that cannot not be suppressed. Edicts from on-high have directed the NPS to not talk about national policy, but permission is granted to use social media for visitor center hours and safety. Jarvis goes on to question what such gag orders could lead to, including: as we scientifically monitor the rapid decline of glaciers in Glacier National Park, a clear and troubling indicator of a warming planet, shall we refrain from telling this story to the public because the administration views climate change as national policy? The alternative sites now claim to represent people from a variety of federal agencies, from NASA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The new alt movement can trace its short heritage back to a former Badlands (South Dakota) National Park employee who had access to the parks Twitter account and on Jan. 24 started posting climate change facts. The Tweets, which gained 60,000 followers in a day, were later deleted by the Park Service but an alternative account, @AltUSNatParkService popped up. Although PEERs Stade said the current political climate has been challenging, the rise of alt Twitter accounts is a positive sign. We may have a more active and engaged citizenry, she said. trekandshoot/iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- President Trump announced on Tuesday the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch, 49, to the U.S Supreme Court. Ive selected an individual whose qualities define, really and closely define, what were looking for: outstanding legal skill, a brilliant legal mind and discipline, Trump said. Gorsuch thanked Trump and then added, It is for Congress, not the courts, to write new laws. A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is likely a very bad judge." Youve trusted me with the most solemn assignment. I am acutely aware of my own imperfections," he added. When it comes to the Constitution, Gorsuch is an originalist -- that is, he believes in interpreting the Constitution as it was understood when it was written. Gorsuch's judicial record offers some insight on how he might rule on certain issues. Religious Liberties When it comes to religious liberties and access to contraception, Gorsuch is a defender of the "Free Exercise Clause," which says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Case: Hobby Lobby Stores v. Sebelius and Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged v. Burwell Issue: The Plaintiffs in both cases argued for an exemption from the contraception mandate in President Obamas signature health care legislation, the Affordable Care Act, siting religious believes. Opinion: Gorsuch sided with Christian employers and religious organizations. In the Hobby Lobby case, he wrote, "The ACAs mandate requires them to violate their religious faith by forcing them to lend an impermissible degree of assistance to conduct their religion teaches to be gravely wrong. Criminal Procedure Case: United States v. Games-Perez Issue: The case involved a man who was convicted of a federal crime of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The defendant claimed that he was unaware his past conviction barred him from being in position of a gun. Opinion: Gorsuch argued for a new hearing but the court disagreed. In his dissent, Gorsuch said the government should have had to prove the defendant knew he was a felon, writing, This courts failure to hold the government to its congressionally specified burden of proof means Mr. Games-Perez might very well be wrongfully imprisoned. The government never had to face a trial on this question; it never had to prove its case that Mr. Games-Perez knew of his felon status," Gorsuch added. "It was allowed instead to imprison him without the question even being asked. The Fourth Amendment Case: United States v. Carlos Issue: Did the police violate a homeowner's Fourth Amendment rights by knocking on the door even though the homeowner had No Trespassing signs on his property. Opinion: Gorsuch dissented from the rest of the court, arguing that the police violated the Fourth Amendment when they entered a home on which a "No Trespassing" sign was posted. "The Amendment and the common law from which it was constructed leave ample room for law enforcement to do its job," Gorsuch wrote. "A warrant will always do. So will emergency circumstances. After-the-fact consent may suffice if freely given. "Our duty of fidelity to the law requires us to respect all these law enforcement tools. But it also requires us to respect the ancient rights of the people when law enforcement exceeds their limits," he added. "In this case the two arguments the government offers to justify its conduct can claim no basis in our constitutional tradition. Not one member of this panel endorses them. And, respectfully, I just do not see the case for struggling so mightily to save the governments cause with arguments of our own devise -- especially when what arguments we are able to muster suffer so many problems of their own and the benefits of exposing them to at least a modest encounter with the adversarial process seem so obvious." The Second Amendment On the issue of guns, Gorsuch has written, "The Second Amendment protects an individuals right to own firearms and may not be infringed lightly." Abortion When it comes to abortion, there is nothing in his opinions that indicate where he falls on the issue. But in his book The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia (2006), he focused on the inherent dignity of human life, writing, "All human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong." Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. HELENA Vernon Finley called on state leaders to seize on healthy disagreements as an opportunity to create the best policies for all Montana residents, tapping into historical shared values to guide them toward common sense. Montana has always been a place where people have come together, said Finley, chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes during the annual Tribal Address to the Legislature, other statewide elected officials and leaders from reservations around the state. The message of unity and respect shared by Finley echoed similar pleas made by legislators when the 2017 session started last month and by the governor in his State of the State speech last week. Finley pleaded for state leaders to move in the opposite direction of national politics where tensions and uncertainty have grown during the transition of President Donald Trump into office. He acknowledged that the state has its own history of conflicts, but argued leaders have ultimately have found a balance for the good of their constituents. Weve been a place of opposites. You see those opposites. Theyre married. If you see one and dont see the other its because you arent looking, he said, contrasting religious cults and the Unabomber to accomplishments like the election of Jeanette Rankin as the first woman in Congress. The sides always come together to create a really good history for this state. Finley suggested Americans, and Montanans in particular, might learn from the American Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which, at its core, was about reconnecting tribal members to their cultural values and living by them. A large part of that was a recognition that decisions should be made in the context of the communitys whole history and with respect for all its diverse members. You, as a human being, is the youngest of all creation and everything else that is there before you has to be respected, he said. He later added: The world view that came out of it was people who carried themselves on their earth knowing youre never alone. Youre never alone in your thoughts. In where you are at. Theres always someone listening to your words, watching your actions, listening to your thoughts. Finley highlighted several Montana achievements he attributed to state leaders being mindful of their heritage and common values they share with Native Americans who first made the state home: delegates writing a recognition of tribal governments into the Montana Constitution, Gov. Steve Bullock appointing a record number of Native Americans to boards and administrative position, Attorney General Tim Fox conducting authentic tribal consultations on Justice policies, and commissioners who prioritized fair representation when redrawing legislative boundaries in 2012 to include six majority-minority districts to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act. He also lauded Bullock, Fox and others for speaking out against racial and religious hate speech in Whitefish that had drawn national attention in recent months. Legislators from both parties applauded as Finley named each achievement. He said that kind of progress requires commitment and a watchful eye for ideas based on something other than the principles you hold dear, urging them to turn away proposals based on race, based on social economic status, based on gender or based on things that arent really about Montana. My plea to you this afternoon is that you keep that in mind as you move forward and consider all of the legislation that is coming before you. What are all of these perspectives that are in our state? Are they respected with this? Is there some compromise that can be made? he said. There are opposites married within this chamber, but as long as you keep the focus on what is best for all of Montana in mind, well do fine. HELENA The Montana Senate on Wednesday endorsed three bills aimed at reducing the prison population, the number of people on parole and probation and related costs. The bills that passed on second reading were among several supported by the legislature's Commission on Sentencing after the Justice Center of the Council of State Governments evaluated Montana's corrections system and made recommendations to reduce spending and recidivism and improve public safety. One bill would create a three-member paid parole board that would hold more timely hearings and be required to consider the parole plan developed by the Department of Corrections before imposing other conditions. It would also set up structured guidelines for determining who is eligible for parole. The current parole board is made up of seven volunteers and has been criticized for making inconsistent decisions, hearing cases long after inmates were eligible for parole and adding conditions not recommended by the department. Another bill would help paroled inmates find housing. Democratic Sen. Cynthia Wolken, of Missoula, told lawmakers that inmates who have been granted parole, but do not have permanent housing, remain in prison at a cost of $120 a day, or $3,600 a month. On Wednesday, 120 inmates were in that position. If that average were maintained, she said, the cost would be $5 million a year. Senate Bill 65 would set up a housing assistance program that would help paroled inmates pay rent for up to three months, by which time they must have a job and permanent housing, Wolken said. "I know it's hard to ask people to help fund housing for offenders," she said, "but when offenders don't have places to live they re-offend, then they go back to prison." A third bill would allow hearing officers to sanction non-violent probationers for technical violations of the terms of their probation, saving court time and providing a more immediate consequence. It also would allow some people to be released from supervision early if they comply with the terms of their probation. The Justice Center estimated the housing and parole sanction bills would save the state about $18.5 million in 2018-19, Wolken said. The bills must pass a third reading before moving to the House. HELENA Though methamphetamine abuse by parents has often been cited as one of the reasons Montana has seen the number of children in foster care sharply increase over the last several years, the new head of Child and Family Services on Wednesday offered another possible factor the short tenure of the divisions staff. As the legislative committee that sets the divisions budget pushed pushed Child and Family Services leaders for the cause of increase, administrator Maurita Johnson, who started the job in November with visits to all the division's offices statewide, said she noticed a trend on her visits employees whod been at the job three years or less. This work takes a lot of maturing in order to feel confident to do the work, to feel confident to leave a child in the home, Johnson said. Thats why one of the areas of focus is to really build and help mature our workforce so they have the confidence they need to build that in-home safety plan. At the end of October there were 3,369 children in foster care, according to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. In 2011 that number was 1,743. Members of the Joint Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday zeroed in on the increases, with Reps. Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton; Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork, and Jon Knokey, R-Bozeman, all asking questions to get at the root cause. The committee sets the budget for the health department, including the division. Gov. Steve Bullock has proposed a $16 million increase to the division's budget specifically to deal with an increase in the number of children in care. Tomorrow it hears public testimony on the work of the division and will set budgets sometime the following week. It has proposed a $93 million cut to the health department, with about $1 million coming from Child and Family Services. Bullock's budget also proposed about a $1 million cut mostly through vacant positions, but offset by the $16 million increase. Knokey asked what happened after 2012 and 2013 to cause the increase in care. In asking the question, he referenced that was the start of Democrat Bullocks first term, and questioned if it was because of the social outcomes of those who earn lower incomes and also if an attempt to get more federal money for children in care was part of the reason. Are we getting new federal matching funds that are implicitly incentivising the growth in this program? he asked. Its a clear jump from 2013-2013. ... We have a shared goal: how do we protect these kids, the most vulnerable in our state? How do we make sure we dont replicate what happened last year? Knokey was referencing a report released at the start of the 2017 Legislature that said 14 children died last year after some sort of contact with Child and Family Services. In 2012 the division switched from an incident-based protocol to a safety-based investigative model. An incident-based protocol focused on whether an alleged abuse occurred, while under the safety-based model, staff identifies threats to a child and works to remove those threats. Bob Runkel, economic security services branch manager at the health department, said the division needs to provide a more comprehensive report about factors that contribute to the increased number of children in care, something new Department of Public Health and Human Services director Sheila Hogan promised to produce. The issues are pretty complex and its probably a lot of social variables that come together to have and continue to have that impact, Runkel said. He said the increase is not related to federal funding and added the increase in the use of methamphetamine in the state is at least correlated to the jump in the number of children in care, Runkel said. Its not always the reason a child would be removed, but often ... drug use is one of the factors that lead to a decision that calls for a removal of a child. Rep. Ellie Hill Smith, D-Missoula, last week introduced a resolution to study the effects of meth on the state. In 2010 there were 230 children in care because of meth use by parents. By 2015 that number was 1,000. Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, said an increase in the number of children in care does not necessarily mean a failure in the system. It could mean the state is doing a better job in keeping kids safe, she said. Theres as subtext that if we have an increase in the rolls thats a bad thing. It probably means more children are safe. Ballance questioned if Bullocks proposal of $16 million would be better spent on more employees to reduce workload and turnover. Bullocks proposal would boost a pot of money called benefits and claims, which makes up 51 percent of the divisions budget. It goes to pay for placement and support services for children in foster care or in permanent placements such as subsidized adoption or guardianship. Foster families are reimbursed a daily rate for room and board as well as for things like transportation and clothing. For family and kinship foster placements, the rate can be from $19.08 to $22.70 a day. It was too much to hope that Montanas legislators would refrain from introducing any irrelevant, hopelessly partisan, purely ideologically driven legislative proposals of the sort sometimes dismissively called silly bills. From a bill to ban bicycles along with pedestrians and wheelchairs from all two-lane highways in the state to a bill prohibiting the use of food stamps to buy energy drinks, the Legislature is once again being forced to waste precious time and energy on utterly ridiculous and unnecessary measures. But none take as much of the cake as Senate Bill 97, a proposal to stop foreign law from usurping our state courts. Not only is this bill trying to resolve a problem that doesnt exist, it fosters a dangerous misunderstanding of the legal system in the United States, and is nothing more than thinly veiled bigotry toward people of the Islamic faith. Because thats really what this bill is about: encouraging Montanans to view Muslims as a threat. The people pushing this action are not worried about Russian or Chinese or Mexican laws taking precedence over the Montana Constitution. They are concerned solely with an Islamic religious code known as sharia law. This was confirmed by those who spoke in support of the bill at the Senate Judiciary hearing last week; more than two dozen speakers reportedly shared worries that new immigrants and refugees would push for the acceptance of sharia law in Montana, in defiance of the state and U.S. constitutions. Sharia is, in a nutshell, a set of guidelines for living in conformance with Islam. These rules are derived from several difference sources, including religious texts, and are applied in widely different ways by different individuals and nations. In some countries, they are interpreted strictly and carry the force of supreme law; in other Muslim-majority counties, they are afforded no official consideration at all; in many others, it is a mixture of the two. In the United States, a good comparison might be to the golden rule, which isnt in itself a legally enforcement rule but rather a moral code. Nowhere in America is sharia or any other foreign law the law of the land. Obviously, individual state constitutions and, of course, the United States Constitution are held supreme. However, certain religion-based contracts, such as marriage agreements, are sometimes taken into consideration in various courts of law. This does not mean such agreements supersede established secular law. Kalispell Republican Sen. Keith Regier said he introduced the bill at the urging of constituents. Presumably, at least a portion of those who contacted Regier were motivated by Missoulas recently re-activated role in welcoming refugees, some of whom are Muslim. Regier missed an opportunity to reassure these concerned western Montanans that our new neighbors pose no credible threat to state statute. It would have been a much more productive use of his time to explain the facts of the matter to those who contacted him than to have legislation drafted and a hearing held on an issue that has no basis in reality. If the Legislature does approve his proposed bill, Montana would be the 10th state to allow religious bigotry to override common sense. We are betting that the majority of legislators have more sense than that. Certainly Gov. Steve Bullock does, and would swiftly veto the measure. Everyone in the U.S., regardless of religion, must abide by U.S. laws. Those who fear the erosion of fundamental rights should dedicate themselves to protecting them from real threats, not imagined ones. Legislators should not ride the waves of unfounded fear, but rather use every opportunity to educate their constituents. The Missoulian BILLINGS More than 60 alternative government Twitter accounts including two for Yellowstone National Park and one for Glacier have popped up across the United States in the wake of the Trump administrations mid-January order that Interior Department employees stop making posts on a National Park Service account. This whole dimension of communication didnt exist before and hadnt been controversial because it was used as a means to amplify talking points, said Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which revealed a list of the new Twitter accounts in a Wednesday email. But now all the talking points are thrown out the window. The weekend shutdown of a National Park Service Twitter account was ordered after the agency posted photos of a smaller crowd attending President Trumps inauguration in comparison to when President Obama was sworn in. The step is just one that the Trump administration has taken to control information coming from government agencies. Last week the Environmental Protection Agency was ordered by the new administration to halt all press releases, blog updates or posts to the agency's social media accounts, according to an Associated Press report. Ruch said the attempt to control information shows how much the political landscape has changed because of social media in just the past few years. No one would have noticed such a move in the early years of the Obama administration, he said. President Trumps actions have prompted a revolt unique to a new world where social media has provided the ability for people to circumvent the normal channels for releasing information to the public. The list PEER referred to has been compiled by Alice Stollmeyer, a digital advocacy strategist from Brussels with a background in science and communications, according to her LinkedIn account. Her public list of Twitter accounts is titled Twistance: Twitter+resistance=#Twistance. US federal #science agencies going rogue. Shes also posted another public list called Twistance 2 that listed 33 other rogue alternate accounts for agencies like Homeland Security, FEMA and the Department of Education. The alternative Yellowstone accounts include @YellerstoneNPS, which describes its site as The official Twitter feed* of Yellerstone National Park. *some facts may be alternative." More popular, with more than 37,000 followers, is @AltYellowstoneNatPar, which says it is An unofficial group of employees, scientists and activists in and around Yellowstone national park. We will try and keep you informed, when others can't. The @GlacierNPSAlt site simply says it is The alternative Twitter site for Glacier National Park. It has already gathered more than 20,000 followers. The fact that in only a few days the sites have logged thousands of followers impressed Kirsten Stade, advocacy director for PEER. These alternative accounts have tapped into a current that the rest of us dream of, she said, referring to others with Twitter accounts. Twitter users skew younger, she said, which also means that the accounts may be reaching a new audience for scientific, climate and research issues by government agencies. @NastyWomenofNPS, The Unofficial Resistance team of nasty lady rangers your elected officials warned you about, posted comments by former Park Service Director Jon Jarvis supporting the social media revolt. I have been watching the Trump administration trying unsuccessfully to suppress the National Park Service with a mix of pride and amusement, Jarvis said in a statement posted on Sunday to the Association of National Park Rangers Facebook site. The NPS is the steward of Americas most important places and the narrator of our most powerful stories, told authentically, accurately, and built upon scientific and scholarly research. The park ranger is a trusted interpreter of our complex natural and cultural history and a voice that cannot not be suppressed. Edicts from on-high have directed the NPS to not talk about national policy, but permission is granted to use social media for visitor center hours and safety. Jarvis goes on to question what such gag orders could lead to, including: as we scientifically monitor the rapid decline of glaciers in Glacier National Park, a clear and troubling indicator of a warming planet, shall we refrain from telling this story to the public because the administration views climate change as national policy? The alternative sites now claim to represent people from a variety of federal agencies, from NASA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The new alt movement can trace its short heritage back to a former Badlands (South Dakota) National Park employee who had access to the parks Twitter account and on Jan. 24 started posting climate change facts. The Tweets, which gained 60,000 followers in a day, were later deleted by the Park Service but an alternative account, @AltUSNatParkService popped up. Although PEERs Stade said the current political climate has been challenging, the rise of alt Twitter accounts is a positive sign. We may have a more active and engaged citizenry, she said. A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items: JANUARY STATE REVENUE GROWTH SLIGHT: State tax collections continued to perform below expectations last month, coming in less than 1 percent over January 2016 and 1.2 percent ahead of last year's receipts through seven months of the fiscal year. Revenue grew by $4.9 million in month-to-month comparisons but there were collection and calendar issues that skewed the January report, according to Jeff Robinson, a tax analyst with the Legislative Services Agency. The 1.2 percent year-to-date growth represents about $46.9 million. "There's just nothing to cheer about here," Robinson said of the January report. The state Revenue Estimating Conference projected state tax collections would increase by 4.7 percent over fiscal 2016 equating to more than $321 million by June 30. Robinson noted the Legislature had decided not to couple with federal tax changes, which could equate into about $100 million in higher state tax collections. Also, May is Iowa's big tax collection month and last year was lackluster for that month which could help in moving closer to the yearly growth estimate. IOWA ECONOMIC INDICATORS ADVANCE: The Iowa Leading Indicators Index increased to 106.6 in December 2016, up from 106.1 in November, marking the fourth gain in the last six months and the third consecutive gain, according to the state Department of Revenue. The index increased a full percentage point in the last two months, the quickest gain since early 2011, state officials added Wednesday. Also, seven of index's eight components were positive in December the Iowa stock market index, diesel fuel consumption, the national yield spread, the new orders index, residential building permits, agricultural futures profits and average weekly unemployment claims (inverted). The only negative index component was average manufacturing hours. Also, with another increase in December, state officials said Iowa's non-farm employment index continued in the sixth consecutive year of positive growth. However, the gain in December was only half of the average monthly gain over those 74 months and the second month in a row of only 0.05 percent growth. PROTECTING COMMUNICATION: A proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution to protect electronic communications and data from warrantless search and seizure won unanimous approval from the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday. A resolution similar to House Joint Resolution 1 was approved 96-0 by the House in 2016. Florida, Missouri and Illinois have similar constitutional protections, Rep. Ken Rizer, R-Cedar Rapids, said. Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, expressed reluctance to amend the constitution, but said she would support HJR 1 and hoped her colleagues would agree that a constitutional right to vote for felons who have discharged their sentences is as important as Fourth Amendment protections from warrantless searches and seizures. TRESPASSING CHANGES: A measure aimed at protecting landowners from being sued by trespassers who should not have been on their land was approved 18-1 by the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday. However, Rep. Rick Olson, D-Des Moines, voted for the bill, but warned that language in HSB 35 concerning easements could make farmers trespassers on their own land if they entered upon an easement held by a pipeline company or utility. The committee also approved HF 69 that sets a scheduled fine for trespassing at $200 for first offense, $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense. The penalty currently ranges from $25 to $625. WORKPLACE DRUG TESTING: The GOP-led Iowa Senate voted 35-15 Wednesday to expand Iowa's workplace drug-testing law to include hair samples. Iowa law already lets companies demand blood, urine, saliva or breath samples from workers, for random drug tests. Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point, said Senate File 32 would enhance workplace safety and have Iowa join 47 other states that currently allow the testing of hair for drugs. Democrats who opposed the bill argued that Iowa already has a strong workplace drug-testing law and the expansion was an unnecessary invasion of worker privacy. The bill now goes to the Iowa House for consideration. Six Democrats joined 29 GOP senators in voting for the bill, while 14 Democrats and independent Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan opposed the measure. REGISTER TO VOTE AT 16: Young Iowans would be able to register to vote at age 16 but still would have to wait two years to actually cast an election ballot under legislation that cleared a House State Government subcommittee Wednesday. Iowa currently allows eligible voters to register at age 17 . New registrants would be listed as active voters with an eligibility date on their 18th birthday. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, there are 13,273 Iowans aged 16 or 17 with non-operator identifications and 116,053 Iowans with driver's licenses that could be impacted by House File 56. Sydney Uhlman, a 16-year-old sophomore from Carlisle, advocated for the change at Wednesday meeting in hopes that Iowa would join 10 other states and the District of Columbia that allow 16-year-olds to register. The Iowa Secretary of State's Office estimated the cost of the change between $10,000 and $18,000. The bill now goes to the full committee for consideration. LIQUOR LAW CHANGES RECOMMENDED: A working group appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad to review Iowa laws governing liquor, wine and beer has issued five recommendations. The panel members say the state needs to create greater parity among Iowa beer, wine and spirits manufacturers; streamline licensing for Iowa beer manufacturers and wholesalers; allow a limited expansion of off-premises retail privileges for retailers manufacturing beer; increase collaboration between the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Commission and the Iowa Wine and Beer Promotion Board; and endorse a further review of licensing, administrative actions and administrative appeals for reform opportunities. "We feel that these recommendations will create greater economic opportunities for our local entrepreneurs, make it easier and more efficient for Iowans to conduct business with state government, make Iowa's alcohol laws easier to understand and enforce, and result in public policy that continues to protect the health and safety of Iowans," according to a joint statement issued Wednesday by Stephen Larson, administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division, and Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority who served as co-leaders of the task force. Branstad formed the working group with an eye on balancing the needs of a rapidly expanding growth industry of "micro-enterprises" with state regulations and social concerns associated with alcohol consumption. MONEY SWAP: Members of the Senate Transportation Committee voted 8-5 Wednesday to approve a bill that would allow the Iowa Department of Transportation and local governments to swap federal funds in a way that chairman Sen. Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, said would make more money available for local projects. Local governments would give their federal funds to the DOT, which would replace the money from the primary road fund. By using local funds, Kapucian said cities and counties would not have to meet federal requirements that might increase the cost of the project. The DOT would have to meet those requirements, but Kapucian said the agency has the expertise on staff to meet those requirements more efficiently than a local government that might do a project a year. Democrats said they had some unanswered questions that prevented them from supporting Senate Study Bill 1003 in committee. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "If you don't speed and you don't run a red light, it doesn't take your picture." - Sen. Jim Lykam, D-Davenport, in discussing controversial traffic-enforcement cameras that are getting legislative scrutiny this session. MUSCATINE, Iowa In an expression of the lasting friendship between Muscatine and China, Muscatine High Schools A capella Choir performed with an internationally renowned Chinese orchestra Wednesday morning. The students sang two Chinese songs and members of the Shaanxi Province Song and Dance Theater National Orchestra reciprocated with songs of their own. Teale Burford, associate choral director at the high school, led the A capella Choir in two songs: Nyn Nyn and a friendship song called Love Keeps the Eternal Memory. The songs, she said, link China and Muscatine and demonstrate to them that we have a meaningful friendship that we want to maintain. Before they performed the friendship song, Sarah Lande, who was part of the team that organized the orchestras visit, explained its meaning. The song, she said, was created by a Chinese composer at the request of President Xi Jinpings wife, Peng Liyuan, to commemorate the relationship between China and Muscatine. We wanted to have this song so people all over the world could sing it as a remembrance of the friendship from the Peoples Republic of China and Iowa and the world, Lande told the audience. And its been sung [in] many places, though Id love to hear the beautiful rendition youre going to sing today. Speaking through a translator, Yan Songbo, a representative of the orchestra, thanked the students and the city of Muscatine for the performance and invited them to Wednesday nights concert. We feel wonderful hearing your beautiful voices, he told the students. The Chinese New Year is a very important holiday in China and it plays a very important role in all of Chinese culture, in this joyful festival we travel here, bringing our Western style music from China, he said. He also introduced two performers, Mi Dongfeng and Feng Jianxue, who each sang a song in Chinese for the students. Students gave each performer a standing ovation. I wish we had vocalists like this, said tenth grader Logan Gray. It was so good, the Chinese orchestra, Ive actually never seen them before and Im going tonight and Im really excited, he added. Muscatines bond with China, he said, is important. I think it just gives us a bigger view of culture, Gray said. Especially for those who have never left the U.S., it opens up our eyes to the outside and the different thoughts and thinkings and aspects of different countries and cultures. MUSCATINE A Chinese company signed a memorandum of understanding with Muscatine officials and Gov. Terry Branstad that will give Muscatine students a chance to study abroad during the summers of 2017 and 2018. The Wanxiang Group will donate $300,000 to be used for Muscatine Community School District and Muscatine Community College students to study abroad in China, as part of the 100,000 Strong Initiative, company officials announced Wednesday, following a free concert performed by the Shaanxi Province Song and Dance Theater National Orchestra. "This is a program that we feel is very beneficial to the long-term relations between U.S. and China," said Pin Ni, executive vice president of the Wanxiang Group. Ni said Chinese multi-national company opened its American operations in Chicago in 1994, and now has more than 100,000 employees and 27 manufacturing plants in the Midwest. The company's focus is auto parts and renewable energy. More than 1,000 students from the U.S. have been to China as part of the program, Ni said. "Not only did we truly build a bridge between the U.S. and China, and also feel that this will help us to have more communication, not just more opinion; more compromising, not just more positioning, and more understanding, not just more statements," he said. Students are asked what they learned after their experience, and Li said many were surprised by the clean energy efforts in China, the kindness of Chinese people, the differences in food in China versus Chinese restaurant food in the U.S., and the lack of fortune cookies, which are an American creation. Branstad, President Donal Trump's pick for U.S. Ambassador to China, said he hopes the relationship Iowa and the U.S. has fostered with China will continue through cultural exchange. "The exchanges of students is one way to build personal relationships and friendships, and that is critically important for both of our countries and the world," he said. Muscatine Community School District Superintendent Jerry Riibe said the study abroad funding will be an important opportunity for students. "We have so many kids that would not be able to make this kind of trip and have this kind of experience," he said. "The world is getting smaller, and for people that can learn how to work with other cultures, know how other parts of the world live, it's going to be an advantage." About 1,200 people attended the concert at Calvary Church, held to celebrate the Lunar New Year. "I can't think of a better place to (make the announcement) than here in Muscatine," Branstad said. Branstad said Muscatine's efforts at building a relationship with China was one reason he had the opportunity to be chosen to be an ambassador. Although he may not remain in his home state, Branstad said he will always feel the connection. "There is no question that I may be living in China but my heart's still here in Iowa," he said. Branstad said he and others hope the curiosity about why China's President Xi Jinping likes Iowa will draw people from China to visit. The Chinese president stayed in Muscatine during an agricultural research trip as a young man, and returned to visit in 2012, when he was vice president. "We think Muscatine will be a magnet for Chinese tourists to visit," Branstad said. Before the concert, Chinese Consul General in Chicago Hong Lei said he looks forward to Branstad serving as the ambassador and hopes the relationship between the countries will continue to grow. "Muscatine and Iowa, those are very special places to the people of China," he said. Branstad said he hopes to appear before the Foreign Relations Committee in late February or early March. "And in the meantime I'm still the governor of Iowa and I've got a lot of responsibilities there," he said. MUSCATINE, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was honored for his role in forging Muscatines relationship with China during a ceremony at the Geneva Country Club on Thursday night. Branstad, President Trumps pick for the ambassador of China, said he is looking forward to representing the United States. China being the biggest country in the world, as youve heard, the fastest growing developing country in the world and we are the largest developed country in the world," Branstad said. "So if the two countries, the United States of America and China can continue to improve our relationship and build our friendship and our trade, that can be not only great for both of our countries but for the entire world. He alluded to potential challenges ahead. I know theres a lot of issues that were going to have to deal with, but I think the longtime friendship and respect that we have for each other can help us to overcome some of those challenges, Branstad said. Several officials, including Chinese Consul General Hong Lei from Chicago also spoke at the reception. China and the United States were enjoying a very robust relationship nowadays. One part of this robust relationship is our relationship with the state of Iowa, he said, adding that China is Iowas third largest trading partner. Lei also thanked Branstad for his role in fostering the relationship, saying it is the most important relationship nowadays in the world. We are so glad that our old friend Governor Branstad is nominated by President Trump as the U.S. ambassador to China, Lei said. So we think we have a very good ambassador now for United States in China and we are confident he will join hands with us to make this relationship even stronger. The governor received a vase from Lei and a framed picture from Dan Stein of the citys Muscatine-China Relationship Committee. MUSCATINE, Iowa Muscatine area residents are invited to an open house to thank Susan Cory for her years of community service from 4- 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, at the Muscatine Community Y parlor. Cory devoted her professional career in Muscatine first to the YWCA and later the Muscatine Community YMCA. She served as the executive director of the organizations from 1982 to 2008 when she retired. Additionally she served as a volunteer in many community non-profit and governmental organizations. All are invited to attend the open house to wish Susan well as she leaves the area to join family in Virginia. COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa A crash involving two semi-trailers on Wednesday led to one driver being transported to the hospital. The crash occurred at 8:06 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the intersection of Highway 92 and O Avenue, according to a press release from the Louisa County Sheriff's Office. One driver was transported by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries and the second driver was treated at the scene. A third vehicle sustained minor damage after being struck with debris from the collision, according to the press release. Highway 92 was closed while crews cleared the scene, and re-opened at 12:24 p.m. The crash remains under investigation by the Louisa County Sheriff's Office. The Columbus Junction Police Department, Fire Department and ambulance, as well as Iowa State Patrol and the Wapello Police Department responded to the scene. Emily Wenger MUSCATINE With the Iowa legislature voting on the education budget on Thursday, some area superintendents worry the proposed state aid may not be enough to sustain their districts. Louisa-Muscatine School District Superintendet Mike Van Sickle said the proposed 1.1 percent increase is too low. That is way low, and those types of increases will eventually result in less student services, he said, adding that annual increases in teacher salaries account for 1.3 percent of the districts budget. But the district he said, went through staff reduction and other cost-cutting measures three years ago, reserving some unspent reserve balance. Well be able to survive one year of this, but boy, if this becomes a habit, districts are not going to be able to sustain, he said. This is definitely a very lean year for us, he added. Wapello Community School District Superintendent Mike Peterson said his district is considering cutting staff. A 1.1 percent increase, will mean that without a doubt, Wapello will end up cutting staff moving into next year, now that coupled with the declining enrollment that we deal with means that staff layoff will be inevitable, he said, adding the district will likely need to cut $150,000 to $175,000. In the long run, Peterson said, the district will look at ways to attract more students and reduce costs. Because staff salaries make up a significant part of the budget, he said the district will continue to reduce staffing levels in the next few years. Superintendent Jerry Riibe said the Muscatine Community School District deliberately saved some of its reserve balance as a cushion in case of budget cuts. But Riibe isnt expecting to spend that balance down in the coming year, saying the district is saving that balance for a true rainy day. Instead, he said, the district will look at potential budget cuts. We are planning on at least a half a million dollar budget cut this year, Riibe said, adding that over the last few years, the district cut approximately $3-4 million of the budget. The district, he said, will consider reducing costs by not replacing some of the 15 teachers who are expected to retire this year. It is getting more difficult to find those areas, but were really working hard to make sure they dont come out of classrooms and out of programs for kids, he said. Schools are taking on bigger challenges and maybe if we cant get more resources, we need to look at a different structure, he said, adding that smaller school districts might have to merge. Looking ahead to these potential budget cuts, Riibe said the district negotiated teacher salaries accordingly. Were a $65 million a year operation, so well find a way, we always do, he said. 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 [] The President, one of only three Inner Circle members who are allowed to handle Punxsutawney Phil, holds him aloft during ceremonies in 2013. (Anthony Quintano/Wikimedia Commons) Bomet County governor Isaac Ruto is expected to join the National Super Alliance this weekend. The governor who heads the Chama Cha Mashinani party will host National Super Alliance leaders in Bomet on Saturday when he is expected to officially join NASA. ODM leader Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) will hold a formal meeting with the governor before having lunch and subsequently addressing a rally in Bomet town in the afternoon. NASA Chief Executive Officer Norman Magaya all but confirmed Rutos switch on Tuesday. I can tell you without a doubt that we are reading from the same script with Isaac and he loves this country, Magaya said. He [Governor Rutto] appreciates that Jubilee has completely destroyed the fabric that holds the nation together and he will be affirming his commitment and his love for the nation by officially joining the National Super Alliance. The Saturday rally will be the second major opposition event hosted by Governor Ruto after a huge homecoming rally in November last year. Elders of the Kikuyu community on Tuesday gathered in Ndakaini village, Gatanga to cast a curse on Royal Media Services Chariman S.K Macaharia for betraying his community. The about 100 elders performed rituals including slaughtering a single-coloured he-goat and roasting it during their meeting in Gatanga constituency, Muranga county. The Star reports that they muttered curses against the media mogul before piercing the meat with thorns- an indication of the wrath that awaits Macharia. This comes after Mr Macharia refused to apologise to the community over claims that Opposition leader Raila Odinga had won the 2007 General Election. Muranga county chairman Kiarii Rugami wa Chumbuu said it was a bad omen for any member of the Kikuyu community to expose his people to enemies, with the intention of causing bloodshed. This is real. It is no joke. We gave him the mandatory 14 days to apologise to the community for exposing them to attacks by other communities especially in this electioneering period, said Kiarii Rugami wa Chumbuu. We have sent delegations to him but he has dismissed the call of the community, leaving us no choice but to go ahead with the rituals, he added. He has denied ever uttering words that could jeopardise the safety of the Agikuyu community. We curse his business. We curse his generations. He is not lucky if you may ask me. Curses do strike. National Deputy Chairman of Kikuyu Council of Elders, Ndichu Njuguna, said the exercise will serve as a lesson to the community and deter anyone with similar thoughts. Additional Reporting by The Star Kenyas newest girl group Band BeCa is back with a new release. The duo of the talented Becky Sangolo and Carol Kamweru return with a new song and video for Tonight. Tonight, a collaboration with femcee Petra comes after the success of Band BeCas second release Brathe. According to the powerpuff girls, Tonight is a love song about the lady asking the lover to stay even though theyve had their differences in the past. The duets honeyed vocals and Petras steady and flawless flow collide to create a powerful love anthem enriched with sweet sounding instruments. Tonight is produced by the extraordinaire music director and producer, David Hunter while the world-class clip was directed by the top notch videographer and director Kevin Bosco. Watch the video below: BISMARCK, N.D. The acting secretary of the Army has ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to allow construction of the Dakota Access pipeline under a Missouri River reservoir, a North Dakota senator said, the latest twist in the months-long legal battle over the $3.8 billion project. The Standing Rock Sioux, whose opposition to the project attracted the support of thousands of protesters from around the country to North Dakota, immediately vowed to return to court to stop it. Sen. John Hoeven announced late Tuesday that Robert Speer directed the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with an easement necessary to complete the pipeline. Hoeven, a Republican, said he also discussed Speers order with Vice President Mike Pence, just a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order signaling his support for the project. A spokesman for the U.S. Army did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. Hoeven spokesman Don Canton said Speers move means the easement isnt quite issued yet, but they plan to approve it within days. The crossing under Lake Oahe, a wide section of the Missouri River in southern North Dakota, is the final big chunk of work on the pipeline designed to carry North Dakota oil through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois. The pipeline has been the target of months of protests led by the Standing Rock Sioux, whose reservation lies near the pipelines route and who have argued that its a threat to water and tribal artifacts. The tribe has vowed to challenge any granting of the easement in court, and Chairman Dave Archambault renewed that vow Tuesday night. If it does become a done deal in the next few days, well take it to the judicial system, Archambault said. He added: This is a good indicator of what this country is going to be up against in the next four years. So America has to brace itself. The developer, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, said the pipeline would be safe. An environmental assessment conducted last year determined the crossing would not have a significant impact on the environment. However, then-Assistant Army Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy on Dec. 4 declined to issue an easement, saying a broader environmental study was warranted. WASHINGTON Donald Trumps spats with U.S. allies as close as Mexico and as unlikely as Australia are leaving his new secretary of state and others in his Cabinet to clean up a lot of potential damage. Its a good-cop, bad-cop dynamic that could define Americas foreign policy for the next four years. President Trumps first two weeks on the job have rattled foreign friends and foes alike and even members of his own party starting with his order to temporarily halt all refugee admissions as well as immigration from seven mainly-Muslim countries. Concern only escalated the past few days with his personal dust-ups with foreign leaders and declaration that Iran is now on notice for possible American action. Its time were going to be a little tough, folks, Trump said at a National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, as unseemly details circulated about his private phone calls with the Mexican and Australian leaders. Were taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. Its not going to happen anymore. Trumps blunt comments came a day after word emerged of a tense discussion with Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull, in which the new U.S. president lambasted an Obama-era deal to resettle some 1,600 asylum-seekers. Diplomatic dysfunction was clear. Minutes after the U.S. Embassy in Canberra said the deal was still on, Trump seemed to contradict that message, tweeting: I will study this dumb deal! On the other side of the globe, new details emerged about strained ties between the U.S. and its southern neighbor. There was already irritation on both sides following Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos cancellation of a trip to Washington after Trump made the visit contingent on Mexico agreeing to pay for a U.S. border wall. In a follow-up phone call, Trump warned Pena Nieto that he was ready to send U.S. troops to stop bad hombres down there if Mexicos military cant control them, The Associated Press learned. The White House said the comments were made in a lighthearted manner. But administration officials described the calls with both leaders as contentious. Some top aides underscoring Trumps emphasis on toughness and brawnier U.S. negotiations, dominant themes of his America First foreign policy. At the United Nations, Trumps U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, said the U.S. would be taking names of countries that dont have our back. His national security adviser, Michael Flynn, made a surprising appearance at the White House daily briefing to officially put Iran on notice after its ballistic missile test. Trump topped Flynn Thursday by saying nothing is off the table when it comes to a potential American response. Napa tax specialist DJ Lipton-Weide has announced the addition of two new professionals. Robert Bunjes, a California Tax Education Council member, is a Napa native who recently retired from H&R Block after working 43 years helping clients with their tax returns. I love my clients, he said. His grandparents arrived in Napa a century ago, farming property in east Napa that is now the Stonecrest neighborhood. His father helped construct the Napa Register building in downtown Napa. He is an avid reader of current events, especially news dealing with investments and finance, and loves collecting old license plates. He says he never misses the Jeopardy television show. I like facts, he said. Dona Napier came to Napa from Sunnyvale in 2016 with her husband, Jim. Her career as an administrative assistant began in San Diego, where she grew up and went to work for the University of San Diego, and continued in 2005 with the city of Mountain View. We love Napa, she said. We feel comfortable after meeting so many people and making so many friends and connections. Moving to Napa was the very best thing we could have done. DJ is a great person to work for, she added. Lipton-Weide earned special status as an Enrolled Agent in 1990, which qualifies her to talk directly with the IRS to help solve her customers tax problems. Her hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and weekends by appointment. Her number is 927-5995. Congregation Beth Shalom is hosting a conversation with investigative journalist Robert Rosenthal, executive director of the Center for Investigative Reporting," about "Journalism, Information & Communication in a Changing World." Rosenthal, who leads the largest nonprofit investigative reporting organization in the country, was formerly editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and managing editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. The community is invited to this conversation between Rabbi Lee Bycel and Rosenthal on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m. at Congregation Beth Shalom, 1455 Elm St. Registration is required by going to: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2858439 A 43-year-old Napa man may face life in prison after a jury found him guilty of murder in Napa County Superior Court on Thursday afternoon. After only one day of deliberations, a jury found Oscar Tapia Felix the man who killed 69-year-old Rosalina Abalos Punieg Perez while driving drunk in America Canyon back in 2015 guilty of murder, evading a peace officer causing death and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. There was never any question whether or not Tapia Felix was responsible for Perezs death; his own defense attorney, Ji-Hyun Cho, said during closing arguments on Wednesday that he took responsibility for her death, just not her murder. Deputy District Attorney Agnes Dziadur disagreed. On Oct. 24, 2015, Tapia Felix left Mi Zacatecas Family Restaurant in American Canyon at 11:24 p.m. after drinking at least 11 beers, got into his pickup truck and started to drive. Not only did Tapia Felix have a blood alcohol content of at least .20 percent more than twice the legal limit of .08 percent but he had been kicked out of the restaurant and told not to drive by both a friend and security at the bar, Dziadur said. While leaving the parking lot, Tapia Felixs vehicle hit two parked cars and he drove down a nearby embankment before entering into a high-speed chase with an American Canyon Police Officer, Dziadur said. Tapia Felix was speeding, running stop signs and driving without his headlights on, she said. The jury could see his driving for themselves in a police video of the chase. Over the course of just a few minutes, Tapia Felixs truck could also be seen driving over a center median, travelling up to 86 mph northbound on Highway 29 and, finally, running a red light, smashing almost head-on into a minivan turning onto Eucalyptus Drive from Highway 29 South at about 11:30 p.m. Inside the vehicle was Perez a San Jose woman who worked as a nurse at Napa State Hospital. Perez died on impact when her minivan was hit. Authorities reported that she was on her way home from work. Cho argued that Tapia Felix was guilty of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated but not second-degree murder, which implied that he had malice. Cho said that Tapia Felix didnt intend to hurt anyone and that he may not have fully understood the risk he was taking when choosing to drive drunk that night. He was too drunk to make good decisions, she said. Mr. Tapia Felix was reckless that night, she said. His driving pattern shows that hes not all there. Being too drunk isnt a defense for murder, Dziadur argued. This wasnt his first rodeo, she said. Tapia Felix has had three DUI convictions in 1999 and 2002 in Arizona and in 2007 in Napa County. During the last conviction, she said, Tapia Felix was told that if he continued to drive under the influence and killed someone that he may be charged with murder. He even took a six-month DUI class, she said. The idea that he didnt understand the risk of drunk driving or didnt know it was dangerous to human life was laughable, Dziadur said. How many times does it take? she asked. Somebody had to die for his wake-up call? His wake-up call should have been in 1999. Following Thursdays verdict, Tapia Felix remained in custody of the Napa County jail. His sentencing is scheduled for April 5. The murder conviction alone carries a punishment of 15 years to life in state prison. It was easy to get the wrong impression about George Elicker. A regular fixture in downtown Napa, the elderly man usually had a long shaggy gray beard, wore rumpled clothing and spent long stretches of time homeless, living in a car. But for those who took the time to get to know him, Elicker was much more than his circumstances. Known as History George by many, this fourth-generation Napan prided himself on being the citys unofficial historian. On Jan. 1, Elicker became part of that history he loved so much when he passed away at age 82. His health had been failing but Elicker was able to spend the last few months of his life off the streets and at the Golden Living Center on Trancas Street. Tuesday afternoon, more than 50 of Elickers friends and family gathered at the Napa Valley Center for Spiritual Living for a memorial of his life. One of them was Elickers good friend, Jef Madnick of Napa. George was a friend to everybody he met, said Madnick. His life wasnt always good, but he always had a smile and listening ear, said the centers Rev. Jay Lang. To me, George is a smile and a song, said friend Heath Spencer. Ill never forget him. Madnick and Elicker first met at one of Elickers frequent hangouts, Downtown Joes. The men connected over a shared passion for history. When I realized he was homeless, my heart went out to him, said Madnick. In 2015, Madnick was able to take Elicker in for a few months. That housing arrangement was only temporary, but Madnick continued to try to help Elicker find housing. I couldnt allow him to be out here on his own, he said. Madnick acknowledged that people could have been put off by Elickers appearance. He looked the part of a homeless man. However, We should not judge a book by its cover, said Madnick. We might just be surprised. We might find that our lives are enriched by knowing someone who we would normally have passed by. Madnick said hes not sure why Elicker first became homeless. I asked him but I never really got a definitive answer. According to Madnick, Elicker did not suffer from substance abuse. Elicker did receive government assistance funds. There were some opportunities to try to get permanent housing, but Elicker chose not to, for whatever reason or circumstance, said Madnick. Its hard to nail down. Some people tried to help, buying Elicker a car as a form of portable shelter. Other possibilities fell through or were put on hold, said Madnick. There was something Hemingway about him that caused him to be out there on the streets, said Madnick. Indeed, even while at Golden Living, Elicker joked about breaking out of the facility, said Madnick. Elicker was reportedly born in a bedroom in his grandmothers house on First Avenue and often spoke fondly of his family. At one point, Elicker had his own printing shop in Redwood City. He returned to Napa where he also delivered papers for the Napa Register and wrote a column for the Napa Sentinel newspaper. The Register on occasion wrote about Elicker and his search for a home. In 2011, Elicker was featured in a book produced by Preservation Napa Valley about elderly Napans. In the book Memory Bank: A Discovery of Old Hands, Old Faces and The Way it Was, Elicker posed for one of his portraits holding a picture of himself as a clean-cut much younger man. George was a valued member of our community who cherished his role as Napas historian, said Rachael Clark of Napa, who helped organize the memorial service. Being homeless caused some to stereotype him, but under a poor coat is often a rich heart, Clark said. With every person theres a story, said Lang. Elicker was definitely a man who walked to the beat of a different drummer, but meant so much to so many people here, he said. The reverend cautioned those about making assumptions about the homeless. The only way we can really know a person is to talk to them, and George was always willing, to talk. After Langs comments, a video monitor displayed images of Elicker while the song Amazing Grace played. Photos showed Elicker as a young man, then in more recent years while wearing an assortment of hats and caps. Elicker never married or had children. His sister, Jan May of Oregon, spoke at the service. My brother was not an ordinary guy, for sure, she said. But he loved Napa history and wanted to write books about the area, she noted. Thank you for helping him bring joy to his life, she said. Napa County library director Danis Kreimeier said Elicker was a fixture at the downtown library. George was probably at the library more than me, she said. In fact, if he wasnt there, the staff would wonder where he was and if he was OK. Heres to George. Well miss him, she said tearfully. City councilmembers Doris Gentry, Juliana Inman and Scott Sedgley attended the service and read a letter on behalf of Mayor Jill Techel recognizing Elickers contributions to the city. His concern and care about Napa was inspiring, said the letter. Neil Adams of Napa described how his wife, Marcia, invited George home and the next thing he knew, George was living in my front room with complete control of the television, he said with a laugh. Elicker had health issues, worsened by being homeless. Today, George has been set free, said Adams. Louetta Langley, Georges first cousin and a former Napa resident, said Elicker knew every brick and stone in the city. He was a legend when it came to knowing Napa history. I pray some historian is able to preserve and treasure any of his remaining historical materials and research, she said. Napan Candace Eliza, 70, said she also mourned Elicker. The greatest legacy for George would be to create some kind of center for the elderly in need, so when youre a senior you dont have to live in your car, she said. Eliza said she is homeless and she lives in her car. Spend a week living in your car, she suggested to those gathered. No one has any idea of what it feels like to (have to) find a place to go to the bathroom or a place to brush your teeth. Napa County is a very wealthy county, she said. It should do more for those in need. Its not OK, said Eliza. Kathy Welsh of Downtown Joes said she saw Elicker almost every morning. He often hung around Veterans Memorial Park, she noted. After events at the park, hed turn in lost and found items to the restaurant. He also kept an eye on the place. He was our watchdog for Downtown Joes, she said. Were going to miss him. Elicker may have been homeless, but it turns out he was able to plan ahead for his passing. A prepaid final needs fund covered his cremation and other such expenses, said Clark and Madnick. He was interred on Tuesday next to his grandmother at Tulocay Cemetery. The Napa Sunrise Rotary club took up a collection in Elickers honor and will use that money to buy sleeping bags for the homeless, said Gentry. Donations are welcome. Madnick said he hopes to create some kind of foundation in Elickers name that would benefit the elderly homeless. George was a treasure, Madnick said, pausing a moment to collect himself. With him goes quite a lot of the history in this town that nobody will ever know and thats sad. I have come across a story in the Napa Valley Register in 1985. That was 31 years ago. In those days, Napa County planners expected Angwin to become a city. But times were changing and those who looked ahead realized that a larger population in a remote community that had no jobs for newcomers was not a good idea. Almost everyone would have to commute to St. Helena, or join the traffic jam to Napa or Santa Rosa. In addition, Angwin does not have the infrastructure to support growth. Half the households depend on a private well and a septic system in the back of the property. There are only a few feet of sidewalks. No doctors office. No bus service to anywhere. So in 1985, the five county supervisors said, Time to turn the page, Joe. They looked at 4,566 acres in Angwin and Deer Park, which were zoned mostly for new subdivisions and they voted unanimously to change that zoning to agriculture. Unanimously. The Register reported that Chairman Mel Varrelman praised the rezonings as conforming to slow-growth wishes of Angwin and Deer Park residents. Supervisor Jay Goetting agreed. The basic feeling almost unanimity is that the rezoning plan is a very good one, he said. A few days ago, the county supervisors considered that a small area of Pacific Union College land in the heart of the village had been in agriculture for more than a hundred years and by a vote of 4 to l, they erased its obsolete designation for urbanization. The vote was for just about 16 acres, but almost everyone is celebrating. Particularly the supporters of Save Rural Angwin, who now see a safer future for that mountain-top community. There could not have been more joy after the decision in 1985 saving 4,566 acres than this one protecting just 16. A few years ago, the college wanted to build 580 houses on the land surrounding the campus, including the 16 acres for which the supervisors have now said, No, Joe. So we must shout Thank you to the planners and elected officials who wrote another chapter in a long struggle that began 31 years ago. Ring the church bells. Have a party. Enjoy. Duane Cronk Angwin The label for La Moneda Malbec Reserva 2015 from Chile looks like nothing special, until you notice the small decal on the side touting 95 points and a platinum medal from Decanter magazine. Even if you dont know that Decanter is Britains leading wine journal, 95 points is an impressive score for any wine, especially a cheap one. Last June, when it won best single-variety red costing under 15 pounds (about $18.75) in Decanters annual World Wine Awards, consumer demand crashed the website of Asda supermarkets, La Monedas exclusive retail outlet. Demand spiked so high that Asdas parent company, Walmart, decided to sell the wine in the United States. So last fall, Walmart introduced the La Moneda Malbec into 577 of its 4,600 or so U.S. stores, priced at $6.96 a bottle. Having tasted a sample, I can tell you it is really good, and it was still delicious and lively three or four days after opening, my unscientific way of assessing wine quality. Unfortunately, it is not available in Washington-area Walmart storesor possibly in any Walmart. A company spokesman says the initial U.S. allotment sold through over the holidays. Furthermore, its unclear whether U.S. customers will ever be able to buy La Moneda. The supplier is already selling Walmart the 2016 vintage, but only for the U.K. market, and the spokesman would say only that the company is always looking for new opportunities to offer similar values to its American customers. Nevertheless, the La Moneda story gives us a glimpse into how many good, inexpensive wines reach the shelves of chain stores such as Walmart, Costco, Total Wine & More and BevMo. Its not the romantic tale of artisan vintners lovingly coddling their expensive oak barrels to produce a few hundred cases of mind-blowing vino. Most wine is an industrial agricultural product, made at large wineries sometimes derisively called tank farms for the huge stainless-steel tanks that hold thousands of gallons waiting to be bottled on demand. Economy of scale helps make wine inexpensive enough to be our daily tipple. Exclusive private-label wines are one way retailers vie for a competitive edge. The La Moneda malbec is one of 60 such distinctive labels Walmart sells, including $3 table wines and more premium proseccos and other bubblies, according to Kurt Carlson, a wine buyer with Walmarts adult beverage team. Walmart leverages its corporate buying power to partner with large wineries around the world and with importers and distributors here in the United States. Exclusivity is not so much a legal arrangement as a fact of life. Any retailer can ask a distributor for some La Moneda, Carlson said in a telephone interview from Walmart headquarters in Arkansas. But the truth is, weve already bought it all. He declined to say exactly how much of the malbec Walmart has acquired. The label says La Moneda is produced by Ranco Wines, bottled by Vina Luis Felipe Edwards Nancagua in Chile, and imported by Prestige Wine & Spirits Group in Princeton, Minn. Rancos general manager, Raimundo Valenzuela, told me in an email exchange that the wine was made by RR Bulk Wine, Rancos main company, founded in 1993. Valenzuela described RR as Chiles largest wine exporter, with about 2,500 acres of vineyards, shipping more than 80 million liters a year to more than 25 countries. Thats a whopping 107 million bottles, or nearly 9 million cases. Ranco sells mainly to European supermarket chains and large U.S. companies with numerous brands, such as the Wine Group, Constellation, and E&J Gallo, he said. The wine that wowed Decanters tasters was shipped in bulk to Britain and bottled there, which helps reduce costs, Valenzuela said. For the U.S. market, Ranco enlisted Vina Luis Felipe Edwards to bottle the wine in Chile. And the importer? According to the certificate of label approval filed with the U.S. Treasury Departments Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Prestige Wine & Spirits Group is United States Distilled Products, one of the nations largest producers of private-label liquors. So heres the story of La Moneda (and similar private-label wines): Ranco produces a lot of wine inexpensively. Carlson and other buyers from Walmart taste the malbec. Recognizing its quality, they use Walmarts market power to buy all of it at a good price. They could call it anythingChateau This or Domaine That, even though there is no such idyllic property associated with the wine. (La Moneda is Spanish for the coin, appropriately enough.) They bring it into the United States through their importer to various distributors, who speed the product through the three-tier distribution network at minimal cost. Because the wine is going exclusively to one stores various outlets, theres no marketing cost to build the brand and fight for shelf space. (Though someone at Walmart was smart enough to enter the malbec into the Decanter competition and then market its triumph for all it was worth.) Once in the store, the wine receives prime placement on the shelfat eye level, or a coveted end-of-aisle displayalongside California chardonnays and merlots that also dont have the store name on the label but are available nowhere else. National brands are often relegated to less-visible, harder-to-reach shelves. That preference for the store-owned product sometimes leads distributors to chafe about an unfair disadvantage for their own brands. For consumers, of course, what matters is the wine, not the label. And we dont want to have to rummage around looking for the La Moneda Malbec. Marlon Wayans is an a Read more [...] Nonprofit organization Musicians On Call is celebrating its tenth anniversary of Nashville programs, and there was a rather special surprise guest on hand to lend his talents to the party. Keith Urban stopped by The Childrens Hospital at TriStar Centennial to perform for patients, families, and caregivers, in hopes of bringing the healing power of music to the facility. The power of music to not only connect people, but to bring comfort into someones life is something quite divine, said Urban in a press release. Visiting with these kids and their families yesterday was truly inspiring, as was the chance to play for them and bring a little light to their day, even if for a few moments. Im very grateful to Musicians On Call for the good work they do and honored to be a small part of that. Buy diflucan Buy diflucan It was an absolute honor to have country music icon Keith Urban join us to help deliver the healing power of music, said Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President. Musicians On Call is celebrating the tenth anniversary of our Nashville programs and we couldnt have asked for a better way to kick off this year-long celebration. What happens when you take a history-making No. 1 artist, disguise him, and set him free on the streets of Nashville to perform? According to the Tennessean, he earns a whopping $8.00! The last time we saw Keith Urban on lower Broadway in Music City, he had filled the streets outside Bridgestone Arena, performing a free show to celebrate the release of his album, Ripcord. This time, Urbans showing was less of a fiasco, simply stopping by to film a quick video for what he called a little craziness for [Country Radio Seminar]. Buy diflucan Buy diflucan The Tennessean caught Urban in front of Legends Corner as he performed his No. 1 hit Wasted Time, causing people strolling the streets to stop and toss tips into an open guitar case. According to the publication, Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton will be doing something similar for CRS. Watch the video of Keith Urban busking on Broadway here: Newly proposed bill would end US membership in the United Nations Theres a proposed House Resolution for the US to withdraw its membership at the United Nations. This comes at the time when another proposal is being drawn up to cut US funding to the UN body. The new bill was proposed by Republican Mike Rogers. Its called the American Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2017, and seeks to completely withdraw the US from the UN. If passed, the UN would have to remove its New York headquarters. The bill also calls for ceasing participation with the World Health Organization. Rogers has support from many prominent Republicans, who have been vocal about US taxpayer money not going to organizations that dont promote American interests, such as when the UN failed to stick up for Israel with the US. On January 3, the bill was quietly introduced. It would be two years before it takes affect, if approved. The bill would also repeal the United Nations Participation Act of 1945, which was signed after WWII. Rogers has been trying to pass this bill since 2015, but has yet to see success. Rogers has been defending his idea throughout, asking why the American taxpayer should fund an organization that works against American interests worldwide. He believes that now is the time to protect and restore American sovereignty, away from the UN. In late 2015, Rogers wrote that the UN continuously proves to be an inefficient bureaucracy, wasting American tax money. He also named treaties and actions he considered to be attacks on US citizens rights, including gun provisions, international regulations imposed on American fossil fuels, and the UNs attack on Israel by voting to grant Palestine permanent observer status. Rogers said that anyone who isnt a friend to our Israeli ally, is not a friend of the US. (RELATED: Find more gun control news at Guncontrol.fetch.news) Kentucky Senator, and supporter of the HR 193 bill, Rand Paul, offered his views in early 2015. He expressed his dislikes in paying for something that two-bit Third World countries without freedom would complain about, and attack the US for. He said there were many reasons he dislikes the UN, and that he would be happy to see it dissolve. Much of the same logic was used in January when legislation was prepared by House republicans to decrease or eliminate the US funding the UN. Calculations by the conservative Heritage Foundation suggest that the US currently provides over 22 percent of all UN funding. A bill to cut that funding was introduced promptly after a 14-0 UNSC vote to condemn ongoing construction of illegal Israeli settlements. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, viewed the vote as a knife in their back from the US, who failed to veto it. Barack Obama showed a sudden critical attitude towards Israel near the end of his tenure as US President. The resolution vote was within the same year that Obamas administration gave Israel their biggest military aid package to date. In September, they also signed a memorandum of understanding which would give Israel $38 billion over a ten-year period. (RELATED: Find more Obama news at Obama.fetch.news) The US government spends about $8 billion annually in mandated payments and voluntary contributions to the International Peace Agency and affiliates. $3 billion of that amount is put toward the UNs regular peacekeeping budgets. Text from HR 193 suggests that The President shall terminate all membership by the United States in the United Nations in any organ, specialized agency, commission, or other formally affiliated body of the United NationsThe United States Mission to the United Nations is closed. Any remaining functions of such office shall not be carried out. The bill also aims to prohibit authorization of funds for the US assessed or voluntary contribution to the UN. Inclusive in the proposal would be military or peacekeeping expenditures, and the UNs use of US military. UN officers and employees would also lose diplomatic immunity in the US. Sources: Rt.com InfoWars.com NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commended Bosnia and Herzegovina for its contributions to Euro-Atlantic security during a visit to Sarajevo on Thursday (2 February 2017). Meeting with Mladen Ivanic, Chairman of the Tripartite Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the other members of Presidency, the Secretary General welcomed Bosnias reforms in the defence and security sector. He also welcomed the adoption of the Defence Review and the implementation plan as signs of "real progress and real commitment." Mr. Stoltenberg stressed that NATO stands ready to activate the Membership Action Plan once all immovable defence properties have been registered to the state. Accompanied by Defence Minister Marina Pendes, the Secretary General visited the troops of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He thanked them for their service and, in particular, their contributions to NATOs mission in Afghanistan. The Secretary General also met with personnel of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, commanded by Brigadier General Giselle Wilz. He thanked them for their efforts to bring peace, security and stability to the Western Balkans, and underlined NATOs continued commitment to the region. Addressing high-school and university students in Sarajevo, the Secretary General outlined NATOs close partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina. He underlined that this partnership is fundamentally about improving the everyday lives of people in the country. He encouraged Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue to fight corruption and ensure that defence institutions are under democratic control. During his visit, the Secretary General also met with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Denis Zvizdic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Igor Crnadak, the Minister of Security Dragan Mektic, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Josip Brkic, as well as leading members of the Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the international community. The NATO Secretary General Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will visit KFOR on Friday, 3 February 2017. During his visit, Mr. Stoltenberg will meet COMKFOR, Major General Giovanni Fungo. He will also meet KFOR troops and key representatives of the international community in Kosovo. The Secretary General will have meetings with Mr. Hashim Thaci, Mr. Isa Mustafa, Mr. Branimir Stojanovic and Mr. Enver Hoxhaj. Media Advisory 13:45 Secretary General joint press conference with Mr. Isa Mustafa. The press conference will be webstreamed live on the NATO website. Still and video images will be available on the NATO website after the event. Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @jensstoltenberg) World-renowned immunologist Rafi Ahmed, a professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at the Emory University School of Medicine and director of the internationally recognized Emory Vaccine Center, will give the 22nd annual Distinguished Faculty Lecture. His lecture, entitled Its All About a Mouse Virus, will be presented Tuesday, Feb. 7, from 4-6 p.m. in the Winship Ballroom of the Dobbs University Center. A reception will follow. Hosted by the Faculty Council, the presentation is traditionally part of Founder's Week, which commemorates the first meeting of the Board of Trustees on Feb. 6, 1837, following the founding of Emory College. The Faculty Council Distinguished Faculty Lecture Committee, comprised of past distinguished faculty lecturers, nominates the speaker for approval by Emory's president and provost. A member of the National Academy of Science, Ahmed is noted for his work addressing the fundamental question of immune memory the basis of vaccination that has helped to shape scientific understanding of memory T cell differentiation and anti-viral T and B cell immunity. T cells are a type of white blood cell able to recognize and destroy invading pathogens, such as viruses. In studying the longevity of T-cell memory, Ahmed has examined how our bodies attain and maintain immunological memory, regardless of the virus involved. His work has helped provide a roadmap of how T-cells function and how this functioning might be improved. His laboratory uses highly sophisticated cellular and molecular techniques to study antigen-specific immunological memory in marine, primate and human systems. Another focus of his work is to develop strategies to restore viral function in virus-specific T cells during a chronic viral infection, such as HIV or Varicella-zoster virus. An Eminent Scholar with the Georgia Research Alliance, Ahmed also serves as an investigator with the Emory Center for AIDS Research. He is also a member of the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics research program at Emorys Winship Cancer Institute. The long-term goal of his research is to understand the mechanisms of B and T cell immunological memory and to use the information to develop new vaccines for the prevention and treatment of disease. His studies have given rise to the possible development of a universal influenza vaccine in the near future. Under Ahmeds leadership, the Emory Vaccine Center is now among the worlds largest and most comprehensive academic vaccine research centers, with more than 30 faculty members, a research staff of nearly 250 and laboratories in New Delhi and Atlanta. Originally known for extraordinary contributions related to the development of vaccines for HIV/AIDS, the Emory Vaccine Center is now recognized for its work with vaccines against hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis and influenza. Recent research efforts have addressed rejuvenating the exhausted immune response to chronic viral infections and cancer. While at Emory, Ahmed received the 2014 Emory 1% Award, which recognizes Emory faculty whose National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposals have been ranked in the top one percent by NIH reviewers. In 2016, he was named to the MilliPub Club, which recognizes Emory faculty who have published one or more individual papers throughout their careers that have each garnered more than 1,000 citations. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund on Thursday denied a newspaper report that it would invest in U.S. infrastructure bonds as part of an economic cooperation package to be discussed between the two countries' leaders next week.In a statement on the fund's Twitter account, GPIF President Norihiro Takahashi said "there was no truth" to the report, adding that its investment decisions were made for the benefit of its policyholders.The Nikkei business daily reported earlier that infrastructure investments in the United States by GPIF, the world's largest pension fund, would feature largely in the package that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will present to U.S. President Donald Trump at their meeting.REUTERS RSD 0753 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-1132878.Xml Following the recent directive of the Supreme Court that there should be no liquor outlets on national and state highways, the new locations decided for these shops in the state has come under fire from civil society. Girl students of the Holy Angels Convent in the heart of the city here took to the streets Thursday after learning that there would be a new retail outlet of the state-owned Beverages Corporation (Bevco) near their school. "We won't allow this to open and we will protest against the opening of it near our school," said a group of protesting school students. Similar protests have begun across the state by locals at more than two dozen proposed Bevco outlets. On Wednesday, trouble broke out near Kozhikode after an angry lady doused herself in Kerosene and was pulled back from lighting herself. In December last year, the Supreme Court banned the sale of liquor within 500 metres on either side of national and state highways across the country, forcing around 300 such outlets comprising beer and wine parlours, five star hotels and state-owned liquor retail outlets to look for new places, as they have to move out latest by the beginning of the new fiscal. In Kerala, liquor is currently served only in about 30 five star hotels and around 600 beer and wine parlours; it is sold through 334 state-owned retail outlets. H. Venkatesh, Managing Director of Bevco, told reporters that the corporation has decided to move its affected outlets to new locations and when it does, it will follow all the rules and regulations. "We are only following the guidelines as per the law of the land. The police can look into everything," said Venkatesh. The profile of liquor users reveal that around 32.9 lakh people out of the 3.34 crore population in the state consume liquor, which includes 29.8 lakh men and 3.1 lakh women. Around five lakh people consume liquor on a daily basis. Of this, around 83,851 people including 1,043 women are addicted to alcohol. Now the ball is in the court of the Kerala government as revenue earned through sales of liquor accounts for a major chunk of revenue and the state government will soon have to take the call on how to stop these protests. --IANS sg/sm/sac ( 394 Words) 2017-02-02-13:36:06 (IANS) The paper, which comes after MPs voted to allow Prime Minister Theresa May to begin the Brexit process, will outline Downing Street's negotiating aims for triggering Article 50, the formal process of leaving the EU, the BBC reported. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty sets out the process of leaving the EU. The treaty itself came into force on December 1, 2009, after eight years of the EU's efforts to make the organisation "more democratic, more transparent and more efficient". MPs backed the EU Bill by 498 votes to 114 on Wednesday night, with 47 Labour rebels voting against. The bill will now face more debate before it can become law. The MPs will discuss the bill in more detail next week when it reaches the committee stage in the Commons, and Labour has vowed to force through amendments. Hundreds of amendments have already been tabled for a debate next week, with objectives set out in the government's strategy expected to attract more. May has set a March 31 deadline for invoking Article 50y. Talks with the EU are expected to last up to two years, with the UK predicted to leave the 28-member organisation in 2019. --IANS ksk/vt ( 243 Words) 2017-02-02-13:40:09 (IANS) Japan would skill 40,000 technical people in 10 years by collaborating with engineering colleges and other institutions said Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu in Delhi on Thursday. While speaking at the prestigious International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF), the ambassador stated that Japan is keenly interested in transferring technology to India. Speaking on this occasion, Anant Geete, Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, assured Indian manufacturers that the Government would take concrete steps for re-energizing the capital goods, automotive and heavy industries. Over 500 companies from 25 countries are expected to participate at this event held by the Confederation of Indian Industry every two years. IETF 2017 is supported by 10 Ministries of Government of India and Government of NCT of Delhi, besides several relevant industry associations. "The Budget contains a number of proposals to give a critical push to the manufacturing sector and Indian industry must take advantage of these for higher investments," stated the Minister, calling for focused inputs from the private sector for meeting the Government's targets of Make in India. The minister added that technology should play a major role in revamping the manufacturing sector. The industry should adapt state-of-the-art technology developed elsewhere and, at the same time, should encourage more indigenous innovation and research and development. Countries like Japan could provide the relevant technologies and investments in the core sectors of Indian industry. Japan is the partner country for the IETF for the fifth time. Referring to the Capital Goods Fund, the Minister said that it would work as a growth engine particularly for engineering, automotive and capital goods sectors to spur employment. Sumit Mazumder, Immediate Past President, CII said that it should be the effort of all stakeholders to take investment in the capital goods sector to USD 150 billion from the present level of US$ 48 billion. The capital goods industry employs around 8.5 million people. He added that the proposed GST will be a force multiplier for Indian industry, which can ride on the back of Make in India Program. Deep Kapuria, Chairman, CII-IETF, said that in the era of disruptive technologies like internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence etc., Indian industry has to undergo a transformation to bridge the technology gap. CII-IETF is showcasing the state-of-the-art technologies for Indian industry to gain first - hand knowledge about latest technologies in health, gaming, green tech etc. (ANI) Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday termed the budget for 2017-18 a "damp squib" but praised Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for adopting a "tone of moderation" after the demonetisation policy. Calling it a wasted opportunity, Chidambaram said: "Altogether, I am disappointed that the government has not used the opportunity to push through bold reforms, revive aggregate demand and growth, and devise new strategies for job creation. "Our conclusion, on reading all the budget documents, was that the exercise has turned out to be a damp squib. But, there are a few positives, which we are happy with. The most important positive is that the government seems chastened after the debacle of demonetisation and has not done anything reckless or disruptive." Praising Jaitley, the Congress leader said: "I compliment the Finance Minister on adopting a tone of moderation. It is obvious that demonetisation and its inevitable consequences have demoralised the government. "They have retreated from reforms and have no answers to the severe challenges faced by the economy. The sections of the people most affected by demonetisation were the farmers, farm workers, manual labourers, the self-employed, artisans and micro, small and medium businesspersons. "They lost crores in the form of wages, incomes and capital. There is absolutely nothing in the budget for these sections. We had demanded that the government offer them compensation in some form, but the government has cruelly neglected them." Chidambaram also said that government has discarded fiscal prudence and violated the FRBM Act. "In 2015-16, the target of fiscal deficit should have been 3.6 per cent, instead it was kept at 3.9 per cent and the CGA/CAG have reported that it was actually 4.31 per cent. "Now, again, the target for 2017-18 should have been kept at 3 per cent, but the government has set a target of 3.2 per cent. Analysts, bankers and investors in India and abroad will not take kindly to this disregard of fiscal responsibility," he said. Chidambaram also accused the government for being oblivious to the plight of the farming community. "The best signal to the farmer is a remunerative price for his produce. The Finance Minister has not even uttered the phrase 'Minimum Support Price' in his speech. The farming community has been totally cheated by the budget," he said. Chidambaram also hit out at the government for not creating as many jobs as promised. "The NDA promised to create two crore jobs every year. Their best result so far was 1.5 lakh jobs in 2015-16. There is absolutely nothing in the budget that points to a change of strategy to create new jobs. "There is nothing in the budget that points to measures to revive flagging growth," he added. He also rooted for early introduction of Direct Tax Code, saying, "It is imperative that that the Draft Direct Taxes code be updated and enacted." --IANS sid/vd ( 491 Words) 2017-02-02-21:18:18 (IANS) Sharing the link of an article an article that read, "I'm Leaking My Ex's Dirty Messages and Voice Notes Because He's Left Me No Choice", she tweeted, "Absolutely despicable piece of crap! So proud of this girl who exposed this swine! Whoever you are lady mad respect". Ileana then used the micro-blogging site to talk about her experience. "I've been a victim of eve-teasing and harassment and it's traumatic. I'm lucky I have beautiful parents who gave me strength when I needed it," she posted. Many actors and tinsel town crowd has come out in the open and have shared their experiences of abuse. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap had also shared the same article which is about an anonymous girl troubled by her former boyfriend.(ANI) From stardom to substance abuse to his time in jail, Sanjay Dutt's life would be panned out in his biopic, exactly as it happened, which will also serve as a lesson for the youth, reveals Ranbir Kapoor who plays Dutt in the upcoming flick. In an interview with Filmfare, RK said, "The biopic that Rajkumar Hirani is making will teach you something. It will talk about human flaws, the emotional father-son story (between Sanjay and the late Sunil Dutt), his relationship with his best friend, with the women in his life. It's emotional, it's funny, it's sad, it's bittersweet. The youth have a lot to learn from his mistakes." The 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' star, who considers the 57-year-old as a real rockstar, also said it's not a propaganda film. "Sanjay's lived his life. He owned up to his mistakes, he's paid the price for it. He's been through much. his mother (the late Nargis Dutt) passing away just before the premiere of his film, drug abuse, being labelled a terrorist, his failed marriages, the grind of punishment... We're not trying to project Sanjay Dutt in any way, it's not a propaganda film," Ranbir asserts. On a related note, the untitled biopic is set to have a Christmas release. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Thursday will continue the hearing over the plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government against the Delhi High Court's order, which said the Lieutenant Governor was not bound by the Delhi government's aid and advice. Earlier in the week, AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal told the apex court that it was not seeking full statehood for Delhi but more administrative powers. The AAP Government had knocked the doors of the apex court challenging the High Court's order, which had said that the Lieutenant Governor is the administration head of the government of NCT. The Delhi government on August 5 informed the apex court that it would file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the Delhi High Court verdict that erased all doubts over Delhi's status as a Union Territory. Putting a break to the ongoing turf war between Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the reins of the capital, the Delhi High Court had earlier declared that the LG is the administrative head of the National Capital Territory and that the latter is not required to act on the advice of the Delhi Cabinet. (ANI) Slamming the General Budget session on Wednesday which went on without any hindrance despite the demise of former Union Minister E Ahamed, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tore into the Centre for breaking tradition and playing the card of 'constitutional requirement' to get away with it. "See, the rule is that if a senior member, in this case a member who has served the cabinet for more than 10 years passes away, it is a tradition to adjourn the house. That tradition has been broken", Yechury said. Going further with his criticism he said, that budget was originally scheduled on 28th February, when the Centre decided amongst themselves to schedule ahead to 1st February. "Now again they cited 'constitutional requirement' to proceed with the budget, when as per tradition, the proceeding should have been stalled immediately after the untimely demise," he said. "There is no need for such 'requirement'; citing 'constitutional requirement' to go ahead with the budget is highly humiliating to E Ahamed.", the left leader added. Asserting that not taking into account of the demise of a former union Minister foregrounds the Centre's stubbornness, Yechury emphasised that what transpired in the House marks a sad chapter in history of Indian Politics. Former Union Minister and Indian Union Muslim League leader E Ahamed passed away in the wee hours of Wednesday morning at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital in Delhi, after he suffered a cardiac arrest in the Parliament yesterday. The minister was admitted in critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest during the President's address in both Houses on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Jaitley presented the General Budget proposals for 2017-18 in Parliament and said the major thrust of his fourth budget is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration. (ANI) Sai is the son of the self styled controversial Godman, Asaram, who is also lodged in Jodhpur Central jail in Rajasthan in two rape Cases. Recently the Apex Court had dismissed Asaram's bail plea and also ordered to register fresh FIR for filing false documents seeking bail. Sai had moved a court in Surat seeking temporary bail to contest assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh beginning next month. Sai moved an application before Additional Sessions Judge PS Gadhvi, stating he could contest on two seats--Sahibabad in Ghaziabad district and Shivpur in Varanasi. Sai was arrested for allegedly raping a Surat-based woman disciple of his father between 2002 and 2005. (ANI) Asserting that the Budget 2017 had completely ignored the lower strata of the economy, the Congress on Thursday tore into the Centre stating it had presented the Budget as an antidote to demonetisation and a 'lollipop' to appease the middle class tax-paying community. "The budget was presented only to cover up the ruckus caused by demonetisation across the nation, apart from that, there has been an effort to appease just one section of the society, that lower middle class and upper middle class, main vote bank of BJP," Congress Leader Meem Afzal told ANI. Remarking on the tax waiver, he said that only the taxpayers are to be benefitted of this move that comprise only a limited section of the society. "Where does this budget take into account a man from rural sector, who works as a labourer, in farms etc? You have given taxpayers the benefit of 12,000-12,500 rupees, but the 70 80 percent section of the society, whose income varies from 20oo to 25 000, what has government given them, do they get 1250 rupees? No", he added Branding demonetisation as a fundamental failure the Congress leader further said, "the massive drive against black money you initiated, with tall claims of getting 15-15 lakhs in the multiple free bank accounts, you opened across the country, has that person received even 15 rupees of the retrieved black money? No. And you say the budget is good." Emphasising that there could not possibly be a worse Budget, Afzal added that whatever little popularity Prime Minister Narendra Modi had amongst the poor, has been killed by this Budget, which was filled with "empty, fancy promises". The Congress leader further criticised several other promises made in the budget, like the one lakh crores for railway security and asked "where will the Railway get so much money from now?" Lashing out strongly against the increased 10 lakh credit limit, Afzal stated that instead of redeeming the common man from his loans, the Centre was further encouraging him to take more loans, paving the path for their doom. The Congress leader maintained that this Budget is no more than a lollipop offered to the masses in exchanged for "spilt milk", and a desperate attempt to stand strong for the state Assembly elections across five states. Earlier, Jaitley presented the General Budget proposals for 2017-18 in Parliament and said the major thrust of his fourth budget is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration. The Budget has evoked diverse reactions from nation across with most of the BJP-opposing parties criticising it for the absence of any breakthrough schemes facilitating compensation for the cash shortage in the country due to demonetisation. (ANI) On January 11th, the Supreme Court granted three weeks time to Mallya to file a reply to the consortium of banks who sought deposit of the amount of 40 million dollars. The consortium of banks had earlier approached the apex court seeking its intervention in bringing back Mallya to India and also repayment of money which the beleaguered businessman, who has absconded to England, had taken. The banks, in their plea, told the apex court that there was an outstanding loan of almost Rs 9,000 crore against the businessman. The banks have argued that the business tycoon has not been candid with the court regarding his assets, citing the failure to disclose the severance package he received from Diageo Plc as part of his exit from United Spirits Ltd. On April 26, the Supreme Court had directed Mallya to disclose his assets to the consortium. The banks also said the disclosures made by Mallya on his Indian and overseas properties were "vague". The banks also refuted Mallya's allegation that all 17 banks did not reject the three proposals made by him for repayment of over Rs 9,000 odd crore in instalments. (ANI) The famed, six-foot Ganesha idol located on a hill in Dholkal area here, which was found damaged last week, was restored to its original place once again on Wednesday. Since the ancient relic was located at the Naxal affected region, it took four days for the District Administration and Archaeological Department to successfully complete this challenging task. "We have been working here from Saturday. Firstly, we made the idol's platform after which it took two days for us to fix this idol at its original place. The remains of this idol were collected by the Armed Forces," said Prabhat Kumar, an official of Chhattisgarh Archaeological Department to ANI. 25 kilometres away from the main city of Dantewada district, this ancient temple which was established by Chindak Nagvanshis, went missing and was found in a damaged condition downhill on Friday last week. The granite idol, which attracts attention for its presence in an area among dense forests, was found broken into 56 pieces. Cops suspect there is Maoists role in dislodging the ancient idol of the elephant god. According to police, a lot of visitors had been coming to the place to see the idol, which was causing trouble for the Maoists. The incident came to light when few people from Jagdalpur city came to the place to worship the idol. On reaching the place they found the idol missing, following which they took pictures of the empty space, which went viral on social media, resulting in the launch of a massive search operation by the entire Dantewada administration. (ANI) In a scathing criticism of the Budget 2017, the Congress attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for their lack of accountability in the entire demonetisation episode. Speaking to ANI, Congress Leader Dwijendra Tripathi said, "Centre should also tell if this was a surgical strike on the black money, then should also tell where the black money is? They are answerable to the public, and they must also tell how much of black money is received." Tripathi further criticised the attitude of the RBI and branded it as an ally of the Prime Minister's. "The Reserve Bank is saying that they haven't counted the notes they have received, when everybody knows that once the money is deposited in banks, it is counted at the end of the day and catalogued," he said. "Therefore we believe that Reserve Bank is also trying to shield the government, and there is more to what meets the eye", he added. Talking about the Budget session in Parliament, the Congress leader further added that it was deplorable of the Centre to go back in history and recall how 92 years back such a merged budget was issued. "It's sad that they have based their ideals in the epoch when India was under foreign dominion and had no constitution of its own," he said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in January, that there will be no separate railway budget from next financial year, putting an end to a practice that started in 1924. Jaitley presented the General Budget proposals for 2017-18 in Parliament yesterday and said the major thrust of his fourth budget is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration.(ANI) Panic gripped south Kashmir as security forces opened fire after noticing some suspicious movement in north Kashmir district of Bandipora in the wee hours today, official sources said. They said acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants, security forces and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint search operation in village Matrigam in north Kashmir distirct of Bandipora. However, when the security forces were sealing the area, they noticed some suspicious movement and fired some shots towards the area. People in the village came out of their houses in panic after hearing the firing shots. Additional security forces have been rushed to the area to further tighten the cordon. However, the search operation concluded at 0800 hrs this morning as no militant was found in the area. No one was arrested, they added.UNI BAS SV ADG 1051 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-1132924.Xml The Action Committee on the Kalasa-Banduridiversion project across the River Mahadayi has urged the KarnatakaGovernment to order for Corps of Detectives (COD) investigationagainst the atrocities caused by police on the farmers duringlast year's agitation. In a statement here today, the President of Action CommitteeLokanath Hebsur has said that the farmers who had participated wereassaulted by the police during the agitation last year in Navalagundtown of Dharwad district and were sent to jails at Bellary andHidalaga in Belagavi. They were forced to move court frequently thuscausing heavy loss to their day-to-day life. He said that added fire to injuries already caused, the policehave also ordered debarring two farmers from Navalagund town andDharwad district which is once again an atrocity on farmers. He alsoalleged that the Government has been trying suppress farmers frommaking any such demand or engage in justifiable agitation. He said that the Government has remained silent after it declaredthat the cases against these farmers would be withdrawn. Even theGovernment has not taken any action on the enquiry report of ADGPsRaghavendra Auradkar and Kamal Panth on the alleged atrocities onfarmers, he stated. He said that Human Rights Commission in its report had suggestedthe Government to provide immediate relief to the affected farmersduring the agitation and even this suggestion has received scant attention. He has warned that the farmers are totally agitated over suchutter neglect of the Government and would intensify their stir andGovernment would be responsible for any mishap caused during theiragitation.UNI XC CNR HVB CS 1129 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-1132981.Xml No apprehensions have been made so far in this regard. Some items related with fisihing were seized from the fishermen. Further details are awaited. (ANI) As Urban Development minister Rao Inderjit Singh gave a detailed explanation for the persisting problem to Dr Anil Kumar Sahani of the JanataDal (United), Congress member Jairam Ramesh expressed bewilderment. ''How can such a question be asked in Rajya Sabha? I'm amazed,'' he asked the Chair. Not to be outdone, Vishambhar Prasad Nishad of the Samajwadi Party also raised a question of lack of proper drainage that he warned could prove injurious to children.UNI SD RSA 1308 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-1133131.Xml Altogether 184 newspapers have empanelled with the Directorate of Visual Publicity in the current year and the process ''is yet to be completed'', Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told the Rajya Sabha today. Over the past three years, 950 fresh empanelments from the print media were done in 2013-14 taking the total newspapers on the panel to 6,542 in 2013-14, while there were 987 fresh cases and total of 7,529 and 786 out of a total of 8,315 respectively in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively, he said replying to a query from A Vijayakumar of the AIADMK during Question Hour. However, he admitted there were many fake claimants for DAVP status, but he said the Government was trying to weed them out. The Government was willing to consider the genuine claims of newspapers that were being printed from rented premises, he said, denying that political affiliations were considered to facilitate this process. Effective June 7, 2016, the Government had revised the print media advertisement policy, details of which were available on the DAVP website.More UNI SD RSA 1358 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-1133208.Xml National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had extensive discussions with his Russian counterpart on various challenges to the region, especially terrorism and two sides resolve to work together to meet the menace. ''The two sides discussed issues of mutual bilateral, regional and global interest, with a special focus on security and defense cooperation between both sides,'' the Ministry of External Affairs said here in a statement issued at the end of Mr Doval's two-day visit to Moscow this week. The two countries noted with satisfaction, the ongoing cooperation between them in meeting threats to their national security, particularly those emanating from terrorism in their respective regions, and unequivocally reaffirmed their intention to continue to work together to confront these challenges, the MEA said. Mr Doval and his counterpart, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, on whose invitation he was in Russia on January 30-31, discussed further ways to strengthen the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia. They described the partnership as a great asset for the people of both the nation and a factor of peace and stability in the region and the world. The two sides also highly evaluated the plans to celebrate the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Russia in 2017, and pledged to make 2017 a special year in the history of their relations, the MEA said.More UNI NAZ SB ADG 1250 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-1133070.Xml Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) National President Amit Shah has alleged that the Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi "does not understand" difference between response of the Indian armed forces to the cross border terrorism during United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime and under the present regime of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing an election rally Bicholim town in North Goa last night, he said, "Now Rahul baba asks Modi ji, there is cross border firing during your Government. It used to happen in our Government too. So what is the difference. You will not know Rahul baba, you are wearing Italian spectacles on your eyes." "(The difference is) when your Government was in power, the cross border firing was started by Pakistan and ended by them. Now there is a BJP Government and Narendra Modi is its Prime Minister and Manohar Parrikar is its Defence Minister. Now the firing is still started by Pakistan army, however it is now ended by the Indian Army," Mr Shah said, adding,''They fire a bullet from there and we respond with a cannon... No one has the courage to cut our soldier's head." UNI AKM JW SNU 1510 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1133315.Xml The BJP today expressed concern over Kanpur building collapse which claimed nine lives besides spurt in crime in the state capital. "The Samajwadi Party Government has failed to stop the illegal acts of the land grabbers and the criminals in the state which proved that the Akhilesh Yadav Government was deeply promoting them, "BJP national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said here. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Yadav said yesterday's building collapse in Kanpur and a shocking murder in Lucknow brings focus back on law and order in Uttar Pradesh. "While in Kanpur, the illegal building which collapsed was owned by SP leader, in Lucknow, the murder of 52- year-old Shravan Sahu, who was also a prime witness in the case of murder of his son has raised concerns. What's more alarming is the fact that suspicion of murder is on a few dismissed policemen, who had earlier tried to frame Shrawan in a false case," he told reporters here. Mr Yadav said the BJP had already promised to set up a task force against the land grabbers and will arrest those criminals who are missing after coming out from jail on parole. "The Kanpur incident is shocking in which an SP leader was directly involved in constructing a building through illegal manner and the building collapsed due to use of sub-standard material," he said.Besides, the Lucknow incident in which a father was shot dead, shows how the police is in nexus with the criminals in this regime, he added. Mr Yadav said after BJP comes to power, such incidents would end as all the criminals and land grabbers would either be in jail or out of the state.UNI MB SB SNU 1430 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-1133191.Xml Transport aggregator Uber has decided toissue a public petition to support it to carry on with UberPOOL, acar pooling product offering, after the Karnataka government askedit to suspend the service as it was against law. The multinational company has urged the people of Bengaluru tosupport UberPOOL as it helped save fuel, protect environment andbring down traffic woes in the tech hub. Both Uber and Ola have beenasked to stop with their sharing business stating that their licenseprovided only for point to point service. The Karnataka transport department had given Uber TechnologiesInc. and Ola time until today to withdraw their ride-sharingservices in the state after deeming the service illegal. asride-hailing firms had contract carriage permits, which do not allowthem to pick up and drop passengers during the course of a trip.Such a permit only allows for point-to-point pick-ups and drops. Speaking to reporters Uber Bangalore branch General ManagerChristian Freese said car pooling should be encouraged and nototherwise as it helped bring down pollution levels in the cities andalso saved precious motor fuel. So the company had decided to issue a public petition seekingsupport for car pooling. In the petition Uber has said through uberPOOL it have preventedmore than 9,364,772 kilometres of unnecessary driving, saved4,40,623 litres of fuel by allowing us to match riders using similarroutes, cut over 1,037,000 kg of CO2 emissions by sharing a ride.Most importantly more people get into fewer cars through innovationssuch as uberPOOL, and giving riders a real alternative to owning acar. He said UberPOOL was a product that enables Driver Partners topick up and drop identified riders through the Uber App under asingle contract. When a rider chooses UberPOOL through the Uber App, he/sheconsents to another person sharing the trip. There is a clearunderstanding between all the riders on the trip and the DriverPartner that the trip and the vehicle will be shared. The App also identifies all the riders and the Driver Partner.The law permits a contract carriage permit holder to stop to pick upor set down passengers who are included in the contractualunderstanding with the driver. UberPool fulfills this requirement and we believe that it doesnot violate the contract carriage permit. ''We will continue to engage with the transport department andKarnataka government as ridesharing products like uberPOOL are thefuture of urban mobility, helping decongest cities by getting morepeople into fewer cars and letting riders move around their citymore affordably,'' he added. He said a recent expert committee report on Urban Mobility whichhas been accepted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highwaysexpressly recommends and recognizes seat sharing in taxis as ecofriendly and being a cheap transportation option. Nevertheless, wehave taken into account the concern expressed by the TransportDepartment and will be seeking to address them.UNI RS CNR ADB1500 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-1133325.Xml Haryana Cabinet today approved the proposal of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to create two new revenue divisions namely Karnal and Faridabad thus raising the total number of such divisions to six. The Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal here. The creation of two more revenue divisions would improve public access, bring about administrative efficiency and create synergy across different levels of governance and ensure better and faster delivery of citizen services. As a result of this decision, the districts have also been re-distributed among the six revenue divisions. Ambala Division would have the districts of Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panchkula and Kurukshetra. Karnal division would include districts of Karnal, Panipat and Kaithal. Similarly, Rohtak Division would include districts of Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri. The Hisar Division would have districts of Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa and Jind; Gurugram division would include districts of Gurugram, Rewari and Mahendragarh; and the Faridabad division would cover the districts of Faridabad, Palwal and Nuh.UNI DB SW SNU 1615 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-1133435.Xml According to public prosecutor Samiulla Patil, accused Sandeep Dadaso Mali (30), a resident of Nandni village in Shirol tehsil of the district, who worked as a shepherd in Pal, had gone for a drink at a liquor shop in Pal village on October 14, 2015. There, he had a quarrel with old man Baburao Sakharam Patil of Pal village, who also had come for a drink. The two patched up after the shop owner intervened. But later, Patil's dead body was found near the shop. After the deceased's brother Kashinath registered a complaint, the Bhudargad police had arrested Mali for the murder. After examining 15 witnesses, Additional Sessions Judge Ms V V Joshi convicted and sentenced accused Mali to life imprisonment. She also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on him.UNI SSS SS SHS RJ 1945 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-1133896.Xml The State Unit of Shiv Sena today asked Jammu and Kashmir BJP to break alliance with PDP as the saffron party is now exposed in front of people of Jammu. ''With the episode of Article 370 in the Assembly, it is now clear that both the coalition parties have opposite views on the core issue of Article 370 and BJP is misleading the people of Jammu on various issues,'' Shiv Sena (Bal Thackrey) State president Dimpy Kohli told the mediapersons, here. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had termed those seeking the removal of Article 370 - which gives a special status to the state - as "anti-nationals", which ironically is one of the principal demands of her alliance partner BJP, Mr Kohli alleged. He said from the last many years, BJP is demanding revocation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir but this time, it remained a mute spectator to all this, only because of its lust for power. ''BJP has lost its mandate and now people of Jammu came to know about the real intention of BJP, that is lust of power,'' added Mr Kohli.UNI VBH SHS RJ 2128 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1134205.Xml At least 1,350 children from the rural areas have got a new lease of life under the state government's 'Visiting Paediatric Surgeon' Scheme, whereby specialist doctors have visited the district hospitals across Maharashtra and performed surgery on the needy children, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a statement here today. He lauded the role played by the Indian Medical Association and Paediatric Society in the scheme and said as a result children from the Naxalist areas of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur have been benefited. Mr Fadnavis said that since there is a shortage of paediatric surgeons in the district hospitals, the privatepaediatric surgeons once in a month or twice visited the district hospitals and performed surgery. In this scheme, 60 doctors are involved in 22 districts of the state, he informed. The Chief Minister further said that Maharashtra is first state in the country where doctors attached to private hospitals go to rural areas and perform surgery on poor children, who cannot afford to come down to metro city for the surgery. Maharashtra has become a role model for other states in the country, he added.UNI ST SS SHS RJ 2102 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-1134170.Xml According to the BSF officials, a group of heavily armed terrorists reached close to the Pakistan side of the IB, taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth. Terrorists took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth. At, around, 3.30 p.m. terrorists resorted to heavy attack on forward BSF troops deployed on duty mound by firing three under barrel grenades, followed by the heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons "Alert BSF troops on duty points, without caring their personal safety and security, swiftly organized coordinated effective fire over them, not only to suppress their fire but forced to retreat," officials said. "Thus, alert BSF sentries foiled the ferocious stand-off attack from heavily armed terrorists from Pakistan by giving them a befitting reply, which might be followed by forced infiltration, if succeeded in stand-off fire. BSF troops very narrowly escaped from grenade fierce attack of terrorists," the officials added. (ANI) The JKTDC has granted In-Situ promotion to 27 employees of various categories placing them in higher grades. Meanwhile, 36 helpers having completed more than 11 years of service regularised have been adjusted against Class-IV vacancies, said an official. He said that the JKTDC management also sanctioned Rs 1.60 crore in favour of 50 retired employees as gratuity arrears while an amount of Rs 60 lakh was released to retirees as arrears of 6th pay commission. ''Corporation also deposited Rs 30 lakhs to Sales Tax department under the amnesty scheme enabling a saving of Rs 2.10 Cr for JKTDC,'' he said adding that a screening committee has also submitted 174 cases to Government for regularisation of helpers. In order to settle the outstanding dues of retired employees an amount of Rs 10 lakh is being released every month, he added. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the senior executives of the Corporation chaired by Managing Director, JKTDC, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.UNI VBH SHS RJ 2145 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1134217.Xml He was 66 and is survived by his wife and two daughters, family sources said. He was admitted in a private hospital here last week, where he had undergone angioplasty and was recovering from heart disease. He died this afternoon in the hospital. Popularly known as 'Hemantrao', before being appointed as joint editor of Lokmat at Nashik, he had worked as a special correspondent of Marathi daily 'Loksatta' at Mumbai and Nashik and also was correspondent of All India Radio for some years at Nashik. A few months back, he was appointed as a group joint editor of Lokmat. Funeral will take place tomorrow morning in Nashik's crematorium, sources said, adding that people from all walks of life, especially from journalistic fraternity, expressed grief over his death.UNI RDS SS SHS RAI2229 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-1134243.Xml The campaigning for Punjab Assembly elections, which will go to the polls on February 4, came to an end at 1700 hrs this evening as leaders of all political parties made their last-ditch efforts to woo the electorates in the state. More than 1.98 crore electorates will decide the fate of 1,145 candidates of various political parties in all 117 assembly constituencies in the state on February 4. Voting in the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by-election will also be held on the same day. The main contest is between the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). On the last day of campaigning, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi addressed election rallies in Lambi, the traditional assembly constituency of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, and Fatehgarh Sahib. Other prominent leaders who also actively campaigned on the last day includded Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh and Congress star campaigner Navjot Singh Sidhu, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Patron and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. Prominent leaders of all political parties held election rallies and road shows at many places today. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer V K Singh has directed the District Election Officers to ensure prohibition 48 hours before the end of the Assembly elections in Punjab. The CEO said that all the advertisement for the prospect of the candidates or the political party during the last 48 hours will be restricted. According to the renewed guidelines all the electronic media advertisement, including the bulk SMS, IVRS and social media have been completely banned for broadcasting during the last 48 hours ending with poll, starting from 1700 hrs of February 2 to 1700 hrs of February 4. He said that all the print media Advertisement to be published during the last 48 hours have got to be certified by state level MCMC, if it is general party propaganda for the entire state. He, however, said that if this is for the prospects of the candidate, then the district level MCMC would certify. Mr Singh said that all the political parties and the media have been advised to follow the directions strictly as per the renewed guidelines of the Election Commission. Referring to the guidelines issued earlier regarding the plying of two wheelers, he said that according to the fresh guidelines there would be no restriction on the movement of two wheelers by the common public and earlier instructions was for the use of vehicles by candidates on the day of the poll.UNI DB SHS RJ 2228 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0292-1134021.Xml Recent executive orders passed by President Donald Trump with regard to the banning of the entry of migrants from seven Muslim majority countries and another order that is likely to be passed by him to overhaul the H1B work visa programme would fan violence and hate crimes and be of little good for the American economy. According to Suman Raghunathan, executive director, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), the executive orders regarding the Muslim ban have already had a destructive and divisive impact on communities while pointing that that none of nations that have been included in the Muslim ban are responsible for any of the terrorist activities that the Trump administration has referred to as justification for passing the executive order. "I'd also point to the reality that there have been a raft of shootings and murders in the U.S. that have been perpetrated by White Supremacists that the Trump administration hasn't even mentioned in its quest supposedly to keep us all safe," Raghunathan told ANI. She warned that the consequences of such a ban can be assessed from the violence and hate crime that has erupted following the orders. She added that putting restriction on any visa category of the skill spectrum will do nothing to bring jobs back to the U.S. and do little to continue to expand the economy and will continue to take the nation back. "SAALT has been on record for quite some time in our belief that we need to expand our labour flow at both ends of the skill spectrum as that's critical. America needs individuals who are able to come to the United States and work across the skill spectrum and across the education spectrum," Raghunathan told ANI while adding that these individuals contribute to the growth engine of the United States. "India in particular and south Asia in general accounts for the largest number of highly skilled workers including the H1B visa program as well as the H4 Visa program which is the visa that is granted to the spouses of H1B workers," she added. She said that such immigration actually generates huge amounts of economic activity in the U.S. Vichal Kumar, president of South Asian Bar Association (SABA) of North America, an association representing South Asian legal professionals in the U.S., shared the same view. "There has already been a backlash in the Silicon Valley as to how these executive orders are going to impact their ability to get the most talented brightest and dedicated workers into their staff, So, the implications could be far reaching," Kumar told ANI. He, however, said that for the time being we will have to take a wait and see approach would have to be adopted to truly understand the consequences of such a decision. He said that with such a decision the new administration is seeking to limit legal immigration and seeking to limit people that have brought wealth to this country in the fact that they bring divergent thoughts and opinions into the country. Commenting about the implications of the ban on South Asians aspiring to travel or live in the U.S., Kumar said, "The implications are pretty broad ranging. Fear has been created by these executive orders, they are vague they are ambiguous and seems that they did that on purpose to confuse communities. So even if South Asians aren't directly impacted by the Muslim ban for the countries listed right now, just the hysteria that it has created is causing lots of fear and panic in our communities". (ANI) Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan made his remarks on Donald Trump's ban in a press conference on Wednesday held with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who is on a visit to the UAE, Efe news reported. Al Nahyan emphasized that every state has the right to take sovereign decision, and the US made one on Friday. He pointed out that the decision did not include the vast majority of Muslims, and stressed that it is a provisional decision and will be rectified. The minister added that there have been attempts to give the impression that this decision was targeting a particular religion, which is not the case. Trump's decision, known as the Muslim ban, prohibits granting visas or asylum to citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia for three months. --IANS vgu/ ( 181 Words) 2017-02-02-07:18:06 (IANS) for not reporting a child abuser to the police in the 1970s, a media report said. Archbishop Reverend Justin Welby apologised after admitting that he had worked at the holiday camps where teenage boys were groomed for abuse, the Telegraph reported. Welby said on Wednesday the Church had "failed terribly" by not reporting John Smyth QC to the police. Smyth, the head of a Christian charity that ran summer camps, was accused of carrying out a string of "horrific" sado-masochistic attacks in the late Seventies. The report also said that the Channel 4 News will on Thursday broadcast allegations of Smyth's use of the camps. The boys from some of Britain's leading public schools attended these camps. Smyth used them to gain access to teenagers, whom he forced to strip naked before subjecting them to savage beatings. --IANS in/ ( 167 Words) 2017-02-02-08:46:07 (IANS) Tourism, trade, and visitor visas from the above mentioned nations have been restricted following an order from the Kuwaiti Government to slap a "blanket ban" on possible migrants, according to Sputnik News. The Kuwaiti Government has asked would-be migrants from the five banned nations not to apply for visas, as Kuwait City is worried about the possible migration of radical Islamic terrorists. A group of militants bombed a Shia mosque in 2015, killing 27 Kuwaiti nationals. A 2016 survey conducted by Expat Insider ranked Kuwait one of the worst nations in the world for expatriates, primarily due to its strict cultural laws. Kuwait was the only nation to prohibit the entry of Syrian nationals prior to Trump's executive action. Kuwait City previously issued a suspension of visas for all Syrians in 2011. (ANI) President Donald Trump abruptly ended the phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as things got heated between the two leaders over the former's objection to an agreement about the U.S. receiving refugees. According to CNN, Trump's apparent dispute with Turnbull on Saturday came on the same day that he held phone calls with four other world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The disagreement came as the two leaders discussed an agreement, reached under the Barack Obama administration, for the US to accept refugees from Australia who are living on islands in detention centers off the mainland due to strict government policies. Many of them are from the seven countries affected by Trump's travel ban. According to sources, the U.S. President insisted that it was a very bad deal for Washington to take 2,000 refugees and that one of them was going to be the next Boston bomber. Turnbull repeatedly told Trump that the agreement was for 1,250 refugees, not 2,000. He also said Australia was asking to submit them to the U.S. for refugee screening and if the refugees did not pass the screening process, they would not come. Trump expressed concern as to how this agreement from Obama's administration would go forward given his executive order the day before temporarily suspending the US refugee program. White House press secretary Sean Spicer, had, however, earlier this week said the Trump administration would honor the agreement, saying the refugees would be submitted to "extreme vetting." (ANI) Chief Petty Officer William Owens, a Navy SEAL (sea, air, and land), died of wounds suffered during a raid on Sunday in Yemen against the Al Qaeda, according to US Central Command. Trump went to base in Delaware, along with his daughter, Ivanka, and state Senator Chris Coons, to partake in the dignified transfer ceremony to honour Owens, CNN reported. Trump later described the ceremony as "very sad, very beautiful", in remarks at a White House swearing-in of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Trump spoke over the weekend with Owens' wife and offered his condolences to his father and three children. Owens was the only US service member to die on Sunday's operation, which killed an estimated 14 Al Qaeda militants including three senior leaders, military sources told CNN. The raid also resulted in the death of the 8-year-old daughter of former Al Qaeda leader Anwar Al-Awlaki, a US citizen who was killed in a drone strike in 2011. The raid yielded what White House press secretary Sean Spicer described on Wednesday as a "an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil." --IANS ksk ( 233 Words) 2017-02-02-10:24:06 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said today he had spoken candidly and frankly with US President Donald Trump, but would not confirm a Washington Post report that Trump had berated him over a refugee swap deal and cut the call short.The Post report said Trump had described the call with the leader of Australia, one of the United States' staunchest allies, as "the worst so far". It came less than a day after Washington had sewn confusion in Australia after saying it would apply "extreme vetting" as part of the resettlement deal.The deal was agreed late last year between Australia, which has fought alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the administration of former President Barack Obama.As part of the deal, Washington agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.Quoting unidentified senior U.S. officials briefed on the conversation, the Post reported that Trump had told Turnbull he had spoken to four other world leaders on Saturday, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but said theirs "was the worst call by far".The call had been scheduled to last an hour but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. It also said Trump described the plan as "the worst deal ever" and accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers".Turnbull would not comment on the contents of the call other than to say he believed the resettlement deal remained in place."These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them," he told reporters in Melbourne.The Washington Post report received almost blanket coverage in Australian media and was widely seen as embarrassing for Turnbull, whose conservative Liberal-National coalition has only a razor-thin majority after an inconclusive election last year."Mr Turnbull needs to confirm or deny the accuracy of that report," Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Perth.The resettlement deal was thrown into confusion after Trump signed an executive order last week that suspended the U.S. refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria.Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.The Washington Post also quoted the official read-out after Saturday's call, which emphasised "the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally'.It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory.REUTERS CJ GC0945 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1132902.Xml President Donald Trump urged Senate Republicans to "go nuclear" and impose a rule change to force a simple majority vote on confirmation if Democrats block his US Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, as Democrats maneuvered for a hard fight.Gorsuch, a federal appeals court judge from Colorado seen as a conservative intellectual, began holding private meetings with senators, starting with top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, to drum up support for his nomination a day after Trump picked the 49-year-old for a lifetime job on the country's top court.Trump's fellow Republicans control the Senate 52-48. Democrats signaled yesterday they would set up a procedural hurdle, known as a filibuster, requiring 60 votes, rather than a simple majority, to move toward confirmation of Gorsuch.The president urged McConnell to change long-standing Senate rules to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, a move dubbed the "nuclear option," if Democrats block Gorsuch."We want to have him (Gorsuch) go through an elegant process as opposed to a demeaning process, because they're very demeaning on the other side, and they want to make you look as bad as possible," Trump said, referring to Democrats."If we end up with that gridlock, I would say: 'If you can, Mitch, go nuclear,'" Trump said at a White House meeting with conservative advocacy groups.Supreme Court nominations require Senate confirmation.If confirmed, Gorsuch would reinstate the Supreme Court's conservative majority, in place for decades until Justice Antonin Scalia's death last February 13. The court's ideological shift could prove pivotal on a range of issues including presidential powers, abortion, the death penalty and transgender, gun and religious rights.Trump's comments came as Democrats plotted strategy on how to deal with Gorsuch's nomination. They remain furious over McConnell's refusal last year to let the Senate hold confirmation hearings or a vote on Democratic President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to succeed Scalia on the court.Some Democratic senators, arguing that Republicans stole a Supreme Court seat from Obama, announced their opposition to Gorsuch, while others said they were willing to hear him out.'CHANGE THE NOMINEE'Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor that if Gorsuch could not meet the same standard Republicans insisted on for Obama's Supreme Court nominees, at least 60 votes for confirmation, "then the problem lies not with the Senate, but with the nominee.""The answer should not be to change the rules of the Senate, but to change the nominee to someone who can earn 60 votes. Sixty votes produces a mainstream candidate," Schumer added.To get those 60 votes, Republicans hope to lure eight Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in Republican-leaning states or states that voted for Trump last November.Those include Democrats from Indiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Missouri, Michigan, Montana and Wisconsin as well as closely divided Maine.Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Republican-leaning Ohio, already announced he would vote against Gorsuch.Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin said she would review Gorsuch's record but was "deeply troubled" over his stances against disabled students, workers and women's reproductive healthcare.Senator Jon Tester of Montana said in an interview he wanted to review Gorscuch's record on women's rights and other issues, adding the judge's stance on end-of-life issues "distresses me."Gorsuch is known for siding with the Christian owners of a company that challenged federal requirements that businesses provide insurance coverage for women's birth control and for writing against euthanasia and assisted suicide.The influential, deep-pocketed Americans for Prosperity is promising a vigorous effort to help Gorsuch get confirmed and is using its network of wealthy contributors to build support, especially in battleground states.The organization is led by multi-billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch. It has been ramping up its political campaign donations in support of Republican candidates for the Senate and other offices.Schumer said that while Trump campaigned as someone who would "be for the working man and woman," he now had chosen a Supreme Court nominee who "sides with CEOs over citizens.""Unfortunately, Judge Gorsuch has proven to have a judicial philosophy outside of the mainstream and time and again has subjugated individual rights to those of corporations," said Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who came out in opposition to the nomination.Senator Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat who met with the nominee on Wednesday, said a Supreme Court nominee should have to win the support of 60 senators but urged fellow Democrats to give Gorsuch a chance. Manchin, whose home state, West Virginia, voted overwhelmingly for Trump, is up for re-election in 2018.Senate aides said Republicans were hoping the Judiciary Committee could hold hearings and a vote on the nomination by late March, paving the way for confirmation by the full Senate in the first week of April. If that happens, Gorsuch could be on the high court in time to year a major transgender rights case. REUTERS RSD 0406 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-1132859.Xml A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban.Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday.But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter.In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered U.S. officials to refrain from "removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa" who is arriving from one of the seven nations.According to the US Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder.Birotte's ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travelers with non-immigrant visas.The US Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email.A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation.Trump's executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials.Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including U.S. citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the U.S. State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries.More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to U.S. citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti."It's terrible because I have children here who are without their parents," she said.Some other children in the group are U.S. citizens whose parents were traveling with immigrant visas, she added.In Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent U.S. residents who entered from the seven countries.By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of "absolutely ignoring" rulings she believes should allow their departure.In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked "relevant visas as defined" under Trump's executive order.The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States.REUTERS CJ GC1114 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1132962.Xml A protest against a $2.4-billion Chinese-backed power plant in Bangladesh turned violent, killing one person and injuring about a dozen, risking delay to a project seen as a symbol of warming ties between the two nations.The coal-fired plant being built 265 km (165 miles) southeast of Dhaka, the capital, is a major draw for foreign investment in Bangladesh, and is expected to begin power generation by the end of 2019.Police said security forces were guarding the site on Thursday to prevent disruption to construction work that villagers fear will force several evictions, disturb graveyards where relatives are buried, and damage the environment."There is an uneasy situation, and police are patrolling the area to avoid any further clashes," said Alamgir Hussain, an official of the Banshkhali police station near the plant site.Protesters were chanting slogans on Wednesday when project supporters attacked them, said Nurul Mostafa, a leader of the group that wants the plant shifted.About a dozen people were injured in the clashes. A similar protest last year led to the deaths of four demonstrators, halting work on the plant.Such protests risk delaying the project and hamper fund-raising efforts, said a senior official of conglomerate S Alam Group, which has a deal with China's SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corp to build the 1,320-MW plant."We hope to resolve the problem soon, otherwise we may not be able to finish our project in time," said the official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.Chinese banks are expected to provide 70 percent of the projected investment, he added.The plant will use the "most sophisticated technology" to reduce its environmental impact, said Masud Alam, chairman of the Bangladesh conglomerate, who offered to help with medical treatment for the injured.Late last year, China signed 27 pacts worth billions of dollars with the south Asian nation, as it steps up a competition with India to build regional influence. It is also seeking to boost investment in another of India's neighbours, Sri Lanka.REUTERS CJ VP1330 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1133092.Xml Turkey has accused Greece of provocative actions and warned there could be "no going back" if tensions were allowed to escalate, a newspaper said on Thursday, underscoring strains from territorial disputes and Athens' failure to hand over Turkish soldiers who fled after an abortive coup.Tensions between the NATO allies rose when a Greek court last week blocked the extradition of eight Turkish soldiers Ankara accuses of involvement in July's failed coup. The move angered Turkey, which said relations with Greece would be reviewed.On Wednesday, Greece reported mass incursions by Turkish military aircraft over the central and southern Aegean, which Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos called "cowboy antics".Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the mass circulation Hurriyet newspaper Turkey was behaving "reasonably"."Greece has been doing provocative things for a long time. We are behaving reasonably so there are no tensions with our neighbours," the newspaper quoted him as saying while on an official trip to Latin America."We know how to give the necessary response, the minister's approach isn't new... If the situation escalates, God forbid, if there is an unwanted accident, there will be no going back."He did not specify what he meant by "no going back".Turkey and Greece came to the brink of war in 1996 over the ownership of uninhabited islets known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish.The two countries play an important role in the handling of Europe's worst migration crisis in decades and the EU depends on Ankara to enforce a deal to stem mass migration to Europe. REUTERS CJ BL1425 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1133274.Xml "Iran's missile test does not contradict the UN Security Council Resolution 2231," Xinhua news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying on Thursday. The remarks by Flynn are "baseless and provocative", Qasemi said, adding that "none of the Iranian missiles has been designed for delivering nuclear weapons". Flynn said on Wednesday that Iran's recent ballistic missile launch is in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Resolution 2231, adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology, IRNA news agency reported.. Iran's defense minister on Thursday called the recent Iranian ballistic missile test "successful". --IANS vgu/ ( 163 Words) 2017-02-03-01:12:06 (IANS) Philip Cox, the first journalist to report the Darfur crisis to the world through a report broadcast by Channel 4 in early 2004, was arrested in al-Fashir, the capital of Darfur, on January 21, Efe news reports. The security and intelligence department turned over Cox to the British embassy in Khartoum on Thursday, after he was pardoned by Sudan President Omer al-Bashir, following a formal request from the British government. Cox got into Darfur through neighbouring Chad without a visa, an official from the Sudanese interior ministry said. The official added that Cox went to Darfur to investigate the complaint from Amnesty International on the use of internationally prohibited chemical weapons by the Sudanese government, in an attack on the rebels in the Marrah Mountains area. Cox entered the country illegally and his involvement in planned activities harmful to national security has been proved. According to a statement from the security department, the British ambassador to Khartoum, Michael Aron, thanked the Sudanese authorities for the gesture. --IANS vgu/ ( 200 Words) 2017-02-03-02:16:06 (IANS) WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Wednesday officially put Iran "on notice" over Tehran's recent missile launch and an attack against a Saudi vessel by Iran-Supported Houthi militants. These actions "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilizing behavior across the Middle East," Michael Flynn, national security advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, said in a statement. Flynn said Iran's recent ballistic missile launch is in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." Iran's Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan on Wednesday confirmed the recent ballistic missile test by his country, saying the launches are part of Tehran's defense plans aimed at fulfilling its national interests. "The recent (missile) test was in line with our programs, and we will not allow any outsider to interfere in our defense affairs," Dehqan was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. Flynn also noted that the Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened U.S. and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten U.S. friends and allies in the region," he said. In the statement, the senior official also cited Trump to assail the Obama Administration for reaching "various" agreements with Tehran and the United Nations for "being weak and ineffective." "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened," he said. On Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Washington against fomenting new tension over the missile program of the Islamic republic. Iran's tests of missiles fall outside United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, Zarif said, adding that the resolution only points to the ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday voiced serious concern over the negative impact of the latest U.S. policy, which blocks entry of Muslim refugees into the North American country, saying that this measure "should be removed sooner rather than later." In his response to recent U.S. policy shift on longstanding refugee program, Guterres told reporters here that resettlement is often "the only possible solution" for people fleeing conflict and persecution. The Executive Order, signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 27 bars all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- from entering the United States for the next 90 days. It also stops the entire U.S. refugee program for 120 days, indefinitely bans Syrian refugees, and halts the planned entry of more than 50,000 refugees in the U.S. fiscal year 2017, which began in October 2016 and will end in September 2017. The new policy shift led to strong protesters in Washington D.C. and across more than 30 airports inside the United States, and touched off strong criticism in the other parts of the world as well. Asked about the impact of the Executive Order, the secretary-general said resettlement is "a must," and "Syrians are those that at present have the most dramatic needs." The U.S. travel ban "is not the way to best protect the U.S. or any other country," Guterres said. The secretary-general made the remarks in response to a press question as he was briefing reporters here on his travel to Ethiopia, where he attended an African Union summit. In the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Monday, Guterres commended African countries for opening their borders to refugees and people fleeing violence while other parts of the world, including the developed West, close boundaries and build walls. "In my opinion, this is not the way to best protect the U.S. or any other country in relation to the serious concerns that existed about the possibility of terrorist infiltration," he said while briefing the reporters here on his first Africa tour as the UN chief."I don't think this is the effective way to do so." "What was lacking was a capacity to have a comprehensive approach to the problem," he said of the U.S. ban, adding that it is very important to review "the very dramatic situations the refugees are facing when they have no chance to reach protection." "And I think this measure should be removed sooner, rather than later," the UN chief said. On Tuesday, the secretary-general issued a statement via his spokesman, saying that refugees fleeing conflict and persecution are entitled to protection, and he expressed concern at decisions around the world that have undermined the integrity of the international refugee protection regime. "Refugees fleeing conflict and persecution are finding more and more borders closed and increasingly restricted access to the protection they need and are entitled to receive, according to international refugee law," the statement said. While acknowledging that "countries have the right, even the obligation, to responsibly manage their borders to avoid infiltration by members of terrorist organizations," the UN chief said in the statement, adding that because the ban "is gainst the fundamental principles and values on which our societies are based." Noting that the measures "violate our basic principles," the secretary-general said that they are not effective if the objective is to avoid terrorist entering the United States. Also expressing concern that the new Executive Order is in breach of the country's human rights commitments, a group of UN rights experts have called on the United States to live up to its human rights obligations and provide protection for those fleeing persecution and conflicts. "Such an order is clearly discriminatory based on one's nationality and leads to increased stigmatization of Muslim communities," said the UN special rapporteurs on migrant, Francois Crepeau; on racism, Mutuma Ruteere; on human rights and counter-terrorism, Ben Emmerson; on torture, Nils Melzer; and on freedom of religion, Ahmed Shaheed, in a news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). "The U.S. recent policy on immigration also risks people being returned, without proper individual assessments and asylum procedures, to places in which they risk being subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, in direct contravention of international humanitarian and human rights laws which uphold the principle of non-refoulement," they warned. Independent experts and special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, an inter-governmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world, 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. Noting that "in the midst of the world's greatest migration crisis since World War II, this is a significant setback for those who are obviously in need of international protection," the rights experts said. "The U.S. must live up to its international obligations and provide protection for those fleeing persecution and conflicts." "The U.S. is also involved in conflicts such as those in Iraq and Syria and its responsibility must extend to offering refuge to those fleeing from the conflicts," they said. According to a news release, the Executive Order also applies to those who come from the countries listed -- whether or not they have valid visa documents or are in transit. It also affects those who have dual nationality, who either have a passport from one of those countries or are travelling from one of those countries. Furthermore, those currently residing in the U.S. may be able to fly to the U.S. but entry is not guaranteed. "This is deeply troubling, and we are additionally concerned that such persons travelling to the U.S. will be subject to detention for an undefined period of time and then ultimately deported," they added. BRUSSELS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior EU politician said recently that China represents an external threat to Europe, an accusation which is groundless as well as outrageous. As a matter of fact, China's development provides an enormous opportunity for Europe and both sides benefit from strong and stable bilateral ties. The European Union is China's biggest trading partner, and China is the EU's second biggest, following a dramatic increase in trade in recent years. Data from Chinese customs show that bilateral trade reached 2.94 trillion yuan (423.34 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 10 months of 2016, reaching a new high, and overcoming the global trade downturn. China's rapid economic growth has served as an opportunity for the European Union's own growth. With a fragile economy, the rising threat of protectionism and uncertainty in relations with other major world powers, Europe can benefit significantly from strong trade relations with China. China and Europe should also work closer together in global governance issues, with climate change as a primary example. China and the EU played key roles as brokers of the COP21 Climate Agreement in Paris, and were urged to work even more closely for COP22 in Marrakech. With the Paris Agreement having entered into force, China and the EU will need to trust each other more than ever to help ensure that these critical measures are being implemented fully and correctly. Global security is also a core principle of China-EU relations, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for a community of shared future, and China showing its commitment to this vision through its involvement in the Iran nuclear talks, mediation for national reconciliation in South Sudan, and the facilitation of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, among others. In all global issues, China is a partner to the European Union, a sign of the friendship and mutual trust built over the 42 years since diplomatic relations were formally established in 1975. Strong bilateral ties need these twin guarantees to ensure that different political systems and different cultures can still find common ground. International relations are not a zero-sum game, as China has repeatedly shown in its partnerships with Europe. Through strong bilateral ties, China seeks a relationship with the European Union that promotes win-win development and mutually benefiting cooperation. Senior European politicians should be cautious about the statements they make, and safeguard the long-term and steady development of China-EU relations. Biased views will do no good for such development. Related: Cooperation with China could help EU to rebuild economy: Hungarian central bank chief BUDAPEST, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation with China could help the European Union (EU) to rebuild and strengthen its economy, National Bank of Hungary Governor Gyorgy Matolcsy said on Monday. STOCKHOLM, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A naval ship has been found in southern Sweden some 400 years after it went missing, Swedish Television reported on Wednesday. The Blekinge naval ship was the first to set sail from the Karlskrona naval base in southern Sweden in 1,682 and is considered to have marked the launch of Karlskrona's famed shipbuilding history. With its 70 canons and 450-strong crew, Blekinge was used in the bombing of Copenhagen and King Karl the Twelfth's landing in Denmark in 1,700. Later, the ship fell into oblivion. Last year, the Blekinge county in southern Sweden got hold of old maps of Karlskrona where the ship was clearly marked out. Diving expeditions were carried out and it was confirmed that an old shipwreck was indeed buried in thick layers of sediment at the bottom of the sea. Now, all evidence seem to point to it being the Blekinge warship and it seems it was deliberately sunk, with the intention of using it as a blockhouse. The ship will likely not be salvaged, however. "We don't quite know how much remains of the ship, but there is a theory that one deck is intact, " said marine biologist Petra Strakendal. OSLO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Norway's foreign ministry on Wednesday summoned Russia's ambassador to the Nordic country to protest that two Norwegian Members of Parliament (MPs) had been denied visas to visit Russia. "It is deeply regrettable that some members of the parliamentary foreign affairs and defense committee were not given the opportunity to visit Russia, despite an invitation from the head of the (Russian) Council of the Federation committee on foreign affairs," Norway's foreign minister Borge Brende said in a statement. Norway's Storting (Parliament) said earlier that a parliamentary delegation had postponed its upcoming visit to Russia owing to the fact that two of the members of the delegation -- Liberal Party leader Trine Skei Grande and Socialist Left Party member Bard Vegar Solhjell -- have had their visa applications declined. The delegation from the Storting's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense was due to visit Moscow on Thursday and Friday for political talks. The Norwegian foreign ministry protested to Russia through diplomatic channels immediately after the information about the visa rejections was received, according to its statement. "The ministry of foreign affairs called in the Russian ambassador today to reiterate our protest," Brende said. Brende said meetings of parliamentarians between the two countries formed an important part of political dialogues and the planned visit "would have brought this dialogue further". According to the statement, the reason given by the Russian authorities was that Norway had implemented the EU's restrictive measures against Russia. The restrictive measures were justified by the Norwegian side as a consequence of Russian actions in Ukraine. The Russian Embassy in Norway confirmed on Wednesday the denial of entry visas to the two Norwegian lawmakers. The Embassy described the move as a "mirror response" to similar restrictions imposed on Russian lawmakers by the Norwegian authorities, according to Russia's Sputnik news agency. These parliamentarians have been included in a list of persons whose entry to Russia is restricted as part of a "mirror response" to Norway joining EU sanctions against Russian nationals, as well as to Norway's "discriminatory policies regarding the entry of Russian nationals to the Spitsbergen island", the Embassy said in a statement. According to the Norwegian Storting, Konstantin Kosachev, chairperson of the Russian Council of the Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs, visited Norway in June 2016 for a meeting with the Norwegian parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee. As a follow-up to this visit, a delegation to be headed by Anniken Huitfeldt, chairperson of the Norwegian committee, was invited to pay a return visit to Moscow on Feb. 2 and 3 this year to continue the dialogue. "We regret to have to announce the postponement of this visit," Huitfeldt said. "It is especially unfortunate given the positive dialogue that was entered into between the two committees during Kosachev's visit to Oslo last year," Huitfeldt said. by Liu Fang, Maria Vasileiou VALLETTA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- As the EU informal summit in Malta is to be held on Friday, a senior researcher at The Hague Institute for Global Justice has described the summit as "a moment of truth" for the EU27 bloc. "The current challenges urge the EU to clearly define what kind of global actor it wishes to be, what values it stands for, and how it can defend its interests. The capacities are there, and perhaps now that political will follows as a necessity," said Joris Larik. The EU experienced a tumultuous year of 2016 dominated by terror attacks, migrant crisis and Brexit vote outcome, and began to face new challenges in the first month of 2017 amid new U.S. administration's unprecedented open hostility towards the European integration. U.S. President Donald Trump openly encouraged the withdrawal of a EU member state and sowed disunity among the remaining ones, which represents a complete U-turn in U.S. policy towards Europe from the last 70 years, said Larik. He referred to Trump's pronouncements that the UK was "so smart in getting out" and "other countries would leave." The U.S. president also called the EU "basically a vehicle for Germany." "Its open hostility thus far towards the EU and European integration in general is unprecedented," commented Larik. The Malta Summit is the first meeting of leaders of all 28 EU member states since Donald Trump started a new U.S. administration marked by radical break with the past. In a letter to the 27 heads of state or government released three days ahead of the Malta summit, President of the European Council Donald Tusk branded Trump's "worrying declarations" as an external threat, which, along with other factors, "make our future highly unpredictable." But such external threats are not the only concerns for the EU, while it is also being plagued by some internal ones. Tusk mentioned in his letter "the rise in anti-EU, nationalist, increasingly xenophobic sentiment in the EU itself" and "decline of faith in political integration, submission to populist arguments and doubt in the fundamental values of liberal democracy." Two weeks ago, European far-right leaders, met in Koblenz, Germany. Those leaders, including France's National Front leader Marine Le Pen, Germany's anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Frauke Petry, Netherlands' anti-Islam Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders and Matteo Salvini of Italy's anti-EU Northern League, jointly sought to present a common front in a year of high-stakes elections. Moreover, they have all expressed admiration for the new U.S. President Donald Trump. Tusk concluded his letter with "we should remind our American friends of their own motto: United we stand, divided we fall." But will the EU show "European pride" as Tusk has summoned remains a question, as it is still grappling with its own thorny issues, such as migrant crisis. The flow of refugees to Italy from the Libyan coast has become the main concern for the EU after a EU-Turkish deal reached last year has slashed the numbers arriving in Greece via Turkey. At the debate on the U.S. travel restrictions at the European Parliament's mini-plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the EU "certainly disagrees with" the executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump. "No one can be deprived of his or her own rights because of the place of birth, their religion or their ethnicity," said Mogherini. Apparently, the EU policy on refugees is quite different from Trump's drastic ban on refugees and all travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries. "Each approach comes with its own political, economic and human costs. The challenge for European policymakers will be to develop an approach that espouses values central to the European Union, such as respect for international law, human rights, and openness. At the same time, the EU must make sure not to threaten its own cohesion with half-baked governance models, which cause public frustration, embolden populist, xenophobic movements, and put certain Member States under disproportionate pressure," analyzed Larik. "If the EU can manage that, it can really distinguish itself as a capable and morally sound actor on the international stage. If not, not only the EU's international reputation, but its very viability are at stake," he added. As to another imminent problem of the EU, Brexit, the researcher called for a united front within the EU. "As the British government is pushing ahead with Brexit, it will be important for the EU27 to maintain a united front," said Larik. "A crucial part of this will be a firm expression of their confidence in the EU's principal Brexit negotiators. In addition, regarding the UK's attempts at ingratiating itself with certain third countries, the EU27 will have to show confidence in themselves, including in the economic weight of the internal market. As the English say: Keep calm and carry on," Larik said. Tusk's letter is not a policy paper and the EU leaders are not required to follow his advice when they meet in Valletta. But the expert believes that a clear stance is good to the bloc. "Muddling through is certainly not an option anymore. In that sense, the summit and the next months are a 'moment of truth' for the EU. Either it is able to show the new U.S. administration that it is a force to be reckoned with, or it risks being torn apart by the many centrifugal forces tearing at what keeps it together," he said. SYDNEY, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The founder of Australia's oldest micro-nation has announced that he will abdicate as the reigning monarch. Prince Leonard Casely of the Principality of Hutt River, which seceded from Australia in 1970, announced that he will abdicate his throne on February 11 and his youngest son, Graeme, would assume the crown. Hutt River, located 500 kilometers north of Perth in Western Australia (WA), became independent from Australia through a series of legal manoeuvres after Casely had a dispute with the WA government over wheat production quotas. Hutt River claims to be an independent sovereign state and has existed for 45 years, though it is not legally recognized by the Australian government. Casely, now 91, said deteriorating health was responsible for his decision to step down. "It certainly would be nice to be able to continue, but again, you've got to be able to realize that we've all got our own period of life," Leonard told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday. "I'm very happy to be handing it over to Prince Graeme, because I know he's very able and capable." Prince Graeme, who holds a number of titles including minister of state and education, said he was "quietly nervous and excited" to take on the role. Graeme said he was keen to mend a fractured relationship with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), which has pursued the province for decades in an attempt to recoup unpaid income tax. "I will be trying to bring about a more harmonious relationship with our closest neighbor, Australia, and the West Australian Government," Graeme said. "I don't know how that's going to happen, but I'm certainly going to put my best foot forward and try and bring about more harmonious situation so that it's beneficial for all. "We're not here as a threat." CANBERRA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been accused of buying the 2016 federal election, after he admitted to have donated 1.75 million Australian dollars (1.32 million U.S. dollars) of his own money to the Liberal Party during the eight-week campaign. The list of individual donations to political parties in 2015/16 was released publicly on Wednesday but did not feature Turnbull's donation as it did not fall within the financial year. Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Turnbull cleared the air on Wednesday night and admitted he had donated almost 2 million dollars to the Liberal Party in the lead-up to the election. "I contributed 1.75 million (Australian dollars), that was the contribution I made," Turnbull said, "It's been talked about and speculated about, so there it is." "I can assure you (wife Lucy and I) make big contributions to many important enterprises and causes. I've always been prepared to put my money where my mouth is." But the opposition has been quick to criticize the prime minister for the hefty donation; shadow Finance Minister Jim Chalmers said Turnbull "basically bought himself" the election - which the Liberal-National Party (LNP) coalition won with just a one-seat majority. "Well no wonder Malcolm Turnbull was so desperate to keep this a secret," Chalmers told ABC radio on Thursday, "He's basically bought himself an election. It stinks." "Malcolm Turnbull had to buy his way out of trouble in the dying days of his disastrous election campaign, and if he didn't have 1.75 million dollars to splash about he wouldn't be the leader of the Liberal Party and he wouldn't be the prime minister." Also on Thursday, Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg came to the prime minister's defense, describing Turnbull as a "generous" donator to many worthy causes. Meanwhile Treasurer Scott Morrison described Chalmers' dig as a dirty "political smear." "It's a grubby political smear from a grubby political hack, from a party of hacks led by Bill Shorten," Morrison said. He added that opposition leader Bill Shorten should come out and criticize Turnbull's donation himself, and not send his "lackeys" into the media spotlight. Meanwhile a former Liberal Party federal treasurer, Michael Yabsley, has called for any political donation to be capped at 500 Australian dollars (380 U.S. dollars); he said large donations have begun to carry too much influence with the voters. "A donation of 1.75 million, be it from the bloke down the street or the prime minister, should be banned," Yabsley told the ABC. "The donations that are received are really the grease that makes the wheels turn, and I think that is unhealthy and it should be changed." Both major parties are on the record as being opposed to a cap on donations, however the matter is currently before the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters. YANGON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 44 trafficked Myanmar victims who were sold into forced labor, have been repatriated from Thailand, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday. The victims, 22 men and 22 women, were handed over by the Thai police to the local Social Welfare Department at a temporary shelter in the border town of Myawaddy on Tuesday. Victims will return home after completing an investigation process at the Youth Training Center in Mawlamyine over the next three days, Deputy Director of the Department U Myint Zaw said. A total of 68 other Myanmar refugees, temporarily sheltered in Thai-Myanmar border camps, had also been repatriated by Thai authorities in October. Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang (1st L) visits the rescued Chinese tourists at a hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Xue Fei) KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang on Wednesday urged Malaysian authorities to continue search for the missing persons of the tourist boat which capsized in the waters off the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah on Saturday. Huang made the remarks after he visited some injured Chinese tourists who had been warded in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital since they were rescued. Currently they are being treated for dehydration and severe sunburn. "We will not give up any gleam of hope and will try our best to urge the Malaysian side to continue their search efforts and thoroughly investigate the incident so that tourists' safety in Sabah can be ensured," said Huang. He also noted that he was promised by Musa Aman, chief minister of Sabah when meeting him earlier that authorities in Sabah will do everything they can to rectify tourism environment and order. Chinese tourists flooded in Sabah during the Chinese New Year holiday, making local hotels and many tourism services fully booked, which caused some concerns that whether the incident is a reflection of Sabah's capacity to receive some many tourists. Meanwhile, as the search and rescue operation for the victims enters its sixth day, the possibility of survival for the six missing passengers is wearing thin, said First Admiral Adam Aziz, Kota Kinabalu director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency at a regular briefing on the same day. He said the possibility of their survival are "only miracles" because "life jackets cannot stand up to six days, and they are having dehydration." But Aziz ruled out having a timetable of ending the operation, saying that "we will do our best and we will continue the search." He cited the miraculous rescue of a Spanish woman, who survived ten days after a shipwreck in sea. "They continued their search until ten days and found her, so our search is continuing. If they are somewhere, then we still hope we can find them and some of the survivors," he said. In addition, Aziz said MMEA also informed local shipping associations and up to some 180 fisher trawlers as well as ships plying through to notice any signs of floating persons or bodies. The search and rescue operation expanded to 3,900 square nautical miles on Wednesday, up from Tuesday's 3,000 square nautical miles, involving 350 personnel and 22 assets from the Malaysian navy, maritime authorities and the police as well neighboring Brunei. The search area for the first time covered waters off the state of Sarawak. A body was found in waters near Kota Kinabalu on the day but was later identified as not one of the missing Chinese tourists, said Aziz, adding the ships continued searching in the designated area though the weather turned bad in the afternoon. The catamaran, carrying over two dozen Chinese tourists and three crew, went down in turbulent waters while en route to the popular island of Mengalum on Saturday. Twenty-two people have been rescued but three Chinese tourists have been confirmed dead. Another five Chinese tourists and a crew member are still missing. Staff members close down the illegal jetty used by the captized boat carrying Chinese tourists in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Xue Fei) MEXICO CITY, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Mexican officials have begun to consult private business leaders in the lead-up to the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States, President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Wednesday. Mexico, like its NAFTA partner, will consult the private sector for a period of 90 days, after which bilateral talks with the United States will begin, Pena Nieto said at an official event. "We are launching a process agreed with the government of the United States, which is also starting (consultations), as part of the constructive dialogue that is needed to build the new framework for ties between Mexico and the United States," said Pena Nieto. Trump wanted to renegotiate the two-decade-old agreement signed by Mexico, the United States and Canada, claiming it has unfairly benefited Mexico at the expense of U.S. workers. Former Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, whose government negotiated NAFTA, on Tuesday defended the agreement in an article. In the article titled "Mexico and the U.S. must realize that NAFTA is the solution, not the problem," Salinas said "rather than undermining NAFTA," the three countries "must work together to reinforce it." "Destabilizing relations with Mexico will certainly damage the dynamic region built around ... NAFTA, and it won't improve U.S. competitiveness vis-a-vis other regions," he added. BANJUL, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Gambian President Adama Barrow revealed Wednesday the names of the first batch of some 10 ministers appointed Tuesday and swore them into office. The ceremony was held at Kairaba Hotel, the temporary office of Barrow, who has yet to occupy the State House, or the presidential palace, which was "sanitized" by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) forces following the forced departure of Barrow's predecessor Yahya Jammeh. "This is a new Gambia. The new Gambia is a reality with these cabinet appointments," Barrow said in the swearing-in ceremony he presided over. Amie Bojang Sissoho, director of press and public relations, was also sworn in. Barrow has made a total of 12 appointments so far since his return from Senegal a week ago. The appointees include Vice President Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang. Barrow led a coalition of seven political parties and an independent candidate to a shock election victory against longtime President Jammeh, who has now been forced into exile following ECOWAS military intervention. Almost all the leaders of the parties in the governing coalition have been given ministerial positions, except Halifa Sallah, the head of People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism, who continued to serve as Barrow's spokesman. Ousainou Darboe, Barrow's ex-boss and long-time leader of former main opposition United Democratic Party, will take charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, External Relations and Gambians Abroad. A seasoned lawyer, Darboe was imprisoned by Jammeh in July 2016, after he protested against the death in custody of Solo Sandeng, his party's young leader. Tuesday's ministerial appointments include only one woman, Dr. Isatou Touray, who became the minister of trade, industry and employment. In the coalition, the United Democratic Party has a lion's share of cabinet appointments so far. Besides Darboe, the party's former treasurer Amadou Sanneh has been appointed as minister of finance and economic affairs. Lamin Dibba, the party's chief propagandist, became the minister of lands and regional governments. Hamat Bah, the leader of National Reconciliation Party, another member of the seven-member governing coalition, has been appointed as the minister of tourism and culture. Henry Gomez of Gambia Democratic Party took charge of the ministry of youth and sports; Mai Fatty of Gambia Moral Congress became minister of interior affairs; Omar Jallow of Progressive Peoples Party got the position as minister of agriculture; James Gomez has been appointed as the minister of fisheries, water resources and national assembly matters; while Lamin Dibba of National Convention Party became minister of forestry and environment. WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A prison standoff in the eastern U.S. state of Delaware has been ongoing for at least nine hours after five employees were taken hostage Wednesday morning, though one of them has already been released and sent to hospital with injuries. FBI and Delaware state police continued negotiations with inmates inside a building of the Level 5 James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JVTCC) in Smyrna, some 90 miles (about 149 km) away from Washington D.C., said Sgt. Richard Bratz, a state police spokesman. The incident began around 10:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) when a guard radioed for immediate assistance from inside the building housing more than 100 inmates, said Bratz. He did not reveal whether the authorities had received any demands from prisoners. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone involved and using all of our available resources," Bratz told local reporters. "The inmates have taken over a building," William Carson, a member of the House Corrections Committee, said earlier on Wednesday. Citing the officers association, CNN affiliate KYW said four guards and one counselor were taken hostage by inmates, and one guard has been released. "It's a very scary situation right now," Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, said earlier in the day. A large number of local emergency responders, including policemen from Delaware and neighboring Pennsylvania, were seen rushing to the prison around midday. All Level 5 Delaware prisons, the state's maximum security facilities, were placed on lockdown in the day as a result, though a corrections department spokeswoman said it is an isolated incident with no threat to the public. Opened in 1971, the JVTCC has been Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, housing about 2,500 minimum, medium and maximum security prisoners as well as the state's death row inmates. It also housed facilities for executions, said the State Bureau of Prisons. SYDNEY, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's largest private agribusiness, New Hope Group and its chairman Liu Yonghao, are planning to invest 1 billion Australian dollars (763 million U.S.) by 2020 to help grow businesses down under, according to New Hope Group's Australian chief executive officer Nick Dowling. "I don't think there's necessarily any limit to what the chairman wants to invest in, it's really about opportunity," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The conglomerate first announced its presence in Australia after developing luxury residential buildings in 2013. The construction in Sydney's north was then followed by a 100 million Australian dollar (76.3 million U.S.) deal which saw the Group take a stake in Queensland beef exporter Kilcoy Pastoral Company. Chinese expenditure into Australia has seen some backlash, however New Hope Group has managed to negotiate its way through the fears of some sections of the community. "We invest into businesses, we don't acquire businesses," Dowling said. "We look to work with great partners that have great businesses where we can bring our resources and market access to give life to opportunities that business wouldn't otherwise have. "It's all about giving oxygen for those businesses to grow." In 2015, the Conglomerate spent another 100 million Australian dollars (76.3 million U.S.) buying into two of the nation's largest dairy farmers Moxeys and Perichs. To consolidate the commitment of their Australian expansion, the company opened an Australian head office in Sydney during 2016. "Australians are very smart, they are capable of management and they understand national conditions," New Hope Group Chairman Liu Yonghao told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "I have found many investments made by Chinese enterprise in Australia, they have acquired this, they have acquired that, but.... I think if we can develop with our Australian partners, isn't it much better?" "The Australian government are good, they welcome Chinese and international investors as long as the investors bring benefits to Australian people, they will support." Experts in foreign investment share this sentiment and see the only way to develop Australia's agriculture sector is to seek opportunities from abroad. "Australia needs lots of investment to manage water better, to manage the fact (that) there is very little labor, to mechanize agriculture, and to make more use of what limited ecological resources Australia has," Murdoch University Asia Research Center fellow Jeffrey Wilson told Xinhua. "That is going to need foreign capital, and because China is a buyer, a lot of that capital is going to come from China." HAVANA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- American Airlines, one of the world's biggest air carriers, on Wednesday inaugurated a ticket office in the Cuban capital Havana. The airline has been one of the leaders in direct regular commercial flights from the United States to Cuba after the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama loosened restrictions on travel to this Caribbean nation. It opened the ticket office in Havana's upscale district of Miramar. "This is very prominent because we are the first American company licensed by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce which has allowed us to have this facility, operate our office with our own American Airlines employees," Galo Beltran, the airline representative in the island, told Xinhua. "We don't have any fears at the moment although we don't know what could happen in the coming months. Nonetheless we can adapt to any changes that could come in order to continue serving Cuba," he added. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would reverse Obama's Cuba policy to normalize relations if Havana doesn't make political concessions. Air carriers have begun lobbying in Washington for maintaining the existing flights to Cuba amid uncertainties over the new U.S. administration's future policies. The American Airlines has been serving six destinations in the island since last September. In August 2016, JetBlue Airways became the first airline in 55 years to have regular direct commercial flights between the United States and Cuba when its plane landed in the central city of Santa Clara. A Cuba-U.S. deal reached last year allows up to 110 daily flights between several U.S. cities and 10 Cuban international airports. KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's Consul-General in Sabah Chen Peijie on Thursday requested Malaysian authorities to consider the possibility of seeking victims of the sunken boat underwater, as the search operation enters into its sixth day. During a discussion with First Admiral Adam Aziz, Kota Kinabalu director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Chen said there may be a possibility that the victims' bodies were trapped by water plants, nets or shipwreck. "Please check carefully and look carefully for every possibility," said Chen. At a daily briefing held afterwards, Aziz said Thursday's search operation, involving 22 assets, will still focus on the 3,900 square nautical miles as it was Wednesday. He noted they will put their full efforts in the daytime because the weather will turn bad in the evening. Aziz said because they did not know the exact position where the boat capsized, they can only comb through the much bigger area, where the water is almost 50 meters deep. "Our normal divers can only go down up to 20 meters, so for 50 meters, we will try to get maybe ROVs, remotely operated vehicles," said Aziz, adding that they learned from the survivors that an old man may have sunk with the boat, but it is still yet to be confirmed. The catamaran, carrying over two dozen Chinese tourists and three crew, went down in turbulent waters while heading for the popular island of Mengalum on Saturday. Twenty-two people have been rescued but three Chinese tourists have been confirmed dead. Another five Chinese tourists and a crew member are still missing. SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Moon Jae-in, former head of the biggest opposition Minjoo Party, kept his top post by a wide margin after former UN chief Ban Ki-moon dropped his bid for presidential race, local media reported on Thursday. Ban, the career South Korean diplomat whose second, five-year tenure in the top UN post terminated at the end of last year, returned to his home country three weeks earlier. He was welcomed in the conservative camp as the powerful presidential contender, but he abruptly pulled out of the presidential race on Wednesday as his support scores tumbled following the lunar New Year's holiday. According to a survey of 1,000 voters conducted Wednesday to reflect Ban's withdrawal, the former Minjoo Party chief garnered 25.5 percent in approval scores, beating rivals by a wide margin. It was carried out by Realmeter at the request of Maeil Business newspaper. Support for Ban was mostly divided into Ahn Hee-jung of the Minjoo Party, the governor of South Chungcheong province, and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn who is serving as acting president. Ahn's approval rating moved to the second place with 11.2 percent, compared with 6.4 percent tallied a week ago. It was followed by Hwang with 10.5 percent. As Ahn shares the political support base in the province with the former UN head, Ban's withdrawal helped boost support for the provincial governor. Prime Minister Hwang also benefited from Ban's drop as there are few contenders found in the conservative bloc to replace the impeached president. Another survey, which was conducted by the same pollster on the same day at the request of cable news channel JTBC, showed Moon ranking first as the next South Korean leader with 26.1 percent in approval rating. In this survey, Prime Minister Hwang ranked second with 12.1 percent, trailed by Governor Ahn with 11.1 percent. Lee Jae-myung of the Minjoo Party, the mayor of Seongnam city to the southeast of Seoul, ranked fourth with 9.9 percent in support scores, while Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party gained 9.3 percent. MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry summoned the military attache of the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow and handed a protest note over An-26 plane maneuvers in the Black Sea, reported RIA Novosti Wednesday. The attache was summoned at Wednesday evening to take the protest note, RIA Novosti quoted the ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov as saying. The note emphasized that the low-altitude maneuvers by a Ukrainian An-26 military transport plane endangered personnel and equipment at two Russian drilling platforms in the Black Sea. The Russian side considered these actions as being "provocative," said Konashenkov. The Russian Black Sea Fleet said earlier on Wednesday that the Ukrainian military plane carried out two provocative approaches at an extremely low altitude to Russia's Tavrida and Crimea-1 drilling platforms in the Black Sea. The Russia-Ukraine relations have strained over the Ukraine crisis and Crimea situation since 2014. Rescue forces work on ruins of a collapsed under-construction building in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua Photo) NEW DELHI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and 17 others injured Wednesday after an under-construction building collapsed in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said. According to officials, rescuers were trying hard to locate 30 people trapped underneath the debris of the six-storey building. The building collapsed in the afternoon at Jajmau of Kanpur city, about 83 km southwest of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. "Today afternoon an under-construction building collapsed here trapping 50 people mostly labourers working there," District administrator, Kaushal Raj Sharma told Xinhua. "Following the collapse, we dispatched police and other teams to rescue people trapped under debris of the building. The rescuers pulled out 21 people in injured condition, out of which four succumbed and 17 were hospitalized." Five teams of National Disaster Response Force, state police, fire services and officials from local administration, besides locals are making efforts to rescue the trapped workers. Authorities have also rushed in four columns of Indian army to the spot to reinforce rescue work. The rescue operation according to Sharma was going on and would take several hours. "The rescue teams have pressed in earth movers, gas cutters and other equipment to trace the trapped ones," Sharma said. Local media reports said the building belongs to Mehtab Alab, a politician affiliated with ruling Samajwadi Party in the state. Police officials have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the building collapse. "It is too early to predict the exact cause but it is quite apparent there was some fault in the planning," Sharma said. Deadly accidents due to failing infrastructure (either new or old) are common in India. Construction experts blame the lax administration and corruption in India for flouting building rules that often results in using poor quality materials, inadequate supervision, poor safety standards for workers. Rescue forces work on ruins of a collapsed under-construction building in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua Photo) WELLINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's burgeoning Asian communities will benefit from more police support, the government promised Thursday while unveiling a program to significantly reinforce front-line police numbers. Another 1,125 police staff, including 880 sworn police officers, will be funded over the next four years to reduce crime and prevent reoffending, Prime Minister Bill English said in an election-year announcement. They would also include 20 additional ethnic liaison officers to support Chinese, Indian and other ethnic communities. The package would increase total police staff numbers to more than 13,000 from 11,925 by June 2021 and total sworn police numbers to nearly 9,800 from about 8,900. "New Zealand is the fourth-safest country in the world, but demand for traditional police services is growing, and complex and serious crime is absorbing more police time," English said in a published speech. The government would spend an extra 503 million NZ dollars (367.14 million U.S. dollars) on targeting and catching offenders, preventing crime and victimization, and delivering a more responsive service. Five hundred of the extra frontline police officers would go out on the beat and into community policing to strengthen the emergency response, and focus on youth offending, burglaries and community crime, Police Minister Paula Bennett said in a statement. Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the investment would increase the Police workforce by almost 10 percent over four years. "The prime minister's announcement includes putting an extra 880 new police officers into frontline roles including response, organized crime, gangs and methamphetamine, child protection, family violence and in rural and ethnically diverse communities," Bush said in a statement. "While crime is lower than it was five years ago, we have seen an increase in demand for police services in these areas," he said. "The addition of these new staff means we can deliver more to support victims, prevent crime and hold offenders to account." Enditem WELLINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand scientists Thursday voiced concerns for the future of international research into issues such as climate change and extreme weather following President Donald Trump's imposition of travel restrictions to the United States. The Royal Society of New Zealand, the country's leading science organization, said the U.S. hosted many international projects and conferences and there was a significant risk that the advancement of knowledge in critical fields would be hampered if the whole global research community was unable to gather and share knowledge. "It is of grave concern to the New Zealand research community when events elsewhere in the world put at risk the research endeavor that is most critical to the future of humanity, including the recent restrictions on access to the United States," said society president Professor Richard Bedford. "The New Zealand research community openly welcomes the contributions of researchers from all over the world because the pursuit of knowledge today is truly global," Bedford said in a statement. "Diverse views and backgrounds enrich us and add strength to research and researchers from all countries have a part to play." Researchers in the early stages of their careers were especially vulnerable to limitations on engagement with others. The New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS) said Trump's travel restrictions would "retard scientific progress in the United States and the rest of the world at just the time when our civilisation needs science the most." "We've just gone two weeks with the new U.S. administration and we are witnessing a geopolitical shake-up that is without precedent," NZAS president Craig Stevens said in a statement. "The world would not be sure that the climate is changing rapidly due to greenhouse gas emissions without the efforts of scientists of all nationalities," said Stevens. "Science and the scientific community cannot tolerate discrimination against people on the basis of their place of birth or religion. In fact, the Trump administration's travel ban has horrified the global scientific community." The new U.S. administration was also using "new and seriously partisan media to deconstruct science," which had "happened before with abhorrent consequences." "There are so many, many challenges facing our species: population, climate, equality, health, environment and more besides," said Stevens. "It's one thing to make science struggle to support and justify its activities - that is only appropriate. It is quite another to actively hunt it down and tear down truths." PHNOM PENH, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Thursday that the ruling party would propose the parliament to amend the Law on Political Parties to ban convicts from serving as president of a party. "Prisoners will not be allowed to be the president of a political party," the prime minister said in a speech during a university graduation ceremony here. He said that the proposed amendment would also include a provision that would allow the Constitutional Council to dismantle any political party that its leaders made a "big mistake". The prime minister said that under the current law, any political party receiving funds from foreign governments would face a fine of only 3 million riel (750 U.S. dollars), but under the proposed amendment, any party found getting funds from foreign countries would be suspended or dissolved. Hun Sen said the proposed amendment "does not specifically target any political party, but for all." Currently, Sam Rainsy, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), has been living in exile in France since November 2015 to avoid a two-year prison sentence over a defamation charge. In December 2016, a Cambodian court also sentenced, in absentia, him to another five years in prison for conspiring to incite chaos in the country through posting fake documents on his Facebook page. Cambodia's parliament comprises 123 seats, including 68 for the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and 55 for the CNRP. To amend a law, the parliament needed a 50 percent plus one majority vote, or 63 votes, only. Enditem ISLAMABAD, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan paramilitary troops killed a wanted "terrorist commander" and his two accomplices in clashes in the country's commercial center of Karachi early Thursday, officials said. Commander Noor Mohammad alias Baba Ladla and members of his criminal armed gang showed stiff resistance but was killed after 35-minute exchange of firing, a spokesman for the paramilitary force, Rangers, said. One paramilitary soldier was injured in firing. "Ladla was a cruel and the most wanted terrorist and was involved in over 74 incidents," the spokesman said in a statement. Ladla's close associates -- Sikandar alias Sikko and Mohammad Yaseen alias Mama, were also killed in the encounter, he said. Three criminals escaped during the encounter. The paramilitary troops recovered a huge cache of weapons, including grenades and automatic weaponry from the suspects. Ladla was running a gang of criminals in Liyari area of Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, and was also behind several attacks on police. Pakistan Rangers conducted a raid on a hideout after information was received that Ladla and his accomplices were in Liyari. The terrorists fired at the raiding party with automatic weapons and also lobbed hand grenades at the security officials. Officials also released a list that contained details of the incidents he was involved in. The authorities in Sindh province had announced a reward of one million rupees for those who will share information about Ladla. SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea on Thursday afternoon on his first overseas trip since he took office about two weeks earlier. Mattis first went to the headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in central Seoul, where he was briefed by USFK commander Vincent Brooks on security situations on the Korean Peninsula, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s possible launch of a long-range ballistic rocket, according to local media reports. Mattis is scheduled to pay a courtesy call later in the day to South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn who is serving as acting president following the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. After that he will pay a visit to top presidential security advisor Kim Kwan-jin. Mattis and his counterpart Han Min-koo will hold talks on Friday morning at the South Korean defense ministry's headquarters. Before the bilateral dialogue, Mattis will pay a visit to South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. Mattis is also scheduled to visit Japan for talks with his Japanese counterpart Tomomi Inada after wrapping up schedules here. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday condemned the attack against a UN monitoring team near the Nigeria-Cameroon border. "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attack against a United Nations monitoring team, near the Nigeria-Cameroon border, on January 31, 2017, during which one UN independent contractor, three Nigerian nationals and one Cameroonian national were killed and others injured," it said in a statement. Meanwhile, it reiterated in the statement that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. Concerned about the security situation in the Cameroon-Nigerian border areas, which it blamed on Boko-Haram related violence, the security council urged both Cameroon and Nigeria to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and staff operating in their territories. The Boko-Haram insurgency since 2009 has killed at least 20,000 people and left more than 2.6 million homeless. The Islamic extremist group, based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon, announced its allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2015. MANDERA, Kenya, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- An unknown number of Kenyan police officers were killed by Al-Shabaab militants in the border town of Mandera during a raid early Thursday, officials said. BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ten years ago, ticket scalpers in China raked in plenty of cash during Spring Festival, however, they are no longer finding it a profitable business. A ticket scalper nicknamed "Manniu," who used to hide from police at a railway station in eastern China's Jiangxi Province, no longer engages in scalping, instead he sells shredded cakes near the station. "No matter what I do, I can earn more money than by ticket scalping, moreover, it is not so easy to scalp tickets," he said. Inadequate rail services, resulting in severe ticket shortages, notably during festival peak seasons when people travel back to their hometowns to visit family, have long been a headache for Chinese authorities. Scalpers would stockpile tickets, reselling them at high margins, disturbing the market and sparking public anger. Guo Ping has worked as a railway policeman in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi, since 1997 and has rich experience pursuing ticket scalpers. "In the past, we stood on top of a building to observe ticket buyers with telescopes to identify suspected scalpers," Guo said. He said that that police would also look for suspects by installing video cameras in front of ticket buyers around the ticket hall. Although scalping is illegal in China, scalpers were a common sight at railway stations across the country in the past. Thanks to the expansion of the high-speed railway network and the introduction of a name system, which requires real-names and ID numbers printed on all tickets, scalpers are a dying breed. "Manniu" is not the only Chinese ticket scalper to have changed careers. Liu Quan (a pseudonym) was punished in 2010 for ticket scalping and now operates a fruit stand in Xiamen, eastern China's Fujian Province. "Ticket scalping has become more and more difficult since 2011," Liu said, citing the online booking system. Liu said that he did not want his children to be affected by his disgraceful practice, adding that many of his colleagues had switched to new businesses. Up to 356 million trips are expected to be made via rail during the Spring Festival travel period this year, up 9.7 percent year on year, according to China Railway Corporation. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Protesters turned Milo Yiannopoulos, an alleged radical political figure, away Wednesday evening from the University of California, Berkeley, for a speech. The event was sponsored by the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) for Yiannopoulos, 32, an editor for the U.S. conservative website Breitbart and a spokesperson for the so-called "alt-right" movement for his extreme views on Islam, social affairs, and political issues. A witness said hundreds of students gathered at the scene outside Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building on the campus, northeast of San Francisco, in Northern California, to protest against Yiannopoulos' presence. About 90 minutes before the 8:00 p.m. event (0400 GMT Thursday), UC Berkeley posted a message on its social media network Twitter account that the "performance" was canceled. Minutes later, UC Police, Berkeley, posted a message on the same account, updating that "Milo (Yiannopoulos) has left campus." As demonstrators, some of them apparently from outside the public school, started to mobilize after 4:00 p.m. (0000 GMT Thursday) and to light fires and fireworks in front of the building after 5:00 p.m.(0100 GMT Thursday), police deployed helicopters and other extra resources and issued repeated orders for immediate dispersal of the crowd. The campus was on lockdown, while the crowd refused to disperse. Yiannopoulos, a Briton born in Greece, has been criticized for being racist and misogynistic. Demonstrators argued that Yiannopoulos' hateful rhetoric has no place on a public university campus. Former Breitbart head Steve Bannon is now Assistant to the President and Chief Strategist for U.S. President Donald Trump and has reportedly added two staffers from his news site to the White House staff. COLOMBO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan navy on Thursday arrested 5 Indian fishermen for poaching illegally in local waters, the navy media unit said here. A Naval Patrol Craft belonging to the Northern Naval Command, arrested the Indian fishermen along with their fishing trawler in the seas off Delft, in the island's north. "Having brought the arrested fishermen and items to the Naval Base SLNS Elara, they will be handed over to the Jaffna Fisheries Director for onward legal action," the navy said. The Sri Lankan government has maintained that bottom trawling carried illegally by Indian fishing boats in Sri Lankan waters, has destroyed the aquatic resources of the country, and created a dead sea bed. Last month Sri Lanka urged India to end bottom trawling in order to resolve a long standing fishing dispute when India's Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Radha Mohan Singh met with Sri Lanka's Minister for Fisheries, Mahinda Amaraweera in Colombo. Both sides exchanged views on possible mechanisms to help find a permanent solution to the fishermen issues. Sri Lanka recently announced that poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters has seen a 50 percent drop following steps taken by the Navy and Coast Guard to arrest Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters. ISTANBUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkey could do little to prevent the emergence of a Kurdish autonomous region in Syria if the new U.S. president's decision to establish safe zones there includes as expected Kurds-controlled cantons, analysts told Xinhua. "Turkey has zero chance of blocking such an eventuality. The area is outside its borders," said Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations with Ankara-based Middle East Technical University (METU). Turkey has long expressed its concern about a Kurdish corridor along its southern border, arguing that the Kurdish expansion in Syria is illegitimate and that the Kurdish fighters are members of a terrorist organization. U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that he would "absolutely do safe zones in Syria" for people fleeing the civil war in the Arab country. "Under the current circumstances, Turkey stands no chance of stopping the emergence of a Kurdish entity in Syria," observed Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute. Turkey is particularly concerned that the emergence of an autonomous or independent Kurdish entity in northern Syria may set a precedent for its own nearly 20 million Kurds and encourage Kurdish separatism at home. It is also widely argued that such a Kurdish belt, de facto linked with the territory ruled by the Kurdistan Regional Government in neighboring Iraq, would physically cut off Turkey from the Arab world. Kurdish militia forces, members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), have carved out three autonomous cantons along Turkey's border since Syria was plunged into chaos in March 2011. Ankara waded militarily in Syria in August last year to push the Islamic State (IS) away from its border and block the cantons from uniting. Turkey, which officially hosts around 2.8 million Syrian refugees, has long enthusiastically sought to convince its Western allies, particularly the U.S., of the establishment of a safe zone in Syria's north for the refugees. Despite Trump's remarks, the Turkish government has so far remained cautious about his move, which suggests it may have some misgivings about the initiative. "The results of Trump's work on this issue (of safe zones) need to be seen first," a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said last week. Russia has signalled it would not oppose the U.S. initiative as long as the Syrian government agreed to the safe zone plan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia sees the U.S. move as being aimed, as was declared by Trump, at easing the migration burden on neighbouring countries as well as on Europe and the U.S. "Of course, this would call for coordinating the details and the underlying principle for such zones with the Syrian government," Lavrov told a press conference on Monday. Sait Yilmaz, a security and foreign policy analyst, does not think the Turkish government would dare to resist the safe zone plan. Noting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan feels quite isolated in foreign relations, he said "so the government can't afford to come into conflict with either the U.S. or Russia." Analysts feel that creating safe havens for potential refugees is more an excuse used to legitimize the formation of safe zones which could later develop into autonomous entities in a federal Syria. "The formation of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria is strongly possible," remarked Bagci. "This is undoubtedly a step aimed at placing the Kurdish-controlled areas under protection. The U.S. is establishing a (Kurdish) state there," stated Yilmaz, who previously lectured at various Turkish universities. All signs indicate Syria is heading for federalism, Ismail Hakki Pekin, a retired general who headed the Turkish General Staff's intelligence unit, said on Ulusal TV on Wednesday. He noted that Washington had supplied the YPG with many anti-tank missiles as well as rocket launchers in a bid to transform the Kurdish militia into a modern army. Grappling with growing terror attacks at home by separatist Kurdish militias and the IS militants for more than a year, Turkey perceives the formation of a Kurdish state in Syria as an existential threat. A couple of days before Trump delivered remarks about safe zones, President Erdogan had voiced concern about rumors regarding an eventual breakup of Syria and Iraq, saying Turkey would not agree to the emergence of several new states in the region. Two days after Trump's statement to the ABC News, Erdogan was quoted by local media as saying that Turkish troops would not go any further than al-Bab into the Syrian territory. In sharp contrast, Erdogan and other top Turkish officials had said in recent past that the Turkish troops would head, after seizing al-Bab, toward YPG-held Manbij and the IS stronghold of Raqqa. The Turkish forces, backed by the rebel Free Syrian Army militants, have been fighting for months to drive out the IS from al-Bab, a town about 30 km from the Turkish border. Idlib and Raqqa are among the few major towns which are currently under the control of radical Islamist groups, while the Syrian army, backed by Russia and Iran, regained control in many towns last year. Washington sees the Kurdish militias as a reliable ground force against the IS in Syria and militarily supports the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is composed to a large extent of YPG members. There are signs of increasing military support to Kurds after Trump took office on Jan. 20. The U.S. has just provided the SDF with armored vehicles for the first time. The move came ahead of an expected joint offensive by the U.S.-led coalition and the SDF against Raqqa, seen as IS' de facto capital. The armored vehicles will help the SDF forces contend with IS improvised explosives as they move toward Raqqa, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway was quoted as saying by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency late Tuesday. Earlier in the day, SDF spokesman Talal Silo drew attention to the exceptionality of the U.S. latest supply of weapons by telling Reuters that they were provided with only light weapons and ammunition in the past. Turkey says the Kurdish expansion is illegitimate, arguing the Kurdish militia ethnically cleansed the areas it captured by driving local Arabs away in a bid to create a Kurdish-dominated region in northern Syria. Ankara has long criticized Washington for providing weapons to the YPG, which is seen by Turkey as the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK has been waging a bloody war against Turkey since 1984 to carve out an autonomous, if not independent, Kurdistan in the country's mainly Kurdish-populated southeast. "The U.S. and Russia seem to have reached a top-level consensus regarding Kurds," stated Dilek, a former military officer. Russia has gotten what it wanted in Syria and would let the U.S. have what it wants for Kurds, observed Yilmaz. "Russia and the U.S. have a tacit agreement over (the future of) Syria. Global powers don't take into account regional powers in their calculations," he added. In response to Trump's move on safe zones, the Syrian government on Monday described his attempt, if not coordinated with Damascus, as "unsafe action" that would violate the country's sovereignty. Analysts, however, believe that Syria, with its military being greatly weakened by years of fighting, would settle for a federal Syria to maintain the country's territorial integrity. "Syria already signalled it would not oppose that," said METU's Bagci, noting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said ahead of Astana talks that he was ready to negotiate anything with the opposition groups. The Syrian government and rebel groups other than those recognized as terror groups by the international community gathered together at the Kazakh capital last month for peace talks. "Damascus looks ready to make concessions to Kurds to keep them part of Syria," Dilek remarked. "Kurds are strong and the realities on the ground impose Kurdish autonomy," he said, noting the Kurdish militia in Syria has so far captured from the IS an area of more than 3,000 square kilometers. According to Dilek, autonomy and administratively connecting Manbij to the Afrin canton could be Syria's carrot to the Kurds. The U.S. has built, following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, several military bases in the Kurdish cantons and is known for its ambition to create a Kurdish state in the region. Michael Flynn, a retired general who is now Trump's national security adviser, was quoted as saying in November by the Turkish media that a couple of new states including Kurdistan would emerge in the Middle East in the future. In 2015, then U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden was quoted by the Turkish media as telling Massoud Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government, that they will both see in their lifetime the establishment of a Kurdish state. The Iraqi Kurds are also seeking to establish a state of their own. The area where Turkey is conducting its military operation in Syria is a piece of territory, around 90 km in width, which separates two of the Kurdish cantons on the eastern part of the Euphrates River from the Afrin canton in northwestern Syria. Turkey's military offensive can not be said to have achieved its goal without capturing Manbij, Dilek said, adding he no longer expects the Turkish forces to target Manbij. The town of Manbij lies about 30 km to the west of the Euphrates River and is strategically important to unite the Kurdish cantons. Turkey should start preparing for a bigger war after clinching victory in al-Bab and handing it over to the Free Syrian Army at the earliest, as it will be faced with a mounting threat of Kurdish separatism at home, cautioned Pekin. MANDERA, Kenya, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- An unknown number of Kenyan police officers were killed by al-Shabaab militants in the border town of Mandera during a raid early Thursday, officials said. Police sources said the terrorists attacked a police camp in Arabia, Mandera town in northeast Kenya on Thursday dawn, and cut off police's communication in the area. Northeastern regional commander Mohamud Saleh confirmed the raid, saying they had sent a response team to check on casualties. "There is no communication with officers on the ground but there was an attack there. Teams are heading there," Saleh said. A regional government official Eric Oronyi said the unknown number of heavily armed attackers raided the police camp at around 3 a.m. local time Thursday (0000 GMT Thursday). "We have sent reinforcements to the scene since communication has been cut off. We have not established the number of casualties or the exact damage but the situation is not good," Oronyi said. The incident comes barely a week after Al-Shabaab militants overran a Kenyan military camp in southern Somalia under the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), killing nine Kenyan soldiers. However, al-Shabaab claimed to have killed 57 Kenyan soldiers. A major manhunt for the Al-Shabaab attackers is currently underway in Somalia. TOKYO/NAIROBI/LONDON/PARIS/MANILA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- As Chinese Spring Festival has become an opportunity for Chinese people to travel, many tourists are shifting their interest from shopping abroad to multiple choices in celebration of the holiday. They choose foreign countries to experience their exotic culture and services. Taking the travel to Japan as an example, after "shopping spree" became a catchword of 2015, more and more Chinese tourists prefer buying a physical checkup or experiencing the Japanese culture and services to being obsessed about shopping. Meng Fanhai, owner of a tourism agency in Tokyo, said his agency arranged more than 200 cases of physical checkups and medical treatments in 2016, up 50 percent from 2015, accounting for about one third of his agency's total Chinese tourists. Li Xuejing, marketing manager of the agency, said Chinese tourists are getting more willing to experience local culture and characteristic services, including staying in private homes, appreciating bonsai and watching monkeys in hot springs. With industrialization and urbanization on the fast track in China, tracing natural attractions and wildlife have become popular among Chinese tourists. Yang Min, copartner of a tourism agency specializing in receiving Chinese tourists in Kenya, said the country is unfamiliar to most Chinese people in 2005, but since 2010, more and more Chinese tourists have taken the African country as a destination to experience biodiversity there. "During July and August, nearly 90 percent of tourists in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve are from China. They are keen to watch the great migration here," he said. Zhang Renquan, a senior Africa tourism practitioner, said Chinese tourists are gradually getting familiar with African countries besides South Africa and Egypt -- two pillars of Africa tourism-- and experiencing more programs including safari, diving and parachuting. Chinese tourist Guo, who is taking a vacation on an island in the Philippines, said now she pays more attention to relaxation and enjoyment during holidays instead of shopping or choosing gifts for relatives as she did years ago. "When I book a hotel, I will take into consideration the massage, the spa and other special services, in one word, to enjoy myself," she said. Zhou, a tourist from China's Shandong province, said Chinese tourists have transferred their interests from shopping to personal hobbies. "One of my partners comes to the Philippines to take a diving exam and gain the certificate, out of personal interest," she said. For Britain, China has become the most valuable source of foreign tourists, and Chinese tourists average spend three times higher than other foreign tourists. According to statistics, an average increase of 22 Chinese tourists creates one new post for British tourist industriy. Though the devaluation of pound is one of factors ignites Chinese tourists' enthusiasm for travelling to Britain, it has no longer been a whole picture for Chinese overseas tourism. Britain's rich history and famous education tradition have caught ordinary Chinese people's eyes. Zhang, a toursit from China's Fujian province, said "my main purpose to Britain is to guide my child to museums, to broaden his horizon." Li Xiaotong, chairman of a tourism agency in France, said as more Chinese people travel abroad, consumption style is changing from purchasing luxury goods to popular brands, and cosmeceuticals have become their favorite. Turkey is particularly concerned that the emergence of an autonomous or independent Kurdish entity in northern Syria may set a precedent for its own nearly 20 million Kurds and encourage Kurdish separatism at home. (Reuters photo) ISTANBUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkey could do little to prevent the emergence of a Kurdish autonomous region in Syria if the new U.S. president's decision to establish safe zones there includes as expected Kurds-controlled cantons, analysts told Xinhua. "Turkey has zero chance of blocking such an eventuality. The area is outside its borders," said Huseyin Bagci, a professor of international relations with Ankara-based Middle East Technical University (METU). Turkey has long expressed its concern about a Kurdish corridor along its southern border, arguing that the Kurdish expansion in Syria is illegitimate and that the Kurdish fighters are members of a terrorist organization. U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that he would "absolutely do safe zones in Syria" for people fleeing the civil war in the Arab country. "Under the current circumstances, Turkey stands no chance of stopping the emergence of a Kurdish entity in Syria," observed Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute. Turkey is particularly concerned that the emergence of an autonomous or independent Kurdish entity in northern Syria may set a precedent for its own nearly 20 million Kurds and encourage Kurdish separatism at home. It is also widely argued that such a Kurdish belt, de facto linked with the territory ruled by the Kurdistan Regional Government in neighboring Iraq, would physically cut off Turkey from the Arab world. Kurdish militia forces, members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), have carved out three autonomous cantons along Turkey's border since Syria was plunged into chaos in March 2011. Ankara waded militarily in Syria in August last year to push the Islamic State (IS) away from its border and block the cantons from uniting. Turkey, which officially hosts around 2.8 million Syrian refugees, has long enthusiastically sought to convince its Western allies, particularly the U.S., of the establishment of a safe zone in Syria's north for the refugees. Despite Trump's remarks, the Turkish government has so far remained cautious about his move, which suggests it may have some misgivings about the initiative. "The results of Trump's work on this issue (of safe zones) need to be seen first," a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said last week. Russia has signalled it would not oppose the U.S. initiative as long as the Syrian government agreed to the safe zone plan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia sees the U.S. move as being aimed, as was declared by Trump, at easing the migration burden on neighbouring countries as well as on Europe and the U.S. "Of course, this would call for coordinating the details and the underlying principle for such zones with the Syrian government," Lavrov told a press conference on Monday. Sait Yilmaz, a security and foreign policy analyst, does not think the Turkish government would dare to resist the safe zone plan. Noting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan feels quite isolated in foreign relations, he said "so the government can't afford to come into conflict with either the U.S. or Russia." Analysts feel that creating safe havens for potential refugees is more an excuse used to legitimize the formation of safe zones which could later develop into autonomous entities in a federal Syria. "The formation of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria is strongly possible," remarked Bagci. "This is undoubtedly a step aimed at placing the Kurdish-controlled areas under protection. The U.S. is establishing a (Kurdish) state there," stated Yilmaz, who previously lectured at various Turkish universities. All signs indicate Syria is heading for federalism, Ismail Hakki Pekin, a retired general who headed the Turkish General Staff's intelligence unit, said on Ulusal TV on Wednesday. He noted that Washington had supplied the YPG with many anti-tank missiles as well as rocket launchers in a bid to transform the Kurdish militia into a modern army. Grappling with growing terror attacks at home by separatist Kurdish militias and the IS militants for more than a year, Turkey perceives the formation of a Kurdish state in Syria as an existential threat. A couple of days before Trump delivered remarks about safe zones, President Erdogan had voiced concern about rumors regarding an eventual breakup of Syria and Iraq, saying Turkey would not agree to the emergence of several new states in the region. Two days after Trump's statement to the ABC News, Erdogan was quoted by local media as saying that Turkish troops would not go any further than al-Bab into the Syrian territory. In sharp contrast, Erdogan and other top Turkish officials had said in recent past that the Turkish troops would head, after seizing al-Bab, toward YPG-held Manbij and the IS stronghold of Raqqa. The Turkish forces, backed by the rebel Free Syrian Army militants, have been fighting for months to drive out the IS from al-Bab, a town about 30 km from the Turkish border. Idlib and Raqqa are among the few major towns which are currently under the control of radical Islamist groups, while the Syrian army, backed by Russia and Iran, regained control in many towns last year. Washington sees the Kurdish militias as a reliable ground force against the IS in Syria and militarily supports the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is composed to a large extent of YPG members. There are signs of increasing military support to Kurds after Trump took office on Jan. 20. The U.S. has just provided the SDF with armored vehicles for the first time. The move came ahead of an expected joint offensive by the U.S.-led coalition and the SDF against Raqqa, seen as IS' de facto capital. The armored vehicles will help the SDF forces contend with IS improvised explosives as they move toward Raqqa, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway was quoted as saying by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency late Tuesday. Earlier in the day, SDF spokesman Talal Silo drew attention to the exceptionality of the U.S. latest supply of weapons by telling Reuters that they were provided with only light weapons and ammunition in the past. Turkey says the Kurdish expansion is illegitimate, arguing the Kurdish militia ethnically cleansed the areas it captured by driving local Arabs away in a bid to create a Kurdish-dominated region in northern Syria. Ankara has long criticized Washington for providing weapons to the YPG, which is seen by Turkey as the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK has been waging a bloody war against Turkey since 1984 to carve out an autonomous, if not independent, Kurdistan in the country's mainly Kurdish-populated southeast. "The U.S. and Russia seem to have reached a top-level consensus regarding Kurds," stated Dilek, a former military officer. Russia has gotten what it wanted in Syria and would let the U.S. have what it wants for Kurds, observed Yilmaz. "Russia and the U.S. have a tacit agreement over (the future of) Syria. Global powers don't take into account regional powers in their calculations," he added. In response to Trump's move on safe zones, the Syrian government on Monday described his attempt, if not coordinated with Damascus, as "unsafe action" that would violate the country's sovereignty. Analysts, however, believe that Syria, with its military being greatly weakened by years of fighting, would settle for a federal Syria to maintain the country's territorial integrity. "Syria already signalled it would not oppose that," said METU's Bagci, noting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said ahead of Astana talks that he was ready to negotiate anything with the opposition groups. The Syrian government and rebel groups other than those recognized as terror groups by the international community gathered together at the Kazakh capital last month for peace talks. "Damascus looks ready to make concessions to Kurds to keep them part of Syria," Dilek remarked. "Kurds are strong and the realities on the ground impose Kurdish autonomy," he said, noting the Kurdish militia in Syria has so far captured from the IS an area of more than 3,000 square kilometers. According to Dilek, autonomy and administratively connecting Manbij to the Afrin canton could be Syria's carrot to the Kurds. The U.S. has built, following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, several military bases in the Kurdish cantons and is known for its ambition to create a Kurdish state in the region. Michael Flynn, a retired general who is now Trump's national security adviser, was quoted as saying in November by the Turkish media that a couple of new states including Kurdistan would emerge in the Middle East in the future. In 2015, then U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden was quoted by the Turkish media as telling Massoud Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government, that they will both see in their lifetime the establishment of a Kurdish state. The Iraqi Kurds are also seeking to establish a state of their own. The area where Turkey is conducting its military operation in Syria is a piece of territory, around 90 km in width, which separates two of the Kurdish cantons on the eastern part of the Euphrates River from the Afrin canton in northwestern Syria. Turkey's military offensive can not be said to have achieved its goal without capturing Manbij, Dilek said, adding he no longer expects the Turkish forces to target Manbij. The town of Manbij lies about 30 km to the west of the Euphrates River and is strategically important to unite the Kurdish cantons. Turkey should start preparing for a bigger war after clinching victory in al-Bab and handing it over to the Free Syrian Army at the earliest, as it will be faced with a mounting threat of Kurdish separatism at home, cautioned Pekin. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai speaks at the Chinese embassy's New Year reception in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 1, 2017. China and the United States should always cooperate in the face of challenges, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Yang) WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should always cooperate in the face of challenges, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said Wednesday. "We have learned that we should always respond to difficulties and challenges by cooperation, instead of conflict or confrontation," Cui told a 500-member audience at the embassy's New Year reception. "We should work together for win-win cooperation, instead of being misguided by zero-sum or cold war mentality," the ambassador noted. Cui stressed that cultural exchanges can bring people closer to each other, and he hoped the traditional Chinese music, Peking Opera, Acrobatics, and handicrafts featured at the reception would win the hearts of the guests. Hailey, 8 and her sister Ashley, 7, were beaming when they were given a tiger figurine made of sugar from one of the Chinese craftsmen. "I was born in Hong Kong and knew a little about Chinese culture, I really like coming here," Hailey said. Erika Crowell, another guest, said it's the third time she has come to such an event, and each time she learned something new about China. "All the handiwork were very intricate and I was impressed by how dedicated the craftsmen were to their work, I should learn from them," She said. Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, also came to the event with her daughter. The reception was one of a series of Spring Festival-themed events organized by the Chinese Embassy. Chinese artists and craftsmen will also perform and display their talent at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Saturday. Related: Commentary: As Trump takes office, cooperation best option for U.S.-China ties, global interests by Xinhua writer Zhu Dongyang BEIJING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Donald Trump became the new U.S. president on Friday. He deserves to be congratulated for assuming such a critical office at such a critical moment. The world expects him to deal with the U.S. and global challenges with discretion and wisdom, and give full play to China-U.S. cooperation to conquer the hardships. Full story China expects to strengthen ties with U.S. BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday voiced its expectations that cooperation and bilateral ties with the new U.S. administration would continue to strengthen from a new starting point. SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The first U.S. defense chief under Trump administration visited South Korea on Thursday, picking the Northeast Asian ally as his first overseas tour destination since he took office about two weeks earlier. James Mattis arrived here at about 12:30 p.m. local time (0330 GMT) before going to the headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in central Seoul, where he was briefed by the USFK commander on security situations on the Korean Peninsula. His travel, which includes a two-day stop in Japan beginning on Friday, followed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) indication of test-launching a ballistic rocket of intercontinental range. Top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year's Day address that his country had entered the final stage in preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic rocket, which Seoul sees as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The DPRK's fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September last year deepened concerns about the country having the capability of miniaturizing a nuclear warhead that can be mounted on a long-range ballistic missile. Any successful test-launch of an ICBM will raise worries that the DPRK can strike the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-capable ballistic missile. Pyongyang claims its diversified nuclear capability beyond a miniaturized nuclear warhead. Amid growing concerns about the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs, the Pentagon chief is set to hold talks with his counterpart, Defense Minister Han Min-koo, on Friday in the South Korean defense ministry's headquarters. The DPRK is expected to top the dialogue agenda between the two defense ministers. "Mattis visited (South) Korea ahead of Japan. It indicates the main goal of his first overseas trip is sending a warning message to North Korea (DPRK)," Go Myong-hyun, a research fellow at Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, told Xinhua. Mattis is also expected to try to appease anxieties of South Korea and Japan during his trip to the region as U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned his possible abandonment of the two allies unless Seoul and Tokyo pay more for almost 80,000 U.S. troops stationed in the two countries. According to the Asan researcher, the retired U.S. Marine general will try to iron out possible misunderstandings through talks with the South Korean defense chief, while confirming the U.S. commitment to its ally's defense. Mattis' visit also has a meaning of filling up personnel vacuum in the Trump administration as diplomatic officials in charge of Northeast Asian affairs have yet to get into work, Go said. The U.S. missile shield, called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), will certainly be disucssed between Han and Mattis after the two countries agreed on the THAAD deployment in South Korea, the researcher said. Seoul and Washington agreed in July last year to install one THAAD battery in southeastern South Korea by the end of this year. Local media speculated that the installation could be completed between May and July. According to media reports, Mattis told reporters on board his plane that he would talk to South Korean officials about the THAAD deployment. The deployment decision evoked criticism from the parliament and people at home as well as strong oppositions from China and Russia. The THAAD's X-band radar can peer into Chinese and Russian territories, breaking security balance and fueling arms race in the region. The super microwave-emitting radar is also detrimental to human body and environment, prompting residents in the deployment site to continue their protest rally every night. Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan areas, which have about half of the country's total 50 million populations, are excluded from the THAAD's intercepting range as the battery is supposed to be placed in the southern region. The advanced anti-missile system, which is designed to shoot down incoming missiles at an altitude of 40-150 km, is incapable of hitting DPRK missiles targeting South Korea, which fly at an altitude of less than 40 km. NAIROBI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Targeted investments in infrastructure, workforce and improved governance are key to transforming the heath sector in Africa, said the head of the Health and Education Investment Team at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Biju Mohandas. Speaking at a continental forum held in Nairobi on Wednesday, Mohandas said robust public private partnerships (PPPs) are an imperative to help bridge financing gaps in Africa's health sector. "There are alternative financing models African countries should harness to boost healthcare financing. Adequate financing is key to unlocking the huge potential of the healthcare industry in the continent," said Mohandas. He revealed that the private sector arm of the World Bank has invested heavily in the health sector across Sub-Saharan Africa to revolutionize response to infectious and non communicable diseases. "We are encouraging Africa governments to pump resources in diagnostic equipment and capacity building for workforce to unleash a transformation in healthcare services," Mohandas said. Majority of African countries are yet to honor the Abuja Declaration of 2001 that obliged them to allocate 15 percent of their annual budget to health. Likewise, countries have made uneven progress in budgetary allocation toward the fight against killer diseases like malaria, HIV/Aids and tuberculosis. Mohandas stressed that political goodwill, smart investments combined with policy reforms is key to re-inventing health sector in the Sub-Saharan Africa region that carries the bulk of global disease burden. "Visionary regulations and an improved ecosystem for healthcare financing have potential to transform a sector that has a direct bearing on Africa's growth and renewal," said Mohandas. Under-investments in skilled personnel, technology and physical infrastructure has undermined the capacity of health care sector in Africa to respond to the disease burden. The Chairman of African Healthcare Federation, Amit Thakker said investments in new technologies and innovations will tackle geographical, infrastructural and personnel bottlenecks that deny African population access to quality health care. "By investing in human resources and efficient supply chains, it will be possible to establish a world class health care services in Africa," said Thakker. He noted that several African countries are close to achieving universal health coverage thanks to a robust government-industry linkage to tackle financing shortfalls. COLOMBO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that no Sri Lankans were stranded in U.S. airports following a travel ban issued by President Donald Trump on seven Muslim-majority countries. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mahishini Colonne said that Sri Lankan Missions in the United States had informed Colombo that there were no confirmed cases of stranded Sri Lankans at U.S. airports and all Sri Lankan Missions were on alert and in touch with relevant U.S. authorities on this matter. She further clarified that Sri Lanka was not on the list of countries, whose nationals were banned from entering the United States. A media report said recently that 71 individuals from 20 countries, including Sri Lanka, were detained at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport following Trump's travel ban. According to the No Ban JFK, a coalition of volunteer attorneys camped out at JFK, those detained included travelers from Malaysia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, France, Algeria, Jordan, Qatar, Senegal, Switzerland, Algeria, Egypt and Guinea, which were not on the U.S. travel blacklist. Trump's travel ban, issued last week, has caused confusion at U.S. airports and sparked lawsuits. It bars incoming travelers from seven countries -Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya - for 90 days and blocks refugees from around the world for 120 days. SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed U.S. commitment here on Thursday to the defense of South Korea, including its extended deterrence. The Pentagon chief said the Trump administration will deal with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) nuclear threats as top priority among security issues. Mattis, who arrived here earlier in the day, met with Kim Kwan-jin, senior security advisor to impeached President Park Geun-hye, in the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. During the talks, Kim said it was very timely for Mattis to pick South Korea as his first overseas destination given the stern security situations, caused by the DPRK's nuclear and missile threats. Concerns were deepened recently about the DPRK's test-launch of a long-range ballistic rocket as top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year's Day address that his country had entered a final stage to prepare for such launch. Mattis and Kim agreed to push for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment in South Korea. Seoul and Washington abruptly announced the agreement in July last year to install one THAAD battery in South Korean soil by the end of this year. Local media speculated the installation could be completed between May and July. It sparked strong objections from China and Russia as its X-band radar can peer into territories of the two nations, destabilizing security balance and boosting arms race in the region. Major presidential contenders in the South Korean opposition bloc have demanded the cancellation or the delay of the decision to the next government, which is forecast to be launched as early as April. President Park was impeached in December over a corruption scandal, and the constitutional court is expected to permanently remove Park from office before the middle of March. A presidential election must be held in 60 days after the court's final ruling. The Pentagon chief and the senior South Korean security official shared views on the need to strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance, promising to closely communicate with each other to respond to the DPRK's rising threats. Mattis was expected to pay a courtesy call to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting South Korean president. The U.S. defense chief will also hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo on Friday morning in the South Korean defense ministry's headquarters in Seoul, before traveling to Japan for another two-day trip. Related: Pentagon chief arrives in S.Korea on 1st official overseas trip SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea on Thursday afternoon on his first overseas trip since he took office about two weeks earlier. Mattis first went to the headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in central Seoul, where he was briefed by USFK commander Vincent Brooks on security situations on the Korean Peninsula, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s possible launch of a long-range ballistic rocket, according to local media reports. Full story U.S. president-elect picks retired general James Mattis for secretary of defense WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) --- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has chosen retired Marine General James Mattis for secretary of defense. "We are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our secretary of defense. But we're not announcing it until Monday so don't tell anybody," Trump said at a rally in Cincinnati, kicking off his post-election "Thank You" tour. Full story Profile: Newly nominated U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Thursday nominated retired Marine Corps General James Mattis as his secretary of defense. NAY PYI TAW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar and Thailand signed three bilateral cooperation documents in Nay Pyi Taw Thursday, said the President's Office. The three documents, which comprise two memorandums of understanding (MoU) on fishery cooperation and development of emergency department at the Dawei General Hospital and one agreement on money transfer services, were signed shortly after Thai Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Somkid Jatusripitak arrived Nay Pyi Taw on a friendly visit. Of the documents signed, the money transfer services agreement was between the Myanmar Economic Bank and Krung Thai Bank of Thailand for Myanmar migrant workers in the Southeast Asian member nation. Before the signing , Somkid had met Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw and State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi and the two sides discussed on enhancement of bilateral cooperation in infrastructure and rural development and boosting border trade and tourism sector. The Thai Deputy Prime Minister arrived Myanmar on a four-day friendly visit earlier on Thursday. In June last year, Aung San Suu Kyi visited Thailand, during which three documents including a memorandum of understanding on labor cooperation, an agreement on cooperation in the employment of workers and a trans-boundary agreement were signed. MANDERA, Kenya, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- No police officers were killed after Somalia-based militant group Al-Shabaab attacked a police camp in northern Kenya's border region early Thursday, officials said. A regional government official David Mbevi said armed attackers took off with four bio-metric registration kits belonging to the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC), two police riffles and one from the Kenya police reservists (KPR) from the strong room. The Al-Shabaab terrorists who have claimed responsibility for the attack also cut off a mast belonging to mobile operator Safaricom before attacking the camp in Arabia, located 30 kms from Mandera town. Mbevi said a boy from a neighboring school was injured in the head during the incident at 1:30 a.m. while dismissing reports that police officers were killed. The boy, 15, who was then sleeping in a house near the camp, was injured by a stray bullet during fire exchange between the militants and police. Lafey Deputy County Commissioner Eric Oronyi said the incident left no officer injured as they were in their hideouts within the camp as they fought the militants. Oronyi said there were ten police officers at the time of the attack and all are alive. Mbevi said police had information on the attack and waited for the militants at strategic positions within the camp. "The gallant officers fought bravely and repulsed the attackers to neighboring Somalia whose number could not be ascertained by area security officials," he said. Telephone communication has been cut off from Arabia as the Safaricom mast was completely brought down by Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) planted within the mast area. The attack came barely a week after a deadly attack on Kenyan soldiers in Kulbiyow, southern Somalia, claimed nine Kenyan lives but Al-Shabaab indicated it was at least 67. Kenya has not formally released the toll. Security has been enhanced in the restive region which has been beset by increased terror attacks since Kenya crossed into southern Somalia to pursue the insurgents in 2011. RIYADH, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- One Saudi soldier was shot dead in border city of Jazan by Houthi militias fired from Yemeni territory, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The interior ministry confirmed that the attack took place on Wednesday morning, and the situation now was under control with the support of Saudi ground forces. The ministry didn't note if other personnel were injured in the attack. Heavy attacks are common in Saudi border with Yemen since the beginning of the Saudi-led war against Houthis in March 2015, killing many civilians. NAIROBI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will prioritize oil exploration in the third five-year Medium Term Plan (MTP) which runs from 2018 to 2022, an official said Thursday. Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Director General Julius Muia told Xinhua in Nairobi that the oil sector has been identified as a key sector that will drive Kenya's economy in the future. "We will prioritize investments into the oil exploration given that Kenya has so far discovered deposits that can be exploited commercially," Muia said on the sidelines of a business forum organized by the University of Nairobi. The East African nation discovered commercial deposits of oil in 2012 and so far at least 1 billion barrels of oil have been identified in Northern west Kenya. Kenya plans to begin exporting crude oil this year using road and rail transport to ferry the product to the port of Mombasa. He noted that the preparations of the third MTP that will guide the implementation of the National Development Blue print, Vision 203, are almost complete. The First and Second MTP prioritized infrastructure development given its role in catalyzing economic growth. Muia said that Kenya will also establish a regional commodities exchange as part of the third MTP. "The exchange will provide a platform for farmers and mineral producers in the region to sell their products directly to customers," he noted. The director general added that the exchange will take advantage of Kenya's position as a regional economic hub. ABUJA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian Army said Thursday its troops had cleared more camps of terror group Boko Haram in the country's northeastern state of Borno as part of the ongoing mop-up operations. A statement by Nigerian Army spokesman Sani Usman said the troops cleared three major camps of Boko Haram in three locations across the state on Wednesday. According to Usman, the Nigerian troops killed six terrorists and injured several others, while three Nigerian soldiers died in the operations. He noted the troops made an unprecedented recovery of arms and ammunition during the anti-terror operations, recovering, among others, rocket-propelled grenade tubes and bombs, an anti-aircraft gun barrel and nine AK-47 rifles. Nigeria has made a considerable gain on the Boko Haram front, with its security forces operating in the restive region dislodging the Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest, the group's largest training camp in the country, last month. The security forces are intensifying aerial and ground patrol in the country's northeast, extending their offensive mission around the Green Belt Region near Niger and Chad. Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced 2.3 million others since their insurgency started in 2009. by Xinhua writer Liu Chang BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- As James Mattis kicks off on Thursday his maiden visit to Asia as U.S. defense chief, what the new U.S. government is offering to the region seems to be a dangerous first-meeting gift. The hawkish former four-star general is also the first cabinet secretary of the Trump administration ever to make a foreign tour since the new president's inauguration earlier last month. That offers a clue to how strategically significant Asia-Pacific is to the new leader in Washington. Though it is still too early to judge the Trump White House's overall Asia policy, yet warning shots have been fired that the billionaire-turned-politician is likely to follow a playbook that has been tested ineffective and provocative. One day before Mattis departed for Seoul, he spoke with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo over the phone that the two sides are going to go ahead with the planned deployment of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense), a missile defense shield. Since the very beginning, Beijing has made it utterly clear that the installment of such a missile system poses a severe threat to its own security interests as the THAAD system has a 2,000-km-detection range in forward-based mode. Once the system is completed and starts to function, the United States would be able to peer deep into the Chinese and Russian territory conveniently. The two countries have promised concertedly that they will not sit idle and watch the missile system being installed at their doorstep. Though Washington and Seoul argue that the THAAD batteries are placed to counter a missile threat from the Democratic People' s Republic of Korea(DPRK), meeting an arms threat with a threat of arms is by no means to unravel the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula. On the contrary, such a move would further alienate Pyongyang, and encourage the country to be even more adventurous, building more bombs and testing more missiles, a prelude to destructive arms race in the region. Although Trump administration is threatening to renegotiate with Tehran over the two countries' historic nuclear deal, yet the agreement reached in July, 2015, still stands as a living proof that forging diplomatic concessions rather than cracking military power bears better hopes to fix a nuclear problem and maintain global nuclear non-proliferation regime. Shortly after U.S. Senate confirmed on Wednesday Rex Tillerson as the country's next secretary of state, Donald Trump vowed to take fresh look at the country's foreign policy. Well, if the U.S. leader truly means that, Asia-Pacific is perhaps the best experiment ground to test some new ideas that could foster genuine and inclusive peace and prosperity. Among other things, Washington needs to do a U-turn on its non-engagement policy on the Korean Peninsula issues. A more constructive approach to bring the DPRK back to the tables is for the United States to be communicative, not coercive. In the broader Asia-Pacific, as is suggested by some of Trump's closest advisors, the administration is going to pursue "peace through strength" by shifting more Navy ships to the region. The notion seems to be a militarized version of Obama administration's pivot-to-Asia strategy. If his team sticks to that assertive approach, the result could be counterproductive, if not calamitous. In the final analysis, in a world that has already ceased to be a your-gain-is-my-loss situation, seeking peace and benefits through cooperation, not confrontation is an inescapable path. U.S. Ambassador to China nominee Terry Branstad speaks during a news conference held after "Happy Chinese New Year Concert In Muscatine", in Muscatine, Iowa, the United States, Feb. 1, 2017. Terry Branstad said Wednesday that he would play a constructive role in enhancing China-U.S. relationship during a news conference held in Muscatine, Iowa. (Xinhua/Wang Ping) MUSCATINE, Iowa, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Ambassador to China nominee Terry Branstad said Wednesday that he would play a constructive role in enhancing China-U.S. relationship during a news conference held in Muscatine, Iowa. "I am very honored and very proud to have been chosen to be the ambassador to China," Branstad said in an interview with Xinhua. "We want to continue to enhance the relationship and to increase trade between our two countries." With China as the largest developing country while U.S. as the largest developed country in the world, if the two countries can further improve their relationship, continue to build friendship and trade, Branstad believed that can benefit the entire world. Branstad accepted U.S. President Donald Trump's nomination for the post of U.S. Ambassador to China in December 2016. He will continue to serve as the governor of Iowa before his nomination is confirmed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with confirmation hearings likely to be held in late February or early March. When asked about the potential challenges he may face in his new position, Branstad said the relationship between China and United States is critically important to both countries and the world as well. He said there were ups and downs in China- U.S.ties and many challenges remain today, but he will play a constructive role to work out many of the differences with his experience as a long-time friend of China. "I hope... that I can play a constructive role trying to work out many of these differences in a way that makes it a win-win. It is beneficial to both of our countries, and also benefits the rest of the world" , Branstad said. Branstad also said he would welcome more Chinese investment in the United States. "I think we have seen just the tip of the iceberg of the potential investments here," he said, "now we are seeing companies...that have been here for some time, doing business in America. And I think many more Chinese companies will want to do that." Branstad, 70, is the longest-serving governor in the Unite States, who also has long nurtured a close relationship with China and has visited China multiple times. He served as the governor of Iowa in 1983-1999, and again since 2011. JAKARTA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's trade ministry issued on Thursday a regulation to export nickel and bauxite for producers operating in the country, containing various degrees of limitations to export the two mining products out from Indonesia. With the new regulation, registered as Trade Minister Regulation No. 1/2017, Indonesia bans export on mining products formed in raw ores, allowing the trade ministry officers to take part in the checking process to assure the regulation is well-respected. "This regulation takes into effect since Feb. 1," Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, who signed the regulation mid last month, said in his office here. The new regulation requires maximum nickel content of 1.7 percent in the ore for export and a maximum volume of 30 percent from total production capacity of refinery ran by the nickel mining firm. Meanwhile for bauxite export, producers allowed in doing so were the ones whose smelter construction projects in the country are underway at present. The ministry requires them to undertake washing process prior to the export with minimum bauxite content in the ore for export is set at 42 percent. The regulation was issued after government's vow to revise the existing regulations on mineral mining sector in a bid to reduce the nation's export on raw mining materials. To address the aim, Indonesia has required foreign mining firms to set up smelter facilities to process the mineral ores into processed goods in Indonesia. Reports said that as of last year 22 nickel mining firms already set up their smelters in Indonesia. SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea here on Thursday, including its extended deterrence. The Pentagon chief said the Trump administration will deal with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear threats as top priority among security issues. Mattis, who arrived here earlier in the day, met with Kim Kwan-jin, senior security advisor to impeached President Park Geun-hye, in the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. During the talks, Kim said it was very timely for Mattis to pick South Korea as his first overseas trip destination given the stern security situations, caused by the DPRK's nuclear and missile threats. Concerns were deepened recently about the DPRK's test-launch of a long-range ballistic rocket as top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year's Day address that his country had entered a final stage to prepare for such launch. Mattis and Kim agreed to push for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment in South Korea. Seoul and Washington abruptly announced the agreement in July last year to install one THAAD battery in South Korean soil by the end of this year. Local media speculated the installation could be completed between May and July. It sparked strong objections from China and Russia as its X-band radar can peer into territories of the two nations, destabilizing security balance and boosting arms race in the region. Major presidential contenders in the South Korean opposition bloc have demanded the cancellation or the delay of the decision to the next government, which is forecast to be launched as early as April. President Park was impeached in December over a corruption scandal, and the constitutional court is expected to permanently remove Park from office before the middle of March. A presidential election must be held in 60 days after the court's final ruling. The Pentagon chief and the senior South Korean security official shared views on the need to strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance, promising to closely communicate with each other to respond to the DPRK's rising threats. Meanwhile, Mattis paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting South Korean president, according to local media reports. During the meeting, the U.S. defense minister said the two allies should go shoulder-to-shoulder in tackling the DPRK threats, promising to further strengthen their bilateral relations under situations that South Korea is facing the DPRK provocations. U.S. President Donald Trump, Mattis said, made it clear for him to place a priority on the U.S.-South Korea alliance. Hwang told Mattis that it was meaningful for Mattis to select South Korea as his first foreign trip destination, given the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and its future development. The prime minister recently emerged as one of powerful presidential hopefuls in the conservative bloc as former UN chief Ban Ki-moon abruptly pulled out of the presidential race on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by senior presidential secretary for security and foreign affairs, defense minister and the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on the South Korean side as well as the USFK commander and the acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea. Mattis will hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Min-koo on Friday morning in the South Korean defense ministry's headquarters in Seoul, before traveling to Japan for another two-day trip. Related: Pentagon chief arrives in S.Korea on 1st official overseas trip SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea on Thursday afternoon on his first overseas trip since he took office about two weeks earlier. Mattis first went to the headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in central Seoul, where he was briefed by USFK commander Vincent Brooks on security situations on the Korean Peninsula, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s possible launch of a long-range ballistic rocket, according to local media reports. Full story U.S. president-elect picks retired general James Mattis for secretary of defense WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) --- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has chosen retired Marine General James Mattis for secretary of defense. "We are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our secretary of defense. But we're not announcing it until Monday so don't tell anybody," Trump said at a rally in Cincinnati, kicking off his post-election "Thank You" tour. Full story Profile: Newly nominated U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Thursday nominated retired Marine Corps General James Mattis as his secretary of defense. HANOI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Thursday called for developing organic and smart farming with the involvement of private businesses and cooperatives, pledging to introduce to the world Vietnam's clean farm produce. Phuc made the remarks while addressing a launching ceremony of a high-tech agricultural fair in Vietnam's northern Ha Nam province, some 60 km south of capital Hanoi. The project, invested by Vietnam's private VinGroup at a cost of nearly 300 billion Vietnamese dong (13 million U.S. dollars) in over 180 hectares, included a large-scale model field and greenhouse area using Israeli technology and manufacturing facilities. Phuc described agriculture as an economic pillar of Vietnam and asked the central bank to increase the value of preferential credit package, from 60 trillion Vietnamese dong to 100 trillion Vietnamese dong (2.6-4.34 billion U.S. dollars), to high-tech agriculture firms. Meanwhile, it is required to develop labor forces to help expand markets, popularize trademarks and improve packaging, thus ensuring stable consumption, Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA quoted Phuc as saying. The PM also suggested further encouraging start-ups operating in agriculture and enhancing technology transfer. Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper. VIENTIANE, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Laos will strive to record a trade volume of 8.94 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Souphanh Keomixay said on Thursday. Laos would do its utmost to increase its export volume to 4.45 billion U.S. dollars and limit its import at 4.48 billion U.S. dollars, the minister was quoted by Lao news agency. The target of the Lao government also includes increasing the processing industry and handicraft production to 6.9 trillion Lao kip (some 844.7 million U.S. dollars). "To reach these targets, the government has to attach greater attention to the production sector, making sure products and goods meet international standards, especially in the fields of the agricultural processing industry and garment industry," said the minister. "We need to focus on 12 hydropower projects making sure that these projects are completed by the end of this year," said the minister. These power plants will have a combined installed generation capacity of 468.45 MW and will generate electricity at an average of about 1,872.92 GWh per year, according to the report. KHOST, Afghanistan, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Four members of Haqqani militant group were killed by an airstrike in Afghanistan's eastern province of Khost overnight, a local source said on Thursday. "A pilotless plane of the NATO-led coalition forces conducted a strike on a moving vehicle in Manji, a locality in Sabari district Wednesday night, killing four members of Haqqani network and destroying their vehicle," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The initial information confirmed the identity of the killed militants. They were namely Rezha Noor, Yousuf, Raifour and Mujeeb, the source added. Provincial police Chief Gen. Faizullah Ghairt has confirmed the strike in the district, northern of provincial capital Khost city, 150 km southeast of national capital of Kabul. As a Taliban-linked group of militants, the Haqqani network mostly operating in eastern provinces and Kabul, has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against security forces. The coalition forces have intensified drone attacks against the militants' hideouts and training centers when the Afghan security forces are engaged in major offensives against the Taliban and other militants across the mountainous country. The militant network, which was designated as terrorist group by the United States in 2012, has yet to make comments. MANILA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines and Russia are in talks to straighten ties in trade, energy, tourism and even in fighting crime, a government statement said on Thursday. The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry said talks are under way between Manila and Moscow to forge closer economic cooperation and strengthen trade and investment relations. In a statement to the media, the government said that Russia's Deputy Minister of Economic Development Alexander Tsybulskiy met last week Philippine Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo in Manila to map out the plan to hold the inaugural meeting of the Philippines-Russia Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation or JCTEC in Manila before President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to Russia in spring. "The meeting discussed various areas of cooperation, including trade and investments, agriculture, industry, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, transport, tourism, science and nuclear technology, labor and higher education," the statement read. Established in November 2015, the Philippines-Russia JCTEC is the primary bilateral mechanism for both countries to discuss ways to enhance trade, investments and economic cooperation. In 2015, Russia was the Philippines' 31st trading partner out of 223 countries and regions, the 44th export market out of 211 and the 27th import supplier out of 203. The top Philippine export product to Russia is carrageenan, seaweeds and other algae, while the top import of the Philippines from Russia is petroleum oil and oil obtained from bituminous minerals. Rodolfo said the Philippines is set to maximize opportunities in the Russian market as it becomes more globally integrated. Meantime, Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta said he met with Lt. Gen. Alexander Avdeyko, head of the Legal and Treaties Department of the Ministry of the Interior, in Moscow last Jan. 24 to discuss ways to combat the growing threat of transnational crimes, especially drug trafficking, terrorism, and human trafficking, among others. "The two officials acknowledged the necessity of consolidating efforts in combatting (these threats)," a government statement said. "The Philippines recognizes Russia as an important partner in advancing its national security goals, including in its fight against transnational crimes and other public safety public order issues," Sorreta said. He added, "For this reason we are keen on establishing institutional linkages (or legal framework between the the Philippines and Russia) to facilitate cooperation in this sphere." "The two officials agreed to speed up work on a draft legal framework in time for the visit of Duterte to Moscow slated in the first half of 2017. Both acknowledged the importance of security cooperation as a pillar of Philippine-Russia relations," the statement read. YANGON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Myanmar government-appointed Rakhine state advisory commission Kofi Annan said on Thursday that he was shocked by the news about the recent assassination case of U Ko Ni, prominent legal advisor of the ruling party. In his announcement, Annan expressed regret over the incident, saying that he feels distaste on such terrorist acts committed on a person who was working for the rule of law. No matter how disparities exist, there should be mutual dialogue with perseverance to go ahead, he believed, adding that terrorism cannot produce an answer. Annan called on the authorities to make prompt investigation to take action on the criminal case. U Ko Ni, legal advisor of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, was gunned down at the Yangon international Airport on Jan. 29 afternoon upon his arrival back from Indonesia. U Ko Ni was shot in the head at a close distance at the airport's taxi stand near arrival terminal-1. The gunman also killed a taxi driver who had tried to capture him before he was arrested by the police and bystanders. The government is continuing to make urgent investigation into the incident for further exposure of those behind the scene and security measures are being heightened. Myanmar Police Force has asked the public to provide information on anyone involved in Sunday's fatal shooting of U Ko Ni. The police force claimed that they had arrested the gunman, U Kyi Lin, 52 and has charged him in accordance with the law. The suspect is under interrogation. Meanwhile, the President's Office said in a press release Monday night that the initial interrogation indicates the intention to destabilize the state, requesting the public not to be stricken by panic and to stay quietly and peacefully to be careful of religious and racial incitement. JAKARTA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian national police on Thursday denied the country's peace keeping force's involvement in attempted weapon smuggling in Sudan last month, a police spokesman said here on Thursday. National police spokesman Inspector Gen. Boy Rafly Amar said the weapon seized in Al Fashir airport in Darfur did not belong to the Indonesian personnel. "The weapons are clearly not possessed by formed police unit," Rafly said at the police headquarters. Currently, a team giving legal aids to the unit has been cooperating with the government of Sudan to uncover the case, he added. The spokesman revealed that the weapons were allegedly owned by a group of people after they stole them. "The latest information is that the weapons are obtained from robbery," he said. A personnel from Indonesia grouped in the United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) were detained on Jan. 20 in Al Fashir airport in Darfur for accusation of smuggling weapons, according to media reports. Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said on Thursday that a joint investigation team has not found any evidence about the implication of the Indonesian personnel in the smuggling activity. The government would send home the personnel from Darfur, he said. RAMALLAH, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian foreign ministry urged Thursday the U.S. administration to promptly assume its role in catering the peace process between Palestine and Israel. The ministry said in an emailed press statement that it has called upon U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to declare the vision of the U.S. toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including its position regarding the two state solution and its means to fulfill it in cooperation with the regional, international and Arab partners. The statement highlighted that the Palestinian diplomats are closely following the U.S. reactions and positions, which are generally swinging between silence over daily Israeli violations and publicly declaring unconditional support to the Israeli government. The ministry described Netanyahu's political proposals as the results of "his own self-negotiating, away from the Palestinian peace partner, which must be rejected by the Administration of President Donald Trump." Netanyahu said last week that there are two main principles for negotiations with the Palestinians, as the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, and full Israeli security control of the areas between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea. He said that Israel cannot concede the two basis, pointing out the Israeli settlement activity is not the core of the conflict, according to the Israeli public radio. The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results. Passengers have their tickets checked at the Shijiazhuang railway station in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 2, 2017. China's transport system saw rising traffic Thursday as millions of people started to return to work on the last day of the week-long Lunar New Year Holiday. (Xinhua/Mu Yu) BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's railways will be tested Thursday, when passenger flows peak at the end of the Spring Festival holiday. Some 11.5 million trips, a year-on-year increase of 11.3 percent, will be made on the country's railways with travelers returning to work as the week-long Lunar New Year celebration draws to a close, according to China Railway. The company added 819 passenger trains Thursday to cope with increased demand. About 2.98 billion trips are expected to be made during the Spring Festival travel rush between Jan. 13 and Feb. 21, slightly up from a year ago, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. Spring Festival is the most important occasion for family reunions and fell on Jan. 28 this year. Chinese people enjoyed a week-long holiday starting Jan. 27. Chunyun, literally meaning "spring transport," was first coined as a phrase by the media in 1954 to describe heavy traffic around Spring Festival, according to China Railway archives. ISLAMABAD, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday that countries need to adopt policies that are not susceptible to be exploited by entities wishing to see cracks in the coalition against terrorism along religious lines. Nafees Zakaria made the remarks at the weekly briefing while being questioned on the new United States visa policy. U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban was criticized by the seven concerned states, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran, as well as governments of other countries. "It is every country's sovereign right to decide its immigration policy but such decisions are not without humanitarian and political dimensions that need to be looked at and considered in going forward," Nafees Zakaria said. The spokesperson emphasized the need that Pakistan looks forward to strengthening relations with the U.S. STOCKHOLM, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Scandinavian Airlines SAS looked to set up bases in London and Spain in a bid to cut staff costs and compete with budget airlines in the region, local media reported Thursday. It would be SAS' first hubs outside of Scandinavia, Swedish television reported. Eight SAS aircraft will be placed in London or Spain. They will be manned by locally-employed pilots and cabin staff, according to media reports. With such a plan, SAS said new operations would be in service a year later. SAS, the largest carrier in Scandinavia, is part-owned by Sweden, Norway and Denmark. It operates about 156 aircraft to 118 destinations, according to the company's latest financial result. Basing aircraft, and locally-employed pilots and cabin staff would lower labor costs, SAS chief executive Rickard Gustafson said in a statement. The new operations would be a complement to rather than a replacement of current operations, and the bulk of the production would still be in Scandinavia, he said. RABAT, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Morocco has strongly denounced Sunday's attack against a Saudi frigate west of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, the Moroccan foreign ministry said Thursday in a statement. According to Saudi Press Agency, Houthi militants attacked the Saudi warship with three suicide bombing boats, causing an explosion that killed two crew members and injured three others. While expressing deep condolences and compassion to the Saudi government and people, Morocco reaffirms its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support to Saudi efforts aiming at restoring legality in Yemen, the statement pointed out. Morocco called for the immediate cessation of these attacks that violate maritime law and impact negatively on humanitarian aid intended for the brotherly Yemeni people, the statement added. These attacks undermine international efforts aiming at reaching a political solution to the Yemen crisis, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, it stressed. Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a radical far-right political figure, was canceled Wednesday amid a violent protest at the University of California, Berkeley. The protest started at about 4 p.m. local time (0000 GMT Thursday) and lasted for hours into the night. While students tried to block the entrance to a building, where Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak at 8 p.m., a group of masked protesters, apparently from outside the public university, turned violent trying to break down barricades and throw fireworks toward the venue. Windows were smashed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building on the campus. Deeming Yiannopoulos as part of, arguably a spokesperson for, the so-called alt-right movement that allegedly prompted Donald Trump into the White House, protesters chanted "No Milo, No Trump, No fascist USA!" Yiannopoulos, 32, a Briton born in Greece, who was permanently banned by Twitter for abusive rhetoric, later posted on Facebook that he was evacuated from the campus after protesters breached the ground floor of the building. "My team and I are safe," he wrote. While all UC Berkeley buildings were on lockdown, police deployed helicopters and other resources and issued repeated orders for immediate dispersal of the crowd. After some 1,500 students turned away from the campus after 8 p.m., a group of about 200 people continued marching through Berkeley. Berkeley Police Department said up to four people were injured. Known for his extreme views on feminism, Islam, social justice and political correctness, Yiannopoulos, an editor for the conservative Breitbart website, has been criticized for being racist and misogynistic. Those who were against him at UC Berkeley argued that Yiannopoulos' hateful rhetoric has no place on a public university campus. Labelled by mainstream media as a "political provocateur," Yiannopoulos began touring U.S. universities last year. On Jan. 20, the same day Trump was inaugurated, he spoke at the University of Washington and sparked large protests. A 34-year-old was shot at the event by a 29-year-old supporter of Trump, Yiannopoulos and the National Rifle Association, and is still in intensive care suffering from life-threatening injuries at a hospital in Seattle. Steve Bannon, now chief strategist and senior adviser to Trump, is the former head of Breitbart. He has reportedly added two staffers from the news site to the White House staff. Bannon, a Trump campaign manager, has described the news site as the platform of the alt-right, or alternative right, a loose group of people with far-right ideology who reject mainstream conservatism in the United States. MANILA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday that he would soon issue an order that would authorize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help in the war against drugs. "I still have to write the executive order, but I have taken in the AFP and raised the issue of drugs as a national security threat, so that they can call (on) the armed forces to assist," Duterte said in a speech in Davao City. He promised on Thursday that there will be no let-up in his anti-drug campaign and threatened to "kill more" drug suspects. "I will kill more, if only to get rid of drugs," he said. Duterte has temporarily halted his drug war while he is cleansing the country's police force after earning criticisms from international human rights groups, ordering the military to help in the process. He said he would also strip the National Bureau of investigation the power to enforce his drug war. "I've lost my trust in you," he said. He has said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and military can go after the drug suspects for the time being. "In the meantime, there will be a purge inside Camp Crame," he said, referring to the main headquarters of the Philippine National Police. Duterte ordered the military on Tuesday to arrest rogue policemen, especially those who are allegedly in cahoots with drug lords, in the wake of reports that some policemen are using his anti-drug campaign to commit wrongdoings. Duterte gave the order in the wake of discovery that active policemen are involved in the kidnapping of a South Korean businessmen in October last year. The South Korean was eventually killed but the kidnappers demanded millions of pesos in cash from the victim's family. Duterte's defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday requested Duterte's office "to issue an official order regarding the presidential directive to serve as a legal basis for our troops to follow." "By the same token, the president's verbal directive to arrest 'scalawags cops' should also be covered by a formal order," Lorenzana said. Since Duterte took office in June last year, nearly 8,000 people, allegedly involved in drugs, have been killed in the campaign. Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj (L) and European Council President Donald Tusk attend a joint press conference after their meeting at EU Council in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 2, 2017. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) BRUSSELS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday vowed to close down the central Mediterranean migration route, which links Libya to Italy, to stem the inflow of illegal migrants. "Now it is time to close down the route from Libya to Italy," Tusk told a press conference after meeting with Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Serraj in Brussels. "I have spoken at length with Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni about it yesterday and I can assure you that it is within our reach," Tusk said. "What we need is the full determination to do that. We owe it first and foremost to those who suffer and risk their lives. But we also owe it to Italians and all Europeans," he added. He underlined that the bloc and Libya had a shared interest to reduce the number of irregular migrants risking their lives crossing the central Mediterranean. "This is not sustainable for Europe, nor for Libya, as the smugglers let people drown and undermine the authority of the Libyan state for their own profit," he said. How to mange the central Mediterranean route is the top agenda of EU's Valletta summit slated for Friday. Tusk said he would put forward at the summit "additional concrete and operational measures" to more effectively tackle human trafficking networks and stem the inflow of illegal migrants. The EU paid more attention to the central Mediterranean route after the figure of asylum seekers nosedived on the eastern Mediterranean route since a EU-Turkey deal took effect last year. Over 181,000 migrants and refugees, most of whom use Libya as a springboard, arrived to the EU in 2016 through the central Mediterranean route. As the deadliest route for migrants last year, the central Mediterranean route claimed the lives of 4,576 people, according to the International Organization for Migration. File photo shows Volunteers donate bloodin Abuja, capital of Nigeria, June 12, 2014. (Xinhua/Olatunji Obasa) LAGOS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government has said it would declare state of emergency on blood transfusion to attract free blood donation in the country. Peter Ezemede, Linkage Focal Person for the the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) disclosed Wednesday in southern city of Benin, the Edo State capital. Ezemede stressed the need for the declaration of state of emergency, saying it has become necessary as women giving birth, sickle cell anemia patients, accidents victims died because of unavailability of blood. He added that the high rate of pints of blood in hospital was making it affordable. He said there is urgent need for the center and Nigerians to discourage commercial blood donation. The focal person stressed that the commercial blood donors had made pints of blood very expensive at the hospital. According to him a pint of blood is sold for 2,000 Naira (about 6.5 U.S. dollars) at NBTS, while in the private hospital it is sold at a higher price. He called on the federal and state governments and well meaning Nigerians to give logistic support to the center to effectively carry out its educational awareness campaign. The blood banking system in Nigeria is still poorly developed as a number of centers depend on paid donors whose hematological and infectious status may not be determined often times prior to blood donations. KATHMANDU, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- More than 30 international and government experts from 10 countries have gathered in Nepal's capital to participate in two-day regional policy workshop on Adaptation Outlook for the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which kicked off on Thursday. The event hosted by International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in coordination with UN Environment Program and Norwegian organization GRID-Arendal will focus on mountain ecosystems and climate change adaptation. Experts from Nepal, China, India, Myanmar, Austria, Thailand, Norway, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are assessing the progress of past and current interventions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. The workshop is expected to build a foundation for a region-wide assessment of existing adaptation policies for different sectors, critical policy gaps and opportunities. Tina Schoolmeester, an expert from GRID-Arendal Norway said, "We need joint efforts to protect, maintain and manage natural resources of this region, which is just not possible by an effort of a single country." Making presentations on various possible chapters of the outlook, experts said that it is necessary to launch the outlook that will bring out adaptation strategies, policy gap analysis and priority areas for future action. Nand Kishor Agrawal, Program Coordinator of Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Program at ICIMOD said in his presentation, "The Adaptation Outlook will include vulnerability assessment, policy assessment, gap analysis and recommendations." The Hindu Kush Himalayan region extends 3,500 km over all or parts of eight countries. The most important region for South Asia and China, it is the source of ten large Asian river systems and provides water, ecosystem services, and the basis for livelihoods to a population of around 210.53 million people in the region. The basins of these rivers provide water to 1.3 billion people, a fifth of the world's population. At a time when the global temperature is rising owing to climate change, hills and mountains, particularly the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain system, have constituted places where adaptation, mitigation, and resilience are hallmarks of the people and the landscape. According to ICIMOD, the assessment will be completed by May 2017. It has been proposed to be launched at 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Germany in this November. SKOPJE, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said Wednesday that the party or coalition to be mandated to form a new government should be the one having majority in parliament, local media reported on Thursday. Ivanov made the announcement after several meetings with heads of main political parties on Wednesday. According to the president, Macedonia's Constitution stipulated that the certain party or coalition needs to prove that it has majority seats at the parliament first, then can it have the mandate to form a new government. Conservative VMRO-DPMNE party leader Nikola Gruevski was given the mandate on Jan. 9 to form a government as he won the majority of parliamentary seats in Dec. 11 elections, but he failed to reach agreement with ethnic Albanians during the 20-day period. Gruevski said the best way to get the country out of the political crisis would be fresh elections. On the other hand, opposition Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev asked the president to give him the mandate to form a new government. Neither the VMRO-DPMNE nor the Social Democrats can form a coalition government without the support of ethnic Albanians, who make up one third of Macedonia's population. KIEV, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The humanitarian situation in Avdeevka town, which has in the past few days seen fierce fighting between government troops and pro-independence insurgents, has slightly improved, Ukrainian authorities said Thursday. Water and heating in the town were partially restored following a three-day interruption, said the State Service for Emergencies. The work to restore electricity is still under way, the agency said. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said a special operation has started to clear mines and unexploded ordnance in Avdeevka. In recent days, the government-controlled Avdeevka on the outskirts of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk has seen fierce battles, which put the town on the brink of humanitarian crisis. Shelling has damaged more than 70 private houses and a number of public infrastructure facilities, leaving the residents of the town without heating, electricity and water amid winter temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius. The situation in eastern Ukraine has worsened during the weekend, with international monitors reporting a significant increase in cease-fire violations and widespread use of multiple-launch-rocket systems, which are prohibited under the Minsk peace agreement. The warring sides blamed each other for the escalation of fighting in a conflict that has claimed some 10,000 lives since April 2014. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote "Brexit speech" in Lancaster House in London, Britain on Jan. 17, 2017.(Xinhua) LONDON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Politicians in House of Commons gave overwhelming backing on Wednesday night to a parliamentary bill, paving the way for Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger the Article 50 mechanism for Britain to leave the European Union. The vote 498 against 114 gave the government a clear and comfortable majority of 384. It came after two days of intensive debating when around 180 members of parliament (MPs) spoke for and against the measure. The vote was the most critical in a process that will lead to more detailed discussions before peers in the House of Lords vote, ahead of Queen Elizabeth II giving the bill her Royal assent. Passionate speeches by a number of big-name politicians dominated the debate in the historic chamber of the Commons before Speaker John Bercow ordered votes. The debate was called after the Supreme Court ruled last month that parliament, rather than May's government, had to vote on triggering Article 50, the mechanism for any country wanting to leave the EU. An amendment put forward by the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) that would have paved the way for Britain to remain in the European single market was defeated. The final speaker in the debate, government minister David Jones, urging MPs to "trust the people" and saying the government was clear that the referendum outcome would apply to the whole of Britain. He said the British government insists it will work with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. And in a message to the people of Europe, he said: "You will still be welcome in our country, as we trust our citizens will still be welcome in yours." Earlier, former Labor leader Ed Miliband described the event as "clearly a fateful moment in the country's history". He said in the debate: "I did not want the referendum. I believed that, with the many other problems the country faced, the referendum would become as much about the state of the country as about Britain's place in Europe. Indeed, I believe that that is, in part, what happened. However, that is water under the bridge." Miliband described as a terrible irony that with the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, Britain's European co-operation is clearly needed more than ever. He added: "History will judge us not just on the decisions we make on this bill tonight, but on the decisions beyond. The government have a heavy responsibility, and we expect them to exercise it on behalf of the whole nation, not just the 52 percent (who voted leave in the June referendum). For that we will hold them to account in the months and years ahead." Former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne warned MPs that to vote against the majority verdict of the largest democratic exercise in British history would risk putting parliament against people, provoking a deep constitutional crisis. He said although he campaigned for remain, he would vote for the Article 50 bill. Osborne said the government had chosen not to make the economy the priority, but had prioritized immigration control, which was a clear message from the referendum campaign. WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- One hostage was found dead and another rescued as police stormed into a Delaware state prison Thursday morning, ending a day-long standoff, said the Department of Corrections. One hostage, a prison employee, was found unresponsive and pronounced dead early Thursday morning in the Level 5 James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, according to a statement from the department. The rescued hostage is being examined at a local hospital. A total of five employees were taken hostage by inmates on Wednesday morning. One of them was released with no life-threatening injuries hours later, said the statement. Overnight, two other employees and dozens of inmates were also released from the building as FBI and Delaware state police negotiated with the hostage-takers. The Department of Corrections Response Teams and the Delaware state police are continuing to investigate the situation at the prison, but the building has been secured, said the Delawareonline. ABUJA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has inaugurated a committee to implement the national cyber security strategy, a move targeted at ensuring an effective management of cyber threats, according to an official statement made available to Xinhua on Thursday. The objective of the committee includes raising awareness among the Nigerian citizens on the need to protect against cyber threats, the use of encryption and human and institutional capacity building, among others, said the statement issued by Isa Patanmi, director-general of the National Informational Technology Development Agency (NITDA). "There are numerous ills in the society arising from the misuse and abuse of access to the tools of Information Technology," the statement noted while explaining the scale and dimension of these threats had compelled the government to develop and implement a new cybersecurity strategy for the country. The committee, also expected to coordinate, cooperate by way of sharing information and maintaining a better and up-to-date IT security management systems, was drawn from Nigeria's Ministry of Communications; the Office of the National Security Adviser; NITDA, Nigerian Postal Service; Nigerian Computer Society and the Nigerian Communication Satellite, among others. Out of about 97 million internet users in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, about 14 percent suffer cyber attacks, the statement said, adding the statistics of cyber crimes had necessitated the setting up of the committee. Nigeria ranked as the 17th most attacked nation in the world in December 2015, based on threat intelligence drawn from Check Point Software Technologies, according to global payment giant, Paypal.com. Government websites, also, have often been reportedly hacked as cyber security threats continue to grow in the West African nation. A total of 585 government-owned websites were among the 2,175 Nigerian websites hacked in 2015, the Office of the National Security Adviser said recently. ALGIERS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Algerian army on late Wednesday killed three drug trafficker-terrorists in an ambush in the southernmost locality of Illizi, near the border with Libya, said a statement of the Defense Ministry on Thursday. The troops retrieved weapons, ammunition and a large quantity of cannabis, added the source. This operation is part of counterterrorism efforts of the Algerian army troops deployed on the border with Libya. The troops exploited accurate information about the existence of a terrorist group, as they set an ambush and clashed with three armed men, specified the source. ALGIERS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Thursday summoned the electorate ahead of the parliamentary election due May 4, 2017, APS news agency reported. Citing a statement from the president's office, the report said that Bouteflika signed a decree on Thursday to summon the electorate "in accordance with provisions of Article 91-6 of the Constitution, and in line with relevant provisions of the organic law No.10-16 on the electoral system." Algeria is to hold local and legislative elections in May and November, respectively. The two ruling parties, the National Liberation Front and the National Democratic Rally confirmed their participation, said their objective is to safeguard their majority in local assemblies and the two houses of parliament. Other opposition parties, including the Islamist Movement of Society for Peace, or the leftist parties, also decided to participate. PARIS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- French conservative contender Francois Fillon, the front-runner for the Elysee Palace until last week, has lost steam following a scandal of paying his wife and children hefty salaries for fake jobs. An Elabe poll released Wednesday showed that Fillon is trailing behind the far-right leader Marine Le Pen and independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron. For the first round of the presidential election scheduled for April 23, Fillon is expected to collect 20 percent of the vote, down by six points from a previous survey, according to the Elabe poll. In a further blow to the center-right nominee, more than three quarters of French voters were not convinced by his defense over the scandal, according to a separate survey. Le Canard Enchaine, a French satirical weekly, reported last week that Fillon had paid his wife and two of his five children about 1 million euros (1.08 million U.S. dollars) for the work as parliamentary assistants that they didn't do. "The damage to his image is real and indisputable. He had made honesty the cornerstone of his political personality and his presidential campaign," said Thierry Arnaud, a political analyst at BFMTV news channel. With a preliminary inquiry gathering pace and the election approaching, some wonder whether the conservatives need a "Plan B" without Fillon. Conservative Senator Alain Houpert believed that Fillon had to drop his candidacy. "We must not leave the future of the country suspended to a court decision. We fear if this affair continues to splatter the party, its candidate risks losing," he told Public Senat Television. Georges Fenech, a right-wing lawmaker, also called on Fillon to step down. "I'm speaking aloud about what many lawmakers think with a low voice," Fenech said. Projecting himself as an honest and morally irreproachable contender, Fillon secured a landslide victory over Alain Juppe in the right-wing primary in November 2016. Fillon's scandal has put the conservatives into a dilemma as they will either continue to have an unpopular candidate or they'll have to install a new one less than three months before the election. However, for the embattled Fillon, the option of stepping down is not on the table. "There's one thing I can say, I will fight them (allegations) to the end, I will be a candidate for this presidential election," Fillon told entrepreneurs in Paris. He also asked conservative lawmakers to show solidarity and hold on for 15 days until financial investigators unveil the outcome of the preliminary inquiry into the fake-job allegations. Under French law, it's legal for lawmakers to hire family members as assistants, but it's illegal to pay them for fictitious jobs. HANGZHOU, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Five people were found dead after a residential building collapsed in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said Thursday night. Part of a five-storey residential building in Dahui village of Wencheng County collapsed at about 8 a.m. Thursday, burying nine people from two families. Rescuers located an old woman in the debris and were striving to getting her out of the collapsed building. The 63-year-old woman made a phone call to her family under the rubble at 7 p.m.. "Judging from her voice, she is badly injured," said a rescuer. Hundreds of paramilitary officers, fire fighters, township officials and medical workers are carrying out rescue operation. "The scene is quite chaotic, as if the place was leveled by an earthquake," a rescuer told Xinhua by telephone. "We have to work very carefully because the wreckages of the ruined building are joined to homes still standing." One of the adjacent homes, he said, was already damaged with a big hole in its outer wall. EU flag and a poster of the summit are seen a day before the EU informal summit on the street of Valletta, capital of Malta, Feb. 2, 2017. (Xinhua/Jin Yu) VALLETTA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- As the EU informal summit in Malta is to be held on Friday, a senior researcher at The Hague Institute for Global Justice has described the summit as "a moment of truth" for the EU27 bloc. "The current challenges urge the EU to clearly define what kind of global actor it wishes to be, what values it stands for, and how it can defend its interests. The capacities are there, and perhaps now that political will follows as a necessity," said Joris Larik. The EU experienced a tumultuous year of 2016 dominated by terror attacks, migrant crisis and Brexit vote outcome, and began to face new challenges in the first month of 2017 amid new U.S. administration's unprecedented open hostility towards the European integration. U.S. President Donald Trump openly encouraged the withdrawal of a EU member state and sowed disunity among the remaining ones, which represents a complete U-turn in U.S. policy towards Europe from the last 70 years, said Larik. He referred to Trump's pronouncements that the UK was "so smart in getting out" and "other countries would leave." The U.S. president also called the EU "basically a vehicle for Germany." "Its open hostility thus far towards the EU and European integration in general is unprecedented," commented Larik. The Malta Summit is the first meeting of leaders of all 28 EU member states since Donald Trump started a new U.S. administration marked by radical break with the past. In a letter to the 27 heads of state or government released three days ahead of the Malta summit, President of the European Council Donald Tusk branded Trump's "worrying declarations" as an external threat, which, along with other factors, "make our future highly unpredictable." But such external threats are not the only concerns for the EU, while it is also being plagued by some internal ones. Tusk mentioned in his letter "the rise in anti-EU, nationalist, increasingly xenophobic sentiment in the EU itself" and "decline of faith in political integration, submission to populist arguments and doubt in the fundamental values of liberal democracy." Two weeks ago, European far-right leaders, met in Koblenz, Germany. Those leaders, including France's National Front leader Marine Le Pen, Germany's anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Frauke Petry, Netherlands' anti-Islam Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders and Matteo Salvini of Italy's anti-EU Northern League, jointly sought to present a common front in a year of high-stakes elections. Moreover, they have all expressed admiration for the new U.S. President Donald Trump. Tusk concluded his letter with "we should remind our American friends of their own motto: United we stand, divided we fall." But will the EU show "European pride" as Tusk has summoned remains a question, as it is still grappling with its own thorny issues, such as migrant crisis. The flow of refugees to Italy from the Libyan coast has become the main concern for the EU after a EU-Turkish deal reached last year has slashed the numbers arriving in Greece via Turkey. At the debate on the U.S. travel restrictions at the European Parliament's mini-plenary session in Brussels on Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the EU "certainly disagrees with" the executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump. "No one can be deprived of his or her own rights because of the place of birth, their religion or their ethnicity," said Mogherini. Apparently, the EU policy on refugees is quite different from Trump's drastic ban on refugees and all travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries. "Each approach comes with its own political, economic and human costs. The challenge for European policymakers will be to develop an approach that espouses values central to the European Union, such as respect for international law, human rights, and openness. At the same time, the EU must make sure not to threaten its own cohesion with half-baked governance models, which cause public frustration, embolden populist, xenophobic movements, and put certain Member States under disproportionate pressure," analyzed Larik. "If the EU can manage that, it can really distinguish itself as a capable and morally sound actor on the international stage. If not, not only the EU's international reputation, but its very viability are at stake," he added. As to another imminent problem of the EU, Brexit, the researcher called for a united front within the EU. "As the British government is pushing ahead with Brexit, it will be important for the EU27 to maintain a united front," said Larik. "A crucial part of this will be a firm expression of their confidence in the EU's principal Brexit negotiators. In addition, regarding the UK's attempts at ingratiating itself with certain third countries, the EU27 will have to show confidence in themselves, including in the economic weight of the internal market. As the English say: Keep calm and carry on," Larik said. Tusk's letter is not a policy paper and the EU leaders are not required to follow his advice when they meet in Valletta. But the expert believes that a clear stance is good to the bloc. "Muddling through is certainly not an option anymore. In that sense, the summit and the next months are a 'moment of truth' for the EU. Either it is able to show the new U.S. administration that it is a force to be reckoned with, or it risks being torn apart by the many centrifugal forces tearing at what keeps it together," he said. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (R) speaks during the EU Delegation press conference of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 4, 2016. (Xinhua/Li He) BRUSSELS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A senior EU politician said recently that China represents an external threat to Europe, an accusation which is groundless as well as outrageous. As a matter of fact, China's development provides an enormous opportunity for Europe and both sides benefit from strong and stable bilateral ties. The European Union is China's biggest trading partner, and China is the EU's second biggest, following a dramatic increase in trade in recent years. Data from Chinese customs show that bilateral trade reached 2.94 trillion yuan (423.34 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 10 months of 2016, reaching a new high, and overcoming the global trade downturn. China's rapid economic growth has served as an opportunity for the European Union's own growth. With a fragile economy, the rising threat of protectionism and uncertainty in relations with other major world powers, Europe can benefit significantly from strong trade relations with China. China and Europe should also work closer together in global governance issues, with climate change as a primary example. China and the EU played key roles as brokers of the COP21 Climate Agreement in Paris, and were urged to work even more closely for COP22 in Marrakech. With the Paris Agreement having entered into force, China and the EU will need to trust each other more than ever to help ensure that these critical measures are being implemented fully and correctly. Global security is also a core principle of China-EU relations, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for a community of shared future, and China showing its commitment to this vision through its involvement in the Iran nuclear talks, mediation for national reconciliation in South Sudan, and the facilitation of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, among others. In all global issues, China is a partner to the European Union, a sign of the friendship and mutual trust built over the 42 years since diplomatic relations were formally established in 1975. Strong bilateral ties need these twin guarantees to ensure that different political systems and different cultures can still find common ground. International relations are not a zero-sum game, as China has repeatedly shown in its partnerships with Europe. Through strong bilateral ties, China seeks a relationship with the European Union that promotes win-win development and mutually benefiting cooperation. Senior European politicians should be cautious about the statements they make, and safeguard the long-term and steady development of China-EU relations. Biased views will do no good for such development. WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- One hostage was found dead and another rescued as police stormed into a Delaware state prison Thursday morning, ending a day-long standoff, said the Department of Corrections. One hostage, a prison employee, was found unresponsive and pronounced dead early Thursday morning in the Level 5 James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, according to a statement from the department. The rescued hostage is being examined at a local hospital. The incident began around 10:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) Wednesday when a guard radioed for immediate assistance from inside the building. A total of five employees were taken hostage by inmates. One of them was released with no life-threatening injuries hours later, said the statement. Overnight, two other employees and dozens of inmates were also released from the building as FBI and Delaware state police negotiated with the hostage-takers. The Department of Corrections Response Teams and the Delaware state police are continuing to investigate the situation at the prison, but the building has been secured, said the Delawareonline. One inmate who claimed himself as a hostage made phone calls to The News Journal on Wednesday afternoon, saying the hostage-takers' grievances included newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump. "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse," the inmate said in the call. The caller also said that education for prisoners was the inmates' priority, along with effective rehabilitation and information about how money is allocated to prisons, according to the News Journal report. Delaware Governor John Carney said in a statement Thursday that the authorities were now focusing on learning what happened and how this happened, vowing to make whatever changes necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. All Level 5 Delaware prisons, the state's maximum security facilities, were placed on lockdown on Wednesday following the standoff, though a Corrections Department spokeswoman said it is an isolated incident with no threat to the public. Opened in 1971, the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center has been Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, housing about 2,500 minimum, medium and maximum security prisoners as well as the state's death row inmates. It also housed facilities for executions, said the State Bureau of Prisons. TEHRAN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister on Thursday dismissed a U.S. security official's remarks about Iran's recent missile test as "baseless," official IRNA news agency reported. Michael Flynn, national security advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, said Wednesday that Iran's recent ballistic missile launch is in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. "Iran's missile test does not contradict the UN Security Council Resolution 2231," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying. The remarks by Flynn are "baseless and provocative," Qasemi said, adding that "none of the Iranian missiles has been designed for delivering nuclear weapons." Resolution 2231, adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Iran's defense minister on Thursday called the recent Iranian ballistic missile test "successful." BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese regulator has urged local tourism authorities and travel agencies to step up safety checks at major tourist spots after a boat accident in waters off the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah. In an emergency notice, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) demanded safety inspections at popular tourist attractions and recreation facilities that are most prone to accidents. Ice-snow, coastal tourism and passenger transport are among the key areas that need strengthened safety inspections, according to the CNTA. The notice came after a catamaran carrying over two dozen Chinese tourists and three crew went down in turbulent waters while heading for the popular island of Mengalum on Saturday. Twenty-two people have been rescued, but three Chinese tourists have been confirmed dead. A further five Chinese tourists and a crew member are still missing. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" an attack against a United Nations monitoring team near the Nigeria-Cameroon border on Jan. 31. "The members of the Security Council called on the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon to swiftly investigate these attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice," the 15-nation UN body said in a press statement issued here. An unknown armed group attacked the UN team at about 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday, with one UN independent contractor, three Nigerians nationals and one Cameroonian national being killed and others injured. The council members expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of victims, as well as to the government of Nigeria and the government of Cameroon, and to the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, the statement said. "They paid tribute to the UN employees who risk their lives." "The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," the statement said. "The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice." "The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed," the statement said. "They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts." The members of the Security Council also stressed the importance that Cameroon and Nigeria take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and staff operating in their territories. WINDHOEK, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's agriculture minister John Mutorwa said Thursday that there is need for a regionally coordinated approach to curb the outbreak of army worms. There are currently outbreaks of army worm, bollworm and stalk borers in the entire northern region of Namibia as well as in Kavango and the Zambezi regions. The first outbreaks were reported at one of Namibia's biggest green schemes, Etunda in Omusati region last year in July. It spread to another green scheme project, Musese, in the Kavango and then the Zambezi region. The two green schemes are run by the Agricultural Business Development Agency (AgriBusDev) and supply green produce that is used mostly for drought relief. Julia Nambili, a chief agronomist with AgriBusDev, told the media late Jan. 2017 that the outbreaks could lose 23 million Namibia dollars (1.7 million U.S. dollars) this season. Addressing his staff to mark the new year in Windhoek, Mutorwa said the current outbreak is most serious compared to the one the country experienced in 2014. Mutorwa also said Namibia cannot now deal with the problem alone and needs other affected countries in the region to coordinate the approach. "It is important that the SADC voice should be heard since the worms have invaded a number of other countries," he said, hinting that Namibia could declare an emergency if the problem persists. HELSINKI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The consequences of the U.S. president proposed "border tax" would not only be harmful for the world economy, but also hit the U.S. economy itself, Finnish Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkanen said on Thursday. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump pressured Ford, General Motors, Toyota and other companies to bring factories back to the United States, threatening to impose a "big border tax" on them if they shift production to Mexico. "Make in U.S.A. or pay big border tax," Trump wrote in a tweet last month. Mykkanen told Lannen Media, a joint national newsroom of Finnish regional media, that the proposed "border tax" would be a major obstacle for the Finnish forest industry to export goods to North America. He added that consequences of the proposal would have a strong impact on the vitality of the Finnish production, as Finland strongly depends on the U.S. market. The Finnish economy would always be affected if something happens in the forest industry, which is the Nordic country's pillar industry, noted Mykkanen. He also stressed that the economic shock in Europe would damage the U.S. economy itself. Mykkanen said anything that prevents U.S. companies from using global products or best international expertise would hit the U.S. economy hard too. "Free movement of people and goods has been a cornerstone of the strong position of the U.S.," he emphasized. Currently, the EU and Japan are in the final stages of negotiations on a free trade agreement. Mykkanen suggested that the EU should process the free trade agreements further with China and India. He claimed that the Trump administration and the EU would have a confrontation in the World Trade Organization (WTO), if Trump undertakes the political threat of border tax, which would be contrary to the rules of WTO. The consequences of the "border tax" for the global economy would be difficult to predict, warned Mykkanen. NAIROBI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Thursday urged Kenya's civil society to play a role in ensuring that the August general elections are peaceful. UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee told a civil society forum in Nairobi that the country's civil society has won admiration among peers in many places on the African continent and beyond. "As a result, I am sure that civil society will partner with stakeholders to ensure that the August polls will be peaceful, free and fair," Chatterjee said during the Second National Summit of Public Benefit Organizations Leaders. The day-long event brought over 300 participants drawn from various civil society organizations to deliberate on the policy environment governing civil society organizations. The UN agency has also reiterated its commitment to provide technical and financial support to assist Kenya in conducting peaceful elections. Chatterjee said the civil society played an instrumental role in ensuring Kenya developed and implemented a progressive constitution in 2010. He noted that the civil society is already conducting civic education to residents in far flung areas so as to strengthen citizenship participation in the upcoming elections. The UN official observed that the civil society is also playing a role in mobilizing eligible citizens to register as voters. He urged the civil society to remain an impartial partner in the elections and ensure that elections outcomes reflect the will of the people. The resident coordinator noted that it is not uncommon for relations between government and civil society to experience challenges. "What is critical is that both parties pursue the best interests of citizens so that their living standards are improved," Chatterjee noted. Enditem NEW DELHI, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,000 volunteers Thursday joined in coastguard personnel and local authorities to clean up a huge oil spill in the sea in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The volunteers including local fishermen and engineering students queued to assist the official workers to take out thick sludge from the beach in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. The volunteers were seen passing on sludge filled buckets to one another in a bid to clear the sea water of the oil spill. Officials said workers switched over the manual cleaning after machines at the beach proved useless. "The machines were pumping out water rather than the sludge that has accumulated on the surface of sea water," an official said. "So we are manually cleaning the sea using our hands." Tons of oil spilled into the sea last week when two cargo ships collided off the coast of Chennai near the Kamarajar Port. Media reports said around 70 tons of oil have spilled into the sea, out of which around 50 have been removed. The clean-up operation is going on for the past three days and according to India's Coast Guard officials around 15 tons of oil and sludge have been collected. "The Coast Guard coordinated with all stake holders and resource agencies including state pollution control board, district administration and other non-governmental organizations to expedite the oil slick clean-up due to collision," a statement issued by the Coast Guard said. The Coast Guard helicopters are conducting regular sorties to monitor the areas affected with the spill. Reports said the spill has triggered environmental concerns as it has resulted in death of turtles and fishes along the polluted parts of coastline from Kamarajar Port stretching up to several miles. At Marina beach volunteers were seen lifting oiled sand with their hands, without using any protective gear, and collecting them in buckets and bags. The oil slick floating on the water has prevented fishermen from going out into sea and get their daily catch. DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Thursday expressed concern over the slow pace of the east African nation's courts in dealing with tax evasion cases. Speaking at celebrations to mark Law Day in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, President Magufuli said: "I am not happy with the slow prosecution of cases concerning tax evasion." The President ordered the courts and other relevant stakeholders to iron out hurdles that were slowing down the prosecution of tax evasion cases. Since he came to power in November 2015, President Magufuli vowed to boost government revenue collection and enhance provision of services such as health, education and water. "Non-collection of taxes was slowing down efforts aimed at improving the country's development," said Magufuli. He said between 2005 and 2016 big companies owe the government taxes to the tune of 3.5 billion U.S. dollars despite winning all cases in courts of law. "It is impossible to see an investor mining our minerals without paying taxes despite the fact that the court has ordered the investor to pay due taxes," said Magufuli. However, he paid tribute to the judiciary for reforms it was undergoing, saying the reforms will ease delivery of justice. He directed the Director of Public Prosecution, the Attorney Chamber's Office, the police, the Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau and the judiciary to work closely to avoid conflicts in the course of delivering justice. TAIPEI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The current Taiwan administration led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) must actively improve ties with the mainland so that it can rejuvenate its economy, scholars said Thursday. "Mainland-Taiwan ties have been frozen since DPP chair Tsai Ing-wen assumed office, and her slogan 'maintaining the status quo' has proven to be just a tool for drawing votes," said Hsieh Ming-hui, chief executive officer of the Taiwan Competitiveness Forum (TCF), a major Taiwan think tank. Speaking at a meeting organized by the TCF on future cross-Strait ties, Hsieh said that if the administration still refused to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus that stresses the one-China principle, the cross-Strait ties would hardly progress due to lack of a common political foundation. He called on the DPP to place the interests of Taiwan ahead of the interests of the party so Taiwan could boost its competitiveness. He also mentioned that the authorities were stubborn in promoting pension reform and a fixed workday system, which resulted in not effectiveness but controversy and protest. A recent poll released by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation showed that Tsai's support rate had dropped to 33.8 percent, with more than 54 percent of people disagreeing with her administration. "The pension and workday system adjustment are only internal reforms which can not boost Taiwan's exports," said Pang Chien-kuo, a mainland studies professor. "If the DPP insists on its way, the Taiwan economy will become more alienated." "The Taiwan administration should show more wisdom and make the right choices that are responsible for the people," Pang added. Jessica Wang, a convenor of the forum, said the mainland tourists to Taiwan had declined remarkably as the cross-Strait ties reached an impasse -- a heavy blow to the island's tourism and agriculture industries. "The situation also makes many Taiwanese entrepreneurs doing business on the mainland feel a 'sense of uncertainty,' and they are calling for the administration to help create a more stable and peaceful cross-Strait relations," she said. ARUSHA, Tanzania, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania has embarked on a new project geared to replenish the dwindling fish stock in Lake Tanganyika -- the world's second deepest freshwater body, officials said Thursday. Aquaculture experts have already landed on the lake shores in western Tanzania's district of Kalambo where they are planning to establish fish fingerling ponds. Medadi Hosea, Tanzania's fisheries officer on the shores of Lake Tanganyika said that the move is meant to restore the lost glory of fish stock in the lake which has more than 200 fish species. The official said that the project came after discovering that fish stock in the lake has declined in the lake, which is being shared by Tanzania, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. "This situation is bad. Some of the fishermen have abandoned fishing gears and ventured into other economic activities as fish has plummeted in number," said Hosea. Julith Binyura, Kalambo district Commissioner said that 60 percent of population along Lake Tanganyika shores depends on fishing for their livelihood. "That's why the government is putting much of its efforts in addressing the shocking situation." Frank Schalos, Kalambo District's Administrative Secretary also called upon the youth to establish groups of entrepreneurship so that government can provide loans through the groups as it cannot lend money to individuals. A new study finds that a decrease in fishery production in one of the largest freshwater lakes on Earth is a consequence of human-caused climate change rather than just overfishing. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used sediment cores from the bottom of Lake Tanganyika in southeast Africa to create a 1,500-year record of temperature in the lake, as well as a record of animal fossil abundances over time. The study found that as the temperature in the lake increased -- with a substantial spike in the industrial period of the last 150 years -- the abundance of fossil fish, mollusks, and other organisms decreased. The decline in fish fossils began well before commercial fishing in the lake intensified in the mid-20th century, suggesting climate change is playing a substantial role in the lake's decreased production. The findings suggest that the effects of climate-related ecological change should be taken into account when determining catch limits and other sustainable management measures. The study also raises concern about how other tropical freshwater lakes might be affected by warming climate. Lake Tanganyika is the largest and oldest rift lake in Africa and one of the largest lakes on Earth. At about 700 km long, 50 km wide and 1.5 km deep, it contains roughly 15 percent of all of the fresh water at the Earth's surface. It is also one of the most biologically diverse lakes on Earth. It holds over 300 species of fish, many of which are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, as well as hundreds of endemic species of snails, shrimp, crabs and other crustaceans. WARSAW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Visegrad Group (V4) countries agree on all the key issues regarding the enhanced European defense and NATO as a guarantee of peace and security, Polish Minister of National Defense, Antoni Macierewicz said on Thursday. The defense ministers meeting of the V4, namely Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Poland, was held in Niepolomice, southern Poland. According to Polish Press Agency, the V4 ministers discussed also the V4 EU Battle group, which is to begin next duty in 2019, its structure and activities. Czech Republic Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky stated that the V4 should play a stabilization role in the region, while Hungary Deputy Defense Minister Tamas Vargha declared that Hungary would always protect the EU borders. In a joint declaration, the ministers also referred to the migration problem, necessity of implementation of Warsaw NATO Summit resolutions and further support for the Common European Policy on Security and Defense. NAIROBI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan police said on Thursday that security has been beefed up along the border with Somalia after Al-Shabaab militants raided a police camp in Mandera County and escaped with a vehicle. Police spokesman George Kinoti said several security officers are still combing the vast Mandera region to flush out more than 100 Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked Arabia police camp early Thursday. "We wish to inform that all officers are safe and have been accounted for. Security has been beefed up after dispatching a contingent of security officers who are still combing the area with a view to subduing the criminals and recovering the stolen government property," Kinoti said in a statement issued in Nairobi. He said the dawn attack saw police officers manning the camp respond and a fierce gun fighting ensued leaving a number of terrorists with serious injuries. In the course of the fighting, Kinoti said, the attackers who outnumbered the police officers managed to destroy the nearby Safaricom communication mast in a bid to cut off rapid reinforcement. "Our gallant officers fought bravely after tactful retreating from the camp. The terrorists managed to escape with one Land Cruiser which they used to carry their injured colleagues," Kinoti said. "We urge members of the public to report any person with suspicious injuries, any suspicious persons or activities to any nearest police station, security agency or through our toll free lines," he added. Kenya continues to suffer several attacks as terrorists change tuck to beat heightened security and carry on with their heinous acts undetected. Most of these attacks occurred in northeastern Kenya, mainly in Dadaab, Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties as well as in the coastal regions. The government said the security agencies are gradually dismantling terrorists and vowed to purge these criminals roaming in the country. Al-Shabaab militants have vowed to attack Nairobi after the east African nation crossed the border into southern Somalia in 2011 to flush out the insurgents it blamed for kidnappings of tourists. by Eric J. Lyman ROME, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Risks that the dominant Italian political party of the last generation could collapse or split were on the rise after a former prime minister said he was mulling plans to set up his own splinter party to oppose the influence of a resurgent Matteo Renzi. Italy's Democratic Party has been a senior partner in 11 of Italy's 15 governments since the dust settled from the political turmoil of the early 1990s. That is more than any other of Italy's dozens of political parties. But the rise of Renzi, the 42-year-old former mayor of Florence who was prime minister for almost three years ending in December, is now potentially threatening to pull the party apart. The latest move came from 67-year-old Massimo D'Alema, who headed two consecutive governments between 1998 and 2000. Last week, D'Alema announced he was exploring the possibility of forming a breakaway party focused mostly on opposing Renzi, who stepped down after losing a key referendum vote and is already plotting comeback. Paolo Gentiloni, who had been Renzi's minister of foreign affairs, succeeded Renzi as prime minister but he is a Renzi supporter and is unlikely to stand in the way of his former boss. "In recent years, the split [within the Democratic Party] has always been the older, traditional wing of the party and younger members of the party," Daniela Giannetti, a political scientist with the University of Bologna, told Xinhua. "They've clashed before, when Renzi had to overcome the leadership of [former minister and Democratic Party Secretary Pier Luigi] Bersani. Now it is surfacing again." Earlier this week, D'Alema and Renzi traded repeated barbs in the Italian media, and on Wednesday, Bersani spoke up to warn Renzi risked killing off the party. All this takes place among uncertainty when elections could take place: a national vote is scheduled to take place in April 2018, but there is a rising possibility that it could be moved up to the second half of this year. Experts say Renzi is a polarizing figure in part because he rose up outside the traditional path through the party ranks, and when he took power he pushed aside some long-standing party figures and took on a reform agenda that did not always match the party's priorities. According to Lorenzo De Sio, an expert on political issues and public opinion with Rome's LUISS University, the fact that D'Alema appears to represent the traditional wing of the Democratic Party probably limits his chances. "If the person making a move like this was one of the more energetic and innovative figures in the party it might make a bigger impact," De Sio said in an interview, "But that hardly describes Massimo D'Alema." Still, D'Alema's support levels could be significant. The Italian daily "Corriere della Sera" said this week that D'Alema could earn as much as 10 to 15 percent of the vote -- a level of support that would leave it far short of winning the premiership but would nonetheless make it the country's third or fourth most important party. Pollsters told Xinhua that whatever level of support D'Alema might have now shift dramatically once an election campaign gets underway. But even if D'Alema's support ends up being half its current levels, it could have a profound impact by making the controversial and populist Five-Star movement the country's leading party. "Right now, the Democratic Party and the Five-Star Movement each have support levels of around 30 percent," De Sio said, "If you take away just a few percentage points from the Democratic Party, it could hand an electoral victory to the Five-Star Movement." PARIS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A French court on Thursday ordered French billionaire Serge Dassault to pay a 2-million-euro (2.16 million U.S. dollars) fine for tax fraud, local media reported. Dassault, the head of aviation and software giant Dassault Group, was also declared ineligible to serve as a senator for five years on charges of having bank accounts abroad and stashing millions of euros in tax havens for 15 years. Prosecutors said his foreign accounts contained 31 million euros in 2006, and 12 million euros in 2014. Dassault, 91, is France's third wealthiest person, with a net worth estimated by Forbes magazine of 14.7 billion U.S. dollars. (1 euro = 1.08 U.S. dollar) ABUJA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has halted a demarcation project at the Nigeria-Cameroon border following an attack against a team of officials in the area on Jan. 31, a local official said on Thursday. Director-General of Nigeria's National Boundary Commission Muhammed Ahmad told reporters at the border town where the incident occurred in Nigeria's northeastern state of Adamawa that work had already been put on hold indefinitely. One UN independent contractor, three Nigerian nationals and one Cameroonian national were killed and others injured when the unknown armed group struck in an ambush on Tuesday. Ahmad identified one of the Nigerian nationals killed as a worker of the National Boundary Commission. The team of workers were on duty in Koncha community in Cameroon and Tipsan in Nigeria, the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, placing demarcation pillars there, he said. "This kind of a thing has never happened before, this is the first time we are experiencing such," he told reporters, adding "for now we have called off the exercise and withdrawn all our people from the area till further notice." According to him, Nigerian officials have scheduled a meeting with the United Nations officials in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, on the issue. A general view shows destroyed buildings in northern Syrian city of Aleppo on January 21, 2017. ( AFP PHOTO) MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The first meeting of a joint task force on Syria involving experts from Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United Nations will be held on Monday in Astana, Kazakhstan, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. The meeting will discuss the implementation of the cease-fire regime, develop measures to suppress truce violations, enhance mutual trust between the Syrian government and the opposition, and solve humanitarian assistance issues, the ministry said in a statement. The task force will pay special attention to the separation of the moderate opposition from the formations of the Nusra Front, which is considered by the three countries as a major problem for the Syrian cease-fire effective on Dec. 30, 2016, it said. The Astana meeting will involve representatives from the Syrian government and the armed opposition, said the ministry. NAIROBI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed lost the African Union (AU) chairmanship to his Chadian counterpart Moussa Faki Mahamat due to lackluster support from neighboring countries and last minute decision by the Francophone bloc to support their own candidate, experts have said. Despite months of shuttle diplomacy and aggressive lobbying, Mohamed lost the coveted post during elections held on the sidelines of the AU heads of state summit that took place in Addis Ababa early this week. Compared to her four competitors, Mohamed had a sterling resume, intellectual acumen and connections that gave her commanding lead during the initial voting stages. The 56-year-old trained lawyer lost the battle to secure AU commission chairmanship during the seventh round of voting after regional blocs that had earlier pledged support switched their loyalties. Speaking to Kenyan media after the hotly contested elections, Mohamed blamed lukewarm support from some Kenyan neighbors alongside competing interests between Anglophone and Francophone states for her unexpected loss. "It is fact regional blocs had publicly expressed support for my candidature but switched their loyalties or abstained altogether at the eleventh hour. nevertheless, we have learnt crucial lessons from the AU elections," Mohamed said on Wednesday. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto had aggressively campaigned for the Foreign Minister to succeed South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as the AU commission chairperson. By mid January, Kenya had managed to reach out to 51 African countries to back its bid for AU commission chairmanship. Local media reported the government had spent an estimated 350,000 dollars U.S. on shuttle diplomacy and intensive lobbying to secure the influential post at the AU headquarters. Ruto and several cabinet members made forays to many African countries to lobby for their support for Mohamed's candidature. As campaigns came to a close, Kenyan officials were convinced Mohamed stood a better chance of flooring her four rivals thanks to enthusiastic endorsement by the East African bloc and a large swathe of Anglophone region. Kenyan diplomats who requested anonymity said the betrayal by some East African neighbors aborted Nairobi's quest to head the influential post at the AU. "While other regions gravitated to their candidates, the public endorsement by some of our neighbors did not materialize. Others chose to abstain from voting hence dealing a blow to our candidature," said a Kenyan diplomat. Kenya had to grapple with profound geopolitical challenges in its quest to occupy top echelon of AU leadership. Local experts opined that political ideology alongside jostling for diplomatic and economic clout wrecked Kenya's chances of winning the chairmanship of the AU Commission. "We have to admit that not everyone in this region appreciates Kenya's unrivaled position as a diplomatic, military and economic powerhouse. Voting against our candidate during the AU elections was a reflection of this revolt," said Vincent Kimosop, a Nairobi-based legal practitioner. Kenya remained defiant after the loss of AU top job saying it will not affect the country's relationship with the rest of the continent. During a luncheon hosted in her honor by women leaders on Wednesday, Mohamed reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to robust engagement with regional blocs to advance economic growth, peace and security. "Kenya will continue to pursue friendly diplomatic engagement with the rest of the continent despite losing the AU chairmanship position. There are many things that unite us beyond elections," Mohamed told female entrepreneurs. She added that losing a coveted seat at the apex of the continental body provided a chance for Kenya to re-evaluate its priorities in the diplomatic sphere. Kenya's failure to clinch the position of AU commission Chairmanship sent ripples across the region. As blame game persisted, some countries like Uganda came out strongly to refute claims they betrayed their neighbor's quest to head the continental body. The Ugandan foreign ministry said in a strong worded statement on Wednesday evening that Kampala voted for Amina Mohamed to become the AU commission chair. "We wish to state categorically that our support to the candidature of Amina before and during elections was unequivocal," the Ugandan foreign ministry said in the statement. Tourists walk on the bank of Danube River in Budapest, capital of Hungary, Sept. 17, 2016. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang) BUDAPEST, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban agreed on the necessity of strengthening the cooperation in the fight against international terrorism, during their talks in Budapest on Thursday. "We agreed on the necessity of strengthening the fight against international terrorism, we agreed that we must join our efforts," Putin told journalist in a press conference with Viktor Orban in the building of the Hungarian Parliament. He also said that he has briefed his host about the Russian standpoint regarding the situation in Eastern and Southern Ukraine, as well as the situation in the Middle East. "I hope that the resolution of the problems of the Middle East will contribute to the easing of the migratory pressure on Europe," Putin said. About the conflict in Ukraine, which is a country neighboring both Russia and Hungary, the Russian president pointed at the Ukrainian leadership for the escalation of the conflict. "The Ukrainian leaders need money, and they want that money from Western countries, and it is better to do that if they act as the victims of a so-called aggression," said Putin. The Russian president also said that it was not in the interest of the Ukrainian government to abide by the Minsk agreement, and that is what lead to the recent renewal of the conflict. "I hope that the rational forces in Ukraine, and other countries in the world will not let this situation escalate and will force the Ukrainian leadership to execute the Minks agreement," Putin underlined. "The execution of the Minsk agreement is also in the interest of Hungary," Orban said. "It is the only way that peace can be achieved in Ukraine," he added. The Hungarian prime minister was optimistic about the recent changes in international events, which could lead to a stable relationship between Russia and the EU. "The world is undergoing major changes. And it is in the air, that these changes around us will create conditions, which would develop the European-Russian, and within, the Hungarian-Russian relations and cooperation," he explained. "The fundamental condition of European peace is a stable and balanced relationship between Russia and Europe," Orban stressed. He also mentioned that the interest of Hungary was a stable and successful Ukraine, not least because of the important Hungarian minority living there. The issue of Ukraine being a transit country of Russian gas was a "non-political issue," according to Putin. "We are ready to use every route, if we receive warranties, but we do not want to account for losses due to others unpredictable reactions," as he referred to the unborn Southern gas corridor's idea, which has been suspended buy the EU. The last visit by Putin to Budapest was on Feb. 17, 2015, during a working visit. HELSINKI, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Alleged discrimination against Finnish nationals with dual citizenship has become a topic for debate in Finland, as local media have been continuously reporting such cases this week. National broadcaster Yle this week reported defense forces have internal secret orders to restrict Finnish-Russian dual nationals in conscript training and eligibility in staff recruitment. Newspaper Helsingin Sanomat also reported on Thursday a job appointment at the foreign ministry was cancelled as the person was a dual citizen. Since 2003, new residents gaining Finnish citizenship have been allowed to maintain their previous citizenship if their old country accepts it. A key promoter for accepting dual citizenships in the early 2000s was the Finnish Expatriate Parliament, an organization that receives government funding and meets regularly in Helsinki. As a result, thousands of Finnish immigrants abroad also got their Finnish citizenship restored upon notification. However, when the situation changed with time, the policy resulted in some unexpected consequences. Yle said its reporters saw a secret document that advises to make restrictions in offering training to Finnish-Russian conscripts. Although they are not supposed to be exempted from the mandatory service, they will be kept apart from essential military secrets. Dual Finnish-Russian nationals have also been rejected as candidates for salaried military positions. Yle noted the practice was in conflict with the current Finnish law, which requires equal treatment to citizens, whether they are dual nationals or not. In a quick reaction, Defense Minister Jussi Niinisto denied the Yle findings. The minister criticized that Yle had "damaged relations between Finland and Russia." But on Wednesday, both the defense ministry and interior ministry announced that they start legislative planning that would make it possible to bar dual citizenship holders from crucial positions in the military and frontier guards. Ilkka Kanerva, chairman of the parliamentary defense committee, expressed surprise with the defense minister's strong language. Kanerva said the program of the current government aims at creating a clear legal basis for both the dual nationalities and foreign land ownership. He underlined that decrees cannot be written without taking into account the basic rights of citizens. Prof. Jarmo Virmavirta, chairman of the Finnish Expatriate Parliament, told Xinhua he would recommend that the government show caution in changing the law. "Unequal treatment of dual nationals would involve political risks," Virmavirta said. He admitted, however, that the acceptance of dual citizenships was enacted at a time when the world situation and expectations about the future were different. So far, the Expatriate Parliament has not been consulted on the new situation. Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said on Thursday that there is "pressure to change regulations on dual citizenship" and the decisions will be taken later. While conscripts from the west are of no problem, the sons and daughters of dual national Russians living in Finland are seen as a risk when they enter the barracks. There are some 90,000 dual nationals resident in Finland, 25,000 of them are of Russian background. by Alessandra Cardone MILAN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- As Italy's economic capital, and largest city near the borders with other European countries, Milan has always been a major attraction for those looking for a better life. After drawing hundreds of thousands of Italians from the impoverished southern regions in the past, it now stands at a crucial crossroads of the new century's migration flows. According to official data, the city hosted 120,800 migrants and refugees from October 2013 to January 2017. The figure includes 21,250 minors. The municipality set up 13 hosting facilities across the city, including a first reception center behind the central station. At the "Hub" -- as it is called -- all new arrivals are accommodated, registered, and later assigned to other centers according to available places. Run by Project Arca Foundation, the major facility's official capacity is 70 beds. But more camp beds are added when needed, which almost always seems to be the case. "Last night, we had 170 people sleeping here at the Hub," Sabrina Liberalato, the Project Arca supervisor for refugees, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "The average number has dropped to about 180 to 200 guests per night in the past weeks, due to the cold and a decrease in the flow of people arriving to southern Italy (after crossing the Mediterranean)." The Hub looked decent and clean. Migrants and refugees were directed to a registration desk as soon as they arrived in the main hall. On the desk's left side, some tables with computers were crowded with young men and women. In the recreation zone, people would sit for a chat or a hot drink at a long table. At the end of the hall, a play area for children was set up with the help of Save the Children and Albero della Vita charities. There was also a small consultation room, where new arrivals would receive a first medical check, and a soup kitchen in an adjacent area providing three meals a day. At the end of January, Milan's 13 centers hosted 3,634 migrants and refugees overall, close to the 4,000-threshold local authorities look at as the limit beyond which the city's network would be in distress. Despite this, Milan's current policy was that of remaining "open" despite possible difficulties. "We cannot boast to be an open city only when it suits us," Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said. "We cannot welcome a bright and wealthy student from Korea to our universities -- just as an example -- but refuse to accept the fact that migrants and refugees are transiting our city." The mayor stressed that Milan already had a multi-ethnic "soul", with 18 percent of its population of non-European origin, including 70,000 from Muslim-majority countries. Provided that laws and a common sense of duty were respected, "being an open city is always a benefit," Sala said. Such an approach acknowledged a basic fact: Italy had remained on the frontline of Europe's migration crisis in 2016, despite a generally declining trend. Some 362,376 arrivals were registered through all Mediterranean routes -- including Greece, Italy, and Spain -- last year, compared with over one million in 2015, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. Of that total, Italy took in 181,283 people, compared with 2015 and 2014 when arrivals were 153,842 and 169,304, respectively, interior ministry data showed. Such a number in itself would not justify a crisis in a country with 60 million inhabitants, according to the mayor. "It is not an emergency, in my view. Arrivals here now average 3,700 to 3,800 depending on the day, which is not much more than in the past," Sala said. Yet, while nine out of 10 migrants and refugees transiting in Milan were able to proceed further north in Europe in recent years, now they would find most of the borders closed. "Now, it is three out of 10 people who move further...this is the root of the problem." A domestic factor must be added: only 2,600 out of 8,000 municipalities in Italy accepted to host migrants and refugees in 2016, according to the interior ministry. A new distribution plan provided by the central government was met with hostility, especially in small centers, and in northern cities run by anti-immigration opposition party Northern League. "Lombardy region (of which Milan is the capital) should host 14 percent of the national inflows, but because of this attitude in other cities, Milan takes in a higher portion," Sala confirmed. It remains to be seen what will happen to Milan's openness, in the event migrant flows further increase in 2017. Officials on the ground seemed aware of the risk, but optimistic. "Much depends on how the issue will be managed at national level, of course," the Project Arca supervisor at the Hub answered. However, "Milan can count on a well-working cooperation system involving all public institutions and a lot of associations and charities...and this helps a great deal," said Liberalato. The mayor considered the issue in a wider, medium-term perspective: "What Italy overall lacks is a national plan, and we should look at Germany for that," he said. "Germany invests a lot in helping refugees learn the language and find a job, but it is then very strict with those who do not do their part," Liberalato noted. "We should also set up an education and integration plan, asking Europe for financial support, otherwise, it will be a lost battle," he added. TIRANA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Albanian citizens are responsible for influencing their elected officials and furthering democracy in the country, ambassadors of European Union (EU), United States, OSCE and Switzerland to Tirana said Thursday. Albania will soon hold parliamentary elections and it is of paramount importance for citizens to get organized, to question, to monitor and to participate, EU Ambassador to Albania Romana Vlahutin said. U.S. Ambassador Donald Lu said if civil society, international partners, and the media were not eagle-eyed, the corrupt may undermine judicial reform and the economy, local media reported. The head of the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Albania Bernd Borchardt said the agency has made several calls for reforms and progress and now it is the obligation of Albania to address promptly the the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) recommendations. Swiss Ambassador Christoph Graf encouraged citizens to lobby constructively for higher accountability and transparency in pre-election activities of government and the political parties. BRUSSELS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Rules to protect banana growers in the European Union (EU) against any surge in imports from Ecuador after its accession to the EU-Colombia/Peru trade deal were approved by European Parliament on Thursday. The rules were approved by 544 votes to 78, with 21 abstentions. Under the new rules, EU banana growers will be better informed and more involved in monitoring the market. Also, if there is a surge in imports, the EU trade regulators will have a legal obligation to act. "Ecuador's accession to the trade agreement with Colombia and Peru has a significant impact on EU banana producers. It might possibly destabilize a sector which plays an essential role in the outermost regions and is responsible for 37,000 jobs," members of the European Parliament (MEPs) argued. Ecuador, one of the world's biggest banana producers, joined the EU's trade agreement with Colombia and Peru in January 2017, after the deal was approved by the European Parliament last December. As Ecuador will have preferential access to the EU market, the two sides have made a political agreement on a temporary stabilization mechanism to protect the interests of EU growers. This mechanism, which enables preferences to be suspended once an annual threshold is reached, was struck by ministers and MEPs in December. European Parliament's negotiators also inserted an early warning system, which will be triggered when import volumes reach 80 percent of the threshold. The EU is the biggest banana market, buying one third of global exports. EU imports come mainly from Latin America, while roughly 11 percent of European demand is met by regional producers. LAGOS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian security forces who formed part of the regional force that 'enthroned' President Adama Barrow of The Gambia will be returning home soon, a top official said Thursday. Senate President Bukola Saraki made this known to reporters in Abuja after a closed door meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. The Senate President, who was accompanied by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, said the acting president briefed them on the activities of the Nigerian soldiers in The Gambia. "The acting president is briefing us on our trip to Gambia and what the situation is and that the navy and the air force will be coming back, and is likely some number of troops will be kept behind," he said. Nigeria has sent 200 soldiers and air assets including fighter jets to Senegal as part of the regional force to enforce the result of Gambia's contested election. The Nigerian soldiers were part of the ECOWAS military standby intervention force "tasked by ECOWAS heads of state to enforce the Dec. 1, 2016 election mandate in The Gambia." The Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh left Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, for Guinea Conakry on exile, bringing an end to a protracted political crisis following presidential elections. RIYADH, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Saudi border guard was killed in a land mine explosion on a border city near Yemen, the Saudi interior ministry tweeted on Thursday. The mine blast hit the vehicle of the deceased during routine patrolling in the area, while no confirmation of injuries was made yet. The border guard was the latest Saudi soldier to have died since a Saudi-led coalition launched a war against Houthis in Yemen in March 2015. Earlier on Thursday, a Saudi soldier was shot dead in border city of Jazan by Houthi militias fired from Yemeni territory, said the ministry. A similar incident happened in December last year, when another Saudi solider died in mine explosion in Jazan. Most of the deaths were caused by missile attacks when tens of Saudi civilians were also killed in different border cities. Thousands of Yemeni civilians also lost their lives in airstrikes by the coalition or direct clashes between the Houthi rebels and supporters of Yemen's elected government. Smoke billows behind a building following a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on January 22, 2017. (AFP PHOTO) RIYADH, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Saudi border guard was killed in a land mine explosion on a border city near Yemen, the Saudi interior ministry tweeted on Thursday. The mine blast hit the vehicle of the deceased during routine patrolling in the area, while no confirmation of injuries was made yet. The border guard was the latest Saudi soldier to have died since a Saudi-led coalition launched a war against Houthis in Yemen in March 2015. Earlier on Thursday, a Saudi soldier was shot dead in border city of Jazan by Houthi militias fired from Yemeni territory, said the ministry. A similar incident happened in December last year, when another Saudi solider died in mine explosion in Jazan. Most of the deaths were caused by missile attacks when tens of Saudi civilians were also killed in different border cities. Thousands of Yemeni civilians also lost their lives in airstrikes by the coalition or direct clashes between the Houthi rebels and supporters of Yemen's elected government. TEHRAN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran is negotiating with major European enterprises from France, Germany and Britain on developing its petrochemical industries, Iran local media reported on Thursday. Iran is in talks with French oil and gas company Total, German chemical company BASF and Britain's oil major Shell on investment in the country's petrochemical projects, Managing Director of Iran's National Petrochemical Company (NPC) Marzieh Shahdaei was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. Shahdaei said that a new round of talks was held with representatives of Total on Tuesday, who were accompanying France's foreign minister in his visit to Tehran. Talks with Total were focused on construction of a petrochemical plant for producing ethylene and polyethylene, she said. She added that talks with BASF and Shell are also underway. Reports said that German major oil and petrochemical companies have offered to invest in the Iranian oil and petrochemical sectors. A total of 12 billion U.S. dollars in finance have been offered by the German companies, including BASF. BASF, whose managing director visited Iran last year as a member of a delegation accompanying German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, has offered to invest 6 billion dollars project in a petrochemical project in the south of Iran. Wintershall Holding GmbH, Germany's largest crude oil and natural gas producer, is another company that has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to make studies on four oil fields in the west of Iran. One year after the sanctions against Iran were lifted, several international companies have started negotiations to establish themselves in Iran's oil and gas projects. Iran possesses one of the world's largest oil and gas reserves. LUSAKA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Thursday announced the suspension of conditional work permits for expatriate workers in order to reorganize the system and empower the country's own skilled workers. Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo was speaking at the country's embassy in South Africa when he addressed workers, according to a statement released by the embassy. The statement added that the system had been abused as some unscrupulous Zambians were conniving with some investors beyond the stipulated period of the permits. According to him, the work permits were given to expatriate workers by investors in order to train local people. A committee has since been put in place to reorganize the system to ensure that the abuse of the work permits was eradicated, he added. The measure was also meant to increase the availability of job opportunities and empower Zambians who were able to take up such positions given to expatriate workers. "The renewal of work permits for expatriates would remain suspended while a framework that would benefit Zambians was being devised," he said. "We have talked about empowering Zambians for a long time and it's now time we were practical. We must walk the talk. It is so unfortunate that we have had some Zambians colluding with investors and in the process disadvantaging skilled Zambians," he added. The government, he pointed out, consulted with all stakeholders before making the decision. (File photo) WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The White House said Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump is "unbelievably disappointed" at the refugee deal that the Obama administration signed with Australia. However, White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggested that Trump will allow the deal to move forward, while stressing that the refugees will go through "a very extreme vetting process." "The president's goal is to make sure that every single one of those people, in accordance with the deal, and as discussed in the telephone conversation with the (Australian) Prime Minister (Malcolm Turnbull), is subject to extreme vetting," Spicer said. The spokesman added that Trump has "tremendous respect" for Turnbull and for the Australian people. The Washington Post reported Thursday that over a telephone conversation on Saturday, Trump blasted Turnbull over a refugee agreement. "This is the worst deal ever," Trump fumed as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the United States would honor its pledge to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center, according to the newspaper. The Washington Post also reported that Trump abruptly ended the call, but Turnbull told Australian media that the report is not correct. On Wednesday, Trump returned to the topic, tweeting: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" ANKARA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday vowed further cooperation in the fight against terrorism during Merkel's visit to Ankara, local daily Hurriyet reported. "International terrorism is not an issue that any single country can manage alone. There should be international cooperation," Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Merkel in Ankara. "As two NATO allies, I believe our cooperation with Germany, which is also part of the (anti-IS) coalition forces, should continue just as we performed for Ukraine," he stressed. Both Merkel and Erdogan emphasized the need for cooperation against terror groups that have been posing a threat to both national and international order for Germany and Turkey, in particular the need for a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Merkel stated that the two countries should more closely cooperate in the fight against "every kind" of terrorism. Erdogan slammed use of the term "Islamist terror," saying it "severely upsets Muslims. Such a term cannot be used; this is not true." Meanwhile, Erdogan said the referendum would be held in mid-April, and denied opposition parties' claims a presidential system would violate Turkey's current separation of powers. Merkel said that everything should be done to ensure the separation of powers and the diversity of society. German Chancellor also said Turkey had put efforts for the integration of refugees, adding "refugees are an important issue for both Turkey and Germany." Merkel has visited Turkey five times in the last year-and-a-half. The two historic allies have had close bilateral relations, particularly on economic and trade related matters. Recently, Ankara criticizes the lack of support from Germany in Turkey's fight against IS. Merkel also met with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to discuss the recent diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Germany, as well as with opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) representatives. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 28, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday issued a notice easing sanctions on a Russian intelligence agency that former President Barack Obama sanctioned over Moscow's alleged hacking activities in last year's U.S. presidential election. In a statement, the Treasury Department authorizes certain transactions with the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) that are needed to request approval for the importation, distribution, or use of certain information technology products in Russia. Last December, Obama imposed sanctions on two major Russian intelligence services -- the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and the FSB, four individual officers of the GRU and three companies that allegedly provided material support for hacking operations aiming to interfere in the U.S. presidential elections. The U.S. also ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats suspected of spying and closed two compounds belonging to the Russian Embassy in response to "Russia's interference in the U.S. election and to a pattern of harassment of our diplomats overseas." U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted that he could lift the sanctions against Russia if Moscow proved helpful in battling terrorists and reaching other goals important to the United States. Trump's openly pro-Russia stance has been scrutinized recently amid U.S. intelligence's conclusion that Russia helped him win the presidential election through hacking activities. Russia has denied being behind the cyber-intrusions, which targeted the Democratic National Committee and the private emails of Hillary Clinton's campaign Chairman John Podesta. Trump has repeatedly said he doubts the veracity of U.S. intelligence blaming Moscow for the hacks. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai (front M) and Ivanka Trump (L), daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, attend the Chinese Embassy's New Year reception in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Yang) WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should always cooperate in the face of challenges, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said Wednesday. "We have learned that we should always respond to difficulties and challenges by cooperation, instead of conflict or confrontation," Cui told a 500-member audience at the embassy's New Year reception. "We should work together for win-win cooperation, instead of being misguided by zero-sum or cold war mentality," the ambassador noted. Cui stressed that cultural exchanges can bring people closer to each other, and he hoped the traditional Chinese music, Peking Opera, Acrobatics, and handicrafts featured at the reception would win the hearts of the guests. Ivanka Trump (L), daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, attends the Chinese Embassy's New Year reception with her daughter (front L) in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Yang) Hailey, 8 and her sister Ashley, 7, were beaming when they were given a tiger figurine made of sugar from one of the Chinese craftsmen. "I was born in Hong Kong and knew a little about Chinese culture, I really like coming here," Hailey said. Erika Crowell, another guest, said it's the third time she has come to such an event, and each time she learned something new about China. "All the handiwork were very intricate and I was impressed by how dedicated the craftsmen were to their work, I should learn from them," She said. Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump, also came to the event with her daughter. The reception was one of a series of Spring Festival-themed events organized by the Chinese Embassy. Chinese artists and craftsmen will also perform and display their talent at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Saturday. MINSK, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian side made the decision to establish a border zone at the frontier with Belarus without prior warning, deputy head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry's information department Maria Vanshina told a press conference on Thursday. The Foreign Ministry of Belarus noted that "unfortunately, this is not the first case like this". "A similar situation took place in early 2016, when Russia actually started introducing restrictions with regard to entry of citizens of third countries across the border between Belarus and Russia,"she recalled. Earlier Russian Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov ordered to set up border zone at the frontier with Belarus. The border zone is being set up "to create necessary conditions for protection of the state border of the Russian Federation," according to the acts. "Such a lack of coordination of actions naturally gives rise to reasonable questions," Vanshina said. She also added that such actions lead to the restoration of full control on the Belarusian-Russian border, canceled more than twenty years ago. Vanshina stressed that in this case the initiative comes not from the Belarusian side. Border controls along the Russia-Belarus border were lifted after the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness and Cooperation in 1995. HARARE, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government said Thursday the number of Mozambican migrants seeking refuge in the country continues to rise, with 651 migrants having crossed into the country last week alone. Since the beginning of 2016, more than 4,000 Mozambicans fleeing political unrest have crossed into neighboring Zimbabwe where some are being accommodated at Tongogara Refugee Camp while others have integrated with their relatives along the border, Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira said. She told Xinhua in a telephone interview that the 651 migrants were all staying at Tongogara refugee camp in the southeast of the country, which is home to another 10,000 African refugees from such countries as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Ethiopia. The minister said due to the rising number of Mozambican refugees, Zimbabwe had since engaged development partners including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist with food, clothes and other basic necessities. The Zimbabwe office of the International Organization for Migration said it only offered assistance to Mozambican refugees early last year in the initial stages of the crisis before UNHCR took over. "Currently there is nothing that we are doing to assist. We only assisted in the initial stages when people started arriving from Mozambique before UNHCR took over. "However, we still continue to coordinate and if there are any gaps that need assistance we offer the help," said an official with the organization. Mozambique has witnessed escalating tensions between the opposition Mozambican National Resistance movement (RENAMO) and government forces in recent years. A series of army operations aimed at disarming RENAMO's militias in late 2015 has led to the resurfacing of political violence since the beginning of 2016, which has killed, injured and displaced Mozambicans as well as destroying public infrastructure. VILNIUS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania needs to attract at least 20,000 workers from other countries by 2025 to counter society's aging and emigration trends, Robertas Dargis, president of Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (LPK), said on Thursday. Dargis was speaking at an event aimed at discussing Lithuania's challenges after the EU support for the country significantly diminishes following the EU's new financing period which starts in 2020. According to Dargis, outsourcing workers from the third countries is a necessity even in the meantime and the government will be forced to address the issue. "As my rough calculations show, if we want to keep the balance, we must accept around 20,000 persons (from abroad) by 2025," Dargis was quoted as saying at the conference by news agency ELTA. Lack of qualified workers has been one of the main concerns for Lithuanian employers recently due to aging society, high emigration rates and other demographic challenges. LPK, which represents over 3,000 medium and large enterprises from various sectors, has repeatedly warned that Lithuanian employers strongly feel the negative pressure of demographic factors -- both growing wages and decreasing employment. Dargis noted that the young generation currently is reflecting things on global grounds, therefore, they don't necessarily link their future career plans with the homeland. "Given the technologies, capital and investments moving freely across the borders, states which offer the best environment for the three components become the most competitive," he underlined. DUBLIN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ireland was in talks with U.S. tech firm Apple over setting up an escrow account for the 13 billion euros (13.9 billion U.S. dollars) the European Commission (EC) says is due to Ireland in back taxes, pending the outcome of an appeal against the EC's ruling, a cabinet minister said on Thursday. "Irish officials are currently negotiating the terms of such an escrow fund which may be established by a commercial contract with Apple, subject to the views of the Commission," Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said in an address to parliament. In August last year, the EC ruled that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to 13 billion euros to Apple, saying that "selective treatment" allowed Apple to pay a tax rate of 1 percent on EU profits in 2003 down to 0.005 percent in 2014. In response to the ruling, the Irish government decided to appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union. "Obviously, the terms of such an escrow fund are subject to confidential and commercially sensitive considerations and as a result I will not be able to discuss them at this time," he said. In his address, Noonan argued that it is simply untrue that Ireland provided favorable treatment to Apple. He said that the EC is undermining the fundamental principle of international tax: that tax should be paid where the value is created. He also said that in the ruling, the EC is attempting to rewrite Irish corporation tax legislation. "The government is of the view that there was no breach of state aid rules in this case and that the legislative provisions were correctly applied," Noonan said. "By appealing the decision, the government is taking the necessary course of action to vigorously defend the Irish position," he said. "Ireland has done nothing wrong here. We have a proven track record in international tax reform and a strong commitment to meeting the best international standards," he added. At the center of the Apple controversy are two of the company's subsidiaries, Apple Operations Europe and Apple Sales International. These firms were registered in Ireland, however, they were controlled in the United States where they held their board meetings. Revenue taxed the companies on the basis of their activities in Ireland, however, the EC says both companies should have been taxed by Ireland on the basis of their worldwide income. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- "There are new warnings that the humanitarian situation has further deteriorated in Somalia and there are worrying signs that famine is possible in the country this year," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Thursday. The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the number of people in need of assistance in Somalia has increased to 6.2 million -- roughly half of the population, Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. "Nearly three million people are classified as facing crisis and emergency food insecurity," he said. Acute malnutrition levels remain high with 363,000 malnourished children under the age of five; including 71,000 who are severely malnourished and face increased risk of morbidity and death, he noted. The UN humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Peter de Clercq, warned in a statement issued earlier Thursday that unless a massive and urgent scale up of humanitarian assistance takes place in the coming weeks, famine could soon hit some of the worst drought-affected areas in the Horn of African country. Last December, Clercq said the 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan seeking 885 million U.S. dollars is only 47 percent funded four weeks before the end of the year while worsening drought conditions have left hundreds of thousands of Somalis facing severe food and water shortages. The UN official highlighted the urgency of responding to the drought situation in Somalia, noting that drought in Puntland and Somaliland has deepened and spread to southern and central regions of the country. According to the UN, 5 million Somalis -- more than 40 percent of the country's population -- do not have sufficient food. In addition, over 320,000 children under five are acutely malnourished, including more than 50,000 severely malnourished. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote "Brexit speech" in Lancaster House in London, Britain on Jan. 17, 2017.(Xinhua) LONDON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A policy paper spelling out the British government's plans for exiting the European Union was published Thursday. Brexit Secretary David Davis listed 12 main points in the document detailing how the government wants to make its exit from Brussels and how it sees its new partnership with the remaining 27 EU members. He said Britain's best days were still to come outside the EU. The document lays out general principles rather than specific details and says the government will keep its positions closely held and will need at times to be careful about giving a running commentary in public. The publication of the document, known as a white paper, came less than 24 hours after Prime Minister Theresa May was given an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons over her plans to trigger the Article 50 mechanism for leaving the EU. Davis told members of parliament (MPs) in the Commons: "This White Paper confirms the prime minister's vision of an independent, truly global UK and an ambitious future relationship with the EU." He said the exit strategy was based on principles that will guide the government following last June's referendum vote when a majority of people backed leaving the EU. They cover Britain taking control of its own borders and law making, controlling immigration from EU countries into Britain and protecting workers' rights achieved through EU legislation. The strategy also seeks to secure rights for EU citizens already living in Britain and the rights of British nationals living in EU countries. Davis said the government recognizes EU principles which include freedom of EU citizens to freely cross borders of all member states. As a result, he said, Britain will leave the single market. Instead, he said government negotiators will also seek a free trade agreement with European markets, forging a new strategic partnership with the EU, including a bold and ambitious free trade agreement and mutually beneficial new customs agreement. Beyond the EU, the government wants to forge ambitious free trade agreements with other countries across the world. Davis said the British government wanted the EU to succeed, politically and economically. He added that while Britain cannot sign new trade deals until after Brexit, the country can and is preparing the ground for them. "This means updating the terms of our membership of the World Trade Organization," he said. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary, described the white paper as a "wish list rather than an action plan." He said: "For months they have refused to publish a plan or allow proper scrutiny, and when they are finally forced to produce a White Paper, it is rushed, limited and not well thought through." One of Britain's biggest trade unions, the GMB described the white paper as "bordering on a fairy tale." Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation of British Industry, said later that Britain falling back on World Trade Organization rules would be damaging. She said the pressure was on for the government to deliver the best possible deal, as well as a smooth and orderly Brexit. Political observers say despite political battles, May is expected to beat off challenges to trigger Article 50 next month. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 92,000 people have been displaced since the last October attacks on police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State, a UN spokesman told reporters here Thursday. The spokesman made the remarks by citing information from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This includes some 69,000 people who have fled across the border into Bangladesh, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. The United Nations estimates that 23,000 people remain displaced in the north of Maungdaw Township where security operations continue, the spokesman said. "After a three-month interruption in most aid deliveries provided by UN agencies and partners in northern Rakhine, the government has allowed an incremental resumption of some activities," he said. "With international staff still facing severe movement restrictions, national staff are distributing food and other items in most villages," he said. "While health clinics and nutrition centres have re-opened in most areas, few people have been accessing them, as the situation remains tense," he said. "People are still afraid to move freely to access services, and movement is restricted by a travel pass requirement." The UN is calling for the relaxation of travel restrictions in northern Rakhine, both for local people who are impeded in accessing humanitarian aid and basic services, as well as for staff from aid organizations, he added. ANKARA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a visit to Turkey on Thursday ahead of an EU summit in Malta whose main focus is refugee issue, because the German politician wants to ensure a migrant deal with Turkey in advance of an election in her country, according to local experts. "Merkel wants Turkey to stick to refugee agreement because she does not want to lose the elections," associate professor Nail Alkan in Gazi University, an expert on Turkey-Germany relations, told Xinhua. The Chancellor paid a one-day working visit to Ankara on Thursday and met with Turkish leaders. Merkel praised a refugee deal between Turkey and the EU, at which Ankara is expecting visa-free travel to Europe for its citizens, six billion euros in aid for refugees being sheltered on its soil as well as expedited talks about its accession to the union. Yet, the deal is at risk since Turkey could not fulfill remaining benchmarks for visa liberalization. Moreover, a dispute between Ankara and Athens over extradition of suspected coup plotters in Greece has sparked fury in Turkish capital and Turkey warned its neighbor for suspending refugee deal that would pave the way for illegal crossings of thousands of refugees as it happened in 2015. Merkel underlined that the agreement has worked for interest of both Turkey and EU and should be kept alive. "What is important for me is to continue discussions and find solutions," she noted. "It's obvious that she needs Turkey," Alkan said recalling September elections in Germany and a rival candidate from center-left party, Martin Schulz, in the battle to become the country's next chancellor. The expert cited political pressure that Merkel has been facing after her decision in 2015 to allow hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the country. German Chancellor has to convince voters that she is capable of dealing with the issue following her conservative party's loss in 2016 in the state elections as the result of the mass arrival of refugees and a resulting protest vote against the party. Alkan also cited ongoing strain between Ankara and Berlin due to more than 40 Turkish soldiers seeking asylum in Germany since a failed coup attempt in Turkey. Ankara assumes soldiers being suspected followers of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who the Turkish government accuses of orchestrating the failed coup attempt. A total of 1,700 Turkish nationals applied for asylum in Germany in 2015, but the number exceeded 5,700 in 2016, according to figures from spokesman of the German Interior Ministry. Prof. Dr. Huseyin Bagci, an expert on Turkish foreign policy, head of department for International Relations, Middle East Technical University, said that Germany is concerned about deteriorating ties between Turkey and Greece because of a threat of refugee influx towards European Union countries if Ankara allows them cross into Europe. "The EU has to intervene into the situation if Turkey again allows refugees cross its borders into Europe," he said underlining that this is a significant leverage in the hands of Ankara. Taking account the upcoming race for German politics, Merkel needs Turkey, according to Ozan Ceyhun, local Daily Sabah columnist and a former German-Turkish European Parliament MP. Merkel's visit to Ankara can restore bilateral ties only if Berlin meets demands by Ankara in fight against terrorism, Ceyhun said. "Turkey also needs Germany's cooperation, especially when it comes to fighting terrorism, an area in which it has harshly criticized Germany, but rightfully so," he said recalling that Germany has previously turned down Ankara's requests to extradite members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the followers of Gulen. In a joint press conference, Merkel and President Tayyip Erdogan pledged necessity for further cooperation in fight against terror. "We have discussed what we can do in fight against terrorism. We are two NATO allies. I believe our cooperation with Germany, which is also a part of (anti-Islamic State) coalition forces, should continue as we earlier performed about Ukraine," the Turkish president said. Merkel underlined that the two countries should make "closer cooperation in fight against every kind of terror organization," but also added that Germany would decide extradition of suspected coup plotters only over rulings of "independent" German courts. Newly recruited Houthi fighters chant slogans during a gathering in the capital Sanaa to mobilize more fighters to battlefronts to fight pro-government forces in several Yemeni cities, on February 2, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO) UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN is extremely concerned about an intensification of military operations, including airstrikes, in the Dhubab and Al Mokha districts of Yemen's Taizz Governorate, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Thursday. "There has also been a sharp increase in airstrikes in Hudaydah and surrounding areas," Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here. Displacement is increasing from Mokha, with at least a third of the population, approximately 30,000 people, forced to flee to other areas in Taizz governorate, as well as to Hudaydah and Lahj governorates, he said. "There are conflicting reports on the number of people that are still in the city." "Assistance is being provided to the displaced in Hudaydah and a response is being mobilised in the governorate of Taizz," he said. "We are also concerned about the impact of military operations on the movement of commercial and humanitarian vessels in the Red Sea near Yemen's ports, the gateway of 70 percent of imports for Yemen," he added. The situation in Yemen has deteriorated economically and politically since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition. Houthis and Saleh's forces hold most of Yemen's northern regions while government forces backed by Saudi-led military coalition share control of the rest of the country including seven southern provinces. The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have already killed more than 10,000 people, half of them civilians, injured more than 35,000 others and displaced over two millions, according to humanitarian agencies. ANKARA, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's constitutional change bill was submitted to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for approval on Thursday, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. According to the law, Turkish President will have 15 days to approve or reject the bill, which will shift Turkey to an executive presidential system from the current parliamentary system. If approved, it will be published in the country's Official Gazette, setting the date for a vote. The Turkish parliament approved the constitutional amendments on January 21 as deputies completed two rounds of voting on 18 articles. A total of 339 MPs voted in favor of the package which will be put to vote in a national referendum that will likely be held in early April. The referendum date will be selected by the Supreme Election Board after President Erdogan approves the amendments. The national referendum is expected to be held on either April 9 or April 16, said Anadolu Agency. On Dec. 30, the ruling Justice and Development Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party submitted the constitutional amendments to parliament for ratification. Photo taken on Jan. 26, 2017 shows sculptures of gulls and a man at Cuihu Park in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. Tens of thousands of black-headed gulls fly to Kunming from northern China every winter in the past 32 years. (Xinhua/Lin Yiguang) Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2017 shows smoke billowing during a fire at a factory in Cavite Province, the Philippines. More than 100 workers have been injured in a fire at a factory in the Philippines, local officials said on Thursday. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali) Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa. We produce contents across various categories including Politics, People, Love and Romance, Nature, Entertainment, Technology and pretty much everything else that Africans may find relevant. 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Nadeska Alexis Bio Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ... Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ... A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. 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Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ... Marty Lagina Bio Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ... Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. 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Nikki Mudarris Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ... 5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ... Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ... Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ... Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ... Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ... Tati Westbrook Bio Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ... Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ... Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ... Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ... The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ... Lisa Joyners Biography Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ... Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ... Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ... Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! 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The screen queen also serves as the manager of her famous husband Ninja aka Tyler Blevins whose exploits on Twitch and Fortnite has ... CNNs Chris Cuomo Biography Wife, Family & Net worth Chris Cuomo needs no elaborate introduction as he has starred graced many prominent Television cable networks and his voice has been heard through acknowledged radio shows. He is a television journalist and Lawyer who has previously worked for ABC News as Chief law and justice correspondent as well as a co-anchor on 20/20. If you still ... Neil deGrasse Tyson Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ... Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ... Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ... Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! 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Nayyera Haqs Bio What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ... Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ... Meet Phil Mudd of CNN The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? 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The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ... Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ... 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February 2, 2017, 09:54 Azerbaijan fires over 130 shots at night STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 2, ARTSAKHPRESS: During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired around 130 shots toward the Karabakh position-holders. In addition to violation of ceasefire, the Azerbaijani side initiated a diversionary infiltration attempt at about 3:00 pm on Wednesday in the northern direction (Talish) of the contact line. The vanguards units of the Defense Army continue to confidently the military task set before them and are ready to neutralize any attack. Azerbaijani defense ministry distanced itself from the soldier captured by Karabakh armed forces during a diversionary infiltration attempt. February 2, 2017, 10:24 Azerbaijan distances itself from captured soldier STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 2, ARTSAKHPRESS: According to Azerbaijani media, the defense ministry rushed to say that Elnur Guseynzade was systematically violating military discipline and was subsequently demobilized from the armed forces, and is currently not a member of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, NEWS.am reports. Earlier the Karabakh Defense Army said they managed to capture Azerbaijani army serviceman Elnur Hyussein Zade during an infiltration attempt. Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Veysi Kaynak accused Germany in supporting terrorism, TRT Haber reports. STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 2, ARTSAKHPRESS: Yes, there is a refugee problem in Germany, however we have other problems in that country too. Germany is a country which with open-arms accepted any terrorist who became a scourge for Turkey. The important actors of the latest coup attempt are hosted in Germany, Kaynak said. Planning is the cornerstone of good governance, Mr Nobetau said. By undertaking planning we are able to identify priorities, determine actions and create a benchmark to measure progress. ABG chief secretary Joseph Nobetau said 2017 will be a period of consolidation and growth and the public service will position itself to respond efficiently and transparently to ever-increasing demands on government. THE Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) is embarking on measures to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the Bougainville public service. This is particularly important in a small and relatively young public service such as ours.. Mr Nobetau noted the need to clearly document corporate and strategic goals. He emphasised that the corporate planning process must be undertaken at an agency level where each ABG department determines its key priorities for the year. This requires ABG departments to undertake a comprehensive analysis of strengths and weaknesses along with opportunities and threats, and allows all departmental heads to determine how best to move forward with their initiatives that will deliver on the expectations of the ABG. Mr Nobetau has already informed all departmental heads to identify the top four priorities for their departments. This is the first part of the planning process, once this has occurred I will ask that the departmental heads convene planning workshops to map out a plan for the year ahead, he said. This is an opportunity to determine our own fate as Bougainville and I ask that all public servants participate and contribute, it must be a collective approach if we are to succeed. But as Sharman further uncovers, this reasoning is as private investigators and off-the-record conversations attest circular. Content to rest upon their supposedly clean record, Australian officials have little incentive to dig any further than they need to and, even then, far less than the law would demand. Rather, as the University of Cambridges J.C. Sharman finds in his detailed Despots Guide to Wealth Management, Australian officials will insist that Canberras current raft of anti-corruption laws have prevented the kinds of kleptocratic cases the US or the UK regularly see. IF YOU speak with officials in Australia, theyll tell you that internationalised grand corruption the nexus of shell corporations, offshore services and kleptocrats immiserating their domestic populations hasnt touched their country. In reality, while Australia still lags behind Washington or London in terms of being a target destination for kleptocrats ransacking the developing world, Canberra is far more typical for its hear-no-evil, see-no-evil approach to combating grand corruption. As Sharman lays out, even the most stringent anti-corruption and anti-kleptocracy laws are barely worth the paper on which theyre written if officials such as those in Australia are unwilling to enforce them. For instance, look at Australias relationship with Papua New Guinea. Port Moresby currently sits alongside kleptocrat-friendly states like Myanmar and Nigeria in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index. And yet, even after the head of PNGs anti-corruption Task Force Sweep referred to Australia as another Cayman Islands, Canberra, as Sharman notes, had never repatriated so much as a single cent of Papua New Guinean corruption funds. This comes despite Papua New Guinean individuals (and companies) tied to corrupt activities owning nearly A$90 million (US$68 million) worth of identifiable properties in Queensland alone. Or look at Canberras relationship with China. While the United States may have recently passed Australia as the largest recipient of aggregated Chinese global direct investment, Beijing has skyrocketed to the top source of investment in Australias residential property market such that nearly 20% of Sydneys new homes are now purchased by Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, Chinese officials have identified Australia alongside Canada and the U.S. as one of the three most popular foreign destinations for looted wealth. And if Australia presents a typical financial haven for foreign kleptocrats, theres little reason to think the current global anti-kleptocracy program can continue as is. After all, not only has Canberra failed to deliver a single dollar back to Papua New Guinea, but Australias financial intelligence Unit, AUSTRAC, has consistently refused to share financial intelligence with its Papua New Guinean counterpart. Australia says this is due to Port Moresbys lack of legislation to counter financing of terrorism, even though there is no credible evidence to suggest that financial institutions in [PNG] are being misused in this way. As such, as Sharman concludes, because Papua New Guinea has not legislated against a problem it does not have, Australia refuses to help with the corruption problem it manifestly does have. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said Lifes most urgent and persistent question is: What are you doing for others? The City of Auburn RSVP program devoted two weeks during the month of January to doing for others in a special way. The area food pantries receive much support during the holidays and then January arrives. The holiday decorations are put away but people are still hungry and in need of assistance. RSVP wanted to help RSVP sponsored their 8th Annual MLK Food Drive to help the 7 food pantries and soup kitchens of the Auburn area served by RSVP volunteers, replenish their shelves. Our goal was to collect 1100 food items. We would like to thank the people of our community for helping us to surpass our goal. We would also like to thank the following area agencies, businesses and locations that helped us collect these items: American Legion Post 1107, ARISE, Auburn City Hall, Auburn Fire Dept., Auburn Police Dept., Auburn Downtown BID, Auburn YMCA-WEIU, Boyle Senior Center Inc., Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce, Cayuga County Health Department, Cayuga County Office for the Aging, Cayuga Milk Ingredients, Community Computer, Finger Lakes Health and Fitness Center, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival/MGR, Home Instead Senior Care, Johnston Paper Company, NY Connects Long Term Care Office, Planet Fitness, R. F. Stryker Homes , Scat Van, Schwartz Towers, The Commons on St. Anthony, The Village of Auburn Grove, Too Fit to Quit and Westminster Manor. The City of Auburn RSVP Volunteer/Transportation Coordinator Mike Kowal was able to deliver over 1300 items to these food pantries/soup kitchens Thank you! Schnoor: TT must pass FATCA She added that the Tax Information Exchange Agreements Bill currently before Parliament is simply intended to provide the mechanism to co-operate with the IRS on an obligation that already exists. She was speaking at a FATCA breakfast seminar held by the association and the accounting firm Deloitte on Monday at the Marriot Courtyard Hotel, Audrey Jeffers Highway, Port-of-Spain. She said the association started the discussion on FATCA with the Government in 2012 and since then several stakeholders, including the local banks, the Central Bank and the Board of Inland Revenue had been working towards its implementation. Schnoor stressed that there were critical reasons why this country must pass the agreement and bring FATCA into being. She said international business conducted from TT depended on corresponding banking relationships and most of these were with with US correspondent banks. She also said local banks were the clients of these correspondent banks which facilitate the needs of their clients, noting that all transactions which take place in US dollars worldwide must pass through the US banking system. If we do not become FATCA-compliant, US wire transfers, remittance services and other banking services can be restricted or, in a worstcase scenario, cancelled. Local banks could lose their correspondent relationships and if this country were deemed to be a non-compliant jurisdiction, the banks might become subject to a 30 percent withholding tax, which would increase the cost of doing business, create a negative perception in the international community and make worse an already challenging business environment. Schnoor said, We have a precedent in the region for these negative consequences: Belize and Guyana are cases in point, and we should not believe it cannot happen here. She said the association had been expressing its concern over the delay in the passage of the bill and recalled the number of media conferences held and press releases issued, adding that the association had met with both the Government and the Opposition to urge them to pass the necessary legislation. Our hope is that the citizenry appreciates what FATCA is and what it is not. We hope that the bill will be passed in the Parliament by the February 2017 deadline and all parties will do what is right and in the best interest of the country. Deloitte Global Leader on FATCA and the Common Reporting Standards (CRS), Denise Hintzke led a session in which she explained the details of FATCA and what is required to comply with the law. She denied rumours being circulated that FATCA will be repealed , saying FATCA is a statute passed in the U.S Tax Code in 2010 and is a law that needs to be complied with. She said it is focused on finding U.S taxpayers who are not paying taxes or disclosing their global income to the IRS, adding that this was nothing new only the U.S. Government assuring that U.S persons are fully disclosing their income. She said failure to comply carried significant risks: apart from the withholding tax; there is the market risk to the countrys banking system of losing its corresponding banking relationships; clients of financial institutions in a non-compliant country could chose to go elsewhere because their income could be subject to the withholding tax. She said the country would also be at risk of suffering reputational risk. Call for audit leaves Pan Trinbago hitting sour note The spirt of Pan Trinbagos response to the announcement suggests that, as an organisation, it is above reproach, has been an efficient steward of its affairs and is the unfair target of a media vendetta. A statement from the organisation last week essentially accused the Ministry of Culture and the NCC of attempting to hijack pan affairs in a hostile takeover of Carnival groups. According to the statement, the authorities were hell bent on usurping the role of Pan Trinbago and the two other major interest groups in the national festival and the authority given to them by acts of Parliament. It also said that the artform (pan and the fraternity) had moved from the point where its members were considered the criminal element and nurtured and developed from nothing, to a potential billion-dollar industry But perhaps the most intriguing line of the release is the declaration that the audit is nothing short of an attempt by government to infringe upon the right to enjoy the fullness of our heritage instrument that was carved out of the blood sweat and tears of our pioneers. Pan Trinbago then declared that it was not against the audit and had in fact been providing audited statements for decades, unlike the NCC. Another statement which catches the attention is the one made by Richard Forteau, Pan Trinbagos acting President, This private organisation is willing to share our business with our line minister, but apparently, there are people out there who want to try matters in the court of public opinion. Again, in the spirit in which Business Day has been doing these Carnival pieces over the past few weeks, questions need to be asked. Has Pan Trinbago been running its affairs in a manner that would keep it from the interference of outsiders? Indeed, Pan Trinbago seems deeply offended by the mere suggestion that such outside intervention is necessary. Business Day has obtained a copy of Pan Trinbagos unconsolidated financial statements as of June, 2016. According to this document, Pan Trinbago received a capital grant of $2,420,200. A capital grant is one disbursed by the government. Therefore, Pan Trinbago is in receipt of taxpayers money. Moreover, it is the result of an Act of Parliament. Do members of Pan Trinbagos executive believe that they are a private organization, unaccountable to anyone but the line minister? The financial statement goes on to say that Pan Trinbago has an accumulated deficit of $10,485,685 as at June 2016 and total liabilities exceed its current assets and investments by $14,954,960 as at the year end. Additionally, International Conference and Panorama, a subsidiary of Pan Trinbago, has outstanding liabilities totaling $9,081,621, which the organization may be liable to pay in the near future. This information should be taken in tandem with the fact that Pan Trinbago is reported to be in the vicinity of anywhere between $31 million and $87 million dollars in debt in total. Several of the accounts listed for regional pan activities also showed deficits/losses. What Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly, Culture Minister, seems to be asking for does not appear unreasonable. She said that a right to audit clause will now be inserted into the contracts of all Special Interest Groups and NGOs that receive large subventions from the government in an effort to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of public funds. Why should this be interpreted by Pan Trinbago as an effort to deprive the people of the right to enjoy the national instrument, flying in the face of all those who worked hard to bring the national instrument to this point? Pan Trinbago in its response to the Ministers statement, alleged that the National Carnival Commission (NCC) is unfit to manage it, the organization itself being several millions in debt. The culture minister has said while initial audit efforts will focus on the pan body, it is likely to widen as time passes. The NCC may in fact have its own questions to answer. Business Day has reached out to Kenny De Silva, the NCC chairman, several times over the past month, about this and other issues facing the organization. So far, we have been unsuccessful in setting up an interview with him. For years, there has also been some confusion about who has the ultimate right to manage Carnival: the NCC or the special interest groups, like TUCO, the NCBA and Pan Trinbago. Again, the legislation is unclear because even though the NCC appears to have the right to regulate special interest bodies, there are other pieces of law that give the special interest groups the right to encroach upon NCC powers. Perhaps this is another area the culture ministry can look into in order to further cut down costs and streamline Carnivals management. AUBURN An Auburn man with an extensive criminal history was sentenced to prison Thursday for assaulting a 68-year-old Vietnam War veteran last year. Darius E. Brown, 26, of 73 North Lewis St., pleaded guilty in December 2016 to felony second-degree assault. At the time, he admitted to attacking a veteran in his home at around 2 a.m. on May 22, 2016. Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Brown had gotten into a domestic incident with his sister that night after getting kicked out of a local bar. The veteran hearing an argument outside of his home let Brown's sister inside to seek shelter. "The night of the incident I was trying to protect a woman (Brown) was with," the man said Thursday in Cayuga County Court. "But I got the short end of the stick." The man described how Brown broke his front door, chasing the woman into his home. He said Brown punched him in the face and knocked him to the floor, kicking him repeatedly in the back and legs, causing permanent nerve damage. Brown was on parole at the time for five prior felony convictions, including second-degree attempted robbery, second-degree assault, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, second-degree escape and first-degree attempted promotion of prison contraband. "The victim in this case served his country, served his community and saved the defendant's sister from the defendant violently attacking her," Budelmann said in a press release at the time of Brown's plea. "In contrast to the victim, this defendant has spent his adult life not serving his community, but rather committing multiple violent crimes and victimizing others." At his sentencing Thursday, Brown was seen rolling his eyes and shaking his head at the district attorney's comments. When it came time for him to speak, Brown insisted he had been drinking heavily that night and did not remember what happened. "If they know I was intoxicated, why am I not charged like I was intoxicated?" Brown asked the court. "This case really gets under my skin," Judge Thomas Leone said. "You beat this man a man who served our country and kicked him while he was down. ... And I don't think I've ever heard an apology out of your mouth." Leone sentenced Brown to six years in prison plus five years post-release supervision. He also signed an order of protection for the victim and ordered Brown pay around $750 in restitution for the man's medical bills. Also in court: A Syracuse man has admitted to committing several felonies while conspiring to sell heroin in Cayuga County. Eddie Smith, 35, of 753 James St., was charged with 10 felonies and two misdemeanors this summer, including several counts of criminal possession and sale of narcotics. However, the district attorney allowed Smith to plead guilty Thursday to three felonies third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fourth-degree conspiracy and second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor. Smith, a second felony offender, told the court he conspired with co-defendant Jamal Slater to sell heroin in Auburn and on July 6, 2016, he sold a quantity of heroin to a confidential informant. Then, on July 26, Smith said he visited a man at 62 N. Fulton St. to collect cash from selling drugs. "I was trying to collect money from this guy ... and I hit him in the head with my cell phone," Smith said. "He fell down and was knocked unconscious." In exchange for his pleas of guilty, Smith will likely be sentenced to a total of four years in prison and two years post-release supervision. His sentencing is scheduled May 4. An Auburn man pleaded guilty to a felony Thursday after selling heroin that caused a near-fatal overdose last year. Brandon Dutcher, of 67 Perrine St., admitted he tried to sell 15 bags of heroin in December 2016. The 31-year-old said he met someone on the corner of Orchard and Jefferson streets in Auburn to make the sale, but fled when he realized it was an officer. Budelmann said a near-fatal overdose prompted an investigation into Dutcher, who turned out to be selling bags of fentanyl, a synthetic opiate. Dutcher was originally charged with third-degree attempted criminal sale and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance as well as resisting arrest and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. However, he pleaded guilty to the attempted sale in exchange for 2 1/2 years in prison plus two years post-release supervision. In addition, Leone agreed to include a shock camp order so Dutcher could seek treatment for his own drug addiction. A Moravia man could spend up to four years in prison for burglarizing a home and selling heroin in Cayuga County. Scott Morey, of 3 School St., pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance in December. At the time, he admitted to breaking into a house in the town of Locke and selling heroin to someone in 2015. Leone sentenced Morey to 1 1/3 to four years in prison on the burglary and two years in prison plus two years post-release supervision. Morey was also given a shock camp order to allow him to get treatment for an opiate addiction. CPI scores show Caribbean still has way to go That is where they go wrong a lot of the time, said Dr Vindel Kerr, a lecturer in Ethics at the UWI, St. Augustine and a corporate governance and corruption researcher. Business Day reached out to Kerr to get his views on the findings released at by the Transparency Institute of Trinidad and Tobago last week where TT was shown to have scored 35 on the Corruption Perception Index in 2016, down from 39 in 2015. The score has earned the country a ranking of 101 out of 176 countries. In 2015, our ranking was 72 out 168 countries. His own country had a score of 39, earning them a ranking of 83. Additionally, there has to be political will, said Kerr, It is all well and good to create laws. But it is the politicians who have to ensure that the appropriate mechanisms are in place for effective and efficient enforcement. When they turn a blind eye to the situation, nothing is going to happen. We see a lot of that. For example, in the matter of campaign finance, it has been 15 years since it was initially brought up in Jamaica and several in Trinidad. In the same period, they have expedited many other simple, mundane and sometimes self-serving legislation, such as raising their salaries, or giving themselves pensions, which is now being discussed by the TT senate. Over the years, Jamaica and several other Caribbean territories have managed the feat of arresting public figures caught in financial wrongdoing, whereas TT is yet to make any significant arrests or convictions on this score. We asked Kerr, how Jamaica and high scoring Caribbean countries like the Bahamas and Barbados were able to do this. Kerr acknowledged that even though the regions and Jamaicas scores were generally still too low Jamaica had several mechanisms that helped contain corruption. Jamaica is known in the corruption literature and the Western hemisphere for having a considerable anticorruption model. He said the island has several different layers of corruption checks including a parliamentary Integrity Commission, a Corruption Prevention Commission and a Commission of the Contractor General. He said a weakness of TTs anticorruption mechanism was that too many times, State enterprises boards had sole authority to determine who received contracts. The UWI lecturer said in Jamaica, this authority was tiered in that contracts above a certain amount were approved by the CEO, the board and finally by Cabinet, depending on the amount. The Cabinet in Jamaica, is the highest authority to decide on contracts. He also advised that TT to set up anti-corruption mechanisms that gave the investigatory body independence and full police powers, the establishment of an independent procurement body to monitor public service contracts and a special corruption court. A next thing TT needs to do is to bring politicians and public figures before the courts, said Kerr. And charge them, like most other Caribbean countries. Creating the Guyanese model Jeff Simmons, Country Manager of Esso Exploration and Production, Guyana, the Exxon Mobil subsidiary, said since the discoveries of the Liza and Payara fields, the company has invested US$700 million in the country, $100 million of that having gone to Guyanese companies. He also indicated that local content issues were at the top of the companys mind and was worked into the development plan, with 400 local workers to be hired during the installation stage (over a 6 month to 1 year period), 250-500 workers during the development drilling stage (over a 3-5 year period), 200 workers during production operations (a 20-year period) and 150 to 200 workers as the local affiliate settles down in the period after the first 20 years. Noting that Esso was starting from scratch, Simmons said there was still the challenge of working out what skills would be needed, how workers would be trained, what percentage of this talent would be Guyanese and whether they would be located in the high or low skilled brackets, as well as how this would be done in a way that benefits the company, Guyanese energy sector and the country as a whole. With an estimated 400 billion barrels in recoverable oil worth US$200 billion at current prices, Guyana needs a way to take the guesswork out of setting up its industry in a way that benefits the country and its people. Fast. Kevin Ramnarine, a former energy minister of TT, has written and spoken on the topic and offered Business Day his thoughts. His first, was the hope that Guyana not turn into Venezuela. Nobody symbolises the Resource Curse and Dutch Disease better than Venezuela. There is a spectrum that starts with Venezuela and ends with Norway. Guyana has to decide which position it occupies along it, said Ramnarine. He also encouraged the energy newcomer to learn from Trinidad and Tobagos experience, to adopt what we got right and to reject our mistakes. Among the things we got right, he said, are the stable political and business environment, the establishment of downstream industries, the creation of NGC, transfer of skills from multi nationals and establishment of programmes to benefit the country based on oil and gas revenues, such as GATE and the establishment of the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund. Ramnarine said one of the things we keep getting wrong however, is the compensation of qualified energy personnel employed with the government. One of the weaknesses of the Ministry of Energy is that it sits as part of the wider public service, said the former energy minister. This means that salaries for professional staff at the Ministry are much lower compared to their peers in the oil and gas companies. He said this resulted in a constant turnover of geologists, engineers, commercial analysts and lawyers at the ministry and he said if Guyana wanted to retain its best and its brightest to Exxon, the best way would be to provide adequate compensation from the start. Ramnarine also listed inefficiencies at the state-owned oil company, Petrotrin and what he termed the sectors counterproductive industrial relations climate as negatives. The lack of sufficient insulation from political decision making at Petrotrin and to a lesser extent, the NGC has also proved to be problematic and TTs energy infrastructure was aging with little being done to address the issue. The former energy minister also spoke about misuse of our energy earnings. While we have used the two oil and gas windfalls to invest in infrastructure, health care and education, it is accepted that there was a lot of wastage and inefficiency in how various governments of Trinidad and Tobago expended the oil and gas rents. He warned our Guyanese neighbours to avoid these pitfalls. He advocated that the government negotiate local content terms that would be truly beneficial to the country and that Guyana could go the route of legislating local content like Norway or Nigeria or including it in Production Sharing contracts with the companies, like TT. He recommended that Guyana stick with the Production Sharing contracts since these gave the government more control over the industry. Local content also means local private equity participation. I am of the view that the local capital market should participate by financing a portion of oil and gas investments. This could be mandated by the Government, said Ramnarine. However, the situation demanded that Guyana understood some realities. The first, said Ramnarine, was that the industry was unlikely to employ many people. The second, was that Guyanas energy sector had to develop downstream industries to be truly beneficial to its people, something he said was unlikely to happen at this point since the Liza field was too far out at sea to pipe oil back to land for any land based activity. The former energy minister also said Guyana should establish its own State Energy company. This companys board and management must be insulated from politics. A percentage of this companys equity must be listed on the Guyana Stock Exchange. This will allow institutional investors and citizens the opportunity to directly own Guyanas oil industry. He said two separate companies must be formed along with the main enterprise: one to develop support infrastructure and the other to take on marketing activities. With regard to starting from scratch, Ramnarine believed this may not necessarily be a bad thing for Guyana. Guyana has an opportunity to take the best from the experiences of other countries and make its own model. It may be that 20 years from now, we wont be talking about the Norway model. We may be talking about the Guyana model. The new normal The more recent of the very audacious moves, being the refugee based restrictions being imposed by the United States. This, coupled with a burgeoning relationship with Russia, the straining of a relationship with Mexico which is a traditional United States ally - amongst other swift and daring moves send a very strong signal to the rest of the Globe. Based on the immediate response emanating from the media, the diplomatic operatives seem left in the lurch, having to play catch up in order to craft diplomatic responses and approaches to what was already decreed. Such a paradigm questions the role and functionality of diplomatic positions within todays tweet inspired circumstances. Why is this relevant? Simply because the decisions and directives made by the various global superpowers, including the strengthening or weakening of their relationships will impact on the rest of the world, including on the way we do business, whilst impacting the bottom line for many local, regional and internationally operating business organisations. These circumstances call for diplomatic plasticity to be infused in the way we choose to do business in a very fast changing global structure. The channels that formerly presented as stable and dependable are now presenting as fluid and uncharacteristic. Such environments call for a measure of international relations that are very distant from the norm. Essentially, this poses a very new and dynamic challenge to corporate structures already operating within international confines, as well as those choosing to operate within these confines to become as knowledgeable as is possible with the ever-changing face of global and diplomatic realities and to make the requisite adjustments. One such adjustment would be to remain current, perhaps even ensuring your presence on the information superhighway in a very direct manner after all, this seems to be where global diplomacy takes place, for all the world to see. In addition to investing in a social media presence with real time reporting, it would be of good measure to invest in cross cultural understanding, to appreciate the international community, what was traditionally expected, and what the new normal might become. This is extremely important as it lends to the corporate culture being empowered to understand and appreciate the impact international and diplomatic relationships have on the various trade markets. These are inextricably related, and cognizance must be placed on keeping abreast. As I pen this article, I am trusting that our very own Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs would have been proactive in updating its various Missions and High Commissions on the changing global dynamic, and finding ways to ensure nationals of Trinidad and Tobago can access information on such adjustments, be it via updates to the ministrys website, or by being able to simply visit various overseas missions to be guided accordingly. I would expect a similar system be developed within our Foreign Affairs Ministry designed to facilitate the provision of guidance and support to nationals, businesses and other relevant persons in adjusting to this new paradigm of fast-paced, tweet diplomacy and its subsequent impacts. All together, we are experiencing an extremely interesting global dynamic from which we in Trinidad and Tobago are certainly not isolated, and as such, we must ensure we understand and appreciate the various economic, social and multi-pronged impact such geo-politics can and will have on this nation. $90,000 for pensioner In awarding the sum to the woman, Justice Frank Seepersad criticised the Police Service for slapping a malicious charge on the woman who worked as a janitor at the time and was locked in a police cell for the weekend because she was unable to tell them the whereabouts of one of her sons. Justice Seepersad said the fight against crime must start with rebuilding public confidence in the Police Service, lamenting that even trial juries do not trust the police. In the lawsuit, the woman said that at about 11.30 pm on August 26, 2011 police entered her house in South Trinidad without a warrant and asked for her sons. She said that she did not know their whereabouts. Police said she was lying and searched the house. The woman was arrested, handcuffed and taken to the Ste Madeleine Police Station at 1.30 am where she was placed in a cell. On Saturday at about 7 am, she was given bread and butter to eat, but nothing to drink. The woman who suffers with high blood pressure, got no medication. At 11.15 am she was charged with stealing paint brushes. At 6 am the following day (Sunday), the woman was taken to the San Fernando Police Station where she was placed in a cell. On Monday, the case was dismissed in the San Fernando Magistrates Courts as it was determined the woman was the lawful owner of the paint brushes. Attorneys Lester Chariah and Taurean Dassyne filed a malicious prosecution case against the State on behalf of the pensioner. Justice Seepersad awarded the woman $80,000 in general and aggravated damages. The sum, he ordered, would generate interest of 1.5 percent from the date of the filing of the action last year. The judge also awarded the woman exemplary damages in the sum of $10,000, plus $5,000 for legal fees. The State was also ordered to pay the womans legal cost for the High Court case which is to be assessed by the registrar. Thieves jailed for house-breaking The accused men aged 28 and 22 and both of Enterprise, Chaguanas were sentenced to 18 and nine months imprisonment with hard labour respectively by Senior Magistrate Jo-Anne Connor in the First Court. The men pleaded guilty to the charges of house-breaking and larceny which carries a maximum of ten years in prison. Charges were laid by WPC Guerrero. Prosecutor Sgt Ken Ali told the court that at about 8.30 am on Sunday, police on mobile patrol received a report of house breaking at Xeres Road in Carlsen Field. The two were held with a bag containing a quantity of stolen items taken from a house. The items include a laptop, a TSTT modem and TT and US currency. Sando businessman robbed According to police reports, at about 10.30 pm the businessman, identified as Joel Edwards, was driving his vehicle near Scotland Drive, Cocoyea, San Fernando, when he was robbed. Reports are that Edwards went to Scotland Drive to drop off a female business associate at her home. He told police officers that while in the area, he stopped his vehicle and opened his trunk to take out documents. As Edwards exited the vehicle, he was accosted by two men, armed with guns, who announced a hold up. The men pointed the guns at Edwards and then ordered him to lie on the ground. The thieves then ordered that Edwards hand over his keys of his Kia Cerato vehicle. The robbers then escaped in the vehicle. Investigators said the men also escaped with an undisclosed sum of money and Edwards cellular phone which was in the vehicle. Edwards reported the matter at the San Fernando Police Station. Up to late yesterday no arrests were made. Ex-cop: Police using time to study law He said these aspiring lawyers are cheating the Service of valuable police time that could be spent catching criminals. Maharaj said that over the past ten years, he has seen police elevated to the First Division on the basis of a Bachelor of Law and Management degrees, than crime-fighting record and skills. Maharaj was the head of the Criminal Investigation Department in San Fernando and Princes Town Police Stations before retiring in 2013. Asked for a comment on the spate of murders on Monday after he attended the High Court in San Fernando in a case in which he charged a Chinese woman for attempting to bribe a police officer, Maharaj said, We have among the lowest detection rates for serious crimes in the entire world. Part of the reason is because the police service is packed with a growing number of officers who are cheating police time to pursue law and management degrees. Is either they want to defend criminals and make money or be elevated to the higher rank. The police service has become like a business, where officers interest is not detecting crimes but becoming lawyers. Maharaj issued a call for an audit to be done on police officers who have been elevated over the past five years, in respect of the crimes they have solved. The country, he said, will find the results most alarming. Maharaj asked, Why are police officers not pursuing crime-related subjects such as criminology and in forensics. It is because their interest is not police work. How can a police officers study for five years to become a lawyer (attorney), or for three years in management or Human Resource, without cheating time on the job? Maharaj said that when citizens give police information on drugs and guns, police officers are either coward to act, or, they are busy reading law books. He frown upon the methodology used to fight serious crimes, pointing out that it is customary to see police officers in marked police vehicles speeding, with blaring sirens, on their way to bust a drug blocks. Is either they are cowards, or, they are corrupt, Maharaj said. He said he declined an offer to return to service as an adviser on crime under the previous Peoples Partnership government. How can the crime detection rate increase? Maharaj advocated the recruiting of Scotland Yard detectives to work alongside police officers in police stations in localities where serious crimes are rampant. NADIA IN GRAVE What she got instead was death. A country-wide search by police, soldiers, cadaver dogs, relatives and hunters ended yesterday when the 25-year-old womans decomposing body was found in a shallow grave in some bushes in Santa Flora. According to a police report at about 11 am, four men who were hunting for iguanas in the forests 156 metres off St Clyne Road in Santa Flora came across the shallow grave with sections of Simms body protruding from the loose earth. A report was made to the police and a team of officers including detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau visited the scene along with the district medical officer (DMO). Simms left her Rampersad Trace, Rochard Road, Penal home last Saturday to meet with a man whom her relatives knew only as Mr Kenny about a possible job. She told loved ones she was going to meet the man at a restaurant in Penal. Two weeks ago, she was laid off her job as a waitress at an establishment where Mr Kenny was a regular customer. CCTV footage in the Penal restaurant showed that Simms did meet with the man and had lunch last Saturday at 1 pm. Simms was found yesterday fully clothed and clad in the same outfit she wore last Saturday. A 31-year-old Siparia yam vendor is currently assisting detectives in their investigations. The area where Simms body was found, police said, is a short distance from where the suspect lives. A police report stated that on Sunday relatives reported her missing to the Penal Police Station. A search was carried out between Sunday and yesterday when the gruesome discovery was made. Sgts Harripersad, Khan and Mohammed and Cpl George along with officers of the South Western Division Task Force, Mounted and Canine Branch and Anti Kidnapping Unit were all involved in daily searches in the dense forests. Simms would have celebrated her 26th birthday next Tuesday. Yesterday as news spread through the village that her body was found, villagers arrived near the crime scene and huddled under the shade of a tree discussing the incident. A resident recalled seeing the suspect at 4 pm on Saturday walking with Simms. I saw her personally, she was a real nice looking girl. He was passing and he called out to me as he walked with her...I answered him. He called me out for me to notice him walking with this nice-looking girl, said the man. The villager added that he knew the suspect as a baby and feels he (the suspect) has brought shame on the quiet community. We never had this kind of thing here. At 3.20 pm yesterday, Simms mother Nafeesa Simms, aunt Homaida Ali and other relatives arrived on the scene accompanied by police officers. Simms remained in a police vehicle. Speaking to reporters, a distraught Ali said no person deserves such a horrific death adding that lawlessness at all levels is now the order of the day in the country. Because of the advanced state of decomposition, police and the DMO could not ascertain cause of death. The body was later removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where an autopsy is expected to be done today. The suspect remains in police custody. Son of murdered US citizen: TT a murderous society However, Wayne Matthews believes that his mothers murder will be solved. She was found dead in her home on the weekend. An autopsy revealed she was stabbed eight times. Wayne, who was only 14 when he left this country and emigrated to the United States, said he spent Christmas Day and New Years Day with his mother, siblings and other relatives and it was one of the happiest times in his life. According to Wayne, his mother returned to Trinidad in early January and was expected to return to the United States shortly. Now that her life has been snuffed out in such a violent way, Wayne told Newsday that he never expected this from the country of his birth and at the hands of a citizen or citizens because his mother was such a peaceful person. I feel devastated and disappointed, not only with what happened with my mother but with the other murder victims, Wayne said. It is truly devastating especially with the amount of persons being murdered and the numbers are truly bothering. It is just too rapid for a small country like Trinidad and Tobago, a place which I believe is a beautiful country where I was born. It should not be like this. He called on his mothers killer or killers to surrender because at the end of the day they will be found and justice will prevail and I will personally see to it. On Tuesday, Wayne and his two sisters went to Churchill Circular, Arima, and while they had limited access to the house where his mothers body was found, their relatives managed to begin cleaning up the house which is still being treated as a crime scene. He said that he did not have the strength to go into the house to see the bloodied mattress where his mothers body was found. Wayne said that he returned to Trinidad with a heavy heart on Monday and thanked his uncle, former director of the National Operations Centre, Garvin Heerah, for providing the necessary support. According to Wayne, his mother was an extremely independent- minded person and although she was concerned about the spate of crime in the country, she had faith in God and was never afraid of anything. He believes that she may have put up a good fight with her attacker or attackers but in the end she was overpowered by the ruthless person or persons who ended her life. ELBRIDGE The Jordan-Elbridge Central School District Board of Education approved an additional $110,000 toward efforts to remove hazardous materials. The decision was made by the board at a meeting Wednesday night at Elbridge Elementary School. The extra funds going to the Emergency Asbestos/Lead Abatement and Radon Mitigation Project will be appropriated from the district's general fund unappropriated fund balance. "It just makes sense for us to roll as much of the cost that we can into the project," superintendent James Froio. The work will be done at the high school, Ramsdell Middle School and the elementary school. The board also approved a $343,927 bid on the radon work by DW & Crew Mechanicals, Inc. in Cicero and a lump sump offer of $61,000 for the lead project by the Albany-based Aktor Corporation. The "lowest responsible" bidders were chosen. Last year radon, asbestos and lead was discovered in different areas of the buildings during a health and wellness inspection. The inspection was part of an almost $10 million capital project to improve, reconstruct and renovate several buildings and facilities that was passed by taxpayers last February. The board sequestered $500,000 for the project over the summer, but it was later found costs would be higher than originally estimated. Froio noted at the time that while the district was taking the situation seriously, none of the affected sections were in any of the school's functional areas. At the Wednesday night meeting, Froio said 86 percent of the funds for the project will flow back to the district over 15 years in the form of building aid. Earlier bids for the lead abatement were rejected due to the high cost because of the number of items that needed to be cleared out which Froio said included old textbooks and light fixtures and the contaminated areas' growth. Froio said a environmental testing company tested to make sure those accumulated items weren't contaminated with lead. He also said facilities director Vinny Smith led an endeavor to clear out those extra items last month, saving the district about $175,000. The district accepted a $53,200 bid from Two Brothers Contracting, Inc. in Westmoreland for the asbestos abatement in October. Pension for Senators would be self serving Contributing to the debate on the motion, moved by Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir, to amend the Legislative Retirement Allowances Act to allow for senators to contribute to a Members of Parliament pension fund, Rambharat also said on Monday that the motion was premature, and the countrys current economic situation could not allow it. In a motion such as this coming from the Senate, he said, there is always a risk of this house being self-serving. On the motion being premature, he said, when legislation to deal with benefits for Members of Parliament and retiring judges it was passed in Lower House and sent to a Joint Select Committee (JSC). The JSC recommended to the Parliament that the appropriate expertise on the issues belonged to the SRC. A matter of this nature, whether fair or unfair, Rambharat said, should not be the focus of a motion. Disagreeing with the motion, he said, medical benefits and pensions should be separated from other forms of compensation such as salaries which the SRC deals with. In addition, he noted that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley made it clear that this was not the appropriate time in looking at compensation for MPs given the state of the economy. He said that the Prime Minister is on record as having asked Government MPs and senators to contribute a five percent from their compensation to a social cause of their choice. He said that they have been doing so and for that reason he will also not support the motion. He disagreed that senators not being allowed to contribute to the pension fund was discriminatory. Local laws, he said, were replete with examples that allowed some forms of discrimination where jobs were concerned. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Statement on Union Budget- 2017-18 New Delhi, Thu, 02 Feb 2017 NI Wire I congratulate the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Jee for presenting an excellent Budget. It will empower the poor and live up to the expectations of all. It will provide an impetus to infrastructure, strength to the financial system and a big boost to the development. The budget has provisions to fulfill the expectations of everyone- from construction of highways to expansion of I-ways, from the cost of pulses to the data speed, from the modernization of railways to simple economic constructions, from education to health, from entrepreneurs to industry, from textile manufacturers to tax deduction. The Finance Minister and his entire team deserve praise for this historic budget. This Budget is a reflection of the development measures undertaken by the Government over the past two and a half years and the vision to carry forward the momentum in this direction. The merger of the Railway budget with the Union Budget is a major step. It will help in integrated planning of the transport sector. Railways can now contribute in a much better way in meeting the transport needs of the country. The focus of the budget is on agriculture, rural development and infrastructure which is also a reflection of the Governments commitment to raise investment and create employment opportunities. The allocation for the schemes in these categories has been hiked substantially. The budgetary outlay for Railways and Road transport sector have also been substantially increased. Governments aim is to double the farmers income by 2022 and the policies and schemes have been designed keeping this in mind. Maximum emphasis in this budget has been on the farmers, villages, poor, dalit and the underprivileged sections of the society. Agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, watershed development, Swachcha Bharat Mission are the areas which hold lots of potential to uplift the economic situation in rural India and also bring a sea change in the quality of life there. The Budget has laid emphasis on increasing the employment opportunities. Special allocation has been made for the sectors like Electronic manufacturing, Textiles which create new job opportunities. Provisions have been made to bring in the people working in the unorganized sector to the organized sector. Budget allocation for Skill development has been enhanced considerably keeping in mind the youth of our country and the need to gain the advantage from the demographic dividend. Record allocation the highest ever has been made for Mahatma Gandhi National Guarantee Scheme. Womens welfare is a priority for our Government. Budgetary outlay for the schemes related to womens and children welfare has been enhanced. There has been a considerable hike in the allocation of budget for health and higher education. Housing and Construction Sector plays a major role in the growth of economy and creating new employment opportunities. This budget will provide an impetus to the housing sector in rural as well as urban areas. In the Railway budget, special emphasis has been on railway safety. Railway Safety Fund has been set up which will help in ensuring adequate expenditure of funds on rail safety. Capital expenditure on Railway and Road infrastructure has been hiked substantially in the budget.The Comprehensive package on digital economy will curb the tax evasion and check the circulation of black money. We have undertaken the exercise to launch Digital economy in a mission mode which will go a long way in achieving the target of 2500 crore digital transactions in 2017-18. The Finance Minister has brought in tax reforms and amendments which will provide relief to the Middle Class, result in setting up of industries, create job opportunities , will put an end to discrimination and will provide incentives for private investments. The move to reduce the personal income tax is significant as it touches the middle class most. Bringing down the rate from 10 to 5 percent is a bold move. Most of the taxpayers in India would be benefitted by this decision. You would have seen, my fight against black money and corruption is on. Political funding has always been a matter of discussion. Political parties are always under the scanner in this regard. The new scheme by the Finance Minister related to poll funding is along the lines of the hopes and aspirations of the people in our fight against the black money. The small and medium industries across the country have been a major source of employment generation. These industries have been demanding that they are facing difficulties in competing at the global level and if the taxes are lowered, then around 90 percent of our small scale industries would be benefitted. Therefore, the Government has amended the definition of Small scale industries, widened their scope and reduced the tax rate from 30 to 25 percent. This implies that over 90 percent of our Small scale industries will be benefitted. I am hopeful that this decision will help a lot in making our SSIs globally competitive. This budget is an important step towards overall development of the nation. It will create new employment opportunities, help in overall economic growth and will be complementary in raising the income of the farmers. In order to ensure quality of life for the citizens, the best possible facilities of education, health and housing can be organized. It is an effort to raise the purchasing power of the middle class without increasing the fiscal deficit. In a way, it is a reflection of our ongoing efforts to see to it that the speed with which our country is changing, gather momentum. This budget is associated with our aspirations, our dreams and in a way depicts our future. This is the future of our new generation, the future of our farmers. When I say future, it has a meaning in each of its letters. In FUTURE, the letter F stands for the farmer, U stands for Underprivileged which includes dalit, oppressed, women etc., T stands for Transparency, Technology Upgradation- the dream of a modern India, U stands for Urban Rejuvenation the urban development, R stands for Rural Development and E stands for Employment for youth, Entrepreneurship, Enhancement to give a push to new employment and boost to young entrepreneurs. I congratulate the Finance Minister once again to present this FUTURE in the budget. It is my belief that the budget will carry forward the development agenda of the Government, generate a new climate of confidence and help the nation to scale new heights. Once again, my heartfelt congratulations to the Finance Minister and his team for the budget. Siurce: PIB Income tax reduced from 10% to 5% for individual having income in the slab of Rs. 2.5 Lakh to Rs. 5 Lakh New Delhi, Thu, 02 Feb 2017 NI Wire Budget's thrust on stimulating growth, relief to Middle Class, Affordable Housing, Curbing Black Money, promoting Digital Economy, transparency of Political Funding and simplification of Tax Administration Government committed to eliminate Black Money component from the economy MSME companies to pay income tax @ 25% Custom duty on LNG reduced from 5% to 2.5% Small and medium tax payers to pay less under presumptive income tax scheme Measures announced to ensure transparency in Electoral funding Income tax reduced from 10% to 5% for individual having income in the slab of Rs. 2.5 Lakh to Rs. 5 Lakh Individuals in the slab of Rs. 50 Lakh to Rs. 1 Crore will have to pay surcharge of 10% GST council's recommendations on major issues finalised Presenting the General Budget 2017-18 in Parliament here, the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley said that the major thrust of his Budget proposals is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration. Presenting the overall economic scenario of the country, Jaitley said that we are largely a tax non-compliant society. Among the 3.7 crore individuals who filed the tax returns in 2015-16, only 24 lakh people show income above Rs. 10 lakh. Of the 76 lakh individual assesses who declared income above Rs. 5 lakh, 56 lakh are from salaried class. The number of people showing income more than Rs. 50 lakh in the entire country is only 1.72 lakh, while more than 1.25 crore cars have been sold in the last five years and over 2 crore people flew abroad in the year 2016. Highlighting the priorities of the Government, the Finance Minister Jaitley in his Budget Speech said that one of the main priorities is to eliminate the black money component from the economy. He said that the Government is committed to make our taxation rates more reasonable, our tax administration more fair and expand the tax base in the country. Presenting a revealing picture after the demonetization, he said that during the period from 8th November to 30th December, 2016 deposits between Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 80 lakh were made in about 1.09 crore accounts with an average deposit size of Rs. 5.03 lakh. Deposits of more than Rs. 80 lakh were made in 1.48 lakh accounts with average deposit size of Rs. 3.31 crore. This data mining will help the Government immensely in expanding the tax net as well as increasing the revenues, which was one of the main objectives of demonetization. For the second year in a row, the growth rate of tax revenue will be 17% as per the RE of 2016-17. Because of the serious efforts made by the Government, the rate of growth of advance tax in personal income tax in the first three quarters of the Current Financial Year is 34.8%. The tax collections both in Direct and Indirect taxes in the current financial year even after demonetization have shown a remarkable surge. Mentioning the measures for promoting affordable housing in real estate sector, the Finance Minister said that the scheme for profit linked income tax exemption for promoters of affordable housing will be broad based. Instead of built-up area of 30 and 60 sq. mtrs., the carpet area of 30 and 60 sq. mtr. will be counted. Also the 30 sq. mtr. will apply only in case of municipal limits of four metropolitan cities while for the rest of the country limit of 60 sq. mtr. will apply. In order to be eligible, the scheme was to be completed in three years after commencement. Now, it will be extended to five years. The tax on notional rental income will be applicable after one year of the end of the year in which completion certificate is received so that builders get some breathing time for liquidating their inventory. Announcing changes in the capital gain taxation provisions in respect of land and building, Arun Jaitley said that the holding period for considering gain from immovable property is being reduced to two years from existing three years now. Also, the base year for indexation is proposed to be shifted from 1.4.1981 to 1.4.2001 for all classes of assets including immovable property. In respect of new capital for State of Andhra Pradesh, persons holding land on 2.6.2014 whose land is being pooled for creation of new capital city under the Government Scheme, will be exempted from capital gain tax. Delineating measures for stimulating growth, Jaitley said that a concessional withholding rate of 5% being charged on interest earned by foreign entities in external commercial borrowings or in bonds in Government securities is proposed to be extended to 30.6.2020. For the purpose of carry forward of losses in respect of start ups, the condition of continuous holding of 51% of voting rights has been relaxed subject to the condition that the holding of the original promoters continues. Also, the profit linked deduction available to the start ups for three years out of five years is being changed to three years out of seven years. Arun Jaitley said that it is not practical to remove or reduce Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT). However, in order to allow companies to use MAT credit in future years, carry forward of MAT upto a period of 15 years instead of 10 years at present will be allowed. Announcing tax benefits to medium and small enterprises to make them more viable and to encourage them to migrate to company format, the income tax for smaller companies with annual turnover upto Rs. 50 crore will be reduced to 25% . As per data of Assessment Year 2015-16, there are 6.94 lakh companies filing returns of which 6.67 lakh companies fall in this category. This will make MSME sector more competitive as compared to large companies. The revenue forgone estimate for this measure is expected to be Rs. 7200 crore per annum. To give a boost to Banking Sector, allowable provision for non performing asset is being increased to 8.5% from 7.5%. This will reduce the tax liability of Banks. In respect of NPA accounts, interest receivable on actual receipts instead of accrual basis will be taxed. This will remove hardship of having to pay tax even when interest income is not realized. Jaitley further announced reduction in basic custom duty on LNG from 5% to 2.5% in view of wide range of use of LNG as fuel as well as feed stock for petro-chemical sector. In order to incentivize domestic value addition and to promote Make In India, Jaitley announced changes in Customs & Central Excise duties on several items related to the Renewable Energy Sector. This includes all items of machinery required for - fuel based power generating system to be set-up in the country for demonstration purposes; systems operating on biogas/ biomethane/ byproduct Hydrogen; LED lights or fixtures etc. Proposals for reduction in Customs duty on inputs and raw materials to reduce costs have been submitted for certain items like Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Nickel, Vegetable Tanning Extracts and certain Capital Goods. Proposal to hike Excise duties and to levy additional duties under Sec 85 of the Finance Act, 2005 on several tobacco and tobacco related products have also been made in the Budget. Mentioning measures to promote digital economy/cashless transactions, Arun Jaitley said that BCD, Excise/CV duty and SAD on miniaturized POS card reader for m-POS, micro ATM standards version 1.5.1, Finger Print Readers/Scanners and Iris Scanners will be exempted. Also, parts and components for manufacture of such devices so as to encourage domestic manufacturing of these devices will be exempted. No transaction above Rs. 3 lakh will be permitted in cash. The cash expenditure allowable as deduction, both for revenue as well as capital expenditure will be limited to Rs. 10,000. Similarly, the limit of cash donation which can be received by charitable trust is being reduced to Rs. 2000 from Rs. 10,000. As regards, scheme of presumptive income tax for small and medium tax payers whose turnover is upto Rs. 2 crore, 6% of their turnover instead of 8% at present will be counted as presumptive income. Expressing concern over funds being received by political parties through anonymous donations shown in cash, Jaitley said that the measures taken in the past to check such donations has only marginally improved the situation. A transparent method of funding political parties which is vital to the system of free and fair elections needs to be evolved. Jaitley proposed the following schemes to cleanse the system of funding of political parties: a) The maximum amount of cash donation that a political party can receive will be Rs. 2000/- from one person, b) Political party will be entitled to receive donations by cheque or digital mode from their donors. c) Reserve Bank of India Act will be amended to enable the issuance of electoral bonds in accordance with a scheme to be framed by the Government in this regard. Under this Scheme, a donor could purchase bonds from authorized Banks against cheque and digital payments only. They shall be redeemable only in the designated account of a registered political party. These bonds will be redeemable within the prescribed time limit from issuance of bond. d) Every political party would have to file its return within the time prescribed in accordance with the provisions of Income Tax Act. Mentioning ease of doing business measures, Arun Jaitley said that in order to reduce the compliance burden due to domestic transfer pricing provision, the scope of domestic transfer pricing will be restricted if one of the entity involved in related party transaction enjoys specified profit linked deduction. The threshold limit for audit of business entities opting for presumptive income scheme is being increased from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore. Similarly, threshold maintenance of books for individuals and HUF is being increased from turnover of Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 25 lakhs or income from Rs. 1.2 lakh to Rs. 2.5 lakh. Jaitley further announced to exempt Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) Category I & II from indirect transfer provision. Indirect transfer provision will not be applicable in case of redemption of shares or interests outside India as a result of or arising out of redemption or sale of investment in India which is chargeable to tax in India. He further announced that a TDS of 5% being deducted from Commission payable to individual insurance agents will be exempted subject to their filing a self declaration that their income is below taxable limit. Professionals with receipt upto Rs. 50 lakh per annum will be given benefit in terms of paying advance tax in one instalment instead of four under presumptive taxation scheme. The time period for revising a tax return is being reduced to 12 months from completion of financial year to allow the people to claim the refund expeditiously. Also, the time for completion of scrutiny assessment is being compressed further from 21 months to 18 months for assessment year 2018-19 and further to 12 months for assessment year 2019-20 and thereafter. Giving details of proposals on personal income tax, the Finance Minister said that the existing rate of taxation for individual assesses between income of Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh will be reduced to 5% from the present rate of 10%. This would reduce the tax liability of all persons below Rs. 5 lakh income either to zero (with rebate) or 50% of their existing liability. In order not to have duplication of benefit, the existing benefit of rebate available to the same group of beneficiaries is being reduced to Rs. 2500 available only to assesses upto income of Rs. 3.5 lakh. The combined effect of both these measures will mean that there would be zero tax liability for people getting income upto Rs. 3 lakh per annum. And the tax liability will only be Rs. 2500 for people with income between Rs. 3 and 3.5 lakh. If the limit of Rs. 1.5 lakh under Section 80C for investment is used fully the tax would be zero for people with income of Rs. 4.5 lakh. While the taxation liability of people with income upto Rs. 5 lakhs is being reduced to half, all the other categories of tax payers in the subsequent slabs will also get a uniform benefit of Rs. 12500 per person. The total amount of tax forgone on account of this measure is Rs. 15500 crore, Jaitley said. A surcharge of 10% of tax payable on categories of individuals whose annual taxable income is between Rs. 50 lakh and one crore, will be levied. The existing surcharge of 15% of tax on people earning more than 1 crore will continue. This is likely to give additional revenue of Rs. 2700 crore. A simple one page form to be filed as Income Tax Return will be made for the category of Individual having taxable income upto Rs. 5 lakh other than business income. Also, a person of this category to file Income Tax Return for the first time would not be subjected to any scrutiny in the first year unless there is specific information available with the Department regarding his high value transactions. Shr Jaitley appealed to all citizens of India to contribute to Nation Building by making a small payment of 5% tax if their income is falling in the lowest slab of Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh. The Finance Minister further announced that in line with exemption available to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund and certain other funds, the income of the Chief Minister's Relief Fund or the Lieutenant Governor's Relief Fund shall be exempted from tax. Mentioning Goods and Service Tax as a path-breaking reform, Arun Jaitley said that preparatory work for GST is Government's top priority. The GST Council has finalized its recommendations on almost all the issues based on consensus. The preparation of IT system for GST is also on schedule. The extensive reach out efforts to trade and industry for GST will start from 1st April, 2017 to make them aware of the new taxation system. Without compromising the spirit of cooperative federalism, Government shall continue to strive to achieve the goal of implementation of GST. Jaitley expressed hope that GST will bring more taxes both to Central and State Governments because of widening of tax net. Making a mention of Prime Minister's approach of RAPID (Revenue, Accountability, Probity, Information and Digitization), Arun Jaitley said that Government is trying to bring in maximum use of information technology to remove human contact with assesses as well as to plug tax avoidance. He assured everyone that honest, tax compliant persons would be treated with dignity and courtesy. The Direct Tax proposals for exemptions would result in revenue loss of Rs. 22700 crore while revenue gain through additional resource mobilization proposals would be at Rs. 2700 crore i.e. the net revenue loss in Direct Tax would come to Rs. 20000 crore. Concluding his Budget Speech, Arun Jaitley outlined the Government's overarching agenda: Transform, Energise and Clean India'. Government's emphasis will be on implementing all these proposals for the benefit of the farmers, the poor and the under privileged sections of the society, the Finance Minister added. Source: PIB IS THERE ANY SUCH THING AS A PRINCIPLED POLITICIAN ANYMORE? By Chuck Baldwin February 2, 2017 NewsWithViews.com In my lifetime, the closest thing to a constitutionally principled politician that I have ever met at the national level was 12-term Congressman Ron Paul. There were a small handful of others, of course: Steve Stockman, John Hostetler, Paul Broun, Helen Chenoweth-Hage, and Jesse Helms come to mind. Rons son Rand could also be put in this gallant group; I might also put Congressman Thomas Massie in the mix, but I have not personally met this gentleman. There are more, of course. But their number is VERY small and shrinking further all the time. And the number of truly principled politicians I have known on the State and local levels are equally sparse. Mind you, Im talking about a span of over four decades. Typically, as soon as a person is elected to public office, they start thinking about how far up the political ladder they can climb. If they are a county commissioner or city councilman, they are thinking about becoming a State legislator or senator. If they are a State legislator or senator, they are thinking about becoming a U.S. congressman or senator. And if they are a U.S. congressman or senator, they are thinking about becoming President or Vice President. The vast majority of decisions these self-absorbed politicians make, votes they cast, and friends they choose are all centered on one goal: obtaining higher office. Congressional leaders and special interest lobbyists know that most politicians are unprincipled, and they prey on this weakness. Thats why in almost no time after being elected, most politicians become pawns in the hands of the establishment. Furthermore, party labels mean absolutely nothing in this regard. Politicians can talk all day about fighting the liberals (if they are Republicans), or fighting the conservatives (if they are Democrats), etc. It means nothing. What they are really fighting is anything or anyone they perceive as a stumbling block to their political futures. Most politicians have no moral or philosophical compass and are, therefore, mushy clay in the hands of Big Money potters and party strongmen. Sadly, the same unprincipled, anything-to-get-ahead approach to life besieges many, if not most, preachers and businessmen as well. Preachers pander to contributors and businessmen pander to investors. And, again, liberal or conservative mean nothing. Both are driven by the same desires and motivations: success, money, notoriety, etc. I am currently watching countless numbers of conservative and patriot radio talk show hosts, website writers, editors, and publishers, as well as newspaper and magazine writers, editors, and publishers pander to whatever they think will make them money. Truth, objectivity, and honesty mean absolutely NOTHING. There are exceptions, of course. But they are just that: exceptions. Paid lobbyists transition in and out of government positions, and politicians and government employees transition in and out of lobbying positions. Oh, and dont forget that the mainstream media is littered with former political office holders, staffers, and lobbyists. A bunch of former congressmen and senators are even on the payroll of foreign governments. Several televangelists are too. Mostly Israels, of course. With the forty-fourth anniversary of Roe v Wade still fresh in our minds, think of the hundreds and thousands of pro-life congressmen, senators, mayors, State legislators and senators, county commissioners, city councilmen, sheriffs, etc., who have been elected to office over the past forty-four years. Think of the millions, maybe billions, of dollars that have been raised by pro-life organizations over the past forty-four years. Think of the hundreds and thousands of pro-life lobbyists that have been hired and have now retired over the past forty-four years. And we are no closer to overturning Roe v Wade than we were forty-four years ago. (If you really think that President Trump and the GOP in Washington, D.C., or Trumps Supreme Court appointees will overturn Roe during the next four years--even though the GOP will control the entire federal government during that time--I have this bridge I would love to sell you.) And how is it that during the past forty-four years we havent had ONE of the fifty sovereign states in this country go on record as defining an unborn baby as a real, live human being? This in spite of the fact that 45 states have laws on the books that demand murder charges for anyone who kills an unborn baby. Well, anyone except the mother and doctor, of course. (Ive never been able to figure out how the worth of an unborn baby can be determined by who decides to kill him or her.) Please tell me how someone can be brought up on murder charges without the victim being defined as a human being. Of course, the reason for this contradiction is the attempt by states to comply with the Roe decision, while at the same time trying to enforce a moral code they KNOW to be true. In the meantime, every election year, the pro-life politicians tell us how much we need to elect and reelect them because they are pro-life. Really? What difference has electing these pro-life legislators made to the sixty million unborn babies who have been killed during the past forty-four years? If you want to find out how pro-life your State senator or legislator is, just ask him or her to sponsor a personhood bill in your State legislature. Im serious. Try it, and see what these pro-life legislators do. Most of them will vote for it only after doing everything they can to keep it from even becoming a bill that they have to vote on. Truly, most pro-life legislators are hoping that they never have to vote on a personhood bill. Even then, some of them will vote against it, and guess what? The pro-life organizations like the right to life and family groups will not even record the legislators Nay votes on his or her pro-life voter guides. So, even after voting Nay on personhood, the legislator will be touted as pro-life by these phony pro-life organizations. That is the reality of what we are dealing with, folks. If a State legislator or senator was truly pro-life, they wouldnt have to be begged or browbeat into doing everything in their power to end the legal murders of babies in their states, or if a U.S. congressman or senator, in our country. If a man or woman doesnt have a moral compass about killing babies, he or she doesnt have a moral compass about ANYTHING. And thats the problem: most politicians dont have a moral compass about much of anything. Its all about their success; their career; their advancement; their wealth; their notoriety; etc. So, why do the American people keep electing these creeps? It seems that the more unprincipled, self-absorbed, and pathological a politician is, the higher up the ladder he or she climbs. Someone said cream rises to the top, but so does scum! But, as I said, the same self-centered motivation that consumes most politicians seems to consume most preachers as well. In many ways, the best (not meant as a compliment) politicians in this country are not in congress; they are in the pulpits of our churches. It was the compromise of core principles that caused the Religious Right to crash and burn in the late eighties and early nineties. I was there. I saw it up close and personal. I was a young preacher at the time, and at first I didnt understand what I was witnessing. I couldnt imagine that my mentors and heroes could actually be motivated and controlled by money and political influence. I was wrong. There was a time in this country--at least, it seemed that way by the way my father raised me--when men esteemed truth above treasure. And it didnt seem to matter whether the man called himself a Christian or not. Today, many people who call themselves Christians are more corrupt and dishonest than people who dont. In fact, the word Christian today is absolutely without meaning--especially when it comes to politicians. I have said repeatedly that I would rather vote for an unbeliever who will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution than for a believer who will NOT preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. And without the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence--especially the principle of the right to life--our Constitution protects nothing and stands for nothing. And politicians who claim Christianity while betraying the sacred principles contained in the Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights deserve not the support of any American citizen, Christian, or otherwise. I can honestly say that the people who have attacked me, defrauded me, stolen from me, lied against me, slandered me, attempted to ruin me, and even threatened to kill me have been almost exclusively professing Christians. And all I have ever tried to do was follow truth wherever it led me. As sincerely as I can say it, Ive never had a personal agenda or been driven by a lust for personal gain in anything Ive ever said or written. My quest has always been truth. Nothing more. Nothing less. I preach more people OUT of my church or fellowship than most pastors take in. Ive preached unpopular truths and taken unpopular positions at great personal and professional cost. Only Gods power, protection, and provision have sustained me. But the way I look at it is, if I need more than that, Im not really Gods man to begin with. And to the dismay and chagrin of many, God has preserved me for these forty-plus years of labor. I guess this column took on a life of its own. (Smiley face here) Yes, Ron Paul (and a handful of others) was the closest thing to a constitutionally principled politician I ever met at the national level. I still wonder if Ron was Americas last chance for peace. His message was emphatically a message of peace, and his lifelong character was emphatically one of sterling honor and integrity. And it was mostly conservative Christians that rejected Ron Paul: his character and his message. Should I be surprised, then, when what I mostly see from professing Christians today is a spirit of bitterness, hatred, and war? (You should read the mail and emails I receive from professing Christians.) The biggest cheerleaders for perpetual war are Christians. And without a doubt, this hatred and war fever is bringing us ever closer to a global nuclear conflict that could make the first two world wars look like boys playing army in the backyard. If that happens, the blame lies on the doorsteps of Americas churches and in the cloakrooms of Americas unprincipled politicians. [If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link.] [I also have many books and DVDs available for purchase online. Go to Chuck Baldwin Live Store] Officers injured in Yunnan incident Two drug suspects were killed in a shootout with police and 330 kilograms of narcotics were confiscated in the Yunnan province incident, China's National Narcotics Control Commission said on Wednesday. The two resisted arrest and exchanged fire with police in Dehong prefecture on Saturday as they entered China from Myanmar driving two sport utility vehicles, the prefecture's public security bureau said in a news release. One of the suspects died at the scene and the other died at a hospital, officials said. The suspects also used a grenade, the report by the country's top anti-drug authority said. Two police officers were hurt, but the injuries were not life-threatening, officials said. The seized drugs included heroin, methamphetamine and opium, and a gun and 10 bullets also were confiscated, officials said. Drug dealers are more active during holidays like Spring Festival since drug use tends to peak, said Liu Yuejin, deputy head of the commission. There were 165,000 cases relating to drug crimes, 194,000 suspects captured and 102.5 tons of drugs seized in 2015, according to the most recent annual numbers available from the Ministry of Public Security. China seized more than 750 million tons of drugs in the past decade, and prosecuted more than a million drug crime cases, according to the commission. China is under growing pressure from drugs smuggled in from Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle, which is close to Yunnan and where poppy cultivation continues to flourish. About 95 percent of the heroin seized in China in 2015 came from the Golden Trianglea drug-producing area that overlaps the mountains of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, data from the commission indicates. A report last year by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said that trafficking originating in the Golden Triangle area is increasing, mainly due to rising levels of opium production in Myanmar since 2006. Xinhua contributed to this story. UNION SPRINGS The village of Union Springs and the town of Springport have the largest amount of publicly accessible waterfront on Cayuga Lake, and one of the largest in the Finger Lakes region, said Senior Planner Kari Terwilliger of the Cayuga County Planning & Economic Development Department. Between Frontenac Park and area marinas, the village and town are the place to be to experience the longest of the Finger Lakes. But according to community surveys Terwilliger distributed, 49 percent of residents think the Downtown Business District looks "poor." "Downtown needs a little bit of work," Terwilliger said. At a public hearing on the town and village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Wednesday night, about three dozen people learned the boundary for proposed projects in the area, and what some of the projects might be. The program's overall goal is to design land and water use plans to create more environmental, recreational and economic opportunities for both residents and tourists. Terwilliger's survey responses showed that most residents would like even more public access to Cayuga Lake by potentially expanding Frontenac Park. They would also like more restaurants and eateries, a developed master plan for Frontenac Park and an increase in law enforcement to cut back on excessive noise, parties and speeding boats on the lake. But some residents, including village of Union Springs attorney Chad Hayden, were concerned about the population numbers in Terwilliger's presentation. Through a drive-time analysis of folks living in a 10-minute, 20-minute and 30-minute drive, about 3,000 people live within 10 minutes of the village and town. After describing opportunities for lodging and restaurants, Hayden questioned how realistic those plans were. "It seems like pie in the sky with that few of people in 10 minutes," he said. Some people suggested comparing the town and village to others in the county. Fair Haven, for example, has its state park and Sterling Nature Center that seem to attract people to that area. Hayden said similarly, Frontenac Park should "be designed so brilliantly that people will come to the community to experience the park." Union Springs Mayor Bud Shattuck said the village is in discussion with private landowners of the Roto Salt property adjacent to Frontenac Park. Should the village be able to purchase that property, it would loop around so that visitors could look across at McDonald's Point. It's something Shattuck hopes can be done, though he said discussions are preliminary. While the waterfront plan is still in its early stages, there will be another public hearing on more specific projects to be held in June. The public may view a draft of the plan at unionsprings.wixsite.com/lwrp/lwrp-document, or they may review a non-circulating copy at the Springport Free Library. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. King Mohammed VI started Wednesday an official visit to South Sudan, first of its kind in this African country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011. This historic visit, which reflects Moroccos attachment to South-South cooperation based on solidarity, mutual respect and win-win partnership, was marked by private talks held in Juba between the Moroccan Sovereign and President of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit. The two leaders chaired afterwards the signing ceremony of nine cooperation agreements covering housing, urbanism, foreign Affairs, investment, taxation, agriculture, fisheries, food security, industry, mining and business. In a presentation before the two Heads of State, Moroccan Interior Minister Mohamed Hassad expressed the North African Kingdoms readiness and commitment to help South Sudan build a new capital city. Actually, ahead of the Sovereigns visit, South Sudan asked to benefit from Moroccos assistance and expertise to carry out the new administrative capital project. And of course, Morocco is responding to the call. The project will cost nearly $10 billion and Morocco has agreed to pay $5.1 million for the technical and financial feasibility studies of this large-scale project, which offers huge business and job opportunities. In a humanitarian gesture reflective of his care to bring a helping hand to the South Sudanese people, the sovereign will visit the Moroccan field hospital deployed in the South Sudanese capital last January. The facility provides medical services in pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, traumatology, dentistry, ophthalmology, etc. The King will also visit a local hospital center where he will donate medical equipment, medicines and food products destined to needy patients. Before coming to Juba, King Mohammed VI was in Addis Ababa where he addressed the 28th African Union Summit after Moroccos membership within the continental organization was endorsed by a sweeping majority of member countries. In this speech, King Mohammed VI underlined Moroccos unflinching commitment to the development of the continent and prosperity of African citizens, and its resolve to continue sharing and transferring its expertise and know-how, to contribute to building a safe, solidarity-based future for all across Africa. Part of this new African tour, the King is expected to visit Ghana and Zambia. Security cooperation with Morocco in the fight against terrorism as well as drug and human trafficking is indispensable said Spanish Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido. Speaking at the Spanish Lower House on security cooperation with Morocco, the Spanish official voiced satisfaction over this cooperation saying that it is crucial for Spain to foster ties with the north African Kingdom in the fight against terrorism and all sorts of trafficking. He recalled that during the last two years, authorities in the two countries conducted ten joint operations against terrorist cells. The latest took place on October 12, 2016 and resulted in the arrest of four terrorists in Morocco and Spain and the dismantling of two cells specializing in recruiting fighters for Daesh (ISIS). Concerning the fight against drug trafficking, the Spanish minister said that the two countries cooperate in foiling several trafficking attempts by drug mafias. The same satisfaction was noted in the fight against human trafficking, where the two countries cooperate to avert human tragedies resulting from illegal immigration attempts. The Minister also pointed out to the coordination between the two countries in facilitating the crossing through Spain of 3 million Moroccans living in Europe when they return home for the summer holidays. Frankfurt prosecutors office announced Wednesday the arrest of a Tunisian asylum seeker suspected for establishing an attack network in Germany but also linked to the deadly attack on Bardo Museum of Tunis, in March 2015. The man aged 36 has been identified as Haikel S., according to press reports. German officials accuse him of building since August 2015 an Islamic network with the aim of staging attacks across Europe. The main suspect is a 36-year-old Tunisian citizen strongly suspected of working for the foreign terrorist organization that calls itself Islamic State as a recruiter with the aim of carrying out a terrorist attack in Germany, a statement from the prosecutors office said. The suspect reportedly entered Germany in August 2015, five month after the Bardo attack, which killed 22 people, mostly foreign tourists. The attack was the first major attack in Tunisia in post revolution era. The North African country witnessed the same year, two attacks. One was staged at a resort hotel in Sousse while the other targeted the presidential guard in November. The man according to the prosecutors office lived in Germany between 2003 and 2013 before leaving for two years. German authorities decline to say when they became aware that he was back in Germany. Haikel S. is wanted in Tunisia for his involvement in the Bardo attack as well as his alleged sponsorship for the clash between the Tunisian army and jihadists at the border town of Ben Guerdan in March last year. An international arrest warrant against him for his involvement in the two attacks has been issued since June last year. Germany beefed up control of migrants and asylum seekers following December attack on Berlin Christmas market after another Tunisian asylum seeker crushed 12 people to death with a lorry. Haikel S. is known to Germany police. He was arrested last year in August in connection with a 2008 conviction for bodily harm. He was held in custody for extradition to Tunisia, but the transfer fell through when Tunisian authorities failed to provide the necessary paperwork. He was released in November and had been under surveillance since then, the prosecutor told the media. Country living as a springboard for roaming and rambling. With occasional music and light exercise. Now with more Kyoto! Mooch out. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images A gig as the White Houses intermediary between the business world and the Trump administration has fallen through for hedge funder Anthony Scaramucci, the New York Times says. Despite previous reports that the job was his, Scaramucci lost the post because of concerns over the recent sale of SkyBridge Capital, his hedge fund of hedge funds. At least thats the official line. Last month, Scaramucci sold a majority stake of SkyBridge to HNA Group, a Chinese company with deep ties to the Communist Party, that some think is trying to gain influence in the Trump administration. The White House Counsels Office was reportedly going to need three months to clear Scaramucci of potential ethical conflicts, and with his role unfilled, the story goes, Trump and company had to move on. If a newfound emphasis on ethical propriety seems surprising in the Trump White House, that could be because it may be a convenient cover story. According to multiple reports, Scaramucci was simply unwanted. Fox Business reported this week that he is a favorite of Steve Bannons but Trumps chief of staff Reince Priebus was pushing for continued vetting of his business ties. Scaramucci was also not getting along with Trump adviser and The Apprentice alum Omarosa Manigault. Priebus didnt just want more vetting for Scaramucci, he wanted the man known as the Mooch gone, Politico reports. It didnt have much to do with ethics, one person told Politico. Reince is trying to cut someone who has a direct line to Trump, the source said. Further support for that theory comes from Richard W. Painter, George W. Bushs ethics lawyer, who told the Times, This does not seem to me to be a clear disqualifying factor. And as Painter has made clear, hes not one to take ethical concerns lightly. Last week, he sued President Trump over his own conflicts of interest. Sean Spicer. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer followed the leads of President Trump and National Security Adviser Mike Flynn Thursday when he warned Iran that it is on notice for a recent ballistic missile test. Then Spicer mentioned another Iranian transgression: the actions that it took against our Navy vessel. Only, that never happened. Spicer is likely referring to an attack on Monday on a Saudi frigate, which was not carried out by Iran. Rather, the Pentagon tells the Intercept, Houthi rebels, an Iranian-backed group fighting in Yemen, are the prime suspects. To recap: It wasnt a U.S. ship and the attackers werent Iranians. Spicers comments come a day after Flynn put Iran on notice for the ballistic missile test, and hours after President Trump did the same on Twitter. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Flynns remarks were delivered Wednesday in the White House briefing room, where he called the missile test a violation of the 2015 United Nations resolution that called upon Iran to cease any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Though Flynn did not lay out how the U.S. might respond to Iran, an administration official told CNN, We are considering a whole range of options. Were in a deliberative process. Iran responded Thursday with little more than a shrug. The nation maintains that it did not violate the U.N. resolution and Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, threatening Iran is useless. This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran, Velayati told the Fars News Agency, often described as the semi-official outlet of Irans government. Iran is the strongest power in the region and has a lot of political, economic, and military power America should be careful about making empty threats to Iran. He went on to say that Iran will continue testing capabilities in ballistic missiles and will not ask any country for permission in defending itself. Trumps first Iran tweet this morning was quickly followed by another implying that the nation would have collapsed without the assets that were unfrozen as part of the 2015 nuclear deal. In his tweet, Trump misstates both the amount of money and wrongly suggests the U.S. cut Iran a check. Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Of course, theres more wrong with that tweet than the misstated facts. For starters, Irans collapse would be very bad, further destabilizing the Middle East and removing one of the regions foremost enemies of ISIS. Also, the idea that Iran was on its last legs appears to have come from the same place as so many other claims Trump makes: his imagination. SKANEATELES After nearly eradicating polio from the face of the earth, Rotary International has taken on another disease that impacts everyone and threatens to become a tsunami in terms of our health care system: Alzheimers disease. This is the focus of the Skaneateles Rotary Clubs third annual International Womens Day celebration, which is slated to take place Thursday, March 9 at the Lodge at Welch Allyn, 4355 State Street Road, Skaneateles. The night will be a dynamic blend of community activism, Rotary goodwill and fun among friends, so rally your friends and come join hands to make a difference. Rotarians in a club on Marthas Vineyard started this now-global Rotary effort because they asked themselves: With polio on the way out, what is the next disease that affects everybody? The answer was clear: Alzheimers disease. While polio cripples the body, Alzheimers cripples the mind. Alzheimers not only devastates families, it devastates communities. If left unsolved, public health officials say this disease will devastate the entire health care system within the next 10 years. It is being called the most critical public health crisis facing America. It is also being called a tsunami and sinkhole as told so well in a Jan. 25 PBS documentary. What started with one Rotary Club has now spread to include Rotary clubs around the globe. Rotary has vowed to take on this fight, just as it did polio. The PBS special, Alzheimer's: Every Minute Counts, is an urgent wake-up call about the national threat posed by Alzheimer's disease. Beyond the unique personal tragedy of the disease, Alzheimers is a growing public health crisis. The powerful documentary illustrates the social and economic consequences for the country unless a medical breakthrough is discovered for this currently in curable disease. Why the Alzheimers disease focus of the Skaneateles Rotary Clubs International Womens Day event? Women bear a disproportionate amount of the Alzheimers burden. They are more likely to develop Alzheimers, and they are much more likely to be caregivers. Two-thirds of all Alzheimers caregivers are women. After two very popular International Womens Day events, local Rotarians decided to add to the fun and camaraderie by doing what Rotary always does: shine a light on an important issue and rally around the cause. It will be an even larger local gathering, with the location moved to the Lodge for more space. Guitarist Loren Barrigar will perform, and Susan Major will do the invocation. There will be raffles and a silent auction. And all proceeds will go toward combating the disease that threatens to cripple the health care system. Tickets cost $50. To register or for more information, contact Amy Tormey at tormeyesl@verizon.net. Dr. Bornstein is not only a Propecia prescriber hes also a client. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images Dr. Harold Bornstein who rose to fame by declaring longtime patient Donald Trump would be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency, in a hastily composed letter thinks he should be the White House physician. Though hes known Trump for more than 30 years, he apparently thought revealing the presidents private medical information to his least favorite publication and complaining about the inauguration were smart ways to pursue this goal. The New York Times reports that in a series of interviews, which were at times moody and meandering, Dr. Bornstein revealed that Trump takes Propecia to promote hair growth. The presidents use of the prostate-related drug explains why he had such low levels of prostate-specific antigen, a marker for prostate cancer, in health data Dr. Bornstein released during the campaign. Dr. Bornstein takes the drug as well. He has all his hair, he said. I have all my hair. Dr. Bornstein told the paper that Trump also takes antibiotics to control rosacea, a statin for elevated blood cholesterol and lipids, and a daily baby aspirin to reduce his risk of a heart attack. In addition to the potential HIPAA violation, Dr. Bornstein shared a weird observation about the presidents behavior during his exams: Dr. Bornstein also addressed questions about Mr. Trumps recent description of himself as a germophobe. Dr. Bornstein said he had never discussed that phenomenon with Mr. Trump, but we are very careful to keep the examining rooms spotlessly clean, which we do anyway. He added, He always stands there and changes the paper on the table himself after an examination. Other than that, nothing. And he complained that he had a bad experience at the inauguration: Dr. Bornstein was invited to Mr. Trumps inaugural, although he said it was not as pleasant an experience as he expected. He had to walk a long way to a spot where he thought there would be a chair he said he has a painful back ailment and nerve damage to a leg but when he got there, there was no chair. He stood behind a tree and never heard anyone speak because I was so uncomfortable from my back and being cold. He felt, he said, absolutely miserable. It seemed to take forever to leave because of the heavy security, he said. The situation was the same at an inaugural ball where there were no tables and chairs. So, he said, unable to chat comfortably with others, he and his wife, Melissa, returned to their hotel early. Dr. Bornstein said he recently told Trumps secretary, Rhona Graff, You know, I should be the White House physician. White House officials declined to comment on the story, and would not say whether hes still the presidents doctor. The secret p.c. police. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images Shots were fired at a mosque in Quebec. That was all America knew Monday morning: an act of violence with Muslim victims. The shooters identity was anybodys guess. So, the guessing began. Right-wing tabloids in Britain saw a Muslim killer, his mind warped by ancient sectarian hatreds. Fox News added details to this portrait, painting him a Moroccan immigrant who shouted Allahu akbar as he fired. Radio host John Cardillo predicted that these revelations would vindicate President Trump and the refugee ban that the liberal media had spent all weekend decrying. Donald Trump Jr. appreciated that sentiment. White House press secretary Sean Spicer called the attack a terrible reminder of why the presidents immigration restrictions were so important. And then Canadian police named a white French-Canadian whose Facebook likes included Marine Le Pen and Donald Trump as their sole suspect. And the murders ceased to be a matter of political concern. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau condemned the shooting as a terrorist attack. The American president did no such thing. In fact, Trump released no formal statement on the subject despite the fact that he had rarely missed an opportunity to comment on smaller-scale acts of violence perpetrated by Muslims in more distant lands. Man shot inside Paris police station. Just announced that terror threat is at highest level. Germany is a total mess-big crime. GET SMART! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2016 Trump once savaged Barack Obama for refusing to utter the phrase radical Islamic terrorism. He, and his GOP allies, accused the former president of putting political correctness above national security: Obama was too worried about offending his oversensitive constituents to confront the threat to our homeland. This critique was either cynical or mindless. The president explained, repeatedly, that his aversion to the phrase was not driven by the complaints of campus liberals, but by the advice of counterterrorism experts: Emphasizing the Islamic nature of the threat would alienate Muslim allies whose cooperation enhances our security. Against this cost, Republicans have never been able to name a concrete benefit of deploying their favorite phrase. Rather, they have insinuated that Obamas reluctance to confront Islamic extremism rhetorically betrayed his indifference to doing so militarily. This is a bizarre charge to level at a president who ordered ten times more aerial strikes against terror suspects in the Muslim world than did George W. Bush. But in the case of Donald Trump and white supremacist violence, the presidents reluctance to name the threat really does reflect a disinterest in combatting it. According to Reuters, the Trump administration wants the governments Countering Violent Extremism program to stop targeting neo-Nazis and focus exclusively on violent Islamists. The CVE program aims to deter lone-wolf terrorists by sponsoring community groups and educational programs that counter-message violent ideologies. Among the organizations currently receiving federal funds is Life After Hate, which works to rehabilitate white supremacists and other right-wing extremists. Trump wants the government to sever ties with such groups, and rename the program Countering Islamic Extremism, according to sources who spoke with the news wire. Even if one stipulates that federal resources should be devoted exclusively to countering radical Islam, this rebrand is foolish: The ostensible point of the program is to attract the cooperation of mainstream Muslim groups in deterring extremism within their communities. It is highly unlikely that such organizations would be more willing to work with the program if its name stigmatized their religion. And, in fact, the Trump administrations overt hostility to Islam has already cost it such cooperation. Per Reuters: One grant recipient, Leaders Advancing & Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, has declined a $500,000 DHS grant it had soughtA representative for the group confirmed the grant had been rejected but declined further comment. Given the current political climate and cause for concern, LAHC has chosen to decline the award, said the email. Beyond its self-defeating aspects, Trumps exclusive focus on Islamic extremism is not consistent with a cold-eyed appraisal of the threats America faces. Since 9/11, right-wing extremists have murdered 50 Americans on U.S. soil. Before Omar Mateens mass murder in Orlando, that figure exceeded the post-9/11 domestic death toll from Islamic extremists. Of those killed by white reactionaries, 47 died after Barack Obamas election an uptick anticipated by a 2009 report from the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS analysis warned that the combination of a weak economy and an African-American president was spurring a wave of white supremacist radicalization, which had made lone wolves and small terrorist cells embracing violent right-wing extremist ideology into the most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States. But this idea offended the sensibilities of conservative media and elected officials. So the report was withdrawn. Two years later, the Washington Post reported that the analytical team behind the report had been effectively eviscerated. The most paranoid denizens of the far-right fever swamp claim that jihadists have infiltrated the American government and that this was the true reason why Obama never condemned radical Islamic terrorism. There is no evidence for this charge but there is considerable evidence that white supremacists have infiltrated American law enforcement. Or so says the FBI. Perhaps the strongest argument for focusing counterterrorism resources entirely on violent Islamists is that American white supremacists have never executed an attack on the scale of 9/11. But that isnt for lack of trying. In 1997, three Ku Klux Klan members plotted the bombing of a natural-gas plant outside Fort Worth, Texas. Had the local Klan leader not gotten cold feet and reported the plan to the FBI authorities believe as many as 30,000 could have been killed. In truth, President Trumps exclusive focus on Islamic terrorism is not about protecting national security, but about protecting white conservatives emotional security. It is about protecting the comfort one can find in imagining that evil is a quality exclusive to an alien other and in dividing the world between the righteous, who look like us, and the wicked, who look like them; between Gods people and the barbarians; Judeo-Christian civilization and the Muslim hordes. But we cant allow conservatives to make the Pentagon their safe space. We cannot ignore the reality of evil to protect their tender illusions. We must say the words radical racist terrorism. We cannot afford to be so politically correct anymore. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Senior Counselor to the President Steve Bannon sit in the Oval Office during President Donald Trumps call with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Photo: Pete Marovich/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images A report about heated remarks President Trump made to Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull during a Saturday phone call has sparked an incident with the close U.S. ally, and confusion over whether the U.S. will honor a refugee resettlement deal. Senior U.S. officials told the Washington Post that, after bragging about the size of his electoral college win, Trump lashed out at Turnbull when the latter tried to confirm that the U.S. would honor its commitment to take 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center. Trump reportedly fumed, This is the worst deal ever, complaining that he was going to get killed politically and accusing Australia of trying to send over the next Boston bombers. When Turnbull suggested they move on to other topics, Trump ended the call. The discussion, which was expected to take an hour, lasted about 25 minutes. Trump reportedly told Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day, and this was the worst call by far. The disagreement concerns about 2,500 mostly Muslim refugees who were rejected by Australia and are being held in facilities on New Guineas Manus Island and the island of Nauru. After human-rights organizations criticized the conditions in the detention centers, the Obama administration reached an agreement to settle about half of the refugees in the U.S. President Trumps order to temporarily ban refugees and certain immigrants from entering the U.S. raised questions about whether the agreement would be honored, since many of the refugees are from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, and Somalia. A line in the order says exceptions will be made for those authorized to enter the country under a preexisting international agreement, but Trump was still unhappy about the deal. He reportedly told Turnbull, I dont want these people, and repeatedly said the U.S. had agreed to take 2,000 refugees, when the number is actually 1,250. Trump said it was his intention to honor the deal, but warned that they would be subjected to extreme vetting. Under the terms of the deal, the U.S. does not have to accept any refugees who fail the usual vetting processes for those trying to enter the U.S. The initial White House readout on the call said that the two leaders merely emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. A separate AP report on Wednesday, which was based on a readout written by White House aides, suggested that Trump threatened to send U.S. troops into Mexico during a call with President Enrique Pena Nieto. According to a transcript of the call obtained by CNN, Trump actually offered to help Nieto with the drug cartels, saying, You have some pretty tough hombres in Mexico that you may need help with. We are willing to help with that big-league, but they have to be knocked out and you have not done a good job knocking them out. The Post report sparked an uproar in Australia, and there were mixed signals from U.S. and Australian officials on the status of the refugee resettlement deal. At first, Turnbull said Trump assured me that he would continue with the resettlement, but declined to confirm other details about the call. Then the U.S. embassy in Canberra issued this statement, referring to previous assurances made by White House press secretary Sean Spicer: President Trumps decision to honor the refugee agreement has not changed and spokesman [Sean] Spicers comments stand. This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the WH [White House] and on to this embassy at 1315 Canberra time. About an hour and 40 minutes later, President Trump contradicted the State Department on Twitter, saying he was still considering this dumb deal to take in thousands of illegal immigrants. (As the Guardian notes, under international and Australian law, its not illegal for refugees seeking asylum to arrive in a foreign country without the proper documents.) Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 In radio interviews, Turnbull said the U.S.Australia alliance is absolutely rock-solid, it is so strong, and stressed that President Trump had personally committed to preserving the agreement. When Sydneys 2GB radio asked if hed seen the tweet, he said, Well, that is his tweet. Im telling you whats been said to us. The Australian opposition leader criticized Turnbull for not being more open about his interaction with President Trump, but a cabinet minister tried to put a positive spin on the incident. Malcolm has stood up for Australia he actually had a row with the president of the United States and he hasnt crowed about it. He has since gotten on with the job, the minister told the Sydney Morning Herald. We are offended, but as long as these people [refugees] get off Manus and Nauru, thats the main thing. Im confident the deal will be honored; this is part of the process. Trump is trying to get the message out that he hates the deal but cant do anything about it. According to the paper, some in Canberra are speculating that White House adviser Steve Bannon leaked details about the call so Trump can say he grudgingly accepted a deal that goes against the spirit of his immigration order. Malcolm Davis, a senior defense analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute an independent, nonpartisan think tank told the paper that Australians need to figure out how to preserve their alliance with the U.S., regardless of the presidents intentions. For this to happen is unconscionable. I think that probably where we need to take this is [to] rise above it, make sure we dont let this derail a vital relationship, because its too important to let go, he said. But we need to be on our guard because this guy is totally unpredictable Hes completely clueless. President Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to meet the family of Chief Petty Officer William Ryan Owens. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images New questions have emerged about what went wrong in the U.S. military raid against Al Qaeda in Yemen last weekend. Chief Petty Officer William Ryan Owens, a Navy SEAL, was killed in the operation and three other U.S. service members were injured. Nawar Al-Awlaki, the 8-year-old daughter of American Al Qaeda leader Anwar Al-Awlaki, was also killed, and local reports say as many as 30 people died. The raid was the first operation approved by President Trump. Earlier this week, a senior military official told NBC News that almost everything went wrong during the mission. The aim was to detain Yemeni tribal leaders working with Al Qaeda and gather phones and computers that could yield intelligence. But Navy SEALS found themselves in an intense 50-minute firefight, with Al Qaeda fighters using women and children as cover, and some of the women firing at the commandos. Airstrikes were called in to take out the Al Qaeda fighters, and then two MV-22 Ospreys were sent in to extract the SEALs. One experienced a hard landing, injuring crew members, and the $75 million aircraft had to be destroyed by a precision-guided bomb to keep it from falling into enemy hands. Now several military officials are suggesting that President Trump was to blame. Per Reuters: U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support, or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced Al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. U.S. Central Command spokesman Colonel John Thomas responded, CENTCOM asks for operations we believe have a good chance for success, and when we ask for authorization we certainly believe there is a chance of successful operations based on our planning. He also noted, Any operation where you are going to put operators on the ground has inherent risks. The Obama administration spent months planning the raid, but the New York Times reports that President Obama did not authorize the attack because the Pentagon wanted to conduct the attack on a moonless night, which wouldnt happen again during his term. One of the three officials told Reuters, The decision was made to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected. The Times said Trump decided to approve the raid during a dinner attended by Defense Secretary James Mattis, Vice-President Mike Pence, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Top advisers Jared Kushner and Steven Bannon were also present. The Reuters report does not offer any more detail on whether the officials fault the Obama administration for inadequate prep work as well, or what exactly they think the Trump team should have done differently. But the Times notes that Flynn has said that it wants to speed the decision-making when it comes to such strikes, delegating more power to lower-level officials so that the military may respond more quickly. And the Pentagon has been working on plans to move faster against Al Qaeda in Yemen. Its significant that three military sources were willing to suggest President Trump was too hasty, particularly when the administration is having public disagreements with the State Department, the acting attorney general, and other public agencies. But so far its not clear what if anything could have been done to prevent the tragic events in Yemen. Enacting laws is less fun than it looks. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images President Trump spent his first days in office chaotically unveiling executive orders in an effort to prove hes making good on his campaign promises. Judging from the stream of unsettling headlines, Trump dealt serious blows to Obamacare, sanctuary cities, and immigration policy all while obsessively poring over photos of the crowd at his inauguration. While Trumps orders have led to protests, widespread confusion, and the detention of many people trying to enter the U.S., upon closer examination, he did not instantly undo major elements of the Obama administration with just a few strokes of his pen. The documents were drafted primarily by Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, the Breitbart faction of Trumps advisers. Since they consulted with virtually no one, some of the orders are vague, legally questionable, or even impossible to carry out. Heres what Trumps first executive orders might actually do. Note: This post was originally published on January 27, 2017. It has been updated to include Trumps most recent executive orders. Restrict Immigration and Refugee Resettlement What Trump ordered: He suspended the resettlement of refugees in the U.S. for four months, ostensibly to give federal agencies time to develop enhanced vetting procedures. Syrian refugees are banned indefinitely. There is also an exemption for religious minorities facing persecution by their governments, and Trump said in an interview that Christians would receive preferential treatment. The order also bars immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen for 90 days. It applies to people who hold dual citizenship with those countries and another nation. There were contradictory messages from the Trump administration about whether the order applied to green-card holders. Initially, the Department of Homeland Security said the ban did apply to U.S. permanent residents from those seven countries; then, one day later, the White House said green-card holders were exempt, though they may have to undergo additional screening. Can he do that? The courts will decide. Over the weekend, federal judges in five states blocked the removal or detention of those who were in transit when the order went into effect. Four states Washington, New York, Massachusetts, and Virginia are involved in lawsuits that argue the order is unconstitutional. On Monday, acting attorney general Sally Yates advised the Justice Department not to enforce the new measures, saying it wasnt clear that the order was legally defensible. Trump responded by firing Yates from her post, saying the Obama administration holdover in charge until Jeff Sessionss confirmation had betrayed the DOJ. The president, however, does have broad powers to regulate immigration and there is good reason to think that this temporary order is just a first step in Trumps plan to use those powers aggressively. The Immigration and Nationality Act allows the president to bar any immigrants he considers detrimental to the interests of the United States. But experts say the order, which did not go through the normal vetting process, may violate federal and constitutional law. For starters, the Immigration and Nationality Act also states that no person shall receive any preference or priority or be discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the persons race, sex, nationality, place of birth, or place of residence. That applies only to green-card holders, not refugees hoping to come to the U.S. Add Steve Bannon to National Security Council Meetings What Trump ordered: Its typical for presidents to issue orders reorganizing the National Security Council at the start of their term, but putting a political adviser on the Principals Committee is not. While presidents usually want to show that theyre not letting politics affect national security decisions, Trump made Bannon a regular attendee of the Committee, an interagency forum for considering national security issues. Can he do that? Yes. A tweet by Jonathan Alter sparked reports that an obscure law required Bannon to be confirmed by the Senate, but Harvard law professor Larry Tribe told Snopes thats a misreading of the law. He explained that Bannon has not been made a member of the NSC itself hes just been invited to attend meetings of the Principals Committee: Nothing in the Constitution or in any Act of Congress makes membership in what has been called the Principals Committee, which is formally and structurally not part of the National Security Council but an advisory group hitched to the Council by an invisible cord, a position that mandates the Senates advice and consent. Tribe said he thinks Bannons role is crazy and dangerous, but it doesnt appear to violate the law though it probably should. Meanwhile, Trump downgraded the director of National Intelligence and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to being optional members. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer pushed back against criticism of this move, saying the two officials are at every NSC meeting and are welcome to attend the Principals meetings as well. Dismantle the Affordable Care Act What Trump ordered: Hours after his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order declaring that his administration will take all actions consistent with the law to ease the burden of Obamacare. It instructs the heads of all executive departments and agencies to exercise all authority and discretion available to them to waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay parts of the Affordable Care Act that put financial burdens on individuals, health-care providers, or states. Can he do that? Yes, but its not clear what that is. Only Congress can repeal the Affordable Care Act, but the Trump administration can severely weaken the law by changing how its carried out. The Incidental Economist blog compiled a long list of administrative changes that could be made to the law immediately, from reducing reinsurance payments to insurers, to removing the requirement that health plans cover all forms of contraceptive. Trump is reportedly mulling whether to kill the individual mandate, which could send the individual-health-insurance market into the proverbial death spiral. The secretary of Health and Human Services can grant hardship exemptions from the mandate using any criteria he or she wants. That means that, without touching the law itself, the Trump administration could effectively kill the individual mandate by granting an exception to everyone. As FiveThirtyEight notes, Trump HHS secretary pick Tom Price could have done this even before Trump issued his order, but in case there was any question, the folks at HHS now have their bosses itemized list of priorities. Of course, Price hasnt even been confirmed yet, so it may be weeks before we know what the Trump administration will actually do to the ACA. Cut U.S. Aid to Groups That Provide or Promote Abortion Overseas What Trump ordered: He reinstated and expanded the Mexico City policy, also known as the global gag rule, which stipulates that foreign nongovernmental organizations that promote or provide abortion cannot receive U.S. federal aid. Previously, the policy only applied to groups that receive U.S. family-planning funding, but Trumps version applies to organizations that get global health money as well. Can he do that? Yes. Ronald Reagan implemented the policy in 1985, and its subsequently been rescinded by every Democratic president and restored by every Republican president. Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, argued in The Hill that this showcases the troubles with governing by executive order, but its generally accepted that every president will change the Mexico City policy upon taking office. The Kaiser Family Foundation explains that Congress could step in, but obviously thats not going to happen with Republicans in control: While Congress has the ability to institute the policy through legislation, this has happened only once in the past: a modified version of the policy was briefly applied by Congress during President Clintons last year in office as part of a broader arrangement to pay the U.S. debt to the United Nations. (At that time, President Clinton was able to partially waive the policys restrictions.) Other attempts to institute the policy through legislation have not been passed, nor have legislative attempts to overturn the policy. Withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership What Trump ordered: He signed a brief presidential memorandum declaring that the U.S. is withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and that his administration intends to deal directly with individual countries on a one-on-one (or bilateral) basis in negotiating future trade deals. Can he do that? Yes. The TPP was never ratified by Congress, so Trumps order was mostly symbolic. The 11 other countries say they want to salvage the deal, but it would have to be revamped significantly and would have much less weight without the U.S. Build a Border Wall What Trump ordered: As part of two sweeping executive orders on immigration, Trump said his administration intends to secure the southern border of the United States through the immediate construction of a physical wall on the southern border. Can he do that? Not without help from Congress. Republican lawmakers believe the president has the authority to construct the wall under the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which called for the construction of at least 700 miles of physical barrier along the southern border. The fence was never completed, and the Homeland Security secretary could interpret physical barrier to mean a big, beautiful concrete wall. But the wall could cost as much as $20 billion, and Trump cant come up with that money on his own. He ordered the Department of Homeland Security to look for available funds within its $41 billion annual budget, but the House and Senate appropriations committees would have to approve an internal reallocation of money, and it still wouldnt be enough to fund the entire project. Luckily for Trump, congressional Republicans are willing to put a massive amount of U.S. taxpayer money toward the project. House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Wednesday that Congress intends to fund the wall through a supplemental appropriations bill in the spring. When pressed on how theyd make Mexico pay for it, GOP leaders suggested theyd leave that to Trump. We intend to address the wall issue ourselves and the president can deal with his relations with other countries on that issue and others, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. End the Catch-and-Release Policy What Trump ordered: His two executive orders on border security said he is terminating the policy known as catch and release, in which people caught crossing the border illegally are freed, pending hearings. In order to hold and process them, Trump called for the construction of new detention facilities, the hiring of 5,000 additional Border Patrol agents, and 10,000 additional U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Can he do that? The cost and logistics are daunting. Reuters reports that in the last three months of 2016, 136,670 people were caught crossing the border, and about 48 percent were unaccompanied children or families with children. Existing facilities have about 34,000 beds. Trumps order directs his cabinet secretaries to take all appropriate action and allocate all legally available resources to immediately construct, operate, control, or establish contracts to construct, operate, or control facilities to detain aliens at or near the land border with Mexico. But he wont find the money needed for such an enormous undertaking without approval from Congress. Politico did some rough math, and concluded that Trumps immigration proposals could increase federal spending by $13 billion a year, not including the wall. The combined budgets for ICE and border protection in 2016 came to $19.4 billion. John Sandweg, who was acting director of ICE in 2013 and 2014, estimated that Trumps plan would require four or five times as many detention beds per day, which would cost $10 billion annually. Hiring another 10,000 ICE agents could cost $3.9 billion a year, and adding 5,000 Border Patrol agents could add $900 million annually. Immigration courts are already severely backlogged, and its illegal to keep children in immigration detention indefinitely. Even if Congress gave Trump the money, the time and effort it would take to establish new detention centers, train new officers, and fend off legal challenges would be enormous. I just view this as a political document more than anything, Sandweg said of the executive orders. End Sanctuary Cities What Trump ordered: Cities and counties that limit their cooperation with federal immigration officials are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law-enforcement purposes. As Vox notes, nothing has been defunded yet: Instead, it tells the secretary of homeland security and the attorney general to make sure that no jurisdiction getting federal grants is getting in the way of law enforcement, and lets the attorney general pursue enforcement actions against jurisdictions that do. There are at least 39 cities and 364 counties that count themselves as sanctuary jurisdictions, according to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Can he do that? Its unclear, and it would take a massive legal battle to find out. The Trump administration could try to sue the cities for violating federal law, but the federal government cant force state and local law enforcement to enforce federal law. In 2014, a federal appeals court ruled that local police do not have to hold undocumented immigrants for ICE agents. The Trump administration could try to coerce sanctuary cities into following the law by withholding certain federal grant money. Some federal money is distributed by Congress, but Republicans may go along with Trumps effort. Several Republican lawmakers have tried to pass laws that would cut money for sanctuary cities in recent years. Even if Congress doesnt approve, the Trump administration could withhold the grants administered by federal agencies, potentially cutting off funding for various local programs. Mayors from several cities including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles have already vowed to stand up to Trumps crackdown on sanctuary cities, but on Thursday, Miami-Dade County mayor Carlos Gimenez signed an executive order ordering his corrections department to comply with all ICE requests. He said his county cant afford to lose out on the $355 million its set to receive in federal funding next year. Advance the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines What Trump ordered: He reversed decisions made by the Obama administration by inviting the TransCanada Corporation to promptly resubmit its application to build the Keystone XL pipeline, and directing the Army to review and approve in an expedited manner the last section of the Dakota Access pipeline. He told reporters he would renegotiate some of the terms and ordered his secretary of commerce to develop a plan to ensure that all of the pipelines are built and repaired using U.S.-made steel. Can he do that?: Trump can help advance the pipeline projects, but even he acknowledged that it wasnt a sure thing. Well see if we can get that pipeline built, he said. A lot of jobs. Renegotiating the terms of the deals would be a lengthy and legally questionable process plus he would have to contend with the environmentalists and Native American rights activists protesting the construction of the Dakota Access pipeline. Legal experts tell CNN that the executive order may also violate the constitutional right to due process and the Establishment Clause. While the order says nothing about banning Muslims, Trump and his surrogates have made public comments suggesting that was the aim. The courts could rule that the order discriminates on the basis of national origin or religion, while offering no rational justification for why people from the seven countries pose a particular terror threat. Trade-policy experts have criticized the order that the pipelines be constructed from U.S.-made material, as it would violate international trade laws that say a government cant treat foreign and domestic companies differently. First of all, this is private investment, so theres no legal authority for the government to require a private company to use domestic materials, Dan Ikenson, director of the Cato Institutes Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, tells CNBC. Is it good policy to have the president dictate where U.S. companies buy their inputs? No. I think thats terrible. I think thats dictatorial. I think its very bad precedence. Photo-Illustration: Photo: George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images If the Donald Trump administration does one thing well, its generate chaos and news. From the catastrophic rollout of the executive order restricting immigration to Trumps endlessly strange and inflammatory remarks (this week he described Frederick Douglass as somebody whos done an amazing job and is recognized more and more) to the dark story line of Steve Bannons apocalyptic worldview, it can be hard to simply keep up. Things were bad enough back before social media, when during times of crisis it was easy to sit transfixed before hours upon hours of cable news. Now, though, things are much worse just trying to keep up with each days torrent of awfulness feels like it incurs a serious psychological toll. Since Trumps election, there have been numerous times when Ive found myself glued to Twitter, angrily tweeting and replying and retweeting, thoroughly engrossed in Im not sure what. I call it zombie-clicking the state of not feeling like youre in full control of your browsing or social-media behavior, like youre just hopscotching from one outrage to the next. Now, to be clear, feeling dragged down by all the bad news isnt the same as being personally affected by it as being deported or demonized or otherwise affected by Trumps policies and rhetoric. But still, its not a good state to be in, particularly in light of research showing that an overconsumption of bad news can affect ones worldview in unhelpful ways, skewing things so they appear (even) darker than they should. At the same time, one of the only hopes for responding to the threat posed by Trump and his enablers is for observers to stay informed, to raise a ruckus when harmful policies are proposed and enacted. How do you walk that line? How do you stay abreast of the news without allowing it to turn you into a zombie-clicker? I reached out to a couple of researchers to come up with four basic strategies. Specifically seek out uplifting news. Back in 2014, Mary McNaughton-Cassill, a University of TexasSan Antonio professor who studies media consumption habits and their effects, told me that when she has people watch bad news for her research, she notices a certain effect: [I]f you ask them how they feel about the world, what they end up with is this malaise: Everythings kinda bad and Why should I vote? Its not gonna help and I could donate money, but theres just gonna be another kid whos starving next week. One easy way to not let yourself fall into this sense of despair is, as mawkish as it may sound, to simply seek out uplifting news. Just this week, for example, theres a nice story about how after a Texas mosque was burned down, the leaders of the towns small Jewish community handed over the keys to their synagogue to the mosques worshippers, saying they could use their space while the synagogue is being rebuilt. Such stories dont just give us a temporarily jolt of feel-good energy: They help stall our descent into hopelessness. The world is a lot bigger and more complicated than any one president even Donald Trump and it can be extremely helpful to recognize that. So even if its just once a day, check out a site like the Uplifting News subreddit (where the mosque story is currently No. 1). Monitor your social-media habits very carefully, and intentionally cut yourself off whenever you can. Social media, and particularly Twitter, has a scary ability to turn us into click-zombies. As McNaughton-Cassill explained, thats partly because our brains evolved to be very sensitive to changes in the environment, and to reward us for noticing and reacting to them and Twitter is a veritable carnival on that front. Its such rapid reinforcement its that dopamine surge every time you find something interesting. This can explain that feeling of paralysis that sometimes sets in. You might intend to simply check in on Twitter to make sure nothing important is going on, with the plan to sign off after a few minutes. But whatever your intentions, all those dopamine hits quickly take hold from the point of view of our more primitive brain functions, its an endlessly fascinating, change-rich online environment. Those few minutes can quickly become an hour. And when you click from outrage to outrage to morbid joke to outrage, its not going to do anything good to your psychological state or your desire to participate meaningfully in politics or conversation. Thats why McNaughton-Cassill suggests simply setting limits. One easy idea, for those who dont like the idea of cutting themselves off from the news entirely, is to swap out Twitter for a less tweaky source. Maybe you allow yourself 15 minutes on Twitter in the morning, for example, but after that, every hour you just check the New York Times homepage every two hours. Anything of serious importance will find its way there anyway, and while theres still some of that same risk of falling into a link-wormhole, a webpage doesnt have quite the addictive features of a social-media platform. Given how tempting Twitter and similar platforms are, actually sticking to a plan to stay off of them can be easier said than done. One useful idea, which comes from research into behavioral economics, is to adopt a so-called commitment device basically some type of incentive that will cause you to actually stick to your promise to yourself. In weight-loss contexts, theres some research suggesting that being part of a group whose members check in with one another about eating and exercise habits can help people stick to their goals. When I need to rip myself off Twitter, I do a version of that I simply tweet out that if anyone sees me on Twitter for the next however long, they should yell at me. Weirdly enough, it works I spend too much time on Twitter, but every time Ive tweeted one of these yell at me tweets, Ive actually stayed off Twitter (you could make the same sort of announcement with a Facebook post, of course). Now, this specific approach might not work for everyone, but the underlying theory is pretty well-supported: We respond more to social incentives than fuzzier Do this because its good for you directives. You could also get a bit more hard-core: Theres software like SelfControl or Freedom you can download that will simply block social-media sites or the internet entirely. My colleague Melissa Dahl also said that she and her boyfriend will simply change each others Twitter and Facebook passwords to enact some forced separation from social media. The point here isnt that one method is best the point is that telling yourself youll stay off almost certainly wont work, so you should experiment and find an approach to social-media breaks that can actually give you some breathing room when you need it. Intentionality really is the watchword here. Are you just clicking around aimlessly, getting sad and angry, or are you seeking out specific information for a specific purpose? One way to counteract such maladaptive clicking is to really focus on one or two issues that are most important to you, whether the environment or education or whatever else, and focus specifically on learning about and following those issues, rather than letting wave after wave of generally bad news wash over you and eventually carry you to a dark place. Once you do have an issue or two, that might also offer some opportunities for a very productive, therapeutic behavior: writing. And no, not writing tweets or Facebook updates something a bit more in-depth than that. Emily Esfahani Smith, a psychology writer and the author of the recently released The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters, explained in an email that individuals responses to Trump can, ideally, tap into two of the pillars of meaning she believes help people thrive, purpose (doing something worthwhile) and storytelling (narrative). Writing fits the bill nicely. Id recommend writing letters to leaders in Congress. I think this is a meaningful response for a number of reasons. For one thing, she wrote, theres evidence it works as veterans of Congressional offices will tell you, staffers actually read such letters and pass on their messages to their bosses. But writing can be a useful psychological salve even if the letter in question is never sent to an elected official. I think we all need to make sense of why exactly we object to Trumps proposals, and getting our ideas down in writing is a good way to do that, said Smith. The narrative you craft in the actual letter will help you make sense of your raw emotions raw emotions that again, might otherwise be wasted on zombie-clicking. I might even post the letters online and see what happens you never know, maybe theyll get in a leaders news feed, Smith said. But whether or not you post it, the act of sitting down and writing something with a bit of depth to it is what matters most. These are three fairly well-supported interventions for bolstering your general well-being. You probably know the basics of meditation, but if you havent been able to stick with it, I found that even meditation-lite made me feel better when I tried it last year just take a few times a day to sit or stand wherever you are and count out 25 deep breaths, not worrying about any of the other rules of meditation. Self-affirmation and gratitude exercises go back to the salutary benefits of writing. Self-affirmation isnt, as the name might suggest, writing about how great you are. Rather, its writing about what you value the most and how those values dictate what you do and what you would like to do. So maybe one day, for your 10-minute (or however long) self-affirmation exercise, you could note that justice and fair play are really important to you, and thats why youre engaged in activism to make life easier for immigrants trying to establish lives in the U.S. This act of connecting your deepest values to your day-to-day activities can imbue those activities with there are those words again more meaning and intentionality, and might just stop you from entering zombie-clicking states, since you might be more likely to ask, Is all this Twitter and Facebook usage helping me? Is it helping anyone? Gratitude exercises, meanwhile, are simply the act of taking the time to write down what youre grateful for. Again, there are no strict rules it could be personal stuff, appreciation for what others are doing in the broader fights happening right now, or whatever else. Overall, its probably unrealistic, in light of everything thats going on, that youre going to be able to tear yourself away from the news for any length of time, and that you wont have the occasional period of turning into a click-zombie. But if you approach social media with a bit of a plan, you should be able to make the time you spend engaging with it a bit more productive and a bit less crazy-making. Pat Toomey. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Next week, the Senate will vote on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos. The way the numbers currently play out, Trumps pick for Secretary of Education is in a precarious position: If just two more Republican senators (no Democrat is expected to vote in favor of DeVos) flip their votes, she wont have the numbers necessary to be appointed. This means Republican senators from states like Ohio, Nevada, North Carolina, Arizona, and Pennsylvania are of particular importance. So much so that one woman, Katherine Fritz, launched a GoFundMe campaign hoping to raise more than $55,800 to buy Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomeys vote. The goal number of $55,800 isnt arbitrary, Fritz, a Philadelphia-based writer, teacher, and costume designer, told Select All. It amounts to roughly the same amount of dollars Toomey received from DeVos in campaign contributions. I watched all three hours of the Betsy DeVos hearings, and I was appalled that I could answer some of the basic education policy questions that seemingly stumped her, Fritz said. I mean, Im an adjunct faculty member at a community college, not an expert in education reform, and it was shocking to me that her answers about how to regulate and oversee charter schools didnt seem to have any concrete proposals, or that she couldnt distinguish between growth and proficiency. Despite phone calls and faxes from herself and every educator she knows, Fritz said she was saddened to see Senator Toomey still looking like he was going to vote in favor of DeVos. It seems like such blatant display of money taking precedent over common sense, she said. The thought, If I had $55K, I would buy his vote, too, crossed my mind. Ten minutes later, I started a GoFundMe. A screenshot of the GoFundMe. Photo: GoFundMe The crowdfunding campaign, which Fritz launched on Wednesday night, has been live for less than 24 hours and has already raised over $7,000 and counting. I dont think I can actually give it to Senator Toomey under the condition that he vote No for DeVos; technically, that might constitute a bribe, and Im not interested in breaking a federal law, Fritz said. I think the goal is just to raise awareness that the way that Betsy DeVoss money can reach the senator is perfectly legal, despite it seeming like such a blatant conflict of interest. Instead, Fritz says the money raised will be split among three charities a girls leadership camp in Philadelphia, the Childrens Literacy Initiative, and the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network that can put it to good use. If a dumb internet joke can give some money to any of these causes, what an excellent way to spend a Wednesday evening, Fritz said. Danielle Peskowitz Bregoli. Back in September 2016, 13-year-old Danielle Peskowitz Bregoli and her mother appeared on Dr. Phil to discuss the teens out-of-control behavior. If youre a regular viewer of The Dr. Phil Show, the two womens segment was nothing out of the ordinary. One teen with attitude and a mouth to match + one anxious mother = some solid television (it always does). I Want To Give Up My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old Daughter Who Tried To Frame Me For A Crime, proclaims the The Dr. Phil Show website entry about them. Are you hooked? I am. The segment likely would have faded into daytime-television obscurity had it not been for one perfect moment. All these hos laughin like theres something funny, Bregoli says, gesturing to the audience. Did you say, Dr. Phil responds, judiciously pausing and moving his hands as though attempting to sort through Bregolis meaning, the hos are laughing? The audience begins to applaud. At which point Bregoli unleashes the line that would soon make her an internet star: Cash me outside, howbow dah? As her mother explains, noting her daughters accent was acquired on the streets, cash me outside means shell go outside and do what she has to do. How bout that. Since then, the clip and phrase have taken on a second life as a meme. Which seems perfectly reasonable, since cash me outside, howbow dah is the perfect retort for just about any situation. The phrase has been applied to everything from tweets to image macros and even inspired Bitmoji to roll out a pictograph inspired by the meme. This is literally my favorite video ever https://t.co/O7MQ4hlBjV connor (@cxnnnor) December 14, 2016 Obama: Joe, what did i say about being respectful to Donald Biden: If he has a problem with me he can cash me outside howbow dah pic.twitter.com/Y6itt1HZqh Cause It's Humor (@CauseItsHumor) January 25, 2017 *Filling out a job application* How do you handle a difficult situation with a rude customer?" pic.twitter.com/8tqLgg9CUc Ana (@_analiciousss) January 10, 2017 Lmao they really got a Bitmoji for this. #CashMeOutside pic.twitter.com/4BnHhZ1wyL Mia (@Mamma__Mia) January 24, 2017 Artist @LushSux the same person who turned a Taylor Swift memorial into a Harambe/SpongeBob mural painted Danielles meme-spirational likeness on a wall. Cash me outside on a wahl, how bow dah? And a church in Georgia decided to transform their marquee in homage to the meme in the hopes of attracting millennials. Cash God inside, howbow dah? church signs are getting out of hand "cash God inside, howbow dah?" pic.twitter.com/Bku138XFCu (@whataboutdj) January 26, 2017 The other night at my local gym, by the water fountain, I witnessed a woman attempting to explain cash me outside to another woman. (Yes, yes, this is in complete violation of meme rule number one: Never attempt to explain a meme IRL.) She attempted several sentences about a hilarious teen, but ultimately the best she could come up with was just Google Dr. Phil Cash Me Outside, its so funny. Which, actually, wasnt terrible advice. Google searches for the meme in variant spellings have seen a spike in recent weeks. And really, how does one explain the beauty that is cash me outside. Of course, the sudden popularity of the meme has also thrust the teen who started it all back into the spotlight. Earlier this week, a story claimed that Peskowitz Bregoli had committed suicide after she was bullied by classmates for her appearance on the show. The story was later debunked by Snopes, which notes it ran on fake news site NBC-News.net which, unsurprisingly, isnt related to the real NBC. Peskowitz Bregoli is alive and well and keeping her fans updated via Facebook, where just yesterday she streamed a live video consisting largely of her counting dollar bills to the camera for nearly an hour. It has since been viewed over 45,000 times. CASH ME LIVE! Well how bow dah. I spent an entire weekend searching through every glasses store on Madison Avenue between 68th and 90th Streets looking for the lightest pair glasses I could find when I finally came upon Mykitas Gunnar frames. They were unbelievably lightweight, like I cant even barely feel these on my face lightweight, and the perfectly curvy, rounded shape. Not full-on circle, but more like the bottom half of a hard-boiled egg that straightens out with the gentlest of curves at the top. Kind of like a much smaller, much less aggressive version of an aviator. The metal frames are flat, not rounded, and so thin that they only wrap around the lenses down the middle, leaving the glass edges exposed, an unusual detail that adds a different sense of depth. At first the color wasnt as essential to me as the weightlessness, but while I was looking for light glasses I realized they pretty much only come in wire frames, which are most often some sort of silver or graphite metallic. But this gold is like a matte-brushed steel, more subtle, regal, and feminine. They dont feel overwhelming on my tiny face, but rather an accessory more akin to sleek gold hoops. Yes, Mykita is a (very) expensive brand, but these have no screws, only tightly twisted metal so theyre essentially unbreakable, and Ive never gotten more compliments on anything Ive ever owned. Just saying. Photo: Getty Images Imagine a party that no one is excited to be at, but that everyone has to attend because the popular bully in school invited them. A crew of bored, tired people dutifully Instagramming and Facebook Live-ing and chasing every mouse of potential viral content. Thats what we can probably expect from Yeezy Season 5. We have yet to hear of anyone in the fashion industry who is looking forward to it. And yet, most likely, there wont be an empty seat in the house. The fashion industry has put Kanye West in the proverbial time-out chair of late. His Yeezy Season 4 show on Roosevelt Island was called out for ill-treatment of its models and indifference to attendees time. This week, he has run afoul of the CFDA, New York Fashion Weeks governing body, with yet another last-minute crash onto the calendar. And yet, as much as editors and retailers complain about the demands of Yeezy season, theyll probably be there come Wests show date of February 15. Much like our current commander-in-chief, West manages to flout the carefully drawn rules of play without facing many real consequences. Trump and West meeting at Trump Tower. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images The Trump comparisons dont end there. Unlike fellow designers who play by the rules of the press and the CFDA in the hope of good reviews and a favorable show time, West doesnt need the media Establishment to get his message out. He brings a built-in fan base that will watch the proceedings on his own platforms, whether its Tidal or E! or Kim Kardashians Snapchat story. So the fashion media is, in a sense, hostage to his narrative. And while the ins and outs of Fashion Week arent always of interest to a general audience, anything Yeezy has the potential to attract tens of thousands of eyeballs, and hits. Even readers who arent otherwise aware its Fashion Week want a play-by-play of the antics. So the fashion publications this one included play along. And West is, even by designer standards, quite sensitive to reviews and criticism of his fashion designs, even lashing out on Twitter when he feels attacked. Remind you of anyone? (Not to mention the legions of fans he mobilizes to defend him/harrass naysayers.) As a designer he seems both unprepared for constructive criticism and un-attuned to the actual demands of the public. Even his claims that he would lower the prices of his collection felt like a faux-populist move, given his continued existence in the high-fashion (read: pricey) space. His global livestreams of the collections, with their slow rollout of each fur-clad family member, feel about as relatable as the court of Louis XIV. (Fittingly, he and Trump share a love of gilded surfaces and ornate decor. The cover of Watch the Throne looks like it could be a ceiling tile in the Trump Tower lobby.) His common ground with Trumps hollow populism is larger than just their shared love of dad hats. At first, the industry was willing to give him a chance his 2011 show in Paris and his Yeezy Season 1 show drew genuinely curious, open-minded attendees including many of fashions big names. Sure, some of it may have been the opportunity to stargaze even jaded editors and buyers would like a chance to see Kanye, Kim, and their famous friends. But fellow A-list celebrities like Rihanna and Victoria Beckham have cultivated a more respectful, and ultimately more successful, approach to the fashion world without relying solely on their fame. Kanye, you arent the only one who misses the old Kanye. Of course, while West has declared an interest in running for president, and has praised and met with Trump with newly dyed blond hair to match he is hardly on a par with him in terms of ill effect on the world. His impact is limited to inconveniencing fashion people, models, and the media, who are hardly the worlds most downtrodden population. But his chokehold on the spotlight is ultimately bad for fashion as a whole. Young designers who have considerably more interesting ideas about the world around them like Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss and Rio Uribe of Gypsy Sport dont get the attention they deserve. Theres a lot more going on at New York Fashion Week than Kanye, if only we could all be convinced to look elsewhere. A new poll commissioned by Elevate Flagstaff is raising eyebrows. The telephone poll by Data Orbital had 350 respondents, 76 percent of whom said they would support a special election in May to roll back the new $15 local minimum wage law. The poll was conducted on Jan. 29 and 30 and has a 5.19 percentage point margin of error. Fred Solop, a professor of politics and international affairs at Northern Arizona University and an expert in polling, raised several questions about the poll. He said he wasnt familiar with Data Orbital and couldnt speak to the quality of their work. But, he was troubled by the absence of a methodology statement attached to the poll on Elevate Flagstaffs website describing how it was conducted. For example, how the company selected the people it called for the poll and how many people they called before they got 350 respondents. It also doesnt say if the respondents were registered voters or residents. The information provides an important transparency to the poll and allows others to replicate the poll, Solop said. George Khalaf, the president of Data Orbital, said the poll reflects the opinions of likely voters. He got the contact information for the poll from voter registration lists. The poll was done live, so there was no random dialing machine. The company contacted between 2,500 and 3,000 likely voters for the poll and got 350 respondents. According to records from the Arizona Corporation Commission, Data Orbital is fairly new to Arizona. It registered with the ACC in 2014. A Google search shows the company did polling during the 2016 election in Arizona. It predicted that Donald Trump would win Arizona in the presidential election by 3 points. Trump won the state by 3.5 points. Solop also questioned why the polling company called 50 percent of respondents on a landline and 50 percent on a cell phone. He pointed out that about one-third of adults in Coconino County use a landline. Khalaf said that national polling companies typically aim for a 50/50 split of cell to landline phones in rural areas. Solop was also pointed out that one in five of the respondents came from the 86005 Flagstaff ZIP code area. That area covers most of the city south of Interstate 40, except for the Country Club area and extends to beyond to the communities of Mountainaire and Katchina Village. Khalaf said the company used the voter registration lists to eliminate voters outside of the city limits in the 86005 zip code. Solop also said, The two final questions are posed within a biased context. According to the poll, before asking the last two questions pollsters told respondents that Prop. 414 mandates that the citys minimum wage always be $2 above the state minimum wage and that more than 8,800 people had signed petitions asking Flagstaff City Council to call a special election in May to address these consequences by amending Proposition 414. Not listed was the elimination in the petition of the $15 wage. Solop said, Respondents have already been told that almost 9,000 people signed petitions asking for the special election. When the question is posed like this, it becomes a referendum on whether or not we support our neighbors in Flagstaff, not whether we support a special election. He said, Its fair to test positive messages (9,000 people signed the petition), but researchers should also test the negatives to gauge impact (e.g., a special election is costly, special elections have low turnout, some people can't survive in Flagstaff on a minimum wage salary.) Khalaf said he was commissioned to do the poll and Elevate Flagstaff came up with the questions for the poll. He directed inquiries about the polls questions to Elevate. Calls to an Elevate Flagstaff spokesperson were not returned before press time. Voters approved a new local minimum wage law in November. The law would got into effect on July 1 and increase the minimum wage within the city limits from $8.05 an hour to $15 an hour by 2021. The law also included a clause that the local minimum wage always be at least $2 above the state wage. The new law was proposed and put on the ballot by Flagstaff Needs a Raise. During the same election, voters statewide approved an increase in the state minimum wage from $8.05 an hour to $12 an hour by 2020. That minimum wage increase kicked in on Jan. 1 and increased the state and local minimum wage to $10 an hour. That means when the local minimum wage increase goes into effect in July, the local minimum wage will be $12 an hour. This has caused many businesses and social service providers concern over how they are going to be able to keep their doors open. Elevate Flagstaff jumped into the fray in December and collected more than 8,800 petition signatures to put amendments the new law on the ballot in May. Elevates amendments would return the local wage to the state minimum wage of $10 an hour and increase the wage to $12 an hour by 2020. It would tack on an extra 50 cents an hour to the local wage in 2021. Melania Trump. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images While President Donald Trump has been busy at the White House, First Lady Melania Trump has been spending her time in New York with their son Barron, who shes slated to stay with until he finishes the school year. While some reports have circulated the idea that her eventual move to the White House might never actually happen, as of right now, shes still set to move to D.C. at some point in the future. All of which makes the following detail more peculiar: Melania Trump has yet to hire her full staff for the White House, according to CNN. The announcement of her first hire came late on Wednesday evening, when People reported that Lindsay Reynolds was appointed chief of staff to the First Lady and assistant to the president. The selection of Reynolds came hours after CNN reported that no formal hires had been announced for the office of the First Lady. On Wednesdays The Lead with Jake Tapper, CNN reporter Kate Bennett said that its unusual for Melania to be lacking a White House staff. Sure, she might not be living in the White House, but the First Lady also doubles as the nations host, often arranging special dinners and visits from foreign dignitaries. But, as Bennett points out, theres no staff heading the office of the First Lady. Theres no social secretary, no communications director, no chief of staff, Bennet said, prior to the announcement about Reynolds. So right now even the visitors office is on hold because theres no one staffed there, which means the White House, the peoples house, is not allowing tours. She added that, by comparison, Michelle Obama had a staff of 24, who were mostly in place by the time she arrived at the White House. Perhaps Melania will get a chance to clear things up this weekend in Florida? Shes set to join President Trump at Mar-a-Lago for what seems likely to be the American Red Cross Annual Ball. Update, January 1, 2017, 11:50 p.m.: This post has been updated to include Reynoldss appointment as chief of staff. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen A series investigating the effects of gravity on the female form. In the new book Aging Gracefully, photographer Karsten Thormaehlen shot 52 portraits of men and women over 100 years old. The project took him to four continents, from Munich to New York to Tokyo. Its not a book on death or almost-death, he told the Cut. Its a book on the power and beauty of life. Each photo is accompanied by a short caption describing the centenarian, but Thormaehlen emphasized he wants viewers to focus on his subjects features. Look more into the face and interpret it through the lines of the face, the eyes, he said. The ten women shown here live all over the world, including New York, France, Peru, and Ecuador. (Fun fact: Women consistently outrank men on lists of oldest people in the world of the 44 oldest people in the world right now, 43 of them are women.) Click ahead to preview the book, out March 7 from Chronicle Books. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Kiyo Aragai Born September 10, 1914, in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Maria Teresa Bolivar vda de Lercari Born July 4, 1913, in Lima, Peru. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Betty Markoff Born August 26, 1916, in Toronto, Canada. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Olivia Hooker Born February 12, 1915, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Paula Klambauer Born April 19, 1912, in Wels, Austria. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen Maria Luisa Medina Born April 8, 1913, in Loja, Ecuador. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Evelyn Zehring Born September 21, 1914, in Fairfield, Montana. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Miyagui Kami Born August 25, 1916, in Ogimi, Japan. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen/Karsten Thormaehlen (photographer) Kimiyo Sato Born October 28, 1912, in Nagasaki, Japan. Photo: Karsten Thormaehlen Gisele Casadesus Born June 14, 1914, in Paris, France. Like with the election it seems the media remains out of touch. Rasmussen Poll: 57% support travel & refugee ban. Dana Brunetti (@DanaBrunetti) January 30, 2017 Spend your money carefully. ONTD. Just so people know, the producer of this movie is a Trump supporter, who walked out of the PGA because the crowd was too anti-Trump.Spend your money carefully. ONTD. Reply Thread Link oh wow, had no idea. he's also a big associate of kevin spacey's. i wonder if this has/will cause a rift between them... Reply Parent Thread Link ew Reply Parent Thread Link I just cant stand to see Fallon anymore. I just get annoyed. Reply Thread Link Fuck Jimmy Fallon forever Reply Thread Link I hate that this piece of shit film will no doubt make serious bank Reply Thread Link i actually laughed at this a fair bit jimmy's switch to "christian's" voice made it even funnier Reply Thread Link Benedict Cumberbatch's Mad Lib is still the best one so far (cause he's so into in lol) but this one is pretty hilarious too since neither can keep a straight face. "pinching at the gym" hahaha Reply Thread Link I don't really like Fallon but I think this segment is kinda hilarious. I also giggle at all the times Jimmy has to physically restrain himself from going into improv. The Benedict Cumberbatch's Mad Lib Theater was especially entertaining. Reply Thread Link This is really funny but are they on coke? It's not THAT funny. Reply Thread Link I forgot this movie was even coming out in two weeks. Reply Thread Link She is funny Reply Thread Link wtf switched at birth is still on? i vaguely remember that being somehow close to pll but.. wtf? Reply Thread Link It's airing its final season, but yeah, I can't believe it's only been five years. It seems like a show from much earlier. Reply Parent Thread Link Daphne is such a flop, she could have been a cool character, but nope, a flop. Also I know is a very old argument and it's not like they can't change it but it is still annoying that italians (Vanessa Marano) are playing latinos, not here for that, she is to bland to be one of us tbh Reply Thread Link I think that Angelo was supposed to be Italian though so she is half? Edited at 2017-02-02 05:13 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Wasn't he French? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Love how they basically just skipped over Bay/Travis lol. I wasn't sure if Emmett/Bay would be end game but at this rate who tf knows. Daphne is still as insufferable to me as ever. Still don't care about Toby. I should have watched a few of the previous episodes of The Fosters bc for a minute I was confused until my memory started refreshing everything that happened. I hope the writing of Jude in the final episodes isn't just him getting stoned 24/7. Callie wyd strolling into the police station without a parent or a lawyer? I know Stef doesn't want anymore drama rn but damn. Edited at 2017-02-02 02:20 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link switched at birth: daphne remains a flop. I did not expect emmetts storyline to escalate in that direction like that. def think that while emmett revealing to bay that he made a mistake breaking up to her was not the main reason she wanted daphne to live with her over travis I do think it made the decision easier for her to tell him they wont be living together. the fosters: dont care about jesus or brandon and that girl with the kid. its ridic to think that cops would want to change a girl who was kiddnapped with leaving the scene of an accident. likeee why wouldnt someone who was scared and held against her will flee as far away from the guy who didnt wanna let her go. not to mention you charge the person who willing came to the police to report two crimes. mmmm no Edited at 2017-02-02 02:24 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link I think they might have something to do with the crime she's investigating- like, involved in the wrongful conviction part, not the actual murder- and they're going to try and use this to silence her. The writers won't let Callie catch a break. Reply Parent Thread Link The white cop was the detective on that murder case. After catching wind that the case was being looked into, Whitie threatened Stef (and Callie) because he's trying to continue to cover up his framing of an innocent kid. Which is why he wants to charge Callie with leaving the accident she can't out him for framing someone for murder if she's in jail. Reply Parent Thread Link That's what I figured. I didn't remember the white cop, I just thought their exchange was shady af. Didn't address the part about her talking about the case, and went straight to "does she know that's a felony?" Scary shit. I hope this ends well, and this season. Reply Parent Thread Link I hate that Switched at Birth basically devolved into romance arc-driven. it didn't used to be that way, right? also i used to think the Fosters was the most amazing show ever and then gave up at some point because the main girl's character development went backwards. Reply Thread Link I'm tired of Jude. His new bf is a chore to look at, and is teens smoking weed supposed to be interesting? Scandalous? Nah. Those Jesus scenes made my head hurt. I hope this mess with Callie is resolved quickly, because I'm over her getting shit for trying to help people. Even if that's what happens in the real world, I hope there's justice in this one. Reply Thread Link they just don't know what to do with Jude. So they're making him a rebellious teen who's smoking weed. His new bf needs to gtfo Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah idk either Reply Parent Thread Link I'm watching right now but... they dropped their lives to come back home? I guess those are good friends? Reply Thread Link travis is so ugly. they should let him keep the facial hair, it covers up his face. Reply Thread Link ugh, Emmett needs to go back to LA to never be seen again. take Daphne and Dingus with him. Reply Thread Link I stopped watching The Fosters a while after The New Jesus because the drama got too much for me. Doesn't seem to have gotten anymore light hearted since then. Reply Thread Link Ugh Bay/Travis makes me feel so awkward, like it seems so forced I WANT TY TO COME BACK Reply Thread Link Mte poor me thinking the call was bc Ty came back Reply Parent Thread Link it feels weird and unnatural because they just skipped everything and they are all of a sudden this established serious couple living together. it just feels wrong, the couple didn't earn it. Reply Parent Thread Link The Fosters used to be so good, but it's devolved into such a soap opera. :( I can hardly care about the characters anymore because the writers keep putting them into such ridiculous situations solely for the drama. Reply Thread Link Finishing end of s2 of Switched at Birth on Netflix. Tbh Daphne is kinda the worst. No spoilers plz but was that the concensus here too? Reply Thread Link She is totally the worst. Reply Parent Thread Link Breezing through s3 and I want her to be hit by a bus tbh Reply Parent Thread Link Rob Stewart, the Toronto filmmaker and conservationist is missing after a night dive off the Florida Keys while on a shoot for the follow-up to his award-winning documentary, Sharkwater. Stewart and two friends were on a night dive in waters up to 70 metres the deepest dive Stewart has ever completed near a shipwreck close to Islamorada when Stewart disappeared under the waves. Stewart was last seen around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening near the dive boat and reportedly gave the thumbs up symbol, indicating he was okay following the dive. He said Im okay,' MacLeod says. When one of the three divers blacked out, Stewarts friend dove into the water to rescue the unconscious diver. When he surfaced with the diver, Stewart was gone. Accoding to Sea Shepard, the boat crew members think Rob passed out as well and floated off. Hoping he is safe, and is found soon. This is very, very sad. :(You can help by visiting the gofundme page and donating - this allows them to get more helicopters etc. looking for him. People can survive for 72 hours at sea, so hopefully he gets found. he proposes they switch jobs so everyone can sleep at night Why do I feel like Idiot in Chief might actually do this for two weeks or so. Reply Thread Link Omg new reality show. It'll be YUGE! Reply Parent Thread Link Who knew that in this time of need, we would find comfort in the words of Arnold, Dick Cheney and Glenn Beck. Reply Thread Link whoa really? off to google this Reply Parent Thread Link even the westboro baptist church hates trump lol (although they hate everything) Reply Parent Thread Link I have no idea. So I've resorted to looking outside the window for flying pigs... Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Lol also there is a point to being diplomatic which this fucking fat sloth doesn't understand Reply Parent Thread Link I'm surprised more people aren't worried abou the Iran stuff. Because fucking with Iran has ended SO WELL for us in the past. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao how much of a moronic asshole does he have to be to not even be able to keep up friendly relations with AUSTRALIA Reply Parent Thread Link Not that i particularly like him, but he probably is more qualified to be president. Idk if he was a great governor, but from the accounts i read he wasn't terrible and signed some pretty progressive legislation into law. He also believes in climate change and signed in some great environmental protections for California, which is another bonus. Reply Thread Link Hes also veggie now i think but promotes that as an integral part to derail climate change and is a big proponent on green energy. I honestly dont even know what gop platform policy he agrees with. Reply Parent Thread Link A true RINO Reply Parent Thread Link He's pro-life and is "tough on crime" ETA: He's pro-life now, but in Junior his character actually says the words "My body, my choice" Edited at 2017-02-02 04:51 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I remember he use to have a hummer and everyone was flipping their shit over the emissions and gas, so he got it turned into an electric car or something like that. Reply Parent Thread Link my dad works/worked in canadian government. he's never liked schwarzenegger and is quite liberal himself, and one day had to attend a meeting on behalf of the gov't with schwarzenegger when the latter was visiting canada. he went in expected to get lolz and be pissed off, but he came out a stan tbh. he said he was SUPER knowledgable and just really great and diplomatic, listened REALLY well which my dad finds very rare... and just knew the most random things about the canadian economy. that said, i'm not pretending he's a god or anything, like i'm sure he inflicted some damage with his conservative policies on california, but i don't know enough about it. Reply Parent Thread Link I give all credit for his progressive ideas to Maria Shriver. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I can feel people around me getting tired of me talking about politics but it keeps coming up like word vomit. Reply Thread Link My twitter is pretty much Little Mix and politics, including some of my fave celebs talking about politics, these days. Reply Parent Thread Link Some white person made fun of me for talking politics by calling me "woke AF" and then told me to kill myself after i told him to stop co-opting AAVE. He should have just called me a snowflake instead. Reply Parent Thread Link Same but this is serious stuff, my friend who I thought I was annoying has started sending me stuff and asking questions now tho so she prob is picking up on how seriously bad this can all get. I dont think she voted bc she didnt like either rme she is a teacher so I had been telling her abt the dumb devos lady Reply Parent Thread Link i'd say this ain't romney, bitch. sit down. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. I keep hearing I'm overreacting when I talk about how bad things are. I always reply that they're stupidly under-reacting. And I get an eye-roll. Hope those eyes roll right outta their heads when the madness personally touches them. And it will. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Saying "I'm so sick of politics" is an admission that you're selfish about your privilege can't be bothered by the suffering of others brian essbe (@SortaBad) January 30, 2017 Also this is a good point Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I get some "This girl is crazy" looks from time to time, but I know I'm right. These are literally the same people that told me to relax because there was NO WAY Trump was going to win the Republican nomination, so idgaf about their willful ignorance. Reply Parent Thread Link It freaks the fuck out of me that there are a lot of people around me who aren't. I was telling one of my friends about this. I dunno if they don't feel safe or they're worried about breaking down, but it feels weird to see people carrying on like business as usual. Then again, I felt like this about a lot of events over the past years (e.g., police brutality against black people, DAPL, Flint...) Reply Parent Thread Link I know I've driven people away from my social media pages but fuck them. Reply Parent Thread Link My life since May of 2015 tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. I feel bad because I was borderline-yelling at my grandma yesterday about why protesting is vital and important. I swear to god, the apathy and lack of empathy I keep seeing from people around me is making me sick. Reply Parent Thread Link Same here. Reply Parent Thread Link The only person that's told me he's tired of talking about it is my brother and that's because he's a permanent resident and doesn't think there's much he can do without putting his status in jeopardy. Reply Parent Thread Link I swear this administration is giving me grey hairs. Also I have tons of people on my TL now defending a nazi because of the UC Berkeley protests so I'm done y'all Reply Thread Link I just dont understand why the students took it so far, I understand their anger but it defeats the purpose when the media can ignore the issue and focus on all the violence Reply Parent Thread Link I agree it went too far. I was watching a live video on FB as it happened but it seemed like there was a smaller "anti fascist" group (in all black with their faces covered ofc) that were the ones running around smashing ATM machines and writing graffiti, most of what I saw was students dancing in the streets with signs. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link there were people all in black that had masks on that were doing all of the violent shit- they weren't students, they're part of an anarchist group "Black Bloc" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It wasn't the students. It's white anarchist who come to protests especially ones at night. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i don't agree with it at all, but the purpose of the speech was to "kickstart" a campaign to target dreamers at their school and report them. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link rme Reply Parent Thread Expand Link (he shall not be named) was using the tour "to use the Berkeley College Republicans event to launch their campaign targeting the undocumented student community on our campus. - from UC Berkeley's Republican Club. from that site: "(he shall not be named) will kick start the campaign with a speech at the University of Californias Berkeley campus on February 1, where he, backed by the Freedom Center, will call for the withdrawal of federal grants and the prosecution of university officials who endanger their students with their policies, starting with UC President and former Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano and Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks." Edited at 2017-02-02 04:29 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Ugh, my friend work at UC Berkeley and has said that the media has blown a lot of it out of proportion. Plus, Trump is crying that free speech is being compromised- it's the STUDENTS that don't want Milo there and are making their voices heard. It's only censorship if the government does it, and Trump is already practicing it. Reply Parent Thread Link Or the Navy SEAL and 8 year old girl who died in that botched attack Reply Parent Thread Link He's never going to bring it up again, or he's going to keep insisting it was a Muslim terrorist. They already brought it up (before any fucking facts were out about who did it) to justify their stupid ban. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Did he even say anything about it? Reply Parent Thread Link That would require him to get a spine and also tell Bannon he won't tweet his thoughts. Reply Parent Thread Link That would require that he wasn't being ruled by #PresidentBannon Reply Parent Thread Link he will give the country back to the people!!11!! Reply Parent Thread Link Liberal people, POC, LGBTQ+- we're not the us he's about to unite. Or maybe we'll unite against him. Reply Parent Thread Link College students are elitists, didn't u get the alternate memo? Edited at 2017-02-02 06:26 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Did you hear about how he wants to destroy the Johnson amendment, so there are no limits on political activity by tax-exempt churches? Or see the draft of his "religious freedom" bill that would make it so hospitals don't have to treat you, or landlords can turn away gay/unmarried/anything that goes against their particular set of beliefs? We're so fucked. Reply Parent Thread Link California is not going to take any of his shit. We're a "donor state" so he definitely doesn't want us with holding our federal tax dollars. We contribute over 13% (I believe we're around 13.5%) of the federal GPD.... Approx 2.33 Trillion (which, if we kept, would cover a state single payer program AND free college tuition). Sooooo, yeah you Orange fuck, I DARE you to threaten our funding because you're about to find out real quick who is funding fucking who here. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link so do it orange fuck that would just get more support for #calexit so do it orange fuck Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Why isn't Trump dead yet? Reply Thread Link We need to make sure both him and Pence die at the same time. Reply Parent Thread Link Then we get Paul Ryan. We're fucked either way. Reply Parent Thread Link we need a designated survivor situation Reply Parent Thread Expand Link We need Bannon dead as well. Reply Parent Thread Link and after paul ryan, orrin hatch lmao :( Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i really don't want him to turn into a martyr and have school children forced to go see his memorial in DC. Impeachment is the only way to go, imo. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You know evil white men don't die very easily. They're like the roaches of people. Reply Parent Thread Link Also this was at a PRAYER breakfast. He's being petty at a goddamn prayer breakfast, y'all. Shouldn't be a surprise since he was petty yesterday during his Black History Month speech. Reply Thread Link it was at 9AM too. who is that petty that early in the morning. Reply Parent Thread Link the sun never sets on the Leader of the Petty Reply Parent Thread Link I honestly thought "Trump prays for celebrity apprentice ratings" was a hack joke, but I kept scrolling and...nope! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm still not convinced that he or Spicer realize Frederick Douglass has been dead for 120 some odd years. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Crazy when Arnold is the voice of reason. Reply Thread Link i'm honestly shocked that wrinkles aren't starting to form on my face already with how much it feels like these past 2 weeks have aged me jfc Reply Thread Link You know how they say the presidency ages presidents? I looked in my magnifying mirror and i feel like this presidency is gonna age me. I'm gonna look 50 by the time 2020 rolls around Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link I think my anger is keeping me looking young. My fury is like an inner glow of magma. Reply Parent Thread Link If I could be absolutely sure Drumpf isn't getting any money from it, I'd watch the Apprentice (or have it on in the background) to up the ratings. Reply Thread Link I can't believe the president is in a feud with the terminator. History is gonna drag this presidency if it's portrayed accurately and not lied about like so much of American history. Reply Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Well, if you believe The Running Man, Arnold is just the person to save us from Trump, so I'm cool with this. Reply Parent Thread Link It's only been like 14 days, I feel like it's been a decade. Just please, God, if you exist, end this. Reply Thread Link Same here :/ Reply Parent Thread Link yep Reply Parent Thread Link right, like i'm ready for all of it to be over but it even hasn't been that long Reply Parent Thread Link same and it hasn't even been 2 weeks Reply Parent Thread Link It feels like its been 2 months... Reply Parent Thread Link That doesn't feel remotely true, and yet... Reply Parent Thread Link I feel like I've aged by five years :( Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I have to say, after going through the headlines this morning, I just turned on HBO and decided to tune out. For the first time since the inauguration, i just need a break for a day. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link seriously, this is ridiculous Reply Parent Thread Link Unfortunately, that's probably what they want :( Shock us a bunch here at the beginning, and then we'll be too tired to keep the protesting / resisting going. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. Every single time I open twitter, there's something new. Reply Parent Thread Link Every day is a mysterious roller coaster with this wigged fool Reply Parent Thread Link Come on, Australia is America's deputy sheriff and Lil Buddy. We share such things as tacky mcmansions, The Matrix, and shitty steakhouses. Even a temperamental 3 year old wasn't supposed to screw this up. Reply Thread Link And blatant racism. Reply Parent Thread Link I am legit terrified we will get into a nuclear war. I know people said that with 9/11 and Bush Jr, but I was never afraid. i didn't think that would happen. This is exactly what happens when you elect a narcissist who can't be wrong. I have no idea how people did business with him. I can't wait for the tell all books when he is no longer able to sue people. Reply Thread Link the narcissistic personality disorder is no joke. One of my relatives has NPD and he's never admitted to being wrong. Not once in his life that I've witnessed. If he drops a fork by accident, he'll claim the fork was badly designed. And compared to Trump he has a super mild form of NPD. not gonna lie, I've never been afraid for my life, but I am now. Trump is unpredictable. Reply Parent Thread Link There's a reason why he's a shit businessman. People probably hate making deals with him. Even the Carrier deal that Repub praises him about was a shit ass deal. Carrier won so hard in that whole exchange and now the citizens are going to have to pay more in taxes to make up for it. Cry me a river Red State. Reply Parent Thread Link I feel the exact same. I was a teenager during the Bush years and flippantly dismissed any and all notions of the US going down the toilet, even though I didn't care for him much. But now? I legitimately fear it. Reply Parent Thread Link Right? He's just plain evil. Reply Parent Thread Link I live near-ish to DC, but my husband works JUST OUTSIDE of it. If a bomb drops here, he's toast, and possibly both of us. I'm honestly horrified and have been asking him to start looking for jobs in Baltimore & northward. Reply Parent Thread Link there has been so many grounds for this but no one has done shit. Reply Parent Thread Link i think i've asked you this before, but WHEW is that in your icon???? Reply Parent Thread Link Who would even start it though? McCain? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Joaquin Castro already started floating the possibility of impeachment ( http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/317282-dem-lawmaker-congress-should-consider-impeaching-trump-if-he ) but I think it's gonna be a while regardless Reply Parent Thread Link The Republicans won't do it and the Democrats aren't organized. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i think once he's approval rating is at 20% or lower they will. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link but pence though Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Why, so we can have President Pence? We're fucked. Unless every single Republican dies in a plane crash at the same time, we're fucked. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Stop waiting for someone to save us. We have to SAVE OURSELVES. Reply Parent Thread Link no_youre_the_puppet.gif BREAKING: US Treasury Dept easing Obama admin sanctions to allow companies to do transactions with Russia's FSB, successor org to KGB. Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) February 2, 2017 Trump will insult Australia before he insults Russia and Putin. And would you look at what we have here...no_youre_the_puppet.gif Reply Thread Link At this point I'm sure Putin wants to rebuild the UdSSR to its former glory. He's in Hungary at the moment looking at what's soon to be his Reply Parent Thread Link & as it turns out the US sanctions helped him achieve getting support frm EE nations again congratsyouplayedyourself.gif Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. He's already invading again Ukraine. Reply Parent Thread Link sorry for all the edits, apparently the first tweet was debunked. Edited at 2017-02-02 06:32 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Could they be anymore obvious? How much more do Republicans need before they're like "hold up a sec" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm wondering if the CIA has any info into that shady 19% share deal. Surely THAT would lead to impeachment.... Reply Parent Thread Link They're all fucking folding. Unless someone leaks something SUPER damning, they will literally hand him his dictatorship. Reply Parent Thread Link McCain has been the biggest fucking letdown. POW McCain needs to come back and light a fire under current McCain because wtf, that guy did not suffer to be called weak by Donald fucking Trump. WTF Reply Parent Thread Link mte. he's so fucking spineless where it matters the most, he can get fucked with that "alliance to aus" bullshit. have an alliance with the us citizens who should be counting on you, jfc Reply Parent Thread Link met Reply Parent Thread Link McCain is exhibiting just how spineless he is. I expect nothing from him and his ilk. Reply Parent Thread Link McCain's always been like this, he'll talk a big game but he always votes party line. Reply Parent Thread Link he's the worst. he's lost all credibility with me. Reply Parent Thread Link He is suuuuuuch a fucking idiot. Mexico and Australia are entry-level diplomacy. How the FUCK is he going to handle China and Iran if he bombs with some of our closest allies? Australia sent troops to die in our shitty immoral war in Iraq and Trump treats them like shit now. Fucking shameful. Reply Thread Link a few months ago Bannon said the US would go to war with China for sure everyone on this planet is f-u-c-k-e-d Reply Parent Thread Link If Kylie Minogue is barred from the US I will riot. Reply Thread Link honestly sis; when was the last time she did a legit tour. She barred herself :( Reply Parent Thread Link The last time she had a good album! I still wanna believe! Reply Parent Thread Link she's coming out with a new fucking album and possibly touring. i want to see her concert tour. Reply Parent Thread Link Howwwwlinnng! seriously tho i will rage! Reply Parent Thread Link Why the fuck does he have to constanty fucking fight everyone? Doesn't he get tired? I hope a fucking alligator eats him when he's at Mar-A-Lago Reply Thread Link I was talking to a friend about Iran yesterday and they basically told me to "stop being dramatic" I get people are exhausted but this is not the time to rest and be silent and ignore what is going on Reply Parent Thread Link That's exactly what they want, too. Oop @ your friend for falling for it Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Even my BF is telling me this. Like everything I was worried that would happen since his presidency is happening. People who think he was all talk are sure biting their tongue now. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link china is a far bigger threat militarily than iran. but who even cares anymore lmao. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Iran's response of "lol @ rantings of an unqualified idiot making empty threats" was pretty interesting. It felt like we were the North Korea to Iran's US. Reply Parent Thread Link since WW3 is clearly gonna happen, hoping canada is the switzerland in all of this Reply Parent Thread Link Also threatening UC Berkeley Reply Thread Link He can try. California is itching to fight him and we have the money. Reply Parent Thread Link Yepppp. We contribute more to the federal government than we receive back. So go ahead. Cut funding. We'll stop sending you our $$$. Reply Parent Thread Link This. We need to break away and be our own liberal country. We're on another wave, all the red dots can move to Nevada tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link His tweet is such bs. Milo brought this on himself. He's a threat to student welfare and doesn't have some fucking divine right to a platform. Reply Parent Thread Link I can't believe people genuinely believed this man had the stamina and temperament to be president. I know his lack of political correctness charmed them but he's not blunt or straight forward he's rude and impulsive. He's causing so much damage in only two weeks I can't imagine what the next president is going to have to deal with once he finishes his term (hopefully just 1) Reply Thread Link hopefully there *is* a next president :'( Reply Parent Thread Link what was that prediction someone posted that trump was the last president. what the hell does that mean D: Reply Parent Thread Link Plus a lot of people thought he would calm down or that the more moderate Republicans would keep him under control, and they completely ignored all of us who were yelling "NO, NO, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, NO." So now every time I see a car with a Tr*mp sticker (which is infrequent but does happen, since my city is just a small blue oasis in a red state), I'm like, "I hope you're enjoying your dystopia, asshole." Maybe it's irrational, but I can't help it. D: Reply Parent Thread Link I feel like Australia's fucked up menagerie of deadly animals is the missing piece in Chicago's arsenal against the feds, so this alliance is shaping up pretty nice for us. Reply Thread Link And he's threatening to defund UC Berkley because of the protest. And he wants tax exempt companies to be able to fund political campaigns. Reply Thread Link Half the people protesting weren't even students Reply Parent Thread Link I feel like he won't do that considering it's the #1 public university in the world. But who knows with him, he obviously gives no fucks. Reply Parent Thread Link this man is a fucking joke. a president getting to pick and choose speakers for unis, and then threatening those that don't follow his ideology? hmm... yeah that doesn't sound suspect at all smh and people are eating this shit up. people are dumb pt. infinity Reply Parent Thread Link I feel like we are in an alternate universe and this can't be real Reply Thread Link Replied to the wrong post, sorry bb. Edited at 2017-02-02 06:42 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I feel like I'm in the movie Coherence and accidentally walked into the wrong universe. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link we're in the fucking darkest timeline Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I keep saying this to everyone I know but I read the Handmaid's Tale the other day and holy shit is it scary. First the blamed the Islamic fanatics. Then they suspended the constitution. Then newspapers were suspended, or shut down. Not direct quotes, but full gist. Reply Parent Thread Link toxic_illusion Was one of those tips to date? Because he should. Reply Thread Link the girl with the big curly hair omg so cutttteee Reply Thread Link I needed this. Bless. Reply Thread Link whats the tea on idris? isnt he like a cheater or something? Reply Thread Link yes Reply Parent Thread Link si Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, he def has fuckboyish tendencies, but we let him get away with it because he's so damn charming and hasn't done anything massively messy/involving any other huge celebs. Reply Parent Thread Link Aye Outside of that, he's not messy so it's whatever. Reply Parent Thread Link Reply Parent Thread Link Nae Reply Parent Thread Link Accidentally tweeting a thirst-trap selfie is probably not great dating advice ISN'T THAT RIGHT SIR Reply Thread Link lol, good point. Reply Parent Thread Link Aww, oh well. Reply Parent Thread Link oh no how terrible Reply Parent Thread Link Edited at 2017-02-02 11:00 pm (UTC) Oh dear.... Reply Parent Thread Link awful advice you can give in general is telling kids that if a bully is bullying them, it means that person likes you. change the situation to adults and it gets scary and sad fast Reply Thread Link I love how your family handles it. Your niece is a badass! Reply Parent Thread Link omg, you have an amazing niece! btw, I love your icon. That is basically the attitude my dad has. Reply Parent Thread Link My daughter (16) had a guy in her Spanish class being a sheer asshole. Always commenting on her weight (she has PCOS and struggles to lose weight) saying she is pretty but chubby and how hard it is to look at her. A few months ago, she put her thumbs over his eyelids and told him "My mom works for an eye doctor and I found out that if I press in and down, I could injure your eyes so badly that you would never be able to see me again". She told me she smiled sweetly and walked away. He hasn't even looked at since! Reply Parent Thread Link the worst people in the world are bullies parents because they let them get away with that shit Reply Parent Thread Link My mom gives me a lot of misogynistic advice and says the way Orange Hitler was talking is how all guys talk. She also said that if you sleep with a guy on the first date, it ruins you in their eyes. She tries to get me to read that awful book written by those pricks who advocate playing hard to get and all this other bullshit, saying that it "worked on JFK Jr.!". I feel like that playing hard to get bullshit only works on idiots. The smart ones will get tired of it and move on, unless they're just really into you. She also read that awful Steve Harvey book and said it's always good to get a man's opinion. Edited at 2017-02-02 09:19 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link yeah, thinking about who gives me the worst dating advice was a toss up between my mom whos only dated two ppl and the second one was my dad @ 16, so her experience is basically zero, or my father who either gives misogynistic advice or treats me like a desperate charity case. it got depressing to think about lol Reply Parent Thread Link sounds like my mom. we don't live in the same country but when i visit shit gets tense real quick... went home for christmas, got off the plane with my husband and she saw my super super super short hair for the first time. first words out of her mouth: "wow, what does < husband's name here > think of THAT?!?!?" and I said "who the fuck cares", and she said "that language is not ladylike!" .... i can't win lol. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao whenever I meet people like your mom I'm so quick to tell them that I slept with my now-husband within hours of meeting him. On a beach. Sleep with whoever you want whenever you want. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao i slept with my bf of 3 1/2 years, 3 hours after meeting him too! we've been together ever since. Reply Parent Thread Link That sounds Iike my mom. She's always like "a man doesn't like it when..." and i just ignore her. Or she talks about how she desperately wants a husband and I have to get married and find a man with good standards. I'm just like, "I'm studying to be a neurosurgeon, I'm the fucking catch." And she loves Steve Harvey, ugh! Reply Parent Thread Link I feel genuinely sorry for women like your mom. I've heard that "excuse" re: how Trump talks about women from many women, and it's sad. Imagine thinking thats A) how all men talk and more importantly B) ACCEPTING THAT. Reply Parent Thread Link AHhhhhhhhh why are there mums like this!! Reply Parent Thread Link I was once told I shouldn't wear heels on dates because I was already "too tall" at 5'8" Go fuck yourself, insecure man. Reply Thread Link yaas I love being tall (I'm 5' 11") there is so much power in being tall as a woman. i love wearing heels and standing next to men on the tube in the morning. bask in my tallness. Reply Parent Thread Link lol irl Reply Parent Thread Link average height men are the worst, I feel your struggle sis Reply Parent Thread Link Omg gurl don't let men tell you what to do or wear. Your slayage is fierce asf! <3 Reply Parent Thread Link 5'9 and will rock 4 inch heels. Fuck 'em! Reply Parent Thread Link "if they smile at you or something, just pass out" is my fav tip Reply Thread Link lool, that girl was so cute Reply Parent Thread Link Kids actually give really good advice in general, mainly they see everything in a much simpler way and tend to be more honest about their opinions Reply Thread Link And they will drag your ass to hell in back. I've had kids read me at work and I come home with their advice like Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO for real and you're more annoyed cause you know they're right lol Reply Parent Thread Link Omg this is my favourite gif. Reply Parent Thread Link this is killing me Reply Parent Thread Link I think they're observations and communication style is a lot simpler... but their advice? not so much lol Reply Parent Thread Link "Pay for everything and agree with everything she says." I agree. Reply Thread Link Only ten bucks? Brb donating Reply Thread Link Best and worst: decapitate him after you mate like the praying mantis. Reply Thread Link Angie for President. Reply Thread Link I wouldn't mind that. Reply Parent Thread Link I think we've had enough of celebrities becoming politicians for a lifetime so that's a hard pass Reply Parent Thread Link lmao exactly Reply Parent Thread Link Honestly, I think she'd make a great president. Reply Parent Thread Link If we're only allowed to pick from celebrities now, I guess she at least has some actual knowledge of geopolitics + I would trust her to take it seriously. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ia Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i was thinking that while read this. i think she'd make a great president. fantastic really, the best president. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If only. Reply Parent Thread Link Good job, Angie Reply Thread Link shes about to get an angry tweet from dump Reply Thread Link "angelina jolie, very overrated actress, stole brad pitt from jennifer aniston and now he's left her. sad!" - tr*mp, probably Reply Thread Link lmao i can totally see him tweeting this tbh. He's that petty. Reply Parent Thread Link Fuck! it'll be this verbatim. God help us all. Reply Parent Thread Link lol you know it Reply Parent Thread Link hahhaaha he will say that for sure Reply Parent Thread Link He'll mention how her dad hates her probably Reply Parent Thread Link Ewww he would Reply Parent Thread Link I was thinking that. TOtally. Reply Parent Thread Link *minimally talented Reply Parent Thread Link I give it a few hours before he tweets exactly this. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm waiting for exactly this. Reply Parent Thread Link Her people are brutal, I would be curious as to how they'd handle that. Reply Parent Thread Link How long until Trump calls her overrated? Reply Thread Link Angelina Jolie is sort of amazing because everyone thinks shes like this great beauty. And Im not saying shes an unattractive woman, but shes not beauty, by any stretch of the imagination, Trump said. In terms of beauty, shes not a great beauty. Shes a nice looking woman. Shes OK. But shes not a great beauty. I really understand beauty. And I will tell you, shes not I do own Miss Universe. I do own Miss USA. I mean, I own a lot of different things. I do understand beauty, and shes not, Trump proudly proclaimed. And now shes like a representative of the United Nations and world peace on hunger and all of this crap, he continued. Its called give me a break. [ Edited at 2017-02-03 08:43 am (UTC) 10 years ago.Angelina Jolie is sort of amazing because everyone thinks shes like this great beauty. And Im not saying shes an unattractive woman, but shes not beauty, by any stretch of the imagination, Trump said. In terms of beauty, shes not a great beauty. Shes a nice looking woman. Shes OK. But shes not a great beauty.I really understand beauty. And I will tell you, shes not I do own Miss Universe. I do own Miss USA. I mean, I own a lot of different things. I do understand beauty, and shes not, Trump proudly proclaimed.And now shes like a representative of the United Nations and world peace on hunger and all of this crap, he continued. Its called give me a break. http://www.today.com/popculture/trump-s-latest-ugliness-targets-jolie-s-looks-wbna21366773 from a comment above] Reply Parent Thread Link Wow, he really isn't articulate at all is he. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link go angie she has so much experience working w refugees for years i'd like to see trump even try to refute this Reply Thread Link He's about to tweet nasty things about her. Reply Thread Link this queen. Reply Thread Link lmfao I love this gif Reply Parent Thread Link lmaooo I loved it!!! I saved up my allowances and begged for the other two so I could have a girl group Reply Parent Thread Link Waiting for that 3am tweet calling her ugly old and overrated. Reply Thread Link Why the hell does he stay up so late lmao I guess I wouldn't sleep at night if I was him either Reply Parent Thread Link He supposedly wakes up at five or six so he can watch TV but he's on the east coast so it seems really early to people in other time zones. Reply Parent Thread Link Feeling overwhelmed by all of the extremely shitty news that's rolling in this afternoon, so this is a pleasant two minutes of relief from that, I guess. Reply Thread Link This is just the beginning. Cannot wait for him to come up with rules to strip people of citizenship. Also, the House GOP got rid of majority of gun regulation. Now people with mental illness or violent past can buy gun. Reply Thread Link Yay! Fuck the NRA! Reply Parent Thread Link Jfc. People are so gd stupid. So much for "safety". Fucking idiots Reply Parent Thread Link just asked my husband if we can buy a gun with our tax return. he said yes. come on money. i need to protect my snowflake self. Reply Parent Thread Link COOL. so majestic wow, easier access to guns for everyone much amazing! lax gun regulation for american citizens but outright ban on refugees/immigrants. ok Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't remember the last time good news came from the government now. I have a feeling we'll never hear anything good again. Reply Parent Thread Link Now maladjusted white dudes can kill people at an even faster rate! Reply Parent Thread Link Absolutely despicable. With this environment of hate, this is the most evil thing they could've done. Reply Parent Thread Link this is making emotional Reply Parent Thread Link i was just watching on a live stream. i had to come at some trolls with facts. they never respond to me lmao Reply Parent Thread Link They never do Reply Parent Thread Expand Link this is awesome. I hope there'll be a liberal equivalent to the Tea Party. Progressives need a powerful movement Reply Parent Thread Link Damn beautiful. Reply Parent Thread Link this is amazing. Reply Parent Thread Link Beautiful, just beautiful. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm crying Reply Parent Thread Link wow this is beautiful Reply Parent Thread Link Chills. Love all the flags. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm sure donald will tweet something like "angelina jolie has really, really lost her looks. she's gone from a 10 to a 6. SAD!" Reply Thread Link yeah, he also said another time that she's not beautiful. so he's gone after her looks a few times. Reply Parent Thread Link so he calls her ugly/unattractive & then slut-shames her. sf classy, never change. Reply Parent Thread Link The nerve of him to judge anybody with his orange, trifflin ass. Reply Parent Thread Link he's so critical of women's looks while looking like a tub of orange LARD Reply Parent Thread Link What are they all waiting for? How can even part of dumpster fire he's been building not be enough for them? Reply Parent Thread Link The political discourse last year has largely been dominated by the absence of jobs and wage growth in the blue collar space. For many blue collar workers, the energy sector offered one of the few respites from an otherwise sloppy job market. The oil price collapse has changed that reality. Since oil prices started falling a couple of years ago, energy firms have automated many repetitive, dangerous, and expensive tasks, which in turn has meant fewer blue collar jobs in the space. Products such as those from National Oilwell Varco automate the process of doing tasks like connecting hundreds of segments of drill pipe as they are shoved through miles of ocean water and oil-bearing rocks. Bloomberg estimates that the oil price collapse eliminated 440,000 jobs, and anywhere from one-third to one-half of those jobs may never come back. The worlds biggest oil services companies Schlumberger, Haliburton, and Baker Hughes chief among them spent $3.1B on severance costs in 2015 and 2016. The downturn made those costs particularly heavy burdens for the firms in the space, and now with prices and business on the mend, none of the services firms seem eager to repeat their mistakes by taking on too many people. Nabors Industries, the worlds largest onshore driller, says that over the long-term it will one day be able to operate a well site with about 5 workers versus the 20 workers required at present. That kind of commentary has UBS estimating that the US oil industry will only need about half as many workers to suck the same amount of oil out of the ground post-2017 versus pre-2015. None of this is good news for oil rig workers, and the future may require an evolution on their part. A great example of that type of evolution can be seen at the macro-level in the case of Texas. Related: Saudis Raise March Crude Prices For All Customers Texas economy has long been thought of as being oil driven. During the last serious oil price downturn in the 1980s, Texas suffered significantly. Since that time though, Texas has become far less dependent on O&G. Oil and gas extraction and refining is about half as important to the State today as it was in the 80s according to some experts largely because other sectors of Texas economy have grown so strongly. At present, while half of the publicly traded companies in Houston for instance are in oil and gas related sectors, the state overall has become much more diversified in its economy. Texas created almost 200,000 new jobs over the 12 months between mid-2015 and mid-2016 - a period which includes the last and most severe leg of the oil price downturn. Overall only 2.5% of Texas employment and about 12% of its total output is related to natural resource extraction. These figures highlight a sometimes forgotten truth that lies at the heart of the Natural Resources Curse while oil, natural gas, and other resources offer enormous opportunities for wealth and a lot of output for an economy, they actually create relatively few jobs. While 2.5% of total Texas employment amounts to a lot of jobs and those jobs do pay well, its clear that oil is not the labor intensive industry that say the services sector is. Related: Why 100% Renewable Energy Is Just A Dream Houston is certainly hurting from the hammer of the oil price collapse, but Austin and Dallas are thriving with job growth rates of 4.3% and 4.2% respectively. Neither city is closely levered to oil prices, and both are seen as economic hotspots across the country. Texas state finances are being hampered by a fall in the revenues received from the oil and gas industry, but with the states credit overall in fine condition that is a comparatively minor issue overall. None of this makes the pain less palpable for those in the O&G industry who have lost their jobs and cannot find new ones that pay as well. Nonetheless, the industry as a whole is adapting, the economy is adapting, and workers will have to adapt as well. Realistically there is no alternative. By Michael McDonald of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Acting Company from New York City is on its way to Northern Arizona University to work with theater students and perform two plays: William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and Marcus Gardley's new play "X," about the assassination of Malcolm X. "Julius Caesar" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, and "X" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11, at the Clifford E. White Theatre on the NAU campus. Get tickets ($11-$13) at nau.edu/cto or call 523-5661. Check parking options at nau.edu/guest. The NAU Department of Theatre collaborates with The Acting Company to provide its students individual guidance, performance/design workshops and networking opportunities alongside Equity and Union artists from New York City. Caesar/X performances are part of The Acting Companys 2016-2017 tour. Sedona history treasures housed at NAU library The Sedona Heritage Museum is hosting the next in its Living History speaker series on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. at the museum. Jonathan Pringle will speak about archival holdings related to Sedona and the Verde Valley found at Northern Arizona Universitys Cline Library, Special Collections and Archives. Pringle will share some of the treasures housed in Special Collections and some of the stories of how these artifacts, photos and recorded histories were found and brought to the library. The Cline Library serves as the home for the archives of NAU. The photographs, records and oral histories available online capture the stories of northern Arizona and the greater Colorado Plateau. Pringle is the Archivist for Arrangement & Description with NAUs Cline Library, Special Collections and Archives Department. In this role, he undertakes physical and intellectual processing and dissemination of collections material in all media formats. This is a free event and open to the public. The Sedona Heritage Museum is located at 735 Jordan Road in Jordan Historical Park in Uptown Sedona and is open daily 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call (928) 282-7038. Yes, it's Groundhog Day (again), and that dastardly Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. Fortunately, he's no good at forecasting (unlike the woolly worm), hence little attention should be paid. The crude complex is also seemingly stuck in Groundhog Day, weighing up OPEC production cuts versus the renaissance of U.S. shale production. After yesterday's rally, today we reverse. Hark, here are five things to consider in oil markets today. 1) The chart below highlights how the U.S. trade deficit with Latin America has moved to a surplus, as product exports ramp up to Latin America, while U.S. crude imports from countries such as Mexico drop off. We highlighted here last week how U.S. imports of Mexican crude - which is predominantly heavy Maya - have dropped off on both an absolute and percentage basis. Imports of Mexican crude dropped by over a hundred thousand barrels per day in 2016 to 575,000 bpd, with the U.S. share of Mexican crude exports dropping from 60 percent to 48 percent versus the year prior. (Click to enlarge) In terms of product exports, the combination of gasoline and middle distillate exports are up 28 percent in 2016 versus the prior year, almost running neck-and-neck with crude export volumes. (Click to enlarge) 2) Staying on the topic of gasoline, yesterday's inventory report yielded a 3.9 million barrel build to gasoline inventories, lifting them to 257mn bbls, less than 2mn bbls away from their all-time record. As refinery runs continue to hold above last year's levels, gasoline inventories continue to swell, amid seemingly stymied demand. (Click to enlarge) 3) While implied demand for gasoline rebounded in yesterday's report, it has still been kicking close to January 2013's low of 7.996mn bpd, in itself a 12-year low. We here at the good ship ClipperData (aharrrgh, me hearties!) have run our own projection using our import and export data; we believe the EIA is significantly underestimating demand. This makes sense from a logical perspective: it seems counterintuitive that gasoline demand would be close to 16-year lows, when it has been a warm winter, gasoline prices are relatively low (hark, $2.28/gal on the national average), while the unemployment rate is close to 9-year lows. Related: OPEC Cuts Close To 1 Million Bpd This Month This is further affirmed by the latest monthly data out from the EIA. As John Kemp (@JKempEnergy) highlights in the chart below, U.S. gasoline consumption averaged 9.2mn bpd in November, the highest for the time of year since 2006, up 1.4 percent YoY. 4) Compared to gasoline inventories, oil stocks appear a million miles away from last year's record high, but in reality, it is only about 17 million barrels away. Last year, we rose by double this amount over February and March, while in 2015 we rose over three times this number. It would appear that even record refinery runs this spring cannot save us from uncharted territory on the crude inventory front, especially in conjunction with rising U.S. production. (Click to enlarge) 5) The chart below highlights how reliant Iraq is on crude: it accounts for some 86 percent of its expected revenue this year. Hence, as a travel ban has been put on Iraqis to the U.S., fears of reciprocation have been stoked among the International Oil Companies (IOCs) that have international workers in Iraq. With Iraqi production already on the move lower due to OPEC's coordinated production cuts, operational issues due to worker issues could further cramp crude output. (Click to enlarge) By Matt Smith More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Saudi Arabias Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih said Aramco will publish annual financial figures before its listing next year. The statement is the latest in a string of news regarding the worlds biggest oil companys preparations for what is believed by many to be the equally biggest IPO in the industry in recent history Al-Falih went on to add that due to Aramcos size, the shares of the company less than 5 percent to be floated will be listed on two or three exchanges. The minister then said that the information to be released ahead of the listing will amaze the world. Aramcos IPO is part of Saudi Arabias efforts to combat the effects of the 2014 oil price slump, but the market has been wary because as a state-owned business, the company does not disclose financial information and is widely considered one of the most opaque state businesses in the global energy industry. This is set to change, apparently, to improve the chances of the listing being successful. Earlier this month, sources close to the company said that Aramco had sent requests for proposals to several investment banks, inviting them to take part in the listing as advisers. The list of potential candidates includes both big international joints and small banks. Related: Is Deepwater Drilling About To Make A Comeback? Last week, other sources said that an independent audit, conducted by two U.S. companies, had confirmed Aramcos vast crude oil resources, in line with official government information. The audit found Aramcos reserves at over 261 billion barrels, almost identical to the companys own estimates of 261.1 billion barrels. To compare, BPs estimate of the companys reserves came in at 266.6 billion barrels. In view of next years share listing, Saudi Aramco is required to provide independent audit of its reserves. Significantly higher or lower reserves would greatly change the valuation of the company, which Saudi officials say is worth around US$2 trillion. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Saudi Arabia may increase its investments in refining and distribution in the U.S. under the new pro-oil Administration, Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih said in an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, welcoming President Trumps more fossil-fuel-centered energy priorities. Saudi Arabias state oil giant Saudi Aramco currently holds 50 percent in the Motiva Enterprises 50/50 joint venture with Shell that owns and operates three refineries in Convent and Norco, Louisiana, and Port Arthur, Texas with a combined refining capacity of around 1.1 million barrels per day. President Trump has policies which are good for the oil industries and I think we have to acknowledge it, al-Falih said in todays interview. Referring to President Trumps promises from the campaign trail that he wants to block all oil imports from Saudi Arabia, al-Falih dodged a direct answer and said, I believe at the end of the day, the Trump Administration will do the right thing for the United States. The Saudi oil minister also stood by his previous position that he is not worried that the U.S. shale rebound would cut into Saudi Arabias market share and influence. As long as they grow in line with global energy demand, we welcome them, al-Falih said, referring to U.S. production, and added: We have billions of dollars invested in refining and distribution in the United States and we may be increasing that investment on the back of pro-industry, pro-oil and gas policies of the Trump Administration. Related: Trumps Trade War With Mexico Could Crash Natural Gas Prices Commenting on the picks for Trumps secretaries in the new Administration, the Saudi oil minister did not spare lavish praises on the Secretary of State choice Rex Tillerson. Rex Tillerson is one of the highest-qualified executives I have ever dealt with, hes a statesman by nature, the Saudi official said. Even if Saudi Arabia is the de facto leader of the oil cartel OPEC from which President Trump wants to unchain U.S. oil imports - al-Falih seemed confident that the Gulf allies reference in An America First Energy Plan on the White House website refers to Saudi Arabia, the leader of that group. Saudi Arabia and the United States cannot afford not to work together in concert to confront the challenges that are facing the world, al-Falih concluded. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Toshiba is preparing to put an end to its nuclear power plant construction business as part of damage control measures following a huge write-off on its U.S. nuclear operations. This is what unnamed sources close to the company told media, adding that from now on, the conglomerates nuclear operations will be restricted to maintenance and decommissioning. Still, Toshiba will complete the ongoing work on four new NPPs in the U.S., which should be put into operation in 2020. The write-off that may bring down Toshibas nuclear business has been estimated at US$6.08 billion and is related to its 2015 acquisition of U.S. CB&I Stone & Webster. The size of the acquisition deal, closed by Toshibas U.S. subsidiary Westinghouse, was just US$229 million. However, the low value of the company came with risks, as the New York Times recalled in a report last month, as the buyer and the seller, Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, argued over the true value of CB&I Stone & Webster. Cost overruns and delays threatened the successful completion of the target companys construction projects, and the two parties to the deal could not reach an agreement as to who should shoulder the associated expenses. Related: Is Deepwater Drilling About To Make A Comeback? The blow from the bad deal with Chicago Bridge & Iron seems to be so serious that Toshiba is mulling over the sale of Westinghouse, again according to unnamed sources. A sale would limit its exposure to future losses associated with nuclear power projects in the U.S., as would a partial stake sale, the sources explained. Yet Westinghouse itself is not in the most rosy of conditions and it would be a tough job to find a willing buyer, the Japan Times notes. Toshiba took a US$2.3-billion write-down on the Westinghouse acquisition last year, after buying it for US$5.4 billion in 2006. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: By Bud Pierce We have just held our elections, and our elected representatives are preparing to govern us. All Oregonians wish to have good government. What is good government? What do we wish our government to do? What are the criteria by which we are to judge our elected government officials? How do we determine if our elected representatives are providing good government? American-style government is unique in human history. Our uniqueness is not in the concept of democracy, but in the relationship between government and its people. In the previous history of mankind, government controlled the direction of a society. The American experiment is to put the people in charge of government, to keep the power of society in the hands of the people, and to have the government serve the people. The majority of the resources of Americas society are in the hands of the people, giving the people the tools by which to shape their own lives. It is difficult for many leaders in Oregons government to remain true to our founding principles of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Too many leaders believe that government should be in charge, that government should control the majority of our resources, and that government should decide the direction of our society. Look back at the original settlers who came to Oregon on the Oregon Trail in the 1800s. Those pioneers felt that government and society had become too controlling in their home states. They left and came to Oregon because they yearned for greater freedom. They came to Oregon for land and for the ability to live lives free from government interference. Oregonians have always sought the freedom to live their lives as they wish to live. What should be the focus of good state government in Oregon? The first focus must always be public safety. We must be free to move about Oregon without concern of being physically harmed. We must provide law enforcement with all necessary resources, and we must build bonds of trust between the citizens and law enforcement. The second focus of Oregons state government must be to provide excellent K-12 education and training. Compulsory public education is a conservative value that was first established in the American colonies in the 1600s. Our centrally controlled, highly bureaucratized, one size fits all education system fails far too many Oregon children. It begs for real reform. Oregons state government must ensure excellent infrastructure. Clean water and excellent sewage systems are a must. Our gas and electric energy infrastructure must be up to date and well maintained. We must have more road capacity and better maintenance of existing roads. A robust economy throughout all regions of our state is the basis of a stable, thriving Oregon. Government must be an ally of private sector job creation, encouraging entrepreneurs to build and grow businesses. The dignity of working in a good public or private sector job contributes to self-esteem, to self worth, and is the basis for a good and successful life. Finally, our government must learn to be frugal. Our current leadership tells us that the almost $2 billion dollar increase in taxes collected by our state government for the 2017-2019 biennium budget, a very generous 8% increase in the amount of money collected through taxation of working citizens, is not enough to maintain existing state government services. State government says it needs $1.7 billion dollars more, for a total of $3.7 billion dollars. A 15% increase in spending, just to maintain current service levels? While state government needs a 15% increase in revenue, the average Oregonians wage increases is only 2%. Oregon government spending should not be growing more rapidly than the wage growth of its citizens. More money for state government means less money for Oregon citizens pockets. True respect by a government of its people is wise and frugal spending of those hard-earned tax dollars. Too many state government leaders do not respect the hard work and the generous contribution of tax revenue to Oregons government by her citizens. Government leaders just demand more, and more, and more. As citizens, we have the obligation to understand and to shape the political process to ensure that our elected representatives govern wisely. Wise governing leads to a society with equality, justice, and opportunity for all citizens. Bud Pierce is a cancer doctor and Republican nominee for Governor in 2016. A national conservative magazine, National Review, has made a case that Oregon Senator Ron Wyden should step down from office over his handling of the Supreme Court nominees. The story was soon picked up by the prominent Real Clear Clear Politics website. Is this a moment of truth or just hyper criticism? Read below and decide for yourself. Senator Wyden Must Resign By Kevin Williamson, National Review I have disagreed with Senator Ron Wyden on practically every political question there is, but he always has struck me as a decent and honest man, and so it is with a heavy heart that I write these words: Senator Wyden must resign his seat in light of disturbing new information about his past that has come to light. The shocking revelation: Senator Wyden has been, for more than a decade, a willing accomplice to a plot to undermine the American political order and to overthrow the Constitution by infiltrating agents of radicalism into the highest reaches of the federal judiciary. The nefariousness of this undertaking cannot be overstated. The monsters advanced to positions of power with Senator Wydens assistance include dangerous extremists whose ideology represents a breathtaking retreat from the notion that Americans have fundamental Constitutional rights. His agents take a very dangerous view to our liberty that harkens back to the days when politicians restricted a peoples rights on a whim. Wydens anti-constitutional conspiracy is couched in the sort of jurisprudence that justified the horrific oppression of one group after another in our first two centuries. Horrific. I refer, of course, to his longtime support of Neil Gorsuch. Judge Gorsuch, who has been nominated by President Donald Trump to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court, may be unknown to Americans who do not follow the affairs of the judiciary with any great interest, but this monster Wydens own characterization of him is what is quoted above is hardly unknown in the halls of power. In fact, this atavistic beast, who would strip us not only of our constitutional rights but of our human dignity if given half a chance, was up for a confirmation vote as recently as 2006, when he was named to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most powerful and prestigious of the federal benches. But a curious thing happened in 2006. In spite of Judge Gorsuchs obvious extremism, the danger he presents to the lives and liberties of every American, and his manifest unfitness to hold any federal judicial seat, he was confirmed. He was confirmed unanimously. Senator Wyden could not stir himself to vote against this human horror, whose defects are so obvious and so well-documented. Neither could Gorsuchs classmate from Harvard Law, Senator Obama. Senator Dick Durbin knuckled under to the unanimous decision, as did Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (remember her?), Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Harry Reid, Senator Patty Murray, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator John Kerry, even the late Senator Ted Kennedy. And, of course, there was Senator Wyden, who now has turned against his former confederate. Not one Democrat could stir himself to cast a vote against this menace to all we hold dear. There are only a few possibilities that could explain this. The first is that Senator Wyden is so negligent in his duties, so incompetent, so mentally unfit for office that it simply escaped his notice that he was helping to advance the judicial career of a Constitution-killer such as Gorsuch. But that seems to me unlikely Senator Wyden is many things, but he is not an utterly blind, deaf, and illiterate fool. The second possibility is that Senator Wyden is simply a coward and an opportunist who is interested in Gorsuch now only because the election of Donald Trump has riled up his constituents and donors, and Supreme Court votes make headlines that appellate-court confirmations do not. But it would be a disservice to the intellectual depth of Senator Wyden to believe such a thing. No, that is unthinkable. But if we reject the possibility that he is simply a fool or a self-seeking political miscreant, then Senator Wyden must be a villain, one who knowingly and with malice aforethought helped maneuver Gorsuch onto the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he marinated in his own malevolence and awaited his eventual elevation to the Supreme Court. And so, Senator Wyden must resign. In fact, if Senator Wyden remains in office or Senator Schumer, or Senator Murray, or any of the others who went along with Gorsuchs unanimous confirmation then it will be impossible to take seriously the Democrats current objections to the nominee, i.e., that he is a uniquely unqualified candidate with a borderline sociopathic style of jurisprudence that would make serfs of us all. Not since Cicero confronted Catiline has a senate seen such a heinous plot or required more dedicated action. If Gorsuch is what Senator Wyden says he is today, then that is what he was in 2006, when every Democrat in the Senate signed off on his nomination. But such are The Difficulties of a Statesman, and we all know how that philippic ends: Resign. Resign. Resign. PHOENIX Promoted by supporters as a way to protect homeowners from varmints, the Republican-controlled state House voted 35-25 Wednesday along party lines for yet another law designed to let people shoot off weapons in city limits. HB 2022, sponsored by Rep. Jay Lawrence, R-Scottsdale, is billed as a method to allow city dwellers to kill snakes and rats without having to trap them or bludgeon them to death. Instead, they could fire a gun that is loaded with what's known as "rat shot'' or "snake shot.'' Those cartridges are loaded with pellets that are 1.3 millimeters or less in diameter. By contrast, grains of sand can be as small as 2 millimeters. The measure has drawn opposition from the Phoenix Herpetological Society, the Sierra Club and other groups who question the need to see snakes as a nuisance. But Deputy Pima County Attorney Kathleen Mayer said that debate misses the fact that nothing in the legislation actually requires someone to be trying to kill a pest. "The way it's written, you can go anywhere and shoot it,'' she said. "You're not limited to just protecting your property.'' More to the point, Mayer said, it creates an exception to Arizona laws which now generally prohibit people from firing off weapons within city limits. And she said once lawmakers start down that path, it may be impossible to stop. "It's the nose of camel under the flap of the tent,'' she said. This is actually the second such bid this year by lawmakers. Just a week ago the House Judiciary Committee voted to legalize "criminal negligence'' in discharging a weapon within a city. Rep. Tony Rivero, R-Peoria, said the state should not prosecute people who have "accidents'' with their guns. Instead, HB 2287, which awaits a House floor vote, would require prosecutors to prove that someone knowingly or recklessly fired a weapon. In separate action Wednesday, the Senate Government Committee voted 4-3 to allow people who have a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon to bring their firearms into public buildings. Current law makes such buildings off limits if there are "no guns'' signs at public entrances. Under SB 1243, building operators would need to install both metal detectors and have security guards at each door. Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, contends that only "law-abiding citizens'' obey those signs and either leave their weapons in their vehicles or put them into lockers. He said that leaves them defenseless should someone else who has ignored the signs decides to start firing. Jan Brewer vetoed similar measures in 2011, 2012 and again in 2014 when she was governor, saying she was concerned about the cost to cities and counties for metal detectors. Current Gov. Doug Ducey, a self-proclaimed supporter of the Second Amendment, has never had to weigh in on the issue because the measure has not reached his desk since he took office in 2015. Both the snake-shot measure approved by the House on Wednesday and the exception for prosecuting accidental discharge of guns would amend "Shannon's Law.'' That 2000 statute was approved by legislators in the wake of the death of 14-year-old Shannon Smith who died when she was hit by a bullet fired into the air. No one was ever arrested. Lawrence, in defending his measure, said he sees no danger to the public from allowing people to use the small-caliber ammunition in city limits. He said it's no more dangerous than throwing sand at someone. In support of his measure, Lawrence secured the testimony of Peter Steinmetz, director of the Nakamoto Brain Research Institute in Tempe. He told lawmakers of the dangers of the neurotoxins of rattlesnakes. And former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack called this type of ammunition "about the safest way to kill something in your yard.'' Mayer, however, told Capitol Media Services she has her doubts that the legislation is really about dispatching snakes. "You have to be within five feet within a rattlesnake to have any effect on one of those, according to what I've seen online, with this kind of shot,'' she said. "If you're within five feet of a snake you'd be a lot more effective in chopping its head off with a hoe.'' And Mayer said she doubts anyone would really be able to kill a rat with a handgun, saying they "move pretty fast.'' "There doesn't seem to me to be any useful purpose for this ammunition, other than for somebody to have fun shooting it,'' she said. 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... Reuters has published a message from Editor-in-Chief Steve Adler to his staff that outlines how the news agency should cover the Trump administration in a challenging climate. Its not every day that a U.S. president calls journalists among the most dishonest human beings on earth or that his chief strategist dubs the media the opposition party, Adler writes. He goes on to point out that Reuters reports in many countries in which the media is unwelcome and frequently under attack, citing Turkey, Yemen, China, Zimbabwe and Russia, among others, as examples, and later noting that Reuters has covered Iran with virtually no official access. What we have are sources, he says. Among the Dos and Donts Adler outlines, he encourages staffers to give up on hand-outs and worry less about official accounts, and to get out into the country and learn more about how people live, what they think, what helps and hurts them, and how the government and its actions appear to them, not to us. He also urges reporters not to vent publicly about frustrations so we can do our reporting without being suspected of personal animus. Read the full text of Adlers statement on the Reuters blog, here. Related: Charges Dropped for Four Journalists Arrested at Inauguration Representative Blocks News Photog from Photographing Senate Protesters Last week I got upset for nothing. The Senior Staff Association (SSA) of Korle Bu is asking for the CEO to be interdicted. This is due to some GHC500,000 the CEO is alleged to have wrongly appropriated. This is similar to the end-of-year gold gift the Bank of Ghana gave to itself. It will be recalled that, without any provocation, the Bank of Ghana, in a show of catastrophic opulence, bought gold watches worth over $500,000 for its exiting staff, and since most staff of Korle Bu may never benefit from such unbridled largess, they create their own means of self rewards. A few years ago I was referred to Korle Bu on suspicion of Appendicitis. The Doctor told me I had to come back in two weeks for the surgery, because there was a long waiting queue of surgery appointments. Remember this particular condition is supposed to be an emergency. The Doctor told me all about the implications of not having the operation done by the next morning. He gave me his card, and arranged for my surgery the next morning, in his private hospital instead, if I wanted a quick operation. His hospital would charge GHC2, 000. This doctor did no test or scan or check to confirm or deny the referred situation. All he cared about was the money he was going to collect from me, and then he will rip me apart and remove whatever was left inside of me, appendicitis or otherwise, it did not matter. Somehow I decided to seek a second opinion from a Doctor at Trauma Hospital in Winneba. He too, without any examination, he straight away wanted to arrange for a private surgery the following morning, and he was going to charge GHC1,500. When I asked if he was going to conduct his own independent assessment, he became angry and asked me to leave his office. Meanwhile I did not feel the situation getting worst, so I took a dash to Mary Lucy Hospital at Awoshie, for a second opinion. It was then that Dr Davis told me that what I was experiencing could not have been Appendicitis. He did all manner of physical examinations, and took a number of scans, and he told me that I did not suffer from any Appendicitis. So finally I walked away from the hospital feeling good, and its been four years without any Appendicitis surgery. So you see, if I had not taken responsibility for my own health, these doctors would have opened me up for nothing. In the same year I was referred to the Urology department of Korle Bu; that one too turned out with nothing, I had no urine issue but I was wrongly referred anyway. To see the Urologist, I was given an appointment for seven weeks. However the nurse on duty told me that if I wanted to be seen quickly, then she could link me up with the doctor, the same doctor, but privately. I agreed, and I saw the doctor the following day in his office, the same office in Korle Bu. I got all I needed, and I paid all I had to pay, including the GHC200 daily consultation fees, but the money went into the doctors private pocket. No receipt, nothing. I just paid money to a government doctor who kept the money privately but who was using government facility to treat me. So while some of the Korle Bu CEOs are rewarding themselves with large sums of money, stealing money through dubious contracts, and giving themselves all the luxuries of life, their staff members are also finishing off from the bottom, giving patient private service for public treatment. The nurses and para-medical staff are looting the drug and ancillary stores, the cleaners are privately taking the detergents away, and the security men are taking their perks so they could allow the masons to tow the looted building materials away without problems. In the end why should you a CEO try to sack me, a staff, for stealing, when you know that you are stealing more than me? Why should you a CEO take any decision that deprives me of informal benefits, when you are able to build a mansion out of one single contract you awarded dubiously? No one should sack anyone, if you sack me, I will make life difficult for you; that is why everyone is wrong, or everyone is right at Korle Bu. Let us all stay. You are CEO, no one is competing with you, and no one is complaining about the amount of contracts you are awarding to yourself. But you too allow us to steal the drugs, allow us to operate our private clinics in the hospital, let us all pretend that we are looking after the patients, after all they will die one day, so let them die, so we can live. We have long passed the days of your reward is in heaven parlance. We will all collect our rewards right here in Ghana. Otherwise why would our judges whom we held sacred, why would they have collected money, goats and dross? It was because they have long seen that heaven is too far, the earth is here with us, and we will all share our loots, right here on earth. If the ministers will not give us some of the stolen money, we will sell justice, and pretend all is well. Of course pretence is the name of the new game. In 2013 the ex President, John Dramani Mahama increased his salary by 10%, and backdated it to 2009. Then in 2014 the ex president John Mahama reduced his salary by 10%. We all praised him for such sensitivity. By the time the president was leaving office, he had increased his own salary by 10%, taking retrospective effect from the year 2013. Do you get the drift? Do you remember Kweku Ananse and Ntikumah stories? We are sharing three mangoes; I am taking one, so that you also take one, so that I take one. Do you get it? Corruption and greed is swallowing all of us. These days reading the Auditor Generals report feels as though one is enduring rape; it stinks, its evil, and yet the over $3billion stinky annual corrupt revelations in the Auditor Generals report is only a fraction of the sucking away of Ghanas resources. Just think about the smelly Smartys deal when over half of the GHC3.6million contract sum awarded and paid was refunded to the state; no prosecution, nothing, and think about the dribbling spectacle the Woyome scandal turned out to be. So why shouldnt Korle Bu staff help themselves? If one MP will retire every four years, and take home GHC300,000, if one vetting beget GHC3,000 Ghana Cedis, why shouldnt one judicial injustice begot one dross? If an Assemblyman has to pay electorates for votes, then why should he not take money in order to approve a DCE or a Presiding Member? If a polling station executive pays before getting elected, then why should the MP not pay to get his vote? If an MP has to distribute trays, and kwankora for votes, then why should he not take GHC3,000 in order to approve a presidents nominee? Why should an MP not take money before approving government bilateral agreements? Or you think the MPs are fools? You think they dont know that before the loan agreement gets to the house for approval, you think they dont know that the Speaker would have been sorted out, you think they dont know that the President would have kick-backed by the time the contract is signed? You think they dont know that for every one contract, there is a Ford Expedition? Who told you that our MPs are in Parliament to make laws? If you care to know, our MPs are in Parliament to approve laws, not to make laws. They are in Parliament to balance their books. In fact they are in Parliament to take bribes, from the Speaker to everyone. My friend, get that into your head. Or if you doubt me, ask Algban Bagbin, ask P. C. Appiah Ofori, ask K. T. Hammond, ask them all, they will tell you what poverty of conscience has done to our sovereignty. Who told you that Mahama Ayariga is accusing Muntaka for nothing? If indeed Agyarko tried to give money to Ayariga, it might have been because he knows the system, and he knows how it works. Otherwise how would any sane majority person attempt to bribe a minority MP in order to gain his ministerial approval, someone whose party is in power, and his party has majority in Parliament? How? Agyarko belongs to the NPP. The NPP has 171 MPs as against NDCs 104 MPs, but still decides to give each vetting member GHC3,000, aabaaaah, Ghanas Parliament, Onaapo! Source: James Kofi Annan/ email: [email protected] 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. Featured Video PHOENIX If you're being driven somewhere by someone else, you'd better buckle up or you actually could wind up in jail. That's the net effect of legislation approved by a House panel Wednesday which would make it a crime for passengers in motor vehicles to fail to provide identification to police when a vehicle is stopped. HB 2305 would subject violators to up to four months in jail and a $750 fine. Deputy Pima County Attorney Kathleen Mayer told members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that this isn't about police interfering with the right of privacy. She said the ID requirement would apply only in situations where the passenger is violating some traffic law. But Rep. Jesus Rubalcava, D-Gila Bend, pointed out that could be as simple as failing to be belted in. The net effect, he said, is converting what would otherwise be a civil citation into a criminal matter simply because the passenger does not have suitable ID. It's even broader than that, said Rep. Richard Andrade, D-Glendale. He said a bicyclist without identification who rolls through a crosswalk also would be subject to criminal sanctions. Rep. Paul Mosley, R-Lake Havasu City, said he was not comforted by the fact that a police officer would need reasonable suspicion before pulling someone over and getting a chance to question the driver and occupants. "If I'm driving 10 miles and I'm being followed by a peace officer, law officer, he's going to find a reason to pull me over,'' he said. And Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, said the way the measure is worded would create criminals out of children, who don't normally carry ID, who are unbelted in the back. But both Mosley and Campbell agreed to support the measure to let it go to the full House. Both warned, however, they might vote the other way at that point unless fixes are made. Mayer told lawmakers there already is such a law on the books. But she said it was ruled unconstitutionally vague in a case where a passenger refused to provide ID, was arrested and a search turned up some drugs. The changes in HB 2305, she said, fix the wording problems. She acknowledged that, in general, people have a right to privacy. "So if I'm out walking my dog and I'm not committing any other crime and I don't jaywalk, then a law enforcement officer is perfectly capable of coming up and asking me and (to) provide some identification,'' she said. "But I don't have to tell him.'' It's different, Mayer said, if someone is breaking the law. And that, she said, could be as simple as failing to wear a seat belt. She said the real key is providing a tool for police. Only if officers have some legal right to seek identification and then charge someone who refuses to provide it will they be able to search the person and find out if they're carrying drugs. But that ability to convert a traffic offense carrying a fine, like failing to wear a seat belt, to a criminal offense clearly left some lawmakers unhappy. Andrade said there are many Arizonans who do not have identification that would meet the requirements of the law. In fact, he noted, the legislation comes as lawmakers are considering a separate bill which would bar cities from issuing identification cards to residents amid concerns that those not here legally would use them for identification. A newly released prisoner has just been made The Gambias finance minister. Just 72 hours ago Amadou Sanneh was still in jail for being an opponent of former President Yahya Jammeh, who went into exile about 10 days ago, the Associated Press news agency reports. Among other the cabinet members sworn in today was a long-time opponent of Mr Jammehs Ousainou Darboe, who has also spent time in jail as a political prisoner. According to the AFP news agency, he has been made foreign minister. Mr Jammeh, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1994, lost elections in December to Adama Barrow, who was backed by a coalition of opposition parties. At first he accepted defeat, but then tried to get the results annulled. West African leaders sent troops into The Gambia on the day Mr Jammeh was officially supposed to hand over power and mediated his exit to Equatorial Guinea. 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. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has acknowledged his humanity in his effort to transform Ghana into a modern state, suggesting that mistakes will be inevitable. They will not be mistakes borne either out of ill-will or malice, he explained. They will be mistakes because I am human and we all make mistakes as human beings. President Akufo-Addo made these remarks on Tuesday evening when he met Ghanaians resident in Ethiopia. The president has been in Addis Ababa since Saturday, January 28 for the 28th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU). He delivered the Vote of Thanks on Tuesday at the end of the Session, which he attended for the first time as President of Ghana. Addressing Ghanaians at a meeting held later on Tuesday, President Akufo-Addo said he is bent on transforming the Ghanaian economy in order to get raving praise by posterity. He said he will put his best foot forward in this quest. I am going to do my best. Hope my best is going to be good enough. I will make mistakes but I can promise you they will be genuine, he said. Diasporan desk He revealed that a diasporan desk has been set up at his office to reach out to Ghanaians resident abroad. It is already being occupied by a diasporan from London. And he has begun the task to first of all compile the database of all of you. The president, who is almost a month old in office, called for the support of Ghanaians abroad in his effort to make Ghana great again. I am going to give it my best shot and I am asking you to help me and also put your shoulder to the wheel of Ghana so that we can give our people a better life that they are aspiring to. Source: 3news 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. Featured Video Central Regional Minister-designate, Kwamena Duncan says Parliament is on a "slippery road" if the House doesn't fully address the bribery allegations levelled against some members of the vetting committe. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Kwamena Duncan welcomed the 5-member Committee set up by Parliament to investigate the issue but advised members of the House to optimize the use of Parliamentary structures. He expressed disappointment in the Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, for making the media his first port of call over the alleged bribery claim involving the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko. According to him, going on radio to reveal a sensitive issue such as an alleged attempt by a nominee to bribe his way into office is quite wrong. To him, if care is not taken "anything that happens in Parliament; you will not go by the structures [laid down] clearly laid down in Parliament but rather "the first port of call will be radio". He wondered why Mr. Ayariga hurriedly broke the news without doing due diligence by first consulting with the leadership of the Minority caucus and cross-checking his facts. You must certify. You must be double sure that indeed this money came from Boakye Agyarko. You have to even go beyond the Chief Whips word. Find out, speak to others; get the trace. Trace it," he said. He noted that "Parliament is on a slippery road" if it entertains such reactions from the members, "it is even a major (major) issue that all lovers of democracy must take a critical look at . . . Every member of Parliament must be concerned. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana 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. Featured Video Infrastructure investments in the U.S. by Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund will feature heavily in the economic cooperation package to be discussed at next week's summit in Washington between the two countries' leaders. The goal is to create hundreds of thousands of American jobs, in keeping with U.S. President Donald Trump's agenda, and deepen ties between the two countries . New cabinet-level talks discussing trade policies and economic cooperation agreements are also on the table. Japan's contingent would likely include Finance Minister Taro Aso, Economic Minister Hiroshige Seko, and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. The U.S. is expected to send incoming Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and incoming U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to that meeting. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump will aim for agreement on that framework during their Feb. 10 meeting. "I wish to discuss [Japanese] contributions toward improved productivity and competitiveness in the entire U.S. industrial sector, or a large framework that includes aid for infrastructure development," Abe told members of the lower house Wednesday. His government has started to lay out a comprehensive initiative addressing job growth. The draft proposal will feature infrastructure investments in the U.S. by Japan, joint robotics and artificial intelligence research by the two sides, and countermeasures against cyber attacks. The GPIF will purchase debt issued by American corporations to finance infrastructure projects. Up to 5% of the roughly 130 trillion yen ($1.14 trillion) in assets controlled by the megafund can go toward overseas infrastructure projects. Currently, only tens of billions of yen are invested in that asset class, leaving room for expansion. Long-term financing for high-speed rail projects in Texas and California would be provided through such avenues as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation . In the area of research and development, Japan aims for joint development of medical and nursing care robots. Robots will also help boost efficiency in inspections of America's aging infrastructure. Japan is considering joint research in decommissioning nuclear reactors. I give credit to Zero Hedge for bringing this up to my attention, Having decided to actively increase its risk exposure over the past few years, including venturing into high beta stocks and junk bonds - a gamble that has lead to a big jump in quarterly volatility not to mention significant downside risk should global markets suffer a crash - Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund, or GPIF, the world's largest pension fund, has decided to invest in US infrastructure projects next. Japan's Nikkei reports, Japan's pension megafund to invest in US infrastructure I give credit to Zero Hedge for bringing this up to my attention, adding their own analysis as to why Japan's pension whale is investing in US infrastructure (underlined emphasis is mine): According to Japan's Nikkei, infrastructure investments in the U.S. by Japan's GPIF will feature heavily in the economic cooperation package to be discussed at next week's summit in Washington between the two countries' leaders. The stated goal is to create "hundreds of thousands of American jobs", in keeping with U.S. President Donald Trump's agenda, and deepen ties between the two countries. The unstated goal is to avoid Trump lashing out at Japan as a currency manipulator, and putting in peril Japan's QQE "with curve control" experiment, which is the bedrock of all Abenomics (as further expained in the following Nikkei piece). Japan has grown nervous that after Mexico, China and Germany, it may be next nation to find itself in Trump's spotlight, something Trump hinted at yesterday during his meeting with pharma CEOs when he said that "other countries take advantage of America by devaluation," and then directly named China and Japan as "planning money markets," presumably implying manipulation. As such, Japan's prime minister may be simply offering up billions in pension fund capital as a source of capital for the upcoming Trump infrastructure projects to placate the president and avoid a far more dire outcome, should Trump launch currency or trade war with Japan. Whatever the logic behind Abe's thinking, new cabinet-level talks discussing trade policies and economic cooperation agreements are also on the table . Japan's contingent headed to the US would likely include Finance Minister Taro Aso, Economic Minister Hiroshige Seko, and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, the Nikkei reported. The U.S. is expected to send incoming Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and incoming U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to that meeting. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump will aim for agreement on that framework during their Feb. 10 meeting. "I wish to discuss [Japanese] contributions toward improved productivity and competitiveness in the entire U.S. industrial sector, or a large framework that includes aid for infrastructure development," Abe told members of the lower house Wednesday. His government has started to lay out a comprehensive initiative addressing job growth. The draft proposal will feature infrastructure investments in the U.S. by Japan, joint robotics and artificial intelligence research by the two sides, and countermeasures against cyberattacks. How will the Japanese megafund alllocate pension capital? According to the Nikkei, the GPIF will purchase debt - using the funds of retired Japanese citizens - issued by American corporations to finance infrastructure projects. Up to 5% of the roughly 130 trillion yen ($1.14 trillion) in assets controlled by the megafund can go toward overseas infrastructure projects. Currently, only tens of billions of yen are invested in that asset class, leaving room for expansion. Additionally, long-term financing for high-speed rail projects in Texas and California would be provided through such avenues as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. While we doubt Japanese pensioners are aware that the returns on public infrastrcuture are some of the lowest in the world, if not outright negative, we are confident they will learn soon enough, although since the full IRR will become evident only over a period of years, they may have bigger concerns should the Nikkei and/or global stock markets, where the GPIF is now heavily invested, crash first . Angling to pre-empt complaints over Japan's perennial trade surplus with the U.S., Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly plans to propose a sweeping economic cooperation initiative meant to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the U.S. when he meets with President Donald Trump later this month . Abe and Trump are expected to meet on Feb. 10. Major Japanese newspapers cited a draft of the proposal that calls for cooperation on building high-speed trains in the U.S. northeast, Texas and California. Japan would share technology on artificial intelligence, robotics, small-scale nuclear power plants, space and Internet technology. The reports Thursday said the proposed public-private initiative would create several hundred thousand jobs, reports said, and involve $450 billion in new investment. The government pension fund may invest in the projects, the reports said . Asked about the reported package, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Tuesday that nothing definitive has been decided for talks between the two leaders . "We hope to have constructive talks in order to seek how we can forge a mutually win-win relationship," Suga said. He did not deny the report, but only added that any decision on involvement by the Government Pension Investment Fund would be based on whether it would benefit those covered by the fund . Other officials did not immediately respond to questions on details of the proposed package. One area which Trump is definitely committed to is spending on infrastructure. Jim Cramer of CNBC said this morning he sees the Treasury department emitting new 30-year bonds to cover the trillion dollar spending program Trump has outlined to revamp airports, roads, bridges and ports. Here, I will refer the Trump administration to what the Canadian federal government is doing, setting up a new infrastructure bank, allowing Canada's large pensions and other large global investors, to invest in large greenfield infrastructure projects. I discussed this new initiative and what Canada's large pensions are looking for in a recent comment where I also shared insights at the end in an update from Andrew Claerhout, Senior Vice-President of Infrastructure & Natural Resources at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. Why am I mentioning this? Because if Trump's administration is really committed to "making America great again" and spending a trillion or more on infrastructure, they will need a plan, a blueprint and they definitely should talk to the leaders of Canada's large pensions, widely considered to be among the best infrastructure investors in the world . There is another reason why I mention this. The US has a huge pension problem as many public sector pensions are chronically underfunded. There is a growing appetite for infrastructure assets around the world, including in the United States where large public pensions are looking to increase their allocations. If a Trump administration sets up the right program on infrastructure, modeled after the Canadian one, and establishes the right governance , it will be able to attract capital from US public pensions starving for yield as well as that from Canadian and global pensions and sovereign wealth funds which would welcome such a program as it fits perfectly with their commitment to infrastructure as an asset class. The big advantage of integrating US and global pensions as part of the solution to rebuilding America's infrastructure is that it will limit the amount the US needs to borrow and will make this ambitious infrastructure program more palatable to deficit hawks like Paul Ryan (who might not be the speaker of the House come January). And if it's done right, it will allow many US public pensions to invest massively in domestic infrastructure, allowing them to collect stable cash flows over the long run, helping them meet their mounting future liabilities. The same goes for Canadian and global pensions which would also invest in big US infrastructure provided the governance is right . zero patience you need the world's best infrastructure investors to accomplish this and they happen to be here in Canada, not Japan Again, where is the governance here? Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund on Thursday denied a newspaper report that it would invest in U.S. infrastructure bonds as part of an economic cooperation package to be discussed between the two countries' leaders next week. In a statement on the fund's Twitter account, GPIF President Norihiro Takahashi said "there was no truth" to the report, adding that its investment decisions were made for the benefit of its policyholders. Also, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday said the government was not considering using the Government Pension Investment Fund for investing in infrastructure in the United States. Hmm, I guess this was "fake news"....very, very strange!! Fox News also reports, Japan's Abe to propose major job-creating plan to Trump, reports say Interesting how Suga threw in "any decision on involvement by the Government Pension Investment Fund would be based on whether it would benefit those covered by the fund." I strongly doubt that, Japan's GPIF isn't known for its world class governance and is heavily influenced by the government.Just like other global pensions, the GPIF has ridden the Trump effect up nicely and it may feel it's time to give back some love, making America great again.But the good times based on Trumptimism and Trumphoria are coming to end , and this begs the question, is this a smart move on the part of GPIF which has little to no experience in global infrastructure investments?The answer is of course not but President Trump doesn't care about Japanese pensioners facing their pension storm , he sees Japan's pension whale as a giant cash cow which he will milk to fulfill his promise to revamp America's infrastructure. I'm certain he "made a deal" which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe couldn't refuse, if you catch my drift.Go back to read my comment when Trump was elected, Will Pensions Make America Great Again? , where I stated the following:Well, President Trump basically ignored Canadian and US pensions and went for the easy money, Japan's pension whale. Why? Because Trump knows Canadian and US public pensions have tight governance rules and governance runs anathema to his "art of the deal" approach (the man has, and infrastructure requires lots and lots of patience as it takes years to build these projects).I may be too cynical on this deal but I really think both Trump's administration and Abe's administration didn't think things through, much like Trump's stupid executive order banning refugees.Importantly, if you're going to really make America great again by revamping the nation's infrastructure,Sure, the GPIF can write huge cheques but that's pretty much all it can do. It can't advise the new administration on how to best structure the deals, it can't offer its expert advice on how best to build and manage these infrastructure assets over the long run , it can't do a lot of things.In fact, my worst fear is the GPIF will be asked to finance these infrastructure projects so Trump's buddies that own huge construction companies and others that work at big banks will make off like bandits.It's basically going to be a free-for-all on the backs of poor Japanese pensioners.Like I said, I hope I'm wrong but this deal smacks of political blackmail and strong-arming and I'm highly skeptical it's in the best interests of Japanese pensioners or even US taxpayers for that matter (but Trump will spin it that way).Sort of like the Carrier deal where Trump "saved" 1,000 manufacturing jobs so people can congratulate him and ignore the fact that he's going to cut taxes in a 'bigly" way, enriching American plutocrats like never before, a move that will only exacerbate inequality and fuel more deflation down the road.]If Japan's GPIF is serious about investing in foreign infrastructure, I suggest it focuses on Canadian infrastructure projects where the governance and alignment of interests will be far better than in the US. Not only that, the loonie is weak, so they would be investing in long-term projects at a time when the exchange rate is very favorable.Those are my thoughts on the GPIF making America great again. As always, if you have different views, feel free to contact me at LKolivakis@gmail.com and I'll be happy to share them, even anonymously.Below, once again, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan President and CEO Ron Mock discusses the challenges facing pension funds in the wake of Brexit and President-Elect Donald Trump's election, and the investment risks from geopolitics. He speaks with Erik Schatzker from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on "Bloomberg Markets." Listen carefully to his comments on US infrastructure, it isn't as simple as the GPIF or others think, but they will learn the hard way. For Immediate Release Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), which has worked to prevent atrocities and document war crimes around the globe for over 30 years, will be awarded the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights at the University of Connecticuts Thomas J. Dodd Research Center on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. Headquartered in New York, PHR occupies a distinct role in the global human rights movement, using forensic science, clinical medicine, and public health research to document torture, systematic abuse, and other crimes against humanity, as well as train and empower health professionals globally to investigate and prevent human rights violations. Physicians for Human Rights exemplifies the kind of work the Dodd Prize was created to honor, said former U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, whose father, a prosecutor at Nuremburg and U.S. senator himself, the award is named for. PHR is a fearless defender of the most vulnerable victims of human rights, on the ground in the most terrible conflict zones, in the courtroom helping to hold perpetrators accountable, and in the public sphere advocating for policies that protect the dignity of all, Dodd said. My father would recognize in PHR the same spirit that animated the Nuremberg Tribunals, but also would be amazed at PHRs innovation and courage in seeking justice and accountability for the perpetrators of atrocities. Founded by a group of Boston-area doctors in 1986, PHR has subsequently grown into a tireless defender of human rights worldwide, training thousands of human rights defenders around the globe, documenting war crimes from Bosnia to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and helping bring perpetrators to justice. For its work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, PHR shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. PHR investigated the devastating effects of landmines, mobilized the health community, and participated in meetings that led to the international Mine Ban Treaty. Among its accomplishments, PHR provided forensic evidence from mass graves that helped lead to the 2016 conviction of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic for charges of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity; PHR led a 13-year campaign against the complicity of medical professionals in U.S. torture tactics that helped engineer a complete ban on psychologists permitted to work at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility; and PHR documented nearly 1,200 attacks on medical workers and medical facilities in Syria since March 2011, all of which are classified as war crimes. On behalf of PHRs partners, staff, and volunteers worldwide, we are honored and humbled to receive this incredible recognition, said PHRs executive director Donna McKay. Like the late Sen. Dodd, we at PHR believe in the power of evidence and the promise of justice. At a time when the world faces unprecedented challenges the conflict in Syria, the global refugee crisis, the stifling of freedom of expression, and the rising specter of demagoguery that threatens to roll back human rights protections sound scientific and medical evidence is vital now more than ever. This prize will serve as a catalyst for our work, a spark that will energize us to expand the network of health professionals and human rights advocates globally that are fighting for a more just, more humane world. PHR is the eighth recipient of the Dodd Prize, which commemorates the work and example of Sen. Thomas J. Dodd, who served as executive trial counsel during the Nuremberg war crimes trials after World War II before embarking on a career in the U.S. House of Representatives (1953-1957) and the U.S. Senate (1959-1971). Past recipients of the prize include President Bill Clinton, former Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Committee to Protect Journalists. The prize includes a $100,000 award and a bronze bust of Sen. Thomas J. Dodd. Over the past 30 years, PHR has established a reputation as a fearless advocate for human rights and a pioneer in discovering new ways to promote justice and accountability worldwide, whether in the chaos of a civil war or in a courtroom at The Hague, said Glenn Mitoma, director of the Dodd Center. Were honored to have the opportunity to award this distinguished prize to an organization thats been unflinching in standing up for those whose rights have been violated or are most at risk. Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here. Colorful screen prints, paintings and drawings adorned the walls of the Beasley Gallery at Northern Arizona University, while the floor space displayed three dimensional art, including a dress made out of movie tickets. The exhibit, the first of its kind at the gallery, featured student artwork from four northern Arizona high schools, including Coconino High School and Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy in the city. I wanted to include local high school students to get them thinking about exhibiting their work, gallery curator Christopher Kane Taylor said. We wanted to see how we could support the community and foster growth of the next generation of artists. The exhibit has allowed NAU art education students a chance to get to see artwork from high school students and have a hands-on experience with helping curate a high school exhibit, and has given high school students a chance to see their work in a professional quality gallery with lighting and professional curation, Taylor said. This year we started small, but we got some really great work, Taylor said. Teachers from the high schools were asked to submit their class work for Taylor to arrange throughout the gallery, he said. Usually, he would arrange the work by the feelings of the pieces, but said this time he kept the work from students from each high school near one another, so students would see their work near their classmates. Faculty have come in and are really impressed at the level of work were seeing, Taylor said. Theyve been surprised at the quality of the artwork. In addition to CHS and FALA, students from Many Farms High School and Mingus Union High School were included in the exhibit. Taylor said he was excited for students to get a chance to see their work in a setting outside of just being a school project. Ben Proctor, an art teacher at CHS, said all grade levels from the school had artwork represented in the show, which included about 30 CHS students. For high school students to get a chance to display at a university, thats something they can put on a resume, Proctor said. Proctor chose a variety of media types to be displayed at the show so CHS would have a well-rounded representation. Darvin Descheny, a senior at CHS, made a three-dimensional art piece of a dress made of movie tickets and foam shaped like popcorn. I was inspired by the movies, he said. I saw my ticket and popcorn and thought, Why not make a dress out of it? He likes to design clothing with unconventional materials, he said, and got his start mending clothes for his mother and sister. The movies dress took about one week for him to make, he said. Skyler Sommers, a junior at CHS, had three pieces on display at the gallery, including pop art of the Marvel character Deadpool, and a piece showing Albert Einstein vandalizing a television. I find it fun to be in a school atmosphere, with all the knowledge and learning, Sommers said. So I showed Einstein vandalizing something that is seen to be unintelligent. Tobias Hatcher said his work was inspired from a friend, who asked him to draw a cave with bats. I drew the cave, but didnt quite get the bat, he said. Hatcher said the project was a chance to experiment with water colors. Ashley Howard, a junior at CHS, took her inspiration from items from her culture, displaying a drawing she had made of her moccasins. Its amazing to hear peoples feedback, to see that they see it and actually like it, Howard said. She said this was her first time ever having art exhibited in a show. She tries to incorporate Native American culture in all of her pieces, she said. People hardly know about the culture, she said. I try to do all my work with a hint of Native art involved. Coconino County has a new public works director. Lucinda Andreani, who was the deputy director of the Public Works Department from 2011 to 2016 and became the interim director in August 2016, was named to the top position this week. Andreani, a Flagstaff resident for almost 20 years, has been working with Coconino County in various capacities for the past 12 years. She led the countys efforts to mitigate the severe impacts of the Schultz Fire and ensuing floods, and was instrumental to voter education efforts for both the increase in the Jail Districts sales tax in 2006 and the Road Maintenance Sales Tax, Prop. 403 in 2014, both of which passed with strong voter support. The public works director oversees multiple operations within the county including the Road Maintenance and Engineering divisions, and oversees 110 employees with an annual budget of approximately $20 million. The director also manages the countys solid waste services, the countys equipment and vehicle fleet, the Flood Control District and the Kachina Village Improvement District. Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, voted along party lines on Wednesday to rescind two Obama administration regulations relating to the coal mining industry, according to the Clerk of the House record of Roll Call votes. No Republican House members from New York voted against either resolution and no Democratic House members from New York voted in favor of either resolution. One resolution, which rescinds the federal Department of Interior Stream Protection Rule aimed at preventing coal mining operators from dumping debris in nearby streams, passed by a vote of 224-to-194, with nine Republicans voting "No" and four Democrats voting "Yes." The other resolution, which rescinds a federal Securities and Exchange Commission rule to require companies to disclose payments to foreign companies relating to mining and drilling, passed by a vote of 235-to-187, with four Republicans voting "No" and five Democrats voting "Yes." The Associated Press contributed to the explanations of the resolutions. CHESTER Etain is not breaking even yet, but its still been a good first year for the medical marijuana company. No ones break-even in New York, Chief Operations Officer Hillary Peckham said. All five of us are losing money. Five companies won licenses to start medical marijuana distribution, under tight security and strict rules. Only a few ailments qualify a patient for the drug, and they must first have a doctor certify that they can take the drug. But not many doctors have joined the program, making it difficult to find one. Etain and the other companies were also required to open distribution centers the day that the patient registry opened. So we expected to see nobody. We werent very happy about it, but we expected that, we planned for that, Peckham said. The first month we saw 20 people, total, at all our locations. The lack of profit is making things tough for the new company, which by law has to maintain many locations. It grows and manufactures the products in Chestertown. At distribution centers in Albany, Syracuse, Kingston and Yonkers, it sells marijuana for $50 to $180. The lowest price buys a 15-day supply of capsules; oil and vaporizers are also available, for three different types of marijuana. The price is lower is neighboring states, Peckham acknowledged, but theres a bigger customer base there. They can get the medication for chronic pain and other conditions that dont qualify for marijuana in New York. Shes hoping the state will change the law this year to allow sufferers of chronic pain to get marijuana, which could greatly increase her customer base and thus reduce her prices. The Department of Health announced in December that it was proposing that change. After conducting a thorough review of the scientific literature, it became clear that there may be certain benefits in the use of medical marijuana by patients suffering from chronic pain, said Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker in a press release. Currently, only those with ten conditions qualify for marijuana. Those are: cancer, HIV infection or AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis, damage to the nervous tissue of the spinal cord with objective neurological indication of intractable spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathies, and Huntingtons disease. But many people with those ailments cant work any longer, so they are usually on fixed incomes. A lot of patients cant afford the medication, Peckham said. More customers would allow us to decrease our prices and offer more discounts. Medical marijuana is not covered by health insurance. She wants the state to improve access as well by allowing nurses to dispense marijuana in hospitals. Currently, they are not allowed to do so. Also this year she is continuing to persuade doctors that marijuana is a safe way to manage pain, muscle spasms and seizures, among other symptoms. The key is to get physicians on board, she said. There are 80,000 physicians in the state, but only about 800 are registered to certify patients, a process that requires them to take an online class with the state. Nurse practicioners can also register, and the state is considering adding physicians assistants as well. Many doctors still have no idea that medical marijuana is legal, Peckham said, adding that she keeps meeting doctors who dont know. The company sends speakers to conferences and conventions to explain the industry to doctors. What makes them feel comfortable is knowing how well-regulated this industry is, she said. That it is pharmaceutical-grade is very comforting to them. Safety comes up too. Doctors want to know if their patients will be mugged the moment they walk out the door with their marijuana. Peckham has reassuring data for them. We havent had any problems with security. No one has come trying to steal anything. No patients have had any issue getting to their car afterward, she said, citing the myriad levels of security at each dispensary. At this point, its easier to get product from the black market than steal it from us, she said. In Chestertown, the growing and manufacturing facility has also had no security problems. There are five employees in the growing operation, all of whom have farming experience. It operates just like a hydroponics tomato factory, Peckham said. On the manufacturing side, the company employs six people: engineers, chemists and lab technicians. The engineers have been instrumental in designing and operating the machines that automate much of the process. Machines fill capsules with marijuana and handle the cannabis oil, which was not easy to manage. The oils pretty tricky to work with. Its just really sticky, Peckham said. If you put it in a glass beaker and you turn that beaker upside down, it would stay there for an hour. Designing machines that could move the oil along wasnt easy, but the engineers came up with outside-the-box solutions that worked, she said. The company grows three strains of marijuana: high-CBD for muscle spasms and seizures; high-THC for pain, and one that has equal levels of THC and CBD. Etains pharmacists work with each patient to determine which strain will work best for their symptoms. Some even take both. We had one patient who was legally blind. He had migraines that were basically muscle spasms in his head, she said. Within a month he was able to see and drive again. Hes an example of someone who would use both. She hopes to see the state expand the number of symptoms for which marijuana can be used, and not just because it would help expand her customer base. We want to help everyone, she said. Were really proud of what we were able to accomplish last year. But we definitely dont feel our work is done. CORINTH After a long search, the First Presbyterian Church of Corinth will welcome the Rev. Stuart Bond, the new transitional pastor, at the 10 a.m. service Sunday at the church at 199 Palmer Ave. Bond, his wife Cindy and their labradoodle have driven across the country from Oregon to replace the Rev. John Aldridge, who retired in September after 35 years in the pulpit. It took more than three months of committee meetings, emails and telephone calls to find Bond. A seven-person committee uploaded the churchs information form on its website and received applications from interested pastors from all over the country. Bond holds a degree in marriage and family therapy. We wanted to be sure the candidate was a good fit for our community and congregation, committee member Lesley Brownell said in a statement. We did a lot of praying and counted on the Holy Spirit to show us the way. And bingo! Cindy and Pastor Bond are on their way, and they are just as excited as we are. LAKE GEORGE Village officials are looking at conducting a survey of residents incomes in its ongoing quest to get more funding for a new wastewater treatment plant. Mayor Robert Blais told the Village Board on Wednesday that he found out that one of the reasons why the village was not successful in obtaining a low-interest loan from the Environmental Facilities Corp. is that village residents incomes are just over the cutoff line. We tried to get out of the EFC people, Well, how close are we to that line? but they could not tell us ethically or legally, he said. The village is trying to build a new wastewater treatment plant to replace its 84-year-old facility, which exceeds state limits for the discharge of nitrates that contribute to algae blooms in the lake. Lake George is under a consent order from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to correct the problem. The price tag is about $17 million, and Blais has been looking for every source of funding he can to help offset the burden to taxpayers. Dave Decker of the Lake George Watershed Coalition has offered to do a survey free of charge. He works with several of the lake communities, according to Blais. It seems like we ought to make an attempt to find out where we are with the median income, Blais said. One issue is whether the people in the Caldwell Sewer District have to be included in the study. That could hurt the chances for low-interest loans. Now were getting into an area of town where its mostly high business income and houses on the lake, he said. He pointed out that a similar effort to do an income survey failed in South Glens Falls because of a lack of participation by residents. One of the concerns is people are worried that others in the community will know their income, according to Blais. However, he said that information will remain private and never be seen by the board. Blais said the village could be faced with the possibility of borrowing the entire $17 million at 2.2 percent interest. The village taxpayers are going to be on the hook. Were the ones that are going to sign the bond, he said. Department of Public Works Superintendent Harrington said the next deadline the village has to meet is to sign a loan agreement by Sept. 1. Its scary. We dont have long to go, Harrington said. The clock is ticking Blais added. He said he spoke with the villages attorney, Lawrence Paltrowitz, and asked him what would happen if the village has to borrow the entire $17 million and it has to go over the constitutional debt limit. He said that might require an act of the Legislature. The good news is sanitary sewer projects and wastewater treatment projects may not count toward your indebtedness, Blais said. Certainly, 17 million dollars is going to affect us dramatically, he said. He said it could be a 27 percent increase in the tax rate. Even if it was your sewer rate, it would be an increase of 50 percent. That one loan bond is more than our entire indebtedness for Lake George, he said. Blais said he may be going up to Albany to testify before Assembly and Senate committees to plead for money. He also has been in contact with the offices of Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Were beating every bush we can, he said Trustee John Root said it is going to be painful for taxpayers. He is in favor of establishing a separate sewer rate. I think thats a better way to distribute the pain, he said. Blais said residents might not like having a separate sewer and water bill, in addition to the town and village tax rates even if the village portion went down. They look at the total bill, he said. QUEENSBURY Police detailed Thursday how they found dozens of items that belonged to murder victim Kevin Jenks in motel rooms where the two men accused of killing him were staying, including numerous credit cards, a drivers license, passport and birth certificate. State Police Investigator Danielle Kendall recounted how investigators had searched a motel room in Ilion for evidence related to Jenks death last July 9, and the jury hearing the case against one of the men accused of the killing was shown dozens of photos of Jenks belongings found in the mens rooms at the low-budget Red Carpet Inn. Among the belongings were numerous items prosecutors believe link defendant Robert M. Divine Henry to Jenks killing. Kendall, assigned to the State Police Troop D Forensic Identification Unit in central New York, described a list of items recovered from motel rooms registered to Henry and co-defendant Kevin S. Chapman. Chapmans room had keys to a Cadillac sedan, notable because he allegedly stole Jenks Cadillac sedan the night Jenks was killed; a red suitcase with a tag on it bearing the victims name; and other household items that matched some that were stolen from Jenks home. Henrys room was chock full of items that had belonged to Jenks, including six credit or debit cards, personal identification, prescription drug bottles, another red suitcase with his name on it and items that had belonged to a former roommate of Jenks. Defense lawyer Tucker Stanclift asked Kendall about the handling of the items, and whether they were checked for forensic evidence such as fingerprints or DNA. She said she could not say. He also asked if she could say how Jenks belongings wound up in the motel rooms. I have no idea how they got in those rooms, she said. The jury also heard from a Glens Falls woman who told police of seeing activity at a Dix Avenue home the night Jenks was killed, which she later learned could be related to his death. Deena Dake said she contacted police after reading a Post-Star article about the case and wondering whether what she saw at the home was linked to the investigation. She told Warren County Assistant District Attorney Matt Burin that she and a friend were walking past the home the night of July 6 when she saw a black man hurriedly carrying two red suitcases to a car, which was notable because of the mans mannerisms. It was really hot that day. I couldnt understand why he was carrying them because they had wheels, she recalled. She was not asked in court whether she could identify Henry, who is black, as the man carrying the suitcases. Henry, 49, of Ilion faces nine charges, including second-degree murder and lesser counts of robbery, burglary and grand larceny, for the July 6 strangulation of Jenks in his home. Chapman, 45, of Herkimer, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and is scheduled to testify against Henry in the coming days. Police said Henry, who formerly lived in the Glens Falls area and knew Jenks, set up a robbery of Jenks that night under the guise of a sexual encounter. Police said Henry used numerous credit cards and debit cards that belonged to Jenks after he was killed, with several of the transactions captured on store surveillance video systems. Testimony is to resume Friday morning at 9:30. Henry faces up to 91-years-to-life in state prison if convicted of all charges. He also faces up to life if convicted of any felony because of his criminal record. He has four prior felony convictions, and could be sentenced as a persistent felon for any subsequent felony. Editor: Trump seems to have reversed the wisdom of how to defeat an enemy make him a friend to how to turn friends into enemies. Mexicans, NATO allies, Germany, media, PBS, national parks, federal lands, refugees, immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, scientists, EPA, those who drink water, breathe air, care about earth have become enemies. I remember a moving scene in the movie Spartacus. A tyrant, hoping to kill a slave fighting for freedom, demands Who is Spartacus? One person after another stands up saying, I am Spartacus. This, I think, is how we defeat immoral authority. If theres a Muslim registry, we all sign; we declare ourselves, as 400 cities have done, sanctuary cities; we welcome refugees; we stand with Standing Rock and Planned Parenthood. Its illusion to think were safe with silence. They are us. Theres something frightening about a mean-spirited leader who advocates torture, closes doors, builds walls, attacks media, gags science, lies and is incapable of hearing anything that goes against his fragile ego. Its good to have jobs and use American-made steel. But we could use that steel repairing crumbling infrastructure, water and sewage pipes, bridges, roads, not transporting dirty tar sands or oil across sacred and public lands, endangering water, land, life. Instead of dirty coal, boom-and-bust temporary fracking jobs, we could increase the rapidly growing labor market for clean renewable energy. Instead of using taxpayers money building a useless wall for $14 billion and investigating nonexistent voter fraud, we could meet peoples real needs for work, health, home. Michigans legislature passed a bill declaring protesters pay for police at demonstrations. But in Dallas, police gave high-fives, embracing marchers on March 21, and many millions marched in peace and solidarity in the U.S. and the world. We were Spartacus, fighting for justice, democracy, our lives. Bernice Mennis, West Fort Ann Prime Minister Theresa May's plan to take Britain out of the European Union easily cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday, paving the way for the government to launch divorce talks by the end of March. May's government is seeking approval for a new law giving her the right to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty - the legal process for leaving the bloc - after the Supreme Court ruled she could not take that decision unilaterally. The bill could complete the legislative process by March 7. May wants to begin exit negotiations with the EU by March 31, starting two years of talks that will define Britain's economic and political future and test the unity of the EU's 27 remaining members. Lawmakers voted by 498 to 114 in favor of allowing the bill to progress to the next, more detailed legislative stage. Earlier they rejected an attempt to throw out the bill, proposed by pro-EU Scottish nationalists. A group of Dutch activists sent a letter to US President Donald Trump calling him to conduct a new investigation into the crash of the Malaysian Boeing in 2014 over the Donbas. According to Dutch News website, the authors of the letter claim that the official investigation conducted by the Dutch Safety Board and the joint investigation team "was not independent and convincing." According to the Volkskrant newspaper, the activists sent the letter to Trump in November. It was signed by 26 people, including German and Dutch journalists , as well as Dutch MP Thierry Bode. The publication notes that the authors of the letter do not believe in the findings of the investigation, according to which Flight MH17 was shot down by Buk missile. The activists wrote to Trump because he had previously doubted the version of the official investigation too. MP Bode said that he signed the petition as a private citizen against the backdrop of many unanswered questions about the disaster. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) released a preliminary report on September 28. The document stated that the Buk missile system, from which the missile was launched, had been delivered from Russia and then returned back to the country. The report also says that the missile was launched from a field near the village of Pervomaiskoye, which, according to investigators, was controlled by militia forces. At the same time, representatives of Russia's Almaz-Antey (the maker of Buk anti-aircraft missile systems) stated that they had conducted three experiments, in which it was proved that the missile had been launched from a different location - the area of the village of Zaroshchenskoye, which was controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Forty years after the Swedish parliament unanimously decided to change the formerly homogenous Sweden into a multicultural country, violent crime has increased by 300% and rapes by 1,472%. Sweden is now number two on the list of rape countries, surpassed only by Lesotho in Southern Africa. Significantly, the report does not touch on the background of the rapists. One should, however, keep in mind that in statistics, second-generation immigrants are counted as Swedes. In an astounding number of cases, the Swedish courts have demonstrated sympathy for the rapists, and have acquitted suspects who have claimed that the girl wanted to have sex with six, seven or eight men. The internet radio station Granskning Sverige called the mainstream newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen to ask why they had described the perpetrators as "Swedish men" when they actually were Somalis without Swedish citizenship. They were hugely offended when asked if they felt any responsibility to warn Swedish women to stay away from certain men. One journalist asked why that should be their responsibility. In 1975, the Swedish parliament unanimously decided to change the former homogeneous Sweden into a multicultural country. Forty years later the dramatic consequences of this experiment emerge: violent crime has increased by 300%. If one looks at the number of rapes, however, the increase is even worse. In 1975, 421 rapes were reported to the police; in 2014, it was 6,620 . That is an increase of 1,472%. Sweden is now number two on the global list of rape countries. According to a survey from 2010 , Sweden, with 53.2 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants, is surpassed only by tiny Lesotho in Southern Africa, with 91.6 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. According to figures published by The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention ( Brottsforebyggande radet; known as Bra ) -- an agency under the Ministry of Justice -- 29,000 Swedish women, during 2011, reported that they had been raped (which seems to indicate that less than 25% of the rapes are reported to the police). Back in 1975, the year when politicians decided that Sweden was to become multicultural, the Swedish population stood at 8,208,442. By 2014 it had grown to 9,743,087 -- an increase of 18.7%. This growth is entirely due to immigration, as Swedish women on average give birth to 1.92 children compared to the 2.24 average of immigrant women. One should, however, keep in mind that in the statistics, second-generation immigrants are counted as Swedes. Sweden's recent population growth is without parallel. Never before in the country's history has the number of inhabitants increased so fast. Sweden is now the fastest growing country in Europe. US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, has put Tehran on notice in response to recent ballistic missile testing. In a highly unusual step, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer interrupted a White House daily briefing with media to pave the way for President Trump's National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Retired Gen. Flynn took to the podium to announce that the United States is "officially putting Iran on notice" due to its recent missile test and attack on a Saudi military ship by Houthi fighters in Yemen. The missile testing combined with the Houthi attack , "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilizing behavior across the Middle East," Flynn said. "These are just the latest of a series of incidents in the past six months in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened US and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea," according to Flynn. Footage of the attack was shown by Arab TV channels. In the video, Houthi rebels celebrate hitting the vessel by crying out, "Allahu Akbar! (God is great!) Death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and victory for Islam!" The following editorial appeared in the Washington Post on Jan. 31: AMERICA'S HISTORY of orderly freedom reflects the strength of our Constitution and laws. Yet it also demonstrates the power of unwritten rules norms of civility and decency that are often hard to define but always crucial to respect, lest social trust disappear and instability spread. As Judge Learned Hand famously remarked: "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it." Unwritten rules lie at the heart of the conflict over President Trump's firing of the acting attorney general, Sally Yates, a caretaker left over from the Obama administration. Ms. Yates felt she was honoring a vital unwritten rule the Justice Department's political independence by refusing to defend the president's executive order restricting refugees and others from seven majority-Muslim countries. Ms. Yates was absolutely right that Mr. Trump's order is neither wise nor just, as she said in a letter made public Monday. Less certain is that the appropriate response was to remain at her post, blocking legal defenses of the order "unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate" to change course, as she also wrote. The order's legality, or lack thereof, is an unsettled issue; much of Mr. Trump's decree, alas, may be permissible under the wide discretion that immigration statutes grant the president. Significantly, Ms. Yates herself did not state flatly that the order was unlawful, only that she was not yet convinced of its lawfulness. Given all that, she could have resigned in protest and let Mr. Trump appoint someone who could, in good conscience, defend his policy. Mr. Trump was, accordingly, within his rights to oust her. Characteristically, however, the new president took power he legitimately possesses on paper and abused it in practice. The White House statement announcing Ms. Yates's firing could have expressed respectful disagreement or thanked her for her long service to the government. Instead, it hurled politicized insults "weak on borders" at Ms. Yates and, more shockingly, accused her of having "betrayed" her department. Among the unwritten rules that make democracy possible, none is more important than resisting the impulse to demonize political opponents. The fledgling Trump administration, like the Trump campaign before it, has violated this norm with zest. Before the White House's ugly response to Ms. Yates, press secretary Sean Spicer told dissenters within the Foreign Service that "they should either get with the program or they can go." Such rhetoric is having its predictable radicalizing effect on Democrats, including over-the-top tactics such as Tuesday's boycott of Senate committee meetings on the confirmation of Mr. Trump's Cabinet picks. Hand gave his "Spirit of Liberty" address in 1944, before administering the oath of citizenship to immigrants assembled in Manhattan's Central Park. In a world at war, these new Americans heard his words and looked forward to new lives in a stable political community flawed by deep social ills but blessed by democratic processes for addressing them. Every participant in politics today could benefit from reflecting on Hand's message Mr. Trump most of all. Trump should crack down on Iran The following editorial appeared in the Orange County Register on Feb. 1: Iran is offering the Trump administration its first foreign policy crisis. In a provocative act likely intended to take advantage of U.S. political turmoil, Tehran tested a ballistic missile understood by leading Western allies to be a violation of the recent nuclear deal brokered under the Obama administration. Hawks in America and elsewhere had already begun to push Trump to tear up the Iran agreement, with doves warning even an imperfect deal offered a much better chance at peace and stability than any more forceful alternative. Given the political climate he faces at home, Trump must use international support to apply pressure to the mullahs without risking a degree of escalation he can no longer control. Without doubt, Iran's plan is to press for advantages now, figuring out how much it can get away with while attention is focused or scattered elsewhere. In addition to the missile test, which it refuses to confirm or deny, the regime has ratcheted up conflict with America's Persian Gulf allies. Using shoulder-fired rockets supplied by Tehran, Houthi rebels in Yemen crippled and nearly sank a UAE auxiliary ship that had previously been contracted to the United States. Sensing opportunity in a fluid situation, the mullahs likely presume that the Trump administration will struggle to mount a concentrated response or back off in the interest of closer relations with Moscow. Trump should surprise them. Although Russia has indeed denied that the missile test amounts to a violation of the international agreement, Britain and Israel share the U.S. assessment that it has. Countries with a stake in the dispute should be made to go on record about where they stand and what subsequent action they support or oppose. Even a Security Council resolution that draws a Russian veto, or offers only watered-down language, affords the Trump administration a starting point for negotiations and coalition-building. Russia's behavior will help reveal just how committed to Iran Putin has become, while European reactions can be used to help gauge appetites for a broader adjustment of priorities regarding Russia from the Baltic Sea to Syria. This episode will prompt the first of many judgment calls from the new administration on Middle Eastern affairs. Trump's opponents and allies alike share little appetite for an unpredictable wider war in the Mideast theater. At the same time, no one will benefit from a lax or inconsistent approach to Iranian aggression and provocation. President Obama does bear substantial responsibility for the current state of play, but America's best interests are not served by Trump simply doing the opposite of what Obama has done. The key is to quickly and effectively connect a potent, immediate response up to a broader strategy that preserves the basic balance of the international order short of war. Too many enemies and adversaries could pile on and hope to make the best of a chaotic situation. And too many friends and allies could falter in that environment. To prevent that sort of meltdown, the Trump administration needs to mobilize adequate international support for serious but limited consequences against Iran's recent acts then swiftly begin the hard work of restoring a durable, predictable order along the blurry edge of the Western world. Treat two oil pipelines projects differently The following editorial appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Jan. 31: President Trump's first week in office included executive orders to revive two controversial pipeline proposals halted during former President Barack Obama's administration. Trump's move on Keystone XL, which will deliver heavy crude from Canada to U.S. refineries, is sensible and will boost public safety in Minnesota. His decision on the other, the Dakota Access pipeline spurring protests near a North Dakota Indian reservation, was premature. Trump should have first wielded his deal-making skills to defuse still-close-to-boiling-over tensions between the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, the pipeline company and local law enforcement. Without intervention by a coolheaded authority, violence as the pipeline construction resumes is a distinct possibility. Citing concerns about the safety of other methods of oil transport, the Star Tribune Editorial Board previously backed Keystone's completion, putting it at odds with climate change activists whose political clout spurred Obama's rejection of the pipeline. This nation still relies on crude oil, which typically needs to be transported vast distances to refineries. There is no risk-free method, and pipelines, though imperfect, are safer than rail, truck and ship. Minnesota more than most states had a stake in this debate. Rail lines crisscross the state. Trains pulling 100 or more tankers have become "rolling pipelines" passing through cities large and small and along rivers such as the Mississippi that supply drinking water for the metro. Railroads have made safety improvements, such as slowing train speed or upgrading tanker cars to sturdier models. Still, fiery explosions in Lac Megantic, Quebec, and Casselton, North Dakota, illustrate the danger of rail transport. A Keystone spur line would help relieve the oil train traffic coming through Minnesota. Supporting it is logical and conscientious, particularly with federal analysis showing that blocking the pipeline would do little to slow the development of Canadian oil sands and, by extension, global warming. The reason: The oil would just be transported a different way. The Dakota Access pipeline will cross under the Missouri River near North Dakota's Standing Rock reservation. The tribe has raised concerns about pipeline leaks contaminating drinking water and disturbing burial grounds and other culturally sensitive locations. Three federal agencies have also raised concerns about the quality of the environmental and cultural reviews that have taken place. Those issues should not be shrugged off as federal agencies move forward after Trump's executive order. The volatility of the ongoing protest also warrants caution. The encampment near the pipeline's proposed river crossing drew thousands of protesters last year. Clashes between them and North Dakota law enforcement were frequent and sometimes violent. Tensions are only going to escalate with the rapid resumption of construction, further sapping the resources of already fatigued North Dakota law enforcement. More images of unrest from this Great Plains standoff would be shared around the world, casting further doubt on Trump's leadership and his claims of popular support. The president, already the focus of widespread protests elsewhere over travel restrictions, doesn't need another global PR mess to mar his first weeks in office. Caution by the agencies charged with carrying out the Dakota Access pipeline executive order would best serve the nation and reflect positively on the fledgling Trump administration. Trumps 'mad monk' gets seat on the National Security Council The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Tuesday, Jan. 31: The problem isnt that President Donald Trump appointed Stephen K. Bannon to the principals committee of the National Security Council. The problem is that Trumps judgment is so bad that he lets Bannon anywhere near the White House. Bannon was perfect where he was before last August, when Trump named him to run his presidential campaign. Bannon was chairman of Breitbart News, a conservative website that catered to the nativist, white-nationalist, anti-immigrant views of the right wings furthest fringes. He could be ignored there. Instead, by whispering sweet nothings into the ear of an easily flattered man, Bannon got a seat at the head of the grown-ups table: chief White House strategist, co-equal with Reince Priebus, Trumps chief of staff. Priebus, the former GOP national chairman, is a longtime Wisconsin ally of House Speaker Paul Ryan. Bannon had used Breitbart to try to destroy Ryan. What a team. Bannon has emerged as first among equals. He is to Trump what Rasputin, the Mad Monk, was to Czar Nicholas II. His influence could be heard in Trumps American carnage inaugural address. It was felt over the weekend in Trumps draconian immigration crackdown. And it was seen in his appointment to the top working group of the National Security Council. Even as Bannon, a political operative with no national security credentials, was added to the principals committee, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence were dropped as principals. Theyll be invited in, Trumps announcement said, when their particular expertise is needed. Its hard to think of any national security discussion that wouldnt require the expertise of the nations top military and intelligence officials. But this is the Trump administration. For Bannon, this appointment puts him on a par with National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn, his rival for Trumps ear when it comes to extremist anti-Muslim, pro-Russian views. Its more important than ever for Defense Secretary James Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other principals committee members to be the voices of sanity. Bannon expressed his extremist view of national security in a 2014 interview with the Human Dignity Institute, a secretive organization of conservative Catholics. He said the Judeo-Christian West, with its traditionalist values and economic nationalism, is threatened by the rise of global economic elites and jihadist Islamist fascism. Vladimir Putins Russia thus becomes a natural ally. Putin has made common cause with the Russian Orthodox Church in his effort to restore Russias post-Cold War place in the world, going so far as to crush the Islamic rebellion in Chechnya. Bannon has described himself not as a czarist monk, but as a Leninist, who shares the Bolshevik revolutionarys goal of destroying the state. And now hell help guide U.S. national security. You really cant make this stuff up. craigslist: thailand jobs, apartments, for sale, services, community, and events craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, services, local community, and events Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East According to Lawrence Brennan, a Fordham University maritime law professor and former US Navy commander, "This attack is likely to impact US naval operations and rules of engagement in nearby waters." 2016 saw a significant spike in the number of incidents at sea between the US Navy and fast-attack craft of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, at least one of which required the US Navy to open fire with warning shots. Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen had a blockbuster 2016, using an anti-ship missile to hit an Emirati naval vessel and then firing a salvo of missiles at US Navy ships in October. The US Navy successfully fended off the Houthi missile attack and retaliated by destroying three radar sites in Houthi-controlled Yemen. At the time, US officials and experts contacted by Business Insider concluded that Iran likely supplied the missiles to the Houthis. But the latest attack on the Saudis may give the US Navy pause in the future. In a questionable video of the attack, people near the camera can be heard shouting "Death to America," "Death to Israel," and "Death to Jews." One Pentagon official told the Washington Examiner that the Houthis may have mistaken the Saudi ship they attacked for a US Navy ship, though another official denied it. In any case, the US Navy frequently deals with Iranian fast-attack craft swarming its vessels and approaching closely. In one case last year, Iranian fast-attack craft got within 300 yards of a US Navy vessel. The US Navy responded by attempting to contact the Iranians, maneuvering evasively, blowing the horn, then firing warning shots. But according to Brennan, the US may not allow hostile, unresponsive ships to get so close to Navy vessels after a force associated with Iran used suicide boats to kill two Saudi sailors. "The overarching duty of self-defense mandates revision of the ROE to provide a sufficient 'bubble' to prevent the risk of a suicide attack, particularly from swarming boats," Brennan said in an email to Business Insider. US President Donald Trump has signaled his intention to respond more forcefully. On February 1, Oslo's government began offering residents a $1,200 credit to be used toward the cost of an electric cargo bike. Plagued by worsening air pollution, the city wants to cut its dependence on cars and promote a cleaner mode of transit. The grants are designed to help people buy electric bikes that stow groceries, bags, and other personal items that one might otherwise put in the trunk of a car. Given the typical cost of e-bikes around $2,500 to $6,400 the credit will cover between 25% and 50% of the bike's total cost. Norway has set aside an impressive $1 billion nationwide for new bike-related infrastructure, including new bike paths and more electric bikes. Giving more people e-bikes would minimize the need for more expensive infrastructure like "bike elevators," which carry riders uphill on their bikes. Not all of Oslo's 618,000 residents will get the $1,200 for a bike, however. The budget only allows for 500 to 1,000 grants, City Lab reports, which means the program won't necessarily make a huge dent in Norway's smog problem. Some Norwegian news outlets have also characterized the grant as a subsidy for wealthy people, since they're more likely to have the means to buy one. In addition to promoting bike riding, Oslo has also temporarily banned diesel vehicles and set a goal to ban all vehicles from the city center by 2019. The federal government has also discussed the possibility of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 and offering more widespread subsidies on electric bikes. He described the figures as alarming as governments revenue streams are inadequate to meet the rising debts. He made this revelation when he was vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Wednesday (February 1, 2017) in Accra. There is a commitment of 17.2 billion cedis on road contracts and we have 1,282 road contracts with 87 bridges ongoing we have almost 900 million certificates raised and ready resting and gathering dust at the Ministry of Finance unpaid. He expressed worry over this development saying its quite frightening and there is a huge funding gap and the true state of affairs is that awards were being made without proper reference to expected inflows. One of the main funds for the sector is the road levy. The fund which was set up to generate revenue to offset some of these debts currently is not performing well. The fund is reported to be generating an annual return of 1.2 billion cedis. However, another fund that increases road fund allocation is expected to be reduced downwards by the NPP government. The energy sector levy increased the allocation to the road sector fund from 4 pesewas to 70 pesewas. But the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko maintains that the revision is necessary to relief consumers of the huge tax burden. Responding to concerns on whether or not the energy sector levies were a nuisance tax, Kwasi Amoako Atta rather called for more pragmatic efforts to address the issue. Ten years from now, two main things Im still going to be a musician but I will be doing more research into MusicI will be going into the area where most musicians do not like to go, the idea is to become a thought leader. READ ALSO: Presidential Endorsement I want to understand the theories behind it and become it to try to find out to help and the idea is to become a thought leader in my field to have such knowledge and experience on it such that when I speak ones life would change and who knows I could be getting ready to become the President of Ghana which is my brand vision in 12 years to come.but I strongly believe that one day I will definitely end up in the classroom teaching one of the humanities. READ ALSO: Men Are Cheaters The Rap Doctor added that the Brand Book, written by his wife, Annica Nsia -Appau, educates his fans on how to relate with him and build their brand as well. READ ALSO: Celebrity Couple According to Dominic who was celebrating reaching the two million followers mark on her Instagram, the gesture was an attempt to empower some of her followers. "#2millionkisses to you and you.., she wrote. "I was meant to do this weeks ago but I was on set. Thanks for hanging in there with me, I appreciate it greatly. "Times are rough now my people but I would like to sow a small seed in the lives of two of my followers.. "The first two people to answer both questions correctly will get 50,000 Naira each transferred to their Nigerian bank account. 1. What is the name of the film I played two characters a man and a woman? 2. I am in a film that is opening in cinemas this Friday 3rd, what is the name of the film?" Though the actress does not often make the news round like most of her colleagues, but she has shown on a few occasions how passionate she is about helping those in need. One deed that comes to mind was her role during the recuperation of actor, Leo Mezie who recently won the battle against a kidney disease. Dominic, along with some colleagues were instrumental in ensuring that the actor got the needed financial support for his treatment. ALSO READ: Actress talks about having kids A Lagos State High Court sitting at Igbosere on the island which gave the ruling, also granted Ifeorah two sureties in like sum as part of the bail condition. Justice A. M. Nicol-Clay said the sureties should produce evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Ifeorah was arraigned on January 18 alongside his company Wigmore Trading Ltd by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge of stealing and fraud to which he pleaded not guilty. The prosecution counsel, Mr Muritala Usman, told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in 2015 at Kelloggs Company in South Africa. He alleged that the accused obtained some goods on credit from Kelloggs and promised to pay back within three months. He became elusive after receiving the items until he was tracked down by the EFCC. Usman had urged the court to remand the accused in custody pending the determination of the case. But counsel to the accused, Mr B. Osakwe, urged the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms. He said the accuseds mother was willing to stand as surety and would also produce the accused in court throughout the trial. The applicant has no criminal record and will be available to stand trial. We are from the same village. I offer to produce my call-to-bar certificate or the Certificate of Occupancy of my own house in Okota, Lagos. His mother, Amaka Ifeorah; is a Grade 15 officer in the civil service and has offered to stand as one of his guarantors. This is a purely civil matter but the defendant has been in custody in Ikoyi Prison since Dec. 22, 2016, he said. The accused is standing trial for indecent treatment of a child. He, however, entered a plea of `not guilty. Police Prosecutor Clifford Ogu told the court that the accused, who resides at 18, Jimoh Road, Idimu, a suburb of Lagos, committed the offence on Jan. 20 at his residence. Ogu said the accused called the minor into his room, removed her pants and fingered her. The victims mother got to know when there was some discharges in her private part and took her to the hospital. The victim told her mother that it was `uncle that touched her private part. The offence contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and carries a penalty of seven years imprisonment. READ ALSO: Gynecologist warns against fake dildos on Ghanaian market The suspect was arrested after a tip-off by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at Lower Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region. Kpodo was spotted in a police uniform near the toll collection point of the area, where he was reported to be extorting money from motorists. READ ALSO: Illegal miner caught with human skull The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) at the Odumase-Krobo district, Harry Selormey, said the suspect was subsequently arrested, with gadgets such as handcuffs and a police whistle found on him. According to ASP Selormey, Kpodo also had a kitchen knife, a toy pistol, a torch light, a police beret, a Ghana National Fire Service badge and GH19 in his possession upon being arrested. READ ALSO: Police confiscates 29 motorbikes due to traffic offences A Facebook user who is a friend of the deceased, Vera Tochi Ekezie, a native of Umunkpe Uzoagba community in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, posted the sad news on her page narrating how the pretty lady gave up the ghost after giving birth to what would have been her first child. According to the friend, Ekezie who was heavily pregnant at the time she got married, had been complaining of pains caused by an injection she received during labour but died a few hours later, leaving the newborn baby she just gave birth to. Read the touching tribute Ekezies friend penned for her on Facebook: "Good people don't last; I still can't believe you are gone, my Queen baby girl Vera. My heart bleeds; it has been so heavy and difficult to believe we have lost you. After all our stress, just for you to have a glamorous traditional marriage on December 22, 2016, which was a huge success, then after, on January 11, 2017, you delivered safely and our joy was cut short few hours later. Little did we know that death was knocking while you were complaining of severe pains where they injected you during labour. Few hours after you have put to bed, just like that it becomes reality. OMG...your poor mom, your siblings and loved ones have been in tears. Death, why? It hurts but we can't question God. I and my family will miss you, we love you Tochi but God loves you most. May your departed soul rest in peace, in the bosom of the Almighty God. Adieu, my Queen baby girl." His term of office ended today, February 1, 2017, sources at the hospital have told Pulse.com.gh. READ ALSO: He was recently accused of taking home 21,000 cedis in Christmas bonuses at the end of 2016. He has however denied the claims. READ ALSO: Dr Gilbert Buckle has more than 17 years of experience working in the public and private health sectors in Ghana, with 12 years in senior management and leadership roles. He has served for several years in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region, where he rose to become Medical Director of the St. Joseph's Hospital and also Municipal Director of Health Services. Mrs Trebah was appointed by former President John Mahama. Read more: Ghana to record downgrade by rating agencies She worked as a Corporate Affairs Executive of MTN Ghana, a mobile telecommunications company and a Communications Manager at Newmont Ghana Limited, a gold mining company. Until her exit from the telecommunications company, Mawuena was the face of MTN. Most of the public that had business to do as well as the patrons of the MTN network identified Mawuena with MTN. She is a graduate of the University of Jos in the Plateau State of Nigeria, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Mining in September 1996. Read also: Yoofi Grant is new CEO of GIPC She later studied for an MBA in Management and Strategic Planning at the McCallum Graduate School of Business, Bentley College, Waltham, Maryland in the USA, in 2002. Before then she had worked with Ashanti Goldfields as the Investment Relations Officer. She later joined Newmont Ghana (2003 to 2007) as Manager, Communications. Mawuena moved on to MTN in 2007 as Corporate Services Executive and resigned in August 2011. During her stay with MTN, she developed, managed and executed an overall reputation management strategy for the company. She was also responsible for the promotion of the companys image in all areas of the business within Ghana through communications strategies, including regular interaction with the media, trade and interest groups, government officials and other stakeholders. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed Yoofi Grant as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC). His appointment will however be confirmed after the constitutionally required advice of the governing council of the centre, is given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.. According to him, the bill has been before parliament for too long and will show commitment towards its passage. "Our government has already made it clear that we will be passing the Right to Information Act. We will make sure a special prosecutors office is set up to prosecute corruption and we will amend the criminal code to move the corruption from a misdemeanor to a felony. These are just some of the actions we intend to implement this year," he said at a forum in Accra. Read more:MPs divided in Parliament over passage of RTI bill The RTI bill has suffered several setbacks in Parliament with the Right to Information Coalition, earlier threatening to stage a protest against government over the delay in the passage of the Bill. The right to information bill is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the countrys 1992 Constitution and recognised as a right under the International Convention on Human Rights. The bill will give substance to Article 21 (1) (f) of the constitution which state "All persons shall have the right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary for a democratic society". The bill was drafted in 1999 and reviewed in 2003, 2005 and 2007 but was not presented to Parliament. This is affirmed by Article 1(1) of the 1992 Constitution which categorically states that the sovereignty of Ghana resides in the people of Ghana in whose name and for whose welfare the powers of government are to be exercised. This principle is affirmed by article 21(1)(f) of the same Constitution which grants all persons . The right to information subject to such qualifications and laws as are necessary in a democratic society. Read more:Right to Information Bill withdrawn The right to information is fundamental to the realisation of economic and social rights as well as civil and political rights. The right to information lays the foundation upon which to build good governance, transparency, accountability, participation, and check arbitrariness and corruption in public life. The ministry will, in March this year, submit a proposal to parliament to increase the service period from 25 years to 30 years. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2016 election campaigns promised to increase the retirement age of recruits. Addressing the media on his first day in office at the ministry in Accra on February 1st, Mr. Nitiwul said if approved the policy would not affect the number of personnel GAF recruited annually, adding that the challenge would be for their various commanders to manage them. Those who qualify to be recruited will be taken and those who do not qualify will be left out. The amendment bill will not affect recruitment in any way, Mr. Nitiwul said. Mr. Ntiwul added that The implication is that over the next four years, few people will be retiring from the military and, therefore, the number in the military will change drastically and the president is prepared for the consequences. Meanwhile, the minister also announced the roll-out of a housing programme dubbed Barracks Regeneration Project. He noted that under the project, old houses will be renovated while new ones will be built to accommodate more personnel. There will be a prototype of the project in March which will involve all the stakeholders, he added. Commenting on the situation in The Gambia, the minister explained that members of the Ghanaian troop were currently protecting both the Ghanaian community and the President. He said there is a Ghanaian community in The Gambia where the troops had been stationed, and members of the community were all doing well. According to him, he is not "honourable" because he is not a Member of Parliament (MP). He noted however, that he is also not involved in dishonourable things. Prof. Frimpong Boateng said this when he was vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Thursday (February 2, 2017). READ ALSO: Sammy Awuku chooses party work over deputy ministerial position He begged to interrupt a question and said: I don't know whether I'm honourable that is not to say I do dishonourable things. READ ALSO: Bugri Naabu lambasts executives lobbying for appointments at the presidency I'm not an MP so I'm not permitted to carry that big position, he added. Most Ghanaians refer to politicians as 'honourable' even if they are not Members of Parliament. According to the former spokesperson of former President Rawlings, the men, numbering 15, seized all his vehicles in the company of four alleged National Security officers and personnel from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA). Mr Adams said the soldiers claimed they were acting upon orders from the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah and the Flagstaff House. He told Accra-based Asempa FM that his Tema Gulf City home was ransacked with several properties also taken away, on the pretext that they belonged to the state. But in an interview on Accra-based Radio Gold, Mr. Adams said the National Security Minister, Mr. Kan-Dapaah has since caused the return of the cars. I think I must commend the National Security Minister, Mr Kan-Dapaah, for his intervention in this matter. He did call to indicate that it wasnt something that was sanctioned officially, and, so, they have instructed that they return the vehicles immediately, he said. It is true that he spoke to me and I want to thank him. I think that is the way to go. He has assured that the appropriate punishment will be given to the officer who led that operation without authorisation, he added. READ ALSO: Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! This was above expectations of a contraction of 0.5%, according to the Bloomberg consensus. The estimate "is consistent with the idea that the economy returned to positive growth in the final quarter of last year," William Jackson, senior emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, wrote to clients. Taking a look under the hood, data suggests that two industries in particular pushed the economy forward: Manufacturing rose by 1.4% in 2016 and the production of natural resources was up by 0.2%. However, on the flip side, dropped by 3.6%. Additionally, the Federal Statistics Services also revised 2015 GDP to a 2.8% drop, compared to the prior estimate of a 3.7% contraction. This revision "appears to be due to the inventory cycle exerting a smaller drag on growth," suggested Jackson. Cyber attacks are cheap, ambiguous, hard to pin on any one actor, and almost completely without precedent when it comes to gauging a military response. Cyber attacks allow Iran "to strike at adversaries globally, instantaneously, and on a sustained basis, and to potentially achieve strategic effects in ways it cannot in the physical domain," writes Eisenstadt. Unlike the US, which wields nuclear weapons and the world's finest military, Iran relies on its ability to potentially wreak havoc in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes, its funding of terrorist organizations, and its arsenal of ballistic missiles to deter attacks, according to Eisenstadt. However, Tehran cannot hold the Strait of Hormuz in an outright confrontation, its terrorist allies have become increasingly vulnerable and targetable by world powers, and if Iran ever used a ballistic missile, it would soon find itself on the receiving end of a blistering counter attack. Therefore cyber attacks give Iran a fourth kind of deterrence, one which the US has repeatedly failed to punish. Indeed, cyber attacks are new territory, and the US still hasn't found an appropriate and consistent way to deal with cyber attacks, whether those attacks come in the form of Russian meddling in the US election, North Korea's hack of Sony, or China's stealing valuable defense data. "The consequence of that is that you breed a generation of people who do not know what science is nor how and why it works," he reportedly said. "You have mortgaged the future financial security of your nation. Innovations in science and technology are the [basis] of tomorrows economy." Tyson compared the modern United States to 12th Century Baghdadi society in present-day Iraq, which led the world in science and mathematics before a series of cataclysms led to its decline. (In the News & Record summary, it's reported that Tyson attributed the fall to a decision by a single cleric to reject science. The true story, of course, is a bit more complicated.) Its 1966. Nigeria, barely 6 years old, is swimming in the confusion of its first and second coups and preparing for the general lack of direction that will plague it for the next 50 years and counting. Meanwhile, in far-away Chile, a young writer, director and musician by the name, Victor Jara Martinez is using music to drive the government out of office, play by play, concert by concert. That movement was called Nuevo Cancion, literally a new song, and while it was established by another musician, Violeta Parra, it was in Jaras music that dominated the public consciousness. Jara was a rebel in the same mould as the guerillas that waged wars around South America but where they used bullets and mass murder, he sang passionately about the issues that mattered poverty, imperialism, religion and human rights. His music was deeply rooted in the culture of his people and the stories he told were their own he made songs with titles like Plegaria a un Labrador" (meaning Prayer for the Worker) and Angelita Hueneman, a story about the hands of a poor blanket-maker he met while travelling with his wife. Sometimes, oppression will seize a peoples voice so hard that what they need the most will be someone who can say the things they are thinking about, loudly and without fear. Jara sang of their thoughts and their experiences, their pain and their suffering, their desire to get rid of a government that had long overstayed its welcome. In 1970, when Chile went to the polls, they voted out the incumbent president, Eduardo Frei Montalva, by a landslide. Nobody really understands why music has the power that it does. The people who study it will tell you that it has been a part of humanity since the stone age, that it is part of human nature to enjoy anything that sounds good, that music has evolved with humans, from folk songs by the fire to classical compositions where 50 musicians command beauty from metal and wood. In truth, music is a big part of what makes us human. It is a medium of expression that has never failed its creators and has helped thousands and millions connect in a shared sense of identity and purpose. Since the beginning of time, there has been a form of music for every circumstance. In the days at the beginning of recorded history, the men had violent, heavy chants to lift their spirits as they rode into war; later in the Americas, slaves had work songs to ease the burden of hours spent picking cotton in the sun. Now, in the age of fascist democracies and life presidents, we have the music of protest, of dissatisfaction and anger, the music of Jara, Marley and Fela. When musicians have risen to challenge the status quo and genuinely demand change, the powers in control take notice not because secular music is bad for kids, but because with the influence that they command, one musicians message can very quickly become everyones message. READ ALSO: We need more musicians to speak our minds while protesting Fela Kutis classic "Zombie" was made at a time when the military ruled Nigeria with the butts of guns and leather whips. Playing it in public was a life-threatening risk, but the people still listened to him belittle soldiers because they recognised him and his music as the face of their struggle. They identified with that disgust, the constant suffering that these armed men caused on a daily basis the hate that Fela was singing about was their own. Fela might never have led a nationwide protest in his time but when he died, a crowd that ran in the hundreds of thousands reportedly followed his body through the streets of Lagos before he was laid to rest. Last week, Innocent Idibia aka 2face called on Nigerians to stage a nationwide protest against the leadership of President Buhari (who was ironically one of the very people Fela sang against) and the failing economy. There is a lot that is wrong with our country as things stand; the naira is at its lowest rate, officially and unofficially in the history of Nigeria, more than half of the population is unemployed and we continue to plunge further into darkness while the ruling elite tell us the same stories of subsidies and anti-corruption crusades that weve been hearing since Sani Abacha ate an apple. Nigerians need to get on the streets, set fire to tires, block roads and let the government wake up to our grievances; whoever brings us together, whether 2face or Small Doctor, matters very little at this point. And therein lies a problem; in our pain, our anger at the state of things, we are ignoring the possibility that our message may be contaminated by the same people who claim to be helping us deliver it. Many have claimed that 2face does not have the moral capacity to lead a protest because he has 7 children from 3 women. Arguments like that need no response; their lack of substance can fight itself. The only real question is where 2faces loyalties lie with the people he is mobilising to flood the streets on February 6 or with a political class that has repeatedly enriched him. 2face has had many opportunities to stand with the common man at many times when the focus was not on their suffering at his Dubai wedding where state governments and elected officials literally flexed muscles with the peoples money or on the several occasions when those officials greased his palms and neck with money and jewelry and he chose not to, every single time. You cannot take from the people who have put us in this position and summon us to march against them when you think our elastic limit has broken. But this does not change the fact that we need to stand up and take action. There is an argument for why 2face should not be at the front of any protest against the government but we cannot wait for a perfect messiah to lead us into the change we need. We can only ask that whoever is the face of the protest does not come back to tell Nigerians that "they have entered into negotiations" - we do not want another "Occupy Nigeria". The ex-boyfriend of actress Toyin Aimakhu was allegedly caught trying to rip off an unknown man of N10million, while pretending to be a medical doctor. Pulse has reached out to the movie producer's reps. So far no word back... Egbegbe was recently accused of stealing 9 iphones and was arrested at the Computer Village, Ikeja, lagos. Egbegbe who was arrested and charged to an Ikeja Magistrates Court for theft, was reportedly granted bail in the sum of N1 million Also recall that it was reported Egbegbe jetted out to Malaysia and has been unreachable following fresh allegations of an alleged $3000 fraud revealed by a MultiChoice dealer in Ibadan. ALSO READ: Seun Egbegbe charged to court for stealing The dealer identified as Semiu, also alleged that Aimakhu, paid good money to make that scandal go away. The MultiChoice dealer revealed that Egbegbe committed fraud to the tune of $3000 at his outlet, and left him to take the fall for it. A source told Encomium magazine that, Seun Egbegbe is not in town now. I learnt he has gone to Malaysia where he will sojourn till February 8, 2017, when his case will be heard at Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos." It is a 3-in-1 event which includes; Miss Tourism Lagos(winner), Miss Culture Lagos(1st runner up) and Miss Arts Lagos (2nd runner up). The event is aimed at using pageantry refined with tourism to bring out those young women somewhere in the prestigious Centre of Excellence who have the charisma and aura of Heroines and will become the Ambassadors of Tourism, Arts and Culture in Lagos. They would use their reign for numerous good causes which would be mainly focused on how to reduce the rate of social vices among the youths of Lagos, reduce rate of unemployment and prostitution through pet projects which would be rendering empowerment, humanitarian services to the society of Lagos and promotion of Lagos state Tourism, Arts and Culture at large. Prizes are as follows Branded car, trip to Dubai, #200k, #300k and endorsement. Note: The winner and runner-ups shall represent Lagos in local and international contests and are entitled to contracts endorsement from government and sponsors. Requirements: must be a Nigerian and residence of Lagos, 5.6ft and above tall and ages between 18-25 years. Mode of Application: Pay a sum of N5,000 into the following accounts: Account Name: MLK Events and Promotions, Account Number: 0049842671 Bank: Sterling Bank PLC or Account Name: MLK Events and Promotions Account Number: 4010607254 Bank: Fidelity Bank PLC. Sms your name, phone number and ur banks payment details to 08055118388. Eg Olajumoke /08055522236/Fidelity bank.then log on to www.misstourismlagos.com to register. Sales of form ends: February 10, 2017 Audition date: February 18, 2017 Grand finale: April 25, 2017 This event is proudly supported by the Lagos state Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.For more details follow on: IG @misstourismlagosnigeria Facebook @ misstourismlagos Twitter@ misstourismlag ALSO READ:Why Kanye West might just become an iconic creative director The presentation meant to start at 5 p.m at the Pier 59 Studios is a time slot between Anna Sui and Thom Browne which incidentally has already been booked by Marchesa! West reportedly didn't consult with the CFDA about his presentation and they are not happy about it WWD revealed in an exclusive interview. CFDA was not approached or consulted about the possibility of Kanye West showing on the official New York Fashion Week schedule. As the scheduler of the week, the CFDA works with more than 300 brands to identify appropriate times for them to show their collections and avoid scheduling conflicts. Not going through the proper channels is disruptive to the whole week and unfair to designers who have secured spots through the formal procedure. This bad behavior is not acceptable to the CFDA and should not be tolerated by the industry. Because of this, the CFDA will not list Kanye West on the official schedule. However, the CFDA is more than willing to work with Kanye on securing an available time slot; President and chief executive officer of the CFDA, Steven Kolb told WWD in an exclusive statement. The FCT Police Command, had in 2012, charged Chukwu before Justice Vera Venda for the alleged crime, contrary to the provision of Section 226 of the Penal Code. Venda on Wednesday held that the investigation carried out by the police did not reveal the extent of the fall of the decease that resulted in her death. According to Venda, the major evidence to prove Nwafors death placed before the court is doubtful. The Judge, however, resolved the issue in favour of the defendant, adding that the police had not done a diligent investigation. She said the court could only convict a defendant in a matter of this nature when the case was proved beyond reasonable doubt. In the circumstance, the defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted for lack of evidence, she said. The judge advised Chukwu to stay away from trouble, anger and uncontrolled actions, adding that she should be calm and patient while integrating into the society. The charge read that disagreement ensued between Chukwu and Nwafor on a mobile telephone voucher worth N20, 215, the former sold to the later on credit. The defendant had averred that the deceased had refused to pay her within the period of the agreed date. Chukwu had testified that Nwafor, who was her customer, told her that she misplaced the bag containing the voucher, leading to her inability to re-sell them. The defendant further averred that she had doubted the excuse advanced by the deceased and as a result pushed her slightly. Mr Emeka Ugwu, the Prosecuting Officer, had told the court that the push from the defendant landed Nwafor on the ground and resulted in her death. Ugwu said that it was clear that Chuwkus action led to the death of the deceased. However, Mr Sunny Tabi, counsel to the defendant, had argued that the weight of the push was not heavy enough to inflict any substantial injury on the deceased. He also said the prosecution had not provided autopsy result to ascertain that the impact of the push resulted in Nwafors death. My lord, it is not enough to convict the defendant based on the section of the law she was charged with. The death of Nwafor was not premeditated. The deceased could have died from another ailment, may be heart attack. We pray the court to discharge and acquit the defendant on grounds of poor investigation and insufficient evidence, he said. The defendant of Jabi Daki Biyu, Abuja,denied committing the offences, while the judge , Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 and one surety in like sum. Sadiq said that the surety must produce a utility bill that must be in his name, and adjourned the case till Feb. 13, for further hearing. Earlier, the prosecutor, Florence Auhioboh, told the court that one Joseph Azikwe of same address with the complainant reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station Abuja on Jan. 31. Auhioboh said that the complainant said in Dec. 2016 while he was not at home, the defendant allegedly brought some labourers to remove his roof. He said when he returned, he could not find his Infinix hot note phone, valued at N28, 000, Tecno phone valued at N30, 000, Black Berry phone valued at N29, 000 and cash of N20, 000. The prosecutor also said the complainant tried all means to recover his property, but proved abortive, The residents were said to have questioned the power officials why they still brought the high bills when they had not been enjoying electricity for many months but Enyi was said to have told them they should not complain as they were not the ones responsible for the power outage. The statement apparently got Ikenna angry and he pounced on her and assaulted her. He was arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates Court on two-count charges of assault and breach of peace to which he pleaded not guilty. The police prosecutor, Corporal Ishola Samuel, had earlier told the court that Ikenna beat up Enyi while on lawful duty at his residence. Cpl. Samuel said that the complainant was performing her official duties by sharing electricity bills when she was assaulted by the accused in his compound. The accused locked the entrance gate, deprived her of going outside and beat up the complainant for bringing an electricity bill without a constant light. The prosecutor said that Enyi was left with a black eye and severe injuries on different parts of her body and when she reported the case to the police, Ikenna was arrested. He added that the offences contravened Sections 171 and 166 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, with section 171 prescribing a three-year jail term for assault and harm. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The word has evolved beyond this as it has now become a pop culture constant. Nowadays, everyone and their grandmother are woke. Once you can stumble on a conspiracy theory online and dress like a post-2000 hippie you are woke. The woke fever has found its way to Lagos and calling yourself woke is the new cool. Everywhere you go to, you are bound to bump into a woke chick and guy or a tribe of woke people. You might be feeling left out from the tribe of wokeness. Since woke is the new cool everybody wants to get in. If you want to be woke in Lagos, you can read how to spot a woke person in Lagos. 1) They hang out at non-mainstream music spots A woke person won't be caught dead in mainstream music places. Wokeness is a tribe of people who chill and vibe at artsy cool spots in Lagos. When they want to enjoy music, they don't do clubs because it is too regular. They go to Afropolitan Vibes and Taruwa to hear some alternative music. Woke people don't do tungba- standard Nigerian pop music- because it is not deep enough for their inner consciousness. Afropolitan Vibes and Taruwa are the spots where the woke clan can listen to soulful music and talk about Jon Bellion and Sampha. Also, woke people don't eat in regular spots. Cafe Neo or any other fancy food spot is where they patronise. We guess Tantalizers is un-woke. 2) Visit art galleries You can find woke people at art galleries and art exhibitions too. Woke people in Lagos love to go to galleries and stare at paintings and talk about cubism, abstract art all day. They go in packs and gush about a painter you might never hear about. 3) Oppose everything Woke people are rebellious that's why they like to oppose popular ways of thinking and doing things. This applies to the woke people in Lagos too. You can identify them by their bizarre and strange tweets. They have a conspiracy theory for every topic and mock people who have conventional ways of thinking. For example, woke people in Lagos believe Chinua Achebe is better than Wole Soyinka. 4) Medium It seems every woke person in Lagos these days is on Medium these days. They constantly tweet and share their Medium articles which showcase their off the grid thoughts and beliefs. They are also Medium junkies who share links to woke articles written by an obscure white man. 5) Photography All the woke people in Lagos are photographers. Their inner creativity has to be expressed in taking photos. And these are not ordinary photos. They are 'deep', well-filtered photos that reflect the inner genius and wokeness of the photographer. In summary, they take Tumblr photos. Those who aren't photographers are models who only take 'deep' photos. An irrelevant quote is always attached to these photos on their Instagram profiles. 6) Uber Woke people don't do the regular yellow and black cab. They hop on Uber rides. Every woke person in Lagos has the Uber app on his phone. The regular taxi doesn't go well with their wokeness. 7) Dashiki Punch reports that the soldier who is popularly known as Sir T, lives in Myyong Army Barracks, in Yaba, Lagos State, allegedly descended on Alhaji in the Shomolu area of the state when he reversed his car and hit the motorcycle the Okadaman was riding. It was gathered that motorcyclist, whose wife is nursing a six-month-old child, had taken a woman to an eatery in the Morroco area and was waiting for her while the soldier parked his Toyota Camry car on the premises of the eatery. Eyewitnesses said that while Alhaji was waiting to take the passenger back to her destination, Sergeant Taiwo who had gone to a beer parlor opposite the eatery, came back to pick his car. As the soldier was reversing his car to drive out of the premises, the vehicle hit the back of the victims motorcycle and while Alhaji was struggling with the motorcycle, his passenger arrived at the scene and quickly hit on the body of the car to alert the soldier not to run over the Okadaman. The action was said to have angered Sergeant Taiwo who quickly came out of the vehicle and pounced on the victim. The eyewitness said: The soldier came out of his car and slapped the motorcycle rider repeatedly. As the rider tried to explain to him what actually happened, he descended on him with blows and beat him up. The passenger fled in the process. The soldier beat the rider until he could not stand on his feet, and he left in his car. As he was beating the man, he said nothing would happen if he died. Everybody present was afraid to intervene because he is a soldier. Somebody informed the victims younger brother, who rushed to the scene. The case was reported at the barracks and the victim was taken to the Military Hospital in Yaba around 9 pm on Friday where he died. A resident of the area who gave his name only as Collins, said Taiwo was notorious for intimidating people using his position as a soldier. Sometime in December, Taiwo slapped a man at the beer parlour, saying the man was staring at him. In the end, it turned out that the man was a major and he started begging him. After that encounter, he had a disagreement with one of the women who work at the beer parlour. He tore the womans clothes. I think he should pay for this. It was just a video of 2face calling for a protest, trying to bring people together for one purpose to demand more from our government. There are three types of people who have an opinion about this matter: The first group believe its a good idea, because Nigeria gives you a new reason to want to go crazy every single day. The second. They believe 2Face and the people supporting him are ingrates. Because, you know, Buhari is working hard and we should just shut the fuck up and tow the line. The third group. They believe a protest is legitimate, but 2Face does not have the moral right to lead a protest demanding accountability. This third group, is why we are here. These people believe 2Face has benefited from the system hes now protesting against. Like, Senator David Mark bought him a Ferrari as his wedding gift. David's village is a complete mess, by the way. Theres the Akpabio part. The Ayiri part. Etc. But theres also the part where 2face is one of the most socially active artistes in the last decade. From his involvement in the JOStified campaign, to participating in campaigns encouraging young people to vote. Two elections in a row. Nigerians have a problem. We obsess over the tiny little pixels and choose to remain oblivious of the big picture. We forget that a lot of the time, the cause is bigger than the motive of the person. Somehow, we expect that our leaders must be flawless, or completely free from fault. We hold people by standards we don't want to be held by. Another thing is how we forget that history has taught us more times than one, that sometimes, the people we believe have the worst past, might create the best future. The big question is this; if you had to choose between silence and a 2Face protest, what choice would it be? Weve tried silence, weve tried it for so long. Nigeria is where it is today because weve stayed silent, whispering under our breath, e go better. Maybe nows the time for someone to get up, no matter where they are coming from, and inspire others to do the same. Lets travel back in time. You probably know the story of the Hebrew Moses who was born a few thousand years ago. The revolutionary and Social Justice activist. Heres a fun fact, Moses was raised in an Egyptian palace, and fed fat on the sweat of his people. Once, he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. The next day, he found two Hebrews fighting and when he tried to separate them, one of them said; Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Fast forward a few more years, and he was liberating this same people. Thats some B.C throwback. Lets stick with a more recent example, closer to home. Remember when over 200 girls were kidnapped? And the BBOG group came together, demanding that the Government rescue the girls. Some people chastised them, claiming they were trying to discredit the Jonathan administration. Many claimed that Oby Ezekwesili, a leader of the group, worked and defended a corrupt government. Other members were not spared either, with personal attacks on their character. Now, lets pretend the group had people with selfish interests, did they produce results? Definitely. In the big picture business, selfish interests are relegated to the fringes of the picture, at the dog ears. Will a 2Face protest give us 24 hours electricity next week? Probably not. But it has the power to get people angry enough. Angry enough to demand for better from the government. It has the potential to be the beginning of something important, because lets face it, 2Face inspires people. Maybe it will inspire someone else to start another. Maybe it will inspire a thousand more people to start a thousand protests. Just maybe. In the end, one question will be asked about the people that think a 2Face-led protest is a bad idea; A Facebook user from that country, Basudde Sam, posted the sad story on his page and narrated how Sabiti, a resident of Nsambya Barracks, killed his wife before turning the same gun at himself after he allegedly tested positive for the virus. Confirming the incident, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy spokesman, Paul Kangave, said in a statement: We have recovered the test results of HIV for the wife, Akol and the children except for the man. These reads negative. We suspect that the man must have found himself positive and took a wrong decision. He planned it since he took all the family members for HIV test on January 24, 2017. Arabi made the statement on Thursday in Abuja when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties paid oversight visit to the residence of the President. He explained that the decision to suspend the execution of new capital projects was informed by the fact that the 2017 budget made no provision for new capital projects. He said the 2017 capital expenditure would be used in completing ongoing projects, adding that the management of State House had re-prioritised its projects. Arabi said that the management would take advantage of the window provided by supplementary budget when necessary. He said that the 2017 budget of the State House had been reviewed downwards to N13,567,979,278.72 from N16,563,395,992.00 in 2016. Arabi, who revealed that only N5.196 billion was released as capital allocation in the 2016 budget, said the amount represented 47.5 per cent of the total budget. According to the Permanent Secretary, the recurrent expenditure of N4.8 billion, representing 93.1per cent, have been released and expended on projects for which the funds were tied. All allocations for the 2016 recurrent expenditure have been received up to date including the month of December 2016. On the other hand, capital releases were made for three out of five subheads in the State House budget A balance of N5.745 billion representing 52.5 percent is yet to be released, he said. Arabi said that while State House headquarters, State House Medical Centre and State House Lagos liaison office received releases, no releases were made for the Chief of Staff and the Office of the Chief Security Officer to the President. In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Nasiru Zango-Daura, said that criticisms often leveled against the administration of the State House especially in respect of the State House Medical Centre were unfounded. He said that the management of State House should be commended for judicious use of the resources released to it. ALSO READ: 2017 Budget - 7 important allocations you should know about He urged the public to appreciate the fact that the services rendered at the medical centre were free. With the resources they have, and the ability to keep the machines running 24/7 with diesel power; that is something they should be commended for. They are being prudent and using the meagre resources they have to sustain the equipment, he said. Zango-Daura promised that he would inform the committee on Appropriation on the need to increase budgetary allocation to state House Mecical Centre. Receiving members of the committee, the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, expressed appreciation to the members for coming to perform their responsibility as elected representatives of the people. This is contained in a statement posted on the commissions website. The Commission said it has also cancelled the licenses of Assets Management Limited and BGL Securities Ltd belonging to Okumagba. It said the duo two were also banned from ever holding office in any public company in the country. The commission said that these were the final decisions of the SEC Administrative Proceedings Committee (APC) in the matter of APC/1/2015: Rivers State Ministry of Finance & 31 Others V. BGL Plc & 31 Others. In a circular on the final decisions, SEC indicated that the companies and their officials breached extant capital market laws and rules that led to a loss of N5.77 billion to 32 innocent investors. The circular stated that the decisions on Okumagba and others were final as the decisions have been approved by the relevant authority. According to the commission, it received 32 complaints between 2012 and 2015 against the BGL companies over certain conducts in relation to operations of their Guaranteed Consolidated Notes (GCN) and Guaranteed Premium Notes (GPN). Investigations revealed that the 1st to the 4th respondents had through the 5th to 32nd respondents breached some provisions of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2007 as well as the SEC Rules and Regulations, which resulted to a loss of about N5,769,993,553.67 for 32 innocent investors, SEC stated. The Commission stated that in order to ensure that the innocent investors obtain justice while also granting all parties fair hearing, the Commission invited all parties before the APC and having properly issued hearing notices, the APC sat on Dec. 8, 2016 to hear the matter. According to SEC, in the course of the hearing, testimonies and documentary evidence were tendered by various parties, which led to the decisions of the APC. NAN reports that other officials that were affected include Mr Peter Adebola, who was banned for five years, Joseph Ashley-Osuzoka was banned for four years with a fine of N100,000, Joshua Sesan Adetiloye and Ms Mshelia Bittinger were banned for one year. Others are Nkechi Azubuike, Victor Inyang, Hilary Eludu, and Andre Ewubare who were slammed with two-year ban with a fine of N100,000 each, while Anthony Nwozor was banned for one year with a fine of N100,000. Also, Okumagba and Edozie were directed to pay N100,000 fine each, while BGL Assets Management Ltd and BGL Securities Ltd.,were directed to pay N23.2 million and N10.1 million respectively. Usman said that the troops of 25 Task Force Brigade, 7 Division Nigerian Army, encountered the fleeing terrorists at Dulsa and Bukin Local Government Areas. According to him, during the encounter in a clearance operations on Wednesday, the troops recovered armoured fighting vehicle, trucks, arms and ammunition. At Dulsa this morning, the troops cleared the hideout of the terrorists during which they neutralised 6 Boko Haram terrorists, recovered one light machine gun, two rocket propelled grenade tubes and one extra Anti-Aircraft gun barrel. The troops also encountered Boko Haram terrorists camp at Buk where they were engaged by the terrorists. During the encounter, the troops neutralised large number of the Boko Haram terrorists and wounded several others. They also made an unprecedented recovery. The items recovered include: nine AK-47 rifles, three rifles, two Rocket Propelled Grenade Bombs, one Mortar Tube, one Shilka, one Gun truck mounted with Anti-Aircraft Gun and two Hilux vehicles. NCAT held a mega rally in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Wednesday, February 1, 2017. "It is instructive that this mega rally is holding in Maiduguri today. Maiduguri is not just the capital of Borno state or the economic hub of the north east geopolitical zone, it was also the epicenter of the activities of Boko Haram terrorists", Terrence said in a speech delivered at the event. He added,"that this rally is holding here today is a testimony to the progress made in taking back our land from the grip of evil that had threatened to consume us but which has now been thankfully averted. "We have Our Dear of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to thank for this feat of being among the few locations on earth where the evil of terrorism has been halted within such a short time". ALSO READ: The national coalition against terrorism said the north east is unrecognizable from what it used to be. "Only those that experienced the north east before Mr President's assumption of office can fully appreciate what has happened here; this, here, was the same area where residents had given up hope of ever returning to but today the process of rebuilding our lives has begun in earnest. "We are grateful to these great military chiefs for turning the tide and winning the war-- and the leadership of the other security agencies are warriors to whom we owe debt of gratitude. "We most respectably single out the COAS, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai and the Army for particular mention. This recognition is for the gallantry and leadership style of General Buratai who saw to the effectual relocation of the Crisis and Control Centre of the war on insurgency to Maiduguri. "Nigerians were proud and had their hope in the system restored when we saw Lt. General Tukur Buratai with his troops in the theatre of war coordinating the strategies that led to the eventual defeat of Boko Haram. "We thank the Minister of Information,who has done much to dispel the propaganda mounted by Boko Haram backers who usually attempt to paint the picture that is over for us in the north east while equating our situation to places like and "We salute the who has done much to provide the corresponding civilian component to match the military determination to end terrorism in our land. He has come up with many initiatives and as the leader of the state he has shown the direction needed to return us to an era that is better than what existed before the mindless destruction of Boko Haram was visited on us. "We acknowledge the efforts of the Civilian JTF, other stakeholders and elders that have worked with Governor Shettima and the federal authorities in regaining peace for us. Their efforts have made meaningful impact. They have shown the extent of what is possible when a people unite for a common cause. "It is in recognition of these notable contributions that we have organized this rally in the aftermath of the defeat of Boko Haram in with the capture of the terror group's "We were all personally in Sambisa to see for ourselves. We realize that Boko Haram fighters are fleeing after their loss in Sambisa Forest. We also know that instead of accepting their defeat, they are attempting lone attacks that they intend would be misconstrued for their group still being potent. "This is why we believe that it is time to activate the citizens' component in the war on terrorism and this is because we believe that the population should step in now that the military has done the larger part of the work. "We realized that after being blocked from buying vital military equipment for fighting the anti-terror war, our military was able to adapt homegrown solutions and still went on to have the upper hand over Boko Haram. Other countries are now studying the Nigerian approach in their quest to defeat terrorists. Peterside made this known in a statement by his Media Team in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. He said that Odesanyas death came at a time when the state and Nigeria needed his professional competence and managerial capability. Thevdirector-general said that the demise of police commissioner has robbed Nigeria of a fine officer and gentleman, who rose through the ranks before being posted to Rivers to help curtail the activities of criminals. Indeed, our state and the entire nation have lost a fine officer and gentleman who weathered it through the ranks to the position he held before his death. His loss becomes more painful considering his efforts at checkmating the dangerous activities of criminals in Rivers State, he said. He condole with the Inspector-General of Police and Police Service Commission over the unfortunate loss. This is indeed a big loss and sad one to the Police, Rivers and Nigeria. He contributed to the corporate existence of Nigeria and fought several criminal elements in the society to ensure that we are able to move around freely and go about our normal duties. For the few months he has been in Rivers State, he showed the attributes of a good leader, who is ready to lead from the front and provide direction for the rank and file, he added. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two sides, however, agreed that the effective date of the new salary structure would be in March. ALSO READ: Fayemi drags Fayose's spokesman to court over alleged libel Fayose, speaking at the end of the meeting, said that the delay in endorsing the agreement was a result of the financial constraints facing the state. We dont take welfare of our workers for granted, and we have been doing our best in that regard. We would have started paying before now, but due to the financial constraints we are facing in the state. Though, we ought to have done this before now, it is better late than never; we have agreed to start paying it by March this year. By the grace of God, we will keep to our promise. We hope that our doctors and workers generally will put up more efforts and deliver better and qualitative services to our people, Fayose said. In his remarks, Dr Sunday Omoya, the state Chairman of NMA, commended the state government for approving the new salary structure for doctors in the state. We have been on this issue for some months and we are happy that it has been resolved; the CONMESS is being paid at the federal level and in some states. Dasuki has been on trial for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for the purchase of arms for the military to wage war against Boko Haram. According to Punch, Fayose called on the Federal Government to let Nigerians watch Dasukis trial on national television. The Ekiti state Governor also said if the trial of the NSA is televised, Nigerians will knoe how he spent the money meant for purchase of weapons. Fayose said the plan to bring in a witness with a hood shows the government has a hidden agaenda. He also said Since the names of the would-be prosecution witnesses have already been made public, what agenda is the Federal Government pursuing by insisting that its witnesses be given protection by the court by not allowing their names and addresses to be made public in the course of the trial. You accused someone of corruption in the market place and the person you accused is saying he wants to defend himself in the market place too, but you, the complainant, is insisting that the accused person must be tried in your bedroom, I think someone is trying to hide something? Adding that They want Nnamdi Kanu tried secretly. They also want the former Col. Dasuki (retd.) tried secretly. What are they afraid of? How is the defence counsel going to cross-examine masked witnesses when their real identities cannot be ascertained? Why are the witnesses afraid to testify in an open court if truly they are witnesses of truth? Obviously, this is satanic. It is against all democratic norms and Nigerians must rise against it. The review of the tax policy was announced by the minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun at the Presidential Villa after a council meeting which was chaired by the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo. Adeosun said What the committee has shown is that we should look at actually increasing VAT on some luxury items. With VAT of five per cent, we have the lowest VAT. While we dont think VAT should be increased on basic items, if you are going to drink champagne in the United Kingdom, the VAT is 20 per cent; so, why should it be five per cent in Nigeria? So, they have made recommendations that we should pull out some luxury items and increase VAT on those items immediately. And I think that is a very valid and sensible suggestion, which we are going to talk to the National Assembly about to see how we can implement it. But as far as basic goods are concerned, no. I believe it is only fair that when you consume luxury goods, you should pay a little bit more. The National Assembly will decide the percentage. According to Punch, she added that The objectives of the revised policy included to guide the operation and review of the tax system; provide the basis for future tax legislation and administration; provide clarity on the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders; and standard benchmark on which they would be held accountable. The minister also told newsmen that the enforcement of the revised policy will start immediately, adding that the National Assembly will also be required to help in changing the laws in-line with the recent policy. "Statistics show that 112 persons died from that incident and 97 others were wounded," said the head of Nigeria's counter-insurgency operations, Major General Lucky Irabor. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has previously said the death toll from the incident in Rann, Borno state, on January 17, was 90 and could be as high as 170. The chairman of the Kala-Balge local government area, in which Rann is located, went further, telling reporters 234 people had been buried and two more had died in hospital. But Irabor told a news conference in the state capital, Maiduguri, had made a mistake. An air force board of inquiry has been set up to look into the circumstances of the strike, which was meant to target Boko Haram fighters allegedly in the Rann area. Irabor told reporters a raid by Boko Haram fighters on Rann the day after the bombing, which happened during food distribution for the displaced, showed they were in the vicinity. Mr Asuquo Antai, Operations Controller of DPR in the state told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Yenagoa that the directorate had intensified surveillance and increased its patrols. NAN reports that some dealers dispense petrol at N160 against the approved price of between N140 and N145 per litre. Antai said an additional patrol team was recently introduced to reach every part of the state in a bid to keep a tab on filling stations. The operation controller said that the step became necessary following the decision of some marketers to exploit members of the public by increasing the pump price of petrol. We want to emphasise to petrol marketers that we will not tolerate profiteering." The marketers want to increase the price of petrol due to pressure on ex-depot prices, but we insist that the market is a regulated one and government has not reviewed the price of petrol." We are also aware that prices at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depots have remained the same." Some marketers lift from there and claim that they bought from private depots at higher prices." We have met with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAM) officials in Bayelsa and they have complained that products arrive in the depots above the ex-depot prices of N136." They explained that the pressure on price was eroding their margins and eating into their profits." We have advised them to discourage profiteering by not sourcing the products at exorbitant prices because we cannot allow anyone to sell above N145. Antai said that the DPR in Bayelsa would not stand akimbo while petrol dealers were exploiting members of the public who were already challenged by the recession. I advise fuel dealers to patronise the NNPC depots where products are loaded at government approved rates." Alhaji Haliru Jikantro, the states Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen after the Executive Council meeting in Minna. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 12 local governments are yet to pay workers salaries for months despite the bailout fund released to them. The councils are Agaie, Bida, Bosso, Gbako, Katcha, Lapai, Lavun, Chanchanga, Mokwa, Paikoro, Shiroro and Suleja. Jikantro disclosed that the state government had released N748 million; N778 million; N2.1 billion and N575 million respectively for payment of workers July, August, November and December salaries arrears. He said additional N1.7 billion was also released to local governments in the state to offset outstanding salaries of councillors in the state. ALSO READ: Niger Gov institutes panel to investigate Pandogari religious disturbance According to him, Bello has directed that a committee of inquiry be set for all local government chairmen to appear to ascertain if the money for payment of salaries was released to them or not. For months now, the major problem bordering local governments is the issue of their inability to pay salaries of workers despite the money released to them from the state government as bail out. The Ministry for Local Government claimed the monies were released. This committee will investigate and tell who the defaulter is, he said. Ajagbe said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna on Thursday, that the children, from Paiyi, Gino and Geni villages, were previously engaged in hawking and manual jobs in rural markets. We spent several days educating their parents on the importance of girl-child education and what they intend to benefit if they allow their children to receive western education." It was very hectic. We partnered with religious leaders of the two major religions in sensitising parents to allow their children to be educated." We have to bear the cost of school uniforms, exercise books and we have to employ two teachers to compliment the efforts of the Community Primary School in Geno." We paid the teachers N200,000 for a period of one year to ensure academic excellence among the children." We have already notified the relevant authorities on the need to take over the community primary school and construct additional classrooms." We have adopted a religion-based approach in reaching out to parents to allow their children receive western education, the coordinator said. Ajagbe said that the Assistant Coordinator of the organisation, Pastor Funke Kolajo, has being reaching out to pastors and imams to educate their followers on the importance of educating children. Ibori who governed the oil rich State between 1999 and 2007, was released from a United Kingdom jail last December after serving a concurrent 13-year jail term for money laundering. A Southwark Crown Court jailed Ibori on April 17, 2012. Ibori had pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. Ibori perpetrated fraud to the tune of $50M. In a recent interview with the BBC's Mark Easton, Ibori outlined what's in store for him as an uncertain future beckons.... 1. Ibori will appeal his conviction He may have been convicted for stealing from Nigeria and Delta State, but Ibori still thinks he's been kept behind bars unjustly. "Yes, I am planning to appeal my conviction", Ibori said. ALSO READ: Delta State prepares criminal for Senate in 2019 He added that he's instructed his lawyers to put together documents to appeal his conviction. "I have instructed my solicitors (to appeal)", he said with a straight face. 2. He won't want to discuss why he's appealing a conviction that found him guilty "You are appealing against a conviction you were found guilty of?", Easton asked Ibori, because it doesn't make sense to anyone. Ibori nodded before adding that; "Again, I really dont want to discuss that". The man is certainly up to something again. 3. Ibori has missed home so badly Ibori's hometown of Oghara in Delta State, went into wild jubilation when news of his release became public knowledge late last year. It's good to know that the feeling is mutual. Right now, Ibori just wants to return to the waiting arms of his folks back home who still consider him a hero. "The next step for me is to go home", Ibori announced with barely concealed glee. "I want to go home very soon. As soon as possible...as soon as is practicable. I am a free man now". Duh! 4. Ibori is keeping date of his return close to his chest Easton did his best to get a date out of Ibori as it concerns the latter's homecoming. "Days or weeks?" the journalist inquired. "Days", Ibori answered, without offering more...without offering specifics. The United States and China will fight a war within the next ten years over islands in the South China Sea, and theres no doubt about that. At the same time, the US will be in another major war in the Middle East. Those are the views nine months ago at least of one of the most powerful men in Donald Trumps administration, Steve Bannon, the former head of far-right news website Breitbart who is now chief strategist at the White House. ..... According to Punch, the former warlords said this at a meeting with the leaders of the Niger Delta Peace Campaign for Development Network. An ex-militant, Abiodun Edah, formerly called General Abiodun said The idea of giving peace a chance is a welcome development. But I believe that if the Federal Government and NDDC are serious about developing the region, they must involve us. Apart from the ex-agitators, youths and community leaders must be carried along if we are to achieve peace in the region. When the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, was there, he partnered with us to watch over waterways and other surveillance contracts. Another fighter, Tommy Dore said We are in support of any peace move in Niger Delta. If the President (Muhammadu Buhari) is visiting the region, all leaders, including the community leaders, should be invited. The NDDC should allow everybody to benefit from any empowerment programme such as skills acquisition, scholarship and the rest of them. The issue of filling these positions and opportunities with the names of their family members and relatives should stop because there is the need to reposition the NDDC. He also called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure that their empowerment programs touch the lives of everyone in the region. THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER Stockbrokers N10 billion scandal rocks stock market Industry regulators are currently struggling to restore investors confidence in the capital market, following what stakeholders described as poor handling of infractions and enforcement of discipline among operators. FG approves new national tax policy, sets up panel on rising food prices The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new National Tax Policy for the country. The policy is expected to guide the operation and review of the nations tax system and provide the basis for future tax legislation and administration. Foreign reserves hit $28b, CBN warns banks over failed settlements Nigerias foreign reserves have grown to $28.12 billion, according to the latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for January 2017. The reserves fell to $23.95 billion in October 2016, stoking fears among foreign investors on the countrys ability to settle dollar-denominated obligations in the midst of falling crude oil prices. VANGUARD NEWSPAPER RECESSION: Foreign investment inflow down by $4.5bn in 2016 There were indications that foreign investors largely shunned Nigerias economy in 2016 as foreign investment inflow dipped by $4.52 billion to $5.12 billion, the lowest in nine years, according to data released, yesterday, by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS. Okorocha should keep quiet when serious govs are talking Obiano THE verbal war between Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and his Anambra State counterpart, Chief Willie Obiano, took another dimension yesterday, with Governor Obiano telling Okorocha to keep quiet when serious governors are talking because he (Okorocha) has nothing to offer.Onnoghen: Presidency warns against blackmail, says Buhari has done nothing wrong THE Presidency, Wednesday has warned some Nigerians against capitalizing on the delayed transmission of the name of Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen to the Senate to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari. THE NATION NEWSPAPER Buharis power sector revival pill sparks crisis More than one year after the African Development Bank (ADB) approved $174 loan to tackle Nigerias power crisis, the cash remains in the lenders vaults. Fed Govt sets up panel to bring down food prices The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday set up a committee, which will suggest ways of reducing food prices. The committee is expected to submit a report to the Council next Wednesday. Forex trading: CBN to suspend defaulting banks for eight weeks The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has tightened its operational guidelines on foreign exchange (forex) trading among banks and other authorised dealers. THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER Arms cash: Obanikoro returns N30m, to pay N417m A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has returned a fresh sum of N30m to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with a promise to pay a balance of N417m, The PUNCH can confirm. FG to raise VAT on champagne, other luxury items The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the revised National Tax Policy. The policy will see the Value Added Tax on luxury items, like champagne, increasing from the current five per cent, among other changes. Worst leadership is in the church, says Adeboye Titled "Omugwo," "Roti" and "Tribunal," the movies will be filmed back to back and released in 2017, beginning from the first quarter of the year. Originally planned as television productions, the films will explore the traditional channels of exhibitions save for DVD. They will make their debut with an April 2017 cinema release, screen at festivals, before making their debut on Africa Magic channels. ALSO READ: undefined The three films feature A-list stars including Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Kate Henshaw, Nobert Young, Toyin Oshinaike, Fathia Balogun, Dari Afolayan, Funsho Adeolu, Ade Laoye, Omowunmi Dada, Damilola Ogunsi, Ayo Adesanya, Yaw and Gloria Anozie Young among others. Currently on set of "Roti," the movie stars Kunle Afolayan alongside Kate Henshaw, Toyin Oshinaike, Fathia Balogun and Dari Afolayan. The movie tells the story of how, years after a couple loses their son called Roti to a brief illness, the wife sees a boy called Juwon who is an exact replica of her dead son. After discovering that Juwon is not a reincarnation of Roti, she is washed anew by grief and soon descends into depression and consequent hysteria. ALSO READ: undefined In "Tribunal", Jimi Disu, a man in his fifties, is one of the bright- minded lawyers who co-establish a leading law firm in Lagos many years ago. However, he lost his sense of direction and strength after being hit by a series of personal challenges that question his resolve as a man. He becomes a charge and bail lawyer with no further ambition. Approached by a young, enthusiastic, fresh law school graduate, Tanimowo (who adores him for the stature of his legendary pedigree as a lawyer), to defend her friend, an albino, who has been unfairly relieved of his duties at work, Jimi Disu is presented a chance to battle his old law firm. Tribunal stars Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde, Funsho Adeolu, Nobert Young, Ade Laoye, and Damilola Ogunsi. ALSO READ: undefined "Omigwo" which is the third film stars Ayo Adesanya, Yaw, Gloria Anozie Young and Omowunmi Dada. The movie tells the story of Omotunde, a young Yoruba civil engineer, married to Raymond, an Igbo man. Coloured by different cultural backgrounds, drama ensues when Raymonds mother, Chimanda, insists on performing Umogwo, an Igbo cultural practice by which the mother of one of the couples lives with the couple for a period of time to relieve the nursing mother of the pressures of convalescing and baby care. Dabang also said that the party is becoming more attractive to Nigerians because of President Muhammadu Buharis achievements. He made the comments during an interview in Jos, the state capital. Before 2019, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole would become a shadow of itself because no serious politician would want to waste his time in a crisis-ridden party, he said according to The Tribune. APC governments, both at the state and federal levels, have performed tremendously well in the past one and half year. The party has performed so well that any serious politician would certainly want to identify with, he added. With all of this publicity, it is easy to assume that we know everything about the founder of the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide. However, this is not the case as there is still so much to find out about the clergyman. Here are nine things you probably don't know about controversial Man of God, nicknamed: The Oracle. 1. He was born in Benin, capital of Edo state and no one knows the exact date of his birth. 2. His father was a Muslim, while his mother was a Christian: The difference in faith, along with other issues eventually led to the separation of his parents. 3. He was destined to be a preacher: A few days after Suleman was born, some prophets from Warri in Delta state visited them with a prophecy. The prophecy was that he would become a minister. 4. His mother was a police officer and a disciplinarian: He revealed this in an interview with Encomium, saying, My mother laid down the rule that you must be home by 6 pm. If you come home at 7pm, she would open the door for you. Then, she was in the police force. She would open the door and spray teargas into the room. Thats where youd be locked up and youd be battling till the morning to breathe. She was very tough. You can only think of getting out of the room if you can find your way to the door. It was a horrible experience. But now, I am happy that I went through that training. She had instilled discipline in us but then I didnt like my mother. When I went to my fathers house, we were free to do all sorts of corrupt things. As a young Muslim, I finished my Quran and did my Wolima. 5. He once belonged to a cult: According to The Cable, the preacher joined a cult because he was looking for acceptance. In his words, I was a dignified cultist. I am from a home of separated parents. My parents had some issues. Any child from a home like that is bound to fall into the streets. So, I got into school and I wanted acceptance somewhere. Someone told me that there is something called brotherhood and that I would be accepted as a family member and I liked it. I didnt know there was a beating part and being taken to the bush. I didnt like that. But you have to go into it. What I always avoided then was the assignments. I was just like a floor member. I would go to meetings and when assigned to do something and I couldnt, I had to look for someone to do it and pay for it. I was not really happy but I was there. 6. He initially hated Christianity: Thanks to his father's influence, the younger Suleman thought all Christians were insincere, thus he disliked the religion. 7. He received his calling in 1989: According to him, he had a divine intervention that changed the course of his life. I went to bed in December 24, and I woke up on December 26. I didnt see Christmas day. I slept all through. In the midst of that, I was seeing hell, heaven and a voice told me that I was going to be a preacher. I woke up and went to meet a Mallam and he said I should go and do some recitations. But when I went back, I felt beaten," he said. This eventually led to the establishment of his church in 2004. 8. His greatest achievement is God: In an interview with Vanguard, he said, "As for the achievements, we have several daily, weekly, monthly, yearly achievements but the greatest of it all is that we have the Most High God with us in all our ways." 9. His biggest challenge is the flesh and the devil: Also speaking with Vanguard, he said, Men of God called to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in truth cannot be separated from having challenges in their various assignments as challenges are part of the call. The general challenge in respective of the call is the flesh and the devil. If these two things are removed, there wont be any challenge." Apostle Suleman was recently all over the news for telling his security to kill Fulani herdsmen in a viral video. This attracted the attention of the Department of State Services (DSS), who invited him to their Abuja office after their initial attempt to get him was foiled by Ayodele Fayose, the governor of Ekiti state. The meeting, which held on January 30, 2017, went well, according to sources at the DSS office. "We reminded him that he commands a huge following and some persons could take his comments literally. We also told him that some persons could take the laws into their hands based on his comments. It was a peaceful meeting and the Pastor agreed with most of what we said. It wasn't an interrogation. It was an interaction. He told us that information made available to him indicated that Fulani herdsmen were planning to attack his Church. He said he was frustrated that the government didn't seem to be doing enough to ward off the incessant attacks from the herdsmen around Southern Kaduna. We just told him to be careful because his followers cut across Christianity and Islam. It was a heart-to-heart session," an anonymous DSS source said. Suleman later took to his Twitter account to write, Just finished with the DSS, they were professional it is well. I appreciate everyone who showed love. Still in awe! Love you all immensely. May God fight your battles in Jesus name. Still amazed. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Mohammed Maitura made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lapai on Thursday. He said that the plan would focus largely on developing digital and ICT infrastructure for teaching and learning. Maitura added that the plan was also geared towards developing municipal facilities such as hostels, auditoriums and lecture theatres. He explained that the plan would ensure constant power supply and provision of good drinking water to the campuses of the university. The VC said that already a body charged with the responsibility of implementing the development plan had been constituted. Merkel will also meet Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Turkish opposition figures during the sensitive one-day visit to Ankara, which has caused controversy at home and in Turkey. Merkel arrived in Ankara in the early afternoon and headed to talks with Erdogan at his palace, with both sides expected to make a statement afterwards. The relationship between the two NATO allies has been battered in the last months by a series of rows in the wake of the July 15 failed coup aimed at ousting Erdogan. Berlin has repeatedly expressed unease over the extent of the crackdown that has seen some 43,000 people arrested in the wake of the putsch, under a state of emergency that has now lasted over half a year. Erdogan, meanwhile, has vented his exasperation that Germany has not responded to requests for the extradition of hundreds of suspects linked to the coup, the Kurdish militant movement and the ultra-left. The number of asylum requests made to Germany from Turkish citizens has shot up from 1,700 in 2015 to 5,700 in 2016, likely due to the crackdown after the coup. Last week it was reported that 40 Turkish soldiers stationed at NATO bases had asked Berlin for asylum, with Turkey pressing for the bids to be rejected. While Germany has expressed alarm over an alleged deterioration of press freedom in Turkey, Ankara wants Berlin to hand over the former opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper's editor-in-chief Can Dundar who escaped the country after the coup. Dundar has founded a new anti-Erdogan news portal in Germany -- Ozguruz (We Are Free) -- and been received as an honoured guest by officials including President Joachim Gauck. Referendum looming The visit is all the more sensitive with Erdogan planning a referendum in April on new powers that critics say will create one-man rule. Merkel faces elections at home in September where policy on Turkey will be a key issue. Germany is home to some three million people of Turkish origin, the biggest population of Turks in the world outside Turkey. The controversy over Ankara's post-coup crackdown has dealt a new blow to its long-running EU membership bid, although Berlin has stopped short of backing Austrian calls for the entire process to be halted. Merkel will also want to press Turkey to keep implementing a deal that has so far successfully reduced migrant flows to Europe, despite threats by Erdogan to walk away from it due to a failure to fulfill a pledge to grant Turks visa-free travel. Reports have also said Ankara is irritated that German surveillance planes operating from its Incirlik air base close to Syria are not handing over intelligence relating to Kurdish militia. Merkel's visit will be her first to Turkey since the coup, after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held prickly talks in Ankara in November. With the hugely controversial constitutional referendum looming in April, the visit has not been universally welcomed in Turkey, with opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu saying he was disappointed in Merkel. "She could say that Turkey must improve its democratic standards and a separation of powers is the backbone of the highest democratic standards," he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. Merkel was due to meet Kilicdaroglu and figures from the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) whose co-leaders are under arrest. Opposition figures in Germany have also suggested Merkel should not be meeting Erdogan as he is presiding over the crackdown. For the second straight night crowds hit the streets in other cities across the country -- including in Timisoara, cradle of the 1989 revolution. The HotNews website said the Bucharest demo was the biggest for 25 years. Romania's left-wing government under the Social Democrats (PSD) has only been in office a few weeks after bouncing back in elections on December 11, barely a year since mass protests forced them from office. In the emergency decree issued late Tuesday, the government decriminalised certain corruption offences and made abuse of power punishable by jail only if it results in a monetary loss of more than 44,000 euros ($47,500). The government had remained silent since Tuesday evening, but on Wednesday Justice Minister Florin Iordache wrote on his Facebook page that there was "nothing secret, illegal or immoral" about the emergency decree. Bucharest said it is putting legislation in line with the constitution. But critics say the main beneficiary will be PSD leader Liviu Dragnea, currently on trial for alleged abuse of power, as well as other left-wing politicians. Dragnea, 54, is already barred from office because of a two-year suspended jail sentence for voter fraud handed down last year. His abuse-of-power trial, which began on Tuesday, concerns 24,000 euros. Another initiative, which Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu will submit to parliament, will see around 2,500 people serving sentences of less than five years for non-violent crimes released from prison. The government said that this will reduce overcrowding in jails but critics say that, again, the main beneficiaries will be the many officials and politicians ensnared in a major anti-corruption drive of recent years. 'Scandalous' The anti-corruption push even saw Romania make history in 2015 when then-Prime Minister Victor Ponta went on trial over alleged tax evasion and money laundering, charges he denies. Only last week the European Commission commended the efforts of ex-communist Romania, which joined the European Union together with neighbouring Bulgaria in 2007 as the bloc's two poorest members. But this week's latest move set off alarm bells in Brussels, with European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker and his deputy Frans Timmermans issuing a joint statement expressing "deep concern" on Wednesday. "The fight against corruption needs to be advanced, not undone," they said. "The Commission warns against backtracking and will look thoroughly at the emergency ordinance... in this light." Centre-right President Klaus Iohannis, elected in 2014 on an anti-graft platform and a sharp critic of Dragnea, on Wednesday called the decree "scandalous" and moved to invoke the constitutional court. jpegMpeg4-1280x720Both decrees were published earlier this month, sparking protests last Sunday that drew 40,000 people including 20,000 in the capital, and more than 15,000 a week earlier. The laws have been heavily criticised by several Romanian officials and institutions, including the attorney general, the anti-corruption chief prosecutor the president of the high court. "I am outraged. The PSD won the elections but that doesn't mean they can sneakily change the penal code in the middle of the night," said protester Gabriela State, 46. The meeting with rightwing Orban -- who has called for lifting the European Union's punitive measures against Russia -- is Putin's first visit to Europe since the election of Donald Trump as US president rocked the continent. The Kremlin is hoping Trump's rise to power will begin to see pressure on it ease after relations with the West slumped to their lowest point since the Cold War over Russia's meddling in Ukraine. Eurosceptic Orban -- one of the few leaders to publicly support Trump -- enjoys close ties with Putin but has yet to break ranks with the EU and formally oppose sanctions that have battered the Russian economy since their introduction in 2014. But analysts say Trump's ascendancy and the wave of populism sweeping across Europe could embolden the two strongmen leaders to push even further now. "Hungary has already criticised the sanctions against Moscow but has never officially voted against them," said Andras Deak of the Institute of World Economics at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. "That could change: Orban will take a step closer to Putin in terms of rhetoric due to change in the international context." EU sanctions -- targeting key sectors of the Russian economy -- were extended in December until the end of July this year, despite some nations increasingly questioning their impact. For Brussels, maintaining unity on Russia sanctions may now be forced to take a backseat as fears mount that Trump's policies pose a major threat to the EU and nationalist parties gear up for elections in the Netherlands, France, Germany. 'Personal ties' The Kremlin has said that the visit "bears witness to the personal ties and confidence" between Orban and Putin. The pair have met at least once in each of the past six years and Orban was the first European leader to welcome Putin after his annexation of the Black Sea Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. The Russian leader now wishes to make a show of his "support for a country that has been pushing for better ties with the lifting of sanctions," Moscow-based political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov said. Ahead of the visit Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov said talks would focus on "developing economic ties" between the two countries that have been hit by the Ukraine measures. Putin and Orban will discuss Russia's planned expansion of Hungary's only nuclear power plant and other energy issues, with Budapest highly dependent on Russian gas imports. Construction of the two 1,200 megawatt reactors at the Paks plant outside Budapest is considered a strategic project by Prime Minister Viktor Orban but is viewed sceptically by the opposition and the European Commission. The White House quickly denied reports that the move constituted an "easing" of pressure on Russia by the new administration of President Donald Trump. "I haven't eased anything," Trump said during a meeting with executives of motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson. The previous Barack Obama administration slapped a total ban on Americans' transactions with the FSB on December 29 in retaliation for alleged Russian interference in the US elections. The Treasury ruled Thursday, however, that US importers in Russia who are required to obtain FSB permissions for certain imports for sale to Russian entities -- not to the FSB -- would be able to do so. Specifically they are allowed to pay the FSB up to $5,000 a year in fees for the permissions. The ruling does not in itself permit any specific sales of US goods to Russia; certain technology goods are already tightly restricted under US rules. Doug Jacobson of Washington trade law office Jacobson Burton Kelly PLLC called the move "a very minor issue." It "allows US companies to obtain licenses and approvals from FSB to import certain software and IT equipment containing encryption into Russia," he said on Twitter. "This does not permit sales to FSB. Only allows US persons to deal with FSB to obtain permits to import such items into Russia." The Trump administration has been expected to attempt to reset relations with Russia after they sank to the lowest level in decades under Obama, in part due to Moscow's support for embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russia's 2014 invasion and annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. CAMANCHE, Iowa Police are investigating the death of a 22-year-old man who was found shot on the street of a small town in eastern Iowa. An autopsy was scheduled Thursday on the body of Nicholas Jordan Luskey. Police in Camanche say they received a call Wednesday of shots fired in a residential neighborhood. Officers found Luskey lying near a vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, where he was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon. Investigators didn't release any information about who is suspected of shooting Luskey. In a statement, the Division of Criminal Investigation said the shooting was believed to be "an isolated incident" and that the public isn't in danger. Many friends took to Facebook to share memories of Luskey. Bettendorf residents filled into the high school's Performing Arts Center on Wednesday to voice concerns over the Bettendorf School Board's construction plans for the district's elementary schools. At the end of the special work session, the board voted 4-3 to spend $16.7 million to build a new school at the Grant Wood Elementary site, 1423 Hillside Dr. That move pleased many in the audience of about 200 people. Essentially, the residents wanted all school buildings to stay open in Bettendorf, with improvements made to each elementary school. There was definite agreement to avoid closing any of the six elementary schools. Mike Lansing, Bettendorf, called several similarly sized districts before attending the meeting to ask about elementary renovations. In Ames and Iowa City, schools had been renovated, he said, no matter what year the structure was built. Jim Farber, Bettendorf, worried about soil samples that have been taken. While the final results are not yet known, officials read a summary of the sites at Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain elementary schools, and at Meier Park, a possible location for a new building. The park, which used to be a landfill, is a "not very desirable location from the soil standpoint," the report read. Farber said all elementary schools should be improved, across the district. Jennifer Aanestad has four children in the schools, and said that Grant Wood is "busting at the seams." She prefers that teacher/student ratios be lowered in Bettendorf, she said, rather than erecting a new building with lots of "bells and whistles." Katherine Boehm lives in northern Bettendorf, and her children are bused to Grant Wood school. She said Grant Wood is a neighborhood school, even to those who are not directly in its vicinity. After the board voted, however, Boehm said she will believe there will be a new school after the work actually starts, noting the board has spent too much time making a decision on the projects. Michelle Lindquist, Bettendorf, said all schools should be kept open in Bettendorf. Meier Park is an unsafe place to build a school, she added. The work session started with a presentation by the designers, Legat Architects, Moline. The project will be built by Estes Construction, with Pete Perez representing the Davenport firm at the meeting. Board member Mike Pyevich questioned the need for a new school, and suggested if one is built, it should be at a site in north Bettendorf. The "21st century learning center," a goal of the district's building committee, is not necessarily tied to better educational outcomes, Pyevich said. "We're teaching kids, and while I don't want to do that in a dilapidated slum, we also don't need the shiniest, newest school in town," he said. Pyevich said if a new school is built, it should be a four-section school north of 53rd Avenue in Bettendorf. Grant Wood could be renovated at its central-city site, and one other elementary could be closed, in the future. Voting to allocate $16.7 million for a new Grant Wood school were Paul Castro, Pepper Trahan, Betsy Justis and Gordon Staley. Voting against the project were Pyevich, Stacey Struck and Scott Tinsman. DES MOINES A bipartisan group of senators Wednesday supported legislation to regulate rather than eliminate traffic enforcement cameras but still questioned whether the state was going too far in usurping local control of siting and revenue decisions. Members of the Senate Transportation Committee voted 12-1 to send a bill to the Senate debate calendar that would subject fixed and mobile camera deployments to state approval and direct profits to infrastructure improvements within the jurisdictions operating cameras that issue revenue-generating tickets. Senate Study Bill 1019 also requires signs at approved camera locations, weekly calibration of electronic traffic monitoring equipment, peace officer review of citations that are issued and capped civil penalties so they do not exceed the existing fine schedule for speeding violations under state law. The amended measure also would "grandfather" cameras at locations approved by the state Department of Transportation before Jan. 1 of this year. "I do think this is a marked improvement over the current situation," said Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Waterloo, the only committee member who opposed the bill on grounds that it was putting state elected officials and bureaucrats in the position of making decisions best left to local officials. Sen. Tony Bisignano, D-Des Moines, expressed concern that revenue generated from citations issued for speeding or red-light violations could not be used to support local public safety operations, which he called "a terrible intrusion on home rule." "We're telling them where they can put their cameras, then we're going to tell them how to spend their money. Why don't we just do a bill to get rid of city councils?" said Bisignano, who thought the impetus of the bill was "a little bit of chatter" from people who got tickets for breaking the law. "You've got people who just disregard the law, risk other people's lives, and that's who we're protecting in this room. Why? Why are we protecting law-breakers and people that put our families and ourselves at risk because somebody got a ticket for going 11 miles an hour over the speed limit?" he asked. Sen. Dan Zumbach, R-Ryan, the bill's manager, said the measure attempted to balance citizen liberties with public safety while addressing citizen concerns that some of the cameras appear to be more about revenue than focusing on high-crash or high-risk locations with documented safety needs. "I think it's a good move for safety on Iowa's roads," he said. Committee chairman Sen. Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, said the bill was designed to give an alternative to just deciding yes or no on traffic enforcement cameras. "I think there was a feeling in caucus that zero might not be the right answer," Zumbach said after the meeting. "All of us had second thoughts if zero really was the right answer, and so this opened the door for something other than that." Eventually, he expects majority Republicans would decide in caucus which approach best matched their philosophy regarding traffic cameras. Sen. Tod Bowman, D-Maquoketa, said he supported the revised bill because he thinks the electronic traffic enforcement devices do help prevent accidents and fatalities. "It's simple psychology. If you know there's going to be a punishment, you're going to change your behavior," he said. "If you don't mind losing money, it won't matter if you speed or not." Yes, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Yep, according to his handlers, that means six more weeks of winter. Here in the Quad-Cities it will be be an afternoon of mostly sunshine so maybe you'll be able to see your shadow, too. Here is the latest forecast for the region from the National Weather Service. This afternoon it will be mostly sunny with a high near 25 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 13 degrees. Friday will be mostly cloudy then gradually becoming sunny with a high near 28 degrees and a low around 14 degrees. Don't panic, still plenty of bacon despite demand An insatiable demand for bacon depleted frozen pork belly supplies in the U.S. to a record low level for December, but the pork industry is confident it can keep up with demand and avoid any serious shortages. Bottom line: A pound of bacon may cost a little more as winter wears on, but prices should stabilize by summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last week that pork bellies in cold storage fell to 17.7 million pounds last month, the lowest December inventory since records began in 1957. In comparison, more than 52.3 million pounds of pork bellies the cut of the hog from which bacon is derived remained in storage in December 2015. Pork bellies are usually stockpiled in freezers at the end of the year and the first few months of the next year to get through the summer peak months when bacon consumption is highest. This season, bacon demand was high enough that fresh pork bellies were used as quickly as they were produced, leaving significantly less meat to store. Prices at the wholesale level already are showing an increase. The popularity of bacon has increased as the pork industry has figured out new ways to sell the product. To keep pace with increased pork demand, the industry is building at least four new processing plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Michigan in the next few years. The variety of bacon treats has soared in recent years to include delicacies such as jalapeno bacon, bacon apple pie, doughnuts with bacon and chocolate chocolate-covered slices, said Brooks Reynolds, an Iowa commercial insurance agent who created the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, which attracts more than 10,000 bacon enthusiasts to Des Moines. "People will pay what it costs to buy bacon because they love it," he said. Demand also has increased as bacon has become an ingredient in menu options at restaurants including Subway and Bruegger's Bagels, and as McDonald's started selling breakfast all day. For bacon (and beer) lovers in the Quad-Cities ... Before you gorge on Super Bowl cuisine, start snacking at the annual Bacon and Beer Festival, slated for 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. Along with bacon dishes served up from are eateries such as Front Street Brewery and The Starting Line, you'll find the best brews from Great River Brewery, Backpocket Brewing, Green Tree Brewery and more. The fest, which started in Fargo, North Dakota, arrived in Davenport three years ago. For tickets, $25, and more information, visit baconandbeerfestivals.com. Don't leave purses in vehicles, police warn The Bettendorf Police Department on its Facebook page is warning the public about three incidents Wednesday where purses were stolen from vehicles while their owners were getting their children from day care facilities. Police advise drivers to keep their valuables locked up and/or out of view if left in a vehicle. If anyone sees or have seen anyone in or around vehicles that isn't picking up children, call Bettendorf police at (563) 344-4015 to report the incident and provide a description. Metal objects in some cans prompt Skoal tobacco recall Some varieties of Skoal, Copenhagen, Cope and Husky brand smokeless tobacco are being voluntarily recalled amid complaints of metal objects, some of them sharp, being spotted in cans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says all of the recalled products were manufactured at U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company's facility in Franklin Park, Illinois. The FDA says the company initiated the recall after getting eight consumer complaints about the metal objects in six states. The FDA says the object was visible in each case and there have been no reports of injury. A full list of the recalled products is on the FDA's website. The agency says anyone who has one of the recalled cans can return it for a refund. Hey, Republicans: Ready to take him literally yet? Two days after the election, I spoke with Grover Norquist, a conservative tax activist who had made peace with the prospect of a Trump presidency. Expressing confidence that Donald Trump wouldn't attempt the crazier promises made during the campaign, Norquist said Trump's supporters knew to take him "seriously, but not literally." Wrong! That hope comforted Republican officeholders and members of the establishment when they reluctantly embraced Trump during the general election. They averted their collective gaze when Trump made scapegoats of minorities, yielded to reckless impulses and exhibited authoritarian tendencies. Now Trump is president and -- who knew? -- he is making scapegoats of minorities, giving in to reckless impulses and governing with an authoritarian style. Trump said as a candidate that he would ban Muslims from traveling to the United States. Now he has done it, even if he doesn't use the term. Rudy Giuliani, explaining the new executive order, told Fox News that Trump assigned him the task of finding a "legal" way to have a "Muslim ban." And the son of national security adviser Mike Flynn praised the "Muslim ban" on Twitter before deleting his account. Likewise, Trump displayed a disregard for the courts during the campaign, threatening to take revenge on a judge, to sic the Justice Department on his opponents. Meeting with senators, he didn't know how many articles the Constitution contained. And now? The Trump White House is raising doubts about whether it needs to obey court orders. After parts of the travel-ban order were blocked by federal judges, Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller declared that the order "remains in full, complete and total effect." During the campaign, Trump often disparaged intelligence agencies for their "bad decisions." He said "I know more about ISIS than the generals do" and claimed generals had been "reduced to rubble." Now he has orchestrated what amounts to a coup at the National Security Council. Out: the director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who no longer will attend all meetings of the committee that handles top-level decisions. Instead, political adviser Steve Bannon will serve on the committee. Trump at every opportunity said he would build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it. He spoke often of tariffs on Mexico and specifically suggested a 35 percent tariff on certain imports. Last week -- surprise! -- the White House floated a 20 percent tariff on goods from Mexico to pay for a border wall. Trump during the election dismissed concerns about Russia's meddling in the campaign, even urging Russia to hack Hillary Clinton's email. Now we have Sputnik news, controlled by the Russian government, comparing Trump to puppets of the Soviet Union and proposing that Moscow help Trump respond to protests by "deploying professional Russian journalists as temporary replacement for the Western employees." Trump is also proving himself to be the same temperamentally unsound figure who appeared on the campaign trail. He makes up extravagant falsehoods about voter fraud and crowd size and offers the absurd claim that his travel ban is "similar to what President Obama did." He has shown contempt for safeguards in the government, purging the State Department of top nonpartisan leadership. His White House kept Department of Homeland Security lawyers in the dark on the travel ban and then overrode their objections. He has continued to raise suspicion that he's driven by his financial interests, omitting from his travel ban several Muslim-majority countries where he does business. And he still shows disregard for detail, as seen in the administration's confusion about whether the travel ban covers those with green cards, and in an executive order on Obamacare that even opponents of the law warn could cause health-insurance markets to collapse before a replacement is available. Business leaders, including some previously friendly to Trump, have protested the travel ban, and some Republicans in Congress are opposing Trump on it, at least rhetorically. The Washington Post had counted 24 as of Monday who have opposed the order and 36 more with concerns. Meanwhile, as The Washington Post's Matea Gold and James Hohmann reported, conservative donors at the Koch network gathering last weekend condemned Trump's travel ban, and Charles Koch, who didn't get involved in the presidential campaign, warned of a "tremendous danger" of authoritarianism. Oh, so now they're worried? Many of these donors, like Republicans in Congress, chose not to take Trump literally during the campaign, looking away when presented with repeated warning signs. Now they have a serious problem -- as do we all. Traffic cameras the bane of libertarian-minded motor-heads is sitting shotgun in the Iowa Legislature. There's a sound bill running on reason and facts and another that speeds headlong into a fiery ideological crash. The motoring enthusiasts among us understand Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Brad Zaun's frustrations with the increasingly prevalent enforcement devices. Drivers allegedly blowing a traffic light or speeding down a highway never even get to face their accuser. Instead, a ticket shows up in the mail. So much for due process. Head to court and face the photos. Zaun's bill would end all that by banning traffic cameras statewide. There's also legitimate concerns about the purpose of traffic cameras in many instances. Cities throughout Iowa have realized they are a relatively cheap method of generating revenue without having to add more cops. There are few better ways to erode public trust in police than the monetization of law enforcement. Add to that a slew of questionable deals with the private firms that operate the systems, and Zaun's general aversion is easily justified. But not every traffic camera was installed simply as a cash-grab, a fact Iowa Department of Public Transportation admits. Many, including in Davenport, are demonstrably linked to fewer crashes at problematic intersections. It's a case local police chiefs and mayors have effectively made in defense of the oft-grumblesome technology. Zaun, R-Urbandale, hopes to put the hammer down. A better competing bill, authored by Senate Transportation Committee Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, isn't so fast and loose. Kapucian's legislation would finally provide state oversight over where traffic cameras are installed. Iowa DOT would approve locations, presumably based on crash and safety statistics. In effect, Kapucian's legislation would strip cities of the practice of setting up speed traps designed to pump money in to local coffers. Yet it wouldn't rob police of a tool that, the data show, has saved lives and money. Police chiefs from Iowa's largest cities are strongly backing Kapucian's approach. The oversight the bill provides is but one piece. It also would require the more than $10 million in fines collected annually to be used on infrastructure. In so doing, speed traps would no longer be a quick and easy way to plug holes in the city budget. Kapucian's started its journey Wednesday through the state Senate. Zaun's outright ban waits for a full vetting in the Judiciary Committee. But, already, it's obvious that Kapucian's compromise deals in the facts. Zaun's is a matter of political ideology. There's a legitimate argument about the constitutionality of traffic cameras. But they're yet to be successfully challenged. The questions about due process are a matter for the courts. So far, traffic cameras have a middling record at state-level courts throughout the country. Federal courts have yet to render a defining blow one way or another. Kapucian's legislation grapples with that reality. It correctly asserts that, in too many cases, traffic cameras have been abused. But it also acknowledges the technology's upside. Zaun's proposed ban lacks the legal foundation to justify the loss. DES MOINES Hoping to harness the organic energy of the opposition to President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in Congress, a Democratic campaign committee is getting an early start on its 2018 election efforts. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, is planning to hire a full-time, local organizing staffer and launch digital ads in Iowas 1st Congressional District to help constituents organize and promote local accountability events. The launch of our March into 18 accountability project comes at a time of excitement and opportunity for Democrats, according to DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujan. The organic strength of the womens marches, Affordable Care Act rallies, and protests can already be felt in Iowas 1st District, and this unprecedented DCCC investment will help capture that energy, engage voters and help make their voices heard. House Democrats are starting the 2018 election cycle on offense, added Dan Sena, DCCC executive director. The American people have repeatedly organized (in January) in peaceful marches to resist the Trump administration and the Republican vision for our country, Sena said about plans to repeal the ACA, build a Mexican border wall and restrict travel from Muslim-majority nations. Hiring an on-the-ground organizer is a step campaign committees typically take in an election year, but Lujan said the DCCC is starting earlier than ever because a groundswell of people are looking for ways to tell their stories, channel their energy and organize for change. Iowas 20-county 1st District, which includes Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Waterloo-Cedar Falls, has been target by the DCCC. GOP Rep. Rod Blum, a Dubuque businessman, was re-elected to a second term representing the district in November, defeating Democrat Monica Vernon of Cedar Rapids 52 percent to 44 percent. The 1st, which Trump carried 49 percent to 45 percent, is one of 20 districts the DCCC is targeting with a full-time organizer, running Twitter ads in the district to connect with people who want to continue their activism or get involved for the first time. The ads will be promoted to people who have followed or tweeted about local Womens Marches, Obamacare rallies and other events signaling opposition to the GOP majority. They also will promote what the DCCC calls local accountability events to Iowans who might not otherwise know how to get involved. DES MOINES The GOP-led Iowa Senate voted Thursday to earmark $3 million in state money to fund womens health-care clinics that do not offer abortion a change opponents claimed would result in more unplanned pregnancies and fewer services in a political move to target Planned Parenthood. Senate File 2, which passed 30-20, would discontinue a federal Medicaid waiver on July 1 that provides millions of dollars in funding to family planning providers across the state. The 29 co-sponsoring Republicans voted for the bill along with independent Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan; 20 Democrats opposed it. Proponents of the bill that now goes to the Iowa House for likely passage and has Gov. Terry Branstads support would create a new state-funded program that would exclude facilities that provide abortions from receiving the funds. To cover the new program, the state would shift money from a federal block grant that pays for child and family services. This bill will not eliminate family planning funding for services for needy Iowa women, said Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, the bills floor manager. "This bill does not change laws regarding abortion. Its a measured attempt to balance the reproductive health-care needs of Iowas working poor with the objections of the taxpayers to tangibly subsidize that option through public support in shared facilities, she added, noting that some Medicaid and teen pregnancy/sex education programs would not be affected. More than 12,000 Iowans received services through the federal waiver program, including Pap smears, birth control and cancer screenings. No state or federal dollars are used to fund abortions. Minority Democrats charged the bill guts Iowas Family Planning Network, a program that they said has helped more than 80,000 Iowa women and men access family planning services since 2006. Ive never seen such a horrible bill come before this chamber. This bill is taking us back to the Middle Ages, said Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines. We know the Iowa Family Planning Waiver works. It has helped reduce abortions and Medicaid costs in Iowa, said Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines. This bill is bad for Iowa women and families. It will create more unintended pregnancies, more high-risk pregnancies and cost Iowa taxpayers more. Iowans dont support it. Doctors warn against it. We should listen to them and reject it. During a sometimes rancorous debate that spanned nearly three hours, Democrats contended the legislation was a rushed political response to fulfill GOP campaign promises to defund Planned Parenthood of the Heartland at the expense of Iowa women without a clearly defined program and funding stream to replace it. Republicans agreed that it was an anti-abortion priority but said Planned Parenthoods operations would not be affected because the organization would be free to continue operating their clinics in Iowa minus any taxpayer funding. Our debate in this room affects real Iowans who are receiving real services today. Our focus needs to be on those Iowans and our responsibility to them," said Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines. What we are doing here is harming a working system based on old political battle lines, and Iowa women are going to receive less access to health care as a result. Boultons comments that included references to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court abortion ruling drew a pointed response from Sinclair, who told him, I dont know how old you are, but your mom could have chosen for you to not to be here. Democrats immediately objected, and Sinclair retracted the statement and apologized to Boulton and his mother after a brief meeting of senators with Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, to cool things down in the Senate well. Earlier during the debate, Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, took Democrats to task, telling his Senate colleagues, I am so ashamed of the tone of this debate catty, accusatory and argumentative. Come on, we can do better than that. Wearing a hospital gown, Gina Mostafa stood on the Capitol staircase outside the Senate chamber representing thousands of Iowans that could lose their access to family planning if Senate File 2 becomes law. Despite the election outcome that favored lawmakers opposed to funding abortion providers, Mostafa, a sophomore from Bettendorf at the University of Iowa where she is co-president of Student Advocates for Planned Parenthood, said she and others will not give up their fight because the agencys services are vital for control over own lives and our own bodies. At times in my life when I was ready to make choices about my own body and health care, I knew I could turn to Planned Parenthood for compassionate and non-judgmental health care, said Mostafa, who described herself as a past, current and future client of Planned Parenthood. Rachel Lopez, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Midwest, issued a statement after the Senate vote saying the legislation would endanger the health of thousands of Iowans by limiting their access to vital services. The Republican lawmakers who continue to advance this bill should be ashamed of themselves, Lopez said. "They are playing political games, with the lives of low-income Iowans at stake." After the vote, Bob Vander Plaats of the Family Leader organization sent an email to his members urging them to thank the senators who endured very tough debate and helped pass the bill Thursday. Also, please continue to pray for and contact your Iowa representative regarding supporting the God-given right to life of babies in the womb, he said. DES MOINES An Iowa House member isnt doing any favors for his father. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, who succeeded his father in the Johnson-Cedar County legislative district, is proposing that the state stop collecting voluntary contributions to the state Democratic and Republican parties from Iowa income taxpayers. Kaufmanns dad, Jeff Kaufmann, is the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa. My dad can raise his own money, the younger Kaufmann said Wednesday after the House Ways and Means Committee approved his plan on a party-line vote. The income tax checkoff doesnt raise a lot of money $72,797 in 2016, but it allows Iowans, especially low-income Iowans, to make a contribution toward the political process, Rep. John Forbes, D-Des Moines, said in opposing the bill during the committee meeting. This gives them the opportunity to say that they may have made a little bit of difference, he said. Forbes acknowledged that to some degree, the checkoff that funnels $1.50 into the political party fund creates a feel-good factor for Iowans to know they have that option to contribute in their small way. Political parties make it easy to contribute, Kaufmann said, and he doesnt think the government should be involved in raising money for two political parties. By limiting the income tax checkoff to the Democratic and Republicans parties, state government is inherently disenfranchising people who are independent or favor other parties, such as Greens and Libertarians, he said. If this last election showed us anything, its that not everyone wants to be a part of the two political parties, Kaufmann said. The bill now goes to the full House, which, like the committee, is controlled by Republicans. Screams of Daniel! Daniel I love you! echoed through the halls of Cedar Elementary in Beatrice Tuesday night as one of the biggest celebrities known to preschoolers dropped by for a visit. Daniel Tiger, animated star of the PBS Kids show Daniel Tigers Neighborhood visited Beatrice Community Preschool last night and got the rock star treatment from students. Some ran right for the six-foot tall tiger with their arms extended for a giant hug, some, eyes big as saucers, and hiding behind a parents leg cautiously waved as they walked into the classroom where Daniel was waiting. He was the centerpiece of the preschools Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, or PiBS, program and the final stop on a six-station tour of the school. Students learned techniques aimed at teaching respect for their classmates, their school and themselves. The real Daniel Tiger is here, said Missy Timmerman, early childhood coordinator at the preschool. Once they get stamps at all the spots, they get a picture with Daniel Tiger. Preschoolers lined up in the hallway, some screaming, some bouncing up and down with excitement and all of them excited beyond comprehension to meet their hero. So, whats the appeal of Daniel Tiger? Preschooler Neeley Duff explains: I like that he likes all of his friends and the songs, she said, the Happy Song with clapping, jumping and dancing being her favorite. Daniel Tigers visit has been a topic at the dinner table at most students homes lately, as well as a topic in the car, at the store and just about anywhere they go. Ive heard about it all week, said Christina Busing, mother of preschooler Rexton Busing who is learning the PiBS program. He was very excited about it, and he actually wants to learn about it. Rexton stood on his toes to look through the window at Daniel before going in for a photo. I like when hes in the treehouse, Rexton said, adding that when he gets his own treehouse, it will have a roof, a door and carpet. NET Nebraska sent the costumed character after several requests from the school this year and last. This time Daniel was in the area for another event and NET made the visit happen, Timmerman said. We waited a long time to get Daniel Tiger here, she said. Hes not easy to get. Hes national and he goes all over, so its a big deal that we got him. BISMARCK, N.D. | When North Dakota lawmakers return to the state Capitol every other year for session, they attend workshops on everything from legislative procedures to using their state-issued computers and cellphones. An American Indian lawmaker wants to add "cultural competency training" to that list. Sen. Richard Marcellais, a Democrat from Belcourt and member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, has pushed the idea unsuccessfully before, but says it's more appropriate this year given the ongoing dispute over the Dakota Access oil pipeline. The Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes are fighting the pipeline, which has support from many state officials. "It is time to create a new relationship between the state of North Dakota and our five Native American tribal nations," Marcellais told a Senate committee Thursday. Republicans who control North Dakota's overwhelmingly male and nearly all-white Legislature say the training is unnecessary. "It's another solution in search of a problem," House Majority Leader Al Carlson said. "There isn't a problem." Marcellais' proposal calls for four-hour training to "provide legislators with the background knowledge and skills necessary to respond to and work with the diverse populations in the state, including Native Americans." It does not provide additional details. Two North Dakota lawmakers besides Marcellais claim Native American heritage. Both are Republicans. Minot Sen. Oley Larsen, a member of Alaska's Sealaska Corp., called the measure a waste of time, especially when the state is dealing with decreased tax revenues due to depressed oil and crop prices. "I won't support it," he said. "We got other fish to fry." Northwood Rep. Wayne Trottier, who claims "Canadian Indian lineage," said he probably would support the measure, but doesn't expect it to even make it to the House. Senate Minority Leader Joan Heckaman, who co-sponsored the legislation, noted the Legislature requires North Dakota teachers to take a similar class. The North Dakota Highway Patrol also requires troopers to take such training. Brenda White Bull, a retired Marine and member of the Standing Rock Sioux, told the Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee that she and other military personnel were required to take similar classes before being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. "If we had to do that overseas, we can do that here," she told the committee, which did not take immediate action on the legislation. "We're fighting a spiritual battle and the government is fighting a different battle and we're not seeing eye-to-eye." But Larsen said he doesn't think Marcellais' proposal will help. "This is a knee-jerk bill that has nothing to do with cultural sensitivity," Larsen said. PIERRE | A bill that would sweep away new ethics regulations that voters imposed in November is on its way to the governor's desk. The state Senate voted 27-8 Wednesday to approve the bill. It would repeal the ballot initiative that created an ethics commission, public campaign funding and limitations on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers. The bill has already passed the House. Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard has said he supports the repeal bill. Bill opponents say lawmakers are rejecting the will of the voters. Republican Sen. Lance Russell says it may be the most "repugnant display of raw partisan political power" that he's seen. Republican Sen. Brock Greenfield, the bill's Senate sponsor, says the campaign for the ballot measure was based on innuendo and falsehood. The embattled law isn't in effect while a legal challenge from Republican legislators and others moves forward. Earlier in the day, an airplane circled the South Dakota Capitol with a banner that read "Shame on you! Respect our vote!" before the Senate debated the law. Chris Tallent is national campaign director for MAYDAY America, an anti-corruption organization that got the banner into the sky. Tallent says members have come together to make their message "loud and clear" that the repeal is bad for South Dakota. PIERRE | A measure introduced by South Dakota lawmakers aims to ban a certain type of second-trimester abortion in the state. A similar bill cleared several steps in 2015 but was ultimately tabled. The procedure is known medically as dilation-and-extraction. The bill calls it "dismemberment abortion." The National Abortion Rights Action League calls the language "deliberately inflammatory." Samantha Spawn of NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota says it would ban the safest procedure for second-trimester abortions. The bill would make performing them a felony except in medical emergencies, and would allow certain relatives to sue providers. Planned Parenthood, which operates South Dakota's only abortion clinic, which is in Sioux Falls, says it doesn't perform the procedure in South Dakota. However, some hospitals use it when a woman's life is in danger. The six public universities in South Dakota generate $2.66 billion a year in annual economic impact within the state, from a state investment of $197 million. That is a key finding from a research report released Monday by the S.D. Board of Regents that measures public higher educations impact on the state economy. This study, updated from baseline research conducted in 2010, documents a significant economic impact of the public universities in real dollars and cents, said Mike Rush, the Board of Regents executive director and CEO. In fact, the statewide impact of the public university system on South Dakotas economic growth and well-being has grown by 35 percent in just six years. The research was sponsored by the South Dakota Board of Regents and the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The public universities increase South Dakotas gross domestic product by $2.66 billion a year, which is nearly 6 percent of the states economy, said David Owen, president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The value to our businesses and industry throughout the state, from qualified employees to research, is significant. The study was conducted by lead researcher Michael Allgrunn, associate professor of economics at the University of South Dakotas Beacom School of Business, who also directed the initial research study in 2010. The study showed the public universities directly support 5,628 full-time jobs in South Dakota. Another 21,950 jobs are located in the state because public universities generate business locally and indirectly support workers in other industries. To put it another way, 27,578 full-time jobs in South Dakota exist because of the public university system, Allgrunn said. Data from the public universities, survey data from employees, students, and alumni, and a dynamic regional economic model were used to estimate the impact of the public university system in South Dakota. When assumptions are necessary, we are conservative with our input values so their true economic impact is likely higher than the findings we report, the research study reported. An estimated 67,850 people live in South Dakota who would not be here without the public universities, according to the research. This includes students; faculty and staff employed by the universities and their families; as well as other workers and their families not affiliated directly with the universities, but who make a living here due to the economic activity that the public universities generate. Danny Scolaro primarily came to the Black Hills Stock Show on behalf of his employer to pitch signage and labels to other stock show vendors and business owners who are attending the event. To make a few bucks on the side, Scolaro and his colleagues at Budget Custom Sign Shop of Rapid City brought along a few dozen bumper stickers to pitch to patrons passing by their booth in the Rodeo Zone in the ice arena at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. For $5 for small signs and stickers, or $10 for larger ones, customers can take home insignias of their favorite sporting teams, truck manufacturers and cartoon characters. But so far, the top sellers are (no surprise in South Dakota) those that center on the Second Amendment right to bear arms or those that make mild political statements. An early winner was one that Scolaro made himself: It says "Warning: Driver only carries $20 in ammunition" with images of bullets backing up the promise. But ever the salesman, Scolaro reacted to his customers who said that $20 in ammo probably was too low. So he made another bumper sticker that asserts the driver has $100 in ammunition. Another popular sticker makes a play on President Trump's star-spangled placards to "Make America Great Again." But Scolaro's offerings are tailored to western South Dakota one says "Make America Cowboy Again," while another urges people to "Make American Native Again." "Whether we're with it or against it, we do the yin and yang of it," Scolaro said of the sign firm, a 35-year Native-owned business located on Oregon Street in Rapid City. A couple other signs he offers: "How do I feel about gun control? Break into my house to find out," while another notes that "Gun Control is hitting your target." Nine recruits for the Rapid City Police Department were officially sworn in as officers on the second floor of the Public Safety Building in downtown Rapid City on Wednesday afternoon in a short ceremony attended by family, friends and officers. The make-up of the new class of officers with three women, one a Native American will help diversify the local police force that is mostly made up of white men. Rapid City Police Chief Karl Jegeris, speaking to a packed room, said the recruits will remain in Rapid City for in-house training until March, when they will travel to Pierre for a 13-week state police academy. Afterward, they will return to Rapid City and spend several months alongside experienced officers. By next summer, the public should see these bright faces on our roads, Jegeris said. The Rapid City Police Department has made efforts in recent months to attract women and Native Americans to join the department. In October, a police-community advisory committee was tasked with organizing focus group meetings comprised of Native Americans interested in law enforcement to better represent minorities in law enforcement. Furthermore, police officials attended an expo last year held by Zonta, an international women's organization with the stated goal of "empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy." Including the newly sworn in officers, there are now 123 officers in the Rapid City Police Department, eight of them female and four Native Americans. Jegeris promised more initiatives in 2017 to increase those numbers. Were going to continue our recruitment efforts to diversify our department, Jegeris said. We plan to roll out a completely new type of recruitment strategy, something that weve never done before. Freshly minted Officer Santee Clemons, who was born on the Rosebud Reservation but grew up in Rapid City, was one of three women sworn in and the only Native American. She said she had been dreaming of this day since she was 14. Its very relieving and exciting, a little bit nerve-wracking, going to the academy, but Im more excited than anything, Clemons said. She said one of her goals is to serve as a source of inspiration for other women and Native Americans. I want to represent the Native community in a positive way and to also help them see that they can do this job and still be involved with the culture and the community and be a police officer, Clemons said. Bethany Coats said she took an interest in becoming a police officer after working as a correctional officer with the Pennington County Sheriffs Office. Now, she hopes to have an even larger impact. Coats said she didnt think diversity in the department was as large an issue as others have made it out to be. I dont think that is so important because regardless of nationality, I think its just important no matter what color you are as a police officer, (that) you have a positive interaction with everyone you work with, Coats said. Recruit Austin Stanek said he always looked up to law enforcement officers as a child, and is excited to be joining their ranks. Im nervous, but more so Im very excited to get the process going, Stanek said of further training. I know its going to be challenging, but I know its something that everybody goes through, and youre going to have the people in your class to lean back on. Rapid City lost a long-running lawsuit against a local developer Friday when a jury decided that the Big Sky subdivisions developer was not liable for its road repairs. The city sued developer Doyle Estes and his company Big Sky in 2008 for not building the subdivisions roads in line with city government specifications. The subdivision, located east of Elk Vale Road in Rapid Valley, has potholed and rippled roads long in need of repair. After a five-day trial last week, a Pennington County jury decided in favor of Big Sky corporation, absolving it of responsibility for road repairs in the subdivisions phases 1 to 4. Rapid City legal officials had asked the jury for $914,000 to cover the repairs, said City Attorney Joel Landeen. The court had earlier dismissed claims against Estes. Pennington County has denied responsibility for maintaining the roads, saying the city had overseen construction and is therefore responsible for maintenance. The attorneys representing Big Sky, Costello Porter Law Offices, described the verdict in a written statement as a win for all parties involved, including the city. It said the jury untangled some difficult technical issues and the decision provides a clearer path for all developers to continue effectively growing Rapid City. The City Council will decide if Rapid City should appeal the decision with the South Dakota Supreme Court, Landeen said in a phone interview. The matter is expected to be discussed at the council meeting in closed session on Monday night. Right now there are no further claims pending, Landeen said. If we dont appeal it, that will be the end of it. The claims for road repairs in Big Skys phases 5 to 10, which had the least damage, had been settled last year for $250,000, said Landeen. Meanwhile, Rapid City has moved to annex a 40-acre portion of Big Sky subdivision, which would allow it to conduct the road repairs. A resolution that officially changes the city limits to include that area is pending before the City Council, and Landeen said he has not seen any resistance to it. If the resolution is approved within February, the annexation would be effective as early as March 23, according to a Rapid City government release. Community members are invited to join in the American Cancer Society Gage County Relay for Life cause. The next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 5:30 p.m. in the downstairs dining room of Centenary United Methodist Church, 5th and Elk, Beatrice. Learn what individuals and businesses can do to help fight cancer by walking, volunteering or donating to the April 29 event. PIERRE | Supporters of the Initiated Measure 22 ethics reform measure passed by voters last fall packed the Senate gallery Wednesday, letting state lawmakers know they didnt want the so-called anti-corruption measure repealed. But their voices fell mostly on deaf ears as the new ethics regulations were all but stripped from law after the state Senate voted later Wednesday to send a bill repealing them to Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The chamber voted 27-8 to pass the repeal bill, which the Republican governor has said he supports. It would dismantle a ballot initiative that instituted a public campaign finance system, created an ethics commission and tightened campaign finance and lobbying laws. In South Dakota, backers have criticized the Legislature for working to overturn the result of the election. The bill first passed through the House before heading to the Senate. Many South Dakota residents feel disenfranchised, said Teryl Cruse, a massage therapist from Pierre who looked on from the Senate gallery before the vote. Rapid City resident Michelle Smith said it's wrong that voters' voices are being overturned. She voted for the initiative and came to the Capitol to support it. "I've spent a lot of time saying, 'Somebody needs to do something,' " Smith said before the vote. "I'm somebody." Under the new law, voters could tap a state fund to give two credits worth $50 each to participating political candidates. It limits lobbyist gifts to lawmakers to $100 annually, a major change given there were previously no caps. It also calls for an independent commission to ensure state ethics laws aren't violated and administer the public campaign finance program. Since its passage, the measure has been under intense scrutiny in Pierre, with a large group of Republican lawmakers questioning its constitutionality. Its implementation has been blocked by a court injunction, the result of a civil lawsuit. Senate President Pro Tempore Brock Greenfield, the repeal bill's Senate sponsor, said the campaign for the ballot measure was based on innuendo and falsehood. "I can tell you that I've never known anybody to accept a bribe. I've not known anybody to offer a bribe," Greenfield said. "In South Dakota, while we're not infallible, that has never been a concern." An emergency provision means the bill would take effect immediately and couldn't be referred back to the ballot. Republican Sen. Lance Russell of Hot Springs, among the few Republicans who opposed the bill, said it may be the most "repugnant display of raw partisan political power" that he's seen. Russell referred to "the muscling-through of this bill" as "a disservice to the people of this state." He said voters supported IM 22 because "now we're getting to the point where they're not even trusting Pierre." Sen. Troy Heinert, D-Mission, said ethics and campaign finance bills have been repeatedly shot down in the past. "If we had done that in the last five years, IM 22 wouldn't exist. This is on us. This is what happens when we don't listen," Heinert said. Lawmakers have filed several proposals that would replace provisions of the initiative, including similar restrictions on lobbyist gifts and more limited watchdog commissions. Ballot measure supports have criticized them as toothless. Represent.Us, a Massachusetts-based organization that pumped funding into the South Dakota ballot measure campaign, has spent more than $39,000 in January trying to save the law. The group has targeted Republican lawmakers with newspaper, radio and online advertisements, mail pieces and telephone calls. Supporters of the ballot measure packed the Senate gallery to watch the debate, and an airplane circled the Capitol for hours with a banner that read "Shame on you! Respect our vote!" A couple of hours before the Senate convened at 2 p.m., about 30 proponents gathered in front of the Capitol, many of them holding yellow signs that read, Shame! and wearing yellow shirts that read, Respect our vote! The signs and shirts were provided by Represent.Us. Amy Ekroth, 25, is a student at Mitchell Technical Institute. She drove from Mitchell to Pierre Wednesday to show her support for IM 22. She sees the Legislatures action as taking away the voice of the people, but was excited by the large turnout of people who felt as she does. One person in the gallery was Rick Weiland, a former Democratic congressional candidate who helped get IM 22 on the ballot. Weiland is associated with Represent.Us. Its discouraging when I see the peoples voice has been spoken but not heard, he said before the Senate convened. The emergency clause attached to HB 1069 is improper because it does not allow voters to refer the repeal to a statewide vote, he said. It also means there will never have to be a ruling in the lawsuit, so nobody will ever know if IM 22 is constitutional, Weiland said. The measure, he said, was designed establish a lacking system of checks and balances. John Schmidt of Woonsocket said he traveled to Pierre on Wednesday to testify against Senate Bill 67, which would have increased the number of signatures required to put changes to the state constitution on the ballot. That measure, though, was tabled. But Schmidt stuck around to show his support for IM 22, donning a yellow shirt. Im tired of corrupt people retaining power in the state, he said. Schmidt said backers of the HB 1069 used misleading information to take away the voice of the people. The ethics crackdown is one of several November ballot measures that are now facing scrutiny in statehouses across the nation. But the South Dakota law appears to be under the most imminent danger of repeal and directly affects the very lawmakers who are weighing its fate. Elsewhere, Maine Gov. Paul LePage has said he wants to mitigate the "severe" damage done by citizen initiatives, including a minimum wage hike, while Massachusetts and North Dakota have delayed marijuana initiatives to give officials more time to implement them. According to the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, the purpose of their annual legislative crackerbarrels is "to engage the citizens in the legislative process." Over the years, the Rapid City Chambers Saturday crackerbarrels have done just that they have become one of the liveliest town halls in South Dakota. We are both very active in our community and are generally at opposite poles of the political spectrum. But like many frequent participants in the Rapid City crackerbarrels, we are dismayed at the new format recently adopted by the Chamber. The new rules require citizens to submit their questions in writing. A review panel groups them by topic, and then they are handed to a moderator who decides whether or not to ask the question, how to ask it, or how completely to ask it. With the support of many local legislators and petitions signed by at least 100 local residents who attend these events, we respectfully ask the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce to reconsider its decision. We would like to return to the free, open and passionate discussions for which these events have always been known. One dictionary definition of a crackerbarrel says it resembles the extended informal discussions carried on by persons assembled at a country store, which implies spontaneous discussion occurs. People often arrive at these events with several concerns in mind. If their question has already been asked, they have the option of asking another question when given the floor, or they could alter the question in response to what has already been covered. Written questions lack flexibility and spontaneity. This year's first crackerbarrel was held on Saturday, Jan. 21, with a disappointing turnout and a cumbersome format. Sen. Lance Russell commented: "I don't want to insulate myself from questions from you about what's on your mind." Our citizen legislators work hard through a short but very intense session. When they return home on weekends, they need time with their families, but they also need direct communication with the people who elected them. If a question is insulting, inappropriate or isn't a question at all but rather a long-winded statement, the moderator should rule it out of order and call on someone else. In our years attending Rapid City crackerbarrels, we haven't seen many insulting or inappropriate questions. Many of the long-winded statements actually come from Chamber board members. The moderators role is the key to a successful event. He or she should have the judgement and skill to prevent one person or one group from monopolizing the discussion. The moderator should not summarize, combine or interpret the questions. By doing so, he effectively censors rather than facilitates communication between citizens and their state representatives. Communication is essential in order to foster mutual respect. Free and open discussion of all issues of local concern is exactly how that is accomplished. We urge the Chamber to rescind the new rules for the three remaining 2017 crackerbarrels. The South Dakota Legislature is known for its penchant of adding to the criminal code, which would explain why this is the only state that makes ingestion, or previous consumption, of marijuana a felony. In fact, only one other state Utah has made ingestion a crime but only as a misdemeanor violation. So it was a surprise when Senate Bill 129 was introduced with a total of 15 sponsors, including Rep. David Lust of Rapid City, the prime sponsor in the House. Rapid City lawmakers who co-sponsored the bill are Sens. Terri Haverly and Jeff Partridge and Rep. Kristen Conzet all Republicans. The sponsors of the bill are quick to note that this is not a first step toward legalizing marijuana. It is, however, a step toward common sense that does little, if anything, to prevent law enforcement from putting drug users in jail. Lust, an attorney, told the Rapid City Journal that he felt a felony charge for ingestion was unduly harsh and that it is costly for the state as it is increasing incarceration rates and parole violations, which is coming at a time when the state is trying to reduce the number of drug offenders who are sentenced to prison. The bill also makes sense at a time when more and more states are legalizing marijuana use, either for medical or recreational purposes. The way it stands now, residents from South Dakota can travel to Colorado and smoke or eat marijuana products and then have to worry about a felony conviction when they return home. Then there is the case of those who have prescriptions for marijuana and are visiting South Dakota. Should they have to worry about going to prison for taking medicine legally prescribed in another state? So, at the very least, the patchwork of marijuana laws in this country is a significant complicating factor when it comes to prosecuting an ingestion crime. On the other side of the issue is Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom. When asked why he opposed the bill, he asked "What problem is it solving?" Conversely, one could ask what did the legislation do in the first place other than give law enforcement another reason to arrest someone and prosecutors additional leverage while working out a plea bargain? Did it solve any problems? The fact of the matter is that our jails are already filled with drug offenders. If this bill passes and becomes law, it will still be a crime to possess or sell marijuana in South Dakota and still be against the law to ingest hard drugs like methamphetamine as it should be. The passage of this law will not signal the end of the state's war on drugs. It will just remove a law that is not needed. FALLS CITY A Falls City man has been sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder in the death of his cousin. The Nebraska attorney general's office says 32-year-old Desiderio Hernandez was sentenced Tuesday in Richardson County District Court to the life term, plus another eight to 17 years for weapons counts. Hernadez was found guilty in December of killing his cousin, Joseph Debella Jr., in August 2015. Debella was found in the basement of a home with a gunshot wound to his head and died eight days later at a Lincoln hospital. Hernandez was arrested after a nearly seven-hour standoff at a home in Horton, Kansas. Russia violated Navalnys rights during his arrests at public events - ECHR MOSCOW, February 2 (RAPSI) The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held on Thursday that the rights of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny, who was repeatedly arrested at public gatherings in 2012-2014, had been violated. The court ordered Russian authorities to pay the applicant about 63,600 in compensation for material and moral damage caused including 12,653 in respect of costs and expenses. According to Navalny, he was arrested on seven occasions at different public meetings between March 2012 and February 2014. Following the arrests, the opposition politician was taken to a police station for several hours. Navalny was charged either with failure to the police order or with violating established procedure of mass events. He was detained twice; fines varying from 1,000 to 30,000 were imposed on him in six cases. Navalny in his applications insisted that Russian authorities had violated Article 11(right to freedom of assembly) of the European Convention of Human Rights (Convention) by arresting him during peaceful gatherings, prosecuting and eventually convicting him; Article 5 (right to liberty) and Article 6 (right to a fair trial) by illegal deprivation of liberty and conducting unfair proceedings against him. Moreover, Navalny complained relying on Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination and Article 18 (limitation on the restriction of rights) taken with Articles 5 and 11 that the authorities actions were politically motivated. Russian authorities argued that the actions of police officers were reasonable and necessary for preventing riots. Navalny has tried to hold unauthorized events in each of the above cases, according to the defendant. ECHR held that there was violation of Articles 5,6 and 11 of the Convention. However, the court ruled that there is no need to examine the complaints under Article 14 and Article 18 in conjunction with Articles 5 and 11 of the Convention. Assets of Renova subsidiarys top manager seized as part of bribery case MOSCOW, February 2 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov) Moscows Basmanny District Court has ordered the seizure of assets worth $2.2 million belonging to CEO of Renova Group's subsidiary T Plus, Boris Vaynzikher involved in a bribery case, the courts spokesperson Yunona Tsareva told RAPSI on Thursday. Investigative authorities in Russias Republic of Komi have initiated a criminal case against some former and acting managers of Kompleksnye Energeticheskiye Sistemy (KES) company, of which T Plus is the legal successor, on suspicion of large-scale bribery. At that time the offices of the companys parent holding Renova were also raided. Three men holding CEO posts in the KES at different time, Mikhail Slobodin, Yevgeny Olkhovik, and Boris Vaynzikher are involved in the case. Vaynzikher and Olkhovik are currently in detention. Slobodin has been arrested in absentia. Investigators believe that in 2007 through 2014 the suspects bribed officials currently involved in the criminal case against the Republics ex-head Vyacheslav Gaizer with money and other assets. In total, they transferred over 800 million rubles ($13.3 million) to bribetakers. Appeal against ruling on Superjet crash in Indonesia to be reviewed on February 22 MOSCOW, February 2 (RAPSI) The Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals has put on hold an appeal filed by QBE Corporate against courts refusal to collect over $4 million from Kapital Strakhovaniye Company in connection with the 2012 Sukhoi Superjet-100 crash in Indonesia until February 22, court documents read on Thursday. Appeal was put on hold because of its incorrect form. In the fall of 2016, the court dismissed a lawsuit lodged by six foreign companies against Russian insurer. The case was reconsidered. On February 29, 2016, the Supreme Court of Russia overturned all rulings in this dispute and remanded the case for a new trial. The plane crashed on its first ever demonstration tour, across six Asian countries, over Indonesia on May 9, 2012. All people on board the plane, including eight Russian nationals, were killed. The plane crashed into Mount Salak at an altitude of 1.6 km. Investigation found that the disaster was caused by human error. The airplane was insured by Kapital Strakhovaniye, which later reinsured 95% of its risks on the foreign market. The plaintiffs QBE Corporate, Starr Syndicate, Starr Insurance and Reinsurance, Muenchener Rueckversicherungrs-Gesellchaft AG, Dornoch and Catlin Insurance Company (UK) reinsured the risks in line with Lloyd's of London terms. After the crash, the plaintiffs transferred $3.5 million to Kapital Strakhovaniye, which was to compensate the relatives of deceased passengers. After conducting an investigation, the foreign companies decided that this was not an insured accident because the plane had crashed during a demonstration flight and because the insurance policy covered only test flights. In September 2014, the reinsurers sued the Russian company at the Moscow Commercial Court, demanding a refund, plus interest. Three court instances upheld their lawsuit. Kapital Strakhovaniye has filed a cassational appeal seeking reversal of the rulings. Russias Supreme Court granted the appeal and remanded the case for a new trial. Technology and science go hand in hand, and bioengineering is a prime example of their symbiosis. I visited Montana State University last week to chat with Dr. Jeffery Heys, head of the Chemical & Biological Engineering Department. Though the majority of the department faculty works on applied problems from biofuels to health care, Heys specializes in developing computer models to understand the science behind the biological and chemical phenomenon. The need for computational models became apparent early in his career when he was studying the effects of inhaled particles such as car exhaust and second-hand smoke. 50 to 100 years ago, (scientists) had people inhale radioactive particles to see where (the particles) go, said Heys. Though these experiments advanced science, they were absolutely unethical due to the harm inflicted upon the test subjects. There are so many cases where the experiment you want to do is unethical, impossible or really expensive, so we develop computer models to understand the physics and chemistry behind whats happening, said Heys. One of the first major uses of computational modeling was by NASA during the 1960s. It would have been impossible to perform experiments on each facet of space travel with multiple life-size rockets. Every rocket costed a substantial amount of resources, and the scientists and engineers of the Apollo program had to make every attempt count. This economic limitation led to one of the first computational fluid dynamic codes used for a rockets reentry into the atmosphere. Though computational models aid the development of new technologies, they are only simulations. Whenever a model is built, scientists make assumptions that need to be ascertained. This dynamic process is a back and forth see-saw between model validation through live experiments and utilizing the experimental data to improve the original model. With every iteration, the computational model, and the resulting real-life predictions, become more accurate. Currently, Dr. Heys is working with a collaborator at Arizona State on gold nano-rods that absorb light very readily and convert that light into heat, said Heys. One application of this technology is to use antibodies to preferentially bind (gold nano-rods) to cancer cells, said Heys. Then, technicians could heat up the nano-rods and kill the bound cells. In such applications, there are many factors to account for, such as what number of gold nano-rods to use, how long should we shine the light to, what intensity should we operate the laser at? There are a lot of different parameters to adjust, and do we really want to do thousands of experiments on animals or unethically on humans, said Heys. The dream for bioengineers is to create accurate computational models of all aspects of human health, said Heys. Computational models will never replace physical experimentation, because we need real world data to confirm that our assumptions are correct; however, if a computer can eliminate 90 percent of experiments for a new product, thats a huge savings, said Heys. HELENA The Capitol rotunda played host to a raucous crowd of public land advocates Monday, many traveling from across the state to denounce land transfer efforts while calling for improving access. Organizers estimated more than 1,000 people packed the main rotunda floor and lined the balconies above, which was about double the attendance of a similar rally held during the 2015 legislative session. Many rally-goers loaded buses in Missoula, Billings and Bozeman to attend while smaller contingencies came from other locales, including about 40 from Sanders County. They came to tell the Legislature in no uncertain terms that public lands are not just parcels on a map but define Montana as a state, and Montanans as a people. This heist is an assault on my lifeblood, not just my livelihood, fly-fishing guide and Trout TV host Hilary Hutcheson told the crowd. Hutcheson described her childhood near Glacier National Park, the chance for young eyes to experience outdoor adventure, and the hope of passing that legacy on to her daughters. Mountaineer Conrad Anker noted the many people using public lands and paraphrased Duwamish Chief Seattle, who famously said land is not inherited from ancestors but borrowed from future generations. Opponents of transferring federal lands to state ownership contend that states such as Montana would be unduly burdened by owning millions of additional acres, citing firefighting and other management costs. They say hamstrung states would be forced to sell off the lands, putting public lands in private ownership. Losing those lands would mean a loss for many Montana businesses, said CEO of Simms fishing company K.C. Walsh. I always remind people how important Montana and Bozeman are to the success that Simms has had and how this really takes form in attracting great people who enjoy Montanas outdoor value and everything our state has to offer, he said. Small transfers and sales of federal and state lands have long occurred for a variety of reasons. Opposition centers on transfers on much larger scales that would potentially take tens of millions of acres out of federal ownership. Supporters of federal land transfer have argued that national policies result in closed roads while stifling timber and mineral industries. They say that under state control, the lands would be better managed and become an economic catalyst for rural communities. Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas, R-Stevensville, responded following Mondays rally, saying the Legislature values public input but that federal lands have been mismanaged. He put responsibility at the feet of rally organizers, saying that litigation and other efforts to maintain federal ownership stifle timber production and continue failed policies. Thomas contended that better management under state ownership would produce revenue while benefiting wildlife. He called the notion of a state sell-off of transferred lands silly at best and added the state isnt in the business of selling lands. They have their opinion and I respect their opinion, but there is no merit to their position, he said. If the state were to own these lands, theyd be better managed, so their position is completely fake. Mondays rally took on a personal tone at times, directed at one of the leading land transfer advocates in Montana and the West. Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, has been an outspoken transfer proponent, and is sponsoring legislation to study federal land conveyance and to request conveyance, although both bills remain on hold. Fielder is also CEO of American Lands Council, the chief organization pushing for large-scale transfers across the West. Referring to Fielders district, Prickly Pear Land Trust Executive Director Mary Hollow said to cheers, Lets let them hear us down every hall in this building and all the way to Sanders County. The Sanders County contingency held up signs both directed at their senator and in support of maintaining federal land ownership. Trout Creek residents Daisy Carlsmith and Barb Tully made the five-hour journey by bus, standing at the top of the steps holding signs saying Sanders County Supports Public Lands. For me, its making sure that public lands are there for my grandchildren, Tully said, adding that breathing clean air and access to mountain lakes are also major inspirations. Carlsmith noted that transfer opponents are in the minority in their area Fielder won reelection with 67 percent of the vote but she wanted her values to be heard. Were way outnumbered, but we had to come no matter who our representatives are, come and stand and say no, she said. A message left for Fielder was not returned in time for this story. Also drawing ire from the crowd were recent actions on the federal level. Utah U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz introduced legislation instructing the Department of the Interior to sell 3.3 million federal acres in several western states, including 100,000 in Montana. A rule change in the U.S. House of Representatives making land transfers easier by considering transfers budget-neutral also drew a strong response from conservation groups, many of them critical of Interior secretary nominee U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., for voting for the rules package. Zinke has maintained his opposition to federal land transfer despite the vote. Walsh mentioned Zinkes nomination and support from several conservation and outdoor business groups, drawing a smattering of jeers from the crowd, until Walsh said, If confirmed, we all need to hold him accountable for his public statements, which was met with resounding cheers. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., phoned in to encourage rally-goers to make their voices heard, and he promised to oppose Chaffetz and other efforts to sell or transfer federal lands. Gov. Steve Bullock took to the podium, citing public lands as an equalizer where anyone can go to recreate. Public lands are also a major draw for tourism and 64,000 Montana jobs. Its time that we recognize access to our public lands should be promoted, not threatened, he said. Its time we send a message to that floor of the building, gesturing to the House and Senate chambers, that proposals to transfer our public lands or study the transfer of public lands have no place in this building and no place in Montana. Look, this aint about politics, whether you're Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or vegetarian, these lands belong to you. WARRENSBURG, Mo. Dedication to academic success in high school has earned Corina Lottman, daughter of Chad and Courtney Lottman, Diller, Neb., a Red and Black Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 per year to attend the University of Central Missouri. The Red and Black Scholarship is awarded to incoming UCM freshmen based upon their high school cumulative grade point average and ACT composite score. The scholarship is renewable and may be received for a maximum of eight semesters of undergraduate study. A senior at Diller-Odell High School, Lottman will attend UCM in the fall majoring in aviation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks to speak with the media as he arrives at the parliament house to attend the first day of the budget session, in New Delhi, India, on January 31, 2017. Photo: Reuters NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has moved to clean up political funding with limits on cash donations and new election bonds, but some politicians and election officials said the measures would have limited impact. With several state polls about to begin that will help determine his chances of re-election in 2019, Modis administration sought to tackle widespread perceptions of vote buying by capping cash donations to political parties at 2,000 rupees ($30). Previously the ceiling was 20,000 rupees. Announcing his 2017/18 budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also unveiled a scheme under which donors could buy election bonds from a designated local bank and give them to political parties to deposit into their account. Forcing donations through the banking system would mean the assets were declared and so could be traced. The government also threatened action against political parties that did not file tax returns. They do not pay income tax, but filing returns could bring transparency to the system. This reform will bring about greater transparency and accountability in political funding, while preventing (a) future generation of black money, Jaitley said. The changes will not directly impact elections getting under way, but the government is likely to see them as a way to burnish Modis credentials as a graft-fighter after he announced a series of measures to tackle illicit wealth. In another move that may catch the voters eye in the big battleground state of Uttar Pradesh this month, Jaitley bolstered rural and infrastructure spending. The government also cut the basic personal tax and taxes on small firms that make up most of Indias businesses, offering relief to those strapped for cash after higher value banknotes were scrapped in a radical move against undeclared wealth. ILLICIT CASH With no federal election funding, unaccounted cash has long been the lifeblood for political parties. In some cases, they collect money from candidates and businessmen and spend it to stage rallies, hire helicopters and lavish voters with liquor, mobile phone credit, saris, or simply cash. Elections are a business in India. The more you invest, the better your chance of winning. Money power and muscle power matter, said H.S. Brahma, former head of Indias election commission that oversees elections in the worlds biggest democracy. This (budget announcement) wont do everything, but it is an important step. Indian election spending has ballooned in the last few decades as parties compete with ever more showy campaigns, and businessmen ratchet up donations to politicians in the hope of winning future building approvals or licences. Modis ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been among the biggest spenders. In the 2014 national election, Modi trounced the opposition with a campaign that included 3D holograms of him giving speeches in villages across India. Campaign spending in Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state with 200 million people, is forecast to hit a record 40 billion rupees ($600 million). Whether the limit is 20,000 or 2,000 rupees, it is not going to help. State funding of elections is the only way to bring transparency said Damodar Rout, vice president of a regional party that rules the eastern state of Odisha. N. Bhaskara Rao, chairman of Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies which tracks election financing, said loopholes remained. Parties will find a way to get around these new rules. There are so many ways they can keep donations off the books, he said. These include remote payments involving a donor providing a service instead of cash, for example paying for rallies or providing transport. Parties could also simply record a higher number of contributions below the 2,000 rupee threshold. WHO IS HIT HARDEST? While the changes will affect all parties, Rao said regional ones would feel them more than the BJP or main opposition Congress party because a greater proportion of their income is from undisclosed sources. A study released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said 65 percent of the BJPs total income had come from unknown sources over an 11-year period beginning in 2004/5. Congress did not disclose the source of 83 percent of its funds, while the regional group that controls Uttar Pradesh had shown 94 percent of its income came from unknown sources. Anil Verma, a retired major general who heads the ADR, said the impact of the measures would depend on whether parties were compelled to list the identities of those giving cash and itemize the source of donations on tax returns. The public needs to know who is giving the money, he said. While the precise rules of electoral bonds are not yet clear, observers said the scheme could mean even less transparency than now. Jaitley said in his budget speech the new proposals were designed to address donor concerns about protecting anonymity. Donors have also expressed reluctance in donating by cheque or other transparent methods, as it would disclose their identity and entail adverse consequences, he said. Guwahati: Patriotic Peoples' Front Assam (PPFA) appreciates newly crowned US President Donald Trump for his gesture to India terming the largest democracy of the globe as 'a true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world'. The northeast India based patriotic forum also expressed happiness that President Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 January 2017 to invite the latter for visiting the United States later this year. Both the powerful politicians discussed opportunities to strengthen the partnership between the US and India in broad areas such as the economy and defense. They also talked about the security scenario in the region of South & Central Asia and finally resolved that both the democratic nations stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism. 'We find no reason to condemn President Trump for his American first policy and believe that every nationalistic leader has the right to pursue his patriotism without harming other nationas interest,'A said a statement issued by the PPFA. The forum also denounced the apprehension of some non-resident Indians taking shelter in the US because of President Trump's aggressive nationalistic policy and argued that the proposed anti-terror strategy of the Republican leader would finally benefit India as a whole in the long run. 'We visualize India's enhancing role in the international arena after President Trump joins hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin to counter international terrorism affectively. We are optimistic that New Delhi would nurture the relationship for a greater cause without compromising our national interest,' concluded the statement. Issued by Rupam Barua, Nava Thakuria, Jagadindra Raychoudhury etc for PPFA Of all the words used to describe President Donald J. Trump during his first days in officebold, boastful, alternative factshere are two that almost no person or pundit uttered: promise keeper. Love him or loathe him, Trump took no time in checking off key items from his unconventional campaigns list of unconventional promises. Toss out the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): check. Start process to build a wall: check. Impose extreme vetting on immigrants and refugees from various Muslim-majority countries: check. Gut the Environmental Protection Agency: check is on its way. Congressional Republicans kept their mouths politely shut when the President acted on the lists first two items. Free trade and free access to much needed, cheap laborlegal, reportedly legal, or other-than-legalare core conservative principles but, their silence seemed to say, its the Presidents first week so well act like we didnt hear him. Farm leaders, however, with both more to lose and more courage than their Trump-shrunk congressmen and senators, howled when Trump announced his TPP-killing action. These Big Ag, mostly Trump backers very well knew Candidate Trump had made that promise but they very well didnt know President Trump would keep his promise. What backslapping politician ever does? But Trump doesnt see himself as a politician. In fact, neither do most farmers and ranchers who overwhelmingly voted for him because, as they said in poll after poll, Hes not a politician; hes like us, a businessman. They were righton both counts. So, stick a fork in TPP; its cooked because Trump thinks its bad business. He later signaled the same fate for T-TIP, the not-yet-finished Euro-centered Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and the European Union. If these trade-smacking moves were too subtle to ags free traders, the President gave all another red-hot dose of his promise-keeping serum Jan. 26 when he endorsed a 20 percent border tax on imports entering the U.S from our free trade partner Mexico. The border tax, explained White House press secretary Sean Spicer, is less about our ridiculousyes, he said ridiculousfree trade policy and more about, well, one tall, beautiful wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Right now our countrys policy, said Spicer, is to tax exports and let imports flow freely in, which is ridiculous. By doing that [20 percent border tax] we can easily pay for a wall just through (sic) mechanism alone. A border tax to pay for a border wall, however, wasnt one of his bosss campaign promises and it caught American Big Ag leaders and Enrique Pena Nieto, the president of Mexico, flatfooted. Nieto immediately cancelled a planned White House meeting with Trump. Still, after so much awful ag-related trade news from the White House, there is good news in its terrible border tax idea, says New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and no Trump acolyte (he calls President Trump Agent Orange). First, explains Krugman, any border tax cant be country specificaimed solely at, say, Mexicotherefore it cannot be imposed and will never pay for any border wall anywhere. Second, a border tax might well be considered WTO-illegal because the World Trade Organization often views it as a combined export subsidy and import tariff. Neither is allowed under WTO rules signed by both Mexico and the U.S. So, a border tax is no bueno no matter what the White House says. But that fact wont quiet American farmers and ranchers. They made a quid pro quo when they voted for the non-politician Trump: Well risk your populist, anti-trade babble in return for a favorable rewrite of the tax code, a dehorning of the EPA, and a 2018 extension of todays revenue-based crop insurance programs. So far theyve gotten the quid right in the eyejust as Trump promised. Whats next is anyones guess. Guwahati : Patriotic Peoples' Front Assam (PPFA) appreciates newly crowned US President Donald Trump for his gesture to India terming the largest democracy of the globe as aa true friend and partner in addressing challenges around the world. The northeast India based patriotic forum also expressed happiness that President Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 24 last, to invite the latter for visiting the United States later this year. Both the powerful politicians discussed opportunities to strengthen the partnership between the US and India in broad areas such as the economy and defense. They also talked about the security scenario in the region of South & Central Asia and finally resolved that both the democratic nations stand shoulder to shoulder in the global fight against terrorism. 'We find no reason to condemn President Trump for his American first policy and believe that every nationalistic leader has the right to pursue his patriotism without harming other nation's interest,' said a statement issued by Rupam Barua, Nava Thakuria, JagadindraRaychoudhury, Dev Saikia etc for the PPFA. The forum also denounced the apprehension of some non-resident Indians taking shelter in the US because of President Trump's aggressivenationalistic policy and argued that the proposed anti-terror strategy of the Republican leader would finally benefit India as a whole in thelong run. 'We visualize India's enhancing role in the international arena after President Trump joins hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin to counter international terrorism affectively. We are optimistic that New Delhi would nurture the relationship for a greater cause without compromising our national interest,aA concluded the statement. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Janakpur, Nepal: Nepal Police have arrested so-called free Madhes movement leader CK Raut from Janakpur at around 3pm on Thursday. A Police team mobilized from the district Police Dhanusha arrested Raut. As Raut is a permanent resident of Siraha district, he is being handed over to the Siraha Police for further action. Earlier, Siraha District Police had written a letter to the Dhanusha police, asking to arrest Raut. It is said that he was arrested his rented room near the old Bus Park at Janakpur. Nepal Police has arrested Raut in the mean time when the government is criticized for doing nothing to arrest to those like Raut, who has campaigning for a separate Madhes state in Terai with the view to disintegrating the country. The senior officials of the Nepal Police had also criticized the government for not allowing them to arrest CK Raut. Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuab KATHMANDU, Feb 2: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has argued that the democracy would be further strengthened in the country by holding all three levels of elections. Unveiling a book 'Chintan' (Thinking) published by Democratic Thought Society here today, leader Deuba said that the NC has a huge responsibility to work for the national cause. Deuba was of the opinion that the major opposition party CPN-UML, should also cooperate to pass the constitution amendment bill which was registered at the Parliament on November 29, 2016 to accommodate the dissenting voices of the Madhesi community. The former Prime Minister also called for cooperation from one and all for the effective implementation of the new constitution. Similarly, Minister for Urban Development Arjun Narshing KC said that the government was preparing to declare the date for local body's election. Referencing the 131st times of constitution amendment in India, Minister KC urged the major opposition to be flexible on revising Nepal's national statute. Commentator and NC leader Shovakar Parajuli was of the belief that the newly launched book would be a good document for the NC as he added it embodies the principles adhered by NC. Former FNJ President and another commentator Dharmendra Jha remarked that the book was worth a read as he said it incorporates thoughts of writers of various age groups. The book has also well documented the fractional political in the largest party (NC) in the parliament, Jha noted. Society's President Dr Kedar Narasingh KC urged the NC leadership to institutionalize the various political achievements. RSS KATHMANDU, February 2: National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has summoned representatives of the various NGOs and INGOs in its office in the capital on Wednesday and asked them to adhere to maintain the transparency and accountability when it comes to assisting in post-quake reconstruction. According to Authority's Spokesperson Dr Bhisma Kumar Bhusal, the instruction in this regard was issued orally by the Authority following the complaints pouring in the Authority from all quarters concerning their arbitrary modus operandi for rebuilding the quake-damaged houses in various parts of the country. Authority's Chief Executive Officer, Prof Dr Govinda Raj Pokharel, spoke of the need to effective collaboration between the government agencies and stakeholders to give pace to reconstruction efforts. "We have received widespread complaints from the locals and concerned sides that the stakeholders, NGOs/INGOs were squandering the aid to be spent for reconstruction drive on various subjects. None should work arbitrarily," said CEO Pokharel, urging them to comply with rules and regulations and proper procedure. Furthermore, he also urged them to take into action to transparency and accountability. The representatives summoned at the Authority were also asked to pay attention to producing skilled artisans for reconstruction in order to build back better. According to the Ministry of Urban Development, of the total 60,000 artisans to be trained for rebuilding the quake damaged public physical infrastructures, only 15,000 have received the training but not all are employed yet. RSS "I would like to say 'This book is written to the glory of God', but nowadays this would be the trick of a cheat, i.e., it would not be correctly understood."--Ludwig Wittgenstein "Talk to me about the truth of religion, and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand."--C.S. Lewis Feb. 2 (UPI) -- China may receive its second batch of 10 Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets by the end of 2017, according to Russian state media reports. The Kremlin and Beijing signed off on the procurement of 24 jets in November 2015, and China received four of the planes in 2016. China expects delivery of the remaining 10 jets in 2018. "The first four vehicles were supplied in late last year and the second batch of 10 jets will be delivered to the customer this year," the TASS news agency reports, quoting an unnamed source. The Su-35 single-seat, twin-engine multirole fighter upgraded from the Su-27 Soviet-era aircraft. The modernized fighter is equipped with enhanced avionics and more powerful engines. Weapons include one 30mm GSh-301 cannon, unguided rockets, and various missiles and bombs. While the armed forces of Russia and China are the primary Su-35 operators, the governments of Venezuela, Indonesia, Vietnam and Algeria have also expressed interest in buying the jet. SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Feb-02-2017 11:11 TweetFollow @OregonNews Executive Order Banning Entry from 7 Muslim-Majority Countries EXECUTIVE ORDER: PROTECTING THE NATION FROM FOREIGN TERRORIST ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES Since 1975, no foreign-born terrorist from the 7 countries included in the immigration restriction has been convicted of a lethal terrorist attack on American soil. Image: The Cato Institute (WASHINGTON D.C.) - Americans from the kitchen table to the water cooler are continuing to debate the pros and cons of the Executive Order excluding entry into the United States by a myriad of people and situations. Before stepping up to your own pulpit, it will behoove you to know the FACTS. Here is the January 27, 2017 Executive Order, in it's entirety: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals admitted to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Purpose. The visa-issuance process plays a crucial role in detecting individuals with terrorist ties and stopping them from entering the United States. Perhaps in no instance was that more apparent than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when State Department policy prevented consular officers from properly scrutinizing the visa applications of several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans. And while the visa-issuance process was reviewed and amended after the September 11 attacks to better detect would-be terrorists from receiving visas, these measures did not stop attacks by foreign nationals who were admitted to the United States. Numerous foreign-born individuals have been convicted or implicated in terrorism-related crimes since September 11, 2001, including foreign nationals who entered the United States after receiving visitor, student, or employment visas, or who entered through the United States refugee resettlement program. Deteriorating conditions in certain countries due to war, strife, disaster, and civil unrest increase the likelihood that terrorists will use any means possible to enter the United States. The United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those approved for admission do not intend to harm Americans and that they have no ties to terrorism. In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including "honor" killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation. Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks in the United States; and to prevent the admission of foreign nationals who intend to exploit United States immigration laws for malevolent purposes. Sec. 3. Suspension of Issuance of Visas and Other Immigration Benefits to Nationals of Countries of Particular Concern. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall immediately conduct a review to determine the information needed from any country to adjudicate any visa, admission, or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the individual seeking the benefit is who the individual claims to be and is not a security or public-safety threat. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President a report on the results of the review described in subsection (a) of this section, including the Secretary of Homeland Security's determination of the information needed for adjudications and a list of countries that do not provide adequate information, within 30 days of the date of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence. (c) To temporarily reduce investigative burdens on relevant agencies during the review period described in subsection (a) of this section, to ensure the proper review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening of foreign nationals, and to ensure that adequate standards are established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists or criminals, pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens from countries referred to in section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and I hereby suspend entry into the United States, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of such persons for 90 days from the date of this order (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas). (d) Immediately upon receipt of the report described in subsection (b) of this section regarding the information needed for adjudications, the Secretary of State shall request all foreign governments that do not supply such information to start providing such information regarding their nationals within 60 days of notification. (e) After the 60-day period described in subsection (d) of this section expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the President a list of countries recommended for inclusion on a Presidential proclamation that would prohibit the entry of foreign nationals (excluding those foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic visas, North Atlantic Treaty Organization visas, C-2 visas for travel to the United Nations, and G-1, G-2, G-3, and G-4 visas) from countries that do not provide the information requested pursuant to subsection (d) of this section until compliance occurs. (f) At any point after submitting the list described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security may submit to the President the names of any additional countries recommended for similar treatment. (g) Notwithstanding a suspension pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or pursuant to a Presidential proclamation described in subsection (e) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may, on a case-by-case basis, and when in the national interest, issue visas or other immigration benefits to nationals of countries for which visas and benefits are otherwise blocked. (h) The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall submit to the President a joint report on the progress in implementing this order within 30 days of the date of this order, a second report within 60 days of the date of this order, a third report within 90 days of the date of this order, and a fourth report within 120 days of the date of this order. Sec. 4. Implementing Uniform Screening Standards for All Immigration Programs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall implement a program, as part of the adjudication process for immigration benefits, to identify individuals seeking to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis with the intent to cause harm, or who are at risk of causing harm subsequent to their admission. This program will include the development of a uniform screening standard and procedure, such as in-person interviews; a database of identity documents proffered by applicants to ensure that duplicate documents are not used by multiple applicants; amended application forms that include questions aimed at identifying fraudulent answers and malicious intent; a mechanism to ensure that the applicant is who the applicant claims to be; a process to evaluate the applicant's likelihood of becoming a positively contributing member of society and the applicant's ability to make contributions to the national interest; and a mechanism to assess whether or not the applicant has the intent to commit criminal or terrorist acts after entering the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of this directive within 60 days of the date of this order, a second report within 100 days of the date of this order, and a third report within 200 days of the date of this order. Sec. 5. Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for Fiscal Year 2017. (a) The Secretary of State shall suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days. During the 120-day period, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Homeland Security and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall review the USRAP application and adjudication process to determine what additional procedures should be taken to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States, and shall implement such additional procedures. Refugee applicants who are already in the USRAP process may be admitted upon the initiation and completion of these revised procedures. Upon the date that is 120 days after the date of this order, the Secretary of State shall resume USRAP admissions only for nationals of countries for which the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence have jointly determined that such additional procedures are adequate to ensure the security and welfare of the United States. (b) Upon the resumption of USRAP admissions, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, is further directed to make changes, to the extent permitted by law, to prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individual's country of nationality. Where necessary and appropriate, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall recommend legislation to the President that would assist with such prioritization. (c) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of nationals of Syria as refugees is detrimental to the interests of the United States and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I have determined that sufficient changes have been made to the USRAP to ensure that admission of Syrian refugees is consistent with the national interest. (d) Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f), I hereby proclaim that the entry of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and thus suspend any such entry until such time as I determine that additional admissions would be in the national interest. (e) Notwithstanding the temporary suspension imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit individuals to the United States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so long as they determine that the admission of such individuals as refugees is in the national interest -- including when the person is a religious minority in his country of nationality facing religious persecution, when admitting the person would enable the United States to conform its conduct to a preexisting international agreement, or when the person is already in transit and denying admission would cause undue hardship -- and it would not pose a risk to the security or welfare of the United States. (f) The Secretary of State shall submit to the President an initial report on the progress of the directive in subsection (b) of this section regarding prioritization of claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution within 100 days of the date of this order and shall submit a second report within 200 days of the date of this order. (g) It is the policy of the executive branch that, to the extent permitted by law and as practicable, State and local jurisdictions be granted a role in the process of determining the placement or settlement in their jurisdictions of aliens eligible to be admitted to the United States as refugees. To that end, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall examine existing law to determine the extent to which, consistent with applicable law, State and local jurisdictions may have greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement of refugees in their jurisdictions, and shall devise a proposal to lawfully promote such involvement. Sec. 6. Rescission of Exercise of Authority Relating to the Terrorism Grounds of Inadmissibility. The Secretaries of State and Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, consider rescinding the exercises of authority in section 212 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1182, relating to the terrorism grounds of inadmissibility, as well as any related implementing memoranda. Sec. 7. Expedited Completion of the Biometric Entry-Exit Tracking System. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall expedite the completion and implementation of a biometric entry-exit tracking system for all travelers to the United States, as recommended by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President periodic reports on the progress of the directive contained in subsection (a) of this section. The initial report shall be submitted within 100 days of the date of this order, a second report shall be submitted within 200 days of the date of this order, and a third report shall be submitted within 365 days of the date of this order. Further, the Secretary shall submit a report every 180 days thereafter until the system is fully deployed and operational. Sec. 8. Visa Interview Security. (a) The Secretary of State shall immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance with section 222 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1222, which requires that all individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa undergo an in-person interview, subject to specific statutory exceptions. (b) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of State shall immediately expand the Consular Fellows Program, including by substantially increasing the number of Fellows, lengthening or making permanent the period of service, and making language training at the Foreign Service Institute available to Fellows for assignment to posts outside of their area of core linguistic ability, to ensure that non-immigrant visa-interview wait times are not unduly affected. Sec. 9. Visa Validity Reciprocity. The Secretary of State shall review all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment. If a country does not treat United States nationals seeking nonimmigrant visas in a reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by the foreign country, to the extent practicable. Sec. 10. Transparency and Data Collection. (a) To be more transparent with the American people, and to more effectively implement policies and practices that serve the national interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable law and national security, collect and make publicly available within 180 days, and every 180 days thereafter: (i) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation, or material support to a terrorism-related organization, or any other national security reasons since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; (ii) information regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized after entry into the United States and engaged in terrorism-related acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and (iii) information regarding the number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including honor killings, in the United States by foreign nationals, since the date of this order or the last reporting period, whichever is later; and (iv) any other information relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General, including information on the immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses. (b) The Secretary of State shall, within one year of the date of this order, provide a report on the estimated long-term costs of the USRAP at the Federal, State, and local levels. Sec. 11. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. DONALD J. TRUMP ***** Now that you have all the specifics, it will be easier to attest to the challenges, difficulties, injustices or strong points that this order has created for we, the citizens of this United States. Source: WhiteHouse.gov _________________________________________ Politics | United-states | Business | Human-rights | Most Commented on Articles for February 1, 2017 | Articles for February 2, 2017 | The lone defendant left in the Marcos Javier Arce Pena murder case is on his way to a jury trial, with jury selection slated to begin June 19. Two members of the states teachers union opposed a bill Tuesday that would eliminate a master teacher program that pays for a prestigious national teacher certification and a stipend for teachers whove earned it. This program is the only support the state gives for teaching excellence and it must be retained, Maddie Fennell, a longtime Omaha Public Schools teacher and new executive director of the Nebraska State Education Association told the Legislatures education committee. Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, who introduced the bill (LB214) at the request of Education Committee chairman Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, said the intent and merits of the program are fine, but its not a prudent use of state resources. There are all kinds of certifications for various professions and to my knowledge none of them are provided through state funding, he said. Legislators created the program in 2000, allowing for state funds to pay for the $1,900 cost of certification and an annual stipend up to $5,000 a year to teachers whod earned it, said Jay Sears, NSEA director of instructional advocacy. The amount of the stipend would decrease as more teachers became eligible, he said. The year the bill passed, a line item veto cut funding and it remained unfunded until 2015, he said. The same year, the Legislature removed $30 million from the state aid formula used to reimburse districts that had teachers with masters degrees. Groene suggested the program could pay for the cost of certification while leaving the decision about the stipend up to individual districts. I would make a deal with you senator, Sears said. If you give us back the $30 million that was taken out for the masters degree piece and put that into national board certification, well call it even. Some districts and federal grants have helped with the cost over the years, Sears said. Now, 120 Nebraska teachers are certified through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Another 29 are working toward it. About 3,900 teachers nationwide have been certified. The governor has proposed cutting the funding to help reduce the state budget shortfall for the remainder of the fiscal year. But Sears said he doesnt want LB214 to eliminate the program entirely, because it provides an incentive for teachers and helps retain talented educators in Nebraska. Fennell said when she was teaching it took her 17 years to earn her masters degree because she couldnt afford it, and had OPS and a federal grant not paid for the certification she wouldnt have been able to do that. As part of her work in the certification program she analyzed student writing at Miller Park Elementary, where she was teaching at the time. The work helped her figure out which interventions were most effective, and once she knew that, the school expanded that work. That resulted in the school, where 95 percent of students live in poverty, scoring second highest at OPS in state writing tests, she said. Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln said there are few issues that have generated more letters than this one. Youve hit a hot spot, she said. Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said the issue isn't whether the certification is worthwhile, just who pays for it. If local school boards think the certification is important, they could provide bonuses or find ways to fund it, she said. Sen. Adam Morefield of Lincoln said the law is another "tool in the tool box" for teachers and relieves some of the local property tax burden. Already released in its native Indonesia The Mo Brothers' high octane martial arts picture Headshot - with The Raid star Iko Uwais - rolls out around the world on March 3rd and you know what that means? That means new trailer. New trailer packed to the gills with action, action and more action. HEADSHOT centers on a mysterious young man who, after months in a coma from a gunshot wound to the head, is nursed back to health by a young student-doctor, Ailin. Realizing that the man has lost his memory and identity, the two quickly grow closer, not realizing that behind their momentary peace lays danger. Soon their lives collide with a gang of dangerous criminals led by an enigmatic crime lordand with every violent confrontation, his memory brings him closer to a dark truth as the lethal personality awakening within him starts to reveal who he really is. As gonzo as this new trailer is (which is very) the craziest bit about it is anyone who has seen the movie will tell you there is absolutely none of the big stuff in here. These are the small bits. Just a taster of what's to come. Check it out below! [Yep, XYZ Films are heavily involved in this one and I'm heavily involved in XYZ so, y'know, do with that as you will.] From the crop of American filmmakers who have impressed the Screen Anarchy family in recent years with their debut feature films, S. Craig Zahler's Bone Tomahawk was no exception. It was dark, nasty and the violence in the latter half of the film was the cinematic equivelant of blunt force trauma. We loved every stomache churning moment of it. Brawl in Cell Block 99 Dragged Across Concrete. As the filmmaker works on his follow up THR broke the news that Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn have signed on to a new project of his that will be presented to buyers at the EFM. Let us introduce you to The script centers on two policemen, one an old-timer (Gibson), the other his volatile younger partner (Vaughn), who find themselves suspended when a video of their strong-arm tactics become the media's cause du jour. Low on cash and with no other options, these two embittered soldiers descend into the criminal underworld to gain their just due, but instead find far more than they wanted awaiting them in the shadows. Vaughan must have liked his time with Zahler on Brawl in Cell Block 99 to return to work with the director again. Zahler will direct from his own screenplay. Within its first 10 minutes, War on Everyone smashes at least two dozen stereotypes familiar to anyone who has ever watched a cop movie made by a Hollywood studio, doing so in a rollicking and hilarious fashion. It's a barrage of silly sight gags and punchy one-liners that is simultaneously silly and smart, a series of over the top explosions that blow up, one after the other, to ever greater effect. When things finally slow down, it's only for a moment to allow the audience to catch its collective breath and ask, perhaps, where can this crazy thing possibly go from here? Writer and director John Michael McDonagh, who previously made the tight, intense drama Calvary, here returns to the rough, black comic territory of his debut, The Guard, though it's safe to say that War on Everyone is much broader, and intentionally so. The opening sequence, picking up in media res, is immediately reminiscent of Lethal Weapon 2, featuring two cops in the midst of an automotive chase. As prototypical buddy cops in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Michael Pena and Alexander Skarsgard are incredibly well-matched detectives, sitting at one point in the police station, wondering why everyone else bothers to work. Their boss, played by Paul Reiser, is exasperated and appears genuinely confounded by how stupid they pretend to be. Yet Pena and Skarsgard are, apparently, exactly as stupid as they appear to be. To be more accurate, they give no indication that they know about the law, or that they care about the law, or that they even know what their responsibilities toward the law are supposed to be. At the risk of explaining a joke (badly), that's exactly the point. Pena and Skarsgard are personifications of the typical law-breaking law-enforcers who peopled 1980s action movies and continue to do so down to this day. So, obviously, War on Everyone pivots on whether the film's humor strikes a responsive chord, and that opening sequence is a good litmus test -- if it doesn't make one laugh, neither will the rest of the movie. For those who remain on board, McDonagh sketches out the characters of Bob Bolano (Pena) and Terry Monroe (Skarsgard) and the actors take it from there, investing them with grace notes of humanity that reinforce the humor. Bob has an understanding wife named Dolores (Stephanie Sigman) and two rambunctious boys, while Terry lives alone in a starkly furnished home that he comes to share with the survivor of a crime scene (Tessa Thompson, continuing to stand out after Selma and Creed). The women are limited to stereotypical supporting roles, with their greatest strengths being that they accept the men as loving and devoted clods. Naturally, Bob and Terry are in pursuit of nasty villains, led unexpectedly by Theo James, who has established himself as a teen heartthrob in the Divergent series of movies. As the leader of a criminal syndicate, he distinguishes himself by imitating Sean Connery as 007. Caleb Landry Jones makes for a splendidly irritating, lower-rung criminal cohort. Malcolm Barrett has a few good scenes as Reggie, an informant, who basically functions as a means to get Bob and Terry from one location to another. Ultimately, War on Everyone is a laugh machine that doesn't always shoot straight and true and is bound to offend nearly everyone. (For one thing, even the most politically incorrect people on the planet would find Paul Reiser's description of his children to be offensive.) It falls short of McDonagh's previous films, which were strong on stinging characterizations, and is incredibly broad and obvious. Really, though, isn't that the point? If you're going to make fun of Hollywood cop comedies, you pretty much have to be broad and obvious. War on Everyone is glorious, riotous fun, and Pena and Skarsgard are utterly charming. Review originally published during SXSW in March 2016. The film will open in select U.S. theaters on Friday, February 3 and will also be available to watch via various Video On Demand platforms.. The word sumptuous doesnt get bandied about very much during Sundance when describing films. In the land of ice and snow, things are either quirky, dramadies or depressing as shit, but theyre seldom languid, or bucolic. Perhaps thats what elevated Call Me By Your Name this festival, feeling very much apart in time, place and tone from what was occurring in the world, a thematic departure from the politics of the day and the cinema of the festival. In fact, this is the most Cannes-like fable Ive seen in Park City, its sun-dappled look and gentle touch the kind of thing lapped up on the southern coast of France. With a story written by James Ivory thats part libidinous, part philosophical rumination, its practically begging for establishment art-house adoration, as opposed to the more scruffy idiom of American indie culture. Based on the novel by Andre Aciman, Ivorys script is a symphony of precociousness, a Rushmore for the romantic set, trading snark and pop-culture snap for more prosaic, homoerotic fare. The couple in question, Armie Hammer and newcomer Timothee Chalamet, are in a word exquisite, floating past one another with a grace thats intoxicating. Chalamet in particular is a revelation easily this part could come across as pouty and pedantic, but thanks to polyglot diction, dexterous piano playing and a woeful look he rises up to the films grand ambition. Hammer too underplays his part deliciously, reminding that this actor with the leading-man face excels in providing impeccable supporting roles, as first evidenced in his double act in The Social Network. Joined by the equally stellar Amira Casar and Michael Stuhlbarg, it is an ensemble to applaud, each bringing complex takes on their well-drawn roles. As the story unfolds in moments that are equal parts delicate, comedic, romantic and raw, the film manages to negotiate this dance with verve. Luca Guadagninos direction is deft, and if he brings half this craft into his upcoming Suspiria redux, were in for a real treat. Thai director of photography Sayombhu Mukdeeprom may best be known for shooting the somnolent trash (and Palme dOr winner) Uncle Boonmee by that fraudster Apichatpong Weerasethakul, but thanks to some actual storytelling, his images buttress the narrative gorgeously. The risque relationship doesnt resolve in drama but in moments of great tenderness and sweetness. The monologue between father and son may be poetic wishful thinking, but it at least elevates parental discourse to an ideal, the way one could only wish as both child and parent to live through such a situation. The film never drags yet takes its time, the passion is strong but never ridiculous. Its a film of intense moderation and restraint, a paradox that somehow magically works. Call Me By Your Name feels both fresh and vintage, and watching it, you can almost feel the warm Italian sun and smell the fresh breeze billowing through the orchards. A trip to a bucolic place of young love and intellectual rigour, its an intoxicating work. With even a modicum of light in your heart, Call Me By Your Name is likely to smite you as effectively as it did this jaded festival goer. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). February 1, 2017 Russia's return to the Middle East as a powerful actor has alienated some in the region and made others suspicious of its intentions. But all regional powers see merit in maintaining a careful balance in their ties with Moscow by compartmentalizing the relationship and separating the most controversial issues, such as Syria and the Iran nuclear program, into separate policy tracks. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has mastered this and reaped enormous benefits as a result. Despite significant disagreements on ways to settle the Syrian crisis and occasional criticism of each other, Russia and Jordan engage in multibillion dollar deals in the energy sector and conclude arms contracts, with Moscow not fearing that its RPGs sold to Amman may end up in the hands of rebels in Syria. Since his coronation in 1999, King Abdullah has visited Russia 16 times, which signifies one of the most stable relationships that the Kremlin managed to establish in the Middle East. His most recent trip to Russia on Jan. 25 was an element of the trend and was quite different at the same time. The trip came just days after talks between the Syrian government and armed opposition groups had concluded in Astana, Kazakhstan. Abdullah expressed his full support for the Astana initiative and lauded Russias role in this process. In response, President Vladimir Putin thanked his counterpart for Jordan's constructive position on peace talks. Looking beyond these purely diplomatic courtesies, Jordans support for a Russian-initiated diplomatic initiative is something the Kremlin desperately looks to secure. The Astana process in its present form is co-sponsored by Turkey, and a deal between Moscow and Ankara over Aleppo and the Turkish-Syrian border are the main founding blocks of this process; hence the cease-fire brokered in December is heavily focused on northern Syria. The truce has significantly decreased the level of violence in Aleppo but failed to produce similar results near Damascus and farther south in Daraa province. While it appears that the Syrian government was able to withdraw some of its forces from the south for the Aleppo operation thanks to a temporary de-escalation that was likely negotiated with Jordan by Russia, Moscow is looking for a more lasting solution there. It is not clear whether Putin would like to invite Abdullah to become the fourth co-sponsor of the Astana process and the underlying cease-fire, but it would be the logical next step. Thus, the kings visit could be interpreted in the context of the Kremlins efforts to shore up support for the process among powers that have significant military and logistical leverage in the conflict. Russias hopes arent entirely groundless given that the December cease-fire is so far the only international effort backed by powers that are directly involved in the conflict. Jordans value, however, is not based on its military support to the opposition, which is minimal, but in the fact that it harbors rebel groups and allows their supply routes to operate. Russia may be envisioning a wider role for Amman in the Astana process in exchange for its sealing the border with Syria and putting a cap on rebel ambitions to expand their area of influence in the south. Control over the Jordanian border is crucial for the United States and Saudi Arabia, who train rebel groups on Jordanian soil as well as send batches of weapons to Syria through the border. Ever since the launch of the Russian military operation, Moscow and Amman have been inching closer to cooperation on Syria. In October 2015, the two established a joint center in Amman that serves as an effective intelligence-sharing channel and helps coordinate actions in southern Syria. Moreover, when the Russian Su-24 was shot down by a Turkish warplane in November 2015, Putin chose his meeting with Abdullah to deliver an emotional speech slamming Ankara for the attack where he pronounced his now famous stab in the back metaphor. There is no doubt that Abdullah gave prior consent to a discussion of the incident in front of the cameras and, to much surprise, he played along by referring to the shoot-down as an act of terrorism. Deep understanding between Israel and Jordan on Syria, as well as nonformalized cooperation between Israel and Russia to shield the former from Hezbollah, make a trilateral alliance in the south between these states all the more needed and practical. This week, Abdullah is visiting the United States to meet top US officials. The Jordanian king, who is expected to greet Trump Thursday at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, will become the first Arab leader to meet this controversial politician in his new capacity. Terrorism will undoubtedly become the main topic of the discussion, and as Americas new anti-terrorism policy is still in the works, Abdullah could also act as a messenger for Putin, who has not given up on the idea of a global anti-terrorism coalition spearheaded by Russia and the United States. It is probably not a coincidence that Trump signed the memorandum instructing the US militarys Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop a plan to defeat the Islamic State on the same day he had his first phone call with Putin. Jordan does seem to be the power best positioned to act as a mediator between the United States and Russia in developing the contours of a hypothetical joint policy against terrorism in the Middle East. Apart from coordinating the actions of its air force in southern Syria with Russia, Amman also hosts the Military Operations Center that operates under the supervision of the United States, Saudi Arabia and Jordan; the center supports rebels of the Southern Front. Jordan, one of the few remaining stable states in the region, is seen as a crucial ally for any efforts against terrorists both by Russia and the United States and could in fact facilitate their communication through existing Amman-based mechanisms. Governor says confirmation details unneeded because law requiring Senate consent is unconstitutional Sens. Bill Rabon, left, and Tommy Tucker, right, explain the Senate's process for confirming Cabinet-level appointments Tuesday. (CJ photo by Barry Smith) A bill allowing conditional restoration of a driver's license for those convicted of driving while intoxicated after completing a drug treatment program (Senate Bill 21), filed by Sen. Jim Davis, R-Macon. A bill prohibiting the DOT from denying motorcycle access to the state's roads (House Bill 28), sponsored by Rep. John Torbett, R-Gaston. A bill requiring clerks of court to keep a record of people asking to be excused from jury duty because they are not qualified to serve as a juror (House Bill 29), introduced by Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow. A bill authorizing the Division of Motor Vehicles to establish a specialized license plate for colorectal cancer, with some of the proceeds going to prevention and early detection of the cancer (House Bill 30), introduced by Rep. William Brawley, R-Mecklenburg. As a special Senate committee on Tuesday began hammering out details for confirming Gov. Roy Cooper's Cabinet nominees, the back-and-forth between the governor and the General Assembly over the legality of the confirmation requirement continued.The process will mirror that used by the U.S. Senate, with an added step: North Carolina Cabinet-level nominees will have to return to the original nominating committee before being sent to the full Senate for a confirmation vote. While senators unveiled the schedule for confirmation hearings, Cooper said the exercise was unnecessary, claiming the law which established the confirmation requirement violated the state constitution.Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, co-chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Nominations , appeared to anticipate Cooper's objections.Rabon said during the meeting.Rabon continued:Once a nominee passes the initial step, the nomination then will go to the Senate policy committee "best suited" to the nominee's job, Rabon said. For example, he said the nominee for secretary of transportation will go to the Senate Transportation Committee and the secretary of Health and Human Services would go to the Senate Health Care Committee.The policy committee would invite the nominee to give testimony at a meeting, Rabon said, and then decide whether to refer the nominee for confirmation. Next, the Nominations Committee would consider the policy committee's conclusion before making its recommendation to the full SenateIdeally, the process would be completed over the next six weeks, Rabon said.Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue , D-Wake, said after the meeting that more clarification on the rules for the nominees is needed. Blue also noted that the confirmation law , passed during a special session in December 2016, is being challenged in the courts.Blue said.Blue also said the process was a bit lengthy.Blue said of the six-week process.Cooper said the court case made this entire exercise by the Senate a waste of time.Cooper spokesman Ford Porter said in a statement after the meeting.Rabon said he hoped the schedule could be condensed.The committee's other co-chairman, Sen. Tommy Tucker , R-Union, told committee members that tentative schedule for committees taking up Cooper's nominees:Both Rabon and Tucker later defended the process in a joint statement.they said.Other billsMeanwhile, lawmakers filed a handful of bills on Tuesday. They included: Contact: Ford Porter Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov RALEIGH, NC Governor Roy Cooper today released a new video celebrating the beginning of Black History Month. In the video, Governor Cooper encouraged North Carolinians across the state to submit their stories about the importance of Black History Month and where they would like to see North Carolina go from here.In addition, Governor Cooper signed a proclamation declaring February 2017 Black History Month.said Governor Cooper.This month, the Governor's Office will highlight submissions from North Carolinians about what Black History Month means to them and what their vision is for our state.said Governor Cooper.Click here to watch Governor Cooper's video.North Carolinians can submit their stories about Black History Month here "Say no to restorative justice for sex offenders" | Main | "The Predictable Disarray: Ignoring the Jury in Florida Death Penalty Cases" February 1, 2017 Highlighting the basis for hoping Judge Gorsuch will prove to be like Justice Scalia on some criminal justice issues Leon Neyfakh has this piece at Slate of note headlined "Unlike Trump, Neil Gorsuch Has Shown Flickers of Humanity on Criminal Justice Issues." Here are excerpts: Donald Trump got himself elected in part by acting not just tough on crime but merciless. The guy loves the police and hates anyone whos even been accused of breaking the lawthinks theyre disgusting and dangerous and dont deserve an inch of sympathy no matter the circumstances of their offense. This is what it means to be strong in Donald Trumps minda reflection, it has been persuasively argued by historian Rick Perlstein, of the formative years he spent fearing for his life in New York during the bad old 1970s and 80s. So it comes as something of a surprise that his pick for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, has a judicial track record dotted with flashes of humanity when it comes to issues of criminal justice. Theres the time he dissented from his colleagues about whether it was right for a school police officer to handcuff and arrest a seventh-grader for burping in class. (My colleagues suggest the law permits exactly this option and they offer ninety-four pages explaining why they think thats so. Respectfully, I remain unpersuaded.) Theres the time he argued it was unfair to hold a guy responsible for failing to follow a law he didnt know he was breaking, a dissenting opinion that began: "People sit in prison because our circuits case law allows the government to put them there without proving a statutorily specified element of the charged crime. Today, this court votes narrowly, 6 to 4, against revisiting this state of affairs. So Mr. Games-Perez will remain behind bars, without the opportunity to present to a jury his argument that he committed no crime at all under the law of the land." Maybe my expectations have sunk too low since Inauguration Day, but even just the premise of those sentences that putting someone in prison is undesirable and that putting someone in prison who doesnt deserve to be there is more likely unfair than fine feels somewhat reassuring. Also reassuring: a speech Gorsuch gave in 2006 that was being highlighted Tuesday night by the folks at Right on Crime, an organization of conservatives who support criminal justice reform. In that speech, Gorsuch mostly applied his soon-to-be-famous verve to the conservative parlor game of mocking silly federal statutes (Businessmen who import lobster tails in plastic bags rather than cardboard boxes can be brought up on charges. Mattress sellers who remove that little tag? Yes, theyre probably federal criminals too). But he also said something that betrays an awareness of just how dangerous it is for prosecutors federal and otherwise to enjoy so much discretion that they can pretty much punish anyone they want: What happens to individual freedom and equality, Gorsuch asked, when the criminal law comes to cover so many facets of daily life that prosecutors can almost choose their targets with impunity?... But lest you think Mr. American Carnage has chosen a nominee who is some kind of soft-hearted criminal-coddler, consider the Gorsuch decisions flagged Tuesday by Igor Volsky from the Center for American Progress. One of them has Gorsuch declining to provide relief to a defendant who got life in prison without parole because his lawyer threatened to quit his case if he took a plea bargain instead of going to trial. Several others suggest a tendency to side with police officers who have been accused of excessive forceincluding one who killed a man by shocking him with a Taser to the head during a chase and another who put a 9-year-old whod stolen an iPad from his school in a twist-lock. February 1, 2017 at 05:35 PM | Permalink Comments The masking ideology does not matter. Harvard Law = big government expansion. Moving to Washington DC = lawyer rent seeking culture. Lawyer = mental cripple, with less sense than a Life Skills student in 3rd grade. Prominent lawyer = loyalty to the hierarchy of the lawyer profession over loyalty to the nation. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 1, 2017 6:34:43 PM Yes, plastic causes problems that cardboard does not. Hopefully, such kneejerk comments don't lead too much to kneejerk judging. The tag comment (which concerned SELLERS) suggests it shouldn't be taken too seriously, that being a common joke, but perhaps not. We know that various times Scalia's jurisprudence helped the defendants. So, the whole thing is somewhat dubious. Anyway, the seat should have gone to Merrick Garland; at least, he should have received "due process" so to speak. http://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/seat-merrick Posted by: Joe | Feb 2, 2017 6:38:24 AM All regulations are lawyer quackery until proven otherwise. Lawyer quackery represents a regulatory taking, and a violation of the right to Fifth Amendment procedural due process. All regulations should be proven to be safe and effective. They should be tested in a series of larger jurisdictions if proven and not burdened by the usual horrific unintended consequences. A calculation should be made that their benefit is at least triple the damage and cost to the economy. The adoption of this scientific requirement would end 90% of government rules, which are all lawyer rent seeking scams, and schemes to steal from the public. Traffic lights would have to be removed. Left wing, big government supporters would all be fired. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 8:31:00 AM "One of them has Gorsuch declining to provide relief to a defendant who got life in prison without parole because his lawyer threatened to quit his case if he took a plea bargain instead of going to trial." Gorsuch was 1000% right on that one. Posted by: federalist | Feb 2, 2017 12:19:53 PM Post a comment "The Predictable Disarray: Ignoring the Jury in Florida Death Penalty Cases" | Main | House Judiciary Chair Goodlatte says sentencing reform is part of his agenda February 2, 2017 One corrections officer dead as Delaware prison riot comes to end As reported here, the "day-long hostage standoff inside Delawares largest state prison for men ended early Thursday after state police stormed the building, finding one corrections official dead and rescuing another who was being held hostage." Here is more: The standoff began Wednesday at around 10:30 a.m. when inmates at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, about 40 miles south of Wilmington, took four corrections department workers and possibly some fellow prisoners hostage inside one of the facilitys buildings. Prisons across the state were locked down due to the standoff there. Dozens of inmates were released in Smyrna as the situation progressed, along with two corrections officials who were being held, the Department of Correction said in a statement overnight. It was not immediately clear how many of the inmates held in the seized prison block were hostages as opposed to hostage-takers. The Delaware State Police entered the building shortly after 5 a.m. Thursday, according to the corrections department. A Department of Correction employee who was being held was safely rescued and is being examined at a local hospital, where she is alert and talking, the agency said in a statement. Police found the remaining hostage, a corrections officer who was not immediately identified, unresponsive when they entered, and he was pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m. Authorities said they would release more information later Thursday at a news conference. Gov. John Carney (D), in a statement Thursday, said Im praying hard for the fallen officers family. This serves as a tragic reminder that members of law enforcement risk their lives every day on behalf of the people of Delaware, he said. We will stand by the fallen officers family and fellow law enforcement officers during what is an extremely difficult time. Carney said officials were now focusing on trying to learn what happened and how this happened, and vowed to make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. The hostage-takers had said their rebellion was a direct response to President Trumps policies. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now, they said during the second of two manifesto-like phone calls to a local newspaper. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. The inmates demanded education first and foremost, a rehabilitation program that works for everybody and a comprehensive look at the prisons budget and spending, according to audio of the calls posted online by the News Journal in Wilmington, Del. The Vaughn prison is the largest adult male correctional facility in the state, housing about 2,500 minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, according to the Department of Correction website. It is the landing place for people who have not yet been convicted of a crime and those who have been sentenced to death. Executions are carried out there, according to the website, although the death penalty in Delaware has been struck down by the states Supreme Court. Inmate complaints about treatment within the prison, substandard medical care and poor record-keeping have increased in the past year, Stephen Hampton, an attorney from Dover who has represented prisoners in civil rights cases, told the Associated Press. February 2, 2017 at 09:00 AM | Permalink Comments Delaware is nuts in its left wing extremism, and love of the criminal. This death is 100% the fault of the lawyer that kept the convicts alive, protecting, privileging, and empowering these ultra-violent predators. If you like this riot, thank the Delaware lawyer. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 9:12:10 AM Governor Carney should resign, since he is cause of this death, by coddling the criminals. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 9:13:38 AM This is very interesting. Part of me wants to condemn these prisoners for the savagery (although the details are not clear). Another part of me thinks their concerns are very very serious and worthy of demonstration. To simply shun them as "killers" or "murderers" is a serious injustice. Its like shunning Bin Laden for being a "terrorist" without looking at his manifesto or his declarations of war in order to understand all of the political disparities he was fed up with. Of course, ultimately the way in which he wanted to create change was terrible, barbaric and cruel. But it still stands that reforms need to be made. The lack of access to health care and the lack of rehabilitative programs in prisons are unacceptable. Hours of solidarity confinement do not help. Will president trump invest in our prisons? Hell no, he will most likely overcrowd them if anything. The reality is, these inmates are right, things are going to get worse. We ought to listen. Posted by: Ali Najaf | Feb 2, 2017 9:42:37 AM Ali. For best public safety, all should have been executed as soon after age 14 as the public could stomach. Their violent crime meter began spinning at supersonic speed from age 3. In the future, CRISPRcas9 technology will fix their defects, in them and in their offspring. Until that time comes, death is the best remedy to repeat violent crime. The students here will live to see that treatment in commercial operation. Prof. Berman might. The old people here will not. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 11:08:13 AM David Behar, respectfully you don't know anything about Delaware law or institutions. Delaware has one of the more stringent truth in sentencing laws, requiring people to serve 100% of their sentence unless they complete specific rehabilitation programs (and, even then, requiring them to serve the overwhelming majority of the sentence). They've abolished parole. They were one of the three states that left the Judge the decision on whether to impose the death penalty and allowed that decision on non-unanimous recommendations. They did this specifically because they were concerned that Delaware citizens wouldn't vote for the death penalty otherwise. All this has led to massive overcrowding and terrible conditions (full disclosure, I've been inside James T. Vaughn, but I've not toured the facility so I can't comment specifically on the conditions there). However, Gander Hill north of Wilmington is bad. There's another where mentally ill inmates are housed without air conditioning (so they have to constantly monitor the temperature because they're concerned the medication combined with heat would cause permanent brain damage). This isn't to excuse what happened in the slightest. But it is to say that this situation might have been avoided if they had addressed the terrible conditions. I did note that one of their demands was greater access to rehabilitation programs. It seems like they wanted access to the programs they'd be required to complete to get a discount on their sentence. Posted by: Erik M | Feb 2, 2017 11:37:48 AM The third comment is appreciated but maybe not the Bin Laden citation. Prisons are savage institutions. At some point, the inmates are going to rebel. It's basic human nature at some point. The response is at some point going to be savage on some level. Our penal system in the future very well might be seen as horribly inhumane, like some think of past systems. I respect those who manage to survive, both as prisoners and guards/other personnel. This book (the inmate was helped by two conservatives) gives a hint of life inside: http://www.deathonholdbook.com/ Posted by: Joe | Feb 2, 2017 5:07:37 PM David Behar, disrespectfully you don't know anything about Delaware law or institutions so F--- off. Posted by: Pat | Feb 2, 2017 7:13:05 PM Ding ding ding ding--Joe sets the record for most trite post ever on SL & P. Posted by: federalist | Feb 2, 2017 10:28:48 PM Seems rather arbitrary. But, I thank the Academy .... Posted by: Joe | Feb 2, 2017 10:37:38 PM I am impressed that the prisoners used Democratic Party talking points to justify their acts. They know that they are the clients and not the prisoners of the all Demoratic Party administration of Delaware. That explains the extreme coddling, protection, privileging, and empowerment of the criminals. The current criminal coddling administration will not enforce its own laws. These Democratic Party rioters know they are protected. From Title 11 of Delaware Code (e) Aggravating circumstances. (1) In order for a sentence of death to be imposed, the jury, unanimously, or the judge where applicable, must find that the evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of at least 1 of the following aggravating circumstances which shall apply with equal force to accomplices convicted of such murder: c. The murder was committed against any law-enforcement officer, corrections employee, firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, fire marshal or fire police officer while such victim was engaged in the performance of official duties. The above citations support a per se death penalty for all the rioters. I anticipate the rioters will lose privileges, perhaps get some time tacked on, to generate more worthless government make work jobs. The correct remedy is to summarily execute all 120 participants. Even if the prisoner were a mere bystander, he had a duty to try to stop the rioters. It should have been done at the scene. Bring in a Gatling gun and eliminate the rioters on the spot. To deter. http://www.janes.com/images/assets/918/36918/iran_-_main.jpg The problem? Prisoners are clients of the other commentators, thus must be protected to preserve the jobs of the commentators and of those like them. Each should disclose their job functions, so we may discount their credibility by the amount of their economic conflict of interest. I can start that off. My comments are 100% against my economic self interest, thus have the greatest credibility possible. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 10:41:29 PM Erik M. This is from 2016. A gift from Delaware Democratic Party legislature to the habitual violent offender, the three time convicted violent offender. http://delawarestatenews.net/government/delaware-senate-approves-changes-habitual-offender-law/ Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 10:48:42 PM It would be appropriate to have a visit to the home of the Democratic Party female operative mentioned in the article, by a direct action group supporting corrections officers. To deter. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 2, 2017 10:58:06 PM Post a comment A Bureau of Land Management Investigative Report on Ethical Violations and Misconduct released early this week charges a BLM law enforcement official with a series of improprieties and federal ethics violations at the 2015 Burning Man festival. Among these charges are the use of the officials position to improperly acquire sold-out Burning Man tickets for his girlfriend and family, using on-duty BLM agents as private security and chauffeurs for his guests, and inappropriate use of BLM housing for his guests at the event. The report also includes a separate charge unrelated to the Burning Man festival, alleging improper manipulation of the BLM hiring process to get a friend a Bureau job. The 16-page report does not name the law enforcement official, and simply refers to him as Supervisory Agent. But the report contains numerous unique identifiers referring to the Supervisory Agent. It notes that the agent was based in Salt Lake City at the time, prepared the operational plan for the event, that he oversaw all law enforcement personnel, and remained in command of operations at that years event. Most pointedly, the report cites an unnamed newspaper article with specific wording about Bureau requests for outlandishly unnecessary facilities for BLM and its guests. A simple Google search shows that the unnamed newspaper article is actually the June 2015 Reno Gazette-Journal article BLM Demands Burning Man Provide 24-Hour Access to Ice Cream. Still notoriously known in Burning Man circles as the Choco Taco Standoff, this references the BLMs unprecedented (and ultimately unsuccessful) 2015 request for a $1 million luxury compound in which theyd be provided 24/7 access to Choco Tacos and various other ice cream treats in a rider of menu demands that even Van Halen would say was a little excessive. A separate Reno Gazette-Journal article from 2015 identifies those requests as originating from BLM Special Agent Dan Love, who served as special agent in charge of Nevada and Utah for the BLM and specifically as special agent in charge at Burning Man for 2015. The Gazette-Journal was unable to reach Love for comment on Tuesday about the new report, and the BLM would not comment on an internal personnel matter. Love is best known as the BLMs lead agent in the 2014 Bundy Ranch standoff over cattle grazing on BLM lands. Love has since been promoted to BLM special agent in charge of security and intelligence. The BLM Investigative Report on the Burning Man allegations says the the Supervisory Agent obtained three full-event Burning Man tickets for family members identified as his father, a family friend, and the Supervisory Agents girlfriend at a time when tickets to the event were already sold out. This would violate federal ethics regulations on employees using their positions to get special treatment for friends or relatives. The Supervisory Agent is also accused of using his position to procure special passes for his family to the inner perimeter of the actual burning of The Man at the 2015 event. The report notes that the inner perimeter was a special privilege and never previously requested by or given to a BLM official or law enforcement official. Another charge stems from improper use of BLM vehicles both before and during the 2015 Burning Man event. The Supervisory Agent is accused of having his family chauffeured and transported around Burning Man in BLM-owned utility vehicles, by BLM staff. This is a fairly ticky-tack charge, but one that applies (mostly for insurance purposes) to many federal and state employees who are assigned official vehicles. What is less ticky-tack is that the report claims that when the Supervisory Agents employees saw that he was driving his girlfriend to Burning Man in a BLM-owned Chevy Tahoe, he told his employee You will forget that you saw that. He also denied transporting his girlfriend in the vehicle when interviewed for the investigation, and allegedly harassed employees into providing incorrect answers during investigation. When one of of his subordinates was being interviewed, he allegedly attempted to persuade the subordinate into including media reports in their testimony about other law enforcement using helicopters to transport their spouses to Burning Man. Email that [article] to [the Office of the Inspector General]! the Agent allegedly texted. Jesus! I look like a choir boy! Additional allegations include the Supervisory Agent putting his girlfriend up in the BLM lodging provided to agents at Burning Man. While the law enforcement operations plan (that the Supervisory Agent helped write) stipulates that rooms are only for those persons assigned to the event, the Supervisory Agent did admit to allowing his girlfriend lodging and meals in the BLM trailer. The Supervisory Agent is also accused of directing employees to book lodging and accommodations for his family on company time. During the investigation, one employee said that the Supervisory Agent told her, If you dont side with me, grenades are going to go off and youll get hit. None of these charges seem as serious at the reports non-Burning Man-related allegation that the agent in question corrupted a BLM hiring process to get his friend a job. Those who conducted the friends job interview said, under investigation, that the Supervisory Agents friend appeared to know the [interview] questions in advance. The friend in question did get the job. Related: Luxe Burning Man Camp White Ocean Gets Vandalized In Effort To 'Take Back' Burning Man Orders have been given for crowd to disperse after violent protests force cancellation of #MiloYiannopoulos event at #UCBerkeley pic.twitter.com/3IMQ34TP1a KTVU (@KTVU) February 2, 2017 An event hosted by the Berkeley College Republicans featuring alt-right provocateur and Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos is over before it started, canceled amid a protest of more than 1,000 students and others. The planned demonstrations against Yiannopoulos began before his talk, scheduled for 6 p.m., with Sproul Plaza crowded with protesters chanting No Milo, no Trump, no fascist USA," according to student newspaper the Daily Californian. @berkeleyside: Sproul Hall lights up with LGBTQ community colors in anticipation of Yiannopoulos event. pic.twitter.com/Xj9BDjsPte Carlo David (@carlodavid1115) February 2, 2017 @berkeleyside: Protestors call for shutdown of Yiannopoulos event. Crowd grows half an hour before gates open. pic.twitter.com/8FnpL1xKJS Carlo David (@carlodavid1115) February 2, 2017 Later, fireworks and trash fires were set, and Berkeley Police declared the situation a "violent demonstration," giving the first of many orders for the crowd to disperse. Fire and huge waive of smoke #MiloAtCal pic.twitter.com/zckGbe4zsG Charlotte Kosche (@charlottekosche) February 2, 2017 Berkeley Police Department just issued an alert calling #MiloatCal a "violent demonstration" pic.twitter.com/JksobF9fsu suhauna (@suhaunah) February 2, 2017 Divergent images and moods at the protest show police deploying rubber bullets and tear gas, and, alternately, protesters dancing and celebrating as news that Milo would not speak reached the crowd. The Daily Cal writes that a shelter in place order was given at 6:20 p.m. and a student union, where windows had been broken, was shut down. The police release tear gas and shoot rubber bullets at the crowd. #MiloAtCal pic.twitter.com/Ej6rmpxGTf Malini Ramaiyer (@malinisramaiyer) February 2, 2017 Police take a man in a blue hoodie into custody #miloatcal pic.twitter.com/0vUClVK3FZ Ashley Wong (@wongalum) February 2, 2017 Police officers taking a break inside the student union cafeteria #MiloatCal pic.twitter.com/6wDuBP6bXU Ashley Wong (@wongalum) February 2, 2017 Crowd now gathered in intersection of Telegraph and Bancroft. Music is playing, dancing, some fires. Police inside. pic.twitter.com/4GUQzWh0bw Berkeleyside (@berkeleyside) February 2, 2017 Protestors dance to "We Found Love" as flares are lit #MiloatCal pic.twitter.com/82HN23HOdA Ashley Wong (@wongalum) February 2, 2017 Multiple dispersal orders have been given for the Milo protest. Please leave campus or avoid the area. @UCBerkeley #miloatcal UC Police, Berkeley (@UCPD_Cal) February 2, 2017 @berkeleyside: While chants of "please go home" are heard, students seek to calm tensions with spontaneous music and dancing. pic.twitter.com/qoInFsvBrT Carlo David (@carlodavid1115) February 2, 2017 Protesters wanted the event shut down, and they got what they wanted as, perhaps, did Yiannopoulos, who is already capitalizing on scenes that convey chaos on the liberal-leaning campus. In a post to his Facebook page he has been banned from Twitter for inciting harassment Yiannopoulos frames the protest as a violent attack on free speech and claims that he was "evacuated." Since it was scheduled, students had asked that the event be cancelled, but last week Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks insisted that the event would go on. In mid-January, Yiannopoulos' event at UC Davis was also canceled during protests. That event was also to feature Martin Shkreli, a former pharmaceuticals price-hiker who has carved out a similar niche of internet infamy for himself. At Davis, Shkreli was pelted with what appeared to be feces during protests. No reports of that this evening. Update: Of course, the Donald has weighed in with a threat to UC Berkeley. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Previously: UC Berkeley Puts Oakland Police And Alameda County Sheriff's Office On Notice Ahead Of Milo Yiannopoulos Event A proposed national general strike to oppose any and all things Trump has been coalescing around February 17, the Friday before President's Day when, presumably, a lot of people will be taking off work anyway because it's the Friday of a holiday weekend. The idea gained traction on social media in the last few days and was promulgated in a piece by novelist Francine Prose published Monday in the Guardian. "The struggles for civil rights and Indian independence, against apartheid and the Vietnam War its hard to think of a nonviolent movement that has succeeded without causing its opponents a certain amount of trouble, discomfort and inconvenience," Prose writes, noting that protests like the Women's March are powerful but all too easily ignored by those who want to ignore them. "And economic boycotts another sort of trouble and inconvenience have proved remarkably successful in persuading companies to cease supporting repressive governments." Without specifying the day, she suggests a nonviolent general strike, "a day on which no one (that is, anyone who can do so without being fired) goes to work, a day when no one shops or spends money, a day on which we truly make our economic and political power felt, a day when we make it clear: how many of us there are, how strong and committed we are, how much we can accomplish." The February 17th date may have originated with writer David Simon, creator of The Wire, who tweeted about the general strike idea on Saturday, two days before Prose's piece. But there is now an official site for the event calling for a "24-hour occupation of public space in protest of the Trump administrations refusal to Honor the Constitution of the United States of America." If you believe in America, show it by refusing to work on the Friday before President's Day, Feb. 17. Let them know. #NationalStrike David Simon (@AoDespair) January 28, 2017 A Facebook event page for the strike lists multiple broad demands including an end to the executive orders on immigration and the Mexican border wall, a call not to repeal the affordable care act, and a demand to see Trump's tax returns. As The Mic notes, it remains unclear what the scope of the event will be - the Facebook event only has about 9,000 people committed to it so far, with over 100,000 "invited", and organizers say they're trying to gather a coalition of groups around the idea. Also, the effectiveness of a general strike is going to depend entirely on broad support of the idea outside liberal enclaves like New York, LA, and the Bay Area. The UK's Independent covered the strike today, but so far no major American news source is giving it any heed. That may change in the next week, as social media chatter ramps up and city-specific events take shape. The last time there was a call for a nationwide general strike was in the waning days of the Occupy era, on May Day 2012. In San Francisco and New York, large protests against Trump's immigration orders are scheduled for Saturday afternoon February 4 with the SF event having 8,000 and counting so far committed to going on Facebook, and the NY event set to take place back at JFK Airport. Also, protests are planned this evening, February 2, at Uber's SF and NY headquarters to protest CEO Travis Kalanick's decision to join Trump's business advisory board. Related: As Thousands Delete Their Uber Apps Over JFK Story, Uber Denies Trying To Break Up Taxi Strike Facebook COO and Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg is not ready to throw a shoulder into the resistance movement against President Donald Trump, as it's "early" to see how his policies will take shape. Asked, or maybe better to say interrogated, by Recode editor Kara Swisher about her trip to Trump Tower with other tech leaders to begin to work with him, Sandberg stressed the importance of a "dialogue" with the political leader. "This administration is going to have broad ability to take action on things we care about, Sandberg told Swisher during the Watermark Conference on Women in San Jose, California, as Recode summarizes. During the talk, Sandberg, at times, "looked like a shruggie in human form," quipped BuzzFeed's Nitasha Tiku, referencing the \_()_/ emoticon, "albeit a chic and professional version, thigh-high boots crossed, lifting her shoulders and holding her palms up when Swisher pressed her on issues like why one of techs most famous feminists didnt attend the Womens March." The answer there was a "personal obligation." Inspiring keynote speakers at Watermark Conference! Kara Swisher interviews Sheryl Sandburg. #WatermarkConf pic.twitter.com/5HRqR3Y1Qp Patti Sokol (@patti_sokol) February 1, 2017 I just felt bad that I couldnt be there, Sandberg said, And, once I felt bad, I felt like I couldnt say anything. This is a particularly challenging time, Sandberg continued. But no matter how challenging it looks, history is on our side. Here, intersectional feminists can be heard screaming internally that history is on Sandberg's side, but not the side of all women, etc. Asked how the dialogue with Trump is going, Sandberg said, I think its early I cant sit on this stage and predict what will happen. A few days ago, on January 31, Sandberg broke her silence on one subject: Immigration. She wrote on her Facebook page to condemn Trump's executive orders, without mentioning him by name. "The Executive Orders issued over the past week defy the heart and values that define the best of our nation. Families have been separated. Frightened children have been detained in airports without their parents. People seeking refuge have been turned away and sent back to the danger they just managed to flee. This is not how it should be in America." Sandberg also referenced her Jewish heritage, without referencing jewishness at all, writing that her great-grandmother, "Chana Bassa, left her home in Vilnius, Lithuania, to escape religious persecution." Onstage, Sandberg told Swisher that "I have to be optimistic... Hope is the fuel for social change. When we dont have hope, we give up on ourselves. Meanwhile a group of tech companies Facebook, as well as Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon, are circulating an open letter to the President regarding his immigration policies. Sources including Bloomberg and Recode, who write that Uber and Stripe are also behind the letter, obtained a draft of the document that's circulating. "We are a nation made stronger by immigrants," it reads. "We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets todays security needs and keeps our country safe.We are concerned, however, that your recent executive order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our countrys success. In a global economy, it is critical that we continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world. We welcome the changes your administration has made in recent days in how the Department of Homeland Security will implement the executive order, and we stand ready to help your administration identify other opportunities to ensure that our employees can travel with predictability and without undue delay." But the letter, far from condemning in tone, strikes a conciliatory note, focusing on a shared goal for economic growth. The business community shares your commitment to growing the American economy and expanding job creation across the country. We hire both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment. As you contemplate changes to the nations complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees or DACA, we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values. Back on January 27, Facebook held a Menlo Park "Friends Day" for what CNet describes as a "small group of everyday Facebook users." There, Sandberg told a group of about 20, that, "It's obviously a challenging time for our country and our world... Things feel divisive, they feel scary. A lot of people feel like their voices aren't being heard. And they're really afraid... I think all of us feel kind of unsettled." Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg echoed her vague sentiment: "This is a time in the world where there's more division than there has been in a while," he said. "That means that connecting with friends and bringing groups together is probably more important now than it ever has been, or has been in a very long time." Related: Sheryl Sandberg Posts Moving Essay About Her Husband Dave Goldberg's Death Infrastructure projects getting delayed by endangered or protected species, fish, fowl and otherwise, are not unique to the Bay Area. But currently there's a big bridge improvement project on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge getting held up by a single, teeny, unhatched hummingbird egg that was discovered in a tiny nest among some trees on the Richmond side that were scheduled for removal. As KQED reports, it's not a huge deal, and it's not going to cause any big cost overruns because workers can start on some other aspects of the project while they wait for this egg to hatch in the next week or two. But it is amazing what one tiny (unborn) hummingbird can do. The egg belongs to an Anna's hummingbird, which as All About Birds explains is the most common species of hummingbird found along the Pacific Coast. Nonetheless the birds are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which prohibits the removal of eggs, and thus the tree removal must wait. Officials tell KQED that crews are readying to remove about two dozen trees on the Richmond side in order to widen the bridge approach on Interstate 580. Also part of the project is the addition of bike lanes to the upper deck of the bridge, and the addition of a third eastbound traffic lane on the lower deck to ease traffic congestion. Metropolitan Transportation Commission spokesman Randy Rentschler tells the station, "Weve dealt with this on all sorts of things on every project weve worked with in the Bay Area." Audubon California spokesman Garrison Frost also explains that a similar situation involving cormorants has repeatedly held up the deconstruction of the old eastern span of the Bay Bridge. That problem, as the Chronicle reported in 2014, is estimated to be costing Caltrans $33 million on top of every other cost overrun the Bay Bridge's new span has run into, all because nesting cormorants refuse to take up residents in new nesting "condos" built for them beneath the new span at a cost of $1 million. 533 cormorant nests were found on the old span that year, and work crews had to stop work every spring when new eggs were laid. It's unclear how many cormorants they're still dealing with now that much, but not all, of the old span has been dismantled. Previously: Bay Bridge Bike Path Will Finally, Probably, Open This Sunday Tom Campbell Trusted Trump advisor Steve Bannon fired the latest salvo in the war against the news media, calling them the "opposition party," suggesting the media should be "embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while." Mr. Bannon, former Executive Chairman of the right wing website Breitbart News Network, certainly didn't believe that when Barack Obama was in the White House.Is Bannon suggesting the media should shut up for the next four years or is this silence just for those who oppose the Trump administration? Nobody likes criticism, least of all politicians, but our nation's history is filled with examples where people in power - not just elected officials - have made bad decisions, tried to cover up indiscretions and illegal actions or wanted to silence those who opposed their positions.We would still be British subjects had newspapers, broadsides and pamphlets failed to rail against tyranny and injustice in the American colonies. Where would this nation be if the media had kept its mouth shut in the face of racial injustice and violence during the 1960s civil rights movement? What would have happened if Walter Cronkite had kept his mouth shut about the Vietnam War, a conflict America was obviously losing, while the Generals and administration officials kept reporting the contrary? And if Woodward and Bernstein had kept quiet over the "third rate burglary" at the Democratic National Committee offices at Watergate who knows how history might have been different.Is there media bias? Yes, and there always has been, but the role of the media is to be neither a rubber stamp nor a silent witness. We would never suggest the media's role is to automatically and systematically oppose any and everything said or done, but it is both healthy and beneficial for them to ask questions, point out obviously erroneous or mistaken positions and oppose those they believe are not serving the public interest or upholding our Constitution. In this day of social media, the Internet and cable news pumping news and opinions at us 24 hours a day there are plenty of options discerning readers and viewers can choose to hear pros and cons of most every issue.Like others, I have been re-reading George Orwell's 1984, the fictional classic where Big Brother silenced and punished any who spoke against those in power. We would never suggest the current administration mirrors these extremes, but there have been examples when regimes (need we mention Hitler?) effectively silenced opposition.There is an obligation for those having a media platform to follow Bannon's advice and listen carefully, just as there is a responsibility to seek fairness and balance to the coverage of people and events. The media should also be quick to admit when it is wrong or unfair, but what Mr. Bannon is really saying is that he doesn't trust you to be intelligent or discerning enough to sift through the coverage and make your own decision as to the right and wrong.For the record I am not embarrassed or humiliated to speak out, nor will I keep my mouth shut. I do have confidence you are smart enough to decide the right or wrong of what I say. [If you did not see Part 1 click here to watch ] What will happen in the final war of "Gog and Magog" at the End of Days? Who are ... Rabbi Aaron L Raskin [28 min video] After being isolated for two years from the pandemic, COVID-19, the year of Hakhel is like a breath of... HT: AG "A soul like his does not descend in every generation, it descends once in many generations" Rav Shlomo Yehudah Be'eri... Rabbi Efraim Palvanov Where did all the water for the Great Flood come from, and is it scientifically possible? Was Noahs Ark a simple wood... Current News The United States is concerned about threats from Iran against Saudi Arabia and will not hesitate to respond if necessary, a... SOUTH SIOUX CITY | Big Ox Energy plans to stop footing hotel bills next week for South Sioux City homeowners displaced by sewer odors, a company spokesman said Wednesday. Big Ox spokesman Evan Zeppos said the renewable energy company, which has been covering temporary living expenses for residents displaced by noxious odors since late October, plans to have them back in their homes by Feb. 7. "We are now working with the residents who we've been in touch with to get them back into their homes," Zeppos said. "We are working with them on individual remediation plans." Big Ox's original agreement with the city had set the deadline for payments at Jan. 31, but the company extended it a week. Zeppos said the new deadline will be relatively flexible, allowing longer stays for those whose homes have reasonable remedial needs that cannot be met by that date. "If need be, on a sort of case-by-case basis we can and will extend that Feb. 7 date by a reasonable amount," he said. Big Ox will also be paying for "reasonable" remediation costs, Zeppos said. He said all affected residents have been notified of these plans directly by Big Ox or through the residents' lawyers. South Sioux City administrator Lance Hedquist said he was aware of the deadline and said Wednesday that the city does not currently have plans to use city funds to extend hotel stays. "Im not aware of any discussion about extending it," he said. Displaced resident Mike Klassen said Wednesday afternoon that he had heard rumors but no official word of the deadline. He said a Feb. 7 date seemed contrary to previous indications he had received that residents would have ample time to prepare for the move. "If you get kicked out of an apartment, they give you 30 days," he said. "As far as Im concerned, today is not enough time." Klassen said his home still has something in it that smells bad and causes his eyes to burn, and he wants to be sure it's not dangerous before he moves back. "Im not convinced my house cant be saved. I think it can be," Klassen said. "But I need to know its safe to live in and that the odor wont hurt me." Klassen said that he is among about a half-dozen homeowners working with David Domina, a prominent Nebraska trial lawyer, and that he is worried that some other residents without lawyers might be moving back into their homes too soon. In late October, South Sioux City officials originally tied Big Ox Energy to hydrogen sulfide gas believed to be emanating from sewer lines flowing from the city's Roth Industrial Park. As many as two dozen residents were originally displaced due to the odors. As of last week, 12 homeowners remained either at the Marina Inn in South Sioux City or Candlewood Suites in Sioux City, or at the homes of friends and family. Last week, Big Ox Energy released a report compiled by a professional engineering firm that Big Ox said distanced the company from the cause of the odor problem, pointing to plumbing issues in the majority of the affected homes instead as a primary factor. The report also showed that spikes of hydrogen sulfide in the line had occurred after Big Ox voluntarily stopped flowing wastewater down it. Residents have disputed the credibility of the report, saying that the plumbing tests, conducted by Quality Plumbing Co. in Sioux City, forced air at too high of levels through their homes. Test results have shown that hydrogen sulfide is now at safe levels in the homes. The city is continuing testing for any sulfur-related compounds residing in the homes that are causing continuing odors. The city is also testing sheet rock for residual hydrogen sulfide. City spokeswoman Tina Mowry Hadden said a panel of health professionals is now examining the results and determining whether they are in safe levels. "They're working as a team to analyze the data to determine what the individual standards are, and what this means," she said. "Right now all we have is a bunch of data points." Members of the panel include representatives of the Toxicology Department of Nebraska, Dakota County Health Department, Dakota County Emergency Management, South Sioux City Fire & Rescue and a registered nurse and risk manager who works in the private sector, she said. Hedquist said he anticipated the city would send out information on the test results this week. Results from sheet rock testing ordered by the city through the Texas-based Armstrong Forensics should also be available soon. The South Sioux City Council will meet for a special meeting at noon Friday at South Sioux City Hall, 1615 First Ave., to discuss the sewer odors. Hedquist said the meeting will go into closed session to discuss potential litigation, and he does not anticipate any action by the council that day. View South Sioux City odors in a full screen map LE MARS | A shuttered Le Mars nursing home has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine to the federal government to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. Federal officials claimed The Abbey violated the act by submitting or causing claims to be submitted to Medicare while the service it provided to residents was so "grossly substandard that the care was worthless and effectively without value," according to a release from the U.S. Justice Department. The allegations stem from incidents involving 16 residents from January 2009 to February 2015. Some of the accusations include using antipsychotic medications to numb or sedate residents to decrease their needs; failing to address skin conditions and fractures, which led to inadequate care and increased medical costs; and not proving residents adequate nourishment or bathing and toilet care. The Abbey was forced to close last month after 45 years as a result of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services terminating its contract with the home due to a "history of serious quality issues" in December. This was first time since 2009 that CMS had to take such action in Iowa. Two former employees of The Abbey, a consultant and Leo Lenaghan, owner of the building at 320 First Ave. S.E., all signed the settlement agreement with the government. In a release, Kevin W. Techau, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, said this settlement demonstrates his office's commitment to "defending the integrity of the system and ensuring that taxpayer money is spent as Congress intended." "Nursing facility residents deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and attentive care sufficient to meet their medical needs and support their mental health," Techau said. SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison after admitting to shooting two men this past summer. Lasharbe Hardy, 20, pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to willful injury, reckless use of a firearm and going armed with intent. Hardy told District Judge John Ackerman that he used a .40-caliber handgun to shoot Michael Davis and that he also fired from a car into a crowd of people, hitting Daniel Perry. As part of a plea agreement, two counts of attempted murder and single counts of willful injury, reckless use of a firearm and intimidation with a dangerous weapon were dismissed. Noting the seriousness of the crimes being dismissed, Ackerman asked Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Terry Ganzel why the state was not pursuing the more serious charges. Ganzel told Ackerman that a number of witnesses and one of the victims had become uncooperative during the investigation of the shooting and had evaded authorities trying to serve them with subpoenas. Ganzel also said the other victim gave information at his deposition that was significantly different from what he had told police after the shooting. Police have said that on Aug. 21, Hardy went to a house in the 2000 block of Wall Street to find someone he had been in an argument with earlier that night. He saw the person in a crowd of people outside the house and began shooting, but struck Davis and Perry. Perry was shot in the right side and left leg; Davis was shot in the right side. Police located the vehicle and Hardy later on Outer Drive, and Hardy admitted to the shootings, police said. Contact: Attila Nemecz Attila Nemecz Attila.Nemecz@beaufortccc.edu WASHINGTON, NC The best place to get an education in agribusiness might not always be the heart of a big city like Raleigh, as a number of students at Beaufort County Community College have found. The students, many of them taking over family operations in Beaufort, Hyde and Tyrrell Counties, found that they can get the same training and knowledge through an atmosphere that felt closer to home.said Billy Harding, who attended North Carolina State University, but returned to BCCC.Harding's family owns Southside Farms in Beaufort County, which grows both produce, such as strawberries and blackberries, and a thousand acres of row crops, such as corn and soybeans. He has found it easier to learn in the smaller, family environment at BCCC. Here students can build a relationship with agribusiness technology instructor Billy Askew.Beaufort County resident Danny Howard found himself in a similar situation.he said.Howard works in landscaping locally. The agribusiness program at BCCC allows him to continue working while attending classes. Enrolling in the program at the community college also means that students can save a significant amount of money compared to attending NC State.Agribusiness involves many more components than just growing crops. Beaufort County resident Matthew Greene is interested in being a grain silo operator. He is also looking at managing places such Crop Production Services operation like his father does, selling chemicals and seed to farmers. Hyde County resident Tanner Equils has already graduated from BCCC's fire academy and paramedic program. In the past, Equils had worked in aquaculture on an oyster farm. Now he plans to round out his career with a job in seed sales.Students are also looking to the future. Harding's family transitioned away from tobacco. He plans to decrease the amount of row crops they grow, converting some of his acreage to organic hogs, grass-fed cattle and more produce to satisfy the market for locally-grown foods.Agribusiness is the primary industry in BCCC's service area, making it a good option for local students. Greene said,Still, it is not always a parent's first choice for their child. Howard and Equils were both questioned by their families when they announced their interest in agribusiness careers. Equils's father asked him,In Howard's case, he has had family members go to Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill and East Carolina University for an assortment of careers.said Howard.BCCC's agribusiness technology program was created in 2014 in response to demand from both students and employers in the college's four-county service area, whose economy depends heavily on agriculture. A grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation supported the program during its first two years.The Associate in Applied Science Degree in Agribusiness Technology covers a broad range of topics including accounting, business and management. For students who want to continue their education, BCCC has partnered with the University of Mount Olive to offer a four-year agribusiness degree.Askew gets calls from local employers asking for qualified students regularly. One graduate from his program works at Simply Natural Creamery in Pitt County. Askew's connection led Billy Harding to a job at a seedling nursery with the International Forest Company.The personal attention from Askew means that these students will have the tools they need, in an environment close to home, to keep the agribusiness sector strong and moving forward.For more information about the agribusiness technology program, contact Billy Askew at (252)940-6304 or billy.askew@beaufortccc.edu SIOUX CITY | A group of union members in Sioux City urged Gov. Terry Branstad and majority party Republican leaders in the Iowa Legislature to back off still unspecified plans to dilute the collective bargaining rights of public employees. Amy DeGroot-Hammer, an official with a local teacher's union, was one of four people who spoke as part of an organized statewide push Wednesday to get the attention of legislators. Speaking to a group of more than 60 people, DeGroot-Hammer criticized what she called closed-door plans to tinker with collective bargaining rights, as established in Chapter 20 of the state code. "All we have heard are rumors on what could be done to us," DeGroot-Hammer said. Some possibilities have been floated implementing a so-called statewide master contract for health insurance, allowing an arbitrator to choose a midpoint in negotiations, requiring unions to recertify annually but none has yet showed up in bill form. A master contract would establish one health insurance program for all public employees, and public employees in varying occupations across Iowa currently have various health insurance programs. DeGroot-Hammer said it is critical to maintain the existing workers' rights to collective bargaining, which she said have enabled 180,000 public employees and their families to live a solid middle class existence. DeGroot-Hammer said it is unsettling that no statehouse lawmakers campaigned on changes to collective bargaining, yet now the possibility of tinkering is being heard. DeGroot-Hammer, of Sioux City, is a board member of the Iowa State Education Association Siouxland unit. The event was attended by teachers, deputies, firefighters, social workers, building and trades workers and bakers. Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew said he's been a union member for more than 30 years and seen the good aspects of Iowa's collective bargaining law from the perspective both of being a deputy and later on the management side. Drew said Iowa rules have resulted in a good working relationship for workers and management to iron out differences. "We work together," Drew said. "Chapter 20 works and there is no need to delineate it." Rick Stewart, of Sioux City, a member of the Iowa Federation of Labor, noted there have been no public sector strikes since Chapter 20 was set in place in 1974. "This is political theatrics... a personal attack, that has no merit," Stewart said. Other union groups held events Wednesday across Iowa, including in Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Waterloo and Ottumwa. Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar. Audubon Program: Madagascar Join the Loess Hills Audubon Society for their monthly meeting today at 7:30 p.m. at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, 4500 Sioux River Road. Photographer Paul Roisen will share photos and stories from his 35-day trip to Madagascar. For more information, contact Rex Rundquist at rrundquist@aol.com. Cloth as Community: Hmong Textiles The works illustrate the profound relevance of textiles as infrastructure in the Hmong culture. The exhibition features 28 textiles, flower cloths and embroidered story clothes by those in the Hmong community. The Sioux City Public Museum exhibit is open until March 5. Anne Frank: A History for Today The exhibit introduces visitors to the events leading up to World War II and depicts individuals who chose to join the Nazi party, those who were bystanders and those who resisted. Northwestern College DeWitt Learning Commons, 101 Seventh St. SW, is open at 7:30 a.m. this morning. In 2014, the Iowa Legislature took an important first step on the issue of medical marijuana. Lawmakers passed a bill through which patients afflicted by epilepsy can legally possess an anti-seizure medicine derived from cannabis. Because we have compassion for Iowans who suffer from diseases and disorders for which medical marijuana might provide some relief and because we have faith and confidence in Iowa's medical community, we believe physicians should have, within a proper framework, the legal option to write a prescription for medical marijuana. In fact, we not only supported the 2014 bill, but we stated our support at the time for future debate about extending Iowa's medical marijuana program to illnesses other than epilepsy. During last year's legislative session, we encouraged lawmakers to legalize production and distribution of cannabidiol in Iowa, at least for use by epilepsy patients. This, in response to reasonable concerns expressed by Iowans about the fact the 2014 bill didn't address production and distribution of the drug within the state. In other words, the legislation allowed an Iowan to legally possess the drug for treatment of epilepsy, but it remains illegal in the state to produce or distribute it. We return to this issue today because, without legislative action, the 2014 legislation will expire on July 1. In other words, lack of action returns the state - and those who suffer from epilepsy and other illnesses for which medical marijuana might help - to square one. Because we do not wish to see the state take a step back in this area, we encourage the Legislature this year to, at a minimum, extend the 2014 legislation and include production and distribution. If discussion of expanding Iowa's medical marijuana program to include other illnesses is preventing anything from happening for epilepsy patients this year, then lawmakers should put such expansion on hold. What they shouldn't do, however, is abandon the state's existing medical marijuana program - and, by extension, those Iowans it seeks to support - altogether. State and federal regulators are seeking public comment on Stillwater Minings proposed exploratory drilling plan in the areas of Iron Creek and the west fork of the Stillwater River. The company is proposing to drill up to 36 sites over six years in the Iron Creek area, a popular recreation area for four-wheelers and trail riders, and a single drill site near Stillwater Rivers west fork, according to the U.S. Forest Service and Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Mike Beckstead, a company spokesman, said Stillwater is seeking to better understand the area between its main Stillwater mine near Nye and the East Boulder mine and its potential for development of platinum group metals mining. Exploration would take place on Custer Gallatin National Forest land. The Iron Creek drill site on the Beartooth Plateau about 12 miles west of Nye would be supported by helicopter, with limited road use, according to the Forest Service. The West Fork Stillwater site would create traffic on the West Fork Stillwater Road #2846. Drill sites would take place at least 200 feet from surface water, and impacted areas would be reclaimed, Forest Service officials said. Drills would be operated 24 hours a day by about 20 to 25 workers, according to the Forest Service. Public comment will be open for 30 days after publication of official public notice in The Gazette. More information is available online at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48921 or by calling 406-446-2103. DES MOINES | The GOP-led Iowa Senate voted Thursday to earmark about $3 million in state money to fund womens health-care clinics that do not offer abortion a change opponents claimed would result in more unplanned pregnancies and fewer services in a political move to target Planned Parenthood. Senate File 2, which passed 30-20, would discontinue a federal Medicaid waiver on July 1 that provides millions of dollars in funding to family planning providers across the state. The 29 co-sponsoring Republicans voted for the bill along with independent Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan, while 20 Democrats opposed it. Proponents of the bill that now goes to the Iowa House for likely passage and has Gov. Terry Branstads support would create a new state-funded program that would exclude facilities that provide abortions from receiving the funds. To cover the new program, the state would shift money from a federal block grant that pays for child and family services. This bill will not eliminate family planning funding for services for needy Iowa women. This bill does not change laws regarding abortion, said Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, the bills floor manager. Its a measured attempt to balance the reproductive health-care needs of Iowas working poor with the objections of the taxpayers to tangibly subsidize that option through public support in shared facilities, she added, noting that some Medicaid and teen pregnancy/sex education programs would not be affected. More than 12,000 Iowans received services through the federal waiver program, including Pap smears, birth control and cancer screenings. No state or federal dollars are used to fund abortions. Minority Democrats charged the bill guts Iowas Family Planning Network, a program that they said has helped more than 80,000 Iowa women and men access family planning services since 2006. Ive never seen such a horrible bill come before this chamber. This bill is taking us back to the Middle Ages, said Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines. We know the Iowa Family Planning Waiver works. It has helped reduce abortions and Medicaid costs in Iowa, said Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines. This bill is bad for Iowa women and families. It will create more unintended pregnancies, more high risk pregnancies, and cost Iowa taxpayers more. Iowans dont support it. Doctors warn against it. We should listen to them and reject it, she added. During a sometimes rancorous debate that spanned nearly three hours, Democrats contended the legislation action was a rushed political response to fulfill GOP campaign promises to defund Planned Parenthood of the Heartland at the expense of Iowa women without a clearly defined program and funding stream to replace it. Republicans agreed that it was a pro-life priority but said Planned Parenthoods operations would not be affected because they would be free to continue operating their clinics in Iowa minus any taxpayer funding. Our debate in this room affects real Iowans who are receiving real services today. Our focus needs to be on those Iowans and our responsibility to them, said Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines. What we are doing here is harming a working system based on old political battle lines and Iowa women are going to receive less access to health care as a result. Boultons comments that included references to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court abortion ruling drew a pointed response from Sinclair, who told him I dont know how old you are but your mom could have chosen for you to not to be here. Democrats immediately objected and Sinclair retracted the statement and apologized to Boulton and his mother after a brief meeting of senators with Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, to cool things down in the Senate well. Earlier during the debate, Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, took Democrats to task, telling his Senate colleagues I am so ashamed of the tone of this debate -- catty, accusatory and argumentative. Come on, we can do better than that. Wearing a hospital gown, Gina Mostafa stood on the Capitol staircase outside the Senate chambers representing thousands of Iowans that could lose their access to family planning if Senate File 2 becomes law. Despite the election outcome that favored lawmakers opposed to funding abortion providers, Mostafa, a sophomore from Bettendorf at the University of Iowa where she is co-president of Student Advocates for Planned Parenthood, said she and others will not give up their fight because agencys services are vital for control over own lives and our own bodies. At times in my life when I was ready to make choices about my own body and health care I knew I could turn to Planned Parenthood for compassionate and non-judgmental health care, said Mostafa, who described herself as a past, current and future client of Planned Parenthood. Rachel Lopez, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Midwest, issue a statement after the Senate vote saying the legislation would endanger the health of thousands of Iowans by limiting their access to vital services. The Republican lawmakers who continue to advance this bill should be ashamed of themselves. They are playing political games, with the lives of low-income Iowans at stake, said Lopez. After the vote, Bob Vander Plaats of the pro-life Family Leader organization sent an email to his members urging them to thank the senators who endured very tough debate and helped pass the bill Thursday. Also, please continue to pray for and contact your Iowa representative regarding supporting the God-given right to life of babies in the womb, he added. The Billings Gazette and Arts Without Boundaries are recognizing outstanding high school seniors in the Billings area for their contributions to the arts. Over the course of the 2016-17 school year, Enjoy will feature high school seniors who are recipients of a $100 scholarship, awarded by Arts Without Boundaries, a nonprofit group that promotes the arts in K-12 schools. A new name, additional days, guest speakers and throwbacks to the era of silent movies are just a few of the expansions in this years Sioux City International Film Festival. The previously named Siouxland Film Festival officially kicks off Feb. 19 with Silent Film Sunday, a new family-friendly event where several short films will be screened along with the Buster Keaton comedy Sherlock Jr. The silent films will be accompanied by Jeff Rapsis on the Mighty Wurlitzer organ. After a few days, the Sioux City International Film Festival will recommence on Feb. 22-25 with documentaries, horror flicks, short short films and movies by filmmakers from around the Midwest. Guest speakers include Sioux City photographer and videographer George Lindblade, Sioux City filmmaker and TV producer Jason Lees, Writers Guild of America member Adam Gonshowrowski and the Iowa-born creative director of "Funny or Die," Andrew Steele, who was also a former head writer for Saturday Night Live. An awards ceremony will be held on the last day of the Sioux City International Film Festival. Audience members will judge each entry in the four movie categories, determining which filmmakers will receive top honors. Winners can earn up to $1,000 for each category. The board announced in a press release on Jan. 25 that 67 short films from 12 countries and 17 states have been selected to screen at the 13th annual festival. Tim Bottaro, president of the board and festival co-founder, said some movies are from places as far flung as Rwanda, Guam, Romania, Australia and Finland. Furthermore, the quality of the movies, Bottario added, is the best weve ever seen in our 13 years of putting on this festival. Filmmakers were notified which movies made the cut by Wednesday. In 2015, the Sioux City International Film Festival spanned three days and took place in various venues throughout the downtown area. A year later the festival extended its stay to four days and showed 40 films. After a temporary federal hiring freeze, concerns have arisen over filling jobs at long-understaffed Native American health care facilities, although an official exemption for some hiring could be on the way. "Any freeze in hiring for Indian initiatives, whether temporary or permanent, threatens to make the challenges facing Indian Country worse," Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said in a statement emailed to the Gazette. Tester was among the seven Democrats on the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs who sent a letter Tuesday to President Donald Trump advocating against the hiring freeze for services for Native Americans, including Indian Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education. "I urge (Trump) to reconsider and reverse the freeze as it applies to Indian Country and to direct affected agency heads to take whatever actions are necessary to fill positions that service Native Americans," Tester said. The letter did not list the names or signatures of the committee's eight Republican members, including Sen. Steve Daines of Montana and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming. Daines' staff told the Gazette on Wednesday that the administration has given verbal assurances to the IHS that health emergency management personnel essential to public safety including doctors, nurses and medical technicians will be exempt from the freeze. On Jan. 23, Trump ordered a broad hiring "freeze on the hiring of federal civilian employees to be applied across the board" that barred the filling of vacant positions and the creation of new ones. It was presented as a temporary halt until the director of the Office of Management and Budget presents within 90 days, and then implements a plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Indian Health Service facilities have in recent years been down 20 percent or more for physicians, nurses and other clinical providers, which has forced a reduction in access to service while also threatening accreditation statuses. "Even before the hiring freeze was announced, Federal agencies that provide these services were struggling to recruit and retain a qualified workforce, with personnel vacancies consistently cited by the Government Accountability Office and agency inspectors general as a major factor in the lack of available essential and basic services for Native peoples," the letter said. Northern Cheyenne President Lawrence "Jace" Killsback echoed that sentiment, saying hiring and retention are especially challenging in rural areas and on reservations. In Montana, the IHS has service units scattered across the state's seven reservations. According to the agency's website, there are nearly 75 open IHS positions throughout the state, ranging from nurses and physicians to dental officers and pharmacists. Nationally, the agency employs about 15,000 people, but has had trouble filling open jobs for years. When reached for comment Tuesday, an IHS spokesman said he didn't have more information to provide and referred all further questions to the White House. Officials there could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Dorothy Dupree was hired in June 2016 as director of the IHS Billings area, which oversees Montana and Wyoming. The Billings area sees about 70,000 patients annually and operates six service units through three Montana reservation hospitals along with three free-standing ambulatory facilities in Montana and Wyoming. While Dupree couldn't be reached for comment, she said shortly after her hiring that the challenges faced by the office included a chronic lack of funding, long patient wait times and difficulties meeting health care standards. "We're working on our priorities, and I wanted to see that we sustained our effort to follow the process for quality care," she told the Gazette in August. On Jan. 25, shortly after the presidential memorandum ordering the freeze, Daines issued a statement expressing general support for the executive action. "We don't need more federal employees with less accountability," he said. "The federal government must become more efficient and accountable to taxpayers. Everything should be on the table." He has also said he supports the effort to temporarily halt hiring while federal officials look at ways to cut a federal budget deficit of nearly $20 trillion. Tester and other senators noted that the freeze could affect about 100 vacancies within the Bureau of Indian Education and makes it more difficult to address a 50 percent staffing shortage for law enforcement in Native communities. The order does not include military personnel. A handful of other exemptions and additional guidance documents, including exemptions for certain positions within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that include doctors, nurses and psychologists, have been announced in the days since. At least you tried SIOUX CITY | To be fair, this is a great story to tell when you're late for work. A Sioux City man faces several felony charges after police said he stole a skid loader to extricate a stolen pickup that he had stuck on a railway in the city Thursday. Nicolas Shannon Penny, 36, was arrested on charges of second-degree theft, third-degree burglary, fifth-degree theft and criminal mischief. Trains on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway were shut down for a time when police said Penny drove a stolen pickup onto the tracks on the city's north side. According to a court affidavit available Friday, Penny was driving a stolen pickup at about 7:20 a.m. Thursday and encountered a train where a street crossed the railway. Police said he drove about 50 yards north to bypass several train cars. Penny attempted to cross the railway at a place with no street and became high-centered and stuck on the tracks, causing BNSF to stop trains. Penny was located near the Sooland Bobcat business, at 3109 N. Highway 75. Police said he entered the secured business lot, used his own personal Bobcat key to start a Bobcat S750, and left the lot by driving through a fence. Damage to the fence was estimated at $1,500. Police also said he damaged the hatch door of the Bobcat unit by lifting the bucket while the door was open. That damage was also estimated at $1,500. Penny was held in Woodbury County Jail on $20,000 bond. You look different in real life SIOUX CITY | You know what they say: Never trust what you read online. Four men were charged with soliciting prostitution in a multi-agency police operation Thursday. A Sioux City Police Department report released just before midnight Thursday said the operation was conducted at a city hotel earlier in the day. Police said advertisements were placed on several well-known prostitution websites. Four men reportedly made contact with an undercover female police officer and came looking for a sexual act for money at the hotel, where they were arrested. Those arrested were Justin Engel, 34, of Sioux City, Steve Schultz, 44, of Sioux City, Luis Chavez, 37, of South Sioux City, and Jacob Burgers, 60, of Hinton, Iowa. Soliciting prostitution is an aggravated misdemeanor. All four men were taken to Woodbury County Jail. The Sioux City Police Department was assisted by Iowa State Patrol and the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office, in a joint investigation with the Department of Homeland Security into human sex trafficking. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 61,000 kilometers (km) of operational electricity transmission and distribution lines; 5,300 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 7.3 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 360,000 long-term contracted sub-metering services. This segment also offers heating and cooling solutions; gas distribution; water heaters; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioner rental, as well as other home services. Its Transport segment offers transportation, storage, and handling services for merchandise goods, commodities, and passengers through a network of approximately 22,000 km of track; 5,500 km of track network; 4,800 km of rail; 3,800 km of motorways; and 13 port terminals. The company's Midstream segment offers natural gas transmission, gathering and processing, and storage services through approximately 15,000 km of natural gas transmission pipelines; 600 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage; 17 natural gas processing plants; and 3,900 km of gas gathering pipelines, as well as one petrochemical processing complex. Its Data segment operates approximately 148,000 operational telecom towers; 8,000 multi-purpose towers and active rooftop sites; 10,000 km of fiber backbone; 1,600 cell sites and approximately 12,000 km of fiber optic cable; and 2,100 active telecom towers and 70 distributed antenna systems, as well as 50 data centers and 200 megawatts of critical load capacity. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. provides software-as-a-service core systems to the property and casualty insurance industry in the United States and internationally. The company provides Duck Creek Policy, a solution that enables insurers to develop and launch new insurance products and manage various aspects of policy administration ranging from product definition to quoting, binding, and servicing; Duck Creek Billing that provides payment and invoicing capabilities, such as billing and collections, commission processing, disbursement management, and general ledger capabilities for insurance lines and bill types; and Duck Creek Claims that supports entire claims lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, payments, negotiations, reporting, and closure. It also offers Duck Creek Rating that allows carriers to develop new rates and models and deliver quotes in real-time based on the complex rating algorithms; Duck Creek Insights, an insurance analytics solution that allows carriers to gather and analyze data from internal and external sources and facilitate analysis and reporting on a single system; Duck Creek Digital Engagement that offer digital interactions between property and casualty insurers and their agents, brokers, and policyholders; and Duck Creek Distribution Management that automates sales channel activities for agents and brokers, including producer onboarding, compliance, and compensation management. In addition, the company provides Duck Creek Reinsurance Management that automates financial and administrative functions; and Duck Creek Industry Content that provides pre-built content, including base business rules, product designs, rating algorithms, data capture screens, and workflows for insurance lines of business, such as commercial auto, inland marine, and workers compensation. It has a partnership with Shift Technologies, Inc. to implement AI fraud detection. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. The company primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals, as well as oil and gas. Its assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Tyrone and Chino in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The company also operates a portfolio of oil and gas properties primarily located in offshore California and the Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2021, it operated approximately 135 wells. The company was formerly known as Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. and changed its name to Freeport-McMoRan Inc. in July 2014. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. ONEOK, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in gathering, processing, storage, and transportation of natural gas in the United States. It operates through Natural Gas Gathering and Processing, Natural Gas Liquids, and Natural Gas Pipelines segments. The company owns natural gas gathering pipelines and processing plants in the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions. It also gathers, treats, fractionates, and transports natural gas liquids (NGL), as well as stores, markets, and distributes NGL products. The company owns NGL gathering and distribution pipelines in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado; terminal and storage facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois; and NGL distribution and refined petroleum products pipelines in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, as well as owns and operates truck- and rail-loading, and -unloading facilities connected to NGL fractionation, storage, and pipeline assets. In addition, it operates regulated interstate and intrastate natural gas transmission pipelines and natural gas storage facilities. Further, the company owns and operates a parking garage in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma; and leases excess office space. It operates 17,500 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines; 1,500 miles of FERC-regulated interstate natural gas pipelines; 5,100 miles of state-regulated intrastate transmission pipeline; six NGL storage facilities; and eight NGL product terminals. It serves integrated and independent exploration and production companies; NGL and natural gas gathering and processing companies; crude oil and natural gas production companies; propane distributors; municipalities; ethanol producers; and petrochemical, refining, and NGL marketing companies, as well as natural gas distribution and electric generation companies, producers, processors, and marketing companies. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public meeting on the draft Missouri River Recovery Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center. The meeting will consist of an open house from 5-5:45 p.m. and 8-8:45 p.m. with a formal presentation from 5:45-8 p.m. Participants will have opportunities to speak to subject matter experts about the draft EIS and to submit formal comments. Copies of the EIS are available at the Roosevelt County Library, 220 2nd Ave. S., in Wolf Point. The information can also be found online at the USACE digital library or the MRRP web site. The draft EIS includes major federal actions necessary to comply with the Endangered Species Act and protect three federally listed threatened and endangered species: the pallid sturgeon, interior least tern, and the Northern Great Plains piping plover. WABCO Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies electronic, mechanical, electro-mechanical, and aerodynamic products worldwide. The company engineers, develops, manufactures, and sells braking, stability, suspension, steering, transmission automation, and air management systems primarily for commercial vehicles. The company's products include pneumatic anti-lock braking systems, electronic braking systems, electronic stability control systems, brake controls, automated manual transmission systems, and air disc brakes; and various conventional mechanical products, such as actuators, air compressors, and air control valves for medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, and trailers. It also offers pneumatic and hydraulic braking and control systems for off-highway vehicles; conventional braking systems; electronic and conventional air suspension systems; steering technologies; and vehicle electronic stability control and roll stability support products, and advanced driver assistance systems. In addition, the company supplies electronic suspension controls and vacuum pumps to the passenger car and SUV markets, as well as provides remanufacturing services. Further, it offers replacement parts, fleet management solutions, diagnostic tools, training, and other expert services for commercial vehicle aftermarket distributors and service partners, and fleet operators. The company sells its products primarily to truck and bus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), trailer OEMs, and car manufacturers; and manufacturers of heavy duty and off-highway vehicles in agriculture, construction, mining, and other industries. WABCO Holdings Inc. was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. A Terrorist Attack on Muslims in Quebec Canada February 2, 2017 Alain Savard On Sunday night, a young, white, French-speaking, Quebec-born man opened fire inside of a Quebec City mosque, killing six Muslim worshipers Azzeddine Soufiane, Abdelkrim (Karim) Hassane, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Mamadou Tanou Barry and Ibrahima Barry and injuring 25. The six victims were first-generation immigrants who had lived in Quebec for years, some for decades. The shooter, Alexandre Bissonnette, had expressed anti-immigrant positions online and was a fan of Donald Trump in the US and Frances far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen. This leaves little room for doubt: The shooter acted upon political beliefs, in order to instill fear among Muslims and immigrants. This is a textbook case of right-wing terrorism. Yet the media coverage of the mass shooting and the official reaction of many politicians took many detours to avoid stating the obvious. After the attack, the first wave of right-wing opportunism spread like wildfire when a false report began circulating that the attack was carried out by multiple Syrian Muslim refugees who had recently arrived in Canada. On social media, the right portrayed Syrians and Muslims as dangerous terrorists. Adrien Pouliot, leader of Quebecs Conservative Party, happily took the bait, stating that the shooting proved that Quebec was not sheltered from Islamic extremism. Many tried to come up with a tortuous explanation for why gunmen motivated by Islamic extremism might commit a massacre at a mosque, attempting to frame it as violence among Muslims spreading in our peaceful province. When police released the name of two suspects they had arrested, it was clear that the initial report about Muslim shooters was wrong, but the damage was done. It revealed how Islamophobic opportunists were quick to use the event for their own ends. Islamophobia from the Media and Politicians Even as it became clear who carried out the attack, Islamophobic bigotry nevertheless continued, with the two suspects Bissonnette and Mohamed Belkhadir receiving very different treatment in the press. Belkhadir had actually been helping his wounded friends when police arrived on the scene. Seeing a person entering the mosque with a gun, Belkhadir feared that the shooter had returned, so he fled. This was enough for Quebec police to consider him as a suspect. It took the officers more than 16 hours to admit they were wrong. In the meantime, the media released his name and pointed to his Moroccan origin as if this information could explain, by itself, his motivations. On the other side, Bissonnettes participation in the attack seemed to puzzle journalists and commentators. He was quickly depicted as a tormented and lonely boy, and a victim of intimidation at school. Though any investigation of his Facebook page quickly revealed his affinity with the extreme right, the media preferred to use interviews from neighbors claiming that he looked normal, and commentators began explaining his actions as driven by folly or mental illness. It took a while before the terrorist dimension of the shooting was recognized. Pierre Bruno, news anchor for TVA, the most-watched TV channel in Quebec, labeled the act inverted terrorism. Obviously, for Bruno, violent acts committed by Muslims against Westerners count as terrorism, but not the other way around. When the words terrorist attack were used by mainstream media to describe Bissonnettes shooting, it was between quotation marks, as if there was still doubt about it. The next day, politicians across the entire political spectrum tried to capitalize on the event. While the right wing expressed its grief and condolences to the families of the victims, leaders of the two provincial political parties at the forefront of nationalist discourse quickly defended their policies, arguing that there was no problem with Islamophobia in Quebec, and that the various xenophobic campaigns they have carried out had absolutely no relationship to the shooting. Answering Hate with Solidarity By contrast, the popular response to the shooting was nothing short of amazing. It took less than an hour for the group Quebec Inclusif (a left-wing feminist and anti-racist organization run by a diversity of women, many of them Muslim) to call for a rally in Montreal in solidarity with the Muslim community. Within a few hours, tens of other similar rallies were planned across the province, with thousands of Quebecers saying they planned on attending. This network of solidarity began to bombard social media with criticism of the actions of the media and politicians. The media establishment was quickly besieged by objections to its covert Islamophobia, the racist treatment of Mohamed Belkhadir compared to that of Bissonnette, and the euphemisms used to describe the attack. It was only then that corrections were made if they were made at all. On the evening of January 30, less then 18 hours after the vigils were planed, some 15,000 participants gathered in Montreal and another 6,000 in Quebec City. The Montreal event, planned by Inclusive Quebec, was an exemplary demonstration of solidarity. Muslim speakers took to the microphone, while thousands of Montrealers expressed their support. No politicians were allowed to the take stage, and the speeches decried the opportunists. As one person commented, We do not want the solidarity of Islamophobic pyromaniacs: We want their apology. Protest organizers didnt just organize a moment to collectively mourn a tragic event. They made it clear, through their speeches, that an act of hate does not fall from the sky. It takes root in the social and political environment that nurtures it, and that a message of unity alone was not enough. Real, tangible solidarity a common front against racist politicians and the media is needed. The rallies are a beginning for the creation of this solidarity. Among the crowd, a large red banner echoed the sentiment: Make racists afraid again. This article first appeared on Socialist Worker website. When Finnish migration authorities are unsure about the applicant's age, specific tests are carried out. Last year, medical tests to determine the biological age of asylum seekers were held four times more often than in 2015, Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported.A total of 630 such tests were conducted in 2016, of which in two thirds of the cases conclusive evidence was found that applicant was in fact an adult. According to preliminary data from the Finnish Migration Board (Migri) more than 400 of last year's applicants posing as teenagers were fact adults. The percentage of investigated asylum seekers who were found to be adults, although stated otherwise, has thus risen compared with previous years.Over the past two years, the Finnish Migration Board addressed about 3,500 applications from juvenile applicants, who arrived in Finland without their parents. Migri is reportedly still working on decisions for around 400 children and adolescents. Although a minor's application is always processed as urgent, Migri's consideration time for reaching a decision has spiked to an average of ten months.The majority of adolescent asylum seekers who were granted asylum in Finland in 2016 were from Afghanistan (74 percent), Iraq (11 percent) and Somalia (6 percent).Incidentally, last year also saw the number of forcible returns from Finland double in comparison with the year before. In 2016, 6,657 people were returned from Finland, of which 1,671 people received an assisted return, meaning an escorted flight to their home country. According to the police board, the increase is due to the larger number of asylum seekers in 2016 and the larger number of rejected asylum applications. Additionally, there are at least 164 asylum seekers in Finland, who lack permission to be in the country and are pending for return.In 2016, Finland also saw a significant landmark in demographic trends, when the number of births plunged below the number of deaths for the first time in 76 years and reached its lowest point in Finland's history as an independent nation. Since 1900, such adverse demographic trends have only occurred during the Finnish Civil War (1917-1918) and the Winter War (1939-1940).Nevertheless, the country's population kept rising due to migration. In 2016, 32,376 people moved to Finland from abroad. 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. Kenneth Jay Lake Sr., of Waldorf, MD passed away on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital in Clinton, MD. He is survived by his son, Kenneth Jay Lake Jr.; a brother, Vincent Lake; three grandchildren: Kenneth III, Collin and Ethan Lake; daughter-in-law, Crystal Lake; sister-in-law, Sheryl Lake; three nieces: Anne Henderson, Lisa Berger and Kristin Lake and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon Lake. Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday, February 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Thursday, February 9, from 12 noon until time of service at 1 p.m. at Briscoe-Tonic Funeral Home, 2294 Old Washington Road, Waldorf, MD. Interment will follow at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery. Arrangements by Briscoe-Tonic Funeral Home. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh speaks at the state Senate building in Annapolis, Md., on January 31, 2017. He was joined by Democratic legislators and supporters speaking out against recent actions and proposed legislation from the Trump administration. (Photo: Hannah Klarner) ANNAPOLIS (Feb. 2, 2017)Maryland Democrats announced a package of new legislation Tuesday aimed at resisting policy efforts by President Donald Trump's administration and the Republican-controlled Congress.Five pieces of legislation are included in the package. One would withdraw all of Maryland's past calls for a constitutional convention, another would direct the attorney general to oppose "harmful" federal policies, two would create commissions to monitor health and financial regulatory developments at the federal level, and the fifth would instruct the state's congressional delegation and governor to resist any effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.A resolution in the package would withdraw Maryland from all previous Article V Convention calls. Maryland has previously joined with other states in calling for a constitutional convention. A constitutional convention can be used to amend the Constitution if the legislatures of two-thirds of the states call for one; any amendments would still have to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.Explaining the proposal to withdraw Maryland's calls for a convention, House Majority Leader C. William Frick, D-Montgomery, said that Maryland "cannot afford to let Donald Trump rewrite the Bill of Rights."Because the process has never been used to amend the Constitution, the exact procedure is not clearly defined. Most states have called for a convention on one issue or another, but two-thirds of the states' calls have never been found to be similar enough to trigger one.The withdrawal proposed Tuesday likely reflects anxiety among some groups that Republican trifecta control over 25 statesstates where Republicans have a majority in both houses of the legislature and the governorshipcombined with a unified Republican government at the federal level, makes a conservative-driven convention a real possibility.The Maryland Defense Act of 2017 directs the state's attorney general to protect Marylanders from "harmful federal efforts." The bill also allocates $3 million per year and five staff members under the Maryland attorney general for this purpose.Attorney General Brian Frosh, one of several Democrats who spoke at the announcement of the new legislation, said Tuesday he predicts people around the nation will begin to reject the Trump Administration's policies.Also in the package, a newly created Maryland Financial Consumer Protection Task Force would monitor consumer protections and financial regulations at the federal level and keep state lawmakers informed of any changes.The Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission would do the same for efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and, according to a press release, "prepare Maryland to best react should President Trump and the Republicans in Congress decide to take away health insurance coverage."The package includes a resolution calling on Maryland's congressional delegation and the governor to oppose efforts to repeal the ACA. The resolution argues that the ACA is critical to providing insurance to approximately 400,000 Marylanders.Several Democratic legislators defended the role that the ACA has played in reducing Maryland's uninsured rate. They also sought to paint the resistance to repeal as a potentially bipartisan effort, at least among voters, by highlighting that rural, traditionally Republican parts of the state saw some of the biggest gains in their insured rate under the ACA.Among those was Delegate David Moon, D-Montgomery, who said that any repeal of the ACA would be "war on rural Maryland," employing a phrase Republican leaders often use to accuse Democrats of over-prioritizing urban parts of the state and neglecting or being out-of-touch with rural areas.Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings, R-Baltimore and Harford counties, told the University of Maryland's Capital News Service, "if we do nothing to (change) the ACA, it's going to collapse," citing rising premiums as a principal cause.Jennings also indicated that state lawmakers should let Maryland's congressional delegation focus on federal issues, saying, "I think we've got enough stuff in our state to deal with." ANNAPOLIS (Feb. 2, 2017)The Maryland House Judiciary Committee heard arguments for and against a bill that would require the Police Commissioner of Baltimore City to notify the city council, mayor and delegation about the development of new tactics and use of specific enforcement zones within 30 days of their use. The bill requires the police commissioner to submit a report explaining the potential establishment of "high crime" or "stop and frisk" zones in Baltimore and the use of surveillance devices or "innovative tactics," according to a state document. Delegate Frank Conaway, D-Baltimore, the sponsor of the bill, said in an interview with Maryland's Capital News Service that it is in reference to a Department of Justice report that said the Baltimore Police Department was designating certain areas of the city as "high crime" or "stop and frisk" zones, which violated civil rights. Conaway introduced several bills based on a January Baltimore City consent decree, which enforces reforms to the Baltimore Police Department, and a Department of Justice report. A federal judge still needs to sign off on the agreement before the requirements of the decree go into effect. The Department of Justice opened an investigation into the Baltimore police in 2015 after the death of Freddie Gray, who suffered an injury while being transported in a police van and later died. Gray's death sparked protests and riots in the city. Conaway testified that he believed the people living in zones designated as "high crime" should be informed of that designation. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger testified in opposition to a similar statewide bill that would also require all police departments in the state notify local officials of the use of new technologiesit does not include "high crime zone" language. He expressed concerns that the language of the bill was too vague and that the reports would be subject to public information requests, even if the notification was for an active investigation. License plate readers and wiretap technology, which he said are used by police several times a day as forms of electronic surveillance, may be subjected to the statute, Schellenberger testified. He expressed concern that the reports could compromise active investigations. The Baltimore consent decree includes language that requires the city police to notify the local government when it uses new technologies. The state does not have power to appoint the Baltimore police commissioner nor is it responsible for funding police operations. However, the state can write laws to implement policy changes in the police department. Conaway added that the Baltimore police used aircraft for aerial surveillance of the city without notifying Baltimore City officials. In August 2016, it was revealed that the Baltimore Police Department authorized a private firm to use cameras mounted on a small plane for aerial surveillance of Baltimore City. The program began in early 2016, according to a state document. The bill requires that once the Baltimore police begin using new technologies, such as drones or cell-site simulators, they notify the Baltimore City Council, mayor and state government delegation within 30 days. Cell-site simulators are devices that act like cell-phone towers but allow police to track and collect information from nearby phones. Then-Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the Baltimore City Council and state officials were not initially made aware of the program and were not notified until months after it began. "They need to have some kind of transparency or accountability beyond themselves," Conaway told Maryland's Capital News Service. Conaway said that he has gotten negative feedback from law enforcement officers who have told him that the requirement to update Baltimore officials on new technology used by the police is too broad. He added that the police only have to notify city officials when that technology is deployed, not when the city police acquire the technology. Proponents of the program said that the cameras do not capture high resolution images and it is very hard to personally identify people. However, privacy advocates argue that the market for the technology would accelerate development of more high-resolution cameras. A Billings man convicted of sexually assaulting a child and possessing child pornography a decade ago had his third appeal denied Tuesday. The Montana Supreme Court denied a petition from Daniel Gerard Lacy, 42, who appealed this time to have his previous attorney dismissed. He claimed the lawyer failed him during trial and subsequent appeals. Lacey was convicted in both Yellowstone County District Court and the U.S. District Court of Montana. Yellowstone County prosecutors first charged Lacey in 2005. A joint investigation by the Billings Police Department and the FBI found 217 movies and 3,000 images of child pornography on Lacey's computer. They included images of Lacey engaged in sexual conduct with a child whom he knew personally. Officers later searched the house and garage, which Lacey shared with others. Prosecutors ultimately charged him with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent and five counts of sexual assault. During that case, Lacey's attorney filed to suppress evidence found during the investigation. He claimed authorities had no consent to search his laptop or the garage because he didn't give consent. The district court denied that motion. Lacey received a life sentence for six of the nine original counts in 2007. During the course of that case, federal prosecutors charged him for two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to 30 years in that case. Lacey filed his first appeal to the Montana Supreme Court in 2008, challenging the district court's denial of his request to suppress evidence found during the search. The appeal was denied because the person Lacey lived with found evidence of child pornography on the computer, giving authorities cause to search it. The court also ruled that the garage search was legal without Lacey's consent because the leaseholder on the home gave permission. Lacey had also appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding his unlawful search claims. That court reached similar conclusions and denied the appeal. Lacey filed for post-conviction relief in Yellowstone District Court in 2010. Among his claims was that "double jeopardy" rules barred him from conviction in both federal and state court. After the district court denied that petition, it was appealed again to the Montana Supreme Court for the current case. In an opinion written by Justice Jim Rice, the court outlined the federal and state charges, which focused on different elements of Lacey's actions. The state case focused on the rape of a child, while the federal case focused on the possession of child porn. The court ruled that Lacey's attorneys correctly tried the case and, when faced with the option of a double jeopardy claim, chose not to do so because it wasn't applicable. "When Lacey's trial and appellate counsel brought their motions, the charges Lacey faced from the federal and Montana authorities were not considered 'equivalent offenses,'" Rice wrote. Lacey continues to serve his sentence in the Montana State Prison. GET OUT! South Florida LGBT Radio and Podcasts, the only LGBT radio show in the United States, will have the very esteemed senior pastor of the Metropolitan Church of the Palm Beaches join the on-air team as a weekly contributor, announced Tom Hantzarides, host and producer. Having Rev. Lea as a weekly contributor to GET OUT! South Florida is not only an honor for the show, but Rev. Lea will be able to give all our listeners much-needed uplifting messages and guidance. I couldnt be more pleased that she will be part of our on-air team. Lea will have a weekly segment that will help us all deal with human issues as we seek spiritual help. She will also provide her insight and experience on the topics we discuss on the show. Personally, I very much look forward to hearing her contributions, said Hantzarides. Lea has been serving MCCPB as Senior Pastor since March 2011. She has also served as the Senior Minister of MCC San Francisco and as the Senior Pastor of Wichita Falls MCC in Texas. Before that, she was the Acting Executive Director of the Metropolitan Community Foundation in San Francisco. In addition to leading the foundation, Rev. Brown served as volunteer clergy at MCCSF following her ordination there in 1996. During that time, she preached, led retreats, served as the pastor of spiritual development, and taught many classes and programs on spiritual growth, and the intersections of gender, sexuality and spirituality, and social justice. Lea and her partner Sarah-Helen Land are grateful to be enjoying life in the MCCPB parsonage with their dog, Simche. During her years in seminary, Lea served as a Chaplain Candidate (2nd Lieutenant) in the U.S. Army from 1988 to 1989. She received her education from Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, Oklahoma; Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, California; Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California; and the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA. Leas first broadcast will be Saturday, February 4, during GET OUT! South Florida, 7PM-8PM. GET OUT! South Florida LGBT Radio is heard weekly from Vero Beach to Key West on the 50,000-watt powerhouse, 850AM WFTL. MEDIA CONTACT: Tom Hantzarides This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. On Tuesday evening, Neil Gorsuch, a U.S. appellate judge from the 10th circuit, was nominated by President Donald J. Trump for the Supreme Court. Gorsuch, 49, would fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, who passed in February of 2016. His nomination to the highest court in the land is already receiving strong rebukes from liberal and progressive groups and Democrats. U.S. Congressman Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) said Gorsuch is cut from the Scalia mold. If Mitch McConnell wanted to replace the late Justice Scalia with someone with equally or even more extreme views, hes getting the pick he wanted, Deutch said. Judge Gorsuchs far-right views fall so far outside the mainstream that he should not be confirmed for a lifetime appointment to the nations highest court. Gorsuch is perhaps best known for siding with Christian activists in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. where he essentially advocated against requiring employers to provide no cost contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Lambda Legal, the nations oldest and largest legal organization working on behalf of LGBT people and people living with HIV, released a statement calling Gorsuchs record troubling. We absolutely must not confirm a Supreme Court nominee who has ruled that the religious beliefs of employers can trump the law, said Lambda Legal spokesman Tom Warnke. It is a short hop from birth control restrictions to restrictions on the intimate relationships and health care needs of LGBT people. A Colorado native, Gorsuchs legal philosophy is often described as textualism. He is the youngest Supreme Court nominee since the nomination of Clarence Thomas in 1991. Adding to the chorus of condemnation was the National LGBTQ Task Force, which issued its own statement Tuesday evening. Judge Neil Gorsuchs record reveals a jurist who: believes that bosses should control their employees private health care decisions; supports the misuse of religion to legalize discrimination; and holds LGBTQ equality with disdain, said Rea Carey, Task Force executive director. He is also a darling of those who are vehemently opposed to marriage equality. He seems like someone who aligns perfectly with Donald Trump and Mike Pences view of the world, but is completely out of touch with the realities of most peoples lives. It remains to be seen if Democrats will be able to block Gorsuchs nomination as effectively as the Republicans did to Merrick Garland, former President Barack Obamas choice to replace Scalia. Mitch McConnell defied history by blocking President Obamas pick for the Supreme Court for almost a year, and his unprecedented move has now paid off with President Trump's nomination of an extreme right-wing ideologue, said Deutch, a senior member of the House judiciary committee. "Judge Neil Gorsuch's radical views on federal regulations fly in the face of long-standing Supreme Court precedent and will undermine crucial consumer protections, environmental protections, and labor safety protections. He sided with corporations in the Hobby Lobby decision defining them as people, giving corporations the right to deny women birth control in the name of religious belief." Deutch added, "(Gorsuch) has publicly attacked everyday Americans for seeking access to our nations courts to protect and support their individual rights. His rulings supporting the use of excessive force by law enforcement will be a step-back in our nations effort to reform the criminal justice system. And he has consistently sided with corporations and their interests while quashing the ability of employees to protect their rights in the workplace. 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... This coming weekend Sprudge is teaming up with an astonishing 400 cafes (and counting!) nationwide to help raise funds for the American Civil Liberties Union, those non-partisan defenders of liberty currently challenging the legality of a slew of recent Presidential Executive Orders relating to refugees and immigrants. Check out the ever-growing list of cafe partners here. As part of the wider effort, we want to take a moment and let you get to know one of the hardworking ACLU attorneys whom this fundraiser directly supports. Meet Edgar Saldivar, a Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Texas, based in Houston. A native of Pasadena, Texas, Saldivar is a graduate (cum laude) of Harvard University with an A.B. in philosophy, and went to law school at the University of Houston. Heres a bit more from his ACLU Texas bio: Edgar Saldivar joined the ACLU of Texas in 2016 as a senior staff attorney where he focuses on a variety of constitutional issues. Prior to working at the ACLU of Texas, Edgar was a commercial litigator in private practice where he honed his skills as a trial lawyer in a variety of complex, multi-party litigation matters in both state and federal courts. A native of Pasadena, Texas whose mother was a migrant farm worker and whose father worked in a slaughterhouse after arriving from Mexico, Edgar is ever mindful of his origins and the challenges faced by the poor, immigrant, and minority communities. His work is driven by a deep passion to seek justice for the most vulnerable and underserved in our society. Sprudge co-founder Jordan Michelman spoke up with Edgar Saldivar by phone from the parking lot of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity Hey Edgar! Thanks for taking a moment to talk to our readers. What has the last week been like for the Texas chapter of the ACLU? Its been incredibly busy, and weve been mobilizing and preparing for fightsIm talking to you form the parking lot of the airport. Were on the front lines right now, seeking to protect people who might be detained because of the recent Executive Orders regarding refugees and immigrants. This is happening in ACLU chapters across the country, including our chapter here in Texas, which is headquartered in Houston, the largest city in Texas. On Friday, January 27th the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order that tried to block the entry of refugees, immigrants, and those with valid visas from seven countries. We were shocked by the breadth of that order because it crossed a lot of constitutional lines. Our Immigrants Rights Project in the New York office got to action and filed lawsuits immediatelythe action came out Friday night at 5pm, and by Saturday morning we had a lawsuit to put an injunction in place to stop the Executive Order. By that Saturday evening a federal judge issued a stay on a portion of the EO, basically allowing those with valid visas and papers to enter the country without being detained. But in between there was chaos. Refugees, visitors, and immigrants with valid documentation all over the country were being held at customs. It caused chaos and confusion at airports across the country. In an organic way people started to gather at airports to protest, expressing their fundamental First Amendment rights. So there we are on SaturdayI grabbed my bag and drove to the Houston ICH and arrived with a few other attorneys from different fields, gathering to see how we could help. The group of attorneys got together and kept growing, looking for ways to help families waiting on loved ones who had been detained and needed help. Meanwhile other members of our team were doing the same at the intercontinental airport in Dallas, where people were being detained and not being released, even after the injunction was granted by the judge in New York. We have basic protections in this country, including freedom from discrimination due to national origin, and freedom from religious tests. Lawyers from the ACLU saw through the discrimination in these Executive Orders and challenged them immediately in court. Many of us then made sure that those families impacted at airports were released in accordance with the law. I myself was here at the airport in Houston until 2am that night, making sure people got released, negotiating with the police to make sure no protestors were arrested so long as they were being non-disruptive and simply exercising their First Amendment rights. My organization, along with many independent lawyers, stood up to protect peoples rights. If we give the government the opportunity to cross those lines, against immigrants or anyone, it will affect all of us. Thank you for being a part of this effort at the Houston Intercontinental Airport. This coming weekend, coffee bars around the country will be raising funds for your non-partisan organization, the ACLU. Can you tell us a little bit about where those funds will go? The ACLU is on the front lines for civil rights in the United States, and we have been for around for 100 years. We have a long history of protecting constitutional rights. We rely on peoples support and help, because we are completely funded by donations. Ill give you one example of how we spend donated funds. In order for us to bring the lawsuit we did in New York that resulted in the stay on this Executive Orders, we had to first pay for filing fees for whats called a habeas petition, which is a petition to get someone out of detention or custody. That filing costs money, and so immediately the ACLU allocates funds in order to be able to litigate in courtevery step of this process has a cost, and it can be incredibly expensive, especially when the government is involved. Funds also go to our efforts to print and distribute a number of different Know Your Rights materials that we use to educate communities about their rights, including immigrant communities. This includes things like Pocket Constitution, small version of the US Constitution that people are able to keep on their person. Things like that help empower and educate people. Aside from all that, funds go to maintaining our website, our social media channels, and to the salaries of our staff attorneys across the country. They arent making private law firm levels of money with these salariesits nonprofit moneybut we have top notch lawyers fighting the good fight, and money is needed to make sure we can employ top talent to take on these challenges. Thats amazing, Edgar, but lets get to the real questions: do you love coffee? What is your favorite coffee bar? Absolutely I love coffee! When Im in Houston I go to Blacksmith. I was recently in San Francisco, and when Im there I go to Four Barrel and Linea Caffe. Im the kind of guy, when I travel, the first thing I do is to locate my hotel, and then the next thing I do is locate the nearest good coffee shop. Its an absolute must for me. I love good coffee, and I can drink it any time of the dayin the mornings of course, but also a late afternoon or evening coffee. Im definitely a coffee guy, and I really love African coffees from Ethiopia and Kenya, but I also like Latin American coffees, especially from Guatemala. Im one of those folksI trust David Buehrer and Greenway Coffee / Blacksmith so much, whatever hes roasting Ill buy. Who has the most annoying coffee order in the Texas ACLU office? Its probably me! Im the one asking for fancy coffee. Some of my colleagues will just get a Starbucks, but Ill drive a little bit further for a cappuccino from Blacksmith. Thank you for your time today Edgar, and for all that you do. Thank you! Join us this weekend in raising funds for the ACLU by visiting one of 400 participating cafes nationwide. #YesEqual #RefugeesWelcome Meg Nichols Leavitt, who operates Walnut Hall Ltd. with her husband, Alan Leavitt, was honoured with the Bluegrass Tomorrow Vision Equine Agriculture Award on January 31 at the Marriott Griffin Gate in Lexington, Ky. The awards pay tribute to the best of the 18-county Bluegrass Region each year, related to improving quality of life and place, Bluegrass Tomorrows mission. Mrs. Leavitt owns L.V. Harkness and Company, which provides trophies for many classic Standardbred races and she is a co-founder of the Kentucky Equine Humane Center. She is also the former president of the Headley-Whitney Museum Board as well as the Lexington Public Library Foundation. Shes also a former member of the Lexington Cancer Foundation. She is on the advisory board of the USTAs Support Our Standardbreds program, which provides assistance to horses whose care has fallen to a criminal level. Walnut Hall is home to many rescued equines of all sizes and breeds beyond Standardbreds, and welcomed into the care of the Leavitts. (Harness Racing Communications) The Equestrian Canada (EC) Board held an emergency meeting on Jan. 31, 2017 to discuss concerns expressed by EC volunteers and some members of the equestrian community, and to determine the next steps in addressing these concerns. The Board also confirmed their total confidence in the current leadership of EC, specifically of its President, CEO and Director of Finance. Our reasons for this vote of confidence are outlined below. To start, it bears mentioning that while this statement is lengthy, we felt it was our duty and responsibility to ensure we provide a comprehensive statement to address questions and concerns in full. The Board and CEO certainly acknowledge that this past year has been challenging as we continue to restructure and professionalize ECs governance and operations. Weve made some improvements. Weve made some mistakes. Weve implemented some changes successfully and others continue to be a work in progress. Change is not easy. We have implemented changes that have not been easy for everyone to adapt to or accept. Nevertheless, we are fully committed to working with the community and our members to fix our mistakes and build a better Federation. In 2014 we recognized and publicly acknowledged that we were failing to meet the needs and expectations of our various communities. We needed to rebuild and redefine our partnerships and working relationships across the whole organization, and we needed to take a hard look at the way resources (the money and the people) were being invested across the organization in order to achieve our mandate and better serve our members and partners. Good governance is complex and people often disagree on the best way to ensure an organization achieves its objectives. EC has not been immune in the past to challenges concerning previous efforts to revamp and modernize its Governance. This is normal. Under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (NFP Act), the Board has a legal obligation to act in the best interests of EC as a whole, including the equestrian sport disciplines, the Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs), and the industry affiliates. No other group in the organization has this financial or legal obligation. To ensure we meet this responsibility, the Board hired a CEO to supervise and manage the operations of EC. The Board, together with its CEO, is committed to consider the concerns and competing interests of our stakeholders and to strategically and professionally prioritize the needs of our constituents and work collaboratively with our communities to move the organization forward. EC GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS Restructuring the governance and operations of EC has necessitated the development of new Bylaws, a new voting member structure, and redefinition of the roles, responsibilities, accountabilities, and authority of staff and volunteers across the organization. BYLAWS AND VOTING MEMBER STRUCTURE EC was required to make changes to its Bylaws in order to be compliant with the NFP Act because the organization was at risk of being dissolved. The development of the new Bylaws was a collaborative process that brought leaders from across the organization together to generate and recommend a set of Bylaws that would be acceptable to the EC membership. In September 2015, the EC membership approved the Bylaws. Member voting rights prior to 2015 were not taken away by EC; they were restructured following proper process that included the ability for all members of EC to vote. VOTING MEMBER STRUCTURE The new Bylaws in 2015 included a new voting member structure in EC. The structure consists of three Categories of Membership - Category A: Equestrian Sport Disciplines, Category B: PTSOs, and Category C: National Equine Affiliates. Each category designates nine (9) members with voting rights. The first group of Voting Members was voted in by the four EC Councils within the previous governance model (Sport, Provinces, Industry, Recreation). EC is working with its constituents - sport disciplines, PTSOs, and industry affiliates to evolve and improve the process by which Voting Members will get elected in the future. The Voting Member structure was proposed by the Bylaws Taskforce and accepted by the EC membership in order to create a closer working relationship between EC and members who are motivated, well connected and well informed on the category they represent. It also addressed fundamentally broken aspects of the previous member structure, such as voter apathy and organizational silos operating independently from strategic priorities of the organization for their own (sometimes conflicting) objectives. COMMITTEES AND OPERATING PROCESSES Less than one year ago, EC was comprised of 142 committees, each with the ability to make decisions on behalf of EC without legal or financial responsibility for those decisions. We were faced with the difficult task of restructuring the EC Committees by: Significantly reducing the number of committees at EC to create a manageable structure. Clearly delineating governing committees (committees that support the Boards work) and operational committees (committees that support the operations of EC). Finding a way to create a better balance between the role of the volunteers and the role of the staff so that both parties could work collaboratively to best provide services to the community. We acknowledge that there have been problems during this time of transition and that our new operating structure needs more work. It is in the early stages of implementation and is structured in a way to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of the organization. We will work collaboratively with ECs volunteer community to achieve the right balance of committees needed across operations to effectively move programs and initiatives forward - because we all share in the responsibility to deliver great services to the membership. The bottom line is that we believe in the structure that has been put in place. We know it is not yet working as it was envisioned, but we also know that through solidarity, cooperation and collaboration that we can get it working and fully realize the goals of the new governance and operational structure. To learn more about the ECs governance and operations structure, how it works and how it was implemented, we invite the community to review the Governance FAQs on the EC website. FINANCIAL UPDATE In 2015, the decision was made by a previous Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and supported by the Board to invest in a new and up-to-date accounting system for EC to replace the outdated ACC PAC DOS system. The implementation of the new system in 2015 was slow, and the abrupt departure of our previous CFO in March 2016 (the last month of our 2015-2016 fiscal year) made the task of implementing this new accounting system even more difficult. The subsequent CFO inherited the task of implementing the new accounting system while simultaneously preparing for the 2015-2016 audit process. This monumental task became even more challenging, and then simply got worse with further unanticipated personnel changes. It became apparent that even with additional resources in the finance department, further reorganization was required, resulting in the hiring of our current CFO, Mike Mouat. The Board and CEO are completely confident in Mikes ability to get our financial systems back on track as significant progress has already been demonstrated in this regard. The immense task of updating, reconciling and consolidating our financial reporting system takes time. To date we can confirm that the EC Board received and approved a budget in April 2016, as well as an updated budget in December 2016. Furthermore, the EC Board has been fully apprised of the implementation of the new accounting system and progress the Finance Department is making on producing financials. Rest assured the financial health of the organization is not in jeopardy. The Board continues to receive regular financial information from management. EC is obligated to produce annual financial statements audited by an independent auditor. EC has always delivered independently audited financial statements, including audited statements for the 2015-2016 operational year. These audited statements are available to the public, and together with all financial statements since 2011, can be found on the EC website at www.equestrian.ca/about/governance. EC will continue to be compliant in 2017 in delivering audited financial statements to the EC membership. The decision to change the auditors of the corporation is a decision of the EC Voting Members. It was proposed by the Chair of the EC Audit Committee to the 27 Voting Members. During the AGM in September 2016, the Voting Members approved for the Auditors of the Corporation to be changed. OPERATING DEFICITS EC has historically had operating deficits in years where there are major games, such as the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016. These operating deficits in the restricted funds are pre-planned by the discipline committees who draw down on the disciplines restricted funds to cover planned operating deficits. This is normal business at EC and has been for many years. In 2015-2016, there was an operating deficit on the unrestricted side of the budget, which was explained in detail in the Audit Committee report on the EC website. The deficit was a result of: unplanned employee severances in February and March 2016; an unreported operating loss not disclosed by a previous CFO on an Industry initiative called Pan Am Horse Experience; and the failure on the part of a previous CFO to submit required reports to Ag Canada pertaining to grant funding. This error was discovered during the 2015-2016 audit process and subsequently rectified, resulting in the restoration of Ag Canada funding to EC. FUNDING AND NEW REVENUE In 2016-2017, EC secured $1,097,500 in Sport Canada funding. From March 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016, EC secured additional new revenues as follows: $266, 000 from the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) to cover the costs of key projects including the restructuring of the governance and operations of EC, the EC rebranding project, the Competition Governance Audit by Mushroom Cloud, and the High Performance Review. The HP review and Competition Governance findings are works in progress and final decisions will only be taken by the Board after consultations with key EC stakeholders, including the PTSOs and Discipline Committees. Membership money was not used for these initiatives. $393,000 in secured sponsorships. $170,000 in Value in Kind (VIK) sponsorships to support our Canadian Equestrian Team at the 2015 Pan Am Games and 2016 Olympics. RESTRICTED FUNDS ECs finances are comprised of Unrestricted and Restricted Funds. Both Funds are collected and managed by the EC national office, but in the case of the Restricted Funds, the allocation and spending of the Restricted Funds is directed by the discipline committees. There is full recognition within our Board and management team that Restricted Funds are collected through ECs administrative processes for the benefit of sport disciplines. We can confirm that the discipline Restricted Funds remain intact, are directed by the discipline committees, and managed by the EC national office. Suggestions that EC is attempting to wrestle control of the Restricted Funds away from the Disciplines are patently false. ECs challenge with the Restricted Funds centers on the accountability for these funds and the reporting of the use of the funds to the community. Restricted Funds are collected by EC and involve the use of ECs personnel, systems and record keeping. As the collection and distribution of these monies are part of ECs audited statements and financial reporting processes, the Board is accountable to the membership for these funds. The Board, in turn, holds the CEO accountable for these monies, since the collection and disbursement of funds is an operational matter. It is compulsory that there be proper mechanisms to ensure accountability. Accordingly, we need to be able to properly document expenses and financial transactions through invoicing duly approved by the discipline committees. Furthermore, proper legal contracts must be in place where contractual arrangements bind EC and direct the distribution of funds. EC is working collaboratively with its discipline committees to put these protocols in place. EC is not directing where the funds are being spent, but is ensuring that the funds are being spent appropriately and are directed toward achieving the objectives of the organization. This oversight of the Restricted Funds is a critical component in ensuring that accountability is prevalent throughout the organization. While we are working on the serious issues weve had with the preparation and dissemination of monthly financial reports, the Board is confident that ECs financial position remains sound and is clearly not out of control. Every important spending decision in the current financial year has been thoroughly vetted and approved by the Board. Incremental revenues secured by the management team in the last 18 months are significant and encouraging. Discipline reserve funds are secure and have been managed by the discipline committees and discipline managers, as in the past. Finally, the principal driver of short-term deficits has been the 2015 Pan Am Games and the Rio 2016 Olympics. This is not unusual. EC is and will continue to be in full compliance with all fiduciary responsibilities under the NFP Act. CONFLICT OF INTEREST EC has approved conflict of interest policies and protocols for the Board, volunteers, and staff members. These policies and protocols have been applied across the organization on all matters where real and perceived conflicts of interest have arisen. COMMUNICATION Clearly we have failed in our responsibility to communication adequately with our constituent communities. There appear to be a number of concerns that are primarily the result of misunderstanding due to the lack of good lines of communication. We need to do a much better job of communicating how and why decisions have been made and we are committed to making immediate efforts to do so. We can all improve our communications. For EC to flourish, communication is essential. Communications must be respectful. Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome and can strengthen the organization. Personal attacks, however, do nothing but divide organizations and divert them from achieving their objectives. If four strong horses pull in one direction and four equally strong horses pull in the opposite direction, the organization goes nowhere. Working together can provide the best benefit for all of us. EC is fully aware of the public outcry that has been circulating expressing concerns about the management and governance of its organization. The personal attacks and airing of dirty laundry in public does not serve EC or its membership well, and EC will not engage in such action. EC will respond to the authors of the letters of concern directly, respectfully and professionally; and we ask that all participants recognize the damage that can be done to the organization by untoward comments. People in an organization such as ours may come and go, but the reputation of the organization, both internationally and within the sport community may be irreparably harmed by inappropriate public communication. There are mechanisms to address any concerns and waging a public battle is akin to cutting off ones nose to spite their face. We can rebuild a better Equestrian Canada and we need your help to make it happen. We encourage everyone to engage with us through honest, open and respectful communication in the best interests of the organization and all members of the community. And, of course, we commit to doing the same. Sincerely, Equestrian Canada Board of Directors The 2017 ARCI Conference on Racing Integrity and Equine Welfare will focus on a blunt discussion about what is working and what is not in racing regulation in an ongoing effort to continually strengthen current policing efforts. Although the annual ARCI conference is the only gathering of racing industry regulators, it is open to anyone involved with the industry in any capacity. The conference will be held in Charleston, SC from April 18 through April 20 at the Charleston Marriott. Those interested in attending may register online by clicking here. Racings drug testing program will undergo an aggressive review by a panel of experts who will address the topic Drug Testing: Are We Getting it Right and Catching the Cheaters? Expect discussions will focus on emerging doping threats and possible ways to monitor horses through development of an equine biological passport. There will also be a discussion of strategies as to how to select horses for out of competition tests. The use of the riding crop will be discussed and debated at the conference, as will current policies which may be an impediment to emerging technologies intended to grow the sport. There will also be a discussion about creative ways to adjudicate racing rule violations differently than what is now being done. The Horseplayers Association of North America and others have been invited to participate on a panel entitled: Do Our Stewards Know What They Are Doing? The Association of Racing Commissioners International is the only organization in racing whose members are the officially sanctioned racing authorities empowered by law to enact and enforce the rules of racing as well as adjudicate violations and disputes. The April meeting will also host meetings of: the National Racing Compact; Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC - US Section); the Drug Testing Standards and Practices Committee; and the Model Rules Committee. (ARCI) Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 2, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Liberty Counsel's Assistant Vice President of Legal Affairs, Roger K. Gannam, will testify at a specially called city council meeting today against a proposed ordinance that would add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as protected classes under Jacksonville law. The meeting, called by Council Member Bill Gulliford, will take place in the Council Chamber at 2:00 PM. Ordinance 2017-15, known as the "Human Rights Ordinance," was previously defeated twice in Jacksonville, with help from Liberty Counsel and others. However, radical leftist activists are once again trying to impose this special LGBT rights ordinance on Jacksonville's citizens and businesses, hoping to implement its most objectionable provisions through deceptive language. "Jacksonville does not have an LGBT discrimination problem that needs to be solved," said Gannam. "This law unnecessarily burdens Jacksonville's businesses and citizens, forcing them to open their women's facilities to men, and forcing them to celebrate the same-sex relationships of others under threat of fines and imprisonment, or simply being put out of business." Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Standard Newswire is a cost-effective and efficient newswire service for public policy groups, government agencies, PR firms, think-tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, activists, politicians, and candidates to distribute their press releases to journalists who truly want to hear from them.Do not settle for an email blasting service or a newswire overloaded with financial statements. Standard Newswire gets your news into the hands of working journalists, broadcast hosts, and news producers.Find out how you can start using Standard Newswire to CONNECT WITH THE WORLD February 1, 2017 Developments in Syria may once again be slipping through Turkeys fingers. The new Donald Trump administration in Washington has already disappointed Ankara. Rather than being welcomed, Trumps advocacy of safe zones in Syria an idea first proposed by Turkey has ruffled official Turkish feathers. Ankara now fears that such zones will be a step toward granting Syrian Kurds autonomy. Turkish officials have been noticeably mute on the matter, saying they need to see a full proposal before commenting. Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still awaiting his call from Trump to discuss Syria and other regional issues. Trump has already held conversations with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, not to mention Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a host of European leaders. He is due to meet Jordanian King Abdullah II on Feb. 2 at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. Veteran political analyst Murat Yetkin underscored the anomaly of Trump's calling King Salman for endorsement of his safe zones idea, rather than Erdogan, who has been pushing for a Syrian safe zone for years. Fighting terrorism is one of Trumps major priorities, Yetkin wrote in his Hurriyet Daily News column. That is why it is particularly confusing when you read that he agrees on the need to create safe zones in Syria without consulting the Turkish leadership. Trumps plans for Syria are not the only source of Turkeys concerns. Russias political plans for the future of Syria are also distressing, despite much-touted improved ties between Ankara and Moscow. Turkish officials are smarting over the draft constitution for Syria that Moscow produced at the recent Astana meetings, sponsored by Turkey, Russia and Iran in an effort to open a new peace track on Syria. Russias offer of autonomy to the Kurds in a unified Syria raised the specter in Ankara of a self-administering Kurdish region along Turkeys border held by groups linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Moscow's hosting Kurds from the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in late January did not go down well in Ankara either. Turkey did not, however, lodge a formal protest due to its current reliance on relations with Russia to counterbalance its deteriorating ties with the West. Turkey claims that the PYD and its military wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), are a terrorist organization linked to the outlawed PKK, but it has thus far failed to convince any other country of this. Washington supports the YPG in its fight against the Islamic State (IS), and the Trump administration has given no indication that this policy will change. Ankara also worries about the possibility of a Moscow-Washington joint effort in Syria that conflicts with its interests. Mehmet Ocaktan, a former deputy from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), who currently writes for the daily Karar, believes Putin revealed his true intentions in Syria by promising the PYD autonomy. Maintaining that Trump has great admiration for the armed Kurdish groups in Syria, Ocaktan contended, Considering Trumps admiration for Putin, it wont be a surprise to see them form an alliance in Syria. Washington has also suggested that the Kurds should participate in talks aimed at ending the Syrian crisis. This puts Turkey at odds with two global powers that are promoting more or less the same line on an issue Ankara has turned into an existential matter. Russias support for a secular constitution for Syria, which the Assad regime reportedly wants, is also a potential source of discomfort for Erdogan and the AKP, given their Islamist orientation. Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Jaafari claimed after the Astana talks that Turkey had blocked a reference to secularism in Syria from the final communique. Ankara has made no official comment on the claim. At the start of the Syrian crisis, Turkey expected Assad to fall quickly and to be replaced by an elected government that, given Syrias demography, would have elevated a Sunni majority to power more than likely led by Muslim Brotherhood-related groups. Ankara clearly hoped to regain some initiative by moving away from that position and aligning itself with Moscow to try to steer developments according to its interests. Events, however, appear to be moving in the opposite direction. Turkish officials are aware that the United States is also likely to support a secular Syrian constitution that provides a degree of autonomy to the Kurds. Turkeys problem, however, is that it represents the weak link in this equation and has only limited capacity to promote its position on the Kurds or to put its stamp on Syria's political future. Russia expert Kerim Has from the International Strategic Research Organization / Centre for Eurasian Studies in Ankara underlined this point. Turkeys hand is not strong in its relations with Russia. It has to go along with Moscows line on Syria out of necessity, Has told Al-Monitor. It is not possible for Russia to please Turkey under these circumstances, but Ankara cant raise its voice too much against Russia or the United States. Some Syrian opposition members have also expressed disappointment in Turkeys performance in Astana. One opposition member told Reuters that Turkey had been weak in Astana and unable to assert the oppositions line. Given this unfolding backdrop, Ankara now fears that Trumps safe zones and Russias draft constitution are designed, among other things, to provide the Kurds an autonomous region. This is leading to angry comments in the pro-government media in Turkey. It is noteworthy, however, that the target of this anger is the United States more so than Russia. Yeni Safak Editor-in-Chief Ibrahim Karagul put it starkly. The fact that Trump issued this order [sic] as soon as he came to power could have something to do with a plan to establish a Corridor of Terror, Karagul argued, underlining Washingtons support for the PYD and YPG. It is also clear to Ankara that any safe zone where the PYD is lodged will be under US protection and prevent Turkey from mounting operations against the YPG. It was nevertheless noteworthy that Erdogan has said that the Turkish military will not go beyond the Syrian town of al-Bab, near the Turkish border, after it is liberated from IS. Fearing clashes between Turkey and the YPG, Washington has insisted that the Turkish military not venture farther than 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of its border with Syria. Henceforth we must make speedy headway and finish the job there without going farther south, Erdogan told reporters en route from a visit to Tanzania on Jan. 27. Turkey and its Free Syrian Army allies have been trying to liberate al-Bab for weeks, amid mounting casualties, with occasional air support from Russia and the United States. Despite the headway reported by the military, the town has not yet been captured. Previously, Erdogan had defiantly challenged the United States by saying the Turkish military would move on to Manbij, after capturing al-Bab, to expel the YPG from there. Erdogans latest remark provides another instance of Ankara backpedaling in Syria after raising the ante to a point beyond Turkeys capacities. Taking on two superpowers at the same time is proving to be difficult. The family of a Billings businessman and philanthropist has established a set of scholarships for prospective business students at Montana State University Billings. The MSUB Foundation announced on Thursday the Judith Covert and Sam E. McDonald, Jr., Family College of Business Freshman Incentive Award. It will provide 10 awards of $2,000 to graduates of Montana high schools who plan to attend the MSUB College of Business. Sam E. McDonald, Jr., was a Billings Senior High graduate who went on to be chairman and CEO of Wendy's restaurant franchises in Montana. Among his charitable donations was a $1.4 million gift to the MSUB College of Business in 2002. Students seeking this new scholarship must choose a major within the College of Business and have a 2.75 cumulative GPA or better. The award is aimed at incoming freshman. Students who attended home or charter schools may also apply. Im also proud that financial need is part of the selection criteria, said Greg McDonald, President of McDonald Land Development. Using these endowed funds for student recruiting fits into my parents vision of attracting high-caliber students to MSU Billings. The application deadline for the 2017-2018 school year was Feb. 1, but the university said awards may be granted throughout the year. Applications may be submitted through the MSUB scholarship office. The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie... My crystal ball CB said that the war in Ukraine will end by March 2023. Why? - Ukraine does not want to continue fighting, as most of thei... More than 60 businesses have benefitted from the program, which was extended through May 1 while a permanent program is in the works. Tyler Lyon, the Castle Rock man accused of beating his father into a coma two years ago, was sentenced Monday to fourth-degree assault that became known as the chainsaw case. Authorities accused Tyler Lyon, 30, of hitting his then 61-year-old father, Kevin Lyon, early in the morning on Aug. 1, 2014. He got about nine months in jail, much more than the prosecution had asked for. According to court documents, Tyler Lyons mother, Deborah Lyon, had thrown his car keys in a patch of ivy to prevent him from driving drunk. He started up a chainsaw to trim the ivy back and retrieve the keys. His father Kevin Lyon went outside to talk to him about it, and the next thing Deborah Lyon and her daughter heard was Tyler Lyon called for help for his father. Deborah Lyon and her daughter found Kevin Lyon unconscious and lying with the back of his head on the edge of the driveway. He was driven to St. John Medical Center and then immediately airlifted to a Portland Hospital, where doctors discovered three fractures, on his nose, around his right eye and on his skull. He was in a coma for a month and his short-term memory was damaged. Police suspected Tyler Lyon hit his father with either his fists or chainsaw based on blood spatter evidence that suggested in part that Kevin Lyon was upright when he sustained his injuries. Police said Tyler Lyon gave conflicting accounts of what happened and denied hitting his father. He had two prior assault convictions, one for assaulting his mother. He was originally charged with second-degree domestic violence assault. Debbie Lyon told authorities her husband has balance problems and had taken a sleeping pill and that she believed her son didnt assault her husband. Tyler Lyon Monday took an Alford plea, meaning he didnt admit guilt but acknowledged that prosecutors may have enough evidence to convict him. While the prosecutor recommended only 10 days in jail, Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor sentenced him to 274 days in jail and a year on probation. WASHINGTON At the red-hot center of President Trump's first 10 days in office has been his strategist Stephen Bannon, who proclaims a global populist movement for "Judeo-Christian" values and against radical Islam. Bannon is a passionate ideologue who is the intellectual center of the new administration. For nearly a decade he has been advertising his desire to turn America and the world upside down. He's now doing exactly that. Trump's "America First" trade policies and his anti-refugee travel ban are early glimmers of the revolution Bannon has long been advocating. As the uproar over Trump's actions grows, it's important to distinguish between policies that are politically controversial and those that actually undermine the country's foundations. The haphazard executive order banning travel by people from seven Muslim-majority countries seems to be the latter: It strikes at America's core values. Ban benefits ISIS The folly of the travel ban is that it is producing the opposite of what Trump says he wanted. It weakens America's alliances, emboldens our adversaries and puts the country at greater risk. It's not just misguided and heartless; it's dangerous. It affirms the Islamic State's narrative that it's at war with an anti-Muslim America. The weakness of Bannon's strategy in these first days of Trump's presidency has been its impatience and disorganization. The White House's opening salvoes have been rushed, poorly planned shots that resulted in what Sen. John McCain called a "self-inflicted wound." In his seeming counsel to Trump, Bannon appears to have overlooked Benjamin Franklin's famous advice: "Haste makes waste." As with many revolutionaries, Bannon's story is that of a wealthy man who came to see himself as a vanguard for the masses. He rose from a middle-class life in Richmond, Virginia, through an uneventful stint with the Navy; but his life changed after he enrolled at Harvard Business School, joined Goldman Sachs, founded an investment firm, and made a fortune. He began directing conservative agitprop documentaries in 2004, but the 2008 financial crisis was a turning point. Bannon saw it as a betrayal of working people, and he embraced the tea party's conservative revolt against Republican and Democratic elites. Bannon gained a powerful platform in 2012 when he became chairman of the hard-right Breitbart.com after the death of its founder, Andrew Breitbart. By 2014, Bannon saw himself leading what he called a "global tea party movement" against a financial elite that he described as "the party of Davos." In a summer 2014 speech broadcast to a conference inside the Vatican, he railed against Wall Street bailouts and "crony capitalists." "We are in an outright war against jihadist Islamic fascism," he told the Vatican audience. "I believe you should take a very, very, very aggressive stance against radical Islam." Just beginning Breitbart's London branch became a leading advocate of "Brexit," and on the day Britain voted to leave the European Union, it thundered: "There's panic in the skyscrapers. A popular revolution against globalism is underway." Bannon pressed that theme after Trump's victory, telling Breitbart's radio show on Dec. 30 it was only the "top of the first inning." Last Friday's travel ban brought cheers from the right-wing parties in Europe that are Bannon's allies. "Well done," tweeted Dutch populist Geert Wilders. "What annoys the media and the politicians is that Trump honors his campaign promises," tweeted French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen. Bannon undeniably has a powerful radical vision. But this time, he may have blundered. The travel ban has triggered a counter-revolt among millions of Americans who saw his target as the Statue of Liberty. Anirudh Regidi Among the various announcements in the Union Budget 2017, it was announced that manufacturers would be charged a 2 percent duty on PCB imports. Does this meant that smartphone prices in India will rise? We spoke to industry insiders to understand the situation better. Heres what they had to say. A PCB is a Printed Circuit Board. In the case of a smartphone, this board houses all the internal components of a smartphone. Normally, this board is designed and built in China and then its shipped to India and added to the assembly line of a smartphone. The process of assembling the PCB is known as populating the board. Its an expensive operation and smartphone makers usually customise the design. This is best done in facilities that are equipped to deal with it. India has no such infrastructure. The budget, however, states that all PCBs imported to India will be charged a 2 percent Special Additional Duty (SAD). This will affect smartphone manufacturers in the country as they normally import smartphone components in kits and assemble them here. Manufacturers like Samsung will be relatively safe because they actually do have facilities for populating the board. Apple, on the other hand, only imports whole devices so this duty doesnt involve the company. Mr. Narendra Bansal, Chairman and Managing Director, Intex Technologies is the only one we spoke to who seems unconcerned about SAD. In a statement, he says, This is a very marginal increase and will have NO impact on the consumer. He points out that the tax is so small that most brands will absorb the increase in price rather than pass it on to the consumer. He also adds that phone prices are falling continuously and that decreasing costs of the handsets will mitigate the duty. Vijay R. K., GM Technology, Operations, Pre-sales at Sakri Group tells us otherwise. He believes that prices will go up as 80-90 percent of PCBs in devices sold in India are manufactured in China and imported here. . This additional charge will surely pinch the consumers, he says. Referring to the assembly process in India and the SAD, he adds, This will seriously dent investments in SMT lines (surface-mount technology) as this additional duty is going to pinch the manufacturer and in all probability will be passed on to the consumers. This disruption is a dent to boost local manufacturing on the likes of Make in India theme. Analysts also believe that the additional SAD will be passed on to consumers. However, most seem to agree that the increase is very slight, in the order of 1-2 percent. It is possible that the smartphone vendors pass on the cost to the consumers, especially the ones in the lower-end segment, as they already operate on thin margins and it would be difficult for them to absorb the cost, says Kiranjeet Kaur of IDC. Pavel Naiya of Counterpoint Research explains that, The PCBA is the heart of the smartphone and corresponds to more than half of the total component value going into the phones. So, upon levying SAD of 2 percent, we estimate 1-2 percent rise in in mobile phone prices. Naiya adds that other manufacturers can be expected to start SMT-level PCB assembly in India. Kaur says that its not as straightforward to shift certain parts of the supply chain. Most vendors in India are still largely dependent on their Independent Design Houses based in China for the PCBAs they use, she adds. Kaur also explains that the manufacture of simpler components will happen, but that the manufacture of more complex components like the PCB won't happen anytime soon. India doesnt yet have the ecosystem required to populate a PCB. Kaur believes that the government needs to reconsider its duty structure to be in line with the practical considerations and challenges that component manufacturers may face in India. Naiya adds that, OEMs might cut down on other components bills of material to nullify the increasing cost as most of the mounted components for PCB is still imported. Speaking of the impact of make in India on our countrys economy, Naiya points out that while $6 billion worth of PCBAs were used in phones sold in India, the value addition was a mere 1 percent. He expects the additional duty to raise this figure to 3 percent. He mentions that the currently, manufacturers only assemble products in India, which translates to a value addition of just 6 percent. He expects duties to increase this addition, but also to boost knowledge transformation. Regarding GST, Naiya believes that the actual increase will be in the single digits rather than the 25 percent that has been speculated. IDCs Kaur claims that the governments push for local manufacturing will discourage them from throwing a spanner in the works by increasing the prices so much and hit consumer demand. The bottom line is just this, smartphone prices will likely rise because of SAD, but that rise is so small that people may not even notice it. The benefit of SAD might be that manufacturers actually start investing in making in India rather than assembling in India, and that's a big win. It certainly looks like the additional duty is a very small price to pay for progress. But only time will tell how things eventually pan out. tech2 News Staff After over a decade of taking steps to reduce roaming charges for European Union residents travelling across Europe, the European Commission has struck a deal to end roaming charges from June 2017. In Europe, there are agreements between operators to pay wholesale roaming charges for subscribers of one operator who use the services of another operator in another country. The European Union managed to negotiate caps on wholesale roaming prices, the final piece needed to end roaming charges in Europe. Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said, "This was the last piece of the puzzle. As of 15 June, Europeans will be able to travel in the EU without roaming charges. We have also made sure that operators can continue competing to provide the most attractive offers to their home markets. Today, we deliver on our promise. I warmly thank the European Parliament rapporteur Miapetra Kumpula-Natri and all the negotiators from the European Parliament as well as the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU and all those involved in achieving this milestone. Their efforts made it happen" There are checks in place to prevent abuse of a service. Users will be tracked over a period of at least four months. Practices that are not allowed include spending an inordinate amount of time in another country, reselling SIM cards purchased from one country in another, using a SIM card exclusively for roaming purposes, subscribing to multiple SIM cards and using them sequentially while roaming. Travelers can buy local SIM cards in other countries, but not use those SIM cards for roaming purposes. The European Parliament and Council must still vote on the agreement to approve the wholesale roaming prices, but the negotiations were the difficult part and the voting is expected to be just a formality. European citizens will automatically be able to avail free roaming across Europe, without the need for additional registrations. The need to limit roaming charges was perceived as the wholesale charges affect the domestic bills for consumers. There is a clause to temporarily exempt operators from the program, if the wholesale roaming charges stipulated by the EU lead to an increase in prices for domestic users. In 2007, EU introduced the "Eurotariff", a cap on how much EU residents paid for roaming. In 2013, EU started the legal process of making the entire continent a single, competitive telecom market. In 2015, the EU voted on a proposal to end roaming charges for consumers, and a cap on wholesale roaming prices was proposed in 2016. Over the course of 2016, the specifics of the mechanisms were tweaked to prevent abuse. Since 2007, SMS and call charges while roaming have dropped by 92 percent, and data charges while roaming have dropped by 96 percent in the EU. Getting rid of roaming charges entirely is the logical next step. hidden Electric luxury car startup Faraday Future, one of several Chinese-funded companies taking aim at Elon Musk's Tesla Inc, is throttling back on plans to build vehicles in the United States, the company and public officials said. Faraday, an affiliate of Beijing-based Leshi Internet Information and Technology Corp, has also pared its planned product portfolio down from seven to two vehicles, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the company's plans. Faraday will build a much smaller auto assembly facility than originally planned in North Las Vegas, Nevada, a city official said late on Tuesday. North Las Vegas city manager Qiong Liu said Faraday told the city it will build a 650,000-square-foot (60,390-square-meter) facility, beginning later this year, on the site of a plant originally planned to take up 3 million square feet. The downsizing follows an acknowledgment last fall by the company's founder, Chinese tech entrepreneur Jia Yueting, that his global operations were overextended. Former Faraday executives have said the company struggled with cash flow issues almost from its inception. At least a dozen key U.S. executives have departed Faraday in the last nine months, according to the company and several of those executives. In a statement, Faraday said it still plans to eventually construct the larger plant, but gave no timetable. Faraday is still hiring contractors to begin building the factory shell, according to a source familiar with the plans, but there is no firm date for completion. "We remain committed to the State of Nevada and are continuing our $1 billion investment in the region over the next few years," Faraday said in the statement. Faraday announced plans in December 2015 to build its first auto factory in Nevada, with an annual capacity of 150,000 and a planned opening in late 2017. Documents submitted to the state showed a planned investment of $1.3 billion. Documents prepared for Chinese investors in early 2016 by Faraday's finance team and not previously made public show the company was pitching a $1 billion convertible bond offering, saying it planned to build a range of seven electric vehicles, from an ultra-luxury flagship to a tiny commuter car. Now, the company has scaled back its initial product portfolio to just two models -- the FF 91 flagship unveiled in early January and a slightly smaller, less expensive crossover designated FF 81 and aimed at the Tesla Model X, people familiar with the company's plans told Reuters. A source familiar with the company's thinking said the smaller Nevada plant likely will be set up to build fewer than 10,000 cars a year and may not open until 2019. Faraday's change of plans comes after Jia secured a $2.2 billion infusion for his cash-strapped properties, including Faraday's sister company LeEco, from Sunac China Holdings. Two sources said future production of most Faraday vehicles, and companion models for Chinese sister brand LeSee, likely will be centered in China's Zhejiang province, which has agreed to heavily subsidize construction of a new assembly plant with a 450,000 vehicle capacity that could open in 2019. Faraday stopped work on the Nevada plant last fall. Nevada's state treasurer Dan Schwartz told Reuters a $75 million performance bond required from Faraday before the state issued bonds for infrastructure development at the factory site has not materialized. Several Faraday suppliers, including seat supplier Futuris and media provider Mill Group, have sued the company for non-payment, according to court records. Jia planned to follow Faraday's 2016 convertible bond offering in China with a Series A venture capital raise in late 2017, then shift to debt financing from U.S. investors in 2018, according to one of the documents. The ultimate goal was an initial public offering in 2020, when Faraday expected to be building a million vehicles a year in the United States and China, and its projected market value would be about three times the current size of Tesla. Reuters hidden Trai today told the Delhi High Court that it has taken a decision on various telecom service providers' representations against the free offers of Reliance Jio (RJio) and it will be communicated to them by tomorrow. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), however, did not disclose in court what it has decided, saying it will be communicated tomorrow to the telecom companies, like Bharti Airtel, Idea and Vodafone, which had made the representations. The telecom regulator submitted before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva that its decision will be placed before the court by the next date of hearing on February 6. The submission by Trai came during hearing of a plea by telecom major Vodafone India which has claimed that the regulator failed to prohibit "blatant violation" of its tariff orders, directions and regulations by RJio by permitting it to continue with its free offers. Vodafone has claimed that Trai has not implemented its own circulars which lay down that all tariffs must be compliant of inter-connection usage charges (IUC) and be non-discriminatory and non-predatory. Vodafone contended that each day's delay by Trai in implementing its tariff orders was causing a huge loss to the company. During the hearing, RJio contended that on October 20, 2016 the telecom regulator had decided that its free offer from September 5, 2016 to December 3, 2016, was not non-compliant of IUC, not predatory and not discriminatory and this order has not been challenged by Vodafone. TRAI submitted before the court that the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) was approached by Airtel and Idea against the free offers and the tribunal had directed the regulator to take a decision by February 1. The regulator told the court that TDSAT was today informed that a decision has been taken and that it would be communicated to the companies which had moved representations before Trai. PTI Disclaimer: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost and tech2. hidden Travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries singled out for "extreme vetting" will face scrutiny of their social media footprint and phone records, the new Homeland Security secretary said Tuesday. Secretary John Kelly sought to explain President Donald Trump's travel ban four days after he issued it with no warning, setting off mass protests, legal challenges and confusion. "There are many countries, seven that we are dealing with right now, that in our view and my view don't have the kind of law enforcement, records-keeping, that kind of thing, that can convince us that one of their citizens is indeed who that citizen says they are," Kelly said in a press conference. For that reason, he said, US authorities will investigate visa applicants' social media use and telephone contacts, "so that we can see who they are talking to." On Friday, Trump ordered a suspension of arrivals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, as well as all refugees, to give time for the new government to develop procedures for extreme vetting to weed out potential extremists. With the move under widespread criticism, Kelly denied it specifically targets Muslims, which could violate the US Constitution. "The vast majority of the 1.7 billion Muslims that live on this planet, all other things being equal, have access to the United States," he said. "And a relatively small number right now are being held up for a period of time until we can take a look at what their procedures are." Longer ban possible Trump's order halted immigration from the seven countries for at least 90 days, but Kelly suggested that for some the ban could go on longer if stronger vetting procedures are not in place once the review period has elapsed. "Some of those countries that are on the list may not be taken off the list anytime soon. There are countries that are in various states of collapse, for example," Kelly said, without offering specifics. The sudden order caught many US immigration gateways and foreign airlines by surprise, resulting in many people with legal US residency being blocked from boarding aircraft for the United States or being detained upon arrival. US Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan cleared up an issue that had impacted many travelers with dual nationality, saying they could enter the United States as long as the passport they present is acceptable. "Travelers will be assessed at our borders based on the passport that they present, not any dual national status," he said. That clarification got a cheer from Europe's Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos, who tweeted after speaking by phone with Kelly: "Glad that issue of EU dual nationals is resolved." McAleenan meanwhile said that through Monday 721 people had been denied boarding while more than 1,000 people were granted waivers from the Trump order to allow them to enter the country. AFP hidden A U.S. jury in Texas on Wednesday ordered Facebook Inc, its virtual reality unit Oculus, and other defendants to pay a combined $500 million to ZeniMax Media Inc, a video game publisher that says Oculus stole its technology. The jury in federal court in Dallas found Oculus, which Facebook acquired for about $2 billion in 2014, used ZeniMaxs computer code to launch the Rift virtual-reality headset. ZeniMax alleges that video game designer John Carmack developed core parts of the Rifts technology while working at a ZeniMax subsidiary. Oculus hired Carmack in 2013. Facebook's stock was not impacted by the verdict. The company's shares were up 3 percent in after-hours trading following the release of a fourth-quarter earnings report that beat expectations. ZeniMax Chief Executive Robert Altman hailed the verdict and said in a statement the company was considering seeking an order blocking Oculus and Facebook from using its code. It is unclear what impact that would have on the Rift's market availability. Though the jury ruled that none of the defendants misappropriated ZeniMax's trade secrets, it found Oculus' use of computer code directly infringed on ZeniMax's copyright. The jurors held Carmack and different Oculus co-founders Palmer Luckey and Brendan Iribe liable for forms of infringement. The jury also found Oculus liable for breaching a non-disclosure agreement Luckey signed with ZeniMax in 2012, when he began corresponding about virtual reality with Carmack. The two met on an online forum. Well-known for helping to conceive games such as "Quake" and "Doom," Carmack worked for id Software LLC before that company was acquired by ZeniMax. He is now the chief technology officer at Oculus. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg testified last month during the three-week trial that none of ZeniMaxs proprietary code was incorporated into the Rift. Though the jury did not find Facebook directly liable, it would likely be on the hook for damages owed by its subsidiary, absent an agreement stating otherwise. In a statement, Oculus spokeswoman Emily Bauer noted the jury's finding on trade secrets theft and said the company would appeal. "We're obviously disappointed by a few other aspects of today's verdict, but we are undeterred," she said. "Oculus products are built with Oculus technology." Reuters Montanas only state-run psychiatric hospital is so understaffed that its unsafe at times. Thats a concern Montana State Hospital doctors shared with the Mental Disability Board of Visitors staff recently. Last month, the hospital at Warm Springs came close to losing its federal funding agreement because of serious deficiencies found in a Jan. 13 inspection. The hospital, which is part of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, responded by hiring temporary staff and approving more overtime pay, thus averting the Feb. 8 federal termination announced in a legal ad Jan. 26 in the Montana Standard in Butte. If a private hospital or nursing home had been cited for similar immediate jeopardy deficiencies, it could have been shut down by DPHHS. In the case of the state hospital, its 240 patients wouldnt have had anywhere to go. So a very temporary, expensive patch was applied and the crisis wasnt resolved. The problem is that Montana spends way too much of its mental health budget on a single hospital that is distant from population centers. It has been chronically understaffed for years while patients who could return to their community are isolated from family, home and all the connections that people need to live independently. Community care At the same time, Montana has chronically underfunded community-based services, and has failed to create an effective system that rewards quality of care rather than quantity of services. Across the state, community-based services do not have sufficient transition options for all individuals leaving state facilities, the Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors said in its 2016 annual report. The bottleneck effect of individuals who cannot leave a state facility when a community provider cannot provide services is felt across the system. When this report was written last August, Montana State Hospital was full with about 200 patients and 50 forensic patients were at a newly rented building several miles away in Galen. The forensic patients are either being evaluated in a criminal case or have been sent to the hospital because of their involvement in a criminal case. They do need to be in a secure facility. But most of the 200 patients at Warm Springs have committed no crime; they have been civilly committed or held temporarily because they pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves (usually) or others. These people should be served in the community. As of this week, Montana State Hospital sheltered about 30 people who are ready for discharge but have no place to go, said Daniel Ladd, executive director for the board of visitors, which is in the governors office. Ladd agrees with the 2016 reports recommendation that the state move away from the fee-for-service system it uses to pay community providers per unit of treatment. Instead, Ladd said, the state needs a system based on quality and accountability. What we need is effective community-based services, Ladd told The Gazette. The best way to get people out of the state hospital is to keep them from going in. More money wont solve the problem. The state last year actually expanded its mental institution capacity by renting the Galen forensic building. The Warm Springs forensic unit was overcrowded, but the real problem is too many civil patients who should have been treated in their communities. The Galen rental didnt solve the problem, according to what the public has learned about the January hospital survey. Cutting the state hospital budget without significantly changing the system wont solve the problem. Gov. Steve Bullock and DPHHS administration must work with lawmakers, Montana community care providers and other mental health advocates to direct limited resources where they are most needed. The states modest efforts to boost community services have helped, but Montana must do much better. $44 million budget There are good doctors and other health care professionals at Warm Springs, but the vast majority of their patients would have been better served with effective care in their communities avoiding the expense and trauma of deteriorating till they were threatening to kill themselves and forced to take a cross-state trip away from everyone they know. Montana State Hospital has a budget of $44 million for this fiscal year, making it the states most expensive behavioral health service. It would be cheaper for taxpayers and better for patients to provide them a home in the community instead of a state hospital bed. Montana policy must change to keep people healthier outside the state hospital with high-quality community care. Dedicated to the Restoration of Progressive Democracy A 19-year-old Wyoming man charged with shooting three good Samaritans on Montana's Crow Reservation had ingested "a considerable amount" of a drug that can cause psychotic episodes before he was arrested, according to his defense attorney. Jesus Deniz Mendoza faces trial March 27 in the July 2015 shooting deaths of Jason and Tana Shane and the wounding of their daughter. The family had been attempting to help Mendoza on a roadside near Pryor when he shot them with a rifle, according to authorities. Federal Defender David Merchant said in a court filing Wednesday that evidence in the case suggests Mendoza had been using the drug spice, sometimes referred to as synthetic marijuana, before his arrest. Merchant did not further specify when Mendoza took the drug. He was arrested about 2 hours after the killings by authorities in neighboring Wyoming, where authorities say he was spotted driving the Shanes' car. Mendoza has said he will rely on an insanity defense at trial. He was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia, depression and post-traumatic syndrome, according to Merchant. The defense plans to introduce testimony from Penn State University researcher Antolin Llorente saying spice can cause psychotic episodes and delusions and exacerbate many mental illnesses. During a December competency hearing for Mendoza, federal Bureau of Prisons psychologist Cynthia Low said she did not believe Mendoza's use of spice had incapacitated him based on his behavior and answers when he was being interrogated by investigators, according to court documents and news reports. She described his use of the drug as severe and said he also was addicted to methamphetamine. Britain's Brexit bill clears first legislative hurdle Brexit Article 50 bill, introduced by the government to seek parliamentary approval. Reuters, London : Prime Minister Theresa May's plan to take Britain out of the European Union easily cleared its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday, paving the way for the government to launch divorce talks by the end of March. May's government is seeking approval for a new law giving her the right to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty - the legal process for leaving the bloc - after the Supreme Court ruled she could not take that decision unilaterally. The bill could complete the legislative process by March 7. May wants to begin exit negotiations with the EU by March 31, starting two years of talks that will define Britain's economic and political future and test the unity of the EU's 27 remaining members. Lawmakers voted by 498 to 114 in favour of allowing the bill to progress to the next, more detailed legislative stage. Earlier they rejected an attempt to throw out the bill, proposed by pro-EU Scottish nationalists. The Scottish National Party's Europe spokesman Stephen Gethins described the vote in a statement as "a devastating act of sabotage on Scotland's economy". A majority of voters in Scotland and Northern Ireland in last summer's referendum backed remaining in the EU, while voters in England and Wales supported Brexit. Wednesday evening's votes came after two days of impassioned speeches in parliament, which have underlined the lingering sense of shock among the largely pro-European political establishment that 52 percent of their constituents voted to leave the EU in the June 23 referendum. Despite presiding over a Conservative Party divided over staying in the EU, May, who campaigned for a 'Remain' vote, secured almost unanimous support from her lawmakers for the legislation. The opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn had also pledged his party's support for the bill at this stage, but 47 of his lawmakers defied his order and voted against the bill. Labour and other opposition parties will try to amend the bill at the next stage - due to start next week - to give parliament greater scrutiny over the Brexit talks. Trump`s defense chief, in Seoul, takes stock of North Korea threat US Defense Secretary James Mattis (R) arrives at Osan Air Base in Osan, South Korea, on Thursday. Reuters, Seoul : US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he would sound out ally South Korea on efforts to address North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as he arrived in Seoul on Thursday, including plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system there. Mattis' visit comes amid concern that the North may be readying to test a new ballistic missile, in what could be an early challenge for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. "I will talk to them about THAAD absolutely," Mattis told reporters shortly before landing, referring to the plans to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. "THAAD is for defense of our ally's people, of our troops who are committed to their defense." South Korea and the United States say the deployment of THAAD is designed to protect against North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities, which have been advancing despite years of efforts by the international community. North Korea, which regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and its main ally, the United States, conducted more than 20 missile tests last year, as well as two nuclear tests, in defiance of UN resolutions and sanctions. The North appears to have also restarted operation of a reactor at its main Yongbyon nuclear facility that produces plutonium that can be used for its nuclear weapons program, according to a U.S. think tank, 38 North. China has objected to THAAD, saying it will destabilize the regional security balance, leading to calls from some South Korean opposition leaders to delay or cancel it. Mattis, without citing China explicitly, said "no other nation" needed to be concerned about THAAD. "Were it not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for THAAD out here," Mattis said. Mattis' trip to the region, which also includes a stop in Japan, is his first since becoming Trump's Pentagon chief and is also the first foreign trip by any of Trump's cabinet secretaries. U.S. officials have said the trip is meant to reaffirm ties with South Korea and Japan, U.S. allies hosting nearly 80,000 American troops, and the importance of the region overall. That U.S. reaffirmation could be critical after Trump appeared to question the cost of such alliances during the election campaign. Trump also jolted the region by pulling Washington out of an Asia-Pacific trade deal that Japan had championed. Mattis is scheduled to hold talks on Thursday with South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as acting president after President Park Geun-hye was impeached over a corruption scandal. Woman kept alive for six days without lungs Life Desk : A 33 year old patient from Canada was kept artificially alive for 6 days before undergoing a double lung transplant. The patient was suffering from cystic fibrosis and a bout of influenza last year had left the patient extremely sick and under life support. So the only option left to get rid of the infection was to remove the infected lungs and keep the patient alive artificially until donor lungs were received. A woman who underwent surgery to have her lungs removed was kept alive artificially for six days until she regained enough strength to receive donor lungs. The effort is by a team of doctors from Toronto General Hospital said. 'Successful lung transplant was performed on a patient with cystic fibrosis who had developed septic shock.' Melissa Benoit, 33, from Burlington, Canada, was born with cystic fibrosis. It is a congenital disease that can cause phlegm buildup in the lungs and affect the digestive system. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder caused by CFTR genetic mutation. People with the disease inherit mutant CFTR genes from parents who may not have the disease themselves. It involves the secretory glands, such as the mucus and sweat glands. Symptoms include accumulation of sticky mucus in the lungs and excessively salty sweat. Cystic Fibrosis has no cure but can be managed symptomatically. The World Health Organization statistics show that "In the European Union, 1 in 2000-3000 newborns is found to be affected by CF" In the United States, 1 in 3,500 children are born with CF. The prevalence of CF in the Indian subcontinent is not clearly known but may vary from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 40,000. Last year, Melissa, a mother of a three year old daughter, suffered from a bout of influenza that severely affected her lung functioning. She required oxygen and had to go into intensive care. The bacteria in her lungs became resistant to most antibiotics and spread throughout her body, and she slid into septic shock. In septicemia, the blood pressure plummets and affect bodily functions. The surgeons used two machines to support Melissa's life. They inserted a portable artificial lung-Novalung into her chest cavity, that took the place of the lungs in infusing blood with oxygen while removing carbon dioxide. They used an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, a temporary life support medical device often used to help bridge patients waiting for a transplant. The machine functions as the lungs normally do. It drains blood from the body, oxygenates it and removes the carbon dioxide, and then pumps the cleaned blood back into the patient. But despite the attempt, Melissa's organs began to shut one by one despite life support. "Melissa was dying before our eyes," said Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, a chief surgeon at Toronto General Hospital. As her oxygen levels and blood pressure dipped and her condition worsened, doctors informed the family that a lung transplant was imperative. So, until a donor was found, physicians suggested removing both the lungs to keep Melissa alive with artificial breathing machines. By removing the lungs that were swollen and filled with mucus, the source of sepsis could be eliminated, said Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, director of TGH's lung transplant program. "It was her only option," Keshavjee said. "For the first time ever, we had a patient in our intensive care unit with no lungs. In fact, she technically was on an artificial lung, an artificial heart and an artificial kidney for six days." It took surgeons nine hours to remove both organs. After the surgery, the patient's condition improved drastically. Dr Keshavjee said: "And literally within minutes - it was probably around 20 minutes after having taken those infected lungs out - her blood pressure normalized, and they could remove all the blood-pressure-supporting drugs and just leave her on the pumps that were providing the circulation." A small artificial lung was connected to Melissa's heart, while other devices oxygenated and circulated her blood. Six days later, a donor was found and the patient underwent successful lung transplant. "I did not believe my mom or my husband, the people that I trust the most that I had had a lung transplantation and I lived for six days on life support with an empty chest cavity," she said in an interview. The patient's muscles had became atrophied or wasted from lack of use. As part of her recovery, Benoit had to relearn how to hold her head up, sit, move her hands, sit, stand and then walk. Dr Keshavjee said "She has a very good prognosis. The lungs are working well, she's gone through rehabilitation, and now she's walking around and living a more normal life and taking her daughter to school." The surgical team's report on the case is published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. -Internet Commercial sheep farming on cards Economic Reporter : The government has planned to introduce commercial sheep farming to explore the vast opportunity of developing a wool-based textile industry and produce more meat and milk, which will also help meet the country's nutrition demand. The plan was mooted at an inter-ministerial meeting on the findings of a research work on development of blended yarn and fabrics from jute, cotton and native sheep wool, held at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on Thursday. "We should develop commercial sheep rearing, which can help meet the nutrition demand besides providing valuable wool for expediting the huge opportunity of developing wool-based textile," Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Sayedul Haq said while presiding over the meeting. The meeting discussed the findings of the research, carried out between 2007 and 2011 by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) under the project for conservation and improvement of native sheep through community and commercial farming. M Habibur Rahman, director of the project, told the meeting that the scientists of DLS and the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) have developed and produced different types of woolen fabrics and bed-sheet and suiting by using 30 percent sheep wool, 30 percent jute and 40 percent cotton. "Demand of these products is huge in local market that could be met by farming of sheep commercially," Rahman said. Fire guts five shops CU Correspondent : Five shops were gutted by a fire at Simence hostel in South Halishahar of Chittagong city on Wednesda. The fire originated from an electric short circuit at one of the shops, said fire officials whi estimated the damage at Tk 4 lakh. Fire fighters doused the blaze within half an hour. BD, Palestine sign MoU After the bilateral talks between Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Ministers of both the countries are signing the Memorandum of Understanding at PMO on Thursday. bdnews24.com ; Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has held a meeting with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas, on his first-ever state visit to Bangladesh. After a brief discussion, they took part in a bilateral meeting where the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Abbas arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday on a three-day visit at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Md Abdul Hamid, who received him at the airport. On Thursday, he arrived at the Prime Minister's Office at 3:30pm and was received by Hasina. They began bilateral talks with delegations from the two countries at 4pm. Foreign Affairs Minister AH Mahmood Ali, the Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Law Minister Anisul Huq, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid and Principal Secretary to the PM Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury took part in the bilateral meeting. An MoU to form a joint committee was signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries after the meeting. Palestine's president earlier visited the National Memorial in Savar and after that the Bangabandhu Museum in Dhanmondi. He is later scheduled to meet Opposition chief Raushon Ershad at Le Meridien, the hotel where he is staying. President Hamid will host a state banquet in his honour in the evening. Abbas will leave on Friday for Jordan. Bangladesh, a staunch supporter of Palestine, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. May's response to Trump ban puts social cohesion at risk Tulip Siddiq The Guardian : Theresa May's "feeble" response to Donald Trump's migrant and refugee order risks making Muslim communities in Britain feel further disenfranchised and disillusioned, a leading Muslim MP has warned. Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, said she was worried about May's failure to condemn the ban and the consequences "being played out on our streets" through worsening community relations. Siddiq is one of more than a dozen London MPs who wrote to May on Tuesday with a warning that by "turning a blind eye to the reality of this ban we run the risk of losing the trust of an entire generation of young British Muslims". It comes as Theresa May faces a growing revolt in parliament about the prospect of a state visit for Trump to be hosted by the Queen, with some MPs suggesting they would boycott the occasion if he is invited to address parliament. More than 70 Labour and SNP MPs have now signed a motion calling for the Speaker to block Trump from addressing parliament. Parliament agreed on Monday to hold a debate about calls to cancel the visit, after more than 1.7 million people signed a petition in support of scrapping or downgrading the invitation. The debate will be held in Westminster Hall on 20 February and will also consider a rival petition in support of the US president's visit, which has around 162,000 signatures. However, Downing Street continued to insist the visit would go ahead, while declining to elaborate on details of the programme including whether Trump would be invited to address MPs and peers. Amid the continuing global controversy, Amber Rudd, the home secretary, strengthened Britain's criticism of Trump's immigration policy on Monday, branding it "a potential propaganda opportunity" for Isis. She also questioned the basis of the seven, mostly Muslim, countries facing the three-month travel ban to the US, saying the "sources of terrorism were not to be found in the places where the president was said to be looking for them". However, May has repeatedly refused to condemn the ban, only saying that the UK disagrees with it and does things differently. Siddiq said it was "deeply concerning" that May's response was not stronger, and warned it could have consequences for the UK. "I think it will further disenfranchise Muslim communities who already feel isolated, the hard-to-reach groups who will see this and feel disillusioned," she told the Guardian. "It is essentially saying people from those countries need to be screened and are a threat to national security. There will be a feeling of being victimised." Pvt hajj packages to cost minimum Tk 3,19,355 this yr Staff Reporter : Pilgrims, who will perform Hajj this year in private packages, will bear minimum Tk 3,19,355 only. Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) officials on Thursday said it in a press briefing in the capital city. HAAB President Ibrahim Bahar said, "There are two packages approved in the Cabinet meeting on January 30. Under Package-1, the amount will be Tk 3,81,508 only." He said that Tk 10,750 more would be required for the sacrificial cattle for every pilgrim. Sources said, the costs increased under Package-1 by Tk 21,480 and Tk 14,452 under Package-2 compared with that of last year. Total 1,27,198 pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj this year. It is 20 percent more than last year. Of them, 10 thousand will go under government offered package and the rest 1,17,198 under private offered package. HAAB said, the pre-hajj registration will begin from February 19 and the fees are to be deposited by March 30. Sources said, according to Arabic month, the Hajj may be performed on September 1 this year. It will depend on the sighting of the new moon. Hindu man held in Joypurhat over photo 'insulting Islam' bdnews24.com : Police have arrested a Hindu grocer at Joypurhat for allegedly posting a photo insulting Islam on Facebook. The arrest of Sujon Kumar Mohant, 30, follows a similar incident at Brahmanbaria where a Hindu fisherman was accused of a posting an image for insulting Islam last year. The family of Mohant, from Kaderpara of Panchbibi municipality, believed he is innocent. "Police brought him to the station on Wednesday night amid huge anger over the photo," said Panchbibi Police Station OC Ashraful Islam. At least 15 temples and more than a hundred Hindu homes at Nasirnagar were attacked and looted in October last year while police were detaining Rasraj Das, the 30-year-old man blamed for the photo. But questions were immediately raised about the illiterate fisherman's ability to edit an image using photoshop. Meanwhile, additional police were deployed at Mohant's home and on temple grounds, said OC Ashraful. Police have filed a case against Mohant under the ICT Act. "We'll catch the real culprit after conducting a fair investigation," he said. Panchbibi Municipality Mayor Habibur Rahman Habib believed the photo insulting Islam may be part of a conspiracy. "I don't think a man without any education can do this. This may be an attempt to cause troubles for the government." 8 killed in road accidents UNB, Dhaka : Eight people were killed and 30 others injured in road accidents in Savar, Comilla and Chittagong on Wednesday and Thursday. In Savar, three people were killed and 20 others injured in a head-on collision between two buses at Ashulia Bazar on Bapail-Abdullahpur highway in Savar upazila on Thursday morning. Abul Hossain, inspector of Savar traffic police, said the Dhaka-bound bus of 'Eagle Paribahan' collided with another bus of 'Anando Super' in the area, leaving three people dead on the spot and 20 others injured. The injured were admitted to different hospitals in Ashulia. In Comilla, two unidentified people were killed and 10 others injured when a bus crashed into a roadside tree on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Chandina upazila early Thursday. Quoting locals, in-charge of Eliotganj police camp SI Manirul Islam said the accident took place around 12:15 am near Palki Cinema Hall as a Chandpur-bound 'Padma Express' bus from Dhaka hit a tree as its driver lost control over the steering, leaving two people dead on the spot and 10 others injured. Disaster fund losing direction as political choice overtakes A NEW study conducted by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) released on last Wednesday, revealed that political preference in relief distribution dangerously affected the government's emergency response programmes in the aftermath of cyclone Roanu. Some 27 casualties were recorded as the cyclone hit the country's 15 districts in May, last year. However, with regard to distribution of government relief the finding included that many of the actual cyclone victims in six unions were not included in the list prepared for determining losses inflicted by the disaster apparently to keep people out of help in political ground. The lists were prepared either by ruling party supporters, followers and relatives of local Union Parishad or its members. Moreover NGOs run by ruling party leaders and workers got the major allocations and much of it disappeared instead of reaching affected people. Admittedly, mishandling or misusing of government funds is not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh but the agonizing truth is that its changing modality is matter of growing concern. Moreover, supporters and members of the ruling party have begun to gamble with the lives of disaster hit poor people. This is straightaway unacceptable. Though the country's ability to manage natural disasters have been acknowledged internationally in the recent past, but the shady truth behind illegal distribution and exploitation of climate funds in Bangladesh are shocking. For instance, the TIB report has clearly pointed out how some 30 percent of the total fund was illegally divided between various concerned agencies in the name of building post-disaster rehabilitation centres. Coupled with political consideration we also mark a clear lack of accountability and transparency in using climate funds. Concerning proper execution of preparedness programme, recommendations such as making people aware about risks posed by an impending disaster, ensuring community radio and cell phone services for alerting people in advance and regularly reviewing of embankments and repairing them were not also followed in appropriately responding the cyclone Roanu. In a disaster prone country like Bangladesh, all these marked weaknesses are in need of urgent addressing. The bottom line is: the entire disaster and relief management structure in Bangladesh is now markedly riddled in a mix of organizational corruption, political interference and clear negligence in executing professional duties. The pressing need is to overhaul the total disaster management system. More to it - is to ensure an accountable and transparent way of handling climate and disaster prevention funds. Taking notes from the TIB report, the government should now prepare to run the extra mile to free its disaster management schemes from all these visible and proven political and corrupt practices. The alarming climate management scenario should be taken seriously. BD student held at NY airport newsnextbd.com : A Bangladeshi student has been detained at John F Kennedy airport in US by the Department of Homeland Security as he landed on student visa at the airport on Tuesday,human rights lawyers said. A human rights lawyer in the USA said a message that the student was taken into custody after he arrived at JFK travelling 30 hours from Bangladesh. "He entered legally on an F1 student visa and after being interrogated by CBP (Custom and Border Protection in US) in English (which he does not speak well at all) after a 30 hour flight from Bangladesh, in three different rooms for 12 hours," lawyer Iman Boukadoum said. The lawyer did not disclose the name of the student, but she sought cooperation from fellow lawyers to defend the Bangladeshi man. In a social media post, Boukadoum, narrated the haplessness of the student, who repeatedly wished to kill himself after being detained. "This is a pro bono case Do any immigration practitioners have a good template for an ICE Motion to Grant Parole," sought the lawyer. "Currently have a client, detained in ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody that is on the brink of killing himself. I do not say that lightly. He calls me 7 times a day. I have to put hundreds of dollars on his telephone account at the jail facility because a) it is SO expensive b) he calls non-stop and cries and cries and cries. It is pure heartbreak," she added. The lawyer said that ICE threatened to beat him up, shouted at him aggressively in a language he did not speak and were humiliating him with constant body searches after he was their custody and clearly have be thoroughly searched. "They broke him and he confessed to some non-sense based on ZERO evidence except this coerced interrogation after ICE promised all kinds of things," reads the lawyer's statement. The detainee was taken to the worst Immigration Detention Facilities in New Jersey, said Boukadoum adding that he got a parole hearing. Despite Bangladesh is not on the list of travel ban in the USA, a few numbers of Bangladeshi nationals have reportedly faced harassment at the airport amid a worldwide protest against Donald Trump's executive order for immigration ban for seven Muslim nations. Nos of Rohingyas` arrival not yet recorded Staff Reporter : Bangladesh does not have any official record as to how many Rohingyas fled from Myanmar to this country, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday. "We have not counted officially the Rohingya refugees who trespassed into the country to escape persecution by the Myanmar authority," he told journalists at the conference of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commanding officers at its headquarters at Pilkhana in the city yesterday. He said although the United Nations' report says over 65,000 Rohingya Muslims entered the country, but their number has not been officially verified yet. "Over 5,000 Rohingyas were however, pushed back since October 8," Asaduzzaman Khan said. Citing UN report on Tuesday Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told Parliament that recently more than 67,000 Myanmar citizens entered Bangladesh being persecuted by Myanmar authorities. Meanwhile, the government is planning for a temporary rehabilitation to Thengar char in Noakhali's Hatiya island until their repatriation in Myanmar. Besides, as many as 33,000 registered and over 300,000 unregistered Myanmar citizens have already been staying in different Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Chittagong and other parts of the country since long. Search body to submit names by Feb 8 Staff Reporter : The Search Committee on Thursday sat for scrutinising the short list of 20 persons prepared earlier, to recommend names for constituting new Election Commission (EC). Besides, they also examined, checked, crosschecked and evaluated the opinions given by the country's eminent personalities during view-exchange meeting in two phases on Monday and Wednesday. After the meeting Cabinet Division Additional Secretary Abdul Wadud Bhuiya disclosed these to the journalists. This was the third meeting of the six-member Search Body held at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge in city on their fifth working days. The committee will hold its next meeting on February 6 at the same venue. The committee will have to submit their recommended names within 10 working days by February 8 for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners.Responding to the call of the search committee, 27 political parties out of 31 proposed a total of 125 names. Among them, 20 persons' names have been short listed by the committee. The search body prepared the short list in line with the suggestions of the noted citizens. "The Search Committee will have to put forward 10 names to President Md Abdul Hamid by February 8. And then the President will appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and four Election Commissioners among the 10 names," Cabinet Division Additional Secretary said. Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan said the members of the search body are collecting information about the short listed persons from different sources. Led by committee head Appellate Division judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, the meeting began at 5pm and continued till 6.30pm. Other members of the committee High Court judge Justice Obaidul Hassan, Public Service Commission Chairman Mohammad Sadiq, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Masud Ahmed, Dhaka University English Department Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University Shireen Akhter attended the meeting. The Search Committee will recommend two names against each post, including at least a woman, to President Abdul Hamid within 10 working days for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners. The tenure of the incumbent Election Commission, headed by Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmad, will expire on February 8. The tenure of a Commissioner, AKM Shahnewaz, however, will end on February 15. Rly fails to ensure security to passengers Md Joynal Abedin Khan : The organised gangs of criminals, robbers and muggers attack passengers and snatch their valuables in cash and kinds at gunpoint in the running trains at night as the security measures are scanty. Sometimes they throw out them from the running trains and escape safely. The miscreants commit crimes at Railway Stations and junctions as well. Yet the passengers take risk to travel to meet their necessities. Sometimes they commit robberies in the guise of passengers in the trains across the country. Gangsters killed a Malaysian expatriate named Shafiqul Islam by throwing him out from the running train at Haydrabad in Gazipur district on January 17 at night. A student of Chittagong University (CU) became a victim in the Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train near the Cantonment Station on May 10 last year. Identified as Nusrat Jebin, he was a student of Islamic History and Culture department. Saiful Islam, resident of Uttara, Dhaka, was thrown out from a train. He told The New Nation on Monday, "The security system in train is just a mockery as the number of the GRP men is five for several hundred passengers." "I witnessed the robbers to have thrown out five passengers at they refused to pay money and valuables near the Akhura Railway Station on January 23 this year," he said. "I was thrown with three persons from a train because we tried to resist robbery in train at Joydevpur in 2013. Three bodies were recovered later from the area," said Sumon Hossein driving a rickshaw in Motijheel area recently. At least seven organized gangs rob of passengers' valueables in the locals and the intercity trains. They throw out the passengers from the running trains mainly in the Parbatipur, Santahar, Bhairab, Kishoreganj, Brahmanbaria, Comilla, Mymensingh, Gazipur, and Narayanganj areas. GRP sources said. "The gang members take the position on the roof and near the doors of the bogies and the joining points of two compartments. They throw out the passengers from trains after snatching their valuables in two to three minutes only," they said. Accused Shariful Islam confessed to the police that they threw out three passengers after mugging goods and valuables. According to Bangladesh Railway sources, at least 730 bodies were recovered last year, but only 20 murder cases were filed. Another GRP source said that three bodies were recovered from Gazipur Sadar and Kaliakoir areas on October 7 in 2013, an youth's body from Dhirasaram Railway Station on October 22 in 2014, while another one was recovered from Shimulia area in Gazipur district on March 22 in 2015. Akhura Station sources said, at least 182 bodies were recovered from nearby Akhaura stations in last four years. Of them, 140 were men and 42others were women and newborn babies. Even. 155 bodies were buried as unidentified ones and 27 were handed over to their family members. According to Gazipur district administration's report, around 52 bodies were recovered from Gazipur under Dhaka Railway Division between July 8 and August 9 in 2012. The report also said that the victim were passengers of trains and their goods and valuables were robbed of. But the GRP labelled these as accidents. Additional Director General (Operations) of Bangladesh Railway, East Zone told The New Nation on Wednesday, the authorities are trying to ensure the quality of service to the passengers. To a query about passengers' security issue, he said, it is the duty of the GRP. An Additional Inspector General of Police level GRP official admitted the poor security condition in trains. "We have about 25,000 personnel to maintain the law and order on the trains and railway tracks. Even the logistic support is also not sufficient to take proper actions," the GRP official said. It is impossible to ensure the proper security for train passengers unless the authorities increase the man power and logistic support as per the requirement, he said. Pakistan envoy denies visa ban by Kuwait Ians, Karachi : Pakistan on Wednesday rejected reports of a visa ban by Kuwait on its nationals. Pakistani ambassador in Kuwait Ghulam Dastagir has termed news on social media about the ban as baseless, adding that similar news had cropped up in 2011, Geo News reported. On Wednesday, IANS quoted Russian news agency Sputnik International to say that Kuwait has banned nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It said the ban included on tourism, visit and trade visas as well as visas sponsored by spouses. The ban was attributed to the "difficult security conditions" in the five countries by the Russian agency. We people here in the Bismarck area are having a nice reprieve from the very snowy cold weather that December brought. I would like to take some credit for that weather turnaround as I made my annual trip to Florida mid-month. The temperature when I boarded the plane was -7 degrees, cloudy, gloomy and dark. The plane coasted to a halt in Orlando under sunny skies, and upper 70s. I have written several times of my amazement of the number of birds in Florida in winter. Any park or boat ramp area I stopped at with some ancient oaks draped in Spanish moss also had flocks of wintering warblers. My favorites included northern parula prairie warblers. These warblers always have the accompaniment of white-eyed vireos and blue-gray gnatcatchers fluttering in the moss as well. However, the highlight of this trip was my visit to Paynes Prairie Preserve near Gainesville, which was not all about the birds. Paynes Prairie Preserve is a Florida State Park, encompassing a 21,000-acre of grassland savannah. This large prairie basin becomes a lake in long wet cycles, but dry grassland in the reverse cycle. The La Chua Trail is a popular birding walk through Paynes Prairie. The parking lot is encompassed by those ancient oaks I enjoy so much. A good start to the day was a barred owl peering down at us from above as we started down the trail. We meandered through the woods, eventually reaching the edge of the prairie where a complex of lowland ponds rise and fall with the water levels. These ponds support large numbers of gators. This time of year, they are just laying around, soaking up the sun. I bet this place is a terror at night, when these stealthy beasts come alive. From one bench, I counted 37 ranging from 3 to 10 feet in size. As the trail continued into the prairie, the landscape changed to open tall grasses and willow stands flooded with water. Thousands of sandhill cranes were wintering and singing up a storm. For several hours, we were listening to the glorious guttural calls of the cranes. I have to admit, I blocked them out after awhile. After some thorough scanning, a whooping crane was found in the hazy distance. But on this visit to the prairies, the highlights were the animals. A small herd of wild mustangs were foraging to the east with a younger one in tow. To the west, my mother noticed two wild boars rooting through the swamp. This was the first time I have seen these creatures. Unfortunately, they were too far for a photo, even through a scope. Lastly, the trail traverses a mile through the grasslands filled with cranes and terminates at an observation tower. Unfortunately, the trail to the tower was blocked by a dozen bison. Visitors were busy taking photos of the large beasts as they relaxed in the daytime sun. Soon several broke out in an open gallop across the prairies. I got to thinking the others are coming this way, what if they decide to use the raised trail we are standing on? I doubt they want to walk through the mucky swamps on both sides teeming with gators. I didnt hang around to find out what they decided; I made my way back to the safety of the woods, warblers and our vehicle. If any of you ever make a trip to northern Florida, Paynes Prairie may be a destination for you. Eminent citizens honoured Rayhanul Islam : Bangla Academy on Thursday honoured six eminent personalities of the country for their outstanding contribution in literature and intellectual arena on Thursday, the second day of Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2017. National Professor Mustafa Nurul Islam, language movement veteran and researcher Ahmad Rafik, Professor Burhanuddin Khan Jahangir, Professor Emeritus Rafiqul Islam, Serajul Islam Choudhury and Anisuzzaman. Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan received flower, crest and scarf from. Professor EmiretusAnisuzzaman Khan was absent due to his illness. Meanwhile, 'International Literary Conference-2017' was a very important aspect as laureates from home and abroad got the chance to share their thinking, views and ideas on various dimentions of literature. The first session began at 10:30 am in the Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium of the Bangla Academy with speech and poetry recitation from writers from abroad. Russian literataurte Victor AlexandrovichPogade discussed on various Bengali writings translated in Russian and English language in Moscow. Later, he gifted three translations of Bengali writings 'The light of the reborn hope', 'Tales & Legends of Bangladesh' and 'Perpetual Diary' to Bangla Academy. Chinese researcher and translator Professor Dong You Chen sang the national anthem of Bangladesh both in Bengali and Chinese with almost original composition. Chen, the man who devoted his life in translating and researching Rabindranath Tagore discussed various aspects of translation and his literary works in Bengali language, he said. Sometimes, through translating a poem, its important aspects are lost. So, if you translate a poem, you must have to be a poet." Manfred Chobot of Austria, JonaBurghardt from Argentina, Tobias Burghardt from Germany, Luz Maria Lopez and Maria De Los Angels Camacho Rivas from Puerto Rico also participated at the delightful session. However, the fair on its second day on Thursday witnessed a little increase in the number of visitors, who mostly leafed through titles to have an idea about what books they would be buying in the coming days, publishers and stall attendants said. The annual book fair organised at Bangla Academy and Suhrawardy Udyan gave some breathing space to the busy city life, but many people visiting stalls in Suhrawardy Udyan part have complained about dust. Barring from several stalls, all were found displaying books and waiting for buyers. Robin Ahsan, publisher of Srabon Prakashani, said that the visitors were coming, but most of them were just browsing the titles. 'The fair will get momentum from Friday,' he said. Visitors said that it was a good idea to hang around flipping through the titles and make their minds settled in early days of the month-long fair. Publishers and stall attendants said most of the visitors were collecting book lists from their stalls. AfiaTasnim Urme, a Dhaka University Islamic Studies student, came to fair with her friends and said they arrived to have a 'good time' and browse through new titles. 'The beauty of the book fair is that one gets to see so many kinds of titles in one place,' she said. The fair committee had declared children's hours from 11am to 1pm today. Trump in `worst call` with Australian PM A phone call between US President Donald Trump and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull has called into question a refugee resettlement deal. The Washington Post reported Mr Trump called the conversation "the worst by far" of his calls with world leaders that day, and cut it short. Mr Trump later tweeted that he would "study this dumb deal". Struck with the Obama administration, it would see up to 1,250 asylum seekers to Australia resettled in the US. Australia has controversially refused to accept the refugees - most of whom are men from Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq - and instead holds them in offshore detention centres on the Pacific nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. PM Turnbull had been seeking clarification on the future of the deal after Mr Trump last Friday signed an executive order temporarily barring the entry into the US of refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The phone call between Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull took place on Saturday, and was one of four the US president had with world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin. The Washington Post quotes senior US officials, briefed on the call, as saying that the conversation should have lasted an hour but was abruptly ended after 25 minutes by Mr Trump. Mr Turnbull was seeking assurances from Mr Trump that the deal would be honoured. The US president reportedly said accepting the refugees would be like the US accepting "the next Boston bombers", who were from the Caucasus region of Russia. The official version of the call from the US was brief, but said both leaders had "emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship". On Monday Mr Turnbull confirmed he had spoken to Mr Trump and thanked him for agreeing to uphold the deal. US presidential spokesman Sean Spicer has since also said Mr Trump intends to uphold the deal. But Mr Trump's tweet on Wednesday - coming after the Washington Post story - has thrown fresh doubt on the arrangement. Mr Turnbull later said he was disappointed that details of the call - which he described as "very frank and forthright" - had been made public. He told a Sydney radio station that "the report that the president hung up is not correct". Australia announced in November 2016 that the US had agreed to a one-off deal to resettle refugees currently being held on Nauru and Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, would oversee the deal and the "most vulnerable" would be prioritised, Mr Turnbull said. No numbers were given and Australian Immigration Department Secretary Mike Pezzullo later told a Senate inquiry that, while those who were eligible could express an interest, it was up to the US to decide how many people it wanted to take. A total of 1,254 people were being held in the two camps, 871 on Manus Island and 383 in Nauru, as of 30 November 2016, according to Australian government statistics. Mr Trump's tweet incorrectly labelled refugees as illegal, and recast the number who might be resettled as "thousands". Australia refuses to accept refugees who arrive by boat, under a tough deterrent policy. It has already struck resettlement deals with Cambodia and PNG, but only a handful of refugees have been resettled. Critics say the two nations are completely ill-equipped to resettle refugees. So the US deal was a boon to the Australian government from a close political and military ally. Australia has faced fierce international criticism for its offshore detention policy and wants to close the Manus Island camp. Conditions in the offshore camps have been roundly condemned by rights groups, who say the policy is punitive and inflicts harm on refugees. Official figures show that about 80% of those held on Manus Island and Nauru have been found to be genuine refugees (those found not to be are not eligible for the US deal). All of the occupants of Manus Island are male. By far the largest number are from Iran, followed by Afghanistan and Iraq. There are also sizeable contingents from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar. The Nauru camp holds men, women and children. Again the largest number come from Iran, followed by Sri Lanka and those who are stateless. Some of those being held have spent several years in the camps awaiting a decision on their fate. Police authorities must listen to President and Chief Justice to save police The judicial investigation report on the clash between Santals and Gaibandha Police during an eviction drive in Gobindaganj upazila on November 6 has been submitted to the High Court. Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Saju presented the report before the Bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice Krishna Debnath on Tuesday. On December 14, the High Court directed Gaibandha's Chief Judicial Magistrate to investigate police involvement in setting fire. Three Santal men were killed and 30 people, including nine policemen, were injured in a clash with law enforcers and workers of Rangpur Sugar Mills in Gobindaganj on November 6. The clash broke out when workers of Rangpur Sugar Mills along with police went to Bagda Farm area to reclaim land of the Sugar Mills allegedly occupied by the Santal community. This is not the first time that members of the security forces have been alleged to have been involved in criminal activity. Earlier on Jan 26, ATN News cameraperson Abdul Alim was attacked while recording footage of some policemen beating up and dragging an anti-Rampal activist in front of Shahbagh Police Station. Then they pounced on the channel's reporter Kazi Ihsan bin Didar when he protested against the assault on his colleague. After primary investigation, the authorities suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector Ershad Mondol and identified 14-15 others involved in the unprovoked attack. On the same day, police assaulted a Dhaka Tribune journalist at Mirpur when he approached them to confirm reports of a Traffic Sergeant ordering a bus to plough into the anti-Rampal protesters who were trying to bring out a procession. Similarly, senior officials of RAB were involved in the seven murder case in Narayanganj. Earlier on January 23, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the members of police force to be more pro-people by changing the colonial attitude. A clear evidence of this exists as the SC wants proper enforcement of the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, 2013 that prohibits both mental and physical torture in any situation and death in custody of law enforcement agencies. But police seeks cancellation of this Act as the force claims the law has curbed their "rights". The police even claimed the law enforcers will lose their dedication to work if this law remains in force which might hamper security of the state and the people. To get the law scrapped, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's intervention was sought as she attended the Police Annual Parade at Rajarbagh Police Lines on January 23. Even though, the law was enacted more than three years ago, alleged torture by law enforcement agencies and custodial deaths didn't stop. Records of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights body, show at least 147 people died in custody in the last two years. According to ASK, 78 people died in custody in only last one year. Of them, 32 were convicted and 46 were detainees. In 2015, the number of custodial death was 69, and of them, 42 were facing trial, according to ASK's record prepared on the basis of newspaper reports. Moreover, a section of lower-tier police officers were accused of engaging in extortion by threatening people with cases. In last one year, more than a dozen such cases were reported in Dhaka Metropolitan Police area alone, according to a Local Newspaper report published on November 13, 2016. Against this backdrop, the SC has directed judicial magistrates to take action against errant police officers whenever they find infringement of this law that was passed by the Parliament amid widespread allegations of police torture. President Abdul Hamid told them at a programme at Bangabhaban, marking Police Week 2017 on Wednesday: "Getting the security of their lives and property is the right of people, not the mercy of anyone (police). You (police) should remember that you get salaries and allowances from public money." This attitude from the colonial past must change for the police to become a more disciplined and democratic force which respects the rights of all citizens. 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. A Morton County jury found eight pipeline protesters guilty of disorderly conduct in the second Dakota Access-related case to go to trial. The defendants, who ranged in age 23 to 57 years old and hailed from Hawaii to North Dakota, were all among the first arrested in the months-long protests that began along N.D. Highway 1806 in mid-August. None of them will serve jail time, but South Central District Judge Cynthia Feland handed out fines and fees ranging from $1,250 to $1,685 fines higher than one defense attorney said he'd seen in his 20-year career for a Class B misdemeanor. Those with criminal histories also got 10-day suspended sentences. Those without got deferred sentences, meaning their record will wipe clean if they stay out of trouble for the year. The fines came after a request from Ladd Erickson, a special prosecutor for Morton County, who contends the protesters wanted to inflict harm on the state, people and police. He said he plans to step up the fines he asks for in later, more violent cases. "There will be a reckoning for what our officers went through," Erickson said. But the defense attorneys were aghast at the fines, which they said were very rare in B misdemeanor cases, and the imposition of $300 fees on people with public defenders. Defense attorney Alex Reichert told the judge that a $1,000 fine was more than he'd seen imposed for this type of crime in his 20-year legal career. Defense attorney William Thomason called the fine "extremely unwarranted" and "unconscionable." Feland insisted she was not treating the cases as special due to the ongoing protest. "This court looks at every case individually," Feland said during the sentencing. The eight defendants, represented by six different lawyers, were tried at the same time, but the jury was to consider their charges separately. They were accused of varied acts during Aug. 11 protests, including sitting on a gravel access road built by the company, pushing into law enforcement and standing in the road. It was the first day protesters were arrested while opposing the pipeline. In finding the protesters guilty, the 7-person jury sided with Erickson, who contends they went beyond their First Amendment rights to protest and created hazards, obstructions and other harassment with no legitimate purpose. While I dont doubt the sincerity of people," Erickson said of the protester's beliefs about the dangers of the pipeline. "We cant have this. It affects other peoples rights. The defense attorneys argued their clients had a purpose -- exercising their free speech -- and that their actions did not cause the problems law enforcement alleged. Basically, what we have is somebody standing on a pile of rocks, in a public ditch with no one driving on it, Thomason said of his client Jordan Walker, accused of sitting on the gravel access road built by the pipeline company. In the U.S.A., should a person be able to walk over and peacefully stand on rocks on public property? Thomason asked. What kind of country do you want this to be? Four law enforcement officers testified against the protesters Monday, with evidence ranging from an officer who remembered chasing a protester through private property and an officer who recalled seeing a protester get arrested on the gravel access road. While videos had been hotly debated in advance of the trial, the lawyers used only a few aerial shots from different points in the day. On Tuesday, some of the defendants testified for themselves, proposing alternate versions of their stories and the reasons for their actions. Kevin Decker, for example, said he never pushed Morton County Sheriff's Department Capt. Jay Gruebele, but was rather pushed from the agitated crowd behind him. "I did not come to be arrested," Decker said counter to what Erickson has contended. "I came to stand up for the water." After trial, one of the defendants, Malia Hulleman, said she believed there was bias among the jury, simply by virtue of them living in Morton County, where nearly everyone has been affected in some way. "I would have been surprised had we been found not guilty," Hulleman said. Erickson said he is planning to continue to prosecute the cases, though he acknowledged some cases would be dismissed due at least to lack of evidence collected, as happened for one defendant on Monday. He does not see it as an option for Morton County to drop the 600-plus cases, in part because the protest is ongoing. "We're in the middle of this," he said. If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. The Carbondale Police Department is searching for a missing teen girl. Kayla M. Erickson, 15, was last seen in the 1000 block of East Park Street on Jan. 28 at about 7:30 p.m., according to a news release. She is described as a white female, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 230 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair, although she is known to have previously dyed her hair in a variety of colors, including blond, blue and red. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, a black jacket and gray jogging pants with FLAWLESS written on the side, police said. She has a heart and Love tattoo on her left hand. Ericksons nickname is K and she could be trying to travel home to Chicago. She has a history of running away from home, making it as far as New York and Indiana in the past. Anyone with information on Ericksons whereabouts is encouraged to call the Carbondale Police Department at 618-457-3200. You can also call the Carbondale/SIU Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 618-549-2677 or the Murphysboro/Jackson County anonymous tip line at 618-687-2677. The Southern MARION Maybe it's in the genes. As Terance Henry, the IT director for the City of Marion, scanned through pages of an old scrapbook filled with old newspaper clippings of his accomplishments Wednesday, he reflected on his youth. He remembers sitting in the center of his childhood home and the sound of his mother's voice as she calmly read him stories while a spray of bullets entered their Alton home. Despite the difficulties growing up, the memories of his parents' subtle behaviors and strict teachings is what Henry said lead him to accomplish much of what he has. "Back in that area, gangs were very prevalent so a lot of my family and a lot of my friends were all joining gangs and a lot of them had to choose (between Bloods and Crips)," he said. "Those were dangerous times. "But my mom and my dad fought real hard and said they won't allow the streets to take me. So my mom would sit me down to make sure I would read and make sure I would enunciate my words and my dad would always make sure that my pants were pulled up and that I had on a belt, and all those different things." Though completing his studies as an LPN at John A. Logan College, and later making it halfway through an RN at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Henry abandoned the nursing field to invest more time in his e-commerce business with eBay. "It was something that I thought would be easy and fast cash which was neither one," Henry said. "It just had happen to turn out that I was one of the first people in Southern Illinois to sell items on eBay, which was like strictly e-commerce." From sales of antique paintings from prominent Spanish painters such as Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso to supervising the sale of two landfill compactors for customers in the Cayman Islands, Henry began learning the tricks of the trade. "I started out just selling a few of my own little items and selling items for family and some friends, and then word of mouth spread rapidly that I was doing such a great job at it," he said. "If a person came to me and said, 'Hey I would like $100 for that item,' and I brought them back $500, well they'd get excited and tell their friends." As his e-commerce business, known as T-Bay, began to develop, Henry said he found other ways he could lend a helping hand. Upon winning numerous awards, his entrepreneurial insight and independent work lead him to expand his knowledge for business across southern Illinois. His ownership includes a motorcycle shop once housed on The Strip in Carbondale next to Fat Patties, Latta Java coffee shop in Marion and a recreational center in Du Quoin. Henry said his platform as an independent contractor was to help troubled youth in the region and provide residents with a space in close proximity to sell their antiques, gather in an informal space and enjoy good company. "My whole thought process when it came down to eBay was that I did not just want to stay with eBay," he said. "So I had to start thinking of alternative things that I can do with my life and to branch out that way." In 2005, Henry was also asked by Barry Hancock, the dean of community education at John A. Logan College, to teach a night course. Since, Henry has been teaching the trade of the business. "It has always been an honor," Henry said. However, once his spring course comes to an end, Henry, who now works full-time for the city of Marion, said he will not only be saying farewell to the course, but also the trade. "The city of Marion is starting to grow and develop more and more and so they're needing more of my time," Henry said. "And so after awhile, it just makes more sense to give up on a lot of the things I have going on and concentrate and focus on just my job in dealing with the city of Marion, and using all of my talents throughout my 13 years of being an entrepreneur and apply them here." Along with the 60-day trial of emergency lights installed on three streets in the city, Henry has assisted in the developments of the city's downtown Wi-Fi, the launch of its new award-winning website and technological improvements for its police department. He also served as the executive director of Marion Main Street, during which he founded Hub Fest and the Miss Marion Main Street Beauty Pageant. "There was a lot of knowledge and things I gained from just working with eBay," he said. "I sold a lot on eBay and was always in front of the computer so I had to learn the computer and know the ins and out so if something broke or failed I didn't have time to find a shop or any of those things so I would have to go through and fix it." As he drew near to the empty plastic pages of his scrapbook, Henry pulled an old photo along with a letter of emancipation both dated in the year of 1833 from his desk. The document explains the emancipation of Jacob Hardin, an ancestor of Henry, who bought himself out of slavery. "I know my history, not a lot of people can say that, and maybe I get my entrepreneurial skills from them," Henry said. "You're only here on earth for a short period of time and then of course I have kids and one day there will be grand kids and everything else but I want them to know that I was able to go through and do great things just like him." Les Winkeler Sports editor Les Winkeler is sports editor and outdoors writer for The Southern Illinoisan. Follow Les Winkeler Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Its the dead of winter. Trees dropped their leaves months ago. The longer grasses that line our roadways have been beaten down by cold and ice. The landscape is as barren as it will be for 2017. That means just one thing litter is never more visible than it is right now. It is a disgusting, inescapable part of life in Southern Illinois. Collectively, we are blessed to live in one of the prettiest, certainly most biologically diverse, parts of the state, and a significant minority have no qualms about trashing their homes. Yeah, this rant comes every year at this time. But, Im not a Lone Ranger on this issue. I get calls, letters, emails and Tweets from Southern Illinois residents fed up with the hogs that live among us. One reader sent an email last week saying they have 500 feet of frontage along a state highway. A weekend clean-up yielded 10 five-gallon buckets full of trash. Roll that number over in your mind for a second 50 gallons worth of litter collected from 500 feet of roadway. Ill be honest. I simply do not understand the psychology of littering. It is so easy to carry a trash bag in your car. When you finish your Big Gulp or Slurpee, theres no need to throw the Styrofoam out the window stash it in the bag. It takes less energy to carry the bag into your home to dispose of it properly than it did to carry the quart of soda into your car. There are certainly exceptions, but its a safe bet that most litter bugs dont live among filth and swill. Surely, most people place trash in proper receptacles in their homes. Second, no one wants to see your trash. Seeing soda cans, plastic bags and fast food wrappers caught in the base of trees is a constant reminder that too many people among us care little for the Earth and its intrinsic beauty. There is nothing man has ever created that matches the natural beauty of our planet. Every time one of your cans or wrappers hits the ditch, it is an insult to our planet and those of us who appreciate the wonders of nature. It is an affront that you care so little about your surroundings that diminish the beauty for the rest of us. Third, the contents of the litter points to other issues. There are far too many beer cans and empty liquor bottles in the roadside trash. Dont get me wrong, Im not moralizing. I enjoy a nice bourbon as much as anyone but not when Im driving down the road. Finally, I will make another appeal to our lawmakers Terri Bryant, Dave Severin, Brandon Phelps, Dale Fowler and Paul Schimpf. You can do something about this. You can introduce legislation that imposes serious fines on litter bugs. Significant fines will provide cash to municipalities and counties. Police will be spurred to write tickets and hopefully the results will be trash-free roadways. It has worked in other states. Theres no reason it shouldnt work in dysfunctional Illinois. To the Editor: Remember Sept. 11? The World Trade Center's twin towers were destroyed by two hijacked commercial jets. A third hijacked jet slammed into the Pentagon, while passengers of a fourth pirated aircraft overcame their hijackers, although the plane went down killing all aboard. Who cares? In the light of Trump barring entry to this country from various Islamic states, it is important. Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabians are not barred from entry to this country. Two of the hijackers were from the United Arab Emirates, one from Egypt and one from Lebanon. None of their citizens are barred from the US. Osama bin Laden, the Sept. 11 ringleader, was Saudi Arabian. Consider ISIS. They are an extreme form of Sunni Islam. Some call it a cult. They practice torture, beheading, burning alive, slavery and rape. They're mainly from Saudi Arabia. Much of their funding is Saudi Arabian. Why isn't Saudi Arabia on Trump's list? That's right. Oil money. Trump's list has nothing to do with terrorism. Ever since Sept. 11, we've known what country produces the most extreme and best funded terrorists. Dan Owen Murphysboro Gretchen Kaye Carlson Kost, 42, Moorhead, Minn., died Jan. 30, 2017, at Sanford Medical Center. Gretchen was a dearly cherished wife and mother, daughter and sister, cousin and friend. She is survived by her husband Rob Kost, children Hattie and Beck, parents Kathy and Bruce, brothers Greg (Katie Smith) and Grady (Jessica Carlson), nephews Abe, Forrest, and Oliver, niece Violet, grandmother Mame Jones, Robs parents Betty and Dennis Kost, and many loved aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family. She was preceded in death by grandfather Robert Jones, grandparents Lillian and Leonard Carlson, and cousin Timothy Zitzow. Gretchen grew up in north Moorhead, where she attended George Washington Elementary. At school she formed a number of lifelong friendships with peers and classmates, and encountered several devoted educators who would inspire her love of learning, shape her deep commitment to fairness and equality, and spark her curiosity about the world. As a teenager, Gretchen loved working for Bob and Phyllis Litherland at the Moorhead Dairy Queen, where she made more friends, mixed malts, dipped Dilly Bars, and as her friend Jody liked to say solved the worlds problems. At Moorhead High School, Gretchen continued to apply her rapidly expanding intellectual skill set to every subject, and she graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1992. She was accepted to Stanford University, but elected to remain close to family and friends when offered a full four-year honors apprentice scholarship to Minnesota State University Moorhead. She completed a degree in math education with minors in womens studies and English. Upon graduation, she briefly taught middle school mathematics before commencing work in statistics, data analysis, and SAS programming for PRACS Institute, North Dakota State University, and Noridian. She earned a masters certificate in statistics from NDSU in 2004. Her passion for numbers and analytic problem solving extended from Gretchens career to her free time. In 1996, Gretchen met Rob Kost by chance over a game of billiards. Despite Robs victory he ran the table Gretchen agreed to join him for a late-night breakfast at Perkins. The two married on July 25, 1998 at Gethsemane Cathedral under a bright blue sky. Following the ceremony, Gretchen drove Rob to the reception in her fathers 1928 Model A Ford. The unexpected diagnosis of an inoperable brainstem tumor on May 28, 2004 interrupted Gretchens life, but she, Rob, Kathy and Bruce, along with the support of family and under the expert care of Dr. Nathan Kobrinsky, pursued an aggressive course of treatment. Regular visits from Father Jamie Parsley, whose counsel, prayers, and anointing of Gretchen in Christ lifted and sustained her, also developed into a deep and permanent friendship. Against the odds, Gretchen survived, and referred to February 22, 2005 as Kicking the Tumor to the Curb Day. Cancer-free and encouraged by Dr. Kobrinsky to resume regular pre-diagnosis activities, Gretchen and Rob adopted their beautiful baby girl Hattie in 2008. Eighteen months later, their family expanded once again with the adoption of handsome little brother Beck. Gretchen steadfastly annotated the development of the children, documenting memories like the time she observed Hattie playing with a toy medical kit. Gretchen asked, Hattie, are you going to be a doctor when you grow up? Hattie responded, Im a doctor now. When I grow up Im going to be a cowgirl or a princess. I will ride a horse and Beck will ride a cow. As Hattie and Beck grew, Gretchen and Rob enjoyed outings to the lake cabin on Little Pine, where they spent happy hours fishing, tubing, swimming, and boating. Each fall, the quartet relished their visits to Maplewood State Park to gaze at the gorgeous foliage blazing in hues of red, orange, and gold. Grandma Betty and Grandpa Dennis looked forward to every road trip the family made to their farm in Washburn, North Dakota. Horse-drawn sleigh rides in the winters and bankside views of the Missouri River in the summers were among the highlights. When residual effects of the radiation began to compromise Gretchens balance and vision in the spring of 2016, she met the challenges with a cheerful attitude and good humor. Even as her health declined, she never wavered from warm smiles, optimism, and grace. The entire staff at Sanford Medical Center went above and beyond, providing exceptional care and compassion as Gretchen completed her earthly journey. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Gretchens name can be made to the Roger Maris Cancer Center or Gethsemane Cathedral. A Gathering of Friends for Gretchen will be Friday from 5 PM to 7 PM, with a Prayer Service at 7 PM, in Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead. Her Memorial Service will be Saturday, February 4, 2017, at 10 AM, in Gethsemane Episcopal Cathedral, Fargo. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Moorhead, MN. Montana legislators have steered away from two bills that sought to take away common-sense rules on our public roads. Bipartisan majorities defeated an effort to legalize driving with open containers of alcohol and a bid to ban local governments from restricting drivers use of cellphones. The fact that these two measures got any traction in the 2017 Legislature indicates that some lawmakers still dont understand the dynamics of Montanas tragic traffic records. Alcohol was suspected to be a factor in 94 of 190 Montana traffic deaths in 2016, according to preliminary information from the Montana Highway Patrol. Other drugs were suspected in 72 crash deaths. Montana was one of the last couple of states to ban open containers of alcohol in vehicles on public roads. Yet Rep. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billings, sought to bring back open containers, and then proposed reducing the penalty to $10. Fortunately, a majority of House Judiciary Committee members understood whats at stake, rejected the road beer bill 13-6 and then tabled it. Among those voting for drinking while driving bill were Reps. Barry Usher and Dale Mortensen of Billings. Voting against the return of open containers were Billings Reps. Virginia Court, committee vice chair, and Kathy Kelker. Rep. Bill Harris, R-Winnett, also voted against drinking while driving, telling the committee: As I grew up, I watched kids die year after year. I believe this is a huge step backwards. Its a terrible message to send to young people. Rep. Jennifer Eck, D-Helena, agreed, saying that legalizing open containers creates a culture where its acceptable to be drinking and driving. Billings and several other Montana cities have enacted ordinances generally restricting the use of cellphones while driving. National research shows that cellphone use, including texting, are factors in a growing number of crashes. Those local ordinances were enacted by locally elected city representatives to reduce the distracted driving risk. Yet Rep. Jeremy Trebas, R-Great Falls, sought to impose a statewide ban on local government bans. His bill proposed that state government usurp local decision-making. Trebas convinced the House Judiciary Committee to pass his ban on local bans on a 10-9 vote. But the full House stood up for local control on Tuesday, rejecting HB194 on a vote of 37-63. The work of the Legislature is to pass good laws and to defend them from bad ideas. Thanks to the lawmakers who voted to keep Montana on a path to safer, sober, less distracted travel. The Billings (Mont.) Gazette Former Haiti President Michel Joseph Martelly will make a historic visit to Claflin University today, as part of the university's Visionary Leader in Residence program. He will discuss issues in Haiti as well as opportunities for faculty, staff and student engagement. Martelly will be accompanied by former first lady Sophia Martelly. Martelly was elected the 56th president of the Republic of Haiti and served in that position from 2011-2016. While in office, Martellys focus was transforming the education sector, focusing on employment, the rule of law, the environment and energy. Martelly will give a lecture at 11 a.m. to a group of sophomore students in the William V. Middleton Fine Arts Center. He will also participate in two separate roundtable discussions at the Arthur Rose Museum. The first will begin at 2 p.m. with faculty and staff, and at 3:15 p.m., Martelly will hold a roundtable discussion with students. The Columbia World Affairs Council and Congressman James Clyburn will co-host a reception for the Martellys at 5:30 p.m. at the Columbia Marriott Hotel. During his term in office, Martelly faced the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the country on Jan. 12, 2010, and his presidency focused on relocating more than 1.4 million people who were living in tents into permanent housing and rebuilding the capital of Port-au-Prince as well as government institutions. His primary education program, which was funded with innovative financing from the telecommunications sector, allowed him to provide free education to more than 1.2 million children. On March 26, 2012, Martelly was awarded the Golden Great Cross of Merit Duarte Sanchez y Mella from Leonel Fernandez, president of the Dominican Republic. In July of 2012, the International Academic Unit of the University of Panama School of Law and Political Science bestowed upon him the Great Cross of the Order of Gil Colunje, one of the highest distinctions given to a foreigner, in recognition of his commitment to the development and restoration of his country. Since ending his mandate in February 2016, Martelly has been focused on giving speeches about his commitment to education and the rebuilding of Haiti as well as focusing on the family foundation, Fondation Rose et Blanc (Pink and White Foundation), which he and Sophia started 21 years ago to provide assistance to those most in need throughout Haiti. For more information, contact the Office of the Provost at 803-535-5404. President Donald Trumps nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court is considered a conservative. That should be no surprise to anyone based on the presidents promises. But cast aside the political rhetoric about Neil Gorsuch, the 49-year-old 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals judge. The most important thing is his record as a judicial conservative not a political one. Gorsuch is what America needs in jurists, whether they are labeled conservative, moderate or liberal. The rule of law is his first priority. He understands the obligation is to interpret the law based on constitutional principles not legislate from the bench. Gorsuch has a strong educational and legal record. He holds degrees from Columbia, Oxford and Harvard Law. He served as clerk for both Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy. Gorsuch would succeed the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the high court. And it was in a speech after Scalias death that a key point about this judicial philosophy was made in referencing cases in which jurists find themselves divided: Even accepting some hard cases remain it just doesnt follow that we must or should resort to our own political convictions, consequentialist calculi, or any other extra-legal rule of decision to resolve them. When simple textual interpretation of the laws and evidence at hand do not point in the direction of one obvious result, that process will still come closer to accuracy than importing the moral or political values of the judge handling the case, he said. He also said judging cases based on the social benefits of each possible outcome creates even more problems. It seems those lining up against Gorsuch would oppose any Trump nominee. They are arguing it was wrong for the Senate not to consider former President Barack Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland in the months before the November 2016 election. Democrats can threaten to filibuster and boycott if they wish, but the nomination was Trumps to make. And the Senate GOP majority, whether by getting support from some Democrats are changing the rules to confirm the nominee with a majority vote, can move Gorsuch to the court. This is not a judge who will be political tool for Trump or any other president serving during Gorsuchs likely two or more decades on the court. The confirmation system is filled with partisanship, but it is the system. And Trump is the duly elected president with a Senate that can approve his pick one way or the other. Extraordinary measures should not be necessary. Trump has made a solid choice. He should get credit for the selection and Democrats should look beyond political opposition just because Gorsuch is Trumps pick. A judge committed to ruling on constitutional principles and not legislating from bench is the ideal. By every indication, Gorsuch is such a judge. South Carolina is a unique state. We are not like other states partly because of our history, our culture and our politics. One of our historic legacies is what one writer called our debilitating inferiority complex. It is best summed up by the often-heard phrase if its a list of good things, we are on the bottom and if its a list of bad things, we are on the top. Or, put another way, thank God for Mississippi as they always seem to be worse off than we are. This was once true, but in reality, it is no longer so though we still think it is. Like so much of everything else, this mindset is part of our history and part of our psychology as a state. Much of both goes back to the traumatic events of the Civil War and Reconstruction. First the history. In the hundred years or so after the Civil War, we were at the bottom of the heap in so many categories. There were huge swaths of our state that were stagnant backwaters of appalling poverty, ignorance and racism. And for many, this remained largely unchanged until the post-World War II era when this isolation began to break down. But even beyond the history, our states sense of a psychological inferiority complex has been even more debilitating. We were a rigid paternalistic system first with plantations and then with textile mills where the vast majority of folks in our state, black and white, stood hat in hand waiting on instructions from the big man in the big house or the big office. Much of this has changed, but our mindset hasnt. Today, South Carolina is a growing thriving state with a diverse population and diverse economy we are as global as we are local. Just 10 examples: Our former governor and now U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is the daughter of an Indian immigrant. She was a Sikh before she was a Methodist. We have 1,300 international businesses in this state, more foreign investment per capita than any state in the Union. Second only to Washington state, we have the highest rate of new people moving to our state. Horry, Charleston and Beaufort counties are all in the top five counties nationally for population growth. The technology sector of the Charleston area is booming growing 30 percent faster than the nation as a whole. Such iconic global brands as BMW, Boeing, Volvo, Michelin, Continental, GITI, Daimler- Benz now all call South Carolina home. Starting from zero a generation ago, we are now the leading state for tire production and we export more cars than any other state. We have had four Nobel Laurates in science and chemistry. The Spoleto Arts Festival is one of the largest and most diverse festivals of its kind anywhere in the world. Charleston is consistently rated as one of the top cities in the world to visit and just this month Greenville, yes Greenville, was ranked as one of the 10 best downtowns in America. USCs Darla Moore International Business School is consistently rank as No. 1 or 2 in the country. So why do we still think of ourselves as po old South Carolina standing with our eyes downcast waiting for instructions from on high? The answer is simple politics. We still have a good-old-boy political system that is the legacy of the bad old days and is holding us back. It is a system where one party rules, where corruption is rampant, where special interest dominates, and where big and important issues are neglected i.e. education, roads, state pensions, etc. But it does not have to be this way. Three things are happening all at once: A new governor, a new president and a new round of corruption indictments of legislators. There are those who fear these developments but in change there is opportunity. Thus the question before us is are we as a state going to build on our new-found success, our new global position, and our new opportunities to demand fundamental change in our politics or not? How we as a state answer these questions is up to us and it will determine our future. Books to the Big Screen: The Parallax View PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) FARGO -- A Colombian national accused of being the ringleader of an international drug operation related to a fatal fentanyl overdose in Grand Forks also faces pending charges in Canada. Daniel Vivas Ceron pleaded not guilty to five federal charges related to shipping drugs into the U.S. from China and Canada, where the drugs, including a mixture with fentanyl, ultimately were distributed in Grand Forks, Fargo and Portland, Ore., according to court documents. Using initials only, prosecutors identified four victims from Portland as well as Bailey Henke, 18, of Grand Forks, who died of a fentanyl overdose in early January 2015. Eleven other defendants also have been indicted or sentenced in the drug ring. Vivas Ceron appeared Monday in Fargos federal court, where Judge Alice Senechal scheduled an April 4 jury trial. Prosecutors estimated the trial will last eight to 10 days. Last week, Vivas Ceron was extradited on a federal warrant from Panama to North Dakota after his arrest in the Central American country in July 2016. Vivas Ceron faces federal conspiracy charges accusing him of distributing drugs resulting in death, money laundering and operating a criminal enterprise. The North Dakota charges are the only ones that appear in the U.S.s federal court system, but Brian Toay, Vivas Cerons court-appointed attorney, asked the court to waive his defendants detention hearing due to a prior conviction in Canada that prohibits him from being in the U.S. Prosecutors said Vivas Ceron operated the drug ring since being incarcerated in a medium-security prison in Quebec. Vivas Ceron is being held at the Cass County jail. An Orangeburg woman is accused of having sex with a minor and getting high with a minor. Orangeburg Department of Public Safety warrants allege Jimmeka Shafonyaann Hill, 26, of Maedrine Street, had sex with a 15-year-old male three times in July 2015. As a result of those encounters, she was charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. In the summer of 2016, Hill allegedly provided a 15-year-old with marijuana and alcohol. Officers have charged her with one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. When Hill appeared before Orangeburg Municipal Judge Barney Houser on Monday, he set her total bond on the two charges at $10,000 cash or surety. Warrants allege that Hill had the sexual encounters with a teen at an Orangeburg business and that she provided marijuana and alcohol to a teen on Whitman Street. If found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Hill could be fined $3,000 or less, be sentenced to three years or less in prison, or both. If she is found guilty of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, she could get 20 years in prison. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. ELLENDALE Mysterious tracks that showed up near here had one local man thinking it was evidence of Bigfoot, while others dismissed it. One writer claims to know the truth, though. The tracks were man-made, an anonymous writer claimed in a letter sent to the WDAY-TV station in Fargo. "This is not a hoax, it was supposed to be a prank," the writer said. WDAY is owned by Forum Communications Co., which also owns Forum News Service. The tracker who discovered the big footprints says hes still certain theres something on the prairie. "Someone saw him, and he left behind a trail and tracks, Christopher Bauer said. The unnamed letter writer claims he went for a booze-fueled stroll on a pair of homemade Bigfoot slippers. Still, Bauer refuses to budge. This is a real, real animal, he said. What do other real, real animals in North Dakota need to survive? Large mammal expert Nicole Lee of the Red River Zoo in Fargo said many have adaptations to help. "With the very hot summer and very cold winters they grow thick coats in the winter time, Lee said. Huge mammals in the region like moose need dozens of pounds of food per day, Lee said. "Especially during the winter months, those food resources are going to be scarce, she said, not exactly a vote of confidence for a giant ape. But there are some inconsistencies in the letter. Bauer said he followed tracks for miles, much farther than the anonymous letter claims the tracks went. He believes the letter is a hoax of a hoax. Bauer also noted that the footprints were made with a 4-foot stride, which he said was nearly double a human step. He think anyone trying to stride that long in faux-feet would leave heel marks, which he never found. Ramblings of a badly aged Baby Boomer who went from Rebel Without a Cause to Bozo Without a Clue in, seemingly, the same afternoon. By Azernews By Amina Nazarli As the clock ticks towards Valentine's Day a day to celebrate love, all love birds look for interesting and romantic nests to spend quality time. Being a place of passion, art and music, Baku is an excellent city to visit this love month. The city already took the fifth place in the ranking of the cities popular for romantic trips on Valentines Day. The hotel search service RoomGuru.ru determined most sought-after towns for Russian tourists for this Day. The ranking was compiled in accordance with the booking of hotels from February 13 to 15. Paris, Rome, Minsk, Tbilisi, Baku, Tallinn, Budapest, Barcelona and Vienna are in the top 10 cities for traveling together on Valentine's Day. The service said that Minsk will provide the cheapest accommodation (on average, $50 per day), and the most expensive will be in Paris (over $110). In Baku accommodation will cost an average of $60 per day. According to forecasts TurStat Agency, in 2017 the number of foreign trips of Russian tourists will increase by 10 percent. Baku is so rich in attractions that one can easily spend three days walking around the city and might find it not enough to enjoy its all beauties. It usually takes two more days to see the landmarks in the surroundings of the capital. Baku is a wonderful city on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Centuries-long history is reflected in its medieval landmarks, where the special place is given to the Old city called Icherisheher. On the other hand, it is a fast-growing megapolis with glittering skyscrapers and unusual architectural monuments of the 21st century. Oriental past and hi tech future is entwined in the way that it gives an impression of taking a journey through time. The biggest attraction of Baku is Boulevard that stretches many kilometers along the shores of the Caspian Sea. There are different kinds of attractions in the surroundings of Baku as well. The most ancient one is the Gobustan Museum of Petroglyphs not far from another landmark mud volcanoes. Another interesting touristy spots are fire monuments, flaming hill of Yanardag, temple of fire worshippers Ateshgah and the historical-ethnographic museum of Gala. In 2016 the number of tourists visiting the Land of Fire amounted to 2.242 million people and this is 11.7 percent more than in 2015. More than 300 hotels have been built in Azerbaijan since 2014 and the capital hosts the worlds leading hotel chain. By Trend Nasimi Jafarov has been appointed director general of the Department of Local Revenue at Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes, the ministry told Trend on February 2. He succeeded Mahir Rafiyev, who was appointed as the advisor to Minister of Taxes Fazil Mammadov. Prior to the new appointment, Jafarov was deputy director general of the ministrys Department of National Revenue. By Trend Relationships with Israel have always been used by official Baku to demonstrate its uniqueness among other Muslim nations, including those which are as secular as Azerbaijan. These relationships, sometimes called special relationships, sometimes even alliance, are based to a certain on the strong cultural ground. There are tens of thousands of Jews living in Azerbaijan since ancient times. And there is almost equal amount of citizen in Israel with Jewish Azerbaijani origin. Nevertheless, it is cold pragmatism and Realpolitik that make military element of this partnership so strongly articulated. In the last decade Israel officially sold to Baku broad variety of nonlethal and lethal weapons - from small firearms, armoured vehicles, and mortars, to UAVs of various sorts, radars and air defense systems or rocket artillery systems. To certain degree this cooperation has evolutionized also some of the weapon systems initially purchased by Baku now are being produced independently under licenses granted by Israeli military industry. But there is one thing about pragmatic relationships in foreign policy of any kind it is that they are pragmatic. In other words, their perspectives are closely tied to the context and cost/benefit rationale of decision-making on alliances and alignment. And in case of the alliance between Israel and Azerbaijan, it is the very pragmatism that potentially can undermine the relationship. There is no doubt that problematics around Iran has been the cornerstone of the issue for both Israel and Azerbaijan in designing mutual cooperation. This is quite well covered in works of Ariel Cohen, Alexander Murinson, Gallia Lindenstrauss, Brenda Schaffer, and other less prominent experts. In short Iran has been the sum of all fears for Jerusalem since Tehrans nuclear ambitions added up to anti-Israeli rhetoric of its leaders; and on the other side, relationships between Iran and Azerbaijan have always been full of at least mutual suspicion. But the recent years were marked with considerable positive changes in Azerbaijani Iranian relations. It all started with series of preliminary mutual visits of personal envoy category figures. Then president Aliyev has visited the Islamic Republic in April 2014. During this visit Aliyev was accompanied by several Azerbaijani ministers, a number of other high-ranking officials and business people. He met high-ranking Iranian officials, including president Hassan Rouhani and the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although the bilateral documents signed were not of a high significance, Aliyevs administration was quite positive and optimistic. And indeed, November 2014 it was Tehrans turn - Hassan Rouhani visited Baku. It was the first official visit of an Iranian leader in Azerbaijan since four years. And the atmosphere was extremely warm. Besides meeting president Aliyev, Rouhani made also a speech in the Azerbaijani parliament. And another bunch of bilateral documents was signed. April 2015 was marked by another visit, this time Iranian defense minister, Brig. Gen. Houssein Dehqan visited Baku and conducted meetings on high level, including president Aliyev. Uniqueness of the visit was in the statements made - Dehqan voiced Iran's readiness to start military cooperation with Baku, and underlined that Iran is ready to enhance the level of defense and provide required military equipment to the Azerbaijani army. The major result of the visit was establishment of joint commission on cooperation in military are between the states. Iranian ministers statement could be considered as pure intent or sign of goodwill at that moment. But year later, on April 2 5, 2016 the Azerbaijani Armed Forces conducted a successful three-day offensive operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, having regained control over 20 km2 (according to the Armenian side only 8 km2) of land and number of strategic heights and outposts controlled by Armenians since the 1994 ceasefire agreements. It was the former Azerbaijani general and war veteran Yashar Aydemirov who initially (immediately after the operation ended) gave the leak that there had been some sort of military cooperation between Baku and Iran. Presumably in the form of weapon sales. But a few weeks later proof came from the highest level president Aliyev himself mentioned Iran as one of the actual military partners of Azerbaijan (together with Russia, Turkey, and Israel) whose cooperation played role in the April success. Of course, those who remember the hostile rhetoric between Baku and Tehran on the eve of the Eurovision song context in Azerbaijan in May 2012 could hardly anticipate anything like that in less than five years. Finally, the ambiguous role that Baku played in Russo Iranian cooperation on Syria and Russian military transit to the Syrian battlefields through the Caspian Sea and Iran, adds up to the issue. At least in one or two cases, reportedly, Russian airplanes flew through the Azerbaijani airspace on their way to Syria. There was also unconfirmed information that in early October 2015 Russian warships launched missiles on targets in Syria from the Azerbaijani waters in the southern sector of the Caspian Sea. The peak was the trilateral summit of Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani, and Ilham Aliyev in Baku in August 2016 event instrumentalized by official Baku to demonstrate the countrys regional weight and role. There were many issues of mutual interest discussed, including transport and infrastructural cooperation along the North South axis through the territory of Azerbaijan. But supposedly not only that. So, what is going on and what sort of implications should one wait in terms of Azerbaijans alliance with Israel? There are number of reasons to the changes in Azerbaijans attitude toward Iran and none of them are surprising, bearing in mind that the South Caucasus, although with its own problematics and dynamics, is, in Barry Buzans terms, just a subsystem of a broader geopolitical space the post-Soviet regional security complex. A security complex is defined as a group of states whose primary security concerns are linked together sufficiently closely that their national securities cannot realistically be considered apart from one another. The links, which ties together a security complex may be of many types geographical, political, strategic, historic, economic, or cultural. States outside the complex may play a major role within it, without the complex itself being central to their security concern. Azerbaijan although economic and military leader of the South Caucasus as a subsystem of the post-Soviet space, is at the same time just one of the minor actors here, while those who play the major role are Russia, and to lesser degree Turkey and Iran. And from the Russo-Georgian war of 2008 to the current war in the Ukraine, from the early days of the Arab Spring in 2010 to the current battles under Mosul, there were just too many events with too many implications for the regional security in the South Caucasus and alignment behaviour of Baku. The ultimate problem is that the Western presence in the region at the moment is limited to occasional comments on democracy and human rights problems in Armenia and Azerbaijan, and symbolic military exercises with Georgians once a year. Azerbaijan had to give realistic and cool headed evaluations to security guaranties of the West in the South Caucasus. Bearing in mind that the West is much more preoccupied with war in Syria, ISIS terror, and refugee crisis in the Central and Western Europe, these evaluations were not in favour of going for integration with NATO and the European Union. Moscows growing one man show abilities in the post-Soviet regional security complex, initially demonstrated during the Russo Georgian war of August 2008, became even more obvious after the start of war in the Eastern Ukraine. And the West was not able to support the victims territorial integrity by any reasonable and effective means. Similar threats are faced by Baku in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, but after the war of 1988 1994 is controlled by Armenia - member of the Moscow-centered Collective Security Treaty Organization. On the other side, the Arab Spring, civil war in Syria, birth and rapid growth of ISIS all these factors considerably increased the role of militant Sunni factor in the Middle East. Azerbaijan is a secular, nevertheless still a Muslim country, predominantly Shia. At the same time, along with militants from other Muslim and non-Muslim countries there are also several hundreds of Azerbaijani fighters in ISIS. There is a strong opinion among number of Azerbaijani officials and analysts that potential risks of spread of radical Sunni Islam can be successfully hedged for Baku only in the framework of regional security cooperation, first of all with Russia, which has a relevant experience in Northern Caucasus and Iran, which is a Shia stronghold. There is also some degree of Shia inspired political Islam in Azerbaijan and it would be naive to frame the danger of Islamic fundamentalism in the South Caucasus around the Sunnis only. But in most of the cases these are in this or another way linked to Tehran. And in case Baku has decent level of relationships with its southern neighbour, there may be hope for conservation of Iranian Shia networks political activity in Azerbaijan. The U.S. Iranian rapprochement is also important. For years Baku has been using Irans tensions with the West as a considerable element of its own positioning in the region. With perspective of rapid improvement in Irans relations with the U.S. and EU, Baku had nothing to do but to go proactive and improve its relations with Tehran. Finally, Azerbaijan is a close military ally of Turkey. Current unnatural honeymoon between Ankara and Moscow has foggy perspectives, but it is still there, at least for the nearest perspective. Besides that, there are strong synergies between Russian and Iranian interests in Syria. Bearing in mind that Russia is actor Number One in the South Caucasus, all that creates such a unique set of circumstances for the region in general and Azerbaijan in particular, that at least short- and midterm bandwagoning with this huge force becomes inevitable for Baku. These are realities of local geography. And in this geography big and strong neighbours sometimes dont ask before coming through your yard. Sure, Israel is not quite the West and it is not NATO or the European Union. There are number of issues in the Middle East and the South Caucasus where their interests are very different. But current trends increase Azerbaijans rationale to concentrate on cooperation with the immediate neighbours only this can minimize the eminent risks. Some of these neighbours, at least Iran, and in serious degree also Turkey, have their own views on perspectives of military and political cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel. Despite of this fact Azerbaijani government invited the Israeli prime minister Netanyahu to visit the country in December 2016. Military cooperation between two countries was one of the main topics of the negotiations in Baku. But it is not only about military cooperation. Azerbaijan considers Israel as a key player that can help the country establish a confident relationship to the administration of Donald Trump. The reaction from Iran on Netanyahus visit to Azerbaijan was critical as expected. Nevertheless there was no more threatening towards Azerbaijan by any high ranked Iranian military officer like it was the case on the eve of the visit of Shimon Peres to Baku in 2009. The security circumstances in the region changed since that time, and the relations between Baku and Tel Aviv are not to be considered by Iran as planning of Israeli military actions against Iran any more. Azerbaijans military cooperation with Israel already proved its effectiveness. During successful Azerbaijani offensive in April this year only four of eighteen destroyed Armenian tanks and BMPs were destroyed by fire from Azerbaijani machines all the rest were destroyed by Azerbaijani infantry armed with Israeli made SPIKE-LR anti-tank missile systems. Israeli made HAROP kamikaze-drones were not less effective tested first time in real war situation they destroyed seven Armenian targets, including a command post, self-propelled artillery squadron, a runway on an airfield, and a bus with Armenian volunteers moving to the frontline. Thus so far it is very early to question perspectives of current alliance between Jerusalem and Baku. Azerbaijani diplomacy has traditionally been skilful in balancing and counterbalancing the fact that Baku manages to purchase weapons from and develop military cooperation with Russia, which is Armenias ally and security guarantor, Turkey, Iran, Israel, and Pakistan speaks for itself. Nevertheless, time will show how much space there is left for manoeuvring, provided pragmatic character of military cooperation between Baku and Jerusalem. Heydar Mirza is an expert in foreign policy and security studies with focus on the South Caucasus and Caspian region. In 2003 he graduated with MBA degree from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. In 2010 2014 he worked as a leading research fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan. Currently Heydar is a PhD candidate at the Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany. Dr.des. Orkhan Sattarov worked in 2008 - 2011 as political assistant at the German Embassy in Baku and was a scholar of the German Parliament. 2016 he defended his PhD thesis on the topic of Iranian soft power in Azerbaijan at the Berlin Center for Caspian Region Studies, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany. Sattarov publishes articles with focus on the Caucasus and Iran in diverse regional news agencies and is a co-founder of a political consulting firm in Berlin. GRAND FORKS An Indian man charged with making a threat Saturday at the Grand Forks International Airport characterized the event as an unfortunate misunderstanding in moment of frustration. Paraman Radhakrishnan, 53, was charged with terrorizing, a Class C felony, after authorities responded at about 5 a.m. Saturday to the airport, where an employee told them Radhakrishnan said there was a bomb in his bag after being told he would not be able to board his flight. But sitting in the living room of Grand Forks real estate agent Jack Wadhawan, he said the story is one of tired, frustrated people having a misunderstood conversation. It was just a bad day for an upset passenger and a stressed airport employee, Radhakrishnan said. Radhakrishnan is an energy efficiency consultant from Vadodara, India. He said he spent last week in Roseau, Minn., working with Polaris. He and his colleagues left Roseau at about midnight Saturday to reach Grand Forks for their flight. He said he got his ticket, checked his bag and moved through the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint without incident. At the gate, Radhakrishnan said he and other passengers were informed the flight, Delta flight 4803 operated by SkyWest Airlines, was overbooked and that they would have to drive to Minneapolis to catch their connecting flight back to India. The flight departed and landed on-time in Minneapolis, despite the incident. Airline officials told said they were made aware of the incident after the plane had departed and the decision whether or not to ground the plane was left up to federal and local law enforcement. Radhakrishnan said he was offered a flight voucher by Delta, and a rental car to drive to the airport. When he requested his bag, he was told it would be waiting for him in Minneapolis and was already on the plane, which was departing. He told the Herald he was shocked that the bag had not been removed, because in international travel, bags are removed from flights if the passenger is not on board. Radhakrishnan said he was upset and told the ticketing agent that it was a security violation. I said, What if there was a bomb in the bag? Radhakrishnan said. According to a court affidavit, an airport employee told police Radhakrishnan said There is a bomb in the bag after he became upset that he could not retrieve the luggage. The situation did not immediately escalate, he said, rather the employee said something to another worker and he was under the impression that he was still receiving a travel voucher. Instead, about 15 minutes later, he was under arrest. It was just bad communication, he said. Minutes later, the bomb squad showed up and he was in the back seat of a police cruiser. Radhakrishnan said he was treated well by police and later by jail staff. When Wadhawan, who was born in India and came to Grand Forks 24 years ago, saw news of Radhakrishnans arrest he said he knew immediately that Radhakrishnan was not a threat to society. He believes the ticketing agent overreacted because of Radhakrishnans ethnicity and accent. Requests for comment from airport officials were not returned Tuesday. Wadhawan had never met Radhakrishnan, yet he felt obliged to attend his court hearing Monday, and subsequently bail him out of the jail, where the energy efficiency specialist had spent two days. On Tuesday, he wore one of Wadhawans suits and was beginning what could be a long stay in his new friends home. For now, Radhakrishnan is required to stay in North Dakota while the case is resolved. His next court date is scheduled for March 6. The businessman has a wife and daughter in India, where news of his arrest has become a major news story. Wadhawan said he will remain by Radhakrishnans side until his name is cleared. By Azernews By Amina Nazarli The establishment of British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus embarks a new milestone in development of the scientific-humanitarian, as well as cultural interaction between Azerbaijan and the UK. This Foundation was established to provide transparent and fair support in an effort to ensure sustainability, success, viability and international academic level of the entire work carried out in the UK in the fields of culture and science in relation to Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. The British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus held its solemn presentation ceremony at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, founded in 1852, to announce about the scope of its activities to the British and Azerbaijani public. This important event dedicated to Azerbaijan was for the first time held in the prestigious temple of art as the Victoria and Albert Museum with the support of local British scientific and cultural circles. The solemn evening, which will go down in history of Azerbaijani science and culture, welcomed many honored guests, prominent figures of science and culture, political and public figures, who warmly interacted with each other and talked about the joint activities to further the implementation of the Foundations goals. The event was also attended by influential members of the scientific academic community of the UK, and people representing the Government and the Parliament of Great Britain, such as Baroness Nicholson, who serves as the Prime Ministers Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Members of the House of Lords of the British Parliament, Lord Malcolm Bruce and Lord Michael German. Special guests attending the event from Azerbaijan included President of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), Professor Akif Alizade, Academician of ANAS, Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Professor Vasim Mammadaliyev, Chairman of Azerbaijan Writers Union, People's Writer Anar Rzayev, Director of the National Museum of History, academician Naila Velikhanli, Director of Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society, People's Artist Murad Adigozalzade, as well as businessmen and Azerbaijanis living in the UK. The chairman of the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, head of the Baku branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University, corresponding member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, head of Nizami Ganjavi Center at the Oxford University, co-chairman of the England-Azerbaijan Society, Professor Nargiz Pashayeva, addressed the opening ceremony and welcomed the guests. Dear guests, I am happy to see you all here. Today we celebrate the launch of our Foundation. We have come a long way. Our foundation, our work, our initiative is not just short-term formal work. We have been part of Oxford University for almost four years. The Nizami Ganjavi Programme represents Azerbaijan at Oxford University. This Programme is not just an exchange project between two universities. We have created a new academic structure, which is a full part of Oxford University. We are part of the universitys full academic process. Our work at Oxford University is the first stable and serious contact between the university and Azerbaijan. Our main goal is to become part of Oxford University forever. We want to be part of world intellectual community. We understand that it is not an easy path. We understand our challenges. But thanks to the support of our colleagues at Oxford University we have already made important first steps. Nargiz Pashayeva noted the special role of Azerbaijan in the formation of democratic values in the East and its contribution to the world cultural heritage. The United Kingdom is a great country with strong traditions and great history. My country, Azerbaijan, also has many things to be proud of. In the Muslim world, the first parliamentary democratic republic was created in Azerbaijan in 1918. All citizens of independent Azerbaijan were equal in 1918. No nationality or religion mattered. The first university was created. The Parliament had many parties. Men and women had same rights in it. In November 1919 the press was freed from censure. Sixty newspapers and magazines were published. Satirical magazines with caricatures mocked religious fanaticism. First professional mugham opera in the East, first secular girls school, new genres of Azerbaijani literature, performance art and theater were created. The ancient eastern city became home to European architecture. This way Baku became the city that united East and West. In December of 1918 the tricolored flag of Azerbaijan was permanently raised on top of the parliament building in Baku. This was the order of British general Thomson - governor of Baku then. Yes, Azerbaijan is my motherland. I love her and can speak about her much longer. Today, independence is Azerbaijans biggest gain. Azerbaijani culture is important for the world culture in general. It includes Turkish and Persian worlds with many European and Russian elements. Great poets like Nasimi, Fizuli and famous Shakh Ismayil Khatai wrote in Azeri. The legendary hero Dede Gorgud also sang his ballads in Azeri dialect of Turkic languages. It is a great honor that the first event of our foundation is in Victoria and Albert museum. The British crown has collected and valued all world cultures; past and present. The Shaykh Safi carpet from south Azerbaijan and other unique pieces of Islamic world are open to the world here. They are also kept safe for the future generations. The golden ages of Islam gave the world great heritage. Sadly, today, we dont always see the great and beautiful traditions of the East. It is important that Islam gets its great image back. I think that openness between universities and honesty of real scholars will prevent many humanitarian catastrophes. This is how people were saved during the Great Terror, and the Cold War. Imagine that the dance of twist and love for jazz were dangerous then in Soviet Union. The ideological stamp had blocked information of Soviet and Azerbaijani scholars and they had to use fake methodology. Nevertheless, real scholars were at work. They say it is better late than never. Our work today is for future generations. I hope this British foundation will succeed in this mission. What have we done until today? With Oxford University we have finished two archaeological seasons. We have five students: Masters and Doctors, two conferences and very important work English translation of famous Russian orientalist Yevgeniy Bertelss book: The Great Azerbaijani Poet, Nizami. We will soon have the presentation of this book. The name of our foundation includes the Caucasus region. Caucasus is a multicultural and multiethnic region. We want to bring together all we know about the Caucasus and expand its study at Oxford University together with our colleagues. I hope one day the study of the history of all Azeris, south and north, 40 million Azeris of the world, will be based on real and objective academic work. All of this will be possible thanks to most people present here. Concluding her speech, the chairman of the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, Professor Nargiz Pashayeva said: First of all I would like to thank our trustees: Lord Malcolm Bruce, Professor Robert Hoyland, Professor Robert Gleave and Professor Andrew Peacock. All my colleagues at Oxford University, especially, director of Nizami Ganjavi Centre at Oxford, Professor Edmund Herzig. I would like to thank Mr Iskandar Khalilov for his first financial support of the Oxford Nizami Ganjavi Centre. This year we will celebrate 20th anniversary of Anglo-Azerbaijan society in UK. My colleague, the co-chairman of the society Lord Mike German is here thank you for coming. I would like to thank our guests from Baku, Naila khanim, Anar muellim, Akif muellim, Vasim muellim, Mr. Gordon Birrell and business groups from Azerbaijan. Also, everyone who helped in the organization of this event. I got letters from British Ambassador in Azerbaijan Dr. Crofts, director of British Council Azerbaijan Ms White and head of BP Mr. Dudley thank you for your attention. I would like to thank the colleagues from the Moscow State University and Baku State University, my students who always support me. I would also like to thank all Azeris who dont know us personally, but still support us. Nothing is possible without you all. University is my second home since 1978. For me nothing is better. On this happy day, please let me thank two very precious people in my life: my grandmother Govher khanum and my grandfather famous journalist Nasir Imanguliyev. I learned from her: power of a song is not loudness. My grandfather was my best support. He gave me confidence and faith in others. Thank you so much for your attention and enjoy the evening! Taking the floor, Professor of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University, Head of Nizami Ganjavi Center at Oxford University from the British side, Edmund Herzig in his speech stressed the importance of an in-depth study of Azerbaijan and Caucasus in the academic circles of Britain. He voiced his biggest regret over scanty research into internally diverse and rich region, as well as the country like Azerbaijan and its culture, the country closely linked with neighboring countries. Topics on Azerbaijan were usually developed in summary and in scanty format in the UK academic community, he said. In the study of this part of the world a lot of attention should be paid to relations with various countries. For example, while studying Great Silk Road project it can be seen that the Silk Road passes through Azerbaijan. These researches, an in-depth study in the broader context of relations of different countries with each other, have extremely great importance in an increasingly globalizing world. In turn, Founder of the British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus from the British side, Lord Malcolm Bruce, stressed that the tolerance in Azerbaijan can be an example for many countries. One of the most attractive features of Azerbaijan is that for centuries this country exists as a noble and secular society. At the same time, religious tolerance and tolerance are among the factors that characterize this country. In the current troubled war, Azerbaijan's experience deserves significant approval and I hope that the academic work carried out in this area will play an important role in the promotion of global experience in this country, he said. Head of Nizami Ganjavi Center at Oxford University from the British side, a professor of Oxford and New York Universities Robert Hoyland also noted the importance of the event. First of all, I would like to express my special appreciation to Professor Nargiz Pashayeva. Our first meeting with her took place in 2013, he said. Providing comprehensive aid to young students with both financial and intellectual point of view is one of goals and ideas unifying us. This first initiative gradually led us to wider horizons, resulted at opening of the Research Center named after Nizami Ganjavi at Oxford University. Various scientific works were translated from Azerbaijani and Russian languages ??into English, which allowed to create greater opportunities for students. In turn, eminent quests to the event shared their impressions about the solemn presentation of British Foundation for the Study of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus, voicing their confidence in its success. Lord Michael Herman noted that the magic of Azerbaijan lies in the fact that many do not know this country, adding that this is a wonderful region, which combines East and West, North and South, and made a unique contribution to the development of humanity, its culture and heritage. Azerbaijan absorbed all the best historical path of human development. Therefore it is very important to know about this country, learn its history, culture and contribution to the development of world civilization. The creation of the British Foundation is a cultural and historical necessity to inform the world community about the true value of Azerbaijan for all mankind, he said. Naila Velikhanli, for her part, noted the importance of the establishment of cultural bridge between Azerbaijan and Great Britain, the expansion of scientific activity between the museums of the two countries. "The participation of world-renowned scientists in this event shows how much attention is focused on this truly momentous historical event, arouses great interest among the workers of culture and science, and will surely make its significant contribution to the development of our relations," she said. By Azernews By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry refuted reports spread by Armenia on active military clashes on contact line of troops on February 1. "Armenia's accusation of the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces of provocations allegedly committed on the contact line of troops on February 1 and losses suffered are a lie," the Defense Ministry said on February 2. The ministry reiterated that no active military clashes happened on the front line. Elnur Huseynzade, who was mentioned in the reports spread by Armenia, has regularly violated military discipline during his military service, didn't show up for service, therefore was discharged from the Armed Forces and currently is out of the military service. Earlier, Armenian armed forces spread reports, claiming about captivation of a 22-year old soldier of Azerbaijani Army. The ministry also said that the Armenian military units again violated the ceasefire on the contact line on February 1 by using automatic firearms and grenade launchers. Azerbaijani Sergeant Rauf Isayev got a bullet wound while preventing the provocation staged by the Armenian side, said the Defense Ministry. After emergency medical aid, Isayevs condition is stable and there is no threat to his life. Necessary retaliatory measures will be taken to suppress such actions of Armenia, said the Defense Ministry. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Prime minister of Georgia's Adjaria Autonomous Republic visited Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan AR for talks on further development of relations between the two state subjects. Zurab Pataradze met with chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan AR Vasif Talibov who highlighted the history of ties between the two countries, Azertac reported. Today, Batumi State University and Nakhchivan State University successfully cooperate. There was great potential for developing relations in the field of health, said Talibov. He also spoke of the direct Nakhchivan-Batumi bus route. This bus route will further foster relations between the two friendly autonomic republics, he added. Chairman Zurab Pataradze, in turn, highlighted developing ties between the two countries in various fields. Business relations and friendly ties unite Adjara AR and Nakhchivan AR. Reciprocal visits contribute to development of bonds, and our cooperation covers various spheres, he said. Azerbaijan`s Consul General in Batumi Rashad Ismayilov also attended the meeting. Relations between the cities of Nakhchivan and Batumi have been developing since the signing of a memorandum on cooperation. The bilateral relations are expanding in the fields of politics, economy and tourism Georgia and Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations in 1992. The countries are actively cooperating in trade, transport and energy spheres. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia amounted to $244.58 million in January-September 2016, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. Georgia with $221.83 million (3.39 percent of the total volume of Azerbaijani export) ranks the ninth in the list of main importers from Azerbaijan. By Azernews Trend Agencys interview with Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov Question: Foreign Minister of Armenia once again spoke with lies and slanders against Azerbaijan at a press conference yesterday. How would you comment on that? Answer: Armenian foreign ministers statements are out of diplomatic ethics and distort the essence of the negotiations process. His contemptuous and insulting statements are also contradictory. These warmongering and aggressive statements are only aimed at the consumption of internal auditorium. In his groundless accusations and slanders there is no positive attitude in regard with ensuring peace in the region, future development of the region, as well as the perspectives of conflict settlement. These emotional and destructive statements are out of any reasonable logic and serve for the escalation of the situation in a deliberate manner and consequently, the attempts of undermining the negotiations. With such destructive view and behavior inherent to the political leadership of Armenia, it seems very difficult to ensure the sustainable peace in the region and to achieve the settlement of the conflict. The people of Armenia and the international community have to give proper assessment to such actions of the leadership of Armenia and draw necessary conclusions. Q.: Foreign Minister of Armenia also distorts the issues related to incident investigation mechanism, the OSCE office in Yerevan, A. Lapshin case and other matters. Although he has broken the meeting at the ministerial in 2+3 format in the framework of OSCE meeting in Hamburg, Edward Nalbandian now claims that the meeting in Hamburg took place at the level of co-chairs. A.: The well-substantiated position of Azerbaijan on the incident investigation mechanism, the OSCE office in Yerevan and the case of A. Lapshin has been repeatedly brought to the attention of international community. Armenia intentionally attempts to make these issues the object of political speculations. Presenting the farewell dinner organized for James Warlick, the former co-chair from the United States in the framework of OSCE Ministerial in Hamburg as a meeting by Armenias foreign minister is the zenith of absurdity. Probably, foreign minister of Armenia by these means attempts to present himself as constructive. But you can draw conclusions yourselves. The Kuwait Ministry of Finance (MOF) has issued a ministerial resolution announcing that Deloitte & Touche, Al-Wazzan & Co in Kuwait has been certified with the ministry for the provision of Foreign Account Tax Compliance (FATCA) services. FATCA is a US legislation which aims to combat tax evasion by US persons and certain entities owned by US persons. The intent behind the law is for foreign financial institutions (FFIs) to identify and report any US persons that hold assets abroad to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). FATCA is the new reality and going forward non-compliance could result in penalties and the risk of severe reputational damage. A large majority of FFIs in Kuwait are already adhering to the FATCA requirements by complying with the local Intergovernmental Agreement due to the potential commercial, reputational and financial risks (e.g. withholding and regulatory penalties) of non-compliance. It is therefore advised for all financial institutions to become FATCA compliant as soon as possible, said Nauman Ahmed, Deloitte Middle East tax leader. We understand that the implementation of new and complex regulations can be a daunting challenge for many businesses, the first place to start is to understand the level of impact that FATCA will have on your business. The key to any successful regulation implementation program includes developing a strong governance framework that can identify the areas of the business that need changes and remediation and developing appropriate policies and procedures that allow for the transition of new compliance requirements into the business as usual, Alex Law, managing director of Deloittes International tax Services. The main FATCA services that institutions should be emphasising on at the moment include Entity classification, implementation support, customised training, policy and procedures drafting and reviews, reporting, and complete FATCA reviews and assurance on the Financial Institutions compliance with the FATCA requirements, he said. To guide businesses in Kuwait through this local and global tax reform, Deloitte has launched a new report Doing business guide understanding Kuwaits tax position available on the at http://bit.ly/2iZj9Et. The guide addresses the key tax considerations for doing business in Kuwait, alongside key legal, economic and market drivers which impact clients who are looking to invest in the country, or those who have been present there for some time, but are looking to undertake a review of their tax exposures, said Ihab Abbas, Partner, Tax, Deloitte & Touche, Al-Wazzan & Co. Kuwait. - TradeArabia News Service Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, today launched Liv., the UAEs first digital bank targeted at millennials. Liv. is aimed at providing a differentiated digital experience for a new generation of customers, empowering them in their daily lives, learning and adapting to their individual preferences, and providing a banking platform that is intuitive and simple to use, the bank said. Abdulla Qassem, group chief operating officer, Emirates NBD, said: We are proud to unveil Liv., the first digital banking proposition in the region targeting young adults. As against incrementally improving a traditional banking experience, Liv. has been conceived and built differently from the ground up, and seeks to become the bank of choice for them. This launch is also in line with the UAE Vision 2021 of establishing a smart economy driven by innovation. The new digital banking proposition, revealed at a press conference today, is also part of Emirates NBDs planned investment of Dh500 million ($136.13 million) towards digital innovation and multichannel transformation over the next three years. With this new launch, the bank further builds on its role as a leader in providing smart banking services in the UAE, said Suvo Sarkar, senior executive vice president and group head retail banking and wealth management, Emirates NBD. Liv. offers customers a unique experience that will allow them to access the finest lifestyle opportunities while enabling them to better manage their finances. Liv. aspires to be more than a bank for the millennial customer - one that will inform, advise and be their digital buddy and wingman, he said. The Liv. mobile app will allow customers to open their bank account instantly from their smartphones through simply scanning in their Emirates ID card. They can then deposit funds into their accounts immediately using any bank debit card they hold. Following this, customers can carry out routine transactions like local fund transfers and paying bills, free of any fees. Customers then become eligible to receive a Liv. debit card delivered to them, enabling ATM cash withdrawals and purchases at any outlet or online. The new proposition is designed to be mobile and social first with a strong emphasis on providing a fresh customer experience. Customers can access the Today feature in the app that displays a curated daily feed of whats happening new in town; selected deals on their individual preferred food options based on the time of day; and fitness trackers to manage their health regimen. The You section, expected to come on in the coming months, will provide them with a snapshot of their lifestyle activity, favored experiences -you only live once - whether they are concerts attended or adventures enjoyed, along with peer benchmarks. The Money feature will use real time analytics to provide customers with insights on their transactional history and spending patterns, as well as help track financial goals they have set up, helping to budget and manage their finances efficiently. Fund transfer instructions can be made easily through social media channels such as Facebook, Whatsapp and others, all carried out in a secure and trustworthy environment powered by Emirates NBDs technology infrastructure. Jayash Patel, head of Liv. said: Imagined, designed and developed by a team of millennials, Liv. combines the seemingly incongruent modules of banking and lifestyle to offer a fun, social and intelligent banking experience for a self-reliant and digital native generation. We hope to build a dynamic brand that will resonate with the values and aspirations of like-minded customers and capture their hearts. The new app partners with some of the most popular lifestyle brands in the region such as Zomato, Fetchr, Voucherskout and Careem. The beta version of the app will be made available to select customers in phases, starting next week on the Android operating platform followed by iOS. - TradeArabia News Service Abu Dhabi Executive Council has approved development projects worth Dh304 million ($83 million) as part of its plans to boost the infrastructure in the UAE capital, said a report. One of the major projects that has been given the go-ahead by the council is a Dh74-million preliminary and earthworks contract for the commercial enclave in Medinat Zayed, Abu Dhabi City, reported state news agency Wam. Saeed Eid Al Ghafli, the chairman of the executive committee at the Council, said the project will be built over an area of 1,500 hectares and is expected to accommodate 300,000 residents, in addition to 325,000 of business staff. At the council meeting, Al Ghafli also approved the infrastructure works for an intelligent transportation system in Al Ain at a cost of Dh114 million ($31 million), according to the report. The project aims to improve public safety on the main roads of Al Ain by using intelligent systems for early detection and response to accidents. This will help reduce congestion and subsequent delays, and also minimise emissions. The committee also approved the design and delivery of a project for issuing housing coupons in Al Qou area of Al Ain, said the Wam report. A key contract for the renovation and expansion of the existing central suq in Madinat Zayed area was also given the green signal besides the development of public parks in Abu Dhabi, it added. Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), a non-profit organisation whose mission is to represent, support and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai, recently honoured top performing small and medium enterprises (SME) exporters, said a report. The companies were recognised for demonstrating outstanding export performance during the last nine months of 2016 in a list of several categories, added the Wam report. The categories are as follows: company with the highest export value, company with the highest number of export markets, company with the highest number of Certificates of Origin issued, and recent start-up company that has reached the highest export value during a particular month, it said. Hisham Al Shirawi, second vice chairman, DCCI, presented certificate of recognition and an SME Exporter of the Month trophy. Representatives from the top-performing companies expressed their gratitude to DCCI for its support in encouraging healthy competition within the local business community, which ultimately benefits their companies. Oman's Ooredoo, a leading telecom company, has announced the promotion of Abdul Razzaq Al Balushi as the chief financial officer. He takes over from Jorgen Latte, who retired on February 1 as CFO. In his new post, Abdul Razzaq will have overall responsibility for managing the finance function, which will involve strategic finance, budgeting and planning, revenue assurance, business control, accounts and financial control, investor relations, procurement contracts and supply chain. He will also be responsible for developing strategies for sustainable value creation and also risk management in relation to setting and achieving organisational objectives, the company said. Abdul Razzaq formerly served as the companys deputy chief financial officer and has more than 25 years of experience working in a wide variety of managerial positions in corporate planning, strategy, finance, banking, and risk management. Prior to joining Ooredoo, he worked with Oman Trading International Operations in the UAE, HSBC, Oman LNG LLC, Oman Shipping Company and Aldersgate Partners. Abdul Razzaq is a graduate of Strathclyde University UK, and the College of Banking and Financial Studies Oman with a Masters of Business Administration. He is also a Certified Treasury & Finance Professional and holds Certificates in Accounts, Banking & Trade. His appointment reflects Ooredoos dedication to grow talent within the company and provide them with opportunities to thrive, the company siad. Through its Omanisation programme, Ooredoo has dedicated resources towards the recruitment, retention and development of talented Omanis to help fulfil their professional aspirations and contribute to the growth of the Sultanate. Today, Ooredoo has an Omanisation rate of over 90 per cent, with highly qualified and experienced Omanis working at every level within the company. - TradeArabia News Service Former Congressional candidate Chase Iron Eyes was among 76 people arrested Wednesday after Dakota Access Pipeline protesters tried to establish a new camp on private property located on the west side of N.D. Highway 1806 in southern Morton County. After failed negotiations with leaders of this new camp, law enforcement moved in around 3:30 p.m. and arrested people who refused to leave, according to the Morton County Sheriff's Department. The confrontation continued until about 4 p.m. The short-lived encampment, known as the "Last Child Camp," was composed of several teepees atop a hill across from the main Oceti Sakowin camp. According to a post from Dallas Goldtooth, a campaign organizer of the Indigenous Environmental Network, police told Oceti Sakowin camp security they would not be raiding that encampment on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land. To access the protest site, law enforcement briefly removed part of the barricade on the Backwater Bridge, but they replaced it after the standoff. Police said representatives of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe collected teepees left after the raid. Bureau of Indian Affairs officers also set up a roadblock at Cannon Ball to keep people from driving north during the raid. Joye Braun, a longtime protest organizer affiliated with IEN, said she was not sure exactly of the intentions of the camp. Unlike the "front line" or "treaty camp" from October, this was not atop the pipeline route. She suggested that since many there view the whole area as treaty land, they may have moved atop the hill across the road in the spirit of leaving the flood plain and setting up on higher ground. Braun, who was not atop the hill, said she believed people had been mostly prayerful there. Police are characterizing the group on the hill as a rogue faction, but Braun contends that's unlikely, given the number of arrests. "How can 76 people getting arrested be a faction?" she asked. Arrestees have been transported to jail across the state, including Morton County, Mercer County, Cass County, Stutsman County and Barnes County. As recently as Sunday, ongoing dialogue between all parties, including camp leaders from the various protester camps, resulted in agreements to start cleaning up the camps, to have protesters leave the area and for steps by law enforcement to help de-escalate the situation. Public safety, including that of residents and protesters alike, is our No. 1 priority, said Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier. What law enforcement calls an illegal action follows news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to grant the final easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross the Missouri River within the next few days, according to Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. In spite of the actions of this rogue group, we will strive to continue efforts on both sides to move forward and find common ground as steps are taken to ensure public safety and begin healing the relationships that are so important to the region and our state, Gov. Doug Burgum said. Meanwhile, activists from Camp of the Sacred Stones, Honor the Earth, the Indigenous Environmental Network and the International Indigenous Youth Council are maintaining that granting the easement would illegally circumvent the environmental impact statement process and allow the company to begin drilling immediately. The EIS was ordered by Jo-Ellen Darcy, the assistant secretary of the U.S. Army, on Dec. 4. On Jan. 14, the corps filed a notice of intent in the Federal Register to begin the scoping process for the study, for which a public comment period is currently open. "By attempting to approve this easement, the administration's actions reveal a blatant disregard for the rule of law and a clear interest in lining the pockets of Big Oil," Goldtooth said. "Now he (Trump) is working even harder to attack sovereign tribal nations and historic treaties. Come what may, we have drawn our line in the dirt. We are here to defend Mother Earth and our inherent rights as the first people of the land," he said. Bismarck Tribune reporter Caroline Grueskin contributed to this report. Arabian Automobiles Company, the exclusive dealer for Renault in Dubai, Sharjah, and the Northern Emirates, showcased the groundbreaking Renault ZOE at the just-concluded Emirates Electric Vehicle Road Trip. Road Trip (Emirates EVRT), a four-day event from January 29 to February 1, aimed to drive electric vehicle adoption and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable low-carbon future, said a statement. Emirates EVRT saw a convoy of over 10 electric vehicles covering 700km over the seven emirates, showcasing the best of electric vehicle technology and supporting the regions clean-tech innovations. The first-of-its-kind event served as an ideal platform for Arabian Automobiles Company, the flagship automotive division of AW Rostamani Group, to showcase Renault ZOE, the best-selling electric car in Europe, equipped with new generation of battery Z.E 40 that now delivers a record NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) driving range of 400 km equivalent to 300 km in urban or suburban areas, which is twice the distance delivered by the model at the time of its original launch, said a statement. This gives to Renault ZOE the longest driving range of any mass-market 100 per cent electric vehicle, it said. The new battery removes the final psychological barrier that stands in the way of buying an electric car since ZOE users can now travel further and enjoy a wider variety of driving situations without worry about charging, it said. Along with ZOE, test drives of the popular Renault Twizy and the 100 per cent commercial van Renault Kangoo Z.E were organized in Ras-Al Khaimah (Jan 29), Abu Dhabi (Jan 31) and Dubai Sustainable City (Feb 1). As the pioneer of all-electric mobility, Renault models will make up a large proportion of the 10,000 electric vehicles that are expected to be on UAE roads by 2020, the company said. TradeArabia News Service US President Donald Trump was within his sovereign rights when he issued Executive Orders to ban citizens from seven Muslim majority countries from getting entry visas to the United States, said UAEs Minister of Foreign Affairs. US President Donald Trump was within his sovereign rights when he issued Executive Orders to ban citizens from seven Muslim majority countries from getting entry visas to the United States, said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Sheikh Abdullah made those remarks while talking to reporters after the 4th session of the Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum, held in Abu Dhabi yesterday (February 1), reported Wam, the Emirates official news agency. "The impression that the order is targeted against certain group is not right, especially after the US Administration asserted that Muslims are not targeted by that order," Sheikh Abdullah said. He added that the majority of Muslim countries are not affected by that decision. "We have to consider that this ban is just temporary and the seven countries are facing many challenges that need to be addressed before resolving the issue with the US Administration," he said. The St. Regis Dubai has claimed the World's Leading New Hotel 2016 award at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final Gala Ceremony which took place at The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi in the Maldives. The 234-room St Regis Dubai opened in November 2015 as the luxury brands debut in Dubai. Located within Al Habtoor City on Sheikh Zayed Road along Dubai Water Canal, The St. Regis Dubai presents a bright and airy ambiance with impeccable detailing and luxurious touches offering the ultimate grace and sophistication. Guests of the hotel experience the renowned hallmarks of the luxury hospitality brand, including signature St. Regis Butler Service, providing anticipatory service and customisation 24-hours a day. Jason Harding, complex general manager of Al Habtoor City Hotel Collection, including The St. Regis Dubai, said: The World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. It is our great honour, and we are extremely proud, that The St. Regis Dubai has been recognised by industry leaders from all across the globe as the Worlds Leading New Hotel 2016. This is a wonderful achievement for the hotel team who work hard to deliver an experience beyond expectation for our valued guests. Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards are voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide and recognised as a world-class hallmark of quality. Each year World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective successes within each key geographical region. The Middle East series of the awards took place in September 2016 at The St. Regis Dubai with more than 400 leaders and decision makers from the hospitality and travel industry in attendance. The World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries, and international print and broadcast media. At the World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony 2016, The St Regis Dubai was named Middle Easts Leading New Hotel 2016 and Dubais Leading Hotel Suite 2016 in recognition of the hotels signature suite, Sir Winston Churchill Suite. The Sir Winston Churchill Suite, officially named Dubais Leading Hotel Suite 2016 is the crown jewel of the luxurious suite offering. Spread across 913 square metres, the impressive three-bedroom suite is the largest of the hotels 52 luxurious suites and even bigger than its 800-sq-m Astor Ballroom. Designed to meet the discerning eye of Sir Winston Churchill, the suite houses a collection of 15 paintings and art pieces from the Churchill archives, special courtesy of the Churchill Heritage. - TradeArabia News Service Make Valentines Day a week-long celebration from February 10 until February 16 with Jannah Burj Al Sarabs exclusive offers, bringing the most romantic city in the world to your hands Paris! Book a night-stay in one of the luxurious rooms or suites together with a loved one for a starting package rate of Dh499+++ ($135.8+++). The package includes a three-course Valentines dinner at The Dining Room and a complimentary access to Abu Dhabis gem, Happiness Island. The first 14 lucky guests to complete a booking will receive a Dh500 ($136) worth of 515 Clinic voucher for her. We truly enjoy Valentines Day at Jannah Burj Al Sarab and all of the romance that it brings, said Nehme Imad Darwiche, CEO of Jannah Hotels and Resorts. During Valentines Day, we pull out all the stops for our guests. We want Jannah Burj Al Sarab to be the ultimate romantic getaway. Surprise your loved one with a three-course dinner date at Jannah Burj Al Sarabs The Dining Room. The French-infused menu is composed of a hearty selection of Parisian dishes such as Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Ricotta and Asparagus, Veal and Spinach Ravioli in Ragout Jus, and Eton Mess with Raspberries prepared by Executive Chef Wafi Halimi to celebrate the occasion. Share a mutually enjoyed dessert and pair it with mocktails or sparkling grape juice. Executive chef Wafi Halimi said: Evenings at The Dining Room has a romantic atmosphere year around, and we really enjoy highlighting it even more for our guests on Valentines Day. Enjoy this all-inclusive dining offer for Dh199+++ ($54+++) per person. For more information or to book, call +971 2 555 2231 or email [email protected] Use the promo codes MyJannahValentine for room booking and ParisianValentine for dinner booking. Prices are subject to 10 per cent service charge, 6 per cent tourism fees and 4 per cent municipality fees. - TradeArabia News Service The TransGriot is available for speaking engagements, college lectures, panel discussions, media interviews, conferences or Trans 101 education efforts for your school, business or professional organizations. For local Houston area, Texas or national events, you can e-mail me at transgriot@yahoo.com For events outside the Houston metro area, I ask that my travel and lodging expenses be covered. This is separate from my speaking fee. If you are interested in having me appear as a speaker or panelist, you can e-mail me with the date and details of your proposed event. Please book as early as possible because my speaking and event calendar slots during the year rapidly fill up. So when they butt-stroked me to the head from an AK-47 and I was bleeding down the side of my face and they threw me back in the cell I could Describing herself as a longtime silent supporter of gay rights, Kim Riedlinger Wassim decided she couldnt sit on the sidelines any longer. She told North Dakota lawmakers her son, a valedictorian at a Bismarck high school and now a student at Georgetown University, is afraid of returning to his home state because he fears he may face discrimination. North Dakota needs educated young people to return to boost the states economy, she said, and a change in state law would help prompt them to do so. The world is changing, and North Dakota must change also, Riedlinger Wassim told the House Human Services Committee Wednesday. We must protect all our citizens Please stand on the right side of history. Lawmakers heard more than three hours worth of testimony on both sides of House Bill 1386, a bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, public services and credit transactions. It would add sexual orientation to a list of protected statuses already in state law, which includes religion, sex, race, age and national origin. Wednesdays hearing restarted a debate that has played out in recent sessions. In 2015, the bill passed the Senate but failed in the House, marking the third time in six years lawmakers voted down such legislation. But this is the first time the Legislature is hearing the proposal since the U.S. Supreme Court said the Constitution guaranteed gay couples the right to marry in June 2015. Proponents, which included church leaders, testified for about two and a half hours Wednesday morning, bringing personal stories of hardship and arguments that the legislation would help attract workers looking for a welcoming community. Opponents, however, said the bill would infringe on religious liberties and would strip local school districts of their ability to address gender identity issues. Civil rights categories should not be used to cover a particular groups sexual activities or perceptions, said Christopher Dodson, executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference. He added that the religious exemptions written into the bill were not adequate. Mark Jorritsma, executive director of the Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota, said the bill could force businesses to provide services and participate in events with which they disagree based on sincerely held beliefs. All North Dakotans should be free to live and work according to their beliefs, Jorritsma said. This bill could greatly harm that freedom. Linda Thorson, state director for the Concerned Women for America of North Dakota, said such legislation is part of a larger effort to alter Americas cultural values. She said its a step toward discriminating against people with traditional values. Rep. Joshua Boschee, D-Fargo, the states first openly gay lawmaker and the bills primary sponsor, shared complaints from 12 people that were made to the Department of Labor and Human Rights since June 2015. That included several who believed they were fired because of their sexual orientation. Boschees bill would allow the Department of Labor and Human Rights to investigate discrimination claims. Bernie Erickson, who, along with his husband, was among the plaintiffs who challenged North Dakotas ban on same-sex marriage, pushed back against arguments that some lawmakers dont discriminate against gay people. He showed the committee poster-sized screenshots of lawmakers social media posts, including one in which freshman Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, shared an article that included an image of a swastika over a rainbow flag. She later took down that article and claimed she posted it on accident. Two staffers in the Senate said Myrdal would not talk to a Forum News Service reporter Wednesday. Erickson also brought up Republican Rep. Dwight Kieferts 2015 Facebook post in which he said the legalization of gay marriage was a great victory for the METALLY (sic) ILL. Kiefert is a member of the Human Services Committee and was in the room for Ericksons testimony. Asked for comment during a break in the hearing, Kiefert simply said, Do the research. He declined to comment further. Being gay is not a character flaw nor a debilitating condition, but these lawmakers send this message over and over again that thats their opinion, Erickson said. The committee didnt take immediate action on the bill. County pioneers meet Feb. 5 The Natrona County Pioneer Association will conduct its Winter Quarterly luncheon meeting at 12:30 p.m., on Sunday, Feb. 5, at the Senior Center, 1831 East 4th Street. The luncheon cost will be $5 for those 60 years old and older. The speaker will be author Don Merback. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Contact Vaughn Cronin at 315-4659 for more information. Super Bowl party at the Elks Lodge Super Bowl Sunday at the Casper Elks Lodge. Bar opens at 2 p.m., beer and drinks specials, raffles and door prizes. This is going to be a potluck, so take a favorite snack to share with everyone. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839. Casper Charla begins Would you like to practice conversational Spanish or help others learn? Come and join the Casper Charla! Te gustaria platicar en espanol? Ven y charla con nosotros! Todos son bienvenidos! Come and join us on the second Wednesday of each month this spring. We meet at a different restaurant each month and partake in food, drink and conversation. All levels of Spanish are welcome, from beginning to native-speakers. Nos reunimos los miercoles en varios restaurantes en Casper. Ven por una copa, un antojito o simplemente una charlita. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 5-7 p.m.: El Toro; Wednesday, March 8, 5-7 p.m.: Guadalajara; Wednesday, April 12, 5-7 p.m.: La Costa; Wednesday, May 10, 5-7 p.m.: La Cocina. Beekeepers meet Natrona County Beekeepers Association will meet at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 9, in the basement of the College Heights Baptist Church, 600 West 21st Street. This group is for those thinking about becoming a beekeeper or those who already have hives. A group order to purchase bees is in the works. Coin club meets The Casper Coin Club will meet at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in the Crawford Room of the downtown library. There will be a talk on three-cent coins. Call Al Leske at 237-1156 for more information. Freedom Fund lunch During the civil rights era of the 1950s and 60s, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hosted Freedom Fund banquets to raise money for legal aid for folks who had been arrested while attempting to register to vote and fighting for their civil rights. Following that tradition, the Casper Branch of the NAACP is hosting its annual Freedom Fund luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Sat., Feb. 11, at the Parkway Plaza, 123 East E St. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Henry Allen, past president of Colorado Springs Branch NAACP, and current president, Pikes Peak Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will address the topic, America 2017 through the Eyes of Martin Luther King, Jr. Allen served 24 years in the U.S. Army and worked as a sheriff until his retirement. NAACP members and the general public are invited to attend the luncheon. Tickets cost $30 (checks made to Casper NAACP) with lunch choices: salmon, strip steak au jus, or vegetarian pasta. To make reservations, call Joanne Tanner at 234-6266 by Feb. 6. Woman as president forum topic Why its Harder for a Woman to Become a President than a Prime Minister is the subject Dr. Stephanie Anderson will address at the next Democratic Womens Forum on Saturday, Feb. 11. Her talk will follow the noon buffet luncheon at the Ramkota Hotel dining room. An associate professor of political science at the University of Wyoming, Dr. Anderson has wide experience in international relations, having studied in various foreign countries, as well as focusing her research on the European Union (EU) as an international actor. Democratic Forums are open to all persons interested regardless of gender. Luncheons are $15 per person, including tax and gratuity. Reservations are requested by calling Jerre at 234-8625 by Thursday (Feb. 9) prior to the meeting. Elks Sweetheart Ball Sweetheart Ball Dinner and Dance in the Casper Elks Lodge Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 11. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. in the ballroom. Menu options are prime rib, $25; crab legs, $35, or $55 for both. Price includes a $5 drink ticket. We will have a theatre production with a pirate theme. This play is not age appropriate for children. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839 or 237-2432. Father Daughter Dance at the Elks The annual Father Daughter Dinner and Dance at the Casper Elks Lodge is Feb. 25. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Music by Good Times Only. If you dont have a daughter, borrow one and come down for dinner, dancing and door prizes and get your picture taken. Ticket prices are fathers, $10; daughters ages 14 and up, $9; ages 8 to 13, $8, and ages 7 and under are free. For more information, call 234-4839. NARFE has social Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a no-host Social Meeting at noon on Feb. 28, in the meeting room at the Casper Senior Center at 1831 East 4th Street. Mardi Gras Bingo Mardi Gras Bingo, sponsored by Reveille Rotary of Casper, is 6 to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Casper Senior Center, 1831 E. 4th Street. Enjoy Bingo fun for the whole family. Tickets are $20 for two Bingo cards. There will be eight $25 games, nine $50 games, one $250 game and one $500 game. Concessions will be available (including homemade slices of pie). Proceeds benefit Wyoming Dementia Care. Tickets can be purchased from any Reveille Rotary member or at First Interstate Bank Downtown. Scholarship notice The Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Central Wyoming Section offers up to four $2,500 scholarships, the Coates, Wolff, Russell, and Swank Memorial scholarships. 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 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 Applebees The Casper German Stammtisch is meeting weekly on Thursdays at Applebees 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. Friday Melrose music Melrose Coffee House features the Barb Atkinson, Todd Scott and Bob Sellers Trio from 7 to 10 p.m., Friday at 1511 S. Melrose. As always, the event is free, the coffee and desserts are very reasonable and the hope is that the band is tipped generously. Its a wonderful and mellow crowd to hang with and guest musicians often appear. Senior Stompers meet Monday mornings Free only for Seniors 60+ who like to have fun, love music and like to dance, tapping and stomping to the beat. Join Joyces Senior Stompers on Monday mornings at 10:50 a.m. and exercise your mind and body. Call Joyce for more information 237-4908. Apply for Mrs. Casper The Mrs. Wyoming Pageant is seeking applicants for the title of Mrs. Casper. Once selected, the successful applicant will advance to represent her community in the 2017 Mrs. Wyoming Pageant to be held on May 6 in Cheyenne. Local titleholders will compete to win a prize package valued at over $8,000 including an all expense paid trip to the national Mrs. America Pageant. Applicants must be at least 18 years old (no age limit), married at the time of competition and a Wyoming resident, no performing talent required. Celebrating its 41st year, the Mrs. America pageant is the only competition to recognize Americas married woman. To request the official application or for information, call Sheree Cooke, Wyomings state director, at 720-549-0440 or visit www.mrswyomingamerica.com. New member exhibit to run through Feb. 25 The Art 321/Casper Artists Guild, 321 W. Midwest, February Exhibit features the guilds newest members (three years as members or less). The New Members Exhibit will give the community a chance to get to know some new artists who may be exhibiting for the first time, as well as many already seasoned artists who have become new members of our organization. The exhibit will hang from Feb. 2 to Feb. 25. Art321/Casper Artists Guild is a non-profit organization that offers many art opportunities and experiences for the citizens of Casper and surrounding communities, offering exhibits, classes, workshops and the chance to meet fellow artists and art lovers. Please visit the gallery and see what becoming involved as a member has to offer. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 265-2655. All Media class begins The new eight-week session of All Media classes will start from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Casper Recreation Center, taught by local artist, Michele McDonald. Have fun exploring a variety of art mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, collage or oil. The class for all levels begins with a critique and feedback session and is followed by creative tips from McDonald. Gain inspiration from the other artists in the class. For registration fees and more information, visit the website www.activecasper.com, stop by the Casper Recreation Center at 1801 E. 4th St., or call 235-8383. Learn crochet and knitting Learn a new portable life skill at the Casper Recreation Centers Crochet & Knitting classes beginning Feb. 7. Join Nancy Pawlowski and learn the basics of Crochet or Knitting in the five-week class that meets Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 pm. Crochet or knit a scarf or hat for the windy Wyoming weather. A supply list is available at registration, but there will be supplies to use the first night. For registration fees and more information, stop by the Casper Recreation Center at 1801 E. 4th St., call 235-8383 or visit the website www.activecasper.com. Acclaimed organist presents hymn festival The Wyoming Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present acclaimed organist/composer Robert Hobby in A Festival Of Hymns at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the First United Methodist Church of Casper. The audience will become the choir and sing hymns to the creative accompaniment of Hobby, and he also will play solo organ works. A free will offering will be accepted. A representation of his writing for organ, choral, and instrumental forces can be found on Thine Is the Glory, a recording produced by MorningStar Publishers. His music is currently present in four hymnals. For information, call 265-1564. Craftastic Saturday The Natrona County Library will host an adult crafting program at 2 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 4. Participants will use a wood burning pen along with a variety of stencils and transfer tools to create a work of art. All supplies provided, including a wood block for each participant. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. A bill that would have directed the Bureau of Land Management to sell about 694,000 acres of land in Wyoming died Thursday. U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah had introduced the bill in late January. It called for the country to divest of about 3.3 million acres of public land managed by the BLM. After an uproar by sportsmens groups and conservation organizations, he posted his decision to remove the bill late Wednesday night on his Facebook page. I am withdrawing HR 621. Im a proud gun owner, hunter and love our public lands. The bill would have disposed of small parcels of lands Pres. Clinton identified as serving no public purpose but groups I support and care about fear it sends the wrong message. The bill was originally introduced several years ago. I look forward to working with you. I hear you and HR 621 dies tomorrow, he wrote above a picture of himself in camouflage. Sportsmens groups have protested the sale or transfer of public land across the West. A recent rally in Helena, Montana, brought more than 1,000 people. A Wednesday gathering in Sante Fe, New Mexico, drew hundreds, as did a November rally in Casper. Representative Chaffetz should never have introduced this ill-conceived bill, but the instant and overwhelming response by sportsmen and women forced him to listen and ultimately abandon H.R. 621, which would have seized millions of acres of public lands, said Backcountry Hunters and Anglers President and CEO Land Tawney in a news release. His fellow lawmakers should take note of the ire and rapid response by hunters and anglers. We arent going away. Chaffetz added in a letter to Utah Rep. Rob Bishop, chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, that he is sensitive to the perceptions this bill creates in the current environment. The National Wildlife Federation also applauded the decision to withdraw the bill. The organizations sportsmens campaign manager, Aaron Kindle, said: American sportsmen and women know definitively that public lands are the backbone of our sporting traditions. That why sportsmen from across the land flooded Congressman Chaffetzs office with calls and emails over the last week demanding that he not pursue HR 621. Chaffetz is still pursuing another bill called HR 622, the Local Enforcement for Local Lands Act, which would remove all BLM and U.S. Forest Service law enforcement, instead directing local law enforcement agencies such as sheriffs offices to patrol the lands. More than 27 million acres of land in Wyoming is managed by the Forest Service or BLM. Its time to get rid of the BLM and US Forest Service police, he wrote on his website. If there is a problem your local sheriff is the first and best line of defense. By restoring local control in law enforcement, we enable federal agencies and county sheriffs to each focus on their respective core missions. Tawney and other sportsmens groups are calling for him to remove that bill as well, saying it cuts hundreds of critical law enforcement jobs. Our law enforcement officers are on the front lines of conservation and already do more with less. Lets give them the resources they need to do their jobs, Tawney said. More than half of westerners oppose transferring public lands to states, according to the seventh annual Colorado College State of the Rockies Conservation of the West Poll. Attempts to create bills addressing transfer of public lands in Wyoming have also been met with opposition. A bill that would have amended the Wyoming Constitution to determine how public lands would be managed under state control died in the Wyoming Legislature earlier this session. Another bill addressing federal land transfer, HB 293, is expected to die before reaching a committee. Lawmakers want to appropriate $20 million to encourage early retirement among public school teachers under a bill filed Wednesday, a measure that would also keep special education and transportation funding at a relatively consistent level. Senate File 165 is the latest in a wave of bills filed in the Legislature to address the states education funding crisis. It would reduce salaries for administrators, including principals, and would have lawmakers study district consolidation in the coming months. The bill would also strip away large parts of the excess funding that the Legislature has been providing to public schools, said Sen. Drew Perkins, one of the co-sponsors. He said the first year of cuts under the bill would be roughly $32 million. That starts to snuggle up against that line of the cost-based model, Perkins said, referring to the level of funding the state must provide for schools. Then the next thing (the bill) does, we will go to re-calibration. Re-calibration takes places every five years, and the process dictates what areas of education will be funded and for how much. But Perkins stressed that the money comes in a block grant, so districts have some leniency on how they use their money. Many of the cuts detailed in the bill would be phased in over the next two to three school years, Perkins said, for a total of around $70 million to $80 million. Proposed changes to special education and transportation funding are milder than similar provisions in other bills, he said. The bill would average the money districts received for both special education and transportation in the past three years, including the current one, and give schools those amounts for the next two years. To buy a new school bus, school districts would have to apply to the state Department of Education, which would determine if the district had an emergency need for a new bus. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, and co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Bruce Burns, Hank Coe, Dan Dockstader, Ogden Driskill, Stephan Pappas and Perkins. Its one of several Senate bills to address the crisis. Perkins explained that while the omnibus bill, a wide-ranging bill that would dip into savings while instituting cuts, may be more comprehensive, it didnt necessarily represent what senators saw as the path forward to solving the situation. You dont want to come out of this session with nothing, he said. There are similarities between the omnibus bill and the SF 165. Both target salaries: SF165 would cut base pay for district administrators by 5 percent and for principals and assistant principals by 2.5 percent in the 2017-2018 school year. District administrators salaries will then be cut by an additional 5 percent in the following school year. The bill would also cut instructional facilitators, another familiar target for legislators as they have grappled with the education funding crisis. The bill would mandate schools operate for at least 180 days in the coming two school years. Teachers would have five student-free days for professional development. Other bills have proposed cutting schools days of operation from 185 to 180, sacrificing the five development days, a suggestion some superintendents have met with alarm. The bill would also appropriate $20 million from the main school funding account to the state Department of Education to offer early retirement to teachers who are within five years of retiring. The money would be given to districts on a first-come, first-served basis to pay the cost associated with providing early retirement to a teacher. No position left open by an early retiree would be filled by a replacement with more than five years experience, and any teacher who retires would not be eligible to be rehired to a public school position in Wyoming within five years of leaving. The bill would also direct the Joint Education Interim Committee to recalibrate a cost-based amount of funding for special education and transportation, to be given to districts as part of their block grant. The exact fiscal savings of these measures is unclear; a note attached to the bill from the Legislative Service Office says that additional fiscal or personnel impact is not determinable due to insufficient time to complete the fiscal note process. On top of studying those areas, the bill would have lawmakers review and develop a plan to consolidate the states 48 school districts, with the goal of sponsoring legislation the committee deems necessary for consideration during the 2019 general session. Consolidation has been considered in the past: It was included in a white paper report of options to address the crisis. Under that plan, each county would have one district, which would save an estimated $7.5 million annually. Coe, R-Cody, and other lawmakers have stressed in the past that such a move would consolidate administrative duties and would not mean school closure. A bill banning discrimination in employment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people was approved Wednesday on a 4-1 vote by the Wyoming Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee. Senate File 153 would make it illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee based on the employees sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill also provides exceptions for religious organizations and does not address housing or public accommodation. We do have this type of discrimination taking place in the workforce, said Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, the lead sponsor of the bill. Rothfuss said the legislation is similar to what was produced two years ago. We think its a good common-sense solution that reflects Wyoming values of fairness, said Sara Burlingame, the education and outreach coordinator for Wyoming Equality, a local LGBT rights organization. However, a number of people spoke against the bill, with nearly all citing religious beliefs. Shaun Sells, the pastor of Calvary Chapel in Cheyenne, said he was concerned about how the bill would affect businesses operated by people who dont agree with homosexuality. Deacon Mike Leman of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne was also against the bill, expressing similar concerns. I think theres a tremendous amount of healing that needs to take place on both sides, he said. We dont believe this new law will help enable that. Darin Smith, a former candidate for Wyomings U.S. House seat, said he felt that LGBT people are already protected in Wyoming. This bill is actually a Trojan horse to legislate morality, he said. Robin Godspeed, who said she is an ex-lesbian, also spoke against the bill. She said religious beliefs helped her change and that sexual orientation is a choice. Others compared the bill to discriminating against smokers or against teenagers because of their age and said allowing the law could lead to people marrying animals. There was little discussion among committee members. Rothfuss and Sens. Hank Coe, R-Cody; Drew Perkins, R-Casper; and Michael Von Flatern, R-Gillette, voted in favor. Sen. James Anderson, R-Casper, voted against. Rothfuss, Coe, Perkins and VonFlatern are sponsors of the bill, along with Sen. Stephan Pappas, R-Cheyenne, and Reps. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette; Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie; Dan Furphy, R-Laramie; Mike Madden, R-Buffalo; Charles Pelkey, D-Laramie; and Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne. If approved by the Senate, the bill will go to the House of Representatives for consideration. Past attempts at such bills have not been successful in Wyoming. In 2015, an employment anti-discrimination bill overwhelmingly passed the Senate, but failed in the House on a 33-26 vote. Twenty states, including Utah and Colorado, have LGBT employment discrimination protections that cover sexual orientation and gender identity, and two additional states cover just sexual orientation. In Wyoming, Laramie is the only city with an anti-discrimination ordinance, which also covers housing and public accommodation. Cheyenne, Jackson, Gillette and Douglas have passed resolutions supporting anti-discrimination. CHEYENNE A group of lawmakers killed a bill Tuesday that would have penalized utilities for providing Wyoming customers with electricity from wind or solar energy. Senate File 71 stated six energy resources could create electricity without being fined, including natural gas, coal and hydropower. Utilities that used wind or solar would have had to pay $10 per megawatt hour to the state. The bills sponsors said it was a challenge to renewable energy standards, such as one in California that has a goal of using 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. But the bill fell flat in the Senate Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee on Tuesday, where no lawmakers made a motion to advance the bill to the Senate floor, committee chairman Sen. Cale Case said. Many people offered testimony to the committee about SF71, said Case, a Republican from Lander. Honestly, almost everybody was against it, he said. The utilities sort of thought it had merits but it wasnt ready. They werent totally supportive. People who testified at the meeting didnt believe the bill was workable and difficult to implement and regulate, said Shannon Anderson, an attorney with the Sheridan-based Powder River Basin Resource Council, a landowner group that opposed SF71. Citizens from across the state discussed their support of renewable energy, she said. Case, the committee chairman, said he will suggest to legislative leaders that the committee study the issue of energy mandates in the interim period between the 2017 and 2018 sessions. It fits because we did electricity in the last interim, he said. Its complicated, and were developing the committee expertise, and we have a lot of new members. Rep. Tyler Lindholm, a Sundance Republican who was one of the sponsors of SF71, said the bill generated good discussion. Maybe some people are doing some introspection now that energy mandates are silly, he said. Honestly, almost everybody was against it. - Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, chairman of the Senate Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Commitee Lawmakers in the Wyoming House on Thursday advanced a bill to create a supercommittee to study solutions to the looming education funding crisis. The measure, House Bill 225, would direct legislative leadership to create a group of 14 lawmakers by March 20. There would be two members each from the House and Senate education and revenue committees, plus a member from each appropriations committee. An additional two at-large members would also be taken from within the entirety of the House and Senate. The lawmakers, with input from four advisory groups whose members would be appointed by the governor, would study and recommend solutions to the projected budget shortfall for funding education in Wyoming. That annual shortfall will likely be $400 million in the coming years and could reach $1.8 billion in by the end of the 2022 fiscal year. On Thursday morning, senators considered two amendments to the bill. One would change who would be eligible to join the governors advisory groups. The original bill included teachers, taxpayers, parents of students and the general public. The amendment removed taxpayers and replaced it with businesses who have more than 100 employees and businesses that have less than 100 employees. Lawmakers said the amendment was introduced because any changes to education funding determined by the committee would affect business, and so input from that sector was needed. This is a friendly amendment, said Rep. David Northrup, R-Powell, one of the bills co-sponsors. His fellow lawmakers agreed and passed it unanimously. The second proposed amendment wouldve expanded the supercommittees scope. In the bills language, the supercommittee would be directed to study four areas to address the education funding crisis: Potential education cuts; Options for existing funding; Diverting existing revenue streams and investment income; Options to increase revenue. None of those options includes looking at using education savings accounts. Rep. Scott Clem, R-Gillette, said he wanted that option to be up for discussion by the supercommittee as it works in the interim. He pointed out that funding for school districts is heavily tied to each districts enrollment, and a sudden drop in enrollment can leave a deep dent in a districts pocket. You remove those students from districts, you remove them from the model, you remove a lot of money, he said. Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, agreed that looking at savings should be part of the committees purview. But Northrup said the House Education Committee had discussed putting a similar provision into other pieces of legislation but had decided against it. He said the Joint Education Interim Committee could study the issue in the coming months. It might be an interim topic for the Joint Education Committee, said Rep. Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, but in this specific issue, I dont think this is the place or time for what can be a controversial subject. Despite Clem expressing concern that the issue may not actually be studied in the interim, his amendment was voted down. The measure will now go to a third reading before the House. The bill is similar to a provision in an education omnibus bill, which takes broad steps to address the crisis by using savings, making deep cuts and leaving the door open to increasing taxes. Lawmakers have said in the past that HB225 is meant as a backup plan. Were going to run both of these side by side, just in case somehow the (omnibus) bill fails, House Speaker Steve Harshman said last month. CHEYENNE The Wyoming Legislature is considering cutting the states two-year, $3 billion government operations budget, according to a spending bill announced Thursday morning. The plan comes amid a decline in state revenue caused by the energy downturn thats already resulted in cuts. The Legislature in March adopted a two-year budget that was lower than the previous budget cycle. Over the summer, Gov. Matt Mead and the judicial branch made over $250 million in reductions, and the legislative committee in charge of drafting the budget bill largely accepted those cuts. A bill authored by the Joint Appropriations Committee would slice an additional $30 million from general state government operations, according to a news release from the Legislatures nonpartisan staff on Thursday. The legislation would eliminate 135 full-time positions and 10 part-time positions. The Legislature is requiring Mead to identify an additional 75 positions to cut by June 30, 2018. Mead doesnt think the reductions are necessary, his spokesman, David Bush, said in a statement on Thursday afternoon. The Republican governor doesnt believe the state has fully felt the effects of the reductions, Bush said. Reductions of this magnitude will have effects on many areas, from local governments to seniors and from suicide prevention to tribal relations, Bush said. The governor disagrees with these reductions. He appreciates the work of the Legislature and continues to work with them on these issues. The budget bill is actually two identical bills House Bill 1 and Senate File 1. Starting next week, members of the full House and Senate will propose amendments that could change the legislation. Since the final bills adopted by the House and Senate must match, there will be a negotiation period in which members of the House and Senate will hammer out differences in their amended budget bills. Wyoming is currently in the first year of the two-year budget. The second year of the budget cycle begins July 1. HB1 and SF1 affect general government operations, the University of Wyoming and community colleges. Money for elementary and secondary education is tackled in separate legislation. Lobbyists and state agency heads were studying the bill Thursday, attempting to grasp where cuts were made. Some cuts, however, were apparent in a number of programs. Tribal liaisons Mead in December asked the Legislature to pay $160,000 for separate liaisons for the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. The JAC cut that to $80,000. The budget bill doesnt specify whether each liaison should become a part-time employee or if there should be one liaison representing both tribes, said Chesie Lee of the Wyoming Association of Churches, who works closely with the states American Indians. At first there was discussion that it should be just one position, Lee said, echoing conversations that occurred in December. Supporters of the program want two separate, full-time positions. The tribes both occupy the Wind River Reservation. They are in conflict and havent worked together in over two years. Lawmakers have also suggested the positions be funded in part by the tribes. Sen. Cale Case thinks thats a bad idea. The Lander Republican thinks the position should be under the control of the governors office and fully funded. He said the state employees arrange communication between the state and tribal governments, although he acknowledged some of the tribal liaisons have done a poor job communing and bringing together the governments. He said he would like to see liaisons who are committed to the job. Jason Baldes, executive director of the Wind River Native Advocacy Center, said a couple of weeks ago, when it appeared the JAC was going to cut the money in half, that the move was disappointing. The tribal liaison program is important for government-to-government relations between the state and the tribes, he said. We are sovereign nations on the reservation. Prison Sen. Bruce Burns, chairman of the Joint Appropriations Committee, said the group did not recommend borrowing money by issuing bonds to build a new state prison or pay for repairs at the existing facility, as Mead recommended. The Wyoming State Penitentiary was built on an old lake bed and is suffering significant structural damage. We havent decided what were doing with the prison yet, Burns said. The issue of whether to build or repair the prison is far from settled. There are no bills before the 2017 Legislature that dictate how the state will deal with the facility. Mead recommended the Legislature reserve from the states rainy day fund $19 million for the penitentiary in case the building collapses. The committee declined that request, but Burns said he will propose an amendment to provide the governor some money. Local governments Typically the state provides $33 million to the State Loan and Investment Board. The Legislature approved $33 million last year but gave only $28 million. Mead requested the remaining $5 million, but the JAC did not include it in the budget bill, said Pete Obermueller, executive director of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association. The money is necessary to help cities, towns and counties in an emergency, Obermueller said. For instance, the Weston County Courthouse suffered significant damage from a burst water main that made several rooms unusable. The county is currently applying for money for repairs. Natrona County Commissioner Forrest Chadwick said he understands that many parts of state government are being slashed. Ill put it this way: We know were all going to have to participate in the pain, and the cuts are inevitable, he said. Well make the cuts where we can and hope for the best, and try to make them as painless as possible. Obermueller said funding has been cut from a pot of money that pays for public health nursing. That would affect counties, too, he said. Involuntary commitments The costs to commit someone who is a harm to themselves or others skyrocketed to $18 million in the past two-year budget cycle. But in recent years, the Legislature provided the Wyoming Department of Health with only $4.4 million for that purpose. The health department has had to find the difference in its budget. Mead asked legislators to use up to $21 million from the $2.6 billion rainy day fund to pay for overages. In the health departments reading of the budget bill, that money was not provided, said Kim Deti, the departments spokeswoman. However, on Thursday, the House passed House Bill 151. If the Senate approves it, the department could receive $3 million for the program next year, Deti said. Burns, the chairman of JAC, said the budget bill isnt final. Thats part of another amendment Im bringing is to allow the governor to use the (rainy day fund,) the Sheridan Republican said. Were also giving (Health Department Director) Tom Forslund more flexibility to use more funds within the Department of Health. Community colleges In March, the Legislature granted a $244 million budget for the Wyoming Community College Commission, which distributes the money to the states seven schools according to a formula dictated in part by state law, said Jim Rose, the commissions executive director. Then came last summers cuts. The new budget bill proposes another $600,000 in cuts. If the Legislature adopts the bill, the commissions budget will be $224 million, Rose said. How each college will be affected remains to be seen, Rose said. Next week, commission members are meeting in Cheyenne, where they will discuss tuition increases for the 2018-2019 academic year. Tuition across the system is uniform. Fees, however, vary, as they are adopted by each colleges board of trustees, Rose said. Weve had some colleges that had to cut programs fairly significantly, Rose said. Many of them have been required to cut personnel. For instance, Northwest College in Powell in May declined enrolling new students in Farrier Business Management, Journalism and Film/Radio/TV programs because it intends to end the degrees. Four staff positions were eliminated. The JAC included in the budget bill Meads request for $2.5 million for an economic diversification program called ENDOW, or Economically Needed Diversity Options for Wyoming. The community colleges will benefit from that money, Rose said. In the legislation, the community colleges are a significant component because of the training the colleges do in preparation for a workforce, he said. One of the drags on our economy in part has been industries that might have located here, and one of the reservations theyve indicated is a lack of a skilled workforce. UW The University of Wyomings two-year budget, which lawmakers adopted in March, was $398 million. However, Mead reduced the budget by $35 million. UW Vice President Chris Boswell said that the current budget is $359 million, or $42 million less than during the previous two-year budget cycle. The budget bill proposes $1.1 million less for the fiscal year beginning July 1, Boswell said. Thats an impact to the university, and we will continue to deal with these ongoing reductions to our appropriations, he said. It does not make our task any easier to have these addition reductions. The state university has enacted a number of cuts to keep pace with the reductions coming from Cheyenne. UW administrators have eliminated vacant positions. They have also offered one round of early retirements. A second round is on hold, since a bill in the Legislature may offer all eligible state employees early retirement, Boswell said. With the reductions, UW has tried to shield student academics. But many of the cuts inevitably impact learning, he said. Program funding is being reduced across campus from 2 to 8 percent. Administrators are reviewing undergraduate and graduate programs, Boswell said. Wed like to think theyre all necessary, he said of academic programs. At some point, we have to at least consider whether we can continue offering programs in the same numbers that we had been offering. And, frankly, a number of programs are slated for possible elimination. The JAC also denied a one-time request from Mead to give the university $475,000 to boost enrollment through tracking and recruitment software and consultants recommendations. However, in the budget bill, the committee retained the language that gives UW permission to begin the enrollment initiative by finding the funds internally. Well endeavor to do that, Boswell said. Lebensraum. It means living space. And the word can terrify. Lebensraum was a justification for the Germans to expand, to take countries, to take away rights and terminate the Jews, says Susan Claassen, who is directing the Israel Horovitz play Lebensraum, which Invisible Theatre opens next week. It sends chills when Jews hear that word. The 1997 play is a fantasy: The German chancellor decides he can no longer live with the guilt of the Holocaust, so he invites 6 million Jews to come live in the country to replace those that were murdered during World War II. Jobs and citizenship included. Germanys citizens have mixed reactions. Its a serious subject, but is accented with humor. There are moments you just laugh, says Claassen. Its touching and sweet. There are loving moments in it. It has everything that a good play should have. It also has a tiny cast playing lots of people: Three actors portray about 50 characters, with accents, hats, scarves and masks helping to delineate them, says Claassen. A long time coming: Israel gave me this play more than a decade ago, says Claassen. I looked at it (over the years). Last winter I looked at it far more seriously. Its not didactic. It talks about borders and immigration in a more abstract way. I had a vision and actors for it. The plays beginnings: Horovitz gives the genus of the play in the scripts introduction. He was in Germany in the mid-90s to see some productions of his works. One play had the term yankee Jew in it but it had been deleted from the production. He asked a cast member why. You cant have Jews on stage in Germany, she told Horovitz. It doesnt smell good. Offended in the moment, he later discovered what she meant: If German audiences heard the phrase, they would assume the play was about the Holocaust. And they did not want to be reminded of the Holocaust. That was a thunderbolt to Horovitz, who felt not acknowledging the Holocaust paves the way for a repeat of the horror. Thats when the idea for the play came to him. What it says about today: Never in my wildest dreams did I think that we would be, in 2017, in the situation this country is, in, says Claassen, referring to the bans on immigration and the treatment of Muslims. Its a play that resonates more deeply than when he wrote it in 97. In Nazi Germany, says Claassen Normal, nice people did awful things. They were silent, turned people in. When we say they were normal people, it takes our breath away. Normal people are supporting whats going with our country now. Two more gauges will be installed on the Cannonball River near the Dakota Access protest camp to measure water levels during potential spring flooding. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will install rapid-deployable, mobile gauges on the river near Solen and on the N.D. Highway 1806 river bridge directly adjacent to where hundreds remain camped in opposition to the pipeline construction. Hundreds remain in protest and spirit camps along the river in the vicinity of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Clean-up efforts are underway in the main camp, while tribal and camp leaders are asking people to vacate for safety reasons ahead of possible high water. In a press release, the corps reported heavy snowpack in the downstream reaches of the river expose the area to an above-normal flood risk at snow melt. The agency says the additional gauges will provide more time for local officials and the public to react to river conditions. When they are installed, they can be monitored on the U. S. Geological Survey flood website at nd.water.usgs.gov/floodinfo/. The corps warns that ice jams can also occur on that stretch of the Cannonball River causing rapid flooding; in that situation, the mobile gauges offer only minimal reaction time. There is a permanent gauges located 15 miles west of the camp area at Breien. The corps is also updating its snowpack estimates every Tuesday as spring melt approaches. Snowpack for the Missouri River system is at 110 percent of normal for the plains drainage and 78 percent of normal for the mountains drainage region. We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Feb. 2 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages. PHOENIX A Senate panel voted Thursday to give student newspapers new freedom from censorship by school administrators. SB 1384 specifically declares that student editors and not administrators are responsible for determining the content of school-sponsored media. More to the point, the legislation would prevent administrators from censoring publications and preventing publication except under four narrow circumstances. The unanimous approval by the Education Committee came after a parade of student editors and advisers told lawmakers of situations where administrators had stepped in to block stories or cartoons. Peggy Gregory of Greenway High School in Phoenix, who said she has taught journalism and advised students papers for 36 years, told lawmakers student press freedom was the law of the land following a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court ruling declaring that it was protected by the First Amendment. But nearly 20 years later the same court partly reversed itself, declaring that student newspapers do not have the same constitutional rights as other publications. After that second ruling, Gregory said, everything changed. For example, she said students were working on a news story on what she said was a testing program the district liked. That article quoted a teacher who was critical of that testing. Gregory said the school superintendent instructed the principal to tell her to kill the story or lose her job. If theyre only allowed to publish puff pieces, how will they ever learn the power of the press to bring about change, to challenge ideas, to take the responsibility for their words, and to take up the mantle of the great journalists who have preceded them? she asked. The shield against prior restraint in SB 1384 is not absolute. The legislation spells out that it does not authorized content that is libelous, an unwarranted invasion of privacy, violates federal or state law, or creates an imminent danger of inciting student to to violate the law or district regulations or materially and substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the public school. Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, questioned whether that goes far enough. He envisioned situations where students might use words or publish cartoons that are inappropriate. But Sen. Kimberly Yee, R-Phoenix, the sponsor of the legislation, said she anticipates those kinds of issues can be handled by the teachers who advise the newspapers. Yee said, though, she might add some language about material being age appropriate when the measure goes to the full Senate. For the third year in a row, the University of Arizona has named one of 200 colleges and universities that give students the best educational value. The Princeton Review has again selected UA as part of this year's edition of "Colleges That Pay You Back: The 200 Schools That Give You the Best Bang for Your Tuition Buck," according to a UA news release. The schools were selected from a group of 650 colleges and universities that provided the Princeton Review with return-on-investment ratings, which weighed more than 40 data points covering areas such as academics, cost, financial aid, graduation rates, student debt, alumni salaries and job satisfaction, the release said. Although the schools on the list aren't ranked, Princeton Review does rate them on a scale of 1 to 100 in several categories. The UA received high marks in the campus life category, performing well in green initiatives, quality of life and fire safety. The school also rated high in return on investment, financial aid and admissions, the release said. PHOENIX The Republican-controlled state House voted 35-25 Wednesday along party lines in favor of a law to let people shoot weapons within city limits, this one promoted as a way to protect homeowners from varmints. HB 2022, sponsored by Rep. Jay Lawrence, R-Scottsdale, is billed as a method to allow city dwellers to kill snakes and rats without having to trap them or bludgeon them to death. Instead, they could fire a gun loaded with whats known as rat shot or snake shot. Those cartridges are loaded with pellets 1.3 millimeters or less in diameter. For comparison, grains of sand can be as small as 2 millimeters. The measure has drawn opposition from the Phoenix Herpetological Society, the Sierra Club and other groups that question the need to see snakes as a nuisance. Deputy Pima County Attorney Kathleen Mayer said shes concerned that the legislation doesnt actually require the shooter to be trying to kill a pest. The way its written, you can go anywhere and shoot it, she said. Youre not limited to just protecting your property. Mayer said the proposed law would create an exception to Arizona laws that now generally prohibit people from firing weapons within city limits. Once lawmakers start down that path, it may be impossible to stop, she said. Its the nose of the camel under the flap of the tent, Mayer said. Lawrence said he sees no danger to the public from allowing people to use the small-caliber ammunition in city limits. He said its no more dangerous than throwing sand at someone. In support of his measure, he secured the testimony of Peter Steinmetz, director of the Nakamoto Brain Research Institute in Tempe. He told lawmakers of the dangers of neurotoxins of rattlesnakes. Former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack called this type of ammunition about the safest way to kill something in your yard. Mayer, however, said she has her doubts that the legislation is really about dispatching snakes. You have to be within five feet of a rattlesnake to have any effect on one of those, according to what Ive seen online, with this kind of shot, she said. If youre within five feet of a snake, youd be a lot more effective chopping its head off with a hoe. And Mayer said she doubts anyone would really be able to kill a rat with a handgun, saying they move pretty fast. There doesnt seem to me to be any useful purpose for this ammunition, other than for somebody to have fun shooting it, she said. The measure would amend Shannons Law, which was approved by legislators in 2000 after a 14-year-old, Shannon Smith, died when struck by a bullet fired into the air. It is the second attempt this year to amend that law. HB 2287, which awaits a House floor vote, would require prosecutors to prove that someone knowingly or recklessly fired a weapon. Its sponsor said the state should not prosecute people who have accidents with their guns. GUNS IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS In separate action Wednesday, the Senate Government Committee voted 4-3 to allow people who have a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon to bring their firearms into public buildings. Current law makes such buildings off limits if there are no guns signs at public entrances. Under SB 1243, building operators would need to install metal detectors and have security guards at each door. Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, contends that only law-abiding citizens obey no guns signs and either leave their weapons in their vehicles or put them into lockers. He said that leaves them defenseless should someone else who has ignored the signs decide to start firing. Former Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed similar measures in 2011, 2012 and 2014, saying she was concerned about the cost to cities and counties for metal detectors. The measure hasnt reached current Gov. Doug Duceys desk since he took office in 2015. Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild has sent a formal invitation for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to visit the Old Pueblo. The invitation came just days after the Mexican president cancelled a planned visit to Washington, D.C., to meet with President Donald Trump. The invitation stresses the strong economic relationship the city has with Mexico, while also reminding the Mexican president the city has long fought against mass deportations as well as the implementation of the controversial anti-immigration SB 1070 here in Arizona. "We have touted our city's friendly relationship with Mexico as a selling point for businesses that may wish to locate here, and we welcome Mexican visitors. Building a wall or increasing tariff sends the wrong message about the importance of the relationship between our two countries, which is based on, among other things, mutual cooperation and respect," the letter to Pena Nieto reads. Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said it is important that Mexican leaders know Tucson is opposed to recent steps taken by the Trump administration. "We want the leaders of Mexico to know that many in our country believe that recent actions are wrong, will lead to negative effects on our economy and that Mexican visitors are always welcome in our city. We remain one mega-region and one mega-economy," Rothschild said. The letter was first suggested by Councilman Steve Kozachik last week, shortly after the proposed in-person meeting between the two presidents was cancelled after Trump announced he wanted to move forward with plans to build a border wall. He thanked Rothschild for drafting the letter. "In this state we're often alone, but always a leader in terms of recognizing the importance of our relationship with Mexico. Culturally and economically, there's nothing good that can come from building walls. I'd have hoped an invitation like this would have come from the governor's office, but good for Jonathan for taking the lead," Kozachik said. PHOENIX If youre being driven somewhere by someone else, youd better buckle up or you could wind up in jail. Thats the net effect of legislation approved by a House panel Wednesday that would make it a crime for passengers in motor vehicles to fail to provide identification to police when a vehicle is stopped. HB 2305 would subject violators to up to four months in jail and a $750 fine. Deputy Pima County Attorney Kathleen Mayer told members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this isnt about police interfering with the right of privacy. She said the ID requirement would apply only in situations where the passenger is violating some traffic law. But Rep. Jesus Rubalcava, D-Gila Bend, pointed out that could be as simple as failing to be belted in. The net effect, he said, is converting what would otherwise be a civil citation into a criminal matter simply because the passenger does not have suitable ID. Its even broader than that, said Rep. Richard Andrade, D-Glendale. He said a bicyclist without identification who rolls through a crosswalk also would be subject to criminal sanctions. Rep. Paul Mosley, R-Lake Havasu City, said he was not comforted by the fact that a police officer would need reasonable suspicion before pulling someone over and getting a chance to question the driver and occupants. If Im driving 10 miles and Im being followed by a peace officer, law officer, hes going to find a reason to pull me over, he said. And Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, said the way the measure is worded would create criminals out of children, who dont normally carry ID, who are unbelted in the back seat of a vehicle. But both Mosley and Campbell agreed to support the measure to let it go to the full House. Both warned, however, they might vote the other way at that point unless fixes are made. Mayer told lawmakers there already is such a law on the books. But she said it was ruled unconstitutionally vague in a case where a passenger refused to provide ID, was arrested and a search turned up some drugs. The changes in HB 2305, she said, fix the wording problems. The first month of 2017 was average in temperature and slightly above average in rainfall in Tucson and Southern Arizona. Arizonas mountains, meanwhile, received a good dump of snow and the Great Basin states that provide the spring flow into reservoirs on the Colorado River got even more. In Tucson, 1.18 inches of rain fell at Tucson International Airport, about a quarter-inch better than normal. Across the valley, rain totals ranged from 0.75 inches to 4 inches, according to the monthly climate report compiled by John Glueck of the National Weather Service in Tucson. That followed a December total of 1.08 inches that was 0.15 inches above normal. The temperatures averaged about normal at 52.9 degrees but seesawed wildly from a low of 29 to a high of 81 as a series of winter storms hit the region, dropping mostly light rain on Tucson, but enough snow on Mount Lemmon to start the ski season (though it blew down the upper ski lift) and provide a picture-perfect backdrop for the desert floor, where wildflowers were beginning to pop up. Glueck noted a couple of anomalies in his report: On the 15th, the temperature in Tucson varied by only four degrees with a high of 53 and a low of 49 degrees. Tucsons average high temperatures also exceeded those in Phoenix for two months. The December average high temperature at the Tucson airport was 69.1 degrees while at Phoenix Sky Harbor it was 68.4. This month (January) the Tucson airport recorded a monthly average high temperature of 65 degrees versus the 64 recorded at Phoenix Sky Harbor, Glueck wrote. Climatologist Mike Crimmins of the University of Arizona said he was pleasantly surprised that snow and rain totals were above normal in a year when a weak La Nina system was supposed to hold down precipitation totals. That weather signal, caused by a cooling of ocean temperatures in the Pacific, has now shifted into neutral. Crimmins said he is pessimistic that the winter will end with above-normal rainfall. He then apologized: Im standing in my backyard in 75-degree weather, complaining. But the predictions for February and into spring are pessimistic. The National Climate Prediction Center says Southern Arizona will probably be warmer and drier than normal for the next three months. The short-term outlook for Tucson is also pessimistic, if you look at things that way. It will be mostly sunny with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s and lows in the upper 40s downright beautiful for the foreseeable future. For more information about joining the Galileo Circle, visit cos.arizona.edu/content/galileo-circle or contact Daniel Petrocelli, 520-621-4015, dpetrocelli@u.arizona.edu; Cheryl Tomoeda, 520-621-1787, cherylt@email.arizona.edu; or Natalie Johnson, 520-621-6797, nataliej1@email.arizona.edu About the directors Photo: Daniel Petrocelli is senior director of development for UA Science and was previously director of development for the UA department of astronomy. Photo: Cheryl Tomoeda is senior director of development for UA Science and for the past 10 years has managed the Galileo Circle. Photo: Natalie Johnson is assistant director of development for UA Science and now will be managing the Galileo Circle. With the country in the midst of a debate over refugees and immigration, North Dakota is entering a debate of its own, with a hearing on a controversial bill set to appear in committee before the end of the week. HB 1427 appears before state legislators on Friday, and if it becomes law, it would give communities and the governor the ability to seek a pause in refugee resettlement. Proponents of the bill point to the information it would collect and report on refugees, arguing that it offers transparency and local control in the resettlement process. Even though its being portrayed as negative toward refugees, its a good thing, Rep. Steve Vetter, R-Grand Forks and a co-sponsor of the bill, said following a local forum earlier this month, arguing that it provides a means to redirect refugees to the places theyll receive adequate resources. But critics see inhospitality at the center of the bill, and worry that the bill fails to account for refugees economic contributions to the state, such as tax payments, rent or new businesses. Its a message that is sent to every immigrant that moves into our community, to every international student, that we are not receptive to people who are not like (whatever) we define as us, said Robin David, board president of Global Friends Coalition, a group that works to integrate new Americans into the Grand Forks area. It is unclear how the implementation of the bill would directly affect refugee resettlement. When Texas state officials withdrew from the national refugee resettlement program in September, a Texas Tribune report anticipated that resettlement would continue, given its funding at the federal level and implementation through nonprofit organizations. Critics have also noted that federal immigration policy would supersede local policy. Primary sponsor Rep. Chris Olson, R-West Fargo, was unable to be reached Wednesday. An official with Lutheran Social Services, a group that handles refugee resettlement in North Dakota, did not return a request for comment. The hearing for the bill approaches in the midst of criticism of President Donald Trumps recent travel ban, which bars citizens from seven Middle Eastern countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days, ends refugee resettlement for 120 days and stops refugee resettlement from Syria indefinitely. Though Trump has described it as a necessary step to ensure safety from terrorism, critics have said it was sloppily implemented and feeds terrorists anti-American rhetoric. David said interest in Global Friends Coalition has surged in the wake of the travel ban, with many who were only peripherally involved with the group now interested in supporting refugee issues where they can. The interest comes, she said, as she spends nearly every spare moment fighting the local bill. This is all I do, now, beyond work and kids, she said, citing concerns for the health of the new American programs her organization has built. This is the first thing Im thinking of when I wake up in the morning. This is what I spend my evenings on when the kids go to bed. Because all of this work that weve laid in the community is all threatened. Rep. Mark Owens, R-Grand Forks, a co-sponsor of the bill, said he hasnt paid much attention to national news as the legislative session has begun in Bismarck, and said he signed on to the bill to support the transparency measures it provides -- not necessarily the portions that suggest seeking a ban. The language of House Bill 1427 lays out two processes. One requires information on refugees to be provided to communities and to the state by refugee resettlement agencies, including criminal activity, age or how often they were victims of crimes. The other establishes the concept of absorptive capacity, which weighs how well communities and the state can integrate refugees into housing, schools, health care systems and other areas. If passed, the bill would allow communities to hold a public hearing, consult with resettlement officials and issue a finding that accepting more refugees would no longer be in the communitys interest. That would lead to a suspension on refugee resettlement in the community for up to a year -- ordered either by the governors office or state-designated resettlement officials -- though it could be extended. The governor could also issue an executive order ending state participation in refugee resettlement indefinitely. The bill will be heard before the Government and Veteran Affairs Committee on Friday morning, which includes two Democrats and 12 Republicans. Besides David, immigration attorneys from both Fargo and Grand Forks, members of the new American community and representatives of state-level rights groups are expected to attend. Photo editor Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU). Help India! By Soroor Ahmed, Twocircles.net As Punjab goes to poll on February 4, exactly one week ahead of the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh, most analysts seem to have overlooked the vagaries of Dalit politics, which has a common link between the two states. Support TwoCircles The Bahujan Samaj Party, which is a powerful force in UP, was actually founded in 1984 by Kanshi Ram, who was born in a Ramdasia Dalit (Chamar) Sikh family of Ropar district of Punjab. This was the year when the Sikh militancy was at its peak. On June 6, 1984, the Golden Temple was stormed into by the Indian army leading to the killing of terrorist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and many others. This was followed by a revolt by many Sikh army personnel and officers. Later the same year (Oct 31), Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own Sikh guards. This was followed by massacres of thousands of Sikhs in Delhi and other places. In short, the birth of BSP thanks to a Sikh Dalit from Punjab working in Maharashtra sounds somewhat perplexing. Three decades later, the BSP is hardly a force in Punjab, the state which has the highest percentage of the Dalit population in the countryas high as 31.9%. Mayawati did campaign in the state, but the BSP is not at all hopeful. In contrast, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal had as early as November 25 announced that his party would appoint a Dalit deputy CM if voted to power in the state. Unlike Punjab, the BSP is a powerful force to reckon with in Uttar Pradesh, where they form 21.3 per cent of the state population. If Kanshi Ram, who made UP a sort of his political home, was born in Punjab, Mayawati was born and brought up in Delhi. Both belong to the Ravidas community. In the past too, Republican Party, which was essentially a Maharashtra-based Dalit outfit, used to have some influence in UP politics. But after the 1960s, they gradually vanished. If Dalits of UPwith the help of imported leaders can become a major player in state politicswhy cannot they become a similar force in Punjab, where their economic condition is relatively better and where the stigma of untouchability is not as strong? In UP, the land of Sant Ravidaswho has a big following to Punjab toothe Dalits are Hindus, and subjected to widespread exploitation. Yet in some ways, they are better than their Dalit brethren from Bihar. The advent of leather industries in cantonment towns like Kanpur, Meerut, Agra etc during the 19th century provided some economic opportunities to Chamars, who form two-thirds of UPs Dalit voters. As the military needed boots and belts, leather industries flourished in the cantonment towns in both pre- and post-1857 years. In Punjab on the other hand, the Dalitsmany of them also called Mazhabi Sikhshave a tradition of serving in Sikh Khalsa Army, then British Indian Army and now in Indian Army. Thus their economic condition is not as bad. As Sikhism preaches equality, their social condition is relatively better (please note, relatively better) than Dalits of many other states of the country. Yet a Sikh Dalit, Kanshi Ram, had in 2002 along with two crore followers, proposed to convert to Buddhism on October 14, 2006: the 50th anniversary of the conversion of B R Ambedkar. Unfortunately, five days before this event, he passed away. When voters will line up outside polling booths there is enough for the BSP leaders to make an introspection. First, the Akali-BJP combine and Congress walked away with their votes, now Aam Aadmi Party has posed a big challenge by making big inroads into the Dalit votes. Not only the party has promised a Dalit deputy CM, but also released a Dalit manifesto. Unlike UP, the issue of Dalit identity could not be forcefully promoted by the BSP in Punjab. Perhaps the absence of a UP-Bihar type exploitation of Dalits prevented its growth. In such a situation, religious identity took a front seat. That is why perhaps the Akali Dal managed to do well in the Dalit reserved constituencies in 2012, especially in Doab (between Sutlej and Beas) area, which has 46% of Punjabs SC population. But BSP is not only battling for survival in Punjab. In UP too, if it fails this time, Mayawati may be in for a big trouble as she had run the party alone and has till now not allowed any other Dalit leader to emerge. In 2014 Lok Sabha poll, the BSP drew blank notwithstanding the fact that it got 19.82 per cent votes. If BSP does not perform well it will be another lost opportunity given that Dalits have also strengthened its voice in Gujarat, Telangana, Maharashtra etc. Help India! By TCN News Terming the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance as opportunistic tie-up, the umbrella organisation of various Muslim outfitsMuttahida Milli Majlis has appealed to Muslims to exercise their franchise without getting swayed by anyone. The organisation also has posed several questions to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, including questions regarding the Muzaffarnagar riots. Support TwoCircles The 12 questions begin with communal riots during Akhilesh regime. The outfit asked Akhilesh to explain what steps he had taken in this regard. Another question is about injustice to riot-affected Muslims. The organisation also reminded Akhilesh about the 14 promises made to Muslims in the election manifesto of SP in 2012, none of which have been addressed. The recommendations of Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Commission have not been implemented. No step was taken to ensure 18.5 percent reservation to Muslims, the community also was fleeced on the name of recruitment in police force, no compensation to innocent Muslims jailed and no step was taken to release them. No training center, no Urdu medium school was set up in Muslim areas. Waqf land was not freed from encroachment, the outfit said. The organisation claimed that when the promises of 2012 have not been fulfilled how can the SP-Congress alliance again trusted. The organisation has appealed to Muslims to think twice about Mulayams comment that Akhilesh is anti-Muslim before casting their vote. On Sunday, hours after the SP and the Congress announced a formal alliance, a number of Shia and Sunni Ulemas denounced it. Prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad was one of the first to oppose the SP-Congress alliance, rejecting the new slogan UP Ko Yeh Saath Pasand Hai. Jawwad claimed that present SP government led by Akhilesh Yadav has failed to deliver for Muslims. Protests against President Trumps ban on travel to the United States from 7 predominately Muslim countries have filled airports from New York to Seattle, Washington. The ban President Trump signed an Executive Order telling the State Department to stop issuing any visas to people from Syria and temporarily pause immigration, travel, and refugee processing from six other countries, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. His justification for the order is that the immigrants and refugees from those specific countries pose a threat to US citizens. Entrance tests One provision of the Exec. Order is a requirement that anyone entering must agree to support the Constitution of the United states. That doesnt apply just to people wanting to live here but also those who are vacationing, who are returning from vacation, or coming for critical medical care. To put this in perspective, would the UK require US tourists to swear they support The Queen just to watch the changing of the guards? Another provision is the requirement that they swear they have not have engaged in any oppression of another person. So if an Iraqi soldier who fought beside US troops had tried to oppress ISIS terrorists who wanted to set off a bomb, would they be excluded? Those may see silly arguments but as Charles Dickens had a character in Oliver Twist say, The law is an ass and, without extensive amendments to the trump ban, any or all of those rules could and apparently already have been applied. (Shakespeare put it more succinctly in Henry VI, 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. ) But US lawyers also flocked to airports to offer their free services to detainees. Who has been detained? Among those we know about (some people are still detained and many were sent back already) were: >Parents of a US military veteran, >A former US Army translator, >A child who spent his 5th birthday in detention, >Two Cleveland Clinic doctors who had been vacationing in Iran were detained then released, And >One Cleveland Clinic resident who was also vacationing in Iran who was deported before the Federal District Court stayed any such action. Even people holding Greed Cards showing they had the right to work in the US were initially detained and some were deported, although the Department of homeland Security later ruled that they were exceptions and should be admitted. The actual order Among the provisions of the Executive Order are, First, the order invokes the 9/11 attack as justification. None of the hijackers came from any of the countries included in the ban. Second, entrants must not oppose the founding principles of the US. Presumably not including freedom of association, freedom of religion, and overly restrictive Immigration rules, which are in the Declaration of Independence or The Constitution. Third, the only exceptions in the original Order were for those carrying diplomatic and NATO passports. Fourth, The Secretary of State shall suspend the U.S. refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days. As German Chancellor Merkel explained to President Trump, that violates The Geneva Convention. Fifth, when the US again accepts refugees, the Secretary of State . is further directed to make changes, to the extent permitted by law, to prioritize refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious-based persecution, provided that the religion of the individual is a minority religion in the individuals country of nationality. That paragraph is at the core of the claims that this is a Muslim ban because the minority religion in the countries under the ban are mainly Christians. That probably violates The Constitution's establishment of a State religion clause. Finally, the Executive Order calls for a cut in all immigration from 100,000 refugees to only 50,000, coincidentally, a few more than the number of 37,500 Christian refugees admitted last year. The State Department can probably find an additional 10,000 Christian applicants to fill the full quota. After refusing to even interview or hold hearings on President Obamas nominee to replace deceased Justice Antonin Scalia (appointed 1986 by President Reagan) on the Supreme court, Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan is demanding that, because of President trump's "mandate," Democrats should bow to the will of the people and quickly approve President Trumps nominee who has not yet been announced. Looking back a few weeks On leaving office President Obama had an approval rating of between 57% (very conservative anti-Obama Fox News) and 62% Rasmussen (independent) and won his re-election with 332 Electoral college and 51.1% of the popular vote. By comparison, President Trump now has a disapproval rating of about 53%, having plunged more than 5% between January 25 and January 27 (based on a Gallup Tracking Poll), and President Trump lost the popular vote by about 3 million, a number he keeps trying to explain by claiming millions of illegals voting for Secretary Clinton. Republican actions in the past But the important point to remember is that with months to go in his term President Obama nominated a mainstream judge, Merrick Garland, to replace conservative Antonin Scalia, who died in February, 2016, and Republicans in the Senate announced that they would not permit a vote on Judge Garland or even meet with him on an official basis. The same people are now complaining that the Democrats are automatically disapproving of any Trump nominee to fill the same vacancy, calling them obstructionists. President Obama succeeded in placing two judges on the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice David H. Souter and Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace retired Justice John Paul Stevens. The Republican Senate is now shocked, shocked to find (Movie Casablanca, 1942) that, after they had blocked virtually every Obama proposal beginning with their announcement on day one of the Obama Presidency that their primary goal was to make Obama a one term President, Democrats are now trying to block action by President Trump who has far lower ratings (and far less support, let alone a mandate.) John Boehner, who was Speaker of the House, said the following about Obama's plans, We're going to do everything and I mean everything we can do to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can. Democratic reaction Although they don't have a majority and can't defeat nominees, in the long run, Senate Democrats have used the Senate Rules to block nominees by refusing to appear for the committees' votes on nominees. Republicans are the majority in every comittee now and can easily vote for any nominee despite Democratic objections but the Senate rules also require that at least one member of the other party be present for the vote. If this action holds, the only recourse for President Trump is to wait for Congress to recess and then make a recess appointment which doesn't require the Senate "advise and consent" to that person. That; however, would place restrictions on the appointee, including the automatic termination of their appointment at the end of the current Senate session. Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit bill will most likely pass through the House of Commons without any major amendment due to Conservative Party rebels backing away from supporting proposed changes by opposition parties. The band of Conservative MPs that were expected to rebel against a hard Brexit have largely been satiated by Mays promise of a white paper, which could be published as early as Thursday. A change of tack Without the backing of the Conservative rebels, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP now believe that there is no chance of getting enough votes for cross-party amendments to the Brexit bill. Instead, opposition parties are hoping to force the government to amend the bill voluntarily, with issues such as protecting the rights of EU nationals and a meaningful vote at the end of the two-year negotiation period. Members of Parliament are scheduled to start discussing the bill today. The bill will give Theresa May a mandate to invoke article 50 to trigger the two-year exit negotiations. The House of Commons will discuss Mays Brexit bill for two days before a vote occurs, most likely, on Wednesday evening. Mays government was forced to present the Bill to the Commons after the supreme court judged May didnt have the remit to trigger article 50 without permission of the Commons. Last night, May asked MPs to face the decision: do you support the will of the British people or not?. May continued: The British public voted on the 23rd June last year. They voted in a referendum that was presented to them by six to one vote in parliament. The people spoke and they vote to leave the European Union. Our job as MPs is to enact that. If the bill passes through the House of Commons-which it likely will- more Labour front benchers are expected to resign rather than voting for Mays hard Brexit plans. Last week, Jo Stevens resigned due to Jeremy Corbyns implementation of a three line whip to vote in favour of Mays Brexit plans. Stevens cited a reluctance to vote against her conscious in her departure letter. Theresa May intends to get the bill passed through parliament by her self-imposed deadline of the end of March. Jeremy Corbyn suffered resignations and rebellions against his order to vote for Brexit as more than one fifth of labour mps rejected legislation handing Theresa May the power to trigger Britain's exit from the European Union. After a second day of debate in the House of Commons, the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill cleared its first hurdle as 498 MPs voted to give it a second reading, while 114 voted against. The Labour leader saw 47 of his MPs rebel - while 167 backed his position - to join 50 SNP MPs and seven Liberal Democrats in voting against triggering article 50. One Conservative MP, Ken Clarke, joined them in the division lobbies, to which Labour rebels expressed great delight. Ahead of the vote, Corbyn was hit by two fresh resignations from the frontbench team of the shadow cabinet, so they could freely defy what they regarded a historic mistake. Shadow environment, food and rural affairs secretary Rachael Maskell stepped down, saying the most important thing to her was to serve her constituents, while Dawn Butler quit as shadow minister for diverse communities, arguing she could not vote for a "poor excuse of a bill". Shadow Welsh secretary Jo Stevens and Tulip Siddiq, shadow minister for early years, had already resigned. Corbyn's team said that any decision to sack rebels will be "taken at a later stage". The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law. Overwhelming backing for bill MPs held two days of debate on the bill, which follows last June's referendum in which voters opted by 51.9 per cent to 48.1 per cent in favour of Brexit. The government was forced to seek parliaments approval for its plans by a Supreme Court ruling last week. Parties have long been split over Europe but, in contrast to Labour, both pro-Remain and pro-Brexit Conservative MPs - with the exception of Ken Clarke - have united behind triggering Article 50. Several Remain-backing Conservatives expressed concerns about the governments plans for Brexit during the two-day debate. But Downing Street bought off potential Tory rebels with the promise of a white paper on the government's negotiating plans. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson, a leading Leave campaigner, called the Commons result "absolutely momentous" and said the UK would "forge a new identity" and make "an amazingly positive contribution" to Europe. He added: "We may be leaving the EU treaties. We are not leaving Europe." Ramifications for rebels Labour leader Corbyn had imposed a three-line whip - the strongest sanction at his disposal - on his MPs to support the bill. Most Labour constituencies voted to Leave and the Labour leadership argued it would be undemocratic for the MPs to ignore the national referendum result. However, the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs originally backed Remain and many of those who represented Remain-supporting, often inner-city, areas felt they would be failing to represent their constituents if they backed the bill. Three of Corbyn's own whips - Thangam Debbonaire, Jeff Smith and Vicky Foxcroft - voted against the bill and he must now decide how to discipline the frontbenchers who defied his orders. The Israeli government has approved 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank according to the BBC. But the questions to ask are, why are the settlements being built and what are the consequences of such actions? Understanding the settlements First of all, let us provide some context. Israeli settlements are civilian communities inhabited by Israeli citizens. They have predominantly been built in what the international community call the 'Palestinian territories'. The problem is that the international community considers the settlements in the occupied territories to be illegal. the United Nations has repeatedly stated that Israel's construction of settlements to be in violation of the 'Fourth Geneva Convention'. Why are the Israeli government building the settlements? There seems to be a few key reasons. One was that many within Israel believe that the West Bank (and Gaza) is part of the "historic Land of Israel" and should be "restored to the Jewish people" according to the Jewish Virtual Library website. In a BBC report in 2003, forty percent of Israeli's living in occupied territories said that they did so out of a belief in a "divinely ordained mission to inhabit the land". Furthermore, a sign hanging in north of Jerusalem stated "only the Bible is the roadmap of the Jewish people". The situation becomes even more complicated by the fact that within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, there are right wing religious parties who support settlement building in the West Bank. What are the consequences of the building? One key knock-on effect has been immense criticism throughout the world to Israel's actions. The UNSC resolution, condemning the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, reflects a "broad international consensus" that the settlement policy constitutes "an obstacle to peace in the Middle East", according to the Sputnik website. There has even been criticism from staunch ally the United States. The decision by the Obama administration to abstain from vetoing a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements was widely regarded within Israel as a stab in the back and just a parting shot to Netanyahu. I truly believe that Israel needs to stop with the settlement building. It is only making more enemies for the Jewish state and is really not that necessary. There is plenty of space within Israel for the settlers to live. I understand their connections to the land in the West Bank but it is harming Israel, at home and abroad. It also increases the chance of attacks within Israel and amongst the Jewish people around the world. One fifth of Labour MPs defied Jeremy Corbyn's three-line whip by voting against Theresa May's Brexit bill in yesterday's vote in parliament. Following a second day of re-hashed arguments in the House of Commons, 498 MPs voted in favour of giving a second reading to the bill that grants the government power to invoke article 50 while 11 voted against the bill. SNP largest block As expected, all 50 SNP MPs voted against the bill. However, 47 Labour MPs voted against the bill, which came as a bit of a surprise. The only Conservative Party MP to vote against Theresa May's bill was Ken Clarke, who delivered an impassioned pro European Union speech the previous day. Before MPs cast their vote, the Labour leader received word of two fresh resignations by MPs that believed they couldn't vote against their conscience. Racheal Maskell, the shadow environment secretary, and Dawn Butler, the shadow secretary for diverse communities, stepped down from their positions to join Jo Stevens as members of the Labour party that have resigned over Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn's implementation of a three-line whip. Maskell said: 'I said I would first of all serve my constituents and that has always been my priority. My constituents voted overwhelmingly to stay in the European Union and I couldn't vote against them'. Jeremy Corbyn thanked both departing members of the shadow cabinet, branding them as 'great assets to the Labour Party'. Once again, Corbyn faces another shadow cabinet reshuffle after several MPs resigned when he was elected as Labour party leader last summer. Delight in the Tory Party The foreign secretary and leading leave campaigner, Boris Johnson, issued a statement following the vote: 'Parliament, by an overwhelming majority, voted in favour of allowing Theresa May and the government the right to trigger article 50. This is a momentous occasion and a great day in British history. Lest we forget that we are leaving the European Union and not leaving Europe. We will continue to make an amazing contribution to the continent'. Due to the fear of massive protests already being organized on Facebook, President trump has essentially been uninvited from the Harley Davidson factory. This sets yet another record for the new president - protests so massive in his second week in office that factory owners considered it too risky to have The President of the United States visit or even have people think he was supposed to visit. Trump essentially banning himself In Britain, demonstrators in Downing Street and some MPs are calling for Prime Minister May to withdraw the invitation for President Trump to visit London. One or more MPs with dual passports may find themselves banned from the US in this new environment. But the big news tonight, which is overshadowing his Apprentice-like announcement plans for his choice for The US Supreme Court, is that Demonstrations are so massive in the US and around the world that the managers of the Harley Davidson Company have decided it is too potentially dangerous to their employees and facilities to host a visit from President Trump. The really interesting part of all this (for an outside observer, not for the President who is probably not amused), is that although President Trump was scheduled to make an economic speech in Milwaukee on Thursday, Harley Davidsons spokesperson didnt confirm that any appearance was ever scheduled for either the factory or the Harley Davidson Museum. Harley Davidson, is the builder of the Hog, a giant, very heavy definitely all-American motorcycle famously ridden by Hells Angels and other biker gangs, as well as many police departments. But whatever the truth about whether he was supposed to visit Harley Davidson, or not, this must be a major embarrassment for President Trump to be publically uninvited to this all American business because of fears of massive protests against his policy banning Muslims just two weeks into his job. The only thing I can think of that would be worse would be if President Trump decided to visit Punxsutawney, PA this Thursday instead for Groundhog Day and Phil bit him (Punxsutawney Phil often bites handlers.) Brexit is a threat to the NHS and with MPs suggesting that health tourists are to blame for the crisis, detracts from the main issue of defunding by the government. The little known or talked about european medicines agency (EMA) is now at risk due to Brexit and its loss would be a grave mistake by the government and for the NHS. After John Major battled to secure its location in London, another Conservative government looks to have put it in danger. The EMA oversees medicine regulations across Europe and is responsible for scientific evaluation of human and veterinary medicines developed by Pharmaceutical companies, it has been around for two decades. What is the EMA? The task of the EMA is to ensure that all medicines across Europe are safe, effective and of high quality, plus, it also works to harmonise the approach of national regulatory bodies. Located in Londons Canary Wharf, it staffs around 900-highly skilled workers and services the 500 million people across the EU, which accounts for 25% of all global pharmaceutical sales. The UK accounts for just 3% of the global market. In 2015 the UKs pharmaceutical industry was worth 12.7 billion and 25% of top prescriptions in the world were discovered and developed in the UK. The effect of Brexit could cause delays in approvals for new medicines; Canada and Australia experience delays of around 6 months to a year after the EU. An extra Burden could end up being placed on the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), leading to a slower process and less efficient system. This means that the NHS would receive vital medicines a lot later than they do now, leading to worse patient care. Also, with the threat of relocation elsewhere it could create a knock-on effect in investment and relocation from pharmaceutical companies away from the UK, this would further weaken the UK economy. We would also immediately lose 900 highly skilled workers as well as 1299 others who have a qualified person for pharmacovigilance (QPPV), this is must for any company that sells into the EEA. The relocation of the EMA would mean that all the QPPVs in the UK would leave or lose their roles. Further risk to the NHS Negotiations are ongoing but it is crucial that the government gets this right, but this further highlights that the government lacks any real insight into what is wrong with NHS. They are either blind to issues or this is a purposeful act, and now with some MPs placing blame on health tourists, the issues of Brexit and defunding are overlooked and ignored. The Monday's episode of Ishqbaaz serial aired on Star Plus in India ended with Anika (Surbhi Chandna) entering her room where Tia was trying to seduce Shivaay, Tuesday, January 3, 2017, episode Anika enters the room and asks Tia what is she doing in her room. A big argument breaks out between both of them. finally, Anika insults Tia by telling her that she is shamelessly staying in the house for free, and how dare she try to seduce Shivaye, her husband, in her room that too on her bed. Anika throws Tia out of her room Tia feels humiliated and argues by telling Shivaay is giving her a divorce and its a matter of time, she will have to go out of the house. Annika tells her that there is still time for the divorce proceedings and she is still the wife of Shivaay. Still, when Tia tries to argue, Anika holds her arm and drags her out of her room and also presents her with a pair of chappals. After Tia goes away, Anika enters the room, Shivaay is looking at her romantically as they both romance in the balcony to the super hit "Ishqbaaaz" title song 'Oh Jaana". Both keep asking themselves what's happening to them throughout Ranveer saves Priyanka from goons Priyanka is alone in the college camp, coming out of the tent when three of her male friends try to molest her. Earlier they had also taken a MMS of her having bath in the tent. Now they threaten to rape her. At the right time Ranveer, her boyfriend comes and beats them up in filmy hero style and save Priyanka. Look at Shivaay being all flirty with his wifey. And the way he didn't want to let her go. HAYEEEE. #Ishqbaaaz #Ishqbaaz pic.twitter.com/6vfsBSh0Hw Nish (@TherealNishaaa) January 2, 2017 Tia and sisters plan to kill Shivaay Meanwhile, at the Oberoi Mansion, Anika overhears Tia speaking to her sister Svetlana on their next plan. Anika suspects that Tia is up to some mischief again and follows her thinking maybe this time she can catch her red handed. Tia walks towards the outhouse where Shivaay has his office, the outhouse is dark and Tia catches Anika spying on her, another argument breaks out between the two. This time Tia reveals her dark side by telling Anika that Shivaay may be the only man in her life, but not for her she has many to take care. She also tells her that Shivaay has already married her and the whole world knows that she is pregnant with his child, and now it doesn't make any difference if Shivaye is alive or not! The servant of the home is seen aiming at Shivaay with a beam light and he breaks the glass of Shivaay's office window. Anika calls him at the right time and he bends down to pick up the phone. The episode ends. The parents of Madeleine McCann have lost their libel case appeal against a former Portuguese detective. As we explore this subject matter, certain questions have to be asked. Not only why was the libel case launched but is what the detective stated, true? The facts The daughter of Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine, went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the 3rd May 2007, as stated in the Guardian newspaper. However, despite being obviously distraught at what had happened, it was going to get worse. Goncalo Amaral was a former police officer who led the initial hunt for the then three year old Madeleine ten years ago according to the Sun newspaper. However, in July 2008 Amaral released a book called 'The Truth of the Lie'. Inside the book Amaral claims that Madeleine had in fact died in their holiday flat and that he parents had "faked the abduction" to cover up the tragedy. Why was the libel case launched? In answering the first question, the McCann's claimed that the book was "hurtful" and were left "devastated and crushed" by Amaral's allegations. As a result of the claims, the Telegraph newspaper reported that Kate McCann "considered suicide" after the book was published. Furthermore, the newspaper reports that Mrs. McCann spent days "weeping" after the book was published. They were distraught at the allegations that were made. Was it true what was stated? So the next question to ask is, was what the detective stated, true? In looking back, there does seem to be some prior discontent and bitterness by Amaral towards Kate and Gerry McCann as well as the British police force. As reported in the Telegraph, Amaral accused the British detectives of "only chasing leads" that the McCann parents want followed up. In addition, the forty-seven year old accused the McCann's of "creating and working" on lines of inquiry which they then passed onto Leicestershire Police to investigate. In addition, whether as a result of his outbursts or some other factors, Amaral was dismissed from his position as national director of the Judicial Police. In addition, a court ruling in 2010 found that there was "no evidence" that what Amaral claimed, was true, according to the Daily Mail newspaper. Overall In summing up, it seems ludicrous that the McCann parents would do that to their own child. The fact that they are still campaigning to finding her shows that this was no cover-up. It seems that there is bad blood on the part of the former detective and that has clouded his judgment. It is immensely sad that they have lost their libel case appeal. It can only harm the McCann's reputation what Amaral has said and that is not fair. There are plenty of people out there for whom the words un film de Almodovar are just cause for celebration. After a couple of his more outrageous outings2011s sci-fi shocker The Skin I Live In and 2013s campy comedy Im So Excited!Almodovar finds himself drifting back to familiar territory with the low-key drama Julieta. The Spanish stylist has frequently flip-flopped between colorful comedy and ... well, equally colorful melodrama. Julieta belongs in the latter camp (alongside such films as Talk To Her, Live Flesh, All About My Mother and The Flower of My Secret) rather than the former (which includes Labyrinth of Passion, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! and Kika). Though it ranks as one of Almodovars smallest, most intimate films, its still a reason for fans to sit up and take notice. The films plot is actually based (very loosely, it should be noted) on three short stories by Nobel Prize-winning author Alice Munro: Chance, Soon and Silence. It all centers around the titular Julieta (Emma Suarez, who starred in a number of films for Almodovars fellow Spaniard Julio Medem, including Vacas, The Red Squirrel and Earth). At a somewhat belated age, Julieta has decided to get married and run off to Portugal. But at the last minute, the late-fiftysomething gets fleeting, secondhand word of her long-estranged daughter, Antia. Dumping her flummoxed fiance, Julieta moves back into her old Madrid apartment, hoping that Antia will see fit to contact her. With no real clue how to go about finding her daughter (other than the vague info that shes somewhere in Switzerland and has three children), Julieta pens a long, explicatory letter detailing her life story and the events that led to the estrangement between mother and daughter. This extended flashback forms the bulk of Julieta. As a 25-year-old schoolteacher (played in flashback by well-known Spanish TV star Adriana Ugarte), Julieta meets Antias father on a train. Xoan (Daniel Grao) is a rugged young fisherman whose wife has been in a long-term coma (a plot device used before in 2002s Talk To Her). Young, good-looking and lonely, Julieta and Xoan make love on the train. The fleeting encounter leads to Julieta getting pregnant. She goes looking for Xoan, and in a nice bit of coincidence, shows up on his doorstep the day after his wifes funeral. Julieta and Xoan raise their daughter Antia in a beautiful seaside village where she basks in the love of her adoring mother and father. But tragedy eventually visits the young family. Almodovar loves a mystery. Occasionally, he goes with the standard crime-based ones. But more often than not, hes satisfied with mysteries of a much more domestic type. What skeletons do seemingly ordinary people have in their closets, and what do those hidden secrets cause them to do? Julieta is more or less a slow unfolding of the unknown circumstances that led to Julieta and her daughter not speaking to one another for 20 years. And although that might not be as intriguing as the mystery of, say, who killed Ms. Scarlet in the conservatory with the knife, Almodovar knows how to milk seemingly pedestrian situations for serious intrigue. Hes fascinated by people, and Julieta is one of his more carefully studied character sketches. Almodovar has always leaned toward the female-centric melodramas of Golden Age Hollywood kings George Cukor and Douglas Sirk. Here he more or less achieves that tone with little stylistic embellishment. This is certainly one of his most narratively conventional films. (Lest you lose sight of the fact that this is a Pedro Almodovar film, however, there are plenty of bright, primary colors to go around and just a touch of crazy wallpaper.) As with a lot of films on the mans resume, this one touches on issues of regret, redemption and forgiveness. At one point one of the characters chides young Julieta for pursuing a career. The job of a mother is to take care of her family, shes informed. Here, the advice is aimed less at creating old-fashioned, stay-at-home moms and more geared toward reminding folks to keep an eye on the prize. The various distractions of life, love and career cause several people here to lose sight of what is most important to them. You might regret losing a job or a fondly remembered apartment. But losing a family memberto death or neglect or misunderstandingis something that will haunt you for the rest of your life. By checking in on its protagonist at age 20, age 40 and right around age 60, Julieta reminds usin word and deedthat life is a ticking clock and that certain issues need to be addressed, lest they eat up our short time on Earth. Some may find it an unadventurous outing for a filmmaker who gave us lesbian punk rockers, nuns on LSD, nymphomaniac pop stars, gay Islamic terrorists, transsexual prostitutes, kidnapped porn stars, Antonio Banderas and more op art wallpaper than youd see at an Andy Warhol loft party. Still, Julieta serves well as a simple, stripped-down statement of purpose from one of the international film scenes most consistently controversial auteurs. Being eco-friendly and sustainable seems to be the new way of life in the 21st century. Everyone knows the term "going green," thus, becoming more conscious about their impact on the environment. Sustainable living is becoming less of a trend and more of an ongoing lifestyle. Eco-fashion is part of the philosophy and trend of sustainability. However, to act sustainably is an easy process, but requires work and dedication, especially in the fashion industry. Green trade fairs, ethical movements, and eco-friendly concepts have become a part of the fashion industry. Impacting the Runway: Fast fashion chains are partaking in the eco-friendly movement, even fashion companies are seeking out ethical factories. Many handbag designers are using vegan leather, vegetable dyes, and reusable totes. Leather bags are a luxury standard. Brands such as Stella McCartney and Freedom of Animals are insisting on cruelty-free, eco-friendly materials. Fur has always played a major role in fashion as an accessory or a garment. Designers have always incorporated fur into their collection, especially once fall and winter arrive. However, with the protest of animal cruelty on the rise, designers are steering clear of the real thing and leaning more towards faux fur. Fur-Free designers: Calvin Klein Stella McCartney Ralph Lauren Vivienne Westwood Steve Madden Fur-Free brands: Overstock.com NIKE American Apparel ZARA Old Navy Impacting the workforce: When purchasing clothes, what do you look for in a garment? Maybe you care about the style, wearability, or the quality of the material. How often do you notice the "Made In" tagline? The fashion industry has researched the "Made In" tagline for some time, considering the impact on the way individuals are shopping. Just because an item might be using sustainable materials, doesnt mean that the manufacturing of the item was ethical or fair. Retailers and designers want garments that can be mass produced at a cheap price with minimal quality. It is rare to see garments "Made In U.S.A" because it is all about quality and price, not location. There are activists that are against purchasing garments, because of the awareness activists are bringing to the problem of sweatshops and unsustainable practices overseas. Impacting retail: The push for being eco-friendly is the new mission for retailers. Reusable shopping bags are an easy way to cut down on waste. Americans throw away over 100 billion plastic bags, and only 1-3% percent get recycled. Giving out fewer plastic bags means the stores save money. The fashion world has also joined the movement, with designers selling their own recyclable bags. Businesses are now thriving, with a mission to make a difference, such as Toms and Warby Parker providing those in need with shoes and eyes glasses. Online clothing donation company, Fashion Projects, sets out to raise money for consumer chosen charities. Liya Kebede started a clothing and home brand, IemIem, to preserve the Ethiopian art form while creating opportunities in her native country. These brands are taking the fashion industry to the next level, proving that fashion and philanthropy can go hand in hand. ASOS features a green room stocked with fashion that is both ethical and eco-conscious. H&M highlights a Conscious Collection with exclusive eco-friendly pieces. Consumers love to follow the latest trends. Being eco-friendly should be more than just a trend, but a way of life. Individuals can strive for a more sustainable life by purchasing products that don't waste resources or pollute unnecessarily. Consider what a product is made of, how and where it is made, how it will be used, and what will happen to it when consumers are finished with it. It may come as a surprise to western tourists visiting Japan, but that country is just totally wild about its love for the world-favorite Kit Kat chocolate-covered wafer bars. Sure, everybody in the world where Kit Kats are marketed would professed their taste for the wonderful confectionery that originated from the UK (but now manufactured under license in many other countries), but Japans Kit Kat madness is of a whole other level, even compared to Nestle USA replacing a patron's stolen bar with thousands more. Only they can boast having over 300 different flavors of the thing beyond basic chocolate, and the urban legend telling how Kit Kats are gifted as good-luck charms for school examinees due to sounding almost like the Japanese phrase kitto katsu (Youll surely win). As if that werent enough, the chocolate's licensed Japanese manufacturer Nestle has unleashed a new variation of the snack hewing to traditional cuisine. How about Kit Kat sushi? Kit Kat in a seaweed wrap Photos have come out online showcasing the newest attractions at the Kit Kat Chocolatory Shop in Ginza, Tokyo. Presented on a flat rectangular sushi plate, a diner would be faced with chocolate bits shaped like rice, then either wrapped in genuine seaweed sushi cover or not, and topped by two bars of Japans uniquely flavored Kit Kats, whose colors are a fair match to the usual fishy ingredients of actual sushi. To give you an idea of what to expect, lets look at the three current available flavors of the Chocolatory Shops Kit Kat sushi. One is the Tuna, with the bars used colored pink like fresh tuna fish meat, but actually tastes like raspberries. Next is the sushi omelet, with yellow bars atop the rice chocolate bits and held together by a strip of seaweed wrap. The yellow Kit Kats actually taste like believe it or not pumpkin pudding. Finally we have the orange bars with rice almost completely wrapped in seaweed. Its color evokes the meat of sea urchins, but taste like Hokkaido melon with mascarpone cheese. Youll look back at the descriptions and agree with me that Japan has got some weird but delicious taste. De-fictionalized joke For those who remain skeptical about Japans Kit Kat sushi treats and think theyre more an April Fools Joke, I say you almost hit that one in the head. Spokespersons from Nestle confirm that the sushi did start out as an April Fools prank back in 2016, when the company put up a mock advertisement for the things on their social media. The commenters were so impressed by the false snacks that Nestle was inspired to make them real, and have them available at their Chocolatory Shop for consumption. For the curious, according to Miki Kanoh of Nestle Japans Corporate Affairs Group, the Kit Kat sushi will be available for a limited time only, February 2-14, as a bonus for customers at the Ginza Chocolatory Shop who spend at least 3,000 on other stuff there. President Trump visited the remains of a navy seal killed in Yemen on Wednesday, the first American casualty of an operation under the command of President Donald Trump. At the same time, Press Secretary Sean Spicer referred to the Navy Seal who was killed in Yemen as Ryan Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois during a press conference at the White House, for which Trump's national security advisor General Michael Flynn made an appearance, telling reporters that the administration was officially putting Iran on notice. Details that killed Navy Seal in Yemen U.S. service member killed in Yemen raid marks first combat death of Trump administration; 3 hurt https://t.co/IRynljlyqB Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 29, 2017 The raid against al-Qaeda militants in Yemen was ordered by Trump on Saturday and this resulted in the Navy Seal being killed, and the wounding of three others. The raid still resulted in the casualties of 14 people, with some reports saying that they were all militants. But reports on the death of the Navy Seal also include the death of an eight-year-old American girl who the family said was the daughter of an American citizen and al-Qaeda propagandist, Anwar al-Awlaki. He was targeted and killed in Yemen by a drone strike ordered by the Obama administration in 2011 before his son was also killed. It's been reported that the raid that killed the Navy Seal was already planned under an Obama White House but they had not given the okay for it, that it was even overridden by Obama using a pocket veto. The weekend raid is seen as a sign of more aggressive action against militants in Yemen, which both Spicer and Flynn set the tone of retaliation for, under the shadow of the Navy Seal who had been killed. Flynn threatens Iran, possible military action? National Security Advisor Michael Flynn says U.S. "condemns" recent actions by Iran: "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice" pic.twitter.com/90VUt94Q4Q ABC News (@ABC) February 1, 2017 Michael Flynn also referred to reports of more aggressive action by Iranian-backed Houthis rebels against Saudi allies, who have been receiving funding and arms from the U.S. under the Obama administration, in order to fight off Houthis attacks in Yemen. According to the official news channel for the Houthis group "al-Masira", a ballistic missile was launched against a Saudi-led military base on Tuesday morning. While there is no official confirmation as to whether there were any casualties, on Monday, it was reported that three suicide boats hit a Saudi frigate near the port of Hodeidah. Other reports have said that the Islamic Republic had launched a ballistic test missile this week, which was confirmed by the Iranian defense minister who said they would not allow any outsider to meddle with their defenses. In his statement for which Flynn took no questions, he referred to the attacks as a clear and largely ignored sign that Iran was the destabilizing force in the Middle East. He also said that the Obama administration had failed to act against Iran's support for terrorism, weapons transfer and what he says are a violation of international norms, referring to United Nations Security Council resolution 2231. The resolution was drafted and implemented with the Iran nuclear deal which was cut by former Secretary of State John Kerry, which Flynn said Iran had violated. He also called the Obama administration "weak" for not taking action. Michael Flynn's revenge According to "The Guardian", a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command said they saw Flynn's statement as administration policy, but they had not received anything that clarifies what Flynn's statement meant. Guardian also said they were told by a White House official that military action was not off the table. Michael Flynn's presence in the White House press briefing room could be seen as a provocation against the former Obama administration for firing him, over being too confrontational and not following orders. Michael Flynn has reportedly said before that he would favor a military confrontation with Iran. Iran has denied that they have violated the agreement. Another White House official has said they would rather not make decisions on impulse. However, it's also likely that Michael Flynn's decision to put Iran on notice was impulsive and caused by the Navy Seal killed in Yemen. After Donald Trump was elected president, it was only a matter of time before he would be in the White House and change the direction of American foreign policy. Just hours after National Security Advisor Michael Flynn sent a strong warning to Iran, Trump decided to add his thoughts on Twitter. Trump on Twitter In a surprising move, Michael Flynn appeared along side White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer during his daily briefing on Wednesday morning. During the press conference, Flynn criticized Iran's recent ballistic missile testing launch, referring to it as a breach in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution. In addition, Flynn also hit back at Iran for backing Houti rebels in Yemen, who have been attacking U.S. allies, including Saudi Arabia. "As of today," Flynn said, "we are officially putting Iran on notice." As seen on Twitter on February 1, Donald Trump has decided to also chime in. Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq even after the U.S. has squandered three trillion dollars there. Obvious long ago! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 "Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq even after the U.S. has squandered three trillion dollars there," Donald Trump wrote on Twitter late Wednesday night, before also adding, "Obvious long ago!" Trump's strong language is in line with his message during the campaign, where he referred to the recent Iran deal signed by former President Barack Obama as "one of the worst deals of all time." Flynn delivers stern warning to Iran for recent weapon testing, saying the U.S. is putting the country on notice. https://t.co/lQ7rETgsXp pic.twitter.com/69i7FDzzGE ABC News (@ABC) February 2, 2017 In response, Iran's foreign ministry has pushed back against the Trump administration, defending their recent missile test as being "solely for defensive purposes." With the recent "Muslim ban" executive order signed by Donald Trump, tension between the United States and the Middle East is only expected to increase. Over the weekend, Iran announced that they would stop using the U.S. dollar in response to the aforementioned "Muslim ban." Next up With just a week and a half under his belt as the commander in chief, Donald Trump is already making big changes in how the United States does business. While it's unknown what the future will hold in regards to the Trump administration and foreign nations, it's expected that critics will continue to hold the president's feet to the fire. Since being sworn in as the new president just under two weeks ago, Donald Trump has made drastic changes in how the United States does business. The most controversial has arguably been his "Muslim ban" executive order, which has continued to stay in the headlines. Trump on "Muslim ban" Last Friday, Donald Trump signed off on several executive orders, with one restricting travel from seven different countries in the Middle East, while also impacting green card holders and other refugees. Within hours, airport security were detaining individuals in compliance with the order, with sparked multiple protests breaking out across the country. Despite the backlash, Trump and his administration have continued to stand by their decision, which remains a hot topic of conversation in the news media. In Kuwait, a similar ban has been put in place, which Trump was happy to hear about, as seen on his Facebook page on February 2. Donald Trump posted an article link on his Facebook page from the Middle East website "Albawaba," which details Kuwait's decision to follow in similar footsteps as the new "Muslim ban." "Smart," Trump added on, while praising the ban. While not as lengthy as Trump's restrictions, individuals from Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan will not be able to obtain visas in Kuwait regardless if it's related to tourism or trade. Kuwaiti officials confirmed to local news sources that the ban was in place due to "instability" in the restricted areas. The Muslim ban could cost America $66 billion a year https://t.co/FukeecAGvA pic.twitter.com/Vh7ZofptYQ Newsweek (@Newsweek) February 2, 2017 The countries on the list have all had issues with the rise and spread of Islamic terrorism, a major issue of the Donald Trump administration. Since the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Kuwait has been hit with multiple terrorists attacks, including the bombing of a Shia mosque back in 2015, which resulted in 27 civilian deaths. Kuwait had previously banned entry to Syrians back in 2011, but those who were already in the country were not impacted. Moving forward The backlash against Donald Trump over his executive orders and other actions have only increased since Inauguration Day, and don't look to be slowing down anytime soon. As the political divide continues in the United States, it's expected to be a long four years for Trump in the White House. Donald Trump is once again coming under fire for making controversial comments about Mexico. During a recent phone call with the Mexican president, Trump allegedly threatened to send in the United States military. Trump on Mexico When Donald Trump first announced his campaign for president, he did so by referring to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." During the campaign, the former host of "The Apprentice" vowed to complete construction of a border wall, while promising to hold Mexico financially responsible. In recent days, Trump signed an executive order to jump start the building of the wall, which caused such backlash that a planned visit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto was postponed. As first reported by the Associated Press on February 1, Trump and Nieto had an interesting phone conversation, leading to controversial comments being made by the new president. Trump tells Mexico: "I might send" U.S. military to take care of "bad hombres" https://t.co/BMRXQX7CZR pic.twitter.com/A7jz7Ix06T Los Angeles Times (@latimes) February 2, 2017 According to the report by the Associated Press, Donald Trump and Enrique Pena Nieto spoke over the phone on Friday, with the billionaire real estate mogul threatening to send United States troops south of the border to Mexico to take out some "bad hombres." "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump allegedly told Nieto, while adding, "You aren't doing enough to stop them." "I think your military is scared. Our military isn't," Trump went on to say, while noting, "I just might send them down to take care of it." Double denial In response to the story in the Associated Press, both the Donald Trump administration and the Mexican government are in denial. "The assertions that you make about said conversation do not correspond to the reality of it," the Mexican government's foreign relations department said in response to the report. Mexico denies Trump threatened to send US troops to Mexico to deal with "bad hombres" https://t.co/OA3ppEhduJ pic.twitter.com/qR0PPWR9G8 The Hill (@thehill) February 2, 2017 The offical line from the Mexican government is that the conversation between the two leaders was "constructive." The Hill went on to report that the White House has also denied the aforementioned report, though no offical statement or comment has been released. As of press time, it's unknown when both sides will get together for a face-to-face meeting. The national prayer breakfast is an annual tradition for politicians and religious leaders to gather together to share their faith. On Thursday morning, Donald Trump attended the event, and made controversial comments about religion's role in government. Trump on religion The separation between church and state is one of the building blocks of the United States, allowing citizens to practice any faith they wish, or no faith at all, without interference from government. Due to that separation, Churches are tax exempt, but are also restricted from engaging in political activity that could impact the government or elections. During Wednesday morning's National Prayer Breakfast, Donald Trump stood at the podium and delivered remarks that have left many secular critics worried about the state of religion in the country moving forward. As reported by The New York Times on February 2, Trump is vowing to take drastic measures. While addressing those in attendance, Donald Trump made remarks that many believe could test the boundaries of religious freedom. "I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution," Trump said, to the cheers of the crowd. Not stopping there, the former host of "The Apprentice" went on to add to his comments, claiming that "freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it is under serious threat." The Johnson Amendment was signed into law in 1954, and named after former Senator and President Lyndon Johnson. The law restricts political activity by religious groups and churches, which has faced opposition from the far religious right for decades. Breaking News: President Trump said he would "totally destroy" limits on political activity by tax-exempt churches https://t.co/6ewkv1mtNu pic.twitter.com/FwZuTX3dfa The New York Times (@nytimes) February 2, 2017 Donald Trump also went on to defend his recent executive order that critics have labeled the "Muslim ban," due to travel restrictions being enacted in relation to seven Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East. "Terrorism is a fundamental threat to religious freedom," Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast, before adding, "It must be stopped and it will be stopped." The billionaire real estate mogul went on to state that his administration will do everything in its power to defend religious liberty," which includes helping "peace-loving Muslims" from Islamic terrorists. Trump claims During his speech, Donald Trump went on to claim that "America is a nation of believers." Despite this, one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States are the "nones," made up of atheists and agnostics, as well as people who choose to just have no religious-affiliation at all. While Trump and the religious right continue their attack on a secular United States, backlash is expected to continue. Hillary Clinton has announced plans to write a book in her post-election plans. What do we know about the upcoming book? The book will be a collection of personal essays, and is expected to be released in late September of next year. Simon & Schuster will serve as the publisher of the upcoming book. In a released statement, the publishing company said that in a released statement that a main theme of the book will be famous quotes, and Clinton will write chapters concerning favorite quotations that she thought of as a personal inspiration. In the statement, the publishers also said that the book will also give Clintons point of view over the happenings of the 2016 Presidential Election and her loss of the Electoral College to President Donald Trump. In a released statement from Clinton herself, she had hoped that those reading the book will see that the essays will be meaningful for readers and that they will take a look into her good and hard times. As the book is early in production, little else is currently known about the book, but it has been confirmed that it is currently untitled. This is not the first book Clinton has published within her political career, which includes the 2004 publication, "Living History" and the more recent 2014 publication "Hard Choices." Her first book had been "It Takes a Village" in 1995, which was written when she was the current First Lady. The book had fell into controversy after reports came out that a ghostwriter who helped with the book, identified as Barbara Feinman, had been uncredited for her help. What else does Clinton have planned since the presidential election? In addition, the book is not the only writing that Clinton has planned to produce in the near future. This will include an address made at an International Women's Day event that will be arranged by the Vital Voices organization and at her alma-mater, Wellesley College. Clinton has also announced plans to work with the Harry Walker Agency, with whom she had worked with prior to stepping down in 2013 to serve as secretary of state. While a direct return to politics in unconfirmed, there is speculation that she may run for mayor of New York City. However, her plans involving the book and her upcoming appearances might make this unlikely. As of now, Clinton has made few public appearances since the events of the election, but she had notably attended Trump's inauguration. Senator John McCain, (R, Ariz.), is rapidly becoming an annoyance for President Donald Trump because of his vast criticism of Trump's policies, and his opposition to denigrating comments that Trump made about women during the 2016 Presidential campaign. McCain has expressed his explicit opposition to Trump's immigration order, in which he banned Muslim immigrants to the United States from several nations, including Syria. Earlier in the week, GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also expressed his opposition to the executive immigration order based upon his belief that "religious tests" are wrong and not in keeping with the Constitution. More of McCain's objections Senator McCain also objected to Trump's overtures to Russia and its dictator, Vladimir Putin, and Trump's endorsement of torture as a means of extracting information from prisoners of war, terrorists, traitors and foreign operatives. Additionally, McCain offered little more than minimal endorsement of Rex Tillerson, Trump's nominee for Secretary of State. Finally, McCain totally repudiated Trump for his profuse objection to free trade agreements between the United States and its trading partners. A self-inflicted wound McCain, and his GOP colleague Senator Lindsey Graham. (R, S.C.), expressed their fear that the Muslim ban will cause enhanced recruitment and mobilization among Muslims in response to the message of rejection that the ban is sending to Muslims worldwide. The two senators referred to this phenomenon as Trump's "self-inflicted wound." McCain and Graham also expressed their fervent fear that the ban would forbid the immigration of Iraqi pilots who are committed to entering the United States to assist in the fight against the Islamic State. Other Iraqis who could be prevented from immigrating to the United States are those who have assisted the U.S.-led coalition in the past and attained immigrant visas to the United States. Putin the "murderer and thug" McCain is particularly critical of Trump's friendly overtures to Vladimir Putin, calling the outspoken Russian dictator, "a murderer and a thug," (ABC News, 1-31-17). As McCain sees it, Putin is the leader who is guilty of invading Ukraine, annexing Crimea and supporting Assad's "murderous regime" in Syria. Trump sued by political organization Meanwhile, Trump is being sued by the political organization, Citizens for Responsibility and Action, for his failure to divest himself of his foreign financial holdings and interests. As a government official, Trump is required to divest himself of not only the control of is foreign financial interests, but also the ownership of such. To date, Trump only has signed over control of his financial interests to his two sons, but he still owns them. Donald Trump is facing a lot of opposition to his travel ban on 7 Muslim-majority states. Taking a cue from Donald's executive order, the Kuwait government has banned the entry of nationals from 5 predominant Muslim countries namely Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan. It is reported that the ban covers a visa for tourism, visit, and trade as well as visas sponsored by husbands for their wives. Kuwait had in 2011, already banned citizens from Syria from entering the country. Kuwait has a large expatriate workforce but this has not stopped the Kuwait government from implementing the ban. Now that a Muslim nation has emulated Donald, one will have to rethink about the ban on travel and visa for 120 days imposed by Donald. Sputnik news has reported that Kuwait is worried that there may be an influx of radical Islamic terrorists and hence has taken this extreme step. Kuwait and terror Kuwait is a small country at the boot of Iraq and earlier in History it was invaded by Iraq under Saddam Hussain. A coalition led by America liberated the nation. Kuwait is also in a dispute with Iran and considers itself vulnerable to terror attacks. In 2015, a Shia mosque was targeted and 27 were killed. Kuwait is a member of the GCC whose security is underwritten by the USA, but with a belligerent Iran, the situation is volatile. Support for Donald Donald's ban on Muslims traveling to the USA has also found support in the UAE. It is reported that Donald has substantial business interests here. The UAE finance minister has stated that the ban by America on Muslims traveling to the USA from 7 nations is justified and within the powers of the American government. Last word At home, Donald's ban has invoked a strong backlash from opponents who feel the ban is unjustified and against the spirit of the constitution. The man is unfazed and there is a chance that Pakistan may be added to the list. Kuwait has imposed the ban even though much of its workforce is from Pakistan. The Pakistan Ambassador has denied the ban is there, but facts indicate otherwise. The Pakistan PM Nawaz is a worried man. The fear of Donald has made him take some cosmetic steps against terror groups. President Donald Trump's new address may be the White House, but Barron and Melania Trump may never move in. Melania announced shortly after Donald won the 2016 presidential election that she would stay with their son in New York City so he could finish school. Melania may never move to Washington, D.C. According to US Weekly, Mrs. Trump will re-evaluate toward the end of the school year to decide if she will move to Washinton with 10-year-old Barron. An inside source revealed that right now, she wouldn't be surprised if Melania decides to stay in nyc. Ultimately, the First Lady wants to do what is best for Barron because he is her primary focus. President says Melania's absence is a 'good thing' President Trump stated in an interview with David Muir that being away from Melania is a good thing. Although it is unprecedented, it suits his family just fine. He claims that since she is 200 miles away and lives away from him, it allows him to work longer hours, without the worry of going home to his family. Donald explained that it would come down to weekends, and to spend quality time versus quantity. Apparently, the plan is that they take turns making the two-hour trip so they can see each other often. Marriage troubles? Donald scoffed at the idea that his marriage was on the rocks. Social media exploded a few days ago with a video that proved that Mrs. Trump is an abused woman. Of course, the video was laced with rumors and speculation; it implied that Melania cannot leave Donald because she would leave the marriage nearly poor. President Trump claims that any implication that his marriage is in trouble is "baseless and untrue." He stated that his marriage is stronger than ever. As for why they are living separately, he repeated that it was for Barron 's schooling. First Lady Melania Trump has yet to hire any staff https://t.co/sBdAxBoCj1 pic.twitter.com/Yl6xnX2Q6i Camera Fun (@Camera_Fun_Fair) February 1, 2017 Donald said that the American people would see more of Melania in the next few weeks as she hires her team and begins her work as the First Lady. As for what project she will work on first, Donald wasn't sure, and didn't want to speak for his wife. Do you think Melania and Barron Trump will ever move to the White House? Melania Trump has been the First Lady of the United States for a couple of weeks now, but to say that she's been keeping a low profile since the inauguration might be an understatement. It is more like Melania has been under wraps since stepping into her role. Steps out avoiding protestors Monday night Melania was seen stepping out of her Trump Tower home dressed for the cold New York City night air in an ivory-colored coat and nude pumps. People protesting Trump's temporary ban on immigrants has taken on a life all of its own. The protesters lined Mahattan's East Village, which is south of Melania's home, so she was able to skirt the angry crowd on her way out, according to Inside Edition. It is not known where Melania went on her outing. Posts to fill Besides hiring long-time friend Stephanie Winston Wolkoff as her senior adviser, Melania hasn't filled the other posts, which are top positions to the first lady. Melania looked absolutely gorgeous and presented as the epitome of gracefulness at the inauguration and all the events surrounding her husband's big day. That wasn't the only way the media presented Melania and she's been in the headlines non-stop since her husband moved into the White House. Media was relentless A clip of Melania smiling and then instantly turning that smile into a frown as soon as Donald Trump turned away has saturated the media. The speculation around this one moment in time has gone from people suggesting problems in their marriage to Melania not being happy with her new lot in life. That frown could have been nothing more than Melania trying to hold in a burp or an expression caused by breaking a nail, but still it became a theme tagging Melania as an unhappy first lady. The hashtag #FreeMelania was started, according to Fox News. Within no time at all the fake news was off and running. Now immigration papers targeted In the last couple of days a California state senator is calling for the release of Melania Trump's immigration documents. Melania hasn't done a thing to anyone, yet because Trump put the temporary ban into place, she is being scrutinized. A California state legislator wants the White House to release documents on Melania Trump's immigration records https://t.co/NoY5vWzM13 pic.twitter.com/q7qkiY3ZiI POLITICO (@politico) January 31, 2017 Now the streets in New York City are filled with angry protesters who are outraged over the temporary ban that Trump put in place as his attempt to keep America a safer place for its citizens. Melania has to avoid this crowd just to go anywhere. The First Lady is under a microscope along with having to endure rather mean things said about her in the media. Melania under a microscope With all that First Lady Melania Trump has experienced in her first few weeks in her new role, you can't blame her for opting to stay under wraps and out of the public eye. It is not known when she will head to the White House again to visit her husband, as he seems to be working around the clock fulfilling the promises he made to the voters. It is clear that the Trump Administration is decidedly hostile to the idea of sanctuary cities, in which individual communities shield illegal aliens from federal authorities charged with enforcing immigration laws. However, if a Colorado State named Rep. Dave Williams has his way, supporting the policy would entail a personal, financial cost for politicians. Williams is offering a bill in the Colorado House that would allow American citizens who are victims of crimes perpetrated by illegal aliens in sanctuary cities to sue the politicians who enacted the policy. The bill is likely to die in the Colorado House, dominated by Democrats, but may have a better chance in the state Senate, according to Fox News. A similar bill is being advanced in the Virginia state Senate by state Sen. Richard H. Black. One of the annoying aspects of policies such as sanctuary cities is that the government officials generally do not suffer the consequences. The effects tend to fall on ordinary people, such as Kate Steinle, who was murdered by an illegal alien at a pier in San Francisco. Bills that would deal with the problem by imposing mandatory minimal sentences have been blocked at the federal level. Laws such as those being advocated by Williams in Colorado and Black in Virginia could provide an incentive for officeholders to be careful about the effects of policies they support on ordinary people. On the other hand, such bills would have to be passed by the very same politicians who would be affected by them. Having to deal with irate citizens who are exercising their first amendment rights of free speech is bad enough. Being dragged into civil court by people claiming that theyve been harmed by a law or policy they supported would prove to be intolerable. The principle could go beyond people who have been murdered or otherwise harmed by illegal aliens shielded by a local government. Imagine a small business suing a politician who supported, say, an increase in the minimum wage that drove it into bankruptcy? What about a taxpayer who believes that he or she had been harmed by an unfair tax code. The possibilities for holding politicians accountable would be endless and would have the salutary effect of making them think very carefully before supporting a law that might harm people. After Donald Trump pulled off the upset and defeated Hillary Clinton on Election Day, all eyes then shifted to who he would surround himself with in the White House. After it was announced that Republican donor Betsy DeVos would be nominated as the new Secretary of Education, backlash quickly followed. DeVos derailed Just over two weeks after winning the election, Donald Trump tapped Betsy DeVos as his new Education Secretary. DeVos has a long history of being a mega donor to the Republican party, who has been vocal in her support for private and charter schools, with an apparent grudge against the public school system. In Michigan, she was a leading voice for the state to shift to a charter school system. In addition, DeVos is known as a strict Christian fundamentalist, with beliefs in the radical Creationism religious theory. While it appeared she would still be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, Politico reports on February 1 that it might not be so easy to get through. On Wednesday morning, two top Republicans in the Senate announced that they would not be voting to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary. Republicans Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, both went public with their opposition, and elaborated further. "This is not a decision I make lightly," Collins said, before adding, "I have a great deal of respect for Mrs. DeVos." However, Collins announced, "I will not, can not vote to confirm her." Both Murkowski and Collins oppose DeVos' staunch support for voucher programs, which would be a devastating blow to the public school system by shifting taxpayer money to a more private setup. Another blow to Betsy DeVos is Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who is also opposed to the former GOP donor, despite supporting other Donald Trump cabinet nominees. Rocky road Since the start of her hearing, Betsy DeVos has constantly run into trouble. From trying to argue the need for guns in school by citing potential grizzly bear attacks, to allegedly plagiarizing her confirmation hearing answers, DeVos still has a good chance to be confirmed, though it's becoming more difficult by the day. As of press time, Donald Trump has not yet commented on the Republican backlash in the Senate. When I was at school the teachers emphasized the importance of reading editorials in newspapers. They explained that these were a means of putting forward legitimate opinion and the exercise our minds in freedom of thought. These memories were revived over the last few weeks as I have been closely following the conflict between President #Donald Trump and the American press. Freedom is not following the leader The President of the United States holds the highest office in the land and this means that he should and must consider the population as a whole and not just small sections and those who voted for him. The Press represents these other interests and voices within the country and as such give voice to the concerns of their readers. The opinion pieces then explain the reasons for these concerns. It is dismaying for anyone to have their ideas and perceptions challenged, but this is a normal step in a persons life and it is the President of the United States whose actions draw the most attention and therefore the most criticism and praise from the population and Press. Being able to handle these differences of opinion is a fundamental quality to properly handle the Office and guide the country. In addition, there is one aspect of a Democracy that is often misunderstood. A majority vote does not confer full and unlimited powers to the Leader as these powers are limited by the Law of the land and in particular by the rights and limitations contained in the countrys Constitution. One of these is Freedom of expression and these expressions include not only peaceful protesters, but also to the Press. Any limitation of the freedom of the Press is effectively a limitation of this freedom. The biggest accusation At the end of the 19th Century France was torn apart by the Dreyfus Case when a Jewish Army Officer was accused of treason for being a spy and sent to Devils Island for punishment. The country was divided as much by the religion of the suspect as it was for any definitive proof for or against him. A major turning point came with a letter in a newspaper by writer Emile Zola entitled Jaccuse (I accuse) to the President of France at the time, Felix Faure, in which he directly accused Army Officers of falsifying the accusations against Dreyfus. The final result was an investigation that proved that Dreyfus was innocent of the charges and other officers were eventually condemned for their role in the affair. In the same way the Press in reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post was instrumental in the resolution of the Watergate Affair and the fall of President Richard Nixon. It would be easy to find other examples of the investigative role of journalists, but these two cases stand out as they provided decisive moments in the History of their countries. Legitimate role As with any profession journalists are answerable for their actions and may be held legally accountable for their articles, yet not agreeing with an article does not mean it is incorrect. Petty issues such as crowd numbers should not be the cause of conflict and certainly accusing any and every differing opinion as fake News is not a reply that does honour to the Oval Office. While it may be discomforting for any politician to be questioned, or to take offence with statements by reporters, Donald Trump, his Secretaries and advisors cannot mistake the Press as their personal megaphones. The role of the Press is also to question and investigate what they see, even if it discomforts its subject. Within the terms of the Constitution the opinions and the reports of the journalists are as important as those of the President. The current situation cannot continue and the solution is not in silencing any voice of dissention, such as banning #CNN, but in addressing the issues raised and providing the information required. Any other action is simply failure to respect the constitutional right represented by the Press. Alright "Chicago Fire" peeps. Welcome to the new year with new episodes, which also means we've got new spoilers, and these bad boys will be for the upcoming episode 10 of season 5. It turns out that some pretty dramatic and interesting scenarios will happen in these storylines that we got straight from the NBC folks. Dawson and Casey will have some plans they want to carry out, but Louise's father, screws it all up for him. Family issues go haywire Starting things off, I've got the title for this installment. The producers decided to name this one: "The People We Meet." I guess that's an interesting choice. Anyways, here we go. They put in all-caps that Louie's father is going to totally mess up some family plans that Casey and Dawson have plotted out. So, it looks like that could be one of the bigger storylines in this one. A further elaboration of this, is that Dawson and Casey will attempt to create a home environment that's filled with harmony and peace. Unfortunately, Louie's father won't help that out. They don't say exactly what he does to cause all the dismay, but he's definitely going to, and things are going to get heated. The bone marrow cancellation Next, we've got Taylor Kinney's Severide character, somehow, agreeing to give up some of his bone marrow for the sake of charity. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like this is going end up, turning out well, because they describe that a big work accident will end up, taking place and ruin everything. They didn't elaborate any further about that, so we don't have any details about this so-called incident, but it should make for some interesting dramatics. They hit a snag with PSA stuff In this 3rd and last teaser they gave up, we find out that Mouch and Otis are going to be quite the busy bees. However, there big plans are going to get snubbed as well. It's described that they're going to be filming a special PSA piece that's designed to get people to want to join the Chicago Fire Department crew. Unfortunately, while they're in the middle of this project, they're going to run into some creative issues that they will need to fix in order to complete this project of theirs. Will they be able to break through the creative barriers that currently plague them? Right now, we can only look for time to answer that burning question. We've got a couple of guest stars on deck that will be involved in this episode. They are: S. Epatha Merkerson and Jeff Hephner. Give them a round of applause for helping out in whatever way they did, or not. Hell, I don't really care if you do or if you don't. It just seemed like the right thing to say. Anyways, I can also confirm that this one will definitely be airing next Tuesday night, January 10th, 2017 at 9pm central time, so be sure to get that date committed to memory, and stay tuned. It took only minutes, but after Donald Trump signed the executive order to ban Muslims from certain Middle East countries from entering the United States, backlash quickly followed. As protests broke out across the country over the Muslim ban, actors and actresses at the SAG Awards spoke out. SAG Awards on Trump Heading into the weekend, Donald Trump completed his first full week in the White House by signing several executive orders. One of them included the aforementioned Muslim ban. In response, protests broke out in airports around the country after reports of Muslims being detained inside. Two men who were detained contacted the ACLU and filed a lawsuit against the administration, which ultimately led to a federal judge ordering a stay on the order in question late Saturday night. As reported by the offical SAG Awards Twitter account on January 29, Hollywood has decided to give their thoughts. "A lot of people are saying right now that actors shouldn't express their opinions when it comes to politics. But the truth is, actors are activists no matter what because we embody the work and humanity of all people," "Scandal" actress Kerry Washington said as the show kicked off. "To everyone at home. And to everyone in airports that belong in my America. You are part of the fabric of what we are," Actor Ashton Kutcher said. "We love you. And we welcome you," he continued. After winning his SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for "Shameless," William H. Macy had a special message for the new president. "I wanna thank President Trump for making Frank Gallagher seem so normal," Macy said, while taking a shot at his own character, who is known as an alcoholic and degenerate. Julia Louis-Dreyfus speaks The biggest moment of the night came when Julia Louis-Dreyfus accept her award for best Female Actor in a Comedy Series, and spoke at the podium. "I want you all to know that I am the daughter of an immigrant," Louis-Dreyfus said. "My father fled religious persecution in Nazi-occupied France and Im an American patriot and I love this country," she continued, while explaining that she is "horrified by its blemishes," making reference to the Muslim ban. As of press time, Donald Trump has not yet responded to the SAG Awards, but it's expected that he will at some point in the future. News anchor Tamron Hall has left NBC and MSNBC. Her last day was Tuesday, January 31. Hall co-hosted "Today's Take" that aired during the "Today" show's third hour with Al Roker at 9 a.m. Hall and Roker were told that their hour was giving way to Megyn Kelly, who has been promised a slot for an NBC daytime talk show. Hall also hosted "MSNBC Live," an hour of news at 11 a.m. each day on MSNBC. The network tried to convince Hall to stay after her contract expired at the end of this month, but the 46-year-old journalist declined. In fact, she left both shows on Tuesday. Hall submitted a statement that said she was thankful for the last 10 years she has worked for the network. However, she is very excited about the next chapter. On February 1, 2017, NBC News released in a joint statement confirming that Hall has departed from nbc and msnbc. The network said they were disappointed that they could not persuade Tamron to stay because she is an exceptional journalist. The statement confirmed that yesterday was Hall's last day as an anchor on both networks. It was reported that she was offered a multi-million dollar contract to stay. Hall at MSNBC In the past few weeks, Tamron has filled in as an anchor for Savannah Guthrie who is still on maternity leave, and for Lester Holt on "NBC Nightly News." Just a few days ago, she received an email from the executive producer congratulating the 9 a.m. team for being No. 1 for the last seven weeks. Then on Friday, minutes before going on MSNBC, Hall was told that she and Al were being taken off the air during the 9 a.m. hour. Roker, 62, has a long-term contract and will remain with NBC. Hall worked a decade for local news in Chicago, Illinois before she joined MSNBC in 2007. She came to NBC's "Today" show in 2014. She currently hosts "Deadline: Crime" on Investigation Discovery channel. Nothing has been said about whether Hall will also give up that hosting job. NBC making room for Megyn Kelly NBC is considering a couple of options to make room for Megyn Kelly who has left Fox News. Kelly could take over the 9 a.m. slot vacated by Tamron Hall and Al Roker. She will follow Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie after their first two hours. Or, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb could move up an hour to 9 a.m., which will make the 10 a.m. slot available for Kelly when she starts her new show in the fall. China's slower economic growth and its economic transition and fuel mix will have a major impact on the global energy market in the next 20 years, according to the 2017 BP Energy Outlook released in Washington on Wednesday. The report projects that China's energy demand growth will slow to 1.9 percent a year through the next 20 years to 2035, less than a third of China's pace in the last 20 years of 6.3 percent a year. However, China will still consume more than a quarter of the world's energy in 2035. The report also predicts that China's energy intensity will decline by 3 percent a year going toward 2035, compared with the global average of 2 percent. It forecasts that China's energy mix continues to evolve, with coal's share falling from 64 percent today to 42 percent in 2035, according to the report. Spencer Dale, BP's chief economist, said on Wednesday that China is likely to see a sharp change in the pattern of coal consumption due to the changing pace and pattern of growth - slower economic growth, less energy-intensive growth and a commitment to reduce dependency on coal. The suffocating pollution in Chinese cities has sparked a public outcry. As a result, the government's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) has focused on sustainable and less energy-intensive growth and has set a series of more stringent climate and carbon-reduction targets. While coal fueled China's rapid industrialization in the 1990s, Dale said "those days are over". "The growth of Chinese coal consumption is likely to slow sharply, and ultimately stops and declines," he said at the report's launch at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The report predicts China's energy consumption to grow by 47 percent and production to grow by 38 percent during the 2015-2035 period, both faster than the global average of 31 percent and 29 percent, respectively. It forecasts that China's share in global energy demands will rise from 23 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2035. The report also forecasts that China's nuclear energy will grow by 10.6 percent a year from 2015 to 2035, to account for 31 percent of global nuclear energy generation by 2035. And by 2035, China will also become the second-largest shale gas producer after the US. In an article on China-US Focus website this week, Dongping Han, a professor at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, compared China's recent announcement to scrap 85 coal power plants under construction and investing $361 billion in green energy to US President Donald Trump's talk about investing more in coal as a source of energy. "China's move in this direction will further strengthen China's leadership position in green energy," Han said. While global energy demand will grow by around 30 percent over the next two decades, Dale said almost all of that growth is coming from the emerging markets, where 2 billion people are being lifted out of low incomes and into middle incomes. "In that sense, increasing energy use is a good news story. It's related to increasing prosperity, living standards we expect to see in the emerging markets, which drive global growth over the next 20 years," he said. The annual report also noted that the increase in global energy demand is substantially offset by rapid gains in energy efficiency. Dale said that forecasting is not about being right or wrong. "For me, the point of forecasting is better understanding the nature of uncertainties," he said, adding that BP is still investing $17 billion a year in the energy sector. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com A ceremony for welcoming the "God of Wealth" is held in front of the former residence of Shen Wansan, the richest man living in south of the Yangtze River region during the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644), in East China's Zhouzhuang, dubbed as the best water village in China, on Feb 1, 2017. Feb 1st is the fifth day of the Chinese New Year, which is believed to be the birthday of the "God of Wealth". The "God of Wealth" is believed to bring fortune to people. [Photo/Chinanews.com] FILE PHOTO - Rex Tillerson, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil, smiles during his testimony before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be US secretary of state in Washington, US January 11, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] The US Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson as President Donald Trump's secretary of state on Wednesday, filling a key spot on the Republican's national security team despite concerns about the former Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) chief executive officer's ties to Russia. In the vote, 56 senators backed Tillerson, and 43 voted no. The tally was largely along party lines, with every Republican favoring Tillerson, along with four members of the Democratic caucus, Senators Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Manchin and Mark Warner as well as Angus King, an independent. Democratic Senator Chris Coons did not vote. Senate Democrats had tried, but failed, to delay the vote because of Trump's executive order banning immigration from seven mostly Muslim countries and temporarily halting the entry of refugees. They said they wanted to ask Tillerson more questions about the issue after Trump signed the order on Friday. Senators had also expressed concerns over Tillerson's ties to Russia after the executive spent years there working for the oil company. Some faulted him for failing to promise to recuse himself from matters related to Exxon Mobil businesses for his entire term as secretary of state rather than only the one year required by law. Republicans said they thought Tillerson would be a strong leaders as the country's top diplomat. They also said it was important to fill key slots on Trump's national security team quickly. Xue Bing, Chinese consul general in Toronto, delivers a welcoming speech at the Chinese New Year reception hosted by the consulate general before Lunar New Year's Eve on Jan 26 in Richmond Hill. [Photo by NA LI / CHINA DAILY] The past year has been a productive one for China-Canada relations, according to the consul general in Toronto, and that was cause for celebration as the Lunar New Year approached. As the air was filled with Chinese music and cheerful chatting and greetings, hundreds of guests gathered at the Premier Banquet & Convention Centre in Richmond Hill to celebrate before Lunar New Year's Eve. "At this festive moment, I would like to extend my warmest welcome and sincere greetings to all of our friends in Canada," said Xue Bing, Chinese consul general in Toronto, who delivered a keynote speech at the reception hosted by the consulate. Xue said both nations have announced the goal of doubling trade and two-way visits by 2025. Exploratory discussions for a Canada-China Free Trade Agreement are expected to kick off soon, and 2018 has been declared the Year of Canada-China Tourism. As the most observed festival for Chinese worldwide, the Lunar Chinese New Year-Spring Festival this year was acknowledged by Parliament. Xue proposed a toast to a long-lasting friendship, with shouts of joy from the crowd. The sale of an Oregon-based technology company to Chinese state-owned enterprises faces a review by a US government panel in a new political environment under US President Donald Trump. In November, Lattice Semiconductor Corp in Portland agreed to be acquired by Canyon Bridge Capital Partners for $1.3 billion. In a US regulatory filing last month, Lattice emphasized that Canyon Bridge's investors are Chinese state-owned enterprises. Christopher Rolland, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group, a market maker in the securities of Lattice, said having Chinese SOEs as investors "definitely is a sticking point" when the deal is considered by CFIUS, or the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. It is made up of representatives from several federal agencies, including the departments of Treasury, Defense, State and Homeland Security. It reviews foreign acquisitions, mergers and takeovers of US businesses to assess national security concerns. In light of the new political environment in Washington, Rolland believes the transaction has a 50-50 chance of gaining CFIUS approval. In November, he wrote in a research note that "the Donald could ultimately decide the fate of the deal", referring to President Trump. In the presidential campaign, Trump was critical of China. Lattice's main product is a computer chip called a field programmable gate array or FPGA, which are chips that can be programmed after they are manufactured. Rolland said Lattice's FPGAs are used in the low end of the market while competitors Xilinx Inc and Intel Corp's Altera produce chips that are used in higher-end military applications. Lattice doesn't sell chips to the US military. Last year, more than 20 members of Congress, including one from Oregon, wrote to then Treasury Secretary Jack Lew urging the blockage of the Lattice acquisition over security concerns. "FPGA technologies are critical to American military applications, and the purchase of an American FPGA designer and manufacturer by a (Chinese)-affiliated firm could disrupt the military supply chain and possibly lead to a reliance on foreign-sourced technologies for many critical Defense Department programs," the lawmakers wrote. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com President Trump signed directives to build a wall along the 2,000-mile US-Mexican border and strip federal funding from ''sanctuary'' cities that shield illegal immigrants. [Photo/Agencies] Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said on Thursday he hoped to have a wall along the southern US border with Mexico finished within two years, according to an interview with Fox News. "The wall will be built where it's needed first, and then it will be filled in. That's the way I look at it," Kelly said in the interview. "I really hope to have it done within the next two years." He added he thought funding from Congress for the massive project would come "relatively quickly." US President Trump, with National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and senior advisor Steve Bannon, speaks by phone with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. [Photo/Agencies] US ties with ally Australia were strained on Thursday over a reported acrimonious phone call between their two leaders and US President Donald Trump's assertion that an existing refugee swap deal was "dumb." Trump described the resettlement plan as "the worst deal ever," the Washington Post reported, and accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers." The call had been scheduled to last an hour but Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tried to turn to subjects such as Syria, according to the newspaper. The apparent breakdown between Washington and Canberra that has developed over the resettlement deal could have serious repercussions. Australia and the United States are among the five nations that make up the Five Eyes group, the world's leading intelligence-sharing network. Turnbull told reporters he was surprised and disappointed that details of the call with Trump had been leaked but gave few particulars other than to deny reports Trump had hung up on him. As far as the call is concerned, the report that the president hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously. And as far as the nature of the discussion, it was very frank and forthright," he told a Sydney radio station on Thursday. "I make Australias case as powerfully and persuasively as I can, wherever I am," he said. Turnbull declined to confirm the Post report that Trump, who has spoken to world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, had angrily told the Australian leader that the call was "the worst so far." Trump, attending a national prayer breakfast in Washington on Thursday, said the United States was being taken advantage of and that he was having "tough phone calls" as he addressed issues. Trump did not name Australia or its leader by name. "We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. It's not going to happen anymore," he said, without naming any country. Political analysts said such acrimony was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former US President Richard Nixon and then-Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who withdrew the country's troops during the Vietnam War. "Even that was always done in the language of foreign policy niceties," said Harry Phillips, a political analyst of 40 years experience at Edith Cowan and Curtin universities in Perth. As reports of the phone conversation made headlines on both sides of the world, Trump tweeted shortly before midnight in Washington: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal." The tweets threw more confusion about the status of the controversial deal that Australia made with former President Barack Obama late last year. The United States would resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. NATCHEZ, Mississippi -- A Natchez-area teenager has been sentenced to five years behind bars following a game of Russian roulette that ended in the death of another teen. The Natchez Democrat reports that 18-year-old Jeffery Lindell Blanton was sentenced Monday after previously pleading guilty in connection with the December 2015 death of 17-year-old Justin Williams Jr. Police said a group of juveniles were playing dominoes that night when Blanton started playing with a revolver, placing a single bullet in the cylinder and spinning it to play a game of Russian roulette. Blanton fired the gun at Williams, who was hit in the hand and chest. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Prior to Blanton's plea to the manslaughter charge, the teenager had been indicted on a charge of second-degree murder. JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. - Law enforcement officials arrested a Houston, Texas man on Tuesday after finding nearly eight pounds of cocaine in the bed of his truck, according to Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell. Luis Maldonado was pulled over by a sheriff near Franklin Creek Rd. off of I-10 Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. because of the sheriff's inability to see and read Maldonado's license plate clearly. Agents with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team arrived to assist the deputy with the stop and found a bag within Maldonado's pocket containing a white, powdery substance. According to Ezell, Maldonado gave law enforcement officials consent to search his vehicle. A K-9 officer on the scene alerted his fellow officers to drugs found within the extended cab of the truck. Three square packages wrapped in black plastic with tape were unveiled, which police recognized to be familiar with drug trafficking. The drugs found is the back of Maldonado's truck have an estimated street value of $81,000. (JCSO) Police officials say the street value of the drugs equal to around $81,000. Maldonado is currently being held at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center on a $30,000 bond where he has been charged with aggravated trafficking of controlled substances. PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Reel World Breakfast Love Kevin Smokler, author of Brat Pack America: A Love Letter to 80s Teen Movies and the Places They Happened, is touring across America screening the 1985 John Hughes classic The Breakfast Club and talking about his book. Hell be stopping by Albuquerques Guild Cinema (3405 Central NE) on Wednesday, Feb. 8, for the 6 and 8:30pm screenings. Smoklers book takes readers on a virtual tour of the actual places where classic 80s films were shotfrom the seaside docks in Goonies to Kellermans Catskill Resort in Dirty Dancing. Interviews with actors, writers and directors of the era shed light on teenage favorites like Back to the Future, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Pretty in Pink and Dead Poets Society. While youre at the Guild, be sure and pick up a copy of Smoklers book, published late last year by Rare Bird Books, and get it signed by the author. Seating is limited, but advanced tickets are on sale now ($8, not including service fee) at bratpackamerica. brownpapertickets. com. View in Alibi calendar Parrot Heads Filmmaker Ilana Lapid will be stopping by the Guild Cinema on Thursday, Feb. 9, for the 6 and 8pm showings of her recently completed film Yochi. This special presentation by Defenders of Wildlife is free to the general public. Seating is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis. The film focuses on Yochi, a 9-year-old selectively mute Mayan boy, who guards a wild bird nest in the pine savanna of Belize. When his beloved older brother returns from the city, Yochi discovers that hes in debt and has turned to poachingsetting the brothers on a collision course. The film opened the Belize International Film Festival in November. Lapid will lead a post-film discussion about the making of the drama, the conservation of yellow-headed parrots in South America and the illegal wildlife trafficking industry as a whole. Lapid, an assistant professor at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, financed the films post-production though social media. For more information go to yochifilm.com. View in Alibi calendar President Donald Trumps nominee for education secretary understands states desire for stability as they head into the Every Students Succeeds Act era, according to the executive director of the Council of the Chief State School Officers. CCSSO leader Chris Minnich also said that after having a conversation with Betsy DeVos on Tuesday, he had the impression that she understood states desire to take the lead in decisions about school choice, but did not spell out how she planned to approach school choice as it relates to states. We do want flexibility in the states to customize [school choice]. She clearly said to me that the states need to be in control of a lot of these decisions, Minnich said in a Wednesday interview. She was a very intensive listener during this part of the conversation. I feel like I got my point across. DeVos was approved by the Senate education committee on a party-line vote Tuesday. Shes run into some trouble in the full Senateon Wednesday, two GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, announced they would not vote for DeVos . They are the only two Republican senators to announce their opposition to DeVos so far. The Trump administration has hit the pause button on ESSA accountability rules finalized by the Obama administration. DeVos didnt share with Minnich her views of, or her intentions for, those regulations. But he said DeVos understands that states have to work on a stable timeline in order to be ready for the 2017-18 school year, the first full year of ESSA, and that states are the ones in the drivers seat. States are okay with changes to those regulations. But we want it done in a manner that gives us certainty as quickly as possible, Minnich said. What I heard from her is the need for states to continue to do their ESSA plans. As for the supplement-not-supplant spending rules for ESSA that the Obama folks ultimately decided not to finalize ? Minnich said they didnt talk about the issue, and said its become a secondary conversation. The nominee also told Minnich that she believes decisions about standards and assessments are also states responsibility. Despite announcing her opposition to the Common Core State Standards after she was nominated by Trump, DeVos told Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that if she tried to force states to abandon the common core, she would be violating ESSA . Overall, Im pleased with the conversation, Minnich said. It represents a good start for the chiefs-federal government interaction. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . UPDATED Wednesdays word that Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska would not back education secretary-nominee Betsy DeVos in a full Senate vote created momentum against DeVos. Since that news, no GOP senator has come out against DeVos. Without another GOP senator to vote against DeVos, the vote tally appears to be 50-50, assuming all Democrats plus Collins and Murkowski vote against DeVos. Vice President Mike Pence would then be in a position to break that tie. But Pence couldnt overrule a 51-49 vote against DeVos. So who are the GOP senators who appear publicly undecided about DeVos? Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska is still apparently weighing her options. On DeVos, Senator Fischer visited with Mrs. DeVos earlier this week. The senators still digging into some issues, so I dont have an answer for you on that yet, her spokeswoman told us on Wednesday. We identified Fischer as one of four GOP senators from rural states who voted against a 2015 proposal to create a federal voucher plan. Nebraska has no law allowing charter schools, and no vouchers, so school choice doesnt have significant political force in Fischers state. Fischer is also up for re-election in 2018, although its unclear how much, or if, that might play into Fischers calculations regarding DeVos. Also keep in mind that President Donald Trump won Nebraska in 2016. UPDATE: Fischer released a statement Thursday saying she plans to support DeVos. That means her confirmation appears likely to proceed, with Vice President Mike Pence poised to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm her, unless another senator who had previously indicated support decides to not to vote for her, or a Democrat decides to cross party lines and vote in favor of her. Sen. Al Franken , D-Minn., told MSNBC that all Democrats were planning to vote as a block against DeVos. If the vote total for DeVos is tied at 50-50 as expected, this would be the first time in history that a vice president has had to cast the deciding vote in favor of a cabinet nominee. Activists and advocates opposed to DeVos are also focusing on Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. They may have an uphill climb: Portman has received campaign contributions directly from Betsy DeVos (although so did Murkowski, for what its worth.) And unlike Fischer, he voted in favor of that 2015 voucher program. But hes seen as a relative moderate in GOP circles. Weve twice asked Portmans office for comment, but have yet to hear back. Trump won Ohio in 2016. There appeared to be no statement about Devos on Portmans official website as of Thursday morning. UPDATE: That uphill climb now appears to be futile: Portman said in a statement Thursday that he supports DeVos nomination. Heres one possibility to keep in mind about Wednesdays events: Collins and Murkowski may have decided to vote against DeVos in part because the whip count (the tally of Republican senators who will vote for DeVos) appears safe even without their votes. In this way, those two senators can please voters in their home states who dont like DeVos, without ultimately sinking DeVos nomination and facing political backlash from GOP leadership and Trump. Below is a list of several GOP senators who weve checked in with, or seen statements from, regarding DeVos. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia: Capitos West Virginia colleague, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, came out against DeVos. But Capito will vote for DeVos, according to her spokeswoman. As a passionate advocate for children and learning, Betsy DeVos has devoted herself to improving education in her home state of Michigan and across the country, Capitos spokeswoman said. Capitos West Virginia colleague, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, came out against DeVos. But Capito will vote for DeVos, according to her spokeswoman. As a passionate advocate for children and learning, Betsy DeVos has devoted herself to improving education in her home state of Michigan and across the country, Capitos spokeswoman said. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona: In an homage to the movie Jerry Maguire, Flake announced on Twitter that DeVos had me at school choice years ago. So hes a vote in favor of DeVos. In an homage to the movie Jerry Maguire, Flake announced on Twitter that DeVos had me at school choice years ago. So hes a vote in favor of DeVos. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas: Morans statement to us indicated his support for DeVos, but it has some gray areas. Moran said hes had serious concerns about DeVos, but that he feels much better about the nominee after meeting with her. Morans statement to us indicated his support for DeVos, but it has some gray areas. Moran said hes had serious concerns about DeVos, but that he feels much better about the nominee after meeting with her. Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada: Heller said he will support DeVos in large part because of Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval backs her. Heller said in a statement that, Having his support weighed heavily on my decision to vote for her confirmation. Betsy DeVos understands the need to bring back education control to state and local boards, and I look forward to working with her to empower our parents, teachers, students, and local education officials. Heller said he will support DeVos in large part because of Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval backs her. Heller said in a statement that, Having his support weighed heavily on my decision to vote for her confirmation. Betsy DeVos understands the need to bring back education control to state and local boards, and I look forward to working with her to empower our parents, teachers, students, and local education officials. Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska: A spokesman for Sullivan told us the senator will be voting yes on DeVos. So Sullivan wont be following in his fellow Alaska senators path. A spokesman for Sullivan told us the senator will be voting yes on DeVos. So Sullivan wont be following in his fellow Alaska senators path. Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania: Some anti-DeVos activists had indicated Toomey might be a vote against DeVos. Its not entirely clear why, since on Nov. 23, the day Trump announced DeVos as his nominee, Toomey called her a great choice on Twitter. And he just reiterated his support for DeVos. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . 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. The U.S. Finance Post is the definitive interpretive voice of our community. 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Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Its unclear whether President Donald Trumps $20 billion federal voucher plan will get a lot of traction in Congress, or what form it might ultimately take. But dont mistake that for a lack of overall enthusiasm among GOP lawmakers for expanding school choice during the Trump administration. Lets start with a bill that hasnt yet been introduced but could be on the way. At a National School Choice Week event last week, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said that Trumps plan was an endorsement of a bill he and Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., previously introduced called the Scholarships for Kids Act . Introduced in 2014, that bill would convert $24 billion in federal aid into $2,100 scholarships for 11 million students from low-income backgrounds. I hope the president will support that, Alexander said, noting that his legislation got the endorsement of 45 senators. With his support, perhaps it can get more [votes]. That could be difficult, however, given that in last Novembers elections, Democrats (who are normally strongly opposed to vouchers at the federal level) picked up two seats in the Senate. The Senate voted down Alexanders proposal in 2015 by a vote of 52 against and 45 in favor. Asked if he would bring the legislation up again this year before the Senate education committee, Alexander responded, Sure. As of early Thursday, we hadnt seen Alexander or Messer reintroduce that bill. While Betsy DeVos, Trumps nominee for education secretary, cant vote for such choice bills, her nomination seems to have provided political energy to Washington politicians looking to expand vouchers or similar programs. The House education committee has scheduled a hearing on the power of school choice Thursday morning. The Future of Our Children Last Tuesday, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., introduced the Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education Act, or the CHOICE Act . The bill would provide startup funds to choice programs aiming to serve students with disabilities, and would also allow states that already have choice programs for such students to use federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act money to support them. This provision would impact about 6 million students between the ages of 6 and 21, according to Scott. Other provisions of the bill would expand choice to children of military families at Department of Defense schools, and makes clear that students from low-income backgrounds already in private school in the District of Columbia are eligible to participate in the districts Opportunity Scholarships program. The expansion of that voucher program in the nations capital could be a relatively easy way for the GOP to expand choice. I look forward to working with soon to be confirmed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on this bill and other issues critical to the future of our children, Scott said in a Wednesday statement. There are seven co-sponsors of the bill, including Alexander and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who like Alexander and Scott are on the Senate education committee. Theres companion legislation in the House , written by Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind. Last week, the Senate also passed Scotts resolution declaring a National School Choice Week from Jan. 22 to Jan. 28, 2017, although this resolution doesnt have any policy impact. It coincided with the National School Choice Week series of events in Washington and around the country. Trump also issued a similar proclamation to this effect last week. Then theres the Choices in Education Act introduced last month by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. This bill would repeal the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and turn federal funding for schools into vouchers for parents to use for their children at public and private schools, or to use for home schooling. King introduced a similar bill in September 2016 when he introduced that legislation, he said in a statement that, "As the spouse of a former Iowa teacher, I understand that its the right thing for our children to take their education decision[s] out of the hands of the federal government and put it back in the hands of parents who know how best to meet the educational needs of their students. In December, we wrote about various ways Congress could expand choice without using vouchers . There could also be legislation (separate from Scotts) specifically designed to expand the ranks of the D.C. voucher program pretty soon. And well leave you with a bit of history: Almost exactly 25 years ago, the Senate rejected a voucher bill . Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . How can state chiefs take the lead on improving equity for all students? The Council of Chief State School Officers and the Aspen Institute Education & Society Program released a list of recommendations Thursdayincluded in a report called Leading for Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs to address that question. The recommendationswhich include tangible ideas like collecting better data on student outcomes, improving access to early childhood education, and seeking to reorganize and diversify state education agenciescome at a time when a lot is changing in K-12 education. The nations public schools now serve more students who are considered minorities than white students , and the majority of public school kids qualify for free and reduced lunch. At the same time, states and school districts are poised to get far more control over accountability, testing, school turnarounds, and more, thanks in large part to the Every Student Succeeds Act . Some advocates are deeply worried that the federal government may also take a step back when it comes to civil rights enforcement. The recommendations are the culmination of months of work by state chiefs, district leaders, civil rights advocates, and others. They outline 10 areas state leaders can focus on to champion equity, including more specific steps within each of those buckets. State leaders may not decide to push on all 10 of these areas at onceinstead they may decide to pick two or three to focus on initially. Heres a quick summary of some of the ideas outlined in the report: 1) Prioritize equity: set and communicate an equity vision and measurable targets Use the bully pulpit of their offices to shine a spotlight on the need for equity and make the case that it benefits all kids, not just poor and minority students Help spur dialogue between local leaders, educators, parents, and the civil rights community Make sure the policymakers, educators, and the general public have access to data showing outcomes for different groups of students well after graduation, including housing and health 2) Start from within: Focus on the State Education Agency State chiefs can lead conversations about the impact of poverty on educational outcomes Leaders change the structure of the state education agencies to better address equity challengesfor instance, some systems have a chief equity officer, or an office of Hispanic education Aim to create a state education agency staff that is representative of the student population in the state 3) Measure what matters: Create accountability for equity Consider both proficiency and growth for accountability Set long-term and interim goals to make sure English-language learners are reaching proficiency Collect and report data on school climate, chronic absenteeism, and access to advanced coursework. (ESSA really opens the door to this.) 4) Go local: Engage districts and provide tailored and differentiated support Encourage districts to select culturally relevant instructional material Shine a spotlight on districts that are making progress on equity Allocate grants for promising local programs that address the needs of specific populations 5) Follow the money": Allocate resources for fiscal equity Use the political power of the state chiefs office to make sure needy kids get access to their fair share of funding, including through things like a weighted-student funding formulas Offer guidance on how districts can make the best use of existing resources, such as investing in school counselors instead of school security guards Help improve coordination between K-12 dollars and money for other services for kids, such as health and nutrition funding 6) Start early: Invest in the youngest learners": Push for more funding for pre-K programs, including for disadvantaged kids and English language learners Align early learning standards with what kids need to do and be able to do in kindergarten through third grade Take a close look at suspension and expulsion policies for kids in early childhood education and work to improve them 7) Engage more deeply: Monitor equitable implementation of standards and assessments: Examine district practices to make sure low-income and minorities kids are given a fair shot at taking advanced courses Make sure money doesnt become an object to college-readiness, through things like subsidizing AP exam fees for low-income kids Make sure all kidsnot just someare getting rich and rigorous assignments 8) Value people: Focus on teachers and leaders Create programs to help diversify the teaching force Take a look at data regarding how long teachers from different racial and ethnic groups, or who serve particular groups of students stay in the profession Create leadership programs to prepare principals to work in urban, rural, and other hard-to-staff schools 9) Improve conditions for learning: Focus on school culture, climate, and socio-emotional development": Work with districts to address chronic absenteeism Rethink discipline practices, like suspensions, that take kids out of the classroom, and consider alternatives, like restorative justice Help principals make social and emotional learning a priority 10) Empower student outcomes: Ensure families have access to high-quality educational outcomes that align to community needs and contribute to equity Make it easier for all parents to take advantage of open-enrollment options Use inter-district choice as a way to create more diverse student populations Support successful charters and make sure they are serving students in special education, English-language learners, and other special populations Even though these equity recommendations may be especially timely, they have been in the works for months, well before the 2016 election. Tony Evers, the state chief in Wisconsin who served as CCSSO president in 2016, decided to make a push for equity a theme of his year leading the association , which represents Republican, Democratic, and nonpartisan state chiefs. He was inspired, he told me, in part because of feedback he heard from civil rights leaders in his state in the wake of ESSAs passage. Those civil rights advocates were concerned that now that state leaders had been given more authority, they would drop the ball when it came to ensuring equity for poor and minority kids. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . UPDATED Influential charter school booster and philanthropist Eli Broad is urging senators to vote against confirming fellow billionaire and school choice advocate, Betsy DeVos. While underscoring that he does not know DeVos personally, and that he believes she cares for children, Broad wrote in a letter that he was troubled by DeVos performance in her confirmation hearing. Before Mrs. DeVoss hearing, I had serious concerns about her support for unregulated charter schools and vouchers as well as the potential conflicts of interest she might bring to the job, Broad writes in his letter addressed to Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Her testimony not only reinforced my concerns but also added to them. DeVos had some shaky moments during her confirmation hearing, including one where she appeared confused over whether all public schools must follow federal special education laws . DeVos and her husband, Richard DeVos Jr.'s, approach to philanthropy and advocacy in the school choice movement seems driven by free-market principles: the idea that states should offer as many choices as possiblecharter schools, voucher-funded private schools, online schools, for-profit and nonprofit-managed schoolsand let parents, through the choices they make, weed out the bad options. Eli and his wife Edythe Broad are among some of the most influential backers of charter schools nationally and in their home city of Los Angeles. Their foundation has given over $150 million to charter schools nationally. Of that, $79 million has gone to charters in Los Angeles. (The Broad Foundation has supported coverage in Edweek of policy, government and politics, and systems leadership. Education Week retains sole editorial control of that coverage.) In comparison to DeVos philanthropic work, the Broads belong to a class of donors that prefer a much more managed approach to school choice, investing in charter school models that can scale up and measure their performance. They are strong supporters of charter management organizationsnonprofit networks of charter schools (think KIPP)whose rapid growth has been propelled by the federal government and a handful of wealthy donors. One of the Broad Foundations most high-profile initiatives is its annual Broad Prize, which recognizes high-performing charter management organizations. In many ways DeVos is not a traditional pick for education secretary: shes never been a governor, school superintendent, or college president. As a philanthropist and advocate her work as been fairly narrowly focused on school choice policies such as charter schools and school vouchers. Broads letter came on the same day as two Republican senators announced that they plan to vote against DeVos confirmation. Both Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska hail from rural states. Both raised concerns over DeVos hyper-focus on school choice and her overall knowledge of public schools. Only one more Republican needs to break with the party to sink DeVos nomination, but GOP leaders say they are confident DeVos will ultimately be confirmed as the next secretary of education. Heres Broads full letter: Related stories: Photo: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, sits in his office with Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for Education Secretary, before the start of their meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Dec. 1. Susan Walsh/AP BINH THUAN The Peoples Committee in southern Binh Thuan Province has given its approval in principle to the a Nhim-Ham Thuan-a Mi Joint Stock Company for a project on a Mi Lake. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the company is allowed to conduct a research and feasibility study to build a floating solar power project on the lake. The plant is not on the list of power sources of the national power planning until 2030, thus the committee has asked the ministrys General Directorate of Energy to assess and add the project to the list under current regulations. The plant will cover 57ha of lake surface on which solar panels will be installed and 67ha of land surface on which transformer stations and inverters will be constructed. With an investment of VN1.5 trillion (US$66.7 million), the project will be able to produce an average of 69 million kWh in the first year of operation. Located in the districts of Tanh Linh and Ham Thuan Bac, the project is expected to begin operation in 2019. VNS HA NOI Composer Cellist Hoang Duong (Ngo Hoang Duong) passed away on Monday 30 January, according to an announcement from his close relatives. Born in 1933, his few but significant works are household favourites, especially his masterpiece Huong ve Ha Noi (Towards Ha Noi), which was written in late 1953 and early 1954. The young composer was part of a military campaign to recapture the capital city from occupying French forces. The song, which he penned after a night march in the outskirts of the capital, was to become one of the most beloved songs by the revolutionary fighters of the time. I was looking towards Ha Noi. The city appears in the horizon as a light sphere, so far away yet so close to our heart., said the composer as he shared the story behind his famous work with Viet Nam News in an interview in 2014. After the war, Hoang Duong worked at the Vietnam National Academy of Music. He was credited as a leading figure in the development of the countrys instrumental music scene and the academys string department. VNS HA NOI Heavy fines for littering public places, vocational training support for young people and change of dialing codes are among important regulations that will be effective from this month. Governments Decree 155/2016/N-CP was put into action on Wednesday, imposing heavy fines amounting to between VN3 million (US$133) and VN7 million ($313) on those who litter public spaces, including pavements, streets or sewage systems in residential areas, especially large cities such as Ha Noi and HCM City. Fines of between VN500,000 ($22) and VN1 million ($44) will be imposed on those who throw cigarette butts and ash in no-smoking areas, such as those in shopping malls and residential areas. Those who urinate in public spaces and others places with crowds including shopping malls, pavements and parks will also be penalised with fines amounting to between some VN1 million ($44) and VN3 million ($133). From February 11, Circular 42 issued by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) will be effective, regulating some wage policy adjustments for social insurance beneficiaries. The adjustments include concrete methods for employers to count the monthly and annual payroll for employees based on their insurance premiums. MoLISAs Circular No 43, which issues guidelines for vocational training support to young people who have just finished their military or police services and volunteers who have just finished projects on socio-economic development, will be implemented on February 12 this year. According to the circular, these youth will benefit from a range of financial support, including food and travel fees, if they take part in any vocational training course at least some 15km away from their homes. The financial support is between VN30,000 ($1.3) and VN200,000 ($8.8) per day. The Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) Circular 22, meanwhile, states regulations on the change of dialing codes, which will be effective from February 11 this year. The dialing codes, which are relevant to 59 out of a total of 63 cities and provinces, will change to three-digit numbers. The four provinces with no change are Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh and Ha Giang, according to Dan Tri online newspaper. People will be able to use both the old and new codes for a month following the change. After that, the old codes will stop working, according to the ministry. The MoIC said its aim is to make all area codes a uniform three digits; currently there are one, two and three-digit codes. With the new codes, all phones numbers will have 11 numbers; they range from 10 to 11, at present. The ministry will also use the opportunity to renumber phone codes based on geographical location. Provinces in the north-western region, for example, will have codes beginning with 21. The north-eastern region above Ha Noi will have the new code of 20x, while the sub-Ha Noi regions code will be 22x. The dialing codes of the upper half of the central region will begin with 23, while it will be 25 for the lower half. The new codes for provinces in the Central Highlands will be 26x, in the south-eastern region will be 27x and in the south-western region will be 29x. Ha Noi and HCM City will be the only two cities to have two-digit codes of 24 and 28, respectively. The codes of the three central cities of Can Tho, a Nang and Hai Phong will be 292, 236 and 225, respectively. VNS SYDNEY Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was on Thursday accused of "buying" his narrow election victory last year after he admitted personally gifting A$1.75 million (US$1.32 million) to the cash-strapped Liberal Party campaign. The multi-millionaire former banker, known as "Mr Harbourside Mansion", had repeatedly dodged questions about the issue, but changed his mind during an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "I contributed A$1.75 million, that was the contribution I made," Turnbull said late on Wednesday. "Its been talked about and speculated about, so there it is." The Sydney Morning Herald said it was the largest political donation by an individual in Australian history. Turnbulls Liberal/National coalition was narrowly re-elected after a fiercely fought campaign last July, and the Labor opposition claimed it effectively bought power. "It stinks. Malcolm Turnbull had to buy his way out of trouble," said shadow finance minister Jim Chalmers. "He couldnt win an election on his merits so he got out his wallet. "If he didnt have $1.75 million to splash about he wouldnt be the leader of the Liberal Party and he wouldnt be the prime minister." Reports said the cash was used to fund television advertising, direct mail-outs and opinion polls. Treasurer Scott Morrison lashed out at Labors "grubby smear" of Turnbull. "Its a grubby political smear from a grubby political hack, from a party of hacks led by Bill Shorten," he said. Turnbull is reportedly worth A$200 million through his previous careers as a barrister, businessman and investment banker. Under Australian law, political parties receive public funding according to how well they perform in an election. The funding, which is received after the polls, is usually insufficient to pay for campaigns, with parties having to approach donors -- individuals and companies -- to boost their kitty. Labor relies on donations and affiliation fees from trade unions for much of its funding. All donations above A$13,000 at the national level have to be disclosed. Turnbulls gift did not show up in Australian Electoral Commission figures released this week for the last financial year ending on June 30, piling pressure on him to come clean. It turned out the donation was made in the current financial year - pledged before the election but the cash arriving after the polls -- and so could have remained secret for another 12 months. AFP OSAGE -- An Osage man accused of selling fake iPhones faces criminal charges. Reed Barclay, 35, was charged with felony ongoing criminal conduct and misdemeanor fourth-degree theft. A woman contacted Osage police in December claiming Barclay sold her a fake iPhone 6S Plus for $300 under the guise that it was a new, legitimate product, according to court documents. Barclay allegedly sold the woman the phone on Dec. 18 at a gas station parking lot in Osage. She went to police after an employee of a Waverly cell phone store told her they couldn't switch the phone over to her service because the serial number was linked to another account and didn't match the number on the box, according to court documents. Police say another store worker told them the model number on the phone linked to a Youtube link to an iPhone 6s clone, the device ran slow, looked different than a real phone and an internet search of the serial number linked to Chinese websites. Often built in China, iPhone clones are knockoffs meant to look like the real thing. The victim told police that Barclay wouldn't return her money. Barclay also is accused of selling a woman a fake iPhone 6s Plus in Mason City on Dec. 12. That phone was offered for sale for $350, police say. Barclay, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April, was out on appeal at the time he allegedly sold the bogus iPhones. The charges were for selling methamphetamine. Barclay claimed in the appeal that the District Court discriminated against him because of a mental illness and asked the Iowa Court of Appeals to place him on probation instead of prison. The appeal was denied on Jan. 11. Barclay remained jailed Thursday at the Mitchell County Jail in Osage. CEDAR FALLS Area Education Agency 267s board of directors on Wednesday approved selling its administrative center as officials prepare for a move into the former Park Place Events Center. An agreement was signed with CNP LLC to buy the building at 3722 Cedar Heights Drive for $707,000. Dave Nicholson, AEA 267s chief financial officer, said the company owns a dental business that has been in the community for many years but has outgrown its current space. Sulentic-Fischels Commercial Group will hold $10,000 of earnest money in trust with the balance paid at the April 3 closing date. Employees who work in the administrative center must temporarily move into the agencys existing conference center or special education building, which also are on the market. Well be housed somewhere on campus, said Nicholson. All Cedar Falls agency operations will officially move from those locations to the Park Place Events Center at 1521 Technology Parkway also known as the Pipac Centre on the Lake by July 1. A $4 million lease purchase agreement on the center has been signed by the agency. It is borrowing $6.08 million to pay for the building and remodeling plus other expenses unrelated to this project. The three Cedar Heights Drive buildings have a combined appraised value of $5.5 to $5.8 million. Their sale is part of the agencys plan to repay the loan. AEA 267 isnt allowed to put all of the funds from selling the building toward its loan right away under the 16-year Pipac lease-purchase agreement. The agency is allowed to pay no more than the $475,343 in principle and interest semiannually during the first six years. Starting June 1, 2023, the agency can make larger payments to reduce its interest costs over the lifetime of the loan. Our plan is to have the board reserve those balances from building sales, said Nicholson, until the larger payments are permitted. He noted the two other buildings have garnered some interest as well. Both buildings have been looked at, but I dont know if there have been any serious buyers yet, said Nicholson. As far as remodeling work on the Pipac Center, the plan is to have bids go out to prospective contractors next week, said Sam Miller, AEA 267s chief administrator. The board then would award a contract at its March meeting, so work would be completed by late June. The remodeling would include some interior redesign, including the removal of a commercial kitchen. Separate bids would be sought for the kitchen work and new exterior signage. In other business, the board approved a $51.7 million 2017-18 budget, which goes into effect July 1. It represents a 7.6 percent decrease over the $55.9 million re-estimated budget for the current year. The budget reflects 0 percent allowable growth in state foundation aid and other categorical aid yet to be set by the Iowa Legislature. A 0.06 percent drop in student enrollment and a 3.28 percent increase in special education weighted enrollment is expected across the agency, which includes school districts and private schools in 18 north central and northeast Iowa counties. Both state aid and property tax funding are based on enrollment levels and flow to the agency through the school districts the agency serves. WATERLOO Columbus Catholic High School will hold an assembly Friday to honor Dr. Tim Cordes as its 2017 distinguished alumni. The 1994 graduate will be honored at 1:50 p.m. in the gym. The celebration is part of Catholic Schools Week, which ends Saturday. Cordes, a native of Cedar Falls, attended St. Patricks School and was the valedictorian at Columbus. He achieved the same honor at the University of Notre Dame and was accepted into the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Healths medical scientist training program. He completed the challenging sequence, which requires students to finish both medical school and a doctorate-level research program. What makes his feat more impressive is Cordes is legally blind, having been diagnosed as an infant with Lebers disease, a rare degenerative condition of the retina. Now specializing in addictive disorders, Cordes has worked with veterans at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, Wis., where he trains and supervises residents. He is married to Dr. Blue-Leaf Cordes, and they are the parents of two sons. His guide dog also lives with the family. Other Cedar Valley Catholic Schools also are honoring distinguished alumni. They include: Diane Waychoff at Sacred Heart School, which she attended through eighth grade before going on to Columbus. She is actively involved at Sacred Heart Church, serving on committees such as pastoral council, parish life, fall festival, rosary society and clothes closet. Waychoff is passionate about offering support to Burmese families throughout the community. She and her husband, John, raised two children who also attended the school. Beth Sadd at Blessed Sacrament School, which she attended from first through eighth grade. For more than 20 years, Sadd has served the Blessed Sacrament Church community as a volunteer in many capacities, including Home and School Association, fun fair, parish and CVCS finance committee. Beth and her husband, Randy, raised two children who also attended the school. Rebecca Mitchell at St. Edward School, which she attended through eighth grade before going on to Columbus. She is the customer service manager at Iowa Hoist and Crane and a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations at FTM Travel. She currently serves her church and school community as chair of the pastoral council and social concerns committee as well as serving on the Lent/Advent decorating committee. Her son attended the school and is currently a sophomore at Columbus. CORRECTION In her written response to questions from a key Democratic senator, Education Secretary-nominee Betsy DeVos defended full-time online charter schools using graduation rates significantly higher than those used for state and federal accountability purposes. The figures and language cited by DeVos directly mirror those used in a report from K12 Inc., the countrys largest for-profit operator of cyber charter schools, in which DeVos is a former investor. According to the Ohio education department, for example, the Ohio Virtual Academy has a four-year graduation rate of 53 percent, good for an F on the states accountability system. DeVos put the figure at 92 percent. The billionaire school-choice advocate did not cite a source. But that figure, and others she used in her letter to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., are the same as those included in a report of academic progress issued by K12 Inc. in 2016 (See page 158). The K12 report makes clear that the figures listed are not calculated in accordance with federal and state regulations. K12s figures are instead calculated using only those students who remained enrolled in their schools continuously from 9th through 12th grade, thus excluding dropouts and transfers. Its the latest questionable move for President Donald Trumps pick to head the U.S. Department of Education. A vote on DeVos by the full Senate is expected early next week. Democrats have so far lined up in unanimous opposition. Two key Republican senators announced Wednesday that they also would not support her nomination , leaving the Senate in a potential 50-50 deadlock that would presumably be broken in DeVos favor by Vice President Mike Pence. Ed Patru, a spokesman for DeVos, referred questions to the Trump administration, which did not immediately respond Wednesday evening to a request for comment. Over the past 18 months, full-time online charters have come under withering scrutiny for sector-wide poor performance and mismanagement. A 2015 research study by the Center for Research on Educational Outcomes at Stanford University, for example, found that two-thirds of cybers perform worse than comparable brick-and-mortar schools. An Education Week investigation documented widespread reports of trouble at cyber charters in 22 states, covering 15 years. And a number of pro-school-choice groups have sought to distance themselves from cybers, issuing calls for tighter accountability and better oversight . But DeVos defended the schools. In written questions , Murray, who is the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, asked whether it is appropriate to advocate for the schools, despite their poor results. DeVos responded: High quality virtual charter schools provide valuable options to families, particularly those who live in rural areas where brick-and-mortar schools might not have the capacity to provide the range of courses or other educational experiences for students. Because of this, we must be careful not to brand an entire category of schools as failing students. She then cited a number of schools and what she described as their graduation rates, which differ markedly from the figures used by each schools state for accountability purposes: The Idaho Virtual Academy has a 90 percent graduation rate, DeVos said. The schools most recent publicly reported figure for state accountability purposes is 33 percent. The Nevada Virtual Academy has a 100 percent graduation rate, DeVos said. The schools most recent publicly reported figure for state accountability purposes is 67 percent. The Ohio Virtual Academy has a 92 percent graduation rate, DeVos said. The schools most recent publicly reported figure for state accountability purposes is 53 percent. The Oklahoma Virtual Academy has a 91 percent graduation rate, DeVos said. The schools most recent publicly reported figure for state accountability purposes is 40 percent. The Utah Virtual Academy has a 96 percent graduation rate, DeVos said. The schools most recent publicly reported figure for state accountability purposes is 42 percent. The schools listed in DeVos written response, and the language she used to introduce them"the following virtual academies have four-year cohort graduation rates at or above 90 percent"is the same as the language used by K12 Inc. in its 2016 Academic Report. In the case of Nevada Virtual Academy, however, the schools own board report from May 2016 shows that the schools official graduation rate, used for accountability purposes, was 63 percent in 2015. In her written responses to questions from Sen. Murray, DeVos said she has not had a financial interest in K12 Inc. in nearly a decade. Operators of online schools frequently argue that four-year cohort graduation rates are not an effective metric for measuring the effectiveness of cyber charters, which tend to have high enrollment turnover and sometimes serve as a school of last resort for students who did not succeed in more traditional environments. Cyber-charter proponents also frequently question the way states calculate such metrics for online schools. During her Jan. 17 hearing , DeVos faced sharp questions about whether she supports equal accountability for all schools. She also appeared not to understand the countrys bedrock federal special-education law, and she faced ridicule for defending guns in schools to ward off potential attacks from grizzly bears. A previous version of this story should have said that the May 2016 board report from Nevada Virtual Academy showed a 2015 graduation rate of 63 percent. Research assistance provided by Librarian Holly Peele and Library Intern Briana Brockett-Richmond. Photo: Education Secretary-designate Betsy DeVos testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee at her confirmation hearing on Jan. 17.--Carolyn Kaster/AP See also: CEDAR FALLS -- Police and firefighters here are warning residents about an apparent scam telephone fundraising solicitation. Public Safety Director Jeff Olson, the city's police chief, said at least one resident has received a call from an individual claiming to represent Cedar Falls firefighters trying to raise funds to buy school supplies. Olson and Jim Cook, president of the Cedar Falls Firefighters Association which represents unionized firefighters, said neither the city of Cedar Falls fire operations nor the firefighters union are engaged in any such fundraiser. The public is advised to ignore such a solicitation, Olson said. Questions may be directed to police at 291-2515. CEDAR FALLS Gunda Brost, an immigration attorney in Cedar Falls, has seen firsthand the confusion and anxiety people are facing as a result of executive orders from Republican President Donald Trump regarding immigration. Im telling you, from what I see, people are afraid, Brost said during a meeting with the Rotary Club of the Cedar Valley. Ive had people call in a panic, What do I do? for example. Brosts presentation Wednesday at Tonys La Pizzeria in Cedar Falls began with a plea to put aside partisanship and focus on facts. Asked where she gathered her facts, Brost said she consulted clients, other attorneys, refugee advocates and news reports. But the question regarding whether the fear is real was answered by one of the attendees. At least, I feel the fear and panic and chaos, although Im not from those seven countries, although I have documents, but still, said Seong-In Choi, a psychology professor at University of Northern Iowa. Brost said U.S. citizens and green card holders have been held up while traveling, but are starting to move again. She said there are rumors the list of seven countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will be expanded. She talked about the overreach attorneys have seen from federal officials going beyond what is in the orders. Attendees asked if the temporary ban amounts to a religious test and whether deporting people not charged with a crime violated laws. Lawsuits have been filed across the country to stop the executive order, and temporary stays have been granted in some cases. Brost echoed the advice given to the UNI community discouraging anyone from the seven countries from leaving the United States at this time. She added people from other countries that may face scrutiny also should reconsider plans to travel abroad. She encouraged undocumented immigrants or people from other countries, particularly those from the seven countries, to reach out to an immigration attorney. Brost can be reached at 266-3668 or brostlaw@outlook.com. DES MOINES Iowa lawmakers seemed generally favorable to a pitch to prohibit motorists from using hand-held communication devices, but didnt agree on the best way to stop drivers from texting while driving. A coalition of law enforcement, insurance companies and wireless phone service providers encouraged the House Transportation Committee Thursday to start by making a texting while driving a primary offense. Its now a secondary offense in Iowa, one of five states where drivers cannot be stopped for texting. That makes the law unenforceable, Susan Cameron, a lobbyist for the Iowa State Sheriffs & Deputies Association, said. More than two-thirds of fatalities over the past five years involved lane departure crashes, Cameron said, which generally is an indication of someone who is distracted. In Iowa, according to the Stay Alive: Dont Phone and Drive coalition, the number of crashes involving distracted driving increased 66 percent from 659 in 2010 to 1,100 in 2015, injuries increased more than 100 percent from 388 to 601 and fatalities increased from four to 14. The total number of fatalities increased from 315 in 2013 to 403 last year, according to Iowa Department of Transportation statistics, while the number of arrests for operating while intoxicated dropped by 14 percent from 16,382 to 13,938. As convincing as the statistics were, lawmakers werent sure how to stop the increase. A bill being proposed by the Department of Public Safety would make texting while driving a primary offense punishable by a $30 fine. It would be a moving violation, so a drivers license could be suspended after a third offense. It might take a stiffer penalty to convince drivers to put down their phones, said Rep. Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, a commercial truck owner-operator. In my business, its $10,000 for the driver and a quarter million for the owner. First offense, he said. Under federal law, commercial truck drivers may use only hands-free devices. Lawmakers who voted for that probably would get tarred and feathered, said Transportation Committee Chairman Gary Carlson, R-Muscatine. However, he plans to continue the conversation. There seems to be agreement that we need to do something, he said, but theres not unanimity of how to do it. We heard some pretty strong voices today, but not everyone spoke and Im not sure how to read their silence. Much of the discussion dealt with whether legislation should target cellphones or all distracted driving. Legislators shared anecdotes about drivers they have seen not only texting, but reading, applying make-up or holding pets in their arms. Its early, Carlson said. Well keep talking about it and Im sure whatever we do will be a compromise. DES MOINES The GOP-led Iowa Senate voted Thursday to earmark about $3 million in state money to fund womens health-care clinics that do not offer abortion a change opponents claimed would result in more unplanned pregnancies and fewer services in a political move to target Planned Parenthood. Senate File 2, which passed 30-20, would discontinue a federal Medicaid waiver on July 1 that provides millions of dollars in funding to family planning providers across the state. The 29 co-sponsoring Republicans voted for the bill along with independent Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan, while 20 Democrats opposed it. Proponents of the bill that now goes to the Iowa House for likely passage and has Gov. Terry Branstads support would create a new state-funded program that would exclude facilities that provide abortions from receiving the funds. To cover the new program, the state would shift money from a federal block grant that pays for child and family services. This bill will not eliminate family planning funding for services for needy Iowa women. This bill does not change laws regarding abortion, said Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, the bills floor manager. Its a measured attempt to balance the reproductive health-care needs of Iowas working poor with the objections of the taxpayers to tangibly subsidize that option through public support in shared facilities, she added, noting that some Medicaid and teen pregnancy/sex education programs would not be affected. More than 12,000 Iowans received services through the federal waiver program, including Pap smears, birth control and cancer screenings. No state or federal dollars are used to fund abortions. Minority Democrats charged the bill guts Iowas Family Planning Network, a program that they said has helped more than 80,000 Iowa women and men access family planning services since 2006. Ive never seen such a horrible bill come before this chamber. This bill is taking us back to the Middle Ages, said Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines. We know the Iowa Family Planning Waiver works. It has helped reduce abortions and Medicaid costs in Iowa, said Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines. This bill is bad for Iowa women and families. It will create more unintended pregnancies, more high risk pregnancies, and cost Iowa taxpayers more. Iowans dont support it. Doctors warn against it. We should listen to them and reject it, she added. During a sometimes rancorous debate that spanned nearly three hours, Democrats contended the legislation action was a rushed political response to fulfill GOP campaign promises to defund Planned Parenthood of the Heartland at the expense of Iowa women without a clearly defined program and funding stream to replace it. Republicans agreed that it was a pro-life priority but said Planned Parenthoods operations would not be affected because they would be free to continue operating their clinics in Iowa minus any taxpayer funding. Our debate in this room affects real Iowans who are receiving real services today. Our focus needs to be on those Iowans and our responsibility to them, said Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines. What we are doing here is harming a working system based on old political battle lines and Iowa women are going to receive less access to health care as a result. Boultons comments that included references to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court abortion ruling drew a pointed response from Sinclair, who told him I dont know how old you are, but your mom could have chosen for you to not to be here. Democrats immediately objected and Sinclair retracted the statement and apologized to Boulton and his mother after a brief meeting of senators with Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, to cool things down in the Senate well. Earlier during the debate, Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, took Democrats to task, telling his Senate colleagues I am so ashamed of the tone of this debate -- catty, accusatory and argumentative. Come on, we can do better than that. Wearing a hospital gown, Gina Mostafa stood on the Capitol staircase outside the Senate chambers representing thousands of Iowans that could lose their access to family planning if Senate File 2 becomes law. Despite the election outcome that favored lawmakers opposed to funding abortion providers, Mostafa, a sophomore from Bettendorf at the University of Iowa where she is co-president of Student Advocates for Planned Parenthood, said she and others will not give up their fight because agencys services are vital for control over own lives and our own bodies. At times in my life when I was ready to make choices about my own body and health care I knew I could turn to Planned Parenthood for compassionate and non-judgmental health care, said Mostafa, who described herself as a past, current and future client of Planned Parenthood. Rachel Lopez, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Midwest, issue a statement after the Senate vote saying the legislation would endanger the health of thousands of Iowans by limiting their access to vital services. The Republican lawmakers who continue to advance this bill should be ashamed of themselves. They are playing political games, with the lives of low-income Iowans at stake, said Lopez. After the vote, Bob Vander Plaats of the pro-life Family Leader organization sent an email to his members urging them to thank the senators who endured very tough debate and helped pass the bill Thursday. Also, please continue to pray for and contact your Iowa representative regarding supporting the God-given right to life of babies in the womb, he added. President Donald Trumps decision to renegotiate or rip up the North American Free Trade Agreement and pull out of the TransPacific Partnership has possible repercussions for Iowa and the national economy. Trump has vowed to pursue fair trade, preferring bilateral agreements to group pacts such as NAFTA, which he blames for the decline in U.S. manufacturing jobs, and TPP, which he envisioned having a similar effect. His position is in line with the nationalist wing of the Republican Party (the mainstream GOP has supported free trade) as well as organized labor and many liberals. But pitfalls exist in blaming trade agreements and using high tariffs or additional taxes to stop the bleeding in manufacturing. Before NAFTA was approved in 1994 establishing a 0 percent tariff on goods traded among the U.S., Canada and Mexico the U.S. had 16.8 million manufacturing jobs, which bottomed out at 11.5 million in March 2011, increasing to 12.3 million in July. Yet other factors come into play, including the World Trade Organization, which established rules for international trade among 123 nations a year later. Since NAFTA, U.S. exports to Mexico increased by 3.5 times to $240 million annually, slightly less than with the European Union but with a $60 billion annual deficit. Trade with Canada is in relative balance with exports at $312 billion annually. Robert E. Scott, of the liberal Economic Policy Institute, told the New York Times, NAFTA is not a top priority, instead citing trade ties between the U.S. and China, Japan, South Korea and Germany. Those are accountable for 80 percent of trade-related job losses over the last 20 years. Rather than discarding NAFTA, the better option would be renegotiating some terms. Raising the auto parts content of 62.5 percent could spur more North American production rather than in low-wage Asia. President Barack Obama hoped TPP would increase U.S. clout among 12 nations on the Pacific Rim Japan, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Peru and Chile that account for 40 percent of the global economy, while countering growing Chinese influence. It would have improved NAFTA with new environmental and labor standards. Critics contended it would increase outsourcing. For instance, it required only 45 percent of a vehicle or vehicle content to be made in the country to gain concessions. The U.S. International Trade Commission predicted TTP would have meant a net increase of 128,000 full-time U.S. jobs in 15 years. A Tufts University study projected 448,000 jobs lost. TPP likely will be replaced by the Chinese-led Regional Competitive Economic Partnership, a 16-nation group, including Japan and India, putting the U.S. at a trade disadvantage. Trumps proposal to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods made by U.S. corporations in foreign factories could run afoul of WTO rules. Republican leaders have another option a so-called border-adjustment tax, imposing a 20 percent tax on corporate income earned in the U.S., taxing imports while exempting exports. It would be part of a package that also cuts the current corporate 35 percent tax rate. Trump had told the Wall Street Journal, Anytime I hear border adjustment, I dont love it, because usually it means were going to get adjusted into a bad deal. Now, it could be used to help pay for his border wall, although the burden would fall not on Mexico but U.S. consumers through higher costs on goods from produce to cars. Whatever happens, particularly after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos declaration his country now wants to lessen U.S. trade and increase it with other nations, reverberates in Iowa: In 2015, Iowa exported $13.2 billion in goods 56 percent from manufactured machinery, food and chemicals and 12 percent from farms. Canada and Mexico are Iowas largest export markets. Mexico leads in corn exports, China in soybeans. Sixty percent of U.S. soybeans are exported; pork, 25 percent; and corn, 12 percent. (Total agricultural exports were $130 billion in 2016.) According to the Des Moines Register, Iowa exported $7.8 billion in commodities to prospective TPP countries in 2015. Even the best trade deals wont reverse manufacturing job losses due to automation. In the Cedar Valley, robotics have been a factor in reducing Deeres local workforce from around 15,000 to 5,500 today. Likewise, the internet is largely responsible for many vacant storefronts, jobs losses not reversed by government intervention, even by an online sales tax to level the playing field. We would applaud more favorable trade deals that boost U.S. jobs but are wary of tariffs, which historically have proven counterproductive and new taxes passed along to consumers. Unfortunately, missing from this discussion about lost past jobs is meeting the coming shortage, which includes nurses, physical and occupation therapists, mathematicians, plant operators, machinists, electricians and other skilled workers as well as positions in food processing and technology. David Tow, English Teacher at Terra Linda High School and the Marin School of Environmental Leadership , went to Finland as part of the Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching program. Today he shares what he learnedand how it can help other U.S. educators. It seems like the lessons from Finland never end. When the 2009 scores from the PISA the Programme for International Student Assessment, a global study on student performance in core subjects completed every three yearswere released and Finlands holistic model ranked evenly with the traditionally regimented systems in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and South Korea, experts across the world wanted to mimic the small Nordic nation. When their ranking slipped in 2012 still above the average but sandwiched between neighboring Estonia and Canadaanalysts examined the dissonance between 2012 and 2009 and saw a different type of success. Finnish educators and schools were doing a better job of meeting the needs of struggling students, more students were beginning to attend upper secondary schools, and the country was rapidly becoming more diverse. Now, when numerous U.S. education experts, from classroom teachers to the U.S. Department of Education, say that the Finnish case doesnt really apply in America, my response to them is why not? There are lessons to be learned from Finland. Lessons From Finland While I was in Finland during the winter of 2016, I studied the way Finnish young people conceive of their civic and national identity. I hoped to connect these findings with the American experience, especially the diverse perspectives of my Northern California classroom. Throughout my time there, visiting schools of all levels in nearly every major metropolitan areaseveral Finnish friends said I saw more of their country in one winter than they had in a lifetimeI learned that Finns of all ages, but especially young people, consider national identity a liberal, open, and self-identifying constituent category. After completing my research, I recognized that while Finnish civic identity was unlike the American case, there were many ways Finnish educators were making their students competent, confident, and more ready to compete globally. The campus, the classroom, and the relationship between student and teacher were built in a way to encourage and foster the independence that the society at large valued. School reflected Finnish society. After I returned stateside, I attempted to apply many of what I saw as Finnish educational best practices into our education system. I began by rewriting mission statements for the courses I was teaching and shared them with students, who helped me revise them again. Then, I spoke with policymakers and analysts about the gap between our rhetoric around student-centered teaching and the tendency to revert to traditional teacher-centered models that actually happen in classrooms. I envisioned a comprehensive reimagining of the compulsory education system in the U.S that, to me, would better serve the wide range of ability levels, cultural backgrounds, and skills needed to succeed in life after and outside of school. My ideal system involved community schools under local control, where teachers and stakeholders worked to translate national standards into innovative curriculum. I drafted new graduation requirements that guaranteed each student left school eligible for college, ensured they would enjoy school through mandatory high-interest electives, and presented vocational training as a full and respectable option. I sketched new school buildings where students had free reign of classrooms and workshops, where teachers collaborated in departmental offices, and where administrators offices were relocated alongside instructional areas. However, each time Id offer a sweeping proposal, I came across variations on the same theme: it was too difficult. Sometimes that meant the ideas were unpopular or at odds with current educational practices; other times, it meant they were counter-intuitive or too expensive. And sometimes, it meant just plain difficult. After my immersion into Finnish society and education, I returned inspired and thinking in terms of systemic change while neglecting the easiest place to make change: my own classroom. Teaching Shifts to Make Now So, to disprove the myth that what works in Finland cant work in the United States, Id like to celebrate the nearly one year since I left San Francisco for Helsinki, Finland, by offering you five teaching shifts that you can make in your classrooms right now using the best Finnish examples. Teach on a first-name basis: Most teachers in Finland prefer first names to honorifics, and while this shift alone isnt enough to change the classroom climate, it is a good example of the egalitarian nature of most Finnish classrooms. The teacher is a co-participant in the students education, rather than the font of knowledge. By elevating the students role to that of (almost) equal with the instructor, students feel more personally invested in their own learning. It is, after all, their responsibility. Start by recruiting the students to make a classroom constitution, protocols, and rules. Later, you can turn content-based conversations over to student facilitators and make yourself an equal participant. In my classroom, I set four preconditionsrespect, bravery, politeness, and attendanceand let the students develop the rest. Concede the classroom: For many American teachers, the classroom is their turf, filled by their posters, their supplies, their mementos. The American teacher owns their classroom. In Finland, most teachers migrate from class to class, and share a department office with their colleagues to encourage collaboration. Without a formal classroom, the ownership of the space becomes shared. When teachers and students come together, it is on neutral territory, where no one faction has to stand their ground, where they can more quickly get to the matter of learning. I encourage teachers to limit their belongings to bookshelves and closets. Let the students claim and decorate the rest. Unused white boards can be space for doodling and brainstorming. Half-filled classroom libraries can be stocked by students favorite books. If the classroom belongs at least partially to them, students will care more deeply about it. Concede the school: Similarly, American schools are treated closer to private property than a public good. Libraries often host minimal evening hours, spare classrooms are locked, and students sit on the hallway floor while offices go unused. Conversely, many of the Finnish schools I visited opened up the school to the students. The primary concerns when considering allocation of space is how it would serve the students and how many students it would help. Empty rooms are open for students to use for study groups and leisure time. Libraries, gyms, and conference rooms are open for as long as possible. Classified staff is also often eager to make the school more open for students. A copy of the master schedule and a skeleton key can go a long way to give students a sense of ownership. Teachers on their prep periods would likely welcome the polite company of students over the stony silence of an empty room. : Northern Europe as a whole is well known for its thoughtful, spare aesthetic. But the Finnish brand of minimalism is unique, emphasizing utility, functionality, and uncluttered design. Their classrooms are no different. Partially as a result of having 5 terms a year to the United States 2 semesters, courses in Finland are much more narrowly focused on a handful of measurable skill-based outcomes and carefully selected content knowledge. By editing courses down to the most fundamental and important components, Finnish teachers not only ensure that students have repeated exposures to those concepts, but that the class doesnt become overly distracted by the continual torrent of assignments and activities. As American policy shifts towards skill-based curriculum, teachers should use this as an opportunity to trim away accumulated lessons and activities that they like but that dont seem to meet a specific objective. Ask questions: In front of a classroom of 37 eagerand occasionally skepticalfaces, it can sometimes be hard to surrender the role of expert, to stop being totally certain about not only the content, but also about the effectiveness with which the content is delivered. In Finland, I saw teachers asking students as many questions about the conduct of the class and their understanding of the objectives as I did about content knowledge and skills. Having these sorts of metacognitive classroom discussions is expensivethey take valuable class time and can put the teacher in an emotionally vulnerable spacebut the rewards can outweigh that investment. Students will appreciate having a voice in a trajectory and nature of the course, and will almost categorically offer genuine feedback if teachers spend the time to foster an environment that supports it. By breaking up class time with candid conversations and informal assessmenteven a chance for students to rank their understanding on a scale of one to five using an upraised handteachers will be rewarded with valuable immediate feedback and students will understand that their teachers are more concerned with their growth than the days agenda. Any American teacher who implements any, some, or even all of these strategies will not experience immediate success. They will not find their classroom changed overnight, the previously disengaged or intractable students sitting in the front row, ready to raise their hands. But what the teachers will find if they stay this course is a classroom where students have more demonstrable power and where teachers are not compelled to rule by dint of their own authority, an environment where students feel important enough to offer suggestions and feedback, a community where students feel like equal stakeholders in their own education. At the very least, teachers will be engaging critically and reflectively on their practice, working with students to develop clear expectations, and trying something new. Theres something to be said for that. After all, it works in Finland. It can work here, too. Connect with David and Heather on Twitter. Photos courtesy of and used with permission of the author. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 31, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jan. 31, 2017 | 05:33 PM | PADUCAH, KY Police have released additional details about a reported vehicle theft and shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon. The McCracken County Sheriffs Department says deputies were dispatched shortly after 3 p.m. to a report of a vehicle theft in the 10000 block of Ogden Landing Road. Deputies said the initial investigation shows that 22-year-old Jeremiah Wooley saw a man on his property attempting to steal his vehicle. Wooley told deputies the man, later identified as 26-year-old Benjamin Upchurch, got into a pickup truck and began driving off the property, crashing through a closed gate. Wooley reportedly said the vehicle was coming toward him, so he fired a handgun in the direction of the truck. The vehicle that had been reported as stolen was later found at the intersection of Ogden Landing Road and Cairo Road. Upchurch surrendered without incident, and was taken to Baptist Health Paducah for treatment of non life-threatening gunshot injuries. Upchurch has been charged with theft by unlawful taking over $500 (auto), 2nd degree criminal mischief, criminal trespassing, 1st degree wanton endangerment, DUI 3rd offense and driving with a suspended license. We welcome guest blogger Josh Schachter *, an arts educator, photographer, social ecologist, and cultural organizer. We hope his story opens minds to what can be.... As a high school student, I was simultaneously challenged and bored. Challenged by the workload but bored by the lack of relevance my classes seemed to have in my life and the real-world around me. Numbed by bubbles of multiple-choice tests about poems (as if poetry had a singular interpretation), I searched for pathways to incorporate creativity into my classes. In Ms. Mayos social studies class, I decided to write a paper about Jesse Owens from his mothers perspective, only to be downgraded for not writing a traditional biography. Needless to say this did not nurture a sense of personal voice, creativity and risk-taking. The de-passionation of my education was particularly heightened in the sciences, as any internal sense of wonder and discovery were smothered by tomes of textbooks and regurgitation. It was not until my junior year when I applied to apprentice for Jeff Lovich, a herpetologist at the Savannah River Ecology Lab, that I unearthed a deeper purpose for learning. I found myself knee-deep in mud, tagging turtle carapaces in South Carolina, trepidatiously inspecting alligator nests for predation and even playing a small role in discovering a new turtle species. Jeff instilled in me a passion for asking big questions, experimenting with solutions, and perhaps most importantly that I couldnt fully understand creatures without investigating their relationship to the larger ecosystem. Thanks to Jeff and many other mentors, I pursued an undergraduate degree in biology and a Masters in social ecology at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Since then I have studied the impacts of urbanization on the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly in Silicon Valley, the effects of tourism on ring-tailed lemur behavior in Madagascar and palm tree distribution in the Ecuadorian Amazon. All of these experiences challenged me to observe and reveal behavior, patterns, stories, relationships, and systems in the worldabilities that have proved critical over the past 18 years as a documentary photographer and facilitator of community-based storytelling projects. Today I find myself revealing and exploring a slightly different kind of systema learning ecosystemusing natures blueprints and lessons as my guide. For the past six years, I have been collaborating with teachers, school administrators, parents, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and academics to re-imagine our communities as learning ecosystems. Ecosystems in which entire communities become classrooms and everyone in the communityparents, millennials, retirees, freelancers, abuelas, corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, academicsoffer their unique nutrients and energy in the form of social, cultural, creative and intellectual capital to students and teachers. This endeavor is called CommunityShare . It features an online matching platform and other strategies that facilitate real-world learning experiences co-created by teachers, students and local community partners. By engaging community partners in schools, students begin to imagine futures for themselves that perhaps they never knew existed, and community members start seeing themselves as integral pieces within a learning ecosystem and become more informed about the realities of the education system. Our hope is that through these direct, personal connections with student and teachers, the public will become education stewards and advocates for ensuring that all students and educators have access to the resources they need to reach their full potential. This type of ecosystems work is often messy, slow, uncertain, and humbling. It requires new capabilities and forms of leadership. In an increasingly networked world, leaders need to develop their ability to see nodes, weave networks and build relationships and partnerships. Through partnerships we can reveal, share, create, and even regenerate social, cultural, intellectual, creative, financial, and ecological capital across institutional, hierarchical, socioeconomic, and disciplinary lines. For this particular article, I want to specifically focus on partnerships with the philanthropic community. As distributors and shifters of energy and nutrients, the philanthropic community plays a critical role in nurturing learning ecosystems and ecosystem leadership. However, it is often challenging to find philanthropic institutions who want to deeply engage with the community as co-creators in this ecosystem work due to the messiness of a slow, collaborative process and the challenges of measuring systems change. As we know, systems change takes time and it is often challenging to find sustained support as philanthropic institutions priorities shift with changes in organizational leadership, government policies and educational trends (from STEM to STEAM from project-based learning to personalized learning). Philanthropic institutions drive expectations of progress, which at times limits the potential for collective systems work, as the current, dominant evaluation paradigm often decontextualizes impact and learning. Though many funders express a desire to support system-changing work, they often continue to support dots/programs that lead to traditional measures of success, e.g. higher test scores, but fail to address the underlying causes of educational inequity and related issues. This is not dissimilar from the current relationship between education and business. The report, Partial Credit: How Americas School Superintendents See Business as a Partner, found that business is involved in 95% of Americas school districts, but mostly in a fragmented array of efforts that focus on short-term benefits for students rather than long-term improvement of the education system. As a result, grantees often find themselves competing for limited resources and scrambling to integrate the latest buzzwords and evaluation metrics into their proposals to foundations and corporate social responsibility programs, rather than exploring the web of relationships required to imagine and nurture our collective potential. We see exceptions where the philanthropic community embraces its role as an ecosystem weaver and listener by co-designing learning experiences and opportunities with the community in ways that nurture collective risk-taking and a mindset of abundance. But they are far and few between. This shift in roles in not just the responsibility of the philanthropic community, but also with grantees, some of whom will need to move beyond engaging funders as ATMs and into co-creators of learning ecosystems. To actualize this, all of us, including the philanthropic community, need to embrace and share the risks and uncertainty of the iterative learning process and messiness of system change and innovation. A recent report by KP Advisors, In Pursuit of Deeper Impact: Mobilizing Capital for Social Equity, illuminates the critical need for greater risk sharing and deeper engagement with local communities in developing and executing social equity investment strategies. Ultimately the work ahead points to the need to create a new narrative around courage. To have the courage to celebrate our failures, ask big, audacious questions, embrace a mindset of iterative learning, listen to our imaginations, and develop solutions that begin with our individual and collective potential. We glorify the courage and risk-taking of tech innovators and sports stars; yet largely punish (or at the very least highly discourage) our students, teachers and educational nonprofits for failing, experimenting, risk-taking, pushing boundaries, and embracing iterative learning processes. But even our sports stars fail, just ask Theo Epstein, president of the Chicago Cubs organization. Epstein guided the Boston Red Sox to win their first World Series title in 86 years and the Chicago Cubs in 108 years. In a recent New York Times article , Epstein noted, And we would ask our scouts to provide three detailed examples of how these young players faced adversity on the field and responded to it, and three examples of how they faced adversity off the field. Because baseball is built on failure....even the best hitter fails seven out of 10 times. Failure is part of learning and growing, and when we stop learning we stop living. Imagine if we woke up every day seeing and engaging with the world as if it is a series of small learning experiments. Imagine if every child entered a classroom encouraged to ask big, audacious questions and were evaluated not just on their capability to discover correct answers but their ability to collaborate, experiment, learn, iterate, and demonstrate resiliencylike many careers in todays network-based economy. Imagine if educators were seen as artists, respected and rewarded for their ability to facilitate learning experiences that creatively nurture each students unique assets so that students develop agency for their own learning and a path toward a larger purpose. Imagine if the philanthropic, business, nonprofit, and education communities were co-designing strategies and learning experiments in partnership with local communities to address some of the worlds most pressing issues. Imagine what would be possible if we deeply listened to and learned from those most impacted and knowledgeable about the challenges we faceour youth, teachers, families, and community groups. Easier said than done, I agree. We will need to develop even greater abilities to listen to each other beyond the political rhetoric, to empathize and collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, hierarchical, and socioeconomic boundaries. And to build our capacity to imagine beyond what is. You may be thinking ... do we really have time to imagine? Morally I dont think we can afford not to imagine, as we have created a system with 40-60% of our young people chronically disengaged from school.[1] As pioneer conflict negotiator and peacebuilder John Paul Lederach illuminates, the moral imagination requires the capacity to imagine ourselves in a web of relationships that includes our enemies; the ability to sustain a paradoxical curiosity that embraces complexity without dualistic polarity; the fundamental belief in and pursuit of the creative act; and the acceptance of the inherent risk of stepping into the mystery of the unknown...[2] Undoubtedly the scope of re-imagining learning and education can be paralyzing. When I feel stuck, I think about all the kids who never bump into that inspiring herpetologist in high school, who go through life without the opportunity to discover their passions, purpose and unique contribution to the world. Knowing that the potential of each young person - and each of us - is inextricably linked to the strength of our social fabric gives me the courage to question, experiment, learn... and imagine. I hope you will join me on this journey. [1] R. Blum. (2005). School Connectedness: Improving the Lives of Students [2] J. Paul Lederach. (2005). The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace *More about Josh: Josh Schachter is an arts educator, photographer, social ecologist, and cultural organizer based in Tucson, Arizona. Over the past 18 years, he has facilitated community-based media projects with youth, teachers and nonprofit organizations in places ranging from New Delhi to Nigeria. Josh is also the founder and director of CommunityShare, an initiative that is re-imagining the role of local communities in learning and education. 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17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) After fierce backlash over the lack of his education experience, New Hampshires Executive Council has delayed for two weeks a vote on whether to approve Frank Edelblut to serve as the states education commissioner. Edelblut was nominated by new Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, but needs to be approved by an elected council which appears split on whether to confirm him. The vote by the council, which is tasked with approving the governors spending and appointees, was put off until Sununu meets with the states board of education. The board was originally expected to vote at Tuesdays meeting. Edelblut, who also ran for governor but lost the Republican primary in 2016 by just 800 votes, has come under fire for having no education experience other than sitting on the board of Patrick Henry Colleges foundation. He has spent most of his career as a businessman, Edelblut is an opponent of the Common Core State Standards and supports school choice. I have no intention of dismantling public education, Edelblut said at the meeting which lasted more than eight hours, according to the Associated Press. I do have every intention of helping the system move forward and offer a product that parents, employers and educators want for our young people, and what our young people deserve. More than 100 people protested at the executive council meeting Tuesday, arguing that his lack of experience would attempt to dismantle New Hampshires public school system. The council decided to delay the vote until Sununu meets with the state board of education Feb. 9, as required by the states constitution. The state board of education was mostly appointed by former Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November. Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics. My last trip to New Zealand was in the early 1990s, shortly after that countrys beloved Prime Minister, David Lange, had stepped down. Lange, leader of the Labour Party, was a larger than life figure. After the ruinous oil shocks of the 1970s, New Zealands economy was on the precipice. Lange pointed out that New Zealand could no longer count on its special economic relationship with the U.K. If it wanted to continue to be a wealthy country, its workforce would have to be among the best educated and trained in the world. Lange saw globalization coming and was offering a high-skill, high-wage strategy to meet it head-on. So Labour did an about-face, embracing privatization, and New Zealand voters bought Langes goals and his strategies for achieving them. Lange not only became Prime Minister, but he also took on the education portfolio. Little wonder; education was at the heart of his strategy. Here again, Lange turned out to be a revolutionary. He announced that he was slashing the size of the staff of the old Department of Education, creating it anew as the Ministry of Education and sharply circumscribing its authority. He abolished the school districts, which hitherto had run the schools, and created a set of new, more efficient and responsive shared service centers (with no authority over the schools) to provide the resources and services to schools that had formerly been provided by the districts. He created boards of parents and teachers to run each school which reported directly to the ministry, without any intermediary. Then he took the national schools budget, deducted a small amount for the much smaller ministry and deposited the rest in a lump sum for each school in that schools local bank, to be used by the local board as it saw fit. And, finally, he did what was necessary to make sure that parents had the information they would need to freely choose which school their children would attend. The funds were distributed to the schools on a uniform formula that assured that students with various forms of disadvantage would get more than students who did not suffer from those disadvantages. So far, this is a story of radical decentralization. But that is not the end of the story. The schools were not free to do anything they wished. Not by a long shot. New Zealand proceeded to develop the most aggressive and most fully integrated system of education, training and job skill standards anywhere on the globe. It created an independent board for that purposeindependent of the schools ministry, the higher education system and the officials responsible for industrial development. The idea was to make sure that the constituencies of these agencies could not drive the standards down below what they needed to be for New Zealand to be globally competitive. So it set the standards very high. The Ministry of Education developed a curriculum framework matched to the standards and created the Education Review Office to make sure that they were fully implementing the national curriculum. So the principles of the new system were clearNew Zealand wanted a system in which all students were expected to reach high standards specified by the state, using a curriculum framework also specified by the state, not locally determined. The goals were clear and centrally set, as was the curriculum framework. But the responsibility for achieving those goals, for deciding how resources would be used in each school and for creating the lessons and experiences students would have that would enable them to meet the standardsall that was resoundingly the responsibility of the schools own board and faculty. These changes in the design of New Zealands system were more radical and sudden than any others I know of. It is hard to believe that they would have even been considered were it not for Langes enormous charisma and popularity. No one knew how it would work out then. Now we do. Except for a brief spell, New Zealand has been among PISAs top performers since the surveys began in the year 2000. A very high proportion of its students score in the top segments of the PISA performance scale. New Zealand does not compare well to the other PISA countries, however, on equity, though it is making significant progress on that front. And yes, the investment in education and the reforms in that arena have paid off handsomely for the New Zealand economy, too. Its GDP per capita is higher than that of France. It has a very low unemployment rate and has recovered very nicely from the Great Recession. My questions concerning New Zealand were simple; how did it go after David Langes radical reforms? What had New Zealand learned from them? What changes had to be made to make them work? Whats the unfinished business? To get some answers, I talked with New Zealands charismatic, dynamic and long-serving Education Minister, Hekia Parata . Listening to Parata talk, I had only to close my eyes to revive the spirit of David Lange. And little wonder--Parata was present at the creation, a member of Langes national advisory body during the period of the great reforms. She seemed carved from the same stonepolitically astute, utterly committed, well informed, pursuing her work with a subtle understanding of the way education reforms were working out across the globe. Maybe this is just another way of saying that her approach to the work was a very good match with our own observations about what has worked and what has not across the world over the last 25 or 30 years. We talked for an hour. I asked Parata first to address what I see as the central tension in the New Zealand design. On the one hand, New Zealand has decentralized its education system to a degree not matched in my experience by any other advanced industrial country, right down to the individual school, vesting enormous power in the individual school board and school faculty. We have seen in the United States that most parents are satisfied with standards that are far below those in other countries. How has New Zealand managed to have high standards and an extreme form of local control at the same time? The first part of her answer, in effect, is that Lange got the essentials right. Local control has to be matched by the right kind of central control. There have to be clear national standards and curriculum frameworks that apply to all students that describe the goals for the students: what a student should be able to accomplish in a given year, the topics that should be covered, the concepts to be mastered and suggested materials, through the grades. Crucially important, students, parents and teachers are given examples of student work that meet the standards at each grade level, for each topic in the curriculum. So the standards, in effect, consist of both the narrative statements about what students should know and be able to do, as well as the examples of student work that meet the standards. None of that would have worked without some means of gauging whether the curriculum was actually being implemented and of measuring whether the students were learning what they were supposed to be learning. New Zealand created the Education Review Office to determine whether the required curriculum was being taught, and make recommendations to the local boards as to what needed to happen if the students were not progressing at the expected rate. But they chose not to establish a new, full set of national examinations to measure student progress. Instead, they required their teachers to develop their own measures of student progress, school-by-school, and report to parents against those measures. But how, I asked, could the state be sure that these teacher-developed measures were on the same scale, so that student progress in one school could be compared to student progress in another? If they could not do that, parents would not have the information they needed to make valid comparisons among the schools from among which they were choosing and the state would not know whether the students were improving or backsliding. The answer is that the state set up a system of what the British call moderation. Moderation is a method for getting teachers from two or more different schools (in this case) to assess their own students and then, using their own assessment methods, assess the others students, and then construct a table of equivalences so that they know that an X on their grading system equals a Y on the grading scale of teachers from the other school or schools. Is it perfect? No, but it works well enough. Of course, it would not have worked at all without the examples of student work that meet the standards. It is those examples that really set the standard and make it possible for two teachers who do not know each other and who have very different student populations to create a common scoring scale. This moderation approach to the construction of a uniform data system is the basis of the regular national reporting system for New Zealand schools. It is all focused on how much the students are learning, as judged against the national curriculum. This whole approach to assessment, of course, is nearly antithetical to the American experience since the No Child Left Behind approach to school and teacher accountability was introduced in 2000. When I pointed this out to Parata, she laughed and said that this was no accident. The New Zealand system is founded on trust; it is a nation that trusts its teachers. Student test scores are not used in New Zealand to assess teachers and personnel decisions are not made on the basis of those scores. If they were, of course, no one would trust the grades or scores that the teachers give their students. But it turns out that this idea of teachers from different schools working together on instructional matters goes far beyond assessment in New Zealand. This is a function of the second tension in the New Zealand system. The fierce preference for choice in New Zealand which might better be framed as a high value placed on the unique identity of each school and the involvement of both parents and staff in creating that identity and working to fulfill its mission. This is matched by another deeply felt need, which is to make sure that the pathways for young people, from birth to adulthood and from school to school are smooth, and yet another high value that is placed on teachers working together as professional colleaguesnot just within schools, but across them. Rugged individualism meets clear student pathways and community and professional collaboration. The governments response to these conflicting requirements is the Communities of Learning idea. It is voluntaryno school is required to participate. But the government offers money and many forms of practical support to those who do. Instead of each school being an independent entity, we are trying to create an archipelago where these islands operate in a unified way with a joint and unified focus on the quality of teaching and learning that every child has as he or she progress along their education pathway, Parata said. Teachers work in teams in groups of schools on the curriculum, as well as their instructional methods, to improve their effectiveness and refine them so that there are clear and smooth pathways for the students as they move through the system, from school to school. This is not the government imposing a particular design, but rather government creating an environment in which it is easy and natural for the professionals in the schools to create their own designs to fit their own schools and communities, within an overall structure for the country as a whole. What struck me about this (only partial) description of the New Zealand approach was the dog that did not bark: the lack of mention of any special categorical programs for poor and minority students, apart from the general feature of the pupil-weighted funding system. I said so to Minister Parata. This, too, was no accident. Parata doesnt believe in them. Every school, every child has a [unique] identity, language and culture, Parata told me. She said that New Zealand is investing in system change, not programs, especially not separate programs for separate groups of students. You might think that, with such an attitude, the Maori and Pacific Islander students would have fallen by the wayside in this system. The fact is that these two minority groups have struggled in New Zealand, largely because the strong value placed on choice in that country is a headwind they have to contend with. But, notwithstanding that headwind, during Paratas service as education minister, the achievement of both groups has improved substantially as she has strengthened the whole system. Hekia Parata has served as education minister longer than any of her predecessors. If you take the long arc of modern New Zealand education policy since Lange, New Zealand has enjoyed remarkable stability as it pursued those very distinctive policies for close to half a century. That, too, should be taken into account as we search for the sources of its success. Parata has announced that she will soon be stepping down from her post and leaving government. It will be most interesting to see what she does next. Feb 2, 2017 | By Baha Abunojaim, CTO, Mixed Dimensions Many people in the 3D printing community have issues getting 3D files to print. Converting .OBJ, .DXF, .3DS, .DAE, and other popular CAD or 3D modelling files to STL and 3MF can be problematic. Additionally 3D printing often lays bare file errors such as nonmanifold issues, flipped vertices (also called flipped faces or flipped triangles), holes in the mesh and intersecting objects. Meshes for 3D printing need to be watertight and manifold. A before and after comparison of a STL file fix done with MakePrintable There are a number of ways through which users can fix files for 3D printing. With experience and time many errors can be fixed from within the CAD or 3D modeling application manually. There are also a number of automatic STL and 3MF file fixing tools. These tools use simple algorithms to fix issues individually or use complex algorithms and significant computing power to reconstruct the entire geometry of your file. Materialises Magics software or Autodesk Netfabb are examples of commercially available STL file fixing tools. A free cloud based STL and 3MF file fixing alternative to Magics and Netfabb is MakePrintable by Mixed Dimensions. Comparison with a competing solution from a large software vendor that fixes holes but does not reconstruct the entire mesh drastically reducing the 3MF files detail. MakePrintable is an online STL and 3MF file fixing tool for 3D printing that automatically reconstructs the entire mesh and repairs any errors in your file. It does this by deploying a high number of optimized servers to in a patent pending way reconstruct the file depending on the type of file it is, its scale and the issues found in it. This unique technology means that MakePrintable works very differently from other STL and 3MF file fixers such as Netfabb and Magics. Furthermore by deploying the fixing solution across a high number of distributed GPUs MakePrintable uses much much more computing power than a high end desktop system could use. By doing this in an intelligent way MakePrintable can fix faster than other solutions healing a file in less than a minute. Uniquely, complex or difficult models with a high number of polygons can also be fixed on MakePrintable whereas they would grind other servers or individual systems to a halt using comparable tools. This is why MakePrintable now fixes an industry leading 96% of all files thrown at it and why MakePrintable has been growing by over 50% per month for the past year with an approval rating of 91% from its users. How to use MakePrintable to Repair and fix STL and 3MF files? First you make a free account which will let you repair 3 (STL, 3MF, OBJ, .DXF etc.) files a month for free. You can orient your file and examine it, yellow indicated problem areas such as nonmanifolds. The file will be analyzed and displayed for you. If MakePrintable thinks that the model is too small you will get a warning indicating this. Any Green areas are fine. A yellow color will show errors in your file. The volume, triangle count and vertex count of your STL file are displayed in the dialog box. The dialog box will show you useful information such as how many boundary edges your model has, how many non-manifold edges it has, how large the model is and how many triangles it has. You can select a High quality fix if you wish to wait a bit longer. Or select Prototype if you want a quick fix. If your file has too many polygons and is very large you can reduce the number of polygons in your input file. This is handy if you need to send the file to others for example. You can reduce the number of polygons in both your input and output file. You can also reduce the number of polygons in your output file. This is handy if you have a very detailed STL or full color texture which will lose much of its information during the print. MakePrintable also has hollowing. This feature lets you reduce the time and material of your 3D print if you are using a desktop 3D printer. If you are using a 3D printing service or industrial Additive Manufacturing system hollowing can reduce costs as well. Exit holes for excess powder are added for powder bed fusion systems (Selective Laser Sintering, Laser Sintering, SLS) so excess powder can be depowdered. Different technologies have different wall thicknesses and with MakePritable you can automatically adjust the wall thickness of a model to make it print, save money or improve the object. You can reposition your model or scale it to change its size. You can also view all sides of your model. Or you could reposition, scale, rotate or move your model. Now you can press repair to repair the file. You dont have to wait around for the file to be repaired. You can go on being productive and will be sent an email once it is done (You can also turn off these notifications should you wish). This side by side comparison of a repaired file with the original lets you see what has been changed to your model. Once your CAD or 3D modeling file has been repaired, the repaired file will be shown side by side the original. You can compare the volume of the file, the number of triangles, the number of vertices and the dimensions of the file. If you wish to store your repaired file you can store it either as a 3D model, SVG or directly in Gcode. If you choose to download the file as a 3D model you can pick .obj, .STL or .3mf as your output type. You can then directly download the file to your computer or export it to Google Drive or storage service Box. You can export to a sliced SVG file for DLP or SLA 3D printers If you pick SVG slicing then the 3D Model will be sliced into an SVG file. This is an option for people who have DLP 3D Printers such as Envisiontec systems or SLA (stereolithography) systems. Directly add the Gcode settings to get the right Gcode for your print or 3D printer. If you would like to have the Gcode you can submit your Gcode settings and obtain the Gcode directly (You can also store these). You can enter the layer height, fill density, fill angle, fill pattern, raft, travel speed and other parameters to get your Gcode. This is a faster way to obtain Gcode and is popular with FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling, FFF) or similar 3D printers. 3D print via a service. If youd like to 3D print the file through a service you can directly upload it to i.materialise, Shapeways or 3D Printing service 3DHubs. Or you could repair your STLs directly in Thingiverse using MakePrintable. You can store a 3D model online or store a 24 bit encrypted version of the file temporarily for a day. Models can also be stored in your MyModels directory. You can even select secure mode when uploading a model. The model will then be encrypted and deleted automatically after 24 hours. Import files directly from Blender or SketchUp. If you use Blender or Sketchup we have plugins to easily let you upload and import your Blender or Sketchup files for 3D Printing. Here is a guide on how to use our Blender Add on for mesh repair. Is MakePrintable the fast free online file repair solution for your STL, 3MF and Gcode? You can try out repairing your meshes here. Posted in 3D Printing Apps Maybe you also like: Letters Local Poet to Dr. King Dear Alibi, Where is My Dream? Hunger, pain, discomfort and exhaustion, Rejection, isolation, worry, fear and crime. Anger, frustration, exclusion and rejection. Abuse and insecurity haunt me all the time. Illnesses, crowding and family stress Sleeping on hard floors, unexpected guests. Arguing, fighting, trembling and fright. Cold, rats and roaches wait for me at night. Only an education can give me a real voice Truths always louder than meaningless noise Denouncing unfairness I need to be bold Never using violence cause peace is like gold. Injustices, prejudice, hate, discrimination. Evils that prowl and injure this great nation Divisive rhetoric producing alienation We traded role models for blatant aberrations. My teachers will stand up if someone is mistreated Their hearts with compassion not easily defeated We are never going back mistakes wont be repeated We shall overcome. We will not be maltreated. The counterfeit values of justice are out We must pay attention, denounce them and shout The blood of our heroes did not run in vain. The chains of racism we will fight again. Feelings of anxiety, with poor self-esteem Rejected, forbidden, not part of the team I wish he could hear me. I wish I could scream Your dream is in danger.. my Dear Dr. KING. A famous California property that President Donald Trump once owned and fought to keep in a lengthy legal battle is now a multicultural K-12 campus of community schools that, in many ways, is antithetical to some of the presidents pronouncements. The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools , a campus of six Los Angeles public schools, sits on the site of the famous Ambassador Hotel, where Sen. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968. According to the Los Angeles Times , a Trump syndicate bought the property for $64 million in 1989 with plans to build a 125-story office towerwhich would have been, at the time, the worlds tallest building. But the Los Angeles Board of Education had plans to build schools on the site, and voted to take the property from Trump via eminent domain. The LA Times has the details on the unusual decade-long legal battle that ensued, but ultimately, the school board bought the property for $76.5 million. The RFK Community Schools opened in 2010. Located in Los Angeles Koreatown neighborhood, the schools are high-poverty and have high percentages of Hispanic and Asian students. Many of the communitys families have immigrated from Mexico and other countries in Central America, or Korea, and school officials said there is a large population of undocumented students. On a recent visitjust hours before Trump would sign his executive order suspending the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, barring all immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days, and indefinitely banning refugees from Syriathe campus seemed like an oasis of multiculturalism. Murals, many of which are politically or social-justice-minded, are painted on the buildings walls. In one class, a teacher was teaching 5- to 6-year-olds entirely in Spanish. At several of the campus schools, students can receive bilingual or multilingual instruction in English and Spanish and/or Korean. The irony of students speaking and learning in Spanish and other languages on a property once owned by a man who said on the campaign trail that, This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish , is not lost on the schools educators. Trumps electionand his campaign promises to build a wall on the Mexico border and authorize large-scale deportationswas difficult for the schools community, said Karen Hunter Quartz, the research director for the UCLA Community School, one of the schools on the site. The day after the election, our families were crying in our courtyard, she said. Our students have walked out in protest , our teachers have organized, so were all very strongly united in favor of supporting the needs and rights of undocumented students. Part of that support, she said, will be a family immigration legal clinic that will be hosted in the campus library. The clinic, which is being developed in partnership with the UCLA School of Law and its Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, doesnt have a set opening date, but Hunter Quartz said the clinic has secured funding and it will open soon. The clinic will be staffed by a full-time attorney and a team of UCLA law students. We know [our families] face issues of deportation, separation ... theres [also] the intersection of the criminal justice system. We know theres a great need, she said. Jose Maradiaga-Andrade, an alumnus of RFK Community Schools, said he painted the above mural to motivate students whose parents or relatives came to the country illegally to give their families a better life. It means a lot to me that such a meaningful mural in support of [these] families choices, and against the approval of the new president, is now standing in the campus of such a diverse community school, he wrote in an email. To President Trump, what you resist, persists. Photos by Madeline Will More on Trump and Immigrant Students: Feb 2, 2017 | By Tess The UKs Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has just launched MAPP, a new Future Manufacturing Hub geared towards further developing advanced powder manufacturing processes. MAPP, which stands for Manufacture using Advanced Powder Processes, will seek to push forward research and technology in the field of powder-based manufacturing to reduce cost, energy consumption, and waste for high quality manufacturing techniques. MAPPs research could help to advance powder-based additive manufacturing processes. The launch event for the new Future Manufacturing Hub was attended by 150 guests from various industries, universities, Catapult centers, and sponsors. At the event, Iain Todd, MAPP Director and RAEng Chair Professor, spoke about the hubs goals and visions for advanced powder processes. He also explained that MAPP is an interdisciplinary research programme. Its an exciting time for powder based processes with new opportunities opening up rapidly in a range of key sectors including aerospace, energy, automotive and healthcare, Todd explained. However, there are still some fundamental scientific issues to be addressed before these technologies can be adopted more widely. MAPP brings together leading UK researchers, industry and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult to achieve right first time manufacturing for advanced powder processes and develop the next generation of manufacturing technologies. Iain Todd, MAPP Director and Royal Academy of Engineering Chair Professor MAPP, as a EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hub, is ultimately seeking to conduct research that will help advance and secure British manufacturing productivity. The EPSRC Future Manufacturing Hubs are key element in our approach to tackling the UK's productivity gap and solving some of the longer term challenges faced by the UK's manufacturing industry, said Todd. The event also featured a number of presentations by MAPPs dedicated academic partners, which further emphasized how the hubs research could indeed help push forward the UK manufacturing. One presentation, by Professor Peter Lee from the University of Manchester and the Research Complex at Harwell, specifically referenced the UKs Diamond Light Source (a national synchrotron science facility), whose research is helping to reveal the fundamental physics and chemistry of new manufacturing technologies like 3D printing. MAPPs industry partners were also present and offered their insight on the opportunities for advanced powder processes, as well as challenges that are currently being faced in the field. For instance, Dr. Alison Wagland, Technology Manager at sustainable tech company Johnson Matthey, presented on the potential of powders in the production of catalysts for emission control, as well as of batteries for energy storage. Global Head of Additive Manufacturing at GKN Aerospace, Dr. Rob Sharman, spoke about how metal 3D printing, especially within the aerospace industry, can be impacted by the creation of new advanced powder materials. AM company LPW Technology was also represented, as its CEO Dr. Phil Carroll addressed the need for quality, traceability, and consistency of powder materials. Speaking of the event, Dr. Richard France, MAPPs Senior Business Development Manager, concluded: We've developed a strong vision and plan for MAPP together with our industry, academic and Catapult partners. Today has given us the opportunity to share our vision and plans for MAPP with a wider network so we can start to develop new opportunities for collaboration. The breadth of sectors attending and the feedback we've received demonstrates the appetite and need for MAPP. With the launch of the new UK Future Manufacturing Hub, we expect to see lots of new and exciting work coming out of MAPP, work which could potentially advance powder-based additive manufacturing processes. Posted in 3D Printing Materials Maybe you also like: Paul Veyne at Lapham's Quarterly: In the year 200 Palmyra was part of the vast Roman Empire at the height of its power, which extended from Andalusia to the Euphrates, from Morocco to Syria. When a traveler arrived in the merchant republic of Palmyra, a Greek or Italian trader on horseback, an Egyptian, a Jew, a magistrate sent by Rome, a Roman publican or soldierin short, a citizen or subject of the empirethe newcomer immediately realized he had entered a new world. He heard an unknown language being spoken, a great language of the civilized world: Aramaic. (This stranger needed not worry about language, however; every rich person he encountered would have known Greek, the English of that time.) Local residents werent dressed like other inhabitants of the empire. Their clothing wasnt draped but sewn like our modern clothing, and men wore wide trousers that looked a lot like those of the Persians. Noble Palmyrene horsemen, lords of import-export, wore a dagger around their waists, defying the prohibition against carrying weapons on ones person that was imposed on citizens elsewhere in the empire. The women wore full-length tunics and cloaks that concealed only their hair; they wore an embroidered band around their heads, with a twisted turban on top. Others wore voluminous pantaloons. Their faces werent veiled, as was the custom in many regions of the Hellenic world. And so much jewelry! They may have been in the heart of the desert, but everything exuded wealth. There were statues everywhere, but they were made of bronze, not marble (there being no marble in Syria); in the great temple the columns had gilded bronze capitals. more here. From Digital History: Frederick Douglass has been called the father of the civil rights movement. He rose through determination, brilliance, and eloquence to shape the American nation. He was an abolitionist, human rights and women's rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer. Douglass established his own weekly abolitionist newspaper, the North Star, that became a major voice of African-American opinion. Later, through his periodical titled the Douglass Monthly, he recruited black Union soldiers for the African-American Fifty-Fourth Massachusetts Volunteers. His sons Lewis and Charles both served in this regiment and saw combat. Douglass worked to retain the hard-won advances of African-Americans. However, the progress made during Reconstruction soon eroded as the twentieth century approached. Douglass spent his last years opposing lynching and supporting the rights of women. The antislavery crusade of the early nineteenth century served as a training ground for the women's suffrage movement. Douglass actively supported the women's rights movement, yet he believed black men should receive suffrage first. Demonstrating his support for women's rights, Douglass participated in the first feminist convention at Seneca Falls in July of 1848 where he was largely responsible for passage of the motion to support female suffrage. Together with abolitionist and feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Douglass signed the Declaration of Sentiments that became the movement's manifesto. His masthead of his newspaper, the North Star, once read "Right is of no Sex Truth is of no Color." A women's rights activist to the end, Douglass died in February 1895, having just attended a Woman's Council meeting. More here. (Note: At least one post throughout February will be in honor of Black History Month) Is Drunk Driving a Deportable Offense? Recently, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked about New York's status as a sanctuary city, under which it refuses to turn over undocumented immigrants to immigration officials over minor criminal offenses. De Blasio said he would define drunk driving as that kind of minor offense so long as it "doesn't lead to any other negative outcome." While de Blasio's comments earned him the ire of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), they do raise the question of whether a DUI can be a deportable offense, and what factors would matter in that determination. Drunk Deportation A DUI -- especially one like de Blasio described -- does not necessarily mean an automatic deportation. Instead, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will consider a number of factors with regard to possible penalties faced by U.S. immigrants. Deportation is generally reserved for serious crimes and aggravated felonies like battery, theft, filing a fraudulent tax return, and failure to appear in court. Therefore, if your DUI is charged as a felony, you could run the risk of deportation. This can happen if: You have had prior DUI convictions; You had an extremely elevated blood alcohol concentration while driving; You had children in the car while driving drunk; You were driving drunk on a suspended or revoked license; or You caused death or injury in a car accident. (DUI) Deportation Update Information Even if you don't get deported, a DUI conviction could alter your immigration status: Legal permanent residents could be deported or detained during removal proceedings, or be barred from becoming a naturalized citizen in the future; Refugees and asylees could be deported after a criminal conviction, even if they would be in grave danger in their home country, and a conviction may result in the inability to obtain legal permanent resident status; Non-citizens with temporary lawful status (including individuals with nonimmigrant visas and those with temporary protected status) could lose that status and be removed from the country for any felony conviction or two or more misdemeanor convictions; and Undocumented immigrants, because they are not authorized to be in the U.S., could be deported for any criminal offense. In some legal proceedings, like immigration or deportation proceedings, even a DUI expungement could still be considered as proof of a prior conviction. Many factors, including whether you live in a sanctuary city, could determine whether a DUI will affect your immigration status. Contact a local DUI attorney today. Related Resources: Warner thumps Harding Co.-Bison; Patriots, Wolverines to meet for title Hunter Cramer ran for 2 touchdowns, passed for 1 and returned a kick for 82 yards as the Monarchs won 63-20 in the Class 9A football semifinals. 3 Drug Lords Who Attained Celebrity Status Given the social history of the United States, it is not surprising that American culture glorifies criminals, not just at home, but all over the world. After all, our earliest intellectuals were proponents of civil disobedience and actually broke the law to found the country. Throughout history, there have been criminals that have captured the imaginations of the American people, reaching superstar levels of fandom. Whether it was Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, or the ever so secretive Carlo Gambino, it is hard to deny that these individuals have been glorified and idolized. Below, you'll find a list of 3 such famous, or better yet, infamous, drug lords, and where you can see their glorified story dramatized. 1. El Chapo Currently facing criminal charges in New York for drug trafficking, firearms, and conspiracy charges, El Chapo, AKA Joaquin Guzman, of Mexico, has recently been thrust into the limelight again. El Chapo attained the status as the leading drug trafficker to of all time, worldwide, before being arrested. Apart from the obscene wealth El Chapo was able to accumulate via the drug trade, he achieved much notoriety after escaping from prison, not once, but twice. The first time in 2001, and then again in 2016. El Chapo's story is set to be released on Netflix sometime this year, after debuting on Univision in April. 2. Pablo Escobar Before El Chapo reached infamy, Pablo Escobar, of Colombia, was regarded as the most successful drug trafficker of all time. Unlike El Chapo who trafficked a variety of different kinds of drugs, Escobar only dealt in cocaine. However, he was able to attain a net worth of nearly $30 billion by the early 1990s. While Escobar faced much legal scrutiny at home in Colombia and by US and international authorities, he evaded prosecution until he was murdered at the age of 44 in 1993. He achieved superstar status after being elected to the government and spending much money to build infrastructure like hospitals and schools. The Netflix series Narcos details the life of Pablo Escobar. 3. Frank Lucas At this point, probably better known as Denzel Washington's character from the movie American Gangster, Frank Lucas imported heroin from Asia into the US in the coffins of dead soldiers. For committing such a heinous crime, he was basically given a life sentence in 1976. However, he was released into witness protection after providing help to drug enforcement officers. Related Resources: Local activist group announces a postcard writing rally scheduled for later this week and asks like-minded members of the public or participants for assistance with material donations. Local activist group, Charlotte Humans for Positive Progress, have announced that they will be hosting a postcard writing rally on Friday, February 3, 2017. Scheduled to occur from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, the invitation is open to members of the public who are interested in writing to U.S. Senators from North Carolina and South Carolina about developments related to immigration, womens rights, minority rights, the recently-announced Supreme Court nominee, and other hot-button issues. The event is being organized by Ashley Peterson and Amanda Clark of Charlotte and York, South Carolina, respectively. The pair are co-organizers of last Sundays Charlotte airport protest, which was focused on demonstrating against the anti-Muslim ban introduced on Friday, January 27th by the current administration. The pair were recognized for their ability to coordinate with both airport authorities and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department in ensuring a peaceful and safe environment for passengers, law enforcement, and demonstrators. It is their goal to make the postcard writing rally a similar success. We believe that this is a great event that offers members of the community the chance to come together, interact with each other, talk about the issues, and ultimately, write our elected officials about our thoughts and concerns regarding what is taking place in Washington D.C. today, states Clark. Our democracy is built upon the value of allowing citizens to speak up and voice their opinions about our governments actions, and Ashley and I are looking forward to offering a space where people can do just that, while also having some fun. Additionally, Charlotte Humans for Positive Progress kindly asks the greater community for assistance with in-kind donations in the form of stamps, postcards, office supplies, bottled water, and snacks. Please reach out directly to the organization for more information on how to offer material assistance and coordinate a drop off. The postcard writing rally will be held at C3 Lab, located at 2525 Distribution St., Charlotte, North Carolina, 28203. RSVP is required. ABOUT: Charlotte Humans for Positive Progress is an activist organization focused on creating and executing peaceful events and demonstrations. Focused on a wide variety of issues affecting American society today, the group is dedicated to helping further progressive values and protecting the rights of all Americans regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. For more information visit the groups Facebook page or email humansforprogress@gmail.com Media Contact Company Name: Charlotte Humans for Positive Progress Contact Person: Amanda Clark Email: humansforprogress@gmail.com Phone: (803) 242-2545 Country: United States Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CLThumansforprogress/ H1B VISA PROBLEMS IN UNITED STATES AND THE COMMON PROBLEMS TO AVOID. COMMON REASON WHY H1B VISA GETS DENIED With United States new President, Donald Trump, there is an air of uncertainty on US immigration and how the ruling party will handle different aspect of US Immigration. H1B visa has been an area of focus due to the stigma placed on it that H1B beneficiaries are taking US citizen jobs. There has been rumors from different sources that H1B visas are likely to be provided exclusively for people that studied in the United States. Another issue haunting H1B visa process is the employee-employer relationship; it has been observed that many potential H1B employers, especially in the IT industry, are operating their business like a recruitment agency. After the beneficiary has been approved, the employer places the beneficiary on a contract off site and gets a percentage of the wage/salary. The H1-B visa is important to both the employee and the employer, it is prudent that you make advance preparation to ensure you give the petition the optimal chance of success. Meeting the deadline There is almost no point in filling an H1-B petition if you will not file during the first week of April. The yearly quota usually runs out by the end of the first week. So, the plan is to get your petition in on day 1. Even if you meet the deadline- remember that the H1-B applications usually surpass the quota and therefore the USCIS will utilize a computer-generated random selection processes. It is therefore a true lottery system and your application may or may not get picked. Ensuring your H1-B application is Solid Some employers and applicant make the mistake that their petition will be solid just because they have appointed an attorney. This assumption is incorrect! While an attorney can guide you, they cannot provide the required information for you. The responsibility is on you to ensure you provide a near perfect information to the attorney. Whats the point in going through the preparation, submitting on time, and being lucky enough to be picked in the lottery only to then get a refusal or a long winded RFE because you submitted a weak application package. Many times, refusals can be avoided! Doing your ground work Specialty occupation consider employing a specialist to help. You can get an experts opinion and evaluation to evidence your submission that the positions nature, responsibilities, and knowledge is so specialized and complex that knowledge required to perform these duties is usually associated with the attainment of a Bachelors degree or higher depending on the position. This is becoming increasingly important in the IT industry where the USCIS is regularly holding that most programming jobs can be done by an associate degree holder or by a non-degree holder who has been specifically trained. Your financials Ensure you can prove that your organization is confirmable to pay the employees wage as well as fund any intended projects. Business Plan You should certainly consider submitting a business plan to provide an overview of your company, telling the USCIS who you are, what you do, your financial forecast, your organizational chart, why you need a particular employee, and all the salient facts of your organization. If you supplied a business plan that wasnt professionally written, its time to employ the services of a business plan professional to write, modify, and clarify your business plan. For more information on services go to: http://www.immigrationbusiness-plans.com/ Obtaining several contracts or work packets If your organization generally sends employees to work off sites or other companys sites, then it will be prudent to obtain, in advance, contracts for work or work packets. These will be used to demonstrate the work the employee will be undertaking in the US. Ensure to provide proper evidence of employer-employee relationship as well as your right of control over the employee. You may consider getting specialist help or address this in your business plan. Our practice involves a management consultant with an expertise in writing business plans and project management. When IT companies with H1B applicant contact us, we analyze all potential problems and consult with them to create an action plan. We have dealt with various denials, request for evidence (RFE), motion to reconsider (MTR), and motion to re-open on behalf of H1B applicants, however if you will like to limit the possibilities of running into problems, you can contact us 6 weeks before making an application We provide a unique service by using our own in-house strategy as management consultants to present your plan We work with many immigration attorneys, you can bring your own attorney or ask us for a referral. Below is a small selection of some of the attorneys we work with. Larhdel Law Email :- info@larhdellaw.com Website:www.larhdellaw.com Phone: (310) 943 6352 Zhang & Associates, P.C. Phone: (408) 331-9116 Emandi Law Firm, PC. Website: http://www.emandilaw.com Phone: (212) 686-7782 Law Offices of Sabrina Li Phone: (213) 375-8096 Law Office of Maria E. Garcia, PA Phone: (561) 682-9111 About the Author: Henry Akinlude is a management consultant with over 20years experience in Business Strategy, Business Planning and writing. Henry has numerous academic qualifications and membership related to his area of expertise Henry Akinlude MA, MBA, LLM. Global Management and Technology Consulting, http://www.immigrationbusiness-plans.com/ Copyright 2017 Global Management and Technology Consulting Media Contact Company Name: Global Management and Technology Contact Person: Henry Akinlude Email: henry@globalitk.com Phone: 310 860 6283 Address:21550 Oxnard Street, 3rd floor City: Woodland Hills State: California Country: United States Website: www.immigrationbusiness-plans.com Companies profiled in this 2017 fast casual restaurants market research include McDonalds, Subway, Starbucks, Wendys, Burger King, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut, KFC and Hardees. eMarketOrg.com adds Global Fast-Casual Restaurants Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 report that studies the industry in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia with a focus on leading companies, historic data and more. Companies profiled in this 2017 fast casual restaurants market research include McDonalds, Subway, Starbucks, Wendys, Burger King, Taco Bell, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut, KFC and Hardees. For each of these companies, in addition to basic company profile, products, services, solutions and revenue (value) for 2012-2017 are discussed along with recent developments. Competitive status and trends focusing on market concentration rate, product / service differences, new entrants and fast casual restaurants market technology trends in future are also studied in this report. Potential applications of fast-casual restaurants in future with top consumer / end users are discussed while studying the fast casual restaurants market size by application for 2012-2017. Additionally, 2017-2022 forecasts by regions and applications not only cover market size in terms of value, regionally with growth rates, fast-casual restaurant market drivers for future are also comprehensively presented. Complete report is available at http://emarketorg.com/pro/global-fast-casual-restaurants-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022/ . Global fast casual restaurants market 2017 industry research report includes 123 data tables and figures to offer a statistical support to the international analysis of fast casual restaurants services provided for a period of 10 years from 2012 2022. This is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the fast casual restaurants industry. The fast casual restaurants market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status. Inquire for discount on listed prices, get your questions on this fast casual restaurants market study answered or ask for more details at http://emarketorg.com/inquire-before-buying/?product-id=85556 . Industry dynamics covering opportunities, challenge and risks, (competition from opponents, downside risks of economy), constraints and threats (substitutes, government policies, technology risks) and driving forecasts like growing demand from emerging markets and potential applications of fast casual restaurants market are covered in a separate chapter. Progress and risk of technology, trends of consumer needs and preferences, environmental changes, economic fluctuations and other risk factors are also studied. On a related note, the Global Quick Service Restaurants Market 2016 Research Report is spread across 156 pages, supported with 170 data tables, figures and talks about companies like Chick-fil-A, Dominos, Dunkin Brands, McDonalds, Restaurant Brands International, Starbucks, Subway, The Wendys Company, Yum! Brands, Arbys Restaurant Group, Autogrill Group, Carls Jr. Restaurants, hurchs Chicken, Dairy Queen, Del Taco Restaurants, Dicos, In-N-Out Burger, Jack in the Box, Jollibee Foods, Little Ceasars, MOS Food Services, Mr. Lee, Papa Johns, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Sonic Drive-In, Telepizza, Whataburger and White Castle. Read more at http://emarketorg.com/pro/global-quick-service-restaurants-market-2016-research-report/ . Eat-in, take away, drive-thru and home delivery service classifications of quick service restaurants market are studied in this research, which is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The quick service restaurants market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status. Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This 2016-2021 quick service restaurants market report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added. Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the quick service restaurants market development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered. In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in quick service restaurants market. Get a discount on listed prices of this report at http://emarketorg.com/product-enquiry/?product-id=72863 . Explore other newly published research reports on food and beverages market at http://emarketorg.com/cat/food-and-beverages/ . About Us: eMarketOrg.com aims to provide businesses and organizations market intelligence products and services that help in making smart, instant and crucial decisions. Our database offers access to insights from industry leaders, experts and influencers on global and regional sectors, market trends, user behaviour, for companies as well as products. With data and information from reputable and trusted private and public sources, our clients are never short of statistics and analysis that are up to date. Contact Details: Ronald Alden | sales@emarketorg.com Connect With Us: Market Research Blog: http://emarketorg.com/blog/ News on current market trends and more: http://emarketorg.com/news1/ Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/emarketorg Follow us on G+ https://plus.google.com/collection/w7ioaB Media Contact Company Name: EMarketOrg.com Contact Person: Ronald Alden Email: sales@emarketorg.com Phone: +91-8793334224 Country: India Website: http://emarketorg.com/pro/global-fast-casual-restaurants-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022/ MARKET RESEARCH REPORTS AND INDUSTRY Personal Accident and Health Insurance Market report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment Personal Accident and Health Insurance Market report provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (2011-2015) and forecast period (2015-2020). The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Canadian economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country. The report brings together Radiant Insights research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure. Download Full Research Report on Personal Accident and Health Insurance Market @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/personal-accident-and-health-insurance-in-canada-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020 Summary Radiant Insights Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Canada Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment, including: An overview of the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment The Canadian personal accident and health insurance segments growth prospects by category A comprehensive overview of the Canadian economy and demographics A comparison of the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment with its regional counterparts The various distribution channels in the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment Details of the competitive landscape in the personal accident and health insurance segment in Canada Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Canadian insurance industry Browse All Reports of This Category @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/insurance Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the personal accident and health insurance segment in Canada: It provides historical values for the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment for the reports 2011-2015 review period, and projected figures for the 2015-2020 forecast period. It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020. It provides a comparison of the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment with its regional counterparts It provides an overview of the various distribution channels for personal accident and health insurance products in Canada. It profiles the top personal accident and health insurance companies in Canada, and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Request a Free Sample Copy of this Report @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/personal-accident-and-health-insurance-in-canada-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020/request-sample Reasons to Buy Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment, and each category within it. Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Canadian personal accident and health insurance segment. Assess the competitive dynamics in the personal accident and health insurance segment. Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories. Gain insights into key regulations governing the Canadian insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industrys future. Key Highlights Canada witnessed a steady increase in healthcare spending during the review period. The leading cost drivers in health spending are drugs, hospitals and physicians, which accounted for 60.7% of the total health expenditures in 2015. Rising outbound tourism is expected to drive demand for travel insurance. Life expectancy in Canada rose from 81.4 years in 2011 to 81.8 years in 2015, and is projected to increase further over the forecast period. Read more related reports by Radiant Insights: Non-Life Insurance Market in Canada http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/non-life-insurance-in-canada-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020 Reinsurance Market in Canada http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/reinsurance-in-canada-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020 About Radiant Insights, Inc. Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. Media Contact Company Name: Radiant Insights, Inc. Contact Person: Michelle Thoras, Corporate Sales Specialist USA Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Phone: (415) 349-0054, Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Address:28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 City: San Francisco State: California Country: United States Website: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/personal-accident-and-health-insurance-in-canada-key-trends-and-opportunities-to-2020 For a limited time, customers are invited to take advantage of the cost savings on flooring in Lititz, PA, when they shop at Cloisters Flooring America. This local flooring store offers endless style options in carpeting, tile, and other materials to fit the unique tastes of homeowners located throughout the area. Cloisters Flooring America, a top flooring store in Lititz, PA, is rolling out savings and special financing offers to customers throughout the region with its Red Carpet Clearance Sale. Homeowners can now upgrade any area or room without overspending on materials when they visit this local store. 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Media Contact Company Name: Cloisters Flooring America Contact Person: Marcus Kline Email: mkline@cloisterflooring.com Phone: (866) 345-4130 Address:701 South Broad Street City: Lititz State: PA Country: United States Website: http://www.flooringamericacloister.com/ MARKET RESEARCH REPORTS AND INDUSTRY Governance, Risk and Compliance- the Luxembourg Insurance Industry report is the result of extensive research into the insurance regulatory framework in Luxembourg Synopsis This report provides detailed analysis of the insurance regulations for life, property, motor, liability, personal accident and health, and marine, aviation and transit insurance. The report specifies various requirements for the establishment and operation of insurance and reinsurance companies and intermediaries. The report brings together Radiant Insights research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on prevailing insurance regulations, and recent and upcoming changes in the regulatory framework, taxation and legal system in the country. The report also includes the scope of non-admitted insurance in the country. Download Full Research Report of Luxembourg Insurance Industry @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/governance-risk-and-compliance-the-luxembourg-insurance-industry Summary This report provides insights into the governance, risk and compliance framework pertaining to the insurance industry in Luxembourg, including: An overview of the insurance regulatory framework in Luxembourg: The latest key changes, and changes expected in the countrys insurance regulatory framework. Key regulations and market practices related to different types of insurance product in the country. Rules and regulations pertaining to key classes of compulsory insurance, and the scope of non-admitted insurance in Luxembourg. Key parameters including licensing requirements permitted foreign direct investment, minimum capital requirements, solvency and reserve requirements, and investment regulations. Details of the tax and legal systems in the country. Browse All Reports of This Category @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/insurance Scope The report covers details of the insurance regulatory framework in Luxembourg. The report contains details of the rules and regulations governing insurance products and insurance entities. The report lists and analyzes key trends and developments pertaining to the countrys insurance regulatory framework. The report analyzes the rules and regulations pertaining to the establishment and operation of insurance businesses in the country. The report provides details of taxation imposed on insurance products and insurance companies. Request a Free Sample Copy of this Report @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/governance-risk-and-compliance-the-luxembourg-insurance-industry/request-sample Reasons to buy this report: Gain insights into the insurance regulatory framework in Luxembourg. Track the latest regulatory changes, and expected changes impacting the Luxembourg insurance industry. Gain detailed information about the key regulations governing the establishment and operation of insurance entities in the country. Understand key regulations and market practices pertaining to various types of insurance product. Key Highlights The Luxembourg insurance industry is regulated by the Commissariat aux Assurance. Non-admitted insurance is prohibited by the law; however unlicensed insurers and reinsurers from EU and EEA member states are permitted. FDI is permitted in the Luxembourg insurance industry up to 100%. Composite insurance is not allowed in Luxembourg. Solvency II is implemented from January 1, 2016. Read more related reports by Radiant Insights: Croatian Insurance Industry http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/governance-risk-and-compliance-the-croatian-insurance-industry Palestinian Insurance Industry http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/governance-risk-and-compliance-the-palestinian-insurance-industry About Radiant Insights, Inc Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. Media Contact Company Name: Radiant Insights, Inc. Contact Person: Michelle Thoras, Corporate Sales Specialist USA Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Phone: (415) 349-0054, Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Address:28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 City: San Francisco State: California Country: United States Website: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/governance-risk-and-compliance-the-luxembourg-insurance-industry MindStir Media author Jennelle White has written and released through Mindstir Media her new book on saving money. Easiest Short/Long Term Plan for Saving Money by Jennelle L. White has been released to readers worldwide. Published by Mindstir Media, the quick and succinct book effectively helps people save money through easy-to-follow and comprehensive advice. When asked about her book, Jennelle White said, Its been said to pay yourself first, to save at least 10% of your earnings, but why stop at 10%? Why not 20%, 30%, and so on? The problem is that most people may not be able to set aside 10% of their earnings, let alone 20%-30%. 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About the publisher, MindStir Media: MindStir Media, a leader in self-publishing services, helps authors publish books via various self-publishing packages that include book cover design, illustration, printing, distribution and marketing. For more info, visit http://www.mindstirmedia.com. Media Contact Company Name: MindStir Media LLC Contact Person: Rob Rop Email: press@mindstirmedia.com Phone: 800-767-0531 Address:45 Lafayette Rd Suite 181 City: North Hampton State: NH Country: United States Website: http://www.mindstirmedia.com Four journalists were killed in Myanmar since last years military coup, and five others were killed before the putsch dating back to 1999, with the... Enjoy big savings and take up to 50% off the already low prices of new flooring in Champaign, IL, with a visit to Flooring America. Now, homeowners are invited to explore the selections of hardwood, carpeting, and other flooring materials during the stores Red Carpet Clearance Sale. 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Its an act of defamation to release the announcement in the state-owned newspaper. The announcement was fabricated. The skirmish area is not related to the opium fields. The Burma Armys 379th Light Infantry Battalion (LIB-379) attacked our base with heavy weapons and released the announcement to get a good reputation. The public knows well about this operation, said Major Phone Han, spokesperson of the SSPP/SSA-N. State-owned Kyemon newspaper reported on 22 January that SSA/Wan-Hai group attacked a combined team of Burmese military troops, police, departmental staff, and the public with heavy and light weapons while they were destroying opium fields in Mong-Hsu. After making the accusations, the Burma Army reinforced its troops near the SSPP/SSA-Ns headquarters Wan-Hai. Two MIG-29 jetfighters have been seen flying three or four times around Wan-Hai headquarters and over Kye-thi, Mong-Hsu, and Tang Yang townships, where the SSA-N bases are located, according to officials from Wan Hai headquarters The three townships have been preparing for the upcoming by-election, which will be held on 1 April. The Burma Army attacked SSPP/SSA-N outpost near Wang Pan Nga Village between Mong San and Mong Hsu, around three miles south of Mong Hsu, on 21 January. Both sides suffered from casualties during the clash. The SSPP/SSA-N has not signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement but it has signed the union-level and state-level ceasefire. Translated by Thida Linn Airbus Defence and Space has delivered satellite communications systems for EU military training missions in Somalia (EUTM Somalia) as well as for the EUCAP (European Union capacity-building mission) Sahel Niger and EUCAP Sahel Mali civilian missions. Led on behalf of the European Union, these missions aim to support the efforts of the respective governments to strengthen their stability and to respond to the security issues faced by their populations. Airbus Defence and Space teams have deployed C-band satcom systems between Europe and Somalia, Niger and Mali, as well as satellite-based mobile phone terminals to enable communications in Malian and Nigerien territories. Airbus Defence and Space supplies the ground equipment, communications services and airtime. Airbus Defence and Space has been providing satcom services for the European Defence Agency (EDA) since 2012. Recently, the organisation renewed its framework contract for the provision of satcom for another four years in order to meet the military and civilian requirements of the European missions. This new EU SatCom Market contract now encompasses X-band and UHF-band military satcom services, in addition to commercial C-, Ku-, Ka- and L-band satcom services. "As the pioneer of satcom services for governments and ministries of defence, we are very proud to keep supporting the EDA and, more broadly, European defence and its actions around the world," said Bruno Capitant, Head of EMEA & International agencies at the Secure Communications business cluster, Airbus Defence and Space. The EU SatCom Market agreement allows EU member states to consolidate their requirements and purchase satellite communication capabilities in a coordinated manner, thus ensuring more economical and reliable access to satcom services. Around twenty ministries of defence in Europe and EU organisations are taking part in this project, which allows them to equip themselves with satcom solutions and services across the globe. "The EU SatCom Market project has successfully developed since 2009 as a solution for interested Members States and EU entities to access better quality satellite communications services, under better economic conditions, with less burden. It is a perfect example of how EDA can combine its industry knowledge, technical expertise and experience in procurement to support EU operations/missions and Member States in their procurement procedures and save scarce resources at no additional cost," said Roland Van Reybroeck, Director Cooperation Planning & Support at European Defence Agency. Satellite communications are a mission-critical instrument for connecting command and control centres, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) tools. In light of the increasingly common use of high-throughput applications, like RPAS on battlefields, a great amount of satcom is needed to enable the control and transmission of data acquired by sensors. Military and governmental users worldwide benefit from the unique expertise developed by Airbus Defence and Space in the field of satellite communications. Besides covering the complete range of frequency bands (L, C, Ku, Ka, X and UHF), the company provides military satellite communications to some of the most high-tech armed forces in the world, including those of the UK, France, Germany, Canada, the US and NATO. As the train, advise and assist missions continue in Afghanistan, the Afghan Air Force is taking the lead from Coalition in supporting ground troops through air power. Maintenance air advisors from Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air (TAAC-Air), 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, are working side-by-side with their AAF counterparts to develop a professional, capable and sustainable air force. At the beginning of 2014, the AAF received C-130H models in which currently four crews are trained and in full mission capable status. Providing a platform like the C-130H to the AAF increases their capacity for airlift, casualty evacuation, and troop transport, said Maj. Elbert Waters, 440th AEAS commander. This capacity allows Afghanistan to combat their war on their own terms. This strategic advantage could never be realized without the hard work of these air advisors. For the past six months, maintenance air advisors have worked with their AAF counterparts becoming trained and qualified as level three maintainers. On Jan. 11, a group of 44 AAF C-130H maintainers were the first in-country trained to graduate and receive their level three certification. The recent graduates were trained by Total Force Airmen from Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio and Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., that specialize in various maintenance Air Force Specialty Codes from; engine and propulsion, hydraulics, fuel, electrical and environmental, avionics, and crew chief specialist. The AAF is trained in accordance with their Career Field Education and Training Program and progress from zero level to three level, then from three to two, and then two to one, explained Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Pratt, 440th AEAS C-130 maintenance team lead. It varies on the amount of training time, but usually a one year progression in each step due to the language barrier and the use of interpreters. Both enlisted and officer Afghan maintainers who score higher than a 55 on an English examination have the opportunity to attend the Defense Language Institute in the United States. They then move forward to their respective career field specialty technical training in various parts of the U.S. This helps AAF maintenance crews get a better understanding of technical and mechanical terms that do not translate well with the use of interpreters, explained Pratt. Currently, maintenance on the AAF C-130H is accomplished by contractors, while TAAC-Air advisors teach both in a classroom and hands-on setting. The maintenance that keeps the C-130s in the air is heavily dependent on (Contractor Logistic Support) at this time, and this will transition to being heavily AAF only in the next five to ten years, said Waters. The maintenance training occurring right now is building the force of qualified technicians that will take the lead as CLS decreases. Advisors continue to work toward an end state of AAF maintenance becoming self-sufficient. Plans are currently in the works for a train-the-trainer program, which will have qualified AAF maintainers teaching classes. Building a maintainer is a long process. The increased capabilities will not be seen or realized for several more years, said Waters. The AAF has had a jump in capabilities due to the lift missions that are being executed daily. Before any training takes place, advisors are taught to build a trusting relationship with their AAF counterparts. The group of Total Force Airmen worked to build a connection that breaks the communication barrier. Although only few of the AAF maintainers speak English, crews can often be seen laughing and telling jokes with advisors during down time. However, when training takes place focus is then returned to learning their craft. These students are very motivated and have a strong desire to contribute to their country, said Tech. Sgt. Toron Bordain, 440th AEAS C-130 maintenance advisor. It was a great experience working with the AAF, and we were able to build strong and lasting bonds. The time for the Youngstown ARS and Dobbins ARB advisors is coming to an end, but new teams from the Air National Guard are now in place to ensure training continues. Training of aircraft maintainers is just one facet that helps the AAF continue to grow and lead operations in their country. In the short time the AAF has had the C-130H in inventory, the airframe has proven to be a major asset to the Afghans mission success. As of 2016, the AAF C-130H crews flew more than 1,065 sorties and transported more than 29,900 passengers and 880 metric tons of cargo, according to TAAC-Air operation advisors. We are making a difference every day, and the gains that have been made are historic, said Waters. The members of the AAF are people that take great risks for their countrythey eagerly want to learn to make their force stronger. The King Mohammed VI delivered a speech on Tuesday at the 28th African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa. Here follows the full speech: Praise be to God May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin His Excellency President Alpha Conde, Chairman of the 28th AU Summit Distinguished Heads of State and Government, Honourable Chairperson of the Commission, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is so good to be back home, after having been away for too long! It is a good day when you can show your affection for your beloved home! Africa is my continent, and my home. I am home at last and happily reunited with you. I have missed you all. That is why, My Dear Brothers, Heads of State, I wanted to make this trip and to address you, without waiting for the protocol and legal procedure for the Kingdom to take its place again within the Organization to be finalized. The massive, outspoken support Morocco has received is proof of the solid bonds that unite us. It was necessary to withdraw from the OAU; it has enabled Moroccos action to be refocused in Africa to show how indispensable Africa is to Morocco and how indispensable Morocco is to Africa. We have thought it through carefully and it is now so obvious! It is time to return home; at a time when the Kingdom is among the most developed African nations and when a majority of Member States looks forward to our return, we have decided to join our family again. A family we had not really left! In fact, despite having been absent from the AU institutions for so many years, our links, which have never been severed, have remained strong and African sister nations have always been able to rely on us: Strong bilateral relations have thus been significantly developed: since 2000, Morocco has signed nearly a thousand agreements with African countries, in various fields of cooperation. By way of comparison, do you know that between 1956 and 1999, 515 agreements were signed, whereas 949 agreements have been signed since 2000 in other words, almost twice as many! During this period I, personally, was keen to give fresh impetus to this action, by making more visits to various African sub-regions. On each of the 46 visits I paid to 25 African countries, numerous agreements were signed involving the public as well as the private sector. My action has been particularly geared towards the field of training, which is at the heart of my countrys cooperation with sister nations. This has enabled a number of African students to continue their higher education in Morocco, thanks to the thousands of scholarships given to them. Furthermore, major strategic projects were set up during my visits to these countries: Firstly, I had the pleasure of launching the Africa Atlantic Gas Pipeline project with my brother, His Excellency Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This project will of course allow natural gas to be transported from gas-producing countries to Europe. But more than that, it will benefit the whole of West Africa. It will, indeed, contribute to creating a regional electricity market and be a substantial source of energy which will help develop industry, improve economic competitiveness and speed up social development. The project will thus create wealth for neighboring countries and populations, generating crucial momentum that will stimulate the emergence and the development of parallel projects. Moreover, it will help build more peaceful bilateral and multilateral relations and thus create an environment conducive to development and growth. Secondly, as part of projects aimed at improving agricultural productivity and promoting food security and rural development, fertilizer production plants have been set up with both Ethiopia and Nigeria. These projects will benefit the continent as a whole. As we know, basic food needs cannot be met with gas or oil. But is not food security the major challenge facing Africa? This is the objective of the initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture, or Triple A Initiative, which we promoted during the COP22. It is an innovative and extremely concrete response to the common challenges posed by climate change. As soon as it was launched, the initiative was backed by some thirty African countries. The Triple A Initiative is aimed at providing more significant funding for the Adaptation of small-scale African Agriculture; it will also support the structuring and acceleration of agricultural projects in Africa through four programs: Rational management of soils; Sustainable management of agricultural water; Climate-related risk management; and Solidarity-based funding for promoters of small projects. The initiative was also one of the main axes of the Africa Action Summit, which I had the privilege of chairing last November in Marrakesh. Finally, our ties have also remained strong as far as security and peace are concerned. Do we need to point out that we have always been present when the stability of the Continent is at stake? Since its independence, Morocco has contributed to six UN peace-keeping missions in Africa, engaging thousands of troops in various theaters of operation. Moroccan forces are still present today in CAR and DRC. Morocco has also conducted a number of mediations which helped achieve substantial progress towards peace, namely in Libya and the Mano River region. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, My vision of South-South cooperation is clear and constant: my country shares what it has, without ostentation. Within the framework of a clear-sighted collaboration, Morocco which is a major economic player in Africa will become a catalyst for shared expansion. In my country, sub-Saharan citizens are received according to the conditions previously announced: several regularization operations have been launched; more than 25000 people benefited from the first phase. The second phase was successfully launched just a few weeks ago, in the same spirit of solidarity and humanism. We are proud of these actions. They were necessary, vital for these men and women who have suffered too long due to their life in hiding. We are acting to stop these people from living on the fringes of society, with no work, no healthcare, nowhere to live and no access to education. We are acting so couples, particularly those from mixed marriages between Moroccans and sub-Saharans will not be parted. All this constructive action to help migrants has bolstered Moroccos image and strengthened the bonds we had already forged. Some say that, through this commitment, Morocco is seeking to gain leadership in Africa. I tell them that it is to Africa that the Kingdom is seeking to give the leadership. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We know that we do not have unanimous backing from this prestigious assembly. Far be it from us to spark off a sterile debate! We have absolutely no intention of causing division, as some would like to insinuate! You will see: as soon as the Kingdom becomes a member and is able to contribute to the agenda of activities, its action will, on the contrary, help bring about unity and progress. We participated in the creation of this beautiful pan-African edifice and we naturally look forward to regaining the place that is ours within it. During all these years and without natural resources, Morocco became an emerging economy, with acknowledged expertise; today it is one of the most prosperous nations in Africa. Morocco has always considered that its strength comes primarily from the integration of the Maghreb sub-region. It is however clear that the flame of the Arab Maghreb Union has faded, because faith in a common interest has vanished! The mobilizing momentum of the Maghreb ideal, advocated by the pioneers in the 1950s, has been betrayed. Today, we regret to see that the Maghreb Union is the least integrated region in the African continent, if not in the whole world. Intra-regional trade has reached 10% between ECOWAS countries and 19% between SADC countries, while it is still stagnating at less than 3% between Maghreb countries. Similarly, while West African Economic Community countries are moving forward in ambitious integration projects and ECOWAS is offering a reliable space for free movement of persons, goods and capital, economic cooperation between Maghreb countries is at a low level. Our fellow citizens in the Maghreb find this situation hard to understand. If we do not act, by following the example of neighboring African sub- regions, the Maghreb Union will crumble in its chronic incapacity to live up to the ambitions of the Marrakesh Treaty, which gave birth to it 28 years ago. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, All this confirms that Morocco is right to choose Africa. By doing so, my country has opted to share and transfer its know-how; in concrete terms, it is offering to build a safe, solidarity-based future. We are proud to see history has proved us right. Morocco is not returning to the African Union through the back door, but by the main gate. This is shown by the warm welcome extended to us today by our African brothers. We enthusiastically invite African nations to join our countrys dynamism and to give new impetus to the whole of our continent. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is time for Africa to benefit from Africas wealth. We must work to enable our land, after decades of looting, to enter an era of prosperity. Admittedly, colonialism is not the sole cause of Africas problems. However, its negative impact persists. For a long time, we have looked elsewhere to seek help in making a decision, a commitment. Is it not time for this tropism to be stopped? Is it not time to look towards our continent? To consider its cultural wealth, its human potential? Africa should be proud of its resources, its cultural heritage, its spiritual values, and the future should strongly support this natural pride. Africa can and must validate, on its own, its elections and thus endorse its citizens free choice. It has regulatory tools and legal institutions, such as Constitutional Councils and Supreme Courts, which can settle electoral disputes and appeals. These institutions could be reinforced, if need be. But they exist! They are operational! Otherwise, what is the use of having them? Africa is governed today by a new generation of uninhibited leaders. They are working for the stability, political openness, economic development and social progress of their peoples. They are working with determination, resolve and conviction, without caring about being graded or assessed by the West. For several decades, the growth rates achieved in some countries in the North have not exceeded those in some African countries. The failure of their opinion polls shows the extent to which they have lost their capacity to understand their peoples aspirations. And yet, these countries with an ailing economy, a poor social situation and a weakening leadership, assume the right to impose their development model on us! I repeat : I consider the notion of Third-worldism to be outdated! Such practices bear signs of economic opportunism: the respect and benevolence shown to a country should no longer depend on its natural resources and the profit expected! Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, This is the path to solidarity, peace and union chosen by my country. We reaffirm our commitment to the development and prosperity of African citizens. We, peoples of Africa, have the means and the genius; together, we can fulfill the aspirations of our peoples. Thank you for your kind attention. Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh. Mohammed VI visit to Juba: South Sudan Seeks Moroccos Help to Build New Capital Moroccos King Mohammed VI arrived in war-torn South Sudan on Wednesday evening for a state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral and economic ties between the two countries. During this visit, Moroccan Monarch has expressed Moroccos readiness to assist the newly African independent country, its know-how to help constructing a new administrative capital. A very important Moroccan delegation including experts in the fields of construction, urban planning and architecture travelled to Juba upon directives from King Mohammed VI with the aim to examine the needs in terms of a project to build a new administrative capital in the country. During his current visit to Juba, King Mohammed VI has chaired the signing ceremony of nine cooperation agreements. Recently, in a humanitarian gesture reflective of the Kings care to bring a helping hand to the South Sudanese people, a Moroccan multi-purpose military field hospital was set up in Juba. With a capacity of 30 beds that can be extended to 60, the hospital has 20 specialist doctors, assisted by 18 nurses providing medical services in pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, traumatology, dentistry, ophthalmology and ENT medicine. The facility also houses a medical laboratory and a pharmacy. The visit comes after the King attended the 28th African Union Summit held in Addis Abeba on January 30-31. During the Summit, Morocco was officially announced a fully fledged member of the AU with a sweeping majority support from member countries. Foreign Minister Deng Alor Kuol told journalists the people of South Sudan and Morocco would benefit immensely from the renewed diplomatic engagement between the two countries. His coming to South Sudan after readmission to African Union is a big recognition to the people of South Sudan, Alor said. The Associated Press reports that Donald Trump "threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send U.S. troops to stop 'bad hombres down there' unless the Mexican military does more to control them itself." The excerpt of the call did not make clear who exactly Trump considered "bad hombres," drug cartels, immigrants, or both or the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's response. "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt seen by the AP. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it." A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided an excerpt to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. Andrew Beatty reports that the White House denies it. The White House tells me POTUS did not threaten to invade Mexico. https://t.co/93Np22bgUm Andrew Beatty (@AndrewBeatty) February 1, 2017 Every day is another alarm joining the cacophony, with no way to tell which is real and which is just noise. Update: CNN reports that it has been provided with a transcript that differs with the "readout" provided to the AP, which "wrongly suggested Trump was contemplating sending troops to the border in a hostile way." King Mohammed VI flies to Juba to Strengthen Bilateral And Economic Ties between Morocco And South Sudan By Said Temsamani Moroccos determination to expand its collaboration with African countries has been strengthened even more by King Mohammed VI previous visits to many African countries. Todays Royal visit to South Sudan proves once again that strengthened economic and political ties will yield significant benefits for both countries. King Mohammed VI two-day visit is the first since Morocco was readmitted to the African Union. The talks between King Mohammed VI and President Salva Kiir are expected to center on investment opportunities, especially in mining and agriculture. Last month Morocco announced to establish a multi-specialty field hospital in Juba, the capital of the conflict-ridden east-central African nation, South Sudan. Moroccan King Mohammed VI, who is currently on a state visit to the Republic of South Sudan, gave his instruction as part of a humanitarian mission for the people, an official statement said. This field hospital has a capacity of 30 beds that can be extended to 60. It comprises 20 specialist doctors, 18 nurses and will provide medical services in various specialties including pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, traumatology, dentistry, ophthalmology and ENT medicine, said an official statement. According to a United Nations report, South Sudan is facing Africas largest displacement crisis as conflict between government and opposition forces entered fourth year in 2017. The report adds that South Sudan is one of the most logistically challenging countries in the world. The Moroccan ministry statement added that the hospital will also have a medical laboratory and a pharmacy. This action is part of the pan-African humanitarian tradition of the Kingdom. It is also part of the active solidarity of Morocco with the brotherly people of the Republic of South Sudan, a statement said. According to UN refugee agency over 6.1 million South Sudanese need urgent humanitarian assistance as disease and escalation of violence among other reasons have triggered food insecurity. Today King Mohammed VI and President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, presided over the signing ceremony of nine bilateral agreements in different areas of cooperation between the two countries. The Moroccan Press Agency MAP reported that the Moroccan Minister of Interior Mohamed Hassad, delivered a speech, in which he underlined that in accordance with the vision of King Mohammed VI concerning South-south cooperation and as part of the fraternal relations between Morocco and South Sudan Morocco is committed to sharing its experience in terms of urbanization, and urban development, in order to support the building of a new capital city of South Sudan. The achievement of this great project will require, firstly, the completion of technical and financial feasibility studies, which the Kingdom of Morocco has accepted to finance up to the amount of 5.1 million US dollars, the minister said. He added that the preliminary studies will focus on urbanization as well as on social, economic, and environmental aspects, noting that these studies will lead to a draft master plan and a technical and financial set up and an achievement calendar. Secondly, the Kingdom of Morocco will provide assistance to the Republic of South Sudan in the different phases of the projects implementation, including the call for financial and technical partnerships, and the development of South Sudanese expertise and know-how, Hassad noted. He added that as for governance, the Delegated Project Management will be given to the Company Al Omrane, on the Moroccan side, under the supervision of an Executive Committee, appointed by HM the King, the Committee will offer the required competencies for the success of the project. The signed agreements are meant to strengthen cooperation relations with countries of the continent and mirror the commitment of HM King Mohammed VI to consolidating South-South cooperation. They are: -An agreement on the building of the new city of Ramciel, signed by Interior minister, Mohamed Hassad, Housing and Urban Policy minister, Nabil Benabdallah chairman of the management Board of Al Omrane Group, Badre Kanouni, and South Sudanese minister for the Presidency, Mayiik Ayii Deng. -A general cooperation agreement, signed by Foreign minister, Salaheddine Mezouar, and minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of South Sudan, Deng Alor Kuol. -An agreement on investment promotion and protection, signed by Economy and Finance minister, Mohamed Boussaid, and South Sudanese minister of Finance and Planning, Stephen Dhieu Dau. -An agreement on avoidance of double taxation and the fight against tax evasion in respect of income tax, signed by Economy and Finance minister, Mohamed Boussaid, and South Sudanese minister of Finance and Planning, Stephen Dhieu Dau. -A Memorandum of Understanding in the field of agriculture, signed by Agriculture and Fisheries minister, Aziz Akhannouch, and South Sudanese acting minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Kornelio Kon Ngu. -A Memorandum of Understanding on industrial cooperation, signed by Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy minister, Moulay Hafid El Alamy, and South Sudanese minister of Trade and Industry, Moses Hassan Ayet. -A Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in mines, signed by director general of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Amina Benkhadra, and director general of South Sudans Mineral Development Directorate, Thongjang Awak Thongjang. A cooperation agreement in the field of vocational training, signed by director general of the Office of professional training and labor promotion, Larbi Bencheikh, director general of the Moroccan agency for international cooperation, Mohamed Methqal, and Juac Agok Anyar, an official at the ministry of General Education of South Sudan. -A Memorandum of Understanding between the Moroccan employers association (CGEM) and South Sudans Business and Employers Federation (SSBEF), signed by CGEM chairwoman, Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun, and SSBEF chairman, Ayii Duang Ayii. The royal current visit to South Sudan reflects clearly King Mohammed VI vision for his country to continue to be present in Africa and reinforce south-south cooperation to contribute to the development of the continent. It is worth reminding that this vision for Africa is well illustrated in a statement he made during his visionary speech he delivered at the 28th summit of the African Union held in Addis Ababa on January 31th. The King said : It is time for Africa to benefit from Africas wealth. We must work to enable our land, after decades of looting, to enter an era of prosperity. Admittedly, colonialism is not the sole cause of Africas problems. However, its negative impact persists. For a long time, we have looked elsewhere to seek help in making a decision, a commitment. Is it not time for this tropism to be stopped? Is it not time to look towards our continent? To consider its cultural wealth, its human potential? Africa should be proud of its resources, its cultural heritage, its spiritual values, and the future should strongly support this natural pride. Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Wednesday started his three-days visit in Juba, as the North African state moves to diversify its investments and diplomatic influence in Africa. Rabat, which was on Tuesday readmitted to the African Union after more than three decades, is seeking to increase its economic interests on the continent, and to assist primarily the south-south cooperation among African nations. The kingdom has, in recent East and West Africa tours by King Mohammed VI, signed agreements with host governments in manufacturing, banking, mining, insurance and construction. The King of Morocco is expected to launch several humanitarian projects there.last week the kingdom has established a multi-specialty field hospital in Juba During this visit, Mohammed VI may likely hold with President Salva Kiir a discussion on the implementation of Jubas peace agreement. The two leaders are also expected to hold talks in bid to deepen bilateral relations. King Mohammed VI is expected to address South Sudanese nationals on Thursday. [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probed the corruption case, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) went into the money laundering charges. A special court discharged former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanidhi Maran and others in the corruption and money laundering cases connected with the Aircel-Maxis deal. The CBI, in its chargesheet, alleged that the former Minister entered into a criminal conspiracy with T. Ananda Krishnan, owner of Malaysian company Maxis, and coerced Chinnakannan Sivasankaran, owner of Aircel, to sell his shares to the former allegedly in lieu of investments by the foreign company through another company into Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd. Dayanidhi Maran is one of the promoters of Sun Direct. The ED complaint alleged that Rs. 742.58 crore was paid for Dayanidhi Maran by two Mauritius-based companies through Sun Direct TV Pvt. Ltd. and South Asia FM Ltd. The two companies are owned and controlled by Kalanidhi Maran and the money was utilised by these companies for their business, said the complaint. But CBI seems to be shown its place for being over enthusiastic in fixing Maran brothers. Maran is a political non-entity and wont pose a threat to anyone. The CBI is doing the right thing by quizzing Dayanidhi Marans associates and let him come clear with all the facts of the case. The investigating agency had arrested three people, including V Gowthaman, the then additional private secretary of Dayanidhi Maran, in connection with alleged allotment of more than 300 high-speed telephone lines to the then telecom ministers residence in Chennai which were extended to his brothers TV channel. Besides Gowthaman, CBI arrested chief technical officer S Kannan and electrician L S Ravi of Sun TV network. CBI has named Maran and BSNL officials, including the then chief general manager K Bramhanathan and MP Veluswami in the FIR filed in October 2013 following a preliminary enquiry in which the agency claimed to have found enough material to proceed with a regular case against the former minister. These leaders have spoiled the very system by indulging in corrupt activities and are a blot on this nation. Everyone wants to know how the power was misused during Marans tenure at the centre. Then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was responsible to the nation through the parliament for his irresponsible conduct. An individual may receive orders from his superiors but he is personally responsible for his own omissions and commissions. It seems spectrum was the bread and butter of telecom minister. The ministers were not worried about the loss caused to the government. No one is ready to admit that if they have worked diligently, it would have resulted in better profit to the government which in turn can be distributed to the poor people. Now, few companies have gained crores of rupees because of this spectrum. Notwithstanding the recommendation of then FM for auctioning, Manmohan Singh kept mum when Raja wrote to him that he will go ahead with the old system of pick and choose; just acknowledged Rajas letter. His silence implies consent and involvement. Even subsequently when the FM wrote to close the matter of allocations of 2G, Manmohanji did not do anything and has been a party to concealing all happenings from public view in spite of CAG revelations. All these incidents reveal a sinister plan executed behind the scenes with the knowledge of then PM. All those who have been directly or indirectly parties to the scams deserve severe punishment. Nearly four years after getting complaints, the CBI will start a formal probe into allegations that over 300 telephone lines were allotted to the residence of Dayanidhi Maran in Chennai and illegally linked with a television channel owned by his brother. These 323 residential lines were in the name of BSNL General Manager connecting the Boat House residence of Mr. Maran with office of Sun TV through a dedicated underground cable during the tenure of Maran as Telecom Minister, sources in the CBI claimed. The agency has recommended action to Telecom Secretary in 2007 but the department allegedly did not give its nod in the case. CBI has now decided to file a preliminary inquiry in the case against unknown persons. These lines were not ordinary telephone lines but more costly Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), capable of carrying huge data thus facilitating faster transmission of TV news and programmes across the globe. Earlier, CBI in its report to the Telecom Secretary has alleged these lines are used by medium to large commercial enterprises to meet special needs such as video conferencing and transmission of huge volume of digital data, for which heavy price is to be paid but alleged that Sun TV got it for free because of Maran. It said that this virtual exchange was programmed in such a way that except authorised BSNL staff no one in the state-owned telecom company was aware of its existence. The CBI alleged that a stealth cable was used to connect the residence of the Minister with Sun TV office to give impression that these lines were for the Minister but actually they were used by the channel. Marans always acted as if National property was their parental heritage. Meanwhile, the probe was started in 2011, FIR filed in October 2013 following a preliminary enquiry, three have been arrested in 2015 to collect some crucial evidence and the main culprit was enjoying political patronage all these years. These three arrested are executing the work for their employer. How deep the money can penetrate we can see it now. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) President Donald Trumps defense secretary is expected to underscore US security commitments to key allies South Korea and Japan on his debut trip to Asia this week as concerns mount over North Koreas missile program and tensions with China. The trip is the first for retired Marine General James Mattis since becoming Trumps Pentagon chief and is also the first foreign trip by any of Trumps cabinet secretaries. Officials say the fact that Mattis is first heading to Asia as opposed to perhaps visiting troops in Iraq or Afghanistan is meant to reaffirm ties with two Asian allies hosting nearly 80,000 American troops and the importance of the region overall. That US reaffirmation could be critical after Trump appeared to question the cost of such U.S. alliances during the election campaign. He also jolted the region by pulling Washington out of an Asia-Pacific trade deal that Japan had championed. Its a reassurance message, said one Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity. This is for all of the people who were concerned during the campaign that then-candidate, now-president, Trump was skeptical of our alliances and was somehow going to retreat from our traditional leadership role in the region. Trump himself has spoken with the leaders of both Japan and South Korea in recent days and will host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Washington on Feb. 10. Mattis leaves the United States on Feb. 1, heading first to Seoul before continuing to Tokyo on Feb. 3. It is a very situation that the blame game continue to interrupt progress of the country due to some hurdle or the other. Vijay Mallya enjoyed the maximum benefit by obtaining loans through the influence of the Congress Government at the centre. Both Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and P. Chidhambaram played a pivotal role in helping the liquor baron to the maximum extent and that led Mallya becoming a bankrupt and started cheating the banks. It is indeed a pathetic position as UPA started helping the cause of Vijay Mallya becoming rich and the banks failed to have a control over the liquor baron. Instead of issuing Mallya a arrest warrant they allowed him to roam scot free. The SBI as the consortium leader had every right to go for his arrest but backed up and by the time the clever bird flew out of India. UPA may blame NDA, but the perpetrator problem cannot run away in passing the blame on the latter. During the ten year regime, Congress got involved in many scams and allowed Mallya to obtain huge bank loan and there was no proper follow up during their rule, resulting in a pathetic position as NDA is facing. (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) The simmering tension between factions led by city unit Congress president Sanjay Nirupam and party veteran Gurudas Kamat boiled over today with their supporters engaging in a scuffle in suburban Juhu. Embarrassingly for Congress, the incident occurred outside the venue where AICC observer and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was in huddle with the party leaders to resolve differences among various factions ahead of civic polls, slated later this month. The clash occurred after workers belonging to a faction shoved those belonging to rival group. Kamat, a former president of Mumbai Congress, had repeatedly expressed his grouse against the working style of Nirupam, a former Shiv Sena leader, over distribution of party tickets for the BMC polls. Kamat had earlier accused Nirupam of driving out second generation leaders of Congress and blamed his negative attitude for exit of former MLA Krishna Hegde and some corporators who have joined BJP. Kamat had withdrawn himself from campaigning for the party. Nirupam had denied the charges. A senior party leader told that unrest has been growing among Congress leaders and workers against Nirupam. Leaders like Narayan Rane, Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, Kripashankar Singh, Gurudas Kamat are miffed with Nirupam over the way he is conducting the affairs of the party, he said. On todays meeting, he said, Hooda individually met all leaders who apprised him of the situation and how Nirupams conduct was affecting the party at a time when it is making a serious bid to dislodge the Sena and BJP from the civic body. On the distribution of tickets, he said, For the first time there is no Parliamentary Board in place to approve the list of candidates for the civic polls. (Congress vice-president) Rahul Gandhi had clearly told the party leaders that names of candidates decided unanimously by the district units and district leaders would be cleared and there will be no interference from the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC). However, Nirupam is overruling the names recommended by leaders, he claimed. The leader, who was a minister in erstwhile Congress-led UPA government, said even state unit party president Ashok Chavan called upon Hooda and told him that Nirupam was not taking him into confidence for drawing partys poll strategy. Hundreds of protesters at the University of California at Berkeley smashed windows, set fires and clashed with police as they forced a right-wing speaker to cancel his appearance at the liberal-leaning institution. Two hours before far-right Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos was to give a speech at the student union, protesters tossed metal barricades and rocks through the buildings windows and set a light generator on fire near the entrance, footage from news outlets showed. Police ordered protesters to disperse as the school put the campus on lockdown. Protesters also tossed bricks and fireworks at police in riot gear who fired rubber pellets back at the crowd, according to SFGate.com, a news outlet in San Francisco. We shut down the event. It was great. Mission accomplished, a protester told CNN. Some 150 masked agitators were responsible for the violence during the otherwise largely peaceful protest of about 1,500 people, the university said in a statement, noting that the school is proud of its history and legacy as home of the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s. President Donald Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon, previously headed Breitbart News and CNN reported that many of the protesters voiced opposition to the Republican president. Many of Trumps executive orders and proposed policies, including his suspension of the US refugee program and temporary ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, have been met by largely peaceful protests that have drawn tens of thousands of people across the United States. One protester at Berkeley held a sign that said No Safe Space for Racists while other protesters danced to hip hop music, footage from a Facebook Live feed showed. Protesters later marched along streets near the campus where some smashed storefront windows and car windshields while clashing with police, the feed showed. Yiannopoulos, whose account on Twitter was suspended in 2016 after he was accused of participating in the online harassment of an African-American actress, criticised the Left, saying in a statement it was absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. Sebat says he fears that the administrations hostility toward facts in autism, climate change and other fields will hinder research. Politics seems to be eclipsing science, he says. How dare this reporter claim that the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee is already looking into autism. This group hasn't done a thing to address autism. They are a complete failure. IACC was created in 2006 with the Combating Autism Act. Eleven years ago, the autism rate was one in every 166 children. Today it's one in 68 (or one in 45) depending on which official finding you want to believe. By Anne Dachel Thi s is a disgusting bit of news. So David Amaral is worried about a vaccine safety commission? He as a lot of nerve! Every time I see this man's name in print, it makes me angry. Who can forget his comments in an interview with Robert MacNeil on PBS in 2011? Back then he asserted that for some kids, vaccines are the trigger for autism. So what has the MIND Institute done to address this question? Nothing. And how many more children have been injured by vaccines in the last six years since that interview? Thousands. (I posted two comments on this story, shortly afterwards they were removed.) Sebat is not alone. More than 800,000 people have reportedly joined a private Facebook group planning a March for Science in Washington, D.C. As momentum grows on social media, the organizers are helping volunteers set up multiple satellite marches across the country. The date is undecided. A well-organized, peaceful protest is an excellent way to send a clear message, says Sebat, who hopes to attend a satellite march in San Diego. It would be the second march this year for Chris Gunter, associate director of research for the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Gunter participated in the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women on 21 January, the day after Trumps inauguration. On inauguration day, she took to Twitter to spread facts about autism and genetics using the hashtag #USofScience. Scientists have a responsibility to defend facts, and not let alternative facts stand, she says. Members of Trumps transition team have also reported that he is considering forming a commission on autism research. But such a commission already exists. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) advises the Department of Health and Human Services which oversees the FDA, the NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and coordinates autism research and services across these agencies. So it is unclear what a new commission would accomplish. That worried me in that, like so many other things, this administration hadnt done its homework, says David Amaral, who directs research at the University of California, Davis MIND Institute and serves on the IACC. The president has also disturbed many public health experts by endorsing the myth that vaccines can cause autism. Supporting this falsehood may increase the number of unvaccinated children, rendering them vulnerable to serious illnesses such as measles and whooping cough. Just 10 days before the inauguration, outspoken anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claimed that Trump had asked him to chair a vaccine safety committee. And Andrew Wakefield, the disgraced scientist who helped start the anti-vaccine movement with his fraudulent research, attended one of the presidents inaugural balls. COMMENTS: David Amaral said that the Trump people havent done their homework. That is completely false. Maybe what Amaral is worried about is all the scandal surrounding the vaccine program and the agency that runs it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yuhas neglected to tell readers about when veteran journalist Robert MacNeil interviewed Amaral for the PBS series, Autism Now in 2011. ROBERT MACNEIL: What is your position today on vaccines and autism? DAVID AMARAL: So I think its pretty clear that, in general, vaccines are not the culprit. There has been enough epidemiological evidence showing that if you look at children that receive the standard childhood vaccines that, if anything, those children are at slightly less risk of having autism than children that arent immunized. And so, you know, I think it probably is a waste of effort at this time to try and understand vaccines as a major culprit for, or a major cause of, autism. Its not to say, however, that there is a small subset of children who may be particularly vulnerable to vaccines. And in their case, having the vaccines, or particular vaccines, particularly in certain kinds of situations if the child was ill, if the child had a precondition. Like a mitochondrial defect. Vaccinations for those children actually may be the environmental factor that tipped them over the edge of autism. And I think it is incredibly important, still, to try and figure out what, if any, vulnerabilities, in a small subset of children, might make them at risk for having certain vaccinations. So was Amaral serious when he said this on PBS? How much pressure was put on him to change his position? Anne Dachel, Media editor: Age of Autism There are serious charges that Robert Kennedy, Jr. has made about the science that officials use to disprove a link between vaccines and autism. Kennedy has often referred to the CDC as a cesspool of corruption. The CDC has been the subject of four congressional investigations for corrupt practices. This agency is, in Kennedys words, a vaccine company because they hold the patents on over 20 vaccines. They make $4.6 billion/year in vaccine sales. In Kennedys words, the CDC is an absolute subsidiary of the pharmaceutical industry, a sock puppet, a spokesperson, a shill for the industry. In 2014 it was revealed that a top vaccine researcher at the CDC, Dr. William Thompson, charged that his agency ordered him to destroy study findings showing a link between the MMR and autism. Thompson has agreed to testify about the fraudulent science, but the House Oversight Committee refuses to call for a hearing. The CDC relies on the questionable science from a Danish researcher who is currently under indictment by the U.S. government for 22 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. He is alleged to have stolen more than $1 million from a CDC grant to Denmark. His study on thimerosal and autism was the science used by the 2004 Institute of Medicine panel to dismiss a connection between vaccines and autism In truth, the CDC is enmeshed in a web of money ties with the vaccine makers. Hundreds of scientists at the CDC have conflict of interest waivers because theyre also getting money from the companies they regulate. It seems to me that a vaccine safety commission has its work cut out for itself. Anne Dachel, Media editor: Age of Autism Malcolm Turnbull, the Goldman-Sachs investment banker turned Australian Prime Minister, secretly donated AUD1.75m to his own 2016 re-election campaign, giving it the funds it needed to squeak into victory. Though he didn't initially disclose this fact, he's since decided to own it, calling it "the purest donation of all" and saying, "I've always been prepared to put my money where my mouth is." Turnbull made headlines in the USA and Australia yesterday when he was publicly humiliated by Donald Trump, who hung up on him during an official state phone call, apparently because Turnbull kept trying to change the subject from the amazing feat of Trump's electoral college "victory" to the pending US-Australia deal to shift the refugees being held in an illegal offshore Australian concentration camp to US soil. Turnbull previously broke with world leaders to praise Trump's Muslim Ban, apparently in a bid to preserve the refugee deal. Labor MP Jim Chalmers accused Mr Turnbull of effectively "buy[ing] his way out of trouble" before the election, which he won with a tight 76-seat majority in the 150-seat House of Representatives. "He couldn't win an election on his merits so he got out his wallet," Mr Chalmers said. "If he didn't have $1.75m to splash about he wouldn't be the leader of the Liberal Party and he wouldn't be the prime minister." Labor's deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, suggested the money would have been spent on polished adverts and directly targeting voters. Australian PM reveals he gave A$1.75m to own campaign [BBC] (Image: Vampyroteuthis1, Ewald Rubsamen; Malcolm Turnbull, ITU, CC-BY) Houthi rebels from Yemen attacked a Saudi frigate; White House spokesman Sean Spicer falsely claimed that this was Iranian forces attacking a US Naval ship and thus an act of war; no one from the White House press corps corrected him or followed up. The White House Press corps wanted to know what being put "on notice" entailed, and Spicer responded by claiming that Iran's government took actions against a U.S. naval vessel, which would be an act of war. "I think General Flynn was really clear yesterday that Iran has violated the Joint Resolution that Iran's additional hostile actions that it took against our navy vessel are ones that we are very clear are not going to sit by and take," he said. Pentagon Spokesman Christopher Sherwood confirmed to The Intercept that the attack was in fact conducted against a Saudi warship, and that the Pentagon suspects Houthi rebels. "It was a Saudi ship it was actually a frigate" said Sherwood. "It was [conducted by] suspected Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen." Aiken, SC (29801) Today Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. South Carolina roads have deteriorated so badly that it will take a decade just to climb out of the maintenance hole created over the past five years, the head of the state's transportation department said Wednesday. Former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson will get a $180 million parting gift from his former employers when he takes the Secretary of State job, thanks in part to four Senate Democrats who voted with the GOP to confirm him for the job, despite his extensive ties to regimes hostile to the US. The votes came from Mark Warner of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Angus King of Maine (an independent who sits with the Dems). Three of the four are Keystone XL fans and all of them get huge checks from the oil industry. Warner has earned his four-figure checks from Political Action Committees (PACs) operated by Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, the American Gas Association, and others in the industry. But corporate influence in politics doesn't bother him. Warner told a crowd of assembled business elites at a conference last year that they need to be more involved. "I get a little tired of the business community bitching about Washington but then never wanting to get their hands dirty," he complained. Heitkamp is also a booster of the Keystone XL pipeline, claiming that it will have "minimal environmental impact." The energy industry is her second-largest pool of PAC donors in the current cycle, giving $122,000. Manchin is another Keystone booster, telling opponents that they should "look at the jobs it creates" (it creates 35 permanent jobs). Keystone-backers like the American Petroleum Institute have supported him with their PAC dollars. King is the only member of the Senate Democratic caucus who opposed the Keystone pipeline but supported Tillerson. Documents reviewed by The Intercept show that Exxon has repeatedly asked the State Department for assistance in securing oil and gas concessions abroad including help overcoming opposition to fracking permits in Germany, and negotiating with the government of Indonesia for access to gas fields in the South China Sea. Four Democratic Defectors Join GOP to Confirm Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State [Zaid Jilani and Alex Emmons/The Intercept] January 31, 2017 Saudi Arabia's royals are watching the new US administration with a mixture of hope that President Donald Trump will be the answer to their fears concerning their rival Iran, but also with deep but unspoken concern that the new administration will cause them serious trouble. Saudi media have trumpeted the hour-plus phone conversation between King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and Trump on Jan. 29. Well-connected journalists say that the call will lead to closer counterterrorism and military cooperation. They stress that the two leaders agreed that Iran is the state threatening regional stability and highlight that Trump's top advisers also view Iran as the problem in the region in contrast to what they perceived as efforts by former President Barack Obama to make Iran part of the solution to regional tensions. Without endorsing Trump's travel ban on seven Muslim countries, behind the scenes the Saudis are undoubtedly quietly pleased that it has at least caused Iran to retaliate with a ban on Americans visiting Iran. More friction and sanctions will be welcome in Riyadh, especially adding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the US list of terrorist organizations. The two leaders apparently also agreed that the Iranian nuclear deal must be rigorously enforced but not abandoned. The Saudis are pleased with Trump's call for safe zones in Syria. Riyadh wants Washington to be much more involved in Syria, especially in fighting Iran and Hezbollah. The Saudi government does not want Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies to prevail and remains wedded to the Sunni opposition. The Saudis blame the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda for having turned legitimate Sunni opposition into extremism. Given the Saudis' years of support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria and their tendency to arm any Sunni group fighting Assad, no matter how extreme, this is a somewhat incongruous reading of history. Salman has not been as virulent about the Muslim Brotherhood as his predecessor, King Abdullah, but the royal court is now welcoming talk of listing the group as a terrorist organization. The Saudi readout of the call says that the two leaders noted that Osama bin Laden had allegedly been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which led to his extremist orientation. So al-Qaeda is the fault of the Brotherhood even though al-Qaeda despises it. Bin Laden's close ties to the royal family in the 1980s were of course airbrushed from the narrative. There is considerable nervousness behind the scenes at the palace. The Saudis have obviously noted that many Americans argue that the kingdom should have been included on the list of seven temporarily banned countries whose citizens will be subjected to extreme vetting. After all, 15 of the 19 hijackers from al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack were Saudi citizens who had successfully obtained visas to enter the United States. Hundreds of Saudis are today fighting with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. A ban on Saudis traveling to the United States would be disruptive for many Saudi families, and the royal family would be caught between their American allies and an angry domestic constituency. This is an outcome that the royal family is determined to try to avoid, but it is out of their control. The Saudi crown proclaims itself the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina and the champion of Islamic peoples everywhere. The Islamophobic rhetoric of some administration supporters is worrisome to the Saudis. Trump's phone call with Salman has not relieved the Saudis' deep apprehension about this matter. They know American public opinion is tilting against them. More questions about why Saudi Arabia is not included in the extreme vetting process is only a matter of time. There is also concern about whether the US Embassy in Israel will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Saudis have been encouraged by hints that Trump might be yet another American president who backtracks on the embassy issue, but they know they cannot yet be confident in this regard. Jerusalem is a core issue for the Saudis, and moving the embassy will not go down well in Riyadh. Yemen did not get much attention during the phone call aside from vague references to safe havens. The Saudis want unambiguous US support for their war there, but they are also looking for an honorable way to end their nearly two-year-old military intervention. The Saudis and their coalition partners have recently made modest progress on the ground along the Red Sea, but the Houthi rebels are far from defeated, and Iran is happy to fight to the last Yemeni. The Saudis have not rushed to visit Washington. That is not their style. King Abdullah rebuffed President George W. Bush's desperate requests for a summit for more than a year because of his irritation with Bush's tilt toward Israel. Abdullah let Obama come to him in 2009 rather than visit the White House. No doubt the court noted that King Abdullah II of Jordan got only a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence, on Jan. 30. That is fine for the Hashemites, but not the Saudi royal family. Like everyone else, the Saudis are watching to see how the power centers in the new administration evolve. Defense Secretary James Mattis is a known quantity from his CENTCOM days, and the designated secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, is familiar to them as former CEO of ExxonMobil. The CIA is a longstanding back channel for the kingdom, and its new director, Mike Pompeo, will be expected to visit Riyadh early in his tenure. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Nayef has dealt closely with every CIA director since George Tenet. The Saudi system already stressed by low oil prices, regional conflicts and a generational change in the line of succession now faces new challenges in the kingdom's oldest alliance. Since 1943, strong ties to the United States, even when under pressure as in 1973, have been the royal family's critical foreign anchor. February 1, 2017 The Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip has now entered its 10th year. Israel had imposed a blockade in mid-2006 on the small enclave after the Hamas movement won the Palestinian legislative elections in January of that year. Ever since, the Palestinians humanitarian situation has been going downhill. Unemployment rates surpassed 43%, the gross domestic product dropped 24%, poverty rates reached 39% and food insecurity amounted to 47%. On Jan. 15, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced a 165% increase of goods in 2016 compared with 2015 that are smuggled from Israel into the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza and the Erez crossing in the north. In 2016, 175,000 commercial trucks entered Gaza, 1,126 of which were caught smuggling goods, such as cameras, communication devices, iron rods and aluminum tubes, which Israel has banned from entering Gaza since 2008. Maher al-Tabbaa, the media director at the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, told Al-Monitor, The figures Israel announced regarding the smuggled goods into Gaza are exaggerated. The truth is, every once in a while some individual cases of smuggling occur. Israel imposed strict security measures [on the crossings] and severe sanctions against Palestinian merchants who [are caught] trying to smuggle goods. These measures include long prison sentences and costly fines. In January 2016, Israeli NGO Gisha issued a list of over 60 items banned from entering the Gaza Strip under the pretext of the products dual use (civilian and military), such as coriander, wood, electrical uninterruptible power supplies, castor oil, fertilizers, X-ray imaging devices, heavy cranes, tubes, batteries and metal welding material. In this context, Yohai Offer, an Israeli military correspondent for the NRG news site, wrote a Jan. 15 article that to curb the increase of smuggled goods the army must stop the drivers who are transporting them and impose stricter security measures on the borders between Israel and Gaza. He quoted Gen. Kamil Abu Rukun, the head of the crossings authority at the Israeli Ministry of Defense, as saying that a monitoring system has been introduced at crossings to closely monitor the entry of goods into the Gaza Strip. Atef Adwan, a Hamas parliamentarian and the head of the Economic Committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Al-Monitor, Some goods banned by Israel are sometimes smuggled through the Israeli crossings into the Gaza Strip and merchants sell them in Gaza for double the price and make more profit. Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance takes advantage of any [security] gap at the crossings to smuggle in the materials it needs from Israel. Adwan said that smuggling activities had increased at the Israeli border crossings after Egypt closed the Rafah crossing and began monitoring the tunnels between Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula, in addition to Israel adding more items to the list of banned materials. On Jan. 9, the Israeli army announced that in collaboration with the Shin Bet and the Israeli police, it arrested two Palestinian merchants who were trying to smuggle dual-use materials into Gaza by hiding them in electrical appliances such as TVs, refrigerators and washing machines. Investigations also revealed that they were involved in several smuggling operations in 2016 when they managed to smuggle cameras and communication wires to Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing. In May 2016, the Shin Bet said it had foiled the smuggling of several tons of sulfuric acid and ammonium chloride hidden in paint containers at the Kerem Shalom crossing. These materials are banned from entering Gaza since they can be used as raw materials to produce TNT explosives. Mouin Rajab, an economics professor at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Israel is exploiting the ongoing smuggling attempts through its crossings to justify the blockade it is still imposing on the Gaza Strip. As a result, commercial and economic projects in Gaza remained on hold [as they lacked] the needed metal and chemical materials banned by Israel under the pretext of dual use. As long as the Israeli security services are the source of figures declared by Israel regarding the alleged smuggling attempts, this will remain a clear attempt to consolidate the blockade on Gaza. On Jan. 21, the Israeli army said new devices are now being used at the border crossings to detect the smuggling of banned materials and goods into Gaza, in addition to innovative screening mechanisms, advanced technologies and methods to examine roads. A Palestinian security official in Gaza told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Regardless of Israels statistics on smuggling attempts, it [Israel] would be wrong to think that Palestinians would give in to the siege. Palestinians have serious intentions to break the blockade by any means necessary. On Jan. 1, Israeli human rights group B'Tselem pointed out that Israel has yet to find a mechanism to achieve a balance between its security requirements and the needs of Gazans in a way that would not disrupt the entry of goods through the crossings between Israel and Gaza. In this context, Israel should also extend the crossings working hours and increase manpower. Omar Shaban, the founder of PalThink for Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, The figures announced by Israel regarding smuggling attempts are reasonable under the continued siege and in light of the Palestinians need for goods that are smuggled despite the tightened Israeli security measures. Regarding the goods labeled by Israel as dual-use materials, some goods enter Gaza for construction purposes but end up being used for other purposes that Israel deems dangerous. He added, This situation has prompted the Israeli authorities to strengthen security measures [at the crossings] and prevent the entry of some goods in order to pressure Hamas to halt its military operations against Israel and prevent it from continuing to strengthen its military capability. Although Israel has put a 100% effort into imposing strict security measures to prevent the smuggling of so-called dangerous materials into the Gaza Strip, their success may never reach 100%. This is particularly true because the ever-extending list of banned goods harms economic activity and commercial projects in Gaza, which could prompt some Palestinian merchants and armed groups to find a way around the Israeli measures and acquire the goods they need. February 1, 2017 After days of silence, Irans Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan has confirmed the reports about a new Iranian ballistic missile test. On Jan. 29, citing an unnamed US official, Fox News reported that a launch had taken place outside Semnan, about 140 miles east of Tehran. The missile reportedly flew for 600 miles before exploding. Dehghan said Feb. 1, The recent [missile] test is in line with our plans, and we will not allow any foreigner to interfere in our defense affairs. Whatever has been said about the missile tests, [they] arent in violation of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] and [UN Security Council] Resolution 2231, he added, referring to the Jan. 31 emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the Jan. 29 launch. Dehghan said, We have always stated that we will never ever ignore [our program] for developing and strengthening our defense capability to defend our interests. The UN Security Council met behind closed doors at the request of the United States to discuss the Iranian missile launch. Afterward, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said the council should take action over the alarming" test. Moreover, at a briefing Feb. 1, US national security adviser Michael Flynn said the missile test was "in defiance" of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, adding, "We are officially putting Iran on notice." In a joint press conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in Tehran the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said, The new administration in the United States, presently facing an unfortunate international situation following the imposition of the visa ban, may capitalize on the [missile] issue to provoke new tensions. He added, Iran will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country. No Iranian missiles have been produced to carry nuclear warheads. The nuclear deal does not address Irans missile program, while Resolution 2231 which endorses the JCPOA notes that Iran is called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. While the language of the resolution is nonbinding, Tehran has on repeated occasions stated that it has no plans to design missiles capable of delivering atomic weapons. Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has once again criticized his US counterpart, Donald Trump, over his Jan. 27 executive order to ban the entry of citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries including Iran. Speaking at a ceremony marking National Day of Space Technology on Feb. 1, Rouhani said, The president of a country assumes that if he bans the [issuance of] visas for the people of a few countries, he can distance humans from each other, but this is wrong. However, this is to be expected from those who are novices in the world of politics. Rouhani added, They [the US administration] chanted slogans for years that we are against the Iranian government but support the Iranian people, but since this person [Trump] is a special person, he revealed this hypocrisy and displayed what is in their hearts. He took measures that merely target a number of our dear citizens or Muslims and people in other countries. Noting the Trump administrations stated intention to build a wall along the Mexico-US border, Rouhani said, The era of erecting walls to separate peoples is over. Today is the era of communication. Meanwhile, in an interview with Tasnim News Agency on Feb. 1, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the Iranian judiciary's Human Rights Council, implied criticism of Irans reciprocal ban on the issuing of visas to US citizens. He said, Banning Americans from entering Iran is a symmetrical response, but it is not a very attractive [idea], emphasizing that while Irans reaction to the US visa ban should be clear and decisive, it should be asymmetrical. Saying that Trumps three main qualities include money worship," vulgarism and racism, Larijani argued, We should provide special funding for the scientific and research centers [in Iran] to [be able to] accept and welcome the Iranian scientists who are working in the United States but cant go to the United States anymore due to the visa ban. He added, American scientists are vehemently opposed to Trumps decision; they are very interested in coming to Iran and speaking with our scientists. Larijani continued, We should also offer special funding to the scientists and students of other Islamic countries that have been sanctioned [under] Trumps new decision. Larijani said boycotting American products is among other appropriate responses to the visa ban. February 1, 2017 For the first time since the start of the Syrian war, representatives of the Syrian government and the rebels gathered last week in Astana, Kazakhstan, to talk about ways to strengthen the current cease-fire and further push it toward a political settlement. However, as the talks concluded Jan. 24 with a joint statement from Russia, Iran and Turkey, some new ambiguities emerged on the exact role each of these players will have in the next phases of the political process. According to the statement, the three countries emphasized their role as the guarantors of the cease-fire and their shared commitment to fight terrorist groups. But the very fact that the rebels refused to sign the statement raised speculation about the limits of this newly established trilateral mechanism. If we consider the issue from a wider perspective and in relation to some of the stances taken by the rebels during the talks in Astana, it could be said that their objection to Irans role was the main reason behind their refusal to support the statement. In his remarks on the first day of the talks, the head of the Syrian rebel delegation, Mohammad Alloush, questioned Irans commitment to the cease-fire while accusing Tehran of complicating the situation by supporting armed pro-government groups in Syria. At the same time, some reports indicated that the rebels would accept a guarantor role for Russia, but not for Iran. At one point, Alloush even threatened that if the talks end in failure, the rebels would restart their fight against the government. Although the shaky agreement between all sides to continue the political process prevented such a threat from being realized, this could have some important implications down the road. However, first, there is a need for clarity on why the rebels have taken such a hard stance toward Irans involvement and are keen to stick with it. In other words, the rebels know that after experiencing a heavy blow in Aleppo and elsewhere they are no longer in a position to dictate strict conditions and have no option but to remain at the negotiating table yet they still hope to reshape the roles of the regional and trans-regional actors. Why? First, it seems that the rebels strategy looks primarily to the next stage of the process, meaning the political talks that are supposed to be held in Geneva later in February. The Astana talks were mainly based on the trilateral mechanism devised in Moscow, where Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to prepare the ground to find a political solution for the Syrian war. Tehran, relying on the exclusive nature of the initiative, strongly ruled out the participation of the United States at the Astana talks, while at the same time Moscow believed in the necessity of cooperation with Washington. While Russia in the end agreed to limit the US role to that of an observer, it seems that for the next stage, one should expect more serious US participation based on the current Russian stance. It seems that the main impetus behind the rebels disinclination toward an Iranian role is their hope that more serious US involvement on the Syrian issue under Donald Trumps administration could prompt Moscow to reconsider its ties with Tehran, which, in the end, could result in a diminished Iranian role in the equation of the future of Syria. In recent weeks, some reports have indicated that the new US administration is trying to test the Iran-Russia partnership and, as a means to increase the pressure on Iran, distance Moscow from Tehran. Such an eventuality could be a gift to the rebels, because Russia has presented itself as more flexible regarding some critical issues, such as the ideological orientation or the level of centralism of the post-war Syrian government. As an integral part of this strategy, the rebels have persistently insisted that all non-Syrian armed groups leave Syria in order for the political process to move forward. This is because the rebels believe that the presence of armed groups loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, especially Lebanons Hezbollah, is how Tehran guarantees its influence and shapes developments on the ground in its favor. Based on this logic, the rebels believe that at the current stage, Iran has been successful in persuading the other players to accept its role and to consider it as a guarantor of the cease-fire because of its direct influence on some of the groups in the battlefield. Thus, if the rebels could be successful in gradually excluding these groups from the field, ignoring Iran could be much easier. At the end of the day, it should be said that any analysis of the rebels' current strategy would be incomplete without considering the role of Saudi Arabia. Although the Saudis were absent at the Astana talks, Alloush, the head of the rebel delegation, was one of the main figures of the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee. Apparently following the abovementioned strategy, the committee first demanded a separate meeting with the Russians and then turned their focus to distancing Russia from Iran during the talks. At the same time, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Jan. 24 declared the willingness of the Saudi government to cooperate with the Trump administration against Iran. Thus, it seems that the Saudis and the rebels they support are ultimately trying to kill time until a possible US-Russia rapprochement changes the Syrian equation in their favor. February 1, 2017 On Jan. 17, the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, Hezbollah's political wing in the Lebanese parliament, held its regular meeting and said in a statement that the meeting was mostly dedicated to discussing the national draft laws, in particular the electoral law. However, the most remarkable thing about the blocs statement was its position on four regional issues, in addition to the local matter of the draft laws: offering condolences for the death of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani; condemning Bahraini authorities for executing three young men and renewing support for the Bahraini Shiite uprising; condemning the silence of international human rights organizations over the rebels in Wadi Barada near Damascus cutting drinking water to millions of Syrians; and condemning the US-Saudi aggression against the Yemeni people. The blocs stances vis-a-vis the regional issues are not something new for Hezbollah since Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has had a say about the Arab and Islamic issues in the past. However, the blocs statement raises an old question again: Is Hezbollah a Lebanese group or has it become a regional institution taking political stances regarding every regional and international development? What is its military, logistic, advisory and training role in certain countries, namely Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Yemen? How could the Lebanese party reconcile its political local role of resisting the Israeli occupation and aggression, with its growing regional role, which raises the concerns of Israel, the West and the neighboring Arab countries? To answer this question, one ought to go back to the beginning of the partys founding in 1982 as an Islamic resistance movement in the face of Israels occupation of south Lebanon. The movement used to be financed by Iran through Syria, believing in the obedience to the Iranian supreme leader at the time, Ruhollah Khomeini, and subsequently his successor, Ali Khamenei. In this context, a Hezbollah official, who requested not to be named, told Al-Monitor, Hezbollah originally combines between its Lebanese and regional roles. First, the party adopts the Palestinian cause and the conflict with the Israeli occupation, which is not only a local issue but also a regional cause. Second, it espouses an Islamic ideology with a global dimension, meaning that the party accords attention to the affairs of Muslims all around the world. The source added, "The conflict with Israel prompted Hezbollah to forge regional alliances with Syria, Iran, Palestinian resistance movements, political parties and Arab countries that are against occupation and imperialism. The rise of the terrorist and takfiri threat in Syria and Iraq and the danger of its expansion to Lebanon were behind Hezbollahs intervention in the war raging in Syria, as a preventive and defensive measure to prevent extremist groups such as the Islamic State [IS], Jabhat al-Nusra and their likes from entering Lebanon. This is not to mention the need to protect religious shrines and prevent the Syrian state from falling in the hands of such extremist groups. The source also quoted Nasrallah as saying on June 17, 2014, We will be wherever we need to be, in reference to the partys involvement in the battles on several Syrian fronts against armed groups, and the participation of some of its units in the training of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), after Mosul and other Iraqi cities and governorates fell into the hands of IS starting summer 2014. Nasrallah said in the same statement, Our involvement in Syria was a duty to protect Lebanon. We will not allow the attack on Zeinab twice [in reference to the attacks on the holy shrine of Zeinab in Damascus since the Syrian revolt erupted in 2011]. In Iraq, we say, it is long gone that we will allow anyone in the world to destroy or defile our religious and holy sites in Najaf, Karbala and Samarra, Nasrallah said. Al-Monitor was the first to learn that Hezbollah had sent its cadres as advisers to guide and train the PMUs in Iraq in their battles against IS in June 2014. On March 6, 2016, Nasrallah revealed that Hezbollah had been interfering in Iraq by sending advisers and trainers to help Iraqis in their fight against IS, and that its fighters were also involved in the Muslim battles in Bosnia against the Serbs in the 1990s. The Hezbollah official, however, stressed that despite the partys regional role, it strongly believes in the need for the Lebanese state to restore its power and sovereignty, stressing that should the state assume its responsibility to fight against the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories, there would not be an urgent need for the rise of resistance in Lebanon. In the same vein, researcher Bashir Saada, the author of Hezbollah and the Politics of Remembrance, told Al-Monitor that it is difficult to predict how Hezbollah would manage its local and regional role. Saada, however, does not see any contradiction between the Lebanonization of the party and its Islamic ideology. He believes that Hezbollahs Islamic ideology is based on its understanding that it is part of the local environment of Lebanon, and that its regional involvement serves the local interest. He also added that Hezbollah would not embark on a regional venture, which could undermine its position locally. Kassem Kassir, a researcher in Islamic movements and the author of Hezbollah between 1982 and 2016, told Al-Monitor, Hezbollahs regional role has been growing in light of the ongoing conflicts in the region, the current tensions and the previous political vacuum [in Lebanon], not to mention the involvement of some other Lebanese sources in reference to the Future Movement and jihadi Sunni groups in such conflicts. However, this role is likely to dwindle once the state regains its prestige and institutions, the local parties involvement in regional conflicts declines, and the search for solutions and compromises to the ongoing Arab crises starts. Kassir said, This is what happened earlier following the Taif Agreement in 1989, when the Lebanese militias were dismantled and they handed over their weapons to the Lebanese army. Hezbollah will find itself in the future facing many challenges, prompting it to reconsider its position and role. This is especially true, should the regional parties reach a settlement on Syria. Lebanon can no longer tolerate the partys growing regional role at the expense of the Lebanese sovereignty, Kassir added. It is worth noting that the March 14 Alliance has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of undermining the Lebanese state by holding on to its weapons, especially long-range missiles, thus causing potential Israeli threats to Lebanon. The alliance also held claims that Hezbollahs intervention in Syria and its positions toward the Gulf states have led some of these states (namely Saudi Arabia) to impose economic sanctions on Lebanon. Nasrallah said on May 21, 2016, that Hezbollah has moved from being a local power to becoming a regional one given its military capabilities on the ground. Sheikh Naim Qassem, Nasrallahs deputy, said Nov. 16 that the party has become bigger than a party and smaller than an army. The party is better armed and trained with well-developed expertise. Qassem described Hezbollahs military parade in the Syrian city of Qusair on Nov. 13 as a show of strength and a message to everyone, in reference to Israel and the regional states that support the rebels in Syria. In this context, a source close to the Future Movement told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Hezbollahs message was addressed to the new Lebanese president, Michel Aoun, and Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Hezbollahs approach to its regional role is based on a national basis, arguing that Lebanon is part of the Arab region and cannot disassociate from the regions conflicts, especially since Israel is "a hostile and aggressive entity" (according to Nasrallah) and would not hesitate to reoccupy parts of Lebanon whenever it can. As jihadi extremist groups are international movements that extend to where they can, and if Hezbollah did not intervene to confront them on the border with Syria and beyond, they would have entered to the heart of the country. Nasrallah said on Nov. 8, 2013, "If we did not go to Syria, Lebanon would have turned into a second Iraq." Dateline: England Worst Batman villain ever? Welsh police are looking for a man dressed as beer bottle who stole two pizzas on New Years Day. The unidentified man was caught on CCTV cameras in the early morning hours of Jan. 1 at a Papa Johns Pizza in Barry, South Wales. According to Barry & District News, the unidentified thiefdressed in a green foam Heineken beer bottle costumeentered a staff-only area, grabbed two pizzas and walked out. We all know a few beers often leads to a takeaway, a police spokesperson told the U.K.s Daily Mail, but this brazen beverage seems to have forgotten to pay for his. Police released a photo of the costumed criminal. Anyone who recognizes the human beer bottle is asked to contact South Wales Police. Dateline: China Commuters passing through a tollbooth in Southwest China found themselves stuck after a motorist abandoned a camel ahead of them. A video recorded on Jan. 20 at a tollbooth in Chongqing shows the two-humped Bactrian camel blocking one of the tollbooths gates. The animals owner reportedly argued with toll workers over the cost of taking the camel through the tollbooth. Rather than pay the fee, the owner allegedly dumped the camel and went to eat at a nearby restaurant, leaving workers to deal with the animal. Police eventually tracked the owner down and made him remove the animal and pay a fine. Dateline: Florida According to the the Daytona Beach News-Journal, a Port Orange man shot his stepson in what his public defender claimed was self-defense after an argument over a chili dog. Danny Holder, 68, allegedly shot 55-year-old Randall Lowen in the face in the kitchen of their residence on the morning of Jan. 23. According to the arrest report, the two men got into an argument the night before over food. Holder was apparently annoyed that Lowen was eating a chili dog. Jackie Holder, 75, told investigators that her husband threatened to shoot her son that night, so she hid Holders firearm in a drawer. On the morning of Monday, Jan. 23, Lowen was getting ready to go to work at his landscaping business when the stepson and his stepfather got into another argument. Holder reportedly got angry when Lowen asked him what time it was. Lowen then went into the kitchen where his mother asked him what the argument was about this time. Lowen began mimicking his stepfather, at which point Holder walked into the kitchen and pulled out a gun. Lowen was shot twice and died at the scene. The officer who investigated the shooting reported that he heard Holder say his stepsons imitation of him was what drove him over the edge. According to the police affidavit, Holder mumbled, This was the last straw under his breath. Holder appeared in court the next day on charges of first-degree murder. Thats when Holders lawyer, Matt Phillips, argued that his client had acted in self-defense, saying Mr. Holder had been attacked and felt the need to defend himself. Mrs. Holder, who was in the kitchen at the time of the shooting, did not mention any attack on her husband to police. At the hearing on Tuesday, County Judge Shirley Green rejected Phillips request for bail. Interviewed by the News-Journal, Lowens brother Michael told reporters that his brother and stepfather got along,as long as theyre not drinking. Dateline: Florida Police in Pensacola got the best excuse ever after they found a naked man hanging out at a local car wash. According to the Pensacola News Journal, dispatchers advised the Escambia County Sheriffs Office that a naked man was seen standing in a car wash parking lot. When deputies arrived on the scene around 5:40am on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 22, they found 52-year-old Charles William Raulerson without pants and blaring music from his vehicle. When deputies asked Raulerson where his pants were, he told them, They took off running by themselves without me. Deputies asked Raulerson to sit in his vehicle to hide his shame, at which point he allegedly grabbed a screwdriver and threatened an officer. One deputy retrieved a taser from his vehicle and told Raulerson to stay in his car. At that point Raulerson allegedly exited the vehicle and was tased. Raulerson was charged with aggravated assault on an officer, a second-degree felony, and was taken to the Escambia County Jail where he was held on a $10,000 bond. February 1, 2017 Senate Democrats are vowing to challenge President Donald Trump's choice for envoy to Israel over his hard-line, pro-settlement views. The concerns over David Friedman mark a dramatic shift from the near-unanimous support that nominees for the position have enjoyed for decades. They represent the latest example of the fraying bipartisan consensus over Israel policy, as left-leaning supporters of a two-state solution increasingly find themselves at odds with right-leaning pro-Israel advocates such as Friedman, who has compared the former to Nazi collaborators. "Some of the language that he has been quoted using against leaders of the Jewish community here I find really inflammatory," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Middle East panel. "There are some things I'm very interested in exploring with him." Other Democrats on the panel, which has jurisdiction over diplomatic nominations, shared similar concerns. "What I've read is concerning. But I want to let him make his case," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Al-Monitor. "It's certainly an out-of-the-box choice. But everything this administration is doing so far is out of the box." Asked if he'd heard about the controversy around Friedman, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., chuckled. "Oh yeah," he said. "Focusing solely on the views of the nominee may miss the larger point. Which is, what direction is the president taking?" Coons said. "Because at the end of the day, President Trump is going to be the driver of US-Israel policy. Not the ambassador. His views are relevant and important and they have raised some concerns but I look forward to meeting with him and giving him a full and fair chance to explain his approach to US-Israel relations." Coons went on to say he had a "whole series of what will be difficult questions about US-Israel policy" for Friedman, and would approach his nomination "with an open mind." Some longtime US diplomats have also been skeptical of Friedman. Thomas Pickering, a former undersecretary of state for political affairs under President Bill Clinton and a former ambassador to Israel in 1985-1988, said lawmakers should assure themselves that Friedman's well-documented support for Israeli settlements won't clash with US policy on the matter. Recent presidents, both Democrats and Republicans, have criticized settlement expansion as counterproductive while avoiding taking a position on their legality until this past December, when the Barack Obama administration abstained from a UN Security Council resolution declaring them a "flagrant violation under international law." "The role of the US ambassador in Israel is to accurately and precisely and firmly reflect US government opinions and, in exactly the same vein, report back to the US government on opinions and thoughts and ideas in Israel," Pickering told Al-Monitor. "And the Senate ought to be satisfied that any candidate for any nomination particularly this very important one is prepared to do that. On the basis of [Friedman's] reported past views, it would be important for the Senate to satisfy itself that he will meet the high standard that is required of ambassadors." Senate Democrats made clear they haven't had much time to read up on Friedman and have yet to meet with him as they focus on Trump's other nominees. With Rex Tillerson's approval Feb. 1 as secretary of state, however, the committee is expected to start taking up Trump's other diplomatic nominees fairly soon. To focus senators' attention, Friedman opponents have been ramping up their lobbying against him. Lara Friedman, the director of policy and government relations for Americans for Peace Now, penned an op-ed in The Hill last week reminding lawmakers that Friedman has called the left-wing Israel policy group J Street "worse than kapos" and denounced what he called the "hundred-year history of anti-Semitism" at the State Department he's now slated to join. And on Jan. 31, J Street called on its members to urge senators to vote against Friedman, who has called for putting an end to what he called the "two-state narrative." Friedman's opponents know getting a significant number of Democrats much less a majority of the Republican-controlled Senate to vote against him is a long shot. But they're buoyed by Democrats' willingness to stand up to Trump's nominees, including unprecedented opposition to Tillerson, who cleared the Senate with an unprecedented 43 votes against him, including every Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee except Coons, who was absent. Friedman's critics in the Jewish community include the Union for Reform Judaism, the nation's largest Jewish denomination. The Zionist Organization of America, by contrast, has embraced him for his deep appreciation for the "political, historic, legal and religious rights of the Jews to Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem." February 1, 2017 Two dozen casually dressed entrepreneurs were gathered around a Scandinavian-style wooden table, eating glazed pastries and pouring each other cups of coffee. They introduced themselves web designer, graphic designer, gamer in a mix of French, Arabic and English. With its sleek blond wood floors and rustic pallet sofas, we could have been at a hip cafe in Brooklyn or Berlin. But this is Startup Haus, a co-working space in downtown Tunis, just a stones throw from the citys busiest intersection. Startup Haus, which opened in March 2016, is one of six co-working spaces that have popped up in Tunisia since the 2011 revolution. Last year, Cogite, which opened in 2013 as the countrys first co-working space, was ranked in Forbes Top 10 co-working spaces worldwide. The annual Co-Working Summit for entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa region was hosted in Tunisia in 2015 and 2016. Long overshadowed by the entrepreneurial ecosystems in the Gulf states, Egypt and Jordan, Tunisias co-working spaces and entrepreneurs seem to be having a moment. Since 2011, you can say theres been a boom, Miriam, the manager at Startup Haus, told Al-Monitor during a recent visit. Although the legal framework pertaining to startups has not been updated since the countrys startup minister, Noomane Fehri, was booted from his post and financial lending from national banks is still difficult to procure, Tunisias entrepreneurship sector has been on the rise. Foreign interest from financing to sharing soft skills has helped boost the market. Hivos International, a Dutch organization, opened a Tunisian office focusing on promoting youth entrepreneurship. Startup Haus is supported by two German organizations, Impact Tunisie and Westerwelle Foundation. But the most promising aspect are the Tunisians themselves. As a young Tunisian after the revolution, it is as if we have a breath of fresh air. I really believe in entrepreneurship to create jobs, said Khouloud Talhaoui, a 27-year-old business developer with Iris Technologies, which rents an office space at Startup Haus. The start-up helps apiculturists manage their beehives with new technology. Talhaoui admits that the spirit of entrepreneurship is still in its infancy, but attention is increasing." On the ground floor, Startup Haus has three enclosed offices for established businesses; they are all currently in use. Responding to demand, the Haus has plans to create several more offices this year. Around 25 individuals use the mezzanine, which is for people who are in the initial phases of project creation. Other co-working spaces, like Cogite, have several hundred entrepreneurs and digital nomads filtering in and out of the space each day. Tunisia has a surplus of educated youth, many of whom are unable to get traditional jobs. Unemployment currently hovers around 15.5% across the country, with youth unemployment reaching up to 42%. Co-working spaces normalize entrepreneurship, provide a flexible and cheaper option than an office, and most importantly, provide a community of like-minded, supportive individuals. I love working with others in a space where everyone helps each other, Housem Zouaghi, a 25-year-old computer scientist and multimedia engineer told Al-Monitor. Zouaghi studied in Canada before returning to Tunisia to create his gaming startup, which has now branched out into advertising and web design. Zouaghi started with two employees; in five months, hes hired six more people. Like other co-working spaces, Startup Haus offers workshops, training sessions, skill shares and speakers. Last month, an Egyptian marketing expert gave a lecture on trends in digital marketing. Cogite hosted a Global Entrepreneurship Week in November, with classes on education and womens empowerment. Creativa, a co-working space in the northern suburb of La Marsa, has organized feng shui sessions. Many events are free and open to the public, and the spaces themselves are imbued with a positive, can-do attitude. Though most co-working spaces are concentrated in Tunis, the countrys capital, two new spaces opened in Sousse and the southern island of Djerba. We have the youth, the hope and even the financial support, Talhaoui said. Co-working spaces are helping to create a more favorable climate for entrepreneurs, and the future looks bright. I dont have any reason to leave, said Zouaghi with a smile. February 2, 2017 Turkish media publishers dont seem to believe in coincidences. As their reactions to a Washington Post article and a news story on CNN International show, many journalists think nefarious elements in the United States are plotting another coup in Turkey. A Jan. 31 Washington Post article, penned by data scientist Andreas Beger and Duke University political science professor Michael Ward, discussed a forecast model that measures the likelihood of irregular leadership changes, including coups. According to Beger and Ward, their model shows Turkey coming in fifth (out of a total of 161 countries) most likely to experience a coup in 2017 trailing Burundi, Thailand, Central African Republic and Chad. The article appeared on the Posts Monkey Cage blog, which shares political scientists research with the public to build an informed audience. Although Monkey Cage is quite popular among scholars and curious members of the public in the United States, some Turkish media outlets threw a fit. While opposition website OdaTV treated the article objectively and translating it into Turkish, pro-government Aksam newspaper ran a much harsher story on its front page. Aksam accused The Washington Post of preparing Beger and Wards list and laying the groundwork for another coup. In reference to a humorous Turkish maxim on empty hopes (if the dogs wish came true, the sky would rain bones), Aksams front page read, Dont get excited: The sky wont rain bones with a picture of the Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Many Turks and their government believe that the US government controls Gulen and that his network (which they call the "Fethullah Gulen Terror Organization, or FETO) masterminded and carried out last summers coup attempt. A news story on CNN International about the continuing post-coup crackdown in Turkey made a bigger splash. The Feb. 1 story on Amanpour, hosted by CNNs veteran correspondent Christian Amanpour, featured an interview with a Turkish military officer who was exiled in Europe. His name and face were concealed and his voice changed. The officer argued the crackdowns in the Turkish armed forces had considerably weakened it. He said, To be very blunt over here, [the] Turkish military have lost their war-fighting capability to a great extent. That claim did not go over well. Pro-government daily Takvim claimed Amanpour acted like a FETO Sister and tried to denigrate Turkey by giving voice to an alleged Gulenist. Pro-government Vatan newspaper went so far to reveal the identity of the officer and claimed he was a Gulenist. Interestingly, CNN International admitted in its story that the officer did not directly answer a question about whether he was a Gulenist himself. Turkish Minister of National Defense Fikri Isik also joined the crowd, a move that independent newspaper Hurriyet interpreted as a harsh reaction to CNN International for hosting a FETO soldier. In a series of tweets, Isik said, FETO traitors who attempted a coup against our country and nation continue their treason from abroad. Isik said in another tweet, Those dishonorable traitors who malign our armed forces and those who use them should know that our military is stronger today than ever. The CNN network has a complicated relationship with Turkey. CNN Turk, the local affiliate, ran a documentary on penguins during the Gezi Park protests in June 2013 for fear of government reprisal. CNN International, however, had covered the events widely and critically. Incensed by the negative treatment of the Turkish authorities during the protests, Takvim had infamously run a fabricated story on Amanpour in 2013 showing the veteran journalist acknowledging receiving money to cast Turkey in a bad light. CNN Turk also got flak for the deeds of its parent organization. Since then, CNN Turks standing with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has improved. During the coup attempt of July 2016, CNN Turk placed a call to the Turkish president over the video application FaceTime, which allowed Erdogan to call upon his supporters and military and police forces loyal to him to thwart the coup attempt. As more Turkey-related stories appear in prominent Western media outlets, Ankaras relationship with international news organs is likely to remain testy. Take a trip to the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum. You're likely to find your imagination engaged before you set foot inside. A yard adjacent to the museum is filled with old trains: steam locomotives, passenger trains, cabooses and more. It invites photographers and children alike to explore, wandering the aisles between cars as they marvel at human innovation. Ali Callahan took all of this in during a recent visit to the Calera museum. Nine-year-old Ali and her younger brother, Noah, ran alongside the train cars and talked about how they might have been used. It was part of Ali's fourth-grade Alabama history study. Her mom, Rachel, has planned a year-long curriculum consisting of field trips to many places where the events Ali reads about occurred. The kids probably could have spent hours dreaming up construction projects and adventures among the trains--and Rachel surely could have walked away with dozens more photos of the colorful environment. But the day was cold and this was about education, after all. So the four of us walked to the collection of old railroad signs to learn more about why railroads were so important to the area's history. "They didn't have big trucks to carry things to trade things with other people," Ali said. "You are very correct," Rachel said. "And what did they get out of the mountains around Birmingham?" Ali knew the answer immediately: Iron. "It's very heavy," Rachel said. "So they had to have something very strong to carry all that iron, and trains are very strong, so they could carry a lot at a time. Without trains, they wouldn't have been able to do as much industry in Birmingham and in Alabama." I piped up: "Didn't a lot of cities form around railroad crossings?" "Yeah," Rachel said. "Back then, it was like the interstates." The site includes two restored train depots, and we stepped inside one to learn about the history of railroads in Alabama. The building served as a train depot in Wilton, Alabama. It includes artifacts from other depots around the state, including benches from Calera, Ragland and Birmingham. The museum is physically small but packed with the industry's history. A map depicts which minerals miners searched for in different parts of the state. "The red one, we see that at Red Mountain a lot," Ali exclaimed as she recognized red hematite ore from her hikes at Red Mountain Park. Nearby, a CSX terminal shows guests how technicians would keep trains on track. (Ali thought it looked like the inside of an airplane cockpit.) Although the board on display is old, a computer screen above and running audio allow visitors to hear current train activity. The museum also depicts passengers' experiences on trains of the past, with jobs as pullman porters offering black people a career that wasn't as taxing as field work before desegregation. Innovation wasn't limited to railroad mechanics, either. A display with audio clips explains the role of porters in developing blues music. Train aficionados can take in railroad china, headlights and more at the museum, and then continue their education on the Heart of Dixie website. It's full of information about the site's many collections. They may also want to visit repeatedly in order to ride in different train cars, each with history detailed online. IF YOU GO Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum 1919 Ninth Street, Calera, AL 35040 205-757-8383 Museum admission: Free Hours: Call ahead to confirm museum hours. Special train rides are scheduled throughout the year, and you can find details and cost online. RECOMMENDED READING "Alabama" by Barbara A Somervill introduces young readers to the state's history, geography, notable people and more. "One Day in Alabama: The Civil War Years" by Clarke Stallworth is the final installment in the late Birmingham News journalist's stories about Alabama history. "100 Things You Need to Know About Alabama" by Horace Randall Williams introduces a number of topics Ali is learning during her year of Alabama history. The new book reaches from prehistoric times to modern days in anticipation of the state's bicentennial in 2019. Etowah County authorities say a 17-year-old Piedmont man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a stabbing. Damien Chase Harper of Piedmont was arrested Wednesday afternoon on first degree assault charges. Sheriff Todd Entrekin said investigators believe Harper stabbed a 36-year-old man at a residence on Estes Road in the Ballplay community. The incident stemmed from a verbal confrontation, Entrekin said. Harper was booked into the Etowah County Detention Center and later released on $5,000 bond. There is no word on the condition of the victim. Members of the Cherokee County Sheriff's office have spent this week training with the Alabama National Guard Counterdrug Unit. Chief Investigator Josh Summerford said most of the training was conducted around the old Centre airport on Northwood Drive. Investigators got training on aircraft safety, identifying drugs from the air, operating specialized equipment to use during drug trafficking investigations and locating suspects when they flee a crime scene. Sheriff Jeff Shaver said the Counterdrug Program is "a vital part of a coalition of National Guard members and law enforcement agencies, which are involved in a multi-front battle against drugs and related violence." The program employs military personnel and equipment to support law enforcement agencies in anti-drug operations. The daughter of a 2015 Cherokee County murder victim has filed suit against the county coroner, alleging his office misidentified the bodies of her mother and aunt, resulting in "severe emotional distress and mental anguish." The suit also states the plaintiff did not learn of this until she came to a funeral home expecting to see her mother's body in the casket, and instead discovered her aunt's remains. The suit, filed last month in Cherokee County Circuit Court, seeks punitive and compensatory damages against Cherokee County Coroner Jeremy Deaton, Deputy Coroner Jeff Walsh, the county and county commission. When reached, Deaton had no comment on the suit. The suit stems from a Nov. 16, 2015 murder case in the Round Mountain community off Weiss Lake north of Centre. Donnie Lee Abernathy, 38, of Centre, has been charged in the murders of Sylvia Sue Duffe, 71, Clara Lee Edwards, 68, and Pamela Collette Oshel, 49, all of Centre. Abernathy remains in the Cherokee County Detention Center on charges of capital murder. Duffe and Edwards were both sisters, and Pamela Oshel was Edwards' daughter. The suit has been filed by Sarah Edwards, who was also Clara Lee Edwards' daughter. The suit alleges that Deaton and Walsh misidentified Duffe and Edwards, based in part on the fact that he had treated their cat. Deaton is a veterinarian. It goes on to say that Duffe was identified as Edwards, and Edwards identified as Duffe, making "a tragic situation far worse.". "The Defendants Deaton and Walsh could not determine the identities of each decedent with 100 percent accuracy," the suit states, "and...did not take appropriate steps to positively identify each decedent." After autopsies, Edwards was cremated, as that was Duffe's wishes for her burial. Duffe's remains, still misidentified as Edwards', was sent to a funeral home in Iowa for funeral preparations. Sarah Edwards discovered the misidentification only when she arrived at the funeral home with the funeral scheduled to take place the following day, the suit alleges. Expecting to see her mother's body, she instead saw her aunt's, and realized that her mother had been cremated. Her aunt was buried next to her father, with her mother's ashes in the casket. "It is beyond dispute that (the) bodies ...were misidentified," the suit alleges. "Sylvia Sue Duffe had easily identifiable tattoos, piercings, and dental records that did not correspond to Clara Lee Edwards." A former Hoover City Schools employee is behind bars, accused of stealing nearly $40,000 in copper from the system. Stephen Todd Huddleston, 45, was arrested Thursday in Pelham, said Hoover police Lt. Keith Czeskleba. He is charged with first-degree theft of property. The investigation began in November 2016 when police were notified by school administrators about an employee that was being investigated for making fraudulent purchases of copper pipe. Czeskleba said detectives learned Huddleston used the school system's accounts to buy more than $37,000.00 worth of copper pipe that was never used for any projects at a school. The purchases, authorities said, were made between November 2014 and March 2016. After a lengthy probe, detectives presented their evidence to the Shelby County District Attorney's Office, which issued the warrant against Huddleston. Huddleston, who lives in Calera, was arrested Thursday at a business in the 200 block of Cahaba Valley Parkway in Pelham and was transported to the Hoover City Jail. He will be transferred to the Shelby County Jail later Thursday. His bond is set at $30,000. "We're extremely pleased to be able to hold this individual accountable for his actions. This was an employee who was trusted with buying supplies and he certainly took advantage of his position,'' said Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector. "He made 232 fraudulent purchases over a 16-month period. That's just a staggering number of thefts." "Mr. Huddleston's actions should have been discovered sooner, but kudos to a new supervisor who quickly recognized the suspicious pattern of purchases,'' Rector said. "This investigation continues and additional charges are still a possibility." Governor Robert Bentley Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has been embroiled in controversy involving his former aide Rebekah Caldwell Mason since last year. Bentley's recently released campaign finance report reveals campaign funds were used to pay legal fees for Mason. (AL.com file) Gov. Robert Bentley's campaign used funds to pay legal fees for former political adviser Rebekah Mason, according to news reports. Bentley's annual campaign finance report, filed Tuesday, showed the campaign paid $8,912 to the law firm Copeland Franco Screws and Gill. Bobby Segall, an attorney for the firm, has represented Mason in lawsuits filed by former Alabama Law Enforcement Secretary Spencer Collier and Wendall Ray Lewis, Bentley's former chief of security. WSFA reported that Bill Athanas, an attorney representing the governor, confirmed that the payment from Bentley's campaign fund was for Mason's legal fees. Athanas told the Montgomery Advertiser that the governor believed the payment to be appropriate. The date of the payment is January 2016, which was before the Collier and Lewis lawsuits were filed. Bentley also used campaign funds to pay his own legal bills. State law allows the use of campaign funds for "legal fees and costs associated with any civil action, criminal prosecution, or investigation related to conduct reasonably related to performing the duties of the office held." The Alabama Ethics Commission approved an advisory opinion on Wednesday on that section of the law. The commission said the opinion came in response to numerous requests for guidance on the law. The seven-page opinion says a campaign expenditure is not allowed for obligations that would exist if the person was not a candidate or office holder. The governor's press office referred questions to Athanas. He did not immediately respond to an email from AL.com. Segall did not immediately return a call from AL.com. Former House Speaker Mike Hubbard used campaign funds to pay his legal fees during his criminal investigation and trial. Bentley and Mason have been embroiled in controversy since last year. In March, Collier accused Bentley of having an affair with Mason after Bentley fired him. Bentley's wife of 50 years had filed for divorce seven months earlier. Recordings of phone calls that became public at that time revealed the governor making suggestive comments. Bentley admitted to speaking inappropriately to Mason but both denied they had an affair. Mason resigned. Collier filed a lawsuit against Bentley and Mason, alleging wrongful termination and defamation. In November, Bentley's former chief of security, Lewis, filed a lawsuit against Bentley and Mason in which he said the governor and Mason had an affair. Bentley has said the Lewis claims were false and based on "worn-out internet rumors, fake news and street gossip." Mason has denied any wrongdoing. On April, 23 members of the House of Representatives signed an impeachment resolution against the governor because of questions over his relationship with Mason. In November, the House Judiciary Committee suspended an investigation into the impeachment charges at the request of Attorney General Luther Strange, who said he was conducting a related investigation. Bentley has denied breaking any laws or doing anything to warrant impeachment. Last week, Bentley revealed that Mason and her husband, Jon, flew with him on the state plane to President Trump's inauguration. Jon Mason is a member of Bentley's cabinet as director of Serve Alabama and his trip to D.C. was on state business, Bentley said. Bentley also said he was accompanied by on the plane by a guest he did not name. Bentley's office has said the state will not incur any cost for spouses or guests on the trip. For Cesar Mata, building a wall between Mexico and the U.S. amounts to a physical monument to division and a psychological signal that people like him aren't wanted in America. The 38-year-old Birmingham resident grew up in Mexico City but illegally crossed into the United States in 1999 "in pursuit of happiness," as he likes to say. But he says that President Donald Trump's recent push to keep Mexican immigrants out of the country, much like President Barack Obama's high rate of deportations and the passage of the harsh anti-immigration Alabama state law H.B. 56 in 2011, sends a strong message that "you don't belong here." That psychological burden weighs on Mata and other immigrants, both documented and undocumented, across the nation. And he said he believes it will only get worse as construction of the wall moves forward. "It's not there yet and it's already making divisions," he said. Plus he doesn't believe a wall will be able to stop Mexicans from entering the country illegally. "It's just wasting money from American taxpayers. The wall is not going to work. There's always people that have been corrupt; money can get almost anything." 'Making a contribution' In the nearly two decades since he arrived in this country, Mata has had all manner of jobs and currently holds two of them, working at a dry cleaner on weekdays and a restaurant on weekends. During a Tuesday evening interview at a coffee shop in Homewood, Mata emphasized that he pays taxes, volunteers for his church and holds leadership roles in groups like the Alabama Coalition for Immigration Justice and Greater Birmingham Ministries. He is also a regular Red Cross blood donor, he said, holding out his arm to show off a fresh, bright-red needle mark. But one thing Mata cannot claim is legal immigration status. He is one of the millions of undocumented immigrants who he said are so often maligned by politicians and in the media but that he believes are an essential but often overlooked part of the American economic system. "Every person here is making a contribution to the economy, so if you just suddenly disappear millions of people who are working and paying taxes, you can imagine what that would do to the economy," he said. When people ask him why he and others like him don't "get on the waiting line" and for legal citizenship, Mata says he tells them "that line does not exist. There are people waiting 10 years just for their cases to be considered." So he works in the shadows of society, taking jobs that Mata believes most people don't want. He said he and many of his fellow undocumented immigrants will "do anything" for work. "I was working in a restaurant, and when H.B. 56 came, there were many people who fled the state," he explained. "And it took two months to get back to a full crew. I said, 'where's all the people who say we're stealing the jobs?'" 'The risk you face' For years, Mata has been unable to see many of his family members and friends because he cannot legally return to the United States if he leaves the country. But eight years ago he went back to Mexico for his beloved father's funeral, which he said he simply could not bear to miss. He would have much preferred to do so legally, but his immigration situation made that impossible. "The only reason I did it was because of my dad's funeral," he said. "So it's not something you want to do." He has not tried to reenter Mexico since then because of the danger and difficulties he came up against when returning from the funeral. "After then it's been really hard to do it. There's more security on the border and it's so expensive. Some people charge about six grand just to cross you," he said. "Last time, it was very hard to get out of Mexico. At the border there was a big, big shootout between the Mexican army and the cartel. They were shooting at each other and I was hiding, trying to get under a rock or something. So that's some of the risk you face." And so Mata remains in Birmingham, a city that he says he has considered his home for years. His dream is that people will one day understand that he and other marginalized people are just trying to make a living, help their families and often escape bad circumstances in their birth countries. But in the current political climate, Mata believes that building a wall between Mexico and the U.S. and Trump's executive order last week restricting immigration and refugee arrivals from seven Muslim-majority countries will drive a wedge further between Americans and their neighbors to the South. "We already have families torn apart, but it's going to be worse," he said. "More than a physical barrier, it's going to be a psychological barrier between two worlds - us and them." Donald Trumps team does not seem to believe in the theory that it is hard to succeed when people want to see you fail. Im currently sitting in a very bland waiting room. The walls are white, the carpets grey, cable news plays quietly in the background as I sit in the standard-issue uncomfortable chair. Im seven people away from getting my hard pass for the US state department. It basically just means I can walk around more freely inside the building. It means unlike in the White House, I can talk to people more freely. I expect many of the employees will have a lot to say. Donald Trump couldnt be more different from Barack Obama, but there is one thing that I cant help noticing they have in common. In the early days of both presidencies the men exuded a kind of confidence that was almost palpable. Its not just the leaders, but their teams projectong a sense of empowerment bordering on hubris. Remember Obama, in a meeting with Republicans who were in the minority in both chambers of Congress, famously told them: Elections have consequences. That didnt last the messy handling of the healthcare law meant the president would never again have his party in full control of Congress during his two terms. Trump and the Republican leaders of Congress are plowing down the opposition as they move to undo much of what Obama put in place. In doing it, they are changing the rules to confirm Cabinet nominees and proceeding with executive orders regardless of massive protests against them. READ MORE: What happens to Iraqis who worked with the US military? Some of the strongest protests against the presidents executive order banning immigrants and anyone coming from seven Muslim-majority countries are coming from career foreign service officers. More than 900 of these state department workers just sent a cable to their leadership calling the ban misguided and dangerous. The response from the White House spokesman was basically, get on board or get out. Some government workers will undoubtedly quit, unable to reconcile their beliefs and working for Trump. I suspect the vast majority will hold on to their jobs. Its very hard to fire civil servants who are not appointed by the president. Can the president and his team force them to get on board? No, they cant, but they can push them to do everything in their power to bring down the administration and its policies. I was talking to a scientist who works at the Environmental Protection Agency a while ago. She is horrified that the man picked to lead her agency has sued to stop most of the climate-protecting regulations the agency has pushed into place. Think about it, this is a person who has dedicated her career to understanding the science behind climate change. Do you think she is just going to get on board? She isnt. She told me she is going to fight behind the scenes to slow down her new bosses initiatives until they fire her. Ive had similar conversations with many federal workers in several agencies. OPINION: Trumps cabinet bodes ill for the planet This should be especially concerning to the Trump administration when it comes to the Central Intelligence Agency. During his first stop as president of the United States, Trump went to CIA headquarters and used their sacred memorial wall as a backdrop. He used his television appearance to brag about his election, his popularity and the number of times hes been on the cover of Time magazine. Weve seen this braggadocious behaviour before from the president, at a campaign stop, not in front of a wall where each star anonymously marks an American who has died in the line of duty. It is sacrosanct for many, if not all who work there. As a general rule, most politicians find it is a good idea to avoid angering the intelligence community. They have the power to find out things about you and everyone around you. That information can easily end up in the press. One of my biggest frustrations covering the White House under George W Bush and Obama was the lack of people willing to leak to the media. Most of the people that worked there were what I called true believers. They loved their boss and therefore were very protective of secrets. So far it appears the Trump White House is leaking like a sieve and it hasnt even started at the agencies yet because he doesnt have most of his cabinet confirmed. Whenever I mentor young journalists, I always tell them one thing. My first rule is dont be mean to anyone. That doesnt mean that you cant be tough on the people youre interviewing, but in general just be a nice person. I tell them that because I believe it is the right thing to do, but it also has a side benefit. I cant tell you how many arrogant, mean people in the media Ive watched rise to great heights only to become arrogant and mean to the people around them. It has, without question, always come back to bite them, resulting in a spectacular fall from grace. Karma exists. It is a lot harder to succeed when people want to see you fail. That is a lesson that the Trump White House apparently doesnt believe applies to them at least not in how they are talking to the government workers that actually make the government run. Well see how that works out in the long run. Birth rates have increased but will it be enough to stop a demographic disaster and do Chinese women want more children? Shanghai, China Dr Shen, an obstetrician gynaecologist at a private hospital in downtown Shanghai, is tired. She has not been home in almost three days, she says. This past month has proven to be the busiest she has ever had at the hospital, which opened in 2013. Most of these women are having their second babies, and they all seem to be coming in January, Shen says. A boom in second children was exactly what the central government was hoping for when it announced the lifting of the worlds most controversial family planning scheme, commonly known as the one-child policy in October 2015. Coming into effect from January 2016, Chinas new universal two-child policy was the culmination of years of loosening its family planning laws, which, since 2014, permitted ethnic minorities, rural couples with a first-born girl, as well as any couple in which at least one party is an only child, to have two children. But all these exceptions were no help to Shanghai-based Zengdong Yang, 35, and her 36-year-old husband Ruwei Hong. They have a five-year-old daughter, Chen Chen, and were eager to have a second child. But, with each having a sibling of their own, they did not qualify under the previous regulations, until a universal two-child policy was introduced. Demographic implications of one child We had been waiting and hoping for a change in the policy, says Yang, who is now pregnant with their second child. Even if the policy hadnt changed, I definitely would have had another child, she explains, adding that she would have left Shanghai to avoid the citys particularly high fines for violating family planning policies. Or I would divorce my husband, then we would remarry after a second child was born, she says, explaining that she was contemplating registering as part of a legal, but sham, marriage with a distant relative to accomplish this. But this is more convenient, Yang says with relief. As of 2015, after 35 years of severe restrictions, the demographic implications for the 150 million families in China of having only one child were becoming increasingly apparent and the government was forced to act in an attempt to, at least in part, correct an upcoming demographic disaster for the rapidly ageing country. It is projected that by 2050, almost a quarter of Chinas population will be over 65 years of age, according to the Asian Development Bank. That is up from 8.2 percent of the population in 2010. There are still doubts about whether encouraging couples to have two children will put much of a dent in this long-term demographic trend, but there was a significant rise in births in Chinese hospitals in 2016, with 17.86 million recorded, an increase of 7.9 percent and the highest annual number since 2000, according to Chinas National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC). The number of newborns increased by 1.31 million compared with 2015, and the number of second children born rose to 45 percent, up from around 30 percent prior to 2013. READ MORE: Chinas leftover women Not enough? By the year 2050, commission projections expect the universal two-child policy to result in an extra 30 million working-age people but even this increase will not be enough, according to experts. Recent research from Australian National University shows that even if these predictions turn out to be accurate, the effect of a two-child policy on Chinas growth slowdown or its ageing population would be small less than 0.5 percent a year of GDP growth and a reduction in aged dependency of 0.03 percentage points. Demographically speaking, the two-child policy is too little too late to reverse the declining trend of fertility in China, explains Yong Cai, an expert in Chinese demography working at the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. China is only a newcomer in facing the challenges of low fertility and population ageing. While there are a lot of policy proposals, most of them are likely to have a very limited impact. My advice is: Respect peoples rights and leave individuals with room for choices. Mei Fong, author of the book One Child: The Past and Future of Chinas Most Radical Experiment, agrees. Having more choices is always better than less, but its not enough, she says. Of course, theres been a slight increase in births because now people have the choice of having a second child. But I think, so far, all the projections suggest what demographers have been saying all along: Yes, there will be a slight uptick, but it wont be enough to meet the issue of worker shortages or the broader birth rate trend, Fong explains. Though the birth rate may be higher than it was a year ago, China has been below replacement rates for the past 20 years. With China, numbers are always a bit fudgy, but whatever [the actual fertility rate is], its very far below 2.1, which is the replacement rate. One child is enough A survey of 10,000 respondents from the government-run All-China Womens Federation, conducted in 10 provinces around China, over the last six months of 2016, found that 53.3 percent of couples with one child did not want another. This ratio rose above 60 percent in wealthy areas, such as Beijing and eastern coastal cities. According to this study, key factors for parents weighing whether or not to have a second child were the quality of the public services, especially educational and medical services, they would be able to afford for two children, as well as access to childcare. The length of the mothers maternity leave was noted by 60.7 percent of respondents and 45.8 percent cited mothers current work conditions as factors in the decision not to have more children. Although there is no data available on the rates of employment discrimination against women due to the implementation of the two-child policy as yet, discussion on social networking sites, such as Sina Weibo, overwhelmingly point to already rampant discriminatory employment practices worsening as employers baulk at the prospect of having to pay maternity benefits twice when they hire young women, according to Keegan Elmer, a labour researcher at the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin (CLB). READ MORE: The problem of too many baby boys in China Employment discrimination There are plenty of reasons for people to be worried about the effects on equality for women. We already know from the tendencies that already exist that employment discrimination in China is a really serious issue that most women recognise, Elmer says. The lack of good anti-discrimination laws in China makes it difficult for women discriminated against for reproductive reasons to get recourse through the legal system, he adds. CLB research has shown that it is not uncommon for companies to ask prospective female employees about their plans for future children, or even require female employees to take routine pregnancy tests. Pregnant workers can then be coerced into resigning for example, by being asked to work unreasonable hours by employers who aim to avoid paying maternity benefits. Theres a lot of relevant law and employment promotion law and things that could be applied to this situation, but there is no anti-discrimination law that could cover women as a social group. The cases we have seen, the fines are minimal and theyre really not enough to encourage anyone to take these things to court, Elmer says. In Zengdong Yangs case, the fact that her parents and in-laws stay with her family, and take responsibility for much of the child care while she and her husband work, was a major consideration in being able to have a second child more so than financial considerations. Actually, I think, the difference between having one or two children isnt that much of an economic difference, having one child compared to no children is a big difference, but one compared to two children isnt that big a deal, she says. I think a very important reason is that our parents live with us so can help us with childcare. I know a lot of women who either are alone in taking care of the children or their parents or parents-in-law are sick and cant help them. Mei Fong believes there is a role for the government in encouraging couples to have more children through offering support for education or housing, for example, or by completely lifting restrictions on the number of children couples can have. She also points out that societal attitudes need to change in order to make it easier for women who often work, as well as take on the bulk of responsibility for raising children and caring for elderly family members. There have been some sociologists who argue that you cant have more children or more growth without true equality between the sexes. A lot of women arent going to have more children because they have to do everything, Fong says. A lesser known concern I have seen raised in a few studies is the fact that countries that have Confucian ties have a really low birth rate, all linked to womens position in society and the expectations, she says. To be fair, the movement for womens equality in Western democracies also took a lot of time to happen, but theres no doubt that a lot of women in China are looking at the proposition of more than one child and it doesnt look very appetising for them. Rebel divisions in Idlib threaten to further weaken an already fragile opposition in northern Syria, analysts have said, ripping two ostensible allies apart and throwing into question the direction and shape of the remainder of the armed rebellion. Over the past week, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) and Ahrar al-Sham, two of the most powerful rebel outfits in Syria who have long fought side by side against government forces, have turned on each other in Idlib, the countrys last rebel-held province. The fracture comes at a time when the international community is placing increasing pressure on rebels to distance themselves from JFS and enter into political negotiations with the Syrian regime. Trilateral talks aimed at consolidating a nationwide ceasefire a ceasefire that excludes JFS wrapped up in Kazakhstans capital of Astana the day before the clashes broke out. And while the aim of the meeting was to pave the way toward UN-led negotiations on February 20, it remains unclear whether any elements within the two major rebel factions in the north will participate in the process. READ MORE: Syrias Civil War Explained Clashes between JFS and other rebel groups, including Ahrar al-Sham, snowballed across the north after JFS fighters launched a preplanned assault on Jaish al-Mujahideen, a rebel faction based west of Aleppo. The infighting has left the province divided between two twisted areas of control, split between a new Salafist coalition created by new JFS, a group formerly known as al-Nusra Front that changed its name after dropping its official link to al-Qaeda, on one side, and the nationalist Islamist movement Ahrar al-Sham and smaller Western-backed factions on the other. The new Salafist alliance created by JFS, which is united under the name Hayet Tahrir al-Sham and includes influential factions like the Nour al-Din al-Zenki group, emerged just days after six other rebel factions that were targeted by JFS joined ranks with Ahrar al-Sham. Analysts say the JFS attacks on other elements of the opposition were explicitly linked to the outcome in Astana, and have left moderate factions with difficult choices. The attack by Fateh al-Sham was an attempt to liquidate some of the more relevant [rebel] factions that had lent their credibility to Astana and these various other rounds of international negotiations, Sam Heller, a Syria analyst and fellow with The Century Foundation, told Al Jazeera. It looks like they were attempting to railroad through a consolidation of the north factions on Fateh al-Shams terms and under Fateh al-Shams effective leadership. Listed as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations and western governments, JFS was excluded from the ceasefire established late last year by Russia and Turkey, and was highlighted as a mutually agreed upon target in a final communique signed by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran at the close of the Ankara talks earlier this month. If Ahrar al-Sham now decides to participate in the next talks in Geneva, it will enter a much larger conflict with Hay'et Tahrir al-Sham. by Hamza al-Mustafa, researcher Ahrar al-Sham, on the other hand, has long straddled the fault line between moderate rebel groups that define themselves as revolutionaries and more hardline Salafist groups like JFS. While it did not attend the talks in Astana, it has been deemed a moderate group by Russia and receives heavy backing from Turkey. It probably didnt help that, presumably US, drone strikes on Fateh al-Sham have stepped up recently, which I assumed ratcheted up paranoia about rival factions and various other agents on the ground providing coordinates of Fateh al-Sham commanders and bases, said Heller. US drone strikes targeting JFS have increased in recent weeks, one of which reportedly killed at least 100 fighters, including 10 senior commanders, in Idlib. JFS placed the blame for the fall of Aleppo on a lack of coordination and structure among the moderate factions that held most of the citys eastern neighbourhoods. They all bore responsibility for the loss of Aleppo, but the narrative that they have adopted is that these MOM internationally backed factions turned out to be useless, said Heller, using the Turkish acronym for a Joint Operations Center, through which the CIA and other foreign intelligence agencies arm and coordinate with rebels in Syrias north. Hamzeh al-Moustafa, a researcher at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, argued that JFSs distrust of MOM-linked rebel factions pushed the group to declare a new Salafist emirate. Not only were JFS commanders worried that intelligence on whereabouts of the groups commanders and bases were being used in drone strikes, but they also believed they would be able to strip some of the more hardline elements within Ahrar al-Sham away from the group and create a larger, more ideologically pure movement. Al-Nusra was expecting that the hardliners in Ahrar al-Sham like Abu Jaber would push the movement to join the Nusra project, said Moustafa, referring to the former leader of Ahrar al-Sham who announced his resignation from Ahrar al-Sham on Twitter shortly after news broke that he had been named general commander of the new Hayet Tahrir al-Sham coalition. Since many of the key hardliners who have caused ideological rifts within Ahrar al-Sham in the past have been stripped away, the groups moderate elements may have more sway over its agenda. The [Ahrar al-Sham] moderates are pushing for an agenda closer to that of the Syrian people, and the hardliners in Ahrar al-Sham want to join Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, said Moustafa. But Ahrar al-Sham has repeatedly refused to participate in negotiations, largely due to internal divisions, and analysts are unsure if the recent change within its internal make up its absorption of moderate Western-backed groups and increased pressure from its regional backers will make a difference. One thing is for sure, if Ahrar al-Sham now decides to participate in the next talks in Geneva, it will enter a much larger conflict with Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, said Moustafa. Turkey, a major supporter of Ahrar al-Sham, was able to convince most of the moderate rebel factions it backs to attend the talks in Astana. But without the inclusion of Ahrar al-Sham, one of the central factions across much of northern Syria, the oppositions leverage at the negotiating table will be limited. Ankaras shift in Syria since last summer has seen it move its priorities away from an all-out regime change towards a central focus on the Kurdish issue along its border region. As its rapprochement with Russia holds, it has placed increasing pressure on the Syrian opposition to follow suit and to make Turkeys pivot effect and sustainable, according to Yazid Sayigh, a senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Turkey is going to have to keep pushing the Syrian opposition further along the path of doing whatever is necessary to make it possible to have a stable holding pattern in Syria, which means finding a way of dealing with Fateh al-Sham because, otherwise, this will be a constant excuse for the regime and the Russians, if not the US, to escalate, at a time when Turkey is trying to stabilize the situation. OPINION: Why are Islamist armed groups clashing in Syria? The moderate opposition, which now includes many elements within Ahrar al-Sham, is at a strategic juncture. Either it rejects the diplomatic track altogether and joins ranks with JFS-led Hayet Tahrir al-Sham coalition, or it distances itself from JFS and continues to ally with Turkey, hoping that through negotiations and continued military support it can maintain territory and some degree of political influence. And while joining ranks with the JSF may help the rebels avoid all-out infighting in Idlib, it would also cost them one of their key regional backers. The Turks have made it clear to these factions, inclusive of Ahrar al-Sham, but not exclusively, that if they join with Fateh al-Sham and with what is approximately al-Qaeda theyre done, said Heller. By joining ties with JFS, these groups would effectively nullify the fragile ceasefire and open themselves up to air strikes not only from the government and its Russian backer, but also from a large cross section of the international community. Russia would then likely support a renewed and expanded military campaign in Idlib, under the premise of attacking terrorists, which would likely generate heavy rebel losses, civilian casualties and destruction on a level similar to what was seen in Aleppo. Meanwhile, though, I think Russia and the regime are comfortable with the current situation, said Moustafa. They can sit back and watch as their ceasefire holds and the opposition fights itself. Follow Dylan Collins on Twitter: @CollinsDyl A year ago, on February 3, 2016, the passengers of a minivan on the busy highway between Cairo and Alexandria found the body of a man in a ditch on the side of the road. The corpse, naked from the waist down, bore the signs of brutal and unrelenting torture; the face deformed and swollen by a severe beating and the burns of electric shocks. Next to it lay a military blanket. Whoever had dumped that body had chosen a peculiar location. Less than two kilometres away, on that same desert road, several watchtowers guard the perimeter of a base of Egypts security services. Giulio Regeni was a 28-year-old student at Cambridge University who had disappeared from Cairo nine days earlier, on the fifth anniversary of the revolution that in 2011 ousted long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak. That day, the city was locked down, the military and the intelligence services were patrolling all the major landmarks and people were keeping indoors for fear of the random arrests by the secret police. Regeni, an Italian citizen, felt safe enough to go out, despite the sinister atmosphere that pervaded Cairo that evening. But he never arrived at the appointment with a friend. In the following days, the Egyptian minister of interior Magdy Abdel Ghaffar told the Italian ambassador that there was no trace of an Italian citizen called Giulio Regeni in Cairo. On that fateful day, Paola and Claudio Regeni were anxiously waiting news of their son in a Cairo hotel room when Ambassador Maurizio Massari came to break the terrible truth to them: Giulio had been found dead. The corpse in the ditch in the outskirts of Cairo didnt carry any documents. The tortures it had endured made it unrecognisable to his own mother. As Paola Regeni later said, Giulios face carried all the evil of the world and she had been able to identify her son only from the tip of his nose. Mutilations, burns, broken bones, deep cuts were proof of a slow and painful death. But the Egyptian authorities knew that body was Regenis when they called Ambassador Maurizio Massari to tell him of their finding. How they could have been so certain of Giulios identity, before anyone had yet identified him, is just one of the many questions that for the past year the Egyptian police forces have dodged. A year on, we can say beyond any reasonable doubt that Regeni's death is a case of state-sponsored murder. by Carlo Bonini, an investigative journalist, La Repubblica The initial reluctance of the Egyptian authorities to cooperate and the invention of a series of implausible stories about Regenis involvement in a car accident, in a homosexual spat and later in a case of drug trafficking spurred a diplomatic crisis with Italy that lasts to this day. Confronted by the Italian investigators and the insisting demands of the Italian government for more cooperation, the Egyptian authorities decided to follow a different strategy. They would ration the information to be shared with the Italians, dilute their response in an effort to buy time and cover up an embarrassing case that had taken the shape of a state-sponsored murder. A year on, we can say beyond any reasonable doubt that Regenis death is a case of state-sponsored murder, said Carlo Bonini, an investigative journalist at La Repubblica who has followed Regenis case closely. There is a state motivation because the Egyptians believed he was a spy. And there is the state apparatus behind the forced disappearance, torture and killing of Regeni. All the elements in the probe point in the direction of the Minister of Interior, Bonini told Al Jazeera. Student or spy? Cairos intelligence services believed Regeni was a spy for a foreign agency and they were determined to find out whom he was working for. His research on the Egyptian unions for Cambridge University, his contacts, his frequent meetings with unions members as well as representatives of the political opposition who were already under surveillance, triggered the attention of the Ministry of Interior and its National Security Agency (NSA). But Cairo has always hosted a thriving foreign student community with thousands of expatriate researchers and professors living in the capital to conduct their studies and research. Never before had one of them been kidnapped, brutally tortured and killed. Why would the Egyptian intelligence services decide to arrest a student from one of the worlds most renowned universities, torture him for seven consecutive days, as the autopsy later revealed, and take the risk of prompting a diplomatic crisis with Italy and the UK? There are many unanswered questions in this case. The brutality and the length of the torture that Regeni suffered reminds me of some mafia-like victims, who were murdered to send out a warning message to someone, said Professor Massimo Campanini, an authority in Islamic Studies and a profound expert on Egypts society. The second aspect that deserves further attention is the total silence of Britain on this case. Regeni was not only an Italian, he was a Cambridge student. The universitys reluctance to fully cooperate in the investigation is staggering. OPINION: An Italian students death in Egypt and now we care? Regenis tutor, Dr Maha Abdelrahman, was approached by the public prosecutor at Giulios funeral in Italy and asked for questioning. She responded that the investigators would be required to follow the appropriate channels to obtain any further information they needed. Whether she granted a second meeting when the prosecutors flew to Cambridge is unclear. While Italian sources say she didnt show up for questioning, Cambridge said in a statement: We believe that Maha answered in full the supplementary questions they provided. The investigators had to initiate an international rogatory in order for the university and Dr Abdulrahman to provide the information they needed on Giulios mandate in Egypt. In September those documents arrived, more than six months after Regenis death, but Public Prosecutor Giuseppe Pignatone considered them insufficient. What was the exact scope of Giulios research and which directives, guidelines and contacts he had received from his tutor are fundamental in the understanding of why Regeni found himself under the surveillance of the security services, said Campanini. Al Jazeera asked Cambridge for an interview with Dr Abderahman, but the request was turned down. However in a written statement, Cambridge said the tutor remains ready to talk to the Italian prosecutors should they make a request through the appropriate channels. The university has always been, and remains, ready to help with any further requests for information or assistance, a Cambridge spokesperson told Al Jazeera. The investigation Family and friends have repeatedly rejected claims by several academic and media outlets that Giulio might have been a spy or might have been used by foreign intelligence services without being aware of it. Regenis tragic death, they insisted, was the result of the regimes security paranoia. He was trying to secure a grant for 10,000 ($12,600) from UK institution Antipode, which funds social inclusion projects. The funding was meant for the street vendors union, whose activities Regeni had been closely watching as part of his postgraduate research. However, the foreign funding of unions and civil society groups is a sensitive issue in Egypt, where the regime fears the foreign money would be used to topple it. The last clues into the murder have emerged from a video that the Italian public prosecutor obtained from his Egyptian counterpart. The footage, which was taped just three weeks before Regenis disappearance, shows the head of the street vendors union, Mohammed Abdallah, insistently asking Regeni to help him get the grant for his personal use. It is not my money. I cannot use it like that because I am an academic, Regeni is heard replying in Arabic. According to the investigators in Rome, the footage was filmed by using a hidden camera that Abdallah was given by the Egyptian police. At the end of the video Abdallah is heard saying: I finished filming, come take the equipment off me. The same Abdallah admitted that he reported Regeni to the police days before he disappeared. I grew suspicious because he asked too many questions, the vendor told the Egyptian news website Shorouk. I filmed Regeni and reported him to the police, because I wanted to prove he was a spy. Following Abdallahs statements, Egyptian officials at the NSA have confirmed that Abdallah had brought Regenis case to their attention on January 7, 2016, but the investigation was dropped within three days as nothing relevant had emerged against the Italian student. Analysis: Giulio Regeni: Why Europe is bowing to Sisi The Italian prosecutor believes Abdallah was an informant of the NSA who had been reporting on Regeni much earlier than January 6. The NSA had opened a file on the Italian student since December 2015 and two agents were constantly in touch with the unions leader until January 23, two days before Regenis disappearance, as proved by Abdallahs phone records. The prosecutor is investigating the role of the two NSA agents as well as three other Egyptian officials, who in March 2015 were involved in the staged shooting of a five-member criminal gang that the ministry of interior indicated was responsible for Regenis murder. Egyptian prosecutors later established the five men were innocent. After months of lukewarm contacts between investigators of the two countries, Egypts public prosecutor Nabil Sadek decided to share essential information related to Abdallahs involvement in the case and the role of officials within the NSA. He has also allowed Italian and German experts to travel to Cairo to examine CCTV footage as part of the probe. Lately I have seen very useful signs of cooperation from Egypt. I hope they will develop, said Italys Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. The inconvenient truth These latest developments may signal the Egyptian Presidencys intention to close the case, but the truth about Regenis murder couldnt be more remote, a former Egyptian official told Al Jazeera. They will find some scapegoats, maybe some police officers, put the blame on them and close this case once and for all. Well never know the truth because the truth leads directly up to the office of the president, said Colonel Omar Afifi in an interview with Al Jazeera from his home in Washington. A former investigator at the Egyptian ministry of interior, Afifi said the inconvenient truth is that the highest ranks within the State apparatus are involved in Regenis murder. Nobody can touch a foreigner in Egypt unless the order comes from one of these people: the president, his chief of staff, the head of the military intelligence or at the least the minister of interior. This has been the policy in our country for the past 30 years and it remains so to this day. The day after Regenis body was discovered, Afifi published a detailed account of what had happened to the Italian student. He described how Regeni had been first arrested and interrogated by the investigative department in Giza led by General Khaled Shalaby, and later moved to the headquarters of the NSA in Madinat Nasr led by General Mohammed Sharawy, upon an order by the powerful minister of interior Magdy Abdel Ghaffar. According to Afifi, the Presidents chief of staff Abbas Kamel removed the case from the NSA and handed it over to the military intelligence that killed Regeni under torture. I dont have evidence, I have information. But I trust the sources I have. All they told me has found confirmation months later, he told Al Jazeera. Afifis account bears many similarities to a detailed anonymous report sent to the Italian embassy in Switzerland in April 2016. According to the document, Regeni had been under the surveillance of the NSA since his arrival in September 2015. But the presidents office took the case from the NSA and gave it to the military intelligence, fuelling the existing tensions between the two agencies and turning Regeni into an issue of contention. Intelligence agencies in Egypt have pledged allegiance to different parties and are striving to assert their control over the country. Giulio and hundreds of Egyptians Regenis case has become a symbol of the clampdown on human rights in Egypt, Amnesty International said. The level of repression we are witnessing is unprecedented. It cannot be compared to even the darkest days of Mubaraks regime, said Mohammed Ahmed, a researcher on Egypt at Amnesty International. Preventive arrests and forced disappearances have increased after the appointment of interior minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar in March 2015, Ahmed said. Since Abdel Ghaffars appointment we have seen an increase in the number of disappearances, with three to four people going missing every day. There has been a change of policy, whereby the ministry order precautionary arrests in an attempt to prevent protests and assemblies. People are taken from their homes, from the streets or from work. The ministry of interior is also targeting journalists and members of NGOs, by preventing them from travelling or seizing their assets. The number of political prisoners is on the rise. According to government figures the number of political prisoners is approximately 36,000, twice the number of 2011, prior to the revolution. However, this may be a conservative figure. NGOs estimates put the number at 60,000, Ahmad told Al Jazeera. Paola Regeni, who is helping Amnesty raise awareness on human rights abuses in Egypt, said her battle for the truth will continue. This is not yet the time for us to grieve. Its the time for justice. For Giulio and all the Giulios of Egypt. Well keep fighting for them as well. US attorneys plead with airlines to uphold the rule of law, following federal court order blocking immigration ban. Los Angeles, United States A federal court in the state of California has issued a temporary restraining order blocking US immigration authorities from implementing President Donald Trumps executive order that bans people from seven Muslim-majority countries, according to a court document seen by Al Jazeera [PDF]. But no one is complying, say several of the attorneys battling the ban at airports not the immigration authorities detaining US residents from those countries, and just as importantly, not the airlines. The order is broader than an earlier federal court order issued in New York on Saturday. The earlier order applies to those already in transit; the order issued this week affects US visa and green card holders abroad who may have already been returned to their countries. The new court order also nullifies documents that Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents and other immigration authorities may have required travellers to sign, revoking their immigration permissions. Attorneys gave Al Jazeera accounts of situations where airport detainees were asked to sign away residence permits, but a lack of information from authorities has made the accounts virtually impossible to independently verify at time of publication. READ MORE: Six other times the US has banned immigrants Al Jazeera on Wednesday reported that immigrants from the seven countries were reportedly being coerced into signing away their residency status. Later, it was revealed that in addition to the executive order, the Justice Department had released a State Department notice requesting that visas for the seven countries be revoked. The notice was issued on January 27, but was not reported in US media until late on Tuesday, the 31st in an indication of the Trump administrations lack of transparency over newly declared policy. Hundreds of lawyers have been working around the clock at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) one of the major sites of airport detentions as well as surging demonstrations in response that have cropped up across the country since Trump issued his ban on Friday. At these demonstrations, attorneys their ranks bolstered by activists, politicians and, in some cases, celebrities are leading the charge against the immigration ban. Despite the federal court restraining order, on Thursday the airport attorneys expressed frustration that airlines continue to bar travellers from the affected countries. Some say its exacerbating what they consider to be a constitutional crisis in the US. It becomes very difficult, theres mass confusion and the airlines dont want to allow people to board planes, said Lindsay Toczylowski, director of Immigrant Defenders Law Center one of the attorneys offering pro-bono support to people at the Los Angeles airport and those stuck abroad. CBP is not above the law, and neither are airlines A legal source who spoke on condition of anonymity because that source was not authorised to speak to the press, identified a handful of European and Middle Eastern airlines reported to still be barring people from boarding flights to the US. All were contacted by Al Jazeera. Only the Middle Eastern airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways had responded at time of publication. With regards to entry requirements for travel to/from the USA, Emirates continues to comply with the guidance provided to us by the US Customs and Border Protection, an Emirates spokesperson told Al Jazeera in an email. We are continuing to work closely with the US Customs and Border Protection agency both here in Abu Dhabi and in the USA on the immigration issues presented over the weekend. Our joint interest is on ensuring that compliance and the wellbeing of all passengers is maintained across our global network, an Etihad spokesperson told Al Jazeera in an email. A number of our passengers have been affected and we are continuing to assist them to identify issues before they fly to the US. Where permitted, the airline has offered changes or refunds and rebooked passengers, as per our updated policy, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to further questions regarding the nature of the liability faced by airlines were they to comply with the recent court orders that they allow visa holders to travel to the US. Some lawyers are hopeful that the airlines will soon change their minds and bring visa and green card-holders from the seven countries to the US. Hopefully the temporary restraining order that came out of Los Angeles today will allow people to board, Toczylowski said. READ MORE: Trumps Muslim ban Its shock and awe without bombs Some attorneys are adamant that the airlines respond to calls from the US courts. CBP is not above the law, and neither are airlines, said Mitra Ebadolahi, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) chapter in the southern Californian city of San Diego. Ebadolahi spoke to Al Jazeera from the airport in San Diego, where she had just returned from New York, another epicentre of the airport detentions and demonstrations. Ebadolahi said to expect more information on CBP and airline compliance on Thursday, US Pacific Standard Time. Other attorneys are pleading with the international airlines in the name of what they say is a broader question of rule of law in the US. Its impossible to understand the extent of compliance or non-compliance Ameena Mirza Qazi is a civil rights lawyer, activist and executive director of the National Lawyers Guild, Los Angeles chapter. She is working against the ban at the Los Angeles airport. Qazi said: Its important that [the airlines] comply with the court orders to preserve the integrity of our judicial system. The travails with US immigration authorities of one particular traveller from Iran has been taken as a microcosm for the constitutional crisis Qazi describes a lightning rod for activists concerned with the state of US civil liberties. Activists were planning a protest at the Los Angeles airport on Thursday at noon, local time, for Ali Vayeghan, 52, an Iranian national whose residence status was revoked when he first arrived in Los Angeles on Friday. Vayeghan is due to arrive again on Thursday, as activists rally outside the international arrivals terminal for his release, said Marcus Benigno, spokesman for the ACLU of Southern California advocacy group. READ MORE: Muslim ban Japanese and Muslim Americans join forces His arrival was awaited with great interest by activists and attorneys that Benigno had called to the event. Few understood fully the kind of treatment awaiting Vayeghan. Attorneys have been denied access to detainees being held by airport authorities. Their phones means of contacting family or documenting their treatment are typically confiscated, according to reports from multiple legal sources. We have some evidence of coercion and detention, but its impossible to understand the extent of compliance or non-compliance [with the federal court restraining order this week] due to the lack of information LAX is giving us, Qazi said. CBP sent Al Jazeera multiple links to press releases on its website saying it would stand by the executive order. They did not offer any further comment. Trumps press team did not respond to request for comment. Mexico City, Mexico Even before his win in the 2016 US presidential election, Donald Trumps inflammatory rhetoric directed at immigrants and Mexicans caused anger and fear in Mexico. But now that hes taken office, theres one part of his platform that many Mexicans feel they can get behind: a renegotiation or cancellation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). If Mexico ends up outside of NAFTA, either because of Trump kicking us out or us deciding to leave, we would celebrate, Alfredo Acedo, a spokesman for the National Union of Autonomous Regional and Campesino Organizations (UNORCA), told Al Jazeera. Thats what weve been demanding for over 20 years. UNORCA is one of several national peasant organisations and labour unions that have been fighting for the cancellation of NAFTAs agriculture chapter since negotiations started in 1990. Now that Donald Trump is in the White House, they see a rare opportunity to make that demand a reality. Of course, we understand that what Trump wants has nothing to do with the interests of Mexican peasants, said Acedo. We know hes just trying to get even better conditions for his own country, for its producers, for the corporations, which, in this case, are the primary beneficiaries. But the very fact that the treaty is being reopened presents an opportunity for us to make demands, to unify, to push harder to get back what we had before 1994. On January 31, a protest march held by a coalition of rural farmer unions brought out 60,000 people in Mexico City demanding Mexico pull out of NAFTA, as well as the cancellation of an oil privatisation law and recent petrol price increases. The Authentic Rural Front (FAC) marched to the United States embassy to deliver a letter addressed to Donald Trump. Mr Trump, we are glad that you decide to build a large border wall between the United States of America and Estados Unidos Mexicanos, we encourage you to do it all around all your territory and isolate your country from the rest of the world, reads the letter. It goes on to encourage Trump to be brave, congruent, determined and cancel the NAFTA, so that way we can start to build new real relations of commerce based on equality, thinking in the interest of our people, the Mexican and the North American. OPINION: Mexico needs to stop accommodating Trump NAFTA on life support January 31 was also the date of a planned meeting between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto that was cancelled after both sides refused to back down from red lines that they had drawn. Mexican Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo said that Mexico would pull out of NAFTA before agreeing to pay for a border wall or allowing taxes on remittances, while Trump also claimed to be ready to end negotiations if Mexico doesnt pay for the wall. Last Thursday, Pena Nieto cancelled his trip in a rare show of defiance that surprised many of his detractors, who often accuse him of being too submissive to the US. Peasant organisations like the National Agricultural Workers Union (UNTA), that usually have an antagonistic relationship with the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), have even expressed cautious optimism about the relatively strong posture with which Pena Nieto has responded to Trump. The presidents decision to cancel his meeting with the US leader was a good decision, a necessary decision, said Alvaro Lopez Rios, general-secretary of the National Agricultural Workers Union (UNTA), in a press conference on January 26. In response to Trumps anti-Mexican agenda, we will be supporting measures by the president that defend national sovereignty and work towards reducing our relationship with the United States. The two presidents talked on the phone after the meeting was cancelled, and decided to keep further discussions of payment for the border wall secret. For the trade deal to survive, one of them will need to back down. READ MORE: Trump wants 20 percent import tax to pay for wall Legacy of underdevelopment and dependence NAFTAs agricultural provisions led to upheaval in the Mexican countryside as cheap grains, produced by highly subsidised US farms, flooded the markets. Instead of fulfilling its promise of providing cheaper food to Mexicans, NAFTA deepened Mexicos dependency on food imports, leaving it unprotected from volatility in international food prices and exchange rates. At first, it was cheaper to import grains when the exchange rate was 3.50 pesos per dollar, when NAFTA took effect, and that was one of the arguments they used to get us to open ourselves up to imports, Ernesto Ladron de Guevara, technical secretary for the Mexican Senates Rural Development Commission, told Al Jazeera. But that lasted less than a year. These days, its almost never cheaper to import food. Mexicos dependence on food imports has grown every year since the signing of NAFTA. Acedo said that by 2017, Mexico is importing over half of the food it consumes. The 2008 global food price crisis showed Mexico the dangers of food dependence, as global prices for grains rose by over 100 percent. We saw clearly with the 2008 food price crisis, said Ladron de Guevara. We still have to buy food from international markets, but now its expensive. When international prices go up, our food gets more expensive, but when they go down, our food doesnt get cheaper. READ MORE: Dear Donald Trump A letter from Mexico Life after NAFTA NAFTA is not the only reason that Mexican agriculture is underdeveloped, and the countryside would not immediately recover the day after NAFTA is cancelled. But many think that the end of NAFTA would allow Mexico to pursue policies to rebuild the countryside and regain food sovereignty. Its not nostalgia, were not trying to go back in time, said Acedo. We have the experience, we have the technical capacity. Now, we even have new technology that is better for the environment, that can help us become self-sufficient again, in corn, in beans. The only thing that is missing are policies that favour Mexican producers, especially small and medium producers, to recover self-sufficiency. The decline of Mexicos relationship with the US and Canada could also lead to closer relationships between Mexico and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. Mexico is already part of the Pacific Alliance, a trade bloc that also includes Peru, Colombia and Chile, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a regional bloc that includes all of Latin America and the Caribbean. Acedo thinks that conflict with the US could bring opportunity for greater South-South integration. We need to rebuild the relationships that weve been neglecting because of our integration with the United States, he said. We need to look south. Because the other nations of Latin America, even if theyre not as geographically close to us, we have a much stronger cultural bond with them than with the United States. Ladron de Guevara has a sober but optimistic calculation of how the Mexican countryside could recover from decades of neglect. We could recover in about eight years, he said. In corn, especially, you could see improvements very quickly. It wouldnt be overnight, but considering that its been 30 years of neoliberal governance, recovering in about eight years is pretty fast. But among the rural farmer movement, theres a lot of optimism. Ladron de Guevara thinks that Mexican culture holds the key to rebuilding food sovereignty. Some societies, when they go through this kind of disruption, they dont maintain their communitarian culture, he said. So, its very hard for them. But in Mexico, we still have that. Thats our guarantee. A young Yemeni artist shares his experience of being banned from visiting his wife, who studies in the US. Prior to US President Donald Trumps recent Muslim ban, Murad Subay, a Yemeni artist, never had to worry about being able to see his wife, Hadil, who studies in the US on a scholarship. Following the recent executive order, which placed a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries including Yemen, seeing his wife again has become a distant dream. Subay cannot travel to visit her and fears that if Hadil returns home, she will not be allowed back in the US. What was once a valuable opportunity for Hadil to study political science at Stanford University in California has now turned into a nightmare. Subay is stuck in a war-ravaged country while his wife lives in a place where foreign Muslims are eyed with suspicion. Here is Subays account of how the Muslim ban changed his life for ever. READ MORE: Trumps Muslim ban This could never happen in America My wife scored 94.5 percent in her high school final examination. Last year, she went to the US to complete her bachelors and masters. I am astonished at how a country known for defending democracy is implementing such orders. Today, she cannot return to her country whenever she likes so long as this decision stays in effect. This will negatively affect her studies and our life. This ban is absolutely upsetting. Hadil and I were planning to meet every summer. She can either come to Yemen or I can travel to see her in the US. That was our plan. However, with Trumps Muslim ban in place, entering the US is impossible. Even if she decides to come to Yemen, she may not be able to return to the States. This is a racist and unreasonable decision. Now our families are worried about our future. We do not know what lies in store for us. We do not know if this ban will persist or be repealed. Whatever the difficulties will be, Hadil is going to pursue her studies until 2020 as long as she is permitted to continue. However, the worrying matter is that she must leave America every year to another country where she can renew her visa in any American embassy. She cannot renew the visa in America. READ MORE: Trumps Muslim ban will rip our family apart We will do our best to support her to complete her studies in America or elsewhere. In Yemen, the education system is weak and it is unfortunately being destroyed. Hadil is ambitious and hardworking, and I will not let her down. She got a scholarship to the US last year, and I was happy that she would be able to receive quality education there. We did not know time would change in America. There is no justification for banning Muslims from entering the US. All those refugees or immigrants belonging to the seven banned countries including Yemen have not committed any terrorist acts. This is a politically motivated decision, and it intends to show off power and strictness. Americans themselves will resist this racist decision. It is unreasonable for this unfair decision to succeed. The majority of the countries targeted by this order are fragile. This is a big problem. We are living in the 21st century. I am astonished at how a country known for defending democracy is implementing such orders. This is an individual deed. The protests against this decision are ongoing. I hope they will continue. It would be impossible that the beacon of democracy and freedom blocks people from travelling on racist and religious grounds. Millions of people should not pay the price for terrorist acts carried out by some individuals. This decision dishonours America. The consequences of this decision are grave, and I do not think the world will let it pass unopposed. I believe the principles of democracy in America will not be easily abandoned. As told to Khalid Al-Karimi and Mohammed Al-Sameai. Bucharest, Romania Late on Tuesday, January 31, Romanias government adopted an emergency decree that officially decriminalises corruption. The decision prompted large protests throughout the country, with many fearing a setback for the year-long fight against corruption in the Eastern European country, referring to the measures as an attack on the rule of law. The emergency decree decriminalises criminal punishments for charges of abuse of power, conflict of interest and work negligence. Justice Minister Florin Iordache said the measure would decriminalise abuse of power cases in which the financial damage is valued at less than 200,000 lei ($47,800). Social unrest began nearly two weeks before Tuesdays decree, when the local press drew attention to the governments intention to pass two emergency laws: one on prison pardons and the other on changes to the penal code. Since then, people have taken to the streets in several cities around Romania, demanding a halt to both measures and, in the end, demanding the resignation of the social democrat government. These are the largest protests Romania has seen since the fall of communism 27 years ago. READ MORE: Biggest protests in decades hit Romania over corruption The governments move drew criticism from President Klaus Iohannis, who called the measures adoption a day of mourning for the rule of law which has received a grave blow from the enemies of justice. It also drew criticism from chief judges and prosecutors, the anti-corruption agency and numerous civil society organisations. International reactions to the emergency laws have not been favourable, either. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said in a joint statement that they were following the latest developments in Romania with great concern and that the fight against corruption needed to be advanced in Romania, not undone. In an unprecedented move, six strategic allies of Romania the US, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium issued a joint statement calling for a repeal of the decree and underlining the importance of the fight against corruption. On Wednesday, February 1, crowds reached a staggering 150,000 protesters in Bucharest alone. It was the first time that violence occurred since the protests began, after hooligans allegedly infiltrated the demonstration and threw firecrackers and bottles at police. Twenty people were arrested, five were were taken to hospitals and treated for injuries. Al Jazeeras investigation The Lobby shows how weak Israeli propaganda actually is in the face of the BDS movement. The Al Jazeera Investigations expose of how the Israel lobby seeks to manipulate British politics has had a global reception far beyond the United Kingdom or the Arab world and revealed for the whole world to see the systemic plots by Israeli officials to sway European and of course American politics in directions that secure the interests of the settler colony. A six-month undercover investigation has revealed how Israel relentlessly penetrates different levels of British government and parliamentary democracy to safeguard its continued theft of Palestine with total impunity. In four consecutive episodes the world watches with incredulity how pro-Israel groups target the British youth, manipulate the open forums of a Labour Party Conference, and abuse the legitimate fear of anti-Semitism by deliberately conflating it with the equally legitimate critic of Zionism, and indeed plot to take down British politicians whom they deem critical of their armed robbery of Palestine. What does take down mean except target for character assassination anyone who dares to question Israel in any shape or form? A key finding of this important piece of investigative journalism is the Israeli propagandists deliberate conflation of the critic of Zionism with anti-Semitism in order to paralyse the critical discourse and put on the defensive the slightest defence of the inalienable rights of Palestinians to their lives, liberties, and homeland. The strategy has hitherto worked for the simple fact that it conceals a very simple truth: Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism for a very rudimentary reason not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews. There are Christian Zionists, and in fact even Muslim and Hindu Zionists. As we know only too well, Zionists not only tolerate but in fact embrace anti-Semitism if it serves their ideological purposes. There is enduring and sustained anti-Semitism in Europe and now particularly in the United States. That vintage European anti-Semitism, entirely dominant in Donald Trumps campaign, is now coupled with Islamophobia, and Jews and Muslims have united to oppose them both. Israel has absolutely not an iota of moral authority to carry the mantle of opposing anti-Semitism, while Zionist propaganda machineries are instrumental in promoting Islamophobia. Zionism is an outdated, flawed and defunct ideology, almost in precisely the same manner that militant Islamism as a political project is equally defunct, as are indeed Christian and Hindu fundamentalism, and now Buddhist nationalism targeting the Rohingya in Myanmar. Not a new tactic For those of us who have been the targets of such Zionist antics, of course there is nothing new in this Al Jazeera piece. We have lived these pernicious facts, endured their consequences, and triumphed in helping to sustain the legitimacy and nobility of the Palestinian cause. Long before this Al Jazeera piece on The Lobby, John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt did a similar expose in their pioneering essay The Israel Lobby (2002), for which they could not find a US publisher and they had to publish it four years later in London Review of Books. An extended version of that essay later appeared as a book in 2007. Whereas the primary site of Mearsheimer and Walts investigation and arguments was the US, the Al Jazeera investigation complements it by concentrating on the UK theatre of operation of the selfsame pernicious plotting against the democratic apparatus of a sovereign nation-state. OPINION: Anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism in British politics This Al Jazeera piece points towards a transformative moment in the continued struggles of Palestinians for their national sovereignty that must not be lost. The significance of this series is not in merely documenting a systematic attempt to subvert a sovereign nations democratic institutions. If we get to be too incensed and aghast at that preposterous fact, we will miss something far more important. A settler colony that amasses weapons of mass destruction, aided and abetted by the US and Europe, that engages in periodic incremental genocide of Palestinians as the prominent historian Ilan Pappe has aptly called the practice and that engages in a sustained course of state terrors, assassinations and kidnapping, of course will not shy away from a measly interference in British, US, or any other democratic process. Israeli governments have been taking down much more than British political figures for a long time. The BDS factor The lesson in these Al Jazeera revelations is something entirely different. The moral of the story is actually explained in two brief subplots before the actual narrative begins. Each episode begins with scenes of a series of military attacks on the Palestinian youth, before it cuts to scenes of massive peaceful protests by supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. The rest of each episode is then dedicated to outlining the manner in which the Israeli embassy, through one of its chief operatives, tries to manipulate British politics. The Al Jazeera piece ... is not an indication of how powerful the Israeli lobby is but, quite to the contrary, how weak, pathetic, wayward, ill-prepared and caught off-guard it is. by The significance of these episodes lies far more in the scenes showing the brutality of Israeli military occupation followed by scenes of those peaceful protests on behalf of the BDS movement than in the pernicious plots of the Israeli embassy. It is the peaceful, principled, unwavering, and now globally successful project of BDS that has scared the Hasbara propagandist witless. The Al Jazeera piece as a result is not an indication of how powerful the Israeli lobby is but, quite to the contrary, how weak, pathetic, wayward, ill-prepared and caught off-guard it is. The trouble with the Hasbara a Hebrew word for propaganda is the trouble with Israel. It is not prepared to deal with a non-violent struggle by ordinary people. It is only prepared to maim, murder, and steal other peoples land. A peaceful protest by defenceless people it simply does not know how to face. Precisely for that reason the future of Palestine is very clear: it belongs to Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and other Palestinians, entirely through and beyond their religious affiliations, gathering in a momentous historic rendezvous with one state apparatus for all its citizens. That beautiful prospect is not too far in our future. Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Trumps Muslim ban flies in the face of international law and treaties the US has ratified. The day after US President Donald Trump signed his now notorious Muslim ban, he spoke with Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel. Over the phone, she reportedly explained to Trump the United States obligations under international refugee law, which requires the international community to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds. Its hardly surprising that President Trump had to learn about the United States responsibilities towards refugees from a foreign head of state. But its clear that after only a week in office his administrations lack of familiarity with and respect for refugee and human rights law is already charting a dangerous course for the country and the world. While the exact scope and meaning of the executive order continues to be deciphered, on its face and as applied to date, Trumps order appears to violate several international treaties ratified by the US, some provisions of which have been incorporated into US law and cited as binding by the US Supreme Court. In particular, the order seems to fly in the face of the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees which updated the post-World War II Refugee Convention of 1951, and other international human rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, or national origin. Obligation to protect refugees One of the reasons international law is so valuable is because the international community of nations has developed it as protection against such abuses, both in our country and around the world, often in the name of national security. International law has learned from the past and made explicit that none of these violations can be excused by an appeal to national security, nor should they be permitted by an appeal to xenophobia. The United Nations Refugee Convention requires that the US provide protection and safe haven to those facing persecution. By shutting the door to refugee admissions, whether temporarily or indefinitely, Trumps order flagrantly violates that core obligation. This order also breaks with the long US tradition and history (with some abhorrent exceptions that should never be repeated) of opening its doors to refugees. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and International Migration Organization noted this proud tradition in a joint statement in reaction to the executive order. The long-standing US policy of welcoming refugees has created a win-win situation: it has saved the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world who have in turn enriched and strengthened their new societies, the statement read. The contribution of refugees and migrants to their new homes worldwide has been overwhelmingly positive. OPINION: Trumps Muslim ban is a dangerous distraction Article 3 of the Refugee Convention makes clear that all signatory states apply the provisions to refugees without discrimination as to race, religion or country of origin. In 1980, Congress enacted the Refugee Act to bring the US into conformity with these obligations after ratifying the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. The legislative and negotiating histories of the Refugee Convention further make clear that discrimination by contracting states against different groups of refugees is a direct violation of the treaty. While governments are responsible for designing their own refugee resettlement programmes, these programmes must conform to international obligations. They must select refugees for resettlement only on the basis of their needs, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or other related characteristics. While the Convention allows exclusion of certain persons from refugee protection for example, if they committed war crimes this exclusion is determined on a case-by-case basis and certainly does not allow any sort of blanket ban against a group of people or nationality. By halting admission of refugees from Syria, Trump has carved out an impermissible exception to a key US treaty obligation for a vulnerable community, one based solely on that communitys country of origin. This is a clear violation of the Refugee Convention. The national security argument President Trump has further publicly and falsely stated that his order will protect our national security. But the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, acknowledging states legitimate interests in maintaining public security and combating terrorism, has warned against the effects of making exceptions, or, in his words, the erosion of long-standing refugee protection principles. The most fundamental refugee legal principle incorporated into the Refugee Convention and obligatory even outside Convention ratification, is that of non-refoulement or not returning someone to a place where they are likely to be subjected to persecution. This principle is widely understood to be an essential component of international refugee protection and is echoed in another core human rights treaty to which the US is a state party, the Convention Against Torture (PDF). While the order doesn't bar all Muslims from entering the US, barring immigration entry from seven majority-Muslim countries, especially when paired with his national security team's record of Islamophobia, leaves no doubt that Muslims are the target of this order. by Our core obligations under international law cannot be disposed of in times of real or, in this case, perceived political or national security crises. To the contrary, it is in times of alarm, when governments are tempted to bow to their fears, that sticking to our core obligations and maintaining strong American leadership on the international stage is most important. While Trumps order places a moratorium on refugee admissions and an indefinite halt on resettling refugees from Syria, the order leaves an exception for religious minorities. And while the orders language is neutral, the president stated in a recent interview with the Christian Broadcasting Company that he wants to provide priority to Christian refugees. While the order doesnt bar all Muslims from entering the US, barring immigration entry from seven majority-Muslim countries, especially when paired with his national security teams record of Islamophobia, leaves no doubt that Muslims are the target of this order. Racial profiling But President Trumps un-American and unconstitutional action doesnt just violate the Refugee Convention it flies in the face of other sources of international law that bind us. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, or ICERD, to which the US is bound, requires states parties to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law. US violations of this treaty precede the Trump administration, and have already been so flagrant and obvious that nearly identical concerns were addressed by the ICERDs committee after 9/11. The Committee expressed concern at the US governments discriminatory anti-terrorism measures and remarked that measures taken in the fight against terrorism must not discriminate, in purpose or effect, on the grounds of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. In 2008, the Committee specifically addressed the US governments racial profiling of Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians after the 9/11 attacks and the development of the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System for nationals of 25 countries, all located in the Middle East, South Asia or North Africa. It observed that measures taken in the fight against terrorism must not discriminate, in purpose or effect, on the grounds of race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. Aside from the institutionalised discrimination of Trumps Muslim ban, there is growing concern that it could be applied by border officials to sanction discriminatory questioning, profiling, and treatment of Muslim, South Asian, and Arab citizens and non-citizens at airports and elsewhere. Discrimination of the vulnerable The executive order also contravenes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), another treaty to which the US is a state party. Article 26 of the ICCPR requires equal treatment before the law of all persons, without discrimination on any ground, including race, religion, or national or social origin. Article 4 of the ICCPR notes that even in a time of public emergency which threatens the life of the nation, states cannot take any action to stray from their obligations that involve discrimination solely on the ground of race, colour, sex, language, religion or social origin. Trumps executive order further violates the ICCPRs prohibition against discrimination and equal protection before the law. The order is clearly discriminatory, requiring separate and unfair treatment of entire groups of people based on their national origin, Muslims in particular. The Trump executive order not only denies individuals an opportunity for individualised review, but it has also resulted in the detention, denial of counsel, and removal of individuals with prior authorisation to enter the US. Under human rights law, people are guaranteed an opportunity to adequately defend against deportation, especially under the ICCPR and Convention Against Torture. The UNs Human Rights Committee, charged with monitoring compliance with the ICCPR, has already concluded that xenophobia against non-nationals, particularly migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, constitutes one of the main sources of contemporary racism and that human rights violations against members of such groups occur widely in the context of discriminatory, xenophobic and racist practices. The international community has seen this before, and it has wisely created mechanisms to stop history from repeating itself. The highest UN refugee officials have issued statements in recent years, anticipating and proscribing actions such as Trumps. After 9/11, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees stressed that [a]ny discussion on security safeguards should start from the assumption that refugees are themselves escaping persecution and violence, including terrorist acts, and are not the perpetrators of such acts. More recently, in response to the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, the High Commissioner expressed concern about states ending refugee resettlement programs or making refugee resettlement harder. We are deeply disturbed by language that demonises refugees as a group, the High Commissioners spokeswoman said. This is dangerous as it will contribute to xenophobia and fear. READ MORE: Stranded nowhere to go after Trumps Muslim ban Just this week, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi expressed deep concern about the uncertainty facing thousands of refugees around the world who are in the process of being resettled to the United States. He estimated that 20,000 refugees in precarious circumstances might have been resettled to the US during the 120 days covered by the suspension. He noted that the people his agency refers to governments for resettlement are the most vulnerable such as people needing urgent medical assistance, survivors of torture, and women and girls at risk and that new homes provided by resettlement countries are life-saving for people who have no other options. Reciprocal measures Meanwhile, in mere days since the order was signed, many countries are considering taking reciprocal measures against US citizens. Trumps measure may likely further endanger the religious minorities he purports to defend. International companies, academic institutions, and even the international air transport association have raised serious concerns regarding the detrimental impact of the order on their staff and ability to conduct business. Even Trumps own employees took a bold and public stance against the ban. Trumps Muslim ban has enraged world leaders and was condemned by UN officials. The new secretary general of the UN, Antonio Guterres, said that Trumps executive actions violate our basic principles [and] are not effective if the objective is to indeed avoid terrorists to enter the United States. And on Wednesday, several UN human rights experts issued a joint statement blasting Trumps immigration ban as discriminatory and in violation of US human rights obligations. It shouldnt take the chancellor of another country or the top refugee and human rights officials in the world to tell President Trump that fear and xenophobia are no excuse for discrimination. But if he wont listen to the UN or Chancellor Merkel or concerned companies, academic institutions, transport associations, human rights organisations, and over 100 diplomats, maybe he should listen to former US President Ronald Reagan, supposedly a hero of his. In 1980, a year after the Refugee Act was signed into law, the new president, just a few months into his presidency, re-affirmed the US commitment to welcome the exiled. We shall continue Americas tradition as a land that welcomes peoples from other countries, he said. We shall also, with other countries, continue to share in the responsibility of welcoming and resettling those who flee oppression. For once, Trump should listen, and heed the Gippers words. Jamil Dakwar is the director of the American Civil Liberties Unions Human Rights Program and adjunct lecturer at John Jay College at the City University of New York. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. What lies beyond the official welcoming rhetoric directed at Muslim communities in Canada? The Quebec City mosque shooting took place in the immediate aftermath of US President Donald Trumps executive order to put a 90-day hold on travellers from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen and a four-month ban on refugees. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was quick to call the attack a terrorist act. His words were an important discursive reversal from the usual tendency to apply the terrorism label only to acts of terror committed by Muslims. But the transformative potential of Trudeaus calling the attack a despicable act of terror was somewhat compromised by him also labelling the act as senseless. Trumps spokesperson was quick to pick up on this word choice and also call the shooting a senseless act of violence, while also using the incident in a bizarre attempt to defend Trumps executive order as a way of being ahead of threats. The use of the word senseless, which suggests an unconscious action lacking purpose, brings to mind an all too familiar inclination of failing to recognise the consequences of racism and prejudice when they become translated into a violent action. That act of violence is thus no longer the product of sustained and systemic racism but of a random and arbitrary impulse. But the attack on Friday was not an isolated, random or senseless event. It was the product of growing Islamophobia in Canada and the rise of hate speech and hate crimes. The existence and persistence of these hateful attitudes has been glossed over by the traditional liberal rhetoric of Canadian politics which presents the authorities as welcoming diversity and accommodating it. The reasonable accommodation debate Instead of rejecting Arabs and Muslims outright, in Quebec one could hear a welcoming rhetoric that at the same time calls for accommodation that is to say the assimilation into a civilised sophisticated way of life and the abandonment of what is perceived as backward ways of life. Reasonable accommodation is a term which refers to changes within a reasonable scope which institutions can undertake to accommodate minorities. The 2007 reasonable accommodation debate in Quebec revealed that the most problematic cultural practices for the Quebecois were those of Muslims. In February 2007, Quebec Premier Jean Charest announced the establishment of the Consultation Commission on Accommodation Practices Related to Cultural Differences to conduct public consultation and formulate policy recommendations to the government regarding ethnocultural diversity. We must recognise the institutionalisation of racism through the enactment of discriminatory policies. by The commission was led by two white male academics, Gerard Bouchard and Charles Taylor, who then submitted a report with their recommendations to the government. It is important to note that the commission completely dismissed First Nations issues, pointing to legislation which posits that indigenous affairs need to be discussed among nations. Acknowledging them would have undermined the entire idea of the white majority as a host society choosing which new immigrants to welcome, and would certainly have destabilised the foundations of white Quebec nationalism. OPINION: Why the Quebec mosque shooting happened These events were immediately preceded by a few highly publicised accommodation cases, which served as justifications for holding a public debate on the limits of accommodation to immigrants. The term crisis was widely used to describe the uproar and heated (and at times racist) citizen testimonies of the public hearings, which were broadcast on a number of television stations. This type of liberal welcoming discourse is well entrenched in Canadian political rhetoric. Revealed during the reasonable accommodation debate, it continues to this day through the welcoming words of Premier Philippe Couillard and Prime Minister Trudeau. They informed Muslims after the mosque attack that this is your home, once again positioning one type of citizen as de facto entitled to unquestionable citizenship, and another as needing to be reassured about their belonging to the nation. Beyond accommodation Acts of intolerance and vandalism have not been infrequent in Quebec but have never drawn much attention. These have included: moral panic over cabanes a sucre (sugar shacks) removing pork from the traditional dishes for Muslims; anti-Muslim graffiti at a Muslim school in Montreal; and a pigs head perched at the entrance of the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec during the holy month of Ramadan last summer. The question of not accommodating veiling has been at the centre of Quebec public attention. The Parti Quebecois Charter of Values proposed as a bill during its mandate in the regional government would have included the restriction of religious symbols for public employees and was largely aimed at the hijab head-covering, with great discussions of the need to ban face-covering, or niqab, only worn by a small fraction of Muslim women in Canada. The fixation on veiling is not unique to Quebec; it has historically appeared in political and media discourse in Europe and in the United States as a major topic of contention. In Quebec, the leader of Coalition Avenir Quebec Francois Legault called for the ban of the burkini at the time of the burkini controversy in France last summer. Beyond the borders of Quebec, Muslim communities across Canada have been under pressure since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US and the passing of the anti-terror Bill C-51. This law has been criticised for infringing on civil liberties and rights of targeted populations and suspected terrorists in the name of security; unsurprisingly, those targeted by the bill are not white supremacists, but Muslims. OPINION: Trumps Muslim ban is a dangerous distraction Trudeau might have made it a point to use welcoming refugees as a PR stunt, but the truth is that Canada only ranks 38th in the world in terms of the number of refugees per capita it recognised last year. All of them, of course, go through rigorous vetting before entering Canada. If designated as irregular arrivals, refugees have been jailed in facilities or maximum security prisons. At the discursive level, Quebec and Canada have made progress in terms of celebrating diversity, the respect of difference, and the inclusion of the right to religious freedom. Also, the security measures which are taken at the moment to protect mosques, Islamic schools and centres are important to preserve the safety of Muslims in Canada. But beyond these measures, we must recognise the institutionalisation of racism through the enactment of discriminatory policies. Hate speech and hate crimes must be consistently penalised to avoid providing a covert licence to those who want to carry out acts of terror which reify the dehumanisation of Muslim communities. Kenza Oumlil is Assistant Professor in Communication and Gender at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco. She holds a PhD in Communication from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. US military says civilians likely caught up in gunfire in Bayda province, but stays mum on death of American girl. Civilians were likely to have been killed in a US commando raid in Yemen over the weekend and children may have been among the dead, the US militarys Central Command (CENTCOM) said. A team designated by the operational task force commander has concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely to have been killed in the midst of a firefight during a raid in Yemen on January 29. Casualties may include children, CENTCOM said in a statement late on Wednesday. Yemeni officials had previously said 16 civilians eight women and eight children were killed in the raid in the southern province of al-Bayda, but CENTCOM did not provide any numbers. The civilian deaths appear to have occurred when US aircraft were called to help the commandos as they conducted the dawn raid that US officials said killed 14 members of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The known possible civilian casualties appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist US forces in contact against a determined enemy that included armed women firing from prepared fighting positions, and US special operations members receiving fire from all sides to include houses and other buildings, the statement added. Officials were conducting an ongoing credibility assessment to see if there may have been additional civilian casualties in the intense firefight, it said. Since the January 29 raid, Washington has faced questions as to whether an eight-year-old American girl was killed during the firefight. Local sources have said the girl was the daughter of senior al-Qaeda cleric and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 US drone strike. CENTCOM was mum about the girls death. In a report released shortly after the attack, the International Crisis Group said that al-Qaedas branch in Yemen could benefit from the deadly raid and is stronger than it ever has been. READ MORE: Yemeni civilians killed in first US raid under Trump The first military actions by the Trump administration in Yemen bode poorly for the prospect of smartly and effectively countering AQAP, the report said. The think-tank warned strikes like the January 29 raid on Bayda province could increase fear of or even hostility towards the US among civilians, providing fertile ground for recruitment by AQAP. The use of US soldiers, high civilian casualties and disregard for local tribal and political dynamics plays into AQAPs narrative of defending Muslims against the West and could increase anti-US sentiment and with it AQAPs pool of recruits, said the Brussels-based ICG. The January 29 raid against AQAP initially garnered attention because a Navy SEAL was also killed and several more wounded in what marked the first operation of its kind authorised by President Donald Trump. This will put more pressure on the administration to be more engaged positively with its allies in the region, including the Yemeni government, Mahjoob Zweiri, Middle East history professor at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera. [The US has] to prove the government in Washington is sincere in fighting terror. Al Jazeera denies charges against Mahmoud Hussein and calls for his release as detention is extended for third time. Egypt has for the third time extended the detention of an Al Jazeera journalist and referred him to the Giza Criminal Court. Egyptian authorities extended on Wednesday Mahmoud Husseins detention by four days, meaning he will be held for at least 48 days in total. Hussein, an Egyptian national and journalist with more than two decades of experience, was arrested on December 20 after arriving at Cairos international airport for a holiday. On January 4 and 19, when his detention was due to expire, authorities extended his arrest for a period of 15 days pending a further investigation. Five days after his initial arrest, Egypts interior ministry accused him of incitement against state institutions and broadcasting false news with the aim of spreading chaos. Al Jazeera rejects the charges against Hussein and calls on Egypt to release him immediately . Al Jazeera deems all accusations against Hussein, including those which might be added later to the current allegations, to be a result of practices which violate international norms and conventions, and which, unfortunately, prevail in Egypt as exposed by human rights organisations, the network has said in a statement. READ MORE: Mahmoud Hussein Freedom of expression is valuable Hussein, who lives in Qatars capital, Doha, joined Al Jazeera in Egypt in 2011. He had moved to the networks headquarters in Qatar in 2013. The journalists defence team said on Monday that Egyptian authorities denied him the right to contact his lawyers and see his family members. Hussein has complained of suffering constant mistreatment, being denied his legal rights, and being kept in an individual cell that does not permit the entry of food or clothing. READ MORE: Groups call for release of Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Hussein Commenting on Husseins arrest, the United Nations has previously called on the Egyptian authorities to comply with their commitments to protect freedom of expression. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said the world body has been following the latest developments in Husseins case. We appeal for this case to be resolved in accordance with Egypts own international obligations to protect freedom of expression and freedom of opinion, he said in a press briefing statement on January 6. Nationalists mull second poll on independence in response to UK parliamentary vote for Brexit but face stern opposition. Scottish nationalist politicians have reacted angrily after a senior British minister said the UK would not support a second independence referendum. In an interview with Scottish newspaper The Herald on Wednesday, Britains Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said nationalists could forget about UK help for another vote. Calls for a second referendum over Scottish independence have increased since Scotland, unlike England, voted to remain in the European Union by a margin of 62 percent to 38. [Nicola Sturgeon] has to respect the decision of Scotland to stay inside the UK in 2014 and the decision of the UK to leave the EU, he said, referring to the Scottish National Party (SNP) leader, who is also First Minister in Scotlands devolved parliament. Tensions have come to a head as the UK presses forward with a hard exit from the EU, with MPs on Wednesday overwhelmingly voting to initiate Brexit. While Scotland voted to remain in the EU, that was not enough to sway the overall UK vote to leave. The SNP has made continued membership of the EU, particularly its single market, one of their flagship policies. Its leaders have threatened another independence vote to ensure that Scotland remains. Fallons comments drew angry rebukes from senior Scottish politicians, including Sturgeon. READ MORE: Can Nicola Sturgeon turn Brexit into an opportunity? The arrogance of the Tories knows no bounds, a spokesperson for Sturgeon said on Thursday, using another name for the ruling Conservative party. Not content with trying to drag us out of EU against our will, with the support of just one MP out of 59 in Scotland, they are now suggesting they might try to block the nations right to choose a different path. Any Tory bid to block a referendum would be a democratic outrage, but would only succeed in boosting support for both a referendum and for independence itself. While the SNP has strongly opposed Brexit, polls on whether Scotland should leave the United Kingdom have not shifted after the result of the EU referendum last year; a majority still stand against Scottish independence. The University of Edinburghs Alan Convery, a specialist in UK and Scottish politics, said time was running out for Sturgeon and the SNP to drum up support for independence. This is precisely the type of Brexit that Nicola Sturgeon said she wanted to avoid, he told Al Jazeera, referring to British Prime Minister Theresa Mays plan for a clean break with the EU, including leaving the single market. The First Minister therefore has a very difficult decision to make about whether to pull the trigger for a second referendum. The opinion polls have not shifted markedly in her favour, but the Brexit timetable is marching on. A spokeswoman for May, meanwhile, said on Thursday that the 2014 Scottish referendum was legal, fair and decisive. May has repeatedly said she sees no need for a second vote. Rights groups urge Canada to lift cap on refugee sponsorship after US bars entry to refugees and immigrants. Toronto, Canada Canada has said it will not boost its refugee intake in 2017, despite widespread calls for Ottawa to take action to counter US President Donald Trumps executive order barring entry to refugees and immigrants from seven countries in the Middle East and Africa. Canada plans to resettle 40,000 refugees and protected persons in the country this year, both through government support and private sponsorship. Our immigration levels plan has an allocation that is historically high for refugees, said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen earlier this week. We intend to maintain that plan. But human rights groups and refugee advocates are calling on Canada to lift its cap on refugee sponsorship in 2017, especially in light of curbs to immigration south of the border. Syrian refugees in limbo after Trumps travel ban Passed last Friday, Trumps executive order blocks immigration from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan and Somalia for 90 days, suspends the US refugee programme for 120 days, and indefinitely bars Syrian refugees from being resettled until such a time that is consistent with the national interest. The so-called Muslim ban has stranded travellers and visa- and green card-holders, and separated families. Theres obviously a very immediate and urgent concern that hundreds or even thousands of refugees have suddenly been left in the lurch, individuals who thought they were well on their way to being resettled in the United States, said Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada. Canada is very well placed to step in and ensure that another avenue to safety opens, Neve told Al Jazeera. Over the weekend, as confusion reigned in airports around the world, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was praised after he tweeted: To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada. But Canada has already reached its cap of 1,000 new private sponsorship applications for Syrian and Iraqi refugees this year and the government does not plan to lift it. READ MORE: Meet Syrian refugees and their Canadian sponsors Private sponsorship allows local organisations that hold agreements with the government to resettle refugees. These groups are responsible for the familys needs during their first year in Canada. The government said it would grant temporary resident visas to anyone with a valid US visa who was stranded in Canada as a result of the executive order. And Hussen said Ottawa has received assurances from the White House and other US authorities that Canadian citizens, Canadian dual citizens, and permanent residents with valid permanent resident cards continue to have access to the United States and are not affected by Trumps executive order. Syrian family decries Trumps ban on refugees But pressure is mounting on Ottawa to do more. Among the calls for action, human rights groups are pushing Canada to lift the Safe Third Country Agreement. The agreement blocks asylum seekers who first land in the US from making an asylum application in Canada, save for a few exceptions, on the basis that the US is a safe country for refugees. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association said the agreement should be suspended because it does not consider the US at this current time to be a safe third country'. But Hussen, the immigration minister, said this week that the conditions of that agreement continue to be met. READ MORE: 2016: The year the world stopped caring about refugees Meanwhile, the New Democratic Party called for an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday to discuss Canadas response. The party has called on Ottawa to lift the Safe Third Country Agreement and the cap on refugee resettlement, and fast-track refugee applications from the US. There is no question that this ban promotes hate and intolerance. This ban will have a disastrous effect for thousands of innocent travellers and refugees, said Jenny Kwan, a parliament member and the NDPs immigration critic. Canadians have also shown vocal opposition to the ban. Hundreds of people rallied in front of the US Consulate in downtown Toronto on Monday, chanting: No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here!. Trump claims that we need an extreme vetting process, which is kind of a ridiculous statement to me, because the vetting process for refugees and green card holders is extremely rigorous to begin with, said John Park, a US citizen who said he saw how difficult the process was for his wife to get a green card. To say that you need even more vetting is absolutely a red herring that Trump is appealing to peoples worst instincts. He is trying to make people think that refugees and foreigners are causing problems and thats absolutely false. Anne Rubenstein, a history professor at York University in Toronto who took part in the protest, said she was so outraged [she] can barely find the words. As Jews, we understand that banning people from a country because of their race and religion never ends well, Rubenstein told Al Jazeera. I hope we shut the consulate down here and I hope it stays shut down until they reverse this idiotic, appalling and illegal executive order. Im disgusted, and I say that as a US citizen, as a Jew, and as a historian. Philippine leader says he will ask military to help in anti-drug war as rights group reveals police abuses. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared that the countrys drug problem has become a national security threat, and that he intends to issue an official order directing the military to help in his campaign. Duterte said on Thursday that he does not intend to declare martial law, but added that his controversial war against illegal drugs will continue. Im taking in the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and raising the issue of drugs as a national security threat so that I will call on all the armed forces to assist, he said in a speech broadcast online from his hometown of Davao City. Referring to suspected drug criminals, he said in a mix of Filipino and English: You bleed for those sons of a b****es. How many? Three thousand? I will kill more if only to get rid of drugs. READ MORE: Philippines army may now join Dutertes war on drugs Duterte made the statement after the Philippine defence ministry urged him on Wednesday to call on the military for help in going after drug criminals and corrupt police officers. The Philippine police, the countrys main law enforcer, earlier said that it would suspend its anti-drug campaign and cleanse its ranks, after it was revealed that some of its officers were carrying out kidnap-for-ransom operations using the drug war as a cover. Jee Ick-joo, a South Korean businessman living in the Philippines, was among those who fell victim to the police syndicate. His murder inside Philippine police headquarters in Manila triggered a congressional investigation causing international embarrassment for Duterte. On Monday, Duterte lashed out at the police, telling them: You are corrupt to the core. It is in your system. As of January 31, there have been 7,080 people killed during the first seven months of the Duterte presidency, according to the police. Of that number, 2,555 were killed in police operations, while 3,603 others were killed by unknown suspects. Economy of murder On Wednesday, Amnesty International Philippines reported that police officers were being paid by the government for killing drug suspects. This is not a war on drugs, but a war on the poor. Often on the flimsiest of evidence, people accused of using or selling drugs are being killed for cash in an economy of murder, said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty Internationals Crisis Response Director. The Amnesty International investigation documented at least 33 cases involving the killings of 59 people. A previous Al Jazeera investigation also revealed that police officers were involved in attempted killings of unarmed drug suspects who had already surrendered to authorities. But in his speech on Thursday, Duterte was adamant, saying that even US President Donald Trump supports his policy, repeating the details of his conversation with the American leader in December. He has previously said that his war on drugs would continue until the end of his term in 2022. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned against the militarisation of Dutertes drug war. Using military personnel for civilian policing anywhere heightens the risk of unnecessary or excessive force and inappropriate military tactics, Phelim Kine, HRW deputy director, said in a statement to Al Jazeera. Kine said there is also a deeply rooted culture of impunity for military abuses in the Philippines, and that the militarys long history of masking extrajudicial killings of suspected communist rebels has sinister parallels with police anti-drug operations. Visa waiver policy for Georgian citizens expected by March as proposal overcomes last hurdle. The European Parliament has approved a proposal on visa liberalisation for Georgia, allowing conditional visa-free travel for citizens of the small post-Soviet country. The policy, which has a snap-back mechanism in case of mass violation of terms, was approved on Thursday with 553 votes in favour, 66 against and 28 abstentions. The short-term travel visa waiver expected to come into force in late March following formal approval by the European Council applies to the Schengen area, which includes 26 countries. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the countrys prime minister, called it a truly historic day, expressing gratitude to the EU. He also said the government was convinced that Georgians would show exceptional responsibility in accepting this milestone result and achievement, and will scrupulously observe the laws of host countries. Indeed, today marks Georgias great success! Todays decision will prove that Georgias policy on drawing closer to the European Union brings tangible results for every Georgian citizen, Kvirikashvili said on Twitter. Georgia, with only 3.7 million citizens, will lose visa exemption for nine months if its citizens suddenly start making many more asylum requests; stay in the bloc for longer than 90 days at a time; or cause a substantial increase in the risk to public policy or internal security. If problems persist, the bloc would be able to extend the suspension for another 18 months in a more complex procedure that would also give the European Parliament a say. READ MORE: Georgias EU alignment Regional repercussions Georgia sees visa-free travel to the EU as part of a geopolitical tussle with Russia over the ex-Soviet states Western aspirations, which Moscow opposes. The republic was at the heart of international tensions in 2008 when a five-day war between Tbilisi and Moscow in August led to the previous sharp decline in ties between Russia and the West. The prospect of easier travel to Europe has been used by the pro-Western government in Tbilisi to win popular backing for painful EU-sponsored reforms. The EU-Georgia talks on visa liberalisation started in June 2012. Tehran will not yield to useless threats from an inexperienced person over missile programme, official says. Iran has rejected a warning from US President Donald Trumps administration over its latest missile test as unfounded. Bahram Ghasemi, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying on Thursday by state news agency IRNA that the claims were baseless, repetitive and provocative. Instead of thanking Iran for its continued fight against terrorism the American government is practically helping the terrorists by claims about Iran that are baseless, repetitive and provocative, he said. Also on Thursday, a top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would not yield to useless US threats from an inexperienced person over its ballistic missile programme. This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless, Ali Akbar Velayati said, without identifying any US official specifically in his comments. Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself, he was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency. READ MORE: Irans missiles How big a threat to regional rivals? President Donald Trump himself tweeted earlier on Thursday that the Islamic republic was now formally on notice after Sundays missile test. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them! Trump tweeted, echoing similar comments by National Security Adviser Michael Flynn on Wednesday. Later on Thursday, responding to a question about whether he would consider military options to respond to Iran, Trump told reporters nothing is off the table. The White House said Irans action would not go unresponded to. We will have further updates for you on those additional actions, but clearly (national security adviser Michael Flynn) warned to make sure that Iran understood that they are on notice that this is not going unresponded to, said Sean Spicer, the White House spokesman. The nuclear deal Trump was referring to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers that took effect in January 2016, lifting international sanctions in return for curbs on Irans atomic programme. Flynn insisted that the missile test was in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls on Iran not to test missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Iran confirmed on Wednesday that it had tested a ballistic missile, but denied that it had violated the terms of the nuclear deal. Tehran has said its missiles do not breach UN resolutions because they are for defence purposes only and are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. Violent protests erupted on Wednesday at the University of California at Berkeley over the scheduled appearance of a controversial editor of the conservative news website Breitbart. Hundreds of students and other protesters chanting shut him down, smashed windows at the campus, set wooden pallets on fire and threw fireworks and rocks as police in full riot gear responded with tear gas. The university was placed on lockdown as the sold-out appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative firebrand, was cancelled early in the evening. Yiannopoulos, who is technology editor for the news website, is known for his provocative social media posts and was banned from Twitter in July for fueling abuse directed at Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones. The British journalist is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump nicknaming the US president Daddy during his election campaign and has become one of the faces of Americas alt-right movement. Al Jazeeras Rob Reynolds, reporting from Los Angeles, said that it is an extreme pushback by liberals in the US against right-wing figures. It should also be noted that Berkeley has a centre of protest dated back to the Vietnam war, so its not surprising that he wont be a welcomed figure, he said. He was invited by the campus Republican club, but he has now cancelled his speech for security reasons, as fire was set at the university. Similar protests at the University of California at Davis last month also forced the cancellation of speeches by Yiannopoulos and former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli. READ MORE: Sexual assault in the time of Trump The events at Davis and Berkeley were organised by conservative student groups. A similar invitation to speak at UCLA was rescinded and Berkeley was to be the last stop of Yiannopoulos tour. Officials at the three University of California campuses stressed that they did not invite Yiannopoulos or endorse his ideas but were committed to free speech. More than 100 UC Berkeley faculty members had signed two letters sent last month to the schools chancellor, urging him to cancel the event. Although we object strenuously to Yiannopoulos views he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event, read one of the letters. They cited as one example an incident in December at the University of Milwaukee where Yiannopoulos a gay crusader against political correctness openly mocked a transgender student, displaying her name and photo on screen. Governor cuts funding to law enforcement to penalise Austin, a sanctuary city offering safety to the undocumented. Texas, US Hundreds of protesters took to the Texas capital on Thursday to rally against the halting of more than a million dollars towards law enforcement. Earlier, Governor Greg Abbott kept to his promise to withhold $1.5m from Travis Countys law enforcement in an effort to penalise Austins sanctuary city status. Sanctuary cities in general offer safety to undocumented migrants and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Sanctuary city is not an official designation. Now, Texas politicians are discussing Senate Bill 4, which aims to cut funding and impose other consequences on cities that provide safe harbour to the undocumented. When I came in, there was a long line to sign up to testify in support of Austins sanctuary city status its a lot of people, Cristina Parker, immigration programmes director at the civil rights group Grassroots Leadership, told Al Jazeera. Parker explained that Abbotts decision was viewed negatively by the community. We all rally around law enforcement. We dont see any reason behind cutting their funding, she said. It doesnt make any sense. Questionable legality But community concerns do not end there. Texas legislators added other amendments to the anti-sanctuary city bill on Wednesday. These include a provision that requires authorities to cooperate with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency responsible for deportations. ICE often issues a written request to local law enforcement agencies to detain an individual they suspect of being in the United States without legal status for 48 hours. However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups have called attention to the fact that these requests, known as detainers, have been found to be in violation of the US Constitutions Fourth Amendment which requires due process of the law. READ MORE: Undocumented immigrants face deportation under Trump A 2014 memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security admitted that ICEs detainers were legally questionable. Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez ordered her officers not to enforce these detainers, which prompted the protest. Robert Painter, a lawyer and interim executive director of American Gateways, an organisation that provides low-cost legal help to refugees and immigrants fleeing violence and persecution, echoed these concerns. Theres no court warrant behind it. Often theres not a lot of hard evidence behind it. Detainers arent legally binding, Painter told Al Jazeera. If local law enforcement adheres to this request and holds someone for 48 hours, theyre violating constitutional law. Another amendment states that if an undocumented person convicted of a Class B misdemeanour or higher is then released and goes on to commit a felony, the person harmed by the said felony can sue the city or municipality. This measure raised further concerns around discrimination. As far as I know, theres no law in Texas that allows cities to be sued for the illegal actions of US citizens, Painter commented. A different sense of urgency Al Jazeera contacted Abbotts office for comment on these concerns but did not receive a reply. Immigrants in Austin who seek to become legal residents face a long road. The nearest immigration court is in San Antonio, more than 120 kilometres away, and the majority of current cases will not be heard until November 2019, Painter explained. A two-year wait amid a hostile state and national government leaves vulnerable migrants in fear, Parker said. OPINION: Immigration should not divide black and Latinx people The protests in Austin come as US President Donald Trump continues to target the undocumented, threatening to deport them, and boasting about the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico to stem migration. But according to Parker, this has given vigour to the movement to protect the undocumented. Theres a lot more energy. I credit that with Trump supplying more fear. People feel a different sense of urgency, she concluded. Follow Creede on Twitter: @creedenewton Florin Jianu quits after 250,000 Romanians join rallies in towns and cities calling on the government to resign. Romanias business and trade minister has resigned over a government decree decriminalising several graft offences that triggered nationwide protests. Florin Jianu, minister of business, trade and entrepreneurship, announced his resignation on Thursday, calling it an ethical decision. Not for my professional honesty, my conscience is clean on that front, but for my child, he wrote on Facebook. Am I going to tell him his father was a coward and supported actions he does not believe in, or that he chose to walk away from a story that isnt his? READ MORE: Romania Keep the corrupt in jail, where they belong The decree was adopted by the cabinet late on Tuesday evening, barely a month since the Social Democrat-led government of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu took power. Romanias top judicial watchdog has filed a constitutional court challenge to the decree, which will take effect in 10 days unless blocked by a court ruling. Grindeanu showed no sign of giving ground, sending a letter on Wednesday to European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker explaining why his cabinet chose to pass the decree and a draft bill granting prison pardons for several offences. The government said it was designed to ease prison overcrowding and bring the criminal code into line with recent constitutional court rulings. Juncker on Wednesday said he was watching developments with great concern, warning that the fight against corruption in Romania needs to be advanced, not undone. READ MORE: Bucharest Thousands protest decriminalising corruption Six western states including Germany and the US have also criticised the government. The Social Democrats are testing how far they can go, Laura Stefan, an anti-corruption legal expert said. If we accept they can approve emergency decrees untransparently, then tomorrow they will adopt others and so on. We will wake up without institutions overnight. Protests were set to continue on Thursday in the capital Bucharest and dozens of cities across the European Union state, where a crackdown on corruption over the past four years has uncovered myriad conflicts of interest and a pattern of local officials handing out state-funded contracts in exchange for bribes. Hundreds of thousands rally as Sorin Grindeanu says government to press ahead with decree decriminalising corruption. More than 200,000 Romanians across the country protested for a third straight day as the prime minister refused to squash a decree that decriminalises a range of corruption offences. Thursdays protests were among the biggest rallies in Romania since the end of communism in the late 1980s. Many shouted Thieves! and called on the government to resign. Earlier, after a meeting in Bucharest of his ruling Social Democrats, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said: We took a decision in the government and we are going to press ahead. His defiant remarks came after the countrys business and trade minister resigned over the decree. Passed late on Tuesday, the decree decriminalises certain corruption offences and makes abuse of power punishable by jail only if the sums involved exceed 44,000 euros ($47,500). Florin Jianu, minister of business, trade and entrepreneurship, called his resignation an ethical decision. Not for my professional honesty, my conscience is clean on that front, but for my child, he wrote on Facebook. Am I going to tell him his father was a coward and supported actions he does not believe in, or that he chose to walk away from a story that isnt his? IN PICTURES: Protests surge as Romania decriminalises corruption According to local media, more than 200,000 people continued the protest on Thursday in the capital and dozens of cities across the European Union state, where a crackdown on corruption over the past four years has uncovered myriad conflicts of interest and a pattern of local officials handing out state-funded contracts in exchange for bribes. A day earlier, some 250,000 people protested, with the majority taking to Bucharests streets to decry the decree. The recent decree was adopted barely a month since the Social Democrat-led government of Grindeanu took power. OPINION: Romania Keep the corrupt in jail, where they belong Romanias top judicial watchdog has filed a constitutional court challenge to the decree, which will take effect in 10 days unless blocked by a court ruling. Grindeanu sent a letter on Wednesday to European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker explaining why his cabinet chose to pass the decree and a draft bill granting prison pardons for several offences. The government said it was designed to ease prison overcrowding and bring the criminal code into line with recent constitutional court rulings. READ MORE: Bucharest Thousands protest decriminalising corruption Juncker on Wednesday said he was watching developments with great concern, warning that the fight against corruption in Romania needs to be advanced, not undone. Six western states including Germany and the US have also criticised the government. The Social Democrats are testing how far they can go, Laura Stefan, an anti-corruption legal expert said. If we accept they can approve emergency decrees untransparently, then tomorrow they will adopt others and so on. We will wake up without institutions overnight. Mass gathering in Montreal to mourn three of the six Muslim men killed at a mosque in Quebec City. Thousands of people have gathered in Montreal to mourn and honour the memory of three of the six Muslim men who were killed as they prayed at a mosque in Quebec City on Sunday evening. The families of Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane and Aboubaker Thabti were joined by members of the public, Muslim religious leaders, and political figures in Quebec, during a public funeral service on Thursday afternoon. Belkacemi, Hassane and Thabtis caskets were on display at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, draped in the flags of Tunisia and Algeria, the mens countries of origin. Their bodies will be repatriated to their home countries for burial. We are here together to mourn the loss of Canadians who tragically left us last Sunday. They leave behind beloved families, friends, colleagues, and a sense of emptiness in this country, said Chayma BenHaj, who presided over the funeral. Quebec mosque shooting puts islamophobia in focus Through death, these brave men united people from different nationalities, colours, genders and religions. They united all of Canada. Today, it is with solidarity, compassion, and love that we cry the loss of these fathers, BenHaj said. Thabti, Hassane and Belkacemi were killed when a gunman opened fire in a prayer room at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City on Sunday. In total, six men were killed, and more than eight others were seriously injured in the attack. Originally from Tunisia, Thabti, 44, was a pharmacist and the father of two young children. Lets build our Quebec together, said Mohamed Yangui, president of the mosque where the shooting took place. Hassane, 41, was from Algeria, and had three young daughters. I lost a husband, a father and a friend, Hassanes wife, Louiza, told Radio-Canada. OPINION: Why the Quebec mosque shooting happened Also from Algeria, Belkacemi, 60, was a professor at the Universite de Laval in Quebec City. Together, we will overcome hatred and ignorance. My father will not have died in vain, his son, Amir, posted on Facebook earlier this week. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume, were among the many political figures who attended the funeral. Tributes paid to Quebec shooting victims Our country was united and showed solidarity with a community whose pride and strength is unshakeable, despite the atrocities that afflicted them so unjustly. This afternoon, it is an entire country that is joining the families of the victims, Trudeau said. As a community, and as a country, together, we will rise from this darkness stronger, more unified, than ever before. Because that is who we are. Denis Coderre, Montreal mayor, said: We are all brothers and sisters. We are all in mourning. Funeral services will also be held on Friday in Quebec City for the other three men killed in the attack: Mamadou Tanou Barry and Ibrahima Barry, both from Guinea, and Azzedine Soufiane, who is originally from Morocco. We are in mourning, Souleymane Bah, president of the Guinean Association of Quebec, told Al Jazeera. OPINION: Quebec mosque shooting Beyond the official rhetoric Bah said Mamadou Tanou Barry will be buried in Montreal on Sunday, while Ibrahima Barry will be repatriated to Guinea for burial. Ibrahima Barry was very devoted, a leader, Bah said. They were very sympathetic people who were well integrated, who were working, who were calm, and had a sense of faith. Soufiane, 57, owned a halal grocery store and butchers shop, and he was the father of three children. He had lived in Quebec City for decades and served as a leader and confidante for members of the local Muslim community. He was a calm and kind person, Rachid Ben-Amor, one of Soufianes close friends, told Al Jazeera on Thursday. Ben-Amor said Soufiane enjoyed working as a grocer because it kept him in close contact with the community, and he helped many newcomers settle into life in Quebec City. We saw each other almost every day, Ben-Amor said. Ben-Amor said Soufianes family will fly to Morocco on Saturday to bury him there. US president calls refugee deal with Australia dumb after report leaked of harsh call with Prime Minister Turnbull. US President Donald Trump ripped into his Australian counterpart in a phone call last week, reports said, castigating an Obama-era refugee deal he later described on Twitter as dumb. The Washington Post said Trump abruptly cut short the fiery conversation after criticising the agreement to resettle people kept in Pacific camps, sparking a war of words with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday after the report surfaced. Australia is considered a close US ally one of the so-called Five Eyes with which the US routinely shares sensitive intelligence and the call might have been expected to be smooth sailing. But, according to the Post, Trumps assessment was the opposite. Of his four conversations with world leaders that day, this was the worst call by far, it cited him as telling Turnbull, shortly before he terminated the telephone meeting. Australian government sources told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the report was substantially accurate. Turnbull said he was disappointed details of the very frank and forthright exchange had been leaked. As far as the call is concerned Im very disappointed that there has been a leak of purported details of the call in Washington, he told Sydney radio station 2GB. But I want to make one observation about it the report that the president hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously. READ MORE: Nauru A place of abuse and desperation He added that Canberra had very, very strong standards in the way we deal with other leaders and we are not about to reveal details of conversations other than in a manner that is agreed. The Posts account is markedly different from the official version of the call provided by both governments. Turnbull said on Monday that Trump had agreed to honour the deal agreed with then president Barack Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore detention centres on the islands of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. There were fears the new US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. Diplomatic crisis After the Post story broke late on Wednesday, Trump weighed in on Twitter and threw the agreement into doubt. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 After seeing the tweet, Turnbull insisted that Trump had already agreed it would go ahead. The commitment made by the president in that call was made and we announced that and it was confirmed by his spokesman a day or so later, he said. Reports of the Turnbull-Trump conversation came as the US and Mexican governments were denying claims that the former reality TV star had threatened to send troops into Mexico to deal with drug cartels. Mexican journalist Dolia Estevez, citing confidential US and Mexican sources, said Trump made the threat during an hour-long phone call with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday. Mexican and White House officials vehemently denied the report. Relations have plunged into the biggest diplomatic crisis between the two neighbours in decades. Trump angered Mexicans last week by ordering the construction of a massive border wall and vowing to make their country pay for it. Pena Nieto has pledged that his government will never pay for the barrier and cancelled a meeting with Trump scheduled for this week in Washington. In addition to the row over the wall, Trump wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Mexican officials expect talks to begin in May. Protests in the occupied West Bank as Israeli police attempt to dismantle the illegal settlement of Amona. Israels government says the Amona outpost is illegal, but it is referring to Israeli law. Under international law all settlements on occupied land are illegal. Barely 300 people live in Amona, but with so much attention focused on this one, small place, is the international community losing sight of the bigger issues that surround Israels illegal settlement programme? Israeli settlements in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem have grown dramatically over the past few decades. The settler population has more than doubled over the past 30 years and now stands at around 600,000. Of those, 400,000 settlers live in Palestinian territory in the West Bank and the remainder in occupied East Jerusalem. There are 100 outposts in the West Bank that have not been approved by the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said hes against these, but efforts to clear them like the current operation in Amona have been rare. And a bill to legalise such outposts under Israeli law is working its way through the Knesset. Netanyahu says he backs an eventual two-state solution, but have his governments actions made that impossible? Presenter: Martine Dennis Guests: Hanan Ashrawi PLO executive committee member Mitchell Barak Israeli political analyst; former speechwriter for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Daniel Levy President of the US/Middle East Project An animal rights group has accused UF researchers of violating federal law after they cut into the brains of live cats without authorization. In procedures that took place in 2014, the researchers placed seven cats under anesthesia before removing large chunks of their brains, according to an incident report led with UFs Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The procedures were part of research to aid in pneumonia treatments in humans, wrote UF spokesperson Janine Sikes in an email. But the researchers werent authorized to perform the procedures, the report states. The group, Stop Animal Exploitation Now, led a federal complaint Jan. 24 against UF on allegations it claims violate the Animal Welfare Act, said the groups leader Michael Budkie. The complaint was led with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The group requested reports from UF researchers that discussed the unauthorized procedure, which then spurred the legal action. The procedures were approved prior to 2014, the report states. Once the researchers error was noted, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee met in 2016 and determined the problem was an oversight. The procedures were approved prior to 2014. This is something that we consider to be Frankensteinian in nature, Budkie said, and then we see that for seven of the cats involved in this, in this gruesome procedure, the procedure itself was not even approved. According to the report, the incident was an isolated case resulting from researchers not reviewing protocol. The report stated no UF employees were reprimanded. Sikes said UF is committed to following federal animal research laws, and that UF self-reports incidents. Additionally, the university also took appropriate measures to prevent recurrence, which may have included additional training, updating protocols and disciplining employees or students, Sikes said. Budkie said he hopes to see UF receive the maximum ne of $10,000 per infraction per animal. This could be a very signicant ling, Budkie said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Budkie said the cat research didnt apply to humans. In a report from the study, which Budkie said he received, investigators said the system was unique and differed from the animals biology. That means that this research is not worth, literally, not worth the paper that its printed on, Budkie said. Sikes said the research was to understand the airways of animals and humans, which ultimately relates to studying pneumonia. Sikes said the study also looked to understand how the nervous system causes re exes such as coughing or swallowing, which prevents humans and animals from aspiration, or accidentally sucking food particles or uid into their lungs. Aspiration of food or liquid cause pneumonias which can occur in as many as 55 percent of patients in long-term care facilities, she said. These pneumonias can be life threatening. Animals also suffer from aspiration. Sikes said UFs research will help treatments be developed for animals and humans. There is a strong link between therapies that are developed for human use and translation of these treatments into veterinary medicine, Sikes said. @romyellenbogen rellenbogen@alligator.org When it comes to Donald Trumps travel ban, UF law student Zara Asante said its near impossible to find someone who could discuss it objectively, without letting their emotions show. The first-year law student didnt wish to judge the bans morality, or get into a screaming fight; she wanted to find a way to understand its legality. This is one of those topics that everyone has an opinion on, the 34-year-old said, and I hadnt encountered someone who could talk about it without getting emotional. On Wednesday, Asanta attented a panel at UFs Levin College of Law, where three UF law professors spoke about the legality of Trumps ban, which entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Faculty members who organized the panel had planned to hold the event in a room that holds 73 people, but minutes before the event began, they had to set up a live video feed for the crowd of about 130. The three professors, Darren Hutchinson, Berta Hernandez-Truyol and Shalini Ray did not make definitive claims about the bans lawfulness, but they were apprehensive about certain aspects of it, such as reports of travelers being unable to ask for asylum once reaching the U.S. Ray, who teaches asylum and refugee law, discussed how U.S. law creates different types of non-citizens such as refugees, green card holders and special visa holders. Hernandez-Truyol, who teaches constitutional law and international law, said theres nothing wrong with executive orders as long as they dont break federal laws. But if that happens, there are federal procedures, called remedies, that are put in place to help people. Hernandez-Truyol said shes reviewed the four law suits already led against Trumps travel ban. I am very excited to see the level of interest that is on this topic, she said. Hutchinson, a remedies professor, said the ban could be challenged by citizens who feel wronged. And frankly the best results come from courts of law rather than just hashing it out on social media, Hutchinson said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Asante, a British citizen, said shes not interested in staying in the U.S. after witnessing the recent tumultuous political climate. I dont like this system, she said. Ill probably leave quite quickly when I graduate. @taveljimena jtavel@alligator.org John Osbron chatted with his girlfriend and his sister Wednesday night as they waited to hear four local bands play in support of immigrants. When the Gainesville resident went to The Hardback Cafe, located at 211 W. University Ave., at about 9:30 p.m., he realized the fee to enter the bar would go to the American Civil Liberties Union as part of the cafes Emergency ACLU Benefit concert. The ACLU, a nonprofit active that provides legal assistance to those whose civil liberties may be at stake, has received more than $24 million in donations since Trumps immigration ban, according to The Washington Post. Each persons $5 to $10 entry fee went to the nonprofit, said Alan Bushnell, the cafes owner. Elsewhere, Gainesville tea shop Lollicup, located at 3550 SW 34th St., announced Wednesday on Facebook it will donate 10 cents to ACLU every time someone checks in to the chain cafe through social media. The owner could not immediately be reached for comment. Bushnell, an attorney, said a band approached him about holding the benefit concert a few days ago. He immediately said yes. The UF alumnus, who hosts bands at his venue Wednesdays through Saturdays, said he doesnt expect the Trump administration to implement any intelligent policies, and the immigration ban proved as much. The executive order, which suspends entry from citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, could affect up to 90,000 people, according to The Washington Post. Its a stupid thing to do, Bushnell said. It was only certain countries, not including ones that he (Trump) does business with, so its an inherent conflict of interest. Osbron, 24, who disagrees wholeheartedly with Trumps executive order, said he decided to stay late into the night at The Hardback Cafe after hearing the reason for the fundraiser. Though Osbron sees some residents divided by politics, he said the concert gave him hope for unity. The city, or the country in general, I think its getting divided into two main factions, he said, but those two main factions are also growing and coming together. @molly_vossler mvossler@alligator.org Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Two Gainesville High School students will travel to Los Angeles after winning Best in Show at a regional science fair. Amir Helmy Brindha Rathinasabapathi Amir Helmy and Brindha Rathinasabapathi, both 15, will represent Eastside High School at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May. About 200 students competed in the Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Friday at Santa Fe College, said Maureen Shankman, who oversees the students and their projects. Winners were announced Tuesday during a ceremony at Abraham Lincoln Middle School. Shankman said she was impressed by the knowledge this years students brought to the fair. Helmy, who will compete at the international fair for the third time, won for developing a smartphone app that analyzes the heart, he said. The app is used to predict seizures and heart disease by using an algorithm and a phones accelerometer, a device that measures motion, to record heart waves. All a user has to do is hold the phone in their hand, he said. The whole year-round Im trying to do cool research, he said. Mobile health, its kind of my thing. Rathinasabapathis project focused on potential treatments for hypertension. Research proved that the Angiotensin-converting enzyme, an enzyme that raises blood pressure, can be stopped with natural supplements instead of medication, she said. This years project taught me a lot of patience and the ability to not give up on my project, she said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Judges searched for students who were thorough, understood their content and communicated well, Shankman said. Being able to take a problem from the beginning and then analyze it all the way through and come up with a solution thats what were looking for in students, Shankman said. Helmy said hes excited to spend a few days in LA, but he never goes into the fair expecting to win. Im just hoping for a good experience and a good showing, because its really next-level stuff, he said. The Gainesville City Commission announced Wednesday its plan to improve internet speed in the city. Following recent spikes in Cox Communications internet bills, a new organization called Connected Gainesville will investigate alternative options to provide residents with affordable and reliable internet access, Gainesville City Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos said. Our problem is a lack of competition, he said. We have one company that sells broadband internet in Gainesville, and they are taking advantage of that. Gainesville is currently paying the highest internet rates of any city in Florida, said Bryan Eastman, a member of Connected Gainesville. The citys rates are $100 more per year than Tallahassee, $250 more than Hollywood, Florida, and $450 more than St. Petersburg, Florida. Additionally, 22 percent of Alachua County residents dont have access to high-speed internet, Eastman said. Without quality internet, students are forced to use free Wi-Fi in places like Starbucks or McDonalds to do their homework, said Rob Hyatt, the chairman of the Alachua County Public School Board. Students are limited, Hyatt said. Theyre going to have to work that much harder. Hayes-Santos said a lack of internet resources could cause students to fall behind and small businesses have no incentive to open in Gainesville. We need to ensure that we have a community that can work for everyone, Hayes-Santos said. The commissioner said he will work with Cox if it lowers its prices, but his main goal is to provide affordable internet to everyone in the city. Hayes-Santos said he hopes to have new plans this fall and enact them in early 2018. He said until these possibilities become a reality, Gainesville will continue to lag behind. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Gainesville residents deserve better, and our city commission needs to make that clear to them, Hayes-Santos said. The commissioners believe this is the first step in finding a solution to Gainesvilles internet deficit, Hyatt said. The study will look at cities like Huntsville, Alabama, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, which have partnered with other private companies like Google Fiber, as examples of what Gainesville could be. Until then, Alachua County Commissioner Robert Hutch Hutchinson said he thinks that the city may fall behind in job creation, education and government services. We have a digital divide in our community, Hutchinson said. We need to fix that, and this is the effort thats going to get it going. Once the plan is underway, Hutchinson said he believes Gainesville will be able to live up to its potential. We call ourselves the innovation city, and were trying to lead the innovation economy, he said. Thats not going to happen without broad-based broadband. Neon Liger started out small. The underground dance party, which ran successfully for seven years, began as a onetime party at Spannk, later known as The Motor Room, on Feb. 2, 2008. What started as a gathering between friends to listen to electronic music, which wasnt popular at the time, turned into a party of about 300 people. Vijaya Seixas, a 30-year-old DJ who created the party back in 2008, stuck with the project for nearly a decade. What he created became a memorable experience around Gainesville, and not just because of the unique name. We just wanted something that you literally couldnt forget, Seixas said. If you Google Neon Liger, its always the very first hit. Neon Liger was the only dance party in Gainesville playing electronic music in 2008, Seixas said. Patrons flocked to it for that reason and more, packing out The Motor Room every Saturday night to get down to good dance music. Beyond good music and a good time, Neon Liger offered an open environment for all kinds of guests. We gave the hipsters, outcasts, weirdos, locals and LGBT community a place to come and feel welcome, Seixas said. The weekly event concluded in 2015 with the closing of The Motor Room, Seixas said. The dance party was what was keeping the club alive at the time, so Seixas and his partner, Jimbo Rountree, decided to close as things began to slow down. I didnt want it to be in anyone elses hands, Seixas said. I wanted it to end on its own, how it started. Although its weekly run ended years ago, Neon Liger returned in 2016 for its eight-year reunion. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now The dance party is returning once again this Saturday for a multi-room, nine-year reunion at The Atlantic, The Alley and Arcade Bar, all located downtown. The event, which will run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and cost $10 at the door, will bring Neon Ligers resident DJs from over the years back to Gainesville to perform. Artists will be traveling from cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago and more. Although Seixas isnt giving the DJs anything specific to play, he said the night will revolve around the same music Neon Liger always had. The underlying thing that brings it all together is house music, Seixas said. Thats what the partys always been, thats what itll be primarily. Jimbo Rountree, the 29-year-old former co-owner of The Motor Room with Seixas, still works in Gainesville today as the manager of Arcade Bar. Although Rountree never performed with Neon Liger, he became a part of the event a year in and has remained with it ever since. He said he and Seixas became co-owners of The Motor Room in order to be more in control of their events. We saw a lot of opportunities in parties that werent being done and events that we wanted to see happen, Rountree said. We thought we could implement a lot of other things if we were essentially in charge of the operation. The Motor Room and Vault, which is now known as the Florida Theatre, went on to host acts that dominate festival stages now, from Steve Aoki to Odesza to Skrillex, Rountree said. Each of these artists started at grass-roots parties such as Neon Liger. As for the nine-year reunion, both Seixas and Rountree look forward to a party reminiscent of the Neon Liger events that dominated Gainesville for years. Along with that, the two are excited to reunite with old friends who moved on to new parts of their lives. I have so many friends coming in, Rountree said. Im honestly looking forward to seeing people I havent seen in years. Guests 18 and up are welcome at the Atlantic, but The Alley and Arcade Bar will only be for those 21 and up. BlueWater Reporting has illustrated how ocean carrier alliances have taken over the Asia-Europe and transpacific trades over the years, as independent carriers have all but disappeared from these trades. Independent carriers have all but disappeared from the two largest container trade lanes in the past few years as the ever-increasing size of containerships on the major east-west trades has perpetuated, possibly even accelerated the consolidation of carriers into larger vessel-sharing agreements and alliances. As we noted in last months column (January 2017 American Shipper, The alliance effect revisited, page 37), carriers in recent years have taken delivery of several hundred thousand TEUs in containership capacity, causing average vessel size to jump 33 percent in the transpacific and nearly 52 percent since the end of 2011. This increase in average capacity has had a number of downstream implications. The newer vessels arent just bigger, theyre also more efficient, allowing carriers to cut per-container costs significantly, as well as emissions, since theyre often running one ship instead of three or four previously. Some of these savings have been diminished, however, as the cost of fuel traditionally the biggest contributor to the overall cost of a containership voyage plummeted in 2015. The larger vessels have also been blamed for port congestion in the United States as terminals, drayage operators, as well as trucking and rail carriers have in some cases had a difficult time adjusting to receiving more cargo on fewer vessel calls. And because no one carrier could sell enough slots to fill the so-called ultra-large containerships being deployed in the Asia-Europe and transpacific trades, they began to form larger vessel-sharing agreements. In late 2011, Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, and OOCL of the Grand Alliance and APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), and MOL of the New World Alliance joined forces to become the G6 Alliance. Not long after, the top three container carriers worldwide Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM announced plans to cooperate in what would have been called the P3 Alliance had it not been scuttled by regulatory authorities in China, and the CKYH alliance of COSCO, K Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin Shipping added Evergreen to their ranks to become the CKYHE. Maersk and MSC quickly moved on to plan B, forming the 2M VSA, while CMA CGM began cooperating heavily with China Shipping (CSCL) and United Arab Shipping Co. (UASC) in the Ocean3 Alliance. As rates fell, carrier profits quickly turned to losses, culminating in the flurry of alliance realignments, merger and acquisition activity, and the largest carrier bankruptcy in history during 2016. Starting in 2017, the G6, CKYHE and Ocean3 carrier groups will disband and reform as the OCEAN and THE alliances, while the 2M will add HMM as a slot taker, concentrating nearly all available east-west capacity into just three entities. It should be noted that carrier alliances are only permitted to coordinate on vessel operations, not rates, but the trend toward fewer, larger alliances means fewer service options for shippers, among other things. The adjacent chart, built using data from BlueWater Reportings Carrier Trade Route Deployment application, compares alliance market share by weekly deployed capacity on direct region-to-region liner services in the transpacific and Asia-Europe trade in 2011 to the projected 2017 market. The Hanjin fleet has been removed from the 2017 data set since much of it has been scrapped or sold following the companys August bankruptcy and subsequent liquidation. CLICK TO ENLARGE At the end of 2011, the CKYH, Grand and New World alliances deployed a combined 98,787 TEUs of weekly capacity in the Asia-Europe trade and 202,319 TEUs in the transpacific, good for 42 percent and 49 percent of those markets, respectively, while independent carriers deployed 139,058 TEUs (58 percent) and 141,190 TEUs (41 percent), respectively, in the two largest global shipping lanes. The three major alliances in 2017 will control all 247,042 weekly deployed TEUs in the Asia-Europe trade and 350,214 TEUs in the transpacific, 94 percent of the total market, compared with just 21,673 TEUs per week for non-alliance affiliated lines. Recent data from contract rate benchmarking firm Xeneta indicates the events of the past year have begun to positively impact pricing, but as weve said here before, significant rate increases are unlikely to stick in the long term if the carriers dont address the industrys underlying supply-and-demand imbalance. Shippers should be asking themselves (and their carrier partners) exactly how these changes will affect vessel operations on alliance loops, service options, transit times, ports of call, and most importantly, reliability. Booking space with a carrier involved in an alliance means it wont always be that particular carrier operating the vessel where your cargo ends up. One wild card to keep an eye on in the transpacific is South Koreas SM Group, which seems set on building and operating a container fleet following its purchase of a handful of former Hanjin vessels. For a half-century, conservatives have watched Congress incur deficits and accumulate debt, making ours one of the most indebted countries in the world. There is little doubt this debt is unsustainable or that the federal government must enact reforms to constrain spending, especially entitlement spending, which is one of the major sources of U.S. debt today. Republicans in Congress promised to address our fiscal crisis with fundamental reform of entitlements and other programs. They promised to constrain spending, balance the budget, and reduce debt over the next decade. So far, they have not been able to do this, at first because of gridlock with Democrats in the Senate and then because of President Barack Obamas promise to veto any legislation introducing real reform. But with the election of Donald Trump and control of both houses of Congress, Republicans can finally break through the budget gridlock. The most recent salvo in this budget battle is a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2017. This resolution proposes to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with no change in other parts of the budget. The resolution exempts future health care legislation replacing the ACA from certain budget rules meant to impose fiscal discipline. It also requires committees with jurisdiction over spending and revenue in the ACA to craft new legislation achieving $1 billion in deficit reduction over the next 10 years and to report that to Congress. The expectation is these committees will repeal parts of the ACA with budgetary effects, which will allow the repeal legislation to be considered under special reconciliation procedures in Congress. This tactic will allow Republicans to enact the legislation with a majority vote, rather than the 60 votes required to prevent a filibuster. The resolution also provides for two reserve funds to accommodate new legislation repealing ACA. Replacement legislation could use all but $2 billion of the net savings from ACA repeal for new spending or tax breaks for health care coverage. This is quite a shift from previous Republican proposals promising more than $2 trillion in savings, which was promised to go toward deficit reduction, from an ACA repeal. An analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) identifies a number of reforms in health care that could be enacted with significant cost savings. The savings proposed in this resolution to repeal ACA are a drop in the bucket compared to CBOs analysis of potential savings. Replacement legislation that costs no more than the savings from ACA repeal, minus $2 billion, would be exempt from the Senate PAYGO rules and also from Senate point-of-order rules. The inclusion of these exemptions suggests the replacement legislation could exceed the savings from repeal by more than $10 billion in some years over the next decade and beyond. With government expenditures for health care absorbing a larger share of the federal budget, this carve-out means less spending will be constrained by the statutory rules in place. Setting aside reserve funds to finance new health care legislation means more federal money will be off-budget and earmarked for specific spending programs. We should expect less congressional oversight for these funds, and if the new health care legislation is given special funding status, this will erode the opportunities for priority budgeting. We will not know the full impact of policies to reform and replace ACA until Congress passes a resolution bill repealing ACA and additional legislation implementing replacement policies. But the first salvo in this budget battle is not promising, Republicans seem to have capitulated before the battle has begun. If there is any savings in an ACA repeal, most of those savings would be set aside in reserve funds to finance new spending or tax breaks for health care. The proposed budget reserves just $2 billion of the savings from an ACA repeal for deficit reduction. Further, in the resolution, discretionary spending for fiscal year 2017 is set at the spending cap level for that year. All other spending and revenue is at baseline levels. Using baseline projections, total spending would increase from $3.2 trillion to $4.9 trillion over the next decade. This increase in spending would be accompanied by a doubling (roughly) of annual deficits to more than $1 trillion by the end of the decade. Republicans can claim victory in this first budget battle in fiscal year 2017, without the Democrats firing a shot, but what a pyrrhic victory. Not only will this legislation fail to significantly reduce the growth in health care spending, it could lead to a higher trajectory of spending over the next decade and beyond. This legislation reveals Congress has no desire to fundamentally reform health care or other entitlements that would significantly reduce spending or debt linked to these programs. Capitulation by Republicans in this budget battle reflects a more fundamental flaw in federal fiscal policies. Congress continues to pursue expansionary fiscal policies to stimulate output and employment in the short run, allowing deficits and debt to accumulate in the long run. For a half-century Congress has pursued Keynesian fiscal policies and abandoned the unwritten balanced budget rule that governed fiscal policy for two centuries. With this most recent failure, conservatives must look to alternative solutions to the federal fiscal crisis. The most promising approach is to enact new fiscal rules, like those enacted in some other OECD countries, combining a balanced budget rule with expenditure limits. We certainly cant sit back and watch the debt increase from $20 trillion to $29 trillion over the next decade -- the debt projected under this continuing resolution. Barry W. Poulson (think@heartland.org) is a professor emeritus of economics at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Since Inauguration Day, conservatives might be heartened and even jazzed about whats been coming out of D.C. But now that Republicans own D.C., isnt it time to start training our critical lights on the GOP to help make them even better? One reason to come down on our own is because were hearing, yet again, of plans for income tax cuts for the middle class. Right now, thats a bad idea. Warning: the following may constitute a minority opinion. The middle class is not overtaxed, at least when it comes to the income tax. The Congressional Budget Office reports that in 2013 the middle quintile of income taxpayers had an effective income tax rate of just 2.6 percent. To verify that, see the CBOs June 2016 report The Distribution of Household Income and Federal Taxes, 2013 and go to page 11 where at the bottom youll read: The average individual income tax rate was 2.6 percent for the middle quintile, 6.1 percent for the fourth quintile, and 15.5 percent for the highest quintile (see Figure 5). Even the fourth quintile, the next-to-highest fifth of us, paid an average effective income tax rate that was well below the lowest statutory rate. On page 5 of U.S Census Bureaus 2014 report Income and Poverty in the United States: 2013, we read this: Median household income was $51,939 in 2013. Now, 2.6 percent of that median income is $1,350. That should be the average federal income tax bill for the middle 20 percent of taxpayers. Is that so much? But some in the middle class are overtaxed, at least when compared to the others in their quintile. In 2013, it was possible for someone who fit a certain profile to earn the median income and to have had an income tax bill of $6,410 and an effective rate of 12.34 percent. Meaning: both her income tax bill and her effective rate would have been 4.74 times the average. If it seems outrageous that a person earning a modest income could be paying so much more than someone else earning the exact same income, then do what I did and figure her taxes. Just fill in the 2013 1040EZ form for an unmarried person making the median income. Our hypothetical taxpayer earning the 2013 median income of $51,939 would be eligible for the standard deduction only, exactly $10K. Verify her tax bill on page 33 of the 2013 Tax Table. In 2013, our hypothetical taxpayer earning the median income would have her last dollar taxed at 25 percent (her marginal rate), whereas the average earner of that income would have her last dollar taxed at 10 percent (see Tax Foundation chart). Such anomalies, whereby earners with comparable incomes pay at quite different effective rates, are even possible in the bottom two quintiles, despite their having average effective rates in 2013 that were negative: -7.2 percent and -1.2 percent. On Dec. 3 in A Great Deal for the Many, conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat worried about crony capitalism and a policy that ignores deep Hayekian insights. But his main concern was stagnant take-home pay, and he has his own ideas about upping that: However: It is possible for policy makers to raise take-home pay directly even without big boosts in the underlying wages. Cutting payroll taxes would do it. The earned-income tax credit does it. Middle-class tax cuts do it. Child tax credits do it. A wage subsidy would do it. The list of possibilities is long. If the list of possibilities really is long, youd think a conservative could come up with some conservative possibilities. Douthats payroll tax cut would make Social Securitys cash-flow negativity worse. And the earned-income tax credit is one of the main reasons the bottom 40 percent of income tax filers has an average effective income tax rate that is negative. (With conservatives proposing solutions like Mr. Douthats, who needs socialists?) Why not just drop everyone in the bottom two quintiles from the income tax rolls entirely? Its not as though theyre contributing anything to federal revenue. Heres why: Democrats want folks to file tax returns even when theyre not paying taxes because thats the way they do social engineering. If you file your taxes you can get welfare; e.g. the earned income tax credit. Also, the ObamaCare mandate is triggered by filing a tax return, and the Dems want everyone to have so-called coverage. The IRS long ago ceased being strictly a tax-collection agency. Cutting tax rates is not tax reform, nor is reducing the number of rates and brackets. If the new government really wants to reform the income tax, then iron out the anomalies where income earners pay at wildly different rates. Heres a wild and crazy idea for tax reform: tax everyone earning the same income at the same (effective) rate. If such a system were in place back in 2013, everyone earning the median income would have had their total incomes taxed at 2.6 percent. Despite the fact that the middle classes have average effective income tax rates that are already ridiculously low, there are those in the new government who seem dead set on giving them yet another statutory rate cut. And not only that, they want to cut the number of rates from seven down to three. But those ideas alone dont simplify our taxes, nor do they ease the burden of tax preparation. And such changes alone do nothing to address the anomalies. Conservatives could snatch defeat from the jaws of their stunning November victory if theyre not careful. You see, the federal deficit was $587B deficit in 2016. Thats $149B higher than in 2015; were going in the wrong direction again. On top of that, there are calls for a trillion-dollar infrastructure program, more military spending, and other new spending, which will entail either more tax revenue or more borrowing. The CBO is already projecting a return to trillion-dollar deficits. With cuts in tax revenue and more spending, such deficits could be here sooner than the CBO projects. If Congress isnt really up for real tax reform, if all they want to do is cut rates and cut the number of rates, then I say leave the individual income tax alone, and instead concentrate on the corporate income tax. If dynamic ramped-up economic growth is their goal, then corporate rate cuts and deregulation is where Congress should be focused anyway. To appropriate the lyrics of an elusive Nobel laureate in literature: corporate tax reform is where its at. Jon N. Hall of Ultracon Opinion is a programmer/analyst from Kansas City. The GOP unanimously approved a pro-Israel platform at their convention in July 2016 which stipulated: The U.S. seeks to assist in the establishment of comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, to be negotiated among those living in the region, David Friedman and Jason Greenberg, representing Donald Trump, participated in the drafting and were in complete agreement with the final text. Gone was any reference to the Palestinian people or to a two-state solution. In addition, the platform included the words We reject the false notion that Israel is an occupier. If not an occupier, then presumably Israel is a sovereign. Accordingly, the search is on for an alternate solution. Such a solution could take inspiration from the short-lived Feisal/Weizmann Agreement of 1919. The essence of this agreement was that Palestine as it then was, was to be divided into two states, one for the Arabs and one for the Jews. Chaim Weizmann on behalf of the Jews agreed to help develop the Arab state and King Feisal agreed to welcome Jewish settlement in the Jewish state and favored friendly cooperative relations. Although the British didnt breathe life into this agreement, they did separate Trans-Jordan from Palestine in 1922 with the Jordan River being the boundary between them. Trans-Jordan (Jordan) thus got 78% of the lands promised to the Jews. The remaining 22% consisting of the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean was to be the Jewish state. This was enshrined in the Palestine Mandate signed by the League of Nations in 1922. On June 30, 1922, a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress of the United States unanimously endorsed the "Mandate for Palestine," confirming the irrevocable right of Jews to settle in Palestineanywhere between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. With respect to the Arabs living in Jewish Palestine, the Congressional Record contained the following: (2) That if they will not consent to Jewish government and domination, they shall be required to sell their lands at a just valuation and retire into the Arab territory which has been assigned to them by the League of Nations in the general reconstruction of the countries of the east. (3) That if they will not consent to Jewish government and domination, under conditions of right and justice, or to sell their lands at a just valuation and to retire into their own countries, they shall be driven from Palestine by force. The US was not a member of the League of Nations at this time. In order to be able to protect American interests in Palestine, she entered into the 1924 Anglo-American Convention in which the U.S. bound itself to the terms of the Mandate. This of course meant the recognition of Jewish right to close settlement of Palestine and that all of Palestine was to be the Jewish homeland. Since then, there were a number of unsuccessful attempts, contrary to the terms of the Mandate, to further divide Jewish Palestine into two states. UN General Assembly Resolution 181, passed in 1947, recommended partition, but was rejected by the Arabs. The Jews on the other hand took advantage of it and declared their independence in 1948. Israel owes its independence to that declaration and not to Resolution 181, which was only a recommendation, precipitating the move. Nothing has happened of any legal consequence since, to cancel the right of the Jews to settle and be sovereign over all the land to the Jordan River. To date Israel has been reluctant to claim sovereignty over these lands as the Arabs living there would then demand citizenship resulting in a binational state. This is unacceptable to most Israelis. They also reject the two-state solution. So what is the alternative? Consider for a moment, that if Jordan agrees to grant citizenship to all Palestinians, as their law currently provides, and invites the return of all of them to live and work in Jordan, the conflict would soon be ended. While King Abdullah isnt about to do so, the Jordan Opposition Coalition (JOC) would. This coalition represents all opposition groups in Jordan that back a secular state. The JOC since its creation six years ago has supported good relations with Israel. It does not include groups that support terrorism. This alliance has agreed to work together in order to form the government of Jordan should King Abdullah abdicate. Although at least 75% of Jordanians are Palestinians, the King has disenfranchised them to a great extent in favor of the ethnic Hashemites and Bedouins. The JOC has produced a detailed plan, Operation Jordan in Palestine, which clearly identifies their goals and the operational steps needed to implement their plan. Copies are available upon request. All that is necessary for this to come to pass is for the U.S. to instruct the king, who currently spends most of his time outside Jordan, to not return home. Then it would arrange for the Jordanian army, which it controls, to support the next popular Palestinian uprising, and to designate who among them would form the interim government. The JOC puts it this way: This plan seeks to execute a feasible two-state solution where Jordan is the natural homeland for all Palestinians, and Israel becomes sovereign over all soil west to the River Jordan. This could only happen if the corrupt, terror-supporting and double-speaking Hashemite royal family leaves Jordan. The Palestinians often revolt against the regime but the kings police force puts them down. The American media ignore this solution to the unrest in Jordan. What is needed is for the U.S. to influence the Jordanian army and security agency to stand with the revolution the next time it breaks out. The security agencies and army are already securing the country without any influence from the king who is mostly abroad. Under these conditions, the king would not return. Once that happens an interim government of secular Palestinians who want peace with Israel could be appointed. Once the interim government is installed, it will strengthen the economy by stopping theft of government money and ending corruption. It will fully enfranchise the Palestinians. All Palestinians around the world would be welcomed to return to Jordan pursuant the current Jordanian citizenship act, which already recognizes all Palestinians as citizens of Jordan. Many Palestinians will emigrate to Jordan in part because many have family members and friends living in Jordan. Work opportunities as well as a rewarding benefits/welfare system will be made available to them by the new interim government as further inducement. Israel, with many international partners, including the U.S., could finance the building of a new Jordanian city of 1 million people. This would greatly stimulate the Jordanian economy and would provide work for the returning Palestinians. The new homes could be made available to the returnees and locals at subsidized prices further incentivizing people to return. The ending of King Abdullahs discrimination against Palestinians living in Jordan, would also contribute to making Jordan a desired immigration destination. Michael Ross, an attorney and member of the Republican Jewish Committee, wrote after the election of Donald Trump, Trump Must Speak to Mudar Zahran because Zahran offers the alternate solution that Trump is looking for. As part of this solution, all Palestinian refugees enrolled with UN Relief And Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East could be repatriated to Jordan and given citizenship. Thus UNRWA could be wound up and the current UNRWA funding could be transferred to Jordan to assist in the resettlement. According to Moshe Feiglin, the head of the Zehut Party in Israel, the Oslo Accords have cost Israel over 1 trillion shekels since they were signed. In addition, Israel has borne the cost of three military campaigns in Gaza. Finally, Israel supplies to the Palestinians their energy, water and sewage treatment for free or at greatly subsidized prices. Last summer, Feiglin proposed a Solution in which Israel extends Israeli law from the Mediterranean to the Jordan: We will give the Arab population in those territories three options: The first is voluntary emigration with the aid of a generous emigration grant. The second is permanent residency, similar to the Green Card status in the US not like what is currently the practice in East Jerusalem. This status will be offered to those Arabs who publicly declare their loyalty to the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish Nation. We will safeguard their human rights and will not do anything like we did to ourselves in Gush Katif. The third option will be reserved for relatively few Arabs, and only in accordance with Israeli interests. Those who tie their fate to the fate of the Jewish Nation, like the Druze, can enter a long-term process of attaining citizenship. Martin Sherman has published a similar plan which he calls the Humanitarian Solution as opposed to a strictly political solution. He summarized all his writings in support of such a plan and published them here. With an estimated $300,000 per family grant, both he and Feiglin have estimated that incentivized compensated emigration will cost Israel over $200 billion USD but both argue it is feasible and worth doing. The repatriation of Palestinians to Jordan, as proposed by JOC, would greatly facilitate the Palestinian emigration and greatly reduce the grants needed to incentivize it. UNRWA and the Palestinian Authority would both be wound up. 1.75 million Palestinians live in Judea and Samaria (West Bank). They could remain there as Jordanian citizens or emigrate to Jordan as they wished. Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, and Bethlehem are the primary centers. Ramallah is only 42 miles from Amman, the capital of Jordan. A new highway could be built connecting all these cities to Amman. The 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza, of which 1.3 million are registered as refugees, would be incentivized to emigrate to Jordan. After enough leave, Israel could extend its sovereignty to Gaza thereby ending that perennial problem. Considering the subsidies that the West provides to UNRWA, Gaza and the PA, this would be a bargain. Given that JOC has tied its fate to Israel, Israel would be happy to contribute to such a solution as the present conflict costs her hundreds of millions of dollars annually. It really is that simple. There is much more that can be said in support of it. Prof. Hillel Frisch, a senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and Yitzhak Sokoloff, a fellow of the Ingeborg Rennert Center for Jerusalem Studies at Bar-Ilan University recently wrote Trump and the Jordanian Option. The inauguration of an American administration uncommitted to the principle of an independent Palestinian state provides Israel with the opportunity to advocate a long-term strategic vision of building up a prosperous Jordan that could provide an alternative to the model of a two-state solution based on the Palestinian Authority. They are wrong to suggest that this can be done with King Abdullah. I believe, as does the JOC, that the king is part of the problem and must be replaced by Palestinians. Gideon Saar, a touted future Prime Minister of Israel, in his recent article, Goodbye Two-State Solution, wrote: A Jordanian-Palestinian federative solution would offer the Palestinians space in addition to their autonomy. We could also consider adopting a joint Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian economic framework. And there are many other ideas that could be constructed as a result of quiet, serious work with the backing of a supportive US administration. He is right but the ultimate alternate solution is the one put forward by the JOC. If anyone wants more information or can help this solution get traction, please write me (tbelman3@gmail.com). Back in November of 2000, the alt-right blogger Steve Sailer wrote a provocative column on how the Republican Party could achieve near-permanent electoral majorities for at least a generation. And, no, his proposal wasn't amnesty, entitlement programs, abortion for all, or lightening up on sexual ethics. The Sailer cause was simple: focus more attention on white voters, including union card-holders in the Rust Belt. If the working class could be extricated from the grips of the left, then the GOP would be the dominant party, occupying a space similar to where Democrats were after the New Deal. Given that George Bush had just won election (by the skin of his teeth, mind), the Sailer Strategy was ignored upon release. That wasn't surprising. Where Democrats don't hesitate to wade into the pool of exciting racial interest, Republicans fear to tread. But times change. With Donald Trump's improbable White House win, the Sailer Strategy deserves a second look. Not only did the populist billionaire pry blue-collar strongholds like Michigan and Pennsylvania away from Hillary's withered grasp, his victory revealed the underlying divisions within the Democrats' identitarian voting machine. Trump's sticking up for factory workers by trashing the GOP orthodoxy of free trade has certainly proved effective. His outreach to unions within his first few days as president was unprecedented. "It was by far the best meeting I've had [in Washington]," said Sean McGarvey, president of the North America's Building Trades Unions. Now, a photo-op with the leaders of the country's biggest organized labor groups doesn't mean rank-and-file union members are die-hard Republicans now. Many still want Trump to make good on the large infrastructure bill he promised. But with the administration's decision to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, along with a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement in the works, the art of goodwill is taking hold. Trump's olive branch to union workers is good politics. But in the long run, it probably won't be enough to stave off the Democrats' capitalizing on America's changing demographics. Here's where the internal strife apparent in the Democrat coalition is big blessing. Trump's capture of the Oval Office was supposed to be a catalyst to a renewed liberal grassroots resistance movement. The foundation was already laid. The hype for a fight was so loud, it got fumbling dimwit Keith Olbermann a job in politics again. And to be totally fair, Trump is the ne plus ultra target for the progressively aggrieved: he's a rich white business owner who talks about women like a septuagenarian barfly and believes that the police don't police the inner city enough. For the left, Trump is worse than Archie Bunker, Richard Nixon, and Bull Connor combined. His old-boy demeanor even had left-wing loony-tune Bill Maher apologizing for his past disparaging rhetoric about George Bush and Mitt Romney. So, clearly, the time is right for a major coordinated effort to put a wrench in Trump's agenda for America. And indeed, some of that disruption is occurring right now. But the center cannot hold. The "KKKrazy glue" that holds the Democrats together is starting to dry out. Last week's Women's March on Washington was the biggest anti-Trump demonstration yet. There was just one problem: the conspicuous absence of minorities. Various Black Lives Matter groups spoke out about the absence of colored attendees. Even before the event, the predominately white presence behind the march was a big point of contention among organizers. One BLM activist took to Instagram to lecture white women on their inherent privilege and demanded they start "listening more, talking less, spend time observing, taking in media and art created by people of color, researching, and unlearning the things you have been taught about this country." So much for feminine togetherness! Transgendered individuals were quick to get in on the complaining as well. The march's trademark "pussy hat," a pink crocheted bonnet meant to somehow signify female empowerment via vaginal headgear, was offensive to self-identifying "women" who lack the requisite anatomy. "How the Women's March's 'genital-based' feminism isolated the transgender community" was the title of one such screed lamenting the influence of trans-exclusionary radical feminists. I expect these kinds of grievances to ramp up as the intersectionality behind minority solidarity becomes a 50-car pileup. What it comes down to is a difference of interest. There's really no rational reason why blacks and transgendered people should ally. The same with Hispanics here legally and those here illegally. And again with feminists and blacks. The one commonality these groups share is the itch to tear down the white heteronormative patriarchy. Without it, the groups are bound to turn on one another. Democrats understand this and are doing their best to keep their "coalition of the fringes" from tearing each other's throats out. But like the Mosul dam, the cracks can't be patched up indefinitely. Something must give. It certainly doesn't help that Trump turned the Democrats' best weapon against them. The campaign used identity politics to its advantage to cobble enough states together to win the presidency. "Trump voters are opposed not to identity politics but to identity politics for everyone but them," tweeted National Review's John O'Sullivan on election night. Who knew that if you incessantly trash white people for their inherent makeup, they lash out in equal measure? Trump can probably count on white-based identity politics as a winner for the near future. But even Sailer admits it's not a long-term panacea for the GOP's image and outreach problems. Instead, President Trump could steer the Republican Party back to an old but elegant political strategy: using the power of government to benefit real, breathing citizens. No more paeans to optimistic ideologies, far-flung democracy-building adventures, or foreigners who find American culture weird and impious. Let the Democrats haplessly juggle their ticking grenades of indignant deviants. Republicans can win the support of those tired of the fallout of such a risky stratagem. That sounds like strong language, but what else should we call government officials who rule by fiat, replacing the laws passed by the people's representatives and the Constitution with their own personal preferences? Her own words say she refused to defend Donald Trump's executive order because she doesn't think it is "right," not because it is unconstitutional or illegal. Isn't a government where individuals impose their will on the people tyrannical? If so, then what Yates did is a soft-power revolution aimed at denying the people their right to decide how they are to be ruled. Yates wants a tyranny where she and her ilk tell us deplorables how we are to live and what we are to believe. Of course, Sally is following a long established liberal tradition of tyranny. The people of California overwhelmingly approved Prop. 8, which preserved the definition of marriage. Yet the liberal governor and attorney general refused to defend the people's vote because they simply didn't like it. Strangely, even though a huge majority of blacks voted for Prop 8, the liberals' refusal to defend it wasn't deemed racist. Obama's Justice Department stopped enforcing Bill Clinton's Defense of Marriage Act because it didn't agree with the liberal lawyers' personal morality. Once again, even though blacks disproportionately reject the idea of gay marriage, no one called Obama a racist. The liberal Supreme Court discovering new rights for criminals, deciding that pornography is protected speech but the 10 Commandments aren't, deciding that killing one's unborn child is a right, and redefining marriage are all examples of tyrants imposing their will on the people through the guise of legal interpretation. Then there are the sanctuary cities that declare that illegal immigrants who are criminals who prey on Americans will be protected. Liberal N.Y. Mayor de Blasio says illegals who drive drunk will be protected from deportation. It will be interesting to see how he explains the justice of that to the parents of a child that protected individual subsequently kills the next time he drives drunk. And of course, we hear calls from liberals that California not send federal tax revenue to the government. What makes these liberal rejections of the rule of law even worse is their massive hypocrisy. The same liberals who say A.G.s don't need to defend laws they don't like tell us that in private practice, lawyers are required to use every legal technicality they can to ensure that child rapists get off scot-free. During the election, liberals told us Hillary had a moral obligation to use legal chicanery to ensure that a 41-year-old man who raped a 12-year-old girl had to serve only a few months in prison. Yet those same liberals tell us that lawyers in the government are morally obliged to not defend laws they don't like. That's right: in the minds of liberals, lawyers have an obligation to help murders and rapists but not to defend laws they personally don't like. That's either telling us liberals really like child rapists, which seems unlikely, or that they're hypocrites when they say people like Yates are doing the right thing. The liberal hypocrisy also shows through in the case of Kim Davis, a government clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Liberals told us she was a monster. But when "sanctuary" cities refuse to follow the law, those same liberals commend them. Clearly thinking they are able to pick and choose what laws to follow but others aren't shows the tyranny at the heart of modern "liberalism." Could you imagine the liberal outcry if a state decided to withhold revenue from the federal government, as liberals in California are now discussing, because its residents object to the Supreme Court's totalitarian redefinition of marriage? The reality is that a large portion of the Democratic Party are traitors who reject both the rule of law and the democratic process. They demand the right to dictate, through traitorous judges and government employees, how the country is to be run, no matter who wins elections. That's why so many liberals are calling for Trump's impeachment even though he hasn't done anything significant yet, much less anything justifying impeachment. It doesn't faze them that not that long ago, they said = Bill Clinton lying under oath in order to avoid being sued for sexual harassment was no basis for impeachment. Obama's serial lying about Obamacare was also not considered grounds for impeachment, but apparently, Trump's opinion that his inauguration crowd was larger than Obama's is grounds for impeachment. The reality is that far too many liberals believe that the laws don't apply to them and that they are justified in doing anything from mocking Barron Trump to talking about assassinating Donald Trump to ensure that their will is tyrannically imposed on the American people. Those modern liberals are to America what the brownshirts were to Germany or the communists were to Russia. People who reject the law, reject the right of the people to rule themselves, claim the right to use violence to further their cause, and reject the idea that they too are bound by the Constitution. Their increasingly violent behavior cannot be long tolerated. America cannot continue to allow liberals to use violence, fake news, and intimidation to silence the will of the people. We must hold them to the same standards they, and we, say the rest of America must be held to. Disagreeing with Trump is not treason. Government officials making up rules that the people must follow or refusing to enforce the rules the people have endorsed is another story. Tell your friends that everyone in America has to follow the law and the rules. It would have been wrong if conservatives protested violently at Obama's inauguration, and it would be wrong if a conservative Supreme Court ruled that redefining marriage to include same-sex couples is unconstitutional because the Constitution reserves all powers related to marriage to the states and it is equally wrong when liberals betray their oaths and their country by behaving like jackbooted tyrants. You can read more of Tom's rants at his blog, Conversations about the obvious, and feel free to follow him on Twitter. One of the most fascinating speeches in the Bible happens in Acts 5, with Jewish Pharisee Gamaliel addressing the Sanhedrin. He warns them that if the message being preached by the Apostles of Jesus were of man, it would fail. But if it is from God, it can't be stopped. It was of God, and it wasn't stopped. I find that passage particularly relevant today within American Christendom. There is a reason why liberal Christian movements like those championed by Jim Wallis, Rachel Held Evans, Shane Claiborne, and others are so ineffective and unpersuasive in American culture. Rather than seeking to glorify and build the Kingdom of God, they regularly appropriate the language of Scripture to advocate for earthly, largely political causes that never address the principal need of humanity: salvation from sin. For instance, preaching the words of Scripture when it comes to our nation's policy toward refugees is admirable (provided it is done in context) only if you don't ignore, downplay, or reject the counsel of Scripture when it comes to policy regarding abortion, marriage, and human sexuality. So-called progressive Christians have long chastised their conservative brethren for cherry-picking Scripture to support certain political causes. And to the extent that conservatives have done that, it has been to our detriment. One need only walk through the graveyard of the "Religious Right" for confirmation of that reality. The Religious Right fell apart not because it sought to apply the truth of the Bible to politics. It was when it tied the message of the Gospel to a political agenda. Before long, the Republican Party became an idol, and its success was seen as the most effective way to advance righteousness in the land. The Religious Right ceased to be about God, and thus it ceased to be. But the same is happening with the Progressive Christianity of Wallis, Evans, Claiborne, Brian McLaren, and Tony Campolo that so desperately wants to be a formidable political force in America. In an effort to become such, they use the Bible as a weapon not against the sin and unrighteousness that plagues humanity, but against those who don't share their politics. Loving like Jesus means caring about what He cared about, wanting what He wanted, acting like He acted. And any rational reading of Scripture reveals that Jesus always cared first about the spiritual health of the individual, second about their physical health. Healing the physical was His way of demonstrating He had authority to heal the spiritual which was far more important. Progressive Christians who focus only on physical poverty while ignoring spiritual poverty are not contending for the faith. They are a political movement that finds themselves in a flesh-driven struggle for power rather than a spirit-driven struggle for Kingdom-building. They mistake seeking social "justice" for the poor with seeking eternal justification for the sinner. That is a tragic confusion. Take Sojourners Magazine, headed by Jim Wallis (and historically associated with the shocking promotion of misery-spreading communism in Central America), which recently ran a piece describing how American Christianity had failed because it "look[s] nothing like Jesus." Now, on the surface, one need only view the opulent auditoriums and crystal palaces of some of the country's largest churches to recognize that there is certainly some truth to that assessment. But at the same time, the progressive Christians at Sojourners are promoting that narrative, they are simultaneously running glowing accounts and magnanimous reporting about the "Women's March" on Washington, D.C. the day after the inauguration. This was a gathering that specifically barred many Christians, atheists, Jews, men, women, and minorities for their biblically consistent view that abortion dehumanizes innocent children. Is that the inclusivity of Jesus that Sojourners touts so often? And speaking of looking "nothing like Jesus," does the Wallis operation contend any of the following points? March organizer Linda Sarsour, who infamously attacked a fierce defender of Islamic women seeking freedom, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ali suffered through Islamic female genital mutilation as a five-year-old, but Women's March organizer Sarsour growled that she would take Ali's "vagina away." Grotesque signs stating "P---- Power," "Viva la Vulva," "P---- Grabs Back," "Abort Mike Pence." Placards depicting Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in perverse sexual acts. The caustic rhetoric and militant feminism of Ashley Judd that manifested in a profane and coarse rant that was antithetical to the biblical admonition of Ephesians 5. Giant models of bloody tampons. Posters adorned with explicitly anti-Biblical statements like "I didn't come from your rib you came from my vagina." Featured speakers like Donna Hylton, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the kidnapping, anal assault with a three-foot steel pole, torture, and eventual murder of a 62-year-old man. Is this what progressive Christianity sees as the face of Christ? Condemning the vulgarity of President Trump is meaningful Christian conduct (I did it in strong terms right here). Appealing to decency and respect for women is a powerful witness to the truth of Scripture. But lauding condemnation done with equal and in some cases more disgusting vulgarity destroys that witness. Yet that is what the Christian left did, as evidenced on the pages of Sojourners and this Biblically offensive Facebook post from Rachel Evans: Seeing hundreds of thousands of pink pussy hats today reminded me of Luke 12:3: 'Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.' Our new president is feelin' that one today. The passage she cites is actually Jesus warning His disciples about hypocrisy the very offense Evans commits in a post meant to condemn Trump's crudeness while applauding it in others. This is the enduring problem with these liberal Christian movements. Whether flying under the banner of social justice or emergent church, the Christian left is nothing more than what they hated in the Religious Right: political activists selectively hijacking particular words of the Divine in vanity and political approbation. Until that changes, they will remain a movement of man, not of the cross. Gamaliel tells us how that story ends. Peter Heck is a speaker, author, and teacher. Follow him @peterheck, email peter@peterheck.com, or visit www.peterheck.com. Last night, the forces of campus fascism may have overplayed their hand by forcing cancelation of a talk by Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley and then rioting (many rioters in masks) through campus and downtown Berkeley, lighting fires and smashing windows. President Trump this morning took note on Twitter and raised the nuclear option of federal funding: If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Berkeley and its university are worldwide symbols of the leftist takeover and corruption of academia. Few people realize that until 1964, when the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley signaled the start of the leftist assault on academia, Berkeley had been governed by Republicans for many years. The influx of thousands of leftists from all over the nation is what changed the city into a stronghold and symbol of the left. The president of the University of California is none other than Janet Napolitano, the former head of Homeland Security, someone who ought to know about keeping order and preventing riots, but let her university fail. It is not as if the intentions of the rioters were any secret. But the university has issued a strong condemnation. If words were deeds, that would mean something. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence and unlawful behavior that was on display, and deeply regret that those tactics will now overshadow the efforts to engage in legitimate and lawful protest against the performers presence and perspectives. The University is claiming that it did a lot: The University and the UCPD went to extraordinary lengths to plan for this event and put the appropriate resources in place in order to maintain security. Officials were in contact with other campuses and paid close attention to lessons learned at the speakers prior events. Dozens of additional police officers were on duty. Multiple methods of crowd control were in place. Ultimately and unfortunately, however, it was simply impossible to maintain order given the level of threat, disruption, and violence. We regret that the threats and unlawful actions of a few have interfered with the exercise of First Amendment rights on a campus that is proud of its history and legacy as home of the Free Speech Movement. As Chancellor Dirks made clear in his message to the Berkeley campus community, while Mr. Yiannopoulos views, tactics and rhetoric are profoundly contrary to our own, we are bound by the Constitution, the law, our values, and the campuss Principles of Community to enable free expression across the full spectrum of opinion and perspective. No arrests have been made, so far as Google tells me. But there should be digital fingerprints for the social media used to organize the protests, and for the people behind resistfascism.org, who sent out classic fascist tropes claiming justification for shutting down Milo: -In fact, he is a fascist, and students at campuses along his tour have righteously fought, and sometimes succeeded, in shutting down his speaking gigs. (snip) -People who protest Milo are not opposing free speech, they are opposing a fascist America, which is the actual, real, and gravely serious threat to basic rights of speech, assembly, and intellectual life. This one is priceless, straight out of Orwell: -Students who oppose Milo are strengthening the role of universities as places where dissent, critical thinking and the search for truth can flourish. None of this will be persuasive to anyone but an authoritarian leftist. So the time is ripe for the Department of Education (once it has a secretary) and for Congress to consider rules, regulations, and laws to crack down on free speech violations on campus and other features of the conversion of academia into a political adjunct of the left. A DHS employee, writing in The Washington Post, the official newspaper of the opposition, attempted to reassure the public that vetting of refugees from dangerous countries was very, very thorough. But in the process, she did exactly the opposite. I have had countless refugees break down crying in my interview room because of the length and severity of the vetting process. They broke down crying? Were they waterboarded? The process starts with the United Nations' refugee agency (UNHCR). The UNHCR conducts a series of interviews and screenings, including home country reference checks and a biological screening such as iris scans. What are these iris scans compared to? You can even sample their DNA, but if you don't have anything to compare it to, it's meaningless. Iraqis, Syrians and Iranians, who are all now barred from entering the United States, are far and away the most well-documented refugees we interview. How can they be the most documented when many don't have documents at all? How can they be most documented when, in the case of Syrians and some Iraqis, they come from places where there is no government at all, or a hostile government who would love to infiltrate spies into the U.S. (Iran)? I typically had to review a stack of high school degrees, baptismal certificates, marriage and birth certificates, honors and awards, photos with U.S. service personnel, recommendations from American military members, and conscription booklets or cards, which every man in those countries had to carry. Except for recommendations from the U.S. military, these are all meaningless. What does a birth certificate tell you about whether someone is a terrorist or not? What does a high school degree tell you? Are all ISIS members high school dropouts? How does serving in the Army for a period of time tell you whether that person committed atrocities in the military or joined a radical rebel group afterward? Since the United States has been in Iraq for more than 10 years, the government has a plethora of information on Iraqis in many cases, terrorists, criminals and persecutors are recognizable and denied. No, it doesn't. We know the identities of some terrorists, but there are thousands more fighting for ISIS whose names we don't even know. Some refugees were so fearful of forgetting some detail of their lives that they brought notes to the interview to remember everything exactly. Sound suspicious to you? In one instance, while reviewing a case, I came across a report of a refugee who had handed someone a piece of fruit at a checkpoint. The incident was thoroughly investigated to see if the person had provided material support to a potential terrorist organization. So we are to believe if reports of fruit-giving are checked out this thoroughly, no terrorists can slip through. Is anyone other than me understanding this? The refugee applicants' information and fingerprints (also taken by Homeland Security officers) are run through the databases of nine law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies and matched against criminal databases[.] That's great. Let me know when we get an equally detailed database to match it to from the Syrian, Somali, and Iranian government. Maybe we can match it against characters from the Star Wars universe and see if there's a match there, too. Behind the scenes, officers and supervisors of varying political stripes debate and discuss each case endlessly. If it were truly endless, that would be great. At U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters, officers conduct more research, reconciling multiple interview notes, country conditions and background checks. They are trained to spot "red flags" or issues that might make someone inadmissible. How can they possibly know? Normally, if someone wants to come from a friendly country say, Canada all we would have to do is ask the Canadians about him. But there is no one to ask in places like Syria and Somalia, and I wouldn't necessarily trust the answers we get from places like Iran and even Iraq. The article has several compulsory sob stories, to put a human face on the effort to expose our country to potential terrorists. Here is one of them: I conducted one of my last interviews as an immigration officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Istanbul with Mahmoud and his 8-year-old son from Aleppo, Syria. His son had lost his legs in the explosion that killed Mahmoud's wife, sister and other children. I had never been both so sad and proud that this boy would be able to come to the United States and start school and a new life [but the evil Trump stopped them from coming].... So the American taxpayer is expected to provide expensive medical care to Mahmoud's child, for the rest of his life, as well as disability payments, also for the rest of the child's life? Where is the justice to taxpayers for that? The fact is that the only thing extreme about this vetting is the rhetoric around it. In practice, because of the chaotic or hostile nature of the countries these "refugees" are coming from, it is usually impossible to distinguish political refugees from economic refugees from terrorists, or even just people who would want to impose their brand of sharia law on others. Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com. Are male college students accused of sexual misconduct assumed guilty until proven innocent? From IndyStar : A male student filed a lawsuit this week against Purdue University, saying a sexual misconduct investigation unfairly resulted in his suspension from the university and dismissal from the Navy ROTC program. According to the 69-page complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana Hammond Division, Purdue suspended the student based on allegations by an ex-girlfriend made three months after they stopped dating. The suit is the second sex discrimination case brought by a male student against a university in Indiana in less than a month both related to the universities' handling of sexual misconduct allegations. In the Purdue case, the complaint states that the male student and his accuser dated from October to December 2015. The female student alleged that during several nights when they slept together, the male student groped and fondled the woman while she was sleeping, without her consent. The complaint also states that he chased her down a hallway threatening to taser her. The two are named as John Doe and Jane Doe in the complaint. While he was not formally charged with a crime, the male student was suspended from school for one full year and expelled from the school's NROTC program, according to the suit. More and more, it appears that the radical feminist element of our culture has permeated academia to such a degree that the situation is almost unsalvageable. Looking at the above case, I have to say: Im glad Purdue is getting sued by this student. His accuser alleges that he groped and fondled [her] while she was sleeping, without her consent. Really? So they were sleeping together by mutual consent, but were supposed to believe that the male student groped her on several occasions without her consent while she was (half?) asleep? Then, at some point, he chased her down a hallway threatening to taser her. Was he actually in possession of a taser? Or were they perhaps just engaging in a little drunken horseplay? Evidently, the police didnt think there was enough evidence to charge him with a crime and I can see why. Maybe he broke off the relationship, and this was her way of getting back at him. Now, I dont think the students should have been sleeping together in the first place; fornication isnt a good thing. However, we know that such acts are very common and, to quote my not so favorite pope, who am I to judge? If the police had charged the accused student with a crime (I do realize that, even if he had been charged, hes innocent until proven guilty), Id be more understanding of the universitys disciplinary action. But in this case, he wasnt charged with a crime, yet the universitys administration decided to suspend him anyway. Need I remind readers of the debunked UVA rape story published by the leftist rag Rolling Stone? As for the supposed nationwide campus rape culture, in 2013, Caroline Kitchens wrote in the left-leaning U.S. News and World Report : Across the country, students accused of sexual assault are regularly tried before inadequate and unjust campus judiciaries. At most schools, cases of sexual misconduct are decided by a committee of as few as three students, faculty members or administrators[.] ... What's more, campus judiciaries operate under a dangerously low standard of proof for sexual assault cases, thanks to federal mandates. Yes, one woman raped is one too many. At the same time, however, one man falsely accused of rape is one too many. Chicagos Mayor Rahm Emanuel yesterday seemed to welcome President Trumps offer (in a tweet) to send in the feds to help quell the carnage (51 murders, 234 shooting incidents and 299 shooting victims last month). CBS Chicago reports: Shortly after President Donald Trump suggested it would be a good idea to sit down with Chicago gang leaders, and again said he might have to take matters into his own hands to address violent crime in the city, Mayor Rahm Emanuel essentially told the new president to put his money where his mouth is. (snip) Mayor Emanuel said Trump should stop talking about crime in Chicago, and actually provide more federal resources for the city. Send more FBI, DEA, ATF agents. We dont have to talk about it anymore. Just send them, the mayor said Wednesday while meeting with young men taking part in the Becoming A Man mentoring program. Photo: CBS Chicago Chicago journalists understand the tone Emanuel was using, as if calling a presidential bluff. The funny thing is that by taking this posture, Emanuel is overlooking who was in the White House the last eight years (during part of which he was the chief of staff). During that time, there were no major increases in agents or resources, not even making much note or fuss over the appalling violence, primarily affecting African-American young men who, in Obamas terms, would look like his son, if he had one. But instead of gratitude for the offer of help, so missing in the last eight years, Emanuel turned his statement into a plea for money from the rest of Americas taxpayers: The mayor said he would like to see increased federal prosecutions of gun crimes, more money for youth mentoring and jobs programs, and additional federal agents to assist Chicago police in fighting gangs and gun violence. Invest in law enforcement with our Police Department. Every major city has to do more. Move more FBI, DEA, ATF. They do a great job. Use the ability to prosecute gun crimes at the federal level, and maximize that potential. The mayor said he has spoken repeatedly with the president, vice president, and the presidents chief of staff about getting more federal resources to address crime in Chicago such as youth mentoring and summer jobs initiatives. In that sense, they are aware of what our requests are, and we will look forward to working with them on that, he said. Supporting our police officers, supporting our kids, investing in our neighborhoods and communities are key. Mayor Emanuel is leaving the door open for President Trump to come through and not only suppress crime, but also investigate corruption in the Windy City. The New York times published a story where it claimed to interview Donald Trump's personal doctor who said that Trump takes Propecia, a drug that spurs hair growth (as well as causing men to grow breasts). President Trump takes medication for three ailments, including a prostate-related drug to promote hair growth, Mr. Trumps longtime physician, Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, said in a series of recent interviews. White House officials declined to comment on Wednesday night on the information provided by Dr. Bornstein, and would not say whether he was still Mr. Trumps physician. Dr. Bornstein said he also took finasteride and credited it for helping maintain his own shoulder-length hair and Mr. Trumps hair. He has all his hair, Dr. Bornstein said. I have all my hair. If this is true*, why does the public need to know this? Can you recall the NYT ever publishing salacious details about Obama's health? Do we all not recall the New York Times' reticence to talk about Hillary Clinton's fainting spells and concussion? I don't know if Donald Trump takes Propecia. I don't think it matters, and it's not newsworthy. The Times article also secondarily reported on Trump's PSA tests to try to give a more serious medical justification for the story, but really the article was about his hair. Propecia spurs a female hormone that raises estrogen levels. This was a direct attack on Trump's "manliness." Donald Trump can be legitimately criticized for his positions on topics such as "Dreamers", gay marriage, tariffs, spending, and crony capitalism, but personal attacks like this are just meant to emasculate the man and destroy him. First the media broadcast false reports about Trump hiring Russian prostitutes to urinate on a bed Obama slept in. And now this. We now know that the media will sink to whatever depths are necessary to politically destroy this man. *note that disclosure of a patients medication is against the law and a violation of medical ethics. - editor Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com. It appears that radical leftists across the country are trying to outdo one another in expressing their hysterical opposition to Donald Trump. The latest head case is sometime actress, unfunny comedienne, and Hollywood celebrity Sarah Silverman. She sent this rather unbalanced and unpleasant tweet about the "resistance" to Trump. WAKE UP & JOIN THE RESISTANCE. ONCE THE MILITARY IS W US FASCISTS GET OVERTHROWN. MAD KING & HIS HANDLERS GO BYE BYE https://t.co/Y2WZbL012A Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 2, 2017 Washington Times: Actress Sarah Silverman called for a military coup against President Trump on Wednesday night in the midst of violent riots in Berkeley, California. In a screaming all-capital-letters tweet exhorted her almost 10 million followers to wake up & join the resistance, a term from World War II that anti-Trump rioters have used to define themselves. She then outlined her preferred scenario for the violent overthrow of the legitimately elected government, still in all capital letters. Once the military is w us fascists get overthrown. Mad king & his handlers go bye bye, Ms. Silverman posted. She ended her post with four heart emojis, presumably signifying love. Brainless twits like Silverman love to use the appelation "fascist" to describe just about anyone they disagree with politically. They think it makes them sound serious and important, when, of course, it makes them sound ignorant and puerile. Trump is no more a fascist than my pet cat Snowball, and at least Snowy has the good sense to keep her mouth shut about things she knows nothing about. For the record, Trump's executive order on refugees and travelers from certain Muslim nations is well within his purview not only as chief executive, but as commander in chief of the armed forces. Such security measures are recognized as the responsibility of the president alone, and presidents from Jefferson through Obama exercised that authority at one time or another. The irony of leftist opposition is worthy of an Ionesco play. Tell me this description of Eugene Ionesco's playwrighting doesn't sound like leftist propaganda against Trump: These absurdist sketches, to which he gave such descriptions as "anti-play" (anti-piece in French) express modern feelings of alienation and the impossibility and futility of communication with surreal comic force, parodying the conformism of the bourgeoisie and conventional theatrical forms. In them Ionesco rejects a conventional story-line as their basis, instead taking their dramatic structure from accelerating rhythms and/or cyclical repetitions. He disregards psychology and coherent dialogue, thereby depicting a dehumanized world with mechanical, puppet-like characters who speak in non-sequiturs. Language becomes rarefied, with words and material objects gaining a life of their own, increasingly overwhelming the characters and creating a sense of menace. Ionesco drove irony to sublimely ridiculous lengths. For leftists today, that's not much of a reach. They spend several decades trashing the Constitution and then claim Trump is violating constitutional principles. They spend even longer trashing American values and then claim Trump is destroying American values. Irony escapes them because their ability for reflection and self-criticism is non existent. They are oblvious to their own stupidity. Thankfully, the military will ignore Sliverman's encouragement and do their duty according to the oath they swore when they enlisted. That has a far more powerful hold on them than some loony lefty's fantasy about a coup that isn't even worthy of a bad movie script. A man who claimed that his mother died in Iraq waiting to be allowed into the U.S. after being banned by President Trump's executive order is a liar, says his imam in Dearborn, Mich. The story went viral when it hit the wires early this week and became a symbol of the heartlessness of President Trump's ban on travelers from some Muslim countries. Fox 2: Imam Husham Al-Hussainy, leader of the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center in Dearborn, says Mike Hager's mom did not pass away this weekend after being barred from traveling to the United States. The Imam confirms that Hager's mother died before the ban was put in place. On Tuesday, Mike Hager told FOX 2 that he and his family were stopped while trying to return from Iraq to Michigan. He said that he was allowed through because of his American citizenship but his ailing mother and other family members were not. He then claimed that his mom passed away in Iraq on Saturday, as he was traveling to the United States. ravelers from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia are banned from traveling to the United States for 90 days so the country can detect "individuals with terrorist ties and stopping them from entering the United States." After the story aired on FOX 2 and was posted on FOX2Detroit.com, we received many questions about the validity of Hager's claims that his mother died waiting to be approved to come home. FOX 2 has confirmed that his mother died five days earlier. According to Al-Hussainy, Hager's mother had kidney disease and was receiving treatment in Michigan - where she lived - before traveling to Iraq to visit family. The Imam said she passed away on January 22, 2017, five days before President Trump instituted the travel ban. "That's true. The 22nd of January, his mom died," Al-Hussainy said. "She did die but that was a couple weeks ago - before the ban." Al-Hussainy says Hager contacted him on January 19th to tell him his mother was very sick with kidney disease and he was going to Iraq to be with her. She died there on January 22nd and another mosque in the Detroit area here even held a prayer service in her honor. The Imam, who voted for Trump, did not want to address the general unrest over the travel ban or the weekend chaos for travelers and protesters at the airports. Instead, he called for peace and patience. Using the death of your mother to make a political statement and a false one at that is about as low as it gets. And the left glomming on to the story as a metaphor for the "cruelty" of Trump's order shows the desperation and hysterical overreaction that have marked opposition to the order since day one. There have been some pretty stupid incidents overseas by American officials who either were overzealous in applying the order or didn't fully understand the scope of it. Some of those misunderstandings the ban on green card holders, for example have been fixed. Others are going to be addressed in the coming days. The point is, a lot of this could have been avoided with better preparation and planning by the White House before the order was issued. But the hoax involving a U.S. citizen's foreign mother has nothing to do with any misunderstanding. It was purely a political ploy to build opposition to the president's executive order by spreading lies and rumors about its untoward consequences. Our politics is getting sillier by the minute. Democrats don't show up for votes in the U.S. Senate. People are marching against a Supreme Court nominee before he is named. Let's look at more silliness: First, the New York Times beats the drums of "the stolen seat." Second, some Democrats are now saying President Trump should not appoint a conservative judge because he is a plurality president. So were President Clinton and President Kennedy, but they put their people on the court. Neil Gorsuch comes on the scene at a time when Democrats have little power but very loud supporters. They've also been taken over by interest groups that care only about abortion, same-sex marriage, or men who want to use a woman's bathroom. They've completely forgotten about the millions who live in the real world. Judge Gorsuch was involved in a couple of recent issues that the Democrats will bring up in the confirmation hearings, as Ramesh Ponnoru wrote: In two high-profile religious-liberty cases, Gorsuch voted to hold that the Obama administration had violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act by refusing to exempt religious employers from a requirement to cover contraceptives in their insurance plans. In neither case, though, will it be easy for opponents to portray his decisions as evidence of social-conservative zealotry. He concurred in a decision freeing the Hobby Lobby chain from the contraceptive mandate. Its Evangelical owners considered some of the contraceptives they were forced to cover to be abortifacients and objected to them for that reason. A narrow 54 majority of the Supreme Court affirmed that decision. Gorsuch joined a dissent arguing that the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of Catholic nuns, had shown that the Obama administrations fines for noncompliance with the mandate amounted to a substantial burden on the exercise of their faith one of the preconditions for getting protection under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The Supreme Court unanimously vacated the decision from which Gorsuch had dissented. Gorsuchs solicitude for religious liberty has not been confined to cases involving abortion, contraception, or conservative Christians. In the less well-known Yellowbear v. Lampert, Gorsuch ruled that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act meant that a Native American prisoner had to have access to his prisons sweat lodge. Time will tell, as it always does. So far, I am pleased that Judge Gorsuch said last night that he believes that legislatures, not judges, write laws. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Glass Beach is an unusual beach in MacKerricher State Park near Fort Bragg, California that is abundant in sea glass created from years of dumping garbage by the residents near the coastline. Glass Beach is a unique beach, not because it was made by man, but because of the way nature has reclaimed a garbage dump, and how time and the pounding surf have corrected one of man's mistakes. Beginning in 1949, the area around Glass Beach became a public dump. Fort Bragg residents threw whatever household garbage they had over the cliffs above and into what is now Glass Beach. They discarded lot of glass, appliances, and even cars. By the early sixties, some attempts were made to control what was dumped, and dumping of any toxic items was banned. Finally in 1967, the North Coast Water Quality Board realized what a mistake it was and closed the area. Now, over 30 years later, nature has reclaimed this beach. Years of pounding waves have cleansed the beach, wearing down the discarded glass into the small, smooth, colored trinkets that cover the beach today. You'll still see the occasional reminder of it earlier life, such as a rusted spark plug, but for the most part what you'll see is millions of pieces of glass sparkling in the sun. In 2002, the California State Park system purchased the 38-acre Glass Beach property, and after cleanup it was incorporated into MacKerricher State Park. The area is now frequently visited by tourists. Though not officially permitted, many still scour the beach for interesting curios and glass to take home as souvenirs. Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Sources: 1, 2 Rob M. Only one of the five states who voted on legalizing recreational cannabis in November turned it down. Arizona's Prop 205 didn't even come close to winning. Analysts were blaming the loss on the proposition being unbalanced in favor of existing medical cannabis dispensaries (a provision in Prop 205 gave medical dispensaries first dibs on retail licenses, leaving only about 20 licenses available for new entrepreneurs). But one very crucial (and creepy) factor that people seem to just gloss over was the pile of moneyhalf a million dollarsthat Insys Therapeutics dumped into the Arizonans For Responsible Drug Policy, who put on an aggressive anti-cannabis media campaign. It was one of the largest donations made to the group. Maybe you aren't familiar with Insys. They are the makers of Subsys fentanyla potent synthetic opioid which Dr. Sanjay Gupta, president of the American Pain Association, told the Huffington Post was 100 times stronger than morphine. Earlier this month, the FBI was asking for anyone who received a prescription between March 2012 and December 2016 for the drugusually given to cancer patientsto come forward and fill out a questionnaire that would help them in an investigation of Insys. They said several pharmaceutical executives and managers formerly employed by the company were arrested in early December for bribing medical practitioners in various states, many who operated pain clinics. Not exactly the type of company you would expect to altruistically give $500,000 away just to protect our kids and keep Arizona drug free, as the anti-Prop 205 literature reads. To me, it just sounds like one drug dealer worrying about the new guy setting up shop in the neighborhood. And I'm not saying that flippantly, either. Insys manufactures both Marinol and Syndros, synthetic forms of THC thatat least in the case of Marinol, which has been on the market for some time as opposed to the brand-new Syndroshave had unpleasant side effects that aren't found in natural cannabis. Which brings me back to why I brought it up in the first place. (No, I'm not just bitching to hear my own voice.) When all these arrests were going down in December, FBI Assistant Director Diego Rodriguez said in a statement, This case should be something the medical industry and the general public should pay close attention to because its one of the reasons were experiencing an epidemic of overdoses and deaths in this country. New Mexico has a serious issue with opioid addiction and related overdose deaths. In 2015, the good news was we were only the eighth worst state for overdose deaths. It was good news because in 2014 we were the second. But before you slap someone on the back, keep in mind that some of that drop in ranking came from the rise in overdose deaths experienced across the entire nation. Over the past year, we've started taking the issue more seriously it seems, and just this month, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced the launch of Project OPEN: Opioid Prevention & Education Network, aimed at better educating attorneys, policy advisers and the general public about the opioid epidemic. Here's the darkest part of the Insys story: Back in July 2016, a study conducted by the University of Georgia found that in states that have medical cannabis programs, a significantly lower number of painkillers were prescribed to patients. The study reviewed prescriptions filled through Medicare Part D and found that the average doctor prescribed an average of 1,826 fewer daily doses of painkillers per year. Interesting. Let's go back to those numbers we were so proud of: the drop in overdose deaths in N.M. This actually coincides with the growth trend of our state's medical cannabis program. Surprised? Imagine if it was available to everyone. Not every opioid addict has a prescription, you know. The story of Insys isn't just a boogeyman tale. There is a very real possibility that in the coming years, we will find ourselves voting on the legalization of recreational cannabis. There will be some very rich and very corrupt people out there who will fight tooth and nail to keep you and your neighbors from allowing in what is basically their competition. Remember this story. Remember how the Big Bad Wolf won, and don't let it happen here. Because we need it, folks. Not just on account of we're poor and desperate for money (and good God, are we poor and desperate for money), but because we have friends and family who are suffering from this opioid epidemic and legalizing cannabis is one very easy way to help fight this problem. Americas largest carrier, Verizon Wireless, started rolling out the January Security Update for four of Samsungs 2015 flagship devices. The update is now rolling out for the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+, and the Galaxy Note 5. Verizons release notes reveal that only changes included in the update are Googles latest critical security fixes. This security patch was first released by Google before Samsung reworked it for their fleet of devices. Once the Korean manufacturer modified the software, the changes were also tested and approved by Verizon. For a full software release, this process can take months, but things are moving much more quickly when it comes to Android Security Updates. While owners of the aforementioned devices are still waiting for Android Nougat, its important that security patches like this one are released on a regular basis. These critical security patches resolve issues or exploits present in the Android platform that could potentially be used to take control of someones device and steal user information. Owners of the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, and the Galaxy S6 Edge+ should soon receive the latest security patch automatically. The handset should be fully charged before the software update process starts and it wont be entirely functional during the procedure, Verizons release notes state. The latest software versions bear the label N920VVRS3BQA1 for the Galaxy Note 5, G928VVRS3BQA1 for the Galaxy S6 Edge+, G920VVRS4CQA3 for the Galaxy S6 and G925VVRS4CQA3 for the Galaxy S6 Edge. It remains to be seen how quickly will any of these devices receive their Nougat updates, though recent developments suggest that their updates will start rolling out in the coming months. Verizon Wireless previously had a reputation for taking too long to release software updates, so with that in mind, this latest set of patches actually rolled out in a relatively timely manner. The largest mobile service provider in the country utilizes extensive testing procedures to ensure that the end-user experience is as good as it can possibly be. Googles 2015 update policy recommendations requiring regular monthly security patches for Android devices prompted some phone manufacturers to change how frequently they update their devices and forced carriers to follow suit. In an unofficial video uploaded on Tuesday by a YouTube user jurvetson, Boston Dynamics is shown presenting its most recent robotic innovations. The presentation features a more in-depth look at the previously revealed dog-like robot called SpotMini and showcases an updated version of the companys Atlas robot. The presenter and Boston Dynamics co-founder Marc Raibert also provided a look at a completely new robot called Handle which he affectionately described as being nightmare-inducing. Despite all of the difficulties the company has faced since joining Googles subsidiary X in 2013, rigorous work has apparently continued. Raibert begins the presentation by walking attendees through a video of SpotMini, highlighting its relatively small size, sensory input systems, and reflexive capabilities. He goes on to describe several household tasks that the robot can complete thanks to its unique arm stabilization system but explains that the system is not yet perfect. Shifting focus, the video then moves on to show the companys second-generation Atlas robot. Atlas is a bipedal humanoid workhorse, designed to complete a wide array of tasks. Boston Dynamics has been working hard to improve on the design of the first Atlas and the second iteration is much closer in size and weight to an actual human. In the video, it is shown lifting and moving moderately heavy objects at speeds much closer to human speeds than the previous version. Raibert says that the upgrade allows the robot to use its entire body, giving it the ability to move and work in a way that is much more natural. He goes on to explain that it is also being tolerance-tested to handle unpredictable circumstances. To visualize that point, an engineer is shown deliberately interrupting the task that the robot is trying to complete. The robot is also shown working with a human to transport and put down a stretcher in a balanced and controlled way. Handle is the last robot to be shown in the presentation video. Raibert revealed that this product is an experiment by Boston Dynamics as the company wanted to see if it can create a more cost-effective robot that can still accomplish tasks similar to the companys bipedal models. Handle was cheaper to manufacture due to its simplified legs that use wheels instead of feet, with the hardware above the legs helping the robot to constantly balance itself. Raibert explains that the name Handle was chosen because the robot will eventually be able to handle objects. The robot is apparently extremely agile and can quickly move with precision. At one point, the robot is even shown jumping over a barrier before it continues rolling along. The Moto G5 Plus rumors and leaks are popping up on a daily basis lately, and the devices wallpaper and ringtones just surfaced as well. The devices alleged wallpaper is available below this article, and its quite interesting actually. This wallpaper comes with a combination of colors, though its quite eye-pleasing, as the colors are not too bright or anything. If you like this wallpaper, feel free to download it, though do keep in mind that this is probably not its full size, as its not even 1080p. Now, if youre more into ringtones, well, youll be glad to know that two of Moto G5 Plus ringtones surfaced as well. These two ringtones are called Hello and Moto, and are available in the .ogg format. You can download the Hello and Moto ringtones by clicking one of the two links which are located below this article. These two ringtones are available through MediaFire, in case you were wondering. That being said, the Moto G5 Plus is an upcoming mid-range smartphone which is expected to launch during this years Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which will kick off at the end of this month. The Moto G5 is probably going to launch alongside the Moto G5 Plus, though nothing has been confirmed just yet. The Moto G5 Plus will be a larger, and quite probably more powerful, variant of the Moto G5, and thanks to recent rumors and leaks, we more or less know what to expect in terms of the devices specs, read on. The Moto G5 Plus will probably ship with a 5.5-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display, 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 32GB / 64GB of native storage. The device will be fueled by the Snapdragon 625 64-bit octa-core processor, while a 3,100mAh battery had also been mentioned in a number of leaks thus far. Android 7.0 Nougat will come pre-installed on the Moto G5 Plus with some additional apps from the company. The Moto G5 Plus is also expected to sport a fingerprint scanner, and it will probably be made out of metal. The device actually got certified by the FCC quite recently, which also suggests it might be announced during the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC). Advertisement Download 'Hello' ringtone Download 'Moto' ringtone Google will co-sign a letter opposing President Trumps recently issued immigration ban, Kara Swisher of Recode reported on Thursday. The Mountain View-based tech giant is reportedly one of many Silicon Valley companies that will author a letter formally opposing the executive order President Trump signed last week to prevent citizens of seven Middle Eastern countries from emigrating to the United States. Other tech companies looking to co-sign the letter include the likes of Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple. While primarily symbolic, this move would mark the first time the tech industry formally united against President Trumps policies, only two weeks into his tenure. The Silicon Valley is also reportedly interested in getting other industries involved in their joint initiative against the current U.S. administration. The contents of the letter in question are currently unknown, but the tech industry will at the very least use this document to formally voice strong opposition to the immigration ban. Most top executives at Google and other tech giants already criticized President Trumps decision to suspend immigration from certain prevalently Muslim countries, with Alphabets Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt even describing his policies as evil things, but official opposition to the ban has yet to be voiced. Its also possible that Googles letter will be worded as a threat and maybe even serve as a precursor to legal action against the current U.S. administration, though that seems less likely at the moment. The Alphabet-owned Internet firm already established the largest crisis fund in its history in response to President Trumps immigration ban. The Silicon Valleys opposition to the ban isnt surprising seeing how the U.S. tech giants have traditionally relied on immigration to acquire talent. On the other hand, the current administration is defending its decision by describing it as a temporary measure intended to buy them additional time until they design a stricter visa vetting process which will supposedly prevent abuse of the H1-B visa program. The new vetting process thats already in the works will likely hurt the tech industry even more, but it remains to be seen what the Silicon Valley can do to actively oppose it. As things stand right now, tensions between the industry and Washington will likely rise in the coming weeks. Google is now taking signups for Fiber in Raleigh, North Carolina alongside announcing a new Fiber Space for the region. While Fiber has had its share of hiccups over the past few months with hitting snags in certain areas where they had planned to roll out the service and halting production in 11 potential Fiber cities, Google is continuing with the service expansion by now getting ready to bring the gigabit internet service to Raleigh residents that are interested in giving Googles home internet option a shot. For residents that are in the area and wish to sign up, Google will only be taking signups if residents are located in the North Hills, midtown area of Raleigh, which means that they arent covering all of Raleigh at the moment. That might not sit well with some who could potentially live outside of the coverage area but perhaps the silver lining is that expansion into Raleigh could mean that most of if not all of Raleigh will be able to sign up for Fiber eventually. That being said Google doesnt detail any information that would allude to this. They do however suggest that people who may live outside of the North Hills, midtown section of the city check their address so they know when signups for the service might become available. For residents Raleigh residents who wish to see how Fiber works in action, this is where the newly opened Fiber Space in the city will come in handy as they can check Fiber out for themselves. The space is located in the 518 West Jones building in Glenwood South, and inside the setup looks like a retail space complete with tables and chairs. Google is urging residents to come in and check everything out during their Grand Opening event which they have conveniently set up to happen during Raleighs First Friday. While only a specific section of the city will be able to signup for Fiber for the time being, Google is also announcing continued effort with their Gigabit Communities program that helps to connect people in certain public and low-income housing with high-speed internet. Google states that their next effort to expand on this program will open up at The Oaks property in the months ahead. Google has confirmed that it plans to shut down its Hands Free app on February 8. Google has been emailing those who were either signed up or showed interest in the Hands Free program to confirm the shutdown of the app. Likewise, the website for the service is also now echoing the same shutdown confirmation. Google has not really provided any firm information as to why the app and service is ending, although as this was just a pilot program, maybe it has simply ran out of legs. Especially considering the program was only actually available to those based in San Francisco. Interestingly, the announcement from Google does note that although they are closing down the app, they are working to bring the best of the Hands Free technology to even more people and stores and that the app closure is part of the refocusing of their efforts. So there could be the possibility that in spite of the closure of the app, the feature or service is not quite finished with just yet. Although, there are no firm details being provided on this at the moment. If you are new to Hands Free then the general premise was to be able to pay for items using your smartphone, but without actually using or touching the smartphone. Instead the smartphone just simply needed to be near to you, hence the hands free naming of the service. Hands Free was able to achieve this by employing the use of Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi and location services to find a nearby Hands Free terminal and conduct the transaction. The idea being that as you reach a terminal, you tell the cashier you want to pay with Google, they ask for your initials and the cashier inputs those initials into the compatible terminal essentially acting as the passcode for the transaction. The trial program was launched back in March of 2016 following an initial preview all the way back in May of the year before during Google I/O 2015. However, the service was only available to users in a select part of San Francisco and could only be used at a select number of retailers. Since then there has not been much information coming through on the widening of the availability and therefore, it will probably not come as much of a surprise that the app is closing down. The Honor 8 Lite rumors have been leaking for quite some time now, and the device just popped up in Finland. The source shares not only specs of this smartphone, but also its images. The Honor 8 Lite is actually quite similar to the Huawei P8 Lite in terms of specs, and this smartphone is already available for pre-order in Finland it seems, consumers in the country can pre-order it for 269 (not officially, though), the phone will become available for purchase on February 17th, while it will be available in Black and White color variants at first, while its Blue and Gold models will land at the end of March. The Honor 8 was quite a success for the company, as it has been selling really well every since the company announced it back in July last year. The Honor 8 Lite is considerably inferior to the Honor 8, but the two devices actually look quite similar, though the Honor 8 Lite is slightly bigger in every way. This smartphone is made out of metal and glass, while it features a fingerprint scanner on its back. Companys branding is present on both the front side of this phone, and its back plate as well. Power / lock and volume rocker keys are placed on the right-hand side of this smartphone, and youll notice that the SIM card tray is located on the left. Now, according to the source, this smartphone sport a 5.2-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display, along with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Huaweis HiSilicon Kirin 655 64-bit octa-core SoC fuels this smartphone, and a 3,000mAh battery is also a part of this package. Android 7.0 Nougat comes pre-installed on the device along with Huaweis Emotion UI (EMUI) 5.0 skin. A 12-megapixel camera is placed on the back of this smartphone, while an 8-megapixel shooter can be found on its front side. The phone measures 147.2 x 72.94 x 7.6mm, while it weighs 147 grams. Do keep in mind that Honor still did not officially announce the Honor 8 Lite, but this listing reveals quite a few details about the companys upcoming mid-ranger. The Honor 8 Lite is essentially a budget variant of the Honor 8, it comes with Honor 8s design and Huawei P8 Lites specifications. Advertisement Buy the Honor 8 Samsung Groups brand value improved over the last 12 months and the South Korean conglomerate currently owns the sixth most valuable brand in the world, according to the new Brand Finance Global 500 Report published on Wednesday. The London-based consulting agency claims that Samsung Groups global brand is now worth approximately $66.2 billion. The new figure represents a 13% increase in comparison to 2016 when the Seoul-based tech giant owned the seventh most valuable brand on the planet worth around $58.6 billion. Despite the fact that Samsung Group now ranks better than it did last year, its brand was already by far the most valuable conglomerate brand in the world. While Samsung moved up on Brand Finances latest list, Verizon dropped down by two spots and is now the seventh most valuable brand in the world despite experiencing a 4% increase in brand value in comparison to 2016. Unfortunately for Verizon, most other companies on this list recorded a larger growth during the same period. The only firm among the top ten most valuable brands that recorded a loss in brand value in the last 12 months was Apple. The Cupertino-based tech giant took a 27% hit during the previous period and yielded the top spot to Google whose brand is now valued at $109.5 billion, 24 percent more than in 2016. Brand Finances latest report also includes a list of the worlds most powerful brands as the British evaluation firm differentiates brand value from brand power using its proprietary Brand Strength Index (BSI). According to this measure, LEGO is the most powerful brand on the planet with a BSI score of 92.7, followed by Google at 92.1. All of the top ten most powerful brands in the world were awarded Finance Brands AAA+ rating, while Samsung Group received the AAA- rating this year, the same one it was awarded the year before. While some industry watchers previously speculated that Samsung Groups brand may take a significant hit following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco of Samsung Electronics, the South Korean conglomerate is still doing rather well by virtually all standards. It remains to be seen whether the company can continue strengthening its brand over the course of this year but as things stand right now, Samsungs investors have a lot of reasons to be happy. Sprint has just debuted their commercial that will air during the Super Bowl on Sunday, and it targets Verizon. Which is no surprise, given that Verizon is the number one wireless carrier in the US, its a good reason for many of its competitors to go after them. This commercial, which is likely much shorter than what will air during the Super Bowl, basically says that theres no reason to go to extreme measures to get out of paying your Verizon bill, and that you can easily switch to Sprint. Touting that Sprint is much cheaper and their network is within 1% of Verizons. What makes the commercial even better is the fact that Sprint has Verizons old Can you hear me now? actor Paul Marcarelli telling the Verizon customer that its easy to switch to Sprint. Sprint, as well as T-Mobile, has been working to cut out fees and overages in the past year or so. With both of them offering unlimited data plans so that users that use a ton of data can do just that, use a ton of data without needing to worry about how large their bill will be next month. Verizon, still charges $10/GB unless you are okay with using slower speeds. And they also have various data buckets, and dont offer unlimited data. In fact, they are the only ones that dont offer unlimited data right now, surprisingly unlimited data plans have made a comeback in the wireless industry. The Super Bowl takes place this Sunday on FOX and everything gets started around 6:30PM EST. Sprint is just one of many companies that will be debuting their own commercial during the big game. Google and T-Mobile are others in the tech world, but of course Budweiser and all the normal favorites will be there with their own. Super Bowl commercials are usually some of the best commercials youll ever see, and that is mostly due to the fact that companies are paying millions for such a short period of time. In fact, its reported that Google is spending $5 million on a single commercial to advertise Google Home. You can check out the sneak peak of Sprints new commercial below. Advertisement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_8ms2RzSYk Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web In todays Gold Box Deal of the Day over on Amazon, they are offering up some great prices on loads of Logitech accessories. This includes mice, keyboards and so much more. So its definitely time to pick up a new keyboard if youre in the market for one. The Huawei Honor 6X is a pretty great smartphone that doesnt cost a whole lot, and right now Jet.com is offering it up for as low as $243. Now as if that wasnt enough, they are also offering 15% off your first three orders if you are a new customer, by using the code TRIPLE15. Advertisement Its tax season, which means its time to get that refund. And TurboTax is here to help. Right now, through Amazon, you can save up to 40% when filing your taxes with TurboTax. Which is definitely useful, as you can save more money and have even more coming back in your refund. Hit the link below and grab the version of TurboTax that is right for you. Advertisement If youre a PlayStation gamer, then this is a great deal to pick up. You can get a year of PlayStation Plus for just $43.99! Thats about $16 off of its normal price of $59.99, and with all of the features that PlayStation Plus has, thats a great price. With PlayStation Plus, youll be able to play online with others, but youll also get some free games every single month. Looking to pick up a Galaxy S7 for cheap? eBay has one available for just $309. This is a Verizon model, but it is unlocked so that it will work with GSM carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T as well. This is the lowest price weve seen for the Galaxy S7, and with the Galaxy S8 still a few months away, it likely wont get much cheaper anytime soon. Advertisement Today Only! 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Rayburns comments also included that the platform was pretty much dead, which is disappointing for Verizon after the launch in the summer of 2015. Americas largest mobile carrier reportedly spent $80 million at the time of the launch in order to market the new go90 video service, but it is believed that the company has spent significantly more on content. Unfortunately, this content does not appear to have captured the imagination of go90s audience. To date, Verizon Wireless has released only a few hard or fast facts about how go90 has been used or adopted but there have been various reports explaining how the company has met with content creators and has admitted that go90 has not met expectations. Last week, Verizons Chief Financial Officer, Matt Ellis, stated during the Q4 2016 earnings call that the average daily usage in go90 was consistent sequentially at about 30 minutes per viewer, with less than 20% of traffic surfed on the Verizon wireless network in the second half of the year. His other comments included that go90 was focused on delivering timely, short-form versions of video clips and that the carrier has observed digital video consumption gain traction in the last year. In other words, mobile subscribers are watching more digital video, in common with the rest of the cellular market. Verizon consider themselves to be giving customers a three-layered offering: they invested $4.4 billion on buying AOL in 2015, provide the go90 service, as well as other content, and are seeing customers move from service to service. However, Verizon also laid off over 150 workers from go90s technical offices last week only to be replaced with employees from Vessel. At this juncture, Verizon appears to be facing something of a dilemma. It has hired a small number of high profile executives from media businesses to head up their own stable, but it is too soon to see if these hires has helped. The carrier faces the decision of if is should invest more money into the go90 platform, running the risk that things do not pick up but the company could also find that things recover should they continue investing. Verizon Wireless, like Americas next largest national carrier, AT&T, is busy investing into the media businesses. This is in stark contrast with T-Mobile US, which is concentrating on becoming the best carrier it can be without the distractions of running another type of business. Unfortunately, telecom companies do not have a great track record when it comes to building their own media platforms, which is something Verizon must be keenly aware of. The market may need to wait until Verizon makes a clear announcement about the go90 service and comes clean with viewer and subscriber numbers before it is clear what the impact of the service has been on the wider Verizon business. Intended as a discussion group, the blog has evolved to be more of a reading list of current issues affecting our county, its government and people. All reasonable comments and submissions welcomed. Email us at: bill.pysson@gmail.com REMEMBER: To view our sister blog for education issues: www.district100watchdog.blogspot.com Bridget Mary's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Bridget-Mary-Meehan/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ABrid A Promise of Presence Affirmations from the Heart of God Exploring the Feminine Face of God God Delights in You- A Four Week Journal Heart Talks with Mother God Inclusive Worship Aids Living Gospel Equality Now- Praying with a Passionate Heart Praying with Celtic Holy Women Praying with Visionary Women h Praying with Women of the Bible The Healing Power of Prayer-New Edition Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP The Royal Anguilla Police Force on Friday 27th January, 2017 arrested and charged 24 yr. old James Alexis Hodge of Blowing Point for possession and cultivation of cannabis. Hodge who appeared before the Magistrates on Monday 30th January, 2017 and was granted bail in the sum of EC $65,000.00 with one surety is due back in court on Thursday 30th March 2017 to answer to the charges. The RAPF would like to remind the public that: a) The defendant is entitled to a fair trial; b) There is a presumption of innocence until proven guilty; c) Nothing would be stated or published which would prejudice a fair trial taking place; and d) Section 115(g) of the Criminal Code applies and which provides for an offence in respect of any person who, while a judicial proceeding is pending, makes use of any speech or writing misrepresenting such proceeding or capable of prejudicing any person in favor of or against any parties to such proceeding, or calculated to lower the authority of any person before whom the proceeding is to be held. January 28, 2017Grand CaseIn celebration of World Wetlands Day, Amuseum Naturalis is launching the Crabitat, a fascinating new exhibit showcasing the fiddler crabs that can be found in great numbers around virtually all of St. Martins ponds. The Crabitat will be a special attraction on Tuesday, January 31st during the Mardis de Grand Case street fair. World Wetlands Day is a global program that raises awareness about the importance of wetlands. On St. Martin, salt ponds and other wetlands are one of the richest ecosystems, hosting a wide diversity of life. They also provide the valuable service of processing organic material, keeping our seas crystal clear and our coral reefs vibrant. Fiddler crabs, which are the featured stars of the Crabitat, are key players in this system, sifting organic matter from the sand. The Crabitat is a great way to get an up-close view of these adorable and ecologically important critters, explains Mark Yokoyama, co-curator of Amuseum Naturalis. World Wetlands Day is the perfect opportunity to give them a turn in the spotlight. Amuseum Naturalis, a free nature museum in Grand Case created by the Les Fruits de Mer association, also showcases wetlands in Gut Life, an ongoing exhibit about freshwater wildlife. In the Amuseum Naturalis theater, short films about the freshwater animals of St. Martin and fiddler crabs will also be in rotation. The Amuseums special exhibit room will be featuring displays about wetland birds and the impact of drought on wetlands. The chance to learn about the islands natural heritage is something were excited to share with our employees, our customers, their families and everyone on St. Martin, commented Christian Papaliolios, President and General Director of Delta Petroleum, the primary sponsor of Amuseum Naturalis. Its a fun and meaningful way to give back to the community that supports us. Amuseum Naturalis is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-8pm, and is located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case. Completely free thanks to the support of Delta Petroleum and the Friends of the Amuseum, the Amuseum welcomes residents and visitors of all ages to discover St. Martins natural heritage. was one of the most acclaimed anime films released in Japan last year, winning a nomination for theamong various other plaudits. The global rights are held by UK-based, who have shopped the rights around to distributors in other territories. It has now been announced that the film will be coming to the US and Canada this summer, thanks toIn This Corner of The World is based on the manga of the same name, and is set in World War II-era Japan. It shows events from the perspective of a young woman named, who moves to a village near Hiroshima to live with the family of her new husband. It was written and directed byShout Factory has obtained the theatrical, video on demand, digital, broadcast and home video rights to the film. The distributor seems to be showing more of an interest in independent animation lately, having also released Long Way North last year. The theatrical release is set for sometime in the summer, with other platforms coming later.The international roll-out will take place in earnest this year, starting in the UK, France and South America. We will bring you more details on the release as soon as we can- as this is one film we are certainly keeping an eye on. News / Africa by Stephen Jakes The Communist Party of Swaziland has condemned the effort of the Mswati regime to ban all religious teaching in Swazi schools except Christianity."This is a cack-handed attempt to clamp down on the Muslim community, evidently to suck up to the war of terror' posturing of the US and its imperialist allies," said CPS General Secretary Kenneth Kunene."Now that President Trump is re-ramping up the most brutal and idiotic aspects of US anti-terrorism policy, Mswati is seeking kudos from Trump by taking similarly counter-productive and witless steps. He probably thinks he'll get an invitation to Trump Tower and the White House."But Kunene warned that racist and discriminatory moves against the Swaziland's Muslims will only backfire, generating yet more disaffection with the Mswati regime."Communists and other progressive forces must reach out to those in the Muslim community to make clear that they are not alone and to include them in the pro-democracy fold."Kunene said that CPS education policy for a post-Mswati democratic Swaziland is to develop secular education in public schools. But this does not mean that discrimination against non-Christian religions should be tolerated."We believe that the history of religion and religious ideas should eventually replace religious instruction in public schools. And in this too there would be no discrimination bias hardwired into how the subject is presented. Until then, and while we have the current system, it should be as open as possible to all religious persuasions."Kunene pointed out that the Mswati regime also binds Christianity to his own notions of traditional culture to intimidate Swazis and maintain his own domination of the country by asserting himself as a quasi-divine entity. News / Local by Staff Reporter The arrest of #ThisFlag front-man Evan Mawarire in Harare on Wednesday was above board as he had a pending warrant of arrest, police have said.He was picked at the Harare International Airport.Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said "I can confirm that he has been arrested. There are no fresh charges, he has an outstanding warrant of arrest".His lawyer Harrison Nkomo is quoted saying that Mawarire had been moved to Harare Central Police Station's Law and Order Section charged with subversion."Mawarire is being charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected government. He is likely to appear in court tomorrow (today),"he said.Mawarire was at the forefront of a string of protests last year.In April of that year, Mawarire posted a video on Facebook attacking state corruption and the government's failure to provide basic services.He wore a Zimbabwean flag in the video, which led to the naming of the campaign "ThisFlag." News / Local by Staff Reporter The Joice Mujuru Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) outfit is due to hold its first ever elective congress in September.About 8 000 delegates are targeted.In January, the party lost its first election participation in Bikita-West.Top founder members are eyeing several posts.The congress - to take place in Harare - will see some of those who have cast their eyes on leadership positions squaring up for the first time since the formation of the party in 2015.ZPF had initially set the convention date for September last year, but it was postponed amid reports of squabbling within its ranks.The party is also under pressure to finalise proper party structures in time for the start of formal negotiations for a coaltion with other opposition political parties in preparation for next year's general elections.ZPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire, confirmed that the party is now fully engaged in preparations for the September convention."I can confirm that convention preparations are now in full swing. We do not have a specific venue for now. That is what relevant authorities are working on and once we are done, we will obviously inform the nation," said Mawarire who is reportedly eyeing thenational chairman's postAccording to reports, former diplomat, John Mvundura, is also campaigning for the vice presidency. News / Local by Stephen Jakes THE Constitutional Court on Wednesday reserved judgment on an application filed by an aggrieved parent, who is challenging the government's move to force all school children to recite a national pledge which he alleges violates his children's fundamental rights.The contentious national pledge, which was introduced in May 2016, is recited by all pupils enrolled in the country's primary and secondary schools.But 46 year- old Mathew Sogolani challenged the constitutionality of the national pledge, arguing that it violates his children and his own constitutional rights.In his application, which was filed in the Constitutional Court on Tuesday 19 April 2016 by David Hofisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Sogolani, whose three minor children are enrolled in infant, primary and secondary schools respectively, argued that forcing children to recite contents of the pledge run contrary to the family's religious beliefs.Sogolani, a member of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) church, wants the Constitutional Court to suspend the requirement that schoolchildren recite the pledge.Hofisi said his client finds the national pledge offensive to his faith as it includes secular salutations in an address to Almighty God.The human rights lawyer argued that the pledge would vitiate Sogolani's rights to dignity, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression and equal protection of the law rights that are all enshrined in the Constitution.The human rights lawyer added that the pledge is formulated "in the manner of an oath, a prayer and seems, in the very least, a religious observance".In his founding affidavit filed at the court, Sogolani argued that the national pledge is offensive to his religious convictions and thus in violation of Sections 51, 56 (1), (3), 60 (1), (2), (3) and 61 (1) (a) of the Constitution.Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who sat together with the Full Bench of the Constitutional Court, reserved judgment after hearing arguments from Hofisi and Advocate Lewis Uriri, who represented the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and which opposed the application. (ANSA) - Rome, February 2 - Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan tweeted Thursday that Italy would not pass "any extemporary supplementary budget, we are cutting debt in our own interest with a strategy that protects growth". Italy has already fully respected the EU Stability and Growth Pact with its 2017 budget, Rome told the European Commission Wednesday night in a letter replying to a letter asking it for a further 3.4-billion-euro cut. In the letter, Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said Italy's debt level was "satisfactory" and stressed there could be no "self-harming". However, further fiscal moves including higher duties and more recovery of dodged taxes will be put in the economic blueprint, the DEF, by April, he said. Brussels replied "we have received the Italian response and we will assess its contents" amid fears that the lack of a supplementary budget may trigger an infringement procedure. The European Commission expected a "more detailed" response from Italy to its letter requesting an adjustment in the public finances, sources said on Thursday. Italy is "not in the infringement procedure and we have always decided to respect the rules and not enter into that procedure, in which there are a very large number of European countries," Premier Paolo Gentiloni said Thursday. "Italy is not part of this group for many reasons linked to the weight of our public debt which forces upon us a policy of structural containment". He added: "I would not describe the so-called procedures for excessive deficit as being placed under administration, while I don't deny the implications". (ANSA) - Rome, February 2 - Italy has already fully respected the EU Stability and Growth Pact with its 2017 budget, Rome told the European Commission in reply to a letter asking it for a further 3.4-billion-euro cut. In the letter, Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said Italy's debt level was "satisfactory" and stressed there could be no "self-harming". However, further fiscal moves including higher duties and more recovery of dodged taxes will be put in the economic blueprint, the DEF, by April, he said. Brussels replied "we have received the Italian response and we will assess its contents" amid fears that the lack of a supplementary budget may trigger an infringement procedure. (ANSA) - Rome, February 2 - Order of Malta Grand Chancellor Albrecht von Boeselager on Thursday expressed "alarm and concern" over discrimination against migrants based on their nationality. "History has provided us numerous examples that show the dramatic and monstrous consequences of policies based on origin and ethnicity," he said following United States President Donald Trump's controversial entry ban on people from seven majority Muslim countries. "In the same way, the Order of Malta takes a strong position against the growing indifference for the human rights codified by the Geneva Convention ratified by the family of nations," he said. Von Boeselager also said his organization "reaffirms its loyalty to the Holy Father". "Our loyalty in service of the Church is irrevocable: there was a government crisis and we're grateful to the Holy Father for having brought a rapid solution," he said. "We confirm the will to collaborate with the pontifical delegation". Von Boeselager, who spoke Thursday at a press conference, was first removed from his position and then reinstated following the resignation, requested by the pope, of the Grand Master Fra' Matthew Festing. (ANSA) - Brussels, February 2 - European Council President Donald Tusk said after talks with Libyan Premier Fayez al Serraj Thursday that "it is time to close the (migrant) route from Libya to Italy". He said "the EU has shown it is able to close the routes of irregular migration, as it has done in the eastern Mediterranean. "I spoke at length with Premier (Paolo) Gentiloni yesterday and I can assure you we can succeed. What is needed is the full determination to do so. "We owe it first of all to those who suffer and risk their lives, but we also owe it to the Italians and all the Europeans". The EU and Libya, Tusk observed, have a "common interest in reducing the number of irregular migrants risking their lives in the central Mediterranean". He said that flow was "not sustainable either for the EU or for Libya" where "the traffickers are undermining the authority of the Libyan State for their profit". In tomorrow's summit, he said, there will be "additional measures" to "more effectively combat the networks of traffickers and better manage the migratory flows". The EU, the European Council president added, "fully supports the Libyans' efforts to find a political accord and the United Nations' efforts for detente". Tusk reiterated his "full support" for the national-unity government of Serraj but also issued an appeal to Serraj's opponents, stressing that "further results, in a constructive sense" are needed to involve "those in Libya who have not joined the new institutions". After observing that the "humanitarian and security situation has devastated the prospects for the civilian population," Tusk said the EU "will continue to supply assistance to the Libyan people" but he also "urged all Libyans to put aside their differences so that the EU can make a greater commitment" to the troubled north African country. Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj will sign an agreement later on Thursday on migrant flows and the control of illegal immigration, Italian government sources said. The two leaders are set to meet at the premier's office in Rome. (ANSA) - Rome, February 2 - The EU's external borders should be strengthened and dialogue fostered with migrant countries of origin and transit but relocation programmes may simply encourage new waves of asylum seekers, Poland's ambassador to Italy Tomasz Orlowski told ANSA Thursday. Speaking ahead of an informal EU summit in Malta devoted to migrants, Orlowski said "it's one of the biggest European crises, which must be resolved. And Poland is ready to play its part: there are no national solutions, the solution must be European". Coming out in favour of a new migrant deal with Libya along the lines of the EU-Turkey accord - as proposed by European Council President Donald Tusk earlier Thursday - Orlowski confirmed Warsaw's skepticism on the relocation of migrants who have arrived above all in Italy and Greece. "It risks sending the wrong message to other candidates for immigration, almost an invitation" to set off for Europe, he said. But, the ambassador stressed, "it is very important to be able to close the Mediterranean route just as the Balkan route was closed". Turning his attention to a range of foreign-policy issues, Orlowski was cautious on the new US administration after President Donald Trump's arrival in the White House. He underscored some positive aspects of this, such as the start of dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, one of the questions that most concerns Warsaw. "That Putin and Trump should have spoken of Ukraine may be good news for us," he said. "We want to evaluate actions, not statements," Orlowski said. "But we are rather reassured and confident, we have faith in America," he said, recalling that "no crisis in Europe has been resolved without the participation of the United States". On NATO, rather than Trump's skepticism on mutual obligations to help in the case of external attack, the ambassador preferred to recall the words of new Pentagon chief James Mattis "very much in favour of an extremely close transatlantic tie". Trump, he added, "has asked for better burden sharing, a point where he is right, and Poland is one of the five countries that has earmarked 2% of GDP. We have no problem". According to the ambassador to Italy, "the world needs good communication between Russia and the United States, because they can do very much for Europe". (ANSA) - Brussels, February 2 - The European Commission expected a "more detailed" response from Italy to its letter requesting an adjustment in the public finances, sources said on Thursday. On Wednesday Italy said it has already fully respected the EU Stability and Growth Pact with its 2017 budget in reply to a letter asking it for a further 3.4-billion-euro cut to reduce the structural deficit. In the letter, Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said Italy's debt level was "satisfactory" and stressed there could be no "self-harming". However, further fiscal moves including higher duties and more recovery of dodged taxes will be put in the economic blueprint, the DEF, by April, he said. There are fears that the lack of a supplementary budget may trigger an infringement procedure. But on Thursday Padoan again ruled that out. Italy would not pass "any extemporary supplementary budget, we are cutting debt in our own interest with a strategy that protects growth" he tweeted. Premier Paolo Gentiloni echoed those sentiments on Thursday. Italy is "not in the infringement procedure and we have always decided to respect the rules and not enter into that procedure, in which there are a very large number of European countries," Premier Paolo Gentiloni told a press conference. "Italy is not part of this group for many reasons linked to the weight of our public debt which forces upon us a policy of structural containment". He added: "I would not describe the so-called procedures for excessive deficit as being placed under administration, while I don't deny the implications". The letter on the 2017 budget sent by Italy to the EU stresses that "Italy respects the rules but without decisions that may have a negative, depressive effect on the economy," Gentiloni said. "It is time, I think all in Europe realise, to accompany growth and therefore take measures in ways and times that allow us to accompany growth and have contrary effects". (ANSA) - Brussels, February 2 - European Council President Donald Tusk said after talks with Libyan Premier Fayez al Serraj Thursday that "it is time to close the (migrant) route from Libya to Italy". He said "the EU has shown it is able to close the routes of irregular migration, as it has done in the eastern Mediterranean. "I spoke at length with Premier (Paolo) Gentiloni yesterday and I can assure you we can succeed. What is needed is the full determination to do so. "We owe it first of all to those who suffer and risk their lives, but we also owe it to the Italians and all the Europeans". The EU and Libya, Tusk observed, have a "common interest in reducing the number of irregular migrants risking their lives in the central Mediterranean". He said that flow was "not sustainable either for the EU or for Libya" where "the traffickers are undermining the authority of the Libyan State for their profit". In tomorrow's summit, he said, there will be "additional measures" to "more effectively combat the networks of traffickers and better manage the migratory flows". The EU, the European Council president added, "fully supports the Libyans' efforts to find a political accord and the United Nations' efforts for detente". Tusk reiterated his "full support" for the national-unity government of Serraj but also issued an appeal to Serraj's opponents, stressing that "further results, in a constructive sense" are needed to involve "those in Libya who have not joined the new institutions". After observing that the "humanitarian and security situation has devastated the prospects for the civilian population," Tusk said the EU "will continue to supply assistance to the Libyan people" but he also "urged all Libyans to put aside their differences so that the EU can make a greater commitment" to the troubled north African country. News / Local by Stephen Jakes Communications officerr at the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Kumbirai Mafunda has said over 200 villagers or residents attended his organisation's mobile clinics where lawyers educated them about issues of their rights."While in Harare, ZLHR lawyers were occupied at police stations and in courts representing several Human Rights Defenders facing persecution, it was a different story in Chikanga high density suburb in Mutare, in Manicaland province, where more than 200 residents attended ZLHR's mobile legal clinic," he said."During the mobile legal clinic, the first one to be rolled out in 2017, our member lawyers Rangarirai Mubata, Passmore Nyakureba and Rumbi of Maunga, Maanda Associates Legal Practitioners and projects lawyers Blessing Nyamaropa and Peggy Tavagadza and projects officers Kennedy Majamanda, Fannuel Hungwe and Linda Sibanda offered free legal aid and assistance as well constitutional rights education to the residents at no cost."He said they were encouraged that ZLHR's mobile legal clinics continue to attract Zimbabweans of diverse social, economic and political backgrounds, whilst also allowing the lawyers to obtain first hand evidence for important public interest and strategic litigation that we hope will improve lives and society in the longer term. Italian UIL launches Lampedusa pact of Mediterranean unions 'In response to walls and barriers,' Carmelo Barbagallo says (ANSAmed) - LAMPEDUSA, FEBRUARY 2 - Trade union leaders from eight Mediterranean countries including Italy gathered on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa on Thursday for a meeting to promote "a sea of peace and work". The meeting is in response to "those in the world who want to build walls and barriers", said Carmelo Barbagallo, leader of Italy's third biggest trades union confederation UIL, who organised the event. The meeting was also attended by union leaders from Israel and Palestine, Tunisia (including Hassine Abbassi, a member of Tunisia's National Dialogue Quartet that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015), Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Libya (with Nermin Sharif, the first woman general secretary of a trade union in north Africa) and by representatives of four religions. The aim is to create a network of social forces capable of relaunching dialogue between countries that are experiencing "a crisis condition emblematically and sadly respresented by the exodus of people trying to flee from poverty and persecution across this sea", a joint statement read. The parties called for "more courage and more determination" in tackling the migration crisis with a new, "inclusive" approach not "based on security alone", but which brings together the economic, social and cultural dimensions accompanied by work to "create opportunities for growth and employment" in source areas. In future, Barbagallo intends to extend the initiative to other Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece and Spain, and also to Syria "as soon as the difficult conditions in the country so allow". Meanwhile, the unionists on Lampedusa agreed to meet once a year in each of the countries represented on a rotating basis. (ANSAmed). Merkel to discuss EU-Turkey migrant accord with Erdogan Chancellor in Ankara following recent tension with Berlin (ANSAmed) - Rome, February 2 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Premier Binali Yildirim in Ankara on Thursday for talks on the future of last year's EU-Turkey agreement on migrants, which Turkey has on several occasions threatened to break. The talks are being held in light of new tension with Germany over its alleged lack of cooperation in anti-terrorsim efforts against the Kurdish PKK and the request for asylum made by approximately 40 Turkish soldiers accused of taking part in the failed mid-July coup. The leaders are also expected to discuss bilateral economic ties and the thorny issue of freedom of expression in Turkey. During her visit Merkel will also meet social democrat Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition party CHP, and is due to visit parliament. (ANSAmed). (by Luciana Borsatti) ROME - "We expected them to be aggressive, determined. Instead we found them to be very young, in their 20s at the most, and searching in an almost childlike fashion for somewhere to belong, an identity," director Stefano Obino told ANSA. Obino is working on a documentary on jihadists and returning fighters at Wiesbaden juvenile prison in Germany, who are taking part in a rehabilitation programme involving theatre and the Koran. Most of them are second- or third-generation immigrants and they come from the same outlying areas of Frankfurt that were at the centre of the major anti-terrorism operation on Wednesday. Not far away stands the prison where Obino and the Italian production company TFilm have managed to film for the first time ever, after convincing the German authorities of the validity of the project. The documentary is titled 'Bare-Handed - A mani nude' and is the object of a crowdfunding campaign that has just been launched. Filming is underway, but already the trailer and the first video clips speak volumes about the rehabilitation programme devised by stage director Arne Dechow and Martin Meyer Husamuddin, a German Muslim convert who has become the prison imam. Mustafa's confession is significant. "Here in Germany you cannot pray in peace, you are discriminated against. I have encountered many recruiters: they say it's great down there, that you can live according to Islamic principles. That you can fight for Islam, but if you don't want to you can just live there," he says. "ISIS? I don't know exactly," he continues. "On the one hand they look like terrorists, on the other people who want to live out their Islamic faith in peace. And so I find myself in this dilemma, I can't tell Good from Bad." Obino says this testimony shows how ISIS represents "an opportunity for social elevation, a sort of cultural identity. Other young people told us: 'If we go to Algeria we don't feel Algerian, here in Germany we are not German'. And so for them the Caliphate becomes 'home', a place where they can be themselves over and above jihad". The 'work in progress' also highlights the anger felt by some of the prison inmates such as Aidin, an adolescent of Tukish origin who was picked on at school as 'the Muslim boy' despite not being a follower of Islam. "Far from the institutions in Brussels a director and an imam are trying to create a new, inclusive rather than marginalising European culture," Obino concludes. Italo-Arab business exchange set for March in Cagliari 3rd edition already has 10 businesses from eight countries (ANSAmed) - CAGLIARI, FEBRUARY 2 - The Italo-Arab Chamber of Cooperation (IACC) announced Tuesday that its 3rd annual international exhibition for Italo-Arab businesses will take place in the Sardinian capital March 17-18 at the city's Regina Margherita hotel, with 10 businesses from eight countries already scheduled to attend. This year's event, whose theme is "Italy and the Challenge of the Arab Markets", aims to give the island's businesses an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships or build new ones with companies from North Africa and the Middle East. The businesses already set to attend are from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Lebanon. The two-day exchange is co-funded by the Sardinia Foundation, and will focus on the agroalimentary and energy sectors as well as innovation between information and communications technology (ICT) and biomedicine. Among the companies vying to participate in the event, the IACC will select 30 to receive a "Gold Card" that will allow them to take part in business meetings with Arab investors. In attendance at the announcement presentation on Tuesday were IACC board member Samir Al Kassir and Carthage University Rector Lassaad El Asmi.(ANSAmed). ROME - Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni and Libya Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to combat illegal migration, human trafficking and contraband and on reinforcing the border between Libya and Italy. Gentiloni said Thursday was "an important day for relations between Italy and Libya". "Above all because it confirms that cooperation that has been taking place for months via the Italian government's commitment on many fronts," he added after a meeting in Rome. ROME - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday said international cooperation is necessary in the fight against terrorism, speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel following their face-to-face meeting Thursday afternoon in Ankara. "As NATO allies, I believe that cooperation with Germany, which is also part of the anti-ISIS coalition, should continue like we did in Ukraine," Erdogan said. Merkel also said she hopes for a stronger collaboration against "every type" of terrorism, highlighting the threat of "Islamist terrorism", which prompted a rebuke from Erdogan. "Please, don't use this word," he said."As a Muslim president, I can't accept it". Merkel immediately responded by highlighting the difference between "Islamist" and "Islamic", and affirmed the importance given in Germany to freedom of religion. "I highlighted that in a phase of such important political changes, we need to do everything to preserve the separation of powers, and above all the freedom of opinion and pluralism in society," Merkel said in reference to the presidential reform approved in Turkey that will be the subject of a constitutional referendum in the spring. Erdogan defended abandoning the current parliamentary system, pushing back criticisms of an authoritarian turn."The theme of the opposition on the separation of powers doesn't have even a minimum amount of truth," he said. Standing before journalists, Merkel also cited the successes of the migrant agreement between the EU and Turkey, highlighting the commitment to keep it operative, despite the periodic threats of a break by Ankara. "What's important for me is to continue discussions and find solutions," she said. BRUSSELS - It is time to close the migrant route from Libya to Italy, European Council President Donald Tusk said after talks with Libyan Premier Fayez al Serraj in Brussels on Thursday. "The EU has shown it is able to close the routes of irregular migration, as it has done in the eastern Mediterranean," Tusk said. "I spoke at length with Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni (on Wednesday) and I can assure you we can succeed. What is needed is the full determination to do so. We owe it first of all to those who suffer and risk their lives, but we also owe it to the Italians and to all Europeans," he continued. The EU and Libya have a "shared interest in reducing the number of irregular migrants who risk their lives in the central Mediterranean", Tusk said. This flow is "unsustainable for the EU and for Libya", where "the traffickers undermine the authority of the Libyan state for their own profit", he added. The informal summit in Valletta on Friday will examine "additional measures" for "more effectively combating the trafficking network and better managing the migration flows," the European Council president said. The EU "fully supports Libyan efforts to reach a political agreement and United Nations efforts to ease tensions". Tusk reiterated the EU's full support for Libya's government of national accord (GNA) led by Fayez al Serraj, but said "further constructive results" are needed to involve "those in Libya who have not joined the new institutions". Meanwhile, Serraj called on the EU for more concrete efforts in support of stabilisation in Libya. The country is "involved in the fight against terrorism" and "will continue to be so" despite the high cost in terms of "dead, injured and invalids", he said. "We hope the EU's mechanisms for helping Libya will be more concrete: let's not talk about the amount of money allocated to this assistance, because it is only very small. We need to be serious enough to reach the goal of stabilising the situation together," Serraj said. Trump meets King of Jordan in Washington First meeting with Arab leader (ANSAmed) - WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 2 - US President Donald Trump met with King Abdullah of Jordan on Thursday, a White House spokesperson said. The leaders met prior to the National Prayer Breakfast, which is held on the first Thursday in February each year. King Abdullah is the first Arab leader to meet with the new administration. (ANSAmed). News / National by Staff reporter Zimbabwean judges recently filed into court for the official beginning of their 2017 duties, wearing long red robes and horsehair wigs, a throwback to an era of British colonial rule.President Robert Mugabe has sparred with Britain for decades and denounces the West for what he calls a neo-colonial attitude, but he has a soft spot for a traditional etiquette and a dress code in the courts that even Britain has partly dropped.Judges in Britain now must wear wigs only when hearing criminal matters as part of dress code reforms in 2008, ending a centuries-old tradition.Some Commonwealth countries such as Kenya and South Africa have also moved away from wearing wigs in the courts.In 2003, Zimbabwe pulled out of the Commonwealth, a group made up mostly of former British colonies.In Zimbabwe, there have been no such curbs on the old fashion."It's an archaic and unnecessary practice that has even been abandoned by those who exported it to us as a nation. It does not improve jurisprudence or enhance the thinking capacity of judges," said Arnold Tsunga, a Zimbabwean lawyer and International Commission of Jurists regional program director for Africa.Scrapping the traditional dress code could save money in financially troubled Zimbabwe, Tsunga said.In 2013, Zimbabwean judges appealed for new regalia to replace worn-out, secondhand robes and wigs given to them by retired judges."Mugabe gives an impression that he hates the British; he is really fond of their culture and traditions," said Alex Magaisa, a law lecturer at Britain's University of Kent. Falcon is receiving $410 million of asset-backed secured term loans to support the purchase of 21 in-production, narrow-body aircraft. DAE is the servicer for the transaction. CEO Firoz Tarapore, said: We are extremely pleased with the very successful pricing of our inaugural ABS transaction. We welcome the opportunity to broaden our financing base and partner with sophisticated investors in the US capital markets. This transaction will help us achieve our goal of substantially increasing our footprint in the aircraft leasing space. The $410million is offered in three classes of loans, all maturing in 2042. The $315 million A loans, with an initial loan-to-value ratio of 63.5%, are rated A by Kroll Bond Ratings and Standard and Poors. The $65 million B loan tranche is rated BBB by Kroll and S&P with an initial LTV of 76.6%, while the BB-rated $30 million C loan tranche has an LTV of 82.6%. Falcon Aerospace Limited will also issue an E Certificate in partial consideration for the sale of the aircraft. Goldman Sachs is the sole structuring agent on the deal. Credit Agricole-CIB is providing the liquidity facility, with Wells Fargo as the trustee and phoenix American Financial Services as the managing agent. The growth in capacity follows the recently signed agreement between the Governments of Oman and India, where both sides agreed to increase the weekly seats. Effective February onwards, Bombay, Delhi, Calicut and Hyderabad will be operated with 21 weekly flights each, and Lucknow with 14 weekly flights. With this development, Oman Air is flying its multi award winning wide bodied aircraft to select Indian destinations. Chief executive officer of Oman Air, Paul Gregorowitsch, said: India is a key destination for Oman Air and we are delighted to be offering thousands more guests the opportunity to travel between Oman and India (and beyond). The demand for all 11 of our Indian destinations has always been high and the increased frequencies offer yet more choice and convenience to our guests. Oman Air first launched flights to India in the 1990s and the demand for seats has grown exponentially amongst both business and leisure travellers, not only increasing tourism traffic and revenue but also promoting vital trade agreements between the two countries. The extended traffic entitlements will give a further boost to the tourism sector, prompting many discerning tourists to visit magnificent Oman as well as Indias beautiful touristic spots. The bilateral trade and investment opportunities between the two countries are even further encouraged. I would like to thank the Public Authority of Civil Aviation in Oman and the Indian Government for being so receptive to our proposals as well as our trade partners, travel agencies and sales agents who have all been incredibly supportive and contributed to this growing demand. They have fully endorsed our award winning product and our unique onboard service and hospitality, which help to differentiate Oman Air from the competition. Once known as the International Black Hawk, Sikorskys S-70i offers customers an alternative to the current US Army specification UH-60M Black Hawk. The aircraft is more customisable than the standard UH-60, and is available through direct commercial sale rather than the US Governments more cumbersome and time consuming foreign military sales (FMS) route. Lockheed Martin, which now owns Sikorsky, proudly boasted that the time from contract to delivery using the direct commercial sale avenue could be less than 12 months, whereas the FMS route would take much longer. The Sikorsky-owned PZL Mielec factory in Poland has been involved in S-70 production since 2007, and provides 40% of the aerostructures for the UH-60M. But, while Sikorskys main Stratford factory takes these sub assemblies and components and builds them into UH-60Ms, some remain at Mielec to become fully European-assembled S-70i helicopters. The first S-70i built by PZL-Mielec (N4905N, S/N 0001) was shipped to Hartford, Connecticut, for final assembly and made its maiden flight at Sikorskys development flight centre at West Palm Beach on July 1 2010. The aircraft was virtually identical to the UH-60M, apart from some radios and avionics that were not exportable. The first production S-70i (SP-YVA, S/N 002) underwent final assembly and flight-testing in Poland, and made its maiden flight on November 15 2010. PZL Mielec delivered the first three aircraft to its first, still officially unidentified customer (the Saudi Ministry of the Interior) in August 2011. They were airfreighted from Polands Rzeszow-Jasionka Airport on an Antonov An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft after a week of acceptance flying in Poland. Secrecy surrounding the deal was imposed belatedly, after Sikorsky had issued a July 2010 press release stating that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias Ministry of Interior (MOI) has become the launch customer for the new S-70i. The aircraft were assigned to the General Civil Defence Agency (GCDA) the paramilitary wing of the Ministry of Interior and were used for police support, search and rescue and fire-fighting duties, including providing helicopter support to Saudi counter terrorism forces. Together with a larger number of S-92s, they have replaced the Kawasaki Vertol KV-107 helicopters previously used by the GCDA. During the Islamic Year 1433 (November 2011-November 2012) the Interior Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Naif, issued a directive changing the name of Civil Defence Aviation to Security Aviation, and the following year the General Command of Security Aviation was established as a separate body. The S-70i helicopters are based at Abha in southeast Saudi Arabia, close to the Yemeni border, one of four air bases used by the force. At the UKs Farnborough International Airshow, Lockheed Martin sources reported that the Saudi Ministry of the Interior had now received five S-70i helicopters, and that discussions were on-going for a further batch, with the possibility of these being assembled in-kingdom, following the signing of an agreement between Lockheed Martin and Taqnia Aeronautics to jointly explore helicopter production opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. PZL-Mielec has now built 37 S-70i helicopters, and these have been exported to Brunei (8), Colombia (10), and Mexico (1), as well as to Saudi Arabia and to the Polis Havacilik Daire Baskanligi (Turkish National Police). There have also been recent completions for as-yet undisclosed customers, and there are active campaigns in progress on every continent. The Turkish National Police took delivery of four aircraft in early 2014, but these will be followed by a much larger number of locally produced S-70i helicopters under the Turkish utility helicopter programme (TUHP). This will see Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) licence-building a total of up to 300 T70 helicopters (109 is the baseline quantity, with 191 options) to the Turkish land forces, air force, gendarme, special forces, national police, and the Directorate General of Forestry. PZL will manufacture the first five cabin structures for TAIs first five T70s, and has provided the 37th S-70i to serve as the T70 prototype. Sikorsky accepted the TUHP prototype aircraft during a ceremony on June 22 in an event attended by senior leaders from the key programme stakeholders, including the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM), TAI, Aselsan and Alp Aviation. Sikorsky will expand the manufacturing capability of Alp Aviation, which is 50% owned by the US company. The TUHP prototype was fitted with a rescue hoist, internal auxiliary fuel tank, cargo hook, integrated vehicle health management system, a blade de-icing system, and a rotor brake. However, it was not armed. Aselsan will develop a new cockpit avionics system for the T-70 aircraft, and the TUHP prototype will be flown to Ankara, where it will become the engineering development test bed for the new avionics suite, having its existing Rockwell Collins cockpit stripped out. Sikorsky and Aselsan will integrate, flight-test and qualify the avionics suite on the aircraft before full production begins. The first fully Turkish-built T70 aircraft will be certified and delivered to the Turkish Government in 2021. At Farnborough this year, Lockheed Martin showed off a heavily armed S-70i, but the aircraft is offered in armed and unarmed configurations, and can be offered with unique communications, or with specific equipment removed or added. The Saudi Ministry of the Interior aircraft, for example, were delivered without blade de-icing equipment. Although the S-70i can represent a more affordable way of procuring a Black Hawk, Sikorsky is increasingly turning its attention towards an armed and missionized aircraft, in which any cost-differential tends to be negated by the extra equipment and capability. The S-70i is, thus, being offered with what looks very much like the second level of the previously marketed three-tier Battlehawk system. There is no provision for the belly-mounted 20mm gun turret that characterised the Level 3 Battlehawk, but there could be provision for an under-nose surveillance/targeting sensor (the aircraft shown at Farnborough had Lockheed Martins 15inch INFIRNO turret), a 300kg capacity rescue hoist, retractable fast-roping systems, and the stub wings of the external stores support system (ESSS), which can carry crashworthy external fuel system (CEFS) tanks or 10,000lb (4,500kg) of armament including rockets, gun pods or guided weapons, including laser-guided rockets or anti-tank guided missiles, with crew-served guns in the cabin doors. Up to four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles could be carried on each of the four ESSS hardpoints, or seven or 19-round Hydra or DAGR rocket pods. Gun options include the Dillon M134D 7.62mm minigun, with 4,000 rounds, a GAU-19 GECAL 50 0.50 calibre Gatling gun, with 1,400 rounds, or a podded FN Herstal M3M (GAU-21) 0.50 calibre cannon, with 400 rounds. Another option is an FN 0.50 calibre pod with 250 rounds and three unguided rockets. Ten soldiers could still be carried (depending on the weight of the weapons) or a 200 US gallon auxiliary tank, giving 150km extra range, could be fitted in the cabin. The S-70is weapons capability was developed as a Sikorsky initiative, without US Government guidance. The intention was to extend the functionality of the existing Blackhawk, and not to build a dedicated gunship. Running alongside the S-70i manufacturing programme, Sikorsky also offers comprehensive support, and training. An initial class of pilots and maintainers from Brunei graduated from the Sikorsky Training Academy in Stuart, Florida, in February 2014, after using the companys new high-quality, customised classroom facilities and simulator, and after receiving hands-on aircraft instruction using a newly purchased S-70i that was procured exclusively for customer training purposes. News / National by Stephen Jakes Civil Rights activist Linda Masarira has said it was sad that the people of Zimbabwe watch helpless as President Robert Mugabe and his family squander the the little available money of the nation.She said the future of Zimbabwe is in our hands and 2016 saw the rise of social movements which shook the Zanu PF regime and led to incessant incarceration and police brutality on activists."Rome was not built in a day and neither will we get the results overnight. The struggle is real and for us to achieve the results we desire, we have to persevere, be tolerant with other, patient, respect each other, have love for one another and stand up for each other," she said."It is of paramount importance to cultivate love within us and all the other comrades nationwide and to remain United in our diversity against all the odds.Our nonagenarian dictator Mugabe squanders billions every year travelling, millions on his birthday and the disgraceful Grace abuses state funds to fulfil her artificial desire for elegance at the expense of the livelihoods of the masses."She said as active citizens we have the mandate to stop this madness and advocate for the Zimbabwe we want."It is now time to walk the talk and demand accountability from all public officials henceforth. Let us all move out of our comfort zones and fight for our Zimbabwe together. It is also critical for every major city or town to participate in this program and come up with ways of protesting unique to their location and situation," she said."We are the vanguard of the future. A new Zimbabwe is possible in our lifetime. #21daysofactivism ." News / National by Stephen Jakes Mthwakazi Republic Party has hailed the ruling Zanu PF for heeding [people's calls that it must not hold President Robert Mugabe's birth day celebrations at the Matopo National Parks a stone's throw from the Bhalagwe Gukurahundi victims shrine in Kezi.Party's president Mqondisi Moyo said they are applauding Zanu PF for taking us serious by shifting the venue of their bloody 21st celebration from Matobo national park. We then further urge the ruling party to move their venue to any of the provinces in Mashonaland because these are the only people to celebrate Robert Mugabe birthday as the beneficiaries of the dreaded Gukurahundi atrocities and the 1979 grand plan," Moyo said."The shifting of the venue to Rhodes Estate Preparatory School (REPS) is another insult to the people of Mthwakazi and Matabeleland South as a province, the school still falls under Matobo district encompassing Bhalagwe. The holding of this bash at this school is like adding salt to the wound considering the fact that the school is less than 3km away from the late chief Malaki Masuku homestead who passed away on the 25th of May 2016. It is only nine months after the passing away of our respected chief but Zanu PF sees it fit to come and celebrate their birthday bash. This is a taboo and unAfrican and it goes to reflect how uncultured Zanu PF is.""We say in Isindebele lenduna kayikaboli kanti njalo lempahla zayo azikachithwa kanye lalowo ozangena indawo yakhe kakagcotshwa yet Zanu PF want to conduct such dirty celebrations in that area."He said there was also a decree which was set and passed during the era of the then minister of education David Coltart that no political party function is to be hosted at schools."We then wonder when has this law been changed hence we feel Robert Mugabe birthday bash is a Zanu PF function not a state function. Our position is that we don't want Zanu PF to have this bash in Matabeleland south, it is in this province where Khalangas are found where Robert Mugabe said they are criminals and uneducated," he said."It is in the same province where Grace Mugabe said that amadoda esindebeleni athanda ukumithisa njalo they only bring bicycles and 2 in 1 blankets from South Africa, rendering them as useless people and clueless. Apparently mthwakazi people cannot celebrate Mugabe's birthday because this is the man who sanctioned the killings, maiming, raping and disappearance of our beloved ones. Celebrating his 93rd birthday is as good as celebrating the Gukurahundi atrocities of 1982 -1987 which claimed more than 20 000 innocent lives."He said celebrating one's birthday entells celebrating all the years the person have from day one when it was said "amhlophe" -"congratulations" to him or her."As mthwakazi people we are not obligated to celebrate Robert Mugabe's birthday, because his birthday day brought misery to our people. It brought humiliation, untold suffering, displacements of our people to mention but a few," he said."Our people are still living miserably up to this day hence we find it very strange to celebrate the day of this old man. We cannot celebrate the 1979 grand plan implementation to our people, not in our life time." YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, ARMENPRESS. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani dismissed his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump as a political novice on Wednesday, stepping up criticism of the Republican's immigration policies including a temporary travel ban on Iranians, Reuters reports. "It will take him a long time and will cost the United States a lot, until he learns what is happening in the world," added Rouhani. "Today is not a time for separating nations by walls," Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to Trump's promise to build a barrier along the U.S. border with Mexico. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia approved the resignation of Rubik Abrahamyan from the post of Ararat Governor. Davit Lokyan, minister of territorial administration and development mentioned Abrahamyan is being relieved from the post according to his own resignation request. Rubik Abrahamyan was the Governor of Ararat province since May of 2014. The Cabinet will further discuss appointing former minister of nature protection Aramayis Grigoryan to the post. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The Government approved the mechanisms and payment procedures for servicemen from the Insurance fund. The draft was presented by deputy defense minister Ara Nazaryan. According to the law, 1000 AMD will be transferred to the fund from each employed citizen on a monthly basis. Servicemen who were wounded during combat operations, and family members of killed servicemen, will receive insurance money from the Government. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Armenia Seyyed Kazem Sajjad. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Government of Armenia, a number of issues of Armenian-Iranian relations were discussed, highlighting future development and expansion of trade and economic partnership. The sides expressed conviction that the creation of the free trade zone in Meghri and the project of establishing an office of Halal Foodstuff in Armenia will significantly foster economic relations between the two states. The Armenian Premier and the Iranian Ambassador referred to joint investment projects and addressed a number of issues over fostering future cooperation in energy, agriculture, tourism, air freights, IT and other spheres. Karen Karapetyan and Seyyed Kazem Sajjad stressed the interest of both countries to develop and further deepen multidimensional relations. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 2, ARMENPRESS. The European Union is ready to assist Armenia in a number of domains, Armenpress reports Director General for Enlargement at the European Commission Christian Danielsson told in a meeting with the youth. We see that despite the complicated situations the EU tries to overcome the challenges facing it. Our neighbors also have challenges and its important for us how they will overcome them, the EU official said. He noted that the issue of paying more attention to the challenges facing the Eastern Partnership countries will be discussed in the near future. Speaking about EU-Armenia cooperation, he stressed that here the sides also face common challenges and the EU is ready to deepen cooperation with Armenia. We can mention the business sector which has been improved. There will be particularly far reaching cooperation in the sphere of state governance: fight against organized crime and corruption. Fight against corruption is of vital importance and it is important that the citizens are also involved. I also attach importance to the sphere of transport, where Armenia has recorded significant progress and has great potentials, Danielsson said, mentioning innovations, education and economy as other directions for cooperation. News / National by Social Media SOCIAL activist and cleric, Evan Mawarire, of #ThisFlag movement, made a surprise return to Zimbabwe late yesterday afternoon, and was immediately arrested by State security agents as he landed at Harare International Airport.Sources revealed that Mawarire - who left the country six months ago did not even go through immigration formalities, but was approached by three man, who immediately arrested him.Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, said Mawarire has an outstanding warrant of arrest against him.Mawarire is being charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected government.Mawarire was travelling alone and it was not clear why he returned to Zimbabwe, as many had long assumed he was living in exile.Mawarire formed social movement, #ThisFlag , after releasing an emotional video calling on Zimbabwe to stand up against President Robert Mugabe's regime and demanding change.He led demonstrations against corruption by Mugabe's government.Mawarire was first charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected government last July, but a Harare magistrate threw out the charge on a technicality, sparking mass celebrations after a tense vigil at the courts by ordinary people. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When Lisa Johnston came to Artesia in 1990, becoming one of the communitys most trusted caretakers of its history and knowledge was likely not high on her to-do list. She was the wife of Park Junior Highs new band director, Brion Johnston, fresh from his previous position in Portales. She served as his accompanist for young musicians solo and ensemble competitions and was just settling into her position as an administrative assistant for the City of Artesia. But then-city clerk Shirley Clark, a former band parent of the Johnstons from their time in Los Lunas, knew what Lisa was capable of. She began immediately to provide Johnston with the tools and classes necessary to become what she is today as she retires from the city after 26 years a recognized expert in records management, the source of an answer to seemingly any question and a great supporter and friend of the City of Champions. By 1994, the citys deputy clerk had resigned, leaving Clark in need of assistance with the upcoming election. We had a staff meeting, and she asked if there was anyone whod like to volunteer, says Johnston. Several people said, Oh, Lisa will do it. With that, Johnston was given the official title of assistant city clerk to add to system administrator, into which her job evolved over the years as she became responsible for the citys document management software. Johnston quickly discovered a love of records management, which she likens to paper archaeology. Nobody ever starts out to be a municipal clerk, she laughs. If you ask a room full of people, What did you want to be when you grew up, Ive only once ever heard someone say they wanted to be a municipal clerk, and it was because their mother was one. Municipal clerk is just one of those jobs people happen into, and they either really, really love it, or they soon leave it and go find something else. But were kind of the gatekeepers to the city in a lot of cases. In a very small community, a municipal clerk is everything. Sometimes theyre the only or one of a very small number of employees, so you can literally be chief cook and bottle washer. Johnstons background was in plant sciences, in which she received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona. And while finding a use for her passion might have seemed a long shot as a city clerk, in 1994, she did. We received a small grant to do some demonstration plantings around City Hall of low-water-use plants, Johnston says. We wanted to showcase plants that people could get that looked nice, because in the early 90s, what a lot of people thought when they heard native plant or native landscaping was yuccas and gravel. As we jokingly said, Thats zero-scaping. The grant allowed Johnston and a friend and professional landscape designer to install irrigation and plants at the corner of Fifth Street and Texas Avenue, on the north side of City Hall, and in the corner section by the drive-through lane. Some things worked really well the very tall plants by the windows on the north side of the building are Arizona Rosewood, and we planted them as little five-gallon plants, Johnston says. If you look at them today, theyre 30 feet tall and pretty amazing. The basic duties of an assistant city clerk often dont extend far beyond attending city council meetings alongside the city clerk and preparing drafts of the minutes for the clerks and councils approval. But Johnston is, as in so many areas of her life, the exception to the norm. Among her many honors are two that, before her, had never been awarded to an assistant or deputy city clerk: the position of president of the New Mexico Clerks and Finance Officers Association in which Johnston served from 2005-06 and the Clerk of the Year award, which she received in 2012. The mayor (Phil Burch) and Aubrey (Hobson, city clerk) nominated me for that award, not just because of what I do here but because of my activities with the clerks association, and I was amazingly honored to have been awarded that, Johnston says. In 2000, she earned her Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) standing, an internationally-recognized designation requiring, among other things, 100 hours of class work and experience in various combinations, and Johnston attained her Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) certification in 2006. Were very proud in New Mexico because we have worked really hard with our clerks and encouraged certification, Johnston says. MMC is a real commitment to the program. Its additional education hours and experience, along with teaching what we call give back time. Youve got the basics, now you need to reach out and help those people who are coming up. I always learn by teaching, so that was a good way to do it. At the time of her MMC certification, Johnston was one of just five or six Master Municipal Clerks in the state. Now, that number stands at 10. Johnston has served as a member of the New Mexico Historic Records Advisory Board for 20 years, which encourages the preservation and use of historical records. Our biggest accomplishment was a grant program we developed, she says. We hand out small grants to municipalities, counties and small museums to do something for a small piece of their collection. The grant has allowed us to help a lot of tribes and various different entities, so Im very proud of that. Through that effort, she was also recommended to serve on a national task force on local government archives, helping teach the importance of properly archiving and preserving municipalities records. We always just expect that someone is taking care of our records, Johnston says. But when cities have budget cuts, money for microfilm or for fireproof safes, those type of things, diminishes, and weve heard plenty of horror stories over the years of fires in warehouses and other disasters in which records were destroyed. The group filed for a FEMA grant in order to develop a training program to teach proper records handling, in which Johnston served as an instructor. Johnston quickly became one of the go-to clerks in New Mexico for answers to records management questions and has taught numerous classes around the state and beyond on the subject. Shes also been instrumental in handling local elections, something for which she has developed a passion. Elections are so important, no more so than at the local level, Johnston says. As much as we like to think our vote for president or senator is going to make an impact, the votes that really count are the ones for mayor and city council and school board the local people because theyre the ones that are doing stuff that affects us day to day. Johnston was also called upon to chair or aid in a number of special projects in Artesia over the years, including the citys centennial celebration. I helped organize the city birthday party we had and also helped organize the parade for Fourth of July and I jokingly always said, Well, who better to organize a parade than a former band directors wife, Johnston says. We also did what we called Centennial Minutes that year, and I was able to write up little blurbs for each council meeting reflecting on things that happened in early Artesia. Johnston also aided in increasing Artesias awareness of and participation in the 2010 census and, due to her experience with Artesias centennial, was asked to research information on state municipalities and the New Mexico Municipal League for publication in the leagues 50th anniversary commemorative materials. As for her accomplishments at City Hall, Johnston is perhaps proudest of instituting Laserfiche, the citys document management system, in 2007. The software allows records to be searched by keyword in a matter of minutes. All 100-plus years worth of minutes are in there, so its a neat way to do research that has become really useful, Johnston says. We started with it at City Hall, and weve gradually added the courts, the police department, the cemetery, the library. Its useful to the point now that if something happens and that server isnt working properly, everyone is like, Ah! What happened to Laserfiche! Im proud to have been able to start something that made a lot of sense for the departments, and its something that can be continued and expanded. Johnstons day-to-day activities at City Hall have varied widely over the years, but its that element of surprise she says shell miss most. No two days are exactly the same in my office, she says. I get up in the morning and I think, Okay, today Im going to work on these five things, and if Im lucky, I get one or two of them done. But then well get a phone call and someone needs some information, or a department needs some research done. You do pick up and learn an amazing amount about what has gone before through records management, and sometimes thats very useful as youre facing something now. So I will miss the challenges, miss seeing the people on a daily basis, because Ive made a lot of very good friends here. Johnston also, graciously, says shell miss her interactions with reporters from the Daily Press, who have, over the years, scrambled into her office or placed desperate phone calls seeking clarification of an item from the previous evenings council meeting or information on a city department. Johnston says she treasures the support shes received from her colleagues and the resilience she sees every day from the city and the citizens it serves. And the city employees and citizens shes served, through both information and advice, over the past 26 years certainly share the sentiment. Ive always had the support of the city clerk and the mayor in all my endeavors, Johnston says. Theyve made it possible for me to do these things and reach out, which allows Artesia to have a voice in whats going on out there in the big picture. One of the things I think I like best about the City of Artesia is its can-do spirit. There are very few things the city sits down and says, Oh, we cant do that. Most of the time, its, We could figure out how to do that, and watching collaborations grow with other entities in the community to get things done for the betterment of Artesia has been wonderful. Its been an amazing 26 years, and I feel very lucky that Ive had the opportunity to do all these things. Its been an interesting career. There were good times with the council, there were some scary times, there were some, I dont know how were going to get through this times. But this city is and will always stand. People come and go, and Im just another one whos come through and is going now. But its been a lot of fun. She was known for depicting, in books like The Middleman and Other Stories and Jasmine, the lives of young women from traditional societies as they navigate new lives in America. Shes also remembered for a stinging essay about her decision to leave Canada after 14 years for the United States. News / National by Staff reporter A top UK envoy began a two-day visit in Zimbabwe on Monday to gauge its progress in its re-engagement with the international community and assess the human rights situation, a rare visit by a top UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) leader in a decade.Karen Pierce, UK FCO chief operating officer, is expected to press Zimbabwe to adhere to its international commitments under the Lima Plan.Zimbabwe's Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa last year proposed an arrears repayment plan at the IMF/WB annual meetings in Lima in Peru where consensus was reached with creditors on a repayment strategy which entailed the clearance of the country's $1,8 billion arrears.Britain, Germany, France, US and others are part of the Paris Club a forum where Zimbabwe's debt to the international financial institutions (IFIs) is discussed and agreement is reached on how to manage that ballooning debt.While in Zimbabwe, Karen, the most senior FCO visitor to Zimbabwe for several years, will meet with influential Zimbabwean women and representatives of the business community, as well as a call on the deputy Foreign minister Edgar Mbwembwe and members of the opposition. During her visit, Pierce who has previously served as ambassador in Afghanistan, ambassador to the UN in Geneva and deputy permanent representative to the UN in New York - will gain more insight into the operations of the British Mission in Zimbabwe."We are excited to be hosting one of the FCO's most senior officials and to share with her some of our successes as the Britain Mission in Zimbabwe," UK Ambassador to Zimbabwe Catriona Laing said yesterday."She will also have a chance to meet with the business community, learn about the British Mission's impact on Zimbabwe's development and meet government and opposition figures. "Karen's visit is particularly important because the UK, driven by our manifesto commitment to stand up for human rights and the rule of law, wants to see Zimbabwe return to a more normal relationship with the international community."Presently, multilateral financial institutions are barred by law from extending loans to Zimbabwe because of outstanding debts. Clearance of the arrears is anticipated to pave way for lines of new capital.Zimbabwe saddled with an external debt of over $7 billion has just settled the IMF's $124 million in arrears accrued since 2000, but still owes another $600 000 to the AfDB while an additional $1 billion is characterised as WB debt.To honour these arrears, Zimbabwe is borrowing from the Afrexim Bank in Egypt while it clear the IMF arrears by drawing rights of about $130 million from the Breton Woods institution.Relations between the UK and Zimbabwe have moved to a new level in the past two years as London seeks to revive relations with a key ally in southern Africa, but the socialist nation's zero-tolerance approach to its detractors remains a sticking point.The UK has been intensifying efforts in building stronger ties with Zimbabwe in reducing poverty, helping in health, education, environment, energy and recently has been giving cash transfers to help the most vulnerable, including older people, vulnerable children and people with disabilities to boost its influence.Through the Department for International Development (DFID), the UK has also made an additional 40 million contribution resulting in a total contribution of 55,6 million ($73,3 million) to Zimbabwe's drought mitigation.Diplomatic ties between the UK and Zimbabwe soured during the turn of the century over charges that President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF party had rigged elections and used violence to cling to power.Mugabe, Africa's oldest leader who has held power since independence in 1980, insists London treats Zimbabwe as its colony and seeks to maintain influence in the mineral-rich country. British conglomerates have also divested from Zimbabwe during the 2000-2008 period at the height of an economic crisis, put off by Britain's frosty ties with its former colony after Mugabe's often-violent grab of commercial farms belonging to white farmers. News / National by Staff reporter The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has released five dollar bond notes worth fifteen million dollars into the domestic market starting today (Thursday).The RBZ Governor Doctor John Mangudya confirmed this latest development saying this brings the total amount of bond notes released to date to US$87.9 million which is 77.8 percent of the aggregate value of the export incentive scheme.Dr Mangudya also said the security features of the five dollar bond notes are similar to those of the two dollar bond notes. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that Pakistan now needs to find 'requisite political will' to take action against Saeed. New Delhi: India on Thursday dismissed Pakistan's demand for "concrete evidence" against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed in the 26/11 case, saying the required proof is already available in Pakistan as the entire conspiracy was hatched there and all it needs to find is "requisite" political will to take action. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said India would not go by the claims or statements made by Pakistan about the steps taken to check terrorism but by what happens on the ground. "Entire conspiracy for the Mumbai attack was hatched in Pakistan. All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered by Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan. "In fact, Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple terrorists attacks directed at India. So the concrete evidence that Pakistan establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need to find is requisite political will," Swarup said. He was asked about the statement of a Pakistan Interior Ministry Spokesperson that "If indeed India is serious about its allegations, it should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world" and that mere casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence would not help. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz - were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab Province's Interior Ministry on Monday in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. The Pakistani Spokesperson also maintained that the actions taken by Pakistan have been carried out as per obligations vis-a-vis listing of Jamat-u-Dawa under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. On the recent release of Chandu Babulal Chavan and if this indicated softening of Pakistan's stand that could lead to resumption of bilateral dialogue, Swarup said India welcomes the steps taken by Pakistan on humanitarian matters. "We have consistently maintained that a bilateral dialogue with Pakistan is only possible in an atmosphere free of terror and violence. Any credible steps in that direction will certainly be welcomed by India," he said. He added, "We will not go by their (Pakistan's) claims and statements. We will go by what we will see on the ground. At the end of the day, that is what matters." Swarup was also asked if the meeting of SAARC officials which is currently underway in Kathmandu has paved the way for the SAARC Summit, to which he said one cannot arrive at such a conclusion. "India is committed to the ideals and objectives of SAARC. Our objection was to the holding of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad at a time when one particular country is opposed to regional connectivity initiatives, is promoting cross-border terrorism and is interfering in domestic affairs of other countries. "Not only India, other SAARC countries also joined in saying that this time was not conducive to host the Summit in Islamabad," Swarup said. A majority of SAARC countries including India had pulled out of the 19th SAARC summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad last November, maintaining that the atmosphere was conducive for holding of the summit in view of continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan. New Delhi: The wife of Army jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, whose video about the food and working conditions provided by Border Solider Force (BSF) went viral, claimed that her husband was arrested and was mentally tortured. He managed to call up today using someone else's phone, told me that he is under arrest, being threatened and mentally tortured, she said. Sharmila Yadav, also alleged that the jawan was asked to retire from the force. Waited for him on 31st but he didn't come. He called up to say that he was asked to retire, she was reported as saying. She further claimed that the retirement was cancelled within an hour, post which the jawan was arrested. However, BSF sources have denied the allegations. Tej Bahadur has not been arrested. The inquiry has found him guilty. While disciplinary action against him has been recommended, it has not been approved yet, they said. The sources have further said, The cancellation of VRS was communicated to Constable Tej Bahadur on 30th Jan 2017 evening only, adding that the voluntary retirement was cancelled as it was pending at the Court of Inquiry for finalisation of its recommendations. Tej Bahadur Yadav has been in the news ever since a video of him accusing the BSF of not providing soldiers proper food and basic amenities, went viral on social media. Access to SWAYAM would be widened by linkage with DTH channels, dedicated to education, says Arun Jaitley. This newspaper was the first to report on January 29 that government plans to unveil a unified examination body for higher education sector. New Delhi: The government unleashed measures to revamp the countrys education system, including setting up of a National Testing Agency to conduct all entrance examinations for higher education institutions. This newspaper was the first to report on January 29 that government plans to unveil a unified examination body for higher education sector. Asserting that quality of education will energise the youth, finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the government proposes to establish a National Testing Agency as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation to conduct all entrance examinations for higher education institutions. This would free CBSE, AICTE and other premier institutions from these administrative responsibilities so that they can focus more on academics, he said. We have proposed to introduce a system of measuring annual learning outcomes in our schools. Emphasis will be given on science education and flexibility in curriculum to promote creativity through local, innovative content, Mr Jaitley said. The government also proposes to create an innovative fund for secondary education for ensuring universal access, gender parity and quality improvement. He said that the government proposes to leverage information technology and launch SWAYAM Platform with at least 350 online courses which will enable students to virtually attend the courses taught by the best faculty. Access to SWAYAM would be widened by linkage with DTH channels, dedicated to education, Mr Jaitley said. In higher education, the government will undertake reforms in the UGC. Good quality institutions would be enabled to have greater administrative and academic autonomy, the finance minister said. Meanwhile, Union minister of human resource development Prakash Javadekar hailed the Budget as revolutionary and referred to it as a Budegt for Better India. This is a revolutionary Budget, a Budget which is development-oriented, Budget which honours honest tax payers #BudgetForBetterIndia, he tweeted. In Focus Centre proposes new law to confiscate assets of economic offenders. New Delhi: Coming down on black money, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said that no cash transaction over Rs 3 lakh will be permitted. He also proposed a new legislation to confiscate the assets of economic offenders fleeing the country to escape the reach of law. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the government for black money had recommended that no transaction above Rs 3 lakh should be permitted in cash. The government has decided to accept this proposal. Suitable amendment to the Income-tax Act is proposed in the Finance Bill for enforcing this decision, said Mr Jaitley while presenting the Union budget. Those who are found guilty of the new rule a penalty equal to the amount of such receipt is proposed to be leviable. In India, the quantum of domestic black money is huge which adversely affects the revenue of the Government creating a resource crunch for its various welfare programmes. Black money is generally transacted in cash and large amount of unaccounted wealth is stored and used in form of cash, said M. Devaraja Reddy, President, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on measures to curb high cash transaction. Mr Jaitley proposed to limit cash donation that can be received by a charitable trust from Rs 10,000 to Rs 2,000. Finance minister said that in the recent past, there have been instances of big time offenders, including economic offenders, fleeing the country to escape the reach of law. We have to ensure that the law is allowed to take its own course. Government is therefore considering introduction of legislative changes, or even a new law, to confiscate the assets of such persons located within the country, till they submit to the jurisdiction of the appropriate legal forum, said the finance minister. He said that all necessary constitutional safeguards will be followed in such cases. Recently some high profile businessmen have fled the country to escape the law. Government will soon introduce a new law to protect gullible investors from Ponzi scheme frauds unleashed by entities running illicit deposit schemes in the name of multi-state cooperative societies. Mr Jaitley said government is considering the option of amending the Negotiable Instruments Act suitably to ensure that the payees of dishonoured cheques are able to realise the payments. Finance minister said that after demonetisation, the government is analysing the cash deposits of old currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. This data mining will help us immensely in expanding the tax net as well as increasing the revenues, which was one of the objectives of demonetisation, said Mr Jaitley. He said that during the period between November 8 and December 30, 2016, deposits between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 80 lakh were made in about 1.09 crore accounts with an average deposit size of Rs 5.03 lakh. Deposits of more than Rs 80 lakh were made in 1.48 lakh accounts with average deposit size of Rs 3.31 crore. Suresh Prabhu said the Budget was growth oriented for the Railways with a capital investment of Rs 1.31 lakh crore for the next fiscal year. Both ministers highlighted the fact that the Railways would benefit from the merger, and the decision will boost the overall infrastructure sector. New Delhi: The historic decision of merging the Railway Budget with the general Budget for the first time since 1924 was apparently done to stop politicisation of the sector. However, the governments contention was dismissed by Opposition parties and former Railway Ministers, who questioned the rationale behind the move. Traditionally, Railway ministers had used the Budget to announce new trains to connect places seen to be politically important for the then government. The practice of announcing new trains was stopped last year itself with the government focusing on improving Rail finances. Railway minister Suresh Prabhu said the Budget was growth oriented for the Railways with a capital investment of Rs 1.31 lakh crore for the next fiscal year and a dedicated safety fund called Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh of Rs 1 lakh crore over the next five years. The capital expenditure for the Railways includes Rs 55,000 crore gross budgetary support from the government to ensure faster execution of projects of new lines and upgrading the existing ones. For the safety fund, the government will provide seed capital with the balance resources to be arranged by the Railways from their own revenues and other sources. Finance minister Arun Jaitely began his Budget speech on Wednesday by listing the merging of the two Budgets as one of the three major reforms in the Budget document this time. The merger is a historic step. We have discontinued the colonial practice prevalent since 1924. This decision brings the Railways to the centrestage of the governments fiscal policy, and would facilitate multi-modal transport planning among the Railways, highways and inland waterways, Mr Jaitely said. Mr Prabhu also said that it was just a colonial pratice, and no other country in the world had a separate Budget for the Railways. Railways functional autonomy will continue. It was a legacy, and nowhere has the railway a separate budget. Now there will be an integrated approach to transportation, including rail, road, aviation and waterways. Mr Prabhu said that the Railways will no longer pay dividends to the finance ministry after the merger, and is likely to save Rs 9,500 crore. Both ministers highlighted the fact that the Railways would benefit from the merger, and the decision will boost the overall infrastructure sector. A record plan outlay of Rs 1.31 lakh crore was announced against Rs 1.21 lakh crore planned for 2016-17. The finance ministry will provide a gross budgetary support of Rs 55,000 crore to the Railways in 2017-18. For the first time after the merger, the Railways will not be required to pay annual dividend of around Rs 9,000 crore to the finance ministry beginning 2017-18. However, former Railway ministers questioned the rationale behind the move arguing that it was the only means available to help the common man. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a former Railway minister, said: The grand design turned out to be a damp squib. This will damage the very core of the transport system. Former Railway minister Lalu Prasad was particularly harsh. They have demolished the tradition of presentation of a separate Rail Budget... What is the rationale of continuing with a Railway minister when he cannot present the Budget of his ministry, he asked. Both leaders had during their time as Railway minister announced a slew of trains to cater to their constituencies. He accused theatre owners of removing his Assamese film from screens despite to accommodate Raees and Kaabil. Guwahati: The Assam Police on Thursday registered an FIR against Assamese filmmaker who sought the help of elusive Ulfa (I) chief Paresh Baruah to continue his film in cinema halls of the state by dropping the two mega releases of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Raees' and Hrithik Roshan's 'Kabil' in January. Accusing theatre owners of removing his Assamese film Shakira Ahibo Bakultolor Bihuloi from screens despite a good crowd, filmmaker Himangshu Prasad Das had written a letter to Ulfa (I) chief Paresh Baruah on his Facebook. Within hours, Paresh Barua, who police say is operating from Myanmar close to Chinas Yunnan province, appeared on a local TV channel and issued a warning to theatre-owners. An Assamese film should not be taken off just to accommodate Shah Rukh Khans Hindi film (Raees). If halls dont continue screening the Assamese film wherever it is running well, we will be compelled to take action, the militant leader threatened. However, most of theatre owners defied the Ulfa (I) chiefs threat and decided to withdraw the Assamese film, which they claimed to have not been drawing any crowd. In his open letter to Barua on Facebook, Das, a 2008 alumnus of National School of Drama (NSD) wrote, The way you are carrying your dreams of independence, we too are struggling to carry forward our cultural struggle as AssameseMy film that released on January 20 was gradually gaining popularity when a circle having vested interests started working to remove it to accommodate two Hindi films. This is not a crisis of just one Assamese film, but of our (Assamese) pride. If we cannot live with our distinct identity, then what would be the identity of the (Assamese) people when Assam one day becomes independent? Waiting eagerly for your reactions. Commenting on the FIR against Das, secretary of theatre owners Rajiv Bora said, We have not sought the help of police. But the statement of Ulfa (I) is out in the open. It is up to the police. He added that no theatre owner will remove an Assamese film if it is drawing the crowd. City police also said that they have registered an FIR on its own in Panbazar police station case number 49/17 against the film-maker for writing letter to militant leader. The Assistant Commissioner of Police Suleman Ali has lodged the FIR. The PM also used his Twitter handle to react on the budget. New Delhi: Hailing Union Budget 2017-18 as a budget for better India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the document focuses on fulfilling the dreams of every section of the society. Asserting that the budget document presents the future, the Prime Minister also lauded finance minister Arun Jaitley for presenting a good budget. While insisting that the budget will lay out a roadmap for Indias development and positively impacts every section of society, Mr Modi said it is a reflection of the development measures undertaken over the past two-and-a-half years and also the vision to carry forward the momentum in this direction. The PM also used his Twitter handle to react on the budget. Using the hashtag #Budget ForBetterIndia, Mr Modi said the Budget respects the honest taxpayer and paves the way for clean politics and political funding, which is strongly needed in a democracy. He also explained about the future and the meaning in each of its letters - F for the farmer, U for underprivileged, T for transparency, technology upgradation, U for urban rejuvenation and R for rural development and E for employment for youth, entrepreneurship and enhancement to give a push to new employment and boost to young entrepreneurs. The PM asserted that the budget reflects commitment to eliminate corruption and black money and provides for a comprehensive package of digital economy, which will reduce tax evasion and help control black money. Describing the reduction of tax for people with lower incomes as a courageous step, Mr Modi also referred to the provision on political funding as an important step to clean politics of corruption. On the merger of the railway budget with the general budget, the PM said it will give an impetus to the transport sectors growth. The protesters turned violent when their demand for Chief Ministers resignation, over killing of two youths in police firing, was not met. Naga tribals set ablaze the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the district collector to protest against Chief Minister TR Zeliang's refusal to meet their ultimatum, in Kohima on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Guwahati: The ongoing protest against the reservation to women in urban local body elections in Nagaland turned violent on Thursday with angry protestors setting various offices on fire. The state administration was forced to impose curfew in Kohima and Dimapur as Naga tribal bodies had set the deadline of Thursday 4 pm for Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang to resign. Security sources at Kohima said that protestors, who came out in large number, set fire to the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the Directorate of Transport during the day. A mob also set the Kohima Press Club on fire, burning and vandalising government property, the source added. Even deputy commissioners office was torched by the mob. Pointing out that violence broke all across the city, security sources said that the Central paramilitary forces have been deployed at the New Secretariat building and some important installations. Tension prevailed in Kohima since Thursday morning as thousands of protesters gathered at the old MLA Hostel road at the heart of Kohima carrying the bodies of the two people who were killed in police firing on Tuesday night in Dimapur. Police had allegedly opened fire to stop a mob from throwing stones at the house of the chief minister. The protestors have been demanding resignation from the Chief Minister in the wake of the killing of two youths in the police firing. The protestors backed by various tribal bodies accused the state government of breaching the agreement on postponing the urban local body elections and holding the polls on February 1. They also claimed that there was a deal to postpone the election by two months. Security sources also claimed that they are facing shortage of security forces as violence has spread in two major towns of Nagaland, including some adjoining areas as well. On Wednesday, elections to urban local bodies in 12 towns across the Nagaland were conducted amidst a shut-down called by tribal bodies opposing the polls. Army jawans reached Kohima and also carried out a flag march in Dimapur. Kohima/Guwahati: The Army was called out late Thursday as thousands of protesters went on the rampage and torched government property in Kohima, in an escalation of violence related to protests against 33 per cent seats reserved for women in the states urban local bodies. Protesters set fire to Kohimas municipal council office, transport building, deputy commissioners office and press club, besides vandalising other properties and torching vehicles. Central paramilitary forces have also been rushed to the new secretariat building and important installations. Protesters had asked chief minister T.R. Zeliang to resign by 4 pm Thursday after two people were killed in police firing in Dimapur two days ago, when a mob was protesting over the reservation issue. Mobile Internet service has been shut down. Army jawans reached Kohima and also carried out a flag march in Dimapur. Curfew restrictions were already in place in both towns. Elections to urban local bodies in 12 towns across Nagaland were conducted Wednesday amidst a shutdown called by tribal bodies. Protesters want the 33 per cent reservation for women rolled back as they believe it violates the right granted to Naga tribals as per the Constitutions Article 371(A). The latest violence erupted when protesters, carrying the bodies of the two people killed earlier, gathered in Kohima and tried to stone the CMs house prompting the police to open fire. Protesters backed by various tribal bodies accused the state government of breaching an agreement on postponing the elections for two months. In view of the deteriorating law and order situation, Nagaland governor P.B. Acharya, who was in Arunachal Pradeshs capital Itanagar, was advised not to come to Kohima, where the CM and his home minister remained indoors. Protesters want the governor to come and talk to them. Meanwhile, ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) MLA N. Keditsu resigned from the Assembly to protest the killing of two youths from his constituency. Sources said that protesters also set NPF headquarters in Kohima on fire. There was anger brewing also against the local BJP unit as Nagaland BJP president was accused of supporting the governments stand. Government sources said the main issue is whether Pakistan will have the will to charge Saeed in the Mumbai attack case. New Delhi: With reports that Pakistan has placed Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeeds name on the Exit Control List two days after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind and his four aides were put under house arrest India on Thursday said all it needs is for Pakistan to find the requisite political will to take action against Saeed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case. Government sources said the main issue is whether Pakistan will have the will to charge Saeed in the Mumbai attack case. Reports from Islamabad said the Pakistan interior ministry has forwarded a letter to all provincial governments and the Federal Investigation Agency, which included names of 38 individuals placed on the list including Saeed, preventing them from leaving the country. All of them were said to be linked with the terrorist JuD or Lashkar-e-tayyiba (LeT). In New Delhi, India dismissed Pakistans demand for concrete evidence against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed in the 26/11 case, saying the required proof is already available in that country. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said that India would not go by the claims or statements made by Pakistan about the steps taken to check terrorism but by what happens on the ground. The entire conspiracy for the Mumbai attack was hatched in Pakistan. All the terrorists came from there, all the planning was done in Pakistan, all the support was rendered by it. In fact, Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple terrorists attacks directed at India. So the concrete evidence that Pakistan is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need to find is requisite political will, Mr Swarup said. On the recent release of Indian soldier Chandu Babulal Chavan and if this indicated softening of Pakistans stand that could lead to resumption of bilateral dialogue, Mr Swarup said India welcomes the steps taken by Pakistan on humanitarian matters. We have consistently maintained that a bilateral dialogue with Pakistan is only possible in an atmosphere free of terror and violence. Any credible steps in that direction will certainly be welcomed by India, he said. He added, We will not go by their (Pakistans) claims and statements. We will go by what we will see on the ground. At the end of the day, that is what matters. He was asked about the reported statement of a Pakistan interior ministry spokesperson that If indeed India is serious about its allegations, it should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world and that mere casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence would not help. According to news agency reports, Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab provinces interior ministry on Monday in pursuance to a directive from the federal interior ministry on January 27. Meanwhile, Union minister of state (MoS) in the PMO Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the country has been providing evidence at different levels and cautioned the longer Pakistan stays in denial mode the more it risks its own security. Asserting that Pakistan is now the epicentre of terrorism in the entire region, particularly in the Indian sub-continent, Singh said the neighbouring country is also the hub of gross human rights violations. The entire world now acknowledges and realises that from time to time India has been providing a series of evidence at different levels. And therefore there is hardly any evidence required. The longer Pakistan prefers to stay in denial mode, they must realise, the powers that be in Islamabad, the more they are going to risk their own security, Mr Singh was quoted as telling reporters outside Parliament. Opinion / Columnist Many a times, people begin to realise the importance of something after they have lost it, the same scenario that also happens in human relations.One needs to attend a funeral to understand this. Mourners would be showering praises to the deceased. One person that some Zimbabweans will certainly treasure his existence, belatedly though is Cde Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe will never be the same after God has allowed him to rest. However, there are a few who are conscious of this reality. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is one of the few Zimbabweans who know that the nation is abundantly blessed to have the calibre of President Mugabe amongst them. He revealed his consciousness of the centrality of President Mugabe in August 2015, in an interview with Baffour Ankomah, the Editor at Large of the London-based New African Magazine."I don't think the next generation will be able to produce a person like him (President Mugabe). I don't think we can get a person even in our generation who can fill his shoes to the extent that he has been able to remain an intellectual giant in leading our people and charting a course for the African people of this region, perhaps even continentally...Within the current African leadership, I don't see many who can fill the shoes of the founding fathers. The only one I know without thinking much is President Mugabe. It will take a long time for this country to produce a man of his calibre, if at all we can....We will miss him dearly," said VP Mnangagwa.That was a candid assessment of President Mugabe by his deputy. Despite being one of the probable heirs to President Mugabe, VP Mnangagwa found himself among the myriad that cannot squarely fit in President Mugabe's shoes. That on itself is a rare attribute of a leader. Indeed Zimbabwe will dearly miss the African iconic revolutionary leader.However, they are not all Zimbabweans who know the blessings that Zimbabwe has in President Mugabe. Some even wish him dead. President Mugabe's existence on this planet is treasured more beyond the frontiers. There are citizens of other countries who wish if he could be their President. Even Julius Malema himself who recently called President Mugabe to step down, once proposed that the United States of Africa must have the Zimbabwean leader as its president. This was, of course before he was corrupted by a few US dollars that he is taking delivery to assist the West in their regime change project.One day Jesus told the people of Nazareth a statement that can be applied in Zimbabwe today. "A prophet is not without honour save in his own country," reads the divine statement which was recorded in the books of Luke 4:24, Mathew13:57 and Mark 6:4. Truly, President Mugabe is not without honour save in his own country.During the recent AU's 28th Ordinary Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the bloc's new chairman Alpha Conde could not hide his over-the-top adulation of President Mugabe. He extolled President Mugabe whom he said was a symbol of Pan-Africanism. "We want to thank President Mugabe who is the source of our pride despite what the western world thinks," said Mr Conde, who is also the President of Guinea, to thousands of delegates at the close of the summit.Mr Conde knows for sure that the continent benefits a lot from President Mugabe, one of the few surviving founding fathers of Africa. AU was founded by the likes of Kwameh Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Modibo Keita of Mali, Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Ben Bella of Algeria, Haile Selasse of Ethiopia and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya among others. The bloc was formed to promote the unity and solidarity of African States; coordinate and intensify their cooperation and efforts to achieve a better life for the peoples of Africa.It was also formed to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states and rid the continent of colonialism and apartheid. It is these objectives that President Mugabe, as a founding father, had reservations on the re-admission of Morocco in the bloc. Morocco invaded the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic upon its independence from Spain. AU would do well if it gives an ear to the people who comprehensively know the founding principles of the union. It's unfortunate that the new crop of leaders in Africa is not as principled as the founding fathers, who must be turning in their graves to see their predecessors putting monetary benefit above ideology. MoU comes in the backdrop of emphasis given by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on safety in railway operation. The tie-up between the two entities will also enable co-operation on certification of technologies based on SIL 4 (Safety Integrity Level 4) and staff safety training. New Delhi: Going ahead with its focus on safety, Indian Railways has entered into an agreement with its Italian counterpart for technical cooperation to enhance the level of railway passengers safety. The pact was signed by Renato Mazzoncini, CEO and managing director of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (Italian Railways), and A.K. Mittal, chairman of Indian Railways. The Memorandum of Understanding that Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane signed with Indian Railways represents the beginning of a close cooperation between two of the most prominent railway companies in the world. We will provide all the know-how we developed with large-scale infrastructure and technological projects that have modernised Italy by connecting the countrys most important cities, Rome and Milan, in just three hours, said Mr Mazzoncini in an official press statement. The tie-up between the two entities will also enable co-operation on certification of technologies based on SIL 4 (Safety Integrity Level 4) and staff safety training. Another MoU was also signed between Italferr, the engineering company of FS Italiane and RITES, an engineering consultancy company of the Indian Railways. The MoU comes in the backdrop of emphasis given by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on safety in railway operation. He had directed the Railway Board to collaborate with the international experts on this subject and identify the best practices in this field. According to a statement released by the Italian behemoth, Italferr, the FS Italiane engineering company, and Italcertifer, the FS Italiane railway certification company, are working on six projects in India. BSF officials said that the violation was apparently an attempt to help a group of militants cross over to the Indian side. The borders had witnessed a flare up after the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes against the militant launchpads across the LoC on September 29. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: In the first ceasefire violation this year, the Pakistani border guards on Thursday targeted a Border Security Force (BSF) post along the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmirs Samba district, officials said. No casualties were reported in the attack. BSF officials said that the violation was apparently an attempt to help a group of militants cross over to the Indian side. Soon after the breach, an infiltration bid was foiled in the area. Officials said a group of heavily-armed militants was seen approaching the IB from the other side, taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth. Terrorists took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth, a BSF spokesman said, adding that they resorted to heavy attack on BSF troops on duty by firing three under barrel grenades, followed by heavy firing from automatic weapons. The spokesman said, Our troops on duty swiftly organised and coordinated effective fire to suppress their fire and forced them to retreat. Earlier, officials in Jammu were quoted as saying that the Pakistans Chenab Rangers fired gunshots and tossed half a dozen grenades at the BSF post at Katao in Samba district at about 3.30 pm. The Pakistani act was unprovoked and a brazen violation of the November 2003 ceasefire agreement, said one of the officials, adding that the BSF troopers retaliated quickly. The post named Bobiyan has been targeted from across the IB a number of times in the past too, officials said. Police sources in Jammu, however, said that it seems the attack against the BSF post was carried out by militants in their attempt to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir. Whether the Pakistani Rangers provided them cover as has been the practice in such situations in the past or not is not yet clear, a police officer said. The last ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops along the 198-km stretch of the IB between India and Pakistan was reported on the intervening night of November 29-30 last year. In J&K, the IB called working boundary by Islamabad starts at Paharpur in Kathua district and terminates at chickens neck corridor in south of Akhnoor sector where the LoC begins. The LoC again witnessed scores of skirmishes between the facing troops throughout 2016 resulting in a large number of casualties among the two Armies, the border guards and civilians on both sides. In the last week of November 2016, the Indian Army launched a massive counter-offensive against Pakistan in different sectors along the LoC in retribution to the killing of three of its jawans by the neighbouring countrys commandos during an earlier incursion. With that the ceasefire violations stopped and the Army believed that its offensive, described by it as a direct message to Pakistan that mutilation of its soldiers is not acceptable and Indias response will be quick and massive, worked as a deterrent. However, Pakistani authorities had blamed India of initiating each incident of cross-border firing and shelling both along the IB and the LoC. The borders had witnessed a flare up after the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes against the militant launchpads across the LoC on September 29. In UPs multi-corner contest, a major battle is raging to capture the dalit vote bank. The SAD-BJP combination in Punjab could possibly lose the elections, and so a victory in UP for saffronites is crucial. New Delhi: With polling in high-stake Assembly elections just three days away, finance minister Arun Jaitley reached out to farmers, the backward classes and small traders in a big way through his Union Budget. Keeping his focus on the huge backward class vote bank in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, Mr Jaitley announced over 30 per cent increase in Budget outlay for the welfare of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. As per the 2011 census, Uttar Pradesh has the largest chunk of the total SC population, while Punjab has the largest share of dalits. Aware that demonetisation has dealt a severe blow to the agriculture sector as it came during the kharif harvest and the start of rabi sowing, the finance minister announced a total allocation of Rs 1,87,223 crore for rural, agricultural and allied sectors for 2017-18. With the promise of doubling farmers income in five years, he has set aside Rs 10 lakh crore for loans to farmers, increased the allocation for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to Rs 13,240 crore, set a target of 10 lakh farm ponds till March 2017 under MGNREGA and doubled the pace of road construction, among other things. He has also announced a massive 25 per cent hike in the MNREGA budget. If the majority of UPs population depends on farming activities, Punjabs agriculture sector remains the largest contributor to the states GDP. With the plight of debt-ridden farmers worsening due to the note ban, saffron spin doctors sensed that the party was losing its grip over rural India. To soothe frayed nerves of others hit by demonetisation, Mr Jaitley has provided tax relief to the middle class and the Sanghs core vote bank micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). The BJP has often been called a traders party as it has traditionally enjoyed the support of small businessmen. Besides being saffron sympathisers, this segment forms a major chunk of RSS cadre and leaders. In Uttar Pradesh, both Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party-Congress combination had begun to woo the traders. In social media, BSP has been consistently highlighting the problems being faced by small businesses because of demonetisation. To counter that, Mr Jaitley has reduce income tax of companies whose annual turnover is below Rs 50 crore by 5 per cent. The BJPs historic Lok Sabha victory was in some way scripted by the middle class. The exodus of the middle class vote bank from the BJP began with Assembly elections in Delhi. Reeling under the demonetisation blow, the middle class was waiting for the Budget with many expectations. The finance minister has provided some relief. He has proposed to halve the income tax, down to five per cent, for those earning between Rs 250,000 and Rs 500,000 per annum. According to the finance minister, this step will provide relief to over two crore tax payers. In UPs multi-corner contest, a major battle is raging to capture the dalit vote bank. The BJPs attempt to put a pro-dalit face took a hit following attacks on the community by cow vigilantes and controversy surrounding the death of Hyderabad PhD student Rohith Vermula. In UP, the BJP has been targeting the non-Yadav and non-Jatav backward vote banks. The SAD-BJP combination in Punjab could possibly lose the elections, and so a victory in UP for saffronites is crucial. Goa and Punjab will be the first testing grounds for the BJP governments much-flaunted demonetisation policy. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addresses an election rally on the concluding day of the campaigning for the state assembly polls, in Lambi near Muktsar. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: The day of reckoning for the BJP is nearing. Campaigning ended on Thursday evening for two BJP-dominated states Goa and Punjab that will go to the polls on Saturday. It is, therefore, a moment of anticipation as well as apprehension for the lotus brigade. While the BJP is in power in Goa, it is a coalition partner of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. While there is a glimmer of hope of it returning to power in Goa, Punjab is a tough call. Polling will take place in 157 seats across the two states, including all 117 Assembly berths in Punjab and 40 in Goa. Goa and Punjab will be the first testing grounds for the BJP governments much-flaunted demonetisation policy. A section of top saffron leaders who appeared to have given up hope in Punjab also seemed uncertain about the outcome in Goa. The RSS, which is closely observing the Goa contest, admitted in its mouthpiece Organiser that the AAP had made good inroads into the political arena with a team of educated and professional cadre. Despite ruling in Goa, all is not well for the BJP in the state. The BJPs lack of confidence in incumbent chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar was evident as the party refused to project him as its face in the elections. For the state unit and the Sangh, defence minister and former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar is still the vote-catcher. Organiser wrote: Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is still a crucial figure in the Goa elections and is closely managing affairs, including ticket distribution and manifesto. He is certainly a big plus for the BJP. Though the RSS credited the AAP with making good inroads in Goa, its mouthpiece claimed internal dissent in the outfit could hit it hard. But there was a note of uncertainty. Whom does it hurt is the only question, the Organiser wrote. A recent opinion poll in Punjab predicted that the Akali-BJP alliance will be wiped out in the state. We dont have much hope. But there could always be a last-minute miracle, said a saffron leader who has been campaigning for the party in Punjab, who seemed to be clutching at straws and looking for divine intervention. It may be recalled that even during the Narendra Modi wave sweeping the country in 2014, BJP heavyweight Arun Jaitley lost from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat. The situation has worsened, the BJP leader said. Punjab appears to be a contest between the AAP and the Congress. The drug menace, sacrilege of holy books of Sikhs and the contentious SYL canal issue were the main planks of rival parties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal led the high-octane campaign in the state, with rallies and meetings. The PM evoked the surgical strike and referred to the One-Rank-One-Pension (OROP) scheme. A survey showed Punjab has the highest number of ex-servicemen among the states going to the polls. It has 2,84,401 ex-servicemen, while Uttarakhand has 1,22,649. On the last day of the campaign, Rahul Gandhi, clad in a white kurta, half jacket and blue denims, tried to reach out to farmers and shared a meal with villagers at Sangrur. He also interacted with farmers in Baliyan village. While political observers have written off the Akali-BJP combine, some optimists in the party hope the Dera Sacha Sauda sects last-minute extension of support will come as a major boost. Dera Sacha Sauda, headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, has a significant presence in the states Malwa region, that has 69 Assembly seats. In the 2007 Assembly polls, the Dera had rallied behind the Congress, which helped it to rout the Akalis in the region. The Prime Minister was also present in the House. New Delhi: The Modi government on Thursday came under criticism from the Opposition over demonetisation, handling of the Kashmir situation and imposing an undeclared Emergency in the country, even as the treasury benches contended that metamorphosis of India is happening now. Participating in a debate in Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks to the Presidents address, leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said that 2016 was a year of depression, recession, regression and suppression. He said government failed on all fronts particularly in tackling black money, terrorism and fake currency and has imposed an undeclared emergency in the country and any criticism is being suppressed. The Prime Minister was also present in the House. SPs Neeraj Shekhar and TMCs Derek O brien also supported Mr Azads contention on demonestisation, state of the economy and other aspects of governance. Earlier, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, while moving the motion, praised the PM and listed out various initiatives of the government including Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Start-Up India to emphasise that the country was being taken on the path of development. Asserting that the government is being guided by four principles banking the unbanked, funding the unfunded, securing the unsecured, pensioning the unpensioned, Mr Prasad said metamorphosis of India is happening now as common people are being recognised along with their contribution, quality and accomplishment. In the context of Padma Awards being given to unsung heroes this time, he said It is not being talked about but they (common people) are being given the highest honour. Criticising the demonetisation decision, Mr Azad said it had no impact on black money or fake currency and was an ill conceived move as 135 circulars were issued to implement a single policy. Contending that the government cannot take criticism, Mr Azad said his party was termed anti-national for asking details about surgical strikes. At present, we are having undeclared emergency. Some day all facts will come out, Mr Azad said. On Kashmir affairs, he said the situation has worsened and the government has failed to curb infiltration. He said Mr Modi had talked about Jamhooriat, Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat (democracy, humanity and Kashmiriyat) and even Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas but nothing in this direction has happened in Kashmir. SPs Neeraj Shekhar, while attacking the government on demonetisation, questioned whether black money, naxalism and terrorism had ended as claimed by the Prime Minister. Taking potshots at the the PM, Mr Shekhar said I think this government is always in election mode. If Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are held together, then PM will have less chance to speak. He also said that the government has come up with so many slogans that it seems it is slogan India. TMCs Derek OBrien attacked the government over demonetisation and alleged that the government was indulging in political vendetta against the party, which had been oppositing the demonetisation. Referring to Mr Modis photo replacing Mahatma Gandhi in Khadi calender, he said PM means photo mantri and that photo opportinties are not a solution for any problem. Referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots, while speaking on communal hrmony, Mr OBrien said who had said hum paanch humare pachees (we 5, our 25) and we are not running camps for producing children. It was the then CM who is now PM. He said West Bengal is safe on communal front as Indo-Pak match could be held in Bengal. On Digital India, Mr OBrien said it should be termed as divisive India as there are some twitter handles of bhakts spreading hatred. He also criticised the merger of the Rail Budget with General Budget, saying it was done to hide the failures of ailways. CPIss D Raja said the situation in the country is very scary and it is passing through a critical period but Presidents address and the governments response do not address the challenges. Chidambaram also accused the Budget of cheating the farming community. New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack at the Centre by terming the Budget a damp squib. Former finance minister P. Chidambaram spelt out ten points against the Budget and asked the government to respond. In a left-handed compliment, he praised the finance minister for adopting a tone of moderation and not doing anything reckless or disruptive after the demonetisation policy of the government. Our conclusion on reading all the Budget documents was that the elaborate exercise has turned out to be a damp squib. It is a wasted opportunity... Altogether, I am disappointed that the government has not used the opportunity to push through bold reforms, revive aggregate demand and growth, and devise new strategies for job creation, he told reporters. Accusing the government of being demoralised after demonetisation Mr Chidambaram said, There is nothing in the Budget that points to measures that will be taken to revive flagging growth. In the ten points raised by the Congress, the basic emphasis was on lack of job creation by the NDA government. Especially when it had promised 2 crore jobs every year. As per the latest report of the labour ministry, the job creation in 2016 is roughly about 1.5 lakh. Mr Chidambaram said the government has done nothing in the Budget by way of new strategy or policy measures to revive investment and growth, which was badly affected after demonetisation. Striking a cautious note, he said the spillover effect of note ban decision would be felt in the next fiscal as well as in 2018-19. The former finance minister added, It is now widely accepted that growth rate of the Indian GDP has taken a hit. It will be worse. This period of lower growth will extend to 2017-18 and 2018-19. While noting that there is nothing in the Budget that points to measures to revive flagging growth or reviving investment, the former finance minister said that the country will pay a heavy price in terms of poor demand, lower sales, fewer jobs and closures of MSMEs. He said he government should have done much more to revive private investment which has fallen to 0.2 per cent and for the farming community. He also accused the Budget of cheating the farming community. Roberto Cabrera refused to reduce his penis size since it brings him pride in Mexico's macho culture. Mexico City: The man with the longest penis named Roberto Cabrera made headlines across the world with his 18 inch penis. Even though most won't like the idea of not having a sex life due to a penis so long, Cabrera is happy because of the pride and fame his penis got for him. Hopeful that he might find a woman whos more his size Roberto Cabrera also mentioned that he wanted to be a pornstar. It seems someone took notice since the 54-year-old has now been offered a role in a porn movie featuring doctors and nurses. The man behind YouPorn has showed interest in working with Cabrera and has offered to fly him to Prague for shooting the film. He said that it would be a comical one with different nurses trying to have sex with him. Cabrera has also been recognised as disabled by the Mexican government for not being able to work owing to his penis size, but the Guinness Book of World Records dismissed his claims. Even though Cabrera is proud of his penis and has no plans of reducing the size, the medical community has urged him to reconsider since the size makes him vulnerable to health risks. 2 IndiGo pilots taken off-duty by DGCA following incident at IGI Airport. New Delhi: In a major fiasco, an IndiGo aircraft on Wednesday left its assigned lane, crossed the runway, and entered another taxiway where a Jet Airways plane was stationed, prompting the pilots to apply the brakes to avoid a collision and potential disaster at the IGI Airport on Wednesday. The two pilots of the Visakhapatnam-bound IndiGo aircraft have been taken off-duty, pending investigation, even as air safety regulator DGCA has started a probe into the incident which took place around 5.40 Wednesday morning. As the IndiGo aircraft got stuck on the taxiway due to the want of a tow vehicle, one of the main runways of the airport remained shut for operations close to an hour, impacting operations badly, sources said. The two pilots have been derostered and would not been assigned flying, pending investigation, an IndiGo spokeperson said, confirming that the aircraft had missed the runway centreline due to low visibility and found itself in another taxiway. IndiGo flight 6E 719 (New Delhi-Visakhapatnam) was given taxi permission through C lane and was supposed to hold at Runway 28 but the aircraft commander crossed the runway and realised he was standing in W lane, where a Jet Airways aircraft for Abu Dhabi was already stationed, airport sources said. While IndiGo aircraft had 81 passengers onboard, Jet Airways Boeing 737 plane was carrying 142 passengers at the time of the mix-up, sources said. Followings this, IndiGo was contacted to arrange push back tow but it took time, and due to poor visibility, tow was guided by a follow-me vehicle. During this period, all operations were on hold, causing heavy congestion and consequently flight delays as well, they added. Many flights were delayed while some incoming aircraft were diverted due to the non-availability of runway for almost an hour. In a statement, IndiGo said, IndiGo flight 6E-719 while taxiing from taxiway C for runway 28 for departure with Runway Visual Range of 125 meters. The AAP-led city government and the BJP-ruled corporations have been at each other for several months over allocation of municipal funds. New Delhi: The Centre has "not earmarked any funds for civic bodies" in the national capital despite requesting an allocation of Rs 4,087 crore as per the recommendations of the 14th Central Finance Commission, Delhi government said on Wednesday. The AAP-led city government and the BJP-ruled corporations have been at each other for last several months over the allocation of municipal funds. The Arvind Kejriwal government has said that it has released "adequate funds" to the three corporations -- North, South and East, and asked them to seek more funds from the NDA government, based on recommendations of the 14th Central Finance Commission. However, the government claimed that it has found no relief in the Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys budget for the year 2017-18 which was presented on Wednesday. In the Union budget, the government has "not earmarked any funds to local bodies, although we had requested for allocation of Rs 4,087 crore as local bodies grant... derived by 14th Central Finance Commission for its award period of 2015-20," Delhi government said in a statement. "Centre is providing basic and performance grants to local bodies in all states. However, local bodies in Delhi are not getting any support from the government of India although we (Delhi government) are providing 10.5 per cent of our annual tax collection to the local bodies," it said. Of the three corporations, barring SDMC, both NDMC and EDMC are cash-strapped. Municipal elections are due this year and issue of funds is likely to become a poll plank. Higher Education Financing Agency to be set-up with initial capital base of Rs 1,000 crore. New Delhi: Welcoming the Budget proposal giving major attention to skill and vocational training, the students and industry experts feel that it was much needed as large percentage of youth population enter the work force without the requisite skills. Finance minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget proposal on Wednesday emphasised on energising youth through education, skills and jobs by establishing 100 more India international skill centres across the country and also courses in foreign languages. As per the proposal, the government also proposed to extend Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras to more than 600 districts across the country. We support the governments call to acknowledge the importance of skill learning and the allocation of `2,200 crore towards skill strengthening for industrial value enhancement (STRIVE). The need of the hour is to focus on youth and provide them with opportunities that will help them grow their skills and in turn contribute back to the development of the country, said Talentedge CEO Aditya Malik. According to a student Rajneesh, if the 4,000 crore programme Sankalp (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion Programme) is implemented in the right way then only the output will come. One will not only receive an advanced skill training but also gain a much more market knowledge. It will push the skill India drive and help in creating more employment for the skilled youth like us, he said. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs have also hailed the Budget that altered the policy on tax concessions on start-ups calling it to be progressive and forward-looking. The tax reduced for small and medium size businesses with an annual turnover of up to `50 crore from 30 to 25 per cent was a much needed tax reform. It will enable to improve infrastructure and adopt digital technology. We even appreciate the move to promote a digital economy as it will bring transparency in financial transaction and promote ease of doing business, said Sudhir Singh, managing director, Marg Compusoft. In his Budget address, Mr Jaitley announced the profit-linked deduction available to start-ups for three years out of five years has been changed to three years out of seven years. Opinion / Columnist In the book of Genesis 1 verse 27 it is said that God created Man in his own image male and female. He blessed them and God said into them be fruitful and multiply. The Bible advocates for union between male and female.The union between a husband and a wife is a rightful thing that cut across all religions and cults be Christianity, Islamic or Traditionalists that it transcends as rightfully universal.However with the colonization of Africa the west brought its own culture which included gay rights as it wanted to totally annihilate us. However the African culture resisted such devious acts. It saw many African Presidents in logger heads with the so called super power over gay rights that President Robert Gabriel Mugabe at United Nations summit in 1995 said that "homosexuality is a filthy disease and Zimbabwe would never never never" support homosexuality.On every cloud there is a silver lining. Yes, Donald Trump within the hundred days in office has already made headlines for the wrong reasons especially on immigrants but for once and the first time has respect for African values and beliefs when he said ," Africa has its own values.In our African culture we have Ubuntu in which we respect our values culture and norms. In African culture a male is supposed to marry a female and have a family .It's a taboo for one to be called a gay or lesbian.Since his inauguration in 1980 President Robert Mugabe and the government of Zimbabwe has never supported Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual and Transgender(LGBT) likewise few days after his inauguration Trump has already said that he will not support gays and lesbians .These similarities has shown the other side of the coin of Trumps side that despite him conniving with his fellow Americans he has respect for Africa values when he said "I won't allow gays threatening African Leaders to promote homosexualityinstead I will support any African leader who fight homosexuality. Likewise the bible condemns homosexuality that Leviticus 18 versus 22 says, "you shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female it's an abomination."In 38 African countries like Uganda, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Gambia, Malawi and Ghana it's a crime for one to be a LGBT that in some Islamic states its punishable by death. Its mainly condemned because it does not promote family values. Homosexuality cannot fulfill that mandate. Also, homosexuality undermines the basic family unit of husband and wife which is the God-ordained means of procreation. Again, homosexuality cannot do that. And, believe it or not, homosexuality is also dangerous to society.President Robert Gabriel Mugabe had this to say "It degrades human dignity. It's unnatural, and there is no question ever of allowing these people to behave worse than dogs and pigs. If dogs and pigs do not do it, why must human beings? We have our own culture, and we must re-dedicate ourselves to our traditional values that make us human beings. What we are being persuaded to accept is sub-animal behavior and we will never allow it here. If you see people parading themselves as Lesbians and Gays, arrest them and hand them over to the police!"The President for the first time agrees with Donald Trump who had no kind words for his fellow Americans as he had to say "I won't accept gay groups threatening African leaders Africa has its own values "Trumps view on LGBT clearly leaves the people like Peter Thatcher in quandary as they have no one to support them whilst they wanted to legalize unmoral acts. For once Trump agrees with African leaders that what is wrong is wrong and should be condemned. In his country people protested against his condemnation of LGBT and here in Africa we salute Trump. A senior NDMC official said that several incidents of building collapse had been reported from Connaught Place. New Delhi: Following the partial collapse of a building in Connaught Place, the shopowners who have been running the show for over two decades are now concerned about the safety concerns raised over the deplorable condition of the entire structure. Owner of the well-known Jain Book Store Nabhi Kumar Jain said that the buildings were not being maintained properly and were growing weaker with the passage of time. The bookstore is in part of the same building. For the last few years there has been a serious problem of seepage in these buildings during the rains, which is weakening the old foundations of these buildings. Also, during rains, there is no proper channel through which the water can be emptied and hence it results into seepage. The authorities should carry out regular maintenance work to make sure that the buildings are not in a deplorable condition, he said. Seconding the views of Mr Jain, area manger of famous clothing brand, Mr Tiwari, whose store is located on the ground floor just above where the building collapse took place blames the burgeoning number of heavy generators, which have been kept on the terraces of these buildings. I have been working with Zodiac since 1985 and have been here in C block and the condition of have majorly deteriorated. No proper check has been carried out by the authorities. Many walls have developed cracks, which are only growing deeper. If one notices, tree shoots have stated growing in the buildings abruptly. A senior NDMC official said that several incidents of building collapse had been reported from Connaught Place but the NDMC department has failed to perform its basic duty to check the structural strength of these buildings. He added that no one knew when the last structural safety audit was done. With each passing year, the foundation of buildings is getting weaker and the load over them has increased many fold posing a grave danger to these historic buildings, he said adding that illegal constructions were also rampant in CP. Till 2010, there were only 70 restaurants. Now there are about 170 restaurants. But no steps have been taken to strengthen these buildings. Permission is not being granted in the name of heritage structures or Heritage Conservation Committee to repair the weaken structures, he said. A powerful far-right leader, a deeply conservative former Prime Minister and a 39-year-old former investment banker are among candidates. Paris: A powerful far-right leader, a deeply conservative former Prime Minister and a 39-year-old former investment banker are among candidates bidding to become French president this year. Here is what you need to know about the contenders: Marine Le Pen Since becoming party leader in 2011 Marine Le Pen, an MEP, has been on a drive to purge the anti-EU, anti-immigration National Front (FN) of its jackbooted image and reposition it as a party of "patriots" from both left and right. Tipped to do well in a crowded field in the first round in April, polls show the 48-year-old would struggle in a run-off of the top two candidates in May. French voters of all stripes have traditionally rallied behind the mainstream candidate at the final hurdle to block an FN victory. Francois Fillon Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy's former prime minister has spent nearly four decades in politics. Fillon, 62, came from behind to trounce Sarkozy and fellow former premier Alain Juppe in the primary of the conservative Republicans party, campaigning as a man of integrity who would shrink the bloated French state. But the once solid frontrunner has seen his poll numbers plummet as investigators probe allegations he paid his wife Penelope hundreds of thousands of euros from public funds for a fake parliamentary job. Penelope and two of his children are alleged to have been paid nearly 900,000 euros ($960,000) in total to act as parliamentary aides. Emmanuel Macron The telegenic former investment banker hoping to become the youngest president in French post-war history was an advisor to current President Francois Hollande during his election campaign and later became his economy minister. Fillon's woes have boosted Macron's poll numbers, putting him ahead of the former PM, in second place behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen. A man in a hurry, the 39-year-old Macron resigned after two years as economy minister to launch his own presidential bid, despite never having held elected office. Macron, who has campaigned as a centrist europhile, has drawn large crowds at his rallies. Benoit Hamon The leftist rebel who quit the Socialist government in 2014 in protest over what he saw as its lurch to the right was the hands-down winner of last month's Socialist primary. The mild-mannered lawmaker, 49, saw off pugnacious ex-prime minister Manuel Valls but could struggle to unite Socialist moderates behind his radical programme, which includes a universal basic income and a tax on robots. Jean-Luc Melenchon Communist-backed firebrand Melenchon has been one of the harshest critics of Francois Hollande's business-friendly policies. Melenchon, 65, who came in fourth in the 2012 election behind his arch-nemesis Le Pen, wants to dump France's presidential system for a parliamentary system and renegotiate EU treaties. Also running - Yannick Jadot, 49: Green MEP who wants to "give ecology a friendly face" - Michele Alliot-Marie, 70: Former head of the Gaullist RPR party, forerunner of the Republicans. Held several ministerial portfolios between 2002 and 2011 - Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, 55: Sovereignty candidate who wants to ditch the euro - Philippe Poutou, 49: Ford factory worker standing for the New Anti-Capitalist Party - Nathalie Arthaud, 46: Economy teacher running for a Trotskyist party - Jacques Cheminade, 75: conspiracy theorist who has called in the past for a "thermo-nuclear corridor" between Earth and Mars - Bastien Faudot, 38: leftist sovereignty candidate The immigration order has meanwhile sparked chaos and widespread protests at airports across the US. One of the more widely shared postmortems of Donald J. Trumps shocking electoral triumph late last year proposed that whereas his vast legions of supporters took him seriously but not literally, his detractors broadly erred in taking him literally but not seriously. But less than two weeks into the Trump presidency it should be patently obvious that he ought to have been taken both literally and seriously. Two of the most popular planks of Trumps rants as a candidate were the Mexican wall and at least a temporary ban on Muslim immigration. Sceptics sneered that neither would ever come to pass. The new Presidents executive orders tell a different story. How the wall hailed by Benjamin Netanyahu as a worthy replication of Israels strategy proceeds remains to be seen. The immigration order has meanwhile sparked chaos and widespread protests at airports across the US. It is not a Muslim ban, we are told, because it affects only seven countries five of which have borne the brunt of US bombing campaigns in the 21st century. Immigrants from none of these countries have contributed to terrorism on American soil. Will it still be possible to claim that in the future? The exemptions cover all the nations whose citizens were active participants in the September 11, 2001 plot. But then unlike Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen Trump has business dealings with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Lebanon and Egypt. The list could be extended without notice, but Pakistan and Afghanistan have thus far got away with extreme vetting. There has also been extreme confusion, with holders of valid US visas and even green cards turned back or detained, at least until lawyers and a handful of federal judges stepped in with temporary remedies. Amid an expanding number of legal challenges, the acting federal attorney general Sally Yates instructed justice department lawyers to not present arguments in defence of the executive order. She was fired. A number of mayors, governors and state attorneys general have expressed their indignation, and dissenting diplomats are reportedly drafting a statement unequivocally decrying the latest measures. These state department employees may have to pay for their outspokenness with their jobs. The department has already been hollowed out even before there is a new secretary of state in place. Arguably even more abominable than the immigration curbs is a 120-day suspension of the US refugee intake, alongside an indefinite suspension of the programme for refugees from Syria, the nation whose citizens obviously face the direst need for sanctuary. It could be a coincidence, but the relevant order was issued on Holocaust Day, which ought to have served as a reminder of the period when ships carrying desperate Jewish refugees escaping Nazi extermination were turned away from American shores. Trumps actions have attracted some consternation from overseas, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly incorporating into her White House phone call a succinct lesson on the Geneva Conventions, and Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterating that his nation was open to refugees of all faiths. It wasnt immediately clear, meanwhile, whether the horrific gun attack that left six dead in a Quebec City mosque on Sunday night was in any way a reaction to Trudeaus decency or Trumps obscenities. Britains Theresa May, fresh from a hand-holding session with Trump, was reluctant to offer any criticism, but eventually felt obliged to say that she did not agree with the policy. Not surprisingly, she did not go on to express agreement with the growing number of Britons calling for Trumps state visit to London to be postponed until he reconsiders his ban. Australia is even more reticent, given its absurd, self-ordained status as an American appendage. Needless to say, Trumps ban has been received joyously by far-right extremists and even by some centre-right groups across Europe, and the Israeli government. Not unexpectedly, much of the Muslim world is officially keeping mum. Crucially, though, a backlash is building in the US, among the community as evidenced by the continuing demonstrations as well as among legislators and state officials, with at least a few Republicans willing to express their indignation at what is shaping up broadly as a plot to comprehensively subvert the US Constitution, presumably masterminded by former Breitbart top honcho Steve Bannon. The resistance is uplifting, but ultimately the only remedy against an individual viscerally unfit to be President and perhaps the only way of stalling a fascist takeover of the worlds most powerful nation may be a quick-fire impeachment. The US Congress is not in the mood so far. But, like so much else, that could change. By arrangement with Dawn Will India respond with strategic precision, or tumble from one theatrical act to another? On January 27, a week after assuming the presidency and executing multiple executive orders on his electoral agenda like withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and dismantling of former President Barack Obamas healthcare programme, Donald Trump blocked the entry of citizens of seven Islamic nations into the United States. Refugees cannot enter for 120 days and travellers, including green card holders, for 90 days, till the administration frames more comprehensive rules for vetting. The nations chosen, the apparent lack of consultation within the US government and complete insensitivity towards sentiments in the Muslim world raised questions about decision-making in the Trump administration. Spontaneous demonstrations within America exposed the divisions at home, but subsequent surveys indicated people largely backed the move, though probably not understanding the legal and constitutional implications. Some federal judges also issued restraining orders, indicating the doubtful legality of some aspects of the decision. The countries include Libya, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia and Yemen. Iran has never been named in any terror attack on the US homeland, except one dubious charge of conspiracy to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington. Iran and Iraq are in fact critical to the battle against ISIS. Iran has deployed senior commanders of its Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to assist the Syrian Army and draw the Hezbollah from Lebanon into the pro-Bashir Assad coalition. With Russian air support and defence equipment this coalition helped the Assad regime to roll back ISIS. On the other hand, most of the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, which is not on the US list. Some commentators had quipped sarcastically that Mr Trump omitted nations where he had his hotels or projects! Further, if the US has to work with Russia to contain ISIS, then how can Iran, Russias collaborator in Syria, be excluded? Seasoned Republican Senator John McCain has lamented that the US action will play into ISIS hands as Muslims at large wont see it as an anti-terror step but simply as Islamophobia. The manner of decision-making also raises some questions. Mr Trump relied on a small group of White House advisers, bypassing stakeholders in the state department and the department of homeland security. The move to debar green card holders was forced by Stephen Bannon, formerly publisher of Breitbart, a platform for racist and xenophobic propaganda. For Mr Trump, it appears the international is only a factor of the domestic, which explains his inward-looking anti-globalisation vision. Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud spoke to Mr Trump, though details are unknown. Similarly, the UAE and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council would be working the back-channels using Mr Trumps business links with the region. Former President Obama had rebalanced his West Asia policy by endorsing the P5+1 nuclear agreement with Iran. Saudi Arabia and the UAE were upset as since the Iranian revolution Americas Gulf policy has rested on a close alliance with the House of Saud and other GCC members. US intervention in Kuwait in 1991 and Iraq in 2003 were with the GCCs active collaboration. However, Mr Obama rightly assessed that a war-fatigued America had no stomach to confront ISIS in a third intervention. Calculating that Saudi Arabia and Qatar were more a part of the problem than the solution in Syria, Mr Obama felt that unshackling Iran was in the US interest. Mr Trump, on the other hand, railed against the Iran nuclear deal during his campaign, and has now put Iran on the visa ban list, thereby altering US policy towards the region midstream. Where does that leave Indian policy towards the Gulf and West Asia? Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly plans to visit Israel this summer. Mr Trump has mooted shifting the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and was silent on Israels move to extend housing in the occupied West Bank, which the Obama administration was lambasting. India has, meanwhile, reached out to the UAE by hosting Abu Dhabis Crown Prince as chief guest on Republic Day. A strategic partnership between the two has been announced. But despite declaring a year ago that the UAE will invest $75 billion in India over the next 10 years and set up a strategic petroleum reserve, progress has been tardy for two reasons. One, there are legacy issues like Etisalat investment in telecommunications, caught in the telecom licence corruption case. Two, the UAE eyes India-Iran relations with concern as India views their relations with Pakistan. Indias relationship with Iran also faces uncertainty as Tehran now has different priorities from what it had in the 1990s with which India had collaborated while facing a common enemy in Afghanistan after the Soviet withdrawal. Iran has expressed interest in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and there is some convergence among Pakistan, Iran and Russia over the ISIS threat getting entrenched in Afghanistan. The other two seem to be buying the Pakistani argument that the Taliban could be an ally to counter ISIS. Thus, as the US begins to erratically reconfigure its policy towards Iran, Gulf and West Asia, Indian options will mutate. Mr Modis gesture in going to Delhi airport to receive Abu Dhabis Crown Prince might not help with the Muslim vote in the crucial UP election, but it will concern Iran without turning the UAE against Pakistan or making it part with their gold sans profit and sovereign guarantees. The Gulf potentates are used to suitors vying for their wealth. They respond better to honest forthrightness than flattery, as much as the reverse is true for Iran. As Mr Trump complicates the scenario, Russia, China and Pakistan converge to exploit it. Will India respond with strategic precision, or tumble from one theatrical act to another? Australia is considered one of the closest allies of the United States, and one might have expected the call to be smooth sailing. The new US leader reportedly abruptly cut short his call with Australian Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull after criticizing the countries bilateral refugee agreement and exulting over his electoral college victory in the November election, according to the paper. (Photo: AP) Washington: President Donald Trump was perhaps not having a gday when he recently spoke with his Australian counterpart, whom the new US leader upbraided over a refugee accord, The Washington Post reported. The new US leader reportedly abruptly cut short his call with Australian Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull after criticizing the countries bilateral refugee agreement and exulting over his electoral college victory in the November election, according to the paper. Australia is considered one of the closest allies of the United States, and one might have expected to the call to be smooth sailing. Turnbull insisted Thursday that relations between the diplomatic partners were strong despite reports that Trump had berated him. The Australian leader refused to comment when asked about the report and whether it was true. I appreciate your interest, but its better that these things -- these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately, he said. I can assure you the relationship is very strong. Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. There were fears the US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance, Turnbull said. But as Australians know me very well -- I stand up for Australia in every forum -- public or private. Trump, a billionaire former reality TV star, is known for his capricious moods. He regularly takes to Twitter to lambast his political opponents, the media and others. A spokesman for Mr Cameron told the BBC that he denied the report and had merely sought to persuade them of his pro-EU case. London: Former British Prime Minister David Cameron attempted to have the editor of a national newspaper that strongly supported Brexit sacked during last years European Union (EU) referendum campaign, the BBC has reported. Mr Cameron, who led the campaign for Britain to stay in the EU, met the owner of the Daily Mail tabloid, the countrys second-biggest selling paper with the largest online audience, to urge him to either rein in or sack its editor Paul Dacre, according to the report by BBC TVs Newsnight programme. A spokesman for Mr Cameron told the BBC that he denied the report and had merely sought to persuade them of his pro-EU case. The Mail, which Mr Dacre has edited for 25 years, has long been a fierce critic of the EU and, like the majority of Britains national newspapers, was an outspoken supporter of the campaign to leave the bloc. Britons voted by 52-48 percent for Brexit on June 23 last year, prompting Mr Cameron to resign the next day. According to the BBC report, Mr Cameron tried to persuade Mr Dacre to cut him some slack in a private meeting last February on the day European Council president Donald Tusk unveiled a deal the bloc had agreed with Britain which Mr Cameron hoped would secure victory in the referendum. The next day the Mail accused Mr Cameron of delusion and selling the country short. Then in March, the BBC said Mr Dacre learned that the then-PM had tried to press Jonathan Harmsworth, known as Lord Rothermere, to sack him leaving him incandescent and vowing to step up his anti-EU campaign. A spokesman for Rothermere declined to confirm or deny the report, but said the Mails proprietor had been leant on by more than one Prime Minister to remove editors over the years. Mr Dacre also declined to comment. by Sumon Corraya Bangladeshs first native educator, who ran three high schools, died yesterday at the age of 81. Muslim and Hindu students remember him as an example for the religious life with a pure soul and kind heart." Under his stewardship, schools prospered and acquired prestige. Dhaka (AsiaNews) More than 5,000 students and alumni came together to pay their last respect to Brother John Rozario, a well-known Catholic educator who died yesterday at the age of 81. He was the first Bangladeshi from the Holy Cross congregation to run three local high schools: St Gregory's High School and St Josephs High School in Dhaka, and the Bandura Holy Cross High School in Bandura (about 100 kilometers from the capital). In 19 years of service, he trained many young people, Catholic and non-Catholic. One of them is Neil Avishek. "I was lucky enough to be admitted to St Josephs High School three years before he retired, the Hindu former student told AsiaNews. Without him, the high school would never have gained the reputation it now has. No doubt, we Josephites will be forever indebted to this great human being." Brother Rozario died of natural causes at Dhakas Square Hospital. His funeral was held yesterday. Before his appointment, Canadian and American clergymen had managed the three schools. He also was the first superior of the congregation of Bangladeshi origin. Syed Nuhin Saift, a Muslim former student, remembers him as someone "with a pure soul and kind heart." The news of his death "makes me very said, he added. He was the one whom I and my fellow students missed the most when we finished high school. May he rest in peace. From the bottom of our heart, we pay tribute to and pray for him." His educational mission also inspired many young people to embark on a path of vocational discernment. For Brother Binory Stephen Gomes, also a member of the Holy Cross congregation, "Brother John was our ideal of the religious life. He was a man of prayer, and led a very simple and wise life. He read a lot and encouraged us to read books and newspapers." Thanks to his efforts, "many young people went to the seminary and today serve the Church and the country as consecrated brothers." In Bangladesh, most people are Muslim. Catholics are barely 600,000 but they make a significant contribution in the field of education. Christian schools are renowned for the quality of teaching and are much sought after by all sections of the population. In all, the local Church runs a university, five high schools and 500 schools. North Korea is the last stages of developing intercontinental missile capabilities that could also target the United States. South Korea and Japan are already under the threat of North Korean missiles. Trump threatens to abandon the alliance with Tokyo and Seoul if they do not pay more for defense. Mattis and Trump want to boost US arsenal. The US defense, the most powerful and expensive in the world, has an annual budget of over $ 600 billion and around 1.3 million active soldiers. Washington (AsiaNews) - The Pentagon chief, Jim Mattis, has chosen South Korea and Japan as the destination of his first official visit. He left yesterday first for Seoul and then Tokyo, where he wants to strengthen the alliance in the fight against North Korea. Pyongyang and its leader Kim Jong-un is a much debated topic in the US, since Kim used his New Year address to announce that his country is the last stages of having launch capabilities for intercontinental missiles They may also reach the United States. It is still unclear if the North Korean threat is real. Some experts say Pyongyang will be able to have a nuclear weapon that can strike the US within 10 years. During his election campaign, President Donald Trump often mentioned the possibility of striking Pyongyang, but also expressed the idea of a possible meeting over a plate of hamburgers. For Trump, China, which is the greatest ally of North Korea, should do much more to convince Kim to desist from its nuclear program. Mattis journey wants to reassure the two allied countries, which are already under the threat of North Korean missiles. They are home to 80 thousand US troops. But it is likely that they will have to "reassure" the United States in terms of increased military spending. During his campaign, Trump complained that the defense treaties with them are disadvantageous for the US and that his country would leave the alliance if Tokyo and Seoul did not cover more costs. The economic dimension of the trip and the US defense ranks first. Just yesterday Mattis revealed initial plans for a US military arsenal growth. Trump also promised a "great reconstruction" of the US military services, and last week he signed executive orders to increase the number of aircraft, ships and resources for the Pentagon. The US defense is already the most powerful and the most expensive in the world, with bases all over the planet, an annual budget of over $ 600 billion and around 1.3 million active soldiers. After the withdrawal of most US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, the Obama administration had reduced the Pentagon budget, but Republicans have often stressed that the cuts were too severe and are likely to weaken the US defense, especially in front of Russia and Chinas military escalation. Myint Swe was arrested near the Thai border. The NLD calls the crime a political assassination and a terrorist attack. For the UN, it is an act retaliation. Radical Buddhist Ma Ba Tha group sends its condolences. Source tells AsiaNews that the victim was killed because he was involved in rewriting the constitution. Yangon (AsiaNews) Myanmar police have arrested a second suspect in connection with the assassination of Ko Ni, a Muslim lawyer and activist, shot to death last Sunday (29 January) at Yangon airport. According to media reports, not confirmed by police, Myint Swe this is the name of the suspect - was arrested on Monday in Karen State, south-eastern Myanmar, near the Thai border. He allegedly hired a man to carry out the assassination, 53-year-old Kyi Lin who was detained soon after the crime. Ko Nis murder has sent shockwaves and caused widespread outrage in Myanmar and the international community, particularly among human rights activists. The 63-year-old Muslim lawyer, a former consultant with the National League for Democracy (NLD), was killed on his return from an interfaith forum on tolerance and reconciliation, held recently in Indonesia. He specialised in constitutional law and had repeatedly slammed the military for interfering in politics. Even though the Myanmar government is in the hands of civilians, 25 per cent of parliamentary seats are held by Armed Forces and constitutional amendments are subject to agreement from the generals. As an experienced constitutionalist, Ni worked with Aung San Suu Kyi's party in an attempt to find a legal way to change the country's constitution, introduced by the military and approved in a phoney referendum in 2008 during the Cyclone Nargis emergency. Ko Ni was also a supporter of the Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority in the western state of Rakhine, not recognised by the government. Despite this, Myanmars ultranationalist Buddhist Ma Ba Tha group, which has been accused of orchestrating sectarian violence behind the scenes, issued a statement expressing its condolences for the death of Muslim lawyer. This leads some to believe that politics, not religion was not behind the murder. Anonymous sources in Myanmar told AsiaNews that "the hands of the military seem to be behind the murder. Ko Ni had worked on changing the constitution, and was also involved in rewriting it. This is why he was killed." Yesterday, some local and international media reported the arrest of Myint Swe, who hired Kyi Lin to carry out the murder. Under questioning by police, he did not explain the reasons why he wanted the Muslim lawyer's death. Conversely, in his interrogation, Kyi Lin indicated that the killing was aimed at destabilising the state without going into details. In a statement, the NLD spoke about Ko Nis commitment to democracy and the harmonious development of Myanmar. For the governing party, the murder was politically motived and a "terrorist attack" against the country. Even the UN special envoy to Myanmar strongly condemned the killing. calling it an "act of retaliation". Ko Ni was buried on Tuesday in an Islamic cemetery on the outskirts of Yangon. Thousands of people, mostly ordinary citizens, attended the funeral (pictured). Meanwhile, more information about the alleged murderer have been made public. Kyi Lin hails from Yinmabin (Sagaing Region), and served two years and seven months in prison for stealing Buddha statues in Mandalay in 1985. He went back to jail in 2003 for smuggling relics and Buddha statues across the border. Sentenced to 20 years, he was released in 2014 following a presidential pardon. At present, he is in custody at the police station of Mingaladon, 15 km north of Yangon. On the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord and the XXI World Day for Consecrated Life, Francis exhorts consecrated to shun the "temptation of survival", which can render "dreams of the elders" sterile. In the multi-cultural transformation that we are going through is important that "the men and women religious insert themselves with Jesus in life, at the very heart of these major transformations. The mission - in accordance with any particular charism - is one that reminds us that we were invited to be the leaven of this concrete mass". Vatican City (AsiaNews) Remember the "dream" that moved the "elders" of the religious orders and courage to pursue that dream, eschewing the "temptation" to settle for "survival bringing Christ to his people in the multicultural transformation of our time. This was Pope Francis call addressed today to men and women religious on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord and the XXI World Day of Consecrated Life, commonly called "Candlemas". Thousands of candles, blessed and carried in procession, in fact, illuminated the basilica of St. Peter's where the Pope celebrated Mass with members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. In his Homily Francis was inspired by the song of blessing and high praise by Simeon when he holds the child that Joseph and Mary brought to the temple in his arms. odays liturgy tells us that in that rite, the Lord, forty days after his birth, outwardly was fulfilling the Law, but in reality he was coming to meet his believing people (Roman Missal, 2 February, Introduction to the Entrance Procession). This encounter of God with his people brings joy and renews hope. Simeons canticle is the hymn of the believer, who at the end of his days can exclaim: It is true, hope in God never disappoints (cf. Rm 5:5). God never deceives us. Simeon and Anna, in their old age, were capable of a new fruitfulness, and they testify to this in song. Life is worth living in hope, because the Lord keeps his promise. Jesus himself will later explain this promise in the synagogue of Nazareth: the sick, prisoners, those who are alone, the poor, the elderly and sinners, all are invited to take up this same hymn of hope. Jesus is with them, Jesus is with us (cf. Lk 4:18-19). We have inherited this hymn of hope from our elders. They made us part of this process. In their faces, in their lives, in their daily sacrifice we were able to see how this praise was embodied. We are heirs to the dreams of our elders, heirs to the hope that did not disappoint our founding mothers and fathers, our older brothers and sisters. We are heirs to those who have gone before us and had the courage to dream. Like them, we too want to sing, God does not deceive; hope in him does not disappoint. God comes to meet his people. And we want to sing by taking up the prophecy of Joel and making it our own: I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions (2:28). We do well to take up the dreams of our elders, so that we can prophesy in our day and once more encounter what originally set our hearts afire. Dreams and prophecies together. The remembrance of how our elders, our fathers and mothers, dreamed, and the courage prophetically to carry on those dreams. The temptation of survival This attitude will make us fruitful. Most importantly, it will protect us from a temptation that can make our consecrated life barren: the temptation of survival. An evil that can gradually take root within us and within our communities. The mentality of survival makes us reactionaries, fearful, slowly and silently shutting ourselves up in our houses and in our own preconceived notions. It makes us look back, to the glory days days that are past and rather than rekindling the prophetic creativity born of our founders dreams, it looks for shortcuts in order to evade the challenges knocking on our doors today. A survival mentality robs our charisms of power, because it leads us to domesticate them, to make them user-friendly, robbing them of their original creative force. It makes us want to protect spaces, buildings and structures, rather than to encourage new initiatives. The temptation of survival makes us forget grace; it turns us into professionals of the sacred but not fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of that hope to which we are called to bear prophetic witness. An environment of survival withers the hearts of our elderly, taking away their ability to dream. In this way, it cripples the prophecy that our young are called to proclaim and work to achieve. In a word, the temptation of survival turns what the Lord presents as an opportunity for mission into something dangerous, threatening, potentially disastrous. This attitude is not limited to the consecrated life, but we in particular are urged not to fall into it. Let us go back to the Gospel passage and once more contemplate that scene. Surely, the song of Simeon and Anna was not the fruit of self-absorption or an analysis and review of their personal situation. It did not ring out because they were caught up in themselves and were worried that something bad might happen to them. Their song was born of hope, the hope that sustained them in their old age. That hope was rewarded when they encountered Jesus. When Mary let Simeon take the Son of the Promise into his arms, the old man began to sing of his dreams. Whenever she puts Jesus in the midst of his people, they encounter joy. For this alone will bring back our joy and hope, this alone will save us from living in a survival mentality. Only this will make our lives fruitful and keep our hearts alive: putting Jesus where he belongs, in the midst of his people. Part of the cultural transformation of our times All of us are aware of the multicultural transformation we are experiencing; no one doubts this. Hence, it is all the more important for consecrated men and women to be one with Jesus, in their lives and in the midst of these great changes. Our mission in accordance with each particular charism reminds us that we are called to be a leaven in this dough. Perhaps there are better brands of flour, but the Lord has called us to be leaven here and now, with the challenges we face. Not on the defensive or motivated by fear, but with our hands on the plough, helping the wheat to grow, even though it has frequently been sown among weeds. Putting Jesus in the midst of his people means having a contemplative heart, one capable of discerning how God is walking through the streets of our cities, our towns and our neighbourhoods. Putting Jesus in the midst of his people means taking up and carrying the crosses of our brothers and sisters. It means wanting to touch the wounds of Jesus in the wounds of a world in pain, which longs and cries out for healing. To put ourselves with Jesus in the midst of his people! Not as religious activists, but as men and women who are constantly forgiven, men and women anointed in baptism and sent to share that anointing and the consolation of God with everyone. To put ourselves with Jesus in the midst of his people. For this reason, we sense the challenge of finding and sharing a mystique of living together, of mingling and encounter, of embracing and supporting one another, of stepping into this flood tide which, while chaotic, can [with the Lord] become a genuine experience of fraternity, a caravan of solidarity, a sacred pilgrimage If we were able to take this route, it would be so good, so soothing, so liberating and hope-filled! To go out of ourselves and to join others (Evangelii Gaudium, 87) is not only good for us; it also turns our lives and hopes into a hymn of praise. But we will only be able to do this if we take up the dreams of our elders and turn them into prophecy. Let us accompany Jesus as he goes forth to meet his people, to be in the midst of his people. Let us go forth, not with the complaining or anxiety of those who have forgotten how to prophesy because they failed to take up the dreams of their elders, but with serenity and songs of praise. Not with apprehension but with the patience of those who trust in the Spirit, the Lord of dreams and prophecy. In this way, let us share what is truly our own: the hymn that is born of hope. Where to find non-partisan ballot information Thank you for your non-biased bullet points explaining the three state ballot proposals in "A look at the three state... Kautman-Jones endorses Davis Please support Meredith Davis in her re-election to the Genesee County Board of Commissioners - 8th District. I have had... San Diego (AsiaNews) - The persecution and control of Christians in China no longer takes place in a Marxist-Leninist atheist setting, but under a new mechanism for social consensus applied by the Party: nationalism. The same party vindicates Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism (though born in India), but remains suspicious of Christians and Muslims as agents of foreign powers. This is what emerges from the considerations of Prof. Richard Madsen, a sociologist of religions at the University of San Diego (California), engaged in a collaboration with Fudan University in Shanghai and with the "China in the 21st Century" Center in San Diego. Last July, Prof. Madsen took part in a conference held in the United States in San Diego on the religious situation in China and the prospects of freedom and commitment of religions in the country. Later he had a conversation with the vice-director of the Center, Prof. Samuel Tsoi, which the university published as podcasts (http://china.ucsd.edu/media-center/podcast.html). AsiaNews has already published the edited text of the first part of the conversation. This is the second part. The [Chinese Communist Party] need for control is repeatedly cited, described with a metaphor presented at the conference and in other areas. It relates the legend of the who emperor had to control a flood: which means that the dams must be opened, but controlled; religions are recognized, they can grow, but they are subject to control. Some statistics show that the number of Christians in China - Protestant and Catholic - has undoubtedly grown from 4 million (1949) to around 70 million (today). So at this rate the number of Christians in China will exceed that of Christians in the US, reaching 200 million by 2030. One of the conference presenters, also introduced a study of a church located in the hometown of Confucius, which became the occasion of a symbolic clash between Confucianism and Christianity. At the same time Christian organizations record state repression against Christian churches and tensions have seen a spike in the Xi Jinping government. An NGO for the rights of Christians has reported several cases of disappearances and arrests of pastors and hundreds of crosses removed, especially in Wenzhou (Zhejiang), which is known as the Jerusalem of China. What do these frictions between church and state tell us about Chinas search and battle for an ideological, religious, spiritual and cultural identity? Part of this stems from nationalism. As I said it is a way to celebrate the glory, the wisdom of Chinese culture. Chinese culture is the Han culture, which covers about 92% of the Chinese population in China. It is distinct from culture of the Uighurs in the west, from the Mongolian culture and so on. The founding of the Han culture is traditionally taught and carried forward by Confucius and his school, along with the teachings of the Taoists and then - in the first millennium of the common era - Buddhism which has become truly indigenous so that in Chinese there is talk of a " Han transmission of Buddhism ". This is considered entirely Chinese although we know that Buddhism has Indian origins. Then there is the Tibetan Buddhism, but it is a of a different type and a different style. In the Imperial era, especially during the last two dynasties, these different traditional parts of Chinese culture were mixed: the people learned all of them, and they applied Confucianism to relationships and family values; They practiced Taoism in case of illness or medical interventions or something; They practiced Buddhism when they prayed for the dead. So they combined and mixed all of these aspects in the practices of Chinese culture. From this point of view, Christianity, rightly or wrongly, was viewed as a foreign religion that appeared in the 17th century and was seen as "alien." The Christian faith was considered even "alien" when Christians tried in many ways to adapt to Chinese culture - especially certain groups like Catholics with the Jesuits in 1600-1700 and Protestants at other times even trying to "indigenize" various aspects of faith. But another group followed a hard line of no compromise in a mixture of positions. So many Christians have said: We are Chinese, we have adopted Chinese culture, and in fact we are patriotic. But in general terms this type of claim left the mark on Christianity as a foreign religion. In addition, there is also the problem that the government sees Christians as part of a global community with ties around the world that could potentially drive them to form an alliance to overthrow the Chinese government. This opens up another question, and it is still a general perception. It follows that in the name of this nationalism, Christianity needs to be strictly controlled. It must be said that no religion like Christianity has a capacity to adapt to different local cultures, [visible] for example, between the so-called national minorities, these small groups of non-Han Chinese who are located mostly in the west of China. Many Christian missionaries have done wonderful things like transcribe their oral culture, learn their language, adapting to local customs, converting entire tribes and communities, encouraging them to preserve their local culture. But this is not something positive for the Chinese government because they this is what they say - instead should absorb the Han culture. Thus, the Christian adaptation to culture in China is not the same thing as making Han culture the only culture in China, which is the current policy of the government. And that's a problem. I also believe that the encouragement of local popular religion in the country was done with an eye to stopping the development of Christianity, to compete with it. A certain kind of political elite sees the growth of Christianity as highly problematic. This was especially visible last year and with harsh consequences, as you said, churches have been demolished, the people were forced to cover the crosses, the pastors were arrested and so on ... All of this is focused on Christianity, on problem areas that Christianity has for the government. And I think that this trend will not end in the near future. by Bernardo Cervellera The movie is not an apology for apostasy. It has the courage to raise religious questions about God, suffering, his silence in an age of indifference. It reiterates the topicality of martyrdom, but lacks the Catholic joy shown by Japanese saints and all the martyrs of the Church. Japan is not a "swamp," but a land of concerns and conversions. Rome (AsiaNews) Many friends, priests and lay people, have asked me to talk and write about Martin Scorseses movie Silence. Since I cannot answer every one individually, I decided to offer everyone the following thoughts, which I publish today. AsiaNews has already spoken of the value of the movie by the American director in an interview with Jesuit Emilio Zanetti, who is a friend of Scorsese and contributed to movie. The movie Silence by Martin Scorsese is first of all a good movie for its clear and simple photography, for its rhythm, alternating fast and dramatic scenes with slow and reflective moments or dialogues, for the theme Gods silence that the director took on with courage at a time like ours in which there is not only indifference towards God but also towards talking about God. The scenes I found most beautiful are the aerial scenes: that of the three missionaries Valignano, Rodrigues and Joao de Santa Marta going up the stairs in the building in Macau (perhaps the Church of St Paul), that of the ship that solemnly sails the China Sea and brings the two young missionaries to the coast of Japan. They are like a gaze at the earth from the sky, a gaze that someone might call indifferent but are instead full of participation. They are like Gods point of view (or one of his points of view), taking into account that other points of view in which the face of Jesus from el Grecos painting appears are on earth and have the face of the men who are killed or who trample the sacred image. Apostasy The film and the story that is told are not an apology of the apostasy of the faith. They are a disturbing question as to why, in the beauty of our natural world, there is pain, death, persecution, hatred, and conflict between religions. From this point of view, the film I repeat is brave because it raises questions about faith in a world that is post-faith and reiterates with a shocking topicality the reality of Christian martyrdom (as evinced in the Middle East, Africa, China, North Korea) and the question of why to die for a faith, for God. The film is a deeply religious opus like an ongoing query, a question to the God who does not speak with a sensible voice, but who drives men and women, priests and lay people, to give their lives and risk death every day for Him. It is a Christian movie. There is a lot of mercy for each choice the men make, even for betrayal, even for the apostasy used as a method of survival (see the character of Kichijiro who, each time he abjures, asks for forgiveness). Catholic joy Maybe it's not a Catholic film because it lacks a fundamental dimension of Catholicism, which is joy. But this I believe is due to the fact that it closely stuck to the book of Shusaku Endo, which is a joyless book. The great writer has always experienced within himself the difficulties of being a Catholic in a society that looks to this faith as something foreign. During his lifetime, he has had to face the same questions that Ferreira did - the renegade Jesuit who asked himself on the way the faith "from the West" can be embodied in the East and the Japanese swamp". From Shusaku Endo, Scorsese takes the problem of a God who is Father, who gives rules, who drives his children to martyrdom, instead of being a mother, merciful, accommodating, welcoming of every human tremor. From the Japanese writer, the American director also takes the issue of a Christianity that is confronted with Buddhism, and that in the end there is only one God who hides beyond the two traditions. In this we see how the problems suggested in the book and the movie are very close to those post-modern positions that border on relativism, which in the name of tolerance and generic love pass over every historical tradition, and debase the truth. Scorsese did not take the movies ending from the book: the wife given to Rodrigues after his apostasy secretly puts a small crucifix it the hands of his body. In my opinion this represents a sign of hope and attachment to Christ by the director, beyond all the betrayals and weaknesses that one can experience in life. Singing to martyrdom Joy and even humour could have come forth had the director paid closer attention to Japanese history and the history of the Japanese martyrs. The chronicles of the time say in fact that Japanese martyrs were joyful, happy to become martyrs for Jesus. They offered themselves to suffer for Him, and refused to hide. Many of them sang as they walked to the gallows and loudly recited psalms even when they were nailed to the cross. In the film instead, the Christians are portrayed as afraid of dying, of wanting to stay alive, complaining about pain in an atmosphere of tragedy. Only one of the martyrs sings the Tantum ergo as the waves cover him and sweep him away. The history of the Christian martyrs, however, is a story of gratitude to Christ for giving them martyrdom and an overwhelming joy in the expectation of heaven. Rich and Poor Speaking about heaven, it is mentioned in the movie with doubts it (and this is understandable in a post-modern atmosphere that does not believe in fairy tales). The Japanese Christians presented by Scorsese see heaven only in negative, and one can say . . . material terms, a place where people do not suffer anymore, where people do not work like slaves anymore, where people do not pay taxes to their earthly lords anymore. This seems inspired by a post-modern mind-set, in which faith is understandably accepted only by poor people, slaves, people on the brink of despair, but is not for cultured people, for the rich, for those who occupy high positions. Instead, the story of the Japanese martyrs tells us of people from the Japanese court lords and knights who converted to Christianity and accepted martyrdom, like Takayama Ukon, the feudal lord who converted to Catholicism in the 16th century, who will be beatified soon, perhaps by Pope Francis himself when he goes to Japan this year. The history should also be corrected with respect to the number of Jesuits who abjured their faith in the 17th century. Ferreiras story is documented, but nothing is known of other priests who left the faith, got married and become instruments of persecution against Christians. Some Japanese sources mention four Jesuit priests in addition to Ferreira, but more recent sources (see H. Jedin) exclude this because the four in question were never released and died in prison. Conversions In conclusion, it seems to me that the movie is a great way to get spectators to ask themselves deep questions, to shake the indifference on the martyrdom of many Christians in our time, to ask for mercy and compassion for human misery, but it still awaits a testimony of faith in joy by Christians. In this regard, it is worth noting that in Japan many Christians continued to live their faith in secret during nearly two centuries of persecution, passing it on with courage and shrewdness. This is a sign that Japan is not the "swamp" the film and the book describe. Moreover, even today, although there are a few conversions to Christianity, the Japanese are greatly concerned about the meaning of their lives, overwhelmed by work, habits, traditions that dull personal conscience. Abroad, however, where pressures and social homogeneity are weaker, we see miraculous conversions of young people, entrepreneurs, and people involved in the fashion industry. Study Finds What Time Of Week Is Most Popular For Sex Trending News: Science Finds the Most Popular Time For Sex Long Story Short A study in the United Kingdom reveals that 9 a.m. on Sunday morning is the prime time for having sex, while Tuesday at 9 p.m. is the worst time to try and take things into the bedroom. Long Story Timing is everything, especially when it comes to initiating sex, but until now theres never been a series of guidelines for the best sexual timetable. British store Superdrug has done us all a service by surveying couples to find out the best and worst times in the week for trying to get down to it. Its worth noting that this survey was for settled couples rather than for one-nighters, when the most popular slots would probably be 3.30 a.m. while full of vodka. When 2,000 people were quizzed they came up with some oddly specific good and bad times, some of which make total sense while others are just a bit weird. The best time of the week was found to be 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, possibly a little early but some things are worth sacrificing some extra shuteye. But Saturday in general was the best sex day, with 11.30 a.m., 10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m. also polling well. Unsurprisingly, weekdays werent seen as such suitable days for getting down and dirty. The least popular time was Tuesday at 9 p.m. with 5.30 p.m. also a dead zone maybe because of the difficulty in getting back from work in time to meet that appointment. Pre-work sex got a lukewarm reception. Monday 8 a.m. and Wednesday 7.30 a.m. were among the worst times, so it would seem the combination of morning breath and mentally writing your to-do list isnt much of an aphrodisiac. Alix Fox, who lists herself as a journalist / broadcaster / sex educator and Superdrug expert, told the Daily Mail: Its all too easy for sex to slip into a robotic routine, especially in long-term relationships. Im not at all surprised that Sunday mornings are such a popular slot for sexiness: people are more relaxed, and have more time on their hands. So this Saturday night set that alarm for 9 a.m., or even 8.45 a.m. if you want a little bit of time to get in the mood, otherwise you might wake up at 10 and have to wait another week for your primetime sex slot. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question What's so special about Sunday? Drop This Fact A study from Lovehoney found that we want more sex in summer, followed by winter, then spring and finally autumn. The Australian Bar Association has appointed a new president and its first-ever female CEO to start the associations 2017 law term. Will Alstergren QC is the new ABA president, while Cindy Penrose became the first female CEO of the peak legal body.Alstergren vowed to continue the associations focus on increasing funding and looking at growing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) amid a shrinking legal-assistance budget. Based in Victoria, Alstergen has extensive experience in the Supreme and Federal Courts and was a founding member of the committee that established the Melbourne Arbitration Centre. He is a current board member of the Australian Centre for International Arbitration in Sydney.Australias legal assistance services are increasingly under-resourced, leaving thousands of Australians without adequate access to quality legal advice and assistance, he said. Of course we need to be looking at ways to increase the funding of legal assistance, but we should also look at how we can deliver justice differently and more efficiently through better use of alternative dispute resolution.Alstergren said he will also focus on pushing for briefing both corporate counsel and private practice lawyers better and earlier in the litigation process to improve the management of the ADR process, empower clients and possibly reduce legal fees.Meanwhile, the new president said he was confident in the ABAs new CEO, who he said brings a wealth of experience to an association thats undergoing an important stage in its development. Penrose, who previously served for five years as the NSW Bar Associations senior policy lawyer, has extensive experience as a criminal lawyer and lecturer.Alstergren also thanked the ABAs 2016 president, Patrick OSullivan QC, particularly for his focus on reducing Indigenous incarceration rates.Patricks work over the past year demonstrates his passion to assist those in our legal system who are most in need. He has been committed to right the social injustice that is the level of Indigenous incarceration, and it is a great testament to him that the Commonwealth Attorney General invited the ABA to partner with the government in the settlement of the Terms of Reference for the upcoming ALRC examination into Indigenous incarceration, Alstergren said. Free newsletter Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and well keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole. Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer. Norton Rose Fulbright is reportedly in merger talks with a US-based law firm and is not proceeding with an Australian tie-up, according to reports in UK media.The Law Society Gazette says that talks between NRF and US-based Chadbourne & Parke are in advanced stages and a merger is expected to be announced soon. Neither firm has commented.Meanwhile, The Lawyer says that NRF has called off merger talks with Australian firm Henry Davis York . Again there has been no comment from either firm.Hogan Lovells has appointed Katja Ullrich-North as its head of global knowledge management to oversee the firms knowledge strategy across its international offices.She will join the firm next Monday with more than 15 years experience as a lawyer and knowledge management professional including senior roles at at Norton Rose Fulbright, Linklaters and Bird & Bird.The new president of the Law Society of Singapore says local lawyers should seize the opportunity to benefit from the city-states international brand and sharpen their competitive edge.In an interview with The Strait Times, Gregory Vijayendran said that thinking of innovative ways to work and being enterprising is key to staving off the threat of foreign law firms in the market.Vijayendran, a partner at Rajah & Tann, took over as president of the society at the start of the year and will oversee a forthcoming drive to help local firms boost their business capabilities.Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is partnering with artificial intelligence firm Kira Solutions to become the first Indian law firm to adopt AI.The firm will follow on the heels of global firms including KWM , Clifford Change and DLA Piper in using technology to provide cost savings and efficiency to clients and managing partner Cyril Shroff says that it recognizes that business challenges of clients come first and the AI solution is one tool to help address that. By Richard Matthews, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide 3D printed guns are back in the news after Queensland set a legal precedent for giving Kyle Wirth a six-month suspended sentence for fabricating a number of gun parts. As presiding Judge Katherine McGuinness acknowledged, Wirth didnt produce an entire gun it took police to add a few key parts in order for the gun to successfully fire a bullet but he was trying to make a gun. As such, she said there is a real need to deter and protect the public from such offending. But if its illegal to build a gun via conventional means without a licence, whats the concern over making guns using 3D printers in particular? And for those who are either researching the capabilities of 3D printers a form of additive manufacturing or using them at home or in their business, its important to understand the legal boundaries under which they can be used. 3D printed firearms in Australia 3D printed guns currently occupy a grey area in terms of their legality in many jurisdictions around Australia. For example, the South Australian Police released a guide outlining which kinds of imitation firearms are considered legal. The distinction between a regulated imitation firearm and a childrens toy is significant, as a South Australian man discovered in 2015. He was charged with a firearms offence after police found a toy gun in a box along with a single shotgun shell. The judge acquitted him because the gun was clearly a childs cap gun and could not be modified to fire the shell. However, according to the South Australian Polices guide, the gun pictured at the top of this article, although non-functional, is technically neither a moulded imitation firearm nor is it an imitation firearm carved from timber, plastic or other material. This means its unclear how it would be regarded by police or the courts. New South Wales takes a different approach on the issue. The Firearms and Weapons Prohibition Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 made it illegal to possess digital files that can be used to manufacture firearms on 3D printers or electronic milling machines. The act was amended to create a new offence of possessing digital blueprints, although the definition of a digital blueprint is a little ambiguous. As defined, it captures any type of digital (or electronic) reproduction of a technical drawing of the design of an object. As written, this could even mean a photograph of a technical drawing. But technical drawing files are not always needed for 3D printing. In 3D printing, drawing files are used to create GCode, a computer control language used to guide the print head and the amount of plastic to extrude. Is GCode a digital reproduction? Even if it is, it does not stop someone 3D printing gun parts in another jurisdiction in Australia or overseas where theyre not illegal and then posting it back to NSW. Author provided It was this fear that drove the Queensland Palmer United Party to introduce a bill in 2014 to make 3D printing of firearms illegal. It was rejected by the parliamentary committee and never reintroduced. When Labor took power in Queensland following the 2015 election, it defended the move and released a statement stating that Queensland already has legislation dealing with the unlawful manufacture of weapons that carries with it some of the harshest penalties in Australia. Hence Kyle Wirth was charged in 2015 with manufacturing offensive weapons, including a plastic knuckle duster. He was not charged under any legislation that prevented him from 3D printing parts, as the PUP bill would have outlawed. Plastic or not, it is illegal under nationally unified gun laws to make a gun without a licence. If this is the case, why did NSW feel the need to ban digital blueprints? The answer could come from the future prospects of 3D printing. Supplied: Queensland Police Service Towards the future In the next 20 years we will be able to print drugs, metals and substances at an atomic level possibly all at home. Regulation of these things is currently predicated on the idea that producing them typically required expertise and specialised equipment. But that may no be the case for long. This will mean we need a new unified approach to legislation that specifically speaks to the capabilities of 3D printers, and the distribution of the files they use. New South Wales is the only state that has started outlawing the digital blueprints needed for additive manufacturing of illegal objects. This is a step in the right direction. However, we need a classification of digital blueprints. AustralianClassification is already responsible for passing judgement on a wide array of media. In the future we will likely see such an agency extended to cover digital blueprints available or for sale to the public. Richard Matthews is a member of the South Australian Labor Party. Originally published in The Conversation. By Martin Pera, Professor and Former Program Leader of Stem Cells Australia, University of Melbourne Salk Institute A team of scientists from the Salk Institute in the United States created a stir last week with the announcement that they had created hybrid human-pig foetuses. The story was widely reported, although some outlets took a more hyperbolic or alarmed tone than others. One might wonder why scientists are even creating human-animal hybrids often referred to as chimeras after the Greek mythological creature with features of lion, goat and snake. The intention is not to create new and bizarre creatures. Chimeras are incredibly useful for understanding how animals grow and develop. They might one day be used to grow life-saving organs that can be transplanted into humans. Salk Institute Potent cells The chimeric pig foetuses produced by Juan Izpisua Belmonte, Jun Wu and their team at the Salk Institute were not allowed to develop to term, and contained human cells in multiple tissues. The actual proportion of human cells in the chimeras was quite low and their presence appeared to interfere with development. Even so, the study represents a first step in a new avenue of stem cell research which has great promise. But it also raises serious ethical concerns. A chimera is an organism containing cells from two or more individuals and they do occur in nature, albeit rarely. Marmoset monkeys often display chimerism in their blood and other tissues as a result of transfer of cells between twins while still in the womb. Following a successful bone marrow transplantation to treat leukaemia, patients have cells in their bone marrow from the donor as well as themselves. Chimeras can be generated artificially in the laboratory through combining the cells from early embryos of the same or different species. The creation of chimeric mice has been essential for research in developmental biology, genetics, physiology and pathology. This has been made possible by advances in gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells, allowing scientists to alter the cells to express or silence certain genes. Along with the ability to use those cells in the development of chimeras, this has enabled researchers to produce animals that can be used to study how genes influence health and disease. The pioneers of this technology are Oliver Smithies, Mario Cappechi and Martin Evans, who received a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007 for their work. More recently, researchers have become interested in investigating the ability of human pluripotent stem cells master cells obtained from human embryos or created in the laboratory from body cells, to contribute to the tissues of chimeric animals. Human pluripotent stem cells can be grown indefinitely in the laboratory, and like their mouse counterparts, they can form all the tissues of the body. Many researchers have now shown they can make functional human tissues of medical significance from human pluripotent cells, such as nerve, heart, liver and kidney cells. Indeed, cellular therapeutics derived from human pluripotent stem cells are already in clinical trials for spinal cord injury, diabetes and macular degeneration. However, since 2007 it has been clear that there is not one type of pluripotent stem cell. Rather, a range of different types of pluripotent stem cells have been generated in mice and humans using different techniques. These cells appear to correspond to cells at different stages of embryonic development, and therefore are likely to have different properties, raising the question about which source of cells is best. Creating a chimeras has long been the gold standard used by researchers to determine the potential of pluripotent stem cells. While used extensively in animal stem cell research, chimeric studies using human pluripotent stem cells have proved challenging as few human cells survive in human-animal chimeras. Medical possibilities Although the number of human cells in the chimera was low, the findings by the Salk Institute researchers provide a new avenue to address two important goals. The first is the possibility of creating humanised animals for use in biomedical research. While it is already possible to produce mice with human blood, providing an invaluable insight into how our blood and immune system functions, these animals rely on the use of human fetal tissue and are difficult to make. Salk Institute The use of pluripotent stem cells in human-animal chimeras might facilitate the efficient production of mice with human blood cells, or other tissues such as liver or heart, on a larger scale. This could greatly enhance our ability to study the development of diseases and to develop new drugs to treat them. The second potential application of human-animal chimeras comes from some enticing studies performed in Japan in 2010. These studies were able to generate interspecies chimeras following the introduction of rat pluripotent stem cells into a mouse embryo that lacked a key gene for pancreas development. As a result, the live born mice had a fully functional pancreas comprised entirely of rat cells. If a similar outcome could be achieved with human stem cells in a pig chimera, this would represent a new source of human organs for transplantation. Ethical boundaries While scientifically achieving such goals remains a long way off, it is almost certain that progress in pluripotent stem cell biology will enable successful experimentation along these lines. But how much of this work is ethically acceptable, and where do the boundaries lie? Many people condone the use of pigs for food or as a source of replacement heart valves. They might also be content to use pig embryos and foetuses as incubators to manufacture human pancreas or hearts for those waiting on the transplant list. But the use of human-monkey chimeras may be more contested. Studies have shown that early cells of the central nervous system made from human embryonic stem cells can engraft and colonise the brain of a newborn mouse. This provides a proof of concept for possible cellular therapies. But what if human cells were injected into monkey embryos? What would be the ethical and cognitive status of a newborn rhesus monkey whose brain consists of predominantly human nerves? It may be possible to genetically engineer the cells so that human cells can effectively grow into replacement parts. But what safeguards do we need to ensure that the human cells dont also contribute to other organs of the host, such as the reproductive organs? While the announcement of a human-pig chimera may have taken many by surprise, regulators and medical researchers well recognise that chimeric research may raise issues in addition to the those already posed by animal research. However, rather than call for a blanket ban or restricting funding for this area of medical research, it requires careful case-by-case consideration by independent oversight committees fully aware of animal welfare considerations and recognising existing standards. For example, The 2016 Guidelines for Clinical Research and Translation from the International Society for Stem Cell Research call for research where human gametes could be generated from human-animal chimeras to be prohibited, but supports research using human-animal chimeras conducted under appropriate review and oversight. Chimeric research will and needs to continue. But equally scientists involved in this field need to continue to discuss and consider the implications of their research with the broader community. Chimeras can all too readily be dismissed as mythological monsters engendering fear. Martin Pera receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. Megan Munsie receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is affiliated with the International Society for Stem Cell Research, Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research and International Society for Cell Therapy. Originally published in The Conversation. Australia's attitude to immigration is not that different from that of new American President Donald Trump with an analysis of recent policy suggesting that the country is far tougher than many might think.According to legal experts, border control policies in both countries amount to a 'crimmigration crisis' which is as a trend to create largely unfettered and unscrutinised executive powers.It is suggested that some steps taken in Australia are just as tough as the recent Executive Order from Trump that banned people from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the United States for 90 days.Some have pointed out that this is a temporary ban while officials work on a new immigration policy that Trump wants to be tough on potential terrorists while others say it potentially breaches human rights.However, experts have pointed out that Australia has also been introducing tougher measures recently with policies and law aimed at removing anyone from the country that might be a terrorist threat as well as preventing them arriving in the first place.But in some ways this is leading to those who may commit a minor offence facing their visas being cancelled even though they are not a terrorist threat. It could mean that someone who is suspected of committing a crime could have their visa cancelled even if they are subsequently cleared.Figures show that between 2013/2014 and 2015/2016 the number of visa cancellations on character grounds increased tenfold. In 2015/2016 some 983 visas were cancelled on character grounds.In 2013 a code of behaviour for asylum seekers was introduced and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has signalled an intention to expand these powers. A parliamentary committee is also looking at lowering the age for visa cancellation on character grounds to include children of 16 or 17 years.According to Anthea Vogl, a teaching fellow at the Faculty of Law at the University of Technology who researches migration law and policy, and Elyse Methven, an associate lecturer at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australians should realise that Trump's policies are not that different from those found and reflected in Australia.'Trump's executive orders against non-citizens constitute crimmigration in action. Rather than sigh with relief in the knowledge that we are not living in Trump's America, Australians should recognise how his policies are founded and reflected in our own, and unite with Americans in protest against the use of non-citizens as political fodder,' they said in a report.Katja Kristina Theodorakis, a graduate research scholar at the Australian National Univerisity's Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, said that moves such as those announced by Trump 'feeds the extremist jihadi narrative' and have the potential to undo previous attempts at presenting a more balanced and nuanced counter terrorism approach to terror. Hi all, I wanted to apply for Australian Immigration - visa subclass 189. I did Mechanical Engineering in undergrad from US, but moved into finance (stock/equity investments) after graduation. I have 3 years of total work experience, but not in my Mech Engineering. I was very confused what occupation I can apply as? I can do Mechanical Engineering occupation because my age, degree and IELTS Score I have 65 points even without Work experience. However, i was told that since my experience isnt relevant, i wont get ITA. On the other hand, I dont see anything like 'Financial and Investment Analyst' on the Occupation list. Any advice would be appreciated. Hi all, My fiance and I are applying for a Prospective Marriage Visa. We've been together for almost 2 years, engaged for 6 months. My fiance is from Kosovo, and I'm from born and raised in Australia. We're in the processing of collecting all of the documents and our evidence. However, we have one issue. When my fiance (the applicant) was 18 years old, he was involved in a fight with a guy, who then pressed charges on my fiance. His 24 now and hasn't had anything else on his record since then. Will this affect our visa application? Thank you in advance U.S. Air Force officials have expressed support for a proposal by Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to acquire several hundred low-cost light-attack and observation aircraft. As proposed by Sen. McCain, the Air Force should procure 300 low-cost, light-attack fighters that would require minimal work to develop. These aircraft could conduct counterterrorism operations [COIN], perform close air support [CAS] and other missions in permissive environments, and help to season pilots to mitigate the Air Forces fighter pilot shortfall. The Air Force has been supporting CAS and COIN operations with sophisticated multirole aircraft like the F-16, F/A-18, and F-22, which cost tens of thousands of dollars per hour to operate, fly at speeds ill-suited to low-altitude missions and require the resources of a large airbase or aircraft carrier for sustained operation. Excitement for low-cost, light-attack aircraft has been kindled by the ballooning unit cost of the Lockheed-Martin F-35now hovering around $100 million. Aircraft proposed for evaluation by industry experts have a unit cost on the order of $10 million and a cost per flight hour under $1,000. Support for the aircraft purchase hinges on availability of an off-the-shelf design, rather than funding development of a new airframe from government coffers. Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute on the future of American airpower, USAF Gen. David Goldfein said, Were actually right now looking at an experiment where we go out to industry and ask, What do you have, commercial-off-the-shelf, low-cost, that can perform this mission? Were going to do this experiment and just sort of see whats out there, and I expect many of the companies to come forward. Textron and Sierra Nevada Corp. are two likely competitors to build the proposed light attack aircraft and both have off-the-shelf designs available. Textron makes the Beechcraft AT-6 (developed from the T-6 Texan II, which is operated in large numbers by the U.S. Air Force and Navy for initial pilot training) and the Textron LandAir Scorpion jet. The Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, while designed in Brazil is manufactured by the Sierra Nevada Corporation in Jacksonville, Florida. According to Betsy McDonald, Communication Manager with Sierra Nevada, The A-29 Super Tucano is fully Buy American compliant and is actually the only aircraft in its class with a U.S. military type certification. The eventual winner of the Air Force T-X competition to develop a new jet trainer to replace the Cold War-era T-38 may be able to adapt that aircraft to perform the light attack role, but given that projects requirements for high speed, high-G flight, such an aircraft would likely struggle to compete on price with the AT-6 and A-29. A formal request for information from the defense industry could come as early as Spring 2017. UPDATE: A previous verision of this article listed Textron as the only large U.S. manufacturer with existing products for the light attack role. The article has been updated to include Sierra Nevada as manufacturer of the Brazilian Embraer A-29. Proposed San Francisco Class B airspace changes would enable lower-angle descents into SFO optimized for the higher glide ratios of modern jet aircraft, reducing noise and fuel consumption. A low thrust descent in a clean configuration results in the smallest noise footprint [regardless of altitude], and a descent in a clean configuration at near idle thrust results in lower fuel burn says Rick Cote, an ATC Specialist with Northern California TRACON (NCT). Representatives from NCT held public meetings around the SF Bay Area this week to solicit comments on the airspace redesign. Glider pilots expressed concern about the proposal to extend the 8,000-foot shelf to the northeast. This extension would limit glider to access the mountain wave lift around Mt. Diablo that now takes them to the base of Class A airspace on windy days. Powered aircraft pilots had more to celebrate in the proposal. By converting from a system defined predominantly by DME rings and VOR radials to an airspace defined by latitude and longitude coordinates, the FAA proposal was able to give back large volumes of airspace not regularly used by jets arriving or departing SFO. Visitors to the area will appreciate charting of the common transition routes through the Class B surface area. The proposal also removes that portion of the Class B airspace currently sitting on top of San Jose International. Aircraft departing San Jose are currently restricted by the 200-knot speed limit for flight underneath Class B airspace for the first several miles of their climb. The proposed change would free those aircraft to climb at optimal speeds. Affected parties should submit comments no later than March 16, 2017. After incorporating public comments, the final redesign could take effect as soon as the January 2018 sectional chart update. 2 February 2017 10:22 (UTC+04:00) Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 13 times violated the ceasefire in various directions along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported on February 2. The Armenian army was using grenade launchers. The Azerbaijani army positions located in the Munjuglu and Alibayli villages of Azerbaijans Tovuz district underwent fire from the Armenian army positions located on nameless heights and in the Aygepar village of Armenias Berd district. Moreover, the Azerbaijani army positions were shelled from the Armenian positions located near the Armenian-occupied Garagashli village of the Aghdam district, Ashagi Seyidahmadli village of the Fuzuli district, Mehdili village of the Jabrayil district, as well as on nameless heights of the Goranboy 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 11:16 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry refuted reports spread by Armenia on active military clashes on contact line of troops on February 1. "Armenia's accusation of the units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces of provocations allegedly committed on the contact line of troops on February 1 and losses suffered are a lie," the Defense Ministry said on February 2. The ministry reiterated that no active military clashes happened on the front line. Elnur Huseynzade, who was mentioned in the reports spread by Armenia, was discharged from the Armed Forces and currently is out of the military service. Earlier, Armenian armed forces spread reports, claiming about captivation of a 22-year old soldier of Azerbaijani Army. The ministry also said that the Armenian military units again violated the ceasefire on the contact line on February 1 by using automatic firearms and grenade launchers. Azerbaijani Sergeant Rauf Isayev got a bullet wound while preventing the provocation staged by the Armenian side, said the Defense Ministry. After emergency medical aid, Isayevs condition is stable and there is no threat to his life. Necessary retaliatory measures will be taken to suppress such actions of Armenia, said the Defense Ministry. Azerbaijan's State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, in turn, told Trend that relevant international organizations had been informed about the detention of the citizen Elnur Huseynzade by the Armenian Armed Forces in the direction of Talysh village. The Commission added that necessary measures are being taken for his release. Spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Baku mission Ilaha Huseynova, in turn, told APA that the Committee closely monitors reports in connection with the issue in the media. She noted that if the information is confirmed, the ICRC, in accordance with its mandate, is ready to visit the Azerbaijani citizen for monitoring conditions of detention and treatment, and to create an opportunity for his communication with family. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 17:46 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) poses a growing threat to a number of U.S. policy interests, reads a declassified CIA document. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency document RDP85T00283R000400030009-2, dated 1983, is one of the 13,000 documents declassified in January. The document says ASALAs development has ominous implications for international cooperation against terrorism. Recent fragmentation within ASALA and Armenian political groups, in our estimation, increases the risk of terrorist violence, particularly in Western Europe, as the various splinter groups vie for the attention of the Armenian community, CIA said. The document reads that Armenian terrorist groups ostensibly wanted to create an independent Armenian homeland. It was noted that in November 1980, the terrorists of ASALA together with members of the terrorist organization PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) conducted an armed attack on the Turkish Consulate in Strasbourg. Moreover, the CIA report dated August 26, 1985, stated that the PKK created an armed group in the summer of 1984, and it included the Armenian terrorists. The Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) terrorist group operated actively in 1973-1985. Forty-two Turkish diplomats were killed as a result of ASALA attacks. The organization committed 110 terror acts in total. More than a third of ASALA attacks were aimed at airports in different countries and 50 percent were aimed at diplomatic missions. ASALA terrorists also carried out a number of terrorist attacks against religious figures and media workers. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 13:34 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov This February marks the 25th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, which is one of the blackest and bloodiest pages of human history. Even after 25 years, the scars remain raw and the trauma as stark as ever. Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by the Armenian Armed Forces in 1992. About 613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown. This tragedy is another terrible example of the policy of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Azerbaijani people, which is pursued by the Armenian nationalists and their patrons for a long time, reads a statement by Countrys Human Rights Commissioner Elmira Suleymanova issued on the eve of the next anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. The Khojaly genocide was an integral part of the occupation policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan, and this led to the massive and gross violation of the norms and principles of international law and human rights and freedoms, reads the statement. Suleymanova stated that although 25 years have passed, no legal assessment at the international level was given to this genocide. The ombudsman voiced hope that those, who were involved in the Khojaly genocide, will be prosecuted. The statement was sent to UN Secretary General, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, European Commission, OSCE, the Council of Europe, Institute of International and European Ombudsmen, Asian Ombudsman Association, International Peace Bureau, Universal Peace Federation, human rights commissioners of various countries, Azerbaijani embassies in foreign countries, embassies of foreign countries in Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations. The Justice for Khojaly campaign kicked off in 2008 aimed to spread the realities about the Khojaly genocide, the recognition of this tragedy as genocide committed against the Azerbaijani people. The legislative bodies of many countries have already adopted resolutions recognizing the crime committed by Armenians against the peaceful people in Khojaly as genocide. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 12:17 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The Azerbaijani Parliament approved amendments proposed to the law On state duties during the first plenary meeting of its spring session. The amendments envisage changes in the amount of the state duty for a number of licenses required to conduct business activity in the country. Under the changes, a duty for licenses issued for mobile operators is set at 1 million manats ($520,830), for wholesale of drugs 20,000 manats ($ 10,416), rendering of IP-telephony services 50,000 manats ($ 26,041), republic-wide broadcasting 50,000 manats . Licenses in the country are being issued with an unlimited term. Therefore, the changes will not affect companies that operate in the market. Under the law, some 50 percent of paid duties should be directed to a special treasury account to strengthen social protection of the employees rendering the services, while a remaining part of the financial means should be directed to the state budget. Under new amendments, the sum that should be directed to the treasury account should not exceed 5,000 manats ($ 2,604). In late 2015, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on reducing the number of licenses necessary for entrepreneurship, simplifying the licensing procedures and transparency. Some 22 types of licenses were canceled following the decree. Besides, ASAN service launched rendering of a service of business license issuance. Licenses for all types of entrepreneurship (which require a special license), excluding cases arising from state security are being granted by the Economy Ministry. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 12:38 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The number of non-stop flights between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Azerbaijan is expected to be increased in the short run. Irans Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh said that the number of flights will be increased after Novruz holidays[late March]. Making remarks on the sidelines of a ceremony for launching Mahan Airs first flight to Azerbaijan, the envoy said that the number of flights operated between the countries on a weekly basis has already been increased from 11 up to 14. "Now with the inauguration of new flights between the two countries by the Iranian private airline Mahan Air [headquartered in Tehran], the number of weekly flights will reach 14," he said. The first flight of Mahan Air carried some 35 passengers. An Airbus 310 with a capacity for carrying 179 passengers is scheduled to fly between Tehran and Baku three times a week. Jahangirzadeh further called on the aviation officials from both countries to draw up plans for launching new flights between Baku and several Iranian cities such as Urmia, Ardabil and Rasht. He noted that an increase of 30 times was recorded in the number of tourists during Novruz holidays last year, mentioning that the development of tourism between the countries will attract investments in the sphere. Currently, Azerbaijans flag carrier AZAL and Irans ATA airline carry out scheduled flights between the two neighboring countries. The tourist flow between the two countries intensified with the introduction of simplified visa regime, which has come into force starting from January 10, 2017. Iranian citizens became eligible to register visas for entry into Azerbaijan via the ASAN Viza system, as a result of which, they got a right to obtain visas within three days. Since February 2010, Iran unilaterally abolished its visa regime for all citizens of Azerbaijan. The citizens of Azerbaijan can travel to Iran and stay in the country without visa from 15 to 90 days. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 15:38 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijan takes credit for being one of the worlds oldest wine growing countries. The natural conditions in the country allow to cultivate as many as 450 different grape varieties for the production of red wine and white wine. Grapes grown in Azerbaijan were repeatedly recognized as the best in the South Caucasus. But for years, the volume of wine production in the country and its export remained dwarfed. Now, the country seeks to regain its positions and expand the map of its wine export. Head of the Wine Exporters' and Producers' Association of Azerbaijan Elchin Madatov is sure that opportunities for further development of the grape industry in the country appear to be very good. Madatov says that the wine production has potential to turn into one of the main revenue sources for the country. Advantageous geographic location of the country allows it to succeed in the sphere. Modern grape processing plants were constructed in Azerbaijan over the past 10-15 years. Technical provision of these enterprises allows to compete with leading European facilities. Besides, the sphere enjoys a special attention of the government, while huge funds have already been invested in this sector. Moreover, grape cultivation area has been expanded significantly, he told Trend. The country possesses all natural conditions a mountainous terrain and its close location to the Caspian Sea- for the development of a grape industry. Five major wine-growing regions of the country are Shamakha, Ismaily, Gabala, Gandja, Tovuz. Besides, Azerbaijan became a member of the International Organization of Vine and Wine in June 2014 and since then it has focused attention on the development of vines and wineries as important contributors to the economy and agriculture. Local entrepreneurs have received loans worth 440,000 manats ($ 230,750) since November 2016 for supplies of wine. In tote, the sphere has received loans worth 40 million manats ($ 20.9 million) so far. However, there are still certain hindrances that do not allow to reach the desired volumes of the wine production. Today, Azerbaijan produces 20 million bottles of wine per year, while the annual production capacity of the countrys wineries is 100 million bottles. Madatov says that along with developing the wine growing and expanding the domestic market, the wine producers also should enter foreign markets. The level of competitiveness in the foreign market is very high. Russia and China are currently our main markets. The Chinese market is new for us - Azerbaijani production entered the Chinese market just about a year ago, and the dynamics is good enough. The situation is much more complicated in the Russian market due to very high competition. We are actively competing with the Georgian and Armenian producers. We believe that the Azerbaijani wine production needs even more governmental support as it is difficult for individual producers to promote their goods in the Russian market, he said. Recently, the country launched wine export to new markets such as China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, the U.S. and some European countries. Overall, the wine export of Azerbaijan hit $3.5 million in 2016. Madatov further emphasized that work is underway on expanding the map of wine export. Over the past three months, we have visited China, Belarus and Germany, where we actively advertised Azerbaijani products. I would like to note that the measures are already bearing fruit. We already have requests from Belarus, and I believe that this year the Azerbaijani wine and cognac will return to the Belarusian market. A big interest is also observed in the European market but it is new for us, and we have to promote our products there, he noted. Madatov said the main aim is to diversify the supply markets and not depend on a single destination. Therefore, we are in a constant search of new markets, he said. Talking about the measures required to improve the sphere, Madatov said that the Association offers to properly organize production of components of wine production, mentioning that this will help to reduce the prime cost of the output. Prime cost of our production is high enough. We import a lions share of required components, including fertilizers, pesticides and equipment. The government allocates loans and leases equipment, but we need to organize production of these components within the country. A tare is yet another imported element. A colored glass should be used in the process of bottling. We import it from Georgia, Russia, and some European countries as it is not produced in Azerbaijan, he said. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 15:29 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) has so far paid compensations worth over 723.976 million manats ($ 377.071 million) to depositors of the recently closed Dekabank, Kredobank, Zaminbank, Parabank, Caucasus Development Bank, AtraBank, Bank of Azerbaijan, Ganjabank, Texnikabank and Bank Standard. Banks Volume of paid compensations (million manats/ million USD) Volume of the insured deposits (million manats/ million USD) Bank Standard 434.823 ($226.470) 460 ($239.5) Zaminbank 52.383 ($27.282) 60 ($31.25) Dekabank 3.086 ($1.607) 5.59 ($2.911) Kredobank 27.77 ($14.46) 30.21 ($ 15.73) Caucasus Development Bank 1.974 ($1.028) 2 ($1.04) Atrabank 14.271 ($ 7.432) 14.55 ($7.57) Bank of Azerbaijan 24.161 ($12.283) 24.2 ($12.60) Gandjabank 0.976 ($ 0.508) 1 ($0.520) Texnikabank 120.397 ($62.706) 122.6 ($63.85) Parabank 43.135 ($22.466) 43.79 ($22.80) Acceptance of applications from insured depositors of DekaBank, KredoBank, Zaminbank and Parabank began on August 1, 2016 and the payment of compensations has been carried out since that day. Compensations to the depositors of Caucasus Development Bank and AtraBank are being paid starting from August 23. Payments are being carried out at the branches the banks. Depositors of Caucasus Development Bank receive compensations at the banks main office. Payment of compensations to insured depositors of Bank of Azerbaijan has been carried out since January 29, 2016 at branches of Muganbank and Rabitabank, and since September 8 at ADIFs office. Clients of Ganjabank receive compensations since February 4 at the branches of Rabitabank, Unibank and Kapital Bank. ADIF launched payment of compensations to depositors of Texnikabank on February 12. Payment of compensations to the insured depositors of Bank Standard started October 11, 2016 at the banks main office and its branches in the regions of Azerbaijan and will continue for one year. The licenses of all the banks were revoked in 2016, as their assets were not classified in line with the law, and they didnt create adequate reserves and their aggregate capital did not meet the minimum requirements. Some 32 banks are currently implementing their activities in the country. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 11:37 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova YARAT Contemporary Art Space invites film lovers to a next meeting of the Film Club, which has already turned into an informal meeting point for discussion of contemporary cinematography. YARAT Film Club will screen One Lucky Elephant, a film written and directed by American filmmaker Lisa Leeman. The screening scheduled for February 7 is organized in collaboration with the Embassy of United States of America in Azerbaijan. Lisa Leeman's last film, the award-winning One Lucky Elephant, premiered to sold-out crowds at the Los Angeles Film Festival, 2010, and continued to sell out screenings at festivals like IDFA, St. Louis, and the Starz Denver Film Festival. One Lucky Elephant premiered theatrically at Manhattan's Film Forum in June 2011. The film won Best Editing, Feature Documentary, at the Woodstock Film Festival in 2010, and was acquired by Oprah Winfreys network, OWN. It was featured as part of OWNs monthly documentary club in 2011. One Lucky Elephant was selected to be part of the U.S. State Department's American Documentary Showcase, and screened in Russia, Greece, Korea, & other countries in this program of "Documentary Diplomacy". Lisa Leeman writes, directs, produces and edits documentary films. Her current film, AWAKE: The Life of Yogananda, co-directed with Paola di Florio, premiered to sold-out crowds at the Seattle Film Festival on May 19, 2014. It won the Audience Award at the Illuminate Film Festival, and the Spirit of Cinema Award at the Maui Film Festival. Look for AWAKE in theaters in the fall. The venue is YARAT Contemporary Art Centre, Multifunctional Room. Entry is free. The event starts at 19:00. YARAT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to creating a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and internationally. Based in Baku, YARAT (meaning CREATE in Azerbaijani) was founded by Aida Mahmudova in 2011. YARAT realizes its mission through an on-going program of exhibitions, education events and festivals. YARAT facilitates exchange between local and international artistic networks including foundations, galleries and museums. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 13:00 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova The Voice of Youth festival, featuring colorful concerts, exhibitions, workshops and meetings with young writers, has today opened in Baku. The festival organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry to mark the Youth Day, annually celebrated on February 2, will last till February 6. The events within the festival will be held at the State Puppet Theatre, International Mugam Centre, National Library, Sumgait State Musical Drama Theatre, Masalli "ASAN life" complex, Cultural Center of Sabirabad region and etc. Azerbaijan celebrates Youth Day annually on February 2. This holiday was created in 1997 as the consequence of the conduction of the First Forum of Azerbaijani Youth in 1996. The holding of the First Forum of Azerbaijani Youth was a major step towards the implementation of effective cooperation between numerous youth organizations and the state. Consequently the president signed the decree establishing February 2 as Youth Day in the country. Today, about 200 youth organizations operate in the country. They cover different issues, such as raising of patriotic spirit in education, reducing of unemployment, promotion of culture among young people etc. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 17:13 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The Azerbaijani Parliament approved rules managing construction work at historical and cultural sites. This issue was mulled at the Wednesday plenary session of the Parliament while considering amendments to the law "On protection of historical and cultural monuments". Under the amendments, if any monument is revealed during construction work in the territory of Azerbaijan, then the work should be stopped and must be reported to the relevant executive authorities and the National Academy of Sciences, which, in turn, must conduct at least two-month research on the territory. Purpose of the change is to further improve the existing legislation for preservation of monuments, revealed during construction and other economic activities. Azerbaijans territory which has ancient history is rich with more than 1000 historical monuments, which captivates everyone who sees these beauties. Numerous monuments related to the period of Albanian state have been preserved to date. At present, there are many interesting historic/architectural, historic/archaeological, historic/cultural and historic/ethnographical reserves in Azerbaijan. The Land of Fire co-operates closely with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, and Baku's historic centre, with the Shirvanshakh Palace and the Maiden's Tower, was included on the World Heritage List in 2000, and Cultural - Historical Reserve Gobustan in 2007. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 17:08 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijans State Philharmonic will host a concert of honored artists, composers Vasif Allakhverdiev and Jeyhun Allakhverdiev on February 14, Trend Life reported. The gala evening, featuring composers` songs "Hymn of victory", "These roads", "I'll wait for you", "Everlasting love", "Remember me" and others will be organized jointly by Azerbaijans State Philharmonic and Azerbaijani TV channel "Culture". Azerbaijans State Chamber Orchestra named after Gara Garayev led by artistic director and chief conductor, people's artist Teymur Goychayev will please you with fantastic music. Soloists of the concert will be People's Artist of Azerbaijan Fidan Hajiyeva, Samir Jafarov, honored artists Beyimkhanim Valiyeva, Shirzad Fataliyev (zurna), Kamran Kerimov (drums) soloists of the Azerbaijan television and radio Sabina Arabli, Miralam Miralamov, Kamille Nabieva. The Philharmonic is the unique popularization center of classical musicians. The building was constructed during 1910-1920. There are seven bodies in this grandiose building. These are Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra, Azerbaijan State Choral Chapel, Azerbaijan State Camera Orchestra named after G.Garayev, Azerbaijan State Piano Trio, Azerbaijan State String Quartet, The honored Collective named after F.Amirov, Azerbaijan State Song and Dance ensemble and Azerbaijan State Orchestra of Folk Musical Instruments that operates under this body. Moreover, the performances of soloists from foreign countries are also organized here regularly. Media partners of the event are Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az, Azernews.az --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 12:19 (UTC+04:00) The U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC), based in Washington D.C., aims to help strengthen business ties in both countries for the benefit of private companies, and for the public and consumers they serve. To that end, USACC holds its next annual conference on U.S.-Azerbaijan relations, scheduled to take place at the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel, conveniently located just one block from the White House on March 1-2. USACC invites to join the event for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn more about Azerbaijan and the region, meet key business leaders, fund managers and government officials from both countries and forge new partnerships for your business. Participants will be able to hear firsthand of the myriad business, growth and investment opportunities in Azerbaijan through various panel discussions. The panels will focus on recent economic reforms, investment environment, public-private partnerships, trade and commercial opportunities for American companies in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani companies will learn about the products, services, technology and investment opportunities that American companies have to offer. Visit the website regularly to stay up-to-date on the latest conference information including program updates, speakers, sponsorship, venue, registration and list of participating companies and government agencies. Registration for the 2017 USACC Annual Conference is now open on www.usazconference.com -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 10:14 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Relationships with Israel have always been used by official Baku to demonstrate its uniqueness among other Muslim nations, including those which are as secular as Azerbaijan. These relationships, sometimes called special relationships, sometimes even alliance, are based to a certain on the strong cultural ground. There are tens of thousands of Jews living in Azerbaijan since ancient times. And there is almost equal amount of citizen in Israel with Jewish Azerbaijani origin. Nevertheless, it is cold pragmatism and Realpolitik that make military element of this partnership so strongly articulated. In the last decade Israel officially sold to Baku broad variety of nonlethal and lethal weapons - from small firearms, armoured vehicles, and mortars, to UAVs of various sorts, radars and air defense systems or rocket artillery systems. To certain degree this cooperation has evolutionized also some of the weapon systems initially purchased by Baku now are being produced independently under licenses granted by Israeli military industry. But there is one thing about pragmatic relationships in foreign policy of any kind it is that they are pragmatic. In other words, their perspectives are closely tied to the context and cost/benefit rationale of decision-making on alliances and alignment. And in case of the alliance between Israel and Azerbaijan, it is the very pragmatism that potentially can undermine the relationship. There is no doubt that problematics around Iran has been the cornerstone of the issue for both Israel and Azerbaijan in designing mutual cooperation. This is quite well covered in works of Ariel Cohen, Alexander Murinson, Gallia Lindenstrauss, Brenda Schaffer, and other less prominent experts. In short Iran has been the sum of all fears for Jerusalem since Tehrans nuclear ambitions added up to anti-Israeli rhetoric of its leaders; and on the other side, relationships between Iran and Azerbaijan have always been full of at least mutual suspicion. But the recent years were marked with considerable positive changes in Azerbaijani Iranian relations. It all started with series of preliminary mutual visits of personal envoy category figures. Then president Aliyev has visited the Islamic Republic in April 2014. During this visit Aliyev was accompanied by several Azerbaijani ministers, a number of other high-ranking officials and business people. He met high-ranking Iranian officials, including president Hassan Rouhani and the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although the bilateral documents signed were not of a high significance, Aliyevs administration was quite positive and optimistic. And indeed, November 2014 it was Tehrans turn - Hassan Rouhani visited Baku. It was the first official visit of an Iranian leader in Azerbaijan since four years. And the atmosphere was extremely warm. Besides meeting president Aliyev, Rouhani made also a speech in the Azerbaijani parliament. And another bunch of bilateral documents was signed. April 2015 was marked by another visit, this time Iranian defense minister, Brig. Gen. Houssein Dehqan visited Baku and conducted meetings on high level, including president Aliyev. Uniqueness of the visit was in the statements made - Dehqan voiced Iran's readiness to start military cooperation with Baku, and underlined that Iran is ready to enhance the level of defense and provide required military equipment to the Azerbaijani army. The major result of the visit was establishment of joint commission on cooperation in military are between the states. Iranian ministers statement could be considered as pure intent or sign of goodwill at that moment. But year later, on April 2 5, 2016 the Azerbaijani Armed Forces conducted a successful three-day offensive operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, having regained control over 20 km2 (according to the Armenian side only 8 km2) of land and number of strategic heights and outposts controlled by Armenians since the 1994 ceasefire agreements. It was the former Azerbaijani general and war veteran Yashar Aydemirov who initially (immediately after the operation ended) gave the leak that there had been some sort of military cooperation between Baku and Iran. Presumably in the form of weapon sales. But a few weeks later proof came from the highest level president Aliyev himself mentioned Iran as one of the actual military partners of Azerbaijan (together with Russia, Turkey, and Israel) whose cooperation played role in the April success. Of course, those who remember the hostile rhetoric between Baku and Tehran on the eve of the Eurovision song context in Azerbaijan in May 2012 could hardly anticipate anything like that in less than five years. Finally, the ambiguous role that Baku played in Russo Iranian cooperation on Syria and Russian military transit to the Syrian battlefields through the Caspian Sea and Iran, adds up to the issue. At least in one or two cases, reportedly, Russian airplanes flew through the Azerbaijani airspace on their way to Syria. There was also unconfirmed information that in early October 2015 Russian warships launched missiles on targets in Syria from the Azerbaijani waters in the southern sector of the Caspian Sea. The peak was the trilateral summit of Vladimir Putin, Hassan Rouhani, and Ilham Aliyev in Baku in August 2016 event instrumentalized by official Baku to demonstrate the countrys regional weight and role. There were many issues of mutual interest discussed, including transport and infrastructural cooperation along the North South axis through the territory of Azerbaijan. But supposedly not only that. So, what is going on and what sort of implications should one wait in terms of Azerbaijans alliance with Israel? There are number of reasons to the changes in Azerbaijans attitude toward Iran and none of them are surprising, bearing in mind that the South Caucasus, although with its own problematics and dynamics, is, in Barry Buzans terms, just a subsystem of a broader geopolitical space the post-Soviet regional security complex. A security complex is defined as a group of states whose primary security concerns are linked together sufficiently closely that their national securities cannot realistically be considered apart from one another. The links, which ties together a security complex may be of many types geographical, political, strategic, historic, economic, or cultural. States outside the complex may play a major role within it, without the complex itself being central to their security concern. Azerbaijan although economic and military leader of the South Caucasus as a subsystem of the post-Soviet space, is at the same time just one of the minor actors here, while those who play the major role are Russia, and to lesser degree Turkey and Iran. And from the Russo-Georgian war of 2008 to the current war in the Ukraine, from the early days of the Arab Spring in 2010 to the current battles under Mosul, there were just too many events with too many implications for the regional security in the South Caucasus and alignment behaviour of Baku. The ultimate problem is that the Western presence in the region at the moment is limited to occasional comments on democracy and human rights problems in Armenia and Azerbaijan, and symbolic military exercises with Georgians once a year. Azerbaijan had to give realistic and cool headed evaluations to security guaranties of the West in the South Caucasus. Bearing in mind that the West is much more preoccupied with war in Syria, ISIS terror, and refugee crisis in the Central and Western Europe, these evaluations were not in favour of going for integration with NATO and the European Union. Moscows growing one man show abilities in the post-Soviet regional security complex, initially demonstrated during the Russo Georgian war of August 2008, became even more obvious after the start of war in the Eastern Ukraine. And the West was not able to support the victims territorial integrity by any reasonable and effective means. Similar threats are faced by Baku in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan, but after the war of 1988 1994 is controlled by Armenia - member of the Moscow-centered Collective Security Treaty Organization. On the other side, the Arab Spring, civil war in Syria, birth and rapid growth of ISIS all these factors considerably increased the role of militant Sunni factor in the Middle East. Azerbaijan is a secular, nevertheless still a Muslim country, predominantly Shia. At the same time, along with militants from other Muslim and non-Muslim countries there are also several hundreds of Azerbaijani fighters in ISIS. There is a strong opinion among number of Azerbaijani officials and analysts that potential risks of spread of radical Sunni Islam can be successfully hedged for Baku only in the framework of regional security cooperation, first of all with Russia, which has a relevant experience in Northern Caucasus and Iran, which is a Shia stronghold. There is also some degree of Shia inspired political Islam in Azerbaijan and it would be naive to frame the danger of Islamic fundamentalism in the South Caucasus around the Sunnis only. But in most of the cases these are in this or another way linked to Tehran. And in case Baku has decent level of relationships with its southern neighbour, there may be hope for conservation of Iranian Shia networks political activity in Azerbaijan. The U.S. Iranian rapprochement is also important. For years Baku has been using Irans tensions with the West as a considerable element of its own positioning in the region. With perspective of rapid improvement in Irans relations with the U.S. and EU, Baku had nothing to do but to go proactive and improve its relations with Tehran. Finally, Azerbaijan is a close military ally of Turkey. Current unnatural honeymoon between Ankara and Moscow has foggy perspectives, but it is still there, at least for the nearest perspective. Besides that, there are strong synergies between Russian and Iranian interests in Syria. Bearing in mind that Russia is actor Number One in the South Caucasus, all that creates such a unique set of circumstances for the region in general and Azerbaijan in particular, that at least short- and midterm bandwagoning with this huge force becomes inevitable for Baku. These are realities of local geography. And in this geography big and strong neighbours sometimes dont ask before coming through your yard. Sure, Israel is not quite the West and it is not NATO or the European Union. There are number of issues in the Middle East and the South Caucasus where their interests are very different. But current trends increase Azerbaijans rationale to concentrate on cooperation with the immediate neighbours only this can minimize the eminent risks. Some of these neighbours, at least Iran, and in serious degree also Turkey, have their own views on perspectives of military and political cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel. Despite of this fact Azerbaijani government invited the Israeli prime minister Netanyahu to visit the country in December 2016. Military cooperation between two countries was one of the main topics of the negotiations in Baku. But it is not only about military cooperation. Azerbaijan considers Israel as a key player that can help the country establish a confident relationship to the administration of Donald Trump. The reaction from Iran on Netanyahus visit to Azerbaijan was critical as expected. Nevertheless there was no more threatening towards Azerbaijan by any high ranked Iranian military officer like it was the case on the eve of the visit of Shimon Peres to Baku in 2009. The security circumstances in the region changed since that time, and the relations between Baku and Tel Aviv are not to be considered by Iran as planning of Israeli military actions against Iran any more. Azerbaijans military cooperation with Israel already proved its effectiveness. During successful Azerbaijani offensive in April this year only four of eighteen destroyed Armenian tanks and BMPs were destroyed by fire from Azerbaijani machines all the rest were destroyed by Azerbaijani infantry armed with Israeli made SPIKE-LR anti-tank missile systems. Israeli made HAROP kamikaze-drones were not less effective tested first time in real war situation they destroyed seven Armenian targets, including a command post, self-propelled artillery squadron, a runway on an airfield, and a bus with Armenian volunteers moving to the frontline. Thus so far it is very early to question perspectives of current alliance between Jerusalem and Baku. Azerbaijani diplomacy has traditionally been skilful in balancing and counterbalancing the fact that Baku manages to purchase weapons from and develop military cooperation with Russia, which is Armenias ally and security guarantor, Turkey, Iran, Israel, and Pakistan speaks for itself. Nevertheless, time will show how much space there is left for manoeuvring, provided pragmatic character of military cooperation between Baku and Jerusalem. Heydar Mirza is an expert in foreign policy and security studies with focus on the South Caucasus and Caspian region. In 2003 he graduated with MBA degree from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. In 2010 2014 he worked as a leading research fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies under the president of Azerbaijan. Currently Heydar is a PhD candidate at the Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany. Dr.des. Orkhan Sattarov worked in 2008 - 2011 as political assistant at the German Embassy in Baku and was a scholar of the German Parliament. 2016 he defended his PhD thesis on the topic of Iranian soft power in Azerbaijan at the Berlin Center for Caspian Region Studies, Freie Universitat Berlin, Germany. Sattarov publishes articles with focus on the Caucasus and Iran in diverse regional news agencies and is a co-founder of a political consulting firm in Berlin. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 10:54 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Prime minister of Georgia's Adjaria Autonomous Republic visited Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan AR for talks on further development of relations between the two state subjects. Zurab Pataradze met with chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan AR Vasif Talibov who highlighted the history of ties between the two countries, Azertac reported. Today, Batumi State University and Nakhchivan State University successfully cooperate. There was great potential for developing relations in the field of health, said Talibov. He also spoke of the direct Nakhchivan-Batumi bus route. This bus route will further foster relations between the two friendly autonomic republics, he added. Chairman Zurab Pataradze, in turn, highlighted developing ties between the two countries in various fields. Business relations and friendly ties unite Adjara AR and Nakhchivan AR. Reciprocal visits contribute to development of bonds, and our cooperation covers various spheres, he said. Azerbaijan`s Consul General in Batumi Rashad Ismayilov also attended the meeting. Relations between the cities of Nakhchivan and Batumi have been developing since the signing of a memorandum on cooperation. The bilateral relations are expanding in the fields of politics, economy and tourism Georgia and Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations in 1992. The countries are actively cooperating in trade, transport and energy spheres. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia amounted to $244.58 million in January-September 2016, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. Georgia with $221.83 million (3.39 percent of the total volume of Azerbaijani export) ranks the ninth in the list of main importers from Azerbaijan. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 10:44 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President`s Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov has met President of Saudi Press Agency (SPA) Abdullah bin Fahd Al Hussein at the agencys headquarters. During the meeting Ali Hasanov spoke of the relations between Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in various areas, Azertac reported. He hailed King of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Sauds merits in solving problems of the Islamic world. Hasanov said he witnessed with a great progress of Saudi Arabia. Ali Hasanov noted that his visit to Saudi Arabia is arranged in order to further develop relations between the two countries in many areas including in the field of media. Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant also viewed the work process of SPA. As part of the visit, the Azerbaijani senior official will discuss ways of Azerbaijan-Saudi Arabia cooperation in the field of media. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 09:53 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizade has met members of Pakistani National Assemblys friendship group with the country, Azertac reported. The officials expressed their confidence over the current state of friendly and relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. The parties stressed the importance of expanding relations between the inter-parliamentary groups. The sides had discussions on holding fruitful projects in the fields of economy, culture and science. Members of Pakistan-Azerbaijan friendship group mentioned their participation in various forums and conferences in Baku where they witnessed progress of the country. Pakistan became the second country after Turkey which recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on June 9, 1992. Islamabad backed Azerbaijan during and after the Nagorno-Karabakh War and it is the only country that does not recognize Armenia. Pakistan also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the genocide against the civilian population of Khojaly, which was committed by Armenian armed forces. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 16:38 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Young people, taking a leading and important role in Azerbaijani society, are celebrating the Youth Day on February 2. Thousands of young people in the country celebrate this day as a very important period of their life. They are absorbed in youth organizations and are considered as the driving force of society. Youth and Sport Minister Azad Rahimov said that this year celebrates 20th anniversary of the holiday, noting that great job was carried out during this period. The minister told reporters that every year many events are held in connection with the holiday. Last year some 150 events were held as part of the Youth Day and 30 of them were international, he noted. The minister said that Azerbaijan has presented a new model of youth policy to the world. He said that they always work on attracting more young people. More than 300 NGOs are operating and many projects are supported, he said. Rahimov reminded about the youth award founded by the president in 2014, noting that four young people will be handed with this prize this year. This encourages youth and motivates them to do great work. We, as the Ministry, always try to support and help them implement their ideas, he said. Earlier the minister revealed that more than $24 million has been spent on youth-related projects in Azerbaijan over the five years. Addressing the event dedicated to the Youth Day, Deputy Head of the Department of Socio-Political Issues of the Administration Tahir Suleymanov said that Azerbaijan has formed successful youth model. Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport Intigam Babayev said that since beginning celebration of the Day new generation of young people has grown up in Azerbaijan. He expressed his hope that NGOs and youth will convey Azerbaijani realities to the world. The Azerbaijani youth constitute around 30 percent of the country's total population of more than 9.8 million. This proves the successful youth policy in the country. The Youth Day takes its origin from the first Youth Forum, held in 1996, which gathered about 2,000 young people from all regions of the country. After this event, the youth organizations set the tasks to make measures and contribution on effective resolution of youth problems. Today, the national youth constantly benefit from the government's support, enjoy all opportunities for a quality education and freely demonstrate their talent and unique skills. Major focus of Azerbaijans state youth policy is made on guaranteeing the social protection and employment of young people, stimulating their quest for creativity, educating them in the national spirit, strengthening their military and patriotic upbringing, and promulgating a healthy lifestyle. The youngsters have a chance to get education in worlds prestigious foreign universities at public expense. Azerbaijani youth are active in the implementation of different projects, initiatives and scaly developments. They are good athletes, talented musicians and inventors. --- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 17:25 (UTC+04:00) Mobile Dental Clinic of Azercell Telecom LLC has released the results of 2016 and action plan for current year. Last year the dentists of the clinic provided free services for children deprived of parental care, low-income families and IDPs. 223 patients were examined and treated in November and December. Thus, 52 individuals in the settlements of Binagadi and Bilajari and 171 children of boarding school No.10 in Pirshagi settlement benefited from professional dental services during these months. Taking into account that most of the orphanages in Azerbaijan have no dental cabinets, Azercell has equipped Mobile Dental Clinics with advanced medical facilities. Aimed to serve children deprived of parental care not only in Baku, but also in the regions, Mobile Dental Clinics has provided services to children in boarding schools and orphanages in Shaki, Guba, Gusar and Balakan, SOS Childrens village and boarding school in Gandja, orphanage in Lankaran, boarding school in Lerik, IDP camp and boarding school in Bilasuvar. Totally, over 4000 people have been examined and treated as needed by the Mobile Dental Clinics staff during 6 years of its operation. For more information, please contact [email protected] The leader of the mobile communication industry of Azerbaijan and the biggest investor in the non-oil sector Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48% share of Azerbaijans mobile market Azercells network covers 80% of the territory and 99,8% of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, 24/7 Customer Care, online customer services, GPRS/EDGE, M2M, MobilBank, one-stop- shop service offices Azercell Express, mobile e-service ASAN signature, etc. Azercell deployed first 4G LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality surveys of Global Wireless Solutions company and international systems specialized in wireless coverage mapping such as Opensignal and Testmy.net, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 11:10 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR exported 79, 935 tons of crude oil from the Novorossiysk Port, 176 ,109 tons of crude oil from the Supsa Port, and 1, 398 million tons of crude oil from the Ceyhan Port in January, 2017. The indices of crude oil exported by SOCAR reflect the volumes of crude oil belonging to both State of Azerbaijan and SOCAR. SOCAR is the sole producer of oil products in Azerbaijan. Along with Azneft, SOCAR includes Azerkimya (the chemical industry enterprises) and Azerigaz production associations. The company also has a number of processing enterprises, service enterprises, and institutions involved in geophysical and drilling operations. The country holds 0.4 percent of the worlds total proven oil reserves, and produce 1 percent of the worlds oil total output according to the BP Statistical review of World Energy 2015. Azerbaijans proven gas reserves as of early 2016 amounted to 1.1 trillion cubic meters, which accounts for 0.6 percent of global proven gas reserves, according to BP's estimates. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 16:29 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Concerns about U.S. shale boom impact combined with hopes for re-balancing as a result of joint output reduction measures of major producers are still dominant features of the energy market. Prices were steady on February 2 as optimism about joint efforts to prop up the market slightly outweighed the rivalry tendency of swelling drilling activity in the U.S. The two contradictory trends largely neutralized each other with Brent crude increasing up 5 cents to stand at $56 and U.S. light crude set at $53.83 scaling 5 cents down from the previous close. The indications that OPEC producers and other exporters are curbing output and comply with their reduction pledges is the main catalyst of prices. The majority of the participating exporters have already begun implementing the deal, and reached an output reduction volume of nearly 1.4 million bpd in January. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that the country reduced its oil production by 117,000 bpd. Prices were also supported by the fact that Washington put Tehran "on notice" in response to an Iranian missile test. Any response or intervention from the White House could cut Iranian crude supplies, sending oil prices higher. With the lifting of international sanctions over its nuclear program, Iran has been rapidly boosting its oil exports, while exception from OPECs first production deal in eight years became an energy victory for the country. However, U.S. crude production, the fact that is beyond OPECs control, raises concerns that effect of cuts could be reduced to zero. Crude oil inventories in the country, which is the world's biggest oil consumer rise last week by an unexpected 6.5 million barrels to 494.76 million barrels, largely exceeding expectations for an increase of 3.3 million barrels. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 17:12 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Officials in Kazakhstan recently resumed negotiations on the establishment of the Kazakhstan Caspian Transportation System, Nefte Compass magazine reports citing its sources. Project of Caspian oil transportation system was actively discussed in 2007-2009. It was assumed that the KCTS would consist of an Eskene-Kuryk oil pipeline on the territory of Kazakhstan and Trans-Caspian system, including the oil terminal in Kuryk port on the Kazakh coast of the Caspian Sea, tankers and vessels, oil discharge terminals on the Azerbaijani coast of the Caspian Sea and connecting facilities to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline system. Then oil would be transported to international markets via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline or other oil transport systems located at the territories of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. But the project was postponed due to the uncertainty of launching production at the Kashagan field and the expansion of Tengiz field in Kazakhstan. According to the oil workers assessment the existing pipelines have sufficient capacity to ensure the export of oil from Kazakhstan in the current volumes. The KCTS is back on the agenda in connection with the growth of optimism about the future of oil exports due to the beginning of production at the giant Kashagan field and making a final investment decision on the expansion of Tengiz field. Creation of a transportation system in terms of global energy policies gives a possibility to Kazakhstan oil companies to take advantage of a new direction, providing an access to the port of Ceyhan, bypassing the Turkish straits of Bosporus and the Dardanelles. This opportunity, in its turn, opens up a cost-effective access to remote oil markets such as America and Southeast Asia. Oil from Kashagan field, as well as from other fields of the Caspian shelf and western Kazakhstan is planned to deliver in this direction. Kashagan, first discovered in 2000, is considered to be the world's largest discovery in the last 30 years, combined with the Tengiz Field. The field is developed by Kazakhstans state oil company, KazMunayGas, and a consortium of some of the worlds biggest oil companies, including ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell. Oil extraction at Kashagan, a large oil and gas field located in the north of the Caspian Sea, was re-launched in autumn 2016. The volume of production and export from the field has already exceeded 1 million crude oil and condensate. LS website reported that the figure of 1 million in export was reached on January 8, 2017. Currently, the production rate is estimated at 180,000 bpd. The project participants are KMG Kashagan BV (16.88 percent), AGIP Caspian Sea BV (nearly 16.81 percent), CNPC Kazakhstan BV (8.33 percent), Exxon Mobil Kazakhstan Inc. (nearly 16.81 percent), INPEX North Caspian Sea Ltd. (nearly 16.81 percent), Shell Kazakhstan Development BV (nearly 16.81 percent), and Total E&P Kazakhstan (nearly 16.81 percent). The field is operated by North Caspian Operating Company BV (NCOC). Kazakhstan enters the top 15 countries in the world when it comes to essential oil reserves, having 3 percent of the world's total oil reserves. There are 172 oil fields, of which more than 80 are under development. More than 90 percent of oil reserves are concentrated in the 15 largest oil fields - Tengiz, Kashagan, Karachaganak, Uzen, Zhetybai, Zhanazhol, Kalamkas, Kenkiyak, Karazhanbas, Kumkol, North Buzachi, Alibekmola, Central and Eastern Prorva, Kenbai, Korolevskoye. Oil fields can be found in six of the fourteen provinces of Kazakhstan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 14:59 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Irans intention to build 12 new refineries in the course of oil refining expansion strategy pursued in the country is expected to allow Iran to fully cover domestic gasoline demand with its own production. Iran plans to build 12 oil and gas refineries, MNA reported with reference to the statement of Director of Corporate Planning and Member of the Board of Directors of National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) Arman Moghadam. He said that currently nine refineries with an aggregate total capacity of 1.73 million barrels are functioning across the country, adding that Setare Khalij Fars Gas Condensates Refinery will soon come on stream with a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. The NIORDC official also emphasized a need to optimize and renovate Iranian oil refineries. Moghadam announced the start of operation on consolidation, optimization and improvement of production processes at the Abadan refinery with a total capacity of 210,000 barrels per day through Chinese financing. At the time being, 88,000 barrels of fuel oil are produced in Abadan Refinery on a daily basis, he said. Moghadam further referred to the plan to build Anahita Refinery in Kermanshah Province with a capacity of 150,000 barrels stressing that construction of Siraf refinery complex remains as yet another project to be carried out in Iran. In May, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh claimed that the Iranian authorities have signed a contract for 1.5 million on the development of Abadan with Chinese companies, noting that the main part of the agreement is to be financed by the Chinese side. In November, CEO of NIORDC Abbas Kazemi said that it is planned to launch several refinery projects in Iran. In particular, by the end of the Iranian year (March 20) two refineries will be put into operation in Bandar Abbas and Laban. At the same time the first phase of another major refinery project which is Persian Gulf Star Refinery with a capacity of 36 billion of gasoline will be introduced. When the first phase of the refinery is operational, the plant will produce 12 billion of Euro-4 standard gasoline, while the second and the third stages will increase the capacity up to 26 and 36 billion per day respectively. Eventually, in 2017, Iran intends to completely abandon foreign gasoline imports for the first time in 36 years, Kazemi said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 18:08 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Citizens of Georgia will be granted visa-free travel to the European Union (EU) member countries. The European Parliament voted in favor of visa-free travel for Georgian citizens to the Schengen zone at a plenary session in Brussels on February 2. Holders of Georgian biometric passports will now be able to enter the Schengen Area for 90 days within any 180-day period for holiday, business and any other purposes except for that of working. It was announced at the European Parliament's meeting broadcast live that the EU would apply the mechanism suspending the visa-free regime for Georgia in case of its any violations. The visa waiver applies to the Schengen Area, which includes 22 EU member states (all except Ireland, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria) in addition to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The Member of the European Parliament on lifting visa restrictions for citizens of Georgia, Mary Gabriel has previously called on the EU Council to approve a political solution on the transition to a visa-free regime with Georgia without delay to ensure that it will be adopted by the European Parliament in February. Earlier, the Parliaments Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs approved the agreement between the Assembly and the Council of the EU on visa-free regime for the citizens of Georgia. At the beginning of December 2016 representatives of the European Parliament and the EU Council reached a preliminary agreement that the abolition of visa restrictions for short-term travel of Georgian citizens to the EU will enter into force at the same time with the introduction of the new mechanism, which will allow the EU to suspend the visa-free regime in case of its violations. In December, the European Parliament and the EU Permanent Representatives also adopted the introduction of the mechanism of suspension of visa-free travel to third countries in case of uncontrolled inflows of migrants and refugees from their territories to one or more EU member states. Now, the EU Council is expected to approve the cancellation of the visa regime for Georgia. The decision will come into force after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU simultaneously with the visa-suspension mechanism, on which EU institutions have already reached an agreement. In February 2013 the Government of Georgia was presented an action plan with a list of requirements that the country must fulfill to obtain its citizens' right to visa-free short-term visits to the Schengen area. In total, in accordance with the plan, Georgia has adopted more than 60 legislative changes, nine national policies, and ratified seven international conventions, the Foreign Ministry reports. According to the Eastern Partnership Visa Liberalization Index prepared by the Visa-free Europe Coalition and the Stefan Batory Foundation, Armenia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan are the countries which are next in line to gain ratification of visa-free regimes. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Aspect Mila: The Enterprise Chatbot of Choice The contact center is a bastion of innovation. Customer service is taking center stage in business, as our omni-channel world lends itself to viral posts and headlines composed of notions similar to what nightmares are made of. Poor customer service can snowball quickly, so in an effort to avoid the negative ramifications of a rowdy customer fresh off a negative experience, firms are deploying contact center solutions equipped with the proper armaments to serve on the front lines of customer service. A weapon recently added to the contact center arsenal, chatbots, are beginning to see their time in the sun. From workforce optimization, to calming an incredulous customer, the results speak for themselves. Today, Aspect Software announced the availability of its enterprise chatbot, Aspect Mila for Slack adding to the growing list of Microsoft Teams and Facebook Workplace (coming in Q2). The personal assistant chatbot was announced last year, and in its brief history is providing enterprise and contact center employees with the ease of automation, self-service and more. The integration of Aspect Mila with commonly-used workforce collaboration and messaging tools is a natural next step of providing contact center agents with enterprise-connected, self-directed shift management, noted Mike Bourke, SVP and GM for Workforce Optimization at Aspect. Chatbots are becoming an effective and desired means for both consumer and enterprise interaction. Milas integration with Slack gives both in-office and remote employees their own workforce personal assistant right at their fingertips. Employees can sign into Slack, and via voice commands, can address workforce and schedule management needs. Employees simply ask for a day off or for an extra shift, and Mila works in conjunction with Aspects Workforce Management solution to take this task out of the hands of management allowing the focus to be on business operations not who wants to take next Tuesday off. Due to the integration approach, the end result is a seamless experience between ones personal and professional life. And, employees dont require Slack to put the workforce virtual personal assistant to work; as it has been available in this capacity for some time. The deeper a firm allows Mila to integrate, to greater the benefit. The chatbot does not need to be relegated to simple workforce management issues; it is also well equipped to address HR, onboarding, training, etc. Enterprises can easily create a one-stop self-service shop for team members. The integration of Aspect Mila with commonly-used workforce collaboration and messaging tools is a natural next step of providing contact center agents with enterprise-connected, self-directed shift management, said Mike Bourke, SVP and GM for Workforce Optimization at Aspect. Chatbots are becoming an effective and desired means for both consumer and enterprise interaction. Milas integration with Slack gives both in-office and remote employees their own workforce personal assistant right at their fingertips. Chatbots are serving to transform the contact center in addition to the delivery of customer service. The further industry leaders like Aspect delve to the depths of capability, the more the customer experience will transform. Trends like self-service, social media and the omni-channel experience are not passing fads; its not your Dads contact center anymore. Hello 2017, and hello Mila. Edited by Stefania Viscusi 2 February 2017 11:54 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijan is a gem between Europe and Asia and a place you will not regret visiting. This amazing country, also called the Land of Fire, is located in the South Caucasus region and has unspoiled natural beauty to complement its unique culture. With its towering Caucasus ranges, fertile valleys, thick forests and its beautiful Caspian Sea coast, Azerbaijan is home to a remarkable natural diversity. Huge part of Azerbaijans territory is preserved as national parks and reserves, ranging from desert to highlands, to rolling fertile valleys, and marshlands. These landscapes offer a range of unusual flora and fauna, including ancient mountain villages. In addition to the natural and rural attractions, Azerbaijan has a rich cuisine, changing from region to region. Tasting Azerbaijan means enjoying juicy apples, pomegranates, grilled meats, kabab, dolma, bozbash, all perfumed with the herbs of untouched woodlands and the spices of the Silk Road. There are ample of things to do in Azerbaijan, be it exploring the country on a horse back or simply savoring the delicious cuisine. The country offers something for every traveler. History lovers can see Gala Fortress, Gobustan, Icherisheher, etc. Adventure seekers can indulge in hiking, horse-riding hunting, etc in Guba, Shamakhi, Lankaran and other regions, or check out the nightlife of Baku. Today tourism is developing with high speed in Azerbaijan, with a contribution of 4.5 percent to the national GDP. The country witnesses more than 2 million annual foreign tourist arrivals and thousands of domestic tourism visits. In 2016, the number of tourists visiting the Land of Fire amounted to 2,242 million people and this is 11.7 percent more than in 2015. The majority of tourists came from Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Iran making up 33 percent, 22.5 percent, 13.9 percent and 10.9 percent, accordingly. After simplification of the visa procedure and issuing them in the national airports for citizens from Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore in 2016 the flow of tourists from these directions increased. The number of travelers from Jordan increased twice, Kuwait - 3.2 times, Qatar 5.5 times, Saudi Arabia and Oman 10 times, UAE 22 times and Iraq 30 times. Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AzTa) Chairman Nahid Bagirov said that the tourism sector of the country is ready to justify the confidence the state has placed in the sector. Today tourism is the sphere that is ready to generate income to the country, claimed Bagirov, adding that we feel a lot of attention and care of the state. Speaking about the measures that can be taken to boost the development of the tourism sector, Bagirov pointed to possibility of creating more hotels, opening new direct flights and upgrading the industry. Firstly it is necessary to study the experience of neighboring countries, which achieved success in this sector, said Bagirov. . It is important to analyze the reasons why tourists from certain countries prefer visiting the neighboring states of Azerbaijan. Annually Georgia is visited by 200,000 tourists from Poland. Why cannot we bring them to Azerbaijan? For example, we can create a charter flight to Warsaw and Krakow. In addition, we host many tourists from Saudi Arabia and Oman. We already have direct flights to Kuwait, but do not have with Saudi Arabia though the interest of tourists from Jeddah is fairly high, he told Trend. Bagirov further added that Azerbaijan should also increase the number of direct flights from the regions of Russia. "Tourists come not only from Moscow, but also from cities such as Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and others. Many inhabitants of Russian regions do not want to fly to Azerbaijan through Moscow. These are fairly rich regions, which have direct flights to Europe, regions of Turkey, Georgia, and so on," said the head Association. As the next step, Bagirov pointed to possibility of reaching Latin American, Japanese and Australian markets. He further offered to introduce various incentives and preferences for travel companies that are engaged in attracting foreign tourists to the country. Speaking about the accommodation, he said that despite the abundance of luxury hotels, the number of cheap hotels throughout the country leaves much to be desired. Basically, there is no one- two-star hotels in the regions of Azerbaijan, there are at least four-star hotels, Bagirov stressed. However, their availability, according to the expert, will on the one hand help the development of domestic tourism and on the other -- discover new areas of tourist flow. We will be able to attract tourists due to low prices. For example, if rooms in the hotels cost $20 per night, then one- week tour will cost $140. If a tourist flies by low-cost airlines, the week in Azerbaijan will cost him/her about $250. This is a very good price. Its worth to not that here he or she will make purchases, go to restaurants, shopping festivals, visit tourist sites, purchase souvenirs - all this will help attract the foreign currency to Azerbaijan. If we have affordable hotels, then we will expand our tourist potential, he clarified. One of Azerbaijans strongest assets for tourism development is its service culture Azerbaijanis are famous for their hospitality. This culture is best reflected in the hotel and restaurant sectors. More than 300 hotels have been built in Azerbaijan since 2014, while the capital hosts the worlds leading hotel chains. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 2 February 2017 16:22 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani cargo airline Silk Way West Airlines has once again passed audit procedure of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for compliance with the IOSA standard (IATA Operational Safety Audit) and extended the certificate for another two years. Given that the requirements of this standard are tightened each year, this audit has once again proved Silk Way West Airlines as a reliable cargo airline that meets the strictest international safety requirements in civil aviation. IOSA (IATA "Operational Safety Audit" program) - a few hundred mandatory standards and recommended procedures, structured into several sections. The airline should confirm compliance with them during the audit. Safety analysis includes not only assessment of production activities of the airline, but also its organizational structure. There is a system to minimize risks from the influence of the human factor and a feedback system that enables timely ensuring the corrective actions. Operations by each employee of the airline is registered down to the smallest details, which suggests flight safety techniques. Earlier national passenger airline Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) received IOSA certificate. Silk Way West Airlines started its activity on June 19, 2012, since the date of issuance of the Operator Certificate by the Civil Aviation Administration of Azerbaijan. Currently, Silk Way West Airlines fleet consists of four Boeing 747-8F aircrafts and two Boeing 747-400F. The company expects to receive one more B747-8F this year, and then its fleet will grow up to seven. The delivery of new Boeing freighter will enable the airline to widen the geography of flights. Silk Way West Airlines operates regular flights to various regions of the world Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America, using the Heydar Aliyev International Airport as a transit hub, connecting the continents with one another. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The City Council of Cincinnati officially voted to make Cincinnati a sanctuary city, a decision that means city police wont enforce federal immigration laws against people here illegally.. More than 150 people on both sides of the issue packed into council chambers to speak their mind and watch the vote. The designation is symbolic, with Mayor John Cranley vowing the city would not violate federal law but will stand with immigrants. It came after almost two hours of public comment on both sides of the issue Opponents cheered when President Trumps name was mentioned. One shouted, Follow the law. Another speaker called council supporters traitors. Anderson Township Trustee Andrew Pappas, a Republican, urged the city not to jeopardize federal funding, which Trump has threatened to pull from communities designated as sanctuary cities. Cranley said this action doesnt do that. Passions ran high, prompting Cranley to ask a police officer to stay. Other officers arrived a short time later. Ultimately, they werent needed. The Council voted 6-2 for the resolution, which calls for Cincinnati to be welcoming and inclusive city for all immigrants to live, work or visit. Council Republicans Charlie Winburn and Amy Murray were against the idea. Winburn suggested taking the words sanctuary city out of the resolution, an idea that was rejected. Christopher Smitherman, an independent, was excused from the meeting. He told The Enquirer Tuesday he had planned to abstain. Winburn who is considering a run for city Mayor in the next election cycle denounced City Councils 1992 expansion of the citys anti-discrimination ordinance to include sexual orientation: This is anti-family, anti-church, anti-God, anti-business, Winburn staunchly opposed any and all legal protections from discrimination for gay citizens and joined and worked for Cincinnatis own hate group the Citizens for Community Values a Southern Law Poverty Center recognized hate group to which he still has ties today. What we are doing is standing with immigrants, said Cranley, who made the announcement Monday. We have a very good vetting system in this country. Share this: Tweet More Email Print Sentencing for a Delano man convicted of killing his 88-year-old landlord more than three years ago was postponed Monday, but not for as long An attorney for a former Kern High School District police chief and two former KHSD police officers said Tuesday his clients settled their civ A Pinellas County man was arrested on sexual battery charges Wednesday after surrendering to the FBI. Man flees to Mexico after sexually battering a young girl Victim was 5-years-old at time of incident Man surrendered to FBI agents; confessed to allegations The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said Domingo Maye, 42, is accused of sexually battering a 5-year-old girl in November of 2015. Officials said Maye fled to his hometown near Mexico City, Mexico after the incident and detectives have since been trying to locate Maye. The investigation began after the victim was transported to the hospital with injuries consistent with sexual battery, the report said. The girl, who is now 6-years-old, told her mother about the sexual activity with Maye, who is known to the victim. An arrest warrant was issued in Pinellas County for Maye. Once detectives discovered that he had fled to Mexico, they worked with the FBI to contact Maye. Maye turned himself in to FBI agents in Mexico City on Feb. 1 and was extradited back to Pinellas County. During an interview, detectives said Maye confessed to the sexual battery allegations. Maye has been charged with two counts of capital sexual battery on a child under 12. Officials said the investigation is ongoing. Oregon Coast Tideline Creatures Get 'Frozen in Time' in Unusual Way Published 02/01/2017 at 6:29 AM PDT - Updated 02/01/2017 at 3:29 PM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Oregon Coast) Something new that at least one expert hasn't heard of before happened on the north Oregon coast recently: the cold snaps that hit the state stunned and even killed some creatures on the beach in an unusual way. (All mole crab photos by Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium). Tiffany Boothe of Seaside Aquarium recently discovered a host of dead, tiny mole crabs along the tideline in the Seaside area. Or at least they seemed dead. But according to Boothe, they probably weren't. Most of these seemingly dead mole crabs were simply cold-stunned, Boothe said. The outside air temperature had been much, much cooler than the local ocean temperature (with local air temperatures around 28-34 F and ocean temperatures around 48-50 F). These poor little crabs, when uprooted by heavy surf and stranded on the beach, got too cold to burrow down into the sand. Some probably died, but many at least as Boothe theorizes were likely revived by the ocean. Frozen in time, the mole crabs had to wait until the next wave, hoping it would warm them up enough so that they could try to bury themselves in the sand again, she said. Scott Marion, Marine Habitat Project Leader, with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), said he had not heard of this happening and he wasn't aware of any incident like this in the past. However, he also admits it's not usually something that would come across his desk or a part of his regular research. It didn't surprise him, however. Mole crabs usually about an inch and a half long frequent what is called the swash zone. This is an area of extreme importance to the near-shore environment that is a narrow stretch that sits just beyond the tide line. Mole crabs' general behavior is to ride the waves into the swash zone, and they forage in the sand there and quickly bury, Marion said. So I can imagine if you had a combination of really big waves carrying them far up the beach and very cold temperatures that they would be slower to get buried quickly. Mole crabs are indeed related to many kinds of crabs that are well known, but they're much smaller. They are in the same order as hermit crabs, true crabs and shrimp. They have tiny feather-like appendages which they use to collect plankton their food and no pinchers. Instead, they have something like little legs which allow them to bury in the sand. They do this by swimming and digging backwards, which allows their eyes to stick out of the sand. Occasionally you can see the ocean appear to have a bubbling effect as huge numbers of mole crabs get tossed around by the tides and they struggle to dig themselves back in. As common as they are, you don't see them that much. But in summer they come out in great droves and they feel kind of creepy as they brush across your bare feet if you're standing in the water. Oregon Coast Hotels for this - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Google Maps A Vidor Junior High School student was injured this morning after being hit by a vehicle in the school's parking lot, Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll said. A driver in the carpool line "started moving forward and struck the child," he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN -- Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday made good on a promise to cut all state grant funding to Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez over a new policy of refusing to cooperate with all federal immigration detainers. Within hours after Hernandez's new policy took effect, Abbott halted more than $1.5 million in criminal justice grants that go through his office. Abbott aides said the county already has received $300,000 of a total of $1.8 million in grants to the sheriff's office. WARNING SHOT: Abbott declares emergency, bans 'sanctuary cities' Hernandez 10 days ago announced a new policy that her department would no longer honor most warrantless requests from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to detain jailed suspects who were in the United States illegally. Hernandez said her policy would not include those charged with murder, aggravated sexual assault and human smuggling. Neither Hernandez nor Travis County officials had any immediate comment. According to state records, the grants to Travis County fund such things as courts dealing with family drug-treatment, veterans and DWI cases, along with drug diversion programs, and family violence and victim outreach programs. It was not immediately clear how each program would be affected, or how much of their total budget came from the governor's grants. Most of Travis County's legislative delegation are Democrats, and they immediately protested Abbott's cutoff of funding as unfair to the participants in the local justice programs. "Not a single dollar of the (Governor's) Criminal Justice Division grants are allocated to or administered by the Travis County Sheriff's Office," said state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin. "Instead, these resources are used to help veterans get back on their feet, support victims of family violence, reunite children with parents in recovery and reach our youth before they become involved with the criminal justice system in ways that will affect their entire lives." State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, who is the author of a bill that would ban "sanctuaries," said he was unmoved by those pleas, because Hernandez is the one responsible for the cutoff of funding because she's the one who decided not to follow the law. State Sen. Dawn Buckingham, the only Austin lawmaker who is a Republican, said she firmly supports Abbott's decision. "We have a clear message to our law enforcement officers: obey the rule of law, respect the detainers or else there are dire consequences," she said. >>>Click through the gallery to see which cities have declared themselves 'sanctuary cities' A federal court indicted John Holland, a former executive with Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, on charges of bribery and defrauding Medicaid, the Dallas News reports. Here's what you should know. 1. The charges against Mr. Holland stem from kickback allegations that occurred approximately a decade ago. Tenet agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Justice $514 million in October 2016 to settle charges that Tenet-owned hospitals were paying kickbacks to an obstetric facility in return for referrals. Mr. Holland was in charge of a billing center that approved $400 million in fraudulent claims. 2. Tenet paid back the amounts it defrauded Medicare and the Georgia Medicaid program, while agreeing to corporate monitoring. 3. The initial lawsuit did not limit federal prosecutors from pursuing further suits against individuals. Mr. Holland is the first executive to face individual charges, which include mail fraud, healthcare fraud and attempting to defraud the United States. 4. Mr. Holland pled not guilty to the charges on Feb. 1, 2017. 5. Mr. Holland's attorney released a statement expressing Mr. Holland's disappointment that the federal government is pursuing individual charges. Mr. Holland stepped down from his previous position as CEO of LHP Hospital Group in Plano, Texas, to defend himself against the charges. 6. If convicted, Mr. Holland faces up to 50 years in prison, and the seizure of his assets. Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System faced off against Woodruff, Wis.-based Ministry Howard Young Medical Center during a planning commission over Marshfield's plans to build a new facility in Minocqua, Wis., according to WXPR. Here are six points: 1. The health system expects the facility to total $35 million. 2. MCHS has plans to build an ASC as well as a 72,000-square-foot hospital. 3. If the health system's plans come to fruition, the facility would vie for patients with Ministry, which has a 44-bed hospital, emergency room and birthing center in the same area. 4. Ministry made its case against the proposed facility, saying it would provide duplicate services in a community that does not have a growing population. 5. As of now, there is no set date for a public hearing on Marshfield's conditional use permit application. 6. William Melms, MD, regional medical director for Marshfield Clinic, said the system aims to begin preparing for the facility this spring and admitting patients by early 2018. American Medical Association CEO James Madara, MD, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly to voice its concerns over President Donald Trump's executive order, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." Here are five things to know: 1. Dr. Madara says the AMA understands the need to implement a system that properly vets people entering the nation. However, the organization says it is crucial this process does not impede patient access to care. 2. The AMA is concerned the order may restrict physicians and international medical graduates who have visas to train, practice or attend medical conferences in the United States. 3. IMGs play a crucial role in the United States by meeting the healthcare needs of rural and low-income areas. In the letter, the AMA said these physicians which constitute 25 percent of all practicing providers have licenses that meet the "same stringent requirements applied to medical school graduates." 4. The AMA wants the Trump administration to clarify the order so there are not empty training slots in the upcoming residency matching program in March 2017, which eligible IMG applicants can fill. Dr. Madara writes, "We urge the administration to provide details and mitigate any negative impact on our nation's healthcare system." 5. The organization also wants clarification concerning future action for individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. The AMA applauds the administration's comments about make sure those with DACA status can stay in the United States. The AMA wants President Trump to "retain the current DACA initiative until a permanent solution on lawful immigration status for DACA participants is implemented." Allegheny Health Network, a seven-hospital nonprofit system based in Pittsburgh, reported an operating loss of $39 million for 2016 following a $36.5 million operating loss the year prior, according to recently released unaudited financial statements. AHN saw revenues climb to $2.85 billion in 2016, up from $2.64 billion in 2015. The system said inpatient discharges increased nearly 2 percent year over year to 87,208 in 2016. However, higher-than-projected expenses caused the system's operating loss to widen last year. An AHN spokesman told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the rise in expenses was due, in part, to revenue cycle office restructuring costs. The system also recorded year-over-year increases in labor and supplies costs. After factoring in investment income and interest expense, AHN ended 2016 with a net loss of $40.04 million, compared to a $39 million net loss in 2015. More articles on healthcare finance: Louisiana Heart Hospital to close after filing for bankruptcy 20 things to know about balance billing | 2017 Ochsner to take over St. Bernard Parish Hospital as billing issues cause debt to mount Laramie, Wyo.-based Ivinson Memorial Hospital is exploring a transition to nonprofit status. IMH's board of trustees voted to look into shifting the 99-bed hospital's operating structure from a district hospital to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operation. The decision to pursue nonprofit status resulted from a 2015 assessment conducted by the American Hospital Association, working sessions and consulting advisors. "There are many challenges ahead for rural hospitals, in particular, the move away from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursements, as well as expected funding cuts from Medicaid and Medicare," Guy Warpness, IMH board president, said in a statement. "To be able to weather the future changes in healthcare, Ivinson will need to be more nimble in order to respond to the new market realities while continuing to improve the quality of care IMH provides." IMH board members have created a governance committee, which includes community members, to examine the transition process. The hospital said its board will further evaluate the structure, seek approval from county commissioners and hold employee forums, local physicians meetings and community feedback sessions over the next few months. More articles on finance: HCA profit soars 58% to $920M in Q4 Louisiana Heart Hospital to close after filing for bankruptcy CBO releases annual budget outlook: 7 healthcare takeaways The Trump administration has withdrawn guidance on the 340B Drug Pricing Program that was under review at the end of the Obama administration. Here are six things to know about the guidance. 1. HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration released the omnibus guidance on the 340B Drug Pricing Program in August 2015. The 340B Drug Pricing Program allows certain safety-net healthcare organizations to purchase outpatient drugs at discounted prices. 2. The guidance addressed a broad range of topics within the 340B program, including the definition of patient, contract pharmacy compliance requirements, hospital eligibility criteria and eligibility of off-site outpatient locations. 3. On Jan. 30, the White House Office of Management and Budget marked the final guidance document as withdrawn. 4. Although the pharmaceutical drug industry generally supported the guidance, hospitals raised concerns about the proposal. The American Hospital Association previously expressed concern about the guidance, arguing that redefining patient eligibility for the 340B program would have inappropriately narrowed the number of drugs that qualify for 340B pricing. 5. On Wednesday, AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels said, "We are pleased that the administration chose not to finalize the Health Resources and Services Administration's guidance, which, if enacted, would have jeopardized hospitals' ability to service vulnerable populations, including low-income and uninsured individuals and patients receiving cancer treatments." 6. For HRSA's guidance to move forward, it would have to be resubmitted to the Office of Management and Budget. More articles on healthcare finance: Louisiana Heart Hospital to close after filing for bankruptcy Ochsner to take over St. Bernard Parish Hospital as billing issues cause debt to mount Tenet, HCA among dozens of providers challenging Medicaid outpatient rates in Florida Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Garland (Texas) President Tom Trenary has retired. Here are four notes: 1. Prior to joining Baylor Scott & White Health, Mr. Trenary served as vice president of operations for Medcath in Charlotte, N.C. 2. In all, his healthcare career spans more than 40 years. 3. He has held senior management positions at a number of organizations, including Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and Community Hospitals of Central California in Fresno. 4. A 113-bed hospital, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Garland includes 530 physicians and 857 employees. President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration has prompted a variety of responses from the healthcare industry, with many asserting the restrictions impede medical research, prevent patients from getting necessary care and strain the already growing physician shortage. Rod Hochman, MD, president and CEO of Renton, Wash.-based Providence St. Joseph Health, clarified in a blog post that Providence stands with immigrants and refugees and hopes the "ban on refugees is lifted without delay." President Trump's executive order, which he signed Jan. 27, temporarily bans travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. In practice, this has prohibited even legal U.S. residents from re-entry into the country, including many scientists and physicians. The rule also suspends the entire U.S. refugee admissions system for 120 days and the Syrian refugee program indefinitely, according to The Guardian. Here are four thoughts from Dr. Hochman on President Trump's executive order. 1. Dr. Hochman says the order is more than just another piece of news; he said "it hits close to home on a personal level." More than 300 caregivers at Providence are nationals or dual nationals of the countries included in the rule. "They play a vital role in the health of those we serve, bringing highly needed, highly technical skills to our communities," he said. "Their work literally saves lives, and we express our profound gratitude for the contributions they make to our communities every day." 2. One of Providence's values as an organization is to train the international physicians who go to the institution to learn the latest medical techniques, which allows them to provide better healthcare services in their home countries. "It's part of our commitment to improving health around the globe, especially in developing nations," he wrote. 3. The executive order is concerning to Dr. Hochman and the organization as a matter of social justice. "As a Catholic nonprofit health system, Providence St. Joseph Health embraces the teachings that call us to protect the vulnerable and respect the human dignity of all, including those fleeing war-torn nations," he wrote. 4. At the end of the blog post, Dr. Hochman reaffirmed the organization's support of refugees. He wrote, "Providence St. Joseph Health stands with all who seek to escape violence and oppression, both at home and abroad. Our hope is that the confusion around this executive order is clarified as soon as possible and that the ban on refugees is lifted without delay." President Donald Trump will retain the current physician to the president, STAT reports. White House press secretary Sean Spicer told STAT President Trump plans to keep Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, MD, for now. Dr. Jackson served as physician to the president under President Barack Obama beginning in 2013, and served as a White House physician under President George W. Bush. He is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and served in the U.S. Navy in Iraq, overseeing resuscitative medicine for a forward-deployed Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon. Most physicians to the president are military, which makes Dr. Jackson an appropriate choice, President Trump's previous physician Harold Bornstein, MD, told STAT. Meanwhile, Dr. Bornstein is making headlines over at The New York Times, for divulging the secret behind President Trump's hair the prostate drug finasteride, which promotes hair growth . Dr. Bornstein also told The New York Times the president takes antibiotics for rosacea and a statin to maintain cholesterol and lipid levels. Dr. Bornstein first gained national media attention after writing a letter about President Trump's health from the backseat of a limousine. President Trump would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency," Dr. Bornstein wrote. More articles on integration and physician issues: Full physician-hospital integration rose more than 10% between 2008 and 2013, study finds Hundreds of Cleveland Clinic, Harvard physicians protest events at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort Medical students organize 'White Coats for Coverage' protest to save ACA President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch, PhD, a judge in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Colorado, to fill the seat of late Justice Antonin Scalia. Here are four things to know about President Trump's pick and his views on healthcare. 1. Judge Gorsuch, if confirmed, is expected to restore a slightly conservative lean to the Supreme Court. The court currently has four liberal-leaning justices, three conservative-leaning judges and Justice Anthony Kennedy who often votes right, but leans left every so often. Judge Gorsuch is expected to have a more similar voting record to the conservative Justice Scalia, according to The Washington Post. Jeffrey Rosen of the National Constitution Center told Politico Judge Gorsuch is similar to Justice Scalia in that he may side with liberal justices "when he thinks the history or text of the Constitution or the law require it." 2. Judge Gorsuch is known for his commitment to protecting the duty of the courts to interpret the law, rather deferring to the executive branch. In an op-ed for The New York Times, Neal Katyal, an acting solicitor general during the Obama administration, wrote about the nominee, "His years on the bench reveal a commitment to judicial independence a record that should give the American people confidence that he will not compromise principle to favor the president who appointed him." 3. He voted against the ACA's contraceptive mandate in the Hobby Lobby case. Before the case went to the Supreme Court, Judge Gorsuch voted on it in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. He voted with the majority that the ACA's requirement for organizations to provide health insurance that includes contraceptives infringes on religious freedom. This decision was later upheld in the Supreme Court. 4. He opposes physician-assisted suicide. Judge Gorsuch so opposes physician-assisted suicide he even wrote a book about it, The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, published in 2009. The book details the arguments for and against assisted suicide, before delving into an argument against intentional killing, no matter the circumstance. He does note in the book, however, that patients have the right to refuse medical treatment and life-sustaining care. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Diabetes patients sue 3 drug companies over alleged fraudulent insulin pricing 4 academic institutions change health insurance policies for pregnant women following complaints NY cardiologist gets 5 years for attempt to kill competitor Nashville, Tenn.-based Hospital Corporation of America has entered into a $188 million settlement with the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City to resolve breach of contract allegations. HCA acquired Health Midwest, a 12-hospital system based in Kansas City, Mo., in 2003. As part of the deal, HCA agreed to spend at least $450 million in capital improvements over the first five years it owned the hospitals. The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City, which was formed with proceeds from the HCA-Health Midwest transaction, sued HCA in 2009, claiming HCA had reneged on its commitments regarding the capital improvements. In December 2015, HCA was ordered to pay nearly $434 million to the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City for allegedly failing to fulfill pledges it made when it bought Health Midwest's hospitals. HCA appealed the judge's order in January 2016. In its appeal, HCA argued it fulfilled its agreement to make $450 million in capital improvements by building new hospitals in Independence, Mo., and Lee's Summit, Mo. In January, a three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals reversed part of the lower court's ruling, reducing the judgment against HCA from $434 million to $188 million. The court disagreed with the healthcare foundation's argument that the capital expenditure agreement applied only to improvements on existing Health Midwest facilities. After the appellate court reduced the judgment, the parties ended the litigation by settling the case for $188 million. The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City said it will receive about $160 million from the settlement after legal fees are paid. "We are pleased to have reached this mutual agreement that will allow us to close these proceedings and continue our work to eliminate barriers and promote quality health for the uninsured and underserved," said Wayne Powell, chairman of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City board of directors. On an earnings call Tuesday, HCA Chairman and CEO R. Milton Johnson said, "This settlement of $188 million brings a final resolution to this dispute and allows us to continue our focus on caring for the Kansas City community." He said that in the 14 years since HCA acquired Health Midwest, HCA has spent more than $1 billion to expand and upgrade facilities and add new services in the market. More articles on healthcare industry lawsuits: 13 latest lawsuits involving hospitals Feds accuse Texas health system of engaging in $20M kickback scheme Ex-UPMC Health Plan executive pleads guilty in $846k embezzlement case As Kettering (Ohio) Medical Center deals with a growing scabies outbreak, at least 10 cases of scabies were confirmed at Sycamore Medical Center in Miamisburg, Ohio, which is also part of Dayton, Ohio-based Kettering Health Network, according to local news reports. A spokesman for Public Health Dayton Montgomery County confirmed the Sycamore Medical Center cases. "Right now, the hospitals are taking the appropriate steps to treat those who are infected and contain the scabies," Dan Suffoletto told Dayton Daily News. A Kettering Health spokeswoman tells Becker's a patient at Sycamore Medical Center has a crusted scabies infection, and now 10 employees are being treated for signs and symptoms of scabies. Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox! The outbreak at Kettering Medical Center also started after a patient with a crusted scabies infection was treated there. Scabies is caused by the human itch mite, which spread easily in crowded conditions. As of Wednesday, the number of scabies infections at Kettering Medical Center grew from 86 to at least 106 employees, according to Dayton Daily News. Someone can get scabies and have no symptoms for the first two to six weeks they are infested, but they can still spread scabies during that time, according to the CDC, so the case counts at these two hospitals are likely to grow. According to a local ABC affiliate, people who may have been exposed to scabies at Sycamore Medical Center are being offered preventative treatment, and affected Kettering Medical Center employees cannot return to work until they are medically cleared. Additionally, Kettering Medical Center is undergoing a deep clean. Note: This article was updated after Kettering Health returned Becker's comment request. President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration sent shockwaves, triggering protests in airports across the nation. Affecting a broad range of people in a variety of ways, the order may negatively impact the medical sphere, as well, Scientific American reporter Seema Yasmin, MD, wrote. The order, signed Jan. 27, 2017, bars Syrian refugees from entering the United States; bans refugees from entering the United States for 120 days; and stops citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. Here are four thoughts: 1. A 2016 Association of American Medical Colleges report revealed the United States will likely see a 94,700-physician deficit by 2025. 2. Potentially worsening the shortage, the ban may inspire foreign physicians to take jobs in other countries, according to the Scientific American report. 3. Of physicians currently working in the United States, upwards of 8,400 are from Syria and Iran, according the American Medical Association. 4. Medical schools may soon faces obstacles, as the matching process commences in late February. Jessica Bienstock, Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's associate dean for graduate medical education, told Scientific American, that teaching hospitals must soon choose physicians for their July staff: "But now we're in a position where we could match someone who is from Syria or Iran and they won't be able to get into the country." To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below An Argos concession similar to the one that will open at Forestside shopping centre in east Belfast during April Several Argos stores in Northern Ireland are to close to be replaced with concessions inside Sainsbury's supermarkets, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. There are currently more than 700 people employed across 26 shops here and the company said that it was holding a consultation on which will be closed. Argos is planning new 'digital' stores which will open as concessions employing 15 to 20 people inside Sainsbury's outlets, after the supermarket giant acquired the business last year. The new generation of 'digital' stores will include an eBay collection area. Customers can use tablets to browse and order from the shop's range. The first of the new stores is set to open in Forestside shopping centre in April and will bring 15 new jobs. Another two are planned for Carrickfergus and Ballymena. However, the company hinted there are likely to be more, saying it was also looking at other locations. The move comes after Sainsbury's acquired Home Retail Group - which owns Argos and Habitat - in September as part of a 1.4bn deal. Some of the stores will be concessions inside Sainsbury's while others - like Forestside - will be standalone. Each new store is expected to create between 15 and 20 jobs. Argos regional manager Stephen Kelly said: "The new shop is great news for customers, who are looking for easier, more convenient ways to shop. We're looking forward to offering them an increased range of products at great value." The changes come as Sainsbury's at Forestside is revamped, with space added for clothing and the off-licence moving inside the main supermarket. Commercial property agent Eamonn Murphy said it was part of a wider trend. "People want things to be increasingly more convenient - they want to spend less time walking around shopping centres and more time on leisure activities so becoming a hub with more than one business in the one place makes sense," Mr Murphy added. The GMB union said ministers should take urgent action to secure the development at Moorside in Cumbria The Government is being urged to step in and guarantee funding for a new nuclear power station after Japanese giant Toshiba said it was reviewing its investment in overseas nuclear projects. The GMB union said ministers should take urgent action to secure the development at Moorside in Cumbria. The future of the planned 10 billion power plant has been thrown into doubt after Toshiba said it was reviewing its overseas nuclear business. Toshiba owns Westinghouse, the American-based nuclear developer whose AP1000 nuclear reactors are set to be used at Moorside. GMB national officer Justin Bowden said: " It looks increasingly like bad business investments may have busted Toshiba's role in a new nuclear facility at Moorside in Cumbria. "The time is now right for the UK Government to step up to the plate and fill any funding gaps to ensure this vital piece of infrastructure remains on track. "Britain desperately needs the security of supply that nuclear brings if we are to keep the lights on and the economy running over the coming years. "Relying on foreign money to build our infrastructure is always fraught with risks. "The sensible thing is for the Government to step in and guarantee the funding, this will keep Moorside on track and push down the price we will all have to pay for the electricity it will produce." Actor Kris Marshall has explained why he is swapping the Caribbean for the UK Death In Paradise star Kris Marshall has quit the Caribbean-based detective show, saying he missed his family. The 43-year-old will be replaced by Father Ted actor Ardal O'Hanlon in the BBC1 series, which is filmed on the island of Guadeloupe. Marshall told Good Morning Britain: "It's sad. I have done four years. It's been an absolutely amazing show. I have loved it. But it's time to move on and give someone else the chance to enjoy some sun." He joked of leaving the Caribbean: "I'm still wondering whether I've made the right decision. "I have been filming in London since and there's a moment when you stand in the freezing coat, in a large puffer jacket, going 'Why am I not in flip flops? Why am I still not in the Caribbean? What have I done?'" Marshall's decision has sparked speculation on social media that he could be in line to take on the role of the next Time Lord, after Peter Capaldi quit Doctor Who. But the actor said he decided to leave Death In Paradise because he missed his family, whom he took with him to the Caribbean for the first three years of the show. "We had a daughter this time last year and so bringing her and my son - he's about to start school - it all became a bit of a juggling mission," he said. "So that was really the reason behind it. So this last series I did do on my own, which was quite tough." Marshall said using Skype to communicate with his family back home "leaves me bereft", adding: "I have to go and drown my sorrows in the bath." Marshall, who starred in the BT adverts for more than seven years, played a new detective in the lead role when he took over from Ben Miller. Miller starred in the popular crime drama for two years, once revealing that he collapsed from heat stroke while filming the show. Marshall said of new incumbent O'Hanlon : "We meet him for the first time tonight (Thursday). He arrives on scene as our colleague in London. He's fantastic. I'm sure he will really run with it." O'Hanlon played Father Dougal McGuire in the sitcom Father Ted. Asked whether the Irish actor knew he was auditioning for the lead role while filming Thursday night's scenes, the former My Family actor said: "It was planned. It wasn't something thrust upon him, 'I hope you enjoy the Caribbean, you're staying'." O'Hanlon will play DI Jack Mooney and will make his debut on Thursday as the team visits London for the first time. He will replace Marshall's character, DI Humphrey Goodman, when the series - which has attracted more than nine million viewers - returns to the Caribbean. O'Hanlon said: "I am delighted to be joining Death In Paradise and exploring what's made Mooney up and leave London for a life in the Caribbean. "I've already had a taste of filming in Guadeloupe and can't wait to get back." The nature of Humphrey's departure is being kept under wraps until Marshall's final episode airs later this month, and the actor said of his "socially awkward and clumsy but also brilliant" character: "I just hope Humphrey gets a happy ending." Executive producer Tim Key said O'Hanlon was "comedy royalty" and that his character would bring "a brand-new dimension to the show when he arrives on the island". In the novel 'Moon over Soho' by Ben Aaronovitch, the author writes: "My Dad says that being a Londoner has nothing do to with where you are born. He says that there are people who get off a jumbo jet, at Heathrow, go through immigration waving any type of passport, hop on a tube and by the time the train has pulled into Piccadilly Circus they have become Londoners." I feel like that. I have worked, lived, partied and slept there including on the street once outside Westminster. It's the only place outside of Ireland I feel really at home. It's a city that swallows up individuals whole but it never spits them out - they simply become Londoners. But whether visitor or migrant there is never a bad time to go to London and if you have time to spare you may find that the place where the 'new' Irish are making the biggest impact isn't Kilburn anymore but Shoreditch. That's where the Belfast Keery twins opened their controversial Cereal Killer breakfast bar and where Newry man Brendan Murdock started his chain of fancy barbers - Murdock London. So, it's unsurprising that I found myself wandering Shoreditch in search for a place to eat that's also owned by another Northern Ireland ex-pat. If you have ever been to the USA, you have probably encountered a Denny's restaurant famous for its Grand Slam American breakfasts. Denny's is an instantly recognisable brand for their stack them high and sell food fast approach. Bizarre that the King of Cool - none other than Steve McQueen - was reported as being a fan of comfort food. So, there you have it, this icon of the silver screen was a dedicated follower of American kitsch, which is strange because the bar and restaurant that bears his name in Shoreditch is a world away from the ubiquitous Denny's. McQueen is located literally on the dividing line between trendy Shoreditch and up and coming Hackney. The bar and nightclub bearing the legendary name of McQueen is liberally peppered with iconic images from his movies such as 'The Great Escape' 'Bullitt', 'The Thomas Crown Affair' and 'Tom Horn'. There are no stomach-churning images from Papillion, which is just as well as most people come to drink, dine or dance. McQueen is a luxurious if even decadent venue with its deep sofas and its Swarovski chandeliers. McQueen is the brainchild of Northern Ireland born entrepreneur - Dezzi McCausland. Dungannon man McCausland went to London 20 years ago, and has earned his reputation for high-end venues in food and drink industry. He once owned the former Pinstripe Club - infamous for being at the centre of the 1960s Profumo scandal involving a prominent government minister and call girl Christine Keeler. Under McCausland's stewardship it was known as the Kingly Club and regularly hosted the royalty of stage, music and the fashion world. McQueen is the third venture by McCausland and is at the heart of the nightlife of Shoreditch. Since opening in 2010, McQueen has won a succession of prestigious bar and venue awards. Recently with the guidance of two former Hawksmoor chefs - Richard Sandiford who created a new menu and Richard James, the new head chef, McCausland rebranded his restaurant as 'The Grill at McQueen'. To companion me for a meal at the Grill, I invited a member of the House of Lords, a man of impeccable taste, a memory for the Profumo affair, a fan of Steve McQueen and a lover of good wine and fine food - especially steak. The noble Baron was slightly late for lunch as he took the wrong turn out of Old Street station. Arriving a bit flustered and thirsty he ordered a lager, which was promptly delivered, and after receiving some helpful advice on his Samsung phone settings from both the sous chef and restaurant PR - he finally looked at the menu. To keep matters flowing and festive, I ordered a bottle of Shiraz Mourvedre 2014 from an appropriately named Journey's End Huntsman. The Leaping Lord approved of this robust South African. Unsurprisingly, the Grill is what it says above the door. If you don't like meat this is the time to make your great escape. Thankfully my guest and I do. We decided to forgo the offer of 'The Dusty Knuckle' sourdough bread - though it looked rather tasty. The noble lord opted for the classic steak tartar on sourdough toast. Watching his lordship devour his starter with no mercy, I genuinely believe he could eat an entire heifer raw. He declared it magnificent. I was torn between the crispy lamb sweet breads with sauce gribiche or the ox cheek and kidney pithivier with celeriac and horse radish puree. With a little persuasion from the restaurant manager I opted for the latter. It was everything I expected and more - an offal pie dish worthy of a king both flavoursome and indulgently rich. My dining partner with his predilection for meat with only the horns and hooves removed, had no problem choosing a main from the five steak options on the menu - a rare fillet steak from the Grill with no garnish or sauce - though the triple cooked chips proved too much a temptation to pass. I ordered from the four further choices on the menu that were not steak and opted rather unusually for a caramelised chicory and Roquefort gratin. Neither of us was disappointed and both dishes proved the better of us in terms of finishing. The Roquefort did prove a little overpowering for me but it was nonetheless a delicious dish enjoyed by a diner who never chooses a vegetarian option. The Baron left very little. The meal was finished off with an Americano for his Lordship and a compulsory Amaretto for myself. I could not fault the service at the Grill and the atmosphere and decor has the feel of an up-market Pall Mall gentlemen's club but without the formalities. The place was busy and it was a Thursday, which is also burlesque night at McQueen. I was tempted to stay on - but my ennobled colleague remembered all too well the Profumo affair - so we both left. The election of Donald Trump as US President 'needed to be taken into the Irish government's thinking' The Irish Government is too focused on Northern Ireland in relation to Brexit, to the detriment of other aspects such as trade and Ireland's industrial policy, the head of the Irish Exporters Association has claimed. Simon McKeever told a manufacturing conference outside Dublin that the Irish Government's thinking is too narrow. Mr McKeever said it and enterprise agencies needed to be conscious of the fact that in the coming years there could be a north Atlantic trading bloc encompassing the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, while the EU moves towards a more federalist agenda. More attention needed to be paid to Ireland's industrial strategy for the coming years, he said. "I think that we as a country are looking at Brexit in too narrow a confine," Mr McKeever told the National Manufacturing and Supply Chain conference. "I think we're looking at it as the Ireland/UK relationship, and it's a very important issue, Northern Ireland and the common travel arrangement, but our Government seems to be completely focused on Northern Ireland to the detriment of all the other aspects of this." Mr McKeever suggested greater focus needed to be placed on the direction of Ireland's relationship with the EU. He said the Government needed to think about the State's industrial policy for the coming years in the wake of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as President. "I think our thinking is very narrow. I think we need to think a lot bigger. I think we need to be thinking five, 10, 15 years down the road. The whole Trump factor needs to be taken into this at the moment," Mr McKeever said. "I get a sense that other than Northern Ireland, there's nothing going on." Barry Heavey, head of life sciences, engineering and industrial tech at the IDA, said the inward investment agency was "actively promoting" Ireland as an "English-speaking safe haven within Europe" following Brexit. He said there were four manufacturing-related sectors in Ireland - pharmaceuticals, medical devices, microelectronics and food sectors. With the exception of agri-food, he said the sectors are not making major contingency plans as they will "find a way to work around" Brexit. He said he did not expect a major flight of investment from Ireland from IDA-backed companies as a result of Brexit, and that from a manufacturing point of view, the IDA sees Ireland as an opportunity to win investment. "The new Trump administration and the uncertainties around that, and the potential of trade wars, would probably be much more impactful to IDA's business in the near to medium-term," he added. Vehicle with two flat tyres following the use of a stinger. Newraypics.com A man has been charged after two police officers were injured during a lengthy pursuit of a car from Belfast to Newry. A silver Renault Scenic car towing a blue trailer failed to stop for the Auto Crime Team on the Falls Road in Belfast shortly after 4pm on Wednesday. The Scenic then allegedly reversed into a police car causing damage and injury to two police officers. Police said the car was then driven out of Belfast towards Nutts Corner then across country, heading south via Moira and Banbridge, followed by pursuit trained drivers and the police helicopter, before being stopped near Newry. A 35-year-old man has been charged with a number of offences including criminal damage, dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified. He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Friday. Disgruntled customers of Brussels Airlines say they only found out the company was cancelling their flights and pulling out of Belfast after reading about it on Twitter. The route launched in March last year, just days after a terror attack on the Belgian capital's airport. The service operates from George Best Belfast City Airport five times a week, but will stop next month. It was the first time a Belgian airline had based itself on the island of Ireland in 15 years. James Draper, a social worker from Belfast, was booked to fly with five friends for his stag party in Brussels in June. But he said he only discovered the flights would not be going ahead after reading about it on the internet. "There are six people coming from Belfast to Brussels. We booked in November and are flying in June," he said. "It's a weekend, and we were due to fly out on the Friday and come back on the Sunday. Other people have booked the Eurostar coming from London based on our times. People are also coming from Dublin. "I first heard through a tweet. No one has contacted me. There has been no email. "If you log on to the booking page, all it says is 'your flight has been suspended, please contact us'." He said its customer service had been "awful". The group will now have to travel out of Dublin. "It's an extra hassle. We haven't heard from them and haven't been contacted, I think it's awful and a disgraceful way to be treated," he added. Brussels Airlines said: "There are no other airlines serving the route, so it is unfortunately not a simple rebooking process. We are in the middle of negotiating with other airlines to take over our passengers via other airports. "In order to give our customers relevant communication and a proper solution, we were holding off our communication until we had that information. Of course we also offer a refund to our guests who do not wish to fly anymore. We will inform everyone about their options." Belfast City Airport said: "The Brussels Airlines service from Belfast City Airport will continue five times weekly until the suspension of the service at the end of March. "We apologise for the inconvenience to those passengers booked to travel after March 31, and in order to minimise this the airport is working closely with Brussels Airlines, and indeed our other partner airlines, to facilitate alternative travel options for these passengers." It's been reported Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness made the invitation before the collapse of the Stormont institutions. Hands-on: Donald Trump shaking hands with Theresa May, although he is said to be a germophobe Protests have been held around the world over Donald Trump's travel ban. Donald Trump has been invited to Northern Ireland according to reports. US President Donald Trump has been invited to Northern Ireland. The former first ministers Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness invited Donald Trump to Northern Ireland, assuring him of a warm welcome. Fermanagh-based newspaper, the Impartial Reporter reports that the ministers sent a congratulatory letter to the newly elected US president, laying out the welcome mat for a potential visit. The Executive Office has confirmed an invitation was sent to the American leader. It was sent the day after the tycoon's victory in the election. The paper's report, by Rodney Edwards, says the letter was sent on November 9, 2016, the day after the presidential election. We are writing to offer our personal congratulations and those of all the people we represent on your election as the 45th President of the United States of America," the letter to the President-elect says. "We are a small region but we are fortunate to have strong historical, economic and political ties to the United States. Some of those links predate the War of Independence and we can boast that no fewer than seventeen of your predecessors had Scots-Irish heritage." The letter went on to say how proud the leaders were to have the US as the largest inward investor to Northern Ireland, adding: "We wish you every success in your new role and we extend an invitation to visit Northern Ireland. You can be assured of a warm welcome. Signed by both Mrs Foster and Martin McGuinness, they end: "Best wishes". Expand Close The letter sent to Mr Trump following his election victory. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The letter sent to Mr Trump following his election victory. A planned State Visit to the UK has sparked controversy. More than one million people have signed a petition calling for the invitation from the Queen to be withdrawn. However, a counter petition backing the visit has been signed by more than 100,000 people. Shop workers have spoken of their concerns about being targeted in violent robberies after fresh figures showed a rise in physical force being used against retail staff. A UK-wide crime survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed violence and abuse against staff rose by 40% in the last year. One former worker at a Belfast retailer said he was traumatised after being tied up during a robbery. "Assailants came in during the evening, hid in the store and jumped out after closing time," he explained. "They tied me up, hooded me, robbed the tills and safe and told me not to phone the police. It took me a long time afterwards to recover, and cost the retailer a fair bit of sick time." Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said that "violent or abusive behaviour towards shop staff is wholly and utterly unacceptable". "Worryingly, this new data suggests it is a growing problem despite retailers investing considerable time and resources in protecting and training their colleagues," he added. "The connection between violence and abuse towards retail colleagues and the level of shoplifting should not be underestimated. A large proportion of aggressive incidents are thought to be linked to the act of shoplifting, and abuse is particularly likely to occur when a confrontation takes place around an attempted theft. "This is a serious issue which puts retail workers at risk." Another worker told the Belfast Telegraph about being held up at gunpoint in a south Belfast sandwich shop several Christmases ago. "We were warned to be on guard, especially at that time of year as shoplifting and things like that are more likely. The man was armed with a gun, or a replica gun. The staff were on a smoke break and the customers ran off. It was very scary for a few minutes," they said. Mr Connolly said he hoped the next Assembly "will continue to treat the issue with the appropriate importance by ensuring the right resources are in place and the right guidance to ensure perpetrators are dealt with firmly". The survey also showed that more than 50% of retail fraud now involved digital technology. That includes the theft of consumer information and phishing. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: "These figures reflect a deeply concerning trend. Attacks on retail workers are intolerable, as are attempts to defraud customers." Sir Gerald Howarth said there should be a time limit for bringing prosecutions A Tory former defence minister has said historic investigations into British soldiers in Northern Ireland are "absolutely immoral", as he backed a time limit for bringing prosecutions. Sir Gerald Howarth said it was unacceptable that veterans who fought in the "filthy war" in Northern Ireland faced being dragged from their beds in dawn raids for questioning. Sir Gerald and fellow Tory MP James Gray also condemned Phil Shiner, the controversial human rights lawyer who brought thousands of complaints against British soldiers for their actions in Iraq. Mr Shiner was struck off on Thursday after being found to have acted dishonestly in bringing murder and torture claims against veterans. Speaking in a backbench debate about the armed forces covenant, Sir Gerald said he was "very pleased" to hear Mr Shiner had been struck off. Sir Gerald added: "Frankly I don't think that's enough, but then I always was a supporter of capital punishment." DUP defence spokesman Sir Jeffrey Donaldson had earlier urged ministers to consider "a statute of limitation" for British veterans in Northern Ireland. Sir Gerald said: "I think it is absolutely immoral that those men who fought in that filthy war, wearing the Queen's uniform, facing an enemy wearing civilian clothes, lurking in the shadows amongst a civilian population, having done their best for their country are now being dragged from their beds at six o'clock in the morning in dawn raids and being dragged off to Northern Ireland. "I think it's unacceptable and I'm afraid to say to my friend on the front bench this is not a matter simply for the police services of Northern Ireland, or for the prosecuting authorities. "It is, as I've told the Prime Minister, a matter for ministers. "This is a matter of public policy and it must be addressed, and I strongly endorse the case made by him for a statutory limitation." Sir Jeffrey said that men and women who served in Northern Ireland "are now waiting for the knock on the door". He added there was too much focus on investigating the actions of the armed forces and police in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, instead of on the actions of terrorists. Sir Jeffrey said: "I close by encouraging the minister and his colleagues, and their colleagues in other departments that are involved in this issue, to give serious consideration to the introduction of a statute of limitations, that would protect the men and women who have served our country, and who deserve that protection. "I recognise that no one is above the law, but when cases have been investigated in some cases not just once, but twice previously, and when the men and women who served our country have been exonerated, only to find years later that those cases are being reopened, then I think there is something wrong." Sir Jeffrey warned such investigations were having a big impact on recruitment to the armed forces. He added: "Young men and women are looking at what's happening and asking themselves, why would I join the armed forces, if I face the prospect in the future that I might be prosecuted? "I really do think the Government needs to act on this. They need to protect the men and women who protected us in our darkest hour." Mr Gray, former shadow Scottish secretary, said the Iraq Historical Allegations Team (Ihat) was "absolutely outrageously criticising 4,500 of our soldiers". Most of the cases being investigated by Ihat were brought by Mr Shiner's now-defunct Public Interest Lawyers. Mr Gray said: "It looks as if there's going to be as few as 60, probably fewer than that, prosecuted. This is an absolute disgrace." Sir Gerald added: "I felt at the time that man Phil Shiner was a disgrace. "He was a dreadful man engaged in a cowardly and unacceptable activity of trying to find people who would stand up and accuse his fellow countrymen, who have gone to relieve the people of Iraq from their suffering, and he went to try and do down those people. "I'm very pleased to hear today he's been struck off." Tory Army veteran Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke) attacked what he described as the "politically motivated witch hunt" in Northern Ireland. He said: "We need in this place to bring in legislation quickly which provides a statute of limitations on all sides. "This would help draw a line under the terrible events of the Troubles and bring the communities together and there would be no further retrospective prosecutions of our service people." On the issue of protecting veterans, Mr Lopresti said the Government is "letting them down so badly". Fellow Army veteran and Conservative Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) echoed a similar sentiment as he welcomed the decision relating to Mr Shiner. He said: "I'm afraid our government is not doing enough. "We need to do more to protect those who have done the most for us because what the covenant should be about is to ensure that those who have served, who have risked all, who have given all, can come back safe in the knowledge that they are safe and that they are not going to be pursued by charlatans and liars like Philip Shiner who has been struck off today by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority for his deceit, dishonesty and absolute treason to this country in the way he has pursued fine, fine people." Julian Lewis, the chairman of the Defence Select Committee, backed calls for the introduction of a statute of limitations as he also criticised Mr Shiner. He said: "If people like that had been around in the aftermath of the Second World War and if our troops in the Second World War had known that they would have to face the duplicity and the manoeuvrings and the outrages perpetrated on subsequent generations of soldiers by people like that then I do not think they could possibly have fought with the valour that they did in defeat of Nazism and fascism. "The country will be failed by its government if we do not find a method of preventing what is a much more lethal version of that practice that used to be known in terms of industrial relations as the work-to-rule being applied to every time a soldier has to pull a trigger in a deadly conflict." Defence minister Mark Lancaster said: "Whilst this Government firmly believes in upholding the rule of law, we are concerned that investigations into Northern Ireland's past focus almost entirely on former police officers and soldiers. "This is wrong and does not reflect the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who served did so with great bravery and distinction. "This is why the Defence and Northern Ireland Secretaries are working together to ensure that veterans are not unfairly treated, or disproportionately investigated compared to others." A nurse who "destroyed" her career by stealing medication to feed a hidden addiction has avoided jail. Deputy District Judge Liam McStay told 28-year-old Stacey Bryars her thefts were "very grave" and represented a serious breach of trust. But he said that because of her guilty plea and remorse, he was imposing 100 hours of community service and a 100 fine. At an earlier hearing at Craigavon Magistrates' Court, Bryars, from Sheetrim Road, Drumhillery, pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft. They related to her stealing Zopiclone, a powerful sedative, and co-codamol, a painkiller, on various dates between September 22 and October 21 last year. Yesterday, a prosecuting lawyer told the court that staff on a ward at Craigavon Area Hospital noticed last September that missing medication was being taken on weekdays only. On October 14, two covert cameras were installed on the ward, with the subsequent footage showing Bryars unlocking a cabinet, taking medication and putting it in her pocket. Police were contacted to investigate and when officers arrested the defendant at her home address she admitted becoming addicted to Zopiclone and codeine after being legitimately prescribed the medications. Defence barrister Aaron Thompson accepted it was a "breach of trust case" and admitted that Bryars, who was a trainee nurse, took the medication to feed her addictions. He also told how his client developed depression and insomnia, and that after a miscarriage in March last year her codeine prescription was gradually increased. It was at that point that she became addicted to the powerful drugs. She started stealing the medication while suffering withdrawal symptoms after her prescription was halted, he added. Having already faced a disciplinary hearing with the health trust she worked for, Mr Thompson submitted that his client's professional life "had been destroyed" and that she would now not be awarded a nursing qualification. Pre-sentence reports indicated there was no likelihood of Bryars re-offending because other medications were in place, she was co-operating with the community addiction team and her family knew of her problems, so they could provide support. While the defendant was warned at a previous hearing that her offences were grave, her barrister asked the court to avoid an immediate custodial sentence. Describing Bryars' offences as a "wake-up call," Judge McStay accepted the defendant felt ashamed over her actions. Imposing the fine and community service order, he also warned Bryars that if she did not abide by the directions of the community service team, she would be brought back to court and jailed. Disturbing evidence that a murder probe was shelved in Ireland's national interest is crying out for an investigation, a court has been told. A barrister has told Dublin's High Court that Seamus Ludlow, 47, shot dead in disputed circumstances in May 1976 as he was returning from a pub to his home in Mountpleasant, Dundalk, Co Louth, was killed amid a "dirty war". Ronan Lavery QC questioned if justice was set aside because a policy was adopted at the highest levels in the Republic not to pursue the single forestry worker's suspected killers in Northern Ireland. "The most disturbing aspect of this case is the evidence of a policy being in place, for whatever reason, that suspects would not be interviewed north of the border and the investigation would not be pursued because of some kind of perceived national interest at that time," he said. "This was a dirty war, judge. "The sectarian hatred moved south on that day in 1976. Mr Ludlow was the victim, but was it that the national interest so outweighed the right of the family to have a proper investigation into his murder? "Was there a policy in place, and as a result of the policy, did that mean the family's right, [Mr Ludlow's] rights were expendable and justice could be dispensed with?" The barrister added: "These are weighty matters and they are crying out for an investigation." Mr Ludlow's nephew Thomas Fox has brought the family's four-decade fight against an alleged cover up to the High Court, seeking a declaration that the Irish government's failure to launch a State inquiry is unlawful. A parliamentary committee in Dublin recommended more than 10 years ago that two commissions of investigation be held into the murder and its investigation. The Royal Ulster Constabulary told the Garda in 1979 that it believed four named loyalists were involved in Mr Ludlow's killing, but the information was not pursued at the time. Two suspects were serving members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, a unit of the British Army, which has fuelled suspicions of British state collusion. The family say gardai also wrongly blamed the murder on the IRA and put it about that some family members had prior knowledge it was planned, sparking a decades-long rift among them. Mr Lavery said the Justice Minister's decision not to hold an inquiry "second guesses" the parliamentary committee which investigated the case over a period of time and made "very strong recommendations". But Conor Power SC, barrister for the Justice Minister, said a new inquiry would not establish anything more than was already revealed in a 2005 report by Judge Henry Barron into the killing as well as a 2007 investigation into Garda file handling in the Dublin/Monaghan bombings case. "The premise that commissions of investigation would further the investigation of the crime, that is not necessarily the case - in fact, it not the case," he told Justice Mary Faherty. "What further would come out?" Mr Power said investigations in the Republic had been "exhausted in the circumstances". "The suspects reside outside the jurisdiction," he said. "Neither they nor the authorities of another sovereign state would be compellable before a commission of inquiry. "The way things stand at the moment there would be no prosecution - both Directors of Public Prosecution, north and south, are resigned to that at this stage." The barrister said the murder of Mr Ludlow was a callous sectarian murder. "The (Justice) Minister and the Garda have previously apologised for the manner of the investigation that transpired, and they do so again in these proceedings," he said. "It is also important to note that the Garda investigation into that murder is not closed. "However, there must be some realism about the chance of securing even a prosecution at this stage and the family of Mr Ludlow themselves now accept that there will be no prosecution." Mr Power said the identity of the four suspects has been in the public arena for some time. Significant investigative steps taken by State agencies into the murder and investigation had helped establish this information, he argued. "These steps were undertaken in good faith and were important steps leading to the knowledge we now have of the events of that terrible night," he said. The barrister added: "These are all significant issues and, notwithstanding some of the more grandiose claims of a cover up, there has been a willingness to engage with the issue openly and publicly for many years." Mr Power said the public cost of the inquiry would also be an issue, although he said it would not be the most important issue. The case continues. MPs have voted in favour of the Government bill triggering the formal process of leaving the European Union. Legislation to allow Theresa May to start formal Brexit talks has cleared its first Commons hurdle after MPs gave it a second reading by 498 votes to 114 - a majority of 384. Read more: Read More But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was unable to contain a revolt on his frontbench as two shadow cabinet ministers quit so they could defy his orders and vote against the Bill. Shadow environment secretary and York Central MP Rachael Maskell and shadow equalities minister and Brent Central MP Dawn Butler both defied a three-line whip so they could vote in line with their heavily Remain-backing constituencies. Mr Corbyn will decide later on how to respond to an expected rebellion among junior frontbenchers over Article 50. The Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrat leadership opposed the bill. A total of 47 Labour MPs defied Mr Corbyn's orders and voted against the Bill. Former chancellor Ken Clarke was the only Conservative to vote against the legislation. As MPs prepared to vote for the first time on the Bill the Prime Minister told MPs: "That white paper will be published tomorrow". The Prime Minister told MPs it was her "intention and expectation" the Government would be able to offer assurances about the position of EU nationals resident in the UK although she wanted see similar assurances for British nationals in the EU. "We will be working to try to ensure that this is an issue we can deal with at the very early stage in the negotiations. "It was one of the objectives I set out in the plan. It will be referenced in the white paper," she said. On Tuesday, MPs spoke until midnight after Brexit Secretary David Davis introduced the legislation by stressing the Government's determination to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, starting the formal two-year countdown to leaving the EU. The Government was forced to seek Parliament's approval for its plans by a Supreme Court ruling last week. Watching her pet Beth complete an agility course with Amanda Holden and her daughter Alexa Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall, with Luna the cat during her visit to the Battersea shelter in Berkshire yesterday The Duchess of Cornwall's visit to an animal rescue centre turned into bring your dog to work day when she was joined by her two Jack Russells. Camilla's visit to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home's (BDCH) Berkshire branch saw excitable Beth and Bluebell steal the show from their famous owner on the day she was named as the charity's new royal patron, succeeding the Queen. First Beth gave an accomplished performance on the agility course for dogs, expertly darting between the weave polls, leaping over jumps and flying through a tunnel. Then both pets jumped on presenter Amanda Holden who was joined by her fellow BDCH celebrity supporter, supermodel David Gandy, at the charity's centre in Old Windsor. Centre manager Kaye Mughal said: "Beth did really well considering she'd not seen it before." Both the pets are rescue dogs from the famous animal charity, with Camilla taking on Beth in 2011 from the organisation's famous London headquarters and Bluebell a year later. The Duchess gave a short speech and joked about taking on her first rescue dog, saying: "I hope I will be patron of Battersea as long as I am standing. After my first visit the inevitable happened. I want to thank the walkers, staff and volunteers who do such a wonderful job." Michelle O'Neill, the new Sinn Fein leader at Stormont, said she would not extend a similar invitation to US president Donald Trump Sinn Fein's new leader at Stormont has said an invitation to US president Donald Trump to visit Northern Ireland jointly issued by her predecessor Martin McGuinness is no longer appropriate. Michelle O'Neill said she would not extend a similar invitation in the current circumstances. The invitation penned by then first minister Arlene Foster and deputy first minister Mr McGuinness was sent in the wake of the billionaire's shock election victory in November. The letter's contents emerged on Thursday, hours before a planned protest at the US consulate in Belfast to voice opposition to Mr Trump's controversial executive order that has temporarily barred citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries entering the US. Since the letter was sent, the Stormont Executive has imploded amid a green energy scandal. Democratic Unionist leader Mrs Foster and Sinn Fein veteran Mr McGuinness are no longer in ministerial office and the region is heading to the polls for a snap election in March. Mrs O'Neill said: "The invitation from the Executive Office was issued immediately after Donald Trump was elected and before he took office. "Since taking office, President Trump has pursued policies on immigration and the banning of refugees that runs counter to international standards and decency. I believe these are wrong and should not be imposed at Irish airports. "The actions of President Trump since taking office mean that an invitation to visit would not now be appropriate. "If I was in the Executive Office at this time I wouldn't issue an invitation and I'm confident that Martin McGuinness wouldn't either." The November letter congratulated Mr Trump on his election victory and noted Northern Ireland's "strong historical, economic and political ties" to the US. "We are proud to say that the United States is our largest inward investor and we believe that our relationship has proved mutually beneficial for both your great country and our small but dynamic region," the ministers wrote. They concluded: "We wish you every success in your new role and we extend an invitation to visit Northern Ireland. You can be assured of a warm welcome." Theresa May urged MPs to respect the decision of the voters Proposals to allow Theresa May to start formal Brexit talks have passed their first Commons test following overwhelming support from MPs. The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill was given a second reading by 498 votes to 114 - a majority of 384. The legislation allows the Prime Minister to decide when to trigger Article 50 and therefore begin the two-year process of negotiation on Britain's withdrawal from the EU. A total of 47 Labour MPs defied orders from leader Jeremy Corbyn by voting against the Bill. Mr Corbyn imposed a three-line whip on his MPs, which required them to support it. An SNP-led wrecking amendment which attempted to stop the Bill from progressing was earlier defeated by 336 votes to 100, a majority of 236. There were 33 Labour MPs who supported the SNP proposal, with six voting against, and 44 who opposed a motion outlining the future process for the Bill - which undergoes further scrutiny over three days from next Monday. The votes came after more than 17 hours of debate. Ministers were forced to bring forward the proposed legislation after the Supreme Court ruled that Parliament's approval is needed before the Brexit withdrawal process can begin. The Government wants this to start before the end of March. Former Chancellor George Osborne used the second day of debate to warn that blocking Brexit risks "putting Parliament against people" and provoking a "deep constitutional crisis" in Britain. He added the Government has chosen "not to make the economy the priority in this negotiation, they have prioritised immigration control". Mr Osborne also claimed negotiations will be a "trade off, as all divorces are, between access and money" as the UK seeks to reduce its financial commitments to the bloc, adding they could be "rather bitter" as he committed himself to the battle ahead. His remarks came after Labour former leader Ed Miliband warned Mrs May against feeling an inevitable consequence of leaving the EU is being "driven into the arms" of US president Donald Trump. Mr Miliband said: "I can go along with the Prime Minister that Brexit means Brexit but I cannot go along with the idea that Brexit means Trump. "And nor do I believe that is inevitable and nor do I believe that is what the British people want either. "The danger is this, the Prime Minister feels it is an inevitable consequence of the decision to leave the EU that we are driven into the arms of president Trump." Warnings to Mrs May also emerged from Tory MPs, with former minister Alistair Burt noting: "I don't believe that this Bill provides much opportunity for the addition of detail to Government future negotiation - the Government needs a pretty open hand - though one or two amendments might help the Government in keeping and retaining parliamentary support." Among the Labour MPs who said they would vote against the Bill, Chris Bryant (Rhondda) said: "Today I'm afraid I am voting and speaking on behalf of a minority of my constituents." He warned the Government's Brexit plans would do "untold damage" to his constituents and make the UK "poorer" and "weaker". But he acknowledged voting against the majority view of his constituents could cost him his job. He said: "In the end there is no point in any single one of us being a member of this House if we don't have things that we believe in and that we are prepared to fight for and, if necessary, lay down our job for." One MP appeared to say "suicide" as the result for the vote on the Bill's second reading was announced in the Commons. Scottish MSP John Mason refused to apologise last night after comments he made about the IRA murder of three young soldiers were branded "grossly offensive" and "insensitive". The SNP man hinted in a heated Twitter row that the Scottish victims - aged just 17, 18 and 23 when they were shot dead in 1971 - might be somehow to blame for their tragic fates. But Mr Mason insisted his comments were 'general' and not directly linked to any one case. The row erupted after the Glasgow Shettleston MSP was asked to back a campaign - run by his own constituents - to bring the republican killers of Fusiliers Dougald McCaughey and brothers John and Joseph McCaig to justice. Refusing to "take sides" between British and Irish, Mr Mason added: "You say Irish murderers. Others say Irish freedom fighters. I support Scottish soldiers if they do good but not if they do bad." The three murdered soldiers were lured from a Belfast city centre bar on March 10, 1971 to White Brae in Ligioniel, where they were shot. Their families are now fighting to have the killers, men they claim are known to police and security services, brought to justice. There is nothing to suggest the soldiers did anything untoward. DUP MLA Nelson McCausland condemned Mr Mason's remarks. "This is a grossly offensive remark for which Mr Mason has deliberately not taken the opportunity to apologise for," said Mr McCausland. "The members of our Armed Forces who come from Scotland particularly deserve an explanation." Last night Kris McGurk who runs the Three Scottish Soldiers Campaign for Justice said it was disappointing the MSP had chosen to make hurtful comments on social media rather than help his own constituents bring IRA killers to justice. "I'm in his constituency, as are family members of Dougald McCaughey," said McGurk. "Not once has John Mason picked up the phone to offer his support. Instead he gets involved in childish and offensive arguments on Twitter. Responding to his critics last night, Mr Mason sent a statement to the Belfast Telegraph explaining his tweet, but stopped short of issuing an apology. "All the points I made in the tweet were of a general nature and not specific to any particular case," he said. "The question of who is a freedom fighter and who is a terrorist is a perennial and tricky one. William Wallace was considered by many Scots to be a freedom fighter but by the English to be a traitor or terrorist. There have been many other historical characters who've been viewed very differently by different sides. "Again I am not making any comment on particular soldiers. The general point I am making is that I am opposed to the kind of narrow nationalism which says my side is always right and the other side is always wrong. "It is for the courts and others to decide in a particular case who has done right and who has done wrong." Bruce Davis pictured in October 2012 - the 74-year-old has been recommended for parole (Joe Johnston/The Tribune of San Luis Obispo/AP, File) A former follower of cult leader Charles Manson who is serving a life sentence for two murders has again been recommended for release. California governors have blocked four previous parole recommendations for Bruce Davis, 74. He had his 31st parole hearing at the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo as he serves a life sentence for the 1969 killings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald "Shorty" Shea. Davis was not involved in the more notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate and six others by the Manson "family" the same year. During the half-century since the killings, parole panels have now decided five times that Davis is no longer a public safety risk. Officials cited his age and good behaviour behind bars that includes earning a doctoral degree and ministering to other inmates, but g overnors have the final say on release. Governor Jerry Brown will have about five months to consider the latest recommendation. Mr Brown rejected the previous recommendation last year. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also concluded that Davis remains too dangerous to be free. Davis testified at his 2014 hearing that he attacked Mr Shea with a knife and held a gun on Mr Hinman while Manson cut Mr Hinman's face with a sword. "I wanted to be Charlie's favourite guy," he said then. Lawyer Michael Beckman, who has been fighting for years for the release of Davis, said he is the most rehabilitated prisoner among the 2,000 he is representing in the penal system. "There's no-one even a close second," he said. Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey called the Manson-related killings "some of the most horrific crimes in California history". She objected to the possible release of Davis. "We believe he continues to exhibit a lack of insight and remorse and remains a public safety risk," she said after the parole decision. Mr Hinman's cousin, Kay Martley, said Davis' crime was so terrible that he should die in prison. Mr Hinman was tortured for three days, she said in remarks prepared for the parole hearing. "This wasn't a crime of passion or impulse; this was slow, calculated and cold-blooded," she wrote. Ms Martley, who travelled from Mr Hinman's native Colorado to attend the parole hearing, said she was angry about the recommendation. "Just because he's going to be 75, he's considered a low risk even though they said he has a personality disorder that he's going to have to work on - his narcissistic behaviour, need for acceptance, his grandiosity." Davis was convicted with Manson and another follower, Steve Grogan, over the twin killings. Grogan was paroled in 1985 after he led police to Mr Shea's buried body. Robert Beausoleil, convicted over Mr Hinman's death, remains in prison. Manson and followers Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles "Tex" Watson are imprisoned for the Tate killings. Their co-defendant, Susan Atkins, died of cancer behind bars in 2009. AP Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni, right, welcomes Prime Minister of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj at Chigi palace in Rome (Ettore Ferrari/ANSA via AP) Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni has said he has reached a deal with Libya to try to stop migrants from setting out from Libyan shores in huge numbers for Europe. Mr Gentiloni told reporters after meeting Libyan premier Fayez Serraj in Rome on Thursday that the two sides signed a memo of understanding to step up co-operation and, with Italian assistance, help fight the migrant trafficking. A European Union summit in Malta on Friday is focused on finding ways to reduce the number of migrants leaving from Libya. Italy's Coast Guard has co-ordinated the rescue of hundreds of thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean near Libya in the last few years. Mr Gentiloni called the deal "just a piece" of a wider plan that will be discussed in Malta and will need economic commitment from the bloc. European Council president Donald Tusk said on Thursday that the EU summit would pave the way for humanitarian action to save lives of poor people with no chance of being granted permission to remain in Europe. The meeting comes amid global criticism of US president Donald Trump's restrictions on refugees and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. Mr Tusk wants tougher action from the 28 EU leaders to break smuggling rings and the dangerous journeys on which they take migrants because "this is the only way to stop people dying in the desert and at sea, and this is also the only way to gain control over migration in Europe". "This goal is within our reach," he said on the eve of the summit. After reaching a deal with Turkey to curb the number of desperate migrants setting off for Europe, EU leaders have been contemplating a similar accord with the internationally recognised but largely ineffective Libyan government. Migrant traffickers have funnelled hundreds of thousands of economic and war refugees into southern Libya to await passage towards Italy's shores. Mr Serraj told reporters in Rome that his agreement with Mr Gentiloni calls for more support for Libyan Coast Guard vessels patrolling the waters off the country's north and "humanitarian repatriation" of migrants. He said economic deals between Italy and Libya are being discussed. Human rights groups and some EU leaders have worried about the fate of migrants who set off for Europe from Libya. Most are economic refugees from Africa and unlikely to be eligible for asylum. Some who reached Italy described being held in Libya for months before their smugglers arranged for flimsy boats to send them across the Mediterranean, where most ended up being rescued in operations co-ordinated by the Italian coast guard. Survivors have told of rape, torture, inadequate food and forced labour while awaiting passage from Libya, which has largely been left lawless after the 2011 demise of Muammar Gaddafi and his regime. Mr Gentiloni said the EU's "economic commitment" would be vital for any success of the Libyan-Italian plan. Mr Tusk had already discussed Italy's move with German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande and said that the leaders had agreed on the need to support Italy and the memorandum. "Europe should and will stand by Italy in sharing responsibility," he said. With warmer weather coming, fears are that weekly migrant drownings in the Mediterranean will increase. Last year, at least 5,083 people died in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the International Organisation for Migration. The EU is now working with Libyan authorities to make sure the migrants do not board rickety sloops and head into the unforgiving waters, and will require that the bloc step up its aid to Libya's government. In the draft summit declaration obtained by The Associated Press ahead of the summit in Malta, the 28 EU leaders say "authorities (need) to acquire control over the land and sea borders" to combat smuggling. It says the EU will give priority to training and equipping the Libyan coast guard. The EU already has a military presence in international waters off Libya to counter smugglers and save lives but moving inside its maritime border would have a bigger impact on keeping migrants from boarding smugglers' boats. "We are talking about a complicated situation on the ground," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. "We have an interest as Europeans to invest." Beyond Libya, EU investment to counter people from leaving Africa would have to be extended over a big swathe of nations from Ethiopia to Nigeria, making for a very costly arrangement. In Turkey, the EU has committed three billion euro (2.4 billion) through to the end of the year to help the mostly Syrian refugees there. On Thursday, Ms Merkel had a long meeting in Ankara before moving to Valletta. She praised Turkey for its "extraordinary" efforts on refugees and pledged to do everything to ensure the EU money can be spent as quickly as possible. AP A resident walks amid the rubble in the once rebel-held Jalloum area of eastern Aleppo (AP) Syrian military forces have captured 100 sq miles from Islamic State militants in Aleppo province as it expands operations against the extremist group. Government forces are moving toward al-Bab, risking a showdown with Turkish troops and allied Syrian forces who have been trying to capture the IS-held town for weeks. The Turkish-backed forces have also clashed with US-backed Kurdish fighters, who are leading the battle to retake the nearby city of Raqqa, the extremists' de facto capital. The Syrian government, which is backed by Russia and Iran, has vowed to reassert its control over the entire country. The military announced the advance on Thursday. It has been seeking to advance in northern Syria since driving rebels out of the city of Aleppo in December. AP Uber has been hit by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike at New York's JFK Airport Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's business leaders' forum, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Mr Kalanick wrote that he had spoken with Mr Trump on Thursday and "let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council". He said: "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that." The ride-sharing company has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike at New York's JFK Airport. The strike was inspired by Mr Trump's executive order temporarily suspending the country's refugee programme. Mr Kalanick subsequently condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott have continued. AP Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire (News, January 29) claims investigations into killings during the Troubles are "disproportionately focusing on members of the police and Army, the vast majority of whom served in Northern Ireland with great courage, professionalism and distinction". However, Mr Brokenshire ignores the fundamental difference between the opposing forces during the Troubles. Republican paramilitaries were not representing the Irish State, unlike the Army and police in the north, who were acting on behalf of the British people, the British Government and the British Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II. Mr Brokenshire could, if he wished, short-circuit the investigations into security force killings in Northern Ireland by simply publishing the British Government-initiated Stevens Report on institutional collusion between the north's police force and loyalist death squads, the Stalker/Sampson Inquiry into security force "shoot-to-kill" policy in Northern Ireland - both of which have been shelved - and the withheld files on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. By attempting to restrict investigations into security force killings in the north, Mr Brokenshire appears to be suggesting that victims have a right to be angry, but not to justice. TOM COOPER Dublin At the end of last year Secretary of State for Defence Sir Michael Fallon announced that the Fort George military base near Inverness will close by 2032 as part of a restructuring of the MoD's estate. The decision was made despite ferocious opposition from locals, former soldiers and the actor Hugh Grant, whose grandfather had once served there as an officer. While its iconic status as a historic fortress and museum is secure, visitors from Ireland north and south should - if given the chance - visit this remarkable place with its very strong connection to our own fascinating past. From the 'Manchester Martyrs' of Fenian folklore to Tom Clarke and Patrick Magee, a number of Irish republican prisoners found guilty of offences committed in Britain have served their sentences in British gaols far removed from family and friends. Such was the experience of the Irish prisoners held at Fort George between 1799 and 1802. In the aftermath of the Great Rebellion of 1798, senior figures within the structure of the Society of United Irishmen were languishing in prisons throughout Ireland. The Dublin gaols of Kilmainham, Newgate and the Bridewell housed a number of prominent figures including Samuel Neilson, Thomas Russell, Thomas Addis Emmet, William James MacNeven and Arthur O'Connor. Neilson, a son of the Presbyterian minister in Ballyroney, Co Down, was a founder and leading member of the Society of United Irishmen, which had been formed in Belfast in October 1791 as a pressure group that aimed to reform the exclusively Protestant Irish Parliament and increase political representation for Irishmen of all denominations. As a proprietor and editor of the influential newspaper The Northern Star, Neilson had helped to propagandise the United Irish cause, forge links with the Catholic Defenders organisation and oversee the transformation of the United Irishmen into a popular revolutionary movement. Arrested in Belfast in September 1796, Neilson was released from Kilmainham two years later, only to reassume his place at the head of the conspiracy. He was again detained on the day the rebellion erupted, May 23, 1798. Thomas Russell had been despatched to Belfast in 1790 with the 64th Regiment of Foot. Arrested on the same day as Neilson, he would be the United Irishmen's longest-serving prisoner. Thomas Addis Emmet, older brother of the famous Robert, was a brilliant lawyer who would later become Attorney General for the State of New York. MacNeven was perhaps the foremost Catholic figure in the United Irishmen, an intellectually gifted doctor of medicine. O'Connor, a former MP in Dublin, was a Cork-born aristocrat, with impeccable social connections to senior English politicians like Charles James Fox. The 1798 rebellion cost as many as 30,000 lives as the visionary project of 1791 descended into a sectarian bloodbath. The insurgency crushed, attention became focused on what should be done with the leaders of the United Irishmen. For the authorities in Dublin Castle, the danger was that the brilliance of defence barristers such as John Philpott Curran would prevail in the courtroom, reducing the chances of successful convictions. It was at this stage that a remarkable proposition was put forward by the prisoners. Chief among the sponsors of this deal was Neilson, himself vulnerable to the gallows due to his outspoken views and undoubted political extremism. In return for telling the government about the entirety of the United Irishmen's plans (but without incriminating anyone), the prisoners would be allowed to depart Ireland for a country not at war with Britain. On the government side, another Ulsterman, Chief Secretary Robert Stewart (Lord Castlereagh), saw the attraction of such a deal. Saving the expense of trials and the possibility of legal defeat was a price worth paying. But when the US ambassador to Britain, Rufus King, stated that nation's objections to the influx of Irish prisoners, the plans changed and the government was forced to look at more creative solutions. With release and expatriation ruled out, the prisoners would be detained indefinitely, far away from their homes. The castles at Edinburgh and Stirling were considered and dismissed due to their proximity to large populations. Instead, the military fortress at Fort George was considered the perfect location. And so, on March 19, 1799, 16 United Irish prisoners (including Neilson, Russell, Emmet, MacNeven and O'Connor) were taken aboard the Ashton Smith, which was anchored near Ringsend. The ship sailed north to pick up four additional inmates who had been lodged on the prison ship Postlethwaite in Belfast Lough: the Rev William Steel Dickson, William Tennent, Robert Hunter and Robert Simms. After a rough 11-day passage, during which Neilson became perilously ill, the prisoners disembarked at Gourock and were transmitted to Fort George, arriving on April 9. They were met by the kindly Lieutenant-Governor James Stuart, a half-brother of the Earl of Moray. In contrast to the conditions experienced in the damp and overcrowded Dublin gaols, the prisoners would each have their own room equipped with a fire and glazed windows. Invalid soldiers would serve them dinner consisting of mutton, lamb, beef, veal and, on occasions, crab and lobster. A number of prisoners suffered from ill-health, including Neilson, Tennent and Roger O'Connor (the brother of Arthur). His wife and three of their children were permitted to reside at Fort George, a privilege that would later be extended to Mrs Emmet. Samuel Neilson's only son, William Bryson Neilson, was allowed to stay with his father from the summer of 1801 until the prisoners were released a year later. Perhaps inevitably given their close proximity to each other and the enforced separation from family and friends, the prisoners were prone to disagreements and, in some cases, ill-disguised hatred. Robert Hunter, a Belfast shipbroker and United Irishman, supplied information to the authorities alleging that Neilson and Russell were continuing to plot rebellion from inside the fortress. Hunter's fellow prisoners had their suspicions, and he wrote to his handlers that: "I did not know the moment my life would be attempted." Another prisoner, the dentist Edward Hudson, complained that the others were ganging up on him because he refused to support their continuing conspiracy. Avoiding verbal communication, he wrote to one of the other internees, the lawyer William Dowdall, stating that: "I can no longer think of you as a friend... our intercourse in future cannot extend beyond the civility of the table." The most toxic relations were those between Thomas Addis Emmet and Arthur O'Connor. Their enmity originated from their differing views on how the rebellion of 1798 was to have been planned and executed. O'Connor believed that Emmet had acted in a way that brought shame to republicanism by casting aspersions about his character and attempting to poison the minds of the others towards him and his brother, Roger. Writing to one of the other prisoners, William Tennent, O'Connor noted how Emmet had contrived to create a faction against him, using "flattery, bullying, and brutality, slander" to ostracise him as a prelude to assassination. Word of the disagreements reached Ireland, with Lady Moira spreading the gossip in a letter to a friend: "They are all quarrelling at Fort George." Thomas Russell, she alleged, had knocked one of his fellow prisoners (William Dowling) to the ground, and 16 of the detainees were refusing to speak to O'Connor. Thomas Addis Emmet reportedly managed to convey a request for a set of duelling pistols to be secreted into Fort George so that his differences with Arthur O'Connor could be settled once and for all. The duel did not occur, but it was close to being revived when the prisoners were finally released in 1802. Today, Fort George is visited annually by thousands of people, many of them interested in the story of the British Army regiments (most recently the Black Watch) that were, and still are, stationed in this most impressive fortification with its sturdy defences and stunning views over the Moray Firth. But with the fort's closure planned, the importance of its role in Ireland's complex historical narrative is one that deserves not to be forgotten. For a time, those deemed to be the most dangerous men in the kingdom were its reluctant residents. Kenneth L Dawson is deputy principal of Down High School in Downpatrick and was joint editor of 1798 Rebellion In County Down (1998). His new publication, The Belfast Jacobin: The United Irishman Samuel Neilson, will be published by Irish Academic Press later this year An industry veteran joins CMON. Heres the press release from CMON: CMON Limited Hires Mike McVey Today, February 1, 2017, CMON Limited is excited to announce Mike McVey has joined the family as a key figure in our Production and Development team. Mike and CMON have a fantastic relationship and track record, and this is the next great step. With three decades of experience in the industry, Mike is well known for his ability to produce some of the best miniatures around. His past experience includes Games Workshop, Wizards of the Coast, and Privateer Press. Im delighted to be joining the CMON team. Its been a joy collaborating with them the last few years, with Blood Rage and The Others both being great successes. I look forward to working even more closely with them, and delivering fantastic board game projects in the future, expressed Mike. David Preti, CMONs Creative Director, added, I have been working side-by-side with Mike for the last four years, and I share with him the same vision in respect to art and ethic. Having him as an official part of the CMON family is a great honor because of Mikes history and personality. I welcome not only one of the best professionals in the field, but a true friend. We are already planning new projects for the years to come. Mikes vision and talent can be seen in the upcoming Rising Sun game that arrives on Kickstarter soon, and hell continue working with his team on many exciting CMON projects to come. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leafs through a book during the opening of the Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka, Feb. 1, 2017. Two years after a secular blogger was slain as he left the Ekushey Book Fair, the month-long literary festival opened in Dhaka this week as organizers and police restricted displays of publications that could hurt religious sentiment. Before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the annual fair on Wednesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Mia warned writers and publishers not to display books considered to be blasphemous. His comments have drawn criticism from writers, publishers and lawyers who described this as a move by Bangladeshs government to restrict free speech and secular expression. Intelligence surveillance will be put in place so that no such books can enter the book fair, Mia had told reporters, adding assurances that the police presence would not hamper the festival. But hurting someones religious sentiments, instigating sectarian strife, infringing others fundamental rights on the pretext of free thinking are not free thinking, Mia said. Writers and the publishers said the police lacked necessary manpower and expertise to scrutinize and decide if books are blasphemous. Around 4,000 books are published at the book fair every year. Will the police read every book? Does the metropolitan police have the manpower to finish reading of the books in one month to detect [blasphemy], journalist Harunur Rashid wrote in a column published by banglatribune. Being used as a weapon Lawyers questioned the legality of the polices plans. The government has been putting up some restrictions on freedom of speech as part of its strategy to fight the militants. But the moves infringe on peoples constitutional rights, lawyer Monzil Morshed told BenarNews. Our penal code contains a section against hurting religious sentiments. This section is being used as a weapon. Attorney Jotimoy Barua acknowledged that the countrys penal code outlaws the harming of religious sentiment but, he said, police have no authority to keep vigil on publishing houses. Social media users criticized the plan as well. Writer Harunur Rashid said he and other colleagues were worrying about pressure from the authorities. They [writers] are being forced to go for self-censorship. So, free thinking will stumble, he told BenarNews. Publisher Srabon Prokashoni agreed. This is not a duty of police to decide what a book should contain and what [it] should not. We condemn this decision, Publisher Robin Ahsan, proprietor of Srabon Prokashoni, told BenarNews. Good sense prevails Religious extremists in the predominantly Muslim country have threatened writers and publishers at previous book fairs over publications that promote secularism and skeptical viewpoints. On Feb. 26, 2015, militants killed Bangladesh-born secular writer Avijit Roy, a U.S. citizen, as he left the fair. His wife, Rafida Bonya Ahmed, was seriously injured in the attack near the Dhaka University, the festivals venue. The attack was similar to one in 2004, when suspected militants hacked to death Humayun Azad, whose writings against Islamic zealots apparently make him a target. He died of his injuries three months later. In October 2015, Faisal Arefin Dipan, who published Roys books, was hacked to death at his at his office in Dhaka. Militants attacked another publishing house that day, injuring owner Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, along with bloggers Tareq Rahim and Ranadipam Basu. At last years Ekushey fair, the stall belonging to Dipans publishing house, Jagriti Publications, featured a banner honoring Dipan, which bore his portrait with the words Good Sense Prevails on Everyone. The stall did not display any of Roys books. Dipans widow, Razia Rahman, said the company had stopped publishing for security or other reasons. Book bans In 2015, a Bengali translation of a book Nobi Mohammader 23 Bochhor (23 Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad), authored by Iranian writer Ali Dashti, was banned at the fair and the publishing house Rodela Prokashoni stall was closed. Last year, the book Islam Bitorko (Debates over Islam) was confiscated and charges were filed under section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act against the books editor and publisher, Shamsuzzoha Manik, and three others. Publishing house Badwips stall was closed as well. This year, the Bangla Academy, the literary group that organizes the annual fair, did not allocate stall space for Srabon Prokashoni after proprietor Robin Ahsan protested actions against Badwip in 2016. Bangla Academy relented following protests from other publishers. Updated at 9:36 a.m. ET on 2017-02-02 Indonesian police on Wednesday questioned Rizieq Shihab, leader of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), in connection with an alleged plot to occupy parliament and oust the president during a rally he organized. Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the sister of a former president, and two retired generals were among eight people arrested on suspicion of treason hours before a Dec. 12 rally when about 200,000 people gathered in the capital to demand the arrest of Jakartas governor for alleged blasphemy against Islam. Rizieq was a leader of that rally as well as a march the month before against Jakarta Gov. Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama that ended in a riot outside the presidential palace. In regard to meetings, it is true that Mrs. Rachmawati paid a visit to my house. I paid a visit to hers, as well, Rizieq told reporters at police headquarters on Wednesday. Mrs. Rachmawati also attended the Nov. 4 rally and we met in a number of Islamic and nationalist mass organizations events, he said. But there were no talks about treason during all those meetings, nor were we plotting treason and any other unlawful actions. Those meetings were mainly related to the Nov. 4 and Dec. 12 rallies. Police also questioned former FPI spokesman Munarman and Bachtiar Nasir the head of another group that helped organize the rallies, the National Movement to Protect the MUI Fatwa (GNPF MUI). The questioning lasted about seven hours. Legal troubles Rizieq Shihab is facing legal problems after months at the forefront of a mass Muslim movement demanding the Jakarta governor be prosecuted for blasphemy. Ahok, an ethnic Chinese Christian, is up for election on Feb. 15. The former deputy governor of Jakarta ascended to the top spot when then-Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo was elected president of Indonesia in 2014. On Monday, West Java police declared Rizieq a suspect for insulting the state ideology Pancasila by asserting that founding president Soekarno had placed belief in God at the bottom of the list of five core national principles. If guilty, he faces up to four years in prison. At least eight police reports such as inciting hatred against a certain group and insulting the Jakarta Police Chief M. Iriawan for being a general with the brain of a neighborhood watchman have been filed against Rizieq since October. He was also questioned by police last week over allegations he triggered public unrest by claiming the new rupiah banknotes featured a hammer and sickle, a logo of the defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) that is banned in Indonesia. Wiretapping? Ahok, whose blasphemy trial began in December, has repeatedly said he never intended to offend Muslims during a speech in the Thousand Islands regency near Jakarta on Sept. 27, when he cited Surah Al-Maida Verse 51 from the Quran. Some have interpreted the passage as barring Muslims from having non-Muslim leaders. Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose son is a candidate for Jakarta governor, responded angrily Wednesday to an assertion by one of Ahoks lawyers that he had asked the head of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in a telephone call to issue a fatwa condemning Ahoks comment. If its true my conversation with Maruf or anyone else was tapped without legal authorization, thats illegal, Yudhoyono, president from 2004 to 2014, said in a press statement Wednesday, referring to MUI leader Maruf Amin. In his own statement, Ahok denied the electronic eavesdropping and said the information came from a news article on Oct. 7. Past convictions If any of the current allegations against him lead to a conviction, it would not be the first prison sentence for Rizieq. In July 2003, the firebrand cleric was sentenced to seven months in prison for insulting police during a television talk show. In October 2008, the Central Jakarta court convicted him of inciting violence during a peaceful interfaith rally at the National Monument and sentenced him to 18 months. Rights watchdog group Setara Institute Deputy Chairman Bonar Tigor Naipospos said FPIs activities and intolerance dwindled following Rizieqs previous convictions. It showed that there is a correlation. If the state is willing to enforce the law, it would reduce the number of intolerance acts, because the main actors are from that group, Bonar told BenarNews recently. Bandungs Universitas Padjajaran political analyst Idil Akbar said prosecuting Rizieq would not suppress the groups activities. I predict that the potential is still there, he said, adding that it could escalate because Rizieqs followers might think the cleric is being persecuted. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. 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IITDM Kurnool to be declared as institute of national importance ANI, New Delhi | Published : 1st February, 2017 IIITDM Kurnool will be declared an institute of National Importance with the power to award degrees to students. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in Parliament which provides for inclusion of Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM), Kurnool along with the other IITs in the Principal Act. With the government's approval, IIITDM Kurnool will become the fifth Member as a Centrally Funded IIIT. Academic session has commenced in IITDM Kurnool in two branches of study in 2015-16. The Institute shall be open to all persons irrespective of gender, caste, creed, disability, domicile, ethnicity and social or economic background. The emerging needs of the industry and the economy, as a whole for skilled technical manpower is expected to be met from the talent pool of trained personnel of the Institute. The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Act, 2014 confers the status of Institutions of National Importance on the IIITs and also provides for matters connected with administering these IIITs. Subsequently, the Government has approved creation of a new NIT at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh as embodied in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014. Due to addition of a new IIIT, amendment has to be made in the IIIT Act, 2014. The expenditure for the operationalization of IITDM Kurnool is incurred from the Plan funds of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Find it Useful ? Help Others by Sharing Online Comments and Discussions Von: Masih Alinejad* As the president Trump rushed to implement his controversial travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran, the Iranian diaspora as well as the millions of Iranians living in Iran were gripped with disappointment, confusion, and consternation. At the stroke of a pen, families were separated, education of students was disrupted, employment opportunities of people were dashed, refugees designated for resettlement were made to feel hopeless, and democracy activists were conflated with potential terrorists. In brief, the ban has caused chaos amongst Iranians who are trying very hard to digest this new reality that they are being compelled to live with. It has to be borne in mind that many Iranians have been leaving their home country in droves in pursuit of greater freedoms and better economic opportunities that the repressive theocracy back home does not offer. While the American officials have put many of them in limbo through this travel ban, Iranians affected feel doubly betrayed not only by their own government, but also by the land of the free, the America... Auch interessant The ban also affects refugees. For years, Iranian refugees to the United States have borne the brunt of the regimes repression and have sought their chances in the United States. Persecution of Bahais, women and political activists, has pushed a steady stream of Iranians to leave their homeland in pursuit of better horizons. By directly targeting them, the ban goes to show that these marginalized groups are not welcomed neither in Iran nor in the United States. The ban is a slap in the face of various Iranian activists who have had to leave their country of origin for the United States. For example, I, as a 40-year-old mother, and the founder of the award-winning My Stealthy Freedom campaign that opposes the compulsory veil law in Iran, am one of these activists. Seven years into my exile in the United States, I have had to live with a daily barrage of smear campaigns by the Iranian regime to relay the voice of various Iranian political prisoners through the interviews that I had conducted with their families. My campaign of My Stealthy Freedom is a major challenge to the regimes discriminatory veiling law and through this campaign, I have been striving to show the oft-hidden side of women of Iran: women that refuse to be silenced against the odds. Due to my political activities, I have not been able go to Iran. In order to push me into silence, the government in Iran has also banned my family from leaving Iran. Mother of a 19-year-old son studying in the UK, due to the travel ban, neither can I visit my son, nor can he come to the United States. My family in Iran has been taken hostage by the judiciary. Ever since, I have never been able to see them. The Islamic Republic has built a wall around many exiled journalists like me. Now, I face a second wall; this time President Trump has built a wall between me and my son. Lesen Sie auch Gesellschaft : Manner kampfen mit Kopftuch fur die Rechte iranischer Frauen Manner mit Kopftuch sind ein neuer Trend in den sozialen Netzwerken. Der Hintergrund ist ein ernster: Im Iran konnen Frauen, die kein Kopftuch tragen Trump has allegedly resorted to this policy of barring the entry of Iranian nationals to fight against terrorism. However, the fact of the matter is, not a single terrorist attack has been committed by Iranians in the American soil. One other category of refugees especially affected by the ban are Irans LGBT community chosen for resettlement in the United States. Living in dire conditions and deprived of work permits in third countries like Turkey, the ban was an utter shock for the members of this highly vulnerable community. While many of them have been presumably rejected by their families and fleeing the persecution of the regime in Iran, this ban risks aggravating their desperation, running the risk of pushing some of them to suicide, which is unfortunately not uncommon amongst members of the Iranian LGBT community. Often times, people most likely to travel back and forth between the United States and Iran are those leading westernised lives and cherishing the values of freedom and democracy. The very values that they have been trying to see flourish in their own homeland. By these executive orders, Trump is contributing to the enfeeblement of cultural exchanges between both countries, which, in the long run, helps transmit these values cherished in the American constitution. The United States, home to an estimated 1.5 million Iranian expatriatesa vibrant and educated community of different political opinionshas often been seen as a beacon of hope for millions of Iranians with its world-renowned universities, job opportunities, and above all, the values enshrined in its constitution. Lesen Sie auch As the Trump administration has been broaching the idea of building a wall and banning refugees coming from seven countries including Iran, Iranians of various political and religious affiliations, women, activists, LGBT community, as well as students are now between three walls. First of all, they have to fight against the repressive laws of their own government that has been depriving them of a breathing space. Secondly, they are pushed to fight against Trumps discriminatory policies against minorities and women. Thirdly, as they battle against a theocracy that does not represent the aspirations of millions of Iranians, they also have to constantly justify their fight amongst NGOs and civil society groups in the West that keep telling them fighting against compulsory veil, or sharia law might breed Islamophobia so this kind of movement is not a priority now. Yes, we are between three walls and we are gasping for breath. * Masih Alinejad is an Iranian journalist and founder of the award-winning online campaign My stealthy freedom which fights against the compulsary hijab and offers a rare view into the lives of Iranian women and their defiance against discriminatory laws. Vahid Yucesoy contributed to the article. Folgen Sie hier unserer Facebook-Seite zum Thema Frauenrechte weltweit. For Immediate Release, February 1, 2017 Contact: Kieran Suckling, (520) 275-5960 House of Representatives Votes to Block Rules Protecting Rivers From Coal Waste Also Votes to End Requirement That Oil Companies Report Payments to Foreign Governments WASHINGTON In a party line vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today voted to rescind Obama administration rules to protect streams from coal waste and requiring mining and oil companies to report payments made to foreign governments. The vote was done through the Congressional Review Act, a rarely used statute allowing Congress to overturn federal rules enacted with the past 60 legislative days. It has not been successfully used since 2001. House Republicans just sold out America's clean drinking water and efforts to combat international fraud in order appease Exxon and coal companies, said Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity. Polluting streams with coal waste is disgusting, dangerous and life-threatening to rural people. There will be hell to pay if Senate Republicans go along with repealing these common-sense rules that save lives and prevent corruption. The Stream Protection Rule was instituted by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to provide greater protections to streams from toxic coal mining waste. It would reduce pollution in 6,100 miles of streams while reducing coal mining output by less than 1 percent. The requirement that U.S. mining, oil and natural gas companies report payments made to foreign nations was established by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the authority of the Dodd-Frank Act in order to reduce international fraud. Set to go into effect in 2018, the rule was aggressively, but until now, unsuccessfully attacked by Exxon under the leadership of Rex Tillerson. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, February 2, 2017 Contact: Stephanie Parent, (971) 717-6404, sparent@biologicaldiversity.org Court Rules Case Seeking Common-sense Measures to Protect Rare Wildlife From Pesticides Can Proceed SAN FRANCISCO A federal appeals court today allowed a lawsuit to proceed that seeks common-sense measures to protect endangered wildlife from outdated, highly toxic pesticides. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' reversal of a lower court decision held that the Center for Biological Diversity and Pesticide Action Network North America can challenge the EPA's longstanding failure to assess the likely harms of pesticides known to be toxic to endangered wildlife found across the country. Americans love wildlife, and no one wants to see them needlessly poisoned, especially the species that are already struggling at the brink of extinction, said Stephanie Parent, a senior attorney at the Center. We're asking for a common-sense look before you leap' approach for the use of these chemicals. The appeals court reversed, in part, a district court decision dismissing the case; now the case proceeds again in the lower court. The lawsuit seeks to ensure that the EPA coordinates with expert federal wildlife agencies the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to examine how the EPA's approvals of pesticides potentially harm endangered wildlife. The lawsuit is the first step to determine where common-sense measures are necessary to safeguard endangered and threatened species, including Florida panthers, California condors, piping plovers, black-footed ferrets, arroyo toads, Indiana bats and Alabama sturgeon, from dangerous pesticides. Extensive peer-reviewed scientific studies, and the conclusions of expert biologists at the Fish and Wildlife Service and EPA, clearly show that these animals are at a greater risk of extinction from many of the pesticides at issue in the case. We're hopeful that this ruling will lead the EPA to finally include reasonable safeguards that keep harmful chemicals out of the habitats of the nation's most vulnerable wildlife, said Parent. These measures will play an important role in preventing unnecessary harm to rare and vanishing animals, as well as to people and the environment we all share. For Immediate Release, February 2, 2017 Contact: Randi Spivak, (310) 779-4894, rspivak@biologicaldiversity.org Chaffetz Backs Off Bill to Sell America's Public Lands After Enormous Public Outcry WASHINGTON After massive public outcry, Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) announced late Wednesday night on Instagram that he was withdrawing his bill to sell excess public lands. The bill, H.R. 621, would have required the federal government to sell 3.3 million acres of federal public lands in 10 western states. Chaffetz' bill to sell off America's public lands sparked massive outrage from people across the country, said Randi Spivak, public lands director at the Center for Biological Diversity. This spontaneous reaction should send a loud and clear message to all elected officials who are pushing to sell, give away or privatize public lands: the American people want public lands to stay in public hands. Chaffetz is one of the most outspoken anti-public lands members of Congress. He's introduced a lot of bills, including one that would turn over management of oil and gas drilling on public lands in Utah to corporate interests. The majority of Americans including Utah voters want more protection of public lands, not more fossil fuel production. Chaffetz would be well advised to listen to the people. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, February 2, 2017 Contact: Alex Olivera, Center for Biological Diversity, +52-1-6121040604, aolivera@biologicaldiversity.org Kimiko Martinez, Natural Resources Defense Council, (310) 434-2344, kmartinez@nrdc.org Amey Owen, Animal Welfare Institute, (202) 446-2128, amey@awionline.org Angelica Simon, media manager of Greenpeace Mexico, +52-1-5540845320, asimon@greenpeace.org Report: Only 30 Vaquita Porpoises Remain on Earth Extinction Imminent Unless Mexico Halts All Gillnet Fishing LA JOLLA, Calif. Scientists announced this week that only an estimated 30 vaquita porpoises remain in the world. In a new report, the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita recognizes that the extinction of the vaquita the world's smallest and most endangered porpoise, found only in Mexico's northern Gulf of California is imminent unless Mexico permanently bans gillnet fishing, removes illegal nets from the water and increases enforcement efforts. The vaquita population has been decimated in recent years, with nearly half the population lost from 2015 to 2016 alone. The primary threat to vaquitas is entanglement in fishing gear, including in gillnets set for totoaba, an endangered fish endemic to the Gulf. Totoaba swim bladders are illegally exported to Asia to make soup with perceived medicinal properties. Demand for the bladders spiked around 2011, and since then the vaquita's population has declined by 90 percent. This shocking new report shows that vaquitas are on the verge of vanishing forever, said Sarah Uhlemann, international program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. We will lose this wonderful little porpoise from our planet and soon unless Mexico finally gets serious about banning gillnets and actually enforces the law. In 2015, in an effort to stem the vaquita's decline, Mexico temporarily banned the use of gillnets within the vaquita's range, but enforcement has been dismal. During a 15-day survey in late 2016, of 85 fishing nets removed from a small portion of the vaquita's habitat, 23 were active totoaba nets. Three vaquita were also found dead in March 2016 after entanglement in totoaba nets. There's no time left for half-hearted efforts to save the vaquita, said Zak Smith, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council's Marine Mammal Protection Project. Mexico has a choice to make: Put in an all-out effort to permanently ban and remove all gillnets from vaquita habitat in the Gulf of California or be responsible for the extinction of this beautiful, unique porpoise. If they don't take real action, the disappearance of vaquitas is on them. Mexico's current gillnet ban ends this April, and it is unclear whether Mexican fisheries agencies will extend the ban, which is critical to saving the vaquita. Disturbingly, last month Mexico announced it will go forward with its controversial curvina fishery, despite evidence that totoaba poachers use the curvina fishery as cover for their illicit activities. Several international entities, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the International Whaling Commission, have all called on Mexico to make the gillnet ban permanent, said Kate O'Connell, marine wildlife consultant with the Animal Welfare Institute. If the government of Mexico does not immediately enact and enforce a permanent gillnet ban, the vaquita will perish, as will Mexico's hope of being recognized as a responsible fishing nation. The new report also recommends a temporary captivity program for some vaquita. But scientists emphasize that the capture program should not divert effort and resources away from instituting a permanent gillnet ban the highest priority conservation action and protecting the species in the wild. The decrease in the vaquita population by 90 percent over the last 5 years and almost 50 percent in 2015 alone shows there was never a real commitment by the Mexican authorities to combat totoaba fishing or gillnets in the vaquita's habitat. Totoaba and gillnet fishing continued and will finish off the few vaquita that remain in the wild if the authorities do not take real action, said Miguel Rivas, ocean campaigner for Greenpeace Mexico. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. www.biologicaldiversity.org The Animal Welfare Institute (www.awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywhere in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. For more information, visit www.awionline.org. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC. Greenpeace is the leading independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. For more information, visit www.greenpeace.org. 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 WPP's Kantar Media has acquired the Irish multi-channel media monitoring company, Newsaccess Limited. Newsaccess, based in Dublin, currently employs 20 people and was established 12 years ago. Kantar Media intends on expanding its reputation, PR monitoring and evaluation capabilities with this acquisition. The acquisition is also in line with WPP's strategy of investing in important markets and sectors. Club Med Southern Africa has revealed its latest campaign which highlights the brand's manifesto of a world of choices and signature experiences while affirming their latest brand positioning of worldwide resorts - all-inclusive experiences. The manifesto video and a series of nine signatures videos will be launched across traditional and online media platforms from 1 February 2017. Lesego Matabane, marketing manager for Club Med Southern Africa, notes that the time is right for a new brand positioning for Club Med within the South African market as the brand has experienced strong growth since the last brand iteration two years ago. The manifesto and signatures videos will be the catalysts to communicate why Club Med is unlike any other travel brand. Through the videos, we have created, we have set out to ignite, trigger and nurture our travellers true sense of wonder, and pay tribute to the freedom to rediscover ourselves. With people's happiness (on holiday) at the heart of Club Med's mission, this year we are inviting guests to tap into their most amazing self which is unleashed when on vacation and when the daily routine is swapped for soaking up the sun (or hitting the ski slopes) and for venturing into new adventures. When it came to the rationale behind the latest campaign, we had to ask ourselves: How do we encourage and enable guests to tap into their most amazing self? The answer was clear: by providing them with a world of experiences and choices that facilitate inspiration for a new, better version of themselves, while at the same time providing them with the peace of mind of having everything (all meals and all drinks all day activities, kids clubs and more) covered in their holiday package with us. The brand campaign speaks to both existing clients as well as to potential new clients in educating them about the world of choices and experiences that come standard with all Club Meds all-inclusive holidays at their resorts around the world. The Club Med manifesto The manifesto video, created by Fred & Farid, features a series of breathtaking visuals from exotic locations around the world, showcasing a myriad of activities. The visuals are accompanied by the narrative of a woman who is having an internal dialogue with herself, struggling to decide on what she should do today - because there are so many experiences to choose from. By the end of the manifesto video, it is clear that all of these choices and experiences are available to guests at Club Med resorts around the world. To convey the feelings of amazement and the infinite possibilities on offer at Club Med, Fred & Farid came up with an authentic, highly emotive storyline, consisting of a series of fragmentary moments that reflect the exceptional experiences to be enjoyed at our resorts. Using a wide array of digital technologies such as onboard cameras, mobile video, and Instagram, Club Med's message taps into new cutting-edge applications and the trend for photo-sharing on social networks. The film was produced by Nan and chief cameraman Matias Boucard, well-known for his work on the Odyssey French movie. The soundtrack also enhances the emotional content while giving out positive vibes, making the viewer feel comfortable, cosseted and inspired. Club Med Signatures Club Med offers our guests over 200 services that cater to their every need. Of these 200 services, 70 of them are signature experiences that you will only find at Club Med resorts. Club Med's signatures (and the videos which will now communicate each) stand out in an increasingly digital world calling for visible, tangible proof of experiences. They represent the best experience that Club Med can offer its customers worldwide in its resorts, and illustrate its people know-how. The nine signatures videos we have released so far showcase these unique elements that are true to Club Med, says Olivier Hannaert, MD for Club Med Southern Africa. The Gauteng health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, has resigned with immediate effect, after the findings of the health ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, showed that the deaths of 94 psychiatric patients were a result of being transferred from the Life Esidemeni facility in Randburg to other facilities in the province. The Gauteng health department made the decision to cut costs. Qedani Mahlangu The disgraceful, unprofessional, and inhumane way the MEC dealt with this situation warranted nothing less than her removal. However, we believe, now that the ombudsmans report is out further investigations are needed to not only finally deal with the actions of the then MEC but also those officials associated with the transfers. National tragedy "Former MEC Mahlangu cannot simply resign and walk away from this. She, and other officials in the department, have to be held accountable, said Dr Mzukisi Grootboom, chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA). What happened with these patients is a national tragedy on a massive scale and everything must be done to prevent something similar from happening again, he said. According to the ombudsmans report, officials acted negligently in moving the patients. SAMA said it welcomed the premiers statement that he views the improper and negligent actions of officials in a very serious light that must lead to serious consequences and accountability. The premier needs to ensure that this action is swift, and meaningful, not only for the sake of those involved, but for the thousands of other mentally ill patients throughout the country, noted Grootboom. Returning to public healthcare SAMA has also welcomed the decision by the premier to move all patients currently placed in NGOs back to public healthcare. This is an important step by the premier because it sends the dual message that is important to care properly for mentally patients, and that the province is willing to fund their continued proper treatment. This, in our opinion, should have been the thinking from the start instead of looking at moving mentally ill patients to save money, Grootboomsaid. Meanwhile, the Gauteng premier, David Makhura, has announced that he intends to appoint former deputy health minister, Dr Gwen Ramokgoba, as the new health MEC in the province. She has held the post previously. African meetings' bureaus had a collective 338 meetings across the continent according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) regions in 2015, indicating around 9% in meetings growth in Africa for the year. The hugely promising growth in Africa within the meetings sector, coupled with the sheer potential of a continent as diverse and large as ours, is certainly attainable in this thriving and lucrative sector, but it will require consistent effort moving forward. In order to ensure this continued success, ibtm africa has announced a collaboration with both the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), as well as Meetings magazine. The latter will aim to provide better quality information on the industry and how to improve your business dealing within it, while a new Career Progression Programme will aim to better skill those working in the meetings sector. Both partnerships strive to enhance awareness around ibtm africa as an educational programme, but also further collaboration between industry bodies to facilitate growth within the meetings industry within, and outside of, the African continent. Chardonnay Marchesi, general manager of African Travel Week says: Were very excited to announced our partnerships with SAACI and Meetings ahead of ibtm africa 2017. We are determined to present the best possible programme to the meetings and events planners that will be in attendance, and with the aid of these two partners, we certainly will. South Africa's poultry industry says it is on the brink of collapse due to hotly-denied accusations that the European Union is dumping cheap chicken in the country in a dispute over free trade. Workers, former workers and company managers from the South African poultry sector marched on the EU headquarters in Pretoria on Wednesday, furious over cheap imports and mounting job losses. But the EU has accused the industry of using it as a "handy scapegoat" for domestic production problems, and said volumes of EU chicken imported to South Africa were too small to be responsible for the crisis. Organisers of the march said that 4,000-5,000 jobs had already been lost, and that 110,000 more were at risk in the industry, plus 20,000 in the feed supply sector. RCL Foods, South Africa's largest poultry producer, last month laid off 1,350 employees 20 percent of its workforce and is selling 15 of its 25 farms. "This issue has been growing since the EU started to send more and more leg quarters to South Africa at what we consider dumped prices," RCL Foods managing director Scott Pitman, who will join the march, told AFP. "Not only have we taken a financial burden over the last five years, but the loss has got so big that we are going to go bankrupt if we don't cut the size of our business." The South African poultry industry alleges that the EU dumps off-cuts of "dark meat" chicken thighs and drumsticks in South Africa at below-cost prices because the European market prefers breast meat. "This is a form of waste disposal," Kevin Lovell, the boss of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), told AFP. South Africa is struggling with slow growth at just 0.4 percent last year and unemployment is stuck stubbornly high at 27 percent posing a major challenge to the ANC government. On Monday, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe suggested the government should intervene by buying poultry farms that are closing down and finding new markets for their produce. In the face of damaging accusations of dumping, the European Union has fought back, saying the South African poultry industry was blaming others for its own failures. "When people are losing livelihoods, trade deals can be a handy scapegoat," EU Ambassador Marco Cornaro told reporters on Tuesday. "It is a distortion... to think that it is the EU trade policy which is the origin, let alone the main source, of the current woes of the SA chicken industry." According to EU figures, EU exports account for less than seven percent of total South African chicken consumption, and EU imports of "dark meat" account for only 14 percent of local market consumption. Cornaro said a lack of competition, a severe drought pushing up feed prices, rising electricity costs and injecting brine (salt water) were causing South African industry's problems rather than EU imports. The EU said it would welcome marchers into their delegation offices on Wednesday to discuss their concerns. Brazil was the biggest poultry importer to South Africa in the first half of 2016, followed by Netherlands, Britain and Spain. Trade Minister Rob Davies told Bloomberg News last week the poultry sector was in "distress", adding "we will not have an industry to raise the competitiveness" if imports continue to flood the market. On top of tough avian flu restrictions, South Africa has imposed anti-dumping duties on EU importers and, in December, also introduced an extra "safeguard" tariff to try to protect the industry. The EU is South Africa's biggest trading partner, and the dispute marks a tricky start to the economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the two sides that came into force last year. Source: AFP Despite globalisation, every country has its quirks, lingo and languages that must be spoken in the right way to attract the right people. South Africa is no different. Dmitriy Shironosov via www.123rf.com Our market, consumers and media have their own expectations and ideas when it comes to the ways in which brands engage with them across platform and social channel, says Lizelle McDermott, MD, McD Squared. The South African market is vibrant and dynamic it also is not stupid and there is a need for a deft touch rather than a global hammer. This is where the right local agency with the right talent is the perfect fit; it has the tools to bring big brands the local attention they deserve. South Africa is very different from the rest of the world. International agencies tend to forget this. Our media want local context and statistics and our consumers want communication that speaks to them in their language. Even though the large global agencies have significant experience across European markets, these are not the same as the South African ones. The people here have a different way of engaging. Journalists want local relevance On the media frontier, journalists want content, which has relevance and a local context, not global content that is being shoehorned to fit and they are willing to go the extra mile to get it. Small, local agencies are more likely to be in tune with how South African journalists operate and the kind of content they need. They have cut their teeth on the vagaries of editorial whim and recognise the value of a local flavour, regardless of its international roots. Companies feel that they need to hire the big international guns to ensure their content and engagement are relevant, but this is not accurate. Local agencies know how to connect with the media in ways that get results and international agencies often do not know how to hit the right notes. A great example is social media in South Africa, people use a very different language and do not relate to social in the same way as people who live in Europe do. Even compare South Africa to Nigeria and you can see how engagement styles are fundamentally different. A local company is also far less likely to make one of the most common mistakes made by brands entering the South African market dumbing down the content. It is good to tone down dialogue on complex solutions but often the big guns shooting into Africa tend to make the content a little too simple. It is one thing to make a product or solution easy to understand, but quite another to make it so simple that you are insulting your markets intelligence. Our consumers have access to quantities of online information and are perfectly capable of finding out what they need to know. Local agencies offer agility Many international organisations are reluctant to put their brand development into the hands of the smaller business. It is a fair point - why bother? Surely, an international organisation with a footprint in every country is far more capable of taking your brand to the next level. Of course, they can do it and do it well but they are not going to give your brand as much attention, or help you dodge the common mistakes those without local expertise make. Local agencies are more agile, deliver more competitive pricing and they work harder to delight their clients. Unfortunately, sometimes our lower pricing structure can influence the value perception, which ends up in a frustrating Catch-22. The thing is, a smaller agency is far more able to take on a project at short notice and is more willing to collaborate with other agencies to ensure the best results. Small agencies also breed local talent, keeping the skills within the borders and allowing for growth of the local economy. In addition, one of the biggest advantages is that they have networks that allow them to source service providers and suppliers for their clients that would normally be overlooked by international agencies. Strong networks If I get a client that needs a Facebook game developed, for example, I have an agency for that. If I need something printed, I have the company for that. It is all about networking and building relationships so that we can ensure that the client gets the right products at the best prices, sidestepping the bigger companies in favour of bolstering the smaller ones. However, companies looking to expand their brands into South Africa should ensure that the local talent they source has a few stamps of approval. Word of mouth, referrals, industry relationships and a strong track record of proven delivery any business must tick these boxes before taking on a campaign. Look at what an agency has done, speak to their clients and note how long they have been in business. Smaller agencies often have extremely loyal clients whove remained with them for years thanks to the personalised service and tangible results. Small businesses also need to push themselves more and change the perception that we dont deliver. We do, and we do it in a way that shows how well we know South Africans, the media and what engagement means to them, concludes McDermott. Somewhere in the megalithic world of Big Pharma, the concept of affordable access to life-saving drugs seems to have got lost in the chase to make money. It's this arena where activist group, Fix The Patent Laws is taking a stand to get the South African law on medicine patents changed. Photo credit: Roy Potterill Background The laws applying to patents on medicines is convoluted to say the least. In the mid-90s the Trips Agreement (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) was introduced by the World Trade Organisation, thanks to heavy lobbying from the US and other developed countries, which basically allowed them to control the manufacture and prices of their patented intellectual property in other regions of the world. The Aids pandemic in Africa challenged the principles of Trips on the basis that the high prices of antiretrovirals, dictated by big drug manufacturers, was denying countless people access to medicines. This led to the Doha Declaration in 2001, which did not rescind Trips, but provided a means of circumventing patent rights for better access to essential medicines. The South African context At the same time, South Africa took steps to break the patent-related pricing monopoly on antiretrovirals by amending its Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, (Act 101 1965) introducing Section 15C, titled Measures to ensure supply of more affordable medicines. This section was introduced to provide for parallel importation and compulsory licensing. This was legally challenged by Big Pharma, but thanks to public pressure and activism, the proceedings were dropped. However, currently in South Africa, obtaining a compulsory licence requires a judicial process which is a lengthy process and because it involves litigation, it is an expensive process, says Catherine Tomlinson, an access to medicine advocate. Latest developments In July 2016, the South African cabinet approved a new intellectual property (IP) policy consultative framework, which aims to promote competition and ensure the levelling of the playing field in the area of public health and intellectual property rights, Fix The Patent Laws says. The new IP policy framework takes a consultative approach that seeks to include all relevant stakeholders, which includes government, the pharmaceutical industry, NGOs and the general public. The problem with patents This proposed framework means changes to the countrys existing patent laws. According Tomlinson, the problem lies with the ease in which patents are granted in South Africa. The country granted 2,442 pharmaceutical patents in 2008 alone, while Brazil only granted 278 pharmaceutical patents between 2005 and 2008, she says. In addition, South Africa has a depository system for patents, so it can remain in force on the patent register long after the original patent has expired, making it difficult for generics to be introduced into the market and thereby lowering the price of the product. "To remove a drug or challenge the validity of the patent is a drawn-out, costly legal road, so part of the policy will be to introduce substantive search and examination and opposition proceedings to ensure that only quality patents remain on our registers. Financial risk consultancy JCRA have released a report in partnership with the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) that looks at the state of renewable energy and infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. JCRA director, Lionel Kruger says: Good infrastructure encourages economic growth wherever it is, but this is especially true in low-income countries such as South Africa. However, Eskoms stalling is having a detrimental effect on the very industry that could serve to boost the economy, referring to Eskoms refusal to sign power purchase agreements. Cost neutral Eskom believes that the REIPPPP projects have resulted in a 2016 net loss of R9bn for the economy, using methodology supplied by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). However, CSIR argue that Eskom are not applying the methodology correctly, and that the entire REIPPPP process will trigger tariff payments 45% lower and will be almost cost neutral from a pure fuel-saving perspective. To have 26 construction projects with a combined investment value of c. R50bn that could be providing employment to tens of thousands of people on hold indefinitely is simply unacceptable, Kruger says. In 2014, the renewable sector alone attracted 86% of foreign direct investment into the South African economy thanks to a relatively open foreign investment policy, and the fact that renewable infrastructure revenue streams closely match the liabilities of their investors. Attractive to foreign investors The REIPPPP and various other government measures have been a fantastic success and South African renewable energy infrastructure is still an attractive prospect for foreign investors. However, the longer Eskom stall, the less appealing and more risky those opportunities become, says Kruger. As it stands, South Africa and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa lag significantly behind European and Asian comparators in terms of the quality of infrastructure. In fact, South Africas overall infrastructure quality is only fractionally higher than that of India a nation with a per-capita income four times lower. The REIPPPP projects will go a long way in bringing the country up to speed. The next EnVision Bus Read more [...] As the war rages against rhino poachers, experts are warning about the dangers faced by other animals to meet local and international demand for products. The Endangered Wildlife Trust's Adam Pires said despite the concerns about rhino poaching, the organisation was troubled by the increases in the poaching of lions, vultures and pangolin, and the smuggling and illegal trade of reptiles. He said the poaching of lions and vultures was for perceived medicinal purposes, with the poisoning of vultures being "extremely serious and devastating, given the small populations of vultures". Pires said despite tackling criminal syndicates and providing more education to communities, he believed that the fight against poaching was hampered by the perceived "low risk of detection versus high profits or rewards for trading illegally in wildlife". "When we start levelling this out we will be heading in the right direction. "Although some cases have seen good sentencing there are many more cases that don't get the necessary attention," he said. The SA Predators Association's Carla van der Vyver said the industry had seen a big increase in poaching incidents, with lions targeted in particular. "I believe it is to meet the demand for the local market. They were very specific in going for the heads and paws. If it was for the international market, I believe they would utilise more of the carcasses," said Van der Vyver. She said the association was concerned that as levels of lions dwindle other predators might also be targeted. Zebra, giraffe and porcupines are also being targeted, Department of Environmental Affairs spokesman Eleanor Momberg said. Pires said: "Many resources have been allocated to tackle the illegal trade of rhino horn and rightly so. "The illegal trade of other animals and plants has always been taking place and it's difficult at this point to draw any correlations whether since the increase of rhino poaching there has been an increase in the illegal trade of other species." Source: The Times Stakeholders in land reform held a roundtable session to discuss possible scenarios as pressure mounts for the acceleration of the land reform programme. The roundtable was hosted by the Vumelana Advisory Fund, a non-profit organisation that helps beneficiaries of the land reform programme put their land to productive use by establishing commercially viable partnerships between beneficiary communities and investors, and investors. Land Reform Futures Discussions focused on four land reform scenarios that can possibly unfold in South Africa over the next 15 years. The Land Reform Futures or Scenarios were developed over a period of two years by 40 people who approach land reform from widely differing perspectives: policy makers and administrators, traditional leaders, communal property institution leaders, activists, business people, academics. and consultants. Speaking at the roundtable, Brian Whittaker, director and strategy advisor at Vumelana Advisory Fund explained that the scenarios are not predictions or proposals. They merely provide a perspective on how things can possibly pan out. The scenarios are not exhaustive, but tell stories about how South Africans might respond to the challenges and what the outcomes of their responses can be, he said. In the case that one scenario is applied, it provides insights on what could possibly happen as a consequence to that scenario, and this speaks to the economic and social perspectives. The scenarios can be used by any institution as a reference point in planning around land reform. They present an inclusive and structured way in which to look at what could possibly happen and can, therefore, help with decision-making and planning in the land reform space, he added. The four land reform scenarios Land Reform Futures Scenario 1, Connection and Capture: paints a picture of what can happen should government allocate land arbitrarily to shore up support ahead of the 2019 elections. Such a move is likely to benefit the politically connected to capture land reform for their own purposes. Scenario 2, Market power and Concentration: describes what can happen should the government decide to accelerate land reform through community-private partnerships. Such a move would lead to a substantial transfer of commercial farmland to black South Africans, but would not necessarily bring about the necessary reform; it would change ownership, but not the structure of agriculture. Scenario 3, Occupation and Confiscation: describes what can happen if South Africans opt for land invasion in the face of deepening hardship. Scenarios 4, Hard bargaining and Compromise: describes what can happen if South Africans agree to equitable land sharing. In such a scenario, land reform would become a shared responsibility among a wide range of actors, supported by an enabling state that is committed to pro-poor land and agrarian reform. Scenario 4 presents an ideal approach, Annelize Crosby, AgriSAs legal and policy advisor, said at the roundtable. However, there is still need for engagement on it. The hard bargaining and compromise process leaves the country with no choice but to engage. To say we are going to expropriate 70% of land within a year or two is extremely disruptive if it happens within the next two years, it will be very disruptive indeed. A need for a clear framework on the roll out of land reform Crosby believes that the right frameworks are in place, though people within these frameworks may not be truly empowered. While having land reform committees is a good concept, the way in which it is being rolled out is not perfect, she noted. Certain interventions must be made by national government, and thats not only on land - there has to be an understanding of what people want. In some cases, people just want their lives to be improved, they want a better life for their children, and this may or may not include land. The majority of participants at the roundtable supported the view that the fourth scenario presents a plausible solution to addressing some of the current land reform challenges. Aggrey Mahanjana, secretary-general of the African Farmers' Association of South Africa believes that a combination of scenarios four and two will help South Africa achieve the target of one million jobs in agriculture by 2030. Scenario 4 will contribute towards the development of the country without messing up the country, however, there needs to be a clear framework of implementation in applying these scenarios, he noted. And we need to make sure that partnerships are not skewed where our people are ripped off. Government has to intervene to make sure that we strike a proper balance in terms of policy to make sure that both parties involved in the partnerships benefit. Economic and social impact issues Elton Greeve, chief director of strategic land reform interventions at the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform highlighted that many people dont fully grasp land reforms economic and social consequences. They see land reform as acquiring land and distributing it, he pointed out. While thats an element of land reform, it is a small element; there are economic and social impact issues and other elements. We need to have the right framework and get people to understand that there is a difference between redistribution and restitution, as this deals with different elements. According to Greeve, government cannot resolve land reform on its own, there is a need for partnerships. Its encouraging to see that the 80 partnerships that have been formed with white farmers are voluntary partnerships. We have farmers now coming up to say we want to partner, help us to do it. We need more of this kind of non-coerced partnerships. For more on the Land Reform Future Scenarios, visit www.landreformfutures.org Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba and representatives from the hospitality sector have agreed on the 60% employment of South Africans in the sector. This, after the Minister met with representatives of the sector in Pretoria. Stephan Stockinger via 123RF Addressing the media after the meeting, Minister Gigaba explained that the main purpose of the meeting was to look at civic issues affecting citizens, as well as the approach to management of international migration. "The burning issue currently is the grave concern that had been raised with us by many citizens, labour stakeholders and affected government departments. The crux of the matter, as observed, is that many businesses, particularly in the construction and hospitality sectors, do not hire South African workers, preferring migrants," the Minister said. Minister Gigaba said South Arica has already seen unfortunate incidents of attacks on foreign nationals, some of which flowing from employment practices with a serious dent on the country's reputation internationally. "I made it quite clear from the start of the meeting that we needed a very strong partnership with business, and that it was important to clarify issues and act accordingly even before we are pressurised by the public. "As we have said, this carries potential to fuel perceptions that businesses exploit migrants to lower wages and conditions, while locals suffer in a sea of poverty and want," the Minister said. The perception has been that businesses prefer to employ undocumented foreign nationals over South Africans. In some instances, it is said undocumented foreign nationals are preferred because they accept anything offered. According to Minister Gigaba, the hospitality sector representatives were honest to concede that problems were raised with them before. "The stakeholders raised some of their views on reasons why certain sectors may not be employing citizens, ranging from wages to perceptions around work ethics," he said. Chief Executive Officer of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (FEDHASA), Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, said the sector is prepared to work with the department in ensuring compliance in the sector. He said there is a need to conduct research to determine the number of undocumented persons employed in the sector. "We cannot ignore the problem in the sector. We are willing to assist the department in enforcing the laws," he said. Tshivhengwa admitted that within the sector there are few businesses that are not enforcing the law. "We want the sector to comply," he said. FEDHASA has been representing the South African Hospitality Industry on a local, provincial, national and global level to protect the interests of all stakeholders of the industry, thereby enabling members to achieve their objectives. Following the meeting with the Minister, the sector welcomed government's initiative and agreed to do all in their power to ensure that the objectives are met. The meeting, therefore, agreed on practical steps to take swiftly to deal with these issues. An agreement was reached with all stakeholders present on the need to do the following: Respond urgently and sensitively to the concerns raised by citizens regarding the sector. Improve employment practices, with citizens prioritised, and not prejudiced. For citizens, these issues are fundamental as they relate to satisfying their human needs as they impact greatly on living standards. Enforce, with support of the associations, rules and regulations. Stakeholder engagement for the dissemination of information, legislation, and regulations. Target businesses for inspections and impose penalties accordingly. Section 49 (3) of the Immigration Act, 2002 stipulates that anyone who knowingly employs an illegal foreigner or a foreigner in violation of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment as determined by the courts. TOKYO, JAPAN: Japan's Supreme Court has rejected a man's demand that news search results of his arrest on sex charges be deleted from Google, ruling that to do so would violate freedom of expression. Japanese media said it was the first decision by the nation's top court involving the "right to be forgotten" relating to Internet searches. "The deletion (of references to the charge) can be allowed only when the value of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure," the court said in a statement posted on its website. Tuesday's decision came after the Saitama District Court, north of Tokyo, in December 2015 upheld a temporary injunction against Google ordering it to delete search results about a man convicted on charges related to child prostitution and pornography. The Tokyo High Court last July had overturned the lower court decision, saying there was no such legally protected right. While the top court set strict conditions for allowing the deletion of certain references, it did not mention the "right to be forgotten" recognised in 2016 in overhauled EU rules on Internet data protection. The Supreme Court said conditions for deleting search engine results include factors such as the degree of damage caused to privacy, how broadly specific searches can be carried out and the social standing of individuals in question. Tomohiro Kanda, the man's lawyer, called the decision "disappointing," saying that ensuring a crime is remembered differs from having the name of a person associated with it "passed on for many years". The Japanese office of Google was not immediately available for comment. Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa German Airlines have unveiled details of a new commercial partnership. The two airline groups have concluded a US$100 million global catering agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul. Says James Hogan, Etihad Aviation group president and chief executive officer: Partnerships are at the heart of our strategy and remain fundamental for us to compete effectively and efficiently in a complex and competitive global market. This partnership is the platform for a much wider strategic collaboration between our two organisations. It demonstrates the commitment of the Etihad Aviation Group Board and Abu Dhabi to our European growth strategy. Creating added value Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa group chairman and chief executive officer, says: We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with the Etihad Aviation Group. Together we can create added value for our customers and shareholders. Partnering with the Etihad Aviation Group fits perfectly the Lufthansa Groups global strategy for our passenger airlines and service companies. The four-year catering contract will see Lufthansas LSG Sky Chefs provide catering services to Etihad Airways in 16 cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) also signed an MoU to explore cooperation in maintenance, repair and overhaul services across Etihad Airways and its airline equity partners, and opportunities for synergies with Etihad Airways Engineering. Exploring further cooperation Etihad Airways and Lufthansa are also exploring further cooperation in a number of areas, including freight operations, procurement and passenger services to improve their competitive offering globally and in the European market. The previously announced codeshare between the two airline groups went on sale yesterday, 1 February, for flights between Abu Dhabi and Germany. Lufthansa will place its LH code on Etihad Airways twice daily flights between its Abu Dhabi hub and both Frankfurt and Munich. Etihad will put its EY code on Lufthansas long-haul, non-stop intercontinental services between its home base of Frankfurt, the business and commercial capital of Germany, and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the Colombian capital, Bogota as soon as government approval is obtained. The codeshare agreement will grow both carriers global networks, giving Lufthansa increased access to important feeder markets throughout the Indian Subcontinent via Abu Dhabi, while Etihad will gain access into South America through Germany. To facilitate both connectivity and the customer experience associated with this codeshare, the Abu Dhabi-based airline will also move its operations at Lufthansas hubs, from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 in Frankfurt, and Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 in Munich. The Lufthansa Group signed an agreement in December 2016 with Air Berlin, in which Etihad Aviation Group holds a 29% stake, for the wet-lease of 38 aircraft. Lufthansas point-to-point carrier Eurowings will wet lease 33 aircraft, and Austrian Airlines, a Lufthansa Group airline, will take on five aircraft. The agreement between Eurowings and Air Berlin, signed on 16 December 2016, will last for six years and is slated to begin on 10 February 2017 when the first aircraft starts operating for Eurowings. Kate Moross, an expert on how to make it in the hyper-competitive design world, is another international speaker set to liven the Design Indaba stage this year. Picture: Infringe Magazine and Panos Damaskinidis The London-based, rainbow-haired illustrator, art director and designer is known for her dynamic use of colour, which spawned an entirely new doctrine of design and has cemented her place as one of the UKs most exciting young artists. In 2007, she was selected to take part in Creative Review's Creative Futures bursary project, and even before graduating from art college in 2008, she already had some high-profile clients under her belt. Twenty-twelve was also a big year for Moross. Besides being selected to design the logo to represent Samsung's London Olympics 2012 partnership, and to carry the flame at the torch relay, she also launched her own studio that creates, art directs, designs, films and rebrands some of the world's most well-known musicians, including the likes of One Direction, Disclosure, Wild Beasts, Young Turks and Sam Smith among many others. In addition to music videos, her portfolio extends to textiles, identities, murals, fashion and magazine covers for a number of international publications and brands, such as Nike, Topshop and Google. Her work is referred to as individual and distinct, and true to her infectious, playful imagination, her creativity knows no bounds. For her full speaker profile, go to DesignIndaba.com. Check out her studio website, Studio Moross, take a look at her solid portfolio KateMoross.com and find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @katemoross / @StudioMoross. As growing companies build their brands using digital channels, they need to use data to help shape their reach while communicating and increasing brand advocacy with consumers through technology. The two functions need to be more closely integrated than they currently are. Bradley Elliot The South African market seems to be grappling with a major gap between the work of digital marketing agencies and digital business analysts. The concern is that while agencies are highly focused on creativity to solve brand issues, business analysts focus on business processes with little connection to customers. Here are the key smart digital marketing trends in 2017 that may bridge this gap: 1. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) This is probably the most underutilised technology at the moment, simply because of the costs involved, and the fact that few companies have the right tools to analyse and find value out of their data. While this will grow, companies should start focusing on understanding people, before finding ways to engage with them. Machine learning and AI can analyse streams of data, from social media to purchasing behaviour, to create in-depth understanding of consumers. However, even though ChatBot technology is emerging, automating the engagement process once data is to hand, is often where the wheels fall off. Automation is an important function, but we need to use a combination of human intervention and communication alongside AI and automation. The idea is for humans to moderate some messages before AI sends them out. 2. Existing channels are underutilised More well-known, but perhaps less sexy technologies are still drastically underutilised. For example, there is still a relatively low rate of smartphone penetration in South Africa, in spite of more affordable devices being available, and we have yet to overcome the barrier of extortionate data costs. Some channels that are still underutilised, or that could be far more effective if they were used in more than just in a spray and pray approach include SMS, USSD, targeted personalised mailers, WhatsApp and Snapchat. Most importantly, the greatest success factor for any campaign is not so much what technologies brands will be adopting, but rather how they will be adopted, and what content will be shared. 3. Focus on the customer Brands need to use data to find, reach and engage with customers, but also understand that they will be working with a rich mix of data-driven insights that inform real customer-centric strategies. 4. Develop creative campaigns based on customer data Brands such as Under Armour and Nike have changed their creative processes and now start with consumer insights, from which they develop unique experiences. For instance, Under Armours Rule Yourself campaign didnt contain any Olympic intellectual property or branding, but was the second-most-shared Olympics ad in 2016. 5. Marketing automation Caution has to be exercised in line with a holistic CRM Strategy when adopting marketing automation. The automation should be limited only to certain tasks, like email and newsletter marketing. The key here is to still drive personalisation alongside automation. 6. Drive personalisation Brands have to use data to drive personalisation of content and product offerings. This is extremely important in a world that is becoming increasingly cluttered and difficult to break through barriers. According to a Forrester/PwC study, 94% of executives believe that delivering personalisation as critical to reaching customers. 7. Using organic brand advocates as influencers Paid influencers belong to the old days of paying bloggers in exchange for exposure. Brands need to go back to authenticity and identify natural brand advocates to create word-of-mouth marketing strategies. For example, paid influencers generally charge 20c per follower. This amounts to R50 000 for 250 000 followers. The problem with this is that brands would only be paying for reach, not resonance and relevance. A much better approach is to rather focus on getting 50 organic brand advocates with 4000 followers each and spread the risk. 8. Holistic approaches Integrate, integrate, integrate! From CRM, to digital, to ATL, if these elements arent seamlessly connected the brand will get lost very quickly. Brands need to focus on what they have to maximise their impact. Trends are trends for a reason; and until they reach mass adoption or penetration, there may not be a need to invest in them. There is still plenty of opportunity to achieve growth within existing channels and the strategies available. In 2017, well see big brands investing in virtual reality and ChatBots, because its the thing to do. However, the clever brands will focus on data, forming insights and stronger relationships. The competition for consumers attention between brands in the digital media space is ever increasing and everywhere you go today on the internet there is some form of advertising following you. Jaco Lintvelt Whether you are doing a quick search for a restaurant close by on your phone, reading an article on a popular news website on your desktop, browsing through your Facebook timeline or sharing a photo on Instagram, there is always an advert or retargeting message trying to win your attention. Marketers have a plethora of media options and platforms to choose from when it comes to digital, and who knows what 2017 will hold. The platform and audience fragmentation is making it difficult for marketers to make sure that they are covering all their bases and having conversations with their consumers on the right platforms. It has never been more important for marketers to stand out from the crowd, and the only way to do that is to be more relevant in their digital communication with their target market than their direct competitors. The good news for marketers is that it is indeed possible provided that brands keep a pulse on their consumers. How can marketers become more relevant with their online communication strategies? The answer lies in the usage of more consumer data and then activating those audiences that you know more about as a marketer, at the right time and place when consumers are in the right frame of mind to engage. To fully utilise the consumer data, it is recommended that marketers use a form of technology to assist with buying decisions, otherwise the data cant be utilised in the most effective way. At the moment, agencies are using programmatic buying to fulfill this role. If you are still unclear about what the term programmatic media buying means, please have a look on the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) website for a definition. The point that I am making is that the programmatic media buying promise is not actually about buying at all, it is about data, technology and marketing automation, working together to deliver more relevant messages to personalise communication to your target market as they move through different life stages. Programmatic buying in 2017 will be a year of rapid growth. Programmatic buying in the Sub Saharan Africa region has up until now been in its infancy, version 0.5 if you want to call it that. In the latest IAB SA report (an industry survey conducted by PwC and sponsored by the IAB South Africa), it is clear that there is a very big shift towards real time bidding and programmatic buying. As stated in the most recent report: Another way to buy ads which have taken off in Western markets in recent years, and is emerging quickly in South Africa, is via demand-side platforms (DSPs) and ad exchanges. These are technology platforms where the ad-buying process is automated, also known as programmatic buying. DSPs allow media buyers to purchase inventory, typically via bids in ad exchanges. The price is based on auctions, often in real time, allowing for greater price transparency and budgeting flexibility. The media marketplace is changing rapidly and the way media agencies plan, buy and execute on digital media will look very different in 2017 to what it did at the beginning of 2016. When programmatic buying is done accurately it is about finding the correct audiences by working with quality publishers, activating the appropriate advertising for these audiences in real time, and streamlining transactions to create efficiencies and ultimately better business outcomes for clients by enabling more relevant advertising. If marketers can use important customer relationship management data, together with the data that they can gain access to by working with specialist partners, then that will change the way marketing currently works and performs for them, as all the messages will become more addressable. A few important factors around programmatic buying that will allow marketers to use data, technology and automation in a more successful way: Programmatic buying is not a channel and it is most certainly not a product or a media strategy. You could rather think of programmatic as a stack of data, technology and people working in unison to deliver more efficiencies and effectiveness: 1. Programmatic buying is only as good as the data you base your decisions on. Firstly, it starts and ends with data, from a clients own data, to publisher audience behaviour data and even available market data from third party suppliers in South Africa. Data fuels the programmatic ecosystem and has changed digital display advertising for the better. Utilisation of data will make all the difference a marketer needs and even if you start using it in small quantities, start the journey in 2017. 2. Programmatic is about technology helping humans to keep up with the fragmented media landscape. Secondly, there is no getting around the fact that technology is one of the key enablers for programmatic media buying. Technology enables us to match the aforementioned advertiser data with the right audience and technology underpins modern media planning and buying. Technology is ultimately the process automation within programmatic that drives efficiencies and effectiveness, marketers should ensure that the technology works hard for them. 3. Programmatic media buying is about people. Thirdly, even if some of the work that is done within programmatic is on the bleeding edge of technological innovation, it is still heavily reliant on people. The fact that technology has become more sophisticated, the real value is in application and freeing up more time for analysis instead of implementation. Programmatic media buying, has not been around for long and there is not one strategy that will work for all brands. Marketers must make sure they are working with teams with experience that understand how to best utilise the technology to get the results they want. Automation and technology today does not necessarily mean downscaling the workforce, but rather automating dull and tedious tasks to give people more time for performing strategic tasks. Data and technology are meaningless without people to link them, and understanding the media landscape is still an important asset. 4. Programmatic is about reducing ad wastage. By being able to identify and target audiences, and not only by using media environments as a proxy for execution, marketers can reduce wasted ad impressions and increase return on ad spend. If predictions are believed, 2017 will be a tough financial year, and every media Rand better invested will assist marketers tremendously to achieve their marketing objectives. 5. Programmatic is now also premium and new channels will be added. As in the good old days of advertising, the relationships between media owners and media agencies are still very important, despite the fact that programmatic buying would negatively impact media owners. Some agencies mistakenly believed that they will not require premium media owners in the programmatic age. How ironic, as these media owners are required to drive innovation in a technology focused world and now more than ever media owners can give agencies very valuable information on the audiences they generate. Programmatic buying will also extend outside of digital only and will start impacting the way marketers and agencies will plan and purchase digital out of home inventory or even streaming radio services. A few of the predictions that will drive the South Africa programmatic space and give markers new opportunities: Media owners will continue to be important audience delivery partners no death of the premium publisher, just new ways of partnering together like programmatic guaranteed and market first customised partnerships. The traditional way of the website as a proxy for specific audience planning, is changing to data driven audience-first planning. Detailed digital media schedules becoming broader; and more dynamic environment placement options with the opportunity to optimise across different media owners in real time - backed up with a relevant advertiser and publisher data schedule to justify audience targeting and approach. Creative material that was always developed before a campaign needs to be designed and customised on the fly in real time, as the campaign progresses and more data is captured to inform the message. Digital Creative agencies have a big opportunity to assist marketers to deliver personalised messages at scale, something that was not previously explored. Programmatic buying on open exchanges is shrinking and programmatic is becoming the way the entire digital media schedule is executed, across performance and or premium branding campaigns with awareness objectives. If you are still not taking programmatic seriously as a marketer, publisher or agency in 2017, you are doing your business a serious disservice as the industry will be moving at an even quicker rate over the next three years, and we will need some assistance to keep up. Swamps, marshes, floodplains and mangrove forests, all known as wetlands, are a precious resource. In their natural state they provide a range of eco-system services . They regulate water flows, store eroded materials and nutrients and provide water, food and raw materials. Wetlands are defined as areas that are subject to seasonal or permanent flooding up to a depth of 6m. Throughout history, the general trend has been to convert wetlands from their natural state to allow other more intensive uses. In some parts of the world this has involved the creation of rice paddies, sugar estates or even fish farms. In Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand more than 50% of wetlands were converted to other uses during the 20th century by controlled flooding and drainage. Mostly they were used for intensive farming and urban development. In recent decades, particularly in Africa, wetlands have become a new agricultural frontier. In response, a number of agencies are trying to explore sustainable wetland management as a way of reducing rural poverty, improving food security and strengthening livelihood resilience in the face of climate change. Wetlands as a buffer against disaster World Wetland Day is marked ever year as part of an effort to highlight their importance and value. This year, the focus is on the vital role of healthy wetlands in reducing the impact of extreme events such as floods, droughts and cyclones on communities and in helping to build resilience. The best known example of wetlands for disaster risk reduction is probably the mangrove swamps in the tropics. On the east and west coasts of Africa these areas provide a buffer against storm surges, cyclones and tsunamis, as well as providing breeding grounds for fish and storage of carbon. In Europe, flood control and water management agencies are now re-discovering the natural role of floodplains in reducing flood levels. In the Netherlands, for example, the government is negotiating with farmers to allow farmland to be floodedto reduce the height of floods and the threats to settlements. There are also several examples in sub-Saharan Africa of wetland use which can help reduce disasters and improve resilience. For example, the small-scale cultivation of inland wetlands, such as the bas fonds in West Africa or dambos in southern Africa. These play an important role in helping communities survive during the long dry season and avoid seasonal hunger. In this way disaster risks are reduced. Wetlands are also feeding towns and generating income, as well as savings, for farmers. They can use this extra cash to develop their farms and diversify their enterprises. In Mpika, northern Zambia, some successful wetland farmers have developed retail and house rental enterprises, whilst others have used their newly accumulated capital for trading in grain. Managing wetlands better In Africa, a range of organisations, from community groups to international agencies have recognised the way in which wetlands can be important for poverty reduction, livelihood security and resilience in the face of climate change. A number of initiatives are underway to explore how wetlands can be managed sustainably. One example is the Striking a Balance project in Zambia and Malawi. In many parts of both countries farmers are heavily dependent on wetlands. Research shows that in three sites in Simlemba, central Malawi, 88% of farmers use wetlands for more than water collection. Their other activities, primarily cultivation but also reed collection, derived from wetlands account for 37% of their domestically consumed food and generate 55% of their cash income. But with growing rural populations, the degradation of upland fields due to prolonged farming, and climate change wetlands are under increasing pressure as farmers seek out fertile and moist sites. However, the increased flows of water from degraded uplands into the wetlands and the disturbance of natural vegetation by cultivation in the wetlands threatens erosion and damage to these valuable sites. During the project, farmers analysed the risks they faced in relying so heavily on wetlands and identified measures they could take to make wetland use more sustainable and productive. These included: adjusting cultivation sites to the water table at different times of the year, using raised bed as the flood declines and depression beds in the driest times when the water table is lowest using compost to improve soil structure and mulching with plant residues between plants to reduce water loss in the hottest time of the dry season, and not cultivating in the middle of wetlands which can encourage gulley formation during the flood season. Farmers also realised that the wetlands depended on well-managed catchment areas. Measures were identified to improve upland management. These included improving land use through using soil and water conservation measures, inter-planting crops with agro-forestry trees, and maintaining areas of natural vegetation all of which facilitate water infiltration. This water percolates through to the wetlands several months later. This landscape approach pioneered by Striking a Balance is being explored in other locations across Africa to build resilience in the face of climate change. For example, in West Africa, the inter-governmental Africa Rice Center is working to develop community planned and managed wetland use. Its estimated that transforming just 10% of wetlands can provide food security for the region through rice cultivation. The rest of the wetlands can be left in a natural state to stabilise flows and reduce flooding and erosion in the cultivated areas. Managing wetlands more effectively and efficiently in Africa is inextricably linked to improving peoples livelihoods and their resilience in the face of disasters. The way to progress this is to empower communities to manage wetlands themselves, using their local knowledge and building institutions to develop and apply practices for productive use. How will social media combine with your traditional marketing strategies? Why exactly do you want to be on a particular platform? What kind of people do you want to reach? What kind of information do you want to disseminate? How will you measure success? 3. Not measuring social media success - If you do not measure your social media marketing success, you will not know whether you are growing or not. Some of the things you need to monitor include the size of your community, the traffic generated to your business website, the mentions of your brand on social media and the number of comments on your posts. The good news is that there are many tools out there that can help you keep track of your metrics. This includes Kissmetrics, Cyfe, Google Analytics, SocialMention, Simply Measured and PageLever. 4. Poor timing of social media posts - Before you start posting anything, you should first understand who your customer is and how they operate on social media. Where do they live? At what times of the day are they most active on social media? Do not make the mistake of posting messages when most of your target audience is asleep. To create maximum brand awareness, it would be advisable to share your content at peak hours. You can carry out A/B testing to find out what works best for your audience. 5. Lack of commitment - Success in social media requires a high level of commitment. You will need to invest much time in studying your audience, researching your content, creating posts, analysing metrics and tweaking your social media profiles. If you are not committed, your accounts might end up becoming dormant and you could lose your followers. Therefore, make sure you are ready to put in the work required for your social media marketing plans to work. 6. Inconsistency in design - The designs elements used in your social media platforms need to be consistent with the persona of your brand. If your design is inconsistent with the values and USPs of your brand, your customers and prospects might end up confused. Some of the things you need to consider when creating your designs include colours, fonts, textures, shapes and lines. Being consistent allows faster brand recognition, thus enhancing loyalty and trust with your audience. 7. Not using platforms appropriately - Different social media platforms were created for different purposes. For example, Twitter is useful for short, quick messaging while Facebook is meant for communication that is more detailed. Instagram on the other hand is designed for communication via images and videos. Therefore, be sure to tailor your messages for each social media platform. This will greatly enhance your chances of success. DUBLIN, IRELAND: The EU's competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager on Tuesday defended a landmark decision that US tech giant Apple should pay billions in back-taxes to Ireland. In August, the European Commission, the EU executive arm, ordered the iPhone maker to reimburse a record 13 billion euros ($14 billion) in unpaid taxes in Ireland. The EU had accused Ireland of giving Apple a secret tax deal that allowed it to enjoy near zero tax on its huge sales worldwide for more than a decade. Addressing Irish lawmakers in Dublin on Tuesday, Vestager denied that Brussels was conducting a "witch-hunt" against multinationals such as Apple. Vestager said the investigations in this and other cases in other European countries were purely about illegal state aid. "We simply want to make sure that they are not used to rubber stamp a way of allocating profits that does not match economic reality," she said. It did not mean that the EU Commission was assuming the authority over a country's tax rules, the commissioner argued. The investigations "do not affect the sovereign right of member states to determine their own corporate tax systems, or to set their own tax rates. They are simply about special treatment for certain companies," she said. Vestager said "good progress" was being made by the Irish authorities with regards to the collection of the money. The Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS) has appointed the former head of corporate marketing at Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), Lindy-Lou Gill, as a contracted consultant to serve clients in Cape Town and its surrounds. Gill will be conducting fieldwork for SCOPEN 2017 an organisation that reviews agency scope in South Africa, providing insights into communication industry trends. Gill has over 30 years of experience across all marketing channels. The Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN), the negotiating body for the UNFC, had an informal meeting with the Peace Commissions advisory team on January 13, in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. At the meeting, both sides discussed the peace process. We had an informal meeting on January 13, in Chiang Mai. It was with the DPN. The Peace Commission sent a letter on January 26. It was informing them to have a meeting and talks in Yangon. Focusing the talks on signing the NCA and participating in the conference, said U Hla Maung Shwe. Peace Commission Advisor U Hla Maung Shwe (sitting from the left) (Photo: Khin Zaw Oo/Facebook) The UNFC held a central executive emergency meeting from January 23 to 25, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. At the meeting the group released a statement citing it would not attend the 21st Century Panglong Conference if it was only invited to participate as observers, but it would continue discussions on the NCA inking and peace talks as long as the government offers a way. Regarding this matter, we will discuss as the Peace Commission has directed. We will discuss as directed in the governments policy. It is a leader-level decision on how they will be allowed to participate [in the conference], but we will try hard and do our best, said U Hla Maung Shwe. However, because the Shan State Hluttaw has called out the Northern Alliance as an terrorist organization, the Kachin Independent Army, a member of UNFC, will have difficulties travelling to the central Burma city and participate in the talks. Giving many reasons, the Tatmadaw [Burma army] also called the Northern Alliance an terrorist organization and has launched offensive attacks against the alliance. However, the Tatmadaw did so intentionally as a way of damaging the [potential] talks, according to the statement released by UNFC on January 27. If its to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, we will go meet her regardless of whether it is in Nay Pyi Taw or Yangon. However, if it is to meet with the peace commission, we would like to meet them in Chiang Mai, said Dr. Nai Shwe Thein, a member of DPN. The UNFCs members which have not signed the NCA yet are Kachin Independent Army (KIA), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army, Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Arakan National Council (ANC), Wa National Organization (WNO), and Lahu Democratic Union (LDU). Unusual Models Who Are Ruling The World Life oi-Syeda Farah One does not have to look beautiful from outside. A person can be beautiful from within and these are the people who have proven to the world that a positive spirit is important to make the world a better place. These are some of the most unusual models who have changed the meaning of modelling. You May Also Like To Read: Can You Believe These Animals Are For Real? Check out the interesting story of these models who have created a remarkable identity of themselves and we must definitely learn something from these guys as they are quite impressive! Learn about their stories and do share them with your friends! An 85-Year-Old Model! She is a true inspiration, must say! Daphne Selfe is an 85-year-old model who still models for lingerie! She is Britain's oldest catwalk model who is gracing the runways for brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Tata-Naka and Michiko Koshino! Image Source The Cross-Eyed Model This young beautiful girl named 'Moffy' is challenging the fashion beauty standards. Her pure, unconventional beauty has seduced everyone around and she has currently been signed by one of the famous agencies for a modelling contract. Image Source The Hot Amputee Is A Former Marine! Alex Minsky's tattooed, finely chiselled body often gets a second look. This guy would surely melt one's heart when it comes to looks. But there is a catch as he has a prosthetic leg. Yet he is always in high spirits! Image Source The Woman Who Works as a Male Model Casey Legler exclusively models menswear, all thanks to her razor-sharp cheekbones and 6' 2" height. It all started when a friend of hers invited her to participate in the role of a man for a photo shoot for Muse magazine. Since then there has been no looking back for her as she is doing really great in her career! Image Source The Woman Holds The Record For Tallest Model! Amazon Eve is the world's tallest model. She stands at a towering height of 6' 8". She initially did have a rough childhood as she was bullied for her height, but she eventually took up acting classes to boost her confidence. And now she is doing well for herself! Image Source A 72-Year-Old Grandpa! A 72-year-old Chinese man modelling stylish clothes for young women went viral online after his grand daughter posted pictures of him online! He is the first elderly male model who has got Internet stardom for modelling girl's clothes for his grand daughter's stores. And since then there has been no looking back for this young spirited man! Image Source PR Newswire WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC urged President Trump to reconsider his proposal to "totally destroy" the Johnson Amendment, the longstanding bar to political activity by tax-exempt organizations, including religious organizations. If the President means to repeal the restriction only for religious groups, AJC asserted, his call would result in government support -- through the tax code -- for religious speech in a manner contrary to binding interpretations of the Constitution's Establishment Clause. And if he means to repeal the bar on all tax-exempt organizations endorsing candidates, the President's call would threaten to drag civil society more broadly -- from museums and other charitable organizations, to national, communal and religious groups of every sort -- into the political arena. "Does the U.S. really need more politics in civil society?" asked Jason Isaacson, AJC Associate Executive Director of Policy. Addressing the National Prayer Breakfast today, the President announced that he would ask Congress to repeal the legislation, which was adopted in 1954 by a Republican-majority Congress and signed into law by President Eisenhower. "Congress should resist this effort to fix what is not broken," Isaacson continued. "America has a vibrant civil society, in which every point of view on political issues large and small has opportunities for expression. There is no reason to fix what is not broken." To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ajc-urges-president-to-reconsider-plan-to-totally-destroy-johnson-amendment-300401727.html SOURCE American Jewish Committee Cumulus Media announced that it has named Brian Joyce of Chattanooga's WGOW Talk Radio as afternoon host on NewsRadio 106.7/WYAY-FM in Atlanta. Mr. Joyces show will air weekdays from 3-6 p.m. and will debut on Monday, Feb. 13. He will still be doing 1-3 p.m. here, then 3-6 in Atlanta from the WGOW studio. Officials said, "Mr. Joyces addition follows the continued explosion of popularity for WYAY-FMs entertaining and informative on-air team of Shannon Burke, The Kimmer, Rob Stadler and Cheryl White. Mr. Joyce will continue to host his current midday show from 1-3 p.m. on Cumulus Media-Chattanooga, TNs Talk Radio 102.3/WGOW-FM and will then follow the Kimmer on NewsRadio 106.7 for Atlantas afternoon commute. "Before heading south, Mr. Joyce grew up in Boston and was on-air talent for several New England stations including WRKO. In Chattanooga, his show regularly outperforms nationally syndicated news/talk personality Rush Limbaugh. Mr. Joyce is a regular contributor on Fox News and a featured blogger on Huffington Post. He has been named to Talkers Magazines Heavy Hundred list and was named one of talk radios Top 5 Rising Stars at Talk Show Boot Camp." Sean Shannon, vice president/market manager for Cumulus Media-Atlanta said, We live in a world where dialogue on matters of substance has become increasingly difficult, with politically-slanted news/talk outlets and social media platforms that feed consumers with stories that confirm their existing political belief systems. NewsRadio 106.7 breaks that confounding and polarizing mold. We are committed to delivering a forum ruled not by any agenda or by an algorithm, but by the unique value we can create for our listeners. We present multiple sides of the story when were delivering the news, ensuring we both inform existing opinions and provoke opposing opinions on every side of the story. In the process, we create a rare media experience facilitating respectful and spirited discourse where there is as much value in listening as there is in talking. Greg Tantum, program director for News Radio 106.7, said, From Shannon Burke to The Kimmer to now Brian Joyce, NewsRadio 106.7 provides Atlantans with a diversity of viewpoints. Brians background as a truck driver, teacher, bouncer, bartender, comedian and Senior Derivatives Analyst for a Fortune 20 company is a natural follow to the eclectic talents and backgrounds of our diverse news/talk team. No syndicated, one-note political mumbo jumbo here NewsRadio 106.7 stands as a different kind of place and a stimulating and thought-provoking break from the echo chambers that populate news/talk today. Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION Reviewed: Christopher E. Goscha, Indochine ou Vietnam, Paris, Vendemiaire, 2015, translated from English by Agathe Larcher (first English language edition published in 1995), 188 p. In 1945, a Communist group from South Vietnam explained that the five points of the star that decorated the Viet-Minh flag represented the five countries of the Indochinese Federation liberated under the supervision of the Vietnamese nation. The anecdote is not only an outmoded expression of the feverish atmosphere of decolonisation. For Christopher Goscha, it also illustrates the longstanding performative force of the categories forged by several decades of French colonisation in south-east Asia, the first of which was the very concept of Indochina. Those in favour of independence, whether nationalists or communists, were not necessarily hostile to the Indochinese referent, and sometimes went so far as to make it the privileged territorial framework of their future independent state. Moreover, while some colonised groups saw their Indochinese status as an insult that bore the stamp of imperialism, others made it a core part of their identity and proudly laid claim to it. Anyone today who is used to considering Vietnam as the embodiment of a pre-colonial political and cultural entity that resisted attacks from an external force is thus led to ask the question: so how was it possible to be Indochinese? A professor at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) and renowned specialist in contemporary Vietnamese history, Christopher Goscha was not seeking to use this issue in order to undertake yet another ideological or memorial diatribe for or against the merits of French colonisation or Vietnamese colonisation (p. 157-158) [1] . Rather, the persistence of a colonial referent that clashes with the official memory of this period of subjugation led the author of the Penguin History of Modern Vietnam to revisit the complexity of the colonial encounter [and to analyse it] on the basis of a historians work (ibid.). Indeed, the use made by some Vietnamese pro-independence campaigners of the Indochinese referent is only the start of a brief but fascinating enquiry into the negotiated nature of French domination in south-east Asia. Indochine ou Vietnam, for which colonial interactions (p.7) were the main focus of analysis, was one of Goschas first books. Although French readers have had to wait almost 20 years for a translation (and the translation is excellent), the books aim has lost none of its strength. It successfully brings to life comments that are all too often abstract, regarding both the colonised peoples agency (i.e. capacity to act) and the way in which the colonisers reclaimed certain regional configurations for the purposes of imperial expansion. Indochina, a common creation with variable geometry In order to ensure their conquests in south-east Asia would stand the test of time, French administrators in the 1880s quickly had to convince local populations that the Indochinese creation was largely in their own interest. This region was marked by a strong bureaucratic tradition and the project to establish a settlement was never seriously considered; here more than anywhere else the colonisers were obliged to engage the favours of the indigenous people. In order for subordinate administrative posts not to remain vacant, the French relied heavily on the dynamism of the Viet nation, which had been rapidly expanding since the 19th century but had found itself hampered by Chinese disdain to the north and Siamese resistance to the west. It was easy for the French to insist on the fact that the Indochinese Union, created in 1887, did not so much mark a break with the past as a continuity with the imperial future of the Dai Nam [imperial state of the south, the name the Nguyen gave to their state in 1838] (p.22). Were not Laos and Cambodia the focus of rivalries between Hue and Bangkok for decades finally affiliated with a great unified territory in which the Vietnamese played a leading role? At this point, Christopher Goschas book goes beyond a mere study of colonial discourses praising the merits of the Franco-Annamite alliance to the local populations. It shows how their association was established on the ground through a set of very specific measures. In Annam, numerous screenings of films on Cambodian heritage as well as history lessons given in colonial schools, aimed at boosting the secular attachment of the Lao and Khmer people towards the Vietnamese, helped to create an Indochinese identity. In this process, spatial mobility also played a vital role. Annamites associated with the smooth running of the Union used roads built by the colonisers, while workers on the rubber tree plantations in South Indochina, employees of administrative bureaux of Phnom-Penh and teachers in Lao schools all used the new rail and road network that helped shape the Indochinese economy and administration into coherent systems. And everyone had a new-found appreciation for the distances involved in these journeys thanks to kilometric markers objectification tools that modified peoples relationship with space. It is therefore not so strange to imagine that Annamites might have considered themselves Indochinese and gone so far as to ask the French authorities in 1938 to speed up the development of Laos in order to further open it up to Annamite colonisation. Was that not where Dai Nam found a tangible reality? Following in the footsteps of Benedict Anderson, Goscha thus brings to light a colonial material culture that was conducive to the establishment of an imagined community on the scale of Indochina. This shared background was by no means the apanage of the Vietnamese collaborators from the French colonisers. The proof lies in its use, after the First World War, by the various actors who demanded a shift in French policy towards greater internal autonomy. Ho-Chi Minhs Demands of the Annamite People, published in 1919, are a prime example of this. They began as follows: The people of the ancient Empire of Annam, now French Indochina, present to the noble governments... And yet, this reclaiming of colonial arguments and Dai Nams past sparked lively discussions, which crystallised around the 1930s in what Gosch calls the great Indochinese debate. This was a time of intense debates over the form that the Indochinese state would take, revealing the deep fault lines that divided the various nationalist groups at the time. Those who favoured an equal collaboration between the French and the Indochinese within a reworked state were the first to tear each other apart. On the one hand, the supporters of Pham Quynh promoted a federal system, which they believed was the only one capable of reuniting the three Ky (Cochin China, Annam and Tonkin) and therefore bringing about the rebirth of Dai Nam, which would enable the Annamites to gain control over the Lao and Khmer people at last. For supporters of Nguyen Van Vinh, this objective was far too utopian. Instead, they believed direct government should be prioritised, promoting the rise of a staunchly Indochinese community, since the Annamites would only be granted autonomy on the condition of reconsidering themselves as Indochinese. However, these hesitations over which political meaning should be assigned to the term Indochinese were insignificant compared with the deeper tensions that were causing friction among revolutionary factions with regard to the same issue. Both nationalists and communists were unsure as to the geographical scale on which to base their action. In the wake of the VNQDD (Vietnamese National Party), created at the beginning of 1928, a growing minority of fierce opponents to French colonialism began to reject the Indochinese framework on the grounds of its colonial ties. The post-colonial state these nationalists were calling for had a Vietnamese shape (a term which, historically, was just a translation of the name given by the Chinese to the Viet state Yueh Nan and, considered too pejorative, had prompted the Nguyen to choose the term Dai Nam). This marked the birth of the movement that successfully imposed its line at the time of independence. However, Christopher Goscha warns against any anachronism. Although this wave of Vietnamese nationalism prevailed in the end, it in no way represented the only possible alternative in the interwar period. In fact, the Indo-Chinese Communist Party was established in 1930. This party, through the authoritarian figure of its leader Ho Chi Minh, provides a perfect illustration of the tensions involved in the great Indochinese debate. On the one hand, Ho Chi Minh was drawn to the term Vietnam because it had been born out of the resurgence of Viet nationalism confined to the eastern part of Indochina. On the other hand, he was constrained by the demands of the Comintern to trace the frontiers of revolutionary action along those of the colonial territories. For many young activists, who saw the model of the Soviet Union as an unsurpassable reference, were very drawn to the idea of an Indochinese Union finding its unity in the proletarian status of the Annamite workers scattered throughout the peninsula. The debate was therefore far from settled in the early 1950s. Incidentally, the Vietnamese option was only imposed by default. The model of the Indochinese Union presupposed that the Lao and Khmer people would agree to being absorbed by a much larger state. This was by no means the case, however. The Cambodians and Lao were among the first to fiercely criticise the Indochinese model and the Franco-Annamite alliance of the 1880s. Marginalised in their own territory by the influx of Annamite workers and civil servants whom the colonisers considered more hardworking and industrious, they fought long and hard to defend the Indochinese of the West. Nevertheless, once again, it should not be thought that the Lao and Khmer response was an expression of a millennial identity in danger. Goscha shows the extent to which a small group of French civil servants in Cambodia and Laos helped to enhance and defend what they defined as a culture particular to western Indochina. Furthermore, the diverse statuses granted to the indigenous Indochinese people greatly helped to reify oppositions between Annamites and Khmers, and between Annamites and Lao. These categories, hitherto unknown or shifting, became tools for political management and acquired a new-found tangibility. The obligation to re-Khmerise Cambodia, embraced by a number of nationalists from Phnom Penh from the 1930s onwards, was thus largely a result of the political evolution of the Indochinese peninsula from 1880. And the Indochinese project was dealt a fatal blow by the French authorities adoption of this new agenda, giving priority to local identities. Under Vichy, resistance to the Japanese occupation led the custodians of colonial authority to exalt many ancestral traditions and to support local monarchs (Bao Dai in Annam, Sisavang Vong in Laos and Sihanouk in Cambodia), thus exacerbating tensions between the various Indochinese territories. French policy became contradictory through its efforts to unify Indochina while protecting the authenticity of its composite nations, and eventually it forced the communists and nationalists down the Vietnamese route. However, until the early 1950s and the final moment of independence, the idea of an Indochinese community was still alive. Since it embodied the continuation of an imperial project initiated at the start of the 19th century, it was abandoned in many respects with as much difficulty by the Vietnamese as by the French. Global history and rejection of teleology Christopher Goschas book is of interest firstly because of its focus on the complexity of colonial interactions. Far from establishing these within the colonisers-colonised framework, he shows the richness of the inter-colonial Asian connections (p.93) that were set in motion by French expansion in the Indochinese peninsula. The attention he gives to the reconfiguration of Vietnamese-Cambodian and Vietnamese-Lao relations is the best example of this. His in-depth analysis of the diversity of actors and ideas in place within each group (Vietnamese, Lao, Cambodia, French) thus shows that the national sieve gives limited results. Although the approach taken in Indochine ou Vietnam cannot be described as connected (the original book was written in 1995 and contained fewer than 200 pages), it opens up particularly interesting avenues through its repeated comparisons with the Indonesian situation. Goscha uses the following proposal to avoid the teleological pattern that has led others to see Vietnamese identity as an intangible reality explaining the failure of the Indochinese model: if a Javanese could see himself as an Indonesian, why could a Vietnamese not consider himself Indochinese? These comparisons are not merely figments of his imagination or a historians trick to better reflect on past events. Goscha finds explicit references to them in his sources. A Cambodian nationalist writing under the pseudonym IK asked the French authorities in 1937 to separate Cambodia from Indochina, justifying his request with the example of Burma, recently separated from India by the British authorities. Indochine ou Vietnam thus brings to light in a context that is obviously limited by its purpose a network of comparisons and benchmarking of the colonial management techniques used. In this book, the reader thus finds traces of the authors love of global history applied to the Vietnamese context. Published in 1995, Indochine ou Vietnam can be read as the prelude to the collection that Christopher Goscha has been co-editing over the past 20 years at the University of Berkeley: From Indochina to Vietnam: Revolution and War in a Global Perspective. Prelude is a word that accurately describes this book. It is brilliant in its illustrations (although it would need to make a study of the reception of colonial discourses praising the Franco-Annamite alliance in order to win the readers complete support), falling somewhat short of the readers expectations in its conclusion. After a long final chapter on the contradictions of French policy in Indochina, which provides an insight into what drove the revolutionaries to opt for the Indochinese model, Goscha does a final turnaround. He unearths several elements testifying to the persistence of the Indochinese referent in independence discourse. Up until the very last moment, then, the Vietnamese hesitated between two models. But how can one explain the fact that a businessman from Vietnam today would probably laugh at the Indochinese concept (p.57)? There is a gap here that this short book does not fill. In its efforts to avoid the memory debate, it does not provide an answer to the problem raised in the introduction: why did Indochina and Indonesia have such different destinies? The question remains, particularly as Goscha has already shown us that there was nothing inevitable about it on the contrary, in fact. Rejecting teleology is one thing, while taking account of a memory that is blind to the unfulfilled possibilities is quite another. However, this book is merely a prelude. Any reader who is eager to learn more should turn to the rest of Christopher Goschas body of work. Vietnam or Indochina is the question. From Indochina to Vietnam is the answer. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has little to do with deer management issues on private lands. The agency does provide depredation permits through a vetting process by biologists and wildlife officer wherein individual landowners must prove depredation through physical evidence and economic impact. This process has been in existence with the state for decades and decisions for depredation permits do not determine whether individual landowners decide to use permits. In recent months, TWRA has been contacted by Kahite Community in Monroe County regarding deer populations and possible depredation within the community. The community cited several incidents including depredation of landscape, deer vehicle collisions and human threat. TWRA biologists and wildlife officers have assessed the area and noted depredation and economic impact caused by whitetail deer. TWRA biologists and wildlife officers met with community leaders and provided possible deer management options. TWRA also provides guidance to ensure safety of any plans a community decides to implement. The agency is not involved in the final decision of any community or individual landowner. The agency provides biological data and possible actions a community can consider for reducing deer populations. A Bavarian beauty perched on the Chattahoochee River in the Northeast Georgia Mountains, Alpine Helen-White County and the surrounding areas of Cleveland, Sautee and Nacoochee, about 90 minutes north of Atlanta, is home to a variety of wineries. Experience each during three upcoming, can't-miss wine-centered spring events. Wicked Wine Run March 18 Kaya Vineyards Race through the vineyards and trails of the beautiful Kaya Vineyard and Winery in scenic North Georgia.5K Run and 1K Tasting Walk options. Raid Grandma's closet and your nearest party store because there are prizes for the most insane costume! After the race enjoy the Wicked Post Race Party with Food Trucks, a Live Band and... more wine. Wine Highway Weekends March 24-26 and March 31-April 2 Purchase a "Passport" and receive a souvenir glass at any of the 21 participating wineries. Cost of the passport is $40 and includes five tastings at each winery. The Passport is good for every day of the event. You must remember to have your passport and glass at each winery. For those who will be staying in the region for several days, many wineries are open during the week and will accept passports for tastings during the week. If you plan on taking advantage of this, please be sure to check the hours and days of operation for the wineries on days other than Saturday and Sunday . 25th Annual WineFest May 6 Habersham Winery This is a great time to sample fine wines produced by the Winegrowers Association of Georgia, all at one location. Enjoy great music and see fine art and crafts. Between events, savor a sip at a locally-owned winery, which include award-winning Habersham Winery, one of Georgia's oldest and largest wineries with a gift shop that is an oenophile's paradise featuring French oak barrels, American oak barrels, varietal vinifera wines and Georgia grown and produced wines. Yonah Mountain Vineyards Tasting Room is set in the foothills of Yonah Mountain and offers sips at a beautiful hand-crafted wine bar with sweeping views--home to the State's only wine cave and deriving its name from the Cherokee word "yonah" for "bear." The charming Kaya Vineyards is built atop a ridge that is 1,600 feet above elevation making it the ideal place to sit and savor awhile and take in the surrounding beauty of the North Georgia Mountains. Serenity Cellars celebrates the fusion of wine, music and art in a setting with Tuscan sensibilities. Cenita Vineyards and Winery features magnificent views of Yonah Mountain. And, The Cottage Vineyard and Winery offers a beautiful vineyard with 360-degree mountain views. If you go While in town, wander around the downtown Helen area, where cares are left behind as you stroll alongside the Chattahoochee River. Peruse the shops where you'll find hand-blown, fused and recycled art glass, handcrafted, glazed and painted pottery and hand-pieced and sewn quilts where the number of tiny, even stitches per square is still a badge of honor among practitioners of this age-old art form. Seek out Anna Ruby Falls in the Chattahoochee National Forest--a moderate -mile paved trail leads to two viewing decks of twin waterfalls. Unicoi State Park and Adventure Lodge, with more than 1,000 acres of wilderness, and Smithgall Woods offer educational programming: workshops, lectures and concerts. Drive along the Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway or Southern Highroads Trail. From the marked entrance to Dukes Creek Falls on the Russell Scenic Highway, Dukes Creek Falls Trail is a 1.9-mile round-trip hike in a series of three switchbacks that lead down to falls on Davis Creek at its confluence with Dukes Creek. Hiking, birding, guided tours, nature photography and wildlife observation as well as canoeing and kayaking on Unicoi Lake provide more opportunities to commune with nature. Cool off with white water rafting adventures or slow the pace with canoeing and kayaking--Wildwood Outfitters offers rentals and trips for water excursions. Chain hotels and lodges provide the perfect resting place to rest up in anticipation of the next day's adventures. Faith leaders from the Chattanooga area will "Stand Together" in front of the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building, 900 Georgia Ave., at 10 a.m. on Friday. "The recent Executive Order regarding immigration has stirred the hearts of many Americans, and the faith community is not staying silent. The Executive Order is not the issue, rather, is just one symptom of deeper concern. "There is a growing amount of hate speech and actions of hate both here and across the nation. Just in the month of January there were 45 or more bomb threats called in to Jewish institutions across the United States, attacks on Muslims, and fear that Mexican immigrant families may be divided. Christians, Muslims, Hindus and many other faith groups are feeling uneasy, even scared. People who have immigrated to the United States American citizens are being harassed. Faith leaders are standing up, united, when injustice happens around us. It doesnt matter if the injustice affects us personally or not. If it affects other Americans, it affects us as well. "The agenda for the "We Stand Together" event on Friday is short. "We will all stand together men, women, faith groups, and people of all cultures to show our solidarity. There will be a few short remarks from several of the faith leaders. The point it to show strength together and a unified voice with our shared values," officials from the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga said. 11/3/2022 U.S. Express announced financial and operating results for the third quarter of 2022, including a rise in operating revenue and an operating loss of $22.7 million. Third Quarter 2022 Highlights ... more Harmony Road TV, is set to begin its new season beginning Saturday. The revamped program features new hosts, new music, and a new look. The first of the programs revolving hosts is Stowtown Records artist, Jody McBrayer. Music and video on the program include Ernie Haase and Signature Sound (featuring Devin McGlamery) with From My Rags to His Riches, and Good News from the Graveyard," from Southern Raised. The program also includes I choose to be a Christian, from The Erwins and Jody McBrayers video, This is a Son. All the music this week is from Stowtown Records artists. Now in it's fifth season of broadcasting on The Heartland Network, NRBTV, The WALKTV, WATC57 in Atlanta and many more outlets, Harmony Road TV is available to over 90 million homes weekly, across the nation and internationally. The program can be seen over the air, on DirecTV, cable systems, mobile app. and online. Information on networks and times can be found at www.harmonyroadtv.com, or by emailing, stations@harmonyroadtv.com, with market specific questions. All of us at Harmony Road TV are thrilled to begin this new era for the program, with new hosts, new music and a fresh look, said Roger Spears, executive producer. Our goal through the years has been to present the Gospel through music and video, to a large, varied audience. We do this in hopes of reaching the lost, and encouraging the church. Our stations, and networks allow us to share this great gospel music, not only with loyal fans, but to those who are new to the genre." Viewers will recognize Jody McBrayer, from one of gospels top new trios, Stowtown Records artist, Canas Voice, from his time as a soloist, and a member of one of Christian Musics top groups, Avalon. His video This is a Son, is based on his experiences working with homeless through the Bridge Ministry in Nashville. Hosts for future episodes include Kenna West, T. Graham Brown, Darrell Freeman, Rick Francis, Crosby Lane, Mark Bishop, Jospeh Habedank, Sue Duffield and more. The episode was taped at the Mansion Music studio in Franklin, Tn., and directed and edited by Rob Walls of Varnish Films,who serves as the programs Technical Director. Rob Patz, of Coastal Media is also a producer at Harmony Road TV. The programs were taped at Mansion Music, Jim Olivers Smokehouse in Monteagle, Tn., and at the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge (aboard the Harmony Road TV, Mercedes-Benz, I-Tour mobile studio). Additional footage, and web support for the program is provided by Danny Joines of Online Media Studios. The grand opening of the new Fire Station 11 in Hixson will be Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. The station is at 6418 Hixson Pike, heading north, on the right, just past Choo Choo BBQ.. Mayor Andy Berke, Councilman Ken Smith and Fire Chief Chris Adams will lead the brief ceremony. After their remarks, those in attendance may take a tour of the station. An internet imagery. NEW DELHI (PTI): The overall defence budget on Wednesday saw an increase of a marginal 6.2 per cent for the next fiscal at Rs 2.74 lakh crore from the current Rs 2.58 lakh crore, with the capital outlay to cover the modernisation programmes getting a hike of 10.05 per cent. The defence outlay amounted to 12.77 per cent of the total budget. The capital outlay for the three defence services for the purchase of new equipment, weapons, aircraft, warships and other military vehicles stood at Rs 86,488 crore for 2016-17 as compared to Rs 78,586 crore for this fiscal. Budget documents show that revised capital budget for this fiscal is Rs 71,700 crores, but it is not clear whether the Defence Ministry was unable to spend the remaining amount (Rs 6,886 crore) or whether any savings were done. The money allocated for defence pensions was Rs 85,737 crore as compared to revised estimate of Rs 85,624 crore this fiscal. "Rs 2,74,114 crore is allocated for defence expenditure, excluding pension. This includes Rs 86,000 crores for defence capital," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said while presenting the Union Budget. Welcoming the defence outlay, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre tweeted, "9.3% increase in capital outlay for Defence Ministry. Up to Rs 86,000 cr from Rs 78,000 cr last year. Welcome move: @arunjaitley". The defence industry also welcomed the increased capital expenditure. "The increased allocation towards capital expenditure in defence budget is a welcome move. It shows the government's commitment towards indigenisation. The increased spend by the government on capex will lead to trickle down effect and more work for SMEs. It will further help in defence and fleet modernisation. It will also boost Make in India in defence," Puneet Kaura, MD and CEO Samtel Avionics said. However, Ankur Gupta-Vice President (Aerospace and Defence) at Ernst & Young India said that if one takes into account the depreciating Rupee and the imposition of customs duty on all defence imports, this increase may "not suffice to meet the modernisation requirements". "The capital budget has increased by approximately 10 per cent when compared to the budgetary estimates, but if we consider the impact of the depreciating Rupee and the imposition of customs duty on all defence imports, this increase may not suffice to meet the modernisation requirements," he said. The government has also announced a Centralised Defence Travel System for defence personnel to facilitate easy travelling. "Our defence forces keep the country safe from both external and internal threats. A Centralised Defence Travel System has now been developed through which travel tickets can be booked online by our soldiers and officers. They do not have to face the hassle of standing in queues with railway warrants," Jaitley said. He said a comprehensive web-based interactive Pension Disbursement System will be established for defence pensioners. The budget comes at a time when the three defence services--the Army, Navy and Air Force are in in the process of modernisation. The second trance of payments of the 7.87 billion euros have to be made this fiscal besides a host of other already committed liabilities. However, sources expressed confidence that plans of new projects will not be delayed as payments are done in phased manner. WASHINGTON (PTI): Seeking to enhance US military's capabilities, President Donald Trump has ordered a "great rebuilding" of the US armed forces by upgrading equipment, improving training and increasing defence budget. The executive action, signed during President Trump's first visit to the Pentagon, follows through on a campaign pledge to build up the military, which Trump says was ignored under the Obama administration. In the order, Trump detailed plans to invest in a bigger military including more troops, warships and a modernised nuclear arsenal declaring he was beginning "a great rebuilding of the armed services of the United States." "I'm signing an executive action to begin a great rebuilding of the Armed Services of the United States, developing a plan for new planes, new ships, new resources, and new tools for our men and women in uniform. I'm very proud to be doing that," Trump said after signing the executive memorandum during his first visit to the Pentagon. "As we prepare our budget request I think Congress is going to be very happy to see it. Our military strength will be questioned by no one, but neither will our dedication to peace. We do want peace," Trump said. He was flanked by the Vice President Mike Pence and the Defense Secretary James Mattis. Mattis, was officially sworn into office by Pence during the visit The memorandum directs a 30-day military readiness review by the Secretary of Defense. "President Trump's concerns about military readiness are well-founded, and ordering the Pentagon to take immediate steps to begin rebuilding our force is exactly the right step," said Congressman Mac Thornberry, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "The current readiness crisis is the consequence of years of budget cuts and neglect. Congress and the administration must act together immediately to begin to turn the situation around, understanding that a sustained effort over several years is required," he said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup generated $2.2 million in economic activity within the City of Brandon, according to results of a study released Wednesday. The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance was commissioned by Brandon First to look at the economic impact of the event, which was held at Westman Place Nov. 30 to Dec. 5. Were really excited with the numbers that were produced out of this event, said Brandon First executive director Jackie Nichol. Certainly it was kind of testing the waters again with Westman and the curling scene, to not only create such a fun and successful event, but it paid back to our community and region, tenfold, so were really happy about that. File Fans take in a draw during the 2016 Home Hardware Canada Cup at Westman Place in December. A study by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance suggests the curling event generated $2.2 million in economic activity within the City of Brandon. The study indicated there was a total of $2.5 million in economic activity in Manitoba, $2.2 million of which occurred in Brandon. The Province of Manitoba saw tax revenues totalling $198,000.The study looked at people coming in from out of province or out of the city, factored in accommodation spending, as well as restaurant and retail spending. They really look at the event as a whole and the impact that it has on the entire community, Nichol said. This event was part of Brandon Firsts multi-year strategy to attract national level curling events to the city. Nichol said the organization recognizes that event tourism not only provides immeasurable national exposure for the citys facilities and services, but generates substantial economic return for the entire province. We are in the process of creating the plan for the next big curling event, she said. Were also doing what we can to generate business in other sectors outside of the sport world, so we have been attending conventions all across the country looking for visitors that may be interested in bringing their events to Brandon. An ultimate goal would be to bring the Tim Hortons Brier to the Wheat City within the next five years. Sandy Trudel, the citys director of economic development, said the Canada Cup impact study reinforces why the event industry is seen as one of the pillars of the citys economic development strategy. The report really reinforces what we knew, that this is a very lucrative industry and obviously one that were really well-suited to capitalize on, both through our assets that we have in our community but also through the accommodation tax incentives that make it possible, Trudel said. It also brings national media exposure that Trudel says they could never in a million years afford to purchase. Brandon has a long-standing reputation for hosting world-class events, Trudel noted, but in the last decade or so waned with regards to the curling sector. This event was a great opportunity for us to remind everybody thats active in the curling industry that we know how to host events and we know how to make them successful here, she said. Trudel said they have three key areas of focus when it comes to events: agricultural, sporting and meeting/convention. In a perfect world, what youre going to see is that through Brandon First we continue to go after all those sectors because it allows you that variety, Trudel said. jaustin@brandonsun.com Twitter: @jillianaustin Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. At a moment when the Muslim community in Brandon felt most vulnerable, Faiz Ahmed told a congregation of more than 150 mourners they have been lifted up by strangers. The solidarity shown by everyone who attended the interfaith service of remembrance Wednesday night in memory of the six victims of Sundays Quebec City mosque shooting and the many more who offered their condolences before then has been inspiring, said the president of the Brandon Islamic Centre. It reaffirms the faith that Muslims are an integral part of the society. The Muslims are an important thread, weaved into the fabric of our country Canada, Ahmed said. Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun Brandonites crowd the pews of St. Matthews Cathedral on Wednesday evening during an interfaith vigil to remember the victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting. Members of the community came together in a service featuring Christian and Islamic readings. It reaffirms from you that though our ladies may choose to dress differently or we may pray differently, we are the same human beings and we all deserve the same respect. Ahmed said the outpouring of support has left the citys Muslim community speechless. He said they have received flowers, cards, phone calls and messages from many. It is hard to believe that we are so loved by the community, he told the vigil at St. Matthews Cathedral. There was solemn remembrance of the lives lost, mentioning the six mens roles as sons, husbands and fathers to children too young to even comprehend what happened, Ahmed said. But the takeaway message from the service was one of hope, in the power of the human spirit coming together. In times like these, thats when humanity is basically tested, and what Ive seen is so much love, said Akis Peerzada, a Muslim dental hygienist who moved to Brandon last August, after the service. We are one, in so many ways, explained Pat Turner, while seated for a service the Christian said was her privilege to attend. Solidarity goes a long way toward solving the worlds problems. The 45-minute vigil intertwined the practices of an Anglican cathedral with a mosque, a joint prayer service put on by St. Matthews Cathedral and the Brandon Islamic Centre. Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun A member of Brandons Muslim community holds his hands in prayerful observance during Wednesdays interfaith vigil. A welcome from Rev. Don Bernhardt, dean of the Christian church, was followed by a Muslim call to worship, spoken by Abdul Banuga. Verses from the Biblical book of Leviticus were recited after a reading from the Quran, spoken in Arabic and translated to English. An emotional Brandon West Progressive Conservative MLA Reg Helwer said this was the second time he heard the Muslim call for prayer this week, after attending a vigil Monday in Winnipeg that moved him. I was struck by the welcoming words of the imam, your mosque is a place of safety, as is our cathedral, he said. Muhammad Abidullah, a doctor in Brandon, read passages from the Quran. At one point, he singled out two words, O mankind! It doesnt say just Muslim, just Jew or just Christian, he said. In his own remarks, Ahmed said 20 years ago he lived in the same Ste. Foy neighbourhood where the shooting took place. That mosque, Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec, did not exist back then, but he believes he must have worshipped with some of the men whose lives were taken. Colin Corneau Faiz Ahmed, the president of the Brandon Islamic Centre, speaks to the audience during an interfaith vigil on Wednesday evening at St. Matthews Cathedral to remember the victims of this weeks Quebec City mosque shooting. Im sure I must have prayed with the elderly people who died there, he said. Ahmed left the congregation with an invitation to join him and other Muslims this Saturday at the Brandon Islamic Centre for a special prayer at 2 p.m. He said people would be welcome to pray together and exchange thoughts about how to make our community even better. ifroese@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ianfroese Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Despite maintaining a frequent presence on social media, the Brandon areas Conservative MPs have been uncommonly silent regarding Sundays fatal shooting at a Quebec City mosque. Theyve also remained silent on U.S. President Donald Trumps executive order that resulted in an internationally-condemned U.S. travel bans against seven largely Muslim nations. During the three days following six people being shot to death in a Quebec City mosque, Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire did not publicly acknowledge the shooting. Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa MP Robert Sopuck acknowledged the shooting, but only through the retweeting of a statement by Conservative Party of Canada interim leader Rona Ambrose. Neither has acknowledged the travel bans. Brandon, which carries a significant Muslim community, has found many residents band together after the shooting, with an interfaith prayer service held on Wednesday and bouquets of flowers dropped off at Brandons lone mosque. While this has been reassuring to see, its unfortunate that our federal leaders didnt find it necessary to show their support, longtime token Liberal Stephen Montague said. We come together at those times, and as our elected leaders its somewhat disheartening that they arent acknowledging it or reaching out into their communities, he explained. How are they showing their support to Canadians at this time? Montague a former city councillor who has served on the Brandon-Souris Liberal Association and volunteered with various Liberal campaigns in Brandon also suggested that our elected officials should have denounced Trumps travel ban. While we have to maintain our relationship with the U.S., that doesnt mean we have to accept the garbage that they push out, he said, citing Trumps travel ban that targeted Muslim nations as one example of this garbage. Although theyve been publicly silent on both issues, neither of Brandons MPs seemed to bite their tongues in sharing their opinions about both the Quebec shooting and Trumps travel bans on Wednesday. The Conservative Party of Canada had met in caucus and opted to have Ambrose voice their shared concerns with the public, Sopuck explained, concluding; Thats how we chose to do it. Even so, Sopuck dispelled any notion that hes been gagged by laying into the shooting as a targeted terrorist attack against a peace-loving people integrated very well into Quebec society. No one should condemn an entire religion for the actions of the few, he said, affirming Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus assertion that the shooting was a terrorist attack, in that the shooter strove to incite terror throughout the nations Muslim community. In emailed correspondence, Maguire shared a similar sentiment, offering that the attack strikes at the very heart of one of the most important freedoms we cherish as Canadians: the right to practice ones faith and to worship without fear. The other anti-Muslim news item of late Trumps travel ban against seven largely Muslim countries was also condemned by both Sopuck and Maguire on Wednesday. I dont like it, Sopuck said. Our party has condemned it to place a ban on a whole country and a whole class of people. It simply isnt right. I unreservedly oppose the ban that the American government has put in place on the citizens of seven countries, Maguire wrote. I firmly believe that immigrants and refugees from all over the world have greatly added to North Americas success and prosperity, and will always do so. The Conservative Party of Canada has asked the government to lift the cap on privately sponsored refugee families, since there are about 45,000 applications in the queue. We want to unleash the generosity of Canadians, Maguire wrote. Countries like Canada and the US need to shelter ISIS persecuted groups from genocide, which includes Yazidis, Assyrians, Christians and Muslims alike. When we think of Canada, we are a country that is proud of the fact that it has been built on immigration. Over the years, the convergence of many different cultures from all over the world has only made us stronger. Despite having broken their silence on these two key areas of public discourse, which have dominated both traditional news mediums and social media for the past few days, Montague clarified that while its nice to see the Brandon areas MPs respond, they should have helped lead the charge. Theyre the ones who set the laws and who we have chosen to send to Ottawa, he said. You shouldnt have to push them for things like that. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Here is the weekly road construction report for Hamilton County: U.S. 27 (I-124) widening from I-24/U.S. 27 interchange to north of the Olgiati Bridge over the Tennessee River, including widening the Olgiati Bridge: Work on this project continues. The speed limit on U.S. 27 in the construction zone is 45 MPH. The contractor may have temporary lane or shoulder closures on U.S. 27 between 7 p.m.-6 a.m. On Thursday and Friday, between 7 p.m.-6 a.m., the contractor will have temporary lane closures on Martin Luther King Boulevard in both directions from Chestnut Street to near Edd Kirbys Adventure Mitsubishi dealership to remove overhang jacks from the new U.S. 27 bridge over the roadway. The temporary lane closures will shift from lane to lane during the night so that one lane of traffic can be maintained in each direction. Ramp traffic will not be affected. This work is weather permitting. As the project progresses, there may be short term temporary lane closures for the safety of the traveling public on city streets within the project area. Flaggers will assist with these closures and they will be properly signed in accordance with the Federal Highway Administrations Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. During Phase 1 of the U.S. 27 project, the contractor will be working on the northbound side of U.S. 27 on the bridges. Work will consist of demolishing and reconstructing the outside sections of the bridges along U.S. 27 North. Also on U.S. 27 South, they will be constructing a large retaining wall between the Olgiati Bridge and 6th Street. At least one lane will remain open in each direction on U.S. 27. THP will assist with traffic control on the project as necessary. Estimated project completion date is July 2019. For more info, visit the project website http://www.tn.gov/tdot/topic/US27-reconstruction-chattanooga . [Dement Construction Co., LLC/JM/CNP230] SR 317 (Apison Pike) the grading, drainage and paving on from Old Lee Highway (LM 5.58) to SR-321 (Ooltewah-Ringgold Road) (LM 7.84): Work on this project continues. During this report period the contractor may have intermittent lane closures throughout the project from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as needed. Estimated project completion date is May. [Wright Brothers Const. Co. /Pruett/CNN279] SR-320 (East Brainerd Road) grading, drainage, installation of signals, construction of seven retaining walls and paving from east of Graysville Road to east of Bel-Air Road: Work on this project continues. During this report period, the contractor will have intermittent lane closures between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. This work may affect either direction of East Brainerd Road or side streets from Graysville Road to Hamlett Drive as the contractor installs road crossings and borings. On Wednesday the contractor has scheduled to switch traffic onto the newly-constructed section from the west end of the project to the Hurricane Creek Rd./East Brainerd Rd. intersection. This work will take place weather and progress permitting. The contractor may have short-term lane closures to perform various operations on an as-needed basis. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as needed. Original completion date is June. Estimated project completion date is December. [Jones Brothers Contractors, LLC /Pruett/CNN383] SR-153/SR-319 (Hixson Pike) bridge repair on Hixson Pike over SR-153: Work on this project continues. The outside lanes in both directions on the bridge on Hixson Pike over SR-153 are now closed. This lane closure will be in place until late November. During this report period the contractor may have intermittent lane closures on SR-153 from 9 p.m.-6 a.m. to do work under the bridge. If there are any temporary closures needed on SR-153 as part of this project, they will take place at nighttime on Sundays through Thursdays between 9 p.m.-6 a.m. and on weekdays between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as necessary during these temporary closures. Estimated project completion date is May 2018. [Mid-State Construction Co. /Micka/CNQ-941] SR-58 miscellaneous safety improvements on SR-58 from Harrison Bay Road, (LM 12.86) to SR-60 (LM 26.19.): Work on this project continues. During this report period, the contractor will have intermittent lane restrictions from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as needed. Estimated project completion is May. [Superior Traffic Control, Inc./Pruett/CNQ319] The tunnel cleaning of the McCallie Tunnel on U.S. 11 (US 64, SR-2), the Stringers Ridge Tunnel on U.S. 127 (SR-8), and the Bachman Tubes on U.S. 41 (U.S. 76, SR-8): The nighttime cleaning operation of McCallie Tunnels, Stringers Ridge Tunnel, and Bachman Tubes occurs normally on Wednesday and Thursday nights during the week with the 3rd Tuesday of the month. Work hours are between 8 p.m.-6 a.m. Tunnels will be closed during cleaning, and detours will be marked accordingly as each tunnel is cleaned. Contract completion date is June. [Diamond Specialized, Inc./Micka/CNQ174] Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Brandon City Council was unanimous in its support for the aboriginal community co-ordinator position in the 2017 budget. Coun. Kris Desjarlais (Rosser) said the position will ensure Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples Council will continue with the momentum it has built up over the last few years. This position is of significant value, Desjarlais said. It cannot go away, and its really helping not just the people on BUAPC but the other organizations in the city to access resources, to come together, to no longer work in silos. Submitted Members of Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples Council stand with Brandon Police Service Chief Ian Grant on Jan. 26. The star blanket was presented to the Brandon Police Service from BUAPC for their continued work of building relationships with the indigenous community of Brandon. The position had previously been covered entirely by the federal government, but had experienced a lapse in funding. For continuity, council approved the budget line of $61,500. Desjarlais explained the position, currently held by Jason Gobeil, works in a variety of different areas for urban indigenous people including employment, education, housing, justice, economic development and partnerships with outside communities. If youre worried about your position not being funded, then youre worried about getting too much going near the end of the year because you might not be around to continue with the work youre doing, Desjarlais said. So this is just council saying we cant let that happen. The idea of incorporating BUAPC as an organization is being considered, much like Brandon Riverbank Inc. and Renaissance Brandon. As Desjarlais explains, it has shown its value to the community, plus brought in more than $500,000 for programming and projects. The local council is also looking at how the 94 recommendations released as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada are being addressed in the broader community. The school division, Prairie Mountain Health, the university (city) administration is looking, the (Manitoba Metis Federation) is looking, so were all looking at how we are working toward trying to address those in a meaningful way, Desjarlais said. Gobeil said BUAPCs efforts have picked up since the summer of 2015 when they first started holding community engagement sessions. One of the things we saw in the past is, everybody was split, everybody was within their own silos and not really sharing information, Gobeil said. Thats kind of changed now, and we see a lot more organizations seeing the benefits of collaboration and partnering for community initiatives because its a win-win situation at the end of the day. BUAPC held an aboriginal youth mentor program, as well as an aboriginal youth conference last year. It was the first of its kind in this area, Gobeil said. Weve had many youth conferences but nothing that was specific to aboriginal youth, and to be able to attract up to 200 youth from our region was another success. The group now holds quarterly community meetings around a meal to hear feedback from the public. Gobeil said its a way to ensure their focus is what the community is asking for. The next meeting will be held mid-March. A major focus for BUAPC over the next year is to find areas to inspire and motivate our indigenous community to participate, and participate fully in local decision-making, Gobeil said. An indigenous insight seminar is scheduled for next month, and the spots filled up within one week. That tells me that the communitys still hungry, the community still wants to know more, Gobeil said. We just have to be creative in how we get that word out there and how we direct all that awareness and education that needs to happen. jaustin@brandonsun.com Twitter: @jillianaustin Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 01/02/2017 (2103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The students at George Fitton School dont just have a great principal, they have an outstanding one. Gail McDonald has been named one of Canadas Outstanding Principals of 2017 by The Learning Partnership. There were 40 principals chosen from across Canada, nominated by parents, colleagues and community members, and chosen by a national selection committee. Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun George Fitton School principal Gail McDonald has has been named one of Canadas Outstanding Principals of 2017 by The Learning Partnership for her work at the Brandon school. They are being celebrated for demonstrating innovation, leadership and for employing creativity in finding solutions and opportunities within their school communities. McDonald is one of only two principals chosen out of Manitoba. Im getting goosebumps now that Ive had time to think about it, said McDonald, laughing. It was quite a surprise Im very honoured and humbled by the award. A group of McDonalds colleagues told her they had nominated her for the award back in November, but she never expected to receive it. I just do at George Fitton what I think every principal does in their school you certainly want to do the best for absolutely every student that walks through the door, McDonald said. I think our jobs are to make sure we can diminish those roadblocks that sometimes put up some challenges for programming, its just what we do on a daily basis. McDonald has been teaching for 35 years. A Brandon University graduate, she has taught at a wide variety of schools across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Growing up, McDonald said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher. I always liked working with kids growing up I guess it started with babysitting, McDonald said. When I was going into university I had a summer recreational position (organizing play schools) and I really enjoyed that, so I knew I was on the right track and my career just moved forward from there. As a principal, McDonald said its almost like she has come full circle as George Fitton School was the first school where she taught after returning to Manitoba. I had lots of wonderful experiences, McDonald said. I had lots of great mentors along the way. McDonald will travel to Toronto with the other outstanding principals at the end of February to partake in a five-day executive leadership training program at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management. She will also attend Canadas Outstanding Principals gala on Feb. 28 where she will be awarded for her accomplishments. McDonald said she is just thankful The Learning Partnership has this opportunity available for principals, and that her colleagues took the time to nominate her. I certainly appreciate them going the extra mile, McDonald said. edebooy@brandonsun.com Twitter: @erindebooy Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Same name new meaning No Opposition? Lately there has been some talk of change to the party name that has been seconded to being the Official Opposition in the present Manitoba government. There is a role to play? Indeed a very important role, but unfortunately it seems that role has been lost, for it is seldom heard and letters are ignored. Therefore, I will suggest that the NDP title remain and stand for Now Dead Party! Seems like something a city manager could do The City of Brandon employs numerous managers in each and every department. Why is it necessary to hire consultants for issues such as finding out the best use for our community centres? These managers should be qualified to figure these things out! The managers respective salaries tell us that surely they are thought to be capable of making their own decisions so why are taxpayers always on the hook to pay consultants time after time? Ignorance is dangerous Regarding the letter to editor, Hog Barn Proposal In Oakview Fraught With Problems, from the Jan. 25 Brandon Sun. These issues may not be of significant concern to the province, but they most certainly are to the local community. Indeed, the letter writer is so right! Ignorance has a terribly high price tag! Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. And who is paying for this wall? Well here we go! Trump has just announced that they are going to build the wall and that Mexico will pay for it. Of course the Mexican president responded that they would not be paying for it. Trump then tweeted yes tweeted, that the Mexican president was lying. And I thought the guy in North Korea was the nutcase! Bald Eagle as found on roadside in Meigs County photo by Chris Combs Dr. Patrick Sullivan, Avian and Exotics Resident and fourth-year veterinary student Timothy Pearson from the Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center examine the bald eagle. photo by Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center radiograph reveals pellets photo by Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center radiograph reveals pellets photo by Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center Previous Next Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the shootings of two bald eagles in the Tennessee River Valley. The first injured eagle was reported on Monday, around 2 p.m. in Meigs County. TWRA Wildlife Sergeant Chris Combs responded to the call and found the bald eagle alive, but injured off of State Route 68 near State Route 58. The female eagle was transported to the Avian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center. After examination, it was determined the eagle had been shot with size eight to eleven shotgun pellets. It was also determined the eagle had been shot up to one week prior to the report. Injuries sustained were incurable and the animal was euthanized. The second eagle was reported after noon on Wednesday. TWRA Yuchi Refuge Manager Bernie Swiney responded to find the eagle on the side of Abby Lane, just north of Highway 60 in Rhea County. Mr. Swiney found the eagle alive but in poor condition. This bird was also transported to theAvian and Exotics service at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center. An suspected entrance and exit wound were found and thought to be caused by gunshot. Injuries sustained were incurable and the animal was euthanized. Tennessee currently has 200 active bald eagle nests. Bald eagles historically ranged throughout most of North America. However for environmental reasons and a lack of regulations, their numbers dwindled in the 1900s. Bald Eagles were placed on the endangered species list in 1978. Eagle populations recovered after changes in environmental practices and protection and the endangered status was removed in 2007. However, bald eagles are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Violations of these statutes carry a maximum criminal penalty of up to $100,000 and/or one year in federal prison. State charges will also apply. Bald eagles are bi-parental, meaning it takes both parent birds to raise young. Losing one eagle likely means failure of a nest. Wildlife Sergeant Chris Combs said, We are especially angered by these actions because it is nesting season. This is our national symbol and its an atrocity to see them senselessly shot. Anyone with knowledge regarding these two shootings is asked to contact the TWRA, Region III office at 931-484-9571 or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 615-736-5532. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Newly installed Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould was given some new marching orders yesterday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and chief among them was a directive to drop any plans to change the way Canadians choose their federal government. Changing the electoral system will not be in your mandate, Trudeau wrote in Goulds mandate letter, which was released on Wednesday. A clear preference for a new electoral system, let alone a consensus, has not emerged. Furthermore, without a clear preference or a clear question, a referendum would not be in Canadas interest. The decision to abandon a key promise made by Trudeau during the 2015 election that it would be the last under the first-past-the-post system is not only politically expedient, as it will serve to stem further criticism of the governments ham-fisted and self-serving efforts to reform the system, but also seems more than a bit lazy (cowardly?) coming from a party that promised change in its rise back to power. Making a sincere effort to gauge the desire of Canadians to abandon the FPTP system that has been in place since Confederation and embrace something new, would have required a referendum. For the prime minister to say so confidently that a clear preference for a new electoral system, let alone a consensus, has not emerged, would appear to show that the Liberals are tired of being ridiculed for the former minister Maryam Monsefs tin ear and big mouth. For indeed, how can Canadians make a choice without having the options narrowed down, properly explained to members of the public over the course of several months during a federal outreach program, and then offered up in a referendum? Obviously the last thing the Trudeau Liberals wanted to do was hold a referendum on the issue a time-consuming and expensive crusade that inevitably would have failed to produce the prime ministers change of choice a ranked ballot system that in our country would tend to favour more moderate parties a.k.a. the Liberals. Such a referendum also had all the promise of becoming a rank albatross around the prime ministers neck, much like the constitutional crises of Meech Lake and the Charlottetown Accord were for Mulroney. Trudeau is quite right when he suggests it would have only divided Canadians. Thats what such large, national questions do. But at the very least it might have put to rest for a little while the question of whether Canadians were ready for electoral reform. There is an irony to note from Trudeaus very public failure on electoral reform. Justin Trudeau may be his fathers son, but he certainly lacks his fathers battle instincts. The former Trudeau and his government imposed such things as the War Measures Act on Canadians during the FLQ Crisis in Quebec, and without going to Canadians in a referendum, managed to make the Charter of Rights and Freedoms the law of the land through a mixture of wilful confidence, pragmatism and compromise. Sunny ways dont seem to work as well. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The time Jessica Sparrow spent in the Childrens Hospitals CK5 cancer ward in Winnipeg influenced what she wants to do with her life. She hopes to be like the doctors who treated her. He was very calm and he was very informative about how everything would be OK, it made me feel safe and taken care of, said the 17-year-old from Hamiota. Id like to be able to do that for other people. Submitted Cancer survivor and post-secondary scholarship winner Jessica Sparrow, 17, hopes to one day work in the medical field. Sparrows path to supporting cancer survivors like her became easier last month when she was named one of 80 high school students across the country to receive the $5,000 Horatio Alger Canadian Scholarship. The accolade recognizes aspiring post-secondary students, facing financial need, who have overcome significant adversity while demonstrating strength of character, strong academics, a commitment to pursuing higher education as well as a desire to contribute to society. Today, Sparrow is a straight-A student nearing remission from acute lymphoblastaic leukemia. To get to this point wasnt straightforward. Midway through her Grade 10 year, two years ago, she noticed bizarre red dots on her legs. She went to hospital and was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer, characterized by the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells, prohibiting the development of normal cells. For months afterward, Sparrow was either in a hospital bed or resting at home, too weak to function normally. She missed the entire second semester of her Grade 10 year. There was a month afterwards, that summer of 2015, when a bad stomach kept her in bed. I tried to stay positive, she remembers. This type of cancer has a 95 per cent success rate from treatment. My doctors made it very clear that I was going to be OK in the end. Its a long road but eventually its going to be over and I can get on with my life, was kind of how I looked at it. Sparrow pressed onwards despite her hardships. She did her math and English courses from home, whenever she felt up for it. Sparrow missed half her classes in the early months of Grade 11, recovering. As her condition improved, and hospital appointments diminished, she started attending school regularly. This year, shes rarely missed a class. And shes succeeding in Grade 12, with grades routinely above 90 per cent. She loves taking science and playing volleyball. Like her doctors told her, shed eventually become a normal teenager again. And though thats true, her perspective on life was altered by the tribulations she went through. Its changed a lot about how I look at people who have gone through it, Sparrow said. It is a lot of work, even just staying in school, its hard; theres a lot of things you have to do on your own time. Its kids who have had similar experiences she wants to help as a medical professional one day. But first she intends to pursue a four-year Bachelor of Science degree at either Brandon University or University of Manitoba, before applying for med school. Sparrow was seriously thinking of a profession in medicine before her diagnosis. Dealing with kind hospital staff has strengthened that desire. I got the inside look at how the nurses and doctors work and I kind of fell in love with it more, Sparrow said. I really like the idea of being able to help people. ifroese@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ianfroese Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. More than a year ago, Judy Klassen was a junior accountant who had never dabbled in politics. Today, she not only leads a political party but is seen as one of the most influential voices advocating for indigenous people in Manitoba. It wasnt an easy slog to get here for the interim provincial Liberal leader, who was in Brandon Jan. 25 for a series of meetings with community groups. Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun Judy Klassen, MLA for Kewatinook and Interim Leader for the Manitoba Liberal Party. Even her election in the riding of Kewatinook last April the provinces northern-most constituency was a challenge. Many assumed NDP MLA Eric Robinson, first elected in 1993, was a shoo-in. At one point during her campaign, Klassen thought her fortunes were sinking literally. All of a sudden you hear this sickening crunch and you hear the water, she said of the moment her vehicle began to dip. I started shaking my colleague awake we went through the ice and in a shot, he was up, and he said, Whatever you do, dont stop. Klassen shifted her vehicle into drive and, thankfully, escaped. The water, she explained, was inches from the bottom of her door they probably sunk a foot. Amid the darkness, she hadnt realized her ice-covered path was above a lakes shoreline. Few knew of this life-threatening tale at the time, or many of the other sacrifices Klassen made, to get elected. She regularly slept in a truck, drove across ice roads and travelled by snowmobile. Her family covered every expense. It was three weeks that I hadnt seen my kids, just phone conversations, said Klassen, who left her native St. Theresa Point First Nation around a decade ago to move to Steinbach with the man she married. Those weeks traversing the north clearly demonstrated the issues First Nations people like herself face. Shes shared a number of gripping stories in the Manitoba Legislature. Klassen has spoken of suicides and other preventable deaths due to poor health care. In fact, Progressive Conservatives members have sometimes instructed their colleagues to quiet down and listen to her, Klassen remembers. Ive received seven standing ovations, she said. Dr. (Jon) Gerrard has told me hes never seen that before. Klassen, though, wants more than a listening ear. Appointed last October as her partys interim leader, she wants to sway the provinces decision-makers, too. She questions the manner in which Progressive Conservatives have pursued their agenda. Referencing Bill 7, which forces unions to require a secret ballot vote each time workers try to organize, she said the vast majority of speakers at committee meetings spoke against the bill. I never thought wed come to this, where were still going to proceed, despite hearing what were hearing, Klassen said. She doesnt appreciate the governments austerity measures either. Theres so many organizations that are hurting because of these cuts and its just not right, were supposed to be listening to the people. She hopes voters hear what shes saying, too. My solace is that hopefully all those voters, all those people, will remember us in 2020. To succeed, the Manitoba Liberals must address the shortcomings that led them astray in the last election. With a floundering NDP seeking re-election, many thought 2016 was the chance for the Liberals, then with one seat, to reach heights not achieved since 1988 when the party garnered 20 seats. But the partys campaign was mismanaged and their popularity sagged; they only earned three seats. What we have to do now is learn from it, so that its not repeated, Klassen said, refusing to cast blame. Engaging with voters, particularly the marginalized, are seen as keys to success, she said. The party has said little on policy since last springs election. They look forward to the by-election in Point Douglas in Winnipeg, which Klassen confidently said would be the fourth seat they need for official party status. In response to a question on Westman-related concerns, Klassen said she was surprised at how neglected Brandon is. She wants an apology from Premier Brian Pallister on his comment the debate over night hunting is becoming a race war. Its in very poor taste, right away you picture somebody taking it into their own hands, like a vigilante. Klassen said a blanket ban of night hunting isnt fair when the hunting problems of southern Manitoba arent experienced in northern communities. If hes trying to say that the province of Manitoba will not allow night hunting, youre neglecting our respected right, Klassen said. Youre also neglecting our traditional method, its one of the only ways that you can really get a lot of beaver. Klassen said a member of her family hunts beaver at night, using only moonlight. She was joined in a tour of Brandon with Jordan Fleury, who got the party over the 1,000-vote hump in the Riding Mountain constituency in 2016, the first time in several elections. Fleury is working to rebuild the constituency association and make the Liberals a viable option. Metis by heritage, marrying into a family of European settlers, Fleury wants to prove to his neighbours he, and his party, belongs. Im right at home in the area and Im fully committed to getting that Liberal voice raised, too, said Fleury, who intends to run again. In Klassens case, she hasnt ruled out yanking the interim title from her role this fall. In part of accepting the (interim leadership), I made sure that the door was always open, Klassen said. Ive faced closed doors all my life. ifroese@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ianfroese Teachers Union Calls For Immediate Resignation Of Chicago Public Schools CEO By aaroncynic in News on Feb 2, 2017 5:32PM Demonstrators in front of Chicago Public Schools headquarters on Madison Street during the Chicago Teachers Union "day of action" on April 1, 2016. Photo by Aaron Cynic. The efficiency measures proposed by Chicago Public Schools and imposed by the Chicago Board of Education have led to mass privatization, costly contracts, program cuts, mass layoffs, and an increased inefficiency of our public school services all while frivolously lining the pockets of wealthy investors, the union wrote in a statement on its website. The statement comes a day before teachers are scheduled to take the first of four mandatory unpaid furlough days the District imposed earlier this month. Chicago Public Schools officials said the days were in response to Gov. Bruce Rauners November veto of legislation that wouldve infused $215 million into the District to cover the teachers pension fund. Since Governor Rauner is denying fair funding to Chicago students, we are forced to make cuts that will create new challenges for schools that are working to build on their academic gains, Claypool said in a mid-January press release. But make no mistake, any additional cuts we are forced to make would fall squarely at the governors feet. Predictably, Mayor Rahm Emanuel came to Claypools defense, saying he has complete confidence in him in a statement given to the Sun-Times. Instead of throwing stones at each other, everyone who cares about Chicagos schools and Chicagos students should be focused on coming together to fight for fair funding in Springfield, said Emanuel. But while Emanuel and Claypool are laying the blame at the governors feet, teachers are caught in the middle. Though all four furlough days will take place on professional development days when students are not in attendance, teachers say its another of many hits theyve had to take. Well-connected leaders Claypool and Emanuel should use their connections to do the same for teachers as we do for our students, wrote Gina Caneva, who works as a teacher-librarian at Lindblom Math and Science Academy, to the Huffington Post. They must provide for professional development and compensation equitable to that of staff members in other districts. I urge Claypool and Emanuel to be innovative rather than punitive when it comes to education funding. The Dail will be asked to back a motion next week declaring Donald Trump's executive order on immigration as "prejudiced and discriminatory". Two hours have been set aside in next week's Dail agenda to consider the motion tabled by Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein. Around 50 gardai will be freed up for front-line service after a new civilian recruitment scheme, it has been suggested. An Garda Siochana plan to recruit 140 civilians by summertime as part of a wider recruitment scheme that aims to see a further 800 gardai and 500 civilian officers in the force by the start of next year. A Dutch man arrested in Dublin during a garda swoop on an alleged Kinahan gang property has had his surrender to Dutch authorities ordered by the High Court. Naoufal Fassih (aged 36), a Dutch citizen of Moroccan origin, is being sought in the Netherlands to face allegations of attempted murder, assault, possession of false documents and money laundering as well as for an alleged money laundering offence here in Ireland. The Amsterdam Public Prosecutor issued three European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) in respect of Mr Fassih on various dates in 2016. He was arrested by gardai at an apartment believed to belong to the international Kinahan crime gang on Dublin's Baggott Street in April last year and High Court extradition proceedings have been ongoing since then. In the High Court today, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly ordered the surrender of Mr Fassih to Dutch authorities on each of the three European Arrest Warrants. Ms Justice Donnelly said she had considered all of the points of objection raised by Mr Fassih's lawyers and was quite satisfied to reject them all. She awarded legal costs against Mr Fassih on foot of an application by Ronan Kennedy BL, counsel for the Minister for Justice and Equality. Ms Justice Donnelly said the State should only be entitled to one day's worth of costs because matters had been staggered for a period of time. Mr Fassih made no reaction when the judgment was delivered. Mr Kennedy, for the State, said the first alleged offence relates to a violent assault at a Dutch nightclub on October 5, 2012. The prosecutor in Amsterdam said that Mr Fassih is suspected of being involved in a fight that left several people injured, one seriously. The prosecutor wrote to the Irish authorities last month explaining that a judge in Amsterdam had already discharged Mr Fassih on that charge due to a lack of evidence. However, the prosecutor intends to appeal that judgment and wants Mr Fassih to be there for the appeal. The second charge relates to over 10,000 in cash that Mr Fassih had on him when he was arrested in 2012. Mr Fassih was on social welfare at the time and refused to explain to the Amsterdam police how he could be in possession of such a sum. The court heard that he can be prosecuted under Dutch money laundering laws for failing to explain where the cash came from. The third charge alleges that he was in possession of a false passport. The warrant for the attempted murder charge was issued last September and relates to a botched assassination on November 5, 2015. The Dutch authorities suspect that he allegedly paid 8,000 to the would-be assassin and gave instructions on how to carry out the killing. Another European Arrest Warrant was issued after Mr Fassih's arrest in Dublin. Mr Kennedy said Fassih was in possession of luxury watches worth over 40,000, cash, mobile phones and "other items that can be linked to criminality". Although the seizure was made in Dublin, Dutch authorities said they can adjudicate on Dutch citizens accused of crimes committed in other jurisdictions. Mr Fassih's barrister, John Byrne BL, argued that there was no evidence linking his client to the items seized at the Dublin apartment other than that he was present when the raid took place. He argued that Mr Fassih could not be prosecuted in Ireland in those circumstances and therefore should not face extradition to Holland on those grounds. Furthermore, the fact that Mr Fassih had already been acquitted on the assault charge meant that the "precise nature" of the proceedings against him were not known, Mr Byrne argued. In relation to money laundering, Mr Byrne referred to the "expert opinion" of a Dutch lawyer who is acting for Mr Fassih. The Dutch lawyer, in an affidavit given to the court, said that under Dutch law there is not enough evidence in the warrant to bring a prosecution, and he therefore should not be extradited. Mr Byrne said the allegation in relation to the false passport is merely that he is a suspect in a crime but the authorities have not decided whether to prosecute. This, he said, would be insufficient grounds for an extradition. On the attempted murder charge, he said it is not clear from the warrant what the specific charge against Mr Fassih would be, as it is not alleged that he is the hitman. Ms Justice Donnelly said Mr Fassih's surrender was not prohibited on any of the points raised by Mr Byrne. Human rights organisation Education Equality has urged the Government to end the 'baptism barrier' in the Irish school system. Making its submission on to Minister for Education Richard Bruton's consultation process today, the group said that only option 4(i), the full removal of the baptism barrier without caveat, would prevent religious discrimination in access to taxpayer-funded schools. Read our submission to the Dept of Education as part of consultation re school access https://t.co/ClEcd1qcfk Education Equality (@edu_equal) February 2, 2017 The deadline for submissions on the proposals was recently extended to Monday, March 20. In its submission, Education Equality maintained that all children should enjoy equal access to local schools, and that a childs religious status should not be a relevant consideration. Speaking on the publication of todays submission, Education Equality Chairperson Sarah Lennon noted: Education Equality has engaged fully and in good faith with the Ministers consultation process and is very happy to publish its response to his proposals. "We have given careful consideration to the constitutional and human rights implications of all options and believe that only Option 4(i) vindicates childrens human and constitutional right not to be discriminated against in school access on the grounds of religion. Read: MICHAEL CLIFFORD: Church teaches Education Minister Richard Bruton a lesson on divestment Policy Officer Paddy Monahan added: Todays submission by Education Equality also makes a strong and cogent case that the issue of the controversial baptism barrier cannot be considered in isolation to the wider issue of equal respect for all children during their school day. "All children have a constitutional right to attend any school receiving public money without attending religious instruction at that school. "However, this right is routinely flouted on a daily basis by the vast majority of our schools. "Education Equality simply proposes that faith formation should take place at the end of the school day, outside core school hours, to empower parents and allow them to decide if their children attend this religious instruction. "We hope that Minister Bruton will consider this proposal and take concrete steps to vindicate a long-neglected constitutional right. Update 11.06am: The Government claims its new planning strategy is very different to decentralisation. The latest attempts to balance urban and rural development will be unveiled by the Housing Minister and Taoiseach today. The Ireland 2040 plan will try to ease the pressure on Dublin by providing more homes and services in other parts of the country. The changes have been compared to previous attempts to move people away from the capital. But Minister Simon Coveney says it's nothing like those plans. "This is very different to decentralisation because that was essentially a political trick to try and be popular and that was a disaster. "What we are doing now is very different and we are going to have a long consultation process with all of the different stake-holders. "This is the most ambitious thing I have ever been involved in in politics." Update 10.24am: The Housing Minister is warning that smaller cities need to expand to ease congestion in Dublin. Simon Coveney will launch the new Ireland 2040 plan later to strike a balance between urban and rural development. It follows an in-depth report which warns that three-quarters of new homes will soon be clustered around the capital, unless radical action is taken. "The core fo cities like limerick, cork, waterford and galway and some towns are not developing at the pace that they need to. "We need to see viability and economies of scale in other small cities at the moment in Ireland that can become a lot bigger and more viable." Minister Coveney will seek Dail approval before he goes ahead with his plans, but says something has to change. Earlier: The Government will outline plans later to strike a balance between urban and rural development. The 'Ireland 2040' scheme comes amid warnings that three-quarters of new homes will soon be clustered around Dublin, unless radical action is taken. The plans are expected to include ways to combat urban sprawl, encourage people away from the capital and reduce commuting times. The Taoiseach and the Housing Minister will launch the proposals in Maynooth University at noon. The new proposals will be a consulation process by the Government, who will submit a draft before easter, and another draft before the summer months. Minister Coveney wants to submit the plans to the Dail and have the members of the house vote to pass the proposals. The planning strategy is expected to include alternatives to living and working in Dublin. Improved transport links are suggested between Cork, Limerick and Galway. More than 120 people turned out at Shannon Airport this evening to show their opposition to US President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban. The protest was organised after President Trump signed an executive order last week which effectively banned citizens of seven named Muslim-majority countries from travelling to the United States. Similar protests have been taking place in Dublin and Cork. Despite the rain, a huge crowd protest against Trump ban at the US embassy in Dublin. Well done everyone #trumpban #irelnad #dublin. pic.twitter.com/awa4kHDYhi Razan Ibraheem () (@RazanIRL) February 2, 2017 Hundreds turn out at US Embassy for anti-Trump protest pic.twitter.com/g3aOjGQfcS Cormac Fitzgerald (@Cormfitz) February 2, 2017 Peace and anti-racism groups claim that the implementation of the ban by US immigration pre-clearance at Shannon Airport is currently is in breach of Irish and EU anti-discrimination laws, Mr Lannon added. At Shannon Airport tonight, protestor carried posters, flags and banners including one that said Trump Out and another saying Refugees Welcome. Security was stepped up ahead of the protest with Gardai taking up posts at the entrance to the airport from as early as 4.30pm. Airport Police officers also erected security lighting close to where the protest was held while also patrolling the airport perimeter. A second cordon with barriers was set up another 100 metres along the airport road to ensure no protestors attempted to reach the terminal building. Organisers had hoped to be allowed up to the terminal and hand a letter into airport management however no agreement could be reached on this. They were, however, allowed march as far as the second cordon and hand in a letter of protest to airport management. Hundreds of people are expected to protest against Donald Trump's travel ban outside the US Embassy in Dublin later. The 'United Against Racism' demonstration is scheduled to take place outside the embassy - in Dublin - at 6pm this evening. Ed Sheeran fans have hit out at online touts after tickets to the British pop star's tour were being sold for up to 1,000 each just minutes after going on sale. Within minutes of selling out, dozens of listings appeared on secondary ticketing sites offering the passes at inflated prices. Disappointed fans vented their disgust at touts on Twitter after failing to get hold of tickets to his 14-date Ireland and UK tour which were released on general sale on Thursday morning. Joss Woodend posted a screengrab of tickets being resold at up to 550 per ticket, and said: "This is why it is impossible to get @edsheeran tickets." She added: "The industry is a mess - sort ticket touts out." Several fans also called on Sheeran and his record label to intervene. Blair Millar wrote to the popstar: "hi Ed, deeply disappointed in not getting tickets for daughter for Glasgow, tickets touts win again." Oliver Kennedy posted: "Ed Sheeran's record label to clampdown on ticket touts cashing in on singer's latest UK tour @edsheeran that's a lie couldn't get any at FV." On secondary ticketing site StubHub, four tickets to his gig at The O2 Arena in London on May 1, originally priced at 77 were being offered at 999 each plus booking fees. Meanwhile, a spokesman for eBay confirmed tickets had been removed from the auction website. They said: "Tickets for gigs are not allowed on eBay and any listings will be removed." The singer-songwriter has teamed up with face value ticket platform Twickets for his April and May concerts, but the site doesn't cover the Republic of Ireland. Writing on his official tour website, Sheeran said: "Hey...for this tour I've teamed up with a company called Twickets - which is a safe, sensible and fair place for people to sell or buy any spare tickets they have for the shows. "Via Twickets, everything is at face value (or less), so you're protected against fraud and hideous overpricing." He added: "I'd ask all of you to use them and no other of these so-called 'secondary sellers' - no matter how legit they look, this is by far the best option." A similar furore last month, over U2 tickets, prompted fresh calls for anti-touting legislation in Ireland. Fine Gael Dublin North West TD Noel Rock said he was hopeful that an anti-touting bill he has previously proposed would be debated soon. In effect, Im proposing for an end to above face value ticket reselling, Mr Rock told the Irish Examiner. Most sporting organisations explicitly favour this already. Its quite clear that this is happening in a far more frequent and formalised way than ever before, and the public are rightly annoyed by it. In Belgium, anti-touting laws were enacted and following that the Ticketmaster-owned reselling site Seatwave closed down. We can and should replicate that here. Photos: 'No Ban, No Wall' Chant Hundreds Outside Chicago's Homeland Security Office By aaroncynic in News on Feb 2, 2017 3:50PM Hundreds gathered outside the offices of the Department of Homeland Security during rush hour on Wednesday to protest President Donald Trumps executive order that bans refugees and other immigrants from entry into the United States. The demonstration was the latest in a series of protests that began in response to Trumps order, which has displaced travelers nationwide. Thousands have turned out to multiple demonstrations , many at OHare International Airport, since the president signed the order last Friday. We will not stand for the over-policing of our communities, said Jane Ramsey, a board member of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. We will not stand for the politics of fear, hate, division, scapegoating of immigrants and other minorities. After rallying outside of the DHS building, demonstrators marched through the Loop to Federal Plaza, chanting "DHS let's be clear, immigrants are welcome here and no wall, no registry, no white supremacy! Representatives from several groups including the Chicago Teachers Union, The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Asian Americans Advancing Justice also addressed the crowd. I think he is the most racist, bellicose president in the history of this country, said Frank Chapman of CAARPR, of President Trump. I think he is a fascist. Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to visit 10 Downing Street next Monday for talks with British leader Theresa May. Downing Street said Mrs May was expected to take the opportunity to restate Britain's concern that settlement building in the West Bank is undermining trust in the Middle East peace process. Donald Trump's nomination of school choice activist Betsy DeVos as education secretary is on thin ice after two Republican senators vowed to vote against her. Mrs DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor who spent more than two decades promoting charter schools, has emerged as one of Mr Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks facing fierce opposition from Democrats, teachers' unions and civil-rights activists. With senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska in opposition, the nomination could die if Mrs DeVos loses the support of one more Republican and all Democrats vote against her. Ms Murkowski said she believed Mrs DeVos has much to learn about public education. "I have serious concerns about a nominee to be secretary of education who has been so involved on one side of the equation, so immersed in the push for vouchers that she may be unaware of what actually is successful within the public schools and also what is broken and how to fix them," Ms Murkowski said. If all other GOP senators support Mrs DeVos, and all Democrats oppose her, she would end up with a 50-50 vote in the Senate and Vice President Mike Pence would have to break the tie to confirm her. A vote is expected in the coming days. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Republican chairman of the Health, Education, Labour and Pensions Committee, praised Mrs DeVos and expressed confidence she would be confirmed. "Mrs DeVos believes in our children, their teachers and parents - she believes in the local school board instead of the national school board," Mr Alexander said in a statement. "She's committed to public education and there's no better example of that than her work on the most important reform of public schools in the last 30 years - public charter schools." White House press secretary Sean Spicer said he was not concerned about the defections by Ms Collins and Ms Murkowski. "I have 100% confidence she will be the next secretary of education. She is an unbelievably qualified educator and advocate for students, teachers, parents," he said after the two senators announced their opposition. In addition to the statements of opposition by the two Republican senators, a billionaire philanthropist and public education backer came out against her. Eli Broad sent a letter to senators urging her defeat, saying Mrs DeVos is "unprepared and unqualified for the position". He also said that if she were confirmed, "much of the good work that has been accomplished to improve public education for all of America's children could be undone". - AP The Australian Federal Police has been ordered to pay the bulk of the construction union's costs for the court challenge against an illegal raid on its Canberra headquarters. Police seized thousands of documents from the CFMEU's Dickson offices in search of evidence of blackmail and corruption during the high-profile raids, triggered by evidence given to the trade unions royal commission in August 2015. CFMEU ACT branch secretary Dean Hall at the ACT Supreme Court in 2015 as part of the union's challenge to the legality of a police raid. Credit:Jay Cronan About 20 police attached to the royal commission were believed to have taken electronic and hard copy files, as well as mobile phones, as they frisk-searched union officials and staff, removed posters, and sifted through the office safe and ceiling cavity. They stayed at the headquarters for about 13 hours. No, An Ohio Pastor Won't Actually Be Brokering A Deal Between Trump & Chicago Gang Leaders By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Feb 2, 2017 6:16PM Darrell Scott, Senior Pastor of New Spirit Revival Center Ministries, delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) Darrell Scott, a pastor in Ohio and a loyal and high-profile black supporter of Donald Trump, walked back his vow to broker a deal between the president and Chicago gang leaders. Chicago was on the agenda Wednesday at a White House listening session to kick off Black History Month. Trump reiterated his desire to "do something" about Chicago, and Scott offered up his own plan. He said "top gang thugs in Chicago" who "respect" and "believe in" the Trump administration had offered have a sit down. Scott said these "thugs" would commit to "lower that body count" in exchange for social programs. Scott also said these so-called thugs are looking forward to the Trump era: "They didn't believe in the prior administration. They told me this out of their mouths." Scott was hammered for his remarks, mostly by Chicagoans who have been paying attention to the problem since long before it became a conservative talking point. Scott then admitted to Yahoo! that he "misspoke:" "Now let me say this: I misspoke somewhat when I said gang thugs. Lets say former gang thugs, former gang thugs, but these gentlemen still have their hands on the pulse of the street. They still have very highly respected voices in the community. They have a great degree of influence in the community and on the streets. So, theyre not current gang thugs. Theyre former gang thugs, but they once again still have a voice in the streets. I want to make that plain. Their words carry weight. Scott said he wanted to work "synergistically" with the community on "urban redevelopment," "social programs" and "training for jobs and life skills." He added, "I believe that they see that the Trump administration is a very proactive administration and Trump has a lot of swag, and we can identify with it. I identify with it, and were going to get together and were going to make something happen." He said that Rahm Emanuel would be brought into discussions about these "ambitious" programs later. Yesterday Emanuel responded to Trump's remarks vowing to send feds in, calling his bluff. He said that he would be perfectly happy for the Trump administration to send in more federal resources. He added that he's asked the previous administration for more resources, particularly for summer job programs, mentoring and investing in neighborhoods. He said he would look forward to receiving more help from this administration, according to CBS Chicago. Send more FBI, DEA, ATF agents. We dont have to talk about it anymore. Just send them," the mayor said. "Invest in law enforcement with our Police Department. Every major city has to do more. Move more FBI, DEA, ATF. They do a great job. Use the ability to prosecute gun crimes at the federal level, and maximize that potential." Community activist poured water on the idea that these former gang members could do much: So the guys @PastorDScott talked to are older than 30 and no longer are in streets. They use to be in streets and hate the democrats BUT Jedidiah Brown (@livelifefreed) February 1, 2017 Not even they have control 2 call the body count 2 decrease. Them chumps trying 2 eat lol. The ones shooting are nt talking 2 @PastorDScott Jedidiah Brown (@livelifefreed) February 1, 2017 Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church, who has worked tirelessly on anti-violence and community-building efforts on the South Side, blasted Scott. I guess the first thing is wheres he been and who is he? Father Pfleger told WGN. Wheres he been while weve been fighting this thing for years? Where has this pastor been and why hasnt anybody heard about him? He added, "If you care about this, how come you havent done anything about this until now and youre sitting at breakfast with Donald Trump? How much money is involved? Scott was taken aback by the blowback to his remarks. Taking a page out of Trump's playbook, he sent out a bunch of tweets lamenting how misunderstood he is: The official website for the Australian Taxation Office crashed on Thursday morning with the tax office blaming issues related to hardware faults, which previously crashed the website in December. The crash, which had still not been repaired by late afternoon, affected various portals related to ATO Online, including the Australian Business Register, while the ATO insisted no taxpayer information had been lost of compromised. The crash comes only two months after the crash in December and is believed to be related to the original problem. Credit:Andrew Quilty "All available resources are working to resolve this as a priority," a systems update message on the ATO website read. In December, the Commissioner of Taxation Chris Jordan called the then hardware crashes the "worst unplanned system outage in recent memory". If the Andrews government has a political motto it is this: "We are not going to die wondering." You see, the former Coalition government did die wondering, after just one term. What might have been if it had put some big infrastructure projects on the agenda earlier in the political cycle? If it had not been plagued by inaction, by scandal? If it had exerted a tighter grip over the parliament? If it had adopted a more effective media strategy? Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews - in the case of the Andrews government, an eagerness to "not waste a minute" has led to some brash decisions. Credit:Darrian Traynor Back in 2011, when the Baillieu government was still in its relative infancy, a senior Liberal strategist provided me an interesting insight into an overarching political philosophy. The claim was that the political cycle plays out like a giant, bell-shaped curve, in which incumbents experience a period of growth, before peaking and then entering a period of inevitable decline. I remember thinking it was an almost deterministic view of politics. I was somewhat surprised this week to see Humpty Dumpty emerge from the early chaos of the Trump administration, repeating, "in a rather scornful tone", on behalf of Donald, "When I use a word ... it means just what I choose it to mean neither more nor less". Alice (as it happened from the ABC) chipped in, "The question is ... whether you can make words mean so many different things." To which Humpty (and Donald) replied "The question is ... which is to be the master that's all". Trump tells Turnbull that he will honour the Obama "commitment" to consider the resettlement in the US of some of the detainees on Manus Island. His press spokesman confirms it, but another White House staffer then says Trump is still considering it. The fact is that although Obama made a commitment "to consider", it was always at the discretion of the US as to how many, if any, they would ultimately accept, as each detainee was to be vetted again by the US. Obama made no commitment to a number or timetable. Edgar Clive Britt was born in Balmain on October 30, 1913, son of Sydney Britt, an electrician who had migrated from Britain two years before, and Edith (nee Simmonds). Sydney stood 183 centimetres, but had this tiny boy called Edgar who full-grown would stand at 150 centimetres and weigh about 40 kilograms. Sydney was interested in racing. He worried about what he might do with Edgar. Then, a neighbour suggested Edgar might be apprenticed to Polson. After the ride on Tea Miss, trainer Jack King put him on Nottava in the two-year-old stakes at Randwick, and that was another victory. Britt was on the map. Britt applied those principles early and would become not just another famous jockey, but a character as well, along with Scobie Breasley and Darby Munro. In 1933 he went with Polson for a successful season in America. In 1935 he left the Australian turf forever, racing in India, Ireland and Britain. In a career spanning 30 years, he rode 2000 winners, earning a tribute this week from Peter V'landys, chief executive of Racing NSW, that he was "one of Australia's treasures". When an unsuccessful mare, Tea Miss, looked promising, Polson told its trainer Cecil Wallace that he had this kid who could "ride a bit". Wallace entered Tea Miss, with Britt in the saddle, at Moorefield racecourse, Kogarah. Britt came second and came to notice. He said later that a jockey had to "have dash, reflexes and a capacity to be unflustered he must size up a situation and take advantage of it. Balance and judgment and pace are also important." Edgar Britt, turning 17 in late 1930, had no reason to be particularly optimistic about his prospects as a jockey. He had his first winner, Gypsie King, at Canterbury in January but had nothing for nine months. But Sydney trainer Mick Polson, to whom Britt was apprenticed, saw potential. Edgar Britt in his trophy room at his Avalon home, 2010. Credit:Simon Alekna In 1933 Polson took Britt to the United States with two horses, Winooka and Trevallion. On Winooka, Britt won four races against seven starts, including the Baltimore Handicap, against a top-class field. He also had a win on Trevallion. Returning to Sydney, Britt took a tip from a teenager, T.J. Smith, and rode a horse called Kagal to victory. Britt took Winooka to wins in the Doncaster Handicap and Futurity Stakes. In April 1934 he won the Sydney Cup on Broad Arrow. With two other winners that day, he had enough money to marry Tibby Geoghegan, a dancer at the Tivoli Theatre. In November 1934 Britt rode Broad Arrow in the Melbourne Cup, challenging the winner Peter Pan in a desperate sprint down the straight, and finishing fourth. In 1935 Britt was approached by Alex Higgins who was training horses in India and was looking for "a lightweight jockey". Britt accepted the invitation and rode with outstanding success. He came to the attention of the Maharajah of Kolhaper who engaged him. Britt won the national jockeys' premiership eight years out of the 10 he spent in India. In 1945 the Maharajah of Baroda bought a horse called Sayajirao in Britain for 26,000 , thinking it might win the English Derby. Britt rode Sayajirao to success in the St Leger Oaks and continued riding for the maharajah in England. He won the St Leger again on Black Tarquin and twice won the 1000 Guineas. He also had wins in the Irish Derby and the 2000 Guineas. In 1947, Britt agreed to become the king's jockey to George Vl after the incumbent broke a leg. "I had two other trainers who had calls on me," Britt said later. "But they sort of let me off when the king wanted me." In 1948, Britt rode 145 winners and was runner-up to the legendary Sir Gordon Richards in the British jockeys' premiership. In his 18 months as king's jockey, Britt had frequent meetings with the then Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, as he saddled up. On one occasion Princess Margaret told him that though it was not her inclination, he could "give it one", being the whip, if he felt the horse could do better. Britt came equal third in the English jockeys' premiership in 1954, having ridden 869 winners in nine seasons in England. In 1955 he rode another 101 winners from 459 mounts and thought he might go on for another seven years. But in 1957, he came only 10th in the British jockeys' premiership with just over 60 winners, and in 1959, now a father of four, he retired. He returned to Sydney in 1960 and started writing a column, "Britt's Best", for the Sunday Telegraph, a job he kept going for 16 years. He watched the progress of his daughters, Iris, Joan, Ann and Marcia, and their families. Tibby died in 1980 and Britt married Hermione Cassidy, the widow of jockey Jack Cassidy. She died in 1999. A businessman who donated $1.75 million to the Liberal Party has dismissed concerns of undue influence, saying he has absolutely no say in the policy direction of the party. The Sydney man, who was revealed yesterday as the partys biggest ever donor, said he had no interest in policy and was happy to leave the running of the party to others. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen This was a one-off financial donation, pure and simple. A large donation yes. But I can assure you that it did not buy me any influence within the party whatsoever. He said while he sometimes spoke to those with power within the party, he was kept at arms' length on the big decisions. For a brief moment, it was almost as if they were people. They were scientists working on new treatments for HIV/AIDS or whose research had helped contain the spread of that Ebola outbreak a few years ago. They were engineers who led NASA deployments of rovers to Mars. They were elderly people banned from returning home after travelling for a family funeral and others banned from attending the funerals of their American relatives. They were translators helping Western journalists or the US military. They were dog-owners whose pets were suddenly stranded. They were high-school students who wanted only to attend a space camp. They were vets and doctors and musicians. They were Olympic gold medallists and Oscar-nominated directors and actors. That's what struck me immediately as news of the Trump administration's immigration ban screamed across the world. I'd never really seen Muslims described in that way, and it was frightening just how much it stood out. It was like some lost tribe had been discovered: the previously invisible inhabitants of the badlands that occupy our fears far more than they do thoughts. And frankly, that's why we're here. Something as crude and bludgeoning as this only happens because of the years that precede it. Say what you will about Donald Trump, he is not suddenly afflicted with insanity. He is not the generator of some new malevolent thought. He's building on foundations he hasn't laid. He can only do this after taking it to a never-ending election campaign because the cultural environment exists to receive it as some version of common sense. He can treat Muslims in a grossly undifferentiated way because that's largely the way public culture has trained us to see them. That doesn't mean Muslims must always be terrorists though that is only a semitone from Trump's rhetoric. It's that they must always be defined by their relationship to terrorism. If we're in a tolerant mood, we'll make a series of disclaimers about the "moderate majority" who reject such atrocities. And sure, that's true. You have to feel sympathy for the Prime Minister. Wednesday's appearance at the National Press Club was meant to be his big moment to boldly lay out the government's agenda for 2017 and silence his critics inside and outside of his party room. Instead he was responding to unflattering questions, such as whether he and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop shrewdly carved out an exception from the US's current immigration freeze for Australians (short answer: nope, the US is extending us the same deal it does for other countries). More pointedly, there was the question of whether the United States will, as Turnbull had stated earlier in the week, definitely accept over a thousand refugees from Manus Island and Nauru in spite of said freeze. Short answer: the White House sure doesn't seem to think so. Indeed, Turnbull's relationship with Trump is even less convivial than it appears. French-speaking Quebec is often held up (and certainly holds itself up) as Canada's most essential region, home to a precious set of particularities that help make Canada the marvellous place it is. On such issues as postsecondary education, child care and (ironically enough) gun control, progressive Canadians laud its social-democratic policies as moral exemplars, and the province has played an outsize role in pushing Canadian politics to the left. Criticism of Quebec, meanwhile, is deeply taboo. In a 2006 essay, Globe and Mail columnist Jan Wong posited a theory that Quebec's various lone nuts, many of whom were not of pure French-Canadian stock, were predictably alienated from a province that places such a high premium on cultural conformity. She was denounced by a unanimous vote in the Canadian Parliament and sank into a career-ruining depression. The current events magazine Maclean's ran a cover story in 2010 arguing that Quebec, where old-fashioned mafia collusion between government contractors, unions and politicians is still common, was easily "the most corrupt province in Canada." That, too, was denounced by a unanimous vote of Parliament. Privately, English Canadians are far less defensive. They grumble about Quebec's dark history of anti-Semitism, religious bigotry and pro-fascist sentiment, facts which are rarely included in otherwise self-flagellating official narratives of Canadian history. They complain about the exaggerated deference the province gets from Ottawa as a "distinct society" and "nation-within-a-nation," and its various French-supremacist language and assimilation laws, which they blame for creating a place that's inhospitable, arrogant and, yes, noticeably more racist than the Canadian norm. And now, they have good reason to observe that the province seems to produce an awful lot of lunatics prone to public massacres, who often explicitly justify their violence with arguments of dissatisfaction towards Quebec's unique culture. The mosque shooting has been quickly politicised by the Canadian left who have seized upon its useful victims to say the sort of things they were going to say anyway: Canada is both a wicked Islamophobic place that must check its various privileges and a multicultural utopia whose pride and empathy for its Muslim community knows no bounds. Rather than drag the entire country along for this tendentious ride, it might be more useful to narrow the focus. Washington: And so, with the advent of Donald Trump's America First presidency, an Australian diplomatic tradition dies. No matter the differences between Washington and Canberra or personal disinterest between the respective leaders, any past prime minister could rely on any president to make the phone calls and visits look dignified and diplomatic, as befits a "special relationship". US President Donald Trump reportedly accused Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of trying to send America the next Boston bomber. Credit:AP But the new reality is that Trump and his team will throw anyone under the bus to make the new president look good. So it behooves Australian politicians not to go through the pretence, by omission or commission, that everything is hunky dory. Turnbull would have Australians believe that his weekend phone call had been a meeting of minds a successful exchange between important men, which was why he couldn't possibly comment, as other world leaders did, on Trump's controversial migration crackdown. You are here: Home China's transport system saw rising traffic Wednesday as millions of people started to return to work after the week-long Lunar New Year Holiday. Passengers wait for trains at the Nanchang West Railway Station in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Peng Zhaozhi) Some 9.7 million passenger trips were estimated on Chinese railways on Wednesday, year-on-year growth of 9 percent, as the week-long holiday draws to a close Thursday, according to China Railway Corporation. Traffic on expressways around major cities also increased, leading to rising congestion. During the New Year holiday, hundreds of millions of people go back to their hometowns to meet relatives and old friends, and as Chinese people become more affluent and keen to travel, pressure on the transport system is huge. Data from the China National Tourism Administration showed some 27.4 million visitor trips were made in China Wedneday, up 14.1 percent year on year. Tourism revenue reached 34 billion yuan (about 4.96 billion U.S. dollars) on the day. Malcolm Turnbull, who has spent much of this week defending government secrecy over his phone conversation with Donald Trump, has just been done a favour by the forces of media scrutiny and public accountability. On the surface, this is just another SNAFU - another uncontrolled leak that has gazumped the Prime Minister's agenda, right when he wants to talk about tax cuts, cheaper electricity, and affordable childcare. But look deeper. The real import of the Washington Post's bombshell coverage of that telephone conversation is that it vindicates Turnbull's hitherto lame protest to have acted strongly in Australia's interests. The Doctor is a 900(ish)-year-old alien with two hearts, at least 12 different faces and the ability to travel through all of time and space. So why is it so hard to imagine the Doctor as a woman? Peter Capaldis decision to leave Doctor Who at the end of the upcoming season has started speculation about options for his replacement. This is a sport of high stakes for fans the grief of losing the current lead mixed with the excitement of a new face and new identity. Peter Capaldi announced this would be his final season as The Doctor this week. Doctor Who is now over 50 years old, and over that time television conventions have certainly changed. When the first Time Lord was cast in 1963, the audience and BBC felt an elder statesman and mad scientist-type was best to lead the franchise. The Doctor was played by William Hartnell, a proper, older, white Englishman a grandfather, even and audiences and the Beeb happily relied on this casting to draw in their desired audience. Hartnell feel ill soon after he had established the character and the role of The Doctor for Doctor Who. Rather than cancel or merely replace him, the shows creators worked with the science fiction narrative to write in the characters renewal, later to be known as the Time Lords process of regeneration. Dylan Voller, the young man who was seen in a spit hood and shackled to a chair on Four Corners last year, will be released early from jail in Darwin. Voller's barrister, David Dalton, applied for him to be released to the BushMob youth offender rehabilitation program in Alice Springs on the grounds that he had received unfair treatment in prison. A still from the ABC's Four Corners investigation of a shackled Dylan Voller in youth detention. Credit:ABC He argued Voller would have been given a different sentence if the judge who sentenced him knew how he would be treated in prison. Northern Territory Supreme Court Justice Peter Barr said he accepted the evidence put forward by Voller's barrister. Voller will now be transferred by Correctional Services into the care of BushMob as early as Monday. Students were left stunned when a teenage boy walked into their classroom and allegedly stabbed a teacher and two students during morning roll-call at Bonnyrigg High School before walking away without saying a word, a witness says. A 16-year-old male student was arrested in the car park of a nearby supermarket over the stabbing at the school on Elizabeth Drive in Bonnyrigg on Thursday morning. A meat cleaver, two knives, a pair of scissors and two screwdrivers were found with a black Adidas bag not far from where the boy was arrested. "I didn't kill anyone. You have to tell my brother," the 16-year-old boy, who was wearing handcuffs and a school uniform, said. A suspected member of a large Sydney terrorist cell raised his index finger and grinned at supporters after being sentenced to four years in jail for breaching a control order by watching extremist videos on YouTube. Ahmad Saiyer Naizmand, 22, who has previously been convicted of using his brother's passport to leave Australia after his own passport was cancelled, watched a series of videos promoting terrorist attacks on his mobile phone. Ahmad Saiyer Naizmand. Naizmand, a labourer from western Sydney, was at the time subject to a strict terrorism control order which, among other conditions, banned him from accessing propaganda or promotional material from terror group Islamic State. A Federal Circuit Court judge imposed the order in 2015 finding that Naizmand was part of a close-knit group in Sydney that supported IS and had a desire to become martyrs. Naizmand's name had also been mentioned in an intercepted telephone call relating to the plotting of a terrorist attack in Australia. Some passengers on board the Sun Princess brought back more than they bargained for from their holiday, with about 90 falling ill with gastro. The ship docked at Brisbane on Thursday and all 2000 passengers disembarked. The Metro North Public Health Unit said none of the gastro cases needed hospitalisation. 100 passengers on the Sun Princess cruise ship were diagnosed with norovirus. Carnival's Sun Princess was towards the end of a 12-day round trip from Brisbane to Papua New Guinea when the passengers began reporting stomach bug symptoms. In a statement, Princess Cruises said "only a small number" of the guests on board were affected by the stomach bug, however it was unusual for a gastro outbreak to occur towards the end of a cruise. The LNP will introduce laws reversing the onus of proof for bail on domestic violence cases in the first sitting week of 2017. On Thursday, Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said she had asked her department to examine the bail laws in other jurisdictions. But Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said changes were not happening soon enough and he wanted to "re-weight" the favour in balance of the victims. "We're not prepared to wait for yet another review or another report," he said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has asked the Department of Defence to look for alternative sites for expanded military training areas in Queensland, following a backlash from local farmers. Queensland Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls says the prime minister told him of the directive to look for other sites during a lengthy phone call this week. Military exercises take place at Shoalwater Bay. Credit:ADF The Department of Defence had planned to acquire large parcels of land around Shoalwater Bay in central Queensland and the Burdekin in the state's north, as part of a $2.2 billion investment by the Singaporean Army in joint training arrangements with Australia. The move has attracted significant blowback from local farmers who say the expansion would force them to give up prime agricultural land. Teresa Bradford turned down an offer of safe housing days before her husband broke into her home and murdered her in front of her children. Support group DV Connect says it made the offer to Mrs Bradford after being told by police she was scared of what her husband would do. Friends of Ms Bradford said she wanted to move before the tragic incident occurred. Credit:Facebook "We'd been advised that she was afraid and so we contacted her," chief executive Diane Mangan said. Ms Mangan said the group offered to help Mrs Bradford and her children to move to a safe place but she declined because she believed a longer-term housing group was about to offer her a new home. Aussies will soon be able to smile at their smartphones to confirm payments as credit card giant MasterCard prepares to bring its biometric authentication app to Australia. There's no magic bullet when it comes to security, while people complain about needing to remember logins and passwords they often balk at the idea of using biometrics like fingerprints and facial recognition to prove their identity. MasterCard attempts to strike a balance with MasterCard Identity Check, dubbed "Selfie Pay", which uses biometrics to complement your passwords rather than replace them. MasterCard Identity Check will let Australians shop with a smile. MasterCard Identity Check has been available overseas for a while but it's coming to Australia in 2017 MasterCard unveiled the details at the Australian Open but wouldn't be drawn on an exact launch date. When it does arrive we'll see the release of a local MasterCard smartphone app, supporting both facial recognition and fingerprint readers, plus MasterCard will offer an API allowing financial institutions to build these features into their own apps. The idea isn't to let you shop on your good looks alone, instead MasterCard Identity Check will act as a form of two-factor authentication to double-check that someone else hasn't broken into your account or stolen your card details. MasterCard holders won't be forced to use it, instead it will be a free opt-in additional service. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's business advisory group, he announced in a company email. The CEO of the ride hailing service had been under mounting pressure from activists who oppose the administration's immigration policies, including Uber drivers, many of whom are immigrants themselves. "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that," Kalanick, who had planned to attend a meeting of the group on Friday, said in the email. He said he spoke briefly to Trump about the immigration order "and its issues for our community" and told the president he would not join the economic council. The brother of a man shot in the groin at a shopping centre carpark has been charged over a daylight shooting at a tattoo parlour this week. Mohammed Tiba, 36, of Coburg North, was arrested on Wednesday night and charged with reckless conduct endangering life, prohibited use of a firearm, prohibited possession of a firearm and other related offences. Police at the scene of Tuesday's shooting on the corner of Wheatsheaf and Glenroy roads. Credit:Channel Nine Mr Tiba was further remanded in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday to face court again in April. The charges relate to a shooting at a tattoo parlour Ink bound in Glenroy in the city's north. The brother of alleged Bourke Street killer Dimitrious Gargasoulas has appeared in court, sporting a cast on his right arm after he was allegedly stabbed by his brother hours before the alleged rampage through Melbourne's CBD. Angelo Gargasoulas fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday on charges unrelated to those of his brother, who currently faces five counts of murder. Reporters surround Angelo Gargasoulas after he leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court. Credit:Jason South A sixth person, a 33-year-old woman, died in hospital on Monday night, 10 days after more than 30 pedestrians were hit by a car in Melbourne's CBD. Charge sheets released by the court allege Angelo Gargasoulas unlawfully assaulted a person in Windsor on December 18 last year and also caused damage worth $100 to household goods. The charges were laid last year. A teenage boy, allegedly found with six stolen rifles in his possession, has been arrested by police. The 16-year-old from Rockingham faces a string of charges stemming from of a police investigation into several burglaries in the East Victoria Park, Serpentine and Oakford areas since December. The seized firearms. Credit:WA Police A police spokeswoman said the investigation led police to issue a search warrant at a home in Brown Crescent in Seville Grove on Sunday. "It will be alleged during the search police located and seized six stolen rifles," she said. We will have more on this later, so check back. As we write this, The Washington Post has revealed the phone call between the two leaders, where they discussed the deal done with the Obama administration whereby the US is to take refugees stranded on Nauru, was a disaster. "Worst deal ever', Trump reportedly told Turnbull before aborting a scheduled hour-long call at 25 minutes as it turned "hostile and charged". Any sliver of certainly about the deal now appears to have vanished. European Correspondent Nick Miller writes about the fascinating mess unfolding now that Brexit has officially being triggered. Miller also reports from the court were the jury that had retired to consider the verdict in Rolf Harris' trial, was abruptly called back to watch a video, breaking with legal protocol. Still in London, Latika Bourke reports British PM Theresa May is standing firm on Trump invitation - but will he address the British Parliament? More than 1.7 million people who signed a petition for his visit to be cancelled - forcing it to be debated in parliament - won't be happy. Closer to home, Indonesia correspondent Jewel Topsfield reports on the court case of Captain Bram - the people smuggler at the centre of the scandal involving 'turn around' payments by Australia. He's facing up to 15 years' jail. The atrocities taking place in the Philippines where President Rodrigo Duterte's 'war on drugs' has already killed 7000 people without judicial process are getting worse. South-East Asia Correspondent Lindsay Murdoch's take on the Amnesty International investigation that found police are being paid $400 a head for killings, confirms his on-the-ground reporting of the violence over several months. We'd love to know your thoughts on the Daily Dispatch and on our World coverage in general. Please use the comments below. President Donald Trump raised the threat of pulling federal funds from the University of California at Berkeley on Thursday after the institution cancelled a talk by right wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and put the campus on lock down after intense protests against the planned speech. While Trump framed his early morning tweet around free speech and opposition to violent demonstrations, his critics are likely to interpret the message as indirect support for Yiannopoulos, a deeply polarising figure who portrays himself as a champion of open expression but whose detractors view as a hate-monger. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" wrote Mr Trump. Yiannopoulos also writes for the Breitbart website, whose founder, Stephen Bannon, is a key Trump adviser. Yiannopoulos has a large following as a self-proclaimed "free-speech fundamentalist" crusading against political correctness. He was banned from Twitter this summer after sending tweets targeting a black actress. Washington/San Francisco: The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a US government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters. The program, "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, would be changed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism," the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States. Such a change would reflect Trump's election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islam" in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries. The CVE program aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers through community partnerships and educational programs or counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google and Facebook. Flash Iran's Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan on Wednesday confirmed the recent ballistic missile test by his country, Tasnim news agency reported. "The recent (missile) test was in line with our programs, and we will not allow any outsider to interfere in our defense affairs," Dehqan was quoted as saying. Iran's missile test is by no means contradict the Iranian nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, nor United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, the minister said. Resolution 2231, adopted on July 20, 2015, to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. The defense minister said that the country's missile tests are part of Iran's defense plans aimed at fulfilling its national interests, and no one or country could affect the country's plans and decisions. He reiterated that Iran's missile program is for deterrence purposes. Details of the recent missile test by the Islamic republic has not been publicized, but it was the first test by Iran after new U.S. President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20. On Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Washington against fomenting new tension over the missile program of the Islamic republic. Zarif expressed the hope that Iran's missile program would not be used as an excuse by the new U.S. administration to create new tension for his country. Iran's tests of missiles fall outside United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, Zarif said in a joint press conference with his visiting French counterpart. The resolution only points to the ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear warheads, he said. "We have announced that none of our ballistic missiles are designed to carry nuclear warheads," Zarif said. "Iran would not allow others to decide on its defense program." Words such as "commitment", "extreme vetting", "discriminatory" and "terrorist" will ultimately mean what US President Donald Trump chooses them to mean. Credit:AP The permanent bureaucracy, the backbone of the federal government and the bulwark against many presidents' activist intentions, is designed to be at least a step removed from the crosswinds of partisan politics. But for years, many conservatives have argued that the federal bureaucracy is stacked against them, making it harder for them to get things done even when they control the White House, Congress or both. Tom Malinowski, who was president Barack Obama's assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour. Credit:AP Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, a Trump adviser and longtime critic of the bureaucracy, said the pushback against the new administration reveals how firmly entrenched liberals are and how threatened they feel by the new regime. He cited an analysis by The Hill newspaper that showed that 95 per cent of campaign donations from employees at 14 federal agencies went to Hillary Clinton last northern autumn. "This is essentially the opposition-in-waiting," Gingrich said. "He may have to clean out the Justice Department because there are so many left-wingers there. State is even worse." Sit down: A demonstration against Donald Trump's executive order on immigration at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Credit:AP Gingrich said Trump might push for civil service revisions to make it easier to fire federal workers. He predicted that the public would back the president over federal employees. The signs of resistance in federal offices range from low-level grumbling and angry opposition posted online to anonymous promises of outright insubordination as new policies develop. Mr Trump's national security adviser Michael Flynn, centre, and chief strategist Steve Bannon listen in on the President's phone call with Mr Turnbull. Credit:Bloomberg The State Department has emerged as the nexus of opposition to Trump's refugee policy, in part because it has an official dissent channel where Foreign Service employees can register opposition without fear of reprisals. The channel, formed in 1971, has been used to raise policy objections to the Vietnam War and other conflicts. Several hundred employees signed the dissent cable objecting to Trump's refugee policy. Secretaries of state have taken the dissent channel so seriously that they have altered policies in response to complaints. In 2002, then-Secretary Colin Powell presided over the awarding of a prize for "constructive dissent" to an employee who had pushed back against a deputy secretary. Former Speaker of the House and Trump adviser Newt Gingrich. Credit:AP But State Department employees are nervous enough now that the American Foreign Service Association on Tuesday sent out an advisory called "What You Need To Know When You Disagree With US Policy". The note spelled out employees' legal protections but warned that "walking out in protest of a US government policy, even just temporarily, would be considered a strike" and can result in being fired. Other agencies that lack that kind of tradition are in more turmoil. When the White House last week ordered an end to all advertising and other outreach activities encouraging Americans to sign up for health plans through Affordable Care Act marketplaces, employees at the Health and Human Services Department protested, pointing out that the ban on ads and robo-calls would likely result in less coverage of the most desirable customers - young and healthy adults whose scant use of medical care can help lower prices for everyone else. The new President is expected to make his mark on an aggressive legislative agenda. Credit:Bloomberg The internal protest, combined with an outcry on social media and from the insurance industry, prompted the Trump administration to revise its directive in less than 24 hours. Leaders of government workers unions and other associations say their members will do their jobs professionally and energetically, even if they disagree with the president's politics or methods. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator-designate, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt. Credit:AP "There is no evidence we are seeing of a widespread federal bureaucracy revolt," said Bill Valdez, president of the Senior Executives Association, a nonprofit that advocates for career federal managers. He said many managers are telling workers, "Don't get involved in the drama happening elsewhere." The new administration's talk of swift changes in the role and scope of some departments has frustrated many workers, said Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, but although "federal workers are now extremely concerned . . . federal workers are used to seeing the political winds change direction." Workers at some agencies say they have seen no sign of opposition. At the Education Department, which Trump at one point suggested be dismantled, one official said the new administration has been surprisingly agreeable: no major changes in policy, no troubling directives. "We've been, I think, heartened by how things are going here," the official said. But the level of worry is particularly high at places such as the Environmental Protection Agency. The head of that agency's union got an email Tuesday from a local union leader asking for guidance on what to tell workers to do "if they receive an illegal order from management." The union representing scientists and other EPA employees plans to set up a fundraising arm to "defend federal scientists we anticipate will be disciplined for speaking out or for defending scientific facts," particularly about climate change, said Nicole Cantello, vice president of the union that represents EPA workers in the Chicago area. John O'Grady, a career EPA employee who heads a national council of EPA unions, said Trump's firing of acting attorney general Sally Yates on Monday night after the Obama-era holdover had refused to implement Trump's refugees ban "sends kind of a chilling effect through the agency. I'm afraid at this point that many federal employees are just fearful for their jobs, and they want to keep their heads down." Some EPA employees' heads are popping up, at least under cover of online anonymity. Two popular Twitter feeds have sprung up, @altUSEPA and @ActualEPAFacts, with the latter allegedly begun by several agency employees and a local writer. Both accounts have more than 200,000 followers and call themselves part of "the Resistance." Top EPA officials have tried to reassure anxious employees. In an email to employees, Don Benton - a top Trump adviser to the EPA - insisted that media reports of crackdowns on public speech and scientific autonomy were "just not accurate . . . Changes will likely come, and when they do, we will work together to implement them." In any administration, one man's principled resistance is another's outrageous defiance. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., Trump's nominee for attorney general, said in 2015 that it is the obligation of a federal worker to stand up against improper orders. In a confirmation hearing for Yates, Sessions said, "You have to watch out, because people will be asking you do to things you just need to say no about . . . Like any CEO, with a law firm - sometimes the lawyers have to tell the CEO: 'Mr. CEO, you can't do that. Don't do that.' " Presidents appoint the heads of agencies and a few officials at the top of each department, but the great majority of those who implement any administration's agenda are civil servants who enjoy legal protections meant to encourage them to blow the whistle on fraud and corruption. Short of formal whistleblowing, workers are finding small ways to express their opposition. At the Justice Department, some career civil servants asked their bosses whether they were allowed to protest their new president by marching or contacting a member of Congress. The answer was yes, if they did so on their own time and in their personal capacity. The day after the November election, the department's ethics office said workers could wear clothing that contained a political message. One lawyer who had worn a Hillary Clinton T-shirt beneath another layer of clothing said that once the advice was issued, "I took the layer off." In the past few days, protest accounts have popped up on social media from employees at several agencies. An immunologist who formerly worked at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention created what he called a "resistance page,"@viralCDC, for CDC employees to post vaccine and public health information that workers believe the Trump administration may seek to remove from public view. There has been no freeze on communications at the CDC, said spokeswoman Kathy Harben. Similarly, a Twitter account protesting Trump's policies has popped up in the Defense Department. Using the handle @Rogue_DoD, a service member has tweeted everything from Defense Department documents warning about the effects of climate change to an opinion piece accusing Trump of insufficient consultation with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Career staff members in at least five departments said they are staying in close contact with Obama administration officials to get advice on how to handle Trump initiatives they consider illegal or improper. Former labor secretary Thomas Perez, who also headed the Justice Department's civil rights division under Obama, said he has not been in contact with his former employees but is working to mobilize grass-roots opposition. "We're mindful of our ethical responsibilities," said Perez, who is running for chair of the Democratic National Committee. "We're also mindful that we're in an existential crisis." While many federal workers have begun to consider avenues of dissent only since the inauguration, others had been preparing for weeks. In the last days of Obama's tenure, several departments catalogued data and reports and got them into the hands of allies outside the government. The use of social media as outlets for worried government workers has spread through much of the bureaucracy. After Trump complained about the National Park Service using Twitter to compare the crowd sizes at his inauguration with the far larger assembly at Obama's gathering in 2009, a gag order temporarily silenced the official social media account. In response, an ex-employee at Badlands National Park who still had access to its Twitter feed started posting facts about climate change. The rogue tweeter won more than 60,000 followers before park officials regained control of the account. Social media accounts have popped up to defend the Smithsonian Institution and the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities. Employees at some Smithsonian units have been reminded that policies prohibit them from using their work devices to post political comments. "We don't intend to change the way we do things," said Smithsonian Secretary David J. Skorton. "That's not out of a sense of defiance, it's not out of a sense of not wanting to be accountable, it's out of a sense of believing in the mission of the Smithsonian, which is to do research and share information with the public." Rex Tillerson, who ran Exxon Mobil for a decade before signing on as Donald Trump's Secretary of State, is reportedly "baffled" that the White House didn't consult with him on its controversial executive order restricting travel and immigration from seven mostly Muslim countries. James Mattis, who retired as a four-star Marine Corps general and supervisor of the US Central Command before becoming Trump's Secretary of Defence, is said by the Associated Press to be "particularly incensed" about exactly the same thing. President Donald Trump with his main advisers Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. Credit:AP Both men - seasoned, thoughtful managers with bucketloads of experience and insight - probably thought that Trump recruited them to his cabinet to be trusted advisers. They may be in for more surprises, however, because there's a good chance that Trump sees them merely as hood ornaments atop the little engine of state he's building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. For most of Trump's career he has trusted only a small group of longtime loyalists at the Trump Organisation, and even then he has often tightened the circle further to family members. Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs Date Time Bank 3 March 9.15am to 12.15pm NAB 7 March 9.15am to 12.15pm CBA 7 March 1.15pm to 4.15pm ANZ 8 March 9.15am to 12.15pm Westpac Domestic and international developments in the finance market including how they relate to and are affecting banking in Australia The costs of funds, impacts on margins and the basis for bank pricing decisions The four major banks are set to undergo a second round of parliamentary scrutiny with the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics announcing three new public hearings.The hearings form part of the governments Review of the Four Major Banks and are mandated to be held at least once a year. This financial year, they will be held on the following days:These hearings provide an important mechanism to hold the banking sector to account before the Parliament, said David Coleman MP, chair of the Standing Committee.By holding them again so soon after the last set of hearings, the Committee hopes to follow up on the ten recommendations stated in its first report on the big four banks which was released in November 2016.Other issues such as ASIC and the ACCC commencing action against different banks for foreign exchange rate manipulation, cartel conduct, etc. are also likely to come up at this round of hearings.Additional topics that will be covered in March include:How individual banks and the industry as a whole is responding to issues raised in previous parliamentary inquiries will also be examined. This includes responses to the Australian Bankers Associations six point plan on consumer protections and other reforms suggested by the government and regulators. Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs European-based online lender Spotcap has partnered with New Zealand bank Heartland to expand its Australian operations through a $20 million fund injection.We are excited to have Heartland support our local operations through this investment, said Lachlan Heussler, managing director of Spotcap Australia and New Zealand. It puts further focus on our regions potential to become global leaders in the fintech space.The lender provides unsecured credit and business loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of up to $250,000. Instead of looking at a clients historical financials when making credit decisions, a proprietary credit algorithm is used that examines the financial condition of a business.The investment by Heartland provides Spotcap with balance sheet funding to allow the lender to grow its loan book, Heussler told Australian Broker.In order to do that, were ramping up our sales efforts. Weve already doubled our distribution team in the last month or so and well be aggressively pursuing the vast networks of partners that we now have access to.Spotcap has spent the past 12 months establishing relationships with some of the key aggregators in Australia and is now listed on the panel of several of these groups, he said.Our sales and distribution team acquired account managers who are going out and working with those distribution channels to educate them about our product, what it is that we do, and how it can benefit their clients.Through these efforts, Spotcap has on-boarded more than 1,000 partners in the past 12 months, Heussler added, a trend which continues to grow rapidly.Weve got a highly automated process. Its very easy for the brokers to sign up to our partner program. They get access to a dedicated partner portal which is specific to them and produces unique links which they can embed in their own websites.The lender will continually roll out updates to this platform, he said, to ensure that brokers and other distribution partners are looked after and have an exceptional experience.We have invested heavily in brokers and have introduced the category as a distribution channel for us. Theyre delivering a significant volume as a result. What were going to continue to do this year is educate that channel about the opportunities that are out there.This includes educating brokers about how to write business loans for their small business clients, he said.In the 12 months prior to December 2016, Spotcap grew its Australian loan book by 450%. The lender has raised over $110 million in equity and debt funding while issuing more than $90 million in credit to SMEs globally. Flash Chinese tech workers could be affected by visa changes Less than two weeks into his term, U.S. President Donald Trump has already begun delivering on his top campaign promises, from ditching a trans-Pacific trade deal and announcing details of his planned wall on the Mexican border, to slapping a temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. With the president's actions also stirring a firestorm of criticism, observers of Sino-U.S. relations are cautioning Beijing to remain "prudent" and "prepared" for butting heads with Washington in negotiations. They also suggest the world's top two economic powers avoid a trade war for the good of both countries. "This past week has been shocking," Gordon H. Chang, director of Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University, told China Daily in a written response to questions. Chang said he believes chances for a difficult and dangerous period ahead in China-U.S. relations have increased as Trump seems to be pushing his agenda ahead aggressively without thought or deliberation. Asked about the likelihood of Trump fulfilling all of his China-related campaign promises, the professor of history said, "He won't forget about China; he also plays to the public and China bashing is popular in the U.S.." Chang said China should be "careful but firm" and "prudent" and see what Trump will do. Nicholas Hope, former director of the China program at the Stanford Center for International Development, said that although he has no grounds to conclude that Trump will be able to follow through on all of his campaign promises, actions to date suggest that he intends to do so, no matter how they affect the United States' long-term interests. "As the two largest trading powers, at all costs the two countries must avoid being drawn into a punishing trade war that could send the world back to the 1930s," Hope said. Zhang Zhixin, head of American political studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the U.S. under Trump's watch is ready to defend its economic and security interests, even at the risk of taking on other countries, be they friend or foe. Trump's determination to expand employment by discouraging U.S. companies from investing overseas has been welcomed by many underprivileged U.S. citizens, Zhang said. The new administration's plans also might affect professionals from China and other countries hoping to secure a job in the U.S.. Reports said the H1-B work visa program that allows U.S. employers, particularly Silicon Valley giants, to hire top foreign professionals also faces changes as "part of a larger immigration effort", said Wang Dong, an associate professor of international studies at Peking University and secretary-general of the Beijing-based think tank Pangoal Institution. It is possible that Trump could lower the number of work visa applications from the annual quota of 65,000 set aside for "specialty positions", Wang said. "A renegotiation is also likely, but the pain will soon be felt by U.S. companies and work-visa applicants, a lot of whom are Chinese" he said. Trying to prevent immigrants from entering the U.S. illegally, and deporting those who are already in the country, partly in the name of combating terrorism, is arguably an effective if controversial way of securing jobs for local blue-collar workers, Zhang said. "That does not bode well for Beijing, which may have to prepare for head-to-head negotiations with Washington on trade, diplomacy and security," Zhang said. Under Trump's tougher vetting of immigrants, which he said is needed to prevent terror attacks, he has ordered a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the U.S., an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and a 90-day ban on entry of citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. "How far Trump will push the envelope on immigration and what he might do to bypass institutional barriers remains unpredictable," Wang said. "But one thing is clear: 'Make America Great Again' will be coupled with continued bitter confrontations between him and his opponents and chaos may follow," he added. The slogan was heavily used by Trump's presidential campaign. Flash Ten thousand pounds per month. That's the money the Japanese Embassy in London has been paying to a British think tank for its work to hype up China threat and propagate against China-UK relations, said a Sunday Times report. As an official representative of a sovereign country in Britain, the Japanese Embassy's act, if proved to be true, is surprising and despicable. In this alleged diplomatic scandal, the embassy has hired the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), a right-wing think tank, to encourage high-level British politicians and journalists to "voice opposition to Chinese foreign policy." A recent example is an article published in August 2016 questioning China's involvement in Britain's Hinkley Point C nuclear plant. Former British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind has confirmed that he had been approached by the HJS to put his name to the article. Fear over China's rapid development and its sound relations with Britain has been seen as a major motive behind the Japanese Embassy's indecent campaign against its neighbor. But such a trick will neither help Japan, whose economy is struggling, nor deter China's growing ties with Western countries. It only reveals a serious deficiency in Tokyo's self-confidence. Meanwhile, one cannot help wondering if there are other Japanese embassies that are working on similar projects to tarnish the image of China. Since the disclosure of the allegations, the Japanese government and media as well as the embassy in London have chosen to remain silent. Silence is by no means gold in this case. It probably means embarrassment. The trick carried out by the HJS did not work. The British government gave the green light to the Hinkley Point C project. It is a sign of bilateral confidence in and mutual commitment to a "golden era" of Britain's post-Brexit relations with China. For the HJS, which poses as "a policy shaping force fighting for the principles of free society," its involvement in this money-driven trick is a slap on its own face. Yardley Friends Meeting at 65 N. Main Street in Yardley will host the documentary Organic Roots on Friday, November 18 at 7 p.m. Join director Al Johnson for a showing of this film followed by a discussion of the last 50 years of this movement. Organic foods are part of our life today and a tool in our concern for... You are here: Home Flash Pakistan paramilitary troops killed a wanted "terrorist commander" and his two accomplices in clashes in the country's commercial center of Karachi early Thursday, officials said. Commander Noor Mohammad alias Baba Ladla and members of his criminal armed gang showed stiff resistance but was killed after 35-minute exchange of firing, a spokesman for the paramilitary force, Rangers, said. One paramilitary soldier was injured in firing. "Ladla was a cruel and the most wanted terrorist and was involved in over 74 incidents," the spokesman said in a statement. Ladla's close associates -- Sikandar alias Sikko and Mohammad Yaseen alias Mama, were also killed in the encounter, he said. Three criminals escaped during the encounter. The paramilitary troops recovered a huge cache of weapons, including grenades and automatic weaponry from the suspects. Ladla was running a gang of criminals in Liyari area of Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, and was also behind several attacks on police. Pakistan Rangers conducted a raid on a hideout after information was received that Ladla and his accomplices were in Liyari. The terrorists fired at the raiding party with automatic weapons and also lobbed hand grenades at the security officials. Officials also released a list that contained details of the incidents he was involved in. The authorities in Sindh province had announced a reward of one million rupees for those who will share information about Ladla. Green Arrow and Black Canary are among the most popular and prolifiic comic book duos in history. They are the Batman and Robin for the uber nerds who knew who Green Arrow and Black Canary were before Arrow. Yet for the entirety of season 5 on Arrow, Oliver has been without his feathered friend. Now that looks to change as Second Chances begins the Green Arrows quest to find his new Black Canary. Even though some fans will always rebel at one who doesnt have the name of Dinah Laurel Lance, the newest potential addition to Team Arrow, Tina, makes a great first impression. Why Black Siren Needs to Stick Around on Arrow>>> Becoming Something Else Oliver has high standards for Laurels replacement but eventually Curtis tracks down a viable candidate. Her name is Tina Bolland and she used to be a cop in Central City. That was until her partner died in an undercover operation and she developed metahuman powers of a sonic scream. Tina has the grit, the tragic backstory and the attitude to join Team Arrow. The only problem is that Tina doesnt really want to join Olivers pleather gang of vigilantes. Tina is too concerned with getting revenge. Its been her mission for the past three years to kill the men who killed her partner. She is not going to stop just because Oliver showed up and wants to offer her the superhero outfit of a dead woman. Naturally this just makes Oliver want her more (and me too to be honest). With each passing scene, Tina becomes a more perfect Black Canary. Oliver, knowing he is fighting a losing battle, strikes a deal. He will promise to help Tina take down the crime boss who killed her partner, Sonus, but they will do it the right way. Oliver wants Tina to take down Sonus without giving to the darkness inside of her and then he will leave her alone. I mean, theyre still going to kill lots of people (this is still Arrow and all the killing looks very, very cool) but Oliver just doesnt want Tina to kill. Tina agrees, but its a lie. Tina really just uses Oliver to get close to Sonus and then unloads a clip into his chest. Tina gets her revenge in the most bloody way possible and Oliver goes home with his tail between his legs. (Its probably wrong that I like Tina even more now, right?) The Dark Felicity Rises While Tina is choosing the darker path, Felicity is at home doing the exact same thing. Felicity gets back into the hacking game to help Dig escape prison and she ends up meeting a fellow hacker in real life. The hacker, who is really just Felicity but with a slightly different color scheme, tells the current, Overwatch, that she admires Felicitys earlier works as a hacktivist. According to this random lady, Felicity was better when she being an anti-government, underground hacker without all the moral boundaries and a real mean streak. Felicity seems to believe her for some reason. This feels like a step back for Felicity, considering that in season 4 she actually talked to her old goth self (thanks to drug hallucinations) and decided that wasnt her any longer. Now she has come to the exact opposite conclusion. (Im willing to go with it for now but it is not my favorite Felicity storyline of all time.) Felicity tapping into her dark side again does allow Dig to go home a free man but it is a matter of concern how Arrow is approaching Felicitys new darker arc. Arrow Recap: Can the Team Trust the Return of Laurel Lance?>>> Flashback Break The flashback story is about Oliver being mentored by his womanly savior from the last episode, Talia. Talia is amazing and she needs to travel from the past to the present story as quickly as humanly possible. Talia looks cool, she is a way better fighter than Oliver, she has a compleltey compelling moral code and has a kick-ass accent. Second Chances is great Arrow episode for new female characters. The flashbacks eventually reveals that it is Talia who helped Oliver form the Arrow persona. My memory of season 1 is shaky, so I dont know if that makes any sense but Im so ready for Oliver to continue to be tutored by Talia in the flashback storyline going forward. Meet Dinah Drake The Talia story fits pretty well thematically with present day as Oliver has been trying to mentor Tina all episode. Naturally though, it is not until the final scene that it works. After all their adventures and murder, Tina goes to Star City. She meets with Oliver and finally decides to accept his offer. Tina will join the Team Arrow but first she has something to tell Oliver. Tina is not her real name but her cover name. Tinas real name is Dinah Drake aka the name of the original Black Canary in the comics. (For reference, Dinah Drake is the mother of Dinah Lance, the most famous Black Canary from the comics.) There you have it. The Black Canary will be based on a character from the comics, just not the one people were expecting when the show began. It wont change the mind of fans angry that Black Siren isnt being molded to become the Black Canary but I like it. I was pretty lukewarm on the idea of Arrow introducing a new character to be the Black Canary but Second Chances swayed me. Im on board with Tina Dinah and not just because of her name. She has the kind of spirit and edge that I was always looking for in Laurel but never really found. But what do you think? Are you on board with Dinah Drake as the new Black Canary? Will she make a new good addition to the team? What do you think of Felicitys new path? Do you want Talia to make the jump to present day? Are you looking forward to more scenes with her in the past? Arrow season 5 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW. Want more news? Like our Arrow Facebook page! (Image courtesy of The CW) latest news October 31, 2022 Buddy TV In November, there are hundreds of new and returning TV showsit can be overwhelming to try and choose what to watch. That's why we've selected some of the best options... On this episode of Star, Infamous, Jahil is forced by Hunters mom to make Alex the leader of the band. Star, who has considered herself the lead of the group in the past, is not happy about the change and will do anything to get her spot back. One Day Youre In At rehearsal for an event at the Childrens Hospital, Star is looking at paparazzi pictures of herself leaving Hunters house. Alex is mad that the article calls Star the leader of their band and that she is more concerned with fame than performing. Alex should have known what she was getting into when she found out her name was Star. At the end of the last episode, Jahil was taken to a random warehouse. He is still dealing with the aftermath of his deal with Maggie and the human-trafficking incident, but Hunters mom, Pauline, pays his debt for him and picks him up. And the Next Day Youre Out After finding out that Star is sleeping with Hunter, Pauline wants her out of the band, so when Jahil shows up to practice, he puts Alex in the front. When Star protests the change, Jahil says her image in the press is not good for the band. After flashing back to her mother making her promise that she would be better than her, she goes to her new spot in the band behind Alex. Hunter picks Star up after rehearsal and explains that he isnt mad that she spent a lot of money on her credit card, he was just surprised. Star apologizes and said her street bitch came out. Their relationship continues to be super romantic. Casting Bits: Eva Longoria Heads to Empire, Peter Capaldi Exits Doctor Who, Paris Jackson Makes Acting Debut and More>>> Sunday Supper Carlottas pastor suggests that Simone go to a recovery group after her overdose. Simone also invites Pastor Harris to Sunday dinner, but Carlotta is not sure if she wants him to stay. Carlottas daughter, Cotton, thinks that Carlotta is embarrassed of her and doesnt want Pastor Harris to meet her because she is transgender. Carlotta denies this, but Cotton doesnt believe her. Later on at dinner with Pastor Harris, there is tension between Carlotta and Cotton. Cotton makes a lot of comments alluding to being transgender, and eventually leaves the table because she does not think her mother is being honest. After dinner, Carlotta tells Pastor Harris the truth about Cotton, and Cotton goes to a bar and spends the night with a man. Leader of the Pack Star confronts Jahil about moving her to the back of the group and accuses him of being jealous. He tells her to stay away from Hunter, and she tells him she will if he stops doing coke. (I wonder if BeyoncA ever had to threaten someone to be the lead of Destinys Child.) When Alex is getting ready to go to Dereks family BBQ, Star tries to mess with her head and says she will get her spot back after Alexs messes up. Star shows up at the BBQ, and Dereks drunk grandma freaks out because she does not want a white girl at her house. After she goes upstairs, Alex performs with Dereks family and Star is jealous of the attention she is getting. Star Recap: Star and Simone Learn More About Marys Past>>> Theres More to Life Than Music Star gets ready for the charity event at Hunters house, and he gives her a $3,000 dress to wear. Jahil sees them together at the party, and tells Hunter to stay away from Star. Hunter thinks it is because Jahil wants to be with Star. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams introduces Big Trouble at the event. (Am I the only one who missed Star, Simone and Alex naming their band?) It was also about time for a RHOA cameo. During the performance, Star takes the lead even though Alex is supposed to be in the front. Alex freaks out at Jahil because he cannot control Star. Hunters mother is also furious that Star was not in the back during the performance. At home, Jahil hears the refugee he took in singing in the shower and speaking English. When Star comes home after the event, Simone tells her that she needs to stop being mean to Alex and reevaluate her priorities. Everyone stops fighting about the band when they see the news and find out that, Danielle, one of the women who works in Carlottas salon, was shot and killed by police. They thought she was reaching for a gun in her car, but she wasnt. Star season 1 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on FOX. Want more news? Like BuddyTVs Facebook page. (Image courtesy of FOX) WJ Group has appointed Neil Allison as commercial manager a new role at the business, which is best known for its timber treatment services and DeckWright anti-slip decking. Mr Allison joins the company, having recently returned to the UK with his family following six years in Australia. Previously working for Deb Australia (a division of SC Johnson) as regional business development manager, he managed a territory roughly half the size of Europe. Prior to his time in Australia, Mr Allison worked as area sales manager for Deb in Yorkshire. Mr Allison said: Im excited to be joining a fast-growing company back in my home town of Hull. There are business development opportunities in all areas that we operate, including timber treatment, anti-slip decking and batch components. My experience gained both in the UK and Australia, of building strong relationships with customers and working closely with them to supply their specific needs, should fit well with the timber industry and Im looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead. Where Andy Kim, Bob Healey stand on abortion, inflation and more The USA TODAY Network New Jersey asked Andy Kim and Bob Healey where they stand on key issues in the midterms. Here's what they said. Eat your way to altruism with this special #CookForSyria charity dinner It takes a very worthy cause to gather some of Sydney's finest culinary talents in one place. So it says a lot about UNICEF's standing that they've managed to get 12 of Australia's best chefs into one kitchen for a feel good charity event on February 27. With proceeds going toward UNICEF Australia's Syria Crisis Appeal for Children, the one-night only event at Three Blue Ducks in Rosebery is part of a month long campaign to raise funds for displaced Syrian children. The concept is based on the super successful UK #CookForSyria campaign which saw talents like Jamie Oliver and Fergus Henderson raise more than 125,000 for young victims of the conflict in Syria. And Australia's answer name checks some of the best in the kitchen: Kylie Kwong (Billy Kwong), Peter Gilmore (Bennelong and Quay), David Thompson (Long Chim), Ross Lusted (The Bridge Room), Paul Carmichael (Momofuku Seiobo) Darren Robertson, Mark LaBrooy and Andy Allen (Three Blue Ducks), Mat Lindsay (Ester), Clayton Wells (Automata), Luke Powell (LP's Quality Meats) and Mitch Orr (Acme & Bar Brose) - phew. There will also a special appearance by Syrian chefs (and sisters) Sharon and Carol Salloum from Sydney's Almond Bar who will be dishing up delicious vegetarian dishes on the night. With each local chef tackling a different Syrian-inspired dish or flavour, consider this a unique dining experience with a seriously charitable payoff. The #CookForSyria dinner will be hosted at Three Blue Ducks (1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery) on Monday, February 27 at 6.30pm. Tickets are $320 pp + bf and include canapes, cocktails on arrival, a shared Syrian-inspired feast and wine. To book, head to threeblueducks.com/rosebery/bookings And don't forget to keep your eye out for more #CookForSyria events around the country. Throughout March many restaurateurs, chefs, bakers and cafe owners Australia-wide will be creating a Syrian spin on existing dishes or creating new ones, with $3 from each sale of the dish going to the cause. Simply want to make a donation? Head to unicef.org.au/cookforsyria or buy the recipe book #CookForSyria. Since independence Indias agriculture and allied industries has seen various revolutions like green revolutions (food grain), blue revolution (fisheries), white revolution (milk) and yellow revolution (oil seeds) at different phases to increase farm output and income of farmers. One-and-a-half years into the job of turning around the national carrier, Air India's chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani tells B Dasarath Reddy old merger-related issues still haunt the company and the old debt is still there. Excerpts: The domestic passenger vehicle industry could clinch double-digit volume growth in FY17, unfazed by the flat performance in the first two months since demonetisation. A significant push has come from the January performance when the industry came back stronger to post 16 per cent growth. Seven of the top ten companies reported double-digit growth in January. Led by the top two players, Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, the passenger vehicle (cars, utility vehicles and vans) industry sold about 260,000 units during January to dealers. This translates into year-on-year growth of 16 per cent. This strong volume growth comes after two weak months. In November last year, the government withdrew two high-denomination currency notes (Rs 500 and Rs 1,000) from circulation with the stated objective of curbing black money. This caused panic among the masses and kept a large number of buyers away from the market, impacting sales of cars, two-wheelers and other consumer durables severely. The passenger vehicle industry sold 468,803 units in the domestic market during November-December, almost flat compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. These two weak months also pulled down the cumulative growth of the industry in the year. Against strong growth of 11 per cent in the April-October period of FY17, growth weakened to 8.59 per cent in the nine months ended December 2016. However, with a strong recovery in January, the growth in April-January has improved to about 9.3 per cent. This has brought optimism back to the sector. Amit Kaushik, managing director for India at consultancy firm Urban Science, said the growth momentum was expected to continue due to a consumer-friendly budget and incentives offered by car makers. Industry body Siam maintains a double-digit growth forecast for the year. If it happens, the industry will post double-digit growth after a gap of five years (FY11 saw 28 per cent growth). FY16 growth was 7.24 per cent. Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president (sales & marketing) at Hyundai, said the year 2017 looks promising with the entire industry looking forward to positive growth. Hyundai, the second biggest player, reported volume growth of 10.5 per cent in January by selling 42,017 units. Market leader Maruti Suzuki, which commands a 47 per cent share, posted volume growth of about 25 per cent in January when it sold 133,768 units in the domestic market. The third largest player M&M, which mostly sells utility vehicles, posted a nine per cent drop in January volumes. Pravin Shah, president and chief executive (automotive) at M&M, said, The auto industry continues to see mixed reactions and some of the segments, including the rural market, continue to face challenging times." Cyrus Investments and Sterling Investments, minority shareholders of Tata Sons, wanted the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to hear the original company petition in view of the peculiar circumstances of the case. Cut-throat competition in India and an onslaught from rivals in its home market prompted Britain's to nudge its full-year earnings guidance down on Thursday sending its share price lower. Competition in India has been ramped up by free offers from new entrant Reliance Jio Infocomm, but plans to fight back by merging its Indian subsidiary with smaller rival Idea Cellular. "This is about creating an amazing asset and a very strong company, not about retrenching," Chief Executive Vittorio Colao said. Vodafone, the world's second-biggest mobile phone group, has built its name through rapid global expansion in a series of bold deals in the 1990s and 2000s and is the second-largest player in India. Overall, service revenue in Europe grew by 0.7 percent in its third quarter, down from 1 percent in the second quarter. In its emerging markets -- including India, Africa and Turkey -- growth slowed to 3.9 percent from 7.1 percent. Shares in the company fell as much as 3 percent on Thursday morning. By 0934 GMT they were down 1.3 percent at 190 pence Britain remained tough, with service revenue declining by 3.2 percent, which it said reflected increased competition in the business sector, an area of strength for the operator. Finance Director Nick Read said the company was seeing competition in corporate business from EE, now owned by BT, and from O2, owned by Telefonica. "Everyone is chasing growth and customers," he said. Vodafone reported a 1.7 percent rise in overall organic service revenue for the quarter, broadly in line with analyst expectations. The company reiterated its target to generate at least 4 billion euros of free cash flow in the year to March 31, but it said it now expects core earnings to come in at the lower end of a range of 3-6 percent growth. "These results are not surprising given the evidence of the deterioration in India but have few specific positives either," Citi analysts said. "The effective cut to EBITDA guidance looks realistic but will raise questions about full-year 2018 trajectory." The of India (ECI) has again written a strongly worded letter to the cabinet secretary on breach of the poll code of conduct. In a communication on Thursday, it said that sending of matters that had come for clearance to the Union Cabinet at the 11th hour to the ECI for scrutiny would not do. More, ministries could not send the proposals directly to the ECI - these had to be routed via the cabinet secretary's office for clearance. "Despite the Commission's aforesaid clear standing instructions, issued long back and reiterated recently, which have to be followed scrupulously by all concerned, a tendency is being observed to flout these. Matters relating to the Cabinet are sent directly to the Commission and that too at the last moment, leaving no time to ECI to appropriately consider the issue. It leads to creating undue pressure on the Commission to give priority of such reference over its other urgent time-bound business," went the missive. "It should specifically be ensured that at least 48 hours is available to the Commission for processing of such reference, so as to convey its decision in time. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for the Commission to entertain such references," the letter said, making it clear that if the ECI did not get enough time to study proposals and subject these to the Model Code of Conduct scrutiny, these would simply be rejected. However, ECI has recourse only to limited legal remedy if the government simply ignores its advice. In theory, any policy decision the government proposes to take must be scrutinised by the ECI once the poll code 'Model Code') of conduct is in place. However, there are no legal teeth for the Code. The ECI has already pulled up the government for going ahead with Mann ki Baat, the monthly radio address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has said that the script must be shown to the ECI before the programme is aired. It had also asked the cabinet secretary to explain whether the Budget 2017-18 proposals would violate the code and why this could not be postponed. Two persons were arrested for stealing Rs 1.25 crore from a bank account by forging the signature of the owner, police said today. Madan Lal in a police complaint filed on January 18 alleged that Rs 1.25 crore were taken out of his account, following which a case was registered by Gurgaon Cyber Cell. Police on Monday arrested Maninder, a resident of Tilak Nagar in Delhi, and his friend Gulshan, a native of Punjab, in whose account the money was traced. The probe into the matter revealed that Maninder, a former employee of DBRC, stole a blank cheque belonging to Lal. He then forged his signature and withdrew Rs 1.25 crore from his account, ACP Manish Sehgal said. He took the help of Jhonny, an employee at a mobile store, to block Lal's sim card and issue a new number in his name to carry out the transaction, he said. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday proposed to ease rules around issuance of commercial papers (CP), and allowed buybacks of these papers even as the central bank lowered the rating requirement of firms issuing these papers by one notch. Civil Aviation Ministry Gives Push to Executive Development for the Aviation Sector The first Executive Development Programme of Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University was inaugurated by the Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju in the capital today. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that the Aviation University should play the important role of spreading knowledge and see that it is applied practically in the growth of the Aviation sector. Shri Raju pointed out that skill development was a key of the growth of the Aviation sector which is likely to see an increase in demand for skilled workers in the years to come . He also asked the University to co-ordinate its activities with the Aviation Academy. The Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shri Jayant Sinha said that to have better infrastructure and transportation facilities in the country, it was necessary to close the gap of increasing demand for trained and skilled people in the Aviation sector. In the present scenario people are looking for jobs and airlines are looking for trained persons, he added. Shri Jayant Sinha also advised the university to be innovative and include research programmes. Secretary for Ministry of Civil Aviation, Shri R. N. Choubey said that the Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University should not only organize training courses but also act as a think tank for the Aviation sector. The Vice Chancellor of the University Shri Nalin Tandon in his welcome address said that the Executive Development Programme and Management Development Programme had been structured after conducting detailed workshops with the industry and other stakeholders. He informed that the first Executive Development Programme on Aviation Management is being conducted by the University in collaboration with Indo US American Cooperation Program. The programme is being attended by senior leadership from the Indian aviation sector to include air operators, airport operators, ancillary service providers and regulatory authorities. India is on the cusp of exponential growth in the aviation sector and a critical need was felt for India to invest in research and innovation in the aviation milieu in order to ensure that the growth is protected and to develop into a global aviation hub. The establishment of Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University is therefore a step by the Ministry of Civil Aviation towards promoting this growth on a sustainable basis and building a foundation on which Indias aviation sector shall be showcased to the rest of the world. Key learning outcomes from premier Indian institutions have been drawn to build Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University into a world class university and a centre of excellence for aviation education and research that is focused at meeting industry needs and skill requirements. This University is the first of its kind in the country that has been established to promote aviation studies and research to achieve excellence in areas of aviation management, policy, science and technology, aviation environment, training in governing fields of safety and security regulations on aviation and other related fields to produce quality human resources to cater to the needs of the aviation sector that is witnessing a massive transformation and growth. The University is planning the launch of its flagship programme in 2018 at its campus in Fursatganj, Rae Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. A number of Management Development Programmes have also been planned and shall be conducted in subsequent years. ... UM India Signs Financing Agreement with World Bank for US$ 201.50 Million for Third Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP III)" A Financing Agreement for IDA credit of US$201.50 million (equivalent) for the Third Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP III) was signed with the World Bank here yesterday. The Financing Agreement was signed by Mr. Raj Kumar (Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs) on behalf of Government of India and Mr. Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank. The objective of the Program is to enhance quality and equity in participating Engineering Education Institutes and improve the efficiency of the Engineering Education System in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, 8 North Eastern States and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The Project has two main components, (i) Improving quality and equity in engineering institutes in those states; and (ii) System-level initiatives to strengthen sector governance and performance. The project has been designed as a disbursement linked one, that is, the World Bank loan will be disbursed on achievement of specific outcomes. The closing date of TEQIP III is 31st March, 2022. ? ? (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Safety Measures at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant The Kudankulam reactors deploy passive safety features, namely the Passive Decay Heat Removal System, additional system for Core Passive Flooding, Passive Filtering Systems, etc. Post Fukushima, a task force of NPCIL constituted for safety evaluation found KKNPP design to be safe. However, to enhance further the safety level, the task force suggested 17 recommendations, all of which have been implemented. These measures have already bolstered the safety systems and are the most current. A site at Haripur in West Bengal has been accorded in principle approval by the Government for locating six units of 1000 MW or higher capacity in technical cooperation with Russian Federation. Subsequently, as an alternative to the Haripur Site, the possibility of a coastal site in the state of Andhra Pradesh is also being examined by the Site Selection Committee of the Government to locate nuclear power plants with Russian technical cooperation. This information was provided by 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 in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC is on a two day visit to air bases in Jammu and Kashmir. On his arrival at AF Stn Awantipur, he addressed all personnel and inspected the operational readiness of the base. During the interaction with the personnel, the CAS complemented all Air Warriors for maintaining the highest level of professionalism. Accompanying the CAS, Mrs Kamalpreet Dhanoa, President Air Force Wives Welfare Association, interacted with the families of service personnel and applauded them for the untiring support they have provided to their husbands. The Chief of the Air Staff is also visiting AF Station Srinagar on 03 Feb 2017. He would be interacting with Senior Army Officials at BB Cantt in Srinagar. Having led a fighter Sqn from Srinagar Air Field during the Kargil Operations, he is well familiar with the lay of the land and the operating environment.. . AB/MKR Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. In his first public remarks abroad as US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday criticised North Korea for provocative acts and said he would consult with South Korean and Japanese officials about whether the current strategy for getting the North to curtail or eliminate its nuclear and missile programmes is adequate. Mattis spoke to reporters aboard his military plane en route to Osan air base from Washington. In the brief interview, he said he would be discussing the plan to install a new US missile defence system, called the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad), in South Korea as a means of deterring the North's ballistic missile threats against South Korean and Japan. North Korea also has said it is nearly ready to test-launch a ballistic missile of intercontinental range, meaning it could theoretically threat the United States. "Were it not for the provocative behaviour of North Korea, we would have no need for Thaad out here," Mattis said. Alluding to China's objections to having Thaad deployed in South Korea, Mattis said, "Thaad should be a worry to no nation other than North Korea." Mattis held an introductory meeting with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who said he looked forward to working with the Trump administration. Mattis said he was delivering a message from Trump. "I talked to President Trump and he wanted to make a very clear statement about the priority that we place on this alliance between our two nations, the secretary said. "Our new administration inherits a very strong, trusted relationship between our two countries and it's our commitment to make it even stronger especially in the face of the provocations that you face from North Korea." After a series of meetings in Seoul on Thursday and Friday, Mattis was scheduled to fly to Tokyo for further consultations. In Washington this week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held its first policy hearing since Trump took office to discuss North Korea. There were more questions than answers. Last month, Trump fueled speculation of possible US military action to pre-empt North Korea's weapons development. In response to Kim's threat, Trump tweeted, "It won't happen!" But he didn't elaborate how he could be so sure. "Does that mean we have drawn a red line?" Sen Ben Cardin, D-Md, asked at Tuesday's Senate hearing. Those questions and more will be posed to Mattis when he meets top officials in Seoul today and Tokyo later in the week, two jittery allies that host nearly 80,000 US troops. During the campaign, Trump complained that defence treaties disadvantaged the US and that he would not rule out abandoning signatories if they refuse to pay more for their defence. He also suggested that South Korea and Japan, which are already within the range of North Korean missiles, might acquire their own nuclear weapons rather than rely on US deterrence. Kuwait has suspended the issuance of visas for nationals of Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. After US President Donald Trump's executive order banning seven Muslim-majority countries last Friday, the Kuwaiti government has told would-be migrants from the five banned nations to not apply for visas, as it is worried about the possible migration of radical Islamic terrorists, Sputnik reported. Under the executive order signed by Trump, refugees from all over the world will be denied US entry for 120 days while all immigration from so-called "countries with terrorism concerns" will be suspended for 90 days. The countries included in the US ban are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Kuwait was the only nation to prohibit the entry of Syrian nationals prior to Trump's executive action. Kuwait City previously issued a suspension of visas for all Syrians in 2011. A group of militants bombed a Shia mosque in 2015, killing 27 Kuwaiti nationals. A 2016 survey conducted by Expat Insider ranked Kuwait one of the worst nations in the world for expatriates, primarily due to its strict cultural laws. As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Kuwait has become embroiled in escalated tensions between the GCC and Iran. Washington has been a guarantor of GCC security since the early 1990s, according to a Congressional Research Service brief. Observers have pointed out that most of the nations on Trump's list have substantial Muslim populations and are experiencing some form of economic or military conflict. Pakistan Interior Ministry has included the names of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and 37 others, who are affiliated with JuD or Lashkar-e-Taiba, on the Exit Control List, two days after he was placed under house arrest. The Ministry has sent letters to all the provincial governments and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The move, which bars the 38 individuals from leaving Pakistan, comes two days after authorities placed Saeed under house arrest along with four other individuals, namely Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz. "Placed Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and Jamaat-Ud-Dawa (JUD) on the Watch List as per UNSC 1267 Sanctions and have listed these organisations in the Second Schedule of the ATA 1997 (as amended)," Geo TV quoted a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior. "Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz are reportedly active members of the aforementioned organisations within the meaning of Section 11EEE(1) of the ATA 1997 (as amended). As such, they must be placed under preventive detention," said the ministry. The detention order surfaced hours after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar hinted that a crackdown was imminent. He told reporters in Islamabad on Monday that, given the group had been under observation for years and was blacklisted internationally, Pakistan was "under obligation to take some action". Saeed, however, told reporters that he would challenge his detention in court. "My detention orders are unlawful and we will challenge them in the court," Saeed told reporters before he was led away by the police. However, India reacted to this cautiously stating that only a ' credible crackdown' on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and other terrorist organisations will prove the 'sincerity' of the Asian neighbours. External Affairs Ministry official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the government has seen the reports on Pakistan Interior Ministry order, placing the JuD and the Falah-e-Insaniyet Foundation under the watch-list and also the notification under which the foundation has been included in the second schedule of their anti-terror legislation under UN Security Council Resolution number 1267. "We have also noted that and four have been placed under preventive detention. Exercises such as yesterday's orders against and have been carried out by Pakistan in the past also," Swarup said. (ANI) Pakistani authorities, facing mounting pressure from the Trump administration, placed Saeed and four under detention, on Monday night. President Donald Trump's national security adviser has said the administration is putting Iran "on notice" after it tested a ballistic missile, allegedly in violation of a UN resolution. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Michael Flynn said, signalling a tougher stance against the Islamic country than the previous Obama dispensation. In a statement that can have far-reaching implications in the Middle East, Flynn said recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch on Sunday and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran- supported Houthi militants, "underscore what should have been clear to the community all along about Iran's destabilising behaviour" across the region. Flynn said these are just the latest of a series of incidents in the past six months in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened US and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. According to reports, Iran's missile test occurred at a well-known site outside Semnan, about 225 km east of Tehran. The Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile flew 600 miles before exploding, in a failed test of a reentry vehicle. In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region, Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions-including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of norms. The Trump Administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk," he said. In the past, has severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration, as well as the United Nations - terming them "weak and ineffective". "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened," Flynn said. Later senior administration officials said the Trump administration has all its options open. Describing the recent Iranian actions as destabilising, the official said the United States will respond to it appropriately. President blasted a refugee resettlement deal with Australia in a late-night tweet, throwing the fate of more than 1,000 displaced people and the USs relationship with a key ally into doubt. Walking through the frigid warehouse that housed the inaugural San Francisco edition of the Untitled Art Fair in January, 23-year-old entrepreneur Connor Zwick took in the fairs 55 contemporary art galleries and was unimpressed. US President will likely face questions about his executive order restricting some travel to the United States when he meets with the CEOs of major US at the White House on Friday. whose chief executives are expected to attend the meeting of the president's business advisory panel include JPMorgan Chase & Co , General Motors Co , Blackstone Group LP , IBM Corp , Uber Technologies Inc [UBER. UL] and Walt Disney Co , two officials briefed on the meeting said on Wednesday. Activists are already pressuring the CEOs to raise concerns about the travel restrictions at the meeting, which comes at the end of another turbulent week for the Trump administration. Trump's order last Friday, barring travel into the United States by people from seven Muslim-majority countries, touched off public protests and stirred unease among employees at many big US . CEOs have been faced with difficult choices to either criticise Trump's move at a time when they are trying to win White House support on tax and trade policies, or remain silent and take heat from consumers and employees dismayed by the order. The Trump administration says the travel ban is aimed at strengthening national security. Backlash over the measure knocked the wind out of the post-inaugural stock market rally, although major indexes rebounded on Wednesday. Trump's executive order put a 120-day halt on the U. S. refugee program, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Along with protests it has prompted legal challenges in the United States and drawn criticism from several leading U. S. companies. Among those critics, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick wrote in an email to employees Saturday that "the ban will impact many innocent people - an issue that I will raise this coming Friday when I go to Washington for President Trump's first business advisory group meeting." Trump will kick off the two-hour meeting with an address lasting 10-15 minutes and will be followed by Stephen Schwarzman, the billionaire founder of private equity group Blackstone , who chairs the panel and assembled it at Trump's request. Four topics will be discussed -- regulatory relief, women in the work force, tax and trade, and infrastructure -- with two to three people talking briefly about each subject to help shape "how the administration should be thinking," according to a person familiar with the matter. Investors said the CEOs would be mindful of Trump's penchant for rebuking companies publicly. "Given recent history, being called out publicly is something that the CEOs in that room and other CEOs will absolutely be mindful to avoid," said Jim Russell, vice president at Bahl & Gaynor Inc, which oversees $17 billion and owns shares in several of the companies attending Friday's meeting. "I'm sure they will pick their fights carefully and articulate them carefully." It was not clear if all 19 members of the President's Strategic and Policy Forum would attend Friday's meeting. Other members include the CEOs of Tesla Inc , Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Boeing Co . Tesla founder Elon Musk said this week that the travel order should be modified and he would seek a consensus among members of the advisory council. Ford Motor Co Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. and CEO Mark Fields have also criticized the travel measure. GM has declined to take a position. On Wednesday, a group of religious investors, human rights groups other activists urged members of the business advisory panel to speak out against the travel restrictions at the meeting with Trump. In a joint letter to the corporate leaders, the group said Trump's order "undermines respect for human rights and the lives of workers and their families in the U. S. and beyond, and disrupts economic activity and company operations." The letter was signed by dozens of people, including representatives of firms focused on socially-responsible investing like Calvert Research and Management and Domini Impact Investments. Others included representatives of the Corporate Accountability Roundtable, the Institute for Human Rights and Business and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. San Francisco-based ride hailing service Uber has roped in former Tata Sons executive as its Chief Business Officer for India and emerging markets, as it looks to build a strong top in the country and overtake rival Ola. Kannan's appointment at Uber will be effective February 3 and his mandate will include pushing for strategic partnerships and investment opportunities to grow the company's business. He moves to Uber from Tata Sons where he served as Group Head of Business Development & Public Affairs. IT stocks recovered in todays trade, up 1.6% after falling as much as 4.1% in the previous two sessions on visa concerns. The Supreme Court on Thursday will continue the hearing over the plea filed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government against the Delhi High Court's order, which said the Lieutenant Governor was not bound by the Delhi government's aid and advice. Earlier in the week, AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal told the apex court that it was not seeking full statehood for Delhi but more administrative powers. The AAP Government had knocked the doors of the apex court challenging the High Court's order, which had said that the Lieutenant Governor is the administration head of the government of NCT. The Delhi government on August 5 informed the apex court that it would file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the Delhi High Court verdict that erased all doubts over Delhi's status as a Union Territory. Putting a break to the ongoing turf war between Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the reins of the capital, the Delhi High Court had earlier declared that the LG is the administrative head of the Capital Territory and that the latter is not required to act on the advice of the Delhi Cabinet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Africa batsman David Miller has been ruled out of the rest of the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka due to a finger injury. The 27-year-old sustained a cut to his little finger of the right hand while fielding during South Africa's huge 121-run win over Lanka in the second ODI in Durban. Subsequently, he did not field for the remainder of the match, and is now required to undergo stitches which mean seven to 10 days of recovery time. Reflecting on the injury, Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee said that Miller still remains in contention for the limited-overs series against New Zealand beginning with a T20I on February 17. "David required sutures to a laceration sustained while fielding a ball during the match last night. He will need at least 7-10 days to recover and will miss the remaining three matches of the series. He remains available for selection for the upcoming tour of New Zealand," Sport24 quoted Moosajee as saying. However, New Zealand have not named any replacement for Miller, who struck 117 off 98 balls besides adding 117 for the fifth wicket with Faf du Plessis to help turn an uncertain South Africa innings into a total of 307 for 6 at Kingsmead. The AB de Villiers-led side, who are currently leading the series 2-0, will play the third ODI against Lanka at the Wanderers on Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The day Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America, the Ambassador of Maldives to the United States Ahmed Sareer, in an Opinion piece titled 'The future looks bright for Maldivian-American relations' published in a Washington-based news paper The Hill, made an attempt to reach out to the new US administration. In this article, that largely focused on the issue of terrorism, the senior diplomat acknowledged that Maldivians had travelled abroad as foreign terrorist fighters and that security against terrorism remained top priority for the island nation. The envoy, while enumerating the long-standing history of cooperation between the Maldives and the US, took time to explain his country's keenness to cooperate with the United States to defeat the 'scourge' of terror. Understandably, through this article, the majority Sunni Muslim nation that depends heavily on tourism, was clarifying its position on Islamic terrorism, an issue on which the new President had passionately spoken on many occasions. In this attempt to woo the new administration, what the article did not mention was that the present government of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom had failed to take seriously it's the work of eradicating the flow of foreign fighters from the Maldives. Instead, it has used the new Anti-terrorism Act, promulgated in 2015, to eliminate political opponents. As a result, at least three senior leaders including the former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Defence minister Mohmad Nazim had been booked under charges of terrorism. The present government's moves to severely undermine fundamental freedoms and the institution of democracy , thereby curtailing vital civil liberties and human rights has resulted in growing unrest among the citizens. The latest step in this direction was the passing of the Defamation Bill by the Maldivian Parliament which criminalised defamation. The bill received widespread international condemnation, including from the US, that called it the serious setback for freedom of expression. As per the 2015 U S State Department 'Report on Terrorism', sections of young Maldivians were at the risk of becoming radicalised and some had already joined violent extremist groups. This trend has continued and Maldives has witnessed a rise in religious conservatism spurred by funding by Saudi Arabia. Maldives also would have one of the highest ratios of foreign fighters per capita. With an average estimate of 125 Maldivians having joined foreign terrorist groups in the past few years, the island nation, with a population of 350,000 probably has one jihadi in every 2750 citizens. As civil unrest grows in the island nation coupled with increasing conservatism, an increasing number of youth are attracted to take up terrorist activities. There is also a growing anger within the radicalised Islamic population over deep-set inequality, both domestic and international, with wealthy foreign tourists seen to represent this discriminatory system. Whereas it was previously assessed that radical elements would not carry out terrorist activities within the country, the threat of an attack against wealthy western tourists is now a growing concern, according to Maldivian security officials. Factors like secluded island resorts and absence of security checks for local short haul flights in the country, make Maldives a soft target for terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan would skill 40,000 technical people in 10 years by collaborating with engineering colleges and other institutions said Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu in Delhi on Thursday. While speaking at the prestigious International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF), the ambassador stated that Japan is keenly interested in transferring technology to India. Speaking on this occasion, Anant Geete, Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, assured Indian manufacturers that the Government would take concrete steps for re-energizing the capital goods, automotive and heavy industries. Over 500 companies from 25 countries are expected to participate at this event held by the Confederation of Indian Industry every two years. IETF 2017 is supported by 10 Ministries of Government of India and Government of NCT of Delhi, besides several relevant industry associations. "The Budget contains a number of proposals to give a critical push to the manufacturing sector and Indian industry must take advantage of these for higher investments," stated the Minister, calling for focused inputs from the private sector for meeting the Government's targets of Make in India. The minister added that technology should play a major role in revamping the manufacturing sector. The industry should adapt state-of-the-art technology developed elsewhere and, at the same time, should encourage more indigenous innovation and research and development. Countries like Japan could provide the relevant technologies and investments in the core sectors of Indian industry. Japan is the partner country for the IETF for the fifth time. Referring to the Capital Goods Fund, the Minister said that it would work as a growth engine particularly for engineering, automotive and capital goods sectors to spur employment. Sumit Mazumder, Immediate Past President, CII said that it should be the effort of all stakeholders to take investment in the capital goods sector to USD 150 billion from the present level of US$ 48 billion. The capital goods industry employs around 8.5 million people. He added that the proposed GST will be a force multiplier for Indian industry, which can ride on the back of Make in India Program. Deep Kapuria, Chairman, CII-IETF, said that in the era of disruptive technologies like internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence etc., Indian industry has to undergo a transformation to bridge the technology gap. CII-IETF is showcasing the state-of-the-art technologies for Indian industry to gain first - hand knowledge about latest technologies in health, gaming, green tech etc. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has denied reports that its aircraft was used to airlift a horse to Qatar as a gift from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. "It is clarified that the news aired on some channels regarding the airlifting of a horse to Qatar in a C-130 aircraft is baseless and incorrect," said a PAF spokesperson. The spokesperson added that the PAF strongly denies the content of this news. The Dawn quoted a letter as saying that a "special aircraft (C-130) carrying a horse will travel to Qatar on 1 February, 2017 instead of 28 January, 2017". The letter added that the "horse is a gift from the Prime Minister of Pakistan to the Emir of Qatar State" adding "The diplomatic flight clearance should be valid for 72 hrs for the journey." The letter was sent by the deputy chief of protocol in the Foreign Ministry. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb also clarified that the horse was to be gifted to the emir during his visit to Pakistan and said the news was baseless and no horse was airlifted to Qatar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), on Thursday described Pakistan as the hub and epicentre of terrorism. Responding to queries related to Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader and alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack Hafiz Saeed being placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) by the Pakistan Government, Jitendra Singh said Islamabad needs to bring the latter to justice and step demanding further evidences. "I think the entire world acknowledges that India has been giving series of evidences at every level. Therefore there is hardly any evidence required", says Singh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a scathing criticism of the Budget 2017, the Congress attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for their lack of accountability in the entire demonetisation episode. Speaking to ANI, Congress Leader Dwijendra Tripathi said, "Centre should also tell if this was a surgical strike on the black money, then should also tell where the black money is? They are answerable to the public, and they must also tell how much of black money is received." Tripathi further criticised the attitude of the RBI and branded it as an ally of the Prime Minister's. "The Reserve Bank is saying that they haven't counted the notes they have received, when everybody knows that once the money is deposited in banks, it is counted at the end of the day and catalogued," he said. "Therefore we believe that Reserve Bank is also trying to shield the government, and there is more to what meets the eye", he added. Talking about the Budget session in Parliament, the Congress leader further added that it was deplorable of the Centre to go back in history and recall how 92 years back such a merged budget was issued. "It's sad that they have based their ideals in the epoch when India was under foreign dominion and had no constitution of its own," he said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in January, that there will be no separate railway budget from next financial year, putting an end to a practice that started in 1924. Jaitley presented the General Budget proposals for 2017-18 in Parliament yesterday and said the major thrust of his fourth budget is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Film: "Alif"; Writer-Director: Zaigham Imam; Cast: Neelima Azeem, Danish Hussain and Saud Mansuri; Rating: *** Varanasi is a city of the holy waters and unholy bloodshed. The deep divide between the Hindu and Muslims is never crossed. It takes guts for a filmmaker to cross over from one restricted area into another to take a long hard look at a life lived on the fringes of both the communities. "Alif" addresses itself to the very sensitive and relevant issue of the isolation of the Indian Muslim. It neither resorts to the stereotypes of the 'Muslim social' nor does it look at the community as persecuted and injured by self-inflicted welters of radicalism. This small film with big aspirations looks at the economically challenged existence hovering stubbornly at the fringe of self-destruction, trying its utmost to remain beyond the 'isms' and the cataclysms that threaten to annihilate the community from mainstream existence in our country. "Alif" is sometimes too eager to pack in an excess of ideas. However, the narrative is not bogged down by its own aspirations. Rather, writer-director Zaigham Imam's fortitude of conviction and sincerity of expression gives the jumpy uneven film a pattern of serene motions even when the characters' motivations and behaviour get choppy and unacceptable. There are some glaring flaws in the narrative, too glaring to even be mentioned. And some performances are awkward and embarrassing. But what remains with us is the earnestness of a storyteller whose heart bleeds for a community. "Alif" is the story of a young boy named Ali (played with endearing sincerity by Saud Mansuri) whose father is a hakeem. When aunt Zahara (Neelima Azeem, rousing in her impassioned dramatics) visits Varanasi from Pakistan she wants changes, radical changes in her brother's family. In a heart-warming moment of family togetherness, the father lying inert on his deathbed is pulled out for a bath in the courtyard. The boy Ali whom Zahara soon gets to dote on must stop going to the madarsa and start attending a proper English school. No one dares to say no. It is here that the narrative chooses to get discernibly frank in its dissection of the discrepancy of the educational standards in the traditional madarsa and the conventional schools. Ali's brutal humiliation in the new environment, his lack of basic schooled knowledge, are depicted in harrowingly broad strokes which, regrettably, don't work in other sections of the film. A budding rooftop romance between a radical Muslim educationist and the girl next door is nipped in the bud when he confesses he loves only God. "How can you love God when you can't love someone who is standing in front of you?" she screams. The performances in such sequences are caricatural. But the heart is in the right place. This thwarted romance and many other plot manoeuvres in this loftily intended melodrama echo M.S. Sathyu's classic "Garam Hawa" on the isolation of the Indian Muslim. It is a tragic commentary on our social order that the situation described by Sathyu three decades ago remains largely unchanged for the community that continues to suffer in isolation. "Alif" doesn't wallow in self-pitying anger. Although there are some unfortunate attempts to demonise the other community, the characters remain largely compassionate and non-judgmental. What I took away from "Alif" was the warmth of a closely-knit family and specially the kinship that develops between the little boy and his aunt from Pakistan. Sadly, there isn't enough of this bonding in the plot which runs helter-skelter in pursuit of diverse strands in the cultural and religious contradictions that today threaten to erode the credibility of an entire community. The film's politics is, at best, unobjectionable. It's such a pleasure to watch Neelima portray the domineering matriarch. She presides over the proceedings in her truncated role like Shaukat Azmi and Farida Jalal in their most memorable films. At one point she scolds a wretchedly mean Hindu teacher for harassing the film's little boy-hero. "Just because he waved a Pakistani flag on Republic Day you branded him a terrorist?" she asks with an innocence that completely abnegates irony. This innocence of an apolitical entity in an environment of throbbing politics is refreshing. For all its faults, "Alif" must be seen for its strong message on the importance of formal education for every child, even if it means offending some who would rather have the young imprisoned in ignorance. Light, says the film, is life. For this message alone, "Alif" deserves a round of applause. --IANS skj/nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Anti-Semitic hate crime in the UK increased by more than a third last year, with incidents now at a record high, a new report revealed on Thursday. The report issued by the Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Semitism, recorded 1,309 incidents in 2016 -- surpassing the previous high of 1,182 in 2014, the BBC reported. The CST said recorded incidents last year had increased by 36 per cent on 2015. More than three-quarters of all recorded incidents took place in Greater London and Greater Manchester, where the two largest Jewish communities in the UK are located. According to the report, there were 107 violent anti-Semitic assaults reported - the highest number since 2010; 287 anti-Semitic incidents involved social media; damage and desecration to Jewish property increased by a quarter -- 81 recorded incidents; and 1,006 incidents of abusive behaviour, including verbal abuse, hate mail and anti-Semitic graffiti. Mark Gardner, from the CST, said anti-Semites currently felt "emboldened". "Racists, including anti-Semites, feel emboldened, feel encouraged, at this moment in time, for a whole range of reasons, to come out with their hatred," the BBC reported citing Gardner as saying. "They used to keep it under the ground. Now they're coming out. A lid has been lifted off." The CST said a perceived increase in racism and xenophobia following Britain's move to exit the European Union has contributed to the rise. --IANS ksk/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Apple plans to make its iPhones in Bengaluru, said Karnataka's Minister of State for IT Priyank Kharge on Thursday. "An Apple team discussed with us its proposal to set up a plant in Bengaluru to make iPhones for the Indian and global markets," said Kharge in a statement here. An Apple team, led by iPhone Operations Vice-President Priya Balasubramaniam, Government Affairs Head Ali Khanafer, iPhone Operations Director Dheeraj Chugh and Country Counsel Priyesh Povanna discussed the proposals with the state officials in the presence of the minister. "We welcome Apple's proposal to commence initial manufacturing operations in Karnataka. Its intentions to make iPhones in Bengaluru will foster the cutting-edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally," said Kharge. "Apple's decision to make iPhones in Bengaluru has enhanced the city's reputation as the most preferred destination for foreign investment and validation of our policies to foster manufacturing, innovation and investments in the state," he said. The Silicon Valley-based global firm has been eyeing the India for a greater pie of its growing smartphones market, in which it sold 2.5 million iPhones as against a whopping 29 million by its Korean rival Samsung. Apple ships iPhones to India from Foxconn Technology firm in China and sells them through distributors and retailers, besides iStore and Imagine stores. Though the central government has told Apple that it would have to source 30 per cent of its components from Indian suppliers, Apple is seeking a 15-year tax holiday on import of components and equipment. With many states wooing Apple for its Indian plant in their cities, the iPhones maker has been exploring a best deal, including tax reliefs and exemptions from local sourcing. --IANS fb/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China has reportedly tested a new version of a missile capable of carrying a payload of 10 individual warheads, indicating a shift in China's nuclear policy or an attempt to put pressure on the Trump administration. The flight test of the Dongfeng-5C missile was carried out in January using multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, or MIRVs, reported the Washington Free Beacon website, citing US defence sources. The missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China, the report said. Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross said in a statement the test was monitored. "The (Defence Department) routinely monitors Chinese military developments and accounts for PLA capabilities in our defence plans," Ross was quoted as saying by the website. Earlier versions of the DF-5 have either a single warhead or from six to eight MIRVs, according to estimates, reported RT news. According to the report, the development may indicate a shift in China's nuclear deterrence policy to modify older rockets with new MIRV busses, which could mean China intends to increase the number of warheads it possesses. It is currently estimated to have about 250. China also began adding warheads to older DF-5 missiles in February last year, the report said, citing US intelligence agencies. US defence officials have previously warned that China's rapid development of long-range ballistic missiles, coupled with a lack of transparency about its nuclear capabilities, could bring uncertainty to stability in the region. The test comes amid a period of heightened tensions between China and the US in the wake of the election of Donald Trump as America's 45th President. Trump has threatened to oppose China on a number of fronts, from its military build-up in the South China Sea to its monetary policy. He has even cast doubt on Washington's long-standing commitment to the "one China policy", which regards Taiwan as one with mainland China governed by Beijing. --IANS soni/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A criminal has been arrested on the charge of shooting at and injuring a man in the national capital this week, Delhi Police said on Thursday. Accused Lalit, 20, was involved in theft, robbery and other cases and was arrested following a tip-off from the Deer Park in south Delhi on Tuesday evening, police said. "A resident of Madanpur Khadar area, Lalit and his accomplice Manoj had shot at and injured Kuldeep Sehrawat of Chirag Delhi on Monday afternoon due to a grudge," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav said. Sehrawat was shot in the neck. Though he grappled with Manoj and Lalit after the shooting but the duo escaped. "Lalit told police that Sehrawat had beaten him and Manoj three months ago after their motorcycle accidentally hit Sehrawat's daughter near Triveni Complex in the area," Yadav said. Police said Lalit and Manoj were earlier involved in snatching a service firearm from an Army man. --IANS sp/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ninth edition of the India Art Fair that began here on Thursday exhibits a rare mix of colours, grandeur and, with its continued focus in nurturing global interest in South Asian arts, showcases works of emerging as well as established artists from the region. The three-day fair is joined by participating South Asian galleries like Britto Arts Trust from Dhaka, Nepal Art Council from Kathmandu, Theertha International Artists' Collective from Colombo and Blueprint 12 from New Delhi. An extensive array of art programmes, ranging from the exhibitions on the works of renowned artists like M.F. Hussain to the subtle narratives that emerge from the sketches of the 20th century political artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya, find display spanning the outdoor and indoor fair space. The Speakers' Forum at the fair will also have an exciting programme that presents artists, curators, critics, administrators, academics, gallerists and collectors. In an attempt to explore the future of museums, Richard Armstrong (Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, New York) and Sheena Wagstaff (Leonard A. Lauder Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) will come together in a panel discussion on Friday. The two experts will together explore the subject in a lively discussion before the audience here. "BMW Art Talk: The Art of Collecting" is another much anticipated session in which Thomas Girst (Head of Cultural Engagement BMW Group, Munich) and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi (President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation) will look at the diverse field of collecting on Saturday. Sharing their perspectives on South Asian art will be Pooja Sood (Director of Khoj International Artists Association, New Delhi), Alessio Antonelli (Director of Gasworks, London) and Boon-Hui Tan (Director, Asia Society Museum, Singapore) in a session "Perspectives from Networks of South Asian Art" on Sunday. The Speakers' Forum will also facilitate intimate conversations between collectors from India and across the globe with speakers who will provide a glimpse into their private collections. Some of the well-known names featuring in the segment are French art collectors Jean-Conrad and Isabelle Lemaitre; Brussels based collector Frederic de Goldschmidt and one of India's leading art collectors, Anurag Khanna. "Focused initiatives are planned with individual collectors, large groups and delegates from prestigious institutions, many of whom are coming for the first time, including Santa Barbara Museums, Singapore Art Museum, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Oxford, Rhode Island School of Design, United States and The Guimet Museum in France," the organisers, MCH Group, Angus Montgomery and founding director Neha Kirpal said. The 2017 edition of the fair is also featuring both longstanding representatives of Indian art and new exhibitors from around the globe who are keen to develop relationships with the Indian art market, including Kalfayan Galleries (Athens), Grey Noise (Dubai), 1x1 Gallery (Dubai), Sabrina Amrani (Madrid) and Lukas Feichtner Galerie (Vienna). Founded in 2008, India Art Fair is one of South Asia's leading platform for modern and contemporary art. The fair that opens for the public tomorrow at NSIC grounds in the Capital will conclude on February 5. --IANS ss/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday ordered a slew of steps to ensure women's safety in the national capital, including setting up of a standing committee to coordinate and act on the sensitive issue. Baijal recommended constitution of a "study group" of eminent sociologists, psychologists and experts to analyse the root causes of offences against women in the city and recommend corrective action. "Appropriate proposal should be put up before the Lt. Governor after consulting all stakeholders," a statement from the Lt. Governor's Office said. He asked the Delhi Police to share a list of vulnerable routes and dark spots in Delhi and asked agencies concerned to explore the possibility of installing high-mast lights in these areas. He directed the authorities concerned to provide, apart from sufficient numbers of public conveniences and night shelters for women, day-care centres for children, particularly in slums, JJ clusters and migrant labour settlements. Baijal's directions came during a meeting with senior officers of the Delhi government and police at the Raj Nivas here to discuss women's safety. The committee on women's safety will comprise officers of Delhi Police, Women and Child Development, and Education Departments, the statement said. The Lt. Governor directed the Excise Department to conduct a drive to check the menace of underage drinking and take "exemplary deterrent action". --IANS vv/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who was admitted to a hospital here late last night after he complained of chest pain, is doing fine, said informed sources. Sources close to the octogenarian separatist leader said he was admitted in the ICU of the Sher-e- Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura - the Valley's only super specialty hospital - and is "now stable and doing fine according to doctors". "Muhammad Yasin Malik (chairman of JKLF) and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq (chairman of moderate Hurriyat group) visited Geelani Sahab at the hospital today and rayed for his speedy recovery. "Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit also enquired about his health during the day and wished him speedy recovery," said a sources in Geelani-headed Hurriyat. For the last some years, Geelani had been spending the harsh winter months away from Valley in Delhi. This year, he has not so far left his uptown Hyderpora residence in Srinagar where authorities have put him under house arrest. --IANS sq/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Human Resource Development Ministry on Thursday signed an MoU for the third phase of Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP-III) with 18 states and a Union Territory for improving the overall standard and quality of technical institutes. To be implemented as a 'central scheme' from April 2017 with assistance from the World Bank, the project has an outlay of Rs 2,660 crore. It will be co-terminous with the 14th Finance Commission (2019-20). An estimated 200 government and government-aided engineering institutes and Affiliating Technical Universities (ATUs), including Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), will benefit from the project. Autonomous institutes will be entitled to funds of up to Rs 15 crore, non-autonomous institutes up to Rs 10 crore, ATUs up to Rs 20 crore and mentor institutions up to Rs 7 crore. Speaking on the occasion, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the programme was vital for the much-needed technical up-gradation in educational institutes. "Innovation and research can happen only when physical infrastructure and trained manpower is available," he said. The MoU was signed with seven low-income states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh; three hill states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand; and eight north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The sole UT involved in the project is Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The TEQIP commenced in 2003 with World Bank assistance as a long-term programme to be implemented in three phases. The first phase ended in March 2009 whereas the second phase commenced in August 2010 and is scheduled to conclude in March 2017. India on Wednesday signed an agreement with the World Bank to facilitate credit of $201.50 million for TEQIP-III. --IANS and/tsb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's domestic passenger traffic grew by 23.3 per cent last year, a global airlines' association said on Thursday. "The domestic India market topped the growth chart for the second year in a row; passenger volumes surged by 23.3 per cent in 2016 - twice as fast as the next fastest growing market, China," the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said in its air passenger market analysis. According to the data, India's domestic RPK (revenue passenger kilometres) and available seat kilometres (ASK) were the highest amongst the major aviation markets such as Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, the Russian Federation and the US. The global airlines association's data showed that India's domestic RPK -- a gauge that measures actual passenger traffic -- rose by 23.3 per cent in 2016 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. The 2016 data disclosed that India's domestic passenger traffic growth was followed by that of China at 11.7 per cent and the US at 3.4 per cent. Last month, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data had shown that India's domestic air passenger traffic zoomed by 23.18 per cent in 2016 to 998.88 lakh. Besides, IATA's yearly data revealed that global passenger traffic for 2016 (RPKs) rose 6.3 per cent compared to 2015. "Air travel was a good news story in 2016. Connectivity increased with the establishment of more than 700 new routes. And a $44 fall in average return fares helped to make air travel even more accessible. As a result, a record 3.7 billion passengers flew safely to their destination," Alexandre de Juniac, Director General and Chief Executive of IATA was quoted as saying in a statement. "Demand for air travel is still expanding. The challenge for governments is to work with the industry to meet that demand with infrastructure that can accommodate the growth, regulation that facilitates growth and taxes that don't choke growth." On a monthly basis, the country's domestic passenger traffic grew by 23.7 per cent in December. The December 2016 data showed that India's domestic passenger traffic growth was followed by that of China at 16.9 per cent, the Russian Federation at 13.4 per cent, Japan at 4.7 per cent, the US at 2.4 per cent and Australia at 0.9 per cent. However, Brazil reported a decline of 1.9 per cent in its domestic passenger traffic. Further, India's domestic ASK -- which measures available passenger capacity -- surged by 21.4 per cent in the month under review, followed by that of China at 13.1 per cent and the Russian Federation at 11.2 per cent. In addition, the global airlines association said the global RPK in December rose by 8.8 per cent. The global ASK climbed by 6.6 per cent. --IANS ppg-rv/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A California businessman, Krishen Sauble Iyer, has been convicted of laundering money for a marijuana dealer. The federal prosecutor for Eastern California Phillip A. Talbert said on Wednesday that Iyer, who lived in Fresno, had admitted his guilt. According to documents, Iyer, who owned several insurance businesses, made a deal with a marijuana dealer to have money from selling the narcotics transferred to one of his companies, Health Shield. He then returned the money to the dealer after taking a commission and disguising the payments as salaries, the prosecution said. He filed tax documents showing a payment of $111,952 in 2013 and $164,000 in 2014 even though the dealer had not worked for him. The marijuana dealer was identified only as "S.V." in the court documents. Iyer is to be sentenced by Judge Dale A. Drozd in April and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $500,000 fine. --IANS al/vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, Feb 1 (IANS/AKI) A Nigerian migrant will be deported from Italy after he raped a 62-year-old woman at an asylum centre near Naples, police said on Wednesday. Eboh Jude, 25, was arrested on Wednesday and taken to Poggioreale prison in Naples after he allegedly attacked the 62-year-old woman who worked at the asylum centre where he was staying. "The expulsion will take place as soon as the necessary legal procedures have been completed," Naples police headquarters stated. Jude allegedly got inside the woman's office, blocked the door and raped her. He was arrested after one of the woman's colleagues called police. Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League party leader Matteo Salvini earlier on Wednesday called for Jude to be chemically castrated and deported. "He's been arrested, but that's not enough. He should be chemically castrated and expelled from Italy," Salvini wrote on Facebook. The alleged attack took place at a hotel in Giugliano town of the Campania region that is being used to house migrants and asylum seekers. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian telecom regulator on Thursday told the tribunal that Reliance Jio's tariff plans adhered to the regulations and existing tariff orders. According to sources, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's reply filed with the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal said the two offers by Jio -- Welcome Offer and Happy New Year Offer -- are different from each other as the freebies offered by it are different. It also clarified that Happy New Year offer is valid till 2 March 2017 (it started on Dec 3, 2016). The next date of hearing on the matter is February 6. Earlier, incumbent operators Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular had lodged a complaint with the TDSAT that the regulator is allowing Jio to go ahead with "predatory" offers of data and voice till March 2017. --IANS ag/sm/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino has been fined 25,000 pounds ($25,200) and banned from driving for one year after admitting to driving under the influence of alcohol. The 25-year-old Brazilian was pulled over in Liverpool city centre on Christmas Eve as he was driving in the opposite direction after having dinner with friends, reports Efe. After hearing the verdict at Liverpool Magistrates Court, Firmino said in a statementon Wednesday, "What I have done is wrong and sets a bad example." "I promise to everyone in the LFC family that I will learn from this mistake, learn from this experience, and not repeat it in the future," he added. If he completes a rehabilitation program, there is a chance that his sentence could be reduced. A spokesperson for Liverpool said, "The player has been disciplined by the club for his actions and reminded of his responsibilities for the present and future." Firmino arrived at Liverpool in summer 2015 from German club Hoffenheim for 29 million pounds ($36.6 million) with a contract for five seasons. --IANS sam/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday raised concerns over the issue of H-1B US visas and called for protection to IT companies and professionals. "News about H-1B visas is concerning. We must protect our IT companies and professionals and give them full support," she said in a tweet. Banerjee also said "India is proud of the world-class talent of its IT techies. It is our duty to secure their interests". The central government has already conveyed its concern to the US over a bill being introduced in the US Congress to change rules on H-1B visas which is likely to impact the Indian IT industry and Indian techies working in the US. "We pledge our solidarity with our IT professionals in the US. IT professionals are our pride and inspiration. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters," she added. The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017, introduced in the House of Representatives by California Congressman Zoe Lofgren, proposes doubling the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to $130,000 from the current minimum wage of $60,000 - a move that could impact Indian techies. The bill would make it difficult for companies to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India, with lower wages. "India's interests and concerns have been conveyed both to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said. --IANS bdc/sm/bg (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After over a week US President Donald Trump took office, First Lady Melania Trump has hired her chief of staff. Late Wednesday, the White House announced that Melania hired Lindsay Reynolds as her chief of staff, who had previously served under former President George W. Bush as an associate director of the White House Visitors Office, The Washington Post reported. Reynolds "brings over 14 years of experience in political fundraising, event management, and logistical expertise" to her new role, the White House said. "I am putting together a professional and highly-experienced team which will take time to do properly," Melania Trump said in the statement. "I am excited to be organising and bringing together such a dynamic and forward thinking group of individuals who will work together to make our country better for everyone." Reynolds said she is working to fill out the First Lady's staff as well as the White House visitor's office and to open the White House to the public following a "traditional temporary closure during the transition period", The Hill magazine said in a report. "I look forward to the opportunity to serve as the First Lady's Chief of Staff," Reynolds said in the White House release. According to sources involved with the First Lady's hiring process, Natalie Jones, a former deputy chief of protocol appointed by former President Barack Obama, is a leading candidate to be the White House's new social secretary. Melania Trump has also hired Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a New York party planner known for organising the celebrity-laden annual Met Gala, as a senior adviser, The Washington Post reported. Melania Trump's decision to remain in New York for at least the next six months to look after her 10-year-old son, Barron, creates a novel situation for her staff. While Wolkoff will remain in New York, Reynolds and presumably Jones will work in Washington, the sources said. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting out at the BJP for raking up a "non-issue" of migration from western Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in fact a "real migrant" as he was from Gujarat and had contested the Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi. Addressing a rally in Khatauli on Thursday, Akhilesh Yadav, who is also the national president of the Samajwadi Party, also said that by voting against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the people of Uttar Pradesh will give a befitting reply to Prime Minister's decision of demonetisation. "He made the people stand in long queues outside banks and ATMs. Some people died to whom we gave Rs 2-2 lakhs each," he said while terming demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes against the public. The Chief Minister also claimed that the BJP was now out of the race for power in the state. "There was some confusion earlier but now that Congress and SP has joined hands, we are set to return to power with over 300 seats," he said. Also taking on people who were criticising him for giving 105 seats to Congress, Akhilesh Yadav said he was a man with a big heart. --IANS md/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Juba, Feb 2 (IANS/MAP) Morocco King Mohammed VI and South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit chaired the signing ceremony of nine bilateral agreements in different areas of cooperation between the two countries at the presidential palace in capital Juba. "Morocco is committed to sharing its experience in terms of urbanization, and urban development, in order to support the building of a new capital city of South Sudan,"said Morocco's Interior Minister Mohammed Hassad at Wednesday's ceremony. "The achievement of this great project will require, firstly, the completion of technical and financial feasibility studies, which the Kingdom of Morocco has accepted to finance up to the amount of $5.1 million," the minister said. "Secondly, Morocco will provide assistance to South Sudan in different phases of the project's implementation, including the call for financial and technical partnerships, and the development of South Sudanese expertise and know-how," Hassad said. The signed agreements are meant to strengthen cooperation with countries of the continent and mirror the commitment of King Mohammed VI to consolidating South-South cooperation. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U Thaung Tun, who was appointed as the new National Security Advisor of Myanmar last month, has made India his first port of call abroad, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. "The newly appointed National Security Advisor of Myanmar U Thaung Tun is currently on an official visit to India," the ministry said in a statement. U Thaung Tun is a career diplomat who has held diverse posts, including serving as Myanmar's Ambassador to the Philippines, Belgium, the Netherlands and the European Union, in the course of his long career in the Myanmar Foreign Office. "In his present capacity, he is expected to advise the Myanmar government on internal and external threats by assessing situations from a strategic point of view," the statement said. "We welcome him to India and are privileged that he has chosen to make India his first port of call following his appointment. During his stay in India, he will be interacting at length with our own NSA, Minister of State for External Affairs, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and others," it added. --IANS ab/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Zealand scientists on Thursday voiced concern for the future of international research on issues such as climate change and extreme weather following US President Donald Trump's imposition of travel restrictions to the country. The Royal Society of New Zealand, the country's leading science organization, said the US hosted many international projects and conferences and there was a significant risk that the advancement of knowledge in critical fields would be hampered if the whole global research community was unable to gather and share knowledge. "It is of grave concern to the New Zealand research community when events elsewhere in the world put at risk the research endeavour that is most critical to the future of humanity, including the recent restrictions on access to the US," said society president Professor Richard Bedford. The New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS) said Trump's travel restrictions would "retard scientific progress in the United States and the rest of the world at just the time when our civilisation needs science the most", Xinhua news agency reported. "We've just gone two weeks with the new US administration and we are witnessing a geopolitical shake-up that is without precedent," NZAS president Craig Stevens said. "Science and the scientific community cannot tolerate discrimination against people on the basis of their place of birth or religion. In fact, the Trump administration's travel ban has horrified the global scientific community," said Stevens. He also said that the new US administration was also using "new and seriously partisan media to deconstruct science," which had "happened before with abhorrent consequences." --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Wednesday rejected reports of a visa ban by Kuwait on its nationals. Pakistani ambassador in Kuwait Ghulam Dastagir has termed news on social media about the ban as baseless, adding that similar news had cropped up in 2011, Geo News reported. On Wednesday, IANS quoted Russian news agency Sputnik International to say that Kuwait has banned nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It said the ban included on tourism, visit and trade visas as well as visas sponsored by spouses. The ban was attributed to the "difficult security conditions" in the five countries by the Russian agency. The news could not be immediately verified. --IANS rn/hs/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will hold a roadshow in Agra on Friday, which will culminate in a political rally. It will be the second roadshow of the two leaders in the politically crucial state which will see a seven-phase election for its 403 assembly seats. The two leaders earlier held a joint roadshow in Lucknow on January 29 following a joint press conference. The Congress and the ruling Samajwadi Party are contesting the election in alliance. The second roadshow will take place almost a week before the first-phase election on February 11. --IANS ps/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rex Tillerson, the 69th US Secretary of State, has taken the charge of a State Department that is distressed and anxious about Donald Trump's turbulent first days in office. The 64-year-old, Texas-born head of Exxon Mobil worked for the oil and gas company in the US, Yemen and Russia. He is known for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which came up during his confirmation hearings. He has no experience in the public sector, a first in modern history for a Secretary of State. Tillerson joined ExxonMobil in 1975, after receiving a civil engineering degree from the University of Texas. He worked his way up through the ranks, beginning as a production engineer and becoming Chairman and Chief Executive in 2006. The lifelong Exxon employee beat a long list of seasoned candidates in the running for the post, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Senator Bob Corker, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former CIA chief David Petraeus. To counter concerns over his lack of experience, former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates hailed Tillerson as "a global champion of the best values of our country" while former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shared similar sentiment. President Donald Trump said the former Exxon CEO will bring "a clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs" as was confirmed in the Senate by a vote of 56 to 43, with all Republicans in support and most Democrats voting against him. Tillerson was No. 20 on Forbes' most powerful people list in 2015. Tillerson has close links to the Kremlin, and his relationship with Russia was a focal point in his confirmation hearings with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December. Tillerson was widely known for opposing sanctions against Russia in his ExxonMobil corporate life. He refused to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal as he had known him since the 1990s and was awarded Order of Friendship in 2013 by Putin. During his time at Exxon, Tillerson reportedly forged multibillion-dollar deals with Russia's state oil company, Rosneft, including an agreement to explore underground resources in Siberia that could be worth billions of dollars. He is also known to be a friend of Igor Sechin, Rosneft's Executive Chairman who was formerly Putin's Deputy Prime Minister. Sechin has been called Russia's second most powerful man. Tillerson had also publicly spoken out against international sanctions placed on Russia over its annexation of Crimea. Republican Senators Marco Rubio and John McCain expressed serious concerns about Tillerson's Russian connections but came round. At the confirmation hearing, Tillerson called Russia a "danger" to the US and said he favoured maintaining US sanctions against Moscow. He also recommended a "full review" of the nuclear deal with Iran, but he did not call for an outright rejection of the accord. Tillerson also takes responsibility for US policy in one of the world's biggest flashpoints: the South China Sea. Tillerson said China should be blocked from accessing the artificial islands it has built, setting the stage for a potential showdown. He said that China should stop island building in the South China Sea and be denied access to these islands, which China regards as an integral part of its territory. "Building islands and then putting military assets on those islands is akin to Russia's taking of Crimea. It's taking of territory that others lay claim to," Tillerson said in his confirmation hearing. "We're going to have to send China a clear signal that first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also not going to be allowed." Although Tillerson has acknowledged climate change is a problem, ExxonMobil was the subject of controversy at its shareholders meeting last year for rejecting resolutions that would have pushed the company's resources towards renewable energy. The company has been accused of trying to cover up the risks of climate change and lying to the public. His confirmation has already drawn the ire of environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. Tillerson is a lifelong Boy Scout. He was an Eagle Scout in his youth and became president of the national organisation. It was under his leadership the organisation embraced the membership of young men who identified as gay. Tillerson originally supported Jeb Bush for President. He gave Bush the maximum allowable contribution in September 2015. --IANS soni/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abu Dhabi, Feb 2 (IANS/WAM) Russia is a key political and economic partner in the endeavour to realise the comprehensive development of the Middle East and support its stability, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said at a meeting here. Sheikh Abdullah also emphasised the importance of strengthening joint Arab-Russian cooperation and taking it to a new level of building a true and meaningful partnership at the 4th session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum in Abu Dhabi, which he presided over on Wednesday. Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, Arab League Secretary General Abul Al Gheit, Arab Foreign Ministers and several other delegates attended the Forum. The UAE minister said trade between the two sides rose to about $15 billion as he thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his keen interest in deepening ties with Arab countries. In his speech, Sheikh Abdullah also referred to Iran's adoption of a sectarian approach and its support of terrorist and extremist groups, while endangering stability in the Arab world by interfering in its affairs. He said that terrorism and extremism have become a global plague that endangers the age old Arab values, including respect for diversity and tolerance. "This is further aggravated by the Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the dangers it poses on regional security and peace," he said. Sheikh Abdullah added that such an intervention needs to be addressed to prevent its expansion into the Arab region. "This is clearly evident in Iran's continuing occupation of the UAE's three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa," he said. The Foreign Minister also lamented the international community's failure to address the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and its flagrant violation of the rights of the Palestinian people. On the situation in Yemen, he stressed the importance of committing to supporting its legitimacy and maintain the country's unity. He offered his support for a political solution in Yemen based on GCC directives and Yemeni dialouge. Sheikh Abdullah also referred to the dangerous situation in Syria and Iran's intervention which undermined the political solution for the Syrian crisis. He also welcomed the Libyan political agreement, which was reached in Skhirat, saying there was no alternative to dialogue to address difficulties facing implementation of the agreement. During the session, the Russian Foreign Minister also highlighted the need to cooperate to counter terrorism and to prevent funding of terrorist activities and expressed sincere gratitude to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for hosting the Forum. --IANS/WAM soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moon Jae-in, former head of the biggest opposition Minjoo Party in South Korea, kept his top post by a wide margin after former UN chief Ban Ki-moon dropped his bid for presidential race, media reported on Thursday. Ban, the career South Korean diplomat whose second five-year tenure in the top UN post terminated at the end of last year, returned to his home country three weeks earlier. He was welcomed in the conservative camp as the powerful presidential contender, but he abruptly pulled out of the presidential race on Wednesday as his support scores tumbled following the lunar New Year's holiday, Xinhua news agency reported. According to a survey of 1,000 voters conducted on Wednesday to reflect Ban's withdrawal, the former Minjoo Party chief garnered 25.5 per cent in approval scores, beating rivals by a wide margin. Support for Ban was mostly divided into Ahn Hee-jung of the Minjoo Party, the governor of South Chungcheong province, and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn who is serving as Acting President. Ahn's approval rating moved to the second place with 11.2 per cent, compared with 6.4 per cent tallied a week ago. It was followed by Hwang with 10.5 per cent. As Ahn shares the political support base in the province with the former UN head, Ban's withdrawal helped boost support for the provincial governor. Prime Minister Hwang also benefited from Ban's drop as there are few contenders found in the conservative bloc to replace the impeached president. --IANS sm/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Automobile major Tata Motors on Thursday launched its new sub-brand -- TAMO -- under a new passenger vehicle (PV) strategy. The company said the sub-brand will act as an incubating centre of innovation for new technologies, business models and partnerships in order to define future mobility solutions. "The first product developed by TAMO will premiere at the upcoming 87th Geneva International Motor Show on March 7, 2017," the automobile major said in a statement. "TAMO as a new, separated vertical will operate in the first step on a low volume, low investment model to provide fast tracked proves of technologies and concepts." According to the automobile major, the sub-brand will also act as an open platform to network with global start ups and leading tech companies, to get access to trends, innovations and solutions, for the design of exciting future products and services. "TAMO will provide a digital eco-system, which will be leveraged by Tata Motors to support the mainstream business in the future," the statement elaborated. "The success of our transformation journey 'FutuReady' is measured by our vision and depends on our ability to deliver on our comprehensive strategies for our business units," Guenter Butschek, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tata Motors was quoted as saying in the statement. "To secure our future in a rapidly changing environment, the advanced mobility solutions space is of utmost importance. The introduction of TAMO will help us to co-design India's automotive footprint by taking new technologies and mobility concepts as a new ecosystem to market." --IANS ppg-rv/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Film: "The Great Wall"; Director: Zhang Yimou; Cast: Matt Damon, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal, Willem Daffoe, Tiang Jing, Andy Lau, Zhang Hanyu; Rating: ** Director Zhang Yimou's "The Great Wall" is an epic spectacle of warfare, action sequences and fantasy, grandly mounted with excellent cinematography and equally brilliant visual effects. But unfortunately, with a bland, formulaic story with no major inciting moments, the film is reduced to a staid kitsch. It is a hero's journey. It is the story of a man with nefarious intentions, who enters a gated community pretending to be a good man and then how he has a change of heart, forms the crux of the tale. With no reference of it in the Chinese mythology, the script written by Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro and Tony Gilroy, the story is pure fiction crafted by Max Brooks, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herkowitz. The plot is straightforward with non-existent twists. The dialogues in between the frantic war too suffer from a familiarity tone. The narrative begins like a cheaply made Western, with a group of mercenaries traveling the desert of ancient China in search of the black powder. The group is attacked by bandits and the few upon escaping the bandits, take refuge in a cave, only to be attacked by a monster with green blood, known as Taotei. Only William and Tovar survive the monsters attack, after slashing off its arm. They decide to carry the monster's arm along with them on their journey. The stumble upon the Great Wall and are intercepted by the Chinese soldiers of a secretive military sect called the Nameless Order, led by General Shao and Strategist Wang. And soon they witness a massive attack by a monstrous army of predators. Through this encounter they come to learn that the great wall and its advanced reinforcements are the only thing standing between the Taotei and the rest of their world. During the encounter William and Tovar display their combat skill and thus the military leaders of the walled forces decide to keep them as captive guests to help them protect the wall and also to preserve its secrets. Soon, the duo stumble upon the black powder and with their eyes set on it they decide to wait for the opportune moment to snatch what they can and flee. But during the course of their stay in the walled barracks, William has a change of heart. Matt Damon though charismatic looks ill at ease as he essays William Garin. His chemistry with his co-stars too is non-existent. Pedro Pascal as Tovar and Willem Dafoe as Sir Ballard are passable. The Asian actors with their acrobatic skills are a treat to watch. Making a mark among them are Tiang Jing as Commander Lin Mei, Andy Lau as Strategist Wang and Zhang Hanyu as Commander Shao. Visually with bold colour schemes, the film is artistically mounted. Each frame seems intricately crafted and the 3D effects seem flawless, but the ferocious monsters appear feather-weight and cardboard-thin. The computer generated images mesh seamlessly into the live action sequences captured by cinematographers Stuart Dryburgh and Zhao Xiaodin's shots and the visual experience is elevated by Ramin Djawadi's inspiring music. Overall, the film is an affectless, effect laden extravaganza. --IANS troy/nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people took part in the funeral service of senior Kerala parliamentarian E. Ahamed at a mosque here on Thursday. A sitting Lok Sabha member, Ahamed passed away early on Wednesday morning in a Delhi hospital, and was laid to rest with full state honours. The former Union Minister from Malappuram fell unconscious in the Central Hall of Parliament during the President's address that marked the start of then Budget session. Ahamed was put on life support at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital where he passed away at 2.15 a.m. Ahamed's last rites were conducted at his native Kannur City Juma Masjid, very close to his ancestral home. His political activities were centred mostly around Malappuram district and at Delhi. Besides the national and state political leaders from various parties, people from every walk of life attended the last rites. Ahamed's remains were first brought to Kozhikode from Delhi on Wednesday evening and were taken to his ancestral home late at night. The funeral service was led by Indian Union Muslim League chief Pankkad Sayyid Hyderali Shihab Thangal. Ahamed was a leading member of the IUML. The 78-year-old former UPA minister was regularly elected to the Lok Sabha since 1991. The IUML is the second biggest constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. A law graduate, Ahamed joined as a student, and was first elected to the Kerala assembly in 1967. --IANS sg/in/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal Police on Thursday arrested C.K. Raut -- a prominent Madhes rights activist advocating an independent Madhes -- on the charge of sedition from Janakpur, the southern-most city of Nepal bordering India. He was arrested from a rented dwelling in Janakpur, where he had been living for the last six months. Raut launched a massive campaign across Nepal's Terai region in the south through his Alliance for Independent Madhes (AIM) platform some five years ago, and it got both popular and political support in several Terai-based districts. At a time when the Nepal government is being accused of failing to amend the Constitution to address the demands of the Madhesi population, his arrest is likely to have a ripple effect in the entire Terai region. Talking to the local media, Inspector General of Nepal Police Upendra Kanta Aryal confirmed Raut's arrest. "Police will investigate each and every case against him." Raut was arrested on the request of Siraha district police, where Raut has his permanent residence. Recently, he had held a protest rally in Lahan in Siraha district, demanding separation of the Terai area from Nepal. The government agencies of Nepal have been accusing him of forming an armed outfit to fight for a separate Terai. After the arrest, he was sent to Siraha for police investigation. According to the local media, Nepal Police has prepared a 26-page investigation report on Raut, who has been building networks in various districts of Terai and "preparing to raise an armed force". Talking to the media after his arrest, Raut said police have no right to smash the door to enter my room. "I was not even served a legal notice for arrest." An appeal has been issued by his campaign to maintain calm and exercise restraint in the wake of his arrest. It also dared the government to prove charges against him and reveal on what basis he was arrested. He is facing charges of treason in the Special Court of Kathmandu and in some local courts. Raut was first arrested on September 14, 2014 on a sedition charge brought by Morang district police and acquitted by the Special Court in April 2015 on a Rs 50,000 surety bond. Police is preparing to lodge a fresh treason case against Raut on the basis of his provocative speech delivered in Lahan recently. A scientist by profession, he holds a Ph.D degree from Cambridge University and worked as a scientist in the US before becoming active in through the AIM in 2011. --IANS giri/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has sparked a fresh diplomatic row -- this time with Australia -- by branding a refugee deal with the country as "dumb", days after holding a heated conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Senior US officials said on Wednesday that during the call on January 28, Trump blasted Turnbull over the refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it, the Washington Post reported. Trump also told Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that "this was the worst call by far". Australian government officials, who said the Post's account of the call was "substantially accurate", described the conversation as "robust" and admitted it was "shorter than expected", ABC News reported. "This is the worst deal ever," Trump fumed during the call, as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the US would honour a deal made with the Obama administration to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention centre off the country's coast at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, according to the Post. Trump, who on January 27 signed an executive order temporarily barring the admissions of refugees and citizens from seven Muslim majority countries, complained that he was "going to get killed" politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the "next Boston bombers". During the call, Trump was joined by chief strategist Steve Bannon, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. At one point, Turnbull suggested that the two leaders move on from their impasse over refugees to discuss the conflict in Syria and other pressing foreign issues. But Trump kept his focus on the issue and said: "I don't want these people." He also repeatedly mis-stated the number of refugees called for in the agreement as 2,000 rather than 1,250, according to the officials. Finally, Trump ended the call, making it far shorter than his conversations with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and French President Francois Hollande, according to the report. The US President returned to the topic late Wednesday night, writing in a message on Twitter: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Australia, according to the report, is one of America's staunchest allies. They share intelligence and have fought together in a number of wars, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Turnbull, on Thursday, refused to comment on reports of the conversation. He said conversations with world leaders are conducted "candidly, frankly, privately", but stressed Australia's solid relationship with the US was still in place. "I can assure you the relationship is very strong," he said. --IANS soni/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US ride hailing company Uber announced on Thursday that it was temporarily suspending its services in Taiwan, due to pressure from the country's government, which has asked the firm to be registered as a transport firm. Uber also expressed its intention of restarting talks with the Taiwanese government to "innovate transportation technology", Efe news reported. "This is a difficult decision," Uber said in a statement, in which it also mentioned its contribution of having provided 15 million rides during its four years of operation on the island. The suspension will take effect from February 10. The announcement came after Taiwan's government slapped Uber with 48 fines amounting to 1.1 billion Taiwanese dollars (around $34million) since January 6, when an amendment to the Highway Act came into effect. According to the new amendment, the fines for illegal passenger transport services have been raised from 50,000-150,000 to 100,000-25 million Taiwanese dollars. Taiwan's Transport Ministry ordered Uber to suspend its operations and said that the ban of its activities would continue until the firm complied with local laws. Uber was registered as an information technology firm but provides transport services, according to the Taiwanese government. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a shocking development, a Maharashtra government approved textbook for class 12 suggests that ugly or handicapped girls are the reason for the social evil of dowry in the country. The reasoning appears in the textbook of Sociology under the title, "Major Social Problems in India" prescribed for Class 12 students in the state. Under sub-heading No 12 titled 'Ugliness', the paragraph proclaims: "If girl is ugly and handicapped then it becomes very difficult for her to get married. To marry such girls, the bridegroom and his family demand more dowry. Parents of such girls become helpless and pay dowry as per the demands of the bridegroom's family. It leads to rise in the practice of dowry system." Following a furore over the passage in question, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said he had discussed the matter with the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Chairman Gangadhar Mhamane. Surprisingly, the Minister argued that the issue was nothing new and is being taught to the Class 12 students since the past three years. He, however, appealed to all to "keep out of education", while the matter was being tackled. Besides "ugliness" and "handicap" for a marriageable girl, the chapter has listed other factors like religion, caste system, social prestige and compensation principle, and said that "generally all people give and take dowry". Tawde added that the matter found "objectionable" would be placed before the concerned Board of Studies - which designs and approves the course syllabus - for its report. After getting the report, the government will consider the next step in the issue, he said. Education Department officials, preferring anonymity, could not confirm off-hand if the offensive paragraphs also appear in any other languages in which the Sociology subject textbook is prescribed. --IANS qn/vd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Busting an online fraud to the tune of Rs 3,700 crore, the Uttar Pradesh police have arrested three persons alleged to have duped nearly 6.5 lakh people through an online portal, police said on Thursday. Busting one of the biggest internet frauds, the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police arrested the trio of Anubhav Mittal, Sridhar Prasad and Mahesh Dayal from Sector 63 in Noida on Wednesday and seized nearly Rs 500 crore. "The accused used to run a portal 'socialtrade.biz' under which an investor had to pay anything between Rs 5,750 to Rs 57,500 in the company's account to become the member and earn Rs 5 per click. "Registered under the name of Ablaze Info Solutions Pvt Ltd. in Noida, they used to constantly change the portal's name. So far they defrauded over 6.5 lakh people collecting around Rs 3,700 crore," Superintendent of Police (Uttar Pradesh STF) Triveni Singh, told IANS. Mittal, said to be the kingpin, holds a B.Tech degree and hails from Ghaziabad. Prasad is from Visakhapatnam and Dayal is from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Launched in August 2015, the portal offered four different 'packages' to the investors to earn money. After paying the money to the company, the investors were asked to like pages and click on the links they were sent. "The company claimed it earned Rs 6 for every click and gave Rs 5 of it to the investors. However, the links sent by the company were fake," said the officer, adding police were looking for other people suspected to be involved in the fraud. Besides seizing Rs 500 crore from a bank, police have seized various documents including the balance sheet of the company, list of directors and other officials and list of investors. The STF has also informed the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Income Tax department and market regulator SEBI about the case. --IANS sp-and/pgh/bg (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 12-hour long US prison standoff continues in Delaware with four out of five employees still remaining hostage with the inmates, a media report said on Thursday. The single hostage released was sent to a hospital, a police spokesperson said, Xinhua news agency reported. The FBI and Delaware state police continued negotiations with inmates inside a building of the Level 5 James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JVTCC) in Smyrna, some 149 km from here, said Sergent Richard Bratz, the state police spokesman. The incident began around 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday when a guard radioed for immediate assistance from inside the building housing more than 100 inmates, said Bratz. He did not reveal whether the authorities had received any demands from prisoners. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone involved and using all of our available resources," Bratz said. Citing the officers association, CNN said four guards and one counsellor were taken hostage by inmates, while one guard was released. "It's a very scary situation right now," Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware said. A large number of local emergency responders, including policemen from Delaware and neighbouring Pennsylvania, were seen rushing to the prison around midday. All Level 5 Delaware prisons, the state's maximum security facilities, were placed on lockdown in the day as a result, though a corrections department spokeswoman said it was an isolated incident. Opened in 1971, the JVTCC has been Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, housing about 2,500 minimum, medium and maximum security prisoners as well as the state's death row inmates. It also housed facilities for executions, said the State Bureau of Prisons. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajya Sabha on Thursday discussed the address of the President of India to the joint sitting of Parliament. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the leader of the Opposition in the House, said the government had imposed an undeclared Emergency in the country where no criticism of its decisions, particularly on demonetisation, was allowed. To this, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was imprisoned during the Emergency of 1975-77, shot back that at least the Congress admitted that the Emergency was bad. Azad said the then prime minister, Indira Gandhi, had apologised for the Emergency. He added that the difference was the government at that time followed due process to impose Emergency, while now it was an undeclared Emergency. Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi had to postpone his rally in support of Punjab party chief Amarinder Singh in Lambi Assembly constituency on January 29, as he had to rush to Lucknow to launch the Samajwadi Party-Congress joint campaign. But Gandhi kept his word and sought votes for Singh in the bastion of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). As Singh has decided to contest from Lambi to take on the Badals directly, Gandhis open support for him had the right political messaging in the state ahead of the Assembly polls on February 4. Gandhi urged voters not to back SAD and the Aam Aadmi Party, saying that only the Congress could usher in peace and prosperity in the countrys grain bowl. The Congress is trying to wrest power from SAD, which has been ruling for a decade in the state. Election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said the measures announced in the Union Budget on political funding would be inconsequential in cleansing of hidden wealth. Hailing the decision to restrict cash donations to political parties from individuals to Rs 2,000, BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday said though his party would also be hit by the move, the step was necessary to free from black money and for bringing transparency in the elections. During the Union Budget presented on Wednesday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposed to restrict cash donations to political parties from individuals to Rs 2,000 and introduced an 'electoral bonds' scheme. The move aims to cleanse the political funding system and check black money. "Modi, through the Union Budget, has made it clear that just like any common man does not have a right to evade tax or hold black money, even political parties will not be spared from paying the tax on any donation, which is more than Rs 2,000," Shah said. "We do agree that with this legislation, we (BJP) will also be affected, but we believe that it is our duty to free from black money. Elections in the country should be freed from the impact of black money. We want to have transparent elections in the country," the BJP president said. He was speaking at a public meeting in Bicholim constituency, his last rally for the February 4 Goa Assembly elections. "In the year 2016, we had promised that we will finish the effect of black money from in India. Since the time of Independence, no political party had dared to bring in the legislation governing funding to the political parties," he added. Shah said, "Modi's name would be taken with respect when the history about elections and transparency in democracy will be written." Referring to other announcements in the Budget, Shah said it has given relief to the honest taxpayer of the country. "The special provision has also been made to provide loan to poor farmers through NABARD. The budget has also considered the unemployed youth, who can become an entrepreneur under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana," he said. All parties and individuals campaigning in Goa, which goes to the polls on February 4, have cottoned on to the issue of unemployment, caused to a great extent by the ban on mining imposed by the Supreme Court. Amandeep Singh, 21, and his friends would be casting their first vote on February 4. They would also be breaking a tradition where parents or elders would decide the preferred candidate for other family members during an election. Ten students of a high school in West Bengal's Howrah district fell ill today after eating food distributed by the institution on the occasion of Saraswati Puja. Authorities of Kahmoli Nignan SC High School said while nine of them recovered after treatment, one of them was admitted to the local hospital. As angry parents and gaurdians rushed to the school and demonstrated outside the staff room, two teachers fell ill. Police rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Ten tons of rice, meant for the Public Distribution System and being smuggled to neighbouring Kerala were seized by food and civil supplies officials and two persons arrested in this connection near Pollachi today. The seizure was made from a lorry which was stopped for a search at Vadagupalayam on the Pollachi-Palakkad Road early today. The driver and cleaner were arrested and the lorry impounded, official sources said. An enquiry revealed that the vehicle belonged to a person from Kerala, they said, adding investigations are on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani security forces have arrested 16 members of an entourage of the Emir of Qatar for breaking the barrier of a checkpoint in the troubled Balochistan province, official sources said today. An advance party of Qatar's ruler which was going to Mashkeel for making arrangements of hunting the houbara bustard ignored Levies personnel's signal to stop at their post and tried to escape by breaking the barrier in the Galngoor area of Noshki district, they said. "The security personnel chased them and detained 16 people travelling in four vehicles," one source said. The Levies also seized the four vehicles, he said, adding that the arrested members include three Bangladeshis and 13 Pakistanis. The ruler of Qatar is expected to arrive in the area for hunting in a few days. There is much resentment among the local populace in the Balochistan over the central government giving special permission and licenses to rulers from the Gulf states to come and hunt the Houbara Bustard, a rare species whose meat is much sought after because of its aphrodisiac powers. Last December, a team of hunters led by a prince from UAE was attacked by unknown men in the Guchak area of Panjgur in the restive province. The team of hunters led by Prince Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan was in Guchak to hunt the Houbara bustard when they came under attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 167 Indian fishermen are languishing in jails of Pakistan and Sri Lanka as on date, the government told Rajya Sabha today. As on date, 20 fishermen are in Sri Lankan custody, while another 147 are in Pakistani jails, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh stated in a written reply in the Upper House. Singh said the government regularly takes up the issue with the governments of the two countries and added that over the last two years, Sri Lanka has released 708 Indian fishermen, while Pakistan has released 858. "Our High Commissions in Colombo and Islamabad provide humanitarian and legal assistance to the apprehended fishermen. "With Sri Lanka, a Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries has been set up as a bilateral institutional mechanism to help find a permanent solution to all fishermen issues," Singh said. Responding to another question, M J Akbar, MoS in the MEA, said, "208 Indians (61 civilians and 147 fishermen) are believed to be in Pakistani jails." He said 438 fishermen were released by Pakistan in two batches on December 20, 2016 and January 6 this year. Akbar, in response to another question, said the Centre was aware of some of the proposed projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in PoK, including in the territory that Pakistan "illegally ceded" to China under the Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963. "The government has noticed media reports stating that the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has forecast the current rate of influx of Chinese nationals into Balochistan," he said responding to a question on whether the Ministry was aware that by 2048 Chinese would become a majority in Balochistan. In the wake of demonetisation, Akbar said, some foreign central banks and countries have made requests to Indian government and RBI in respect of old series of Indian bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations and discussions with them are underway. Replying to another question, Akbar said, 5,20,960 Indian workers were granted Emigration Clearance (EC) in 2016. Indian workers with Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports who emigrate after obtaining EC through an online clearance system of the MEA can work legally in destination country and are covered under their labour laws and are provided protection by the Protector General of Emigrants of the ministry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Afghan woman whose husband cut off her ears said today she was seeking donations for treatment abroad, as activists condemned the latest gruesome incident to highlight the abuse of women in the conservative country. Zarina, 23, was still hospitalised in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif today, her mutilated ears bandaged and her face swollen. She told AFP that she could not explain why her husband attacked her in the middle of the night Tuesday in a remote district of Balkh province, bordering Uzbekistan. "He woke up at three in the morning, he tied my legs, my hands with my veil ... I was begging him (to stop) but he didn't listen to me." The husband punched his young wife several times then grabbed a sharp knife and sliced both her ears before disappearing. Zarina bled all night, until a neighbour found her in the morning and rushed her to relatives, who took her to hospital in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of Balkh province. "She arrived at the ICU at 9.30, both of her ears were cut. She was in shock ... Imagine how much blood she lost," said hospital chief Dr Shafir Shayek. Zarina said she did not know why her husband attacked her, saying she had always obeyed him, even when he refused to let her visit her mother "because he said I might meet boys". "He was very rude, very harsh, when he became angry he started beating everyone -- his dad, his mum, he didn't care," she said. Zarina and her husband were betrothed when she was 13, though they did not marry for another seven years. Hospital officials said he was known for drug use, though they did not specify which drug. Today the man was still on the run, but "we opened an investigation to stop him," said Balkh governor's spokesman Sher Jan Durrani. Zarina said she is seeking private donations to fund a trip abroad for treatment. If she cannot raise the money, she said, "I implore Afghan officials" for help. Balkh women's rights activist Fahima Rahimi said the attack was "only the latest" example of "disgusting violence" and against Afghan women. "Afghan officials should bring the perpetrator of this crime to justice so that it be a lesson for others," she said. But, she added, many such criminals are freed after bribes to police or prosecutors, and so activists had "lost faith and trust in our government". Many other cases of violence against women go unreported, she said. More than fifteen years after the end of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan remains the scene of regular abuse against women, most often perpetrated by spouses or in-laws who are rarely arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Anti-Semitic hate crime incidents in the UK were at a record high by more than a third last year, a new report said today. The Community Security Trust (CST) charity recorded 1,309 incidents of anti-Jewish hate attacks last year, compared with 960 in 2015, a rise of 36 per cent. The CSTmonitors anti-semitism and provides security to Jewish communities. It said the previous record number of incidents was in 2014, when 1,182 were recorded. "Racists, including anti-Semites, feel emboldened, feel encouraged, at this moment in time, for a whole range of reasons, to come out with their hatred. They used to keep it under the ground. Now they are coming out. A lid has been lifted off," said Mark Gardner from the CST. The CST, which has recorded data since 1984, said a perceived increase in racism and xenophobia following the EU referendum and greater discussion of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party could explain the rise. UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd said the government would continue "to do all we can to stamp out these vile attacks and encourage those who experience them to come forward". "Anti-semitism is a deplorable form of hatred that has absolutely no place in a tolerant, open and diverse Britain that works for everyone," she said. Over three-quarters of incidents were recorded in Greater London and Greater Manchester,where the majority of British Jews live. Greater London saw a 65 per cent increase incidents on the previous year. According to the CST's report there were 1,006 incidents of abusive behavior, including verbal abuse, hate mail and anti-semitic graffiti. Damage and desecration to Jewish property increased by a quarter to 81 recorded incidents and there were 107 violent anti-semitic assaults reported. As many as 287 anti-Semitic incidents involved social media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fire today broke out at the second floor of 'Vindyachal Bhawan', which houses state government offices, under Jahangirabad police station area here, officials said. The fire was doused in 10 minutes and no one was injured in it, Bogdapool Fire Station in-charge Akhtar Ali told PTI. Akhtar said some furniture has been damaged due to the blaze. An assessment of the actual cost of the damage is being carried out, he said, adding prima facie a short circuit caused the fire. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tax benefit on loan repayment of second house will be restricted to Rs 2 lakh per annum, Finance Bill 2017 has proposed, a move that may hit hard those making big savings so far as there have been no limits on set off from such property. As per the proposal, the owner can set off losses towards second home against other heads of income up to Rs 2 lakh under Section 71 of the Income Tax Act. Under the present dispensation there is no such limit for set off of losses from house property, which is mainly the difference between between the rental income and interest on home loan. In other words, a buyer could deduct the entire net interest paid on the home loan. "The Finance Bill, 2017 proposes to restrict such set off of house property loss to Rs 200,000 per annum only. Balance loss if any will be carried forward to be set off against house property income of subsequent 8 years. Hence individual tax payers having loss of more than Rs 2,00,000 will now have a higher tax outgo," KPMG partner Parizad Sirwalla said. "In line with the international best practices it is proposed to insert sub-section (3A) in the said section to provide that set-off of loss under the head 'Income from house property' against any other head of income shall be restricted to two lakh rupees for any assessment year. "However, the unabsorbed loss shall be allowed to be carried forward for set-off in subsequent years in accordance with the existing provisions of the Act," the Finance Bill 2017 said. Till now, individuals who had let out property could set off the loss from housing property against their salary or any other income, without any upper limit. Such individuals will be allowed to carry forward the losses not claimed for up to 8 subsequent years, but the immediate relief will be capped at Rs 2 lakh, Kuldip Kumar, Partner and Leader, Personal Tax, PwC India said. According to Amit Singhania partner Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas the set off loss under income from house property under any other head of income has been restricted to Rs 2 lakh as per the Finance Bill 2017. For instance, he said, if an individual has a second house and is earning a rental income of Rs 1 lakh per annum and Rs 5 lakh is the interest outgo on the housing loan so the set off loss on the housing property comes to Rs 4 lakh. As per the existing provision, he get tax relief on the entire set off loan but as per the Finance Bill 2017, it get limited to just 2 lakh, he said. Currently, if an individual has a self-occupied property (SOP), there is Nil income offered for tax under Section 23 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (the Act). The interest paid on acquisition of such property is allowed up to Rs 2 lakh per annum under Section 24 of the Act. If the property is let out (LO)/deemed to be let out (DLO), the entire rent or notional rent is taxable under Section 23 of the Act. Amongst other deductions from house property, the full interest payment is allowed from the same as deduction. "If on account of the above, the net result of computation of income is a loss (i.E. If there is only SOP or the rent/ notional rent is lower than the interest payment etc.) such loss was allowed to be set off fully from income of taxpayers from any other source of income (e.G. Salary, other sources etc.). Hence, such set off of loss generated on account of mainly deduction under Section 24 of the Act was fully allowed," Sirwalla said. Despite the disincentive for buying of house by this particular provision, housing finance companies are expecting rise in credit offtake. Credit off-take towards affordable segment of housing will augment supply especially for both stake holders - the first home buyer and developer - who will now have access to cheaper funding, DHFL Chairman and Managing Director Kapil Wadhawan said. The government's focus on affordable housing will definitely help making the term more acceptable to developers, who are now not only entering this segment with confidence but also talking about it openly. There is now considerable goodwill attached to such a move, and affordable housing obviously makes very distinguished business sense, he said. : Cambridge English Language Assessment (CELA) (Part of the University of Cambridge) today conducted an educational thought-leaders' conclave here. Representatives from leading educational institutions in the region participated in the conclave and contributed their perspectives to the discussions, drawing from their rich and varied experience. Speaking about the event, CELA Deputy Director Global Network, Liam Vint said "We had a very fruitful discussion at the focus group sessions as we got a better idea of what is currently needed by students and educators in the region. The open conversation with heads of institutions will help us focus on finding solutions to their specific needs," he said. Cambridge English works with several partners across India to promote use of standardised international assessments as benchmark levels to improve the learning and teaching of English and is keen to work with many more such partners to give the teachers and students access to international English qualifications, Vint said. The conclave had two focus group sessions, conducted by CELA Senior Assessment Services Manager - South Asia, Vijayapadma Srinivas, which focused on exploring the aspirations of young India and about shaping the leaders of the future through communication development programmes. Later, an MoU was signed between Cambridge English and Hindusthan Group of Institutions in a step towards making English language assessment and testing more accessible to students belonging to the group of institutions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cardinal and Archbishop of Ranchi in the Roman Catholic Church Telesphore Toppo today appealed to bishops to rise above ritual observance in quest for God. "Do we find joy in our daily opportunities to encounter God? Or are we content just with ritual observance?" Cardinal Toppo said while addressing the 29th Plenary Assembly (general body) of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), the largest biennial meeting of Catholic clergy in Asia here, on the third day. "We easily get energised with crowd pulling celebrations and get deviated by modern gadgets, but fail to live a life of deep encounter with Christ," he told the assembly of 131 Bishops. Toppo called for a collectively reflection on importance of such encounters in life as Christian clergy "while we focus on family ministry (promote family relationship) which is founded on the bedrock of encounters." In his address, Bhopal Archbishop Leo Cornelio said," The church in the state capital has maintained a reasonably good relation with the political heads and government officials." He appreciated the healthy relationship, co-operation and unity of different religions in the city. "The peaceful atmosphere of the city needs a special mention. The fast progressing Bhopal has helped the growth of the Church," Cornelio said. He said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken up the initiative to invite Christians and celebrate Christmas for the last five consecutive years (at his official residence). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Government has exclusive executive powers in relation to matters falling within the purview of Legislative Assembly and neither the Centre nor the President or the Lieutenant Governor (LG) can encroach upon these, the Supreme Court was today told. A bench of Justices A K Sikri and R K Agarwal said that it is correct that the elected government should have some powers but whether it will be as per the Delhi High Court verdict or as it is being perceived by the Delhi government. "We need to first look into this issue. We have to analyse the powers of the LG as to how much power he has and what are his powers," the bench said. Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, said that the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) except for public order, land and police possesses exclusive powers in relation to all other entries in state and concurrent lists and neither the central government nor the President or the LG has any role or power with regard to all other matters. He said that council of ministers are "subservient" to the Constitution, to the GNCTD ACT but certainly they are not subservient to the authority which is not contemplated in the Constitution. "We are seeking only the special status as contemplated under Article 239AA of the Constitution. It's a narrow issue but requires interpretation. We need to see what are the limitation and amplitude of the LG's power under the Article 239AA," Subramaniam said during the day-long hearing. He said that the Constitution has given a face and identity to a government in Delhi after the inclusion of Article 239AA and the executive decisions taken and implemented by it cannot be reversed by the LG. "The central government says that since Delhi is a Union Territory, it can exercise executive powers here but this was not the scheme of things which was contemplated in the Constitution," Subramaniam said. He said that the LG cannot exercise its power with respect to services as it does not fall under the purview of the Centre under the state list. "The stand of the Union of India is that you (the Delhi government) do not have executive powers and your aid and advice is not binding on the LG. The Centre says the LG can use his discretion in case of difference of opinion and refer the matter to the President/Centre," Subramaniam said, adding, "This is complete mutilation of Article 239AA. The senior lawyer further said that the high court has relied on an old Act of 1963 and gave its judgement holding that Delhi is a Union Territory instead of relying on the later Act of 1991. "There will be anarchy and no governance if every decision of the government is reversed by the Lieutenant Governor which was not contemplated in the Constitution. It is the violation of the Constitution. He is the custodian of the Constitution, he has to protect the Constitution. Statesmanship, mutuality and dignity is expected from the LG, as was contemplated," Subramaniam said. He said that Parliament has been given primacy in case of legislative powers and it can formulate laws for any part of the country. "In Delhi's case, Article 239AA (3) preserves Parliament's legislative powers over all the subjects in the state and concurrent lists. However, no such power is reserved to the Centre/President," he said, adding that overriding powers have been given to Parliament in case of legislative powers but it refrains from doing likewise in case of executive powers. He said that the constitutional provisions stipulate that the Delhi council of ministers has executive powers to aid and advise the LG on all matters in the state and concurrent lists except for the three reserved subjects -- land, police and public order. "The GNCTD Act explicitly limits the discretion of the LG, and any delegation in that behalf to him by the President only to matters falling outside the purview of Delhi's legislature. Also the Act says these are matters on which the the LG is 'required to act' on the aid and advise of the council of ministers. These features are absent in the earlier laws of 1951 and 1963," he said. Subramaniam said that since the law rules out the LG's discretion on all matters that fall within the purview of the elected government, there is no occasion for him to differ or have an opinion on these matters. "There is no other constitutional or political principle, which gives him any role in these matters," he said while listing out 13 propositions before the bench. Subramaniam concluded his arguments after the bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 8. The apex court had on December 14 observed that the Delhi government should have some powers otherwise it cannot function while hearing the appeals of the AAP government. On September 9, the apex court had refused to grant an interim stay on the verdict of the Delhi High Court of August 4 last year. All eyes will be on veteran Leander Paes, who is the on the cusp of a historic world record in perhaps his last appearance in Davis Cup, as India clash with relatively weaker New Zealand in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie, here from tomorrow. The 18-time Grand Slam champion, who is all set to take part in his 55th Davis Cup tie, is tied with Italy's Nicola Pietrangeli on 42 doubles wins in doubles. A win on Saturday will make him the most successful doubles player ever in Davis Cup history. Paes, however, will have to team up with last-minute inclusion and his London Olympics doubles partner Vishnu Vardhan, after original choice Saketh Myneni failed to recover from a foot injury sustained during last month's Chennai Open. "Myneni's injury is not okay yet," said Anand Amritraj, who is leading the side for one last time, at a press conference after the draw for the tie, which will be first in Pune after 43 years. Paes and national hard court champion Vardhan will clash with the Kiwi pair of Artem Sitak and Michael Venus on day two of the tie. Vardhan was given a call-up after three people spoke to India's top doubles player Rohan Bopanna, team captain Anand Amritraj said at the media conference after the draw. "Three people spoke to him. I did not. I don't know exactly what happened," said Amritraj. Paes, asked on the subject, said he wanted to give a call to Bopanna yesterday but was stopped from doing so. "I was the first to suggest of making a call to Rohan but I was told not to make the call," said Paes who partnered Bopanna at the Rio Games but crashed out in the first round. He, however, refused to divulge who prevented him from doing so. Yuki Bhambri, ranked 368, will open India's campaign against New Zealand's number one player Finn Tearney, ranked 414, while Ramkumar Ramanathan (206) will take on Jose Statham (417) in the second singles. On paper, due to higher rankings and the advantage of playing at home, India appear to hold a clear edge over the Kiwis against whom they have a 5-3 win-loss record, with all the defeats occurring in the 1970s. India have not lost to New Zealand since 1978 when the Kiwis, then spearheaded by Onny Parun, had beaten them 4-1 in New Delhi in the Eastern Zone semi final. But they can ill afford to take New Zealand lightly especially considering that the visitors had proved a tough nut to crack in their own backyard in Christchurch in July, 2015, in the Asia-Oceania Group I semi-final, which team captain Anand Amritraj conceded had happened. "Their doubles team is stronger but we cannot take their singles players light. When we met the last time we did that and we were down 1-2," recalled Amritraj. India trailed New Zealand 1-2 when Somdev Devvarman dropped the opening singles against Michael Venus and the doubles combine of Myneni and Rohan Bopanna lost to Sitak and Marcus Daniell after Yuki Bhambri had won his first singles rubber against Statham. On the final day in reverse singles Bhambri and Devvarman rose to the occasion to win their rubbers against Venus and Daniell respectively to pull off a come-from-behind win. Paes did not take part in that tie and also missed India's earlier 5-0 clean sweep over New Zealand in Chandigarh in 2012. But his was the big presence in the previous three victories over New Zealand in 2004, 2003 and 2002 when he played in singles and doubles (with Mahesh Bhupathi). (REOPENS DEL 16) Amritraj was happy that Bhambri will take the court first for India. "I am happy to have Yuki first and then Ramkumar," said Amritraj who conceded it was difficult to fill in for the injured Myneni especially in doubles at the eleventh hour. "Luckily Vishnu was in Hyderabad after he did not get his visa to go and play in Kazakhstan and he was ready to play." Vardhan said he got a call first from Paes and then Zeeshan. "I had returned home after working in the gym and got a call first from Leander and then Zeeshan. I readily agreed as Futures and other ITF events come regularly while playing for the country is something special," said Vishnu. Paes empathised with Myneni's plight. "I feel sorry for Saketh who I enjoyed playing with when we teamed up against Spain. He came up to me yesterday and said he cannot continue. We all go through ups and downs," said Paes. About himself, Paes said he was always ready to play for the country. "I am always ready to wear the saffron and green flag. We all in fact love to do so. We play as a team." Bhambri said he was out for six months due to injury and missed being part of the squad. New Zealand captain Alistair Hunt, a doubles partner of Paes in his junior days, said the change in the Indian squad "does not affect" them. The matches will be held in the afternoon and then under lights. "Our players are used to play in warm conditions, although conditions in New Zealand are never as hot as in India," he said. The winner of the tie will play against the winner of the Uzbekistan-Korea clash in the second round scheduled between April 7 and 9. The India-New Zealand tie would also be the first Davis Cup contest to be hosted by this city in more than four decades. Pune last hosted a Davis Cup tie in 1974 when current captain Anand and his younger brother Vijay were part of the Indian squad that played against the erstwhile USSR on grass at the Deccan Gymkhana. This will be the eighth Davis Cup tie to be hosted by Maharashtra, with the first dating back to the India-Pakistan Eastern Zone first round encounter held between March 31 and April 2, 1963 here which India won 4-1. Australian drama "Lion", starring Dev Patel, received thunderous applause at its Indian premiere here. Except for Dev, the screening, arranged by Jio MAMI Film Club with Star last night, was attended by its cast and crew including director Garth Davis, Priyanka Bose, Deepti Naval, Tannishtha Chatterjee and child actor Sunny Pawar. Based on the non-fiction book "A Long Way Home" by Saroo Brierley, "Lion" has received six Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards. "Nothing excites me more to be back in India. This is the heart and home of the story. This is not just the home of Saroo but it's also the home to some very special cast and crew who made this film. I wouldn't have done this without you. The Oscar nominations are your nominations," Garth said at the premiere. The film is based on the true story of a five-year-old Indian boy who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family. At the Oscars, the film has bagged nominations for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Dev Patel), Best Supporting Actress (Nicole Kidman) and Best Adapted Screenplay. "Lion" will release in India on February 24. The screening saw a host of Bollywood celebrities in attendance including Radhika Apte, Arshad Warsi, Anupam Kher, filmmaker Ayan Mukherjee, Vikramaditya Motwane among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Different farmers' organisation today staged demonstration at Chhatrapur, Ganjam district headquarter town, protesting alleged distress sale of paddy in the district and demanded procurement of all grains from farmers, including the share croppers by the government agency. Though the farmers this time harvested bumper paddy due to good climatic condition, the government agencies refused to take paddy from them. The government has fixed lower procurement target for each district. This has forced the farmers to sell their products to middlemen and miller agents of Andhra Pradesh, alleged former Union minister Braja Kishore Tripathy. In some areas of the district, the farmers, particularly the share-croppers have resorted to sell the paddy at distress due to non-opening of mandi (procurement centers), alleged Rabi Rath, convener, Odisha Chasi Surakshya Sangha. Among others former minister Panchanana Kanungo, social activist Prafulla Samantara, former CPI MLA (Chhatrapur) N.Narayan Reddy, farmer leader Bibhuti Jena and secretary, Rushihulya Raita Mahasabha Simanchal Nahak addressed the protest meeting. They submitted a memorandum to the District Collector. District administration, however, ruled out any distress sale of paddy in the district. "We have no report of distress sale of paddy anywhere", said civil supply officer (CSO) Ganjam Ajit Kumar Patra. He said the mandi (procurement centers) were opened in 375 places across the district and over 7.19 lakh quintals of paddy have been procured from 19,300 farmers so far. The government has fixed a target to procure 26,000 quintal of paddy from the farmers this year. Last year, around 35 lakh quintals of paddy had procured in the district. "This is initial target and it may be revised" CSO said. He said around 95,000 farmers have been registered so far to supply paddy this time. "The online registration is open and the farmers who wish to register will register now" he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Encouraging foreign firms to take capacity in India's strategic oil reserves, Budget 2017-18 has exempted them from paying income tax on sale of oil left after the contract for storage in underground caverns has ended. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in the Budget presented on Wednesday, exempted income of foreign company, which books capacity in the strategic storages, from the sale of leftover stock. Till now, exemption from payment of income tax was available only during the duration of the contract a company entered into for hiring the storage caverns. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan backed the move on social media platform Twitter, saying: Tax Exemption on sale of leftover crude oil stock post contract expiry, will encourage foreign companies to use Indian Strategic Reserves. pic.twitter.com/pkjPU0awNQ Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) February 1, 2017 In a bid to insulate the country from volatility in the global oil market, the government will build two more underground crude oil storages in Odisha and Rajasthan. Jaitley said the new facilities at Chandikhol in Odisha and Bikaner in Rajasthan will have a capacity to stock 12 million tonnes of oil. India has already built underground storages in rock caverns at Visakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes), Mangalore (1.5 MT) and Padur (2.5 MT). "For strengthening our energy sector, the government has decided to set up Strategic Crude Oil Reserves. In the first phase, three such reserves facilities have been set up. Now in the second phase, it is proposed to set up caverns at two more locations, namely, Chandikhole in Odisha and Bikaner in Rajasthan. This will take our strategic reserve capacity to 15.33 million tonnes," Jaitley said in his Budget speech. Strategic storages provide a country with two-fold advantage. Firstly it ensures utilisation of reserves in times of high oil and gas prices and secondly they can be used in the event of supply disruptions following unforeseen events like a natural disasters or a war like situation. The storage at Chandikhol will be an underground rock cavern while the one at Bikaner will be an underground salt cavern. "With this, India will move to the high energy table of the world," Pradhan told PTI here. "We have a lot of learning from the first phase construction. We plan to do the second phase in 3-4 years." Last week, UAE's national oil company ADNOC signed an agreement to hire half of the capacity of India's maiden strategic oil storage at Mangalore. India is 81 per cent dependent on imports to meet its crude oil needs. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) will hire half of the 1.5 million tonnes Mangalore facility, officials said. An agreement to this effect was signed between Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) - the special purpose vehicle building the oil storages, and ADNOC after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. Under the agreement, India will have first right to use the stored oil in case of an emergency, while ADNOC would use the facility to store oil for trading purposes. ADNOC will stock 0.75 MT or 6 million barrels of oil in one compartment of Mangalore facility. Of this, 0.5 MT will belong to India and it can use it in emergencies. ADNOC will use the facility as a warehouse for trading its oil. The 1.33 MT Visakhapatnam storage and 2.5 MT Padur stockpile together with 1.5 MT Mangalore storage will be enough to meet nation's oil requirement of about 10 days. Pradhan said Congress-ruled Karnataka government has agreed on waiving VAT on the crude oil imported for the strategic storage, which UAE wants to use to stock oil when prices are low and supply to its customers when rates are good. Former Union minister and IUML President, E Ahamed, who passed away at Delhi early yesterday, was laid to rest at the City Jumma Masjid here today with full state honours. The body, covered with the national flag, was brought to the Masjid for the burial around noon and hundreds had converged to pay their last respects to the leader. Kerala Ports Minister Kadanapally Ramachandran, KPCC President V M Sudheeran, Kannur MP P K Sreemathy, besides a host of IUML leaders were among those who were present at the masjid. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had paid his respects at Kozhikode last night. 78-year-old Ahamed, who won from Malappuram in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, had represented Kerala seven times in the Lower House without a break. Prior to his innings in Parliament, Ahamed had served five terms as member of Kerala Assembly from 1967-91 and was Industries Minister in the K Karunakaran cabinet from 1982-87. He had served in the Manmohan Singh cabinet from 2004-12 as Minister of State for External Affairs and Railways besides holding the additional charge of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Ahamed, a widely travelled politician, had represented India in United Nations 10 times. He was also an active member of the Union government's Haj Committee and also co-chairman for the high-level monitoring mechanism of India and Qatar in 2011. Ahmed collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest during the President's address at the joint sitting of Parliament on Tuesday and was rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The leader died at 2:15 AM yesterday at the hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Government plans to divest Rs 11,000 crore worth of stake in PSU general insurance companies to meet the steep disinvestment target of Rs 72,500 crore next fiscal. Of the total target, Rs 46,500 crore will be mobilised through minority stake sale and Rs 15,000 crore from strategic disinvestment. The goal of Rs 72,500 crore is higher than Rs 45,500 crore the government has estimated to raise in the current fiscal. "Besides strategic and minority stake sale, Rs 11,000 crore has been budgeted from listing of general insurance companies. The department will make best endeavour to meet the overall Budget target," Disinvestment Secretary Neeraj Gupta told PTI. Recently, the Cabinet approved reduction of stake in five state-owned general insurance companies to 75 per cent by listing them on the bourses. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave nod to listing five government-owned general insurance companies -- New India Assurance Company, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company and General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). The government shareholding in these companies will be reduced from 100 per cent to 75 per cent in one or more tranches over a period of time. As for strategic disinvestment, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has already identified companies and initiated process in some cases. The government has invited bids for consultants and legal advisor for strategic sale of PDIL and NPCC, besides Pawan Hans. As for the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC), the government has decided to disinvest 100 per cent of its shareholding through merger with a similarly-placed CPSE. Similarly, the government has sought applications for engagement of an advisor and a legal advisor for 100 per cent strategic disinvestment of Project Development India Ltd (PDIL) and Hindustan Prefab Ltd (HPL). The last date for sending in application for PDIL and NPCC is February 3 while for HPL, it is February 6. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Anant Geete today assured Indian manufacturers that the government would take concrete steps for re-energising the capital goods, automotive and heavy industries sectors. Addressing the International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF), Geete said the Budget contains a number of proposals to give a critical push to the manufacturing sector and Indian industry must take advantage of these for higher investments. The Minister called for focused inputs from the private sector for meeting the government's targets of Make in India. He noted that technology should play a major role in revamping the manufacturing sector. The industry should adapt state-of-the-art technology developed elsewhere and, at the same time, should encourage more indigenous innovation and R&D, Geete said, adding that countries like Japan could provide the relevant technologies and investments in the core sectors of Indian industry. Japan is the partner country for the IETF. Referring to the Capital Goods Fund, the Minister said that it would work as a growth engine particularly for engineering, automotive and capital goods sectors to spur employment. Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, said that Japan is keenly interested in transferring technology to India. The Ambassador stated that Japan would skill/reskill 40,000 technical people in 10 years by collaborating with engineering colleges and other institutions. Sumit Mazumder, Immediate Past President, CII said that it should be the effort of all stakeholders to take investment in the capital goods sector to USD 150 billion from the present level of USD 48 billion. The capital goods industry employs around 8.5 million people. He added that the proposed GST will be a force multiplier for Indian industry, which can ride on the back of Make in India programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Northwest Wisconsin Farm-to-Table Summit will be held on Feb. 28 in Dresser. UW-Extension and North of 8 Leaders & Innovators are working in partnership to provide an event where local food producers, distributors, businesses, educators, organizations and institutions can gather to learn from one another, explore opportunities for action and make connections. Agricultural entrepreneurship, economic development and healthy communities are all parts of farm-to-table concepts. The body of an Indian fisherman, who died in a Pakistan jail last month, was flown to Mumbai this afternoon from Karachi, Gujarat fisheries department officials said. Jeeva Bhagwan Bamaniya, a native of Khan village in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district, had died in a Karachi jail on January 4, a day before 218 Indian fishermen, mostly from the state, were released by Pakistan as a "goodwill gesture". "Bamaniya's body was brought to Mumbai from Karachi this afternoon. After completing the necessary formalities at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, we received the body. It will be handed over to his family in Khan village tomorrow," Kaushik Dave, an official of Gujarat fisheries department said. The deceased was among the group of Indian fishermen, who were lodged in the Pakistani jail. Jeeva was also supposed to be released along with them on January 5. Earlier Jeeva's wife Vegiben had urged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to find out the exact cause of his death. Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani had also written to Swaraj to take up with her Pakistani counterpart the issue of expediting the process to bring Jeeva's body back to his native place. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police moved into a synagogue of a wildcat outpost in the occupied West Bank today to remove dozens of hardline Jewish settlers barricaded inside on the second day of an operation to evict residents. The eviction of settlers and their supporters came just hours after the government unveiled plans for 3,000 new homes in other West Bank settlements, viewed by the global community as illegal and barriers to peace with the Palestinians. Police yesterday managed to remove all but one of the 42 families living in the Amona outpost near Ramallah in line with a High Court order that found that it was built illegally on private Palestinian land. Today, large numbers of police moved in to evict the last remaining family, carrying them and supporters out of a house one by one with the mother screaming loudly as she was dragged away, an AFP correspondent reported. Police had tried to negotiate the voluntary departure of dozens of "anarchists" who had barricaded themselves inside a nearby synagogue, but entered after talks broke down. Hundreds of far-right activists slipped past army roadblocks early yesterday in a show of support for the Amona residents. Police said they removed 800 people, making 13 arrests. They said 24 officers sustained minor injuries in scuffles with protesters, some from rocks and glass bottles thrown at them, others with chemical burns from cleaning fluid launched by the activists. Around 100 police were positioned today outside the synagogue wearing protective glasses with the first line of officers carrying shields. Eliana Passentin, a spokeswoman for the Benjamin Regional Council which covers settlements, told AFP that police were being "very violent" today, "very different from yesterday." "We condemn violence on both sides but people here have a right for peaceful civil disobedience," she said. Police said they intend to finish the eviction today, after which the defence ministry would begin to remove residents' possessions before bulldozing the structures. When announcing the latest round of new settlements on Tuesday, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel was entering a "new era" in which settlement building would return to normal. All Israeli governments since 1967 have built settlements but none has formally created a new outpost since 1992, before the Oslo peace accords signed with the Palestinians, settlement expert Hagit Ofran of the Peace Now NGO told AFP. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broke with that tradition late yesterday when he said a new settlement would be built for the evicted Amona families, with a task force including representatives of the settlers asked to choose a location. Ofran called the announcement "very dramatic," noting that settlements had continued to grow since 1992 either by construction within existing settlements or by legalising wildcat outposts such as Amona, formed without initial Israeli approval. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madras High Court today came down on a senior HR and CE official in the famous Lord Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam for certain remarks he made in a reply to a complaint and said he has a huge attitude problem and was practically unfit to hold the post. "We are of the view that clearly the officer has some misgivings about the authority he holds, and he has a huge attitude problem, making him practically unfit to the post he is holding," first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar observed. The bench made the remarks after perusing written replies of the Joint Commissioner/Executive Officer of the temple during the hearing of a petition by one Rangarajan Narasimhan seeking a direction to the authorities to remove barricades in the second 'prakara' of the shrine. In one of the letters, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) official has warned the petitioner that he will take civil and criminal action against him for making 'unnecessary complaints' and also said he was assuming himself as an high court judge. Referring to the official's poser, the bench in its order said "He alleges that the petitioner is like a high court Judge. What does it mean?He takes a stand that he is the competent authority to decide the religious and administrative activities in the temple, which is not so, as the religious activities can't be kept to the executive officer." Stating that the words used by him were condemnable, the Chief Justice questioned the counsel for the Tamil Nadu government "whether you are going to change (him) or can we." The bench directed the authorities to file an affidavit on this and posted the matter for further hearing to Feb 13. It also asked them to look into the issue raised by the petitioner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today declined to grant an early hearing to a plea by the Delhi Assembly Speaker against the then LG's decision to repatriate the Assembly secretary back to his parent organisation Prasar Bharati. An early hearing before February 9 was initially sought from the court on the ground that Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, who is in the middle of a tug-of-war between the Speaker and Prasar Bharati over his posting, is facing a disciplinary hearing on that date. However, the court master said as per the instructions he received from Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, before whom the matter was listed, March 21 was an appropriate date and listed it on that date for hearing. The request for an early date was made as the judge could not take up the plea today as he was part of a larger special bench hearing some other matter. The court on the last date had left it to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal to decide whether or not to review the order relieving Suryadevara. It had decided to await the LG's decision as a discussion between Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and the director general of All India Radio, over posting of Suryadevara, failed to arrive at solution to the impasse. The meeting was held on the court's suggestion to find an "amicable solution" to the issue. When contacted, Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra said that pursuant to the order of the court, he had written to the LG's office but has not yet received any communication from there. The court, on the last date, had also said it would not injunct or interfere in the disciplinary proceeding against Suryadevara on account of his newspaper article -- 'Neither Office, Nor Profit' -- saying, "On that you (official) take your own remedies." Prasar Bharti had earlier argued it was "not in a position" to spare anyone as it is "facing a huge manpower crunch" and that the petition was a service matter for which the appropriate forum was the Central Administrative Tribunal. Suryadevara, an officer belonging to Newsreader-cum- Translator (Telugu) cadre, was deputed to Delhi Assembly for a year after which the then LG Najeeb Jung had relieved him. Goel, however, had refused to relieve Suryadevara, saying that as the Speaker also holds a constitutional office, the LG cannot repatriate the Assembly secretary without his concurrence. Suryadevara has earlier served in the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker for five years and that of Rajya Sabha Chairman for over six years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the testing process already in final phases, the government today expressed hope that work on installing 'smart fence' along 3,323-km-long the Indo-Pak border will begin soon. The testing for the fence is in final stages and soon work for erecting it along the Indo-Pak border will begin, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said here today. The new fencing is likely to have a multi-tier security ring comprising an alarm to security force personnel in case of any infiltration bid or attempts to cut the fence. "The testing for the smart fencing is in the final stage. Pretty soon it will be done and it will be soon erected at the India-Pakistan border," Rijiju told reporters here. He said the testing is being done at many places and its details can't be divulged now due to security reasons. "We will have smart fencing at all our borders in phases but priority would be Indo-Pak frontier," he said. A Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) is also being worked out by the government where the security of Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders, both sensitive and difficult terrain, will shift from the regular troops patrolling system to a quick reaction team pattern where guards strike once they notice a blip of infiltration on their surveillance radars. There have been several attempts of infiltration by terrorists who cut the fences to enter into India from Pakistan side. India's border with Pakistan runs through four states, Jammu and Kashmir (1,225 km which includes 740 km of Line of Control), Rajasthan (1,037 km), Punjab (553 km) and Gujarat (508 km). The government has set a target of completely sealing the India-Pakistan border by December 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 40-year-old between India and Pakistan has been an outstanding example of conflict resolution but scarcity of water in the basin states since the early 1990s has brought the agreement under strain and its "survival appears weak", according to a UN report. "The treaty fails to address two issues: the division of shortages in dry years between India and Pakistan, when flows are almost half as compared to wet years, and the cumulative impact of storages on the flows of the River Chenab into Pakistan," said the UNDP report titled 'Development Advocate Pakistan'. Wular Barrage and Kishenganga project on the Jhelum and Neelum rivers present a similar problem whereby water storage during the Rabi season is critical as flows are almost one-fifth of the Kharif season, according to the report released on Wednesday. "For over 40 years, the has proved to be an outstanding example of conflict resolution. An increase in water stress in the basin states since the early 90s has brought the Treaty under strain. In fact, its survival appears weak, although there is no exit clause," it said. The report said that Pakistan has gone as far as calling the treaty an inefficient forum for resolving water issues, elevating the water issue to a "core issue" and including it in the composite dialogue. But India has refused to include the issue in the composite dialogue because it is not ready to discard the treaty. The treaty permitted India to create storages on the western rivers of 1.25, 1.60 and 0.75 million acre feet (MAF) for general, power and flood storages, respectively, amounting to a total permissible storage of 3.6 MAF. "A clear ambiguity in the treaty occurs in its permission to be interpreted differently, thereby creating conflicts between Pakistan and India. The treaty also fails to clearly address India's share of shortages in relation to storage dams on the western rivers, an issue of major concern," according to the report. As a consequence of climate change, shrinking glaciers and changing precipitation patterns render the need to address issues of water scarcity and resources, it said. "During floods, for example, majority of the water runs into the rivers of Indus-Pakistan which leaves the province of Sindh flooded. Such negative setbacks on the economy will eventually have dire consequences if not addressed," the report warned. It said that with control of the River Chenab through the Salal dam, India has several plans under way for the development of hydropower with enhanced water storage on the western river. Pakistan continues to face reduced flows from the Chenab owing to the recent storage of water in the Baglihar dam. According to the report, annual flows in the Chenab during wet years have continued to decline since 1958-59 with an increase in droughts since 1937-38. "Same is the case with the River Jhelum being controlled by India. Since the river is a major source of irrigation and hydropower for Pakistan, it will pose dire impacts for the country if India chooses to close the gates of the barrage," the report said. The report said that although the treaty limits Pakistan to prohibit construction of hydropower dams by India, it does however, grant the right to voice issues regarding the developing strategy concerning the storage of water during dry periods. Awareness regarding trans-boundary water issues is a recent phenomenon and systematic studies are needed, the report said. The report said that Pakistan's negligence in conducting a "sound analysis" of trans-boundary water issues and delays in presenting the cases of dispute with India to the Indus Water Commission or the World Bank have caused the issue to linger on. Iran today rejected a warning from President Donald Trump over its latest missile test as unfounded and "provocative", reflecting growing tensions between Tehran and the new US administration. "Claims made by US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor are baseless, repetitive and provocative," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state agency IRNA. President Donald Trump himself tweeted earlier on Thursday that the Islamic republic was now formally "on notice" after Sunday's missile test. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. Made with them!" Trump tweeted, echoing similar comments by National Security Advisor Michael Flynn on Wednesday. Trump was referring to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers that took effect in January 2016, lifting international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's atomic programme. Flynn insisted that the missile test was "in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231," which calls on Iran not to test missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Iran confirmed yesterday that it had tested a ballistic missile, but denied that it had violated the terms of the nuclear deal. Tehran says its missiles do not breach UN resolutions because they are for defence purposes only and are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. The US warning drew a defiant response from Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. "The number of Iranian missiles, warships and defence missile launchers is growing every day, and the sky, land and sea is under the control of this nation," said General Hossein Salami, the number two in the Guards which is in charge of weapons programmes. "This is not a land where an outsider can set foot with sinister intentions," he said. There has been scant detail from the White House as to what its warning over the missile test means in practical terms, and it remains to be seen if Washington will push for new sanctions. Ghasemi said that the US warning came at a time when "the efforts by the Islamic Republic of Iran in fighting terrorist groups in the Middle East are known to all". "It is regrettable that the US administration, instead of appreciating the nation of Iran for its continued fight against terrorism, is in practice aiding terrorist groups by repeating baseless claims and adopting unwise measures." Ghasemi singled out for criticism the travel ban slapped by Trump on seven mainly Muslim countries, including Iran. He also dismissed charges of Iranian meddling in the region, saying Tehran wanted good relations with its neighbours based on "mutual respect and non-interference in countries' domestic affairs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran today rejected a warning from US President Donald Trump's administration over its latest missile test as unfounded and "provocative". "Claims made by US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser are baseless, repetitive and provocative," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state agency IRNA. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A dog that killed the son of Gambian President Adama Barrow has been put down, an agriculture ministry source said, with mystery over the circumstances sparking witchcraft rumours amid political turmoil in the country. Eight-year-old Habibou, one of Barrow's five children, died after the attack last month, days before his father's contested inauguration at a time when then-president Yahya Jammeh was refusing to step down. Jammeh's refusal to cede power to Barrow, who won a December election, triggered a crisis in the small west African nation, before the longtime leader eventually agreed to hand over the reins to his successor and leave the country. The timing of the boy's death, and lack of details on the circumstances surrounding it, has inflamed the imagination of Gambians, giving rise to rumours of sorcery. The dog was put down yesterday, the source in the veterinary unit of the department of agriculture told AFP Wednesday, on condition of anonymity. "We concluded that it was not wise to allow this dog to continue roaming in the streets. We carried out some test and realised that the dog is not infected with rabies," the source said. Barrow returned to The Gambia last week to a jubilant welcome marking the beginning of the west African nation's first democratic transfer of power. He had been living in Senegal for safety reasons since mid-January. Jammeh went into exile in Equatorial Guinea under threat of regional military intervention. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) International participants, including writers, poets and critics, at the inaugural session of Kolkata Literature Festival today called for an end to violence and intolerance in this strife-torn world and promotion of peace and understanding. When asked about the recent developments in the USA, eminent Egyptian writer Khaled Alkhamissi told PTI, "Some forces are promoting intolerance, but as participants of the 41st International Kolkata Book Fair and the Literature Festival, we want to stamp our mark against intolerance." Ruing that old concepts related to 18th century thinkings were haunting the world once more, Alkhamissi asserted, "We the writers and poets of the world wish to affirm that centuries old notions don't have anything to do with the world today." "I find the feel and warmth of the Kolkata Book Festival and Cairo Book Festival almost the same. The enthusiasm of the people is the same everywhere. Why should different countries, nationalities and communities be pitted against each other in such a wonderful world?" the novelist and writer of much acclaimed 'Noah's Arch' observed. Founder director of Edinburgh International Book Festival and presenter of book programmes for Scottish Television, Jenny Brown said, "It is time for peace and art, and book meets like this can keep global boundaries blurred." Brown referred to the intellectual vibe between Scottish and Indian English literature and the interest about Scottish and world literature among the people of Kolkata, which she described as a great city. This year's Jnanpith Award winner poet Sankha Ghosh inaugurated the three-day literature festival. Ghosh, however, did not address the gathering. Noted Spanish poet Francisco Munoz Soler reiterated that the underlying theme of any art festival was to engage in dialogue and discussion and not duel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolkata Police has summoned Enforcement Department official Manoj Kumar who was ED's nodal investigation officer in the Rose Valley ponzi scam case for questioning in a money laundering case. Suvra Kundu, wife of Rose Valley Group chairman Gautam Kundu, was today also questioned for the second time by sleuths of Kolkata police in connection with the money laundering case and her alleged relationship with Kumar. "Manoj Kumar has been summoned for questioning tomorrow. Today we had also questioned Suvra Kundu for second time. We have got some leads in the case," a senior Kolkata Police officer said. Suvra and Kumar has been hitting the headlines for last two days after a CCTV footage purportedly showed both of them travelling together by air from Kolkata to Delhi last month and later together checked into a hotel in the Sunder Nagar area of the national capital. ED Officials said Kumar, an Assistant Director of the agency, has been "suspended pending inquiry" even as he has been removed from the cases he was probing like the Rose Valley chit fund case and some pertaining to the coal blocks allocation. Kumar has denied the charges saying the entire episode was being blown out of proportion and was part of a "larger conspiracy" to take him out of the case. Earlier in the day, a team of ED officials from Delhi interrogated Kumar for his alleged association with the estranged wife of the main accused Gautam Kundu at the CGO complex here. ED sources said a three-member team from Delhi interrogated Kumar on the purported CCTV grabs which showed him and Kundu's wife checking into a hotel in Delhi and also at the lobby of the airport. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi-based AFP Manufacturing, a co-packer for PepsiCo's Kurkure and Kurkure Namkeens, is planning to double its capacity to 30,000 MT per annum by 2019 with an investment of Rs 40 crore-50 crore. "We have one plant in Bihar with a capacity of 15,000 MT per annum and we are setting up another facility in two years in Delhi-NCR. We will be doubling our capacity and the investment will be approximately Rs 40-50 crore," AFP Manufacturing Executive Director Manoj Gupta told PTI here. The company, which started manufacturing for PepsiCo in 2011, is also in talks with retailers like Reliance and Walmart to manufacture their snacks. "In 2008, we were manufacturing for Walmart but discontinued when their JV with Bharti ended. Now we are again in talks with them and Reliance," he said. It is eyeing a turnover of Rs 80 crore in the current fiscal, with PepsiCo contributing 60 per cent of the revenue, but expects the share from its own brand Munchon's to increase significantly over the next five years. "We were earlier selling our products under the brand Aggarwal. We recently relaunched the brand as Munchon's two months back. We are present in East, North East and North. We will next look at South and then West. In the next five years our total turnover will be Rs 350 crore and Munchon's will contribute 90 per cent of it," Gupta said. The company is also planning to export Munchon's from next fiscal year, starting with the Gulf region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid continued blockade of the national highway in Manipur, the Union Home Ministry has convened a meeting tomorrow with United Naga Council (UNC) and administration of Manipur, where two-phased polls begin on March 4. While the Centre has assured all assistance to the Election Commission for peaceful polls, officials in the ministry expressed hope that the blockade along the National Highway-2 by UNC cadres will soon be lifted. The Home Ministry recently submitted its findings to the EC about the ongoing tension and grave situation prevailing in Manipur following the blockade and the state government's alleged failure to resume normal traffic even after 60 days. Due to the blockade, normal life in Manipur has been badly affected and prices of essential commodities have sky rocketed. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said he had passed directions to paramilitary forces including Assam Rifles to increase their footprints at troubled spots to prevent any untoward incident. Polling for the 60-member Manipur Assembly will be held on March 4 and March 8. Security concerns and apprehensions have been raised over the successful conduct of the elections due to prevailing situation in the northeastern state. "I have spoken to Director General of Assam Rifles. The force has been asked to be visible on the ground so that there is a feeling in the minds of the local people there that the Centre is protecting them," Rijiju told reporters here. The personnel of Assam Rifles are deployed is deployed along Indo-Myanmar border and deal with insurgents in the northeast. He said adequate security arrangements have been made for Manipur as per the directive of the EC. "Elections in Manipur are a sure deal. They will definitely happen," he said. Rijiju accused the Congress government in the state of deriving "political advantage" out of people's suffering. "They (government) are trying to get political advantage out of the people's problem. Local people are facing problem due to blockade. State government should be more concerned," the minister said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had twice written to Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to ensure reopening of the National Highway while Rijiju had personally visited Imphal recently to convey the Centre's concern over state government's failure to reopen the NH-2. However, despite the central government's initiatives and sending around 7,000 paramilitary forces, the highway continues to be seized by the UNC since November. UNC is protesting against creation of seven new districts in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German Chancellor Angela Merkel was visiting Turkey today to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the first time since July's failed coup, seeking to keep a key partnership alive after a series of crises. Merkel will also meet Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Turkish opposition figures during the sensitive one-day visit to Ankara, which has caused controversy at home and in Turkey. Merkel arrived in Ankara in the early afternoon and headed to talks with Erdogan at his palace, with both sides expected to make a statement afterwards. The relationship between the two NATO allies has been battered in the last months by a series of rows in the wake of the July 15 failed coup aimed at ousting Erdogan. Berlin has repeatedly expressed unease over the extent of the crackdown that has seen some 43,000 people arrested in the wake of the putsch, under a state of emergency that has now lasted over half a year. Erdogan, meanwhile, has vented his exasperation that Germany has not responded to requests for the extradition of hundreds of suspects linked to the coup, the Kurdish militant movement and the ultra-left. The number of asylum requests made to Germany from Turkish citizens has shot up from 1,700 in 2015 to 5,700 in 2016, likely due to the crackdown after the coup. Last week it was reported that 40 Turkish soldiers stationed at NATO bases had asked Berlin for asylum, with Turkey pressing for the bids to be rejected. While Germany has expressed alarm over an alleged deterioration of press freedom in Turkey, Ankara wants Berlin to hand over the former opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper's editor-in-chief Can Dundar who escaped the country after the coup. Dundar has founded a new anti-Erdogan portal in Germany - Ozguruz (We Are Free) - and been received as an honoured guest by officials including President Joachim Gauck. The visit is all the more sensitive with Erdogan planning a referendum in April on new powers that critics say will create one-man rule. Merkel faces elections at home in September where policy on Turkey will be a key issue. Germany is home to some three million people of Turkish origin, the biggest population of Turks in the world outside Turkey. The controversy over Ankara's post-coup crackdown has dealt a new blow to its long-running EU membership bid, although Berlin has stopped short of backing Austrian calls for the entire process to be halted. Merkel will also want to press Turkey to keep implementing a deal that has so far successfully reduced migrant flows to Europe, despite threats by Erdogan to walk away from it due to a failure to fulfill a pledge to grant Turks visa-free travel. Reports have also said Ankara is irritated that German surveillance planes operating from its Incirlik air base close to Syria are not handing over intelligence relating to Kurdish militia. Merkel's visit will be her first to Turkey since the coup, after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held prickly talks in Ankara in November. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The restoration work at a four-storey Victorian building here, used by Babasaheb Ambedkar during his student days in the UK, will be completed by July, a senior Maharastra minister has said as he set up a committee to oversee the completion work at the memorial. The international memorial is inspired from the life of eminent jurist and social reformer during his student days at the London School of Economics (LSE) in 1921-22. Rajkumar S Badole, Maharashtra's minister for social justice, during his four-day visit to London this week, convened the first meeting of the advisory committee set up to oversee the restoration work at the Babasaheb Ambedkar International Memorial. The meeting was chaired by Indian high commissioner to the UK Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha. The six-room, four-storey Victorian home at 10 King Henry's Road in north London was acquired by the Maharashtra government in August 2015 and its ground floor has already been renovated and open to the public as a memorial. "It was decided at the meeting to accelerate the pace of work on the rest of the building. The committee has put forward a number of proposals, which will now be implemented," Badole told PTI yesterday. The plans are being financed by the Maharashtra government's budget of Rs 10 crores set aside for the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Ambedkar. The memorial will include a library-cum-conference room for visitors, a multi-media space to project archival audios and videos from Ambedkar's life and his old bedroom to be restored to the way it was back in his student days. "The memorial will be inspired from his life. We will be hiring a curator once the main refurbishment work is complete," Badole added. The minister also held follow up talks with the South Asia Centre at LSE for the purpose of setting up a permanent Chair in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar as well as two scholarships for students from Maharashtra who study at LSE. The state government hopes the fully completed memorial will be ready to be unveiled by July this year, he said. The 10 King Henry's Road townhouse on a leafy street in Chalk Farm area of north London had gone up for sale in 2014. London-basedFABO UK had written to the Indian government to purchase the property as a historically relevant monument and make it a "focal point to spread DrAmbedkar's message about equality, human rights and social justice". The decision for to purchase the home was cleared by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and it became one of the focal points of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK in November 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons, including a minor, were killed while as many suffered injuries in a head-on collision between a jeep and truck on national highway-11 here, police said today. The accident occurred last night near Rehrai and Sunkai village when the speeding truck rammed into the jeep in which the victims were returning home after attending a ring ceremony in Sarmathura, Superintendent of Police, Dholpur, Rajesh Singh told PTI. The deceased have been identified as Babulal (60), Rameshwar (55) and Anshu (8), all residents of Umreh village falling under Badi police station area, the SP said. Police have seized the truck and registered a case against the accused driver who fled away from the spot. The bodies have been handed over to the family members following post mortem examination, Singh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Newly-appointed National Security Advisor (NSA) of Myanmar, U Thaung Tun, is currently on an official visit to India and is expected to meet his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and top security officials. Apart from Doval, U Thaung Tun will also meet Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar, and is expected to deliberate on issues related to security and border management. A border management agreement between the two countries is already in place. In June 2015, the special forces of the two armies carried out a surgical strike inside Myanmar, slaying about 15 insurgents of groups believed to be responsible for the deadly ambush of 18 Indian soldiers. Incidentally, Doval had also visited Myanmar on June 16 last year as a Special Envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A career diplomat, U Thaung Tun has held diverse posts in the course of his long career in the Myanmar Foreign office. In his present capacity, he is expected to advise the Myanmarese government on internal and external threats by assessing situations from a strategic point of view. "We welcome him to India and are privileged that he has chosen to make India his first port of call following his appointment. During his stay in India, he will be interacting at length with our own NSA, MoS (External Affairs), Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and others. "We look forward to a productive association with U Thaung Tun and with the office of the NSA in the time to come," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. In October last year, Myanmarese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi had also visited India and discussed how India could support Myanmar's agenda of national reconciliation. She had also sought India's assistance in areas of agriculture, capacity building, job creation, infrastructure and health care. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Industry body Nasscom will take a delegation of senior executives to Washington DC later this month to reach out to the new US administration as well as senators on concerns around clampdown on visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations. "Nasscom plans to visit Washington between February 22 and 24. We are looking at meeting representatives in the new Trump administration as well as engage with Senators and Congressmen," Nasscom President, R Chandrashekhar told PTI. The delegation will highlight and share information with the new US administration on direct jobs being created by Indian IT companies in the US, and contribution of Indian IT firms in making the US economy competitive. He added that the process of finalising meetings and details of members of the delegation are being worked on. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by American President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms, as any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent of the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employer at 3.7 million people. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT Services exporters contributing approximately 28 per cent. Recently, a US legislation (Lofgren Bill) has been introduced that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000. The current H-1B minimum wage of USD 60,000 was fixed in 1989 and has since remained unchanged. "With such large exposure to the US, proposed hike in minimum wages...Will be negative for the Indian IT services. Indian IT services companies will need to adopt their business models owing to high dependence on export of low cost skilled manpower from countries such as India to developed economies," rating agency ICRA said. Such protectionist stance by the US could also spell more trouble for IT firms that are already facing strong headwinds from currency fluctuation and cautious client spending. The Ministry of External Affairs has said India's interest and concerns on the issue have been conveyed both to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels. Analysts are of the opinion that Indian companies could easily witness around 60-70 per cent rise in salaries of the H-1B visa dependent workforce, which could lead to a 5-10 per cent hit on the margins, depending on the total base of employees currently on H1-B visas. Global tech titans like Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, Apple's Tim Cook and others have already voiced their concerns on the issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The single-tier duty structure and roadmap to liberalise services sector will be the key areas over which the RCEP members would deliberate during the negotiations beginning February 27 in Japan. Under single-tier system, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries will discuss finalising the maximum number of goods on which duties will either be eliminated or reduced drastically. This will be the 17th round of negotiations in Kobe, Japan where chief negotiators will meet and discuss the progress of the mega trade agreement, an official said. RCEP is a mega trade deal that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical co-operation, competition and intellectual property rights. As the domestic industry has apprehensions over a deluge in imports from countries such as China after the duty cut under the agreement, India wants certain deviations for such countries. Under deviations, India may propose a longer duration for either reduction or elimination of import duties for such countries. During the meetings, India would press for greater market access in the services sector, particularly easy movement of professionals, the official added. The talks for the pact started in Phnom Penh in November 2012. The 16 countries account for over a quarter of the world's economy, estimated to be more than USD 75 trillion. The 16-member bloc RCEP comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners -- India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. India already has implemented a free trade agreement with ASEAN, Japan and South Korea. On the other hand, the country is negotiating similar pacts with Australia and New Zealand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There is no reason for creation of a separate legal framework under 'right to be forgotten' to delink 'irrelevant information' from the Internet, Google Inc today told Delhi High Court. The submission was made in an affidavit placed before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva by Google which has contended that even if it disables or blocks a site in its search engine, that webpage will remain on the original website and would be accessible on other search engines. This view was also echoed by the court while hearing an NRI's plea seeking he be "delinked" from information regarding a criminal case involving his wife in which he was not a party. He has also sought removal from the records of the trial court order which mentions him. "If you post something on social media, it will never get deleted," the court said and added if the man's plea was allowed then all courts may have to destroy their records in matrimonial disputes. In his petition, filed through advocates Rohit Madan and Zoheb Hussain, the NRI has claimed the online availability of the criminal case, despite it being settled amicably, affects his right to privacy and reputation apart from affecting his employment opportunities. His petition has raised the question "whether data controllers or intermediaries such as Google, are required to delete information that is inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant if they receive a request for removal of such data". Claiming that the plea was not maintainable against it or its Indian entity, Google has said, "If a content is adjudicated to be defamatory or its goes beyond the principles of law of privacy, same can be directed to be removed pursuant to being adjudicated by the court. "However, there is no reason or justification for creation of a separate statute or legal framework under right to be forgotten." Google has also said that the petitioner should have approached the trial court, which had passed the order, to seek confidentiality and non-reporting of the order. The company has contended that the petition is not only "misconceived" but also "legally untenable". The court, meanwhile, asked the Centre to state its stand on whether such information can be de-linked from the Internet and listed the matter for further hearing on April 24. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka today dismissed reports that its nationals have been hit by US President Donald Trump's travel ban and are stranded at American airports. According to the Foreign Ministry, there are no confirmed reports of anyone remaining stranded at American airports. Sri Lanka is not on the list of seven countries mentioned in the executive order whose citizens have been banned from entering the US for a period of three months, the ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne said. Colonne dismissed reports that Sri Lankans were among those hit by the immigration ban. She said the Sri Lankan Missions in the US had informed the Foreign Affairs Ministry that there were no confirmed cases of Sri Lankans being stranded at US airports due to the ban. The Sri Lankan Missions are keeping an eye on the situation and are in touch with relevant US authorities on this matter, she said. Trump signed an executive order on Friday to block refugees from entering the US for 120 days and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations for three months. The countries include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. Trump's decision has led to nation-wide protests and even triggered international condemnation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Donald Trump coming to power in the US, there is a big uncertainty about the future of immigrants in the country but Indian-origin model-actress- author Padma Lakshmi says she does not feel "threatened by the political situation" and is rather shocked by the current administration. Recently President Trump signed the executive order to suspend entry of refugees to the US for 120 days, and imposed an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria. A 90-day ban was also placed on citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Lakshmi, who was born in Chennai, moved to to the US with her mother in her growing up years, says she feels protective for those in vulnerable situation. "I personally don't feel threatened. However, I do feel protective of those who are in more vulnerable positions than I am. When immigrants sacrifice a lot to come to the US to make a better life for themselves, they usually really want to be there," Lakshmi told PTI in an email interview. "I am embarrassed and shocked by the current administration and I want the world to know that he is not America and he absolutely does not speak for most of us. America is great and a world power because it is a nation of and built by immigrants," she says. Lakshmi recently took part at the Women's March On Washington DC. At the protests, she was joined by co-parent Adam Bell and daughter. "It was such a beautiful and meaningful day. One that my daughter and I will not soon forget." Lakshmi, 46, has starred in Bollywood film "Boom" and Hollywood films like "Glitter", "The Mistress of Spices" among others. Her debut cookbook "Easy Exotic" won her the Best First Book award at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She has been the host of "Top Chef" since season two in 2006, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. Her debut memoir "Love, Loss and What We Ate" was released on International Women's Day, March 8, 2016. She successfully juggles between all her roles but Lakshmi says writing gives her most creative satisfaction and also being a mother to her daughter. "I would consider myself a writer first. But other than being a mother, I am most gratified by co-founding my women's health organization - the Endometriosis Foundation of America. To date, we have educated over 16,000 adolescents about their reproductive system as well as helped to launch a research center at MIT. This becomes more meaningful than any magazine cover or beautiful gown on a red carpet." Lakshmi will be walking the ramp for the first time at the Lakme Fashion Week for designer Tarun Tahiliani. She will don one of Tahiliani's creation from his Mughal-inspired collection titled "Chashme Shahi". "I always loved the runway the most when I was a model. Having a live audience is invigorating. I'm looking forward to the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week Summer Resort 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On his first trip to the European Union since the US presidential election, Russian President Vladimir Putin today visited Hungary, the nation whose leader has cozied up to Moscow despite Russia-West tensions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a populist dubbed "little Putin" by his opponents, has been critical of the US and of EU sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Speaking ahead of Putin's visit, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the EU sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their objective and have cost Hungary some USD 6.7 billion in export opportunities. He also noted what he described as the previous US administration's pressure on Hungary to prevent it from warming up to Moscow. "The whole world is noticeably holding its breath while waiting to see if there will be rapprochement ... In American-Russian relations and if so, to what depth and dimension," Szijjarto said. US President Donald Trump has promised to mend ties with Russia, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russia's meddling in the 2016 US election. For the first time since his inauguration, Trump on Saturday had a phone call with Putin, which both the White House and the Kremlin described in strongly positive terms. "If American pressure has been taken off European countries in terms of the sanctions and there seems to be a good chance for this I believe all of those who emphasized pragmatic relations and talked about the need to reevaluate the sanctions will be more courageous and that will be a new basis for debate," Szijjarto said. Hungary has also voiced hope for better ties with Washington under Trump. Orban had criticised the Obama administration for what he described as attempts to influence Hungary's domestic policies, such as a ban on entering the US for six Hungarians, including the then-head of the Hungarian tax office, because of corruption allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seeking to bring in greater punctuality and record management, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to install 1,348 Aadhar-enabled biometric attendance devices at all its offices, the civic body today said. "The corporation is getting ready to install Aadhar-enabled biometric attendance system in all its offices. 1,348 devices will be needed for the SDMC HQ (at Civic Centre), zonal offices, schools, health units and offices of the DEMS, horticulture and CSD in each ward," SDMC's Standing Committee Chairman Shailender Singh Monti was quoted as saying in a statement. He expressed confidence that the new system will "ensure punctuality and help in management of records in a better manner." Monti said the system will be more user-friendly as it will include a tablet-based integrated attendance device with a fingerprint scanner. "This will be movable and helpful for attendance marking for field employees. The device could be easily connected to the Internet through in build SIM slot with a WIFI option. "The system will enable an employee to register attendance by presenting biometric (fingerprint/iris scan) which will be authenticated online by doing one-to-one match with the biometric stored in the UIDAI database against the employee's Aadhar number," he said. Mayor Shyam Sharma said "the attendance marking would be possible in any office, where the device would be in use, and location of that office will be reflected in the attendance sheet, so the employees will not be able to mark attendance in back date and mark someone else's attendance." Sharma said this system is being successfully implemented in the schools of Najafgarh Zone. "150 such devices are working smoothly, hence the new system in the SDMC would be a tried, tested and trusted one. As far as the estimated cost of 1,348 devices is concerned, an amount of Rs 1,33,00,000 will be required," he said. The mayor claimed that the SDMC would be the first local body in Delhi to implement an advanced system of Aadhar-enabled biometric attendance machines in all its offices. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protests erupted on Wednesday at the University of California at Berkeley against a scheduled event that was to be attended by a controversial editor of the conservative website Breitbart. Hundreds of students and other protesters smashed windows at the university, set a large fire and threw fireworks and explosives at police. The officers, dressed in full riot gear, responded with tear gas. "Shut him down!" protesters chanted. The university was placed on lockdown as the speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative firebrand, was canceled in early evening. Yiannopoulos, who is technology editor for the website, is known for his provocative social media posts and was banned from Twitter in July for fueling abuse directed at "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones. The British journalist is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump -- nicknaming the US president "Daddy" during his election campaign -- and has become one of the faces of America's "alt-right" movement. Similar protests at the University of California at Davis last month also forced the cancellation of speeches by Yiannopoulos and former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The simmering tension between factions led by city unit Congress president Sanjay Nirupam and party veteran Gurudas Kamat boiled over today with their supporters engaging in a scuffle in suburban Juhu today. Embarrassingly for Congress, the incident occurred outside the venue where AICC observer and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was in huddle with the party leaders to resolve differences among various factions ahead of civic polls, slated later this month. The clash occurred after workers belonging to a faction shoved those belonging to rival group. Kamat, a former president of Mumbai Congress, had repeatedly expressed his grouse against the "working style" of Nirupam, a former Shiv Sena leader, over distribution of party tickets for the BMC polls. Kamat had earlier accused Nirupam of "driving out" second generation leaders of Congress and blamed his "negative attitude" for exit of former MLA Krishna Hegde and some corporators who have joined BJP. Kamat had withdrawn himself from campaigning for the party. Nirupam had denied the charges. A senior party leader told PTI that unrest has been growing among Congress leaders and workers against Nirupam. "Leaders like Narayan Rane, Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, Kripashankar Singh, Gurudas Kamat are miffed with Nirupam over the way he is conducting the affairs of the party," he said. On today's meeting, he said, "Hooda individually met all leaders who apprised him of the situation and how Nirupam's conduct was affecting the party at a time when it is making a serious bid to dislodge the Sena and BJP from the civic body." On the distribution of tickets, he said," For the first time there is no Parliamentary Board in place to approve the list of candidates for the civic polls. "(Congress vice-president) Rahul Gandhi had clearly told the party leaders that names of candidates decided unanimously by the district units and district leaders would be cleared and there will be no interference from the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC). "However, Nirupam is overruling the names recommended by leaders," he claimed. The leader, who was a minister in erstwhile Congress-led UPA government, said even state unit party president Ashok Chavan called upon Hooda and told him that Nirupam was not taking him into confidence for drawing party's poll strategy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to regain the lost ground in passenger vehicles segment, homegrown auto major Tata Motors today launched a sub-brand TAMO with an aim to introduce new technology equipped vehicles faster to the market. Under the TAMO sub-brand, the company will launch vehicles that are low in volumes requiring low investment. It is also looking at a different buying experience for TAMO vehicles, although for the time being it has not confirmed if it would set up a separate retail chain as market leader Maruti Suzuki has done with Nexa. "We need a different way to get into the future. To secure our future in a rapidly changing environment, the advanced mobility solutions space is of utmost importance. The introduction of TAMO will help us co-design India's automotive footprint by taking new technologies and mobility concepts as a new ecosystem," Tata Motors Managing Director and CEO Guenter Butschek told reporters here. He said TAMO will be a ring-fenced agile and flexible vertical that would serve as an incubating environment towards new technologies, business models and partnerships. "This will be a lean operating model with volume, low investment and faster to the market," Butschek said. Elaborating on the idea behind the new sub-brand, Tata Motors President Passenger Business Mayank Pareek said vehicles from TAMO will be in niche segment with technologies that are ahead of market and when proven successful they could be transferred to vehicles of the main Tata Motors brand. When asked if TAMO would have a separate retail chain, he declined to give a definitive answer but said: "The buying experience will be different from that of the main brand. There will be a lot of digital experience." TAMO will operate as a separate vertical in the first step on a low volume, low investment model to provide fast tracked proofs of technologies and concepts, the company said. It will serve as an open platform to network with global startups and leading tech companies to get access to trends, innovations and solutions for the design of future products and services, Tata Motors said. Explaining the rationale for such an idea, Butschek said it was done with an aim to meet the company's targets, including being in the top three passenger vehicle makere in India by 2019. The company has already reviewed its PV platforms, which will be reduced to 2 by 2018 from the current 6. "Our strategy is to deliver 7-8 product variants from two platforms for greater coverage and sizeable economies of scale," Pareek said. Tata Motors President and Head Advanced Product Engineering Tim Leverton said through TAMO the focus would be to scout for new technologies and to explore opportunities at the innovation hubs across the globe and to work with startups in new spaces. "Since this requires a different way of thinking we will apply within TAMO also new ways of working because leadership is all about time to market," he said. Overall, TAMO will also contribute to the repositioning of the main Tata Motors brand. In a rapidly changing automotive environment, TAMO will provide a digital ecosystem which will be leveraged by Tata Motors to support the mainstream business in the future, the company said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A transgender teenager is taking legal action against his former school in the West Midlands region of England for refusing to let him wear a boy's uniform. The 16-year-old, who is known by his assumed name of Aidan, was born female and attended Hereford Cathedral School in Herefordshire. He has accused staff at the school of not taking him seriously, after they reportedly told him his wish to be male was a "phase" and that he was "attention seeking". "They didn't really take it seriously,"he said. Under the UK's 2010 Equality Act, it is unlawful for a school to treat pupilsless favourably because of gender reassignment. "They made my child out to be a freak and someone who would contaminate other students," Aidan's mother told BBC. In a letter to the school's chair of governors, Aidan's mother Jackie said she had no choice but to remove her son after being told the school was "inadequately prepared to accommodate Aidan's needs and give him the high-level of support and pastoral care that he deserves." Aidan had the backing of his general practitioner (GP) as he began his medical transition to becoming female. His legal action is currently ongoing through the UK courts. It is understood part of the school's defence claims Aidan was withdrawn from the school by his family, prior to a final decision being made by them about whether his needs could be met. In a statement, Hereford Cathedral School said: "The continued happiness, wellbeing and safety of our pupils is the top priority." "The family's grievances against the school are the subject of current legal proceedings. For that reason the school is unable to discuss any details relating to this matter at the present time, other than to state that it will defend its position in the proceedings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump was perhaps not having a good day when he recently spoke with his Australian counterpart, whom the new US leader upbraided over a refugee accord, media reported. The new US leader reportedly abruptly cut short his call with Australian Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull after criticizing the countries' bilateral refugee agreement and exulting over his electoral college victory in the November election, according to The Washington Post. Australia is considered one of the closest allies of the United States, and one might have expected to the call to be smooth sailing. Turnbull insisted today that relations between the diplomatic partners were strong despite reports that Trump had berated him. The Australian leader refused to comment when asked about the report and whether it was true. "I appreciate your interest, but it's better that these things -- these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately," he said. "I can assure you the relationship is very strong." Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. There were fears the US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. "The very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance," Turnbull said. "But as Australians know me very well -- I stand up for Australia in every forum -- public or private." Trump, a billionaire former reality TV star, is known for his capricious moods. He regularly takes to Twitter to lambast his political opponents, the media and others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assuming the somber duties of commander in chief, President Donald Trump has made an unannounced trip to honor the returning remains of a US Navy SEAL killed in a weekend raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Illinois, was the first known US combat casualty since Trump took office less than two weeks ago. An 8-year-old American girl was among 30 others killed in the operation on an al-Qaida compound, and three other US service members were wounded. Trump's trip to Delaware's Dover Air Base on yesterday was shrouded in secrecy. The president and his daughter, Ivanka, departed the White House in the presidential helicopter with their destination unannounced. A small group of journalists traveled with Trump on the condition that the visit was not reported until his arrival. Marine One landed at Dover shortly before a C-17 believed to be carrying Owens' remains touched down. The president was expected to meet with Owens' family, which requested that the visit and the dignified transfer of the Navy SEAL's remains be private. Former President Barack Obama lifted a ban on media coverage of the dignified transfers, though families may still request privacy. A spokeswoman at Dover said about half of families choose to allow media coverage. Owens joined the Navy in 1998 and was the recipient of two Bronze stars, a Joint Service Commendation and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among other honors. In a statement following his death, the Navy Special Command called Owens a "devoted father, a true professional and a wonderful husband." His death underscores the human costs of the military campaigns Trump now oversees. Far fewer troops are serving in combat now than in the wars Trump's predecessors led in Afghanistan and Iraq, but thousands of Americans remain in hotspots around the world. In Afghanistan, where America's longest war continues, about 8,400 US troops are training and advising local forces. More than US 5,100 troops in Iraq and about 500 in Syria are involved in the campaign against the Islamic State group. The US also engages in counterterrorism operations -- mainly drone strikes -- in Yemen, where Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has exploited the chaos of the country's civil war. Sunday's pre-dawn raid -- which a defense official said was planned by the Obama administration but authorized by Trump -- could signal a new escalation against extremist groups in Yemen. More than half a dozen militant suspects were among those killed. The operation also took the life of the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and US citizen who was targeted and killed by a drone strike in 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Trump administration has no plans to come out with an executive order on H-1B visas, a prominent Indian-American donor and supporter of the US President claimed on Thursday, contradicting media reports that have generated anxiety in India. "There will be a need of more H-1B visas. The number of people on H-1B from India is certainly going to increase," Chicago-based Shalabh 'Shalli' Kumar, head of the Republican Hindu Coalition, told reporters at a news conference. Responding to a volley of questions, Kumar claimed that contrary to the reports in the media, there is no executive order being worked upon by the White House on H-1B visa. For the American economy to grow, IT would have to play an important role. "As such I visualise need of more IT workers in the US," he said, adding that the US has huge shortage of IT workers which can be filled up only by Indian IT professionals. Of the view that the Trump Administration would be working to ensure that there is no fraud and abuse of H-1B visas, Kumar said he believes that the White House would work to eliminate country-quota towards allocation of green cards for legal permanent residents. "This would be of great help Indian IT professionals," he said, adding that the current wait time for Indians to get a green card could be as many as 35 years. According to reports, President Donald Trump may soon crack down on US temporary work visas including the H-1B and L-1 visas that are used widely by Indian tech companies. The is a non-immigrant visa that allows US firms to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. During his campaign, Trump had promised to increase oversight of our H-1B and L-1 visa programmes. Supporting the executive orders of Trump on immigration and visa ban, Kumar said he would prefer this to be expanded to other countries like Pakistan. Kumar said the US Government is currently reviewing the list of countries, and if Pakistan does not start co-operating with the US, there is a very high probability of it being included in the list of visa ban countries. Pakistan needs to act against terrorism. "There cannot be any difference between what it says and what it does. Trump would not tolerate that," he said. In response to a question, he did not altogether rule out the possibility of him becoming the next US Ambassador to India. The work on the long-awaited 1,680 km Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline will begin in Pakistan this month, a senior Pakistani official has said. Leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India performed the ground-breaking of the project in December 2015. The project would help ease energy deficiency in South Asia. The Express Tribune reported that the Tapi Company, having the mandate to run the pipeline, has awarded the project management consultant (PMC) contract to German firm ILF. Pakistan's Inter State Gas Systems Managing Director Mobin Saulat told the daily that the consultant is ready to conduct route survey, detailed engineering and feasibility study this month. "A team from Turkmenistan will reach Islamabad on February 14 to begin work on the route survey, engineering and feasibility study to implement the TAPI pipeline project," he said. The team will first start work in Pakistan and then it will proceed to Afghanistan. "Pipeline construction and gas-field development has started in Turkmenistan and we appreciate efforts of Turkmenistan authorities to expedite the project," said Saulat. He said Pakistan had reiterated its firm commitment and continued to provide full support for the TAPI pipeline. Efforts to achieve financial closure were going on and the project would be commissioned as per schedule, he said. Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have already signed a USD 10-billion investment agreement for the TAPI pipeline in a bid to kick off activities, update feasibility study and finalise pipeline route in Afghanistan. According to the agreement, Turkmenistan will invest around USD 25 billion to deliver 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) to energy-hungry Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Of the total, USD 15 billion will be invested in developing the gas field whereas USD 10 billion will be poured into laying the pipeline over 1,680 km connecting Afghanistan, Pakistan and India with Turkmenistan. Officials said a consortium of Japanese companies was working on a fast-track basis to develop the gas field in Turkmenistan. A gas sale and purchase agreement had already been inked in 2013 to set the pricing mechanism under which the gas price at Turkmenistan border would be around 20 per cent cheaper than the price of Brent crude. Pakistan and India will receive 1.325 bcfd of gas each while Afghanistan would get 500 mmcfd. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Enrico Dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines ordered the closure on Thursday of 21 mines, mainly nickel producers that account for about half of output in the world's top nickel ore supplier, in a government campaign to fight environmental degradation by the industry. Manila also suspended operations at another six mines, including the country's top gold mine operated by Australia's Oceanagold Corp, as Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez vowed to put the public's welfare above mining revenues. "My issue here is not about mining, my issue here is social justice," Lopez, a staunch environmentalist, said at a briefing that showed footage of damage from mining to an audience including priests and residents of mining communities. "Why is mining more important than people's lives?" of the mine closures sent global nickel prices higher and followed the earlier suspension of some operations amid an audit of the country's 41 mines that began shortly after outspoken President Rodrigo Duterte took office last June. Some affected miners said they have yet to receive a formal order from Lopez's agency, while an industry group said companies would likely challenge the decision in courts if necessary. Lopez said the nickel mines ordered to shut account for about 50 percent of the country's annual output, which analysts estimate at about 10 percent of world supply. The risk of nickel supply disruption from the Philippines should boost global prices of the metal, analysts say, with the initial mine suspensions last year and the threat of more having fueled a rally. "The Philippine disruption should have a bigger impact on the overall nickel market considering it is the biggest nickel ore producer in the world," said ANZ commodity strategist Daniel Hynes. "If they are hard and fast orders, then the nickel price should be well supported." NICKEL PRICE CLIMBS Three-month nickel on the London Metal Exchange rose to a 2-1/2-week high of $10,375 a tonne in limited Asian trading with China still shut for the Lunar New Year break. The decision comes after a months-long audit of the mining sector that began in July and a further review by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in recent weeks. "I visited the mines and I made my own judgment based on my own observations," said Lopez, adding that 15 of the mines ordered closed are located in watersheds. Ronald Recidoro from the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines said companies named on the list would "definitely" take legal action, initially filing a motion for reconsideration with Lopez's agency. "The audit process was clearly flawed," Recidoro told Reuters, noting the Chamber had opposed the inclusion of anti-mining groups in the audit teams. Duterte has backed Lopez's mining audit, warning last year that the Philippines could survive without a mining industry. He supported Lopez's latest action on Thursday. Mines ordered for closure include those run by Hinatuan Mining Corp, a unit of top Philippine nickel ore producer Nickel Asia Corp, and BenguetCorp Nickel Mines Inc. Several companies, including Australia's Oceanagold, said they had not received any official orders. "There is no legal basis for any proposed suspension," Oceanagold said in a statement. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr.; Additional reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne; Editing by Richard Pullin) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Martinne Geller (Reuters) - Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc is in advanced talks to buy Mead Johnson Nutrition Co in a $16.7 billion deal that would take the British consumer goods maker into the baby formula market and boost its business outside of Europe. Best known for its Lysol cleaners, Durex condoms, Nurofen tablets and Scholl footcare products, Reckitt said late on Wednesday that it was discussing a $90 per share cash offer, a 29.5 percent premium to Mead's closing price. Shares of Mead Johnson, long rumoured to be a takeover target for Danone or Nestle, jumped 22 percent in after-market trading. At 1126 GMT on Thursday, Reckitt shares in London were up 3 percent at 7,043 pence as enthusiasm over the deal was tempered by questions over price and strategic fit. "While a deal for Mead Johnson would be clearly EPS enhancing and indeed transformative, it is unclear that all shareholders will welcome the addition of a new product category where RB has limited prior experience," Liberum analysts said. Mead Johnson, the world's No. 2 infant formula maker with its Enfamil brand, was spun off from drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2009. It has been seen as a possible takeover target due to its big presence in China and Latin America, regions with fast-growing populations, as well as in the United States. Reckitt was not seen as an obvious buyer but its focus on consumer health products makes the deal logical, analysts said. "It's a branded consumer proposition with healthcare-y attributes," said RBC Capital Markets analysts, adding the absence of any product overlap meant antitrust scrutiny would be minimal. Reckitt's proposed price represents a multiple of 17 times Mead Johnson's estimated 2017 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), analysts at Wells Fargo said. Nestle paid 20 times for Wyeth in 2012 and Danone paid 22 times for Numico in 2007. Still, the premium is in line with other recent consumer staples deals, and is appropriate given regulatory changes in China and price promotion, the analysts said. "It strikes me as quite a big price for a business that is not without its issues," said a London-based fund manager whose firm owns Reckitt shares. "Mead's growth has faltered a bit of late." Mead's share price has shrunk by a third over the past two years, as sales have slowed and it lost market share. Its biggest market, China, has seen intense local competition and a shift in buying habits away from traditional retailers into e-commerce and specialty stores where other brands have a leg up. Those issues are also hurting market leader Nestle and Danone, the No. 3 player, but are more easily hidden inside bigger companies. BETWEEN FOOD AND HEALTH Reckitt said it expected to finance the deal through cash and borrowings, which could boost its debt to as high as 4 times EBITDA, according to Steve Clayton, fund manager at Hargreaves Lansdown Select. Yet he expects it to be able to pay it down quickly, as the entity benefits from Reckitt's proven ability to build brands and its existing relationships with pharmacies and supermarkets. Reckitt said in a statement that "the parties are presently engaged in a period of due diligence and contract discussion." Mead Johnson also confirmed the discussions in a statement. Sources told in 2014 that Danone was interested in Mead Johnson but the French company last year agreed to buy WhiteWave, known for its soy- and nut-based milks, reducing the chances of a counterbid. Speculation regarding a bid by Nestle recently resurfaced after a media report citing unidentified sources, yet Nestle's existing baby formula business would likely raise antitrust concerns. Bernstein analysts, who see the deal boosting Reckitt's earnings by 12 percent in 2018, said any perceived move by Reckitt away from "health and hygiene" into "infant nutrition" is not a huge leap, considering the gray area between food and health that Nestle has also been actively moving into, with its Health Sciences unit. They also said the purchase of Mead Johnson could spur Reckitt to do the often-speculated disposals of its home and food businesses, which they said could fetch about 8 billion pounds ($10.2 billion). "Doing so would certainly cut down on RB's debt following the MJN deal," they said in a note, guessing that Unilever or Henkel could be interested in the home business, while the food business, which includes French's mustard and Frank's hot sauce, could be attractive, too. ($1 = 0.7880 pounds) (Editing by Jason Neely) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Aditi Shah and Euan Rocha MUMBAI (Reuters) - Tata Motors said on Thursday it was set to launch the first car under its new TAMO brand next month, with the brand aimed at testing new technologies and enabling the company to become more responsive to changing market trends. "This is about proof of concept ... about bringing new technologies and ideas fast to the market," Managing Director Guenter Butschek told reporters at an event in Mumbai. "Eventually we will decide to take some of these concepts into the mainstream," he said. Butschek did not disclose how much has been invested so far but the first car under the brand will be launched at the Geneva Motor show in March, the company said in a statement, without giving further details. Trade magazine Autocar has said that the first TAMO car will be a two-seater, mid-engined sportscar, internally called the Futuro. Tata Motors, which owns the British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, has previously faced criticism for being slow to react to changing trends and has lost market share as a result. The company now expects TAMO to help it meet its target of becoming one of India's three biggest carmakers by the end of March 2019 as it helps reposition the brand image. Organised like a start-up, TAMO could employ people from outside the industy who will focus on sourcing new technologies and forming partnerships to develop new transport concepts, the company said. PRODUCTION OVERHAUL Tata Motors, maker of the loss-making Nano small car, also said on Thursday it was restructuring its passenger vehicles business in India, which includes reducing the number of car platforms from six to two to improve production efficiencies. The two modular platforms, to be introduced in 2018, will carry different powertrains including hybrid and electric, and a wide range of different body designs including hatchbacks, crossovers and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). The platforms will enable Tata Motors to widen its product range, taking it into market segments where it has previously not been, the company said, adding that it has seen a shift in demand towards premium hatchbacks and SUVs and away from saloon cars. While some of Tata Motors' existing and recently-launched cars will be built on the new platform, the shift will naturally allow it to phase out older models that it does not see potential for, Butschek said. The company is also reviewing its supplier base and plans to drastically reduce the number of suppliers, he said. (Editing by Greg Mahlich) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union Budget for financial year (FY) 2017-18 providing incentives for affordable housing would give a much-needed shot in the arm to micro finance firms in the sector. The oil and gas sector would have two or three mega-companies and not one single entity through the merger of 13 oil public sector undertakings, as was announced in the Budget. The Union Health ministry plans to make prescription of generic medicines mandatory by amending the Drug and Cosmetic rules. The plan to amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to make generic drugs affordable was announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget. A senior Health Ministry official told Business Standard that once the amendment is in place, drug companies will have to market generic version of drugs instead of brands. Consumers may have to spend more for smartphones from the next financial year as the additional duty proposed in the Budget will lead to price hikes. A two per cent special additional duty, which will be imposed on printed circuit boards (PCBs) from April 1, is expected to increase the prices of handsets by up to two per cent. World Congress of Families XI, The Budapest Family Summit, to be Held in Hungary, May 24-28, 2017 Hungarian Government Delegation to Attend Feb. 2nd National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC Contact: Larry Jacobs, Managing Director, World Congress of Families, 815-997-7106, ljacobs@profam.org WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- The World Congress of Families (WCF) is proud to announce that World Congress of Families XI will take place in Budapest, Hungary, May 24-28, 2017. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Hungary has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most family-friendly countries in Europe. WCF Managing Director Larry Jacobs observed: "World Congress of Families is excited about our Budapest Congress and all of the exciting events during the five days of the Budapest Family Summit. Budapest is a beautiful, historic city and Hungary has demonstrated its strategic leadership as an advocate for the natural family in Europe. We believe that this Congress will strengthen our existing international network and help launch a new global pro-family alliance of countries dedicated to defending marriage, the family and the sanctity of human life." The local organizing committee of WCF XI is led by Mrs. Katalin Novak, Hungary's Secretary of State for Youth, Family and International Affairs under the government's Ministry of Human Capacities headed by Hungarian Cabinet Minister, Zoltan Balog. As a further demonstration of Hungary's commitment to family and faith, Minister Balog was part of a government delegation from Hungary that included embassy officials and key members of the Hungarian Parliament that are attending the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. The Theme of World Congress of Families XI, Budapest Family Summit, is: Building Family-Friendly Nations: Making Families Strong Again. Most sessions will take place at the Budapest Congress Center with 3,000 delegates and participants expected. Special sessions at WCF XI will include a Global Forum for Youth and Emerging Leaders, A Global Forum for Business Leaders, and a Global Forum for Political Leaders to be held at the Hungarian Parliament. The WCF XI Budapest Family Summit will include the Budapest Demographic Forum (May 25), the WCF Budapest Congress (May 26-27), a One of Us Pro-Life Conference (May 27), and will conclude on Sunday, May 28th with a World Congress of Families "Viva Familia" Family Festival and Parade starting at Lajos Kossuth Square. Hungarian high ranking leaders, politicians, WCF Founder Allan Carlson and WCF President Brian Brown are expected to address the thousands of pro-family advocates gathered in the streets of Budapest to celebrate the natural family. The festival will be led by WCF, Hungarian state representatives, representatives of public organizations, families, children, and young people in traditional folk costumes. The assemblage will march with flags, signs and balloons to the Basilica where participants will receive blessings and release the balloons with a cry of "Viva Familia!" Hungary's leadership in defense of family, life, and Christianity is well known in Europe. The adoption of key provisions in the Hungarian Constitution in 2011 defining marriage between a man and a woman and protecting human life from conception to natural death have made the Orban government the hero of pro-family and pro-life leaders from all over the world. Hungary's leadership is fully committed to family friendly governance and has recently launched a new national motto, "Hungary, the Family Friendly Country." The first World Congress of Families was held in Prague in 1997, two years after WCF was founded by Dr. Allan Carlson following a trip to Moscow, Russia. Subsequent Congresses have been held in Geneva (1999), Mexico City (2004), Warsaw (2007), Amsterdam (2009), Madrid (2012), Sydney (2013), Salt Lake City (2015) and Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia (2016). Each Congress is unique, with its own theme to celebrate the Natural Family and discuss challenges facing families today, at the national, regional and international levels. WCF delegates affirm the Natural Family as the fundamental and sustainable unit of society and affirm the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), including Article 16, which states that "the family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state." WCF also recognizes the sanctity and dignity of every human person from conception to natural death. Delegates at WCF include a wide range of leaders, activists, scholars, researchers, clergy, politicians, business executives, professionals, parents, and youth. The World Congress of Families maintains a network of leaders from more than 80 countries around the world who help inspire and coordinate the international pro-family movement. World Congress of Families is a project of the International Organization for the Family (IOF) which unites and equips leaders worldwide to promote the natural family. IOF has recently launched the Cape Town Declaration, where supporters of marriage and family are invited to stand up and sign this Universal Declaration for the Family and Marriage: opusf.co/2hwBhRg. More information is available at www.profam.org and www.worldcongress.org. The spectre of tax terrorism is haunting India Inc, again. The proposed changes in the procedural rules involving search and seizure operations by income tax (I-T) authorities has had the effect of setting a cat among pigeons, making India Inc jittery. According to the Finance Bill 2017, the government proposes to amend the I-T Act to give more powers to the assessing officer in cases of search and seizures. The tax officer is not required to give any reason to the taxpayer or the appellate authorities for which the search was undertaken. This has been done to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity of the search proceedings, coming into play with retrospective effect from April 1, 1962. This is exactly the opposite of minimum government and maximum governance and ease of doing business promised by the Modi government in 2014, said a top tax lawyer with a Big Four audit firm. This will just increase litigation and harassment of businessmen in India. Its like a deja vu of Vodafone, he said, adding: Now it will be the call of a junior official to decide whether the shares bought and sold between two unlisted entities are overvalued or not. The inspector raj is back in India. To make things worse for businesses, there is a proposal to extend the scope of search and seizures operations beyond business establishment to charitable institutions. Earlier, the power to call for search and seizures was with a principal commissioner. What the Finance Bill, 2017 has done is to delegate this power to the assessing officer, who is three to four levels down the hierarchy. Also, if disputed assets worth ~50 lakh are found in a search, the tax authorities could now open up for assessments going back 10 years. This was earlier restricted to six previous years. Another proposed amendment in the I-T Act allows the assessing officer to provisionally attach any property belonging to the assesse for six months, albeit with prior approval of senior officers. The tax authorities can now avail the services of a valuation officer to determine the fair market value of a property or shares The amendments effectively provide the tax authorities with sweeping powers to provisionally attach, and thereby debar a taxpayer from disposing off any investment or immovable property that he owns, said Rakesh Nangia, managing partner, Nangia & Co. Tax experts note that these are fairly extensive powers and have the potential of being abused. While this has been done with the intent to give more flexibility to the tax authorities in investigation cases, some checks and balances are required, said Shefali Goradia, partner, BMR & Associates. Both tax experts and tax payers are wary of the additional powers to the assessing officer. Sweeping powers have been given to the assessing officer. This needs to be balanced, says Dinesh Kanabar, chief executive officer, Dhruva Advisors. Tax lawyers point out that the powers of tax officers in search and seizure cases are generally highly discretionary. Now with proposed attachment of assets we can expect wider authority, said Riaz Thingna, director, Grant Thornton Advisory. Tax lawyers say there have been legal dispute over the issue whether the tax payer and the appellate authorities have the right to call for the reasons why a search was undertaken. Judicial rulings have held that any reason to believe or reason to suspect needs to be shared with the taxpayer and appellate authorities. However based on such disclosure of reasons, in many dispute cases taxpayers have contested that the search itself was void. If a search is termed void, the outcome of the search also does not stand in the court of the law, noted a legal expert. The Finance Bill 2017 seeks to address the challenge that the taxpayers mount with regards to the reason to believe or the reason to suspect and mandates with retrospective effect that authorities cannot be made to disclose to any person, or any authority such reasons. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration clarifying that legal permanent residents, or green card holders, do not require a waiver to enter the United States. "They no longer need a waiver because if they are a legal permanent resident they won't need it anymore," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said at a news briefing. The restriction on green card holders was among the most confusing element in the executive order signed on Friday. Initially, administration officials said such permanent legal residents were barred from entry under the executive order, although they could apply for a waiver and be rescreened. After the ensuing outcry -- including legal challenges -- over legal residents being detained, the Homeland Security Department said on Sunday green card holders would be allowed on planes to the United States and would be assessed upon arrival. "We expect swift entry for these individuals," DHS said. Spicer said the White House counsel issued an update on Wednesday to clarify that those legal permanent residents no longer need a waiver. "Initially, as the program was lifting off, the idea was that they would go through be granted a waiver, of which everyone was," Spicer told the news briefing. "In the sake of efficiency, we have interpreted the guidance to all of these agencies ... that that does not apply, they no longer need a waiver." Our country has a flair for dramatics and that is made pretty evident when a serious-monotone budget speech is turned into a battlefield or an 'akhara'. Newspapers transformed the otherwise mundane-looking politicians to commandos, Sherlocks and Watsons, Dangal girls and what not. The Economic Times leads this club of creative newspapers with its surgical strike themed depiction of the PM and the FM duo. "No Fireworks, FM Shoots straight", reads the headline. The surgical-strike on Pakistan left a lasting impression on the nation and it was no surprise that it stealthily merged into the Budget Day. Jostling with the opposition, to present the bill, surely needed some commando-like training. The Times of India was quick to relate the PM's IQ with that of the iconic and witty detective Sherlock Holmes and the FM as his reliable and wise assistant, Dr. Watson. Investigating the "shady poll funding, illegal cash deals and economic fugitives" is a great task even for the likes of Sherlock Holmes. And when the criminal count is in thousands, we sure need the Sherlocked Modi to crack the case. Hindi paper Hindustan used the ever so popular Bollywood movie Dangal to compare the budget crisis to that of an 'akhara'(wrestling arena). Consumers will have to shell out 1-2 per cent more on mobile phones following the levy of a special additional duty (SAD) on circuit boards of mobile phones. The Union Budget for 2017-18 imposed a SAD levy of 2 per cent on populated printed circuit boards (PCBs) that is the heart of the smartphone and accounts for nearly half of the manufacturing cost of the phones. "This will lead to a potential one per cent increase in cost of mobile handsets. In the initial phase, the cost will be passed on to consumers as it is difficult to absorb this cost fully," Panasonic President and CEO (India and South Asia) Manish Sharma told PTI. Other handset makers, however, declined to comment on the impact on prices. "Due to increase in duty by additional 2 per cent, we estimate the price of mobile phones to go up to 1-2 per cent but it depends on OEMs to decide whether to pass it on to end consumers or not," Counterpoint Research Senior Analyst Tarun Pathak said. He added that handset companies may cut down on bills of other components to nullify the increasing cost as most of the mounted components for PCB are still imported. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget Speech said the focus is on creating an ecosystem to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing. Over 250 proposals envisaging investment of Rs 1.26 lakh crore for electronics manufacturing have been received in the last two years, he said. "A number of global leaders and mobile manufacturers have set up production facilities in India. I have therefore exponentially increased the allocation for incentive schemes like M-SIPS and EDF to Rs 745 crore in 2017-18. This is an all-time high," he added. The industry is of the view that the Budget will push handsets makers to move from local assembly to actual manufacturing. Indian Cellular Association National President Pankaj Mohindroo said phased manufacturing is at the heart of development of mobile ecosystem to achieve target of 500 million handset production by 2019 and export target of 120 million mobile phones by 2019-20. "Though the Budget does not talk about it, we expect it to be taken up during debate," he added. Micromax co-founder Rajesh Agarwal said 'Make in India' is a great opportunity, given India has attracted huge investments in local manufacturing lately not only benefitting the economic growth but also creating increased employment. "At Micromax, we are committed to supporting the Make in India initiative and invest accordingly," he added. Just before some time from the elections in five states, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended his move in Budget 2017-18 over political funding. Jaitley said, "The cash limit of above Rs 2,000 for political funding is on recommendation of the Election Commission, which is a credible institution". Stressing the need for greater transparency in political funding, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the maximum amount of cash donation by an individual to a political party could be Rs 2,000 -- a sharp drop from the Rs 20,000 amount in cash earlier. Presenting the Union Budget for 2017-18, Jaitley said political parties can take donations from donors through cheque and digital payments. He also gave a stern warning and said, "If someone misuses the Rs 2,000 upper limit for political funding, then the act will have its consequences". FM @arunjaitley : If someone misuses the Rs 2000 upper limit for political funding, then it invites onerous consequences. Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 2, 2017 Commenting over the idea of Universal Basic Income, he said, "It's a wonderful idea. But first, Indian politics needs to reach at a mature level to implement it." FM @arunjaitley : Universal Basic Income is a wonderful idea if implemented, but Indian politics need to reach a mature level to do that. Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 2, 2017 The Finance Minister also appreciated the Chief Economic Advisor, Arvind Subramanian, for his UBI suggestion in the Economic Survey. FM @arunjaitley : Economic Survey is prepared by CEA & govt keeps an arm's length. CEA has lot of independence and he floats lot of ideas. Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 2, 2017 FM @arunjaitley : This year Chief Economic Adviser has given the idea of Universal Basic Income. It's a great idea if implemented. Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 2, 2017 He said,"To implement Universal Basic Income, Political Parties must appreciate that it's better alternative for poverty elimination". FM @arunjaitley :Last Eco Survey shown that many subsidies are used by rich. So better to replace them with a better set of subsidies ie UBI Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 2, 2017 "We have mostly an unstructured and untargeted subsidy regime in India. Many subsidies like fertiliser are used more by the rich people. So it is better to select 30-35% most vulnerable persons and give a cheque in their hand to lift them out of poverty", the Finance Minister said. To ensure safety of women in the national Capital, the central government has increased the Nirbhaya Fund by almost 90 per cent in the Union Budget 2017-2018. In 2016-17, the Delhi Police got Rs 3.4 crore in the Nirbhaya Fund, but the allocation has been increased to Rs 28.9 crore. The Nirbhaya Fund was set up in 2013 in the aftermath of the December 16 Delhi gang-rape. This year, Delhi Police were allocated Rs 6,378.18 crore that was earlier Rs 5,913.74 crore. The Budget allocation for Delhi Police includes Rs 5,910.28 crore for Delhi Police (maintaining and enforcing law and order in the city), Rs 439 crore for the police infrastructure (office building and residential building projects) and the remaining for the Nirbhaya Fund. The Centre has not changed the Budget allocation for the Delhi government and granted Rs 758 crore, while the share in central taxes and duties (that is Rs 325 crore) for the Capital remained unchanged despite AAP government's demand for a hike. Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi has been "deprived" of its due share in central taxes for 17th consecutive year. "We had requested the Government of India a number of times to enhance the allocation to at least Rs 5,000 crore as share in central taxes as against Rs 325 crore being released to NCT of Delhi," he said. The budget for NCT of Delhi has increased from Rs 8,739 crore in 2001-02 to Rs 46,600 crore in 2016-17, whereas the share in central taxes has remained frozen at Rs 325 crore since 2001-02. Also, government of India has not earmarked any fund to local bodies in the NCT. The normal central assistance to NCT of Delhi during 2017-18 has been proposed at Rs 412.99 crore which is at the same level of current year 2016-17. There is no increase in the Normal Central Assistance in the year 2017-18. World food prices rose to a near two-year high in January, driven by surges in sugar quotations and export prices for cereals and vegetable oils, the United Nations food agency said on Thursday. The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) food price index, which measures monthly changes for a basket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy products, meat and sugar, averaged 173.8 points in January, versus a revised 170.2 in December. The 2.1% monthly rise pushed food prices on international markets to their highest since February 2015, and 16.4% above their levels in January last year. Global cereals output is now expected to reach 2.592 billion tonnes in the 2016-17 season, confirming prospects of a record harvest, FAO said. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan has today appeared before the Finance Committee on EU State Aid Investigations into the Apple Tax Ruling. The Finance Minister has told the Committee that he has requested an extension to the deadline for recovering the 13 billion following the state aid ruling on Apple. That deadline passed at the end of January. During the hearing, Noonan defended the Government's decision to appeal the Apple ruling, insisting there was no breach of state aid rules. He argued that the initial four month deadline imposed did not recognise the magnitude of the recovery of the case. He stressed that the European Commission's ruling was very damaging for Ireland's reputation. "I don't like what the Commission did. I think you can gather that," Mr Noonan said. "This affects how Ireland could be treated by other jurisdictions, damages Ireland's credibility in the international tax debate and inhibits Ireland in pressing arguments that serve our national interest," he added. Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Alisa Hardy with her four children, Stephanie (15), Shaun (12), Quincy (5), and Kaydee (4 months). The family's Preston home was destroyed in a fire on Jan. 30. Hardy's brother, Anthony Hardy, established the account to help with resulting expenses. In the early morning hours of Jan. 30, Quinn Atkinson, Alisa Hardy and their four children lost everything when a fire destroyed their Preston, Idaho home. Atkinson and three of the children were treated at the Franklin County Medical Center for smoke inhalation and burns, while Hardy and her baby, four-month-old KayDee, were transferred to the University of Utah Burn Center in Salt Lake City. Alisa had the most smoke inhalation, said her cousin, Carol Ann Fitzgerald. The baby was burned on her hands and the tips of her ears, and Alisa had burns on her feet and her arms. She was covering the baby. Each member of the family has since been discharged from the hospital, and they are being temporarily housed with Hardys father, Dale Hardy, in Preston until they can rent a new home. With all of their personal belongings and both of their pets having been lost in the fire, the family will face challenges as they reestablish a household. As I walk through my own house, said Fitzgerald, I just keep thinking, They dont have this, they dont have that, they dont have anything. A lot of big thingsbeds, furniture and clothingare already being donated to help them, but its going to be the smaller stuff you dont think of that will be hard to replace. They dont have what they need for a kitchendishes, pots and pans, silverware. They will need new toys for the kids. Sleeping bags, snow toys, food storage. Theyve lost all of those things. Fitzgerald hasnt spoken with her cousin since the fire. She wants to give them space. She has, however, jumped in to help collect donations for the family. From Preston to as far away as Florida, Fitzgerald said, people have opened their hearts to provide support. Fitzgerald has been accepting donations at her business, It Fitz, in Franklin, and she has eight tables filled with everything from clothing and diapers to stuffed animals and car seats. To me, its been amazing to see what a flood of generosity were experiencing, she said. People have come in droves with piles and pile to share, and these are strangers. Peoples hearts are big. Hardys brother, Anthony Hardy, has established a GoFundMe account to help his sister and has likewise been involved in collecting donations. He considers it a miracle that Atkinson, Alisa Hardy and their children didnt sustain more serious injuries given the intensity of the fire. Apparently, the fire engulfed the entire house in about ten minutes, he said. We went and looked at it last night, and you cant even see the roof or anything. Its just completely gone. As he considers how much worse the outcome could have been, Anthony Hardy is grateful that his sisters older children have been able to return to school, the baby seems to be recovering quickly and the community has rallied around them all. Honestly, he said, if I could just say like a big thank you to everybody. It has been just a huge blessing of how many people have reached out. With volunteers collecting household items on the familys behalf, Hardy said, his sister and Atkinson can focus on getting new birth certificates, social security cards and IDs. These are things you dont think about, said Hardy. Its made it good for them because they can hopefully focus on that, and everybody else is kind of handling the other stuff for them. To further assist with helping the family rebuild, Bishop Zan Nash of the Preston 6th LDS Ward is collecting additional donations. He may be reached at (208) 851-0510.
jennifer@cvradio.com Azusa Again on Azusa Street Contact: Fred Berry, LOS ANGELES, Feb. 2, 2017 / Azusafest is a gospel music celebration commemorating the Azusa Street Revival. The festival will take place on April 7, 8 & 9 at Japanese American Community Cultural Center, 244 South San Pedro Street downtown Los Angeles, California. The Azusafest 2017 theme is "Unity in the Body of Christ" according to Gal 3:28. We will celebrate the 111th year since the Azusa Street Revival. Azusafest will be three days of remembering the history and heritage of Pastor William Seymour and his legacy of unity, love and equality. Confirmed speakers are Pastor Geraldo Denardi from Sao Paulo,Brazil; Pastor Bonnie Chavda from Charlotte, NC and Rabbi Jason Sobel from Los Angeles, California. Azusafest starts Friday, evening on April 7 with an international reception and Gospel music celebration. International guests expected from Brazil, Ghana, India, Ukraine, France, Algeria and Congo. Each night's service will feature a night of prophetic release and anointing. Saturday morning April 8 will convene a private round table breakfast discussion session. Apostles, Prophets, Pastoral leaders along with business leaders will dialogue about our movement of Unity. Urban, suburban and international church leaders are invited to help us re-brand the Azusa Street Movement around our central theme "Unity in the body of Christ" according to Gal 3:28. Saturday Night will include a message of Unity from Pastor Bonnie Chavda. Anointing service and prophetic release from the Azusa Street Apostolic network (ASAN) and Christian International Apostolic Network (CIAN) which was founded by Apostle Bill Hamon. There is an expectation of the fulfillment of William J. Seymour's prophesy of a greater revival spreading all over the world. Sunday morning, April 9 will feature Native American tribal leaders and worship called "Wake up Azusa Street" featuring protocol gift giving to native leaders in honor of the original history of "Azusa" and Comma lee. Sunday service will be under a tent on the foot print of the old Azusa Street Mission and will feature Rabbi Jason Sobel giving the Palm Sunday message to the city. Public communion service will be given as a Palm Sunday witness to the community. Fred and Wilma Berry carry on the history of Azusa Street as international representatives through the Azusa Street Mission and Historical Society. The organization's mission is to carry the flame of Azusa Street to the next generation throughout the nations of the world. ASMHS founded in 2006 main purpose is to educate the public about the historical significance of the Azusa Street Revival and the global Pentecostal Movement's impact on society. Contact info for ASMHS at 323-692-7268 or on the web at Share Tweet Contact: Fred Berry, Azusa Street Mission , 323-692-7268LOS ANGELES, Feb. 2, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Thousands will gather for Azusafest celebration on Azusa Street in downtown Los Angeles. The April 7, 8 & 9 celebration will feature gospel music, international speakers and a private round-table discussion.Azusafest is a gospel music celebration commemorating the Azusa Street Revival. The festival will take place on April 7, 8 & 9 at Japanese American Community Cultural Center, 244 South San Pedro Street downtown Los Angeles, California.The Azusafest 2017 theme is "Unity in the Body of Christ" according to Gal 3:28. We will celebrate the 111th year since the Azusa Street Revival. Azusafest will be three days of remembering the history and heritage of Pastor William Seymour and his legacy of unity, love and equality. Confirmed speakers are Pastor Geraldo Denardi from Sao Paulo,Brazil; Pastor Bonnie Chavda from Charlotte, NC and Rabbi Jason Sobel from Los Angeles, California.Azusafest starts Friday, evening on April 7 with an international reception and Gospel music celebration. International guests expected from Brazil, Ghana, India, Ukraine, France, Algeria and Congo. Each night's service will feature a night of prophetic release and anointing.Saturday morning April 8 will convene a private round table breakfast discussion session. Apostles, Prophets, Pastoral leaders along with business leaders will dialogue about our movement of Unity. Urban, suburban and international church leaders are invited to help us re-brand the Azusa Street Movement around our central theme "Unity in the body of Christ" according to Gal 3:28. Saturday Night will include a message of Unity from Pastor Bonnie Chavda. Anointing service and prophetic release from the Azusa Street Apostolic network (ASAN) and Christian International Apostolic Network (CIAN) which was founded by Apostle Bill Hamon. There is an expectation of the fulfillment of William J. Seymour's prophesy of a greater revival spreading all over the world.Sunday morning, April 9 will feature Native American tribal leaders and worship called "Wake up Azusa Street" featuring protocol gift giving to native leaders in honor of the original history of "Azusa" and Comma lee. Sunday service will be under a tent on the foot print of the old Azusa Street Mission and will feature Rabbi Jason Sobel giving the Palm Sunday message to the city. Public communion service will be given as a Palm Sunday witness to the community.Fred and Wilma Berry carry on the history of Azusa Street as international representatives through the Azusa Street Mission and Historical Society. The organization's mission is to carry the flame of Azusa Street to the next generation throughout the nations of the world.ASMHS founded in 2006 main purpose is to educate the public about the historical significance of the Azusa Street Revival and the global Pentecostal Movement's impact on society. Contact info for ASMHS at 323-692-7268 or on the web at azusastreetmission.org Using your noodle: the religion of Pastafarianism Published on February 2, 2017 Story by Raquel Lorenzo Translation by: Charlotte Walmsley en es pl fr it de Who doesnt like spaghetti? Very few people would turn down a hearty Bolognese, but how many would dare to wear a pasta strainer in public? Serge has no fears in this particular department. For him, pasta and beer are solutions to all of the worlds problems. On the other end of the telephone is a serene, warm voice, open to discussions about religion. However, today were talking one religion in particular. Serge Burgman is the leader of Belgian Pastafarian Church, one of the many thousands of congregations across the planet. Speaking to him is a revelation. "The world that we know today was not created by God, but rather the Flying Spaghetti Monster." Our conversation has just started, and its already very promising. According to the Bible, God took six days to create the world and rested on the seventh. Serges version is rather different: "the Great Monster, who had had a few too many beers, created the world in four days." Pastafarians believe that the Monsters drunken state explains the imperfections in our world: "These things happen. Its like when you go out for drinks and things get a bit out of hand. It happens to everyone!" This creationist theory, as strange as it may seem, is the foundation of a religion with a growing number of loyal followers around the world. Pastafarianism (the name comes from "pasta" and "Rastafarianism") has its own scriptures, customs and commandments, known as "the Eight Condiments." It all started in the USA 11 years ago. After facing a lot of pressure from various Christian fundamentalist groups, the Board of Education in Kansas decided to pass a surprising new law: biology classes in public schools were obligated to dedicate the same amount of class time to the theory of intelligent design as to Darwinian evolution. This caused a considerable backlash. It was then that Bobby Henderson, a physicist from Oregon, intervened, and in June 2005 wrote a letter criticising the decision to bring creationism into the classroom. Henderson viewed this approach as absurd and demanded that students would also have to study his own made-up theory: that the world was not created by God but by a giant flying bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. "Heaven is filled with beer and strippers" Like every other self-respecting religion, Pastafarianism has its very own paradise: "Our Heaven is full of beer volcanoes and strippers. Naturally, the gender of the strippers depends on the sexual orientation of each person." But what do you have to do to be deserving of entrance to Pastafarian heaven? "In principle, everyone deserves to go to Paradise. The only problem is that if you havent been a good Pastafarian, your beer will be watery and your strippers will not be especially attractive. That is the worst punishment that you could impose on a bad Pastafarian." So, is Pastafarianism a serious religion, or a parody that mocks other religions? Serge clarifies: "Officially, its totally serious. Unofficially, its a way of saying to believers that they can pray to whatever they want so long as they dont impose those beliefs in our schools." He also highlights that Pastafarians hope that they will one day have the same rights as other religions. For this reason, in prisons there have to be Pastafarians to officiate mass for inmates who belong to the religion. Currently, Pastafarianism has the legal status of a religion in the Netherlands, and in New Zealand the only country that officially recognises marital unions according to Pastafarian rites. In Poland, the debate over this status is still ongoing. In Belgium, however, it is still not considered an official religion. This year, Serge and his church organised a Pastafarian marriage ceremony in Uccle, a bourgeois neighbourhood in the Belgian capital. The marriage of Martine and Philippe followed Pastafarian tradition, apart from one tiny detail: at the moment of saying, "I do," both of them put a pasta strainer on their heads. Of course, the main dish could not have been anything other than a good bowl of spaghetti. Despite wanting the public to take them seriously and to stop seeing them as a bizarre religious cult, Serge recognises that humour is key to Pastafarian principles: "humour is a means for us to expand our ideas." Pirates and Pastafarians Pastafarians love pirates. One of the main symbols of Pastafarianism, aside from the Flying Spaghetti Monster, is a pirate fish. Serge explains how he and the rest of the Spaghetti followers love to dress up in pirate gear because for them, pirates are sacred beings. Where does this connection between Pastafarians and the famed criminals of the high seas come from? "According to scripture, pirates were the original Pastafarians, although we now have negative perceptions of them." He also adds that there is a link between global warming and pirates, given that they fight against natural disasters. "You know the problem with the ozone layer?" Serge asks. "We have discovered that since pirates disappeared, the hole keeps growing, so you could argue that Pastafarians and pirates have a big influence on climate change." The Eight Condiments Although Pastafarianism does not impose strict rules, believers can be guided by the Eight Condiments, a list of relatively coherent (and non-theist) things "that it would be preferable not to do." The sixth particularly stands out: "It would be preferable not to build multimillionaire churches, temples, mosques or shrines in my spaghetti honour when you could invest money in putting an end to poverty, curing diseases or lowering the cost of cable TV." While Pastafarianism was born of a personal vendetta against religious interference in schools, it has an ever-growing base of believers; thanks, above all, to social media. "Our religion is very current and its adaptable to young people. We use Facebook to share our ideas." Serge is proud of having more than 2,000 followers on his page, and its no wonder why. Who knows? Maybe one day, streets will be filled with people wearing pasta strainers on their heads. Until then, may the Flying Spaghetti Monster fill our days with carbonara sauce. Ramen. --- Voglio Vivere Cosi is a collection of 8 stories that describe unique and alternative lifestyles. A sneak peek into a closed world, one which could not be farther. 8 stories for 8 weeks, chosen by the Cafebabel editorial team. Story by Raquel Lorenzo Translated from Pastafarismo: vivir con un colador de pasta en la cabeza CAMEROUN :: Cameroon: The ongoing harsh crackdown on Anglophone protesters in Cameroon will produce but a bitter result Cameroonians from the North West and South West, commonly called Anglophones, have chosen to expose their ageing, stinking wounds to the public. Strikes, demonstrations, riots, cities shutdown and civil disobedience have been their main weapons. As response to their initial fair and peaceful claims, the government undertook a kind of dictatorship-dialogue and then, chose to do everything to silence them, having recourse to intimidations, killings, massive arrests, abusive detentions, etc. But it is counterproductive; it will solely beget bitter results. Nothing will stop the protesters. Theyll keep fighting till their ideas triumph. Those who are demonizing them are wrong. Theyre fighting a good fight. They may perhaps run away and hide from today storm and hide. But those who see it as a defeat are naive. They have not given up their claims and fight. Theyre not defeated. They back up to come back strongly. And at the same time, their claims and fight strike roots on the hearts of the young and the newborns as the harsh crackdown continues. These claims will never go away. The idea at the beginning was not, and is not even, the secession from Cameroon. The Anglophones felt frustrated, marginalized, belittled and were just asking for better conditions and not to be treated like second class citizens. Thats it. If the government could listen to them as do responsible leaders by bringing about accurate answers to peoples issues and griefs, the sporadic idea of seceding that has fallen on the wings of their initial claims would vanish. But we face leaders whose hearts and souls have been sold to the devil. Some black sheep and members of the government must stop saying, These two Anglophone regions will never secede. They must stop irritating the malcontents by saying, This country is indivisible. Anyway, it wont happen on our watch. No, do not throw gasoline on the fire. It wont help. This government is slow still to perceive that it is no longer possible to defeat the Anglophone protesters. Instead of slyness and violence, a responsible government in such critical situation must come up with new, satisfactory approaches to solving the issue. Unluckily, we know how this government operates; we know how stubborn its members are. All theyll do is to sidetracking the protesters and do things the same way theyve been doing, counting on the time and solving nothing. We have gangsters in power; theyre almost all traitors to the country. Members of this government will do what theyre asked to do. The dear foreign Master will dictate to them how to proceed and theyll do so. But it would not be for the nation betterment and peace. This has been our ordeals for almost seven decades. To think that these two regions of Cameroon will just give up the fight, to think that the crackdown on their leaders is the solution to the situation, to think that their claims will just die out this time, to think that harsh measures will get them blunted, is being very irresponsible and unwise. This so-called Anglophone issue is a large, sore wound on the nations body and requires the attention of all Cameroonian citizens. We should not expect any lasting solution from the corrupt lackeys in power. The great fight for true change and rise of new leaders in Cameroon must take place and stretch across all the ten regions. A better future for Cameroonian people relies on this fight against the puppets in power, and nothing else. It is the priority today. ETATS-UNIS :: Open letter to his Excellency Mr DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States of America Dear DONALD TRUMP. Your Excellency the President of the United States of America. I can not resist this morning writing to you so much your attitude sustains me and gives me sleepless nights. Your so-called anti-immigration decree is the beginning of a new murderous and hateful era in the world. It appears beyond the manifestations already very expressive here and there, to every human wherever it is in the world to rise against this autocratic drift, despotic very close to fascism and Nazism. You give the impression of being elected by the supporters of the Ku Klux Klan. The Ku Klux Klan, the white supremacist organization of the United States founded on December 24, 1865, is an organization advocating or lobbying the interests and prejudices of the traditionalist and xenophobic elements of certain white Protestants, the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP- Acronym in a play on words with the wasp in English) that claim to be an "ethnic-religious" community and support their claim of a "white supremacy" over a very particular interpretation of Genesis 9:27 "Bible belt") and on the racist doctrines of nineteenth-century anthropology. Poorly elected populist president DONAL TRUMP; Who can reasonably or rationally understand your approach? Do you think you are the providential man for the United States? In the name of what do you want to undo all that your predecessors have acquired for your country? Are you aware that the management of a nation, the richest and most powerful in the world, is not made as you do the reality that made you famous? You this rich, billionaire who claim to defend the American people are not aware of the harm you do them. You let your inculturation appear in the face of the world because you think that all Americans live only on American soil. Yet you have an obligation to protect Americans wherever they live. Your fascist policy will unfortunately put them in difficulty in other countries where they work freely. President TRUMP, your predecessor President Barak HUSSEIN OBAMA, in a rather non-tone address to Africa, said that Africa needs strong institutions and not strong men. He pointed to the concept of continuity of the State in a democratic spirit, prompting the African Heads of State to pass the hand, to promote alternation. Your attitude here sows doubt in the minds. You want to prove the opposite. You act as if to say before me the United States have known nothing but dummies. I am a strong president, a strong man. Our institutions are weak. I undo all that has been cleverly built before me. That is your message, Mr. Speaker. Is it wise to suggest that strong men exist above the institutions? Mr President TRUMP, can you change your mind and come back to reason? You are thus in the process of wanting to redo global geopolitics. You want to classify the vouchers according to their religious beliefs. You unwittingly knock over the dictatorships that many refugees are fleeing. By thus closing the doors of the United States to a part of the world, you reinforce dictatorships in these countries which will tell them you have no choice. Do you want millions of landladies hunted down in their homes to go straight into the seas and oceans? You will be responsible to history as was the infamous Hitler that you gradually replace with this great unacceptable gap. To American politicians on all sides, to American humanists, I say to continue the struggle. It is urgent to think of the degradation of this man. It is dangerous for humanity. Let us not allow a second Hitler to establish himself. It will be too late. We do not have the right to say if we knew. Randy Joe Sa'ah, BBC English Correspondent In Cameroon Archives The BBC English Correspondent in Cameroon, Randy Joe Saah has been released in Yaounde after his arrest at the Military Tribunal Wednesday January 1,2017 after he was caught conducting an interview. Randy Joe Saah was among other private Journalists who came to cover the trial of some leaders of the outlawed Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, CACSC, but was taken into custody while his gadgets underwent thorough check to make sure that no material was recorded and in case it would be deleted. The BBC correspondent was only released later on bail by another Journalist leaving many to cast doubts over a possible charge on him. A source revealed that Military Officials maintained that interviewing at the Tribunal was only reserved for State Media but the source said that was never made known to Journalists from private Media. Trial of Outlawed Consortium Leaders Adjourned Over 100 Lawyers including former Bar Presidents, Charles Tchoungang, Akere Muna, Monthe, Eta Bisong among others storm the Military tribunal in Yaounde Wednesday ready to defend their colleague, Barrister Nkongho Felix Balla and Clients Dr Fontem Neba, Mancho Bibixy but the court adjourned the case to February 13, 2017. However the accused did not appear at the court where even International advocates came to fight for their release. Cameroon Diaspora in England at British House of Commons Wilson MUSA Dozens of Cameroonians living in England, former Colonial master of now former Southern Cameroon stormed the British House of Commons Wednesday January 1, 2017 to fight for the Anglophone course. During the meeting at the British Parliament heavily attended, Professor Nelson Enonchong made a presentation on Cameroons Constitutional and Legal Background while Dr. Pr Priscilla Nkenti presented on the current unrest in Cameroon, the Immediate Cause and Consequences. In attendance was acting High Commissioner of Cameroon to the UK, Joel Herve Nguekam who presented a paper on measures taken by the government to resolve the problems. At the end of the meeting which lasted two hours 6-8pm British time, attendees went back home relieved having in mind that they will come another day. This meeting follows several others which have taken place in dozens of embassies in Spain, France, Germany and USA among others as Cameroonians in the Diaspora battle to help their brothers home who are now more or less helpless with limited freedom of speech and expression on the Anglophone problem. By Wilson MUSA Shops At Mile 17 Buea Ravaged By Flames Wilson MUSA Inhabitants of Buea Sub Division in the South West Region are still wondering what could have caused the fire outbreak Monday night which ravaged some shops whose owners are said to have opened on Ghost Town day. Contents of over half a dozen of Council shops at Mile 17,the main entrance into the town of Buea went into flames Monday night January 30,2017 and no one knows the origin. While the people of Buea say it must have been carried out by some disgruntled Cameroonians for the non respect of Ghost Town observed Monday and Tuesday, others say it might have been a plan put in place by Council authorities to have more reasons for sealing shops. Most of the shops visited by fire were opened on Monday when others were observing Ghost Town. According to shop owners they were afraid of threats from Mayor Patrick Ekema Esunge who had been parading in town sealing shops that were respecting the Ghost Town. Meantime one of the Taxis bought by the Mayor to frustrate Ghost Town has been set ablaze by an unknown man. The Passenger alighted from the taxi and set the back sit on fire before running away. By Wilson MUSA | BY Ricki Green | 303 MullenLowe has appointed one of Australias most experienced media and digital executives, Alice Manners, as managing partner, media based in Perth. Says Nick Cleaver, national CEO, 303 MullenLowe: We could not be happier that Alice has agreed to join our team. She brings with her a breadth and depth of media and interactive experience that strengthens our integrated offer significantly. Alices expertise will help fuel the growth of our hyper-bundled capabilities which have been central to the success and growth we have enjoyed. Media thinking is critical to the development of creative ideas and indispensable to the burgeoning business we have in the content and social media space. In her new role, Manners will collaborate closely with Andrew Livingston, who has joined the agency in Sydney as chief media officer. Says Cleaver: Alice is a proven leader who is focused on performance and will help us deliver greater efficiencies to our media clients. Her appointment is a coup for our agency, and together with Andrews appointment in Sydney, signals a real commitment to deepening our media, data and analytics offer. With over 20 years experience managing media operations on behalf of multinational clients, Manners held a number of regional Asia Pacific roles at WPP before returning to Australia in June 2013 as CEO, IAB Australia. At WPP, roles included chief operating officer of GroupM Interactive, Asia Pacific; managing director of mOne Asia Pacific, and ASEAN director of mDigital Asia Pacific (now MindShare Interaction). Says Al Taylor, group managing director, 303 MullenLowe: We are delighted to have Alice come on board and join the leadership team. Apart from her incredible credentials and what that brings to the business, we could tell from the first meet that she gets us and our culture and where we are heading. Its wonderful news for us and our clients. | BY Lynchy | Having promised to shake up the industry in Adelaide with the launch of Cummins&Partners, this goal has now gathered further momentum through the merger with leading local independent Hybrid. The creation of CumminsHybrid creates arguably Australias largest independent agency network across Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. The agency leverages off the Creative:Media fusion that Cummins&Partners have become synonymous with and consistently awarded for, whilst complimenting this with the innovation, digital and design strengths of the Hybrid team. Rob Porcaro (pictured above, third from left) will take on the managing director role of CumminsHybrid, with his long term partner, Craig Jackson (left) will take on the executive creative director role and Bronwen Gwynn-Jones (second from left) assumes the role of managing partner. When we launched Hybrid in Adelaide, we had grand ambitions that were based around our desire to be fiercely entrepreneurial with the freedom of an independent. Our vision included reimagining the agency model and we have had great success over that journey winning pitches, building brands, and launching our own products and brands via our IP commercialisation and start-up investment company Hybrid O2, says Porcaro. But we believe that the time is right to be even more ambitious in our thinking as we now have the foundations in place that can act as a springboard to even greater success. Discussions between the agencies accelerated during the last few months, as the opportunity to build a powerhouse agency that fused two capabilities together became clear. Says Cummins&Partners CEO, Chris Jeffares (far right): Cummins&Partners and Hybrid share a kindred spirit for entrepreneurship, as our growth highlights, and we see the combined breadth of services as a real benefit to clients. There is an ever-increasing need for these diversified capabilities and in Rob, Craig and Bronwen, we have great leaders and client partners. | BY Ricki Green | Googles brand value rose by 24% during 2016 (from US$88.2bn to US$109.4bn) whilst Apples declined from $145.9bn to $107.1bn, according to the latest Brand Finance Global 500 report. Google last occupied the position of the worlds most valuable brand in 2011. The company remains largely unchallenged in its core search business, the mainstay of its advertising income. Ad revenues were up 20% in 2016 as budgets are increasingly directed online and Google finds more innovative ways to monetise users. Says David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance: Apple has struggled to maintain its technological advantage, with new iterations of the iPhone delivering diminishing returns, while the Chinese market is now crowded with local competitors. Apple has been living on borrowed time for several years by exploiting its accumulated brand equity. This underlines one of the many benefits of a strong brand, but Apple has finally taken it too far. Every year, leading valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance values the brands of thousands of the worlds biggest companies. Brands are first evaluated to determine their power / strength (based on factors such as marketing investment, familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation). Brand strength is used to determine what proportion of a businesss revenue is contributed by the brand, which is projected into perpetuity to determine the brands value. The results of this analysis are ranked, with the worlds 500 most valuable brands featured in the Brand Finance Global 500. Top 10 1. Google 2. Apple 3. Amazon.com 4 AT&T 5. Microsoft 6. Samsung Group 7. Verizon 8. Walmart 9. Facebook 10. ICBC Lego has regained its status as the worlds most powerful brand. The building blocks for Legos brand strength have always been present but the release of the Lego Movie in 2014 provided the final push required to make Lego the worlds most powerful brand in 2015. The first sequel, the Lego Batman Movie will be released on February 9th. Its predicted impact has helped Lego regain its top position, lost to Disney in 2016. Further planned releases will continue to build the brand for years to come, while contributing significantly to Legos already vast licensing income. Says Haigh: Unvalued brands can lead to undervalued companies that are more vulnerable to takeover, struggle to secure adequate financing and miss market opportunities. Meanwhile a powerful brand can protect a companys value during turbulent market conditions, create new market opportunities and increase profit margins. All companies should therefore not just know the value of their brands, but also understand what drives that value and how it can be harnessed to benefit the business as a whole. You can find more detailed insights into brands from industries such as TMT, Oil & Gas, Tech, FMCG, Banking, Fashion, and Aviation in the Brand Finance Global 500 2017 Report, highlights include: Chinas bank brands are now worth more than those of the United States ICBC is the worlds most valuable banking brand AT&T has overtaken Verizon to become the worlds most valuable telecoms brand Emirates is no longer the most valuable airline brand, having been overtaken by American, United & Delta Coca-Cola, Pepsi, McDonalds, KFC & Subway all see brand values fall, undermined by healthy eating trends Nokias brand is back from the brink and back in the top 500, following takeover and rebrand of Alcatel and launch of the Nokia 6 phone | BY Ricki Green | A lot has happened in the last few months at Sling & Stone, and the PR, social and content agency has started 2017 with a bang with news that it has inked a partnership with Interpublic Group agency Golin. The partnership will give Sling Stones clients access to an international network and will provide Golin with additional capabilities for its global client looking for support in Australia. This affiliate agreement keeps Sling & Stone proudly independent, while giving it immediate global scale. Sling & Stone launched six years ago to do things differently, partnering with ambitious challengers, disrupters, and entrepreneurs, to help tell their story to the world. This partnership gives Sling & Stone the immediate scale to be able to help even more brands in markets where we dont have feet on the ground, and accelerate its already rapid growth. It also means Sling & Stone becomes an additional go-to resource in Australia and New Zealand that Golins global clients can work with. Golin has 1,500 people across 50 offices around the world, and Sling & Stone is already working together on a soon to be revealed project. Says Jonathan Hughes, CEO, Golin: We love the whole challenger brand focus, energy and mentality of Sling & Stone. Were constantly looking to challenge the status quo to bring fresh perspectives and work with awesome people to, ultimately, do outstanding work for our clients. If youve ever met Vuki and his team then youll instantly know what Im talking about. Says Vuki Vujasinovic, founder and CEO, Sling & Stone: As soon as we met the smart, fun and passionate folks at Golin, we knew it was a perfect fit. We have been pretty busy forging our own path, and truthfully, we werent actively on the lookout for any sort of partnership with a global agency. We had worked with some over the years, and never quite hit the right note. But it was different with Golin. It was clear that despite their size, we had a like-minded partner that works smart and punches above its weight. Although Golin has offices and teams all around the world, they still operate as an agile agency. We absolutely love working with them and were so excited to build a long-term relationship. Our agency brand is growing and evolving, aided by the work from design agency Universal Favourite. We love what they created for us, and were pretty chuffed that we now have a brand identity that we feel matches the quality and scale of the work we do. | BY Lynchy | AdFest has unveiled a brand new Lotus trophy design to commemorate the festivals 20th anniversary. Designed by DDB Philippines Jovert O. Bantilan (Art Director), Mark Ngo (Creative Director) and Jimmo Garcia (Executive Creative Director), the new trophy will feature prominently at AdFest 2017, which runs from 22nd to 25th March in Thailand. Jimmy Lam, President of AdFest said, To celebrate our 20th anniversary, AdFest invited designers from around the world to create a brand new Lotus trophy. From over 40 intriguing design submissions, one concept stood out for its simplicity, humility and symbolism and it was conceived by a team of talented creatives at DDB Philippines. Vinit Suraphongchai, Chairman of AdFest , says: Wed like to thank everyone who entered our trophy design competition. The committee was overwhelmed by the quality and originality of entries, and the winning trophy will play an important role in the festivals future. The trophys symbolism is ideal for AdFest Not only is the lotus our logo identity, but the lotus flower is so deeply rooted in this regions culture. Some of the regions most respected creative executives helped to choose the winning design. David Park, Founder of Maud in Sydney, says: Like the D&AD Pencil, the petal shape has a wonderfully singular and inclusive spirit that captures the importance of a Lotus win at all levels. Its extremely unique in the way it tells our story, and I love the collectable desire it invokes to complete the entire flower. The other thing I love about this design is its humility. Yoshihiro Yagi, Creative Director at Dentsu Inc. in Tokyo, says: This is a simple and functional idea that represents the blooming creativity of Asia. Hozefa Alibhai, Managing Director of 200 not out FILMS in Mumbai, gave the design full points for its unique and slick design the entire set of trophies together look stunning. Conceptually, Bantilan, Ngo and Garcia took inspiration from the lotus flower, which begins life as a humble seed but blossoms into something very special. Eight trophies form a full circle of petals, and the circles can be layered to create a complete flower. The lotus flower represents tenacity and resilience. Its story is the story of a creative person and every idea that starts out rough, but ends beautifully. Each idea is like a single petal beautiful on its own, but looks even better when put together with others. It speaks well of our motivation to keep on creating beautiful work, say the trio. Redesigning the iconic AdFest trophy was a formidable task because the trophy will represent ADFEST for a long time. To be able to contribute to AdFest means a lot, especially when the new trophy is a significant feature of the 20th year of AdFest . It humbles us, and the experience of designing the AdFest trophy is a reminder that all the hard work will pay off once you put your heart into it. Bantilan, Ngo and Garcia have also designed a new Lotus certificate, as well as a short film introducing the new Lotus trophy. Three presidents will come to Pennsylvania to clash on elections. Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 10:29AM By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla Toronto, ON - The electric vehicle revolution in Canada took a big step forward today as Samantha Mesrobian, one of the first Toronto customers, received the highly anticipated Bolt EV. Trading her Land Rover LR2 SUV for one of the first three Chevrolet Bolt EVs to be made available to Canada, Mesrobian cited a need to try something different "I drive five or six kilometers a day to the GO Train station, but my mother lives outside of Guelph and my son in in school in Ottawa," Mesrobian said when asked what her commute is like. She will install a fast charger at her house and he's already researched the charger options along her usual drives. With the Bolt EVs projected 383 KM range, she's confident that she will not suffer from range anxiety. Mesrobian decided to make the switch from her V6 SUV to a zero emissions electric vehicle last Fall. "I came home one day and said 'this is crazy, why am I driving this big car." "When i bought it, there was a reason for buying that car. I had two kids and needed the space. Now I only have a 10-year-old at home and don't need all that space. The timing is right from a lifestyle perspective and also in the sense that I want to do something different and change my behaviours." Video - Chevrolet Brand Manager Nicolas Longpre turns over the first Bolt EV. The Bolt EV is a game-changing, long-range electric vehicle, delivering 383 KM of range and breaking the affordability barrier with an industry redefining price point. To put it in perspective, other comparable EV models (BMW i3, Ford Focus Electric, Nissan Leaf) have ranges from 100 KM 135 KM. Bolt EV continues to win awards and accolades, including recently being name North American Car of the Year, Motor Trend Car of the Year, Green Car of the Year by Green Car journal and earning a spot on Car&Drivers 10 Best list. Check out our initial impressions of the 2017 Bolt EV based on our early test drive. According to Ms Williams, 1900 students are currently living on campus, making up 19 per cent of students studying at Bruce, and she expected the numbers to rise over the year with 2000 expected to be living there by the time semester starts. "I was introduced to the macgraw girls at Paris Fashion Week last year as part of the Australian Fashion Chamber's pop-up. They are the next generation of local designers who have a really unique take on fashion, which makes them perfect for David Jones here and in New Zealand," Collins told Fairfax Media. 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. In partnership with Illinois Institute of Technology's (IIT) Stuart School of Business, Chicago, USA, Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) has launched MBA in Technopreneurship. Speaking about the programme, Founder, Dean & Chairman of GLIM, Bala V Balachandran said in a release, "GLIM is the first B-School in India to have come up with an exclusive programme for Technopreneurship. With IoT and digital advancements in the entrepreneurship space today, programmes such as these will provide its students a global competitive edge." Yesterday, the Dean of both the institutes signed a formal MoU in Great Lakes' campus. Dr. Bala earlier had also announced the commencement of 5 year integrated program in Great Lakes International University (GLIU), located in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The programs at GLIU will begin from the month of August. As per the new programme launched, in addition to obtaining a Certification in Technopreneurship from Great Lakes Institute of Management, students can also enroll in IIT, Chicago, USA to obtain a full-fledged, AACSB accredited MBA degree in Technopreneurship for Senior Level Executives. The curriculum would be such that participants would spend 4 weekends (spread over Sept/ Oct/ Nov/ Dec) on campus in Chennai and 6-8 weeks (May-June) at IIT, Chicago and take classes, participate in several industrial visits and meet up with venture capitalists, serial entrepreneurs and start-up gurus to foster and exchange ideas. About GLIM According to GLIM official website, Great Lakes has received the prestigious AMBA (Association of MBAs), UK accreditation for its flagship one year fast track MBA program - PGPM and its two year executive MBA program - PGXPM. Great Lakes is the youngest and 7th institute in India to receive the AMBA, UK accreditation. AMBA accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement in postgraduate business education and is earned only by the best programs in the world. This accreditation is the global standard for all MBA, DBA and MBM programs. Les Roches Global Hospitality Education Opens Admissions for Bachelor Courses Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal... Alfa Romeo is said to be readying to unveil a Giulia Coupe model at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 on March 7. The model is tipped to revive the Sprint name and will directly target the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, BMW 4-Series Coupe and Audi A5 Coupe and act as the third model from Alfa Romeos fleet of vehicles based around its Giorgio platform. Australian publication Motoring claims to have received word about the Giulia Sprint during the local launch of the regular Giulia sedan. As with the sedan, the Giulia Sprint should be offered with the same array of engines. That will of course include the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine of the Giulia Quadrifoglio to rival the German trio of performance-oriented coupes. Things wont end here for the Giulia family. Further down the road, the Italian automaker is expected to release convertible and Sportwagon derivatives to offer customers no less than four body styles. Rendering via X-Tomi Design PHOTO GALLERY A massive -and obviously, illegal- street racing car meet in Greece quickly turned into a riot when police forces arrived at the scene. Bystanders started throwing rocks, set dumpsters on fire and there were even reports from local media talking about molotov cocktails being thrown at the riot police, resulting into two officers being injured. The riot police then responded with tear gas in order to disperse the crowd while they also arrested 30 people and charged them for disturbing the peace, arson, destroying public property and more. It all started when the illegal meeting was organized through a Facebook Group, gathering more than 2,000 spectators. The huge audience wasnt the only ones the meeting attracted though, as so was the police rather unsurprisingly we may add. The police established random checkpoints around the area and said that out of the 320 in total checks, they were able to certify 197 tickets, take away 47 driver licenses and strip the registration plates out of 26 vehicles. Clearly, the whole incident is one huge pile of mess mixed with sheer stupidity. Even if for a second we forget that street racing is not only illegal, but incredibly dangerous too, we simply cant understand why on earth these people protested instead of, I dont know, maybe just leaving the scene. Watch the videos linked below and have your say in the comments. VIDEOS There are lots of people who collect cars. Some amass more than others, but weve never seen anything quite this big. Its the Hackenberger collection, and its going up for auction all 700 cars, trucks, tractors, and motorcycles. The collection is the lifes work of Ron and Eunice Hackenberger based out Norwalk, Ohio about halfway between Cleveland and Toledo. Ron bought his first Studebaker at 15 years old with money borrowed from his grandpa, and set about a lifetime of expanding his collection after marrying Eunice. The rest, as they, is history. Hackenberger ran a trucking company before expanding into real estate, hospitality, and even cattle ranching, crisscrossing the country and picking up any and every type of unusual wheeled vehicle he came across along the way. Sometimes he would even take an empty car transporter out to the West Coast and bring it back packed with motorized oddities. At this point the collection has swelled to over 700 vehicles. Theres some 250 Studebakers, reflecting his lifelong passion, with the rest of the collection including everything from European micro cars to John Deere tractors. There are some 1940s motorcycles, a series of mid-60s muscle cars, and even some Checker limousines all in various conditions. Theres even a DeLorean, Bricklin, Porsche, a couple of Jaguars, some Citroens, and a Cadillac ambulance that looks straight out of Ghostbusters. Its all still being catalogued, but whats clear already is that the breadth and scope of it all is staggering. And its all going up for auction over the course of one long weekend. Apparently Ron had planned to restore it all, but having reached this late stage in his life, realized it was too much to undertake. Everything will be up for grabs, with no reserve prices on anything when VanDerBrink Auctions handles its liquidation this coming July 14-16. Check out some of the highlights in the gallery below, or visit the auctioneers website for more. Photo Gallery This mystery Humvee convoy was spotted in Kentucky down Interstate 65 through Louisville on Sunday morning, and no branch of the military has yet to claim it. According to the Courier-Journal, a spokesman for Ft Knox, Patrick Hodges, stated the convoy wasnt theirs, followed by Kentucky National Guard Major, Stephen Martin, doing the same. One idea is that the vehicles may have been military surplus, said a Defense Department spokesman, Maj Jamie Davis, who took a look at the footage before concluding that they probably dont belong to any service branch. Davis also stated that flying such a flag (it was the Trump Make America Great Again flag) on a military vehicle would violate certain regulations. That is not standard procedure, he said, before adding that it wouldnt have been legal to run a military convoy without unit markings on the trucks. Activist and retired Air Force veteran Chris Rowzee said: I cant even begin to describe how disturbed I am by this. To show a partisan political leaning on a military vehicle is very reminiscent of Nazi Germany. Its possible that those types of Humvees, with modified beds and desert tans, either are or had been at one point Army vehicles, at least thats what Tracey Metcalf, administrator for the Military Vehicle Preservation Association thinks. VIDEO BMW bluntly shot down any lingering hopes that the new 2017 5-Series Touring might come over to North America. We spoke to a BMW North America spokesman who told us that the wagon version of the G30 5er will not be sold here. The last time BMW offered a 5-Series Touring in the States was two generations back with the Chris Bangle-era and E60-based estate (codenamed E61) built from 2004 through 2009, despite the fact that arch-rival Mercedes-Benz continues to sell a Wagon version of the E-Class here, including the ludicrous E63 AMG that was revealed today. Dont fret though, as all is not lost for American consumers who fancy the practicality of a tailgate combined with the added space of a station wagon in the mid-size premium segment over taller but less enjoyable / capable in the handling department SUVs. Volvo just introduced the V90 (even if only via special order) and the jacked-up V90 Cross Country, while Jaguar has confirmed that it will bring the upcoming XF Sportbrake to the States, possibly towards the end of this year. Currently, your only choice for a BMW wagon in the States is the smaller 3-Series Touring, but that might not last for very long as the Germans have been rumored to axe the body style in North America with the next generation of the series due in 2019. Video Looking to prove the versatility of his zero-emission crossover, a Tesla Model X owner took it out of its comfort zone. Equipped with regular winter tires that wrap around a set of 19-inch rims, the vehicle was filmed traveling through grass, tackling small and mud-covered slopes, and having small branches touching its body from time to time. Despite its drag strip capabilities, the Tesla Model X turned out to feel right at home in the woods too, and since taking it off-road wasnt the owners main goal, the electric SUV had a small trailer strapped behind it, which was eventually packed with firewood. Given the European license plates that start with the letter A, theres a good chance that this video was shot somewhere in Austria. If the footage has convinced you to go ahead and purchase a Model X, but range is still a concern, dont worry about it, as Elon Musks small army has rolled out an improved model. Dubbed the 100D, its capable of traveling for 295 miles (474 km) between charges, and will do so while being capable of hitting 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 4.2 seconds. VIDEO Iger was named to Trumps Strategic and Policy Forum last December, along with other corporate chiefs including Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty. The participants of the group were already known, but the date for their first meeting was not public, until Uber CEO Travis Kalanick revealed the meeting in a press statement last weekend. Kalanicks statement brought public visibility to the forum, widespread condemnation for the participating CEOs, and even became something of a meme: ????? The @UBER CEO snitched on the whole squad! pic.twitter.com/LNSMAV9tQu Young Manchego (@Acquired_Taste) January 30, 2017 It also led to a series of strongly critical Cartoon Brew tweets over the weekend, followed by this post in which we questioned Igers decision to take part in the forum. Our coverage subsequently led to a Variety piece that quoted what wed written as well as other social media responses to our coverage. The corporate watchdog group called SumOfUs has also castigated Iger, among other business leaders, for being dangerously silent on Trumps immigration ban. In a petition, the group wrote: This is pure cowardice. We know that most chief executives of large corporations support immigration and almost all of them will have employees affected by the ban. But, swayed by Trumps new position and afraid to speak out publicly, corporate bosses are staying silent, and looking after their own interests and profits over the basic human rights of their employees, customers, and vulnerable refugees. And above that they are still contributing to Trumps violent agenda by validating him as advisors. There is no neutral. Either CEO advisors must speak out against the Trump Administrations travel ban and step off of his committee, or they are complicit in the violence his administration is creating. Iger, of course, has plenty of reasons to meet with Trump. Disney is big business; the company generated over $55 billion for fiscal 2016. For starters, he will want to temper Trumps saber rattling toward China where Disney has made a huge investment in the form of the $5.5 billion Shanghai Disney Resort. And Iger has publicly stated that hes hopeful Trump will change corporate tax laws, an area where some people argue that Disney has a point. However, theres a key difference between Disney and the other corporations participating in Trumps forum, and thats that Disney is a cultural brand. It stands not just for products, but ideas, and over the last decade, the company has made a concerted effort to show that its ideas are socially progressive. This forward-looking stance by Disney cannot be reconciled with an American president whose every word and action goes against the companys core values. Disney made Moana, whose co-director John Musker said, We met with anthropologists and archaeologists and linguists and cultural ambassadors. The challenge in our movie then was as we went forward, we kept those people involved, because we really wanted to be faithful to the culture. That cannot be reconciled with a president who has shown remarkable ignorance about other cultures and uses coded language to attack other peoples faiths. Disney is rewriting its princess playbook to emphasize the strength of its heroines. The new trailer for Disneys live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast even begins with the line, Belle, youre so ahead of your time. That cannot be reconciled with a president who has shown a complete lack of respect toward women and even bragged about sexually assaulting them. Disney made Zootopia, whose co-director Byron Howard has stated is about bias and discrimination. That cannot be reconciled with a president who for the past year-and-a-half has exploited race and ethnicity, and pitted Americans against each other. (No link necessary here; if youve been breathing for the last year-and-a-half, youve witnessed Trump do it daily.) In short, the cultural values of the Walt Disney Company are completely at odds with the actions and language of Trump. Giving Trump a photo opportunity with Disney CEO Bob Iger would hurt the positive global image of the Disney brand and have long-term repercussions for the company. Disney employs corporate lobbyists by the dozens (and probably hundreds), and those people will continue doing what they do, but Iger would be wise to reconsider aligning himself, and by extension the Disney brand, with the increasingly toxic presidency of Trump. Iger has made the right decision for now. (Bob Iger photo: Shutterstock/s_bukley) Photo: Contributed A big concrete pour took place this week in freezing temperatures on Richter Street. About 70 concrete trucks unloaded 700 cubic metres of concrete on Tuesday, enough to cover 19,000 square feet at Central Green. A team of mixers, pumpers, and concrete finishers apparently finished the job in six hours. Photo: Jon Manchester Castanet is pleased to announce the launch of Okanagan Edge! The new partner website springboards off Castanet's strength in local news with a focus on Okanagan business, people and community events. The OkanaganEdge.net will provide in-depth local business and community news to readers throughout the valley. Manning the keyboard at the site will be editor/reporter Trevor Nichols, an experienced online journalist around the Central Okanagan. He comes to us with eight years of experience, from Nova Scotia to Alberta and the Okanagan, and also spent time as a travel writer and blogger. Trevor graduated from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, with a degree in journalism. You can contact him at [email protected]. The site will include the latest business news and chatter from around the Okanagan, along with profiles, press releases, columns and sponsored content from our clients. Events like openings and expansions, corporate donations and fundraisers will also be featured. Beyond the Okanagan, we'll also include the top B.C. and national business stories. A highlight that's sure to become popular is He's/She's Got the Edge, a quick Q&A we invite you to participate in. From business leaders to baristas, entrepreneurs to investors, you'll see them all on the Edge. Photo: Contributed An American flag flying upside down in Kelowna has been returned to its upright position. Passersby noticed the flag, at the corner of Cooper and Enterprise roads, was flying upside down Wednesday morning. The flag is one of three flown by owners of the property. A Canadian and commemorative Canada 150 flag fly next to the American flag. Owners say the flags were replaced with new ones either late Friday or Monday. They say the flags were all raised correctly. They believe vandals may have rehung the American flag upside down. Flying the flag upside down is an officially recognized signal of distress. According to the flag code of the United States, "The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." It would seem someone in the community may believe the goings on in the United States of late constitute an extreme danger. Regarding City Council's vote to approve a tourist information centre on a prime waterfront location downtown. It is obvious this decision was made purely from a financial standpoint. I am assuming the tax revenue is the reason why this choice was made? Because there is no other reason for building this building in this location. No consideration was given to tourists or it wouldn't be built in an area which is hard to park in at the best of times. With fewer parking spots available in Kelowna it makes this even more difficult. If someone who is driving really wants to go to the proposed location they will likely find street parking or park in the parkade several blocks away and then walk to the centre. Not really helpful to tourists. We all know what it's like to park downtown during summer. Essentially you are counting on walk in traffic who more or less stumble on the location. But aside from that, most people under 50 are Internet savvy enough that they don't require a walk in location to get more information about a location. They will do their research online likely before they even get to the city. Anyone under 30 has probably never been in a tourist information centre, and of course those driving or pulling recreational vehicles can't get into that location, so what's the point? Why waste such a potentially beautiful area, that could tie 2 parks together nicely, with another building? If we must have a new tourist info centre may I suggest using the old McDonald's location on the highway (if there isn't already a plan for it)? It's relatively easy to get into from both sides of the highway, even for RVers. There is ample parking, and, let's face it, that area of town near the highway needs a face-lift. So rather than going against the plan of recovering waterfront for our citizens (remember the 2008 Citizen Survey? Where community access to waterfront park space is one of the top three things that make Kelowna a livable city?), why not put this info centre somewhere that has less of an impact, and easier to get to? Rob Sullivan In response to Ethan Shaw's letter about high energy costs. I see you have nailed it when it comes to how we the public are being raped in exchange for living comfortably. It's not right that the fees, taxes, made-up charges exceeds the cost of the commodity. We are driven to conserve by the rise in utility costs, which in turn results in lower revenues for utility companies, so they raise the rates. It's not fair. You are lucky if you heat your home with natural gas. I live in an area that does not have access to gas, therefore, we heat with electricity. Thanks to BCHydro, and their two tier billing, we can't afford to live comfortably. I asked Eric Foster why people that have no access to natural gas, have two tier billing. We should be exempt. His response implied that the utilities commission authorized this new billing so I guess they didn't do anything wrong. Mick Bell I started a small BC high-tech firm and was an integral part of its 30 year success. We were a non-union operation that paid livable wages and benefits to our 20-25 employees. We looked after our team and they, in turn, looked after us. It was a successful business model. A new business model has crept into Canada that demands people be paid poverty wages and treated as dispensable cost items. The owners of these companies claim they cant survive unless their employees live in poverty at the current minimum wage of $10.85/hr and usually less than 40 hours per week. Even raising the minimum wage to $15/hr falls short of the $18/hr stated minimum to stay above the poverty line in BC. The stated minimum for Vancouver is even higher than the Okanagan. I find it interesting that the employers pushing this poverty model are generally large multinationals and their franchisees in the food service and retail sectors. They have minimal ties to the community holding that as a threat to pull up stakes if they dont get their minimum wage way. Ultimately this poverty model is not sustainable. Already food bank lineups are lengthening with working families. BC continues to have one of the highest child poverty rates in Canada. How do children learn when their stomachs are empty? Numerous studies tell us that poorly educated children become a burden to society while well educated ones become an asset. We do not have to perpetuate this situation. On May 9 there will be a provincial election. This is your opportunity to vote for the party that most strongly pushes for a $15/hr minimum wage. This is concrete action you can take to change regressive poverty models into sustainable, successful business models. Steve Burke Photo: CTV Drivers in Vancouver's West End will have to pay a lot more for parking. A proposed hike in parking permit fees would see the monthly rate jump from $6 to $30. That's down from the $50 initially suggested last summer. The five-fold increase would hike the annual cost of parking from $72 to $360 plus tax. City staff say the move will encourage people to park off-street and will reduce congestion. "On-street parking permits are currently much cheaper than off-street parking," a report to council reads. "As a result, many people currently choose to park in the street, even if they can park in their building. Some buildings have over 100 empty spaces." Existing permit holders will be able to renew at the current rate. The proposal also recommends increasing the amount of visitor parking. There are currently fewer than two spaces for every 100 households in the neighbourhood. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Madison Erhardt UPDATE: 8:20 p.m. It appears a crane had lowered a boat into the water this afternoon at the site of a fatal boat accident. Apparently, crews trying to get the sunken vessel out of the water were unsuccessful Wednesday. It's expected they'll try again Thursday. ORIGINAL: 3:35 p.m. The tugboat that sank in Okanagan Lake off Manhattan Point Monday evening has been brought back to the surface. The boat, owned by Tolko, was recovered shortly before 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. WorkSafe BC, the B.C. Coroners Service and RCMP are all conducting investigations into the sinking. Boat operator Ivor Lundin died in the incident. His body was recovered Tuesday. Photo: CTV A Metro Vancouver drug dealer has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for trafficking in deadly fentanyl. Walter James McCormick was sentenced Monday. The Crown had recommended a sentence of 18 years, focusing on B.C.'s opioid crisis and calling the 53-year-old a "high-level drug trafficker." McCormick pleaded guilty to trafficking and drug possession in 2016. He was one of 10 people arrested in a police sting that uncovered a large fentanyl distribution network. Police seized 27,000 fentanyl pills in the bust. They also took four kilograms of cocaine off the street, a kilogram of methamphetamine, other drugs, guns and money. A year later, while he was out on bail, he was busted again with another 1,000 fentanyl pills. In addition to the jail time, McCormick has a lifetime ban on firearms. with files from CTV Vancouver The disgusting embrace of witch-hunting McCarthyism by Liberals So-called liberals and progressives, who once derided those on the political right who accused their ideological forbearers of kowtowing to the Reds and Soviets during the era of Senator Joseph McCarthy, have dusted off McCarthys playbook and are using the very same tactics against Donald Trump and his supporters. The modern-day McCarthyites, mostly neo-conservative Republicans and Hillary Clinton Democrats, are hitting the airwaves, print media, and the Internet hard with accusations of Russian links by Trump and his advisers while haphazardly throwing around lists of alleged Russian agents. (Article by Wayne Madsen from Strategic-culture.org) There is very little difference between what McCarthy told the Ohio County Republican Womens Club in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1950: I have here in my hand a list of 205 that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department. In November 2016, a shadowy and anonymous group of self-described nonpartisan public policy wonks, computer scientists, and national security specialists calling themselves PropOrNot (Propaganda or Not) published a list of 200 websites cited as peddlers of Russian propaganda during the election season, with combined audiences of at least 15 million Americans. The Washington Post, Associated Press, and other corporate-controlled media outlets dutifully reported this diatribe as news. At least during the witch-hunting days of McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), those accused of being Communist agents knew who their accusers were and could face them down publicly. Rather than condemn the modern-day witch-hunting by faux liberals and progressives, the American media has provided the accusers with maximum support. When CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow called out McCarthy for his bullying tactics on nationwide television, he received support from Americas major newspapers: The conservative Washington Evening Star wrote: everyone resents and detests the bully boy tactics which Senator McCarthy so often employs. The New York World Telegram: [describing McCarthys tactics] Bamboozling, bludgeoning, distorting way. The New York Times: [Condemned] the unwarranted interference of a demagogue. Today, The New York Times has been leading the charge against Trump and his transition team, citing an unfounded U.S. Intelligence Community report calling out the news network RT and Sputnik News for interfering in the U.S. election by pushing fake news. The Times is engaged in a sort of demagoguery that Murrow, if he were alive today, would assuredly condemn. After exposing McCarthy before the nation as a dangerous demagogue, Murrow summed up his broadcast by issuing a stark warning the American public: We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The list of 200 pro-Russian websites produced by an anonymous entity and endorsed by the corporate media also crept into the U.S. intelligence report on alleged Russian hacking of Democratic National Committee computers and private email of Clinton campaign officials. The U.S. Intelligence Community, which is well-known for marketing false intelligence on the former USSR, North Vietnam, Saddam Husseins Iraq, Iran, Cuba, Muammar Qaddafis Libya, and Bashar al-Assads Syria, added its own opinionated chapeau on the intelligence reports screed about RT and Sputnik: the election interference was all personally directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin! Just as the Central Intelligence Agencys dirty hands were all over the Prop or Not list, as they were on McCarthys phony list of 205 State Department Red employees, they were also on the personal attack on Putin. Just as a number leading progressives were wedded to CIA propaganda efforts during the McCarthy era, they also surfaced to defend the CIAs Russia witch-hunt against Trump. Bill Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich was among the CIA sycophants. Acting like a left-wing version of old Joe McCarthy, Reich wrote on his blog: [A] CIA assessment found that Russian operatives covertly interfered in the election campaign in an attempt to ensure the Republican candidates victory. Several of Trumps key campaign aides have close ties to Putin including his former campaign manager, Paul Manafort. Trump has picked for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil, who is also close to Putin. After becoming CEO, Exxon bet billions on Russias vast oil resources through a partnership with Russian oil giant Rosneft, owned partly by the Kremlin. Putin himself attended the 2011 signing ceremony for the deal. Reichs list is no different than the one Joe McCarthy waved in his hand while speaking to the old GOP biddies in Wheeling in 1950. Reich, in one fell swoop, netted all of his perceived Russian agents-of-influence: Trump, Putin, Manafort, Tillerson, ExxonMobil, and Rosneft. Former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid added another name to the neo-McCarthyite list: Trump adviser Carter Page, who had, before the election, committed the egregious infraction of visiting Moscow. Two of Reids Senate Democratic colleagues, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, called for a full investigation of Trumps national security adviser-designate, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, during his time as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Blumenthal and Shaheen, mustering up their best signature Joe McCarthy tactics, all-but-accused Flynn of passing U.S. secrets to foreign actors. The senators did not limit their witch hunt to Flynns time leading DIA but widened it to include his entire Army career. Without a shred of evidence, Blumenthal and Shaheen charged that Flynn provided highly sensitive compartmented information and code word classified information about the Haqqani terrorist network to Pakistan. This was classic McCarthyism: toss out a charge without proof and await the damage to the political opposition. For the record, in 2010 Blumenthal lied about serving in the military in Vietnam. After receiving more than five draft deferments between 1965 and 1970, Blumenthal received a commission in the Marine Corps Reserve in Washington, DC, where he organized a Marine Toys for Tots campaign. Senator Shaheens husband, New Hampshire Lebanese-American Democratic political operative Bill Shaheen, may have more than passing acquaintances with Lebanese-American supporters of the Saudi-supported Future Movement party run by Prime Minister Saad Hariri. During the McCarthy era, several leading lights of the progressive literati and glitterati class condemned the witch-hunting tactics of the right wing. Playwright Arthur Miller brought to the stage The Crucible, a dramatic rendition of the 1692 Salem witchcraft trials in colonial Massachusetts. Millers intent was to show the American people that the anti-Communist hysteria of the late 1940s and early 1950s was no different than that displayed by the public during the Salem trials of the 17th century. The familiar Are you now or were you ever a Communist? refrain posed to Hollywood performers and directors by congressional committees was roundly condemned by such well-known actors as Humphrey Bogart, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Burt Lancaster, Danny Kaye, and Edward G. Robinson. It is beyond shameful that many of their not-as-talented Hollywood successors, individuals such as Rob Reiner, Jessica Chastain, Andy Richter, Whoopi Goldberg, and Albert Brooks, are now leading the neo-McCarthyite Russian agent charges against Trump and his incoming administration from the altar of Twitter. In her famous 1950 Declaration of Conscience speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Maine Republican Margaret Chase Smith hit out at the McCarthyites of her day. She said the scourge of McCarthyism spread like cancerous tentacles of know nothing, suspect everything attitudes. Today, it is not the right that is spreading its cancerous tentacles of suspicion, but the fake progressive left. Read more at: Strategic-culture.org Photo: Contributed The Penticton Yacht Club has stepped up and contributed $15,000 to the local fire department in their fundraising push for a new rescue boat. Yacht Club commodore Terry Olfert said one of their members is a past firefighter, and brought it to their attention when the RDOS turned down the department's funding request. Us as boaters, are going to benefit from having a rescue boat on the water, he said noting the idea was unanimously supported the approximately 50 people who attended the AGM in January. We are happy to support, and think it's a great thing for the community, we have lots of members from the RDOS, from Penticton Kaleden and the surrounding area, Olfert added. Other significant donations include $10,000 from the Lakeside Resort, $5,000 from Poplar Grove Winery and $1,500 from Greenwood Forest Products. UPDATED: 2:20 P.M. A truck seized by police Wednesday night contained materials and paraphernalia for illegal drug use and trafficking. RCMP swarmed the truck near Water Street and Leon Avenue in downtown Kelowna after receiving a call at 4:42 p.m. for a suspicious vehicle. Officers found a can of bear spray, a collapsible baton, suspected cocaine, several flaps of suspected methamphetamine and various items consistent with illegal drug use and trafficking. The black 2006 Ford F-150 is now being reported by police as stolen from the North Okangan area. A 26-year-old Prince George man was held in police custody and faces potential property and breach related charges. He also had several outstanding warrants for his arrest. The man appeared in court on Thursday. A 28-year-old North Okangan man, a 26-year-old Kelowna woman and a 20-year-old West Kelowna woman all face potential charges. They are expected to appear in court. The truck was reported stolen to RCMP on Jan. 25. ORIGINAL: 5:50 P.M. Kelowna RCMP swarmed a downtown Kelowna corner Wednesday evening and seized a stolen truck. Police received a call shortly after 5 p.m. about suspicious activity, possibly involving drugs, at Water Street and Leon Avenue. Officers ran the vehicle plates and realized the pickup was stolen from Salmon Arm earlier this week. There were five occupants in the vehicle who were arrested, and the truck is coming back stolen out of Salmon Arm," said Sgt. Greg Woodcox. Officers on scene said three males and two females were taken in to custody for stolen property. Some of the group were known to police "basically chronic drug users I deal with on a daily basis," said Woodcox. Charges have yet to be laid, and police said they will be interviewing the suspects. Photo: The Guardian It was my intent this week to cover the topic of employer-provided health benefits potentially being taxed by the Liberal government. This is by far the largest single issue that I have heard about from constituents since the beginning of this Parliament. That is not surprising given recent media reports that the Conference Board of Canada estimated a family earning $45,000 annually could end up paying an extra $1,167 a year in federal taxes. This study was based on a family from Ontario, however it is understandable why many Canadians are deeply concerned about the potential for such a substantial federally imposed taxation increase. This is a subject I will cover in greater detail in a future report. The subject that needs to be addressed this week is the senseless and brutal violence that took the lives of six Canadians at a Quebec City mosque. The intent of my report is more than to simply condemn this brutal and unacceptable violence that has no place in Canadian society. I would also like to pass on some troubling observations. If you followed the reporting of this incident closely, you will know that many credible news organizations reported unverified information that included details such as multiple suspects and, in some cases, names were even published prior to official information being released by the police. When a name is publicized by media that suggests it could be a more common name from a Muslim populated country, there is immediate speculation that the event may be some form of jihadi inspired terrorism. Had this tragedy been committed by a recently arrived refugee indeed very serious concerns would be raised about the integrity of our refugee vetting process and inevitably would also raises suspicions and weaken public trust at the thought other potential terrorists may have also slipped into Canada through the cracks. This can compromise, undermine and overlook that refugees come to Canada to escape these very things and is counterproductive to building the strong and diversified Canada that we all collectively celebrate on July 1. We now know, thanks to verified information from the police, that the only suspect involved in this disturbing indecent is a university student born and raised in Quebec. While I will credit news organizations like the CBC for quickly correcting the record, I would also like to point out considering our societal sensitivity to these tragedies it is critically important that we not rush to get out details that may be misleading or worse as we saw were completely incorrect. In other words, it`s important to take the time to wait for official police information and refrain from reporting unverified information that can lead to dangerous speculation. I would also like to take a moment to extend sincere condolences to the family and friends who have lost loved ones in this senseless tragedy. I know in all parts of Canada, there is collective grieving with many vigils to show unity against this brutal act of disturbing violence, terrorism and hate related crime. Our diversity in Canada is part of what makes us stronger as a nation. May we always live in a country where we stand united to defend those values. I can be reached at [email protected] or call 1-800-665-8711. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: CTV A high-risk offender who used to impersonate a peace officer and has a record of offences against boys is living in Surrey. B.C. Corrections issued a warning to the public on Wednesday and to let residents know the whereabouts of Jeffrey Goddard, 27. "Goddard has maintained a pattern of sexual offending against male youth and adults and communicating via computer to lure male and female youth, in both an opportunistic and predatory manner," the notification said. Authorities said Goddard has been convicted of impersonating a peace officer, breach of probation and breach of recognizance. Goddard has a criminal history of offences against minors including invitation to sexual touching and using a computer to lure a child under 16. He is described as five-foot-nine, 170 pounds, is Caucasian with brown hair and green eyes. Goddard will be subject to close monitoring and several conditions including a curfew of 9 p.m. He is also not permitted to communicate with anyone under the age of 18, is not allowed to use social media or visit parks, schools, daycares, pools, playgrounds, skating rinks, community centres or recreational centres. He cannot own any device that allows internet access, including a cellphone and cannot possess any weapons. He will be monitored by electronic supervision and authorities. - with files from CTV News. Photo: Contributed Esko Saarinen says he was freezing, shaking, bleeding and in shock. The forestry worker's left leg was crushed in a tree-felling accident on Haida Gwaii off British Columbia's north coast and he remembers co-workers covering him in blankets, telling him to hang on, help was coming. Saarinen said it took five hours via two separate boats and a bumpy ride on a mechanic's truck to get him to the nearest hospital at Queen Charlotte City, which would have taken 20 minutes in a helicopter. He then waited another six hours for an air ambulance flight to a hospital in Vancouver, where doctors amputated his left leg below the knee. Saarinen's case was among those highlighted Wednesday by the province's forest safety ombudsman, who said injured workers wait too long for air ambulances. The ombudsman's report titled "Will It Be There?" recommended the introduction of legislation to guarantee timely air ambulance responses to emergencies at rural work sites and communities. "I was cold. I was getting to the situation where I was going to pass out," Saarinen said in an interview on Wednesday. He said he still can't understand why an air ambulance never came to the work site. "Something has to change," said Saarinen. "We were falling trees in a remote location and they don't come and rescue me, but if you go out of bounds on a ski hill they go and rescue them right away." Ombudsman Roger Harris said Alaska and Washington have policies that ensure emergency officials can get the injured to a trauma centre within an hour. "If you break your leg in downtown Vancouver or you break your leg in Iskut, B.C. ... the distance to hospital, one's measured in minutes and the other's measured in hours," said Harris in an interview. The former Liberal member of the legislature said the slow response to Saarinen's logging accident was the catalyst for his report. "Once a review of it was done, the agencies involved said nothing was wrong here," he said. "This is how it works. Intuitively, we all go, there's something fundamentally wrong with this." B.C. Emergency Health Services said it was reviewing Harris's report. "No matter the location, air ambulances and paramedics are dispatched according to the care needs of each patient, and the level of urgency required," said executive vice-president Linda Lupini in a statement. "The forest industry presents inherent risks and in many cases it may not be safe, or practical, to send BCEHS paramedics and air ambulance pilots into these areas." Photo: The Canadian Press Among the medical diplomas, certificates and degrees on Dr. Perry Kendall's office wall is a framed copy of a newspaper with a headline that screams, "City Doctors Give Okay to Socialized Medicine." B.C.'s provincial health officer laughs at the mock front page of a Vancouver newspaper from 1951 that was given to him by his father-in-law, also a doctor. The page is forward looking, similar to Kendall's approach during a 45-year career in public health that started in free medical clinics in Toronto and Vancouver, and now sees him at the forefront of British Columbia's overdose crisis. The arrival of the powerful opioid fentanyl caused 914 overdose deaths in B.C. last year, almost 80 per cent higher than the 510 deaths recorded by the provincial coroner in 2015. The British-born Kendall said his family roots have helped him drive health policy changes that were sometimes controversial, but now are common practice. "My father was very socially conscious," said Kendall, who has been the provincial health officer since 1999. "He was a very ethical person. So was my mother." Banning smoking in work and public spaces, providing needle exchanges to prevent the spread of HIV and opening safe injection sites for illicit drug users have been championed by Kendall, who was city health officer in Toronto and Victoria before becoming B.C.'s provincial health officer. He recalls how former Vancouver mayors Philip Owen and Larry Campbell supported supervised injection sites in the Downtown Eastside, despite being at opposite ends of the political spectrum. "They saw it as a health problem and a way to stop people dying," he said. But of all the public health problems Kendall has dealt with such as HIV, AIDS, SARS and H1N1 nothing has been as devastating as the opioid crisis in B.C., he said. "In terms of morbidity and mortality, it's way above anything killing people in the time I've been in public health," he said. "The issue is, it's not something that by and large everybody thinks could happen to them, which is the difference between an infectious disease, something that terrifies us like Ebola or a pandemic." Kendall said fentanyl is killing people from all walks of life and he's pushing the province to adopt a European-style drug treatment program that includes providing medicinal heroin to patients. The European programs work, he said, with evidence of reduced overdose deaths and stable lives for drug users. Vancouver's Crosstown Clinic is the only facility in North America that offers medicinal heroin. Photo: Contributed UPDATE: 11 a.m. A person of interest is in police custody following a fatal stabbing on the Stanley Park seawall. Police say a 61-year-old man died from his wounds. The person of interest was brought in for questioning, and investigators are trying to determine if that person played a role in the death. The identity of the victim, a Vancouver resident, is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. ORIGINAL: 7 a.m. Vancouver has recorded its second homicide of 2017. Vancouver Police Const. Jason Doucette confirmed a man's body was found on the Stanley Park seawall late Wednesday. Doucette says the body was spotted just before 11 p.m., in an area between Second Beach and Third Beach, on the park's southwest side. Police did not identify the victim, indicate how he died or say if they have any suspects. The coroner had been called before dawn, and detectives from the Major Crime Section were also at the scene. The seawall between the two beaches remains closed. Photo: CTV Walter James McCormick, sentenced to 14 years in prison for possession and trafficking in drugs, is linked to the Okanagan. McCormick, 53, was born in Kelowna, and graduated from Springvalley back in 1983, when it was a secondary school. A former classmate said he was surprised McCormick chose this path in life. He described McCormick as "a nice guy in high school, who looked out for his friends." McCormick was handed the unusually heavy sentence because he was found to be dealing in fentanyl. He was one of 10 people in a police sting that uncovered a large fentanyl distribution network in the Lower Mainland. As churches in the City of Kelowna, we wish to express our deepest sadness and condolences to those grieving the loss of loved ones and community members in Quebec City. We stand with the Muslim community there and in our own city; in particular, the members of the Masjid As-Salaam in Kelowna. On behalf of Christians in our city, we grieve alongside you, over the needless loss of life, the injustice and acts of hatred that endanger the lives of our Canadian brothers and sisters. We speak for and uphold the laws of this land, that provide for the free and safe expression of faith, no matter what tradition, and grieve at this senseless loss of life. In the Holy Bible, in the book of Matthew it says, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. It is our desire to live in peace with members of the Muslim community, to celebrate the diversity in our great nation, and to express our utter sadness and dismay at this horrific act of hatred. May God Bless you in this time of pain and sorrow. The Churches of Kelowna (Undersigned) KEMA Kelowna Evangelical Ministerial Association Trinity Baptist Church Willow Park Church Metro Community Church Mission Creek Alliance Salvation Army Church SunRidge Church Kelowna Gospel Fellowship First Baptist Church Evangel Church Rutland United Church UCM University Christian Ministries Photo: The Canadian Press Kelowna churches are grieving alongside the Muslim community in the wake of last week's mosque massacre in Quebec City. As mourners gathered in Montreal Thursday for a funeral service for three of the six men shot to death, several Kelowna churches issued a group statement of support. The letter is headlined: In response to the brutal and horrific hate crime against Canadian Muslims and the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec. "As churches in the City of Kelowna, we wish to express our deepest sadness and condolences to those grieving the loss of loved ones and community members in Quebec City. We stand with the Muslim community there and in our own city; in particular, the members of the Masjid As-Salaam in Kelowna," the letter reads. "On behalf of Christians in our city, we grieve alongside you, over the needless loss of life, the injustice and acts of hatred that endanger the lives of our Canadian brothers and sisters." The letter is signed on behalf of a dozen churches. Those include: the Kelowna Evangelical Ministerial Association, Trinity Baptist Church, Willow Park Church, Metro Community Church, Mission Creek Alliance, Salvation Army Church, SunRidge Church, Kelowna Gospel Fellowship, First Baptist Church, Evangel Church, Rutland United Church, and University Christian Ministries. COLUMBUS In the Victorian era, women were discouraged from going to college. The stress of university life would destroy her reproductive organs, making her infertile and therefore jeopardizing mankind, said University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Joe Starita. These were theories that were being sent out by white, male doctors. White Americans didnt have much respect for Native Americans either. When they wanted their land, it was convenient to perceive them as savages, said Starita. Because its easier to kill savages than non-savages. When Starita learned about Susan La Flesche Picotte, who in 1889 became the first Native American doctor man or woman he felt compelled to share her story. Its important that we as Americans know about the heroes from different cultures, he said. She embraced every value that Americans hold dear." Starita will give a presentation on Picotte at 2 p.m. Feb. 12 at Columbus Public Library. Picotte was the daughter of Chief Joseph La Flesche, the last recognized chief of the Omaha tribe. She grew up on the Omaha reservation about 100 miles from Columbus. When Picotte was 14, her father sent her to boarding school on the East Coast. He advocated passionately that the only way his people could survive would be to assimilate and to absorb the best of white culture without losing their identity, Starita said. He drilled that philosophy into their heads. When Starita was researching Picotte for the biography, "A Warrior of the People," he found volumes of letters she wrote to her sisters that gave him a first-person account of her life as a young Native American woman in a white mans world. That was very fortunate for me because I could get inside her head, he said. She was extremely lonely and extremely homesick. But Picotte was driven by a traumatic experience she had as a child. She watched an elderly Indian woman suffer and die because the only doctor nearby, a white man, wouldn't come to treat her. Witnessing the cruel, agonizing death of an elderly Omaha woman, she vowed to do everything she could to become a doctor, said Starita. She also had the advantage of being raised in the Omaha culture, which viewed women very differently than white, Victorian culture. They had a great deal of respect and they had a great deal of status compared to white women, said Starita. The Omaha view of women, they were widely seen as co-equals in every decision that had to be made. Picotte had many of the same concerns as modern women whether they can have it all, a successful career and family. A group of influential women from the East Coast offered to pay for her medical school if she didnt marry until two years after completing her studies. They didnt want anything to interfere with her gift, with an incredible intelligence, to become the first Native doctor, said Starita. While on the East Coast, Picotte mastered the art of code-switching, changing her behavior to fit whichever cultural context she was in. She was at home easily flipping between summer pow-wows on the reservation and organizing poetry readings, said Starita. That was the genius of Susan she was able to thread this bicultural needle without losing her Native soul. Once she graduated from medical school, her benefactors tried to persuade her to stay on the East Coast. And Susan turned a deaf ear to all those overtures, said Starita. Because her goal had remained singularly focused to get on the next train back and serve her beloved Omaha people. Back on the Nebraska reservation, Picotte worked tirelessly. After she got married and had children, she dealt with another modern phenomenon balancing the demands of her profession with her family. Sometimes she would take her babies in a buffalo robe in her buggy as she made her rounds, said Starita. Starita believes if Picotte had lived in a large city, she would be more well-known. But since she chose to live on a remote reservation in Nebraska, she is often an obscure historical footnote. He hopes his biography of Picotte will give more people the opportunity to learn about, and from, her. Susan La Flesche Picotte understood that the purpose of life was not to avoid pain and suffering, because that was impossible, but that the purpose of life was to find a purpose and to find the courage to live out that purpose, he said. This is somebody Americans should know about. Photo: The Canadian Press Charges have now been laid against a 37-year-old Coquitlam man who was shot by Vancouver Police during a confrontation in December. Const. Jason Doucette says Christopher Boyda is charged with assault with a weapon and uttering threats. Boyda has been in hospital recovering from injuries suffered six weeks ago at the 29th Avenue SkyTrain station in east Vancouver. Doucette says Boyda was arrested as he was released from hospital and he remains in custody awaiting his next court appearance. Officers were called to the SkyTrain station during the morning rush on Dec. 19, following reports of a man threatening passengers with a machete. Police say the man refused orders to drop his weapon and the police-involved shooting occurred a short time later. Photo: The Canadian Press A brutal massacre at a Quebec City mosque has left Canada reeling in shock but also unified the country in solidarity with the Muslim community, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday at a funeral service for three of the six men killed in the attack. "It is with a heavy heart that we come together this afternoon to grieve the loss of these innocent lives. But as a community and as a country, together we will rise from this darkness stronger and more unified than ever before that is who we are," he told the solemn crowd. Abdelkrim Hassane, Khaled Belkacemi and Aboubaker Thabti were devoted fathers who worked hard to ensure their families had a bright future a dream Canadians across the country have known and shared for generations, Trudeau said. Several thousand mourners packed the floor and stands of the Maurice-Richard Arena to pay their respects to the three men, whose caskets were draped in wreaths and the flags of their homelands. Thabti, 44, was a pharmacist of Tunisian origin who had three children; Belkacemi, a 60-year-old father of two, was from Algeria and was a professor at Universite Laval; and Hassane, 41, was from Algeria. He was a father of three and worked in information technology for the provincial government. There will also be prayers at the service for the three other victims Azzeddine Soufiane, Mamadou Tanou Barry and Ibrahima Barry. All six were fathers, "like me, like us," Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard. "They were sons and brothers and uncles like me, like us. Friends, coworkers, like us. They were us. They were loved, appreciated, respected, and they always will be. We won't forget them." "I want to tell Muslim Quebecers: you're at home here, we are all Quebecers," he said to thunderous applause and cheers. Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre and Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume are also among those who spoke to the mourners. Another ceremony is expected in Quebec City on Friday. Photo: Getty Images Police say a U.S. resident who investigators traced from Colorado to Alaska to Montana to the Northwest Territories and then to Victoria has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Victoria police say David Stallcup had one of the most extensive collections of child pornography they had seen. Police say the child exploitation unit began investigating Stallcup, who was going under another name, in 2014. When they went into his home several months later, police say they found 139 hours of video and more than 27,000 images of child pornography. When an arrest warrant was issued in April 2015, police say they learned Stallcup was in an Oregon jail and determined that he had been evading police on outstanding charges across the United States for 14 years, creating different identities. He was extradited to Victoria last November and police say he pleaded guilty on Jan. 18 to the possession charge. Stallcup had been using an assumed name since 2001. Police say he obtained certification as a registered nurse in the Northwest Territories and had been working as a nurse in Victoria. They say Stallcup remains in custody awaiting sentencing. Photo: RCMP British Columbia's police watchdog has forwarded a report to Crown counsel for consideration of charges against an RCMP officer who was chasing a vehicle that hit a police cruiser, killing the officer inside. Thirty-two-year-old Sarah Beckett was killed in an intersection near Victoria last April. The Independent Investigations Office says it focused its investigation on the RCMP officer who first attempted to stop and pull over a vehicle. The office says it has forwarded its report to the Crown to consider that the officer pursuing the vehicle may have committed an offence. The unit does not make any recommendations whether charges should be approved. It says in a news release that the Criminal Justice Branch must be satisfied that an offence may have been committed and that it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Kenneth Fenton, the man accused of hitting Beckett's vehicle broadside, faces five charges, including impaired driving causing death and flight from police causing death. Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer Slack Alice's site now a parking lot The place where strippers once peeled off their clothes and locals bellied up to the bar has been gone for a year now. They may not have paved paradise, but they did put up a parking lot. Where Slack Alices Show Pub once stood, they now park cars. For now, at least, it appears the Penticton location will remain just that. I dont know what we are going to do yet. There is talk all the time, but nothing definite, said owner Tony Chan. It is free parking for right now. City officials said they have not been notified of any proposals for the site and there has been little movement there. The city has, however, recently contacted the owner that if he wants to continue using it as a lot, he needs to apply for the appropriate permit to use it as such, said Anthony Haddad, the city's director of development services. Flames ripped through Slack Alices, along with the Chinese Laundry restaurant and Bubblees Beer and Wine store on Feb. 5, 2012. The building was destroyed, and the cause of the fire was never determined. People who were employed at the businesses were left without work, and it left a hole on Front Street. A piece of Pentictons history was lost as well. The Valley Motor Inn, which housed Slack Alices, was first known as the BC Hotel. Built in 1905, it had a bordello on the top floor for the orchardists, ranch hands and miners who worked in the South Okanagan, according to local historians. In 1982, Slack Alices was opened by Gordon Bell of Alberta and thousands of exotic dancers performed there over the years. It is unlikely the site will return to what some might consider its former glory. There will probably not be another strip club. That time is past, said Chan. Many in the city agree. Now that it is gone no one has ever talked about one coming up again, said Councillor Helena Konanz. Maybe strip clubs are a thing of the past here. I dont hear people saying I really miss that club. Still it has to have affected people even if they are not talking about it. Even Councillor John Vassilaki, an outspoken advocate for improved nightlife in the city, agrees the time of strip clubs in Penticton appears to be over. I dont think anyone will build anything like that in Penticton, he said. The club business is not happening in the city, with all the young people, 25 to 40, gone to Alberta to find jobs. There should still be a nightlife, said the councillor and former restaurant owner, but more along the lines of restaurants, comedy clubs and wine bars. Right now you cant even get a cup of coffee in the downtown after 7 p.m., he said. Photo: Contributed Slack Alice's goes up in flames Other business people in the area said they were happy Slack Alices is no more. Many said they would like to see a big restaurant or something similar to what you find in Vancouvers Yaletown, retail shops with residential spaces above. Jeanette Beaven, co-owner of the Dragons Den in Penticton, said she misses the businesses that were there and feels bad for the people who lost their jobs. But in her eyes, strip bars are simply old-fashioned. They started as mens clubs to keep women out, and women now go wherever they want, she said. I have nothing against them, I just think they are passe." It used to be too, that we had more miners and loggers coming through. Now all the guys get jobs up north. Detention Center The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Wednesday was 82, with 56 from Platte County and 26 from out of county. Police Jan. 18 Time unavailable At 3010 23rd St., Daidrea Donelson, 44, Newman Grove, was cited for shoplifting. Jan. 20 9:27 p.m. At the intersection of 28th Avenue and 23rd Street, Ricardo De La Cruz, 32, Schuyler, was cited for failure to yield right of way and no proof of insurance. Jan. 28 12:55 a.m. At 14 Deer River Road, Michael Henggeler, 43, 14 Deer River Road, was cited for third-degree domestic assault. 1:30 a.m. At the intersection of Third Street and 12th Avenue, Jennifer Heesecker, 26, Humphrey, was cited for driving under the influence and refusal of a chemical test. Jan. 29 10:42 a.m. At the intersection of 13th Street and 26th Avenue, Dillon Martin, 23, 1972 24th Ave., was cited for a traffic signal violation and no proof of insurance. 7:14 p.m. At the intersection of 17th Street and 12th Avenue, Dillan Cortez-Hernandez, 19, ONeill, was jailed for driving under suspension. Jan. 30 4 p.m. At the intersection of 15th Street and 27th Avenue, traffic accident. An unknown driver struck a vehicle driven by Jocilynn Behlen, 17, 18713 355th St., and left the scene. 11:31 p.m. In the 1600 block of 23rd Avenue, Austin Divis, 19, 116 S. Roselane, was cited for speeding, 45 mph in a 35 mph zone. Sheriff Jan. 31 3:35 p.m. Traffic violation at mile marker 374 on U.S. Highway 30, Noel Diaz Mesa of Grand Island cited for speeding. 3:50 p.m. Traffic violation at mile marker 368 on Highway 30, Janelle Hopwood of Silver Creek cited for speeding. 5:04 p.m. Harassment at 3186 E. 25th St., Angel Sanchez of Columbus cited for third-degree assault. 8:17 p.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of Highway 30 and East 44th Avenue, Grant Willits of Iowa cited for an expired operators license. 8:57 p.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and 51st Avenue, Marisol Velez of Schuyler cited for speeding. 10:40 p.m. Wanted person at Dickie Doodles at the intersection of Highway 30 and East 29th Avenue, Jordon Cordero jailed on a Butler County warrant. Cordero was also cited for speeding and possession of drug paraphernalia. Fire Jan. 31 10:08 a.m. In the 3300 block of 53rd Avenue, medical. 11:22 a.m. Accident at the intersection of 14th Street and 33rd Avenue, one patient transported. 2:24 p.m. In the 800block of 33rd Avenue, medical. What a beautiful end of January and beginning of February. Its not very often that it gets up to 50 degrees on Jan. 30 in Nebraska. With only about six weeks before spring we are now counting down to warmer weather. A lot has been happening at the Columbus Art Gallery as we prepare for upcoming programs. Have you ever wanted to take an art lesson? We are making way to host art lessons for youth and adults. Our classroom has been cleared out and is now ready to start giving lessons. We will keep you posted for dates and opportunity to sign up. One special event that will be coming up Feb. 18 is The 4 Tribes of Nebraska. This will be presented by Steve Tamayo, a traditional Sicangu Lakota artist. Steve will give a presentation on native artifacts, including a demonstration by his grandsons of dance and song. I dont want to give it all away, but this is going to be an excellent arts and cultural presentation. Steve has worked with the Smithsonians National Museum of American Indians as well as traveled extensively to share his Native American story and artifacts. The program starts at 2 p.m. and seating is limited at the Columbus Arts Gallery, located in the lower level of the Columbus Public Library. This will be a great opportunity for all ages to come and see. On another note I am not sure how many people realize that we have a great little gift shop, where we sell everything from pottery, photography, cards, books and T-shirts. Stop in and check it out, we take checks, credit cards and cash. Our hours at the gallery are 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and every third Saturday, also from 1-5 p.m. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Sign up for our newsletter President Donald Trump is seeking to channel populist anger to stem immigration, but tech companies want him to know that hiring immigrants is necessary for the country's economy and boosts overall employment. Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet are said to be writing Trump a letter expressing their concern about the order on immigration he signed last Friday, and other changes to immigration policy he may plan. The letter, a draft of which has been published by a number of media outlets, including Recode.net, highlights the companies' dependence on immigrants for their success, and warns that the new policy could affect many visa holders already contributing to the U.S. economy. [ Further reading: Tech companies come out swinging against immigration ban ] Friday's executive order bars refugees from Syria, and temporarily suspends immigration from Syria and six other predominantly Moslem countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Amazon.com is one of the companies supporting a legal challenge to the executive order, which it says is disrupting its business and affecting employees. Apple may also consider taking legal action, CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday. The biological father of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was from Syria, and the company "would not exist without immigration, let alone thrive and innovate the way we do," Cook wrote in an email to employees earlier in the week. One area of immigration policy that Trump hasn't touched yet is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects some immigrant minors already in the country from deportation if they can get a high school diploma, among other criteria. Trump is known to be considering changes to DACA, but the draft letter attributed to the companies cautions: "Removing these protections by barring renewals would effectively end the program and eliminate the ability for these Dreamers to work and live without the fear of deportation." DACA is just one strand of the country's web of immigration rules, the draft said, offering to help the president refine it. "As you contemplate changes to the nations complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees, or DACA, we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values," the draft letter concludes. Representatives for Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the letter or confirmation of its content. Page Content A citizens' debate under the brand 'rEUnion: Reflecting on Europe' is taking place in Malta on 2 February. This is the first citizens' debate supported by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in Malta in the context of the new campaign - "Reflecting on Europe". Upon the initiative of Joseph Cordina (MT/PES), Mayor of Xaghra and Head of the Maltese delegation to the CoR, the event is organized by the Local Councils' Association in cooperation with the national office of the European Parliament. The event represents an opportunity to have an open and interactive debate with citizens on the future of the European project, its concrete achievements, and the challenges facing it today. The main objective is to listen to the citizens and report back to the EU institutions in Brussels in order to contribute to the ongoing reflection on the future of Europe. With the participation of the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Markku Markkula, the Mayor of Xaghra and Head of the Maltese delegation to the CoR, Joseph Cordina, the Parliamentary Secretary for EU funds and 2017 Presidency, Ian Borg MP, the Mayor of Zebbug, Sarah Agius, and the Member of the Parliament of Malta and Shadow Minister, Marthese Portelli it is intended that the event should result in an open and lively debate. ************************************ "Reflecting on Europe" is an initiative launched by the European Committee of the Regions to offer a space for citizens to present their ideas, thoughts and opinions on what the European Union should be. In this context, regional and local authorities are asked to engage in a dialogue with their citizens and to collect feedback on their concerns, thoughts and ideas about the future of the EU. The CoR takes the commitment to make citizens' voices heard and to take into account their input in shaping the on-going political debate on the future of Europe. During the CoR's plenary debate on the "Reflection on the EU", on 11 October 2016, CoR members have been called upon to engage in going local and listening to their citizens, as the most credible elected politicians. The aim is to establish a dialogue with people in simple words, around joint values and with the possibility of bringing their concerns to the EU institutions. You have permission to edit this image. Edit Close Third times the charm? On Sept. 24, President Donald Trump announced new restrictions on visitors to the U.S. from certain countries to replace the controversial travel ban issued earlier in the year. Its the administrations third attempt to implement such a ban. Previous efforts have been met with legal challenges and protests. Under the updated ban, certain individuals from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela will be barred entry to the United States. The restrictions vary by country. While entry for anyone from North Korea or Syria is suspended, the Venezuelan ban applies only to certain government officials and their families. Exceptions to the ban may be granted to people from countries on the list who plan to study here, have family in the country, or have other connections to the U.S. Sudan, which was included in earlier bans, was removed in the latest order. The Supreme Court ruled Dec. 4 to allow the ban to take effect despite pushback, especially from communities with large populations of immigrants from the banned countries. Here are the 10 U.S. towns with the largest population of immigrants from travel ban countries, according to the Brookings Institution. The No. 1 city on the list has more than 150,000 immigrants from banned countries. Editors note: Iraqi and Sudanese immigrants have been subtracted from the Brookings Institutions original totals, as they are no longer covered by the travel ban. Data on the number of immigrants from Libya, North Korea, Chad, and Venezuela was not available. 10. San Diego Number of immigrants from banned countries: 14,300 Roughly 10,000 people from Iran and smaller numbers from Yemen, Somalia, and Syria live in San Diego. The initial bans impact was much greater. The California city is also home to nearly 25,000 Iraqi refugees, and local officials were among those who urged the president to revise the executive order to exempt Iraqis, particularly those who had aided U.S. military, from the ban. 9. Seattle Number of immigrants from banned countries: 14,400 More than half of Seattle immigrants from countries included in Trumps travel ban are from Somalia. Another 5,900 are from Iran, with fewer than 1,000 each from Yemen and Syria. Washingtons attorney general was the first to challenge the initial January ban in court, and the ban was halted by a Seattle judge a few days later. 8. Chicago Number of immigrants from banned countries: 14,700 Chicago is home to a diverse population of immigrants from banned countries, including 6,700 from Iran, 5,700 from Syria, and 1,400 from Yemen. Overall, 40% of refugees resettled in Illinois since 2007 came from one of the seven countries on the original travel ban list, the Chicago Tribune reported. And 500 refugees scheduled to relocate to Chicago were initially affected by the ban, according to ABC News. 7. San Jose, California Number of immigrants from banned countries: 14,900 San Jose has 14,900 immigrants from countries affected by the travel ban, including 14,200 from Iran and fewer than 500 each from Syria and Somalia. Santa Clara County, which includes San Jose, was among those joining a lawsuit challenging the legality of the executive order. Targeting individuals because of their religion and national origin is illegal and undermines the values of our nation and Santa Clara County, county counsel James Williams said in a statement. 6. Detroit Number of immigrants from banned countries: 17,200 Fifteen out of every 1,000 Detroit-area residents are originally from one of the seven countries named in Trumps January executive order, more than in any other U.S. city. Many live in the suburb of Hamtramck, Michigan, the first city in the country with a majority-Muslim city council. The city council condemned the executive order. The CEO of Ford, the largest employer in Detroit, also has spoken out against the travel ban. 5. San Francisco-Oakland Number of immigrants from banned countries: 20,200 The San Francisco area is home to 16,300 immigrants from Iran. There are also 3,000 Yemenis and 900 people from Syria living in the region. Many members of the Bay Area tech community were especially concerned about the initial ban because it affected some workers in the industry, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The internet industry is deeply concerned with the implications of President Trumps executive order limiting immigration and movement into the United States, said the Internet Association, a tech industry trade group whose members include Airbnb, Salesforce, and Twitter. Internet Association member companies along with companies in many other industries include legal immigrant employees who are covered by these recent executive orders and will not be able to return back to their jobs and families in the U.S. 4. Minneapolis-St. Paul Number of immigrants from banned countries: 21,500 Of the 21,500 immigrants in the Twin Cities from countries included in Trumps order, 19,900 are from Somalia. Many refugees from the war-torn country have resettled in Minneapolis and Saint Paul since the 1990s, and the cities have the largest Somali population in the U.S. One former Somali refugee living in Minneapolis, Ilhan Omar, recently became the first Somali-American elected to office in the U.S. 3. Washington, D.C. Number of immigrants from banned countries: 26,900 Iranians make up 21,500 of the 26,900 immigrants from banned countries in the Washington, D.C., area. Trumps original executive order affected many foreign students in D.C. Some experienced difficulty returning to the U.S. to complete their studies, while others were warned not to leave the country because there were concerns they might not be able to return if they did, NBC reported. 2. New York City Number of immigrants from banned countries: 44,000 New York City is home to one of the largest Yemeni immigrant communities in the United States, as well as to a large number of people from Iran and Syria. To protest the ban, some of New Yorks cab drivers went on temporary strike on Jan. 28. On Feb. 2, Yemeni bodega owners closed their doors to protest Trumps executive order. 1. Los Angeles Number of immigrants from banned countries: 151,500 Los Angeles has more residents from countries affected by the travel ban than any other U.S. city. The majority 136,000 are Iranian, but there also are close to 15,000 people from Syria. A Los Angeles judge was one of several who issued an order temporarily blocking the enforcement of the executive order. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! More from The Cheat Sheet: Upscale coffee shop Bow Truss will no longer operate the Mariano Park concessions kiosk in the Gold Coast, after the Chicago Park District said it has dissolved its permit agreement. The park district dissolved the agreement on Jan. 12, citing "failure to comply with payment commitments and operational concerns," Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner said in an email. The park district advertised a notice of availability for the space at Mariano Park on Thursday. Advertisement "Inviting interested, experienced firms or legal entities to submit their application for a concession opportunity at Mariano Park," the posting says. Bow Truss owner Phil Tadros said by text message Thursday the company is only keeping open its most profitable leases, but wouldn't say which locations met that criteria. Advertisement The coffee roaster has been embroiled in controversy recently, with local locations of Bow Truss closed as the business struggled to pay employees and rent. As of Wednesday, two of the stores had reopened. The Mariano Park location had been closed for the winter. In December, Marcus Lemonis , the Lake Forest-based host of CNBC's "The Profit" and CEO of Camping World said he had paid several million dollars to buy a majority stake in Bow Truss. But a month later, he said he no longer had any interest in partnering with Bow Truss owner Phil Tadros after developing concerns about both finances and transparency. Only about $100,000 had changed hands as of Jan. 12, Lemonis and Tadros said at the time. Tadros filed a lawsuit against Lemonis Wednesday, alleging breach of a letter of intent, fraud and other complaints. Bow Truss won the Mariano Park concession permit when the Park District's board of commissioners voted unanimously to approve it in November 2015, despite attempts by Gold Coast neighbors to save its popular tenant, Whispers Cafe. Bow Truss' permit to operate in Mariano Park was supposed to run for seven years with three one-year extension options, the Tribune reported at the time. mgraham@chicagotribune.com Twitter @megancgraham Comcast is bringing its cable service to Roku, putting its channels ona streaming device for the first time. (Handout) Comcast Corp. is making its Xfinity TV service available to subscribers with Roku Inc. set-top players via a new app, paving the way for customers of the nation's largest cable provider to watch live programming without the cost or hassle of a cable box. Roku is the first set-stop box to offer the Xfinity TV service, Comcast said in a statement Tuesday. During a test period, subscribers will have to hang on to their cable devices. When the app formally rolls out later this year, they'll be able sign up without renting a cable box. Advertisement Comcast's announcement sent shares of cable-box manufacturer Arris International PLC down as much as 9.3 percent to $26.05, their biggest intraday drop in almost a year. While Comcast expects the majority of its customers to opt for the typical setup, traditional pay-TV providers are trying to be more flexible about where and how people can watch TV given the popularity of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon and the boxes that offer them. Customers with Roku players will be able to watch live TV, browse on-demand libraries and record shows, just as they can with Comcast's boxes. Advertisement Those who use the Roku as their primary device instead of Comcast's X1 device will receive a $2.50 monthly credit, the company said. For now, the Xfinity app is only available within Comcast's current markets. The Roku deal raises the possibility the company will offer Xfinity nationwide, aping Dish Network Corp. and AT&T Inc.'s DirecTV. Dish and DirecTV, the nation's two satellite TV services, have created online TV services available to customers who don't want to subscribe to traditional pay TV. They are available to people with certain set-top boxes, as well as on mobile phones, web-enabled TVs and tablets. Comcast, based in Philadelphia, has added cable subscribers four of the past five quarters and finished 2016 with 22.5 million video subscribers. That's down from a peak of more than 24 million several years ago. In another move designed to keep people buying video service from the cable company, Comcast integrated Netflix into its cable box last year. The company announced plans to work with Roku last April. In September, the Federal Communications Commission called off a planned vote to give consumers cheaper alternatives to renting cable company equipment. Cigarettes are displayed behind the counter Feb. 1, 2017, at the Walgreens at State and Randolph streets in downtown Chicago. The drugstore chain continues to sell tobacco products, although competitor CVS Health has stopped. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) After decades of selling cigarettes and other tobacco-based products, the drugstore chain Walgreens Boots Alliance should screw up some corporate courage and finally kick the habit. Like beating any addiction, it won't be easy for the Deerfield-based chain to go cold turkey. After all, Walgreens has grown dependent on these lucrative products and justifies selling the stuff, which medical experts have linked to causing cancer, as being an homage to free enterprise and a mark of respect for "consumer choice." Advertisement But Walgreens is fooling itself if it thinks selling coffin nails and the like from behind the checkout counter is in the public interest. Moreover, hawking tobacco isn't even good business anymore, because it corrosively undermines Walgreens' avowed global mission to be a premier health care provider that cares, first and foremost, about the well-being of its many prescription and drugstore customers. Advertisement "Walgreens plays an integral role in the delivery system of health care, so it's deeply disappointing that it continues to sell tobacco products," says Joel Africk, president and CEO of the Respiratory Health Association in Chicago. Disenchantment with Walgreens' tobacco selling strategy has been burning for years. It is a recurring theme at the company's shareholder meetings, where activists have repeatedly pleaded with, or chided, top management to rethink the policy. As the Tribune reported, during last month's annual meeting comments urging the end of the practice dominated the Q&A session. The best response shareholder activists got from the brass (and which was reiterated in an email Walgreens sent to me) were bromides about taking the issue "seriously" and that the sale of tobacco products is something that's always up for reconsideration. Well, there's no time like the present to do the right thing. After all, it has been over 50 years since the debut of a U.S. Surgeon General's report linking smoking tobacco to ill health. The list has grown to include: lung cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other grave ailments. Moreover, damage isn't confined to whoever lights one up. Secondhand smoke can affect others, including children. With the exception of hardcore deniers, you're pressed to find those who don't believe there's a connection between smoking and a plethora of health hazards. Advertisement Walgreens' sheer size it has over 8,200 drugstores in the U.S. and will have more should it succeed in acquiring the competing Rite Aid chain only adds butane to the smoking crisis. A vast majority of smokers want to quit but being able to buy tobacco from the ubiquitous neighborhood drugstore makes stopping incredibly tough, contend Africk and other anti-smoking experts. That sort of gives another meaning to being "at the corner of happy and healthy," as the Walgreens ad slogan goes. So how can a company that promotes wellness checks, health care centers, flu and immunization shots and other preventive actions still market such deadly products? Naturally, it comes down to money. That's because buying tobacco, especially cigarettes, is an impulse buy on steroids, retail experts say. Advertisement On top of getting a pack of cigarettes, a customer will, at the same time, typically purchase two or three other items. Pick up a $14 pack of smokes and then throw in a six-pack of beer, food, gum or maybe a package of Tic Tac mints to sweeten up sour smoker's breath. Collectively, it adds up to billions in sales. In late 2014, Walgreens' nemesis, CVS Health, decided to stop selling tobacco products at its stores (the change coincided with a name switch from CVS Caremark to CVS Health). By its own admission, the ban initially hurt CVS' 2015 nonpharmacy sales to the tune of $2 billion, a fraction of its estimated $150 billion in revenue that year, but still a hit. Since then, the company's pharmacy and retail sales have rebounded. While it took a little time to regroup from that sudden sales shock, I'd argue that CVS' tough tobacco call will yield many long-term benefits with health care partners and customers because of the greater credibility it brings to its corporate brand and reputation. Advertisement Despite harping about giving its customers more choice, I get the impression that Walgreens knows it should stop selling this stuff but just isn't ready to go all the way. In some stores, the chain has reduced the visibility of cigarettes and tobacco while also turning over a smattering of former cigarette shelf space to smoking cessation products. These are, at best, half-measures. I understand that it's easy for me to tell Walgreens to drop a profitable business line, take the painful short-term hit and move on. But if Walgreens is determined to be a dominant global health care retailer, then its business model has to be strong enough to get beyond the uncomfortable withdrawal symptom brought on by losing tobacco-related sales. You know, breaking a bad habit is never easy. Advertisement But it's time for Walgreens to end its dependence on tobacco and cigarettes. roreed@chicagotribune.com Twitter @reedtribbiz The hashtag #reverseforkindness became a trending topic on Twitter on Thursday afternoon as Chicago advertising agency Leo Burnett made its website read from right to left mirroring the Arabic language as a way to take a subtle stand against the Trump administration's travel restrictions on seven Muslim-majority countries. Andrew Swinand also changed the main title on his LinkedIn profile to "human being" from chief executive of Leo Burnett in North America. The company's website also reads "BurnettLeo.com," with a video explaining that English is read from left to right and Arabic from right to left. Advertisement ".solidarity of gesture simple a with support our show Let's," the video also scrolled. "In the last few days, I have been reflecting on how to reaffirm my belief in the power of creativity to change human behavior and create good in the world," Swinand said in a LinkedIn posting. "With this thought in mind, we made a decision on Monday to perform an act across the Leo Burnett network in the U.S." Advertisement He said it started by updating employees' LinkedIn titles to "human being," and, on Thursday "extended to leoburnett.com with #reverseforkindness." Swinand, who is new in the job, couldn't be reached for immediate comment. "One of the great blessings I have received in my life has been the opportunity to work globally and travel to over 50 countries," he said in his LinkedIn posting. "In these travels, I was fortunate enough to work with and get to know a huge variety of people from a wide variety of backgrounds and countries." byerak@chicagotribune.com Twitter @beckyyerak Enfamil infant formulais produced by Glenview-based Mead Johnson. The company'sliquid baby formula is at the center of a whistleblower lawsuit filed by a former compliance director. (Mead Johnson) Mead Johnson Nutrition, the Glenview-based maker of Enfamil infant formula, might be acquired by the British firm Reckitt Benckiser for about $16.7 billion. Reckitt Benckiser issued a statement overnight saying it was in advanced negotiations to acquire Mead Johnson for $90 per share, which issued its own release confirming the discussions. Reckitt Benckiser's brands include Lysol disinfectant, Woolite detergent, French's mustard and Durex condoms. Advertisement That Mead Johnson is on the brink of a merger will come as no surprise to food industry analysts who have long pegged the global baby food-maker as a takeover target. But Reckitt Benckiser is a dark horse that few, if any, saw coming. In just the past few weeks, rumors surfaced of Nestle buying Mead Johnson, though some analysts considered companies like Danone and even Kraft Heinz to be possible suitors. Advertisement It's unclear what would become of the 170 or so workers at Mead Johnson's Glenview headquarters if the deal goes through. The company is still planning to move into its new headquarters next month in downtown Chicago's River Point skyscraper, where it will occupy three floors, spokesman Chris Perille said in an email. Perille said he couldn't comment on the impact to the workforce until a deal is finalized or discussions have been terminated. "Until then, it would just be speculation on a hypothetical situation, which would not be appropriate," Perille said. Mead Johnson is the third-largest supplier of baby food globally, behind Nestle and Danone, respectively, according to Euromonitor data. Pablo Zuanic, analyst with Susquehanna International Group, said in a research note Thursday that while he didn't see Reckitt Benckiser coming, the bid makes a lot of sense, as the British firm has recently tried to diversify its portfolio away from low-growth household cleaners. Under former CEO Bart Bech, the company expanded into over-the-counter drugs and condoms, and more recently under CEO Rakesh Kapoor, made acquisitions of vitamins and supplements brands, Zuanic noted. This acquisition would be the largest of the past 10 years for Reckitt Benckiser, and with both companies issuing statements on negotiations, "we think this is for the most part a done deal," Zuanic said. Since its 2009 initial public offering, Mead Johnson has been considered an attractive target for acquisition, mostly because it's a pure-play infant formula company with high profit margins that has a strong grip on a protected market in the U.S. and a growing presence in Asia. In the U.S., the competitive market for infant formula largely is determined by which companies secure state contracts with the Women, Infants and Children program, through which federal grants are awarded to states to provide nutritional assistance to low-income women and their children. Mead Johnson has that contract in Illinois and other states. Advertisement Last March, Danone was rumored to be in the hunt for Mead, but then its $12.5 billion acquisition of Colorado-based WhiteWave Foods, announced in July but pending regulatory approval, effectively scuttled such talk. Mead Johnson stock soared almost 24 percent in Thursday morning trading. The stock closed at $84.38 per share. gtrotter@chicagotribune.com Twitter @GregTrotterTrib A five-bedroom, 9,200-square-foot vintage brick mansion in the Lincoln Park neighborhood that was converted from an art workshop sold last month for $7.2 million. Built in 1901 as a horse barn, the 12-room building once housed the Lake View Dairy and later held a wholesale toy business. In 1960, sculptor John "Jack" Kearney bought the building and moved the Contemporary Art Workshop, which he had co-founded with other local artists, into it. Advertisement After the art workshop closed in 2009, real estate executive John Supera paid Kearney $2.2 million for the building and embarked on a major renovation, hiring Vinci Kamp architects to convert it into a single-family home. The renovation, which was featured in Architectural Digest, included giving the structure seven baths, a contemporary interior with mahogany-framed windows, heated terrazzo floors, a steel and glass staircase, built-in cabinets, a Bulthaup kitchen, two fireplaces and hardwood floors. The house, which extends to all four property lines of the 0.14-acre lot, is hidden by a period facade that masks its contemporary interior design, said listing agent Linda Levin of Jameson Sotheby's. Advertisement "It's unexpected and very discreet, and it's a magnificent property in a special location," Levin told Elite Street. "It was an extraordinary collaboration and production, and they did a magnificent job." Supera first listed the mansion in April 2015 for $9.25 million and later cut his asking price to $8.5 million. The Jan. 26 sale is the city's highest-priced sale thus far in 2017. Public records do not yet identify the buyer. Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 (VHT Studios) Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Billionaire Ken Griffin, Illinois richest man, paid $58.75 million in November for the top four floors in the Near North condominium building at 9 W. Walton St., known as No. 9 Walton. This photo shows a rendering of the lobby. (JDL Development / E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune (inset)) The deadline to sign up for this free community event that is open to all is Nov. 16. Kennebunk Post "We need to invest in our kids," said resident Brenda Robinson. "That's how we keep graffiti out of Waterhouse Center and mischief out of the downtown on Saturday night." Former Cubs star Kerry Wood's five-bedroom, Beaux-Arts-style North Side mansion is back on the market for $3.25 million. (VHT.com) Retired Chicago Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood and his wife, Sarah, on Wednesday placed their five-bedroom, Beaux-Arts-style North Side mansion back on the market for $3.25 million after taking it off the market in late 2015. The home is in the Ranch Triangle neighborhood, part of the Lincoln Park community area. Wood, 39, retired from the Cubs in 2012 after a 14-year career but has remained with his family in the Chicago area. He works as a special assistant to the Cubs' president and general manager. Advertisement Through a limited liability company, Wood and his wife in 2015 paid $4.2 million for a newly built, six-bedroom, 11,000-square-foot French Revival-style mansion in Winnetka. The couple listed their Ranch Triangle mansion in February 2015 for $3.595 million and later reduced it to $3.495 million, $3.395 million and $3.25 million before taking it off the market in late 2015. They then put it up for rent at $12,500 a month, although it's not clear if they found a tenant. Advertisement Now the couple have relisted the mansion for $3.25 million. That's less than the $3.3245 million that they paid for it in 2008. Built in 2005 by luxury homebuilder BGD&C, the mansion has six baths, a butler's pantry, a family room on the lower level, a craft room, an office and a rooftop terrace Listing agent Rachel Krueger declined to comment on the listing. Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 (VHT Studios) Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Billionaire Ken Griffin, Illinois richest man, paid $58.75 million in November for the top four floors in the Near North condominium building at 9 W. Walton St., known as No. 9 Walton. This photo shows a rendering of the lobby. (JDL Development / E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune (inset)) What it is: Allagash, the Portland, Maine, brewery that clued America into the genius of cloudy, spiced Belgian-style wheat beers with its namesake White, has released its first year-round, hop-forward beer: Hoppy Table Beer. A loosely defined Belgian style, table beer generally equates to easy-drinking and low-alcohol (as low as 1.5 percent), to be consumed with a meal without the distraction of a buzz. In the spirit of American craft beer, Allagash takes liberties with a European tradition, nudging up the alcohol content in Hoppy Table Beer to contemporary session IPA territory. And in a sense, that's what this beer is: a session Belgian-style IPA. Or, if you prefer, a Belgian pale ale. Advertisement In the bottle: Hoppy Table Beer boasts a wonderful nose of bright fruit and citrus (lime meets grapefruit) with vague notes of cotton candy and bubble gum (as a result of both being dry hopped and the earthy Belgian yeast within). Interestingly, the beer doesn't quite mimic those flavors on the palate a spry bitterness upfront tantalizes the taste buds, followed by lingering elements of grapefruit pith and stone fruit. Hoppy Table Beer features oats for a slightly creamier texture than expected, but retains a bright effervescence due to being bottle conditioned. A simple but elegant, versatile beer. Alcohol: 4.8 percent Advertisement Drink it with: Table beer is intended to pair with most foods, and so it is for Hoppy Table Beer. It would do well beside a robust salad, roast chicken or a hamburger most anything with a little heft, really. Find it: Hoppy Table Beer is available in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles ($9.99) at stores likely to carry Allagash White. It should be on draft at Au Cheval (800 W. Randolph St.) and Bar Deville (701 N. Damen Ave.) at least through the end of February. jbnoel@tribpub.com Twitter @joshbnoel Chicago is lousy with Mediterranean restaurants serving meat on pita. Though there obviously are exceptions, these places can usually be broken down into two kinds. The first is the corner Greek-American joint with the cone of compressed meat spinning lazily in the kitchen. Workers shave meat onto an oversize pita, flood it with white sauce and top it with tomatoes and sliced onion. Some places take the necessary time to ensure that the slivers are nicely seared and crisp (nice job, Big Boy Gyros and Beef & Burger!), while most rush the job and serve up limp gray strands of meat and call it a day. (You know who you are.) Advertisement The second is a stylish quick-service Mediterranean concept. In the Loop alone, a good dozen have different names but serve nearly the exact same menu some combination of falafel, shawarma and kebabs on pita. Though some are far better than others (thumbs up to Naf Naf Grill, Benjyehuda and Olive Mediterranean Grill), we are a bit saturated. So call me jaded when I first approached Dox Quality Greek in Wicker Park, which is both a neighborhood Greek joint (obviously) and a quick-service concept with pita. But when I walked in, the atmosphere was open and calming, with pristine white tile lining the walls. No preformed cone of meat was rotating. Then I looked at the menu and noticed grilled octopus. Advertisement Dox is run by the team behind Greek Kitchen, one of those Mediterranean concepts downtown, and, most important, chef Christos Fasseas, who was born and raised in Athens, Greece. That means the menu is full of dishes that you'd never find at your usual Greek-American joint, including octopus. Talking over the phone, he notes that "everyone serves octopus" in Greece, so it wasn't such a big deal to add it to the menu. He cooks it for five hours sous vide with orange peel and olive oil, then finishes it on the grill. As you can imagine, the grilled octopus is astonishingly tender, with a wonderful smoky aroma. It rests on a creamy puree of fava beans, which chef Fasseas insists be imported from Santorini, a tiny Greek island, because he likes the flavor better than domestic dried favas. This dish wouldn't be out of place at some trendy West Loop spot, yet you can pick up the offering for $8.50. Instead of a grilled lamb gyro, Dox offers luscious braised lamb ($8.50 for two) on pita. "Leg of lamb is classic in Greece," says chef Fasseas. "I wanted to get that flavor of rosemary, thyme, oregano and lemon." Unlike most meat-heavy gyros served in Chicago, the pita is topped with freshly made tzatziki studded with beets, cooling cucumber salsa and salty feta. Each bite is actually balanced. As satisfying as the lamb is, the charred veggies ($7 for two) might be even better. Featuring a mix of grilled zucchini and red pepper, each is topped with a bright and slightly sweet tomato jam, crunchy pistachios and mizithra cheese, a soft Greek-style cheese. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 Instead of flaming saganaki, Dox offers charred haloumi cheese, dressed with a bright and colorful cherry tomato-ouzo vinaigrette. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) Regardless of the filling, each is held on a fantastically soft pita, much smaller and thinner than you are probably used to. Employees call them taco-sized, which is just about right. "I wanted people to taste what's inside the pita, not just the bread," says chef Fasseas. Dox gets the pitas made especially for them by an undisclosed local company. Each order includes two fully stuffed pitas, which makes for a good lunch or a satisfying dinner if paired with a side. Those pita also make excellent vessels for Dox's collection of dips, including the smoked eggplant ($4.75) and actually spicy roasted red pepper and feta ($5). Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > Fasseas is adamant about cooking everything to order, which partly explains why it takes slightly longer to get the kebabs to your table than other items. "The kebabs take a little time, because I don't want to precook those," says Fasseas. "I'm trying to keep the flavors as fresh as possible." They are worth the wait. The juicy beef short ribs ($9.25) are wonderfully tender and heavily seasoned. They arrive atop a bed of fries with a side of tzatziki, pita and charred lemon. Dox's salad options leave the ubiquitous Greek-American salad, with its watery lettuce, far behind. The most similar option is the arugula salad ($8), a brimming bowl of bright green leaves with bright cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber and salty feta. Mixed in is tender farro. It's also a hefty portion big enough for a filling lunch. Advertisement Dox also skips the ubiquitous Greek Chicago staple of flaming saganaki, going with charred haloumi $6, which is a Mediterranean-style cheese. Instead of being doused with alcohol and set alight, it's dressed with a bright and colorful cherry tomato-ouzo vinaigrette. So sure, you'll miss the pyrotechnics and shouts of "Opa!" but that's a small price for something so visually stunning and delicious. Dox also offers either half ($12) or whole ($20) rotisserie chickens, which include pita bread. The birds are simply prepared, brined and delicately seasoned, and served with grilled lemon wedges. Since the restaurant uses high-quality birds from Slagel Family Farms, each bite is full-flavored and miles better than the greasy rotisserie birds from the local grocery store. Any new restaurant serving this quality food would be worth checking out. What's astonishing about all of these dishes is that besides the chicken, which feeds more than one person, each costs less than $10. If you feel you're in a rut with Greek food in Chicago, it won't cost much to break out. 1566 N. Damen Ave., 872-829-3166, www.doxchicago.com nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com Twitter @nickdk "In the week before their departure to Arrakis, when all the final scurrying about had reached a nearly unbearable frenzy, an old crone came to visit the mother of the boy, Paul." So began "Dune" - the novel that, in the half-century since its publication, has outsold all of the other science fiction books on the planet, The Washington Post reported in 2015. Not bad for story that is at once an eco-parable, a warning about the corruptibility of goodness and a revenge tale starring a boy who grows up to overthrow the galaxy by inspiring a horde of religious fanatics. A product of the '60s, "Dune" is also fantastically trippy. Its main characters, while addicted to mind-altering drugs, rode giant worms that they steered with meathooks. (The worms produced the psychedelics, called spice, through convolutions of biology unseen this side of exotic wasps.) Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Whether it deserves the comparisons or not, Frank Herbert's "Dune" has been likened to nearly every other genre epic you know and love. Sporting rival feudalistic families and plenty of backstabbing, it is the older, hippie cousin to "Game of Thrones." The "Star Wars" films so owed a debt to "Dune" that Herbert enlisted a few sci-fi colleagues to, in jest, create a fake organization named the "We're Too Big to Sue George Lucas Society." Author Arthur C. Clarke once declared, "I know nothing comparable to ('Dune') except 'Lord of the Rings.'" Advertisement As TV and film directors have heard the siren call of Westeros and Middle-earth, Herbert's ode to the desert planet Arrakis wormed its way through many a Hollywood ear. Several competent directors have tried - and failed - to translate "Dune" into a competent film. Now another, it seems, will get his shot. Writing on Twitter late Tuesday night, author Brian Herbert, son of the late Frank Herbert, announced that the novel had once again found a director to guide it to the silver screen. "It's official - Legendary Pictures has signed the very talented Denis Villeneuve to direct the exciting new DUNE series film project," Herbert wrote. Villeneuve, who previously helmed the thrillers "Prisoners" and "Sicario," has embarked on a sci-fi streak of sorts: He earned an Academy Award nomination for directing 2016's "Arrival," about a linguist who communicates with hyper-intelligent cephalopod aliens; his adaptation of "Dune" will come, if it does, after he completes the sequel to Ridley Scott's android-noir "Blade Runner." The early 1970s saw the first attempt to adapt "Dune." Apjac Productions, the company founded by "Planet of the Apes" producer Arthur P. Jacobs, secured the option for the film. After Jacobs died of a heart attack in June 1973, the production company decided not to pursue the project; Apjac's option expired in 1974. Next came Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. Jodorowsky's take on "Dune" was so far ahead of its time that the movie was never made. The fact that Jodorowsky had not read the book did not seem to diminish his enthusiasm. He was enamored of "Dune's spectacle. He set about assembling a team of artists and eccentrics: Pink Floyd would do the music. Mick Jagger and Salvador Dali were to have prominent roles, as would Orson Welles - playing the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, a fellow so grotesquely fat that he relies on antigravity machines to move. (Jagger agreed, Dali demanded too much money.) Jodorowsky envisioned "a film that gives LSD hallucinations - without giving LSD," as he said in the 2013 documentary, "Jodorowsky's Dune," about the collapse of the project. The production ran out of funding, having spent $2 million without much more to show than a 14-hour script, storyboards and concept art. But what storyboards and concept art they were. In 2013, the film about the masterpiece that never was, "Jodorowsky's Dune," made the argument that the project's influence spilled over into other, fully-realized movies. Ridley Scott and H.R. Giger worked together on the aborted "Dune" project; they would later collaborate to great success on 1979's "Alien," with Giger designing the horrific antagonist. Sean Young and Kyle MacLaachlan "Dune" (c 1984). (Handout) After the failure of Jodorowsky's "Dune," producer Dino de Laurentiis secured the rights, and hired Ridley Scott to direct in early 1980. Within a year, Scott left the project. As a replacement, de Laurentiis asked David Lynch (who was also being courted by George Lucas to direct a film then known as "Revenge of the Jedi.") Lynch chose "Dune." The resulting movie, released in 1984, made just under $31 million on a budget of $40 million. Advertisement Critics struggled to find joy in this spice world. Roger Ebert, in his one-star review of the film, wrote that, "It took 'Dune' about nine minutes to completely strip me of my anticipation. This movie is a real mess, an incomprehensible, ugly, unstructured, pointless excursion into the murkier realms of one of the most confusing screenplays of all time." Even Kyle MacLachlan, a fan of the novel and the then-unknown actor who played hero Paul Atreides, acknowledged that the adaptation was a bit dense. "The film is such an overwhelming experience all its own," MacLachlan said in a 1984 interview with Post film critic Rita Kempley. "So much information is imparted on the audience at a rapid rate, it should come with a little 'Dune' appendix." ("Dune" was, in fact, the type of science-fiction book to come with a 20-page glossary. Some definitions left a bit to be desired: Herbert described the "solido," a sort of hologram, as "the three-dimensional image from a solido projector using 360-degree reference signals imprinted on a shigawire reel." In case anyone was wondering what to get for Father's Day on Arrakis, the solido projectors made by Ixians "are commonly considered the best," Herbert noted.) After the success of "Arrival," "Dune" fans might have renewed hope with Villeneuve. The director's self-described "arthouse commercial" approach to action movies - plus his ability to work on "Dune" as a series, rather than compress the narrative into a single episode, as Lynch did - could be just what the book needs. That is, of course, if Hollywood can once again coax "Dune" to slither off the page. If fear is the mind-killer, as Herbert famously wrote, the specter of development hell is the hype-killer. RELATED STORIES: Advertisement 'Arrival' review: Amy Adams' close encounter with aliens and conflict In movies, punching is the way to deal with Nazis but reality is more complicated A curio for the Trump era: 'Gabriel Over the White House' Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Making good on the promise of his very homegrown fantasy-action hit "Trollhunter," Norwegian helmer Andre Ovredal's first English-language feature is something quite different: a chamber horror piece in which a corpse's stillness only grows more ominously unreliable as it's dissected. "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" stars Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch as father-and-son morticians whose slab subject seems to exert considerable supernatural will on one stormy night, despite her apparently very dead state. Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing's nicely honed screenplay opens with police investigating a bloody crime scene: Four ordinary residents have been found slaughtered in their small-town Virginia home. All signs indicate that they were trying to leave the house, but there's no evidence that an intruder actually broke in. Adding to the mystery is the discovery of the outwardly pristine body of a young woman (Olwen Kelly) half-buried in the cellar. With pressure to deliver some kind of news to the press by morning, the sheriff (Michael McElhatton) asks his local morticians to perform a forensic analysis immediately, in hopes of gaining any clues as to what happened. Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Tilden Morgue & Crematorium has been a local family-owned operation for a century. The current generations in charge are benevolently gruff sardonic widower Tony (Cox) and son Austin (Hirsch). Though the latter has a date with his girlfriend, Emma (Ophelia Lovibond), he postpones it a few hours in order to help dad with this rush job. Externally, the nameless, ethereally lovely victim bears no signs of harm at all. In fact, she's even curiously free of rigor mortis. But once they probe inward, it's a whole different matter, with evidence of extreme abuse that really ought to have at least caused visible outer bruising. Advertisement Strange phenomena begin occurring as soon as the duo start cutting open their subject, as if some force has been unleashed. It would be unfair to spoil the various surprises that subsequently occur, but suffice it to say the trapped protagonists soon wish they could leave their basement workspace (a neat job of production design by Matt Gant), especially since the corpses already on ice abruptly stop resting in peace. While "Autopsy" lives up to its title, providing plenty of grisly medical gore, the forensics induce less squirming than the exacting yet playful way Ovredal keeps making us anticipate more unnatural acts as the Tildens realize something is seriously amiss. Script and direction strike a nice balance between macabre humor and pure suspense, with the very able lead actors hitting droll notes without ever diluting the material by camping it up. They've got good chemistry, and while it's not the sort of enterprise that requires fully dimensioned characters, both film and cast do their best to provide just that. (Kelly deserves applause of a different kind for enduring a role which must have required the patience of Job.) In its last lap, tense action is replaced somewhat by speculative explication, and the resolution isn't quite as big a payoff as might be hoped. But to that point, the thrill ride that is "Autopsy of Jane Doe" is so much fun that one can forgive the climax for failing to top the buildup. "The Autopsy of Jane Doe" 2.5 stars MPAA rating: R (for bloody horror violence, unsettling grisly images, graphic nudity and language) Running time: 1:26 Opens: Friday at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., www.musicboxtheatre.com RELATED STORIES: Advertisement 'I Am Not Your Negro' review: Baldwin's unfinished book project subject of powerful documentary 'Hunter Gatherer' review: 'The Wire's' Andre Royo plays an ex-con who aims to get his life back on track 'The Comedian' review: Laughs the only thing missing for De Niro's insult comic Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Awash in color, feminine psychodrama and heightened emotion, "Julieta" is a classic Pedro Almodovar film, or, more accurately, a classicized version of the Almodovar films his fans have come to adore. Adapted from three short stories from Alice Munro's "Runaway" collection, this mother-daughter head trip revisits familiar terrain from the filmmaker who gave us the ecstatically lurid melodramas "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" and "All About My Mother." But adapting his temperament to match Munro's signature restraint, Almodovar tones down his usual over-the-topness in "Julieta," which owes as much to the sleek, moody thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock as it does to the supersaturated extravagance of Douglas Sirk. Advertisement The film begins as the title character, a chic middle-aged classics professor living in Madrid, is preparing to move to Portugal with her dashing husband, Lorenzo (Dario Grandinetti). When Julieta encounters a friend of her daughter, Antia, from whom she has been estranged for several years, she makes the instinctive decision to stay put in the city. Julieta moves back to the apartment where she and Antia lived together, recapitulating the past as a way of understanding how their lives grew apart and embarking on a mission to knit them back together. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement Nodding to the movies and telenovelas that he's always loved, Almodovar tells the ensuing story, much of it told in flashback, with well-calibrated suspense and captivating brio, interrogating notions of time, doppelgangers and fate with his characteristically fastidious attention to color and detail. With a palette dominated by shades of red and blue, partly filmed on the romantic seaside of Galicia, where Julieta and Antia's early life together was spent, "Julieta" is a nonstop visual feast, its design elements alone providing welcome escape from the dreary world. Almodovar has even assembled some familiar faces from his informal repertory company of actors, most notably Rossy de Palma, here donning a frizzy wig to play a housekeeper who bears more than a passing resemblance to the forbidding Mrs. Danvers in "Rebecca." Hitchcock and Patricia Highsmith who is explicitly referenced here may provide the most obvious inspirational subtext for "Julieta," but Almodovar makes their most familiar conventions his own, most notably in his ideas for casting the doubles who populate his film. The moment when Julieta, alternately played by Emma Suarez in middle age and Adriana Ugarte as her younger self, transforms from a young woman to an older one is just one of many masterstrokes in a story whose own identity slips from the slow burn of an erotic thriller to a far deeper, more wrenching study of parental loss, self-recrimination and grief. Suarez is particularly affecting as a woman on the verge, not of a breakdown, but of being engulfed by absence. At its most superficially enjoyable, "Julieta" is a mystery story propelled by the kinds of coincidence and catastrophe that Almodovar might have once mined for maximum camp value. Whether by dint of his source material or his own maturity, the filmmaker has invested the surface sheen with tenderness and emotional depth. It's no surprise that "Julieta" is marvelous to look at, but it possesses just as much substance as style. "Julieta" - 4 stars MPAA rating: R (contains some sexuality and nudity) Running time: 1:38 RELATED STORIES: Advertisement 'I Am Not Your Negro' review: Baldwin's unfinished book project subject of powerful documentary 'Hunter Gatherer' review: 'The Wire's' Andre Royo plays an ex-con who aims to get his life back on track 'The Comedian' review: Laughs the only thing missing for De Niro's insult comic Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Every gut-twisting development in the tense, beautifully plotted films of Iranian writer-director Asghar Farhadi begins with an uncomfortable truth buried, never permanently, that leads to suspicion and, often, destructive impulses toward justice. Even when they're being honest, the women and men in Farhadi's films "Fireworks Wednesday," "About Elly," "The Past," the Academy Award-winning "A Separation" and now "The Salesman" cannot reveal all. Their country, their patriarchy, their spouses' recriminations discourage it. Nominated for this year's Oscars in the foreign language feature category, "The Salesman" is a movie in conversation with a play. It's about a group of Tehran actors rehearsing and performing Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" and how the moral collisions in that 1949 classic intertwine with the messes being created offstage. Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR In the first scene, a married couple, Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti) and Emad (Shahab Hosseini), are jolted awake by what appears to be their apartment building collapsing because of earth-moving construction next door. Damage to the building and their apartment means they must look for a new residence. One of their fellow "Death of a Salesman" cast members knows of a place, recently vacated (mostly; not entirely) by a woman who appears to have worked as a prostitute. The friend neglects to tell Rana and Emad what little he knows about the unseen, long-gone tenant. This evasion tips "The Salesman" into forward motion. Advertisement As in Miller's plays or those of Miller's chief inspiration, Henrik Ibsen, there's an inciting incident in Farhadi's film, a casual mistake that grows like a cancer. Waiting for her husband to come home to their new rental with the groceries, Rana leaves the front door open while she takes a shower. We do not see what happens next (this is a common Farhadi strategy, the artful withholding of key information). But we learn that a man enters the apartment. Something occurs, and a bloodied and bruised Rana is taken to the hospital. The man, whose identity we eventually learn, was looking for the previous tenant. Tribune critic Michael Phillips recommends Asghar Farhadi's "The Salesman" as his Chicago International Film Festival pick for Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016. (Brandon Howard / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune) Rana's nerves are now shot, and Emad makes matters worse, putting his own blinkered need for retribution ahead of his wife's wishes. The crafty effectiveness of Farhadi's films lies in their precisely modulated domino effect, how one human misstep or misunderstanding leads to a larger one. There's some mordant humor in this portrait of the contemporary Tehran creative class. "What do they do?" asks one neighbor, regarding the new tenants. "They're in culture," says the go-between. "All the better," she responds, though what happens in "The Salesman" disproves that optimism. Visually this is highly accomplished and fluid filmmaking confined, very often, to tight quarters used for expressive purposes. Farhadi uses various mirrors and reflective surfaces unself-consciously, framing different aspects of each player in what amounts to an improvisatory drama. The director and his first-rate cinematographer, Hossein Jafarian, shoot the first scene, depicting the chaos of the abrupt evacuation of the crumbling building, in what appears to be a single take. Perhaps to make up for the slight tilt toward the male protagonist in his most lauded work, "A Separation," "The Salesman" doesn't shy away from showing its male protagonist as a righteous, misguided man. But he's still human. Everyone is in this picture, and in Farhadi's illusion-free worldview. The acting is wonderful throughout, but Alidoosti creates an especially haunting depiction of one woman's adversities in a country, and a marriage, that may not have her best interests at heart. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @phillipstribune Editor's note: Following President Donald Trump's Jan. 27 executive order, the Iranian filmmaker released a statement explaining his canceled plans to attend the Feb. 26 Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood. Excerpts from Farhadi's statement: "It now seems that the possibility of (my) presence is being accompanied by ifs and buts which are in no way acceptable to me even if exceptions were to be made for my trip. Hard-liners, despite their nationalities, political arguments and wars, regard and understand the world in very much the same way." "The Salesman" 3.5 stars MPAA rating: PG-13 (for mature thematic elements and a brief bloody image) Advertisement Running time: 2:05 Opens: Friday at the Regal Webster Place and AMC River East. In Persian, English and French with English subtitles. RELATED STORIES: Iranian director won't attend Oscars due to 'unjust conditions' of Trump executive order 'I Am Not Your Negro' review: Baldwin's unfinished book project subject of powerful documentary 'Hunter Gatherer' review: 'The Wire's' Andre Royo plays an ex-con who aims to get his life back on track Advertisement 'The Comedian' review: Laughs the only thing missing for De Niro's insult comic Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) The return of the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica to Orchestra Hall on Wednesday night marked two milestones: The group's own 20th anniversary, and the 70th birthday of its founder, sometime conductor and guiding spirit, the Latvian-born, Russian-trained violin virtuoso Gidon Kremer. It was a happy occasion, marred only by the unrestrained coughing of some audience members. This crack ensemble of youthful musicians from the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia has been a welcome visitor to downtown Chicago since its local debut in 2000. With each concert, Kremer and friends have brought with them neglected 20th century repertory the violinist has prominently championed. The freshness of their performances and refusal to settle for routine programming continue to set them apart. Advertisement The focal point of Wednesday's typically imaginative program string orchestra works by Polish, Russian, Estonian and Ukrainian composers was Chamber Symphony No. 4 by Mieczyslaw Weinberg. Having long languished in the shadow of his friend and fellow Muscovite Dmitri Shostakovich, the Polish-born Weinberg has been enjoying a renaissance in recent years, thanks to recordings, the advocacy of true believers such as Kremer, and performances worldwide of the prolific composer's operatic masterpiece "The Passenger," which Lyric Opera presented in 2015. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement The Fourth Chamber Symphony (1992), scored for string orchestra and clarinet, was the final work Weinberg completed before his death in 1996. Shostakovich's brooding spirit hovers over the four connected sections, which veer between spare, elegiac quiet shattered by fierce string ostinatos driven by piercing wails of clarinet, some of them couched in Shostakovichian sarcasm. Suggestions of klezmer music lend a kind of jaunty relief to the otherwise somber ruminations. The enigmatic jingle of a triangle is the last sound we hear. Performed without conductor, the piece exerted its strongest hold on this listener not through its aggressive pages (beholden as they are to Shostakovich's String Quartet No 8) but, rather, through the exquisitely refined tone quality the Kremerata string players brought to softly sustained sections. Mate Bekavac brought an incisive voice to the obbligato clarinet part. ECM New Series has just released a Kremerata recording of all four Weinberg chamber symphonies, along with an orchestration of his Piano Quintet. Kremer has long spoken of his relationship with the Kremerata in familial terms. His caring performances of three short works for violin (with and without string accompaniment) at the beginning, middle and end of the program suggested how deeply shared that family spirit has become over the past two decades. Thus, launching the program with Arvo Part's "Fratres," the Estonian composer's best-known work (its Latin title translates as "brothers"), carried symbolic as well as musical meaning. Of the dozen or more versions of the iconic Part piece, this one conveys the music's spiritual inwardness with a spare luminosity that approaches the ineffable. Kremer and colleagues did its musical poetry proud. The three works that made up the second half were played without pause, in an apparent attempt to suggest musical interrelationships. Following a warmly considered but not sticky performance of Tchaikovsky's "Serenade melancolique" (as arranged by Russian film composer Leonid Desyatnikov), Kremer surrendered the stage to his ensemble for another transcription Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," arranged for strings by Jacques Cohen, with additional percussion parts by Kremerata percussionist Andrei Pushkarev. Although the group had performed this arrangement of "Pictures" with projected images of paintings by the Russian artist and social commentator Maxim Kantor earlier in its current U.S. tour, no visual component was included here Wednesday. Nice as it was to encounter the familiar Mussorgsky work done up differently "The Great Gate of Kiev" was laced with chiming bells and crunching tam-tam, for example one cannot say that this string orchestration is any improvement, generally speaking, over the famous Ravel orchestration, or any of the other grand symphonic treatments "Pictures" has received. The Kremerata dispatched it with hearty involvement, the unidentified concertmaster helping to enforce tidy attacks and releases. Advertisement Valentin Silvestrov's simple but eloquent little Serenade for Solo Violin (2009) prompted a clamor of applause that in turn prompted two encores "All in the Past," a kind of Russian-Argentinian tango; and Mikhail Pletnev's tiny homage to Weinberg, "Nach dem Weinbergsteig" (that's German for "After the Weinberg Climb"). John von Rhein is a Tribune critic. jvonrhein@chicagotribune.com Twitter @jvonrhein RELATED STORIES: Recommended Chicago-area classical concerts Advertisement CSO's 2017-18 subscription season sticks to a mostly familiar refrain Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Kiersten Miles had been nannying for only three weeks when she made the decision. The baby girl for whom Miles had started caring had a rare, life-threatening liver disease in which her liver's central bile duct had been inexplicably destroyed and bile was building up into her liver, the baby's mother said. The whites of her eyes were gray. Advertisement Her skin was yellow. And some doctors predicted that the child might not live past her second birthday. Advertisement But 22-year-old Miles had a solution: She would give the girl a piece of her own liver. "Especially for a baby who can't really ask for help, it didn't seem like that much of a sacrifice," she told The Washington Post, "because I'd be saving a life." Earlier this month, Miles donated a portion of her liver to Talia Rosko - a priceless gift that the child's family says saved the 16-month-old's life. George and Farra Rosko, of Jackson, New Jersey, hired Miles in summer 2016 to take care of Talia, as well as Talia's two older siblings. Just weeks after Miles took the job, she said, she started thinking about Talia's condition and how she might be able to help. She said she started researching living organ donation because "I was just curious, I guess," and she thought she might be a good candidate because she knew her blood type was O, which is compatible with all other blood types, according to the American Red Cross. Almost immediately, Miles said, she knew she wanted to see if she could do it. She said she talked to her own mother, then prepared to sit down with Talia's parents. "I was nervous for some reason - I'm not sure why," Miles said about the conversation with Farra Rosko. "I just told her I had done some research, and I wanted to fill out the paperwork to see if I was a match." Advertisement The first thing Rosko asked her was whether she had spoken to her own parents about it. "This is a serious thing," Rosko said she told Miles. "This is not like donating blood." "I was very taken aback," Rosko told The Post. "I didn't know that she was this selfless - I've come to find out that this is who she is. She really is an angel on earth; I know that sounds silly, but she really is." Over the next several months, Miles, of Wall, N.J., underwent rounds of testing to determine whether she was eligible to be Talia's donor. When she discovered she was, she made a "surreal" sacrifice, Rosko said. When Talia was 9 weeks old, Rosko said, her pediatrician noticed that her eyes "were off" and sent her to a specialist for further testing and a liver biopsy. It was determined that the infant had biliary atresia, "a life-threatening condition in infants in which the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not have normal openings," according to National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. It states: Advertisement "With biliary atresia, bile becomes trapped, builds up, and damages the liver. The damage leads to scarring, loss of liver tissue, and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a chronic, or long lasting, liver condition caused by scar tissue and cell damage that makes it hard for the liver to remove toxins from the blood. These toxins build up in the blood and the liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions. Without treatment, the liver eventually fails and the infant needs a liver transplant to stay alive." Rosko said that Talia's central bile duct was "obliterated" and that she was eventually put on a transplant list, though Rosko explained that it can take much more time to find a liver for a small child. The Roskos met Miles about the same time their daughter was placed on the list. On Jan. 11, medical teams removed a portion of Miles' liver at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and rushed it next door to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where they implanted it in Talia. "Once they had taken [the piece of] the liver out, they told us," Rosko said. "That's a pretty powerful moment. When it was happening, it was surreal." It was a moment that Rosko said she never really expected to come. Advertisement "We didn't even know her," Rosko said of Miles. "I thought it was wonderful that she offered, but I didn't really think it would go through. It's not something that people do every day." But it did - and when Talia woke up, she first asked for her mom. "She looked up and said, 'Mama,' " Rosko said. "It was miraculous." Not far away, Miles was also recovering, from her liver donation. She said the most emotional moment for her was shortly after she woke up from surgery. She said she had been concerned that something would go wrong with her liver and it wouldn't work inside Talia's small body. "I don't know if it was all the emotions building up over time, but I asked one of the surgeons if I could see Talia," Miles said. "He told me that I could definitely see her in the next couple of days. He said she was doing great. And when he left, I just started bawling. Advertisement "I think I was just really happy and really relieved at the same time." Later on, when they reunited, Rosko said, "It was a magical moment." "When I saw Kiersten come in, my heart skipped a beat," Rosko said. "It was like a movie star coming in," she said of Miles. "Even the doctors and the nurses were saying, 'Is this your live donor? Oh, my God, tell me the story.' Everybody was just so taken aback by her generosity." Miles said when she saw Talia, "It just reminded me why I did it all." Talia's mother said the baby girl will be able to taper off medications over the next year, though she will likely have to take anti-rejection drugs the rest of her life. Advertisement Miles, a college student studying special education, said she has a five-inch scar and can never again donate part of her liver, even if it's a perfect match for one of her own family members in the future. But she said she doesn't mind. After their surgeries, she said, Talia smiled at her, and "it just made everything worth it." She said she has been overwhelmed with the response she has gotten, even from strangers. "I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support I've received over the past few weeks and continue to receive," Miles wrote on Facebook on Saturday. "So many people, many whom I don't even know, have shared the story of my donation to Talia. I've tried to at least 'like' every post I've seen but I just wanted to say THANK YOU! Thank you so, so much. Every share spreads more awareness about living liver donation and organ donation in general. Once again, I really appreciate all of the shares and messages. They mean so much to me. You all are the absolute best!" Rosko said that she doesn't know what would have happened to her daughter if Miles hadn't come into their lives when she did. Advertisement "I think people need to know that prayer does work, angels do exist and miracles happen every day," she said. "I don't know where we would be without Kiersten." If someone is writing a public address for President Donald Trump about Women's History Month, we have some tips. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP) To the person who crafts President Trump's speeches: That Black History Month address was memorable! I truly did not foresee a day when Frederick Douglass would be trending on Twitter, and I bet I'm not alone. Advertisement Not mentioning Jewish people in the Holocaust Remembrance Day statement: also memorable. It's almost as if these moments aimed at bringing us together in collective remembrance and tribute are going to further divide and isolate us. That's unfortunate. Advertisement Which is why I'm writing today. Women's History Month is right around the corner (March), and I thought I'd offer a few pointers, so the speech doesn't seem thrown together at the last minute or, worse, anti-women. Here goes: Keep the Miss Universe talk to a minimum. It's not that the winners aren't praise-worthy. They proudly represent their home countries and raise awareness and money for all sorts of charities and causes. Props to them. But Trump has a fondness for ranking women 10 is good, "big, fat pig" is bad and beauty pageant references are likely to call that habit to mind. Don't rip on Hillary Clinton. We're here to talk about women, and she's a woman Trump loves to talk about. But it's usually in the beat-her-so-bad vein, or the she's-so-corrupt vein or the lock-her-up vein, and that just strikes the wrong tone for this occasion. Don't invite Bill Clinton's former mistresses to sit next to Trump during the speech. This one seems fairly straightforward. Acknowledge the Women's March. Political scientists are calling the nationwide marches Jan. 21 the largest demonstration in American history. Thank the participants for exercising their constitutional right to peaceably assemble, and stop pretending none of them voted. Back the Harriet Tubman bill. The majority of Americans support replacing Andrew Jackson's mug with abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. President Barack Obama's Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced it was happening last April, but we're still waiting. Trump wasn't wild about the idea, calling it "pure political correctness." This speech would be a fantastic moment to get him on the right side of history. Thank Melania. On the surface, the first lady's life bears little similarity to most women's she's a former model married to the leader of the free world. But she's a mother and a stepmother and a woman making her way in a world not entirely of her choosing roles that many of us find highly relatable. Trump should thank her, publicly, for handling those roles with grace. Advertisement When all else fails, talk about Beyonce. Her pregnancy announcement broke Instagram. She could set her grocery list to music, and it would soar to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. She's powerful, fierce, enormously talented and the closest thing this great nation has to royalty. Congratulate her on the twins, and thank her for giving us something joyful to anticipate in 2017. hstevens@chicagotribune.com Twitter @heidistevens13 RELATED STORIES: Interfaith 4th-graders bond through poetry, art and Steph Curry If you like Boy Scouts' new transgender policy, speak up Advertisement Dear Women encourages us to write letters to those who inspire It's that time of year. Gray skies. Icy sidewalks. Too many layers of clothes. Cabin fever. Advertisement A vacation is a must. But for those without the time, money or inclination to hop a plane for warmer climes, there are a handful of fresh getaways at home. Advertisement Several notable hotels opened in Chicago in 2016, and each comes with its own reasons to visit. Each also comes with an added benefit for us winter-bound locals: cheaper prices during the low season. So pack your jammies, lock the front door and head for a winter escape right here at home. Conrad The Conrad, which is part of the Hilton chain, isn't new to Chicago. But the version that opened in November, a few blocks north of its former home, is a wholly new venture that general manager Kelly Vohs said "is more befitting of the Conrad name." Realizing that they had a gem in the former office building's broad, top-floor views the sightlines extend in all four directions and are particularly stunning to the west the Conrad's planners decided not to use the space for penthouse suites. Instead, those sweeping views are home to the hotel's "sky lobby," a handful of meeting rooms and Baptiste & Bottle, a restaurant with a cocktail and whiskey focus. "We put all our chips in by putting our restaurant and meeting space on 19 and 20," Vohs said. "We could have put them on the eighth floor overlooking a Crate and Barrel, but that wouldn't be doing us any favors." Many of the rooms have views almost as good as the restaurant and are fairly spacious; the smallest is close to 400 square feet. Each includes an espresso machine, a couch, a table and chair to stretch out in front of the all-important 65-inch television. (A few rooms suffer with a 50-inch TV so as not to interfere with the view.) Like many hotels in the Conrad chain, guests can check in, select rooms and order room service through Hilton's HHonors app. (Room service can also be ordered via text message.) And if you absolutely need to venture out into the cold, a house car is available to take guests anywhere within 2 miles. Advertisement But why bother? Winter is about staying in, and through March 31, the Conrad indulges such lethargy with a package called Conrad & Chill, which includes two in-room, current-release movies, a bag of Garrett popcorn and a pizza straight from the wood-burning oven at the ground-floor cafe, Il Tavolino. (Each night!) Don't worry; there's also an expansive fitness center to make up for that pizza and popcorn. Reason to go: Stellar views in all four directions, especially from Baptiste & Bottle; roomy fitness center with modern equipment; unfussy luxury. Average starting rate in winter: $215 ($425 in high season) 101 E. Erie St., www.conradchicagohotel.com Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 29 The bar area at the Conrad, which debuted in its new home in November. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) The Gray Advertisement A year after being acquired by InterContinental Hotels, the Kimpton chain of boutique hotels has inched beyond its cozy lifestyle brand to embrace luxury. The Gray, which opened in August, is among the first examples. The Gray shares similarities with many other trendy new hotels: It's housed in a former downtown office building (this one, handsome and historic art deco) and makes brilliant use of its roof. Boleo, a stylish restaurant and bar, features a retractable glass ceiling that's obviously closed during winter nothing a return visit in summer can't solve. Common spaces are long on the gray marble that inspires the hotel's name, while the rooms are Kimpton's trademark brand of comfortable and stylish, but without needless fuss. And, because this is the Kimpton, yoga mats are standard. Also, like many of the trendiest new hotels, The Gray features a cocktail bar: Vol. 39, which sits just off the lobby, is adorned in dark wood and lined with books, making for a very comfortable midcentury motif in which to kick back with that cocktail. And if you just can't bear to leave Fido at home, The Gray is pet-friendly. Reason to go: The Kimpton's trademark lifestyle brand, now wrapped in luxury; Kimpton's vaunted level of service; spa. Advertisement Average starting rate in winter: $195 ($350 in high season) 122 W. Monroe St., www.grayhotelchicago.com Jaslin Hotel The 101 rooms across four floors aren't flashy, but they have the essentials: a fridge, free Wi-Fi and a TV. The reason to check out the Jaslin is twofold: its view of the downtown skyline (at least from the rooms facing Cermak Road; be sure to request one) and its location in the heart of Chinatown. For a place to cool your heels after exploring one of the city's most unique neighborhoods, the Jaslin is ideally situated. Opened in May, the hotel was built on an empty lot by a family prominent in Chinatown real estate. It's managed by The Bricton Group, which operates an array of cheaper boutique and chain hotels. The Jaslin is closer to the latter. (Think: a nice Best Western.) The king suite is spacious enough, with two separate rooms and a TV in each, and it's quite affordable, considering its proximity to downtown, 2 miles north. Advertisement A small fitness center sits in the basement and a continental breakfast waits each morning in the bright, modern lobby. But when in Chinatown, why not eat in Chinatown? Jaslin guests can get up to 25 percent off their check at certain restaurants. Ask for details at the front desk. Reason to go: Proximity to Chinatown and discounts at some of restaurants; a quality view of the skyline in rooms facing Cermak Road; affordable. Average starting rate in winter: $89 ($139 in high season) 261 W. Cermak Road, www.jaslinhotel.com London House Advertisement London House has at least one thing going for it that no other hotel can match: the most iconic location in all of Chicago. Perched at the corner of Michigan and Wacker, London House opened in May in what was built in 1923 as the London Guarantee and Accident Building. The first floor was the longtime home of the legendary London House jazz club, which closed in the 1970s. (That space is now a Corner Bakery.) The hotel comprises two buildings: the old office building and a new tower, though the two spaces are mostly indistinguishable from the inside. The property reflects an old-meets-new motif throughout, with a bright, modern second floor lobby that manages to evoke 1920s industrial at its edges. That lobby overlooks the Chicago River, as do many of the rooms across the 20 floors. (The view looking west down the river is one of the hotel's most attractive features.) Geared, in large part, to the business traveler, all rooms have a desk and a chair. But for the local crowd, each room also features a 55-inch smart TV on which they can access own their Netflix, Amazon or Hulu accounts. The building is home to two restaurants (not counting Corner Bakery): Bridges lobby bar, which offers that fine view, and LH on 21 on you guessed it the 21st floor, which unfortunately has no view but offers a cozy, clublike feel. If the weather is good, head up to the open-air deck on 22 for a view that's not to be missed. Reason to go: Affordable for downtown; fantastic views west along the Chicago River; the joy of streaming your own Netflix queue in your room; spa. Advertisement Average starting rate in winter: $119 ($289 in summer) 85 E. Wacker Dr., www.londonhousechicago.com The Robey For a city of neighborhoods, Chicago has been curiously light on neighborhood hotels. The Robey helped change that when it debuted in November. Sitting at the intersection of Damen, North and Milwaukee avenues, where Wicker Park and Bucktown meet, The Robey offers a much-needed hip and elegant stay outside of downtown. Hotel operator Grupo Habita aimed to maintain a historic aesthetic alongside modern sophistication in the handsome, wedge-shaped Northwest Tower flatiron building. The 69 rooms are composed of wood, marble, frosted glass and terrazzo floors with lights operated on dimmer switches. The views are broad and lovely, especially the rooms situated at the corner of the intersection. The public spaces are particularly strong, ranging from the first-floor restaurant, Cafe Robey, which evokes the best of European cafes, to the venue directly above, a lounge-meets-Euro-style cafe where wine, espresso and spritzes are served. Advertisement The showstopper is the roof deck, which offers the rare vantage of the Chicago skyline looking east from the John Hancock Center to Willis Tower, and the lake just beyond. The roof deck also features a bar and seating for a few dozen people. The space is open only in the evening and is a must for a cocktail. For those on a tighter budget, check out The Robey's neighbor, The Hollander, a hostel featuring 65 beds in 20 rooms. Starting winter rates are $20 for a bed, $125 for a private room. Reason to go: Location in the heart of one of Chicago's most vibrant neighborhoods, full of shopping and restaurants; a hip sensibility; outstanding views, especially from the roof deck. Average starting rate in winter: $135 ($195 in high season) 2018 W. North Ave., www.therobey.com jbnoel@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @joshbnoel RELATED STORIES: 6 ways to celebrate Valentine's Day in Lake Geneva With or without Super Bowl LI, Houston is a winner Romance on the rails: 5 train trips to take with that special someone The second-floor lobby of Chicago's Langham hotel, which occupies several floors of the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed office building at AMA Plaza. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune) The Second City is home to the country's No. 1 hotel, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings, announced Thursday. The Langham topped the best hotels in the U.S. list, followed by Hawaii's Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, The Jefferson in Washington, D.C., Montage Kapalua Bay in Hawaii and Georgia's The Lodge at Sea Island, which led last year's list. Advertisement The rankings evaluate more than 3,000 luxury hotels (four stars and higher) in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean including, for the first time this year, Havana. Travel industry awards, as well as expert and guest reviews, are used to compute U.S. News & World Report's roster of best hotels, now in its seventh year. This marks the first time the top berth was snagged by The Langham, a 316-room beauty that debuted in 2013 in the former IBM Building, along the Chicago River. The posh property occupies several lower floors of the 52-story Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed office building at 330 N. Wabash Ave.; www.langhamhotels.com/chicago. Advertisement The Langham hotel in Chicago has been ranked the best hotel in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. (Lori Rackl / Chicago Tribune) Outside the U.S., Eden Rock-St. Barths was named best hotel in the Caribbean. In Mexico, the crown went to the One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos. And for the fourth year in a row, The Ritz-Carlton Montreal led the way in Canada. For complete results, go to http://travel.usnews.com/Hotels. Here are the top 10 Chicago hotels, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report: 1. The Langham 2. The Peninsula 3. Four Seasons Hotel 4. Waldorf Astoria (which had the top spot in 2011 when it was The Elysian) 5. Trump International Hotel & Tower Advertisement 6. Park Hyatt 7. The Ritz-Carlton 8. Thompson 9. Chicago Athletic Association 10. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Not surprisingly, the vast majority of Illinois' top-ranked hotels are in Chicago. The first noncity property on the list is Naperville's Hotel Arista, coming in at No. 19 in the state. Advertisement lrackl@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lorirackl RELATED STORIES: 6 ways to celebrate Valentine's Day in Lake Geneva With or without Super Bowl LI, Houston is a winner Romance on the rails: 5 train trips to take with that special someone Holocaust survivors speak out against President Donald Trump's administration policies on immigration and refugees at a news conference at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie on Feb. 2, 2017. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune) It's been more than 70 years since Aaron Elster survived the Holocaust by hiding in a Polish family's cold, dirty attic. But President Donald Trump's executive order banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, signed Jan. 27, brought it all back for the 83-year-old Lincolnshire man. Advertisement "I don't know if you want to know what I'd say to the president if he was here," said Elster, whose parents and younger sister were murdered by the Nazis. "For somebody to come along and say, 'These people cannot come in,' I believe that's a sliding slope. It starts that way. What group will be next?" Elster was one of several Holocaust survivors who now help run the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center to speak out Thursday against the president's move to block immigration from the overwhelmingly Muslim countries. Advertisement Speaking with quiet dignity at the Skokie museum, Elster, Ralph Rehbock, also 83, and museum President Fritzie Fritzshall, 87, urged Trump to revoke his ban. And museum CEO Susan Abrams accused the White House of "soft-core denial" of the Holocaust for deliberately omitting any mention of anti-Semitism or the murder of 6 million Jews from the president's Holocaust Remembrance Day statement. Fritzshall, who was liberated by the Russian army while on a death march from the Auschwitz concentration camp and came to the U.S. in 1946, said a ban like Trump's might have condemned her to death had it been in force at the time. "People are singled out again because of religion," she said. "Because of how they look." Though the White House has said the ban is only "temporary," Fritzshall recalled her own experience and said that for people whose lives are in danger, "90 days is a lifetime." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > She added that the current situation is not yet directly comparable to what happened in Europe in the 1930s and '40s, but said, "Does history repeat itself? Yes." Rehbock, whose family was spared after American consul workers in Berlin came in to work on their day off and issued his family a visa in 1938, said his family owed its existence to Americans who were "upstanders, not bystanders." All three survivors said that they felt a deep responsibility to share their stories with future generations and that, while they understood the need for vetting of immigrants, said Trump's measures paint too broad a brush. The White House didn't respond to a request for comment. "You dehumanize people and then it's OK to do what you want with them," said Elster, who fought in the U.S. Army in Korea before he even became a citizen. Advertisement "First we were dehumanized, our citizenship was taken away, and then we were restricted to live in awful places, ghettos surrounded by walls," he added. "You might not think that could happen here, but look at World War II what happened with the Japanese, who were put into concentration camps. So we as survivors must stand with the people that are trying to come into this country to create lives for themselves." kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews Some people think Chicago's violence problem is an easy fix. Donald Trump thinks he could solve it in a week if Chicagoans stopped forcing law enforcement to be so politically correct. The Rev. Darrell Scott thinks he can come in from Cleveland and solve it by sitting down and talking with "top gang thugs." The implication is either that our entire police force is incompetent or that residents simply don't care that 784 people were killed here last year. Either way, what they're basically saying is that Chicagoans are stupid. The U.S. Justice Department recently told us that Chicago police have long been quick to turn to excessive force or deadly force against African-American and Latino residents, often without facing consequences. Obviously, political correctness has never been at the top of some police officers' agenda. Sorry, Mr. President, that tactic has already failed. Advertisement Scott clearly knows very little, if anything, about Chicago's gangs. First of all, there are no "top gang thugs" to speak of. Chicago's former gang hierarchy folks like Larry Hoover, former leader of the Gangster Disciples, and Jeff Fort , former head of the Blackstone Rangers and El Rukn have been locked up for decades in federal prisons. One of the reasons the violence is so hard to control in Chicago is because the gangs are so disorganized. Many of the neighborhood killings involve a small faction of teenagers on one block feuding with a small faction of teenagers on another block. It isn't always about controlling the drug market either. Sometimes, someone is killed over something as silly as a Facebook post. Advertisement Sorry, Rev. Scott, your idea is ridiculous. If there were gang leaders with that kind of control, don't you think someone in Chicago would have figured out how to call a meeting with them already? (Scott later told the Tribune that it was a former gang member who reached out to him.) Outsiders who think they can come to Chicago and work a miracle should have a talk with the Rev. Al Sharpton. His visits in 2013 opened his eyes to the reality of Chicago's violence. It was shortly after 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton became the unintended victim of a gang-related shooting that Sharpton decided to use his national platform to put Chicago's violence in the spotlight. He rented a two-bedroom apartment in West Garfield Park on Chicago's West Side for three months and planned to spend one night a week there, immersing himself in the lives of the residents. Over the course of his visits, he would go to schools, hold a town hall meeting and bring in celebrities such as rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, director Spike Lee and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker to help him out. Darrell Scott, a pro-Trump pastor from Cleveland, speaks to reporters in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York on Dec. 13, 2016. (John Taggart / EPA) But after one day exploring the landscape of Chicago's killing fields, Sharpton began to realize that he was in over his head. He found out that the city's homicide problem was much more complex, that it is tied to poverty, poor education, segregation and hopelessness. That was too much to deal with. He did hold a town hall meeting attended by hundreds of mostly older residents fed up with the violence, but as far as bringing in celebrities, Sharpton said, "Who was Puffy going to talk to?" Looking back, Sharpton told me Friday, the Chicago that exists today is not the same one that he used to visit in the late 1960s as a youth director of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Operation Breadbasket. "You need a major overhaul to stop this violence," Sharpton said. "You can't address the problem without addressing underlying factors like jobs, after-school programs and the proliferation of guns." Sharpton, like the longtime community leaders in Chicago, is apprehensive about Scott's claim during a Black History Month breakfast hosted by Trump that "top gang thugs" from Chicago had called him up and asked for a meeting. Advertisement According to Scott, these gang leaders are interested in "lowering the body count" in Chicago, but they'll do it only for Trump. Sorry, Barack Obama; a black man who spent his early career working in disadvantaged communities on the South Side just couldn't cut it with these guys. These gang thugs will only listen to an old white guy who learned the little he knows about the South Side from a TV set inside his Manhattan penthouse. "They believe in this administration," Scott told Trump, who hosted a group of so-called African-American leaders most black people have never heard of. "They didn't believe in the prior administration. They told me this out of their mouth. But they see hope with you." Seriously? It's a shame that some black folks are using Chicago's violence to get a seat at Trump's table. Sharpton found out quickly that Chicago has no organized gang structure. There is no one to sit down and talk to. "The more I stayed and walked around at night, the more I realized that these guys didn't even know each other. They were spontaneous and organic," Sharpton said. "If (Scott and Trump) are looking to go into the community and talk to gang leaders, they are being deceived by people who are selling them a bill of goods." Advertisement Back in the day, Fort and Hoover possibly could have made such a call. They had authority over their rank and file and could call a truce whenever they wanted to. They ran their organizations like corporations. They weren't always bad guys either. Some Chicago gangs started out in the 1950s with a political and social focus but gradually turned to crime. And they were well-connected. The Blackstone Rangers was awarded a $1 million federal grant in 1967 to fund a teaching program. In 1969, President Richard Nixon invited Fort to his inaugural ball. Fort declined but sent one of his generals instead. Black street gangs in Chicago are an institution. And institutions are hard to knock down. You have to understand what you're dealing with here in Chicago. "Once I came in here with all my intentions, I had to change what I wanted to do because it didn't fit the environment of what I found," Sharpton said. "If you are sincere, you can't be married to a preconceived notion when you find out the reality does not match your projection." So does Sharpton think he made a difference in Chicago? "I helped bring attention to some people on the ground who are doing good work," he said. "If pouring a glass of water in the ocean is a contribution, we did that. But the levee is broken, and the ocean is still flowing over." Advertisement No one is saying that these killings can't be stopped, or at least curbed, but it's going to take more than Trump sending out tweets belittling Chicago in order to make himself appear tough on crime. His repeated threats to come in and take over if Chicago doesn't fix its homicide problem is beginning to sound like an abusive parent threatening to beat a child if he doesn't make all A's on his report card. The most effective way to handle that child would be to find out what's keeping him from getting those A's and then give him all the support he needs to make it happen. Instead of sending in black surrogates looking for a seat at Trump's table, the president should visit Chicago himself and talk to people in the neighborhoods who really know what's going on. The Rev. Michael Pfleger, in a recent Facebook post, invited Trump to St. Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood "to sit down with the community and listen to our concerns about the violence and what's needed." Rep. Robin Kelly , D-Illinois, said on her website that she had invited Trump to come to her South Side district and "see the reality up close and personal and work together on solutions." Trump didn't respond. Apparently, he's more interested in talking about Chicago's problems than helping us solve them. Advertisement That's going to require more than a pandering preacher from Cleveland, which has a higher murder rate per 100,000 residents than Chicago, sitting at Trump's feet and feeding his ego. No doubt, Scott will make his way to Chicago and spend a few hours talking with gang members. But even if he does, he likely won't hear anything that folks in Chicago don't already know. Gang members, like everyone else, need jobs. If Trump can find a way to put these guys to work, I'll take a seat at his feet myself. dglanton@chicagotribune.com Twitter @dahleeng As partisan politicians pull each other's hair, and shriek and create delicate alternate realities in their battle over the Supreme Court, may I ask a favor? Let's all just take a step back from the drama and listen to what the wise man said. Advertisement "Elections have consequences," said the wise man, "and at the end of the day, I won." That was then President Barack Obama, snapping at Republicans after his election in 2009, when he didn't have to worry about compromise, when his Democrats had majority control of both the House and the Senate. Advertisement But that crazy America political pendulum keeps swinging. It doesn't give a fig for wise men or fools. It just swings. And now Democrats are in the minority, trying to stall the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, even as President Trump tells Senate Republicans to "go nuclear" if necessary. There's been much hand-wringing over the so-called "nuclear option," a Senate rules change favoring a simple majority on judicial confirmations. It was imposed on the Senate by Democrats when they held the majority. They used it to help Obama install liberal judges to the federal bench and appellate courts. Democrats loved it then. They don't much like it now. Gorsuch, a well-respected conservative jurist, will eventually be confirmed to replace the late Antonin Scalia. The balance of the court doesn't shift. And in the short term, several Democratic senators will be running for re-election in 2018 in states that Trump won big in November. Those Democratic Senators are vulnerable if they vote against Gorsuch. And if they support Gorsuch, the emboldened Democratic hard left may come at them with primary challenges. There is, however, a long-term question here, since Trump could make more than one nomination to the court. Advertisement His promise to nominate conservative justices to the Supreme Court is a big reason he won the election. Evangelicals and others who could barely stomach his vulgar ways and his bragging style supported him because they cared more about the Supreme Court than his boorish behavior. Trump kept his vow and nominated Gorsuch. But he'll be president for four years at least, so there could be other nominations. Which raises a question about how long the oldest member of the Supreme Court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, will remain on the bench. If Ginsburg or one of the other three liberals on the court retires with Trump still in office, then we're not talking about short-term anything. Then we're talking about a long-term ideological shift in the court away from liberalism. Another conservative after Gorsuch could mean more freedom from the carnivorous federal leviathan that feeds on individual liberty and never stops growing. Advertisement But it would also likely turn the abortion issue back to the states. To be clear, I mean no disrespect to Justice Ginsburg here. The brilliant warrior priestess of the left still has her formidable, lively mind, personal grace and her dry sense of humor. She's a feminist icon. Perhaps you've seen those stories of little girls dressing up in Justice Ginsburg costumes: black robes, lace collar and hair in a tight bun, glasses. On Wednesday, she spoke at Virginia Military Institute, two decades after her famous opinion in United States v. Virginia ended publicly sponsored, all-male education there. She got laughs when she talked of her undergraduate days at Cornell, "There were four men to every woman, and so families felt, 'if she can't find her man here, she's hopeless.' " And more laughs about her daily workout regimen. Advertisement "It's an hour," deadpanned the justice also known as "The Notorious RBG." "In the first segment there are pushups and something called a plank." She talked of her Brooklyn roots, the law, and of her fondness for the late Scalia, who was every bit as conservative as she is liberal. But as I watched her on the internet, I couldn't help but notice that she's quite frail. She's also had serious health issues. And she's 83 years old. I do not doubt she has the will to remain on the court. She'll want to stay as long as Donald Trump holds the White House. And I'm not suggesting she step down. She loathes the president and went on the record to publicly despise him. Advertisement "He is a faker," she was quoted as saying of Trump during the campaign. "He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment . " I can't imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president." She can imagine it now. Then, Trump put his angry thumbs to work on Twitter. "Justice Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot resign!" tweeted candidate Trump. I won't say her mind is shot, but it was foolish of her to go public with her criticism . Justice Ginsburg later apologized. Still the damage had been done to her fellow Democrats. Because in attacking Trump, she reminded voters that the black robe isn't a holy cloak of impartiality. Advertisement She reminded them that human beings live under that those robes, and that humans are political. This is why the Constitution shouldn't be interpreted as a living document to address the political winds of the moment. The framers understood that the pendulum swings both ways, sometimes wildly. And since they were wise, they knew something else: Elections do have consequences. Listen to "The Chicago Way" podcast with John Kass and WGN's Jeff Carlin here: www.wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway. Advertisement jskass@chicagotribune.com Twitter @John_Kass An Elmhurst couple whose infant daughter died at a west suburban day care has filed a lawsuit against the business, alleging that understaffing and negligence led to the child's death. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed Tuesday in DuPage County against Tender Harts, a day care operated in a Lombard residence. The suit alleges 3-month-old Tessa McDaniel was left unattended and "sustained an injury" that caused her death at the day care Nov. 15. Advertisement Corboy and Demetrio, the Chicago law firm representing the McDaniel family, said an owner of the center left the infant unattended for up to 30 minutes before she was found not breathing. The law firm said Wednesday the cause of the child's death is undetermined. The DuPage County coroner's office did not return a phone call seeking additional information. The suit alleges that on the day Tessa died, one of the day care owners, Jason Hart, was supervising 20 children, a ratio that is in violation of state standards. Advertisement "Licensing standards for day care homes exist for the safety of vulnerable children and must never be violated," said Rene Torrado, one of the attorneys for the McDaniel family. "Attempting to supervise and care for 20 children by himself was a recipe for disaster." Hart did not return a phone call seeking comment. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services confirmed Wednesday that it is investigating the child's death, but department spokeswoman Veronica Resa said she could not offer additional details because of confidentiality requirements. Tender Harts voluntarily shut down after the child's death and has remained closed while the DCFS investigation is pending, Resa said. A DCFS website indicates that the agency is reviewing 13 possible violations against Tender Harts, including provisions that limit the number of children allowed in a group day care. According to the suit, the infant was at the day care on South Lodge Lane and awake in a crib when Hart picked her up and placed her on her stomach on a floor mat. He then left her to go warm up a bottle, the complaint said. When he checked on the child, perhaps 30 minutes later, she was not breathing, according to the suit. At the time Tessa died, Hart was caring for 20 children by himself and allowed two other employees to leave the business, the suit alleges. The suit filed by Tessa's parents, Katlyn and Sean McDaniel, seeks damages of $50,000 or more. "The main reason for this lawsuit is child safety," attorney Thomas Demetrio said. "Tessa's parents do not want this tragedy to happen to any other children." Advertisement Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter. Two people were hurt in this crash in the 100 block of West 47th Street early on Feb. 2, 2017. (WGN-TV) Two men were injured, one critically, in a crash on the South Side early Thursday, Chicago police said. About 3:40 a.m., a speeding Subaru rear-ended a Hyundai as they both went west in the 100 block of West 47th Street, according to preliminary information from police. A 29-year-old man went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, and a 64-year-old man went to Stroger Hospital. His condition was stabilized. It was not immediately clear which man was in which car. Information about citations was not available. The Chicago Police Department has enacted its first broad guidelines for discipline against officers who commit misconduct, taking a step to standardize punishments that experts have encouraged for years. Many questions remain, however, about the impact the department's advisory disciplinary guidelines will have on the city's famously defective system for punishing wayward cops. Union officials, meanwhile, are considering fighting the guidelines' implementation. Advertisement The new "complaint register matrix" took effect Wednesday and resembles guidelines in place in some other big-city police departments. The guidelines offer top department officials and disciplinary authorities a range of punishments for numerous common violations. As is the case with judges considering criminal sentences, supervisors are instructed to consider "mitigating factors," such as an officer's inexperience or acknowledgment of wrongdoing, as well as "aggravating factors" that could include attempts to cover up misconduct. Advertisement For using profanity, for example, a supervisor could seek anything from a finding of "violation noted" in an officer's file which has little practical impact to a 15-day suspension. For an unjustified shooting, the range runs from as low as a 30-day suspension to dismissal, but there is a presumption that the officer will be fired unless there are factors in the cop's favor. The matrix is advisory, and the department brass and disciplinary authorities will continue to have broad discretion over what discipline to seek, though the new guidelines hold that a supervisor who deviates from the range must write a memo justifying the decision. Some offenses come with ranges that nearly run the gamut of punishments; the recommended punishment for using a racial slur, for example, runs from a one-day suspension to firing. The guidelines come less than a month after the U.S. Department of Justice affirmed the defects of the disciplinary system in its long-awaited report that portrayed a broken Police Department in which officers commit misconduct and use excessive force with little fear of repercussions. Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the agency consulted with Justice Department officials, and the federal report indicates that investigators saw early drafts of the matrix and made suggestions, some of which were incorporated. The guidelines enacted Wednesday, however, do not follow some of the recommendations the Justice Department made that the report described as "difficult but critical." Federal authorities, for example, criticized vague language in the draft guidelines, calling them a "set of guiding principles" that might not apply in "unique and exceptional circumstances." The language the Justice Department criticized appeared in the enacted guidelines. Officials from the department's largest union, the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago lodge, believe the guidelines should have been part of the upcoming contract negotiations, said President Dean Angelo Sr. He criticized the department's "rush" to install the guidelines and said union officials Wednesday were weighing options for fighting their implementation. Union leaders were scheduled to discuss the matter Thursday morning with department officials, Angelo said. Advertisement A frequent critic of the department, civil rights attorney Jon Loevy offered qualified praise for the guidelines as "a positive step." He noted that the guidelines call for firing in most instances of lying in reports, official statements or testimony, an apparent effort to prevent further allegations of dishonesty like the ones that have plagued the department. "The test is going to be whether this actually changes anything," he said. "Everybody is a little tired of pieces of paper." The most serious, high-profile cases will continue to go to the Chicago Police Board, which is not bound by the disciplinary guidelines as it decides on long suspensions or whether to fire officers. Beyond the Police Board, officers often challenge heavy discipline to the Cook County courts, which are also independent of department rules. The matrix cannot address another key issue with the city's police disciplinary system that officers have generally avoided punishment because disciplinary authorities have rarely upheld citizen complaints. The city's main police oversight body, the Independent Police Review Authority, is known for haphazard investigations that have cleared officers in all but a slim percentage of cases. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration is in the process of replacing IPRA with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which is intended to have more funding and wider authority. It has yet to be seen, however, whether the new agency will improve upon its predecessor. IPRA officials consulted with the Police Department on the guidelines, though the disciplinary agency's leaders see the matrix as "a work in progress," said IPRA spokeswoman Mia Sissac. Advertisement Calls to fix the police disciplinary system gained traction during the scandal sparked in late 2015 by video footage of a white officer shooting African-American teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times. That incident unleashed a flood of grievances about Chicago's police, and many complaints centered on the city's failure to punish officers for questionable uses of force or other allegations. The department has never used a matrix for most disciplinary cases, though experts and panels have suggested it for years. In December 2014, for example, a little-noticed report commissioned by the city on the police disciplinary system called for a matrix to standardize punishments. Unlike prior changes to policing in Chicago, neither City Hall nor the Police Department sought to widely publicize the guidelines as they took effect Wednesday. The Tribune was provided the matrix upon request, a full day after requesting it. dhinkel@chicagotribune.com Twitter @dhinkel Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Board of Education CEO Forrest Claypool speak to media on Sept. 29, 2016. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune) The governing body of the Chicago Teachers Union called for the "immediate resignation" of schools chief Forrest Claypool on Wednesday, a symbolic gesture that also denounced budget cuts and layoffs implemented by the city amid ongoing budget turmoil. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who appointed Claypool to lead Chicago Public Schools in 2015, responded by saying he had "complete confidence" in the former mayoral chief of staff and Chicago Transit Authority chief. Advertisement "Instead of throwing stones at each other, everyone who cares about Chicago's schools and Chicago's students should be focused on coming together to fight for fair funding in Springfield," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. "That's Forrest's focus, that's my focus, and that should be the focus of all of us." Advertisement Union members also used a separate resolution to object to four furlough days CPS instituted this year to close part of a budget gap the school system faces at the end of the year. The furloughs are "a violation of our recently signed contract as well as a violation of labor law," that CTU resolution said. Union members plan to demonstrate outside the Emanuel's office on Friday, the first scheduled furlough day of the year. The family of one of two robbery suspects killed when police collided with their fleeing car in July has filed a lawsuit against a Chicago police officer they say recklessly caused the man's death. Ronald Arrington, 22, and Jimmy Malone, 26, died after leading state and city police on a high-speed chase that began with a robbery at an Arby's in Tinley Park and ended with a Far South Side crash in a block of homes in Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood. Two police officers and two others in the suspects' car also were injured in the July 1 crash. Arrington's mother, Juanita Arrington, filed the lawsuit in Cook County on Wednesday against the city of Chicago and Officer Dean W. Ewing, alleging "willful and wanton negligence." Ewing was driving an unmarked SUV that collided with the suspects' gold Grand Prix near 124th Street and Union Avenue while responding to the chase. Independent Police Review Authority released dashcam video of a police pursuit resulting in a fatal crash on July 1, 2016, that killed 2 people, released Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. (IPRA) (Chicago Tribune) "Officer Ewing accelerated his vehicle to the point where he traveled 30 to 50 mph above the speed limit,'' the suit states. Ewing's SUV "rammed" the Grand Prix and caused it to "overturn in a burst of dust and smoke." Advertisement Ewing "engaged in willful and wanton negligence by speeding in a residential neighborhood, pursuing the car over an extended distance and time, creating an increased risk of danger to the public and passengers in the gold Grand Prix," the suit contends. Ewing "failed to abandon'' the chase when circumstances warranted termination, according to the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified dollar amount in damages. Dashcam videos from several police cars captured the chase and crash. The chase began on the off-ramp of Interstate 57 near 127th Street after a robbery at an Arby's, police said. A video from a state police car shows a gold car stopped on an off-ramp of Interstate 57 near 127th. A trooper repeatedly yells, "Step out! Step out! Step out!" But the car makes a U-turn and speeds off through a motel parking lot. The chase continues through at least one red light, down an alley, across a vacant lot, barely missing a parked van and then down a one-way street, where it collides with the police SUV in a burst of smoke and dust. The car flips and the SUV spins. Both come to rest against a brick home at 124th Street and Union Avenue. A tire flies across the road. "Oh sh--! Chicago, give me Fire!" a trooper yells into his radio as he pulls up to the scene. "CPD just got into a 10-50 with him! Get me Fire out here!" A 10-50 is a crash. The officer swears and shouts, "Are you guys all right? Get me Fire out here! I got three of these guys I think! CPD is injured, but they're alive!" Advertisement Independent Police Review Authority released dashcam video of a police pursuit resulting in a fatal crash on July 1, 2016, that killed 2 people, released Oct. 14, 2016. (IPRA) (Chicago Tribune) In a dashcam video from another police car, two officers stumble out of the crashed SUV. One of them puts his head to the ground and rolls onto his back, his right hand clutching his forehead. The other lays on his back near the car and tries to sit up before lying down again. At least one suspect is ordered onto the ground, and another is seen being handcuffed in the videos, which were released by the Independent Police Review Authority. Two other suspects, Arrington and Malone, were killed. The suspects who survived Michael Cokes, 26, of Alsip, and Isiah Stevenson, 24, of Matteson were charged with robbery. As of mid-October, Cokes and Stevenson both pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft charges, according to the Will County clerk's website. Autopsies determined Arrington and Malone, 26, of the 12400 block of South Union Avenue in Chicago, died of multiple injuries from a motor vehicle collision and their deaths were ruled accidents, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. State lawmakers introduced a bill Thursday that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to register as organ donors when they receive their driver's license or state identification card. The proposal would give parents and legal guardians the authority to overturn their child's decision until age 18. Advertisement Secretary of State Jesse White's office said 47 states have similar legislation, including Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin. White's office said 300 people in Illinois die each year while waiting for an organ donor. "Our goal is to save lives. Thousands of Illinoisans are on the waiting list for organs and we want to make sure that we do all we can to give them an opportunity to get a second chance at life or help to improve their quality of life," White said during a Thursday morning news conference. Advertisement "This is a meaningful program," White said. "This is all about helping your fellow man and woman and stepping up to the plate." The bill was introduced by Sen. Mattie Hunter, D-Chicago, and Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park, whose husband is one of about 4,700 people in Illinois now in line to receive an organ donation. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "Organ donation is an interesting thing in that you really don't know the statistics about it until it affects your life," Conroy said. "It has affected my life and my four sons as their dad is waiting for an organ. It's a very difficult road for families, but with this legislation we can save more lives." Now, donors must be at least 18 to join the state's organ and tissue donor registry. Jacob Lenzini, 17, a junior at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, said he will register as an organ donor as soon as he can. His father, Chris Lenzini, donated several organs after suddenly dying in November 2014. "We'll never get to see my dad again and so to have a piece of him still alive and out there is a great thing to have," he said. "He was a great guy. Organ donation fit incredibly well with his personality and I think, really, it should fit well with everybody's personality." nmoreno@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @nereidamorenos More than 200 protesters gathered Wednesday outside the Department of Homeland Security office in downtown Chicago, the latest in a string of demonstrations that have erupted since President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. A coalition of religious, advocacy and legal groups held the rally to show their unity in calling for a reversal of the executive order, which they say amounts to a ban on Muslims. Advertisement The crowd cheered as Hatem Abudayyeh, executive director of the Arab American Action Network, recalled two consecutive nights of protests last weekend at O'Hare International Airport that drew hundreds, shutting down the road to international Terminal 5 on Saturday. Addressing the crowd Wednesday, Abudayyeh warned that immigrants and green card holders from the seven affected countries should not travel outside the U.S., and all immigrants and permanent residents should contact an attorney before leaving the country. Advertisement "We know our presence at O'Hare helped pressure customs to release many of those detainees on that first night," Abudayyeh said. "And that's why we will continue being out in the streets here like they are all across the country." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > In between speeches from civil rights activists and other organizers, the crowd chanted "DHS let's be clear, immigrants are welcome here!" while displaying welcoming signs supporting refugees and international visitors. From the DHS office, protesters marched to Federal Center Plaza. Among other speakers was Jane Ramsey, a board member with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. She expressed solidarity with unauthorized immigrants living in Chicago. "We will not stand for the over-policing of our communities," she said into a megaphone. "We will not stand for the politics of fear, hate, division, scapegoating of immigrants and other minorities." Amanda Wingard-Phillips, 35, said she learned about the protest on Facebook and came out because some of her relatives travel abroad, and she's afraid they may not be allowed entry back into the country if they visit one of the seven countries noted by Trump. "I've been trying to support various causes," said Wingard-Phillips, a consultant who lives in Wicker Park. "I marched in the Women's March and have been protesting over at (Sens. Tammy) Duckworth and (Dick) Durbin's office on the (Cabinet) appointments. ... As a rich white lady, I should be using my privilege to stand up and say what's wrong." echerney@chicagotribune.com Twitter @ElyssaCherney Mayor Rahm Emanuel presides over the meeting of the Chicago City Council on Jan. 25, 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Topspin Days after President Donald Trump tweeted that he would "send in the Feds!" to Chicago if the city didn't "fix the horrible 'carnage' going on," Mayor Rahm Emanuel hit up Trump chief of staff Reince Priebus for the kind of federal help he's been saying the city would be happy to get in its fight against violence. Advertisement Emanuel said Wednesday that he had spoken to Priebus "as recently as last week," following the Jan. 24 Trump tweet. The phone call was part of the mayor's ongoing push to let the Trump administration know that if it is offering aid, he wants more federal law enforcement manpower, more assistance to prosecute gun crimes, and money for upgrades to police department technology and to expand jobs programs. The mayor revealed the Priebus conversation while responding to another mention of Chicago by the new president, this time during a White House listening session Wednesday to mark African-American History Month. Trump said the city was "totally out of control" and "we're going to have to do something about Chicago." Advertisement Trump has talked about Chicago violence often, but in the past couple of weeks, he's turned up the heat. During a Jan. 26 speech at a Republican leadership conference in Philadelphia, Trump said: "What's going on in Chicago? I said the other day, 'What the hell's going on?'" Meanwhile, Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday called Trump's executive order on immigration and curbing refugee resettlement "overly broad and a little bit hurried." The governor had previously backed a "pause" on Syrian refugees in Illinois until vetting could be improved. In a meeting with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Rauner said President Barack Obamas administration refused to provide details on its vetting operation. While avoiding directly discussing Chicago and other locations that have declared "sanctuary" status from immigration authorities, Rauner made it clear he opposed it in the absence of comprehensive immigration changes. "Emotion is guiding too much of the conversation," he said. "The system is not working and we shouldnt try to deal with it on a piecemeal basis." (Rick Pearson) "Emotion is guiding too much of the conversation," he said. "The system is not working and we shouldnt try to deal with it on a piecemeal basis." ( John Byrne What's on tap *Mayor Emanuel will give lunch remarks at a UNCF luncheon and later appear at Navy Pier with CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson to recognize graduating police recruits. *Gov. Rauner will appear in Rockford to talk about school funding. What we're writing *Rauner says final budget package must have sufficient 'structural change' to gain his support. *Violence in Chicago still stubbornly high; Trump reacts again. *One portion of Emanuel's anti-tobacco effort up in smoke. *Rauner's education panel says schools need more money. Advertisement *Teachers union governing body calls for CPS chief Claypool to resign. *Protesters call for reversal of Trump travel ban order. *Trump says it's 'great idea' for pastor backing him to meet with Chicago gangs. What we're reading *Frequent fliers without PreCheck moving to slow lane, TSA says. *Willis Tower redo makes iconic skyscraper more inviting, less dramatic. *Potentially dangerous chemicals found in fast-food wrappers, researchers find. Advertisement From the notebook *"A little emotional": Sometimes in politics, emotions get involved. Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday brought up emotions when discussing his December veto of legislation that would have provided $215 million for Chicago Public Schools. Sometimes in politics, emotions get involved. Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday brought up emotions when discussing his December veto of legislation that would have provided $215 million for Chicago Public Schools. "You know, Im a human being, I get a little emotional sometimes," Rauner said at an appearance before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. Rauner was explaining his abrupt veto of a plan that had been part of a larger deal he struck over the summer with the Democrats who control the General Assembly House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. Last year, Rauner and the legislative leaders were coming up with a stopgap plan that would push the states budget stalemate into 2017, and the General Assembly approved the legislation to help CPS with its pension costs. But lawmakers held onto the bill, not yet sending it to Rauner with the understanding that the governor wanted a separate measure to cut state employee retirement costs before he would sign it. Democrats eventually sent him the bill in early November, setting a 60-day deadline for action by the governor. Then Cullerton emerged from a closed-door meeting in early December and declared that the leaders hadnt discussed connecting the legislation to a broader pension effort. "If he wants to tie it to something else like pension reform, thats something I am supportive of," Cullerton said at the time. "We havent talked about putting the two things together at this point in time." Rauner vetoed the CPS plan shortly afterward. On Wednesday, he explained the move as a reaction to Cullertons statement. "There was a commitment in our leaders meetings last summer, when we did our stopgap spending plan ... that when we did comprehensive pension reform for the state, Chicago's teacher pension would be changed instead to be picked up by the state," Rauner said. "That was part of the that was a verbal agreement, crystal clear. And you know, I'm a human being, I get a little emotional sometimes. When that was publicly reneged on you don't do that, that's not right. Chicago Public Schools recently ordered four unpaid furlough days for teachers in order to fill the budget hole that was left by the veto, but Rauner says he shouldnt be blamed for the district's financial troubles. "Chicago has been responsible for its own teacher pension for 100 years, OK?" Rauner said, later adding that "now were still status quo. And now everybody's saying, 'Oh, the Rauner administration caused crisis.' No. We're the status quo." (Kim Geiger) *How they voted: Trump won confirmation for his new Secretary of State Trump won confirmation for his new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday, but both Democratic senators from Illinois voted against him Many Democrats joined them in voting against the former CEO of ExxonMobil, but Republicans who control the Senate prevailed by a 56-43 vote. Duckworth and Durbin have voted together often on the string of Trump nominees. Follow the money *City Treasurer Kurt Summers reported $33,700 in contributions, including a $5,600 donation from Nikki Zollar, president of Triad Consulting Services. *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here. Beyond Chicago *Trump tells Republicans to "go nuclear" if Democrats block his Supreme Court pick. *But the Senate confirms Rex Tillerson's nomination as Secretary of State. Advertisement *Little heard in public, Bannon is quiet power in Oval Office. *Review of pipeline could be beginning of end for opponents. SPRINGFIELD A state panel charged with suggesting changes to how Illinois distributes money to local school districts agrees that more money should be spent on education but left questions about how it should be doled out in a report it issued Wednesday. The Illinois School Funding Reform Commission called for an increase of at least $3.5 billion in school money over the next decade, adding that more should be spent on districts with a higher population of poor students. The panel did not provide a detailed formula for state officials to use, instead offering a "framework" that includes establishing new funding targets for each district. Advertisement Those targets would be set based on a district's enrollment and ability to tap into local taxes, as well as the number of students who have disabilities, are low-income, live in areas of high poverty and are in the process of learning English. More money could be hard to come by, though, as Republicans and Democrats in Springfield continue their historic budget stalemate. Advertisement The bipartisan commission was formed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner last summer after a bruising battle with Democrats over education funding. While Democrats pushed for changes, Rauner had said it was an issue that could wait. It's a matter that has been studied by many panels, though their efforts often fizzle. The governor said Wednesday that he's "personally very committed" to ensuring that the commission's suggestions result in real changes, saying "our state needs to step up." Critics have long contended the existing state method for sending schools money shortchanges districts that serve poor children and doesn't do enough to compensate districts that can't rely on high real estate values for enough property tax money. But some ideas to fix the problem have hinged on raising taxes or reducing the amount of money that goes to wealthier districts in order to boost payments for poorer ones, both of which are difficult to sell politically. The panel said it does not want any district's level of funding to drop much, an idea known as holding districts harmless. The group said it's unsure if districts should be protected from funding cuts temporarily or permanently. The commission also raised concerns about the number of school districts in Illinois, saying the large number of districts creates "system inefficiencies and contributes to the inequity within the state." While members agreed some consolidation was needed, they said that conversation should happen outside of discussions about Illinois' funding formula. Included in the report was a page and a half dedicated to other "outstanding issues" that could not be resolved. They include the governor's call to lift some unfunded mandates, requirements the state has for schools that don't come with money to pay for them. Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill who sat on the panel, said the focus must now be on passing legislation that incorporates the panel's work. "The true measure of success will be this: It will be whether or not the Democrats and Republicans in the legislature can come to an agreement with Gov. Rauner and enact a meaningful change to put an end to the current system and replace it with one that focuses resources on children that live in poverty." Advertisement Chicago Tribune's Kim Geiger contributed. mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com Retired Gen. Arthur Lichte, seen here in 2009, was demoted on Feb. 1, 2017, after the Air Force found he engaged in "inappropriate sexual acts." (Tech. Sgt. Charles Larkin Sr. / Air Force) The Air Force has taken the extraordinary step of reducing the rank of a retired four-star general after finding he engaged in "inappropriate sexual acts" with a lower-ranking female officer before he retired in 2010, the service announced Wednesday. Retired Gen. Arthur Lichte was reduced to major general following a probe by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations after a female officer alleged last summer that Lichte assaulted her twice in 2007 and once in 2009. The service did not substantiate the sexual-assault allegations, but found that the general engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with her. Advertisement "The Air Force takes all allegations of inappropriate conduct very seriously," said acting Air Force secretary Lisa Disbrow. "We expect our leaders to uphold the highest standards of behavior. These standards and rules underpin good order and discipline." An attorney for Lichte, Larry Younger, said in a statement that Lichte "did not commit a sexual assault and vehemently denies the unsworn allegations made against him." The general is not proud of what transpired but cooperated fully and provided statements under oath to defend against the allegations against him, Younger said. Advertisement "General (Ret.) Arthur Lichte has continually asserted that he is deeply sorry for the pain he has caused his family, especially his strong and loving wife," the statement said. "He is regretful of the decisions he made that allowed him to find himself in this predicament. My client and his family ask for privacy to work through this difficult time. We will continue to appeal the Air Force's wrong decision concerning this unsworn accusation and the grade determination through the proper channels." Then-Air Force Secretary Deborah James, who left her job last month after President Trump's election, issued Lichte a letter of reprimand after reviewing the results of the investigation, said Ann Stefanek, an Air Force spokeswoman. The decision to reduce Lichte in rank was made Tuesday by Disbrow, after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis withdrew a Defense Department certification that Lichte had served satisfactorily as a four-star general. A 50-page report of the investigation released by the Air Force said that the investigation was launched Aug. 24 after the female officer, who has not been identified, made the allegations. During the first two incidents, the probe said, Lichte was the three-star vice chief of staff for the Air Force. When the third occurred, it said, he was the four-star commander of U.S. Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. The report, which is heavily redacted, said that the woman alleged that Lichte told her that if she told anyone what happened "he would deny it until the day he died." The general made sexual advances on her, and she believed she had no choice but to engage because of his rank and position within the service, she alleged. The Air Force report recounts an unidentified witness overhearing a conversation between Lichte and the woman a day after she made the assault allegations in which he said the allegations were a surprise and apologized "if that's how it was to you." Lichte noted that when the incidents occurred, alcohol was involved, the witness told investigators. It marks the second time in a year that an Air Force general has been disciplined for an inappropriate relationship. Last May, the service ended the career of Lt. Gen. John Hesterman, the assistant vice chief of staff, after finding he had exchanged "sexually suggestive" emails with a married woman in the service. Hesterman, who also was married, denied that he had a sexual relationship with the woman, but the emails led to his early departure from the service. He was allowed to keep his three-star rank in retirement. A Pentagon report released last May said there were 6,083 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2016. Alexandre Bissonnette is escorted to a van after appearing in court on Jan. 30, 2017. Bissonnette is charged with six counts of first-degree murder in an attack on a mosque in Quebec City. (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press via AP) In the first chaotic hours after the Quebec City mosque massacre, police detained two men: one French Canadian and one born in Morocco. Plenty of outlets reported both arrests. But no one did it quite like Fox News. Advertisement The Canadian, Alexandre Bissonnette, was mentioned nowhere in Fox's tweet Monday, which announced: "Suspect in Quebec mosque terrorist attack was of Moroccan origin." Mohamed Belkhadir was quickly released and cleared of involvement, but Fox's tweet stayed up for nearly two days - until the Canadian prime minister's office wrote the outlet to demand a retraction. Advertisement Belkhadir would later explain that he'd been trying to help people killed and wounded in the attack when police picked him up. "He said he had been clearing snow off the steps outside the mosque when he heard gunshots," the Guardian reported. "When the noise stopped, he called 911 and entered the mosque. He fled when an armed man arrived - not realizing it was a police officer. Bisonnette, meanwhile, surrendered and is now charged with carrying out the attack by himself. Anyone who clicked the link on Fox's tweet would have read a story in which Belkhadir's ethnicity led the news. "One of two gunmen who shouted 'Allahu akbar!' as they opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City was of Moroccan origin," Fox wrote, quoting a witness and local reports, according to a Google cache of the original story. Along with the erroneous tweet, those details spread online, into anti-Islamic circles, and helped create a false narrative that the attacker was Muslim. "As I predicted last night, the shooters in the Quebec mosque attack are Muslim, as is generally the case in these circumstances," blogger Pamela Geller wrote, linking to the Fox Story. It's hardly the first time an innocent person was caught up in the media scramble that follows major violence. It happened to Rollie Chance - misidentified as the Navy Yard shooter in 2013. And to a man who got death threats after police falsely labeled him a suspect in the massacre of officers in downtown Dallas. Advertisement Fox said it put out a new tweet and corrected the report within hours. (Its original story, which is now accurate, contains no indication that it was modified.) But Fox didn't seem in any hurry to take down its old tweet about the Moroccan mosque suspect, which kept being shared for another day - until the leadership of Canada took offense. "These tweets by Fox News dishonor the memory of the six victims and their families by spreading misinformation, playing identity politics, and perpetuating fear and division within our communities," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's communications director wrote to Fox. "To paint terrorists with a broad brush that extends to all Muslims is not just ignorant - it is irresponsible," wrote spokesperson Kate Purchase, who shared the letter in a tweet. "We ask that Fox News either retract or update the tweet to reflect the suspect's actual identity." Sure enough, Fox then took down the offending tweet and released a statement of its own. Advertisement "The earlier tweets have now been deleted," wrote Refet Kaplan, managing director of Fox News' website. "We regret the error." The Canadians seemed appeased. "Thank you @FoxNews for deleting the tweet. We appreciate it," Purchase tweeted. Protesters watch a fire on Sproul Plaza during a rally against the scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) REPORTING FROM BERKELEY A speech by conservative firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled at UC Berkeley on Wednesday amid violent protests that prompted President Trump to suggest cutting federal funding to the university. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Trump wrote on Twitter. Advertisement It's unclear whether Trump was actually threatening to cut funding or making some kind of rhetorical point. The larger UC system, for which Berkeley is the flagship campus, receives billions of dollars from the federal government to fund a variety of programs, notably research, student aid and healthcare programs. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 The university receives more than $8.5 billion in federal dollars for education, research and healthcare a significant chunk of the system's $25-billion budget. Federal funds are UC's single largest source of research dollars, amounting to more than $3 billion. Advertisement Yiannopoulos' talks, and attempts to talk, at other campuses, including UC Davis, have generated protests and anger from students and faculty, but top UC officials have generally said they believe he has a right to speak. Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesman, said campus officials went to "extraordinary lengths" over weeks of planning to help the Berkeley College Republicans prepare for the event. Dozens of police officers were brought in from nine of the University of California's 10 campuses to assist, he said. But it was not enough to prevent what Mogulof said was an "unprecedented" assault on campus. University officials called off the Berkeley event about two hours before Yiannopoulos was to speak at the student union, where more than 1,500 people had gathered outside. A number of individuals wearing black and using paramilitary tactics had "essentially invaded the campus," Mogulof said. They threw commercial-grade fireworks at police, started fires and threw barricades at the windows, he said. "We thoroughly condemn the violence and lawless behavior and we deeply regret that the actions of a few trampled on the 1st Amendment rights of others," Mogulof said. Yiannopoulos, 32, writes for Breitbart News a popular website among the far right and he is an avowed supporter of President Trump. He's also a flamboyant provocateur who has been denounced for propagating racism, misogyny and anti-Islam views, but he styles himself a champion of free speech. This summer, he gained notoriety for encouraging a barrage of harassment against "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones, which prompted Twitter to ban him from the social media platform. Advertisement Follow the latest Trump administration news on Essential Washington Masked protestors just shot off fireworks and are tearing down fences at Berkeley. Milo inside. pic.twitter.com/3SRNLjuTVn Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) February 2, 2017 Controversy, unrest and, occasionally, violence have followed his appearances on a speaking tour at colleges across the U.S., on which Berkeley was to be the last stop. Last month, a man was shot outside a University of Washington hall where Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak. Wednesday's decision by Berkeley officials is the second time in two weeks that rowdy protests have forced the cancellation of one of his lectures. UC Davis also canceled one of his speeches last month. On Thursday, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued a statement expressing her disappointment over Wednesday night's violence, but also criticizing Trump's tweet. "President Donald Trump cannot bully our university into silence," Lee's statement read. "Simply put, President Trump's empty threat to cut funding from UC Berkeley is an abuse of power." The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a Philadelphia-based group that promotes free speech and due process rights at colleges and universities, stated that there was no evidence that Berkeley as an institution had made any effort to silence Yiannopoulos. Advertisement Conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos in 2015. (David Ng / Los Angeles Times) "Those who engage in violent and/or destructive protests are ultimately responsible for their unlawful behavior and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by law enforcement," the group said in a statement. "To punish an educational institution for the criminal behavior of those not under its control and in contravention of its policies, whether through the loss of federal funds or through any other means, would be deeply inappropriate and most likely unlawful." At Berkeley on Wednesday night, police clashed with protesters, and much of the university was placed on lockdown. Campus police repeatedly ordered protesters to leave the area, threatening the crowd with arrest. Most refused to leave. At one point, some toppled a generator that was powering a floodlight, and the machinery caught fire in the plaza outside the student union. The flames made for dramatic images from TV news helicopters. Campus police reported no major injuries and about a half dozen minor injuries, the university said in a statement. On his Facebook page, Yiannopoulos said that "violent left-wing protesters" had broken into a building's ground floor, ripped down barricades and thrown rocks. "My team and I are safe," Yiannopoulous said. Advertisement In characteristic fashion, he pointed to the mayhem on campus to highlight his agenda: "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." During an appearance on "Fox and Friends" on Thursday, Kellyanne Conway, a Trump advisor, also touched on the campus protest. "I don't even know if they know what they're protesting," Conway said. "Is it the free speech? Having somebody maybe on your campus who has a dissenting point of view or wants to present an alternative point of view?" The protesters seemed as much drawn by Yiannopoulos' platform as by the broader ascendance of far-right politics. De'andre Bitter, 72, brought a large sign with LED strips that brightly said "No!" A retired ship worker originally from Fresno, he stood near the rear of those assembled and said he brought the sign to a slew of recent protests, including a recent women's march, the airport demonstrations over Trump's travel restrictions and a protest at UC Davis. Advertisement A bystander who said he was attacked by protesters looks for cover amid a UC Berkeley rally against a scheduled speech by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos. (Noah Berger / EPA) "We go anywhere people are opposing Trump and his fascist regime," Bitter said. He viewed the vast majority of protesters as peaceful and attributed the violence to a handful of anarchists, who wore mostly black apparel. Others handed out yellow leaflets, calling Yiannopoulos "a tool of Trump's possessive fascist government." "He has no right to speak at Cal or anywhere else," the leaflet declared. By 8 p.m., the crowd had dwindled to a few hundred and spilled into the streets, marching down Telegraph Avenue. The group had a carnival-like element, with a five-piece jazz band that came together by serendipity, with tuba, trombone and clarinet players marching in step. "Some came on purpose. Some came on accident," said one of the band members, who declined to be identified. But the levity was eclipsed by bursts of violence. A handful of demonstrators smashed dowels into a bank of ATMs. Photos on social media showed shattered windows at businesses. Advertisement The sprawling group halted traffic at Telegraph and Durant avenues, where one driver plowed a white sedan into the crowd. One of the demonstrators grabbed on to the car for a block, then rolled off uninjured. Another motorist was injured by the crowd. Bryan Quintana, 29, who delivers food for an Italian restaurant, was in a car near the assembly when he said he was hit and pepper-sprayed by some of the demonstrators. "I was driving really slow. And somebody hit my car and somebody hit my arm, and hit my head," Quintana said. His eyes were red and his arm was swollen. He was rattled, but other protesters stopped and rushed to pour water on him, to reduce the sting of the pepper spray. He later drove off to deliver an order about a mile away. On Tuesday, Yiannopoulos spoke at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where the university braced for large protests and stationed more than 100 police officers. About 150 protesters arrived and remained peaceful, and there were no reports of arrests, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. In his remarks there, Yiannopoulos extolled Cal Poly for having a student population that was mostly male, railed against abortion and provided instructions on how to apply to his male-only scholarship fund, the "privilege grant," according to text of his remarks published by Breitbart. The cancellation of his talk at UC Davis sparked debate about the limits of free speech and hate speech. Davis College Republicans decided it was unsafe to continue the event after a large number of protesters blocked access to the venue, according to a release from the school. Advertisement UC Davis interim Chancellor Ralph Hexter said he was "deeply disappointed" by the protests and the cancellation and said he worried that outside groups are using college campuses to trigger conflicts intended for the national stage. "I get very, very alarmed with folks who don't treat [freedom of speech] for the treasure that it is," he said two weeks ago. So far, the UC system has resisted calls to cancel Yiannopoulos' talks. At noon, just hours before Wednesday's event, Berkeley administrators issued a statement saying they were committed to tolerance as well as free speech. In the weeks before Yiannopoulos' planned Berkeley appearance, administrators received hundreds of letters from faculty, students and others demanding they bar him from speaking. One letter from a dozen faculty members argued that his talk could be canceled on the grounds that his actions which they called "harassment, slander, defamation and hate speech" violated UC Berkeley's code of conduct. matt.hamilton@latimes.com Advertisement teresa.watanabe@latimes.com peter.king@latimes.com The Trump administration is preparing to levy sanctions on Iran after it test-fired a ballistic missile, according to U.S. officials and others with knowledge of the decision. The sanctions are expected to be levied as early as Friday. Up to two dozen Iranian individuals, companies and possibly government agencies could be penalized. The sanctions come on the heels of the Trump administration's warning that it was putting Iran "on notice" after the missile test. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says the U.S. has been consulting with allies in Europe and elsewhere on the matter. Dubowitz says he has been advising the administration and Congress on Iran issues. The U.S. officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the upcoming sanctions. Trump and his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, didn't elaborate on what retaliatory actions the U.S. could pursue. Trump tweeted, "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" He added in another tweet: "Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion." As part of the nuclear deal struck during the Obama administration, Iran received access to an estimated $100 billion of its own money that had been frozen in foreign bank accounts. The U.S. did not give Iran $150 billion. Flynn on Wednesday forcefully denounced Iran's behavior in his first public remarks since Trump took office. He accused Iran of threatening U.S. allies and spreading instability throughout the Middle East while faulting the Obama administration for doing too little to stop the Islamic Republic. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said from the White House podium. On notice for what, Flynn didn't say. Senior Trump administration officials said they were actively considering a "range of options" including economic measures and increased support for Iran's regional adversaries. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, declined repeatedly to say whether military action is being considered. Iran's acting commander of the elite Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, responded in comments to the semi-official Tasnim news agency Thursday, saying Iran will "never change direction by a world power's demand, and our missile and nonmissile power will be updated every day." Salami added, "If our missile power was not such a power to put fear into the hearts of Americans, there is no reason for these controversies." The warning was an early manifestation of Trump's promise of a tougher American approach to Iran. Yet administration officials emphasized that their allegations were unrelated to Iran's obligations under the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama and world leaders negotiated. Though Flynn noted Trump has criticized that deal, officials declined to say whether Trump planned to follow through on his campaign pledge to renegotiate it. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms," Flynn said. The White House also faulted Iran for backing Houthi rebels in Yemen who on Tuesday claimed a successful missile strike against a warship belonging to a Saudi-led coalition fighting to reinstall Yemen's internationally recognized government. The media arm of the Shiite rebels said the vessel was believed to belong to the Saudi Arabian navy. Administration officials said Iran was providing key support by arming, training and financing the rebels, with a goal of leveraging its relationship with the Houthis to "build a long-term presence in Yemen." The White House said the goal in putting Iran "on notice" was to signal to Tehran that it needed to rethink its behavior. Flynn said Iran specifically violated the U.N.'s ban on "activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan confirmed Wednesday that Iran conducted a missile test, but did not say when the test was carried out or specify the type of missile. He insisted it wasn't a violation of U.N. resolutions. The U.S. said the test was of a medium-range ballistic missile. It ended with a "failed" re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, said a U.S. defense official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Reports of the test emerged after Trump signed an executive order last week temporarily suspending immigration from Iran and six other majority-Muslim countries. On one point, the U.S. and Iran agree: The test didn't violate the nuclear deal itself. Ballistic missile testing wasn't explicitly included in the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. But as part of the final negotiations, Iran agreed to an eight-year extension of a U.N. ban on ballistic missile development. The U.N. Security Council later endorsed the agreement, calling on Iran not to carry out such tests. But Iran has flouted the prohibition regularly in the past year-and-a-half, drawing sanctions from the U.S. but also diplomatic cover from Russia. At the request of the U.S., the U.N. Security Council held a session Tuesday to address the missile test. The council referred the matter to its committee on Iran and asked for an investigation. Iran has long boasted of having missiles that can travel 2,000 kilometers, about 1,200 miles, putting much of the Middle East, including Israel, in range. Such capability would also put U.S. bases in the region in danger. Iran says its missiles are key to deterring a U.S. or Israeli attack. In March, Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles. One was emblazoned with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew, sparking international outcry. It should have been one of the most congenial calls for the new commander in chief - a conversation with the leader of Australia, one of America's staunchest allies, at the end of a triumphant week. Instead, President Donald Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it. At one point, Trump informed Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day - including Russian President Vladimir Putin - and that "this was the worst call by far." Trump's behavior suggests that he is capable of subjecting world leaders, including close allies, to a version of the vitriol he frequently employs against political adversaries and news organizations in speeches and on Twitter. "This is the worst deal ever," Trump fumed as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the United States would honor its pledge to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center. Trump, who one day earlier had signed an executive order temporarily barring the admission of refugees, complained that he was "going to get killed" politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the "next Boston bombers." Trump returned to the topic late Wednesday night, writing in a message on Twitter: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" U.S. officials said that Trump has behaved similarly in conversations with leaders of other countries, including Mexico. But his treatment of Turnbull was particularly striking because of the tight bond between the United States and Australia - countries that share intelligence, support one another diplomatically and have fought together in wars including in Iraq and Afghanistan. The characterizations provide insight into Trump's temperament and approach to the diplomatic requirements of his job as the nation's chief executive, a role in which he continues to employ both the uncompromising negotiating tactics he honed as a real estate developer and the bombastic style he exhibited as a reality television personality. The depictions of Trump's calls are also at odds with sanitized White House accounts. The official readout of his conversation with Turnbull, for example, said that the two had "emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally." A White House spokesman declined to comment. A senior administration official acknowledged that the conversation with Turnbull had been hostile and charged, but emphasized that most of Trump's calls with foreign leaders - including the heads of Japan, Germany, France and Russia - have been productive and pleasant. Trump also vented anger and touted his political accomplishments in a tense conversation with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, officials said. The two have sparred for months over Trump's vow to force Mexico to pay for construction of a border wall between the two countries, a conflict that prompted Pena Nieto to cancel a planned meeting with Trump. Even in conversations marred by hostile exchanges, Trump manages to work in references to his election accomplishments. U.S. officials said that he used his calls with Turnbull and Pena Nieto to mention his election win or the size of the crowd at his inauguration. One official said that it may be Trump's way of "speaking about the mandate he has and why he has the backing for decisions he makes." But Trump is also notoriously thin-skinned and has used platforms including social-media accounts, meetings with lawmakers and even a speech at CIA headquarters to depict his victory as an achievement of historic proportions, rather than a narrow outcome in which his opponent, Hillary Clinton, won the popular vote. The friction with Turnbull reflected Trump's anger over being bound by an agreement reached by the Obama administration to accept refugees from Australian detention sites even while Trump was issuing an executive order suspending such arrivals from elsewhere in the world. The issue centers on a population of about 2,500 people who sought asylum in Australia but were diverted to facilities off that country's coast at Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Deplorable conditions at those sites prompted intervention from the United Nations and a pledge from the United States to accept about half of those refugees, provided they passed U.S. security screening. Many of the refugees came from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia, countries listed in Trump's order temporarily barring their citizens from entry to the United States. A special provision in the Trump order allows for exceptions to honor "a preexisting international agreement," a line that was inserted to cover the Australia deal. But U.S. officials said that Trump continued to fume about the arrangement even after signing the order in a ceremony at the Pentagon. "I don't want these people," Trump said. He repeatedly misstated the number of refugees called for in the agreement as 2,000 rather than 1,250, and told Turnbull that it was "my intention" to honor the agreement, a phrase designed to leave the U.S. president wiggle room to back out of the deal in the future, according to a senior U.S. official. Before Trump tweeted about the agreement Wednesday night, the U.S. Embassy in Canberra had assured Australian reporters that the new administration intended to take the refugees. "President Trump's decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed," an embassy spokesman had told the reporters, according to an official in the Sydney consulate. "This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the White House and on to this embassy at 1315 Canberra time." The time the embassy said it was informed the deal was going ahead was 9:15 p.m. in Washington, one hour and 40 minutes before Trump suggested in a tweet that it might not go ahead. During the phone conversation Saturday, Turnbull told Trump that to honor the agreement, the United States would not have to accept all of the refugees but only to allow each through the normal vetting procedures. At that, Trump vowed to subject each refugee to "extreme vetting," the senior U.S. official said. Trump was also skeptical because he did not see a specific advantage the United States would gain by honoring the deal, officials said. Trump's position appears to reflect the transactional view he takes of relationships, even when it comes to diplomatic ties with long-standing allies. Australian troops have fought alongside U.S. forces for decades, and the country maintains close cooperation with Washington on trade and economic issues. Australia is seen as such a trusted ally that it is one of only four countries that the United States includes in the "Five Eyes" arrangement for cooperation on espionage matters. Members share extensively what their intelligence services gather and generally refrain from spying on one another. There also is a significant amount of tourism between the two countries. Trump made the call to Turnbull about 5 p.m. Saturday from his desk in the Oval Office, where he was joined by chief strategist Stephen Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn and White House press secretary Sean Spicer. At one point, Turnbull suggested that the two leaders move on from their impasse over refugees to discuss the conflict in Syria and other pressing foreign issues. But Trump demurred and ended the call, making it far shorter than his conversations with Shinzo Abe of Japan, Angela Merkel of Germany, Francois Hollande of France or Putin. "These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately," Turnbull said at a news conference Thursday in Australia. "If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them." A. Odysseus Patrick in Sydney, Australia, contributed to this report. Former Aurora mayor Tom Weisner has stayed active since leaving office. Here he the stands in the middle of a group next to Mayor Robert O'Connor at an event to announce the completion of upgrades at the Route 59 train station in December. (Steve Lord / The Beacon-News) Former Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner, who stepped away from the job three months ago to focus more on his health, said this week he is feeling "very good." Weisner was mayor of the city for 11 years before retiring about six months before the end of his third term. He had announced about a year before that he would not run for a fourth term, citing his long-time battle with cancer. Advertisement At the time, Weisner said he was going to be pursuing a treatment that would take more time, and might take away from his ability to be mayor. He also said he needed his privacy. He has been indulging in both since that time, although he appeared in public again this week at the dedication and ribbon-cutting for the Aurora St. Charles Senior Living project in the historic former St. Charles Hospital building at 400 E. New York St. Advertisement "I'm doing great," Weisner told The Beacon-News this week. "I started a new regimen, a new treatment, and I feel very good." The Aurora St. Charles project was near and dear to Weisner's heart, and the many partners and investors in the project praised Weisner for the support he gave it during his last year at City Hall. Officials at Evergreen Real Estate Group named the community room in the building remodeled into the former hospital chapel after the former mayor. Weisner just returned from a vacation in Florida, and said he has had time to read again tackling three books since he has left office. One is "Hillbilly Elegy," by J.D. Vance, a popular book that talks about growing up poor and white in Appalachia, another is "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City" by Matthew Desmond, which follows the fate of poor people facing eviction in Milwaukee. The third book is "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Katherine Boo, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who paints a picture of what it's like to live in Mumbai, India. Weisner pointed out that all three books deal with poverty, and what it's like for the poor in different communities and cultures. "I know, I didn't pick very light reading," he said, with a smile. Advertisement Weisner will continue to be active, particularly with some of the regional issues he championed more and more during his time as mayor. He will speak before the Joliet City Council next week, at the invitation of Mayor Bob O'Dekirk, on the many issues involving area water supplies. Aurora passed a water conservation ordinance in 2006, pushed by the mayor at the time. He also helped create the Northwest Water Planning Alliance, which took in many municipalities and counties in the area to take a regional look at water conservation and demand. Eventually, the alliance passed a regional conservation ordinance and Aurora adjusted its ordinance to mesh with what other cities were doing. As far as his regional interest goes, Weisner also became involved in the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Mayors and Managers Conference and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. He also made headlines as a driving force behind the regional effort to get Canadian National to pay for upgrading railroad crossings and safety after it took over the former Elgin, Joliet and Eastern railroad tracks. Advertisement slord@tribpub.com A group spills out of the lobby of U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam's office in West Chicago Wednesday after the planned meeting was called off. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News) A group of 16 constituents that arranged to meet with staff members at the West Chicago district office of U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Wheaton) Wednesday about their concerns with a repeal of the Affordable Care Act were abruptly told they would have to reschedule after staff realized a member of the press was present. On Thursday, Roskam said they would reschedule the meeting without the reporter. Advertisement Sandra Alexander said she scheduled the meeting weeks ago and was stunned that they were turned away. "We are going to be respectful and see if they will change their minds," Alexander said. After several minutes, no one returned to speak with the group. The constituents decided to hold the meeting in the lobby without the presence of Roskam's staff. Advertisement "I am stunned at what happened," Alexander said. Alexander, of Glen Ellyn, said she arranged to meet with Roskam's district director Lee Campuzano and outreach coordinator Eddie Corrigan. Corrigan told The Beacon-News reporter before the group had arrived that the press is not allowed in private meetings with constituents. "It is a meeting with constituents we are not shutting down the press," Corrigan said. Corrigan said the meeting was planned between constituents and high level staff. When the group arrived, another staff member behind a sliding glass window criticized the group for having invited the press and said that there was only to be about eight people at the meeting. "We will reschedule the meeting," he told the group. Alexander said she was not informed of any conditions of the meeting. She acknowledged that she did inform the congressman's office that there would be about eight constituents present. Alexander said by Wednesday, she didn't know how many people to expect and that she did prepare the group that it was likely not everyone would be invited into the meeting. Alexander told the staff member that the reporter did not have to come into the meeting. The staffer walked away, and no one returned to provide any other explanation. "He just ran off," Alexander said. "They never told me that the media could not be here, and the reporter was willing to leave so that we could have our meeting," she said. Advertisement "They brought a reporter with them and so that was not part of the understanding," Roskam said Thursday. "The reporter needs to talk to my communications director and we're happy to reschedule the meeting and that's what we intend to do." Asked if meetings would be rescheduled with all 16 people who had wanted to speak to his staffers, he replied: "With as many as chose to come without the reporter." Roskam, who was elected last November to a sixth term in the House, has been a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act. He supports its repeal and replacement. When the lawmaker was asked if, in retrospect, he wished his staff had handled the situation differently, he said no. "I don't see how they could," he said. "I wish that it had been disclosed that a reporter was trying to come in on the meeting." Roskam, when told that constituents were willing to meet with his staffers without a reporter present, said that was not his understanding. "My understanding is that the reporter was present," he said, "and we're happy to reschedule without the reporter." The interview took place late Thursday afternoon, when Roskam said the meetings had not yet been rescheduled. Advertisement "I am flabbergasted that Peter Roskam and his staff would turn us away," Alexander said as they gathered in the lobby Wednesday. "They didn't have the courtesy to listen to us. We are a peaceful group." "I told him nobody communicated to me that the media could not come. I also told him that the press was willing to leave. This is Freedom of the Press the media has a right to be here and we have the right to talk with the media. I really don't understand what happened here today. Shame on Peter Roskam. It is very sad that this is how he feels about his constituents," Alexander said. "(Congress) is talking about a replacement they need to talk to us. It can't be this hard to speak with your representative," she said. Alexander said the group of constituents met one another through their mutual concerns for health care and do not represent any one organization. They decided to hold their meeting in Roskam's small front lobby, with some people spilling into the hallway and having to hold the glass door open. Alexander shared information about the Affordable Care Act and expressed their concerns of the potential negative impact the repeal would have on people's lives. She said since 2010, people on an employer's health plan saw an end to annual and lifetime limits. She added that Illinois expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to an additional 340,000 people at a "minimal cost" to the state. Advertisement Alexander cited figures that 335,000 Illinois residents have health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. "This group experiences no discrimination from receiving insurance or being charged more based on pre-existing conditions. Women pay the same as men," Alexander said. In addition, she stated that 2.1 million Illinois residents are covered by Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act strengthened the Medicare Trust Fund by extending its life by more than a decade and seniors experience lower costs. Alexander referred to data that if there is a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act, 918,000 people in Illinois are estimated to lose their health coverage. If there is a partial repeal, an estimated 184,000 residents would lose coverage. She said it is believed that people with disabilities would be disproportionately affected if insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions. The group urged the congressman to support the Affordable Care Act and to make an effort for improvements. "We oppose any effort to (repeal) portions of the ACA; we oppose changes to the ACA pre-existing condition provisions; we oppose any provision that would reinstate annual and lifetime caps that existed before ACA," Alexander said. "No American should have to choose between death and bankruptcy because they can't afford the cost of treatment. No member of Congress has to make such a choice," she said. Advertisement Several residents gave personal testimony of how the rollback would affect them and their families. Aileen Eilert said she has experienced being turned down for insurance coverage, and when she did find an insurer, it was costly and had a high deductible. The Lisle woman said she signed up for insurance through the Affordable Care Act. "I was covered for preventative care and had no lifetime maximum. If the ACA is repealed, I am at risk of not being able to get health insurance again," she said. Mary Briggs of Carol Stream said she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and underwent chemotherapy and surgery. She said the cancer returned two years ago, but this time in her liver, which requires her to take "expensive" medication. "I am very concerned about the callous way politicians seem to be talking about just repealing the ACA. With a pre-existing condition, my health care depends on it," Briggs said. Briggs was upset that they didn't have their meeting as planned. Advertisement "My tears tell it all," she said. "I think being here has fallen on deaf ears. Roskam doesn't represent us. I will remember this at the next election," she said. Sheila Rutledge, of Warrenville, said she was disappointed the meeting did not happen. "I will reach out to my constituents about his lack of availability," said Rutledge, who is a Winfield Township precinct committeeman. "He is famously hard to have a face-to-face meeting. He wants to control everything. He has robocalls but never Town Hall meetings," the constituent said. "I am flabbergasted that in this time of turmoil that those on the side of the GOP are running from their constituents. I think that is not the country we should have to live in," she said. Rutledge said the group wanted to voice their concerns and put faces on the story of how a repeal of the Affordable Care Act could devastate lives of people in Illinois. "We want to put a face on the stories of people that would be impacted by this repeal. It is rather terrifying to think about it," Rutledge said. Advertisement Chicago Tribune reporter Katherine Skiba contributed. Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. February is finally here, and that means that soon the real estate market will be picking up. While you don't need to be an architect to shop for a home, it doesn't hurt to know the main categories of styles found in the various neighborhoods and streets. Knowing and understanding the style you prefer is a helpful tool in your search for the perfect house. Here's a little bit of trivia on some popular housing styles: Advertisement Colonial two-story, rectangular-shaped homes, sometimes referred to as a saltbox in reference to the old wooden, wall-hung saltboxes from the 1700s. Ranch uniquely American, ranch homes are identifiable by their long footprint and single-level stature. Advertisement Split-level made popular after World War II because of the spaciousness, split-level homes have a lower living area just below ground level, followed by the kitchen, living and dining rooms resting atop and a third upper level for bedrooms. Tudor modeled after the English country cottage, Tudors feature a combo of light-colored stucco and distinctive dark-wood timbering. Bungalow in the early 1900s, builders started designing homes that were compact, economical and informal. The bungalow style was typically small with a single story or a tight second story built into a sloping roof. Victorian this term references several styles of homes built around the industrial era from 1840 and 1900. These homes are usually two or three stories and feature porches, peaked roofs and decorative trim. Doug Kaarre, village planner and historic preservation liaison for Oak Park, said "Victorian" is a very broad term that is actually not a style, but an era. A number of styles fall under the category of Victorian, he said. "These include the main one, which is Queen Anne, but also shingle style, Gothic revival and Italianate," said Kaarre. "We also have neoclassical or classical revival style, and, of course, the craftsman and prairie styles. " Technically, a bungalow is not an architectural style, but is a building type, like a foursquare, said Kaarre. The same goes for a ranch and a split-level, he said. "Those are building types and not styles, and would most likely be in the mid-century modern style or just modern style," said Kaarre. "In Oak Park and I imagine River Forest is going to be similar the most popular styles are Queen Anne, craftsman/prairie, colonial revival, neoclassical, and Tudor revival," Kaarre said. (Just an FYI: There are 600 Queen Annes in Oak Park; 561 prairie styles; 474 craftsmans; 156 colonial revivals; 19 neoclassicals; and 85 Tudors, according to information provided by Kaarre). Advertisement Prairie style and craftsman style are very popular in the Oak Park and River Forest market given the abundance of Frank Lloyd Weight and other architects who built that style here, said Greer Haseman, a Realtor with @properties in Oak Park. "In today's busy and hectic lives, the uncluttered style of this type of architecture appeals to many," said Haseman. "The prairie style also is known for bringing the outside in, an important feature as we quest for more time outdoors in our work focused lives." Speaking of FLW: How would you like to be a volunteer for the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust and present a world-class historic site and its neighborhood to an international audience? Enrollment for volunteer training sessions in March and April is now underway for interpreters to lead tours at the Home and Studio and Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District in Oak Park. (Enrollment is also happening for the Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood). For those interested in the Wright Home and Studio, 951 Chicago Ave., training will take place April 18 to May 4, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, as well as two Saturdays. The time commitment consists of in-class training of 30 hours, said Andrea L. Brown, senior manager, public relations. Out-of-class reading, writing tours and studying varies from person to person, but is usually between one and 30 hours, spread over three weeks, said Brown. Volunteers are asked for a minimum commitment of four hours per month, said Brown. The trust is flexible in scheduling to accommodate people, she said. However you choose to volunteer, just know it's appreciated. Advertisement "Our volunteers generously share their time and expertise to enrich the experience for guests at our tour sites," said Brown. "They are fundamental to the success of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust." For more information about volunteering at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, contact Linda Bonifas-Guzman at 312-994-4045 or visit flwright.org/joingive/volunteer. Felicia Dechter is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. Daniel Vogel, chef/owner of catering company Food Obsession, is set to purchase The Kinderhook Tap, 800 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, seen Feb. 1. Vogel said he plans to keep the restaurant and bar's neighborhood feel and craft beer focus while changing the business name, updating decor and emphasizing fresh, farm-to-table dining. (Caitlin Mullen / Pioneer Press) The owner of a local catering business is set to purchase a popular neighborhood restaurant and bar in south Oak Park. Daniel Vogel, chef/owner of Oak Park catering company Food Obsession, said they'll close on the purchase of The Kinderhook Tap on Feb. 6. According to a Facebook post, Kinderhook shuts it doors at the end of the business day Feb. 5. Vogel hopes to reopen at the beginning of March. Advertisement "This is not a close-for-six-months kind of thing," Vogel said. Messages left for Kinderhook's current owners were not returned. A Facebook post from Jan. 30 announces the business' closure and their desire to sell the business which opened seven years ago to focus on Starved Rock Brewing in LaSalle. Advertisement Vogel said they had been talking about the purchase of the business on Oak Park Avenue since June 2016. Although Vogel and his wife, Tricia, plan to keep the business' neighborhood feel and craft beer and spirit offerings, they plan to make some changes to the bar-restaurant, including updating decor, focusing on farm-to-table offerings and introducing more wines, and changing the business name. A strong emphasis on great food and amazing service is important to Vogel. He didn't know if any staff from Kinderhook would continue working for the restaurant, as they hadn't yet talked to any employees. "It's a great neighborhood place, so we're not going to reinvent the entire wheel; we just want it to fit more our style," he said, adding that after seven years, change isn't a bad thing. Vogel, a self-described Iowa farm boy and trained chef with 25 years of experience in restaurants and the hospitality industry, said he envisions the restaurant being an extension of Food Obsession to some degree. As of now, he plans to keep the catering space at 809 South Blvd. which he's occupied for four years, although they'd like to move everything to one location eventually. "We're trying to build our brand," he said. "We have been looking to do the next thing for Food Obsession, but we didn't know what that was. It's just the perfect size for what I wanted to do." While Vogel has run countless restaurants, he said this will be the second venture where the buck stops with him. Actually, he corrected himself, it stops with Tricia, who works at Blue Plate Catering in Chicago, where they met. Advertisement Vogel said the yet-to-be-renamed restaurant will be open for dinner only, with brunch on weekends, and those hours will be revisited in the summer. Prices will be somewhat similar to Kinderhook's pricing, he said. "We just want it to be a fun, warm, welcoming place," Vogel said. Viktor Schrader, the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation's economic development manager, said he hopes Vogel can refresh the business in creative ways while maintaining its reputation as a go-to place for locals and families. "They've done a good job of becoming the local spot in south Oak Park," Schrader said. He appreciates that Vogel is trying to turn things around quickly, because "when things go dark for a little while, that's when people find somewhere else." He added Vogel brings a level of quality and familiarity that benefits the business. "I'm sure when people find out he's behind this, they'll be receptive," Schrader said. Advertisement According to the Facebook post, those with gift cards for Kinderhook should use them by Feb. 5. Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Oak Park Trustee Adam Salzman announced his resignation from the village board Thursday afternoon, a move that will become effective on Feb. 21. According to Salzman, he has accepted a position as executive director of the Chicago Legal Clinic, a move that restricts him from holding elected office. Advertisement "Because of this conflict, it has become necessary for me to resign from the village board of Oak Park," Salzman said in a statement. Salzman said the change brings "bittersweet emotions." He said he has a "deep gratitude" for the opportunity to serve as a village trustee. Advertisement "I knew Oak Park was a special community before I joined the village board," Salzman said. "Throughout my service, I saw that undeniable truth reinforced over and over again. I have every confidence that the progress that I have been so honored to take part in will continue." Among his achievements as a trustee, Salzman said he is most proud of the creation of Oak Park's Civic Information Systems Commission, which he proposed. "That volunteer commission is a group of Oak Park residents, appointed by the board, that advises the village on how to leverage advancements in information technology to improve service delivery, make local government more efficient and also more accessible to its citizens," Salzman said. Salzman was first elected to the village board in 2011, and has two years remaining on his term. Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb praised the outgoing board member, calling him one of the village's "greatest trustees." "Adam is a man of great judgment and integrity, a great legal mind, analytical, honest and ethical," Abu-Taleb said "He never forgot that he was on this board to serve the community and advance our progress. During this election time, I hope people keep in mind, as they hear candidates debate and talk about issues, that we are looking for people like Adam who can be great public servants and who can advance our community forward." According to Salzman, the Chicago Legal Clinic provides legal services to the underserved and to economically challenged communities. Its service includes an immigration program and legal advocacy in the areas of ex-offender rights and domestic violence, he said. "Particularly in today's climate, the work of organizations like the Chicago Legal Clinic is more important than ever," Salzman said. "I look forward with great enthusiasm to serving in this new role." Advertisement According to Salzman, his last day as a village trustee will be the night of the Feb. 21 village board meeting. Following the meeting, his resignation will become official. According to Village Manager Cara Pavlicek, it is now up to Mayor Abu-Taleb to nominate a candidate to fulfill the remaining two years of Salzman's term. The candidate must then be approved by the rest of the village board before assuming the trustee role. sschering@pioneerlocal.com Twitter: @steveschering A pay raise of $14,200 was recently approved for Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 Superintendent Laurie Heinz, who is marking her third year of employment with the district. The board of education voted 5-0 on Jan. 23 to grant Heinz a 2 percent raise to her previous salary of $205,020, plus a $10,100 "market adjustment," bumping her annual base pay to $219,220. Advertisement Board member Mark Eggemann left the meeting early and did not vote on the raises. He and board member Tom Sotos voted against a 2 percent increase in Heinz's pay in 2015. In a prepared statement read during the meeting, board President Anthony Borrelli credited Heinz for her work on the creation of a new district strategic plan, a review of the curriculum, the development of a comprehensive safety plan for schools, development of new teacher evaluations, and a review of district accounting, among other initiatives. Advertisement Borrelli also spoke of the district's "positive financial forecast" and above-average MAP test scores when District 64 students are compared to similar districts across the country. He said increasing Heinz's salary will both reward her for her work and help to retain her as superintendent. "Increased salary for increased effect is a core basis similar to every other superintendent and employee in both the public and private sectors," Borrelli said. "At the end of two full years, and today being into her third year, Dr. Heinz has exceeded goals of the board and is unanimously applauded by the board for her contributions." As for the market adjustment to her salary, Borrelli said that when Heinz was hired in 2014, her salary was "considerably below market rate" because she was new to the position. The $10,100 increase to her salary will help bring her closer in line with other area superintendents, but her pay is still low, Borrelli said. "As capable as Dr. Heinz has shown to be, her salary remains far below the first quartile when compared to other districts and superintendents in similar positions, and is far below the market rate that is afforded other superintendents," he said. Heinz's benefits will not change, Borrelli said. Under her contract, Heinz is allotted medical insurance coverage, term life insurance in an amount equal to her annual salary, 20 vacation days annually, travel reimbursement, continuing education and professional organization membership reimbursement, and an annual stipend for use of a personally-owned communication device. Heinz was hired at a base salary of $201,000 when she took over the district's top administrative post on July 1, 2014. With benefits added in, the yearly value of Heinz's employment at that time was $243,010, the district said. The previous superintendent was paid a base salary of $189,625 in 2014 and he had not received a raise since 2011, though he was allowed to swap up to 14 unused vacation days a year for compensation, the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate reported. Prior to joining District 64, Heinz was assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction with Skokie School District 68. Advertisement Borrelli said Heinz's contract remains a "three-year revolving contract," which is the same form of agreement that previous superintendents have had. "It is constructed this way to provide protection and guaranteed employment for two years beyond the current year to allow the superintendent immunity from bias and board capriciousness in the execution of her duties," Borrelli said. "As one year of the contract is exhausted, another is added to replace it." Board members Tom Sotos, Vicki Lee, Bob Johnson and Scott Zimmerman each said they supported the raise in compensation for Heinz. "I am one of Laurie's biggest fans," said Lee, who, with Zimmerman and Johnson, is stepping down from the board in May. "I was involved in her hiring, and I think it's so exciting the direction that the district's going." Sotos, who is in the middle of his four-year term, said he was happy with the superintendent's performance and believed student progress is "moving in the right direction." "I'm confident that time will show those ranking and test scores will climb," Sotos said. "Even though they are good today, they will be better tomorrow." Advertisement jjohnson@pioneerlocal.com Twitter: @Jen_Tribune Willie Carter said he thinks he must have drifted off to sleep when he heard the 5-year-old boy's voice saying the apartment was on fire. Everything after that feels like a nightmare, the 29-year-old Carter said. Advertisement Remembering the blaze that killed three children in Gary on Christmas Eve, Carter said he got out of bed and tried to follow the boy's voice, thinking it might have come from downstairs in the two-story apartment. But he couldn't make it all the way down the stairs as he saw big, yellow flames all around him, he said. Advertisement "It was moving so fast, and I felt like I was moving so slow," Carter, of Gary, said. Three young cousins, Jayden Mitchell, 5, A'laya Pickens, 4, and Yaleah Cohen, 2, died in the apartment fire that went into the early hours of Christmas Eve in the 4400 block of West 23rd Court, in the Oak Knoll Apartments in Gary. It's hard for Carter to think about that night and about how the children must have suffered, he said. "I wish I could've saved the kids. I just feel so bad," Carter said. The Gary Fire Department has ruled the fire an arson with the cause listed as "incendiary by an unknown person or persons," according to a report from the department. Carter said after he couldn't get to the first floor, he turned around and headed back upstairs to try looking for the children who were in the apartment. Willie Carter. (Provided by Willie Carter / Post-Tribune) But, he was met with more smoke and more flames, he said. When he made one last attempt downstairs, the smoke and flames had gotten worse, he said. Advertisement It all became hazy as he inhaled the fumes. Firefighters would later find the children upstairs, one at the top of the stairs and two together in a bedroom. One of the firefighters first on the scene described what he found as "catastrophic conditions" as "the floor was on fire in the living room" and flames were coming out of the second-story windows, according to a Gary Fire Department report. As firefighters got inside and fought flames to get to the second floor, they saw a "glowing red line," which they later figured out was a metal hand railing, leading up the stairway, the report says. Carter said he could start to feel his hair sizzling, and he didn't know it until he got outside later, but he had caught on fire as he was trying to make his way around the apartment. "The fire was just real strong. I never experienced anything like it," he said. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 A group of women who identified themselves as family of the three children killed in an apartment fire overnight, hang teddy bears by a tree on Dec. 24, 2016, in Gary. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) Carter was one of two adults the other his wife, Yoasha Carter, the mother of Mitchell and Pickens to make it out of the fire at the apartment where they had been visiting for the holidays. Carter was burned in the fire and was hospitalized in the days after. His arm is still bandaged as he recuperates in Illinois. At one point, he said, he told his wife to jump out the second-story window. Before he was able to get out the window, Carter said he thought he was "going to die." He dangled from the ledge for a bit before landing on the cold ground with his 1-year-old daughter in his hands, he said. Gary police and fire officials declined to discuss details of the case. "As I was on the ground, everything was spinning, and I felt very weak," he said. Carter said he thinks he must have passed out for a few seconds before he got in a vehicle to stay warm until an ambulance arrived and transported him to a hospital. He said he cried when he woke up later in a hospital bed and realized what happened. Advertisement "I just cried for the kids that couldn't be saved," Carter said. The report details what investigators found in the days after. The walls were blistered and charred. Siding had melted on the outside of the house. Soot lined window and door frames. The Lake County coroner's office said it could be a few more weeks for test results to have a definitive cause and manner of death for each of the children, according to Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Sefton. As fire department investigators went through the apartment in the days after, they found a plastic 5-gallon gasoline container under a table in a corner after smelling a "petroleum-based substance," which the report identifies as gasoline, near the stairs. They found more burn and pour patterns on the floor in the living room, hallway and kitchen, and an arson-sniffing canine brought in "indicated three areas where an accelerant may have been used in the north living room and on two separate stairs in the stairway," the report states. Willie Carter said as far as he knew, it was common for a gas container to be inside the apartment before the fire to get gas for cars. Advertisement Gary police and the Indiana State Fire Marshal continued to investigate this week to figure out how the fire started and by whom. They didn't have estimates on when their investigations might be completed or additional details to release. Carter said he has his own idea of how it may have started and why, but he just wants answers as he still grapples with what happened, more than a month later. "I never thought in a million years I would suffer a tragedy like this," he said. There were no threats or incidents leading up to the fire that indicated what was to come, Carter said. They had spent the week before Christmas shopping for the children's gifts, he said. They wrapped the presents and were waiting to see the children's faces when they opened them. "We were just waiting on that time to be happy," he said. Advertisement Carter said he tried his best to save them but is sorry the children never had their Christmas or the opportunity to grow up and have a future. "I just hate that they couldn't have enjoyed their lives," Carter said. He remembers his stepchildren, Mitchell and Pickens, as energetic children who were smart for their ages and loved school. "The passion that they had. The energy that they had," Carter recalled. He remembers how big and warm Pickens' hugs were when he saw her, Carter said. He said Mitchell loved superheroes. A few days before the fire, Mitchell came home from school and showed Carter his "Power Rangers" toy. Carter enjoyed watching Mitchell get into "Power Rangers," as Carter had when he was a child, he said. Advertisement Carter is thankful for Mitchell, calling him a "hero" and an "angel" who saved his life. "I thanked the Lord for the little boy for having that voice to even wake me up. I believe that if I never would've heard him, we all would've been gone," Carter said. Yoasha Carter declined to discuss the case herself, deferring to her husband. Lake County court records show the Carters were going through a divorce before the fire, and Willie Carter said he hadn't had much contact with his wife since then. Willie Carter said it's been a painful recovery in the weeks since the fire, emotionally and physically. He wasn't discharged until Jan. 11 from Loyola University Medical Center, where he was treated for burns to much of his body, he said. By the end of January, he was starting to be able to pull on his pant leg and use his arms to lift light objects, he said. "I'm definitely trying to live through it, try to believe it actually happened," Carter said. Advertisement When he initially got out of the hospital, he stayed with a family member in Gary before going to stay with others out of state. He just didn't feel safe staying in Gary after the fire, he said. But it's the emotional toll that's difficult to deal with, Carter said with tears as he remembered the fire. He said he knows it hasn't been easy for the parents of the children who died in the fire, and there have been comments on social media that "just make things worse" as they move forward, with people telling him he should have died in the fire, he said. It hurts to hear that, and it makes him second guess what more he could have done. Despite what people write online, Carter said he knows what he experienced during the fire, and looking back, he wishes it could have ended differently. "I wish I could go back," Carter said. Advertisement rejacobs@post-trib.com Twitter @ruthyjacobs Valparaiso University law profesor Geoffrey Heeren, standing, and immigration lawyer Dana Rifai speak during an immigration information session on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at Valparaiso University. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune) A professor from the Valparaiso School of Law warned international students that the way to avoid being affected by the recent executive order banning Muslims from entering the United States is to not leave the country. "The main dividing line is between people inside the U.S. and outside the U.S.," Geoffrey Heeren said. "If you go outside, you can't come back in, so don't travel outside the U.S." Advertisement Hareen's message was among those presented Wednesday in a program at Valparaiso University to provide clarity over the recent executive order regarding a travel ban from seven predominantly Muslim countries. "This country has gone through many things. This is one bump in the process," said Jaishankar Raman, the university's assistant provost for international affairs, a native of India who himself came to the United States as an international student, adding there was confusion in the days after 9/11 as well. Advertisement Valparaiso University assistant provost for international affairs Jaishankar Raman speaks at an immigration information session on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at Valparaiso University. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune) "This will also pass and please know we are all here for you." More than 100 people, including international students, faculty and staff, and community members attended the program to learn how to navigate travel in the coming weeks. Students submitted questions anonymously about the executive order, which also bans refugee processing for 120 days and leaves many other components of immigration law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, in flux. Valparaiso immigration attorney Dana Rifai and Heeren, who also oversees the university's immigration law clinic, said students from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are strongly encouraged not to travel outside the U.S. because they won't be able to come back. Immigration attorney Dana Rifai speaks at an immigration information session on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at Valparaiso University. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune) Those from other countries may also face increased scrutiny, they added. Traveling within the U.S. is not affected, Rifai said, but she recommended keeping a passport, identification and other documents on hand "just in case." Students should continue to be enrolled in school to maintain their legal residency status, she said, adding if anything changes, they should consult with an attorney. Students who are foreign nationals but aren't from the impacted countries should also keep tabs on the executive order, Rifai added, and should travel outside the country only if needed. Advertisement "As of now this seven-country ban does not affect you but we are not sure if other countries will be added," she said. Valparaiso University law professor Geoffrey Heeren speaks at an immigration information session on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at Valparaiso University. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune) Third-year law student Josue Espinosa of Portage is involved with the immigration clinic and said the clinic is partnering with other legal clinics and law services to see what it can do to assist the community. "In essence, we're looking at what is there that we could do to help," he said. Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. Lucy Gallun, an eighth grader at Nichols School is one of the dancers who will perform "John Lennon's Piano and Other Tales of Magical Thinking," 3 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Skokie Library. (Matt Glavin / Skokie Library) Fourteen young dancers, all in seventh and eighth grade will bring magic to the Skokie Public Library when ede2 presents, "John Lennon's Piano and Other Tales of Magical Thinking," 3 p.m. Feb. 4 at 5215 Oakton St. The original work is based on John Lennon's world tour to areas where tragic events had occurred to perform "Imagine" on the piano on which he composed the song. The piano was said to calm people. Advertisement This dance concert addresses magical thinking in many forms. "Things like when you cross your fingers or when you hold your breath when you drive past a cemetery or blowing dandelion seeds to make a wish," said Allison Kurtz Volkers, artistic director of Evanston Dance Ensemble's youth company. "We have a little moment that's about the Cubs' world series in there." The dancers will perform in a diverse range of styles. "We have a hip-hop piece, modern, ballet and jazz all represented within the show," Volkers said. Advertisement For details, call (847) 673-7774 or go to www.skokielibrary.info. Chinese connection A variety show of dance, music, martial arts and more will launch the 2017 Coming Together in Skokie & Niles Township program which this year focuses on Chinese culture. There will be performances and demonstrations, 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd. The event is free. For details, call (847) 673-6300 or go to comingtogether.in. A slice would be nice A free piece of Home Run Inn pizza will be given to the first 200 people who visit the new I Love Pizza exhibit at the Niles Public Library, 6960 Oakton St., during a Kick Off Event, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Feb. 3. All ages are welcome. For details, call (847) 663-1234 or go to www.nileslibrary.org. Dog days While the family is away, dogs will play. Find out what they do at a screening of "The Secret Life of Pets," 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the National Park Fieldhouse, 9325 Marion, Morton Grove. The Indoor Movie Night is free. For details, call (847) 965-1200 or go to mortongroveparks.com. Advertisement Imagine that Inspiring kids' imaginations is the goal of Disney Reads Day, 11 a.m. Feb. 4 at Barnes and Noble, 55 Old Orchard Center, Skokie. Youngsters will hear popular Disney stories, do related activities and receive giveaways, including stickers, bookmarks and mini-posters, while supplies last. By Dezan Shira & Associates Editor: Zolzaya Erdenebileg Foreign companies operating in China are increasingly finding themselves in the uncomfortable position of undergoing an internal investigation or encountering a potential labor dispute. According to national statistics released by Chinas Supreme Peoples Court (SPC), 2015 saw a sharp rise in labor disputes. New labor disputes, meaning disputes that arise during a contractual relationship between employee and employer, accepted by the Chinese courts totaled 483,311 an increase of 25 percent from 2014. Labor service disputes, meaning disputes arising from independent contractor agreements with quasi-employment relationships, totaled 162,920 an increase of 38.7 percent from 2014. Labor disputes can be costly, both in terms of money and reputation. Oftentimes, and especially for foreign firms, the issue stems from a lack of HR oversight. An HR audit can reveal such inconsistencies and determine whether or not the company faces any employment-related liabilities. What is a Human Resources (HR) audit? Like a financial audit, an HR audit is an independent and objective evaluation of the current state of an organizations HR policies, practices, documentation, and systems. An HR audit can alert a company about hidden HR-related problems and errors, as well as possible compliance issues against a backdrop of Chinas ever-evolving rules and regulations. This can allow an organization to establish best practices, thereby protecting it against possible operational and legal risk. An HR auditing process can be conducted in-house, but preferably should be carried out by a qualified independent and objective third-party, and should provide the following assurances: Compliance with all government regulations; Business talent requirements are being met; HR management risks are being managed; Human capital at the organization adds value to the overall operations of the company. From the list above, it is clear that HR audits can go beyond ensuring compliance; they can also identify weaknesses in a companys overall talent structure and streamline inefficiencies. It is important to regard the HR audit as a diagnostic tool. It can help identify areas of improvement within an organization, but cannot prescribe solutions. The role of the auditor is to give professional advice, but the decision of how to solve the problems will be left up to the organization itself. To make the most of an HR audit, companies must be ready and willing to take the next steps to ameliorate any possible issues that are revealed. Advantages of conducting HR audits From carrying out an HR audit, an organization can gain two main advantages: compliance assurance and efficiency review. Compliance assurance In many countries, there are a number of laws that affect each stage of the employment process, from recruitment to onboarding to dismissals. Nowhere is this more true than in the Middle Kingdom, where regulatory changes can happen quickly. As such, it is critical that employers conduct regular assessments of their HR policies and practices. Additionally, the penalties for overlooking HR regulatory compliance can be costly. If an employer is found to be in violation of HR requirements, then they may face fines and potential HR blacklisting. If a company is blacklisted, it will be listed with the local authority as having had transgressions and could face more scrutiny when hiring, as well as be subject to impromptu checks by the labor authority. Efficiency review An HR audit can also help ensure that company policies and procedures are being followed by HR staff. This is particularly important for foreign companies in China that decide to outsource part or all of their HR operations, and do not have complete oversight over the process. An audit can reveal the strengths and weaknesses within the HR system. By knowing where the system can be improved, the organization can work to maintain or increase employee satisfaction and decrease costly turnover of staff. By one estimate, losing an employee can cost a company 50 to 150 percent of the said employees salary, in addition to the time and effort spent to replace that position. Who conducts HR audits? An HR audit can be conducted in-house if the organizations own HR staff have the necessary expertise and know-how. However, the organization should be aware that, if an audit is performed in-house or by outside consultants who are not lawyers, the results of the audit are subject to litigation. Therefore, it is recommended that the organization considers hiring outside legally-qualified counsel to perform the audit. By doing so, it can protect itself through the legal privileges against disclosure. It is also important to note that the organization is responsible for ensuring HR compliance, and is therefore ultimately responsible for any liabilities that may arise. Common difficulties encountered during an HR audit Chinas new legal developments An audit is a comprehensive and time-consuming task. In China, it can be particularly formidable, given the dynamisms of the countrys legal environment that requires HR professionals to be constantly aware of new regulations. If performing the audit in-house, the main obstacle will be surveying the legal landscape and ensuring that the organization is compliant with all relevant and necessary requirements. Given these difficulties, an outside party may be best placed to objectively review the current status of compliance, and bring additional expertise to the audit. Documentation A particularly prominent issue in China is sufficient record-keeping. For example, since 2008, it has been mandatory in China for employers to keep written contracts with their employees. However, China continues to lack a uniform legal standard for collection, processing, and use of personal information. This can lead to uncertainties in a court of law when it comes to alleged employee misconduct. Additionally, many foreign companies in China keep contracts under the Chinese name of their employees, but daily work is conducted using their English names. If an investigation of such an employee is necessary, it would be very difficult to keep track of that persons identity. To aid the process, organizations should be prepared to provide a number of documents and internal policies, as well as feedback from selected members of staff, such as managers and HR personnel. The total amount of effort and time spent on an HR audit will depend on the size and scope of the organization, as well as the availability of necessary documentation. It may be the case that HR documentation is lacking or disorganized. In these cases, the audit will be delayed. Remember, in China, the burden of proof lies with the employer in the event of a dispute. Therefore, it is imperative that detailed records are kept. Company cooperativeness If the audit is being conducted by an outside source, the HR staff members may feel that they are under scrutiny. In China, this feeling may become magnified in connection to the idea of face, or of reputation and dignity. Some managers may be particularly afraid of losing face, or of facing embarrassment and damaging their reputation, if the audit fi HR irregularities. To avoid this, they may try to cover up existing issues by denying access to information, documentation, or even the company facilities. Additionally, they may try to mislead the auditor about the management styles or procedures that are typically followed at the company. Frequency of HR audits It is recommended to conduct HR audits on an annual basis. This may seem infeasible, but in actuality, the regularity of the audit lessens the time and effort needed. Firstly, the amount of HR documentation needed to be found, compiled, investigated, and analyzed will be lessened if the time between audits is shorter. Secondly, it is less likely that the company will need major changes to its HR policies and procedures if a well-run and efficient audit had been conducted earlier. HR audits, while time-consuming, can decrease costs, minimize legal liabilities, and streamline the HR processes that a company depends on. In China, where foreign firms must take on many responsibilities in an employer-employee relationship, and where labor disputes are on the rise, reviewing the compliance and efficiency of HR workings can go a long way. This article is an excerpt from the December issue of China Briefing Magazine, titled Navigating HR Audits in China. In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we provide a guide for conducting HR audits in China. We analyze why the HR audit is especially important for foreign companies operating in the country, and then detail the different HR audit models and procedures that are available to firms. Tax, Accounting, and Audit in China 2016 This edition of Tax, Accounting, and Audit in China, updated for 2016, offers a comprehensive overview of the major taxes that foreign investors are likely to encounter when establishing or operating a business in China, as well as other tax-relevant obligations. This concise, detailed, yet pragmatic guide is ideal for CFOs, compliance officers and heads of accounting who must navigate the complex tax and accounting landscape in China in order to effectively manage and strategically plan their China-based operations. Human Resources and Payroll in China 2016-2017 A firm understanding of Chinas laws and regulations related to human resources and payroll management is absolutely necessary for foreign businesses in China. This edition of HR and Payroll, updated for 2016/17, navigates Chinas laws and regulations related to HR and payroll management essential information for foreign investors looking to establish or already running a foreign-invested entity in China. Establishing & Operating a Business in China 2016 Establishing & Operating a Business in China 2016, produced in collaboration with the experts at Dezan Shira & Associates, explores the establishment procedures and related considerations of the Representative Office (RO), and two types of Limited Liability Companies: the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise (WFOE) and the Sino-foreign Joint Venture (JV). The guide also includes issues specific to Hong Kong and Singapore holding companies, and details how foreign investors can close a foreign-invested enterprise smoothly in China. A Chinese language exam is likely to be introduced in Russian schools from 2018, according to a national-level education body in Russia. Russian students from the Russian State University for the Humanities browse Chinese web pages. The Chinese language is now taught in 123 educational institutions in 34 regions in Russia. [File photo/www.people.com.cn] "There is a plan to introduce the Chinese language test to the Basic State Exam in 2018 and to the Unified State Exam in 2020," Oxana Reshetnikova, Director of the Russian Federal Institute for Pedagogical Measurements, was quoted as saying by the local Moskva news agency on Tuesday. Russia's Basic State Exam is a series of obligatory examinations for ninth grade students and the Unified State Exam for 11th grade students necessary to qualify for university education. Takers of the two exams currently have a choice of English, German, French and Spanish as part of the exam's foreign language component. The Chinese language is now taught in 123 educational institutions in 34 regions in Russia, with the total number of student learners exceeding 17,000, of which around 5,000 are in eighth to 11th grades, according to Russia's education watchdog. Flash U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as U.S. Secretary of State. Rex Tillerson, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil, smiles during his testimony before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be U.S. secretary of state in Washington, U.S. January 11, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS) Tillerson was approved to be the top U.S. diplomat in a 56-43 vote, with three democratic and an independent lawmakers joining all Republicans to back him. Democratic Senator Chris Coons skipped the vote. The confirmation came despite some lawmakers' skepticism over Tillerson's stance towards Russia, given his previous business ties with Russia and relationship with the country's leadership. Senator Marco Rubio, who had a testy exchange with Tillerson during his confirmation hearing last month, noted that Secretary of State "is the most important cabinet position that the president has to nominate." "There is so much uncertainty and debate about our role in the world these days," he said, according to news website The Hill. "A lot of our allies have questions. Our adversaries are obviously watching very closely." At the confirmation hearing, Tillerson, calling Russia a "danger" to the United States, said he favored maintaining U.S. sanctions against Moscow. "Russia today poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests," said Tillerson. "Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia." He also recommended a "full review" of the nuclear deal with Iran, but he did not call for an outright rejection of the accord. On the South China Sea issue, Tillerson told the hearing that China should stop island building in the South China Sea and be denied access to these islands, which China regards as an integral part of its territory. Following Tillerson's remark, Cui Tiankai, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., urged "some people" in the United States to be more careful and act in a more responsible way when talking about possible disputes in other people's waters. Tillerson was widely known for opposing sanctions against Russia in his ExxonMobil corporate life. But he refused to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal as he had known him since the 1990s and was awarded Order of Friendship in 2013 by Putin. Flash The British government is to publish a "White Paper" on Thursday detailing its strategy for leaving the European Union (EU), Prime Minister Theresa May told parliament on Wednesday. The document is a summary of the Government's plans, usually published for information and for a prompt discussion before a formal parliamentary bill is introduced. Last week, May promised a Brexit white paper in response to growing pressure from Members of Parliament (MPs) of all parties, for the government to update Parliament on its Brexit strategy before MPs are asked to vote on triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty -- the official trigger for Brexit. Meanwhile, Britain's former EU ambassador Sir Ivan Rogers on Wednesday said Brexit talks would take place on a "humongous scale" involving "difficult trade-offs," BBC reported. Rogers predicted that much of the talks would be "conducted very publicly" with "name-calling" and an "extremely feisty atmosphere." He added that EU Commission chiefs were saying Britain should pay 40 to 60 billion euros (43 to 64 billion U.S. dollars) to leave and thought a trade deal could take until the mid-2020s to agree. Flash The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Wednesday the temporary visa ban ordered by U.S. President Donald Tump on visitors and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries is America's sovereign right, local media reported. The ban was not against a specific religion per se, as the majority of the Muslim countries were not in the list of countries whose citizens were affected, said UAE Minister of Foreign and International Affairs Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Gulf News reported. At a joint press conference in Abu Dhabi with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ahmed Abu Al Ghait, secretary-general of the Arab League, the top UAE diplomat said all nations have the right to make their sovereign decisions. Al-Nahyan was responding to a question regarding Trump's decision on Friday to put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the U.S. and temporarily ban visitors from Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan. Trump said the travel restrictions will help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. On Sunday, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince and the UAE's Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, had a telephone conversation with Trump. The UAE politician said during the phone call that "extremism and terrorism have no religion nor identity." "The UAE is looking forward to overcoming this regional chaotic and unstable stage through joint cooperation and efforts serving mutual interests, achieving peace, stability and restoring security," the UAE's state news agency WAM quoted Sheikh Mohammed as saying. Li Heping with U.S. Representative Chris Smith. (Photo: China Aid) China Aid (TianjinJan. 23, 2017) Two human rights lawyers arrested during a nationwide roundup suffered electrocution and other forms of torture while incarcerated, China Aid learned yesterday. Wang Qiaoling, the wife of incarcerated human rights attorney Li Heping, confirmed on Jan. 23 that her husband and another lawyer, Wang Quanzhang, had been tortured using various methods, including electric batons, during their first six months in prison. Li fainted several times. Both Li and Wang were placed in police custody in 2015 for their defense work. Li, who was held at an unknown location for six months, was formally arrested on Jan. 20, 2016, on suspicion of subverting state power and is incarcerated at the Tianjin Municipal Detention Center No. 1. China Aid exposes abuses, such as those experienced by Li and Wang, in order to stand in solidarity with the persecuted and promote religious freedom, human rights, and rule of law. ChinaAid Media Team Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985 Email: [email protected] For more information, click here US President Donald Trump speaks while signing executive orders at the White House in Washington January 24, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] Less than two weeks into his presidency Donald Trump seems to have proved in an ominous sense for many people in the United States and abroad that his campaign rhetoric was not just empty promises. Despite mounting opposition, Trump has signed executive orders to overturn his predecessor's healthcare reform law, withdraw the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, build an anti-migrant wall along the border with Mexico, and temporarily ban entry into the US by nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries. Even though it has so far been spared a direct provocation from the world's sole superpower, China has no reason to be complacent, given what Trump has previously said about it and the hostile views expressed by some of those who make up his team, especially former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who was confirmed as US secretary of state on Wednesday. Prior to his election victory, Trump vowed to levy massive tariffs on China's exports, label the country a currency manipulator and take a tougher stance against it on the South China Sea. Trade moves seem already underway. US regulators on Tuesday imposed hefty tariffs on certain washing machines that it said were imported from China at below fair value. Such tariffs are a double-edged sword though, as they will surely affect US consumers and incur retaliatory countermeasures that will hurt the interests of US businesses. The same can be said of labeling China a currency manipulator, which is patently false since Beijing has been working to prop up, not depreciate, the yuan's value over the last year. How seriously the fallout will be, in jobs and investment, will probably determine how far Trump is prepared to go on a confrontational course. But with its exports now accounting for 13.8 percent of the world's total, compared with 9 percent for the US, China is better positioned for trade frictions. More worrying though is the possibility of a clash in the South China Sea. Although US oil companies have long coveted exploiting oil and gas reserves in the region, and of course the US navy seeks to maintain its dominance, trying to block China from its own territory as was mentioned by Tillerson at his confirmation hearing would be a recipe for disaster. China needs to cast aside any illusions it may have had that Trump was just mouthing off to attract votes and instead be prepared for the worst. MEXICO CITY - Mexico seeks to continue strengthening comprehensive ties with China and attract investment in the coming years, Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Videgaray said on Monday. "We want to attract investment and continue to strengthen our ties with China in a comprehensive way," Videgaray told senators from the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). At the meeting in the Senate, Videgaray said Mexico has already taken steps to enhance trade ties with other Latin American countries, as well as those in Europe, Asia and Africa, given the changing global landscape marked by US President Donald Trump. "Regarding China, we have to remember that it is a country with which we have elevated our relationship, the character of our comprehensive strategic partnership, and we are seeing an increase in the flow of trade," said Mexico's top envoy. While Mexico's most trade with China is in the form of imports, "our exports are also growing," noted Videgaray. Trump recently withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal among more than 10 countries, including Mexico, which will look to expand trade with other signatories of the TPP, said the official. "We are already in talks" with South Korea, he said. Despite Trump's divisive initiatives, including building a wall along the US-Mexico border, Videgaray said, "We are going to ... maintain dialogue and we are going towards a process of negotiation." In the coming months, the two countries are expected to begin renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), in force between Canada, the United States and Mexico since 1994. Trump claims the treaty has benefited Mexico only. Chinese companies have shifted the focus of their overseas acquisitions away from natural resources toward innovative technology and robotics, according to a report from a London-based law firm. The annual M&A Trends report by the Clifford Chance firm found German industrials were a major target for acquisition in 2016. The report noted Chinese private and State-owned enterprises were increasingly interested in technology companies to gain commercial and technical know-how. Neeraj Budhwani, a Clifford Chance partner in Hong Kong, said: "China's appetite for offshore assets remains voracious, but we're seeing a shift of focus. ... Technology companies are actively seeking out opportunities in the fintech sector, with a view to bringing more innovative technology back to the country." But the report warned of growing concerns in Germany that the acquisitions will affect Germany's industrial sector, and about the security of industrial and corporate data. Meanwhile, the report found Chinese outbound mergers and acquisitions rose 114 percent globally in 2016 in comparison with the previous year. Chinese bidders spent $208.6 billion last year. The report noted Chinese investment into Europe was up 201 percent, and in North America, it rose by 412 percent. Terence Foo, an M&A partner based in Beijing, added: "Despite the introduction of restrictions on capital outflows in China, we are helping Chinese buyers explore more innovative funding structures." A new energy car produced by Chinese automaker JAC on display in Huaibei, East China's Anhui province, on Oct 3, 2016. [Photo/VCG] China's JAC Motors is teaming up with Mexican company Giant Motors Latinoamerica to localize its sport utility vehicles, but analysts doubt the wisdom of the move said to target customers in Mexico, Central and South American markets. Hidalgo Governor Omar Fayad announced the two companies' cooperation during a press conference Wednesday, saying that they are to invest $212 million in capacity expansion for a plant owned by Giant Motors in Ciudad Sahagun, Hidalgo, the AFP reported. A JAC spokesperson told China Daily that they are currently strengthening technological cooperation with Giant Motors but did not confirm the investment. The AFP quoted Giant Motors head Elias Massri as saying the company will start producing SUVs at the plant within two months, making 1,000 vehicles in the first year with the goal of making 10,000 units per year by 2021. JAC sold 367,300 passenger vehicles in 2016, a year-on-year increase of 6.09 percent, and 27,500 of those units were SUVs. However, some analysts believe it may not be wise to make big investments in the region if JAC aims to sell its cars to Central and South American markets. John Zeng, managing director of LMC Automotive Consulting Shanghai, said it would be baffling if JAC would make such an investment. He reasons that it is cheaper to export cars to those countries from Mexico than from China but JAC could have built a plant in a South American country. Yale Zhang, managing director of consulting firm Automotive Foresight, said several other Chinese automakers had contemplated building plants in Mexico, but all of them saw it as a natural gateway to the US and Canada. In 2016, 17.59 million cars were sold in the US and almost two million cars in Canada, much larger than Central and South American markets combined. But Zhang said few of those automakers have made the move. The FAW tried its hand without fruition and left in 2009. He said Chinese carmakers may find it even harder, if not impossible, to fulfill their goals now that Trump has threatened to renegotiate NAFTA and build a wall along the Mexico-US border. Mexico is the world's fourth biggest car exporter. It produced 3.46 million cars in 2016. Of those, 2.77 million cars were exported, with three quarters of them to the US, according to local industry association AMIA. Legislators and political advisers in Shanghai have urged the government, bike-sharing startups, and cyclists to jointly solve the problem of illegal parking of hired bikes as the problem grows throughout the city. Conflicts over parking has occurred in several cities. The latest one occured on Jan 15 in Shenzhen, where around 500 hired bikes were piled up by security guards at a community where residents were angry about the cyclists' illegal parking. "Bike-sharing operators should take the initiative to discuss with local government authorities where the bikes can be parked and where they can't. Moreover, users must register with real names when using the bikes and those who violate parking regulations must be punished," Wang Rulu, a member of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said on Jan 15 during the annual sessions of the city's legislative and political advisory bodies. Hired bikes operated by companies such as Mobike, Ofo and Bluegogo have grown in popularity since their appearance in April. They are easy to rent through smartphone apps and can be parked at users' convenience. The number of such bikes in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou has surpassed 100,000. "However, their illegal parking has caused inconvenience for pedestrians and hindered traffic safety," Wang said. In Shanghai, sharing bike operators suggest users park in certain areas marked with white lanes on the pavement, which are designated as areas for bicycle parking by the government. But often, especially during rush hour near metro station entrances, the bikes spill over into other areas, and some users park them randomly on the pavement or even in motor vehicle lanes. Mobike says that it receives as average of 30,000 reports of illegal parking a day. "We need a solution sometime soon as the number of hired bikes will continue to increase in the near future," said Wang, who is also chief engineer at Shanghai Metro Maintenance and Support Co. Cao Guoxing, head of public relations for Mobike, said the company is talking with authorities in different cities about solutions. Jiang Xiaoqing, a municipal legislator in Shanghai, suggested adding illegal parking violations to citizens' credit records. "Every user must obey the public transport regulations," said Jiang, who is also deputy director of the radio news center of Shanghai Media Group. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and neighboring regions are forecast to see heavy air pollution starting on Thursday and lasting for three days as a result of climatological conditions and holiday fireworks, officials said. The density of PM2.5, particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometers, will peak on Friday in the region, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on its official website. Conditions were worsened by the traditional practice of setting off firecrackers on the fifth day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which fell on Wednesday this year. "The air diffusion conditions will gradually get better on Sunday in most areas in the country, which will ease the pollution," the announcement said. Other factors also contributed to the air pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Many large companies, especially steel mills and petrochemical factories, do not stop production during the Spring Festival holiday in that area. Authorities found that some companies in Hebei province were discharging emissions above the amount allowed. With the Spring Festival holiday ending on Thursday, small and medium-sized companies will restart production and a large number of people will return to their jobs in the cities. Those factors also add emissions that affect the air quality. The Environmental Protection Ministry said it will closely monitor air quality changes and ask the local governments to strictly forbid excessive emissions. In recent years, the ministry has encouraged the public not to set off firecrackers to celebrate the new year for the sake of air quality. Feng Yinchang, a professor specializing in environmental protection at Nankai University, said coal-burning boilers for heating constitute a major source of winter air pollution in Beijing and neighboring regions. Even though most downtown areas have replaced the use of coal for heating with cleaner energy such as natural gas, in large rural areas around Beijing, families still use coal for heating, resulting in high sulfur dioxide emissions. Photos of Shi Yanan (at left in both pictures) and Zheng Mingde show how they've changed since the first photo was taken 18 years ago and the most recent on Jan 30, 2017. Zheng recalled an unforgettable moment when Shi gave him a chicken leg one time when he was ill. Now Zheng works in Shenzhen and Shi lives in their hometown in Hebei.[Photo/IC] Chinese tourists take a selfie in the fall next to the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok, Thailand.[Photo/Agencies] A record 6.15 million trips were made by Chinese mainland tourists to overseas destinations during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, which ended on Thursday, according to the China National Tourism Administration. That is an increase of 7 percent compared with last year's Spring Festival. About 374,000 trips were organized by travel agencies, a 2.5 percent increase. The administration also reported growth from individual and high-end travelers and said that in addition to first-tier and coastal cities, inland citiessuch as those in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regionbecame important source markets for China's out-bound tourism industry. With many Chinese now traveling abroad for Spring Festival, their choice of destinations has expanded along with their growing interest in exotic cultures and services. Those traveling to Japan, for example, where "shopping spree" became a catchword in 2015, now prefer a physical checkup or experiencing Japanese culture. Meng Fanhai, owner of a tourism agency in Tokyo, said his agency arranged more than 200 physical checkups and medical treatments in 2016, up 50 percent from the year before and accounting for about one-third of his agency's business from Chinese tourists. Li Xuejing, the agency's marketing manager, said Chinese tourists are increasingly willing to experience local culture and characteristic services, including staying in private homes, appreciating bonsai and watching monkeys in hot springs. Yang Min, a partner of a tourism agency specializing in receiving Chinese tourists in Kenya, said the country was unfamiliar to most Chinese in 2005. However, since 2010, more Chinese tourists have chosen the African country as a destination to experience its biodiversity. A Chinese tourist surnamed Guo, who was vacationing on an island in the Philippines, said she now pays more attention to relaxation and enjoyment during the holidays instead of shopping or choosing gifts for relatives. "When I book a hotel, I will take into consideration the massage, the spa and other special services ... to enjoy myself," she said. Another choice is Britain. Though the devaluation of the pound is a factor, Britain's rich history and famous education tradition have caught the eye of Chinese. Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon announces on Wednesday he will not seek South Korea's presidency. [Photo/Son Hyung-ju via Reuters] Former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon abruptly ended his attempt to seek South Korea's presidency on Wednesday, dropping a lifetime of diplomacy to denounce his country's political establishment. Ban, 72, returned home last month after a decade in New York and was widely expected to run in elections due this year, but his anticipated candidacy ran into a series of stumbles and he struggled for backing. "I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country," he said at a news conference. "I'm sorry for disappointing many people." His support in public opinion polls had rapidly declined from 20.3 percent when he returned to 13.1 percent before his announcement. Although he never officially declared he was running, the former UN chief embarked on a series of public appearances. But he struggled to secure party backing in South Korea's highly partisan political system, and corruption allegations were made against some of his relatives. Pictures of him trying to put two bank notes into a ticket machine at the same time made him appear out of touch. "My pure patriotism and aspirations have fallen victim to slander that was close to character assassination," he said Wednesday, before bowing briefly, shuffling his papers and leaving the stage to a barrage of camera flashes. Chinese tech workers could be affected by visa changes A woman holds a placard to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban near the US Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, January 31, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] Less than two weeks into his term, US President Donald Trump has already begun delivering on his top campaign promises, from ditching a trans-Pacific trade deal and announcing details of his planned wall on the Mexican border, to slapping a temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. With the president's actions also stirring a firestorm of criticism, observers of Sino-US relations are cautioning Beijing to remain "prudent" and "prepared" for butting heads with Washington in negotiations. They also suggest the world's top two economic powers avoid a trade war for the good of both countries. "This past week has been shocking," Gordon H. Chang, director of Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University, told China Daily in a written response to questions. Chang said he believes chances for a difficult and dangerous period ahead in China-US relations have increased as Trump seems to be pushing his agenda ahead aggressively without thought or deliberation. Asked about the likelihood of Trump fulfilling all of his China-related campaign promises, the professor of history said, "He won't forget about China; he also plays to the public and China bashing is popular in the US." Chang said China should be "careful but firm" and "prudent" and see what Trump will do. Nicholas Hope, former director of the China program at the Stanford Center for International Development, said that although he has no grounds to conclude that Trump will be able to follow through on all of his campaign promises, actions to date suggest that he intends to do so, no matter how they affect the United States' long-term interests. "As the two largest trading powers, at all costs the two countries must avoid being drawn into a punishing trade war that could send the world back to the 1930s," Hope said. Zhang Zhixin, head of American political studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the US under Trump's watch is ready to defend its economic and security interests, even at the risk of taking on other countries, be they friend or foe. Trump's determination to expand employment by discouraging US companies from investing overseas has been welcomed by many underprivileged US citizens, Zhang said. The new administration's plans also might affect professionals from China and other countries hoping to secure a job in the US. Reports said the H1-B work visa program that allows US employers, particularly Silicon Valley giants, to hire top foreign professionals also faces changes as "part of a larger immigration effort", said Wang Dong, an associate professor of international studies at Peking University and secretary-general of the Beijing-based think tank Pangoal Institution. It is possible that Trump could lower the number of work visa applications from the annual quota of 65,000 set aside for "specialty positions", Wang said. "A renegotiation is also likely, but the pain will soon be felt by US companies and work-visa applicants, a lot of whom are Chinese" he said. Trying to prevent immigrants from entering the US illegally, and deporting those who are already in the country, partly in the name of combating terrorism, is arguably an effective if controversial way of securing jobs for local blue-collar workers, Zhang said. "That does not bode well for Beijing, which may have to prepare for head-to-head negotiations with Washington on trade, diplomacy and security," Zhang said. Under Trump's tougher vetting of immigrants, which he said is needed to prevent terror attacks, he has ordered a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the US, an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and a 90-day ban on entry of citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. "How far Trump will push the envelope on immigration and what he might do to bypass institutional barriers remains unpredictable," Wang said. "But one thing is clear: 'Make America Great Again' will be coupled with continued bitter confrontations between him and his opponents and chaos may follow," he added. The slogan was heavily used by Trump's presidential campaign. Contact the writers at zhaohuanxin@chinadaily.com.cn A journalist poses with a copy of the Brexit Article 50 bill, introduced by the government to seek parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in front of the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, January 26, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] LONDON - Britain moved closer to leaving the European Union Wednesday as lawmakers backed a bill authorizing divorce proceedings and kept alive the government's plan to trigger Brexit talks within weeks. The House of Commons decisively backed the bill by 498 votes to 114, sending it on for committee scrutiny. The result was a victory for the Conservative government, which had fought in court to avert the vote out of fear Parliament would impede its Brexit plans. Lawmakers also defeated a "wrecking amendment" proposed by the Scottish National Party that sought to delay Britain's exit talks with the EU because the British government has not disclosed detailed plans for its negotiations. During two days of debate in the House of Commons, many legislators Euroskeptic and Europhile alike said they would back the bill out of respect for voters' June 23 decision to leave the EU. But opposition parties will try to insert more amendments during the next stages of the parliamentary process. They are seeking to prevent an economy-shocking "hard Brexit," in which Britain loses full access to the EU's single market and faces restrictions or tariffs on trade. After committee consideration, the bill is due to return to the House of Commons for a final vote next week before moving on to Parliament's upper chamber, the House of Lords. The government was forced to introduce the legislation after a Supreme Court ruling last week torpedoed Prime Minister Theresa May's effort to start the process of leaving the 28-nation bloc without a parliamentary vote. The government wants to have the bill approved by early March so it can meet a self-imposed March 31 deadline for triggering the EU divorce talks. Scores of lawmakers spoke during more than 16 hours of debate over two days. Those who backed the winning "leave" side in the referendum said they would vote proudly to start the exit process. Others, who voted to remain in the EU, said they would respect the will of the people despite their own reservations. Former Treasury chief George Osborne, a pro-EU Conservative, said "to vote against the majority verdict of the largest democratic exercise in British history" would set Parliament against the people and "provoke a deep constitutional crisis in our country."Still others said they would oppose the start of divorce negotiations, accusing the government of rushing Britain toward the EU exit door with little idea of what is on the other side. The government says it will publish a White Paper outlining its strategy for withdrawal on Thursday, but it's unclear how many new details it will contain. "Voting for departure is not the same as voting for a destination," said Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who called on the government to guarantee a second referendum to approve a final deal with the bloc. Scottish National Party lawmaker Angus MacNeil said that in acting to trigger Brexit, "the House of Commons has taken leave of its senses.""It's crossing its fingers and hoping for the best," he said. The UK's largest opposition party, Labour, told its lawmakers to back the bill but says it will try to amend it later to prevent an economy-shocking "hard Brexit," in which Britain loses full access to the EU's single market and faces restrictions or tariffs on trade but at a later stage. However, 47 of the 229 Labour lawmakers defied party leader Jeremy Corbyn and voted against the bill. "I do not believe that the Brexit course we are now set on will make Britain a more prosperous, fairer, more equal, tolerant country," said Owen Smith, one of the Labour rebels. "I believe, by contrast, that it will make our politics meaner, and it will make our country poorer."Meanwhile, Britain's former top diplomat to the EU warned Wednesday that disentangling the UK from the bloc will be a long and arduous process. Ivan Rogers, who resigned in January after telling the government that a deal could take a decade, told Parliament's European Scrutiny Committee that Brexit will involve negotiations "on a humongous scale." Rogers said consensus among the other EU nations was that a new free trade deal between Britain and the bloc would take until the early 2020s to be ratified. One major wrangle is likely to be over how much Britain will have to pay the EU to leave. Rogers said EU officials currently put the figure at 40 billion to 60 billion euros ($37 billion to $56 billion). video video video Who was the interpreter when US First Daughter Ivanka Trump visited the Chinese Embassy for the first time? For the most part, the instrumental music performance and paper cutting show didn't require any translation, as Ivanka led her daughter Arabella Rose Kushner during the Chinese Spring Festival celebrations at the embassy on Wednesday night in Washington DC. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani gestures as he speaks during a ceremony marking National Day of Space Technology in Tehran, Iran February 1, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] WASHINGTON - The White House put Iran "on notice" on Wednesday for test-firing a ballistic missile and said it was reviewing how to respond, abruptly adopting an aggressive posture toward Tehran that could raise tensions in the region. It was unclear what actions the new Republican administration might take to try to rein in Iran for a missile launch that President Donald Trump and his top aides considered defiance of a nuclear deal negotiated in 2015 by then-Democratic President Barack Obama. The tough talk committed the administration to back up its rhetoric with action, experts said. Officials declined to say whether the military option was on the table, although Pentagon spokesman Christopher Sherwood said "the US military has not changed its posture in response to the Iranian test missile launch" on Sunday. A fiery statement from Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, marked some of the most aggressive rhetoric by the administration that took power on Jan. 20, making clear that Obama's less confrontational approach toward Iran was now over. Flynn said that, instead of being thankful to the United States for the nuclear deal, "Iran is now feeling emboldened." "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," he told reporters in his first appearance in the White House press briefing room. He said the launch and an attack on Monday against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-allied Houthi militants off the coast of Yemen underscored "Iran's destabilizing behavior across the Middle East." Iran confirmed it had tested a new missile but said it did not breach a nuclear accord reached with world powers or a UN Security Council resolution that endorsed the pact. Analysts said Iran could interpret Flynn's warning as bluster given that the Trump administration is still formulating a response. "They do sound like they are trying to tamp down any sense of imminent action," said Suzanne Maloney, an Iran expert at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington. "In which case, it makes little sense to send the national security adviser out there because it could be interpreted by Iran as bluffing." The warning could foreshadow more aggressive economic and diplomatic measures against Iran. Three senior US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a range of options, including economic sanctions, was being considered and that a broad review was being conducted of the US posture toward Iran. One official said the intent of Flynn's message was to make clear the administration would not be "shy or reticent" toward Tehran. "We are in the process of evaluating the strategic options and the framework for how we want to approach these issues," the official said. "We do not want to be premature or rash or take any action that would foreclose options or unnecessarily contribute to a negative response." "Our sincere hope is that the Iranians will heed this notice today and will change their behavior," he said. Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump became president. The issue came to forefront on the same day that the Senate confirmed former Exxon Mobil Corp Chief Executive Rex Tillerson as secretary of state. Simon Henderson, a Gulf expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said there was a danger of a miscalculation by either side. "The question now is will the Iranian logic be: 'My goodness, this guy is serious, we'd better behave ourselves?,'" he said. "Or do they say, 'Why don't we tweak him a bit more to see what he really means, maybe test him.'" Richard Nephew, a former Obama administration official who was a US negotiator with Iran on the deal, said Flynn's comment could backfire. "I think this will create an impetus for the Iranians to 'resist' and 'defy' more, and that could well create an escalatory cycle with Iran," he said. "Being tough with Iran is one thing, but you have to back it up and bring partners with you. Is Flynn prepared to deal with what comes from that?" Trump has frequently criticized the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. While campaigning in September, then-candidate Trump also vowed that any Iranian vessels that harass the US Navy would be "shot out of the water" if he is elected. Trump and Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Salman, spoke by phone on Sunday and were described by the White House as agreeing on the importance of enforcing the deal and "addressing Iran's destabilizing regional activities." Sunni Muslim-dominated Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca and other Islamic holy sites, and Shi'ite Muslim-majority Iran are regional rivals. A section of UN Resolution 2231 calls on Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." US Ambassador to China nominee Terry Branstad [Photo/IC] MUSCATINE -- US Ambassador to China nominee Terry Branstad said Wednesday that he would play a constructive role in enhancing China-US relationship during a news conference held in Muscatine, Iowa. "I am very honored and very proud to have been chosen to be the ambassador to China," Branstad said in an interview with Xinhua. "We want to continue to enhance the relationship and to increase trade between our two countries." With China as the largest developing country while US as the largest developed country in the world, if the two countries can further improve their relationship, continue to build friendship and trade, Branstad believed that can benefit the entire world. Branstad accepted US President Donald Trump's nomination for the post of US Ambassador to China in December 2016. He will continue to serve as the governor of Iowa before his nomination is confirmed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with confirmation hearings likely to be held in late February or early March. When asked about the potential challenges he may face in his new position, Branstad said the relationship between China and United States is critically important to both countries and the world as well. He said there were ups and downs in China- US ties and many challenges remain today, but he will play a constructive role to work out many of the differences with his experience as a long-time friend of China. "I hope... that I can play a constructive role trying to work out many of these differences in a way that makes it a win-win. It is beneficial to both of our countries, and also benefits the rest of the world" , Branstad said. Branstad also said he would welcome more Chinese investment in the United States. "I think we have seen just the tip of the iceberg of the potential investments here," he said, "now we are seeing companies...that have been here for some time, doing business in America. And I think many more Chinese companies will want to do that." Branstad, 70, is the longest-serving governor in the Unite States, who also has long nurtured a close relationship with China and has visited China multiple times. He served as the governor of Iowa in 1983-1999, and again since 2011. The European Union has delivered the wrong message in describing China as one of the dangers it faces, China observers have claimed, as EU leaders meet in Malta on Friday to discuss the future of the union in the wake of the Brexit vote and Donald Trump becoming US President. President of the European Council Donald Tusk listens during a news conference in Tallinn, Estonia, January 31, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] European Council President Donald Tusk described what he called "an increasingly assertive China" in an open letter to EU leaders this week and reiterated this during his meeting with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania before Friday's Malta summit. Tusk said: "The challenges currently facing the European Union are more dangerous than ever before in the time since the signature of the Treaty of Rome 60 years ago...Today we are dealing with threats, which have previously not occurred, at least not on such a scale." He said: "An increasingly assertive China, especially on the seas, Russia's aggressive policy towards Ukraine and its neighbors, wars, terror and anarchy in the Middle East and in Africa, with radical Islam playing a destructive role, as well as worrying declarations by the new American administration all make our future highly unpredictable." Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce said Tusk, whose institution is responsible for the EU's political direction, had made a "wrong assessment" by framing China as a danger to the EU. He said: "I don't think this is a proper judgment as the South China Sea is quite a way away from the EU. China does not represent a military threat to the EU. It is very important for the EU to make a reasonable judgment on the situation at such a critical moment." Dewit said China and the EU have faced problems as both sides attempt to penetrate each other's markets by expanding investment and trade. He said: "Both sides need to take down-to-earth attitudes to solve these issues. China and the EU need to try and deepen cooperation." On Friday, European Union leader will be preparing for a crucial meeting in Rome on March 25to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which gave birth to the European Economic Community. Luigi Gambardella, president of China EU, a non-profit organization in Brussels that promotes bilateral digital cooperation said Tusk's statement shocked many of his Chinese friends. He said: "As a matter of fact, his mistake was to confuse the term EU with the 500 million consumers living in the EU member states." Gambardella said in the next five years, China is expected to import $8 trillion worth of goods, attract $600 billion of foreign investments and make $750 billion of outbound investment. Chinese tourists will make 700 million overseas visits. "For the EU consumers and business, China is an opportunity," said Gambardella. Men Jing, a professor at the College of European said she felt puzzled about Tusk's message for Friday's gathering and the Rome summit in March. Men said: "Facing extreme internal and external difficulties, the EU leader has sent completely the wrong message. It is worrying to push important partners such as China away." Men added: "I trust Tusk's messages are just his own opinions and most Europeans still view China as holding great opportunities." Chinese banks are now global leaders not just by asset base but also brand value, according to the latest version of Brand Finance Banking 500, which shows the combined value of Chinese banks has surpassed that of US banks for the first time. A man speaks on the phone outside the Bank of China head office building in Beijing, China, March 30, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] The report, released on Wednesday by the London-based business valuation consultancy, has placed the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China as the worlds most valuable bank with a brand value worth $47.8 billion, representing a 32 percent year on year growth. Brand Finance's CEO David Haigh, said: "Chinese banks are being carried along in the slipstream of industrial giants as they grow and expand into international markets. Facilitating international deals boosts revenues, but more importantly, enables the banks to build their reputations with potential clients across the world." Marketing investment and the brand's credibility with customers, staff and shareholders, among other factors, are all taken into consideration in calculating brand value. Essentially, the ranking rates how a bank's soft values translate into performance. The report also shows Chinese banks as having an aggregate total brand value of $258 billion, accounting for 24 percent of the total brand value of the top 500 global banks by brand value, in comparison to 23 percent of aggregate US banks. In addition to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the China Construction Bank and Bank of China also showed rapid brand value growth of 17 percent and 13 percent respectively. Harbin Banks brand has trebled in value in the course of 2016 to $811 million, representing the fastest-growing bank by brand value in 2016. The success of the Chinese banks came at the expense of US banks, such as Wells Fargo, which once topped this list. Wells Fargo's fake account scandal, which led to court fines in 2016, contributed to a 6 percent fall in brand value to $41.6 billion. Chinese shoppers can now enjoy a real-time VAT refund service via their mobile phones at three airports: Milan Malpensa, Munich and Helsinki, saving them weeks of waiting time if receiving refund by card. An Alipay logo is seen at a train station in Shanghai, February 9, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] The announcement, made on Thursday by Chinese fintech firm Ant Financials' payment arm Alipay, is the latest milestone in Chinese fintech companies' overseas expansion. Last month Alipay collaborated with Finnish mobile payment provider ePassi to begin taking mobile payments for shopping and services on Finnairs flights, marking the first ever mobile payment service in air. "In the fintech and mobile internet sectors, China is a global leader thanks to business, innovation, market size and population density", said Alexander Yin, chief financial officer of TCG, parent company of the Finnish mobile payment provider ePassi. The fintech sector grew rapidly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis as the downturn cast traditional banking models into doubt. China's strong start-up culture, significant venture capital availability and need for alternative financing have all contributed towards its fintech boom. A 2016 report by KPMG - a professional service company and one of the Big Four auditors - and the Australian investment firm H2 Ventures notes that five of the worlds top 10 fintech firms are Chinese. Ant financial topped the list. Another report by EY noted China has eight of the world's 27 fintech unicorns - start-ups worth more than $1 billion - and last year received more than 2 billion pounds of investment. The UK has signed an agreement with China to help cross-border fintech investment in November 2016. The Irish Minister for Financial Services Eoghan Murphy also recently led a delegation of fintech firms to visit China in search of opportunities along the Belt and Road countries. Other notable Chinese fintech firms expanding into the UK include big-data firms Wind Financial Information and BBD, both of which established London operations last year. BBD, known for its innovative data analysis algorithms, is now developing indexes specific to the UK and European markets, with one index assessing credibility and risk profile of UK crowd funding platforms and companies, expected to be launched in the second half of 2017. Wind Financial Information, dubbed the "Chinese Bloomberg terminal", is eyeing opportunities to sell its data on Chinese and Asian asset classes including equities, bonds, funds and commodities to European investors. Thomas Zhang, General Manager of Europe at Wind Financial Information, said: "We are seeing more interest in China's markets from global institutional investors. If China's A-share is admitted into the MSCI index one day, there will be a further boost to the global demand for China-related financial data." The British government published an official policy document setting out its plans to bring the UK out of the European Union on Thursday. An illustration shows the white paper setting out Britain's government strategy for departing the European Union, outside Parliament, in London, Britain February 2, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] The White Paper, which detailed 12 principles including immigration control and trade arrangements, is in line with Prime Minister Theresa Mays vision of "an independent, truly global UK and an ambitious future relationship with the EU". Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said the 12 principles amounted to one goal: "a new, positive and constructive partnership between Britain and the European Union that works in our mutual interest". The 12 principles include an objective to "forge ambitious free trade agreements with other countries across the world". Such potential free trade agreement is expected between China and the UK. The UK has also vowed to ensure free trade with European markets, by "forging a new strategic partnership with the EU including a bold and ambitious free trade agreement and mutually beneficial new customs agreement", said Davis, in his speech at the House of Commons during the White Paper's publication. The White Paper also outlined details covering immigration, legal system, the movement of population and use of public funds, among others. On immigration, a new system to control EU migration will be introduced, and could be phased in to give businesses time to prepare. The new system will be designed to help fill skills shortages and welcome "genuine" students. The UK government said it would seek to secure an agreement with European countries at the earliest opportunity on the rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons living in Europe. The UK will leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, and seek to set up separate resolution mechanisms for trade disputes. The UK is also aiming for "seamless and frictionless" borders with Northern Ireland and Ireland, while devolving more powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. On the issue of how taxpayers' money will be spent will be made in the UK after Brexit. As the UK is no longer a member of the European Single Market, it will not be required to make contributions to the EU budget. Less than two weeks into his term, US President Donald Trump has already begun delivering on his top campaign promises, from ditching a trans-Pacific trade deal and announcing details of his planned wall on the Mexican border, to slapping a temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. With the president's actions also stirring a firestorm of criticism, observers of Sino-US relations are cautioning Beijing to remain "prudent" and "prepared" for butting heads with Washington in negotiations. They also suggest the world's top two economic powers avoid a trade war for the good of both countries. "This past week has been shocking," Gordon H. Chang, director of Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University, told China Daily in a written response to questions. Chang said he believes chances for a difficult and dangerous period ahead in China-US relations have increased as Trump seems to be pushing his agenda ahead aggressively without thought or deliberation. Asked about the likelihood of Trump fulfilling all of his China-related campaign promises, the professor of history said, "He won't forget about China; he also plays to the public and China bashing is popular in the US." Chang said China should be "careful but firm" and "prudent" and see what Trump will do. Nicholas Hope, former director of the China program at the Stanford Center for International Development, said that although he has no grounds to conclude that Trump will be able to follow through on all of his campaign promises, actions to date suggest that he intends to do so, no matter how they affect the United States' long-term interests. "As the two largest trading powers, at all costs the two countries must avoid being drawn into a punishing trade war that could send the world back to the 1930s," Hope said. Zhang Zhixin, head of American political studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the US under Trump's watch is ready to defend its economic and security interests, even at the risk of taking on other countries, be they friend or foe. Trump's determination to expand employment by discouraging US companies from investing overseas has been welcomed by many underprivileged US citizens, Zhang said. The new administration's plans also might affect professionals from China and other countries hoping to secure a job in the US. Reports said the H1-B work visa program that allows US employers, particularly Silicon Valley giants, to hire top foreign professionals also faces changes as "part of a larger immigration effort", said Wang Dong, an associate professor of international studies at Peking University and secretary-general of the Beijing-based think tank Pangoal Institution. It is possible that Trump could lower the number of work visa applications from the annual quota of 65,000 set aside for "specialty positions", Wang said. "A renegotiation is also likely, but the pain will soon be felt by US companies and work-visa applicants, a lot of whom are Chinese" he said. Trying to prevent immigrants from entering the US illegally, and deporting those who are already in the country, partly in the name of combating terrorism, is arguably an effective if controversial way of securing jobs for local blue-collar workers, Zhang said. "That does not bode well for Beijing, which may have to prepare for head-to-head negotiations with Washington on trade, diplomacy and security," Zhang said. Under Trump's tougher vetting of immigrants, which he said is needed to prevent terror attacks, he has ordered a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the US, an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and a 90-day ban on entry of citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. "How far Trump will push the envelope on immigration and what he might do to bypass institutional barriers remains unpredictable," Wang said. "But one thing is clear: Make America Great Again' will be coupled with continued bitter confrontations between him and his opponents and chaos may follow," he added. The slogan was heavily used by Trump's presidential campaign. Contact the writers at zhaohuanxin@chinadaily.com.cn Pop star Jay Chou (left) stars in a series of commercials in which he travels across California, assisting travelers along the way and chronicling his journey. [Provided to China Daily] Visit California, the state's tourism board, recently partnered with China's major online travel agency Tuniu Corp to reach out to more tourists in China. The partnership, more than a year in the making, represents a major stride in creating demand for California as a destination among Chinese travelers, said Visit California. The "comprehensive" campaign by the two sides will include travel packages, public relations and consumer marketing with the intent to inspire Chinese consumers "to bring their dreams to life in California", said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. As part of the campaign, pop star Jay Chou often called "the Justin Timberlake of Asia" was invited to star in a series of commercials in which he travels across California, assisting travelers along the way and chronicling his journey. Many of California's destinations and attractions are featured in the series, including Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Disney California Adventure Park. The co-branded Tuniu television campaign will run through 2017. In the first quarter, the campaign will focus on out-of-home advertising, popular evening shows and TV and online TV Chinese New Year celebration programs. In the second and third quarters, Tuniu will spend "heavy marketing dollars" targeting summer and the National Day Golden Week beginning Oct 1, peak travel periods in the Chinese market, Visit California said, without disclosing how much the company will invest in the campaign. To appeal to more potential tourists, especially repeat ones, Visit California is working with Tuniu to develop four new statewide group travel itineraries and packages for independent travel. The organization said a large component of the Chinese travel landscape are tour operators like Tuniu assisting travelers in creating hassle-free itineraries with flights, hotels and other arrangements like tickets to attractions and rental cars packaged together. More than 70 percent of Chinese travel to California was booked through tour operators and retail agencies, with the top 20 travel agents including Tuniu handling more than 80 percent of outbound package tours, according to Visit California. "China is California's number one overseas market, and this partnership with Tuniu creates yet another critical link between Chinese travelers and our state's many vibrant destinations," said Beteta. Last October, Visit California and China Southern Airlines reached an agreement to jointly commit $1 million to fund marketing programs in China, including special festival promotions and branding campaigns. The joint marketing efforts are expected to boost the influx of Chinese visitors, particularly from the country's southern region. The organization's investment in China has grown significantly since entering the market, from a half a million in 2008 to nearly $10 million in less than a decade. It now spends more in China than any market outside of the US. Travel and tourism is one of California's most significant industries. Spending by travelers totaled $122.5 billion in 2015 in California, with Chinese visitors' spending accounting for nearly $2.6 billion, a figure expected to grow to more than $4.8 billion by 2020. (Photo : US Army) U.S. Army JLTV. Advertisement The British Army will buy the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) currently in production for U.S. Army by its maker, Oshkosh Corporation, an industrial firm based in Wisconsin that designs and builds military vehicles and specialty trucks. In June, 2016, the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed it had held discussions about purchasing the vehicle. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "We are working through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. A letter of request has been sent to our American colleagues, and we expect a response in the next few months," said Maj. Gen. Robert Talbot Rice, director of land equipment at the Defense Equipment and Support arm of the MoD. Gen. Talbot Rice said the British Army opted for the single-source purchase due to its ability to meet UK requirements and its value for money. "The price point the Pentagon had achieved for a (U.S.) production run of up to 55,000 was not going to be matched by other contenders. On the basis of the assessment on price and value for money, we made the case to go the FMS route," he said. The sale to the British Army will be the first export success for the JLTV, which will replace the Humvee in both the U.S .Army and the U.S. Marine Corps starting 2019. The acquisition of JLTVs is part of an Army program to replace most of its Humvees, otherwise known as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWVS). JLTVs are more survivable; provide more crew protection and have greater off-road mobility compared to Humvees. The U.S. Army might arm the recon version of the JLTV with a modified version of the Hughes M230LF chain gun, a 30 mm cannon used on Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. The Army intends to field the modified M230 cannon to around 800 vehicles by 2019. It's ordered an initial run of some 17,000 JLTVs from Oshkosh and should receive the first of these new vehicles by 2018. A 30 mm cannon will significantly increase the firepower of recon JLTVs that would otherwise be armed with the M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun, which has been in service for close to a century. Advertisement TagsBritish Army, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, JLTV, U.S. Army, Oshkosh Corporation, Maj. Gen. Robert Talbot Rice, Hughes M230LF chain gun, M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun (Photo : Getty Images) Jason Mackenzie joined HTC in 2005. Advertisement Aside from losing the company's VP of Design, HTC has lost another top-level executive, Global Executive Vice President Jason Mackenzie. Global Executive Vice President Jason Mackenzie has confirmed on his Twitter post that he is leaving the Taiwanese consumer electronics after 12 years. He served for quite some time as President of North American operations, and HTC eventually promoted him to become an executive vice president to oversee more of the company at large. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement After 12 amazing years, today is my last day @htc. It was a great run & I feel blessed. Thank you Peter Chou, @cherwang, & TeamHTC, Mackenzie said on his tweet. Mackenzie has been a part of HTC even before the company made it big in the Android game. He became part of HTC family in 2005. In the past, he has worked as Vice President of T-Mobile USA. In HTC, he held different positions over the years from President of the Americas to Global Executive Vice President in January of 2016. Mackenzie has worked on HTC VIVE, which is the VR heardset of the company and he helped in marketing the device in April 2016. Most of his time was dedicated to smartphone business including the HTC One smartphone. Moreover, Mackenzie thanked Peter Chou and Cher Wang on his statement posted on LinkedIn. He thanked his company for his time working with them. To say that I enjoyed my time at HTC is a massive understatement. HTC was family and I loved the challenges and opportunity to work on so many cool products and partner (and learn from) so many great customers, he said. HTCs VP of Design Claude Zellweger has also left the company, moving to the Google Daydream team. Advertisement TagsHTC, Jason Mackenzie, HTC's Global VP Jason Mackenzie, Claude Zellweger (Photo : Getty Images. ) India is not happy with rating agencies for its so-called biased rating that tends to favour India over China. Advertisement India is miffed with global rating agencies for its so-called unfair methods that are apparently keeping its ratings below despite its improving economic fundamentals. But India is equally annoyed by the fact that rating agencies are treating its economic rival 'China' favourably despite its soaring fiscal deficit. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Rating agencies have inconsistent standards," Arvind Subramanian, chief economic adviser at the Finance Ministry, told Indian reporters in New Delhi. The scathing remark was directly aimed against credible rating agencies like S&P, Moody and Fitch, which have kept India's rating at BBB -, just above the junk level. India's rating looks even more abysmal when compared with China's superior rating of AA- . India has made an even sharper observation in its annual economic survey that was released just ahead of Wednesday's annual budget. India has a "strong growth trajectory, which coupled with its commitment to fiscal discipline exhibited over the last three years suggests that its deficit and debt ratios are likely to decline significantly over the coming years," it said. The survey further compared India's recent economic performance with China as it specifically took note of the Asian giant's surging debt. It said that in the period between 2009 to 2015, China's debt ratio surged from 142 percent to staggering 205 percent of gross domestic product, slowing down the country's growth rate from more than 10 percent to 6.5 percent. The survey report then goes on to take a dig at the S&P rating agency for not taking into account China's surging fiscal deficit while giving the rating of AA - to the Asian giant. S&P so far has not commented on the report. There have not been any comments either from Moody or Fitch. India and China's economic rivalry has intensified over the years, with both Asian countries trying to outwit each other to emerge as economically superior country. However, China has managed to leapfrog India in most economic parameters, with country growing at double digit growth rate during most part of the last decade. Advertisement TagsIndia, china, Chinese Economy, India and China, Indian and Chinese Economy (Photo : Getty Images. ) China has witnessed another animal attack in less than one week. This time a male zookeeper was attacked by a Zebra on Wednesday in Southern China, leaving the zookeeper with several minor injuries. Advertisement A male zookeeper was attacked by a Zebra on Wednesday in Southern China, leaving the zookeeper with several minor injuries. This is a second animal attack in less than a one week after a brutal tiger attack left one man dead in eastern Chinese city of Ningbo. The zebra attack took place at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou city, capital of the Guangdong province. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement As is seen in the video footage, which has already gone viral, a raging Zebra is shown clutching the man's hand and dragging him through the zoo's enclosure. The zoo's other workers are seen running behind the Zebra as they tried to free the victim, with footage video clearly showing one man carrying a huge stick. The attack lasted for reportedly 10 minutes, with victim suffering serious on his hand. It is still not clear what prompted the Zebra to attack the zoo keeper. The zoo officials are yet to release any official statement on the attack, while it is still not known whether the victim is receiving any medical treatment for his injuries. The vicious attack took place barely days after a tiger brutally killed a visitor at Youngor Wildlife Park in Ningbo city. The attack caused a huge uproar across China, as this was the second tiger attack in less than six months. Last year, in July a 57-year-old woman was mauled down to death while trying to rescue her daughter in a wildlife park in Beijing. The spate of animal attacks has raised concerns about treatment of animals in the zoo. Globally, thousands of animal right activists are waging a campaign to urge mankind for treating animals with more respect. Advertisement TagsZebra, Zebra Attack in China, Animal Attacks in China, china Two Republican senators have announced that they cannot support the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to the cabinet post of Secretary of Education. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) both said this week that they would not be voting for DeVos. Both said in their speeches this week that they could not vote for her because DeVos has a long history of supporting charter schools and voucher, and they questioned her dedication to public schools. If the remaining Republican senators vote for DeVos as expected and all Democrats vote against her, the vote would be 50-50. Vice President Mike Pence would have to break the tie with his vote and confirm her. According to FreeBeacon.com, Collins and Murkowski have received thousands from the National Education Association, a teachers union that opposes DeVos, in the past. Collins received $2,000 in 2002 and 2008 and Murkowski has received $23,500. "Lisa Murkowski understands public education and is committed to Alaskas students," NEA-Alaska President Tim Parker said in a release. "Her leadership and advocacy were critical to passing the Every Student Succeeds Act, which put Alaskans back in control of Alaskas public schools. Alaskas educators and Senator Murkowski share a passion for increased student learning and ensuring that every child has the opportunity for success, regardless of their zip code." Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons Publication date: February 2, 2017 The mission center supported by our church and organized by our Cambodian missionary, Esther, almost resembles a zoo. A while back, our church staff and our families visited a zoo, but it was still incomparable with the front yard of that mission center. Our visit to the countryside of Cambodia was welcomed by a white cow with its neck bone protruding outwards who was feeding her calf. Perhaps it is due to this year being the year of the rooster, but all over the yard there were chickens running about with their hairs plucked. We figured this out later, but the chickens did not lose their hair in chicken fights, but that particular breed is normally hairless. There were chickens laying eggs, to chicks running around, all while dogs and cats were lazily spread about with their bellies upward with a few surprising us by rubbing themselves on us out of joy to see visitors. Typically dogs and cats are at war, but it was not so at this mission center. They say it's because they all grew up together, but I feel that even they must also be born again through the gospel. They resembled brothers and sisters in Christ as the dog and cat communities became one, licking and leaning on one another even as they napped. As we were frying and eating a freshly caught chicken for lunch, a surprising thing happened when the missionary called out the dogs by name, throwing to them the bones of the chicken. First, Cambodian dogs eat chicken bones well without any abnormalities. There is an almost ironclad rule for domesticated dogs to not be fed chicken bones, but it did not apply for Cambodia. Second, all of those dogs had names. However, I was told the freeloading dogs that rolled by have no names. She would call out their names, Bebe, Lion, and etc., one by one to feed them the leftovers from the bones. I was curious so I asked how she fed the dogs with no names. She said that she simply just calls out, "Hey, dogs." As I let out a chuckle, I suddenly stopped when realizing that to my shame, I, myself, do not know the names of all of our congregants as well. At times, I wonder how God will call us. Will He say, "brother," or, "sister"? Will He call us by name? Allow me to share these passages. "For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me." (Isaiah 45:4, ESV) "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you(your name) on the palms of my hands." (Isaiah 49:15-16a, ESV) This is evidence that God will call us by name as well. He will never bunch us up the way someone would call out, "Hey, dogs," but He is personal and warm to each and every one of us. I, for one, cannot wait until that day. It may be impossible, but in the meanwhile, I will do my very best to remember the names of all our congregants. Rev. Bryan Kim is the lead pastor of Bethel Korean Church, located in Irvine, CA. The massive statistics describing the refugee crisis of our era are staggering. In Syria alone, nearly 14 million people have been displaced from their homes, including nearly 5 million fleeing to other nations. The numbers beg not only to be heard, but also dissected and understood. And yet, in their magnitude, they are so very easy to ignore. But when massive numbers turn into individual faces and when those faces take on names, sometimes we begin to pay closer attention. And, every now and then, we begin to consider how we ourselves might be implicated. This is the gift that Patrick Kingsley offers us in his remarkable book, The New Odyssey: The Story of the 21st-Century Refugee Crisis. Kingsley, a reporter for the Guardian, visited 17 different nations connected to the current refugee crisis, drawing as close as possible to the lives of those fleeing unimaginable terror. He penetrated the underworld that refugees use to get to safer shores, witnessing the fetid holding pens and decrepit camps where they are detained for months on end. He joined rescue missions of migrant boats overloaded to the verge of capsizing on the Mediterranean. He handed out water to families scrambling up rocky cliffs from the Aegean Sea into Greece. He walked for days alongside refugees fleeing through the Balkans in their desperate attempts to gain asylum in Europe. He made contact, in the dark shadows of the night, with nefarious smugglers who profit from the refugees plight. He even went so far as to follow one refugee's harrowing journey from North Africa to Sweden, capturing the incredibly complex reality of the refugee's struggle in a way that is both deeply personal and remarkably thorough. What becomes arrestingly clear through ... 1 I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up. "The plain and simple gospel suits best for any people." Richard Allen and his associate Absalom Jones were the leaders of the black Methodist community in Philadelphia in 1793 when a yellow fever epidemic broke out. Many people, black and white, were dying. Hundreds more fled the city. City officials approached Allen and asked if the black community could help serve as nurses to the suffering and help bury the dead. Allen and Jones recognized the racism inherent in the request: asking black folks to do the risky, dirty work for whites. But they consentedpartly from compassion and partly to show the white community, in one more way, the moral and spiritual equality of blacks. Preaching in his sleep Allen was born into slavery in Philadelphia in 1760. He was converted at age 17 and began preaching on his plantation and at local Methodist churches, preaching whenever he had the chance. "Sometimes, I would awake from my sleep preaching and praying," he later recalled. His owner, one of Allen's early converts, was so impressed with him that he allowed Allen to purchase his freedom. In 1781, Allen began traveling the Methodist preaching circuits in Delaware and surrounding states. "My usual method was, when I would get bare of clothes, to stop travelling and go to work," he said. "My hands administered to my necessities." Increasingly, prominent Methodist leaders, like Francis Asbury, made sure Allen had places to preach. In 1786 the former slave returned to Philadelphia and joined St. George's Methodist Church. His leadership at prayer services attracted dozens of blacks into the church, and with them came increased racial tension. Timeline 1729 Jonathan Edwards becomes pastor at Northampton 1732 First Moravian missionaries 1740 Great Awakening Peaks 1760 Richard Allen born 1831 Richard Allen dies 1835 Charles Finney's Lectures on Revivals By 1786 blacks made up about 10 percent of the Methodist church in the United States, and though whites and blacks often worshiped together, blacks enjoyed no real freedom or equality. Segregated seating was typical; the area reserved for blacks was usually called the "Negro Pew" or the "African Corner." St. George's had no history of segregated seating, at least until the later 1780s. Then white leaders required black parishioners to use the chairs around the walls rather than the pews. During one service in 1787, a group of blacks sat in some new pews that, unbeknownst to them, had been reserved for whites. As these blacks knelt in prayer, a white trustee came over and grabbed Absalom Jones, Allen's associate, and began pulling on him, saying, "You must get upyou must not kneel here." Jones asked him to wait until prayer was over, but the trustee retorted, "No, you must get up now, or I will call for aid and force you away." But the group finished praying before they got up and walked out. Allen had for some time thought of establishing an independent black congregation, and this incident pushed him over the edge. Nonetheless, he had no desire to leave Methodism or the local Conference: "I was confident," he later wrote, "that there was no religious sect or denomination would suit the capacity of the colored people as well as the Methodist; for the plain and simple gospel suits best for any people." Still he recognized that blacks needed a place they could worship in freedom. Though Methodist leaders resisted Allen and Jones, threatening them with expulsion from the Methodist Conference (while at the same time pleading for their help during the 1793 epidemic), Allen went ahead and, in 1794, purchased an old frame building, formerly a blacksmith's shop, and created the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Francis Asbury dedicated the building and, in 1799, ordained Allen as a deacon. For the next 15 years, white Methodist leaders in Philadelphia tried to keep Allen's congregation and property under its jurisdiction. But on the first day of 1816, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the church belonged to Allen and his associates. A denomination quickly came together. In April, delegates from several black Methodist churches convened in Philadelphia and drew up an "Ecclesiastical Compact" that united them in the independent African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Allen was ordained an elder and then consecrated as bishopthe first black to hold such an office in America. Blacks in Baltimore, Wilmington, Attleboro, and Salem followed Allen's example and established independent African Methodist churches. Allen oversaw the rapid growth of the AME's mother church in Philadelphia, which grew to 7,500 members in the 1820s. The denomination became by all accounts the most significant black institution in the nineteenth century, and today has over 6,000 churches and over 2 million members. Liberty Counsel Attorney Testifies Against LGBT Law Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 2, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Liberty Counsel's Assistant Vice President of Legal Affairs, Roger K. Gannam, will testify at a specially called city council meeting today against a proposed ordinance that would add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as protected classes under Jacksonville law. The meeting, called by Council Member Bill Gulliford, will take place in the Council Chamber at 2:00 PM. Ordinance 2017-15, known as the "Human Rights Ordinance," was previously defeated twice in Jacksonville, with help from Liberty Counsel and others. However, radical leftist activists are once again trying to impose this special LGBT rights ordinance on Jacksonville's citizens and businesses, hoping to implement its most objectionable provisions through deceptive language. "Jacksonville does not have an LGBT discrimination problem that needs to be solved," said Gannam. "This law unnecessarily burdens Jacksonville's businesses and citizens, forcing them to open their women's facilities to men, and forcing them to celebrate the same-sex relationships of others under threat of fines and imprisonment, or simply being put out of business." Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. Jeff Bezos, Jon Fishman of Phish, and Amazon.com Face Child Obscenity Charges in US District Court BANGOR, Maine, Feb. 2, 2017 / The suit was filed by Belfast, Maine local Bradley Williams asking for damages from Amazon.com and the Vermont based band Touchpants for sales of their CD "Poopenis Poetry" which contains 43 songs with titles such as Take a Sh*t in Your Hand and F*ck It. The suit alleges that the obscene materials both depict children in extremely bizarre sexual misadventures and makes the same prohibited materials available to children. Touchpants call themselves a "Comedy Troupe of Poop" and features Phish drummer Jon Fishman, who originally had charged Williams with harassment following a mailed $40 cash donation to the Mimi Fishman Foundation, in September, 2014. Those charges were dropped, and Williams responded by placing fliers of Fishman naked on stage stating "This Is a Sex Crime Against Children" Fishman countered with a libel suit against Williams filed in April, 2016, and lost a related hearing on April 24, 2016 wherein it was adjudicated that Williams had done no wrong. Fishman claimed that William's was "falsely alleging that I am an unprosecuted sex criminal." "He admitted to flashing children from stage. He was under oath, so he is a sex criminal," stated Williams. That was during a failed April 24, 2016 hearing lost by Fishman against Williams. Williams then filed a counter-suit against Fishman asking for punitive damages. The suit against Bezos, Fishman, Touchpants and Amazon is asking for forfeiture of all assets used in the dissemination and sales of the child pornography, one of the largest civil claims ever. Although Touchpants can still be seen online at their website, Soundcloud page and Facebook page, as well as You Tube videos, Williams has asked for an injunction to desist, as well as having filed an "affidavit of probable cause" for the arrests of the Defendants. "Jon Fishman's criminal complaint has already been filed, but Jeff Bezos' is still in the works," said Williams, after filing with the Federal Court in Bangor on Wednesday. At the heart of the lawsuit are allegations that lyrics like "you inspire me to stick it in the little boy I have taped up in my windowless van," defy even the most liberal interpretations of the guidelines on obscenity. Amazon neglected to use the required disclaimers, parental warnings, and age restrictions on the Touchpants materials. The complaint alleges that the Defendants are selling child porn to children. Bradley Williams is a self employed chimney sweep and a music teacher in Belfast, Maine. Share Tweet Contact: Bradley Williams, 207-323-7755BANGOR, Maine, Feb. 2, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- A civil complaint has been filed today in First US District Court of Bangor claiming that Jeff Bezos and Amazon.com, along with Phish drummer Jon Fishman, are selling "prohibited obscene matter depicting child rape, incest, sodomy, bestiality, mother rape and murder."The suit was filed by Belfast, Maine local Bradley Williams asking for damages from Amazon.com and the Vermont based band Touchpants for sales of their CD "Poopenis Poetry" which contains 43 songs with titles such as Take a Sh*t in Your Hand and F*ck It. The suit alleges that the obscene materials both depict children in extremely bizarre sexual misadventures and makes the same prohibited materials available to children.Touchpants call themselves a "Comedy Troupe of Poop" and features Phish drummer Jon Fishman, who originally had charged Williams with harassment following a mailed $40 cash donation to the Mimi Fishman Foundation, in September, 2014. Those charges were dropped, and Williams responded by placing fliers of Fishman naked on stage stating "This Is a Sex Crime Against Children" Fishman countered with a libel suit against Williams filed in April, 2016, and lost a related hearing on April 24, 2016 wherein it was adjudicated that Williams had done no wrong. Fishman claimed that William's was "falsely alleging that I am an unprosecuted sex criminal.""He admitted to flashing children from stage. He was under oath, so he is a sex criminal," stated Williams. That was during a failed April 24, 2016 hearing lost by Fishman against Williams.Williams then filed a counter-suit against Fishman asking for punitive damages.The suit against Bezos, Fishman, Touchpants and Amazon is asking for forfeiture of all assets used in the dissemination and sales of the child pornography, one of the largest civil claims ever.Although Touchpants can still be seen online at their website, Soundcloud page and Facebook page, as well as You Tube videos, Williams has asked for an injunction to desist, as well as having filed an "affidavit of probable cause" for the arrests of the Defendants."Jon Fishman's criminal complaint has already been filed, but Jeff Bezos' is still in the works," said Williams, after filing with the Federal Court in Bangor on Wednesday.At the heart of the lawsuit are allegations that lyrics like "you inspire me to stick it in the little boy I have taped up in my windowless van," defy even the most liberal interpretations of the guidelines on obscenity. Amazon neglected to use the required disclaimers, parental warnings, and age restrictions on the Touchpants materials.The complaint alleges that the Defendants are selling child porn to children.Bradley Williams is a self employed chimney sweep and a music teacher in Belfast, Maine. HARRISBURG A Pennsylvania State Police corporal has been charged in Luzerne County with indecent assault of a child. Cpl. Patrick Finn, 46, was assigned to Pennsylvania State Police Troop H and was working out of the Carlisle barracks. Finns address is in Lower Paxton Township, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Wright Township Police Department. Indecent assault and corruption of minors charges against Finn stem from an incident reported in December in Mountain Top. In an interview with investigators, a 9-year-old victim reported to police that Finn got into bed with her and touched her breast and buttocks. Finn also told the victim he wanted to have sex with her, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Finn is currently suspended without pay. home Entertainment Animation studio launches project to create CGI adaptation of 'The Pilgrim's Progress' An animation studio is embarking on a project to create the first feature-length CGI adaptation of John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress." Next only to the Bible, "The Pilgrim's Progress" has been considered by many as the second-most important book in history. The book has never been out of print, and it has been translated into over 200 languages, Christian News Wire reported. A live-action movie adaptation of the famous Christian allegory has launched the acting career of Liam Neeson, who played the role of the Evangelist in the 1978 version of the film. Cat in the Mill, a company based in Dallas, Texas, has set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the production of the animated film. Steve and Debra Cleary, the owners of the studio, has traveled across the globe and saw that the film has a wide international appeal. "We have already received significant interest in distributing the film throughout The America's, Europe, Asia and even the Middle East. Translation partners are currently being acquired so we can begin dubbing as soon as the film is complete," Steve said. Robert Fernandez, an award-winning writer and director who has shared an affinity with the story since childhood, has signed on to direct the film. "This is probably the most important script I have ever written. We wanted to hold true to John Bunyan's work while creating a story that would be visually impacting and appeal to today's movie-goers," said Fernandez. The studio's Kickstarter page is currently raising $45,000 to fund the first scene of the film. Backers of the crowdfunding campaign will be rewarded with unique items ranging from typical DVDs and t-shirts to replicas of the swords used in the film. Some will have the opportunity to visit the studio in San Jose, Costa Rica and become an actual animator of the film. The movie is scheduled to be released in 2018, with the script, character development and voiceovers nearly complete. The CGI film will be offered for free to the international missions community as an evangelism material. The studio has already received commitments to fund the translations of the film into at least 20 languages for the mission field. home US Christian leaders decry Boy Scouts' decision to accept transgenders Some Christian leaders are urging parents to withdraw their children from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) after it announced that it will now allow girls who identify as boys to participate in scouting programs. The BSA announced on Monday that a child's eligibility for its programs will no longer be based on their birth certificates but on the gender identity indicated on their application. Following the announcement, American Family Association President Tim Wildmon urged parents and churches to leave the Boy Scouts for other scouting organizations that uphold Biblical teachings on gender. "It's the end of the Boy Scouts of America as we know it," Wildmon told The Christian Post. "They have a proud history but they have been infiltrated with the politically correct culture and now they can't even differentiate between a male and a female," he added. The decision to accept transgender members came after the BSA made two other significant changes to its policies related to sexuality. In 2013, the organization voted to allow openly homosexual scouts. In 2015, it permitted openly gay and bisexual adults to serve as unit leaders and employees. "Tragically, the Boy Scouts seem to be continuing their trajectory toward embracing the moral priorities of the Sexual Revolution," Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, told the Baptist Press. "Many of us predicted that earlier decisions by the organization were the beginning of an organizational reinvention and hoped we were wrong. Those fears have now been justified," he continued. John Stemberger, chairman of the board of Trail Life USA, a Christian scouting organization formed in 2013, described the BSA policy change as "profoundly sad but inevitable." He also expressed concern that there might be a "clear child protection issue" if boys and biological girls are allowed to shower, dress and camp in tents together. A BSA spokeswoman told the Baptist Press that churches and religious organizations that partner with the Boy Scouts will still have the right to make decisions according to their religious beliefs. The BSA has reported that it has about 2.3 million members and around 960,000 volunteers. Trail Life USA claims to have 700 troops in 48 states. home US Christian leaders elated over Trump's Supreme Court pick Christian leaders commended President Donald Trump for nominating Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court on Tuesday to fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge Antonin Scalia last year. Gorsuch, who is a judge at the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit court of Appeals, is known for defending religious liberty and his opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide. While he has not ruled in an abortion-related case, he is expected to side against abortion because of how he wrote about the value of life in his book. "All human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong," Gorsuch wrote. "To act intentionally against life is to suggest that its value rests only on its transient instrumental usefulness for other ends," he added. Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, said that his organization will work with the president and senators to support Gorsuch's confirmation, Washington Examiner reported. Dr. Ronnie Floyd, a past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, congratulated Gorsuch on his nomination and said that he will pray that the judge would lead a long and successful career as a Supreme Court Justice. Faith and Freedom Coalition President Ralph Reed praised Trump for selecting Gorsuch and said that he and his organization never doubted the president's sincerity and commitment to competently fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Evangelist Franklin Graham, who described Gorsuch as a "true conservative," was also pleased by the nomination. "This man, certainly, for all of us Christians, we are very, very thankful that President Trump has nominated him, because he will protect religious liberty," Graham told CBN. Dr. David Jeremiah, pastor and host of the Turning Point radio program, lauded Trump for fulfilling his promise to nominate a Supreme Court Justice like Scalia. "I am greatly encouraged by the nomination of Judge Gorsuch as he represents a clear and definitive fulfillment of President Trump's promise," he said. Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, urged the Senate to give an honest confirmation hearing to Gorsuch and urged both Republicans and Democrats to stop the trend of blocking nominees for Cabinet positions as well as the Supreme Court. home US Donald Trump at National Prayer Breakfast: Travel ban is needed to ensure U.S. religious freedom U.S. President Donald Trump defended his order to temporarily bar entry to people from seven majority-Muslim nations, which has come under intense criticism at home and abroad, saying on Thursday it was crucial to ensuring religious freedom and tolerance in America. Trump, speaking at a prayer breakfast attended by politicians, faith leaders and guests including Jordan's King Abdullah, said he wanted to prevent a "beachhead of intolerance" from spreading in the United States. "The world is in trouble, but we're going to straighten it out, OK? That's what I do - I fix things," Trump said in his speech. Trump's executive order a week ago put a 120-day halt on the U.S. refugee program, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The measure, which Trump says is aimed at protecting the country from terrorist attacks, has drawn protests and legal challenges. Trump, a wealthy businessman and former reality TV star who had never previously held public office when he was sworn in on Jan. 20, also sought to reassure the large crowd about the nature of his phone calls with world leaders. The Washington Post said Trump had a tense call with Australia's Prime Minister about his immigration order. "Believe me, when you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having - don't worry about it. Just don't worry about it," Trump said. He did not specify which calls he was referring to. "We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. It's not going to happen anymore," said Trump, who campaigned on a stance of "America first" that he said would ensure the country was not taken advantage of in its trade or other foreign relations. Trump said violence against religious minorities must end. "All nations have a moral obligation to speak out against such violence. All nations have a duty to work together to confront it, and to confront it viciously, if we have to," he said. Trump said the United States has taken "necessary action" in recent days to protect religious liberty in the United States, referring to his immigration action. Critics of the measure have accused him of violating the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, because the designated countries are majority-Muslim, and of slamming the door shut to refugees. Trump has said the move was necessary to ensure a more thorough vetting of people coming into the United States. "Our nation has the most generous immigration system in the world. There are those who would exploit that generosity to undermine the values that we hold so dear," Trump said. "There are those who would seek to enter our country for the purpose of spreading violence, or oppressing other people based upon their faith or their lifestyle - not right. We will not allow a beachhead of intolerance to spread in our nation," he said. Trump said his administration's new system would ensure that people entering the United States embrace U.S. values including religious liberty. He also pledged to get rid of the "Johnson Amendment," a tax provision that prevents tax-exempt charities like churches from being involved in political campaigns. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the travel order clarifying that legal permanent residents, or green card holders, from the designated countries require no waiver to enter the United States. home US New York Governor Andrew Cuomo seeks to amend state Constitution to include abortion rights New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for an amendment to the state Constitution on Monday to include abortion rights should Roe v. Wade be overturned in the U.S. Supreme Court. Cuomo, who made the announcement while speaking at a rally in New York for Family Planning Advocates, said that the amendment would preserve the status quo regardless of future Supreme Court rulings, Reuters reported. "As Washington seeks to limit women's rights, we seek to protect them, and as they threaten reproductive rights, I propose a constitutional amendment to write Roe v. Wade into the New York State Constitution to prevent any attack on the right to choose," Cuomo said, according to the Daily Dot. "We will not allow the progress of the women's movement to be stopped, and we must seize this opportunity to bring the state and the nation forward and stand up for women's health," he continued. The Roe v. Wade ruling made abortion legal until the point of viability, which was defined by the court when the fetus "has the capability of meaningful life outside the mother's womb," generally at about 24 weeks into pregnancy. The Supreme Court also allowed abortions after viability if necessary to protect the life or health of the mother. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion would only remain legal in states that would allow it. In New York, state law allows abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, and afterward, if the woman's life is at stake. However, it does not include an exception for cases when the mother's health is at risk. Dennis Poust, a spokesman for the New York State Catholic Conference, dismissed Cuomo's proposal and predicted that it will fail. He questioned the need for the amendment, noting the high rate of abortions performed in New York. "How many abortions are enough? No one can credibly claim that access to abortion is under any threat in New York," he said. A report published by the Guttmacher Institute revealed that there were 29.6 abortions per 1,000 women in New York in 2014, compared to 14.6 abortions per 1,000 nationally. Constitutional amendments require two separate legislative votes, in successive terms, and it must be approved by voters. The New York Senate is currently controlled by the Republicans, but it is possible that such an amendment might receive the support of some Republicans if they are pressured by constituents who are pro-abortion, according to Costas Panagopoulos, a political scientist at New York's Fordham University. home World Over 900 churches in Nigeria destroyed by Boko Haram, says CAN The youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has claimed that over 900 churches have been destroyed by the terror group Boko Haram since its emergence in the northern part of the country. Following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Gusau, Zamfara State, youth wing Chairman Evangelist Musa Misal said that the demolished churches were spread out across Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Borno and others. The organization urged the government to rebuild the destroyed churches and re-establish the Nigeria Inter Religion Council (NIREC) in order to curb the religious violence occurring in the country, The Daily Post reported. CAN further noted that the "carnage is no longer accidental" and that there are "continued attacks on Christians in Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and Taraba communities." Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has warned on Tuesday that Boko Haram is now focusing its resources in carrying out a propaganda war against the nation. Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, issued a statement urging Nigerians and the media to unite against terrorism by depriving the terror group of platforms in which it could propagate its ideology. Mohammed said that Boko Haram had "shifted its strategy toward dominating the media space, propagating a perverted version of Shariah law and giving the impression that it is still holding territory." He disclosed that the propaganda strategy was discovered from the materials left by the terror group after they were driven out of their stronghold in Sambisa. He noted that the materials revealed how Boko Haram members received training on video recording and manipulation from other terrorist groups. "The documents, written in Arabic, also outlined the media strategy that Boko Haram Commanders should employ and how the surviving members should ensure the propagation of the Boko Haram doctrine using the Social Media," said Mohammed, according to Vanguard. In December 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that Boko Haram was "technically defeated." After 12 months, he said that government troops had expelled them from their final enclave. Additionally, Major General Lucky Irabor, who heads the Nigerian counter-insurgency operation, recently told reporters that Boko Haram was "in disarray and ... desperate." However, the repeated attacks that occurred in Nigeria as well as in neighboring Niger and Cameroon last January had raised questions about the extent of the government's claim of success. home US Utah committee approves bill that would ban telemed abortions A legislative committee in Utah has passed a bill that would ban health care providers from prescribing abortion-causing medications by telephone or computer. On Monday, the House Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Standing Committee passed HB 154, an amendment to state rules that cover telehealth services. The bill, submitted to the committee by Rep. Ken Ivory of Jordan, would prohibit clinicians from issuing "a prescription through electronic prescribing for a drug or treatment to cause an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, or if the life of the mother would be endangered without an abortion," mHealthIntelligence reported. "An abortion being something that terminates a life, to do that without ever seeing the patient, without having contact with the patient a as a matter of state policy, we're putting in code that we don't believe that's appropriate," said Ivory during a hearing on the bill this week. "If you're going to have an abortion, you have to see a doctor. You're not going to have an abortion by e-mail or by remote technology," he added. While the measure would ban telemed abortions, it still encourages and advances telemedicine in Utah for other medical procedures, according to Church Militant. The bill has been sent to Utah's Legislature for debate, where it is expected to pass. The Associated Press reported that the Republicans, many of whom oppose abortion rights, currently has a supermajority in the Utah legislature. According to the Guttmacher Institute, about 30 percent of abortions in the U.S. are "medical abortions." The first telemed abortion was performed at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Iowa in 2008. The number of sites that are able to offer telemed abortions increased from six to 17 within the first year. Telemed abortions are currently banned in 19 states, and several others have enacted legislation to curb the practice. In 2015, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled against a law banning telemedicine in cases of abortions. In December that year, Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the state of Idaho, claiming that two restrictions on telemed abortions are unconstitutional. Idaho state officials settled the lawsuit last month and agreed to repeal one law and amend another to eliminate restrictions on the practice. Analysis: Trump's New Executive Order On Religious Freedom May Be Unconstitutional But It Is Not Surprising Legal experts and LGBT campaigners have condemned the Trump administration's draft executive order on religious freedom as "unconstitutional" and "un-American". The leaked four-page draft, obtained by The Nation and The Investigative Fund, overturns a wide range of anti-discrimination protection for minorities and is likely to delight conservative evangelicals and outrage liberals in equal measure. If enacted, the document would create wholesale exemptions for people and organisations who claim religious or moral objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and transgender identity, and it seeks to curtail women's access to contraception and abortion through the Affordable Care Act. It seeks specifically to protect the tax-exempt status of any organisation that "believes, speaks, or acts (or declines to act) in accordance with the belief that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, sexual relations are properly reserved for such a marriage, male and female and their equivalents refer to an individual's immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy, physiology, or genetics at or before birth, and that human life begins at conception and merits protection at all stages of life". Marty Lederman, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and an expert on Church-state separation and religious freedom, told The Nation: "This executive order would appear to require agencies to provide extensive exemptions from a staggering number of federal laws without regard to whether such laws substantially burden religious exercise." Lederman said that the exemptions could themselves violate federal law or license individuals and private parties to do so. He added: "Moreover, the exemptions would raise serious First Amendment questions, as well, because they would go far beyond what the Supreme Court has identified as the limits of permissive religious accommodations." He said it would be "astonishing if the Office of Legal Counsel certifies the legality of this blunderbuss order." Jenny Pizer, senior counsel and law and policy director for Lambda Legal, said the draft order would appear to violate the Establishment Clause by listing a "particular set of religious beliefs and giving special government protection to people who hold those beliefs as opposed to different beliefs." Pizer added that the draft order constitutes "a licence to discriminate with public money in a series of contexts in which people tend to be vulnerable," such as against LGBT children in foster care, which is federally funded. Meanwhile Chad Griffin, the president of the progressive Human Rights Campaign, called the draft "sweeping and dangerous." He told ABC news: "It reads like a wish list from some of the most radical anti-equality activists. If true, it seems this White House is poised to wildly expand anti-LGBTQ discrimination across all facets of the government even if he does maintain the Obama [executive order from 2014]. If Donald Trump goes through with even a fraction of this order, he'll reveal himself as a true enemy to LGBTQ people." Joining him, Sarah Kate Ellis, the president of gay campaigning group GLAAD, called the policies "unconstitutional and un-American". She said: "If anything in this document were to become federal law, it would be a national licence to discriminate, and it would endanger LGBTQ people and their families...Freedom of religion does not mean the freedom to discriminate. If the Trump administration moves forward with any of these unconstitutional and un-American policies, the chorus of public outcry will get even louder while the president's approval ratings continue to crumble." The order may well (or may not) be unconstitutional. Yet Trump knows that he is appealing to the Christian right both evangelicals and white Catholics who helped propel him into office. The Christian right has been slow to react to the draft, careful, perhaps, not to show glee and further infuriate the liberal left in the face of such controversial policies. For some, it may be a case of 'too good to be true'. The outlet which obtained the leaked document is worth noting. Founded in 1865, The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the US and the most widely read among progressives. A staunchly liberal journal, it was where the atheist and hawkish writer and Christopher Hitchens made his name before resigning as a columnist over the paper's dove-ish reaction to the attacks of September 11, 2001. But it's a relatively small outfit. If the draft executive order was deliberately leaked by the administration surely unlikely given that The Nation may not have contacts at the heart of the Trump inner circle the journal would at first sight be an unlikely vessel. Yet the move may have been tactical: government figures may have seen the opportunity to create liberal outrage both to underline to the Christian right what a gift it is they are receiving from the president, and to take the sting out of the progressive tail. Further, by all accounts Trump's own tactics when it comes to making "deals" is to start with an extreme position and work back. In other words, the leaked version may be harder than a more diluted order actually signed by the president in due course (the leaked draft is apparently currently doing the rounds among government officials). Either way, the draft is at once shocking and, given what we now know about Trump's first weeks in office, unsurprising. Archbishop Of Canterbury Apologises For Abuse Allegations The Archbishop of Canterbury apologised unreservedly on Wednesday after it emerged he worked at a Christian youth camp whose leader is alleged to have physically abused young boys. Most Rev Justin Welby says the Church "failed terribly" by not reporting John Smyth QC, who ran the Iwerne Trust's summer camps, to the police. Allegations to be broadcast on Thursday night on Channel 4 News claim Smyth used the camps to access young boys and carry out "horrific" sado-masochistic attacks in the 1970s. There is no suggestion any abuse took place at the UK camps themselves, however. Smyth forced boys to strip naked and subjected them to savage beatings to "help you become holy", according to one victim Mark Stibbe. They were a punishment to purge them of such sins as masterbation and pride, victims said. Although the Church of England was made aware of the abuse in 1982, it failed to report it to the police, the Channel 4 investigation found. Welby worked as a dormitory officer and a mentor at the Iwerne retreats, which were known as "Bash" camps and aimed at public school teenagers. A statement from the Archbishop said: "We recognise that many institutions fail catastrophically, but the Church is meant to hold itself to a far, far higher standard and we have failed terribly. "For that the Archbishop apologises unequivocally and unreservedly to all survivors." He added on LBC radio on Thursday morning he was "completely unaware" of any beatings going on while he was working at the camps. "I never heard anything at all about any abuse," he said. "I had no suspicions." The assaults were carried out over a three-year period in the late 1970s and only came to light in 1982 when one victim, then a 21-year-old student at Cambridge, attempted to commit suicide after being told he would be beaten again. An investigation was launched at the time by the Iwerne Trust and carried out by a vicar and friend of the Archbishop, Mark Ruston. But despite concluding that "the scale and severity of the practice was horrific", Smyth was not reported to the police. Welby says he was not aware of the allegations and says he kept occasional contact with Smyth. The Archbishop was only made aware of the allegations in 2013 when it was eventually reported to the police. A Lambeth Palace statement on Wednesday said: "John Smyth was one of the main leaders at the camp and although the Archbishop worked with him, he was not part of the inner circle of friends; no one discussed allegations of abuse by John Smyth with him." The Church of England has echoed the Archbishop's "unreserved and unequivocal apology to all the survivors" and said its team of six full time safeguarding officers would review all the files to see what more could have been done. Archbishop Of Canterbury 'Glad' To Meet Trump: 'I Would Try To Change His Mind' The Archbishop of Canterbury would be "very glad" to meet Donald Trump and try and "persuade him to change his views" if the US president came to the UK on a state visit. Most Rev Justin Welby broke his silence on Trump's refugee ban on Thursday to say it would lead to "terrible results", warning the White House not to start "dissing" whole communities. In a radio interview with LBC Welby lambasted the executive order that bans anyone from seven Muslim majority countries from entering the US. "Policies based in fear rather than confidence and courage and the Christian values of hospitality, of love, of grace, of embrace rather than exclusion, are policies that will lead to terrible results. "We have to say when you start dissing whole communities, when you start excluding them, when you start mixing up genuine threats to security with a dismissal of a whole range of communities out of fear, that is not good." He appeared alongside the head of the UK Catholic Church, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who warned Trump's policy put Christians in the Middle East in even greater danger. "To identify a whole people, a whole nation or a whole religion as the enemy is a desperate road to go down," he said of Trump's so-called Muslim ban. "It gives the impression that Chrisianity belongs only in the West," he said. The Archbishop of Canterbury would be invited to a banquet at Buckingham Palace if Trump was given the full honour of a state visit. But it has been unclear whether Welby would boycott the dinner in protest with Lambeth Palace declining to comment when asked by Christian Today. But Welby, who has led efforts at conflict resolution between embittered Christian and Muslims in Nigeria, said his previous experience means he would be glad to meet the US president. "You engage with people in order to persuade them of different views and change their views," he told LBC's Nick Ferrari. "If I had the opportunity to engage with him and to debate with him I would consider it a great privilege to try and persuade him to change his views." He said he would tell Trump his plans were "out of fear and needs to go back to the best of US history". He added: "The US is such a fantastic country and has so much to be confident and be positive about. "America is built on immigration and welcome, on courage and a sense of grace that has inspired the world. "They don't need to act out of fear." His comments came after Anglican leaders in the UK and the US joined in condemnation of the plans that indefinitely bar Syrians fleeing the civil war from entering the America and halts the country's entire refugee programme for 90 days. Bishop James Mathes of San Diego was among a number of Church leaders from The Episcopal Church to speak out. He described the last nine days as "disquieting and dizzying display of presidential action in Mr Trump's first days in office". He wrote: "The executive order is an affront to our sense of fairness and equity...President Trump's actions are unacceptable and un-American. They do not represent who we are as a people. We must recover our senses. It is time to speak out in the name of all faiths and our national identity as a people united in our diversity. That is our gift to the world." In the UK the Archbishop of York, Rt Rev John Sentamu, also criticised the move and said it was "extraordinary" that any civilised country would ban anyone from receiving humanitarian protection. "There is a valid question as to whether Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities in the Middle East have so far had adequate access to such protection," he said. "However a blanket ban on any individual group is bound to undermine the fundamental principles of asylum. In Christ, we are called to welcome the stranger especially when in desperate need." The Superior Court of Pennsylvania on Wednesday reversed the Post-Conviction Relief Acts court order granting a new trial for Letitia Smallwood. Smallwood, now 63, was convicted for a 1971 double-murder arson case in Carlisle and sentenced to life imprisonment on each murder count. She was 20 years old when she was convicted of starting a fire in the 100 block of North Pitt Street that killed Steven Johnson and Paula Wagner. In 2015, her conviction was overturned by Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas Judge Edward Guido, based on new evidence that called into question how arsons were investigated in previous years. A retrial was set to happen in Cumberland County. Smallwood, after spending 42 years in prison, was released two weeks after that conviction was overturned. However, the state had appealed that decision to overturn the conviction to the Superior Court. In an opinion issued Wednesday by Superior Court Judge Ann Lazarus, she said the Post-Conviction Relief Act petition that led to Smallwoods conviction being overturned was not filed in a timely fashion. Marissa Bluestine, of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, which represented Smallwood, told The Associated Press the decision is flawed. She says they are considering whether to appeal to the state Supreme Court or ask the Superior Court to re-examine the case. Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said he met with Smallwoods attorneys Wednesday and gave them time to figure out the details of what they want to do next. He explained that post-conviction relief cases can be complicated, especially regarding bail terms between appeals. I cant just agree to anything unless the law provides a mechanism for me to do so, Freed said. He said Smallwood is likely to appeal the decision. Court decision The court argued that Smallwood learned about advances in fire investigation and the possibility of arson convictions being overturned after a TV program in 1999. She did not file her second PCRA arguing this until 15 years later on March 14, 2014. The court argued that 15 years between those two events made the PCRA filing untimely, since those filings should be made within the required 60 days of discovering a new fact in the case. The PCRA court opinion in Cumberland County argued that Smallwood used that time to attempt to acquire more information about the advances in fire science while seeking legal assistance to pursue the claim. The state, however, argued that there was no due diligence or reasonable efforts between 1999 to 2014, but rather years of attorney and expert shopping. The state conceded that arson investigation was more of an art than a science, according to the Superior Court opinion. Though Superior Court did not argue the changes in fire science, it did side with the state, saying Smallwood spent the 15 years trying to establish an alternative theory to eliminate arson as a conclusion, when establishing such a theory for her case was not immediately needed. Smallwood put forth great effort, but we are unable to find that these steps over 15 years were reasonable given the statutory time restrictions, Lazarus opinion said. The court even noted that it has no doubt the expert in the case would have given an opinion and evidence that could have led a jury to a different conclusion about Smallwoods guilt than the original jury in the 1970s. However, the court was confused as to why Smallwood waited so long to file a petition for post-conviction relief upon learning of the information in 1999. The case was heard before judges Lazarus, Victor Stabile and Alice Beck Dubow. Dubow did not participate in the consideration or decision of the case, according to the Superior Court opinion. Atheist Ricky Gervais vs Christian Stephen Colbert Who Came Out On Top? Considering the amount of 'debate' that there has been between atheists and people of faith in the last 10 years or so, it's surprising how few genuine encounters there are. Formal debates happen, certainly. But they tend to be between academics who argue over philosophical, scientific and other technicalities. While these are important, they don't often speak in the language of normal lay people. There have been popular-level books on both sides of the debate. But these are often released without interaction happening between the authors. Richard Dawkins refuses to debate many Christians, while sadly, some leading Christian voices seem unable to articulate the faith in a way which is convincing enough for atheists to take it seriously. Thank God, then, for Stephen Colbert and Ricky Gervais. British actor, writer and comedian Gervais has become one of the most high-profile atheists in the world in recent years. His success, which began with the British The Office and Extras has given him entry into the world of Hollywood where he is a regular on red carpets and as the host of award shows. He has used this platform to espouse his atheism on a regular basis. His regular tweets mocking belief have been followed up by a series of discussions on news shows. He regularly features in atheist videos. In one, Gervais makes the extraordinary claim that it would be good if parents didn't teach their children any of their metaphysical beliefs until they were 20. "There'd be more atheists and less faithful if you weren't allowed to teach anything, you weren't allowed to mention any Gods or any beliefs or atheism until they were 20... It's strange that we hold onto these medieval beliefs." Stephen Colbert, one of the biggest names in late night US TV, regularly mentions his faith. Like Gervais, he occasionally uses his platform to espouse his beliefs. Faith is an important part of his life, so he speaks about it on his show and in interviews. He has argued with some of the most famous atheist voices such as Bill Maher. So when Gervais was a guest on Colbert last night, it was almost inevitable that they got round to talking about God... Colbert asked Gervias one of the most fundamental questions that we all have to confront at one time or another. "Why is there something instead of nothing?" Gervais seems temporarily floored by it. "That makes no sense at all. That's not the choice at all," he says, dismissing out of hand a question which Heidegger described as "The fundamental question of metaphysics." Gervais then fires back, "Surely the question is not why, but how?" Well, not so fast Ricky... The 'how' question is incredibly important and it's one that scientists continue to pursue. But the 'why' question can't be answered by science. It's a different kind of question. "Why is irrelevant," claims Gervais as if all inquiry into the reasons for the existence of the universe over thousands of years could just be swept away. He goes on to suggest that he doesn't believe in God because there's no proof for it. "Everything in the universe was once crunched into something smaller than at atom," he then says (correctly citing the scientific consensus). "But you don't know that," fires back Colbert in a bid to show that 'proof' is too high a standard for Gervais to hold Christians to if he can't 'prove' what happened at the beginning of the universe. "You're just believing Stephen Hawking and that's a matter of faith in his abilities," carries on Colbert, "you don't know it yourself, you're accepting it because someone told you." Gervais can't give a direct response, so falls back on the claim that, "science is constantly proved all the time". Here's the thing. Colbert's aim isn't to undermine science. He's an intelligent guy. He's merely showing how Gervais is holding different standards. He sees no 'proof' of God, therefore he's an atheist fine. But then he claims there is constant 'proof' in science when that simply isn't the case. Science weighs the evidence and comes up with the best explanation. Yet, it's really not possible to 'prove' what happened at the beginning of the universe, for example. As one physicist has put it, "So long as the evidence is consistent with the theory, we consider the theory validated. But it will never be proven." All that we as Christians ask for from atheists like Gervais is an honest debate. Many of us are passionate about science and its ability to help us explain the world. We believe in evolution, climate change and the rest of the scientific consensus. We think science is the best way of explaining 'how' questions. It's just that we don't believe that science can explain 'why' questions. Two of our leading entertainers debated this on TV last night and it strikes me that one of them showed up the weaknesses in the other's position. Long may the debate continue... Follow Andy Walton on Twitter @waltonandy Bishop Of London's Farewell Service: Church Must Stand United In The Face Of 'Great Promise And Great Peril' The Bishop of London is urging unity across Christian denominations as he retires at a time of "great promise and great peril". Rt Rev Richard Chartres will step down from the number three role in the Church of England later this month and gave his valedictory sermon to a packed St Paul's Cathedral on Thursday evening. The 69-year-old joked a bishop's fixed retirement age of 70 was "like a divine sacking" as he departs after more than 20 years as Bishop of London. He described his diocese as being "at the world's crossroads" and called it to be "a Church which aims to bring people together rather than prise them apart". In a veiled attack on US President Donald Trump, Chartres criticised those who react "to change by insisting on ever narrower definitions of their identity" and called on the Church to stand firm. "We belong to a transforming community reaching after a wider and wider sense of 'us'," he said. "We have the freedom to act and not be immobilised by the pressure of the passing moment." Once tipped for the top spot of Archbishop of Canterbury, Chartres comes from the Church's Anglo-Catholic tradition and has refused to ordain women, which has endeared him to his diverse and disparate diocese's conservative wing. A close friend to the Royal Family, Chartres was a witness to Princess Diana's will and gave her memorial sermon in 2007. He confirmed Prince William and preached the sermon at his wedding to Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011. Chartres is responsible for the CofE's relationship with the Orthodox Church and was the Anglican representative at the enthronement of Patriach Kirill I as head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. He used his final sermon at St Paul's Cathedral to urge greater cooperation between all Christian Churches and said by "living with diversity and difference, we open ourselves up to grow and be transformed". He said: "We should seek partnerships in the gospel at whatever level we are working. "We should seek alliances in the wider household of faith in building a servant community whose attractiveness pagans will not be able to deny." He told the congregation of several hundred: "The problem is that our project of growth without limit with no end in view beyond the accumulation of more and more things, this project is unsustainable." He added: "What the Church has to offer is not an ideology or a mere critique but a community in which the Spirit of Jesus Christ dwells. In a market place of strident salesmen of warring ideologies we seek not to add to the din but to build relationships that endure and give meaning to life." Church Not 'Reached End Of The Road' On Gay Marriage, Welby Says The Archbishop of Canterbury has said the Church of England has not "reached the end of the road" over its position on gay marriage. After years of internal debate and division, the Church of England is refusing to change its teaching that marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman. In a report published last week the Church's bishops called for "a fresh tone and culture of welcome and support for lesbian and gay people" and promised "maximum freedom" for LGBT couples but declined to change the current laws. But Justin Welby on Thursday said "the process is continuing" after years of private talks at all levels of Church hierarchy. "Three years of talking to each other and listening to each other makes it clear there isn't a view in the Church of changing the teaching on marriage," he told Nick Ferrari on LBC. "But in the Church of England the process is continuing and we have got a long way to go and we have got to learn," he continued. "I am not pretending that where we are at the moment in our attitudes, in our ways of speaking is something that we have got to the end of the road on." He was responding to a question from a listener who asked, "When will the Church finally treat gay and straight people as equal in every way and what is stopping you and the church making a bold and just move on this matter?" She said: "Surely the bottom line would be that God teaches us to treat everyone equally and not judge." Welby acknowledged the Church had a "bad history" in how it treated gay people and needed "to repent of the wrong attitudes taken in the past". He said: "The way in which we speak and the attitudes we take has to change dramatically." But he added teaching on marriage "isn't the Church of England's to change". He said the global Church had the same view on marriage which had been in place since the Church has ever existed. Welby appeared on LBC alongside Cardinal Vincent Nichols, head of the UK Catholic Church, who said his "first duty" was to be faithful to Christ. "His word, which we believe to be the word of God without any doubt, is that the proper place and proper understanding of marriage is that it is between a man and a woman." The CofE has promised a new teaching document on marriage and relationships that would explore what accommodation could be given to gay couples. It will "affirm the place of lesbian and gay people in the life of the Church" but will offer no concrete changes to teaching. Bishops will publish guidance for "appropriate pastoral provision for same sex couples" and "explore more fully" what the Church will offer gay couples, they said. No indication about what suggestions will be made is clear. Evangelical Jerry Falwell Jr To Head Education Task Force For Trump Prominent evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr has been appointed to lead an education reform task force under US President Donald Trump. Falwell is keen to cut university regulations, including those that deal with campus sexual assault. Falwell, a prominent supporter of Trump's, is president of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, which describes itself as the world's largest Christian University. Len Stevens, a spokesperson for the school, said on Wednesday that in his new position Falwell was prioritising deregulation, removing various rules and practices that the US Department of Education has previously imposed on colleges and universities. "It's an autonomy issue for universities to be able to not be micromanaged by the Department of Education," Stevens said in an email to Reuters. Stevens added that many college presidents, regardless of their political affiliations, sympathised with this concern. Falwell also wants to cut federal rules regarding the investigation and reporting of sexual assault on campus. These rules fall under Title IX, the federal law that bars sexual discrimination in education. Stevens said that Liberty University believes that on-campus sexual assault investigations are better left to police and prosecutors. Falwell, the son of the late televangelist Jerry Falwell Sr., was a vocal supporter of Trump's during the election campaign, endorsing him in the Republican primaries and comparing him to King David. Falwell even compared Trump to his father, the founder of the Moral Majority, saying Trump shared Falwell Sr's disposition to "speak his mind". He introduced Trump before a significant speech given at Liberty University last year, where Trump called Falwell "one of the most respected religious leaders in our nation". Falwell has said that he previously turned down an offer for the position as Trump's education secretary. That nomination has now gone to Betsy DeVos, who awaits Senate confirmation next Tuesday. It is not yet clear when Falwell's task force would begin its work. Additional reporting by Reuters. Franklin Graham Thinks President Trump's Muslim Travel Ban 'Isn't Perfect' But Doesn't Completely Disagree With It Evangelist Franklin Graham has been on the receiving end of criticisms lately because of his support for President Donald Trump. After Trump imposed the so-called Muslim travel ban, the criticisms only got worse. But Graham is standing by Trump, according to Charisma News. He even reminded Americans that it is the duty of their president to protect the Constitution and their safety. "That's exactly what President Trump is trying to do. Taking action to secure our borders had to start somewhere. Is it perfect? Maybe not, but it is a first step. As they work on solutions during this 90-day travel ban, unfortunately there are some innocent families caught in this time of transition," he said. Graham then addressed his critics who are insinuating that the ban against those of other faith is not a very Christian act. The evangelist said he understands people's frustrations. However, he said many people have failed to realise that the president's job is not the same as the job of the church. "As Christians, we are clearly taught in the Bible to care for the poor and oppressed. At Samaritan's Purse, we have been working in the Middle East for over 30 years. We've provided things like food, heaters, blankets, coats, shelter plastic and more for tens of thousands of refugees there and in other places around the world," he said. "We just opened a 55-bed field trauma hospital in northern Iraq where we're treating Muslims who are being wounded by other Muslims in the fight over Mosul," he said. Graham said Christians are commanded to help all, regardless of their religious background or ethnicity. But the best way they can show God's love and compassion is to reach out to people in their own countries. "I support the establishment of safe zones inside Syria and Iraq that would be protected by the international community until a political solution is found. We need to pray for political solutions that would bring peace and allow them to return to their homes as they desire," he said. Meanwhile, Rev. Robert Jeffress, the leader of First Baptist Dallas church, also supports Trump's vision. Jeffress told Fox & Friends that Trump is merely "fulfilling his God-given responsibility to protect this country." Jeffress earlier compared the new president to the biblical figure Nehemiah, who was responsible for rebuilding Jerusalem. He was also known for building a new city wall despite facing a lot of financial setbacks and detractors. Griffith John: 8 Things You Didn't Know About A Pioneer Missionary To China A 19th century Welsh missionary is being celebrated in his home town of Swansea in the city's museum not for preaching the gospel 150 years ago, but for starting a ministry in China that has saved countless lives and continues today. Griffith John set sail for China in 1855 and founded a hospital in Wuhan that is now one of the largest in the country. It has 5,000 beds and treats three and a half million people a year, and collaborates with Swansea University's medical school. The link isn't only medical but civic, with a delegation from Swansea visiting Wuhan last year where they were presented with items given to John by the people of Wuhan including books and musical instruments that form the core of the museum's exhibition. But who was Griffith John and what did he achieve? 1. Born in 1831 in Swansea, he was a Congregationalist who delivered his first sermon at the age of 14. He went to China with the London Missionary Society with his first wife Margaret in 1855. 2. He travelled extensively throughout the country at a time when it was very little known by Europeans, learning the language fluently and becoming a powerful speaker. 3. A man of enormous energy, John founded mission stations, hospitals, clinics and colleges as well as writing copiously. He translated the New Testament twice, once into literary Chinese and once into Mandarin. 4. His first wife died on the way back from England to China after a furlough in 1873. He then married the widow of another missionary, Mrs Jenkins, who died in 1885. 5. Britain fought two shameful 'Opium Wars' with China in the mid-19th century to compel China to allow the importation of opium from its Indian colony. Griffith John was a fierce critic of the trade and campaigned against it. 6. He lived through the terrible Boxer Rebellion from 1899-1901, which saw thousands of Western missionaries and Chinese converts murdered. Many of the mission stations and churches he founded were destroyed. 7. He believed Christ was the "one Saviour" but also believed it was right to "acknowledge what was true and noble" in other religions rather than being relentlessly confrontational. 8. He returned to Swansea in 1912, worn out by his work and by a series of strokes, and died the same year. He is buried there and his memory is kept alive by admirers of his work. In A World Of Fake News, Is Fake Theology Next? Jesus wasn't a refugee at least not in the minds of the presenters of Fox & Friends. The Fox News network chat show dismissed the idea that the infant Jesus escaped to Egypt with his family, after high profile pastor Rev Al Sharpton tweeted about it. Presenters Steve Doocy and Carley Shimkus claimed that in fact, Jesus' family were simply travelling around to pay their taxes, possibly conflating two separate Gospel stories in the process. "May we all examine,identify,name,& overcome our desire to demonize from a distance. Oh...and Jesus was a refugee."- https://t.co/3DOVpm4NHq Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) February 1, 2017 Doocy and Shimkus are of course mistaken. The biblical account clearly finds an angel in Matthew 2:13 telling Joseph to "Arise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there," because Herod wants the baby dead. It's the very definition of having to seek political asylum, and it's a view confirmed by a vast majority of scholars and sources, not least including the Catholic Church itself. The trouble is that this view aired unchecked on an influential show, passed off as a correction of the facts by its rather dismissive hosts. It's not the first time that Fox presenters have attempted to challenge conventional wisdom on the bible and its contents. According to The Kelly File presenter Megyn Kelly in 2013, "Jesus was white", and this was part of his verifiable historicity. Although Kelly later confessed that this fact is "far from settled", the damage of such an unqualified outburst had already been done. Plenty of other voices joined in to support her original statement, in the face of overwhelming evidence that as a Middle Eastern man, Jesus would have been Middle Eastern. Communication, and the way we hear and process news has changed rapidly since the advent of the Internet, but in more recent days this revolution has taken a worrying turn. As has been written variously elsewhere, facts now seem secondary to forceful viewpoints, and become replaced by 'alternative truth'. Fake news started as satirical or fraudulent media created with the intent to mislead or amuse, but it seems that President Trump and his supporters have co-opted the term as an accusation to throw at mainstream media sources that don't support their view. This approach only thrives in a world where information is so prolific and overwhelming that we've lost touch with the capacity to keep a grasp on the facts. We learn to trust sources who confirm our own beliefs and biases, and believe what they tell us instead of checking the facts behind what they say. And while that's understandable, it's also incredibly dangerous. What's particularly worrying in a nominally-Christian context like the United States, is that the hosts of Fox & Friends have demonstrated that this same approach can be transferred from news to theology. High profile, trusted sources can make potentially outrageous statements about the Bible and get away with it unchallenged, potentially reframing the theology of millions of viewers as they do so. Since Jesus' actual teachings are fairly inconvenient if you happen to want to build walls between people groups, foster an environment of prejudice and prioritise the interests of the rich, Fake Theology could become a powerful tool in the New America. Remember that Donald Trump himself is a man who once claimed his favourite Bible verse was "never bend to envy", a proverb which doesn't actually exist and he's managed to convince huge portions of the church that he's Born Again. Why wouldn't those same people begin to trust his claims about what God thinks, wants, and even says in the Bible? Declining biblical literacy makes Fake Theology a potentially powerful political tool. The only way that any of us can avoid this potential phenomenon from taking a grip is by ensuring that we're in the habit of checking for ourselves what the Bible really says. That's not just applicable when we listen to world leaders; it's also relevant when we're sitting in a pew on a Sunday morning. I was once at a conference where a provocative preacher read a passage from Philippians 5, to an audience of silent nodding young Christians. When he had finished, he asked what people thought, and their affirming noises turned to shrieks of horror when he revealed the punchline of his point: there is no Philippians 5. Jesus famously said "I am the truth", and as his followers, we should naturally want to pursue the same. We might find instances and accusations of fake news distasteful, but subverting the truth about Jesus is urgently and eternally dangerous. Let's keep our eyes open and our brains switched on. No 'trusted source' should be a replacement for knowing God and his word for ourselves, and that's possibly more important now than ever. Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. Follow him on Twitter @martinsaunders. Leaked Trump Executive Order On Religious Freedom Threatens To Sweep Away Anti-Discrimination Protections For Minorities A draft religious freedom executive order that will delight conservative evangelicals and outrage liberals reveals sweeping plans by Donald Trump's administration to overhaul anti-discrimination protection for various minority groups. The leaked four-page draft, obtained by The Nation and The Investigative Fund, would create wholesale exemptions for people and organisations who claim religious or moral objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and transgender identity, and it seeks to curtail women's access to contraception and abortion through the Affordable Care Act. It would protect 'religious freedom' including when it comes to 'for-profit' corporations "when providing social services, education, or healthcare; earning a living, seeking a job, or employing others; receiving government grants or contracts; or otherwise participating in the marketplace, the public square, or interfacing with Federal, State or local governments". The document seeks specifically to protect the tax-exempt status of any organisation that "believes, speaks, or acts (or declines to act) in accordance with the belief that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, sexual relations are properly reserved for such a marriage, male and female and their equivalents refer to an individual's immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy, physiology, or genetics at or before birth, and that human life begins at conception and merits protection at all stages of life". The Nation, which spoke to a number of constitutional experts, said that the breadth of the draft order may exceed the authority of the executive branch if enacted. Marty Lederman, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center and an expert on Church-state separation and religious freedom said: "This executive order would appear to require agencies to provide extensive exemptions from a staggering number of federal laws without regard to whether such laws substantially burden religious exercise." Lederman said that the exemptions could themselves violate federal law or license individuals and private parties to violate federal law. He added: "Moreover, the exemptions would raise serious First Amendment questions, as well, because they would go far beyond what the Supreme Court has identified as the limits of permissive religious accommodations." The leaked draft states that, "Americans and their religious organisations will not be coerced by the Federal Government into participating in activities that violate their conscience." It defines "religious exercise" as that which extends to "any act or refusal to act that is motivated by a sincerely held religious belief, whether or not the act is required or compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief". Ira Lupu, a professor emeritus at the George Washington University Law School and an expert on the Constitution's religion clauses, told The Nation: "It's very sweeping...It raises a big question about whether the Constitution...authorises the president to grant religious freedom in such a broad way." Lupu added that the draft order "privileges" a certain set of beliefs about sexual orientation and gender identity, held by conservative evangelicals and Catholics. On Tuesday, the White House announced that it would continue President Obama's executive order protecting federal contractors from anti-LGBT discrimination. But The Nation, a liberal journal, said that the new draft order "codifies a laundry list of claims advanced by the Christian right in recent years". Christian groups including the Catholic Church in particular have clashed repeatedly with the Obama administration n recent years over the issue of exemptions on religious freedom grounds. The full draft document can be read here. Morgan Freeman Hears 'Extraordinary' 9/11 Survival Story As He Searches For Proof Of God Academy award winning actor Morgan Freeman has met with a 9/11 survivor in a search for "proof of God", calling the survivor's story "extraordinary". Concluding season two of the National Geographic's The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, the actor this time visited New York City to explore the possibility of the proof of God, the Christian Post reports. Freeman reflected on how distracting life in the city can be, and how in contrast to previous generations, many today are consumed with looking down at their screens. Freeman said in his introduction: "But even in our modern world we still share something with our ancestors, that is the desire to find proof that God exists. Have we cut God out of our modern lives? Or are there special moments when God breaks through and makes his presence known?" Freeman then met with Sujo John, a committed Christian who claims that he felt God's presence with him on September 11, 2001, and that it saved his life. John and his preganant wife both worked at the Twin Towers at the time of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. John was on the 81st floor of the north tower when the planes hit the towers, but managed to make it out alive. John immediately ran for the south tower to find his wife, but it was then that the towers collapsed. "As the building is collapsing there is people with me and I'm huddled with them. I felt God speak to me in a very still voice, I felt God say, 'It's going to be OK,'" John told Freeman. Freeman then asked, "You heard the voice of God? [He] spoke to you?" John responds, "I did not hear God speak to me in an audible way but I felt God's inner voice speak to me and ask people to pray with me." John said that he then called on the name of Jesus and he and others prayed as falling debris came down on them. John was stuck beneath the rubble, until he saw a red light which then enabled him to crawl out from beneath the wreckage. Those he has been with did not survive, and John expected the same of his pregnant wife. Yet John suddenly received a phone call, from his wife. She asked: "Babe, are you alive?" "So we're looking at a miracle right here," said Freeman. "Yes, and it was God that preserved and saved my life. It's proof that there is a God," said John, who tells more of his story in the video below. Freeman then asked why God hadn't saved everyone on that day. John said: "Life on earth is such that no one is guaranteed today or tomorrow. Every human being on this earth will face death. "But here's what I know from my experience. When you walk with God and go through the storms of life you have this peace in the presence of God. So if you carry the presence of God, even if it's going to be death, it's going to be ok." Concluding, Freeman reflected on his meeting with John: "Sujo John's survival is extraordinary. Some say it's miraculous. What's most remarkable to me is that Sujo felt the unmistakable presence of God even while death and destruction were all around him." Last week, in episode two of The Story of God, Freeman explored the practice of speaking in tongues, calling it "the language of heaven". 'Scariest' ISIS Chief Executioner Abu Sayyaf, Who Beheaded Over 100 People, Is Killed In Iraq Ambush The Islamic State (ISIS) has just lost a symbol of its brutality the terrorist group's behemoth and "scariest" chief executioner who had reportedly beheaded more than 100 people. His real name is unknown, but he's called Abu Sayyaf, an Arabic name which means "father of swordsmith," the Daily Mail reported. Incidentally, Abu Sayyaf is also the name of the notorious Islamist kidnap for ransom group in the Philippines known for beheading its hostages, which has linked up with ISIS. How Abu Sayyaf the executioner met his bloody end is not yet clear with news outlets giving conflicting accounts. Iraqi News, citing security sources who spoke to Alsumaria News, said a group of men ambushed and stabbed him to death. "The armed group ambushed him at al-Dawasa region, in the western side of the city, and stabbed him several times. He died immediately," Iraqi News quoted the source as saying. However, ARA News reported that Abu Sayyaf died when a group of armed men opened fire on his car while travelling. "He was killed along with another militant who was accompanying him during the attack," local media activist Abdullah al-Mallah told the news outlet. Abu Sayyaf had been featured in various ISIS propaganda videos, with his huge, tall and dark frame looming over his victim. He gained extra notoriety for collecting the heads of his victims and dumping them in a hole in al-Khasafa region, according to the Daily Mail. At least three other notorious ISIS executioners have also met bloody ends. In October 2016, a mysterious figure known simply as the "Sniper of Mosul" killed with just one shot an unidentified ISIS executioner who was about to behead a captive Iraqi teenager. A month earlier, a British Special Air Service (SAS) sniper shot dead an ISIS executioner and three other jihadists, preventing another mass execution of captives with the use of a flamethrower. Posted nearly a mile away from the execution site near Raqqa, Syria, the ace SAS shooter used a Barett .50-caliber rifle to hit the fuel tank strapped on the back of the executioner, triggering an explosion that instantaneously killed him and the three other ISIS militants. And then there was "Jihadi John," perhaps the most notorious and most wanted ISIS executioner. The English-speaking terrorist who became the first embodiment of ISIS brutality was blasted to smithereens in November 2015 when an armed drone fired a missile that directly hit him while he was about to step into a car in Raqqa. Identified as Mohammed Emwazi, Jihadi John became a household name for the series of ISIS videos showing him beheading captured U.S. journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto. US Rep. Scott Perry, who represents a large portion of Cumberland County, issued a statement Monday enumerating his position on the Trump administrations travel ban policies. In doing so, Perry made a number of assertions. The Sentinel will attempt occasionally to put statements by officials and others on public issues in context. Below is Perrys full statement, with annotations and additional information. Perry: The United States has the most generous refugee policies in the world and a culturally diverse, open country unlike any other. We want that proud tradition to continue. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development most recently ranked the United States 19th out of 31 industrialized nations in accepting refugees, as a ratio of refugees accepted to the total population base. For the year spanning May 2015 to April 2016, the United States added 150,875 asylum seekers from across the globe to its books, the OECD found. Sweden, for example, added almost exactly the same number but with a population only 3 percent the size of the US, and a GDP only 3.5 percent of US economic capacity. In terms of sheer volume, the most open countries for refugees tend to be those closest to the areas refugees are fleeing from. Jordan and Turkey host 2.7 and 2.5 million refugees, respectively, mostly from neighboring countries in the Middle East and specifically from Syria, according to data from Amnesty International. Perry: Yet ISIS continues to embed fighters within the refugee flows bound for Europe to carry out terrorist attacks and clearly encourages its followers to do the same in the United States. The Islamic State has embedded fighters among refugees, although the majority of terrorist activity in Europe is committed by citizens or permanent residents. The deadliest recent terror incident in Europe the Nov. 13 shootings and bombings at the Bataclan club in Paris was committed by a group consisting mostly of French- and Belgian-born men of Arab descent, according to French police reports tallied by the BBC. Only two of the nine attackers were not European-born. The unidentified men, who committed suicide bombings during the attack, were believed to be Iraqis who used fake Syrian passports, provided to them by ISIS, to blend in with refugees. Perry: There's no Muslim ban. President Trump's executive order imposes a temporary, 90-day ban on people entering our country from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - countries rife with jihadist violence. Muslims and others from the more than 190 remaining countries in the world are unaffected. Trumps order does not ban all Muslims, but in effect, it bans only Muslims. The order bans entry of people entering the U.S. from the seven listed countries, but makes exceptions for religious minorities. Because all seven nations are majority Muslim, only Muslims are affected by the order. The seven affected countries combined generated 36,722 refugees into the United States in the 2016 fiscal year, according to data from the US State Departments Refugee Processing Center, with Syria being the largest single contributor with 12,587 entrants. Perry: Even the Iraqi government says it understands the security reasons behind the President's decision. The most recent statement from Iraqs parliament, according to Reuters, posited that Iraq is in the frontline of the war of terrorism ... and it is unfair that the Iraqis are treated in this way. The statement called for a ban on travel by U.S. citizens to Iraq in retaliation to Trumps order. Perry: The order aims to improve our vetting process by temporarily halting refugee admissions for 120 days. Top national security officials repeatedly warn that we don't have the necessary resources or information to fully vet refugees. Former President Obama banned many refugees from Iraq in 2011. Former President Carter, during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, banned Iranians from entering the United States with very limited exceptions. Notably, the media was silent on both occasions. Trumps executive order can also be interpreted to ban dual citizens, green card holders, and other non-refugee visa holders originating in the seven countries, in addition to refugees. Since Sunday, that interpretation has been scaled back by the administration. Obama ordered a security review in 2011 that resulted in a slowdown of Iraqi admissions. According to State Department RPC data, the order cut Iraqi refugee admissions from 18,016 in 2010 to 9,338 in 2011. Admissions increased to 12,163 in 2012 and peaked at 19,488 Iraqi refugees in 2013. Carters order called to invalidate all visas issued to Iranian citizens for future entry into the United States and halted any new visas during the hostage crisis. The order made an exception for humanitarian reasons, meaning that Iranians who feared prosecution from Ayatollah Khomeini were still allowed into the United States. Perry: Clearly, however, the administration must clarify its policies and remove any confusion with regard to green card holders. The primary duty of government is to keep the American people safe. We must take common sense steps to protect ourselves from those who take advantage of our generosity to commit acts of terrorism. Trump Vows To Prioritise Persecuted Christians' Entry to U.S. As Refugees: 'They've Been Horribly Treated' U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that persecuted Christians will be given priority over other refugees seeking to enter the United States, saying "they have been horribly treated." However, Trump's pledgemade during an interview with CBN News on Fridayfailed to elicit unanimous approval from Christian organisations. Christian Freedom International president Jim Jacobson praised Trump for his move, The Christian Post reported. "This means that persecuted Christians will finally be considered for resettlement. Under the Obama administration, persecuted Christians from Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere were either essentially ignored or flatly denied consideration for resettlement to the U.S," Jacobson said in a statement. "The Trump administration has given hope to persecuted Christians that their cases will finally be considered." However, in another report, The Christian Post quoted David Curry, president of Open Doors USA, as saying that "cherry-picking one religion over another only exacerbates the already severe worldwide trend of religious persecution." Curry nevertheless lauded Trump for recognising "the incredible rise in persecution of Christians" even as he called for a "need-based approach that treats all faiths equally and works toward the comprehensive strengthening of religious freedom around the world." Other Christian leaders were even more critical of Trump. Blase J. Cupich, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, said Trump's order barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for at least the next 90 days "proved to be a dark moment in U.S. history." "The executive order to turn away refugees and to close our nation to those, particularly Muslims, fleeing violence, oppression and persecution is contrary to both Catholic and American values," Cupich said in a statement. The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) also issued a call to all Christian leaders to welcome all refugees. "We call upon Christians everywhere to pursue a biblically informed perspective of forced displacement and to actively seek the welfare of refugees," said Bp Efraim Tendero, secretary general of the WEA, in a statement. In Friday's interview with CBN News' The Brody File, Trump said it had been "impossible, or at least very tough" for Syrian Christians to enter the United States. "If you were a Muslim you could come in, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible and the reason that was so unfaireverybody was persecuted, in all fairnessbut they were chopping off the heads of everybody but more so the Christians. And I thought it was very, very unfair. So we are going to help them." According to a report by the Pew Research Center, the United States admitted a record number of 38,901 Muslim refugees in 2016. But nearly the same number of Christians37,521were also admitted. A Christian group that helps resettle refugees in the U.S. said that although Christian persecution ought to be deplored, Americans should not give favour to fellow Christians or bar Muslims, CNN reported. "We would resist that strongly," said Scott Arbeiter, president of World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals and one of nine agencies that partner with the U.S. government to resettle refugees. "Some of the most vulnerable people in the world right now are Muslims. If we say no Muslim should be let in, we are denying the humanity and dignity of people made in the image of God," Arbeiter said. Trump's Refugee Ban Puts Christians In Danger, Warns UK's Top Catholic Leader The head of the UK Catholic Church has called for "self-discipline" in public debate as he accused politicians of trading in fear and letting the UK down. Cardinal Vincent Nichols attacked both US President Donald Trump and UK politicians for the "manner and tone" of recent rhetoric and sharply criticised Trump's refugee ban. "We have to gain a lot more discipline and be less indulgent to the indignation that is often stirred up by political leadership that bases itself on fear," he said in an interview on LBC radio on Thursday morning. He appeared alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and said MPs had let Britain down and "lowered the tone" of public discourse. "Any leadership that trades in fear is poor leadership and it lets down the best of British society." The Cardinal, who as Archbishop of Westminster is the UK's most senior Catholic figure, also voiced his outrage at Donald Trump's refugee ban. "To identify a whole people, a whole nation or a whole religion as the enemy is a desperate road to go down," he said. "It creates the impression that Christianity belongs in the West and therefore it puts Christians in the Middle East in ever greater jeopardy," he added. "It does nothing to help the Muslim community deal with the tensions within it." Both Welby and Nichols voiced their concern at the tone of the EU referendum debate at the time with both Christian leaders coming out to back Remain. Before the vote Nichols said: "There is a long tradition in Christianity and Catholicism in particular of believing in holding things together. So the Catholic stance towards an effort such as the EU is largely supportive. "If the vote was to leave Europe I think we would face more complex problems and greater difficulty in finding our role in response to it than we would by playing an active and vigorous part with partners within the EU." 10 things to know about Jean Dubuffet Ben Luke profiles an artist who fell in and out of love with painting, coined the term Art Brut, and is today hailed as a giant of Modernism 1 Jean Dubuffet was a late starter Jean Dubuffet was born into a bourgeois family of wine merchants in the port of Le Havre in 1901. He studied painting in Paris in 1918 and met key figures in the Parisian art scene of the 1920s, such as Juan Gris and Fernand Leger. By 1924, however, Dubuffet had become disillusioned with painting, and he gave it up for eight years. After running his own wine business, he took up painting again in the mid-1930s, only to quickly abandon it once more. Only in 1942 did he finally settle into the life of an artist. 2 He quickly received acclaim With his return to painting, Dubuffet adopted an energetic new language to approach everyday subject matter. His work hugely impressed his new acquaintances in the Parisian avant-garde to whom he was introduced to by his childhood friend, Georges Limbour figures including the Surrealist poet Paul Eluard, and the expressionist painter Jean Fautrier. Dubuffets first solo show, at the Rene Drouin gallery in Paris in 1944, shocked the critics and enhanced his avant-garde credentials. 3 He was an artist of the people The more banal a thing may be, the better it suits me, said Dubuffet in 1945. Luckily I do not consider myself exceptional in any way. In my paintings, I wish to recover the vision of an average and ordinary man. His Metro series from 1943 exemplifies his commitment to quotidian life and the primal energy he brought to depicting it, capturing people on the Paris underground in bright colours, with crude brushwork and in a deliberately naive drawing style. This was influenced in part by prehistoric art and childrens drawings, as well as graffiti he saw in the Parisian streets. But his attention was particularly focused on a uniquely raw type of art: the work of so-called outsiders. Open a larger version of this image Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), Le Vase de Barbe (Beard Vase), 1959. Oil on canvas. 51 x 38 in (130 x 96.5 cm). Estimate: 2,000,000-3,000,000. Offered in 20th Century Evening Sale on 23 March 2021 at Christies in London 4 He was the father of Art Brut Dubuffet described his rejection of academic art as anti-cultural, and his pursuit of an alternative creativity led him to artists far from the mainstream. Following research in France and Switzerland, he discovered the work of unintentional, untrained artists who were often mentally ill or had disabilities. He gave this art a name Art Brut which he defined in the essay for an exhibition of 200 works by 60 outsider artists in Paris. By [Art Brut] we mean pieces of work executed by people untouched by artistic culture, he wrote, in which therefore mimicry, contrary to what happens in intellectuals, plays little or no part, so that their authors draw everything (subjects, choice of materials employed, means of transposition, rhythms, ways of writing, etc.) from their own depths and not from cliches of classical art or art that is fashionable. Dubuffet assembled an extraordinary collection of Art Brut and by the time he donated it to the city of Lausanne in 1971, it included 5,000 works by 133 artists. The collection would form the basis for Lausannes Art Brut museum, which opened in 1976. 5 His portraits offer an idiosyncratic glimpse of Pariss post-war avant-garde For Dubuffet, there was no point in capturing the conventional likenesses found in academic portraiture. Yet few artists evoked his epoch as powerfully as he did. In a series of portraits made in 1946 and 1947, he turned literary and artistic figures such as Henri Michaux and Fautrier into caricatures. The portraits were anti-psychological, anti-individualistic, Dubuffet wrote. It seemed to me that by depersonalising my models, and approaching them from the very general perspective of the human figure, I helped to release, for the user of my painting, different mechanisms of imagination or interest which would greatly increase the power of the likeness. Open a larger version of this image Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), Paysage du Pas-de-Calais III (Landscape of Pas-de-Calais III), 1963. Oil on canvas. 64 x 102 in (162.6 x 259.2 cm). Estimate: 2,500,000-3,500,000. Offered in 20th Century Evening Sale on 23 March 2021 at Christies in London 6 He was a tireless experimenter Dubuffet frequently developed new techniques. In the 1940s, he created what he called the hautes pates (high pastes), using a ground of tar, asphalt and everything from coal dust to pebbles and glass. He would scratch his urgent, simple forms into this sticky surface. He moved on to what he called pates battues (beaten pastes). Again, he would paint dark colours as a ground, over which he would spread a thick layer of white paste with a plasterers knife. Dubuffet embraced chance and enjoyed the enveloping indefiniteness of his compositions. He later invented his Texturologies abstract paintings which adapted the traditional Tyrolean technique used by plasterers: Dubuffet covered his canvas in layers of tiny droplets of paint. 7 The city was the lifeblood of his art If Paris had been the inspiration for Dubuffets artistic breakthrough in the early 1940s, the city liberated him again in the early 1960s. Between 1954 and 1961 Dubuffet had abandoned the French capital for the countryside, first at Durtol in the Auvergne, and then Vence on the Cote dAzur. Alentour la maison is a composition from the Lieux cursifs series that occupied his output between April and September 1957, a period when long sojourns in the countryside were interspersed with regular trips back home to Paris. In the Paris Circus series he sought to capture the life of the city once more. Two paintings from this series have been sold by Christies in recent years, reaching the two highest prices ever paid for a Dubuffet at auction: Paris Polka and Les Grandes Arteres (both 1961) hum with colour and an almost violent exuberance. Dubuffet said he wanted the elements of the city to be joined in a crazy dance. La robe a boutons (above), painted on 4 September 1961, is the first and largest in a sequence of five distinct character portraits that punctuate Dubuffets Paris Circus series. Abandoning the dark subject matter that had occupied him in Vence, he revelled in metropolitan life, absorbing the characters, conversations and bright lights that surrounded him. Daubing his impressions on canvas, board and paper, he forged what would ultimately come to be recognised as a new form of contemporary urban art, heralding the work of artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. La robe a boutons can be understood as a piece of this puzzle: a celebration of the new fashions and flaneurs who made their mark on the city during this period. Open a larger version of this image Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), Panorama, 1978. Acrylic and collage on paper mounted on canvas. 82 x 111 in (210.2 x 283.4 cm). Sold for 2,171,250 on 12 February 2020 at Christies in London. Artwork: Jean Dubuffet, DACS 2021 Panorama (1978), which was offered in London on 12 February 2020, is a striking example of Dubuffets Theatres de memoire (Theatres of memory) series, created in the final decade of his life. Over two metres high, and almost three metres wide, the work recalls the teeming urban environments of his early-1960s Paris Circus works. Each constituent part of the Theatres de memoire was made specifically for this series. Using a ladder, magnets and a large sheet of metal, Dubuffet would arrange them into monumental compositions a great physical effort for a man in his late seventies before having them carefully transferred to canvas. 8 He was big in America Thanks to his dealer, Pierre Matisse (the artists son), and to the critic Clement Greenberg, Dubuffet quickly developed a reputation in America, despite the fact that New York was usurping Paris as the centre of the art world. Matisse gave him his first New York solo show in 1947; Greenberg had written about him as the brightest new hope of the School of Paris since Miro the previous year. Dubuffet would regularly exhibit in New York for the rest of his career, and many of his greatest works are in US museum collections. Americans including the Chicago industrialist Maurice Culberg were among his most ardent collectors. 9 His Hourloupe cycle began as a doodle One day in July 1962, while he was on the telephone, Dubuffet made some doodles with a ballpoint pen. It was a eureka moment: these interlocking forms with linear shading grew to be a vast body of work known as the Hourloupe cycle, which would occupy Dubuffet for 12 years. The colour scheme was stripped back to the biro colours of red, black and blue, before being translated into multicoloured paintings such as Etre et Paraitre sold at Christies in March 2017 for 10,021,000 while the forms could appear completely abstract or adopt human and animal shapes. This cycle of work was characterised by a much more seriously arbitrary and irrational mood than anything I had done before, Dubuffet said. Open a larger version of this image Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), Ceremonie (Ceremony), 1961. Oil on canvas. 64 x 86 in (164.7 x 220 cm). Sold for 8,718,750 on 25 June 2019 at Christies in London. Artwork: Jean Dubuffet, DACS 2021 Your chance to own works from the Saatchi Gallerys collection Handpicked: 100 Artists Selected by the Saatchi Gallery is a special dual auction taking place in London (10 March) and New York (22 March) which reflects the gallerys transatlantic scope. Proceeds will maintain free entry to the institution and support its education programme To look back at the Saatchi Gallerys achievements over the past 30 years is to see a collection of lasting importance built through an unswerving focus on fresh talent. The exchange between New York and London has been vital to the Saatchi Gallerys success a pre-eminence articulated in the fact that it has hosted 15 of the 20 most-visited museum exhibitions in London over the last five years. Charles Saatchi began collecting American contemporary art in the 1970s, and the Boundary Road locations maiden exhibition in 1985 represented the first UK show for both Cy Twombly and Brice Marden. The 1987-88 exhibition New York Art Now, featuring Jeff Koons, Robert Gober, Peter Halley, Haim Steinbach, Philip Taaffe and Caroll Dunham, had an immeasurable impact on British art through its influence on the Young British Artists many of whom would themselves be launched to stardom by Saatchi just a few years later. The Saatchi Gallery became the first to show a host of artists who are now household names, from Bruce Nauman to Damien Hirst The Saatchi Gallery was also the first to show a host of artists who are now household names, including Bruce Nauman, Andreas Gursky, Sigmar Polke, Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst whose formaldehyde-pickled shark, shown at Saatchi in 1992, remains the defining icon of Brit Art. It is fitting, therefore, that this vibrant international conversation is reflected in the double grouping of works in the special Handpicked... auction, featuring the best emerging work from around the globe. Proceeds from the auctions at Christies will support the ongoing policy of free admission to all gallery-curated exhibitions, and its free education programme. Below, our two heads of sale, Zoe Klemme (London) and Noah Davis (New York), offer 50 words each on their personal highlights from the 50 works theyll be offering in their respective locations. 1 Anne Hardy London Zoe Klemme: Anne Hardys disquieting photographs invite the viewer to step into her invented spaces, which she creates from found and second-hand items. These unnerving interiors, which contain traces of human presence, originate in a performative process, with the resulting scenes only ever being observed through the mediating gaze of the camera. 2 Sigrid Holmwood London Zoe Klemme: Sigrid Holmwoods hippie ideas and nostalgic aesthetic stem from her desire to get to the heart of paint as a historic substance. She trawls ancient archives and internet forums, and consults conservationists, chemists, and herbalists to revive the lost recipes of paint-making, concocting her pigments and glazes entirely from scratch. 3 James Capper London Zoe Klemme: Capper demolishes the boundaries between sculpture and engineering, making machines with a life of their own. Built from scratch, the crab-like Nipper (Long Reach) is imbued with a lively anthropomorphism. Originating in what he calls dream drawings, his works derive from his collaboration with a chain of industrial suppliers. 4 Jackie Saccoccio New York Noah Davis: Curtain is a stunningly rich example of Saccoccios large-scale abstractions. In these works, the artist exploits the mechanics of gravity and the physical properties of paint to create emotive and often heroic compositions, allowing pools of paint to expand, overlap and dissolve into intricate webs and thick fields of colour. 5 Jon Rafman New York Noah Davis: This work belongs to Rafmans The Nine Eyes of Google Street View project, in which he scours the gigantic database of images captured by Google Maps for fleeting moments of interest surreal, poetically beautiful or humorous. With this galloping reindeer, he underscores the tenuous relationship between man, technology and nature. 6 Shara Hughes New York This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Harry Cabluck/STF Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Steve Gonzales/Staff Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The state Senates committee on nominations approved Gov. Greg Abbotts three nominees to lead the University of Texas board of regents. The full state Senate will now consider their candidacy. Janiece Longoria, chair of the Port of Houston Authority, former state Sen. Kevin Eltife and businessman Rad Weaver were nominated to replace three regents who had been critical of UTs leadership, including Chancellor William McRaven. AUSTIN -- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has made a policy pivot on his preferred school choice plan this session, unveiling a hybrid combination of tax credit scholarships and education savings accounts, possibly in an effort to draw more support from rural Republicans and Catholic Democrats. Tax credit scholarships passed on a party line vote of 19-11 last session, with Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, absent. As introduced, Senate Bill 4 looked something like this. That bill floundered, without a hearing, in the House Ways and Means Committee -- which meant then-Chair Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, was no more inclined to hear it than his colleague, Education Chair Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, a former local school board member. While chairs in the House won't be named until mid-week at the earliest, the lower chamber appears no more inclined to take up the matter than it did last session. On first perusal, this session's Senate Bill 3 seems to take the best of SB 4 and merge it with the concept of the education savings account, while throwing in a new chapter for tax credits within the Texas insurance code. Patrick, joined by some of his most loyal lieutenants, urged the press to disregard criticism of the bill before reading it. He said that school choice was supported, in a bipartisan manner, by parents. "This shouldn't even be a tough bill to pass," said Patrick, adding a personal message to the members of the media in attendance. "You wouldn't for one moment tolerate sending your child to a school that was a failure. Most parents wouldn't." SB 3 has two elements of choice that have yet to be debated: a sliding scale of financial support for parents of varying income levels and some unclear mechanism that would allow students to claim a combination of support from both options to meet education needs. The highest level of support, 90 percent of school district spending, would go to special education students. The full story can be found in the Quorum Report. Copyright 2017, Harvey Kronberg,http://quorumreport.com/index.cfm, All rights are reserved. This story is presented as part of the Houston Chronicle's collaboration with Quorum Report. For inside information on Texas politics and government and to sign up for real-time updates, go here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jenny McCarthy thinks that she's been hosting the annual "Leather & Laces" party for the past 10 years, though she's not 100 percent sure. "I used to host with Kim Kardashian before she was Kim Kardashian and Carmen Electra," McCarthy says. "Kim K. got really big, so she was replaced by Kendra Wilkinson and some other people." This year, for the first time, she and husband Donnie Wahlberg will co-host the 14th installment of the popular Super Bowl weekend bash. Well, Friday night anyway. Victoria Secret Angels Adriana Lima and Sara Sampaio are confirmed to carry the torch for round two at Hughes Manor late Saturday evening. "It really is the most fun party, and I've been to all of them," McCarthy says. "It starts really late, and ends really late, and lets us older people be OK with the bottle-service club feel." Throughout the interview, the Sirius XM/iHeart Radio host, former co-host of ABC's "The View," and "Playboy" Playmate of the Year 1993 was reportedly deciding what to wear for the racy soiree. "I'm literally staring at six racks of clothes, waiting to try them on after my nails are dry. The dress code is hard to figure out, but it's really funny when people take it too literally." One year, she recalls, Jennifer Farley better known to MTV's "Jersey Shore" fans as JWoww arrived in leather and lace lingerie. McCarthy advises that party-goers opt for age-appropriate sexy instead. Come Sunday, both she and Wahlberg will be rooting for the New England Patriots. The couple married in 2014. He is a self-professed lifelong Patriots fan; McCarthy says that she's grown to love the legacy of that team. The Bayou City, too, has a special place in her heart. "Maybe it's the fact that I found out that I was pregnant with my son Evan (Asher) when I was in Houston," she admits. "I thought that I got sick from room service, so I called and complained. Turns out, it wasn't the room service." When they're not getting ready for and subsequently recovering from "Leather & Laces" festivities, McCarthy and Wahlberg plan to hit the streets and explore the city. "You might see me walking around," she hints. "We like to trust locals to tell us where to go." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The mother of a former Serbian Playboy model, Slobodanka Tosic, 30, claims that her daughter is innocent and was framed in the case of a Bosnian mobster who survived an attempted murder. According to its online database, Interpol is currently searching for the model, but her mother, Jadranka, has addressed the media to explain that Tosic merely left Bosnia because she had "lost confidence" in its justice system. Slobodanka Tosic, 30, was found guilty of luring her then-boyfriend, mafia boss Djorde Zdrale, to a failed assassination attempt by his rival, Darko Elez in 2006. Tosic, who graced the cover of the magazine in 2008, was said to have set up a date with Zdrale to lead him to Elez's crime syndicate, where she allegedly signaled a gunman to open fire. ITALIAN MOB: Mafia stronghold of Corleone has new 'godfather' saga She was sentenced on charges of accomplice to murder, The Washington Times reported. Now she's reportedly fled from house arrest, but her mother told the DailyMail that Tosic is innocent. "She was allowed to move within eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina" Jadranka told that UK outlet, while she was in the house that once imprisoned Tosic. "When they wrongly accused her, we knew she needed to move to Serbia to protect herself. She is a great girl and her youth was destroyed by this case. She is not hiding but she is tired all of this. She feels helpless." Jadranka also said her daughter was framed. "There is no way she will surrender. No surrender!" Jadranka said. "Slobodanka will not return to Bosnia." LAW & ORDER: Texas lawyer labeled 'worst lawyer in the United States' This is not the first time that police have had to search for Tosic. In 2014, she fled to Croatia and was extradited back to the country. Her Sarajevo-based lawyer Vlado Adamovic said his client is hiding at an undisclosed address in Serbia. "She was not the part of a gang. Those people knew her because she was popular, but she was not the part of a gang. She is not a criminal," her furious mother told MailOnline. "She is a victim of this process. How come they do not know who shot [Zdrale] but they know my daughter was helping? Isn't that suspicious? She was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for helping to organize a murder attempt but the court does not even know who the shooter was." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GALVESTON The first Texas rowboat crew to complete the grueling, 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Challenge rowboat race across the Atlantic Ocean crossed the finish line late Wednesday after a voyage of 49 days, 14 hours and 4 minutes. The crew set out Dec. 14 from San Sebastian de La Gomera on the island of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands off the coast of North Africa. Race officials said the rowboat Anne and her three-member crew, dubbed the American Oarsmen, reached port about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Nelson's Dockyard English Harbour, Antigua and Barbuda, about 300 miles east of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Anne finished fourth out of 12 boats and became the first three-person boat to complete the race. Three previous attempts by three-person crews failed. The ship is captained by 32-year-old Michael Matson of Missouri City and her crew are Brian Krauskopf, 38 and David Alviar, 31, both of Houston. The Anne also became the first official Texas Navy vessel to complete the race. Before the race the Anne was designated an official Texas Navy vessel by the Texas Navy Association and the crew made admirals in the Texas Navy. Race officials said the crew was greeted by family and friends. All three crew members were still asleep Thursday morning were expected to sleep most of the day as they recovered from their exhausting journey, Ellis said. The day before their arrival Matson sent a text via satellite to the Houston Chronicle saying they were bucking heavy winds about 87 nautical miles from the finish line. The trio were worn out as they neared the end of their difficult journey. "Biggest complaint from all is actually butt pain. (imagine bed sores mixed with friction burns) Sitting down to row is shudder worthy," Matson reported via text. "Condition: huge weight loss, Cast Away beards, and an atrocious smell, 12 hours of rowing a day, so blistered hands and feet, sore backs," he said. Matson said the Anne was hampered because it was designed for a crew of two and the extra crew member makes it heavy in the water, a disadvantage when winds are strong. GALVESTON Joseph J.W. Klenczar, captain of the Texas A&M University Galveston training ship General Rudder, died Monday of complications from surgery. He was 60. Klenczar sailed in all deck jobs requiring a license after graduating in 1979 from Texas A&M with a degree in marine science. He was master of vessels on voyages to the Persian Gulf in support of the military during the Gulf War from 1990-91 and the Iraq War from 2003-11. As 16-year-old Mohammad Abu Khadra remains in immigration custody for a fifth day, officials told his brother that the Jordanian teen is still detained in Chicago because he is fully enrolled at Katy High School despite having only a tourist visa. While children can attend private schools or some non-degree-seeking courses while in the U.S. on tourist visas, they cannot enroll in taxpayer-funded public schools. But how U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials learned of Mohammad's enrollment, why he was not flown back to Jordan and why he was flagged for more intensive security screenings upon his arrival remain a mystery. Michael Olivas, an attorney with immigration expertise and interim president of University of Houston-Downtown, said that while it does not appear that Mohammad's case is directly related to a sweeping immigration executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, increased scrutiny of travelers from Muslim-majority countries appears to be a side effect. "They could send him back or could have had him come in if he promised not take classes once he was advised of the rule," Olivas said, speaking from his legal experience. "He seems a little caught up in the drama of all of this. I don't know if it's because he's from Jordan or not, but it seems to me that we have heightened our scrutiny of this so more people will get caught up in minute errors, not crossing their t's or dotting their i's." 7 nations listed Mohammad is among dozens of visa holders and immigrants to be detained at U.S. airports since Trump signed the executive order indefinitely barring all Syrian refugees from entering the United States and suspending all refugee admissions for 120 days. It also prohibits citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for 90 days, whether they are refugees or not. Those countries are Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Ali Zakaria, an attorney representing Mohammad's family, said after volunteering at airports this weekend and talking with colleagues in other areas, it appears that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are tagging travelers from other Muslim-majority countries for secondary security screenings. It is possible Mohammad revealed he was enrolled at Katy High School during the secondary, heightened security check. "Even if it's visa violation, that doesn't mean he should have been sitting at the airport for 48 hours and transferred to Chicago, away from his family, where it will take several days or weeks to reunite them," Zakaria said. When unaccompanied minors are denied entry at an airport, a couple of things can happen. Officials can send them back to their home countries if relatives can care for them, or they can be sent to an Office of Refugee Resettlement shelter. Immigration authorities sent Mohammad to such a shelter in Chicago, despite the fact his parents live in Jordan and his brother lives in Katy. There are also several similar juvenile immigration shelters in Texas typically used to temporarily house unaccompanied minors who cross over the southern border. Mana Yegani, a Houston-based immigration attorney, said caseworkers work with the minors to find family members in the hopes of reuniting them. "They have to see who is this minor; do they have family members here. They do a medical exam to make sure they don't have diseases - that's why it takes some time for a family to be reunited," Yegani said. "It also depends how backed up they are at the camps, or how well staffed they are. I've had situations where people were released in two weeks to family and situations where it took months." Visa violation called minor But Olivas said such prolonged detainment is more typical for unaccompanied children sneaking into the country than for visa holders. "If someone is caught slipping in from Canada or the southern border or tried to sneak in, that's different," Olivas said. "But it's unusual for someone who appears to have a legitimate nonimmigrant visa that he's executed more than once to be in this situation. It's unusual, but it's not completely unheard of." Olivas and Zakaria said Mohammad's violation is minor, like a jaywalking or parking ticket. But because travelers from Muslim-majority countries are going through extra scrutiny, more detentions over benign visa issues could become more common. AUSTIN -- Texas House Speaker Joe Straus on Wednesday called on his fellow lawmakers to end straight-ticket voting. Straus, R-San Antonio, issued the call in a news release following a speech in which Texas State Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht said Texas should end the option for judicial elections. "I agree with Chief Justice Hecht that we should end straight ticket voting in judicial elections, but we shouldn't stop there," said Straus, noting that 40 other states do not have the option in any elections. "This change would encourage voters to learn more about individual candidates, their platforms and their qualifications." It was a rare public pronouncement from Straus, who tends to defer to his colleagues. But the issue is one that has been on his mind for awhile. In 2008, before he became speaker, he filed legislation to end straight-ticket voting. Like others, his motivation is in part due to seeing friends and allies in down-ballot offices -- especially judicial offices -- being voted out. The proposal has stalled in the past but could move in this legislative session. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who does not often agree with Straus on high-profile issues, previously has endorsed a move to end straight ticket voting in judicial elections. In the House, state Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, has already filed legislation to end the option for all elections. Now, the bill is poised to become a priority. The Trump White House is engulfed in a firestorm of its own ignition. The Democrats and the media were only too happy to pour on more gasoline. I am increasingly confident that Ill be able to begin a lot of columns that way over the next four years. Thats because the one clear takeaway from the first days of this presidency is that the Trump we saw during the campaign is the Trump we got. He may move to the center on this policy or that indeed, I expect he will but there was never going to be a lasting pivot. Trump spent his first weekend burning through political capital arguing about crowd sizes. It was foolish but relatively harmless. Trumps actions his second weekend were more worrisome. Its not just the substance of Trumps Muslim ban executive order that bothers me Im using scare quotes because its not really a ban on Muslims but his process, or lack thereof. If Trump had given agency professionals 30 days to review his order on refugees, he could have avoided the confusion at airports, not to mention the media hysteria and the protests. And if his communications team had been given time, they could have pre-empted some of the wild claims made by Democratic detractors. They went another way: The Bannon Way. According to CNN, when lawyers at the Department of Homeland Security concluded that the executive order banning travelers from seven countries did not include legal permanent residents aka green card holders senior strategist Steven Bannon led the charge to countermand the ruling. Hence the airport mess. Over the weekend, Bannon also succeeded in getting himself put on the National Security Councils principals committee. This would not be unlike a President Hillary Clinton putting David Brock on the NSC. This is not to say Bannon is to blame for all this. The buck stops with the president. But Bannon leads the let Trump be Trump wing of the White House, which relishes sowing chaos and demonizing the press. Actually, wing might be the wrong word, given that evidence of a countervailing faction is in short supply. (On Fox News Sunday, Kellyanne Conway, widely seen as a voice of reason in Trumps inner circle, argued that journalists who didnt show sufficient respect to the president should be fired.) Bannon has said hes a Leninist but hes really more of a Trotskyist because he fancies himself the leader of an international populist-nationalist right-wing movement, exporting anti-globalist revolution. In that role, his status as an enabler of Trumps instinct to shoot or tweet from the hip seems especially ominous. The Bannon Way might work on the campaign trail, but it doesnt translate into good governance. Its possible and one must hope that Trump can learn this fact on the job. But what if he doesnt? He could put the country in serious peril. Consider Russia. In a normal time, the signals being sent by the Trump team would be interpreted as an invitation to Russian aggression. The president waves off concerns about Russias annexation of Crimea, talks of NATOs obsolescence and hails Vladimir Putins heroic leadership. During the campaign, Trump surrogate Newt Gingrich belittled Estonia a NATO ally as being in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. (At its closest point, its 85 miles away, the same distance as Finland.) Putin might well decide to act on Trumps hints. But I dont think Trump would actually welcome an attack on Estonia or another NATO ally. Indeed, I suspect he would feel betrayed by such a move. Then what? Who backs down? Do we abandon Estonia, or do we go to war? In normal times, the essence of statecraft is to avoid getting into such predicaments in the first place by working carefully and deliberately and consulting with such institutions as the National Security Council. Which is where Trump will find Bannon. Jonah Goldberg is an editor-at-large of National Review Online and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. You can e-mail him at JonahsColumn@aol.com. 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. Current Affairs Today - Current Affairs - 2021 | Current Affairs - 2022 GKTodays Current Affairs Today Section provides latest and Best Daily Current Affairs 2021-2022 for UPSC, IAS/PCS, Banking, IBPS, SSC, Railway, UPPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, TNPSC, MPSC, KPSC and other competition exams. ! The report titled The Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow Climate adaptation failure puts world at risk was released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). ContentsAbout the Adaptation Gap ReportWhat is adaptation?What are the key findings of the AGR 2022?What are the reports recommendations? About the Adaptation Gap Report The Adaptation .. Month: Current Affairs November, 2022 Category: Reports & Indexes Current Affairs Topics: UN Environment Programme (UNEP) UNEP Adaptation Report UNEP report The Union Education Ministry released the detailed report on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2021-22 on school education of India. ContentsAbout UDISEAbout UDISE+UDISE+ 2020-21 report dataUDISE+ 2021-22 report data About UDISE Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) was initiated in 2012-13. It is one of the largest Management Information Systems on .. Month: Current Affairs - March, 2022 Category: Reports & Indexes Current Affairs Topics: Data GER Information School UDISE 1. Who is the head of the panel set up to strengthen the assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions? [A] K Radhakrishnan[B] Kasturi Rangan[C] Amitabh Kant[D] V K Paul Show Answer Correct Answer: A [K Radhakrishnan] Notes:The Central Government has set up a high-level panel to strengthen the assessment and accreditation of higher educational .. Category: Current Affairs Quiz - 2022: Daily Objective Current Affairs MCQ Quiz Tags: Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2022 Here are Todays News Headlines by GK Today for November 5, 2022 ContentsINDIAECONOMY & CORPORATEWORLDSPORTS INDIA President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates and lays foundation stone for various Central and State govt projects in Sikkim Centre constitutes panel for strengthening assessment and accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions, headed by Dr. K. Radhakrishnan of IIT, Kanpur .. Month: Current Affairs November, 2022 Category: Today's News Headlines Topics: 2022 Current Affairs Current Affairs: News Headlines Headlines Latest News Headlines News Headlines Today's News Headlines Top Headlines Top News 1. Which of the following countries are members of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework? Philippines Brunei Fiji Vietnam Malaysia Taiwan Choose the correct answer using the codes given below: [A] Only 1, 2, 3 & 5[B] Only 2, 4, 5 & 6[C] Only 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5[D] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Show .. Category: Daily Current Affairs Test for UPSC Prelims Examination 2023 Tags: upsc prelims test series 2023 US News and World Report, an American media company, released Best Countries 2022 ranking recently. ContentsWhat is US News and World Reports Best Countries 2022 rankingHow did India perform in this report?How did the other countries perform? What is US News and World Reports Best Countries 2022 ranking The Best Countries 2022 ranking evaluated 85 .. Month: Current Affairs November, 2022 Category: Reports & Indexes Current Affairs Topics: Indices and Reports manufacturing sector manufacturing sector in India Reports Syrian Permanent Resident of Canada Denied Entry to U.S. Despite Immigration Ministers Assurance CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A The confusion surrounding U.S. President Donald Trumps executive order banning travel to that country from citizens of seven countries continues, creating havoc at U.S. airports and disappointment at ports of entry on the Canadian border. On Monday evening, a Syrian permanent resident of Canada was denied entry to the U.S., despite Canadas Immigration Minister having stated just the day before that Canadian permanent residents would not be adversely affected by the order, which was signed on January 27. Hicham, who has held Canadian permanent resident status since arriving from the Middle East in 2012, estimates that he has visited the U.S. around 200 times in his lifetime. The Syrian national, who asked not to be fully identified, states that he has entered legally on each occasion, and, until this week, he held a valid multiple-entry visitor visa for the U.S. The 37 year-old, who arrived in Canada as an economic migrant through the Federal Skilled Worker Class and now lives in Langley, BC, says that he originally intended to visit the U.S. on Saturday, January 28. Initial reports that President Trumps order would include Canadian dual citizens and permanent residents spoiled those plans. On Sunday, however, Canadas Minister of Immigration, Ahmed Hussen, held a press conference during which he stated we have been assured by the White House that Canadian permanent residents with a valid Canadian Permanent Resident Card and a passport from those seven countries can still enter [the U.S.] as before. And so, based on the Ministers statement that he had received assurance from his counterparts in the U.S., Hicham drove to the border at Blaine, Washington. The visa officer asked me to wait. After an hour I asked them can you please explain what I am waiting for? The officer said Didnt you hear the news? Dont you know about the Executive Order? You cannot enter the United States. Right from the beginning, when I gave them the passport, I said here is my Canadian PR card as well, because I thought the card would solve the issue. Apparently, it did not, added Hicham, who says that the U.S. officials then asked for another form of identification, such as a driving license. Then after another thirty minutes, the fourth or fifth officer came in to me and said we need fingerprints, so he took all the fingerprints and I waited for another hour maybe, then I was released. They didnt allow me to drive my own car. They said no, we will drive your car, give me the keys. They took the car and parked it towards the Canadian border where there is no way back. They drove the car from the customs building towards the one-way exit to Canada where I could not go back. Two officers escorted me walking towards that spot. He was denied entry after spending more than three hours at the border. He also had his visa, which had an expiry date in July, 2017, cancelled. Theyve cancelled my visa now. I had a visiting visa, and I visited almost every week. It is now stamped with the word cancelled. It should be noted that Iranian, Iraqi, Libyan, Somali, Sudanese, Syrian and Yemeni citizens are barred from entering the United States for 90 days after the executive order was issued, which means the ban would end April 27. The fact that his visa has been cancelled only adds to the pain and confusion he now feels. I feel sad. I left the Middle East for this particular reason, because I dont want to feel discriminated. This is exactly why I left my region. Yesterday I felt that back. I had a hard time sleeping. The visa officer was trying to explain himself and explain the rules of the country. He said you know, this is our President, this is our land. I said yes, I respect that this is your land and you are free to do whatever you want on your land. But I feel this has been an undignified way of telling people to go off, specifically because you have previously given me the visa and I have not done anything wrong. He said If you come knock on my door, do I have the right to say no to you or not? I said to him you have the right, but if you tell me that I am welcome to come between this time and that time, and I knock on your door and you turn me back, now this is a problem. I have not done anything wrong, and I have played by your rules, you should not turn me back. For Hicham, the ordeal leaves many questions left unanswered. In all likelihood, with no visa and with no sign that Trumps order may be overturned soon, he will have to miss an industry event he was due to attend this March in Chicago. The prospect that his work as a marketing manager in the dental supplies industry may be affected is an unforeseen reality. There are more than 35,000 Canadians with dual citizenship from one of the seven specified countries. For instance, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen is himself a refugee from Somalia who obtained Canadian citizenship 15 years ago. Many more immigrants in Canada from the seven countries hold permanent resident status. As for the divergent views coming out from U.S. officials and the government of Canada, both parties were contacted by CICNews before this story was published. U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Office of Field Operations in Blaine, WA, were unable to comment on the order, but did direct us to a Frequently Asked Questions page that includes the question Does from one of the seven countries mean citizen, national or born in? For which the page states Travelers are being treated according to the travel document they present. Meanwhile, a representative at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was not able to comment further on the Ministers statement, which was originally delivered to the press on January 29. Canadian dual citizens and permanent residents from the affected countries wishing to travel to the U.S. are encouraged to consult a legal expert, and be cognizant that they may be refused entry, despite the Minister of Immigrations recent comments. Persons in the U.S. affected by this order may explore Immi, a free online program that seeks to educate immigrants, people on visas, and green card holders on their legal status, as well as explain options for staying in or leaving the U.S. Click here to learn more. (Update: Since this article was first published, the government of Canada has temporary public policy for foreign nationals affected by the U.S. Executive Order. To learn more, read this news article.) If you wish to know more about your Canadian immigration options, please fill out a free online assessment form. 2017 CICNews All Rights Reserved Canadas New Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program a Fresh Opportunity CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A The Atlantic provinces of Canada have come together with the federal government to launch an exciting new employer-driven immigration program, which is likely to attract the attention of potential immigrants and employers alike. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) has unique eligibility requirements that may be particularly attractive to certain workers and graduates. For example, eligible international students and graduates may note that no work experience is required before an application may be submitted. In addition, workers in intermediate level (National Occupational Classification C) occupations, as well as workers with limited language ability, may be able to immigrate through this program. It should be noted that the program is also open to workers in management, professional, technical, and skilled trades occupations (NOC 0, A or B). The AIPP is a new venture that involves the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The former three provinces are often known collectively as the Maritimes. According to Canadas 2017 Immigration Plan, this program will facilitate the entry of 2,000 principal immigrants into Atlantic Canada in 2017. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is scheduled to begin receiving applications for permanent residence through the AIPP in March, 2017. Background Plans to establish the AIPP were first announced following a meeting between the provincial heads of government last summer. At that time, then Immigration Minister John McCallum said that he heard loud and clear the message that Atlantic Canada wants to attract more immigrants to settle in the region. The governments of these provinces recognize the need to solve labour market and demographic challenges. The three-year pilot program aims to address resource gaps that certain sectors are facing, and to help businesses attract and retain global talent. The program includes two sub-programs for skilled workers: Atlantic High-Skilled Program (AHSP) Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP) and one sub-program for international graduates: Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP) It has not yet been clarified how the intake may be distributed between the sub-programs. Additionally, it is not yet clear whether the provinces will receive an equal share, or whether it may be divided per capita or by industry, or some other measure. Requirements The work experience, education, and job offer required will depend on whether the applicant is a worker or an international graduate. The attraction for potential new immigrants Despite the program being new on the scene and having a limited application quota for this year, it is nonetheless a program with a relatively broad base. As such, different kinds of potential applicants may be attracted for different reasons. For example, many Canadian immigration programs, including the federal economic programs processed through the Express Entry system, require applicants to have at least one year of skilled work experience in a NOC 0, A or B position. The Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program of the AIPP, however, opens the door to individuals whose work experience and/or job offer is in the NOC C category. These occupations usually require secondary education and/or occupation-specific training. In addition, potential applicants may note that the language requirement is set at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4, or fluent basic level, a significantly lower threshold than what is required for most Express Entry candidates. Consequently, the AIPP may attract individuals who are not currently eligible to enter the Express Entry pool, as well as candidates who are in the pool but who wish to expand their potential immigration options. A pathway to PR for students and graduates In keeping with Canadas desire to attract and retain an increasing number of international students and graduates, the AIPP includes a sub-program for graduates of eligible institutions in the region. Indeed, the Atlantic region has a long and proud history in the realm of higher education and research. For example, and despite a population of under one million, Nova Scotia alone boasts no fewer than 10 degree-granting universities, the highest concentration per capita in Canada. Typically, Canadian immigration programs aimed at graduates require the applicant to have at least a few months work experience post-graduation. The AIPP sub-program for graduates, however, does not require candidates to have such work experience, resulting in a more straightforward pathway to Canadian permanent residence. Graduates must have graduated from one of these institutions in order to be eligible under this program. The attraction for employers The Atlantic region is not like Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, in that the urban areas of Atlantic Canada are far smaller than Canadas largest cities, which together attract a majority of newcomers to the country. Therefore, the job market in the Atlantic region is smaller. Employers in Atlantic Canada require additional public support, and this pilot program, which forms part of the wider Atlantic Growth Strategy, is a clear nod to this reality. The AIPP provides employers with the means to attract new workers who will be ready to begin working in the sector immediately upon arrival. The AIPP aims to ensure that newcomers and their families are provided with settlement support, thereby reducing the risk that these newcomers may move to larger job markets soon after arriving in Canada. Employers that would like to hire through the pilot program must apply to the province(s) in order to receive designation. Employers with locations in multiple provinces will require separate a designation for each province. To learn more about employer designation, click here. About the region Atlantic Canada is an area of stunning natural beauty, from the epic national parks of Newfoundland to the beaches of PEI and New Brunswick, all the way to the quaint villages and bustling city of Halifax, NS, the largest city in the region. The region is seen as family-friendly, with a wide range of schools, low crime rates, and tight-knit communities. The population of the region as a whole is around 2.4 million. The next steps IRCC has stated that it will begin to receive applications under the AIPP as early as March of this year. In the meantime, interested individuals are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements and learn more about the region. CICNews.com will bring more news updates about the AIPP as and when they occur. To find out if you are eligible under one of the currently available Canadian immigration programs, fill out a free online assessment form. 2017 CICNews All Rights Reserved SAARC programming committee meeting held in Kathmandu Published: February 2, 2017 The two-day meeting of SAARC Programming Committee was held in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. All eight members participated in the meeting. This was the first senior level meeting of Association since postponement of 19th SAARC Summit in November 2016 after four nations Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India had requested for it following escalation of tension between India and Pakistan over the issue of terrorism. Key Facts The Programming Committee is the lowest level mechanism in SAARC after the SAARC Standing Committee, which is held at the foreign secretary level, and SAARC Council of Ministers held at foreign minister level. This meeting was originally scheduled ahead of the November 2016 Islamabad SAARC summit which could not be convened following its postponement. In Kathmandu meeting, the committee had discussed various administrative and financial issues related to SAARC Secretariat and its bodies. It also had discussed issues related to budget of the SAARC Secretariat and five regional centres of SAARC, among others. About the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) SAARC is regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union in South Asia. It promotes development of economical and regional integration. As of 2015, SAARC member countries compromise of 3% of the worlds area, 21% of the worlds population and 9.12% of the global economy. SAARC Secretariat : Kathmandu (Nepal) : Kathmandu (Nepal) Member Countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (joined in 2007). Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (joined in 2007). Nine observer states: Australia, China, European Union, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and United States. Australia, China, European Union, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and United States. Formation History: The idea for the SAARC was proposed by Ziaur Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh on May 2, 1980. The idea for the SAARC was proposed by Ziaur Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh on May 2, 1980. The seven founding countries had met for first time in April 1981 and then in 1985, they created SAARC Charter. The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka (Bangladesh) in December 1985. Month: Current Affairs - February, 2017 Topics: Nepal SAARC SAARC Meeting Latest E-Books In the social-media age, the protest sign has become the new pull quote. Demonstrators who took to the streets for the Womens March took President Donald Trump to task over womens rights, health care, immigration, xenophobia, and the environment, using thousands of unique and creative messages. But the sign that most stood out to me was the one below. Here was a visual statement raising the issues of intimacy, depth, and public expression of a presidents marriage. As photos are inherently open to interpretation, what are we to make of this? Naturally, the image draws a comparison between Obama and his successor. The sign in the photo emphasizes a special bond with Americas first couple, and its loss. To many, that relationship was a model and a source of inspiration. The first couple were seen as a fountain of stability, an endorsement of fidelity, and a special partnershipthe ultimate embodiment of the anti-Trump campaign slogan Love Trumps Hate. Perhaps that bond was just a presidential anomaly. But it matters as an expression of character. It matters because of our own extra-familial relationship to the president. (In effect, we are all married to the president and dependent on his or her support, concern, and consistency in a relationship lasting at least four years.) And it matters because of Trumps character, adversarial nature, and blatant narcissism, as well as his documented aggressive attitude toward women, his self-touted sexploits, and his multiple marriages. Donald Trumps relationship with his wife, Melania, is of legitimate and compelling public interest. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Related: 12 images that capture the new reality show at Trump Tower Before and during the campaign, most images depicting the couple came from controlled photo-ops. In more unscripted moments, including during inauguration festivities, photojournalists have dug deeper into the rapport between president and first lady. Of course, the Trumps are not the Obamas. Donald Trump is as physically blunt in his gestures as he is in his speech. Melania Trump is demure in her manner. Often she wears a poker face. Sometimes she looks sad. Other times, she seems indifferent. Differences in emotional chemistry and physical vocabulary notwithstanding, arguably every relationship reveals signs of when it is clicking and when it isnt. Many of the inauguration photos and videos of the Trumps suggested they are not on the same page. A photo posted by Leigh Vogel (@leighvogel) on Jan 20, 2017 at 11:39am PST Perhaps the contrast between the couples can be chalked up to jitters; the Obamas probably got more comfortable in the spotlight after almost a decade in the role. But in the image above, by Washington-based photographer and freelancer Leigh Vogel, the Trumps look icier than the weather. Its a quality that shows up in many images of the couple. Omg what did he say to her???? RUN MELANIA!!!! Posted by Blast Avenue on Monday, January 23, 2017 This GIF was made during Trumps inauguration ceremony. In it, Melania seems to brighten and shine when Trump looks in her direction, then wilts like a flower as soon as he turns away. Again, of course, the behavior could be perfectly random. A photo posted by monica (@monicafeldman74) on Jan 26, 2017 at 12:12am PST Then there was this photo taken during the inauguration luncheon in Statuary Hall by Reuters photographer Yuri Gripas. The Trumps bizarre expressions could be the result of any number of factors. Still, at this occasion for joy, the apparent unhappiness and disconnection in the photograph is striking. If recent imagery shows some fissures, another question to ask: How did we miss it in the imagery before? Related: 7 photos that capture the absurdity of the election Its possible we are witnessing this behavior between Donald and Melania because they no longer have as much ability to control their own visibility. (Earlier, I detailed Trumps manipulation of space, media, and visitors at Trump Tower.) Donald and Melania did not spend as much time together on the campaign trail as other couples have, a pattern that continues now that Melania is splitting her time between Washington and New York, where their son attends school. In fact, Us Weekly in a story posted today reported Melania may never move to the White House. The inauguration activities put the presidential relationship more under the microscope than ever before. The photo below in particular generated buzz across the political web. What lent it power, in this case, was its domesticity. The photo shows Trump and Melania arriving at the White House on inauguration day. The president-elect and his spouse traditionally greet the president and first lady before the official event and then ride to the swearing-in together. Its also the day the new first couple make their home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. What you see in the photo, by Mark Wilson for Getty Images, is Donald Trump greeting the first couple while Melania is left in the driveway. On one hand, its an act that could be chalked up to excitement or eagerness. At the same time, its the kind of rare and unforgettable moment in life a couple would want to share. Given such a clear illustration of me instead of we, its not hard to wonder whether Trumps disregard is emblematic of something deeper. Those dynamics, along with the publics natural curiosity about the first couples relationship leads me to Stephen Crowleys photo. The long-time New York Times political photojournalist, widely known for his editorial acumen, posted this photo on Instagram. A photo posted by Stephen Crowley (@crowleygraph) on Jan 22, 2017 at 8:45am PST Because most media images of Donald and Melania dancing at the Liberty Ball on inauguration night were pleasant and shining, its telling that Crowley chose to represent them like this. Whereas the telegenic couple looked radiant to most, Crowleys image casts them in an uneasy shadow. Whats really going on between these two? To the extent we, too, are in Trumps hands, I wonder how much more well get to see in the months ahead. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Michael Shaw is publisher of the nonprofit visual-literacy and media-literacy site ReadingThePictures, an analyst of news photos and visual journalism, and a frequent lecturer and writer on news imagery, photojournalism, and documentary photography. Follow ReadingThePictures via Twitter and Instagram. Most freelance journalists have a love/hate relationship with the job. They trade the freedom to pitch pieces and determine their own schedule for the price of dealing with slow responses from editors and delayed payments. Plus, rates are often lousy, and work is less plentiful these days in a news industry with a grim outlook. Many stringers have to prop up their journalistic work with custom content and other writing projects. These days I find that Im getting paid more for a sponsored tweet or Instagram post that takes less than a minute, than I do for actual journalism, multimedia freelancer David Leavitt, who has written for CBS Local and AXS.com, tells CJR by email. But there are good gigs, too. CJR asked more than two dozen freelancers about their experiences, with the goal of recognizing publications that value freelancers. We focused on pay, the editing process, turnaround time, and the ability to maintain a relationship with the publication. We want this to be an ongoing project, so we encourage those with positive freelancing experiences to contact Carlett Spike at cspike@cjr.org. Well update the piece with your feedback. Here are six news outlets that won endorsements from multiple freelancers: Trending: Donald and Melania Trumps relationship through a lens Sign up for CJR 's daily email Mel Magazine What it is: The LA-based publication aimed at men focuses on culture and lifestyle topics including health, sex, and relationships. Launched by Dollar Shave Club in 2015, some of its recent content includes training advice for men who dont have free time, and a case against those who mock the font Comic Sans. Mel Magazine has a detailed outline on how to pitch them, along with contact information. What they pay: According to Who Pays Writers, a website where writers can anonymously report rates, the only reported rate for the publication is 50-cents per word for a 3,000-word, heavily reported piece. What freelancers say: The editors are truly invested in making stories the best they can be, Tonya Riley tells CJR. [Executive Editor Zak Stone] has been really good at helping me reframe my stories, she says. Now working on her 10th story for Mel, Riley (bylines include Mic and Fusion) says her editor takes the time to work through stories with hertaking them from the idea stage to the bigger picture. For Riley, good pay and great editing are top priorities, so she says freelancers should keep that in mind when weighing the benefits of an opportunity. People shouldnt be discouraged from working with them just because they are a smaller name because you really get quality editing, and also the pay is very above average for most digital rates. Elon Green, who also has freelanced for CJR, and writer Devon Maloney credited Mel with taking on ambitious stories, regardless of whether they have a timely news peg. I was given a lot of freedom to explore topics other outlets might not have taken a risk on, says Maloney. Related: The Washington Posts secret weapon Pacific Standard What it is: Created and owned by the nonprofit Miller-McCune Center for Research, Media, and Public Policy, Pacific Standard sets out to dive into some of the problems plaguing society while highlighting the people who have offered solutions. The publication is based in Santa Barbara, California. Pacific Standard Editor in Chief Nicholas Jackson prides himself on having a good relationship with freelancers. He tweeted earlier this month about the importance of paying promptly and valuing writers. Pacific Standard posts guidelines for writers on its website. What they pay: Average rate is 50 cents per word, with one person reporting making $1.33 per word, according to Who Pays Writers. What freelancers say: Alissa Greenberg, a freelancer who has written for The Atlantic, Time, and Roads and Kingdoms, tells CJR that Pacific Standard was her best overall experience. Greenberg worked with culture editor Katie Kilkenny on a piece about the history of the Black Westwhich will appear in the March/April issue. Greenberg says Kilkenny was always responsive and available to offer feedback along the way. It was very collaborative in a way that made me feel like I had the power to shape the story, but I was supported if I was unsure which way to go, she says. I understood why my editor was making the changes that she was making and there was room for me to push back and explain this is why I think we should save this or keep it this way. It's important to me that we pay fast and fair (& don't ask freelancers to invoice us). & that the editor-writer relationship is a good one. Nicholas Jackson (@nbj914) January 5, 2017 Los Angeles Times What it is: The daily newspaper of Southern California has 1.4 million print readers daily, and 39 million monthly web visitors. As a newspaper that has science, auto, travel, and opinion sections, there are a wide range of possibilities for the types of stories freelancers could pitch the paper. Contact information for all the staff is available on The LA Times directory page, along with a few guidelines on how to pitch the paper for certain sections, such as travel. What they pay: Twenty cents per word for an opinion piece in 2015 is the last reported figure for the newspaper. A review of other years suggests the paper pays a higher word rate for stories that require reporting. In 2014, a freelancer received 53 cents per word for a roughly 1,500-word profile. What freelancers say: Mythili Sampathkumar, who focuses on science reporting, worked as a stringer for the paper while she was at the United Nations climate talks in Morocco. Sampathkumar (bylines include ThinkProgress and The UN Dispatch) says she most valued the feedback she received and the respect editors gave her. Alex Zavis (a foreign desk editor) really helped me to write for more of a general audience and was always available to answer questions, but understood that I had some expertise too. Quartz What it is: Created in 2012, the digital only outlet has a stated goal of shaping content for apps, mobile, and tablets, often featuring quirky stories including theories on what the next Star Wars movie title means and Snapchats struggle with fake news. The Complete guide to writing for Quartz Ideas is available on its website. What they pay: Rates ranged from seven cents to 33-cents per word, with most reporting they received payment in one months time. What freelancers say: Freelancers who spoke with CJR most appreciated the responsiveness of Quartzs editors. It made the editing smoother and the overall process much faster. It was the kind of feedback I like to receive, which is first more general notes from an editor, and then a chance for me to alter the story to be more along the lines of what they are asking for, rather than an editor going in there and just hacking away at it, one freelancer tells CJR. Another writer, Lydia Namubiru, agrees that the editors made the experience worthwhile. Namubiru, a journalist based in Uganda, says Quartzs Africa Editor, Yinka Adegoke, is wonderful to work with. Hes invested in the story and he wants it to come out right. His editing is very detailed and also hes hands off, she says. He tries to make me do the story that I say I will do, and he trusts me to know whats going on. The Guardian What it is: The Guardian is considered a global publication with verticals specific to the UK, US, and Australia. US features editor Jessica Reed wrote a post on what she looks for in pitches, and there is a separate writeup available for those interested in pitching the opinion section. What they pay: Who Pays Writers pegs the average pay rate at 38 cents per word. What freelancers say: Freelancers say there are two main reasons they enjoy working with The Guardian. The first is the editing experience. Second is exposure. The Guardian US attracts about 120 million page views per month. Green notes that writers have to weigh the overall benefits they will get out of the experience. There is always a calculation that everybody makeswell at least I make itand I think either you are writing a piece because you love the publication, or you love the editor, or the money is really good, says Green.There are publications that dont pay a lot of money and have flat rates for everybody on the web, but those could be the few publications that Id still write for because the editing is so good or because its a very big platform. The New Yorker What it is: The New Yorker is often thought of as the creme of the crop among magazines. Google How to freelance for the New Yorker, and there are a handful of articles offering advice and personal stories on what worked. Heres a rundown of how to contact various sections of the magazine. What they pay: As far as rates go, most freelancers turn to The New Yorker for the byline than the money. Rates of 17 to 20 cents per word for pieces 1,500 words or longer were reported in 2016. What freelancers say: Despite The New Yorkers long history, freelancers appreciated the fact their unique voice was never lost in the editing process. Additionally, those who wrote for print or web respect the attention and engagement they received from editors. Jacob Kushner, who has freelanced for 10 years with a focus on human rights (bylines include include Pacific Standard and Vice magazine), says engagement with the editor is his highest priority when freelancing. Its not just about having good editors, there are good editors everywhere. But often you have editors that just dont have time, says Kushner. If your editor cant give you the time of day, much less improve your reporting and writing, youre not going to get better. Related: What kind of journalist are you? Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Carlett Spike is a freelance writer and former CJR Delacorte Fellow. Follow her on Twitter @CarlettSpike. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer interspersed four Skype Seat questions throughout yesterdays briefing. Those questionsfrom TV news reporters based in Rhode Island and Ohio, a conservative radio show host in Oregon, and a publisher in Kentuckywere the first of their kind in the briefing room, where Spicer previously announced the Trump administrations plan to invite questions from journalists outside of the Washington, DC area. The first Skype questions failed to pull specific answers from Spicer, even when they were preceded by flattery (and, in one instance, a Commander Spicer greeting). None of the Skype Seats were afforded a chance to follow up; only Lars Larson, an outspoken Trump supporter whose radio show airs on dozens of affiliate stations throughout the country, managed to ask two questions, both of which revealed his preferred answers. A week ago, a piece in the Washington Post referred to the Skype Seats plan as a really good idea; after the briefing, a piece by Callum Borchers downgraded the Posts enthusiasm to a mixed blessing. But journalists working at the state and local levelsparticularly in those states where voters ignored by the national press upset poll projections and elected Donald Trumpshould take care to watch the Skype Seats. Yesterdays briefing brought meaningful regional concerns into the briefing room, albeit in terms friendly to the Trump administration. Questions from the Skype Seats also provided plenty of opportunity for reporters to follow up, which some journalists took advantage of. And while none of Spicers responses gratified, the questions he tookhowever slantedprovided reporters with insights into issues that guided many Trump voters, so long as reporters were willing to look. Kim Kalunian, a reporter for East Providence, Rhode Islands WPRI, used the briefings first Skype question to build on her stations recent coverage of Providences sanctuary city policies. In the days before the briefing, WPRI aired segments that clarified Providences sanctuary city status and enumerated how the city spends those federal funds that President Donald Trump threatens to suspend. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Kalunian asked Spicer when the Trump Administration will begin to release its weekly list of sanctuary cities and implement penalties. Spicer framed Trumps pledge to cut funds as an effort to unburden taxpayers, and told Kalunian to Expect further updateson how that list will come out and when it will come out. Spicers failure to answer might suggest that Kalunians question was wasted. However, WPRIs treatment of the exchange is an important reminder that a news outlets job doesnt end after a single question. Kalunians question led WPRIs 6pm newscast, and the reporter noted that Spicer did not provide a precise timeline, then followed up with the Providence mayors office for comment. More important for future Skype Seat holders was Kalunians characterization of her exchange with Spicer. In her segment, Kalunian noted that she would have liked to ask a follow-up question, but that Spicer quickly said Thank you and moved on. Natalie Herbick, who co-anchors the 4pm news for FOX8 in Cleveland, Ohio, told Spicer she had two questions. For context, she revisited a comment Trump made at a Cleveland Heights campaign event, in which Trump expressed a desire to make Cleveland the economic envy of the world. Then Herbick asked Spicer for an example, a specific example, of how he plans to do this sooner than later. Spicer merely offered a general reference to the things that we can do, tax-wise and regulatory-wise, and named seven companies whose corporate headquarters are located in other states. Spicer did not wait for Herbicks second question; instead, he moved on to ABC News Cecilia Vega. Herbick later answered a few questions via Twitter about her exchange with Spicer. I was unable to get the second question in, she told CBS News John Bat. She also offered that her question was not pre-screened and was my own based on his local campaign stops. The occupants of the final two Skype seats came from self-proclaimed Trump supporters who pegged their questions to natural resources. Lars Larsona conservative talk show host in Portland, Oregon, who endorsed Trump in March, claimed that he had a Trump flag in his studio, and says hes moved light years to the right since he began his radio careergreeted the press secretary as Commander Spicer, which prompted a head shake from Spicer. Larson then shoehorned two questions and some editorializing into his exchange. The federal government is the biggest landlord in America, said Larson, who then added, I dont think the founders ever envisioned it that way. After asking whether Trump desired to start returning the peoples land to the people, Larson put forth a second question that sounded more like a request: Can he tell the Forest Service to start logging our forests aggressively again to provide jobs for Americans, wealth for the treasury, and not spend $3.5 billion a year fighting forest fires? Spicer replied that the confirmations of Trumps nominees for Interior and Energy department leadership positions will help the administration look at those natural resources that we have and figure out how to best utilize to benefit not just our energy, but also economic growth opportunities with that. As with Kalunians question to Spicer, coverage of Larsons exchange didnt end in the briefing room. In a story for The Oregonian, Lizzy Acker mentioned Larsons Commander Spicer bit but moved quickly to parsing Larsons logging request and, in doing so, gave local news outlets a potent example for how they can qualify, critique, and build on a short briefing room exchange to better inform their audiences. In her storyone of the most popular on OregonLive this morning, with 2,500 comments and countingAcker reminded readers that the current Forest Service planalready includes harvesting of resources while maintaining the forest. She also linked readers to The Oregonians coverage of a 2016 study that attributed 16,000 square miles of burned forestland to human-caused climate change. The last Skype question went to Jeff Jobe, whose family-owned company publishes weekly newspapers in five counties in South Central Kentucky. (The website for Jobe Publishing, Inc. boasts that each of its papers has 80-percent market penetration and a [combined] reach into a population of more than 90,000 South Central Kentuckians.) The electorate in those five counties cast 31,000 votes for Trump; in each county, Hillary Clinton took less than a quarter of the vote. How soon, or when, will the rules restricting coal mining, coal burning, and coal exports be reversed? Jobe asked. Spicer used the question to speak generally to Appalachia ( a region Jobe claimed as his home) and name several states whose economic histories depended in part on coal. Bringing the production of clean coal back is good for our energy independence, is good for our economy, is good for job creation, Spicer replied. So-called clean coal isnt something that can be brought back: Snopes called clean coal more of an idea than a reality and, as Grist reported during the presidential debates, the promises of clean coal projects have not been fulfilled. Before the briefing, Jobe told CNNs Dylan Byers that he had endorsed Trump. When Byers asked what Jobe wanted from his exchange with Spicer, Jobe replied, I want it to be of value to my state and to South Central Kentucky. Byers followed up on Twitter: I asked Jeff Jobe if he was satisfied w @PressSecs answer to his coal question: "A specific answer would be good but I never expected one Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) February 1, 2017 Which raises the question: What, if anything, can local reporters provide to the voters they serve when given a virtual seat in a White House briefing? That two of the four Skype seats went to outspoken Trump supporters raised plenty of concernas it should. After the briefing, the Lexington Herald-Leaderwhose daily circulation in Kentucky topped 64,000 in 2015published a story by McClatchy reporter Brian Murphy that ran down a few Twitter objections to how Jobe and Larson used their access. Kentucky publisher Jeff Jobe prefaced his Skype question at White House briefing with what was essentially a campaign pitch for Trump Robert Mackey (@RobertMackey) February 1, 2017 But its meaningful when a Trump-supporting publisher in Kentucky tosses the press secretary a softball question about coal regulations. Weve only seen one day of Skype Seats in the briefing room, but those seats have already opened a portal into the guiding concerns of Trump voters and the tactics of those people that provide them information. Larsons show airs five days a week, for three hours a day, in plenty of counties that elected Trump. Jobe has his five counties; one, Butler, is part of Kentuckys Western Coalfield, which produced nearly 26 million tons of coal in 2016. The questions from Jobe and Larson may have been Trump-friendly, but they also show how media outlets in places like central Kansas frame issues for their voters. And, as reporters like The Oregonians Acker demonstrated, theres an opportunity for other journalists to use weak exchanges to strong ends. Reporters in Kentucky can parse Jobes question and rhetoric, and use their conclusions to generate new story ideas; indeed, they must. National news outlets are still looking for new ways to put reporters in places they overlooked during the campaign season, but there are plenty of journalists who are already there, and have the potential to win new audience members by providing critical coverage. Its vital that more news sources take notice of what those people in the Skype Seats have to saythat is, before the press secretary ends the call. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Brendan Fitzgerald is senior editor of CJR. The day before President Donald Trumps chief strategist advised the media to shut up, Chicagos leading daily newspaper reminded its audience exactly why good journalism must keep talking. The Chicago Tribune detailed Illinois Governor Bruce Rauners proposal for broad regulatory changes to how pharmacies alert their customers to dangerous drug combinationsthe most recent result of the Tribunes Dangerous Doses series. The Tribunes top investigations editor said the project, which culminated in December with a sweeping indictment of the pharmaceutical industry, was one of the largest and most extensive undertaken by the paper in the past two decades. Rauner credited the Tribune with revealing deficiencies in the states current pharmacy system that put patients at risk. At a time when many scientists and journalists believe the reception to their work to be unfairly politicized, the Tribunes investigation is an unequivocal success. Dangerous Dosesa finalist for the annual Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reportinghinged on a unique collaboration between journalists and scientists that enabled the Tribune essentially to conduct its own scientific investigation. The impact of that investigation is a credit to the Tribunes reporting as well as to the science that supported it. The three-part investigative project focuses on hidden interactions between prescription medicines that could have life-threatening consequences if taken together. The first of the Dangerous Doses series, published a year ago, identified four potentially unsafe drug combinations; one pairing, according to the report, blocked an electrical channel crucial to the heart. The second story focused on a woman whose drug combination of Lamictal and Depakote left her legally blind and fighting for her life. Neither the doctor who dispensed her medications nor the pharmacist who filled her two prescriptions warned her of the potential risk. For the final story in the series, a Chicago physician wrote prescriptions for drugs with dangerous interactions and gave them to the Tribune. Led by reporters Sam Roe, Ray Long, and Karisa King (who has since left the paper for a position as investigations editor at the Las Vegas Review-Journal), the Tribune dispersed those prescriptions among 15 staff reporters. At each of the pharmacies that reporters visitedin Chicago, downstate Illinois, and neighboring Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michiganreporters presented prescriptions and noted whether pharmacists warned them of potential drug interactions. Although they did not identify themselves as journalists, the reporters used their real names and answered questions truthfully. The filled prescriptions were collected and stored in a secure location. In all, the Tribune tested 255 pharmacies; of that number, 52 percent failed to provide reporters with adequate warnings. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project We set out to do this as scientifically as possible. In order for this to work, to impact the country, it had to be extremely scientific and solid in every way, Roe says. We felt that, if we hadnt done this, there was good reason to believe that people would be harmed unnecessarily. That pushed us forward. It was a public service. The impact of the pharmacy investigation was quick. CVS, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart, whose pharmacies were tested as part of the project, vowed to take significant steps to improve patient safety at their stores nationwide, according to the Tribune. Combined, the actions affect 22,000 drugstores and involve additional training for 123,000 pharmacists and technicians. In the days following publication, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the nations top association for pharmacy regulators, called on states to enact laws requiring pharmacists to counsel those patients who pick up medications that could be dangerous if taken together. (State laws vary as to whether pharmacists are required to offer counseling or simply ask patients if they have questions, the Tribune reported.) In Illinois, Rauner, a pro-business Republican, ordered state agencies to figure out how to hold pharmacies accountable. Lawmakers have begun drafting legislation that would set minimum requirements for staffing at pharmacies. Theres no way Walgreens or Wal-Mart [were] going to make substantial changes to the way they do business unless this piece wasnot just rock-solid journalism, but rock-solid science, Roe told me during an interview at Columbia College Chicago, where Roe and I are co-teaching a graduate course this spring on legislative and investigative reporting. This is why it took so long. Often, when a news organization reports on a scientific finding, it will seek out qualified scientists in the relevant field to explain the findings significance. The Tribune distinguished itself by performing its own independent testing and analysis, says Deborah Blum, director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT. She notes that Consumer Reports accomplished something similar in 2012, when it analyzed arsenic in apple and grape juice and found that children were being exposed to unhealthy levels of the poison. When journalists produce their own science, my feeling about it is that its really unusual and its really a powerful tool, Blum says. In the right circumstances, Id love to see us do it more often. George Papajohn, the Tribunes assistant managing editor of investigations, says that, in the past, the Tribune typically outsourced its scientific workfor instance, sending toys to a lab to be tested for lead or fish samples to be tested for mercury. Then youd await the results, he says. For Dangerous Doses, the Tribune worked with data scientists, pharmacologists and cellular researchers and used novel data-mining techniques to identify four drug combinations associated with a heart condition that can lead to a potentially fatal arrhythmia, Roe explained in a first-person account for CJR last year. In the process, the team created an innovative scientific model with the potential to flag hundreds of additional drug interactions, offering a new way to protect patients and save lives. Papajohn says that approach distinguishes Dangerous Doses from previous investigations. The Tribune journalists, he says, were actually helping to think about how the scientists should approach the work and in some cases looking over their shoulder. It was much more of a collaboration. Jeff Lyon, a 34-year veteran reporter at the Chicago Tribune who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1987 for a medical series on gene therapy, says the Tribune has a long history of consumer-based science reporting. That work is particularly important now, when so much of the public is questioning science and the media, he says. Our job is to try to educate people and, between the smaller budgets and the increasing resistance by a large segment of the public to understand the realities of science, its making it very hard, he says. The more that news organizations report on global warming and species becoming extinct, the more people turn a deaf ear because they think we are lying or dont know what we are talking about. That frustration is likely shared by journalists and scientists, says Lyon. Such resistance makes journalismand science journalism, in particularmore urgent than ever, says Lyon. I think we have to pile on, he says. We have to keep going and get the message out there and work with scientists. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jackie Spinner is CJRs correspondent for Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She is an associate journalism professor at Columbia College Chicago and a former staff writer for The Washington Post. Follow her on Twitter @jackiespinner. A jury has found the Salvation Army, an adjacent building owner and other defendants liable for a Philadelphia, Pa., building collapse that killed six people inside the charitys thrift store. Thirteen others were buried in rubble but survived when a towering wall from an adjacent demolition project collapsed onto the small store. Some suffered permanent injuries. Two unqualified demolition contractors are serving long prison terms, but the building owner and the architect who oversaw the demolition were never charged. The civil trial has stretched over five months before Tuesdays verdict. The jury in less than a day found all defendants liable and will return Friday to consider damages. The defendants include the owner of the building being demolished, Richard Basciano; architect Plato Marinakos Jr.; the Salvation Army; and the imprisoned contractors. Two powerhouse Philadelphia lawyers squared off in court for closing arguments last week 91-year-old Richard Sprague for Basciano and disaster attorney Robert Mongeluzzi for several plaintiffs. Basciano, also 91, was hoping to redevelop a block of seedy properties he had held for 20 years. His architect, Plato Marinakos Jr., who oversaw the demolition, received immunity from prosecutors for his cooperation. Mongeluzzi argued that they hired cut-rate workers to raze the downtown building despite the risk to the public. The workers took the four-story building down from the inside out, destabilizing the brick exterior walls. He faulted the Salvation Army for keeping the store open despite warnings about the demolition. A lawyer for the Salvation Army called the charity blameless. The catastrophe led the city to tighten its requirements for getting demolition permits. A city inspector killed himself days after the collapse, although no evidence surfaced that he did anything wrong. Campbell was being paid $112,000 for the job, a fraction of the other bids. He had no comparable experience. Campbell is serving a 15- to 30-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter and other offenses. Sean Benschop, who was operating the machine despite taking Percocet and marijuana for medical problems, was sentenced to 71/2 to 15 years in prison for similar crimes. The victims included the 24-year-old daughter of the city treasurer, who died along with a friend as they dropped off donations. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Even before George Jetson entranced kids with his cartoon flying car, people dreamed of soaring above traffic congestion. Inventors and entrepreneurs have long tried and failed to make the dream a reality, but that may be changing. Nearly a dozen companies around the globe, including some with deep pockets such as European aircraft maker Airbus, are competing to be the first to develop a new kind of aircraft that will enable commuters to glide above crowded roadways. A few of the aircraft under development are cars with wings that unfold for flight, but most arent cars at all. Typically they take off and land vertically like helicopters. Rather than a single, large main rotor, they have multiple small rotors. Each rotor is operated by a battery-powered electric motor instead of a conventional aircraft piston engine. Its no sure bet that flying-car dreams will turn into reality. There are many obstacles, including convincing regulators that the aircraft are safe, figuring out how to handle thousands of new low-flying aircraft over cities without collisions and developing batteries that will keep them aloft long enough to be useful. But entrepreneurs are moving forward. They see a vast potential market for air taxis and personally owned small aircraft to transport people from the fringes of metropolitan areas to city centers as urban areas grow more congested and people spend more time stuck in traffic. They envision tens of thousands of one or two-person flying taxis delivering passengers to the rooftops of office buildings in city centers and other landing pads during rush hours. In as little as 10 years, products could be on the market that revolutionize urban travel for millions of people, said Zach Lovering, the leader of Airbus project to develop an autonomous flying taxi called the Vahana. The name means the mount or vehicle of a Hindu deity. Uber released a 98-page report in October making the business case for air taxis, which the company sees as the future of on-demand transportation. Uber doesnt have any plans to develop a flying car itself, but the online transportation network is advising several companies that have aircraft in the works. The role we want to play is as a catalyst for the entire industry, said Nikhil Goel, an Uber project manager for advanced programs. Some of the aircraft are drones that will be pre-programmed for each flight and monitored or operated from the ground or a command center. Others are designed for human pilots. Its unclear yet how much the aircraft will cost, although prices are likely to vary significantly. Some of the aircraft are designed to be individually owned, while others are envisioned more for commercial use. Designers hope that if demand is high, prices can be kept affordable through economies of mass production. Several recent developments could make these aircraft possible. Advances in computing power mean the rotors on multi-copter drones can be adjusted many times per second, making the aircraft easy to control. Drones have also benefited from advances in battery and electric motor technology. Some companies, like Chinese dronemaker EHang, are scaling-up drones so that they can carry people. Another aircraft under development, Santa Cruz, California-based Joby Aviations S2, looks more like a conventional plane except that there are 12 tiltrotors spread along the wings and tail. And some, like the Vahana, a cockpit mounted on a sled and flanked by propellers in front and back, dont really look like any aircraft in the skies today. In terms of what you can make fly in a reliable manner, the solution speed gateway that (computer) chips have gone through recently have literally opened the door to a whole new world of flying machine possibilities, said Charles Eastlake, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor emeritus of aerospace engineering. But he also cautioned: My best engineering guess is that people actually using autonomous air taxis in the next 10 or 15 years is possible, but definitely not certain. The challenges are big. Key for many of the designs will be the development of longer-lasting lightweight batteries. Currently available batteries could probably keep an air taxi aloft about 15 to 30 minutes before it would have to land, experts said. Depending on how fast the aircraft flies, that probably isnt quite enough to transport passengers between nearby cities or across metropolitan areas, experts said. Another hurdle will be winning Federal Aviation Administration certification for any radical new kind of aircraft when approval of even small changes in aviation technology can take years. The FAA said in a statement that it is taking a flexible, open-minded, and risk-based approach to flying cars. FAA officials have discussed with several manufacturers the certification of aircraft that will be flown with a pilot in the beginning, and later converted to an autonomous passenger aircraft. While further research is needed to ensure that autonomous aircraft are safe, we believe automation technology already being prototyped in low-risk unmanned aircraft missions, when fully mature, could have a positive effect on aviation safety, the agency said. Reducing noise is another challenge since air taxis will be taking off and landing in densely populated areas. So is creating enough landing pads to handle lots of aircraft at the same time. A new air traffic control system would also likely be needed. Its pretty clear that the existing air traffic control system wont scale to the kind of density at low altitudes that people are talking about, said John Hansman, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who chairs the FAAs research and engineering advisory committee. NASA is developing an air traffic control system for small drones that perhaps could be expanded to include flying cars. Theres no question we can build the vehicle, Hansman said. The big challenge is whether we can build a vehicle that would be allowed to operate in the places where people want to use it. (Associated Press videographer Rodrique Ngowi in Boston contributed to this report.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Companies need to accept tradeoffs to foster digital trust with employees if they want to gather the workplace data necessary to realize the full economic and competitive benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the sharing economy, according to a new study by American International Group, Inc.. The report, The Data Sharing Economy: Quantifying Tradeoffs that Power New Business Models, can be accessed at: www.aig.com/innovativetech.Its the insurers third in a series of research efforts to look at the possibilities and challenges businesses face in adapting to and harnessing the Internet of Things and, by extension, the sharing economy. The IoTs potential seems limitless and borderless, with sensors, storage, analytics, and other connected technology becoming faster, smarter, and less expensive to implement. However, realizing that potential relies on the willingness of businesses and employees to share data so that connected devices can generate insight, action, and value. When benefits are perceived by those surveyed, the willingness of businesses and employees to participate in data sharing jumps to seventy five percent (75%) from only eleven percent (11%) when no benefit is perceived. Common Ground between Companies and Employees There is common ground between companies and employees about what conditions are needed to create a data sharing environment. Seventy six percent (76%) of employees surveyed globally indicate digital trust requires that employers notify them if data collection is taking place. The same percentage of companies surveyed (76%) agree that notifying employees about data sharing is important. Eighty one percent (81%) of employees also see their employer as responsible for keeping their data private, should they choose to share it, while more than seventy percent (70%) of companies responded that it is important to establish clear policies when it comes to data collection. Both businesses and employees agree by wide majorities (89% and 87%, respectively) that laws must be updated to accommodate new data sharing business models, balancing privacy protections with innovation, particularly in the IoT space. Smart, safe data sharing will power the new economy, said Rob Schimek, chief executive officer, Commercial Insurance, who is unveiling the study today at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. We conducted this study to quantify the tradeoffs necessary for success in the sharing economy. A new kind of digital trust is being built in the workplace based on these tradeoffs, and every employer and employee using technology today is part of it. Building Digital Trust While there is some overlap in attitudes between companies and employees about data access, differences exist that may require tradeoffs to be made and compromises to be struck, according to the survey. The study shows that more than half of all businesses (56%) believe that firms should require employees to agree to workplace monitoring as a condition of employment. On average globally, about the same number of companies would ask employees to wear devices (wearables) that help ensure safety in the workplace. Employers further indicate they would be willing to invest in wearable devices and telematics in support of fleet vehicle safety to realize benefits. Employers in the U.S. would invest the most, up to $917 on wearables and $835 on telematics devices per employee per year which is about the cost of a mobile phone plan. Employees are also interested in the safety benefits provided by wearables at work, but not to the same degree employers are. Thirty eight percent (38%) of U.S. and Australian workers would agree to wearables, which was in line with workers in the U.K. and France (40%) and Japan (36%). Employees in Italy, Singapore, and China were most inclined to accept wearables (56%), while German employees were least open to the idea (29%). Of those employees globally who would accept wearables, they are most interested in sharing workplace environmental conditions, presumably for the benefit of their own health and safety. This suggests there is a basis for additional incentives and trust building to persuade more employees to share their workplace data. Perhaps the most challenging divide revealed in the study is that while a majority of companies would mandate data monitoring, employees by nearly three to one (71%) feel they should be able to choose the data they provide to employers, rather than accept mandatory data sharing requirements. The report is based on the findings from a data sharing survey commissioned by AIG that targeted employees and business decision-makers in nine countries: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and China. Approximately 400 employees and 250 business executives in each country were asked to complete a 20-minute online survey. The survey was executed on behalf of AIG by RTi Research, an independent global research agency. Source: AIG CET : ; A homeless couple stands across the street from the Farmington Public Library, holding signs asking for a few bucks to help them make it through another day. While both are dressed warmly, the man admits he and his wife sometimes walked over to the library to take advantage of the heat and use the restroom. The story they told would be familiar to anyone who has ever encountered someone down on their luck unemployed, disabled, recovering from substance abuse, a history of run-ins with the law, panhandling during the day while spending nights in cheap motels whenever there's enough cash to pay the bill. While it's a poignant story to be sure, just how big of a problem is homelessness in St. Francois County? "I think it's a bigger problem than we'd like to admit to sometimes," said Rob Baker, Community Services coordinator for East Missouri Action Agency (EMAA). "We recently, as an agency, coordinated the annual Point In Time Homeless Count for the state of Missouri which was last Wednesday. We are charged to attempt to identify the unsheltered homeless in our county on a particular evening during a particular time frame. "This year we identified six individuals on that particular evening. That might not seem like a lot of homeless people for a county of our size, but keep in mind that we can only count those who are unsheltered that we discover during that time frame. So, you know, it's a little bit like a cat and mouse game. We know there are probably more out there, we just didn't encounter them during the time frame of the count." According to Baker, it's not as difficult to find oneself homeless as people might think in fact, there's a variety of reasons a person might suddenly find themselves out on the streets. "Unemployment is a big issue," he said. "We have a lot of folks who are disabled that are actually receiving disability benefits, but the cost of moving into a new place is prohibitive. If you think that, if you were fortunate in the county to find a one bedroom apartment for $500, to move into the apartment you have to have $500 for the first month's rent and $500 for the deposit. You've also got to pay a deposit on establishing your utilities. "That $500 quickly parlays into well over $1,000 and you're looking at folks who are on a limited income of an average of $735 a month. Many times it's just a struggle of being able to find affordable housing and coming up with the extra funds that's required to move into a place." Asked how EMAA, a not-for-profit community action agency that provides services to more than 18,000 low-income individuals every year, provides assistance to the homeless, Baker said, "Many times we are a clearinghouse for trying to find them shelter. Sadly, our county for its size has one shelter and not everyone is a good fit. We are sadly in need of temporary housing that we don't have. "We're able to take somebody off the streets for a night or two, but that's a Band-Aid on a problem that's not going away for the individual. Our resources are sorely limited and a lot of times we're not able to be much help as an agency other than we try to point them in the right direction where they can find something more permanent. "We make them aware of the income-based apartments in the area and then again you have people who may have an eviction in their past or a criminal record in their past, that keeps them from being eligible for the apartments they might be able to afford. There's just a lot of barriers these people face and we try to knock down as many of those barriers as we can." Baker noted that many times the public perception of the homeless are those they see standing on a street corner holding a sign saying, "Give me money," but that's not a true picture. "Those are not the people I encountered none of the people," he said. "The stigma is not the reality. We are not seeing the reality which is out there. I'm sure the school social workers would confirm that the number of what they call 'couch jumping kids' is enormous in our county. "At one time several years ago, we had two of the top 10 school districts in the state of Missouri for homeless kids. The definition of that is that those kids didn't have a permanent place to go, so they stayed at one friend's house for one or two nights and then they went to another friend's house to stay for a few days. The reason why is because their parents didn't have permanent housing but those are hidden. "Those kids aren't standing on the street corners begging for money. We don't know about those kids, but they're out there. They're out there because the family also doesn't have permanent housing. Many of those folks are working, but they face that struggle of how they are going to find affordable housing and how do we raise all the money that it takes to get into a place." When someone finds themselves without a roof over their head in St. Francois County, they have only one choice for a shelter Shared Blessings in Bonne Terre. Shared Blessings is described as a 501c-3 not-for-profit ministry transitioning people who are homeless to self-sufficiency. Shelly Bess, Shared Blessings director, said, "It's easier to say we don't have any homeless in our county when we most certainly do. It's growing more and more every day. For four years now we've had the Thanksgiving Festival where we feed people on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving. This year was the first time we encountered people out with nothing and gave them food. The first year we found that people didn't have refrigerators on and stuff, so it's here and growing more and more prevalent." Not everyone can stay at the shelter. For example, the shelter has a strict policy against use of drugs. There's other rules in place for the safety of others. "You can't stay at Shared Blessings if you have performed a heinous crime against someone, if you're on the sexual predator list or if you have a rental eviction we take a little flack for that one. In fact, the majority of our residents are low-income. "They're poverty level and so we have to use the low-income housing. They go back 10 years on their records and if in those 10 years you've had a rental eviction, they won't rent to you. So, we can't find a place for them to go. According to Bess, the shelter has revised their rules where now it only checks back five years for evictions, but those seeking shelter can have no more than one eviction on their record over that period of time. "We will make an exception if everything else works out fine for them to be admitted," she said. "We'll help them as much as we can, but we won't be able to go with low-income housing because of it." As far as individuals helping the homeless, Bess offers an important piece of advice. "I would never suggest giving them cash," she said. "We have been making care packages with personal hygiene items, snacks, contact information for Shared Blessings and maybe a dollar or two that we hand out to anyone in need. "We have groups that make them for us and sometimes we make them. So, if you come upon someone and you give them a bag, they become aware that we have a shelter in St. Francois County." Bess said the shelter survives only on donations it receives no governmental funding. Anyone wanting to financially support the work of Shared Blessings can contact Bess at 573-358-2998. Check out which companies are making headlines after the bell on Wednesday: Facebook shares popped up 2 percent in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company reported earnings above analysts expectations. The social media company reported earnings of $1.41 per share well above Wall Street exception's of $1.31 earnings per share. Facebook also reported a revenue of $8.81 billion, which is above the $8.51 billion revenue figure expected, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate. Shares of Symantec fell 3 percent after the company said it plans to use corporate bonds to acquire competitor LifeLock in a press release Wednesday. The technology company said it plans to offer $1 billion in unsecured senior notes for the purchase. Symantec also reported earnings that beat on both the top and bottom lines. Symantec said earnings came in at 32 cents per share vs 28 cents per share expected. The company's revenue was reported as $1.088 billion versus $909 million expected. Qorvo shares plummeted 8 percent after the company gave weak guidance for its current quarter. The chipmaker's president and CEO Bob Bruggeworth said in a press release Wednesday, he is expecting an "historical sequential decline as two of our leading customers in China and a tier-one customer in Korea delay flagship smartphone launches." The company also reported second-quarter earnings exceeding the analyst expectations. Qorvo's revenue and earnings were reported as $826.3 million and $1.35 per share, respectively, both higher than the $821.3 million in revenue and $1.29 earnings per share projected, according Thomson Reuters consensus estimates. Shares of Cavium rose 2 percent after the company reported earnings higher than the Street's expectation. The semiconductor company posted earnings of 56 cents per share beating the 54 per share expected by analyst. Cavium also beat on revenue, recordings sales of $226.2 million versus the $224.5 million anticipated, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate. Mead Johnson shares soared 20 percent after the The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources, that Reckitt Benckiser is in talks to buy the baby-food maker for $15 billion. The newspaper said, however, that no deal is guaranteed. A member of staff walks outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong on February 1, 2017. Financier Xiao Jianhua, founder of Beijing-based Tomorrow Group, was staying at the hotel before he disappeared, according to overseas Chinese-language media. Anthony Wallace | APF | Getty Images A Chinese billionaire who disappeared mysteriously from his luxury Hong Kong hotel over the Lunar New Year weekend is now on the mainland and "assisting investigations" into the stock market turmoil of 2015 and the case of a former top spy, several sources have told the South China Morning Post. A source familiar with Xiao Jianhua's movements said the founder of Beijing-based Tomorrow Group was "persuaded" to cooperate rather than coerced by mainland agents who visited him at his serviced apartment in the Four Seasons Hotel last Friday. It remains unclear in what capacity the mainland agents came to Hong Kong, or which agencies they represented. But the case has sparked fears that the agents might have been acting beyond their jurisdiction in crossing the border to carry out law enforcement work, thereby violating the city's rule of law. The investigation is said to be focused on manipulation that contributed to panic selling during the 2015 market rout. watch now The investigation is also believed to be related to disgraced former vice-minister of state security Ma Jian, who came under suspicion of violating Communist Party discipline a euphemism for corruption earlier that year. Xiao's company took out a full-page advertisement in a Chinese-language newspaper yesterday, reprinting a statement it released a day earlier claiming he was "receiving treatment overseas". Xiao claimed in the newspaper ad to be a Canadian passport holder, although this has not been confirmed. He has also claimed to have a diplomatic passport. Antigua and Barbuda named him ambassador-at-large in 2015, according to a report on news portal Caribbean360. A source close to the tycoon said Xiao was currently on the mainland and could communicate directly with his family. More from the South China Morning Post: What next for Chinese tycoon, as he assists with probe? Don't let Hong Kong become haven for corrupt, mainland graft-buster urges China tested newnuclear missile: report Another source said the actions of Xiao, whose Tomorrow Group is behind many large merger and acquisition deals, have had a "significant impact" on the mainland economy. Sources told the Post earlier Xiao, 46, left the hotel on Friday. Police officers examined the hotel's CCTV footage which did not show any scuffles involving Xiao and his two women bodyguards. The hotel refused to comment, citing an active police investigation. Xiao was regarded as having close ties to families and relatives of mainland political heavyweights, which helped him amass billions of yuan through deals. Beijing launched a massive crackdown on corruption and economic crimes more than four years ago, and more recently has sent agents abroad to bring suspects back to the mainland. Hong Kong police on Wednesday said reports that it was involved in the operation on Friday were "purely speculative and carried no truth". The Security Bureau said earlier the Basic Law authorized only local authorities to carry out law enforcement in the city. A bureau spokesman said police had contacted mainland authorities for information. watch now "What has dogged Apple's stock for ages, what has kept its share price so low, at least in terms of its valuation, is the 'Blackberry-ization' issue. The notion that in the end, the iPhone is just a device and device companies eventually get wasted as Blackberry did," the " Mad Money " host said. This isn't just a device maker, he said. Apple's service stream revenue makes it something much larger. It's a software and subscription company, and investors have finally figured that out. When Jim Cramer reviewed the latest quarter from Apple , it was clear that the company finally took control of its narrative. For the last two years Apple has struggled to explain why its service revenue stream business is so important. As a result, investors did not take it seriously. This time, it made it clear that its service stream is growing, and it was time to recognize it. Apple's service revenue encompasses 150 million people paying every month, both directly and indirectly, and the company expects it will double in four years. So while the major focus of the conference call was Apple's record-breaking iPhone sales, as it should have been, Cramer was most impressed with the service aspect because of what it means for the the future. Service companies can grow without anyone having to do anything. They have rising gross margins. This can grow over time as more people sign up. After all, that is why Netflix 's stock is so expensive and why investors like Amazon so much. Cramer compared iPhone to buying a razor, and the services and apps to being the razor blade of Apple's platform. "That is what happened this quarter. That is the switched narrative," Cramer said. And that is precisely why Cramer thinks earnings can go higher, and the stock multiple, too. He said it is no longer insane to believe Apple can trade up to its old highs of $134, or even breach it. And yes, he said to own it, not trade it. As President Donald Trump wages a public and bellicose battle with the Mexican government, China may emerge as the victor. The world's number-two economy is closely watching as Trump threatens to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and presses Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to finance construction of a border wall. The Mexican economy, already facing a slowdown, could deteriorate further under both scenarios. Either way, strategists widely agree Mexico will look to reduce dependence on its largest trading partner, and Beijing is likely to emerge as a contender to replace the void left by Washington. Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto at the 11th G20 Leaders Summit on September 4, 2016 in Hangzhou, China. Lintao Zhang / Getty Images "Like other countries worried about the uncertainties of a Trump administration, Mexico will look to deepen engagement with China," said Shawlin Chaw, senior analyst at Control Risks. "The mainland is a natural choice due to its economic power and in return, Beijing will able to increase the international market for Chinese exports and diversify its sources of raw materials." Mexico has one of the highest number of bilateral trade agreements in the world and China was its third-largest trading partner in 2015with exports to the mainland tallying $4.9 billion, according to the World Bank. The two pledged to strengthen ties at a meeting in December, with business deals already underway. In fact, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile and Giant Motors, partially owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, announced Wednesday they would pump more than $212.46 million into SUV production in Hidalgo. From investments in Africa to South America, Bejing has been carefully extending its sphere of influence in regions well outside its backyard as it looks to cement status as a global superpower. A number of U.S. allies have expressed concern over the apparently isolation-prone Trump administration, and China is looking to exploit that dynamic. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that point at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, saying his country was ready to take on a leadership role in international trade. "China will certainly fill up the American vacuum in Mexico," said Jonathan Bogais, adjunct associate professor, at the University of Sydney. Pena Nieto's other options include the European Union and Japan, but Bejing is the most obvious choice, he added. 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Despite the fears about President Donald Trump's recent protectionist moves, the U.S. stock market appears to be focusing on the positive at the moment, trader Jeff Kilburg told CNBC on Wednesday. "Right now the market is discounting any rhetoric that comes out of the Trump administration," the founder and CEO of KKM Financial said in an interview with "Closing Bell." "They're counting on the fact that tax reform, infrastructure spending will trump, if you will, the market." While investors are embracing the promise of tax cuts, fiscal stimulus and deregulation, they are also wary about the populist tone the president has struck. On Wednesday, Ray Dalio, founder of the world's largest hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, said he is increasingly concerned about the Trump administration's "populist" policies that could hurt the world economy. Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries. Brian Nick, chief investment strategist at TIAA Global Asset Management, told "Closing Bell" the U.S. hasn't had to deal with some of the policy issues other countries have faced until now. "We've kind of been on this island, where it's been gridlock, for better or worse, there hasn't been a whole lot on the policy front to affect markets and that's clearly changing," he said. Right now, he's still biased toward sectors that will benefit from Trump's pro-growth initiatives, like consumer discretionary and technology. However, "if you end up with a more protectionist policy coming out of the administration, those are precisely the sectors that would do the worst," Nick noted. The Air Forces aging T-38 Talon jet trainer is expected to get replaced by a new aircraft in 2024. Northrop Grumman said Wednesday it was dropping out of the U.S. Air Force's T-X trainer jet contest with partner BAE Systems , making it the second team to leave the competition in the past week. The T-X, a contract valued at more than $16 billion, would replace the aging T-38 Talon pilot training aircraft manufactured by Northrop in the 1960s. Last week, Raytheon exited the competition after failing to reach terms with Italian defense company Leonardo S.p.a. "The companies have decided not to submit a proposal for the T-X Trainer program, as it would not be in the best interest of the companies and their shareholders," Northrop said in a statement. Northrop said it and BAE still "remain fully committed to performing on current and future U.S. Air Force programs, to deliver critical capabilities to America's airmen." International teams from Sweden's Saab and Boeing as well as Lockheed Martin and Korean Aerospace remain in the competition for the Air Force's next-generation trainer. The contract is seen as a must-win for Boeing's tactical aircraft business since the government last year rejected the company's protest of Northrop winning the long-range strike bomber. Also, Sierra Nevada is teamed with Turkish Aerospace Industries and there's been talk Textron could propose its Scorpion jet as a trainer. A Textron spokesperson said Wednesday the company is "still evaluating the requirements" of the training program and does not have a decision to share at this time. The Air Force issued a final request for proposals for the T-X jet trainer program last month. The program involves the purchase of 350 aircraft with operational capability of the trainer by the end of the government's fiscal 2024. Northrop management had previously pointed out the costs of the T-X competition would vary between companies since there would be both a clean-sheet design in the contest as well as vendors with derivative airplanes. Northrop and Boeing designs fall in the clean-sheet category. Last week, Northrop CEO Wes Bush hinted the company had not made a final decision on whether to submit a bid for the T-X contract. "We're presently assessing the terms presented by that RFP to determine whether we see an appropriate business opportunity for us to submit a bid," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump's call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday did not go well despite Australia being a close U.S. ally, according to a report from the Washington Post. U.S. officials told the Post that Trump informed Turnbull, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker, that he had conversed with other political leaders earlier in the day and that "this was the worst call by far." President Trump then terminated the call after a mere 25 minutes even though it had been scheduled for an hour, the Post stated. The full Washington Post article can be read here. Among the issues discussed was the Australian-U.S. refugee deal brokered by the Obama administration that involved the resettling of refugees on Manus Island and Nauru, the Post stated. The Trump administration later confirmed that it would receive 1,250 refugees from Australia but would apply "extreme vetting" to those seeking asylum. Trump reportedly told Turnbull that the resettlement agreement "was the worst deal ever" when the latter attempted to secure confirmation that the U.S. would follow through with its promise. Trump later repeated his displeasure with the deal in a tweet. Tweet 1 Demonstrators gather near The White House to protest President Donald Trump's travel ban on seven Muslim countries on January 29, 2017 in Washington, DC. Zach Gibson | Getty Images The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters. The program, "Countering Violent Extremism," or CVE, would be changed to "Countering Islamic Extremism" or "Countering Radical Islamic Extremism," the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States. Such a change would reflect Trump's election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase "radical Islam" in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries. The CVE program aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers through community partnerships and educational programs or counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google and Facebook . Some proponents of the program fear that rebranding it could make it more difficult for the government to work with Muslims already hesitant to trust the new administration, particularly after Trump issued an executive order last Friday temporarily blocking travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Still, the CVE program, which focuses on U.S. residents and is separate from a military effort to fight extremism online, has been criticized even by some supporters as ineffective. watch now A source who has worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the program said Trump transition team members first met with a CVE task force in December and floated the idea of changing the name and focus. In a meeting last Thursday attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were asked to defend why they chose certain community organizations as recipients of CVE program grants, said the source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions. Although CVE funding has been appropriated by Congress and the grant recipients were notified in the final days of the Obama administration, the money still may not go out the door, the source said, adding that Kelly is reviewing the matter. The department declined comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Program criticized Some Republicans in Congress have long assailed the program as politically correct and ineffective, asserting that singling out and using the term "radical Islam" as the trigger for many violent attacks would help focus deterrence efforts. Others counter that branding the problem as "radical Islam" would only serve to alienate more than three million Americans who practice Islam peacefully. Many community groups, meanwhile, had already been cautious about the program, partly over concerns that it could double as a surveillance tool for law enforcement. watch now As Wall Street counts down to Amazon 's earnings results on Thursday, expectations are running high. The company said it had its best-ever holiday season in 2016 and shipped more than 1 billion items worldwide, but that is unlikely to remain on the books for long, said Nomura analysts Anthony DiClemente. CEO Jeff Bezos' spending on Indian expansion, new fulfillment centers, logistics and leasing airplanes among other things will have a bearing on expense growth this year, he said. (DiClemente has a buy rating on the stock and a $950 price target.) Amazon is expected to report a 25 percent increase in fourth-quarter sales to $44.7 billion when it reports earnings after the close of trading on Thursday, according Thomson Reuters. Earnings per share is expected to increase to $1.35 from $1, thanks to rising profit at the cloud computing business Amazon Web Services (AWS). As with Facebook , which reported earnings on Wednesday, investment could hold back margins and operating income in 2017, he said. The exception will be Amazon's cloud business AWS, where margins will continue to expand, he said. For example, Amazon is over-paying for video right now because people who sign up for Amazon Prime tend to spend a lot more on the company's retail platform, he said. "Right now, it's hard to see those returns," he said. DiCelmente recommends investors buy Amazon and hold the stock for 10 years. For more near-term returns, there's more upside for companies like Facebook and Alphabet 's Google, he said. Ron Antonelli | Bloomberg | Getty Images A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to explain why she should not allow a Cleveland Clinic doctor to return to the United States after being ejected by President Donald Trump's new travel ban. Judge Carol Bagley Amon's order Wednesday came in response to a lawsuit by Dr. Suha Abushamma, who was booted back to Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Abushamma was sent back to Saudi Arabia because she holds a passport from Sudan, one of the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by Trump's 90-day travel ban. Protesters gather at JFK International Airport against Donald Trump's executive order on January 28, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith | AFP | Getty Images Abushamma's ejection allegedly came 15 minutes after another Brooklyn, New York, federal court judge had issued an order staying the ejection of people subject to that ban who already had landed in the U.S. Her lawsuit says that she was detained for nine hours at JFK Airport, and not allowed to speak to her lawyer. It also claims that she was misled and coerced by Customs and Border Patrol agents into signing a form that purported to require her to return to Saudi Arabia, under threat of being barred from U.S. re-entry for five years. Instead, the form actually could lead to her visa being canceled, according to the suit. And the suit claims that Trump's executive order authorizing the travel ban "exhibits hostility to a specific religious faith, Islam, and gives preference to other religious faiths, principally Christianity." Amon's order issued Wednesday calls for the Trump administration to answer at a hearing in Brooklyn federal court on Feb. 15 why she should not invalidate the form Abushamma signed, reinstate her visa, have her "immediately" returned to JFK Airport and enjoin the administration from detaining Abushamma after she comes back. Abushamma's lawsuit challenging her ejection is being pressed as her employer, the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, continues taking heat for its planned fundraiser next month at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Anything that distracts from Trump's economic agenda now makes Apple, and any other stock that could benefit from repatriation, look less attractive. For example, an investor wants to own Apple so they can benefit if the company decides to move its massive cash hoard to the U.S. under Trump's repatriation plan. Then all of a sudden, the President calls the Australian prime minister and hangs up the phoneupset about a deal struck by his predecessor to take in refugees. The impact of White House inspired turbulence has become a front and center debate, and continues to play out every day in the stock market, as well as in the headlines. "My answer is no and yes," the " Mad Money " host said. President Donald Trump 's bold and unpredictable leadership style tends to volatility in the stock market, prompting many investors to ask Jim Cramer if it is time to shift retirement investments to cash. You can still pick stocks, but they have to be part of a broader theme, a theme solid enough that it can trump, well, Trump. President Donald Trump stands before signing executive orders in the Hall of Heroes at the Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017. Yet that doesn't mean investors should go into cash and dump their stock exposure in their 401(k) and IRA plans, Cramer said. If you are on the verge of needing that money, then he blessed taking some out. As for a stock investment, a low cost index fund is something that could be considered for the long-term. "You can still pick stocks, but they have to be part of a broader theme, a theme solid enough that it can trump, well, Trump," Cramer said. "Otherwise you will just jettison the stock when the 'Tweeter in Chief' frightens you into selling, at what will no doubt be an inopportune time." This isn't 2008, Cramer said, though Trump has introduced political risk into the stock market. That is a lot different than the systemic risk that existed in 2008 and 2009, when Cramer was worried about the possibility of an economic collapse. "You sell a stock off Trump's Australian phone call? Then you will get an explanation, a bit of an apology and suddenly you will wonder what the heck you were thinking," Cramer said. Stocks that work in a Trump environment are those with good fundamentals that are cheaper than they usually would be because of a Wall Street blind spot. One powerful theme is stocks related to the internet of things, like Nvidia , Broadcom and NXP Semiconductors . For investors that believe in the social, mobile, cloud and artificial intelligence cohorts, Cramer recommended Alphabet , Amazon and Facebook . The humanization of pets is also a long-term theme that could grow, as Americans continue to spend more money on their pets, such as Idexx Laboratories . However, Cramer warned to steer clear of retailers and health care companies. So while Trump's tweets may be jarring, Cramer said maybe it is a style that investors should get used to. "Sure, take some profits now if you know you can't take the pain. Know thyself. Understand, though, this is nothing like 2008. It's a heck of a lot better," he added. President Donald Trump Getty Images President Donald Trump's tweets hit the market's perception of a stock for a day or so, but over time the impact is more mixed, analysis shows. S&P Global Market Intelligence found that Trump's tweets do affect the way markets perceive the credit quality of companies he targets, at least in the short term. For example, in early January, Trump threatened Toyota with a border tax if the automaker built a new plant in Mexico. The next day, perceived probability of default for the company jumped 26.2 percent from what markets had expected a day before the tweet, according to analysis from Jim Elder, director of risk services at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Credit risk measures how likely it is that a company will default, or fail to pay back its debt. On the flip side, positive Trump tweets improved market perceptions of credit risk. In late November, Trump praised United Technologies subsidiary Carrier for keeping jobs in Indiana, and S&P found the company's perceived probability of default fell 17.5 percent. "Companies have to be concerned about" being the target of a Trump comment or tweet, said Larry Hatheway, chief economist and head of GAM Investment Solutions, an asset management firm. "Their reputation and other things are certainly at stake." "Companies will probably also view this as an opportunity to be proactive," he said. A company's response or a fact-check can often mitigate the market effect of a Trump mention. S&P's Elder pointed out that Boeing 's stock recovered from a 1 percent dip in December after the aircraft maker said contracts Trump criticized were worth about $170 million, far below the $4 billion figure Trump had stated. watch now Embattled German lender Deutsche Bank posted a net loss of 1.9 billion euros ($2.05 billion) for its fourth quarter, missing analyst expectations, but reported improved results for the whole of 2016 in what has been a trying year for the bank. Deutsche Bank's full-year net loss was 1.4 billion euros, versus a net loss of 6.8 billion euros in 2015, with chief executive John Cryan saying that the bank "finished 2016 with pleasingly strong capital and liquidity ratios." However, shares of the bank sunk 3 percent as the European session opened Thursday, with the fourth-quarter results disappointing investors. Shares extended losses by 9.00 a.m. London time to trade 6 percent lower. The earnings release showed that charges totaled 5.8 billion euros last year, including 2.9 billion euros in the fourth quarter alone. It said these were related to impairments of goodwill, the sale of its Abbey life insurance business, restructuring and de-risking, and litigation costs which totaled 1.6 billion euros in the last quarter of 2016. It said liquidity reserves were 218 billion euros at year-end, after standing at 200 billion euros at the end of the third quarter 2016. The bank's core capital ratio - a gauge of the bank's capital buffers - was 11.9 percent at the end of 2016, compared to 11.1 percent in the third quarter "At first glance we were very pleased about the capital positioning DB (Deutsche Bank) achieved through RWAs (risk-weighted assets) reduction. However, looking at this in more detail, we wonder about the revenue generating ability of DB (investment bank) franchise as revenues are very disappointing in the markets business," Kian Abouhossein, the head of the European equity research banks team at JPMorgan, said in a note. Wild ride in 2016 A sign reading "cash desk" is pictured next to the Deutsche Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, September 30, 2016. Kai Pfaffenbach | Reuters Shares of Deutsche Bank experienced a wild ride during 2016 after a proposed $14 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice that related to the selling of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) was leaked. This raised concerns on its capital position, but the German banking giant insisted that it had a "comfortable" cushion at the time. This didn't stop a whole bunch of price fluctuations in the company's bonds and the cost of insuring its debt. There were reports of a potential state bailout at the time, but Cryan told CNBC last month that he, or any member of the board, never discussed the idea with the German government. The German lender came under pressure from aggressive short-selling, notably from some large hedge funds. The bank announced further job cuts in Germany during that period and it announced it was offloading its British insurance business. Initial worries about Deutsche Bank actually surfaced earlier that year, with investors detailing concerns over its exposure to the energy sector and a possible cash crunch. In the earnings report Thursday, it said that the downsizing or exiting of a number of businesses, and "negative news flow around the DOJ RMBS settlement in October 2016 adversely impacted revenues." In January this year, the official announcement came that it would pay $7.2 billion for misleading investors. The U.S. Justice Department stated that this "agreement represents the single largest RMBS resolution for the conduct of a single entity." "This resolution holds Deutsche Bank accountable for its illegal conduct and irresponsible lending practices, which caused serious and lasting damage to investors and the American public," said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch in the release. "Deutsche Bank did not merely mislead investors: It contributed directly to an international financial crisis." watch now But also Thursday, the Washington state insurance marketplace announced record enrollment in its Obamacare plans, with 13 percent more customers than last year's open enrollment season. The ex-chief marketing officer of the federal Obamacare exchange estimated Thursday that "sabotage " by the Trump administration led to almost 500,000 fewer people signing up for health insurance plans this year than would have if Barack Obama was still president. But Washington's exchange, along with the 11 other marketplaces run by individual states and the District of Columbia, are likely to account for just 25 percent or so of the national tally for Obamacare enrollment. The rest will come from the federal exchange, HealthCare.gov, which serves residents of 39 states. Joshua Peck, former marketing chief of HealthCare.gov, in an article posted on Medium said that he expects that exchange's contribution to the national tally to be lower than it could have been because of a decision by the White House to cut back outreach efforts in the last week of enrollment for that marketplace. "There should be no doubt that [President Donald] Trump's efforts to sabotage enrollment in the final days before the [enrollment] deadline were at least somewhat successful," wrote Peck. "About 480,000 real people, with lives and families didn't get health coverage," Peck wrote. "Some of them are going to get very sick in the coming year and they won't have health insurance. Some will choose not to get the care they need and others will be forced into medical bankruptcy." Peck noted that before Trump was sworn in on Jan. 20 and subsequently cut ads and outreach for HealthCare,gov, enrollment levels were "tracking ahead of last year." As of mid-January, about 8.8 million people had signed up on HealthCare.gov, and another 2.8 million had signed up on the state-run exchanges. Peck estimated that the reduced outreach led to 350,000 fewer people than might have signed up. The remaining lost estimate enrollment, he said, was due to signals by the Trump administration that it might not enforce the Obamacare tax penalty for people who fail to have some sort of health coverage. The United States could find itself with few friends in the Middle East if Republicans pass a border tax without carving out loopholes for oil imports, Helima Croft, RBC Capital Markets global head of commodity strategy, said Thursday. The so-called border adjustment tax would put a tariff on imports, but not exports. That system would favor U.S. drillers and refineries set up to process American crude into gasoline and other fuels. In addition to angering refiners that rely on foreign crude, it would rile key U.S. allies on the Arab Peninsula, including top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, Croft told CNBC's "Power Lunch." "I think the Saudi government is probably very happy with the Trump administration," she said. "This is the one issue where I think that you could really see a problem in the U.S.-Saudi reset relationship." U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia deteriorated under the Obama administration, which brokered a historic deal with Riyadh's regional rival, Iran. That accord allowed Iran to expand its oil exports and relieved pressure on its economy. And the leading Obamacare-defense group Protect Our Care Coalition said that's part of a pattern of Republican-elected officials avoiding hearing from people about the fears surrounding the undoing the Affordable Care Act. A Republican member of Congress who had scheduled meet-and-greets to hear her constituents' views on Obamacare which the GOP plans to repeal and replace reportedly ducked those meetings last weekend. "Republicans hiding from constituents can't hide from having no plan," that group's email to reporters said Thursday. Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va., did not show up at two "mobile office hours" events she had scheduled at separate grocery stores where dozens of people were waiting to talk to her about the Obamacare repeal, according to Politico. One Fairfax, Virginia, resident, Politico noted, wrote on his Facebook page, "A friend just came back from a Comstock event in Oakton Barbara was supposed to meet constituents there to talk about the repeal of Obamacare AND SHE NEVER SHOWED UP." "THIS IS SHAMEFUL If you're in the 10th district, call her office and let her know that we won't be tolerating her not doing her job anymore," wrote that resident, James McCeney, on the page of liberal activist group Our Revolution Northern Virginia. Comstock's staff told Politico that the invitation saying Comstock would be present at the town halls was "in error," and "should have just said staff." On Wednesday, staffers in the Chicago district office of Illinois Republican congressman Rep. Peter Roskam told 16 constituents there they would have to reschedule a meeting with staff about their concerns regarding Obamacare after staff noticed a reporter was present. "I was stunned at what happened," one of those constituents, Sandra Alexander, told the The Beacon-News newspaper, after telling the staffer that the group was willing to leave the reporter outside. "He just ran off," Alexander said of that staffer. "They never told me that the media could not be here, and the reporter was willing to leave so that we could have our meeting," she said. Rep. Dave Brat, a Republican from Virginia, told a meeting of conservative groups on Saturday, "Since Obamacare and these issues have come up, the women are in my grill no matter where I go." "They come up 'When is your next town hall?'" Brat reportedly said, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "And believe me, it's not to give positive input." In a Facebook post, Brat said he will have town halls meetings. Just not yet. "Over the past couple of weeks my office has been inundated with phone calls, and emails and comments on social media requesting a town hall meeting, and believe me, I fully intend to have plenty of town halls that are open and transparent as soon as our first 100 days agenda is implemented and we come up for a breath of air," Brat wrote on Facebook. On Tuesday, nearly 50 people protesting the planned repeal of the ACA were arrested after staging a sit-in outside of the office of GOP senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. One of those arrested, Missouri resident Scott Fines, told ThinkProgress.org that his 2-year-old son, who was born without his stomach being connected to his mouth, "would die" without health insurance. "And without the ACA, we would not be able to get him insurance," Fines said. "He cost $750,000 in his first five months of life. There's no way an insurance company is ever going agree to cover a child like him. He is a walking pre-existing condition." In recent days, Republican leaders have begun using the word "repair" when they talk about their plans to repeal and replace Obamacare. "If we're going to repair the U.S. health-care system ... you must repeal and replace Obamacare," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said on the Fox News show "Fox and Friends" on Thursday. "To repair the American health-care system, you have to repeal and replace this law and that's what we're doing." Meaghan Smith, spokeswoman for the Protect Our Care Coalition, said Thursday, "Along with trying to hide the fact that they're trying to rip away health care from 30 million people with new focus-grouped word changes, the political fallout from repealing the ACA is getting to be such a disaster for Republicans that they're now hiding from their own constituents." "People are scared about what will happen to their health care if Republicans blow up our health care system, and Republicans can't hide from the reality that they simply have no plan," Smith said. President Donald Trump has pulled out of one trade agreement and has sharply criticized allies. If this continues, the world could sink further into instability, Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass warned on Thursday. "What you don't do can be every bit as consequential as what you do," Haass told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "I worry about the United States doing too little, and I see it already on the trade front." "It would be the Obamacare equivalent. I worry that we're going to do too much repealing and not enough replacing in the world," he added. Since taking office, Trump has withdrawn the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and has made plans to renegotiate NAFTA. Haass, a top State Department official in the George W. Bush administration, said he has spoken with Trump about trade, arguing that it's good for exports, promotes global stability and helps lift countries out of poverty. "I think his arguments about Japan, about China and so forth are largely wrong. He obviously doesn't agree," Haass said. "That said, I'm not going to say everything about trade is perfect. We do need trade agreements that deal with subsidies by governments. We do need trade agreements that make it impossible to do currency manipulation." Haass said that with the Middle East and Europe in disarray, China on the rise and nuclear-armed North Korea coming dangerously close to making missiles that can reach the United States, Trump came into office at a difficult time, and must tread carefully. "The world doesn't sort itself out," Haass said. "There's no invisible hand in the geopolitical marketplace. It doesn't just work. It takes the visible hand of the United States." And if the president continues to unravel ties with key global partners like China, the United States faces the risk of giving adversaries the opportunity to wreak global havoc, he said. "I'd be less of a disruptor than Donald Trump. I'd be a little bit more of a preserver. I wouldn't be rattling the U.S.-China relationship. Instead I'd be enlisting China to help us with North Korea. I'd be pushing back against Russia so they're not tempted to do [things] elsewhere in Europe," Haass said. One of the biggest global shifts Haass said he has noticed is that conflict in a given country, like Syria, is no longer insulated from the rest of the world. "Nothing is local anymore. You have a mess in Syria, and then suddenly you have a million refugees go into Germany, which totally now has overturned European politics. The nationalist movements, the populist movements, the Brexit vote [were] largely a reaction," he said. "Whether you're looking at terrorists or hackers or disease or climate change, everything gets on the conveyor belt of globalization," he continued. "That's the problem, in some ways, ... with 'America First.' We need an approach to the world that essentially pushes back against the fact that all over, in every other country, things are happening that could hurt us." "This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran," Velayati said. "Iran is the strongest power in the region and has a lot of political, economic and military power ... America should be careful about making empty threats to Iran." Ali Akbar Velayati, who advises Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on foreign affairs, said that Iran had not breached a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. The White House has accused Tehran of violating a separate U.N. Security Council resolution on ballistic missiles, as opposed to the nuclear agreement. A top aide to Iran's supreme leader blamed the "inexperienced" Trump administration for apparent U.S. threats and vowed his country would continue testing ballistic missiles. He added: "Iran will continue to test its capabilities in ballistic missiles and Iran will not ask any country for permission in defending itself." Velayati did not identify any U.S. official specifically. On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the White House was putting Tehran "on notice," an apparent threat of retaliation for Sunday's ballistic missile test. Flynn, a retired Army general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, delivered his remarks in a surprise appearance at the daily White House press briefing. He cited other examples of what he called Iran's "destabilizing behavior across the Middle East," including reported attacks on U.S. allies by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. National security officials told reporters later Wednesday that the administration was considering a range of options, including economic sanctions and supporting forces that counter Iranian action in the region. President Donald Trump echoed Flynn's remarks on Twitter early Thursday. @realDonaldTrump tweet 1 @realDonaldTrump tweet 2 Iran used to be prohibited from test-firing ballistic missiles under previous U.N. resolutions. However, these were superseded by a new resolution passed alongside the nuclear deal. This only "called upon" Iran not to test-fire missiles that could be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics of the deal say this wording is effectively a loophole meaning the missile-testing restrictions are not obligatory. The government in Tehran says that because it doesn't have a nuclear-weapons program, its missile tests are not violations of this clause. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif didn't confirm or deny the launch during a press conference Tuesday but said, "The missiles aren't part of the nuclear accords," Reuters reported. "Iran will never use missiles produced in Iran to attack any other country." The United States deemed the launch to be a failure, after the missile flew more than 500 miles before crashing, according to two officials who spoke to NBC News on Monday on condition of anonymity. However, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday that the missile test was "successful" but also insisted it "was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any U.N. resolution." watch now A White House warning to Tehran on Wednesday may cloud the outlook for foreign investment into Iran, but the Trump administration and its regional allies also risk playing into the Iranian regime's hands as it takes a more strident tone, analysts say. The opening shot will do little to inspire investors to commit to new projects in Iran, which is trying to rebuild its oil and gas sector after years of sanctions. While that may put pressure on Tehran, President Donald Trump has virtually no support in Europe or Asia for new sanctions and may have missed an opportunity to contain the Iranian regime, analysts say. National security advisor Michael Flynn put Iran "on notice" on Wednesday, citing recent ballistic missile tests and support for Houthi rebels in Yemen's civil war. The United States is expected to sanction about two dozen Iranian entities as early as Friday, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The White House did not immediately return CNBC's request for comment. The biggest asset for any U.S. president in putting pressure on the Iranian regime is the people of Iran Alex Vatanka Middle East Institute senior fellow National Security Council staffers offered few additional details during a conference call Wednesday, except to say the White House statement marked the beginning of a deliberation about "a large number of options" the administration can deploy to rein in Iran. They declined to comment on whether that included military options. Staffers said Flynn's statement conveyed that the new administration is thinking about Iran in a different light than the Obama team, and they hope the message immediately dissuades Iran from future provocations. A chilling effect But the NSC staffers also stressed that they were not considering the Iran nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers as part of the deliberations, perhaps suggesting the White House is backing away from Trump's campaign threats to tear up the accord. Indeed, the European signatories, Russia and China all believe Iran is in compliance with that deal, which puts limits on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. That suggests any new sanctions would likely be unilateral, said Greg Priddy, oil market analyst at the Eurasia Group. The question is whether those sanctions would target individuals and businesses or aim to damage Iran's economy at large, he said. The impact of the latter could be minimal because the United States does little trade with Iran, he noted. But new sanctions could still have a chilling effect on banks that would otherwise fund Iranian projects and the oil giants seeking to develop Iran's huge oil and gas reserves. The Obama administration actively assured foreign banks it was safe to do business in Iran after international sanctions were lifted, but Trump is unlikely to follow suit, Priddy said. watch now "I think there's still a lot of interest in the industry, but this reinforces our view that the [international oil companies] are going to be very cautious," he said. "I don't think you're going to see these move forward to binding contracts and development in the next year or so." Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, said Iran watchers may be underestimating the potential impact of sanctions, especially if the United States pursues measures that disrupt other countries' ability to do business with Iran through international financial channels. That could be a risky move. European allies of the U.S. pushed back against previous attempts to impose such sanctions. They only came on board once details of Iran's covert nuclear program came to light. Miscalculating Iran-Saudi rivalry Any outcome that put fewer Iranian barrels into the oil market would be a boon to Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and Tehran's chief regional rival. Last week, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir said the kingdom is "largely in accord with Trump's stated policies," according to a briefing on his statement from the Saudi U.S. Embassy. One week earlier, Al-Jubeir issued a warning on Iran at the World Economic Forum similar to Flynn's, saying Tehran must be held accountable for supporting terrorism, violating a U.N. resolution on ballistic missile tests and intervening in neighbors' affairs. Flynn's focus on Iran's role in prolonging Yemen's civil war also brought Riyadh and Washington into closer alignment. While President Barack Obama backed the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, his administration angered Riyadh by raising concerns about the high civilian death toll and reportedly blocking arms sales to the kingdom at one point. The Saudis have pummeled their southern neighbor in an effort to oust Houthi rebels who staged a successful coup two years ago. Iran has backed the Houthis, but the depth of its support is in dispute. NSC officials on Wednesday cast the Yemeni-Iranian relationship as strong and indisputable. They said Iran's support was a growing concern after Houthis allegedly fired rockets at a United Arab Emirates warship and an U.S. Navy vessel. That could create problems for shipping vessels, they said. But Priddy said there has been no impact on Red Sea trade. No tankers had adjusted their routes to his knowledge, and Somali pirates tend to be their primary concern in those waters, he said. The scale of Iran's weapons transfers, funding and training in Yemen is open for debate, but the White House has perhaps mischaracterized or misunderstood Iran's goals in the Yemen, according to Alex Vatanka, an Iranian senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Tehran does not so much see a Houthi victory in Yemen as an end goal, he said. Instead it views the ongoing conflict as a way to drain Saudi Arabia's energy following Riyadh's expensive intervention in 2015 after Yemen's pro-Saudi government fell. Vatanka said the Iranian regime's view is, "If that's Saudi Arabia's Vietnam ... then let the Saudis dig their own grave." "Iran right now is playing the Yemen card as part of a larger geopolitical rivalry with Saudi Arabia," he said. Missed opportunity President Donald Trump (L) and Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis watch the Inaugural Parade from the main reviewing stand in front of the White House on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. Getty Images U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis will wrap up talks in South Korea before traveling to Japan later on Friday, as he reminds both countries of Washington's support amid uncertainties over President Donald Trump's policies, a belligerent North Korea and China's territorial ambitions. It is the first international trip among Trump's cabinet secretaries, according to Reuters, underscoring the importance Trump places on Seoul and Tokyo while he threatens a trade war against Beijing, experts said. The visit should also allay broad concerns about American leadership in Asia and fears over the future of South Korea and Japan's bilateral relationships with the U.S. "The message of this trip is reassurance; reassurance that the Trump administration recognizes the importance of alliances with South Korea and Japan as well as the seriousness of the security situation there," explained Kathleen Stephens, American ambassador to South Korea from 2008-2011. During his election campaign, Trump pledged to remove existing American troops from Asia if host nations did not pay 100 percent of the costsa troubling thought for Seoul and Tokyo, given that defense is a key priority in their respective relationships with Washington. Around 28,000 American soldiers are currently stationed in South Korea, while 54,000 U.S. military personnel are based in Japan. North Korea top priority in Seoul North Korea, a common thorn in the sides of Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo, featured prominently in Mattis' talks with top South Korean officials on Thursday. The retired Marine Corps general said that his country would stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" with Seoul to face the North Korean nuclear threat, Reuters reported. Pyongyang has been increasingly hinting that it is ready to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), adding to rising fears it will act on threats of targeting enemies with a nuclear weapon. Choe Kang II, deputy director general for North American affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry told NBC News on Jan. 25 that Pyongyang was ready to test an ICBM "at any time, any place," That same day, Mattis' predecessor Ash Carter warned Washington would shoot down any missile aimed at it or an ally. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear program is a matter crucial to Trump's re-election so Mattis will likely look to discuss ways to disarm the rogue nation as well as deploying preventative measures against potential attacks, said Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea from 2004-2005. In July, then South Korean President Park Geun-hye agreed to host a American defense technology system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. But the current political turmoil in Seoul could endanger THAAD implementation. In the aftermath of Park's resignation, the country is due to elect a new leader later this year and leftist opposition candidates are increasingly seen as the likely winners. It's not yet clear whether these leftist parties will support THAAD or give into Chinese pressure to ditch the system, remarked Hill. China and Russia believe THAAD deployment on the Korean Peninsula will threaten the mainland's national security interests. "No other nation" should be concerned about THAAD," Mattis said on Thursday, according to Reuters. "Were it not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for THAAD out here," he added. Hill, who led a series of negotiations aimed at halting Pyongyang's nuclear program known as the Six Party Talks, believes Kim's regime is entirely capable of developing a weapon that can reach the U.S. within the next four years. Coinciding with Matthis' arrival in Seoul on Thursday, the White House will be launching a review of its North Korea policy, the Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources. Because Kim has expressed zero interest in denuclearization, Mattis has little chance of resuming multi-nation talks, Hill noted, adding that the best option for Trump is to slow the pariah state's nuclear program, which can't be done without Beijing's help. But that may prove to be tricky amid worsening U.S.-Chinese ties. In a tweet last month, Trump criticized China, a traditional ally of Pyongyang, for its lack of assistance on the nuclear issue. watch now For Tokyo, China tensions and trade are key A daily morning look at the financial stories you need to know to start the day. STOCKS/ ECONOMY -Stock futures are lower Thursday morning after the markets posted small gains on Wednesday. TRUMP FIRST 100 DAYS -CEOs from JPMorgan, IBM, Disney and other large companies will meet with the president at the White House on Friday. They are expected to question the executive order ban on immigration and travel to the U.S. from seven countries. -President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday morning about the violent and large protests at U.C. Berkeley Wednesday night against a conservative speaker. He mused that perhaps Berkeley should lose federal funding . TRUMP FIRST 100 DAYS (Continued) -Trump reportedly threatened the Mexican president during a phone call last week by saying he might send U.S. troops to that country if the Mexican military could not or would not handle dangerous drug cartels. However, Mexico is denying that report. OIL/ ENERGY -WTI crude oil is up a bit and back at the $54 a barrel level after Wednesday's strong gains. -Shell posted its worst annual profit in more than a decade. DEALS/ NO DEALS - Macy's shares are trading higher on news CEO Terry Lundgren is stepping down and the company is reportedly going up for sale. -Reckitt Benckiser is in advanced talks to buy Mead Johnson Nutrition for $16.7 billion. The deal would combine the owner of Lysol and Dr. Scholl with a leading baby formula company. CRIME & PUNISHMENT -The CEO of the German stock exchange is under investigation for alleged insider trading. TERROR/ DEFENSE -The Trump administration says it has put Iran "on notice" after it broke an agreement to avoid missile testing. A group of protesters hold a banner reading "This is war," at Sproul Hall in Berkeley, California, on February 2, 2017. Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Billionaire philanthropist Betsy DeVos' bid to be President Donald Trump's Secretary of Education could be in jeopardy after two Republican senators announced Wednesday that they'll vote against confirming her for the job. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both said they cannot support DeVos, a fierce advocate for charter schools and voucher programs as well a prolific donor to Republican causes. Republican leaders have been racing to shore up support for the nominee and soon after Collins and Murkowski's announcements. GOP Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada said that he will back her confirmation, calling her "the right choice for this position." More from NBC News: Trump's wall is only one potential option for border Civilians, including children, killed in US raid on Al Qaeda in Yemen, military says Donald Trump, Australian PM offer mixed messages on refugee deal The next procedural vote on her nomination is now expected on Friday. The White House expressed confidence Wednesday afternoon that DeVos will ultimately be confirmed, despite the defections. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that Republican lawmakers will try to push through tax reform and infrastructure bills two key policies for investors in the spring after focusing on health care. "It's just the way the budget works that we won't be able to get the ability to write our tax reform bill until our spring budget passes, and then we write that through the summer," Ryan said on "Fox and Friends." He added that an infrastructure package "comes out of our spring budget, as well." Hopes for corporate tax cuts and spending on infrastructure projects helped to power the stock market after President Donald Trump won the White House and Republicans kept control of both chambers of Congress in November. However, other issues like immigration and repeal of the Affordable Care Act have largely consumed Trump and GOP lawmakers in the early days of the new administration. "We feel the need to rescue this system here and that's why we're going with health care first, that's the first budget. And then in the spring we're doing the second budget. That's where tax reform comes," Ryan said. The Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel is a close adviser to President Trump, enthusiastically supporting his campaign and running his search for key government officials. Several years ago, however, Thiel pledged allegiance to a different leader: Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. Thiel said he would pledge to be faithful to Her Majesty as the final step in the process of becoming a citizen of New Zealand. He has been a citizen since 2011, according to newly released New Zealand government documents. More on Buzzfeed: Google's Eric Schmidt: Trump Administration Will Do "Evil Things" Twitter Employees Are Donating $1.59 Million To The ACLU After Trump's Travel Ban Ahead Of Its IPO, Snap Is Losing To Instagram On A Key Metric Thiel "has indicated that he wishes to take the Oath of Allegiance on the Bible or other Holy Book," a New Zealand ceremonies officer wrote in the summer of 2011. "For the [citizenship] certificate to be valid the Oath of Allegiance must be administered," the officer continued. Reached by phone on Wednesday, a manager at the New Zealand consulate in Santa Monica, California, where Thiel's ceremony took place, confirmed that all new citizens must take an oath or affirmation of allegiance. President Trump has pledged repeatedly to put "America First." Here is the oath that Trump's top tech adviser would have taken in 2011, according to New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs: "I [your name] swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of New Zealand, Her heirs and successors according to law; and that I will faithfully observe the laws of New Zealand and fulfill my duties as a New Zealand citizen. So help me God." Spokespeople for the White House, and for Thiel, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. John Cook of the Gizmodo Media Group earlier tweeted the text of the oath. tweet The New Zealand document trove also raises the question of whether Thiel who owns property in the country but does not live there was able to essentially buy his Kiwi status. It includes a letter in which Thiel states his intention to "become an active player in New Zealand's venture capital industry," along with notes of support from local entrepreneurs whom Thiel had backed. "Essentially, Mr. Thiel has been granted citizenship on the grounds that he is a wealthy person," Iain Lees-Galloway, a spokesperson for New Zealand's Labour party, told the New York Times. President Donald Trump met on Thursday afternoon with executives from Harley-Davidson , a company that has long proudly manufactured its heavyweight motorcycles in factories across the United States. But Harley-Davidson has outsourced a different type of work information technology that has thrust the company into the debate over high-skilled immigration. Harley Davidson signed an agreement with Indian tech staffing giant Infosys in 2012 to take over parts of its IT department. To handle the project, Infosys opened a new facility it Milwaukee, where Harley Davidson is based. About 125 positions were eliminated at Harley Davidson in the process. And workers who applied for a job at the Infosys facility claimed they were discriminated against in favor of South Asian employees. According to the complaint, Infosys relied heavily on workers with H1B visas, which allow U.S. companies to hire from abroad in highly skilled fields in which there area shortage of American workers. But the suit argues that there should have been plenty of qualified workers available, such as the ones who just lost their jobs at Harley Davidson. Overcapacity in the shipping industry is weighing on charter rates, keeping them stuck below operating expense levels and leaving hundreds of ships idle. The protectionist policies of Donald Trump could make things worse, a CEO warns CNBC. On the Panama Canal, only 88 panamax ships sized between 4,000 and 5,100 container capacity are currently deployed on the Panama route, compared to 221 in June last year, according to shipping analysts at Alphaliner. Panamax ships can carry up to 5,000 containers or 52,500 deadweight tons and are designed to transport goods across the Panama canal. Meanwhile, the number of idle Panama remains high. Currently around 68 ships are idle, down from a peak of 98 in October, but most of this reduction is down to scrapping. Zvi Schreiber, CEO and founder of logistics technology Freightos, said the problems facing ships on the Panama route were no surprise. "The same dynamic of overcapacity and disappointing global trade that bankrupted Hanjin, pushed a Hamburg Sud acquisition and pushed carriers closer to the edge is now hitting the Panamax sector," he told CNBC via email. "This isn't even taking into account the potential for further decline in Panama trade as a result of President Trump's new trade policies." As a result of overcapacity, charter rates dropped below$5,000 per day last year and are currently around $4,264 according to the ConTex index of charter rates published by the Hamburg Shipbrokers' Association. At least 100 panamax container ships need to be scrapped just so shipping rates can break even, warnAlphaliner. "Up to one hundred further panamax ship will need to be scrapped before the segment can regain its footing again. Ultra low charter rates, currently at subopex (operating expenses) levels, have failed to revive demand for ships in this sector," Alphaliner said in its weekly newsletter. "Demand remains largely insufficient to notably reduce the overhang of surplus ships removed from trans-Panama routes." The panamax ship owners could try selling their ships to other operators or for use on other routes, but there are 2,008 container vessels out of a total of 4,828 ships on the water which are at scrap value, according to shipping data provider VesselsValue. "In our system the market value is either at the scrap value or lower therefore there is no point trying to sell the vessel on the secondhand market, you might as well sell to the scrap yards," Toby Yeabsley, head of cargo of VesselsValue, told CNBC via email. While online identity previously emphasized everything anyone has ever done, with Snapchat "my identity is who I am right now," Mr. Spiegel said in a 2015 video to describe the app. So when Mr. Spiegel and Mr. Murphy created Snapchat in 2011, they inverted the social networking dynamic. Out of their Stanford dorm rooms, they made Snapchat as an app that would send disappearing messages and photos in a way that more closely mimicked the dynamics of a real world conversation. That would increase the appeal of Snapchat as a service that people used with a small number of good friends, they figured. Thanks to the rise of Facebook, most everyone believed that networks became exponentially more valuable by amassing more users. But Mr. Spiegel noticed that in real life, even people with thousands of acquaintances spent most of their time with just a few friends whose value outweighed a large number of looser ties. When Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy were undergraduates at Stanford University , they made an unconventional observation about what makes a social network valuable. Mr. Spiegel, 26, Snap's chief executive, has since built a budding digital empire based on that initial unconventional insight and has continued upending the tech industry with his different way of seeing the world, often with a touch of ego. Rather than accept the norms of the social networking ecosystem, he has stuck to atypical viewpoints on matters from mobile video to video-recording spectacles. And he has done all of this more than 350 miles away from Silicon Valley, in the sunny climes of Venice, Calif., where Snapchat is based. Mr. Spiegel's singular approach will soon be more publicly on display. This week, Snapchat's parent company, Snap, is expected to reveal its public stock offering paperwork for the first time. The filing will show how Snap is doing as a business and whether that justifies a public valuation of $20 billion to $25 billion, which the company has been reported to be seeking. It will also disclose Mr. Spiegel's ownership stake in Snap; the public offering is set to vault Mr. Spiegel and Mr. Murphy, who is now chief technology officer, into the ranks of other tech billionaires. Along with financial information, Mr. Spiegel is expected to include remarks about Snap's mission that will showcase his zag-while-zigging philosophy. "If you want to understand Snap, look at Evan Spiegel," said Todd Chaffee, a partner at IVP, one of Snap's three largest venture capital investors. "He is the visionary who drives that company." Mary Ritti, a spokeswoman for Snap, declined to comment for this story. Mr. Spiegel grew up in Pacific Palisades, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb, and attended Crossroads, a prep school in Santa Monica that counts Jonah Hill, Kate Hudson and Jack Black as alumni. He lived a privileged life, with expensive cars, exclusive club memberships and fancy vacations, according to records from his parents' divorce proceedings. His father, John Spiegel, a securities lawyer who helped overhaul the Los Angeles Police Department after the Rodney King beating in 1991, also had his children volunteer and build homes in poor areas of Mexico. While many techies talk about how the industry is a meritocracy, Mr. Spiegel has not shied from his wealthy roots. In public comments, he has said he is "a young, white, educated male who got really, really lucky. And life isn't fair." At Stanford, also his father's alma mater, Mr. Spiegel majored in product design and started a handful of companies with Mr. Murphy, a fellow Kappa Sigma fraternity brother. (Their early start-ups flopped.) There, Mr. Spiegel also met some of the men who would become his mentors, including Scott Cook, then the chief executive of Intuit, and Eric Schmidt, the Google chairman, who taught an M.B.A. class that he attended. Mr. Spiegel "really is the next Gates or Zuckerberg," Mr. Schmidt said in an interview, comparing the Snap chief to Microsoft's co-founder, Bill Gates, and Facebook's chief, Mark Zuckerberg. "He has superb manners, which he says he got from his mother. He credits his father's long legal calls, which he overheard, to giving him perspective on business and structure as a very young man." When Snapchat started taking off, Mr. Spiegel did not wait to graduate from Stanford. He moved the company to the Venice Beach boardwalk, away from what he perceived as Silicon Valley's too-narrow focus on technology. His decamping for Southern California put off some in Silicon Valley. The perception of a divide with Silicon Valley was also fostered by Mr. Spiegel's rejection of a $3 billion acquisition offer from Facebook in 2013. Some who met Mr. Spiegel during Snapchat's early days at Stanford describe him as akin to the villain of a 1980s teen movie. He often came across as having a healthy ego, an impression Mr. Spiegel sometimes stoked. When Mr. Spiegel met Institutional Venture Partners to discuss possible fund-raising, for example, he told IVP's partner, Dennis Phelps, that he was unwilling to accept the firm's standard investment terms. "If you want standard terms, invest in a standard company," Mr. Phelps recalled Mr. Spiegel telling him. IVP went on to invest in Snap's third financing round in 2013. In Los Angeles, Mr. Spiegel has shown interest in the city's fashion, art and music scene. He met his fiancee, the model Miranda Kerr, at a Louis Vuitton dinner. And he once toyed with the idea of owning a record label with ties to Snapchat, according to a 2015 email between Sony executives that was released by hackers. "He's different from most tech people because he knows what's cool and what's next," said Ryan Wilson, an artist in Los Angeles who worked with Mr. Spiegel on a piece of art for one of Snapchat's offices. "He doesn't like things because a dealer says he should. He just likes what he likes, whether it's made by a high school friend or a famous artist." Mr. Spiegel has also involved himself in some political conversations. In 2015, he met with China's president, Xi Jinping, as a member of the 21st Century Council at the Berggruen Institute. Its founder, Nicolas Berggruen, said he impressed a group that includes Mohamed El-Erian, the economist, and former President Nicolas Sarkozy of France with his "thoughtful and mature approach to people." Last fall, Mr. Spiegel also attended a private dinner with John O. Brennan, then the director of the C.I.A. According to multiple attendees, Mr. Spiegel listened more than he spoke and had the ear of Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles. Mr. Spiegel's unconventional streak may be most evident in how he has steered Snap. He has long said that a public offering was what was best for the company and its investors, even as other tech start-ups chose to stay private as long as possible. Since Snapchat's debut, the app and the company have also undergone dozens of changes that were criticized for being too different from other consumer internet companies. Mr. Spiegel rejected the idea of a newsfeed in Snapchat's app, for example, because he said people prefer stories chronologically. In Facebook's News Feed, posts are reverse chronological, meaning the newest posts are at the top. Unlike other social networks, Snapchat also does not use algorithms to push people to see certain content. Snapchat users swipe their screens to navigate and view video vertically, rather than tap on menus or turn their phones to watch videos horizontally. "From what I can figure out, he thinks differently about the way to monetize and develop a social network," Mr. Schmidt said of Mr. Spiegel. Investors who buy into Snap's initial public offering will soon be getting a piece of that approach. Allowing "ourselves to be pulled in another direction" is what makes us human, Mr. Spiegel said in a commencement speech at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business in 2015. Quoting John F. Kennedy, he added, "Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth." Doris Burke contributed research from New York. The great run for high-yielding corporate debt may be ending, some strategists argue. The High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG ) has outpaced the 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT ) by more than 11 percent in the last three months, rising nearly 3 percent as the TLT got crushed after the U.S. election. High-yielding bonds are often called "junk bonds," as they carry higher risk of defaulting, along with low credit ratings. As Erin Gibbs, equity chief investment officer at S&P Global, points out, a significant chunk of the HYG's 1,034 holdings are concentrated in communications; the fund's top-weighted constituents include Sprint , Western Digital and French telecommunications company SFR Group . Energy names are also highly represented in the fund. "It's really concentrated, and you're just going to see a lot more volatility. It's not just all corporate debt; it's very concentrated in those two industries and you're going to see a lot of volatility," Gibbs said Wednesday on CNBC's "Trading Nation," adding that stabilized energy prices will make energy-related names in the HYG more attractive. "And so [the HYG] has been doing well recently because it's coming off of lows, but in theory it should continue to go higher. You should get paid for taking on that additional risk in the HYG," she said. High-yielding bonds may have gotten ahead of themselves, said Matt Maley, managing director and equity strategist at Miller Tabak. But he said they should continue their outperformance of the more stabilized Treasury market. "The yield on the high-yield market is getting low, getting down near where it was in 2013, 2014 ... right before it saw a pullback. One was only a 7, 8 percent [pullback] but the other one was the big 20 percent correction, of course, when oil went down," Maley said Wednesday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." "So I don't know if we get anywhere near that kind of pullback, but we could get a 5, 6 percent pullback at some point," Maley said, adding that estimate might even be high. "They do a lot of things right there. They take good care of themselves. They do the blocking and tackling of physical wellness really well." It's not just about being happy by living in a scenic, warm place. The report measures how Americans feel about their physical health, social connections, finances, community and sense of purpose. Hawaii residents report low obesity rates and little daily stress. They regularly exercise, eat lots of produce and feel safe where they live. They're also the best in the nation for having enough money to do everything they need to do. The top five states for overall well-being are: 1. Hawaii 2. Alaska 3. South Dakota 4. Maine 5. Colorado Hawaii and Colorado are the only two states that have been in the top 10 since the rankings began. South Dakota also consistently keeps returning to the top dozen. "If you ask people randomly nationally where South Dakota might rank in well-being, it might not be very high, but people inside of the state really do a nice job taking care of themselves, especially with community well-being and with financial well-being," Witters noted. Kaneohe Bay and the Ko'olau Mountain Range. Julie Thurston | Getty Images At the bottom of the list, West Virginia returns to last place for the eighth year in a row. The state's obesity and smoking rates are "off the charts," Witters said. The number of residents reporting they've had high blood pressure or diabetes in their lifetime is the highest in the nation. West Virginia is also last when it comes to financial well-being, as well as purpose well-being the category that asks: Do you get to do things that you like every day? Do you learn and grow? "It's a place that consistently, year after year, is on the low end of the well-being spectrum. We'd really like to see that get better for the sake of the residents who live there," Witters said. A backpacker in Denali State Park, Alaska. HagePhoto | Getty Images The five states at the bottom of the list are: 46. Arkansas 47. Indiana 48. Oklahoma 49. Kentucky 50. West Virginia The index is based on interviews with more than 177,000 Americans over the past year. Here are some of the report's other take-aways: The number of Americans 'thriving' is at a peak The researchers ask respondents: Imagine a ladder with 10 rungs, with the top rung representing your best possible life and bottom rung the worst possible. Where do you place yourself today? Where will you be five years from now? The answers measure current life satisfaction and future life optimism. People who rank their current situation as seven or higher; and their future as eight or higher are considered to be "thriving." More than 55 percent fit into that category in 2016, the highest since the rankings began. A Habitat for Humanity worker brings shingles up to the roof of a new house. Mark Peterson | Getty Images But chronic diseases are also at a peak The national rates of obesity (28 percent), diabetes (11 percent), and depression (17 percent) are at their highest points since the rankings began. "Obesity is the big one. It continues its relentless climb, it keeps muscling its way higher," Witters said. "It is a real, bone fide health crisis in America. Diabetes gets dragged up with it, same thing with depression." Almost all of the highest obesity rates are in the South, the report notes. The nation's lowest obesity rate is Colorado, with people in the West reporting the highest rates of exercise. Meanwhile, the percentage of Americans who report eating healthy all day during the previous day is at a nine-year low, according to the report. American Diabetes Association Step Out Walk event in Los Angeles. Lilly Lawrence | Getty Images The state where people feel safest is... That would be Wyoming, where 88 percent of residents said they always feel safe and secure. At the other end of the spectrum, Nevada ranks last in that category, with only 69 percent of residents feeling safe. "Las Vegas drags down Nevada's state numbers in numerous ways, including this one," Witters said. North American beaver (Castor canadensis) beaver dam in the Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA. Arterra | Getty Images British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives to deliver a speech on the government's plans for Brexit at Lancaster House in London on January 17, 2017. The U.K. government gave a little more clarity on its Brexit negotiations Thursday, publishing a new official report that will aid discussions by lawmakers over the coming weeks. Britain's so-called Brexit secretary, David Davis, presented the update to the House of Commons Thursday and confirmed that the U.K. will leave the EU's single market - a tariff-free trade agreement enjoyed by EU member states. He also said the government will prepare the ground for new trade deals. This will include negotiating new deals with the WTO, he said, but no new deals will be made until the U.K. has completed its departure of the European Union. Davis also confirmed that the U.K. will regain control of its borders as the U.K. takes back control of its laws. "Our best days are yet to come," Davis told the House of Commons. He also emphasized the need to move quickly with negotiations: "A never-ending transitional status is emphatically not what we seek but a phased implementation process Will be necessary for both sides." Described by 10 Downing Street as "substantial", the white paper - a type of government report - is now available to the public and outlines plans for withdrawing from the EU. It was proposed as a concession to U.K. lawmakers who had called for greater clarity on the government's plans for the Brexit negotiations. It gives all lawmakers the ability to scrutinize the plan the government has for the discussions with the EU. Thursday's paper builds on a speech given by Prime Minister Theresa May in January, setting out the 12 principles which will guide the government "in fulfilling the democratic will of the people of the U.K." 1. Providing certainty and clarity 2. Taking control of our own laws 3. Strengthening the Union 4. Protecting our strong historic ties with Ireland and maintaining the Common Travel Area 5. Controlling immigration 6. Securing rights for EU nationals in the U.K. and U.K. nationals in the EU 7. Protecting workers' rights 8. Ensuring free trade with European markets 9. Securing new trade agreements with other countries 10. Ensuring the United Kingdom remains the best place for science and innovation 11. Cooperating in the fight against crime and terrorism 12. Delivering a smooth, orderly exit from the EU According to Reuters, several opposition lawmakers accused the government of keeping them in the dark over negotiations with the EU. "For months we've been calling for a plan... now there's a White Paper too late in the day to ask meaningful questions.. That is completely unacceptable," Kier Starmer, Brexit spokesman for the opposition Labour Party, was quoted as saying. The paper's release comes alongside the so-called "Brexit bill" which will likely conclude with May being given the authority to trigger "Article 50" which will begin formal negotiations with the European Union. This bill received its first airing on Wednesday but will be debated vigorously for the next few days by politicians and will likely see amendments. Wednesday's vote saw lawmakers rule 498 to 114 in favor of the bill. Just one member of the ruling Conservative party, Ken Clarke, voted against the bill. Of the 114 dissidents, 47 were within the opposition Labour party, despite calls from its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to honor the vote of the British public. A majority of 51.9 percent of the U.K. voted to leave the EU in last June's referendum. This opposition from pro-European politicians suggests not only further debate on the government's Brexit plans, but also further disruption in the already divided Labour party. The bill will have to pass through members of parliament (MPs) again next week and then go to a vote in the House of Lords later this month if May is to fulfill her aims of invoking Article 50 by the end of March. Like every president since Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Donald Trump attended the annual National Prayer Breakfast. But the 45th president was the only one to ask the bipartisan gathering to pray for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Trump did address faith in his speech Thursday, but he also took jabs at "Celebrity Apprentice" after the show's producer Mark Burnett introduced him. "When I ran for president, I had to leave the show. That's when I knew for sure I was doing it," Trump said. "And they hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place. And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes, it's been a total disaster, and Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again. And I want to just pray for Arnold if we can for those ratings, OK?" Muted laughter followed the joke about the NBC show, which helped to vault Trump to nationwide fame. Trump still has an executive producer credit on the program and gets a per-episode fee likely "in the low five-figures," according to Variety. It marks the second time since his election that Trump has mocked the show's ratings and sparked media coverage of a clash between him and Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger, the former California governor, responded in a video posted to Twitter, asking Trump to switch jobs. "Hey Donald, I have a great idea. Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV because you're such an expert in ratings. And I take over your job, and people can finally sleep comfortably again," he said. @Schwarzenegger: The National Prayer Breakfast? Later on Thursday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump's comments were meant as a "lighthearted moment." Spicer also said Mark Burnett, creator of "The Apprentice," was at the breakfast. "If you look at the totality of his remarks, they were absolutely beautiful. And I think to hone in on that, it was a lighthearted moment he was trying to have with a big supporter of the National Prayer Breakfast and a personal friend," Spicer in a news conference. The annual National Prayer Breakfast started in 1953. Disclosure: Like CNBC, NBC is a unit of Comcast. CNBC's Elizabeth Gurdus contributed to this report. watch now An apparent disagreement between President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull could potentially disrupt more than 75 years of robust diplomatic relations. Trump's displeasure with an Obama-backed deal is leading security and trade experts to question whether the U.S. could lose its standing with one of its most important strategic partners. Such a shift, they said, could ripple through Australian politics and support China's ambitions to become the dominant Asia Pacific power. The U.S. is arguing with Australia? In a late-night Wednesday tweet, Trump slammed an Australian-U.S. refugee agreement that was brokered by Barack Obama's administration last year, saying he would commit to study the "dumb deal." Donald Trump tweet: Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! In November, Obama agreed that the U.S. would resettle 1,250 refugees held at offshore prisons on the island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Migrants attempting to enter Australia are often stopped and sent to those detention centers, so Canberra has been involved in negotiating their future. But the fate of that U.S. arrangement is now being publicly questioned in the wake of Trump's Twitter outburst, which followed a report that the president had berated Turnbull about the deal during a Jan. 28 discussion, and eventually "abruptly ended" the phone call. Following that interaction, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer had said Trump would honor the refugee deal, but the Wednesday tweet confused the arrangement. To further muddy the issue, Turnbull told local media on Thursday that Trump had assured him that the deal would go ahead as planned. A White House official told NBC News that chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Stephen Bannon had a "productive" meeting with the Australian ambassador in Washington on Thursday. In that meeting, the two top advisors "conveyed the president's deep admiration for the Australian people," the official said. Regardless of the differing accounts, experts expressed surprise at the level of public disagreement between the two close allies, and concerns over the potential fallout. The alliance Australia and the U.S. share a major trade relationshipone worth $35.3 billion in 2013as well as robust ties in a number of areas, including defense, health and technology. Trump's tweet on Wednesday represents an "erosion of trust," which is damaging for the close alliance between Washington and Canberra, said Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University. "This will surely undermine the trust the Australian government has in the confidentiality and mutual respect that is normally a part of high-level conversations with the U.S. leadership," he said. watch now Enter Beijing While nobody expects any immediate deterioration in U.S.-Australian ties, the notion of Trump backtracking on the deal could push the world's 12th-largest economy to an even closer relationship with Beijing. "Trump is unintentionally helping China in its efforts to weaken the alliance system that supports Asia's security and stability," Medcalf said. In a trend that's becoming a major theme of his presidency, Trump's heated rhetoric is hurting ties with traditional U.S. allies, such as Mexico and now Australia. That could benefit China, who's looking to increase trade flows and extend its sphere of global influence. China is already Australia's largest trading partnerthe two nations finally inked a free trade agreement in December 2015and is a key destination for commodity exports from Down Under. Australia in a tough spot This public spat is particularly challenging for the Australian government, as domestic sensitivities about refugees are running high. Canberra is very conscious of the fact that the Obama-negotiated deal clashes with Trump's own immigration policy agenda, said Lauren O'Neil, Asia Pacific senior consultant at Control Risks, but the arrangement is nevertheless non-negotiable for Australia. "It's a sensitive issue for the government, so talk of resettling [somewhere other than the U.S.] won't sit well with Canberra. The government simply has no political wiggle-room around this," O'Neil said. Human rights groups have long publicized the numerous violations relating to the treatment of refugees in the island nations' prisons, with Human Rights Watch calling Australia a partner in "refugee abuse" last October. "Mr. Turnbull needs to stop trying to appease Trump and should stop trying to do some special deal with America to hide Australia's own embarrassment about not supporting the rights of refugees," warned Andrew Scott, politics and policy professor, at Melbourne-based Deakin University. A shake up Down Under? Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meets with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in her office on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. January 4, 2017. Republicans on a Senate committee on Thursday cleared Scott Pruitt, President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency, amid the second straight day of a Democratic boycott. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-0 to send the Oklahoma attorney general to a full Senate vote. It temporarily suspended its rules to allow the vote to proceed without any Democrats present. Democrats protested Pruitt's nomination due to his doubts about humans' effect on climate change and his potential conflicts of interest with the energy companies he would regulate. He also had a major role in suing the Obama administration over its climate and environmental rules. It marked the second straight day that Senate Republicans made the unusual move to bypass a Democratic boycott of Trump's nominees. The Finance Committee also advanced Trump's nominees to lead the Treasury and Health and Human Services departments Wednesday without any Democrats present. "I believe no one is served, no environmental goal is achieved, by acting in this obstructionist way," the committee's chairman, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said in a statement Wednesday. Democrats contended the step was necessary due to what they called Pruitt's efforts to misrepresent his record. "The EPA performs a critical duty that protects Americans and saves lives. If Mr. Pruitt is serious about leading this important agency, he should be more than willing to provide straightforward answers to our fundamental questions," the committee's ranking member, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said in a statement. During his confirmation hearing last month, Pruitt said the effect of humans on climate change is "subject to more debate." Pressed on why he thinks the climate is changing, he argued that his personal opinion is "immaterial." Unless several Republicans break party ranks to vote against Pruitt, he will likely get confirmed by the full Senate. Environmental groups have contended that Pruitt would gut the EPA's ability to hold the energy industry accountable and prevent climate change. Feel like you need to take a mulligan on your Social Security strategy? More than one-third of retirees decide to claim their benefits as soon as they can, at age 62. "They feel nervous Social Security will not be there, so they take it early," said Jennifer Birchett, principal wealth advisor of True Wealth Management in Atlanta. "We try to encourage confidence that, yes, it will be there." Retirees may have good reason to be worried. The program's trust fund is projected to run out of money in 2030, meaning there won't be enough cash to pay recipients 100 percent of their benefits. Republicans, led by house speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), are proposing reforms such as raising the retirement age or capping payouts for high-income workers something President Donald Trump has yet to officially weigh in on. Still, many financial advisors, including Birchett, say claiming right away is a bad idea since you'll only get 75 percent of your monthly benefit than if you had waited. Ideally, older Americans should wait at least until they reach their full retirement age which is currently 66 in order to get the entire amount you are entitled to. Delaying your benefit even longer will mean an even bigger payout. If you're starting to feel a little remorse kicking in, there is some good news. There are ways to undo this. Malcolm Turnbull delivers his National Press Club address on February 1, 2017 in Canberra, Australia. Getty Images Australia and the US both have offshore refugee processing programs The US has a program developed by the Obama administration: People fleeing violence in Central America are being hosted in Costa Rica while their refugee applications are processed. The agreement was made after more than 100,000 Central American asylum seekers arrived in the US in 2015, a fivefold increase from just a few years prior. Those camps are expected to host about 200 pre-screened people at a time, while they await resettlement approval by the US or other countries. Australia's system is much more aggressive: they intercept boats carrying asylum seekers and ship their passengers to offshore detention facilities one in a tiny Pacific island state called Nauru, and one on an island in Papua New Guinea. Australia has said about 1,600 people are currently detained in the Pacific facilities. Conditions there are dire, and the asylum seekers including many children are essentially imprisoned until a country agrees to take them, which Australia has promised it will never do. Many have been trapped there for years. The system has attracted widespread criticism by pretty much everyone in the international community, including the United States. Australia and the US have essentially agreed to swap refugees In September 2016, Australia announced it would accept refugees from the camps in Costa Rica, without specifying a number or estimate. In November, less than a week after the election, the Obama administration said the US would take in refugees from the Australian-managed facilities in the Pacific. Is this a good deal for the US? The deal helps to solve a major problem for Australia the same can't really be said for the US. Australia's offshore detention facilities are an ongoing blight on the country's standing in the international community, particularly at the United Nations, where Francois Crepeau, the special rapporteur on migrant human rights, has called the system "cruel, inhuman, and degrading." The Australian government has blanket refused to resettle anybody from the Pacific camps in Australia, and the UN's refugee resettlement agency has insisted the facilities are illegal, refusing to co-operate with them (they're making a "one-off" exception by helping implement the US deal). This means Australia now faces the prospect of running an offshore detention program long into the foreseeable future one much of the international community says breaches international law. So the US has done Australia a big favor by stepping in. On some level, you could compare it to the US allies that have agreed to resettle American detainees from Guantanamo Bay: Not only does it help reduce the number of people detained in the facilities potentially making conditions there less awful but on a deeper level the US has legitimized the Australian system, perhaps not with an explicit stamp of approval, but by showing the offshore detention policy works. From a Trumpian perspective, the US is getting almost nothing in return for helping Australia deal with a major problem. Sad! The head of the nation's largest manufacturing union said Thursday he likes some of President Donald Trump's plans to boost jobs but is "very, very disappointed" in his nominee for Labor secretary, Andy Puzder. "It's mind-numbing that a guy [who] is going to be secretary of Labor said he'd like to be able to replace his workers with robots because they don't take a break and they don't need a rest," said Leo Gerard, president of 1.2-million-member United Steelworkers. Puzder, CEO of the restaurant group behind Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, has not yet been confirmed to head the Department of Labor. His confirmation hearings have been postponed multiple times due to delays in his ethics review and setbacks with other nominee hearings. In May, he told Business Insider that automation could work for the food industry because robots are "always polite, they always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there's never a slip-and-fall or an age, sex or race discrimination case." He was also a critic of the Obama administration's efforts to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. "He's directly different from what President Trump has been saying, and President Trump has said that he wants not only to bring back industrial manufacturing, but he wants to have higher wages," Gerard told CNBC's "Squawk Alley." "Hopefully he'll get a chance to direct his secretary of Labor to do things that will ... strengthen the ability of workers through collective bargaining to raise wages and bring about more income equality." Gerard said that after the election, the union wrote a letter to Trump saying it would give him a chance to fulfill his plans. "We said, 'If you're serious about repealing NAFTA, we're with you. If you're serious about taking on China, we're with you. If you're serious about rebuilding America's infrastructure, we're with you,'" Gerard said. "So if the president's prepared to take that on, he can consider us an ally on that, and we'll consider him an ally." Demonstrators yell slogans during protest against the travel ban imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order, at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 29, 2017. Ted Soqui | Reuters The next time you're driving from New York to Boston on I-95, you should make a little detour in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to visit the Old Slater Mill national historic landmark. It's the site of what is considered to be the first successful water-powered textile spinning mill in America. That feat was made possible by Samuel Slater, an immigrant to the US who came here at the age of 21 in 1789 from England a country with which we had just fought a long, bitter war. He had the mill going only a few years after the signing of the US Constitution, and is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution." The textile industry became a huge deal in 19th century America, kind of like the tech industry is today. And that immigrant tradition continues, especially in tech, America's most dominant and dynamic industry today. In fact, if you were drawing up a business plan for countries back in 1789, you couldn't have done better than the American founders did by, among other things, welcoming the most ambitious people from around the world to build lives here as full participants in the American experiment. For me, it is this long, deeply ingrained tradition of American immigration and the huge benefits it has paid to our country that makes President Trump's executive order restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries deeply worrisome. Yes, I understand it is supposedly meant to buy time to develop a better system to block terrorists from entering our nation. Yes, I understand that our government has clamped down on immigration from time to time in the past, sometimes shamefully excluding specific peoples, like the Chinese. More from The Verge: Samsung's Note 7 apology was full, humble, and nerdy SpaceX won't attempt a landing after its next launch Instagram is one of the last online escapes in the Trump era But the Trump action carries with it the unmistakable scent of nativism, the idea that immigration is a bad idea. And that is just un-American, and bad for innovation to boot. That isn't to say that refugees fleeing horrors in Syria or elsewhere and seeking asylum must be computer programmers or biochemists to be admitted. We should admit as many as we can, after proper vetting, simply because they are refugees. That's reason enough. It will forever be a stain on our history that we turned away some Jewish refugees fleeing Hitler. The same goes for average immigrants who aren't refugees, but are simply seeking economic opportunity. Not all are Samuel Slaters. Like native-born Americans, only a few will change the world. But you never know which foreign-born barista putting herself through school might one day build a great business or invent a great product. Just by pulling up roots in another country and coming here, she's already shown grit, ambition, and a strong work ethic. Immigrant Ingenuity We are able to build products for everyone because we attract talent from around the world. The immigrants who did important, world-changing things did them here because this country welcomed them when others shunned them, or weren't as open. And the tech industry, America's most famous worldwide, is a prime example. Our lives and our culture have been significantly changed and improved by hardware, software, and services developed by immigrants. Who co-founded Google? Sergey Brin, a Russian-born Jew whose family fled anti-semitism in the Soviet Union to settle here and who considers himself a refugee. Brin showed up at the San Francisco airport to protest the Trump order. Who runs Google today? Sundar Pichai, a man born and raised in India but who received his advanced education here. I asked Pichai, who has spoken out against the Trump order, about American immigration more broadly. "In Silicon Valley, being an immigrant doesn't matter," he replied via email. "It's the ideas that matter. We are able to build products for everyone because we attract talent from around the world. Immigration is a strength for this industry and our country it's one of our defining characteristics." Exactly. And it's not just Google. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was born in South Africa. Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang was born in Taiwan. Oracle CEO Safra Catz was born in Israel. And Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, like Google's Pichai, was born and raised in India. In remarks this week during a Q&A with Microsoft employees, Nadella said, "It is the enlightened immigration policy of this country that even made it possible for me to come here in the first place, and gave me all this opportunity. And so I always think about that. I will always advocate for that America that I know and that I've experienced." The Giants Perhaps the greatest technology icon of our time, the man responsible for so many tech innovations, the late Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, was the biological son of a Syrian immigrant. And one of Jobs' mentors, a seminal figure in Silicon Valley, was the late Andy Grove, one of the three creators of Intel, whose processors are in nearly every desktop and laptop computer today. Mr. Grove was a Hungarian whose family fled Communist repression. As he once wrote: "By the time I was twenty, I had lived through a Hungarian Fascist dictatorship, German military occupation, the Nazis' "Final Solution," the siege of Budapest by the Soviet Red Army, a period of chaotic democracy in the years immediately after the war, a variety of repressive Communist regimes, and a popular uprising that was put down at gunpoint [where] many young people were killed; countless others were interned. Some two hundred thousand Hungarians escaped to the West. I was one of them." Rank and file, too And it isn't just so many of the famous CEOs of tech who were immigrants. In my 25 years of covering the industry, it's become routine to encounter product managers, engineers, and startup founders from Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel, Britain, France, and so many other countries. Just two well-known examples. The chief designer of your Apple iPhone, iPad, and Mac? It's Jonathan Ive, native of the United Kingdom. The new head of virtual reality at Facebook and former senior Android team member at Google? That would be Hugo Barra, native of Brazil. A little skepticism Of course, like every other government policy, immigration laws can be abused. I wouldn't bet my life that every single H-1B visa issued to the tech industry fully meets its intended purpose of allowing in skilled foreign workers for specialty jobs only after failing to find an American worker for the slot. And there certainly are some tech jobs US companies base abroad that could be filled with native-born labor at home. What's more, a strong belief in immigration doesn't relieve us of our responsibility for better education and training for US workers so they can do all those "specialty" jobs and many others and few H-1B visas will be needed. Bottom line [This livestream has ended.] Former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson publicly addressed the State Department on Thursday morning for the first time as secretary of State. He received Senate confirmation Wednesday. The vote, largely along party lines, was the closest it has been in at least 50 years. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. White House spokesman Sean Spicer takes questions during his press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, January 30, 2017. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters OWEGO, N.Y. The U.S. Navy has awarded the Owego plant of Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) nearly $66 million in contracts for radar kits and helicopter avionics systems. The Owego location will handle the work on the contracts, which will continue through 2020, the office of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (DN.Y.) said in a news release issued Tuesday. The work will focus on the manufacture and delivery of automatic radar periscope detection and discrimination (ARPDD) multi-mode radar kits to upgrade the MH-60R fleet aircraft and for the integration of advanced off-board electronic warfare active mission payload in MH-60R/S aircrafts avionics operating program, per Schumers news release. These contracts are big wins for Lockheed Martin and its workers at the Owego facility where these essential helicopters are made, Schumer said in the release. I applaud the Navys investment in Lockheed Martin, which confirms what we already knew: Lockheed Martin is a first-class defense firm doing incredible work across the state. Schumer now serves as the minority leader in the U.S. Senate. Lockheed Martin, a global security and aerospace company, employs about 2,500 people at its rotary and mission systems facility in Owego, per Schumers release. The Bethesda, Marylandbased defense contractor focuses on the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Navy awarded these contracts just a few weeks after it awarded the Salina plant of Lockheed Martin a contract for the development and production of the advanced off-board electronic warfare (AOEW) active mission payload (AMP) AN/ALQ-248 system. Thats a self-contained, electronic warfare pod hosted by an MH-60R/S helicopter that will provide the Navy advanced anti-ship missile detection and response capabilities. Employees in Owego will integrate this system onto the helicopters, per Schumers office. About the helicopter The U.S. Navy uses the MH-60R SEAHAWK helicopter as a primary platform for anti-submarine warfare in open ocean and littoral zones. The helicopter is the worlds most advanced maritime helicopter, the company contends. It can operate from the shore and from a variety of ships. Also, known as the Romeo, the MH-60R combines the capabilities of the Navys legacy SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters into a single, sensor-rich platform that a three-person crew operates. The Navy can also use the MH-60R for search and rescue, supply delivery, medical evacuation, and communications relay. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com SYRACUSE, N.Y. Charlotte (Chuckie) Holstein has announced she will retire as executive director of F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse, effective April 28, after nearly 20 years of leadership. F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse, co-founded by Holstein and Judith Mower in 1997, is a citizen-driven organization that enables citizens, organizations, and government to work together to enhance the quality of life and economic future of Central New York. F.O.C.U.S. citizen working groups have developed strategic action plans that have fostered positive change in the arts, in our trails and waterways, for regional development and transportation, for health care, and more, the organization said in a news release. F.O.C.U.S. also hosts educational programs throughout the year to inform citizens about government and other community issues. These include monthly F.O.C.U.S. forums and The Citizens Academy, held in partnership with University College of Syracuse University. It is with regret, understanding and our highest regard that we have accepted Chuckies letter of resignation, Don Radke, president of the F.O.C.U.S. board of directors, said in the release. F.O.C.U.S. is just one of Holsteins numerous civic accomplishments. She is a member of the board of trustees of the Lawyers Fund for Client Protection of the State of New York. She was also a founder of Leadership Greater Syracuse and Youth Leadership Greater Syracuse, the Syracuse Commission for Women, Meals on Wheels, and the City/County Office on Aging. Holstein also served as chair of the board at Loretto for 13 years and spearheaded development of The Nottingham, the first retirement community in the state, per the release. Holstein has received many local, state, and national awards for citizen trusteeship and two honorary doctoral degrees. I am stepping down as F.O.C.U.S. executive director after almost 20 years. It is time to pass F.O.C.U.S. important work on to a new leader and, at the age of 91, I look forward to spending time on my other national and global interests, Holstein said in a statement. F.O.C.U.S. is in good hands with strong and committed leadership. I leave the organization on solid ground. Citizen centered citizen engagement has been a hard concept to convey and is sometimes challenging to those who embrace it. So I give a hearty thanks to so many for the understanding and support of citizen trusteeship and its role in a democratic society, and for being part of the base upon which we have been able to build. F.O.C.U.S. has begun a search for a new executive director. Holstein has agreed to be available to the new executive director to ensure a smooth transition, the release stated. More information on the search process and applicant information can be found on the F.O.C.U.S. website at:http://www.focussyracuse.org/execdirectorposition/ Contact the Business Journal News Network at news@cnybj.com Photo credit: encore.org Mizzou extends Eli Drinkwitz's contract through 2027 The University of Missouri announced, two hours before its home game with Kentucky, that it has extended Drinkwitz's contract through 2027 These days, we're all living in a Material world. Don't worry: I'm not about to get all Madonna on you. I'm talking about Material with a capital "M" -- the name of Google's multiplatform design standard and a term increasingly representative of the Android experience. Material Design, after all, is the set of principles that guides how your Android devices look and work (as far as what's actually on the screen -- which is arguably the most important part of the equation). It extends not only throughout the entire operating system but also throughout the entire ecosystem. It affects more and more non-Android entities all the time, too -- everything from Chrome OS to Google's universal web apps and a variety of other sites and software. It only makes sense, then, that one of the best podcasts about Android and the broader Google universe would use "Material" in its name. I'm talking about the Material Podcast -- and hang onto your hats, gang, 'cause for this month's How I Use Android profile, we have the pleasure of getting to know one of the show's outstanding hosts. Her name is Yasmine Evjen (that's "ev-YEN," for the uninitiated -- as you'd know if you ever listened to her show, you slacker). Each week, Yasmine and her co-hosts -- PocketCasts developer Russell Ivanovic and Chicago Sun-Times tech columnist Andy Ihnatko -- chat about all the latest goings-on in the Google world. For Evjen, the notion of Material extends far beyond the weekly podcast. Her other job, you see, is being a UX (user experience) designer and product manager. She works at an agency in Arizona and helps everyone from startups to long-established businesses build apps for both Android and iOS as well as for the web. So, yeah: The illustrious Ms. E knows her stuff, to put it mildly -- and she isn't afraid to share her exceptionally well-grounded thoughts. I don't know about you, but that makes me curious about how she sets up her own devices and makes the most of Android in her own personal life. Let's get some answers, shall we? In her own words, this is how Yasmine Evjen uses Android. The basics Your current primary phone: Im carrying a "Quite Black" Pixel. At first impressions, the phone isnt anything to write home about. They played it safe with the design and nothing screams "You need to have this!" But once you see what the camera can do, youll never want to put it down. Google has finally delivered a solid device with sound software and hardware that can keep up. Captured this picture on the Pixel: Yasmine Evjen What case is on your phone (if any): I ordered a Photos Live Case by Google. The case is slim and the ability to upload any photo means you have endless designs to choose from. I commissioned my friend Daniel Farrelly to illustrate a case for me with Yasdroids, cacti, and Android treats. I love it. Your current tablet (if any): I bought an iPad Air a couple of years ago, and we received a Nexus 9 as a gift from Google I/O in 2015. Both of those tablets get a lot of love from our daughter, and I havent found a need to upgrade. Your current smartwatch (if any): Still using the first-generation Asus ZenWatch. Its so big, everyone jokes that its a tablet on my wrist. It was the first watch to have rose gold accents and go beyond the black brick design. I havent updated throughout the years because there hasnt been much of an incentive. Although the new watches improved in style, they still were too large. Im crossing my fingers for the rumored Google watches that are coming out early February. Please let them have Android Pay, please! What face you're using on your watch right now: I keep on shuffling through ustwo's watch faces. Theyre the same studio behind Monument Valley and their collection of Android Wear watch faces is lovely. Theyve reimagined time and found ways to integrate your appointments and weather into it. I have a feeling their Bits complications watch face will be popular with the release of Android Wear 2.0. The home screen A quick walk-through of your phone's home screen setup: Last year, I got a lot of heat for my folder addiction. Every app was neatly organized into folders that let me get to what I needed with one tap and a few swipes. When I received the Pixel, I took a different approach. I kept the most-used apps as well as the apps I needed to quickly access as icons on the home screen. That includes communications apps like Slack, Hangouts (SMS), and Twitter as well as productivity apps like Inbox, Calendar, Keep, and Todoist -- plus the staples like the Phone and Chrome apps. Yasmine Evjen People will be proud that Ive replaced my Camera app with the Photos app, since I can quickly access the camera by pressing the power button twice. I still have a few folders that hold apps for controlling my home and media as well as apps used for work and social media access. Last but not least, I have three widgets at the top that control the Philips Hue lights in my house. Everything else is accessed via the app drawer. What launcher you're using: Ive always been a fan of Action Launcher. Chris Lacy is doing really neat things in that arena. Action Launcher lets you access widgets by swiping up on an icon, making it really easy to get things done. When I bought the Pixel, I wanted to give the stock Pixel Launcher a chance, and now I really like it. I still miss some of the advanced features, but the Pixel Launcher is simple and beautiful to look at. What wallpaper you're using: Currently have "Powder, Misty Green" from the "New Elements" collection inside Googles Wallpapers app. Wallpapers might have been one of my favorite releases that came with the Pixel. It's superb. You need to check out the "Live Earth" series. Some favorites are "Your World, Solar System" and "Horizon." "Your World, Solar System" is Google Earths view from space based on your location, with real-time clouds. Its fun to see the city lights start to turn on in the east and slowly make their way to the west. "Horizon" is a battery level indicator. The sun starts to rise as your phone charges and lowers as the battery is used. Anything else of note (interesting customizations, special icons, etc): Before the Pixel, my favorite icon pack was Iride UI. The icon pack solved the inconsistent icon size issue while still respecting the original icon design. It created a unified home screen, and I loved it. When I got the Pixel, I wanted to see how apps were handling the new round icons. The round icons are growing on me, but I wish people would stop putting their old icons on a white plate. Yes, Google Music: Im looking at you. Now non-round icons are hard for me to look at. Android apps, please update your icon to a circle. Roman Nurik even created a tool to help you generate an icon. The experience and the apps What's one of your favorite Android-related tips or tricks? Ever find yourself needing to edit a character in a line of text? But you dont want to delete the entire word? Fear not, Android* user: I have a product for you! Introducing the incredible power of slide on Gboards space bar. Slide left, slide right, move that cursor, fix that typo, and get on your way. *Android not required, but recommended. In the Pixel Launcher, if you start searching for an app within the app drawer and you dont have it installed, tap "Search for more apps." It will automatically send that search into the Play Store, making it easy to install a missing app. Beyond the obvious stock Google programs, a few apps you can't live without right now (and a quick word about why): Twitter helps me stay connected and up to date on what is happening around me. Our world is shifting so fast, and Moments and Highlights help me get caught up. Slack is another app I check in with daily. Its how I coordinate with the Material Podcast hosts and other groups. If youre a mobile app designer or developer, you need Skala View in your workbench. It works with the companion Mac app Skala Preview to help you see a preview of your design in real-time. Its a quick and simple tool that helps you see how a design looks and feels on a mobile device before you jump into a robust prototyping tool. Check out more Android expert profiles below or in the official Google+ collection -- and stay tuned for even more entries in the weeks to come! Icons in title image courtesy of Freepik at flaticon.com. Microsoft today asked the U.S. government to create a mechanism for granting exemptions to last week's executive order on immigration that would meet "the pressing needs of real people," including scores of company employees and their families. In the letter to the heads of the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security, Brad Smith, Microsoft's chief legal officer, asked for exemptions that would apply to people with non-immigrant work visas, student visas or family members. The exceptions would let them come to and go from the U.S. for business trips and family emergencies, those trips not to exceed two weeks. The executive order, which was signed Jan. 27 by President Trump -- and that created chaos at airports when some travelers were unexpectedly detained -- included provisions for an exemption process, Smith noted. "We therefore believe that the process we are proposing here is not only consistent with the Executive Order, but was contemplated by it," he wrote in the letter. In the letter and in a Thursday post to a company blog, Smith described the particulars in Microsoft's instance. "We have seen these needs first-hand through some of our 76 employees who are impacted by last week's order and, together with their 41 dependents, have nonimmigrant visas to live in the United States," Smith wrote. Some have "pressing needs," asserted Smith, including families with one or more parents stranded outside the borders who "therefore cannot re-enter the country." In another case, a worker has been unable to leave the U.S. to visit a "critically-ill parent" for fear she or he would not be allowed back in. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] Those people, Smith argued, "do not present the types of safety and security risks described by the Executive Order," because they were vetted earlier and the government already has copious data on them. Those for whom exemptions would be given "are not people trying to avoid detection," said Smith. "Rather, these individuals are 'known quantities' in their communities." Smith said that Microsoft expanded its request to include those with student visas because they "have placed a bet on our country's higher education system" and are "among the promising young minds of the next generation." Microsoft, like other technology companies, relies heavily on recent college graduates to staff its workforce. The letter and Microsoft's request were separate from other initiatives the company has launched or joined related to Trump's immigration order. "We recognize that this proposal will not and should not end the broader debate and deliberations regarding last week's executive order," Smith said. "Our company is one among many that has expressed its views, and we will continue to participate energetically and constructively in the public discussions that help define our democratic processes." Microsoft, for example, is one of several tech firms -- others include Amazon, Alphabet, Apple and Facebook -- that are reportedly drafting a letter to Trump spelling out their objections to and concerns over the travel ban. A preview of the letter was forwarded to some media outlets, including Recode. "We are concerned ... that your recent executive order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our country's success," the letter said. Other companies have taken their complaints to court, notably Amazon and Expedia, which filed supporting declarations in a Washington State lawsuit brought by its attorney general. Neither the Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security responded to requests for comment on Microsoft's request. A video still from the production of "Georgia O'Keefe Paints Paradise." Sarah KinneyCourtesy A video still from the production of "Georgia O'Keefe Paints Paradise." Sarah KinneyCourtesy Mary Armstrong (left) stands behind music director and composer William Ogmundson during a rehearsal of Georgia OKeefe Paints Paradise. Courtesy of Alchemists Workshop Mary Armstrong (left) and Rose Kosciuszek as Patricia star in the original musical Georgia OKeefe Paints Paradise. Courtesy of Alchemists Workshop Mary Armstrong (right) and Rose Kosciuszek rehearse a scene from the original musical Georgia OKeefe Paints Paradise. Courtesy of the Alchemists Workshop The Alchemists Workshop will help the Center for the Arts in New London kick off its Winter Performing Arts Series. On Saturday at 7 p.m., the theater company will bring its traveling show, Georgia OKeeffe Paints Paradise, to Whipple Hall. The original musical, written by Tom Dunn of Henniker and composed by New Londons own Will Ogmundson, tells the story of OKeeffes trip to Hawaii at the request of the Dole Pineapple Company. At that time, World War II is on the horizon and planes cross the skies overhead. Dole was hoping OKeeffe could do for the pineapple what she had done with flowers. However, she had little success with pineapples and struggled to get along with her hosts on the island. She then met Patricia Jennings, the 12-year-old daughter of a Dole plantation manager. The two developed a bond and wrote many letters to each other until OKeeffes death. Jennings would later publish a collection of OKeeffes letters. The chamber musical has just two actresses. Veteran performer Mary Armstrong of Harrisville plays OKeeffe. Rose Kosciuszek of Weare, a sixth-grade student, plays Patricia. This is the seventh collaboration between Dunn and Ogmundson. Dunn was inspired to create the show after reading a review of Jenningss book. I had commissioned and produced a one-woman play about Georgia 20 years ago in D.C. that starred Kathleen Chalfant, Dunn said. When I began working with Will Ogmundson, I had an idea that she might make an interesting character in the kind of witty-combined-with-emotional musical that he is a genius at writing. The book, and the idea of the young guide, and their letters back and forth was the trigger for our two-person chamber musical. Ogmundson was nominated for best musical director of a professional show at the New Hampshire Theatre Awards last month. In 2016, Armstrong won the N.H. Theatre Awards prize for best actress in her role as Grandmother in another Alchemists Workshop production, Lessons. The show has been crisscrossing New Hampshire since it opened over the fall, playing in more than 10 communities. Every one of the 20 some performances weve done has been an absolute pleasure to do, Dunn said. Each audience and each performance space is different which challenges us to keep the production fresh so every time we perform it, it is like opening night again. Georgia OKeeffe Paints Paradise has been invited to perform at the Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York City in July. Tickets for the show in New London will will be $12 for adults and $6 for students in advance and $14 and $7 at the door. They can be purchased online at centerfortheartsnh.org or at the Morgan Hill Bookstore or Tatewell Gallery in New London. The Winter Performing Arts Series will continue with the North Country Chordsmen on Feb. 25, Petreflections Live on March 4, and a show by the Kearsarge Conservatory for the Performing Arts on March 18. For more information or tickets, visit centerfortheartsnh.org. Cllr Stewart Miller is Leader of the Conservative Group on East Renfrewshire Council. I was born and raised on our family farm on the south side of Glasgow. In fact, ours is the first farm outside the City of Glasgow, albeit we are in the County of Renfrewshire and in the local Government Council area of East Renfrewshire. Traditionally, we were a very Conservative area with our constituency returning Conservative Members of Parliament for many years until 1997 when a relatively unknown Labour MP was elected. Unfortunately, Jim Murphy held onto the seat and, indeed, enhanced his majority until the Scottish Labour crash of 2015. But as the old saying goes be very careful what you wish for as you might just get it. We Conservatives were always wishing Murphy would be beaten at the polls but unfortunately, it wasnt the Conservatives who put him out, but the SNP. Although I worked on our local Community Council with the woman who became our MP, I never thought she would make an outstanding representative for our local area as she only moved into the area a few years prior to the election. I was very informally asked if I would consider standing for Westminster but the reason I came into politics was to try and help local people who, essentially, are my neighbours and my friends and you can do far more to help people as a councillor than you can as an MP or MSP. In December 2006, our local Westminster candidate approached me to ask about standing for the Council on behalf of the Conservative Party. As my father had been an independent Councillor I had some idea of the work involved and the rewards the position brings as far as helping the local community is concerned. But the first thing I had to do was to become a member of the Party. It has to be remembered that at that time, 2006/07, admitting you were a Conservative in Scotland wasnt the smartest career move as we were being called various unpleasant names, amongst which the Toxic Tories was perhaps one of the more printable ones. We did manage to achieve seven Councillors in our small Council of twenty, but the Labour, Nationalists, Lib Dems and the Independents all joined together to form the administration. Our Leader at the time, Cllr Jim Swift, was very vocal in his condemnation of many of the administrations decisions. However, by the time the next local elections came round in 2012, despite thinking we had a good story to tell, we were reduced to six Councillors to serve for the next five years under the leadership of Cllr Gordon Wallace. Cllr Wallace resigned due to work commitments after three years and was replaced by Cllr Gordon McCaskill. Unfortunately, Cllr McCaskills tenure only lasted ten months and as I had agreed to be his deputy, it was left to me to step up to the plate. Even for a small authority like East Renfrewshire Council, policies that are relevant in one part of the authority might have no resonance in another part, as we have two distinct parts to the authority area. Also, last September, the Scottish Government decreed that our Council should have our councillor numbers cut by ten per cent, although our population has risen by three per cent in the last few years and is projected to rise by ten per cent over the next ten years. But the SNP Government is not noted for taking too many sensible decisions. So now we are facing another local election in May. The most obvious national priority we Conservatives are totally against, is a second referendum, or as it is now called, a neverendum. The Scottish people were asked a once in a generation question in 2014, and the Scottish people gave them their answer. Here in East Renfrewshire, we had the highest turnout at 90.4 per cent, and the second highest mainland figure of over 63 per cent in favour of staying with our friends within the United Kingdom. We have a fantastic Conservative Leader in Ruth Davidson and she is also an asset locally Im sure she will visit our Constituency to help. A few years ago, David Cameron visited a couple of families in my ward and was very well received. I am quite sure that Council Tax will be in issue on doorsteps when the bills drop through the doors; the Scottish Government has decreed that houses in bands E to H should all face rises of between 7.5 per cent and 22.5 per cent and then councils have the option of adding an EXTRA three per cent on top. This is because the SNP have had a Council Tax freeze for the past ten years and councils are finding it increasingly difficult to find any further savings. I find it strange that when its Labour or SNP reducing costs, its always savings, whereas when it is Conservatives doing exactly the same, its Tory cuts. Holyrood have also embarked on a major house building programme but it appears it is small councils like ours that are having to build a disproportionate amount of these new houses. The Labour / SNP administration have a record of destroying local public parks and beauty spots and local people just dont like it. All these things will be brought to local peoples attention, but the major thing that has been rumbling for the past two years and has come to a head last month is the last Council-run Care Home is being sold off to the private sector. Now youd think we Conservatives would be very pleased at this but quite the reverse is true. Cllr Jim Swift and myself have worked out a rescue package for the Care Home where, with a few minor adjustments, it could be a money spinner for the community. Labour and SNP both rubbished our figures and passed the sale at Council last month. But we have now heard that the prospective purchaser has withdrawn and the reason is they had very little political support and quite a vociferous local opposition which, I have to admit, I was keen to foment. I have given the local community, and the staff, and the residents, a firm commitment that if we Conservatives have any influence after the election, we will do everything we can to stop the sale. We are fielding nine candidates of which I fully expect a minimum of six to be elected but with a fair wind and a lot of work, all nine have a realistic chance of success But we do need a lot of luck Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster. His most recent book is What Next: How to Get the Best from Brexit. I had one of those glorious, time-stopping experiences over the weekend, listening to Simon Russell Beale reciting Prosperos Ye elves of hills speech. Shakespeares verses can be, in the exact sense, enchanting. Even his most incidental lines seem to fill the speakers mouth with power. The sorcery of Prosperos soliloquy lies in its music, not in its meaning: a succession of exquisite mind-pictures crash onto the listener like waves. A skilled actor can, with such a monologue, transport his audience to a higher, more aethereal place. And, for my money, theres no more skilled Shakespearean actor at present than Beale, whom I follow from role to role like an awe-struck groupie. I have to be discreet when doing it, though. Theatres are not friendly places for Leave campaigners at present. I wont tell you where I watched that speech, but I had to keep out of the way of more than one prominent audience member lest I provoke a reaction that would spoil their evening. Dont think Im complaining. There has never been a better place to see Shakespeare indeed, plays in general than contemporary London. A soft-Left attitude in the stalls and on the stage is a trivial price to pay. Even the slight risk of being harangued, Pence-like, is worth it. Incidentally, I still smile at the idea of performers presuming to lecture Mike Pence on the US Constitution as if he were unfamiliar with it. The Vice-President, a decent and modest man, has summarised the role of the Presidency, and the implicit flaws of its current occupant, far more eloquently than most of his detractors: Its powers are vast and consequential, its requirements from the outset and by definition impossible for mortals to fulfil without humility and insistent attention to its purpose as set forth in the Constitution of the United States. Beautifully put, Mike. But Im getting side-tracked. My point is that Right-wing theatre-goers need to learn to be inconspicuous. When I ran into a Tory peer during the interval of Book of Mormon a couple of weeks ago, we exchanged greetings furtively, as I imagine gay men might have done in the 1950s. Even Sir Tom Stoppard, the greatest living playwright, the only foreigner to have been performed at the Comedie-Francaise, cant admit to having voted Tory. (I infer his conservatism from his plays: other Tories familiar with his oeuvre will also have spotted the tells.) To repeat, Im not moaning about any of this. Actors have always leaned Left, and there is little evidence that we listen to them on subjects other than acting. It would be unusually silly to take our opinions from people who earn their living by reciting things that they dont really mean. What we want from them, rather, are their wonderful performances. All Im saying is that conservatives have had to learn to function within a public culture that is hostile to their values. If you look at the bookshelves in a Tory house, youll see lots of books by Leftist authors. This is not because Conservatives are unusually broad-minded; its because they have few other options. The reverse, though, is not true. If youre on the Left, its relatively easy to avoid opposed opinions. This is clearest when we move away from news and current affairs into the broader culture. Watch a consumer affairs programme and the premise will almost certainly be that wicked corporations are defrauding innocent customers. Tune into a soap opera, and youll have endless plotlines about people overcoming homophobia or anti-immigrant prejudice; but its hard to imagine an episode of Eastenders about a market trader being over-regulated, or an Archers story that touched on the iniquities of the CAP. Go to Glastonbury and guess what sort of slogans will be chanted on stage. Listen to comedy and oh, you get the picture. A ConservativeHome reader, in other words, will necessarily have a rough sense of what makes the other side tick. A LabourList reader, by contrast, will have to make more of an effort to seek out opposed opinions. Is there a way to measure this divergence empirically? As a matter of fact, there is. Suppose you presented a large sample of the population with a wide-ranging political questionnaire, and asked them to fill it in with their genuine opinions, and then as they imagine that a typical Left- or Right-winger would. Which side would be better at identifying itself with opponents? Precisely such a test has been carried out by experimental psychologists and, sure enough, Rightists have a much better feel for what the other side thinks than Leftists have. This, Jonathan Haidt argues, is largely because the desire to stand up for the underdog, which is the chief motivator of Leftists, is shared by almost all human beings; whereas alternative conservative vectors that stress loyalty, sanctity and so on are alien to many on the Left. (I am necessarily summarising a much more complex and subtle thesis; do buy his book.) Dont pretend to be surprised. You experience the same thing online every day. All Tories, you will have been told, hate poor people and love big multinationals and blah blah fishcakes. You will have witnessed the unfeigned rage of the other side when someone steps out of line. Kate Bush likes Theresa May? Burn her albums! The BBC tried to be neutral during the Brexit referendum? Shame on it! A couple of days ago, I tweeted, Has any major novel since A Town like Alice uncomplicatedly and unobtrusively celebrated wealth-creation? This prompted an immediate snarl from the Observer columnist Nick Cohen: Novelists must reflect my ideology the political correctness of the right. Eh? I dont want to pick on Nick Cohen; its just he likes to pose a uniquely untribal Leftie. Im pretty sure that, in his own mind, hes a contemporary Orwell, confronting other Lefties with their contradictions. Yet even he presents the most risible parodies of what his opponents are meant to think. In a recent column, he moaned that Johnson, Gove, Hannan and all the rest of them who insisted that Brexit was not about immigration and race now talk as if immigration and race are all that should concern us. Seriously? Race? In politics, indeed in life, we are all prone to exaggerate the views of our opponents. Conservatives have no claim to superior objectivity. But we do have one advantage. Every time we go to the theatre, every time we switch on a TV, we sharpen our sense of perspective. James Frayne is Director of communications agency Public First and author of Meet the People, a guide to moving public opinion. The focus of this column is Theresa Mays conservatism for ordinary working people. Its rare for politicians and policymakers to think about the public first. Even in areas like health, education or transport, where services are theoretically designed to serve the needs and desires of the public, ordinary people come below apparently more important policy priorities. And so it is we find GP surgeries open almost entirely when most people are working; schools with hugely long summer holidays that require parents to find expensive childcare; and a transport system that prioritises rail over roads, even though vastly more people drive. Of course politicians must think about issues like doctor and teacher retention; but the fact remains that meetings in Westminster and Whitehall rarely begin with the question: what do the public want? In many ways, the mass politicisation of the civil service would be a good thing. At least those that chase votes care about what people think. This dislocation of politicians and policymakers has been highlighted this week with the revelation that London and other cities across the country are considering the introduction of new charges on diesel cars. The Government ought to come out strongly against this. We hear these charges will be introduced in the name of improving air quality. Diesel cars contribute to the amount of particulates and Nitrogen Dioxide in the air that cause dangerous air pollution. Fair enough, you might think. But just a few years ago politicians were actively encouraging drivers to switch to diesel to cut carbon dioxide emissions all to help alleviate climate change. Politicians are in the process of executing a 180 degree change in policy in a few years. Its wrong to treat people in this way. You cant encourage people to take what are described as virtuous acts, only to punish them later financially. And such a move surely risks hurting people that rely heavily on their vehicles for their work self-employed people that drive vans and effectively run their businesses from them. These are people that have endured a difficult recession and slow recovery. Hitting them for more cash each week will cause them financial pain at a bad time. Its the wrong thing to do in principle, will hurt ordinary people and will also further undermine the green movement. Over the course of the last decade, politicians and civil servants seem to have taken every chance they can to raise (or threaten) charges in the name of environmental protection. Theres more than a risk that people think green causes are a political ruse to make them pay more in tax. This will make it impossible for the green movement to go mainstream. There is a very strong case for Governments to get people off diesel and indeed to encourage electric vehicle and greater public transport use. Our cities would be cleaner and better. But politicians have to think about the lives of ordinary people as they make policy. They need to understand the financial demands of everyday life and also the need for people to save for the future. Nobody should be expected to make massive financial decisions like changing their car with anything less than several years notice. Everyday we lather on different lotions and potions to enhance our outer beauty, which can directly impact how we feel on the inside. A good hair day can instantly boost your confidence, am I right or am I right? I love finding and sharing with all of you the different beauty products I discover along the way, which is why Im so excited to finally spill a recent favoriteKerastases Aura Botanica line of natural origin hair care. Last Fall I hopped on a plane to Paris and Morocco to meet with the Kerastase team along with three other amazing womenMarie-laure Daillut, Yoshiko Kriss-Webb and Jamie Beckto experience the product firsthand while getting a full education on all the ingredients. Here is that adventure. After meeting up with the group in Paris we touched down in Agadir, Moroccoa coastal gem. We checked into our riad, which was full of that mysteriously chic charm, and headed off to the salon for our Aura Botanica treatment and blow out. The treatment itself felt like the greatest luxury. It started with a scalp massage and hand massage using the Concentre Essentiel, which is 99% natural and packed with amazing ingredients like Moroccan Argan oil, avocado oil, Samoan Coconut oil and Sweet Orange Essential Oil. Its basically nutrition for your hair and you can use as little or as much as you want. During our trip I ended up lathering it on after the bath and before slipping into bed. The combination of coconut and Argan oil feels luxurious and incredibly soothing. Today if I close my eyes and smell this bottle of oil it immediately transports me to Morocco and this experience, the smell is so good. Not to mention the ritual is utterly relaxing. After going through the whole regime and blow dry I couldnt believe how soft and clean my hair felt. The texture was silky and smooth and overall completely weightless. The next day we drove into the Atlas Mountains to met with the co-op of Berber women who produce the Argan oil used in Aura Botanica. This was easily an experience of a lifetime. We received the warmest welcome by the women who were proud and passionate about sharing their story with us. Getting to immerse ourselves in their culture and experience their daily life was something I will hold close to me for the rest of my life. This co-op has enabled a group of Berber women to further their education, earn their own money and gain their independence. Kerastase sources socially responsible ingredients, something I love about the brand. Aura Botanicas two main ingredients of Argan oil and coconut oil are both sourced by women run co-ops, so you can not only look beautiful but feel good about using it. We were greeted with open arms and endless amounts of Moroccan mint tea. After sitting down with some of the women we received a full tour of the co-op and demonstrations on each step to producing Argan oilfrom the nut to the concentrated oil. We got a firsthand look at each phasefrom gathering the nuts, drying them, stripping the skin, cracking open the hard shells, pressing the soft centers and straining the oiland the different techniques/advances they have made in production. It was fascinating to watch but the best part was at the end of the day the women all sang and danced for us. I got to try my hand at cracking open the argan nut, its not so easy! Our journey ended back in Paris where we visited the LOreal labs where Aura Botanica was created. They demonstrated the different tests they perform on hair samples (different textures, shine etc.) and explained the whole process of perfecting the formula for each product and the hurdles of using natural ingredients. It was amazing to see the amount of research testing and time that went into the Aura Botanica to make it perfect. Lastly they let us suit up and mix our very own bottle of Concentre Essentiel. The whole experience was something I will never forget. I look at beauty in a new way now and will always consider not only the quality of the product but the quality of sourcing and its ingredients. Im so excited to share this newfound favorite with all of you! Check out the video of our trip! Its an amazing look into the product line and the amazing adventure we took together. Close An Ontario-based family was denied of their residency due to one of the family member's down syndrome. It was mentioned that Felipe Montoya and his family were not granted permanent residency because of his son's (Nico) mental health condition. Felipe's son, Nico was born with Down Syndrome, which caused him and his family their residency. It was mentioned that the Canadian government denied Mr. Moya's plea to apply for residency because his son's condition can potentially be a burden for the country's health care. A letter that was sent to Mr. Moya mentioned that his son's down syndrome cost too much as it exceeds the average Canadian's budget for health care provisions. His 13-year-old son is said to have a mental capacity of a three-year-old child, stating that he needs to go to a special education school, which costs higher than regular schools as reported in National Post. "I have determined that your family member Nicolas Montoya is a person whose health condition might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on social services in Canada," reads a letter sent to Montoya. "An excessive demand is a demand for which the anticipated costs exceed the average Canadian per capita health and social services costs, which is currently set at $6,387." The Star mentioned that Filipe Moya, who is an Ontario university professor applied for permeant residency, which was declined by the Canadian government. Moya then questions his denial stating that his child is capable of attending regular school as he does not also believe that his total expenses would reach the sum of $20,000 to $25,000 a year. Toronto immigration lawyer Henry Chang stated that Moya's case isn't isolated as hundreds of immigrants goes through the same burden each year. He also added that immigration lawyers involving family members with chronic diseases are awfully tight. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close In a meeting with executives of drug companies, US President Donald Trump is pushing to lower the cost of medicine. He also pledges that his government will speed up process of approval for new drugs. Trump complimented the multinational companies saying that they have done a terrific job over the years. However, they have no choice but to bring down the prices of the medicines for Medicare and Medicaid reasons. The president also wants the manufacturing operations of the drug companies to go back to the United States. Trump promised that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will cut regulations and speed up the process. He considers it disgraceful that drug companies should spend an average of $2 billion to develop a drug and wait for 15 years to get an approval. According to The Washington Times, drug companies were already warned with their pricing in the US even before Trump took office as president. Present in the meeting are CEOs of Amgen, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Novartis. The head of the trade group PhRMA was also included. Ari Friedman and Janet Weiner of the University of Pennsylvania points out why it is difficult to bring down price of medicines. Some pharmaceutical companies implement across the board mark ups even for those classified as not very effective drugs. There is also a dramatic price increases for generic drugs that were formerly inexpensive. Friedman and Weiner noted that no drug company wants to go through the long process in FDA for getting a permit to manufacture a generic drug. This results to one company being in control of a specific drug. The pricing power now rests in the hands of the drug company. The authors suggest that FDA should review the process to lower the barriers for potential competitors. The CEOs of drug companies have also expressed their support to Trump's call to lower prices of medicines in the US. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close A new research that was published on Tuesday showed strong evidence that links air pollution and dementia risk. The study suggests that older women who breathe heavily polluted air, such as vehicle exhaust, may elevate the risk of dementia by 92 percent. The effects of air pollution are more noticeable in women who carry a gene known as APOE-e4. This can put them at higher risk for developing Alzheimer's. Older women are four times likelier to develop global cognitive decline, which is a measurable loss of memory and reasoning skills that greatly impact brain health. According to Los Angeles Times, a study in 2011 from the journal Lancet found that those who lived near roads with dense traffic were at a higher risk of stroke and dementia. Similarly the new study noted 81 percent cognitive decline in women who lived in heavily polluted areas. Daily Mail reported researchers from the University Of Southern California conducted a nationwide study of six million women aged 65 to 79 years old for 11 years. They found that those who had the APOE-e4 genes were three times more likely to develop dementia when exposed to heavy air pollution. The study was published in the journal Translation Psychiatry by geriatric and environmental health specialists at USC and involved a large population of American women. Researchers used air pollution standards from the US Environmental Protection Agency and found in 2012 some 21 percent of new cases of dementia have been attributed to air pollution. Exposure to high levels of air pollutants increased dementia behavioral signs by 92 percent. Signs include disorientation, memory less, amyloid beta protein clumps in the brain and the die-off of cells in the hippocampus which is the key center for memory formation. There are nearly 48 million people who suffer from dementia worldwide. There have been 7.7 million new cases found every year according to the World Health Organization. The new research advised to stay away from heavily polluted cities to prevent cognitive decline in older women. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Although paracetamol is considered as one of the most popular and safest over-the-counter drugs, a new study claims that excessive self-administered use is potentially dangerous and can lead to cancer of the liver and other liver complications. Paracetamol is being linked to cirrhosis, hepatitis, and cancer of the liver, Daily Mail UK reports. Research conducted at the University of Edinburg studied the effects of paracetamol in the liver cells in human and mouse tissue. They have found significant evidence that paracetamol can damage the liver by deteriorating the vital structural connection between the liver and the adjacent cells of the organ. Tylenol is one of the most popular brands of paracetamol in the US. Excess dosage of the drug has been found to be the leading cause of acute liver failure in the US. This discovery meanwhile is treated as a lead that can help in developing safer alternatives for paracetamol. The Sun UK also reported that the researchers are conducting further probes in providing therapies to counteract the harm that is caused by excessive use of paracetamol. Scientists are also looking for the link of paracetamol toxicity and the damage that it can contribute to liver conditions such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. Tylenol contains acetaminophen which is considered as a safe drug when taken as directed, even for individuals with liver complications. However, there are still some risks that come with the use of the drug whether unsupervised or with a prescription. Damage to the liver can be severe with acetaminophen and an also lead to an overdose when taken while drinking alcohol. Results of the study are looking forward to the need to be cautious with the use of paracetamol. Such actions can help in discovering how to resolve any other possible harm resulting from the excessive use of the over-the-counter drug. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close An itchy groin has different causes. Most itches pose no harm to the skin, but there are cases that dermatologists consider serious and harmful. Scratching usually makes the situation worse, instead of soothing sensitive skin. An itchy groin that is accompanied with rashes is most likely caused by fungal infection. Its appearance will depend on the type of fungus. A yeast infection will cause moist, shiny areas of skin on the genitals. There will be some white stuff in the skin folds as well. According to Dr Jason Reichenberg, director of dermatology at the University of Texas, Austin, yeast is normally present in the skin in normal amounts. However, an over growth can already cause an infection. Yeast loves moist, dark places, so it thrives on groins, genitals and thighs. Other fungal infection will appear dry and flaky. Another reason that can cause an itchy groin is contact dermatitis. The condition occurs when the skin comes in contact with something that is allergic to. The skin will develop a super itchy, red rash and may even have a clear or yellowish fluid when the skin's top layer becomes disrupted. A parasite called pubic lice, or commonly known as crabs, can cause severe itch in the groin. Dr Dennis Fortenberry, a professor of adolescent medicine at Indiana University, describes the lice eggs as tiny white or yellowish specks near the roots of pubic hair. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the parasite looks like a mini crab in tan or grayish-white color. They can be seen through a magnifying glass. One out of three patients with diabetes is said to have skin problems. Reports said fungal infections, dermopathy and blisters are common among these types of patients. Scratching an itchy groin, or whatever part of the body, should be avoided as it can lead to open sores and serious complications. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close A large scale genetic study reveals the most common genetic variants that decide how tall a person will be. Some rare genes account for nearly an inch of a person's height. The International Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium looked into the DNA of more than 700,000 people. Dr Joel Hirschhorn, professor of paediatrics and genetics at Boston Children's Hospital and member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, said that people who carry the rare genetic variants are affected to a greater degree. In detail, the common genetic variants affect the growth plates which are the section of the bones where growth occurs. The 83 rare variants are the ones that affect skeletal growth and can influence height by more than two centimeters, or almost 8/10 of an inch. Hirschhorn estimates that a third of the genetic contribution to height has already been identified. Still, there are many genes that they cannot fully understand the function. He added that they may need more study on genetics and biology to know their roles. Hirschhorn said that the identification of these new genetic variants require tremendous statistical power. He is thankful for the collaboration of GIANT with researchers at the Montreal Heart Institute, Queen Mary University, the University of Exeter, UK and other 280 research groups. Height is a window to complex genetics. It is influenced by multiple genetic variants working together. Studying the complexity of height will give scientists a blueprint for multifactorial disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. The information from the DNA is very significant in precision medicine as it can help in identifying which group of people will likely have a heart attack despite a healthy lifestyle. The GIANT group is launching another large study on height which will look into the genetic variants of more than two million people. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Steven J. Murray AUGUSTA, Ga. (CNS) -- Saying "justice needs to be tamed by mercy," Bishop Felipe J. Estevez of St. Augustine, Florida, and two brother bishops called Jan. 31 for the state of Georgia to drop the death penalty in the case of accused priest killer Steven J. Murray. AUGUSTA, Ga. (CNS) -- Saying "justice needs to be tamed by mercy," Bishop Felipe J. Estevez of St. Augustine, Florida, and two brother bishops called Jan. 31 for the state of Georgia to drop the death penalty in the case of accused priest killer Steven J. Murray. "We have great respect for the legal system and we believe Murray deserves punishment for the brutal murder, but the sentence of death only perpetuates the cycle of violence," Bishop Estevez said at a news conference. "It is unnecessary and denies the dignity of all persons." Bishop Estevez, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta and Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Savannah, along with priests, deacons and other supporters, gathered outside the Richmond County Courthouse in Augusta to issue their appeal. Murray, 29, has admitted in interviews to killing Father Rene Robert, 71, a priest of the Diocese of St. Augustine, who befriended him as part of his prison ministry. He is charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life or death. On April 11, Murray kidnapped Father Robert, forced him into the trunk of his car and then allegedly shot him multiple times in rural Georgia. Murray was arrested in South Carolina driving Robert's stolen car. District Attorney Ashley Wright said she would seek the death penalty against Murray despite pleas for a life sentence from the church and Father Robert himself. In 1995, Father Robert signed and had notarized a "Declaration of Life," stating that he opposed the death penalty for any killer. It was kept in his personnel file. He stated that should he die as a result of a violent crime, he did not want the individual or individuals found guilty of homicide for his killing to be subject to, or put in jeopardy of, the death penalty under any circumstances, no matter how heinous their crime or how much he may have suffered. Wright has recently been named a Superior Court judge. After the news conference, the bishops talked privately to Hank Syms, acting district attorney, and Bishop Estevez gave him petitions with 7,400 signatures. Bishop Hartmayer spoke on behalf his religious order, the Franciscans. Father Robert was ordained a Franciscan and later became a diocesan priest who lived in the spirit of the religious order, he said. "Father Robert shows us what the Gospel teaches about being merciful," Bishop Hartmayer said. "He understood the plight of the poor, the violent, the sociopath. He treated them with compassion. He understood the risks and dangers of ministering to convicts. He died as a martyr of mercy." Archbishop Gregory said he was joining Bishop Estevez's appeal for mercy. "We know that every human life comes from the hand of God and has dignity that is never lost, that can't be compromised," Archbishop Gregory said. "No human life loses its dignity." The bishops said that if Murray is convicted, he could be sentenced to life without parole. "We hope if he is granted a life sentence that he find within his own heart and spirit to ask for God's forgiveness. That could take many years, but we are asking that he be given time to do it. "We do it because we love our faith, we love our country, and we hope our nation will take the lead in preserving, defending and protecting every human life." Archbishop Gregory said if their appeal is turned down, "we will work harder. We won't be deterred by a negative decision. We will be reinvigorated to work harder." Priests and deacons from the three dioceses joined the bishops. Source: Catholic News Service, Feb. 2, 2017 Catholic bishops dont want death penalty in Murray case The Catholic bishop of the diocese that covers the Augusta area is joining the Catholic bishop of St. Augustine, Fla., in asking the district attorney not to seek a death sentence for the man accused of killing an elderly priest. The Bishop Felipe J. Estevez of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla., Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of the Diocese of Savannah are holding a news conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday outside the Richmond County Judicial Center and John H. Ruffin Jr. Courthouse. In a news release from St. Augustine, the Catholic bishops announced they are calling on District Attorney Ashley Wright to reverse her decision to seek the death penalty if Steven J. Murray is convicted of murder in Burke County Superior Court for the killing of the Rev. Rene Robert, a St. Augustine priest. Wright is to be sworn in as an Augusta Judicial Circuit Superior Court judge on Monday afternoon. Until the governor appoints an attorney to replace her as district attorney, Chief Assistant Hank Syms will be in charge of the office. Estevez wrote to Wright in May about Roberts signed and notarized four-page Declaration of Life that declares should he die by another persons hand regardless of the circumstances, he did not want that person subjected to the death penalty. Estevez said he never received a reply from Wright. As Wright told the St. Augustine Record, the decision to seek a death sentence if a jury convicts Murray of murder is based on the facts of the case and the law, not public opinion or sentiment. Murray is accused of killing Robert during a criminal rampage in April that ended with Murray locking the 71-year-old priest in the truck of his car and taking him to a remote spot on River Road in Burke County. The priest who had ministered to Murray was shot and left to die alone. In December, Estevez received a petition signed by nearly 7,000 Catholics in his diocese asking that Roberts request be honored. Source: The Augusta Chronicle, Sandy Hodson, January 26, 2017 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! Data center News VMware NSX Gets A Major Micro-segmentation, Scale And Security Boost, Plus New Capabilities For Non-vSphere Environments Joseph F. Kovar Share this VMware on Thursday expanded its NSX software-defined network offering with a new version for VMware vSphere environments featuring enhanced security and automation capabilities. The Palo Alto, Calif. company also made its NSX-T software-defined solution, which targets non-vSphere environments with support for new application frameworks and architectures, generally available. The new NSX 6.3 for vSphere and NSX-T 1.1 are part of a push by VMware to bring software-defined networking (SDN) to a wider range of environments, said Milin Desai, vice president of products for VMware. [Related: VMware CEO: Strong NSX, vSAN, VxRail Growth Drives 2016, AWS Relationship Is Next] A customer push to improve security, automation, and application continuity in both vSphere and non-vSphere environments, as well as new use cases including end-user computing, virtualized containers, and the cloud, spells opportunity for VMware and its channel partners, Desai said. "Our vision, in general, is this is where the opportunity for NSX is," he said. Desai noted that during VMware's full fiscal year 2016 financial report, released last week, the company was able to report that NSX is already a $1-billion-run-rate business with 2,400 customers and 850 production deployments. VMware's continued development of its NSX software-defined networking technology is consistent with the vendor's overall strategy and in particular its cloud strategy, said Doug Cagle, cloud integration practice manager at Mobius Partners, a San Antonio, Tex.-based solution provider and VMware channel partner. NSX 6.3 for vSphere is the next step in a natural progression to public, private, and hybrid clouds, Cagle told CRN. "We've made a big investment in NSX training and boot camps," he said. "We believe VMware's cloud strategy around the software-defined data center, which includes NSX, is one of the best paths to the hybrid cloud model." Greg Stemberger, technical director for the NextGen networking practice at Iron Bow Technologies, a Chantilly, Va.-based solution provider and VMware channel partner, told CRN that he has seen NSX move from pilot programs to proofs-of-concept, and is now seeing it transition into legitimate product deployments. "These are not small implementations," Stemberger said. "There is trust in customers who are running it at scale." Desai said NSX 6.3 for vSphere deployments has received a number of enhancements several key areas. On the customer experience side, NSX 6.3 now integrates with vCloud Air Network, making it a more suitable offering for hosting partners, Desai said. NSX enables businesses to scale more quickly than in the past, with upgrades not taking but two to five minutes compared to between 15 minutes and 20 minutes in previous editions. "This reduces the time needed to reboot the host and get things up and running," he said. NSX 6.3 also scales much better and offers a significant performance boost in multi-tenant environments compared to earlier operations, and takes advantage of VMware vRealize Network Insight (VRNI), which provides management and intelligence to software-defined data center environments, he said. VMware VRNI came from VMware's acquisition last year of Arkin. "For the channel, VRNI provides a great pre-assessment tool," he said. "Customers with vSphere can run it for free to get a GPS-like view of data center networking flows. This helps partners talk about NSX and how it will work in their environments." VMware is also delivering on new use cases with NSX 6.3, Desai said. The company is in the process of applying for compliance with most key security standards including FIPS-140, Common Criteria EAC-2 and ISCA corporate firewalls, he said. NSX 6.3 also includes features that enable micro-segmenting, including an application rule manager that makes it easy for partners to help clients decide which part of their infrastructure to micro-segment, Desai said. "Customers can look at the applications, decide what to micro-segment, and set the rules," he said. "Channel partners can not only sell NSX but also get customers going with micro-segmentation. That will make it easier to go back after the sale and add things like disaster recovery." Customers can also use NSX 6.3 to scale virtual desktop infrastructure deployments to up to 50,000 desktops, and indeed one large business has already done so with the technology, Desai said. Because NSX integrates easily into solutions like VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM), partners can host disaster recovery centers to provide disaster recovery-as-a-service, he said. For clients with remote office and branch office requirements, VMware is introducing a new pricing model based on the number of virtual machines in an office, he said. The new ROBO SKU is sold in 25-packs at a price of $500 per virtual machine, which Desai said aligns with vSphere pricing. VMware on Tuesday also said it is bringing its NSX-T solution into general availability as a way to bring the company's SDN technology to non-vSphere environments. NSX-T 1.1 has expanded KVM and VMware Photon container support, as well as support for new application frameworks including Container Networking Interface (CNI), Desai said. "NSX is still under-penetrated in the existing vSphere market, where we've barely scratched the surface," he said. "But there's also a big opportunity to engage with larger enterprises looking at new applications or who want to set up their own hypervisor." While NSX-T does not have the same core capabilities of NSX for vSphere, it does provide management of Layer 2 switching, routing, and firewalls that can be integrated into open frameworks, he said. The combination of NSX 6.3 for vSphere and NSX-T provides an SDN platform that lets businesses cover their entire infrastructure, Mobius Partners' Cagle said. "Everybody has the same security and other needs," he said. "It's important to customers small and large. VMware, in how it packages its solutions, has the features and editions to let customers choose what they need." The new micro-segmentation capabilities of NSX are going to be a winner, Iron Bow's Stemberger said. "There's a big difference between pilot and production environments," he said. "Customers need to wrap security around 1,000 or more virtual machines. So I'm excited about the micro-segmentation enhancements, and the integration with VRNI. Out of the box, a lot of the work with NSX needs to be done manually. VRNI integration plus NSX 6.3 equals a lot of automation." Mark Haranas contributed to this story. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser ... In this case, the assault force of several dozen commandos, which also included elite soldiers from the United Arab Emirates, was jinxed from the start. Qaeda fighters were somehow tipped off to the stealthy advance toward the village perhaps by the whine of American drones that local tribal leaders said were flying lower and louder than usual. Through a communications intercept, the commandos knew that the mission had been somehow compromised, but pressed on toward their target roughly five miles from where they had been flown into the area. They kind of knew they were screwed from the beginning, one former SEAL Team 6 official said. With the crucial element of surprise lost, the Americans and Emiratis found themselves in a gun battle with Qaeda fighters who took up positions in other houses, a clinic, a school and a mosque, often using women and children as cover, American military officials said in interviews this week. The commandos were taken aback when some of the women grabbed weapons and started firing, multiplying the militant firepower beyond what they had expected. The Americans called in airstrikes from helicopter gunships and fighter aircraft that helped kill some 14 Qaeda fighters, but not before an MV-22 Osprey aircraft involved in the operation experienced a hard landing, injuring three more American personnel on board. The Osprey, which the Marine Corps said cost $75 million, was badly damaged and had to be destroyed by an airstrike. ... This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Saks Fifth Avenue boasts an expanding brick-and-mortar footprint as the new year brings reports of big box stores shuttering shops nationwide. Saks move that seems to go against the tide of big retail brands doesnt faze the companys president Marc Metrick, he said in a Wednesday interview at the opening of The Collective on Greenwich Avenue. Department stores arent dying, he said. Bad ones are. Delivering the type of shopping experience customers want separates Saks from those announcing closings, he said. If you give people a reason to come to something, brick wins over clicks. His statements arrive amid headlines announcing grave futures for some department stores including closings of 100 Macys and more than 20 Sears stores. His optimism matches positive holiday retail sales across the industry as the Consumer Confidence Index registers a 13-year high, according to data tracked by Nielsen. To provide customers with the right experience, Saks has a strategy that focuses on metro New York City and the tristate region, Metrick said. In Greenwich, a group of individual but connected stores is geared toward shoppers looking to spend a day with friends browsing and lounging. Well make it easy for you; we want to make shopping between all the stores frictionless, Metrick said. The new shops accomplish this by including comfortable seating areas, opportunities for parties and complete style consulting. Customers today are looking for a complete look, and we provide a total lifestyle brand, said Joe Gambino, general manager of The Saks Shops at Greenwich. As evidence, he pointed out Saks inclusion of Tom Ford Makeup and handbag options amidst the emerging clothing brands featured at The Collective. Saks associates are tasked with guiding customers through using all of Saks offerings into fashioning their unique look, he said. The Collective, which opened for shoppers Thursday, counts two of three anticipated Saks store openings for downtown Greenwich. Last October, Saks opened a shoes-only store on East Elm Street, while The Collective carries contemporary fashions and The Vault for jewelry will open next door in May. To bookend the brands Greenwich investments, renovations of Saks main store, located across the Avenue from The Collective and The Vault, are planned for the fall. Since the shoe stores opening last fall, sales at Greenwich Avenues main Saks store havent been affected, according to Metrick. We havent seen any slowdown, he said. This is because each of Saks Greenwich stores is intended to replicate a boutique-like feel but with the resources at hand of all the stores. Small is the new big, Metrick said. The Saks conglomerate on the Avenue is aimed at wooing shoppers into staying in Greenwich rather than taking the train to the city, Gambino said. The stores urban interior design aesthetic mirrors what shoppers associate with New York City retail, he said, and by the end of the year, it will have resources among all its shops to match. The Collective is located at 200 Greenwich Ave., and is open seven days a week. The store can be reached by calling 203-862-5300. Contact the writer at MBennett@greenwichtime.com, 203-625-4411; Twitter @Macaela_ The Connecticut Bar Association announced Wednesday a resolution looking to Congress to tether the presidents executive actions on immigration. The resolution does not name President Donald Trump, but does cite his recent executive order, which, among other things, paused the intake of refugees to the United States for 120 days and barred refugees from Syria indefinitely. The order, which went into effect Friday, has been frozen by injunction by a federal court in New York and several other states, according to the Associated Press. The CBA resolution urges Congress to pass legislation to mandate that refugees get an appropriate individualized assessment in a timely fashion, including those with passports of the seven Muslim-majority countries targeted by Trumps order. While the brief resolution doesnt wade into specific policy proposals, it supports access to legal protection for refugees. Immigration courts do not afford the same due process and access to legal representation as criminal courts do, so asylum seekers are not guaranteed a lawyer. CBA members plan to present the resolution at the American Bar Association next week where immigration issues under the new Trump administration is listed as a highlight of the meeting, according to the ABA website. They hope to have it adopted by the national organization. Its unclear if the ABA would directly confront Trump in a similar way. In October, the ABA apparently stifled its own report critical of Trumps libel litigiousness because it feared being sued by him, according to the New York Times. BRIDGEPORT The Police Department, as of next weeks payroll, will have gone $200,000 over its $5.3 million overtime budget with five months left in the fiscal year. The citys budget chief broke that news to the Councils Budget Committee Wednesday night. Police Chief Armando A.J. Perez is pledging to keep that figure at $7 million or less by the time the budget expires June 30. Thats my commitment to the mayor and taxpayers, he told Hearst Connecticut Media following the meeting. The chief and other city staff spent two and a half hours briefing the committee on efforts to control overtime and refuting allegations from some officers Perez illegally slowed payments to appear he was on top of the problem. Perez is a close friend of Mayor Joe Ganim. He helped Ganim return to office in 2015 after 12 years, and, in return, was promoted to acting chief last March. Perez in early December issued an internal memorandum restricting overtime in most divisions, except patrol, where the city is working to fill 100 vacancies. The police chief has come under fire from a few officers who filed complaints with the state Department of Labor claiming he broke the law by withholding their overtime payments this winter. The committee discussed the complaints for about 40 minutes in private with Perez, the city attorney and Ganims budget, finance and labor relations directors. During the meetings public portion, Perez attributed the delays to his giving overtime requests greater scrutiny and the labor complaints to a few officers who, for that or other reasons, begrudge him. Sgt. Chuck Paris, the union president and another Ganim ally, told the committee the union would have filed a grievance if Perez had done something wrong. Paris added he had no clue individual officers had filed their own complaints with the state. Ganims office is also preparing to digitize the police overtime system to make reviews easier and payments quicker. Part of what happened is theres so much manual paperwork, Finance Director Ken Flatto told council members. Despite repeated questions from City Council President Thomas McCarthy, no one could provide a lump sum of the late overtime payments. Budget Director Nestor Nkwo assured the committee it was not a high number, but McCarthy wanted documentation to ensure there will not be a major hit to the current overtime budget. Youre saying its no problem, McCarthy said. Id love to believe its no problem. Some council members wanted to know the role Ganims $120,000 public safety adviser, ex-Police Chief Wilbur Chapman, who some council members have sought to defund, is playing in controlling overtime. Chapman also helped to re-elect Ganim. Ganims office has said Chapman is involved. But Perez told the committee, I dont know what his role is. I want to get rid of that position, period, Councilwoman Evette Brantley said of Chapman. Love him or hate him, all who have followed Sen. Richard Blumenthal over the course of his 40 years in public service know he is not bashful when it comes to making himself heard. So it was more than a little counterintuitive to see Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., ask Blumenthal to speak more directly into his microphone at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday on confirming Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to be U.S. attorney general. I can start over if you like! Blumenthal said, holding up his 25-minute-long prepared speech urging Sessions defeat. He then proceeded to take instruction from the committees chairman, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, on how Blumenthal should best bend the microphone to his advantage. I think I may have been more persuasive when you couldnt hear me, he said to Feinstein amid laughter in the hearing room. The lengthy speeches of Blumenthal and fellow Democrats held up a committee vote on Sessions for a day. The full committee on Wednesday voted 11-9 along party lines to send the Sessions nomination to the Senate floor, where his final confirmation is expected. An example of faith Rep. Elizabeth Esty had a special guest for the annual Prayer Breakfast in Washington Thursday. The third-term Democrat brought Imam Hamid Malik of the Baitul Aman Mosque in Meriden. President Trump was in attendance, in addition to lawmakers and their invited religious guests from around the country. Esty extended the invite well before Trump halted travel into the U.S. by residents of seven majority-Muslim nations _ an act many have called a ``Muslim ban. Esty based her choice of the Imam on the mosques response to an attack in November 2015 in the wake of the Paris theater terrorism incident that left 130 dead. Ted Hakey Jr., a former Marine sharpshooter, was convicted in federal court of a hate crime and was sentenced to six months in federal prison for firing four shots at the mosque. The Mosque was empty at the time and no one was injured. But rather than shun him, members of the mosque appeared at his trial and pleaded for forgiveness on Hakeys behalf. Esty herself met Hakey at the mosque, amazed that the mosques attitude evidently had contributed toward Hakey realizing the tremendous harm he had done. Its an extraordinary story of redemption, as well as taking ignorance and hatred and turning it around, Esty said. They are in fact practicing what religion teaches us to do. Himes: Let facts speak As a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Jim Himes gets to hear about all the really scary terrorism plots hatched overseas. Himes doesnt talk details but clearly much of it sounds like something from a script for Homeland on Showtime. So in the post-9/11 era, how big a threat is terrorism directed from abroad? And does President Trumps bar on inbound travel by residents of seven majority-Muslim nations help the U.S. get a handle on it? Its certainly possible a threat to the U.S. could be directed from one of those seven, Himes said. But over time the facts speak for themselves, he added. Since 9/11, not a single traveler from the seven named countries has undertaken terrorist attack on the U.S. The greater danger, he said, is from homegrown terrorists who draw their inspiration from Jihad-espousing websites buy military-style semi-automatic rifles and the like at their local gun shops. Think Orlando and San Bernardino. So, putting aside the civil liberties arguments for the moment, Himes believes the ban runs counter to its stated purpose: To protect and defend the American people against terrorism. It only serves to help ISIS recruiting efforts and arguments that the U.S. is anti-Muslim, he said. Make no mistake, this ban makes us considerably less safe, he said. Naval recognition The award was not draped around Sen. Chris Murphys neck by the president of the United States. And the citation didnt say anything about valor or ``with total disregard to his personal safety. But two uniformed officers on Wednesday nevertheless bestowed the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award on Murphy in his office, complete with medal pinning and citation reading. The medal, according to the Navy, is highest form of public service recognition (by) the Department of the Navy to civilians who demonstrate outstanding service of substantial and long-term benefit to the Navy (or the) Marine Corps. Murphys service involved mostly long hours on the Senate Appropriations Committee helping to guarantee a continuous stream of federal dollars to Navy programs, particularly the building of submarines by Electric Boat of Groton. But his work on the Navys behalf did involve one feat of derring-do: A weekend journey on the USS Hartford, a submarine, under the Arctic ice. ``This is a huge and completely unexpected honor, Murphy said. ``With all that our sailors and Navy families have given to Connecticut and our country, I should be the one giving them an award. D.C. Buzz is Dan Freedmans view from Washington. The wife and two small daughters of a Syrian man living in Milford are headed to join him, despite President Donald Trumps order blocking immigration from seven mostly Muslim countries. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphys spokeswoman said Wednesday Fadi Kassars wife and two daughters, ages 5 and 8, would arrive in the U.S. on Thursday marking the first time the family will be together in two years. Kassars wife and daughters had been prevented from boarding an earlier flight from Jordan. Fadi Kassar received good news this morning from the Customs and Border Patrol that his wife and two daughters can fly from Jordan to JFK (Thursday), Murphys press secretary, Laura Maloney, said by email Wednesday. Sen. Murphy personally, and our office has been in touch with his family, their immigration lawyers, and back channels at Customs and Border Patrol and the State Department. Were almost positive they are part of the 872 exceptions approved by the Trump administration because they were in transit. The trip was not quite guaranteed, Maloney said. But we are still cautiously optimistic ... If everything goes well, I assume that they will make it safely through customs late Thursday night. On Monday, Murphy spoke of the family on the Senate floor. Its our decision whether these two little girls come to the United States or they go back to the war-ravaged home that their father left. Its up to us, he said. Its not up to the president of the United States alone. Democracy. ... allows for us to make a decision. This is about tens of thousands of refugees who are fleeing persecution and terror and torture. ... Its up to us. The senators staff worked with the Kassar family, immigration lawyers, the U.S. State Department, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents since the issue came to light over the weekend. Kassar is one of the owners of the Olive Tree, a Middle Eastern restaurant at 2009 Bridgeport Ave. in Milford. Milford Mayor Benjamin Blake said hes a regular at the restaurant, and was able to connect the restaurants owner, Sammer, and his brother in law, Fadi Kassar, with (U.S. Rep) Rosa DeLauro and Chris Murphy. An employee of the restaurant said Wednesday Kassar was not in and doesnt speak English well. He could not immediately be reached by phone. But there has been a groundswell of support for the family, and former Alderman Ward Willis posted on his Facebook page that there would be a public gathering at the Olive Tree from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday. By gathering at his restaurant on Friday night, residents can show Mr. Kassar that Milford is a generous, inclusive, welcoming place, Willis wrote. Three Lebanon schools have lifted lockout conditions as of 11:30 a.m., once again allowing patrons in and out. Lebanon High School, Seven Oak Middle School and Cascades Elementary School locked all outside doors and did not let anyone enter or leave about 9 this morning on advice from the Lebanon Police Department. Lebanon police were searching for a man who was last seen near Airport Road and Seventh Street. The man was not deemed a danger to students but schools followed a recommendation from the department to lock their doors, said Wayne Reposa, principal of Seven Oak. Lockout means the regular school day continues, but no traffic is allowed in or out of the exterior doors. We received a report from LPD that they were dealing with a community member in our neighborhood. There was no direct threat to the school, but it is our practice, if there is an active police situation in the neighborhood close to the school, we put the school on lockout, Reposa said. Information was not immediately available about whether police had found the man, but a police statement said the area around the schools had been cleared. A 22-year-old West Haven man, already in jail, will be spending more time behind bars for illegally possessing firearms. On Thursday, Rohan James-Dennie Jr. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. James-Dennie was been arrested a number of times for possessing loaded firearms, including one that had a hollow-point bullet. Three times he was busted for possessing various amounts of marijuana and having thousands of dollars in cash. Among those run ins with the law were: On Nov. 1, 2015, a Connecticut state trooper stopped a vehicle for operating erratically in Essex. A search of the vehicle revealed a .380 caliber handgun with a hollow-point bullet in the magazine, approximately one-half kilogram of marijuana and more than $3,400 in cash. The firearm had been reported stolen during a residential burglary in 2013. On Jan. 12, 2016, West Haven Police stopped a vehicle that James-Dennie was operating. A search of the vehicle and James-Dennie found a .22 caliber handgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition, more than 200 grams of marijuana and nearly $5,000 in cash. The firearms serial number was partially obliterated, federal officials said. He was arrested on state charges in both of these instances and was released on bond. On July 7, 2016, the Connecticut Intelligence Center issued a statewide Officer Safety notification regarding James-Dennie after a post on his Facebook page included We need to just start shooting cops RS thats the only way100100. James-Dennie was arrested the following day in East Haven on a federal criminal complaint charging him firearm and drug offenses. At the time of his arrest, he had $3,500 in cash and three grams of marijuana in his pocket. A search of an apartment connected to James-Dennie revealed an additional 17 grams of marijuana and a laser attachment for a gun. He has been detained since his federal arrest. On Oct. 11, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Intl. Habano Cigar Festival to take place in Havana Submitted by: Juana Havana international Business and Economy 02 / 01 / 2017 The 19th International Habano Cigar Festival will take place February 27 to March 3rd in Havana with a large program of activities combining the knowledge about Habano cigars and the enjoyment by participants of the latest and exquisite products. According to the events organizing committee, cigar brands such as H. Upmann and Montecristo are among the protagonists in the festival with new shapes. As usual the program includes visits to tobacco-leaf plantations in the eastern Cuban region of Vuelta Abajo, considered the cradle of Cuban cigars; tours of famous cigar factories; lectures and practical sessions; marriages, and the Habanasommelier International Contest. The Festival will close doors on March 3 with a traditional auction of humidors. The humidor auction held during the 18th Habano Festival last year contributed 865 thousand Euros, which were donated to the Cuban Health System. High in the auction of seven humidors on that occasion was a humidor of the Cohiba special and exclusive series on the 50 anniversary of that cigar brand, which was sold at 320 thousand Euros. Thousands of cigar lovers from dozens of countries come to the Festival to have a first-hand look at the cigar launches, and to learn from the tobacco-leaf cultivation culture and the hand-rolling of the exclusive Cuban product. For more information on the Festival visit www.habanos.com Public schools statewide are being encouraged to start using a new, anonymous safety tip line launched this week by the Oregon State Police. Schools must complete a signup process for students to use the tip line, but it will be available free of charge. Greater Albany Public Schools plans to be a part of the system but Superintendent Jim Golden said he wants to attend a meeting first, scheduled for later this month, of the Oregon Task Force on School Safety. "We are going to be partners," he said. "I just need to talk with them about how the system side works in terms of notifying us." The tip line, known as SafeOregon, is under the jurisdiction of OSP and replaces an older tip line run by the state Department of Justice. It is designed "to encourage students to share and respond to anything that threatens their safety or the safety of others, anything that makes a student feel unsafe or if a student knows someone who feels unsafe," according to a statement from the State Police. Examples could include threats of violence or weapons, possession of drugs or alcohol, bullying (in person or via technology), harassment or intimidation, or friends who talk about suicide. The tip line is manned around the clock, 365 days per year. Tips can be left via phone or text at 1-844-472-3364, the SafeOregon.com website, by email to tip@safeoregon.com, or through the SafeOregon or mobile application. The State Police said messages are routed for the most appropriate followup, depending on their urgency. This may be to school officials, law enforcement, community mental health programs or other local or state agencies. SafeOregon came about through recommendations from the Oregon Task Force on School Safety. Those resulted in House Bill 4075, which became law in 2016 and appropriated $1 million to fund the project. The Oregon Department of Education was a partner in the school safety task force and is encouraging public schools at all grade levels to take part, said Tricia Yates, department spokeswoman. The website at SafeOregon stresses the tip line is not meant to replace the 9-1-1 system for immediate emergencies, but that it can serve as a place for students to report possible safety issues without facing retaliation from peers. Say what you will about Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, but there's no question that Gorsuch is eminently qualified for the court. In fact, based on his resume, you can make the case that Gorsuch is possibly the most-qualified of any of Trump's appointees thus far. (The possible exception might be David Shulkin, Trump's nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs; Shulkin currently is the department's top health official.) As for concerns that Gorsuch is too conservative for the Supreme Court, here's a reminder: The president of the United States gets to make nominations to the Supreme Court. If you wanted a nominee with a different ideological bent, well, you're probably wishing today that Hillary Clinton had run a better campaign. You can see, however, how this nomination rankles Democrats and why they're screaming today that Republicans have stolen the high court seat. Last year, after the stunning death of Antonin Scalia, Barack Obama nominated a centrist, Merrick Garland, to the seat. But Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, didn't even give Garland a hearing they argued that the next president should have the right to name the next justice. At the time, we thought McConnell's gambit was irresponsible and potentially foolish: After all, if Clinton had won the presidency, Republicans would be howling today about her nominee to the court. Today, while we still can't endorse what McConnell did, his gambit doesn't look nearly as foolish. (And let's take a moment now to praise Garland, who went through all the motions and handled himself with dignity and class, even though he had to know that he was never going to get that seat on the court. During his time in limbo, he bolstered the claim that no one is better-qualified for the high court.) But the chances that Trump would nominate Garland were nil. And so were the chances that Trump would follow Obama's lead and nominate a centrist to the court; again, despite what you might think about Trump, the fact remains that he's more or less done pretty much what he said he would do during the presidential campaign. Given all that, it's hard to make the case that Gorsuch shouldn't be seated on the Supreme Court. After all, it's not as if the next nominee will be a centrist if Gorsuch's nomination somehow is blocked. That doesn't mean that Democrats won't give it a shot, though; they might decide to launch a filibuster, which would require 60 votes to break. But that move likely would fizzle, since Republicans then could decide to just eliminate the use of the filibuster against Supreme Court nominees. Instead, Democrats should take a deep breath and give Gorsuch the hearing that was denied to Garland. They should grill the nominee thoroughly; we're particularly interested in Gorsuch's apparent opposition to assisted suicide, an area in which Oregon has been a national leader. Just 49 years old, Gorsuch has the potential to be a force on the court for decades, and colleagues who have worked with the judge say that he's a remarkably persuasive writer, which could give him an outsized impact on the court. But a curious thing often happens to high court justices during their lifetime appointments: It's not unusual for justices to drift to the center or even into the left over the years. Consider as well that the court's chief justice, John Roberts, continually has emphasized judicial restraint and respect for precedent. Everything in Gorsuch's record suggests that he feels the same way; assuming that he wins confirmation, it will be fascinating to watch his development on the court and how he interacts with Roberts. (mm) We must rethink the U.S. response to infectious disease. Here's why. President Donald J. Trumpas executive order, signed Jan. 27 to target terrorism, ruffled the feathers of some Americans. Protests have erupted all over the country since the hasty release of executive order, and now Memphis has joined in the battle. Marchers gather in front of the Clayborn Temple downtown. A pro-immigration march, sponsored by the Refugee Empowerment Program and the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, took place downtown Wednesday afternoon. Marchers traveled from the Clayborn Temple to the National Civil Rights Museum chanting things like aNo Ban No Wall,a "The people united will never be divided" and aI will not be quiet; I will not be silent.a aWe want to remember those who were murdered by our unjust immigration legal system,a 17- year-old Jasmine Magana said. Trumpas executive order cut the cap of refugees let into the United States in half, suspended all refugee resettlement for 120 days, suspended all aimmigrants and non-immigrantsa from Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Syria for 90 days and issued a review of the visa issuance process. Some people from the seven suspended countries were detained at airports across the country in the days immediately after the order was signed, drawing much national media coverage. aI am angry; I canat handle this,a Khairunissa Shaikh, a Syrian woman who has been in the U.S. for 30 years, said. aLast night, my niece from London had a dream that she got stopped at the airport and was refused by officials. Itas heartbreaking.a Many U.S. citizens attended the march to show support for immigrants and their families. aWe are all immigrants, unless you are Native American,a Sydney Gould from New Jersey said. aI think the order is ridiculous, and immigrants should be welcomed. Personally, I know people detained in JFK. I think this is a dangerous thing to start off this administration.a Rebecca Rhodes, from Memphis, said she disagrees with Trumpas order because it is unconstitutional and against the Christian faith. aWe are Christian, and because of that, we have a responsibility to welcome people and create a safe space for everyone here to be a community,a Rhodes said. Anna Carson also thinks the temporary ban is unconstitutional, saying, she asupports all refugees and immigrants.a Memphian Kathe Stewart said she came to show unity for every immigrant and refugee. aI married an immigrant, and I think we are a country welcome to all different nationality, race and religion,a Stewart said. Many Muslim citizens raised their voices to show their disagreement with the executive order. Nadeen Elyan, who is also an American citizen of immigrant parents, said she feels sad for the people who canat see their family because of the stoppage. Ayat Ayesh is an American citizen born to Palestinian immigrant parents. aEvery human being should be allowed to come to the United States or any other country no matter their religion or their race,a Ayesh said. aThe time is always right to do what is right a tonight weare doing what is right,a Yasir Qadhi, a professor from the Islamic Center of Memphis, said in his speech to the crowd. As Qadhi continued addressing marchers, he expressed his feelings by saying not only does this ban affect the ones from those countries, but it affects him as well. aI am not Latino, but I will stand with the Latino community,a Qadhi said. aI am not a refugee, but I stand for all the refugees.a Mitchell Koch contributed to this story. Few of those people jumping out of their skins next Monday lunchtime will have any idea what has caused a sudden outbreak of artillery fire across the UK 21-gun salutes at Edinburgh Castle, Cardiff Castle and Hillsborough, 41 guns in Londons Green Park and 62 at the Tower of London. Those passing Westminster Abbey may also wonder why the bells are, quite literally, going like the clappers. Is it someones birthday? Has Donald Trumps state visit already started? In fact, it will all be in honour of something rather more historic Accession Day. For February 6 marks 65 years of the Queens reign and the start of the first Sapphire Jubilee in British history. The Queen is a huge fan of racing, the 'sport of kings' but the Derby at Epsom has always eluded her. Wouldn' it be nice if she could win it this year? Not that there will be any sign of the Queen herself. She will be spending the day quietly at Sandringham, as she does each year on the anniversary of her accession to the throne. As far as she is concerned, there is no cause for celebration since this is not so much the day she became Queen as the anniversary of her beloved fathers premature death. Shortly afterwards, she will return to London ahead of a schedule that looks as demanding as ever, but with some subtle yet important changes. And, as it turns out, our record-breaking monarch still has a couple of important personal goals in mind, too. Even by Royal standards, 2017 is a year of major milestones, including the platinum wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip after 70 years of marriage and the 150th birthday of Canadian Confederation. There will be official celebrations to mark the 100th birthday of the Order of the British Empire (though not to mark the centenary of another great wartime innovation that same year the rebranding of the Monarchy as the House of Windsor instead of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). On top of all that, Donald Trump is coming to stay. Keep an eye on Mr Trump, won't you 007? Rumours that the Queen is not looking forward to the US President's visit are wide of the mark Those simple souls who think its a good idea to snub our most powerful ally argue Mr Trumps visit is somehow problematic for the Queen. Nonsense. Over at Buckingham Palace, its being planned like all 109 previous state visits of this reign. The Queen will get on just fine with her American counterpart and will, no doubt, be fascinated to see what makes him tick. Besides, she has much more in common with Mr Trump than many leaders on todays world stage, quite apart from the special relationship and a common language. Both heads of state have Scottish/German ancestry and a shared wariness of stairs. Like the Queen, he owns a world-famous tower. It should certainly be one of the more intriguing state banquet guestlists of recent years. Since it is customary to invite prominent UK-based figures with a connection to the state visitor, we can expect to see Nigel Farage and Piers Morgan among those at the royal table in white tie. To ensure that Her Majesty is on top form for all these big events, some quiet tinkering is under way in the shadows. The Queens duties, along with those of the Duke of Edinburgh, are very gently being scaled back in deference to a couple aged 90 and 95. Daily itineraries that might once have involved two or three engagements will now feature just one or two. And there are plans for an eminently practical adjustment to the most important piece in the entire royal toolbox the Crown itself. The Imperial State Crown, worn each year at the State Opening of Parliament, may be trimmed to shed some weight, bearing in mind the Queen is now in her tenth decade. At 2 lb 13 oz, including nearly 3,000 diamonds, it is like carrying a large bag of flour on ones head. After all, at the start of the Queens reign, the arches (which connect the base to the upper section) were lowered to suit the new Sovereign. Not that it is laid down in tablets of stone that she has to wear the Imperial State Crown at all. Lighter alternatives are available. Equally, the existing model could be borne to the Throne of the House of Lords on a cushion. Similar changes are under consideration for the Robe of State, more than 18 ft long and weighing well over a stone. The Queen may have four page boys at the State Opening of Parliament, but much of the weight still rests on her shoulders. No one would mind if it was reduced. No nation is more adept at creating new ceremonial and then immediately wreathing it in tradition and cobwebs. This all follows the recent, gradual introduction of a series of enduring legacy projects which will perpetuate the Queens name long into the future (though the L word is not uttered in royal circles). As it happens, the latest was in the news yesterday following the award of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering to the inventors of digital image sensors (the widgets responsible for everything from Skype video chat to images from outer space). While there are many prizes bearing the Queens name, this one enjoys global prestige. It has been described as the Nobel Prize for engineering, since Nobel does not recognise engineers. And this one boasts an even larger prize pot 1million. Other legacy projects include the new Queens Commonwealth Canopy, a patchwork of protected forests around the world, and, perhaps most important, the Elizabeth Cross. Since 2009, this has been awarded to the next-of- kin of all members of the Armed Forces killed on operations. So, the tinkering will continue, sensibly and quietly. Doctors orders will be followed, too, hence Her Majestys reluctant absence from church over Christmas due to a heavy cold. But the core royal business remains unaltered. There is, it must be said, something uniquely evocative about a Sapphire Jubilee. But how does the Queen herself view such a landmark? And how will it be celebrated? There are certainly no plans for an official party. The Queen had her big Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and there was all that happy hullabaloo for her 90th last year. At her final birthday event in June, she remarked pointedly: How I will feel if people are still singing Happy Birthday to me in December remains to be seen. Since we have barely progressed beyond January, it is safe to say she most emphatically does not want A Big Do. It has always been a paradox that the most famous woman in the world has absolutely no interest in fame. Yet, if her Jubilee is a catalyst for others to get together or to have bright ideas, then the Queen could not be happier. And its clear many people are already coming up with plans to mark it in a number of ways. The Prayer Book Society, for example, has created a special sapphire Accession service for general use. I call Lord Sterling, the former executive chairman of P&O and the man who played a key role in organising the Queens Silver, Golden and Diamond jubilees. He finds the idea very appealing. Ahead of the Queens Diamond Jubilee marking 60 years of her reign, he commissioned the Gloriana, the first official Royal row-barge on the Thames in 200 years. Made of British oak, this 88 ft oar-powered vessel would be ideal for a Jubilee celebration on the river. Lord Sterling says he would be very happy to oblige. But if all this will undoubtedly delight the Queen, is there anything specific she still yearns for? After all, she is the worlds most respected head of state and her monarchy which has broken countless records is as strong as the day she inherited it. In 2011 the Queen's horse, Carlton House (right) was the favourite at Epsom but came in third Though she has no interest in records, there is still one she would dearly love to equal. It is held by her great-grandfather, Edward VII the only reigning monarch to win the Derby. After all that she has done for racing, it would mean more than most of us can imagine for her to stand there with a Derby winner, says a family friend. And there is another heartfelt ambition that has kept the Queen going for every day of her 65-year reign. It was revealed by her cousin, confidante and childhood playmate Margaret Rhodes not long before her death in November last year. Asked why the Queen had so often put her job before her family or herself, this wise royal sounding board replied: I think she did it with such dedication because she wanted to make her father proud of her. As the Sapphire Jubilee begins, on the anniversary of his death, there is precious little the rest of us can do about securing the Queen a Derby winner, glorious though that would be. But when it comes to her other great aspiration, I think we can all surely assure her of this: no father could be prouder. This was a historic day for our country. At 7.30pm yesterday, by a resounding majority of 384, the Commons swept away the last serious obstacle to freeing Britain from the chains that have bound us to an unelected, unaccountable Brussels for 45 years. True, we can still expect dirty tricks from the 114 who, to their shame, voted against implementing the peoples will. Of these, this paper will not waste ink on cursing SNP members, whose fantasies of Scotland as an independent EU nation gave them a spurious excuse for defying the UK majority. The Speaker, John Bercow, is handed the result of the vote, which was 498 to 114 in favour of the government's Brexit Bill As for the rest, no criticism is too harsh for those Labour MPs who represent solidly Brexiteer constituencies, but voted to remain. They deserve everything coming to them at the next election. So, too, do the creeps who in 2015 backed the call for a binding referendum, but voted last night against implementing its result. Among these, none can beat the monstrous hypocrisy of Nick Clegg that flip-flopping representative of the monied elite, suckled on the breast of Brussels. In 2008, it was he who led demands for an in/out referendum on Europe (as we demonstrate on the opposite page). Yet after the people voted Out, he voted In. That we-know-best minority aside, last night was a triumph for democracy. For once, even Jeremy Corbyn showed he understood the word, ordering his party to vote for triggering Brexit (albeit at the cost of tearing Labour further apart). But what a battle it has been to get to this stage. In the referendum campaign, David Cameron and George Osborne used every weapon in their armoury to try to scare and dupe voters. Lavishing public funds on Project Fear, they enlisted support from the supposedly neutral Civil Service and Governor of the Bank of England, while bribing businessmen and think-tanks to join them with hints of gongs. Next, they persuaded President Obama to warn that Britain would be sent to the back of the queue for a trade deal if we pulled out (how empty that threat looks, now his successor has put us at the front). As the BBCs Newsnight reported on Tuesday, Mr Cameron even tried to get the Editor of this newspaper sacked in his desperation to stop the public reading the case for Brexit. And even after 17.4million voters saw through the scaremongering, bullying and lies, diehard Remoaners refused to accept the result. Labour MP Chris Bryant ignored Jeremy Corbyn's three-line whip and voted against the Brexit Bill despite 53 percent of voters in his Rhondda constituency voting for Brexit Thousands took to the streets to march against democracy. Many sought to fob the public off with soft Brexit, meaning membership of the EU in all but name. Others spread gloom including Sir Ivan Rogers, our former ambassador to the EU. A classic Foreign Office appeaser, he was at it again yesterday, suggesting Britain will have to pay a 50billion bill for pulling out. Meanwhile, Remoaners went to the courts, persuading a handful of unaccountable judges with three honourable exceptions to give MPs the final say, though Parliament had resolved by six-to-one to let the people decide. This brings us back to last nights crucial vote on the Second Reading of the EU withdrawal Bill, which puts beyond doubt the Governments right to trigger Brexit before the end of next month. Above all, that thumping 384 majority sends a powerful signal to the Lords that they will sabotage Brexit at their peril. Indeed, with Theresa May four-square behind Brexit, the U.S. joining others eager for trade deals, economists upgrading growth forecasts every week and countless Remainers switching sides, as they survey the EUs decline everything is set fair for a bright future. At last, were on our way out, and up. We have lift-off. There is a little- known fact that President Trump comes from a long line of administrators, stretching all the way back to the days of ancient Rome. As you can see from these historic documents, they all shared their descendants optimistic, can-do approach to the events of the day. Donaldus Trumpus on the Great Fire of Rome, AD64 I so very, very promise you this: were going to have a great big beautiful fire, and my very good friend Emperor Nero for whom, by the way, I have a huge amount of respect is going to play the most amazing fiddle while Rome burns. Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch some great, great fiddling and a great, great fire and all at the same time! Enjoy! Nero is the best fiddle-player ever in the history of our great nation, and let me tell you this what this guy doesnt know about setting light to our major cities isnt worth knowing. President Donald Trump comes from a long line of optimistic and can-do administrators dating all the way back to the days of ancient Rome, writes Craig Robinson. So from this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. Together, we will make Rome burn again! And by the way were going to be introducing a great, great new policy. From this day forth, the forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no more! And you know what? thats because we will be feeding them to the lions! And by the way those lovely forgotten people are going to so enjoy being gobbled up, you just wouldnt believe it! Its the most amazing thing, truly amazing. But I read somewhere that 99 per cent of people thats literally billions and billions, maybe trillions even say they found the whole experience of being eaten by a lion truly incredible. Theyre queuing up to be fed! And its an experience well now be giving to all those beautiful, forgotten people. Sir Donald Trump, VC, MC, DSO on the Black Hole of Calcutta, 1756 Its not a black hole, not at all, you shouldnt believe anything those phoney media try to tell you. You know what? Its the most beautiful GOLDEN hole, superb luxury accommodation, all en-suite, nothing too much trouble, refreshments all round, great service, total luxury. And, by the way, I feel so great today being able to tell you what a terrific time all those beautiful people are having in there! Lord Trumpworthy of Donald on the Charge of the Light Brigade, 1854 @Trumpworthy: Beautiful, beautiful British charge planned for later this morning. All our finest commanders involved! Very very great plans totally cant fail! Enjoy! @Trumpworthy: Theyre charging now! Greatest charge ever in the history of the world! Enemy doesnt know whats hitting em! Go, guys! @Trumpworthy: Stupendous result! Very, very successful. FACT: All casualties on Russian side, none on British! Do the math! Fantastic! Like Trump, pictured with his daughter Ivanka, his lineage of leaders shared their thoughts on current events, writes Robinson @Trumpworthy: Official result of Charge totally rigged! So phoney! So wrong! APOLOGISE! @Trumpworthy: Totally biased so-called poet Tennyson is worst liar ever. NO cannon to the right of them OR cannon to the left of them! Check your facts! So dumb! @Trumpworthy: Believe me, Charge of Light Brigade will always be remembered as The Valley of Delight! General Trumper on the Battle of Little Bighorn, 1876 Dont believe what you read in the dishonest Press! They got me wrong right from the start! Its been the hugest success ever! Nothing I ever wanted more than an arrow right through my heart! So privileged! The American dream is back! All those bodies on the ground just all-American men enjoying a well-deserved nap! Incredible! Its not a massacre its a movement! Captain Trump on the RMS Titanic, 1912 @captrump: Beautiful smooth Atlantic crossing. Tremendous reviews. Titanic the safest, most fantastic ship in the world! Nothing can possibly go wrong! @captrump: Just touched worlds greatest iceberg! Not a dent! @captrump: Great news! For one night only, we will be opening very, very beautiful swimming pools on every deck, no extra charge! @captrump: Were not going down. Dont believe phoney lying lies from media liars! @captrump: I am so deeply honoured to be steering Titanic down to the bottom of the sea, totally as planned! @captrump: Superb passengers all leaping into sea! Terrific sense of occasion! Historic voyage! @captrump: Deeply honoured to have been your captain on safest voyage of the worlds greatest ship, the Tita... Anyone who believes that Britains free Press is not under threat should consider two shocking cases this week. One concerns the behaviour of the police, the other this newspaper. Police in Cleveland have been behaving like the Stasi in Communist East Germany or the KGB in the Soviet Union. I dont exaggerate. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), they spied on the communications data of a whistleblower and of several journalists. This was not done in the process of investigating serious crime such as terrorism, or looking after the public the justification for giving the police such powers. Cleveland officers were spying on a whistleblower who had complained about racial discrimination within the service. After three embarrassing leaks in 2012, unnamed senior officers authorised seizing the phone data of two junior police officers, a solicitor, a reporter on the Daily Mirror and journalists on the Northern Echo. In President Recep Erdogans Turkey journalists are frequently imprisoned and persecuted You see what I mean about the Stasi. For entirely self-serving reasons that is to say, in order to protect their own backs the police were happy to use a draconian law against individuals not even suspected of having committed any crime. And this happened not in President Recep Erdogans Turkey, where journalists are frequently imprisoned and persecuted while civil rights are threatened, but in a corner of our own supposedly freedom-loving land. Fortunately, on this occasion judges on an opaque body called the Investigatory Powers Tribunal ruled that Cleveland Police had overreached themselves in their understanding of what is permissible under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. But that provides little comfort since other police forces are almost certainly snooping into the personal data of blameless individuals, and we know that other agencies of the State such as local councils routinely spy on people who may have done no wrong. Councils have carried out almost 2,800 surveillance operations since 2011, which included the use of hidden microphones, covert cameras and private detectives. In many, if not most, of these cases they invoked powers available to them under Ripa. Over the years, the Act has been used against journalists and newspapers by numerous police forces. Though we may never know the full extent of surveillance, there are some well-attested cases. In 2014, the Metropolitan Police used the Act to obtain a Sun journalists phone data to identify a whistleblower in the so- called Plebgate affair in which the then chief whip Andrew Mitchell was said to have called police plebs. The force was accused of circumventing a different law, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which requires police to ask a judge for disclosure of journalistic material, which they didnt have to do under Ripa. In another case, a Kent police officer investigating the speeding scandal involving Chris Huhne, the former energy secretary, obtained the private data of a Mail on Sunday journalist and his source. In my experience, the eyes of some people are apt to glaze over if journalists mention the freedom of the Press. But whenever whistleblowers or journalists are targeted, its not just their freedom that is threatened. Everyones freedom is at risk. The Met, led by Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, pictured, used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act to obtain a Sun journalists phone data True, the Act was somewhat rejigged last November, but actually the list of reasons for which police can justify using their powers has been broadened. For the first time, officers will have to apply to a so-called judicial commissioner before accessing the data of journalists, but the journalists will be given no prior notification. Like most people, I suspect, when I was young I used to trust in the fair play, fundamental decency, moderation and good sense of the police and other official bodies. I no longer do. How could one after all that has happened? I no longer think the authorities generally believe in the right of the Press to freely report without fear or favour, though of course there are exceptions. As the State grows ever bigger and more intrusive, its tendency to conceal acts of injustice or its own sheer ineptitude grows stronger. Which brings me to the second instance of gross interference. On Tuesday, BBC2s Newsnight broadcast an item alleging that during the EU referendum campaign, David Cameron tried to secure the dismissal of the Editor of this newspaper, because of his stance on Brexit. David Cameron tried to secure the dismissal of the editor of the Daily Mail, because of his stance on Brexit According to the item, Mr Cameron fruitlessly attempted to persuade the Mails proprietor, Lord Rothermere, that its Editor should go lest this newspapers pro-Leave sentiments de-rail the Prime Ministers ambition for Britain to stay in the EU. But let us not get too tangled up with the personalities involved. It is surely deeply troubling that any British prime minister should scheme to remove an editor with whom he disagrees. In Turkey, President Erdogan will send his heavies to a newspaper office, or he will arrest editors and journalists he doesnt like. Thats what happens in many countries we like to think of as crude or uncivilised, including Russia and China. We imagine things are done differently here, but isnt it really a question of style? David Cameron is smooth and sleek and has good manners not a risible thug such as Erdogan or Putin who will send in the bully-boys. Yet I know that while Opposition leader, he secured the dismissal of a highly critical columnist from a national newspaper, and later conspired to get rid of another. Now we discover he strove unsuccessfully to finish off an editor who had dared to stand in his way. I dont suppose Mr Cameron is worse than many leading politicians, though I cant forget that when he was a PR man in the Nineties he was known to treat journalists with disdain and, so it is alleged, once lied to them. No, our ex-prime minister is really only an embodiment of much Establishment thinking. He only likes the Press so long as it agrees with him and doesnt get in the way of what he wants to do. I used to think that he instigated the Leveson Inquiry into the ethics of the Press because he felt vulnerable for he had previously unwisely appointed as his spin doctor Andy Coulson, who had been editor of the News of the World the paper at the centre of the phone-hacking scandal. In Russia, President Vlamdimir Putin closes down any newspapers he doesnt like Doubtless he was driven to panic by this association. But isnt it possible, even likely, that he also wanted to set in train an inquiry under an accommodating judge which would lead to tighter control of the Press? Lord Justice Leveson complied. In Russia, Putin closes down papers he doesnt like, or sends in a new editor. In Britain, we have, under the guise of a new Royal Charter, a State-approved watchdog called Impress, which happens to be funded by a multi-millionaire deviant called Max Mosley. Newspapers here arent under the heel of government not yet. But the apparatus has been set up, and it could become more coercive one day if it suited the powers-that-be. Happily, the Press remains one sphere of modern life beyond the control of the State. How long will this last? Police trawling through reporters records, and a prime minister trying to do down an editor, are aspects of the same lethal phenomenon. How I wish that journalists from the loftiest broadsheet to the most spirited red-top tabloid, and decent people of Left and Right, could unite to defend our threatened freedom. When Robert Carlyle revealed on Graham Norton last week how he really felt about The Full Monty, he did so with typical Glaswegian candour. 'I thought it was load of f****** pish', he told the BBC funnyman and his gathered co-stars from new Trainspotting film T2. The Scottish actor, 55, went on to explain that he'd hated making the film and was flabbergasted by its ensuing success; the movie was a huge success across the pond, raking in $250 million and spawning a Broadway adaptation. Scroll down for video You can leave your hat on: The Full Monty was released in August 1997 and, far from being destined for the 'straight to video' pile as many expected, it became a huge box office hit The cockle-warming film saw out-of-work Gaz (Robert Carlyle, centre) persuade his newly unemployed friends to disrobe in front of an audience of women No room for blushes! The feel-good film has seen the majority of its stars go on to enjoy high profile careers Carlyle said: 'It was a tough shoot. It was so horrible that when the people, Fox/Searchlight, who'd commissioned it, saw the first cut they said "straight to video"'. He then explained that editor Uberto Pasolini begged for a chance to re-cut the film, and did so with Nick Moore; their version earned them an Oscar nomination. Two decades after the film, which documents the lives of six unemployed men in Sheffield who decide to form a strip-tease troupe to earn extra cash, was released, where has life post-blockbuster taken them? ROBERT CARLYLE - GAZ Already a big name thanks to Danny Boyle's television series Hamish Macbeth and another Boyle production, Trainspotting, Carlyle took the lead role in The Full Monty, persuading his very cynical mates to try their hand at some Chippendale-style thrusts. When the steel industry shut down, Sheffield steel worker Gaz (Carlyle) had to find other ways to help bring up his son Nathan (William Snape) A mullet-sporting Carlyle back in 1997; right: as he looks in more recent outings including the latest Trainspotting film, T2 The movie kicked off a purple patch for Carlyle; roles in The Beach (also Danny Boyle), hit television show 24, and 28 Weeks Later followed. More recently he's been a regular in US show Rumplestiltskin and is currently in the Trainspotting sequel, T2. MARK ADDY - DAVE Mark Addy starred as body-conscious Dave in the film; he's since enjoyed plenty of work across the pond in the US and in recent cult series Game of Thrones The portly Dave is perhaps the least keen on disrobing in The Full Monty, but somehow managed to be the most charming of all the Sheffield strippers. High profile television roles have followed for Addy, who was already well known for his work on television comedy The Thin Blue Line... including the CBS show Still Standing, Game of Thrones, Great Expectations and Atlantis. STEVE HUISON - LOMPER The fiery locks may have faded! Steve Huison played suicidal Lomper, who was rescued from depression by a role in Gaz's dance troupe Flame-haired Lomper couldn't have looked less like a Chippendale but was brought into the group after trying to take his own life, fearing decades on the dole following the closure of the steelworks. Actor Huison headed west from Sheffield to the cobbles of Manchester, starring as Eddie Windass in Coronation Street. More fleeting television roles have followed in recent years, including stints in UK television dramas Doctors and Scott and Bailey. Talented artist Huison also creates portraits for a living. WILLIAM SNAPE - NATHAN Hasn't he grown: William Snapes starred as young Nathan in the comedy film Still acting, the now 31-year-old is still pursuing a career on screen Snape won hearts as Nathan, Gaz's super-cute young son who is less than impressed by his father's latest money-making idea. Of all the actors appearing in The Full Monty, Snape looks the most different - because he grew up. Now 31, he's had a string of acting roles in the likes of Holby City, Emmerdale and Heartbeat but hasn't quite enjoyed the same success as his higher profile co-stars. TOM WILKINSON - GERALD Remember grumbling factory foreman Gerald? Who ended up in the dole queue too and eventually won over film fans with his enthusiastic attempts at racy dance moves. Tom Wilkinson's super proud Gerald was hard to like at first. In real life, he's gone on to enjoy huge success, regularly starring in Hollywood films Wilkinson, now 68, had Hollywood firmly in his sights and has starred in a slew of big name pictures including Shakespeare in Love, Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. He also won a Golden Globe for his role as Benjamin Franklin in US mini-series John Adams. Wilkinson has four, count 'em, productions out in 2017 including The Happy Prince, directed by Rupert Everett and starring Emily Watson and Colin Firth. HUGO SPEER - GUY Hey handsome! Hugo Speer was the film's heart-throb. He delighted fans with his perfectly toned pecs Speer has acted in tv dramas including Bleak House, Midsomer Murders and The Musketeers The character of Guy can't dance, but he's very easy on the eye, and that's enough for stripping leader Gaz to give him the green light to join. Speer, now 47, has been ever present on screens since, starring in television dramas Bleak House, Midsomer Murders and The Musketeers. On film, he's had roles in Vera and the controversial Nymphomaniac: Vol. 1. A drink driving ban in 2009 saw him making headlines for different reasons. LESLEY SHARP - JEAN Rita, Sue and Bob too had already made Lesley Sharp famous but her Full Monty role cemented her status as one of Britain's favourite actresses. She's most recently been seen as one half of Scott and Bailey The role of Jean scooped Sharp, now 56, a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress and has seen her become one of the UK's most recognisable actresses. Roles in Bob and Rose, Vera Drake, the long-running hit Scott and Bailey and Netflix series Paranoid have kept Sharp's career firmly on track. PAUL BARBER - HORSE He's got moves! No, not Denzil in Only Fools and Horses...but Paul Barber's second most famous character, Horse The 65-year-old actor has worn the 20 years well. His character in the Full Monty was called Horse for reasons that are too explicit to explain For many, Paul Barber, now 65, will only ever be Denzil from Only Fools and Horses. But his role as Horse, so-called for rather X-rated reasons, has seen a steady string of roles come his way ever since. Most recently, he's appeared in Death in Paradise and One Night in Istanbul. A new film, Gloves Off, is in post-production and released this year. EMILY WOOF - MANDY Author and actor Emily Woof played Mandy in the 1997 cult classic, in which she starred as the troublesome ex-wife of Gaz (seen left in the film and right at a book festival in 2010) Author and actor Emily Woof played Mandy in the 1997 cult classic, in which she starred as the troublesome ex-wife of Gaz. Her demands for child support were the catalyst for his decision to form the strip act. Since the film finished, she has gone on to star as Nancy in the 1999 mini-series Oliver Twist and thief Paula in Daylight Robbery. Emily has also written two novels. DEIRDRE COSTELLO - LINDA Deirdre Costello (left) played the wife of Gerald, who is fooled into thinking that he still has a job and goes to the office everyday Deirdre Costello played the wife of Gerald, who is fooled into thinking that he still has a job and goes to the office everyday. Before that, she appeared in the 1980 film The Elephant Man and later went on to have small parts in Doctors and Coronation Street. A trio of little girls have become an online sensation for their heartwarming tribute to Black History Month. It all began when Milwaukee College Prep teacher Terrance Sims enlisted the help of his students to create posters that referenced and paid tribute to African-American culture. One of the students, Ambrielle Baker-Rogers, teamed up with her friends Miah Bell-Olson and Morgan Coleman, they recreated the poster for Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Making a statement: A trio of young girls have gone viral after recreating the poster for the film Hidden Figures Important message: The film tells the story of three African American female mathematicians who worked for NASA to help make John Glenn the first American to go into orbit The film tells the story of three African American female mathematicians who helped NASA send the first American into the Earth's orbit - making it the perfect subject to cover for the project. The movie stars Janelle Monae, Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer and has been nominated for numerous awards, including Best Picture at the Academy Awards. In Ambrielle's version of the poster - which sees the three women standing tall in front of a rocket launch - she plays the role of Dorothy Vaughn, the mathematician played by Octavia in the film. Getting it right: The girls had their hair done in vintage styles and wore dresses to correspond to the characters Big winners: The film already picked up the SAG Award for Outstanding Cast on Sunday The three girls all have their hair done up in vintage styles and wear dresses that correspond with the film's characters. Beneath the image reads the words: 'Blackness is beauty.' 'I love the message it promotes, especially for young black girls,' said Ambrielle's mother Jerrica Rogers to BuzzFeed. 'It gives them role models in a field where our representation is so low. It was just an awesome and empowering experience.' Inspired: Ambrielle's mother Jerrica Rogers said that watching the film was 'an awesome and empowering experience' Catching on: Octavia Spencer shared the girls' project, calling it 'just too adorable' Exciting: Taraji P. Henson was over-the-moon to have inspired the gorgeous young girls The girls' effort made it's way onto social media, where it quickly went viral and eventually caught the attention of the actresses. 'This is just too adorable,' wrote Octavia Spencer on her Twitter account as she shared the photo with her followers. Taraji P. Henson shared the poster on her Instagram page, saying: 'I do what I do #SoTheBabiesCanDream.' And even Janelle Monae shared her own post about the girls' project, simply captioning it with the word: 'Priceless.' Hidden Figures recently picked up the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast and in, addition to Best Picture, is up for two more Oscars later this month. A footy WAG has told of her struggles as a single mother-of-two since her separation from a famous AFL player. Abby Gilmore officially separated from Western Bulldogs forward Jake Stringer in December, but they managed to keep their separation secret for six months while still living together, the Herald Sun reported. Ms Gilmore - mother to daughters Milla, 2, and Arlo, 9 months - took to social media to try and help other women struggling through relationship breakdowns, single parenthood and post-natal depression. Abby Gilmore (left with her children Arlo and Milla) split from childhood sweetheart Western Bulldogs forward Jake Stringer (right with Ms Gilmore and their daughters) in December 'I'm in complete shock, I'm a single mum. I'm 23 years old with two kids - that's shocking to me. I still can't believe it some days myself, but it's just how it is,' Ms Gilmore says. 'No one ever plans to have kids and then to separate but what we want to plan on doing is to make it as friendly as possible, I don't want the girls growing up thinking Mum and Dad hate each other. 'As much as we fought to stay together, it just wasn't going to work for us, and that's okay. What's best for our girls is to see us happy together which involves not being together constantly. 'We needed to separate, we come together now and we're happy.' Ms Gilmore (left with daughters Milla and Arlo) opened up about the break up of her relationship with Stringer (right) The 23-year-old (with daughters Arlo and Milla) has 50,000 plus followers on social media Ms Gilmore ( pictured with Stringer at the 2015 Brownlow Medal ceremony) took to social media to try and help other women struggling through relationship breakdowns 'We needed to separate,' Ms Gilmore (pictured) said about her split from Stringer The blogger has taken comfort from the outpouring of support from her loyal followers The 23-year-old has 50,000 plus followers on social media, and spoke of the battles she has had to endure since the couple's separation most notably suffering post-natal depression after the birth of Arlo. She wrote that once she understood what was happening she got help for it and that was 'a powerful message in itself'. Her daily posts on her blog have been well received by her followers who have in turn helped Ms Gilmore with their constant show of support for her struggles. Ms Gilmore says she has taken comfort from the outpouring of support from her loyal followers, which has inspired her to start a blog as a platform to expand on her daily personal posts. Despite the fact they were both separated at the time, she still shared in the Western Bulldogs Grand Final triumph with Stringer. Describing the occasion as 'hard' she still felt 'incredibly proud' of her ex-partner's achievement, and that helping his side win the showpiece event gave their family 'memories for ever'. But despite those memories she won't be missing the life of a footy wag. 'Those kinds of things werent what drove me. Im trying to make my own positive impact on women and the world,'she said. If you've ever wished you could just get a babysitter in for an hour while you popped to the shops and ran a few errands, you soon might be able to. An app - dubbed by its creator as an 'Uber for nannies' - is set to launch later this year - and the aim is to provide childcare at the click of a button. Little Ones creator and mum of three, Viviana Rossios, from Melbourne, spoke to FEMAIL about the upcoming Australia-based app, which will let mothers have a 'well-deserved break'. 'Whether it's an hour, an afternoon or a whole day, it's okay to have a break,' she said. An app - dubbed 'Uber for nannies' - is set to launch this year - the aim is to provide childcare at the click of a button - it's been launched by Melbourne mum, Viviana Rossios (pictured) Little Ones creator and mum of three, Viviana Rossios, from Melbourne, spoke to FEMAIL, saying: 'Whether it's an hour, an afternoon or a whole day, it's okay to have a break' Little Ones will work in much the same way as Uber. Mothers will simply log on when they need a nanny, check which caregivers are online - and book one of them. Each nanny has a profile, with former families' reviews and they set their own rate, depending on their experience. 'At the moment, we've got about 380 caregivers who have registered,' co-creator, Rob Rossi, told Daily Mail Australia. 'For the most part, they're in Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland, but we hope to roll it out nationwide when we have enough.' Little Ones will work in much the same way as Uber - mothers simply log on when they need a nanny, check which caregivers are online - and book (Ms Rossios, pictured with her kids) Each nanny has a profile, with former families' reviews and they set their own rate, depending on their experience (pictured: Ms Rossios' kids) Ms Rossios came up with the idea for Little Ones after she had her own three children in the space of 28 months (all pictured) Ms Rossios came up with the idea for Little Ones after she had her own three children in the space of 28 months: How come we can get everything at the click of a button except childcare? 'I'm a mum of three young children, I'm constantly busy and I just thought: How come we can get everything at the click of a button except childcare?,' she said. 'I knew that there would be other busy mums in my situation and so I decided to translate the idea into a business.' 'I'm a mum of three young children, I'm constantly busy and I thought: How come we can get everything at the click of a button except childcare?,' she said (pictured: the developing app) For anyone worried about the safety of leaving their children with a stranger, Ms Rossios said that all of the caregivers are vetted as they would be within a childcare centre 'I wanted to tell mothers that it's okay to let yourselves have a break every once in a while,' Ms Rossios said (pictured: her children) For anyone worried about the safety of leaving their children with a stranger, Ms Rossios said that all of the caregivers are vetted as they would be within a childcare centre: 'They need to have a Working With Children check, relevant experience and qualifications. It's quite a strict process,' she said. Then, when parents use the app, they can either hire instant care via the app, or plan a meeting and book a babysitter in advance. 'Of course, first time mums are naturally cautious,' Mr Rossi said. 'But they don't have to leave the home the first time they try Little Ones - they could simply book someone for an hour and then get some chores done while remaining in the house.' 'I wanted to tell mothers that it's okay to let yourselves have a break every once in a while,' Ms Rossios added. Little Ones will launch later this year. For more information or to sign up as a caregiver, click here. An artist has caused controversy after creating a collection made entirely from dead birds. Emily Valentine specialises in 'wearable art', and has created a $4,000 bra and skirt set crafted with dead Rainbow Lorikeets. Her collection is currently on display at Sydney's Janet Clayton Gallery, and has been lambasted by critics who claim the artwork made a 'mockery of wildlife'. But Ms Valentine disputed the remarks, saying the roadkill collection actually aimed to raise awareness about the mistreatment of animals. New Zealand artist Emily Valentine has caused controversy with her wearable art collection made with dead birds. Pictured is a $4,000 set made from Rainbow Lorikeets The artist (centre) used birds that died from natural causes or were killed in an accident for her collection, which she said aimed to raise awareness about the mistreatment of animals 'I want to confront the viewer with the uncomfortable nature of the feather, to question our callous treatment of animals and birds, and ask how we sub-consciously classify animals pet or pest, valued or worthless, beautiful or plain,' she said. The New Zealand resident said her pieces were made with birds that had died of natural causes or through an accident, such as road kill. Other examples of her work include fascinators made from dead birds, the wings extending as if in flight atop the head. The road kill collection includes doll sized figures that have become mythical winged heroes One man modelled a Rainbow Lorikeet hat, its wings extended above his head As well as using Rainbow Lorikeets in her collection, Ms Valentine also featured a rooster and seagull. Photos of her work were uploaded to the Janet Clayton Gallery Instagram page, where they were met with backlash from animal activists. 'This exhibition is seriously sickening. It makes a mockery of our wildlife. How dare you,' one critic said. Another labelled the work as 'gross and said it was an 'inappropriate use of wildlife'. Causing controversy: 'This exhibition is seriously sickening. It makes a mockery of our wildlife. How dare you,' one critic said Recurring theme: 'In 1999 I made Road Kill, a pair of shoes using feathers from a roadkill lorikeet and this led to my continuing use of this source when ever I can,' Ms Valentine said Despite the critics, Ms Valentine has been recognised for her work in the industry. In 2014 she won the World of Wearable Art WOW Factor Award, and described feathers as her 'paint'. 'In 1999 I made Road Kill, a pair of shoes using feathers from a roadkill lorikeet and this led to my continuing use of this source when ever I can,' she said. The collection also stars doll sized figures that have become mythical winged 'heroes' and a life-sized model of an Afghan Hound transformed into a rooster. Ethereal beauty of Nyree Dawn Porter (pictured) played the highly-strung and untameable Irene in The Forsyte Saga Downton is no longer, leaving lovers of bustles and bodices, grand houses and ankle-length gowns bereft. But Im not missing out on period drama. Because Ive just been digging into the television archives to unearth an old treasure and one still bursting with life and vigour. Reader, I could not put it down (or, rather, resist the temptation of the next disc in the box-set). Though 50 years have passed since the BBC broadcast the first episode of its dramatisation of John Galsworthys blockbuster of a novel, The Forsyte Saga, I was a slave once more to Soames, Jo, Jolyon, James, Irene, Winifred, Monty, the whole Forsyte dynasty and their tangled web of family intrigue. It was on a Saturday night early in 1967 that the nation or, more accurately, the comparatively small minority who could get BBC2 on their screens was introduced to a story that would grip audiences every week for the next six months. There were 25 more one-hour episodes to come four times more than any television serial attempted until then. The start was simple enough. There was the mini-fanfare of trumpets in Eric Coatess theme music, followed by a title page and an establishing shot in black and white, because the days of colour TV had not yet arrived of elegant ladies with parasols and a gentleman in a top hat walking in the park, overlaid with the caption London 1879. 50 years have passed since the BBC broadcast the first episode of its dramatisation of John Galsworthys blockbuster of a novel, The Forsyte Saga Then came the voice-over of matinee idol Kenneth More, drawing us in with his unmistakable, silky smooth tones and crystal-clear pronunciation. In England today, he announced, there is no more charming and instructive sight than an upper-class family in full plumage. This particular family is called Forsyte and they live in Park Lane. Its fashionable and convenient, and property values there continue to rise It was a historic moment. The period drama series was born and would thereafter be a staple of television producers in search of a loyal audience who would tune in week after week. Forsyte had a cult following from the start. Six million viewers tuned in religiously to this brave new venture an astonishing figure given that there were only nine million sets in the country that had the up-to-date technology to pick up BBC2. The lucky ones (those with 625-line signal sets instead of the conventional 405) invited over friends and neighbours for Forsyte parties. There was the mini-fanfare of trumpets in Eric Coatess theme music, followed by a title page and an establishing shot in black and white, because the days of colour TV had not yet arrived. Pictured: Actress Susan Hampshire recieves glasses as a present from the cast And religiously turned out to be the appropriate word. When, after its huge success on BBC2, the entire saga was repeated by popular demand on BBC1 on Sunday nights, Anglican vicars held evensong early so their congregations could get home in time for the 7.25pm start. By the last episode in July, viewing figures were an astonishing 18 million nearly twice as many as Downton would ever manage to achieve. Landlords complained their pubs were deserted when Forsyte was on the box. In an instant, Galsworthys 1922 story of warring factions within a family of rich parvenus businessmen, lawyers and owners of property, second-generation wealthy men laying a claim to high social status and snobbishly craving respectability became a must-see classic of the new television age. In sitting rooms and parlours, mums, dads and children squashed together on sofas, eyes glued in the semi-darkness to the flickering 17 inch screen of the single family TV set, lodged in a bulky wooden cabinet on the floor or perched on tall, spindly legs at each corner. Colour wouldnt appear until later in the year and there were just three channels. Nor was there wind-back or freeze-frame or even video recorders (which arrived in the 1970s). Nip out for a loo break or to make a cup of tea and the moment was gone. If you missed it, youd missed it. Concentration a thing of the past these days was required to catch every nuance. Forsyte had a cult following from the start. Six million viewers tuned in religiously to this brave new venture an astonishing figure given that there were only nine million sets in the country that had the up-to-date technology to pick up BBC2 But it was worth the effort because what unfolded on screen week after week was, and still is, a masterpiece. It couldnt be more different from drama on television today, where scenes can be counted in seconds before shifting to something else, for fear of viewers losing interest. Keep moving is the mantra. But in the original Forsyte, a single camera focuses on actors on a static set who take their time, create their characters, deliver their lines and develop the drama with a brilliance now sadly lost to television and film. Here is acting of a high order. It had to be. There was no technical trickery, no cutaways and close-ups, no shifts of focus or special effects. None of the over-smart wizardry that turned, say, Sherlock on New Years Day into an impenetrable maze. Just good actors doing their job. Such a relief and such a joy. By the last episode, Forsyte viewing figures were an astonishing 18 million nearly twice as many as modern period drama Downton would ever manage Nor did the writers shy away from exposing us to thoughtful discussions about art, beauty and truth, the sort of deep subjects that todays TV dramatists would run a mile from, feeling the need to shield their viewers from anything so intellectually taxing and high-brow. Best of all sheer bliss! there was no background music, no intrusive soaring violins or thundering drums to up the drama and dictate to viewers the required emotional response. Just a thundering good script that is allowed to tell a powerful story of love, hate, ambition, obsession, betrayal, grief, glory, the whole gamut. I was captivated, as were those millions of viewers the first time around half a century ago. They were charmed by the chuckling and debonair Kenneth More (already a big star for films such as Reach For The Sky and Genevieve) as happy-go-lucky Young Jolyon; lost in awe at the exquisite and ethereal beauty of Nyree Dawn Porter as the highly-strung and untameable Irene; and appalled by stern, unlovable Soames, played by Eric Porter. I cant marry you, Soames, insists Irene when the dismal fellow presses his suit by telling her how well-off she will be as his wife. She doesnt love him, and love is everything to her. I dont accept your refusal, he replies in the forthright manner of a Forsyte used to brooking no argument. Reluctantly, she relents, a victim of circumstances, and so begins a chain of consequences that lead to disaster. A whole nation seemed caught up in their fates, with families split down the middle in their reactions. Was Soames bad, or badly done by? Was Irene just a tease and a taker? The scene in which the frustrated Soames forced himself on her was a massive talking point that left many viewers shocked, though it was tame by todays sexually explicit standards, where every violent detail is exploited. Back then, it was a short moment a ripped dress, a flash of bare flesh, Soamess angry face, teeth clenched, and then a weeping Irene. That was all it took to convey the horror of rape on which the story hinged. The scene in which the frustrated Soames forced himself on her was a massive talking point that left many viewers shocked, though it was tame by todays sexually explicit standards, where every violent detail is exploited Nor was Soames the only person to be besotted by Irene/Nyree with her incredible glass figurine of a face and her dancing eyes. Men everywhere were in thrall to her. Nyree in real life was very like Irene apparently, difficult, demanding and extraordinarily vulnerable with a mesmeric, frail beauty, according to a film-maker who directed her. Her acting was brittle and forced, the least convincing of a distinguished cast, but the camera loved her cant-take-your-eyes-off-her looks. No less a connoisseur of lovely ladies than Laurence Olivier described her beauty as lethal, while she was the one woman U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong insisted on meeting when he visited London after becoming the first man to walk on the Moon. But not even her appeal could keep viewers hooked for 26 episodes, and what counted in the end was a brilliant script that was cleverly structured to be full of surprises. Each episode ended on a cliffhanger, as all good soaps should, even classy ones like Forsyte. Intrigued by what would happen next, you couldnt help but tune in next time. And tune in we did. Each episode ended on a cliffhanger, as all good soaps should, even classy ones like Forsyte (the full 1967 is pictured) Millions did overseas as well. The series was distributed all over the world and was the first television programme the BBC ever sold to the Soviet Union. Its global audience was said to be around 160 million in some 26 countries. No one had any idea it would go worldwide, said Donald Wilson, the Scottish television writer and producer who was responsible for bringing Forsyte to the small screen. But I expected it to do well. It had the right stuff in it marvellous story, lots of twists. Its creation was quite a drama in itself. As head of scripts and serials at the BBC, Wilson tried for ten years to persuade his bosses that Galsworthys story was gold dust. In 2003 the soap was revived, with Emma Griffiths Malin as Fleur Forsyte and Damian Lewis as Soames Forsyte (pictured) It took him ages to get permission from MGM, the Hollywood studio that had bought up the rights to Galsworthys novels (and where he had once been an assistant director). Then he had to convince his sceptical superiors that a long costume drama would attract viewers. The man who came to his rescue and pressed the go button on the project was none other than David Attenborough, now the worlds most famous naturalist. Hes 90 now, but back then he was in his late 30s and the newly appointed controller of BBC2, with a brief to give the recently launched channel a distinctive, eclectic and up-market feel about it while managing to pull in and keep a respectable numbers of viewers. With the centenary of Galsworthys birth in 1867 approaching, a tentative Wilson broached the idea to Attenborough, suggesting a modest foray into the Forsyte novels with, say, 15 episodes? Lets do them all! said Attenborough, going for broke. It was a huge gamble the series was quadruple anything so far attempted on television. What if viewers were quickly bored and turned over or off? And it was going to be expensive to make 10,000 an episode, a fortune at the time, and more than 150,000 in todays money. But if it came off it would put the struggling infant channel firmly on the map. Wilson suddenly found himself with a dual role. By day he planned the project and courted the actors he wanted, tempting Eric Porter from a season of Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon and reeling in film stars such as Kenneth More with his box-office appeal. The series was distributed all over the world and was the first television programme the BBC ever sold to the Soviet Union Then when he got home at night he worked on the screenplay, scribbling away in pencil on sheets of foolscap paper, assisted by four other scriptwriters. As the actors assembled for the production, there was palpable excitement among them. We sensed it would be something very special, one recalled. The whole thing was so superbly done the performances, the writing, everything about it. And it was a game-changer in many ways. It revived interest in Galsworthy, whose works had rather gone out of fashion since his death in 1933, despite being a Nobel Prize-winner for literature. And it spawned a whole genre of epic period serials, from The Pallisers and Upstairs, Downstairs all the way to Downton. Fifty years on, its still a feast for the eyes and ears, so please excuse me now. Ive an urgent date with a box-set. Im 12 episodes in and cant wait to see how it develops. Only another 14 episodes to go On Wednesday evening's Married At First Sight, 36-year-old Ipswich man Simon met his new bride Alene at the Altar. And while he couldn't be happier with his new wife, Alene and her bridal party were concerned about Simon's curly locks. But now, it appears as though Simon, who admitted to rarely doing anything with his hair on the show, may have succumbed to the pressure and cut his curls off. It seems as though MAFS groom Simon, who admitted to rarely doing anything with his curly hair on the show, ,may have succumbed to the pressure and cut his curls off (right) In a photo posted to Facebook in mid January before the show aired, Simon appears barely recognisable while attending a job for his tyre plate business. 'We had a shake in the steering and we tried some of Simon McQuillan "Atlas Balance Company" Tyre Balance plates,' a company wrote. 'Good luck with Getting your Tyre Balance Business going mate and for the future.' The photo, which appears to have been taken that same day, shows Simon holding two tyre plates - his hair significantly shorter and darker than it was on the reality show (pictured) Upon seeing Simon, 31-year-old Alene said she wasn't physically attracted to him The photo, which appears to have been taken that same day, shows Simon holding two tyre plates - his hair significantly looking to be shorter and darker than it was on the reality show. Upon seeing Simon, 31-year-old Alene said she wasn't physically attracted to him. 'The hair, I don't really really like it,' Alene said. Simon didn't make a great first impression with maid of honour Amanda 'I think he needs to lose the hair,' she said. 'He needs a haircut' Later, Simon was quizzed by one of Alene's bridesmaids about his hair before the maid of honour Amanda mentioned it to Alene. 'I think he needs to lose the hair,' she said. 'He needs a haircut.' Simon also confirmed that he had never had a perm like some had suggested and that he hadn't touched his hair for years. Simon also confirmed that he had never had a perm like some had suggested and that he hadn't touched his hair for years The hopeful single decided to go on the show after struggling to find love on other platforms. 'I did try the internet, but I really never had any luck. People will judge books by their covers,' Simon told the Queensland Times. 'I looked at Tinder and thought it's so easy for someone to look at that one picture and judge you immediately by that one thing.' A new mum has described the shocking moment she woke up and discovered she had given birth to a 10 day old baby after being put in a coma by doctors. Ciara Murray, 33, from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, suffered a stroke at 37 weeks' pregnant and doctors had to carriy out three-hour-long surgery to remove the clot on her brain emergency alongside a Caesarean section. Her son James arrived on October 30, 2015, weighing 5lb 5oz, but Ciara was kept in an induced coma after the operation to give her body time to heal. Ciara said: 'They didn't tell me before the surgery that I was going to give birth. The nurse told me that I'd had a baby. I couldn't believe it. My husband John brought him into me and it was just amazing. Ciara Murray, 33, from Northern Ireland has stroke at 37 weeks' pregnant and woke up 10 days after emergency surgery with no idea doctors had performed a Caesarean Ciara and her husband John celebrating James' first birthday in October 2016 'I could hardly move but he just lay there on my chest. He was just a wee tiny bundle but he was perfect. 'I just felt so lucky that he was OK as I was just so worried about him.' Before the dramatic birth, Ciara had experienced a normal pregnancy and had barely even suffered from morning sickness. But on 29 October 2015, she suddenly and unexpectedly suffered a massive stroke, because of a blood clot on her brain. Before the dramatic birth, Ciara had experienced a normal pregnancy and had barely even suffered from morning sickness James on his first birthday: At first his mother had to remain in hospital for intense physio Feeling unwell after breakfast, Ciara went for a lie down - but she didn't make it to the bed and instead collapsed on the bedroom floor. With her husband John, 36, out at work as a bricklayer, Ciara was unable to move and she lay there drifting in and out of consciousness for seven hours. Ciara, who was working as a clerical officer in a school before she became ill, explained: 'My husband was at work and I couldn't get up at all to get the phone. Every time I tried to pull myself up, I kept slipping down. Ciara spent six months in hospital recuperating from her stroke while John cared for their son at home 'I couldn't feel the baby at all. I was far more worried about him than myself. I thought I had just fainted. 'I was so frightened. I just had to close my eyes and hoped that the time would go quickly.' When John came home at 6.30pm, she was finally able to shout out for help. 'I was so glad to hear the key in the door,' she said. 'I said to him 'Is that you John?' He came in and he tried to lift me.' Ciara and John with James on the day he was christened in January 2016 John rang for an ambulance and Ciara was blue-lighted to South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen. Doctors told her that she had suffered a stroke, but luckily, a scan of her baby showed that he was fine. She said: 'It was so lucky that he was alright, but they found that I had a clot on my brain and told me I had to be moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. 'I knew that I was very sick, but John tried to tell me that we'd be fine. That is the last thing I remember.' The mother-of-one pictured before she fell pregnant with her son James Following her operation, John had to take James home without Ciara as she needed intense rehab to help her regain the feeling in her left side. The dedicated dad made the three-hour, 160-mile round trip from their home in County Fermanagh to Belfast every day to make sure they got to spend time together as a family. Ciara's son James at three-months-old She said: 'It was quite a journey for him every day but it was worth it. Luckily, I had no problem bonding with James. I clicked with him and loved him straight away.' After a month at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Ciara moved back to the hospital in Enniskillen for more intense rehab, meaning she got to see James twice a day but soon she had to return to Belfast for the next stage of her treatment. 'After 10 weeks in Enniskillen, I moved back to Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast to the brain injury unit for intense rehab for three months,' she said. 'It was hell knowing that I had to leave the baby again.' After her release from hospital in 29th April 2016, Ciara returned home and adapted to looking after her six-month-old baby. She said: 'I had to learn to change a nappy with one hand as I couldn't use the other. It was definitely challenging but having to look after him was great motivation to get better and stronger.' Ciara in June 21016 during her pregnancy. Before the stroke everything had been smooth sailing and she hadn't even suffered from morning sickness Ciara has had support from a local stroke group to help her to learn to live with the effects of her stroke, which had left her without feeling down her left side. She explained: 'Getting out with other young stroke survivors means I can talk about it with people who understand. 'I am still having rehab as well, but it is a long process. I have regained some feeling in my leg, but there's no arm movement yet. 'I am still in a wheelchair, but I can walk a bit round the house with a stick. I am just working hard every day and I am determined to get all my mobility back.' Luckily, James, now 15 months, is thriving and didn't suffer any impact from the stroke. 'He is completely fine' she said. 'He's full of energy and he's ready to walk at the minute. We're both trying to get on our feet at the same time. 'Doctors still don't know what caused the stroke but I'm just so pleased that we're both doing OK now.' Prince Harry spoke movingly today of his experiences on the frontline in Afghanistan and how important it is for emergency crews to talk about the horrors they have experienced. Chatting with staff from the London Ambulance Service, the royal, who undertook two tours of the region before leaving the military after ten years, recalled how as a helicopter pilot he would often be required to evacuate injured servicemen and women. He said: 'You land and then hand them over and then are radioed to do something else. You never find out how that guy or girl recovered, whether they did recover or they didn't. 'I understand what you go through and thank God you have got each other. ' Prince Harry was all smiles as his he made an early start to the day on a visit to the London Ambulance Service Prince Harry running to scramble his Apache helicopter with fellow pilots at Camp Bastion, Afganistan in 2012. Today he revealed how his wartime experiences still play on his mind Chatting to London Ambulance staff, Harry recalled worrying about the injured personnel he used to transport to hospital in Afghanistan The royal completed two tours of Afghanistan, first as a forward air controller in Helmand in 2008 and then as a gunner in Apache attack helicopters with the Army Air Corps in 2012/2013. Today, he met with Alexandra Turp, 24, an emergency medical dispatcher in the emergency operations centre, and allocator Katie Shrimpton, 28, who also acts as LINC worker, a voluntary network of staff who listen to and support their peers. Alexandra told Harry about an incident she had to deal with in October when she took a call about a member of the public who wasn't breathing. 'It wasn't the worst call I have had to deal with by any stretch of the imagination but I found it extremely difficult,' she said. Prince Harry meets staff at the London Ambulance Service in London for the launch of this year's Time to Talk Day, the awareness day aimed at getting the nation talking about mental health Prince Harry talks with Kenneth Olisa, the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London The prince sits down for a discsussion with emergency crews about the importance of mental health 'It was a hugely chaotic situation with five people all shouting at me down the phone to send help. I was being passed from person to person and had no idea even where they were, it was very frustrating. 'It took me a while to even establish the patient wasn't breathing, it was really, really difficult situation. I felt so helpless for the patient and no-one was actually helping them,' she said. Three weeks ago she found out that the patient concerned had died and had what she describes as a an 'absolute breakdown'. 'I was a real mess,' she admitted bravely. 'I knew instantly that I couldn't be on duty - I was a wreck - and someone covered for me. I sat down with Katie and we spoke for an hour and a half. Harry meets paramedic Sue and supervisor Peter in the ambulance garage where they share a conversation around mental health The royal looked smart in a blue jacket and grey chinos as he arrived for a visit to the London Ambulance Service Staff at the London Ambulance Service looked delighted to welcome the royal visitor 'I walked out feeling like a weight had been listed off my shoulders. In my head this patient had gone to hospital and got his treatment. It was such a shock to find out he had died. 'But I once I spoke about the way I was feeling I couldn't go back to work and continue with my duties. At the time I just didn't realise I needed to talk about it. But I am so glad I did.' Katie added: 'You have it in your head that they have got to hospital and everything is fine and you have done all you can. When you find out that the patient has died it can be really difficult.' The prince gives a glimpse of the beaded bracelets he loves to wear as he gestures during a chat with medical staff Prince Harry talks to medical staff and shares some of his wartime experiences in Afghanistan Prince Harry poses with a group of ambulance staff as he leaves the headquarters of the London Ambulance Service It was an early start for the Prince who paid a morning visit to the London Ambulance Service Harry said: 'It shows the importance of talking. For you guys every day is different, you never know what you are going to get. ' The Prince undertook the early morning visit to chat to crews and 999 call takers as they finished and started their shifts. He was also given a brief tour of the centre, which takes 5,000 emergency calls a day and dispatches ambulances around London. The royal leaves the headquarters of the London Ambulance Service after chatting to staff about mental health Prince Harry chats as members of staff give a demonstration in the background The royal looked animated as he chatted to emergency services staff in London this morning Harry was eager to hear about people's experiences as he visited the London Ambulance Service to discuss mental health issues The prince then went into the ambulance bay and spoke to crew member Sue Troy who told him how she was left terrified after a patient threatened to kill her when she arrived to an emergency call, only for a similar incident to happen a few days later. Her duty manager, Peter Rhodes, said down with her to talk her fears through. Harry told them: 'I also believe if people in the green uniform aren't coming forward and talking about it, people driving blue light vehicles in general aren't talking about it, then the rest of us aren't going to talk about it. The royal chatted to emergency services staff in London, a day after dancing along to rap music on a visit to Nottingham 'You guys are literally right in the thick of it, and to be able to carry on and operate at a really high percentage and be on your game the whole time, you need to come back and just get rid of all that - it's unnecessary baggage.' He added: "We're all human, we're not machines, despite a lot of people in certain jobs having to think and behave like machines in order to get the best out of you - I accept that - but it's not weakness, it's strength to be able to come forward, deal with it, move on and be a better person. 'What you guys have to deal with every single day. You don't know what you are going to get, being attacked, being abused... you get everything. It's not human to come away from that and not think you will be affected. Well done you.' Despite the early start, Harry was beaming when he arrived at London Ambulance HQ Prince Harry speaks to 999 control room staff and crews about the importance of talking about how they are feeling The royal seemed very impressed by his experience of chatting to staff at the London Ambulance Service Feeling chilly Harry? The royal rubs his hands together during a visit to The London Ambulance Service for the Heads Together There were lighter moments later, particularly when Harry popped into a room where organisations were laying on treatments such as massage and reflexology for staff. He burst out laughing when he realised that behind his shoulder - and in full view of the cameras - a masseuse was pulling down down a man's trousers to manipulate his lower back. 'I wondered what you lot would be seeing, err, behind me,' he laughed, addressing the cameras as he jumped out of the way. A press officer was swiftly dispatched to deal with what was described as 'the bottom'. Prince Harry arrives for a visit to The London Ambulance Service for the Heads Together mental health charity in support of 'Time to Talk' day Afterwards the prince regained his composure enough to chat to Nathan Adams, a watch manager in emergency operations and Andrew Windsor, a clinical team leader, who recently experienced a mental health crisis but found talking about with Nathan invaluable. After listening to his story, Harry said: 'But now you are back at work and back saving lives - all because of a conversation you had. ' He also chatted at length with father-of-four Dan Farnworth, a paramedic from Blackpool, who has been suffering from PTSD after dealing with a particularly difficult case involving child abuse in which the child tragically lost their life. One day, at his lowest ebb, he texted his colleague, Richard Morton, and the 'floodgates opened'. Prince Harry told ambulance crew that the implications of not talking about mental health are much worse than opening up about it He told Harry: 'That case was the worst thing I had ever experienced in my life. I felt like I was in a really dark place, really alone and really scared, actually. I sent Rich a text message, he came straight round to talk to me and that conversation changed everything. 'The power of that simple conversation helped start on the road to recovery. I saw my GP and went on to seek help. I felt very scared to have that conversation, I had built it up to be such a thing. I thought it would affect my job. 'Hopefully by sharing my story, admitting that I have had mental health issue but it hasn't precluded me from doing my job, that people will feel more confident in coming forward.' Richard added: 'Having Prince Harry involved in this issue has shone a spotlight on this issue. His involvement has been brilliant. He understands. ' A Britney Spears obsessed man has spent over $80k (63,000) on plastic surgery to look like his idol and stay eternally young. Bryan Ray, 31, from Los Angeles, California started emulating the 'Hit Me Baby, One More Time' singing superstar at 17, when he had veneers to match her smile. Since then he's had over 90 cosmetic procedures including a nose job, having fat injected into his cheeks, laser hair removal, lip fillers, Botox injections and more. As well as cosmetic procedures, he splashes out $500 (393) a month on lotions to keep his skin looking youthful. Scroll down for video Bryan Ray, 31, from Los Angeles, California has spent $80,000 (63,000) on 90 procedures including a nose job, fillers and veneers so he can look like his idol Britney Spears Bryan Ray as a teenager before he started his transformation to look like Britney Spears Bryan claims the popstar helped him to understand himself while growing up and in his eyes she is 'perfection'. The 31-year-old has learned all her dance choreography, performs in nightclubs as her and is even referred to a 'Britney' by friends. Bryan, who runs a marijuana edibles company, said: 'I love making modifications to my face and body with the art of plastic surgery, fillers & countless other cosmetic procedures. 'Ever since I was young there was something about Britney Spears and the qualities she had that I thought was the perfect package. Bryan picutred with ths singer when they met for the first time on vacation in Hawaii Bryan picture directly before a lip filler procedure: He has his lips plumped frequently to avoid looking older, as well as to resemble Britney Spears 'I was obsessed, I watched all her interviews, learned all her choreography and then paid to have the same perfect smile as, I felt that during that time we were very similar. 'In the beginning, I was trying to look like Britney Spears, my surgeons who designed my veneers asked me which celebrity smile I wanted to base mine on and it was hers. 'Now with my looks, I want to get into modelling, I love impersonating Britney Spears so I want to continue doing that and see where it takes me. The super fan, who also performs as Britney Spears, is pictured dressed up as the singer with a long wig 'I used to perform in west Hollywood, doing songs and numbers - it's still something I want to do in the future. 'When I was younger, I did it a lot more, now I'm older I still dress up, make music videos, do lip syncing to her songs and constantly have her music playing in the background. 'So many people refer to me as 'Britney' and for a very long time friends have greeted me with her infamous quote 'It's Britney, b****!' from her song 'Gimme More' which I absolutely love. In his bid to look like Britney, Bryan has had a nose job, fat injected into his cheeks, lip fillers, botox and laser hair removal surgery 'Britney will always be one of my biggest inspirations, I love that she was the biggest star in the world went through an incredibly hard time and came out on top.' Bryan has met his idol three times - including during her infamous meltdown of 2007. He added: 'It was amazing meeting her, I went into a little outdoor flea market in Hawaii and heard a really small, very soft spoken voice with a southern accent behind me. Bryan two weeks after the rhinoplasty he had to copy Britney Spears' nose 'I've never been more nervous, I was face to face with my biggest idol and inspiration, she was completely not glammed stripped of make-up, very real and so gorgeous. 'My eyes zoomed in on her teeth, they were just as beautiful in her photos and music videos, she was the sweetest person. 'The next time I met her she was going through a dark period and was speaking in a British accent while waiting in line at a pharmacy, she acknowledged me but wasn't too friendly. 'Then I also met her again at a club called Tiger Heat in the VIP lounge when she was there with her boyfriend of the time, where she was very sweet.' No pain, no gain: The super fan after laser hair removal surgery on his face and neck Bryan who is determined to look young forever, claims not to have any wrinkles and believes procedures have prevented him from aging. The self-confessed 'human doll' believes he doesn't look 'a day over 17' thanks to his routine of laser hair treatment every two months, Botox every five months and lip fillers four times a year. Bryan said: 'One of my primary goals is to preserve my youth for as long as possible, I don't want any facial or body hair as it will age me. 'I've fully avoided wrinkles, Botox has been my best friend throughout my journey to prevent aging, even today people think I'm younger than I am. Bryan with Marcela Iglesias one of two producers of the show The Plastics of Hollywood, where Bryan and others will attempt to find fame outside of the world of plastic surgery 'I'm very proud of my age, when people ask me how old I am, I tell them the truth because I'm not ashamed and have been on this journey since I was 17. 'I also have a full skin care routine and stay out of the sun completely, thanks to it all I've managed not to age at all and maintain my youth.' Bryan is set to features in new show tentatively called 'Plastics of Hollywood', based on a talent and modelling agency for real life human dolls. The show set to be released in the US, will feature Bryan and others trying to achieve fame, through their talent rather than from their looks and the plastic surgery they have had. Bryan flashes his best Britney smile: He started emulating the 'Hit Me Baby, One More Time' singing superstar at 17, when he had veneers to match her grin Marcela Iglesias, Producer of the show, said: 'I love the fact that he's so much into Britney Spears, he sings and performs as her, even his teeth were inspired by her. 'It's one thing to perform Britney because he's so familiar with what she does and how she moves and performs, but if I had him perform as Cher could he act like her. 'In the training process, we will test him and everyone else to see if they can do a scene.' The show features Marcela Iglesias and Patrik Simpson will try to help them become Hollywood Stars. Marcela added: 'We want to help these living cartoons and human dolls to achieve their dreams in Hollywood, because of the way they look and appear people don't believe in them they do, we're showing them everybody has a chance at fame. 'When we did a casting call, Bryan showed up and I was surprised how well he looked, I thought he was 16 or 17, so to realise he was in his thirties was a shock. 'He's more like a living doll because of the way he looks, he looks very angelical to be honest, he will be the ageless man.' Queen Letizia of Spain opted for a low-key colour scheme as she warded off the winter chill in Madrid this afternoon. The 44-year-old stepped out in a chic grey trouser suit teamed with matching shoes and a black clutch for a cancer conference. Letizia, who has been busy with several official engagements in the past week, wore her hair in a loose side parting, adding a pair of gold drop earrings to complete her look. Letizia, who has been busy with several official engagements in the last few weeks, wore her hair in a loose side parting, adding a pair of gold drop earrings The 44-year-old stepped out in a chic grey trouser suit teamed with matching shoes and a black clutch The glamorous royal added a pop of colour to her low-key look with a slick of plum lipstick. The mother-of-two was attending the AECC's 4th Forum Against Cancer and was joined by key figures in the country's healthcare industry. The conference, held at the Telefonica Foundation in Madrid, is running under the slogan 'To Prevent Cancer, a Possible Reality'. The mother-of-two was attending the AECC's 4th Forum Against Cancer and was joined by key figures in the country's healthcare industry The glamorous royal added a pop of colour to her low-key look with a slick of plum lipstick Letizia's outing comes after she and husband King Felipe VI yesterday welcomed the President and First Lady of Germany to Madrid. The Spanish royals hosted Joachim Gauck, 77, and Daniela Schadt, 57, at their home in the Palace of Zarzuela. Letizia, who is mother to Princess Leonor, 11 and Princess Sofia, nine, wed Felipe, 49, in 2004. Letizia's outing comes after she and husband King Felipe VI yesterday welcomed the President and First Lady of Germany to Madrid Queen Letizia, far right, and King Felipe, second from right, welcomed Daniela Schadt and Joachim Gauck on the steps of the Palace of Zarzuela in Madrid yesterday She married into the Spanish monarchy following a successful career as a journalist and newsreader. Designer Riccardo Tisci has left Givenchy after 12 years with the French couture house. The luxury label confirmed to WWD that the 42-year-old's last collections were Fall 2017 Menswear and Spring 2017 Haute Couture, which were shown together at the National Library of France in Paris last month. Tisci's exit took effect on January 31 following the end of his latest contract, and while sources told the publication that the parting was 'mutual and amicable', rumors are swirling that he is heading to Versace. Moving on: Designer Riccardo Tisci has left Givenchy after 12 years with the French couture house Is it true? The 42-year-old designer is rumored to be heading the Italian fashion house Versace. He is pictured with Donatella Versace (center) and Naomi Campbell (right) in September Tisci famously designed Kim Kardashian's custom-made wedding gown, which she wore to say 'I do' to Kanye West in 2014. Most recently, Meryl Streep wore his design to the Golden Globes, and he has earned a bevvy of other A-list fans, including Beyonce, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, and Naomi Campbell. After the news was announced on Thursday, Tisci took to his Instagram page to share a photo of a sunset and reflect on his time at Givenchy. Finale: Givenchy's Fall 2017 Menswear and Spring 2017 Haute Couture designs, which debuted in Paris last month, were Tisci's final collections with the house Supermodels: Bella Hadid (left) and Kendall Jenner (right) walked the runway during Tisci's final runway show with Givenchy 'A giant heartfelt thank you to #givenchy, #lvmh, my incredible team, the magical atelier and everyone who made these 93 collections possible and all the other crazy adventures,' he wrote. 'Your love and support, in the day and in the night, will forever remain in my heart. #love #givenchy #forever Meanwhile, Givenchy praised the designer for his work on its Instagram page. Close as can be: Kim Kardashian is one of Tisci's close friends and among his celebrity fans Big fan: Beyonce wore Tisci's Givenchy designs to the last five Met Galas. She is pictured with her husband Jay Z at the high-profile event in 2015 'The House of Givenchy applauds Riccardo Tiscis vision that led to a very successful twelve-year partnership. We warmly thank him for his outstanding contribution to our beautiful ongoing story,' the label wrote. Tisci made headlines in 2015 when he invited his dear friend, designer Donatella Versace, to appear in a Givenchy ad campaign, and last month, WWD reported that the Italian fashion house has been trying to recruit him. According to the publication, Givenchy will not be holding a runway show for its Fall 2017 women's collection at Paris Fashion Week. However, the studio designed line will be sold to retailers in the label's showroom in Paris. Givenchy has yet to announce who will be replacing Tisci as the helm of the fashion house. The Dragon Prince of Bhutan is celebrating his first birthday in style. Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck came into the world on February 5 last year and has quickly established himself as one of the most adorable tots on the world stage. To celebrate the occasion, the palace has released a new image of the chubby-cheeked Prince, and the internet can't get enough. Beautiful boy: Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan features in a new portrait in celebration of his first birthday What a family: The photo was taken at Lingkana Palace where he resides with his parents, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 36, (left) and Queen Jetsun Pema, 25, (right) The image shows Prince Jigme in a yellow striped outfit, gripping a yellow toy car in his little hand and smiling sweetly. The photo was taken at Lingkana Palace where he resides with his parents, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 36, and Queen Jetsun Pema, 25, who are known as the Dragon King and Dragon Queen. The little Crown Prince celebrates his birthday the same month as his dad, who will be turning 37 on February 21. The photo will serve as the cover for Bhutanese website Yellow's February edition of its desktop calendar. Cuddles with mom: Queen Jetsun Pema dotes on the little Prince as they celebrated Bhutan's National Day back in December Reaching out to dad: The royal family are well-loved in their country Lots to celebrate: King Jigme will also be celebrating his birthday later this month, turning 37 on February 21 The website, which will offer the image free for anyone to download declared that it would be sure to 'melt your heart!' Prince Jigme's stunningly beautiful mother Queen Jetsun previously shared images of the family back in December, when they celebrated Bhutans National Day. The photos see the Prince, again in yellow, sitting in the laps of his parents while festivities go one around them. Back in September, the palace released a first set of portraits of the Prince, showing him in traditional checked robes. The photos were also released as a part of a calendar with Yellow. Playing around: The Prince will be expected to one day rise to the throne of the small country Meeting of the royals: Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge made a visit to Bhutan back in April 'Our September calendar is a treat, featuring these adorable images of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey, as photographed by His Majesty The King,' their statement read. 'It is a joy to see our little Prince growing up so quickly, and touching to see him already begin to carry out Royal Duties.' The incredibly photogenic royal couple and their son have come to be known as the Will and Kate of the Himilayas, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge even paying the Bhutanese couple a royal visit back in April He's one of Meghan Markle's nearest and dearest and now Canadian actor Patrick J. Adams has given her relationship with Prince Harry the seal of approval. Patrick, who plays Meghan's on-screen fiance Mike Ross, spoke candidly about the royal romance in a video interview with E! News' Erin Lim. The star said he is 'super excited' for Meghan and revealed that if anyone can deal with it, then it's Meghan. Patrick, who plays Meghan's on-screen fiance Mike Ross, spoke candidly about the royal romance in a video interview Speaking in the video about his 'little sister', he said: 'As you can imagine, it is a massive deal, obviously, if you hadn't noticed. I didn't wanna get involved. I just wanted to say: "I love you, I support you, I hope you're happy. 'You seem really happy" and if she ever needed anybody to talk to in the madness - because it is madness, it's madness what the world puts somebody through when they're going through this process.' He added that if there's anyone in the world who is designed to be able to deal with it - and deal with it professionally - it's Meghan Markle. He also said he hopes that all the 'madness' passes at some point and that the lovebirds can 'get down to the business of enjoying each other's company'. 'But I guess being in this situation, it probably goes on forever,' he added. The star said he is 'super excited' for Meghan and revealed that if anyone can deal with it, then it's Meghan He discussed how much each of them do for charity and said they could do some 'pretty incredibly stuff' together He also went on to compliment 'the amount that she's accomplished in her life', describing it as 'unbelievable.' He referenced how much time she has dedicated to humanitarian causes. He added: 'I know that [Harry] uses his absurd amount of power and sway in this world to do some really, really great things, so I think together, they could accomplish some pretty incredible stuff.' The interview comes after The Suits star took to Reddit on Wednesday night to take part in a Q&A with fans, and while some wanted to know about the show, talk soon turned to the royal romance. Meghan Markle's co-star Patrick J Adams appears to have hinted that the actress could be 'potentially a future princess of England' in an intriguing comment posted to Reddit Patrick took to Reddit on Wednesday to take part in a Q&A with fans, and while some wanted to know about the show, talk soon turned to the romance between Harry and Meghan Canadian actor Patrick, 35, plays Meghan's on-screen fiance Mike Ross on the cult NBC show. Referring to their steamy kissing scenes, Redditor swaminator201 asked him: 'What's it like making out on-screen with the potentially future princess of England?' Intriguingly, Patrick chose neither to confirm or deny the reference to his co-star being a 'future princess'. He simply replied: 'The same as it was before she was potentially a future princess of England.' 'Ask me anything' threads on Reddit have to be privately verified by a team of moderators. Patrick also confirmed he would be taking part in a Q&A on Twitter. Meghan plays lawyer Rachel Zane in the show. Patrick and Meghan are thought to be close friends off set, but the actress was reportedly forced to miss his wedding last year Patrick and Meghan have worked alongside each other since the show first aired in 2011, and their two characters even got engaged during the series 4 finale in March last year Patrick and Meghan are thought to be close friends off set, but the actress was reportedly forced to miss his wedding last year for fear of overshadowing the newlyweds as her relationship with Prince Harry continues to make headlines around the world. A source told US Weekly the co-stars spoke before the wedding and agreed that 'maybe her coming would attract too much (of the wrong kind of attention).' 'They both thought it sucked,' the source added. The absence was no doubt hard for the co-stars, who have worked on Suits together since it premiered in 2011. Meghan spent five days in Delhi last week promoting young women's health and hygiene for the charity World Vision Canada. She is believed to have attended meetings with various NGOs during the visit, including an audience with Shamina Shafiq, a former member of the National Commission for Women. The star has previously visited Rwanda as a World Vision Global Ambassador in 2016 and saw firsthand the impact that clean water has on the lives of children and communities in Africa. Busy schedule: Meghan is believed to have spent time in Delhi last week promoting women's health and hygiene for the charity World Vision Canada for which she is an ambassador Meghan was announced as the global ambassador for World Vision in March last year. The charity's programme encourages Canadians to join in combating poverty and improving the lives of children and families around the world. Harry met the actress at a function while he was promoting his Invictus Games in Toronto, where she is based. And while the pair might have spent the Christmas holidays apart, they recently whisked themselves away for a trip to Tromso, on the Norwegian fjords, where they whale watched and enjoyed romantic lake trips. Thrombosis is a common condition caused by blood clots forming in an artery or a vein - costing the UK 640 million annually and up to $39.5 billion in the US. Indeed it's been estimated that every five minutes someone dies of a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Yesterday, we reported the story of Sarah Cobb , 27, who died of a fatal blood clot allegedly caused by the contraceptive pill. This is an issue that comes up from time to time, causing confusion no doubt among the over 14 million women in the UK and US who take it. But what exactly is it and how can it be treated and avoided? Here, vascular surgeon Professor Mark Whiteley explains. Thrombosis is a common condition caused by blood clots forming in an artery or a vein. It's estimated that every five minutes someone dies of a blood clot The fact that the blood clots is a good thing. In fact we wouldn't survive long if our blood didn't clot. If blood did not clot, we would be continually bleeding. Not only during the obvious times, such as when we fall over and cut ourselves, but also from lots of little bleeding points such as in our bowel, bladder, mouth, etc. We are constantly springing little leaks but, thanks to our clotting system, they are plugged before we even know about them. When a blood clot forms in the heart or an artery it can cause conditions such as a heart attack, stroke, gangrene, dead leg or a dead gut, although this is not common. The major risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels. On top of this are some factors we can't influence such as old age and being male. However, more common than this is venous thrombosis. Blood clots are much more likely to occur in the veins because veins are much bigger and have a slower flow of blood. Signs and symptoms About 50 percent of people suffering from DVT won't even know that they have it. However, if you are showing signs, you may have: Generalized pain in the leg, usually the calf, and some swelling if the blood clot is particularly big Discomfort when walking, particularly in the calf muscle A tender lower leg and swelling If the clots are in the upper thigh or even pelvis, the leg is often very swollen, very blue and very tender. Superficial venous thrombosis (also called phlebitis) occurs in the superficial veins and so the clots are closer to your skin and rarely include swelling. Symptoms may include: Tender lumps palpable under the skin They often feel like 'tubes' or lumps Red and inflamed skin Inflammation around the affected area Here are the most common causes of venous thrombosis: 1. SMOKING Smoking causes 'hardening of the arteries'. Although nothing is visible to the naked eye, research has shown that the vein wall in smokers is very inflamed and damaged. People who smoke have much thicker blood. Certain proteins, particularly fibrinogen, increase in smokers making the blood thicker, but as the lung tissue gets damaged, the body reacts by producing more red blood cells and this also thickens the blood. The vein wall in smokers is very inflamed and damaged which increases the risk of blood clots The thickening of the blood and inflammation of the vein wall both increase the risk of blood clots and venous thrombosis. What does this mean for me? In short, if you smoke find a way to stop. 2. ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILL When the first oral contraceptive pills were produced in the 1960s, they had a very high-dose estrogen content, which made DVT and superficial venous thrombosis much more common. This was because the estrogen changed the composition of the blood and made it much more likely to clot. What does this mean for me? Over the last couple of decades, combined pills with estrogen and progesterone compounds have reduced the dose of estrogen considerably, and the 'mini pill' has no estrogen in it at all. The result of this is that the oral contraceptive pill does slightly increase the risk of DVT and superficial venous thrombosis, but by itself, is only a small risk factor nowadays. Oral contraceptive pills slightly increase the risk of blood clots due the dose of estrogen However this is completely changed if the person on the oral contraceptive pill has another risk factor which can then magnify the effect of the pill. The most important ones are smoking and being on the pill, which gives a much higher risk of thrombosis compared to the normal person. Other factors that could worsen the risk of someone on the pill include having major surgery, major illness or a family history of venous thrombosis. Women taking the oral contraceptive pill who smoke should seriously consider stopping smoking as soon as possible. 3. VARICOSE VEINS AND 'HIDDEN VARICOSE VEINS' For decades, doctors and nurses thought that varicose veins were 'only cosmetic'. If you see bulging veins on the surface of your skin, they are varicose veins. They actually occur because the underlying veins have lost their valves and are allowing blood to fall backwards down the veins, stretching the veins below them. Blood falling the wrong way down the veins causes inflammation around the ankles and damages the vein wall and this can cause all sorts of problems including blood clots, bleeding, venous eczema, skin damage and even venous leg ulcers. However, in many cases, this will not also present bulging veins on the surface, and instead are 'hidden varicose veins'. Varicose veins cause inflammation because of blood falling the wrong way down the veins Many medical professionals will tell you that if you get a clot in varicose veins, it is called 'phlebitis' and does not cause any problem apart from a painful lump. Until 2012, this was widely thought to be correct. However, two major committees produced guidelines to the contrary after research had shown that clots in the superficial veins could extend into the deep veins and then fly off to the lung a condition called pulmonary embolism or PE (an embolism of the clot in the leg veins travelling up through the veins, through the right heart and into the lungs). What does this mean for me? Since 2012, the guidelines state that people with 'phlebitis' (or more correctly superficial venous thrombosis) should be referred to a vein clinic or a vascular service for a venous duplex ultrasound scan to check whether the clot is near the deep veins. If it is, the patient needs to have anticoagulation to reduce the risk of a pulmonary embolism. However, virtually nobody today gets referred for such a scan and most only receive painkillers and support stockings. Incredibly, some even get given antibiotics even though there is no infection involved. 4. OPERATIONS Having surgery is a well-recognized cause of DVT. This is particularly common if the surgery is of the abdomen or of a major joint such as the hip replacement. This is due to a number of contributing factors, such as the fact that patients are usually starved for a minimum of six hours before the operation, are usually quite dehydrated and lie still for a long period of time due to general anesthetic. The operation itself can have an impact on the major veins either by direct pressure being placed on the major veins, such as in abdominal surgery, or twisting the veins in the legs during manipulation, as in hip surgery. Operations can have an impact on the major veins either by direct pressure or twisting them What does this mean for me? We have now changed to performing local anesthetic walk-in, walk-out surgery as much as possible which decreases the risk of blood clotting. As technology continues to advance, increasing numbers and types of procedures will be treated in a minimally invasive way. 5. LONG-DISTANCE FLYING The risks of getting DVT from flying hit the headlines about 15 to 17 years ago when a young lady flying from Australia to the UK died after the flight. Getting DVT from flying was labeled 'economy class syndrome' as it was instantly thought that it was the lack of movement in airline seats which caused the change in blood flow. Research over the years has pointed out that when aircrafts fly at commercial levels, the passenger cabins are pressurized to keep the atmosphere reasonable. However, to save fuel and to keep the planes as light as possible, cabins are pressurized to somewhere around 7000 feet altitude pressure not the full atmospheric pressure that you are used to the ground. This means that the air is 'thinner'. Scientifically, although the percentage of oxygen in the air is the same as at ground level (approximately 21 percent), the actual molecules are further apart due to the lower pressure. So there is less oxygen in any set volume of air and hence, each breath has got less oxygen in it than a breath at ground level. This means that the level of oxygen in the blood is decreased at altitude. During flights under four hours this seems to have very little effect, except for people who have heart or respiratory disease. Long-distance flying puts people at risk due to the decreased level of oxygen in the blood However for long flights, the low oxygen levels in the blood mean that the cells on the inside of the vein walls start undergoing a stress reaction. Rather than being perfectly flat, they start bulging a little in the middle, getting a bit lumpy and pulling apart from the cells around them. This allows water to leak out of the blood through the vein wall and into the tissues causing swelling of the ankles. Finally, it is likely that activity is reduced and so there is less blood pumping into your veins than there would be if you were walking around normally. This change in the blood flow can also cause clots. A recent study has suggested that up to one in 12 people can show minor DVT after a flight of seven hours or more. Obviously most of these people do not have any obvious clinical symptoms of DVT, but the fact this can be seen shows that the problem is real. What does this mean for me? The best ways to avoid DVT in commercial flights is to consider the following: reduce the changes in your blood constituents by keeping hydrated. If you drink caffeine or alcohol (both of which dehydrate you) make sure you also drink plenty of water or juice to rehydrate. There is precious little that can be done to reduce changes to the wall itself. However, changes in the blood flow can be improved by wearing well fitted travel stockings as well as keeping your feet moving, either by wiggling them in your chair or walking up and down the aisle occasionally. Properly fitted travel stockings reduces the amount of water that can escape from the veins into the tissue. They also narrow the veins, making the flow faster and clotting less likely. But make sure they are properly fitted, rather than straight off the shelf or they might not have the same effect. 6. INACTIVITY Inactivity is a major cause of DVT. Most people will naturally move, even when asleep, due to internal body reflexes, however when we concentrate for long periods of time we can overcome these and stay stationary allowing blood to pool and therefore clot. This was the cause of death in a young man that was reported in the national press a few years ago who was playing video games for long periods of time without moving. Of course this is also the cause of DVT in people who are unable to move normally due to general immobility, plaster casts on the legs, or who are unwell. In patients who are unwell, they may have additional problems such as dehydration, or the presence of cancer which also increase the risk of thrombosis. Being stationary for long periods of time allows the blood to pool and, therefore, clot What does this mean for me? The best way to prevent this is to exercise. This may be as simple as just getting up and walking around every half hour or so. For those who are immobile, it is often sensible to have a thromboembolic disease compression stocking (TED stocking) or even a mechanical aid to pump the blood in the foot or lower leg, to keep blood flowing up the veins periodically. For those at very high risk, injections of heparin or tablets that reduce blood clotting (anticoagulants) can also be used to reduce risk of DVT. 7. DEHYDRATION Dehydration is a potent cause of DVT, as it clearly changes the constituents of the blood. Many people who are on holiday in very hot climates are particularly prone to dehydration. This can be worsened if they play sport, fall asleep on the beach and therefore don't rehydrate or drink a lot of alcohol/caffeine, which will also increase dehydration and the concentration of the blood. When you are on holiday, dehydration followed by a flight home, can be a common cause of DVT. Dehydration is a potent cause of blood clots as it changes the constituents of the blood Fever can also be a cause of dehydration. Even quite 'minor' ailments such as the flu or a severe cold, that raise the temperature for a day or two, can keep a person in bed, change their mobility and reduce their access to water. If they have a temperature and are sweating a lot, they can also quickly become dehydrated. What does this mean for me? Any illness that causes excessive vomiting or diarrhea will also cause severe dehydration and if you are ill and unable to rehydrate by drinking fluid, may even need to be admitted to hospital to have fluid administered by a drip. 8. CANCER Although doctors have known that cancer can increase the risk of DVT and superficial venous thrombosis for many years, it has not ever been regarded as a major cause of blood clots. However, in recent years the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has highlighted that any patient who suffers from DVT that occurs for no known reason, must be screened for a hidden cancer. Indeed, it is estimated that if the patient is over 40 and has an unprovoked DVT thrombosis, there is a one in 10 chance that they have a malignancy. Anyone who has an unexpected DVT, particularly if they are over 40, must be examined by a doctor to look for evidence of malignancy and simple screening tests should be performed to make sure there is no hidden cancer. What does this mean for me? Patients with established diagnosis of cancer should be monitored for any signs of DVT and, if at high risk, preventative measures such as injections to reduce blood clotting or a TED stocking should be recommended. Mark Whitley recommends seeing a doctor for any family history of blood clots in the veins 9. FAMILY HISTORY Last, but certainly not least, is a family history of blood clots in the veins. Some families have a terrible history of blood clots. Clots in the arteries causing stokes, heart attacks, aneurysms or leg bypasses are arterial and do not count as far as this risk is concerned. There are many proteins in the blood that are involved in the normal process of making or breaking down blood clots. In some families, a mutation occurs and the protein does not function normally. What does this mean for me? Although science is advancing all of the time, it must be pointed out that not everybody with a thrombophilia get a positive blood test. Probably over half of the families that have obvious thrombophilia will actually have a negative blood test. It is not that the blood test is wrong, it is just that we do not know all of the factors that cause the condition.. Therefore, anyone who has a clear family history of thrombophilia will be treated on the family history regardless of whether the blood test is positive or negative. Avoiding blood clots can come down to changing simple lifestyle habits including quitting smoking, managing blood pressure, exercising, and eating well. Avoiding blood clots can come down to changing simple lifestyle habits including quitting smoking, managing blood pressure, exercising, and eating well TREATMENT FOR BLOOD CLOTS The best way to treat these is to avoid them in the first place. That is, do not smoke, keep an eye on your blood pressure, keep any diabetes under control, exercise well, and eat well to keep your cardiovascular system healthy and your weight normal and take statins if your cholesterol is high. However, that's not always possible. If you do get an arterial thrombus or embolus, then treatment needs to be immediate, and depends very much on which part of the body is affected. If the clot has gone to the brain or heart then the treatment is often injecting thrombolysis to break down the clot. If the clot has gone down the leg or arm, then surgery is often required to remove the clot. This article was originally published by Healthista Kathryn Marszalek could be outside playing with friends, and suddenly she will freeze up. The five-year-old, from Indianapolis, Indiana, becomes paralyzed at random - unable to move for several minutes. But within moments she will be playing again as if nothing had happened. This is because Kathryn suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), a neurological condition characterized by recurrent episodes of temporary paralysis. She is one of just 200 in the United States to have been diagnosed. Now her parents, Josh and Laura, are working to identify more families with the condition and to raise money for a drug that could restore Kathryn's gene function. Tragic: Kathryn Marszalek, five, pictured with her mother Laura, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC) Devastating: The disorder leaves Kathryn, from Indianapolis, Indiana, with recurrent episodes of temporary paralysis. She is unable to move for minutes, or even hours, at a time The Marszaleks first realized something was wrong with Kathryn when she was just six weeks old. She had a small episode with the stiffening of her arm, repeated by even stronger episodes at five and seven months old. Her parents took her to the hospital where underwent a 24-hour EEG, during which she had an episode where she became paralyzed. Kathryn was then transferred to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and, according to her father Josh, sat up in bed three days later like nothing had happened. Originally her parents believed Kathryn was suffering from epilepsy - until she had another episode and was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio. Josh told NewsExaminer: 'A neuroresident in the emergency room said they had seen it about six months previously. 'Cincinnati sent us to Chicago to one of the doctors that discovered AHC. We hoped he would look at her and say, "That's not it", but he said "This is classic". 'That's probably one of the hardest days we've had because you have in your head a plan of how things are supposed to go.' Rare: The disorder affects one in every 1,000,000 births. Kathryn is only one of 200 people in the world who has been diagnosed with the disease Frightening: Kathryn's episodes usually occur about every two weeks. The more severe episodes leave Kathryn unable to physically move although she can see and hear WHAT IS ALTERNATING HEMIPLEGIA OF CHILDHOOD? Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC) is a rare neurological disorder in which repeated, but short-lasting, attacks of partial paralysis (hemiplegia) occur. AHC usually affects only one side of the body, but sometimes it can affect both sides. Episodes can range from simple numbness in an extremity to full loss of feeling and movement. An attack may last for minutes, hours, or even days, and can normally be relieved by sleep. The incidence of AHC is estimated at roughly one in 1,000,000 births - only about 200 people in the US have been diagnosed. Those affected don't grow out of the disorder, but episodes may change and sometimes even decrease in frequency as a child gets older. Signs and Symptoms: Lack of muscle tone Stiffening of extremities Lack of coordination when performing voluntary movements Nystagmus (fast uncontrollable movements of the eyes that may be side to side, up and down, or rotary) Eye disorders Developmental delays Seizures In 2012, researchers identified the ATP1A3 gene as a leading cause of AHC - representing about 76 percent of those affected. Currently there is no cure for AHC but researchers are working to identify drugs or drug-like compounds that are capable of restoring normal gene function. The drug Flunarizine - an adjuvant of epilepsy therapy - has been shown to reduce the severity of paralytic episodes, but not necessarily the frequency. Source: Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation Advertisement AHC sufferers experience repeated, but short-lasting, attacks of hemiplegia, or paralysis of a portion of the body. It can range from simple numbness in an extremity to full loss of feeling and movement. An attack may last for minutes, hours, or even days, and sleep can normally relieve the symptoms. Up to 50 percent of children with the disorder will develop seizures sometime during the course of their life. While the condition is genetic, it is not degenerative - meaning those affected will not grow out of the disorder, but the AHC episodes may change and sometimes even decrease in frequency as a child gets older. Doctors put Kathryn on the drug Flunarizine, an adjuvant in epilepsy therapy. It helped with the severity of her episodes, but not the frequency. Kathryn's episodes usually occur about every two weeks. They often come on during school, according to her mother Laura, and there are times where she can't walk as much or use her arms or legs. Severe episodes are a different story. Kathryn can see and hear, but can't physically move - she's a prisoner of her own body. It may last more than 24 hours or she will go to sleep and wake up with her symptoms gone. Josh said: 'It's a neuromuscular problem where the signal from the brain doesn't get to the muscles in a clean way. 'We had to train Kathryn to do lots of things that she would normally have learned on her own.' The family became involved in the Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation to learn more. There are chapters all around the world - but with no more than one family per chapter due to the disease's rareness. In 2012, the foundation found the gene responsible for AHC. Now, researchers are working to identify drugs or drug-like compounds that are capable of restoring normal gene function. Hope: The AHC Foundation in 2012 discovered the gene that causes AHC and researchers are currently working on a drug that could restore normal gene function Optimism: Kathryn's local community is hosting a fundraiser to raise money for the foundation, and her parents say the kids at school always make her feel welcome by hugging her The St. Gabriel Parish, the church attached to Kathryn's school, is planning on hosting a fundraiser for the AHC Foundation. Proceeds will go towards research to find ways to fix the gene mutation. 'Since the gene discovery there is a lot more interest in the disease,' Josh said. 'Rapid Onset Parkinson's Disease shares a mutation in the same gene, just a different mutation. 'There is an overlap there and the more overlaps we can get, the bigger our community gets so we can borrow their research and they can borrow our research.' Families of children affected with AHC get together every other year. Last year, the the Marszalek family hosted the gathering in Indianapolis. Families from as far as New Zealand and Iceland attended. At the gathering, doctors update the families on research and speakers give speeches on topics of interest. Kathryn's parents said that not only do they appreciate the work on behalf of their community, but also their daughter's schoolmates whom often hug her to make her 'feel better'. 'To have people come out of the woodwork to help is a humbling thing,' Josh said. HAME by Annalena McAfee (Harvill Secker 16.99) HAME by Annalena McAfee (Harvill Secker 16.99) When her relationship breaks down, Mhairi McPhail leaves her Brooklyn life and moves with young daughter Agnes to the fictional Scottish island of Fascaray for a new job researching the life of its most famous export, the late poet and diehard Scottish nationalist Grigor McWatt. His extensive poems and essays, the latter a mix of elegant nature writing and political rants, have been a powerful voice in the promotion of indigenous Scottish literary culture and in the modern shaping of Scotlands national myth. But for Mhairi, he remains an elusive figure, seemingly more passionate about the islands beautiful, inhospitable landscape than any human, and full of fanatical rancour for the English in particular. Is this solitary, voluble man all he seems? Mixing McWatts various writings with extracts from Mhairis biography and present-day accounts of her time on Fascaray, McAfees collage-style narrative has structural echoes of A. S. Byatts Possession. Yet this is no post-modern novel. Rather, set as it is in the aftermath of the recent Scottish referendum, its a dense, somewhat overlong but always interesting exploration of the idea that identity is a creative construct, not just the product of geography, but the imagination. FIRST LOVE by Gwendoline Riley (Granta 12.99) FIRST LOVE by Gwendoline Riley (Granta 12.99) Gwendoline Riley has always been a precocious, outlier talent: she published her first novel when she was 22, and her fiercely interior books have always been hard to categorise. The same can be said of this latest short novel, which examines the familiar subject of a foundering marriage from a discerning and singular perspective. The narrator, Neve, is 35, and a writer; her husband Edwyn is older and suffering from an illness that often manifests itself in the form of resentful, bilious outbursts. We take Neves word for it that the marriage has its moments of affection for the most part, we wonder what the hell she is doing with a sour misanthrope who wont let her forget one drunken night, in which she was sick, more than two years ago. Neve also recalls fraught moments from other relationships: with a narcissistic musician, Michael, who enjoys toying with her heart long after their split; with her pathetically needy mother; and with her father, the sort of monster who gets a kick out of humiliating his daughter over her menstrual cycles. Riley brings you up short with almost every spiky sentence in this stealthy, penetrating novel that recasts love as a dark, terrific puzzle, perhaps never to be solved. THE HEARTS INVISIBLE FURIES by John Boyne (Doubleday 16.99) THE HEARTS INVISIBLE FURIES by John Boyne (Doubleday 16.99) John Boynes big, sweeping novels may mean well but, my goodness, they can be flabby. This latest saga from the author of bestselling weepy The Boy In The Striped Pajamas retreads a theme that runs through most of his fiction, namely the abuse of power by oppressive moral and political systems. Just as in its predecessor, A History Of Loneliness, its the Irish clergy who are in the dock as, within the very first pages, a local priest publicly denounces pregnant 16-year-old Catherine Goggin and exiles her from the village. The novel then follows the story of her son, Cyril, who is adopted in Dublin by an eccentric couple and whose later struggle to be open about his homosexuality has a disastrous impact on his relationship with his best friend Julian. Cyril is intriguingly flawed, but the really flawed character here is Ireland herself, still riven with religious bigotry and sexual hypocrisy, and from which Cyril flees for a new life in America, itself terrorised by Aids. Still, Boyne has a penchant for the sensational, as well as the tragic, and this sprawling novel, packed far too full of incident, never fully convinces. Rowan Colemans LOOKING FOR CAPTAIN POLDARK (Ebury) Sometimes, the thought of reading a modern novel can be daunting (Paul Austers latest book is 700 pages long!), and the classics can also feel challenging, especially if you lack confidence in your literary choices. But the Quick Reads series of books, sponsored by Galaxy, is designed to introduce reluctant readers to top-name authors who have written short, easily-digested stories that celebrate the joy of reading. The books are just 1 each, about 100 pages long, can be read in one sitting and include romance, comedy and crime titles. This years selection of six titles is especially varied. Fans of the original Poldark novels or even the TV drama will recognise the obsession that links an unlikely foursome in Rowan Colemans LOOKING FOR CAPTAIN POLDARK (Ebury). Abby, Lisa, Ray and Kirsty are strangers who share online their passion for the Winston Graham novels, then decide to take a road trip together to Cornwall. But each of these hurt and damaged individuals is actually looking for love, friendship and protection and, as the trip unfolds, each reveals their history. But no shirtless Aidan Turner, Im afraid. Eight bestselling crime writers including Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh, James Oswald and Harry Bingham have each contributed a dark and disturbing short story to DEAD SIMPLE (Orion), the perfect collection to keep in your bag for the train or bus ride home on a wintry night. DEAD SIMPLE (Orion) Hardscrabble is a prison story with a twist in the tail, while The Funeral gradually reveals what could be the perfect murder if only . . . Theres a chilling escape in Old Tricks, but no such escape for a criminal in The Night Before The Hanging. It takes great skill to squeeze so much tension and fear into so few words. The drug-dealing, loan-sharking, ugly underbelly of criminal life is the backdrop for Hayleys story in ONE FALSE MOVE by Dreda Say Mitchell (Hodder). Released from prison, single mum Hayley wants to go straight, but the only job she can find is debt collecting until shes robbed and so owes money to her ruthless bosses. Temptation lies around every corner, but mainly in the shape of her ex-boyfriend the same man responsible for her being banged up in the first place. Far less scary is Jenny Colgans heartwarming A VERY DISTANT SHORE (Sphere), set on the remote Scottish island of Mure. When the local GP retires, the only replacement prepared to make the journey is a Syrian refugee whose wife and children are missing at sea. ONE FALSE MOVE by Dreda Say Mitchell (Hodder) Lonely and confused, he attracts the attention of Lorna, a teacher looking for love, but struggling to cope with her fathers illness. What can they teach each other about strength and belonging? Amanda Craig is such a clever writer. In THE OTHER SIDE OF YOU (Abacus), she updates Beauty And The Beast into a violent, urban story of young Will escaping the gang culture of his South London estate and taking refuge in an abandoned greenhouse, from where he secretly watches Padma, a beautiful young girl. Can he reject his past and let the plants restore his soul and nurture the good inside him? First published 30 years ago, Susan Jefferss ground-breaking self-help book FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY (Hodder) feels just as fresh today. In this special abridged version, Jeffers identifies the most common anxieties that limit our lives and, in simple, clear steps, outlines strategies that will free us from the fear of making mistakes, being alone, losing control or feeling pain. The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 10.99) The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 10.99) It was hard to be a tsar, writes Simon Sebag Montefiore in the introduction to his bestselling epic history of the Romanov dynasty. The Romanovs inhabit a world of family rivalry, imperial ambition, lurid glamour, sexual excess and depraved sadism. This is a world where . . . brides are poisoned, fathers torture their sons to death, sons kill fathers, wives murder husbands . . . dwarfs are tossed, beheaded heads kissed, children slaughtered. Here are nymphomaniacal empresses, lesbian menages a trois, and an emperor who wrote the most erotic correspondence ever written by a head of state. In short, this meticulously researched account of Russian history from the 17th to the 20th century makes Game Of Thrones seem staid by comparison. Beneath the astonishing wealth of historical detail runs the constant theme of the impossible challenge, even for a dynasty of autocrats, of ruling the ever-expanding, multi-faith, multi-ethnic empire that was Russia. A Mothers Reckoning by Sue Klebold (W H Allen 8.99) A Mothers Reckoning by Sue Klebold (W H Allen 8.99) On April 20, 1999, two high school students, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, armed themselves with assault weapons and roamed their school in the town of Columbine, Colorado, killing 12 students and a teacher, and wounding 24 others before killing themselves. When Dylans mother, Sue, heard of a shooting at her sons school, her initial reaction was terror that her son was in danger. The horror that unfolded was beyond her worst imagining. Perhaps the only thing more dreadful than learning that your child is dead is discovering that he is a killer. Sue began writing as a way to try to explain to herself the mystery of how her enthusiastic, affectionate son became a mass murderer. In her painfully honest and sorrowful account, she repeatedly asks herself what she and her husband could have done differently. Someone once asked her if she could ever forgive Dylan. She answered she first would have to forgive herself. The Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett (Guardian Books 8.99) The Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett (Guardian Books 8.99) Have you ever walked into a room and wondered what on earth you were doing there? Or completely failed to see a joke that everyone else thought was hilarious? If so, neuroscientist Dr Dean Burnett can help. An academic who dabbles in stand-up comedy, he describes the study of human intelligence as like trying to knit a sweater with no pattern, using candy floss instead of wool. While the mysteries of the brain may still be imperfectly understood, this is a readable and informative introduction to such universal phenomena as sleep, fear, heartache and memory, with an engagingly witty turn of phrase. Explaining the primitive fight-or-flight reflex, Dr Burnett writes: To our brains, daily life is like tightrope-walking over a vast pit full of furious honey badgers and broken glass; one wrong move and you end up as a gruesome mess. Finance minister Arun Jaitley gave the healthcare sector a shot in the arm in the Union budget on Wednesday with announcements on two new AIIMS hospitals and creation of 5,000 additional postgraduate (PG) seats every year to improve the availability of specialist doctors. The Centre plans to pour in Rs 47,352.51 crore into the sector in the coming fiscal year, an increase of 27.76 per cent on the Rs 37,061.55 crore set aside in 2016-17. Apart from the two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to be set up in Gujarat and Jharkhand, 1.5 lakh health sub-centres across the country will be transformed into 'health and wellness centres' that are expected to bring quality medical care to even remote areas. Students doing research at the research lab at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences - two new facilities of its kind are now planned, alongside 5,000 extra medical school seats The minister also announced an action plan to eliminate kala azar and filariasis by 2017, leprosy by 2018, measles by 2020 and tuberculosis by 2025. Praising the budget, Anjan Bose, secretary general of the industry body NATHEALTH, said it has a clear focus on improving healthcare access for the less privileged and on 'preventive and wellness', both of which are very encouraging. However, Dr Ajay Swaroop, secretary-cum-treasurer with the board of management at the city's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told Mail Today: 'This budget seems to have no specifications; it's generalised. Nothing has been announced for revamping existing healthcare infrastructure. 'By 5,000 PG seats and setting up two new AIIMS in the country, it can't boost the medical sector alone till the time the present health domain is upgraded.' 'MORE SEATS, MORE TALENT' Dr Randeep Guleria Calling Finance Ministry's move to introduce 5,000 more postgraduate seats as one of the positive budget allocations this year, (Prof) Dr Randeep Guleria, who heads the respiratory division at AIIMS said on Wednesday: 'There is acute deficiency of specialist doctors in the country and so with the increased PG seats by 5,000 in medicine per annum would encourage the moral of a budding medical student. 'Government making action plan for eliminating critical diseases such as kala-azar, filariasis, leprosy, measles and tuberculosis are common to tropical countries like India is one of the major challenges and a good sign. These diseases are most common in rural India. The drugs for tuberculosis are expensive and it becomes a burden for the poor people to purchase them.' Starting DNB courses in big district and reputed private hospitals will allow more and more young medical students to join the healthcare sector of the country, he said. 'The two new AIIMS will strengthen PG teaching in select ESI and Municipal Corporation Hospitals. 'Commissioning of new AIIMS in Jharkhand and Gujarat is definitely a good decision by the government to create more healthcare institution like mother AIIMS in New Delhi.' Advertisement Though no major reforms were announced, plans to amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, formulate new norms for medical devices and take steps for strengthening medical education will reduce healthcare cost for the masses, industry players said. 'The government should have focused more on the health sector - like proposals for opening new AIIMS should have been for all states. Overall, the budget is good, but it is more focused on rural health. What about urban health?' said Dr KK Aggarwal, national president of the Indian Medical Association. Jaitley also announced plans to reduce India's infant mortality rate from 39 in 2014 to 28 in 2019, and the maternal mortality rate from 167 in 2011-13 to 100 by 2018-20. Dr Anand Bansal, medical director at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, said: 'We hope that the plan for eliminating leprosy and tuberculosis by 2025 will be executed and implemented at the earliest to get rid of these problems.' Experts said the decision on Aadhaar-linked health cards for senior citizens is a welcome one. However, the healthcare outlay in the budget hasn't been touched and it remains largely underfunded. There was no announcement on fulfilling the healthcare sector's long-standing demand on granting it the status of 'infrastructure industry'. The new rules to be formulated for medical devices will help cut costs and India's diagnostic chains with be at par with international ones, said insiders. Pharmaceutical sector feels 'let down' by health proposals in budget The pharmaceutical sector representatives said the Union budget has failed to specifically address imminent challenges directly affecting the key industry, but hailed certain proposals of finance minister Arun Jaitley. The life sciences sector had great expectations from the budget not only from a fiscal incentive perspective but also from a regulatory angle. Expectations were based on the government's vision of making India one of the top three pharmaceutical markets by 2020, according to experts. They, however, welcomed certain budget proposals. This year, too, no specific impetus was given to the sector. 'The move to eradicate certain NCDs, the proposal to set up two new AIIMS, additional post-graduate medical seats, proposed amendments in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules and new rules for medical devices are welcome. However, the Budget has not specifically addressed imminent challenges directly affecting the sector,' KPMG India National Head-Life Sciences Practice Utkarsh Palnitkar said. In order to stay competitive in the overseas market and given the uncertain global climate, it was expected that specific impetus or incentives would be given to innovation in the form of weighted deduction on R&D, incentives for patents, exemptions of certain duties and taxes. These demands remained largely un-addressed, giving no specific reason to cheer for the sector as a whole in 2017-18, Palnitkar said. Glenn Saldanha, Chairman and Managing Director, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals said, overall, the Union Budget is a step in the right direction. 'Lowering tax on MSMEs is a welcome step that would provide a much-needed fillip by creation of jobs and putting more money in their pockets in all sectors, including pharmaceuticals. The Government has shown its clear intent towards fasttracking inflow of FDI, and the scrapping of FIPB is a notable step that would go a long way in supporting the objective of ease of doing business,' Saldanha said. Additionally, the government's impetus to reduce the borrowing cost and increase access to credit will surely help businesses to grow, he said. A new national testing agency will conduct all major entrance examinations for institutes of higher learning, finance minister Arun Jaitley announced in his budget speech on Wednesday. The move will free up the CBSE and other such bodies from the responsibility so they can focus on academics. The government will also launch a SWAYAM (digital) platform with at least 350 online courses to enable students to virtually attend the programmes taught by the best faculty, access high-quality reading resources, participate in discussion forums, take tests and earn academic grades. One national agency to conduct all major entrance exams will be established Access to SWAYAM would be widened by links with DTH channels dedicated to education. 'RECIPE FOR SOCIAL EXCLUSION' Condemning the Finance Minister's budget, Nandita Narain from the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) said: 'The policy direction for education contained in the Finance Minister's budget speech is a recipe for social exclusion and decline of educational standards. It furthers the case for commercialisation of public-funded institutions along with greater reliance on privatisation.' She added: 'It appears that the Finance Minister has expressed government's obsession with reduction in public funding for education in his proposal to launch SWAYAM, an online portal similar to MOOCs for students to attend courses, be tested and receive academic grades. This is once again being peddled as a means to provide 'quality education' in non-formal ways instead of strengthening public-funded institutions by greater funding towards teaching positions and infrastructure. Advertisement Jaitley also promised reforms in the country's university watchdog UGC and greater administrative and academic autonomy to educational institutions subject to their performance. About 100 skill centres will be started around the country and more than three crore young people will benefit through a programme on skills acquisition called Sankalp at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore. The minister set aside another Rs 2,200 crore for 'Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement'. 'It was heartening to hear finance minister Arun Jaitley lay emphasis on energising the youth of the country. This is indeed important and has to be done by creating an environment conducive to innovation and scientific thought process. 'The minister also offered to set up an Innovation Fund for secondary education for ensuring universal access, gender parity and quality improvement,' said Professor Dheeraj Sanghi, dean of academics at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D). 'But the national testing agency should not only manage large-scale tests, but should also have a wing for research on testing like ETS in the US.' Jaitley proposed introducing a system of measuring annual learning outcomes in schools. At least 350 online courses also set to be launched to provide virtual teaching Emphasis will be on science education and flexibility in curriculum to promote creativity through local, innovative content. The government also plans to create an innovative fund for secondary education for ensuring universal access, gender parity and quality improvement. This will include Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-enabled learning, transformation and the focus will be on 3,479 educationally backward blocks. Rakesh Sharma, ex-registrar of IIT-D and education secretary of Himachal Pradesh, said: 'Regarding accessibility, it is very good that government has decided on 350 online courses; it will improve accessibility. 'For skill strengthening, the government has earmarked Rs 2,000 cr, which will lead to employability. 'The introduction of India International Centres across the country will open doors for the youth to seek jobs outside India.' Reforms in university watchdog UGC were also announced in the 2017 budget Some experts, however, say the government may have paved the way for institutes to hike their fees, which will hit the students hard. 'FM's talk about reforming the UGC and then providing financial autonomy is a way to convert well-established colleges into money-minting shops,' said Abha Dev Habib, member of Delhi University's executive council. 'In the name of financial autonomy, these colleges will be forced to generate own funds, primarily from students fees.' Jaitley promised that the government will focus on the true potential of the youth. Manoj Varghese, senior communications consultant for the Delhi government's education department, said: 'Good to know that around Rs 2,200 crore has been allocated for skill education and emphasis has been kept on quality and market relevance in vocational courses. 'This was the need of the hour. It will be good if this skill education is linked to our ITIs and polytechnics where actual training is being imparted.' More scholarships for skill and development Hungry for jobs perennially, millennials tried to wrap their head around the Union budget as finance minister delivered the news of what government has in store for them. Not only will the financial assistance from government to the ministry of Skill and Development help the students across the country with more scholarships, it will also hone the youth ready to enter the job market, experts told Mail Today. ASkill and Development ministry official said: 'Under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, our target is to skill one crore people in the youth sector. We will further bring 2,300 institutions across India under Pradhan Mantri Yuva Yojana and another 3.5 crore under SANKALP scheme in the next four years. More scholarships have been promised for young people across India 'The ministry has tied up with the World Bank to give India its share of employable youth. The budget announced has further strengthened and augmented our resolve to create entrepreneurs for industry.' The ministry, currently focussing on giving India an employable workforce, had suffered a setback due to insufficient funds. 'We were previously running institutions for skill development which lacked infrastructure and results did not match the standards. With this big boost in budget, ministry will smoothly provide quality deliverables to the country,' said another official. The Union budget 2017 gives the Skill Development ministry Rs 2766.11 crores. 'The budget allocation shows that government is focussing on building a promising future with entrepreneurs,' said the ministry official. Even for the socially backward, the budget is riding on a train of healthy share of money to spend in the coming financial year. 'Ministry has received Rs 410 crore extra than last year so we will provide more scholarships to the pre-matric and post-matric students in SC/ST/OBC and disabled community,' an official from ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment told Mail Today. K Narayan, managing director of National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation said that skill development helps in providing jobs and a healthy budget allocation means more resources to hone candidates. The post-matric scholarship provided by the ministry largely benefits the students who opt for engineering and medical science. Former Union minister and IUML leader E Ahamed, who was widely considered as India's 'unofficial ambassador' to Gulf countries, passed away early on Wednesday. Subsequently a row broke out over the presentation of the Union Budget in Parliament in the light of the death of the sitting MP. The Centre was also accused by the Congress of delaying the announcement of the death of 78-year-old Ahamed at a government-run RML hospital in Delhi to facilitate the presentation of Budget as scheduled. Former Union minister and IUML leader E Ahamed, who was widely considered as India's 'unofficial ambassador' to Gulf countries has passed away aged 78 Ahamed is a sitting Lok Sabha MP from Mallapuram in Kerala. Ahamed died at 2:15 AM at Ram Manohar Lohia(RML) hospital where he was admitted on Tuesday and put on artificial life support. The Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) leader collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest during the President's address at the joint sitting of Parliament and was rushed to RML hospital on Tuesday. 'E Ahamed passed away at 2:15 AM and his body has been taken to AIIMS hospital for embalming as the facility is not available at RML', a senior RML doctor said. A widower, Ahamed is survived by two sons and a daughter. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the Centre for presenting the Union Budget, hours after the death of Ahamed saying it was improper, unfortunate and amounted to showing disrespect to the departed leader. 'Presenting Budget in the same building within hours after his death was totally improper and unfortunate. 'The Centre has gone ahead with the budget presentation, hurting the sentiments of the members of the House,' he said in a statement in Thiruvananthapuram. 'The act amounted to disrespect to the memories of the deceased and insulting the democratic consciousness of the nation. 'It was a grave mistake that the government had gone ahead with the Budget presentation at a time when tributes should have been paid to such a senior leader,' he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, home minister Rajnath Singh and other top leaders cutting across party lines paid rich tributes to Ahamed. Modi said Ahamed's efforts for empowerment of the Muslim community will be remembered, noting that he served the nation with great diligence. He said Ahamed devoted significant efforts towards Kerala's progress and his role in deepening India's ties with West Asia was notable. Ahamed was not only an able Parliamentarian and administrator, but also is considered as India's 'unofficial ambassador' to Gulf countries due to his proximity with leaders in that region. He had served the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh from 2004-12 as Minister of State for External Affairs and Railways besides holding the additional charge of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Ahamed, who started his political innings in Kerala with five stints as member of state assembly, proved his administrative capabilities as Industries Minister in 1982. Rejecting demands from the Opposition in the Lok Sabha to postpone the presentation of the Budget following the death of Ahamed, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed finance minister Arun Jaitley to carry out the exercise saying it was a constitutional obligation. Mahajan, however, said Lok Sabha will not sit tomorrow as a mark of respect for the departed leader. High drama prevailed at RML hospital when top Congress leaders visited the hospital to enquire about Ahamed's health on Tuesday night amid allegations that his family was not being allowed to meet him. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, besides other party leaders rushed to the hospital late at night and met Ahamed's family. Ahamed's family was not being permitted to meet him or to know about his well being. 'This is complete high-handedness of the government,' Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. He said the government has stopped the blood relatives of the former Union minister from meeting him or knowing about his critical state at such a time. Launching a scathing attack on the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress alliance, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has said that it is nothing but a partnership made out of restraints. 'While Gundaraj prevails in the SP rule, Congress is making desperate efforts to save its face. Now it is up to you (voters of UP) to vote for a corrupt alliance or vote (for BSP) for prevailing law and order in the state. 'Our votes will be wasted if it go to SP or Congress', Mayawati, who held a rally each in Meerut and Aligarh, said. However, showing her concern for UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Yadav, Mayawati said he has been victimised by the former SP surpemo (Mulayam Singh Yadav) for promoting his son. Mayawati launched a scathing attack on the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Congress alliance 'Mulayam insulted Shivpal because of his progeny. Now Shivpal will teach him a lesson (in the elections) and both the factions (Akhilesh and Shipval) will try to cut each other's vote. 'Their cadre vote will divide and hence I would like to advise the minorities to vote for the BSP so that their votes do not get wasted', she added. 'Whatever developmental and public interest works are being carried out by the SP are a clear adaptation of the works initiated by the BSP (when it was in power). BSP supremo Mayawati has said that the SP-Gong alliance is nothing but a partnership made out of restraints 'Akhilesh has only changed the names (of the works and the schemes) and is mocking us,' Maya claimed. Taking a jibe at the BJP and the SP's announcement of distributing laptops and mobiles, Maya said she would rather focus on giving financial help to the needy. 'BJP does not have the guts to present the chief ministerial face as it does not have one. Our (BSP) prime motive is to stop such (BJP) communal forces from coming to power', she said. Advertisement In his first two years in office we have seen much of Prime Minister Modi the statesman, charming (and enthusiastically hugging) the various world and industry leaders to arrive on India's shores. Internally he boasts a staggering 69% approval rating and his hastily arranged demonetisation measures seem to have actually boosted his popularity, despite the massive upheaval they've caused. Added to his so-called 'surgical strike' against alleged Pakistani-backed militants on the de facto India-Pakistan border, Modi has made for himself a fully portable and powerful election hammer to help party members pound out the BJP ethos in poll-bound states across the country. No go for NGOs: In Modi's dealing with NGOs we catch a glimpse of the leader who it was said, would struggle to find a balance in his character between political pragmatism, and his 'extremist ideology.' If present popularity is anything to go by, it is looking increasingly likely that he will be re-elected in 2019. Although in the years since his election there have been flashes of the 'Hindu supremacism' and the rising tide of sectarian hatred promised by swathes of the western media, no single incident has been so sufficiently alarming as to deter a leader like Prime Minister Theresa May from visiting India cap-in-hand during the first round of Britain's trade talks post-Brexit. However, in Modi's dealing with NGOs it would appear that we catch a glimpse of the leader who, it was argued by the Guardian, would struggle to find a balance in his character between political pragmatism and 'the extremist ideology with which he has been associated since he was a young man'. In his first two years in office we have seen much of Prime Minister Modi the statesman, charming (and enthusiastically hugging) the various world and industry leaders to arrive on India's shores Why hate the help? Despite all the good NGOs do in quite varied fields ranging from direct disaster relief (seen during the 2015 Chennai floods) to instances of children born with HIV denied an education - the BJP's hatred for NGOs can be loosely broken down into a number of quite obvious reasons. Firstly, the dissent from well-oiled self-funded PR machines with a human or environmental cause is believed to be curtailing India's staggering economic growth. Indeed the leaked intelligence report in 2015 claimed that groups like Greenpeace were damaging the country's economy by campaigning against key development projects. This in turn has led to the government pursuing bureaucratic solutions to solve human problems with the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act withdrawing licenses so the NGOs cannot receive overseas donations, effectively strangling them. As we've seen recently, the NGOs cannot appeal the withdrawal, nor is there a means to seek an explanation. Secondly, there are over two million NGOs in India, and many of them don't really do what they say on the tin. Corruption is rife. The large sums of money being thrown around, the lack of transparency and accountability as to where this money is being used has led to a great deal of mistrust. So for every highly-efficient, globally-known NGO helping those in need, there are a number of NGOs whose operations are less transparent, and whose aims fall around the collection and spending of others people's money. But even so, why hate the help? It's still not obvious why a leader elected to look after the poorest, most vulnerable people would choose to sever this lifeline. A farmer in Amritsar, Punjab: 8,000 farmers took their own lives in 2015 According to Ravi Chellam, Executive Director for Greenpeace in India, 'This is not a specifically Indian issue' but rather a part and parcel of a general global crackdown from conservative governments seeking to decrease the scope for civil society. 'I don't think this issue is uniquely Indian, or even uniquely a BJP, Narendra Modi problem' he says. 'If you look at the global scenario with countries like the Philippines and the USA - what we are seeing personality politics with guys being elected with anti-liberal views and actually being quite proud about it. 'They flaunt their views and there's absolutely no shame or denial that's what they are. Ravi Chellam Executive Director, Greenpeace India For Greenpeace and Chellam, this crackdown on dissent starts with the biggest players in the market: 'Modi is attacking NGOs that people see as independent and credible; knowledgeable about certain specific issues, and potential disruptors of the narrative that these people want to convey.' So, going back to the leaked intelligence report, is this about India's economic growth? Perhaps, but Chellam disagrees with this oft-repeated idea of economic 'growth' in India: 'If we fall into the trap of calling things like coal mining a ''growth'' area we're letting it be defined by economists who have a fairly narrow perspective. 'Growth that results in a million premature deaths in not growth. 'It's like saying let's have a pandemic so that people pay more for medicine and in that sector the economy grows!' Who hates the help? But when NGOs have a human cause - suffering, dying, marginalised people - added to a well-oiled PR machine and a source of funding, it's not obvious why the Indian government would feel that this is a fight worth fighting. But in India it often appears like he has the backing of his people. The best summary of why ordinary, honest Indians follow their political leaders in a deep mistrust of NGOs is perhaps summarized best by a young man from West Bengal writing on the popular question-answer site Quora: An answer to a question posed about Modi and NGOs on popular site Quora last year The young man exemplifies this peculiar mythology of mistrust in India, and according to Dr Nikita Sud Associate Professor of Development Studies at Oxford University, this mistrust is a large part of what brought Modi and the BJP to power in the first place. 'The current government came to power with 31% of the vote,' Sud says. 'Those among the other two thirds of the country who did not vote for the ruling alliance might appreciate and understand what NGOs like Greenpeace and Lawyers Action Group do. But they are not the kind of people the government expects to rally behind them and support this rhetoric that NGOs are anti-national and must be put in their place. 'The people that the government is hoping will support them in their fight against the NGOs lean to a suspicion of liberal, secular NGOs that talk about Human Rights and ostensibly give India a bad name. To many bhakts, or Modi followers, these NGOs are simply anti-national. 'It makes sense for them to attack the very people that the rest of us see as the ''good guys''.' Big hug: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraces British Prime Minister David Cameron after Cameron's speech on stage at Wembley Stadium in London on November 13, 2015 Dodgy NGOs? Dr Sud does sympathise with criticism of India's disproportionate number of NGOs and the lack of transparency with which they often operate. 'There is a big question about accountability. If you're a company or a business you are accountable to your shareholders, if you are a government you are accountable to your electorate, but if you are an NGO there is a big question mark about who you are accountable to. 'So if you are a big NGO like Oxfam you have built an accountability mechanism where the people who send 2 a month get regular updates about how their money was spent. For most of the 2 million NGOs in India that self-imposed mechanism for accountability does not exist.' In short there's not yet a good way to determine if an NGO is doing what it set out to do. Smoke rise from an underground coal seam fire in Bokapahari in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India. Underground fires are a major threat of subsidence for nearly 100,000 families in Dhanbad. Bharat Vadukul of Sewa UK has his own stories to tell of India and those organisations he describes as 'unscrupulous' NGOs. 'There are a lot of NGOs that make big claims about the work they purport to do, and the lives they save, but when you look at it closely sometimes it is very hard to verify. Often what they're saying and what they're doing are two very different things.' Bharat goes on to say, 'I was over in India a few weeks ago and heard about the closing of one particular NGO that made it into the local press, but when you actually spoke to people about them it was obvious that what the work they reported and the work they actually did were two very different things. In another incident he adds, 'what happens immediately after a disaster in India (i.e Gujarat earthquake) we get a number of what we call 'banner' organisations cropping up. 'They create a banner, a website, a name and an appeal with the promise to do all this great work. 'But on one particular occasion one of these local groups in Gujarat started a campaign to help those suffering, and then immediately bought two 4x4s from the money that was collected for those in need. 'They claimed that they needed these to get to the areas affected but as the relief mission went on it was obvious that the amount of work they did, didn't justify the amount of money they had collected.' Coal mining causes huge damage to those indigenous people living in the areas where it is being mined. Here Sampan Das (right) and his family cook in the tent in Dhanbad, Jharkhand. Forty five houses, including Das' in Angarpathra village collapsed as the earth caved in due to an underground coal fire. Good NGOs or bad NGOs: Where to draw the line? Crowds below watch as activists of GreenPeace rappel down their office building where they are head quartered to unfurl banners 'democracy' and 'free speech' in Bangalore Sewa UK is a charity organisation and a splinter of the Sewa International group based in Delhi. At present they are working on building schools and centres for people with disabilities and obviously continue to support long term rehabitation efforts after the upheaval in Jammu & Kashmir. When asked about Sewa's link to the RSS (the BJP's ideological mentor of which Modi was once a member) Bharat says there is a 'loose link' with the RSS but everybody involved in Sewa in terms of running the organisation and in the background believes that humanitarian aid doesn't stop at the point of creed, colour or caste. 'Emergency aid goes to anybody that needs it, and that is a part of our Hindu scriptures.' So does Modi's clampdown affect both good and bad NGOs? According to Bharat - 'Yes'. He adds, 'Once the net is cast some of the good organisations get drawn in. When you are working hard and you're struggling with a lot of things, you're trying to help people and deliver on projects the emotions run high, especially when you're being painted with the brush saying that you're the same as all the unscrupulous NGOs - that's frustrating. 'But we believe that the Indian government is doing this for the right reason, however the way they're doing it is unfortunately dragging good people in by association.' If you've seen any evidence of corruption from NGOs in India please get in touch @DavidGDawkins Activists from Greenpeace and local farmers from Madhya Pradesh hold placards outside the headquarters of India's Essar Group. Activists protested against the proposed destruction of Mahan forests in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh where Essar Power has been allotted a captive coal block. Pope says the country's inter-religious harmony is an 'inspiring example' Vatican has played down reports of threats to Pope from Muslim militants Police sniper teams and sniffer dogs used while border patrols also boosted He told the crowd violence should never be used to justify religion Pope Francis touches down to red carpet welcome in Albanian capital Tirana Pope Francis warned during a visit to Albania today that religion can never be used to justify violence, making apparent reference to the bloodshed wreaked by the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. 'Let no one consider themselves to be the armour of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression,' the pontiff said in speech at the presidential palace in Tirana in front of Albania's leaders. 'May no one use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against fundamental rights,' he said. 'To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege. To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman.' Scroll down for video Pope Francis arrives at Tirana's Mother Teresa international airport this morning to begin his day-long visit The Pope touched down in Albania this morning for a 11-hour visit with security tight amid threats from Islamic State militants. While the Vatican insisted no special measures were being taken, Albania's Interior Ministry promised 'maximum' protection from 2,500 police and beefed-up patrols at border crossings. Francis' interactions with the crowds were also much reduced compared to his previous foreign trips. His open-topped vehicle sped down Tirana's main boulevard, not stopping once for him to greet the faithful, as is his norm. He said: 'All believers must be particularly vigilant so that, in living out with conviction our religious and ethical code, we may always express the mystery we intend to honor. 'This means that all those forms which present a distorted use of religion must be firmly refuted as false since they are unworthy of God or humanity.' Francis has said it was legitimate to use force to stop the Islamic extremists, but that the international community should be consulted on how to do so. Pope Francis has used the visit as an opportunity to denounce how religion has been 'perverted' to justify violence. Francis told Prime Minister Edi Rama at the start of his 11-hour visit Sunday that Albania's inter-religious harmony was an 'inspiring example' for the world, showing that Christian-Muslim coexistence was not only possible but beneficial for a country's development. He said: 'This is especially the case in these times in which authentic religious spirit is being perverted by extremist groups, and where religious differences are being distorted and instrumentalized.' Snipers watch on from a building roof as crowds gather below for the Holy Mass which will take place today Pope Francis greets the media during an airborne press conference on his flight to Albania this morning It was reported Albanian law enforcement had flagged to Interpol concerns that Muslim militants who trained in Iraq and Syria had returned and might pose a threat to Pope Francis. The Vatican has downplayed the reports, and Pope Francis has used the same open-topped vehicle he uses in St. Peter's Square. That said, even at the Vatican security has been beefed-up in recent days: More barricades and police were out in force during Francis' weekly general audience this past week and Italian media reported security had been doubled. Albanian police said they had the situation under control, though security was tight Sunday: People attending the pope's Mass were told to avoid wearing heavy clothing since they would be checked by police and not to bring bags, suitcases or glass bottles. 'There is no threat to the pope's security. We have undertaken all the measures and everything will go well,' police chief Artan Didi told reporters after a meeting with Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri on final security arrangements. The Pope bends down to kiss a baby as he makes his way through the crowds upon his arrival in Albania Thousands turned out to the streets this morning for Mass with Pope Francis Left, a police sniffer dog inspects the podium where Pope Francis will be seated for the Holy Mass, while right, the greets the crowds who have gathered to see him It is Francis' first visit to a majority Muslim nation since the Islamic State crackdown on Christians in Iraq. During his visit, he will address Albanian authorities and an inter-religious gathering, celebrate Mass in a square named for Albania's most famous Catholic - Mother Teresa - and greet children cared for by charitable groups. The capital's main Boulevard Martyrs of the Nation was decorated with Albanian and Vatican flags, as well as pictures of 40 Catholic priests who were persecuted or executed under Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha, who declared Albania the world's first atheist state in 1967. During this time, hundreds of priests and imams were jailed, scores executed. Francis paid tribute to these martyrs and those from other faiths, saying they showed witness to their faith even under persecution. 'Recalling the decades of atrocious suffering and harsh persecutions against Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims, we can say that Albania was a land of martyrs,' he said in his homily. Deviating from his text, Francis thanked Albanians for their ancestors' sacrifice, recalling the national symbol of the eagle. 'Do not forget your wounds, but don't avenge them,' he said. 'Go forward, flying on the hopes of a great future.' Muslims make up about 59 percent of the population, with Catholics amounting to 10 percent and Orthodox Christians just under that. Believers arriving in the Albanian capital of Tirana for today's Holy Mass which will be held in a city square named after Mother Teresa Crowds awaiting the Pope's appearance this morning where he will address an interreligious gathering Pope Francis and Albanian President Bujar Nishani pictured side by side just after he first arrived in the country The Pope's decision to visit tiny Albania before any major European capital is in keeping with his desire for the Catholic Church to go to the 'periphery'. Albania is seeking European Union membership and his visit comes just a few weeks before he delivers a major speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. The visit also affords him a chance to visit a majority Muslim nation at a time when Christians are being persecuted, killed and forced from their homes by the Islamic State group in northern Iraq. The Vatican has voiced mounting concern about the exodus of Christians from lands where Christian communities have existed for 2,000 years. Last month the Pope, who has often condemned the concept of war in God's name, said it would be legitimate for the international community to use force to stop 'unjust aggression' by Islamic State militants who have killed or displaced thousands of people in Iraq and Syria, many of them Christians. Despite some concerns over his safety, Pope Francis eagerly engaged with the Albanian crowds Here he is carried through the crowd on his specially designed car known as the Popemobile Shops in a Queensland town are closing their doors to school students after too many teenagers fronted up for snack at the supermarket instead of heading to class. Businesses in Lowood, west of Brisbane have banded together to try to stop local students from skipping school - by banning them from entering businesses between 8.30am and 3pm. Toby Whitten owns the Supa IGA supermarket in town and said children would turn up in groups just before 9am and 'steal junk food'. 'They come right before school starts and it makes you think how they are going to get to school on time when it takes 20 minutes to walk up the hill,' Mr Whitten told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video Businesses in Lowood, west of Brisbane have banded together to try to stop local students from skipping school CCTV footage showing children from the local high school taking chocolate off the shelf instead of heading to school The ban is an initiative of the Somerset Region Business Alliance, Somerset Regional Council and Queensland Police Service - representatives pictured rolling out the measure 'It makes me think they are coming here to get their snacks for the day, waiting til mum and dad have left for work and then going back home.' The supermarket owner has to make sure he has extra staff on the floor between 8.30am and 9am because the amount of stealing that happens. He says the children are mostly high-school aged. between 12 and 16. 'They will steal anything from a can of Mother to a Mars Bar or a packet of chips,' he said. 'Any junk food.' The ban officially begins on Monday - with students advised through the school newsletter and a series of signs posted in the windows of local businesses. 'It was getting to the point where 20 or 30 kids were coming in at a time - and you have to watch all of them because you can't tell which ones are going to steal. 'There aren't as many kids here during school hours - but the cafes on the top side of town do get busy.' Emily Stapleton from Emily's Takeaway is also on board with the agreement and says she doesn't want 'school kids to be hanging around her shop in school hours'. 'Some of them come in the morning and don't leave until after 9.30am - I try to tell them to leave because they have to be at school by 8.45am but they just stay near the front of my shop.' 'I don't want to encourage them not to go to school.' The school-kid ban is an initiative of the Somerset Region Business Alliance, Somerset Regional Council and Queensland Police Service. Both the primary and high schools are also involved. Video extracts from the Marine A incident were released for the first time today. They show a patrol of Marines watching a British Apache helicopter gunship hovering in the sky as it unleashes a barrage of fire at a Taliban fighter. The clattering from the gunships fearsome 30mm cannon can be heard clearly. It is the opening scene of what became the most controversial episode in the Afghanistan war culminating in the jailing of Sergeant Alexander Blackman, known as Marine A. Sgt Blackman, pictured, was convicted of murder, dismissed with disgrace from the military and ordered to serve a minimum of ten years in prison, later reduced to eight The Ministry of Defence has released footage of the moments leading up to the incident The footage, pictured, was filmed on a helmet-mounted video camera worn by one of the junior Marines in the patrol, Corporal Christopher Watson The Ministry of Defence released the video last night following a court application by the BBC, The Guardian and other media organisations. The dramatic footage comes from a helmet-mounted video camera worn by one of the junior Marines in Sgt Blackmans patrol. The video was used to convict Sgt Blackman at his court martial in 2013 but has never been seen by the public, as it was ruled too inflammatory and a potential propaganda gift to terrorists. In a ruling earlier this week, the High Court did not agree to release the full video - but has permitted its partial release, allowing the opening scenes of the episode to be viewed by the public for the first time. The newly-released video clips do not show the shooting incident itself, only some of the events leading up to it. The footage begins in a grassy field shortly after two insurgents had been spotted creeping up on a remote British outpost in Helmand Province. An Apache was summoned from Camp Bastion to counter their stealth attack, and Sgt Blackmans patrol was sent out too. The aircrew spotted one of the gunmen in a cornfield. As the Marines watch, several bursts of loud gunfire can be heard as the Apache unleashes 139 rounds from its 30mm cannon. The newly-released video clips do not show the shooting incident itself, but shots can be heard in the background as the Marine patrol searches for the insurgents Soldiers are heard shouting 'shoot the c***' and 'they've f****** missed', referring to an Apache helicopter firing on the insurgents The Marines, positioned some distance away, can be heard shouting Come on! and I think hes dead. As might be expected of young troops in a dangerous battlefield, their language is course as they are heard discussing the Apache crews aim. A voice says: Theyve missed him. Theyve f***ing missed the cheeser. The Marines accuse the Apache crew of error after error after error and suggest they should have fired a Hellfire rocket instead. The next clip from the blisteringly hot afternoon in September 2011 shows Sgt Blackman and Jack Hammond, known as Marine C, walking over to examine the wounded man. They found an AK47, spare ammunition and a hand grenade lying by his blood-soaked body in the 50C heat. The insurgent cannot be seen. The rest of the episode including the shooting will not be shown publicly, but the story of what happened next is well known. Other footage shows the patrol moving through a field and holding their positions as they search for the Taliban fighters Sgt Blackman led his patrol into the cornfield where they found an AK47, spare ammunition and a hand grenade by the insurgent's 'blood-soaked' body The clips were released following a High Court application from media organisations including the BBC Sgt Blackman shot the insurgent, famously quoting from Hamlet as he said: Shuffle off this mortal coil. After Sgt Blackmans court martial, three judges ruled that the video of the shooting incident should not be made public. At the time, government terrorism experts had advised the judges that Sgt Blackman and his family could be at risk from Islamic extremists. Paul Mott, the deputy head of the governments Research Information and Communications Unit, said at the time that the video was 'a gift in propaganda terms. The court martials Judge Advocate General, Jeff Blackett, ruled that the release of the video would generate significant feelings of anger and revenge among certain people and will incite attacks on British service personnel at home and abroad. The application for the video to be partially released was made on behalf of the BBC, Sky News, ITN, and The Guardian and Times Newspapers. Wedding day: Sgt Alexander Blackman with his wife Claire when they married in 2009 - but reunion hopes were dashed before Christmas after he was not granted bail Proud: Claire Blackman was defiant and said that despite the disappointment that her husband won't be freed he still has the chance to appeal against his conviction this year They want to use it to illustrate reports of Sgt Blackmans appeal, which begins next week on Tuesday. Hundreds of ex-Marines and other supporters are expected to travel to the Royal Courts of Justice in London in solidarity. They will pack the public gallery of the Lord Chief Justices historic court number 4 where five of the most senior judges in the land will preside over Sgt Blackmans fate. He is serving life for the shooting. Thanks to generous Daily Mail readers who funded a new legal team, he won the right to the new appeal, which is expected to last three days. The court will hear how three eminent psychiatrists now agree he was suffering from combat stress disorder at the time he pulled the trigger. The judges could commute his sentence from murder to manslaughter with diminished responsibility, or order a retrial. A British housewife who fled to Syria with her jihadi husband appears to have penned a hate-filled diary describing life as a housewife under ISIS's barbaric regime. Under the nom de guerre Umm Ibrahim al-Brit, she tells how the bodies of women and children lay piled on the dusty streets following airstrikes by 'kuffar' (non believers) - and how her husband recruits others to wage jihad against the West. She also describes how she listens to an audiobook of the Koran through earphones to drown out the sound of falling Russian bombing raids at night. 'The Russian kuffar bombed - killing 100 people and injuring many,' she wrote on encrypted messaging service Telegram. In posts seen by MailOnline, Umm Ibrahim spews extremist propaganda and encourages other families to join her family in Syria. Extremist: A British housewife who fled to Syria with her jihadi husband appears to have written a hate-filled diary describing life in the war zone. Pictured: Stock photo of a jihadi bride in Syria Horrors: Under the name Umm Ibrahim al-Brit, the jihadi bride tells of how she cooks for ISIS fighters and that dead bodies litter the streets of the unknown Syrian city she lives in. Pictured: Stock photo of ISIS militants 'Every breath I take my hatred for them [non believers] increases,' she wrote on New Year's Eve. 'We just missed an airstrike today. Kuffar going crazy. May Allah destroy them,' she said a few weeks earlier. Her first post appeared on December 7 and she claims her diary, which has not been independently verified, is 'so anybody thinking of making hijrah [journey] can benefit from it'. Umm Ibrahim claims to have enjoyed a comfortable middle-class life in the UK before her husband was brainwashed by former al-Qaeda recruiter Anwar Al-Awlaki, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2011. 'After many years of a well settled life, me being a housewife and him doing a very nice job, kids going in a private (so called Islamic school), owning a house at a very young age, cars, every type of luxury and comfort one can imagine Allah being the best of planners had planned something for us we had not even thought of.' We just missed an airstrike today. Kuffar going crazy. May Allah destroy them... Every breath I take my hatred for them [non believers] increases Umm Ibrahim al-Brit While plotting to join ISIS, she says her husband travelled to Turkey several times to establish the best route to Syria. His last visit to Turkey before the family fled the UK is believed to have come in June 2014, shortly before ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced the so called caliphate in Iraq and Syria. 'Soon after this visit the [caliphate] was announced and now there was no option for us to stay back,' according to her posts which have been monitored by the Middle East Media Research Institute. 'We had given bayah [loyalty] to the Khalifah straight away without any doubts in our hearts and wanted to live under the shade of Shariah as soon as we could.' Umm Ibrahim is believed to have taken her sick mother-in-law to Pakistan before the pair returned back to the UK to make final preparations to travel to Syria. The family lived in Turkey for four months before getting the 'green light' to enter the country. Although the family's identity is unknown, several British families have left the safety of Britain to join the terror group in the last few years. Among them in 2015 was a Muslim couple from Bradford who fled to Syria with their five young children, a family of 12 and a mother who took her five young children to join her brother fighting for Isis. Brainwashed: Umm Ibrahim tells of how crossing into ISIS territory with her family was 'the happiest moment of our lives'. If true, her family is one of many who left comfortable lives in the UK. They include Imran Ameen, left, and his wife Farzana, right, who fled with five kids Recruited: Umm Ibrahim claims to have enjoyed a comfortable middle-class life in the UK before her husband was brainwashed by former al-Qaeda recruiter Anwar Al-Awlaki. Pictured: Imran and Farzana Ameen, who flew to Turkey on one-way tickets before heading to Syria Attack: Umm Ibrahim claims she listens to the Koran through earphones to drown out the sound of falling Russian bombing raids at night and describes the bodies in the street after bombing raids by 'kuffar' (non believers). Pictured: Stock photo of jihadi woman in Syria Who wrote the jihadi bride diaries? If genuine, the diaries detailing life as a jihadi in Syria could have been written by a number of British women who have fled the UK with their families. :: Imran Ameen, 39, his wife, Farzana, 40, and their five children, aged between five and 15, were believed to have travelled to Turkey on one way tickets before they headed to Syria, according to police. Farzana was said to have taken her Alzheimer's suffering mother to Pakistan a few weeks earlier, telling friends she would get her settled. :: In July 2015 a family of 12 from Luton, the Mannans, issued a chilling rallying cry to other Muslim families after crossing the Turkish border into Syria. 'We call all Muslims, to rush to the command of your khalif,' they purportedly wrote. 'Race to your state. Race to what will give you honour in this life and the hereafter. Hasten to the obedience of Allah.' :: A month earlier, mother-of-five took her children and went - without her husband - to Syria, where her jihadi brother had been for more than a year. Her teenage sons are thought to have become ISIS fighters. :: A family of five from Slough who had previously been questioned on suspicion of terrorism fled to Syria in April 2015, but were arrested in Turkey and returned home a month later. Advertisement Umm Ibrahim claims crossing the border was 'the happiest moment of our lives' but even her propaganda-heavy posts reveal the true horror of living in ISIS territory, where families go days without water and locals are executed in public squares in front of baying mobs. In a chilling post on December 31, she wrote: 'Me and my husband were about to leave for the market. The Russian kuffar bombed it killing 100 people and injuring many. 'We sat there with heavy hearts and hatred for these filthy kuffar. Every breath I take my hatred for them increases. 'Dead bodies were placed in a car park. Only two mins away from our house. Six days later people were still taking out the bodies of martyrs from the rubble. 'Mostly killed were women and children.Ya Rab [oh Allah] destroy them and make their lives miserable with the most harshest of your punishments.' She also describes the journey to the so-called 'caliphate' in a white van crammed with other families - and how she was shocked to see so many refugees heading in the opposite direction. Umm Ibrahim says she met many other Muslim families from different nations travelling to join ISIS, including a Russian single mother whom she describes as 'being close to her heart'. Harsh reality: Umm Ibrahim's alleged diary reveal the true horror of living in ISIS territory, where young families go days without water and locals are executed in public squares. Pictured: Members of the Mannan family, from Luton, who joined ISIS in Syria War zone: In a chilling post on December 31, Umm Ibrahim wrote: 'Me and my husband were about to leave for the market. The Russian kuffar bombed it killing 100 people and injuring many.' Pictured: Stock photo of ISIS's all-female police force, the al-Khansaa brigade Recruiter: Umm Ibrahim claims to have enjoyed a comfortable middle-class life in the UK before her husband was brainwashed by former al-Qaeda recruiter Anwar Al-Awlaki, above She says she was very happy to meet jihadi fighters for the first time, saying: 'Four men were accompanying us in the van with their weapons. The feeling of seeing the first mujahids and the first weapons was amazing.' Eventually the family was taken to a large house which they shared with several other families, where her husband was chosen as the head of the household and Umm Ibrahim was put in charge of cooking for the fighters. 'My husband being the ameer of the house had to make lists of everything and stick them on walls, she wrote. 'He divided duties of all the house work between the women. 'I used to tell my husband how I wish to cook for mujahideen. And here I was cooking for muhajireen and mujahideen,' she wrote on January 5. Ten days later she described the house as 'very spacious', claiming it had 'four big bedrooms, a big hall room, a very big kitchen, two bathrooms and a big balcony'. Umm Ibrahim added: 'The glass from most of the windows and doors were broken and some walls had bullet holes in them. 'The first night in such a big house wasn't easy. On the top most floor of the building [you could hear] sounds of planes and a lot of noise of the wind. I had never witnessed such winds. I couldn't sleep properly. Bad company: Umm Ibrahim describes excitement at meeting jihadi fighters: 'The feeling of seeing the first mujahids and the first weapons was amazing.' Pictured left to right: 15-year-old Amira Abase, Kadiza Sultana,16 and Shamima Begum,15, at Gatwick, before they fled to Syria 'The next day was better, but the night was even more tough. May Allah reward my husband who gave me ear phones to listen to the Koran all night. I was saved from listening to the sounds of the planes and the screaming of the winds.' In her posts she has also told how the man who lured them to Syria was arrested in Turkey - and how her husband was working as an ISIS recruiter. She wrote: 'My husband worked really hard day and night to help people come to Shaam [Greater Syria]. After hard work and lots of duas, Allah helped in bringing the first group of muhajireen. 'They came to stay with us in our house. From 17 we became 28! Alhamdulilah [thank God] the house wasn't that small so we managed to accommodate them all. Umm Ibrahim says that, before her husband was brainwashed by al-Awlaki's sermons, she did not really understand Islam because she was raised by a single mother in Britain. She explained: 'Though being born in a Muslim household I wasn't taught anything about true Islam. All I knew was we had to pray five times a day and recite the Koran. 'After meeting the most precious person of my life [my husband] my life changed completely Alhamdulilah [praise be to God].' Hate and anger: In her first post on encrypted messaging service Telegram, Umm Ibrahim claimed she was making her diary 'public' so 'anybody thinking of making hijrah [journey] can benefit from it'. Pictured: Aftermath of a Russian airstrike on Aleppo, Syria 'Luxury': Umm Ibrahim claims the house she lives in has 'four big bedrooms, a very big kitchen, two bathrooms and a big balcony'. But the windows and doors are broken and the walls pockmarked with bullet holes. Pictured: Aftermath of a Russian airstrike in Aleppo She adds: 'Alhamdulilah [thank God] for the lectures from Imam Anwar al Awlaqi. 'They changed my husband's ways. Over a small period of time things became really clear in front of us. 'Life is a test from Allah. Either we fail and are thrown in the dreaded fire or we pass and are entered in the best of places.' The gunman accused of shooting and killing a Denver transit security official on Tuesday is being described by law enforcement sources as a 'radical Muslim.' Joshua Cummings, 37, was arrested late Tuesday by police just 20 minutes after he allegedly shot dead Scott Von Lanken, 56, a security contractor working for Denver's Regional Transportation District. Two unnamed sources close to the investigation say Cummings had 'jihadist materials' in his possession, according to Fox 31 TV. He also had a handgun and ammunition on him. Cummings is a former US serviceman who was kicked out of a Texas mosque, according to KUSA-TV. Scroll down for video Joshua Cummings (left), 37, was arrested late Tuesday by police just 20 minutes after he allegedly shot dead Scott Von Lanken (right), 56 Von Lanken was talking to two women trying to catch a late night train home when he was shot and killed. Cummings alllegedly came up from behind, stuck a handgun to the officer's neck and fired, according to Denver police. The shooting happened late Tuesday night near Union Station, a hub for buses and trains, and the city's pedestrian mall. Security camera footage helped police quickly find and arrest Cummings. Von Lanken (right) was talking to two women trying to catch a late night train home when he was shot and killed Von Lanken was wearing a dark blue uniform similar to those worn by police. In case he was targeted because he was believed to be a police officer, police Chief Robert White said officers have been warned to remain vigilant. According to police, Von Lanken was trying to help two women who were afraid they had missed the last light rail train when one of them said she saw a man with a swollen face and 'weird looking eyes' walk up to the officer and say something to the effect of 'Do what you are told' before she heard a gunshot. He ran away but police found Cummings hiding on the patio of a nearby loft apartment building with a 9mm handgun. Cummings, who has ties to a variety of cities in Texas, most recently Austin, was charged with a misdemeanor over five years ago out of state, police Commander Barb Archer said. Cummings alllegedly came up from behind, stuck a handgun to the officer's neck and fired, according to Denver police. Above is a photo of the crime scene after the attack On social media, Cummings identified himself as a jiu-jitsu instructor. He was particularly active on Twitter in 2016. 'I seek refuge in the one God from the evils of Satan, and I begin in the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the ' he wrote in June 25, 2016. 'Wake up people. America is a failed state. It's about to get so real. ' he posted on June 26, 2016. It's not clear if he has a lawyer yet. Gary Kim, the manager of the Holiday Motel in the Denver suburb of Englewood, said Cummings had been staying there for about three weeks. Cummings previously stayed for about a month at the $365-a-week motel before leaving in late November and then returned in early January. 'I'm just pretty blown away. ... He was one of my favorite tenants. I enjoyed seeing him,' Kim said. The motel manager said he didn't know what Cummings did for a living, but he would often volunteer to help people pay their rent. Kim added that Cummings 'kinda looked like a hippy' and had a full beard. A makeshift memorial put up by Denver Police is affixed to a pole early Wednesday near the scene where Von Lanken was shot and killed late Tuesday He stayed at the hotel with a woman and a child, and Kim said he never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Von Lanken was a contracted security officer for the Denver area's Regional Transportation District employed by Allied Universal. Shellie Von Lanken told KUSA-TV in Denver that her husband of 35 years worked at least 65 hours a week to support her and their 32-year-old twin daughters, one of whom is disabled. 'It was unbelievable that any human being could even work what he was working,' she said. 'He just worked his heart out. He would tell me, 'If I could keep working, I would get another job just so I could provide for my family'.' She added that if her husband were still alive, he would tell her and their daughters to forgive the shooter. President Donald Trump is giving more control to White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus to rein in the various personalities of his inner circle, after the rocky rollout of the seven-country travel ban. CNN's Dana Bash reports that Trump was 'unhappy' with how the executive order was deployed, particularly the poor communication to agencies and potential allies on Capitol Hill. Now, without demoting any members of his key staff, the president is giving Priebus a more defined role, with the former Republican National Committee chairman tasked with dealing the basic functions of government, including executive orders. President Trump wasn't impressed by the messy rollout of his controversial travel ban and is taking Chief of Staff Reince Priebus to take charge of White House operations going forward Reince Priebus (right) has more Washington experience than some of those at the top of Trumpland, including the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner (left front) One CNN source explained that while Priebus already had this authority, after the tumultuous rollout of the ban which the White House said wasn't a 'ban,' after saying it was a ban staff had to be reminded 'not to color outside their lines.' The source said the executive order was largely written by policy adviser Stephen Miller and it was launched without 'reading in' others who might have made the Friday night rollout go more smoothly. Bash's insider suggested the move to quickly release the executive order wasn't meant to be nefarious. Instead it was 'irrational exuberance' mixed with the desire to be 'too ambitious' too fast, coming from part of Trump's White House team. Trump's two other top guys at the table Stephen Bannon, the ex-Breitbart News head, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law won't have diminished roles, Bash reports. Steve Bannon (left) will continue being a top dog at the White House, CNN reports, though 'operations' will be controlled by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (right) Out of the three though, it's Priebus who has the most Washington experience, as he headed a successful RNC, which got a president elected and helped keep majorities in both the Senate and the House. Beyond Priebus, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway will take on a more strategic communications role. One of Trump's top surrogates, she's going to step in and assist Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, who is also filling the shoes of communications director, as Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller decided against taking the offered job. Administration officials told CNN that they don't blame the spread-too-thin Spicer for the executive order's messy debut. Sources wouldn't say if Conway will be officially given the title communications director, or would simply help with the workload. A woman who won a $40,000 Cash Cow prize on Sunrise on Thursday refused to believe she was the winner, because her name wasn't displayed on the TV screen. Co-host Samantha Armytage called the winner, grandmother Lynda Gibbons from Oberon in New South Wales, live on the show. She said: 'Hi Lynda it's Sunrise here' and Lynda replied with: 'Oh right, yes.' Scroll down for video A woman who won a $40,000 Cash Cow prize on Sunrise on Thursday (pictured is the Sunrise team) refused to believe she was the winner, because her name wasn't displayed on the TV screen. Samantha Armytage then said: 'No really it is, you've won $40,000!' However, it took a while to convince Lynda she had won because her name wasn't displayed on the screen. Meanwhile, the four hosts said her name was coming and kept saying 'Come on graphics!' She replied with: 'Well how come my name's not on TV?' Co-host David Koch then wrote Lynda's name on a piece of paper and held it up to the screen, but his handwriting was so bad it looked like a bunch of scribbles. Kochie yelled to Lynda: 'I've written your name! L-Y-N-D-A!' Winner Lynda Gibbons initially didn't believe she'd won because her name was displayed on the TV screen so co-host Kochie was forced to write her name a piece of paper (pictured) Natalie Barr was laughing as she said: 'He had to use his pathetic writing to convince you!' Lynda then said: 'Oh my god!' while Kochie insisted the winning was legitimate by saying 'No scams here!' Samantha Armytage then said: 'Lynda are you with us? What are you going to do with the forty grand?' However, his handwriting was barely legible (pictured) and it still look a while to convince Lynda she was the Cash Cow winner Lynda told the Sunrise team her car had just broken down so she would probably get it fixed. Lynda is then heard laughing hysterically and said: 'Ohhh it's on the TV!' Samantha Armytage joked: 'It's only real once you can see your name in lights'. Lynda said: 'That money's going to come in really handy because the engine of my car's just blown up, so that's going to be fantastic!' Kochie then suggest Lynda should buy a brand new car with the winnings and later commented it was the toughest sell they'd ever done with a Cash Cow. A mother whose children were left 'red raw and badly blistered' after applying Banana Boat 50+ sunscreen is demanding to know why the product is still allowed to be sold. Jen Sharp took her two children, Madi, 11, and Will, two, to the beach in Wollongong on the NSW south coast on January 28 and said they were 'fried' after two hours outside despite putting on the sunscreen. Ms Sharp told Daily Mail Australia it was the first time she had used the Banana Boat brand, and she believed her children would be protected because it was labelled as SPF 50+. Madi Sharp, 11, got burnt on the weekend after Australia after spending just two hours at the beach - her mother thought she was protected by SPF 50+ sunscreen Will Sharp, two, was also badly burnt - his mother described him as 'lethargic' Dozens of parents have complained about the effectiveness of sunscreen this year - Madi's blisters are where she had the Banana Boat product applied 'Sunscreen is supposed to protect you this product didn't do its job,' she said. The mother said she put the sunscreen on both of her children 30 minutes before leaving the house and noted it was a 'four hour, waterproof' product. But after just two hours at the beach her children were in excruciating pain. 'Madi was crying the whole way home she couldn't bear to be touched and she didn't get to sleep until midnight because she was in so much pain. 'Will who is usually bouncing off the walls was so lethargic. And the next day when blisters came up on his face he scratched them. 'There was blood everywhere it was hell. 'As a mum you want to protect your kids and I couldn't do anything to help them.' She said she could not understand why a product that left her children burned was still allowed to be sold. Will, pictured, 'scratched the blisters on his face' causing them to bleed - according to his mum The Cancer Council's sunscreen has also come under fire from consumers Kim Cancellier applied the cream twice before heading into the sun for around two hours and was left in 'agony' when her skin turned red and flaky 'I had no idea about the other cases of people getting burnt until I went to the Banana Boat page on Facebook to make a complaint. 'I don't know why it is allowed to be sold,' she said. The Banana Boat range is not the only sunscreen range to come under scrutiny this summer the Cancer Council's Peppa Pig sunscreen has also been targeted as 'faulty' by consumers. But according to both companies and industry watchdog the Theraputic Goods Commission there are no faults in the products and they are fit for sale. 'If there was a problem with the SPF testing then all samples of that product would be affected and we would see much greater numbers of sunburn,' a TGA spokesperson said. 'The majority of the Adverse Events reported to the TGA relate to allergic type reactions. 'The TGA undertakes toxicological (safety) assessment of these ingredients in accordance with the safety guidelines as covered in the Australian Regulatory Guidelines for Sunscreens. These safety reviews include assessment of the potential for sunscreen ingredients to cause skin irritation, corrosion or skin sensitisation. Danielle Batten says her young daughter got first degree burns while wearing Banana Boat SPF 50+ sunscreen Jen Sharp's daughter's shoulders were covered in blisters 'The TGA continuously monitors the safe use of sunscreens, as well as the emerging scientific literature, and works cooperatively with international regulatory agencies. If concerns relating to the quality, efficacy or safety of a therapeutic product arise, the TGA can require that the product is removed from supply on the Australian market.' The spokesperson also said the TGA tests sunscreens 'using random samples' from the market They have not yet flagged a problem despite the alarming reports of burns over summer. Consumer watchdog Choice also spoke to Daily Mail Australia about the ongoing complaints directed at both sunscreen companies. 'Given sunscreen is such an integral part of the Australian summer it's concerning that a small number of people are reporting that their sunscreens are not working properly,' a spokesperson said. Cancer Council received similar backlash for its refusal to discontinue Peppa Pig sunscreen. Jessie Swan was forced to hospitalise her three-month-old son after claiming he had a painful chemical reaction to the product Parents have been left outraged after their children were burnt using SPF 50+ sunscreen The people at Choice also suggested a 'patch test' be undertaken before using sunscreen to avoid an allergic reaction. 'To find a sunscreen that's right for you, start with a simple patch test, apply a small amount to the back of your hand and wait 24 hours, if you have an adverse reaction stop using it. Look for a cream that's factor 50+ for maximum benefit. 'When you have found a sunscreen that's right for you make sure you are using enough of the factor 50+ cream - around 45ml, or 9 teaspoons is the recommendation for an adult body. 'You should also store your sunscreen in a temperature of less than 30 degrees, leaving it in a hot car, for example can reduce its effectiveness. 'Apply the cream between 15 and 30 minutes before leaving the house, reapply every two hours and after you have been in the water.' Rachel Pullicino, Banana Boat Marketing Director told Daily Mail Australia they had tried to contact Ms Sharp and were sorry to hear about her children. 'We agree with Choice and strongly recommend that anyone planning on using a type of sunscreen they have never used before should do a patch test on their skin 24 hours before, just like they should with any other skincare product. 'All Banana Boat sunscreens are tested and rated as 4 hours water resistant - these water resistant formulas bind to the skin and continue to provide very high protection following up to 4 hours water immersion in laboratory conditions. 'This does not mean our products offers 4 hours protection from the sun. The recommended average application is at least 7 teaspoons or 35ml per adult, which should be applied frequently and at least every 2 hours more if this includes swimming and towelling off. 'In addition to this, its important to understand that no sunscreen can ever provide 100% protection, hence we recommend that sunscreen is only one part of an important combination of steps Australians should take to protect themselves in the sun. We recommend wearing sun-protective clothing, including hats and sunglasses and seeking shade especially between 10am-2pm,' Ms Pullicino said. More tips can be found on the Choice website. Kirsty Hellmech, from Brisbane, said her daughter Abby was left with blisters resembling carpet burn after using Banana Boat's roll-on sunscreen The Sunday terror raid authorized by President Donald Trump that resulted in the death of a Seal Team 6 member and an American citizen, as well as 14 al Qaeda militants in Yemen, was 'very very well-thought-out,' the White House says. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters on Thursday that the operation was presented to and approved by officials from the previous administration but it could not be carried out until the next ' moonless night.' Calendar wise, that pushed the assault into the tenure of Trump. He approved the raid, on the advice of his advisers, on Friday, Jan. 26, and the military operation was carried out on the morning of Jan. 28. 'It's hard to ever call something a complete success when you have the loss of life or people injured,' Spicer said. 'But I think when you look at the totality of what was gained to prevent the future loss of life, here in America, I think...it is a successful operation...by all standards.' U.S. military officials told Reuters, however, that Trump approved his first covert counter-terrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. Scroll down for video U.S. Navy SEAL William 'Ryan' Owens and the 8-year-old daughter of militant Anwar al-Awlaki, Nawar, were both killed in a raid on al Qaeda in Yemen over the weekend The military said Wednesday it was looking into whether more civilians were killed in a raid on al Qaeda in Yemen on the weekend, the first operation authorized by Trump as commander in chief. U.S. Navy SEAL William 'Ryan' Owens was killed in the raid on a branch of al Qaeda, also known as AQAP, in al Bayda province, which the Pentagon said killed 14 militants. The 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a militant killed by a 2011 U.S. drone strike, was also one of the dead. However, medics at the scene said about 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that an investigating team had 'concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed' during Sunday's raid. It said children may have been among the casualties. Central Command also said its assessment 'seeks to determine if there were any still-undetected civilian casualties in the ferocious firefight.' As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. The Pentagon directed queries about the officials' characterization of the raid to U.S. Central Command, which pointed only to its statement on Wednesday. 'CENTCOM asks for operations we believe have a good chance for success and when we ask for authorization we certainly believe there is a chance of successful operations based on our planning,' CENTCOM spokesman Colonel John Thomas said. 'Any operation where you are going to put operators on the ground has inherent risks,' he said. U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counter-terrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday to meet the family of Owens, who had been a chief special warfare operator The U.S. officials said the extremists' base had been identified as a target before the Obama administration left office on January 20, but then-President Barack Obama held off approving a raid ahead of his departure. A White House official said the operation was thoroughly vetted by the previous administration and that the previous defense secretary had signed off on it in January. The raid was delayed for operational reasons, the official said. Spicer later provided a tick-tock of the attack to reporters. The president's spokesman said CENTCOM submitted the plan to the Department of Defense on November 7. 'Clearly, that was under the last administration. Legal teams were involved immediately when it was submitted to DOD.' DOD gave the proposal its stamp of approval on December 19. It was then sent to President Barack Obama's National Security Council. At an interagency deputies meeting on Jan 6., 'it was so easily approved it was sent straight up,' Spicer said. 'The conclusion was at that time to hold it for what they called a "moonless night," which by calendar wouldn't occur until then- President-elect Trump was President Trump.' Trump's Secretary of Defense James Mattis took office, read the memo, OK'd it, and re-sent it the White House on Jan. 24. The following day Gen. Mike Flynn, Trump's National Security Adviser, briefed the president on the matter, Spicer said. That evening Trump discussed the raid with Mattis and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford at a dinner that also included Vice President Mike Pence, White House Chief of Staff Priebus, Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, Chief Strategist Bannon, NSC chairman and retired General Keith Kellogg, Flynn and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. At the dinner, Spicer said the 'operation was laid out in great extent.' 'The indication at that time was to go ahead,' the White House spokesman said. The deputies met one more time the next which 'was not a necessary step because they had previously recommended, and also reaffirmed their support for [the raid].' The president immediately signed the memo authorizing the action. That was Friday, Jan. 26. 'So it was...not only was it a very, very though-out process by this administration,'he said. 'This was a very, very well-thought-out and executed effort.' Trump was in the residence of the White House when the covert operation was carried out, Spicer told reporters Thursday. 'He was kept in touch with his national security staff. Secretary Mattis and others had kept him updated on both the raid and the death of...Chief Owens, as well as the four other individuals who were injured,' the preisdent's spokesman said. 'He was kept apprised of the situation throughout the evening. The military officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said 'a brutal firefight' killed Owens and at least 15 Yemeni women and children. One of them was Anwar al-Awlaki's daughter, Nawar al-Awlaki, also known as Nora. Some of the women were firing at the U.S. force, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. The American elite forces did not seize any militants or take any prisoners offsite, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Wednesday that the raid yielded benefits that would make Owens proud. 'Knowing that we killed an estimated 14 AQAP members and that we gathered an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil - is something that I think most service members understand, that that's why they joined the service,' Spicer said. A senior leader in Yemen's al Qaeda branch, Abdulraoof al-Dhahab, and other militants were killed in the gun battle, al Qaeda said. One of the three U.S. officials said on-the-ground surveillance of the compound was 'minimal, at best.' 'The decision was made ... to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected,' that official said. As Sunday's firefight intensified, the raiders called in Marine helicopter gunships and Harrier jump jets, and then two MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to extract the SEALs. One of the two suffered engine failure, two of the officials said, and hit the ground so hard that two crew members were injured and one of the Marine jets had to launch a precision-guided bomb to destroy it. Democratic lawmakers are asking for briefings on the raid from the Pentagon. In a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, a veteran of Iraq war, said 'serious questions have been raised' about the raid and the death of an American service member. 'The chaotic events that unfolded in Yemen should prompt an urgent inquiring from our committee,' Gallego said, according to The Hill. 'We have a responsibility to learn more about how this operation was planned and executed and whether lessons can be gleaned that could save American lives in the future.' Rep. Ted Lieu, also a veteran, said he was 'highly disturbed' by reports on the Trump administration's readiness, considering the president's previous clashes with the intelligence community. 'Given this context, the lingering questions surrounding the Yemen mission are deeply troubling and they demand answers,' he said. 'I have requested a briefing on this counterterrorism operation from the Department of Defense.' Medics at the scene in al Bayda - south central Yemen - said about 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed Amnesty International wants DOD to perform an investigation. A probe would signal that Mattis takes ' seriously the issues of civilian casualties and respect for international humanitarian law,' the group's executive director, Margaret Huang, said in a letter to the new Pentagon head. 'We also recommend that, if the investigation finds that civilians were killed, the Defense Department offer financial amends to their families, as has been done in some prior cases in Afghanistan and elsewhere,' the letter said. Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday in an unexpected visit to meet the body of Owens, who had been a chief special warfare operator, and his family. The 36-year-old Illinois native is survived by his wife, Karen, and their three children. SEAL Team 6 is the US Navy's special forces team that gained worldwide fame for killing Osama bin Laden. Dover AFB is traditionally the arrival point for service members killed in action. Spicer was visibly affected by the tragedy as he addressed it in his daily briefing with reporters before Trump's trip to Dover on Wednesday. The president's spokesman admitted that the raid was not a '100 percent success.' 'I think it's hard to ever say something was successful when you lose a life,' Spicer said. 'You never want to call something a success 100 percent when someone is hurt or killed and that was the case here. 'But I think when you recognize that an individual like this loved this country so much and deployed over and over again because he knew the mission that he was conducting was so important to our protection, our freedom, our safety,' Spicer said. On Thursday he reiterated how 'tough' it is to call an operation a 'success when you know that somebody has lost their life. 'But when you go back and look at an individual that dedicated their life to serving this country and went over and over and over again knowing that this was not only the risk that he took, but wanted to do it because he knew the threat that these kind of individuals pose to our country and to our people...while not a success that you lost him, you know he died in sacrifice for someone else here in this nation.' While President Donald Trump has already started following through on some of his biggest immigration-related campaign promises, there may be more in store soon. The Washington Post was leaked two draft executive orders one that seeks to root out immigrants needing public assistance and another that promises to protect Americans' jobs. The White House has not commented on the authenticity of the documents, though they've been passed around the federal workforce in recent days, the Post said. Scroll down for video President Donald Trump may sign more executive orders on immigration soon, as the Washington Post was leaked two drafts circulating through the federal workforce President Donald Trump's orders, if signed, would allow the government to deport immigrants who become a 'public charge' The first draft order proclaims that, 'Our immigration laws must be enforced in a manner that achieves the goal of protecting taxpayers and promoting self-sufficiency.' It notes that there is a policy in place to deny entry to the U.S. to anyone who might become a 'public charge,' but adds that the past few administration did not enforce the policy. And so the new order would bar immigrants from coming into the country who might need public assistance. It claims that 'households headed by aliens are much more likely than those headed by citizens to use Federal means-tested public benefits.' The order provides no evidence of this, the Post noted, though current laws already make it difficult for noncitizens to receive taxpayer-funded help. The executive order would also put in place a policy to identify and remove 'as expeditiously as possible' any 'alien' who has become a 'public charge,' as long as that person is subject to removal. Finally, the new policy would compel the sponsors of immigrants to pay back the cost of any benefits received to American taxpayers. Already, individuals living in the U.S. have to sign an affidavit saying they have sufficient income to support any members of their family hoping to immigrate to the United States. Those individuals also pledge to pay back any public assistance funds their family members might need. The draft second executive order aims to eliminate 'this jobs magnet' that is promoting illegal immigrants to come over the border, while also curbing legal immigration that's not in 'the national interest.' The order's goal is to make the country's immigration system 'more merit based.' It calls for site visits at companies who hire foreign workers and asks that the Department of Homeland security produce a report twice a year on the total number of foreign-born people working legally in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department must also submit a report articulating how they are combating the 'birth tourism phenomenon.' In an interview with Fox News Channel last August, Trump railed against the so-called 'anchor babies,' suggesting they shouldn't be considered U.S. citizens. Immigration experts, wrote the Post, don't consider this a widespread problem. Progressive activists, like immigration expert Angela Maria Kelley at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, were appalled by the two orders. 'He's loaded his anti-immigrant Uzi and is firing off another round,' she told the Washington Post. 'This time he's aiming at U.S. citizen kids who have an undocumented parent, and depending how broad the reach of his order, he could deport kids who received reduced lunches in school.' 'It's stunning the depth of disruption and chaos he seems hellbent on inflicting on our communities,' she added. Trump campaigned on big, broad ideas about illegal immigration, kicking off his presidential run by claiming illegal Mexican immigrants were 'rapists' and were bringing drugs and crime over the Southern border. Upon taking office, he already signed an executive order that would kickstart construction on a promised border wall. He also wants to halt federal funds from going to 'sanctuary cities' like Philadelphia and San Francisco, where local law enforcement isn't passing along the immigration statuses of residents to the feds. Those supporting such cities suggest that they allow illegal immigrants to safely report crime in their communities. Trump's executive order to ban travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries was met with protests in major cities and at airports. The administration didn't comment to the Post on whether they actually planned to push these two executive orders as well. Transcription 1 Issues and Challenges Facing the Civil Society Sector in Liberia Working Paper Presented by Thomas Doe Nah 2 I. Introduction Burgeoning but effective civil society organizations (CSOs) are catalyst for change, healthy for enhancing good governance and critical for a post-conflict country like Liberia. CSOs perform a plethora of roles in health, justice, education, politics and other general governance issues that contribute substantially to societal stability and development. However, CSOs are confronted with challenges that impede their effectiveness and keep them rooted in mundane initiatives that often lead to their premature demise. The qualitative and quantitative growth of CSOs in Liberia in the last twenty years have been stupendous, but this growth has been punctuated by different interests and actors that have used civil society as a platform to project varied and diametrically polarized interests. Nonetheless, whatever the basis for CSOs existence, it is clear and that is they have contributed substantially to the democratization of Liberia and the fight for human and civil rights. Liberia s nascent democracy places CSOs in the limelight, obligating them to help fight for and maintain a pluralistic system that provides ample space for impacting national growth, development and democracy. Historically, the stage has been populated by unpatriotic Liberians who have weakened public systems and controls for personal pecuniary benefits. To effectively engage a system of conflicting values, CSOs have to develop the competence, tenacity and governance structures that would allow them to be a functional player in creating a wholesome functional state. This working paper emerges out of the compelling aspiration for a better governance system for CSOs that would make then productive, aggressive and responsive to their beneficiaries and benefactors. This paper will look at the historical perspective of CSOs in Liberia, their legal and institutional framework and the issues and challenges they face. A final viewpoint should allow for the proffering of ideas that would help CSOs mitigate some of the many challenges they face.. How does the existing environment limit CSOs operating space? Subsequent analysis will attempt to examine the challenges CSOs face while interacting with varied influences and environmental factors. II. CSO Defined This paper is meant to be discussed by Liberian CSOs focused on civil liberties, human rights and general good governance issues. It is important for us to have a working definition of what is civil society. We reference the definition proffered by the Center for Civil Society at the London School of Economics which states, Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors and institutional forms, varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power. Civil societies are often populated by organizations such as registered charities, development non-governmental organizations, community groups, women s organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trades unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy group. III. Brief History of Civil Society Organizations It is difficult to enumerate and define CSOs role in the first half of Liberia s one hundred and sixty two years of existence, but it is comprehensible that a governance structure that sanctioned political and economic marginalization of majority of its citizens fertilized the environment for a societal awakening that led to advocacy for better governance and then political struggles that culminated into years of violent conflict. Freedom of movement and assemblage enshrined in the Constitution crystallized the establishment of various movements. But early civil movements that advocated change had a veneer of political leanings that blurred their objectivity and made them instrument of power-seeking leaders. Individual advocates like Albert Porte captured the soul of the nation in their writings, but sustained impact on governance required consolidated efforts from groups perceived by government and other stakeholders as being neutral, reform-focused and well organized. Many of the CSOs that advocated change in 3 the period between 1960 and 1990 were politically aligned and not trusted by government as credible partners for change. Civil movements such as the Movement for Justice in Africa, SUSUKU, Progress Alliance of Liberia (PAL) exploited the space and commingle the people thirst for change with a spice of political adventurism and civil action. All of these considered, CSOs in Liberia, as agents of policy reform advocacy and good governance are a product of the nineties a period when civil and human rights were abrogated by internecine conflict that allowed dictatorship and mayhem to flourish. During this period CSOs grew in number and stature to engage issues directly aligned with the public good. Issues that claimed center-stage and remain relevant today transcend political advocacy to more research and policy issues in areas related to health, education, human rights and civil liberty, corruption, environment, et cetera. As the new CSO dispensation is more issue-based and clearer, it is now possible to pinpoint political activists from actual CSO practitioners. This dichotomy requires that CSO practitioners lead by example and development the intellectual strength to withstand the shifting patterns in governance. IV. Legal and Institutional Framework Civil society in Liberia takes its motivation from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 which in Article 20 declares everyone has the right to peaceful assembly and association, and many other existing global rights instruments that underscore freedom of speech as a fundamental human right issue. In addition, the Liberian Constitution buttresses these provisions by indicating several rights for the freedom and human rights of Liberian under Chapter 3 Fundamental Rights Article 11 to 26. In order to legitimize their existence and functionality, CSOs must follow an incorporation process at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and acquire a certificate of registration from the Ministry of Planning and Economics Affairs (MPEA). CSOs are subject to regulatory oversight and yearly registration with the government (MPEA). However, this regulatory oversight has not always been performed in line with case merit and legality. CSOs active in human rights and governance have faced substantial scrutiny and harassment from government as they become more critical in scrutinizing public policy and bad laws. The Doe Administration did not allow the space for effective CSOs grounding; student movements which were the popular voice were persistently silenced by brute force. Also, abuses to CSOs were pronounced during the regime of Charles Taylor. Some cases of reference was the arrest and detention of rights advocate Aloysius Toe of the Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (FORHD), current Solicitor General Tiawon Gongloe, and several members of the media who were victimized for their unwavering stance against abuses perpetrated by the government. Post Taylor Liberia has witness the registration and mushrooming of new CSOs. Unfortunately, the survivor of many of these organizations is questionable; weak resource mobilization regimes, limited donor funding and intense competition rule many out. V. Problems faced by CSO in Liberia The operations of CSOs in Liberia are impeded by several factors - both external and internal. External influences include influences from foreign sources within and outside our borders, government and local political forces. Internal influences are those factors internal that affect CSOs but are within their control to change. There is insouciance to reform and ensure structural transformation. Also external and internal environments impinge upon CSO s output and performance. a. Financial Dependency Approximately ninety-five percent of CSOs funding are from external sources. The dependence on external sources for subsistence though helpful can also be a source of major uncertainty in the delivery of CSOs programs and projects. The lack of predictability of funding undermines CSOs hold on 4 professional staff and sustainability of projects. CSOs long-term survival and effective implementation of programs is linked to the availability of funds. When CSOs are in a state of dependence, their independence to make program decisions and ensure that the right programs are pursued for beneficiaries, is diluted. Reliance on external funding may lead donors to control the agenda of the CSOs; this control in many instances run counter to the objectives of CSOs. CSOs caught in the web of reliance on external donors lead an unpredictable existence. There is the propensity that an imbalance in allegiance to external donors and local beneficiaries will exist and there is the tendency to lend credence to the perception that CSOs tied to external donors have less autonomy and their accountability is indeterminable - CSOs are tied to the hands that feed them. The lure of funds linked to donors that have agendas that are pro or anti-government is a challenge. Many of the funds received by local institutions are channeled through proxy organizations that receive substantial funding through government agencies and multilateral organizations. External donors may target pro-government groups at some point and when there is a policy shift because of disagreement with the government these donors revert to anti-government organizations. Organizations are in a quagmire when they have to change their posture to meet changing donor posture. b. Human Resource Challenges The number-one resource for a great social sector organization is having enough of the right people willing to commit themselves to the mission. The resource constraints of CSOs are often underestimated. These constraints also have human resources implications. Often, the number of people with the capacity, critical perspective and inclination to be activists and CSO administrators are in short supply. Becoming an activist weighs much on compassion and conviction rather than prospects of wealth it has a great deal to do with an understanding of, and deep concern about, injustice and a dedication to working for substantive reforms. In a small country like Liberia, it takes a lot of guts to sustain advocacy work, and often entails considerable personal costs. Today as the issues CSOs deal with are mostly policy driven and requires knowledge of key issues, professionalism tagged to activism is needed. The area is plagued with massive brain-drain as leading CSO intellectuals and activists are being co-opted to government, the United Nations system, international non-governmental organizations andjk the private business sector. The pool of professionals is small and CSOs are unable to attract talented individuals and issue-based professionals because of financial constraints. CSO are challenged through human resource constraints to deal with leadership, recruiting and retaining talent, and managing and developing people that help them meet the demands of an every changing policy environment. Short-term earmarked funding leaves CSOs vulnerable as professionals are caught waiting for the next project that may just never come. The brain drain and strain associated with CSOs is a major challenge to effective analysis and impact on key policy matters. The burden of fewer professional and a cadre of trainees who get trained and leaves for greener pastures is a great barrier to CSOs productivity. Economic downturns in donor countries do not help as reduction in funding by key donors leave many CSOs competing for small packets of fund. c. Sustainability Achieving sustainability for projects and programs that stakeholders especially local people take and own is a challenge. To gain the trust of communities within which they work, sustained engagement is useful. Besides, as CSOs move from radical approaches that promote sit-ins, strikes and constant confrontation with government, the onus is on them to build creditable and professional organizations that constantly engage and are capable of sustained engagement with communities, donors and the government. Lack of sustained engagement undermines CSOs effectiveness overtime. There is the propensity for CSOs to move from one project area to another without building long-term relationships with benefi- 5 ciaries of their programs. Many CSOs executives point to the number of projects undertaken say within a year as key achievements, but looking closely at project impact, one wonders what impact these projects have had on its beneficiaries. What were their inputs in program formulation? Was the problem addressed critical to the beneficiaries? What is the state of the projects since completion? Are the beneficiaries utilizing skills acquired? Are there mechanisms for post program engagement with target community? The timeframe of project, funding and the effectiveness of governing structure of CSOs are factors that impact sustainability. It is difficult for project beneficiaries to commit themselves to post program engagement with CSOs if they do not find the operational values and goals of the organization credible. Beneficiaries are inclined to sustain engagement with CSOs that are knowledgeable and passionate about the projects they implement. d. Transparency, Accountability and Ethics The demands for transparency, accountability and ethical standards should not only be ascribed to public agencies and corporate entities, but should also serve as defining principles for the operation of all entities in a functional democracy. Inculcating values of transparency, accountability and ethical standards is a major challenge for CSOs. Moreover, there is the question that resonates today to whom are CSOs/NGOs accountable - to the public or donor agencies? Accountability should encompass both financial and administrative information and records. But the fundamental question remains should CSOs only demonstrate fiscal and administrative accountability to their donors? What about the people (beneficiaries) whose concerns were used as a problem that needed to be addressed? Also, what about the government that is often plastered with accusations of corruption and being a pursuer of bad policies? Does not government have the right to know about CSO fiscal and administrative management? There is today increased demands emerging from government and other stakeholders for transparency and accountability on the part of CSOs, in order to legitimize the quest to inculcate similar values into others. Maintaining transparent, accountable and sound ethical standards are useful for cementing the standing of CSOs in Liberia. This is significant because CSOs as watchdogs of society need to set good example in their endeavor to safeguard society from inimical influences. e. Decentralization The entrench centralization of key CSOs activities making in Monrovia weakens their ability to appraise the full extend of challenges that exist at the sub-national level. It is important that CSOs in a bid to increase their relevance decentralize their activities and rendezvous with actors both at the national and sub-national. This is significant as it allows them the opportunity to benefit from the rewarding collaboration that helps give their vision greater momentum for national success. The failure to collaborate substantively with communities at the sub-national level leaves CSOs disconnected from the real issues that face rural communities. CSOs scattered engagement with sub-national communities on various issues leave a trail of distrust as there is no sustain interaction and communities realize that CSOs are unable to deal with their problems. The challenges that CSOs with limited financial capacity face in opening offices at the sub-national level is Heculean, but the benefits in terms of reach and impact on policies and governance once this done can be awesome. The ownership of activities conducted by CSOs at the sub-national level is critical in pursuance of a national strategy for decentralization of political and fiscal affairs. For CSOs to impact policies specifically tied to poverty reduction strategy and the popular County Development Fund, then CSOs must also decentralize so that they understand the issue and cultivate advocates at the grassroots level who can address local policy matters. 6 f. Collaboration between Groups/Coalitions There is a Krio proverb that says One finger can t pick up a palm kernel. Effective coalitions are a quintessence of CSOs and actors with shared values and convictions. CSOs collaboration through coalitions provides an important instrument to engage policymakers and advocates against unfavorable policies. Effective and results oriented coalitions can be intricate to organize, fund and sustain. Many coalitions have been formed in Liberia, but funding, effective leadership and sustainability has been a problem. Individual egos characterized by an engrained fancy for the limelight subordinates coalition interest to personal interest. Many times, heads of coalitions relegate the interest of member organizations and objectives and elevate the interest of their own organizations and themselves to the fore. Many of the challenges that face CSOs individually are faced by the CSOs coalitions. g. Policy Advocacy The formulation of policies is no longer preserved for government. The democratization of countries comes with demands for better governance and these demands require that CSOs create or demand the space for participation at various levels of a government development agenda. The rhetoric of good governance preached by government themselves and multilateral institutions place the onus on CSOs to understand the nexus of issues that confronts the collective desire for good governance. CSOs actors understanding of the critical issues that involves simple yet complex policy matters and requires expert scrutiny determine whether CS contribution can help effect change. The adequacy and depth of CSOs contribution to policy issues in Liberia is limited. There is a serious lack of intellectual capacity to deal with the complex socio-economic and political issues that populate the national agenda. Many CS practitioners lack the experience and there are limited financial resources to attract and retain experienced professionals. CSOs have to compete with government and international organizations for staff that have the adequacy to navigate the diverse issue-based policy implementation terrain. The lack of technical and intellectual depth of CSOs to sufficiently engage government on major policy issue leave them overlooked and weakened. Under these challenges and constrains, CSOs tend to do limited research on policy matters and contribution is limited to rhetoric bordered on generalities. Governments are sensitive to the incompetence of its Civil Society (CS) and responsive when they know they are dealing with a CS that is informed and a valuable partner. The imbalance that comes with a CS weak on policy matters can manifest itself in constant confusion and failure of constructive engagement between CSOs and government. VI. Conclusions and proposal for reforms The challenges and issues that face CSOs are manifold; we have addressed some in this paper and are well aware that CSOs practitioners faithful to the cause can enumerate several challenges and issues that keep CSOs complacent and ineffective. While we have elaborated on the challenges and issues it is equally important that we proffer some ideas on how these issues can be mitigated. a. Financial dependency The challenges that come with financial reliance on donor is difficult to mitigate but it is not impossible for CSOs to minimize their dependence on donor such that they can preserve their independence when required. CSOs independence rest on the effectiveness of their internal governance structures and the methodology used to implement their projects. Sound governance structures are a sine quo non to a healthy CSO and a healthy CSO should have the ability to attract resources that are untied to conditionalities. CSOs can also mitigate the reliance on donor by amalgamate their strength and pursuing shared 7 vision and objectives. Liberian CSOs are yet to tap local mobilization of resources. Membership fees, local corporate sponsorship and quantification of expertise to provide consultancy to other CSOs are ways that organizations can generate funding. Investment in real estate that could be utilized by other CSOs for meetings and conferences can contribute to CSO independence. There is nothing that stops a well grounded CSO from accessing bank loans. b. Dealing with Human Resource Challenges An effective CSO is just as good as the staff it has. An attractive CSO that people want to work for is clearly articulated in the quality of work. CSO quality of work attracts funding and funding is linked to attraction and retention of professionals. Here are some points that should help to mitigate the human resource challenges faced by CSOs: CSOs should seek to pursue a path of transparency and objectivity in recruitment this should stem the practice of CSOs leaders employing relations and friends. CSOs must sell themselves in the market place so that young graduates from the universities see them as initial point of entry in building a career. Be sincere to benefactors and beneficiaries about the human resource constraints the organization faces. Seek pro bono assistance from professionals in the private sector who can lend skills set during vacation to help build the capacity of staff and share experience. Professionals want to affiliate with great organizations. c. Decentralization and Sustainability Decentralization of program activities comes with a cost. The impact of being closer to the beneficiaries can be amazing as it builds confidence and allows the CSO to deal with challenges nationally while understanding the temperature of the various stakeholders. Decentralization is also linked to sustainability. Some of the work national CSOs do can be sustained if they diversified their activities and open branch offices in local government areas. Sustainability is critical to the success of programs that are meant to transform the lives of people with long-term impact. CSOs are advised to include in their funding proposals activities linked to sustainability. Donors must be convinced that sustainable an action is more important than short-term showboating projects. d. Transparency, Accountability and Ethics CSOs must commit themselves to openness as they require of government and other organizations. Strong internal measures and procedures expressed through clearly defined instruments such as Code of conduct, personnel manuals, procurement manuals, accounting manual and other articulated internal policy documents can assist an organization function effectively. Effective CSOs must subscribe to an internal system that enhances confidence amongst staff. This is manifest when there is transparency and equity in the utilization of organizational resources. Documents that guide the organization are relevant if there are constantly reviewed and assessed by the CSO board of directors and external and internal auditors. External review mechanisms can be very useful. e. Collaboration between Groups/Coalitions Collaboration for effective CS engagement with the government and communities can take many forms. CSOs can collaborate through coalitions, advisory committees, commissions, consortia and alliances, networks and task forces. Whatever the form of collaboration, CSOs coalesce to impact government policy formulation and implementation. In collaboration, CSO can achieve more widespread reach 8 within a community than any single organization could attain. It is important that coalitions are not just formed because of the numbers and signatures that would sign petitions. Members in collaboration must have shared interest in the policies issues at hand. Capacity must be available for substantive contribution or the bulk of work falls to few persons and the collaboration is bound to fail. f. Policy Advocacy Effective policy advocacy is achieved when CSOs are staff by professionals who are not only convicted about their service to humanity, but are prepared to engage other professionals in government with counter proposal on policy issues. For CSOs to deal with and understand policies formulated by government they would have to build their internal capacity and learn to engage government actors constructively. Governments are not always willing to provide the space for CSOs to participate in policy formulation. It behooves CSOs to develop a posture that quashes the notion that CSOs are anti-government and only thrives on fueling conflicts. CSOs policy stance must be seen as an alternative that is good for the society. Policy advocacy should be supported by substantive research and information. Finally, rising above issues of the myriad issues and challenges to understand the operational dynamics that drive CSOs interaction with their environment is a conundrum that needs to be unraveled. Trust Africa s support for the convening of CSO actors emphasizes their commendable thrust to enhance Liberian CSOs interaction and preparedness to deal with external and internal issues and challenges. 9 10 11 12 Two men are accused of kidnapping a Las Vegas woman who was found chained in her underwear at the back of a van. Jack Morgan, 31, and Samuel Brown, 19, were both arrested and taken into custody Tuesday. Police believe they took 28-year-old Jane Priebe from her apartment complex in Las Vegas, then kept her tied up and chained in a white Chevrolet Uplander that they drove to New Mexico. Morgan, of Arlington, Texas, and Brown, of Phenix City, Alabama, have both been charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and conspiracy. They are being held each on a $100,000 bond at Santa Fe County jail. Priebe was discovered inside the white vehicle near the city of Espanola, New Mexico, around 11:30 pm Monday. Police in Las Vegas had received a 911 call around 10:30 am the same day about a possible kidnapping. Scroll down for video Jack Morgan (left), 31, and Samuel Brown (right), 19, were both taken into custody Tuesday. They are accused of kidnapping a Las Vegas woman to New Mexico Jane Priebe (left), 28, was rescued by police in New Mexico more than 12 hours after she was abducted in Las Vegas. Morgan (right) was then named as a person of interest in the case Someone alerted authorities about a woman only wearing her underwear who appeared to have been bound and was seen being dragged to a white minivan outside an apartment building at 4201 South Decatur Boulevard, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The woman, later identified as Priebe, appeared to have been forced inside the vehicle with a partial Texas license plate 'CT,' which then took off from the scene. Neighbor Sky Li told 13 Action News he had seen a man dragging Priebe from her home. 'I was trying to see what happened and then he saw me and he gave me a face like "Go home or I'll kill you," ' Li said. Authorities named Morgan as a person of interest in the suspected abduction around 9 pm that evening. Neighbor Sky Li (pictured) recounted seeing a man dragging Priebe from her home. He said he tried to see what was happening but the man gave him a face 'like "Go home or I'll kill you" ' Police in Las Vegas received a 911 call about a woman only wearing her underwear who appeared to have been bound and was seen being dragged to a white van outside this apartment building at 4201 South Decatur Boulevard New Mexico state police officers in Espanola spotted a minivan around 11 pm, matching the description of the vehicle sent out by their counterparts in Las Vegas. They pulled over the vehicle and discovered Priebe inside. She was taken to a hospital to be treated for non life-threatening injuries and has since been released. Morgan was expected to be extradited back to Las Vegas to face charges in the abduction. Police told CBS Las Vegas that Morgan was driving the van while Brown was a passenger. Detectives said they do not know if the kidnapping was a random act of violence or a premeditated attack. There is also no word at this time on whether Priebe knew her suspected kidnappers. David Campbell has slammed the government for not taking more action to help domestic violence victims escaping abuse. The Nine Network television host said politicians need to do more than just wear a white ribbon once a year, and put more funding into women's shelters. Mr Campbell made the statements on the Today Show on Thursday morning after the shocking murder-suicide of Gold Coast mother Teresa Bradford. Scroll down for video Mother-of-four Teresa Bradford (pictured), 40, was stabbed to death by her estranged husband who then killed himself in front of their four children The 40-year-old mother was stabbed to death in her Pimpama home on Tuesday, two weeks after her estranged husband David Bradford was released on bail. Mr Campbell said both politicians needed to do more to help abused women. 'The government needs to step in here. Stop wearing white ribbons on White Ribbon Day and saying they're going to take the oath,' he said on the Mixed Grill segment on Thursday. 'Start doing things like funding domestic violence centres so women can seek refuge, stop defunding it and taking money out of those areas. Not closing shelters, [but] opening more across the country.' He said it should be 'simple and safe' to seek help. 'This is on us. This is on our government. Both sides of the aisle need to actually take action, in every state in this country. Every court needs to do something. We need a major, major overhaul of our system and our lives.' David Campbell slammed the government for not taking more action to help domestic violence victims escaping abuse Ms Bradford was stabbed to death two weeks after her estranged husband was released on bail Mr Campbell said Australians needed to remember the names of women like Teresa Bradford. 'Because if we forget and another woman comes through here? We all know a Theresa, we were grown up by a Theresa. They were our aunts, our grandmothers. And we don't want them [the deaths] to continue and we don't want them to be anyone else that we know and love and care about. Or even someone we don't know and love and care about,' he said. Host Lisa Wilkinson agreed Australians needed to 'make noise' and reach out to authorities when we have concerns about someone. Rachel Corbett criticised the Apprehended Violence Order system. 'The idea that saying to a man who has been abusive to a woman, 'you must stay 100 metres away from her' - it's not a force field around that woman. That is no protection in that situation,' Ms Corbett said. In 2016 there were 3548 protection order applications from domestic and family violence in the Southport Domestic Violence Court. The court dealt with 1648 domestic violence order breach matters last year. 'The government needs to step in here,' Mr Campbell said on Today Show on Thursday Host Lisa Wilkinson (pictured with Rachel Corbett and Mr Campbell) agreed Australians needed to 'make noise' and reach out to authorities when we have concerns about someone On Twitter, Sylvia Jeffreys said Ms Bradford's death showed bail laws needed to be changed. 'Perpetrators often don't have recorded history because victims are afraid to report until too late.' Ms Bradford's death has sparked a potential change in the way judges consider bali for people accused of domestic violence. The Queensland government is looking at tightening the state's bail laws so alleged domestic violence offenders will be denied bail unless they can convince a magistrate they deserve to be released. Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath has asked her department to look at other state jurisdictions where alleged offenders face a reverse onus of proof and seeing how the measure could be applied to Queensland. 'Let's examine how it works in other jurisdictions, where it is getting some positive results ... if we were to have a reverse onus of proof in relation to bail, what offences should they be applied to?' she told ABC Radio on Thursday morning. She singled out strangulation, a domestic violence-related charge introduced in Queensland last year, as one offence where the reverse onus could be applied. On Twitter, Sylvia Jeffreys said Ms Bradford's death showed bail laws needed to be changed Under current laws, alleged offenders will be granted bail unless prosecutors can persuade the magistrate they need to remain behind bars. Mr Bradford was granted bail by a specialist domestic violence court at Southport on January 12, after spending 44 days in custody for a violent attack on his wife. The former train driver had been released following his arrest for allegedly choking Ms Bradford, taping her mouth shut and beating her unconscious until she lost control of her bowel movements on November 28 last year. It's believed he broke into her home at Pimpama early on Tuesday morning and stabbed his wife to death in front of their children before killing himself. Ms Bradford's friends said she was trying to leave the family home with her children after learning of her husband's release from custody. But her husband's lawyer Mark Donnelly said his client would likely have been granted bail even if the onus of proof was changed. 'This is a really tragic event, but in this case, I think if the reverse onus that is being proposed was in place, Mr Bradford would have gotten bail in any event,' he said on Thursday. Mr Bradford (pictured) was granted bail by a specialist domestic violence court at Southport on January 12, after spending 44 days in custody for a violent attack on his wife Mr Bradford's lawyer Mark Donnelly is pictured speaking to Today Show on Thursday morning 'He doesn't present as someone who if you look at criminal history and the particular incident as someone who in my view would not get bail if the reverse onus applied.' Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence director Di Macleod says realistic safe housing options remains a key issue for those working with domestic violence victims. 'We've got temporary fixes,' Ms Macleod told AAP. 'We've got refuges - but they're not always available and people end up in motels. Imagine sitting your time out in a motel room with four kids? It's just not practical and we hear women say they're tired of moving around. 'Why are they the ones running to save their lives?' Ms Macleod has called on federal and state governments to look at the issue to provide 'safe, affordable' housing options. She says the lack of practical alternatives can often sway a victim from leaving an abusive home. Greens Senator Larissa Waters says despite the increased need, proposed federal funding cuts to community legal services would put domestic violence victims at even more risk. 'If we really want to end this national crisis that impacts one-in-three Australian women and sees more than one woman murdered by their current or former partner each week, we need more than words,' she said, calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to scrap the proposed cuts. A new report has showed that former British Prime Minister Ted Heath (pictured) was told about troops waterboarding prisoners in Northern Ireland Documents from a meeting between Irish Prime Minister Jack Lynch and Ted Heath reportedly show that the government was aware its troops were waterboarding and electrocuting prisoners in Northern Ireland during the 1970s. Two alleged victims - who preferred to remain anonymous - have for the first time claimed they were forced to lie down and have water poured over their faces. Speaking to Channel 4's Alex Thomson, one of men, aged just 17 at the time, said he was snatched from the streets and thought he was going to die. He said that in August 1972, the Parachute Regiment - which was in Belfast following Bloody Sunday - had seized a local primary school in the city and took him there. The alleged victim said: 'I was brutalised, a lot of physical beating and kicking. It progressed on to other forms of torture. One of which has now been described as waterboarding. 'It was a cloth tied around my head. I was held face down by the two soldiers and water poured over the back on my head which filled up the cloth. Which was a sensation of drowning. Thinking back on it, it was suffocation.' He added that he was 'convinced' he was going to die after he was subjected to this torture. The revelation comes after President Donald Trump said that waterboarding 'absolutely' works. The 70-year-old said US should fight 'fire with fire' in its efforts to tackle Islamic terrorists and when speaking in an ABC News interview, he said he has asked experts whether torture works, and revealed the answer was 'Yes, absolutely'. Channel 4 News showed that former Irish Prime Minister Jack Lynch (pictured) told Ted Heath about the waterboarding in November 1972 Channel 4 News then showed - for the first time - that Mr Lynch told the British PM about the waterboarding. The pair met for a meeting at Downing Street in London on November 1972. In a secret minute of the meeting, Mr Lynch revealed that a person with epilepsy was a victim of the torture in Northern Ireland. Mr Lynch told the meeting that the man was 'forced to lie down on his back' before water was poured over him to give the 'impression he would be suffocated', reported Channel 4 News. A second victim, who again preferred to remain anonymous, said he was taken to a local police station by the British soldiers. He said: 'My head was stuck in a bucket of water held down and then pulled out. Then shortly thereafter being put back in again on a number of occasions.' He then mentioned another form of torture he was subjected to and described the electric shock treatment being used at the time. Never-seen-before legal advice given by the Ministry of Defence showed that the British Authorities were aware of the torture, reported Channel 4 News. The Parachute Regiment - who were in Belfast following Bloody Sunday (pictured) - had seized a local primary school in the city In June 1975, a document read: 'I think we must accept counsel's advice that he was assaulted'. It also referred to what treatment he suffered, adding that he was 'subjected to electric shock treatment'. Meanwhile, a memo showed that the MOD legal report said a 'court is likely to award exemplary damages to mark the improper use of executive power.' In 2012, the last man to be handed the death sentence in Northern Ireland had his conviction for murder quashed. Liam Holden, 58, was sentenced to hang for the killing of a British soldier in 1972. But he said he was water tortured, hooded and had a gun put to his head by soldiers to extract a confession. Mr Holden was found guilty on the basis of a confession that he maintains was made under duress after being subjected to waterboarding. An MOD spokesman said: 'The UK government considers torture or inhuman treatment to be an abhorrent violation of human rights and human dignity, and consistently and unreservedly condemns the practice. 'It would not be appropriate to comment further on specific allegations.' The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters. The program, 'Countering Violent Extremism,' or CVE, would be changed to 'Countering Islamic Extremism' or 'Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,' the sources said, and would no longer target groups such as white supremacists who have also carried out bombings and shootings in the United States. Such a change would reflect Trump's election campaign rhetoric and criticism of former President Barack Obama for being weak in the fight against Islamic State and for refusing to use the phrase 'radical Islam' in describing it. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for attacks on civilians in several countries. The CVE program aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers through community partnerships and educational programs or counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google and Facebook. Tackling Islamic extremism: President Trump, who spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. on Thursday has made it a centerpiece of his administration In charge: Trump's Homeland Security chief John Kelly is in overall control of the program which the Obama Some proponents of the program fear that rebranding it could make it more difficult for the government to work with Muslims already hesitant to trust the new administration, particularly after Trump issued an executive order last Friday temporarily blocking travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Still, the CVE program, which focuses on U.S. residents and is separate from a military effort to fight extremism online, has been criticized even by some supporters as ineffective. A source who has worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the program said Trump transition team members first met with a CVE task force in December and floated the idea of changing the name and focus. In a meeting last Thursday attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were asked to defend why they chose certain community organizations as recipients of CVE program grants, said the source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions. Although CVE funding has been appropriated by Congress and the grant recipients were notified in the final days of the Obama administration, the money still may not go out the door, the source said, adding that Kelly is reviewing the matter. The department declined comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Some Republicans in Congress have long assailed the program as politically correct and ineffective, asserting that singling out and using the term 'radical Islam' as the trigger for many violent attacks would help focus deterrence efforts. Others counter that branding the problem as 'radical Islam' would only serve to alienate more than three million Americans who practice Islam peacefully. Many community groups, meanwhile, had already been cautious about the program, partly over concerns that it could double as a surveillance tool for law enforcement. Hoda Hawa, director of policy for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said she was told last week by people within DHS that there was a push to refocus the CVE effort from tackling all violent ideology to only Islamist extremism. 'That is concerning for us because they are targeting a faith group and casting it under a net of suspicion,' she said. Another source familiar with the matter was told last week by a DHS official that a name change would take place. Three other sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such plans had been discussed but were unable to attest whether they had been finalized. Domestic extremist mass murderer: Syeed Rizwan Farook was a native-born American citizen who carried out the San Bernardino massacre along with Tashfeen Malik, his Pakistani wife White supremacist mass murderer: Dylan Roof, the perpetrator of the Charleston church massacre, has been condemned to death The Obama administration sought to foster relationships with community groups to engage them in the counterterrorism effort. In 2016, Congress appropriated $10 million in grants for CVE efforts and DHS awarded the first round of grants on Jan. 13, a week before Trump was inaugurated. Among those approved were local governments, city police departments, universities and non-profit organizations. In addition to organizations dedicated to combating Islamic State's recruitment in the United States, grants also went to Life After Hate, which rehabilitates former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists. Just in the past two years, authorities blamed radical and violent ideologies as the motives for a white supremacist's shooting rampage inside a historic African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina and Islamist militants for shootings and bombings in California, Florida and New York. One grant recipient, Leaders Advancing & Helping Communities, a Michigan-based group led by Lebanese-Americans, has declined a $500,000 DHS grant it had sought, according to an email the group sent that was seen by Reuters. A representative for the group confirmed the grant had been rejected but declined further comment. Kingsley Manning clashed with the department last year, when Theresa May was at the helm An NHS data chief tried to block Home Office officials when they asked him to hand over confidential patient records to help them trace illegal immigrants. Kingsley Manning clashed with the department last year, when Theresa May was at the helm, as it sought personal details to try to find those thought to have been in the UK unlawfully. The then-head of NHS Digital, the data network for the healthcare system, said he was put under immense pressure to release the details following a Tory manifesto pledge to tackle illegal immigration. The Home Office requested confidential information on 8,527 patients contained in their NHS records. NHS Digital did provide 5,854 matches including the surnames, dates of birth, gender, last known addresses and dates of registration. Crucially the Home Office did not request details of medical conditions or treatments received. Personal data can be requested for immigration purposes only when all other options such as using the Home Offices own data or police records have been exhausted. The exemption from data protection laws meant immigration officials could see when and where patients accessed NHS services, helping them track down suspects. The Home Office said it did not have the number of illegal immigrants who were found. Tory MP Ranil Jayawardena, left, said only those who are legally in the country should be able to use NHS services; while Conservative backbencher Philip Hollobone, right, said all government departments should be working together to identify illegal immigrants Watchdog paid lawyers 240k in cover-up A nursing watchdog spent 240,000 on lawyers to conceal information it held on a bereaved father. The Nursing and Midwifery Council hired a legal firm to redact documents before releasing them to James Titcombe, who played a key role in exposing baby deaths at Morecambe Bay NHS Trust. So much was removed that only half a sentence remained on some pages. Even so, they showed the NMC had detailed information on Mr Titcombe including his Twitter feed as he campaigned for an investigation into his son Joshuas death. Joshua died in November 2008 at just nine days after nurses at Furness General Hospital in Barrow, Cumbria, failed to spot an infection. In a cover-up, a group of midwives hid failings that led to the deaths of at least 11 babies and one mother. Now documents reveal that the NMC spent 240,000 on laywers to advise it on how to respond to Mr Titcombes attempts using the Data Protection Act to find out what happened to Joshua. One email with the subject heading Twitter chat key points said: Keep an eye on his feed. The NMC said it engaged a law firm to help deal with his request, costing 239,871.85, because of the volume of information he had requested. Mr Titcombe said it had failed to fulfil its remit to protect mothers and babies, but spared no expense to protect its reputation. Advertisement A memorandum of understanding was published last month outlining the full details about the exchange of information between the NHS and the Home Office over illegal immigrants, which is said to have been taking place since 2005. In an interview with the Health Service Journal, Mr Manning said he was challenged for daring to question the legality of requests for confidential data and was met with enormous reluctance when he launched a review into the practice. The civil servant, who stepped down from his role at NHS Digital last year, said: We said to the Home Office, We need to understand what the legal basis of this is. The Home Office response was: How dare you even question our right to this information? This is data that belongs to the public. It is paid for by the taxpayer. We should use it for public policy. The Home Office view was that tracing illegal immigrants was a manifesto commitment. I came under immense pressure to leave matters as they were. Mr Manning said he was concerned that use of NHS records by immigration officials could deter people from seeking treatment, and so pose a public health risk. But Tory MP Ranil Jayawardena, a member of the home affairs committee, said: I think it is important people can only use NHS services if they are genuinely in the country. Philip Hollobone, a Conservative backbencher, said: All Government departments and agencies should be working together to identify illegal immigrants so they can be removed from the country. People will see that is common sense and they will think it is nonsense that one part of Government has tried to resist it. The memorandum of understanding says the Home Offices use of confidential patient data is in the public interest to protect services, including the NHS, schools and housing, from unnecessary pressures. A Government spokesman said limited NHS data is shared with the Home Office, adding: Access to this information is strictly controlled, with strong legal safeguards. No clinical information is shared, and before anything at all is shared there has to be a legal basis to do so. Immigration officials only contact the NHS when other reasonable attempts to locate people have been unsuccessful. President Donald Trump threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send U.S. troops to stop 'bad hombres down there' unless the Mexican military does more to control them itself, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press. The excerpt of the call did not make clear who exactly Trump considered 'bad hombres,' drug cartels, immigrants, or both or the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's response. Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. President Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto that he would send troops if his South-of-the-border counterpart didn't take care of the 'bad hombres down there' Trump's remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trump's determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. 'You have a bunch of bad hombres down there,' Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt seen by the AP. 'You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it.' A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided an excerpt to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. The Mexican website, Aristegui Noticias, on Tuesday published a similar account of phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation. Mexico's foreign relations department denied that account, saying it 'is based on absolute falsehoods,' and later said the statement also applied to the excerpt provided to AP. 'The assertions that you make about said conversation do not correspond to the reality of it,' the statement said. Nieto walks alongside Trump after a meeting at Los Pinos on August 31, 2016. The Mexican government denied the account of the phone call, saying it was based on 'absolute falsehoods' 'The tone was constructive and it was agreed by the presidents to continue working and that the teams will continue to meet frequently to construct an agreement that is positive for Mexico and for the United States.' Trump has used the phrase 'bad hombres' before. In an October presidential debate, he vowed to get rid the U.S. of 'drug lords' and 'bad people.' 'We have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out,' he said. The phrase ricocheted on social media with Trump opponents saying he was denigrating immigrants. Trump's comment was in line with the new administration's bullish stance on foreign policy matters in general, and the president's willingness to break long-standing norms around the globe. Police officers are seen standing over two alleged drug cartel members following a shooting in Cancun, Mexico, last week. Trump hinted that the drug trade is at the heart of the problem Officers are seen at the scene of the shooting, taking notes above evidence markers Before his inauguration, Trump spoke to the president of Taiwan, breaking long-standing U.S. policy and irritating China. His temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, aimed at reviewing screening procedures to lessen the threat of extremist attacks, has caused consternation around the world. But nothing has created the level of bickering as the border wall, a centerpiece of his campaign. Mexico has consistently said it would not pay for the wall and opposes it. Before the phone call, Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the United States. The fresh fight with Mexico last week arose over trade as the White House proposed a 20 percent tax on imports from the key U.S. ally to finance the wall after Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped his Jan. 31 trip to Washington. The U.S. and Mexico conduct some $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to major environmental issues. Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner a real estate executive with no foreign policy experience with managing the ongoing dispute, according to an administration official with knowledge of the call. At a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May last week, Trump described his call with Pena Nieto as 'friendly.' George Osborne launched a bitter attack on Theresa May over Brexit yesterday and warned he would fight the Government over plans to curb immigration. In a rare Commons appearance, the former Chancellor accused the Prime Minister of failing to prioritise the economy in the Brexit negotiations. Mr Osborne, who was sacked by Mrs May in one of her first acts as Prime Minister last summer, said he had sacrificed my position in government to campaign passionately for Remain. George Osborne, pictured, warned Theresa May he would 'fight her' over plans to curb immigration But he made no mention of the lucrative and controversial jobs he has since taken up. The former Chancellor has come under fire after pocketing 600,000 from after-dinner speeches, and taking up a controversial role with US investment firm BlackRock, which is expected to earn him a six-figure salary. Yesterday, he made no apology for his extraordinary referendum claim that Brexit would spark an immediate recession. Instead, he served notice that he would oppose plans to curb immigration. Mr Osborne said the Government had chosen not to make the economy the priority in this negotiation, they have prioritised immigration control. John Longworth, pictured, former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, said the former chancellor was 'wrong' to say the Government was 'not prioritising the economy' He predicted there would be lively debate in Parliament in the coming years on issues such as immigration, state aid and agricultural policy, adding: I will be in those fights in the couple of years ahead. FOX: I'M NOT POINTLESS Liam Fox yesterday demanded an apology from former Civil Service chief Lord ODonnell over claims that the department he leads is pointless. The International Trade Secretary is in charge of striking free trade deals for a post-Brexit Britain and said he was already in talks with Australia, China, India, New Zealand, South Korea, Turkey and the Gulf States. Lord ODonnell, together with Sir Andrew Cahn, the former head of UK Trade and Investment, which was replaced by Dr Foxs department, have said there was no need for a separate department. But Dr Fox angrily dismissed the suggestion his department, created last summer, is irrelevant because it cannot agree trade deals before Britain leaves the EU. He told the Commons trade committee: Theyre very welcome to come in and share in the workload, and I think they can start by apologising to my hardworking staff. Advertisement He said he would vote for Article 50 because for MPs to do otherwise would risk putting Parliament against people and provoking a deep constitutional crisis. John Longworth, former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, accused Mr Osborne of sniping and sneering at a Brexit result he had done everything to prevent. Mr Longworth, now co-chairman of the Leave Means Leave group, said the former Chancellor was wrong to say the Government was not prioritising the economy. He added: After a swift, clean break from the EU, Britain can become the best country in the world in which to do business. Only by leaving can we crystallise the economic benefits of Brexit. The former Chancellor should be embracing these benefits instead of sniping and sneering at the democratic will of the people. Mr Osborne said he was saddened by Brexit. And he suggested that negotiations with the EU would be bitter. He also claimed the EUs priority will be to maintain the integrity of the remaining 27 members of the European Union, adding: They are not interested in a long and complex hybrid agreement with the United Kingdom and so therefore both sides at the moment are heading for a clean break from the European Union for the United Kingdom. Downing Street said: The former Chancellor speaks for himself. A former Utah high school teacher who is behind bars for having sexual relationships with three underage male students was denied parole after breaking down in tears last week while trying to explain how she lost sight of her 'values'. Brianne Altice, 37, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse in November and was sentenced up to 30 years in prison. Altice, a former teacher at David High School in Kaysville, Utah, must serve at least two more years in prison as she was denied parole by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole on Tuesday. They also ordered her to attend a sex offender treatment program before her next parole hearing in April 2019. Scroll down for video Brianne Altice, 37, former Utah high school teacher who is behind bars for having sexual relationships with three underage male students broke down in tears during her parole hearing The mother-of-two took responsibility for her actions during the hearing on Tuesday, telling the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole: 'This was no one's fault but my own' The mother-of-two took responsibility for her actions during a hearing last week, telling the board: 'This was no one's fault but my own'. Altice said she had been attending therapy in prison and was facing the self-esteem issues that she said led to sexual relationships with a 16-year-old and two 17-year-old boys. 'I clearly lost sight of all my values and principles and was seeking inappropriate means to address my own issues,' she said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. 'Issues I'm very aware of now.' Robert Yeates, the parole board's vice chairman, noted during the hearing last week that Altice had sexual encounters with a 16-year-old student in a church parking lot and during school lunch hours. Yeates also added that Altice had sexual relations with one of the 17-year-old boys in his home, and had inappropriate contact with the second 17-year-old while she was facing criminal charges and out on bail for the prior relationships. 'Did you grasp the gravity of this?' Yeates asked Altice during the hearing, according to Fox 13. 'I do not believe I did,' Altice replied. The former English teacher added that she 'justified everything' because the boys 'said this and that and made me feel good about myself'. 'There's no justification for it,' she added. Altice also took a moment to apologize to her three victims, who were not in attendance. Altice pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse in November and was sentenced up to 30 years in prison. She must serve a minimum of two years She said she was 'extremely remorseful', and told the boys she hope they could move on from her 'poor decisions' to live happy lives. Altice admitted that she took advantage of their attention. 'I understand that this was my doing,' she said. 'This was no one else's fault but my own. This was not my ex-husband's fault, or the school's fault, or my students' fault.' 'These were my poor, poor decisions. I'm very aware of it now and I am very remorseful. I regret the decisions I made that brought us here.' Altice admitted in a plea agreement that she had touched the genitals of the three boys from January to September 2013. All three teens testified that they had sexual intercourse with the teacher. Two of the victims have since filed lawsuits against Altice and the Davis School District. Both lawsuits claim that Davis High School was aware of Altice's inappropriate relationships with multiple students but did not fire her and protect them. One of the suits claim that the the running joke in the high school was: 'Who is Ms Altice sleeping with now?' Altice (pictured in 2015) admitted in a plea agreement that she had touched the genitals of the three boys in 2013. All three testified that they had sexual intercourse with the teacher One of the victim's lawsuits claimed that the the running joke in the high school was: 'Who is Ms Altice sleeping with now?'. Altice is pictured here in court in 2014 Altice was first arrested in October 2013 when the 16-year-old victim reported having a relationship with her. The two additional victims then came forward. The former teacher was defiant following her initial arrest, claiming at the time that the boy 'wore down her defenses' and 'ultimately broke down her resistance'. Altice's victim claimed the relationship began after they exchanged numbers and flirted during class. They ultimately started kissing and having sex. Court documents state that the students often skipped class to spend their days with Altice, and that she confided in them about her marital problems. Altice fired back at the claims from prison with a two-page letter in which she lashed out at the parents of one of her victims, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. In the letter, Altice claimed the parents had failed to attend her parent-teacher conferences and said their son often complained about his strained relationship with them. She also shot down claims that she wore 'risque' clothing in the classroom saying that there she had never received any complaints about her work attire. The former teacher (pictured in 2014) was defiant following her initial arrest, claiming that one of her victims 'wore down her defenses' and 'ultimately broke down her resistance' Altice (pictured during sentencing July 2015) now claims she was facing the self-esteem issues that she said led to the sexual relationships with a 16 year old and two 17 year old boys Altice said she wrote the two-page letter that was submitted to the court last month in response to the lawsuit because she cannot afford legal counsel. She said her victims would also frequently tell her 'youre hot' and 'youre sexy.' Although Altice has been sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison, she has also been given credit for time served since January 2015. Altice was ordered to jail at the time after it was revealed she had sex with a third victim while out on bail for her 2013 arrest. Sentencing guidelines suggest Altice remain behind bars until January 2020, but the ultimate decision was left to the parole board. Altice told Yeates that she will never be able to teach again and does not plan to contact any of her victims. She also said she is willing to under go sex offender treatment. Altice's husband divorced her following her 2013 arrest and has custody of their two children. Even hardened Chicago gang members are reaching out to the new Trump administration after President Donald Trump threatened to 'send in the feds' if the city's murder rate doesn't come down. Cleveland Megachurch founder Darrell Scott brought up the surprising overture during a televised White House meeting with Trump during a Black History Month Wednesday. Scott, pastor at New Spirit Revival Center, announced that, 'I was recently contacted by some of the top gang thugs in Chicago for a sit-down.' 'They reached out to me because they associated me with you. They respect you, they believe in what you're doing, and they want to have a sit-down about lowering that body count. So in a couple of weeks, I'm going into Chicago,' Scott told Trump and a group of African-American supporters while the cameras rolled. Pastor Darrell Scott speaks on the third day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. He told President Trump at the White House Wednesday that he had been approached by Chicago gang members who want a sit-down meeting about 'lowering the body count' Trump interjected: 'That's a great idea because Chicago is totally out of control.' Scott said he told the gang member, 'We've got to lower that body count. We don't want to talk about anything else get that body count down. And they agreed. But the principle is they can do it.' 'These are guys straight from the streets no politicians straight street guys. But they're going to commit that if they lower that body count, we'll come in and we'll do some social programs. So they're in agreement.' Scott, who hosted Trump and a group of pastors at his church during the fall campaign, didn't specify what social programs the federal government would provide. Pastor Darrell Scott speaks to media inside the lobby of Trump Tower in December Donald Trump (R) listens to pastor Darrell Scott duing the Midwest Vision and Values Pastors and Leadership Conference at the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio in September 'But they want to work with this administration,' he assured the president. 'Good,' Trump responded. Trump, who in a Tweet threatened to send in the feds if Chicago's murder rate doesn't come down, repeated his demand for change, and didn't seem to blanche at the gangland contacts. 'If they're not going to solve the problem -- and what you're doing is the right thing -- then we're going to solve the problem for them because we're going to have to do something about Chicago,' Trump said. 'Because what's happening in Chicago should not be happening in this country.' 'They reached out I didn't reach out to them. They reached out to me,' Scott explained. 'They want to work with this administration. They believe in this administration. They didn't believe in the prior administration,' he said, in a ding a Chicago-native Barack Obama. 'They told me this out of their mouth. But they see hope with you.' 'I love it,' Trump cheered. There were 760 murders in Chicago last year, a high point for the last 19 years, with another 51 murders last month, according to CBS. Trump tweeted in late January, 'If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible 'carnage' going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!' It wasn't clear whether Trump meant to dispatch law enforcement or other federal resources. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who met with Trump at Trump Tower during the transition, has said he has appealed for additional federal resources. 'He's an investor in Chicago, so obviously he believes in it,' Emanuel said. 'Send more FBI, DEA, ATF agents. We don't have to talk about it anymore. Just send them,' he said Wednesday in Chicago. 'Invest in law enforcement with our Police Department. Every major city has to do more. Move more FBI, DEA, ATF. They do a great job. Use the ability to prosecute gun crimes at the federal level, and maximize that potential.' Ministers were last night urged to introduce rail fare reforms as quickly as possible to prevent more passengers from being ripped off. A major shake-up of the baffling system designed to make it easier to buy the cheapest tickets was announced yesterday. The reforms aim to stop customers from being charged more for return tickets than they would pay for buying two separate single tickets. Single-leg pricing will be introduced for some journeys to make it simpler for passengers to know if they would be better off buying two single tickets or a return. New ticket reforms aim to stop customers from being charged more for return tickets than they would pay for buying two separate single tickets Separately, train companies will be forced to recalibrate every ticket vending machine after it emerged that some devices offer fares up to 100 higher than others in the same station. Rail bosses have vowed to cut out the red tape, jargon and complication that mean some passengers pay high fares for long, connecting journeys when there are quicker and cheaper alternatives. The trials are due to start in May on selected routes, including CrossCountry, Virgin Trains east and west coast services and East Midlands. Last night the chairman of the Commons transport committee welcomed the plans, but said it was crucial that reforms are rolled out across the country without further delay. Labour MP Louise Ellman said she would summon rail minister Paul Maynard to give evidence to the committee in an effort to extract guarantees from the Government about when the reforms will be introduced. She said: We welcome the announcement its high time something was done to give passengers better value. But this is just a trial that will last three months so we still have a long way to go. The transport committee published a damning report in October which said unfairness, complexity and a lack of transparency in ticketing have been apparent for at least a decade. Train companies claim they have been prevented from being more flexible in offering tickets that passengers want because of government rules covering rail fares. But one MP questioned whether the baffling system was a deliberate ploy to confuse customers. Robert Flello, a Labour member of the transport committee, said the rail industry still had questions to answer. He said: Anything that improves things for the put-upon traveller is a good thing, but obviously we need to see how this pans out. The trials are due to start in May on selected routes, including CrossCountry, Virgin Trains east and west coast services and East Midlands We need to know how rail companies can justify how rail fares got into this mess was it by accident or was it a deliberate ploy to confuse the travelling public. Either way it doesnt put companies in a good light. The pilot schemes, agreed by rail firms and the Government, aim to establish what changes are needed to regulations and processes to enable companies to set simpler fares. Jacqueline Starr, director of customer experience at the Rail Delivery Group, which represents rail companies, said complex rules and regulations built up by governments over decades had led to the situation where there are more than 16 million different train fares. She added: Working with the Government, were determined to overhaul the system to cut out red tape, jargon and complication to make it easier for customers to buy fares they can trust, including from ticket machines. Lianna Etkind, public transport campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, welcomed the plans but called for the introduction of long overdue part-time season tickets. Diageos announcement that it is re-entering the booming Irish whiskey sector with a brand new brand, Roe & Co, caught most of us by surprise. Roe & Co is described as a premium malt whiskey blended specifically for long drinks and cocktails and will be available only to bars and bartenders in UK, Ireland and continental Europe. The likes of Pernods Irish Distillers with Jameson and William Grant with Tullamore Dew may dispute Diageo describing them as only standard Irish whiskey. With an abv of 45%, it is priced at a premium, 30, slightly under Teeling's whiskey and Jameson Select. The fact that Irish Distillers is about to launch a new generation of Irish whiskeys from the Midleton distillery, in a few weeks, could be a coincidence. According to Diageos head of whisky outreach, Dr Nick Morgan, 92% of Irish whiskey is standard. So, the opportunity is there. He said that Roe was not going head-to-head with Jameson. Many of us seasoned industry observers were puzzled by Diageos decision to sell the Northern Irish brand Bushmills. Okay, it made sense in the greater Diageo scheme of things - getting outright ownership of the super premium tequila brand Don Julio (growing at 18%) from Jose Cuervo and securing production and distribution of Smirnoff (growing at 36%, according to Diageo) in Mexico, also from Cuervo. After all, most of Diageos business is in the US (Donald Trump: make a note). Nevertheless, with Irish whiskey booming and lots of companies lining up to come in, one did just wonder if it was sensible to give up what is a good, if hitherto somewhat neglected, well established Irish whiskey brand. Well, Charlie Greener, Diageos European innovation director, told the assembled masses of specialist whisk(e)y writers in London yesterday (Jan 31) that it was only after Bushmills had been dispatched to Cuervo, that they started thinking A new distillery at a cost of 25 million (18.6m) within the Guinness Brewerys St Jamess Gate site where the old power station used to be, will be operational in 2019. Until then all the constituents of the Roe blend will be sourced from outside (we could do a version of the board game Monopoly guessing who is supplying what). When specifically asked about suppliers, Dr Morgan told Drinks International that, in line with custom and practice within the overall whisky industry, companies do not reveal to whom they sell what. Inspiration for the name and blend came from the George Roe distillery which closed in 1926. Close to St Jamess Gate, is St Patricks Tower, which used to be the windmill that powered the distillery. Below the tower is a pear tree which is said to go back to at least 1850. Hence the poached pear notes on the palate. Those Diageo guys and gals think of everything. Peter OConnor, a bartender well known in Irish circles and Roes European brand ambassador claims that most Irish whiskeys get lost in cocktails as their flavours do not hold up. Hence, with a little help from Diageos master blender, Caroline Martin and Johnnie Walkers Jim Beveridge, after more than 100 prototypes, have come up with a blend that is at least five years old and the large proportion of which goes into first fill bourbon barrels to give Roe more depth. OConnor talks of soft mellow vanilla notes, poached pear and some white pepper spice with a creaminess when water is added. OConnor also pointed out that most Irish whiskeys are light golden in colour. Whereas Roe is dialling the clock back to the 17th and 18th centuries when teal was the more common colour of Irish whiskey. So, Diageo is back in Irish whiskey. One wonders what the likes of Pernod, Beam Suntory, William Grant, Jose Cuervo et al, all of which have invested heavily in Irish, make of that. Applications for nursing courses have plummeted by almost a quarter in a year after the Government axed bursaries for trainees. Numbers fell by 9,990 to 33,810 in 12 months, according to figures released by the university admissions service Ucas. The change to funding means trainee nurses now have to take out a student loan rather than receive an NHS grant for their studies from August this year. Campaigners previously warned the move could exacerbate the shortages of nurses on Britains hospital wards. Applications for nursing courses have plummeted by almost a quarter in a year after the Government axed bursaries for trainees. The change to funding means trainee nurses now have to take out a student loan rather than receive an NHS grant Yesterday nursing leaders said the figures for 2017 university entries confirmed their worst fears that the change would cause a drop in applications. Currently around 60,000 of the least well-off nursing and midwifery students receive up to 5,500 a year to pay for accommodation and living costs, which rises to 6,500 for those studying in London. Over the three-year degree course it amounts to almost 20,000 on top of tuition, which the NHS will continue to fund for all students. Announcing the change in 2015, former chancellor George Osborne said it would free up cash to create a further 10,000 university slots for trainee nurses and midwives. Ucas said the decline in applications may not lead to an overall decline in trainees because there have historically been fewer places than applicants. Last year, around 28,890 students were actually accepted on to nursing-related courses. However, Janet Davies, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: We warned the Government the removal of student funding would see a sharp drop in nursing applications. These figures confirm our worst fears. The nursing workforce is in crisis and if fewer nurses graduate in 2020, it will exacerbate what is already an unsustainable situation. Announcing the change in 2015, former chancellor George Osborne (pictured) said it would free up cash to create a further 10,000 university slots for trainee nurses The outlook is bleak fewer EU nurses are coming to work in the UK following the Brexit vote, and by 2020 nearly half the workforce will be eligible for retirement. She said there are currently 24,000 nursing vacancies in the UK as hospitals face a winter crisis in increased admissions. Mrs Davies added: The future of nursing, and the NHS, is in jeopardy. The latest Ucas figures show the number of youngsters applying to university by the main deadline of January 15. They also revealed a decline of 3,000 EU students since last year to 42,000, representing a drop of 7 per cent. It is the first fall since these students became entitled under EU law to taxpayer-backed loans for subsidised tuition fees at English universities. The decrease has been attributed to the Brexit vote this summer, as those applying this autumn will not have known whether the loans would continue. The Governments guarantee that EU students applying for the 2017 cycle would be protected throughout their degrees came only several days before the deadline arrived in October. Universities UK, which represents vice chancellors, urged the Government to guarantee the same arrangements for those applying for 2018. Universities Minister Jo Johnson said: More young people than ever are choosing to go to university with record application rates for 18-year-olds this year as well as those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Universities Minister Jo Johnson (pictured) said: More young people than ever are choosing to go to university with record application rates for 18-year-olds this year as well as those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The reforms we are bringing in through the Higher Education and Research Bill will mean people choosing to go to university in the future will benefit from more choice and universities will have a duty to do more to promote equal opportunities. This Government is committed to supporting all young people to reach their full potential whether that is going to university, starting an apprenticeship or taking up a technical qualification. A Department of Health spokesman said: Student contributions to university costs have changed on three previous occasions, and every time there has been an immediate dip in application rates followed by a steady rise we are confident nursing courses will follow a similar trend and are certain we will have all the student nurses the NHS needs by September. Cruise ship passengers could be exposed to pollution levels that are up to 60 times higher than fresh air, it was reported last night. Scientists measured the air quality on board a ship leaving Marseille. They found the concentration of ultra-fine particles was up to 20 times worse than in the city centres of port cities including Barcelona, Hamburg and Venice. Levels were tested at various points on the cruise liner, with the sun deck and jogging lane on the top deck found to have the highest concentration of pollutants during one, 50-minute reading. An average of 60,000 particles per cubic centimetre were recorded, compared to the 1,000 to 2,000 expected in a fresh sea breeze, according to the Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU), a German environmental association. Passengers on cruise ships are exposed to pollution levels up to 60 times higher than fresh air, with ultra-fine particles linked to deadly lung diseases, heart attacks and strokes The startling research was carried out by French documentary television series Thalassa. It has led to experts warning passengers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease against staying on deck for too long. The study linked the ultra-fine particles to deadly lung diseases, heart attacks, stroke, asthma and even diabetes, Daniel Rieger, a transport policy officer and researcher at NABU, said. And a one-off reading even showed pollution levels were as much as 200 times higher than normal. Campaign groups have long demanded action over the increasing noise, smell, and pollution from cruise ships, with many saying the environmental and aesthetic costs of the thriving industry outweigh the benefits to the local economy. Previous studies have shown cruise ships are belching out almost one billion tons of carbon dioxide every year, in addition to smoke and heavy metals emitted by the combustion of marine diesel and oil. Pollution levels on the sun deck and jogging lane were found to have the highest concentration of pollutants during one, 50-minute reading Mr Rieger warned the poor air quality could be rife across nearly all cruise ships because of the widespread use of low quality fuels, such as heavy fuel oil, combined with a lack of particulate filters. But Helge Grammerstorf, the German national director of the Cruise Lines International Association, dismissed the readings as unsubstantiated. The former ship captain and ship broker said a more systematic test over a longer period would be needed. We dont know these measurements. The claim is completely unsubstantiated, he told German daily newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt. Cruise Lines International Association, meanwhile, said in a statement: 'The information provided by NABU shows that these tests were performed during a 45-minute time-frame. It is very unclear what the reported concentration actually means as it is does not appear to be the average concentration and the graphs published on NABUs website show very sudden and short peak concentrations which are not highlighted or explained. 'It is very unfortunate that the actual data of these tests is not available as those small particles can be man-made or natural and for instance will include sea salt when tests are performed at sea. When the actual content of particles is not specified, it is not possible to compare air quality to other cases on land which have very different circumstances and no analysis of their breakdown for comparison.' Environmentalists have called for stricter regulations to make cruise companies switch to more environmentally friendly fuels, such as road diesel or liquid natural gas and to make particulate filters and nitrogen catalysts mandatory. Last year, California based Princess Cruise Lines were fined a record 32million after pleading guilty to dumping thousands of gallons of oil and waste off the cost of the UK. But CLIA added: 'CLIA wishes to underline the commitment of its member companies to respect the regulations in force to protect the environment wherever they operate. Environmental sustainability is at the heart of their economic models. Although the cruise industry represents less than one per cent of the world's marine fleet, it has been the absolute leader in the development and deployment of environmental technology innovations for decades. 'CLIA member companies take great care to ensure that each new generation of ships is "greener" than the previous one. The installation of exhaust gas cleaning systems is one of many measures that cruise companies are implementing on newly built ships to reduce emissions of air pollutants such as SOx (sulphur dioxide). Thanks to the exhaust gas cleaning systems, these emissions have been reduced by more than 90 per cent. CLIA members are also working to fit existing ships with these technologies.' President Trump's Supreme Court nominee set up a student newspaper to attack political correctness on campus. Neil Gorsuch, hailed as the heir to conservative jurist Antonin Scalia, was one of three Columbia students who started The Federalist, an 'alternative' paper which took aim at the New York university's 'liberal' campus life. It took aim at liberals, the left, and the university authorities. And it mocked Joe Biden for coming 75th out of 86 students at law school. One of his co-editors, Andy Levy, is now a Fox News contributor and satirist, while Gorsuch has been described as one of the finest legal minds in the country. The Federalist still exists as a satirical commentary on life at Columbia as well as domestic and international politics but has lost its founding conservative edge. Neil Gorsuch, hailed as the heir to jurist Antonin Scalia when he was nominated for the Supreme Court by President Trump on Tuesday, was one of three Columbia students to start The Federalist, a conservative student paper that attacked political correctness Masthead: Gorsuch set up The Federalist Paper with two other Columbia students Yearbook: Gorsuch was a political science student when he set up The Federalist Paper with two other students - one of them now Fox News contributor Andy Levy Forthright views: Gorsuch was one of the three editors when the paper published this editorial calling the left 'whining children' Articles obtained by DailyMail.com from its first issues, in which Gorsuch was one of the three editors who approved the content, show that it was in line with the beliefs which earned him Trump's endorsement. In the paper's first edition, the editorial board - Gorsuch, Levy and another student, P.T Waters - explained that The Federalist would publish 'intelligent discussion' and the 'thoughtful presentation of ideas'. The paper's purpose was to 'be different' and to challenge Columbia's otherwise 'liberal' traditions, harking back to The Federalist Papers of 1788. Published by the school's alumni John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist Papers are now widely considered the basis for modern conservative thought. 'The Left has too long been unchallenged at Columbia,' Gorsuch and his colleagues wrote. 'The whining children must be told, not to shut up (we will not resort to their methods), but to show tolerance for those who place freedom of thought above joining the mob.' Levy, now a Fox News contributor and satirist, even referred to his liberal Columbia peers as 'sanctimonious' and 'self-righteous'. 'We will be different,' the editors added. 'Our voice will be an aggressive but considered one, one that may make you think or may just make you angry.' In 1987, Gorsuch defended the U.S. Marine Corps' right to recruit on campus, while other students rejected the idea due to concerns about the military's policies that discriminated against homosexuals at the time. Gorsuch turned the issue into one about First Amendment rights by saying: 'The question here is not whether the Marines should be allowed to recruit on campus' but whether a University and its community, so devoted to the freedom of individuals to pursue their own chosen lifestyles and to speak freely, has the right or obligation to determine who may speak on campus or what may be said.' Articles obtained by DailyMail.com from The Federalist's first issues, in which Gorsuch was one of the three editors, show that it was in line with the beliefs which earned him Trump's endorsement Committed: Some of the headlines in The Federalist Paper when it was jointly run by Gorsuch make clear its position. Robust views: The Federalist Paper thanked Neil Gorsuch for setting it up - but what was written about Biden when he quit his run for president may not impress Democrats whose support he needs Now, every aspect of Gorsuch's past will be subject to scrutiny as he is vetted for the seat on the Supreme Court, left by the sudden death of Scalia last year. Gorsuch was a high school senior at Georgetown Preparatory School in 1985 - where he set up a 'Fascism Forever' club His position was later reiterated by student David Vatti in another Federalist article. Vatti wrote: 'It seems much of the Columbia community is downplaying the importance of the military. 'Rather than dealing with this pragmatically, many have taken a narrow view by focusing entirely upon the discrimination factor.' While Gorsuch was studying at Columbia from 1985 to 1988, a debate raged across campus about single-sex fraternities. The university started admitting women in 1983 but as of 1987, co-educational fraternities did not exist. Arguing against 'co-ed frats', Gorsuch wrote: 'We do not ask the Liberal to 'vindicate himself in the eyes of a Marxist; nor do we ask the Gay and Lesbian alliance to 'justify' their lifestyle to the Catholic Ministry. 'We have, at a University like Columbia, the right to disagree, but do we have the right to impose our notions of virtue on others?' One of his co-editors at The Federalist was Andy Levy, now a Fox News contributor and satirist. Levy wrote that his Columbia liberal peers were often 'sanctimonious' and 'self-righteous' While at New York's Columbia University, Gorsuch wrote about hot-button issues like homosexuality and the military, and the debate surrounding co-educational fraternities He explained that 'some clearly find the single-sex atmosphere their happiest choice'. Gorsuch also independently wrote for the Columbia student magazine, The Morningside Review. In one lengthy piece written in 1986, he criticizes Reagan's Afghanistan policy, arguing that the administration was not tough enough on the Soviets, and in another, he defended his conservative 'Tory' views. 'FASCISM FOREVER' Gorsuch founded and led a student group called the 'Fascism Forever Club' at his elite high school, DailyMail.com has already revealed. The club was set up to rally against the 'left-wing tendencies' of his professors while attending a Jesuit all-boys preparatory high school near Washington D.C. The name may be inconvenient for a Supreme Court nominee facing a tough confirmation battle. However it also shows the depth of Gorscuch's right-wing credentials and his penchant for mischief while attending his exclusive prep school in the 1980s. Gorsuch founded the 'Fascism Forever Club' during his freshman year at Georgetown Preparatory, a now-$30,000-a-year private Jesuit school that is one of the most selective in the United States. He served as president until he graduated in 1985, according to his senior yearbook. Advertisement He wrote, 'Here on Morningside [the Columbia campus], conservatism is an undeniably fashionable whipping-boy for the world's ills.' During his tenure as editor at The Federalist, Gorsuch also took a few jabs at Joe Biden who was then running for president. As Biden was attempting to salvage his presidential campaign in 1987, The Fed's editorial board wrote: 'good ol' Joe 'misstated' his own credentials and 'awards received.' 'He has been accused of plagiarism in law school, and it turns out he purloined phrases from British Labor Party leader Neil Kinnock - of all people.' And it criticized him for his conduct in the Supreme Court nomination going on at the time - that of Robert Bork, who Reagan wanted on the bench. Bork, a Yale Law School professor, was eventually turned down after a full Senate debate, having been rejected by the Democratic majority on the committee - chaired by Biden. In a brief article it slammed him for tackling Bork on the First Amendment and said: 'We find it interesting that someone who graduated from law school 75th out of 86 students - he had a little trouble remembering that too - has the cajones [sic] to tell a Yale University Law School professor, someone whose appointment the American Bar Association gave its highest rating, what the First Amendment says. But Gorsuch and his co-editors also attacked the media for treating Biden's 'youthful indiscretions' as 'fair game' - which is precisely what they had done themselves. The 'indiscretions' were a reference to failing a class in his first year of law school at Syracuse University, in upstate New York, thanks to an essay relying exclusively on a law journal article which was cited only once. They wrote in a different article: 'The demise of Joseph Biden's aspirations for the White House ... suggests that the media and the public are taking a new view on the past adventures and misadventures of present public officials. During his tenure at The Federalist, Gorsuch also took a few jabs at Joe Biden (above) who was then running for president. As Biden was attempting to salvage his campaign in 1987, The Fed's editorial board wrote: 'good ol' Joe 'misstated' his own credentials and 'awards received' 'In examining details of any individual's decisions, a more reasonable and understanding line ought to be drawn between relevant and irrelevant information'. Ironically, every aspect of Gorsuch's past will now be subject to scrutiny as he is vetted for the seat on the Supreme Court - in a political environment which may be even more divided that the one in which Bork was rejected by Democrats. Bork was the last nominee to lose a Senate vote. That appears unlikely to happen to Gorsuch, with the majority Republicans in a position to force through his confirmation, possibly with the 'nuclear option' of removing the option of filibuster which would need 60 votes to be broken. It was left by the sudden death of Scalia last year. Gorsuch, a father of two, went on to Harvard Law School after his time at Columbia and was a Marshall scholar at Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate, before practicing law and being appointed to the federal bench in 2006 at the age of just 38. Speaking briefly after Trump's announcement, with his wife at his side, Gorsuch expressed gratitude for the nomination and extolled those who held his seat before him, including his immediate predecessor. 'The towering judges that have served in this particular seat of the Supreme Court, including Antonin Scalia and Robert Jackson, are much in my mind at this moment,' he said. 'Justice Scalia was a lion of the law. Agree or disagree with him, all of his colleagues on the bench share his wisdom and his humor, and like them, I miss him.' Gorsuch's opinions on religious liberty, where he sided with the challengers to the so-called Obamacare contraceptive mandate, and on the separation of powers, where he said too much deference was given by the courts to administrative agencies, are key to his appeal to Republicans. And at 49, he could carry on Trump's legacy long after the president leaves office. Shopkeepers branded Government plans to overhaul the business rates system as shambolic last night. From April, around 500,000 small firms will be hit by huge hikes of up to 300 per cent in a single year. Butchers, bakers, pub landlords, post offices, boutiques and other small stores will have to pay thousands of pounds more in tax. Sheila Tims (pictured, left) runs a fancy dress shop in Crowthorne, Berkshire, with her daughter in-law Ellen (right) and their business rates are due to increase dramatically It follows a review of the way officials calculate the value of their shops, offices and business premises. But traders say its implementation has been chaotic. Last night the Government admitted its online calculator, which tells retailers how much they will owe, is not always accurate. Jerry Schurder, of business rates specialist Gerald Eve, says: The system is horrendously complicated and massively unfair. The Government keeps saying no one will pay more than 5 per cent but lots of them will see much bigger rises because they are no longer eligible for small business rates relief. A Money Mail investigation has also called into question the 5 per cent ceiling. Some small businesses will see their rates quadruple from 1,000 a year to 4,000 in a single tax year and then hit almost 7,000 within five years. The revaluation of property prices means the value of their office or shop premises has risen so much that it has pushed them above the threshold for rates relief. The Department for Communities and Local Government insists it is providing 3.6billion to help make sure no business is unfairly penalised. But this fails to take into account that many businesses that enjoy tax breaks of up to 100 per cent will lose them. Moorfield Kennels and Cattery, in north Cumbria, was told its land had risen sharply in value since the last valuation seven years ago and that it was no longer eligible for tax relief. The businesss bill will soar from 981 to 3,939 this year and to 6,947 by 2020-21. Owner Gill Wright says: There is just no way we can afford that. We would have to close the cattery. Its a shambles. Ministers have also been accused of failing to make clear that the cap on rate rises will not stay static but rise rapidly over the next five years. The 5 per cent limit is scheduled to jump to 7.5 per cent by next year, then 10 per cent the year after and then 15 per cent. This adds up to a rise of more than 64 per cent over five years. Chas Roy Chowdhury, head of taxation at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, said: It all feels quite shambolic at the moment. The Government needs to do more to explain to small businesses about how these increases are being calculated or stop the clock and rethink this policy. A spokesman for the Department for Communities said yesterday: This revaluation improves the fairness of rate bills by making sure they more closely reflect the property market. 'Nearly three quarters of business in England will see no change, or even a fall including 600,000 who from next April will have their bills cut altogether. The government says nearly three quarters of businesses in England will have no change in business rates, or may even have a slight decrease Sweet shop owner Peter Woodward says the rise in business rates has put independent shops in Suffolks pretty seaside resorts at risk of closure. He says the jump appears to be totally random with some shops experiencing hikes of 240 per cent while others will see rises of just a few per cent. He owns Beaches and Cream sweet shops in Southwold and Lowestoft and Coasters restaurant in Southwold. By 2020-21 he will be paying 19,270 65 per cent more than he does now as property prices have soared. Business rates are the equivalent of council tax but are paid on commercial properties. Mr Woodward says: We cannot afford such big rises. We put prices up by 10p here or there but it wont help us out much. We may have to cut staff hours to be able to pay such big bills. Have you been affected by the business rates changes? Write to money.mail@dailymail.co.uk or Money Mail, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT. Advertisement Thousands of jellyfish descended onto the sandy shores of a Queensland beach as more than 20,000 people were stung by the creatures this summer. Incredible images taken on Sunday at the Deception Bay beach, north of Brisbane, show the blue jellyfish carpeting the sand, with photographer Charlotte Lawson saying the sight 'looked like bubble wrap across the beach'. 'It happens every year but there's never been this many, this year it's been heaps,' Ms Lawson, 24, told Daily Mail Australia. 'I spoke to someone who's been researchign them for 25 years and she's never seen anything like it. Incredible images taken on Sunday at the Deception Bay beach show thousands of jellyfish on the sandy shores 'There was only a metre of sand between the jellyfish and the concrete,' she told the Brisbane Times, adding the jellyfish covered an area about four to six metres wide. The creatures covering the Deception Bay beach are known as 'blue blubber jellyfish' and are the most common jellyfish in south-east Queensland. THE BLUE BLUBBER JELLYFISH The Blue Blubber Jellyfish, also known as Catostylus mosaicus, can grow to 35 cm across It is the most common jellyfish in south-east Queensland. It is blue in colour, however they are also known to appear white or brown Blubbers are found in dense swarms, swimming just below the surface of the water Occasionally hundreds of individuals are washed up on beaches Advertisement There stings aren't seriously dangerous for humans but it is recommended cold packs or ice should be applied if you are unfortunate enough to be stung, according to the Queensland Museum. 'There were kids down there throwing them at each other', Ms Lawson said 'They're not big stingers.' It has been a shocking six weeks for marine stingers, with 22,800 people treated for bluebottle jellyfish stings from December 1 to January 31. A deadly Irukandji jellyfish washed ashore on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in November and swimmers are warned to stay out of nearby waters following a spate of stings. The Irukandji, the world's smallest and most venomous box jellyfish, is usually found in waters north of Mackay, about 700km further up the coast, but they migrate south in search of warmer temperatures. There have been 10 suspected Irukandji stings in waters off Fraser Island since December 22, with the venomous jellyfish positively identified as being responsible for at least one of the incidents. The creatures covering the Deception Bay beach are known as 'Blue Blubber Jellyfish' and are the most common jellyfish in south-east Queensland According to Ms Lawson, the invasion of the Blubber Jellyfish usually last about a week, but she believes this particular plague will hang around for a bit longer According to Ms Lawson, the invasion of the Blubber Jellyfish usually last about a week, but she believes this particular plague will hang around for a bit longer. 'As the tide comes in they disappear but when the tide goes back out they're there,' she told the Brisbane Times. 'They're already starting to smell.' Jellyfish tend to was ashore thanks to strong currents, severe winds and a weak propulsion system. A young mother has released a YouTube video explaining why she chose to join anti-Islam Party for Freedom. Penny Louise, 20, from South Australia, used the video to rail against 'people who want to destroy our history and brainwash us'. Ms Louise, who has a three-year-old son, added that she is sick of being branded 'bigoted or racist' for 'wanting to protect this country from those who want to hurt and kill innocent of Australians.' Penny Louise, 20, a mother from Queensland, has released a video explaining why she chose to join anti-immigrant Party for Freedom In the film, she says: 'Hey UPF, I'm Penny, I'm from Party of Freedom and I'm obviously a member of the patriot movement. Thank you for giving me a chance to be part of your video. In the video Ms Louise says she is 'sick and tried' of being called 'a racist and a bigot' for wanting to 'defend Australia' 'What obviously made me join the patriot movement is, number one, I love my country, and also I'm sick of hearing people who want to destroy our history and brainwash our people into thinking that if you love your country and you want to protect it from those who want to hurt and kill innocent of Australians [sic] with their ideologies and they think that's OK, is bigoted or racist, I'm sick of it, I've had enough. 'Obviously I'm going to stand up and I'm going to do everything I can to make Australia great again. Thank you very much.' The mother does not say who she is referencing in her comments, though UPF is known to be an anti-Islam party. Ms Louise released the video as the issue of patriotism and national security is debated around the world, particularly following the election of Donald Trump. Parties traditionally considered right-wing seem to be gaining support, including in Australia, with the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party. From images posted on her Facebook page, Ms Louise seems to be a supporter of both Ms Hanson and President Trump. Ms Louise is not the only newly outspoken woman on the far-right. Last year Rosalie Crestani delivered a speech to an Australia flag pride march in Melbourne She is also not the only mother to emerge as an outspoken proponent of the right. Back in June last year, 42-year-old mother-of-two Rosalie Crestani spoke out as the deputy leader of the Rise Up Australia party at a flag-pride rally. Crestani delivered a speech to members of the True Blue Crew and United Patriots Front on Sunday to 'protect our Aussie flag' outside Royal Exhibition Building, where the flag was first raised in 1901, in central Melbourne. Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, got to see rough and tumble politics up close as a teen when his mother served and then resigned during a contentious tenure running the EPA under Ronald Reagan. Gorsuch's mother, Anne Gorsuch Burford, ran the Environmental Protection Agency beginning in 1981 at the start of the Reagan administration. She was part of the 'sagebrush rebellion,' where westerners tried to clamp down on regulations and federal land policy and what they viewed as government intrusion from Washington. When she got into the agency, she demanded deep cuts in personnel and a wholesale evaluations of regulations. Anne Gorsuch Burford, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Reagan Administration and mother of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, pictured in 1982 She boasted at one point that she had reduced the size of a book of clean water regulations to a half an inch, down from six inches, the Washington Post reported at the time. Her plans didn't go over well with the Democratic Congress she and Reagan had to contend with. A House subcommittee demanded she hand over thousands of pages of documents related to Superfund waste sites, and she refused, the New York Times noted in her obituary. She said she would rather jail than do so, and the White House maintained she had executive privilege. She resigned in 1983. The head of the Wilderness Society, Gaylord Nelson, accused her of ''a wholesale dismantling'' of environmental gains at an agency founded in the Nixon administration. SUCH A ROUGH TENURE: Gorsuch slashed the EPA's staff and tried to get rid of regulations The official portrait of Administrator Anne M. Gorsuch BATTLE TESTED: President Donald J. Trump nominates Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Gorsuch moved to Washington when his mother moved here to run the EPA. He went to Georgetown Prep high school, then on to the Ivy League Anne Gorsuch Burford pictured in 1984. She ran the EPA for just two years She was the first cabinet official cited for contempt of Congress, Yahoo News reported, after slashing her agency budget by 22 per cent. 'The big mistake Anne Gorsuch made when she first came in was she sort of bought into the rhetoric of the campaign, William Ruckelshaus, the EPAs first administrator told the Washington Post. She treated a lot of people in the agency as the enemy, and they werent. But within a week, they were. It was not a pleasant place,' he added. The younger Gorsuch could soon have his own place in the contentious and partisan politics of Washington. Democrats are already vowing to filibuster his nomination, after Republicans blocked Judge Merrick Garland from the same vacancy for nearly a year. Some Democratic senators have taken to calling it a 'stolen' seat. In a gesture of goodwill, Gorsuch made his first phone call after President Trump appointed him to Garland, the White House said. Gorsuch Burford died of cancer at the age of 62 in 2004. Chris Grayling will today herald the biggest shake up in airspace in generations, describing it as a 'major step forward' in preparing Britain for leaving the EU. The Transport Secretary will push ahead with efforts to build a third runway at Heathrow, with the publication of the government's long awaited National Policy Statement. And he will publish proposals for the first major change British air traffic control for 50 years, using sat nav technology to enable more planes to fly in and out of all major UK airports along the same flight paths. An artist's impression showing how Heathrow Airport could look with a third runway. Last year the government finally gave its support to the idea of a third runway at Heathrow rather than a second runway at Gatwick This technical revolution also expected to allow hundreds of thousands of more flights every year. Last night campaigners warned plans to expand Heathrow and modernise British airspace will create multiple 'superhighways' above people's homes. The National Policy Statement on Heathrow's third runway will set out details of the project, including the compulsory purchase of 800 homes near the West London airport and plans to offer noise insulation for homeowners living under the flight path. The third runway is expected to boost the number of flights a year coming in and out of the West London airport by 260,000 to 740,000. Chris Grayling (pictured) will argue aviation reforms are essential to post Brexit Britain But amid fresh fears that more households will be blighted by noise from aircraft, Mr Grayling will argue the reforms are essential to post Brexit Britain as the country attempts to boost trade links around the world. The Eurosceptic said: 'Aviation expansion is important for the UK both in boosting our economy and jobs and promoting us on the world stage. Leaving the EU is a new chapter for Britain and provides us with a great opportunity to forge a new role in the world. 'We are determined to seize that opportunity and having the right infrastructure. By backing the Northwest runway at Heathrow airport and publishing our proposals, we are sending out a clear signal that when we leave the EU, we are open for business.' The draft policy statement will kick off a four month consultation period, giving opponents of Heathrow expansion, including local councils, MPs and residents another opportunity to fight back. Last night opponents of the third runway, including local councils, MPs and environmental campaigners, promised to continue their resistance. A group which protested against a second runway Gatwick, said the combination of a third runway at Heathrow and the modernisation of British airspace will cause misery for homeowners. Salley Pavey, chair of the Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions, said: 'The concern now is the effect modernisation will have on those on the ground with multiple superhighways above people's homes. It will inevitably mean very high noise levels for those affected, every day and night, 365 days a year.' The group said a third runway at Heathrow would also mean more air traffic for those living to the west of Gatwick, which sits below Heathrow routes. Currently 725,000 people living near Heathrow are affected by noise from aircraft. Today's draft National Policy Statement will reiterate plans for legally binding noise targets and a ban of six and half houses on scheduled night flights. The Department of Transport has also insisted that reforms to airspace will lead to less delayed flights and reduce the number of people affected by noise from aircraft by ensuring planes stick more rigidly to flight paths. But opponents of Heathrow expansion have raised concerns that the government is not revealing where the new flightpaths around the airport will be. John Stewart, chair of anti heathrow expansion group HACAN said: 'Chris Grayling has emphasised the post-Brexit benefits of a third runway by increasing connectivity to far-flung destinations in Asia and Africa but what about the price that will need to be paid in terms of worse noise and pollution for British citizens living under the new flight paths. He has said much less about that.' The proposed expansion of Heathrow would see the M25, at great expense, buried in a tunnel underneath the third runway at Heathrow Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council, said: 'Our concern is that this is more like a marketing exercise than a genuine consultation. The transport secretary's comments suggest his mind is firmly made up and the flyer being sent to our residents is focused on the potential benefits of expanding Heathrow with no attempt to illustrate the very serious environmental damage it would bring. 'For this consultation to have any meaning the Government must show Londoners where the new flightpaths serving this runway will be. Otherwise it's simply impossible to tell if your home, school or local community is affected and without this information residents cannot provide meaningful feedback.' The expansion of Heathrow is expected to be put to a vote of MPs by the end of this year of early 2018. The draft National Policy Statement will be examined closely by local councils and environmental campaigners which argue an expanded Heathrow will breach strict air pollution limits, will blighting the lives of local residents. Hillingdon, Richmond, Wandsworth and Windsor and Maidenhead councils have teamed up with Greenpeace to launch a legal challenge. This was temporarily blocked in the High Court this week. But they have pledged to mount a fresh challenge once the National Policy Statement is published later this year. John Sauven from Greenpeace said: 'Reading the transport secretary's statement you'd think the third runway will be built in fantasy land with Walter Mitty as chief adviser. 'Chris Grayling makes no mention of air pollution or carbon emissions despite knowing full well that expanding Heathrow will exacerbate both problems. Heathrow can't be expanded without adding to the problem of air pollution and impacting our climate targets. Ministers should come to their senses and drop this project now.' The risk of older patients being admitted to hospital can be slashed if they see the same GP on every visit to their surgery, a study has found. It reinforces the value of family doctors who know patients well and suggests GPs could be the key to reducing unnecessary hospital admissions, a problem pushing A&E units to breaking point. Researchers assessed 200 GP practices in England, tracking 230,500 patients aged 62 to 82 who had visited the doctor at least twice between April 2011 and March 2013. They found that those who saw the same GP between 40 and 70 per cent of the time had 9 per cent fewer unnecessary admissions to hospital than those who only saw the same GP less than 40 per cent of the time. And for those who saw the same GP more than 70 per cent of the time unnecessary admissions fell by a further 12 per cent. The risk of older patients being admitted to hospital can be slashed if they see the same GP on every visit to their surgery The calculations were based on the rates at which patients were hospitalised for conditions that could have been managed by their GP, such as flu, pneumonia, diabetes, asthma and urinary tract infections. The researchers, from the Health Foundation charity, found older NHS patients only saw their usual GP at 61 per cent of visits, on average, over the two-year period. At small practices they were more likely to have a regular GP, seeing one 70 per cent of the time. But at large practices this fell to 59 per cent. The researchers wrote in the British Medical Journal last night: The image of a single GP providing care to a patient throughout their life is a powerful one. However, there seems to have been a decline in continuity in recent years. They said GPs who know patients well are better able to understand their health needs in a short appointment, and patients who know and trust their GP are more likely to follow their medical advice. Researchers said patients who know and trust a GP are more likely to follow medical advice Adam Steventon, of the Health Foundation, said: Improving continuity of care is not just what patients and GPs want, it could also help to reduce pressure on hospitals. However, general practices are under considerable pressure and people are finding it increasingly difficult to see their preferred GP. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, of the Royal College of GPs, said last night: We know that continuity of care is highly valued by patients and GPs and our teams alike, with 80 per cent of family doctors deeming it one of the most essential components of general practice. Good continuity of care can be particularly beneficial to the growing number of patients who are living with multiple, long-term conditions. But delivering it is becoming increasingly difficult as GPs and our teams struggle to deal with increased patient demand, with fewer resources, and not enough GPs or practice staff. Advertisement New Yorkers showed their solidarity with Muslim women today by donning stars and stripes headscarves at rally on World Hijab Day - just days after President Trump's controversial travel ban. Dozens of women gathered on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday on the fifth year of the annual event. It was created by New York resident, Nazma Khan, who hoped it would help foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting both non-Muslims and Muslims to experience the hijab for one day. Today it has become an international event, with women all over America and the world experiencing the realities of wearing a hijab - a head covering worn by some Muslim women in the presence of men who are not their immediate family members. Scroll down for video In New York, NYPD officers Aml Elsokary and Maritza Morales, both donned the American flag headscarves for World Hijab Day Sophia Herron wears an American Flag head scarf at an event at City Hall for World Hijab Day on February 1, 2017 in New York City The day was started five years ago when a Muslim in New York invited other women to experience what it is like to wear a hijab every day in America. The day is now celebrated in cities around the world Dozens of women gathered on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday on the fifth year of the annual event New York officials have endorsed the event in the face of a soaring number of hate crimes in recent months. Attacks on Muslims have tripled in the past year, with many Muslim women reporting experiences of abuse when they wear their traditional headscarves. Just last week, Asma Elhuni, a Muslim American, claims she suffered racial stereotyping after a man branded her a 'b***h' and demanded to know if she had a green card during a confrontation at an Atlanta coffee house. 'With hate crimes against Muslim-Americans tripling in 2016, it is important we take this moment to stand together with our fellow Americans on World Hijab Day,' New York State assemblyman David Weprin said. It was created by New York resident, Nazma Khan, who hoped it would help foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting both non-Muslims and Muslims to experience the hijab for one day Today it has become an international event, with women all over America and the world experiencing the realities of wearing a hijab - a head covering worn by some Muslim women in the presence of men who are not their immediate family members New York officials have endorsed the event in the face of a soaring number of hate crimes in recent months Groups gathered on the steps holding up protest signs, some wearing stars and stripes headscarves, others wearing more traditional hijabs 'Rooted in the American principles of religious freedom and liberty, the World Hijab Day movement seeks to end the discrimination and judgment that comes with wearing a hijab.' Founder Khan, who moved to New York from Bangladesh when she was 11, explained that she started the day as a way to end the discrimination that many hijab-wearers faced in America. 'Growing up in the Bronx, in NYC, I experienced a great deal of discrimination due to my hijab, 'she said. 'In middle school, I was 'Batman' or 'ninja'. When I entered University after 9/11, I was called Osama bin laden or terrorist. It was awful. I figured the only way to end discrimination is if we ask our fellow sisters to experience hijab themselves.' This year's event had extra significance as it also came just days after Donald Trump issued his executive order banning anyone from a list of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Initially even Green Card holders were turned away at the airport. This year's event had extra significance as it also came just days after Donald Trump issued his executive order banning anyone from a list of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Initially even Green Card holders were turned away at the airport The move sparked furious protests across America with millions turning out to demonstrate at cities and airports against the 90-day ban Today, thousands across America chose to show their support for Muslim women by wearing a hijab Women wear an American Flag head scarf at an event at City Hall for World Hijab Day on February 1, 2017 in New York City MUSLIM RELIGIOUS ATTIRE Hijab - A hijab is a veil traditionally worn by some Muslim women in the presence of adult males outside of their immediate family. Their face is visible and it typically covers a woman's head and chest. Niqab - A niqab is a veil covering the entire face, except for the eyes. Burka - A burka is a full body cloak worn by some Muslim women. A piece of semi-transparent cloth in front of the eyes allows the woman to see. Advertisement The move sparked furious protests across America with millions turning out to demonstrate at cities and airports against the 90-day ban. Today, thousands chose to show their support for Muslim women by wearing a hijab. In New York, NYPD officers Aml Elsokary and Maritza Morales, who both donned the American flag headscarves, were joined by the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the South Asian Fund For Education, Scholarship & Training, public officials and other civil society organizations. At the University of New Mexico, students held a World Hijab Day booth and asked non-Muslim students to take photos of themselves in hijabs and post them on social media. Events were held at campuses and cities across the states while campaigners tweeted out pictures of themselves in their hijabs with the hashtag: #IStand4Hijab and #WorldHijabDay. A woman carries her young child who is also wrapped up in the patriotic headscarf on Wednesday Protesters gave a news conference at the rally to show solidarity to hijab-wearing Muslims and to speak out against Trump's ban Abuse against shop assistants has risen by 25 per cent in a year, a report from retailers warns. Many attacks are linked to shoplifting, and retail bosses claim the police are failing the victims of customer violence. A survey of staff who deal with the public face-to-face found incidents of violence and aggressive behaviour had risen from 41 per 1,000 employees to 51. Given there are around three million shop workers in the UK, the figures suggest there are now 153,000 incidents a year or more than 400 a day. Abuse against shop assistants has risen by 25 per cent in a year The increase is detailed in the annual Retail Crime Survey, published today by the British Retail Consortium, which speaks for supermarkets and major chains. Its research found that 56 per cent of retailers thought the police response to attacks on staff was poor or very poor. During an attack in Penge a man (pictured in a black top) threw charity boxes at a shop assistant when he was unable to top up his Oyster card The BRC said there was often inconsistent police action against shoplifters and customers who abuse staff, meaning criminals felt they could act with impunity. Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey, of the National Police Chiefs Council, said: We would encourage retailers of all sizes to speak to us through their representative organisations to help us improve our collective response. Just last month, Scotland Yard launched an appeal to trace a man who assaulted a worker and trashed a display because a faulty machine meant he could not top up his Oyster card at a shop in Penge, south-east London. The former Forbes Magazine president and publisher is facing charges after police say he attacked a bus full of elementary school children in Fairfield, Connecticut. Jim Berrien, 64, of Westport, was charged Tuesday with breach of peace and disorderly conduct for a December 21 road rage incident, reports The Connecticut Post. Berrien was released on a promise to appear in court. Former Forbes Magazine publisher Jim Berrien, 64, is facing charges after police say he attacked a bus full of Dwight School children in Fairfield, Connecticut Police say Danny Castro, the driver of a First Student school bus, told them Berrien began chasing the bus with his silver BMW convertible after they came to the intersection of Morehouse Lane and Cedar Road simultaneously, and the bus drove through. Castro told police Berrien began tailgating and when the bus stopped, he forced his way on, pushing more than a dozen Timothy Dwight School children aside as they tried to exit. Castro managed to close the bus doors but told police that Berrien pried them open, got on the bus and began screaming as the children cowered in the back. Even after Castro managed to get Berrien off the bus he said the ex-publisher began pounding on the bus's sides and back. Bus driver Danny Castro told police that Berrien began chasing the bus with his BMW after they came to the intersection of Morehouse Lane and Cedar Road (pictured) simultaneously Berrien forced his way on the bus, pushing more than a dozen Timothy Dwight School children aside as they tried to exit Police found out about the incident after angry parents called them to complain. Berrien's lawyer, Robert Golger, says Berrien 'strongly disagrees' with the allegations and 'looks forward to his day in court'. Investigators say they identified Berrien from bus surveillance video. Berrien said the bus was speeding and stopped it for the children's protection. Its fragrant and delicate taste has been a favourite of British tea aficionados since the 1850s. But now Darjeeling is under threat due to terrible weather in India, and a blight of bugs. Estate owners in the Himalayan foothills where the tea is grown say their crops are facing disaster, potentially threatening the one of the UKs top choices for a posh cuppa. Darjeeling tea is facing a big disaster after poor rains led to pest attacks with red-spider mite, tea mosquito bug and blister blight causing major damage to the crop, local tea experts say Since 2012 bushes have been weakened by worsening drought during key growing seasons and landslides caused by downpours at other times of the year. Poor rains have also led to more pest attacks with red-spider mite, tea mosquito bug and blister blight causing major damage to the crop, local tea experts say. Yields have fallen to an average of 8,500 tonnes a year since 2010, down from about 10,000 tonnes a year between 2000 and 2009, according to the Indian Tea Association. Darjeeling tea is facing a big disaster, said Arun Singh, head of Goodricke Group Ltd, which has more than 10 tea estates in the region. Our crops decline every year due to climatic factors. Kaustuv Roy, head of the tea division of Andrew Yule and Company, added: I dont think that Darjeeling tea production will come crashing suddenly, but every year its production is deteriorating, given the climatic and other challenges. The Darjeeling hills, in West Bengal state, are home to 87 tea estates employing some 70,000 people, with annual turnover of 55 million a year. Rising labour costs, falling demand and ageing tea bushes are also hurting production, growers said. Estate owners in the Himalayan foothills where the tea is grown say their crops are facing disaster, potentially threatening the one of the UKs top choices for a posh cuppa (stock image) The bushes, which are 75 to 100 years old, need replacing to ensure a better crop, said Shiv Saria, whose Gopaldhara company has four tea estates in Darjeeling. The bushes produce less as they age, but replacing them is an expensive business - and one made more costly and uncertain by the erratic rains, experts say. Subhasish Sannigrahi, senior principal scientist of the Tea Research Association, said newly-planted bushes need irrigation. But mass future investment in the crop is uncertain due to water shortages in the face of a rapidly-expanding population. Some new Darjeeling bushes have been planted and workers are also constructing new walls to stop top soil from being washed away in the event of a deluge. The student who allegedly stabbed his female teacher and classmates appeared to make a threat and said he wants his brother to know he didn't kill anyone. Emergency services treated a woman, 48, and a male and female student, aged 16 and 15, for stab wounds after they were called about 8.45am on Thursday. A Year 11 student, 16, appeared to unleash a threat as he was led away in handcuffs from Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney's west on the third day back from holidays. Scroll down for video A female teacher and two students have reportedly been stabbed at a school in Sydney's west as photos show a teenage student handcuffed and escorted from the premises by police Two massive knives and a black backpack were discarded in the car park following the alleged attack on students '[Inaudible]'s dead, you hear me?' the teenager said. Shortly afterwards, he sat on the ground in handcuffs against a police car. 'I didn't kill anyone, you have to tell me brother,' he said. Shocking photos show a utility blade, a meat cleaver and a carving knife lying discarded in the car park outside the school next to a black Adidas backpack. The girl, 15, was stabbed in the shoulder and the boy, 16, was stabbed in the chest. The 48-year-old woman was stabbed in the back. 'I didn't kill anyone, you have to tell me brother,' the teenager said in handcuffs Photos show a handcuffed student being escorted out of the school by police There were at least four ambulances on the scene to help treat the victims. The teacher and boy were taken to Liverpool Hospital while the female student was taken to Westmead Hospital, NSW Police said. Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening. The school went into lockdown but just before 10am noted on its Facebook page that 'classes have resumed as normal'. A teenager was chased by police to a nearby Aldi supermarket and pictures show him being walked back to the car park with a number of detectives. At one point a police officer drew his taser, but officers managed to arrest the teen before it was used. A student was treated on the scene by paramedics before being loaded into an ambulance and transported to hospital A carving knife was also on the pavement near the back pack as the teenager was arrested A distressed woman is pictured at the scene on Thursday after a teacher and two students were stabbed Just after 11.30am, Superintendant Peter Lennon addressed the media and said while police had seized three knives from outside, they might find more weapons in the classroom once the crime scene is opened. He said the incident was not terror related and the teenager is not known to NSW police. 'This comes as a surprise to everybody,' he said. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said the two Year 11 patients were treated at the high school before being taken to hospital in a stable condition. A teenager was chased by police to a nearby Aldi supermarket and pictures show him being walked back to the car park with a number of detectives Officers are pictured behind police tape at the Aldi supermarket on Thursday The teacher's injuries are also believed to be not life-threatening and she is recovering at Westmead Hospital after being stabbed in the upper back. The 16-year-old student is in police custody at Fairfield Police Station. Just before 10am, the school confirmed lockdown was over and classes has returned to normal. Officers are investigating the scene and the Department of Education has been contacted. Students are seen at Bonnyrigg High School, west of Sydney, on Thursday There were at least four ambulances in the car park of the school before 10am on Thursday Passerbys were told to remain outside the school gates as the ambulance pulled in on Thursday morning The girl, 15, and boy, 16, were both stabbed in the shoulder and there were at least four ambulances on the scene Just before 10am, the school confirmed lockdown was over and classes has returned to normal A teenager was arrested outside an Aldi supermarket next to the school The carving knife laid in the car park a few metres away from the back pack and meat cleaver The black Adidas back pack was lying in the car park next to a huge meat cleaver, a utility blade and an empty water bottle Attacks against Jewish people have surged to record levels amid concerns that Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) is too tolerant of anti-Semitism, a report reveals Attacks against Jewish people have surged to record levels amid concerns that Jeremy Corbyn is too tolerant of anti-Semitism, a report reveals today. New figures show that there were 1,309 hate crimes recorded last year a shocking 36 per cent increase on 2015. It was the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents since statistics were first kept 33 years ago. A charity which monitors anti-Semitic abuse said there had been an unprecedented run between May and December of more than 100 cases a month. The Community Security Trust (CST) said that there had been an average 105 anti-Semitic incidents in the two-and-a-half years to December 2016 more than double in the same time span to June 2014. Attacks included verbal abuse at Jewish people in public, extremists throwing eggs at synagogues or doing the Heil Hitler salute or daubing swastikas on community centres or places of worship. Home Secretary Amber Rudd denounced the deplorable hatred and said the Government was working to stamp out the incidents. The CST said there was no obvious single cause for the record total, which dwarfed the previous all-time-high of 1,182 in 2014. Previous high totals had been caused by anti-Semitic reactions to specific trigger events leading to temporary spikes in incidents such as the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in 2014. A charity which monitors anti-Semitic abuse said there had been an unprecedented run between May and December of more than 100 cases a month (stock photo) Home Secretary Amber Rudd denounced the deplorable hatred and said the Government was working to stamp out the incidents But the high number of incidents in 2016, spread uniformly through the year, was due to the cumulative effect of a series of events and factors that had created an atmosphere of anti-Semitism, said the report. These included, said the CST, high-profile allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. It followed accusations that Mr Corbyn had failed to do enough to stamp out attacks on Jewish people. The party was engulfed in an anti-Semitism crisis last year following a spate of attacks on Jewish Labour MPs and supporters under his leadership. Former London mayor Ken Livingstone was suspended by the Labour Party after claiming Hitler supported Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews, but the veteran politician was later reinstated. Later the row intensified when human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti was given a peerage by Mr Corbyn after publishing a heavily criticised report that allegedly whitewashed the problem of anti-Semitism in the party including avoiding criticising the Labour leader for describing terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah as friends. Other factors leading to the increase in incidents included the fallout from terror attacks on Jewish communities in France and Denmark in 2015, a perceived increase in racism and xenophobia following the EU referendum and regular high-profile discussion of anti-Semitism, racism and hate crime, according to the study. The most common type of incident recorded involved verbal abuse randomly directed at Jewish people while going about their daily business in public places 385 cases. In most instances the victims wore religious or traditional clothing, school uniform or jewellery bearing Jewish symbols. Former London mayor Ken Livingstone was suspended by the Labour Party after claiming Hitler supported Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews But Jewish people are increasingly being targeted on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, with 287 recorded incidents, a rise of 55 per cent. The problem is likely to be worse because the CST only collated cases where the offender was based in the UK. There were 1,006 incidents of abusive behaviour reported - the highest total ever recorded in the category, which includes verbal abuse, hate mail and anti-Semitic graffiti. Incidents of damage and desecration to Jewish property increased by a quarter to 81, while there 107 violent anti-Semitic assaults reported to the CST - the highest number since 2010. None was classified as extreme violence - meaning attacks involving grievous bodily harm or a threat to life. Labours Deputy Leader Tom Watson (pictured) said the findings of the report were 'extremely distressing' CST chief executive David Delew said: Whilst Jewish life in this country remains overwhelmingly positive, this heightened level of anti-Semitism is deeply worrying and it appears to be getting worse. Worst of all is that, for various reasons, some people clearly feel more confident to express their anti-Semitism publicly than they did in the past. Miss Rudd, who said the Government was spending 13.4million to protect the Jewish centres, said: It is vital we ensure the safety and security of our Jewish community and this Government will continue to do all we can to stamp out these vile attacks and encourage those who experience them to come forward Labours Deputy Leader Tom Watson said: The findings of this report are extremely distressing. 'We must root out anti-Semitism whenever it takes place and wherever it exists, as a party and as a country. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said: Anti-Semitism must be understood for what it is - an attack on the identity of people who live, contribute and are valued in our society. Hatred and bigotry must not be allowed to grow without challenge. Thats why its so important that we all tackle the attitudes that fuel prejudice and speak out. We can never be complacent and must ensure that Britain remains a safe place for Jewish people. Advertisement In a crowd of grey elephants standing amid the browns and greens of a marshy field, you might imagine it could be difficult to stand out. But one elephant seemed to be shining brightly compared to the rest of its species, golden-coloured as it strutted through the forest clearing. Research professor Christopher Whittier captured the unusual sight whilst taking a break from veterinary work in the Central African Republic to visit the famed Dzanga Bai forest clearing. An elephant stands out from the rest of the herd by looking like it has been covered with gold after taking a mud bath Research professor Christopher Whittier captured the unusual sight whilst taking a break from veterinary work in the Central African Republic to visit the famed Dzanga Bai forest clearing Amid the damp, brown and green fields in the Central African Republic, the golden elephant really shone as it strolled around The golden elephant was one of around 150 endangered African forest elephants that came to visit the clearing The golden elephant was one of around 150 endangered African forest elephants that came to visit the clearing. Mr Whittier, who lives in Grafton, Massachusetts in the United States, said that the elephants had made a 'nice mud bath' in a particularly yellow patch of soil. The 48-year-old said: 'It had rained pretty hard before I took most of these photos, so a lot of mud had washed off many of the elephants. 'What was notable about this elephant was how thoroughly he covered himself - not missing an inch by the time he was done. 'It didn't really seem like other elephants reacted to his colour in particular, which was part of what made it funnier to me. It was like he seemed really proud of himself but no one else seemed to care.' Mr Whittier said he was able to observe the herd of elephants, which each weigh approximately three tonnes and grow to a height of eight feet, for three hours from a viewing platform 50m from the mud bath. Mr Whittier, who lives in Grafton, Massachusetts in the United States, said that the elephants had made a 'nice mud bath' in a particularly yellow patch of soil The 48-year-old said: 'It had rained pretty hard before I took most of these photos, so a lot of mud had washed off many of the elephants' The photographer said one of the most notable things about this elephant was how thoroughly he covered himself - not missing an inch by the time he was done But despite standing out amid the duller colours, the other elephants didn't seem to react at all to the golden mammal Mr Whittier said he was able to observe the herd of elephants, which each weigh approximately three tonnes and grow to a height of eight feet, for three hours from a viewing platform 50m from the mud bath The African forest elephant is under constant threat from poachers and, in 2013, scientists estimated that it could become extinct within 10 years He said: 'It was really fascinating and fun to watch this elephant and the others really enjoy covering themselves in mud. 'He then seemed to strut very proudly across the Bai when he was fully adorned with the golden mud.' The African forest elephant is under constant threat from poachers and, in 2013, scientists estimated that it could become extinct within 10 years. Mr Whittier said the experience of seeing the elephants in such large numbers was 'very special' as they rarely congregate in groups of more than four or five animals. He added: 'People say Dzanga Bai might be one of the most unique wildlife viewing experiences in the world, and often that it's second only to the Serengeti National Park - but I'm not sure it's second.' Ryan Lock, 20, (pictured) travelled to the war-torn country last August A British chef who died while fighting ISIS in Syria shot himself so he would not end up being a prisoner, it has been revealed. Ryan Lock, 20, travelled to the war-torn country and joined up with the Kurdish armed forces last August. He told his family, from Chichester, West Sussex, that he was going on holiday to Turkey. A post-mortem examination suggests that Mr Lock shot himself in the head rather than face being captured by ISIS. Sources told the BBC his post-mortem showed a gun wound 'under the chin'. His family was told about his death on December 23 and his father, Jon Plater, 39, said that the family knew and added: 'It is true, 100 per cent', reports The Times. It was also revealed that Mr Lock, who spent the summer working as cook for his family's business, died alongside four other fighters. Canadian volunteer Nazzareno Tassone, 24, and three Kurds also lost their life, according to the paper. Speaking to BBC South, Kurdish rights activist Mark Campbell said: 'Ryan Lock may very well have turned his own gun upon himself rather than be taken prisoner by ISIS. 'There are no words to describe the bravery required to take such an action. ISIS were robbed of a predictable macabre propaganda opportunity by Ryan's action. Mr Lock, pictured on social media holding a rifle and in camouflage gear, told friends and family he was going on holiday to Turkey but joined Kurdish fighters in Syria last August 'I personally believe he deserves the very highest of military honours for such outstanding bravery in the face of such a barbaric enemy.' Mr Lock had no military experience but joined the People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish force fighting ISIS in the north of the country. Mr Lock died on December 21 in a village close to Raqqa in northern Syria, which has been the scene of fierce fighting. His family found out two days later. He is believed to be the third British volunteer to die after travelling to Syria to fight ISIS since 2014. His family was left 'completely grief stricken' by his death. Paying tribute to him, his caterer father Jon said his son had a 'heart of gold' and was a 'caring and loving boy who would do anything to help anyone'. Although his exact motivations for joining the fight against IS are unknown, friends said Ryan was driven by a desire to protect others, rather than any particular religious or political beliefs. Ryan Lock (left) died fighting ISIS in Syria last December and sources suggest he may have 'turned his gun on himself to avoid capture'. His father changed his profile picture to a photograph of his son (right) Friends said he wanted to be like his hero, adventurer Bear Grylls, and also wanted to 'protect others'. School friend Harry Kirby said: 'Ryan always enjoyed an element of adventure. 'Among his quiet, loving and caring traits, he would always wish to try new things, as well as making everyone's life more enjoyable to those around him.' Another friend Harry Austin added: 'His love for protecting others was always a dominant characteristic of his.' Originally from Chichester, Mr Lock went to Warblington School in Havant, Hampshire, before studying to be a chef at Havant Sixth Form College. He wrote in a Facebook message on August 31 last year promising to be back in six months, when he said: 'I'm on my way to Rojava. I lied about going to Turkey. I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone. I love all of you and I will be back in six months.' Hundreds of people from Derik and Girke Lege in Syria gathered in front of Derik Hospital to collect Mr Lock's body Despite having no military experience, he was lauded for his bravery in fighting ISIS militants in Syria (file picture) In Syria he joined the YPG, who provided training and equipment, before he was assigned to a unit tasked with taking ground back from ISIS. The YPG said he was an inspiration to their younger fighters as he fought bravely in a number of battles alongside Syrians and other international volunteers. In a statement released after his death, a spokesperson said: 'Ryan was not only a fighter providing additional force to our struggle. 'In fact, with his experience and knowledge he has been an example for younger fighters. 'While he has reached a vast amount of achievement up in our frontlines, Ryan has served the purpose of a very important bridge between us, the Kurds of Rojava. 'He crossed continents for the destiny of our people and humanity.' The Foreign Office continues to advise against travelling to Syria over the 'danger' and has revealed it is 'extremely difficult' to confirm the whereabouts of British nationals in the country. Donald Trump slammed Malcolm Turnbull over a proposed asylum seeker deal and accused the Australian Prime Minister of looking to ship off the 'next Boston bombers' to the United States during their first official telephone conversation. On Thursday afternoon the President took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for agreeing to take on the refugees in the first place. 'Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!,' he wrote. Senior US officials told the Washington Post that Donald Trump abruptly hung up on Mr Turnbull after just 25 minutes - when the pair were meant to speak for an hour. But an indignant Mr Turnbull returned serve, telling 2GB's Ben Fordham: 'As far as the call is concerned, Im very disappointed, the report the president hung up is not correct, the call ended courteously.' A fuming President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day, after 'boasting' about pleasant exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin and three other world leaders. President Trump reportedly ranted about the deal the Obama administration struck with Canberra to take 1250 genuine refugees from Nauru and Manus Island, telling Mr Turnbull: 'I don't want these people'. It was the 'worst deal ever', he told the prime minister, complaining he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on the resettlement agreement. Sky News sources claim President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull at points during the heated conversation, which took place on Saturday afternoon Washington time, Sunday morning Australian time. Scroll down for video Donald Trump slammed Malcolm Turnbull over the proposed asylum seeker deal during their first official telephone conversation (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) On Thursday afternoon the newly-elected president took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for making the 'dumb deal' to take on 'thousands of illegal immigrants' A fuming President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) Sources claimed President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull during the conversation WHAT IS THE AUSTRALIA-US REFUGEE DEAL? The Obama administration and Turnbull government struck a deal to resettle some of the refugees being held offshore in Nauru and Manus Island in November last year The Australian government has a 'zero tolerance' policy towards illegal boat arrivals and only genuine refugees are sent to Nauru and Manus Island There are approximately 1,250 refugees being held in the Australian-funded offshore detention centres A large majority of those refugees come from Iran, Iraq and Somalia - all countries on US President Donald Trump's travel-ban President Trump reportedly agreed to honour the deal, on the condition the refugees would undergo 'extreme vetting' The US President reportedly described it as the 'worst deal ever' in a heated conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday Advertisement Mr Trump indicated he was sceptical about what America got out of honouring the deal. After Mr Turnbull apparently suggested they move on and talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria, President Trump ended the conversation. 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source,' CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted. Under the agreement reached with the Obama administration, Australian would take a number of South American refugees, currently in a processing center in Costa Rica, in return. These refugees are predominantly Christian, according to reports. In response to revelations of the hostile phone conversation, Mr Turnbull remained tight-lipped on Thursday and said that he wasn't going to comment. 'It's better that these things - these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them,' he said. Sky News reporter Laura Jayes said Australian government sources who took part in discussions after the call said Mr Turnbull viewed the president as a 'bully'. 'What I derived from that was Malcolm Turnbull used this phone call to push back,' Ms Jayes said. 'He wasn't just sitting there being berated by Donald Trump, he talked about how important it was for (Trump) to honour the deal.' The explosive report is a huge embarrassment for Mr Turnbull, who has insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington are fine. The United States and Australia have been close military and economic allies for generations, with Australian troops fighting alongside Americans in every military conflict Washington has been involved in since World War II. Australia is one of just four other countries the US shares security intelligence with under the Five Eyes alliance. The two countries have also shared a free trade agreement since 2005. Close analysis of the President's body-language during the call shows there were signs of bad news to come, as he appears to throw a middle-finger at the camera CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted: 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source' President Trump described the resettlement agreement as the 'worst deal ever' and said he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on it (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump indicated he was sceptical about what America got out of honouring the deal (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump reportedly ended the conversation after Mr Turnbull suggested they talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) In response to revelations of the phone conversation, Mr Turnbull said on Thursday that he wasn't going to comment and would not be adding to any reports The official statement about the phone call released by the White House told a different story. 'Both leaders emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally,' it said. Mr Turnbull on Monday described the call as constructive, saying the pair acknowledged the already strong and deep relationship between the US and Australia and committed to making it stronger. 'That's my job. My job is to defend the national interest of Australia and defend the interests of Australians,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday. 'You may wish to speculate about policies and politics in Washington, that's not my role. My job is today and everyday to stand up for Australia and that's what I do. ' He also thanked the president for 'committing' to honour the refugee agreement. Government sources told CNN that Trump pulled the phone away from his ear and indicated he wanted the conversation to end Mr Turnbull said the phone call with President Trump ended courteously (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump reportedly ranted about the deal the Obama administration struck with Canberra to take 1250 refugees being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru About 1.30pm (AEDT) on Thursday the US Embassy in Australia released a statement that the deal would go ahead. 'President Trump's decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed and Spokesman Spicer's comments stand,' a spokeswoman said. 'This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the White House and on to this Embassy at 13:15 Canberra time.' But it came after a morning of mixed messages from various official sources. On Wednesday it was reported that the White House had backtracked on the asylum seeker deal, saying that President Trump was still considering it. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said the deal had not been confirmed. He said if it were to go ahead, it would only be because of the United States' 'longstanding relationship with Australia,' The ABC reported. The explosive report is a huge embarrassment for Mr Turnbull, who has insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington are fine Last week Mr Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries 'CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING': UN HITS OUT OVER 'OPEN-AIR PRISON' Australia has been heavily criticized by the UN for its policy of sending migrants to offshore detention centers. In November UN investigator Francois Crepeau visited the island of Nauru, where asylum seekers who arrive by boat are sent, and described conditions as 'cruel, inhuman and degrading'. Mr Crepeau said Australia's policies 'have increasingly eroded the human rights of migrants in contravention of its international human rights and humanitarian obligations'. And he continued: 'Australia would vehemently protest if its citizens were treated like this by other counties and especially if Australian children were treated like this.' Amnesty International said in October that the immigration center was an 'open-air prison'. Advertisement It comes just one day after Mr Spicer told reporters Mr Trump would honour the 'one-off' deal with former President Barack Obama in November to resettle refugees detained on Manus and Nauru. 'Part of the deal is they have to be vetted in the same manner that we are doing now. 'There will be extreme vetting applied to all of them,' he said. Last week Mr Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries including Iran, Iraq and Syria. On Tuesday, Mr Trump confirmed his administration would continue to honour the 2016 refugee resettlement arrangement while acknowledging a common interest in preventing irregular and illegal migration. 'The president, in accordance with that deal to honour what had been agreed upon by the US government, and ensuring that vetting will take place in the same manner that we are doing it now, it will go forward,' Mr Spicer said. The refugees are being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and Nauru. Speaking to reporters at the G'day USA gala in Hollywood, Ms Bishop said Mr Turnbull would travel to the US for a yet to be scheduled meeting with the president. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Mr Turnbull was 'pleased with the outcome' of his discussion. Manus Island is pictured This was despite the 'one-off' deal with former President Barack Obama in November to resettle refugees detained on Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru TOUGH IMMIGRATION LAWS WHICH SEE 'BOAT PEOPLE' SENT TO OFFSHORE CAMPS Offshore detention in Australia has been in place since 2001, and in 2013 Australia's mainland was excluded from its migration zone for people who arrive by boat. Now migrants who arrive on Australian shores by sea are immediately sent to the island of Nauru or Papau New Guinea. They stay in detention facilities while their applications to be accepted into Australia are processed. Although 90 per cent are ruled to have valid claims, they are not allowed to settle in the Australian mainland, instead being allowed to stay in Nauru or Papau New Guinea. The policy has come under heavy fire, with conditions in the camp branded 'inhuman' by a UN inspector in November. Supporters claim it deters migrants from arriving in dangerous vessels, and ensures refugees enter the country through proper channels. In 2015 Australia agreed to accept 12,000 refugees from Syria. The previous year violence had erupted at a protest at the detention center on Manus Island, and a 23-year-old Iranian man was killed. Turnbull has previously stated that Australians cannot be 'misty-eyed' about immigration, saying: 'We must have secure borders and we do and we will, and they will remain so, as long as I am the prime minister of this country.' Advertisement Teacher Nina Scott was arrested after she allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student A Pennsylvania woman who taught at a school for troubled youth was arrested after she allegedly had an eight-month sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student. Nina Scott, 28, is facing 70 charges, online records show. The Downingtown woman is charged with 34 counts of institutional sexual assault of a minor and 34 counts of corruption of minors. She's also charged with one count of concealment of the whereabouts of a child and one count of interfering with the custody of a committed person. Radnor Police Superintendent William Colarulo said at a news conference: 'The only way I can describe what this teacher did is downright disgusting, and it just goes to show you that sometimes the vetting process has to be even more circumspect so you know the type of people we have surrounding our children.' Scott was a teacher at a Main Line school called The Village. She's since been fired. Scroll down for video Nina Scott, 28, is facing 70 charges, online records show. The Downingtown woman is charged with 34 counts of institutional sexual assault of a minor and 34 counts of corruption of minors The school's website says its goal is 'to reach the most vulnerable members of our communities and deliver assistance that lasts. 'We work together with children, families and communities impacted by trauma to support healing and resilience, to encourage hope and to empower them to realize their greatest potential.' Students are sent to the school via court order, Philly.com reports. Det. Paul Troutmann with Downingtown police told media: 'During a routine search of the student's room by another facility, they uncovered a journal written by the student and letters from the teacher to the student.' Scott penned over 30 letters to the teenager, and described getting a headboard 'for our bed' and referred to her two-year-old child as 'our baby girl,' according to a complaint seen by Philly.com. The complaint is said to have revealed that the teen's journal described Scott as her 'future wife,' 'the love of my life' and claimed the teacher was 'good in bed'. Scott was a teacher at a Main Line school called The Village. The school's website says its goal is 'to reach the most vulnerable members of our communities and deliver assistance that lasts' Scott and the girl initially denied the relationship to authorities, admitting to it later, Philly.com reports. The teenager says in charging documents seen by the news outlet that it began with her asking Scott in a note how she'd feel if she kissed her, and if she'd tell anybody. Scott purportedly replied she wouldn't, with the student claiming Scott kissed her in a classroom. The supposed sexual relationship is said to have occurred from February 2016 to October 2016. Scott penned over 30 letters to the teenager, and described getting a headboard 'for our bed' and referred to her two-year-old child as 'our baby girl,' according to a complaint Lt. Christopher Flanagan with Radnor police said at a news conference: 'Some of the incidents or assaults actually occurred at the school's property, some unknown parks in the area, and also at her home, an apartment in Downingtown.' The Village said in a statement: 'We received notification of an allegation of abuse against one of our staff members in October 2016 related to a former resident of our program. 'It was our understanding that the alleged incident did not occur on our property. The staff member's employment was immediately suspended at that time. 'In December we were notified of pending criminal charges at which time the staff member's employment was formally terminated. 'We fully cooperated with outside law enforcement as they proceeded with this investigation.' Lt. Christopher Flanagan said: 'Some of the incidents or assaults actually occurred at the school's property, some unknown parks in the area, and also at her home, an apartment in Downingtown' Scott was arrested and arraigned. Her bail amount was set at $100,000, $10,000 cash, according to WPVI. Scott's lawyer Mark Conte told the station: 'Ms. Scott is presumed to be innocent, first and foremost, that's the most important thing. 'Right now we're in the process of reviewing the charges, reviewing the allegations, but it's also important to remember that allegations are proof of nothing. They're just allegations.' Prince Harry is 'not a fan' of Donald Trump because he fears he may be 'a threat to human rights', royal sources claim Prince Harry is 'not a fan' of Donald Trump because he fears he may be 'a threat to human rights', royal sources have revealed. The Prince has apparently been open about his dislike for the President since he began his election campaign in 2015, it has been revealed. His opinions could lead to awkward moments between the two when Trump meets members of the royal family on a planned state visit. The news comes amid controversy over the trip, with Theresa May refusing to back down after more than a million people signed a petition calling for the invitation to be revoked. A source close to the royals: 'Harry thinks the president is a serious threat to human rights,' reported US Weekly. A second source revealed that Harry has 'often been vocal' about his dislike for Trump since he began his presidential campaign in 2015. Trump's provocative decision to deny refugees access to the United States and ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries sparked public outcry last week. It was denounced by opposition leaders all over the world and sparked protests in Britain, leading some to question if the President's invitation to Britain should be revoked. It is the government that invites world leaders on state visits, and Theresa May had re-iterated the invitation when she visited Washington in January. The Prince has apparently been open about his dislike for the President, pictured with wife Melania and son Barron, since he began his election campaign in 2015, it has been revealed. But more than a million people then signed a petition calling for Trump's trip to be cancelled, and the Queen was even dragged into the dispute. A former Foreign Office boss, who previously accompanied her on state visits, suggested that it may put the monarch - who traditionally hosts world leaders - in a difficult position. In most cases, hosting the visit involves lavish pomp and ceremony, as well as a stay of several days at the queen's official residence, Buckingham Palace. No-one at Kensington Palace was available for comment on the Prince's opinions of the President. Vian Dakhil (above) is a Yazidi activist who has earned the title of 'ISIS's most wanted woman' A Yazidi activist who has earned the title of 'ISIS's most wanted woman' will not be able to travel to Washington next week to accept a human rights award due to President Donald Trump's executive order banning entry to Iraqi nationals for 90 days. Vian Dakhil, the only Yazidi member of the Iraqi parliament who has also gained international acclaim for her role in publicly denouncing ISIS, was initially scheduled to receive the Lantos Human Rights Prize at the US Capitol on February 8. The award is given by a foundation that bears the name of the late Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to ever be elected to the US Congress. During his career, Lantos was a vocal advocate for human rights causes. The foundation is recognizing Dakhil for 'her courageous defense of the Yazidi people as they faced mass genocide two years ago at the hands of the [ISIS] and for her ongoing rescue mission on behalf of enslaved Yazidi women,' according to the foundation website. 'I have a visa, but it's not clear to me that I will be able to go,' Dakhil told NBC News on Tuesday. She is currently in Baghdad. 'I'm afraid someone in the airport in the US will tell me, "No," and that I can't enter,' she said. The travel ban instituted by President Donald Trump (left) means that Dakhil (right), who has gained international acclaim for her role in publicly denouncing ISIS due to its enslavement of young Yazidi girls and women, will not be able to enter the US to collect a human rights prize The foundation and the State Department are trying to arrange for her safe passage to the US, but so far nothing has been decided. 'We will try maybe to find a solution, but for now, I'm staying in Iraq,' Dakhil said. On Friday, Trump signed an executive order that temporarily suspended admission into the US of nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq. The move was assailed after border agents were found to have detained a number of people with legal resident status in the country, including green card holders and those with valid entry visas. Lantos' daughter, Katrina Lantos Swett, said that her father is 'turning in his grave' over the Trump travel ban. She is due to receive a prize from a foundation that bears the name of the late Tom Lantos (left), the only Holocaust survivor to ever be elected to the US Congress. His daughter, Katrina Lantos Swett, said her father is 'turning in his grave' over Trump's travel ban 'It adds a deep level of irony that this award is given in the name of my late father, the only Holocaust survivor ever to be elected to Congress,' she told The Washington Post. 'He exemplified how America is strengthened and enriched by immigrants and refugees.' 'I assure you he is turning in his grave at this.' The plight of the Yazidis, an ethnically Kurdish religious minority whose presence in northern Iraq and Syria spans thousands of years, first entered the public consciousness in August 2014. Trump's executive order was assailed after border agents were found to have detained a number of people with legal resident status in the country. Protesters are seen above demonstrating against Trump in New York on Wednesday That was when ISIS gunmen drove them from their historic homeland on Mount Sinjar in Iraq, taking captive over 2,000 women and children for enslavement. Dakhil publicly pleaded with the world to intervene and save her people. Days later, President Barack Obama ordered his warplanes to strike ISIS targets. He also launched a humanitarian effort aimed at helping the Yazidis. Dakhil has worked to help secure the freedom of women and young girls taken captive by ISIS. The plight of the Yazidis first entered the public consciousness in August 2014, when ISIS gunmen drove thousands from their homes in northern Iraq. Above is the site of a mass grave estimated to hold the remains of 123 Yazidis killed by ISIS When asked about Trump's executive order that will preclude her travel to the US, she said: 'I feel very bad. Not because I can't go and receive this award.' 'I feel bad because Trump's decision does not distinguish between victims, regular people and terrorists Not all Arab people are terrorists.' Shiloh Heavenly Quine, 57, has been moved to a women's prison after receiving state-funded sex reassignment surgery The first US inmate to receive state-funded sex reassignment surgery has been moved to a women's prison. Convicted killer Shiloh Heavenly Quine, 57, was taken to the Central California Women's Facility on Wednesday, after previously serving time behind bars at a men's prison. Quine, who has been living as a woman since 2009 and is serving a life sentence, underwent the sex reassignment surgery in December. California prison officials agreed to pay for her operation in 2015 under the Eighth Amendment, which requires prisons to treatment for medical and mental health conditions, including gender dysphoria. Her case led California to become the first state to set standards for transgender inmates to apply to receive the surgery. Quine was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping and robbery for ransom and sentenced to life without parole after Shahid Ali Baig was shot dead in Los Angeles, California in 1980. Baig's daughter said she objects to inmates getting taxpayer-funded surgery that is not readily available to non-criminals, regardless of the cost. Farida Baig, who tried unsuccessfully to block Quine's surgery through the courts, previously said: 'My dad begged for his life. 'It just made me dizzy and sick. I'm helping pay for his surgery. I live in California. It's kind of like a slap in the face.' Quine was previously held in Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, according to court documents filed in 2014. Her case led a federal magistrate to provide transgender female inmates housed in men's facilities with items such as nightgowns, scarves and necklaces. A British tourist, 63, has died and a woman, 43, is fighting for her life in hospital after two separate snorkelling tragedies on the Great Barrier Reef on Wednesday. The man was on a snorkelling tour at Moore Reef, about 40 kilometres off the coast of Cairns, when it is believed he suffered a heart attack while hanging onto a life ring just metres from the boat, the Cairns Post reported. As tour operators unsuccessfully tried to perform CPR, a rescue helicopter on its way was diverted to an unpatrolled beach on nearby Green Island, where a female snorkeller had been pulled from the water unconscious. The woman was taken to Cairns Hospital where she remains in critical condition but the man was pronounced dead after 45 minutes of CPR. His fatality marks the fifth death at the Great Barrier Reef since November last year. A British tourist, 63, has died after suffering a suspected heart attack while snorkelling at Moore Reef (pictured) on the Great Barrier Reef As tour operators unsuccessfully attempted CPR, a 43-year-old woman was pulled unconscious from the water at nearby Green Island (pictured). She was taken to Cairns Hospital and is fighting for her life Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators director Col McKenzie told the Cairns Post the rescue helicopter was initially called out to pick up the man. 'Here is another day where two people are having heart attacks at the same time and someone had to make the hard decision of who is going to survive,' he said. 'There is very little we can do as an industry with people having heart attacks in the water.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Reef Magic Cruises - which ran the tour that the man was a part of when he died - for comment. Since mid-February 2016, eleven people have died while diving or snorkelling in waters off far north Queensland - ten of whom have been tourists. The British tourist reportedly suffered a heart attack while hanging onto a life ring just metres from the boat (pictured is where the incident happened, northeast of Cairns) Since mid-February 2016, eleven people have died while diving or snorkelling in waters off far north Queensland - ten have been tourists - February 14: Pakistani tourist, 39, dies while snorkelling off Moore Reef - February 16: Local tourism operator, 54, disappears while scuba diving - February 23: English tourist, 64, dies while snorkelling off Moore Reef - April 5: Cairns woman, 38, dies after jumping off boat to retrieve tender - May 31: United States tourist, 60, dies while scuba diving off Lizard Island - October 19: Japanese tourist, 67, dies snorkelling off Green Island - November 2: German tourist, 75, dies snorkelling Moore Reef - November 16: Two French tourists, 76 and 74, die snorkelling Michaelmas Cay - November 18: British man, 60, dies while scuba diving at Agincourt Reef - December 13: Japanese tourist, 75, dies snorkelling Moore Reef - February 1: British tourist, 63, dies snorkelling Moore Reef Advertisement On December 13, a 75-year-old Japanese tourist died while snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef. The woman was pulled unconscious from the water and attempts to revive her were unsuccessful, The Cairns Post reported. The Japanese national had been out on a tour with Sunlover Reef Cruises when she passed away. A 75-year-old German tourist was also pulled from the waters of Moore Reef on November 2 after being found unconcious. Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia that CPR was performed on the German national, but they passed away. French nationals, Jacquest Goron, 76, Danielle Franck, 74, died within minutes of each other while snorkelling at Michaelmas Cay, east of Cairns on November 16. It's believed both tourists had heart attacks. Just days later British man, David Lowe, 60, also died at the Reef after he was found unconscious on the seabed some 15 metres below the surface at Agincourt Reef, 100 kilometres north of Cairns. Since mid-February 2016, eleven people have died while diving or snorkelling in waters off far north Queensland Science teacher Carolyn Cox, 48, (pictured) was allegedly stabbed when she tried to break up a fight between students at Bonnyrigg High School on Thursday morning A teacher caught in the middle of a terrifying knife attack had tried to break up a fight between students just moments before she was allegedly stabbed, Daily Mail Australia has been told. Science teacher Carolyn Cox, 48, suffered stab wounds to her back during roll call at Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney's west on Thursday morning. Two students - a boy and girl, aged 16 and 15, were allegedly stabbed in a frenzied attack in the science building. As the teacher, who jumped in between the bitter dispute, tried to tame the 16-year-old boy accused of lashing out at fellow students, she was allegedly stabbed, a female pupil told Daily Mail Australia. The accused attacker, a Year 11 male student, 16, then fled from the scene to a nearby Aldi supermarket. 'He [alleged attacker] just lost it and pulled out the knives and the teacher got in the middle of it,' the female student told DMA. 'She got in the middle and tried to break it up and got caught in the cross fire.' Scroll down for video Ms Cox was rushed to Westmead Hospital after being stabbed in the upper back (pictured) Students took Snapchats of the scene after leaving their classrooms. The classroom where the stabbing took place is pictured being searched by police The teenager was handcuffed after being arrested near the school. As he was being escorted into a police van, he screamed: 'I didn't kill anyone. You have to tell my brother.' The female student told Daily Mail Australia the accused attacker's family, including his brother, and friends 'don't know why he did it'. 'He was obviously in a confused state,' she said. The school confirmed classes resumed just before 10am after being placed into lockdown. 'Everyone is okay now some are just startled,' the female student told DMA. 'I'm just thankful it didn't any worse.' The black Adidas back pack was lying in the car park next to a huge meat cleaver, a utility blade and an empty water bottle The alleged attack happened at Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney's west on Thursday The school confirmed classes resumed just before 10am after being placed into lockdown An Ambulance NSW spokesman said the two Year 11 patients were treated at the school before being taken to hospital in a stable condition. Ms Cox's injuries are also not life-threatening and she is recovering at Westmead Hospital after being stabbed in the upper back. Superintendant Peter Lennon said while police had seized three knives from outside, they could find more weapons in the classroom once the crime scene is opened. He said the incident was not terror related and the teenager is not known to NSW police. The 16-year-old student is in police custody at Fairfield Police Station. Advertisement President Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to UC Berkeley over the riots that broke out at the California campus Wednesday night, in protest of a talk planned by alt-right leader Milo Yiannopoulos. The protests at the nation's number-one-ranked public university were so violent that administrators warned the rest of the student body to shelter in place and the talk was eventually called off. After the talk was cancelled Trump tweeted: 'If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?' Scroll down for video President Trump threatened to cut federal funding to UC Berkeley - the nation's top ranked public university - over demonstrations at the campus over a speech planned by alt-right leader Milo Yiannopoulos Protestors watch a fire on Sproul Plaza during a rally against the scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos Milo Yiannopoulos was due to speak at the University of California at Berkeley before the violent protests broke out BERKELEY'S HISTORY OF PROTEST Berkeley has long been a center for protests in the nation, and is considered by many to be the birthplace of the counterculture era. Since before World War II, students have protested at the univeristy, but these protests became more prominent and regular during the Civil Rights movement in the late 1950s and 1960s. When the university tried to crack down on these demonstrations, the student body responded with even more protests - fighting for free speech. In the mid-1960s, the protests continued, but this time aimed at the Vietnam War. In 1965, an anti-Veitnam War march was organized through the streets of Oakland, California, after failed attempts to march in Berkeley. More than 10,000 people participated in the march, marking the first large-scale demonstration against the war. Since this tumultuous period, the school and town have upheld this tradition of protest. But like Wednesday night's demonstrations, the protests have not always been peaceful. Rosebud Denovo, a protester, was shot dead by police in 1992, when she broke into the chancellor's mansion. The break in triggered a silent alarm, leading police to safely escort the chancellor and his wife out of the residence. They then went back into the house with dogs and shot Denovo when they saw her hooding a machete. Advertisement Protesters tore down barricades, let off fireworks and set the campus ablaze during the furious protests over the conservative Breitbart editor. Hundreds rallied against Yiannopoulos in a demonstration which turned violent and destructive, with protesters vandalizing dozens of businesses and smashing storefront windows. University police locked down all buildings and responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, according to witness reports. Yiannopoulos himself later posted a video complaining that UC Berkley was 'no friend to free speech any more.' The journalist said he had been planning to speak about cultural appropriation but claims his speech was over taken by the 'hard left.' 'It turns out the progressive left... which has become so antithetical to free speech has taken a turn post Trump's election. Where they simply will not allow any speaker on campus even someone as silly and harmless and gay as me, to have their voice heard. 'They are absolutely petrified by alternative visions of how the world could look.' He added that it was both 'ironic and sad' that the campus was the home of the free speech movement, but it was 'no friend to freer speech any more.' 'I am of course not the racist or sexist or anything else that the posters that they put up claim that I am.' University police confirmed that the campus was on lockdown as they reported they were bringing in extra resources to tackle the 'violent demonstration.' 'Milo event cancelled. Shelter in place if on campus. All campus buildings on lockdown. #miloatcal,' they tweeted. The 32-year-old right-wing provocateur is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and a self-proclaimed internet troll whose comments have been criticized as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. He was banned from Twitter after leading a harassment campaign against 'Ghostbusters' actress Leslie Jones. Several of Yiannopoulos' talks at other campuses have been canceled due to protests or security reasons. The Breitbart editor wrote on Facebook that he and his team were safe after being evacuated from campus. Protesters have tore down barricades, let off fireworks and set the campus ablaze during furious protests against speech by conservative Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley Eddy Brock, who says he is a free speech advocate, was supposedly attacked by demonstrators protesting against Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos University of California at Berkeley police guard the building where Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos was to speak Wednesday Graffiti which reads 'Kill Trump' was scrawled on a pillar by protesters who were against a scheduled speaking appearance by Yiannopoulos Hundreds flooded the streets while a small group of people with their faces covered broke windows, hurled fireworks at police officers and threw smoke bombs A protesters holds up a sign which reads 'Make racists afraid again' during the demonstration The protest turned violent around 6pm when a group of demonstrators dressed all in black and wearing masks soaked in milk - to protect against tear gas - emerged from the crowd Demonstrators held up banners which read 'Become ungovernable' at the UC Berkeley protest Police reportedly opened fire on demonstrators using non-lethal bullets during the uproar on campus in California Yiannopoulos's speech been cancelled amid the chaos and he has been evacuated, according to a post on his social media. UC Police, Berkeley confirmed that the campus was on lockdown People protesting controversial Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos march in the street on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California A man with a horn addresses protesters Wednesday night in Berkeley, California The protests turned violent with some damaging local businesses in the fury BERKELEY, CA - FEBRUARY 1: Grafitti urging people to use Signal, a highly-enctypted messaging app, is spray-painted on a wall during a protest on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California Some of the protesters covered their faces with bandannas and ski masks to hide their identity A woman urges people not to photograph the damage done to a Chase Bank on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California Another protester appeared to ignite a flare on the protest route Wednesday night BERKELEY, CA - FEBRUARY 1: People protesting controversial Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos burn trash and cardboard in the street on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California The communist sickle and hammer are seen spray-painted on a wall during the protest Wednesday night Rainbow colors light up a building at UC Berkeley on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California 'I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building,' he wrote. 'My team and I are safe. But the event has been cancelled. I'll let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down.' He also claims that a Trump supporter wearing a Make American Great Again hat was assaulted and kicked while on the ground. 'This is what tolerance looks like at UC Berkeley,' said Mike Wright, a Berkeley College Republican member told SF Gate before someone threw paint on him. 'It's sad.' The protest turned violent around 6pm when a group of demonstrators dressed all in black and wearing masks soaked in milk - to protect against tear gas - emerged from the crowd and began dismantling the security defenses - knocking down barriers and cutting through zip ties. Rioters loot and vandalize a Starbucks store during a protest against Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos in Berkeley Windows were smashed in and scores of rioters, with their faces covered, looted and vandalize the Starbucks store Shadi Banoo (center) protests against Yiannopoulos, holding up a sign which read 'Out of Berkeley Nazi scum' Rioters smash windows at a T-Mobile store with hammers during the protest where demonstrators began vandalizing dozens of businesses and smashing dozens of storefront windows A rioter smashes a window at a Mechanics Bank branch as hundreds of protesters rallied against Yiannopoulos, forcing the cancellation of his speech at UC Berkeley, eventually vandalizing dozens of businesses and smashing dozens of storefront windows A rioter paints an anarchy symbol on a Wells Fargo bank during a protest against Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos A demonstrator protesting Yiannopoulos sets fire to trash as university police locked down all buildings after the protests turned violent Protesters tore down barricades and began throwing fencing at the student union where Yiannopoulos was waiting ahead of his speech, shattering the glass. At one point a driver sped off with a protester still on his hood after rioters began attacking cars near UC Berkeley. Kelsey Walden, a local high schooler, was on top of the car when she was pulled off by other protesters. A motorist who was surrounded by demonstrators drove at them running them over and sped off, according to a San Francisco Chronicle reporter at the scene. Protesters ran after it but mistook another car and began attacking another car and its driver, spraying him with pepper spray. Damage is seen to a Chase Bank branch following a protest on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California Masked protesters use rods to smash the windows of a Wells Fargo in Berkeley, California on Wednesday The inside of a Starbucks is seen after being looted by protesters on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California Police officers and a smashed window are seen inside the UC Berkeley student union building during a protest on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California Damage is seen to a Chase Bank branch following a protest on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California A protester tries to smash a surveillance camera on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California A protester smashes the window of a Target store on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California Police report at least three were injured in fights as the protest grew increasingly violent. Others toppled a generator and light pole, scrawling Milo across it with spray paint before setting it alight. 'We're anarchists,' said one unnamed protester. 'This is war.' Eddy Brock - who claims to be a free speech advocate - was seen with blood pouring down the side of his face after he says he was attacked by the demonstrators. Meanwhile the campus protest spilled out onto the streets with reports of buildings being vandalized in the southern part of town. The mayor issued a plea saying 'violence and destruction are not the answer'. A Trump supporter clashes with a protester during a rally against a scheduled speaking appearance by the Breitbart News editor Yiannopoulos' event was canceled out of safety concerns after protesters hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and started a bonfire Hundreds filled Sproul Plaza on the University of California at Berkeley campus in the march against Yiannopoulos and against fascism Protesters have torn down barricades and set fires during furious protests against speech by conservative Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley The University of California at Berkeley condemned the violence in a new statement. 'The violence was instigated by a group of about 150 masked agitators who came onto campus and interrupted an otherwise non-violent protest,' UC Berkeley said in a statement. Some people were attacked and police treated six people for injuries. 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence and unlawful behavior that was on display and deeply regret that those tactics will now overshadow the efforts to engage in legitimate and lawful protest against the performer's presence and perspectives.' The school had been bracing for major protests Wednesday ahead of Yiannopoulos' arrival - the last stop of his Dangerous F****t Tour tonight aimed at defying what he calls an 'epidemic of political correctness on college campuses.' His visit to Berkeley was sponsored by the campus Republican club. 'The free-speech movement is dead', the group said after his talk was shut down, according to KTVU. The university stressed it did not invite Yiannopoulos, a right-wing provocateur who is gay, and does not endorse his ideas but was committed to free speech as it rejected calls to cancel ahead of the event. Earlier on Wednesday, the university sent a notice to all students that warned of crowds near the student union, where the 500-seat, sold-out event was scheduled. 'We anticipate there will be major protest/ demonstration activity leading up to and surrounding this event,' the letter from school officials said. It did not discourage protests but advised those who didn't wish to participate to avoid the area. Pieter Sittler, a spokesman for the Berkeley College Republicans, said the club doesn't support everything Yiannopoulos says but 'he gives a voice to repressed conservative thought on American college campuses.' He uses 'levity and humor' that should not be taken literally, Sittler said. UC Police, Berkeley confirmed that the campus was on lockdown. 'Milo event cancelled. Shelter in place if on campus. All campus buildings on lockdown. #miloatcal,' they tweeted The Breitbart editor wrote on Facebook that he and his team were safe after being evacuated from campus Yiannopoulos later posted a video saying he was stunned at the reaction to his speech Yiannopoulos' talks have sparked protests, shouting matches and occasional violence at stops around the country. A man was shot and wounded at protests outside his January 21 talk at the University of Washington. Rowdy protests at UC Davis January 13 prompted campus Republicans to cancel his appearance last minute. On Tuesday night at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, his speech was met with dozens of angry protesters outside a campus theater, but they were outnumbered by police who kept them far from the nearly 500 attendees and the event went on as planned. His last stop was supposed to be UCLA on February 2, but that invitation was rescinded, making Berkeley the grand finale of his cross-country campus tour. Professors had joined the hundreds of students calling for the event's cancellation. But university officials refused to cancel ahead of time in the name of free speech. Yiannopoulos said he witnessed protester breach the ground floor of the building Riot police were called out to subdue hundreds of students at the Wednesday night protest Police say they have called in extra resources to deal with the 'violent demonstration' Protests began earlier on Wednesday as students took to the campus with flags and placards People carry a banner which reads 'Queers bash back' at the protest over the appearance of Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos on Wednesday People protest the appearance of Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos Wednesday at the University of California The university had said it was ready for the demonstration, with tight security But Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks was expecting protests to be 'substantial' amid tight security. 'In our view, Mr. Yiannopoulos is a troll and provocateur who uses odious behavior in part to 'entertain,' but also to deflect any serious engagement with ideas,' Dirks wrote last week to Berkeley's staff and 37,500 students. 'He has been widely and rightly condemned for engaging in hate speech.' Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said: 'In our view, Mr. Yiannopoulos is a troll and provocateur who uses odious behavior in part to 'entertain,' but also to deflect any serious engagement with ideas' But as a public university, Berkeley's administrators are legally bound by the First Amendment to protect free speech, meaning even offensive and hate speech cannot be banned or censored, Dirks said. 'We are defending the right to free expression at an historic moment for our nation, when this right is once again of paramount importance,' Dirks said. The Berkeley Republican Club said earlier on Wednesday that it had no plans to cancel the event because that would send a message that intimidation and violence can win. Administrators say the demands to stifle Yiannopoulos show that modern sensitivities are changing the debate about free speech on campus. The number of attempts to keep speakers off college campuses because of their politics doubled last year, according to a report issued late last year by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. It logged a record 42 incidents of 'disinvitations,' with 25 percent aimed at Yiannopoulos. Administrators have received hundreds of letters and emails calling for the event's cancellation. There was also a 'No Milo' at Berkeley Facebook page with more than 3,500 people signed on, calling for a 'mass counter protest'. Nearly 100 professors signed a letter to the chancellor urging him to cancel the event. It cited some of Yiannopoulos' earlier comments. The polarizing editor from Breitbart News is a self-proclaimed internet troll who has been criticized as racist, misogynist and white supremacist (pictured speaking at California Polytechnic State University) Berkeley officials say it was allowed in the name of free speech before protests caused it to be cancelled His speech at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was met with dozens of angry protesters outside a campus theater, but they were outnumbered by police who kept them back At the University of Delaware, Yiannopoulos referred to transgender people as 'mentally ill' and encouraged his audience to mock them. He has called Black Lives Matter a form of 'black supremacism.' Twitter banned him in July, as it cracked down on racist abuse targeting 'Ghostbusters' actress Leslie Jones. At Western Carolina University he called feminism, 'a mean, vindictive, spiteful, nasty, man-hating philosophy.' 'The university should not provide a platform for such harassment,' the letter from professors said. 'We support robust debate, but we cannot abide by harassment, slander, defamation and hate speech.' Yiannopoulos rejects accusations he is racist or white supremacist, saying his boyfriend is black and his humor is taken too literally in today's politically correct culture. A group of veterans from Berkeley's 1960s Free Speech Movement praised administrators for allowing the event. 'Even the worst kind of bigot, including Yiannopoulos, must be allowed to speak on campus,' they wrote in In an op-ed published by Berkeley's The Daily Californian. Working more than 39 hours a week is bad for your mental and physical health, a new study says. Australian National University researchers are calling for a drop in the the internationally-accepted 48-hour work week, agreed to about 80 years ago to avoid worker burn-out. They've published a research paper, 'Not all hours are equal: could time be a social determinant of health?', after examining the work lives of 8000 adults. People should be working no more than 39 hours a week if they want to maintain wellbeing The researchers have also called for a change in culture that says working long hours is a requisite to doing a good job. About two in three full-time Australian workers are putting in more than 40 hours a week. 'Long work hours erode a person's mental and physical health, because it leaves less time to eat well and look after themselves properly,' lead researcher Dr Huong Dinh said. The researchers say the overall healthy work limit should be set at 39 hours a week - and women should be working less than men. For women, 34 hours is the ideal healthy weekly limit, but for men, it can be up to 47 hours because they are considered to spend less time on care or domestic duties. Professor Lyndall Strazdins was part of a study which looked at acceptable working hours The paper's co-author Professor Lyndall Strazdins said long hours were not required for a job to be done well. 'Australians also need to dispel the widespread belief that people need to work long hours to do a good job,' she said. Texas governor Greg Abbott has slashed $1.5 million in grant money from Travis County - which includes the state capital Austin - after the local sheriff declared it a 'sanctuary city. Newly elected sheriff Sally Hernandez said her deputies would only provide limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities leading to a stand-off. Abbott spokeswoman Ciara Matthews said the money that would be withheld from Travis County is a series of one-time criminal justice grants totaling $1.8 million. Texas governor Greg Abbott, picture yesterday, has slashed $1.5 million from the Travis County sheriff's department because the department has declared the state capital a 'sanctuary city' and will only act against illegal immigrants involved in serious crimes Abbott toured the Texas border along with the Secretary for Homeland Security John Kelly by helicopter yesterday before announcing the plan to cut the sheriff's funding Abbott, center, warned newly elected sheriff of Travis County - which includes Austin - Sally Hernandez, that she was 'playing Russian roulette with the lives of Texans' with her policy About $300,000 of that has already been spent, but she said the governor would not try to claw back that money. Sanctuary cities in general offer safe harbor to illegal immigrants and often do not use municipal funds or resources to advance the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Sanctuary city is not an official designation. In January, newly elected Sheriff Sally Hernandez said in a statement on the Sheriff's Office website that she was 'following all state and federal laws, and upholding constitutional rights to due process for all in our criminal justice system. Our community is safer when people can report crimes without fear of deportation'. In a January 20 memo, her office said it would make an exception for people charged with serious crimes like murder, aggravated sexual assault, or human smuggling. Sheriff Sally Hernandez, pictured, said immigrants should be able to report crime without fear of deportation Hernandez was not available to comment on Wednesday. Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, who manages the county's budget, said on Wednesday that Hernandez's directive does not violate state or federal law. She said: 'Any of the 254 sheriffs across the state of Texas has discretion to decide whether or not to put their resources toward assisting federal immigration enforcement. 'I will do everything I can to protect revenue sources. I believe it is foolhardy for the state to starve itself by starving its own programs.' In a letter to Hernandez in January, Abbott said her position was 'not a pronouncement of sound public policy; it is a dangerous game of political Russian roulette - with the lives of Texans at stake'. Abbott has voiced strong support for proposed legislation in Texas that would penalize sanctuary cities. On Tuesday, San Francisco, another sanctuary city, filed a lawsuit challenging a January 25 executive order by President Donald Trump directing the US government to withhold money from cities that have adopted sanctuary policies toward illegal immigrants. The lawsuit marked the first court challenge over the sanctuary order. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Washington and Seattle, in addition to San Francisco, offer forms of protection to illegal immigrants, and billions of dollars in federal aid to those cities could be at risk. Malcolm Turnbull has not denied Donald Trump told him he had his 'worst call by far' with the Australian Prime Minister as well as slamming the refugee deal in his first response to explosive claims about the two leaders' first telephone conversation. The president accused Mr Turnbull of exporting the 'next Boston bombers' to the U.S. and hung up 25 minutes into the call, which was expected to be last for an hour, an unnamed source claimed. The prime minister refused to comment on the Washington Post report and suggestions their phone conversation over the weekend was hostile. Scroll down for video Donald Trump is pictured on the phone to Malcolm Turnbull. The U.S. president reportedly told the prime minister: 'This is the worst call by far' The prime minister refused to comment on suggestions their phone conversation over the weekend was hostile (pictured at press conference on Thursday) What is the Australia-US refugee deal? The Obama administration and Turnbull government struck a deal to resettle some of the refugees being held offshore in Nauru and Manus Island in November last year. There are approximately 1,250 refugees being held offshore. A large majority of those refugees come from Iran, Iraq and Somalia - all countries on US President Donald Trump's travel-ban. Mr Trump reportedly agreed to honour the deal, on the condition the refugees would undergo 'extreme vetting'. The U.S. President reportedly described it as the 'worst deal ever' in a heated conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday. Advertisement 'I'm not going to comment on these reports out of the United States about the conversation,' Mr Turnbull told a press conference from Melbourne on Thursday. 'Australians know me very well. I always stand up for Australia in every forum.' He said it was better to leave the discussion out of the public domain. 'It's better that these things, these conversations, are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. 'You may wish to speculate about policies and politics in Washington, that's not my role. My job is today and every day to stand up for Australia and that's what I do. 'My business is being the Prime Minister of Australia. That's my job. My job is to defend the national interest of Australia and to defend the interests of Australians.' Mr Turnbull insisted the bond between the allied countries remained strong through the refugee deal. President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull the refugee-deal organised under the Obama administration was the 'worst deal ever' (he is pictured on the phone to Mr Turnbull) 'I can assure you the relationship is very strong. The fact we received the assurance that we did, the fact that it was confirmed, the very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance. 'But as Australians know me, very well, I stand up for Australia in every forum - public or private.' The U.S. president reportedly told the prime minister he'd spoken with four other leaders over the weekend including Russian President Vladimir Putin and 'this was the worst call by far'. Mr Trump fumed about the deal the Obama administration struck with Canberra to take hundreds of refugees from Nauru and Manus Island, according to unnamed sources. 'It's better that these things, these conversations, are conducted candidly, frankly, privately,' Mr Turnbull said Mr Turnbull insisted the bond between the allied countries remained strong It was the 'worst deal ever', he told Mr Turnbull. Mr Trump complained he was going to get killed politically and accused Australia of trying to export the 'next Boston bombers'. Mr Trump indicated he was sceptical about what America would get out of honouring the deal. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson on Thursday confirmed President Trump's decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed. But the president later tweeted the deal was 'dumb'. After Mr Turnbull apparently suggested the leaders move on and talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria, Mr Trump ended the conversation, Washington Post said. Mr Trump complained he was going to get killed politically and accused Australia of trying to export the 'next Boston bombers' (he is pictured on the phone to Mr Turnbull) Mr Turnbull is pictured in September last year (stock image) The call was scheduled to go for about an hour, but Mr Trump ended it after 25 minutes. The official statement about the conversation, released by the White House, told a different story. 'Both leaders emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally,' it said. Mr Turnbull on Monday described the call as constructive, saying the pair acknowledged the already strong and deep relationship between the US and Australia and committed to making it stronger. 'We discussed the importance of border security and the threat of illegal and irregular migration, and recognised that it is vital that every nation is able to control who comes across its borders,' he said. The Saturday phone call was their first conversation since President Trump's inauguration. Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch founded and led a student group called the Fascism Forever Club at his elite high school, DailyMail.com can reveal. The club was set up to rally against the left-wing tendencies of his professors while attending a Jesuit all-boys preparatory high school near Washington D.C. The name may be inconvenient for a Supreme Court nominee facing a tough confirmation battle. However it also shows the depth of Gorscuchs right-wing credentials and his penchant for mischief while attending his exclusive prep school in the 1980s. President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch, a 49-year-old U.S. appellate judge, to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Tuesday. Gorsuch founded the Fascism Forever Club during his freshman year at Georgetown Preparatory, a now-$30,000-a-year private Jesuit school that is one of the most selective in the United States. He served as president until he graduated in 1985, according to his senior yearbook. Scroll down for video Supreme Court Justice nominee Neil Gorsuch founded and led a student group called the Fascism Forever Club at his elite high school, DailyMail.com can reveal One yearbook photo showed the high school senior kicking back in a chair in a button-down shirt and tie while reading William F. Buckleys 1959 book Up from Liberalism', a key text of the conservative movement President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch, a 49-year-old U.S. appellate judge, to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Tuesday Gorsuch founded the Fascism Forever Club during his freshman year at Georgetown Preparatory, a now-$30,000-a-year private Jesuit school that is one of the most selective in the United States The yearbook described the Fascism Forever Club as an anti-faculty student group that battled against the 'liberal' views of the school administration. In political circles, our tireless President Gorsuchs Fascism Forever Club happily jerked its knees against the increasingly left-wing tendencies of the faculty, said the yearbook. It is not the only example of Gorsuchs early conservative political views. One yearbook photo showed the high school senior kicking back in a chair in a button-down shirt and tie while reading William F. Buckleys 1959 book Up from Liberalism', a key text of the conservative movement. Another photo shows Gorsuch leaning over a railing with his tie undone while sticking his tongue out at the camera. The new Supreme Court pick (seen with Trump after his nomination was announced on Monday) served as president until he graduated in 1985, according to his senior yearbook The club was set up to rally against the left-wing tendencies of his professors while attending a Jesuit all-boys preparatory high school near Washington D.C. Georgetown Preparatory is one of the top all-boys prep schools in the United States. This archive shot shows Gorsuch (bottom row on the right) as part of a six-boy pyramid Justice in the making: Another photo shows Gorsuch leaning over a railing with his tie undone while sticking his tongue out at the camera At 49 years old, Gorsuch (pictured left in an archive shot) would be the youngest nominee to the Supreme Court in 25 years. He currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife Gorsuch was listed as the editor and founder of The Federalist Paper at Columbia University, where he chose a quote from Henry Kissinger to go next to his photo He listed his other student activities as President of the Yard, Student Government and Lousy Spanish Student. He said he was also president of a group called the Committee to reform The Beast. His senior quote was: I am not an alkie; I never wrote a debate case! Gorsuch is shown in another senior photo waving his hand mid-speech outside one of the campus buildings while wearing a blue and black tie. In another, he is pictured at the bottom of a six-boy pyramid while balancing another student on his shoulders. Georgetown Preparatory is one of the top all-boys prep schools in the United States. Former students include Sen. Chris Dodd, a handful of U.S. congressmen, and multiple members of the Kennedy family. Current tuition is $30,000 a year for day students and $50,000 a year for boarding students. At 49 years old, Gorsuch would be the youngest nominee to the Supreme Court in 25 years. He currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife, Marie Louise. The nominee listed his other student activities as President of the Yard, Student Government and Lousy Spanish Student. He said he was also president of a group called the Committee to reform The Beast' Gorsuchs conservative credentials are well-established and he was included on a list of potential Supreme Court picks approved by the Heritage Foundation But the Supreme Court nominee (pictured front, left as a little boy) has also drawn criticism from top Democrats who vowed to oppose his nomination Gorsuch (pictured left and right) is not the first Republican presidential appointment in his family. His mother, Anne Gorsuch, was appointed as Environmental Protection Agency administrators by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 Gorsuchs conservative credentials are well-established and he was included on a list of potential Supreme Court picks approved by the Heritage Foundation. His nomination to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump has been praised by prominent right-leaning groups, from the Faith and Freedom Coalition to the National Rifle Association. Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition But it has also drawn criticism from top Democrats who vowed to oppose his nomination. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has already said she will object to Gorsuchs appointment, saying he was chosen by far right activist groups that were financed by big business interests. Rep. Nancy Pelosi called Gorsuch well outside the mainstream of American legal thought and Sen. Bernie Sanders said the nominee will have to explain his hostility to women's rights, support of corporations over workers and opposition to campaign finance reform. Gorsuch is not the first Republican presidential appointment in his family. His mother, Anne Gorsuch, was appointed as Environmental Protection Agency administrators by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. While at the agency, Anne Gorsuch oversaw massive budget cuts at the EPA and attempted rollbacks of the Clean Air Act. She was also reportedly quite glamorous the Washington Post described her as a woman with television-star looks and perfect manicures who wore fur coats and smoked two packs of Marlboros a day. Anne Gorsuch came under fire for her conservative policies, and served for just two years before resigning after clashing with congress over subpoenaed records. A Sydney terror suspect who breached a control order by watching extremist videos, used a finger gesture adopted by Islamic State as he was sentence to three years in prison. Ahmad Saiyer Naizmand, 22, pleaded guilty to five counts of contravening a control order in December after he watched videos promoting suicide bombings and showing the bodies of men killed in battle. He raised his index finger and waved to supporters after being sentenced to at least three years' jail in the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday. Ahmad Saiyer Naizmand, 22, who breached a control order by watching extremist videos, used a finger gesture adopted by Islamic State as he was sentence to three years in prison The one finger gesture is a common sign seen in ISIS propaganda, sometimes referred to as 'the one'. Before it was associated with the terror group, it was traditionally used during prayer or sermons and signified the belief in the oneness of God, according to the International Business Times. Naizmand, a labourer from western Sydney, flashed the gesture following his sentencing. 'I'm satisfied... the offender accessed the videos because he believed in the extremist ideologies underlying them,' said Judge Andrew Scotting. '(He) posed a threat to the safety of the community, which the control order was meant to ameliorate.' Naizmand was put on the order after he was in 2015 convicted of using his brother's passport to travel to the UAE via Malaysia, after his own was cancelled for security reasons. He fled Australia on the passport in August 2014 but he was intercepted in Dubai after authorities suspected he was headed for Syria. Naizmand used a one finger gesture, a common sign seen in ISIS propaganda, sometimes referred to as 'the one' (Pictured: A militant Islamist fighter waves a flag and gestures) He raised his index finger and waved to supporters after being sentenced to at least three years' jail in the Downing Centre District Court on Thursday The order prohibited him from associating with 18 extremists, watching terrorist propaganda and possessing guns or chemicals. The court heard he had been implicated in an intercepted conversation about a terror plot and is the brother-in-law to Omarjan Azari, who allegedly planned to pick an random member of the public in Sydney and kill them in front of an IS flag. A judge made the order on the basis that he was part of a 'close-knit' group of Sydney Islamic State supporters. Judge Scotting said the three videos watched by Naizmand on his phone became more disturbing over six weeks in January and February, 2016. One of them, which was too graphic to play in court, showed dead men and called them 'martyrs'. 'Go wear an explosive, rise up, blow up, and take pleasure from the destruction and the outcome,' one of the videos said. 'Let us make jihad,' Judge Scotting said a handwritten note found at Naizmand's house proclaimed. Before it was associated with the terror group, the gesture was traditionally used during prayer or sermons and signified the belief in the oneness of God (Pictured: ISIS fighter stands in an Iraqi oil refinery) Naizmand, who was born in Kabul and became a refugee in Pakistan, has been housed in Goulburn's high-risk management correctional centre under onerous conditions. Judge Scotting said the breach was only the second of its kind and that Naizmand had not explained his actions or shown contrition. Naizmand's father was murdered in the family home when he was seven and he was only introduced to religion as a teenager, the court heard. Taking time already served into account, Naizmand will be eligible for parole in February 2019. Ross Cameron has hailed the end of Malcolm Turnbull's leadership and blasted the Prime Minister for a 'series of blunders and miscalculations' after his disastrous talk with President Donald Trump was revealed. The political pundit and Trump supporter, speaking on Sky News, said the discussion over a refugee deal struck with Barack Obama was 'a disaster for Australia'. Mr Cameron accused Mr Turnbull of laying the groundwork for failure starting last November when he posed for selfies with Mr Obama and hailed the end of his leadership as 'a great but sad moment'. Political pundit Ross Cameron say Malcolm Turnbull 'is finished' after his disastrous phone call with Donald Trump, saying he laid the groundwork for failure by cosying up to Obama 'The Australian government should not have been the single biggest donor per captia to the Clinton Foundation, that was a major mistake,' Mr Cameron said. 'When Donald Trump walked away from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, he should not have wandered out musing about going it alone without the United States and bringing China into the frame as the biggest strategic and commercial partner in the region. 'All of those were major blunders and miscalculations designed to weaken the relationship between Australia and the United States and indicate to the incoming President that he was not a guy we really liked. It was dumb.' Asked about Turnbull's future, Mr Cameron added 'he's finished', saying his leadership was hanging by a thread even before this discussion was revealed. Turnbull posted selfies with the outgoing President online last year after meeting at a summit, a move which Mr Cameron branded 'dumb' Mr Cameron also said that Turnbull should not have talked about partnering with China following the collapse of Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal Turnbull was close to Obama during the time their leadership overlapped, calling his final days in office 'great but very sad' On Thursday White House sources told the Washington Post that the first phone call between Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump was branded 'the worst call' the newly inaugurated President had taken from world leaders. During the conversation, Turnbull insisted that the United States honour a refugee agreement he signed with Barack Obama that meant 1,250 people currently held on Manus Island and Naura would be sent to America, it is claimed. Most of those refugees are from countries which Trump banned from coming to the country with a hugely controversial executive order signed last week. During the conversation, Trump made it plain he viewed the deal as 'the worst ever' with little benefit for America, according to reports. He also accused Turnbull of 'trying to send us the next Boston bomber', before hanging up just 25 minutes into an hour-long time slot when the Prime Minister attempted to change the subject. Donald Trump allegedly called his phone conversation with Turnbull 'the worst call by far' from another world leader and hung up after just 25 minutes of an allotted hour Turnbull has not refuted the content of the conversation, saying that such conversations are best held in private, adding that he will always 'stand up for Australians' From the information available, it does not appear that Mr Turnbull secured a definitive answer on whether the refugee deal would be honoured. Observers pointed to Trump's evasive language - saying he 'intended' to honour the deal and would subject refugees to 'extreme vetting' - as indications that few if any refugees will actually be sent overseas. The revelations are particularly shocking in the wake of the government's comments earlier this week which stated that Trump would honour the deal. Reporters were told on Monday that Turnbull had secured an agreement from Trump during their call, and that the pair had agreed to make the bond between America and Australia even stronger. Since then the White House has walked back on the comments, saying that Trump is 'still considering' the deal. Advertisement It's a photograph that's taken the internet by storm - President Donald Trump appearing to raise his middle finger during his tense first telephone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The President is reported to have given Turnbull a dressing down after the Australian leader brought up a controversial refugee deal agreed with the Obama administration - and Trump's body language suggests he was fuming. In a black-and-white picture taken inside the Oval Office on Sunday, Trump appears to be throwing a middle finger while speaking with the prime minister. Scroll down for video Donald Trump was photographed speaking on the phone with Malcolm Turnbull last week, before shock revelations that the new President gave him a stern dressing-down over a refugee deal signed with Obama But closer analysis of the President's body-language during the call shows there were signs of bad news to come, as he appears to throw a middle-finger at the camera Trump has since questioned the wisdom of the deal, which would see up to 1,250 refugees flown to America, describing it as 'dumb' and saying he will 'study' it The image shows the President behind his desk while holding the White House phone in his left hand. Trump is resting his arm on the table, while touching his left temple with his middle finger, making it appear as if he is swearing at the camera. The amusing detail was revealed after multiple White House sources leaked details of the phone call to the Washington Post. It is claimed that Trump was furious with Turnbull when he pressed over an agreement signed with former president Barack Obama to transport 1,250 refugees from from Nauru and Manus Island to the US. Trump allegedly branded it 'the worst deal ever', saying that the United States appeared to be getting nothing from it. Trump also called his conversation with Turnbull 'the worst call by far' with any world leader, according to reports, and hung up just 25 minutes into an allotted hour-long time-slot Trump is also reported to have told Turnbull their talk was 'the worst call by far' with any world leader, following supposedly fruitful conversations with the likes of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump then cut the call short just 25 minutes into an allotted hour-long slot as he hung up on Turnbull, according to the reports. That did not stop Turnbull from trumpeting his 'achievement', saying that Trump had agreed to honour the deal. But the White House has since walked back the comments, saying the President is 'still considering' the agreement. Trump also tweeted about the agreement, saying it was a 'dumb deal' and promising to 'study' it. Others pointed to Trump's language during the call - saying he 'intended' to honour it but would subject all refugees to 'extreme vetting' - as indications that he was planning to back out of it. The refugee agreement runs contrary to a hugely controversial executive order signed by President Trump last week which banned those from several Muslim-majority nations from coming to the US In response to revelations of the hostile phone conversation, Mr Turnbull remained tight-lipped on Thursday and said that he wasn't going to comment. 'It's better that these things - these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them,' he said. Given the opportunity to deny the reports, Turnbull refused to do so, saying instead that he would 'always stand up for Australia.' The official statement about the phone call released by the White House claimed the two leaders 'emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship'. Trump has taken a firm stance on refugees since taking office, issuing an executive order banning immigration to the US from seven predominantly Muslim nations - Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan. He has also refused to take refugees from war-torn Syria. The Australian prime minister had previously refused to criticise Trump over the refugee deal. A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban. Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday. But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter. Scroll down for video U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr has ruled Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the US from seven Muslim-majority nations (2010 photo) In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered U.S. officials to refrain from 'removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa' who is arriving from one of the seven nations. According to the U.S. Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder. Birotte's ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travelers with non-immigrant visas. The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation. President Trump is pictured speaking on Wednesday at the White House in this photograph Trump's executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including U.S. citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the U.S. State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries. More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to U.S. citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti. 'It's terrible because I have children here who are without their parents,' she said. Some other children in the group are U.S. citizens whose parents were traveling with immigrant visas, she added. People are pictured protesting Trump's executive order in Chicago on Wednesday In Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent U.S. residents who entered from the seven countries. By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of 'absolutely ignoring' rulings she believes should allow their departure. In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked 'relevant visas as defined' under Trump's executive order. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States. Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull's phone call that reportedly ended abruptly has been met with ridicule on social media. The Prime Minister and President were speaking about a proposed asylum seeker deal that would see the U.S. take in 1,250 refugees from Australia's offshore detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island. But a fuming President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day and accused the Prime Minister of looking to ship off the 'next Boston bombers' to the US. After news emerged, people from around the world have brought out the best memes in response to the encounter between the two leaders whose first official television conversation ended just after 25 minutes. United States President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's phone call that reportedly ended abruptly has been met with ridicule on social media After news emerged of the tense phone call between the two world leaders, people from around the world have brought out the best memes One person urged President Donald Trump not to anger Roger, the very large kangaroo Benjamin Northey shared a photograph of Roger the musclebound kangaroo crushing a metal bucket with its paws '@realDonaldTrump Do NOT make Roger angry,' the post said on Twitter. Jorge Ribas shared a GIF of the viral video of a man punching a kangaroo, with the captions: 'Before you pick a fight with Australia remember they punch kangaroos in the face like it's no big deal.' The Prime Minister and President were speaking about a proposed asylum seeker deal when their first official television conversation ended after only 25 minutes Many are entertaining themselves with references from The Simpsons. Brett Osborn posted: 'Exclusive footage of @TurnbullMalcolm standing up to Trump for Australia, with a GIF showing Nelson using Milson's hand to punch himself in the face, with the captions: 'Stop hitting yourself'. In another hilarious tweet, Mitch Feltscheer shared a photo of the boy who answered Bart Simpson's phone call about the direction of Australia's toilet flush. After news emerged, people from around the world have brought out the best memes Peter Zaluzny wrote: 'EXCLUSIVE: Photos from inside @TurnbullMalcolm's office, with a picture of a dog saying 'this is fine' as it sat in a burning room. David Silverman shared a photo of cartoon character Ren from The Ren & Stimpy Show, screaming at the telephone and his hand hovering above a red button. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam decided to comment on an old tweet from the PM, who congratulated President Trump recently for his new role. 'How's that working out?' Ludlam commented. Andrew Brown shared a photo of President Trump appearing to show the middle finger when he was supposedly speaking to the Prime Minister The brother of accused Bourke Street Mall attacker Dimitrious Gargasoulas has appeared in court with injuries allegedly suffered at the hands of his brother. Angelo Gargasoulas, 26, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday with a heavily bandaged arm and stitches to his head. Angelo Gargasoulas is currently recovering from a stabbing on the morning of the deadly Bourke Street rampage. Angelo Gargasoulas leaves the Melbourne Magistrates' Court in Melbourne, Thursday, Feb. 2 He faced several charges unrelated charges including property damage and assault. The damaged property charge relates to an incident on December 18 when the 26-year-old allegedly broke some plates valued at $100. The court did not release the name of the person Mr Gargasoulas is alleged to have assaulted, reported The Age. His lawyer applied for simple variations to his bail, such as a change to his residential address, but requested this not be made accessible to the media. Melbourne man Dimitrious "Jimmy" Gargasoulas. Gargasoulas (pictured) allegedly drove a car into a crowd in Melbourne's Bourke Street Melbourne man Dimitrious "Jimmy" Gargasoulas. Gargasoulas allegedly drove a car into a crowd in Melbourne's Bourke Street on Friday The maroon car Gargagoulas is alleged to have driven into dozens of people in Bourke Street Mall Bhavita Patel (pictured) became the sixth victim of Bourke St car attack after she died in hospital Allegedly stabbed by his brother before the latter allegedly mowed down dozens of pedestrians in a maroon sedan in Bourke St, Gargasoulas was still in hospital from his injuries earlier this week and missed a scheduled Tuesday court date. Gargasoulas was released from hospital on Wednesday, 12 days after he was attacked. Two days later, Gargasoulas attended court alone and visibly worse for wear. His right arm was in a thick plaster cast wrapped with heavy bandages and he had thick stitches, including staples, over two gashes on his scalp. Gargasoulas did not respond to reporters' questions about his brother outside the court. He will next appear in court on February 17. Zachary Bryant (right) was killed and his sister Zara (left) was badly injured but survived in the attack Matthew Si, 33, one of the victims of the Bourke Street massacre that killed six people Jess Mudie, 22, one of the victims of the Bourke Street massacre which killed six people Among the others to have died are 10-year-old Thalia Hakin (pictured above) While America's self-image is forever intertwined with the melting pot, history has shown it is also replete with efforts to shut the golden door to arrivals from China, Eastern and Southern Europe - and most recently with Donald Trump's ban on seven predominantly Muslim nations. Even before the President's executive order banning immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia Sudan, Syria and Yemen , the US has always been a nation of immigrants, but ambivalent about immigration. Erika Lee, director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota said: 'Many of us - politicians, people who are speaking out against the impact of the administration's actions - are saying, "We are a nation of immigrants. This goes against our most important values." And that is absolutely true.' Two immigrants, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Roerich from Bavaria, Germany, look out from the stern of the USNS General Langfitt anchored in New York Harbor carrying 1,267 refugees from Europe in 1956 The Angel Island Immigration Station processed one million immigrants from 1910 to 1940, mostly from China and Japan 'But we also have a long record of barring immigrants, denigrating them, building walls. That's the flip side.' Said Mae Ngai, a professor of history at Columbia University and author of Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America: 'We struggle over these things. Both strains have always been present.' The leaders of colonial America knew they needed immigrants to populate their new land. But Benjamin Franklin grumbled about an influx of 'swarthy' Germans, and the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 made it harder to attain citizenship and easier to deport non-citizens deemed dangerous. Although the acts were controversial; most were allowed to expire in a few years, but the deportation law remains, even today. And their justification - that some or many immigrants were dangerous interlopers - has been invoked again and again. The rise of the Know Nothings, a nativist and populist movement of the 1840s and '50s, was spurred by the rise in German and Irish immigration, and by fears that the Catholic newcomers were loyal to a foreign entity - the pope - and incompatible with American values. People wave US flags after they became citizens during a naturalization ceremony in Miami 126 new citizens of the United States are sworn in at the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia IN 1939 'If you substitute 'Muslim' for 'Catholic,' they would sound very similar to what you hear today,' Lee said. In 1868, the US signed a treaty encouraging Chinese migration; 24 years later, the Chinese Exclusion Act turned away immigrants from what was even then the world's most populous nation. What had happened in between? The Chinese immigrants who had shouldered much of the work of building the West had come to be seen as a threat the 'Yellow Peril.' Fear and bigotry were intermixed. In 1917, Congress passed legislation requiring a literacy test for immigrants, though only after four presidential vetoes. 'They knew they couldn't say, "Keep out the Jews and the Italians," but that was the purpose', Ngai said. Three Finnish children write 'America' on a chalkboard in a class held for children of immigrants detained at Ellis Island in New York City in 1949 Students from Public School 3 in Jersey City, N.J., wave flags representing the nations of origin of immigrants who became U.S. citizens during a ceremony at Liberty State Park in Jersey City In 1921 and 1924, in the aftermath of World War I and the Red Scares that followed the Russian Revolution, the first quotas took effect, setting limits for immigration from countries that were seen as undesirable. There was to be little immigration from Africa, none from Asia or Arab countries, and the flow from southern and eastern Europe was curtailed. Jewish refugees from Europe were blocked during and after World War II first because of fears that they might be German sympathizers, then because of fears that they were Communists. 'History doesn't look too kindly on this, because we know how preposterous this was,' said Rebecca Kobrin, an assistant professor of history at Columbia. But for all Americans' suspicions of immigrants, said Maria Cristina Garcia, professor of American studies at Cornell University, there has been an appreciation of what they did. 'Since the early republic, Americans have recognized that immigrants are essential to nation-building: Immigrants farmed the prairies, worked in the factories, built the streets, canals and railroad tracks. They mined the ore, planted and harvested the crops, and provided basic services. Government and business actively recruited foreign labor to facilitate economic growth,' she said. A US Customs and Border Protection agent stands in a temporary tent facility, primarily to be used as a temporary holding site for children and family units who have entered the county illegally, is expected process up to 500 people a day Civilian refugees from occupied Europe arrive at Hoboken, NJ, during World War II in 1944. Jewish refugees from Europe were blocked during and after the war first because of fears that they might be German sympathizers or Communists As hard as it often was - and as much bigotry as immigrants endured - immigration became central to the American narrative. 'It's fundamental,' said William Thiesen, 37, a New Yorker visiting the city's Tenement Museum on Tuesday. 'I think being an American is being an immigrant. It's the American fabric. We're all immigrants.' Israel Zangwell, a British writer, dubbed America 'the Melting Pot' in his 1908 play of the same name. His Russian-Jewish immigrant hero proclaims: 'what is the glory of Rome and Jerusalem where all nations and races come to worship and look back, compared with the glory of America, where all races and nations come to labor and look forward!' More than 100 years later, despite some apprehensions of the moment, that feeling persists. 'America has been the dream for every educated young person,' said Sontu Barua, a government employee in the sprawling Indian city of Lucknow. 'It remains a land of opportunity.' More than 700,000 citizenship applications were filed from October 2015 to June 2016, about 25 percent more than the year before. The U.S. issued more than 10million visas in 2015. But the United States is far less inviting than it once was: The number of immigrants obtaining legal permanent resident status in 2010 was just over a million - almost precisely the same number as it was a hundred years earlier, when the population was less than a third of what it is now. American ambivalence is reflected in the Statue of Liberty. Emma Lazarus's 'The New Colossus,' with its siren call to 'your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore,' is inscribed on a tablet in the statue's base. Lady Liberty herself, a gift from France to commemorate the American and French revolutions, is not placed to welcome immigrants. 'She faces the city,' said Columbia's Ngai. 'She doesn't face the arrivals.' A One Nation candidate has posted and backed conspiracy theories about the September 11 terror attacks on his Facebook page. John Cox, who is running for Redcliffe in the upcoming Queensland election, questioned if footage from the 2001 terror attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people was legitimate on social media. Mr Cox shared a video called, 'Where is the plane that flew into the second tower on 9/11' from a conspiracy news page in December, Buzzfeed reports. One Nation's John Cox questioned the legitimacy of the 9/11 attacks on his Facebook (pictured) 'I wish the news was always neat and straight,' he wrote under it. Claiming to be a 'rare' news broadcast it allegedly shows the moment the second tower of the World Trade Centre exploded without a plane flying into it. The conspiracy theory claims the attacks were an actually an inside job and the plane flying into the building was added later digitally into news footage that was later broadcast. John Cox is One Nation's candidate in the upcoming Queensland election 'The oppressed need to wake up to the lies being told by the mainstream media and the attacks were 'pure murder by [the] American government,' was just one comment made on the video. Cox also shared a video that claims the crash of hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon was also faked. 'There is no evidence of a plane having crashed anywhere near the pentagon,' the reporter in the video says. 'The only pieces left that you can see are small enough that you could pick up in your hand there are no large tail sections, wing sections, a fuselage, nothing like that.' Cox agreed with the video's conspiracy theory that no plane crashed into the Pentagon. 'Honestly, where are the engines, where are the wheels, the fragments are so small you can pick them up in your hand, the world needs honesty,' Cox wrote. He is running in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane, against Labor Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath. President Donald Trump's doctor Harold Bornstein claims the president takes a medication which stimulates hair growth. The president's longtime physician revealed the information about the prostate-related drug and other medications he says Trump takes to The New York Times over several interviews. Trump, 70, reportedly takes a small dose of finasteride. The drug, sold as Propecia, lowers prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and is used for treating male-pattern hair loss, the newspaper explained. President Donald Trump's doctor Harold Bornstein claims the president takes a medication which stimulates hair growth. Trump is pictured in December 2016 Bornstein, the president's longtime physician, revealed the information about the prostate-related drug and other medications he says Trump takes to The New York Times Bornstein told the Times that he, too, takes the drug, saying it helped him keep his shoulder-length locks and helped Trump keep his own hair. The doctor said: 'He has all his hair. I have all my hair.' Finasteride was originally developed to treat urinary problems in men. Studies showed the drug made prostate glands smaller (relieving urinary problems) by reducing the levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone in participants. But during the clinical trials, scientists saw an unexpected side effect - hair growth. And so in 1997, the FDA approved the steroid inhibitor as the first ever drug to treat male pattern baldness. Trump also takes antibiotics for rosacea, a statin for elevated blood cholesterol and lipid levels, and a baby aspirin every day so as to lower heart attack risk, the report said. The news that Trump takes finasteride explains why his PSA (prostate specific antigen, produced for the cells by the prostate) is so low. Finasteride reduces PSA levels to reduce swelling of prostate glands. Men aged 60-69 normally have between 4.0 and 5.0ng/ml. That is higher than younger men since PSA and testosterone levels rise with age. The number may be lower than usual if a man has prostate cancer or inflammation, causing more PSA to seep into the bloodstream. Trump's PSA level was 0.15, Bornstein said in two letters he'd written about Trump's health. The first letter came out in December 2015, followed by the other letter in September 2016. The drug, sold as Propecia, lowers prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and is used for treating male-pattern hair loss. Trump is pictured on Tuesday in this photograph The level prompted urologists - who weren't linked to Trump - to say he had to have received care for an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer, according to the Times. Bornstein told the Times that the commander-in-chief hasn't had an enlarged prostate nor prostate cancer, and attributed Trump's PSA level to Propecia. The White House declined commenting on Bornstein's information and if the gastroenterologist remains the president's doctor, the newspaper wrote. A White House spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment from DailyMail.com. The weigh-in for the Anthony Mundine-Danny Green fight was a day of simmering tensions, but it was one of the fighter's fathers who stole the show by getting too close for comfort. Tony Mundine was seemingly trying to get a better look of Green's official weight on the scales when the 43-year old knocked the hat clear off his head while flexing his arms. Green's weight has been under the spotlight after he agreed to an 83kg limit for the catchweight fight seven kilograms lighter than his fighting average. Tony Mundine (back right) was seemingly trying to get a better look of Green's official weight on the scales when the 43-year old knocked the hat clear off his head while flexing his arms The weigh-in for the Anthony Mundine-Danny Green fight was a day of simmering tensions Green narrowly made the cut, tipping the scales at 82.9kg. 'This is just amazing, look at all the people here, that is what makes this fight so exciting,' Green said. 'Choc has got my supporters, I have got my supporters ... that is putting butterflies in my stomach, seeing so many people out here.' Mundine, who checked in at 79.6kg, said he was ready to repeat his 2006 win against Green in their only other fight. 'You should buy tickets or watch ... because this is the last time you are going to see The Man do his thing. 'I'm going to do what no-one thinks is possible, that is impossible by the experts. Mundine said he was ready to repeat his 2006 win against Green in their only other fight Green and Mundine face off during the official weigh in ahead of their Friday night bout at Adelaide Oval A female director has quit the board that runs the Seven Network as it prepares to release a report into the alleged sexual conduct of its married chief executive Tim Worner. Sheila McGregor was one of only two women on the Seven West Media board. The company confirmed the news on Thursday afternoon to the Australian Securities Exchange, after the share market had closed. 'The company thanks Ms McGregor for her service to the board and wishes her well for the future,' it said in a statement. Sheila McGregor (pictured) has quit the board of Seven West Media. She was one of two female directors Ms McGregor, a partner with the Gilbert and Tobin law firm, in June 2015 joined the Perth-based media company's 10-member board, which includes high-profile billionaire chairman Kerry Stokes, his son Ryan and former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett. She was a non-executive director. The corporate veteran and senior lawyer and another female director Michelle Deaker were reportedly dismayed about accusations from former personal assistant Amber Harrison about her 18-month affair with Mr Worner. Seven West Media chief executive Tim Worner (pictured) is being investigated by his company into allegations by a former personal assistant about his affairs with four other women In December, she alleged he had used cocaine and misused the corporate credit card, which Mr Worner has strongly denied to the Seven West Media board. She released a statement alleging the 55-year-old married father-of-four had been involved in an affair with her from 2012 to June 2014, before she was paid $150,000 to keep the romance private. The 37-year-old woman also alleged he had sexual relations with four other female colleagues, including two Seven Network personalities, which Mr Worner has also strongly disputed. Former Seven West Media personal assistant Amber Harrison (left) has accused Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner of several other extramarital affairs The allegations about Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner had caused an 8 per cent share price plunge That statement on December 19 caused Seven West Media's share price to tumble eight per cent, wiping $98 million from the its market capitalisation. Seven West Media released a statement three days before Christmas confirming it had appointed an independent panel to investigate his behaviour. 'The board of Seven West Media Limited takes allegations being published in relation to its CEO very seriously and has met on four occasions this week to consider the unfolding issues being raised,' it said. The media company also told the share market it was aware of Ms Harrison's relationship with Mr Worner two years ago. Ms McGregor is a former chairman and president of the Royal Women's Hospital Foundation board in Sydney and now sits of the board of the Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce. The United States and its coalition partners continue to make gains in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. Iraqi forces have cleared eastern Mosul and are focused on removing remaining fighters as other terrorists flee west to Badush, said Pentagon Spokesperson Navy Captain Jeff Davis. In an "indication of their desperation" to get to the ISIS-controlled area, terrorists are trying to drive their vehicles through a shallow area of the Tigris river, he said. ISIS had previously destroyed the bridges linking the two areas. The coalition carried out more than 50 airstrikes over the last week in Syria, supporting Syrian Democratic Forces in clearing nearly 30 square kilometers northwest of Raqqa. "The counter-[ISIS] coalition continues to lay tremendous pressure on extremist organizations in northern Syria," Davis said. The Syrian Democratic forces are clearing the areas of remaining pockets of ISIS terrorists and fortifying their own defenses. Since the operation to isolate the key city of Raqqa began November 5, the Syrian Democratic Forces have cleared more than 3,000 square kilometers and the coalition has conducted nearly 900 precision airstrikes. These airstrikes, said Spokesperson Davis, "have destroyed more than 100 [ISIS] vehicles, more than 300 fortifications, degrading ISIS's ability to maneuver and defend themselves and the occupied city from the advancing Syria Democratic Forces." The coalition continues to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to support its Turkish partners in the fight against ISIS around al-Bab in northwestern Syria. "Additionally, the coalition continues to conduct deliberate and dynamic strikes against ISIS targets of the vicinity of al-Bab," Davis said. Coalition aircraft have conducted about 20 strikes in the vicinity of al-Bab, destroying ISIS vehicles, fighting positons, indirect-fire systems, command-and-control nodes and vehicle bombs. "We'll continue to work with Turkey and our partner forces to maximize our efforts in degrading and defeating [ISIS]," Davis said, adding, "We continue to develop plans for greater coordination and support in the operations in and around al-Bab." Just a handful of close advisers were privy to President Donald Trump's heated first phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. But despite just a few of Trump's inner circle hearing the tense conversation, details of the two leaders' supposedly blazing row have spread from Washington to Canberra - rocking the Turnbull administration. The new President is said to have slammed Turnbull over a deal he agreed with Barack Obama which would have seen 1,250 refugees on Manus Island and Nauru shipped to the US. A furious Trump is reported to have accused the Australian leader of trying to export the 'next Boston bombers' directly to the United States. With no obvious whistleblower in the Oval Office during the telephone call on Sunday, some have suggested that one of Trump's own team may have leaked the conversation. President Trump (pictured speaking to Turnbull on the phone. Also pictured, Mike Flynn and Steve Bannon) is said to have slammed Turnbull over a deal he agreed with Barack Obama which would have seen 1,250 refugees on Manus Island and Nauru shipped to the US A furious Trump (right) is reported to have accused the Australian leader of trying to export the 'next Boston bombers' directly to the United States Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon (left), press secretary Sean Spicer (centre) and national security adviser Michael Flynn (right) Sources in Canberra told the Sydney Morning Herald that Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon may have briefed the Washington Post on the story. While this seems unlikely at first thought, the insiders believe leaking the story may show Trump is against the refugee deal - even if it has to go ahead. Under fire White House press secretary Sean Spicer and national security adviser Michael Flynn were also in the room as Trump and Turnbull supposedly engaged in a war of words. Some believe Trump may have been angered when Turnbull brought up the deal during their first call since his inauguration, which the new President may have expected to be a mere exchange of pleasantries. This may explain why he reportedly told the Australian prime minister that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' that day. Trump had earlier spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. On Thursday afternoon the newly-elected president took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for making the 'dumb deal' to take on 'thousands of illegal immigrants' Sources claimed President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull during the conversation Trump was reportedly 'boasting' about his pleasant call with Putin when he told Turnbull the refugee agreement he struck with the Obama administration was the 'worst deal ever'. Speaking about the 1,250 the US was supposed to be allowing into the country from Manus Island and Nauru, Trump is reported to have said: 'I don't want these people.' He is also said to have complained that he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on the resettlement agreement. Sky News sources claim President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull at points during the heated conversation. Senior US officials told the Washington Post that Donald Trump abruptly hung up on Mr Turnbull after just 25 minutes - when the pair were meant to speak for an hour. Donald Trump slammed Malcolm Turnbull over the proposed asylum seeker deal during their first official telephone conversation (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) What is the Australia-US refugee deal? The Obama administration and Turnbull government struck a deal to resettle some of the refugees being held offshore in Nauru and Manus Island in November last year The Australian government has a 'zero tolerance' policy towards illegal boat arrivals and only genuine refugees are sent to Nauru and Manus Island There are approximately 1,250 refugees being held in the Australian-funded offshore detention centres A large majority of those refugees come from Iran, Iraq and Somalia - all countries on US President Donald Trump's travel-ban President Trump reportedly agreed to honour the deal, on the condition the refugees would undergo 'extreme vetting' The US President reportedly described it as the 'worst deal ever' in a heated conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday Advertisement After Mr Turnbull apparently suggested they move on and talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria, President Trump ended the conversation. 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source,' CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted. Trump later tweeted that the deal was 'dumb' and said he would be taking a second look at it. The explosive report is a huge embarrassment for Turnbull, who has insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington are fine. 'It's better that these things - these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them,' the prime minister said. Ross Cameron, a former minister for Turnbull's Liberal Party, said the leaked call could spell the end of his premiership, adding: 'He's finished.' Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and former President Bill received loud cheers in Broadway Hillary and Bill Clinton stepped out together on Wednesday evening to enjoy Broadway's first a capella musical as their daughter Chelsea attended a gala nearby. The former secretary of state was met with loud cheers and gleeful chants as she and her husband took their seats in the audience for a performance of 'In Transit Broadway'. Their appearance Wednesday came hours after it was revealed that she's working on a collection of personal essays that will touch on the 2016 presidential campaign. In a video shared to social media, one woman could be heard screaming out 'we love you Hillary' when the couple entered the Circle in the Square Theatre. Moments later the entire audience erupted in a thunderous applause and loud cheers for the Democratic presidential candidate. As the former first lady got settled in her seat next to the former president, the crowd then started loudly chanting 'Hillary' while she smiled and waived back to the audience in appreciation of the support more than two months after she lost the 2016 presidential election. Scroll down for video Happy: Hillary and Bill Clinton (above) stepped out together on Wednesday evening to enjoy a Broadway musical performance of 'In Transit Broadway' in New York City The former President and Secretary of State met with the cast of the show backstage The couple paused to be photgraphed with the team behind the production, including (left to right) director Kathleen Marshall, Russ Kaplan, James-Allen Ford, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and Sara Wordsworth Happy: Hillary kept it casual in her clothing choice as she sported black pants with a brown heavy coat. However, the former first lady did carry a pricey Louis Vuitton burgundy colored leather handbag that has a starting price tag of around $6,000 Bill and Hillary Clinton were cheered as they took their seats at the theater to watch the hit musical Beaming: The Clintons were photographed all smiles outside of the Circle in the Square Theatre where the a cappella musical is performed, as they both appeared not to have a care in the world Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton smiled for pictures as she posed with cast members Gratitude: The ex-president tweeted a message to the cast and crew of the show on his and his wife's behalf and said they had both loved going backstage After the show ended, a photo (above) shared to the show's Twitter account featured her beaming with cast and crew members in a group shot alongside her husband The video clip shows that the audience continued to clap and chant her name all the way up until the show began. After the show ended, a photo shared to the show's Twitter account featured her beaming with cast and crew members in a group shot alongside her husband. The caption on the photo reads: ' We just had the most wonderful dream at @InTransitBway ... and @HillaryClinton was there...and @billclinton was there...' 'In Transit Broadway' actor Arbender Robinson also shared photos to social media showing the Clintons smiling, as he was pleased to see the couple attend the performance. He wrote: 'The Clinton's yes Hillary and Bill came out tonight for some In Transit fun. And to top it all off, we decided to just hang out, meet, greet and chat a bit. PRICELESS'. The Clintons were photographed all smiles outside of the Circle in the Square Theatre where the a cappella musical is performed, as they both appeared to have not a care in the world after the show ended. 'In Transit Broadway' actor Arbender Robinson also shared photos (above) to social media showing the Clintons smiling, as he was pleased to see the couple attend the performance Actor James Snyder shared the above snap to Twitter with Hillary and said the evening was 'amazing' Actor Telly Leung tweeted the above message after the political power couple attended Wednesday's performance Hillary kept it casual in her clothing choice as she sported black pants with a brown heavy coat. However, the former first lady did carry a pricey Louis Vuitton burgundy colored leather handbag that has a starting price tag of around $6,000. Her husband wore a navy blue blazer paired with grey trousers, as he also sported a white-collared shirt with a patterned tie. In keeping up with her famous parents, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was also spotted out in New York City on Wednesday night. Chelsea made an appearance at the Lincoln Center's American Songbook Gala at Alice Tully Hall. She posed for a photo with actor LL Cool J and the The Late Late Show host James Corden. Earlier on Wednesday, it was announced that her mother is working on a collection of personal essays that will touch on the 2016 presidential campaign, Simon & Schuster told The Associated Press. In keeping up with her famous parents, Chelsea Clinton was also spotted out in New York City on Wednesday night at the Lincoln Center's American Songbook Gala at Alice Tully Hall. She's pictured above with James Corden (left) and LL Cool J (right) The book, currently untitled, is scheduled for this fall and will be inspired by favorite quotations she has drawn upon. The former senator also will reissue her best-selling 'It Takes a Village' in an illustrated edition for young people. This spring, she is also set to return to her old stomping grounds at Wellesley College to give the commencement address. When Hillary graduated from the university in 1969, most of the Ivy League schools still only admitted men. Could have been her: Hillary Clinton is set to return to the speaking circuit, following her failed bid for president. She will be working with the same agency which earned her six-figure fees before (pictured above at one of the presidential debates) Clinton will also give the 2017 commencement address for her alma mater, Wellesley, this spring. She's pictured on the left giving the address back in 1992, and on the right graduating in 1969 Wellesley College was part of the 'Seven Sisters' - the women's-only schools that were associated with the Ivy Leagues, and therefore one of the best in the country. She will also resume her relationship with the Harry Walker Agency, the speakers bureau through which she made the paid talks that were criticized by Sen. Bernie Sanders and others during the election race. Although the fees for none of the items were disclosed, Hillary and her husband Bill made themselves multi-millionaires on the back of their previous speaking and writing contracts. Clinton has also has received near-record advances for her previous books. In 2003, Simon & Schuster paid her an $8million advance for her book Living History. On the speaking circuit, Clinton made about $200,000 to $225,000 per speech. Records show that she earned over $11million for the fifteen months ending in March 2015. She is also estimated to be worth $30milllion on her own, and $45 to $53million with her husband. Big plans: Theresa May is to force councils to build hundreds of thousands of new homes a year Theresa May is to force councils to build hundreds of thousands of new homes a year - and a new wave of flat-pack 'prefabs' will help Britons get on the property ladder, it was revealed today. The Prime Minister also plans to stop rich developers sitting on land and wants to redevelop inner-city areas as part of the biggest housing revolution since the 1960s. Controversially she will also tell councils that the Green Belt should not necessarily be protected if all brownfield land has already been developed. Mrs May will also dismiss restrictions on light, allowing householders and developers to built properties at the same as others in the block without getting planning permission, according to The Sun. The Government is unveiling a White Paper on housing stock next week, after Theresa May vowed to tackle the chronic shortage and soaring prices. Ministers are planning a new wave of prefabricated homes in a drive to solve Britain's housing crisis. The Prime Minister also plans to stop rich developers sitting on land and wants to redevelop inner-city areas as part of the biggest housing revolution since the 1960s More than 100,000 pre-packed 'modular' homes could be constructed as the Government looks at ways to meet its target to provide one million new homes by 2020. A Government white paper will include measures to encourage banks to lend to firms which construct the homes off-site before delivering them to their final destination. Ministers are planning a new wave of prefabricated homes in a drive to solve Britain's housing crisis. Pictured, a general view of the ZEDpod model The pre-made homes can be built off-side in as little as a day and take just 48 hours to install on-site. The initiative recalls the reconstruction drive which followed the Second World War as ready-made homes - dubbed 'prefabs' - sprung up across the country as the government sought to house families bombed out of their homes by the Germans. While the prefab nickname of the 1940s homes was often a byword for poor quality, improvements in technology mean that such concerns are no longer an issue. Developers are asking the Government to urgently review the amount of Green Belt land that is protected from home building. Legal & General, the financial services company which is also one of the countrys biggest housebuilders, called for a critical reassessment of the Green Belt. Its chief executive, Nigel Wilson, said one million new homes could be built if only 1 per cent of Green Belt land was released. The Green Belt has doubled in size in the last 20 years, it is four million acres now, Mr Wilson told the BBC. Weve got to have a much greater critical assessment on what is and what isnt Green Belt. Nobody wants to build on the Chilterns, or the Malverns or the beautiful parts of Britain, but there are lots of areas that have been designated Green Belt which are really brownfield sites and we absolutely have to build on more brownfield sites. Pre-fab houses sprung up across the country post World War Two, such as this one here pictured in Watford, as a demand for housing grew Separately, the L&Q housing association said Britain faced a choice: build on green fields or continue with a shortage. A centre-Right think-tank has echoed the demands for a radical review of the Green Belt. The Centre for Policy Studies said only 200 homes were built on public land between 2011 and 2015 but that nearly 110,000 should have been put on the same parcels of land. The Government is unveiling a White Paper on housing stock next week, after Theresa May vowed to tackle the chronic shortage and soaring prices. Ahead of its release, the think-tank published its own report, urging ministers to make dramatic reforms. Authors Keith Boyfield and Daniel Greenberg said: Without radical action, the Government will not achieve its target to build one million new homes by 2020. Voters considered housing to be one of the top five issues facing the country and will not look kindly on a Government which fails to meet its housing targets, they warned. The economy already suffers as a result of inadequate housing stocks high house prices distort the labour market, forcing working people to waste fruitless and uncomfortable hours commuting. House price growth got off to a steady start in 2017 but the outlook remains 'clouded', according to an index. Plea: Developers want to build on the Green Belt and Mrs May could agree in circumstances where all brownfield sites are used up Property values edged up by 0.2% month-on-month in January, following an 0.8% increase in December, Nationwide Building Society said. The annual pace of price growth also slowed, with a 4.3% rise in January, compared with 4.5% in December. The year-on-year increase was the slowest in 14 months. The average UK house price stood at 205,240 in January. Robert Gardner, chief economist at Nationwide, said annual price growth had remained 'broadly stable at the start of 2017'. But he said: 'The outlook for the housing market remains clouded, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding economic prospects more broadly. 'On the one hand, there are grounds for optimism. The economy has remained far stronger than expected in the wake of the Brexit vote. 'Recent data indicates that the economy didn't slow in the second half of 2016 and the unemployment rate remained stable at an 11-year low in the three months to November.' Advertisement A 16-year-old boy has been charged after he allegedly stabbed a teacher and two Year 11 students during roll call at a school in Sydney's west on the third day back from holidays. The teenager, who has not been identified, was charged on Thursday afternoon with cause wounding with intent to murder and two counts of wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, according to police. He has been refused bail and is expected to appear in children's court on Friday. It comes as the mother of a teenage girl stabbed by the attacker said she was 'shaking' with fear after hearing the news, according to the Daily Telegraph. The mother said: 'When I heard the news this morning about my daughter I was shaking, crying and most of all worried about my daughter.' Scroll down for video A 16-year-old boy has been charged after he allegedly stabbed a teacher and two Year 11 students during roll call at Sydney's Bonnyrigg High School on Thursday morning A teenage boy, 16, (pictured) was treated on the scene by paramedics for stab wounds to his chest before being loaded into an ambulance and transported to hospital A meat cleaver, scissors and utility blade were found in an Aldi car park where the alleged teen attacker was later arrested Police were called to Bonnyrigg High School at 8.45am on Thursday after 'well liked' teacher Carolyn Cox, 48, and a male and female student, aged 16 and 15, were attacked in a science classroom. Another student, who was sitting in the room said there was no indication the 16-year-old boy was going to harm the trio before he allegedly pulled out the knives after turning up late to class. 'He just walked in and stabbed them, then walked out,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. Shocking photos from the scene show a utility blade, a meat cleaver, a carving knife and scissors discarded in the car park outside the school next to a black Adidas backpack. The backpack reportedly contained two screwdrivers and police are yet to confirm which weapon was used in the attack. The alleged teen attacker was handcuffed and escorted to the station by police after he was arrested in a Aldi car park near the school, shouting: 'I didn't kill anyone. You have to tell my brother'. According the the president of the Bonnyrigg High School P&C, the teenager was a 'normal' kid who had never been in any trouble. Science teacher Carolyn Cox, 48, (pictured) was taken to hospital with stab wounds to her upper back. She is in a stable condition in hospital Students took Snapchats of the scene after leaving their classrooms. The classroom where the stabbing took place is pictured being searched by police Howard Chen emerged from a meeting with the school's principal on Thursday afternoon and said teachers were shocked by the brutal incident. 'He's like normal until Year 11 and suddenly this,' Mr Chen told Daily Mail Australia, describing the boy as being 'fine, all fine...This was a surprise.' He said the principal Michael Bryce had told him teachers 'never have trouble' with the teenager, who, Mr Chen said, has twin brothers at the school. Mr Chen said something must have changed 'just overnight, suddenly' for the boy, who had just returned for the first term of Year 11 when the incident allegedly happened. The black Adidas back pack was lying in the car park next to a huge meat cleaver, a utility blade and an empty water bottle A 15-year-old female student was stabbed in the shoulder in the terrifying attack and is in a stable condition in hospital According to a student, Ms Cox allegedly tried to stop the 16-year-old from attacking the others, but 'got caught in the crossfire' Photos show a handcuffed student being escorted out of the school by police to a waiting police car Two massive knives and a black backpack were discarded in the car park following the alleged attack on students Police were called to Bonnyrigg High School at 9.15am on Thursday and a student was arrested at the scene Forensic detectives were seen handling the weapons at in the car park including the meat cleaver (pictured) A forensic investigator is seen inspecting the meat cleaver found in the car park The area was sectioned off as police investigated the stabbing Science teacher Carolyn Cox, 48, (pictured) suffered stab wounds to her back after allegedly trying to stop the 16-year-old attacking the others The girl, 15, was stabbed in the shoulder and the male student, 16, suffered stab wounds to his chest and are both stable. There were at least four ambulances on the scene to help treat the victims. The 16-year-old alleged attacker was chased by police to a nearby Aldi supermarket and pictures show him being walked back to the car park with a number of detectives. At one point a police officer drew his taser, but officers managed to arrest the teen before it was used. A student, who was in the adjoining classroom at the time, told Daily Mail Australia the 16-year-old allegedly 'just lost it'. She said Ms Cox allegedly tried to stop the student from attacking the others, but 'got caught in the crossfire'. Another student shared a picture to Snapchat of police cordoning off the classroom where the stabbing took place. It is unknown how many students were in the room at the time and witnessed the attack. Just after 11.30am, Superintendent Peter Lennon addressed the media and said while police had seized three knives from outside, they could find more weapons in the classroom once the crime scene is opened. He said the incident was not terror related and the teenager, who lives locally, is not known to NSW police. 'This comes as a surprise to everybody,' he said. The 16-year-old boy suffered stab wounds to his shoulder after another student 'just lost it' According to Howard Chen (pictured), the president of the Bonnyrigg High School P&C, the teenager was a 'normal' kid who had never been in any trouble A carving knife was also on the pavement near the back pack as the teenager was arrested A forensic investigator picked up the huge knife while examining the scene on Thursday afternoon A teenager was arrested outside an Aldi supermarket (pictured) next to the school and a number of people were seen milling outside hours after the attack Students are seen outside at Bonnyrigg high school on Thursday Detectives placed a blue sheet on the ground in the car park underneath the Adidas backpack to examine the scene Officers are seen standing near evidence in the Aldi car park After the attack, students shared footage to Snapchat from inside their classrooms of paramedics arriving on scene with stretchers. An Ambulance NSW spokesman said the two Year 11 patients were treated at the high school before being taken to hospital in a stable condition. Ms Cox's injuries are also not life-threatening and she is recovering at Westmead Hospital after being stabbed in the upper back. Just before 10am, the school confirmed lockdown was over and classes has returned to normal. A number of terrified parents rushed to the school to take their children home early after being told of the incident. Mr Chen was glowing in his praise of Bonnyrigg High - saying he had a boy in the same year as the accused attacker and another son who had graduated and was studying at Macquarie University. 'It is the best school,' he said. Students recalled scenes of panic as alarms went off and bells rung early this morning. 'It was crazy,' one said. Officers are investigating the scene and the Department of Education is setting up welfare services for students. The girl, 15, and boy, 16, were both stabbed in the shoulder and there were at least four ambulances on the scene Gloved officers held pens and notebooks as they searched the scene for hours after the attack on Thursday The carving knife laid in the car park a few metres away from the back pack and meat cleaver Just before 10am, the school confirmed lockdown was over and classes has returned to normal Passerbys were told to remain outside the school gates as the ambulance pulled in on Thursday morning There were at least four ambulances in the car park of the school before 10am on Thursday Bonnyrigg High School is located in Sydney's west and provides placement for selective and international students, according to its website Police in Italy have released chilling CCTV footage of a shop assistant being tied up and assaulted in a dramatic jewellery store robbery. The video captures the moment two attackers, thought to be Serbian nationals aged 29 and 30, ransack the store safe while the petrified employee is gagged and restrained on the floor. The dramatic heist took place at the Eleuteri Jewellers in Milan where police are said to have identified one of the assailants who left finger prints at the scene. Two men posing as tourists raided the Eleuteri Jewellery store in an upmarket shopping precinct in Milan, assaulting the female shop assistant before tying her up and raiding the safe CCTV footage shows the robbers, thought to be Serbian nationals aged 29 and 30, ransacking the safe while the petrified employee writhes on the floor with her mouth gagged and her hands and feet tied What initially seems like a normal transaction takes a horrible turn when a man, posing as a tourist, follows the shop worker into the back room before grabbing her by the throat and forcing her to the ground. The petrified employee scrambles on the floor while the attacker shuts the door behind him to shield the attack from passers by. After gagging and restraining the shop assistant he is then joined by an accomplice wearing dark sunglasses who empties large amounts of jewellery into his bag. While one is ransacking the safe the other robber is seen tying the feet of the store worker who writhes on the floor in fear. After the first attacker assaults the shop assistant, a second enters the store wearing dark sunglasses and a flat cap. He then proceeds to empty the contents of the safe into his bag Police have identified one of the assailants by fingers prints left at the scene. Both men remain at large although the amount stolen has yet to be released What initially seems like a normal customer request soon turns horrifying when the attacker viciously throttles the scared shop assistant and wrestlers her to the floor, gagging her mouth While the footage cuts out, the attackers are said to have made their escape and remain at large. As yet police are yet to release the amount stolen, although it is believed to amount to thousands. Italian police have said they believe a third man was also involved in the heist. He is believed to have posed as an inspector some days prior to the robbery to 'case' the store. While one attacker raids the safe the second sits on top of the shop worker tying her feet and preventing her escape A controversial TV preacher branded a 'heretic' by critics took her place at the President's right hand during a White House strategy meeting yesterday. Evangelist Paula White has been a key ally to the new President and was a strong supporter in his election campaign. She heads a group of evangelical leaders which will provide feedback to the President during his administration. Scroll down for video Donald Trump helps evangelist Paula White take her seat at the meeting in the Roosevelt Room at the White House The President posted a picture of himself and his inner circle praying after he announced his nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court She sat to the President's right as key Trump supporters discussed the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in the Roosevelt Room. When she was introduced to the group gathered around the table, who also included Wayne LaPierre, CEO of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Trump said: 'Thank you Paula, and thank you for your help during the campaign.' Trump and White have been friends for 15 years, after he called into a Christian TV station where he had seen her preach to voice his admiration. Addressing White, his friend of 15 years, Trump said: 'Thank you for your help during the campaign'. To his left is Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA Yesterday the President posted a picture of himself and his inner circle praying. He wrote alongside the image: 'Moment of prayer last night after my nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for #SCOTUS. It was an honor having Maureen and Fr. Scalia join us.' The Republican was heavily supported by evangelists, buoyed by campaign pledges such as the withdrawal of funding to Planned Parenthood, and received an estimated 80 per cent of the evangelical vote. White (left) will give the President regular feedback, leading a group of religious leaders to discuss the administration's actions It is expected that key religious allies such as White and fellow televangelist James Robison will have close access to the President during his administration. Trump supporter Jerry Falwell Jr, president of the Virginia-based Liberty University, a non-profit Christian institute, told the Washington Post: 'I think Trump is more one of us. Hes not an elitist. 'He doesnt look down his nose at evangelicals and Christians and conservatives. Im very shocked by how accessible he is to so many. He answers his cellphone any time of the day or night.' Donald Trump led discussions in the White House meeting about the Supreme Court nomination White leads an evangelical advisory board with other religious leaders, which is set to meet weekly and offer feedback to the President, the New York Times reports. She said last month, before the inauguration: 'I know that President-elect Trump has a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Weve had in-depth conversations about God.' Similar meetings were held during Trump's campaign. The appointment of conservative Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court position which has been empty since the death of Antonin Scalia in February last year. Trump had promised a right-wing appointment in Scalia's mould, and Christianity Today reported that 70 per cent of white evangelical voters said the Supreme Court appointment was a top election concern. Qasim Shah is alleged to be the man who set fire to his home in Walthamstow, east London A man has been arrested after four police officers were sprayed with a flammable liquid as they tried to force their way into a burning building. Officers were attending a call at a house in Walthamstow, east London, when a man armed with a knife and a bottle of the liquid attacked them. A taser was discharged and the man was arrested and taken into custody. Four officers were treated for smoke inhalation at hospital, but were later discharged. It is understood they escaped the building without the accelerant igniting. The man has been named locally as former gym owner Qasim Shah, although this has not been confirmed by the Metropolitan Police. According to a woman claiming to be his sister Hamera, Mr Shah had been struggling with alcoholism. She said: 'He has been on and off alcohol for six years, but had been alcohol-free for 15 months. 'It was just a bit at first, but then it spiraled out of control.' Concerned about his well being, Hamera said she asked police to check in on her brother earlier today. When she arrived at the house with four officers she claimed Mr Shah told her to leave. Officers were attending a call at this property when a man armed with a knife and a bottle of the flammable liquid attacked them (left, an officer stands outside the home and right, a the debris inside) She said: 'He was slurring, saying 'Go away!' and 'You've bought the police haven't you?' Hamera said she tried to assure her brother that the police were just there to check on his well-being. She said: 'While we were trying, we started to notice flickering inside the house, like an orange light. Pictured, Qasim Shah who has been battling alcoholism, according to a woman claiming to be his sister 'I asked the police officer what it was and he said it must be a broken lightbulb. Then I looked through and saw this fire in front of him as he stood in the hallway. 'I told the police: 'Break the door down! Officers smashed the door down and black smoke poured out of the door.' She added: 'I couldn't see anything my brother was holding. There was pitch black smoke, but I saw two taser guns lifted at me and I shouted at them not to use them. 'I saw him collapse as these two tasers were on him and I was screaming at them. 'They just kept saying he had something in his hands.' Hamera said she was angry with the police for dragging her brother out of the house 'like an animal.' She added: 'I am angry at them for saying 'with intent'. 'He is an alcoholic, he had been drinking and was just scared. 'They should not have been so heavy handed when they knew he was vulnerable.' Hamera, who claims to be Mr Shah's sister, said that her brother was treated 'like a dog' by police as he was dragged out his house in Walthamstow, east London (pictured) A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Officers attended and attempted to speak to the man. However, through a window they noticed that a fire had been started inside the address. 'Police forced entry to the property and found the man in possession of a knife and a bottle of accelerant - the man proceeded to squirt the liquid at officers. 'The man refused to comply with officers' instructions and a Taser was discharged.' 'The suspect was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent and grievous bodily harm with intent and taken to hospital. 'He was later transferred to an east London police station for questioning in custody. ' Inspector Jonathan Hinder, of Waltham Forest Police, said: 'These officers showed great bravery to force entry into this property and bring a dangerous situation to a quick and successful conclusion. 'Without their swift actions, this incident could have had far more serious consequences and it once again demonstrates the dangers officers face as they carry out their daily duties.' The mother of a Gold Coast woman who was brutally murdered by the man she had a restraining order out against has called for a complete overhaul of the system, claiming restraining orders are nothing but a piece of paper. Bonnie Markwell Mobbs' daughter Shelsea Schilling, 20, was fatally bashed and suffocated by her ex-partner 'Lizard Man' Bronson Ellery, 24, in Southport last November. 'Pieces of paper do absolutely nothing. It's not a wall, it's not a barrier it's a piece of paper,' Ms Markwell Mobbs said. Bonnie Markwell Mobbs' daughter Shelsea Schillings, 20, (left) was fatally bashed and suffocated by her ex-partner Lizard Man Bronson Ellery, 24, (right) Bonnie Markwell Mobbs has campaigned for change on her Facebook page this week 'How many deaths before the laws are changed.' The heartbroken mother has pleaded for stricter bail conditions for domestic violence perpetrators. 'I think that it would be a good idea to have an anklet on the perpetrators and a bracelet for the victims,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'And an alarm will go off at the police station to notify them if these bast**** are way too close to the victims so the police can get them before the perpetrator gets the victims.' Mr Ellery (right) killed himself straight after killing Ms Schilling (left) in his Gold Coast apartment Mr Ellery was dubbed the Lizard Man by the police because of his extensive tattoos Bonnie Markwell Mobbs (pictured) is calling for an overhaul of the system after her daughter was murdered in November last year Ms Markwell Mobbs called for immediate action to be taken to prevent more innocent lives from being taken. 'Something needs to be done immediately before there are more deaths,' she said. Ms Markwell Mobbs' daughter was killed just two weeks before her 21st birthday, and one year after she had taken out a restraining order against her killer, Bronson Ellery. Mr Ellery breached the order in November 2015, one month after it was issued. He was sentenced to three months in jail for the breach and released in January 2016. Mr Ellery killed himself directly after he killed Ms Schilling in his Gold Coast apartment. Ms Schilling (left) was murdered by her ex-partner one year after she took a domestic violence order out against him Following public outcry in Queensland, Liberal National Party leader Tim Nicholls said he will introduce a bill to make it harder for domestic violence offenders to get bail. Currently the onus is on police to prove an offender should remain in custody, but he wants it changed so that offenders must instead prove they deserve bail. In response, the Labor government has announced it will look at possibly reversing the onus of proof. Domestic violence laws were again thrust into the spotlight when Gold Coast mother-of-four Teresa Bradford was stabbed to death by her estranged husband David in front of their children before he killed himself. Teresa was the fifth woman allegedly killed by her partner on the Gold Coast in the past 16 months. Teresa Bradford was stabbed to death by her estranged husband David in front of their children before he killed himself Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was 'an extremely complex case' and there were a lot of facts to consider. 'Some issues have been raised in the media, and there may be some other issues that haven't yet been fully examined,' she told reporters in Gladstone. 'We need to let the police undertake their investigation and we will have a look at the findings of that.' But Mr Nichols said immediate action needed to be taken. 'Frankly we're not prepared to wait anymore. We're not going to wait for yet another review and yes, another report,' he said. A Zimbabwean woman gave birth to a 'frog-like creature' - before being ordered to burn its corpse in front of horrified villagers. Precious Nyathi, from the village of Gokwe, in the north west of the country, was eight months pregnant when she went into labour. But her husband, Mr Nomore, was left baffled when the 36-year-old gave birth to 'something strange' which resembled an amphibious creature. Precious Nyathi (left) gave birth to a bizarre 'frog-like creature' (right) - before being ordered to burn its corpse in front of horrified villagers The baby later died in hospital before village elders ordered that the 'frog-like creature' be burnt in front of residents. Nomore, 39, is quoted as saying: 'I rushed home and was shocked to see a frog that my wife had delivered. At the hospital they confirmed she went into labour but were equally shocked.' Despite receiving medical attention, the baby later died at Gokwe District Hospital, according to local news website, The Herald. Shocking pictures show the tiny body lying on a piece of paper on the ground. Mrs Nyathi later told reporters: 'I was expecting a child and this is what the heavens gave us. It's a hellish experience that will haunt me all my life.' Local reports claim community leaders eventually ordered that the 'frog-like creature' be burnt The distraught couple took their baby home because they wanted to seek advice from 'village elders as well as out local chief'. The Herald reports that community leaders eventually ordered that the 'frog-like creature' be burnt. The hospital confirmed the birth, with a spokesman adding: 'She was our patient who would come for routine reviews together with other pregnant women. We were shocked when she visited the hospital in the company of her husband and some neighbours saying she had delivered a frog'. So far there has been no medical explanation for the unusual birth. Village chief Njelele said hospital authorities were unable to explain what had happened. Advertisement Fascinating mugshots from 1890 have emerged of prisoners at Wormword Scrubs holding up their to hands to show off any tattoos or missing fingers. A page from an album of criminal register photographs show convicts at the London jail displaying their identifying features. The prints are mounted on paper with handwritten annotations in ink, from a series of 48 individual portraits believed to be part of a larger series. These portraits are unusual compared with the standard of prison photography at the time, in that they combine the profile and frontal portrait in one photograph. A mirror placed on their right shoulder captures their profile. The use of photography to record known criminals - the 'mug shot'- had been in evidence as early as the 1840s. In 1871, the Prevention of Crimes Act made it a legal requirement that all persons arrested for a crime must have their photographs taken. Wormwood Scrubs is a Victorian-built 'local' prison, Category B which now holds up to 1,279 men in the early stages of custody remanded from local Magistrates and Crown Courts. Fascinating mugshots from 1890 have emerged of prisoners at Wormword Scrubs holding up their to hands to show off any tattoos or missing fingers A page from an album of criminal register photographs show convicts at the London jail displaying their identifying features The prints are mounted on paper with handwritten annotations in ink, from a series of 48 individual portraits believed to be part of a larger series These portraits are unusual compared with the standard of prison photography at the time, in that they combine the profile and frontal portrait in one photograph The use of photography to record known criminals - the 'mug shot'- had been in evidence as early as the 1840s After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger. Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose. Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance Simon Harbottle, 74, was forced to demolish his bungalow near Compton Abdale in Gloucestershire An elderly cancer victim has been forced to demolish his home and is facing a 20,000 fine after converting a stable block without planning permission. Simon Harbottle, 74, was given the green to light to build the barn but decided to make it into a bungalow after being struck down with prostate cancer. He applied for retrospective planning permission for a residential dwelling on the site near Compton Abdale in from Gloucestershire, but this was refused and he was ordered to knock it down. Mr Harbottle has now complied with the order and is living in rented accommodation nearby. However, he is facing a maximum 20,000 fine next month when he is sentenced in court for breaching planning rules in the historic Cotswolds. He said: 'It's left me with a feeling of complete disappointment with the planning system. 'They just didn't take any credence of the fact that I developed prostate cancer. There was no compassion whatsoever. 'It's a shame because the planners seem to think we the public are there for their benefit when it should be the other way round.' Father-of-five Mr Harbottle owns the plot of land which has been a brownfield site since the 1920s. He was given permission to build a stable and two garages but instead, developed it into a single-level property during his cancer treatment in 2009 and 2010. By then his children had moved out and in a bid to slash his expenses he decided to convert the stables into a bungalow - which is a quarter of the size. Cotswold District Council served him with an enforcement notice to demolish the house but in November last year he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with it. Mr Harbottle had permission to build a stable but decided to make it into a bungalow after being struck down with prostate cancer He applied for retrospective planning permission for a residential dwelling on the site but it was refused and he was ordered to knock it down Mr Harbottle said he regrets not adhering to the correct planning rules but he was focused on his recovery from prostate cancer at the time of the build Sentencing was adjourned until December 19 to allow him time to comply with the notice and this was later extended by a court to until 31 January 2017. Mr Harbottle, who is currently living in rented accommodation in Cheltenham, has now complied with the order and razed his property to the ground. However, the unrepentant council says Mr Harbottle only has himself to blame. A spokesman said: 'It is not a question of Mr Harbottle having his bungalow demolished as instructed by the council. He should never have built it in the first place. Mr Harbottle has slammed Cotswold District Council and said planning officers had no 'compassion' for his cancel fight Despite demolishing his property, the pensioner is still facing a 20,000 fine from the council 'Because he did so without planning permission, the council found that it was expedient to serve him with an enforcement notice. 'He failed to comply with that within the time limit and that is an offence. 'Clearly if the court is satisfied that there has been full compliance with the notice this will count as a mitigating factor which could be taken into account when passing sentence.' Councillor Sue Jepson, the authority's cabinet member for planning and housing, said Mr Harbottle had 'paid the price for choosing to ignore the rules'. 'This sounds rather drastic, but we need to preserve the integrity of the planning system,' she added. An eight-year-old has been forced to stay indoors all his life because he terrifies other children and suffers from horrific pain if he touches anything due to a rare condition. Mehendi Hassan, a Bangladeshi boy, has been shunned by the society because of the acute skin disease that is effectively turning him to stone. While his face looks normal, the rest of his body is covered in thick, scaly skin making it difficult to walk or touch anything. His community, and even his grandmother, detest him according to Mehendi's mother, who is calling on the government to diagnose and cure the condition that has robbed her son of his childhood. Mehendi Hassan's body is covered in thick, scaly skin, which has led has people to shun him The eight-year-old struggles to even wear clothes because the slightest friction causes him excruciating pain The eight-year-old struggles to wear clothes as even slightest of friction to his skin is excruciating and stays at home all day because his appearance terrifies other children in the village. His mother Jahanara Begum said: 'Other children detest him. 'People find him filthy because of his condition. 'He has been home for eight years because whenever he goes out, villagers get scared and say bad things to him. 'Everyone hates him, no one likes to see him or eat in front of him. 'Not even my mother-in-law. I beg government to help my child. 'It upsets him so I keep him at home. 'He always cries out in pain. It is devastating to see him suffering.' Mehendi is Jahanara's third child and was born a healthy seven pounds in the village of Dona Raninagar in Naogaon district of north Bangladesh. When he was 12 days old his mother - a brick kiln labourer - and father Abul Kalam Azad, a van driver, noticed minor rashes in his body. The condition has so far gone undiagnosed They ignored it thinking it was mosquito bites, but soon the rash spread from his heel to abdomen and within three months and his fingers, chest and back began to get covered in thick, scaly skin. The concerned parents consulted various local doctors, trying all forms of medicines to heal their son, but nothing could control the outbreak. Frustrated and broke, they eventually stopped his treatment. Abul Kalam Azad said: 'No doctor could diagnose the disease. 'They all say he suffers from a rare skin disease but no one has been able to cure him. I have no money left. 'Whatever little I could earn from driving a van, I spent it on his treatment. 'Whenever I could save a little, say 10, I would take him to doctors. 'Eventually, all my savings and earnings were exhausted on his treatment but there was no cure. 'Frustrated, I stopped taking him to doctors. 'For last year he has not seen any doctor.' Physicians believe Mehendi's case is severe, but are still clueless as what the condition is, what caused it and if it can be cured. Pediatrician Dr Mohammad Emdadul Haque said: 'He was brought to us for treatment. The patient is suffering from a rare kind of skin disease. 'We do not receive such cases normally. 'It is hard to say what he is suffering from. We have referred him to advanced skin specialists. ' Mehendi has been kept away from social situations and has even his own grandmother hates him With no treatment and growing bizarre condition, Hassan is forced to live as a pariah in his village as no one likes to even 'glance at him'. He does not play or study at schools because teachers turned him away as his appearance terrified pupils. Jahanara said: 'I had enrolled him to a school but there he was beaten up by other children. 'One day he came home crying and saying he was assaulted in school. 'I requested his teachers to please pay attention to him and see no one beats him up but the teachers said they were unable to discipline other kids and that his presence was affecting studies of other children. 'Even at Madrasa, the teachers would talk to him from a distance and never let him eat with other children saying he stinks. 'He has no friends and he does not go out. 'To see him live alone is devastating. 'He cries and says why he is suffering. 'I always tell him Allah has made him different and with his will, he will also be able to study and live a normal, healthy life.' Mehendi Hassan with his mother and father Jahanara and Abul Kalam Azad, who are calling on the government to step in to help their son The mother is now pleading government to help her son find a doctor who can treat him and free him from the pain. 'I beg government to please come forward and help me with his treatment so that he too can live as a normal human,' she said. 'I have been struggling a lot raising him up. 'Seeing him in pain is unbearable.' A transgender teenager is suing his former school for refusing to let him wear a boy's uniform. The 16-year-old, who was born a girl but is transitioning to become a boy, is taking legal action against Hereford Cathedral School. He says teachers told him it was just a 'phase' he was going through and said he was 'attention seeking'. The boy, who has asked not to be named, said it makes him uncomfortable to be addressed as a girl or wear girl's clothes. His mother is backing the legal case, which is being brought in a civil court under the 2010 Equality Act. She told the BBC: 'They didn't really take it seriously... They made my child out to be a freak and someone who would contaminate other students.' The mother removed her son from the school over the issue, saying it could not meet his needs. She said it was like a 'bereavement' to 'lose her daughter' but she accepted it and the family's GP supported his transition. The BBC reported that the school claims the boy was removed from the school before they made a decision on the issue. Hereford Cathedral School is fighting the legal claim, reportedly saying that the boy was removed from the school before they had a chance to deal with the issue The school said in a statement: 'The continued happiness, well-being and safety of our pupils is the top priority. 'The family's grievances against the school are the subject of current legal proceedings. For that reason the school is unable to discuss any details relating to this matter at the present time, other than to state that it will defend its position in the proceedings.' It follows a similar case of Lily Madigan, who was born a boy but wanted to wear girl's school uniform. She hired a solicitor to write to St Simon Stock Catholic School in Maidstone, Kent, after she was sent home for arriving in girl's uniform. In that case, the school backed down and told Lily she can wear the uniform and use the girls' toilets and changing rooms. Donald Trump's presidency is barely two weeks old, but already his relationship with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears to be on the rocks. Trump is said to have slammed Turnbull over a deal agreed with Barack Obama that would see 1,250 refugees from Manus Island and Nauru sent to the US. The President reportedly claimed the prime minister was trying to export the 'next Boston bombers' and is said to have hung up on Turnbull mid-conversation. The rift shows that cracks are forming in the US and Australia's traditionally strong alliance - but the two countries have not always shared a rosy relationship. While John Howard and George W. Bush shared a cosy friendship and Turnbull and Barack Obama took their fair share of selfies, other American and Australian leaders openly hated each other. Richard Nixon said Gough Whitlam was a 's***' after years of opposition to the Vietnam war, while John Gorton and Lyndon Johnson's relationship was awkward and strained. So how does Trump and Turnbull's difficult start compare to former US presidents and Australian prime ministers? Scroll down for video Donald Trump's presidency is barely two weeks old, but already his relationship with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears to be on the rocks Trump is said to have slammed Turnbull over a deal agreed with Barack Obama that would see 1,250 refugees from Manus Island and Nauru sent to the US Malcolm Turnbull (2015 - ) and Barack Obama Turnbull has already found himself at odds with President Trump, but his relationship with Barack Obama was far smoother. Turnbull praised Obama the day after Trump won last year's presidential election, saying the Australia-US alliance was 'stronger than ever'. He took a selfie with Obama to mark the 'great but sad moment' - something he has been mocked for following his reported row with Trump. The pair agreed the deal to resettle 1,250 refugees currently held on Manus Island and Nauru, but this agreement could yet be derailed by Trump. They also worked hard to secure the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which has already been called off by Trump. Obama and Turnbull appeared to be good friends and the president even seemed to invited the prime minister to the White House on a whim just moments before a press conference in 2015, catching the Australian leader off guard. The Oval Office meeting went ahead the next year. Turnbull praised Obama the day after Trump won last year's presidential election, saying the Australia-US alliance was 'stronger than ever' Tony Abbott (2013 - 2015) and Barack Obama Tony Abbott and Obama shared a cordial relationship in public, but clashed behind closed doors over the former president's climate change policy. Abbott challenged Obama at the G20 summit in Brisbane in 2014, refusing to pledge that Australia would meet targets on emissions. The pair otherwise got along well and Obama thanked Abbott after he lost a leadership challenge to Malcolm Turnbull. Obama, who invited Abbott to visit him at the White House in 2014, thanked him for leading international efforts to fight ISIS. Another military agreement between the two counties during Abbott's premiership saw him allow more American troops operate out of the Northern Territory. Tony Abbott and Obama shared a cordial relationship in public, but clashed behind closed doors over the former president's climate change policy Kevin Rudd (2007 - 2010 and June 2013 - September 2013) and Barack Obama and George W. Bush Kevin Rudd's relationship with George W. Bush could not have got off to a worse start Kevin Rudd had the pleasure of dealing with two very different presidents during his two terms as prime minister. His relationship with his first US counterpart, George W. Bush, could not have got off to a worse start. After a conversation with Bush about the financial crisis in 2008, Rudd was reported as joking that the president did not know what the G20 was. The gaffe was said to lead to Rudd receiving a frosty welcome when he visited the White House for the G20 summit in Washington later that year. There was also tension between the pair when Rudd announced that he would be withdrawing hundreds of Australian troops from Afghanistan. Rudd's relationship with Obama was far warmer and the president went as far as saying that the prime minister was the world leader he was closest to, describing him as 'smart and humble'. Rudd was invited to the White House in 2009 and Obama phoned him after he lost a leadership battle to Julie Gillard to offer his support with any future political plans. Pals: Rudd's relationship with Obama was far warmer and the president described him as 'smart and humble' Julia Gillard (2010 - 2013) and Barack Obama Julia Gillard and Obama's relationship was perhaps more professional than friendly. On her first day as prime minister, she committed to Australia continuing its war efforts in Afghanistan. The military was was a large part of their relationship, with the prime minister travelling to Hawaii to mark the 60th anniversary of the ANZUS Alliance. She travelled to the US three times during her term of office, addressing the US Congress in 2011. Emails from Hillary Clinton's controversial private email server last year revealed Gillard's desperation for Obama to visit Australia in an apparent attempt to boost her poll ratings. Obama eventually did visit in November 2011, after a previously planned tour was cancelled in 2010. Julia Gillard and Obama's relationship was perhaps more professional than friendly John Howard (1996 - 2007) and George W. Bush and Bill Clinton Howard (left) had a particularly good working relationship with Bush (right) John Howard welcomed Bill Clinton to Australia in 1996, taking him for a tour of Sydney and inviting him to address parliament. Clinton backed Howard's call for an international peacekeeping force in East Timor in 1999 after unrest saw 1,000 people killed, sparking outrage in Australia and overseas. Howard had a particularly good working relationship with Bush. He was visiting Washington, DC, on September 11, 2001, when four hijacked planes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, claiming the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people. Howard committed Australian troops to both wars in Afghanistan and Iraq - decisions he has been heavily criticised for making. The prime minister was left playing down his cosy friendship with Bush in 2003, when the president referred him as the US 'deputy sheriff' in the Asia-Pacific. In 2009, days before Bush left office, Howard was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, with Bush referring to the former leader as his 'man of steel'. After retiring, Bush painted a portrait of Howard. After retiring, Bush painted a portrait of Howard and also awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom John Howard (left) welcomed Bill Clinton (right) to Australia in 1996, taking him for a tour of Sydney and inviting him to address parliament Paul Keating (1991-1996) and Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush When George H. W. Bush visited Paul Keating in Canberra in 1992, it was the first meeting between a president and a prime minister in Australia for 25 years. It was not an easy one, with Bush reportedly concerned that Australia felt it had been neglected by the US in terms of trade and security. Private notes made ahead of the meeting that were provided to The Australian revealed Keating was reconsidering the Australia-US alliance, with the prime minister contemplating looser ties with America. Bush was apparently caught off-guard by Keating's thoughts and agreed that the US should do more to 'emphasise' the allegiance between the two countries and the wider region. Bush would go on to be defeated by Bill Clinton in the presidential election later that year. Keating said he and Clinton 'got on really well' during their first meeting and said the president came to him for advice on how to battle the Republicans after seeing his success in causing divisions in the opposition Liberal Party. Keating also claimed he helped Clinton build closer ties with China in the latter stages of his term as prime minister. When George H. W. Bush (left) visited Paul Keating (right) in Canberra in 1992, it was the first meeting between a president and a prime minister in Australia for 25 years Keating (left) claimed he helped Bill Clinton (right) build closer ties with China in the latter stages of his term as prime minister Bob Hawke (1983 - 1991) and George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan and Bob Hawke had many differences of opinion politically, but still spoke highly of each other during their time in office and afterwards. Reagan referred to Hawke as a 'personal friend' and they enjoyed lunch together in the White House during the prime minister's visit to Washington, DC, in 1986. After his retirement from politics, Hawke revealed that Reagan could have been better prepared for meetings with him - and bought a pack of cue cards for each subject they were set to discuss. During Reagan's term, Hawke used his good relationship with Secretary of State George Schultz to persuade the US not to conduct missile tests with Australian support. Hawke had a close bond with George H. W. Bush and tried to persuade him not to invade Iraq ahead of the first Gulf War. Cabinet papers revealed that Hawke felt the war was justified but did not think Australians wanted another conflict following Vietnam. Hawke also claimed that Bush asked him to speak with Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney to persuade him to pledge his continued support to the war efforts. Ronald Reagan (left) and Bob Hawke (right) had many differences of opinion politically, but still spoke highly of each other during their time in office and afterwards Hawke (right) had a close bond with George H. W. Bush (centre) and tried to persuade him not to invade Iraq ahead of the first Gulf War. Also pictured, former Fijian prime minister Sitivenie Rabuka, former South African President F.W. de Klerk and former President of Zimbabwe Canaan Banana Malcolm Fraser (1975 - 1983) and Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford Malcolm Fraser and Gerald Ford's terms of office only overlapped for about a year, with the prime minister visiting the US to mark the country's bicentennial year in 1976. Fraser was back at the White House in 1980 to visit Jimmy Carter, not long after he had thrown his support behind America's decision to boycott the Olympics in Moscow. He later questioned Carter's decision and said that US allies - Australia included - were not consulted before the boycott was announced, leaving Fraser with no choice but to back Australia's Cold War ally. Fraser and Reagan's terms overlapped by two years and the prime minister made one trip to Washington in 1981, presenting him with a saddle. After Reagan's death in 2004, Fraser praised him as a 'great president'. Allies: Malcolm Fraser (right) backed Jimmy Carter's (left) decision to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics Fraser and Reagan's terms overlapped by two years and the prime minister made one trip to Washington in 1981, presenting him with a saddle Malcolm Fraser and Gerald Ford's terms of office only overlapped for about a year, with the prime minister visiting the US to mark the country's bicentennial year in 1976. From left to right, Fraser, Ford, Betty Ford and Tammie Fraser Gough Whitlam (1972 - 1975) and Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford Gough Whitlam and Richard Nixon's disastrous relationship marked arguably the lowest point in ties between the US and Australia until the present day. The pair openly hated each other and Nixon sought to freeze Whitlam out of the international stage because of his opposition to the Vietnam War. Unearthed diplomatic cables revealed Nixon thought Whitlam was a 'whirling dervish' and a 'peacenik, who is certainly putting the Australians on a very, very dangerous path'. One of Whitlam's ministers, Clyde Cameron, said the White House was 'full of maniacs', leading Nixon to accuse the prime minister of putting Australia's allegiance with the US in 'peril'. He would later tell a diplomat that Whitlam was a 's***'. Nixon was exploring options of how to cut off sharing intelligence with Australia when the Watergate Scandal led to his demise. Whitlam was not invited to the US by Nixon or Gerald Ford during his tenure. Gough Whitlam (left) and Richard Nixon's (right) disastrous relationship marked arguably the lowest point in ties between the US and Australia until the present day William McMahon (1971 - 1972) and Richard Nixon William McMahon also had a difficult time with Nixon. He kept Australian troops in Vietnam to begin with, but waning support for the war at home led to him ordering an 'accelerated withdrawal' in 1971. William McMahon (right) also had a difficult time with Nixon (left) and eventually started pulling out of Vietnam John Gorton (1968 - 1971) and Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon Gorton had a warmer relationship with Nixon and Lyndon Johnson to begin with as he kept troops in Vietnam, but stopped sending more soldiers in 1970. He upset his own ministers in 1968 when he visited Johnson without some of his key aides, deciding he was capable of holding meetings with the president without any advisers present. Gorton was unfortunate to lead Australia after Harold Holt. Holt and Johnson had an exceptionally close relationship and despite the president's best efforts, they could not strike up the same kind of friendship. Johnson even told Gorton's press secretary Tony Eggleton: 'It's just not the same.' Gorton (left) had a warmer relationship with Nixon (right) but stopped sending soldiers to Vietnam in 1970 Gorton (right) upset his own ministers in 1968 when he visited Johnson (left) without any of his key aides John McEwen (1967 - 1968) and Lyndon Johnson John McEwen was only prime minister for just over a month and as such had little time to build a relationship with President Johnson. He held meetings with Johnson during his time in office before handing over the reins to John Gorton. Harold Holt (1966 - 1967) and Lyndon Johnson Harold Holt and President Johnson shared possibly the closest relationship between a US president and Australian prime minister in the post-war era. The 'most spectacular friendship' started in Melbourne in 1942 and continued until they were both leaders of their respective nations. Holt's friendship with Johnson was not received well at home, where his using of the president's campaign slogan 'All the way with LBJ' led to heightened opposition to the Vietnam War. The Johnsons made the first official presidential visit to Australia in 1966, visiting Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville. Their growing public friendship sparked yet more anti-war protests in Australia, but that did not stop Holt from visiting the US the next year, reinforcing the two counties' allegiance. Harold Holt (left) and President Johnson (right) shared possibly the closest relationship between a US president and Australian prime minister in the post-war era Sir Robert Menzies (1949 - 1966) and Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson Sir Robert Menzies was a firm anti-communist, setting him up well for a strong relationship with the US at the outset of the Cold War. He supported Harry Truman as the US joined the Korean War to aid the South Koreans, diverting forces from occupied Japan after the president requested help from the UN. Menzies also formed the ANZUS agreement with the US and New Zealand in 1951, strengthening ties further and leading to improved shared intelligence and defence. John F. Kennedy held Menzies in high regard, however his plans to visit Australia never came to fruition because of his assassination. Menzies was concerned that JFK's successor Lyndon Johnson would not be up to scratch, however he did back the president by sending troops to South Vietnam towards the end of his premiership. Sir Robert Menzies (right, with Dwight Eisenhower) was a firm anti-communist, setting him up well for a strong relationship with the US at the outset of the Cold War John F. Kennedy (rigght) held Menzies (left) in high regard, however his plans to visit Australia never came to fruition because of his assassination Concerns: Menzies (right) was concerned that JFK's successor Lyndon Johnson (left) would not be up to scratch Ben Chifley (1945 - 1949) and Harry Truman Ben Chifley and Harry Truman had a difficult relationship after US intelligence uncovered a Soviet spy ring operating within Australia. The Truman administration stopped giving secret information to Australia, frustrating Chifley. In 1948, he threatened to pull Australian troops put of occupied Japan, with British prime minister Clement Attlee having to step in to patch things up between the pair. Some historians believe Chifley was trying to stand up to Truman, but the US were not going to back down. Seeing his colleagues behind a locked gate with flames approaching, this firefighter desperately tried to get them to safety. He began smashing down on the gate's lock in a frenzied attempt to free the men behind it. But this footage shows the hilarious moment the man realised it wasn't quite the emergency he thought, as his colleagues calmly walked over to the fence and then casually walked around it. As a group of firemen approached due to the spreading flames, their colleague believed they were stuck behind a metal fence The man noticed there was a gate, but it was padlocked and he desperately tried to break it open The clip, filmed in Chile, shows a group of firefighters who had been battling raging wildfires that have been engulfing parts of the country. With the flames approaching and two of the men appearing to be stuck behind a locked gate, their colleague grabs an axe and begins hitting it off the lock. But before he can actually break the lock, the group of firemen notice a large gap in the metal railings and simply walk around, leaving their colleague looking embarrassed and sheepish. However, despite the hilarious clip, strong winds are continuing to stoke the flames of raging wildfires in Chile,. The firefighter grabbed an axe and started hitting the lock in a frenzied bid to free his colleagues More than 100 fires have consumed forests, livestock and entire towns, prompting President Michelle Bachelet to declare a state of emergency, deploy troops and ask for international help. In all, more than 20,000 people, including firefighters and experts from more than a dozen countries, have fought wildfires that Ms Bachelet has called the worst forest disaster in Chile's history. At least 11 deaths have been blamed on the fires. The national forestry agency says the blazes have destroyed nearly 904,000 acres since January 15. But as the group got closer to the gate, he realised he was wasting his time trying to break the lock An off-duty female New York police officer was killed and another officer severely injured after their car flipped and caught fire in a horror crash. Bianca Bennett, 27, was a passenger in the car being driven by a 32-year-old off-duty sergeant when they lost control on City Island in the Bronx at 11.45pm on Wednesday. The Dodge Durango flipped several times before catching fire. Scroll down for video Off-duty New York police officer Bianca Bennett, 27, was killed and another officer injured when their car crashed and caught fire in the Bronx late on Wednesday night The Dodge Durango being driven by Bennett's colleague flipped several times before catching fire on City Island in the Bronx at 11.45pm Two fellow off-duty NYPD officers, who were returning from the Rodman's Neck shooting range, rushed to the aid of the duo. They were able to pull the sergeant from the car but weren't able to rescue Bennett. The two officers did not know at the time they were rushing to help two fellow officers. The sergeant was rushed to hospital in a serious but stable condition, suffering from leg trauma and burns. Bennett, who was assigned to the East Village precinct last year, suffered severe burns and was pronounced dead at the scene Bennett suffered severe burns and was pronounced dead at the scene. 'She was so badly burned that, at first, we didn't know if it was a man or a woman,' a source told the New York Daily News. The 27-year-old had only been on the force for about a year. She had graduated from the police academy and was assigned to the East Village precinct in April last year. Two fellow off-duty NYPD officers, who were returning from the Rodman's Neck shooting range, rushed to the aid of the duo but were unable to rescue Bennett A Sky News presenter raised eyebrows on set when a slip of the tongue saw her use the word 'pr***' in a segment about Donald Trump. Claudia-Liza Armah accidentally used the swear word when discussing the new US president's pick for the Supreme Court. Though the news presenter carried on without missing a beat her amused co-anchor, veteran Colin Brazier, was briefly taken aback. Sky News anchor Claudia-Liza Armah made an embarrassing on-air gaffe when she used the swear word 'pr***' in a segment about US President Donald Trump The typically polished presenter was relaying news of Trump's favoured candidate for a lifelong position in the Supreme Court when she made the slip of the tongue Claudio-Liza Armah was broadcasting news of President Donald Trump's choice for the Supreme Court when the gaffe took place. The newsreader was saying: 'President Trump has made one of his biggest appointments since taking office by announcing his nominee for the Supreme Court.' However she blundered her next sentence, saying: 'His pr*** for a lifelong position in America's highest court is Neil Gorsuch, a conservative Colorado judge.' Brazier, caught of guard, can be seen briefly looking at his co-anchor with a hint of a wry smile before turning his attention back to the camera. The blunder was caught by Sky's eagle-eyed audience. One amused viewer took to Twitter to say: 'Colin Brazier's look of amusement is classic!' While another said: 'A bit partisan by Sky News but brilliant nonetheless'. Her veteran co-host Colin Brazier was briefly taken aback, raising his eyebrows in surprise before turning his attention back to the camera Sky's eagle-eyed audience took to Twitter amused at the blunder. One said: 'Colin Brazier's look of amusement is classic!' while another said: 'A bit partisan by Sky News but brilliant nonetheless'. The error detracted from the news that Trump favoured the strongly conservative Gorsuch for the lifetime position in the Supreme Court, a controversial decision in some quarters. Speaking at a White House press conference where he unveiled his decision to pick Judge Gorsuch, he said: 'I am a man of my word, I will do as I say.' Judge Neil Gorsuch succeeds the late Antonin Scalia who died in February last year. A teacher has been struck off for sending pictures of himself in boxer shorts to a teenage girl on Snapchat so she would send him nude photos in return. Gareth James, 27, swapped underwear and naked images with the 17-year-old girl while head of the IT department at her school, Lliswerry High in Newport, South Wales. A disciplinary hearing was told he also kissed another a teenage pupil on the lips outside a nightclub after buying classmates alcohol. Gareth James, a former teacher at Lliswerry High in Newport, has been banned from the classroom after sending photos of himself in his underwear to a pupil James has now been banned from the classroom for a year and ordered to go on a Child Sexual Exploitation course before he can apply to teach again. James was investigated after a girl reported him to another teacher at the school for sending her dozens of text messages over the summer holidays. South Wales Police interviewed the girl, who only confirmed she and her former teacher had exchanged pictures of themselves in their underwear and in the nude. Headteacher Alyson Mills said: 'She confessed she had a crush on him. She said she instigated contact with James by sending him a Facebook friend request, and he accepted that request.' The hearing was told James also joined pupils for drinks after a sixth form dinner party and kissed another girl. He and two other teachers joined students at the Great Western pub in Cardiff city centre, after sixth form students had attended a leavers party for year 13 pupils. A hearing was told he and other teachers had been in the Great Western pub in Cardiff for a leavers party for Sixth Form students James, who was head of information technology at Lliswerry High School, then allegedly went with pupils to Glam nightclub where he bought a round of drinks. He is said to have joined a girl pupil in the club's smoking area and implied she'd brought him there so they could be alone. The Education Workforce Council hearing in Cardiff was told the girl replied 'No, I don't want anything from you.' The hearing was told the girl claimed James then tricked her to look the other way before he managed to kiss her. James had moved to St Joseph's Roman Catholic High School in Newport in the summer of 2015, but was suspended when the allegations were made. James had moved to St Joseph's Roman Catholic High School in Newport in the summer of 2015, but was suspended when the allegations were made. He and some students then went to this nightclub, where he was accused of kissing a girl James, of Cardiff, admitted buying alcohol for students and communicating on Facebook, Snapchat and text messages. He denied kissing or trying to kiss the student at the club, asking for her phone number, and sharing photos of himself in his underwear with the other student But all the charges were found proven against him - and that his actions were 'sexually motivated.' Case presenter Melinka Berridge told the Education Workforce Council hearing: 'He engaged in contact with the students for his own sexual gratification. 'James failed to maintain professional boundaries with them and failed to uphold public confidence and trust in his profession.' Katie Play is treated to extravagant dinners, showered with designer handbags and jewellery, her living expenses are paid for in full and she has enough cash left over to save up for a house in Sydney. The 22-year-old Sydney womans life is a far cry from what it was just one year ago, when she worked at KFC to scrape together enough money to fund her university degree and student lifestyle. Ms Play is one of 100,000 Australian university students who proudly call themselves a Sugar Baby and rely on Sugar Daddies to fund their expenses and extravagant lifestyles. Scroll down for video Ms Play says the site is private and her photos are only shared with people she chooses Ms Play (pictured) was given a $500 allowance each week from her first Sugar Daddy Ms Play, a third-year law student at Macquarie University, signed up to dating website SeekingArrangement.com in October last year after a friend told her about it as a joke. After some serious consideration, Ms Play made an account and started her pursuit to find herself a Sugar Daddy. She said it was confronting to begin with, but thanks to the ease of the site she had messages pouring in within minutes. Ms Play told Daily Mail Australia her first Sugar Daddy was in his late 30s, a divorcee who just wanted companionship. IS IT A DATING SITE? SeekingArrangement is an American company that allows Sugar Babies to be financially compensated for spending time with older men who have an income of over $200,000 The website has hooked 100,000 Australian students, who receive an average monthly allowance of $2,700 Advertisement He just wanted someone to go out and eat Nandos with and see movies, she said. Other times Id go to his house and study. Ms Play was given a $500 allowance each week from her first Sugar Daddy, but she quickly moved on because 'he wanted a long-term girlfriend'. Ms Play considered arrangements with Sugar Daddies to be real relationships, and said her first Sugar Daddy failed to meet her expectations of a partner. He never wanted a sexual relationship, but I wanted that, she said. Ms Play soon moved on to her second Sugar Daddy, a 32-year-old man she has been dating for three months. He works in finance teaching me investment skills, I see him once or twice a week we go out for dates, dinners, movies, and hang out in his apartment, she said. Ms Play (pictured) said the sexual element was like that in any other relationship; something that grows over time Ms Play said there was no pressure for Sugar Babies to have sex with their Sugar Daddies - it was their decision Ms Play, a third-year law student at Macquarie University, (pictured) signed up to dating website SeekingArrangement.com in October last year She said the sexual element was like that in any other relationship; something that grows over time. She said the arrangements mirrored any other boyfriend girlfriend relationship, the allowance is just a cherry on top. She also said there was no pressure for Sugar Babies to have sex with their Sugar Daddies. Ms Play is given a $500 weekly allowance from her current Sugar Daddy enough to buy her law text books, buy a new car, and pay for all her living expenses. She is also lavished with gifts on the side, including thousand-dollar rings and designer handbags. With cash left over, the Sydney woman said she has also saved almost enough to buy an apartment. SeekingArrangement is an American company that allows Sugar Babies to be financially compensated for spending time with older men who have an income of over $200,000 The website has hooked 100,000 Australian students, who receive an average monthly allowance of $2,700 Its definitely enhanced my lifestyle, she said. Ms Play admitted not many people knew she was a Sugar Baby, just her sister and her best friend. She said they were both supportive of her choice. Ive always dated older men so it wasnt a surprise for them, she said. UNIVERSITIES WITH MOST SUGAR BABIES Royal Melbourne Institute of Tech. Monash University Griffith University University of Melbourne Deakin University Macquarie University University of Queensland University of Sydney University of Newcastle Queensland University of Tech. Advertisement While Ms Play created an alias for the site, she said she was unashamed of what she was doing. I definitely feel theres a stigma around it, but people dont understand, she said. Theres a misconception that Sugar Babies arent goal oriented, but look at me, Im a focused a dedicated student. There are a lot of misrepresentations. I dont know why people are bitter. Ms Play also denied there were similarities between Sugar Babies and prostitutes. Escorting is a one off transaction, a Sugar Baby is ongoing companionship between two consenting adults that is mutually beneficial, she said. Often between an older man and a younger, attractive woman. Passenger Helen Whittingham said things 'turned nasty' when a Kuwaiti man pressed his seat back to relax Four men were detained after a drunk passenger went 'berserk' and shouted 'Bin Laden' during a flight from Manchester to Doha, according to a terrified passenger. The yob was part of a group of three men who were swearing and drinking heavily on the Qatar Airways flight QR028, on January 10. The trio, said to be in their late 20s, were moved to the back of the aircraft midway through the seven-hour flight after a row with another passenger. Passenger Helen Whittingham said things 'turned nasty' when a Kuwaiti man pressed his seat back to relax. 'The men swore at him and were kicking the back of his chair non-stop,' she said. 'They threatened him by saying 'they'd see him after the flight'. 'The gentleman finally snapped and asked for security, the air hostess explained there wasn't any but did take the three men away for a chat.' Despite being moved to the back of the aircraft Ms Whittingham said the men continued to drink alcohol, started to argue among themselves and refused to sit down just before landing. When the plane landed at Doha Airport, one of the group was then involved in a row with a passenger dressed in a Liverpool shirt. Ms Whittingham said this sparked a row and 'suddenly punches were being thrown' adding: 'The loudest and most abusive of the men went completely berserk. 'He'd received a bloodied nose and spat a load of blood at the Liverpudlian and was also screaming 'Bin Laden' 'Bin Laden' at everybody. 'Two other burly blokes joined in and it was really scary. 'Women were screaming and crying, and men were trying to pin him down, even his friends were trying but they failed. 'I've never seen behaviour like it, and I'm a psychiatric nurse.' The yob was part of a group of three men who were swearing and drinking heavily on the Qatar Airways flight QR028, on January 10 When the pilot intervened four men were detained by police and security staff, Ms Whittingham said. The mental health nurse, who was travelling with her partner Neil MacKenzie, said the couple took an audio recording of the incident but was later asked to delete it. She said: 'There were no male flight attendants, and the ones we had seemed totally at a loss as to what to do, and to continue to give them drinks was just stupid.' The couple now plan to send a letter of complaint to Qatar Airlines. Qatar airlines confirmed that there was a disturbance onboard and commented in a statement: 'We do not comment on individual passenger situations.' Manchester Airport said the incident was a matter for the airline and the Qatari authorities. This is the moment a Christian Brexiteer confronted the Archbishop of Canterbury on live radio and told him she won't go to church again because of his 'appalling' decision to intervene in the referendum campaign. Justin Welby shook his head and looked upset as the caller to LBC Radio, Judith from Whitstable, said he should apologise for 'encouraging us to vote for Remain'. The head of the Church of England was criticised last year when he admitted he would vote for Britain to stay in the EU. Justin Welby also said leaving the Brussels club would harm the economy and warned against 'succumbing to our worst instincts' over immigration. Today the Archbishop admitted 'maybe I got it wrong' after the ear-bashing from Judith, which even made fellow guest Cardinal Vincent Nicholls wince. Uncomfortable: Justin Welby shook his head and looked upset as the caller to LBC Radio, Judith from Whitstable, said he should apologise for 'encouraging us to vote for Remain' Today the Archbishop admitted 'maybe I got it wrong' after the ear-bashing from Judith, which even made fellow guest Cardinal Vincent Nicholls wince (pictured) She asked him: 'I'd like to know why you interfered with the referendum vote encouraging us to vote for Remain. I'd like you to apologise'. When asked why by LBC host Nick Ferrari she said: 'He was encouraging us to vote to remain and it was very strong. I now won't go the church because of it because I was so appalled. He had no right'. Defence: The Archbishop (pictured today leaving the studio) backed Remain in a blog and said: 'If I wasn't honest it was manipulative' Archbishop Welby responded by saying: 'I wrote a blog about the irresponsible nature of the dialogue. I didn't say everyone had to vote and was a purely personal opinion as I was going to vote Remain and I'm a voter like everyone else. He added: 'I accept we voted leave and I will be supporting the Brexit bill in the House of Lords. But I would say it is about Jesus Christ not what an Archbishop says'. But Judith hit back again saying: 'The thing is that you have a position of power and people listen to you. Whatever your views I think you should have kept them to yourself. Whatever you say you tried to influence it. You had no right to express that. You should have kept neutral and you didn't'. Justin Welby then said: 'I weighed it up very carefully at the time. Maybe I got it wrong, you might well be right, and If I did, I apologise'. He added: 'I felt that if I wrote something and I wasn't honest it was manipulative'. After the referendum result the Archbishop became mired in a row with Nigel Farage after accusing him of 'legitimising racism' to win votes. Mr Welby blasted the Ukip leader's claim that there could be Cologne-style mass sex attacks in Britain if we stayed in the EU. Giving evidence to the Commons home affairs committee, he said: 'I think that is an inexcusable pandering to people's worries and prejudices. That is giving legitimisation to racism which I've seen in parishes ... and has led to attacks on people in those parishes.' Counter-argument: Mr Welby was clearly upset the churchgoer was staying away but added: 'I would say it is about Jesus Christ not what an Archbishop says' But Mr Farage accused the head of the Church of England of ill-informed 'confected outrage' and turning a blind eye to crimes committed by migrants. Explaining his support for Remain, Mr Welby said: 'To be a country for the world is part of the calling of being British. Economics are important, so is migration, but they are not everything, although they are the signs of the values we have.' In an apparent swipe at efforts by both camps to draw on the inspiration of those who fought in the Second World War, he said 'no one can conscript them to one side or the other'. He said: 'How those who fought would vote in the referendum is unknowable, and likely to be as varied as how people today will vote.' Libby Lane, the country's first female bishop, argued at the time that it was not appropriate for members of the clergy 'to try to steer people' over the referendum. But this was a general point, not about Archbishop Welby. It came as the Church of England apologised and said it 'failed terribly' after reports that allegations of physical abuse by a former colleague of the Archbishop of Canterbury were mishandled. A series of accusations have been levelled against John Smyth, a former leader at Iwerne holiday camp for teenage boys, which had close links with the church and where Justin Welby worked as a dormitory officer in the late 1970s. The allegations have come to light following a Channel 4 News investigation into the prominent QC and part-time judge who is now thought to be based in South Africa. The Iwerne Trust, which oversaw the Christian camps, was made aware of the allegations and compiled a report in 1982 but failed to tell police, Channel 4 News said. Asked about the allegations, Mr Smyth told the broadcaster: 'I'm not talking about that.' Speaking on LBC Radio, Mr Welby said he had been 'completely unaware' of any abuse when he worked at the camp. He said: 'I was at that particular camp in the mid-70s. I was young then - 19 to 21 or 22 - and I was completely unaware of any abuse. I never heard anything at all, at any point. I didn't have the slightest suspicion at all. 'As I recall him, he was a charming, delightful, very clever, brilliant speaker. I wasn't a close friend of his, I wasn't in his inner circle or in the inner circle of the leadership of the camp, far from it. 'And then I went off to work in France in 1978, which is when I am told the abuse began. It may have been earlier or later, I don't know, and I was abroad during the time the report was done and had no contact with them at all.' John Smyth (pictured), who was chairman of the Iwerne Trust, a charity closely linked to the church which ran Christian holiday camps for public school children, has been accused of severely beating boys and young men A spokesman for Winchester College said that no report was made at the time because the parents of the victims felt they should be spared further trauma The Archbishop said he was first informed of the alleged abuse in late 2013 or early 2014. He said: 'I was told the Bishop of Ely - it fell within his diocese - had been informed by a survivor of what had happened and had written to the police so we checked that indeed the police had been contacted immediately as per the Church rules. 'They had been, we keep an eye on it obviously, we kept in touch and found out what was going on. 'As you know, John Smyth had moved to Zimbabwe in the early 1980s, I understand, and it was not in the police's jurisdiction. 'We were sure it was being rigorously handled by the Bishop of Ely according to the normal way the Church does it.' Mr Welby added that he had only had fleeting contact with Mr Smyth since. 'I have a vague feeling I may have had a Christmas card in the 1990s and when I was living in Paris he passed through and I shook hands with him, that was the limit.' The U.S. president's rude slap down of Malcolm Turnbull is actually good for Australia, former foreign minister Bob Carr says. 'It's a healthy thing for Australia the response of Donald Trump to the phone call made by our prime minister,' he told the ABC's 7.30 programme on Thursday night. 'It's a reminder to Australians that America is different, that America has changed.' Scroll down for video The U.S. president rudely contradicted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with this tweet President Trump on Thursday afternoon snubbed Mr Turnbull on Twitter over a proposed deal that would have seen 1250 refugees from Nauru and Manus Island move to the United States. This followed a tense phone conversation between the world leaders which was terminated after 25 minutes, despite them both allocating one hour for dialogue. 'Do you believe it? The Obama administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal,' President Trump said. Mr Carr, who has a keen interest in American history, said the blatant undermining of Mr Turnbull, based on a private phone conversation, was unheard of. U.S. President Trump had a tense phone conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Former foreign minister Bob Carr said Donald Trump's treatment of Malcolm Turnbull was 'unprecedented' between U.S. and Australian leaders 'It has been a rude treatment of an Australian leader, unprecedented in the contact between Australian leadership and American leadership,' he said. 'When an American president can tweet his contempt for an Australian prime minister after what the Australian prime minister might have expected to have been treated as a confidential exchange between friends. 'It was followed up by a highly offensive tweet that was entirely unnecessary and it contained the message that this American president doesn't regard ANZUS as a useful starting point for the Australian-American relationship. 'You don't treat a loyal treaty partner like this.' Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his role was to defend Australia's national interest Australia and New Zealand signed a security treaty with the U.S. in 1951, known as ANZUS, which commits the nations to have military ties in the Pacific. However, Mr Carr disagreed with former prime minister Paul Keating's call last year to severe ties with the United States, following President Trump's election victory. 'Everyone supports the alliance in Australia, there's a consensus on that. I'm not advocating we move away from it,' Mr Carr said, who was foreign minister in 2012 and 2013. 'It's one of the pillar of Australian foreign policy but it's not the be all and the end all of Australia's international character. 'We don't want to live under the illusion that things are the same as they once were.' Malcolm Turnbull checking his phone in Parliament House on November 9 as U.S. election returns showed Donald Trump pulling ahead of Hillary Clinton in the presidential race A fuming President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day, after 'boasting' about pleasant exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin and three other world leaders, senior U.S. officials told the Washington Post. Sky News sources said President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull at points during the heated conversation, which took place on Saturday afternoon Washington time, Sunday morning Australian time. Mr Carr, who is also a former premier of New South Wales, said President Trump was just demonstrating his promise, made during his January 20 inauguration speech, to be more isolationist on world affairs. 'American is declaring it's American first from now on,' he said. 'It's healthy if we absorb that fact.' A hippo was killed after an ambulance ploughed into it in South Africa, leaving the driver fighting for his life in hospital. The paramedic was rushed for treatment following the crash with the wild animal on Moloto Road in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, in north-eastern South Africa. The crash left him and two others injured and sadly the hippo died as a result of being hit. The crash caused enormous damage to the front of the ambulance, which can be seen splattered with blood The hippo was on the road in Pretoria in Gauteng Province, when it was hit by the paramedic The hippo lies dead after the crash in north-eastern South Africa which seriously injured the driver Two others were injured in the horror crash which killed the hippo (pictured) Henke Marais, of the nearby Tshwane nature conservation, said hippos had been spotted near roads A shot showing inside the driver's compartment of the ambulance gives an indication of the force of the collision Paramedic spokesperson Elsabe Van Niekerk said the driver and two others aboard the ambulance, believed to be crew members, were seriously injured. Other emergency services raced to the scene and the three were stabilised before being taken to hospital where they are not believed to be in a life threatening condition. Henke Marais, of the nearby Tshwane nature conservation, said: 'Hippos have been spotted around Roodeplaat dam a few times, but you don't see them often. 'We can only urge people to be vigilant.' The huge hippo is hoisted up onto a trailer and carried away in the aftermath of the crash A picture from the driver's shows the door frame has buckled and the footwell destroyed A window is smashed on the ambulance, which was carrying three people, and all were injured He added that wild animals tend to follow where food and water can be found but they sometimes get this wrong and end up lost in more populated areas. He said: 'Large animals [such as kudus] follow the river streams, and sometimes they end up at the Roodeplaat dam.' The victims' names were not mentioned in reports. New immigration controls will have to be phased in after Brexit takes place raising fears it could take years for the number of new arrivals to fall. The Government's plans for post-Brexit migrant controls were set out in today's landmark white paper on Theresa May's negotiating strategy. Immigration is one of a number of policy areas which will see gradual change after the act of Brexit to avoid a 'cliff-edge' change in two years. Unveiling the document today, Brexit Secretary David Davis said it proved Britain's 'best days were still ahead of us'. But Ukip warned phased implementation could mean the Government 'isn't serious about taking back control of our borders any time soon'. Ukip immigration spokesman John Bickley raised fears that phased implementation could mean the Government 'isn't serious about taking back control of our borders any time soon' Brexit Secretary David Davis told the Commons the document set a course for a 'more open, outward looking' country Ukip's immigration spokesman John Bickley MEP told The Independent: 'Most people who voted Leave wanted to see immigration controlled and reduced, however today's White Paper is vague at best in setting out when this will happen. 'Based on the Conservative government's utter failure to bring down immigration to their promised ''tens of thousands'' the public would be right to conclude from today's white paper that the government isn't serious about taking back control of our borders and immigration any time soon. 'Will the government make an immediate commitment to take back total control of our borders and immigration by the end of the Article 50 negotiation and no later than 2019? 'Voters have had enough of being duped by the political class and UKIP stands ready to expose any shenanigans from a Prime Minister that talks the talk, but more often than not doesn't walk the walk.' The position was defended by No 10, who said the moment Brexit takes place would see control over migrant numbers returned to the UK. Mrs May's spokeswoman said: 'People want us to be in control.' Mr Davis presented his white paper to MPs with a House of Commons statement this afternoon, pictured The document published today sets the stage for the next round of battles over Britain's divorce from the EU The white paper makes clear that any new arrangements to control immigration following Brexit could be phased in over time, to give businesses and individuals 'enough time to plan and prepare'. 'The UK will always welcome genuine students and those with the skills and expertise to make our nation better still,' said the document, promising 'an immigration system that allows us to control numbers and encourage the brightest and the best to come to this country'. Today's white paper document was published after Theresa May bowed to demands from MPs to give more details about her plan for negotiations with Brussels, sets the stage for the next round of battles over Britain's EU divorce. Mr Davis urged the bloc's leaders to behave like 'good neighbours'. 'The UK wants the EU to succeed. Indeed it is in our interests for it to prosper politically and economically and a strong new partnership with the UK will help to that end,' he said. 'We hope that in the upcoming talks, the EU will be guided by the principles set out in the EU Treaties concerning a high degree of international cooperation and good neighbourliness.' The Government's 77-page Brexit plan puts control of immigration at its heart. BREXIT: THE NEXT STEPS Theresa May has vowed to trigger her Brexit talks within weeks. The crucial next steps are: Monday February 6: The Article 50 Bill returns to the Commons for more detailed scrutiny of its contents. Wednesday February 8: The Bill will finish its passage through the Commons and be sent to the Lords. Wednesday March 7: The Government expects Royal Assent for its Article 50 bill. Thursday March 9: Mrs May meets the other 27 EU leaders for a regular summit. This is thought to be the soonest she files the Article 50 notification. By March 2019: Assuming a deal has been struck, talks are due to conclude. Crucial votes will be held in Parliament and around Europe to ratify a deal. Advertisement It will also make clear that Britain will leave the single market, leave at least some of the customs union and end the jurisdiction of European judges over British law. Responding to the landmark document for Labour, Shadow Brexit Secretarty Sir Keir Starmer bemoaned Mr Davis's statement for saying 'nothing' and said the Opposition received the white paper just minutes before the Commons announcement. Sir Keir said: 'Flicking through the white paper I see... all that's said about the final vote is that the final deal that is agreed will be put to a vote in both Houses of Parliament. 'We have amendments down next week (to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill) seeking a meaningful vote - a vote in this House before a vote is taken in the European Parliament.' Mr Davis, in his reply, said: 'I've been here long enough to have voted thousands of times in this House. 'I've never yet voted on something I've considered not meaningful. 'Every vote in this House is meaningful and there will be a meaningful vote at the end.' The White Paper document was published after Theresa May bowed to demands from MPs to set out more details about her plan for negotiations with Brussels Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of compiling an empty white paper and complained it had come after the crucial Commons vote In his speech today, Sir Keir demanded a meaningful vote for Parliament on the deal negotiated by Theresa May with Brussels Other top priorities in the Government's White Paper include ending the jurisdiction of European judges over British law. BREXIT DAY WILL BE MARCH 9 Theresa May has set a target date of launching the formal Brexit process on March 9. The Government is finish its EU Bill through Parliament by March 7, which would allow the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50 at a summit of European leaders on March 9 and 10. Ministers told the House of Lords yesterday that it hopes to have the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill approved by March 7. The following day - March 8 - is the Budget, before Mrs May travels to Brussels for the long-awaited Brexit showdown with her EU counterparts. The PM has promised to trigger Article 50, the formal mechanism for quitting the EU, by the end of March. But she does not want to get off on the wrong foot with EU leaders by clashing with the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which effectively gave birth to the EU. She could tell her European counterparts of her timetable at a meeting in Malta on Friday. The timetable could be knocked off course if the Lords initiate what is known as parliamentary 'ping-pong' by sending the bill back to the Commons with a series of amendments. Advertisement Mrs May's foreword to the white paper was made up of extracts from her Lancaster House speech, in which she said that forging a new partnership with Europe and a 'stronger, fairer, more global' Britain would be 'the legacy of our time, the prize towards which we work, the destination at which we arrive once the negotiation is done'. In a preface to the document, Mr Davis said that Britain entered the negotiations which the Government intends to trigger by the end of March in 'a position of strength'. Stressing that the UK 'wants the EU to succeed', he urged the remaining 27 member states and European institutions to be guided in the upcoming negotiations by 'the principles set out in the EU Treaties concerning a high degree of international co-operation and good neighbourliness'. In debate on the document, Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the European Scrutiny Select Committee, welcomed the white paper and urged ministers to exert pressure on other EU leaders to prevent them from seeking closer union. His comments came in response to a recent letter by European Council leader Donald Tusk to the 27 other member states calling for political solidarity in the face of challenges from the US, Russia and Islamic extremism. Conservative veteran Sir Bill said: 'Will you encourage the 27 to recognise that by promoting ever-closer and more centralised unreformed political union, they are creating the very circumstance they claim they want to avoid? 'They are depriving themselves of the trust of the other citizens whom they claim to represent. They are effectively going in the wrong direction.' David Davis, pictured this week in Downing Street, insisted Britain's 'best days are still ahead of us' as he unveiled the government's blueprint for leaving the EU But the lack of further details in today's document will anger opposition MPs. The absence of a 100 per cent guarantee on protecting the rights of EU nationals currently in the UK has already sparked trouble with Tory MPs. Mrs May has only promised to reach a deal with her EU counterparts about their status 'as soon as we can' and in a private meeting with Tory MPs yesterday Mr Davis sought to reassure them by saying 'only a couple' of countries were blocking a deal on EU citizens. The Prime Minister is reluctant to give guarantees before the status of 900,00 Britons currently living on the continent are assured. Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who campaigned for Remain, has been charged with trying to kill the rebellion by phoning around Tory MPs who signalled they could rebel. The 12 point plan: What Britain's future outside the European Union will look like 1. 'Certainty and clarity' and a vote for Parliament on final deal Mrs May has warned there will be 'give and take' in the upcoming negotiations, that compromises will be inevitable and 'not everybody will be able to know everything at every stage'. But today's white paper repeated her promise she will give MPs and peers a vote on the final deal that is agreed between the UK and the EU - expected to be in early 2019. 2. 'Control of our own laws' The UK will take control of our own affairs once again by ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Laws will only be made in Westminster, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, adding: 'Those laws will be interpreted by judges not in Luxembourg but in courts across this country.' 3. Strengthen the United Kingdom The third pledge is to strengthen the 'precious union' between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister has said it is 'more important than ever that we face the future together' because we are 'united by what makes us strong: the bonds that unite us as a people, and our shared interest in the UK being an open, successful trading nation in the future.' She assured this would not mean any devolved powers being removed from the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland institutions. 4. No hard border in Ireland The white paper details a promise to reach a 'practical solution' to maintain the Common Travel Area with the Republic of Ireland. It points out that the freedom to move between Northern Ireland and the Republic had been in place since before both nations joined the EU. 'Nobody wants to return to the borders of the past, so we will make it a priority to deliver a practical solution as soon as we can,' Mrs May said at Lancaster House. 5. Regain control of immigration Britain will 'control immigration to Britain from Europe' by scrapping freedom of movement rules, Mrs May has vowed. She insisted the UK will 'continue to attract the brightest and the best' to work and study here but said the process will be 'managed properly so that our immigration system serves the national interest'. It means the years of open borders between Britain and the 27 other EU member states will be slammed shut when we cut ties with Brussels. The absence of a 100 per cent guarantee on protecting the rights of EU nationals currently in the UK has already sparked trouble with Tory MPs 6. Rights of EU nationals in Britain and British expats in Europe Mrs May promised to reach a deal with her European rivals 'as soon as we can' to guarantee the rights of EU nationals already living in the UK to stay here after Brexit. She said this would involve a reciprocal deal for British expats living on the continent to remain there. Today's white paper said the Government had wanted to sort out the issue already but were stopped from doing so by other EU countries. 7. Protect workers' rights In a bid to reassure and win the backing of trade unions and the Labour party the PM said her EU deal will not only translate EU law on workers' rights into UK law but said she will 'build on them'. The white paper makes clear this will happen via the 'Great Repeal Bill'. 8. Free trade deal with European markets Appealing to her European rivals not to punish Britain, Mrs May said her approach to free trade will prioritise Europe. She wants a 'bold and ambitious free trade agreement with the European Union' that allows the 'freest possible trade in goods and services' between Britain and the other 27 EU member states. 9. New trade deals with the rest of the world When Britain frees itself from EU rules banning us from striking individual deals with other nations it will 'increase significantly its trade with the fastest growing export markets in the world'. Branding her trade policy 'global Britain,' she said: 'Since joining the EU, trade as a percentage of GDP has broadly stagnated in the UK. 'That is why it is time for Britain to get out into the world and rediscover its role as a great, global, trading nation.' She promised that the International Trade Secretary Liam Fox will lead the charge to strike new trade deals with the likes of China, Brazil, the US and the Commonwealth. 10. To make Britain the best place for science and innovation Mrs May said her vision of 'global Britain' must also be a country that looks to the future'. 'That means being one of the best places in the world for science and innovation,' she said as she promised not to cut back but to deepen our collaboration with our European partners on major science, research and technology initiatives. 11. Cooperation to fight terrorism She also pledged that leaving the EU will not mean any weakening of our partnership with Europe on fighting crime and terrorism. Terrorism is a threat that cannot be dealt with bilaterally and Europe must 'face the challenge of cross-border crime, a deadly terrorist threat, and the dangers presented by hostile states' together, Mrs May said. This would mean our authorities continuing to share intelligence material with our EU allies, as well as a keeping the united resistance to Russian aggression whether through sanctions of through the Nato military alliance. 12. A 'smooth, orderly Brexit' Finally, the Prime Minister promised that she will pursue all of her objectives in a 'smooth and orderly' approach in the negotiations. She promised to protect business from a 'cliff-edge' scenario where they are left stranded in a regulatory no man's land. Instead, she promised a 'phased process of implementation,' where institutions in Britain, Brussels and EU member states prepare for the new arrangements and give businesses enough time to plan and prepare for the new partnerships. 'This might be about our immigration controls, customs systems or the way in which we cooperate on criminal justice matters. 'Or it might be about the future legal and regulatory framework for financial services. For each issue, the time we need to phase-in the new arrangements may differ. Some might be introduced very quickly, some might take longer. And the interim arrangements we rely upon are likely to be a matter of negotiation. 'But the purpose is clear: we will seek to avoid a disruptive cliff-edge, and we will do everything we can to phase in the new arrangements we require as Britain and the EU move towards our new partnership.' Advertisement Nature's cruelty has been captured in a series of gruesome images showing lions killing a pregnant buffalo and eating her unborn calf. Harrowing footage shows the lions take down their prey before one latches onto her throat in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe. The other big cats focus on the African buffalo's back and rip and tear at it until they drag the unborn calf from its mother's womb and feast on it. Scroll down for video Nature's cruelty has been captured in a series of gruesome images showing lions killing a pregnant buffalo and eating her unborn calf Attack: Harrowing footage shows a pride of lions take down a female African buffalo in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe One of the lions clamps its jaws around the buffalo's neck before three more big cats rip at the animal's body The brutal shots were taken by wildlife photographer and tour leader Jeremy Bennett, 43, from Nigeria. 'The lions had been lying up in some thick bushes,' he said. 'I had been with them all morning and they had failed to make a kill earlier in the am. Normally lions will hunt in the cool of the day but being opportunistic and hungry I knew the if an opportunity presented itself they would oblige. 'Sure enough a small herd of buffalo appeared and started to walk towards the lions, oblivious to their presence. It didn't take long for the lions to notice this and as the buffalo got within about twenty-five-metres the lions made their attack. 'The buffalo was clinically killed by the dominant lioness, through suffocation. The final twist in the tail was when an unborn calf was pulled out of the buffalo. The brutal shots were taken by wildlife photographer and tour leader Jeremy Bennett, 43, from Nigeria African buffaloes are usually highly capable of defending themselves and have few predators to worry about except humans, large crocodiles and lions 'Lions will typically go for the soft tissue and organs first and so one lioness had started eating the back end during the suffocation.' Jeremy, who shot the pictures with a Canon 7D, was shocked at the attack but said it was the lion's lucky day. 'It was pretty gruesome, and sad for a life to be taken before it has a chance to begin, especially when you see the hardships the mother will endure to try and create a new life,' he said. 'The rest of the herd turned and ran when the lions attacked but one broke its leg about twenty-metres away. The lions noticed this, seemed rather surprised, but couldn't turn down the opportunity to kill another. The lions were merciless as they ripped at the buffalo's body, eventually pulling out her unborn calf and devouring it The tour guide, who shot the pictures with a Canon 7D, was shocked at the attack but said it was the lion's lucky day The safari expedition in Zimbabwe turned into a gruesome 90 minute bloodbath as the lions tucked into their prey 'The next ninety minutes turned into a gruesome blood bath which was hard to watch as the second buffalo was slowly eaten alive. 'The lions had no real interest in it so made no attempt to kill cleanly so just ate it from all sides. The buffalo continued to bellow for over ninety gruesome minutes. 'You could say they got three buffalo for the price of one.' African buffaloes are usually highly capable of defending themselves and have few predators to worry about except humans, large crocodiles and lions. The African buffalo is also a much sought-after trophy in hunting, being a member of the big five game. This is the moment a naked tourist brandishing a knife and a screwdriver went on the rampage around a Thai holiday resort. The streaker, believed to be Russian, was found wandering around Mae Wilai Market in Central Pattaya carrying a six-inch blade and screaming at passers-by. Footage shows him waving the knife as he makes his way past shops and bars while eyewitnesses say he lunged at street vendors who resorted to locking themselves indoors. On the rampage: Footage captured a naked tourist brandishing a knife and a screwdriver in a Thai holiday resort Dramatic video shows how he was eventually bundled to the ground and held down by police and passers-by He was then handcuffed and taken to a The incident unfolded in the early hours of this morning Police spent 20 minutes trying to track the man down amid reports he was threatening anyone who tried to stop him. Dramatic video shows how he was eventually bundled to the ground and held down by police and passers-by. He was then handcuffed and taken to a The incident unfolded in the early hours of this morning. The man had reportedly lost his clothes then smashed up street food stalls and tried to attack one vendor who had to barricade herself behind her front door. The streaker, believed to be Russian, was found wandering around Mae Wilai Market in Central Pattaya carrying a six-inch blade and screaming at passers-by The man had reportedly lost his clothes then smashed up street food stalls and tried to attack one vendor who had to barricade herself behind her front door Five officers pinned him to the ground in front of stunned onlookers outside the notorious sex-capital Five officers pinned him to the ground in front of stunned onlookers outside the notorious sex-capital packed with brothels, massage parlours and strip clubs. Local reporter Thira Phengrat who recorded the video said: 'He was drunk and very angry about something. People were scared. 'He was about 25 or 30 years old and police had to spend a long time following him and catching him. He was arrested.' Street food vendor Thongyip Chomdee said: 'It was the most terrifying moment of my life. I have never seen anything like this before. He had a knife and screwdriver and was shouting, hitting and damaging things. 'I ran inside and locked myself behind the door but he was banging at it trying to get inside.' Pattaya Police said the man was arrested and held is being held in custody. A spokesman said: 'He needed to cool down and get sober before we could interview him to find out exactly what happened. We are still waiting.' A fierce fight broke out today at one of China's busiest airports during the country's Lunar New Year travel rush. Two men hit each other in front of a long line of passengers after they had had an argument while queuing to pass security checks. One of the passengers had allegedly tried to jump the queue which enraged the other and led to the fistfight. Two men were separated by security staff after fighting each other at the Guangzhou airport The incident occurred at around 5am in the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China. Footage emerged on social media shows the men punching each other as other passengers looked on in the queue. Airport security staff arrived on the scene and managed to separate the pair. The video post claimed that the airport had not organised the queue properly. It claimed that the queue was crowded and that the airport staff had arranged a number of passengers to jump the queue. The post also claimed that a young man had started the fight by hitting another passenger. The young man's family members had also beat the other passenger, the post added. The two passengers had had an argument while queuing to pass the security checks Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport confirmed that the incident had taken place there. A fight broke out between the two at the No.1 Passage when they were transferring from an international flight to a domestic flight, the airport confirmed to MailOnline through a statement. The airport said that one passenger, surnamed Zhao, and another passenger, surnamed Liu, argued and fought in the queue. The fight caused Zhao's mouth to bleed. The statement said security staff managed to split the pair, but Liu went back to Zhao and started hitting him. Security guards broke up the fight again and the two men managed to go through the security screenings, according to the airport. The two men were transferring from an international flight to a domestic flight as they fought The two passengers bumped into each other on the shuttle bus while heading to their boarding gates and had another altercation. The argument was stopped by security guards and Zhao called the police. Police officers managed to calm both parties and they apologised to each other. Their fight and altercation did not cause any fight delays, said the airport. The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport handled 55,201,915 passengers in 2015 and is the third largest airport in China, following the Beijing Capital International Airport and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, according to Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China. Situated in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong, the airport is seeing the busiest time of the year as the Chinese go on holidays to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The airport urged the public to be more patient while travelling during the festival. Ryan Counsell faces jail for terrorism charges after he was caught trying to go to fight with an ISIS-linked group in the Philippines An Asda cashier who abandoned his wife and young child to join ISIS in the Philippines is facing years behind bars after being found guilty of four terrorism charges. Muslim convert Ryan Counsell, 28, was in the advanced stages of planning his trip to fight with terrorist group Abu Sayyaf when he was arrested last July. He spent 900 on military-style boots, camouflage clothing, Kevlar boxer shorts and a cheek pad to be attached to the stock of a rifle 'to engage in combat.' Counsell had also booked a return ticket from London to Manila and a connecting flight to Zamboanga, 20 miles from Basiland where ISIS-linked group Abu Sayyaf regularly clash with the Philippine Army. The married father-of-one was arrested at Stansted Airport on 11 July while waiting for a flight to Eindhoven in Holland. Counsell, who worked part-time behind the tills at his local supermarket in Nottingham, had booked a week off work and was due to leave for the Philippines two days later. Police found a range of military equipment at his home, including a 'I Love My Beard' patch One set of camouflage bags were wrapped in an Asda bag. He worked at the store part-time The jury heard he joked in a WhatsApp group about the Brussels terrorist attacks and said he was 'so happy' about seeing a video of a Russian jet being shot down. He said he often joked about terrorism and liked to 'analyse and review combat footage'. Asked about his searches for 'Nottingham personals' and 'Nottingham casual encounters' and multiple searches relating to 'lost sexual confidence'Counsell said: 'All of these are my attempts to find an additional relationship, something that would make me happy outside of marriage.' He added: 'My wife didn't show any affection or passion towards me. She just seemed completely uninterested with me in every single way and I felt really confused by that and it affected me badly. A suitcase full of military equipment was found in a cupboard in his child's bedroom 'I would discuss my relationship with my wife very seriously, in an open manner, a very calm manner and she wouldn't really respond.' He was also asked about five videos he kept on crown green bowling, with titles such as 'Bowling Approaches' and 'Bowling Shot Techniques'. Counsell said: 'I like bowling, so I wanted to try to learn something.' Police raided his home after they were alerted to his purchases of military equipment from a website from August 2014. They found military and camping equipment and a 'wealth of Islamic extremist material', including copies of the al-Qaeda magazine Inspire, the ISIS version called Dabiq, and lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki, an influential extremist preacher. Police also found bomb-making instructions, a document of practical advice for travelling to join ISIS and videos showing the decapitation of prisoners by terrorists. A blue suitcase, filled with camping equipment and military material, was found in a cupboard in his child's bedroom in the house. 'The defendant had a profound and enduring interest in extremist Islam, jihad and the propaganda of Islamic State and other terrorist organisations,' said Dan Pawson-Pounds, prosecuting. He also had a guide to joining ISIS on his computer along with extremist magazines He had also bought combat knee pads and kevlar underpants, the court was told Among the electronic documents found were 22 copies of 'Hijrah [migrate] to the Islamic State', which provided advice for someone wanting to join ISIS. He had also searched online for 'prostitutes and escort agencies' in Nottingham. Counsell married his wife, Fatima, in May 2012, after meeting her through an Islamic matchmaking service. Fatima was originally from Somalia and her parents lived in the Netherlands. Counsell said he did not tell his wife about his plans for the Phillipines as she was 'sceptical' about the life he wanted to live. He claimed his interest in the country was prompted by watching the series 'Lives in the Wild' presented by Ben Fogle, about a man who had moved to the islands. Counsell planned to join ISIS-linked terror group Abu Sayyaf. Members pictured in file photo The graphic combat videos found on his devices, including one which showed an Al-Qaeda suicide attack on an army base, were part of a 'catalogue of propaganda' which he said he planned to 'tastefully edit' and post online. Jurors were shown a selection of video clips found on Counsell's electronic devices, which included combat videos, ISIS-produced English-language propaganda and footage of an Al-Qaeda suicide bombing at an army base. Counsell, of Nottingham, showed no emotion as the jury convicted of three counts of possessing a document containing terrorist information and one count of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. He is due to be sentenced later today. Human rights lawyer Phil Shiner, has been found guilty of various allegations A controversial human rights lawyer has been struck off after being found to have acted dishonestly in bringing murder and torture claims against British Iraq War veterans. Phil Shiner, a solicitor who worked for the now-defunct Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), had 12 charges of misconduct found proved against him by a panel of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. In five charges he was found to have acted dishonestly, including agreeing to pay 'sweeteners' to a fixer, understood to be Mazin Younis, to persuade him to change his evidence in the 31 million Al-Sweady Inquiry. Mr Shiner previously admitted nine allegations of acting without integrity, including that he made 'unsolicited direct approaches' to potential clients. Mr Shiner was struck off the roll of solicitors after the string of misconduct and dishonesty charges against him were found proved. The tribunal heard in December the lawyer accepted he would be struck off as a result of the case, thought to be one of the most expensive ever brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Nicola Lucking, chairwoman of the panel, said: 'We have come to the conclusion the appropriate sanction is a strike off.' Shiner was paid 1.6million for drumming up claims against British troops as part of an unscrupulous deal with two law firms. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: 'Justice has finally been served after we took the unprecedented step of submitting evidence on his abuse of our legal system. Mazin Younis (right) was also handed 500 by disgraced Shiner (centre) for each Iraqi he persuaded to accuse soldiers of committing murder or torture, it was said Ihat has brought thousands of allegations of abuse against British troops - although many have many have since been found to be nothing more than baseless smears (Pictured, a British troop patrols the Iraqi city of Basra) 'Phil Shiner made soldiers' lives a misery by pursuing false claims of torture and murder - now he should apologise. We will study any implications for outstanding legal claims closely.' Mr Shiner's firm, Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), took on clients for a public inquiry into alleged abuses, but then cut a 'lucrative' deal with Leigh Day, which pursued compensation claims. Leigh Day then carved up the profits from suing British troops between PIL and Mr Younis. Details of the deal, which broke a string of conduct rules, emerged on day two of Mr Shiner's disciplinary hearing, where he is facing 24 counts of misconduct brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). WHO IS PHIL SHINER? Philip Joseph Shiner was born in a semi-detached home in Coventry on Christmas Day 1956. He was the second of four children of Peter Shiner, a draughtsman, and his wife, Patricia, a teacher. He started work for a firm dealing with insurance claims but found it dull. He joined a practice focusing on environmental law. For a time, he worked for the Birkenhead Labour MP Frank Field. In 1999, shortly before the Human Rights Act came into force, he set up PIL in Birmingham. He has fought many battles for the Left's celebrated causes, including acting for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Shiner forged strong links with Matrix Chambers, the legal home of Cherie Booth QC, the wife of Tony Blair. In 2004, he was awarded Human Rights Lawyer of the Year by Liberty. Mr Shiner, who has been married twice and has five children, claims Catholicism remains an essential part of his life and most years he attends a religious retreat on Iona. Advertisement Much to the anger of soldiers tormented for years over spurious claims, Mr Shiner has refused to attend, saying he is unwell and cannot afford a lawyer. Andrew Tabachnik, counsel for the SRA, accused him of trying to avoid being cross-examined. PIL brought the vast majority of 3,380 allegations of wrongdoing by British soldiers to the Iraq Historic Allegations Team. Hundreds of soldiers were relentlessly pursued for more than a decade as a result. Not a single case has resulted in a prosecution. Mr Tabachnik said Mr Shiner had paid Mr Younis 500 in referral fees for each of four clients that he brought to him in September 2007. He described how Leigh Day profited from 4.3million for taking on the case of 95 Iraqis who sued the British Government at taxpayers' expense. This money was carved up, with 1.6million paid to Mr Shiner's PIL in fees and 1.6million to Mr Younis. Mr Tabachnik acknowledged that Mr Shiner had told his employees that cold-calling potential clients was not acceptable, but added: 'The sorry reality of this case is that when the allegations crossed Professor Shiner's desk all of that was put to one side. What became of paramount importance to him was to locate the clients. This was an opportunity he was not prepared to let slip.' But after five years of investigations, the Al-Sweady public inquiry concluded that the allegations by Iraqis were based on 'deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility'. The hearing finished earlier than expected as a result of Mr Shiner's absence and Mr Tabachnik, representing the SRA, accused him of being 'in a state of avoidance' to prevent proceedings from going ahead in full. The tribunal heard the effects of his involvement on British military personnel in 'cold-calling' the family members of alleged Iraqi victims. Army Colonel James Coote, who was a major stationed in Basra, said the false claims made against British troops at the Battle of Danny Boy in 2004 had been 'extremely stressful and demoralising'. Mr Shiner had admitted acting recklessly by claiming at a press conference in February 2008 that the British Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians during the Iraq War battle. Mr Shiner agreed to pay Younis, named only as 'Z' in SRA papers, thousands of pounds for referrals, which is prohibited. According to families who received some of the money, a cut of the compensation in some cases was handed to Iraqi agent Abu Jamal (pictured, left) who Mr Shiner paid to tout for business As a team leader at PIL, Mr Shiner authorised and procured payments and fee-sharing agreements with the agent between 2007 and 2010. One of those payments was for 25,000 on March 30 2009, which he admitted but had denied related to a publicly funded case as the SRA alleged. The tribunal found that emails sent by Mr Shiner regarding his 'agent' in Basra were dishonest as they 'did not disclose the real reason' for his agreement with Jamal. Mr Tabachnik said Mr Shiner denied it on the basis that he was under such stress he was 'not responsible' for his actions. Mr Tabachnik said: 'The defence to the dishonesty aspect is effectively, 'I was not in full control of my mental faculties at this time and I didn't know right from wrong and what I am doing'.' Two of the allegations Mr Shiner denied, that he misled the inquiry by failing to make full disclosures and also the Legal Services Commission over legal aid grants, were found proved on the basis of the majority of the particulars the SRA put. The panel ordered him to pay interim costs of 250,000, with a full means test to determine further costs to follow. The lawyer, who takes the title professor, came to public attention when he represented the Iraqi family of Baha Mousa, who was beaten to death by British soldiers. He has launched many other high-profile legal actions against the Ministry of Defence relating to alleged human rights abuses involving UK armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. His firm PIL brought forward the majority of allegations (2,470) considered by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat). PIL, of which Mr Shiner was sole director and 100% shareholder, closed down in August after being stripped of legal aid funding for breaching contractual requirements. Mr Tabachnik said: 'That has not been put into liquidation or any other comparable form of administration.' Mr Shiner's former colleague at PIL, John Dickinson, denied a single charge of misconduct but this was found proved and he was given a reprimand and ordered to pay 2,000 in costs. Paul Philip, SRA Chief Executive, said: 'We welcome the SDT's decision to strike off Professor Shiner, who has been found to have been dishonest. 'It is important that solicitors can bring forward difficult cases, but the public must be able to place their trust in them. 'His misconduct has caused real distress to soldiers, their families and to the families of Iraqi people who thought that their loved ones had been murdered or tortured. 'More than 30m of public funds were spent on investigating what proved to be false and dishonest allegations. 'We expect solicitors to maintain the highest professional standards in all areas of their work, to uphold the rule of law, act with integrity and act honestly. If they do not, we will take action to maintain the trust the public places in solicitors.' Cases brought by Mr Shiner against British soldiers will be reviewed by the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat) after the lawyer was struck off for dishonesty following a tribunal hearing which the organisation said 'casts serious doubt on the reliability of some of the remaining allegations'. HEROES TORMENTED FOR PROFIT JEREMY EDGAR In early 2004, Jeremy Edgar was in the midst of fierce fighting around the city of Al Amarah in southern Iraq. The tension culminated in a three-hour firefight on May 14 that became known as The Battle of Danny Boy, after a checkpoint of that name. After fighting died down, the bodies of 20 Iraqis were taken back to Abu Naji. Senior officers wanted to see if a known insurgent involved in the killing of six Royal Military Policemen the previous year was among them. Nine live detainees were also brought from the battlefield. Mr Edgar was one of the soldiers told to look after them, a duty he says was done according to the rule book. 'Everything we were taught and trained we adhered to,' he says. 'They came and were there all night and then the next day they were escorted off it was a case of 'job done'.' But, as it transpired, it was the start of a ten-year nightmare. Because when the bodies of the Iraqi fighters were returned to relatives the following day, false rumours circulated that many had been alive at the time of capture and had subsequently been brutalised and killed by their British captors. The claims were probed by the Royal Military Police in a ten-month investigation and found to be baseless. But in 2008, PIL and Leigh Day, another firm of solicitors, produced five detainees who claimed they had evidence to support the claims of murder and torture. They said that while they were being tortured they heard fellow detainees being strangled or shot at close range. The following year, the Government bowed to their demands and the Al-Sweady inquiry was launched, named after one of those claimed to have been killed in custody. Married with two children, he had suffered from depression and been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He started to fear for his safety. His name was out there, a soldier accused of torturing Muslim men. He felt at risk and started changing his routine and checking his car for explosive devices. Despite all of the claims gradually being debunked, it was too late. By then his life was spiralling out of control. At the start of 2015 he twice attempted suicide, split up from his wife and ended up living in accommodation for the homeless. RICHARD CATERALL Like Mr Edgar, Richard Caterall has been diagnosed with PTSD and has attempted to take his own life many times. And like Mr Edgar, any attempts to put the past behind him have been jeopardised by his continual hounding by PIL. During a gruelling six-month tour of Iraq in 2003, he shot dead Iraqi Muhammad Salim while acting on information that 15 armed men were holed up in a property in Basra. As he and other troops arrived there they heard five rounds of gunfire and were confronted by two armed men. Former sergeant Mr Catterall shot one of them, fearing he was about to open fire. The Iraqi died from his injuries the next day. It later emerged that the information given to the Army had been wrong and Mr Salim was a civilian carrying an AK-47 for his own safety. Richard Caterall (pictured with his daughters) saw his family life fall apart following his ordeal A military investigation at the time and a separate eight-month investigation carried out by IHAT which included statements from Mr Salim's widow and others obtained by PIL cleared him of any wrongdoing. But the case was then passed to the IFI in response to yet more PIL claims on behalf of the family, now seeking compensation. Last September, Mr Catterall, who was medically discharged from the Army in 2014, faced more questioning. Too ill to leave his home, he was interviewed three times via video link by the inquiry. When the report was published this year, he was once again found to have done no wrong. Too unwell to comment on the latest developments himself, his daughter Demi, 22, who has helped care for him since his marriage collapsed last year, described the experience as 'horrendous'. 'It has torn the whole family apart. When I was growing up Dad was my rock, my whole life, a man who had the respect of everyone in the Army. Now he is a man who has taken more overdoses than I can count. 'His PTSD got a lot worse when the case was going on and he deteriorated massively. It was emotional torture for my dad. He would phone me five or six times a day and say 'Why are they doing this to me Demi? I have done this so many times already, why do I have to do it again?' ' She still recalls the fear she and her sister felt that their father could go to prison for murdering someone. Advertisement Professor Shiner's charge sheet: The 24 allegations in full In total, there were 24 allegations against Mr Shiner. Many of these had previously been admitted, but the rest were found proven today 1. Professor Shiner encouraged and authorised the making of unsolicited direct approaches to potential clients arising out of the Battle of Danny Boy, through the agency of an individual, Mazin Younis, and three others, which he adopted when client instructions were forthcoming. This allegation is admitted including the allegation of acting without integrity. The SDT found proven Allegations 2 to 4: These three allegations are admitted including the allegation of acting without integrity. The allegations of acting dishonestly or recklessly are not admitted. The SDT found these allegations proven. 2. Professor Shiner improperly authorised and procured Public Interest Lawyers Limited to enter into an agreement in June 2015 providing financial benefits to Mazin Younis in order to cause or persuade him to change his evidence on the issue of how the Al-Sweady clients had been identified. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. 3. Professor Shiner improperly presented the changed evidence from Mazin Younis to the SRA without explanation as to the circumstances in which it had been obtained. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. 4. Professor Shiner improperly sanctioned and approved the creation of emails dated 29 and 30 June 2015 which did not disclose the true reason for the agreement with Mazin Younis, but falsely gave the impression that it was the product of a routine discussion. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. Allegations 5 to 9: These five allegations are admitted. The SDT found these allegations proven, except in relation to Rule 1.01. 5. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved the payment to Mazin Younis of prohibited referral fees in or about September 2007. 6. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved an improper fee sharing arrangement with Mazin Younis pursuant to tripartite agreements made on or about 17-23 March 2009, which was an improper arrangement in that it was an improper contingency fee arrangement; 7. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved an improper fee sharing arrangement with Mazin Younis pursuant to tripartite agreements made on or about 27 April 2010, which was an improper arrangement in that it was an improper contingency fee arrangement; 8. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved an improper fee sharing arrangement with Mazin Younis pursuant to tripartite agreements made on or about 17-23 March 2009, which was an improper arrangement in that it was an arrangement for the payment of a referral fee in respect of historic cases; 9. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved an improper fee sharing arrangement with Mazin Younis pursuant to tripartite agreements made on or about 27 April 2010, which was an improper arrangement in that it was an arrangement for the payment of a referral fee in respect of historic cases; Allegations 10 to 11: These two allegations are not admitted. The SDT found these allegations proven. 10. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved an improper fee sharing arrangement with Mazin Younis pursuant to tripartite agreements made on or about 17-23 March 2009, which was an improper arrangement in that it was an arrangement for the payment of a referral fee in respect of publically funded cases. 11. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved an improper fee sharing arrangement with Mazin Younis pursuant to tripartite agreements made on or about 27 April 2010, which was an improper arrangement in that it was an arrangement for the payment of a referral fee in respect of publically funded cases. 12. Professor Shiner authorised, procured and approved the payment to Mazin Younis of 25,000 in prohibited referral fees on or about 30 March 2009. This was admitted including the allegation of acting without integrity, save that it is not admitted that the payment related to publicly funded cases as alleged. The SDT found this allegation proven The SDT found allegations 13 and 14 proven, including dishonesty. Dishonesty in respect of allegations 15 and 16 was not pursued, so the SDT was not required to make a finding of dishonesty or recklessness. It found the allegations proven. 13. Professor Shiner provided the SRA with a misleading and incomplete response to question 10 of a notice dated 23 April 2015 issued under s44B Solicitors Act 1974. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. 14. Professor Shiner provided the SRA with a misleading and incomplete response to question 15 of a notice dated 23 April 2015 issued under s44B Solicitors Act 1974. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. 15. Professor Shiner provided the SRA with a misleading and incomplete response to question 17 of a notice dated 23 April 2015 issued under s44B Solicitors Act 1974. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. 16. Professor Shiner provided the SRA with a misleading and incomplete response to question 21 of a notice dated 23 April 2015 issued under s44B Solicitors Act 1974. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. Allegations 13 to 16: These four allegations are admitted including the allegations of acting without integrity. The allegations of acting dishonestly and recklessly are not admitted. 17. Professor Shiner failed to provide the SRA with a timely response to questions 1 and 3 of a notice dated 23 April 2015 issued under s44B Solicitors Act 1974. This allegation was admitted, and found proven by the SDT. 18. Professor Shiner authorised and approved the payment of sums of money which he knew or suspected to be improper and failed to take proper steps to satisfy himself that such disbursements were proper. Dishonesty is alleged in relation to this allegation, although it is not a requirement for the allegation to be proved. This allegation was not pursued and will lie on Professor Shiner's file. 19. Professor Shiner failed, during the period June 2007 to August 2013, to establish and maintain proper and effective arrangements with a third party law firm for the sharing of information and documents which they held in respect of Al-Sweady claims and matters. This allegation is admitted, and found proven by the SDT. 20. Professor Shiner failed to comply with his duty of candour to the Court in relation to the Judicial Review and failed to take proper steps to ensure that the relevant Al-Sweady clients complied with their duty of candour to the Court. 21. Professor Shiner failed to comply with his duty of full and frank disclosure to the Legal Services Commission in relation to the Judicial Review and failed to take proper steps to ensure that the relevant Al-Sweady clients complied with their comparable duties. These two allegations were not admitted, the SDT found them partially proven. 22. At a press conference on 22 February 2008, Professor Shiner made and personally endorsed allegations that the British Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians, including his clients, who had been innocent bystanders at the Battle of Danny Boy in circumstances where it was improper to do so. This allegation was admitted including the allegation of acting recklessly. The allegation of acting without integrity was not admitted, and was not pursued. The SDT found the allegation proven. 23. Professor Shiner failed to comply with his duty of full and frank disclosure to the Al-Sweady Inquiry in a timely manner or at all, and failed to take proper steps to ensure that the relevant Al-Sweady clients complied with their comparable duties. This allegation was not admitted, and was not pursued by the SRA, but will lie on Professor Shiner's file. 24. Both Professor Shiner and Mr Dickinson failed, in the period March 2013 to March 2014, to keep the Al-Sweady clients properly informed as to the progress of the Al-Sweady Inquiry and in particular as to the declining prospects of their allegations that cold-blooded executions had occurred at Camp Abu Naji ('CAN'). This allegation was admitted, and was found proven by the SDT. An auctioneer was stunned when he carried out a routine house clearance and found a hoard of gold and silver worth over 35,000 stashed in a suitcase. Jonathan Humbert was told the elderly woman who inherited the house from a dead relative had 'a few gold coins' in a holdall kept behind the sofa. But when he opened the suitcase, which weighing over 40kg (88lbs), he discovered it was filled with treasures. An auctioneer was stunned when he carried out a routine house clearance and found a hoard of gold and silver worth over 35,000 stashed in a suitcase The lady who inherited the house and its contents said a 'close relative' invested in gold and silver her entire adult life and left them to her when she passed away. But the stash, which was amassed over a decade ago in Towcester, Northamptonshire, has since quadrupled in value. There were over a hundred 22-carat gold sovereigns, which cost 200 each, and 17 solid silver bars weighing 1kg (2lbs) that are each worth 450. Mr Humbert found several kilos of coins - including 22-carat gold Krugerrand that fetch up to 1,200 per ounce - as well as solid silver, half-silver and 22-carat gold British coins. Mr Humbert found several kilos of coins - including 22-carat gold Krugerrand that fetch up to 1,200 per ounce - as well as solid silver, half-silver and 22-carat gold British coins Jonathan Humbert was told the elderly woman who inherited the house from a dead relative had 'a few gold coins' in a holdall kept behind the sofa It took staff at JP Humbert Auctioneers an entire day to sort out the trove on January 25 before it went for auction on Tuesday (31/1). Mr Humbert, director of the auction house in Whittlebury, Northants., said: 'When I received the call the woman said she had some ceramics and furniture that needed clearing out. 'Those are two words that auctioneers usually dread, but she mentioned a few gold coins too. That pricked my ears and I went out. 'After going through all of the other items she then pointed to a suitcase behind the sofa where she said the gold was kept. 'I went to lift it and almost pulled my arm out of my shoulder, it must have weighted well over 40kg. 'After dragging it across the floor I couldn't believe what was inside. 'There were ingots of silver worth 450 each and hundreds of gold sovereign and full silver coins.' The woman, who did not want to be named, said a close relative used to invest in gold and silver but she had no idea how much they were worth. But when he opened the suitcase, which weighing over 40kg (88lbs), he discovered it was filled with treasures It took staff at JP Humbert Auctioneers an entire day to sort out the trove on January 25 before it went for auction on Tuesday Silver coins from before 1922 were 100 percent silver, and from 1922 until 1946 they were half silver and half copper nickel Mr Humbert said: 'I explained it was something of a security risk having that much gold and silver stashed in a suitcase. 'The relative amassed them over a period of 20 to 30 years, but bought them before the tech boom drove the price up. 'They were not flush with cash, but when they had a bit of money spare they would invest. 'A hundred gold sovereigns would have been worth about 60 when she got them, but they were going for 200 under the hammer. 'After dragging it across the floor I couldn't believe what was inside,' said a shocked Mr Humbert 'Brexit and Donald Trump have pushed the price back up as investors are looking for something stable in these uncertain times. 'People were buying from Iceland, New Zealand and South Africa - it was a great success.' Silver coins from before 1922 were 100 percent silver, and from 1922 until 1946 they were half silver and half copper nickel. All of the woman's collection were from the 20th century, including 22-carat gold Krugerrand coins - South African currency. Every piece was sold separately with individual bids ranging from 190 to 480. All the Elizabeth II sovereigns, dating from 1958 to 1967, depict St George slaying a dragon on the reverse side and each 8g (0.3oz) coin was valued at more than 200. The 17 solid silver bars are engraved by the Swiss bullion makers Metalor. Mr Humbert added: 'She had no idea how much these were worth. We haven't even sold them all, we are having another auction in a month.' President Donald Trump dramatically raised the possibility of military action against Iran over its missiles test on Thursday saying 'nothing is off the table' amid news that a new round of sanctions could be coming in less than a day. Trump used the phrase when asked directly if military action was possible, and after a series of angry tweets about how the Islamic republic tested a ballistic missile something the nuclear bargain it struck with Barack Obama explicitly forbids. The president was speaking in the Roosevelt Room of the White House as he met executives from Harley-Davidson, the storied motorcycle manufacturer, and after Tehran had called his threats 'useless' and described him as 'an inexperienced person.' Hours later Reuters reported that that the U.S. is expected to impose sanctions on about eight different Iranian entities as early as Friday. A White House official was unable to confirm to DailyMail.com that sanctions were on the way. But a Reuters source said some sanctions would be seen as a response to terrorism-related activities and others would fall under separate existing U.S. executive orders. That would sidestep the sanctions-relieving terms of Obama's agreement with Tehran. 'Nothing is off the table': Trump's warning as he spoke in the Roosevelt Room of the White House comes amid mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran A medium-range ballistic missile was tested on Sunday in Iran and exploded after 630 miles, a US official said on Monday. The test was carried out from a site near Semnan, 140 miles east of Tehran. Pictured above is a file photo from a March 2015 ballistic missile test in Iran Trump's action may be the first time a head of state has used social media to threaten action against a foreign country It also emerged Thursday that Iran has tested a cruise missile called 'Sumar' that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The development was reported by German newspaper Die Welt reported Thursday, citing unspecified intelligence sources. As Trump grew angrier in the wee hours of Thursday morning, he used social media to issue an explicit warning to Tehran. 'Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile,' the president wrote on Twitter. 'Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!' 'Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion,' he added in a second tweet. Trump has been openly hostile to the terms of the Obama-Tehran nuclear deal, saying during his presidential campaign that it was 'stupid,' 'a disgrace,'' and 'the worst deal ever negotiated.' His tweets likely stand as the first time a head of state has used social media to threaten a foreign country. They were met with contempt by the Iranian regime. This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran Ali Akbar Velayati, senior counsel to Iran's supreme leader A top adviser to the Iranian supreme leader said the country will not yield to 'useless' US threats from 'an inexperienced person' over its ballistic missile program. Ali Akbar Velayati said, who is a senior counsel to Iran's most powerful man Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hit back. 'This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran,' he said. 'The American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless.' The report of a cruise missile test in the German newspaper said the Sumar cruise missile was built in Iran and traveled around 375 miles in its first known successful test. The missile is believed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons and may have a range of 1,200 to 1,800 miles, the paper said, citing intelligence sources. Cruise missiles are harder to counter than ballistic missiles since they fly at lower altitudes and can evade enemy radar, confounding missile defense missiles and hitting targets deep inside an opponent's territory. But the biggest advantage from Iran's point of view, a security expert told Die Welt, was that cruise missiles are not mentioned in any United Nations resolutions that ban work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. There has been no explicit response from Iran or from Washington on the cruise missile disclosure. However, Trump's National Security Advisor had issued his own stern warning to Tehran's mullahs on Wednesday. A senior leader to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's most powerful figure, said America's threats were useless and that Iran did not need permission to defend itself Gen. Michael Flynn told reporters during a White House press briefing that the administration 'condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk.' 'As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice,' he said. It wasn't clear what that notice means, or what consequences Iran can expect if it continues to test missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Senior administration officials wouldn't rule out military action or sanctions during a separate briefing with reporters that came later. Officials said 'a large number of options' are being considered and would not reveal what those are other than to say that they include financial and economic actions. 'We are considering a whole range of options. We are in a deliberative process,' one said. Flynn said that 'Iran is now feeling emboldened,' and criticized the Obama administration for failing 'to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions, including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms.' Administration officials, speaking on background to reporters, said Wednesday afternoon that the Republican president was taking a 'different perspective' from his predecessor's. 'Iranian behavior needs to be rethought by Tehran,' one said. An official added that 'there should be no doubt that the United States is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behavior in the region that we consider to be destabilizing.' Iran, Republicans say, has built up its nuclear capabilities despite signing on to a multilateral deal designed to produce the opposite outcome. A defense official said this week that the Iranian missile test ended with a 'failed' re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. The suggestion that the missile was designed to return to earth supports the contention that it was a test of an attack vehicle, not a rocket meant to launch satellites into space. The official had no other details, including the type of missile, but spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Flynn said pointedly that Iran's action is 'in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.' That international consensus demands that Iran not 'undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.' The White House said Monday that it was studying information about the ballistic missile test. Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he did not know the 'exact nature' of the test and expected to have more information later. FLYNN PUTS IRAN 'ON NOTICE' National Security Advisor Michael Flynn delivered a statement on Wednesday during the White House's daily press briefing: 'Recent Iranian actions, involving a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilizing behavior across entire the Middle East. 'The recent ballistic missile launch is also in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which calls upon Iran 'not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology.' 'These are just the latest of a series of incidents in the past six months in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened United States and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea. In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten U.S. friends and allies in the region. 'The Obama Administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions, including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms. The Trump Administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place which places American lives at risk. 'President Trump has severely criticized the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama Administration, as well as the United Nations, as being weak and ineffective. 'Instead of being thankful to the United States in these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened. 'As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice. Thank you.' Advertisement The White House sent several officials to brief reporters a hours later. 'We can confirm that Iran conducted a launch of a medium-range missile, the Shahab, and that launch was on 29 January. The launch we view as being highly provocative,' an official said. 'This affects us all and is a destabilizing factor in the region.' Iran is the subject of a United Nations Security Council resolution prohibiting tests of ballistic missiles designed to deliver a nuclear warhead. As part of the 2015 nuclear deal, the U.N. ban was prolonged by eight years, although Iran has flaunted the restriction. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. was looking into whether the ballistic missile test violates the U.S. Security Council resolution. 'When actions are taken that violate or are inconsistent with the resolution, we will act to hold Iran accountable and urge other countries to do so as well,' Toner said. Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, condemned Iran for the missile test. 'No longer will Iran be given a pass for its repeated ballistic missile violations, continued support of terrorism, human rights abuses and other hostile activities that threaten international peace and security,' Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, said in a written statement. Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, meanwhile, claimed a successful missile strike against a warship in the Red Sea belonging to the Saudi-led coalition that is fighting alongside Yemen's internationally recognized government. Video footage shown on the rebels' al-Masirah television on Monday shows a warship being hit and a fire on board starting as a man not shown in the video shouts the rebels' trademark chant of 'Allahu akbar [God is greatest], death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and victory for Islam.' Lyndsey Higgins was found hanged by her fireman boyfriend after she used self-harm to 'control' their relationship, an inquest heard A fitness centre manager was found hanged by her fireman boyfriend after she used self-harm to 'control' their relationship, an inquest heard. Lyndsey Higgins, 30, met Martin Westwell on a dating website but later told him she would cut her arms or cause further harm to herself if they split up, it was said. Two years later, after the couple fell out in a petty row over 'silliness,' Miss Higgins, a mother of one, texted businessman Mr Westwell saying: 'I've done it.' When he texted back and failed to get any response, he went round to her apartment in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, on December 18, 2015 to find she had hanged herself. The hearing in Burnley was told Miss Higgins, originally from Liverpool, had hoped to study midwifery and had won a place at Chester University. She met Mr Westwell, 44, via a dating website in January 2014 after splitting up with the father of her young son following a 12-year relationship. Miss Higgins initially moved in with Mr Westwell and managed his gym Westys whilst he ran a motor repairs company - but she ended up getting a flat nearby where she would stay following arguments. In a statement, father of one Mr Westwell - who claimed he could not attend the inquest for fear he would 'suffer panic attacks' - said: 'She would manage my gym on a day to day basis and she was very good at it. 'But Lyndsey had confided in me that she had previously self-harmed, and she found it to be a release to her. 'She had cut herself on her arms before, and she told me that she did love me, but sometimes she felt like she wanted to do it. That made her feel bad about herself so she cut herself again. 'I felt that she used her self harm to control me and the relationship, saying that if we did split up she would cause harm to herself. Whenever she spoke to me and said to keep talking because she wanted to hear my voice I knew she had done something.' Tragedy: Two years later, after the couple fell out in a petty row over 'silliness,' Miss Higgins, a mother of one, texted businessman Mr Westwell saying: 'I've done it' The hearing in Burnley was told Miss Higgins, originally from Liverpool, had hoped to study midwifery and had won a place at Chester University He added: 'We did begin to argue and the relationship was difficult, arguing about things like the TV was too loud. On the night before she died we decided to go out to the cinema and she had dropped off her son with her parents. 'I drove and we struggled to find somewhere to park except for a disabled space, and Lyndsey got annoyed about that. 'I said to her we won't have any of this silliness tonight and she got upset saying I was calling her silly. I said I wasn't, but I didn't want to eat anymore so we went back to my house. 'I dropped her off to her flat, and I went to my gym for about an hour, and I drove past her flat on my way back and her car wasn't there so I thought she had gone to visit her parents in Liverpool. 'At around 9.30pm I got a message saying that she didn't think we were a good match anymore, I ignored it because she had sent me this many times before. Later on I got a message apologising and I sent one back also apologising. She met Mr Westwell, 44, via a dating website in January 2014 after splitting up with the father of her young son following a 12-year relationship 'I then got a text from her at about 10.10pm asking me to go and get her in the morning and that the door would be open.' Mr Westwell then went to Miss Higgins' flat to find her in her underwear cuddling a picture of her son - having taken sleeping tablets. He went to the hospital with her and stayed with her until she came round, when she started shouting that she wanted to return home. His statement said: 'She got her phone out and tried to call a taxi, and when the doctors asked how she would get home she pointed at me. I asked her in front of the doctors on purpose if when she got home would she try to kill herself again? Mr Westwell went to Miss Higgins' flat again, expecting police and paramedics to already be in attendance but found her dead 'She said that she would, but she had run out of sleeping pills so could the doctors give her any more. She was allowed to discharge herself, and I had no choice but to take her home. 'In the car on the way back she became aggressive and threatening to myself and my daughter, so I stopped the car and she got out laughing at me and slammed the door. She tried to call me so I blocked her number on WhatsApp. 'I got a text from her saying: "I've done it." I replied with "done what?" but she didn't text me after that so I called 999.' Mr Westwell went to Miss Higgins' flat again, expecting police and paramedics to already be in attendance but found her dead. In a second statement he added: 'Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Lyndsey was beautiful and I greatly regret not being able to get her the help she needed. 'She felt like she was a burden to everybody but that just wasn't true... My heart rate speeds up and I struggle to breathe following Lyndsey's death.' Earlier Miss Higgins' mother Pam, 64, said: 'Lyndsey was a loving mother and a lively girl. She was the life and soul of the party. She came across very confident and was a very determined young lady. 'She had acne when she was a younger girl and was very conscious about it. She had been depressed but she had turned her life around and had decided that she wanted to study midwifery, and came out with a distinction in everything. Miss Higgins initially moved in with Mr Westwell and managed his gym whilst he ran a motor repairs company - but she ended up getting a flat nearby where she would stay after rows 'She had a place at Chester University to complete the access course she had been studying. She was doing very very well. 'She met Martin and she moved in with him but in August 2015 she had been away with Martin, and the relationship had started to show its cracks and we knew something wasn't quite right. 'They went to Florida together and Martin abandoned her - leaving her with no money or anything in a separate hotel. When they came back they made up. 'When she visiting us, she was in her room, and Martin was on the phone to her, but he got hold of us and told us that she had taken a lot of slimming tablets. We took her to the hospital and I didn't let her out of my sight for the rest of the time she was with us.' Mrs Higgins added: 'I would describe her and Martin's relationship as volatile. It went from one extreme to the other, we tried to get her to come back, and say look this isn't working out how you wanted. 'She had a place to go, her bedroom was ready and waiting and we had a nursery place for her son sorted. Lyndsey had everything to live for. My main concern is why the hospital didn't try to contact us at all. 'She had written the contact details down so why didn't they contact us?' The inquest continues. Some varieties of Skoal, Copenhagen, Cope and Husky brand smokeless tobacco are being voluntarily recalled amid complaints of metal objects, some of them sharp, being spotted in dozens of cans. All of the recalled products were manufactured at US Smokeless Tobacco Company's facility in Franklin Park, Illinois, and distributed nationally, according to the FDA. US Smokeless Tobacco Company initiated the recall of more than two dozen of its products after getting eight consumer complaints about the metal objects in Indiana, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Ohio. Some varieties of Skoal, Copenhagen, Cope and Husky brand smokeless tobacco are being voluntarily recalled by US Smokeless Tobacco Company amid complaints of metal objects, some of them sharp, being spotted in cans All of the recalled products were manufactured at US Smokeless Tobacco Company's facility in Franklin Park, Illinois (pictured), according to the FDA The company initiated the the recall after getting eight consumer complaints about the metal objects in six states The object was visible in each case and there have been no reports of injury. ' We appreciate our consumers' patience and loyalty while we work through this matter', said US Smokeless Tobacco Company spokesman Steve Callahan in an email to Reuters. spokesman Steve Callahan said in an email to Reute Most of the company's cans are not affected by the recall - only those with no printed code on the bottom of the can or with codes that begin with the letters 'F', 'R', 'K', or 'P'. Anyone who has one of the recalled cans can return it for a refund, according to the FDA. A One Nation candidate has deleted his Facebook page after he was caught liking several sexually explicit websites. Cameron Bartkowski's social media activity is the latest embarrassment for the party ahead of the upcoming elections in Western Australia. The aspiring politician liked a dozen questionable Facebook pages including 'best ladyboy', 'trans-single', 'hot booty Ebony', 'cute Thai Asian girls' and 'MILF secretary housewife'. One Nation candidate Cameron Bartkowski (pictured) liked a dozen pornographic Facebook pages Perth radio station 6PR revealed the news about the One Nation candidate for the upper house seat of South West on Thursday afternoon. Mr Bartkowski told presenter Oliver Peterson off air it shouldn't matter what's on his Facebook page, which has now been deleted. One Nation is running several controversial candidates in the upcoming West Australian elections. Their candidate for the seat of Dawesville, south of Perth, Lawrence Shave is a 73-year-old twice-divorced Pentecostal pastor who advertised for bikini baristas and is still searching for a Russian bride aged between 20 and 44. The One Nation candidate's deleted Facebook page which had links to questionable websites Another One Nation candidate Lawrence Shave, 73, advertised for bikini baristas and a Russian mail order bride aged between 20 and 44 One Nation's Pilbara candidate David Archibald said single mums are too lazy to find a man Another candidate running in the Pilbara electorate, in the state's far north, David Archibald, wrote an article for the conservative Quadrant magazine in 2015 that said single mothers were too lazy to find and keep a man and were producing 'lazy and ugly' children. In Queensland, the One Nation candidate for the seat of Redcliffe north of Brisbane, John Cox, posted and backed conspiracy theories about the September 11 attacks on Facebook. None of those candidates have yet been disendorsed. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has promised to be tough on candidates but her party continues to endorse polarising people Last month, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson dumped a Queensland candidate for the Ipswich seat of Bundamba, Shan Ju Lin, after she said on Facebook that gay people should be 'treated as patients'. A day later, Senator Hanson issued a media release saying she made 'no apologies for being tough on candidates'. A few days later her party dumped its candidate for the far north Queensland seat of Mulgrave, Peter Rogers, for suggesting the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania was a hoax and that the dead three-year-old Syrian boy, photographed on beach in 2015, was alive and well. Tough laws in Australia, which force migrants who arrive by boat into offshore detention centers, have been labelled 'cruel, inhuman and degrading' by the UN. Australia's prime minister Malcolm Turnbull reportedly clashed with Donald Trump, in particular over what POTUS labelled a 'dumb' refugee deal made between the two nations under Barack Obama, as the pair spoke as leaders for the first time. Yet while the Republican's hard-line immigration policies has drawn criticism, Australia's own system has been likened to 'open-air prisons that have increasingly eroded the human rights' of migrants. Last week Mr Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries Unhappy: Donald Trump reportedly hung up on Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) at the weekend after a particularly testy exchange Trump reportedly fell out with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull over a deal made with the Obama administration, which will see 1,250 refugees currently in centers in Nauru and Manus Island accepted into the US. Under the US-Australia agreement, which was reached in November, Australia would accept hundreds of refugees from South America who are currently in centers in Costa Rica. WHAT IS THE AUSTRALIA-US REFUGEE DEAL? The Obama administration and Turnbull government struck a deal to resettle some of the refugees being held offshore in Nauru and Manus Island in November last year The Australian government has a 'zero tolerance' policy towards illegal boat arrivals and only genuine refugees are sent to Nauru and Manus Island There are approximately 1,250 refugees being held in the Australian-funded offshore detention centres A large majority of those refugees come from Iran, Iraq and Somalia - all countries on US President Donald Trump's travel-ban President Trump reportedly agreed to honour the deal, on the condition the refugees would undergo 'extreme vetting' The US President reportedly described it as the 'worst deal ever' in a heated conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday Advertisement The same month as the deal was made, UN investigator Francois Crepeau visited the detention center on the island of Nauru, where he described conditions as 'cruel, inhuman and degrading'. Mr Crepeau said Australia's policies 'have increasingly eroded the human rights of migrants in contravention of its international human rights and humanitarian obligations'. He continued: 'Australia would vehemently protest if its citizens were treated like this by other counties and especially if Australian children were treated like this.' Amnesty International said in October that the immigration center was an 'open-air prison'. Offshore detention in Australia has been in place since 2001, and in 2013 Australia's mainland was excluded from its migration zone for people who arrive by boat. Now migrants who arrive on Australian shores by sea are immediately sent to the island of Nauru or Papau New Guinea. They stay in detention facilities while their applications to be accepted into Australia are processed. Although 90 per cent are ruled to have valid claims, they are not allowed to settle in the Australian mainland, instead being allowed to stay in Nauru or Papau New Guinea. President Trump reportedly ranted about the deal the Obama administration struck with Canberra to take 1,250 refugees being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru The policy has come under heavy fire, with conditions in the camp branded 'inhuman' by a UN inspector in November. Supporters claim it deters migrants from arriving in dangerous vessels, and ensures refugees enter the country through proper channels. In 2015 Australia agreed to accept 12,000 refugees from Syria. The previous year violence had erupted at a protest at the detention center on Manus Island, and a 23-year-old Iranian man was killed. Turnbull has previously stated that Australians cannot be 'misty-eyed' about immigration, saying: 'We must have secure borders and we do and we will, and they will remain so, as long as I am the prime minister of this country.' The US president is claimed to have hung up on his Australian counterpart Turnbull 25 minutes into the conversation after furiously telling him: 'I don't want these people.' He wrote on Twitter yesterday: 'Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!' Trump's own record on accepting refugees has sparked protests all over the world after he barred people from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - from entering the US for 90 days. He also imposed a 120 day refugee ban, and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. A Chinese official has been suspended after being caught slapping a nurse because she didn't get wheelchairs for his parents. The incident took place on February 1 in Huxian, China's Shaanxi province. Police investigated the incident and have since suspended the man. Vicious attack: The man approaches the nurse and starts shouting at her Shocking: He then grabs the woman on the head and tries to drag her down to the floor According to reports, the official slapped the nurse because she failed to secure wheelchairs for his parents. In the footage, the man can be seen kicking the nurse and shouting. He then slaps the woman before shouting again. The man then viciously slaps the woman again before grabbing her hair and pulling her towards the floor. The official was reportedly upset as the nurse had failed to secure wheelchairs for his parents Horrifying: After some time, onlookers intervene and pull the man off the woman Passersby try and intervene and get the man off her. The hospital raised an alarm with police who later attended the scene and launched an investigation. Following that investigation, the man was revealed to be an official and suspended from his post. He is suspended until the investigation has been completed. A group of Texas high school students gave Nazi salutes and shouted 'Heil Hitler, Heil Trump' as they had a class photograph taken. The seniors at Cypress Ranch High School, a public high school in Houston, were posing for the photograph on Tuesday when 'dozens' of white students launched into the offensive pose. Other students who weren't involved took photographs of the outburst and shared them online and with local media. A group of seniors at Cypress Ranch High School in Houston, Texas, were seen giving the Nazi salute as they had a class photo taken Another photograph showed a cluster of students in one section of the crowd raising their hands and one other lone supporter in a different area of the bleachers 'There was around 70 or so people. It was pretty terrifying,' they told Click 2 Houston. In the photograph there are ten hands clearly appearing to give the salute. Another image showed a cluster of students in one section of the crowd raising their hands and one other lone supporter in a different area of the bleachers. They were posing for the 'silly picture', traditionally taken after a more serious portrait of the class, when the incident occurred. One youngster whose siblings attend the school shared how they'd claimed the boys launched in to the Nazi salute in response to a group of female students giving the 'black power fist'. He revealed other students' claims that teacher's did 'nothing' to stop them. Another student said she had found swastikas carved into her desk. Cypress Ranch High School did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday but a memo was sent to parents on Tuesday, the day of the incident. One youngster claimed to have been sent the photographs by relatives at the schools in Houston The Twitter user shared comments from relatives at the school who claimed the teachers did nothing to stop the cluster of students giving the gesture 'Several of our students made the poor choice of displaying inappropriate gestures during this time. 'Unfortunately, many of these images have been shared on social media. This is extremely disappointing as this is not an accurate representation of our student body. 'We are currently conducting an investigation and those implicated will be punished according to the Student Code of Conduct.' It urged parents to advise against 'negative social media' which 'perpetuate a false image of Cy Ranch HS'. President Donald Trump requested prayers for his 'Apprentice' replacement, Arnold Schwarzenegger, at a religious gathering on Thursday morning in Washington. He skewered the movie star for running the television show into the ground this season, claiming, 'It's been a total disaster.' 'And I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings, okay?' he said. Trump left the NBC program that's produced by Mark Burnett to run for president. Schwarzenegger, a former governor of California, quickly responded with a dig of his own in a video message that he posted to Twitter. 'Hey Donald, I have a great idea. Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV because you're such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job. And then, people can finally sleep comfortably again. Hmm?' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO President Donald Trump requested prayers for his 'Apprentice' replacement, Arnold Schwarzenegger, at a religious gathering on Thursday morning in Washington. Trump left the NBC program that's produced by Mark Burnett (left) to run for president Schwarzenegger, a former governor of California, quickly responded with a dig of his own in a video message that he posted to Twitter. 'Hey Donald, I have a great idea. Why don't we switch jobs? Schwarzenegger, 69, is an Austrian immigrant. He cannot hold the office of president because he's not a natural born U.S. citizen. Trump started a fight with Schwarzenegger earlier this month, before he moved into the White House, on Twitter over his debut as host of 'The Celebrity Apprentice.' The movie star's debut as host of The Celebrity Apprentice this month garnered 4.9 million viewers. Trump's premiere his last season, in 2015, attracted 6.5 million viewers. Trump said the 'Terminator' actor was getting '"swamped" (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT.' Schwarzenegger encouraged him to 'work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings.' After Burnett talked about the show's origins this morning in his introduction of Trump at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, the president reiterated his unhappiness with Schwarzenegger at the beginning of his own remarks. 'They hired a big, big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place. And we know how that turned out. The ratings went right down the tubes,' he said. Turning to Burnett, who had been seated next to him on the dias, Trump called Schwarzenegger a 'disaster' and said, 'Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again.' White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the president meant for the diss to be a 'light-hearted' jab at Burnett. 'I think if you look at the totality of his remarks, they were absolutely beautiful,' Spicer said. 'And I think to hone in on that it was a light-hearted moment he was trying to have with a big supporter of the National Prayer Breakfast and a personal friend.' Burnett, a television and movie producer, had spoken fondly of Trump - crediting the billionaire's book 'The Art of the Deal' as a bedrock for his personal success. He recalled meeting Trump for the first time and said, 'My dream had come true.' In addition to 'The Apprentice' and CBS' 'Survivor,' Burnett, along with wife, Roma Downey, star of the long-running faith-based program Touched By an Angel, produced the History Channel miniseries 'The Bible' in 2013 and the 2016 remake of the classic film 'Ben-Hur.' In remarks introducing the president, Burnett said that working with Trump 'has been one of the greatest relationships of my life.' Trump called Burnett and Downey 'great friends' in a speech that unraveled into a public shaming of his 'Apprentice' successor. 'Beautiful Roma Downey. The voice of an angel. She's got the voice. Every time I hear that voice, it's so beautiful. And everything is so beautiful about Roma, including her husband,' Trump said. 'Because he's a special, special friend, Mark Burnett.' The president said the show they produced together 'had tremendous success.' 'We've had an amazing life together the last 14, 15 years, an outstanding man. And thank you very much for introducing me. Appreciate it. It's a great honor. ' His beef with Schwarzenegger is personal. The Republican politician supported Ohio Governor John Kasich in the GOP primary and refused to endorse Trump in the general. At the bipartisan event in Washington this morning that the occupant of the Oval Office has attended since the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenshower, presidents have often shared messages of religious tolerance and togetherness. Trump revealed plans to make immigrants and refugees assimilate to American traditions. 'We want people to come into our nation, but we want people to love us and to love our values,' he said. 'We will be a safe country, we will be a free country.' Travel restrictions that Trump placed on seven nations whose citizens are mainly-Muslim inspired protests across the country. His plan to build a wall dividing the United States from its neighbors in Mexico was also met with uproar. In remarks introducing the president at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, a bipartisan gathering politicians have attended since 1953, Burnett said, 'It has been one of the greatest relationships of my life' 'I know what he's trying to accomplish - his fear about people coming in from other places, causing harm to the country,' told Extra's Mario Lopez on Monday. 'There is another way to going about it to do it the right way and accomplish all of the goals. I think they were hasty with it.' The president made no apologies for his policies today at the Washington prayer gathering. 'We will be a safe country. We will be a free country,' he said. The National Prayer Breakfast has been held in Washington since 1953. It is hosted by The Fellowship Foundation and a group of federal legislators from both chambers of Congress. Dr. Ben Carson confronted Barack Obama in his keynote address in 2013. The episode launched his political career and unsuccessful bid for the presidency last year. He's Trump's nominee to lead Housing And Urban Development. Obama's speech, in 2015, turned heads when he scolded 'less-than-loving expressions by Christians.' After Trump proposed a Muslim ban last year while he was campaigning for presidency, Obama zeroed in on the treatment of Muslim Americans. Trump skewered the movie star for running the television show into the ground this season, claiming, 'It's been a total disaster' 'Just as we call on other countries to respect the rights of religious minorities, we, too, respect the right of every American to practice their faith freely,' Obama said, 'This is what each of us is called on to do, to seek our common humanity of each other.' Chris Coons, a senator from Delaware representing Democrats on the dias this year, alluded to the tumult in Washington that led Trump to win elected office, saying in his opening remarks that 'it may be the understatement of the century that Washington D.C. needs prayer.' Rear Admiral Barry Black, the Senate chaplain and this year's keynote speaker, observed that Democrats and Republicans in the upper chamber come together for a weekly prayer session, regardless. 'I find myself thinking, "Where are the C-SPAN cameras when you need them?" ' he said. Turning to Burnett, who had been seated next to him on the dias, Trump said called Schwarzenegger a 'disaster' from the podium and said, 'Mark will never, ever bet against Trump again' Black recalled a senator saying that it's difficult to pray together like that, then turn around and 'figuratively stab one of your colleagues in the back.' The senator 'quickly added that it's not impossible,' Black said to laughter, but it is hard. Two heads of state were attending the breakfast this year, Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo Samy Badibanga. Trump's Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, sworn in last night, was also there. The president did not host Abdullah in the Oval Office, but they had a chance to talk at the breakfast, and the two heads of state had a 'very good conversation,' the White House says. Contemporary Christian group MercyMe provided this year's music, performing their crossover hit, 'I Can Only Imagine' and another one of their songs. Last night, MPs finally got to vote on triggering Article 50 and leaving the E.U. in the House of Commons. You might argue theyve had two goes at it now, given most MPs will have voted in the referendum on June 23. And had their picture taken kissing a baby whilst doing so. But Id argue theyve had THREE votes. They voted 544 to 53 in favour of a referendum to let the people to decide in the first place. Last night, MPs finally got to vote on triggering Article 50 and leaving the E.U. in the Commons How many more votes do Gina Miller (left), George Osborne (right) and Nicola Sturgeon want? That was until the people voted the wrong damn way (idiots, xenophobes, racists, Katie Hopkins types etc.) at which point the binding referendum became advisory and for guidance purposes only. When we waved our white pamphlets we were sent, reassuring us in black and white - the government will implement what you decide - they waved pictures of Gina Miller looking smug. It has been fun to watch that smile wiped from her face as she acquired the title of most hated woman in Britain. I wouldnt suggest moving to Stoke, Hastings, Plymouth, Basildon, Boston or Skeggy any time soon love. Or near me. Even after MPs had been spoiled with three votes on Brexit to a workingmans one, most of those stuck in the Commons still looked like they were sucking on British-grown grapefruits at a funeral. Amongst a sea of ashen faces, Ken Clarke was positively fuchsia from the neck up. I was hoping The Speaker knew the stroke acronym F.A.S.T (face, arms, speech, time) just in case the worst should happen to him. But given it's taken eight months from us voting to leave to nearly triggering Article 50, I doubt any politician is capable of acting fast even if Kens life depended on it. Others took the vote as an opportunity to shine in a manner slightly less fuchsia. Chloe Smith the Conservative MP for Norwich North brought her baby son with her stalwart to the last. Others took the vote as an opportunity to shine in a manner slightly less fuchsia. Chloe Smith the Conservative MP for Norwich North brought her baby son with her stalwart to the last Not to be outdone by Labour MPs ignoring the three-line-whip and voting against the will of the people, Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) tried to block Brexit with a wrecking bill She is on maternity leave, but so determined to leave the EU she will let no man stand in her way. Even if he is four months old. Well done that woman. Odorous Osborne massaged his own member with a speech about how much he had sacrificed for his country and for this vote. Every time I looked I saw horns and a tail but my husband tells me these were not apparent in HD. 'I sacrificed my position in government for this vote,' he said nobly, trident in hand. Which is a little bit like being a fattened cow pretending you CHOSE to trot to the slaughter house. As I recall George my flower, Theresa May was the one with the knife in her hand, and you were left butchered on the floor. Not to be outdone by Labour MPs ignoring the three-line-whip and voting against the will of the people, The Ginger Dwarf from the North tried to block Brexit with a wrecking bill. Amongst a sea of ashen faces, Ken Clarke was positively fuchsia from the neck up. I was hoping The Speaker knew the stroke acronym F.A.S.T (face, arms, speech, time) just in case the worst should happen to him Try and get the image of a naked Sturgeon straddling a wrecking ball in the manner of a short Scottish Miley Cyrus out of your head and focus, for goodness sake. She was defeated by 336 votes to 100. She tried to derail Brexit by saying no one was listening to Scotland. But no one wanted to listen to her saying no one was listening. It is now clear she has about as much power as my Grandads knackered old Renault Twizy. I would suggest she hang her head in shame but I fear her forehead would be on her tiny feet. And that would be ginger-shaming. Or something. Even those that never fail to disappoint managed to be disappointing. Self-appointed spokesperson for everything, Diane Abbott, failed to turn up and vote. If there is one thing worse than to vote against the will of the people, it is the abject failure to have the moral courage to vote at all. She said she had been taken ill. Which coincidentally, is exactly how we feel every time I am forced to look at her on my TV. I look forward to her lecturing us about how democracy works from a BBC sofa sometime very soon. Despite this nonsense in the House of Fools, rather brilliantly, MPs voted in support of the bill to trigger Article 50, despite their personal misgivings. It passed by 444 to 114 and there is no turning back. 17.4million people voted for Brexit. The 52% made change happen. And 444 MPs voted in support of true democracy in Parliament The 114 do not deserve to be talked about. My own MP voted against democracy. Ben Bradshaw has three favourite people; Me, Myself and I. His constituents dont even come fourth. His principled stand had a lot more to do with camera time for his flowing locks I am sure. (Hair he is so proud of he doesn't wear a bike helmet when he cycles). If you want a final laugh, snake-in the-grass, Gina Miller now says she wants to work with the Government to help negotiate the Brexit deal. Gina darling, I wouldnt ask for your help if I had just wet myself after a nasty sneezing episode (stranger things have happened). We dont need your help with anything. We never did. You are walking irrelevance. Run along and play with someone equally impotent Nicola Sturgeon perhaps? Despite your powerful connections and your cash, we won with the power of a little pencil on a piece of string and a tick in a box. 17.4million people voted for Brexit. The 52% made change happen. And 444 MPs voted in support of true democracy in Parliament. We should applaud them all. A middle school teacher is fighting to keep her job after it was revealed she was an adult film actress in at least 16 productions. Resa Woodward, 38, taught sixth grade science at the Young Women's Science Technology Engineering and Math Academy at Balch Springs Middle School in Dallas, Texas, and was placed on administrative leave in late November. Woodward said she was forced into pornography more than a decade ago, and since received a master's degree and become a successful teacher, the Dallas Morning News reported. Resa Woodward (pictured) taught sixth grade science at the Young Women's Science Technology Engineering and Math Academy at Balch Springs Middle School When her past as an adult film actress was revealed on Facebook, the school put her on administrative leave in November 2016 Woodward, who worked as an adult film actress under the name Robyn Foster, appeared in at least 16 films, mostly between 2001 and 2004. Some compilation films including her past performances were released as recently as 2013. Woodward claims she was forced into pornography in times of financial strain by an older man she was living with, and said: 'That involvement was not of my own choosing.' She decided to pursue a different career and worked in education for 15 years before the Dallas Independent School District received an anonymous tip regarding Woodward's past on March 10. But the ensuing investigation concluded that 'Woodwards past participation in pornography does not in itself constitute a policy violation', according to records obtained by the Dallas Morning News. The 38-year-old said she was allowed to continue teaching as long as her past remained private, she said. Woodward claims she was forced into pornography by an older man she was living with during times of financial stress Months later, Woodward, who is an active member of the Libertarian Party of Texas, shared an experience she had calling the police on a drunk driver. She shared the post on Facebook, and a Libertarian man from another state opposed her views of the police and revealed her past on social media. When Woodward told the school district, they placed her on administrative leave, and said they were pursuing termination 'because it became public', she told the Dallas Morning News. Woodward, who says she has received pay increases at the all-girls school in the last two years, also questioned what her termination would signal to her students. She said: 'I taught in an all-girls STEAM academy that was all about empowerment for women. The sad thing is that if these girls find out that Im being punished for something that I did nearly 20 years ago and had no control of and fought to get out of, well, what does that say about empowerment?' Woodward has filed an appeal with the Texas Education Agency, but a spokesperson said an independent review was not going to be pursued because it was not submitted correctly. The school district spokesperson said Woodward is still on administrative leave as an investigation continues. A woman has revealed she forgave her husband after he infected her with HIV - which he contracted during an affair. Veritee Reed-Hall, 63, contracted the virus from her husband Barry, 65, who had unprotected sex with another woman while he served in the Merchant Navy. Mrs Reed-Hall had no idea her husband had even been unfaithful - let alone the fact he had HIV. However four years later when he fell ill the couple had tests which revealed they both had the virus - and he was forced to confess. Veritee Reed-Hall, 63, contracted the virus from her husband Barry, 65, who had unprotected sex with another woman while he served in the Merchant Navy Mrs Reed-Hall met husband Barry in 1983 when they lived in the same area of London. They married in 1987 and have one daughter. She said it took her several years to forgive her husband for what his act of infidelity, which happened while on an eight month trip in Brazil some 15 years ago. But Mrs Reed-Hall forgave her husband after he convinced her it was just a one-off incident. She said: 'My husband had a brief affair when he was working away eight months a year. 'These things happen - I know loads of people who were married and not together after they had affairs or split up - but we are still together. 'It was just once. But sadly he was away from home and stressed and a lot of other things were going on. 'I always thought it could be on the cards and I was actually surprised it didn't happen earlier. But these things happen - and that was how we got it. 'He did not tell me as he did not want to lose me, so I didn't know he was infected. 'People think what an awful man he must be - they say "you are a victim and a silly woman who trusts someone." 'No, I am not. I am the complete opposite from a silly woman who does not know reality. But that is my story. It can happen to anybody. 'People forget that everyone has sex - lots of men and woman have affairs in marriage - it is a fact in life - this happens all the time. 'But this all diverts from the real issue - we all have sex, we all take risks and a lot of people are still not taking precautions.' Mrs Reed-Hall was a youth worker for 30 years and worked on campaigns in the late 1980s and early 1990s to raise awareness of HIV and Aids. Now retired, she also worked as a lecturer at Cornwall College. She said doctors were initially dubious and failed to believe the couple could have HIV. Mrs Reed-Hall forgave her husband's infidelity, despite having to live with the stigma attached to having HIV She said: 'I was laughed at and told I was being over-cautious.' But the couple must now take strong medication every day for the rest of their lives and face multiple health problems. The virus HIV attacks the immune system and can cause Aids, where patients are open to attack from other illnesses such as kidney failure or pneumonia. Mrs Reed-Hall, who believes she is the only woman living openly with HIV in Cornwall, has decided to open up about her story to raise awareness of the need for testing and help shed some of the stigma. She says people in her home village of Porkellis, near Helston, are still afraid that she could pass on the virus and she struggles to avoid being defined by her illness. She said: 'I do feel lonely. It's very hard to know whether it's related to HIV. I think it is in part. 'I had a big social life, quite a lot of friends. I don't know if they disappeared because I announced that I had HIV - all I know that my life changed the day I was open about it. 'I have suffered abuse but not necessarily from people I know. I've been told not to be self-pitying. I'm quite isolated - very few people understand what it's like to live with this except online which is why I am online. 'I should not feel any shame. Why should I? 'I don't want my husband to feel any shame either. He was just unlucky and we are still together. But it does make you ashamed. Just to say you have HIV, you are saying you have sex. 'Sex and death don't go together very well. 'It's not abuse it's apathy - not wanting to know me. That in essence is the stigma. I'd like the stigma to end so I could have some more friends.' Mr Reed-Hall, a retired military engineer, said he still carries around a strong sense of guilt for what he did - and said although they never separated it took several years for his wife to fully forgive him for what he did. He added: 'We support each other - she is more of a campaigner and I have always been the quiet one. 'I was the one who got it, so I have always got a feeling of guilt. 'It was a long time ago and although we didn't separate it has taken a long time for her to fully forgive me. 'It took a few years but I know she doesn't blame me now. 'Anyone can get it - you don't have to be that promiscuous. It only happened once and I have felt the guilt of it ever since.' Mrs Reed-Hall added: 'It took me five or six years to forgive him. The first year he was very ill and was hospitalsed. I effectively had to be his nurse. I did not have time to think about myself. 'I could see him dying in front of my eyes - but I am a realist and he was a seaman working away half his life. I knew it was possible. 'It is almost an occupational hazard. The next few years after were awful though. I kept thinking 'why did he do it?' 'But I understand totally why. Most people have not been married as long as we have. 'He only did it once. I am not stupid and now he can tell me anything. I know he was just stupid. But sadly once is sometimes all that is takes. 'I was very angry -there is no denying that. I was not unfaithful although I had plenty of offers. 'But he has been a lot more faithful than a lot of other men I know. 'He was unfaithful on just one trip. I actually think now that that was pretty good going as the temptation for seaman is everywhere. 'I think we are now stronger than ever and we support each other through it all.' Advertisement Bones of 19th century prison ship inmates, which have been buried in mudbank, are not being uncovered. Human bones including skulls, teeth and vertebrae, litter the shoreline on grisly Deadman's Island off the coast of Sheppey, Kent. The uninhabited mudbank, which lies just 40 minutes from central London, was used as a mass burial ground for criminals who died on board prison ships, like those referenced in Charles Dicken's novel Great Expectations, in the 1800s. It is not known how many men and boys were laid to rest on the remote strip, which is now protected by Natural England. Human bones including skulls, teeth and vertebrae, litter the shoreline on grisly Deadman's Island off the coast of Sheppey, Kent The uninhabited mudbank, which lies just 40 minutes from central London, was used as a mass burial ground for criminals who died on board prison ships in the 1800s They would have been buried six feet under the grassed over mudbank. But coastal erosion has begun to spill its mysterious secrets, as dozens of coffins and bodies have been uncovered by waters. Locals in the Sheppey town of Queenborough grew up with the legend of a red-eyed hound who ate the heads of its victims on the eerie land mass. But historians have shown it was used a cemetery for inmates onboard prison hulks converted warships used as floating jails for criminals waiting to be transported to the colonies in the 1820s and 30s. Experts say more than 1,000 men and boys were incarcerated in floating fortresses 'Retribution' and 'Bellerophon' anchored at Sheerness, made of decommissioned Ships of the Line stripped of their masts and sails. Naval historian Professor Eric Grove said: 'Obviously when people died on board these prison hulks they had to be buried somewhere and island close-by was the obvious place.' There has been debate about how bad the conditions were on board, but it is believed a cholera outbreak on Retribution on the 1830s may help explain the dozens of bodies now littering the island. 'There were a lot of men in close quarters, and if an epidemic began it spread quickly,' added Professor Groves. Locals in the Sheppey town of Queenborough grew up with the legend of a red-eyed hound who ate the heads of its victims on the eerie land mass But historians have shown it was used a cemetery for inmates onboard prison hulks converted warships used as floating jails for criminals waiting to be transported to the colonies in the 1820s and 30s The lonely island is out of bounds to visitors and a designated site of special scientific interest thanks rare birds which make their nests there. But those with special permission are able to row to 'Coffin Bay' where they are greeted with remains of the prisoners who met their end on board the hulks. At its peak Retribution housed 600 men and boys all victims of the 'draconian penal laws of the period' which would see boys as young as ten sentenced to years of transportation for picking pockets. Also moored was decorated warship Bellerophon, who was converted to a hulk for 12,000 and in 1817, having fought in the Battle of Trafalgar and the Battle of Nile alongside HMS Victory and Admiral Nelson. Next time youre walking through IKEA looking for a Bjorksnas kitchen table but end up with a Raskog stool, a Nackten bathmat, an Oumbarlig frying pan and a Nornas wine rack instead, at least youll know where all those strange names come from. The Swedish store is famous for their product names of seemingly impossible-to-pronounce words. But their products aren't just given Swedish names at random - there are rules. And what is an Oumbarlig anyways? Its actually the Swedish word for indispensable. IKEA uses a database of Swedish words to assign each new item a name that conforms to their key - so bedding is named after flowers and plants, IKEA's secret taxonomy revealed Bathroom articles: Names of Swedish lakes, watercourses Bed textiles: Flowers and plants Beds, wardrobes, hall furniture: Norwegian place-names Bookcases: Professions, Scandinavian boys' names Bowls, vases, candle and candle holders: Swedish place-names, descriptive words, spices, herbs, fruits and berries Boxes, wall decoration, pictures and frames, clocks: Swedish slang expressions, Swedish place-names Childrens products: Mammals, birds, descriptive words Desks, chairs and swivel chairs: Scandinavian boys' names Fabrics, curtains: Scandinavian girls' names Garden furniture: Scandinavian islands Kitchen accessories: Fishes, mushrooms and descriptive words, sometimes the product-uses Kitchens: Usually product uses, sometimes Swedish slang expressions and Swedish place-names Lighting: Measurement units, seasons, months, days, shipping and nautical terms, Swedish place-names Rugs: Danish place names Sofas, armchairs, chairs and dining-tables: Swedish place names Advertisement IKEAs naming team uses a database of Swedish words to assign each new product a name that conforms to a specific key. There are a few exceptions, like products that are named after what they do or creative names that designers can suggest for their products. But most of the time each new item goes along with the rules, created by IKEAs founder Ingvar Kamprad and his sister, Quartz revealed. In IKEAs early days, it was just a family-run business and his sister was responsible for naming the products. The two came up with the naming strategy which is still used today across all IKEAs international inventories because Ingvar has dyslexia and struggled to remember all the numbers in item codes. It was very clever and very typical of Ingvar and how inventive he is as an individual to come up with this idea of naming the products because they relate to something that he would then be able to remember, Marty Marston, a public relations manager for IKEA, told DailyMail.com. She added: I find it really endearing and its kind of fun. Some of the naming categories overlap, so all desks, chairs and swivel chairs are named after Scandinavian boys names and bookcases are named after professions and Scandinavian boys names, too. Then there are the Swedish places that name: bowls, wall decorations, pictures and frames, clocks (also named after Swedish slang); Couches, armchairs, chairs and dining tables; and Lighting products (also named after units of measurement, seasons, months, days and shipping and nautical terms). Even IKEAs name has another meaning. Its an acronym standing for Ingvar, Kamprad, Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd. Ingvar Kamprad is the name of the founder, Elmtaryd was his familys farm and Agunnaryd was the village where Kaprad grew up. So next time youre walking through IKEAs showroom, marveling at the Glansnava and Mjolkort curtains or picking up an Alvsbyn chandelier, remember these rules and youll at least know where your new chandeliers name comes from (its a Swedish municipality). Ivanka Trump enjoyed a night out with daughter Arabella on Wednesday as the two made their way to the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC to attend a party celebrating the lunar new year. Guests at the event surrounded the 35-year-old daughter of President Donald Trump as she entered the party accompanied by Arabella and their host for the evening, Ambassador Cui Tiankai. Ivanka's evening with China's ambassador to the United States came just two months after her host had some less than kind words to say about President Trump following the news that he had spoken with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan after winning the election and violated the White House's 'One China' policy. It capped off a busy day for the First Daughter, who accompanied her father to Dover Air Force Base in the afternoon to receive the body of a fallen SEAL Team 6 member and then headed back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Marine One to watch as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was sworn into office. She then headed straight from the White House to the embassy event, at which her role seemed to be that of White House proxy, much like it was on Saturday when she and husband Jared Kushner attended the annual Alfalfa Dinner. And Ivanka proved herself to be excellent in her proxy role on Wednesday by bringing along the star of some hugely popular videos in China - her daughter. Arabella has appeared in two videos that went viral on Chinese social media after being posted by her mother, including one that has close to 100million views of her reciting Tang Dynasty poems in Mandarin while dressed in a traditional Chinese blouse. On Thursday, Ivanka posted a new video of Arabella performing a song in Mandarin the morning after the event. Scroll down for videos Year of the Rooster: Ivanka Trump attended a party celebrating the lunar new year on Wednesday night at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC (Ivanka above with daughter Arabella) Welcome: She attended the event with her daughter Arabella as the guest of China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai (Ivanka above shaking hands with her host after arriving at the event) Viral: On Thursday morning, Ivanka posted a very public thank you to Ambassador Tankai in the form of a video that she uploaded to her Instagram which showed daughter Arabella performing Ivanka and Arabella arrived towards the end of the Year of the Rooster festivities just as people were beginning to file out of the embassy, with Ambassador Tiankai meeting the two women at their car. The First Daughter greeted Ambassador Tinkai with a smile and a handshake when he received her outside the event. The three then walked into the embassy together, with Arabella clutching her mother's hand as the approximately 100 guests who were still at the party began to make their way towards the surprise attendees. Ambassador Tankai took Ivanka and her daughter to look at some of the art and handicrafts on display and meet some of the other guests after the arrived at the party. Arabella was dressed in head-to-toe red for the Year of the Rooster event, and wore the same custom Oscar de la Renta coat that she had on at the inauguration. Ivanka warmly greeted everyone who approached her as she walked through the crowd with with Ambassador Tankai and spoke about her love of China, a country that is home to one of her closest friends, Wendi Deng. Mother and daughter then had the honor of enjoying a musical performance at the event, which showcased some dancing and opera as well as acrobatics. The pair later posed for some photos with the performers, who were dressed in traditional Chinese attire, while Arabella could be seen enjoying some of the Chinese food that was put out or guests. Ivanka then dashed off with her daughter after making the rounds at the event, during which she never removed the $2,500 double-breasted velvet trimmed coat by Joseph Altuzurra that has been her go-to piece of outerwear the past few months. A star is born: Arabella, 5, has become a minor celebrity in China ever since a November 2016 video of her reciting Tang Dynasty poems in Mandarin got over 100m views (on left Wednesday and on right at inauguration in her custom Oscar de la Renta coat) Speaking at the event, Ambassador Tiankai spoke of her desire for 'win-win cooperation' between US and China instead of a 'zero-sum or cold war mentality' Making the rounds: Ivanka warmly greeted guests as she worked the room at the event Prior to Ivanka'a arrival at the event on Wednesday, Ambassador Tankai delivered a speech calling for cooperation between China and the United States moving forward, and his hopes for a more productive relationship between the two countries in the year to come. 'We have learned that we should always respond to difficulties and challenges by cooperation, instead of conflict or confrontation,' the foreign dignitary told the roughly 500 people who had gathered at the embassy for the celebration. 'We should work together for win-win cooperation, instead of being misguided by zero-sum or cold war mentality.' On Thursday morning, Ivanka posted a very public thank you to Ambassador Tankai in the form of a video that she uploaded to her Instagram which showed daughter Arabella performing one of the traditional songs she learned while playing with her new paper dragon. 'Arabella singing a song she learned for #ChineseNewYear. Wishing everyone an amazing year to come during these days of celebration,' wrote Ivanka. Heading home: Ivanka dashed off with her daughter after making the rounds at the event, during which she never removed her $2,500 coat Harsh words: Back in December, Ambassador Tiankai was critical of President Trump after he violated the 'One China' policy by speaking to President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan It was her first time posting on the social media site since she received massive backlash and comparisons to Marie Antoinette for her decision to post an image of herself and Jared Kushner dressed in their back-tie best last Saturday night. That outcry was the due to the fact that while the pair were out on the town , hundreds were being held at airports around the country and refused admission into the country in the wake of her father's immigrant ban. Ivanka chose to neither delete nor comment on the post, taken while she and Jared Kushner were at the annual Aflalfa Dinner. That event was the first attended by Ivanka suggesting a role as White House proxy, with the president and first lady always choosing to attend the annual gathering. The black-tie event also serves as a White House roast, and has been attended by every president since Ronald Reagan. Melania was in New York City with 10-year-old son Barron however and President Trump opted out of attending, deciding to instead sent the First Daughter and her White House senior advisor husband in his place . On Wednesday it was a different story however, with Ivanka filling in as her father's companion during his surprise visit to Dover Air Force Base. Off they go: Earlier in the day on Wednesday Ivanka accompanied her father to receive a fallen SEAL Team 6 member killed in Yemen over the weekend as Dover Air Force Base (above boarding Marine One) Home alone: Jared Kushner, Vice President Mike Pence and Reince Priebus watch as President Trump and Ivanka lift off in Marine One outside the White House on Wednesday (above) More business: Ivanka then returned with her father and headed directly to the Oval office for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's swearing-in ceremony The pair departed from the White House in Marine One and landed at the Delaware base to receive the body of Chief Special Warfare Officer William 'Ryan' Owens. Delaware Senator Chris Coons also accompanied the two at the private return ceremony for Owens, which was attended by his family member including his wife and three young children. Owens was killed in a pre-dawn raid, in which officials have said 'almost everything went wrong,' on Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula last Sunday. It was Trump's first clandestine strike, and it was not one that had previously been ordered by former President Barack Obama. It was then back on Marine One and off to thew White House, were after landing President Trump and his daughter went directly to the Oval Office for Tillerson's swearing-in ceremony. A young mother had left her abusive former partner and was trying to move on with her life when he beat and stabbed her to death in Melbourne. Aspiring law student Abuk Akek and her two-year-old son had moved away from Makeny Banek when he went to her Melton flat last year and killed her. Banek, 25, was on Wednesday sentenced to 23 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 18 years, for murdering 20-year-old Ms Akek. The Sudanese refugee admitted murdering the mother of his son on March 13, 2016, after he 'snapped'. Abuk Akek (pictured) and her two-year-old son had moved away from her abusive former partner Makeny Banek and were trying to start a new life when he stabbed her to death Banek (pictured) admitted to stabbing aspiring lawyer Akek in a frenzied attack in March last year at her new Melbourne apartment He said it was because 'I loved her very much but she did not love me'. Victorian Supreme Court Justice Michael Croucher said Banek had become 'enraged that Ms Akek did not want him in her life'. 'He made a calculated choice to take the life of the mother of his son as if somehow it was his prerogative to do so,' the judge said. 'Ms Akek's last moments of her life must have been terrifying.' Banek says he went to Ms Akek's flat to sort out things between them a day after the pair had an argument about their son. Ms Akek was talking to a friend on the phone when she told them 'there's someone at the door, I'll call you back' about 2.30pm. She let Banek in and he sat on the couch before the pair began arguing. Banek kicked, punched and choked Ms Akek with his hands, and hit her with a stereo speaker. He then went into the kitchen, picked up a knife, and stabbed her three times in the abdomen. Banek (pictured with Akek) was sentenced on Wednesday to 23 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 18 years Banek says he went to Ms Akek's (pictured) flat to sort out things between them a day after the pair had an argument about their son After the pair began arguing, Banek kicked, punched and choked Ms Akek with his hands, and hit her with a stereo speaker at her home (pictured) Afterwards, he placed her body on her bed, covered her with a blanket, and cleaned the unit. He left Ms Akek's home, taking the knife with him, and the victim's phone because he couldn't find his own. 'That was callous,' Justice Croucher said. Family and friends discovered the slain mother's body after they were unable to reach her by phone. Police arrested Banek at 9pm that night after finding him asleep at a friend's house. He admitted what he had done, saying 'I snapped, I used a knife and my fists'. Afterwards, Banek (pictured) placed her body on her bed, covered her with a blanket, and cleaned the unit He said Ms Akek (pictured) had told him she didn't want him in her life He said Ms Akek had told him she didn't want him in her life. 'When I snapped, I decided to beat her up and kill her,' Banek told police. 'In my head I thought 'just kill her' - so I did.' Banek had a history of violence and was jailed for seven months for assaulting Ms Akek before he murdered her. 'The murder of Ms Akek against that background increases his moral culpability,' Justice Croucher said. The National domestic violence helpline is 1800 737 732. A playful puppy ended up getting caught in a tight spot after he got his little head stuck inside a wheel. The curious dog, named Blaze, was playing around in his owner's yard and being too nosy for his own good. It wasn't until his owner came home that he found the cute coonhound caught 'in a very precarious position' according to the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department. Curiosity usually kills the cat, but it can get dogs into their fair share of trouble too One Montana coonhound pup named Blaze got his head stuck in a tire while roaming around his owner's back yard. He had to be taken to the vet and then firefighters had to be called Fire Marshal Brian Doherty took a call from a concerned vet at St. Frances Veterinary Hospital in Butte, Montana. The vet was unsure of the best way to remove the poor dog's head from the wheel. The fire crew say no extraction tools were needed to free Blaze... just a lot of coconut oil, patience and strength Blaze suffered some minor neck swelling but was not injured 'With a lot of coconut oil, patience, a lot of ear tucking, and some powerful skin-pulling, Blazes head was quickly and successfully extricated from the tire wheel without the use of tools but with Firefighter Zach Osborne's brute strength,' the department wrote online about the unusual incident. Blaze apparently remained uninjured throughout the ordeal and kept calm, cool, and collected, barely making a sound. The department explained how Fire Marshal Doherty completed the 'daunting task of ear tucking'; and Firefighter Osborne was 'the only true hero' when he 'utilized his brute strength to free Blaze, without the use of tools.' 'Hopefully this was a valuable lesson for young Blaze, and we wont have to respond to any more menacing incidents involving this playful puppy,' the firefighters joked. China has displayed its military might as the country celebrates the Lunar New Year. CCTV News, the state television station, broadcast a short clip last week showcasing China's Rocket Force, a part the People's Liberation Army (PLA) which handles the country's growing missile arsenal, reported the People's Daily Online. In the clip, PLA soldiers at the Rocket Force sent New Year wishes to the public in front of six DF-15 ballistic missiles, which have been dubbed the country's 'secret weapon' by Chinese media. Scroll down for video China's state TV showed a clip with PLA Rocket Force and six missiles for the Lunar New Year The soldiers sent Lunar New Year wishes to the Chinese public during the short clip The Rocket Force appeared in a programme broadcast on CCTV 7, a channel dedicated to showing military and agricultural content. The soldiers stood in a rectangular formation and held a banner which read: 'Officers and men from the Rocket Force wish people around the country a happy New Year.' Six military trucks were parked behind the troop and six white missiles were erected behind the trucks. The weapons have been identified as the DF-15B short-range missiles by various Chinese media, including Beijing Daily. According to the report, the DF-15B missile is an improved version of the original DF-15 missile and debuted in 2009 during the military parade to celebrate China's 60th National Day. The missile can reportedly travel at the speed of 2,000 metres (1.4 miles) per second and its striking accuracy is within 30 metres (98 feet). The six missiles behind the Rocket Force have been identified as DF-15. The short-range ballistic missiles were pictured during a military parade on September 3, 2015, in Beijing DF-15 made its debut during the military parade to celebrate China's 60th National Day in 2009. Pictured, the missiles participated in a military parade at Tian'anmen Square in 2015 Yangtze Evening News, a major evening newspaper in eastern China, billed DF-15B as the country's 'secret weapon'. The report, written in 2015, suggested that the DF-15B is the type of missile that Chinese PLA holds the most in number. The article said 'should anything happens between the two sides of Taiwan Strait', it would be the main weapon to strike the 'important targets in Taiwan'. DF-15B's firing range is between 900-1,200 kilometres (560-745 miles), said China.com. China's PLA Rocket Force was founded on January 1, 2016. It was renamed from the former Second Artillery Corps in the two million strong membership of the PLA. In December, the CCTV News broadcast another clip featuring the PLA Rocket Force, which showed the military drills the troop had carried out in its founding year. The PLA Rocket Force was founded on January 1, 2016. Pictured, Chinese President Xi Jinping conferred the military flag to Li Zuocheng, commander of the PLA, at the founding ceremony of the Rocket Force Li Zhenglian, a brigade commander of the Rocket Force, told the CCTV News reporter: 'As long as there is an order, I am ready to bring out [soldiers] at any time, I can fire [missiles] at any time and I can strike [targets] accurately.' The news report introduced one particular set of drills the Rocket Force had had at the beginning of 2016. The force was said to be divided into two sides, the Blue Team and the Red Team, and staged more than 10 rounds of mock battles. On its inauguration ceremony, the Chinese President Xi Jinping said the move to form the Rocket Force was a major decision made to 'realise the Chinese dream of a strong military', reported People's Daily Online. The decision was also a 'strategic step to establish a modern military system with Chinese characteristics', said President Xi. According to Global People magazine, the DF missiles are the first series of missiles completely built by the Chinese people and is the country's main weapon for national defence. Vice President Mike Pence may need to cast the deciding vote in order to confirm the nomination of Betsy deVos, President Trump's pick to run the Education Department. The deVos nomination showed signs of trouble Wednesday when two centrist Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, announced their opposition. Murkowski said that thousands of Alaskans had raised their concerns with the billionaire. The Senate GOP majority is 52-48. The two defections would result in a tie, requiring Pence who has taken a pivotal role in the administration and in Trump's transition to cast his first official vote as president of the Senate. The loss of a third Republican would likely kill her nomination. The nomination of Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary hit a big snag when two Republican senators announced their opposition to her on Wednesday Republicans are likely to need the vote of Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump's pick to be attorney general whose nomination has already been reported out of committee requiring the votes to be taken in sequence. Republicans aren't panicking. 'I expect her to be confirmed,. You can take that to the bank,' said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said his confidence level was '100 per cent.' Liberal groups have geared up opposition to the nomination, highlighting deVos lack of administrative experience and her support and financial backing for vouchers that allow public funds to follow students who attend private schools. Opponents have been flooding switchboards with phone calls. MR. PRESIDENT: Vice President Mike Pence, who is president of the Senate, may have to cast a tie-breaking vote to get the deVos nomination through AS GOES MAINE ... Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) has opposed the nomination, as has Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski CHILLY RECEPTION: Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says she is voting against deVos, but voted her out of committee anyway Supreme Court Justice nominee, Neil Gorsuch, center, joined by Vice President Mike Pence, right, meets with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. on Capitol Hill in Washington 'I have heard from thousands, truly, thousands of Alaskans who have shared their concerns about Mrs. DeVos,' Murkowski said in a floor speech Wednesday. 'I do not intend to vote on final passage to support Mrs. DeVos,' she said. The two Republicans, however, aren't using all the tools at their disposal. They voted to advance her nomination through committee, and are not taking efforts to keep it from reaching the floor. Nominations can pass on a simple majority vote. Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has met with Trump, is opposed to the nomination, limiting the ability for the White House to peel off a Democrat. Minnesota Democratic Senator Al Franken blasted deVos in an interview with a local Fox affiliate. 'Hopefully I'll be able to get a couple of my Republican colleagues to vote against her, and I met with Minnesota educators yesterday who are dead set against her,' he said this week. 'She would be a terrible Secretary of Education for Minnesota and for the country.' At her confirmation hearing, Democrats accused her of promoting policies that undermined public schools, and criticized her lack of experience in public education. Her nomination got out of committee on a 12-11 vote. She also didn't appear to know what Franken meant when he asked her whether test scores should be used to measure 'proficiency' mastery of certain skills versus growth, or advancement. Franken asked her which one school test scores should measure. I think if I am understanding your question correctly around proficiency, I would correlate it to competency and mastery, so each student according to the advancements they are making in each subject area, she responded. Thats growth, Franken shot back. Thats not proficiency. DeVos was never able to get in an answer after that. Murkowski and Collins would be the first Republicans to vote against a Trump nominee. CCTV footage has captured the moment a businessman had his phone snatched from his hand by brazen thieves riding a moped. The unsuspecting victim was strolling near the Barbican Centre in central London when the pair rode behind him on the moped. Footage shows the man simply stand and stare in horror as the thieves then speed off with his mobile. Footage released by police shows the unsuspecting victim walking along the pavement in London He is left stunned when two thieves ride past him on a moped - and brazenly grab his phone out of his hands City Police released the footage of the incident, which took place in London in November, to remind people not to have their phone on display where possible. Police warn checking the news in the street or even replying to a message could result in a phone being stolen in seconds. The capital has seen a spate of crime carried out on scooters in recent months, including smash and grabs on shops and bag snatches on pavements. There was a 600 per cent surge in crimes involving mopeds last year with an estimated 500,000 worth of goods stolen. It is estimated up to 22 robberies a day have been carried out, The Evening Standard reported. Footage captured on December 29 showed moped-riding thieves trying to steal four mobile phones in the City of London within minutes of each other. City Police released the footage of the incident, which took place in London in November, to remind people not to have their phone on display where possible The man is left stunned as he stands and watches pair speed off with his mobile Phone thieves riding motorbikes and mopeds operate across the capital, and take advantage of people not concentrating or waiting to cross a road. In some cases, they have targeted multiple victims at a time down busy streets and often use significant force to knock the phone out of their hands or even assault people to take control. The City of London Police is trying to clamp down on the trend as part of Operation Attrition. Danish authorities have voted in overwhelming favour to scrap women-only swimming sessions used by migrants at a swimming pool. Officials in the city of Aarhus demanded the end of gender-separated sessions at the Gellerupbadet swimming hall saying people need to 'learn to swim together'. Many of the women who use the sessions are Muslim migrants who live on a nearby housing estate. Danish authorities have voted in overwhelming favour to scrap women-only swimming sessions used by migrants at a swimming pool in the city of Aarhus But the ruling party on Aarhus City Council, Venstre, say that separating men and women has no place in Denmark. The proposal said: 'Children and adults need to learn that it is completely natural to swim together regardless of religious belief. 'Therefore it is a disservice and not an integration initiative when special offers are made.' However, thelocal.dk reported that the Danish Institute for Human Rights would be filing a complaint to Denmark's Anti-Discrimination Board. They claim scrapping women-only sessions will repress Muslim females who want to go swimming. Institute spokeswoman Maria Ventegodt told the Ritzau news agency: 'When you take away the opportunity you make it more difficult for ethnic minority women to use the swimming pool and participate in society. I believe that is problematic. Children and adults need to learn that it is completely natural to swim together regardless of religious belief 'It is very important to work toward eliminating social controls, but there is nothing to indicate that the women use this programme because they are forced to by their husbands or fathers.' However, in neighouring Sweden, an increasing number of swimming pools in Sweden are offering gender-segregated hours in order to encourage more women to visit. The rise in women-only swimming hours has been linked to the growing Muslim population in Sweden, which has sparked fierce debate and has been criticized by the government. Sweden's Discrimination Ombudsman has launched an investigation into whether the women-only hours is violating equality law by discriminating against men. A young girl was filmed crying tears of joy as she opened a present - and found out she was the proud owner of a shotgun. The video was posted on Facebook by weapon manufacturer Beretta, which described the girl's reaction as 'touching'. But it sparked horror for many, who questioned the wisdom of allowing a child so young to have a gun. The young girl, named Presley, cried with joy as she realized what she had been given The young girl, named Presley, was bursting with joy as she realized what she had been given, stating: 'Oh my goodness, this is crazy. Oh my, I can't breathe.' Beretta boastfully wrote alongside the footage: 'Making memories starts the moment you open your first 686. 'A touching video sent by Presley's parents, shows the emotional moment when she realizes she finally has her very own 686 Silver Pigeon.' Hundreds of people have commented on the video, which has been shared thousands of times Among the shocked commenters was Valeria Milito, who wrote: 'I hoped till the end it was a guitar, a keyboard, a snowboard, ANYTHING ELSE. But, hey, you're right: who would waste his time teaching kids something smart when you can give them weapons and teach them how to kill? America is such a BRILLIANT country, destined for destruction.' Katya Longhi, wrote: 'This message is horrible!!! Kids should cry for puppies or for a new game, or for a beautiful present, but not for a gun! I'm so sorry, but this is horrible!!! 'I think that because I'm Italian, and here we are scared about the weapons, that can kill someone! This shouldn't exciting for a child, I'm sorry -.-' Angela Zoe Olverson posted: 'What on earth?? In England children cry with joy after receiving pets as surprise presents or even a ticket to Disney Land. Guns are no toy for youngsters of that age.' But another poster, Matt Kelley, was not alarmed by the present and said that responsible gun ownership should be encouraged. He wrote: 'This young lady will one day be a survivor and will be a better person because her family has taught her the values that our fore fathers of this country valued deeply enough to pass along to us centuries ago.' And Catherine Jasin wrote: 'I think it's awesome she is passionate about shooting sports. If you raise them to respect guns it's no different than buying them a car. Is a car dangerous if you don't know how to use it or fail to abide by the laws, absolutely. Shame on the people saying such nasty things. Educate yourselves. In my home state of Wisconsin, more than 598,000 citizens went rifle hunting this year with zero fatalities. Kinda throws your arguments out the window!' A Russian body artist has come under fire for giving his cat four tattoos after dosing the animal up with anaesthetics. The tattoo fanatic, named only as Aleksandr, carried out the inking himself in the city of Yekaterinburg in central Russia's Sverdlovsk Oblast region. His Sphynx cat now has a series of 'gangster' designs on its back and sides, featuring a prison tower, playing cards and a cigarette. Russian body artists have come under fire for giving their cat four tattoos after dosing the animal up with anaesthetics The tattoo fanatic, named only as Aleksandr (pictured), carried out the inking himself in the city of Yekaterinburg in central Russia's Sverdlovsk Oblast region He said that he had to give Demon an anaesthetic so that he could stand the pain of the ink needle and admitted that he might not have been doing the right thing. Aleksandr said: 'Of course I feel pity for doing it to him. It's not like he wanted to do it himself. He has a different skin, so tattoos are applied differently. 'I hope it is not too bad for him, it is not his first tattoo. Usually he feels fine and recovers from the anaesthesia pretty fast.' The tattoos that Aleksandr chose for Demon are of the type typically worn by criminals in Russia, including representations of a prison tower, a pretty woman and a cigarette. The tattoos that Aleksandr chose for Demon are of the type typically worn by criminals in Russia, including representations of a prison tower, a pretty woman and a cigarette His Sphynx cat now has a series of 'gangster' tattoos on its back and sides, with the design featuring a prison tower and a cigarette They are often used to denote the seniority of the member of a criminal gang, how long they have served in prison and the seriousness of their crimes. Animal activist Yelizaveta Skorynina hit out at the tattoo artist for putting Demon through the ordeal. She said that the skin of Sphynx cats was extremely sensitive and that giving the pet an anaesthetic was also an unnecessary risk. Ms Skorynina added: 'The drug turns off the movement of the cat, but the brain is still working. If he does it frequently, it could affect its heart.' However, another local tattooist, Aleksandr Purtov, defended his namesake, saying that what he had done was no worse than a farmer branding his livestock. 'It is an old practice, this is why I am neutral to it,' he added. Sphynx cats were developed through selective breeding and are known for their lack of fur but are not completely hairless. Advertisement Incredible images show people in China gathering to worship the God of Wealth on the fifth day of the Chinese New Year. Pictures taken on February 1 show people in central China's Hubei province queuing to pray for fortune on the birthday of the God of Wealth. Nearly 600 thousand people visited the Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan City to wish for good fortune. Waiting for good luck: People queue outside for hours in order to gain access to the temple to worship the God of Wealth Chinese worshipers gather and burn incense sticks to pray for wealth and happiness on the fifth day of Chinese New Year Waiting for luck: According to Chinese tradition, on this day people should go to the temple and pray for fortune A sight to behold: People queue to burn incense at the temple in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province The fifth day of Lunar New Year: The day of the God of Wealth is a time to pray for good fortune and also tidy your house Happiness: Worshipers burn incense sticks to pray for wealth and happiness at Guiyuan Temple, central China Traditions vary on this day, in the north of China people eat dumplings while in the south people eat bean curd Waiting a long time: Crowds of people gather to pray to the God of Wealth for good luck and fortune According to CNTV, the 'God of Wealth' day begins with people cleaning their houses and setting off fireworks. The fireworks aim to drive away poverty and welcome the God of Wealth. Traditions vary for different parts of the country. In the north, people eat dumplings while in the south, people eat bean curd to pray for wealth and happiness. If you're superstitious then don't visit family on this day as it is said to bring bad luck. Praying for good fortune: On the fifth day of Chinese New Year, it's thought that visiting your family brings you bad luck Celebration: Chinese worshipers burn incense sticks to pray for wealth and happiness and worship the God of Wealth A lot of people: On February 1, it's thought that some 600,000 people visited the temple to burn incense and pray A woman prays for good fortune at the Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei province A large crowd: Over 600,000 people visited Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan City, central China's Hubei province Chinese New Year: A woman burns incense to pray for good wealth and fortune in the year of the Rooster Chinese worshipers continue to pour in even as it turns dark in order to welcome fortune during the year of the rooster Good times ahead: Chinese worshipers burn incense sticks to pray for wealth and happiness in the coming year Chinese worshipers flock to the temple to pray to the God of Wealth on the fifth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year Chris Culleton, 79, said he has been a ladies' man all his life and has slept with an incredible 2,084 partners. A 79-year-old Lothario who claims to have bedded over 2,000 women has decided to give up dating and spend his days fishing. Hugh Hefner wannabee Chris Culleton said he has been a ladies' man all his life and has slept with an incredible 2,084 partners. The pensioner, from Longford in Warrington, claims to have met many of his lovers while working as a music promoter in the town. He also said that his romantic lifestyle led him to turn down jobs with the Rolling Stones and Radio Caroline. However, after decades of playing the field he is giving up dating to take up fishing, because 'women are too much trouble'. Mr Culleton explained that he was given the nickname the 'Longford Lover' by local policemen who used to see him with different girls. He said: 'I had this reputation - it wasn't all me. I was pursued a lot. 'I had this reputation as a bit of a ladies' man because I was always seen coming home late at night after I'd dropped a girl off. 'When I was working at Marks and Spencer, I met this trainee manageress, a Swedish girl. I was a porter then and they were all jealous when she went out with me. 'I was walking out of a hotel and there were two policemen outside and they said 'oh look it's the Longford Lover'. And it stuck.' However, his charms got him into a few scrapes and even led to the husband of one ex-girlfriend tracking him down. He said: 'There was one woman who used to stalk me and then her husband came knocking on my front door. Mr Culleton, left, with the Rolling Stones - with whom he claims he turned down a job Pictured: Mr Culleton, who earned the nickname the 'Longford Lover', on the beach in 1960s Mr Culleton (right, in the 1960s) said he has been a ladies' man all of his life and has bedded more than 2,000 women 'Some of my cards had fallen out on the backseat of her car and he'd found them. 'But luckily a bouncer friend of mine, Croc, had come to visit and he told him, 'Chris's gone to Ireland.' Mr Culleton even admitted having a set of keys to a local hotel, where he would let himself in when he had friends to spend the night. However, it all changed when he met the mother of his son, who would later break his heart. Chris said: 'I'd seen this girl come through the door at Parr Hall with a bloke and I went 'wow!' 'She came over and sat next to me. And because I smoked Benson and Hedges then she thought I was well off. 'About a week later she came to the Carlton Club where I was collecting glasses and she just came up, threw her arms around me and kissed me. And that was it.' Mr Culleton said he turned down a job with the Rolling Stones and on Radio Caroline for love Lothario Mr Culleton on his wedding day to ex-wife Cheryl in 1970 (right) while he was pictured with two women in the 1960s (left) He added: 'One night we made love on the Carlton Club stage. I put these two albums on, a Barry White album on one deck and the other one was Let's Get it On by Marvin Gaye and she said that's where my son was conceived.' But the grandfather-of-two now spends his days fishing and is proud president of the Stockton Heath Angling Group. Mr Culleton worked as a butcher and at the Co-op before getting into music and managing bands. While he had a reputation for being a Lothario, he is a romantic at heart and turned down fame and fortune for love. The pensioner met the Rolling Stones when they played Parr Hall in 1963, where he claims Brian Jones tried to buy his waistcoat. Mr Culleton said: 'He came up to me and said 'would you like to sell it to me?' I'd brought a curtain remnant, a brocade in fancy colours, and I got this old woman in Longford to make it a waistcoat for me and she put fancy buttons on. 'And Brian was mad for it but I wouldn't sell it. I told him I got groups publicity and he said we could do with someone like you. Chris Culleton (third left) from Warrington, Cheshire, was photographed with The McCooes in the 1960s Chris Culleton (left), from Warrington, was photographed with The Betrayers during the 1960s 'Mick Jagger interrupted and said if you're interested, contact our office.. 'So they offered me a job and that's how I ended up turning down a job with the Rolling Stones. 'I was going out with this girl and I didn't want to go to London and leave her. 'I was also offered a job on Radio Caroline, again I turned it down because I was going out with another girl then. 'I knew the government was going to clamp down on pirate radio. But that would have been the start - like it was for Tony Blackburn.' But Mr Culleton became one of Warrington's first DJs, playing at a number of clubs in the town. He also brought Deep Purple to Warrington for one of their first live gigs, at the Red Lion, for which they were paid 45. Chris added: 'Nobody had heard that music before and it was so loud people walked off to the bar. But they came back and at the end they got a standing ovation.' This is the horrifying moment a young man fell to his death after he attempted to walk along 98ft high electricity cables. Shocking footage shows the 20-year-old trying to make the perilous crossing between two blocks of flats as the onlookers filming stare in horror. He walks along one cable while holding onto another wire above his head with his hands. Shocking footage shows the 20-year-old trying to make the perilous crossing between two blocks of flats on the onlookers filming stare in horror The unnamed man was half way between the buildings - which were 328ft apart - which heavy winds began to buffet him The unnamed man was half way between the buildings - which were 328ft apart - when heavy winds began to buffet him. He can be seen struggling before losing his balance and plummeting to the ground. The youth, who had celebrated his 20th birthday just two days earlier, died instantly in the fall. The tragic incident was captured in the city of Kursk in western Russia's Kursk Oblast region. The clip has since gone viral. The man was reportedly a drug addict who had come to the city from another, undisclosed, part of Russia and was working in a shisha cafe. He can be seen struggling before losing his balance and plummeting to the ground The youth, who had celebrated his 20th birthday just two days earlier, died instantly in the fall Unfortunately, his tragic and unnecessary death drew some unsympathetic comments from people who saw the video online. One viewer said: 'Red Bull it gives you wings', while another added: 'I bet he got inspired by some movie.' Kursk was the site of the largest tank battle in history during the Second World War which was a turning point in the struggle between Soviet and Nazi forces. Donald Trump framed his immigration and anti-terror policies as a weapon against religious bigotry on Thursday, declaring at the annual National Prayer Breakfast that he won't 'allow a beachhead of intolerance to spread in our nation.' The president, both before and after the November 8 election, has repeatedly pledged to eradicate the ISIS terror army and institute 'extreme vetting' protocols designed to limit the flow of jihadis into the United States from terror-prone countries. He has seldom, however, described those goals as articles of faith or made religious freedom a plank in his foreign policy platform. But on Thursday he justified controversial policy decisions as a concerted defense of the United States as a place 'where all citizens can practice their beliefs without fear of hostility or fear of violence.' 'America must forever remain a tolerant society where all faiths are respected, and where all of our citizens can feel safe and secure,' Trump said, later again pointedly referring to 'our most vulnerable citizens' not to other noncitizen U.S. residents. President Donald Trump turned his remarks at Thursday's annual National Prayer Breakfast into a declaration that his anti-terror and immigration policies will preserve 'religious liberty' Trump said that overseas, 'the world is in trouble. But we're going to straighten it out, okay?' Overseas, too, he said, 'the world is in trouble. But we're going to straighten it out, okay?' 'That's what I do. I fix things,' he boasted. The president made reference to 'tough phone calls' he has held with world leaders, including an embarrassing episode Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that reportedly deteriorated into shouting over former president Barack Obama's pledge to accept 1,250 refugees mostly Middle Easterners currently held in detention camps down under. 'It's time we're going to be a little tough, folks. We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world, virtually,' a calm Trump said, hinting at his long-held belief that terrorists aim to embed themselves in refugee populations headed to the West. 'In the coming days we will develop a system to help ensure that those who enter our country fully embrace our values of religious and personal liberty, and that they reject any form of oppression and discrimination," he said. 'We want people to come into our nation, but we want people to love us, and to love our values,' Trump emphasized, saying that the U.S. 'will be a country where all citizens can practice their beliefs without fear of hostility or fear of violence.' 'We have seen unimaginable violence carried out in the name of religion, acts of wanton slaughter against religious minorities. Horrors on a scale that defy description,' Trump said, describing Islamic radicals whose rise has destabilized he Middle East and threatened parts of four continents. 'Terrorism is a fundamental threat to religious freedom. It must be stopped, and it will be stopped. It may not be pretty for a little while. It will be stopped,' he said. The president's 6-day-old executive order temporarily banning travelers from entering the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries caused a nationwide stir, but he said it's justified in pursuit of religious freedom for Americans Trump has pledged to wipe the ISIS terror army off the face of the earth, and said Sunday that he's fighting 'a campaign of ISIS and genocide against Christians' His broader brushstrokes, delivered against a backdrop of jokes about praying for the plummeting ratings of the post-Trump 'Apprentice' show, drew on traditional conservative pledges to defend 'liberty' for worshipers and extended that vow to encompass moderate wings of Islam thousands of miles away. 'We have seen peace-loving Muslims brutalized, victimized, murdered and oppressed by ISIS killers. We have seen threats of extermination against the Jewish people. We have seen a campaign of ISIS and genocide against Christians, where they cut off heads,' Trump said. 'Not since the Middle Ages have we seen that.' 'All nations have a moral obligation to speak out against such violence. All nations have a duty to work together to confront it, and to confront it viciously if we have to,' he added. The president seemed to be delivering a bank-shot defense of last Friday's executive order restricting the inbound travel of refugees from seven countries, calling the move an example of 'necessary action.' 'Our nation has the most generous immigration system in the world,' Trump said. 'But these are those and there are those that would exploit that generosity to undermine the values that we hold so dear.' 'There are those that would seek to enter our country for the purpose of spreading violence of oppressing other people based upon their faith or their lifestyle,' he added. Two heads of state attended Thursday's breakfast: Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and the Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Samy Badibanga. Trump did not host Abdullah in the Oval Office, but the two had a 'very good conversation' at the morning event, the White House said. Contemporary Christian group MercyMe performed its crossover hit, 'I Can Only Imagine.' The rigors of school life coupled with insufficient counseling programs on campus are partly to blame for the frightening wave of suicides at Columbia University, some students have said. Since September of last year, seven students have died in apparent suicides and likely drug overdoses, according to the New York Post. Three students died in January alone. Police believe that two of the deaths were drug overdoses after narcotics paraphernalia was found at the scene. Iowa native, Daniel Andreotti, was found dead inside his dorm on January 23. Since September of last year, seven students have died in suicides and likely drug overdoses. Iowa native, Daniel Andreotti (left), was found dead inside his dorm on Jan 23 and on Jan 18, Yi-Chia Chen (right), a Japanese exchange student, jumped from the seventh floor of her dorm 'I think Columbia has a really hostile, competitive culture', one student said The 20-year-old had just entered Columbia as a first year student. Police called his death an overdose after they found narcotics paraphernalia at the scene, according to the Post. An autopsy has yet to be released. Two days prior to Andreotti's death, Ezekiel Reiser was found dead in an apartment he shared with his parents on January 21. Police also found narcotics paraphernalia at the scene and believe the 21-year-old died from a drug overdose. And on January 18, Yi-Chia Chen, exchange student from Japan, jumped from the seventh floor of her dorm, according to the Columbia Spectator. Four other students committed suicide between September and December, according to the Post. In September, for reasons still unknown, Uriel Florez, 29, who was a political science major and a Navy corpsman took his life. A month later, Taylor Gilpin Wallace, a freshman from Missouri, quit school, moved back home and hanged himself in his basement. 'You don't know how badly I want to jump out that window right now,' Wallace, said to his mother, days before his death. Wallace, 18, who suffered from depression, was the valedictorian of his high school class of just 73 students. Four other students committed suicide between September and December. Taylor Gilpin Wallace (pictured), a freshman from Missouri, quit school at Columbia, moved back home and hanged himself in his basement Wallace (pictured), 18, who suffered from depression, was the valedictorian of his high school class of just 73 students. But he told his mother that he didn't fit in with students at Columbia because they are so much 'smarter' and 'better' than him 'He didn't have a lot of competition at Brookfield' High School, his mother said. 'At one point he said to me, 'I don't fit in here. These students I'm surrounded with are so much smarter than me and so much better than me,'' his mother told the Post. She said she sought help from Columbia's Counseling and Psychological Services Office and was given a card. His mother told the Post that she was unaware of any outreach they may have attempted and felt there was 'more that should have been done'. In November, Nicole Katherine Orttung, 21, who was a senior majoring in Euro-American relations and political science, committed suicide during a visit home in Virginia from school. And in December, Mounia Abousaid, a senior majoring in comparative literature and society who came to Columbia from the United World College in New Mexico, was found dead inside her dorm room, according to the Columbia Spectator. Police sources told the Post that she was found with a plastic bag around her head in what is being classified as a suicide. Jacqueline Basulto, who completed her bachelor's in political science last fall, told the Post that 'Columbia has a really hostile, competitive culture'. The 21-year-old said she struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts while in school. In Nov, Nicole Katherine Orttung (left), 21, who was a senior majoring in Euro-American relations and political science, committed suicide during a visit home in from school. And in Dec, Mounia Abousaid (right), a senior literature major, was found dead inside her dorm room Abousaid (holding a sign center) was also an exchange student from the United World College in New Mexico Basulto said she told the counseling service she was 'feeling suicidal' and 'they told me the first appointment they could give me was in two weeks', she told the Post. 'I told them my symptoms were very serious. They told me to surround myself with friends and there really wasn't anything they could do at that time.' The university released a statement on Thursday regarding the mental health and wellness of the campus. Intrepid adventurer Mia Austin has been diving with sharks, visited the Calais Jungle and sped along the world's longest zip wire - despite being paralysed. The courageous 28-year-old was left with Locked-In syndrome after having a massive stroke when she was just 21, meaning she can only communicate with eye movements. But Mia has never let it stop her achieving her dreams - from bungee jumping, zip-wiring and indoor sky-diving, she has done it all. Mia Austin (pictured with her father Rick) was left with Locked-In syndrome after having a massive stroke when she was just 21 The 28-year-old went skydiving at the iFLY Manchester indoor sky-diving centre Mia (pictured before her stroke), was fit and healthy in November 2009 when she woke during the night and collapsed without warning with a devastating stroke Mia from Heswall, on the Wirral, Merseyside, pursues her dreams - both thrill-seeking and charitable - regardless of her disabilities. Mia was fit and healthy in November 2009 when she woke during the night and collapsed without warning with a devastating stroke. She was left paralysed from the neck down, unable to speak or move her limbs - a condition known as Locked-In Syndrome, for which there is no known treatment or cure. At first doctors did not know whether Mia would survive the weekend but, against the odds, she pulled through. She spent more than a year at Clatterbridge Hospital before returning home at Christmas 2010 to live with her retired teacher parents Carole and Rick, brother Sam and sister Sophie, now a part-time carer for Mia. Despite her condition, Mia went to the Calais Jungle in September 2016 with two carers to deliver clothes, sleeping bags and cash. In November 2015 she flew to Gambia for a week, with clothes and stationery for orphans. Her mother Carole said: 'She's always looking for her next challenge. She really tests herself and pushes herself. 'I think we are so lucky to have such a high-spirited, positive daughter. She's completely inspirational. I'm so grateful that she's remarkable.' The fearless young woman has been scuba diving and diving with sharks at the Sealife Centre in Manchester Her mother Carole said: 'I think we are so lucky to have such a high-spirited, positive daughter. She's completely inspirational. I'm so grateful that she's remarkable' Mia gave up her time to travel to Gambia, where she carried out aid work in an orphanage Using her eye-tracking computer, Mia said: 'I love to take part in new challenges to prove I can succeed despite my condition' Using her eye-tracking computer, Mia said: 'I love to take part in new challenges to prove I can succeed despite my condition. 'I also want to support various charities because I have received help myself in the past.' One of her most daring exploits was a 300ft plunge at England's highest fixed bungee jump, at Tatton Park, Cheshire. She also went sky-diving centre and loved it so much she returned for a second time. And she reached 100mph on the terrifying Zip World Velocity at Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, north Wales, the world's longest zip line. Mia (right) riding a camel in Morocco - she had been working in the travel industry and had a trip to Florida planned when she fell ill The 28-year-old is pictured here undergoing oxygen therapy in Lancaster Mia in Gambia: After buying two goats the kind-hearted young woman dropped them off to a local family Mia uses a letter chart which she blinks at to spell out words, and a computer called Toby to communicate with friends, family and carers, and to send emails and surf the web. MIA'S ADVENTURES Fearless Mia has also been diving with sharks at the Sealife Centre, Manchester, taken a helicopter ride over Liverpool, been indoor tobogganing at Chill Factore in Manchester, ridden a camel in Morocco, been horse-riding in Cheshire, and ridden an off-road mud buggy in Frodsham, Cheshire. And last month volunteers from North East Wales Search and Rescue took Mia and her family to the summit of her favourite mountain - Moel Famau, in the Clwydian Range, Flintshire, Wales - in their rescue vehicles. She had 10 inches of her haircut off for the Princess Trust charity which makes wigs for children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, and she's slept on cardboard in the cold, several times, for the Whitechapel Centre, a homeless charity in Liverpool. She's also slept rough on the streets of Liverpool to highlight the plight of the homeless. Next on her wish list is a trip to orphanages in Ethiopia, plus holidays in Jamaica and Thailand. And she plans to go paragliding for her next adventure. Advertisement Mia was working in the travel industry and had a trip to Florida planned when she fell ill. 'She was a determined, fun-loving girl, she never smoked or drank, she went to the gym...and she had a stroke,' said her mother. 'She went sky diving as a birthday treat. We were a nervous wreck but she was absolutely full of it. 'The staff there just made it happen for her. People are keen to help when they realise how determined Mia is. 'She doesn't want to be handled with kid gloves. She did a tandem bungee jump and the instructor was terrified but Mia was fearless. We were howling with laughter. 'Mia has brilliant facial expressions, so you instinctively know if she's frightened, curious, having fun. 'She can now shake her head, and there's been some improvement in her movement. 'She goes to a gym and has a personal trainer.' Mia can now move and support her own head and has a little movement in her arms. She is also able to make steps unaided in a swimming pool and eat solid food. With support she can sit in a chair and when positioned upright she can briefly support herself in a standing position. Off-roading: At first doctors did not know whether Mia would survive the weekend but, against the odds, she pulled through Mia - pictured here dropping off clothes and toiletries at the Whitechapel Centre for the homeless in Liverpool - spent more than a year in hospital Mia with best friend Saffron Hulson (left) and sister Sophie Austin (right) Mia toboganning at Chill Factore in Manchester - the UK's longest indoor ski slope Mia at the summit of her favourite mountain - Moel Famau, in the Clwydian Range, Flintshire, Wales with her friend Rich Williams Mia needs looking after full-time but has her own adapted car which accommodates her wheelchair and gives her independence. Her father Rick said: 'Thankfully Mia has a great team of carers who put themselves out to ensure Mia can take part in all her activities and charity work.' He singled out Mia's personal trainer Mark Watterson as a driving force behind her motivation to make progress. She's now exploring new forms of rehabilitation - oxygen therapy and regular visits to a salt cave in Liverpool - in addition to her weekly physio, gym and water based therapy. Mia has also volunteered for stem cell research and hopes to visit an alternative therapy centre for a fortnight in Budapest, Hungary. She is also planning two weeks of intensive rehab at the Village Hotel and Leisure Club, in Bromborough, on the Wirral. A justgiving page has been set up for people to donate money to cover the costs of Mia's future adventures. Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly thinks the building of President Donald Trump's border wall will be done quickly. 'I really hope to have it done within the next two years,' Kelly told Fox News Channel in his first interview as DHS chief. The retired four-star Marine general, who was sworn in on Inauguration Day, said he believed construction of the wall, one of Trump's most prominent campaign promises, would likely start in a few months. Scroll down for video Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly says he believes the border wall will be completed in two years John Kelly (left) said he realized President Donald Trump (right) wasn't liked by everyone but 'I don't think the American public is really all that used to people making decisions' The plan is to build the wall where it's needed first and then fill it in, Kelly believed. 'We have the authority to build it and we're looking at the money aspect,' he explained. 'I know that the White House is working with the Congress on discussions on when we might be able to press on with building it.' 'I think the funding will come relatively quickly and like I said, we will build it where it's needed first as identified by the men and women who work the border,' he added. For the interview, Fox News traveled with Kelly to McAllen, Texas, part of the Rio Grand Valley, or 'RGV sector,' which is one of the most challenging to patrol. In this area, Border Patrol agents pick up at least 600 people per day, who have crossed into the United States illegally, Fox News said. Man power, Kelly noted, is also an important component to securing the border. 'Any discussion about the protection of our southwest border involves discussion of physical barriers but also of technological sensors, things like that, but it's a layered approach and it's got to be backed up by great men and women who are going to make sure that the wall is intact.' John Kelly explained to Fox News that the areas that are most in need of a wall would get it first and then the rest would be filled in Asked about hostility from Mexican about the American plan to build a wall, Kelly remarked, 'I'd really like to establish a relationship on this, on the other side. It would be a mutually beneficial relationship.' Yesterday, a partial transcript was released to the Associated Press featuring Trump on the phone with the president of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto, in which the American president threatened to send troops over the border if the Mexican leader didn't take care of the 'bad hombres down there.' Trump and Pena Nieto cancelled a meeting in Washington as well. The DHS head talked about another recent controversy too the rocky rollout of the travel ban from seven Muslim-majority countries. Kelly said as soon as he was sworn in, on January 20, he was aware the executive order was being developed. 'I saw the initial couple of cuts on them probably on Tuesday maybe Thursday, knew it was coming soon and then it came,' Kelly said, replying 'not at all' when asked if he was 'blindsided' by its release. He did agree that the release of the executive order came as a 'shock' to the public. 'Yes, I think so,' Kelly said. 'But I will tell you the men and women of Homeland Security did a great job out on the front lines in this case mostly at the airports.' 'People were treated with dignity and respect,' Kelly said. Turning to the president, Kelly said he recognized that 'Mr. Trump is not loved by everyone in America.' 'And I think this very rapid succession of decisions, I don't think the American public is really all that used to people making decisions,' Kelly continued. 'I really don't think they're used to people that say things on the campaign trail actually turning them into action,' he added. Kelly also recalled getting a call from now White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus about the Homeland Security gig. 'Once he convinced me it was really Reince Priebus, he said would you come up and talk to Mr. Trump, he'd like to talk to you about a position in the administration,' Kelly said. Kelly marveled to his wife Karen that he believed he was going to get a job in the Trump administration. 'And she said, take it. Your whole life, our whole life, the Kelly family is a life of service,' the retired general said. Amazing video footage shows brave slackliners walking with cable cars hundreds of metres above a ski resort valley. Participants in The Extreme Highline earned a fantastic view of the Alps, France and Switzerland while tourists in cable cars gawked at their antics. In the clip, filmed in Switzerland, the daredevils can be sen making their way across the valley while a spectacular sunset spreads its fiery colours across the sky. Amazing video footage shows brave slackliners walking with cable cars hundreds of metres above a ski resort valley Participants in The Extreme Highline earned a fantastic view of the Alps, France and Switzerland It doesn't all go smoothly however, and one slackliner can be seen falling off - although thankfully their safety equipment lets them hang below before they get back up again. Photographer Pierre Chauffour made the trip up to the Moleson ski resort to take pictures of the 100 slackliners over the four-day event. He said: 'There are some of the best slackliners in the world there, although it's just a meeting and not a competition. In the clip, filmed in Switzerland, the daredevils can be sen making their way across the valley while a spectacular sunset spreads its fiery colours across the sky Photographer Pierre Chauffour made the trip up to the Moleson ski resort to take pictures of the 100 slackliners over the four-day event He said: 'There are some of the best slackliners in the world there, although it's just a meeting and not a competition' 'It has very long highlines and in a very unique and awesome landscape. That's what makes it unforgettable,' he added 'The highlines are just a piece of webbing an inch wide. This year, there were seven lines, the smallest 45 metres and the longest 580m,' he said 'It has very long highlines and in a very unique and awesome landscape. That's what makes it unforgettable. 'It happens in September, which is a perfect time of year, as the days are long enough and it's still warm to light up the landscape with all those gorgeous colours. 'The highlines are just a piece of webbing an inch wide. This year, there were seven lines, the smallest 45 metres and the longest 580m.' A toddler may need surgery after she was savaged by a Staffordshire bull terrier in front of her helpless mother. The two-year-old girl was taken to hospital with serious facial injuries after she was mauled in a car park in Leven, Scotland, on Wednesday. Her mother could only stand and watch as the dog attacked her daughter, who suffered injuries to her chin, mouth and nose and a gash to her eye. A toddler has been rushed to hospital with serious facial injuries after being mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier (file image) She was taken to hospital in Kirkcaldy and it is understood that although her injuries are not as serious as once feared, she may require surgery. A Police Scotland spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Police in Fife are investigating following a report of a dog attack in Kirkside Court, Leven. 'The incident happened around 5pm on Wednesday, February 1, when a black Staffordshire pitbull terrier-type dog attacked a two-year-old girl. 'The child sustained serious facial injuries and was taken to the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, for treatment, where she is detained. 'Enquiries are still ongoing to find the dog and it's owner. Anyone with information can contact us via 101.' Police said neither the dog nor its owner had been identified. Police in Fife are hunting to find the dog and its owner following attack, which took place in Kirkside Court, Leven (pictured) Local councillor Tom Adams said he was deeply shocked to hear of the attack. 'The dog's owner needs to be caught as quickly as possible and justice served,' he said. 'We can't have a dangerous dog like that roaming the streets. It's terrible and I would condemn it to high heaven.' He added: 'I really feel for the wee girl and her family and I hope she's going to be all right.' The dog involved is described as medium-sized, black with a white underside and a full length tail. It also had a white tail tip and was wearing a red collar with reflective markings. Sergeant Craig Fyall of Levenmouth police station said: 'This was horrific attack on a toddler, who has had to be hospitalised as a result of this incident. 'Fortunately, the injuries are not likely to lead to permanent disfigurement. 'Nevertheless, it is important that we trace this dog and its owner as soon as possible.' ISIS have amputated the hands of two boys aged ten and 12 who refused to execute two civilians in front of their families in Mosul. Fanatics trained up a group of children from its stronghold in western parts of the city to fight against advancing Iraqi troops. But two of the youngsters refused to carry out the twisted demands of their terror bosses. ISIS have amputated the hands of two boys aged ten and 12 who refused to execute two civilians in front of their families in Mosul (file picture) The youngsters were severely punished for refusing to execute two prisoners in front of their families. According to Iraqi News, they both had a hand chopped off by extremists. Public amputations are a common punishment under the terror group's murderous regime, but the brutal punishment is normally reserved for people accused of theft. ISIS leaders are resorting to increasingly desperate tactics as they continue to lose territory in Mosul. Fanatics trained up a group of children from its stronghold in western parts of the city to fight against advancing Iraqi troops (file picture) Pictures recently emerged of crude home-made car bombs, with scrap metal used as armour to protect them from bullets. Faced with a diminishing number of fighters, ISIS is also relying on retrofitted commercial drones to guide suicide car bombers to their targets and to launch small-scale airstrikes on Iraqi forces. The extremist group is spending freely on drone technology as it faces pressure from coalition forces, hacking store-bought machines, applying rigorous testing protocols and mimicking tactics used by U.S. unmanned aircraft. Russian-made Sam-6 surface-to-air missiles are seen in front of a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei A top adviser to the Iranian supreme leader said the country will not yield to 'useless' US threats from 'an inexperienced person' over its ballistic missile programme. Donald Trump said it was putting Iran 'on notice' over its 'destabilising activity' after it test-fired a cruise missile. But Ali Akbar Velayati said, who is a senior counsel to Iran's most powerful man Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hit back. 'This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran,' he said. 'The American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless.' Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, made the original statement attacking Iran before the POTUS echoed the message. He said in a tweet 'Iran has been formally put on notice' after his administration said it was reviewing how to respond to the launch that Iran said was solely for defensive purposes. Iran claimed on Wednesday it had tested the new ballistic missile but said it did not breach a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a UN Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. Velayati responded by saying: 'Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself.' A US official said Iran had test-launched the medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after travelling 630 miles (1,010 km). Iran said it had been a successful launch. A series of tests conducted by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in 2016 caused international concern, with some powers saying any launch of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles would violate UN Security Council resolution 2231. Scroll down for video Iran hit back at Donald Trump's comments saying the country was being put on notice over its 'destabilising activity' after it test-fired a ballistic missile A senior leader to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's most powerful figure, said America's threats were useless and that Iran did not need permission to defend itself The IRGC maintains an arsenal of dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles - the largest in the Middle East, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. Under the nuclear agreement, most UN sanctions were lifted a year ago. But Iran is still subject to an UN arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal. Trump has frequently criticised the Iran nuclear deal, which restricts Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of the sanctions, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. He tweeted on Thursday that Iran 'should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them'. Iran's Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday: 'The missile test on Sunday was successful. 'The test was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any UN resolution.' German newspaper Die Welt, citing unspecified intelligence sources, reported on Thursday that Iran had tested a home-made cruise missile called 'Sumar' that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Tasnim news agency two years ago published pictures of the Sumar missile, reporting that it was successfully test-fired. While Iran says its missile programme is aimed at displaying the country's 'deterrent power and its ability to confront any threat', some IRGC commanders have said that Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles were designed to be able to hit Israel. Members of a Rotherham sex gang today yelled 'Allahu Akbar' in court as they were jailed for abusing a girl who fell pregnant aged 12 after being groomed with alcohol. Six men were given sentences between 10 years and 20 years - and totalling more than 80 years - by a judge who heard details of how two young girls were sexually abused in the South Yorkshire town between 1999 and 2001. Judge Sarah Wright described how one of the girls was plied with alcohol and drugs and was having sex with a number of men from the age of 11. The victim, in a statement read to the court, said: 'There's evil and truly evil people in the world. I feel my child was the product of pure evil.' The sentencing marks the end of a series of three major trials after a report on child sexual exploitation in Rotherham revealed that more than 1,400 youngsters had been groomed, trafficked and raped in the town over a 16-year period. It has led to 18 people being jailed for sentences totalling more than 280 years. Scroll down for video Locked up: Brothers Basharat Dad (left), 32, Nasar Dad (right), 36, and Tayab Dad, 34, were jailed after two young girls were sexually abused in Rotherham between 1999 and 2001 Tayab Dad, 34, (left) was jailed for 10 years and Amjad Ali (right) was locked up for 11 years In November last year Sageer Hussain became the last of four brothers jailed for 'degrading and violent' sexual offences against youngsters. The Hussains were the most notorious perpetrators of terrible abuse against teenage girls in Rotherham. There were emotional and chaotic scenes at Sheffield Crown Court after two of the latest defendants shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as they were led from the dock. As their supporters began shouting down into the court, one of the victims shouted back 'justice is served' as police moved into the public gallery. Brothers Basharat Dad, 32, Nasar Dad, 36, both from Rotherham, and Tayab Dad, 34, of Tinsley, Sheffield, were jailed for sex offences along with Matloob Hussain, 41, Mohammed Sadiq, 40, both from Rotherham, and Amjad Ali, of Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Basharat Dad was jailed for 20 years, Nasar Dad was given 14 years and six months, Tayab Dad was given 10 years, Hussain was given 13 years, Sadiq was given 13 years and Ali was given 11 years. The girl's pregnancy made headlines in 2001 when she was portrayed as one of Britain's youngest ever mothers. Although five men were arrested, there were no prosecutions at the time after the victim told police she could not say which of the men she had had sex with was the father. Gang: Matloob Hussain, 41, (left) and Mohammed Sadiq, 40, (right) were jailed for 13 years Found guilty: Matloob Hussein (pictured left) and Mohammad Sadiq are pictured outside court Judge Wright said in court today that she had 'no hesitation' in finding that the girl could not remember because she was heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He paid tribute to the woman, who was sitting just a few feet away from her in the packed courtroom as the men were jailed. The judge said: 'As a result of what happened to her, her childhood and adolescence was taken from her. 'She remarkably transformed her life from thereon, putting her own child first. 'Hers is a tale of the most astonishing dedication and bravery.' 'MY CHILD WAS THE PRODUCT OF EVIL': AGONY OF GIRL WHO FELL PREGNANT AT 12 AFTER BEING REPEATEDLY RAPED Judge Sarah Wright described how one of the child sex gang's victims was plied with alcohol and drugs and was having sex with a number of men from the age of 11. She became pregnant a year later. The victim, in a statement read to the court, said: 'Being raped so many times I hadnt any idea who the biological father was. 'There's evil and truly evil people in the world. I feel my child was the product of pure evil. 'I was drawn into a world of fear, rape and horrific abuse. I lost my childhood at the hands of those men. She described how she was shunned by many in her community who called her worse things than 'dirty, cheap slag'. She said: 'No-one understood. No-one wanted to understand. 'I felt lost, isolated, trapped, ashamed and completely worthless. 'I was completely owned by these dirty old men who would do with me whatever then wanted, whenever they wanted. 'I now have a young daughter coming up to the age where Bash and his brother made me do these awful things. My greatest fear in life is that someone like them will take her away and make her do terrible things as they made me do.' Advertisement In the impact statement read to the court, the woman said: 'I was drawn into a world of fear, rape and horrific abuse. I lost my childhood at the hands of those men.' She described how she was shunned by many in her community who called her worse things than 'dirty, cheap sl*g'. She said: 'No-one understood. No-one wanted to understand. I felt lost, isolated, trapped, ashamed and completely worthless. 'I was completely owned by these dirty old men who would do with me whatever then wanted, whenever they wanted.' The sentencing marks the end of a series of three major trials after the Jay Report on child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Professor Alexis Jay's report, in 2014, provoked a wave of shock when she described how more than 1,400 children had been groomed, trafficked and raped in the town over a 16-year period. The three trials - based around two families and their associates - have resulted in 18 people being jailed for sentences totalling more than 280 years. The investigation that resulted in today's sentences, called Operation Thunder, is the last into CSE in Rotherham to be led by police. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has taken over all historic Rotherham CSE investigations with a team of more than 100 working on over a dozen inquiries. Last year, the NCA said it had engaged with 133 victims and survivors but investigators were confident that Prof Jay was right when she said in her report that the total was around 1,400. The agency said it was looking at hundreds of potential suspects. Speaking outside court on Thursday, Detective Chief Inspector Martin Tate, from South Yorkshire Police, said: 'This is our third significant inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham and, with the lengthy jail terms handed down to these individuals today, we have now put 18 criminals behind bars for over 280 years. 'Following the successes achieved, we will now continue to move forward using the learning and best practice we have acquired over the last few years, through work done with our brave victims, their families and partnership agencies, to apply this practice to future investigations. 'I'd encourage any victims and survivors out there who are yet to come forward to please get in touch or tell someone you trust. Officers and specialist support agencies are here to listen, to investigate and to bring perpetrators of this heinous crime before the courts.' CHILD SEX ABUSE IN ROTHERHAM Brothers Arshid, 40, Basharat, 36, and Bannaras Hussain, 39, were convicted of sexually, physically and emotionally abusing women in Rotherham Today's sentencing marks the end of a series of three major trials after a report on child sexual exploitation in Rotherham revealed more than 1,400 youngsters had been groomed, trafficked and raped in the town over a 16-year period. It has led to 18 people being jailed for sentences totalling more than 280 years. In February last year brothers Arshid, 40, Bannaras, 36, and Basharat Hussain, 39, were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court after a series of women - most now in their 30s - told a jury how they were sexually, physically and emotionally abused in Rotherham when they were in their early teens. The Hussains were found guilty of a range of offences along with their uncle, Qurban Ali, 53, and two women - Karen MacGregor, 59, and Shelley Davis, 40. Qurban Ali, Karen MacGregor, and Shelley Davies were all found guilty of a range of sex offences And nine months later, in November, the last of the four brothers Sageer Hussain, was also jailed for 'degrading and violent' sexual offences against youngsters. The four brothers were the most notorious perpetrators of terrible abuse against teenage girls in the South Yorkshire town. Sageer Hussain was one of a gang of eight men sentenced to a total of 96 years in prison last November. Prosecutors said he played a 'key role' and was 'instrumental in befriending young girls who were flattered that he and his friends spent time with them'. They were then exploited by Sageer, his friends and associates, seven of whom were sentenced last November. Mohammed Whied, 32, was jailed for five years after being found guilty of one count of aiding and abetting rape. Ishtiaq Khaliq, 33, was sentenced to 17 years in prison after being convicted of one rape and three indecent assaults. Mohammed Whied, Waleed Ali, Asif Ali, (middle row left to right) Sageer Hussain, Ishtiaq Khaliq, (bottom row left to right) Basharat Hussain, Masoued Malik and Naeem Rafiq were all convicted of sexually exploiting teenage girls in Rotherham Waleed Ali, 34, was jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of one rape and one indecent assault. Asif Ali, 30, was given a 12-year term after being convicted of one rape. Masoued Malik, 32, was jailed for 15 years after being found guilty of one rape, one count of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and one of false imprisonment. Naeem Rafiq, 33, was sentenced to eight years after being convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit indecent assault and one of false imprisonment. Basharat Hussain, 40, was convicted of one indecent assault. The investigation that resulted in today's sentences, called Operation Thunder, is the last into child sex abuse in Rotherham to be led by police. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has taken over all historic Rotherham CSE investigations with a team of more than 100 working on over a dozen inquiries. Last year, the NCA said it had engaged with 133 victims and survivors but investigators were confident that Prof Jay was right when she said in her report that the total was around 1,400. The agency said it was looking at hundreds of potential suspects. Advertisement Mark Langan from the Crown Prosecution Service said: 'These men were found guilty of a catalogue of vile sex offences against two young girls. 'The girls were targeted by these men because they were naive and vulnerable. They were given alcohol and cannabis and intimidated into performing sexual acts. 'On one occasion one of the young girls was locked alone in a flat for hours without food, water or electricity. 'These young girls were subjected to the most appalling abuse at the hands of these men.' Basharat Dad is pictured arriving at Sheffield Crown Court. Today he was jailed for 20 years Tayab Dad (pictured left) and Nasar Dad (right) were both found guilty of rape. Matloob Hussain and Mohammed Sadiq were found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 Basharat Dad was found guilty of six counts of rape, five of indecent assault and one of false imprisonment. Nasar Dad was found guilty of one count of rape, inciting indecency with a child and false imprisonment. Tayab Dad was found guilty of rape. Matloob Hussain and Mohammed Sadiq were found guilty of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. All five were found guilty by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court last month. Amjad Ali pleaded guilty last year to sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. A young woman used Facebook to tell a friend that she was about to kill herself - but he was 6,000 miles away, an inquest heard today. Student Daisy Ho, 20, sent her final goodbye note on social media to her friend in California. She told him: 'It's five minutes to midnight, if I don't check with you in five hours assume I'm gone. Thank you for everything.' Student Daisy Ho, 20, sent her final goodbye note on social media to her friend in California In another message shortly afterwards she told him: 'I don't want to live, I don't want to be breathing, so much pain.' Miss Ho's body was found hours later in her student flat. Her final messages were found on her laptop by police who went to her bedroom in a student block in Maindee, Cardiff, in November. The inquest heard that Miss Ho, who was in her second year as an education and sociology student at Cardiff University after moving from Hong Kong, suffered from depression for years. Fellow student Gregory Lloyd told the Cardiff inquest: 'She said she felt rejected by society and was a failure in life.' The inquest heard that Miss Ho, who was in her second year as an education and sociology student at Cardiff University after moving from Hong Kong, suffered from depression for years South Wales Central coroner Philip Spinney recorded a conclusion of suicide saying: 'This is a very sad case. Messages on the internet indicated her intention to take her own life. 'She was assessed in hospital and was offered student support services but declined them.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or go to www.samaritans.org A Dutch doctor who order an elderly dementia patient's family to hold her down while she administer a lethal euthanasia injection 'acted in good faith', an investigation has found. The senior doctor at a nursing home in the Netherlands was being probed after the death of the 80-year-old woman, who had previously expressed a desire for euthanasia when 'the time was right.' It is believed that after a decline in the patient's condition, it was deemed by the doctor that it was time to deliver the lethal drugs. A Dutch doctor who order an elderly dementia patient's family to hold her down while she administer a lethal euthanasia injection 'acted in good faith', an investigation has found (file picture) However, according to Catholic News, the elderly woman woke even though the doctor put a sleep-inducing drug in her coffee so she could give the lethal injection without consulting the woman. The patient then tried to fight off the procedure so the doctor asked her relatives to hold her down so she could administer the injection. The doctor then completed giving the injection and the elderly woman died. It then prompted an official review by investigators but they found that the doctor did nothing wrong. Chairman of the review panel Jacob Kohnstamm said: 'I am convinced that the doctor acted in good faith, and we would like to see more clarity on how such cases are handled in the future. The case will be further considered by Dutch courts to determine whether doctors performing euthanasia on patients with dementia should be prosecuted if it is determined they have acted in good faith. Euthanasia laws were introduced in the Netherlands in 2002. In 2015 there were more than 5,000 euthanasia deaths (file picture) Euthanasia laws were introduced in the Netherlands in 2002. In 2015 there were more than 5,000 euthanasia deaths but only four were found by review officials to have been marred by 'irregularities'. Euthanasia is carried out with drugs, either injected for incapable patients, or provided for self-medication. Psychiatric patients can be put to death at their own request despite their mental illness as can under-18s. However, this has led to widespread opposition from a number of groups, including church leaders and paediatricians who question whether boys and girls would be able to make such a difficult choice. Only the Netherlands and Belgium permit euthanasia for patients under the age of 18. All euthanasia is illegal in Britain. Paul Nuttall, pictured, is accused of breaking electoral law by wrongly declaring his home address was in Stoke when he filled out the nomination papers for the by-election Police are investigating claims Ukip leader Paul Nuttall broke electoral law by giving the wrong address on his official nomination papers for the Stoke by-election. Electoral law says candidates must fill out the nomination forms with their home address at the time of writing. But Mr Nuttall, who is hoping to record a famous scalp by beating Labour in the Stoke Central by-election later this month, gave an address in Stoke despite admitting he had yet to move in. The Ukip leader told Channel 4 News that he 'would be soon'. His home address was Bootle in Merseyside at the time he filled in the nomination papers. Mr Nuttall cannot be disqualified between now and the by-election on February 23 but if he wins and becomes Ukip's second MP, opposition parties could challenge the result in the courts, which could ultimately lead to his election being nulled. Staffordshire Police confirmed they are investigating an allegation of election fraud. A Ukip spokesperson denied any wrongdoing and said the party's 'got nothing to worry about'. They said Mr Nuttall had taken out a short-term rent in the property on Oxford Street in the Stoke Central constituency and said he was moving in today. If elected MP, he will move his home permanently to the address, the spokesperson added. 'We're very happy to talk to the police... we've got nothing to hide,' the Ukip spokesperson said. A Ukip spokesperson said Paul Nuttall had taken out a short-term rent in the property on Oxford Street in the Stoke Central constituency, pictured, and said he was moving in today. If elected MP, he will move his home permanently to the address, the spokesperson added Staffordshire police said: 'Our Response: 'We have received a report of an allegation of election fraud relating to the Stoke Central by-election on Thursday 23 February 2017. Officers will be investigating the circumstances.' A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission, the elections watchdog, said:'It is an offence under s65A of the Representation of the People act 1983 to knowingly provide false information on a nomination paper, and it is for the police to investigate this type of offence.' The Lib Dems mocked Mr Nuttall's apparent error, changing their website's 404 error page to a picture of the Stoke address with the caption: 'This page, just like Paul Nuttall's house in Stoke, is empty.' Labour's candidate for the Stoke by-election Gareth Snell, pictured faced a backlash last week after it emerged he branded Brexit a 'pile of sh**' Mr Nuttall is hoping to become Ukip's second MP by beating Labour candidate Gareth Snell in the by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of former frontbencher Tristram Hunt. Ukip are now favourites to win the seat, where seven in ten voters backed Brexit in last June's referendum. Mr Snell faced a backlash last week after it emerged he branded Brexit a 'pile of sh**'. The local councillor Mr Snell showed his disdain for the outcome in a series of tweets, including one in September when he posted a poem reading: 'Soft Brexit, Hard Brexit, Massive pile of Sh**, Sloppy Brexit, Messy Brexit, Quit, Quit, Quit.' During the referendum campaign, he also praised the way pro-EU politicians made their case and suggested he backed Turkey's bid to become a member. Mr Snell has since insisted he will not try to block the triggering of Article 50, but criticised Theresa May's approach. The Tories have chosen another local councillor, 25-year-old Jack Brereton, to run in the same seat. Fake news did not alter the election result, a new study shows. While bogus pro-Trump stories far outweighed those about Hillary Clinton, only a 'small fraction' of voters - eight percent - ever saw them and even fewer actually believed or remembered them, researchers say. Much larger numbers remembered seeing and believing legitimate news stories. In order for it to swing the election, fake news would have therefore had to have been as persuasive as 36 television adverts, the study by NYU and Stanford claims. 'Our data suggest that social media were not the most important source of election news and even the most widely circulated news stories were seen by only a small fraction of Americans,' authors Hunt Allcott and Matthew Gentzkow said. The research dispels the notion that defamatory stories about Hillary Clinton may have cost her the election. While Democrats have shied away from directly blaming fake news for Trump's win, its rise during the campaign and perceived ties to Russian hackers accused of boosting the businessman's chances at winning have been common talk. Fake news about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton did not sway the election result, new research has shown But the survey, titled Social Media and Fake News in the 2016 election, claims not enough voters relied on the stories and their vehicles such as Facebook and Twitter for it to have had any significant impact. In the survey of 1208 people, only 14 per cent considered social media, where fake news was spread excitedly before election day, their primary source of information. Fake pro-Trump stories were shared 30million times on Facebook, more than four times as much as made-up stories favoring Hillary Clinton were. But the average voter remembered less than one percent (0.9%) of them and only 0.7 percent believed them, according to the research. 0.19 percent remembered seeing and believed fake pro-Clinton stories. Prominent fake stories against the Democratic candidate included the wild accusation she spearheaded a pedophile ring which operated out of a pizza shop. The story, which was circulated by fanatic pro-Trump websites, prompted a gunman to visit Comet Ping-Pong, the Washington DC pizza parlour. Only 10 percent of the voters surveyed for the study believed it. A third (around 400 people) believed a fake story that Wikileaks, which exposed thousands of Clinton campaign emails, fabricated their contents. Pro-Trump stories were shared 30million times while pro-Clinton stories, of which there was considerably less, were shared only 8million times Many more participants remembered seeing and believing genuine news, categorized as 'big true' stories, over fake reports Only 13.8 percent took their news from social media, the most prolific vehicle for the spread of fake news A tenth believed the fake claim that the Pope had endorsed Trump and around the same number believed the made-up story that the Clintons were somehow responsible for the death of Vince Foster whose 1993 death has been repeatedly ruled a suicide. Less than 20 percent of voters remembered seeing and believing fake news but almost 70 percent recall the largest legitimate news stories and almost 60 percent said they believed them. Among the largest legitimate news stories were reports that Hillary Clinton had repeatedly denied requests for increased security at the US governmental buildings in Benghazi before the 2012 attacks on it. Only 10 percent believed the Pope had endorsed Trump's candidacy, one of the 115 pro-Trump fake news stories put out during the campaign Around 70 percent also remembered Trump refusing to admit whether he would concede the race if Clinton won. Voters relied mostly on cable TV networks for their news, with 25 percent naming it as their most used source in the lead-up to the election. Twenty-three percent relied on network TV, 14.8 percent turned to news websites and 14.5 percent got their information from local TV. Only 13.8 percent said social media was their primary source. The spread of fake stories on social media became a focal point of Democrats after Clinton's defeat. In her second speech since losing to Trump in November, the candidate herself described it as an 'epidemic' which 'flooded social media'. Barack Obama spoke two weeks after the election result to say the country had 'problems' if it couldn't tell the difference between what was genuine and not. 'If we are not serious about facts and whats true and whats not, if we cant discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems,' he said. President Trump has accused mainstream news outlets CNN and The New York Times of being guilty of perpetuating fake news since he took office. He banned CNN's Senior White House Correspondent Jim Acosta from asking questions at a pre-inaugural press conference because the network had published unverified allegations about him that were contained in a 'dirty dossier' about his links to Russia. The New York Times, he said, produced coverage of him that was 'negative and angry'. A junkie held a terrified 13-year-old girl at knifepoint in her bedroom after breaking in so he could exchange her for drugs only for Russian police to storm in and free her. The drug-crazed man broke into the house in the city of Omsk in Omsk Oblast region, central Russia, where the girl lives with her grandmother. Named only as Zhenya, he started demanding drugs from the terrified family, and when it became clear they didn't have any he made the family call the police so that he could get his fix in exchange for the girl's freedom. Scroll down for video The drug-crazed man holds a knife to the girl's back and grips her by the throat in her bedroom The Russian SWAT team storm the bedroom and manage to free the petrified young girl Police were able to apprehend the man, who they pinned to the floor face-down Police and a SWAT team rushed to the scene and a video filmed by an officer shows the tattooed junkie holding the girl on his lap with a knife to her back. The drug addict and Zhenya get embroiled in tense negotiation, as he demands the policemen leave the room as he did not want to 'get a life sentence'. The girl can be heard crying in terror, asking the intruder to let her go as officers attempt to diffuse the situation by saying: 'Zhenya, calm down, please calm down. Please let the girl go.' Topless Zhenya, who is constantly looking around the room, is eventually ambushed by the police officers. The clip pics up a a sudden scream from the girl and the SWAT team pile into the bedroom where she is being held. She is quickly freed, unharmed, and taken to another room where an officer looks after her. After a huge struggle, the junkie was apprehended by the police officers and was arrested The girl was talked to by officers who tried to comfort her, but she is receiving counselling A policeman can be heard on video calming the junkie down while a paramedic fills a syringe. After a struggle, the SWAT team manage to muscle Zhenya face down and a doctor injects him with a sedative while one officer keeps his face to the floor with his boot. The girl was physically unharmed but psychologists are working with her to help her recover from the traumatic experience. The man was arrested although it is unclear what charges have been brought against him. An 80-year-old man is accused of punching a police officer who stopped him from approaching kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart with a knife. Claude Hudson was arrested and charged with battery after he punched a police officer in the midsection during a book signing event at the Indiana State University on Wednesday, police said. Hudson sat in the front row of Smart's talk, and was later spotted fiddling with a 3-inch pocket knife, using it to open a tea bag wrapping and 'just acting so peculiar,' ISU Police Chief Joseph Newport said. Smart was just 14 in 2002 when she was snatched from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah and held captive for nine months, during which she was repeatedly raped. Claude Hudson, 80, (left) is accused of punching a police officer who stopped him from approaching kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart (right) with a knife Hudson was sitting in the front row during Smart's talk at the Indiana State University (general view) on Wednesday and was seen fiddling with a knife Hudson was sitting in the front row during Smart's talk before he concealed the knife and started to walk 'in a dedicated and determined fashion' past 100 people who were waiting to have their books signed, Newport said. An officer stepped between Hudson and Smart, and the 80-year-old hit the officer twice in his midsection, Newport said. Hudson, of Terre Haute, Indiana, was arrested and pleaded not guilty to a battery charge on Wednesday. A judge set bond at $25,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation. The police chief said Hudson is a frequent visitor to Indiana State University and that investigators have found no connection between Hudson and Smart. Hudson, who is currently on parole for a burglary conviction, will stand trial on May 9. He has a history of arrests, and records show he was convicted of attempted murder in 1991, CBS reported. Smart issued a statement through her representative Thursday, saying she 'is grateful for law enforcement and Indiana State University's quick response and that the event and her work continued undeterred.' Smart (pictured after she was found) hit headlines after she disappeared from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002 at the age of 14 Mitchell (left) was sentenced to life in prison in May 2011, and his wife Wanda Barzee (right) was sentenced to 15 years for her role in the kidnapping of the girl Smart hit headlines after she disappeared from her bedroom in 2002 at the age of 14. Despite a nationwide search for the teen, she was not found for nine months. Within hours of the kidnapping, she testified, she was stripped of her red pajamas, draped in white, religious robes and forced into a polygamous marriage with Brian David Mitchell. She was tethered to a metal cable strung between two trees and subjected to near-daily rapes while being forced to use alcohol and drugs. She described the horrific events as her 'nine months of hell', during which she was forced to live homeless, dress in disguises and stay quiet or lie about her identity if ever approached by strangers or police. Mitchell was sentenced to serve life in prison in May 2011, and his wife Wanda Barzee was sentenced to 15 years in a Texas federal prison hospital for her role in the kidnapping of the girl. Since Smart was returned to her family, she has become an advocate against abuse and pornography. A malnourished wallaby was found 20 pounds underweight inside a Long Island garage on Tuesday. Veterinarians are nursing the wallaby back to health after rescuing the animal from the home which belongs to Larry Wallach. Wallach, who is known as 'The Tiger Man,' is a self-proclaimed exotic animal rescuer. The Nassau County SPCA followed a tip and discovered the neglected animal in squalid conditions in East Rockaway on Tuesday. Scroll down for video A malnourished wallaby was found inside a Long Island garage on Tuesday Veterinarians are nursing the wallaby back to health after rescuing the animal from the home which belongs to Larry Wallach Wallach (pictured), who is known as 'The Tiger Man,' is a self-proclaimed exotic animal rescuer. The Nassau County SPCA followed a tip and discovered the neglected animal in squalid conditions in East Rockaway on Tuesday 'He was in a garage in the middle of winter with no air circulation, no heat. So he was king of just fending for himself,' Dr David Kolins of the Mineola Animal Hospital told PIX 11. Dr Kolins said the creature doesn't have any muscle on his body. 'His spine is sticking out. His legs are like twigs,' Dr Kolins said, adding that a wallaby is supposed to have 'pretty powerful legs' like a kangaroo but this wallaby doesn't. Wallabies are considered a cousin to kangaroos and are native to Australia. The wallaby is currently recovering at the Mineola Animal Hospital. In two weeks, the wallaby will be sent to an animal refuge habitat. Having a wallaby as a pet is illegal in New York and Wallach could face arrest. Wallach owns a 'business exhibiting wild and exotic animals to the public', according to a complaint filed in 2012 by the USDA. In the past, officials have removed other exotic animals from Wallach's home. An adult lion was removed from the home and a panther from a trailer parked outside, according to PIX 11. Having a wallaby is illegal in New York and Wallach could face arrest. In two weeks, the wallaby will be sent to an animal refuge habitat. He's pictured with a baby wallaby in 2015 An adult lion was removed from the home (pictured) and a panther from a trailer (pictured) parked outside Wallach sparked controversy last year with Big Cat Rescue, a sanctuary for exotic cats in Tampa, Florida. In March 2016, the sanctuary accused Wallach of 'exploiting tiger cubs and charging the public to hold them for over a decade'. The complaint was filed against Wallach by the USDA for 'willfully violating the Animal Welfare Act' on various occasions. The complaint alleges 12 violations spanning from May 2008 to August 2011. 'On May 13, 2008, Wallach failed to obtain a diagnosis of the cause of a tiger's hair loss and ataxia,' according to the complaint. Several other incidents are detailed in the complaint. Officials opened an investigation but have not had a chance to speak to Wallach. Neighbors say they have not seen him in weeks. A 12-year-old girl was raped by a family friend who then killed her by throwing her alive down a 330 ft mineshaft, police in Russia said. Suspect Evgeny Bukharin, 40, offered the girl a ride on his snowmobile when she was waiting at a bus stop on a visit to her adult sister, it is alleged. But he took Viktoria Reymer, from the Russian city of Novokuznetsk, to his own house, where he sexually attacked her, according to investigators. 'The accused was driving his snowmobile and saw the girl waiting at the bus stop,' said a source in the Investigative Committee, Russian equivalent of the FBI. Viktoria Reymer was abducted as she was standing at a bus stop, police said Evgeny Bukharin, 40, has been arrested as a criminal investigation into rape and murder in underway in the city of Novokuznetsk 'He offered to give her a ride to her sister's. 'Since she knew the man, she agreed. 'But the attacker took the victim to his house, where he raped her. 'Then he took the child to the air shaft and threw her into it.' Little Viktoria died from the fall. Locals say that the man who police have arrested was a workmate of the girl's late father Suspect Evgeny Bukharin, 40, offered the girl a ride on his snowmobile Initially the suspect claimed he had accidentally killed the girl when he hit her with his snowmobile. In a panic, he disposed of the body, rather than admit to her mother Olga, who he knew, what had happened, he claimed. A major operation was requited to lift the body from the shaft, which contained dangerous levels of methane gas. A major operation was requited to lift her body from the shaft After Viktoria went missing, posters were placed around the city Forensic analysis showed 'that the girl was still alive when thrown into the shaft', said law enforcement sources. She died of 'from injuries to the head, neck and chest', a police spokesman told The Siberian Times. Locals say that the man was a workmate of the girl's late father, who had died at an accident at the same colliery. After she went missing, posters were placed around the city. The suspect is now in detention as a criminal investigation into rape and murder in underway. The Republican-controlled House took its first steps toward strengthening gun ownership under Trump, scrapping checks for Social Security recipients mentally incapable of managing their own affairs. The regulation, issued in the final months of President Barack Obama's term, is one of a handful congressional Republicans are rolling back, knowing they have a new ally in the White House. The vote to repeal the regulation was 235-180. The background checks rule had established the criteria the Social Security Administration follow when forwarding names for the criminal background check system. Those who fitted the criteria have a mental disorder so severe that they cannot work and need a representative to manage their benefits. Final regulations: The gun control measure was introduced in December, one of a series of twilight measures from the Obama adminsitration Leader: Paul Ryan, the House Speaker, saw his caucus vote down a gun control measure in its first attempt to roll back elements of the Obama legacy The administration projected that the regulation would affect about 75,000 beneficiaries. Gun rights groups and advocates for the disabled supported the repeal effort. It will now go to the Senate and would have to be signed into law by President Trump. The Senate also scuttled an Obama rule preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams. The Senate's 54-45 vote sends the measure to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it. 'In my home state of Kentucky and others across the nation, the Stream Buffer Rule will cause major damage to communities and threaten coal jobs,' said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. The House passed a repeal of the coal mining resolution on Wednesday and Senate approval on Thursday will send the measure to Trump for his signature. On guns, Obama's background check rule required the Social Security Administration to forward to the Justice Department the names of certain disabled beneficiaries for inclusion in the database of those ineligible to purchase a firearm. The rule affects an estimated 75,000 beneficiaries who could not work because of the severity of their mental disorder and needed a representative to manage their benefits. Republican lawmakers criticized the regulation for reinforcing a negative stereotype that people with a mental disorder are dangerous. 'There are people who need help and seek help, but that is not a criteria for taking away one's constitutional right' to own a gun, said Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas. After the 2012 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, Obama directed the Justice Department to provide guidance to agencies regarding information they are obligated to report to the background check system. The Social Security Administration issued a final rule on Dec. 19 that spells out when the names of beneficiaries must be forwarded to the database that federally licensed gun dealers consult before selling a firearm. In Newtown, 20 children and six educators were shot to death when a gunman entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. The gunman had earlier killed his mother inside their home, and he used a gun and ammunition that she had purchased. Democrats said Republicans were doing the bidding of the National Rifle Association, which opposed the Social Security Administration's rule. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said his constituents have a right not to be victims of gun violence. 'They have a right to protect their loved ones who may use a weapon against themselves or their family members,' McGovern said. While gun rights groups have weighed in with opposition to the regulation, some advocates for the disabled have also said the regulation is discriminatory. The agency that advises the president and Congress on government policy, the National Council on Disability, said there is no connection between the inability to manage money and the ability to safely possess and use a firearm. Voting against: Mitch McConnell - who met Vice President Mike Pence and Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on Wednesday - led Republicans in the Senate in seeking to overturn a coal regulation The Social Security Administration regulation also established a process for people to appeal having their names submitted to background check database. But attorneys general from a dozen states wrote to congressional leaders and said such appeals can take months or years to resolve. They said the regulation violates basic notions of due process by permitting an agency to revoke one's Second Amendment rights without a hearing. Republicans are employing a rarely-used tool to roll back some of the rules issued in the final months of Obama's tenure. The Congressional Review Act allows provides a temporary window for a simple majority of both chambers to invalidate the rule. Trump would also have to sign the resolution of disapproval for the regulation to be deemed invalid. What's more, the law prevents the executive branch from imposing substantially similar regulations in the future. Among the top priorities for the GOP is to scuttle the rule to prevent coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams. The Interior Department said in announcing the rule in December that it would protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests, preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby waters. The rule maintains a long-established 100-foot buffer zone that blocks coal mining near streams, but imposes stricter guidelines for exceptions to the 100-foot rule. Interior officials said the rule would cause only modest job losses in coal country and could even create jobs as companies hire construction crews to haul and store debris. A man allegedly drove his car into pedstrians in Munich after kidnapping four young children. At least two people are believed to have been be injured during the incident in Ramersdorf, near Munich. After a fierce dispute with his ex-partner, the 29-year-old unemployed man took the woman's four children and stole her car before crashing into two pedestrians, Suddeutsche Zeitung reports. The incident happened on Wednesday evening in Ramersdorf, near Munich The pedestrians, two men, were seriously injured and were taken to hospital following the incident on Wednesday evening. The children were uninjured during the incident, police said. Following the collision, the suspect fled on foot and police had not been able to trace him on Thursday. The suspect fled on foot and police in Bavaria were still hunting him on Thursday Police officer Carsten Neubert said the suspect had argued with his 26-year-old ex-girlfriend in her apartment, which resulted in him hitting her. The woman escaped from the flat and had sought protection from a neighbour before her ex took her car keys and her four children, who are aged between 14 months and five-years-old. He bundled the children into the car and drove off - supposedly to look for the mother, police said. According to the police, the man, who is being hunted by officers, is not the father of the children. President Donald Trump followed the presidential tradition of referring to Black History Month as National African American History Month in his official proclamation. Most modern presidents have referred to the February celebration as National African American History month in their official proclamations, although it's colloquially known as Black History Month. Presidents Obama, George W Bush and Clinton followed the tradition. An exception is President Reagan, whose proclamation in 1986 called the observance National Black (Afro-American) History Month. President Donald Trump holds a National African American History Month 'listening session' attended by nominee to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Ben Carson (right), Omarosa Manigault (left), director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison, and other officials in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Wednesday Trump followed the presidential tradition of referring to Black History Month as National African American History Month in his official proclamation The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. After meeting with African-American leaders, Trump concluded that the term 'black' is outdated and the more appropriate way to refer to the communities is 'African American', a senior official told TMZ. Trump said the contributions African Americans have made are an integral part of society. 'Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I noticed. 'Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks and millions more black Americans that made America what it is today. Big impact. I'm proud to honor this heritage and will be honoring it more and more', he said. Most modern presidents have referred to the February celebration as National African American History month in their official proclamations, although it's colloquially known as Black History Month National African American History Month has been recognized by US presidents for 41 years, when then-President Gerald Ford expanded the week-long celebration that began as Negro History Week in 1926. Although Trump referred to the month as Black History Month ahead of his 'listening session' on February 1 at the White House, the transcript of his speech is titled 'Remarks by President Trump in African American History Month Listening Session'. On Wednesday, the 'listening session' was attended by African-American leaders, including Ben Carson, Trump's nominee to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development - his sole black Cabinet pick. Leaders from the NAACP and the National Urban League were not in attendance. Neither was Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond. The Louisiana Democrat said the meeting was a political stunt. Darrell Scott (right), a pastor with the New Spirit Revival Center who campaigned for Trump, praised the president for his moves on combating inner-city violence in Chicago 'It's one thing to pose for a photo op and it's another to offer real solutions. The CBC has offered the President a number of solutions to address real problems. 'If he is serious about addressing issues in the African-American community and honoring Black History Month, he will start working with us to implement them', Richmond said. But in the meeting, Darrell Scott, a pastor with the Cleveland-based New Spirit Revival Center who campaigned for Trump, praised the president for his moves on combating inner-city violence in Chicago. 'I was recently contacted by some of the top gang thugs in Chicago for a sit-down. They reached out to me because they associated me with you. They respect you', Scott said. Scott said the leaders of the unnamed gangs believe in the Trump administration. Trump said Wednesday that if Chicago cannot lower its homicide rate he will send in the feds to do so. There were 762 homicides in 2016, the most since 1996, according to the Chicago Tribune. Chicago is where Black History Month began. In the 1920s, Carter G Woodson, a University of Chicago alumnus, urged organizations to promote African-American achievements. Trump pledged during his campaign to improve the lives of African American residents of inner cities. 'If you remember I wasnt going to do well with the African-American community, and after they heard me speaking and talking about the inner city and lots of other things, we ended up getting - and I wont go into details - but we ended up getting substantially more than other candidates who had run in the past years. And now were gonna take that to new levels', he said. Exit polls showed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton received 89 percent of the African-American vote. RAF gunner Corrie McKeague (pictured) went missing during a night out in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk Police searching for missing RAF gunner Corrie McKeague have released a new CCTV image of a potential witness spotted in the area he was last seen. Mr McKeague, 23, from Fife, Scotland, vanished while on a night out with friends on September 24 in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. The last sighting showed him walking from a shop doorway and into a horseshoe-shaped area in Brentgovel Street, with no sign of him emerging. Suffolk Police officers combing through CCTV footage have released stills of three people who have yet to be traced. They are re-issuing some images along with a new image of one image of a person which has now been obtained. The new image, which shows a person strolling past a 'no entry' sign, is believed to be the same person in a black and white image officers released in December last year. The yellow-like image was captured four minutes after the black and white one, Suffolk Police confirmed. A name had been given for one of the people, the older man in the image with the cyclist, but he was traced and found not to be the man pictured. Police have released this new image of a person walking through Bury St Edmunds (pictured) Suffolk Police released this image in December but are reissuing it and they believe it is the same person in the new CCTV image Work continues to trace him and the other two people. All of the footage was filmed in Bury St Edmunds town centre between 3.15am and 5.20am, close to the time of the last confirmed sighting of Mr McKeague at 3.25am. Police said the vast majority of those in the area sought from CCTV have been identified, traced and spoken to, and these three people were the last seen on foot in the area who have yet to be traced. Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott said police had worked through information in a logical way and followed systematic processes. The investigation initially focused on the scenario that Mr McKeague tried to get home to RAF Honington and came to harm, with searches focused on areas of possible routes there. The search strategy has been reviewed by another force and advice has been sought from the police national search adviser. Police are still hoping to identify a cyclist who was speaking to a driver in the town on the night Mr McKeague went missing 'Over 300,000 has so far been spent on the investigation and we are putting every effort into finding Corrie,' said Ms Elliott. 'We have drawn on local and national experts and have been open to review by other forces and have continued to resource the search to find Corrie. 'The activities we have undertaken to date have been based on information and facts and not on assumptions. Police still want to identify an older man who was in the area 'Although at this stage we have not received any information from the company employed by (Mr McKeague's mother) Nicola Urquhart, as soon as we receive any information that the company chooses to pass to the police this will be considered as part of the ongoing inquiry. 'Any details coming into the investigation will be checked across the information held, and we continue to work in partnership with a number of agencies including the RAF on the continuing enquiry.' She continued: 'What is crucially important is that the public provide any information they have about Corrie's disappearance directly to the police in order that it can be properly recorded and investigated. 'The police don't want to miss that vital piece of information that may help them to find Corrie.' Any information relating to Corrie's disappearance or about the potential witnesses should be passed to the incident room on 01473 782019. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would not only renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, he'd be open to rewriting the entire deal - adding another 'F' to the document's title to include the word 'fair.' At a meeting this morning with Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican, Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrats, and Congressman Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Trump reiterated his belief that the deal has been a 'catastrophe.' 'I have very serious concerns about NAFTA,' Trump said. 'I want to change it...and maybe we do a new NAFTA and we add an extra f in the term NAFTA.' Trump told the room, 'You know what the f is for right? Free and fair trade. Not just free trade. Free and fair trade. Because it's very unfair.' Scroll down for video President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would not only renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, he'd be open to rewriting the entire deal - adding another 'F' to the document's title to include the word 'fair' At a meeting this morning with Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican, Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrats, and Congressman Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Trump reiterated his belief that the deal has been a 'catastrophe' Senior Advisor Jard Kusher shakes hands with Sen. Hatch in the meeting as Steve Bannon and President Trump take their seats The president has said he'd make trade negotiations a top priority. One of his first acts in office was to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. His White House says it intends to pursue bilateral deals with foreign countries with which it doesn't have standing agreements. Trump said Thursday that he would direct his Commerce Secretary designee, Wilbur Ross, who has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, to strike a new deal with Canada and Mexico that will be of 'tremendous' benefit to American businesses and their workers. 'I would like to speed it up if possible. You're the folks who can do it,' he told the lawmakers gathered around him. Trump said he'd put together an 'all-star team' to look at the trade agreement and said he was looking to have a deal ready within a 90-day window. 'We are working very, very hard...We want to get that whole thing kickstarted and going,' he said. 'NAFTA has been a catastrophe for our county. It's been a catastrophe for our workers and our jobs and our companies, they're leaving our country.' In his remarks this afternoon from the Roosevelt Room during his meetings with lawmakers, Trump said he'd approve a 'renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA.' 'But we do have to make it fair and it's very unfair to the American worker and very, very unfair to companies that do business in this country,' he said. 'That's why they're leaving. One of the many reasons.' Trump said Thursday that he would direct his Commerce Secretary designee, Wilbur Ross (center, left) who has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, to strike a new deal with Canada and Mexico that will be of 'tremendous' benefit to American businesses and their workers Trump talks with Harley-Davidson motorcycle officials and nationwide union leaders on the South Lawn of the White House. He told them minutes later, in a White House meeting, 'We're redoing NAFTA...and we're negotiating properly with countries' Taxes are also killing off business, he said. 'We're going to take care of that also.' 'We're starting the process, and I think it's going to be a tremendous thing for our country, for the workers and for our companies that employ the workers,' he said of the NAFTA negotiations. He hit on the topic again at a meeting Thursday afternoon in the same room with executives from Wisconsin-based motorcycle company Harley Davidson and union representatives. 'We're redoing NAFTA...and we're negotiating properly with countries. A lot of countries have been taken advantage of us, ' he said. 'We have to be treated fairly.' Before reporters were escorted out he reminded the room what Wisconsin, a blue state until November, contributed to his electoral victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. 'I really appreciate support, your workers in particular,' Trump told the motorcycle executives. 'That was a big shocker that evening. Wow I'll never forget... Wisconsin just went for Trump and then Michigan went for Trump and then Pennsylvania... So just great people, amazing people.' A Chicago police officer and his partner are warming hearts across the nation, with an video of them giving a coat to a homeless man quickly becoming an internet sensation. The story dates back about three weeks ago, when officers Peter White and Bob Osborne of the 015 district on Chicago's West Side saw a vagrant walking in traffic on an off-ramp of the Eisenhower Expressway. Fearing the man would hurt himself or cause and accident, the patrolmen pulled over and gave the man a citation. But they also noticed he was wearing a thin threadbare coat wholly inadequate for Chicago's brutal winter weather. Officer White gave the man an old winter coat of his own, and even helped him zip up 'I asked him, if he was going to stay out there why didn't he have a jacket for the winter?' recalled White. The man replied that he'd tried to get a coat from a charity coat drive, but had arrived too late to get a warm coat. The two cops promised to bring the man a winter coat the next time they saw him. Officer White (right) gave away the coat, but didn't realize his partner Osborne (left) was secretly filming the act of kindness 'You could see he didn't really have any family left, or they didn't let him back in anymore,' said Osborne. Officer White retrieved one of his own old coats from home that night, and kept it in their patrol car to give the man. But three weeks passed until finally they spotted him again. As the cops pulled over, the man, fearing another citation, protested that he hadn't been disrupting traffic this time. 'I know, I know,' said White, as he hopped out of the cruiser. 'I brought you that coat I promised.' What White didn't know was that his partner Osborne was secretly filming the exchange from the car's passenger seat. Chicago cops White (right) and Osborne (left) spoke the the press on Wednesday 'I just thought our friends would see something positive about the police department, because there's so much negative,' Osborne explained. Little did Osborne suspect that the video he posted on Facebook Monday, intended mainly for friends, would become a popular sensation. The partners are hoping to turn the attention toward a good cause, starting a coat donation drive at their district station in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. The Chicago Police Department has been the subject of controversy in recent years, with the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald leading to the ouster of one police commissioner. In January, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan requested the U.S. Justice Department conduct a civil rights investigation of the department. Officers White and Osborne don't feel like their gesture of kindness sets them apart from other police though. 'It felt like an everyday thing for us,' said White. A Playboy model flipped her hair as she refused to take a plea deal in Manhattan court on Thursday. Playmate Mia Raquel faces second-degree assault and harassment charges for allegedly punching Zoe Cacciola, 31, in October, while staying at the fellow model's New York City apartment. Prosecutors on Thursday offered to drop the assault charge, if Raquel - whose real name is Mia Lytell - pleaded guilty to harassment. In exchange for pleading guilty, the one-time Playboy Slovakia model would avoid jail time and only need to complete an anger management course. Scroll down for video Playboy model Mia Raquel appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court for a hearing on Thursday During the hearing, Raquel - whose real name is Mia Lytell - turned down the offer of a plea deal that included no jail time The 28-year-old faces charges of second-degree assault and harassment for allegedly punching a fellow model in October But the 28-year-old turned down the plea deal, saying: 'I'm just looking forward to getting over this and exonerating my innocence'. The New York Post reported last year that the incident sprung from an incident that happened when Florida-based Lytell was crashing at her friend's West 57th Street Apartment on October 20. Sources told the paper that Cacciola, a fitness model, came back to the apartment from a night partying to find Lytell asleep. 'I'm just looking forward to getting over this and exonerating my innocence,' Raquel said in court on Thursday. She's pictured above leaving court with her attorney, left, and a friend Raquel, who is based in Florida, is due back in Manhattan court for another hearing in March Zoe Cacciola (pictured) says that Raquel punched her in the face while Raquel was staying at her apartment on October 20 She tried to wake Lytell up, but Lytell got angry and reportedly struck her in the face. A source told the paper that Lytell was 'just defending herself'. Raquel has pleaded not guilty to the charges and she is due back in court on March for another hearing. Following Wednesday's hearing, Raquel's attorney Jeremy Saland told DailyMail.com that his client was 'in no way the aggressor' and that Cacciola has 'misrepresented' what happened. Raquel 'looks forward to moving on with her life and getting this all behind her,' he said. In addition to being the November 2015 playmate for Playboy Slovakia, Raquel also was Playboy's Miss March 2016 in their Venezuela edition. Raquel's attorney Jeremy Saland told DailyMail.com that his client (pictured left and right) was 'in no way the aggressor' and that Cacciola has 'misrepresented' what happened U.S. President Donald Trump says he loves Australia and will 'respect' the asylum-seeker deal for refugees held on Manus Island and Nauru after a diplomatic crisis erupted when details of his phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull were revealed. But Mr Trump, before a meeting with US steelworkers at the White House on Thursday, blasted the deal negotiated by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last year with former U.S. president Barack Obama. 'I have a lot of respect for Australia,' Mr Trump said. 'I love Australia as a country but I have a problem where for whatever reason President Obama said they were going to take probably well over 1000 illegal immigrants who were in prisons. '1250, could be 2000, could be more than that and I said 'Why? Why are we doing this?'.' Scroll down for video Donald Trump slammed the deal to take 1,250 asylum seekers from Australian before a meeting with U.S. steel workers in Washington White House spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed the asylum seeker deal would go ahead - but appeared to refer to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as 'Trumble' White House spokesman Sean Spicer said refugees will only be allowed in the U.S. if they pass extreme vetting. In a press briefing following Mr Trump's and Mr Turnbull's heated exchange, the Press Secretary appeared to refer to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as 'Trumble' a number of times. 'The President had a very cordial conversation with Prime Minister Trumble,' Mr Spicer seems to say. 'He [Mr Trump] has respect for the Australian people and respect for Prime Minister Trumble.' Earlier Mr Trump continued his public stoush with Mr Turnbull by declaring he needs to make 'tough phone calls' because nations are taking advantage of America. The diplomatic crisis erupted after the contents of the first telephone call between Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull over a deal signed off by Barack Obama to take 1,250 asylum seekers from Manus and Nauru were revealed. Trump accused Malcolm Turnbull of trying to send the 'next Boston bombers' to the United States during their first official telephone conversation. Senior US officials told the Washington Post that Donald Trump abruptly ended the conversation with Mr Turnbull after just 25 minutes - when the pair were meant to speak for an hour. Then on Thursday, the President took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for agreeing to take on the refugees in the first place. 'Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!,' he wrote. Donald Trump slammed Malcolm Turnbull over the proposed asylum seeker deal during their first official telephone conversation (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) At the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC on Thursday, President Trump addressed concerns between the U.S. and Australia and said 'we're taken advantage of by every nation in the world' During a morning speech in Washington DC, Mr Trump said the world was in trouble but he was 'going to straighten it out'. 'When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it,' Mr Trump told the audience. 'Just don't worry about it. 'They're tough. 'We have to be tough. 'It's time we have to be a little tough folks. 'We are taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. 'It's not going to happen anymore.' The Washington Post revealed on Wednesday a weekend call between Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull had ended abruptly. However, Mr Turnbull has denied Mr Trump hung up on him, telling 2GB's Ben Fordham: 'As far as the call is concerned, I'm very disappointed, the report the president hung up is not correct, the call ended courteously.' Sources claimed President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull during the conversation On Thursday afternoon the newly-elected president took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for making the 'dumb deal' to take on 'thousands of illegal immigrants' A fuming President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) 'When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it. Just don't worry about it,' Mr Trump said during a morning speech in Washington DC US SENATOR WANTS TRUMP TO SLEEP MORE AND TWEET LESS Senior Republican figures have gone into damage control mode following a fiery conversation U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the asylum-seeker deal. 'Australia is a very central ally,' Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan said on Thursday. 'They are and will continue to be. 'I think it is important presidents, prime ministers and heads of state are able to have candid and private conversations with each other.' Senator Lindsey Graham took aim at Mr Trump's use of Twitter, including a tweet on Wednesday describing the asylum-seeker deal between Australia and the US as 'dumb'. 'I wish he would sleep more and tweet less, but that's up to him,' Senator Graham told CNN. Senator Graham, who worked alongside the Australian military in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the alliance would survive. He also showed support for the asylum-seeker deal. 'The relationship is strong and can withstand a phone call,' Senator Graham said. 'We'll be fine with Australia. 'The 1250 refugees we are talking about, if they are well vetted, we can absorb them.' Advertisement Malcolm Turnbull's colleagues are praising the prime minister for putting Australia first and pushing for the US refugee deal during his hostile call with Donald Trump. Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne is insistent the arrangement struck with the Obama administration to take asylum seekers from Nauru and Manus Island still stands, despite Mr Trump labelling it the worst deal ever. 'Malcolm Turnbull stood up to it and the reality is Australia's interests are being put first,' he said on Friday. In the details of the telephone call, a fuming President Trump told Mr Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day, after 'boasting' about pleasant exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin and three other world leaders. President Trump ranted about the deal the Obama administration's deal to take 1250 genuine refugees from Nauru and Manus Island, telling Mr Turnbull: 'I don't want these people'. It was the 'worst deal ever', he told the prime minister, complaining he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on the resettlement agreement. Sky News sources claim President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull at points during the heated conversation, which took place on Saturday afternoon Washington time, Sunday morning Australian time. Mr Trump indicated he was sceptical about what America got out of honouring the deal. It is claimed President Trump was 'yelling' at Mr Turnbull at points during the heated conversation, which took place on Saturday afternoon Washington time, Sunday morning Australian time WHAT IS THE AUSTRALIA-US REFUGEE DEAL? The Obama administration and Turnbull government struck a deal to resettle some of the refugees being held offshore in Nauru and Manus Island in November last year The Australian government has a 'zero tolerance' policy towards illegal boat arrivals and only genuine refugees are sent to Nauru and Manus Island There are approximately 1,250 refugees being held in the Australian-funded offshore detention centres A large majority of those refugees come from Iran, Iraq and Somalia - all countries on US President Donald Trump's travel-ban President Trump reportedly agreed to honour the deal, on the condition the refugees would undergo 'extreme vetting' The US President reportedly described it as the 'worst deal ever' in a heated conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday Advertisement After Mr Turnbull apparently suggested they move on and talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria, President Trump ended the conversation. 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source,' CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted. Under the agreement reached with the Obama administration, Australian would take a number of South American refugees, currently in a processing center in Costa Rica, in return. These refugees are predominantly Christian, according to reports. In response to revelations of the hostile phone conversation, Mr Turnbull remained tight-lipped on Thursday and said that he wasn't going to comment. 'It's better that these things - these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them,' he said. Sky News reporter Laura Jayes said Australian government sources who took part in discussions after the call said Mr Turnbull viewed the president as a 'bully'. 'What I derived from that was Malcolm Turnbull used this phone call to push back,' Ms Jayes said. 'He wasn't just sitting there being berated by Donald Trump, he talked about how important it was for (Trump) to honour the deal.' The explosive report is a huge embarrassment for Mr Turnbull, who has insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington are fine. The United States and Australia have been close military and economic allies for generations, with Australian troops fighting alongside Americans in every military conflict Washington has been involved in since World War II. Australia is one of just four other countries the US shares security intelligence with under the Five Eyes alliance. The two countries have also shared a free trade agreement since 2005. President Trump described the resettlement agreement as the 'worst deal ever' and said he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on it (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) In response to revelations of the phone conversation, Mr Turnbull said on Thursday that he wasn't going to comment and would not be adding to any reports CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted: 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source' President Trump indicated he was sceptical about what America got out of honouring the deal (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump reportedly ended the conversation after Mr Turnbull suggested they talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) Close analysis of the President's body-language during the call shows there were signs of bad news to come, as he appears to throw a middle-finger at the camera The official statement about the phone call released by the White House told a different story. 'Both leaders emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally,' it said. Mr Turnbull on Monday described the call as constructive, saying the pair acknowledged the already strong and deep relationship between the US and Australia and committed to making it stronger. 'That's my job. My job is to defend the national interest of Australia and defend the interests of Australians,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday. 'You may wish to speculate about policies and politics in Washington, that's not my role. My job is today and everyday to stand up for Australia and that's what I do. ' He also thanked the president for 'committing' to honour the refugee agreement. Government sources told CNN that Trump pulled the phone away from his ear and indicated he wanted the conversation to end Mr Turnbull said the phone call with President Trump ended courteously (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump reportedly ranted about the deal the Obama administration struck with Canberra to take 1250 refugees being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru About 1.30pm (AEDT) on Thursday the US Embassy in Australia released a statement that the deal would go ahead. 'President Trump's decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed and Spokesman Spicer's comments stand,' a spokeswoman said. 'This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the White House and on to this Embassy at 13:15 Canberra time.' But it came after a morning of mixed messages from various official sources. On Wednesday it was reported that the White House had backtracked on the asylum seeker deal, saying that President Trump was still considering it. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said the deal had not been confirmed. He said if it were to go ahead, it would only be because of the United States' 'longstanding relationship with Australia,' The ABC reported. President Trump in a meeting with representatives of Harley-Davidson, including CEO Matthew Levatich (right) The explosive report is a huge embarrassment for Mr Turnbull, who has insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington are fine Last week Mr Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries 'CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING': UN HITS OUT OVER 'OPEN-AIR PRISON' Australia has been heavily criticized by the UN for its policy of sending migrants to offshore detention centers. In November UN investigator Francois Crepeau visited the island of Nauru, where asylum seekers who arrive by boat are sent, and described conditions as 'cruel, inhuman and degrading'. Mr Crepeau said Australia's policies 'have increasingly eroded the human rights of migrants in contravention of its international human rights and humanitarian obligations'. And he continued: 'Australia would vehemently protest if its citizens were treated like this by other counties and especially if Australian children were treated like this.' Amnesty International said in October that the immigration center was an 'open-air prison'. Advertisement It comes just one day after Mr Spicer told reporters Mr Trump would honour the 'one-off' deal with former President Barack Obama in November to resettle refugees detained on Manus and Nauru. 'Part of the deal is they have to be vetted in the same manner that we are doing now. 'There will be extreme vetting applied to all of them,' he said. Last week Mr Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries including Iran, Iraq and Syria. On Tuesday, Mr Trump confirmed his administration would continue to honour the 2016 refugee resettlement arrangement while acknowledging a common interest in preventing irregular and illegal migration. 'The president, in accordance with that deal to honour what had been agreed upon by the US government, and ensuring that vetting will take place in the same manner that we are doing it now, it will go forward,' Mr Spicer said. The refugees are being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and Nauru. Speaking to reporters at the G'day USA gala in Hollywood, Ms Bishop said Mr Turnbull would travel to the US for a yet to be scheduled meeting with the president. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Mr Turnbull was 'pleased with the outcome' of his discussion. Manus Island is pictured This was despite the 'one-off' deal with former President Barack Obama in November to resettle refugees detained on Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru TOUGH IMMIGRATION LAWS WHICH SEE 'BOAT PEOPLE' SENT TO OFFSHORE CAMPS Offshore detention in Australia has been in place since 2001, and in 2013 Australia's mainland was excluded from its migration zone for people who arrive by boat. Now migrants who arrive on Australian shores by sea are immediately sent to the island of Nauru or Papau New Guinea. They stay in detention facilities while their applications to be accepted into Australia are processed. Although 90 per cent are ruled to have valid claims, they are not allowed to settle in the Australian mainland, instead being allowed to stay in Nauru or Papau New Guinea. The policy has come under heavy fire, with conditions in the camp branded 'inhuman' by a UN inspector in November. Supporters claim it deters migrants from arriving in dangerous vessels, and ensures refugees enter the country through proper channels. In 2015 Australia agreed to accept 12,000 refugees from Syria. The previous year violence had erupted at a protest at the detention center on Manus Island, and a 23-year-old Iranian man was killed. Turnbull has previously stated that Australians cannot be 'misty-eyed' about immigration, saying: 'We must have secure borders and we do and we will, and they will remain so, as long as I am the prime minister of this country.' Advertisement A former Royal Canadian Mint employee who stole 22 cookie-sized pieces of refined gold by hiding them in his rectum has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Leston Lawrence, 35, was found guilty last November of stealing the pieces from the mint and selling 17 of them through Ottawa Gold Buyers. Ontario Court judge Peter Doody on Thursday sentenced Lawrence and ordered him to pay a fine of US $145,900 (CA $190,000). He has three years from the end of his full sentence to pay it, and if he doesn't, he could be re-incarcerated for another 30 months, according to the Toronto Star. Scroll down for video Former Royal Canadian Mint employee, Leston Lawrence, 35, who stole 22 cookie-sized pieces of refined gold by hiding them in his rectum has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. He's pictured entering the facility last year A judge ordered him to pay a fine of US $145,900 (CA $190,000). So far, he has $20,000 from the sale of his home and he has also tried to recover the money he spent towards buying a boat in Florida and a house in Jamaica. A security officer is seen using a hand wand on Lawrence Court testimony indicated that Lawrence was involved in purifying recently procured gold and sometimes worked alone, out of sight of security cameras, when creating the gold 'pucks' (pictured) Lawrence has already tried to raise money and has sold his house for $20,000. He has also tried to recover the money he spent towards buying a boat in Florida and a house in Jamaica, according to the Star. Doody noted there was no video of Lawrence stealing the 22 gold 'pucks' worth US $127,116.11 (CA $165,451.14), and there were no witnesses. However, there was video of Lawrence setting off a metal detector while trying to smuggle out some of the gold. Court testimony indicated that Lawrence was involved in purifying recently procured gold and sometimes worked alone, out of sight of security cameras, when creating the gold 'pucks'. He worked at the mint from 2008 until March 2015. In February 2015, Lawrence aroused suspicion in a bank employee after he asked to cash two checks worth $15,200 from Ottawa Gold Buyers, according to the Star. He reportedly told the bank teller that he had sold 'gold nuggets' when she asked what the money was for. The bank then tipped off police, who put Lawrence under surveillance. Lawrence set off the metal detector more times than any other employee without metal implants, Doody said in his ruling. Lawrence (pictured) set off the metal detector more times than any other employee without metal implants, Doody said in his ruling. But searches with hand wands never discovered the smuggled gold hidden in his body cavity There was only one camera in the dimly lit room where Lawrence worked, defense attorney Gary Barnes said. Barnes said he thinks the Royal Canadian Mint (pictured) has made major security upgrades, but may need to do more to prevent future thefts But searches with hand wands never discovered the smuggled gold hidden in his body cavity. Police seized a gold puck that Lawrence had sold and found four more in his safety deposit box, according to the Star. Vaseline and latex gloves were later found in Lawrence's locker, which 'could have been used to facilitate insertion of gold items inside his rectum,' according to Doody. There was only one camera in the dimly lit room where Lawrence worked, defense attorney Gary Barnes told the Star. Barnes said he thinks the mint has made major security upgrades, but may need to do more to prevent future thefts. President Donald Trump again slammed the deal at the center of a contentious phone call he had Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. 'I love Australia as a country, but we had a problem,' Trump said, explaining how President Obama had agreed to resettle '1,000 illegal immigrants who were in prisons.' During the Saturday call, Trump slammed Turnbull over an asylum seeker deal, accusing the Australian Prime Minister of looking to ship off the 'next Boston bombers' to the United States and then hung up on him, some news reports said. Scroll down for video Donald Trump slammed Malcolm Turnbull over the proposed asylum seeker deal during their first official telephone conversation (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) On Thursday afternoon the newly-elected president took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for making the 'dumb deal' to take on 'thousands of illegal immigrants' Turnbull, however, told 2GB's Ben Fordham: 'As far as the call is concerned, Im very disappointed, the report the president hung up is not correct, the call ended courteously.' A fuming President Trump reportedly told Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day, after 'boasting' about pleasant exchanges with Russian President Vladimir Putin and three other world leaders. It was their first official telephone conversation. At the top of a meeting today with Harley-Davidson executives at the White House, Trump described the conversation with Turnbull, saying he continually asked the question 'why?' 'They were going to bring them and take them into this country and I just said why,' Trump explained. 'Why are we doing this? What's the purpose?' He did commit to follow through on the deal. 'So a previous administration does something. You have to respect that. But you can also say "Why are we doing this?"' Trump said. 'That's why we're in the jams that we're in.' 'Cordial,' is how Spicer described the exchanged from the White House podium today. 'The president had a very cordial conversation with Prime Minister Turnbull where they went through an extensive discussion of this deal,' Spicer said. He then noted that Trump was 'unbelievably disappointed' and 'extremely, extremely upset' about the deal, which would bring in 1,250 refugees detained on Nauru and Manus Island into the United States. 'I don't want these people,' Trump reportedly told Turnbull. It was the 'worst deal ever', he told the prime minister, complaining he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on the resettlement agreement. On Thursday afternoon the President took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for agreeing to take on the refugees in the first place. 'Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!,' he wrote. But Sky News sources claim Trump was 'yelling' at Turnbull at points during the heated conversation, which took place on Saturday afternoon Washington time, Sunday morning Australian time. A fuming President Trump reportedly told Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) Sources claimed President Trump was 'yelling' at Turnbull during the conversation WHAT IS THE AUSTRALIA-US REFUGEE DEAL? The Obama administration and Turnbull government struck a deal to resettle some of the refugees being held offshore in Nauru and Manus Island in November last year The Australian government has a 'zero tolerance' policy towards illegal boat arrivals and only genuine refugees are sent to Nauru and Manus Island There are approximately 1,250 refugees being held in the Australian-funded offshore detention centres A large majority of those refugees come from Iran, Iraq and Somalia - all countries on US President Donald Trump's travel-ban President Trump agreed to honor the deal, on the condition the refugees would undergo 'extreme vetting' The US President reportedly described it as the 'worst deal ever' in a heated conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday Advertisement Trump indicated he was skeptical about what America got out of honoring the deal. After Turnbull apparently suggested they move on and talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria, President Trump ended the conversation. 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source,' CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted. Under the agreement reached with the Obama administration, Australian would take a number of South American refugees, currently in a processing center in Costa Rica, in return. These refugees are predominantly Christian, according to reports. In response to revelations of the hostile phone conversation, Turnbull remained tight-lipped on Thursday and said that he wasn't going to comment. 'It's better that these things - these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them,' he said. Sky News reporter Laura Jayes said Australian government sources who took part in discussions after the call said Turnbull viewed the president as a 'bully'. 'What I derived from that was Malcolm Turnbull used this phone call to push back,' Ms Jayes said. 'He wasn't just sitting there being berated by Donald Trump, he talked about how important it was for (Trump) to honor the deal.' The explosive report was viewed as a huge embarrassment for Turnbull, who has insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington are fine. The United States and Australia have been close military and economic allies for generations, with Australian troops fighting alongside Americans in every military conflict Washington has been involved in since World War II. Australia is one of just four other countries the US shares security intelligence with under the Five Eyes alliance. The two countries have also shared a free trade agreement since 2005. Close analysis of the President's body-language during the call shows there were signs of bad news to come, as he appears to throw a middle-finger at the camera CNN reporter Jim Acosta tweeted: 'During call with Australian PM on refugees, Trump pulled phone away from ear and says he wants off call, which ends abruptly per source' President Trump described the resettlement agreement as the 'worst deal ever' and said he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on it (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump indicated he was skeptical about what America got out of honoring the deal (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump reportedly ended the conversation after Turnbull suggested they talk about foreign affairs, including the conflict in Syria (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) In response to revelations of the phone conversation, Mr Turnbull said on Thursday that he wasn't going to comment and would not be adding to any reports The official statement about the phone call released by the White House told a different story. 'Both leaders emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally,' it said. Turnbull on Monday described the call as constructive, saying the pair acknowledged the already strong and deep relationship between the US and Australia and committed to making it stronger. 'That's my job. My job is to defend the national interest of Australia and defend the interests of Australians,' he told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday. 'You may wish to speculate about policies and politics in Washington, that's not my role. My job is today and everyday to stand up for Australia and that's what I do. ' He also thanked the president for 'committing' to honor the refugee agreement. Government sources told CNN that Trump pulled the phone away from his ear and indicated he wanted the conversation to end Turnbull said the phone call with President Trump ended courteously (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) President Trump reportedly ranted about the deal the Obama administration struck with Canberra to take 1250 refugees being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru About 1.30pm (AEDT) on Thursday the US Embassy in Australia released a statement that the deal would go ahead. 'President Trump's decision to honor the refugee agreement has not changed and Spokesman Spicer's comments stand,' a spokeswoman said. 'This was just reconfirmed to the State Department from the White House and on to this Embassy at 13:15 Canberra time.' But it came after a morning of mixed messages from various official sources. On Wednesday it was reported that the White House had backtracked on the asylum seeker deal, saying that President Trump was still considering it. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said the deal had not been confirmed. He said if it were to go ahead, it would only be because of the United States' 'longstanding relationship with Australia,' The ABC reported. Turnbull insisted in recent days the asylum seeker deal is solid and relations with Washington were fine Last week Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries 'CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING': UN HITS OUT OVER 'OPEN-AIR PRISON' Australia has been heavily criticized by the UN for its policy of sending migrants to offshore detention centers. In November UN investigator Francois Crepeau visited the island of Nauru, where asylum seekers who arrive by boat are sent, and described conditions as 'cruel, inhuman and degrading'. Mr Crepeau said Australia's policies 'have increasingly eroded the human rights of migrants in contravention of its international human rights and humanitarian obligations'. And he continued: 'Australia would vehemently protest if its citizens were treated like this by other counties and especially if Australian children were treated like this.' Amnesty International said in October that the immigration center was an 'open-air prison'. Advertisement It comes just one day after Spicer told reporters Trump would honor the 'one-off' deal with former President Barack Obama in November to resettle refugees detained on Manus and Nauru. 'Part of the deal is they have to be vetted in the same manner that we are doing now. 'There will be extreme vetting applied to all of them,' he said. Last week Trump placed a temporary ban on refugees being admitted to the US and other strict border measures targeting seven countries including Iran, Iraq and Syria. On Tuesday, Trump confirmed his administration would continue to honor the 2016 refugee resettlement arrangement while acknowledging a common interest in preventing irregular and illegal migration. 'The president, in accordance with that deal to honor what had been agreed upon by the US government, and ensuring that vetting will take place in the same manner that we are doing it now, it will go forward,' Mr Spicer said. The refugees are being held on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and Nauru. Speaking to reporters at the G'day USA gala in Hollywood, Ms Bishop said Mr Turnbull would travel to the US for a yet to be scheduled meeting with the president. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Mr Turnbull was 'pleased with the outcome' of his discussion. Manus Island is pictured This was despite the 'one-off' deal with former President Barack Obama in November to resettle refugees detained on Manus Island (pictured) and Nauru TOUGH IMMIGRATION LAWS WHICH SEE 'BOAT PEOPLE' SENT TO OFFSHORE CAMPS Offshore detention in Australia has been in place since 2001, and in 2013 Australia's mainland was excluded from its migration zone for people who arrive by boat. Now migrants who arrive on Australian shores by sea are immediately sent to the island of Nauru or Papau New Guinea. They stay in detention facilities while their applications to be accepted into Australia are processed. Although 90 percent are ruled to have valid claims, they are not allowed to settle in the Australian mainland, instead being allowed to stay in Nauru or Papau New Guinea. The policy has come under heavy fire, with conditions in the camp branded 'inhuman' by a UN inspector in November. Supporters claim it deters migrants from arriving in dangerous vessels, and ensures refugees enter the country through proper channels. In 2015 Australia agreed to accept 12,000 refugees from Syria. The previous year violence had erupted at a protest at the detention center on Manus Island, and a 23-year-old Iranian man was killed. Turnbull has previously stated that Australians cannot be 'misty-eyed' about immigration, saying: 'We must have secure borders and we do and we will, and they will remain so, as long as I am the prime minister of this country.' Advertisement President Trump's controversial immigration policies could be introduced at three UK airports under plans to pre-screen passengers before they fly to the States. The US government is in talks with UK authorities to introduce what is known as 'pre-clearance' at Manchester, Edinburgh, and London Heathrow airports. A similar system already operates in Ireland, at Dublin and Shannon airports, which allows US-bound passengers to undertake all American immigration, customs and agriculture inspections prior to departure. President Trump's controversial immigration policies could be introduced at three UK airports The system is also in place in Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean, and there are plans to extend it to several other countries including the UK, Japan, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. If a similar policy was introduced in the UK, it would mean US immigration officers could apply Trump's controversial executive order to vet passengers travelling to the US from Britain. Irish leader Edna Kenny has already pledged a 'complete review' of the system after Trump introduced travel restrictions on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The US government is in talks with the government to introduce what is known as 'pre-clearance' at Manchester, London Heathrow, pictured, and Edinburgh airports The Netherlands has already abandoned plans to introduce pre-clearance at Amsterdam's Schipol airport following Trump's so-called 'Muslim ban'. However, the UK Home Office told BuzzFeed News that plans to introduce pre-clearance from British airports would still go ahead. The spokesman said there were ongoing talks with the US on potential pre-clearance arrangements, adding that there had been no change to UK immigration rules. The US Department of Homeland Security announced plans to extend pre-clearance to UK airports in 2015. President Trump's controversial 'Muslim ban' has sparked protests across the US, including this one in Chicago, and across the globe The then Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said at the time: 'A significant homeland security priority of mine is building more preclearance capacity at airports overseas. We have this now in 15 airports. am pleased that we are seeking negotiations with ten new airports in nine countries. I want to take every opportunity we have to push our homeland security out beyond our borders so that we are not defending the homeland from the one-yard line. 'Preclearance is a win-win for the traveling public. It provides aviation and homeland security, and it reduces wait times upon arrival at the busiest U.S. airports.' According to a US government official, pre-clearance could be in place at UK airports within the next five years. Tiverton Town Council clerk John Vanderwolfe, pictured, confirmed two years' worth of files had been lost after he accidentally opened an email virus A town clerk mistakenly opened a virus loaded email and wiped out every council document in the system since 2015. John Vanderwolfe, of Tiverton Town Council in Devon, said it was 'the worst thing that's happened in his 12 years in the role', and added the blunder 'is a lesson to us all.' The virus infected the town hall IT system this week when an email arrived in the its main inbox claiming to be from a parcel delivery firm. It explained that parcel needed to be collected and that the URL link supplied would lead to a page containing details on how to retrieve it. Around five minutes later that it became clear a virus disguised in the email had infected every single one of the council's computers. Mr Vanderwolfe sad it was 'fairly apparent' the email was suspicious when he received it but that he was 'in a rush' to get on. He said: 'Sometimes when you are in a rush and busy, you can slip up. 'This virus was horrible and now all of the documents are encrypted. It then asks for 3,000 in exchange for the file to be unlocked. 'But even then there is no guarantee they would do it. We have had an IT expert in to have a look but he is unsure on how to fix it. 'Our anti-virus wasn't good enough for this one. It is a warning to other people and it I think our security for this type of thing needs re-thinking.' He added: 'My advice is: If in doubt, don't open it.' Many documents including finance and planning documents have been unaffected as they are either on separate systems or uploaded to the town council website. According to Mr Vanderwolfe, the majority of those lost are letters - many of those sent in by residents. The documents are expected to take some months to re-scan and upload onto the system. It comes after two suspected hackers have been arrested in London by detectives investigating a crippling cyber attack which brought down Washington DC's CCTV cameras eight days before the inauguration of Donald Trump. The virus infected the town hall (pictured) computer system this week after an email was opened claiming to be from a parcel delivery firm The CCTV blackout saw 123 of 187 security cameras in Washington out of action between 12 and 15 January. The US National Crime Agency said the man and the woman were arrested on January 19 and bailed until April 2017. Meanwhile earlier this week the Romantik Seehotel Jaegerwirt hotel in Turracher Hohe, Austria confirmed it had been attacked by ransomware that had affected its key system, locking guests out of their rooms for almost 24 hours. The use of ransomware is on the rise worldwide, with more than 50 per cent of British IT companies surveyed last year confirming they had been targeted, although not always successfully. Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner managed to sneak out for a dinner date earlier this week in Washington DC. The pair headed over to RPM Italian for their meal away from home, a restaurant that is owned by former Apprentice winner and Trump Organization employee Bill Rancic. In addition to being owned by a President Trump protegee and former co-worker of Ivanka's, the establishment was also participating in DC restaurant week, meaning that the couple could score a three-course, prix-fixe meal for just $35 each that night. When it came time to pay however, someone rushed over to inform the two that the bill had been comped according to The Washington Post. Jared was quick however to avoid any sort of issue arising and quickly paid the check for the meals. Depite that incident it was a rather low-key evening for the couple, who were left alone by their fellow diners while back at the White House President Trump was firing Sally Yates, the acting attorney general of the United States. Scroll down for video Parents night out: Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump (above in file photo from September 2015) went out to eat on Monday night at RPM Italian in Washington DC Eating out: The restaurant (above) is owned by Apprentice winner Bill Rancic, who after his victory worked alongside Ivanka at the Trump Organization Thumbs up: Rancic went on to appear on future season of The Apprentice as a judge after his win (above in 2004 with Trump) Mary Mallampalli was one of the guests dining at the establishment at the time, having just come from protesting President Trump's immigrant ban outside the Supreme Court. She said that after a bill was dropped on Ivanka and Jared's table an employee came running out and said: 'Oh no no no. This is on us.' President Trump's unpaid senior advisor and favorite son-in-law was not having it though, and refused the gesture. 'Jared said right then and there, "I am not allowed to accept this, Im a government employee."' Federal employees are not allowed to accept any gift that costs more than $20 according to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch Jared and his out-of-work wife would have been fine to accept the meal though as Rancic is a friend, and gifts from those individuals with whom government workers have pre-existing relationships are in fact legal. The restaurant would not comment on their celebrity guests, or say if they dined off the regular menu or chose the restaurant week option. RPM Italian offer diners 10 different kinds of homemade pasts for under $30, a selection of fish that ranges from a $32 grilled swordfish to a $61 whole branzino and for steak lovers the option of a $45 filet, $51 bone-in rib-eye or $55 milk-fed veal chop. And after that there is a specialty meringue desert that is set on fire at the table, with the blaze then put on with chocolate sauce. The restaurant received high marks for its ambiance and decor in a Washington Post review last year, which said the food was a mixed bag. The review notes at one point in their write-up: 'Eating a veal chop - one time fine, another meal salty - or Dover sole at RPM always makes me wish I were eating those dishes instead at the homegrown Tosca downtown, whose superior kitchen treats similarly priced entrees with more respect.' Tosca is where Jared and Ivanka had dined the previous week with Apple CEO Tim Cook and the company's head of policy and environment, Lisa Jackson. Ladies man: Rancic worked with Ivanka (left in 2010) after his win and in 2007 married E! News host Giuliana DePandi (right in 2016) Rancic won the first season of The Apprentice back in 2004, and was rewarded with a position in The Trump Organization who sent him off to Chicago to work on the Trump Tower being erected in the city. His contract was only for one year, but he elected to stay on with the company after that time and eventually began appearing on future Apprentice seasons as a judge. It was because he stayed at the company that became friendly with Ivanka and her two brothers. In recent years the entrepreneur has formed a production company withy his wife, hosted a television program alongside Leeza Gibbons and last year released his first fiction book. He married E! News host Giuliana DePandi in 2007 and the couple welcomed a son in 2012, Edward. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today rebuked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for using the expression 'Islamist terrorism', saying the phrase saddened Muslims. After the meeting in Ankara Mrs Merkel spoke of the need for Turkey and Germany to work even more closely together to fight against terror, where it is ISIS-inspired terrorism or violence from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is fighting for a homeland for the Kurds in south-east Turkey. She said: 'We spoke in detail about...the questions of the fight against Islamist terrorism, against every form of terrorism, also the terrorism of the PKK.' Scroll down for video Angela Merkel and Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands at the end of the meeting 'We agree we want to cooperate, we are all affected by this. We agreed to have closer cooperation in the future,' she said. Mr Erdogan, sitting next to Mrs Merkel, was stony-faced as she used the phrase 'Islamist terrorism'. Mr Erdogan, glancing sternly at the German chancellor, pointedly remarked: 'This expression "Islamist terror" seriously saddens us Muslims. 'Such an expression is not correct because Islam and terror cannot be associated. The meaning of Islam is peace.' Many Muslims resent any mention of Islam in association with terrorism, arguing those who commit crimes purportedly in the name of Islam have nothing to do with a religion that espouses peace. Mr Erdogan said it would be 'saddening' if the term was used because of the crimes of ISIS, which has been blamed for a string of attacks in Turkey over the last year. 'Please let's not use it. As long as it is used we need to stand against it. As a Muslim president personally I cannot accept that,' he said. Mrs Merkel visited the presidential palace in Ankara today to talk to Mr Erdogan about a number of issues but there was a noticeably cool atmosphere between the pair The awkward moment between the pair came after they had tackled a series of hugely sensitive issues at a time of rising tensions between Ankara and Berlin. His response delighted the Turkish press, with the Yeni Safak daily headlining on its website: 'President Erdogan's warning to Merkel'. The phrase is controversial and previous US president Barack Obama refused to use the phrase 'Islamic terrorism', saying such crimes distorted and perverted Islam. But new President Donald Trump has not shied away from using the term, speaking of 'radical Islamic terror' during the election campaign and condemning his predecessor for not using the term. Erdogan's AKP party was elected on an Islamic platform and has done its best to roll back the secular culture which has been adopted by Turkey since the founder of the modern state, Kemal Ataturk, came to power in the 1920s. Ataturk remains a revered figure in Turkey and his image remains ever present in the country but he would not have seen eye to eye with Erdogan on many issues. Shwe Htoo (pictured in her mugshot) pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter for the 2015 murder of her one-month-old son A 23-year-old refugee cried on the witness stand on Thursday as she described how she murdered her one-month-old son and then tried to commit suicide. Burmese-born Shwe Htoo has pleaded guilty to smothering her newborn son Michael to death in 2015, while she was struggling with postpartum depression and an unhappy marriage. In exchange for pleading guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter, prosecutors have agreed to waive a second-degree murder charge. Htoo is expected to be sentenced to between 12.5 to 15 years in prison at her next hearing on March 22. After finishing her sentence, she faces the possibility of deportation. Htoo smothered her son to death and then tried to kill herself by crashing into a light pole. Above, the scene of the crime Htoo took to the witness stand on Thursday to describe how she murdered her own son. She said that on the night of November 17, 2015, she made her son a bottle with milk, sugar, sleep medication and bed bug poison. After feeding her son a little of the drink, she finished the bottle and blacked out. But instead of dying, both mother and son woke up the next morning. Committed to the plan, Htoo smothered her son to death. 'I covered his nose with my hand and he couldn't breathe, and then - and then he just died,' Htoo said through a translator, covering her head in her hands and breaking out into sobs. After killing her son, Htoo put him in his car seat and drove to the Como Zoo, despite not knowing how to drive. 'I was looking for a place to die,' Htoo said. 'I was looking for a lot of places to crash myself and kill myself.' Htoo was apprehended after crashing into a light pole. Htoo's husband was not at home at the time. Htoo was allegedly unhappy in her arranged marriage to her husband, who was away from home for extended periods working at a turkey processing plant. In December 2015, Htoo was found incompetent to stand trial. That opinion was overturned in March 2016 and the trial was allowed to proceed. Htoo is ethnically Karen, a people from Burma. Hundreds of thousands of Karens have been driven out of their own country thanks to civil war. Htoo was born in Burma but spent several years in a Thai refugee camp before moving to the U.S. two years before her arrest. Vincente Roldan-Marron, 41, was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Yadira Gomez A Missouri man was charged with murder after two of his three children told teachers at school that he had stabbed their mother to death. According to court documents, authorities were alerted to the incident and found the woman's body Monday morning after the children, eight and nine-year-old boys and a six-year-old girl, were taken to school by their father. Vincente Roldan-Marron was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Yadira Gomez. Gomez had been stabbed repeatedly and a bloody butcher knife was found nearby. Roldan-Marron told authorities he blacked out after drinking alcohol and taking pills and couldn't remember what happened. He said he must have killed his wife, but he didn't remember the incident claiming any wounds that he had were self-inflicted. Independence police detectives told the Kansas City Star that the three young children spent the night in the same home as their mother. Two of the three children, pictured here, told their school teachers that they had witnessed their father killing their mother One of the children had drawn this heartbreaking pictue of him walking with his mom 'The children were witness to a portion of this,' said Officer Luis Virgil, who is helping the children and their grandparents. 'You know that these children just witnessed something that no one would be able to deal with even as adults.' According to court documents, a nine-year-old child told police that his mother and father were arguing after church on Sunday when they started to fight. The nine-year-old told police he and other children went downstairs. One child told police he heard his mother tell Roldan-Marron that she wanted him to move out of the apartment. Later, he heard Roldan-Marron yelling 'why did I do that, and it was really dumb.' The child told police he went upstairs and saw his mother lying on the bedroom floor covered in blood with large knife next to her. Prosecutors say the children later woke up the father and asked him to take them to school, where they told their teacher what had happened. Officers went to the Missouri apartment to find Yadira Gomez dead with a 'large knife' laying by her side. The children told police the couple had been fighting and arguing since Sunday Police say authorities were moved by what the children endured and began filling a candy jar with donations. By Wednesday the police department employees chipped in more than $1,400. A YouCaring page has also been set up for the children. 'We saw this big need for the family and kids,' said Virgil. 'It kind of tugged at our hearts because of what they witnessed.' The Independence community also contributed to the family. Best Buy donated three Android tablets for the children. Other donations made to help the family include grocery gift cards, food, clothing, toys, movie passes, new mattresses and money for funeral expenses. The apartment complex also moved the family into a newer and bigger unit. Harriet Harman, pictured in 1982, claims she was groped by a retired lawyer in the 1970s, but his friends have claimed it 'could not be possible' Friends of a retired lawyer have reacted in horror after Harriet Harman claimed in her memoir that he groped her 40 years ago. The former Labour deputy leader said the pensioner, now 87, felt her up when she worked for him at a London law firm in the 1970s. She also said an unnamed senior member of a local Labour party group groped her horribly during a dance at an event in 1991. It follows a row over Miss Harmans claim that her former tutor at the University of York offered to bump up her marks in return for sex. That allegation was also contained in the memoir published yesterday, A Womans Work, but was revealed last week by the Daily Mail. Yesterdays fresh allegation against the lawyer was met with indignation by the mans friends, who said it could not be possible. One said: I cant believe it. If you met him you would know that could not be true. Honestly, he would be absolutely mortified. Hes just not that sort of person. Miss Harman, 66, said in her book that the incident occurred when she was a vulnerable and powerless articled clerk at the firm. Although she has named the lawyer involved in her book, the Daily Mail has chosen not to. She said she was standing at a window taking a call from a client when the man crept up behind and groped her, causing her to scream in shock. She added: When I came off the phone he rebuked me for shrieking while a client was on the phone. Of course, I didnt complain to anyone. It never crossed my mind that complaining would do anything other than make things worse for me. The lawyer led a distinguished legal career as a senior partner at several firms after completing a degree at Cambridge. Scroll down for video The former Labour deputy leader, pictured in 2015, said in her book that the incident occurred when she was a vulnerable and powerless articled clerk at a London law firm Ms Harman, front row second right, will appear on the Graham Norton Show, pictured, this week to talk about her book He married his second wife in 1975 and his third wife in 1979, although it is not known if he would have been married at the time of the allegations. Also in the book, Miss Harman said she was groped a second time by another man after she had been elected an MP in 1991. She said it happened when she was a guest speaker at the annual constituency dinner of Labour MP Peter Hain now Lord Hain at the Neath Working Mens Club. She said: After I spoke, I accepted an invitation to dance from one of the senior members of his party, feeling I couldnt refuse, as it would appear rude. Taking advantage of the darkness of the hall, he rubbed himself all over me and groped me horribly. The dance seemed to go on forever. She said she did not say anything because she did not want to cause a huge row and overshadow the dinner. HARMAN OMITS LINKS TO PAEDOPHILE GROUP IN BOOK Miss Harman, pictured in 1982, does not mention any links in her book to the Paedophile Information Exchange, which had ties to the National Council for Civil Liberties which she worked for between 1978 and 1982 Harriet Harman has omitted any mention of her links to a notorious paedophile group in her newly published memoirs. The Labour MP faced questions three years ago when it emerged the Paedophile Information Exchange, which campaigned to legalise sex with children as young as four, had ties to a civil liberties group she used to work for. From 1978 to 1982 Miss Harman was legal officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties, which was the predecessor to campaign group Liberty. Prior to her appointment, the body had granted affiliate status to the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE). In 2014, Miss Harman expressed regret but refused to apologise over the links between the left-wing pressure group and PIE She told BBC Twos Newsnight: It is not the case that my work, when I was at NCCL, was influenced by PIE, was apologising for paedophilia or colluding with paedophilia. That is an unfair inference and a smear. My work has always been, when I was at NCCL and when I have been in politics and ministerial office, to protect children, especially from child abuse. She said the NCCL was an organisation which anyone could apply to join and indeed any organisation could apply to be an affiliate on payment of a fee. Miss Harmans book does not mention the group. However, her memoir, entitled A Womans Work, is focused on the role of women in politics rather than a general account of her life story. Advertisement She added that although she told Lord Hain and he was outraged, she made him promise he would say nothing to anyone as she was embarrassed and dreaded it becoming public. Miss Harman declined to say yesterday who the member was, and neither Lord Hain nor the lawyer could be contacted. The string of allegations has raised questions over whether it is appropriate to make accusations against people when they are dead or very elderly, and thus less able to defend themselves. Last week, the former wife of York tutor Professor TV Sathyamurthy said it was unfair of Miss Harman to make a claim about him after he had died. Miss Harman said he had told her that he could guarantee she would get a 2:1 in her degree in return for sleeping with him but she turned down his repulsive advance. 'Mandy for deputy PM? Over my dead body!' By John Stevens, Whitehall Editor for the Daily Mail Gordon Brown scrapped a plan to make Peter Mandelson deputy prime minister after Harriet Harman told him it would happen over my dead body, she has claimed. The Labour grandee was secretly lined up for the role by Mr Brown in the run up to the 2010 general election despite him being an unelected member of the Lords rather than an MP. However, Mr Brown ditched the idea when Miss Harman, who was then deputy Labour leader, told him she could not accept it during a row in Downing Street. Miss Harman's book also claims Gordon Brown gave up on a plan to make Peter Mandelson (right) deputy prime minister after she told him it would happen 'over her dead body' When Mr Brown became prime minister in 2007, he refused to hand Miss Harman the deputy prime minister job even though she had been elected deputy party leader. Miss Harman has now revealed for the first time in her memoirs how two years later Mr Brown decided to promote Lord Mandelson to the post that he had left unfilled. In 2009, Miss Harman was called to Downing Street and told by Mr Brown that he was planning to appoint her as health secretary. The conversation turned into an argument when Miss Harman asked if he was going to give the deputy prime minister job to Lord Mandelson, who was then business secretary. Gordon had clearly planned not to tell me and looked shocked to be confronted. But things are so bad, I need him to help me, he said, Miss Harman wrote. According to her account, Mr Brown then called her back to Number 10 for a second meeting in which he pleaded with her to allow Lord Mandelson to take the role. But Miss Harman steadfastly refused and told him for a second time, over my dead body. Miss Harman, pictured on the Graham Norton Show, said she regrets not insisting Mr Brown made her deputy prime minister Mr Brown then decided against the idea and instead appointed Lord Mandelson as first secretary of state, which was seen as appointing him deputy prime minister in all but name. Miss Harman complains in her book about how she was given a place at the end of the Cabinet table rather than next to Mr Brown when she was elected deputy party leader in 2007. The avowed feminist said she now regrets that she did not stand up to Mr Brown and insist he make her deputy prime minister. My failure to challenge Gordon deprived Labour of having our first woman in that position, she wrote. Miss Harman said that when Ed Miliband became Labour leader she told him he would have to make me his deputy prime minister if elected in 2015. In the book, Miss Harman claims that Lord Mandelson could have eased tensions between Tony Blair and Mr Brown when they were prime minister and chancellor, but did not do so. It was in the interests of the country, and the party, for Tony and Gordon to work together, but perhaps it wasnt in Peters personal interests, she wrote. Gordon Brown scrapped a plan to make Peter Mandelson deputy prime minister after Harriet Harman told him it would happen over my dead body, she has claimed. The Labour grandee was secretly lined up for the role by Mr Brown in the run up to the 2010 general election despite him being an unelected member of the Lords rather than an MP. However, Mr Brown ditched the idea when Miss Harman, who was then deputy Labour leader, told him she could not accept it during a row in Downing Street. When Mr Brown became prime minister in 2007, he refused to hand Miss Harman the deputy prime minister job even though she had been elected deputy party leader. Harriet Harman, left, claims she stopped Gordon Brown from promoting Lord Mandelson, right, to deputy prime minister ahead of her in 2009 Miss Harman has now revealed for the first time in her memoirs how two years later Mr Brown decided to promote Lord Mandelson to the post that he had left unfilled. In 2009, Miss Harman was called to Downing Street and told by Mr Brown that he was planning to appoint her as health secretary. The conversation turned into an argument when Miss Harman asked if he was going to give the deputy prime minister job to Lord Mandelson, who was then business secretary. Gordon had clearly planned not to tell me and looked shocked to be confronted. But things are so bad, I need him to help me, he said, Miss Harman wrote. According to her account, Mr Brown then called her back to Number 10 for a second meeting in which he pleaded with her to allow Lord Mandelson to take the role. But Miss Harman steadfastly refused and told him for a second time, over my dead body. Mr Brown then decided against the idea and instead appointed Lord Mandelson as first secretary of state, which was seen as appointing him deputy prime minister in all but name. In her memoir, Miss Harman, left, said she told Mr Brown, right, 'over my dead body' regarding the promotion, and instead Lord Mandelson was made first secretary of state Miss Harman complains in her book about how she was given a place at the end of the Cabinet table rather than next to Mr Brown when she was elected deputy party leader in 2007. The avowed feminist said she now regrets that she did not stand up to Mr Brown and insist he make her deputy prime minister. My failure to challenge Gordon deprived Labour of having our first woman in that position, she wrote. Miss Harman said that when Ed Miliband became Labour leader she told him he would have to make me his deputy prime minister if elected in 2015. In the book, Miss Harman claims that Lord Mandelson could have eased tensions between Tony Blair and Mr Brown when they were prime minister and chancellor, but did not do so. It was in the interests of the country, and the party, for Tony and Gordon to work together, but perhaps it wasnt in Peters personal interests, she wrote. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the Australia-US relationship is old enough and ugly enough to overcome the heated phone call between President Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull. During their first official telephone conversation, the two leaders discussed a refugee deal struck under the Obama administration leading Mr Trump to accuse Australia's leader of trying to send the 'next Boston bombers' to the United States. Now former prime minister Kevin Rudd has weighed in on the reportedly heated conversation, saying on Twitter Malcolm Turnbull was 'just dumb to go public re [sic] refugee agreement before he had it in writing'. Scroll down for video Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the Australia-US relationship is old enough to overcome the heated phone call between President Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull President Trump described the resettlement agreement as the 'worst deal ever' and said he was 'going to get killed' politically for following through on it (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) 'The US-Australia relationship is big enough, old enough and ugly enough to cope with this snafu,' Mr Rudd said in a TV interview on Friday. 'The alliance has been around for the better part of 100 years. 'I think this snafu, as I think it will be seen, will blow over and we will get back to the fundamentals of the relationship.' Mr Rudd said Australia and America have had stacks of disagreements over the years, citing his own testy and difficult times with the Bush administration over the Iraq war. 'These things come and they go,' he said. 'Mr Trump's style of diplomacy is very different and much more in your face. Kevin Rudd weighed in on the reportedly heated conversation, saying on Twitter Malcolm Turnbull was 'just dumb to go public re [sic] refugee agreement before he had it in writing' 'The US-Australia relationship is big enough, old enough and ugly enough to cope with this snafu,' Mr Rudd said on Friday On Thursday afternoon the newly-elected president took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for making the 'dumb deal' to take on 'thousands of illegal immigrants' President Trump reportedly told Mr Turnbull that the conversation was 'the worst call by far' he had taken that day (Pictured: Speaking to Malcolm Turnbull) 'I suppose the diplomacy of the rest of us has kind of got to get used to that,' he said. Senior US officials told the Washington Post that Donald Trump abruptly ended the conversation with Mr Turnbull after just 25 minutes - when the pair were meant to speak for an hour. Mr Rudd hopes the deal to accept asylum seekers from Nauru and Manus Island is able to be resolved in the details. 'If it's not, those refugees should be accommodated back in Australia as they should have been two or three years ago,' he said. On Thursday, the President took to Twitter to slam the Obama administration for agreeing to take on the refugees in the first place. 'Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!,' he wrote. Despite the president's tweet, Mr Turnbull says he has received multiple assurances from Mr Trump, his press secretary and the US embassy that the deal will be progressed. Angelina Jolie has written a deeply emotional op-ed piece about the refugee crisis for The New York Times. Jolie's essay was in response to President Donald Trump's immigration ban last week. Trump moved to suspend the resettlement of refugees to the United States and deny entry to more than 218 million citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. 'Refugees are men, women and children caught in the fury of war, or the cross hairs of persecution. 'Far from being terrorists, they are often the victims of terrorism themselves', she wrote. Angelina Jolie, the special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, penned an emotional op-ed about the refugee crisis for The New York Times Jolie's essay was in response to President Donald Trump's immigration ban last week The 41-year-old spoke out against Trump's controversial order, writing that the United State's response to the refugee crisis should be 'based on facts, not fear'. 'It is simply not true that our borders are overrun or that refugees are admitted to the United States without close scrutiny. 'Refugees are in fact subject to the highest level of screening of any category of traveler to the United States. 'This includes months of interviews, and security checks carried out by the F.B.I., the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department', Jolie wrote. Jolie is the special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She has worked with the agency since 2001 and has carried out more than 50 missions for them. The Oscar-winning actress has devoted massive amounts of time and money to helping refugees since she witnessed the atrocities in Cambodia while filming Tomb Raider in 2001. Jolie wrote that she is proud to live in a country that has a history of lending its support and resources to refugees. Jolie is the special envoy of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a post she has held since being promoted in 2012 Jolie adopted three of her and Brad Pitt's six children from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam 'Americans have shed blood to defend the idea that human rights transcend culture, geography, ethnicity and religion. 'The decision to suspend the resettlement of refugees to the United States and deny entry to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries has been met with shock by our friends around the world precisely because of this record.' While the safety of the US amid threats of terrorism should be a priority, Trump's executive order is not the solution. The cause is especially close to Jolie's heart. 'As the mother of six children, who were all born in foreign lands and are proud American citizens, I very much want our country to be safe for them, and all our nations children. 'But I also want to know that refugee children who qualify for asylum will always have a chance to plead their case to a compassionate America. And that we can manage our security without writing off citizens of entire countries - even babies - as unsafe to visit our country by virtue of geography or religion'. Jolie adopted three of her six children from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Her father, actor Jon Voight, was a vocal Trump supporter throughout his presidential campaign. A SEAL convoy was spotted waving a large, 'unauthorized' Trump flag, the Navy has confirmed. Videos of the flag emerged on social media after four military vehicles were seen on a highway outside Louisville, Kentucky, according to a Navy spokesperson Jacqui Maxwell. Maxwell called the flag 'inappropriate' and military regulations state the sponsorship or endorsement of any 'political candidate, campaign or cause' should be avoided, the Courier Journal reported. Scroll down for video A Navy SEAL convoy (pictured left and right) was spotted waving a large, 'unauthorized' Trump flag, a Navy spokesperson confirmed The first of four military vehicles had a large Trump flag attached to the back, and Carole Puryear recorded the convoy as it passed her on the highway. The response was mixed, with some people celebrating the show of support while expressing love for both the president and the military. Richard Barris wrote on Twitter: 'A truck of Navy SEALS flying Trump flag is not "news." Nearly all operators--Seals, Green Berets, Force Recon--are Republican & LOVE Trump.' But others were concerned by the flag. Twitter user @fairnatacat wrote: 'May I have a word with the Navy Seals choosing to fly a Trump flag rather than Stars & Stripes? I believe they work for us, not him.' Chris Rowzee, a 28-year veteran of the Air Force and the spokesperson for Indivisible Kentucky, an activist organization formed after Trump's election victory said she was 'disturbed' by the incident, the Courier Journal reported. Chris Rowzee, a 28-year veteran, said the display was 'chilling' and 'disturbing' She said: 'Our nation's military must remain loyal to the constitution, and not any one individual. 'It's critical to our democracy that the American public be able to trust that their military is apolitical and non partisan. 'This type of blatant partisan political display demonstrating allegiance to a singular person brings to mind the types of actions historically seen in authoritarian regimes and dictatorships. It's chilling. 'I truly hope the Navy conducts a thorough investigation into this incident amd takes appropriate corrective action.' The response was mixed, with some people celebrating the show of support while expressing love for both the president and the military The vehicles did not have any identifiable markings, and internet sleuths struggled to determine which unit they belonged to. Maxwell told ABC: 'The convoy were service members assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit driving vehicles while transiting between two training locations.' 'Defense Department and Navy regulations prescribe flags and pennants that may be displayed as well as the manner of display. The flag shown in the video was unauthorized,' she added. An inquiry has been launched into the incident. Maxwell was unclear what the possible penalties would entail. The teenage inmate at the centre of the Northern Territory's royal commission into juvenile justice will have a 'test run' at freedom with early release into a youth rehabilitation scheme. Dylan Voller has been granted bail by the Northern Territory Supreme Court to spend the next 16 weeks in the Alice Springs-based Bush Mob rehabilitation program. If that goes well, the 19-year-old's remaining months of his near four-year jail sentence for attempted robbery, aggravated robbery and endangering serious harm to a police officer could be suspended. Scroll down for video Dylan Voller - the teen inmate at the centre of the Northern Territory's royal commission into juvenile justice is being released into a youth rehabilitation scheme In his decision on Thursday, Justice Peter Barr said the release on bail would give Voller the opportunity to demonstrate good behaviour in the community. 'It would be, in effect, a test run to see whether the court could have sufficient confidence in Mr Voller to be persuaded that his existing sentence should be replaced by a partially suspended sentence,' the judge said. Voller was jailed in 2014 for a violent, ice-fuelled crime spree and was not due for release until October this year. The NT royal commission was sparked when footage of him being tear-gassed, spit-hooded and shackled in the youth prison system was aired on national television last year. Voller was jailed in 2014 for a violent, ice-fuelled crime spree and was not due for release until October this year Voller has been granted bail by the Northern Territory Supreme Court to spend the next 16 weeks in the Alice Springs-based Bush Mob rehabilitation program (pictured) The NT royal commission was sparked when footage of him being tear-gassed, spit-hooded and shackled in the youth prison system was aired on national television last year During his release application, counsel for Voller told the court he was a changed man. But the crown opposed his release, arguing his past behaviour suggested he was likely to reoffend. Judge Barr said he agreed with a pre-sentence report that concluded Voller stood to gain valuable life skills by taking part in the rehabilitation program. 'I place considerable emphasis on the needs of Dylan to be free for the lawful purpose of participating in the Bush Mob program with a view to his successful re-integration into the community,' he said. Voller was shown in CCTV footage on ABC's Four Corners program allegedly being assaulted by guards During his release application, counsel for Voller told the court he was a changed man 'I acknowledge that there is a risk that, if released on bail, Dylan Voller would commit an offence or a breach of the conditions of bail. 'But I consider that the proposed conditions of bail are very restrictive and minimise the risk.' Included in those conditions are a ban on alcohol, random drug testing, counselling and electronic monitoring. Voller's application for reconsideration of his sentence will return to court on April 27. Police have arrested a man in Ohio on suspicion of stabbing his father and two young children in a home the victims and suspect lived in together. Suspect Michael Damico, 46, was also hospitalized Thursday with stab wounds in the incident, which occurred in Kettering, Ohio, a large suburb of Dayton. Police said Damico would be held on felonious assault counts. Police were called to Damico's home, which he shares with all three victims, around 4 o'clock in the morning on Thursday. 'My son.... he took a knife and put punctures in both of the kids,' a woman's voice can be heard telling the dispatcher, WDTN reported. Police found four injured with stab wounds inside the house, and said one of them, 46-year-old Michael Damico, was a suspect in the attack Later, a man thought to be the caller's husband gets on the phone and tells the dispatcher that he's been stabbed too. The caller says that the suspect threw the knife down and was hiding in the basement when police were called. The three victims were Damico's father, age 72, and two young children, ages 8 and 11. Those victims were taken to a different hospital for treatment than suspect Damico. An unknown person is transported from the crime scene. Four people were injured in the Ohio home, including the suspect 'Inside the residence, it's an extensive crime scene,' said police spokesman John Jung. 'It's more than one room.' The relationship of the minors to Damico was not immediately clear, but police said all victims and the suspect were related. Police spokesman John Jung said initial indications were that none of the wounds were life-threatening. But, he said he hadn't received updates from the hospitals. Jung said all four subjects had wounds consistent with a knife. 'Inside the residence, it's an extensive crime scene,' Jung said. 'It's more than one room.' Jung said police are investigating what led to the stabbings and trying to determine the four's relationships and a motive. Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's executive council after facing pressure from consumers over Trump's new immigration order. The Uber boss quit the council, meant as a sort of monthly sounding board for Trump to get ideas from top business leaders, even as the company is facing blowback for its decision to drop its congestion pricing during a taxi boycott meant to oppose the immigration order. He made his decision known in an email to employees, where he argued against Trump's new immigration ban. 'Earlier today I spoke briefly with the president about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community,' Kalanick wrote. 'I also let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that,' he added. Billionaire Travis Kalanick, chief executive officer of Uber Technologies, has informed President Trump that he is leaving his advisory council Recode reported his departure and published the email. 'The implicit assumption that Uber (or I) was somehow endorsing the Administration's agenda has created a perception-reality gap between who people think we are, and who we actually are, Kalanick continued. 'We must believe that the actions we take ultimately move the ball forward. There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that,' he wrote. 'The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America. Families are being separated, people are stranded overseas and there's a growing fear the U.S. is no longer a place that welcomes immigrants.' 'We will fight for the rights of immigrants in our communities so that each of us can be who we are with optimism and hope for the future,' he concluded. An Online petition called for his immediate resignation from the council. 'As a company whose success is built on a foundation of hard work by immigrant workers, Uber can and should do better to stand up for immigrants,' it said. Uber drew fury from protesters who had been angered by Trump's immigration order, which halted immigration from 7 Muslim-majority countries. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick attends the 'Technology Tipping Points: Digital Ubiquity' session of 2016 Summer Davos Forum on June 26, 2016 in Tianjin, China President Donald Trump is convening his business advisory council on Friday New York taxicab drivers, many of whom are immigrants themselves, launched a one-hour work stoppage last Saturday in solidarity with protesters at New York's JFK airport. Uber then responded to the situation by dropping its congestion pricing a move that some protesters took as undercutting the temporary work stoppage. Rival Lyft responded by making a $1 million donation over four years to the American Civil Liberties. Lyft CEO Logan Green called the ban 'antithetical to both Lyft's and our nation's core values. We stand firmly against these actions, and will not be silent on issues that threaten the values of our community.' The company maintained that it was just responding to the needs of its users, given the situation. Riders might otherwise have been stranded. In a fiery encounter with Karl Stefanovic, Liberal politician Christopher Pyne has stubbornly defended Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after he was slammed by U.S. President Donald Trump over Australia's asylum seeker deal. Speaking on the Today program on Friday, the Leader of the House of Representatives wasn't allowing Stefanovic to force him into criticising Mr Turnbull's handling of the issue. 'Malcolm Turnbull stood up to him [Donald Trump] and the reality is that Australia's interests have been put first,' Mr Pyne said. 'President Trump committed to it [the deal], his White House spokesman committed to it twice. I heard it on the radio coming to work this morning.' However Stefanovic continued to quiz Mr Pyne, repeatedly asking if the deal would still go ahead following the abrupt phone call between Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump that was leaked on Thursday. 'I couldn't be clearer this morning. Malcolm Turnbull put Australia first,' Mr Pyne reiterated. The agreement rubberstamped by the previous Obama administration - for the U.S. to take 1,250 refugees held on Manus Island and Nauru, infuriated President Trump, who has also called it a 'dumb deal' on Twitter. Liberal politician Christopher Pyne was in a combative mood on Friday morning's Today show Host Karl Stefanovic (left) grilled Mr Pyne (centre) about Australia's asylum seeker deal with the U.S. as Labor politician Anthony Albanese (right) looks on But despite Mr Trump continually slamming the deal, Mr Pyne maintained that diplomatic negotiations between the two countries was fine, and the agreement would be honoured. 'I am not going to comment on how Donald Trump conveys his views through Twitter, or elsewhere. But a deal is a deal,' he said. The interview wrapped up with Stefanovic poking fun at Mr Pyne for being in a bad mood. 'So cranky this morning,' Stefanovic said. 'Just telling the truth,' Mr Pyne fired back. A former Vice editor is accused of trying to use young journalists and up-and-coming artists to smuggle cocaine from Vegas to Australia. Three current or former Vice journalists claimed that Taroslav Pastukhov, then-Vice Canada's music editor, tried to get them to join the international drug smuggling ring, the National Post reports. Each was allegedly offered $10,000 if they agreed to carry the drugs in the lining of suitcases from Las Vegas to Australia. The journalists did not say whether or not they accepted the offer. Three current or former Vice journalists claimed that Taroslav Pastukhov (left and right) then Vice Canada's music editor, tried to get them to join the international drug smuggling ring However, Pastukhov former roommate, Toronto electro artist Jordan Gardner, along with Nathaniel Carty, a New York model and three other Canadians were arrested on December 22, 2015 after police found drugs in the lining of their suitcases. Gardner and Carty, 22, were immediately charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine. Canadians Porscha Wade, 20, Robert Wang, 24, and Kutiba Senusi, 23, were also charged later that day. They have all pleaded guilty except for Wade whose trial is scheduled for September. They face up to life in jail for drugs smuggling. Two days before the arrest Carty, posted a photo of himself at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas with the caption: 'See you tomorrow Australia.' Australian authorities estimate the street value of the seized cocaine is worth anywhere between $5.1 million to $6.6 million. None of the allegations against Pastukhov have been proven. It does not appear that any criminal charges or police investigations are underway into Pastukhov, 26. But he was fired from his job at Vice Canada last February after employees raised concerns. Pastukhov former roommate, Toronto electronic music artist Jordan Gardner (left) along with a New York-based model Nate Carty (right) and three other Canadians were arrested on December 22, 2015 after police found drugs in the lining of their suitcases Pastukhov (pictured) was fired from his job at Vice Canada last February after employees raised concerns Many said they had been scared to report the offer as Pastukhov appeared to be close to management and they didn't want to jeopardize their careers. They also describe a very laid back attitude towards drugs taking at Vice. However, things changed after news of the Australian arrests. Sources told the Post that someone anonymously emailed a news release about the arrests to Vice Canada's office in early 2016, with a note saying Pastukhov was involved. Around the same time, a group of staff had been out for the evening when someone brought up Pastukhov's alleged offer. At least one other person at the table said they too had been approached to smuggle drugs, sources say. Some of those employees, who were concerned he was endangering staff, decided to raise it with management. On February 16, 2016, a small group of staff were then called into the Vice office before the working day began and met with Vice's human resources department and lawyers to discuss their allegations. When Pastukhov arrived at work several hours later, he was fired. Gardner, Carty, and three other Canadians were arrested on December 22, 2015 after police found drugs in the lining of their suitcases (pictured_ Australian authorities estimate the street value of the seized cocaine is worth anywhere between $5.1 million to $6.6 million 'Upon learning of these allegations in early 2016, Vice Canada took immediate and swift action to address these claims through our Human Resources department, enlisting an employment law specialist to consult throughout and engaging an outside criminal law firm to conduct an investigation on our behalf and contact the Toronto Police Service,' said Vice Canada's head of communications Chris Ball. However, Toronto police say they could find no record of allegations against Pastukhov from Vice. Ball added that the company's employee handbook contained a 'zero tolerance' on drugs. 'Vice Canada takes allegations such as these very seriously as the safety of our employees is our first and foremost concern.' 'Based on the results of the internal investigation the employee was promptly terminated on February 16th, 2016.' Months after he was fired, Pastukhov posted a bitter tweet which read: 'friendly reminder that journalists are just professional snitches.' The three journalists who claimed that Pastukhov had offered them $10,000 to carry the suitcases to Australia, include a freelancer, an intern and a full-time member of staff. Gardner (pictured) and Carty, 22, were immediately charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine The former freelancer said she received a private Facebook message, seen by the Post, from the former editor in December 2015 In it, he offered her a free trip to Australia, with spending money thrown in and $10,000 on her return. The journalist says she was initially excited, assuming Pastukhov was offering her a big freelance assignment. She says he asked her to switch the conversation to text, where she asked what she would be doing in Australia. Pastukhov reportedly replied: 'U go to Vegas with a friend, you each get two bags (4 total) and there's stuff in the lining (undetectable) and go to Australia where those bags get picked up. 10k on return.' The freelancer said she was shocked and disappointed as what she described as a 'very obvious' attempt to recruit her as a drugs mule. She refused but never reported the interaction to Vice management. The intern and full time staff member both reported very similar offers from Pastukhov. 'I think he just targeted all the young people there,' the freelancer said. The male intern, who was advised to bring a pretty white girl with him if he went on the trip and offered a $1,000 finders fee for roping in other recruits, claims that Pastukhov told him that he'd already made the trip himself. Two days before the arrest Carty, posted a photo of himself at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas with the caption: 'See you tomorrow Australia' Pastukhov began writing for Vice Canada in January 2013 and was appointed editor of Vice's Noisey Canada in 2014. His writing is littered with drug references and discussions of his wild, party lifestyle. Vice Media, which began as an underground alternative site in Canada in the early 1990s, has become increasingly corporate since 21 Century Fox and The Walt Disney Corporation who bought ten per cent of the company for US$400 million in 2015. But employees claim that the drug culture is still rife at Vice which regularly publishes on drugs. Meanwhile, employees complain of the low salaries which could mean an offer of $10,000 is all the more tempting. Pastukhov refused to comment on the allegations. A psychologist from a Las Vegas suburb has been arrested on charges of killing his wife in 2015. Gregory Dennis, 54, who runs a mental health clinic in Boulder City, Nevada, was booked at the Henderson Detention Center without bail on Thursday for the slaying of his wife, Susan Winters, a lawyer, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Police apprehended Dennis during a traffic stop on Thursday morning following a 'lengthy' homicide investigation. On January 3, 2015, Winters, 48, died in the couple's Henderson, Nevada, home after she had consumed a deadly combination of prescription painkillers and antifreeze. Scroll down for video Gregory Dennis (left), 54, who runs a mental health clinic in Boulder City, Nevada, was booked at the Henderson Detention Center without bail on Thursday for the slaying of his wife, Susan Winters (right) Initially, the Clark County coroner's office ruled that Winters committed suicide. Dennis called 911 on the morning of his wife's death and told police that he found her unresponsive in the couple's bed. He said that Winters had been upset and was taking a combination of Xanax, anti-depressant medication, and alcohol in the hours leading to her death. Winters' parents, however, rejected the coroner's findings and filed a lawsuit alleging that Dennis killed their daughter. On January 3, 2015, Winters (left), 48, died in the couple's Henderson, Nevada, home after she had consumed a deadly combination of prescription painkillers and antifreeze Their attorneys, Anthony Sgro and David Roger, began to present evidence suggesting that Dennis had a strong motive to kill his wife. They said they conducted an investigation which showed that Dennis did research on the computer about the effects of consuming anti-freeze hours before Winters' death. They also noted that Dennis stood to benefit financially from his wife's death. He inherited about $2million following her death - $1million from a life insurance policy and $650,000 from her share of the family's restaurant franchise business in Oklahoma. Dennis called 911 on the morning of his wife's death and told police that he found her unresponsive in the couple's bed Dennis also took out $180,000 from his wife's bank account. In light of the new information, authorities began to shift the focus of their investigation to Dennis after the Review-Journal ran a story last year that cast doubt on the corner's conclusions. In December 2016, Henderson police reopened the investigation and prosecutors convened a grand jury. Initially, the Clark County coroner's office ruled that Winters committed suicide, but evidence surfaced indicating that Dennis had financial motive to kill his wife In testimony under oath, Dennis acknowledged seeking treatment for an addiction and buying drugs from a street dealer. Roger and a former FBI agent found evidence that Dennis was in contact with the dealer in the hours before and after his wife's death. The dealer in question, Jeffrey Paul Crosby, was convicted of dealing drugs in 2011. He was arrested this past July on a cocaine trafficking charge. He pleaded not guilty and is free on bail. Justine Welby (pictured) has insisted he was 'completely unaware' of allegations that his friend inflicted brutal sexualised beatings on boys The Archbishop of Canterbury last night insisted he was 'completely unaware' of allegations that his friend from late 1970s Christian summer camps inflicted brutal sexualised beatings on boys he groomed there. Justin Welby was a young 'dormitory officer' at the 'Bash' events, helping to look after the religiously-minded teenage boys from public schools and young men in their early 20s invited to them. As a result, when in his late teens and early 20s himself, the future archbishop became friendly with high-flying barrister John Smyth, then nearly 40, who ran the camps on behalf of the religious charity he chaired, The Iwerne Trust. Mr Welby said he knew nothing about any allegations against Mr Smyth when he worked at the camp. He told LBC radio: 'I was at that particular camp in the mid-70s. I was young then, I was 19 to 22, and I was certainly never aware of any abuse... I didn't have the slightest suspicion that there was anything going on.' Describing Mr Smyth as a 'charming, delightful, very clever' man, the Archbishop added: 'I wasn't a close friend of his. I wasn't in his inner circle or in the inner circle of the leadership of the camp, far from it.' Mr Welby said he was first informed of the alleged abuse in late 2013 or early 2014, by which time it had been reported to the police 'as per the Church rules'. And he suggested he had only had fleeting contact with Mr Smyth since, continuing: 'I have a vague feeling I may have had a Christmas card in the 1990s and when I was living in Paris he passed through and I shook hands with him, that was the limit.' When in his late teens and early 20s himself, the future archbishop became friendly with high-flying barrister John Smyth (right) In a statement issued in response to the revelations on Wednesday, the Church of England said: 'John Smyth was one of the main leaders at the camp and although the Archbishop worked with him, he was not part of the inner circle of friends; no one discussed allegations of abuse by John Smyth with him. 'The Archbishop knew Mr Smyth had moved overseas but, apart from the occasional card, did not maintain contact with him. 'In August 2013 the Bishop of Ely wrote to the Bishop of Cape Town, informing him of concerns expressed to his Diocese Safeguarding Adviser about Mr Smyth from an alleged survivor. The police had been notified. 'We recognise that many institutions fail catastrophically, but the Church is meant to hold itself to a far, far higher standard and we have failed terribly. For that the Archbishop apologises unequivocally and unreservedly to all survivors.' ELKO Celebrate a cowboy countdown at the Northeastern Nevada Museum this week with five captivating events. First on the docket is a book signing by Dave Secrist called Long Winding Trails. Secrist, former Cattlemens Association president, will be signing copies of his portrayal of the ranch cowhand way of life from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Saturday at the museum. I think the horse and the cowboy always have a significant role to play in the big range areas of America, said Secrist. Secrist is also the author of Moonshine: The Longhorn Steer, a book for children with pictures and verse about a steers life. Visitors can also take a gander at the Secrist collection of cowboy gear and memorabilia exhibited in the museum theater. At 2 p.m. today Lew Eklund, museum oral history volunteer, will show an illustrated talk on the Grass March and Cowboy Express that was led by Elko County Commissioner Grant Gerber who was injured on the trek and later died. The epic horseback ride from Bodega Bay, California to Washington D.C. and then to the Atlantic coast was organized to personally deliver petitions to Congress about grievances concerning federal land management in the West. A kiosk portraying the march will be installed in the History Gallery. A special program on wild horses by Craig Downer will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday. Downer has observed wild horse herds for more than 40 years. During his presentation, Downer will reveal new evidence on the evolution and history of the horse in North America. Downer will also be available to sign copies of his book The Wild Horse Conspiracy after the talk. Each year at this time the museum hosts a gear show sponsored by the Elko Convention Center and J.M. Capriola. This year the reception will be from 5 8 p.m. Friday. The exhibit consists of work created by cowboy artists and craft persons. Pat Meade will play live western music and the Halleck Bar will be open for beverages. A ceremony is scheduled in the Ellis Gallery at 6 p.m. The Will James Society is donating a Curtis Fort sculpture of James, in addition to other collectibles. Samantha Szesciorka, assistant curator at the Wilbur Day Museum in Reno, will present Nevada Discovery Ride: Tales from the Trail at 5 p.m. Saturday. Szesciorka, a member of the Long Riders Guild, completed her second long distance journey on Horseback that lasted three months and covered 1,100 miles around Northern Nevada. Szesciorka will relay her experiences along the way, illustrated with a collection of photographs from the journey. Researchers have made one trillion internet observations to reveal global sleep patterns. They analyzed how devices around the world connected and disconnected from the internet, making observations every 15 minutes for seven years. They found that sleep patterns are changing, most likely due to technology use, and while North America remained the same over the study period, Europe is sleeping less and East Asia is asleep for longer. Scroll down for video The UK narrowly beat the US for more average sleep hours by just nine minutes - The UK sleeps 8 hours and 40 minutes per night and the US 8 hours and 31 minutes WHO GETS THE MOST SLEEP? 1.) Argentina - 10 hours and 16 minutes. Sleep from 10:29pm to 8:44am. 2.) Spain - 9 hours and 58 minutes. Sleep from 9:54pm to 7:51am. 3.) Ukraine - 9 hours and 50 minutes. Sleep from 10:23pm to 8:13am. 4.) Turkey - 9 hours and 46 minutes. Sleep from 9:57pm to 7:43am. 5.) Mexico - 9 hours and 45 minutes. Sleep from 9:51pm to 7:37am. 6.) Belgium - 9 hours and 30 minutes. Sleep from 9:48pm to 7:18am. 7.) Saudi Arabia - 9 hours and 29 ninutes. Sleep from 8:35pm to 6:04am. 8.) Italy - 9 hours and 28 minutes. Sleep from 9:48pm to 7:16am. 9.) Russia - 9 hours and 20 minutes. Sleep from 10:34pm to 7:54am. 10.) Portugal - 9 hours and 19 minutes. Sleep from 10:44pm to 8:02am. Advertisement The researchers, based at the University of Chicago and Monash University in Australia, used the internet to look at sleep patterns because so many people use the internet - so it provides an opportunity to obtain a large data set. In 1995, 40 million people in the world were connected to the internet, and in 2016 this number reached 3.5 billion. They found that the top five countries that get the most sleep are Argentina (10 hours and 16 minutes), Spain (9 hours and 58 minutes), Ukraine (9 hours and 50 minutes), Turkey (9 hours and 46 minutes) and Mexico (9 hours and 45 minutes). The top five countries that get the least sleep are Japan (7 hours and 16 minutes), Slovenia (7 hours and 28 minutes), Suriname (7 hours and 55 minutes), Poland (7 hours and 59 minutes) and New Zealand (8 hours and 13 minutes). The The UK narrowly beat the US for more average sleep hours, with the UK sleeping 8 hours and 40 minutes per night and the US 8 hours and 31 minutes. Klaus Ackermann, a economics researcher at the University of Chicago and a co-author of the study, said that major cities tend to have longer sleeping times compared to surrounding 'satellite' cities. The team conducted the study assuming that the switch from a device being online to offline corresponds corresponds with a person going to sleep, and switching on a device corresponds to someone waking up. The researchers then analyzed this data for more than 600 cities around the world. The research paper, written by a team of three researchers, is still awaiting publication. Dr Simon Angus, a lecturer in the Department of Economics at Monash University and a co-author of the study, told the DailyMail.com: 'Our work starts with the idea that having over half of the world's population connected to a single technology represents a milestone for humanity. 'We see ourselves as explorers who have happened upon something of a rich warehouse of knowledge that no one has previously found 'We have opened the door just a fraction and wish to enthuse the scientific community with what they could potentially do with this new lens. 'In this spirit, we felt that three first applications of the data into disparate fields would be a good approach. Technology, chronobiology, economics. These areas span simple through to complex activities of human life.' The team conducted the study assuming that the switch from a device being online to offline corresponds corresponds with a person going to sleep, and switching on a device corresponds to someone waking up 'We expect our estimates to find more rigorous testing by further survey and other techniques in the field, but at least now we have a way of getting at sleep trends globally which work on what people are actually doing with their time, not only what they say they are doing with their time.' WHO GETS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SLEEP? 1.) Japan - 7 hours and 16 minutes. Sleep from 11:03pm to 6:20am. 2.) Slovenia - 7 hours and 28 minutes. Sleep from 10:35pm to 6:02am. 3.) Suriname - 7 hours and 55 minutes. Sleep from 10:20pm to 6:14am. 4.) Poland - 7 hours and 59 minutes. Sleep from 10:29pm to 6:28am. 5.) New Zealand - 8 hours and 13 minutes. Sleep from 9:52pm to 6:05am. 6.) Croatia - 8 hours and 15 minutes. Sleep from 10:27pm to 6:42am. 7.) Indonesia - 8 hours and 18 minutes. Sleep from 10:11pm to 6:29am. 8.) South Africa - 8 hours and 20 minutes. Sleep from 9:52pm to 6:11am. 9.) Sweden - 8 hours and 26 minutes. Sleep from 10:29pm to 6:55am. 10.) United States - 8 hours and 31 minutes. Sleep from 10:07pm to 6:37am. Advertisement 'The work should be considered preliminary as it is still to through peer review, and we are continuing to work on some further validation and other exercises as we interact with colleagues around the world.' Dr Angus said that while the research team does have sleep data by city, they are 'not in a position to release these at this stage' but will be releasing usable data-sets for researchers world-wide in the coming months. They built the data set by combining information from two sources. The first was a set of scans of scans between 2006 and 2012 in which every IP address was periodically probed to see whether it connected to a device or not. An IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device that's connected to the internet. An IP address helps identify who is using the device and where they're located. The second is a commercial database of IP geolocations which reveals the location of each device. Together this information produces a vast database covering internet use in 122 countries every 15 minutes between 2006 and 2012. Dr Angus said that what's unique about this data is its 'passive' collection method - users of internet connected devices aren't affected by it. He also said that one major draw-back of the data is that they are 'low-dimensional' - the researchers only know a small amount of information about each observation, but this may change in the future as internet messaging technologies are updated. These days many people are glued to their phones, with digits on screens the last thing we see at night and the first thing we look at in the morning. But if these habits seem familiar to you, you may be damaging your ability to get a good night's rest 'We feel that our work well demonstrates that low-dimensional data can be effectively used to gain knowledge if it is collected at wide enough scope and granularity,' said Dr Angus. The researchers started out by studying how internet connectivity grows in countries all over the world. They found that when internet connectivity is first introduced to a society, growth starts slowly and then increases rapidly, eventually slowing down and leveling off when almost everyone in that society gains access to the internet. It takes about 16 years for this to happen in any country after internet is introduced - which is much faster than other technologies that have dramatically changed society, such as electricity and steam powered engines. By 2012, only four countries in the world had reached full internet saturation: Germany, Denmark, Estonia and South Korea. But other countries, such as Turkey, have such slow growth rates that it will take them decades to reach saturation. The researchers also found that there was a link between internet use and economic productivity. Countries with greater internet use grow faster economically. But this economic growth also depended on the industry involved Mr Ackermann said: 'Broadly speaking, we find that service sectors amenable to digital competition through outsourcing (publishing, news, film production, administrative support, education) have suffered with increasing local IP concentration. 'Whilst location-constrained sectors have prospered from higher Internet concentrations (wholesale, retail, real estate, repairs, hairdressing, mining, transportation, accommodation).' Mr Ackermann said that his team's data set can help provide more insights into global internet activity for research. According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, an early spring is predicted. Of course groundhogs also known as woodchucks dont emerge at this time just to be furry weather predictors. So whats the real reason? Research into groundhog biology shows they have other priorities in early February than mingling with the people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Scroll down for video According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, an early spring is predicted Early February is midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, and throughout history this seasonal crossroads has been celebrated. The ancient Greeks and Romans observed a mid-season festival on February 5th in anticipation of spring. In the Celtic tradition, this period was celebrated as the festival of Imbolog to mark the beginning of spring. Early Christians in Europe embraced this tradition and celebrated Candlemas Day on February 2nd, to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary. Customarily on this day, clergy would bless candles and distribute them to the people in the dark of winter in anticipation of spring. In northern Europe, farmers needed some indication when to start spring planting. In Pennsylvania, groundhog's hibernate throughout mid-November and ending by the beginning of March; a total of about 110 days. Hibernation is characterized by a significant drop in body temperature and metabolic function They looked for the emergence of hibernators, such as the hedgehog or badger, to signal the coming of spring. Since their emergence occurred in early February, it was believed that if Candlemas Day was sunny, and the hibernator saw its shadow, more wintry weather was ahead. THE HISTORY OF GROUNDHOG DAY Early February is midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, and throughout history this seasonal crossroads has been celebrated. The ancient Greeks and Romans observed a mid-season festival on February 5th in anticipation of spring. In the Celtic tradition, this period was celebrated as the festival of Imbolog to mark the beginning of spring. Early Christians in Europe embraced this tradition and celebrated Candlemas Day on February 2nd, to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary. Customarily on this day, clergy would bless candles and distribute them to the people in the dark of winter in anticipation of spring. In northern Europe, farmers needed some indication when to start spring planting. They looked for the emergence of hibernators, such as the hedgehog or badger, to signal the coming of spring. Since their emergence occurred in early February, it was believed that if Candlemas Day was sunny, and the hibernator saw its shadow, more wintry weather was ahead. But if it rained or snowed on Candlemas Day, the rest of the winter would be mild. This tradition was brought to America by the Germans who migrated to eastern Pennsylvania. They found groundhogs in profusion in many parts of the state and decided this mammal was a perfect replacement for the hibernators theyd left behind in Europe. Thus, the tradition continued in America. Advertisement But if it rained or snowed on Candlemas Day, the rest of the winter would be mild. This tradition was brought to America by the Germans who migrated to eastern Pennsylvania. They found groundhogs in profusion in many parts of the state and decided this mammal was a perfect replacement for the hibernators theyd left behind in Europe. Thus, the tradition continued in America. In my study area in southeastern Pennsylvania, the average date groundhogs emerge from their burrows is February 4. This fits the folklore and the timing of Groundhog Day. However, predicting the weather is not their objective. The real reason is related to Darwinian fitness a measure of an organisms ability to contribute its genes to the next generation. The process defines natural selection and is based on an organisms ability to survive and to reproduce successfully. High Darwinian fitness suggests an individual will pass on its genes to many healthy offspring. Hibernation contributes to Darwinian fitness value. It enhances survival by saving energy during times of limited food availability. The ability to hibernate is found in several mammalian groups, including all marmots, many species of ground squirrels, chipmunks, hamsters, badgers, lemurs, bats and even some marsupials and echidnas. Curled up in their burrows, they pass the winter months, when food would be hard to come by. Hibernation is characterized by a significant drop in body temperature and metabolic function. The tradition was brought to America by the Germans who migrated to eastern Pennsylvania. They found groundhogs in profusion in many parts of the state and decided this mammal was a perfect replacement for the hibernators theyd left behind in Europe This process is commonly called torpor. During torpor, body functions including heart rate, breathing rate, and brain activity are reduced. The overall benefit for the animal is saving metabolic energy at a time when it isnt eating. However, for some still unexplained reason, hibernators arouse periodically during their hibernating season. These arousals come at a great energy cost. Therefore, arousing must be critical to survival in some way or animals wouldnt waste the energy on it. Visitors look through the windows at the Punxsutawney Public Library where groundhogs are on display at 'Phil's Burrow' in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. Thousands of people come to Punxsutawney for the annual celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob on February 2 Some possibilities include maintaining cellular functions or disposing of bodily wastes. In Pennsylvania, these bouts of torpor and arousal continue throughout the hibernation season, starting on average in mid-November and ending by the beginning of March; a total of about 110 days. In one study, an average of 15 bouts of torpor occurred during this period, with arousals in between. Groundhogs aroused for about 41 hours and then returned to torpor for about 128 hours for males and 153 hours for females. In a 2010 study, we determined that the hibernation periods for groundhogs increase in length with increasing latitude. The hibernation period matches winters duration. Hibernation is characterized by a significant drop in body temperature and metabolic function. This process is commonly called torpor. During torpor, body functions including heart rate, breathing rate, and brain activity are reduced. However, for some still unexplained reason, hibernators arouse periodically during their hibernating season. The celebration of Groundhog Day would need to change by latitude in order to perfectly match groundhog emergence. One of the drawbacks of hibernation is the reduced time available for reproduction. Thus, hibernators have developed mating strategies to maximize reproductive success. Groundhog mating strategies involve temporary emergence in early February, mating in early March during during their final arousal, and giving birth in early April. This behavior enhances reproductive success because young are born as early as possible (but not too early) and are able to start feeding in May when lots of food is available. That way they have enough time to gain sufficient weight to survive their first winter hibernation. But why do groundhogs emerge in February, when mating wont occur until next month? Most of the year, male and female groundhogs are solitary and antagonistic against each other. February is used to reestablish the bonds necessary for mating and ensures that mating can then proceed without delay in early March The answer lies in their social structure. Most of the year, male and female groundhogs are solitary and antagonistic against each other. They aggressively maintain a feeding territory around their burrows and rarely have any contact with each other. February is used to reestablish the bonds necessary for mating and ensures that mating can then proceed without delay in early March. So for the animals themselves, Groundhog Day is more like Valentines Day. On February 2nd, groundhogs dont emerge to predict the weather, but to predict whether their own mating season will be a success! While prostate stones are usually the size of a poppy seed, one man who lived in Sudan 12,000-years-ago was unfortunate to experience the painful stones on a much greater scale. Researchers discovered prostate stones the size of walnuts in the pelvic area of the man, in the prehistoric cemetery of Al Khiday. These are believed to be the oldest and some of the biggest prostate stones ever discovered, revealing the disease affected men as early as 12,000 years ago. The prostate stones were the size of walnuts, and were found in the pelvic area of a man, in the prehistoric cemetery of Al Khiday PROSTATE STONES Prostate stones form when secretions of the prostate cannot get out of the gland. These secretions dry out or form a round body, before becoming calcified. Usually, prostate stones dont cause any symptoms, unless they continue to grow, in which cause they may cause pain and cramps in the groin. The stones are usually about the size of poppy seeds, so often go undetected. Advertisement An international team of researchers, led by the Centre for Sudanese and sub-Saharan studies in Treviso, Italy, discovered the skeleton along with 190 other graves at the Al Khiday cemetery, which lies on the left bank of the White Nile, near Omdurman. The prostate stones varied in position, with one found between the pelvic bones, and two close to the lumbar vertebrae. At first, the researchers mistook the prostate stones for rocks, but testing showed that they had been formed in the man's prostate. Lara Maritan, who worked on the study, told Seeker: 'The mineralogical composition, the heterogeneous and concentric microstructure of the stones and their density, much lower than that found in rocks, absolutely confirm a biogenic origin.' To rule out the stones as either kidney or gallstones, the researchers carried out a range of analyses. A scanning electron microscope revealed that the stones had a strange structure made from calcium apatite crystals and whitlockite an unusual form of calcium phosphate which points to the prostate as the origin. Bacterial imprints were also detected in the stones, which could indicate that the man's prostate was inflamed. The prostate stones varied in position, with one found between the pelvic bones, and two close to the lumbar vertebrae The other skeletons discovered at Al Khiday were all healthy, and did not suffer from chronic disease. Dr Michaela Binder, a researcher at the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Vienna who is not involved in the study told Seeker: 'Finding such a disease in association with a skeleton from an archaeological site opens a new window into health and living conditions in the past.' Prostate stones are caused by bacterial infections which affect secretions from the prostate gland. A scanning electron microscope revealed that the stones had a strange structure made from calcium apatite crystals and whitlockite an unusual form of calcium phosphate which points to the prostate as the origin The researchers discovered the skeleton along with 190 other graves at the Al Khiday cemetery, which lies on the left bank of the White Nile, near Omdurman These secretions get trapped and dry out before becoming calcified. But while prostate stones are usually about the size of a poppy seed, the large size found in the Sudanese man would have been excruciatingly painful. Dr Binder said: 'In modern clinical cases there is often lower back pain or leg pain, difficulties and pain when urinating. To rule out the stones as either kidney or gallstones, the researchers carried out a range of analyses. Bacterial imprints were also detected in the stones, which could indicate that the man's prostate was inflamed 'Given the size of the stones obstruction of the urinary tractus would have certainly been a problem and in times very uncomfortable and painful.' And beyond pain in the pelvic region, the researchers wrote that they could have caused 'pelvic dilatation, cystitis, renal scarring and kidney failure, potentially leading to the death of the affected individual.' The prostate stones are the oldest found so far in the archaeological record. Previously, an 8,500-year-old bladder stone was found in the pelvis of an adult female buried in a cave on the coast of Sicily. In the fourth 'close shave' of the year, an asteroid will fly between the Earth and the moon tonight, only days after its discovery. Dubbed asteroid 2017 BS32 - the space rock is believed to be between 11 and 25 metres (36 to 82 feet), or around the size of a double decker bus. It will pass closest to Earth at 20:23 GMT (15:34 ET) today, coming twice as close to the Earth as the moon. Scroll down for video n the fourth 'close shave' of the year, an asteroid will fly between the Earth and the moon tonight, only days after its discovery. Dubbed asteroid 2017 BS32 - the space rock is believed to be between 11 and 25 metres (36 to 82 feet), or around the size of a double decker bus At its closest approach it will be at distance of 100,214 miles (161,280 km). It is currently travelling at a speed, relative to Earth, of 11.56 km/s The asteroid was first spotted on January 30 and has an orbit that stretches from inside Venus's plane all the way out to Mars. This is the fourth 'close shave' asteroid spotted this year by Nasa. On January 24, an asteroid roughly the size of a school bus flew by Earth, coming 30 percent closer to our planet than the moon. Nicknamed Rerun, asteroid 2017 BX approached just before midnight (ET), travelling 16,600 miles per hour (about 26,700 km/hr). Scientists discovered the object a few days before its approach, and described it as a close shave. Just weeks before that incident, an asteroid as big as a 10-story building passed by Earth at a distance half that of the moon. On January 24, an asteroid roughly the size of a school bus flew by Earth, coming 30 percent closer to our planet than the moon. Nicknamed Rerun, asteroid 2017 BX approached just before midnight (ET), travelling 16,600 miles per hour (about 26,700 km/hr) EARTH'S THREE PREVIOUS 'CLOSE SHAVES' THIS YEAR January 8th - Asteriod 2017 AG1 flew by Earth at a distance of 126,461 miles (203,520km) January 24th - Asteroid 2017 BX flew by Earth at a distance of 162,252 miles (261,120km) January 30th - Asteroid 2017 BH30 flew by Earth at a distance of 40,563 miles (65,280 km) Advertisement The asteroid, dubbed 2017 AG13, was only spotted only days before by the University of Arizona's Catalina Sky Survey. It is between 50 and 111 feet (15 to 34 meters) long, and when it passed by Earth on January 9, 2017, AG3 was moving at 9.9 miles per second (16 kilometers per second). 'This is moving very quickly, very nearby to us,' Eric Feldman, an astronomer with Slooh, said during a live broadcast of the flyby at 7:47 a.m. ET on January 9. 'This one has a particularly elliptical orbit. 'It actually crosses the orbits of two planets, Venus and Earth. Slooh's broadcast said 2017 AG3 was 'roughly the same size as the asteroid that struck Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013,' meaning had it hit, the effects would have been similar. Its next close approach to Earth is expected on December 28, 2017. 'It is not that uncommon of an event, which is one of the reasons it is interesting,' Mark Sykes, director and CEO of the Planetary Science Institute, told Business Insider in an email. About 38 more 'close approaches' like asteroid 2017 AG3's are expected within the month of January alone, according to NASA's Near Earth Object Program. It's time to get your binoculars at the ready, as February looks set to offer some stunning astronomical events to viewers around the world. The coming month will feature meteor showers, eclipses of the sun and moon, and our lunar satellite posing with planets. To catch a glimpse of the celestial events stargazers will need to be eagle eyed, but our calendar should help ensure nothing is missed. Scroll down for video The coming month will feature meteor showers, eclipses of the sun and moon (pictured), and our lunar satellite posing with planets YOUR FEBRUARY CALENDAR February 5 - Moon hides Aldebaran February 8 - Alpha Centaurid meteor shower February 10 - Lunar eclipse February 15 - Moon joins Jupiter February 20/21 - Moon meets Saturn Feburary 26 - Solar eclipse Advertisement February 5 Moon hides Aldebaran This weekend, the moon will slide very close to Aldebaran a bright orange star that lies 66 light-years away. Lucky viewers will see the moon fully block out the star, making the orange object briefly vanish behind the dark, unlit portion of the moon before reappearing an hour later along its lit side. The best places to see the phenomenon will be Central America, northern parts of South America, the Caribbean, southern Europe, North Africa, and western regions of the Middle East. For specific occultation times in cities around the world, you can check this table from the International Occultation Timing Association. This weekend, the moon will slide very close to Aldebaran (pictured bottom left) a bright orange star that lies 66 light-years away February 8 Alpha Centaurid meteor shower People across the Southern Hemisphere will be treated to a stunning meteor shower next week. The Alpha Centaurid meteors will send shooting stars soaring over the skies in the predawn hours of the night. It isn't the most intense meteor shower, and the peak will see around five to 10 meteors an hour, radiating from the constellation Centaurus. The meteor shower will send shooting stars soaring over the skies in the predawn hours of the night. Around five to 10 will be seen an hour (stock image) Professor Martin Barstow, President of the Royal Astronomical Society, said: 'A good meteor shower is a spectacular sight. 'If you have clear skies, there are few better and easier ways to get an impression of the dynamism of the universe we live in, and how the Earth is directly connected to events in the rest of the Solar System.' February 10 Lunar eclipse On February 10, the full moon will climb above the eastern horizon before undergoing an eclipse as it enters a shadow cast by the Earth. A lunar eclipse will appear on February 10, when the full moon will climb above eastern horizon before undergoing an eclipse as it enters a shadow cast by the Earth. Pictured is a lunar eclipse in 2007 The moon will turn a darker shade of silver during the eclipse. In Europe, Africa and western Asia, the event will be seen as the moon is in the southern sky late at night, while for those in North, Central and South America, the best views will be from the east. During the lunar eclipse, the moon will gradually turn a darker shade of silver, as the Earth's shadow passes over it For viewers in the UK, the shadow will first cast over the moon at 22:34GMT, and will end at 02:53 GMT. And for those in New York, the event will begin at 17:34 ET, and end at 21:53 ET. To check if the lunar eclipse will be visible in your area, you can check the Time and Date site. February 15 Moon joins Jupiter Jupiter's prominence as the 'morning star' will be hard to overlook on February 15. The planet, which will appear as a bright star-like object, will align with the moon, as well as a blue-white star called Spica, which is part of the Virgo constellation. For people in the US and Europe, Jupiter will rise roughly one hour before midnight, while for those in Australia the planet will appear in mid-to-late evening. Jupiter will appear as a bright star-like object in line with moon, as well as a blue-white star called Spica, which is part of the Virgo constellation February 20-21 Moon meets Saturn As well as aligning with Jupiter this month, the moon will also meet with Saturn on February 20 and 21. The cosmic duo will be easy to view in the pre-dawn hours, with Saturn appearing as a golden object next to the moon. From mid-northern latitudes, Saturn will rise in the east about three hours before the sun, while in southern-latitudes it will rise around four hours before the sun. Through a telescope you may even be able to spot the distinctive rings that circle the planet. WHY ARE SOLAR ECLIPSES SO RARE? They have often been seen as a sign of an impending apocalypse or the anger of the gods, but the real reason for the erratic occurrence of solar eclipses on Earth may finally have been solved. Researchers recently unravelled the mystery of why our Moon has a strange orbital tilt which causes it to pass between our planet and the Sun to cause an eclipse only occasionally. They claim the Moon was jostled into its current position through a series of close encounters with large lumps of debris left over from the formation of the inner planets 4.5 billion years ago. The satellites of most other planets tend to orbit in a path that is in line with the parent planet's equator. If the Moon orbited our own planet in a similar way, we would likely experience monthly solar eclipses as it passes between the Earth and the sun. However, the moon orbits at an angle of 5 degrees off the Earth's own orbital plane around the sun and spins on an axis that is actually tilted towards our own planet. This results in a far less regular solar eclipses. Advertisement February 26 Solar eclipse With a new moon appearing on February 26, people in South America and Africa will be lucky enough to see the lunar disc pass directly in front of the sun. The moon won't completely cover the sun, and a small halo of light will remain visible. On February 26, a new moon will appear and pass directly in front of the sun, treating people in South America and Africa to a rare solar eclipse The eclipse will begin in Chile, before moving through Argentina, and onto the south Atlantic. It will touch down on the coast of Angola, before ending near the border of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo at sunset. But there's good news for you if you miss this solar eclipse, as a second eclipse is forecast to occur over the US in August. An Australian diver filmed the moment an octopus suddenly puffed up, inflating itself with water. She thought that the octopus was trying to intimidate and scare her away, but researchers can't agree on what caused it to behave this way. While some researchers think the octopus was pushing water on the seafloor to chase prey out of their hideouts, others think it puffed up to try to scare the diver away. Scroll down for video Professor Kathleen Sullivan Sealey, an associate professor of biology at the University of Miami, said the octopus pushed water down on the seafloor to find crustaceans hiding among rocks and coral The diver and film-maker who recorded the video, PT Hirschfield, spotted the octopus off the coast of Melbourne, Australia. On her blog, she wrote: 'While this magnificent octopus was seriously intent on finding its next morsel, I sensed that it was also becoming a tad annoyed by my continued presence. 'Whether it rushed towards me purely for having sensed some doomed crabs movement near me which it then puffed itself up like a parachute to capture, or whether its attack posture was also intended to intimidate me remained a mystery. 'I followed as it swam and continued to film the spectacular behaviour I had never encountered before from a slightly increased distance to avoid raising its ire.' Professor Kathleen Sullivan Sealey, an associate professor of biology at the University of Miami, told Live Science that the octopus was hunting for food. The octopus pushed water down on the seafloor to find crustaceans hiding among rocks and coral. 'It's shooting water out of its mantle [head],' professor Sullivan Sealey said. 'It was using that water to chase little shrimp out from the rocks so that they would get caught in its legs and the webbing between its legs.' THE OCTOPUS THAT DIES AFTER ITS PENIS DETACHES FOR MATING The Argonaugt octopus technically has eight arms, but also has a long, detachable penis in order to mate with females that are five times as large. Fully grown females are around eight inches long, while males can be just one inch. They are also 600 times lighter than females. When a female swims by, the male Argonaut sends his penis off to swim to the female and mate with her. The penis is a ball of sperm in a tentacle called a hectocotylus that is inserted into the female's pallial cavity. There's it's locked in so it's stored in her cavity. In this way, females can be fertilised by more than one male by storing their 'penises' in her cavity. The male dies soon after, but the females move one and find new mates. Advertisement Ballooning is a fairly common behaviour observed in hunting octopuses. But researchers at the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, think the parachuting behaviour can be explained differently. They said that in the video, the octopus changed its colour to camouflage itself to its surroundings - but when it saw the diver, it spread out its arms most likely to make itself look bigger, and also changed color. They said it did this to make itself look big, warning potential predators not to eat it. Then the octopus swam away and changed back to its camouflage colour. The Scripps researchers said that the octopus was most likely a Sydney octopus, which is common in those waters. Ms Hirschfield is an underwater photographer and film-maker who says she has a serious case of OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Diving. She has terminal endometrial cancer and says she's swimming against it 'one scuba dive at a time.' Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers said the octopus puffed up to make itself look big, warning potential predators not to eat it PT Hirschfield, the diver who took the video, is an underwater photographer and film-maker who says she has a serious case of OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Diving Near the end of the video, the octopus torpedoes through the water, and Ms Hirschfield said that it 'hurled itself towards me like a bowling bowl and scored its intended non-impact strike. 'I quickly filled my lungs with tanked air to float a meter off the sand as it swam straight through the patch I had been resting on, directly underneath me as I tried to keep its trajectory in focus with my camera. 'I have no idea what might have happened had I not anticipated the move and acted accordingly. 'In recent times at this dive site, bold octopuses have been known to confiscate unwary divers cameras.' Wormholes are often presented in science fiction books and films as a tunnel to different galaxies. While wormholes have never been observed in our universe, they theoretically could exist in the field of general relativity maths pioneered by Albert Einstein. But some researchers think that given the right circumstances, a functioning wormhole 'tunnel' may be possible. Scroll down for videos A model of 'folded' space-time illustrates how a wormhole bridge might form with at least two mouths that are connected to a single throat or tube A wormhole is a type of bridge that could form when space time is folded. Space time is the 3-D 'fabric' that makes up space, and it can be warped and distorted. It takes an enormous amount of matter or energy to create such distortions, but theoretically, distortions are possible, through black holes for example. Dr Paul Sutter, an astrophysicist at The Ohio State University and the chief scientist at the COSI Science Center, explained in an op-ed for Live Science that if wormholes actually do exist, it would be very difficult to travel down them. This is because their entrance sits inside the event horizon of a black hole - the point of no return leading you to a place of infinite density called the singularity, which would crush you. But if wormholes do exist and you could somehow travel through them, you could see light from another part of the universe enter in on the opposite side. For a working wormhole to exists, Dr Sutter said you would need to solve two problems. Firstly, the entrance to the wormhole would have to be outside of the event horizon so you could enter the wormhole and travel through it without going to the crushing singularity. In the 2014 movie Interstellar, the explorers use a wormhole placed near the orbit of Saturn in order to travel to another planetary system. As explained in the movie, this involves bending space so they can travel huge distances almost instantly. One is illustrated here, but they don't really exist - as far as we know WHAT IS A WORMHOLE? Space-time can be warped and distorted. It takes an enormous amount of matter or energy to create such distortions, but theoretically, distortions are possible. In the case of the wormhole, a shortcut is made by warping the fabric of space-time. Imagine folding a piece of paper with two pencil marks drawn on it to represent two points in space-time. The line between them shows the distance from one point to the other in normal space-time. If the paper is now bent and folded over almost double - the equivalent to warping space-time - then poking the pencil through the paper provides a much shorter way of linking the two points, in the same way a wormhole would create a shortcut. The problem with using wormholes to travel in space or time is that they are inherently unstable. When a particle enters a wormhole, it also creates fluctuations that cause the structure to collapse in on it. Advertisement Secondly, the tunnel would have to be strong and stable enough to handle the extreme gravity of the singularity without tearing apart if something gets sucked into it. There is something that could solve these two problems: material with negative mass. Dr Sutter said: 'Since the exotic nature of negative mass warps spacetime in a unique way, it "inflates" the entrance to the wormhole outside the boundary of the event horizon, and stabilizes the throat of the wormhole against instabilities. 'Its not an intuitive result but the math checks out.' However, negative mass has never been observed by researchers. Dr Sutter said that wormholes that actually work would breach so many laws of physics that it's better to try to solve other problems. The idea that wormholes could exist came about through Einstein's mathematical calculations, which revealed that black holes can be extended. The maths of black holes also predicts something called a white hole. While black holes have a 'point of no return called the 'event horizon,' a white hole is the opposite - you can't enter it, but anything already in there can escape. These theoretical calculations mean that all black holes would be linked to white holes, making a tunnel through space - a wormhole. Advertisement These arresting images - at once beautiful and heartbreaking - capture the changing face of the Arctic's polar ice cap. London-based landscape photographer Timo Lieber shot the series in July 2016, perched from small planes and helicopters as he was flown several hundred miles over Greenland. They capture an increasingly large body of blue lakes and rivers as they spill over the melting ice, and aim to bring viewers closer to an environmental calamity that is unfolding far from where we'd otherwise witness it. London-based landscape photographer Timo Lieber shot this series in July 2016, capturing the changing face of the Arctic's polar ice cap Mr Lieber explains of his powerful project: '"Thaw" showcases the rapidly growing number of blue lakes and rivers that form on the Greenland ice cap one of the most inaccessible areas on earth. 'Here, in the pristine landscape, stripped to the bare minimum of colours and shapes, the dramatic impact of climate change is more obvious than anywhere else in the world.' In order to shoot the images, he teamed up with scientists from the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge University as well as a scientist behind BBC's Frozen Planet series. The Greenland ice sheet is not just a stark, frigid wilderness perched at the top of the globe, it's a vast frozen reservoir of fresh water one which offsets 22ft of coastal flooding around the planet. He shot the arresting images perched from small planes and helicopters as he was flown several hundred miles over Greenland The Greenland ice sheet is not just a stark, frigid wilderness perched at the top of the globe, it's a vast frozen reservoir of fresh water one which offsets 22ft of coastal flooding around the planet In the past two decades, Greenland's reservoir has shifted from a steady state in balance with its climate, to one in which it is now losing on average 3.8 billion tonnes of ice annually In the past two decades, Greenland's reservoir has shifted from a steady state in balance with its climate, to one in which it is now losing on average 3.8billion tonnes of ice annually. As Arctic temperatures continue to rise, vast azure melt lakes form across its surface, rapidly draining through the ice sheet, lubricating its bed, causing the ice to flow faster towards the ocean where it melts and calves icebergs. 'Having travelled to the Arctic numerous times and seeing the rate of change there, I had the idea of creating this new series,' he explains. He added: 'Thaw is more than just a photography project it is a collaboration between science, nature and our ability to discuss it through photographs. 'I visited the scientists in the camp on the ice cap and was overwhelmed by the scale of the landscape and the enormity of associated problems. ' As Arctic temperatures continue to rise, vast azure melt lakes form across its surface, rapidly draining through the ice sheet, lubricating its bed, causing the ice to flow faster towards the ocean where it melts and calves icebergs Mr Lieber explains of his powerful project: '"Thaw" showcases the rapidly growing number of blue lakes and rivers that form on the Greenland ice cap one of the most inaccessible areas on earth' He adds: 'Here, in the pristine landscape, stripped to the bare minimum of colours and shapes, the dramatic impact of climate change is more obvious than anywhere else in the world' Mr Lieber's mission was to capture the sparse landscape in exceptionally fine detail, which he did using a 100 megapixel camera. Speaking about the science behind the series, Professor Julian Dowdeswell, director of Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute, said: 'Timo's images illustrate the dramatic changes we have been observing in the Arctic during the early 21st century. 'The Greenland Ice Sheet has been losing mass rapidly and is a major contributor to global sea-level rise. This is likely to continue over the coming decades through both surface melting and the production of icebergs.' Timo Lieber's THAW will be on exhibition at Bonhams in London, 101 New Bond Street on 20 - 23rd of February between 10am - 5.30pm. Mr Lieber's mission was to capture the sparse landscape in exceptionally fine detail, which he did using a 100 megapixel camera Last year, she strutted her stuff down the David Jones runway after she was told she was being dumped by the department store as an ambassador. But on Wednesday evening at the show's latest parade, model Montana Cox was seen looking longingly at the runway as she attended the show as a guest. Sitting front row, the 23-year-old brunette beauty looked a little downcast as she watched her former colleagues, ambassadors Jessica Gomes and Jesinta Campbell, storm the catwalk. Scroll down for video That's a little awkward! Dumped David Jones ambassador and model Montana Cox (centre) was seen looking longingly at the runway, as she attended the store's fashion show as a guest The former Australia's Next Top Model winner certainly stood out in the front row wearing a deep red lace dress. The frock featured a high neck and long sleeves, and showed off her endless trim pins. The beauty complimented her look with dewy foundation and a bright red lip, and had her short locks curled and out over her shoulders. Updating social media? Montana made sure to capture the parade on her phone and was seen videoing and taking pictures Sitting pretty: Showing off a soft golden glow, the former Australia's Next Top Model winner stunned in a deep red lace dress In action: Montana is seen here during a rehearsal show for the store's parade, in August last year Montana made sure to capture the parade on her phone and was seen videoing and taking pictures. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on the red carpet, Montana said attending the event as a guest took the pressure away. She said: 'I'm really relaxed. I can't wait to have a glass of champagne and watch all the styles. It's really cool that I get to come back and join the family.' The stunner also said she had no hesitation in accepting the invitation when asked to come and watch her former colleagues. No hard feelings: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on the red carpet, Montana said attending the event as a guest took the pressure away Strutting her stuff: Weeks after being told that her contract would not be renewed, Montana walked in the brand's Spring Summer launch - but not in her role as an official ambassador (pictured) 'I've never really had the opportunity to come and watch before. When they asked me, I said '100 per cent'. I love to come back and see the old crowd like Jason, Jess and Jesinta,' she revealed. Montana lost her lucrative contract with David Jones in July after the department store called time on her three-year association with them. However, the blow was softened a month later when she scored a contract as the face of Forever New. David Jones marketing general manager Michiel Tops said the Melbourne beauty would remain part of the store's 'family'. Weeks after being told that her contract would not be renewed, Montana walked in the brand's Spring Summer launch - but not in her role as an official ambassador. At the time, she told The Daily Telegraph: 'Its been such an amazing three seasons and Ive loved every minute of it but its a great change and Im now going to focus on my international career, so it opens up a few more doors.' She's frequently been the subject of gossip surrounding her previous relationship with Australian businessman James Packer. And in Thursday's OK! Magazine, T'ziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - confirmed that she was dating for love, and not money. 'I don't want people to be like, "Oh here she comes, that idiot that ran off with all that money",' said the former model, adding that she was given 'just a drop' in her ex-fiance's billion-dollar fortune. Scroll down for video Setting the record straight! T'ziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - confirmed she was dating James Packer for love, and not money following accusations she is a 'gold digger' Following the break-up, the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! contestant, 43, revealed she was given the property they shared, as well as just a small portion of James' $4.6 billion-dollar empire. 'It [the property] sold for $2 million, plus he gave me a few hundred thousand dollars, but the money was half that in the US as our [Australian] dollar was so low at the time,' T'ziporah confessed. Having dated James for five years, before splitting in 1998, the Sirens actress left behind the baggage of their highly-publicised relationship by fleeing to Los Angeles. The comments come shortly after T'ziporah took a swipe at James, 49, by claiming that she hates being defined by their romance. Facts: Following the break-up, T'ziporah claims she was given the property she shared with James Packer (pictured), as well as just a small portion of his $4.6 billion-dollar empire Appearing on Wednesday's edition of The Project, T'ziporah, who now works as a nurse's aid, said: 'I hate talking about him, I hate being defined by him. 'I actually had done quite a lot of work and a lot of it was quite good and I had a very promising career. 'I feel like I was a bud snapped off the vine before I had the time to bloom,' she concluded. 'I hate talking about him': T'ziporah took a swipe at James on The Project this week, claiming that she hates being defined by their five-year romance Interviewer Carrie Bickmore asked: 'Was it a sacrifice you chose to make or a sacrifice that you felt that you were being encouraged to?' 'Oh no, I had to stop work,' T'ziporah replied, before claiming that James had told her it was 'tacky' for his wife to work. Instead, the bride-to-be immersed herself in decorating their new home, coffee catch-ups with friends and 'shopping.' 'I feel like I was a bud snapped off the vine before I had the time to bloom': T'ziporah spoke about her regret at sacrificing her career during her former relationship with James After T'ziporah split with the billionaire, James married model Jodhi Meares in 1999 before they divorced three years later. The businessman went on to marry Erica Packer in 2007, having three children together, before splitting in 2013 after six years. His most recent relationship was with pop star Mariah Carey, but they separated last year after brief engagement. Former flame: James's most recent relationship was with pop star Mariah Carey (L), but they separated last year after brief engagement The federal grazing fee for 2017 will be $1.87 per animal unit month for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and $1.87 per head month for lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The 2016 public land grazing fee was $2.11. An AUM or HM treated as equivalent measures for fee purposes is the use of public lands by one cow and her calf, one horse, or five sheep or goats for a month. The newly calculated grazing fee, determined by a congressional formula and effective on March 1, applies to nearly 18,000 grazing permits and leases administered by the BLM and nearly 6,500 permits administered by the Forest Service. The formula used for calculating the grazing fee, which was established by Congress in the 1978 Public Rangelands Improvement Act, has continued under a presidential Executive Order issued in 1986. Under that order, the grazing fee cannot fall below $1.35 per AUM, and any increase or decrease cannot exceed 25 percent of the previous years level. The annually determined grazing fee is computed by using a 1966 base value of $1.23 per AUM/HM for livestock grazing on public lands in Western states. The figure is then calculated according to three factors current private grazing land lease rates, beef cattle prices, and the cost of livestock production. In effect, the fee rises, falls, or stays the same based on market conditions, with livestock operators paying more when conditions are better and less when conditions have declined. The 2017 grazing fee of $1.87 per AUM/HM applies to 16 Western states on public lands administered by the BLM and the Forest Service. The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Permit holders and lessees may contact their local BLM or U.S. Forest Service office for additional information. The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land over 245 million surface acres than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, manages approximately 193 million acres of Federal lands in 44 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Former model and socialite Kate Fischer has revealed the story behind her new name. The I'm a Celebrity contestant, who has legally taken the Jewish name Tziporah Atarah Malkah, said it came from her grandmother, even though she hasn't spoken to her mother for years. The Sirens star also warned that 'if anyone calls me 'Kate', 'Zippy' or 'Zip', they've got three strikes and they're out. I'll let them know.' Scroll down for video Finished with Fischer: The I'm a Celebrity contestant, who has legally taken the Jewish name Tziporah Atarah Malkah, said it is 'a traditional name ... passed down from Grandmother to first born Granddaughter' Never-backward Ash Pollard asked her directly about the name change and was told 'I was given a gentile name to be in the street, but at home I've always been Tziporah. I've just decided to reclaim it.' The former model's Facebook page explains that 'Tziporah is a traditional name on her matrilineal line, passed down from Grandmother to first born Granddaughter. 'Katherine/Kate/Katie was no longer,' her bio insisted. 'Katherine/Kate/Katie was no longer': Her Facebook page warned that 'Tziporah is how I wish to be addressed. You won't get far with Kate - it is not my name and it is disrespectful for people to be wilfully rude and ignore this simple request' While her new name comes from her maternal line, the brunette told The Project her mother, New South Wales mental health minister Pru Goward, was 'unmotherly'. The reality contestant recalled that she found herself homeless following her divorce from James Packer just years after she shot to fame as a model and actress. Tziporah said her mother, Ms Goward, did not even know she was homeless. Revealing that she no longer speaks to her mother, she added: 'It has always been quite a difficult relationship. I respect my mother and I understand my mother... that she is not motherly.' Tziporah (pictured in her younger years) said she 'tumbled from a great height' after moving to Australia from Beverly Hills after her marriage with Mr Packer crumbled Keeping mum: Tziporah said her mother, Ms Goward, did not even know she was homeless No time for Pru: Tziporah no longer speaks to her mother Pru Goward (pictured). She said 'it has always been quite a difficult relationship. I respect my mother and I understand my mother... that she is not motherly' Describing the day she arrived at the single women's refuge in Melbourne, she said: 'I was numb, in shock, I sat on the bed and wept ... It was pretty overwhelming.' Tziporah said she 'tumbled from a great height' after moving to Australia from Beverly Hills after her marriage with Mr Packer crumbled. She had fallen for a Jewish man living in Hollywood and rediscovered her faith before changing her name to that of her grandmother. Tziporah also got engaged to another businessman, but that relationship ended when she discovered that her new love had a wife and children back in Israel, and he had taken all her money. She wound up back in Australia and had nowhere to go. Unlucky in love: Tziporah got engaged again but that relationship ended when she discovered that her new love had a wife and children back in Israel, and he had taken all her money She found a shelter (pictured) which she shared with about 20 other women, but found it difficult to speak to others because some would recognise her 'I didn't know anything about homelessness so I thought I had to sleep under a bush so I Googled 'Homelessness Melbourne',' Tziporah said. She found a shelter which she shared with about 20 other women, but found it difficult to speak to others because some would recognise her, despite dropping out of the world of showbiz eight years earlier. 'I just felt so ashamed, and so frightened of being recognised,' she said. 'I was quite reluctant to kind of talk to anybody for quite a long time.' She would go on to spend nearly two years at the refuge. Kris Marshall has quit his leading role as Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman in Death In Paradise after four years on the BBC programme. The 43-year-old actor revealed on Thursday's episode of Good Morning Britain that the decision was made in order to spend more time with his family after his daughter was born last year, leaving him 'bereft' while away filming in the Caribbean. It has been confirmed that after he departs the show, he will be replaced by Father Ted funnyman Ardal O'Hanlan, who will play Detective Inspector Jack Mooney, a role he debuts in Thursday night's episode of the show. Scroll down for video Moving on: Kris Marshall has quit Death In Paradise after four years on the BBC programme. The 43-year-old actor reportedly made the decision to spend more time with his family Kris, who joined the programme in 2013, is father to four-year-old son Thomas and new addition Elsa with his plumber wife Hannah and while the family previously joined him for filming, in the last series they remained in the UK. Confirming the news during an appearance on Thursday's GMB, the saddened star said: 'I've loved it. It's time to move on and give someone else some sun. I'm still thinking whether I've made the right decision. 'It is amazing and I've been filming in London since and there's a moment when you stand in the cold and think why am I not in flips flops in the Caribbean?' He admits he struggled being away from his family for filming, saying: 'For the last few years I have been able to take them with me but we had a daughter and this last series I did on my own. Skyping leaves me bereft.' Sad times: The 43-year-old actor revealed on Thursday's episode of Good Morning Britain that the decision was made in order to spend more time with his family after his daughter was born last year, leaving him 'bereft' while away filming in the Caribbean Shock move: Confirming the news during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Thursday, the saddened star said: 'I've loved it. Its time to move on and give someone else some sun. I'm still thinking whether I've made the right decision' Speaking about the arrival of his replacement, he said: 'Ardal is in this series. We meet him tonight. He arrives as our colleague in London and he's fantastic. 'The handover was planned it wasn't thrust upon him! It's the first time the show has left the island. It's the first time we've had a double episode which is a sign of confidence in the show.' Naturally, fans were quick to react to the news, with Twitter users swarming the microblogging site to lament the departure. Fresh face: Although it's not yet known how his character Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman will leave the show, his replacement has already been announced as Ardal O'Hanlan Compelling: Kris joined the popular programme as DI Humphrey Goodman in 2014 during the show's third season, he was brought in to solve the murder of his predecessor Twitter users penned: 'So sad he is leaving but can understand his reasons. Good luck Kris... Actually heartbroken over Kris Marshall leaving Death In Paradise... 'Such sad news! Thank you Kris for bringing @HumphreyGoodman to life, as only you can! Much love! x... So sad he is leaving but can understand his reasons. Good luck Kris... Actually heartbroken over Kris Marshall leaving Death In Paradise 'So sad your leaving! You have done an amazing job! go make some great memories with your family... Kris Marshall...nooooo!!! Get back to the island! #deathinparadise... please don't tell me he is leaving. You have such a great cast chemistry...' Fans of the show commented on Ardal's casting, with many positive reactions peppered with doubt from others: 'Such a shame Kris Marshall has quit #deathinparadise but Ardal O Hanlon is just genuis casting... 'Whilst it's disappointing to learn Kris Marshall is leaving Death in Paradise, Ardal O'Hanlon will be a brilliant replacement... Ohhh Ardal O'Hanlon take over ,He fab but still alittle sad Kris leaving... Ardal o'hanlon doing death in paradise, that's the end of that then'. News of Kris' departure comes days after Peter Capaldi confirmed he will no longer play the lead role in Dr Who - in yet another devastating casting announcement for fans. Upsetting stuff: Fans of the show commented on Ardal's casting, with many positive reactions peppered with doubt from others: 'Such a shame Kris Marshall has quit #deathinparadise but Ardal O Hanlon is just genuis casting...' The double blow of news led some Twitter users to question if Kris was perhaps headed for the role of The Time Lord: 'Gutted Kris Marshall is leaving #deathinparadise . If only there was another long running BBC drama that needs a lead #DoctorWho #hinthint... 'Hold on Perter Capaldi leaves #DoctorWho then all of a sudden Kris Marshall leaves #DeathinParadise .....i wonder... Hang on a minute!!! What about #KrisMarshall as the next Dr!!!!!!! #DrWho #ohyesthatworksforme'. The show, which has been decribed as 'a bit of escapism', has won widespread praise from critics and has long-boasted eye-popping veiwing figures, with 9million fans tuning in for the seventh episode of the fourth series in 2015. Kris joined the popular programme as DI Humphrey Goodman in 2013 during the show's third season, he was brought in to solve the murder of his predecessor, DI Richard Poole played by Ben Miller. Death In Paradise is a joint UK and French production filmed on the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe. Earlier this month, Kris revealed that this is set to be the best season yet, as he promised 'more stunts and lots more going on'. Abroad: Death In Paradise is a joint UK and French production filmed on the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe. Kris is pictured with Sara Martins (Detective Sergeant Camille Bordey) He told The Express: 'Its easily my favourite of the four series Ive done. Were constrained to a template the way the show works and what people like about it but theres a lot going on with the characters, this year more than most.' Ardal will now take the lead in the show's seventh series, and will make his first appearance on Thursday night's episode. He said: 'I am delighted to be joining Death in Paradise and exploring whats made Mooney up and leave London for a life in the Caribbean. Ive already had a taste of filming in Guadeloupe and cant wait to get back.' In December, Kris candidly discussed the upsetting distance from his family in an interview with The Sun, as he said: 'We did Skype about once a week. But my son got bored very quickly. 'Its like, Seeing your face is one thing, but if you cant play with me then youre no real use to me so Im gonna go off and do something else. You just end up coming off FaceTime feeling quite bereft and actually quite empty.' She's the glamourous mother-of-four who recently returned to work at Channel Nine as host of the Melbourne lifestyle show Postcards. And while Rebecca Judd juggles TV presenting with a new radio gig for KIIS FM, she has found a solution for being a multi-tasking mother - taking the children to work. The wife of former AFL player Chris Judd debuted a commercial for dry shampoo brand Klorane on Thursday, featuring her son Oscar, five, and daughter Billie, two. Scroll down for video All in a day's work! AFL WAG Rebecca Judd debuted a commercial for dry shampoo brand Klorane on Thursday, featuring her son Oscar, five, and daughter Billie, two Filmed in a pristine waterfront apartment, the promotion begins with the former model, 34, strolling into her bathroom barefoot in a white robe. 'I love my crazy life - but with four kids, an hour with my hair and make-up team is not a part of my mornings,' Rebecca explains in a voice over. She sprays the dry shampoo product through her long, wavy hair and applies liquid foundation to her already heavily made-up face. Relaxed: Filmed in a pristine waterfront apartment, the promotion begins with the former model, 34, strolling into her bathroom barefoot in a white robe. The social media enthusiast then picks up a dark denim dress to wear as her outfit choice for the day. 'I may spend more time thinking about nappy bags and the school run, but I haven't left my glam squad completely behind,' she continues. Meanwhile, her two eldest children are seen in happy spirits as they laugh while running through the bathroom. Little TV stars! Rebecca's two eldest children are seen in happy spirits as they run through the bathroom during their mother's morning beauty routine Hands full! Rebecca recently returned to work at Channel Nine after welcoming identical twins Tom and Darcy (L) in late September. Pictured with Billie and Oscar Oscar is dressed in a striped long-sleeved shirt with shorts while Billie looks adorable in a white dress and a pink robe. Their younger siblings, four-month-old identical twins Darcy and Tom, are not featured in the commercial. The WAG recently claimed her mother flew from Perth to Melbourne to help her balance work commitments with raising four young children. She is set to thrill fans in one of the BBC's most shocking dramas to date. And Kate Bosworth proved she can bring some wow factor to the red carpet as well. The Hollywood actress, 34, attended the InStyle EE BAFTAs Rising Star bash at the soon-to-be-open The Ivy Soho Brasserie on Wednesday night. Scroll down for video Hollywood glamour: Kate Bosworth proved she can bring some wow factor to the red carpet as well The slender blonde beauty decided to opt for two looks on her evening out - both girly and sexy at the same time. The Blue Crush actress slipped into a floral frock which had a ruffled front, mixed with a racy black negligee detail at one side. The look made for a striking one and worked wonders for the stunning star. To ramp up the vamp aspect of her ensemble with a dash of red lipstick as she mingled at the bash, which saw guests treated to sumptuous Ivy Soho Brasserie canapes, champagne and Bulldog gin. Star-studded: The Hollywood actress, 34, attended the InStyle EE BAFTAs Rising Star bash at the soon-to-be-open The Ivy Soho Brasserie on Wednesday night Red carpet sensation: The slender blonde beauty decided to opt for two looks on her evening out - both girly and sexy at the same time Mixing it up: The Blue Crush actress slipped into a floral frock which had a ruffled front, mixed with a racy black negligee detail at one side Legs be having you! Kate stunned as she showed off her pins on her way out of the bash Poser! The star made sure she had her best angle on show as she worked it for photographers Swing out, sister! Inside the bash, she showed off a feature of the dress' single sleeve Out and a pout: Kate looked chic and flirty in her mini dress Blonde beauty: The stunning star wowed in her frothy gown Legs eleven: Her slender frame looked chic in her gown Earlier in the evening the star looked typically elegant in an off-the-shoulder dress ahead of an appearance on The One Show, where she was on hand to promote unconventional new drama SS-GB. With a distinct bronze hue and tasteful fitted detail the outfit ensured Kate, 34, commanded attention as she prepared for her latest interview on behalf of the forthcoming show. Conventional black stiletto heels completed her look, while a distinct lack of accessories allowed her wardrobe to take centre stage. Styling her willowy blonde locks in a simple bun, the actress revealed naturally pretty features accentuated by subtly applied foundation, delicate mascara and a generous layer of bold red lipstick. Elegant: Kate's flowing dress made the most of her slender physique Busy: Also that evening, she was seen making an appearance on the BBC's One Show Unfazed: Despite the cooler temperatures, Kate looked unfazed as she stepped outside Mic check: She patiently waited as a crew member adjusted her microphone for her interview Let's hug it out! The actress was enthusiastically greeted by fellow guest, singer Izzy Bizu Squad: A team of handlers stayed close by as she made her way out of the studios Elegant exit: The screen star was sure to protect herself from any mishaps as she departed Hydrated: Bottles of water waited in the car for the star as the next leg of her journey began Taking her place on the studio sofa, Kate was joined by co-star Sam Riley as she talked about the 1941 set show, in which war-time London has been successfully occupied by marauding Nazi Germany, and her role as visiting New York Times reporter Barbara Barga. You dont really know what side of the line anyone stands, she told hosts Matt Baker and Michelle Ackerley. Its a great psychological thriller for all the characters. I play a journalist who has come over from America to relay the story of whats happening in the UK. 'Shes mysterious and a femme fatale, which is what I really loved about the character. Shes really great. Striking: She journeys back to Britains war torn past for her latest role, but it was a very modern Kate Bosworth who made an entrance at BBC studios on Wednesday evening Looking good: The American actress looked typically elegant in an off-the-shoulder dress ahead of an appearance on The One Show, where she was on hand to promote unconventional new drama SS-GB Hard to miss: With a distinct bronze hue and tasteful fitted detail the outfit ensured Kate, 34, commanded attention as she prepared for her latest interview on behalf of the forthcoming show Finishing touches: Conventional black stiletto heels completed her look, while a distinct lack of accessories allowed her wardrobe to take centre stage. Kate and co-star Sam lead the way in the highly-awaited mini-series from BBC Films, based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Len Deighton. The series, produced by Sid Gentle Films Ltd, has been adapted from the novel by Bafta award-winners Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. Set in Nazi-occupied London, the drama is based on the premise that the Germans won the Battle of Britain. Tasteful: Styling her willowy blonde locks in a simple bun, the actress revealed naturally pretty features accentuated by subtly applied foundation, delicate mascara and a generous layer of bold red lipstick British actor Sam, 37, will play British Detective Douglas Archer, who finds himself working under the brutal SS in occupied London and investigates what appears to be a simple black market murder. Speaking at the show's London premiere on Monday evening, he said: 'Archer is a compelling and complex character. He is a good guy struggling to reconcile his job as a policeman within the repressive Nazi machine. 'Neal Purvis and Robert Wade have written a gripping screenplay that pays homage to Len Deightons novel. I am very much looking forward to working with this talented team.' Kate added: 'I am thrilled and honoured to be a part of this incredible team, bringing an iconic novel to the screen.' A television advert for ING Direct featuring Isla Fisher did not break any advertising codes of practice after a viewer complained it 'discriminated' against people with ginger hair. A complaint to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) cited 'reverse discrimination' over a commercial, part of a series of ads starring Fisher, which saw the Hollywood actress poke fun at her hair colour. As Mumbrella reported on Thursday, the ASB ruled: 'In this instance the advertisement does not present red hair in a negative light or suggest that people with red hair should be thought less of.' Ruling: A television advert for ING Direct featuring Isla Fisher did not break any advertising codes of practice after a viewer complained it 'discriminated' against people with ginger hair Part of the complaint stated the advert was 'suggesting that having red hair means there's something wrong with you or a lesser person than someone with another colour hair. It's discrimination against ginger coloured people.' In a statement, ING Direct also defended the advert by claiming Fisher, a brand ambassador for the bank, 'is a proud advocate of having natural red hair and through her Hollywood career, has always remained true to her natural colour.' Last year, an advert for Bonds gym clothes featuring radio personality Hamish Blake and his wife Zoe Foster Blake was the subject of several complaints that it was sexist against men. 'It's discrimination': A complaint to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) cited 'reverse discrimination' over a commercial which saw the Hollywood actress poke fun at her hair colour At one point, the commercial showed journalist Zoe pulling down Hamish's shorts to reveal a pair of Bonds underwear. Several complaints alleged the scene portrayed males as 'sexual objects to the viewers', but they were dismissed by the advertising board in August. One complaint from the director of an after-school child care centre alleged the advert directly affected the behaviour of their pupils. Response: In a statement, ING Direct defended the ad by claiming Fisher 'is a proud advocate of having natural red hair and... has always remained true to her natural colour' throughout her career. Pictured with her husband Sacha Baron Cohen (L) in December 'This ad has had an impact on the behaviour of a few children at the centre who now feel it is okay to pull their peers' pants down,' they wrote. Bonds responded by citing the couple's high profile relationship and the fact the advertisement was screened during adult programming. Responding to the underwear scene, the advertising board also ruled: 'This was very playful and in the overall context of a friendly spar, was not of concern, and there was nothing in the man's response to cause concern.' Having recently endured a bitter and costly divorce, most of us would probably want to keep a tight hand on the purse strings. Keeping to a set budget might help, as well as cutting down on one or two of your more extravagant outlays. But thats not the approach taken by Johnny Depp. In fact, the actor has splashed out 21million in the past year alone according to his former managers. Johnny Depp has splashed out 21million in the past year alone according to his former managers They say Depp spends an astonishing 24,000 a month on wine, 238,600 a month maintaining a team of 40 staff and 159,000 a month on private planes. Over recent years he is also said to have spent 8million on a massive art collection as well as 70 collectible guitars, and treated himself to a 14.3million 150ft luxury yacht which was later bought by JK Rowling. His extravagant spending also included a 2.4million bill on a cannon to blast the ashes of his friend and author Hunter S Thompson into space. The actor had played the lead role in the film adaptation of Thompsons book Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas in 1998. Depp, who recently divorced wife Amber Heard (pictured together left) spent 2.4million on a cannon to blast the ashes of his friend and author Hunter S Thompson into space Depp is suing his ex-managers for 20million for mismanaging his earnings. But his excesses have been revealed in a counter lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by The Management Group (TMG) on Tuesday, with the firm describing him as a voracious spender. His ex-managers claim they repeatedly warned the 53-year-old his lavish lifestyle over the past two decades, which cost more than 1.5million a month to maintain, was leading him towards financial ruin but he chose to ignore their advice. TMG handled his finances from 1999 until early 2016, which was an especially lucrative period for the actor. During that time, Depps career rocketed after landing the role of Jack Sparrow in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movie franchise. Its thought starring as the lead in the five films has made him more than 200million. Depps lawsuit, filed on January 13, accused his former advisers of defrauding him out of his fortune, taking out loans without his approval and hiding the severity of his financial problems from him. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star owned 14 residences and spent $30,000-a-month on wine, the legal documents claim. Pictured is his spectacular LA mansion He has put the French country estate he had spent millions of dollars restoring during his relationship with Vanessa Paradis up for sale He claimed that he only realised his fortune was dwindling when he was advised to sell off his 45-acre chateau in France to pay off his debts. He also alleges that the company failed to file his taxes on time, costing him 4.5million in penalties. However, the management company claims the actor has spent more than 59.6million on 14 homes including the French castle, a chain of islands in the Bahamas and several homes in California. Other spending included 3.2million on a failed record label, 120,000 a month on 24-hour security and he also maintains a fleet of 45 luxury cars. They also say he paid 800,000 for 12 storage facilities to house his collection of Hollywood memorabilia involving icons such as Marilyn Monroe, John Dillinger and Marlon Brando. Over recent years he is also said to have spent 8million on a massive art collection as well as 70 collectible guitars, and treated himself to a 14.3million 150ft luxury yacht (pictured) which was later bought by JK Rowling In the court papers, his ex-managers claim they even warned him to get a pre-nuptial agreement before marrying actress Amber Heard in 2015. Depp and actress Heard, 30, reached an out-of-court settlement in August to end their 18-month marriage, agreeing he would pay her 6million. The divorce was finalised last month. TMG allege the star still owes it 3.3million. Their countersuit claimed: Depp lived an ultra-extravagant lifestyle that often cost in excess of 2million dollars (1.6million) per month to maintain, which he simply could not afford. His voracious spending consistently outpaced his earnings. Depp and Depp alone is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today. The LA court is due to consider the case at a later date. Busy star Sofia Richie hit the town in checkers and stripes in Los Angeles Wednesday. While out and about, the 18-year-old looked like she was ready to race, wearing a cropped hoodie that was covered in yellow and black squares. Her sporty demeanor may have been influenced by the fact the teen daughter of Lionel Richie been spending time with 32-year-old Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton. Scroll down for video All star: Sofia Richie looked sporty while spotted getting pizza with friends in Los Angeles on Wednesday During the day, the star was spotted fetching some pizza with friends, leaving the pizza joint through the back door after getting her fill. As she walked to her car, the teenage celeb held her phone in her neatly manicured hands while she spoke into the phone. It was unclear if the star was chatting with her new 'friend' Lewis Hamilton or if she was simple asking Siri for something. Yellow fellow: The blonde model wore a cropped hoodie that showed off her killer abs Speaker phone: The teenage star made a call as she left the pizza place Low key: Sofia sported a beanie teamed with sunglasses to stay incognito While she made her call, the Complex cover girl showed off her taut tummy in a short bright sweatshirt with a hood. She paired the cute crop with some sweats that featured a matching yellow racing stripe down the leg. The younger sister of celeb Nicole Richie tucked her blonde locks underneath a dark beanie while keeping low-key by covering her eyes in a pair of wide sunglasses. Shutterbug! The 18-year-old model has been carrying around a camera for the last few days In check: Sofia headed out to the Grove Mall in West Hollywood later During the outing, the shutterbug star carried a camera that she's been playing with for the last few days. It looked like the snap happy starlet has been putting her photo skills to good use, as earlier today Sofia posted a dreamy photo of supposed new flame Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of a classic car. She captioned the shot of the three time Formula One World Champion 'killer' while showing her true feelings by tagging the star and adding a double heart emoji to the pic. Big cheers! Sofia held her hands up in a triumphant gesture as she hit the mall Distinctive: There was no hiding for the star in her eye-catching ensemble Today's earlier Instagram shot seems to confirm that Sofia is getting close to the British racer. Days prior the teen dream turned heads when she was spotted sharing dinner with the much older man. Previously, the celebuspawn was linked to 22-year-old Justin Bieber. 'Killer' The star shared a black and white snap of supposed flame Lewis Hamilton on Instagram earlier in the day Ready to sweat! Sofia indulged in some self-care while taking a spinning class at SoulCycle Sofia wasn't obsessing with her new romance though, as the starlet also indulged in some me time with a bit of cardio. The Next repped model posted some first person snaps of her work out, beginning by showing off some red pants with the text 'Jeremy and I hit soul' referring to the popular spinning workout SoulCycle. It seems like the star may have exercised a little too hard, however, as her next snap showed a resting ankle and the words 'And injured myself working out'. Zooey Deschanel is pregnant, but is Jessica Day? The actor, 37, was spotted on the set of hit comedy show New Girl with her baby bump fully visible in Los Angeles on Wednesday. But when the leading lady who plays Jessica was pregnant with her first child, Elsie Otter, back in 2015, the show went to great lengths to hide her pregnant belly. Baby on board! Jessica Day was spotted on the set of hit comedy show New Girl with her baby bump fully visible in Los Angeles on Wednesday This is different! But when the leading lady who plays Jessica was pregnant with her first child, Elsie Otter, back in 2015, the show went to great lengths to hide her pregnant belly One particularly humorous and elaborate scheme to disguise Zooey's pregnancy with husband Jacob Pechenik involved a stolen motorized scooter. Then, the lovely and quirky Jess was called away to jury duty, which coincided in real life with the star's maternity leave early into season five in 2016. But there are also more subtle ways to work around things, if the character on the show doesn't share the actor's family plans. Baby for Jessica Day? Zooey was also spotted a bit more covered up, wearing a red, black and grey plaid flannel jacket over her blousy maternity top Like, perhaps, a well-tailored coat. Zooey was also spotted a bit more covered up, wearing a red, black and grey plaid flannel jacket over her blousy maternity top. Regardless of the motivation for the choice of these particular pieces, the Trolls voice actor's wardrobe was stylish and casual. Her team paired dark leggings with fur-lined grey boots and she had a cross-body bag slung over one shoulder. Her hair looked exceptionally voluminous and shiny, blown out and full of body. Looking good! Her team paired dark leggings with fur-lined grey boots and she had a cross-body bag slung over one shoulder With season six airing now, fans can watch and see how the show's executives handle her growing bump. There's sure to be a lot of tech vests, seated-at-the-table scenes and strategically folded arms as her pregnancy progresses. New Girl airs on Tuesdays at 8 PM eastern on Fox. He won over legions of fans with roles in Happy Valley and War & Peace - as well as starring as crime-fighting vicar Reverend Sidney Chambers in Grantchester. But James Norton has now gone over to the dark side, as his latest project will see him playing Alex Godman, an English-raised man trying to escape the Mafia ties of his exiled Russian family and go into legitimate business. In a newly released image, the 31-year-old actor is seen sporting darker hair as he solemnly stands amid mourners at a graveside during a family funeral. Scroll down for video Dark new role: James Norton is seen playing Alex Godman in the upcoming BBC drama McMafia, alongside Maria Shukshina, who plays his mother Oksana Wearing a black suit, he holds back his emotions as his mother Oksana, played by Maria Shukshina, looks decidedly sad while embracing a weeping mourner. As would be expected with the twists and turns of a drama, Alex's attempts to go into a legal line of business fail, and he's soon drawn back to that which he tried so hard to escape. Part of the BBC's synopsis of the show reads: 'What starts out as a story of survival and revenge becomes an epic tale of a mans struggle against the lures of corruption in the modern world and in himself.' Contrasting characters: His role is a far cry from that of crime-fighting vicar Reverend Sidney Chambers in Grantchester David Strathairn, Aleksey Serebryakov, Faye Marsay and Juliet Rylance are among the other castmembers who will appear on the show. While the image will likely get James Norton's fans excited about a possible imminent return to screens, McMafia is still in production and bosses have yet to announce an official release date. The cast and crew are currently shooting the show in London, before production moves to Croatia. Russian ties: He previously played Russian Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in War and Peace The eight-part drama is James' second foray into a playing a Russian character, after he portrayed Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in War and Peace. When the show was announced in August, a statement from the BBC read: 'This fast-paced thriller is epic and intimate, glamorous and gritty, global in scale and forensic in detail. 'It delves into how, with the rise of globalisation, the corporate has become criminal and the criminal corporate and how, driven by the global demand for cheap products, everyone is complicit in some way.' As a model and skincare company founder, she knows a thing or two about having a a glowing complexion. And Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) took to Instagram on Thursday morning to share her secret to looking flawless as she showcased a new foundation compact. But while applying the product to her face, the 29-year-old model appeared to already have a perfectly made up face - including eyeshadow, mascara, brows, as well as contouring. Scroll down for video Show and tell! Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) showed off a new makeup compact as she revealed her beauty tips on Instagram on Thursday morning Sharing a video of the task, the wife of actor Sam Worthington flaunted her Dior makeup compact, which retails at $90. 'I just got this new compact from Dior and it's called the Dior Perfect Cushion in 011 and it is so good,' she told her fans. 'It covers everything,' said Lara, who was announced as the face of Dior last year. High-end beauty: The 29-year-old model showcased a Dior foundation compact that she's currently using, which retails at $90 'It covers everything': But in the video, Lara appeared to have a full face of makeup already The mother-of-two showed off her bronzed arms and decolletage as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror. With her slender figure wrapped up in a towel, the model was seen sporting wet hair in the footage. The New York-based star touched down in Sydney on Monday for a solo trip without her husband and sons. Showing how it's done! The mother-of-two sported wet hair and a towel as she demonstrated the product It is the first time Lara has left her two children behind since welcoming her second son in October. 'Lara is in Sydney for literally 72 hours for business meetings for her beauty brand The Base and to meet with her Australian team,' a friend told The Daily Telegraph. 'Because it's a short trip she left her children at home,' they added. Quick appearance: The skincare company founder is back in Sydney for only 72 hours to attend business meetings - but she also paid a visit to the David Jones fashion launch As well as business meetings, Lara stepped out on Wednesday to attend the David Jones Autumn/Winter 2017 launch. She proudly displayed her post-baby body in an '80s-inspired powder blue frock, with billowy sleeves and ruched detailing. Sporting minimal makeup with a soft pink pout, the Cronulla-born star completed her look with a pair of rust-hued Fendi heels. ELKO Respected cowboy bard Paul Zarzyski helped aspiring poets harness their craft Wednesday during his writing workshop. Before the other writers in the room exchanged ideas on how to improve their work, Zarzyski discussed ways to better engage their audience and pointed out that poets often have a more difficult time doing this than musical acts do. They have instruments and they have a melody, we just have the naked words, he said. We have a major handicap, all we have are the words and they might have a guitar. Last night they even had a harp. How are you going to compete poetically with a beautiful woman on a harp? Zarzyski mentioned that it is important for cowboy poets to mix up the subject matter of their poems to appeal to people with different backgrounds. He credits his ability to write about subjects that everyone could relate to for giving him his longevity. There are universal themes. Ill go anywhere and whatever I need to write Im going to write, he said. Ive never said that if Im going to be a cowboy poet I need to write about that lifestyle. If that was a rule coming in I wouldnt have lasted two years. One of the cowboy poets in the room who shared a piece that was not related to the ranching lifestyle was Andrew Church. He shared a piece he wrote about his time working at sea on a fishing boat. Church said he normally likes to come to workshops to hear ideas from others since he does not get to exchange ideas with other cowboy poets. I live on a ranch here in Elko County and you dont get to talk to anyone else about how they perceive this culture, he said. Thats why I come here, to hear everyone elses perspective and make sure youre not alone. Chris Henrich considers Zarzyski a friend and regularly attends workshops he hosts. When Henrich shared his piece that lamented the lack of interest in hearing cowboy stories Zarzyski gave him suggestions on how to help the audience connect with his message. Henrich left the workshop excited to continue working on his poem and said being able to pick Zarzyskis brain reminds him of the cultural value of cowboy poetry. Its my annual trip to the Vatican. Its meeting with the pope for a day, he said. I get to have my battery recharged and go back to my little congregation and spread the word of cowboy poetry. Zarzyski encouraged everyone who presented a poem to fine tune their work but towards the end of the workshop, he felt inspired to share a piece that he had been working on. He said he had been debating if he should use it in his show on Thursday but is leaning towards throwing it into his act after receiving positive feedback from the other cowboy poets in the room. Zarzyski said he loves workshops. Its even more satisfying than walking on stage in front of a full room and really nailing it, he said. to be in a room with 20 or 30 aspiring poets and be able to deliver something that they can take from this room and apply to their future writing gives me great satisfaction. She was born Kate Fischer but changed her name to T'ziporah Malkah bat Israel after converting to Orthodox Judaism. And the former model, who is now starring in Network Ten's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, has never been shy about speaking her mind. On Thursday, a post from the 43-year-old's Twitter account responded to critics of her appearance after she was filmed in the South African jungle without a bra. Scroll down for video Fighter: A Twitter account for T'ziporah Malkah (formerly Kate Fischer) hit back at critics of her appearance after she was filmed without a bra on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! The ex-fiancee of businessman James Packer caused a stir when she roamed in the jungle camp in a blue singlet tops - and notably without a bra. Her fellow contestants were surprised by T'ziporah's free spirited ways, with MKR contestant Ash Pollard and model Tegan Martin speaking out. 'She just walks around with no clothes on sometimes! I wouldnt walk around with no clothes on,' observed Tegan. Free spirit! T'ziporah (C) previously appeared naked in 1993 film Sirens, a biopic of painter Norman Lindsay, playing a nude model alongside Elle Macpherson (L) and Portia de Rossi (R) Social media backlash: The ex-fiancee of businessman James Packer caused a stir when she roamed in the jungle camp in a blue singlet tops - and notably without a bra 'That doesnt mean youre confident; sometimes its a bit rude,' Ash replied. 'We dont want to see it, do we? Its a bit of decorum, I would say.' The criticism spilled from the jungle to social media, with many I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of here! fans voicing their own disapproval. People on Twitter were especially harsh, as they hurled cruel messages, like: 'I hope someones crocheting a bra' and 'Oh dear God, put a bra on.' 'It's a bit rude': Her fellow contestants were surprised by T'ziporah's free spirited ways, with MKR contestant Ash Pollard and model Tegan Martin speaking out 'Kate, put on a bra!' The criticism spilled from the jungle to social media, with many I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of here! fans voicing their own disapproval But representatives for the Sydney socialite responded by sharing several topless photos from Kate's modelling heyday on her Twitter account. 'Never been a big fan of bras to be honest,' read the tweet, which was authored by a staff member at PR agency Markson Sparks! on T'ziporah's behalf. She previously appeared naked in 1993 film Sirens, a biopic of painter Norman Lindsay, playing a nude model alongside Elle Macpherson and Portia de Rossi. Their time in Tenerife seems to have healed the rift between them following their explosive row last week. And some fun in the sun looked as though it had brought Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks closer together than ever as they cuddled up on a night out with their co-stars on Wednesday. Clinging on to her handsome beau, the Megan was all smiles as she walked hand in hand. Scroll down for video Cute couple: Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks closer together than ever as they cuddled up on a night out with their co-stars in Tenerife on Wednesday Pete looked equally as pleased to be in her company, and it was no wonder as she looked phenomenal on the evening. Showing off her lithe figure, the reality starlet donned a plunging white jumpsuit that highlighted her tiny waist. Complementing her tanned complexion, Megan teamed the garment with a pair of nude peep toe heels. Sweet: Clinging on to her handsome beau, the Megan was all smiles as she walked hand in hand Only have eyes for each other: Pete looked equally as pleased to be in her company, and it was no wonder as she looked phenomenal on the evening Bit of all white! Showing off her lithe figure, the reality starlet donned a plunging white jumpsuit that highlighted her tiny waist Megan and Pete's love story has spun a convoluted tale ever since they first coupled up in March last year - with accusations of adultery flaring up resentment and hurt. Last month, the couple attended the National Television Awards, where they initially dazzled on the red carpet before the night descended into shocking drama. After the ceremony, the brunette beauty was seen fleeing London's O2 Arena in floods of tears while reportedly pleading and calling: 'Pete' - calls her handsome boyfriend swiftly ignored. Leggy lady! Complementing her tanned complexion, Megan teamed the garment with a pair of nude peep toe heels Brunette beauty: Megan wore her glossy chestnut locks in a chic topknot Tanned and toned: Megan sported a healthy bronzed glow on her holiday Stunning: She was a vision of beauty on the outing Suave: Pete complemented her ensemble in distressed jeans and a beige cardigan Cute: The couple only had eyes for each other on the evening Two's company: They dazzled as they held hands and skipped off together Since the cast jetted away for the bi-annual special in the sun, fans were left questioning the state of their relationship - yet Megan's intimate whispers appeared to point to a positive sign. At last month's NTAs, Megan graced the red carpet earlier in the evening on the arm of her tuxedo-clad boyfriend, where she looked sensational in a stunning red two-piece. While pulling her famed pout for the vying photographers and revellers, all seemed well in the 'Pegan' camp although the night seemed to end in disaster when they were spotted in a blazing row - after which Megan was left hysterical. Two of a kind: Megan also posed for snaps with TOWIE newbie Amber Turner Red hot! Amber dazzled in a crimson flared jumpsuit and peep toe heels Following the festivities, the Essex native was seen with a fur coat draped over her shoulders as she fled the arena, sobbing, while a pal rushed to wrap her arms around the inconsolable beauty. Her long-haired beau followed behind although maintained a more stoic pose while storming out and talking on his mobile - reportedly ignoring his girlfriend's cries. Shortly after the spat, Megan sent a series of Twitter posts, in which she penned: 'Why do people on Instagram think it's OK to cyber bully me just because I'm in the public eye? What about the poor people that end up commuting suicide over being harassed and bullied online?! Rock on! Chloe Sims teamed a black T-shirt dress with an oversized denim jacket Double denim! Chloe was joined by Georgia Kousoulou - who opted for a similar look Leggy ladies! The blonde beauties flaunted their tanned and toned pins on the night out Twice as nice: The gal pals showed off their jackets from behind 'There the same as me. A normal person!? What's the difference? Older woman who probly have children think it's OK to abuse and threaten me? 'Imagine if someone was doing that to there daughter!? Surely this should be a crime to harass and cyber bully someone. In the public eye or not... 'That's why I'm thankful for all my amazing fans who defend me without me even having to say anything! I'm sure I'm not the only person... 'I love every single person who follows and supports me! Without you guys I don't think I could do it!!!!.' Here come the boys! Georgia's boyfriend Tommy Mallett posed for snaps with Dan Edgar, James Lock and Pete as they prepared to go on their night out Busy Philipps was all smiles when she left her hotel in New York City on Wednesday, despite what could have easily have been an awkward encounter with her ex just a day earlier. Dressed in ripped blue jeans, white sneakers, and a white turtleneck sweater, the Cougar Town actress appeared to be having an animated phone conversation as she left The Bowery Hotel. Clad in a red beanie and mirrored sunglasses, Busy had appeared on Live! With Kelly as a guest co-host the previous day, where she came face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend, Colin Hanks. Beanie there, done that: Busy Philipps was in a great mood when she left her New York City hotel, despite coming face-to-face with her ex, Colin Hanks, a day earlier On call: The former Cougar Town actress was seen chatting animatedly on her phone as she left The Bowery Hotel But there appeared to be no animosity between the exes, despite dating for three years during their late teens and early twenties. 'We are very, very close friends now. His wife [Samantha Bryant] and I are very tight. He and my husband [Marc Silverstein] hang out,' said the 37-year-old actress. 'But we dated for a long time, actually. He's really excited that I am here co-hosting.' Later in the show, Colin joked about having to sit opposite his ex on live TV. Hosting duties: Just a day earlier, the 37-year-old had appeared on Live! With Kelly as a guest co-host Well, this is awkward... Busy came face-to-face with her college boyfriend, Colin Hanks, while co-hosting Live! With Kelly alongside Kelly Ripa 'Its not awkward going on national television and being interviewed by your old college girlfriend,' the 39-year-old said. The pair first met while studying at Loyola Marymount University in LA, and claim their relationship ended because they were both 'jerks'. But all that seems to be behind them now, with their shared experiences in show business cementing their long friendship. Now and then: The actress shared this split-screen throwback photo with one taken backstage at Live! With Kelly, describing her interview with him as 'weird' 'We got our first television show the same week. We got our first movies within the same week. We were able to go through these really special moments in young actors' lives together,' Colin revealed. 'Now we also get to do morning school drop-off together! Our kids are in the same school.' It caps off a busy few days for the blonde beauty, who attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards in LA with her BFF Michelle Williams, 36, on Sunday. The pair - who have been best friends since meeting on the set of 90's teen series Dawson's Creek - walked the red carpet hand-in-hand. Best Friends Forever: Busy walked the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday hand-in-hand with her BFF Michelle Williams Amber Heard donned an all-black outfit on Wednesday while visiting a law office in Santa Monica, California. The 30-year-old actress wore a long-sleeved crew neck black top along with matching black skinny jeans. She completed her outfit with black and white wing tip shoes. Hollywood star: Amber Heard wore all-black on Wednesday while visiting a law office in Santa Monica, California Amber had her blonde hair down around her shoulders and carried a brown bag and black purse. She accessorised with dangling earrings and mirrored sunglasses from the Warby Parker and Amanda de Cadenet collaboration. The green-eyed beauty added a pop of color with red nail polish. Amber and ex-husband Johnny Depp, 53, finalised their divorce last month. Single lady: The 30-year-old actress last month finalized her divorce from actor Johnny Depp They met in 2011 on the set of The Rum Diary and married in February 2015 in Los Angeles. Amber filed for divorce in May 2016 and shortly thereafter obtained a temporary restraining order against him. The Friday Night Lights star accused Johnny of domestic abuse before they reached a divorce settlement last August. Filling up: Amber stopped at a gas station and filled up her Land Rover while sporting mirrored sunglasses from the Warby Parker and Amanda de Cadenet collaboration Amber received $7 million as part of the divorce settlement and pledged to donate it to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. The actress has been keeping busy and recently started working on the Aquaman movie. The film's director last month shared a picture on social media of a table reading with Amber, Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson. The film will be shot in Queensland, Australia with principal photography expected to start in May. Amber will play queen of the sea Mera and was pictured in costume last October while filming Justice League in Iceland. She caused a stir when she ventured outside in a mink coat. But it seems Fifty Shades Darker star Dakota Johnson does not mind one bit after she wore another fur jacket as she ventured out in New York on Wednesday. Indeed she was grinning like a Cheshire cat as she left her hotel so she could make her way for a chat on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Hot under the collar: Dakota Johnson wore another fur coat in New York on Wednesday This time the 27-year-old's jacket only featured a fur collar, and she completed her look with a Melanie Griffith's daughter was on her way into the Today Show earlier in the day to promote the latest installment in her bondage sex film franchise when she wore the $34,000 Gucci mink coat that featured a vulgar skinned tiger motif on the back. The look drew praise for its 'old-world elegance' by Vogue, which has promoted anti-fur campaigns in the past, though that did not stop editor Anne Wintour being hit with a tofu pie by demonstrators at Paris Fashion Week in 2005. Speaking to Hoda Kotb, the erotic movie actress said her and Jamie Dornan can handle the physical closeness in the film because they are used to it. 'We have a level of comfort with each other and trust,' she said. This'll get the fur flying: This time it was only the collar that featured animal hide Working under bondage: She is currently doing the rounds to promote Fifty Shades Darker 'And as uncomfortable as it is to do scenes like that anyway we probably figured out the best possible way to do it,' she added. She also teased fans with what to expect the second time around: 'Christian and Anastasia decide to give it another shot... You really get to understand who these people are.' The film, which will be released on Valentine's Day, is the second installment in the franchise. It continues the story between bondage-obsessed billionaire Christian Gray and his lover Anastasia. Christian is wrestling his inner demons while Anastasia is confronted by his past lovers. Fur goodness sake: She had earlier been wearing a full mink coat In Vogue: The magazine praised the vulgar skinned cat motif and said her look had 'old-world elegance' Since becoming a breakout star of The Bachelor, she's often been photographed stripping down to skimpy attire. But Tiffany Scanlon took things a notch further on Thursday, posting a snap to Instagram that saw her posing topless in a Bali pool. 'I ain't gonna let it rain on my parade,' the 30-year-old captioned the image that saw her sticking out her tongue and flashing her breasts. 'I ain't gonna let it rain on my parade': On Thursday, The Bachelor's Tiffany Scanlon, 30, shared a topless photo of herself taken in a swimming pool in Bali, Indonesia Tiffany left very little to the imagination as she shared the racy snap with her 102,000 followers. In the photo, the personal trainer raised her arms while tilting her head back, as her soaking wet hair fell behind. Revealing a generous amount of side boob, Tiffany kept within Instagram's nudity guidelines by censoring her nipples. Influence? It appears Tiffany may have been inspired by her girlfriend Megan Marx, who is known for being an exhibitionist It appears Tiffany may have been inspired by her girlfriend Megan Marx, who is known for being an exibitionist. On Wednesday, the 27-year-old also posed nude in a Bali pool, showing off her toned back and slender legs in the water. Discussing life and past experiences, Megan wrote in the caption: 'I'll be the first to tell you I've f**ked up a lot.' She's not shy: On Wednesday, Megan also posed nude in a Bali pool, showing off her toned back and slender legs in the water She continued: 'Nearly fell asleep like this thinking about lyyyfffee (sic). 'I want philosophy to become very worldly, very practiced. I think that the more self aware humanity is, the more tolerant and understanding we can become. 'Although my upbringing in many ways was a little eccentric, as part of that my parents always taught me to self-critique, to understand that I'm a small cell that makes up a whole functioning organism. 'To me this meant I needed to somehow comprehend my personal operational responsibility in order to make the world even small if in a small way, healthier. Not a publicity stunt! Earlier this week, Megan and Tiffany slammed allegations their same-sex relationship is a publicity stunt 'I'll be the first to tell you I've f**ked up a lot because I can be arrogant and vain and fairly prideful, but I hope I can still self-critique myself and the world at large,' Megan concluded. Megan's personal essay came after she and Tiffany slammed allegations their same-sex relationship is a publicity stunt. 'We live in a warped world and we get messages every day,' Megan told Nine News Perth on Tuesday. Business chicks: The couple moved to Bali last month to live together, and revealed that they plan to launch their own business 'We think the world is too judgmental,' she continued. The couple moved to Bali last month to live together, and were keen to emphasise that they plan to launch their own business. 'We're really excited we're going to be working on a project together,' Tiffany said. Her beau Xavier Samuel failed to make an appearance at the David Jones runway show in Sydney on Wednesday, due to his film schedule in Los Angeles. But that did not stop press from quizzing the 33-year-old Twilight star as to whether he plans on proposing to girlfriend Jessica Gomes, after she stunned on the catwalk in a bridal gown. 'He was getting asked all of that,' the 32-year-old model revealed to Today Extra co-hosts David Campbell and Sonia Kruger on Thursday. Scroll down for video 'He was getting asked': Jessica Gomes, 32, revealed on Thursday's Today Extra, that beau Xavier Samuel, 33, was at the centre of marriage talk, after she stunned in a bridal gown on the David Jones runway in Sydney on Wednesday. Pictured with fellow David Jones ambassador Jason Dundas, 34 'He's been seeing all the press [of the David Jones runway show],' Jessica told Sonia, 51. 'He's getting the phone calls as well. He was getting asked all of that,' the David Jones ambassador told the breakfast program, in reference to whether Xavier plans on popping the question. Insisting that the couple are content as they are, Jessica added: 'We're happy. We're having fun.' Marriage talk: 'He's getting the phone calls as well. He was getting asked all of that,' the model told the breakfast program, in reference to whether Xavier plans on popping the question Going strong: Insisting that the couple are content as they are, Jessica also told the Channel Nine presenters: 'We're happy. We're having fun' The comments referenced Jessica's stunning appearance on the runway, as she donned a strapless Carolina Herrera gown. Detailing around the bust and cleverly placed stitching drew attention to the star's delicate decolletage and slender waist, while draping of fabric added a dramatic touch. Jessica's dark locks were styled in loose waves, framing her striking facial features, enhanced with an elegant makeup palette. Vision in white: The comments referenced Jessica's stunning appearance on the runway, as she donned a strapless Carolina Herrera gown Svelte: Detailing around the bust and cleverly placed stitching drew attention to the star's delicate decolletage and slender waist Beauty: Jessica's dark locks were styled in loose waves, framing her striking facial features 'He's not [coming tonight],' Jessica told Yahoo Be when asked whether Xavier would be watching her walk the David Jones Autumn/Winter 2017 runway in Sydney on Wednesday. 'He's in Los Angeles, unfortunately. He's in L.A. busy working on films.' Marriage talk has surrounded the couple of late. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph before Wednesday's event, Jessica spoke about the couple's blossoming romance, with the brunette beauty not ruling out a trip down the aisle for the pair. Scheduling conflict: 'He's not [coming tonight],' Jessica told Yahoo Be when asked whether Xavier would be watching her walk the David Jones Autumn/Winter 2017 runway in Sydney on Wednesday, adding that her beau is 'in Los Angeles, busy working on films' However, the 32-year-old said she wasn't 'desperate,' admitting: 'I am really happy in my professional and personal life its really great.' 'Im a traditional girl if its supposed to happen it will happen but Im not desperate. 'I was brought up Catholic and my parents have been together for 45 years so marriage is definitely not out of the question,' she said. Xavier, who is often featured in loved-up snaps on Jessica's Instagram page, isn't the only one enjoying a flourishing acting career with the brunette beauty herself excited about her own upcoming gigs. Ambition: Xavier, who is often featured in loved-up snaps on Jessica's Instagram page, isn't the only one enjoying a flourishing acting career with the brunette beauty herself excited about her own upcoming gigs 'I love film so much, I started out acting and I've got two films coming out this year so hopefully I can still be creative in film as much as I can,' she said. The beauty stars alongside Owen Wilson in Bastards in addition to her gig with Hollywood icon Bruce Willis - in the Mark Cullen-directed Once Upon a Time in Venice. She previously gushed about playing the 61-year-old's on-screen wife in the forthcoming comedy, telling the Daily Telegraph that she very much 'enjoyed' kissing him. 'It is really interesting acting and doing those scenes,' she said. 'You think, how far do you go and what is the guidelines but you kind of just go with the moment and I just figured you've got to make it feel good for you.' She added: 'That's all I can say about that. Of course I enjoyed kissing Bruce.' They're putting their celebrity influence to good use. Kim Kardashian, 36, and Chrissy Teigen, 31, are starting a book club to promote reading to their fans. 'So guys.. @chrissyteigen & @jenatkinhair & I are starting a book club!' Kim tweeted to her almost 50 million followers. Best friends read together: Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen are starting a book club to promote reading for their fans. She's so passionate about her new idea, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star replied to comments from fans who were asking questions about the club. But apparently this isn't a book club about the latest and greatest literary hits. Kim tweeted out her first suggestion, a book from 1992 that helped Kim get through her tough couple of months. Hot nerd alert! The famous friends are encouraging their fans to hit the books Follow the leader: 'I'm making them read 'Embraced By The Light' as our first book,' Kim explained on Twitter Supportive friends: Chrissy is set to read the book Kim suggested as part of the club 'I'm making them read 'Embraced By The Light' as our first book,' she explained. The famous friends are also partnering with their hairstylist pal Jen Atkins, who ostensibly will also be suggesting books to read for the club. Kim then started trying to recruit more celebrities to join and read the book she says 'changed her life.' 'Hey @lala join the book club with @chrissyteigen , @jenatkinhair & I. This book is a life changer,' she wrote. Recruiting: The reality star then tried to ge other famous friends to join them in their new passion When fans started looking for details, she responded directly in the comments sections, saying: 'Everyone's invited!!!!.It's a story of a woman who died during surgery &came back 2 life. She shares her journey of what heaven is like. Its so good by @BettyJEadie' Kim recently revealed she was 'enlightened' after talking to favorite author Betty J. Eadie. The world-famous socialite, who remains less than four months removed from being tied up and robbed at gunpoint in an October 3 heist in Paris, was elated as she relayed her experience of talking with the New York Times bestselling author. Soul searching: Kim said the book has helped her live her life 'in such a full way' Huge plug: Writer Betty J. Eadie's work was exposed to a huge audience with Kim's endorsement 'Today was such a good day! I spoke to my favorite author @BettyJEadie This seriously made my soul smile! I feel so enlightened by our convo!' the Keeping up with the Kardashians star tweeted. 'I've read her book Embraced by the Light, that is about her near death experience & it's helped me live my life in such a full way.' The longtime writer penned a 1992 tome called Embraced By The Light, which focused on the author experiencing 'the most profound near-death experience ever.' Reading list: After Kim enjoyed Embraced By The Light, she asked her followers for feedback on Eadie's 1996 tome, The Awakening Heart He recently missed out on an Academy award nomination. But Joel Edgerton, 42, continues to do big things in Hollywood, with the Aussie actor lending his support to philanthropic endeavours by hosting a charity event in Los Angeles last week. The Loving star, who is an ambassador for The Fred Hollows Foundation, was joined by 80 guests, including Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, in a bid to raise awareness for the non-profit organization. Giving back: Actor Joel Edgerton, 42, hosted an event for The Fred Hollows Foundation in Los Angeles last week. Pictured here with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (left) and Emma Hollows (right) 'Amazing support from all in LA for our @fredhollows event,' he wrote on Instagram alongside a snap of himself with the politician. 'Raising awareness for their work in eradicating blindness in 25 countries now. 25 years on and the simple fact that a simple 25 dollar donation can cure an individual of cataract blindness. He added: '25 the magic number. Support if you can. And thanks to @juliebishopmp for lending her support!!! And everyone involved! Thank you all so much.' Fundraising: The Loving star, who is an ambassador for The Fred Hollows Foundation, was joined by 80 guests in a bid to raise awareness for the non-profit organization Other attendees included actors Emmy Rossum, Jackson Gallagher, fashion designer Phoebe Dahl and the Creative Artists Agency's Bryan Lourd. The Australian charity, which was was named after the late eye surgeon Fred Hollows, works to eradicate blindness among Indigenous Australians among other groups in 25 countries. Joel, who is currently filming Bright with Will Smith, is in the process of expanding the foundation abroad. Doing his part: Joel has been an ambassador for The Fred Hollows Foundation for four years 'The US is one of the most philanthropic environments so the Hollows Foundation was keen to expand here,' he said. [Will Smith] reached out and said, 'What can I do?' ... I'm always impressed by the actors and people in Hollywood I meet and who have a real outside awareness of people who live less fortunate than they do.' Joel is also planning a larger event for the charity, to be held later this year. She was the most glamorous star on the red carpet at the InStyle EE Rising Star BAFTA Party. But Millie Mackintosh ditched the glitz and glamour of the event in favour of spending some alone time with her boyfriend Hugo Taylor. The former Made In Chelsea star, 27, looked incredible in a beige silk slip dress with a sheer overlay as the couple party-hopped on Wednesday night. Scroll down for video Arm-in-arm: Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor enjoyed some quality time together as they party hopped around London on Wednesday evening After the film bash, the lovebirds headed over to Aster restaurant in central London. Millie exuded elegance in the clingy number, which highlighted her svelte frame. The dress was given a fashionable twist thanks to the gauze material, which boasted a criss-cross stitching pattern, long sleeves and a mid-calf hemline. She added some extra height to her frame thanks to a pair of simple stilettos, and carried a simple khaki clutch bag. Keeping the party going: After the film bash, the lovebirds headed over to Aster restaurant in central London Dreamy dress: Millie exuded elegance in the clingy silk and gauze number, which highlighted her svelte frame Happy together: Millie has rekindled her romance with Hugo following a three-year marriage to Professor Green, 33 The Quality Street heiress added to her ladylike look by wearing her hair up in a ponytail and sporting taseteful silver hoops. Hugo embraced a more casual vibe in a tweed blazer layered over a navy jumper and jeans. The reality star turned sunglasses designer topped off his look with trainers. Chic: The Quality Street heiress added to her ladylike look by wearing her hair up in a ponytail and sporting taseteful silver hoops Gorgeous: The dress was given a fashionable twist thanks to the gauze material, which boasted a criss-cross stitching pattern, long sleeves and a mid-calf hemline Making friends: The pucker beauty posed with talent manager Jessica Moloney Cute: Millie and Hugo - who first dated in 2011 - seemed happier than ever He was on heavy lifting duties, carrying Millie's goodie bag as the pair kept the night going. Millie and Hugo lead a jet setting life and are just back from a trip to Paris, where they enjoyed a few days of romantic strolls and fashion shows. Millie has rekindled her romance with Hugo following a three-year marriage to Professor Green, 33. The pair previously dated back in 2011 when they met on the E4 reality show MIC. Classic look: Millie added some extra height to her frame thanks to a pair of simple stilettos As ever with the TOWIE sunny specials - it is battle of the bikini bodies. And Georgia Kousoulou was determined to be a front-runner in the race as she slipped into an incredibly scanty swimsuit while filming in Tenerife on Wednesday. The 25-year-old reality starlet looked phenomenal in the racy snakeskin number which not only showed off her heaving cleavage but also her perky posterior. Scroll down for video Twit twoo! Georgia Kousoulou was determined to be a front-runner in the bikini body race as she slipped into an incredibly scanty swimsuit while filming in Tenerife on Wednesday Georgia, who soared to fame after joining the ITVBe show in 2014, left very little to the imagination in her one-piece which comprised of very little material. The front of the blue snakeskin number plunged down to her near her naval, in a cut which meant she flashed most of her surgically-enhanced cleavage. As if her cleavage was not enough, the high-rise leg meant she showed off the majority of her slender hips before turning to show her peachy derriere. The dress featured a matching choker, which made the swimwear seem more like an outfit than an ensemble designed for the water. Peachy! Georgia, who soared to fame after joining the ITVBe show in 2014, left very little to the imagination in her one-piece which comprised of very little material Slashed: The front of the blue snakeskin number plunged down to her near her naval, in a cut which meant she flashed most of her surgically-enhanced cleavage Perhaps conscious of the acres of flesh on display, Georgia later pulled on a floor-sweeping turquoise kimono, which coordinated with the outfit's colour scheme. The blonde beauty lengthened her already staggering legs with the addition of a pair of gold wedges with a delicate ankle strap and thick heel. In true TOWIE girl style, Georgia's beauty regimen was flawless, as she sported extremely heavy yet perfectly applied make-up with her plump pout highlighted by gloss and her cheekbones emphasised with lashings of highlighter. Golden girl: The blonde beauty lengthened her already staggering legs with the addition of a pair of gold wedges with a delicate ankle strap and thick heel Perky! Georgia's derriere certainly looked peachy Kimono no! Perhaps conscious of the acres of flesh on display, Georgia later pulled on a floor-sweeping turquoise kimono, which coordinated with the outfit's colour scheme Stunner: In true TOWIE girl style, Georgia's beauty regimen was flawless, as she sported extremely heavy yet perfectly applied make-up with her plump pout highlighted by gloss and her cheekbones emphasised with lashings of highlighter Her lengthy blonde tresses were pulled into a half up-half down style, which helped flaunt the volume-adding highlights expertly worked through her hair. Joining her on the jaunt was Chloe Sims, who was uncharacteristically covered up in a floor-sweeping grey maxi dress with a high neckline. Known for her love of a racy look, to best show off her eye-popping assets, she appeared to ditch her trademark ensembles for her day out. She wore her bleach blonde tresses in a low ponytail while pulling a pair of Seventies-inspired sunglasses over her minimally made-up face. Is that you? Joining her on the jaunt was Chloe Sims, who was uncharacteristically covered up in a floor-sweeping grey maxi dress with a high neckline Minimal: Known for her love of a racy look, to best show off her eye-popping assets, she appeared to ditch her trademark ensembles for her day out Blonde beauty: She wore her bleach blonde tresses in a low ponytail while pulling a pair of Seventies-inspired sunglasses over her minimally made-up face The girls are joining their glamorous cohorts in filming the Tenerife and later on Wednesday Chloe and Georgia were once again spotted out and about. Heading on a night out, the buxom blondes went for similar ensembles as they appeared to be taking a stab at the rock chick look. Chloe led the way in a band T-shirt, worn as a dress, while pulling a denim dress over the top and rocking crushed velvet ankle boots. Georgia also opted for denim and a T-shirt-turned-mini dress as she went for a black slogan top with a denim shirt over the top. Girls night out! Heading on a night out, the buxom blondes went for similar ensembles as they appeared to be taking a stab at the rock chick look Rock on! Chloe led the way in a band T-shirt, worn as a dress, while pulling a denim dress over the top and rocking crushed velvet ankle boots She made a glamorous debut on the David Jones runway in Sydney on Wednesday night. And Karlie Kloss, 24, continues to make quite an impression Down Under, with the American model putting on a busty display at Bondi Beach on Thursday. Dressed in a cleavage-baring sheer navy dress, the Victoria's Secret beauty frolicked in the sand during a photo shoot for Vogue Australia. Ample assets: Karlie Kloss, 24, continues to make quite an impression Down Under, with the American model putting on a busty display at Bondi Beach on Thursday At one point, the star wedged herself between two hunky lifeguards while clutching a megaphone as the trio posed for snaps. A second look saw Karlie showing off her shapely pins and slender frame in a sheer black bodycon dress. She flashed her taut torso while rocking a third look, which saw her wearing a white long-sleeved crop-top with exaggerated ruching detail paired with black bike shorts. Poser: At one point, the star wedged herself between two hunky lifeguards while clutching a megaphone as the trio posed for snaps Her luscious blonde tresses were worn loosely and styled in tight romance curls complete with a fringe. She wore elegant makeup consisting of foundation, blush, smokey eyes and brown lipstick. On Wednesday, Karlie abruptly backed out of a TV interview with Channel Seven's Sunrise, after the network refused to adhere to management requests that they not ask questions about her best friend Taylor Swift and US President Donal Trump. Selfie time: A second look saw Karlie showing off her shapely pins and slender frame in a sheer black bodycon dress Model behaviour: She flashed her taut torso while rocking a third look, which saw her wearing a white long-sleeved crop-top with exaggerated ruching detail paired with black bike shorts 'I won't tell my private information because I value my friendships,' she told The Daily Telegraph in her own defence. A spokesperson for David Jones, which recently named Karlie the face of its Autumn/Winter 2017 fashion campaign, told Daily Mail Australia that the department store supports the model. 'David Jones is thrilled to work with Karlie Kloss,' a statement read. BFFs: Karlie is best friends with pop star Taylor Swift 'During the press arrangements for her visit, David Jones, not Karlie, asked that media focus the interviews on her career, her role in the David Jones campaign and visit to Australia. The department store added: 'These types of interview parameters are usual practice for David Jones when working with talent, and Karlie has been extremely gracious, open and accommodating in all her interviews. We are looking forward to her appearance on the runway tonight.' Lindsay Lohan looked bright-eyed and in fine spirits as she stepped out for an evening in central London on Wednesday. The American actress, 30, who recently paid a visit to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, flashed a peace sign and blew kisses to the cameras as she left celebrity hotspot the Chiltern Firehouse. She put on a stylish display in a black leather bomber jacket with a green and red trim, which she teamed with a black top and billowing trousers for a coordinated finish. Scroll down for video Lindsay Lohan, 30, looked bright-eyed and in fine spirits following her recent trip to see Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan The attractive redhead walked tall in a pair of green peep toe heels and she ensured she stayed warm thanks to a thick faux fur scarf. Lindsay matched her bubbly mood with a slick of vibrant red lipstick and her pale complexion emanated a radiant glow. Her outing in the capital came just days after she stunned fans with a sensational return to Instagram following a three-week hiatus. Peace: She looked bright-eyed and in fine spirits following her recent trip to see Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Looking good: Lindsay put on a stylish display in black leather bomber jacket with a green and red trim which she teamed with a black top and billowing trousers for a coordinated finish After wiping her page clean, she shared a snap of herself inside the Turkish presidential palace standing beside President Erdogan, his wife Emine and seven-year-old Syrian blogger Bana al-Abed. It was a moment the actress cherished, writing: 'What a dream it is for Mr. President Erdogan and The First Lady to invite me to their home. Their efforts in helping Syrian Refugees is truly inspiring' She added: '#peace starts now @a_boynukalin @hilalkaplanogut @rterdogan please for peace @therealdonaldtrump Alaikum Salam #cleanslate2017 #theworldisbiggerthan5' Night on the town: Lindsay, accompanied by her manager Scott Carlsen, wrapped her fur around her head to keep warm Young Bana shared a short video on Twitter, in which Lohan said: 'We want to send to all of the people in Syria and Aleppo suffering, and to all the refugees, we are here supporting you and you can hang on and be strong. Just like Bana has.' Lindsay's second photo since her Insta return saw her sitting with a group including President Erdogan and his wife in the president's lavish 1,150-room complex on the outskirts of Ankara. 'This. Now. This moment. A moment in time. Is to forever exist. #peace #2017 #theworldisbiggerthan5 hashtag yourself to help the Turkish people and what they do everyday. #theyearoflindsaylohan #sevenwonders @rterdogan #lohanclub is a form of making others happy,' she captioned. Lohan previously expressed support for Turkey's efforts to host nearly three million Syrians fleeing their nation's five-year war, the State-run Anadolu news agency said. The US actress gave light-blue badges to Erdogan and his wife, bearing a quote from the Turkish leader: 'World is bigger than five,' according to Anadolu. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians clan have been sunning themselves in Costa Rica, enjoying some time away from the LA showbiz scene. And Kim Kardashian, 36, was looking better than ever as she relaxed by the poolside with her family and friends, including sister Kourtney, 37, at their private Villa Manzu. The reality star - who has since returned to the US - showed off her slender figure in a simple black bikini top, which highlighted her gym-honed, sculpted arms and flat stomach. Relaxing in style: Kim Kardashian, 36, was looking better than ever as she relaxed by the poolside with her family and friends, including sister Kourtney, 37, at their private Villa Manzu in Costa Rica Known for her hourglass curves, Kim was looking lean and lithe in her swimwear as she relaxed in the afternoon sun. Kourtney modelled a white two-piece as she chatted to her sister, showcasing an equally trim figure in her slinky swimwear. The bikini boasted double strap detailing around the back and barely-there briefs, serving to highlight her shapely posterior. Sibling sunbathing: Kourtney modelled a white two-piece as she chatted to her sister, showcasing an equally trim figure in her slinky swimwear Cheeky: Kourtney's bikini boasted double strap detailing around the back and barely-there briefs, serving to highlight her shapely posterior Slender: The reality star - who has since returned to the US - was enjoying some time away Looking good: Kim showed off her slender figure in a simple black bikini top, which highlighted her gym-honed, sculpted arms and flat stomach Girly getaway: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians clan have been sunning themselves in Costa Rica, enjoying some time away from the LA showbiz scene Following her dip in the pool, Kim was seen stretching out on a sun lounger, indulging in some alone time following her hectic year. The mother-of-two later retreated to the shade, playing with her adorable son Saint, one, after drying off in a fluffy white robe. It has been alleged that Kim and momager Kris Jenner were behind Scott Disick - who raises children Mason, Penelope and Reign with Kourtney -leaving the holiday early following a blistering row. Drama: It has been alleged that Kim and momager Kris Jenner were behind Scott Disick - who raises children Mason, Penelope and Reign with Kourtney -leaving the holiday early following a blistering row In trouble: The womanising reality star reportedly felt the full wrath of Kim and Kris after inviting a woman to stay with him at the same hotel where Keeping Up With The Kardashians was being filmed Moving on: TMZ claims the 'momager' found his actions disrespectful, but her disdain wasn't anything to do with her daughter Kourtney, who has long been separated from Scott The womanising reality star reportedly felt the full wrath of Kim and Kris after inviting a woman to stay with him at the same hotel where Keeping Up With The Kardashians was being filmed. TMZ claims the 'momager' found his actions disrespectful, but her disdain wasn't anything to do with her daughter Kourtney, who has long been separated from Scott. Disick has since been spotted surrounding himself with a bevy of beautiful bikini-clad girls on the beach in Miami, Florida, in an apparent show of defiance against the KUWTK stars. Taking a break: Following her dip in the pool, Kim was seen stretching out on a sun lounger, indulging in some alone time following her hectic year Taking good care of herself: Health-conscious Kim ensured she lathered herself up with sunscreen MailOnline has contacted representatives for Kim, Kris and Scott and is awaiting comment. Since returning to America, Kim has been seen taking her daughter North, aged three, to a performance of Swan Lake at the Lincoln Center For The Performing Arts in New York City. She has also taken to Twitter to reveal she's joined forces with Chrissy Teigen and celebrity stylist Jen Atkin to indulge her passion for reading. Kim announced: 'So guys..... @chrissyteigen & @jenatkinhair & I are starting a book club! I'm making them read Embraced By The Light as our first book! (sic)'. And when Chrissy was asked by one Twitter user what they can do to join the club, the 31-year-old model quipped: 'I think you just get the book and read, my dude / dudette (sic)'. Later, Kim added: 'Everyone's invited!!!!' Cute as can be: The mother-of-two later retreated to the shade, playing with her adorable son Saint, one, after drying off in a fluffy white robe Mummy's boy: The selfie queen planted a tender kiss on little Saint She's known for being one of the most open and honest stars on the new season of I'm Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! And on Thursday, Tziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - continued to be candid, opening up to fellow contestant Lisa Curry about her love life. The former fiancee of James Packer revealed she has been speaking with a man in South Australia, but has not had sex in six years. Candid chat: Tziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - opened up to her I'm A Celebrity co-star Lisa Curry about her love life on Thursday, revealing she has been talking to a man in South Australia Lying next to one another on their camp bands in the South African jungle, Lisa asked Tziporah if she had a boyfriend. 'Not a boyfriend, just a friend. I haven't seen him for a long time,' Tziporah admitted, going on to state that she knew the man when she was a teenager. She then declared that as soon as she gets a chance, she will fly to South Australia - where the mystery man lives - to meet up with him. Tell-all: Lisa and Tziporah had an intimate chat about their romances 'I'm going to go visit, stay in a hotel within walking distance from him and see how it goes,' the star said. She went on: 'We have discussed there may not be any physical chemistry with us, but we're getting on really well on the phone.' Tziporah divulged more details about their phone calls, stating that, 'like teenagers', they once spent seven hours talking to one another. Known for being honest: Candid Tziporah has revealed much about her life during her stay in the jungle (Pictured in 2006) In her typically-candid fashion, she then said: 'Ash [Pollard] said today, "God, I need a shag." And I said, ''Darl, I haven't had a shag in six years"'. Lisa told Tziporah there was 'nothing to lose' if she flew to South Australia to meet with the man to see how things went. Talking intimately, Lisa then asked where Tziporah sees herself in ten years, who stated 'Living in Israel, probably'. Former flame: Tzipporah pictured with her ex-fiance James Packer in the 1990s The star, who was raised Christian but has maternal Jewish heritage, converted to Orthodox Judaism several years ago. In ten years, Lisa stated that she would be married to fiance Mark Tabone, stating: 'We're so romantic and lovey dovey it makes people sick. 'I have a wedding to organise, I'll probably have a grandchild... I'd say, in the next two years,' she noted He announced overnight that he is leaving his long-running series Death In Paradise after four years on the BBC show, so that he can spend less time away from his family. And almost immediately, speculation began to spin on social media as to the real reason Kris Marshall has chosen to do this. Avid BBC viewers seem to be under the impression that Marshall is transferring his skills as a Detective to a Doctor - and is in the running to play Doctor Who in the wake of Peter Capaldi's decision to leave. Scroll down for video Is Kris Marshall in line to be the next Doctor Who? Love Actually actor's name is thrown into the ring following his shock decision to quit Death In Paradise 'Maybe a coincidence but since Doctor Who needs a new lead, interesting that that Kris Marshall has now quit Death in Paradise. New doctor?' came a theory from one fan. Another typed 'Kris marshall should play doctor who...' as a further tweeter concurred: 'Kris Marshall will be the 13th Doctor. Calling it. He'd be perfect. #doctorwho!' Time to go: Peter Capaldi announced his decision to quit as the twelfth Doctor on Monday night The theory proved popular as the news spread that Marshall is leaving the role of Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman. 'So Kris Marshall leaves #DeathInParadise, just as they're starting to look for a new #DoctorWho... #Coincidence...?? ;-)' a fourth person theorised. 'Huh so Kris Marshall leaves Death in Paradise around the same time Peter Capaldi leaves Doctor Who. Hmm, interesting...' a fifth wrote. Speculation: Avid BBC viewers seem to be under the impression that Marshall is transferring his skills as a Detective to a Doctor - and is in the running to play Doctor Who in the wake of Peter Capaldi's decision to leave Some didn't seem too keen on the idea. 'If Kris Marshall is the new #DoctorWho they might as well cast a toilet brush. Dull,' a fan seethed. The 43-year-old actor - whose big break came in the form of BBC sitcom My Family - revealed on Thursday's episode of Good Morning Britain that the decision was made in order to spend more time with his family after his daughter was born last year, leaving him 'bereft' while away filming in the Caribbean. Pastures Who? Kris said of the decision to quit - 'I've loved it. It's time to move on and give someone else some sun. I'm still thinking whether I've made the right decision' It has been confirmed that after he departs the show, he will be replaced by Father Ted funnyman Ardal O'Hanlan, who will play Detective Inspector Jack Mooney, a role he debuts in Thursday night's episode of the show. Kris said of the decision to quit: 'I've loved it. It's time to move on and give someone else some sun. I'm still thinking whether I've made the right decision. 'It is amazing and I've been filming in London since and there's a moment when you stand in the cold and think why am I not in flips flops in the Caribbean?' He admitted he struggled being away from his family for filming, saying: 'For the last few years I have been able to take them with me but we had a daughter and this last series I did on my own. Skyping leaves me bereft.' She's the favourite: Olivia Colman has become a hot bet among punters hoping to predict the new Doctor And while playing The Doctor would certainly keep him closer to home, he's not the only name floating around for the role. Olivia Colman has become favourite among the bookies to land the role of the 13th Doctor with odds on the actress with Betway bookmakers tumbling from 20/1 to 5/1 in the last 24 hours, fuelling speculation that the Night Manager star could become the first female Doctor. BOOKIES' ODDS ON THE NEW DOCTOR ON FEBRUARY 1 2017 Olivia Colman: 5/1 Andrew Buchan: 14/1 Iwan Rheon: 14/1 Ben Whishaw: 16/1 Robert Carlyle: 16/1 Tom Ellis: 16/1 Rupert Grint: 16/1 James Norton: 20/1 Jason Flemyng: 20/1 Reece Shearsmith: 20/1 Rory Kinnear: 20/1 *source Betway Advertisement 'Since our market opened weve seen a wave of support for Olivia Colman to be the next Doctor Who,' said a Betway spokeman. Olivia, who recently received an Emmy award nomination for her role in The Night Manager, has even been tipped for the job by her Broadchurch co-star David Tennant who played the tenth Doctor. 'Olivia would clearly be a magnificent choice. If you have the right people telling the right stories then its absolutely a possibility,' he said. Other favourites with punters include Broadchurch actor Andrew Buchan, Game Of Thrones star Iwan Rheon, James Bond's Q Ben Whishaw and and The IT Crowd's Richard Ayoade. Capaldi himself joined in the name-dropping for the next Time Lord - and is giving his backing to Rising Damp veteran Frances de la Tour. Bizarrely, she was considered to be the first female Doctor in the 1980s, when producers were desperate to change the sex of the time-travelling alien in a bid to keep it on the air - but it was cancelled, only to return again in 2005. Rising dame? Exiting Doctor Who Peter Capaldi has joined in the name-dropping for the next Time Lord - and he wants a woman to take over from him, Rising Damp star Frances de la Tour Announcing his decision to step down from his Time Lord role, Peter said: 'This'll be the end for me. I feel sad. I love Doctor Who. It's a fantastic programme to work on.' 'It's been a huge pleasure to work with... a family. I can't praise the people I work with more highly. 'I've never worked the same job for three years, and I feel like now is the right time to move on. I'll still be the Doctor for a while.' Twelve actors have played the time-travelling Doctor since William Hartnell first adopted the role in 1963, and so far all of them have been men. Billie Piper, who played the Doctor's assistant when the show was brought back in 2005, tweeted that it would be a 'welcome turn' for a woman to take the role. He's the South Park co-creator known for pushing the boundaries in order to secure a laugh. And on Thursday night, Trey Parker revealed that not everyone is a fan - especially when they're the target of the joke. Speaking with his creative partner Matt Stone on The Project, Trey talked about an awkward encounter with pop superstar Jennifer Lopez. Scroll down for video Funnymen: Matt Stone (left) and Trey Parker (right) visited The Project on Thursday night, where they spoke about an awkward encounter with Jennifer Lopez as they promoted their musical The Book of Mormon Matt and Trey were nominated for Best Original Song at the 2000 Academy Awards for a track in their South Park film, and chose to show up on the red carpet wearing dresses. Matt wore a pink frock that was a send-up of the Ralph Lauren gown Gwyneth Paltrow wore a year earlier, when she won Best Actress at the awards. Meanwhile, Trey mimicked Jennifer Lopez by wearing a replica of the infamous green Versace dress she wore just a month earlier at the 2000 Grammy Awards. Making fun: Trey (left) and Matt (right) dressed up in drag at the 2000 Academy Awards, where they were nominated for Best Original Song High profile targets: Trey mimicked JLo in the famous green dress she wore at the 2000 Grammys, while Matt dressed in a similar pink frock that Gwyneth Patlrow wore at the 1999 Academy Awards When asked on The Project: 'What's the best reaction you've gotten from a celebrity [who's been the subject of one of your jokes]?' it appeared that JLo didn't find imitation the best form of flattery. 'My favourite was... and I think it was because I wore her dress to the Oscars, was when we saw Jennifer Lopez at a party and all Jennifer Lopez did was walk past me and push me!' Trey recalled. 'That's pretty cool,' Matt remarked, before Trey conceded it was. Over a decade later, the pair revealed they had taken acid before their trip down the red carpet at the awards. Taking a trip down the red carpet: Matt and Trey later revealed that they had taken acid before their red carpet appearance The comedians are in Australia to promote their smash-hit musical The Book of Mormon, which is opening for the first time in Melbourne. The Project co-host Carrie Bickmore revealed she saw the musical on Broadway whilst holidaying in New York, and remarked that it definitely wasn't like The Lion King, which she had seen the day before. 'We tried to write The Lion King and this is what came out,' the pair joked about the musical, which pokes fun at the Mormon faith. In addition to The Book of Mormon and South Park, which soon celebrates 20 years on air, the pair are also behind the hit movie, Team America. Funny friends: Trey and Matt will this year celebrate 20 years working together on South Park Scott Disick spared no expense when he jetted to Miami this week to blow off some steam. The KUWTK star stayed at the luxurious Setai Hotel from Sunday to Tuesday night after leaving Costa Rica after a disagreement with Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner on the family vacation. According to TMZ Scott paid $12,500 per night for a three-bedroom suite with spa/sauna and ocean views. Scott Disick paid $12,500 per night for the Grand Suite at The Setai Hotel for three nights after escaping a family getaway in Costa Rica with the Kardashian clan The spacious accommodations featured a gourmet kitchen and luxurious TV room. Sources tell the website that the father-of-three ordered lots of room service. The self-proclaimed 'Lord Disick' had lots of guests to entertain, including a bevy of young women who he was spotted hanging out with at the hotel swimming pool. The 33-year-old star enjoyed a three-bedroom suite and spa/sauna Bachelor pad: The spacious accommodations also feature a gourmet kitchen and luxurious TV room TMZ reports Scott's drink of choice was the pricey Don Julio 1942 tequila. Earlier this week the E! star was pictured cosying up to models J Lynne and Amber Davis both at a beach and by his hotel pool. Despite recent reports that the reality star was reconciling with ex Kourtney Kardashian, he appears to be going back to his old bad boy ways, partying with models and drinking. Fun time: TMZ reports Scott's drink of choice was the pricey Don Julio 1942 tequila Party space: Sources tell TMZ that the father-of-three ordered lots of room service as he entertained guests The Miami trip came after Scott fled Costa Rica after a 'blistering row' with Kourtney's sister Kim Kardashian and mother Kris Jenner. Scott reportedly felt the full wrath of Kim and Kris after inviting a woman to stay with him at the same hotel where Keeping Up With The Kardashians was being filmed. TMZ claims the 'momager' found his actions disrespectful, but her disdain wasn't anything to do with her daughter Kourtney, who has long been separated from Scott. Womaniser: The E! star has been surrounded by a bevy of young models for the days he's been hanging out in Miami He's got hopes of being the next Len Goodman on the new season of Strictly Come Dancing. But if any BBC bosses were watching Gary Edwards' appearance on This Morning on Thursday, they might have been a little concerned by his lack of knowledge about gender-specific nouns. Appearing on the sofa with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield to chat about his career aspirations, the ballroom expert was sure to heap praise on his potential predecessor and personal friend Len. 'That means woman!' Strictly's rumoured new head judge Gary Edwards suffers 'TV fail' when he continuously refers to Len Goodman as a 'matriarch' rather than a patriarch While everything the 50-year-old - who holds 30 international dancing titles - said about Len was gushing, he continuously referred to him as the 'matriarch' of Strictly - essentially calling him 'the mother' of the dancing show. 'Len is the matriarch of a family,' he said. 'Strictly is not like anything else I've ever been involved with. 'Strictly is in the blood of the English people, literally Len is that matriarch and you're replacing that matriarch. 'Whoever goes in there, it's not going to be a direct replacement for Len. It's going to be a new beginning. Len is always going to be the matriarch.' Mamas and Papas: While everything the 50-year-old - who holds 30 international dancing titles - said about Len was gushing, he continuously referred to him as the 'matriarch' of Strictly - essentially calling him 'the mother' of the dancing show Matriarch: 'Len is the matriarch of a family,' Gary said. 'Strictly is not like anything else I've ever been involved with' Clearly not meaning to identify the veteran dancing judge as a female, the wording was noticed by viewers who were sure to jump on to Twitter to point out that the phrase Gary would have been looking for was 'patriarch'. 'If Gary Edwards doesn't know the difference between Matriarch and Patriarch then Strictly is in trouble,' came a first concerned tweet. 'Please can someone tell Gary Edwards Len is the patriarch of Strictly & not matriarch! He's said it a lot so he needs to know! #ThisMorning,' expressed another worried viewer. 'I guess Gary Edwards got matriarch in his word-a-day calendar but didn't have time to finish reading the meaning section #thismorning,' quipped a third. Get it right: Viewers at home clambered to correct the would-be judge Identity crisis: Clearly not meaning to identify the veteran dancing judge as a female, the wording was noticed by viewers who were sure to jump on to Twitter to point out the phrase Gary would have been looking for was 'patriarch' 'Why does Gary Edwards keep calling Len Goodman a matriarch? That means woman @thismorning #fail,' slammed a fourth. 'Surely you mean patriarch Gary Edwards,' another typed. Despite the incorrect noun use, Gary admitted he would be nervous, should he get the job, to be on Strictly knowing that Len would be at home watching; especially as the pair go way back. Cup of cha-cha-cha! Kristina Rihanoff was spotted having a coffee meeting with 'ballroom heavyweight' Gary Edwards 'When I was young I was bullied at school for wanting to dance. I went to a show of Len's and when he got on a microphone and spoke I was like "this is the guy I want to be".' It did transpire, however, that the whole scenario is purely conjecture at this stage, and that Gary hasn't actually been asked. 'The whole thing has been a complete shock,' he admitted. 'I was in bed, in Miami. My phone rang and it was my friend, and he said you're all over the Daily Mirror.' Phillip asked him: "What happens if it doesn't happen? Aren't you going to feel a bit daft?' Will he, won't he? It did transpire, however, that the whole scenario is purely conjecture at this stage, and that Gary hasn't actually been asked Gary replied: 'That has gone through my mind and I have said that to my mum a few times, I could be the guy that doesn't get the job.' The 'Ballroom Giant' - known as such due to his six-foot-four height - said it would be bittersweet to replace his friend, before going on to talk about teaching Michael Jackson and the royal family of Brunei how to dance. Other than his credentials, his link to Strictly comes from the fact that he currently appears on US sister show Dancing With The Stars All Access. He was also spotted last week with former Strictly dancer Kristina Rihanoff in London's Soho sitting outside a cafe for a coffee. What's the score? Phillip asked Gary to practice his judging technique by scoring him and Holly The pair looked to be engrossed in conversation, taking half an hour to catch up. Their meeting potentially signals many possibilities. Given the fact that Kristina has quit Strictly, Dancing With The Stars could be coveting her for a US move. Alternatively, this is simply another hint that Gary is in line to fill Len's shoes. 'I'd give you more than a seven': He was only given a panel with a seven on it, however, rendering it impossible to award the coveted Perfect 10 The BBC are not expected to choose a successor until later in the year, but with Gary's name in the ring it's possible he was asking Kristina for tips on dealing with the Strictly production team. Finishing off the This Morning interview, Phillip asked Gary to practice his judging technique by scoring him and Holly. He was only given a panel with a seven on it, however - assuring them that 'I'd give you more than a seven'. His father is a world famous sportsman and his mother a militant health fanatic. Yet Brooklyn Beckham proved even the offspring of the super healthy must have a day off as he enjoyed an outing in London on Thursday where he tucked into a delicious snack. The 17-year-old aspiring photographer cut a typically edgy figure in a military-style bomber jacket as he headed to a nearby deli for a gigantic baguette. Scroll down for video Yum! Brooklyn Beckham proved even the offspring of the super healthy must have a day off as he enjoyed a day out in London on Thursday where he tucked into a delicious snack Brooklyn was out and about with pals as he opted to head for a snack, while making sure he also looked his very best in his funky ensemble. The khaki jacket combined a street style with a military theme, as the bomber style was paired with a strap and gold button on the shoulder. He kept the rest of the look muted with skinny black jeans and a white T-shirt - both with bang ontrend desert boots. Despite the minimal vibe of the rest of the look, the main detail was undoubtedly his baby pink beanie hat which was knitted with an adornment at the front. Yummy: The 17-year-old aspiring photographer cut a typically edgy figure in a military style bomber jacket as he headed to a nearby deli for a gigantic baguette Going going gone: Brooklyn was out and about with pals as he opted to head for a snack, while making sure he also looked his very best in his funky ensemble Yum! Brooklyn chomped away on his tasty snack Cool dude: The khaki jacket combined a street style with a military theme, as the bomber style was paired with a strap and gold button on the shoulder While Brooklyn was chomping away, it was clear to see he was loving his nutritious and delicious snack - totally unbothered by the huge size of the baguette. Proving life is all about balance, just two days before the teen took to Instagram to document a gruelling work out in the gym. In the clip, which garnered an eye-popping 1.3million views, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the testy routine, although pulled the workout off with aplomb. Dad David has spoken out in the past about the discipline of their children, as he revealed they not only work hard on their health but also their manners. Delicious: While Brooklyn was chomping away, it was clear to see he was loving his nutritious and delicious snack - totally unbothered by the huge size of the baguette Here's my teapot, here's my spout: Dad Davis has spoken out in the past about the discipline of their children, as he revealed they not only work hard on their health but also their manners A balanced lifestyle: Just two days before the teen took to Instagram to document a gruelling work out in the gym Sporty Spice: The clip garnered an eye-popping 1.3 million views on social media The legendary sportsman, speaking with the outlet Man About Town in 2013, said that he and wife 'were brought up with strong discipline by our parents and to have respect for people and our boys have definitely got that. 'They've been saying their please and thank-yous since they were two- or three- years old - they're very polite boys.' Beckham said he and Victoria have received positive feedback from educators and school officials regarding their children's model behavior. 'That's one of the first questions that we ask when we go for meetings at school is about their manners,' he said, 'and it's one of the first things their teachers say - that they've got impeccable manners.' Weighty: Brooklyn threw himself wholeheartedly into the testy routine His extravagant spending has been highlighted in a bitter lawsuit with his ex-management. And Johnny Depp is firing back at his former management team over their claims his financial woes are all his fault, according to a statement by Depps attorney, Adam Waldman reports People on Thursday. The star - who is said to spend an astonishing $30,000 a month on wine, $300,000 a month maintaining a team of 40 staff and $200,000 a month on private planes - said his former business team, The Management Group (TMG) are 'blaming the victim.' Bitter dispute: Johnny Depp fired back at his former management team over their claims his financial woes are all his fault on Thursday According to the publication the Pirates of the Caribbean star's lawyer said that TMG 'have chosen to employ a reprehensible "blame the victim" strategy in a transparent attempt to save their own skin and deflect away from their malfeasance, which is chronicled in Mr. Depps 48 page complaint.' The statement continues: 'Mr. Depp did not sue his former business managers for his own personal investment decisions or the "financial distress" they wildly allege - Mr. Depp sued them for fraud and multiple breaches of their fiduciary duty, among other claims.' Waldman adds: 'Gaslighting the public with global press releases will not save the defendants in court from their gross misconduct set forth in the complaint.' Depp is suing his ex-managers for $25million for mismanaging his earnings. But his excesses have been revealed in a counter lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by The Management Group (TMG) on Tuesday, with the firm describing him as a voracious spender. His ex-managers claim they repeatedly warned the 53-year-old his lavish lifestyle over the past two decades, which cost more than $2 million a month to maintain, was leading him towards financial ruin but he chose to ignore their advice. According to People, the Pirates of the Caribbean star's lawyer said that TMG 'have chosen to employ a reprehensible "blame the victim" strategy In TMGs lawsuit, obtained by People, the management firm asks Depp to pay more than $560,000 in allegedly unpaid commissions and credit card fees. They also report that TMGs lawsuit is also asking for a court declaration that it 'complied with all of its fiduciary obligations under the law and that Depp is responsible for his own financial waste.' TMG handled his finances from 1999 until early 2016, which was an especially lucrative period for the actor. During that time, Depps career rocketed after landing the role of Jack Sparrow in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movie franchise. Its thought starring as the lead in the five films has made him more than $250million. Depps lawsuit, filed on January 13, accused his former advisers of defrauding him out of his fortune, taking out loans without his approval and hiding the severity of his financial problems from him. He claimed that he only realised his fortune was dwindling when he was advised to sell off his 45-acre chateau in France to pay off his debts. He also alleges that the company failed to file his taxes on time, costing him $7 million in penalties. However, the management company claims the actor has spent more than $75million on 14 homes including the French castle, a chain of islands in the Bahamas and several homes in California. In documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday, Joel and Robert Mandel claim they repeatedly warned Depp that he was overspending, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 'Depp lived an ultra-extravagant lifestyle that often knowingly cost Depp in excess of $2 million per month to maintain, which he simply could not afford,' attorney Michael Kump wrote in the cross-complaint. 'Depp, and Depp alone, is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today.' TMG claims the Black Mass actor spent $75 million on the purchase of 14 residences including a chateau in France, splashed out $18 million on a luxury yacht and paid more than $3 million to blast the ashes of author Hunter Thompson over Aspen, Colorado, from a specially-made cannon. Costly: He's been accused of living a lavish lifestyle, and recently spent $7 million divorcing Amber Heard (pictured Sept 2015) TMG is currently pursuing foreclosure actions against Depp to recover $4.2 million it claims he still owes the company. Meanwhile, Depp has accused his former managers of 'gross misconduct' that led to him losing 'tens of millions of dollars', Variety reported on January 13. He alleged the company had failed to file or pay his federal taxes on time costing him millions in fees and fines and lent $10 million of his money to a third party without his knowledge. Depp has been selling off some of his properties in the past year. He also settled his divorce from Heard for $7 million which she stated she would donate to charity. The LA court is due to consider the case at a later date. He's been partying and cuddling with two different women in Miami these last few days. But it wasn't that long ago Scott Disick not only declared he could never get over his ex Kourtney Kardashian, but that she was the one for him. 'I would never be over her,' Scott, 33, admitted in a new trailer for the upcoming episode of E!'s Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 'She's the love of my life.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 'She's the love of my life': Scott Disick professed his affection for his ex Kourtney Kardashian in a new trailer for Keeping Up With The Kardashians As Scott professed his love for his ex and the mother of their three children over a voice over, the reality star could be seen affectionately rubbing Kourtney's arm. Khloe Kardashian, meanwhile, was determined to get to the bottom of their ambiguous relationship. 'Did you and Kourt, like, kiss?' Khloe asked teasingly. 'We didn't kiss!' Scott quickly rebuffed as he blushes. Just like the good old days? As Scott professed his love for his ex and the mother of their three children over a voice over, the reality star could be seen affectionately rubbing Kourtney's arm 'You told me you kissed!' Khloe replied as Scott shook his head and smiled. Recently, Kourtney was at the center of reports that she was serious about giving her ex Scott another chance. The couple, who share three children, were together for years until they called it quits in 2015 after photos of Scott getting close with stylist Chloe Bartoli emerged. Getting the scoop: Khloe Kardashian, meanwhile, was determined to get to the bottom of their ambiguous relationship Lately, however, Scott has been pictured partying and cuddling with a couple of beauties in Miami. His Miami fun comes after a quick trip to Costa Rica was their three kids, Mason, seven, Penelope, four and Reign, two. The family brought E! cameras on their tropical trip to film scenes for the new Keeping Up With The Kardashians. 'You told me you kissed!' Khloe replied as Scott shook his head and smiled Also along for the getaway was matriarch Kris Jenner, her boyfriend Corey Gamble, Kim, Khloe, Kylie Jenner and her boyfriend Tyga. Kourtney apparently had mixed feelings about Scott joining on the luxury trip, and at one point uninvited him following some wild behaviour at the Sundance Film Festival. 'Scott is still in the dog house from partying at Sundance,' a source told People.com last week. 'Kourtney disinvited him.' Keeping Up With The Kardashians returns March 5. Available in the UK & Ireland on hayu from 6th March and E! 12th March Taylor Swift released a YouTube video Thursday in which she rehearsed her latest song I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker). She'd given the number the pared-down treatment, strumming an acoustic guitar as she sang and managing without any other accompaniment. In fact, she'd stripped away so many trappings that she did without even Zayn, her duet partner on the recorded version released December 9. Scroll down for video Makes perfect: Taylor Swift released a YouTube video Thursday in which she rehearsed her latest song I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker) Her video saw her in a simply stylish outfit featuring a tight black turtleneck, which emphasised her enviably svelte torso. The camera looked at her from below as she stood at a mic in the studio. Various people were milling about some distance behind her, surrounded by equipment. The rehearsal was in aid of DirecTV Now Super Saturday Night, a concert she's doing the night before the Super Bowl in the same city: Houston, Texas. Spartan: She'd given the number the pared-down treatment, strumming an acoustic guitar as she sang and proceeding without any other accompaniment Solo act: In fact, she'd stripped away so many trappings that she did without even Zayn, her duet partner on the recorded version released December 9 She cooed her way through the first verse - which on the record belonged to the erstwhile One Direction member - and then slid into the chorus. When she got to the series of musicalised 'Oh's peppered throughout the song, she leaned down to sing one of them straight into the camera. Swift co-wrote the song with Lena Dunham's boyfriend Jack Antonoff and LoveHate Thing writer Sam Dew for the soundtrack to Fifty Shades Darker. The point: The rehearsal was for DirecTV Now Super Saturday Night, a concert she's doing the night before the Super Bowl in the same city: Houston, Texas In the music video, which debuted online last Friday, the 27-year-old and her 24-year-old duet partner trash a room at the swank St Pancras Renaissance London hotel. On Wednesday, Swift put up the latest of multiple behind the scenes clips outlining the process of filming the passionate music video. Sat in a white dressing gown and full make-up, she gave viewers the setting: 'We're in London. It is - it's earlier than I care to really even say.' She explained: 'We're starting to shoot the video for I Don't Wanna Live Forever, and I'm first, because clearly I don't demand late enough call times. 'Cause Zayn's asleep, somewhere in London, I imagine, under some kind of silk duvet.' Inside look: Swift's been uploading behind-the-scenes videos of the music video of the song, which features herself and the erstwhile One Direction singer trashing a room at the swank St Pancras Renaissance London hotel Tiffany Scanlon has launched into an online rant hitting back at her haters - some of whom asked her to make a 'porno' to prove her relationship with Megan Marx. The Bachelor babe claims to have been the victim of online trolls since the pair, who met on the reality show, went public as a same-sex couple. Posting on Instagram on Thursday, Tiffany said she's tired of the 'bullying', which has seen her labeled a 'sl*t', 'fake', 'a waste of space', 'trying to cash in' on her relationship and accusations that it's all for show. Scroll down for video Hitting back: Tiffany Scanlon (R) has launched into an online rant hitting back at her haters - some of whom asked her to make a 'porno' to prove her relationship with Megan Marx (L) She wrote: 'I am actually so tired, so very very tired, of the accusations and slander from ignorant and narrow minded people. 'If I'm not a publicity w***e, I'm a sl*t or a skank, I'm a waste of space, I'm self centred, I work in a brothel, I'm a dumb blonde, I'm tragic, I'm trash, I'm an attention seeking liar, I'm fake, I'm trying to cash in, my relationship is a publicity stunt, my relationship is yuck or wrong, I should prove my relationship by making a porno.' Tiffany went on to condemn the abuse she's suffered at the hands of trolls, urging them to 'leave me alone'. Cyber bullies: The Bachelor babe claims to have been the victim of online trolls since the pair, who met on the reality show, went public as a same-sex couple Rant: Posting on Instagram on Thursday, Tiffany said she's tired of the 'bullying' which has seen her labeled a 's**t', 'fake', 'a waste of space' and 'trying to cash in' on her relationship - which has been plagued by accusations that it's all for show She said: 'To anyone out there who has dealt with online bullying, I feel you, it sucks and it is not ok. 'No one has the right to place judgement or comment on someone else's life especially when coming from a place of ignorance behind the safety of a keyboard. 'Honestly the human race is utterly disgraceful sometimes. How does your criticism make you any better than the person you believe me to be? Go live your life and leave me alone to live mine!' Megan and Tiffany, who recently moved to Bali together, have been forced to deny that their relationship is a publicity stunt since getting together last year - claims which were given fresh impetus earlier this week. Under attack: Megan and Tiffany, who recently moved to Bali together, have been forced to deny that their relationship is a publicity stunt since getting together - claims which were given fresh impetus earlier this week Accusations: Fellow Bachelor alum, Keira Maguire, insisted the pair's union is a fraud during an Instagram Live video on Wednesday Fellow Bachelor alum, Keira Maguire, insisted the pair's union is a fraud during an Instagram Live video on Wednesday. The claims were triggered after one commenter asked: 'So Tiffany and Megan are faking their relationship?' 'Yes they are faking their relationship,' responded Keira, before claiming that the pair's partnership was nothing more than a 'publicity stunt'. The sassy blonde also warned fans 'not to be fooled' by the duo's constant displays of affection, before stating they 'aren't lesbians'. Firing shots: The sassy blonde also warned fans 'not to be fooled' by the duo's constant displays of affection, before stating they 'aren't lesbians' A day earlier, Megan and Tiffany appeared on Nine News Perth to dispel rumours that their relationship was a fabrication. 'We live in a warped world and we get messages every day. We think the world is too judgemental,' Megan said. After meeting on The Bachelor, the couple shared a series of racy snapshots to Instagram before finally confirming their romance at the Maxim Hot 100 party in Sydney last November. Standing firm: A day earlier, Megan (pictured) and Tiffany appeared on Nine News Perth to dispel rumours that their relationship was a fabrication Bosom buddies: After meeting on The Bachelor, the couple shared a series of racy snapshots to Instagram before finally confirming their romance at the Maxim Hot 100 party in Sydney last November Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Tiffany confessed that the pair fell in love during a holiday in Bali, Indonesia in June. 'While we were in the show, it was just a friendship. It probably wasn't until we were in Bali together that it was like "Oh, this is more",' she said. The pair left Australia to set up home in the seaside village of Canggu, Bali earlier this month. He's been enjoying a career resurgence after his WWII drama Hacksaw Ridge was nominated for six Academy Awards. And it looks like Mel Gibson won't let controversy surrounding his upcoming police brutality movie Dragged Across Concrete dampen his spirits. The 61-year-old couldn't stop smiling as he was spotted in Santa Monica this week - as Twitter users furiously speculated the new film would have a conservative slant. Scroll down for video He's still smiling! It looks like Mel Gibson (L) won't let controversy surrounding his upcoming police brutality movie Dragged Across Concrete dampen his spirits The project will also star Vince Vaughn who, like Mel, is one of the few Hollywood actors with openly conservative views. In response to Variety announcing the film, social media users criticised the project, with many making unflattering comments about Mel's involvement. One Twitter user asked: 'Wait, Mel Gibson is going to star in a police brutality movie called "Dragged Across Concrete" and he's playing the cop?' Another wrote: '"Dragged Across Concrete" sounds like Conservative porn'. 'Still can't get over Hollywood really letting Mel Gibson back at the lunch table,' read another tweet. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Mel and Vince for comment. 'He's playing the cop?' In response to Variety announcing the film, social media users criticised the project, with many making unflattering comments about Mel's involvement Despite the backlash, the veteran filmmaker had plenty to be smiling about on Tuesday, as he became a father for the ninth time last month. His girlfriend Rosalind Ross, 26, welcomed their son Lars Gerard on January 21. A source told People: 'Theyre thrilled and Lars is adorable. Their family is all around them and Mel is over the moon. Theyre home and everybody is healthy and happy!' Comeback kid! Despite the backlash, the veteran filmmaker had plenty to be smiling about in Santa Monica on Tuesday as he became a father for the ninth time last month Mel has seven children with ex-wife Robyn Moore: Hannah, 36, twin boys Christian and Edward, 34, William, 31, Louis, 28, Milo, 26, and Thomas, 17. He also has a six-year-old daughter, Lucia, with former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. It follows a triumphant year for Mel, as industry observers claim he has finally been welcomed back into Hollywood after his infamous 2006 DUI arrest. The good times continued in earnest as Lottie Moss enjoyed the latest in a string of late nights out on Thursday evening. Revealing her nicely toned legs in a thigh-skimming skirt, model sister of veteran catwalk star Kate looked toned and trim as she arrived at a friends birthday party in London. The 18-year old added to her striking ensemble with an edgy leather jacket, while distinctive strappy heels rounded things off. Scroll down for video Here she comes: The good times continued in earnest as Lottie Moss enjoyed the latest in a string of late nights out on Thursday evening Here we go: Revealing her nicely toned legs in a thigh-skimming skirt, model sister of veteran catwalk star Kate looked toned and trim as she made her entrance With a simple neck chain providing a focal point of sorts, the young model proved to be an arresting sight as she made her way inside the private residence with a group of pals. Her stark black outfit drew further attention to her tousled blonde locks, and she was seen pushing loose strands of hair away from her face prior to making an entrance at the celebratory event. The blonde beauty was pampered by mobile beauty app Secret Spa ahead of her night out, treating her to a Fake Bake tan and fluttering lash extensions from Nouveau Lashes. While Lottie is forging a fantastic career for herself, she has now revealed that she actually never really wanted to a model in her youth. Looking good: The blonde model caught the eye as she arrived at a close friend's birthday party in London Hard to miss: The blonde beauty was pampered by mobile beauty app Secret Spa ahead of her night out, treating her to a Fake Bake tan and fluttering lash extensions from Nouveau Lashes Birthday girl: The model held a birthday balloon as she made her entrance on Thursday night Pins on parade: The rising star showed off her sensationally leggy figure as she stepped out of her cab in the dress, which rose to an eye-watering height at her thigh The rising star, who is currently dating Made In Chelsea Alex Mytton, admitted to the Telegraph last month that she did not think modelling 'was something she could do', until she was scouted at her supermodel half-sister Kate Moss' wedding five years ago. Lottie was one of 16 bridesmaids and flower girls when the Croydon-born supermodel Kate married Jamie Hince back in 2011. However when photos of the big day were released, a 13-year-old Lottie caught the attention of the media with her striking complexion - resulting in her landing a test shoot for the agency which first launched Kates career, Storm Management. She comes bearing gifts: Lottie's birthday present came in a bag decorated with love hearts Knock knock: The blonde model pressed the buzzer as she waited patiently on the doorstep Natural beauty: The blonde sported a deep golden tan and thick lashes by Secret Spa, as well as smoky eye make-up in order to enhance her striking features at the bash Hard to miss: The 18-year old added to her striking ensemble with an edgy leather jacket, while distinctive strappy heels rounded things off Good items: Her appearance was the latest in a string of late night's out in the capital Talking of her whirlwind discovery, the blonde beauty admitted to the paper: 'I never really wanted to be a model when I was younger. 'It was something I didn't think I could do until I was scouted at my sister's wedding. I remember thinking, 'Yeah, that actually sounds fun.'' While she claims it was never a career path she wanted to follow, the Sussex native has now found huge success in the fashion industry - landing campaigns with the likes of Calvin Klein and Bulgari, as well as fronting the cover of Vogue Paris. Smoking hot: The model puffed on a cigarette while she chatted with friends High spirits: Lottie beamed as she chatted with he group of pals outside a local nightspot I'll huff and I'll puff: The model appeared to be taking a smoke break before making her way inside Cool: Making the look more edgy, Lottie later added a black cap to her look as she headed home In the spirit: Her quirky black cap had perhaps been given to her as a memento, as it was emblazoned with the club's name 'Bunga Bunga' on the front Just days ago she spoke of her excitement at taking her fiances name when they married. But now Kylie Minogue has called off her engagement to British actor Joshua Sasse, confirming the sad news on social media on Friday morning as she thanked her loyal fans for their messages of concern and support. The Australian singer was said to have thrown 29-year-old Sasse out of her West London home after he grew too close to Spanish actress Marta Milans, 34, but Kylie is yet to reveal the reason for the split. Scroll down for video Over: Kylie Minogue has split from her fiance Joshua Sasse amid allegations his growing closeness to Spanish actress Marta Milans could be to blame Alongside a picture of a beautiful sunrise, Kylie wrote: '#lovers ... Thank you for all your love and support throughout this recent chapter of my life. 'Thank you now for your love and understanding with the news that Josh and I have decided to go our separate ways. 'We wish only the best for each other as we venture towards new horizons. #thesunalwaysrises'. Following Kylie's post, her fans rushed to send messages of support, including her famous friends. Natalie Imbruglia, Paris Hilton and gossip blogger Perez Hilton were among the stars to send their well-wishes to the pop princess, posting heart emojis. Breaking her silence: The singer confirmed the sad news on social media on Friday morning as she thanked her loyal fans for their messages of concern and support Supportive: Following Kylie's post, her fans rushed to send messages of support, including her famous friends Sending her love: Natalie Imbruglia, Paris Hilton and gossip blogger Perez Hilton were among the stars to send their well-wishes to the pop princess, posting heart emojis Kylie wrote: 'Thank you now for your love and understanding with the news that Josh and I have decided to go our separate ways' Kylie reportedly had a number of furious arguments with Joshua before travelling to France for Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week last month, The Sun claimed. And it is supposedly on her return that she decided to end things with her partner - whom she met in the summer of 2015. Miss Minogue, 48, has since taken off her engagement ring and is heartbroken, according to the newspaper. A source said: 'She is absolutely devastated, totally heartbroken. She really believed he was The One. But she no longer trusts him.' Last night a spokesman for the singer declined to comment. MailOnline has contacted representatives for both Joshua and Marta and is awaiting comment. Close bond? Kylie is reported to have become upset over the growing closeness between Joshua and Spanish-born actress Marta Milans, 34 Especially for you: The couple has been inseparable since meeting in the summer of 2015 Sasse is said to have bonded with Miss Milans while filming TV series No Tomorrow in Canada last year. A source who worked on the show told The Sun it was well known that the pair had been close. Marta, 34, was born and raised in Madrid and is reportedly fluent in seven languages, including Russian. She's also involved with Art of Elysium, an artists' charity which helps sick and developmentally challenged children both in New York and LA. Marta likes to sing, is an expert yoga practitioner and supports Real Madrid. After graduating from New York University with a double major in Acting and Art History, she found work in local theatre productions. Pictured: Kylie and Joshua were last seen together just days before news of their split broke Hitting the road: The couple appeared downcast as they prepared to hit the road together Hats off: The singing superstar wore a pair of hats atop her head as she entered a waiting car Marta's family said on Friday they knew nothing about her supposed close friendship with Kylies ex Joshua. Her brother Alfonso said when asked about the reports Joshuas increasing closeness with Madrid-born Marta were to blame: 'I have no idea what youre talking about, no idea at all. 'I know who Kylie Minogue is of course but I dont know where my sister comes into all this. Its something thats totally foreign to me. 'I havent got anything to say because I dont know anything. If I did, I doubt I would say anything anyway. 'Knowing my dad, he would probably just hang up the phone if he got asked about something like this.' Natrual beauty: Wrapped up in a white coat, she appeared to be makeup-free for her excursion Gentleman: Joshua held the car door open for his then-fiancee as she entered the vehicle No engagement ring: Over the weekend, Kylie was seen without her wedding ring as she posed for a group snapshot at a recording studio Marta, who is better known abroad than in her home country, is one of three children born to millionaire landowner and dairy farmer Alfonso Perez-Andujar and his sculptor wife Maria. The 34-year-old, who is believed to act under a stage name rather than her birth name, is the eldest child. Her younger brother, a physicist who shares his dads first name, did a masters degree in wind energy in Denmark before returning to Spain. The youngest sibling - called Gadea - was the inspiration for the organic goats cheese which the family make called Santa Gadea and which Marta often references on her social media sites. Gadea studied Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii. She describes herself on social media as a biacoustic researcher. Brains and beauty: Marta, 34, was born and raised in Madrid and is reportedly fluent in seven languages, including Russian Close connection: Sasse is said to have bonded with Miss Milans while filming TV series No Tomorrow in Canada last year The family patriarch, the owner and director of the company Santa Gadea and Fuentemorera, owns a 2,000-acre farm in the northern Spanish province of Burgos where the family cheese is produced. The company website says the'misty valley' where the organic farm is hidden has seen 'battles waged on horseback and knights forcing kings to swear oaths.' The farm is home to 1,200 goats said to sleep inside a 'magnificent construction of French design' fed on organic crops with no trace of chemical fertilisers. The goats produce around 3,000 litres of milk a day which is used to make 3,000 to 4,000 pieces of cheese on a daily basis. Around 250 acres is given over to feeding the animals on the farm, which boasts of making its own compost in a completely natural way. Four solar farms and and a wind farm on the estate makes it energy self-sufficient. Exotic break: The 34-year-old Spanish born actress, who moved to New York as a teenager, enjoys posted pictures of her jet set lifestyle on Instagram Family-oriented: Marta is joined by twin sister Gadea Perez-Andujar, who is a jewellery designer based in Hawaii, in several of the pictures Gal pals: She is friends with fellow Spanish beauty Elsa Pataky (centre), who is married to Chris Hemsworth, recently sharing a sweet picture of them catching up over a glass of wine The land has also been reforested with 120,000 trees, including cherry and walnut trees since it was purchased by the family. Their sustainable approach to their business is clear from the messages they put on their website which include the motto: 'Less carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.' They also proclaim: 'At Santa Gadea we know theres no Planet B, so ours is a strong commitment to nature. Santa Gadea has a negative carbon footprint.' Meanwhile, there are also big changes afoot in Kylie's professional life, as she announced on Thursday that she's signed a new deal with BMG record label - home to such stars as Bruno Mars, M.I.A. and Frank Ocean. She told fans in her Instagram announcement: '#lovers ... So happy to announce my new record label is BMG. I promise you will have my heart and soul in this next record.' Yoga fan: Marta likes to sing, is an expert yoga practitioner and supports Real Madrid Actress: The brunette's breakout role was in ABCs Killer Women, a TV series produced by Sofia Vergara Representatives at BMG later took to Twitter to write: 'Hello @kylieminogue!! We can't get you out of our heads! Let's hear it for new music from this!' And fans can expect some of her recent heartbreak to make it onto her upcoming album, as she told the Evening Standard in December that she didn't plan to shy away from tracks that aren't as typically upbeat as her past material. She said: 'Whats worked well for me in the past is pop dance, obviously, melodies, emotional themes. I think most people think of my songs as joyful. But it doesnt have to be just about joy - it can be sparkling melancholy. 'I dont think Ive ever used those words together before, Im going to use it! And a slice of the unexpected, which we did with something like (2003 track) Slow.' News of the split comes just after a pre-recorded interview was shown on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday during which Kylie talked about her wedding plans. Break-up: The 48-year-old pop superstar (seen in Sydney in November) is 'absolutely devastated' after throwing Joshua out of her plush west London home Exicted: On Tuesday, she was seen in a pre-recorded clip on ITV's This Morning, where she spoke briefly about her wedding plans She joked that they would differ from those of her former neighbours character Charlene who she tied the knot with Scott (Jason Donovan). She said: 'I'm taking no inspiration from Charlene's wedding dress. It was of the time. We laugh about it now. 'But I have to say, the gyp flowers she wore in her hair. I don't mind those if they are done properly.' And in a recent interview with YOU magazine, she revealed plans to take Joshua's surname once they tied the knot. She said: 'Sasse is a great name. Kylie Sasse is a great name. Its a great stage name. Kylie Minogue has never exactly tripped off the tongue. 'Ill definitely be taking Sasse but there will be Minogue in there somewhere. Taking a different name makes a statement... Fun-loving: They appeared on a string of red carpets together as their romance blossomed Rubbing shoulders: During their romance, Joshua got the opportunity to rub shoulders with a number of high-profile figures, including Prince Charles (in February 2016) 'Nobody wants to be Mr Minogue. It takes a very strong man to put themselves in that position and I fully appreciate that. 'The world around you sees it differently and a lot of guys cant deal with that. When I look into Joshs eyes, he is all I see and that makes me very happy. 'Theres a line in the movie Notting Hill that I always think of, when Julia Roberts is talking to Hugh Grant, and she says, "Im just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." For me, its that simple.' The singer insisted there was 'no rush' to tie the knot as she gushed about her stunning engagement ring, which she said is 'exactly the right ring' for her. She explained: '[There's] no rush. I'm happy enjoying being engaged, its a lovely time we have together. Theres no pressure. My mum isnt buying a hat. Everyone is very happy for us as we are. My parents love him. Everybody in my family thinks hes wonderful ... They way they were: The pair met on the set of US TV show Galavant in the summer of 2015 Whirlwind romance: Their engagement was announced several months later in February 2016 'Josh told me [the ring] was made in 1908. For me, it is perfect. Im not the sort of girl who would wear a solitaire. He got exactly the right ring for me. I love it. I love wearing it and I love what it represents.' The couple met in 2015, on the set of US TV show Galavant and, months later in February 2016, they publicly announced their engagement. Family is important to Joshua, who became a dad at the age of 25 when his then girlfriend Francesca Cini gave birth to Sebastian, now two. Despite splitting from the Italian-born brunette shortly after the birth, Josh is still a hands-on dad. His passion for fatherhood stems in part from the fact that he was only five when his own father died. Taking things slow: Later in their engagement, Kylie said there was 'no rush' to tie the knot Poet and adventurer Dominic Sasse was on a flight to Nepal which crashed into a hill killing all 167 passengers on board. Josh has a tattoo of the number 37 his dads age when he died as a reminder 'to live life every day because it might end at any moment'. His mum Mary later remarried and sent Josh to board at the 10,000-a-year Shrewsbury School, where he picked up a love for acting. After studying performing arts at college in Surrey and Exeter, he landed a role in the 2010 gangster film Big I Am. Since then he has starred in Mamma Mia! in the West End and horror film Frankensteins Army, but is best known for his role in the musical comedy Galavant, where he met Kylie. Meanwhile, Kylie's hopes of starting a family of her own have been possibly dealt another blow. During an interview with The Sunday Telegraph in January, the singer's sister Dannii, who has a six-year-old son, said Kylie was the one who wanted kids growing up.'It's a great sadness for her, it's 'It's a great sadness for her': Kylie's hopes of starting a family of her own have been possibly dealt another blow. Her sister Dannii (pictured with the star in 2015) previously said, 'It's a great sadness for her... and it's made me really understand how blessed I was to be a mother' She previously said: 'It's a great sadness for her, it's a great sadness for me and it's also made me really understand how blessed I was to be a mother.' After going public with Joshua in 2015, Kylie said at the time it would be 'incredible' if the couple started a family of their own. And speaking just weeks before her sister's alleged split, Dannii was still optimistic that her sibling would become a mother one day. 'Kylie wrote a song called "Flower" about how she feels about motherhood. It's so beautiful it makes me cry. But you just don't know what is going to happen in life,' Dannii told The Sunday Telegraph. According to Dannii, her sister always showed maternal instincts while she was the one who 'never' wanted children. But she admits her son Ethan is the 'sunshine' in her life today.' All in a name: She recently revealed plans to take Joshua's surname once they tied the knot Why is Kylie so Un-Lucky in love? A look back at Minogue's ill-fated relationships including her failed 'engagement' to Olivier Martinez as she 'splits from fiance Joshua Sasse' By GREG STYLES FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Kylie Minogue believed she'd finally found 'The One' in Joshua Sasse. But after the 48-year-old reportedly called off their engagement on Friday amid claims she 'became suspicious of her fiance's relationship with a Spanish actress', the British thespian became the latest in Kylie's long list of failed relationships. The singer has been left heartbroken on several occasions since bursting into the public spotlight - including high-profile romances with Jason Donovan, Michael Hutchence, Oliver Martinez, Lenny Kravitz and Andres Velencoso all ending in tears. And as she possibly prepares for life without her 29-year-old toyboy fiance, it would appear Kylie hasn't always been so 'lucky in love'. Heartbreak: Kylie Minogue's (L) reported split from toyboy fiance Joshua Sasse (R) this week could be the latest chapter in the Australian singer's turbulent love life JOSHUA SASSE - 2014-2017 In November 2014, Kylie revealed she was in a relationship with Joshua Sasse, who is 19 years her junior. Joshua had reportedly confirmed their engagement after referring to Kylie as his 'fiancee' during an NME Awards after party. The couple reportedly announced the news at the event, with a source saying: 'Kylie may have been keeping tight-lipped, but Josh isn't as keen to keep it a secret.' They continued: 'He was proudly calling her his fiancee to several guests and even joked that being with her meant he wouldn't have any trouble getting into parties.' Kylie was reportedly busy presenting an award during the show as Joshua made the candid remarks. Kylie had showed off a diamond ring on her wedding finger earlier in the year, and Joshua is believed to have proposed in Switzerland during a skiing holiday. Cameo: The pair first met on the set of Joshua's TV series Galavant when Kylie filmed a guest role, and were inseparable ever since The pair first met on the set of Joshua's TV series Galavant when Kylie filmed a guest role, and were inseparable ever since. The Melbourne-born singer previously said: 'I have a love of my life which is just a beautiful thing. I am kind of on cloud nine most of the time because of Mr Joshua Sasse, my beau.' And speaking to The Mail on Sunday's You magazine in 2014, Kylie insisted that despite their significant age gap, she and Joshua were the perfect match. 'I can't actually put into words how happy I am We just completely fit together. He gets me, I get him,' she said. ANDRES VELENCOSO - 2008-2013 The singer's most recent relationship before Joshua was with model Andres Velencoso. The songstress began dating Andres after they met while filming an advert for her perfume range in 2008. In 2013, Kylie ended their five-year relationship and cited the pressures of their conflicting work schedules as the reason for the split. Her representative confirmed the break-up to The Sun On Sunday, insisting at the time they were still on good terms. It didn't work out! Kylie dated Spanish model Andres Velencoso from 2008 to 2013 Friends later said her increased workload had led to them spending less time together over months leading up to the split. Kylie and Andres havent been spending much time together because shes been holed up in the studio in LA working on her new album, said a source. Hes also been trying to carve out an acting career for himself. When she signed up for The Voice they knew they couldnt cope with the long distance pressures the job would put on them. The news came only 12-months after Kylie said of her then-boyfriend: Hes the one. Sound the alarm, four years. I think Im pretty settled'. OLIVIER MARTINEZ - 2002-2007 Kylie dated French actor Olivier Martinez for five years before the couple called it quits in February 2007. A joint statement released on behalf of the pair at the time read: 'Olivier Martinez and Kylie Minogue have officially confirmed that they are no longer a couple. 'They have made it clear that the decision to go their separate ways was mutual and amicable. 'The media's false accusations of disloyalty have saddened them both. The two remain very close friends.' The separation came at the end of a tumultuous time for Kylie after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Splitsville: Kylie dated French actor Olivier Martinez for five years before the couple called it quits in February 2007 The singer was forced to abandon her Showgirl world tour in May 2005, and did not resume it until November 2006. The singer spoke of how her 'incredible' boyfriend of four years had helped her through the battle. 'On particular dark days, I'd be lying on the bathroom floor wailing and he'd say, "OK, honey, you can cry for just five minutes, then I'm taking you on the bike for a ride around Paris"' she told Elle magazine in 2006. 'Olli was there all the time, helping with the practical stuff and being protective': The split came at the end of a tumultuous time for Kylie after she was diagnosed with breast cancer 'So I'd howl a bit more and then I'd find myself thinking, "Hmm. Actually, a ride on the bike sounds pretty good".' 'Olli was there all the time, helping with the practical stuff and being protective.' At the time she denied reports the couple were planning to marry. 'I understand the excitement at the prospect of a wedding, but we're simply happy together and getting on with life,' she said. JAMES GOODING - 1999-2002 Kylie dated model James Gooding for three years but he later boasted of flying out to New York and cheating on her with model Sophie Dahl. Kylie was said to be 'furious' when he did a tell-all interview about her. Other stars who had romances with Gooding also slammed him, with former girlfriend Martine McCutcheon describing him as 'disgusting'. He did what?! Kylie dated model James Gooding for three years but he later boasted of flying out to New York and cheating on her with model Sophie Dahl MICHAEL HUTCHENCE - 1989-1991 Kylie dated INXS rocker Michael Hutchence between 1989 and 1991 and the pair remained friends until his tragic death in 1997. In December 2013, the singer was overcome with emotion as she discussed the late Australian singer during a radio interview. Kylie fought back tears during her appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs as she opened up about her ex-boyfriend, picking the INXS hit Need You Tonight as one of her favourite songs and admitting: It's getting me very emotional. She continued: 'I met a new person and I fell in love. Yes, he was this wild guy, he was the rocker, he was all of that. 'But I'm always at pains to say he was Byron-esque, he was poetic, he was cultured and hilarious and tender, he was all of these other things.' She continued: 'I guess, I was at the perfect age, I was 21 years old, to get the butterfly wings and go out into the world and we collided at that time and I guess he just fast-tracked some of it. Anyway, it was a glorious time. I loved it.' Kylie credited Michael, who died aged 37, with rebuilding her confidence as she learned how to perform live in front of audiences. 'Professionally, he was so supportive': Following their split, the former couple remained friends before Michael tragically died aged 37 at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Sydney in 1997 She explained: 'Professionally, he was so supportive. Someone called me the singing budgie in Australia as a knock. 'So I did this warm-up gig and we said, It's the singing budgie, take that, own it and go out.' 'We did this little gig and I was so inexperienced at doing live performance. I feel my career is backwards. I started successful then I had to learn everything in front of everyone,' Kylie recalled. She continued: 'I mean he was uber, uber famous. He's an icon already. And he was in the middle of the audience, just gazing up at me, and just willing me, willing me with all of his heart and his love to do well, and he believed in me. 'And it was at a time when so many people didn't.' Her support: Kylie credited Michael with rebuilding her confidence as she learned how to sing live in front of audiences following her TV acting career JASON DONOVAN - 1986-1989 Kylie and Jason Donovan met and fell in love while playing Scott and Charlene in TV soap Neighbours. Their characters' on-screen wedding was an international event when it was broadcast in 1987. Jason later revealed they consummated their romance in a Travelodge and admitted he was 'devastated' when she moved on with Michael Hutchence. He previously told The Mirror: 'It was an extremely painful parting of the ways and, without doubt, I took a long time to recover from it. 'It was bad enough that shed run off with anybody, but she happened to run into the arms of the greatest rock god of the period, the very guy who I secretly wanted to be.' He added that he and Kylie have never spoken about their heartbreaking split, claiming they simply 'aren't close enough to get into that'. Congo at crossroads as opposition chief Tshisekedi dies Longtime DR Congo opposition chief Etienne Tshisekedi died Wednesday at the age of 84 in Brussels, as talks aiming to end the nation's political crisis were under way in Kinshasa. "President Tshisekedi died today... in Brussels," Bruno Tshibala, an official from his Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party, said of the burly figure who had remained largely out of sight in recent years due to frail health. Tshisekedi, who had only flown from Kinshasa to the capital of former colonial power Belgium on January 24, for medical treatment, died at 5:42 pm (1642 GMT), Tshibala said. President of thee opposition party Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) Etienne Tshisekedi has died at the age of 84 THIERRY CHARLIER (AFP/File) After two years of medical treatment in Belgium, Tshisekedi had made a triumphant return in July with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to welcome him home. The opposition coalition he headed is negotiating the next steps in a power-sharing deal agreed on New Year's Eve to avoid fresh violence after President Joseph Kabila refused to step down at the end of his mandate in December. Tshisekedi's death swiftly brought the country's tensions to the fore in Kinshasa as police fired tear gas on a crowd of his supporters who had gathered to mourn. About 100 supporters were out in the open when security forces moved in, and dozens took refuge inside his party's headquarters to escape the gas, an AFP journalist said. Eventually those inside were forced to leave after a police officer threatened to open fire at them. - 'Our leader is dead' - The Tshisekedi supporters were struggling to take in the news their chief was gone. "Our leader is dead. We have no other leader, like Tshitshi, who can fight without the need for guns. How could he die in Belgium?" asked UDPS activist, Yves, using Tshisekedi's nickname. The power-sharing deal, brokered by the country's influential Roman Catholic bishops, allows Kabila to stay in office until late 2017 in tandem with a transitional body and a new premier, yet to be agreed. Before his death, the UDPS said Tshisekedi would return to DR Congo soon to "take up his historic responsibilities" but there had been great concern for "the Old Man", as he was affectionately known Voters in DR Congo were originally to have chosen a new president in 2016, but the authorities said the electoral registers must be revised, a huge enterprise in a country almost the size of western Europe. And in a highly controversial ruling, the constitutional court said Kabila could remain in office until an election was held. The ruling fed opposition fears that he planned to amend the constitution to allow him to run for a third term. Kabila, 45, has been in power, in one of the least developed countries in the world, since the 2001 assassination of his father Laurent at the height of the Second Congo War. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders described Tshisekedi as a "remarkable political figure". His "last fight (...) for the constitution and democracy culminated in the New Year's Eve agreement," Reynders said in a statement, adding that "Belgium joins forces with the Congolese people in their grief and their desire to see his work bear fruit". US judge rules in favor of Yemenis hit by Trump travel ban In yet another challenge to President Donald Trump's travel ban, a California federal judge has issued a court order barring the US government from preventing more than two dozen Yemenis with valid visas from flying to Los Angeles. US District Judge Andre Birotte handed down his temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction Tuesday following an emergency motion filed by immigration attorney Julie Goldberg and her associate Daniel Covarrubias-Klein on behalf of 28 plaintiffs. "These are people escaping war, I have people who are injured, people who aren't getting proper medical care, children that have died (while awaiting their visas)," Goldberg, who is currently in Djibouti, where her clients are held up in transit, said by telephone. Protesters gather at the Los Angeles International airport's Tom Bradley terminal to demonstrate against President Trump's executive order effectively banning citizens from seven Muslim majority countries Konrad Fiedler (AFP/File) "These are the women and children of US citizens and I need to get that message across," she added, clearly frustrated by the plight of her clients, some of whom are living in a house she rents in the tiny African nation. Birotte's ruling comes on the heels of similar orders issued by judges in several other US states, including New York, Virginia and Washington. Among those left in limbo in Djibouti because of Trump's temporary travel ban is a Yemeni man whose wife and daughter are US citizens, but whose three-year-old son is an immigrant visa applicant with a passport stuck at the US embassy in Djibouti. Another is an elderly woman who planned to join her son -- a US citizen -- and his family, and a six-year-old child whose mother is a US citizen. - 'People escaping war' - Goldberg, who has law offices in New York and Los Angeles, said she has some 214 Yemeni clients who have been affected by the travel ban and who are now stranded in Djibouti, unable to return to their war-ravaged country. She said another 1,000 people, most of them from Yemen and Somalia, had their visa appointments at the US embassy in Djibouti canceled and were also stranded. "How is banning a three-year-old child preventing terrorism from happening in the US? I just need to know," the attorney said. "We are not banning terrorists, we are preventing children from being with their parents." Goldberg said that despite the court rulings issued by several federal judges instructing the US government not to implement Trump's executive order, and despite the White House clarifying that holders of green cards would not be affected by the ban, people were still being turned away by the airlines. "Green card holders can come in, but the airlines won't take them because Customs and Border Patrol is telling them that if these people are not admitted, you are responsible for the carrier fees, which are $10,000 a shot," Goldberg said. "We are trying to track down an airline that is willing to respect the system of government we have in the United States and honor the court order." Klein said it was concerning that immigration officials were apparently wilfully ignoring rulings by federal judges and expected the legal challenges to reach the Supreme Court. "It's unclear how this is going to play out in the interim but we expect these cases to make their way to the highest court in the land," he said. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy telephoned Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday to offer support in finding a solution to Mexicos deteriorating relationship with the new US administration. Rajoy and Pena Nieto agreed to join efforts in the search for a fair, sensible and reasonable arrangement that will help overcome the current situation. Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy in Congress on Wednesday. Chema Moya (EFE) More information Rajoy ofrece a Pena Nieto ayuda para un arreglo justo y sensato ante la coyuntura actual The move represents a break with the Spanish governments non-committal attitude of previous days. Spain's opposition Socialist Party (PSOE) has criticized the executives silence regarding controversial orders signed by US President Donald Trump, including the construction of a border wall with Mexico and a travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim countries. On Wednesday, Rajoy and Pena Nieto discussed the difficult moment for US-Mexico relations, and the Spanish leader asked his counterpart about his short-term plans, according to sources at La Moncloa, the Spanish seat of government. Both men agreed that it is essential and indispensable to restore good bilateral relations between the neighboring countries. The opposition has accused Rajoy of practicing a policy of appeasement Following the call, the Mexican government issued a release to thank Spain for its solidarity in view of the US governments new attitude towards Mexico. President Pena Nieto expressed his gratitude to the Spanish government and the Spanish people for their show of solidarity, and underscored how much Mexico values its relationship with Spain, said the release. Escalating tension The White House on Wednesday denied that Trump has threatened Pena Nieto with sending US troops to Mexico if that countrys military does not do more to control the bunch of bad hombres down there. The Associated Press has reported that this threat was part of the telephone conversation that both men had on Friday of last week, an excerpt of which was leaked to the news agency. An official source at the White House, speaking on condition of anonymity, told EL PAIS that the information about the president threatening to invade Mexico is false. Even the Mexican government is denying those reports. A direct attack Also on Wednesday, Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis denied in Congress that the government is being deliberately silent about Trumps controversial orders, which other European nations and EU institutions have criticized harshly. Dastis defended the need to act serenely, without rushing into things. Socialist deputy Eduardo Madina accused the conservative government of Mariano Rajoy of practicing a policy of appeasement in the face of the US administrations direct attack against Mexico, democracy and human rights. Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis in Congress on Wednesday. Uly Martin Dastis replied that Spain has shown Mexico its unconditional support from the very first moment, and expressed disagreement with the US governments protectionist measures and its discriminatory and denigrating treatment of immigrants and refugees. The minister did not, however, mention the border wall or the travel ban. On Thursday of last week, King Felipe VI said that Spain wishes to work with the new US administration with the same level of excellence as it did with the Obama administration. English version by Susana Urra. Trump threatens Berkeley as protests target far-right firebrand President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to withdraw federal funds from UC Berkeley after violent campus protests forced the cancellation of a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos, a firebrand editor of right-wing news site Breitbart. The disturbances were a fiery reminder of the university's history as a cradle of the 1960s anti-war movement -- and a sign of the sharp tensions pitting America's mostly left-wing student body against a far-right minority. Hundreds of students and other protesters chanting "shut him down" smashed windows at the University of California campus, set wooden pallets ablaze and threw fireworks and rocks as police in full riot gear responded with tear gas. Violent protests erupted at the University of California at Berkeley Wednesday over the scheduled appearance of a controversial editor of the conservative news website Breitbart Josh EDELSON (AFP) The university was placed on lockdown as the sold-out appearance by Yiannopoulos, a conservative provocateur and self-proclaimed internet troll who styles himself on Facebook as "Dangerous Faggot," was canceled Wednesday evening. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday. About half of research at Berkeley is funded by the federal government, according to the university website. Berkeley however has been struggling in the past years with budget shortfalls and spending deficits. Trump's top political adviser Stephen Bannon is the former chairman of Breitbart News. - 'Dangerous Faggot' - Yiannopoulos, Breitbart's technology editor, is a flamboyant firebrand reviled by his critics as racist and misogynistic but who casts himself as a gay crusader against "political correctness." He is often portrayed as a leader of the so-called alt-right -- a white nationalist extremist fringe that has found a home on Breitbart's pages -- although he has sought to distance himself from the movement. He is however a vocal supporter of Trump -- nicknaming the billionaire "Daddy" during his election campaign. The 32-year-old Briton is probably best known for inciting a campaign of online abuse against the African-American "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones. Twitter banned him in July. The Berkeley event was to be the last stop of a college speaking tour that has drawn big crowds and also sparked fistfights, a shooting and at least one other cancellation. According to an article on Breitbart News, Yiannopoulos was planning to use the event to launch a campaign against so-called sanctuary campuses, which have declared their opposition to Trump's tough stance toward undocumented immigrants. Yiannopoulos said on Facebook he was evacuated "after violent left-wing protestors tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building." "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." UC Berkeley, one of the top public universities in the United States, is the home of the 1960s "Free Speech Movement" that helped launch the era's student protests against the Vietnam War. - Violence deplored - The mayor of Berkeley, one of America's most liberal cities, deplored the violence by a "small minority" of protesters. They "provided the ultra-nationalist far right exactly the images they want to use to discredit the vast majority of peaceful protesters in Berkeley and across America who are deeply concerned about where the country is heading," said Jesse Arreguin, the mayor. Similar protests at the University of California at Davis last month also forced the cancellation of speeches by Yiannopoulos and Martin Shkreli, a former pharmaceuticals boss who became a hate figure after jacking up the price of a life-saving drug. The events at Davis and Berkeley were organized by conservative student groups. A similar invitation to speak at UCLA was rescinded. Officials at the three University of California campuses stressed that they did not invite Yiannopoulos or endorse his ideas but were committed to free speech. More than 100 UC Berkeley faculty members had signed two letters sent last month to the school's chancellor, urging him to cancel the event. "Although we object strenuously to Yiannopoulos's views -- he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny -- it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event," read one of the letters. They cited as one example an incident in December at the University of Milwaukee where Yiannopoulos openly mocked a transgender student, displaying her name and photo on screen. A man pulls a piece of metal out of a window as a flare burns inside a Wells Fargo Bank in Berkeley, California, during protests over a speech by Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos scheduled at the university Josh Edelson (AFP) Milo Yiannopoulos, Breitbart's technology editor, is a flamboyant firebrand reviled by his critics as racist and misogynistic but who casts himself as a gay crusader against "political correctness" Drew Angerer (Getty/AFP/File) Trump's top political adviser Stephen Bannon is the former chairman of Breitbart News NICHOLAS KAMM (AFP/File) A man looks at graffiti during a protest in Berkeley, California over the scheduled appearance of a controversial editor of the conservative news website Breitbart Josh Edelson (AFP) Missing Chinese billionaire targeted over stocks crash: report A Chinese billionaire who went missing from Hong Kong and is said to have been abducted by mainland security agents is reportedly under investigation in connection with China's 2015 stocks crash. Local media say financier Xiao Jianhua was last seen at his apartment in Hong Kong's harbourfront Four Seasons hotel. He was taken by mainland security agents last week, according to overseas Chinese-language media. Missing Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua, founder of the Beijing-based Tomorrow Group, pictured at a Chinese University of Hong Kong event in 2016 It is illegal for mainland agents to operate in semi-autonomous Hong Kong and the case has sparked new fears its freedoms are under threat from Beijing. Three statements purportedly from Xiao -- a Canadian citizen -- denying he has been kidnapped have appeared on his company's WeChat account and on the front page of a Hong Kong newspaper. The Canadian consulate confirmed to AFP Thursday Xiao was a citizen and said its officials were in contact with authorities to "gather additional information and provide assistance". According to the South China Morning Post, Xiao, founder of Beijing-based Tomorrow Group, is in mainland China and "assisting investigations" into the stock market turmoil of 2015. The Shanghai stock index tumbled nearly 40 percent over a period of little more than two months after peaking in mid-June that year. Authorities helped inflate the bubble by encouraging investments. But when it burst, officials sought to pin blame on market manipulators. It is unclear how Xiao is being linked to the crash, but mainland investigators have targeted several investment executives on suspicion of insider trading since the stocks rout. Last week former star hedge-fund manager Xu Xiang was sentenced to more than five years in prison for market manipulation. Xiao's company said late Thursday all was "normal" in his business empire but did not address his reported abduction. "Production and operations of Tomorrow Holdings Ltd and its related companies are all normal," it said in a brief statement. It also gave "thanks for the concern and kindness" expressed over Xiao and his companies, without elaborating. The reason for the statement was not clear, but Friday will see trading resume on China's stock exchanges after a week-long holiday break, including shares of Tomorrow-linked companies. - 'Corruption target' - The investigation into Xiao is also linked to China's disgraced ex-spymaster Ma Jian, the SCMP said. Ma was former deputy head of China's ministry of state security and was expelled from the ruling Communist Party in December on suspicion of taking bribes and "abusing power". There has been widespread speculation that Xiao's disappearance was part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption drive, which some critics believe has been used to target his political opponents. The campaign was launched after Xi took power in 2012 and has brought down government officials and corporate executives. Xiao is said to have acted as a broker for the Chinese leadership, including for Xi's family -- but there were also reports he could be connected to members of rival political clans. One US-based China-watcher said he believed Xiao was being targeted by Xi "to use him as a source to extract information on his enemies". Another source who said he had met Xiao at the Four Seasons described him as a "powerful deal broker" in China. "He's low-key, but he's very high-flying amongst Chinese bankers in Hong Kong," he told AFP. Hong Kong news site Initium reported Xiao had wanted to move some of his companies to Japan as he no longer felt secure in the city. Taiwan's Business Today magazine reported in 2009 that Xiao was courting connections there out of the safety concerns, citing people familiar with Xiao. Analyst Ma Ngok said the case could encourage other big Chinese businessmen to leave Hong Kong. "They just don't have the confidence that if something happens in Hong Kong the government or the police is going to help out," said Ma, professor at Chinese University of Hong Kong. Xiao's case has echoes of the disappearance in 2015 of five booksellers known for publishing salacious titles about Beijing's leadership. One of the men, Lee Bo, a British citizen, vanished from Hong Kong, triggering international condemnation and local protests. All five booksellers resurfaced in mainland China. An annual report by US think tank Freedom House said Wednesday Hong Kong's freedoms had dipped "due to Beijing's encroachment," citing the bookseller detentions and shrinking journalistic and academic independence. Tough options as EU tackles Med migrant route EU leaders meeting in Malta on Friday will face the challenge of how to work with a chaotic Libya and reluctant sub-Saharan African countries to prevent a feared upsurge of migrant smuggling to Europe. Here is how the central Mediterranean smuggling route that runs mainly from Libya to Italy will focus minds at the European Union summit in Valletta: - Main route - Picture released by the Italian police shows migrants hidden in a vehicle by human traffickers HO (Polizia di Stato/AFP/File) Concern has shifted from the Aegean route since a March 2016 EU-Turkey deal to stop migrant flows slashed the number of people landing in Greece after fleeing war and persecution in the Middle East. Though far fewer than the hundreds of thousands who had arrived in Greece before the deal, a record 180,000 migrants landed in Italy last year while some 4,500 died trying to reach Europe's shores. The migrants travelling via North Africa, the vast majority through Libya, come especially from sub-Saharan countries: 21 percent from Nigeria, 11 percent from Eritrea as well as seven percent each from Guinea, Ivory Coast and Gambia, according to the European Commission. Unlike Syrians, most are deemed illegal economic migrants who are seeking jobs rather than fleeing war and persecution. They are usually ordered sent home. - 'Sophia' - In 2015, the EU launched "Operation Sophia", a naval mission in international waters to crack down on smugglers. It has seized hundreds of rickety boats, helped arrest around a hundred suspected smugglers and rescued more than 32,000 people. But it cannot operate in Libyan waters, limiting its effectiveness in stopping smuggling boats leaving the coast. In fact some European officials fear that "Sophia" actually encourages migrants because they know they stand a good chance of being rescued by EU navies and taken to Italy as soon as they leave Libyan waters. - All eyes on Libya - Barred from Libya's waters, the EU is betting on the support of the country's coast guard to crack down on the smugglers and then take migrants back to their shores. "Sophia" has been training and equipping Libyan coast guard officers since October, and EU leaders will examine Friday a proposal to release new funds to train them as well as give UN agencies the means to help the Libyans look after the migrants. But a possible Turkish-style deal with Libya is much less likely. The UN-backed Libyan unity government is locked in a power struggle with a rival administration in eastern Libya as it seeks to end years of lawlessness following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi. A European diplomat said the most that can be done is to help the unity government stablise the country and ensure the proper treatment of migrants. - Reluctant African countries - The EU is now looking for the cooperation of Libya's north African neighbours Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria while pursuing its "compacts" with countries south of Libya. In 2016, it opened talks with Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Niger and Ethiopia to offer them development aid in a bid to encourage more of their citizens to stay home. It is also urging them to readmit more of their nationals expelled from Europe. However, these countries are reluctant to take them back for fear they would lose large sums in worker remittances from Europe. As an inducement, the EU seems ready to open legal channels of migration to Europe. - Return migrants? - To discourage migration, some Europeans no longer hesitate to raise controversial ideas like sending migrants rescued at sea to "safe places outside the EU," presumably in north Africa, rather than taking them to European shores. The reception centres outside the EU would then be used to determine who can be admitted to Europe as a refugee or rejected as an illegal migrant. But the EU risks falling foul of rights groups at best, and at worst of international law on returning people to unsafe countries. Key Gambia ministers sworn in Ten of the new Gambian government's 18 ministers were sworn in, less than a week after freshly-elected President Adama Barrow arrived in the country following a major political crisis. In a vote in December, Barrow defeated longtime leader Yahya Jammeh, who for several weeks refused to step down. Barrow left the country for Senegal, where he remained until Jammeh agreed to step aside and go into exile. President Adama Barrow arrives at his first press conference in The Gambia as the country's newly elected leader CARL DE SOUZA (AFP/File) Among the cabinet members sworn in were Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe, a veteran of the opposition to Jammeh's regime. Special advisor to Barrow, Mai Fatty, was sworn in as interior minister, while the ex-treasurer of the main former opposition, Amadou Sanneh, became minister of finance. Fatty was the defence lawyer for several opposition figures before going into exile and setting up his own dissident party in 2009. He returned to The Gambia in 2011. Darboe, the head of the United Democratic Party, ran for president against Jammeh four times -- in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011 -- but was defeated. Along with several other opposition figures, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in jail last summer for participating in an unauthorised protest. He was released four days after Jammeh lost the vote to Barrow on December 1. Sanneh too was sentenced to five years in prison in 2013 for writing an open letter alleging that two opposition activists risked death if they were not allowed to go into exile. He was granted a presidential pardon on Monday. Barrow last week chose a former minister of Jammeh's government as vice-president. Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang has been described as the woman who persuaded The Gambia's divided opposition parties to club together and field a single candidate in the election which Barrow eventually won. Eight more ministers have yet to be named. "The rest of the appointments ... will be determined based on their skills, their experience and their professionalism," Barrow's spokesman Halifa Sallah told reporters. In another development Barrow renamed The Gambia's intelligence service, seen under Jammeh's rule as an instrument of brutal repression. The new body, named the State Intelligence Services, "shall no more arrest, detain or undertake any activities that are unconstitutional especially with regards to human (and) civil rights", an official statement said late Tuesday. Qaeda stands to gain from Trump strikes on Yemen: ICG Al-Qaeda is gaining ground in Yemen and could benefit from military actions like the deadly raid by elite US forces ordered by President Donald Trump, the International Crisis Group warned Thursday. "The Yemeni branch of Al-Qaeda is stronger than it has ever been," ICG said in a report documenting the spread of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). "The first military actions by the Trump administration in Yemen bode poorly for the prospect of smartly and effectively countering AQAP," read the report, released after Sunday's US air raid in central Yemen. Yemeni soldiers check the scene of a car bomb attack at an army checkpoint in Hajr, a former stronghold of Al-Qaeda in southeastern Yemen ABDULJABBAR BAJUBAIR (AFP/File) While Washington has said at least 14 suspected jihadists and one US Navy SEAL were killed in the strike, ICG said the death toll included "many civilians, including at least 10 women and children". The think-tank warned that strikes like the January 29 raid on Baida province could increase fear of or even hostility towards the United States among civilians, providing fertile ground for recruitment by AQAP. "The use of US soldiers, high civilian casualties and disregard for local tribal and political dynamics... plays into AQAP's narrative of defending Muslims against the West and could increase anti-US sentiment and with it AQAP's pool of recruits," said the Brussels-based ICG. With its key role in regional politics, Trump's White House also stands to impact efforts to find a political solution to Yemen's conflict which has killed more than 7,400 people since March 2015, according to the World Health Organization. "These efforts will be imperilled if states interested in fighting AQAP and Yemen's nascent Islamic State (IS) branch, such as the US, take military actions that ignore the local context... or fail to restrain partners who tolerate or even encourage AQAP/IS activities," added the 35-page report. Saudi Arabia, which intervened militarily two years ago in Yemen to support the government, is a key regional ally of the United States, which regards AQAP as Al-Qaeda's most dangerous branch. The oil-rich Gulf monarchy has been spared Trump's travel ban imposed last Friday targeting nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. - 'Women, children' among dead - Washington is also facing questions on whether an eight-year-old American girl was killed in the raid. Local sources say the girl was the daughter of senior Al-Qaeda cleric and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 US drone strike. Under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, the US dramatically increased its use of drone strikes against suspected jihadists in Yemen. The Pentagon said Monday that "a lot of female combatants" were caught up in Sunday's battle. Women were among the fatalities, it said, declining to specify whether children were also killed. The death toll was still being evaluated, it said. On the ground, a Yemeni provincial official gave a toll of 41 suspected militants and 16 civilians killed, eight of them women and eight children. The US raid was said to have targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda. The provincial official said Apache helicopters also hit a school, a mosque and a medical facility which were all used by Al-Qaeda militants. AQAP said in a statement that 30 people died in the raid -- "only women and children... with some tribal leaders who have no connections" to the group. The conflict in Yemen escalated two years ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched air raids against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, who had taken over the capital and seized swathes of the country's centre and north. The war has allowed both AQAP and IS jihadists to gain ground in the impoverished nation. The United Nations estimates over three million people have been displaced since fighting between the Huthis and pro-government forces broke out in 2014. The Arab world's poorest country now faces a major humanitarian crisis, with one and a half million children suffering severe malnutrition. Yemeni female fighters supporting Shiite Huthi rebels take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Mohammed HUWAIS (AFP/File) Japan court rejects 'right to be forgotten' on Google Japan's Supreme Court has rejected a man's demand that news search results of his arrest on sex charges be deleted from Google, ruling that to do so would violate freedom of expression. Japanese media said it was the first decision by the nation's top court involving the "right to be forgotten" relating to Internet searches. "The deletion (of references to the charge) can be allowed only when the value of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure," the court said in a statement posted on its website. Japan's Supreme Court has rejected a man's demand that news search results of his arrest on sex charges be deleted from Google, ruling that to do so would violate freedom of expression LEON NEAL (AFP/File) Tuesday's decision came after the Saitama District Court, north of Tokyo, in December 2015 upheld a temporary injunction against Google ordering it to delete search results about a man convicted on charges related to child prostitution and pornography. The Tokyo High Court last July had overturned the lower court decision, saying there was no such legally protected right. While the top court set strict conditions for allowing the deletion of certain references, it did not mention the "right to be forgotten" recognised in 2016 in overhauled EU rules on Internet data protection. The Supreme Court said conditions for deleting search engine results include factors such as the degree of damage caused to privacy, how broadly specific searches can be carried out and the social standing of individuals in question. Tomohiro Kanda, the man's lawyer, called the decision "disappointing," saying that ensuring a crime is remembered differs from having the name of a person associated with it "passed on for many years". Uber suspends operation in Taiwan after fine hike Uber announced on Thursday it is halting operations in Taiwan, saying it is at an "impasse" with authorities which deem the ride-hailing app as illegal. The US firm has racked up fines since it entered the Taiwan market in 2013 for running a business without the proper registration to operate as a taxi service. Taiwan's suspension comes after Uber halted services in Hungary last July due to new legislation that stops drivers from making money with their own vehicles. Uber has racked up fines since it entered the Taiwan market in 2013 for running a business without the proper registration to operate as a taxi service Lionel BONAVENTURE (AFP/File) Last month Taiwanese authorities hiked the maximum possible penalty for Uber drivers to Tw$25 million ($803,639) -- the highest in the world. The Transport Ministry Thursday said it was preparing to charge the firm Tw$230 million in penalties and would issue an order to halt operations. The order would be executed by the Taipei's office of commerce, an official at the transport ministry told AFP. Preempting the order, Uber said in a statement on its website that it would suspend service on the island from February 10. "In the face of this impasse, we must create a new path forward," the company said. "We hope that pressing pause will reset the conversation and inspire President Tsai to take action," it added. Uber had in November warned President Tsai Ing-wen in an open letter that actions against the firm were scaring away foreign investors. Tsai's administration is pushing for Taiwan to foster its own "Asian Silicon Valley" to help kickstart the economy by encouraging and fostering start-up technologies. But Uber on Thursday slammed the government for shunning new business models. "Unfortunately, the government has moved further and further away from embracing innovation and setting the stage for a 21st century transportation policy," it said. Uber has also taken heat on social media in the United States in recent days for continuing to operate during a New York taxi strike against Donald Trump's immigration ban. The firm this week said it was committed to assisting drivers affected by the restrictions. Across the world, the smartphone app has faced stiff resistance from traditional taxi drivers, as well as bans in some places over safety concerns and questions over legal issues, including taxes. Uber says it is not a transport company like taxi companies, and that it is simply a platform connecting drivers and passengers. Drug resistant malaria makes gains in Mekong region of SE Asia An especially drug-resistant type of malaria is becoming dominant in parts of the Mekong region, researchers said Thursday, warning of potentially dire consequences if it makes the leap to India and Africa. For the last decade scientists and health workers have become increasingly alarmed by the spread of a malaria strain resistant to a key drug used to treat patients: artemisinin. It was first detected in western Cambodia in 2007 and has since spread to parts of northeastern Thailand, southern Laos and eastern Myanmar. An increasingly drug-resistant type of malaria has not yet been detected in Myanmar, but researchers believe its appearance there is only a matter of time YE AUNG THU (AFP/File) Now researchers have also discovered a version of that strain that is not only resistant to two types of drugs, but has muscled out its less dangerous peers to become the dominant variant, according to a paper published Thursday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal. "What's happened now is that one lineage which arose in western Cambodia, one family of parasites if you like, has effectively beaten all the rest out and has spread," Nicholas White, a specialist from the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Bangkok, which led the research, told AFP. So far the dominant lineage has been detected in parts of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos but not Myanmar -- the bridge to South Asia -- although researchers believe it us just a matter of time before it pushes westwards. For tropical disease experts, the emergence of this strain has a worrying historical precedent. Last century the borderlands of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos incubated two previous waves of drug-resistant malaria that spread from the region to India and Africa where they killed millions. The first was a chloroquine resistant strain that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s and the second wave was a type of parasite impervious to the next generation of anti-malarial medicine, sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (SP). The Chinese military came to the rescue when a female chemist discovered artemisinin in the 1970s during a secret project to protect their North Vietnamese allies from the debilitating disease in their war against the United States. - Clock is ticking - The discovery, coupled with worldwide preventative measures against the mosquitoes, resulted in significant successes made against malaria over the last few decades. But scientists fear much of those gains could unravel if the latest generation of drug-resistant parasites is not tackled. "There's been too much talking and not enough doing on this," warned White. Arjen Dondorp, the study's lead author, told AFP a major global effort was needed to stop the latest generation of drug resistant malaria before it heads west. "Once it is in Africa that would be a disaster because that is where most of the world's malaria cases are," he said. Doctors are hampered by the lack of arteminisin-like breakthroughs. Some new drugs are being worked on with "several compounds" that look promising, Dondorp said, but the testing takes time. Meanwhile a triple cocktail of drugs is currently working against the latest malaria strain, though resistance to that could build. In the meantime, he said, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar have to aggressively target the often remote, poor and inaccessible regions where the strains are emerging with "creative use of drugs". Significant money has been made available from international donors and funds, he said. "But the window of opportunity is getting shorter and shorter." His colleague White added, "Today we don't have untreatable malaria, we have malaria that is becoming increasingly more difficult to treat. But the prospects for the next few years are very uncertain." Philippines' Duterte vows to kill more in drug war, use military Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced Thursday the military would take a leading role in his deadly drug war, while vowing to kill more traffickers and addicts. "I'm taking in the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and raising the issue of drugs as a national security threat so that I will call on all the armed forces to assist," Duterte said as he promised to kill more "son of a bitch" drug addicts. His comments were the first following a report from Amnesty International that the killings in the drug war, in which more than 6,500 people have died in seven months, may amount to crimes against humanity. Philippine police have reported killing 2,555 people since Rodrigo Duterte became president seven months ago, while nearly 4,000 others have died in unexplained circumstances Noel CELIS (AFP/File) They were also the clearest signal of Duterte's plans for the drug war, after he admitted this week the police force that had initially led the campaign was "corrupt to the core" and said they would no longer be allowed to take part. The 71-year-old former state prosecutor won presidential elections last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society within six months by killing tens of thousands of people. However Duterte has had to sideline the police after a series of scandals emerged over the past month in which police were caught committing murder, kidnapping, extortion and robbery using the drug war as cover. In one of the highest-profile cases, anti-drug officers kidnapped a South Korean businessman then murdered him inside the national police headquarters as part of an extortion racket, according to an official investigation. - Gone 'crackers' - Amnesty on Wednesday accused police of systemic human rights abuses in the drug war, including shooting dead defenceless people, fabricating evidence, paying assassins to murder drug addicts and stealing from those they killed. It also said police were being paid by their superiors to kill. Amnesty said it documented victims as young as eight years old. "The police are behaving like the criminal underworld that they are supposed to be enforcing the law against," Amnesty said as it warned that the International Criminal Court may need to investigate possible crimes against humanity. However Duterte was unrepentant on Thursday as he launched a profanity-laced tirade against his critics and rejected charges of human rights abuses. He gave a lengthy explanation of the problems for people who used the highly addictive methamphetamine known locally as shabu and may have gone "crackers". "And you bleed for those son(s) of a bitch," he said, adding that roughly 3,000 had been killed so far. "I will kill more. If only to get rid of drugs." Police have reported killing 2,555 people in the drug war, while nearly 4,000 others have died in unexplained circumstances, according to official figures. As he announced plans for using soldiers in the drug crackdown, Duterte remarked how he only had "limited warm bodies" and discussed the pros and cons of imposing "martial law" to fight drugs. "If it's really needed to preserve the country, maybe. But it's not the right thing to do at this moment, as you can see," Duterte said. The defence department, which oversees the military, has asked Duterte's executive secretary for a written official order to serve as legal basis for the military's participation in the drug war, ministry spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP. Phelim Kine, Asia deputy director of Human Rights Watch, warned that using the military for policing forces anywhere "heightens the risk of unnecessary or excesive force and inappropriate military tactics". "There is also a deeply rooted culture of impunity for military abuses in the Philippines," with only one soldier convicted of an extrajudicial killing since 2001, Kine said. Iranian couple cleared for US as 'exception' after transit ordeal An elderly Iranian couple stranded at Amsterdam's airport for five days have been cleared to continue their journey to the US as an "exception", Dutch national carrier KLM said Thursday. Named by Dutch media as Abdolghasem Eshaghi, 68 and his wife Kobra Alizadeh, 58, the couple has been stranded in transit at Schiphol airport since Saturday. They were en route from Tehran to the United States when US President Donald Trump's executive order blocking entry to citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, was enacted without warning. KLM says at Iranian couple have been cleared to fly to the US Pascal Pavani (AFP/File) "After repeated requests to US Customs and Border Protection authorities an exception was finally made for these people," said KLM spokeswoman Manel Vrijenhoek. "They'll be leaving for America on a KLM flight later today," Vrijenhoek told AFP. She said it was not clear why they have been exempted from the ban. A spokeswoman for the US embassy in The Hague said they could not comment on individual cases. The couple were on their way to visit their daughter in Washington DC, where she works and studies computer science, a relative told AFP from Tehran, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They haven't seen her for five years and are very excited now that they can continue travelling," the relative said. The couple were two of six Iranians stranded in transit Saturday after Trump's order left them in no-man's land at Schiphol before they could catch connecting flights to different cities in the United States. Dutch daily newspaper De Volkskrant said the couple were given a hotel room on Wednesday evening after spending four nights sleeping in the airport, as their lawyers worked behind the scenes to resolve the issue. Eshaghi told the paper the couple will stay at Schiphol "until such time we can travel to the US or our money runs out." "My plane ticket says a trip from Tehran to the US. Not a trip from Tehran to Tehran via Schiphol." The smartphone games created by Social Point take place in fantasy worlds, where users can, for example, create cities inhabited by friendly dragons that interbreed, producing new species. While they might look like something out of the global phenomenon Pokemon, they were actually born in Barcelona, in a company that was forged out of the dream of two friends who, after graduating with degrees in Computer Engineering from Barcelona Tech (UPC), traveled to France to learn how to set up a business. Andres Bou and Horacio Martos, founders of Social Point. GIANLUCA BATTISTA This they managed in 2008. Since then, Horacio Martos and Andres Bou, both in their early thirties, have established themselves as leaders in Spains videogame sector. Now, US giant Take-Two, a publisher and distributor of videogames whose products include the popular Grand Theft Auto series, has bought the company for $250 million (around 234 million). Its a huge success, but a bittersweet one, says Gonzo Suarez, co-founder of the videogame congress Gamelab. Successful companies always end up being sold, he notes, adding that for him, this often means losing their original appeal. The government should see videogames as a strategic sector Jose Maria Moreno, head of the Spanish Association of Videogames But Martos and Bou are overjoyed, as they pointed out in a press release (they refused to be interviewed). Theyve come a long way since 2011, when they celebrated a 2.4-million investment by Nauta Capital. The company is now worth almost 10 times that. Take-Two hopes the acquisition will strengthen its hand in the free-to-play mobile gaming market. The company, which until now has focused on console and PC formats, sees a proven track record of growth in Social Point that shows no sign of slowing down. The reasons: a portfolio of products still to be launched in the vast Asian market. Some 300 employees, a turnover of 85 million in 2015 and 180 million downloads are the kind of figures that Martos and Bou could only dream of when they were studying at business school. Whats more, 50% of revenue comes from the United States, a key factor in the multimillion acquisition. Four years ago, Social Points founders had highlighted the difficulties of finding funding in Spain. The amounts we were looking for, between 5 and 6 million, werent happening in Spain, Bou told EL PAIS in January 2013. Take-Two hopes the acquisition will strengthen its hand in the free-to-play mobile gaming market Suarez says the key to the pairs success has been that they were never afraid of competing with the big multinationals, earning themselves a global reputation in the process. Dragon City and Monster Legends, their two flagships, are now played in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. In Spain, 1% of companies in the electronic games sector control 52% of turnover; Social Point has a 16.7% share of the pie. Jose Maria Moreno, head of the Spanish Association of Videogames (AEVI), says the acquisition of Social Point will allow further development of videogames in Spain, with new projects with a global dimension. Moreno says he hopes investments such as Take-Twos will help raise the profile of the sector in terms of economic policies, adding that the Spanish government should see videogames as a strategic sector in the same way that countries such as Canada have. English version by Nick Lyne. Iran rejects 'baseless and provocative' Trump warning Iran on Thursday rejected a warning from President Donald Trump over its latest missile test as unfounded and provocative, reflecting growing tensions between Tehran and the new US administration. "Claims made by US President Donald Trump's National Security Advisor are baseless, repetitive and provocative," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said, quoted by state news agency IRNA. Trump himself tweeted on Thursday that the Islamic republic was now formally "on notice" after Sunday's missile test. A UN Security Council resolution bans Iran from developing missiles that can carry nuclear warheads - (IRANIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY/AFP/File) "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" Trump tweeted, echoing similar comments by National Security Advisor Michael Flynn on Wednesday. As tensions simmered, US media reported that the Trump administration is poised to levy more sanctions on Iran. CNN said they are likely to be levied on individuals or entities linked to Iran's missile program. Trump was referring to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers that took effect in January 2016, lifting international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's atomic programme. Asked by a reporter if military action was a possibility, Trump said "nothing is off the table". On Wednesday, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn insisted the missile test was in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. That calls on Iran not to test missiles capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Iran has confirmed that it had tested a ballistic missile, but denied that it violated the terms of the nuclear deal. Tehran says its missiles do not breach UN resolutions because they are for defence purposes only and not designed to carry nuclear warheads. - 'Sinister intentions' - The US warning drew a defiant response from Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. "The number of Iranian missiles, warships and defence missile launchers is growing every day, and the sky, land and sea is under the control of this nation," said General Hossein Salami, the number two in the Guards which is in charge of weapons programmes. "This is not a land where an outsider can set foot with sinister intentions," he said. The White House has not amplified on its warning over the missile test, apart from Trump not ruling out any options. And it remains to be seen if Washington will push for new sanctions. The measures reported by CNN are likely to replicate actions taken by Barack Obama's administration, which targeted firms and the Revolutionary Guard's missile command. Ghasemi said that the US warning came at a time when "the efforts by the Islamic Republic of Iran in fighting terrorist groups in the Middle East are known to all". "It is regrettable that the US administration, instead of appreciating the nation of Iran for its continued fight against terrorism, is in practice aiding terrorist groups by repeating baseless claims and adopting unwise measures." Ghasemi singled out for criticism the travel ban slapped by Trump on seven mainly Muslim countries, including Iran. He also dismissed charges of Iranian meddling in the region, saying Tehran wanted good relations with its neighbours based on "mutual respect and non-interference in countries' domestic affairs." US President Donald Trump speaks at the beginning of a meeting with lawmakers in the Roosevelt Room of the White House February 2, 2017 in Washington, DC Brendan Smialowski (AFP) Iraq faces massive challenge in Mosul offensive: UN envoy Iraqi forces face a massive challenge as they press on to retake western Mosul, but the days of the Islamic State group are numbered, a UN envoy said Thursday. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared on January 24 that his forces had retaken east Mosul and the battle was now moving to the other side of the Tigris River. "This steady progress should not conceal that fighting has been and will be a massive challenge, in particular inside the old city in western Mosul," UN envoy Jan Kubis told the Security Council. A man walks outside Mosul University on January 22, 2017, a week after the Iraqi counter-terrorism service retook it from Islamic State jihadists Dimitar Dilkoff (AFP/File) "Yet in the rather short foreseeable future, the liberation operations in Iraq are coming to an end - the days of the so-called ISIL are counted." Iraq launched an offensive in October to drive out IS fighters who seized Mosul in 2014. Kubis voiced concern over the "extremely high percentage" of civilian casualties, adding there was "clear evidence" from gunshot wounds that civilians were being targeted by IS combatants. Syrian army advances against IS in Aleppo Syria's military said Thursday it had captured a string of towns and part of a key highway from the Islamic State group in the northern province of Aleppo. Since launching a broad offensive against the jihadists nearly three weeks ago, the army has taken around 250 square kilometres (100 square miles) of territory, it said in a statement carried by official news agency SANA. The army said the advances form "a launching pad for developing military operations against Daesh," using an Arabic acronym for IS. Syria's army said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab HO (AFP/File) Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have steadily advanced in Syria's north since announcing they had retaken full control over Aleppo city in late December. It was the biggest blow to Syria's rebel movement since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011. Syria's army on Thursday also said it had seized a 16 kilometre-stretch (10 miles) of highway linking Aleppo city to the IS-held town of Al-Bab. Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, is the last remaining IS bastion in Aleppo province and is seen as a prize by nearly all sides of Syria's complex war. Since December, Turkey-backed rebel fighters known as the Euphrates Shield alliance have edged towards Al-Bab from the north. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fierce fighting Thursday on the edges of Al-Bab left 11 IS fighters and seven Euphrates Shield fighters dead. "There may be Turkish soldiers among the Euphrates Shield toll, but we don't know yet," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. - 'Flagrant violation' - Euphrates Shield forces are on the edges of the IS-held town, while government and allied fighters are still approximately seven kilometres to the south, according to the Britain-based monitor. "Regime fighters and Euphrates Shield forces are within sight of each other, but they haven't attacked each other yet," he told AFP. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged last month that "the operation in Syria's Al-Bab will be finished in a short time, God willing." But Ankara's involvement has angered Damascus, which on Thursday said it delivered two letters to the United Nations Security Council rebuking Turkey's military operations in Syria. "In recent days, Turkish armed forces have carried out an incursion into Syrian territory and have occupied some Syrian villages, including two west of Al-Bab," said the letters, sent by the foreign ministry and published by SANA. "This represents a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and the rules of international law," they said. The letters accused Ankara of supporting "terrorism" and said the Security Council should act to "put an end to the violations of the Turkish regime". In January, Turkey's air force began carrying out joint bombing raids around Al-Bab with Assad ally Russia. The two parties back opposing sides in the war but have joined forces in recent months to try to bring an end to the bloody conflict. US-led coalition admits another 11 civilian deaths Eleven civilians died in coalition air strikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria late last year, officials said Thursday. The acknowledgement brings to 199 the total minimum number of unintentional deaths from the campaign that started in the fall of 2014, though critics say the real number is far higher. A statement from the coalition said investigators had probed a series of reports alleging civilian deaths from air strikes. An F/A-18F Super Hornet prepares to make an arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Gulf after a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2016 Petty Officer 3rd J. Alexander DELGADO (US Navy/AFP/File) Seven of these reports were deemed non-credible, while four others, dating from October to December, were credible. In one incident, seven civilians were killed in a December 7 strike on an IS compound near the group's Syrian stronghold Raqa. "Although the coalition makes extraordinary efforts to strike military targets in a manner that minimizes the risk of civilian casualties, in some cases casualties are unavoidable," the coalition statement read. A December 9 strike saw two civilians killed near Mosul in Iraq. Though the coalition did not provide details, unintentional deaths sometimes occur when a civilian enters a bomb's zone of destruction after that munition has been released from a plane or drone circling high overhead. It can take about 30 seconds for a bomb to reach its target. Airwars, a London-based collective of journalists and researchers, uses local sources, photographs and media accounts to keep a detailed list of every known coalition air strike. Yemen urges Trump to lift travel ban Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi on Thursday urged the administration of his US counterpart Donald Trump to lift its travel ban on Yemenis, arguing they are the victims of terrorism. Hadi, whose government is backed by Washington in its war with Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, made the appeal in a meeting with the US ambassador to Yemen, Matthew Tueller, whose mission has been moved to Riyadh because of the conflict. The ban, which Trump imposed last Friday on citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries, including Yemen, should be lifted for dual nationals, Yemenis "with business interests or family ties, and for students in the US", said Hadi. People in Arlington, VA on February 1, 2017 protest against Donald Trump's ban on the arrival of citizens from Yemen and six other countries Paul J. Richards (AFP/File) "Yemen is suffering, like other countries, from terrorism and making efforts to confront and eradicate terrorism," said the Yemeni president whose administration has been driven out of Sanaa by the war. Trump slams NAFTA as a 'catastrophe' US President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticsm of NAFTA Thursday, but indicated he would be willing to renegotiate rather than scrap the pact with Canada and Mexico. "I have very serious concerns about NAFTA," Trump told lawmakers. "NAFTA has been a catastrophe for our county." "I don't care if it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA but we do have to make it fair and it's very unfair to the American worker and very, very unfair to companies." Trump said. Trump added that he wanted to add another "F" to the agreement so it would encompass "free and fair" trade. Mexico's government has said it expects negotiations to modify the agreement to begin in May. Trump has repeatedly trashed the 23-year-old pact, calling it a bad deal that has left the United States with a $60 billion goods trade deficit with Mexico. Top UN court agrees to hear Somalia-Kenya border row The UN's highest court Thursday agreed to hear a case by Somalia against neighbouring Kenya in a bitter maritime border spat which may determine the fate of potentially lucrative Indian Ocean oil and gas reserves. Nairobi has argued that the International Court of Justice, which rules in disputes between countries, does not have jurisdiction over the case, brought by Somalia in 2014. "The court finds that Kenya's preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the case must be rejected," ICJ president Ronny Abraham said. International Court of Justice President, Judge Ronny Abraham, speaks in 2015 Bastiaan van Musscher (INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE/AFP/File) "In the light of the foregoing, the court finds that (Kenya's) preliminary objection to the admissibility of Somalia's application must therefore be rejected," Abraham told a hearing at the ICJ's headquarters at the scenic Peace Palace in The Hague. Mogadishu's case against Nairobi focuses on an attempt to redraw the sea border which would affect at least three of Kenya's 20 offshore oil blocks. Somalia says bilateral talks have failed to resolve the spat. A final outcome will significantly impact a new source of revenue for either of the east African neighbours. Somalia, which lies north of Kenya, wants to continue the frontier along the line of the land border, in a southeast direction. But Kenya wants the border to head out to sea in a straight line east, along the parallel of latitude, giving it more sea territory. The disputed triangle of water, which stretches over an area of more than 100,000 square kilometres (40,000 square miles), is believed to hold valuable deposits of oil and gas in a part of Africa only recently found to be sitting on significant reserves. A relative newcomer to the oil industry but seen as having major potential, Kenya has already awarded three oil blocks to Italian energy company EniSpA. Thursday's ruling means the case can now go forward at the ICJ. New hearings will be scheduled, but a decision is likely years away. Kenyan Attorney General Githu Muigai afterwards told reporters Nairobi regretted the decision as "it was Kenya's view that negotiation was the preferred procedure". He argued litigation could affect "questions of maritime enforcement and security" about the activities of the jihadist group Shabaab in the disputed area. But Kenya "is confident of the strength of its case," he added. Mogadishu in turn said it was happy with the outcome. Germany extradites Tunisian linked to Berlin attacker Germany has extradited to Tunisia a man linked to the slain suspect of the deadly Christmas market attack in Berlin, the prosecution in the North African country said Thursday. "A Tunisian connected to Anis Amri was expelled from Germany on Wednesday," said prosecution spokesman Sofiene Sliti. Amri allegedly rammed a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin on December 19, killing 12 people, before being shot dead four days later by police in Italy. A woman leaves a flower at a makeshift memorial for the victims of the terror attack on the Christmas market in Berlin in 2016 John MACDOUGALL (AFP/File) The extradited Tunisian, whose identity was not revealed, "was not involved in the attack in Berlin" but would face charges for "belonging to a terrorist group", said Sliti. Tunisian authorities say they have evidence that he aimed to join a jihadist group in Syria. Shortly after the Berlin attack, authorities in Tunisia arrested four suspects before concluding that they had "no connection" to the attack. Their new life in US was ready - then Trump signed his decree One of the boys in the seven-member Syrian family due to arrive in suburban Washington this week would have slept under a duvet dyed in the red, white and blue of the US flag, a centerpiece for the room in which he was to start his new life. The apartment was furnished, the kitchen stocked with crockery. But the future tenants, a family of refugees, are now stranded in Amman, Jordan -- thousands of miles from the US capital where, with a flourish of his pen, President Donald Trump changed their fate. "Your trip has been postponed until further notice," an International Organization for Migration employee informed them last Saturday. The call came a few hours after the US president signed an executive order barring all refugees for 120 days, and Syrians indefinitely. Faraj Ghazi al-Jamous, a Syrian refugee, drags his family's luggage out of a hotel they had stayed in after they were prevented from travel to the United States Khalil MAZRAAWI (AFP) Faraj Ghazi al-Jamous, a 45-year-old bricklayer, fled four years ago to Jordan with his wife Camila and their five children, whose ages now range from five to 20. First they found shelter in a refugee camp, later in a small home in the Amman suburbs. There they were screened as they made their way through the bureaucratic webs of the United Nations and the US government, before finally securing the rare status of refugees. The United States accepted relatively few Syrians under Barack Obama -- just 12,500 in 2016. His successor has slammed the door shut. "We were so excited to leave," this father told AFP, sitting in a Amman hotel room the IOM had set them up in for a few days. "We dream of a new life, far from our country destroyed by the war." "Everything was ready in Virginia to welcome us. We have photos of our future home." They were originally slated to fly to Washington on January 20 -- the day Trump was inaugurated -- but their Turkish Airlines flight was canceled due to fog. Their flight reservations were rescheduled for February 1. In the meantime, Trump signed his decree. - 'Crushing' - Dozens of volunteers from the St John's Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia had been preparing to welcome the al-Jamous family to their new home, setting up sofas, tables and a television. The US federal government gives about $1,100 to refugee families when they arrive; some public benefits at the federal and state level are also available. But aid organizations are vital to these families, helping them to navigate the complexities of tasks like finding housing and registering for social security. Last June the local congregation voted to take this family under their wing. Once the al-Jamous' file was approved, the church accrued donations to sign a one-year, $1,900-monthly lease for a ground-floor apartment in a quiet residential complex comprising several three-story beige buildings. For months church members collected donated goods in perfect condition, which now gather dust as they sit unused. "It was crushing to find out that this family, that was sitting at the airport waiting to get on a plane... got the rug pulled out from under them," said Diane Brody, a lead volunteer at the Alexandria church. "We've been in touch of them. We're emotionally attached to them," she said. "We're praying very hard and doing what we can do to influence people to maybe get them an exception or something." Faraj's brother, Qusai al-Jamous, has been in the US with a work visa for four years and now has a green card, and lives just a few kilometers away. "Everything is ready here. They are approved. They went through the whole process," the 43-year-old business reporter said. "You try to step on a solid floor, and you find yourself stepping on a cloud." Some 100 State Department-approved refugees were assigned to the local branch of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area for resettlement in the Washington region by the end of February, according to the non-profit's spokeswoman, Autumn Orme. Just 45, most of them Afghan, managed to obtain permission to come between Monday and Thursday. After that, the program is suspended, and the organization does not yet know whether exceptions will be possible. In Amman, the al-Jamous left their hotel Wednesday and piled into two small taxis destined for a small house in the suburbs. Mother Camila, one of the many faces of the immigration ban, prays the US leader will change his mind. "I implore President Trump to help us," she said. "We are refugees, we are vulnerable." Whether they will ever gain permission to enter the US hangs in the balance: Trump's executive order proclaims that the Syrian refugee program will only reboot when the US administration deems it in "the national interest." A picture taken on February 1, 2017 in the Jordanian capital Amman shows Faraj Ghazi al-Jamous with his wife and children Khalil MAZRAAWI (AFP) Unopened toys are seen alongside an American flag bedspread in the boys' bedroom of an apartment that was going to be the home for Faraj Ghazi al-Jamous and his Syrian family, in Alexandria, Virginia SAUL LOEB (AFP) US defends Yemen raid that left SEAL, civilians dead The White House on Thursday defended a US special operations raid in Yemen as a "success by all standards," even though multiple civilians and a Navy SEAL were killed, and the mission was beset with problems. Sunday's raid -- the first authorized by President Donald Trump -- saw US special operations forces enter the Yakla region of Baida province and target a compound occupied by Al-Qaeda in the Arabic Peninsula (AQAP) operatives. Washington views the Al-Qaeda affiliate, known for plotting attacks in other countries, as the global terror network's most dangerous branch. Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base February 1, 2017 for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens who was killed in Yemen on January 29 Brendan Smialowski (AFP) Navy SEAL Team Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, was killed and three other US troops were wounded in a fierce gunfight. Three more service members were injured when their tilt-rotor aircraft made a "hard landing." The $75 million MV-22 Osprey had to be destroyed in place to avoid having it fall into enemy hands. And on Wednesday, the Pentagon acknowledged that several non-combatants, including children, had apparently been killed in the raid. A Yemeni provincial official had previously said 16 civilians were killed -- eight women and eight children -- but the Pentagon did not provide numbers. Washington is also facing questions on whether an eight-year-old American girl died. Local sources say the girl was the daughter of senior Al-Qaeda cleric and US citizen Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 US drone strike. After previously saying the raid snagged an "unbelievable" amount of intelligence, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday the raid had been successful. "When you think of the loss of life throughout America and institutions and in terms of the world, in terms of what some of the individuals could have done, I think it is a successful operation by all standards," Spicer said. But he added it was hard to talk of success when an American was killed, and praised the sailor's sacrifice. He made no mention of the civilian victims. - 'Moonless night' - Spicer said the plan had been under consideration since November 7, and officials under the administration of Barack Obama reviewed and approved it January 6, but did not proceed because they were waiting for a moonless night -- the next one wouldn't be until after Obama had left office. But Colin Kahl, a former senior Obama administration security official, said on Twitter that "team Trump didn't do a careful vetting of the overall proposal or raid" and that Obama had taken no decision, believing the raid represented an escalation of US involvement in Yemen. The operation was said to have targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda and a Yemeni official said Apache gunships also hit a school, a mosque and a medical facility all used by Al-Qaeda militants. The New York Times reported Thursday that AQAP fighters may have known an attack was coming, possibly by increased drone activity in the skies. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the militants had engaged US forces in a firefight and, to the commandos' surprise, several women picked up weapons and started firing too. "It was a situation that resulted in our forces... (needing) to call in aerial gunfire support," he said. Trump, who has vowed to fight Islamic extremism relentlessly, on Wednesday traveled to an air base in Delaware to receive Owens's body. Human Rights Watch said the United States should compensate the families of those "wrongfully" killed or wounded in the raid. The conflict in Yemen escalated two years ago when a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched air raids against Iran-backed Shiite Huthi rebels, who had taken over the capital and seized swathes of the country's center and north. In a decision that could lead to a change in the law prohibiting topless bathing in Argentina, a Buenos Aires judge has ruled in favor of three women who were expelled from a beach in the capital on January 28 by some 20 police officers who threatened to arrest and handcuff them if they did not cover their breasts. More information Un juez asegura que la ley que prohibe el topless en Argentina es inconstitucional The incident, which was filmed and went viral on social media, saw police officers initially attempt to pressure the women into covering themselves up. The women responded by vociferously defending their right to sunbathe topless, pointing out that men are entitled to do so, and shouting Machistas! as a crowd gathered around them some in support, but the majority seemingly opposed to their stance. To make the tit-phobes happy, were leaving this fascist beach, said one of the three women before packing up her things and leaving. Another added: Well be back another day and there will be many more of us. The women were charged under a 1973 law that doesnt explicitly ban topless bathing, and instead refers to offending public decency, punishable by a fine that can be doubled if the act is committed in a place where acts or public spectacles or were against religious people, the elderly, the mentally ill, women or children. Two tetazo (literally, big tit) demonstrations are due to take place in the coming days The judge overseeing the case, Mario Juliano, has ruled in favor of the women, concluding that the law is unconstitutional and calling on the provincial parliament of Buenos Aires to amend it. The constitutional contradiction of this law lies in its imprecision and the vagueness of the terms employed by the law (obscenity and public decency), which makes it impossible for people to know the limits of what is punishable and not punishable, writes the judge, also noting that the harmfulness of exposing breasts is certainly doubtful. In this case there is no material means by which to establish whether going topless can be considered obscene and contrary to supposed public decency, he adds, leaving the women free to go and calling on legislators to change the law. The judge not only advises legislators to bring the law into line with modern life, but also reveals that two tetazo (literally, big tit) demonstrations are due to take place in the coming days: the first in the center of Buenos Aires on February 7, and the second at the Necochea beach on February 11. He also warns that individual women may decide to stage their own topless protests as a result of the furor generated by the case. Juliano calls on the police not to take any legal measures against them. English version by Nick Lyne. Melania Trump, America's low-profile first lady Two weeks after her husband's inauguration, questions are mounting about what kind of first lady Melania Trump will be. The 46-year-old former model wowed the crowds at his swearing-in ceremony and inaugural balls dressed in Ralph Lauren powder blue and a vanilla crepe, ticking fashion boxes and suggesting that the mother of one was anxious to step up to her new role. Since then, however, she has not been seen at official events, is not living in the White House and is still putting together her staff. Since Donald Trump's inauguration, Melania (R) has not been seen at official events and is not living in the White House, raising questions on what kind of first lady the former model will be Nicholas Kamm (AFP/File) She was last spotted by the president's side at an inter-faith church service on January 21 before making the reported 90-minute commute home to New York by helicopter, plane and motorcade the following day. With no imminent plans to move to Washington, she's said to want the couple's 10-year-old son Barron to stay at his school at least until the end of the academic year. On Tuesday, she was conspicuously absent when Trump announced his Supreme Court pick. Vice President Mike Pence and Neil Gorsuch brought their wives. Even Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric made the journey from New York. On Wednesday, the president's daughter Ivanka accompanied him to Delaware to honor a fallen Navy SEAL. Unlike her stepmother, Ivanka has already moved from New York with her husband, White House advisor Jared Kushner. Asked in December if he would be lonely rattling around the White House on his own, then president-elect Donald Trump told Fox News: "No, I'll be working." Never in modern times -- when Americans are accustomed to having visible and active first ladies -- has a president's wife not moved straight to Washington. "Certainly in that time we haven't seen a phenomenon such as this where the first lady delays for at least several months moving into the White House," said Katherine Jellison, history professor at Ohio University. - Quiet start common - Melania's absence has prompted speculation in the media, which Trump's senior advisor Stephen Bannon has likened to "the opposition" for its tough, critical coverage of the president's campaign and his first two weeks in office. "Whither Melania Trump?" 12 days without a public sighting," CNN said. "Where is Melania?" asked The Washington Post. "Separate Lives," ran a headline in celebrity magazine US Weekly. The White House announced Wednesday that the first lady had appointed a chief of staff -- Lindsay Reynolds, who previously served there under George W. Bush. "I am putting together a professional and highly experienced team which will take time to do properly," the first lady said in the statement. Still, first ladies tend to maintain low profiles at the start. Hillary Clinton and Rosalynn Carter proved exceptions to the rule. "The first lady often sets out her policy agenda in March or April, complementing and reinforcing the 100-days agenda of the president," said Connecticut College government professor MaryAnn Borrelli. But beyond admiring Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Kennedy and mentioning a potential campaign against cyber bullying, Melania has given little indication so far of what kind of first lady she wants to be. - Reframing the job? - Since Trump assumed office, her official Facebook and Twitter accounts have issued just one update -- on January 21 -- proclaiming her "deeply honored" to serve. Just one appointment to her staff has been revealed besides Reynolds: longtime friend and New York event planner Stephanie Winston Wolkoff as senior adviser. Other positions such as press and social secretaries have yet to be filled. The absence is not helping her lackluster approval ratings, partly a by-product of her husband's deep unpopularity among half the electorate. She was also mocked during the campaign for a major speech that plagiarized Michelle Obama. But Borelli believes her unpopularity is not entirely unusual. "I think that first ladies often enter the White House with a mix of support and suspicion and then the job is -- because they do public outreach -- how to capitalize on the support and manage suspicion," she said. Michelle Obama, the first African-American first lady, and Clinton and Eleanor Roosevelt, who both defied the meek housewife stereotype, also came in for heavy criticism particularly at the start. Others say it is time for an independent first lady who reflects reality in the 21st century, when few American women are defined by their husbands. Should Melania continue to keep a low profile, future generations may credit her as a modernizer who broke free from the confines of her position. "It may lower expectations for the next woman," Jellison said. "She won't feel that she has to be the perfect American wife and mother role model." First ladies of the United States Laurence CHU , Gal ROMA (AFP) US President Donald Trump walks with his wife Melania (C, blue dress) and son Barron to the White House as the presidential inaugural parade winds through the nation's capital on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC Brendan SMIALOWSKI (AFP) Yemenis pray, protest in NY against Trump travel ban Hundreds of Yemeni and Muslim Americans bowed their heads in unison at outdoor prayers in New York on Thursday, closing grocery stores to protest against President Donald Trump's travel ban. The Muslim call to prayer rang out from loudspeakers erected outside Brooklyn's city hall as the hundreds of faithful turned toward Mecca, standing shoulder to shoulder and bowing their heads to the ground. Only the whirring of two helicopters monitoring the hours-long protest could be heard between prayers in the ordinarily bustling plaza outside Borough Hall, as non-Muslims stood watching in respectful silence. People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries on February 2, 2017 in New York Bryan R. Smith (AFP) Organizers said up to 1,000 Yemeni-owned grocery stores would close across New York's five boroughs from noon to 8:00 pm (0100 GMT Friday) to protest against the travel ban on immigrants from seven Muslim countries. To highlight the role of immigrant labor in the city, protestors left their shops to gather in Brooklyn, waving American and Yemeni flags, chanting "United We Stand Against the Muslim Ban" and "USA!" Trump's explosive executive order came into effect last Friday, closing US borders to refugees for 120 days and to visa holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. Syrian refugees have been banned indefinitely. "No ban, no wall, justice for all," they shouted before the prayers in reference to the Republican president's plans to build a wall on the Mexican border as part of his tough new immigration policies. They held up homemade placards with slogans like "Muslim Lives Matter," "Hate Will Never Make Us Great" and "Mr Trump, Where's Your Wife From?" in reference to the first lady's Slovenian birth. Several members of the mostly male crowd said the vast majority were Yemeni Americans who were joining a public protest for the first time, closing their shops to send a message to the new commander-in-chief. At the back, a smaller group of Muslim women gathered after sundown to chant, "say it loud, say it clear Muslim refugees welcome here." - Don't care about the money - Trump said the measures were necessary to protect America from September 11, 2001 style extremist attacks and would allow authorities to determine whether visa procedure needed to be more severely vetted. The New York protesters said the ban was racist and unjust. "We stand here for justice, for dignity," said Yousef al-Baadani, 31, enveloped in a US flag knotted around his neck to fend off the winter chill. Like many others he works in a grocery store, his in Queens, that is known in New York as a "bodega." The shops -- which sell everything from deli food to household goods -- often keep long hours and are considered essential to the daily routines of many New Yorkers. "Most of the stores closed today," Baadani told AFP. "We don't care about money, we just care about freedom and we need no racism inside this country," said one protester, threatening more demonstrations and further shutdowns if necessary. "He held the people in the airport, he didn't let them get into the United States. That's racist," said bodega manager Adam Zokari, 19, who said he knew two people detained on arrival before being released. In the decade that he has lived in America, he said he had never seen anything like the travel ban. "We love America. It's my country. It's my family's country," said bodega worker Walid Mohammad, 31, who said his visa-carrying brother was sent back while en route to New York. Mohammad said he had lived in America for eight years and his father for 35 years. He had closed his store for eight hours. Sending a message to the 70-year-old billionaire turned president was the priority, he said: "We want to tell him, he did a lot of wrong." Parole recommended for follower of Charles Manson SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A parole panel on Wednesday recommended the release of a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson after California governors blocked four previous parole recommendations. Bruce Davis, 74, had his 31st parole hearing at the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo as he serves a life sentence for the 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald "Shorty" Shea. Davis was not involved in the more notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate and six others by the Manson "family" the same year. FILE - This March 12, 2014 file photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Bruce Davis. A state panel on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, recommended parole for Davis, a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson, after California governors blocked four previous recommendations for his release from the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo. Gov. Jerry Brown will have the final say on whether Davis is released. (Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP, File) During the half-century since the slayings, parole panels have now decided five times that Davis is no longer a public safety risk. Officials have cited his age and good behavior behind bars that includes earning a doctoral degree and ministering to other inmates. Governors, however, have the final say on release. Gov. Jerry Brown will have about five months to consider the latest recommendation. Brown rejected a previous recommendation last year. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also concluded that Davis remains too dangerous to be free. Davis testified at his 2014 hearing that he attacked Shea with a knife and held a gun on Hinman while Manson cut Hinman's face with a sword. "I wanted to be Charlie's favorite guy," he said then. Attorney Michael Beckman, who has been fighting for years for the release of Davis, said he is the most rehabilitated prisoner among the 2,000 Beckman is representing in the penal system. "There's no one even a close second," he said. "Now all we have to do is get past the governor, which hasn't happened the first four times," Beckman said after the hearing. "I'm sort of at the end of my wits on what to do." Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey objected to the possible release of Davis. She called the Manson-related slayings "some of the most horrific crimes in California history." "We believe he continues to exhibit a lack of insight and remorse and remains a public safety risk," she said in a statement after the parole decision. Gary Hinman's cousin, Kay Martley, said Davis' crime was so heinous that he should die in prison. Hinman was tortured for three days, Martley recounted in remarks prepared for the parole hearing. "This wasn't a crime of passion or impulse; this was slow, calculated and cold-blooded," she wrote. Martley, who traveled from Hinman's native Colorado to attend the hearing, said she was angry about the recommendation for parole. "Just because he's going to be 75, he's considered a low risk even though they said he has a personality disorder that he's going to have to work on his narcissistic behavior, need for acceptance, his grandiosity," she said. Martley and Sharon Tate's sister, Debra Tate, who also attended the hearing, said Davis twice started to rise from his chair in apparent anger and pointed at a parole commissioner when he objected to her questions. Beckman said his client was merely reacting out of frustration to misinformation that Shea's body had been dismembered, when he said an autopsy shows it was intact. "He did not jump out of his chair but he did react a little defensibly and he apologized profusely several times," Beckman said. Tate said opponents of Davis' parole are gathering signatures online to present to Brown. Davis was convicted with Manson and another follower, Steve Grogan, in the twin slayings. Grogan was paroled in 1985 after he led police to Shea's buried body. Robert Beausoleil, convicted in Hinman's death, remains in prison. Manson and followers Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel and Charles "Tex" Watson are imprisoned for the Tate killings. Their co-defendant, Susan Atkins, died of cancer behind bars in 2009. Former student settles assault claim in California SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A former University of California, Santa Cruz student who claims she was raped by a professor has settled her claim against the University of California Regents for $1.15 million for what she claims was its failure to address previous allegations of sexual harassment and sexual violence by the professor. Luz Portillo, 24, said she came forward in hopes of helping other women who might be in the same or a similar situation. "Nothing in the world will ever take the experience back and nothing in the world will make up for it," she said in a telephone interview. "But I didn't want the narrative to be written for me and hopefully this will help someone else." The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are the victims of sexual assault, but Portillo said she wanted to go public to help others. The claim states that Portillo was raped by one of her professors and a female student who was also a university employee during a picnic and wine-tasting outing on June 13, 2015, and that the university knew for years that the professor was a sexual predator. Neither the professor nor the other student was prosecuted criminally. The professor resigned from his university job. He did not respond to several emails seeking comment Wednesday or to a phone message left at his current employer. Portillo said she was plied with wine at the picnic and then at the student's home before she passed out. When she awoke nine hours later, she said she was naked and dazed. She went to police and the university and the investigations were launched. Her attorney, John Kristensen, said no amount of money will make her whole. "Ms. Portillo, a promising future lawyer, was scarred for life because UCSC failed to comply with its own regulations and other rules governing higher education entities," he said. "This case is emblematic of the crisis of sexual assault on female students at our nation's institutions of higher learning." UC Santa Cruz is one of more than 200 colleges and universities under federal investigation for how they handle sexual assault. The case has renewed focus on the problem of sexual assaults involving college students and raises questions about what obligations a university has to inform students and when it's time to go public. The Santa Cruz campus never alerted students to the two investigations or their outcome. In a statement, UC Santa Cruz said it acted quickly upon learning of the allegations "which appeared to be clear violations of the UC Santa Cruz policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment." Before the professor resigned, he was removed from his position, placed on leave and barred from all contact with students, the statement said. When formal disciplinary proceedings began, he resigned. "Until today's statement by attorneys representing the victim, we have avoided public comment to protect the student's privacy," Chancellor George Blumenthal and Interim Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor Herbert Lee said. A spokeswoman for the regents directed all questions to the university. Portillo said during the investigation she did not feel like the university was on her side. New trial for lawyer convicted in gambling ring JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) An attorney convicted of leading a $300 million gambling ring that used a veterans charity as a front and led to the resignation of Florida's lieutenant governor is getting a new trial. The Florida Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal Wednesday in the case involving Jacksonville attorney Kelly Mathis, meaning an October ruling from Florida's Fifth District Court of Appeal will stand. The earlier ruling says the trial judge should have allowed Mathis' legal team to call certain witnesses to bolster its defense. Mathis was convicted in October 2013 of 103 counts of racketeering, possessing slot machines and other charges and sentenced to six years in prison. He was accused of operating dozens of illegal internet cafes. South Dakota Senate sends ethics law repeal to governor PIERRE, S.D. (AP) New ethics regulations that South Dakota voters imposed in November are all but stripped from law after the state Senate voted Wednesday to send a bill repealing them to Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The chamber voted 27-8 to pass the repeal bill, which the Republican governor has said he supports. It would dismantle a ballot initiative that instituted a public campaign finance system, created an ethics commission and tightened campaign finance and lobbying laws. The ethics crackdown is one of several November ballot measures that are now facing scrutiny in statehouses across the nation. But the South Dakota law appears to be under the most imminent danger of repeal and directly affects the very lawmakers who are weighing its fate. Supporters of a voter-approved government ethics overhaul march in Pierre, S.D., after the state Senate voted to send to the governor a bill that would sweep away new ethics regulations that voters imposed in November, Wenesday, Feb. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/James Nord) Elsewhere, Maine Gov. Paul LePage has said he wants to mitigate the "severe" damage done by citizen initiatives, including a minimum wage hike, while Massachusetts and North Dakota have delayed marijuana initiatives to give officials more time to implement them. In South Dakota, backers have criticized the Legislature for working to overturn the result of the election. The bill first passed through the House before heading to the Senate. Many South Dakota residents feel disenfranchised, said Teryl Cruse, a massage therapist from Pierre who looked on from the Senate gallery before the vote. The 61-year-old said she wants all citizens to feel like their voices are being heard. "When an initiative is passed by the people, it should stand," Cruse said. "Our representatives are indeed supposed to represent us, and I think we've gotten away from that." Under the new law, voters could tap a state fund to give two credits worth $50 each to participating political candidates. It limits lobbyist gifts to lawmakers to $100 annually, a major change given there were previously no caps. It also calls for an independent commission to ensure state ethics laws aren't violated and administer the public campaign finance program. Top Republican lawmakers contend those provisions are unconstitutional. They challenged the overhaul in state court, which put the initiative on hold while the case moves forward. Senate President Pro Tempore Brock Greenfield, the bill's Senate sponsor, said the campaign for the ballot measure was based on innuendo and falsehood. Republicans have criticized advertisements during the campaign depicting lobbyists handing officials cash, calling them deceptive. "I can tell you that I've never known anybody to accept a bribe. I've not known anybody to offer a bribe," Greenfield said. "In South Dakota, while we're not infallible, that has never been a concern." An emergency provision means the bill would take effect immediately and couldn't be referred back it to the ballot. GOP Sen. Lance Russell, among the few Republicans in the Legislature who opposed the bill, said it may be the most "repugnant display of raw partisan political power" that he's seen. Lawmakers have filed several proposals that would supplant provisions of the initiative, including similar restrictions on lobbyist gifts and more limited watchdog commissions. Republican Sen. Al Novstrup said the only path forward was to repeal and replace the initiative. "Every legislator in here is committed to doing the right thing," he said. Ballot measure supporters have criticized the replacements as toothless. Represent.Us, a Massachusetts-based organization that pumped funding into the South Dakota ballot measure campaign, has spent more than $39,000 in January trying to save the law. The group has targeted Republican lawmakers with newspaper, radio and online advertisements, mail pieces and telephone calls. Supporters of the ballot measure packed the Senate gallery to watch the debate, and an airplane circled the Capitol for hours with a banner that read "Shame on you! Respect our vote!" More than 30 people marched and protested carrying a banner or signs after the Senate approved the bill. Rapid City resident Michelle Smith said before the vote that it's wrong that the voters' voice is being overturned. She cast a ballot for the initiative and came to the Capitol to support it. "I've spent a lot of time saying, 'Somebody needs to do something,'" Smith said. "I'm somebody." Teryl Cruse looks down on the South Dakota Senate floor Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in Pierre, S.D. New ethics regulations that South Dakota voters imposed in November are all but stripped from law after the state Senate voted Wednesday to send a bill repealing them to Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Many South Dakota residents feel disenfranchised, said Cruse, a massage therapist from Pierre. (AP Photo/James Nord) Trump to Mexico: Take care of 'bad hombres' or US might WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump warned in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart that he was ready to send U.S. troops to stop "bad hombres down there" unless the Mexican military does more to control them, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press. The excerpt of the call did not detail who exactly Trump considered "bad hombres," nor did it make clear the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's response. Mexico denies that Trump's remarks were threatening. Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. Trump's remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. President Donald Trump pauses during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. Trump discussed the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, setting up a fierce fight with Democrats over a jurist who could shape America's legal landscape for decades to come. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Eduardo Sanchez, spokesman for Mexico's presidential office, denied the tone of the conversation was hostile or humiliating, saying it was respectful. "It is absolutely false that the president of the United States threatened to send troops to Mexico," Sanchez said in an interview with Radio Formula on Wednesday night. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. The Mexican Foreign Relations Department had earlier told The AP: "The negative statements you refer to did not occur during said telephone call. On the contrary, the tone was constructive." The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trump's determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt given to AP. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it." A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided only that portion of the conversation to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. The Mexican website Aristegui Noticias on Tuesday published a similar account of the phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation. Mexico's foreign relations department said the report was "based on absolute falsehoods." Americans may recognize Trump's signature bombast in the comments, but the remarks may carry more weight in Mexico. Political analyst and former presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar notes Pena Nieto had enjoyed an apparent spike in his low approval levels, as Mexicans rallied around him for publicly challenging Trump in the border wall dispute. The latest remarks could undercut that, if Pena Nieto is viewed as "weak," he said. Trump has used the phrase "bad hombres" before. In an October presidential debate, he vowed to get rid the U.S. of "drug lords" and "bad people." "We have some bad hombres here, and we're going to get them out," he said. The phrase ricocheted on social media with Trump opponents saying he was denigrating immigrants. Trump's comment was in line with the new administration's bullish stance on foreign policy matters in general, and the president's willingness to break long-standing norms around the globe. Before his inauguration, Trump spoke to the president of Taiwan, breaking long-standing U.S. policy and irritating China. His temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, aimed at reviewing screening procedures to lessen the threat of extremist attacks, has caused consternation around the world. But nothing has created the level of bickering as the border wall, a centerpiece of his campaign. Mexico has consistently said it would not pay for the wall and opposes it. Before the phone call, Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the United States. The fresh fight with Mexico last week arose over trade as the White House talked of a 20 percent tax on imports from the key U.S. ally to finance the wall after Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped his Jan. 31 trip to Washington. The U.S. and Mexico conduct some $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to major environmental issues. Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner a real estate executive with no foreign policy experience with managing the ongoing dispute, according to an administration official with knowledge of the call. At a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May last week, Trump described his call with Pena Nieto as "friendly." In a statement, the White House said the two leaders acknowledged their "clear and very public differences" and agreed to work through the immigration disagreement as part of broader discussions on the relationship between their countries. ___ Thai media protest proposed licenses for journalists BANGKOK (AP) Thai media organizations are protesting a bill that would require journalists to be licensed and would establish a council that can penalize news outlets for violating professional standards. The bill was submitted Thursday to a military-appointed body tasked with reforming the Thai government. Journalists delivered a protest letter to the body and four former journalists resigned from the group that authored the bill. "It will bring Thailand back to the dark ages, when state power was in control of the media," says Thepchai Yong, president of the Confederation of Thai Journalists. The government says the legislation is needed to clean up corruption and prevent false reporting. But critics say it is a way for officials to avoid scrutiny. The Thai press is already kept on a leash. Self-censorship is widespread due to Thailand's draconian lese majeste laws, under which insulting the monarchy can land someone up to 15 years in jail. Last July, the ruling junta gave regulators the power to shut down broadcasters deemed a threat to national security, and in December the junta passed a cybercrime act that strengthens online censorship. The bill was given to the National Reform Steering Assembly, the body that heads various subcommittees that are tasked with enacting political reform by Thailand's military junta, including the media. Thepchai delivered the protest letter to the steering assembly, while the four former reporters resigned because they said their views were ignored. Journalists said it was unacceptable that the bill would require individual reporters to be vetted and licensed by the government. "This is unprecedented. Journalists don't need practicing licenses," said Thepchai. "By licensing the media, it means you have direct control over them." Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha has said that all professions need to be trained and standardized, and that journalists were no exception. Coauthors of the bill say licenses are necessary to deter false reporting and corruption. "Be a good man and good woman, and tell the truth... don't do this gray business," said Kanit Suwannate, air chief marshal and chairman of the committee that proposed the bill. "(Misreporting) has occurred, but I cannot tell you the evidence, because they try to hide the way they run the business." The bill will be debated by the steering assembly. Then it must be approved by the Thai cabinet and parliament before becoming law. The proposed 13-member media ethics committee would have four seats reserved for government officials, and would set standards and "codes of conduct," and would have the power to fine and confiscate the licenses of broadcasters and newspapers that violated them. Merkel and Erdogan hold tense meeting in Turkish capital ANKARA, Turkey (AP) German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged Turkey to uphold democracy as the country heads toward a critical referendum on boosting the powers of the presidency, comments that ended up being part of a tense exchange with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Merkel was in Ankara for talks with Erdogan and other Turkish officials aimed at soothing relations that have been strained by, among other things, Turkish accusations that Germany does not support Turkey in its fight against terror groups. Erdogan ended up taking offense at the German leader's use of the phrase "Islamist terror," saying the two words should not be placed side-by-side. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel shake hands at the end of a press statement after a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Merkel's visit was her first to Turkey since a failed coup there in July and comes as the country prepares to hold a referendum on whether to switch to an executive presidential system. Critics who oppose the proposed change say it would concentrate too many powers in Erdogan's hands and further erode the separation of powers in the country. "I pointed out that in such a phase of deep political change, everything must be done to preserve the separation of powers, and above all freedom of opinion and the plurality of society," Merkel told reporters during a joint press appearance with Erdogan. "Opposition belongs to a democracy. We see that with one another every day in democratic states," she said. She also called for elections observers to be allowed to monitor the vote. Erdogan rejected the notion that the presidential system he has long sought threatened the separation of powers. "First of all, there's not an ounce of truth to this," he said. "There's a legislative organ; an executive one as well; and a judicial." Erdogan also reproached the German leader for using the phrase "Islamist terror" during their joint appearance. The expression saddens Muslims because Islam and terror cannot coexist, he said. "Personally, as a Muslim, as a Muslim president, I can never accept this," Erdogan said. Merkel responded by saying Germany makes a linguistic distinction between "Islam" and "Islamist." "I would like people in Turkey to know, in any case, that we do not just respect and value Muslims, but we want to work well together and fight this terrible terrorism together," she added. Merkel later toured parts of Turkey's parliament building, which was damaged during the failed coup. She met with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who called for greater cooperation from Germany against the movement led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric accused by Turkey of orchestrating the coup. Turkey also wants Germany to extradite some 40 soldiers allegedly involved in the coup attempt and to reject asylum requests from people linked to the movement Turkey blames for the coup. Merkel urged Turkey to relay concerns about possible criminal activities of Gulen supporters in Germany through security channels and to refrain from using an organization running Turkish mosques to spy on people in Germany. "Irritations, or the feeling that people are being spied upon, needs to be prevented from the start," Merkel said. __ Associated Press writers Geir Moulson and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed. The German and the Turkish flag sit on a table during a press statement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Presidential Press Service, Pool via AP) Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Pompidou Center is looking to build on its global brand as a cultural center that, at the same time, brings together a museum and a place of creation where the plastic arts mix with music, cinema and books, to use French former Prime Minister and President Georges Pompidous description of the Paris-based institution. An aerial view of the Pompidou Center from 2010. BORIS HORVAT (AFP) In an interview with EL PAIS, Serge Lasvignes, the head of the Pompidou Center, says that it is to open in Brussels in 2018, occupying some 35,000 square meters of an art deco former garage and that talks are advancing over a branch in Shanghai. Among the host countries being considered for a third overseas presence is Colombia, says Lasvignes, adding that Latin America is among our perspectives for the future. Artists have contributed to pacifying social life in Colombia Serge Lasvignes, head of the Pompidou Center I am very interested in Colombia. It is a promising country with a lot of resources, where artist collectives have contributed to pacifying social life, he says, adding that plans for Latin America are still in the preliminary stage. Lasvignes says he is not ruling out extending the life of the Malaga branch of the Pompidou Center, opened in 2015 in a glass cube with 6,300 square meters of exhibition space, and whose agreement is due to expire in 2020. The Pompidou Center will be celebrating its 40th birthday with 40 shows throughout France, from Marseilles to Lille, and from Bordeaux to Strasbourg, lending works from its more than 200,000 pieces, which make it the largest collection of modern art in Europe. Democratizing art is a mobilizing utopia: it never ends and requires constant willpower, he says, adding that he wants to attract as diverse a range of visitors as possible. When I look at my visitors, I see that the upper strata of society continue to be over-represented. We still have a lot to do, he admits. The head of the Pompidou Center, Serge Lasvignes, at the site of the Brussels branch. EMMANUEL DUNAND (AFP) At the back entrance of the Pompidou, young people of all ages, classes and colors wait in a long line to use the library, which is one of the most popular in Europe, with some 1.2 million visitors a year. Lasvignes says he wants to direct that line into the centers galleries. He intends to create a single-entry ticket for the whole center. Next year, repair and refurbishment work will begin, but shouldnt require any major closures. The Pompidou celebrates its 40th anniversary in fine fettle. In 2016, while most museums in the French capital saw visitor numbers fall amid fears of terrorist attacks, some 3.3 million people took in the center, a 9% increase on the previous year, and up 30% on a decade ago. But unlike the Louvre, a gallery he says people visit once and thats it, the Pompidou has established itself as a cultural center that can be revisited time and again. Some 70% of our visitors have already been here at least once in the same year, he explains. English version by Nick Lyne. Virginia search continues for red panda, absconder of zoos NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Red pandas are the Houdinis of zoos. The raccoonlike creatures, who lounge on tree branches like stuffed animals made real, have escaped exhibits in the United Kingdom, California and Washington, D.C. They're often retrieved in days, if not hours. But at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, Sunny has been AWOL for more than a week. The 19-month-old broke out on a stormy night likely after her lust-driven male companion, Thomas, began to pursue her. Red pandas, which are native to China, are in their breeding season, the zoo said on its website. And the animals, with their white-trimmed faces and furry red tails, can become "agitated." Sunny has so far evaded infrared cameras, search dogs and drones, not to mention zoo staff and volunteers. "I'm sure someone took it," Brianna Maison, 22, a college student in Norfolk, said Wednesday at the zoo with her children. Sunny may have slipped from a wet branch, which helped her escape, the zoo said. And the theory surprised no one who passed by the exhibit at lunchtime Wednesday. Frequent visitors said large branches from a tree in the enclosure had sloped above a pedestrian walkway. "We used to wonder what kept them from getting out," said Karen McSpadden, 32, of Virginia Beach. "I guess nothing was." The branches looked freshly sawn. The zoo declined to comment on Sunny, referring The Associated Press to its website and Facebook page. The tree-branch escape plan isn't new. A red panda named Rusty likely climbed to freedom on rain-soaked branches at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in 2013, according to a news release. (Those trees were trimmed as well). But Rusty was found nearly 24 hours later. The search for Sunny continues. Greg Bockheim, the Virginia Zoo's executive director, told the Virginian-Pilot on Tuesday that reports of sightings continued. And he's taken them seriously, searching miles away with a thermal imaging camera. "It's very upsetting, but I don't blame the zoo at all," Amanda Mills, 29, of Chesapeake, said as her 6-year-old son Caeden gazed at Thomas. "I think somebody out there has got her and just isn't ready to give her up." Rob Vernon, a spokesman from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, said zoo escapes in general are rare and the animals are often found quickly. Billionaire philanthropist and public education backer Eli Broad has urged senators to vote against President Donald Trump's pick for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, saying she is 'unprepared and unqualified for the position'. Broad wrote in a letter to senators that if DeVos were confirmed, 'much of the good work that has been accomplished to improve public education for all of America's children could be undone'. The charter school advocate said the country needs an education secretary 'who believes in public education and the need to keep public schools public'. Comedienne Amy Schumer joined the charge against DeVos Thursday. She was spotted in Beverly Hills, California holding signs that read: 'Betsy DeVos is unqualified' and 'Call your senator to oppose - 202-224-3121'. Billionaire philanthropist and public education backer Eli Broad has urged senators to vote against President Donald Trump's pick for education secretary, Betsy DeVos (pictured) Schumer's cousin, Democratic Senator Chuch Schumer of New York, is among lawmakers who have vowed to oppose Trump's pick. DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor who spent more than two decades promoting charter schools, has emerged as one of Trump's most disputed Cabinet picks, facing fierce opposition from Democrats, teachers unions and civil rights activists. Senator Schumer said during her confirmation hearing that she 'didn't know basic facts about education law'. 'When you judge her in three areas conflicts of interest, basic confidence and ideology, views on Education policy, it is clear that Betsy DeVos is unfit for the job of Education secretary,' he said according to The Hill. 'In all three areas... she ranks among the lowest of any cabinet nominee I have ever seen.' Broad (left), a charter school advocate, said the country needs an education secretary 'who believes in public education and the need to keep public schools public'. Amy Schumer joined the charge against DeVos Thursday with a signs that read: 'Betsy DeVos is unqualified' (right) Schumer's cousin, Democratic Senator Chuch Schumer of New York, is among lawmakers who have vowed to oppose Trump's pick DeVos is a major advocate of school choice programs, and Democrats and labor unions have protested her candidacy. Broad has given millions toward programs aimed at improving public education. Two Republican senators have also vowed to vote against DeVos. With Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska in opposition, the nomination could die if DeVos loses the support of one more Republican and all Democrats vote against her. Murkowski said she believed DeVos has much to learn about public education. The senator says she has 'serious concerns' about DeVos, saying the nominee has been 'so involved on one side of the equation, so immersed in the push for vouchers that she may be unaware of what actually is successful within the public schools and also what is broken and how to fix them.' Two Republican senators have vowed to vote against DeVos. One of them is Lisa Murkowski of Alaska (pictured) who said she believed DeVos has much to learn about public education Workers contributing more to, borrowing less from 401(k)s NEW YORK (AP) A rare double shot of encouraging news on retirement savings: Workers are contributing more to their 401(k) accounts, and they're taking out fewer loans from them. So says Fidelity, which looked at how 14.5 million savers are behaving in retirement plans that it administers. The combination means that the average 401(k) balance was $92,500 at the end of 2016, up nearly 5 percent from a year earlier. "Fewer people have pension plans now, and they're more reliant on a 401(k), so I think people realize the importance of savings," says Jeanne Thompson, senior vice president at Fidelity. Paychecks finally seem to be on the upswing for families outside the top earners, and the median household income climbed 5 percent in 2015 to $56,516. That, plus the strengthening job market, had workers feeling confident enough to set aside 8.4 percent of their paychecks during the last three months of 2016. It's the highest quarterly level for 401(k) contributions since the spring of 2008, just before the worst of the financial crisis. Employers are also playing a role. About one in four workers last year raised their contribution rate for their 401(k) accounts, and only half of them did so on their own. The other half of the increases were part of automatic programs set up by employers. "Many employers are starting to realize, as they freeze their pension plans, they do want to set people up for success," Thompson says. That has employers not only automatically enrolling their workers into the 401(k) plan but also discouraging loans from them. Only 21 percent of workers have a loan outstanding from their 401(k) accounts, the lowest level in seven years. Having the option to take out a 401(k) loan has some benefits. Employees are more likely to participate in plans that allow them and may even contribute more than they would have otherwise, researchers say. Taking a loan can be a risky move. Most loans get repaid, but defaults do occur when workers leave their jobs. Loans from 401(k) accounts can become due immediately when workers retire, get laid off or quit. Not only that, taking out a 401(k) loan pushes many workers to cut back on their contributions, and many don't get back to their prior levels of savings until after they've repaid the loan. Workers miss out on the returns the forgone contributions, and the cash that was borrowed, would have made had it been invested in the stock market. Of course, the encouraging numbers from Fidelity cover only a slice of the retirement-savings landscape. Not everyone can save in a 401(k), even if they wanted to. The Latest: Sanders says Trump may be right about his voters WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST): 8:30 p.m. Sen. Bernie Sanders says President Donald Trump may be right in claiming he won the general election votes of some former Sanders supporters. Commerce Secretary-designate Wilbur Ross, center, listens to President Donald Trump during a meeting with House and Senate legislators in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. At right is White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) A participant in a White House meeting Thursday says Trump said he got those votes because he and the Vermont independent think some trade treaties have hurt Americans. The participant spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting. Sanders was not present. He said in an interview later that many working-class Democrats who backed him in the presidential primaries are "disgusted" with U.S. trade policy and probably voted for Trump. An early November ABC News-Washington Post poll showed 8 percent of Sanders supporters planned to back Trump. Alan Fram ___ 6:45 p.m. The White House says new Israeli settlements or the expansion of existing ones beyond their current borders may not help achieve peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Spokesman Sean Spicer says President Donald Trump's administration doesn't believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, although it has yet to take an official position on settlement construction. Spicer says Trump looks forward to continuing to discuss the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the White House on Feb. 15. In Israel on Thursday, Netanyahu vowed to establish the first new West Bank settlement in more than two decades "as soon as possible." Trump has signaled a softer line toward settlements, which most of the international community views as illegal. ___ 6:25 p.m. The White House is trying to clean up after President Donald Trump's contentious phone call with Australia's prime minister. Chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon met with Joe Hockey, Australia's ambassador to the U.S., at the White House Thursday. The White House says they conveyed to the ambassador Trump's "deep admiration" for the Australian people. Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke by phone over the weekend, but the call ended earlier than scheduled. The president expressed frustration during the call over an Obama administration refugee deal with Australia. The White House deepened its condemnation of the deal Thursday, saying Trump was "unbelievably disappointed" in the agreement. ___ 6: 20 p.m. Vice President Mike Pence is planning a trip to Europe later this month to attend the Munich Security Conference and visit Brussels. The White House says Pence will be engaging with allies in Europe "about how to deepen and strengthen the Trans-Atlantic alliance." Pence met Thursday with German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel. The White House says the pair discussed the trip as well as the importance of close German-American ties. They also agreed on what the White House called "NATO's centrality in ensuring the security and stability of North America and Europe" while saying NATO "must adapt to confront threats to our countries such as violent extremism and terrorism." ___ 6:15 p.m. Donald Trump's longtime physician tells The New York Times the president takes a prostate-related medication for hair growth. Dr. Harold Bornstein said Trump takes small doses of finasteride, which is marketed as the male pattern baldness treatment Propecia, The Times reported Thursday. The drug also lowers levels of prostate specific antigen, or PSA, a marker for prostate cancer. The newspaper reported that Trump also takes antibiotics for rosacea, a skin condition, and a statin for elevated blood cholesterol and lipids. He takes baby aspirin for heart attack prevention. The White House would not comment. When the 70-year-old Trump was a candidate, Bornstein wrote a note declaring that, if elected, he would be the healthiest president in history. Bornstein later said he had written the letter in five minutes. ___ 5:40 p.m. President Donald Trump and the king of Jordan have discussed with the possibility of establishing safe zones for refugees in Syria. Trump met briefly Thursday with King Abdullah II at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. A White House statement on the meeting says Trump "highlighted Jordan's critical contributions to defeating ISIS and discussed the possibility of establishing safe zones in Syria." The president also addressed the importance of strengthening Jordan's security and economy, as well as "Jordan's essential role in serving as a model of tolerance and moderation in the region." ___ 4:45 p.m. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's business leaders' forum, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Kalanick wrote that he'd spoken with Trump Thursday and "let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the President or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that." The ride-sharing company has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike at New York's JFK Airport. The strike was inspired by Trump's executive order temporarily suspending the country's refugee program. Kalanick subsequently condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott have continued. ___ 4:40 p.m. A planned weekend protest march outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is back on after two other groups took over its organization. Alex Newell Taylor of Women's March Florida said Thursday that her group and South Florida Activism have taken over the march from Stephen Milo. He had issued a statement earlier saying Saturday's March to Mar-a-Lago was being canceled because of safety concerns. Newell Taylor says the groups have more experience organizing demonstrations than Milo and believe they have the expertise to keep it peaceful. The president is scheduled to be at Mar-a-Lago this weekend for the first time as president. The protest will be aimed at the president's moratorium on refugees from seven primarily Islamic countries and other issues. More than 2,000 people have registered on Facebook to attend. ___ 3:45 p.m. A participant in a White House meeting with Donald Trump says the president says he ended up getting votes from a lot of supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders. The person says Trump said he received those votes because both he and the Vermont independent have long complained that some trade treaties have been bad deals for Americans. The participant said Trump offered no evidence of how he knew he received backing from Sanders supporters. Trump met Thursday with four leading members of Congress in a session that focused chiefly on trade. An ABC News-Washington Post poll conducted days before the November election showed 8 percent of former Sanders supporters said they planned to vote for Trump. The participant spoke on condition of anonymity to describe discussions in a closed-door meeting. ___ 3:05 p.m. A third congressional committee will investigate Russia's interference into the 2016 presidential election. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island announced the Senate judiciary panel they lead will investigate Russia's interference in the U.S. election as well as elections of other democratic nations. U.S. intelligence agencies believe Russia has tried to influence other democratic elections in Europe. The senators say the goal of the investigation is to "shine a light on Russian activities to undermine democracy." The House and Senate intelligence committees are conducting their own investigations into the intelligence agency findings that Russia hacked Democratic Party emails and tried to influence the election to help President Donald Trump win. Trump has said he wants to improve U.S. relations with Russia, even as he acknowledged Russia was behind the election hacks. ___ 2 p.m. President Donald Trump says he's looking at "re-doing" the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he says has been a "catastrophe for our county." The president made the comments in a pair of meetings Thursday with lawmakers and employees from the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company. Trump has long railed about the country's trade deals, claiming they put American workers and companies at a disadvantage. Trump says he doesn't care if "it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand new NAFTA," as long as it's fairer for U.S. workers. He says, "All of the statutory guidelines we're adhering to I would like to speed it up if possible." He says his Commerce secretary nominee, Wilbur Ross, will lead the negotiations. Economists generally attribute the loss of manufacturing jobs to China, not Mexico. ___ 1:50 p.m. Organizers have canceled a planned weekend protest march outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, saying they had concerns about safety. Lead organizer Stephen Milo said in statement Thursday that Saturday's March to Mar-a-Lago is being canceled because of "the possibility of the march turning into an angry confrontational demonstration vs. a joyful show of unity" as originally envisioned. The president is scheduled to be at Mar-a-Lago this weekend and will likely attend an American Red Cross fundraiser there Saturday night. The protest was to be aimed at the president's moratorium on refugees from seven majority-Muslim countries. Milo said the decision came after meetings with West Palm Beach, Florida, police officials. More than 2,000 people had registered on Facebook to attend the march. ___ 1:20 p.m. The White House says a new Treasury Department action does not mean the U.S. is easing sanctions on Russia. Treasury had amended the sanctions former President Barack Obama slapped on Moscow in retaliation for election-related hacking to allow "certain transactions" with Russia's Federal Security Service, or the FSB. White House spokesman Sean Spicer called the move part of the "regular course of action." Some U.S. companies had expressed concern that the sanctions would limit their ability to sell electronics to Russia. The FSB has control over imports to Russia of devices with encryption technology. Obama levied the sanctions after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the presidential election on Trump's behalf. Trump had frequently talked about wanting a warmer relationship with Russia, sparking concern among allies. ___ 1:10 p.m. The White House says President Donald Trump was briefed about plans for a raid by U.S. special operations forces in Yemen four days after his inauguration, and he authorized the plan last week. White House press secretary Sean Spicer says planning for the raid originated under President Barack Obama's team. He says the plan was first sent to the Defense Department the day before the November 2016 presidential election. Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens was killed in the assault, and three other U.S. service members were wounded in the firefight with militants from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. That's the group's Yemen affiliate. Spicer says it's difficult to call it a success because of Owens' death, but the administration considers it a "successful operation." ___ 12:40 p.m. President Donald Trump says bikers were with him all the way during his campaign. Trump met a group from Harley-Davidson Thursday after they rolled up to the south lawn of the White House. He greeted the five bikers warmly, saying, "Made in America, Harley-Davidson." Trump added that during the campaign, bikers "were with me all the way." But he did not hop on for a ride. Trump joked to the journalists gathered to watch the welcome: "Boy, would you like to see me fall off one of these!" Earlier this week, Trump cancelled a Thursday trip to Wisconsin, where Harley-Davidson is located. ___ 10:20 a.m. A Trump administration official says President Donald Trump was "very strong" in his recent call with Australia's prime minister. The official says Trump was particularly concerned about an Obama administration deal that would allow mostly Muslim refugees rejected by Australia to be resettled in the United States. According to the official, the Saturday call ended early, after about 30 minutes. That's about half as long as some of Trump's recent calls with other leaders. The tensions between Trump and Australian leader Malcolm Turnbull were first reported by the Washington Post. The official disputed a report that Trump ended the call by hanging up on Turnbull. The official wasn't authorized to discuss the call publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Julie Pace ___ 10 a.m. President Donald Trump says he'll work on developing a system to make sure that people entering the United States "fully embrace our values of religious and personal liberty." That's what he's saying in a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. He also says the U.S. must "protect religious liberty" and be "safe and secure." Trump says America has the "most generous immigration system in the world" and "there are those that would exploit that generosity." He says there are people who would enter the country with the "purpose of spreading violence." ___ 9:40 a.m. President Donald Trump says Americans shouldn't worry about his "tough" phone calls with world leaders. Trump says: "We have to be tough." The president is speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast. He says the world is "in trouble" and other countries have been taking advantage of the United States, but his administration will "straighten it out." Trump's comments come amid reports about his calls with leaders from Mexico and Australia. The White House says Trump's comment to Mexico's president that he would send U.S. troops to stop "bad hombres down there" was "lighthearted." ___ 9:35 a.m. President Donald Trump says he'll work to "get rid of and totally destroy" a provision that bars churches and other tax-exempt organizations from supporting candidates for political office. Trump in an appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington says religious freedom is a "sacred right." He's not saying how or when he'd try to repeal what's known as the Johnson Amendment after then-Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, who pushed for it to be enacted. Trump thanked Americans for their prayers as he begins his administration, saying they've been a "constant source of strength." The president also took a dig at Arnold Schwarzenegger. He's the new host of "The Apprentice," the show Trump previously hosted. Trump says that since Schwarzenegger took over, the show's rating have been down, and Trump asked the audience to "pray for Arnold." ___ 7:28 a.m. President Donald Trump is questioning whether the University of California at Berkeley should be granted federal funding. Trump urges the school to honor free speech. Protesters hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and started a bonfire prompting university officials to cancel a talk Wednesday by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos out of safety concerns. Trump tweeted Thursday, "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Berkeley cancelled Yiannopoulos' appearance after a crowd of some 1,500 gathered outside the venue. The 32-year-old right-wing provocateur is a vocal Trump supporter and a self-proclaimed internet troll whose comments have been criticized as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. ___ 7:25 a.m. Germany's foreign minister is heading for Washington to meet newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to convey what he calls an "offer of friendship and trust." Sigmar Gabriel's trip on Thursday follows criticism by Chancellor Angela Merkel of President Donald Trump's restrictions on immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. It also comes amid concern in Berlin about the new administration's intentions on trade. Gabriel is also expected to meet with Vice President Mike Pence. He stresses the United States' longstanding status as his country's closest ally outside Europe. Gabriel says, "The friendship between two nations is far more than thriving cooperation between governments, but without good and trusting relations between both governments, it can't go well." ___ 7:21 a.m. President Donald Trump says Iran was on the verge of collapse until the U.S. gave it a "lifeline" in the form of the Iran deal. The president tweeted Thursday, "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile." He adds, "Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" Trump was repeating comments made by National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Trump also tweeted, "Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion." Flynn said Wednesday the "Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions" and put Iran "on notice," without elaborating on what actions may be taken. White House press secretary Sean Spicer calls on a reporter during the daily press briefing, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, in the briefing room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Marine One, with President Donald Trump aboard, lands at Dover Air Force Base, Del. Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. Trump traveled to Dover AFB to meet with family members Chief of Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Ill, the U.S. service member who was killed in a raid in Yemen, and who's remains where returned today. Owens is the first-know combat death of a member of the U.S. military under Trump's administration. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence stop to admire a Harley Davidson motorcycle parked on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, as he welcomed Harley Davidson executives and union representatives. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence greet Harley Davidson President and CEO Matthew S. Levatich on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence meet with Harley Davidson executives and Union Representatives on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2017, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the phone with Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. For decades, Australia and the U.S. have enjoyed the coziest of relationships, collaborating on everything from military and intelligence to diplomacy and trade. Yet an irritable tweet President Donald Trump fired off about Australia and a dramatic report of an angry phone call between the nations' leaders proves that the new commander in chief has changed the playing field for even America's staunchest allies. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Duterte bans another corruption-hit agency from drug war MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday prohibited another key law enforcement agency from carrying out his deadly anti-drug crackdown after banning the national police from the campaign because of corruption, and suggested he will use the military instead. Duterte said his decision to exclude the National Bureau of Investigation the Philippine counterpart of America's FBI from the crackdown left him with fewer enforcers and increased the pressure for him to tap the military, which has been busy battling Muslim extremist groups on three battlefronts in the south. "We can't use the police because it is corrupt. I cannot trust now the NBI because it is corrupt," Duterte said in a speech in his southern hometown, Davao city. "I have limited warm bodies, I still have so many wars to fight." Human rights groups expressed alarm at the president's statement, fearing that the deployment of counterinsurgency forces may worsen rights violations in a campaign that has already left thousands of drug suspects dead, including many in suspected extrajudicial killings. Duterte has denied authorizing enforcers to kill unlawfully. The president cited instances in which suspected drug lords managed to get access to cellphones while in NBI detention by paying off agents, leading him to lose trust in the investigation agency, part of the Department of Justice. The 170,000-strong national police were barred from carrying out raids and making drug-related arrests after a group of officers used the crackdown as a cover to kidnap and kill a South Korean businessman for money in a still-unraveling scandal. That left the much-smaller Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to wage the crackdown, which began after Duterto took office in June. Duterte again lashed out at critics of his campaign, including the dominant Roman Catholic church and the United States, which under then President Barack Obama expressed alarm over the widespread killings. Duterte has repeatedly threatened to roll back Philippine engagement with the U.S. military, and on Thursday said he was considering an adversarial diplomatic gesture. First CEO at R. Lauren not named Ralph Lauren is unsaddled NEW YORK (AP) Stefan Larsson, who took over as CEO at Ralph Lauren Corp. less than two years ago in hopes of revitalizing the iconic brand, is leaving the company. The namesake founder, who said at the time that Larsson "understands what dreams are," maintains that he pushed the company in the right direction. However, the two clashed largely over creative control. Lauren says the decision to part ways is mutual. Larsson who also serves as president will remain with the New York company until May. The search for a new chief executive is underway. The company's chief financial officer, Jane Nielsen, will lead the company's plan to turn around its business while a successor is found. FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2015 file photo, designer Ralph Lauren, right, poses in his office with Stefan Larsson in New York. Larsson, CEO of Ralph Lauren Corp., will be stepping down from the post in May 2017, less than two years after taking over the role. Founder Ralph Lauren says he and Larson had different views on how to run parts of the business. Shares plunged 10 percent in Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 premarket trading. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) "Stefan and I share a love and respect for the DNA of this great brand, and we both recognize the need to evolve," said Lauren, executive chairman and chief creative officer, in a statement. "However, we have found that we have different views on how to evolve the creative and consumer-facing parts of the business." During a conference call Thursday with investors, Larsson said that the differences came down to different views on product, marketing and the shopping experience. He noted that he spent his entire career in family-controlled businesses and "worked hard to find common ground." That didn't happen and that's what led the mutual decision, he said. Prior to joining Ralph Lauren, Larsson was global president of Gap's Old Navy business, transforming the brand into a bright spot within a couple of years. He also worked at Swedish fast-fashion chain H&M for 15 years, moving swiftly through the ranks of the company to serve as head of global sales. Ralph Lauren shares, which have fallen more than 20 percent in the past year, dropped more than 11 percent Thursday. The announcement overshadowed Ralph Lauren's fiscal third-quarter results that showed the company was making some inroads. Its adjusted profit of $1.86 per share easily beat the $1.64 that Wall Street had expected, according to a poll by Zacks Investment Research expected. Revenue fell to $1.71 billion. Lauren started the company half a century ago selling ties and built a vast empire that includes women's, men's and children's clothing, home decor, accessories and now restaurants. It became the arbiter of preppy cool. But after years of surging growth, Ralph Lauren has seen its revenue slow down as the brand has lost its cachet, particularly with younger shoppers as the name can be found everywhere. Clothing companies like Ralph Lauren have also struggled because of different shopping behavior and preferences. Increasingly, shoppers are buying online and spend more on experiences like beauty treatments. Like other traditional brands, Ralph Lauren has also wrestled with sluggish performance at major department stores like Macy's its main distribution channel as shoppers increasingly go to Amazon.com or discounters like TJ Maxx to buy name brands. The iconic label got attention when First Lady Melania Trump wore a pale-blue dress and jacket combination by the designer on Inauguration Day. When Larsson took over as CEO in late 2015, he was the first chief executive at the iconic company not named Ralph Lauren. He acted quickly, slashing costs to improve the balance sheet and tightening the company's focus on the brands that made Ralph Lauren known worldwide. The company made strategic changes, lowering inventories and reducing early commitments to major retailers so that it could better react to trends. But, Larsson didn't have free rein over the creative process. "This sudden departure gives the impression of a brand in crisis, and we believe it signals significant internal wrangling over the future direction of the firm," said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail. "It also demonstrates the founder's continued dominance over the business. As much as Ralph Lauren should be respected for his significant achievements and his undeniable design talent, we are concerned by the orthodoxy of his leadership, under which questioning and fresh thinking are relatively rare. This, in our view, is not the way to reinvent a brand that has clearly lost its way." Shares dropped $10.43 to $76.94 in afternoon trading. ______ Mayor: Pittsburgh's boil-water advisory lifted; water safe PITTSBURGH (AP) Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto says a boil-water advisory affecting 100,000 customers including hospitals, schools, and restaurants has been lifted. Peduto on Thursday says there's no trace of bacteria that can cause diarrhea in the city's water, even though some tests late Tuesday showed there wasn't enough chlorine in water treated at one plant. The state Department of Environmental Protect insisted on the boil-water advisory based on samples from the city's Highland Park reservoirs. This Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017 photo shows a Highland Park Reservoir where low chlorine levels have caused the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to issue a precautionary boil order in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Insufficient chlorine in Pittsburgh's public water supply led to the closure Wednesday of some schools and a boil-water advisory in neighborhoods that include the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. (Rebecca Droke/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) Peduto says Pennsylvania's chlorination standards are higher than federal standards and in "another state our water would have been safe and we wouldn't have had to take these precautionary measures." The city added chlorine and drained reservoir water out of its system to satisfy the DEP, and is now investigating the cause of the failed tests. Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority director Bernard Lindstrom apologized for the "massive inconvenience." Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority workers try to reach valves that control the flow of water in and out of Highland Park Reservoir No. 1 outside the membrane filtration plant in Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. Tests by the state Department of Environmental Protection showed low levels of chlorine in water at a facility that draws water from the citys Highland Park reservoirs. (Rebecca Droke/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) Ronette Cooley, right, helps Courtney Patterson fill jugs with water at a city fire station in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, where water buffaloes are available for the public on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. The city set up over a dozen spots across town to distribute potable water after tests by the state Department of Environmental Protection showed low levels of chlorine in water at a facility that draws water from the city's Highland Park reservoirs, prompting the closure of nearly two dozen schools and a boil-water advisory for 100,000 customers of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Ronette Cooley watches as she fills containers with water at a city fire station in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh where water buffaloes are available for the public on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. The city set up over a dozen spots across town to distribute potable water after tests by the state Department of Environmental Protection showed low levels of chlorine in water at a facility that draws water from the city's Highland Park reservoirs, prompting the closure of nearly two dozen schools and a boil-water advisory for 100,000 customers of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Tim Stuhldeher carries a container of water to his stepmother's house after filling it at a city fire station in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh where the city made water available for the public on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. The city set up over a dozen spots across town to distribute potable water after tests by the state Department of Environmental Protection showed low levels of chlorine in water at a facility that draws water from the city's Highland Park reservoirs, prompting the closure of nearly two dozen schools and a boil-water advisory for 100,000 customers of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Warsaw mayor slams plan to expand city as anti-democratic WARSAW, Poland (AP) Warsaw's mayor harshly denounced a government plan to enlarge the Polish capital to incorporate 32 neighboring municipalities, describing it Thursday as the type of power grab one expects in an authoritarian state like Belarus or Russia. The plan would increase the chances of the conservative ruling Law and Justice winning control of Warsaw in local elections in 2018. The city's residents tend to be more liberal and more critical of the government than those in surrounding areas, so they could potentially be outvoted. Work on the plan comes as Law and Justice is centralizing its power in ways denounced by opponents as anti-democratic. FILE- This May 18, 2012, file photo shows the skyline of Warsaw, Poland's capital. The mayor of Warsaw has harshly denounced a government plan to enlarge the capital to incorporate 32 neighboring municipalities. That would make Warsaw bigger than London or New York by geographical size. The plan is controversial because it would increase the chances of the conservative ruling Law and Justice to take control of the city in local elections in 2018, even as it takes other steps to centralize its power. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski,file) Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, with the opposition centrist Civic Platform party, said that it was a "disgrace." "It pushes us in the direction of Belarus or even Moscow," she said. Prime Minister Beata Szydlo says that many people in outlying areas want to be incorporated because they would benefit financially and in other ways, allowing, for instance, for the development of improved public transportation for those outside the city. Another supporter, Senate Speaker Stanislaw Karczewski, said that Warsaw residents now have an "incomparably higher standard of living" and that incorporation would give greater accessibility to culture, art, education and health care to those in outlying areas. If implemented, the city of 1.7 million people would become geographically bigger than New York or London. The city is 517 square kilometers (200 square miles); with the change it would swell to 2,514 square kilometers (970 square miles). Warsaw and many other big cities are run by opposition parties, making them points of resistance to the populist government. Law and Justice also wants to impose limits of two terms for mayors and other local officials before the 2018 elections. That plan is also being sharply criticized as an attempt to strengthen the party's power. ____ Monika Scislowska contributed to this report. Protesters burn government buildings in northeastern India GAUHATI, India (AP) Hundreds of protesters marched in a state capital in India's northeast on Thursday after setting ablaze half a dozen government buildings to protest a state government decision that would reserve 33 percent of seats for women in local municipal elections. Officers in the police control room said police and paramilitary reinforcements were rushed to protect government property in Kohima, the Nagaland capital, as the protesters marched to the building housing state government offices. They were blocked by the heavy police presence, but the demonstrators also burned several cars and attacked the house of a relative of the state's top elected official before dispersing after a day-long protest. They demanded the resignation of T.R. Zeling, the top elected official, for deciding to implement a court ruling that would reserve 33 percent of seats for women in local municipal elections. The protesters say the ruling would infringe on tribal laws and traditions that bar women from participating in politics. Trump reviews case of Navy man who shot illegal sub photos HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The conviction of a Navy sailor who took photos of classified areas inside a submarine is getting a new look from the Trump administration. An attorney for Kristian Saucier, who is serving a one-year prison sentence, said he was encouraged by President Donald Trump's national security adviser to seek a pardon. Trump has said he is reviewing the case. Saucier pleaded guilty last year to unauthorized detention of defense information for taking the photos inside the USS Alexandria when it was in Groton, Connecticut, in 2009. In pleading for leniency, he argued the prosecution was driven by sensitivity about classified information amid the scandal involving Hillary Clinton's emails. "The Justice Department at that time was under pressure to do something," his attorney Ronald Daigle Jr. said. "So he got prosecuted for it. I don't think it's fair because she didn't get prosecuted for anything." Saucier has said he merely wanted service mementos, but federal prosecutors said he was a disgruntled sailor who put national security at risk by taking photos showing details of the submarine's propulsion system and reactor compartment and then obstructed the investigation by destroying a laptop and camera. Prosecutors also rejected comparisons to Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state. After Trump's election, Daigle discussed the case in an hour-long November meeting inside Trump Tower with Michael Flynn, the president's national security adviser, who encouraged a formal pardon request, Daigle said. Jeffrey Addicott, a professor at St. Mary's University School of Law, filed the request for a pardon. In an interview last week with Fox News' Sean Hannity, who had previously had Saucier's mother on his show, Trump was asked about a possible pardon and said he was reviewing the case. "I think it's very unfair in light of what's happened with other people," Trump said. Tom Carson, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, declined to comment on the pardon request. The investigation began in 2012 when a waste station supervisor in Connecticut found Saucier's cellphone with the submarine photos atop a pile of demolition trash and alerted a retired Navy friend who contacted the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Saucier, who is from Arlington, Vermont, was a 22-year-old machinist mate on the nuclear-powered attack submarine when he took the photos. He knew they would be classified but he wanted to show his family what he did in the Navy, his lawyers said. He denied sharing the photos with any unauthorized recipient. Saucier began serving his sentence in October at Fort Devens in Massachusetts, and Daigle said his client is optimistic about a pardon. 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". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT Google Ad 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 EU lawmakers clinch deal on visa-free travel for Georgians BRUSSELS (AP) European Union lawmakers have sealed an agreement to allow Georgian citizens into Europe's passport-free area without visas for short stays. Lawmakers endorsed the visa waiver Thursday by 553 votes to 66, with 28 abstentions. It will allow Georgians with a biometric passport to enter the 26-nation Schengen area for 90 days for business, tourist or family reasons but not to work. The waiver can only begin once a mechanism is in place allowing visas to be reintroduced in emergencies like a migration surge or a security threat. Prime Minister Georgi Kvirikashvili said on Twitter: "This is truly a historic day! Thank you to the European Parliament for conferring visa-free connections to Europe upon Georgian citizens." Crews battling 2 wildfires in southeastern Oklahoma STIGLER, Okla. (AP) Crews are battling two wildfires in rural eastern Oklahoma that have burned more than 10 square miles combined. Oklahoma Forestry Services fire management chief Mark Goeller said the first fire in Haskell County was about 50 percent contained as of Thursday afternoon, but might continue to burn for another two days. Goeller said no homes or other structures were immediately threatened. A second fire was burning about 5 miles northwest of Wilburton in Latimer County, but Goeller said officials haven't determined how much of it has been contained. FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016 file photo, crews battle a wildfire on U.S. 64 in Cleveland, Okla. Oklahoma has been placed under a national fire advisory as much of the state struggles with unrelenting drought and tinder-dry vegetation capable of igniting and quickly spreading out of control, state forestry officials said, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP, File) Both counties are located in part of the state experiencing the worst drought conditions. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, issued a rare national fire advisory for Oklahoma on Wednesday because of persistent drought and dry vegetation. The advisory is in effect for two weeks and warns residents and fire departments to prepare for potentially severe wildfires. Oklahoma is just entering its peak fire season of February and March, but dozens of wildfires have already scorched thousands of acres in the past two months. Kosovo wants EU, NATO to warn Serbia against escalation PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) Kosovo's president called on the European Union and NATO on Thursday to warn Serbia against inciting a new conflict in Kosovo and the Balkans. President Hashim Thaci's request followed a Brussels meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and the prime ministers of the two countries, which was convened by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. In a statement Thursday, Thaci accused Belgrade of inciting inter-ethnic hatred in northern Kosovo. Tensions started to build there in December when ethnic Serbs erected a wall at a bridge, saying it was to prevent landslides. The barrier was seen as a provocation by the ethnic Albanian majority. On Thursday, police said 200 ethnic Serbs gathered in northern Mitrovica, a Serb minority area, allegedly after reports of increased presence of Kosovo police there. Police said security was "generally stable." "I again invite Serbia to leave aside such practices that do not serve the process of reconciliation and normalization of our relations," said Thaci. Nikolic, a staunch pro-Russian politician, has warmed of an armed intervention if Serbs are "jeopardized" in Kosovo. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksadar Vucic held an urgent meeting with Kosovo Serbs Thursday night attended by Serbia's defense minister on the Serbian side of the border with Kosovo. Vucic, a former ultranationalist turned a pro-EU reformer, said the Kosovo government in Pristina is conducting a "dirty campaign." "Don't be caught, peace is our interest," he said. Mogherini has urged the countries to normalize ties "both to preserve peace and advance toward the European Union." Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has not recognized it as a separate country. Serbia, backed by Russia, has sought to maintain influence in Kosovo's north, where most of the country's Serb minority lives. Thousands of NATO-led troops continue to control Kosovo's territory since a three-month air war in 1999 to stop a bloody Serbian crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists. Former mint worker who hid stolen gold in rectum sentenced OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) A former Royal Canadian Mint employee who stole 22 cookie-sized pieces of refined gold by hiding them in his rectum has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Thirty-five-year-old Leston Lawrence was found guilty last November of stealing the pieces from the mint and selling 17 of them through Ottawa Gold Buyers. Ontario Court judge Peter Doody on Thursday sentenced Lawrence and ordered him to pay a fine of US$145,900 (CA$190,000). Doody says the stolen gold was worth US$127,116.11 (CA$165,451.14). Timeline of Delaware prison hostage standoff SMYRNA, Del. (AP) Police breached a building at Delaware's largest prison early Thursday, ending a hostage standoff that left one corrections officer dead. Delaware Gov. John Carney called the situation "torturous" and promised a full investigation. Here is what authorities say happened during the ordeal that began Wednesday: Around 10:30 a.m.: A correctional officer inside Building C at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center radios for immediate assistance. Shortly thereafter, four workers are taken hostage in the building. Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security Robert Coupe says the inmates used sharpened objects to take over the prison. 2:25 p.m.: The first hostage is released. That person is examined and released from a hospital shortly thereafter. Around 8 p.m.: A second hostage is released. The hostage is taken to a hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening and later released. 10:52 p.m.: Three maintenance workers who were hiding in the basement were able to work their way up to the roof. Tactical teams rescue them. 5:06 a.m.: Authorities breach Building C and rescue a third hostage, a female counselor, who Department of Correction Commissioner Perry Phelps said was "alert and well." Coupe said some inmates "shielded" the woman so she wouldn't be hurt. 5:29 a.m.: The fourth hostage, Sgt. Steven Floyd, is pronounced dead. Minnesota Gov. Dayton's cancer 'treatable and curable' ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton's doctors said Thursday that his recently revealed prostate cancer was caught early and hasn't spread, making the cancer "treatable and curable." "The governor should be able to carry on his duties serving the citizens of Minnesota without significant interruption," Mayo Clinic spokesman Karl Oestreich said. Dayton visited the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester this week for several rounds of tests. The Democratic governor revealed the diagnosis a day after he collapsed during his State of the State address an episode doctors said was likely related to dehydration, not the cancer. FILE - In this Jan. 24, 2017, file photo, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton smiles as he waits to brief the media on his state budget in St. Paul, Minn. Dayton, who collapsed Monday evening while delivering his State of the State address, announced at the briefing that he has prostate cancer. Mayo Clinic spokesman Karl Oestreich said Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, that Dayton's cancer hasn't spread beyond his prostate and is curable. He says Dayton should be able to continue serving as governor "without significant interruption." (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File) Prostate cancer is among the most common forms of cancer in men, especially those over 65. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf recently declared he had a "clean bill of health" less than a year after revealing a prostate cancer diagnosis. Dayton's own father lived an additional 25 years after undergoing prostate surgery. Dayton spokesman Linden Zakula said the governor is weighing two potential treatment options: surgery and radiation. Dayton will make a final decision in the coming days, Zakula said. Dayton, who turned 70 last week, has had other health issues since taking office in 2011. A series of back and hip surgeries have left him with a limp. He was briefly hospitalized last year after fainting at a campaign event, later blaming the episode on overheating and dehydration. He was roughly 40 minutes into his State of the State speech Jan. 23 when he paused for a drink of water, appeared to stumble over his words and then collapsed, striking his head on the lectern. He later walked out of the Capitol under his own power and returned home. Republicans who control the Minnesota Legislature have rallied around Dayton amid the health scares, calling for prayers as he approaches cancer treatment. But the two sides will clash this year as they try to set a new two-year budget. Judge lifts life sentence for Florida man convicted as teen TAMPA, Fla. (AP) A man who received a life sentence at age 16 for his role in a fatal robbery is getting out of prison. A Tampa judge on Wednesday ruled that 39-year-old Floyd LaFountain has been jailed long enough and resentenced him to 22 years. With time served, LaFountain should walk free in a few days. LaFountain expressed remorse for the 1994 death of 73-year-old Manuel Huerta. A series of court decisions declaring it unconstitutional to give juveniles life sentences opened the door for a reduced sentence. Prosecutors noted LaFountain's good behavior in prison. The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/2jvRlIg ) reports he'll serve 15 years of probation and was ordered not to return to the Athol, Massachusetts area where he was raised. Jordanian teen caught up in extra scrutiny after travel ban HOUSTON (AP) A Jordanian teenager who has been held for five days after flying to Houston might have been detained due to heightened scrutiny following President Donald Trump's executive order to curb immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, according to attorneys. Mohammad Abu Khadra remained in custody Thursday at a detention center in Chicago after being detained at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport on Saturday, the Houston Chronicle reported (http://bit.ly/2jBona2 ). Mohammad is from Jordan not one of the seven countries included in the order. But Ali Zakaria, an attorney representing Mohammad's family, said it appears that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are tagging travelers from other Muslim-majority countries for secondary security screenings, and that Mohammad might have revealed he was enrolled at a Houston-area high school, a violation of his tourist visa. "Even if it's visa violation, that doesn't mean he should have been sitting at the airport for 48 hours and transferred to Chicago, away from his family, where it will take several days or weeks to reunite them," Zakaria told the newspaper. The 16-year-old, who lives in the Houston suburb of Katy with his brother, Rami, is among dozens of visa holders and immigrants who were detained at U.S. airports after Trump signed the order prohibiting citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. The order also indefinitely bars all Syrian refugees from entering the United States and suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days. Sabah Rafie, a spokeswoman for the Jordanian foreign ministry, said Jordanian authorities are following up on the situation with Mohammad with U.S. officials and the teenager will be freed when the situation allows and when it is safe. "Rejecting his entry is not connected to Trump's recent decision," she said. Zakaria did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press on Thursday. Michael Olivas, an attorney with immigration expertise who's not connected to the case, said that while it does not appear that Mohammad's case is directly related Trump's executive order, increased scrutiny of travelers from Muslim-majority countries appears to be a side effect. Dylann Roof's mental state revealed in court records CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) Documents unsealed in federal court reveal new details about the mental health of convicted Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, including a psychiatrist's finding that his disorders make it hard for him to focus, interact with others or express emotion. Roof's psychiatric records remain sealed, as do the transcripts from two competency hearings which were closed to the public over objections by media organizations including The Associated Press. But other information unsealed this week describes Roof's mental state, a topic the 22-year-old defendant tried to keep out of his sentencing after insisting on representing himself. FILE - In this June 18, 2015 file photo, Charleston, S.C., Dylann Roof is escorted from the Cleveland County Courthouse in Shelby, N.C. Unsealed court documents reveal a psychiatrist's finding that Roof showed signs of social anxiety, schizoid personality and possible autistic spectrum disorders. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) Quoting from a psychiatrist's testimony during one of those hearings, his lawyers wrote "the defendant suffers from 'Social Anxiety Disorder, a Mixed Substance Abuse Disorder, a Schizoid Personality Disorder, depression by history, and a possible Autistic Spectrum Disorder.'" Some of the other trademarks of those disorders, according to the filings, are anxiety about unknown outcomes, a tendency to become overwhelmed and trouble retaining information. Roof's "high IQ," his attorneys wrote, is "compromised by a significant discrepancy between his ability to comprehend and to process information and a poor working memory." Because of this, his attorneys asked that the judge allow for frequent courtroom breaks, longer times for lunch recess and perhaps even a day or two off from court per week. The motion also noted that U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel had "denied a defense request for an independent competency evaluation focused on autism." The judge ultimately denied the motion, taking breaks at regular intervals and holding court for about eight hours a day. The information on Roof's diagnoses emerges from the hundreds of pages of court documents originally filed under seal and opened this week by Gergel. Although Roof's mental health wasn't discussed much in open court, it played a large role in his trial for shooting nine people as they prayed inside Charleston's Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. The jury convicted Roof in December on 33 federal charges including hate crimes, and sentenced him to death last month. Roof had lawyers during the guilt phase but represented himself at sentencing. His legal advisers repeatedly expressed frustration that Roof wouldn't let them introduce mental health evidence that could possibly spare his life. Roof said he didn't want to embarrass himself or his family. Roof asked jurors to forget anything they'd heard from his legal team about his mental state, declaring, "there's nothing wrong with me psychologically." "I still feel like I had to do it," Roof said in his closing argument. Holding onto his racist beliefs, he said: "Anyone who hates anything in their mind has a good reason for it." Evidence or testimony related to Roof's mental evaluations has been shared with the judge overseeing his pending case in state court, where he faces another possible death sentence on charges including nine counts of murder. Ordinarily, Roof would have gone to the federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana, after his sentencing but remains in the Charleston County jail, awaiting his state trial. ___ Huge GE turbine being hauled from upstate NY to Pennsylvania SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (AP) A 175-ton steam turbine made in New York is slowly making its way across the central section of the state while headed to Pennsylvania. The 350,000-pound turbine is aboard a truck that's about 350 feet long and 20 feet wide. The journey on secondary roads began last Friday at General Electric's Schenectady plant. In this Feb. 1, 2017 photo provided by Ken Chapman, of Morrisville State College, a 175-ton steam turbine moves down a street aboard a large flatbed in Morrisville, N.Y. The turbine was made at General Electric's Schenectady N.Y. plant and is slowly making its way across the central section of the state while headed to Pennsylvania. (Ken Chapman/Morrisville State College via AP) The truck, traveling at around 5 mph, has made it 100 miles west to Cazenovia, where state police say the trip is being delayed by a tight turn. Troopers say it's expected to reach the Cortland area Friday night or Saturday. From there the journey will continue south, with the final destination a power plant outside Scranton expected to be reached sometime in mid-February. The Latest: Mosque warned feds about Denver shooting suspect DENVER (AP) The Latest on the killing of a transit guard in downtown Denver (all times local): 2 p.m. A Denver area mosque warned federal authorities about the radical leanings of man who is now accused of killing a transit officer. FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2007, file photo, Pastor Scott Von Lanken sings during a conference in Loveland, Colo. Von Lanken was shot to death on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, in downtown Denver while working as a contract security officer for the Regional Transportation District. (Steve Stoner/Loveland Reporter-Herald via AP, File) A law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press that investigators interviewed Cummings in December after members of a Denver-area mosque reported concerns about him to the FBI. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity A Dec. 24 email to the Department of Homeland Security provided by an unidentified mosque says that a Muslim convert named Joshua from Pampa, Texas, said it was OK to fight to establish the rule of Islam. The suspected gunman, Joshua Cummings, has ties to several cities in Texas, including Pampa. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security didn't respond to requests for comment. Information from Associated Press writers Sadie Gurman in Washington and Jim Anderson in Denver. _____ 12:50 p.m. A court hearing for a man accused in the point blank shooting death of a transit guard in downtown Denver has been canceled. Joshua Cummings had been scheduled to appear in county court Thursday afternoon. He will instead appear in state district court Friday under a new policy for murder cases. Police are looking for a motive for the apparent unprovoked attack Tuesday evening near Union Station, a hub for buses and trains, and the city's pedestrian mall. Scott Von Lanken was shot as he was trying to help two women who were afraid they had missed the last light rail train. One of them told investigators the man walked up behind the officer. Police say they found the 37-year-old Cummings hiding nearby with a 9mm handgun. Regional Transportation District police chief John Tarbert talks to reporters early Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, near the scene where a contract transit security officer was shot and killed late Tuesday, Jan. 31 in Denver. Police have not released any details about the shooting, which took place by the city's main transit hub, Union Station. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) The new deputy director of the CIA is a career spymaster who once ran a prison in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded a harsh interrogation technique President Donald Trump has supported. CIA Director Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that he has selected Gina Haspel to be the first female career CIA officer to be named deputy director. She has extensive overseas experience, including several stints as chief of station at outposts abroad. CIA Director Mike Pompeo (seen earlier this month) announced Thursday that he has selected Gina Haspel to be the first female career CIA officer to be named deputy director In Washington, she has held several top senior leadership positions, including deputy director of the National Clandestine Service and deputy director of the National Clandestine Service for Foreign Intelligence and Covert Action. She also had a role in the CIA's former covert program where suspected terrorists were subjected to harsh interrogation methods, including waterboarding, which simulates drowning. More than a decade after it was last used, the CIA is still haunted by the legacy of a tactic that the U.S. government regarded as torture before the Bush administration authorized its use against terrorist suspects. It's unclear if Pompeo's pick signals an attempt to restart the harsh interrogation and detention program. Last week, news organizations obtained a copy of a draft executive order that would order up recommendations on whether the U.S. should reopen CIA detention facilities outside the United States. Haspel briefly ran a secret CIA prison where accused terrorists Abu Zubayadah (left) and Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri (right) were waterboarded in 2002 It also orders a review of interrogation methods used on terror suspects and calls for suggested modifications that would not violate the U.S. legal ban on torture. Haspel briefly ran a secret CIA prison where accused terrorists Abu Zubayadah and Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri were waterboarded in 2002, according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials, who spoke earlier to the AP on condition of anonymity. She also helped carry out an order that the CIA destroy its waterboarding videos. That order prompted a lengthy Justice Department investigation that ended without charges. Trump, who has pushed for tougher interrogation techniques, said he would consult with Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis before authorizing any new policy. But he said he had asked top intelligence officials: 'Does torture work? And the answer was "Yes, absolutely."' In the CIA's announcement, Haspel's career was lauded by veteran intelligence officials, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. CIA headquarters is seen here Christopher Anders, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington office, said he was 'gravely concerned' about Pompeo's decision to choose Haspel. 'Pompeo must explain to the American people how his promotion of someone allegedly involved in running a torture site squares with his own sworn promises to Congress that he will reject all forms of torture and abuse.' Asked during his confirmation hearing whether he would restart the CIA's use of harsh interrogation techniques that fall outside what is lawful in the Army Field Manual, Pompeo said: 'Absolutely not. Moreover, I can't imagine that I would be asked that' by the president. But Pompeo also said he'd consult with CIA and other government experts on whether current restrictions on interrogation were an 'impediment to gathering vital intelligence to protect the country or whether any rewrite of the Army Field Manual is needed. In the CIA's announcement, Haspel's career was lauded by veteran intelligence officials, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who recently retired. 'It speaks well of him for picking a seasoned veteran of the agency who is widely and deeply respected by the workforce as well as those outside the agency,' Clapper said in a statement. Brazil: 90 pct of most at-risk for yellow fever vaccinated SAO PAULO (AP) Ninety percent of people living in the areas most affected by a yellow fever outbreak in Brazil have now been vaccinated, authorities said Thursday. Much of Brazil is considered at risk for yellow fever, and people in those areas are supposed to be vaccinated as part of their routine care. But the areas at the heart of this year's outbreak had a vaccination rate of just 48 percent when it began, said Marcio Garcia, the coordinator for surveillance and emergency response at the Health Ministry. The rate in those areas in now at 90 percent after a vaccination campaign, he said at a news conference. So far in the Southern Hemisphere's summer rainy season, the Health Ministry has confirmed 151 cases of the mosquito-borne disease. Of those, 54 died. Hundreds of other cases are being investigated in the largest outbreak in Brazil since 2000. The Health Ministry has sent 8.2 million extra vaccine doses to the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, the epicenter of the outbreak, and four other states considered at risk. While Minas Gerais has seen the vast majority of the cases, two other states have confirmed cases and others are investigating cases. The ministry has also released 40 million reais ($12.8 million) to the cities and towns affected by the outbreak to fund vaccination and prevention activities. There is no known treatment for yellow fever, and vaccination campaigns are considered crucial to containing outbreaks. But Garcia warned Brazilians not to seek vaccines unnecessarily. "A person who isn't at risk today who asks (for a vaccine) at a health center will end up taking away the opportunity from someone who is really recommended for vaccination," he said. Syrian mom in Trump lawsuit: 'It's unfair' son stuck abroad SEATTLE (AP) When war broke out in Syria and the kidnappings began, Reema Duhman used a three-hour curfew to slip out of the country in 2012 and made her way to Seattle. Duhman became a permanent U.S. resident and had almost completed the complicated process of securing a visa for her 16-year-old son, still trapped in the war-torn country, when President Donald Trump last week issued an executive order prohibiting anyone from Syria and six other countries from traveling to the U.S. "It just broke my heart, you know, when you're waiting for your son and you prepare his room, you know how many clothes I buy for him. Everything destroyed because of Trump," Duhman told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. "I feel it's unfair that he can see his son growing up but we cannot just because we're Muslims." Reema Duhman poses for a photo Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in the offices of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project in Seattle with a photo of her son displayed on her phone. Duhman, who fled war-torn Syria and now is a lawful permanent U.S. resident who lives in Seattle, had almost completed the complicated process of securing a visa for her 16-year-old son, who is still in Syria, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting anyone from Syria and six other countries from traveling to the U.S. Duhman is a plaintiff in a federal class-action lawsuit filed this week by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project that says Trump's order is unconstitutional and a violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Duhman is a plaintiff in a federal class-action lawsuit filed in Seattle this week by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project that claims Trump's order is unconstitutional and violates the Immigration and Nationality Act. "We're facing families being torn apart in blatant disregard of the Constitution, in blatant disregard of the immigration laws that say you should not, cannot discriminate based on national origin when you're issuing visas," said Matt Adams, a lawyer with the group. "And all of this in the name of security? No. That's a joke. This is all about him carrying forward on his promise to ban Muslims." The case is one of many being filed across the country seeking to lift the travel ban on constitutional grounds. A federal judge in Los Angeles on Tuesday granted a temporary restraining order in one of these cases, prohibiting officials from enforcing the order. A federal judge in Seattle will hear arguments on Friday for a nationwide restraining order in a case filed by Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson that claims the order is unconstitutional. Minnesota joined the case late Wednesday. Trump's order is causing irreparable harm to the states' residents, businesses, and education system and will reduce the state's tax revenue, Ferguson said in court documents filed late Wednesday detailing why the state has legal standing to file the lawsuit. The White House has argued that Trump's immigration ban will make the country safer. But Duhman said the only reason she came to the U.S. was to escape the violence the Syrian war and that she worries constantly about her son's safety. "All Syria is in a state of war even in places that are relatively safe, you never know," she said. "Sometimes there are bombings. Sometimes there are kidnappings." Duhman said her boy is like any other and likes music, guitar and computers. "He's so smart. He's nice," she said. But the war has forced him into hiding, she said. She declined to disclose where in Syria he is living in Syria to protect his safety. "For three years he has not been able to go to school because he was too scared," she said. Trump's travel ban is keeping her family apart and threatening her son's life, she said. "No justice system in heaven or earth can accept something like that we're singled out just because we're Muslim," she said. "I'm proud of being Muslim and we're not terrorists." ___ Follow Martha Bellisle at @marthabellisle Court revives suit over government pesticide approvals SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A federal appeals court Thursday revived a sweeping lawsuit accusing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of endangering scores of protected species by approving toxic pesticides without required consultation with wildlife officials. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed part of a lower court ruling in the 2011 suit against the EPA by two environmental groups, the Center for Biological Diversity and Pesticide Action Network North America. The groups say the EPA has approved hundreds of pesticides that are known to be harmful to endangered and threatened species such as the California condor without legally required consultations with wildlife officials that could limit the pesticides' impacts. The EPA says on its website that it evaluates risks to endangered and threatened species as part of the pesticide registration process. EPA attorneys have argued in court documents that the environmental groups failed to show a causal link between agency actions and harm to endangered species. An email to a spokesman for the agency was not immediately returned. "We're hopeful that this ruling will lead the EPA to finally include reasonable safeguards that keep harmful chemicals out of the habitats of the nation's most vulnerable wildlife," Stephanie Parent, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero dismissed much of the environmental groups' lawsuit in a 2014 ruling. The 9th Circuit in a 2-1 ruling agreed with most of the judge's decision, but reversed him on claims stemming from the requirement that the EPA re-register pesticides that were previously approved. The environmental groups say the Endangered Species Act requires the EPA to consult with wildlife officials when they re-register a pesticide. Phoenix to consider joining cities with sanctuary status PHOENIX (AP) The Phoenix City Council will consider a petition from a resident to join other major cities across the country in adopting sanctuary policies that shield immigrants and have come under fire from President Trump. However, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said Thursday that no city in Arizona can legally offer sanctuary after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld portions of SB1070, a state law that aimed to crack down on illegal immigration. He said the surviving sections of the law prevent local government agencies from restricting the enforcement of federal immigration law. Still, Stanton pledged to fight "the federal government's attempt to turn the Phoenix Police Department into a mass deportation force" and said the city about 180 miles from the Mexico border would remain a "welcoming and diverse city." The petition was submitted Wednesday by Phoenix resident Rick Robinson and invokes a City Charter provision requiring the council to act on it within 15 days. Phoenix officials say the City Council will consider the petition on Feb. 15. The term "sanctuary city" is loosely defined but generally means municipalities don't cooperate with federal authorities on immigration matters such as requests that local jails hold a suspect while authorities investigate their immigration status. Proponents of sanctuary policies say they help foster trust between immigrants and local police as they investigate crimes. Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding from sanctuary cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago. The issue has set off wide debate around the country as big city mayors say they will defy the president. California is pushing to offer sanctuary throughout the state while Texas, another border state, seeks to withhold funding from cities with the policies. Robinson declined to say whether he wants Phoenix to declare itself a sanctuary city. He told KPHO-KTVK-TV (https://goo.gl/PbXJU2) that he filed the petition because he "felt that the city needed to get out in front of this." Under SB1070, state and local authorities can't prohibit or restrict the sharing of information on people's immigration status with federal agencies for determining eligibility of a public benefit, verifying a claim of residence and determining whether an immigrant has complied with federal registration laws. Also under the law, any Arizonan can file a lawsuit to challenge agencies that have a policy of restricting the enforcement of federal immigration law. Stanton previously denounced Trump's recent executive orders to withhold federal funding from communities with sanctuary policies and calling for a border wall, characterizing them as "a divisive attack on Latinos in Phoenix and around the country." Immigrant rights groups have put pressure on Stanton in the past few weeks, staging protests outside City Hall to persuade city officials to adopt sanctuary policies. "Municipalities across the country including Birmingham, Seattle, and Chicago have decided to stand on the right side of history and fight back against hate," said Lucia Sandoval, a spokeswoman for the activist group Puente Arizona. "Phoenix must take bold action to protect our immigrant, Muslim, and LGBTQ communities," A Stanton critic, Councilman Sal DiCiccio, said the council should vote on the petition but noted that he opposes making Phoenix a sanctuary city. 3 high school students accused in homeless man's assault WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) Authorities say three North Carolina high school students have been arrested in the assault of a homeless man who is hospitalized in intensive care. The Winston-Salem Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2l1Ry1Z) all three students, ages 18, 17 and 16, are charged with felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury. They were arrested at Reynolds High School on Jan. 25. Police responding to a disturbance just after 4 a.m. on Jan. 16 found 59-year-old Arthur Bloxham badly beaten with a shattered orbital bone and a punctured lung. Police say the three students and at least one other person beat Bloxham as he slept under a bridge. Two of the students are free on bond. The status of the third students wasn't clear Thursday, when all three were scheduled to appear in court. ___ Uber chief quits Trump business council amid boycott calls WASHINGTON (AP) Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's council of business leaders, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Kalanick wrote to his employees that he'd spoken with Trump on Thursday to "let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that." His departure came on the eve of the first meeting of the group at the White House, planned for Friday. FILE - In this Dec. 13, 2016, file photo, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, poses during the launch of its bike-sharing product, uberMOTO, in Hyderabad, India. Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's council of business leaders, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Kalanick wrote to his employees that he'd spoken with Trump on Feb. 2, 2017, to let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A., File) Disney CEO Bob Iger won't attend either; instead he will be at a company board meeting in California, according to a person close to Iger who requested anonymity to discuss the CEO's schedule. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. Led by Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and chief executive of the private equity group Blackstone, the council has about 15 members, including the leaders of Wal-Mart, Tesla, the Cleveland Clinic and Pepsi. The council is "designed to provide direct input to the president from many of the best and brightest in the business world in a frank, non-bureaucratic, and nonpartisan manner," according to a Blackstone press release in December announcing its formation. Yet public outcry about Trump specifically his executive order suspending the country's refugee program and halting other aspects of immigration has put some business leaders in an uncomfortable spot. Uber, a ride-sharing company popular in urban, largely Democratic areas, has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike to and from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport that was in response to the executive order. Kalanick condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott had continued. One woman urging boycotts for all companies tied to Trump said only total resignation from the Trump business forum would satisfy her. "This is not a 'seat at the table' moment. This is a flip-the-table moment," said Shannon Coulter, one of the organizers of the anti-Trump social media campaign "Grab Your Wallet." Other forum members said they'd keep their commitment. Toby Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, is planning to attend. "He has an opportunity to talk directly to the president, and that is a good opportunity," said spokeswoman Eileen Sheil. Sheil said the clinic employs doctors and caretakers from many countries, and was directly affected by the travel ban. She said a Sudanese citizen who is a first-year resident at the Cleveland Clinic is stuck in Sudan and unable to return to work. General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra remains a member of the advisory group and plans to attend the Friday meeting, spokesman Patrick Morrissey said. Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk said in a statement that he'd attend. He said he and others on the council "will express our objections to the recent executive order on immigration and offer suggestions for changes to the policy." __ Two family cars have been crash tested to mark the 20th anniversary of a European safety scheme. A 1997 Rover 100 and a 2017 Honda Jazz were put through a head-on collision at 40mph to demonstrate the advances in safety since the Euro New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) was launched in February 1997. The Rover had no airbags to protect crash test dummies in its passenger seats during the test, which destroyed the front of the vehicle. The model was given a one-star rating when it was first tested 20 years ago, and was withdrawn from sale just months later. A 1997 Rover 100 is crash tested at Thatcham Research There was much less damage to the modern Honda, which had airbags deployed throughout the interior of the car. It was rated five stars for safety. Thatcham Research, which hosts the UKs only Euro NCAP testing facility in Thatcham, Berkshire, said safety improvements fuelled by rigorous testing have delivered a 63% reduction in the number of car occupants killed or seriously injured each year, from 23,000 in 1997 to 8,500 in 2015. Over the same period the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed or seriously injured annually has fallen by 41%, from 14,500 to 8,500. Manufacturers initially opposed Euro NCAP, claiming it was too strict and that no car could ever achieve a four-star rating. Today nine out of 10 cars sold in Europe hold a Euro NCAP rating. A 1997 Rover 100 (left) and Honda Jazz (right) after being crash tested at Thatcham Research Former Formula One boss Max Mosley, the first chairman of Euro NCAP, said: Twenty years on from what started as a controversial programme, rejected by manufacturers and supposedly aiming for unrealistic safety standards, Euro NCAP is now firmly part of the automotive mainstream. Thousands of fatalities have been prevented, consumer demand for safety is high, manufacturers compete on safety rating results and vehicle safety standards continue to improve. AA president Edmund King recalled his horror at witnessing a Rover 100 being tested 20 years ago. He told the Press Association: These tests were dramatic. The Rover 100 was described as having improved safety features it had side impact bars and an optional driver airbag but my first sight of the car after the frontal crash test made me shake and feel sick. Even today looking at the pictures of the half-squashed Rover makes me feel uneasy. A former heroin addict who fought back from the brink of suicide to become an endurance athlete has rowed his way into the record books. Clean-living endurance athlete Gavan Hennigan, 35, has become the fastest solo competitor in the history of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, dubbed the worlds toughest row. He pulled into Antiguas English Harbour after a punishing 3,000-mile journey across the ocean in a time of 49 days, 11 hours and 37 minutes. Gavan Hennigan lights a flare in the harbour It meant he also smashed the record for the quickest Atlantic crossing by an Irish rower, beating the previous best by Sean McGowan by 69 days. Mr Hennigan, from Galway, fought mental and physical challenges during the crossing, which began on December 14 in the Canary Islands, to come in third ahead of a fleet of two-, three- and four-person teams. Speaking as he arrived to a heros welcome in the Caribbean, Mr Hennigan said: "It was pretty tough those last few days holding off the team behind me - I was rowing non-stop, but I was determined to finish third. Hennigan hails the crowd "Coming into the finish line tonight was just an incredible atmosphere. It was an epic adventure, and Id absolutely want to do it again." The 35-year-old was used to the isolation, having been a saturation diver on oil rigs for the last decade. And the mental challenge was an altogether different battle to the anguish he suffered while addicted to hard drugs in a bedsit in London in the early 2000s. Mr Hennigan said he turned to heroin after struggling to admit he was gay. But after fighting back from the brink of suicide, the Irishman channelled his energies into clean living and endurance challenges which have seen him travel the globe in pursuit of his next thrill. Speaking to the Press Association on the eve of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, Mr Hennigan said: I had a lot of personal struggles. "I feel like having come back from the brink, that dark place in my mind, I dont feel like something like this challenge could faze me too much this is just for fun. Hennigan raises the flag of Ireland Praising Mr Hennigan for his detemination, Carsten Heron Olsen of race organiser Atlantic Campaigns said: "Were thrilled to see Gavan in safe and sound following a record-breaking row. "From the start, Gavan has been one of the most organised participants in the race and Im not surprised to see him finish third clearly his preparation and hard work has paid off. "Gavans a fantastic example of someone who has used difficult moments from his past to motivate himself to achieve great feats and inspire others in the process." Yesss! 49 days, 11hours and 37mins... a new Irish Record and a new International Course Record from la Gomera - Antigua #RowGavRow #twac2016 pic.twitter.com/AdFX3x81c8 Gavan Hennigan (@soulogav) February 2, 2017 His crossing making him the fastest solo racer in the three-decade history of the competition saw him raising money for Jigsaw Galway and Cancer Care West. The overall race winners, Anglo-American quartet Latitude 35, arrived in Antigua after just 35 days, itself a challenge record. British foursome Row For James arrived four days later and raised more than 500,000 for pioneering suicide prevention crisis centres. There was controversy on stage three of the Dubai Tour as race leader Marcel Kittel was punched by Astanas Andriy Grivko during the race. The Ukrainian Grivko was disqualified and fined 200 Swiss francs (161) by organisers after the stage was over, but though Astana issued an apology to Kittel and his Quick Step Floors team, that was not enough to placate the German sprinter. Kittel had won each of the days opening two stages in a race which strongly favours sprinters, but was outside the top 10 on day three as his former Giant team-mate John Degenkolb, now with Trek-Segafredo, took stage honours. Marcel Kittel I won't accept an apology for this. That has nothing to do with cycling. What Grivko did is a shame for our beautiful sport. pic.twitter.com/vvMN5LzQN0 Marcel Kittel (@marcelkittel) February 2, 2017 Afterwards, Kittel suggested his disappointing finish was related to the incident with Grivko, which happened early on the 200km stage from Dubai to Al Aqah. When we passed a construction site, the sand began blowing and as soon as we went into the crosswinds we were fighting for position, which is always stressful, and Andriy Grivko punched me, Kittel said on his teams website. I really cant understand how he can do something like that. I get that riding in the crosswinds is always tense, but it gives him no right to act like that. He could have hurt my eye. Its a real shame what happened. In the finale, my mind wasnt 100 per cent on the sprint, but I am happy I have no big injuries and I kept the lead. Today's incident on Tour of Dubai. I would like to reveal my vision on the incident, which became a reason of our... Posted by Grivko Andriy on Thursday, February 2, 2017 Astana sports director Alexandr Shefer had no complaints about Grivkos disqualification and said the team would consider its own disciplinary measures. Todays stage was really hard because of the wind; there were a few nervous and dangerous moments, Shefer said. In one of those moments Andriy Grivko has not coped with emotions and hit Marcel Kittel. Regardless of the causes of the incident, we must recognise that our rider acted inappropriately. It is unsportsmanlike and unacceptable. We apologise to Kittel and his team for what happened. Astana Proteam always adheres to a strict line in matters of sports ethics, therefore, we fully agree with the jury decision to remove Andriy Grivko from the race. Also, on behalf of the team, management will take further decisions on (the) riders punishment. Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) was also outside the top 10 in an untidy sprint finish, with Aqua Blue Sports Adam Blythe the best-placed Briton in ninth place after his team-mate Mark Christian spent most of the day in the break. Kittel retains the overall race lead by eight seconds from Dylan Groenewegen of Team Lotto NL-Jumbo. A woman who was sexually exploited by a number of men in Rotherham from the age of 11 and made pregnant when she was 12 has watched as five of her abusers were given jail sentences of up to 20 years. Six men were given sentences between 10 years and 20 years and totalling more than 80 years by a judge who heard details of how two young girls were groomed and sexually abused in the South Yorkshire town between 1999 and 2001. Judge Sarah Wright described how one of the girls was plied with alcohol and drugs and was having sex with a number of men from the age of 11. The victim, in a statement read to the court, said: Theres evil and truly evil people in the world. I feel my child was the product of pure evil. Judge Wright paid tribute to the woman, who was sitting just a few feet away from her in the packed courtroom. The six men, top row from left: Tayab Dad, Nasar Dad, Basharat Dad. Bottom row from left: Matloob Hussain, Mohammed Sadiq and Amjad Ali (South Yorkshire Police /PA) The judge said: As a result of what happened to her, her childhood and adolescence was taken from her. She remarkably transformed her life from thereon, putting her own child first. Hers is a tale of the most astonishing dedication and bravery. There were emotional and chaotic scenes at Sheffield Crown Court after two of the defendants shouted Allahu Akbar as they were led from the dock. As their supporters began shouting down into the court, one of the victims shouted back justice is served as police moved into the public gallery. Brothers Basharat Dad, 32, of Eldon Road, Rotherham; Nasar Dad, 36, of Cranworth Road, Rotherham, and Tayab Dad, 34, of St Lawrence Road, Tinsley, Sheffield, were jailed on Tuesday for sex offences along with Matloob Hussain, 41, of Doncaster Road, Rotherham; Mohammed Sadiq, 40, of Oxley Grove, Rotherham, and Amjad Ali, of Broad Lane, Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Basharat Dad was jailed for 20 years, Nasar Dad was given 14 years and six months, Tayab Dad was given 10 years, Hussain was given 13 years, Sadiq was given 13 years and Ali was given 11 years. Theresa May will promise that UK efforts to tackle Europes migrant crisis will continue after Brexit as she attempts to build alliances ahead of divorce talks with Brussels. The Prime Minister will promise that the UK will remain a reliable partner and will use one-to-one talks with fellow leaders to insist she wants a new, positive and constructive relationship with the EU after Brexit, said Downing Street. But she will also tell her counterparts that they must boost defence spending following her talks with Donald Trump on Washingtons attitude towards Nato. Theresa May (Niall Carson/PA) PM: We want to build a fairer Britain for everyone who lives and works in this country https://t.co/NhBoQeCK4Z pic.twitter.com/cWEHzvHNzP UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 18, 2017 Mrs May is expected to use the gathering in Maltas capital Valletta to hold one-to-one talks with a series of EU leaders. This will be her first chance to discuss Brexit face-to-face since she set out her plans and MPs began considering the Bill allowing her to trigger Article 50. She is expected to underline her belief in a strong EU, arguing that it is in the interests of the UK and wider world for the bloc to succeed. Legislation being fast-tracked through Parliament is aimed at giving Mrs May permission to begin the formal process of Brexit by the end of March. Watch the PMs message to our friends across Europe: We seek a new and equal partnership https://t.co/NhBoQeCK4Z pic.twitter.com/J9pc1vkb0a UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 18, 2017 The main focus of the leaders gathered in Valletta will be measures to tackle the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. Downing Street said Mrs May, who was involved in efforts to address the problem as home secretary, will stress that it remains a big issue for her. During the discussions the Prime Minister will stress that migration has been one of her political priorities during her time in Government - and remains so, a spokesman said. Mrs May will pledge her commitment to the long-term challenge both before Brexit and afterwards. Main goal for #MaltaSummit is to stem flow of irregular migrants to Europe through Libya. A goal within our reach. https://t.co/mVWizOTJ4i pic.twitter.com/OJ7GpJkwoQ Charles Michel (@eucopresident) February 2, 2017 Her aims involve trying to prevent migrants heading to Europe in the first place by supporting refugees close to the homes they have been forced to flee and deterring economic migrants from attempting the dangerous crossing. Mrs Mays approach also involves returning those who arrive in Europe with no right to remain. The Prime Minister, who last week became the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump since he entered the White House, will update European leaders on his views on Nato. At #MaltaSummit we must agree concrete operational measures to stem irregular migration from Libya to Europe. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) January 31, 2017 Mrs May said she had secured confirmation that Mr Trump was 100% behind Nato as she appeared alongside the president in the White House. Mr Trumps criticism of the alliance in the past has alarmed Europe, and some on the continent also have deep concerns about the controversial tycoons policies. But Mrs May will say Mr Trumps comments to her about Nato underline the importance of defence and security cooperation. She will also deliver the message that Nato members need to step up their spending on defence. The UK and US are among a handful of Nato members to meet the pledge of spending 2% of GDP on defence. Andrew Robertson is glad a deadline-day exit from Hull did not come to pass such is the left-backs belief in Tigers boss Marco Silva. The Scotland international was reportedly subject of a 10million bid from Sean Dyches Burnley, only for the City boss to block any move west. Robertson helped Hull keep a clean sheet the following day as Manchester United were held to a draw at Old Trafford a match the full-back was proud to be part of and believes can be a building block as the Tigers look to avoid relegation. Andrew Robertson (Mike Egerton/EMPICS) | Im glad to be here and glad to be playing for this manager. He made it clear he wanted me to stay. - Great to hear, @andrewrobertso5 pic.twitter.com/yNfykCSKJc Hull City (@HullCity) February 2, 2017 It is important for everyone, probably more so the manager than anyone else, Robertson said. I think for me as well it is important that the talk and all that just goes away. Thats the way you want it, you just want to focus on playing and obviously probably the last 48 hours there has been a lot of talk. But I am glad I am here and I am glad I am working under this manager. I am glad he came out and showed his belief in me, which is always nice to hear. Long may it continue and Ill try and keep improving under him. | Marco Silva on the point gained and impressive team performance at @ManUtd https://t.co/l9kGW8u8gs #MUNHUL Hull City (@HullCity) February 2, 2017 The whole Tigers team appears to be improving under Silvas tutelage, evident as they deservedly secured a hard-fought draw at Old Trafford. Robertson has been thoroughly impressed by the Portuguese, who is living up the expectations set by former Dundee United team-mate Ryan Gauld, having played under him at Sporting Lisbon. He said about how organised he is and how he goes through everything and thats right, Robertson said. We go through absolutely everything and thats what we need. Obviously things werent going right this season and hes came in and put his mark on it straightaway. | Man-of-the-Match Eldin Jakupovic reflects on last nights goalless draw at Old Trafford https://t.co/ZbPGA9emgO #MUNHUL Hull City (@HullCity) February 2, 2017 He told us wed have no days off and hes not been wrong about that so far! But the boys are happy going in every day. Were working under him and were learning under him. I am sure he is learning from us because this is his first job in the Premier League, I am sure he is learning day by day. Hopefully by the end of it, well look back on it and say its a successful thing. Marco Silva's @HullCity kept their first clean sheet at Old Trafford since January 1952 in Wednesday night's 0-0 draw #MUNHUL pic.twitter.com/B0zk5eyf8q Premier League (@premierleague) February 2, 2017 Robertson says they are looking at more clips than ever before under Silva, not only in terms of mistakes but the positive aspects too. It is a learning curve that the left-back believes has been aided by some wily January acquisitions, varying from Premier League cast-offs like Lazar Markovic and Oumar Niasse to a string of European-based players. Were a team fighting for our lives and we need people that are going to come in here that are going to be hungry and maybe have got a point to prove, Robertson added. Youve got that with the two loan signings from the Premier League theyve got a point to prove because their clubs are letting them go out to get games and theyre obviously not doing it at their clubs. Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trumps business leaders forum, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Mr Kalanick wrote that he had spoken with Mr Trump on Thursday and let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. He said: Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that. An Uber car (Laura Dale/PA) 1/The travel ban is against everything @Uber stands for. 1000s of drivers affected - https://t.co/1YXQ5XRnGU travis kalanick (@travisk) January 29, 2017 2/ Any driver who can't work because of the ban will be compensated for lost earnings. We have set up $3mm legal defense fund as well. travis kalanick (@travisk) January 29, 2017 3/ I'm going to use my position on Pres economic council to stand up for what's right - https://t.co/L6U9LOv3IX travis kalanick (@travisk) January 29, 2017 The ride-sharing company has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike at New Yorks JFK Airport. The strike was inspired by Mr Trumps executive order temporarily suspending the countrys refugee programme. Mr Kalanick subsequently condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott have continued. Mexico expects NAFTA renegotiation from May after industry consultations MEXICO CITY, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Mexico expects to begin formal talks from around the beginning of May on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) following a 90-day consultation with the private sector, the government said on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to scuttle NAFTA, which also includes Canada, if he cannot recast it to benefit U.S. interests, raising the risk of a major economic shock for Mexico. U.S. food producers and shippers were also concerned about losing business. Mexico's government said consultations with industry would begin on Feb. 1 and continue after NAFTA talks begin, noting that the United States would hold a similar internal process. Mexican officials said formal negotiations between the United States, Canada and Mexico could not begin before May because of the consultations. "Obviously that's the point where you need to draw up clear lines on what the main objectives will be," Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo told Mexican television. "At the end of these 90 days, the negotiation to update our free trade agreement will have to start," President Enrique Pena Nieto said in Mexico City at the presentation of a plan aimed at cutting red tape for Mexican business. At the event, titled "Made in Mexico", the government said that from March 1, federal agencies would now have to scrap two regulations for every new one they want to introduce, echoing an executive order signed by Trump last week. Mexico sells around 80 percent of its exports to the United States, which has been the source of roughly half the foreign direct investment to Mexico in the last two decades. U.S., S.Korea to discuss North Korea threat in Seoul talks-Mattis SEOUL, Feb 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he would sound out ally South Korea on efforts to grapple with North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as he arrived in Seoul on Thursday, including plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system there. "I will talk to them about THAAD absolutely," Mattis told reporters shortly before landing in Seoul, referring to the plans to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. Indonesia's Yogyakarta airport closed after Garuda jet skids off runway YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities said Yogyakarta's Adisutjipto International Airport will remain closed until Thursday afternoon after a Garuda aircraft with 130 people on board skidded off the runway while landing late on Wednesday. According to a statement on the website of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, the Boeing 737-800NG en route from Jakarta "went off the runway, as a result of heavy rain that made the runway slippery". Yogyakarta is the gateway to the cultural centre of Indonesia's main island of Java. Garuda spokesman Benny Butarbutar said there were no injuries and all 123 passengers and seven crew members had been evacuated safely. The statement made no mention of an investigation. Indonesia's Transport Ministry said in a statement the airport would remain closed until 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Thursday. Airport authorities were working to remove the aircraft from the runway area, an airport spokesman said, but needed to bring in salvage equipment from Jakarta and Surabaya through the nearby city of Solo. "We'll use whichever comes fastest to help with the evacuation process," the spokesman said. PT Angkasa Pura 1, the company that manages Adisutjipto International Airport, proposed temporarily rerouting all Yogyakarta-bound flights through Solo. Indonesia has a patchy air safety record, with 12 accidents in 2016 in which 30 people killed, according to the Aviation Safety Network website. Kazakhstan's grain exports fall to 5.009 mln T as of Jan 31 ASTANA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's grain exports stood at 5.009 million tonnes as of Jan. 31, down from 5.097 million a year earlier, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday. Romania - Factors to watch on Feb. 2 Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Thursday. ANTI-CORRUPTION More than 250,000 Romanians demonstrated on Wednesday against a government decree decriminalising some graft offences, seen as the biggest retreat on reforms since the country joined the European Union in 2007. WESTERN REACTION Six western states expressed deep concerns on Wednesday over the Romanian government's decree to decriminalise some anti-graft offenses, saying they could undermine the European Union state's anti-corruption progress and put its international partnerships at risk. PPI DATA Romania's National Statistics Board to release December producer price data at 0700 GMT. DEBT TENDER Romanian debt managers tender 600 million lei ($142.22 million) of Feb. 2019 treasury bonds. CEE MARKETS The Romanian leu fell on Wednesday to a 7-month low against the euro after street protests erupted over a government decree to ease anti-corruption rules, while strong manufacturing indices buoyed other Central European assets. FX RESERVES The Romanian central bank's foreign exchange reserves, excluding 103.7 tonnes of gold, rose 276 million euros on the month to 34.52 billion euros ($37.25 billion) at the end of January, it said on Wednesday. For the long-term Romanian diary, click on For emerging markets economic events, click on For an index of all diaries, click on Direct air communication to be established between Armenia and Switzerland Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received today Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Armenia Lukas Gasser. The Prime Minister noted that the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Switzerland turns this year, which can be described as stable relationships at a high level. We are keen to develop cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, Karen Karapetyan emphasized. At the same time, highlighting the need to boost economic ties, the Prime Minister noted that there is great latent potential in this area. In order to promote cooperation and business contacts, the Head of the Armenian Government stressed the importance of establishing direct air communications and the fact that Armenia has been benefiting from the generalized system of preferences (GSP) offered by Switzerland. Stressing that the two countries boast long-time close political relations, Ambassador Gasser concurred in that the potential for economic cooperation is far above of what is being tapped at this point of time. The Ambassador assured that either Switzerland is eager to boost bilateral economic ties. He noted that effective partnership has been established in regional development, education, science, culture, while a key achievement in the sphere of humanitarian exchanges is the Swiss governments official statement that the Francophonie summit will be held in Armenia next year. Lukas Gasser welcomed the Premiers proposal to establish direct air communication between the two countries and expressed readiness to support the launch of this process. The parties exchanged views on cooperation prospects in agriculture, tourism, information technology, alternative energy and pharmaceuticals. The Prime Minister thanked the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for support of projects that promote economic development in the remote regions of Armenia. Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 2 PRAGUE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Thursday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ==========================EVENTS================================ PRAGUE - The Czech National Bank holds a regular policy meeting and most analysts do not expect it to alter its outlook for its cap on currency strength preventing the crown from firming past 27 to the euro. The bank has pledged to keep it until at least the second quarter while saying a likely exit would come in mid-2017. A Reuters poll showed 10 of 14 analysts expect an exit in the second quarter, mainly in April or May. Story: Related stories: ==========================NEWS================================== GAS: Russian gas deliveries to Germany via the Opal pipeline fell by around 30 percent on Wednesday after Poland successfully blocked a deal giving Gazprom a bigger share of the pipeline's capacity. Story: Related stories: BUDGET: The Czech central state budget surplus dropped to 9.1 billion crowns ($364.04 million) at the end of January versus 45.87 billion a year ago due to a drop in inflows of European Union funds and higher expenditure, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: BANKS: Fast real estate price growth in 2016 was not in line with economic fundamentals and the central bank is ready to act if the quick lending dynamic continues, Czech National Bank (CNB) Vice-Governor Vladimir Tomsik said in an article released on the bank's website on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: PMI: Czech manufacturing activity improved to a 12-month high in January thanks to stronger output, new orders, exports and employment levels, the Markit Purchasing Managers' Index showed on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: CARS: Toyota and Peugeot's Czech car plant joint venture TPCA produced 220,606 vehicles in 2016, up 0.7 percent y/y and the highest since 2011. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: The Romanian leu fell on Wednesday to a 7-month low against the euro after street protests erupted over a government decree to ease anti-corruption rules, while strong manufacturing indices buoyed other Central European assets. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2017 vs Euro 27.019 26.983 -0.13 -0.04 vs Dollar 25.009 25.803 3.08 2.49 Czech Equities 938.23 938.23 0.62 1.8 U.S. Equities 19,890.94 19,864.09 0.14 0.65 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT ==========================PRESS DIGEST======================== VITKOVICE: Chinese group CEFC, which has acquired a number of Czech assets in recent years, is interested in all of engineering group Viktovice, which has four daughter companies in insolvency, the paper said citing sources. Vitkovice's chief executive told the paper that several groups were interested in investing or buying subsidiaries. Mlada Fronta Dnes, page 6 (MFD/6) CEFC is interested in all of Vitkovice. ( EET: A government-launched online sales-reporting system introduced in December will create a 33 billion crown market for equipment and data providers over the next 10 years, the newspaper said. O2 Czech Republic said this week it would use new services in electronic sales reporting to partially compensate for the negative impact of roaming regulation. Hospodarske Noviny, page 4 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com ($1 = 25.0350 Czech crowns) (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) London nickel climbs after Philippine mine closures By Melanie Burton MELBOURNE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - London nickel climbed in thin trade on Thursday after the Philippines said it would close more than 20 mines, or around half its nickel output, due to environmental degradation. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez ordered the closure of 21 mines in the world's biggest nickel ore supplier, as a government campaign to fight environmental degradation deepens. Benchmark London Metal Exchange nickel prices rose 0.7 percent after the news to $10,350 a tonne, the highest in a fortnight, holding gains of 9 pct for this week. The closures extend suspensions that were announced mid-2016, and come as China's ore stockpiles have fallen to six-year lows. Philippine miners have said they will launch a legal challenge. Indonesia, another major nickel producer, last month announced a resumption of some ore exports after a ban in 2014, although it is yet to offer a timeline, which analysts expect to keep a lid on prices. Elsewhere, LME copper hovered below two-month highs hit the session before on prospects of supply disruptions after workers at the world's biggest copper mine voted to strike. Any strike at BHP Billiton's Escondida mine in Chile, is unlikely to start for about a week however, as the miner is likely to request government mediation which would delay the action. "This is surely a sign that the lack of supply disruptions the market experienced last year is over," ANZ said in a report. "We suspect the risk of disruption is not fully priced in. Therefore strike action will surely see prices push higher." Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 0.2 percent at $5,957 a tonne as of 0722 GMT, reversing losses from the previous session when prices hit the highest in two months at $6,007. The Shanghai Futures Exchange has been closed for its week-long Spring festival holiday and will reopen on Friday. Trade remained thin with less than 2,000 lots of turnover among benchmark LME contracts. Factories across the world fired up - or at least kept up - activity in January with some registering multi-year output highs, just as a barrage of political risks threatens the global economy with potential harm. After years of cutting budgets and squeezing existing mines, global mining giants are again scouting for new deposits: industry analysts say 2017 will see the first increase in spending on exploration in five years. PRICES Three month LME copper Most active ShFE copper Three month LME aluminium Most active ShFE aluminium Three month LME zinc Most active ShFE zinc Three month LME lead Most active ShFE lead Three month LME nickel Most active ShFE nickel Three month LME tin Most active ShFE tin Slovak Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 2 BRATISLAVA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Thursday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 2 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview ==========================NEWS=============================== EXTREMISM: Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico unveiled a special police unit to fight extremism on Wednesday, warning about the rise of fascism in Europe and Slovakia. Story: Related stories: [RTRS-LEN-SK-CIV BUDGET DEFICIT: The Slovak central government budget surplus reached 92.33 million euros ($99.46 million) at the end of January, wider than a 8.58 million euro surplus posted at the start of 2016, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. Story: Related stories: =====================PRESS DIGEST=============================== SLOVAK POST: State-owned Slovak Post is considering offering some 20-30 percent of its shares in an IPO, its CEO Robert Galik told the daily. A final decision is expected by the end of March. Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - Feb 2 MOSCOW, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - Russian Railways says it is working with Chinese companies on a project to run high-speed cargo trains on a new track between Moscow and Kazan, the paper reports. - Russia's consumer protection watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, has proposed fines of up to 5,000 roubles ($83.31) for individuals who store or transport Western foods included on a list of banned imports, the paper says. - U.S. President Donald Trump was mentioned more often by Russian media in January than Russian President Vladimir Putin, overturning Putin's traditional lead in the rankings, the paper said, citing research by the Interfax news agency. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - The government received almost 2,500 requests for a free hectare of land in the Russian Far East from people in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Wednesday, the paper says. Before Wednesday, the offer had been open only to people already living in the Far East. - Dmitry Strashnov could be replaced as head of Russian Post by Sergei Kulikov, an executive at state technology conglomerate Rostec, after Kulikov received the backing of the FSB security services and the Kremlin, the paper says. Strashnov is being investigated for allegedly receiving illegal remuneration. IZVESTIA www.izvestia.ru - Russian state development bank VEB is conducting tests on its personnel to assess their loyalty to the bank's values, including whether they are sufficiently patriotic, the paper says. NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA www.ng.ru - Authorities in St. Petersburg have banned members of the local parliament from attending public rallies without official permission, following a protest at the weekend against the transfer of control of the city's St. Isaac's Cathedral to the Orthodox Church, the paper says. Mongolian citizens offer cash, jewellery, horses to pay off gov't debt ULAANBAATAR/HONG KONG, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Private citizens in Mongolia are donating cash, jewellery, gold and even horses to help the government make a near $600 million payment to bondholders next month. The cash-strapped nation has been embroiled in an economic crisis brought about by a collapse in foreign investment, slowing growth in China and weak commodity prices. Its currency, the tugrik, lost nearly a quarter of its value last year. The government has been in talks with China and the International Monetary Fund for assistance, but investors are worried that any bailouts might not be negotiated in time, with the Development Bank of Mongolia's $580 million of bonds due in March. Though the Mongolian public has been hit by welfare cuts, rising food and fuel costs and a tough winter that is threatening to kill large numbers of livestock, donations began to flood in this week after a campaign was launched by a prominent economist and members of parliament. Corporate groups and legislators were also chipping in with cash contributions of as much as 100 million tugrik ($40,650). Mongolia's foreign currency reserves are at a seven-year low, according to credit rating agency Fitch, and redeeming DBM's bonds could halve its total stockpile, which stood at $1.1 billion in September last year. "What is the intention of the government remains the key," said a Hong Kong-based trader. "If they don't get the IMF bailout, where do they get the resources for this payment, without which they can't do a new bond to refinance? It's a chicken and egg situation." Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat said that while the government would accept the donations, it had already "found a solution" for the March bond payment and would spend the cash elsewhere. "The government cannot prohibit the start of any citizen-run campaign," he said in a statement released on Wednesday. "The cabinet has decided to spend voluntary donations on health, education and reducing smog as well as public infrastructure," he added. Serbia cenbank said to sell euros, blame dinar weakening on seasonal demand, Fed BELGRADE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Serbia's central bank intervened in the foreign exchange market to buy euros again on Thursday, dealers said, and its central bank governor was quoted as blaming dinar weakness on season factors and the U.S. Federal Reserve. The dinar has lost around 0.4 percent to the euro so far this year and the central bank had previously sold a total of 240 million euros ($259.06 million), on the domestic interbank market to bolster it. Dealers said that the bank stepped in again on Thursday, selling an unspecified amount of euros with the dinar trading versus euro at the rate of 124.13. After the intervention, the dinar recovered to the rate of 124.05, Reuters data showed. Central Bank Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic, meanwhile, was quoted as saying the weakening of the Serbian dinar to euro this year is the result of seasonal factors such as increased energy imports and expectations of U.S. Federal Reserve rate hikes. The Belgrade-based daily Blic quoted Tabakovic as saying that the higher demand for foreign currencies is seasonal due to increased energy imports, but also due to pressures from abroad. "Largely this is the result of the Fed's decision to raise benchmark rates and expectations from market players that the U.S. central bank will in the future raise rates faster than initially expected," Tabakovic said. The Serbian central bank left its main rate unchanged on Jan 12, amid concerns that a U.S. rate hike could curb investors' appetite for emerging market assets. The next rate setting meeting is set for Feb. 14. Khamenei ally says useless for U.S. to threaten Iran over missile test - Fars By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran will not yield to "useless" U.S. threats from "an inexperienced person" over its ballistic missile programme. U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said on Wednesday the United States was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilising activity" after it test-fired a ballistic missile. Trump echoed that language on Thursday, saying in a tweet "Iran has been formally put on notice" after his administration said it was reviewing how to respond to the launch that Iran said was solely for defensive purposes. Iran said on Wednesday it had tested the new ballistic missile but said it did not breach a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. "This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran ... the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless," Ali Akbar Velayati said, without identifying any U.S. official specifically in his comments. "Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself," he was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency. Khamenei is the country's most powerful figure. A U.S. official said Iran had test-launched the medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after travelling 630 miles (1,010 km). Iran said it had been a successful launch. A series of tests conducted by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in 2016 caused international concern, with some powers saying any launch of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles would violate U.N. Security Council resolution 2231. NUCLEAR DEAL The IRGC maintains an arsenal of dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles - the largest in the Middle East, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. Under the nuclear agreement, most U.N. sanctions were lifted a year ago. But Iran is still subject to an U.N. arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal. Trump has frequently criticised the Iran nuclear deal, which restricts Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of the sanctions, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. He tweeted on Thursday that Iran "should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them". Iran's Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday: "The missile test on Sunday was successful ... the test was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any U.N. resolution." German newspaper Die Welt, citing unspecified intelligence sources, reported on Thursday that Iran had tested a home-made cruise missile called "Sumar" that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Tasnim news agency two years ago published pictures of the Sumar missile, reporting that it was successfully test-fired. While Iran says its missile programme is aimed at displaying the country's "deterrent power and its ability to confront any threat", some IRGC commanders have said that Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles were designed to be able to hit Israel. Merkel urges Turkey's Erdogan to uphold freedoms, allow dissent By Tulay Karadeniz and Ece Toksabay ANKARA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the importance of freedom of opinion in talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, during a visit meant to help improve frayed ties between the two NATO allies. In her first trip to Ankara since a failed military coup in Turkey last July, Merkel, said she had agreed with Erdogan on the need for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Germany and Turkey have been at odds over Ankara's crackdown on dissidents since the abortive July 15 coup, as well as its allegations - rejected by Berlin - that Germany is harbouring Kurdish and far-leftist militants. "With the (attempted) putsch, we saw how the Turkish people stood up for democracy and for the rules of democracy," Merkel told a news conference, when asked about concern over proposed constitutional changes that would strengthen Erdogan's powers. "In such a time of profound political upheaval, everything must be done to continue to protect the separation of powers and above all freedom of opinion and the diversity of society," she said, adding she had also raised the issue of press freedom. "Opposition is part of democracy," Merkel said. Turkey's allies, including Germany, fear Erdogan is using the coup attempt as a pretext to curtail dissent and Erdogan's opponents fear the planned constitutional changes will lead to an authoritarian state. The constitutional reform bill was submitted to Erdogan later on Thursday, parliamentary sources said. Once he approves it, the electoral commission will set a date for a referendum, expected in April. "It is out of the question for the separation of powers to be abolished," Erdogan said of the proposals, which would replace Turkey's parliamentary system with an executive presidency. "It gives more opportunity for the executive branch to work more swiftly. The judiciary will retain its power and function as usual with the new system." POST-COUP CRACKDOWN Erdogan also said Turkey may provide evidence to the German authorities after around 40 mostly high-ranking Turkish soldiers who worked at NATO facilities in Germany were reported to have requested asylum. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak said on Wednesday that Berlin was sheltering members of what Ankara calls the "Gulenist Terrorist Organisation" (FETO), the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Turkey blames for the coup bid. Gulen denies involvement. "If the Gulenists involved in the coup are fleeing to Germany, the Justice Ministry may send information and documents," Erdogan said, adding that the United States should take quicker action on an extradition request for Gulen. Turkey's defence minister has urged Berlin to reject the asylum applications and warned that a failure to do so could damage relations. Berlin has said the applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. More than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the police, military, civil service and private sector on suspicion of supporting Gulen since the attempted coup. Some 40,000 people have been jailed pending trial. Merkel, who later met Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, said the two countries could do more together to fight the PKK, considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. Turkey wants European countries to do more to root out PKK members there. "We talked in particular about how the PKK and everything associated with it in Germany is being observed and how we're also taking action against it because as I said, the PKK is, as a terrorist organisation, banned in Germany too," Merkel said. "Our intelligence services and interior ministries need to work together more closely." In January Germany's chief prosecutor launched an investigation into possible spying by Turkish clerics and Merkel said during her visit to Ankara that "irritation or the feeling that people are being observed or spied on needs to be eliminated from the outset". Khamenei ally says useless for U.S. to threaten Iran over missile test By Parisa Hafezi ANKARA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran will not yield to "useless" U.S. threats from "an inexperienced person" over its ballistic missile programme. U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said on Wednesday the United States was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilising activity" after it test-fired a ballistic missile. Trump echoed that language on Thursday, saying in a tweet "Iran has been formally put on notice" after his administration said it was reviewing how to respond to the launch that Iran said was solely for defensive purposes. Iran said on Wednesday it had tested the new ballistic missile but said it did not breach a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. "This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran ... the American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless," Ali Akbar Velayati said, without identifying any U.S. official specifically in his comments. "Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself," he was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency. Khamenei is the country's most powerful figure. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi also criticised the U.S. comments. "Instead of thanking Iran for its continued fight against terrorism ... the American government is practically helping the terrorists by claims about Iran that are baseless, repetitive and provocative," state television quoted him as saying. A U.S. official said Iran had test-launched the medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after travelling 630 miles (1,010 km). Iran said it had been a successful launch. A series of tests conducted by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in 2016 caused international concern, with some powers saying any launch of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles would violate U.N. Security Council resolution 2231. NUCLEAR DEAL The IRGC maintains an arsenal of dozens of short and medium-range ballistic missiles - the largest in the Middle East, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. Under the nuclear agreement, most sanctions were lifted a year ago. But Iran is still subject to an U.N. arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal. Trump has frequently criticised the Iran nuclear deal, which restricts Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of the sanctions, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. He tweeted on Thursday that Iran "should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them". Iran's Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Thursday: "The missile test on Sunday was successful ... the test was not a violation of a nuclear deal with world powers or any U.N. resolution." German newspaper Die Welt, citing unspecified intelligence sources, reported on Thursday that Iran had tested a home-made cruise missile called "Sumar" that is capable of carrying nuclear weapons. Tasnim news agency two years ago published pictures of the Sumar missile, reporting that it was successfully test-fired. While Iran says its missile programme is aimed at displaying the country's "deterrent power and its ability to confront any threat", some IRGC commanders have said that Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles were designed to be able to hit Israel. Hungary, Russia to start gas supply talks for post-2021 period -PM Orban BUDAPEST, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Hungary has agreed to start negotiating with Russia on gas shipments after its supply deal expires in 2021, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban said Hungary strove for "open and transparent" relations with Russia and was trying to protect its economic and trade links, which have been seriously damaged by the sanctions imposed on Russia since 2014. Fillon bid for French presidency in chaos as MPs call on him to quit By Michel Rose PARIS, Feb 2 (Reuters) - French presidential candidate Francois Fillon attempted to fight back on Thursday as pressure mounted on him to quit the race with some lawmakers from his own side urging him to drop his scandal-tainted bid to save the conservatives from defeat. With opinion polls showing the conservatives that their candidate may be fatally damaged, some senior members of The Republicans urged him to pull out now to give the party time to find a replacement who can save them from defeat. Fillon, 62, denied wrongdoing after Le Canard Enchaine newspaper reported the former prime minister had paid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done. Falling poll ratings since then will benefit far right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker running as an independent. A daily IFOP poll of voting intentions for the April 23 first round showed Fillon down one percentage point since Wednesday to be level with Macron. Either candidate would comfortably beat Le Pen in the May 7 runoff, the poll suggests. "I think our candidate must stop," Alain Houpert, a senator close to Fillon's former rival for the conservative ticket, Nicolas Sarkozy, told Public Senat television on Wednesday. France 2 television broadcast on Thursday extracts of a 2007 interview of Fillon's Welsh-born wife Penelope telling Britain's Daily Telegraph that if she had not had her last child she would have looked for work. She added that beyond helping her husband during campaigns, she had done nothing more. "I have never been actually his assistant or anything like that. I don't deal with his communication," she said. Her lawyer, Pierre Cornut-Gentille, said in a statement that the interview had been taken out of context and that she had always done her utmost to remain discreet and not appear to have a public role. French financial investigators are widening their probe to include two of the Fillons' children, who were also hired to help him out, a source told Reuters. Fillon himself pressed on with campaigning in the Ardennes region in northern France, telling a rally of about 1,000 people to "help him resist" against orchestrated efforts by his political opponents to break him and the party. He once again defended his actions as "nothing illegal" and sought to grab back the political high ground by attacking the other presidential candidates. "I feel like someone who is being attacked unjustly on all sides. But I am ready to defend myself," he told reporters earlier in the day when a few cries of "Resign!" rang out from a crowd. French lawmakers are allowed to employ family members, but the suggestion Penelope Fillon did no real work has damaged Fillon's image, and could yet put him in court. Fillon has said the work was genuine and will not stand down unless put under formal investigation. He held an emergency meeting with party grandees on Wednesday in which he urged them to stick by him for another two weeks - the time he estimated a preliminary investigation would take to run its course. But some appeared unwilling to give him that much time after one poll showed the hitherto favourite would be eliminated in the first round of the election on April 23. Another survey showed 69 percent of people wanted Fillon to drop his bid. SINKING SHIP "We need to change tactics, strategy," lawmaker Georges Fenech told RTL radio on Thursday. "We're like the orchestra on the Titanic as it sinks," he said in an earlier comment. Another legislator, Philippe Gosselin, called on former prime minister Alain Juppe, whom Fillon beat in a runoff for the party nomination, to think of stepping in as an alternative. But in the right-leaning newspaper Le Figaro, party stalwarts such as former candidates Bruno Le Maire and Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet offered Fillon their "total support". Aside from Juppe, other names being mentioned are Francois Baroin, a former finance minister, Valerie Pecresse, who heads the prosperous Ile de France region around Paris, and Xavier Bertrand who won a notable victory against Le Pen in regional elections in 2015. The scandal has heightened investor concerns that National Front leader Le Pen could win and take France out of the euro and the European Union. Opinion polls routinely show Le Pen making it through to a second round, but being soundly defeated in the runoff vote by any candidate - be it Fillon or the centrist Macron. The uncertainty has increased state borrowing costs, with the spread over German bond yields rising to an almost two-year high. France sold 7 billion euros' worth of bonds in an auction on Thursday at yields about 30 basis points higher than at sales in December and January. ($1 = 0.9247 euros) President Maithripala Sirisena has given his consent to commute deaths sentence to life imprisonment on 60 condemned prisoners on account of the 69th Independence Day. This follows a recommendation made by a committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Nimal Dissanayaka appointed by the Ministry of Justice. The Nimal Dissanayaka Committee was appointed to review and report on death row prisoners and whether their death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment. Accordingly, the committee has recommended to spare the life of 60 prisoners who are on the death row and to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment effective from February 04. Other members of the committee are Additional Solicitor General Wasantha M. Bandara, Professor of Social Sciences of the Colombo University, Siri Hettige, Specialist in Psychology, Dr. Niel Fernando, Senior Lecturer, Prof. of Criminology of the University of Sri Jayawardepura, Udaya Kumarasingha, Commissioner General of Prisons M.M.N.C. Dhanasinghe and former Commissioner General H.G. Dharmadasa. The death row convicts will be considered for parole only after they served a minimum sentence of 20 years and their pleas for any relief will be referred to the parole board once in four years after that. Former Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem also appointed a committee headed by Justice G.W. Edussuriya retired Judge of the Court of Appeal to make recommendations for the Commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonments. This is the first time such a large number of death row prisoners receive a Presidential pardon sparing their life. (Sandun A Jayasekera) Colombo Additional Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake made an order to the organizers of the protest, which to be held in Colombo against the SAITM today, to refrain from blocking roads of 12 congested places in Colombo and causing unnecessary public nuisance. The Magistrate gave this directive and absolute order under Section 106 (1) of Criminal Procedure Court. He also observed that this order would not to prevent the organizers to conduct the protest peacefully. The Magistrate directed organisers to conduct their protest at the Soyza Roundabout, University Grants Commission (UGC) around the Colombo National Hospital, Ceramic Junction, Galle Face Main Road, Kollupitiya Junction, Temple Trees, Presidential Secretariat, Lipton Roundabout, Olcott Mawatha and Maradana, without creating unnecessary public nuisance and without obstructing the traffic. (Shehan Chamika Silva) Daily Mail/31 January 2017- A dazed cat was filmed purring with delight after she was given oxygen by a kind firefighter who rescued her from a blaze. The fire took place in Moscow, Russia, and Lyolya the cat was rescued from the blaze in the residential area of Golyanovo. Firefighters who attended the scene did everything they could to bring the cat back to life and miraculously succeeded. A heartwarming video shows the caring firefighter place an oxygen mask on Lyolyas face. During the clip, she let out a couple of pitiful howls but otherwise submits to her treatment, as the fireman caressed the back of her neck to keep her calm. A mans voice in the background said: Her eyes look clearer now. A fire brigade spokesman added: The cat was in shock. It inhaled too much carbon monoxide, its eyes were blurred. The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) today threatened to resort to major trade union action next week if its demands with regard to the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) in Malabe were not addressed. GMOA Assistant Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge told a media briefing that the GMOA took this decision following the unanimous approval of its Central Committee. He said the GMOA would inform President Maithripala Sirisena and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter in the coming days. The Court of Appeal on Tuesday directed the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to register medical degree holders of the SAITM. It was the result of Health Minister Rajitha Senaratnes irresponsible behaviour and his SAITM-biased stand, he alleged. He said the timely need was to secure the patients' lives and added that the GMOA would stand to protect their lives at any cost. He also said nobody would prefer to get treated by a doctor whose standard was questionable. He said the health minister should amend his attitude towards this matter; We will give a week's time to all these authorities to provide us with a solution. On the other hand, we have complete faith on the judicial system that it would not allow to legalize an institute which has being disapproved by the SLMC, he added. Meanwhile, GMOA media spokesman Dr. Naveen de Soyza said discussions were ongoing among several internationally recognized institutes and the GMOA on this matter. He said they would create a strong force to fight against this matter and added that discussions would be held with state university students, parents and several unions during this week. (Kalathma Jayawardhane) The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) today condemned the arrest of students who were protesting against the SAITM and said they would launch a 4-hour token strike starting from 8 a.m. tomorrow. Issuing a statement, the trade union said an urgent executive committee meeting was summoned this evening to discuss the arrest of protesting students which included medical undergraduates. "The Committee decided to launch a token strike tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. We urge the authorities to release all medical students who are in custody," it said. If the students were not released, strong trade union action would be taken, the union warned. A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including the British Tamil Forum have urged the European Parliament to request a briefing from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka before deciding on the GSP+ reinstatement. According to Yahoo News, the British Tamils Forum (BTF), Swedish Tamils Forum (STF) and United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) have also called on the European Union Council and the European Parliament to take the full four months provided to thoroughly evaluate the GSP+ application. On January 11, the European Commission recommended the reinstatement of GSP+ trade benefits to Sri Lanka. The EU withdrew GSP+ benefits in 2010 in response to persistent human rights abuses. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union now have up to four months to raise objections before benefits are reinstated. BTF General Secretary Ravi Kumar said they respectfully disagreed with the European Commission's recommendation to reinstate GSP+. "Recent reports from UN treaty monitoring bodies and UN Experts demonstrate that the government of Sri Lanka has not done enough to address serious human rights abuses. In December, the UN Committee Against Torture found that torture remains a 'common practice' by the police. This indicates a serious failure to implement the Convention Against Torture," he said. The GSP+ is a conditional trade scheme based on both ratification and implementation of 27 conventions that relate to human rights, labour rights, environmental rights and good governance. Sri Lanka must follow these strict criteria to become a GSP+ beneficiary. USTPAC President Dr. Karunyan Arulanantham urged the European Parliament to take the full four months to review Sri Lanka's GSP+ application. "This will give the EU time to seek a briefing from the High Commissioner and obtain his in-depth knowledge of Sri Lanka's adherence to and shortcomings with the human rights conventions required under GSP+. The full four months will also provide the time needed to review the High Commissioner's report," he said. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein will present a report on Sri Lanka's human rights record at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council in March this year. Rural Economic Affairs Minister P. Harrison said yesterday that he would resign from his ministerial portfolio and quit parliament if it was proved that the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) had swindled even five cents. He made these remarks in response to allegations by the Joint Opposition that he was responsible for a loss of Rs. 10 billion to the State by allowing questionable deals to take place at the PMB. At a media briefing, flanked by the PMB's chairman and general manager, the minister denied the allegations and said their lawyers would take legal action against MP Jayantha Samaraweera for making false allegations. We are not willing to countenance false allegations. Our lawyers will take legal action next week and claim damages from the JO MP. Nevertheless, we urge the law enforcement authorities, including the Bribery Commission, to conduct inquiries into these allegations and give priority to them, he said. He said the PMB had always acted in a transparent manner since the new government came to power, and that a colossal sum of Rs. eight billion belonging to the PMB had vanished during the last regime. He said they had had to sell paddy at the low price of Rs.25 per kilogram, as no buyers had come forward and they were in dire need of clearing their storehouses to store the new harvest. This is why we had to sell the paddy for animal feed. We needed to empty the storehouses to store the new harvest purchased from the farmers. This was done after obtaining Cabinet approval, he said. The minister also denied that other ministers were behind the purchase of paddy at the low price for the production of animal feed. There is no credibility in the JO MPs who accuse us. They are the ones who are corrupt. They have become millionaires quickly by entering politics, he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla) The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) politburo member Kumar Gunaratnam has been granted Sri Lankan citizenship effective from yesterday, officials said a short while ago. He was granted Sri Lankan citizenship following an application for citizenship earlier. However, the authorities had directed him to cancel the Australian citizenship within the next three months. Gunaratnam was arrested in November 2015 for violating Immigration and Emigration Laws after arriving in the country on a tourist visa. He was released from the Anuradhapura Prison after the completion of his one-year prison sentence on December 2, 2016. Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse protesting medical students against the SAITM at the Ceramic Junction in Colombo a short while ago, Police said. Video by RM Award winning popular restaurant chain The Manhattan FISH MARKET Sri Lanka was recently awarded with the Grade 'A' Award for the year in recognition of excellence in food safety and hygiene. Commenting on the award, Shafraz Anees, Managing Director, The Manhattan Fish Market Sri Lanka stated: I am very proud and grateful for my team for their hard work which has supported this award. We would also like to thank all our loyal customers for their support. Here at The Manhattan Fish Market we aim to deliver only the best and hope that this year we continue to grow and improve with new products and exciting new promotions. Awarded by the Public Health Department, Colombo Municipal Council, this recognition reiterates the franchisers commitment to maintain high quality global standards at all their outlets. The a la carte menu The Manhattan FISH MARKET offers diners a delicious sea-lection of items to choose from its tantalizing drinks, delectable starters, scrumptious platters and delicious desserts available. Available at the Kollupitiya and Rajagiriya outlets diners can call the Kollupitiya outlet on 0112301901 or the Rajagiriya outlet on 0112875975 for further information or to make a reservation. The fate of the refugee resettlement deal struck between Australia and the US last November remains uncertain as President Donald Trump took to Twitter Thursday to publicly denounce the pact as a dumb deal, the International Business Times reported. Trump took to Twitter to call the agreement a 'dumb deal.' The deal in question is regarding the transfer of approximately up to 1,250 refugees from Australias offshore detention islands of Manus Island and Nauru, including many from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Iraq for resettlement into the US. Trumps comments follow a Washington Post report that detailed a phone call between him and Turnbull on Saturday, which Trump described as the this was the worst call by far, compared to his interactions with four other leaders on the same day. In the phone call that was originally planned for an hour but was then reportedly cut short abruptly after twenty-five minutes, Trump reportedly accused Australia of seeking to export the next Boston bombers and referred to the asylum seekers as illegal immigrants. Two hours before Trumps tweet, in response to the Washington Post story, the US State Department insisted that the current administration remains committed to honour the deal. President Trumps decision to honour the refugee agreement has not changed, a US embassy spokesperson in Canberra said in a statement, according to the Guardian. Following the tweet, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was asked to comment on the row said that the commitment to the deal was confirmed several times now by the [U.S.] government. We have a clear commitment from the presidentwe expect that the commitment will continue. Turnbull told Melbourne radio station 3AW, as reported by the Guardian. In the aftermath of the travel ban, a teenager inmate from Iran residing in the detention centre in Nauru attempted suicide by trying to hang himself at the islands processing centre and was subsequently taken by police and held in jail. Naruru and Manus Island have been at the centre of human rights abuse accusations by those detained, including rapes, child sexual abuse and dangerous levels of sustained mental illness. The murder of one asylum seeker by guards and inadequate medical treatment leading to several other deaths as claimed by various human rights reports had also made headlines. 1. Return of Manohar Parrikar? Even though Manohar Parrikar is "stationed" in Delhi as the country's defence minister, his heart resides in Goa. People close to him say he comes to Goa almost every weekend. When somebody asked him if that's true, Parrikar, with his typical curtness, said: "Is it affecting the defence ministry work in any way? " Although the BJP has not announced any CM candidate for Goa, party insiders say if the party commands him to take up the responsibility, he won't say no to it. The BJP, too, knows it well that only Parrikar can get the party a clear mandate in the coastal state which is going to polls on February 4. Manohar Parrikar's heart resides in Goa. He was serving his second term as Goa chief minister when Parrikar, also known as one of PM Modi's most trusted aides, agreed to shift to Delhi as defence minister in November 2014. A key campaigner for the BJP in Goa, where the party is contesting against the Congress, an alliance of regional outfits, including one headed by a former RSS leader, and the AAP, Parrikar, unlike Nitin Gadakari (who openly says that he is happy in Delhi) is not very open to the idea of getting "settled" in Delhi. When a local journalist asked him how is he liking Delhi, the Union minister's answer was: "I still enjoy fish curry more than butter chicken." 2. BJP's pitch for majority For the first time, the BJP is contesting 36 seats out of 40 in Goa and pushing for a clear mandate. As far as the remaining four seats are concerned, the party is supporting independent candidates. Rumours are rife that the BJP is talking in whispers about Parrikar as the next CM face without formally announcing it for a reason it wants a stable government with clear mandate. It doesn't want to get into an alliance with any other party like in Maharshtra, where the party has to put up with a nagging partner in the government. Goa hasn't seen a stable single party government for the past many years. In order to achieve that, the BJP is pulling out all stops right from PM Modi to senior ministers like Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Rajyavardhan Rathore and party president Amit Shah making a beeline to Goa. 3. Everyone's 'afraid' of 'Super CM' Parrikar Facing a multi-cornered contest in Goa, the BJP has been indicating that Parrikar might be allowed to return to the state, if the need arises. The opposition parties too have already started attacking Parrikar in their campaign speeches. While the Congress has been stressing on the BJP's double speak on casinos and the return of mining in the state, it has also been talking a lot about the interference of "super CM" Parrikar. The MGP-Shiv Sena-GSM alliance, on the other hand, has been calling Parrikar a backstabber and someone who has destroyed the Goan culture. The BJP's one-time ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) is fighting the elections in alliance with the Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM). The GSM is led by Subhash Velingkar, the former Goa head of the RSS. 4. Does Congress still stand a chance? The Congress, which suffered a crushing defeat in the state in 2012, is still reeling under infighting and election losses in absence of a unified command. But despite that it has not been decimated completely and still enjoys some popularity. The party is banking heavily on the 27 per cent Christian votes. As many as four former chief ministers have jumped into the fray and contesting on Congress tickets. Even though none of them see eye to eye, Congress general secretary and veteran leader Digvijaya Singh is trying his best to "bring them together" and campaign against the BJP that the former has termed as "U-Turn wali sarkar". But the Congress campaign in Goa is still not cohesive, unlike the BJP that has its party stalwarts visiting the state regularly for some time now. This time around, the Congress is betting high on its Catholic vote base again to wrest Salcete back. Interestingly, there is an election "barometer" for Congress in Goa Salcete, which comprises eight seats dominated by the Christian voters. There was time when the Congress tally used to begin with eight as it used to sweep all seats from this region. But in 2012, the party could manage only two seats from here after the BJP stormed Salcete with its anti-corruption campaign. This time around, the Congress is betting high on its Catholic vote base again to wrest Salcete back. 5. How influential will be the church? With 27 per cent Christian votes, every party, including the BJP is banking on them. The main contenders for this pie are the Congress and the AAP. But the BJP has fielded so many Christian candidates for the first time. While the AAP is desperately trying to cut into the Congress's Christian vote base, the role of church will be important, as always. It is not just a spiritual institution, but also a social foundation. The Goa Church's wing, Council for Social Justice and Peace, has been closely watching all developments in state and their possible impact on Catholics. It has also issued some guidelines for the elections, insisting that citizens cannot afford a casual approach towards their moral duty (of voting). Apparently, it reminds somewhat of the RSS' "shat partishat matdan" (100 per cent voting ) campaign, as the Goa Church wing, sources say, has subtly hinted whom the community should vote for. In this regard, the Church's word is final. Recently the Church, expressing its concern and referring to Goa polls, said: "With over Rs 10,000 crore public debt on the heads of Goan citizens and a threat to the natural resources from unregulated and indiscriminate development, the outcome of this state election 2017 will determine and impact the future, not only of the existing citizens, but of the generations yet to be born." 6. Emergence of AAP in Goan politics The AAP is the only party which is fielding candidates in all 40 seats and has also declared its chief ministerial candidate. The party, with the help of volunteers from neighbouring states and its star campaigner, Kumar Vishwas, has managed to build a fairly vibrant campaign. But it remains to be seen whether the party has managed to capture the local people's hearts. Goa being a small state (with each constituency having not more than 30,000 voters), candidates mostly depend on their personal rapport with families. The party has some new and lesser-known faces in the fray and questions are being raised whether it will be able garner enough votes. Interestingly, support for the AAP is more visible on social media. But one thing is clear, Goa is a state which AAP can nurture for future success. 7. Scope for regional forces Two former allies of the BJP have come together with RSS rebels to teach the saffron party a lesson. MGP and Shiv Sena, two former regional allies of the BJP, are now more anti-BJP than the Congress. They call BJP a "betrayer of trust". Although the Shiv Sena is almost an "alien" to Goa, the MGP is considered an old warhorse and the Goan version of Shiv Sena. The once-powerful MGP lost its ground to BJP after the emergence of Parrikar in state politics despite sharing seats in the government with the BJP since 2012 . Shiv Sena has jumped into the Goa contest in alliance with the MGP and the GSM. It is beleived to be the MGP leadership's last attempt to revive its fortunes in Goa. With the support of a dedicated but shrinking voter base, the MGP is mostly betting on North Goa. But there is a problem. The MGP voter base mostly comprises old people and are not more than 11 per cent. With that much vote share, the MGP has very little to look forward to. However, with the help of Shiv Sena and Goa Surkasha Manch, it's hoping to revive its lost glory. 8. The RSS rebel will show the way This may be the first time that RSS cadres revolted en masse against the BJP in any state and formed a political front to defeat the saffron party. The BJP or earlier Jan Sangh was non-existent in Goa until Subhash Velingker, a teacher by profession, dedicatedly started RSS shakhas in the state and created a space for the "parivar". But when "ditched" by Parrikar (by not keeping his promise of giving grants only to Konkani-medium schools), the strong-headed RSS leader openly revolted and declared "war". Velingker is trying his best to play the outside-influence-on-Goan-culture card. 9. Culture vs tourism Goa is one state which attracts maximum number of foreign tourists with its casinos and beaches. These are the same things which the new opposition is terming as destroyers of Goan culture. Even the BJP had earlier joined this campaign, but while the closing down of Goa's once-flourishing mining business affected it's GDP and revenue badly, it's tourism because of which the state economy has managed to survive. Even though the traditional Goan voters have never approved of what they call the "nude" beach culture, it has always remained an election issue which normally no government touches after getting elected. 10. What better than populism From promising petrol to unemployment allowance in a state which is already under heavy debt, the BJP, AAP and the Congress are trying to outsmart each other to lure voters with populist schemes. The BJP is projecting its pet schemes such as the Griha Aadhar Scheme for housewives (which will be increased to Rs 1,500 per month from Rs 1,200), it has also promised retirement pension of Rs 2,500 for senior citizens. For women, the current government has Ladli Laxmi Yojna according to which a woman is entitled to Rs 1 lakh during her marriage. The age limit for ladli laxmis has been increased by 5 years (it's 45 years now). Youths between the age of 18 and 35 have been promised a free package of 1 GB data and Rs 100 worth of talk time on their cell phones every month. The BJP has also put a cap of Rs 60 on petrol price in Goa, the only state where petrol is cheaper than diesel. Other parties too have promised similar schemes. The Aam Admi Party is distributing a card signed by Elvis Gomes, CM candidate, to avail benefits after election. While the AAP has promised to double the existing allowance under social schemes, the Congress has promised five litres of free petrol to youths and Rs 5,000 as unemployment allowance. The Agni-V tests have demonstrated Indias capabilities to enter the elite club of ICBM (Intercontinental ballistic missiles) possessing nations. Last December, its fourth successful test to validate the canister launch system has added more teeth to Indias deterrence and second-strike capabilities. The idea of mobile launchers stationed anywhere in India capable of striking any major city in China has all the reasons to alter Asias strategic environment, especially the equation between New Delhi and Beijing. Naturally, the development hasnt gone down well with Beijing and the commonality in unpleasant reactions across Chinas strategic, political and media circles evince that a more aggressive posturing from China is on the anvil. From terming the test as a violation of UN norms to advising India to cool down its missile fever, the reactions from Beijing are sufficient to put New Delhi on a high alert. Moreover, an editorial in the state-run Global Times clearly stated that China shall not restrain itself in expanding Pakistans nuclear capabilities in response, thereby pointing towards an aggressive stance vis-a-vis India. Although the Sino-Indian border has remained relatively peaceful for the past three decades (barring the incidents of PLAs aggressive border patrols) and both the nations have set up institutionalised mechanisms to enhance the case for peaceful border, Chinas cooperation with Pakistan in the domains detrimental to Indias stability is something that seems to have deteriorated Sino-Indian ties. With the inception of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the IOR is heading towards witnessing more muscle flexing. This article analyses three key irritants in the India-Pak relationship which Beijing may attempt to aggravate further in response to Indias recent missile tests: Masood Azhar Issue As expected, China recently exercised its veto to block Indias bid to get Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist under the UNSCs 1267 Sanctions Committee. New Delhi does believe that Beijing would eventually cooperate even if it takes intense negotiations to convince it regarding the threats from non-state actors operating from Pakistan. But, the aggressive militarisation along the LAC by both the sides, and the China-centric debate surrounding Agni-V have definitely unnerved Beijing. Keeping India entangled with its western neighbor in a sub-conventional warfare shall turn out to be a good diverting tactic in this scenario. Chinas stance has generated a strong reaction from New Delhi, which calls these moves as double standards as well as threats directly aimed at undermining Indias sovereignty. By not cooperating with New Delhi regarding this highly sensitive issue,Beijing seems to have conveniently delegated its India-specific antagonisms to Pakistan. Indian Ocean Region With the inception of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the IOR is heading towards witnessing more muscle flexing. Pakistan has recently set up a maritime force to safeguard the Gwadar Port and CPEC-linked sea lanes; hence, the region is set to witness greater naval activity. Besides assisting in strengthening the Pakistani naval program, the Chinese maritime footprint is expected to be extended into the Arabian Sea as well. Recently, an NDTV report stated that a Chinese submarine which had secretly docked at Karachi last year might have spied on the movements of the Indian warships. Given that nuclear submarines can remain underwater for extended durations, Pakistani waters may witness higher instances of Chinese submarines paying visits, thus giving the Indian Navy a tough time. Heating up of the IOR with surprise criss-crossing of Chinese stealth submarines to and from the Pakistani waters is another challenge New Delhi must be prepared to address. Afghanistan The closeness of post-9/11 Kabul regimes with New Delhi has long been a bone of contention in the Af-Pak relations. With the Afghan regime still facing challenges from the Taliban, the Sino-Pak combine has ramped up its efforts to dominate the security discourse in Afghanistan. It is a known fact that a negotiation window between the Taliban and China is active and a Taliban delegation paid a secret visit to China last July. Parallely, China has also increased its aid and economic activities in Afghanistan with the commencement of direct railway connectivity being the recent high point. As Beijing follows the strategy of keeping negotiations open with all the stakeholders irrespective of their legitimacy, it also looks forward to put Pakistan on-board at any opportunity it finds regarding the Afghan issue. The recent meeting between Russia, China and Pakistan to discuss Afghanistans deteriorating security situation, which called for reviving talks with Taliban demonstrate the keenness with which China and Pakistan wish to see the Taliban having a say in running Kabuls affairs, something which is anything but good for Afghan peace and Indias hard-earned goodwill in the nation. Though the mobile version of Agni-V is indeed a game-changer in the hitherto skewed Sino-Indian strategic balance and has filled the much needed gap in Indias nuclear capabilities, the reactions from Beijing have been thoroughly unsettling. All the above mentioned issues point towards rekindling the flashpoints which have always kept interstate relations simmering in South Asia. Intensification of these multiple challenges cannot be ruled out as Beijings reactions suggest, but what remains to be seen is how New Delhi is geared to handle them. In a dusty back street of Abidjan, Ivory Coasts largest city, a tiny chimpanzee cries out for comfort. His black hair is ruffled and his dirty nappy scrapes the concrete floor as he crawls towards the familiar figures of the men who have been holding him captive. The baby chimp, ripped away from his family in the wild, is the victim of a lucrative and brutal smuggling operation, exposed by a 12-month-long BBC World News investigation spanning half a dozen countries. In demand as pets in wealthy homes or as performers in commercial zoos, baby chimpanzees command a price tag of $12,500, a little under 10,000, but sometimes more. Up to ten adults are typically slaughtered to obtain one infant alive. Poachers often shoot as many of the adults in a family as possible, preventing them from resisting the capture of the baby. Once captured, the baby chimps then enter a sophisticated chain that stretches from the poachers in the jungles to the middlemen, who arrange false export permits and transport, and ultimately to the buyers. The trading of endangered wild animals and plants is tightly controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) agreement. Despite this, the determination of the smugglers and the ease with which international laws on buying and selling endangered species can be evaded, makes the illegal trade in great apes possible. Posing as an Indonesian pet shop acting for wealthy clients, the BBC team made contact with a young dealer in Guinea called Ibrahima Traore. Communicating over a secure messaging service, the team built up a relationship with Traore, aged just 22, who began to send us videos of chimpanzees - in the setting of a small room decorated in distinctive blue tiles. It became clear that the room was being constantly re-stocked. Traore said he could sell us one or two baby chimps as well as a Cites permit. The document the BBC team received looked genuine, though it was falsely filled in, and was signed and stamped by the national parks of Liberia. Traore sent a video of the baby chimp and himself inside the room holding a piece of paper showing the date at the time of the deal - to show that the footage was genuine and that the animal had previously been captured and was ready for sale. His face was clearly visible and he seemed not to worry about incriminating himself. Days later our undercover reporter visited the property - purportedly to discuss arrangements for buying the chimpanzee - where they confirmed its presence and tipped off police. This resulted in the exposure of a major trafficking ring. And during the police operation, they discovered the small blue room where the baby chimp was hidden in a wooden crate. This turned out to be a notorious holding centre for trafficked chimpanzees which wildlife investigators had called the blue room and for years had never been able to find until now. Ibrahima Traore was arrested and, along with his uncle Mohamed, is facing charges related to wildlife trafficking. Nemley Jr, the infant rescued from traffickers after the BBC investigation. [Photo: BBC] The data captured from Traiores phones and laptops revealed a goldmine of information about a sprawling international network of great ape traffickers, working across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Cites certificates found on Traores computer documented the possible illegal movement of dozens of different primates, as well as other endangered species. The detective in charge in Ivory Coast, Colonel Assoumou Assoumou, pledged to delve into the entire illegal supply chain - from the hunters to the traffickers to the buyers. The baby male chimp discovered in the blue room, was initially taken to the Interpol building in Abidjan, before being handed over to wildlife officials from the Ministry of Water and Forests. He was named Nemley Junior after his rescue and is now safe and said to be thriving. Kaabil just released in Karachi tonight. India gave it so much love. Hope it gets the same love from Pakistan as well, tweeted Hrithik Roshan on wednesday. Its an innocent tweet celebrating the success of his latest movie in a foreign country. Its a great thing actually. Two countries enjoying and cherishing each others culture and art (not that Kaabil can in any way be called art), is something that should be encouraged. Kaabil just released in Karachi tonite. India gave it so much love. Hope it gets the same love from pakistan as well. Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) February 1, 2017 Of course, one has to go to some lengths to explain that to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), but that attempt would be a quixotic one. The MNS who made life hell for Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, because of the presence of a Pakistani actor in the movie, should naturally be angry at an Indian movie trying to earn money from the terrorist neighbour of ours. But really, no one seems to be concerned. Which seems odd. In fact, just a few days ago, Kailash Vijayvargiya, the national general secretary of BJP, tweeted on January 21: Jo Raees desh ka nahi, wo kisi kaam ka nahi. Aur ekj Kaabil deshbhakt ka saath, toh hum sabhi ko dena hi chahiye (The rich who dont belong to the country are of no use. The able patriot is the one we should all support). The Islamophobic BJP leaders comment, praising a Hindu actor and berating a Muslim one, also begs the question, if Hrithik Roshan is deshbhakt by your standards (basically by the virtue of being Hindu), does his promotion of his film in Pakistan not make him anti-national? After all, anyone who says anything nice about our neighbours is deemed anti-national and seditious by our own political leaders. Photo: Screengrab Imagine a scenario if Shah Rukh Khan or Aamir Khan went all out in promoting a movie in Pakistan wouldnt the nationalists like Kailash Vijayvargia and Ashoke Pandit happily tweet an inappropriate comment about the actor being from Pakistan or belong there? But I guess double standards dont matter as much as ones religion. Hrithik Roshans Kaabil and SRKs Raees should and most likely will be huge success in Pakistan; as they should be. It is after all, one of the few ways in which the people of these two nations still connect with each other. And the lack of a political mudsling on Hrithik Roshan is heartening. But perhaps what the best thing would be is that our politicians stay out of the lives of entertainers. The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Better Financial Services GmbH, Better Payment Germany GmbH, Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. 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S. a r.|., MIT Holdings Inc., Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgagelT Inc., MortgagelT Securities Corp., OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentIe", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, PADUS Grundstcks-VermietungsgeseIlschaft mbH, PB Factoring GmbH, PB Spezial-lnvestmentaktiengesellschatt mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Plantation Bay. Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank lmmobilien GmbH, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, RREEF, RREEF America LLC., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisers Private Limited, RREEF Management LLC., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables. LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermielungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sharps SP l LLC, Stelvio lmmobiliare S.r.l., Suddeutsche Vermeigensvewvaitung Gesellschaft mit beschrenkter Haftung, TELO Beleiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Umited, VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., lmmobilienfonds BuroCenter Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, lmmobilienfonds Wohn- und Gescheftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, and norisbank GmbH. Read More 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. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. provides cybersecurity solutions worldwide. The company offers firewall appliances and software; Panorama, a security management solution for the control of firewall appliances and software deployed on a customer's network, as well as their instances in public or private cloud environments, as a virtual or a physical appliance; and virtual system upgrades, which are available as extensions to the virtual system capacity that ships with physical appliances. It also provides subscription services covering the areas of threat prevention, malware and persistent threat, URL filtering, laptop and mobile device protection, and firewall; and DNS security, Internet of Things security, SaaS security API, and SaaS security inline, as well as threat intelligence, and data loss prevention. In addition, the company offers cloud security, secure access, security operations, and threat intelligence and cyber security consulting; professional services, including architecture design and planning, implementation, configuration, and firewall migration; education services, such as certifications, as well as online and in-classroom training; and support services. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. sells its products and services through its channel partners, as well as directly to medium to large enterprises, service providers, and government entities operating in various industries, including education, energy, financial services, government entities, healthcare, Internet and media, manufacturing, public sector, and telecommunications. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Motorola Solutions, Inc. provides mission critical communications and analytics in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation, and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce. Its land mobile radio communications and video security and access control devices include two-way portable and vehicle-mounted radios, fixed and mobile video cameras, and accessories; radio network core and central processing software, base stations, consoles, and repeaters; and video analytics, network video management hardware and software, and access control solutions. The Software and Services segment provides repair, technical support, and hardware maintenance services. This segment also offers monitoring, software updates, and cybersecurity services; and public safety and enterprise command center software, unified communications applications, and video software solutions through on-premise and as a service. It serves government, public safety, and commercial customers. The company was formerly known as Motorola, Inc. and changed its name to Motorola Solutions, Inc. in January 2011. Motorola Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. Juniper Networks, Inc. designs, develops, and sells network products and services worldwide. The company offers routing products, such as ACX series universal access routers to deploy high-bandwidth services; MX series Ethernet routers that function as a universal edge platform; PTX series packet transport routers; wide-area network SDN controllers; and session smart routers. It also provides switching products, including EX series Ethernet switches to address the access, aggregation, and core layer switching requirements of micro branch, branch office, and campus environments; QFX series of core, spine, and top-of-rack data center switches; and juniper access points, which provide Wi-Fi access and performance. In addition, the company offers security products comprising SRX series services gateways for the data center; Branch SRX family provides an integrated and next-generation firewall; virtual firewall that delivers various features of physical firewalls; and advanced malware protection, a cloud-based service and Juniper ATP. Further, it offers Junos OS, a network operating system; Contrail networking, which provides an open-source and standards-based platform for SDN; Mist AI-driven Wired, Wireless, and WAN assurance solutions to set and measure key metrics; Mist AI-driven Marvis Virtual Network Assistant, which identifies the root cause of issues; Juniper Paragon Automation, a modular portfolio of cloud-native software applications; and Juniper Apstra to automate the network lifecycle in a single system. Additionally, the company provides software-as-a-service, technical support, maintenance, and professional services, as well as education and training programs. It sells its products through direct sales, distributors, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers to end-users in the cloud, service provider, and enterprise markets. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. NGL Energy Partners LP is a vertically integrated master limited partnership operating a network of midstream pipelines and storage facilities. The company is a diversified play on mid-stream operations offering multiple services for producers and consumers alike. Founded in 1944, the company is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company, through a network of subsidiaries, is in business to transport, store, blend, and market crude oil, natural gas liquids, refined products, renewables, and water solutions in the United States. The company seeks to generate positive cash flow through its businesses and deliver returns to shareholders in the form of dividends, organic, and accretive growth. Organic growth is achieved by investing in new assets while accretive growth includes the acquisition of assets that complement the existing portfolio. NGL Energy Partners operates in three segments that include Water Solutions, Crude Oil Logistics, and Natural Gas Liquids Logistics. The Water Solutions segment transports, sells, reclaims, and recycles water for oil and natural gas production. This segment also aggregates recovered crude oil for sale, disposes of wastes, and performs cleaning services for trucks and fracking tanks along with other services. The Crude Oil Logistics segment buys and transports crude oil and equivalents to refiners for processing and sale at pipeline heads and other trade hubs. This segment also provides storage and transportation services for third parties. The Liquids Logistics segment supplies LNG, refined petroleum products, and biodiesel to commercial, retail, and industrial consumers in North America. This segment operates through a network of 24 terminals that are supported by third-party storage facilities, common carrier pipelines, and a fleet of leased railcars. Biglari Holdings Inc., through its subsidiaries, primarily operates and franchises restaurants in the United States. It owns, operates, and franchises restaurants under the Steak n Shake and Western Sizzlin names. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 199 Steak n Shake company-operated restaurants, 159 franchise partner units, and 178 traditional franchise units, as well as 3 Western Sizzlin company-operated restaurants and 38 franchised units. The company also engages in underwriting commercial trucking insurance; selling physical damage and non-trucking liability insurance to truckers; and providing property and casualty insurance. In addition, it operates oil and natural gas properties in the Gulf of Mexico; and publishes and sells magazines and related publishing products under the MAXIM brand name. Further, it licenses media products and services; and engages in the investment activities. The company was formerly known as The Steak n Shake Company and changed its name to Biglari Holdings Inc. in April 2010. Biglari Holdings Inc. was founded in 1934 and is based in San Antonio, Texas. New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. With a new state grant in their pocket, Albemarle County police hope to reach out and better connect with minority and immigrant communities. Last month, Gov. Terry McAuliffe awarded 36 Policing in the 21st Century grants to departments across the state, including $18,000 to the Albemarle County Police Department. The grants are federally funded by the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program and support law enforcement agencies efforts to better engage with their communities. Albemarle County police are planning to use the money to create more Spanish/English pocket guides for how to interact with police officers, create bilingual informational videos about different scenarios involving the police and organize job fairs with local businesses to attract minorities, according to Lt. Todd Hopwood. ACPD teamed up with the African American Pastors Council and the Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorneys Office last year to offer bilingual, pocket-sized guides to interacting with law enforcement, including what to do during traffic stops, how to talk about immigration status and basic information about searches and arrests. Its not telling you that you need to comply with police, said Hopwood. This is just what we hope a traffic stop will look like; this is what it looks like when it goes well, as opposed to weve all seen the videos when it doesnt go well. I think there are a lot of people who dont know what to do when they get pulled over by police, added Madeline Curott, public information officer for county police. Its going to be beneficial for everyone. With the money from the grant, police also want to create videos that bring the guide to life, Hopwood said. The eight planned videos will be created by students in the English as a Second or Other Language program in Albemarle County schools and will include a variety of scenarios, including a traffic stop. The video will show all the things we hope people would do but usually dont, said Hopwood. This is what we see as a police officer and why we do the things we do. We just try to educate people on the way to handle yourself and what a traffic stop looks like. Ive had people do crazy things, he added. People stop in the middle of the road that happens a lot and its not one particular segment of the population. Some folks want to get out of the car, and thats really scary for us. So, its an educational tool for everyone. Once the videos are filmed and rendered (which will cost about $1,000 per video), the department will load them onto USB thumb drives, along with PDF versions of the pocket guide, to hand out at community events and give to organizations. Hopwood said police hope the videos will help create a dialogue between the department and community members. The other focus of the grant money will be attracting more minorities to the police department, said Hopwood. The department is collaborating with several local businesses to try to put together two job fairs this year that will encourage people to look for different career paths, such as entrepreneurship, technical jobs or law enforcement. For the police department, our idea is to engage with the community to talk to them about police work and the opportunity to volunteer to work for us, said Hopwood. When I say volunteer, thats what this job is; its a calling. You volunteer to serve your community. Thats one of the things we want to emphasize during these job fairs, he said. It takes a special person to come out and do this. With police departments across the nation struggling to find qualified applicants and recruits, Hopwood said it is important for police to look for minority recruits to mirror their communities. Currently, the department has nine cadets in the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Academy, including one woman, one African American and one Hispanic cadet. As we examine ourselves policing in America, we need to understand that we should be representative of the community we serve, Hopwood said. We currently dont. Weve done some things in the past to reach out to the minority communities, but I think we can do more; I think we should do more. This round of grants approved to 36 agencies totaled more than $756,000, according to the governors office. Albemarle police received $18,000 from the state, including $6,700 for 1,000 USB thumb drives; $500 to print 1,000 pocket guides; $2,800 to rent space for two job fairs and $8,000 for eight videos. The county will pony up $2,000 of its own money to pay five county employees for their time spent on the projects. Legislation to restructure Virginias principal economic development program has cleared its first hurdle, but appears headed for a showdown with Gov. Terry McAuliffe over which branch of government would control it. A House Appropriations subcommittee on Wednesday swiftly killed a proposal that the governor favored and adopted legislation sponsored by Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, that would give the legislature the upper hand in appointing the board of directors of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. House Bill 2471, adopted on a unanimous vote by the subcommittee, also would give a current legislative oversight committee the power to rule on high-dollar financial incentive packages proposed for economic development projects before they could be approved by the governor. Jones said the bill would prevent the state from rushing into economic development deals before fully vetting them, as the McAuliffe administration did with a $1.4 million grant to a Chinese company that proved to be illegitimate to build a factory in Appomattox County that never was begun. If we had the fixes here in place, that would not have occurred, he said. The subcommittee vote marked the beginning of the legislative battle over how to restructure the partnership. A report by the General Assemblys watchdog agency last fall said the program was poorly managed and supervised, and lacked policies and procedures essential to prevent taxpayer money from being wasted. The Senate will have its say on Monday, when a committee considers legislation, including a bill proposed by its chairman, Sen. Frank M. Ruff Jr., R-Mecklenburg, to restructure VEDP, as the partnership is known. McAuliffe and legislative leaders agree that the partnership needs to be restructured to require stronger supervision by its board of directors and to include safeguards in the way financial incentives are awarded to businesses that move to Virginia, as well as assurances that they live up to their promises for investment and new jobs. But the governor and legislators are far apart on which branch of government should control VEDP. The state created the partnership in 1995 under Gov. George Allen as an independent authority within the Commerce and Trade secretariat. Del. Terry G. Kilgore, R-Scott, introduced legislation which the subcommittee quickly killed on Wednesday that would have given the governor clear authority over the partnership and its board. Ive always thought that whoever is over VEDP ought to report directly to the governor, Kilgore said. The governor is responsible for job creation. Hayes Framme, deputy secretary of Commerce and Trade, told the subcommittee, There is a need for more accountability to the executive branch by VEDP. Jones bill would reduce the board from 24 to 11 members, with four appointed by the governor in addition to the secretary of commerce and trade. The legislature also would appoint four members, but the board would include the directors of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees. Currently, the executive branch controls 18 seats on the board with 12 outside appointees and five members of the executive branch, as well as the chancellor of the community college system. The accountability should have always been there, Jones said. But the communication didnt work as well as it should have. Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd A. Haymore said in an interview that the law currently does not provide the governors office daily oversight of the partnerships work. The ability to hold the board accountable to the executive branch is something the governor feels strongly about, he said. Haymore did not say whether the administration would raise constitutional concerns over the proposed legislation, as it did over the bill the General Assembly adopted last year to create the Growth and Opportunity Act, or GO Virginia. We believe VEDP bears the hallmarks of being an executive branch agency, and we will look at any legislation through that lens, he said. Jones said in an interview that he considers VEDP to be a separate political subdivision. Its an independent authority, with clearly prescribed powers and duties, he said. He also said the legislation would prevent the governor from approving financial incentives for economic development projects until the MEI Commission, a legislative panel that reviews projects involving more than $10 million in incentives, has endorsed them. Its not a straitjacket, Jones said in an interview, but it certainly requires due diligence, as one would hope and expect when youre talking about the taxpayers money. With our ongoing concern about the states care of mentally ill or disabled people, we couldnt fail to comment on a bill that would restrict group homes for these needy Virginians. Group homes are an important option for people who dont need to be institutionalized but who are unable to live alone on their own. In some cases, they serve as places of transition while residents stabilize their lives or learn skills that might enable them to move on to independent living. Considering Virginias long history of failure in its treatment of the mentally ill and disabled, youd think that would be a welcome positive step. And the proposed additional restrictions on group homes are coming precisely at a time when the state is closing several of its larger facilities. Smaller group homes and perhaps a lot of them will be needed to fill the need created by the state-ordered closures. But the bill would burden homes with a number of new prohibitions. A group home could not open if: Its location was planned to be within 1,000 feet of a licensed day care center or a public or private school. Future residents would have criminal records involving harm to people or property unless the home is run by a hospital licensed by the Board of Health or is owned by a state agency. The bill also would require the homes operator to notify both the president of the neighborhood homeowners association and the chief administrator of the political jurisdiction (city manager or county administrator) 90 days before receiving a license. The criminal records concern is understandable but might not be enforceable. If an individual with a criminal background can legally move into a neighborhood, then how can the law fairly restrict residency of two individuals in one home? Or three? Are we going to further ostracize, stigmatize and penalize people who may have made mistakes in obeying the law including when those might be directly attributable to their mental illness? Singling out mentally ill or disabled ex-offenders and banning them from neighborhoods may even violate fair housing laws, critics say. Even though its sponsor offered to eliminate the most restrictive elements from the bill, a Senate committee sent it forward as it was. We do understand the impulse to avoid living near people with criminal records involving harm to other people or to property, or to prevent such ex-offenders from living near schools. That impulse derives from a basic desire for security and a fear of anything that might threaten that desire. But our society is better for its ability to grant second chances to people who have made mistakes. It is better for its efforts to be fair and non-discriminatory toward others. It is better for its compassion toward the disabled and the mentally ill, and to help them toward recovery. This week Feb. 2 Point of Fork Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will hold its next meeting on Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. at the Bremo Slave Chapel in Grace Episcopal Church, Bremo Bluff, Fluvanna County. The speaker will be local author Andi-Cumbo-Floyd, who will speak about The Slave Community at Bremo Plantation. Guests interested in learning more about membership in DAR or in attending the meeting may contact Marianne Hill, (434) 842-9079. NT Live: Amadeus Lucian Msamati (Luther, Game of Thrones, NT Live: The Comedy of Errors) plays Salieri in Peter Shaffers iconic play, broadcasting live from the National Theatre with live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a rowdy young prodigy, arrives in Vienna, the music capital of the world and hes determined to make a splash. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Charlottesville, ,7 p.m., Feb. 2. More information, (434 )979-1333, info@theparamount.net or www.theparamount.net/2016/national-theatre-live-in-hd-presents-amadeus. Feb. 3 Folk legend Bill Staines in concert, Friday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m., North Branch School, 221 Mickens Road, Afton. Advance tickets are $12 adult/$3 child, $15/$5 at the door. Attendees are invited to bring a dish and join Bill for a potluck supper at 6 p.m. For more information, Bonnie Holliday, (540) 456-8450, nbsgiving@gmail.com, www.north-branch-school.org. Feb. 4 Peoples Blues of Richmond with The Trongone Band and Kendall Street Company, Saturday, Feb. 4, 8:30 p.m. at The Jefferson Theater on the Downtown Mall at 110 E. Main St., Charlottesville. Doors open 7:30 p.m. $12 Advance, $14 day of show, $10 Party Four-Pack. More information (434) 245-4910. Feb. 10 Free Family Game Night Scottsville United Methodist Church will host its monthly free Family Game Night on Friday, Feb. 10 in the churchs fellowship hall at 158 Main St. Hula hoops, floor activities and both kid and adult table board games will be on hand from 6:30 until 8:30 pm. There will also be free pizza, salad, soft drinks and desserts. For more infromation, call 434-286-4736. Feb. 19 Hops & Hymns An hour of singing and craft beer at James River Brewery, 561 Valley St., Scottsville, is on tap Sunday, Feb. 19 from 7 to 8 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Feb. 17 Project Plant It! deadline approaching. Online enrollment for Project Plant It!, the free environmental education program created by Dominion Resources to teach children about the important role of trees in the ecosystem, is now open across regions served by Dominion. The deadline to sign up is Feb. 17 or while supplies last. The program is available for children of all ages and grade levels, including those in schools, scout troops, civic groups, environmental clubs and other entities. A hallmark of the program is the distribution of free redbud tree seedlings in honor of Arbor Day. Feb. 24 The deadline for receiving applications for 40th annual Miss Fluvanna Pageant is Feb. 24. The Three Chopt Ruritan Club is looking for young ladies between the ages of 16 and 22 to participate in the pageant on March 11 at West Central Elementary School. Applications are available at FCHS or by contacting Emily Payne at esp@embarqmail.com or (434) 589-8797. Feb. 25 Woods and Wildlife Conference: Bring Out the Best in Your Property Owners of woodlands large and small can learn how to maximize their propertys potential at the 13th annual Woods and Wildlife Conference, scheduled Feb. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Germanna Community Colleges Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper. This conference addresses the latest issues and trends in forest and wildlife management, said event founder Adam Downing of Virginia Cooperative Extension. This years event features expert speakers on diverse topics relating to wildlife, habitats, resource management and other forestry and wildlife topics. The conference cost, which includes lunch and materials, is $45 per person or $80 per couple. To register online or to download a detailed brochure, visit www.forestupdate.frec.vt.edu and click on Woods & Wildlife Conference. The deadline to register is February 16. For more information, contact Adam Downing at (540) 948-6881 or adowning@vt.edu. Ongoing At the Scottsville Library, 330 Bird St., (434) 286-3541. Handcraft group Thursdays at 10 a.m. If youre crafty, this is the group for you! Come swap ideas, learn new skills, or just enjoy the conversations. Bring a project in progress, or the supplies you need to get started. Quilting & needlecraft group Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m. Bring your own quilting or other needlework and enjoy conversations with old and new friends. Lions want to help Scottsville Lions Club invites you to come join or observe a meeting at the Scottsville United Methodist Church on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. If you know anyone who needs help in purchasing hearing aids or glasses or if you have any questions about joining the group, contact President Lion Robert Keeton at (434) 953-2294. Youth corps seeks applicants Applications are being accepted for two three-week summer sessions of the award-winning Virginia State Parks Youth Conservation Corps. The application deadline is March 1. The program will be held June 25 to July 15 and July 23 to Aug. 13. For more information, go to http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/blog/apply-today-to-become-a-crew-leader-for-2017-youth-conservation-corps Scottsville Museum membership drive The membership and fund drive for the Scottsville Museum is in progress. If you did not receive your letter (or just forgot about it) and would like to renew your membership, visit scottsvillemuseum.org and/or send a check to The Scottsville Museum, PO Box 101, Scottsville, VA 24590. New members are also welcome. BYOC Bring Your Own Craft Do you knit, bead, make rugs, hand stitch or do any kind of handcraft? Come to share ideas, show off your work and get another crafters eye and perception every Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Louisa County Library, 881 Davis Hwy. Chat and meet neighbors while working on your craft. Bring any project or come just to be inspired. All ages and levels of experience welcome. Call (540) 894-5853 or visit www.jmrl.org/louisa. Volunteer appreciation By popular demand, the Rivanna Conservation Alliance board is rescheduling the Member and Volunteer Appreciation Event for the spring. Options include an outdoor event river paddle, picnic, hike or even a river cleanup. The board would appreciate input on the date and type of event preferred. Fluvanna Art Association Artists Exhibits Angells Fitness and Dance, 19 Centre Court, Palmyra: works by Janet Rugari, Catherine Hamilton and Sara Gondwe Charlottesville Senior Center, 1180 Pepsi Place, Charlottesvillle: works by Sara Gondwe Fluvanna County Library, 214 Commons Blvd., Palmyra: works by Beverly Bowman Fluvanna County Government Offices, Main Street, Historic Village, Palmyra: works by Windy Payne Gallery, 527 Valley St., Scottsville: works by Susan Lang and Catherine Hamilton The Golden Fish, 13652 James Madison Hwy, Palmyra: jewelry by Erika Mitchell Pleasant Grove House Museum, 271 Pleasant Grove Drive, Palmyra: works by Janet Rugari Union Bank & Trust, 5980 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Palmyra: works by Erika Mitchell For more information about the FAA, visit www.fluvannaart.com or call Susan Lang at (434) 589-2725. Music, Cake and More! Collinswood Community Center at the corner of Hardware Rd and Rt. 6 in Scottsville continue to have a friendly gathering to listen to music with live bands during the year and our own DJ music. Join us on the First and Third Saturday of each month from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. We still feature the 25 cent Cake Walk and free Snack Table. Contact Mary Ann at (434) 286-2045. Adult Education Classes Fluvanna Adult Education Classes (GED prep., basic skills, and ESL) meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon and on Tuesday evenings from 5-8 p.m. Families Learning Together, a program for parents of children ages 0 to 9 years old, is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. When Fluvanna Schools are closed, adult classes are also canceled. Registration is ongoing and walk-ins are encouraged. For more information, call (434) 842-9273. Mah Jongg League Order your 2017 Mah Jongg cards and support Lake Monticello Fire and Rescue by participating in our group order. The National Mah Jongg League will make a donation of $2 per card to Lake Monticello Fire and Rescue when a group order is placed. Cost is $9 for large print, $8 for standard print, the same cost as if you ordered your card individually and the card is mailed directly to you. Orders must be received by Jan. 28 to qualify for the Mah Jongg League donation. Please call Marianne Riek, at 589-4727, to place your order. Silver Ring Thing Free event to all middle school and high school students. Fluvanna County High School March 12 from 6- to 8 p.m., sponsored by Antioch Baptist Church. For information, contact Anthony Clore at (434)996-9543. Upcoming A celebration of Scottsville High School 1871 1967 is scheduled June 10. The celebration is to be held in the high school gym. This is an event for all those who want to celebrate the history of the first accredited high school by the University of Virginia and the State Department of Education (1913). Everyone is invited. It is sponsored by the Town of Scottsville and the Scottsville High School Alumi. For more information, contact Tommy Stargell, (434) 286-3853, tastargell@gmail.com or Cenie Re Moon Sturm, (434) 286-3391, cms7617@yahoo.com. A former local deputy is free on bond after being indicted on a charge of molesting an Orange County girl. An Orange County grand jury handed down a felony charge of object sexual penetration Jan. 23 against Ryan Mathew McCormack, 26, of Amissville, according to court records. According to the indictment, the charge stems from a Dec. 15 incident involving a child younger than 13. McCormack previously worked in law enforcement for the Culpeper County Sheriffs Office and, more recently, the Rappahannock County Sheriffs Office for six months, according to Rappahannock Sheriff Connie Compton. McCormack is no longer employed by the department and the Rappahannock Sheriffs Office there has and will continue to cooperate with the Virginia State Police since learning of its investigation into the allegation, she said in a news release. The state police investigation led to the indictment and the agency arrested McCormack without incident the same day the indictment was returned, according to state police spokesman Sgt. Les Tyler. He said the investigation continues. On Jan. 26, McCormack was released from jail on a $15,000 personal recognizance bond following a bail hearing in Orange County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court. Per the terms of his bond, he cannot leave Virginia or have any unsupervised contact with minor children. The defendant was ordered to avoid all contact with the child in the case and her family, to not use drugs or alcohol and to submit to drug and alcohol screening, according to court documents. McCormack was ordered to live with his parents in Culpeper County and to notify the court of any changes in his residency. In 2014, McCormack was found guilty in Culpeper County Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court of misdemeanor assault of his former girlfriend on St. Patricks Day of that year, according to court documents. He was sentenced to two years probation. McCormack resigned from the Culpeper County Sheriffs Office shortly after his the assault conviction. He was ordered to receive substance abuse and mental health evaluations. State Police handled that investigation, as well. McCormack is due back in Orange County Circuit Court for arraignment March 3. Orange attorney Amy Harper is representing him. She declined comment Wednesday. A Senate committee advanced legislation Thursday that would change how suspensions are handled at schools despite concerns from organizations representing school boards and superintendents that it limits administrators ability to discipline some students. The two bills that passed out of the Senates Education and Health Committee, SB995 and SB997, are similar in scope to two other that a House committee advanced Wednesday. Sen. William M. Stanley Jr., R-Franklin County, assured colleagues that the concerns would be addressed as the bills move through the Senate and are reconciled with the House bills. The bills are aimed at cutting back on the length of suspensions in an effort to keep students from getting farther behind and getting them the help they need. Proponents argue that sending kids home for too long makes problems worse and does not address the issues that caused the bad behavior. School administrators, though, say they are tasked with keeping all their students safe and argue that they need the tools including long-term suspensions to make that happen. In the case of the Senate bills that advanced Thursday, there seems to be agreement that how suspensions are handled needs some changing. The question is how that will be done. What we see and what statistics have shown is that when (students) come back after these long-term suspensions, you have academic failure and grade retention. You have lower graduation rates, Stanley said. Theyre dropping out of school. There may be undiagnosed mental health issues and substance abuse. We want our children to grow up, get a good education and be good taxpayers, not burdens to the tax system. SB995, as approved Thursday, calls for reducing the maximum length of a long-term suspension from 364 calendar days to 60 school days. School officials would conduct a review after 45 days to work on how to best integrate a student back into a school setting. The bill originally called for suspensions not to extend beyond 45 days. The House bill, HB1534, calls for a cap of 90 days. The legislation does allow schools to go over 60 days but not more than 364 days if offenses including felonious assault and bodily wounding, criminal sexual assault, arson or the sale or possession of schedule one or two drugs happen at school or school events. The Virginia School Board Association and the Virginia Association of Superintendents agree that progress has been made in negotiating the terms of SB995 but argue that the measure may hamstring school administrators. They told the committee that limiting the number of days a student can be suspended and behavior left off the list of violations could inadvertently lead to expulsions. Stacy Haney, speaking on behalf of the school board association, said the list of offenses is a pretty short list and there are still some serious offenses that would be left out of that. Among the items not on the list, she said, are schedule three narcotics and weapons offenses other than firearms If were limited to 60 days and our choice is between allowing the student back into school in 60 days and expulsion, in those serious cases, school boards may very well chose expulsion, Haney said. Thats not where we want to go. I dont think thats where the proponents of this bill want to go. But I am concerned that that is whats going to happen. Stanley said that, as written, the legislation clearly delineates the reasons a suspension can go longer than 60 days. As for SB997, it would keep suspensions of preschool through third grade students low but give schools leeway to go up to 10 days if the incident involves a weapon, inappropriate sexual behavior or serious bodily injury. Stanley proposed Thursday that the suspension cap to be set at five days. But after concern that it would tie educators hands, the bill was amended. The House bill would prohibit students in preschool through third grade from being expelled or suspended for more than five days except for drug offenses, firearm offenses or certain criminal acts. Stanley said he would work with other senators to see if we can find a consensus that achieves the aim of this bill. If we cant get a consensus, then Ill come back next year and well keep doing this. What were trying to do is to avoid the 16,000 Pre-K through third graders that are being suspended, to use alternative measures instead of just using suspensions, he said. An item at the program (Photo: vov.vn) The program aimed to help students reduce their nostalgia and contribute to promoting Vietnamese culture among Russian students and international friends. It has been organized successfully, including unique songs and dances from regions of the S-shaped country, and it has been highly appreciated by teachers and friends. Many Russian youth have also participated in folk activities during the traditional Tet of Vietnam./. Mumbai: Realty firm Godrej Properties today announced a major shuffle in the leadership of the company with Adi Godrej assuming the charge as Chairman Emeritus position in the company while Pirojsha Godrej, currently the Managing Director and CEO, becoming the Executive Chairman. Mohit Malhotra, currently the Executive Director in the company will replace Pirojsha and assume the charge of new Managing Director and CEO of Godrej properties, the company said in a statement issued here. Son of Adi Godrej, who holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania, a Master's degree in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University, and an MBA from Columbia Business School, joined the company in 2004 and has been the Managing Director and CEO since 2012. Malhotra, who joined Godrej Properties in 2010, first headed business development for the company and has since taken on larger leadership responsibilities that currently include heading GPL?s pan-India operations. He was appointed to GPL's Board of Directors as an Executive Director in 2015. Prior to joining Godrej, Malhotra has worked in several leading companies in the FMCG, Private Equity, and Real Estate Development space. The company has also elevated Karan Bolaria, who currently heads Godrej Fund Management, a subsidiary of Godrej Properties, as its CEO. All the changes in the leadership will be effective from April 1, the company said. Commenting on these developments, Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Group, said: "Pirojsha, Mohit, and the Godrej Properties team have delivered tremendous results in a difficult market environment and I'm sure will lead the company to new heights. There will be many exciting opportunities in the Indian real estate space in the coming decades and the leadership team at Godrej Properties is well placed to capture these opportunities and successfully build an outstanding company." New Delhi: India proposed on Wednesday exempting foreign firms from paying income tax on the local sale of oil on the ending of a strategic storage contract with the government, with a view to attracting more interest in leasing such facilities. India, hedging against energy security risks as it imports most of its oil needs, is building emergency storage in underground caverns at three sites to hold 39 million barrels of crude, or about 10 days of its average daily oil demand. The world's third biggest oil consumer will build two more strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) in the eastern state of Odisha and northwestern state of Rajasthan to take overall capacity to about 112 million barrels, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in his budget speech on Wednesday. So far a tax exemption was available on sale of oil from the SPRs during the duration of the contract. The tax exemption will be applicable from the financial year beginning April 1, 2018. Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) last month agreed to lease half of an underground crude oil storage facility at Mangalore with 6 million barrels of oil. The supplies under the deal would begin in the last quarter of 2017. "Tax exemption on the sale of leftover crude oil stock will encourage foreign companies to invest in setting up Strategic Reserves in India," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a tweet. The goal of Rs 72,500 crore is higher than Rs 45,500 crore the government has estimated to raise in the current fiscal. New Delhi: Government plans to divest Rs 11,000 crore worth of stake in PSU general insurance companies to meet the steep disinvestment target of Rs 72,500 crore next fiscal. Of the total target, Rs 46,500 crore will be mobilised through minority stake sale and Rs 15,000 crore from strategic disinvestment. The goal of Rs 72,500 crore is higher than Rs 45,500 crore the government has estimated to raise in the current fiscal. "Besides strategic and minority stake sale, Rs 11,000 crore has been budgeted from listing of general insurance companies. The department will make best endeavour to meet the overall Budget target," Disinvestment Secretary Neeraj Gupta told PTI. Recently, the Cabinet approved reduction of stake in five state-owned general insurance companies to 75 per cent by listing them on the bourses. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gave nod to listing five government-owned general insurance companies -- New India Assurance Company, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company and General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). The government shareholding in these companies will be reduced from 100 per cent to 75 per cent in one or more tranches over a period of time. As for strategic disinvestment, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has already identified companies and initiated process in some cases. The government has invited bids for consultants and legal advisor for strategic sale of PDIL and NPCC, besides Pawan Hans. As for the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC), the government has decided to disinvest 100 per cent of its shareholding through merger with a similarly-placed CPSE. Similarly, the government has sought applications for engagement of an advisor and a legal advisor for 100 per cent strategic disinvestment of Project Development India Ltd (PDIL) and Hindustan Prefab Ltd (HPL). The last date for sending in application for PDIL and NPCC is February 3 while for HPL, it is February 6. Ajay was last seen in his self-starring directorial, Shivaay. Mumbai: Ajay Devgn had clashed with Shah Rukh Khan in 2012 at the Diwali box-office which had led to a lot of animosity between the two production houses. Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Yash Chopras swansong, had quite an ugly face-off with Son of Sardaar, though both films ended up grossing over 100 crores at the box-office. However, Ajay seems to have buried the hatchet for good. Reportedly, the two units had patched up a couple of years back. And now, the actor is all set to step into YRF studios, to shoot for his highly anticipated Golmaal Again, with Rohit Shetty. Ajay was last seen in his self-starring directorial, Shivaay. Pakistan is opening up to Bollywood films once again with 'Kaabil' Mumbai: 'Kaabil' is finally releasing in Pakistan. Jubilant producer, Rakesh Roshan took to Twitter to announce the exciting news on Tuesday evening. He posted, "Yes it's true! Kaabil releasing tonight in Karachi at 11pm & shows starting tomorrow across Pakistan." The makers of the film, 'Kaabil' have been vocal about the biased distribution of screens as 40 percent was allotted to their film, while 60 percent was given to Shah Rukh Khan's 'Raees'. Hence, they couldnt churn out enough box-office collection as per their estimation. But in a recent turn of events in Pakistan- lifting ban on Bollywood movies, 'Kaabil' will be the releasing all over the country. Now, that is a great piece of news. Directed by Sanjay Gupta, 'Kaabil' also stars Yami Gautam, Ronit Roy and Rohit Roy in lead roles. Mumbai: Irrfan Khan and Kapil Sharma find themselves in deep trouble. Police in Mumbai have launched prosecution proceedings against the actors after the BMC claimed they did illegal alterations in their respective apartments at DLH Enclave in Oshiwara. An officer from Oshiwara police station told Mumbai Mirror that a charge sheet would be submitted against the actors before the court, as their respective apartments have undergone "large-scale violations". The officer continued, "It has been found that the accused carried out alterations after the apartments were purchased, and the developer helped them in such renovations." The Oshiwara Police last year had registered a First Information Report against Kapil and Irrfan regarding the illegal alterations. Kapil had previously objected to the notices issued to him by BMC and the Bombay High Court had also granted relief to the actor-comedian in the case. Still from the trailer of the film. Directed by debutant Sankalp Reddy, the film will be released in Hindi and Telegu on February 17. Mumbai: The Ghazi Attack, allegedly based on the sinking of an Indian submarine during the 1971 Indo-Pak war under mysterious circumstances, has been instructed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to remove its opening titles claiming that the film is based on historical facts and add a disclaimer that it is partly fictional and partly authentic. A source from CBFC, who is close to the development, informed a daily, There is no comprehensive evidence that the incident detailed in The Ghazi Attack has any actual historic bearing. Yes, the incident is reported to have happened during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. But we cant accept the film as a historical document. Weve therefore asked them to remove the announcement in the opening titles declaring the film to be based on historical facts and instead, add a disclaimer saying the work is partly fictional and partly authentic. Recently, Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) was manhandled and beaten up by Karni Sena activists in Jaipur for allegedly distorting historical facts and projecting Rani Padmavati in poor light while shooting with his secondary unit for the upcoming period drama Padmavati. It is perhaps this incident that has prompted the Censor Board to take this step. Taking about the ongoing SLB controversy, the source added, If at the start of the film, Bhansali states that its a work of fiction, the allegations of historical inaccuracy would be nullified. They had come together for the revamped version of 1990 Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 'Agneepath' where Hrithik had played the lead role and Kapoor and Dutt were villains and at loggerheads with one another. Mumbai: Rishi Kapoor has never bothered to watch his words and always goes by the no holds barred policy in life. And, this forthright attitude reflects in his autobiography, Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored. From revealing his chanced encounter with Indias most wanted terrorist, Dawood Ibrahim to being almost beaten up by one of his contemporaries, Kapoor is not the one to distort facts. Back in the days when Kapoor was unmarried, a scorned Sanjay Dutt was after his life so much so that he had gone to the actors home to beat him up. It all happened over Tina Munim (Ambani). One of the chapters in the Kapoor & Sons stars book clearly mentions about a fist-fight that almost happened between Dutt and him over Tina Munim who was having an affair with Sanju then and he thought Rishi too was involved with her. Enraged, Sanju asked good friend Gulshan Grover to accompany him to the Kapoor house only to find out that all of it was a big misunderstanding and that Rishi Kapoor was very much engaged to Neetu Singh. Sanjay and I were like brothers so one day he told me, We have to go to Chintus house to beat him up. We went to do that but his fiancee Neetuji managed to convince us that Chintu was not having an affair so we left, Grover confirmed this story with a daily. Interestingly, Rishi Kapoors son will soon be playing Sanjay Dutt in his biopic. Talking about this latest development, Grover said, The irony of it is that today Chintus son Ranbir is playing the very Sanjay Dutt, who had wanted to beat up his father one day, and Sanju loves Ranbir too! Gulshans bond with Rishi has only gotten better over the years but his friendship with Sanju Baba seems to have faded with time. Though we are in touch, its not the same anymore. I adore Chintu and keep meeting him. But with Sanju the problem is I would keep giving him correct advice and he does not like that so he creates situations where he can avoid those very people who give him good advice (laughs), explained the actor. Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan has been on an overdrive promoting 'Raees,' his recently released gangster saga, which already has grossed over a commendable 100 crore rupees at the domestic box-office. The actor, who has been jumping across cities was recently in Ahmedabad promoting the film, which incidentally is set in Gujarat. He interacted with the women workers of SEWA (Self-Employed Women Association), and absolutely floored them. The actor, however, was particularly 'interested' in one coy, old worker, showering her with his attention. The lady could not help but blush as the actor doled out his inherent charm in his inimitable style. The actor narrated a line from his film 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' to the lady while the crowd cheered on. Well, he isn't the King of Romance for nothing! 'Raees,' which also starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Mahira Khan, released on January 25, alongside Hrithik Roshan's 'Kaabil'. Watch the video here: America hasnt been particularly inviting ever since President Donald Trump moved into the White House. Following the events of the past few days that restricted the entry of people from certain Muslim countries into the States, sound designer Resul Pookutty too was anxious of his trip. Turns out he didnt have much to worry about. Resul who left for the US on Tuesday night was not sure whether he would be able to go beyond the US immigration in Abu Dhabi. Thankfully for him, it was a smooth sail or flight, in this case. Speaking from Abu Dhabi Resul said, It was such a reassuring thing when the immigration officer said, Have a good one, you are safe. I didnt know why I was apprehensive, I have a special status in the US. He now looks forward to creating his sound magic in the US. I am going to be in the US for the next three weeks for Love Sonia in India, with my talented crew! This film is an amalgamation of so many talented people from different ethnicities an American editor, director Tabrez Noorani whos an India-born US-citizen, an Israeli-American producer, the main investors from China, an amazing Eastern-European cameraman and an Indian with has no fixed address as a sound designer/mixer (me!). How much more diverse can you get? Im amazed at my own luck! Everything is broken gramophone, headphone, toaster, scanner, printer, computer monitors, disc player, cameras at Kaushik Mukhopadhays new show, Squeeze lime in your eye. Since his last show in 2009, the artist says he has been repairing gadgets at his studio. I asked all my friends to give me the gadgets that they were throwing away, and while I was repairing them I started to see these machines in a new way, said Mukhopadhay. After years of trial and error, and daily work, he came up with three tables filled with the gadgets. As he would turn the switches one, the gadgets would come alive and perform precarious choreographies. Sitting in a pristine white washed gallery at Chatterjee & Lal, Mukhopadhay kept a constant vigil on the motors and regulating their speed. At one moment, he rushed to see check the discman, which had burnt due to overheating. Thats okay, I can replace it with something else, he said, with a nonchalant shrug. The 90s, he pointed out, all of a sudden had so many gadgets. But now they are all replaced. I thought of making them through a different light. In a monograph written by poet and cultural theorist Ranjit Honskote compares Mukhopadhyay with the protagonist of Ritwik Ghataks masterpiece Ajantrik (The Pathetic Fallacy). Mukhopadhyay is happiest when he is talking to machines, Hoskote writes, further adding, Mukhopadhyay incarnates the archetype of the artist as inventor; his art-making is based on a voracious collecting practice. To make art with broken gadgets and make a show out of it, Mukhopadhays new work is more than just a nudge nudge, wink wink at a post-everything world where nothing makes any sense a subversion of aesthetics, form and the role of an artist. In a way, I am still an old school artist. I have not able to internalise the new theories. For me, the post modernism made an impact, and thats where Im still comfortable. If I can strip the aura from the art, the artist or even the art gallery, I think I would be relatively successful, he said. His art, he said, is not in the aesthetic quality of the work, but in the making of it. Actually Im very particular about the circuit board. I use different colours of wire, and the board has to be neat, he adds. One could hardly miss the hint of irreverence. As a student at Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta and Kala Bhavan, Shantiniketan, the artist said, he felt restricted. It was only after leaving home and going to Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad, he said, he could find his true calling. But home has never left his subconscious. In one of his work titled Music lovers room, an old Russian vinyl plays without emitting any sound. But it sparks off electric to the top of the small tower, where if one looks closely will find a small plastic chair with the miniscule speaker pointed towards it. Perhaps, for those who want to listen, could listen to different music. Squeezing lime into eyes, it is said changes colours. One has to change their perception of art as they enter the gallery. It is up to them if they like it or dislike it, he concludes. Accra, Ghana: Its admirable how a lot of people across the world are more and more committed to their job with rising competition and the need to excel. But some cases emerging from time to time reiterate the importance of keeping personal and professional life separate, since one can easily have adverse effects on the other. If the youth organiser of Ghanas National Democratic Congress (NDC) party is to be believed, his dedication to the presidential election campaign in 2016 took a toll on his sex life. Sidii Abubakar Musah said that the trauma of loss in the elections left him unable to get an erection. Musah said that the loss was unexpected given the way the past government had successfully executed several projects, and the shock of defeat was such that he lost emotional feelings for his wife along with his erection. He also asked people to call his wife and confirm this if they didnt believe him. The politician travelled to remote hamlets across the country to campaign for his party and denied allegations that he didnt do enough for the elections. Musah added that he still hasnt been able to get an erection. The world has seen some hard fought elections with temperatures soaring often in the recent past and India is witnessing elections where parties would go to any extent for victory, but what happened to Musah is just another level of dedication. Mexico City: Roberto Esquivel Cabrera astonished the world with his 18 inch penis which he claims is the longest in the world. While not being able to have sex due to a long member may seem like a terrible thing to many, but Cabrera was happy because of the macho reputation his penis got for him. Hopeful that he might find a woman whos more his size Roberto Cabrera also mentioned that he wanted to be a pornstar. It seems someone took notice since the 54-year-old has now been offered a role in a porn movie featuring doctors and nurses. The man behind YouPorn has showed interest in working with Cabrera and has offered to fly him to Prague for shooting the film. He said that it would be a comical one with different nurses trying to have sex with him. Cabrera has also been recognised as disabled by the Mexican government for not being able to work owing to his penis size, but the Guinness Book of World Records dismissed his claims. Even though Cabrera is proud of his penis and has no plans of reducing the size, the medical community has urged him to reconsider since the size makes him vulnerable to health risks. Ashley Glawe, who owns a ball python snake named Bart, had to go to the hospital after she couldnt free herself from her pet. (Photo: Facebook) A young woman from Portland, Oregon, got herself into a bit of a tight spot after her pet snake slithered its way into her ear piercing hole and got stuck. Ashley Glawe, who owns a ball python snake named Bart, had to go to the hospital after she couldnt free herself from her pet. It all started when Ashley was playing with her serpent and it suddenly popped his head through the gaping hole of her stretched ear lobes. After realising that she was unable to extract Bart from her gauged earlobe, she immediately rushed to the ER. Thankfully, doctors were able to safely remove Bart after numbing Ashley's ear and using a string to pull and stretch it out. Ashley later when on to share her scary story on her Facebook account. New Delhi: Four men allegedly sodomised a 26-year-old man in Monkey Park and attacked him with a stone in southeast Delhi's Govindpuri area, police said on Wednesday. The victim told police that he knows one of the accused while he saw the other three accused for the first time on January 29, the day of the incident, said a senior police officer. The victim alleged that the four accused allegedly overpowered him and then took him to a jungle where they allegedly sodomised him, he said. When he protested against the assault, they attacked him with a stone and fled from the spot, he added. The victim somehow managed to inform the police who took him to AIIMS Trauma Centre and a case was registered under section 377 (Unnatural offences) of IPC. The accused have been identified by the victim and are likely to be arrested soon, he said. The victim is a resident of Tughlakabad Extension and his father runs a convenience store. His aunt stays in Sangam Vihar area and on January 29, while he was on his way to meet his aunt around 9 PM, and was crossing Monkey Park, one of the accused called him, police said. They overpowered him and sodomised him and later attacked him with a stone on his head when he protested, they added. The victim is out of danger and police is looking for the accused who are suspected to be addicted to alcohol. Whether the act was for revenge or any other reason, will only be known after the accused are arrested. Kottayam: A campus love-and-hate affair turned tragic when two youngsters succumbed to their burn injuries at the Medical College Hospital here on Wednesday. Aadarsh Suneethan, 26, a former student of MG Universitys School of Medical Education (SME) on Gandhinagar campus, who was spurned by P. Lakshmi, 20, final-year student, poured petrol over both of them and set himself and her ablaze in the afternoon. Though they were rushed to the MCH, they died in the evening. The incident occurred amidst dramatic scenes. Aadarsh, a former Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) student, and son of Suneethan and Kumary of Puthenthura, Neendakara, had a love affair with Lakshmi, fourth-year student of BPT, and daughter of Krishnakumar of Chingoly near Haripad. However, she had stopped talking to him after finding his character unacceptable. Aadarsh, who completed the BPT course in 2013, had not passed the examinations. He came to the campus on Tuesday morning to write the supplementary examinations. On Wednesday around 10 am, Aadarsh reached the classroom of Lakshmi and wanted to speak to her. However, the girl who was with her classmates, refused to talk to him. Aadarsh went back and returned with a bag on his shoulders by 1 pm. According to the police, Aadarsh took out a can of petrol from his bag and poured it over the girl and himself. Lakshmi and the scared girl students in the class rushed out, but he pursued her and caught hold of her in the library room, hardly 20 metres from the classroom. He lighted the cigarette lamp over the girl and embraced her before other students could intervene. Two students, Ajmala and Aswin, who saw Lakshmi running into the library, tried to intervene, but in vain. They were slightly injured on their hands and admitted to the MCH. The students and teachers who reached the spot extinguished the fire and took the two to the MCH. Ettumanur judicial first class magistrate Ratheesh Kumar recorded the dying declaration of Aadarsh and Lakshmi at the MCH ICU. Lakshmi suffered internal bleeding and 60 percent burns while Aadarsh had 75 percent burns. Kottayam MCH resident medical officer Dr R.P. Ranjan said that the two students died due to the severe burns. Ettumanur circle inspector C.J. Martin said that Aadarsh in his dying declaration said that he had bought petrol from a pump at Varisserry. Bastar: SRP Kalluri, the Inspector General of Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, who was accused of threatening activists in the region and sending them abusive text messages, has gone on leave. The unruly behaviour of Kalluri came to light after residents in Pandripani village of the district asked activist Bela Bhatia to vacate her house earlier this month. Activists and lawyers in the district had then claimed that they have received abusive messages from Kalluri, who called them dogs and said they should be stoned out of bastar. Activists had claimed that they were sent the abusive messages because they asked Kalluri to intervene in Bela Bhatias case, who has been working to expose alleged abuse in the district by security forces. Bhatia was allegedly threatened by a mob of men who asked her to vacate immediately, failing which they will set the house ablaze. Activists claimed that the men who intimidated Bhatia had the backing of the police and of Kalluri who has a controversial record. In a message to Kalluri this Tuesday, Sandeep Singh, an activist wrote "This can't go (on for) long. You are not above the constitution. Don't sell your conscience for money." Singh had claimed that he received a response from Kalluri that said, "Maoists and their dogs like you will be stoned out of Bastar. Beware." Bhatia was among a group of people who had accompanied a National Human Rights Commission team to villages of Bijapur two days ago to record the statements of alleged rape victims. Early this month, the NHRC had sent a notice to the state government over alleged rape, sexual and physical assault of 16 women by the state police personnel in Bastar division (in October 2015 and January 2016), observing that the government is "vicariously liable" for it. New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Wednesday rescued a 13-year-old girl in Najafgarh who was being forcefully married to a 40-year-old mentally challenged man allegedly in lieu of money. The commission got information about her scheduled marriage from an anonymous caller on its helpline. "When the Counsellor of Mobile Helpline programme reached the girl's house with police, it was learnt that the groom is a 40-year-old man who is also mentally challenged," a DCW official said. "The family of the girl belongs to Bihar and has settled in Delhi only a year back. The girl was studying in Class 8 when she was in Bihar and has not joined any school in Delhi. Her father is a labourer and she has two elder sisters," the official said. The DCW officials said that according to a preliminary investigation, a woman lured the father of the girl to get her married to the man in lieu of money. Police have registered a complaint in this regard and the matter is being investigated. New Delhi: A woman has been arrested for allegedly faking the kidnapping of her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter along with her male accomplice in order to implicate her neighbour in a false case in north Delhi's Kashmere Gate area, police said on Wednesday. A PCR call was received on Tuesday around 10:30 pm about kidnapping of a girl. Her mother gave a complaint to police alleging that when her daughter was playing outside her home around 9 pm, she suddenly disappeared, said a senior police officer. She accused her neighbour Nasim of kidnapping her daughter since he had a dispute with her and had allegedly threatened her in the past, he said. Neighbours were questioned and they told police that they had seen the woman leaving with her daughter and a man on the night the child was kidnapped, he added. When the woman returned to her home, she was not accompanied by her daughter, he said. The woman was questioned but she didn't say anything about her whereabouts, he added. Meanwhile, information was received about a man being detained at the Old Delhi Railway Station with a girl child, he said. The girl was identified as the one who had been kidnapped and the man was identified as Shiv Ram alias Lambu. Lambu told police that he had conspired with the woman to kidnap her one-and-half-year-old daughter so that she could accuse Naseem of kidnapping. "She wanted to implicate him in the false kidnapping case to settle an old score. She had even filed a false complaint against Naseem for intimidating her," said Jatin Narwal, DCP (North). He said that they had taken the girl child with them to the railway station where the mother left her daughter with Lambu so that he could take her to an undisclosed location outside Delhi, he added. New Delhi: India on Thursday dismissed Pakistan's demand for "concrete evidence" against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed in the 26/11 case, saying the required proof is already available in Pakistan as the entire conspiracy was hatched there and all it needs to find is "requisite" political will to take action. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said India would not go by the claims or statements made by Pakistan about the steps taken to check terrorism but by what happens on the ground. "Entire conspiracy for the Mumbai attack was hatched in Pakistan. All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered by Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan. "In fact, Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple terrorists attacks directed at India. So the concrete evidence that Pakistan establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need to find is requisite political will," Swarup said. He was asked about the statement of a Pakistan Interior Ministry Spokesperson that "If indeed India is serious about its allegations, it should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world" and that mere casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence would not help. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz - were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab Province's Interior Ministry on Monday in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. The Pakistani Spokesperson also maintained that the actions taken by Pakistan have been carried out as per obligations vis-a-vis listing of Jamat-u-Dawa under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. On the recent release of Chandu Babulal Chavan and if this indicated softening of Pakistan's stand that could lead to resumption of bilateral dialogue, Swarup said India welcomes the steps taken by Pakistan on humanitarian matters. "We have consistently maintained that a bilateral dialogue with Pakistan is only possible in an atmosphere free of terror and violence. Any credible steps in that direction will certainly be welcomed by India," he said. He added, "We will not go by their (Pakistan's) claims and statements. We will go by what we will see on the ground. At the end of the day, that is what matters." Swarup was also asked if the meeting of SAARC officials which is currently underway in Kathmandu has paved the way for the SAARC Summit, to which he said one cannot arrive at such a conclusion. "India is committed to the ideals and objectives of SAARC. Our objection was to the holding of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad at a time when one particular country is opposed to regional connectivity initiatives, is promoting cross-border terrorism and is interfering in domestic affairs of other countries. "Not only India, other SAARC countries also joined in saying that this time was not conducive to host the Summit in Islamabad," Swarup said. A majority of SAARC countries including India had pulled out of the 19th SAARC summit, scheduled to be held in Islamabad last November, maintaining that the atmosphere was conducive for holding of the summit in view of continuous cross-border terrorism by Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying his last respects to IUML MP from Kerala E Ahamed at his residence in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) Kannur: The funeral of former union minister and senior Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E. Ahamed, who passed away in the early hours of Wednesday in Delhi following a cardiac arrest, will be held his native city, Kannur in Kerala on Thursday. The body was brought to Karippur in Malapuram on Wednesday evening, where thousands of people paid homage to their departed leader. The body was kept at the Haj House in Kondotty for the public to pay homage and was taken to Kozhikode. The leaders of various political parties including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid homage to the former union minister at the League House. A prayer session was held at the Kozhikode beach after the public homage at the league House and then the body was taken to Kannur where the funeral will be held by Thursday noon. Bengaluru: Shambhavi - former external affairs minister S.M. Krishna's private residence which was once Congress leaders' second stop in the city - has now become the political epicentre for BJP politicians who are queuing up there over the last three days. A number of leaders from the BJP have started pouring in from different parts of the state to speak to Mr Krishna. "At least for the last three years that is since 2012, Mr Krishna's house was forgotten by Congress leaders and in its place, Radha Niwas, where Congress party's Lok Sabha leader M. Mallikarjuna Kharge resides, had become the second stop for most Congress leaders. In the last three years, scenario changed as also the leaders who mattered," a senior Congress leader told this newspaper. He quickly added that Mr Krishna too was to blame for this, as when Congress leaders went to meet him after 2012, he behaved strangely his old colleagues. "In some cases, he would just listen and leave without offering any advice or comment. That is how his growing age became a constant nagging point for those leaders who went out of Shambhavi empty handed," the source said. Meanwhile, Mr Kharge's stature rose, and the leaders' focus too shifted from Shmbahavi to Radha Nivas, which is situated on the next lane in the same locality. Soon after Mr Krishna's outbursts against party central leadership, especially against party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, none of the Congress leaders mentioned Mr Krishna's name, even in casual conversations. "It was clear that our party senior leader had attacked the central leadership, and automatically we shut ourselves," the source said. After Mr Krishna resigned, none of the Congress leaders, even those who were close to him once, met him. But BJP leaders, R. Ashok, V. Srinvasaprasad, Tumakuru former MP G.S. Basavaraju, and JD(S) party's suspended legislators, N. Cheluvarayaswamy and B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, made a beeline over the last three days. A number of leaders from the BJP have started pouring in from different parts of the state to speak to Mr S.M. Krishna. At least for the last three years that is since 2012, Mr Krishnas house was forgotten by Congress leaders and in its place, Radha Niwas, where Congress partys Lok Sabha leader M. Mallikarjuna Kharge resides, had become the second stop for most Congress leaders. In the last three years, scenario changed as also the leaders who mattered," a senior Congress leader told this newspaper. He quickly added that Mr Krishna too was to blame for this, as when Congress leaders went to meet him after 2012, he behaved strangely with his old colleagues. New Delhi: With the testing process already in final phases, the government today expressed hope that work on installing 'smart fence' along 3,323-km-long the Indo-Pak border will begin soon. The testing for the fence is in final stages and soon work for erecting it along the Indo-Pak border will begin, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said here today. The new fencing is likely to have a multi-tier security ring comprising an alarm to security force personnel in case of any infiltration bid or attempts to cut the fence. "The testing for the smart fencing is in the final stage. Pretty soon it will be done and it will be soon erected at the India-Pakistan border," Rijiju told reporters here. He said the testing is being done at many places and its details can't be divulged now due to security reasons. "We will have smart fencing at all our borders in phases but priority would be Indo-Pak frontier," he said. A Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) is also being worked out by the government where the security of Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders, both sensitive and difficult terrain, will shift from the regular troops patrolling system to a quick reaction team pattern where guards strike once they notice a blip of infiltration on their surveillance radars. There have been several attempts of infiltration by terrorists who cut the fences to enter into India from Pakistan side. India's border with Pakistan runs through four states, Jammu and Kashmir (1,225 km which includes 740 km of Line of Control), Rajasthan (1,037 km), Punjab (553 km) and Gujarat (508 km). The government has set a target of completely sealing the India-Pakistan border by December 2018. Police carrying out resuce work at the site of the under-construction building which collapsed killing at least seven labourers, in Jajmau in Kanpur. (Photo: PTI) Kanpur: A father-daughter duo was rescued alive from the debris of an under-construction building that had collapsed in Kanpur's Jajmau area on Wednesday, with police booking a local SP leader and a contractor for negligence. Teams of army and NDRF this morning rescued the 9-year-old girl and her father from the building's debris. The duo received minor injuries in the incident, a senior official said, adding that total seven people were killed in the incident and 18 injured. Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) OSD D D Verma last night complained to Chakeri Police that Mehtab Alam was getting the building illegally constructed and for which KDA had served him a notice on November 23, 2016, Senior Superintendent of Police Aakash Kulhari said. But as Alam did not reply to the notice, the said building was sealed by the KDA on December 26, last year. However, the construction was yesterday again started after illegally breaking the seal, he said quoting the complaint. On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was last night registered against Alam and his contractor under relevant sections of IPC including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Kulhari said. Police on Thursday raided Alam's house but he was not found. Alam and his contractor both are absconding, he said. Meanwhile, KDA Secretary Jaishree Bhoj has constituted a two-member team to probe the incident within seven days. Two more bodies were recovered today at 11.30 AM. Two persons presumed to be dead yesterday are battling for life, Kanpur IG Zaki Ahmed said. DIG Rajesh Modak had on Wednesday said that seven persons have died in the incident but the senior officer on Thursday clarified that two persons presumed to be dead are actually battling for their life. Rescue and relief operations will continue on Thursday, the second day, also as over a dozen persons are suspected to be trapped under the debris, the SSP said. Kulhari said the NDRF team is not being able to use JCB and other heavy machineries to remove the debris as it is suspected that many more people could be trapped under it. Chief Medical Officer, Kanpur, Ramayan Prasad said the number of injured in the incident has increased to 18, four of them critically. He informed that a team of doctors is deployed at the mishap spot. He said out of the five dead, four are men and one woman and the bodies have been kept in Ursula hospital and Health hospital. The two bodies recovered today have not been sent to mortuary yet. At least seven labourers were killed after top floors of the seven-storey under-construction building started falling on Wednesday in Kanpur. The Supreme Court, in last December, had ordered a ban on all liquor shops on national as well as state highways across the country and made it clear that licenses of existing shops would not be renewed after March 31, 2017. Thiruvananthapuram: School girls and women held protests in various parts of Kerala Thursday against the decision of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation Ltd (Bevco) to shift its outlets near schools and residential areas in the state, following a Supreme Court order. The Supreme Court, last December, had ordered a ban on all liquor shops on national as well as state highways across the country and made it clear that licences of existing shops would not be renewed after March 31, 2017. Students of a girls' school staged a sit-in protest in front of one of such relocated Bevco outlet in Nanthancode and raised slogans. Eminent poet Sugathakumari and Congress MLA K Muraleedharan expressed solidarity with the students' protests, following which the city Corporation closed the outlet. Bevco had decided on relocating its outlets along the National Highways, in the wake of a recent Supreme Court order. A large number of people, especially women and children staged protests, dharnas and meetings in various districts across the state against the move. Thoppumpadi in Ernakulam district, Ollur in Thrissur, Konni and Kozhencherry in Pathanamthitta, Thodupuzha in Idukki and Beypore in Kozhikode witnessed similar protests in front of relocated liquor outlets. An agitator from Thoppumpadi said they were protesting against the outlet in their vicinity for the last eight days. "There are over 100 families in the area. If the outlet is allowed to function here, there will be no safety for our daughters. We are scared. So we will not let the outlet function here," she said. Echoing her sentiments, another woman said, "We will not allow the shop to function. We will fight against it till the end." However, Bevco Managing Director H Venkatesh said the relocation of the outlets was in accordance with rules. "We are shifting outlets as per rules and the Supreme Court order," he said. Naga tribals set ablaze the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the district collector to protest against Chief Minister TR Zeliang's refusal to meet their ultimatum, in Kohima on Thursday. (Photo: PTI) Guwahati: The ongoing protest against the reservation to women in urban local body elections in Nagaland turned violent on Thursday with angry protestors setting various offices on fire. The state administration was forced to impose curfew in Kohima and Dimapur as Naga tribal bodies had set the deadline of Thursday 4 pm for Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang to resign. Security sources at Kohima said that protestors, who came out in large number, set fire to the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the Directorate of Transport during the day. A mob also set the Kohima Press Club on fire, burning and vandalising government property, the source added. Even deputy commissioners office was torched by the mob. Pointing out that violence broke all across the city, security sources said that the Central paramilitary forces have been deployed at the New Secretariat building and some important installations. Tension prevailed in Kohima since Thursday morning as thousands of protesters gathered at the old MLA Hostel road at the heart of Kohima carrying the bodies of the two people who were killed in police firing on Tuesday night in Dimapur. Police had allegedly opened fire to stop a mob from throwing stones at the house of the chief minister. The protestors have been demanding resignation from the Chief Minister in the wake of the killing of two youths in the police firing. The protestors backed by various tribal bodies accused the state government of breaching the agreement on postponing the urban local body elections and holding the polls on February 1. They also claimed that there was a deal to postpone the election by two months. Security sources also claimed that they are facing shortage of security forces as violence has spread in two major towns of Nagaland, including some adjoining areas as well. On Wednesday, elections to urban local bodies in 12 towns across the Nagaland were conducted amidst a shut-down called by tribal bodies opposing the polls. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Russia this year in the beginning of June, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday. Observers point out that the three-day visit from June 1 to 3 will provide India an opportunity at the highest levels to convey to Russian President Vladimir Putin, New Delhis concerns on Moscow inching closer to both Beijing and Islamabad despite the decades-long strategic partnership and close friendship that New Delhi and Moscow have shared. In a statement, the MEA said, This is to confirm that India has been invited as a guest country at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum...As a part of this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Forum as Guest of Honour. Chennai: Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Wednesday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modis intervention in stopping the work on a reservoir by Kerala across river Pambar. The Government of Kerala has proposed to construct a reservoir at Pattisserry across river Pambar, a tributary of the river Amaravathy. This has caused great concern and anxiety among people of Tamil Nadu dependent upon waters of the Cauvery basin, including the Amaravathy, for irrigation and drinking water supply, the CM said in his letter to Modi. The government of Kerala may also be advised not to take up any project or works in the Cauvery basin of Kerala without obtaining the prior concurrence of the Government of Tamil Nadu and until the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee are constituted and the judicial references are finally settled, he said. Rameswaram: Five Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested and their boats were impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters, fisheries department official said on Thursday. The incident occurred on Wednesday night when five fishermen from Jegadapattinam in Pudukottai district were fishing near Neduntheevu and were rounded up by the Lankan Navy and taken to Jaffna in the island nation, Pudukottai district fisheries department, Assistant Director Sekar said. Meanwhile, over 3,500 fishermen in 625 boats from this island town had ventured into the sea on Wednesday and were fishing off Katchatheevu when the Lankan naval men came and snapped the fishing nets of 25 fishing boats forcing all of them to return to the shore without catch, on Wednesday, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President S Emerite said. On January 8, 10 fishermen from Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts were arrested and their boats impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters. TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao greets his AP counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu as Governor E.S.L Narasimhan looks on, at the At Home hosted by the Governor at Raj Bhavan, in Hyderabad on Thursday. Hyderabad: Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh vowed to amicably settle all outstanding issues pertaining to AP Reorganisation Act, including the Secretariat buildings and others, before Governor ESL Narasimhan. The first meeting on Wednesday between Irrigation Minister T Harish Raos team from Telangana and AP Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudus team ended on a cordial note. Both states agreed to meet on February 9 again and take up pending issues one by one. They also agreed to have meetings in the AP capital Amravati soon. The Governor reportedly advised them to settle all outstanding issues across the table and not go to court. They could also try to settle them through their officers. After the meeting at Raj Bhavan, Harish Rao called it a preliminary one held in a friendly environment. The first meeting was quite cordial. All pending issues would be prioritised and sent to the Governors office in two or three days for the February 9 meet. We will try our best to settle all issues in an amicable and give-and-take manner while protecting the interests of the State and those of the employees, said Harish Rao. Asked about the issues to be taken up, he said that all issues pertaining to the AP Reorganisation Act, including those listed in Schedule 9 and 10, the High Court bifurcation, the handing over of buildings including Secretariat buildings held by AP and issues of the government and electricity employees, etc., would be taken up. The AP finance minister said all issues would be settled, mutually and amicably. This is our opinion, that of our Telangana counterparts, Harish and others. The Andhra Pradesh government requested the governor to hold two meetings in the AP capital Amravati, after the February 9 meeting. Narasimhan promised to consider the plea since there was no objection from Telangana. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, who was accompanied by Atchannaidu and Kalva Srinivas, said that some issues were raised by the Telangana government and some by them. Energy Minister A Jagdish Reddy and Advisor to the Government, G Vivekananda, who accompanied Harish Rao, said that the Telangana government sought cordial relations with its neighbours. Issues which can be sorted out easily will be taken up first and the complicated ones later. The problem of the power sector employees is genuine and they are facing hardships. Some have gone to court. We will see that 2 or 3 issues would be resolved at the next meeting, he hoped. New Delhi: The voluntary retirement plea of BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, whose post on social media about 'sub-standard' food triggered a controversy, has been rejected on grounds that a Court of Inquiry on his allegations is pending as also charges on disciplinary grounds against him. The move by the Border Security Force (BSF) has not been seen kindly by Yadav's family which alleged that the trooper was being "threatened and tortured mentally". Rejecting Yadav's Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) plea, BSF said it has been "cancelled pending the Court of Inquiry (CoI) and finalisation of its recommendations". "Cancellation of VRS was communicated to constable Yadav on January 30 evening only," BSF said in a statement while making it clear that he "has not been arrested" as alleged by the family. Yadav's wife claimed that her husband had called her this morning and claimed that he was being threatened and harassed and that he has been put under arrest. Officials in the force said as per the laid down procedure under a CoI, all witnesses in a case are questioned by the probe team till the investigation is completed even as the trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline on various counts and hence in such a case the privilege of granting a VRS to an employee is disallowed. A video shot by Yadav had surfaced last month in which he complained about the quality of food and after it had gone viral, it triggered a flurry of reactions with the PMO also seeking a detailed factual report on it from the Union Home Ministry and BSF. The ministry had informed PMO that BSF has maintained that there was no shortage of rations at any post and that security the personnel deployed along the borders never complained about food. The border guarding force had also came out with fresh guidelines for maintaining high quality of food for its personnel after the video went viral. Yadav, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle in the video, claimed that while the government procures essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers "sell these off" in an "illegal" manner in the market and the personnel have to suffer. He had also posted other videos in which he claimed that the quality of food served was not good. In the wake of its jawans taking to social media to air their grievances, BSF has also directed its special snoop teams to check on the morale of the jawans and the force even as it said instances of complaints being voiced via the social media were being dealt with "strictly". New Delhi: A day after Pakistan asked India to provide "concrete evidence" against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, Union minister Jitendra Singh Thursday said the country has been providing evidence at different levels and cautioned that the longer Pakistan stays in "denial mode" the more it risks its own security. Asserting that Pakistan is now the "epicentre of terrorism" in the entire region, particularly in the Indian sub-continent, Singh said the neighbouring country is also the "hub of gross human rights violations". "The entire world now acknowledges and realises that from time to time India has been providing a series of evidence at different levels. And therefore there is hardly any evidence required. "The longer Pakistan prefers to stay in denial mode, they must realise, the powers that be in Islamabad, the more they are going to risk their own security," Singh told reporters outside Parliament. Pakistan had yesterday asked India to provide "concrete evidence" against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed if it was "serious" about its allegations against him. Before that, India had said that only a credible crackdown on the Mumbai terror attack mastermind would be proof of Islamabad's sincerity. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz - were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab Province's Interior Ministry in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. On the H1B Visa issue, the Minister said the External Affairs Ministry will look into it and take appropriate measures. "It won't be right for me to give a final response to that without being privy to exact details. Nevertheless, I am sure the government and the External Affairs Ministry will take cognisance and justice will be done," he said. Hyderabad: The TRS government is gearing up for the state budget, which is likely to be bigger than previous year and presented in the first or second week of March. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and finance minister Etala Rajender, who held a series of deliberations with various Heads of Departments, are giving final touches to the 2017-2018 Budget proposals. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao asked all the ministers present in Thursdays Cabinet meeting to carefully study the Union Budget and plan the State Budget department-wise. The Chief Minister also advised them to link state schemes and ensure maximum funds for the State from Centre. Mr Rajender will to present a development, welfare and pro-peoples Budget with a big chunk of allocations to 2BHK housing scheme for the poor, irrigation, Mission Bhagiratha, Mission Kakatiya etc., and pet welfare schemes, including the latest doles to single women, a highly placed source in the government told this newspaper. The source added, Initially, there was a proposal to present the Budget in the last week of February. But since the Assembly session has just concluded, the government is not in any hurry and not in the mood to present an early Budget. The Budget may be presented in the first or second week of March. As against Rs 1,30,415 crore Budget for financial year 2016 -17 (Plan expenditure of Rs 67,630 crore and Non-Plan outlay of Rs 62,785 crore), the finance minister is expected to present a marginally higher Budget for 2017-2018. The 2017-2018 budget will be marginally higher despite demonetisation blues. There could be increase of 10/15 per cent from the previous Budget. It could be Rs 1.45 lakh-crore, the source said. Like previous year, when the government estimated revenue surplus of Rs 3,381 crore, this Budget too will be revenue surplus, the source said. The government is adopting a flip-flop approach over affect on its revenue due to demonetisation, which it backed to hilt. It once said demonetisation will hit revenues, on another occasion it had asserted that the note ban will have no effect. The Cabinet has also decided to amend the existing Act to provide for stringent punishment for those resorting to acid attacks on women and girls. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The Telangana state Cabinet on Thursday approved the reports submitted by the Sudheer Commission and the Chellappa Commission of Inquiry increasing reservations for, respectively, Muslims and Scheduled Tribes in education and employment. The Cabinet, which met for over three hours at the Secretariat, is learnt to have discussed in detail the measures to be taken to bring a Tamil Nadu-type Act to implement quotas over and above the Supreme Court prescribed reservation limit of 50 per cent. With this, the decks have been cleared for tabling the Muslim Reservation Bill in the ensuing Budget session of the Legislature this month. It is not yet clear whether the ST Reservation Bill will also be taken up in this session or later. The Cabinet has also decided to amend the existing Act to provide for stringent punishment for those resorting to acid attacks on women and girls. The other major decision of the cabinet was to integrate the Indira Sagar lift irrigation project (Rudramkota, Sathupally) and the Rajiv Sagar lift irrigation project (Dummugudem), taken up by the previous Congress government, into the Sitarama lift irrigation project . Hyderabad: Pictures of senior police personnel with slain gangster Nayeemuddin have gone viral. One of the pictures shows CID additional superintendent of police Maddipati Srinivas Rao, who earlier worked in Nalgonda, dining with Nayeem. Another features Malakpet traffic inspector K. Venkat Reddy talking to the gangster. Asked about the picture, Mr Srinivasa Rao said he did not have any links with Nayeem and wanted the genuineness and the source of the picture to be ascertained. He said he had nothing to say about the picture. Mr Venkat Reddy said that Nayeem was his classmate during graduation in Bhongir. After he surrendered to the police and came into the public domain, he invited me for his relatives wedding in Bhongir in 2005 and thats how I am in the picture with him, he said, adding that he had given his statement to the special investigation team which was probing Nayeems criminal links. An SIT official said they had questioned 11 police officers. They said these pictures were in the list of documents submitted to the court and were under scrutiny. The official said Mr Srinivasa Rao had not yet been questioned in the case. DC had reported that the students were facing deportation as they produced fake documents, including their bank financial support papers. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: Students from Hyderabad and Punjab who are facing deportation from New Zealand, just lost their final battle to continue to stay in the country. Some of these students are planning to seek sanctuary in the Catholic Church at Auckland, which has been supporting their agitation. Out of 150 students, nine of them lost their attempt to stay on, including those from Hyderabad. The case pertains to organised financial document fraud involving Hyderabad-based agents and students according to Immigration NZ. DC had reported that the students were facing deportation as they produced fake documents, including their bank financial support papers. New Zealand not giving any option: Students According to Ms Anu Kaloti of Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa, quoting NZ Radio, said that the group of students had appealed to the minister of business, innovation and employment to intervene in their deportation, but their plea was rejected. New Zealand media quoted Narra Manoj from Hyderabad saying that the authorities are not giving any options. Manoj said, We are hurt. There are several other students apart from me. We have borrowed huge sums of money to come to New Zealand for our education. We knew nothing about fraudulent documents given by agents, Immigration New Zealand said the visa rejection rate and the number of students being deported were the highest among Indians. Hyderabad topped the list among Indians. An investigation report of NZ Immigration regarding Hyderabad consultants said ...the fraud appears to have exploited the fact that education loan documents are normally verified at sanction stage but not at disbursal stage, therefore creating an unguarded stage in the visa process which these agents have noticed and exploited. Immigration NZ Mumbai area office's latest report says the number of fraud cases in 2016 is 640 involving 300 agents. The scam initially pertaining to fraudulent education loans has now expanded with new frauds like fraudulent work experience and fake degree certificates being found. Mr Reddy sought the details of the indent and supply of legal tenders of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 from April 2016 to till date. Hyderabad: RBI has refused to provide information about demonetisation sought by a city-based person invoking provisions of the Right to Information Act. Mr Dubbudu Rakesh Reddy, a Hyderabad-based RTI activist and founder of Factly, accused the Reserve Bank of India of evading his questions on demonetisation. Mr Reddy sought the details of the indent and supply of legal tenders of Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 from April 2016 to till date. He also sought the information on the indent and printing of new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes from April 2016 and their the supply. He also sought more information on defects found in the new notes. Though RBI had informed him that the indent and supply of old notes would be available on its website, Mr Reddy could not find any such details. The RBI denied providing information stating that it was exempted under section 8(1) (a) and 2(f) of the RTI Act, he said. Accepting the contention that the nature of information sought was similar, the appellate authority directed the PIO to revisit the exemption. It directed PIO to verify the records to check if any information is available. Patiala: Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Sunday appealed to electorates to join him in the battle against the dangers posed by the Badals and Arvind Kejriwal to the state. He pledged not to allow the Badals to "get away with goondagardi" and urged the Election Commission to "remove thousands of volunteers brought by AAP from other states, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to manage its Punjab poll campaign". At a public meeting in his hometown of Patiala, Singh said the Akalis and the AAP leadership posed a threat to the state and asked people to see through their "false" promises. The Congress chief ministerial candidate, with his wife Preneet Kaur by his side, denounced the Badal government, saying development works ground to a halt in Patiala and Amritsar, which he represented as a Member of Parliament, under the Badal rule out of "sheer vengeance". He said he had set up the Patiala Development Authority with a corpus of Rs 300 crore at the time of leaving the state government and the Amritsar Development Authority, which had funds to the tune of Rs 2,700 crore during his tenure. The Badal government, however, diverted the fund to their "personal" coffers, the PPCC chief alleged. Singh, while referring to "the list of Kejriwal's broken promises" in Delhi, said AAP "with its threatening mix of extreme ideologies" was an example of poor governance and corruption. As many as 19 AAP MLAs in Delhi were behind bars on charges of graft and rape, he said and added that with "its bunch of outsiders and total lack of experience in good governance", the party could not put Punjab back on the track of progress. He said that in the Akalis' 10-year rule, industries fled the state and mafias ruled the roost, "which is evident from the Nabha jailbreak". He reiterated his promise of punishing all those found involved in the recent incidents of sacrilege in the state. "I will not spare anyone even if it is Badal," he said. Under the SAD-BJP rule, the government exchequer did not have sufficient money to pay salaries and properties were "sold and mortgaged" to make essential payments, he said, adding that nowhere had he seen any government being run like this. "The youth of the state suffered due to unemployment and the drug menace," Singh said as he vowed to "wipe out" drugs from the state within four weeks if his party came to power. "The halqa in-charges are looting people at the behest of the Badals," he alleged. Srinagar: Senior Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was Wednesday night admitted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), after he complained of severe chest pain. Since Geelani was not being allowed to move out of his home due to house arrest. The police was informed that the former needs to be shifted to a hospital. Geelani, in police custody, was shifted to SKIMS where several tests including ECGs were repeatedly conducted. He was later admitted in Medical ICU and is now being constantly observed by specialist doctors. Hyderabad: The Telangana Government plans to make changes in laws to hand out stringent punishment to offenders in acid attack cases. This was decided by the State Cabinet today. The Government would make changes in existing laws to ensure that those convicted for acid attacks are sentenced to 10 years in jail, an official release said after a Cabinet meeting here. The Cabinet meeting discussed the reforms to be brought in jails and other related issues. The Government proposes to give fine collected from convicts to the family members of victims, the release said. A Cabinet sub-committee, headed by Home Minister N Narasimha Rao, has been appointed to study the proposed reforms in jails, it said. The release said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked all Ministers to "carefully study the Union Budget and plan the proposed state budget department-wise." The TRS Government did not give any formal reaction on the Union Budget presented yesterday. In other decisions, the Cabinet decided to identify lift irrigation schemes, which can be completed swiftly, following the conclusion of Bhakta Ramadasu lift irrigation scheme ahead of schedule. The Cabinet decided to take up some specific minor irrigation projects and also to abolish Rajiv Sagar and Indira Sagar projects, it added. Panaji: BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday signed off his party's campaign in poll-bound Goa by launching a broadside against Congress and its vice-president Rahul Gandhi who, he said, was "wearing Italian glasses". "Press hard the button in front of Lotus symbol on February 4 so that the current can be felt in Italy," he said while addressing a public meeting in Bicholim constituency. The BJP chief said the borders remained unsafe under the erstwhile "Sonia-Manmohan government" rule. "There used to be firing from across the border every day. Rahulbaba was pointing out that even now firing continues from across the border, so what is the difference between then and now? "Rahulbaba apko fark maloom nahi padega, apki ankh par to Italian chasma chada hua hai (Rahulbaba you won't understand the difference between then and now because you are wearing Italian spectacles)," Shah said. Continuing his diatribe, Shah said, "When your (Congress) government was in power, Pakistan used to start the firing and end it too. But now, Pakistan starts the firing but Indian soldiers end it. No one can now dare to mutilate head of our soldiers." The BJP chief said, "Rahulbaba keeps asking us what Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has done? "Jab 2019 me ayenge to ek ek second ka aur ek ek pai ka hisab bharatiya janata ko denge (we will give account of every penny to people of India on returning to power in 2019)," Shah said. Shah said Rahul should give account of what the UPA government had done during its 10-year tenure at the Centre instead of asking BJP. "There were so many scams during the UPA regime that the list is unending. There was a scam in ISRO, 2G, submarine... Congress did not spare coal which even thieves do not steal. "After committing scams to the tune of Rs 12 lakh crore, Rahul is now questioning us? I can say with pride that in the last two-and-half years of our rule, even Opposition parties cannot accuse us of being involved in any scam," Shah said. He appealed to people to elect BJP candidates on "two- third of total 40 seats for a stable government. One of the more widely shared postmortems of Donald J. Trumps shocking electoral triumph late last year proposed that whereas his vast legions of supporters took him seriously but not literally, his detractors broadly erred in taking him literally but not seriously. But less than two weeks into the Trump presidency it should be patently obvious that he ought to have been taken both literally and seriously. Two of the most popular planks of Trumps rants as a candidate were the Mexican wall and at least a temporary ban on Muslim immigration. Sceptics sneered that neither would ever come to pass. The new Presidents executive orders tell a different story. How the wall hailed by Benjamin Netanyahu as a worthy replication of Israels strategy proceeds remains to be seen. The immigration order has meanwhile sparked chaos and widespread protests at airports across the US. It is not a Muslim ban, we are told, because it affects only seven countries five of which have borne the brunt of US bombing campaigns in the 21st century. Immigrants from none of these countries have contributed to terrorism on American soil. The exemptions cover all the nations whose citizens were active participants in the September 11, 2001 plot. But then unlike Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen Trump has business dealings with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Lebanon and Egypt. The list could be extended without notice, but Pakistan and Afghanistan have got away with extreme vetting. There has also been extreme confusion, with holders of valid US visas and even green cards turned back or detained, at least until lawyers and a handful of federal judges stepped in with temporary remedies. Amid an expanding number of legal challenges, the acting federal attorney general Sally Yates instructed justice department lawyers to not present arguments in defence of the executive order. She was fired. A number of mayors, governors and state attorneys general have expressed their indignation, and dissenting diplomats are reportedly drafting a statement unequivocally decrying the latest measures. Arguably even more abominable than the immigration curbs is a 120-day suspension of the US refugee intake, alongside an indefinite suspension of the programme for refugees from Syria, the nation whose citizens obviously face the direst need for sanctuary. It could be a coincidence, but the relevant order was issued on Holocaust Day, which ought to have served as a reminder of the period when ships carrying desperate Jewish refugees escaping Nazi extermination were turned away from American shores. Trumps actions have attracted some consternation from overseas, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly incorporating into her White House phone call a succinct lesson on the Geneva Conventions, and Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterating that his nation was open to refugees of all faiths. Britains Theresa May, fresh from a hand-holding session with Trump, was reluctant to offer any criticism, but eventually felt obliged to say that she did not agree with the policy. Not surprisingly, she did not go on to express agreement with the growing number of Britons calling for Trumps state visit to London to be postponed until he reconsiders his ban. Australia is even more reticent, given its absurd, self-ordained status as an American appendage. Needless to say, Trumps ban has been received joyously by far-right extremists and even by some centre-right groups across Europe, and the Israeli government. Not unexpectedly, much of the Muslim world is officially keeping mum. Crucially, though, a backlash is building in the US, among the community as evidenced by the continuing demonstrations as well as among legislators and state officials, with at least a few Republicans willing to express their indignation at what is shaping up broadly as a plot to comprehensively subvert the US Constitution, presumably masterminded by former Breitbart top honcho Steve Bannon. The resistance is uplifting, but ultimately the only remedy against an individual viscerally unfit to be President and perhaps the only way of stalling a fascist takeover of the worlds most powerful nation may be a quick-fire impeachment. The US Congress is not in the mood so far. But, like so much else, that could change. By arrangement with Dawn Living with Donald Trumps protectionism in his clearly stated America First vision will be a real challenge for the world. Theres no point being in denial: Candidate Donald, having transformed into President Trump, seems determined to carry out all that he promised in a populist, reactionary campaign that emboldened racism and white supremacy advocates. The world, including India, have to not only reassess their relations with the US but also learn to cope with whatever the Trump administration throws up in its bid to clean what the President, in his inaugural address, called American carnage inner cities of rusted factories and people without jobs. In an extension of his pledge to make America great again, he signed the refugee travel ban and will soon sign the proposal to overhaul the popular H-1B visa programme. One of the first to reel under the Trump vision is Indias IT industry, whose majors derive much of their revenue from the US and depend on H-1B visas through which tech specialists can work on-site with clients. Indian IT, that uses a lions share of 60,000 visas, faces a hit to its profitability from the soon-to-be-doubled minimum wage ($130,000) for skilled workers. The use of L-1 visas, that are not restricted by number, could also be hit as the US seeks to regulate the entire work visa programme. One Indian IT bellwether, TCS, secured 8,333 H-1B visas in 2015. However, such restrictive measures had been predicted long back, as Americans had been raging over the Bangaloring of high-tech jobs and Mr Trump had promised that jobs would go to Americans first during his campaign. It is ironical, but true, that a Democratic Congresswoman from San Franciscos Bay Area, a place with the most diverse population due to the high-tech sector, should introduce a bill to curb foreign talent. There is a view that the H-1B visa programme is a genius visa that enabled the US to hire the best of the worlds talent over decades as most students getting doctorates are from outside America. Indias IT industry will have to tweak its ways of working to get around the restrictions, first by keeping more tasks within India, second by sending more senior managers on-site than just programmers and, finally, by changing delivery systems to cope with the challenge. The US accounts for over 65 per cent of Indias IT revenue, which means the headwinds will be strong. But the Indian IT industry, famous for innovative thinking, even if as the worlds back office, would have to lean on its ingenuity to remain a force to be reckoned with. Former reality TV star Donald Trump is in charge: goodwill and diplomacy will probably not work with a deal-making tycoon. One thing is for sure, the new Trump administration in the United States has set the cat among the pigeons with the broad immigration reforms and the presidential executive order aimed at US work-visa programmes, including H-1B and L1 visas, used largely by the global knowledge workforce and more so by the Indian IT services industry. In August 2016, Indians held 72 per cent of the total H-1B visas issued worldwide(i). While the executive order does affect other nations China, Britain and South Korea corner the highest number of H-1B visas after India(ii) the Indian IT industry would be the hardest hit. Understandably, this has caused concern and confusion in the Indian IT community, which has been leveraging the H-1B visa to relocate IT consultants for delivering onshore technology services to US corporations. There are elements that need more clarity for now. Does the order apply to only the new H-1B visas (to be issued) or to current ones as well? Is this applicable for L-1 visas as well. Will the process of conversion of H-1B visas or L-1 visas to green cards also get modified? When more details about the applicability of the order are known, we will know its full impact. There is concern because the Indian IT industry will have to modify its approach and align it with the new requirements. The H-1B visa requirements were created for two reasons: first, to bring in the talent required to make the US a technological powerhouse using talent it did not have; second, to accelerate the competitiveness of US businesses across the world. Both these goals have been served well by the H-1B programme. For Indian IT companies, it is a wait-and-watch time. The executive order, I understand, will remain in force for 90 days from the day it is issued. Within those 90 days, the secretary of homeland security needs to review regulations that allow foreign nationals to work in the US and provide an opinion on the regulations that violate immigration laws or are not in the interests of America. There are other hoops through which an executive order must pass: the Supreme Court can overturn an executive order, as it has done several times in the past, on the grounds that the order exceeds the Presidents constitutional powers; and finally, while Congress cannot actually block the order, it can rewrite or amend the law or provide greater detail on how the executive must act. Of course, the President has the power to veto what Congress recommends, but surely if it hurts America, the US President will be more pragmatic. Its all a bit complex and, for the moment, Indian IT companies must hold their anxiety at bay, and be prepared to ride through the next 90 days. But lets be a bit balanced about this. For the last 28 years the Indian IT sector has benefited hugely from the programme. In 1989, the minimum wage of $60,000 was established by the programme and it has remained unchanged since. It has now been raised to $130,000. We may choose to debate that the quantum of increase in minimum wages, but the fact that the raise was overdue could be justified. And the problem is not as simple as that. First, the US needs to have the talent with the right education and experience that is needed to deliver these services, and in the numbers that is required. And often, the onshore engineers work in tandem with the offshore engineers to deliver integrated service to customers. The combined expertise and solutions that get delivered add value to US corporations, making them more competitive and also saves time. The Indian IT industry delivers services in combination of Technology, Process and People, and of late has been integrating this with Automation and Analytics. This will not be easy to replace in the near term simply by changing the visa rules. Hence, what do we see in the near term, besides some confusion and lack of clarity? New solutions will be designed with a higher offshore content, that now would be more acceptable to US customers, and thereby not increasing their costs. This in turn will be good for India as it would also increase employment in India. Indian companies have already been hiring more US nationals, including hiring from US colleges, and that pace will now increase. The costs of outsourcing for US customers will increase, as some jobs need to be delivered onshore, and the skills needed for this do not exist in the numbers that are required in America. Congressman Zoe Lofgren, who introduced the High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act 2017, said that his legislation refocuses the H-1B programme to its original intent to seek out and find the best and brightest from around the world, and to supplement the US workforce with talented, highly-paid, and highly-skilled workers who help create jobs here in America, not replace them. He further said that the new law offers a market-based solution that gives priority to those companies willing to pay the most. This ensures American employers have access to the talent they need, while removing incentives for companies to undercut American wages and outsource jobs. This is the type of goal that every government should ideally have. And there is no doubt that the US courts and Congress will do what is fair and what is best for America. But there are practical considerations as well. Hiring local talent is possible only if the required skill levels exist. At the moment, the US may not have an adequate number of appropriately skilled people. There is a need for the US to put in place larger investments in its education system and refocus a part of it to produce the required skills as quickly as possible. In the meanwhile, companies that cannot do without the skills made available through the H-1B visa will have no choice but to pay more (200 per cent increase in costs related to H-1B talent). For India, this could be a good wakeup call as well. It provides the right impetus to create talent with a higher capability set, increase the IT pool and create deeper innovation that allows an increased number of services to be rendered from offshore locations. As much as President Donald Trumps executive order will affect Indian IT, one cannot resist thinking of how it will actually benefit the nation in the long term. We will be spurred to produce brighter and better talent because that is what the market demands. In fact, if we bring focus to this task quickly, we may end up with a greater than 72 per cent share of H1-B visas. Scientists have confirmed the existence of a "lost continent" under the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. (Photo: University of WitWatersand) Scientists have confirmed the existence of a "lost continent" under the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius that was left-over by the break-up of the super-continent, Gondwana, which started about 200 million years ago. The piece of crust, which was subsequently covered by young lava during volcanic eruptions on the island, seems to be a tiny piece of ancient continent, which broke off from the island of Madagascar, when Africa, India, Australia and Antarctica split up and formed the Indian Ocean. Photo: University of WitWatersand "We are studying the break-up process of the continents, in order to understand the geological history of the planet," said Professor Lewis Ashwal from University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. By studying the mineral, zircon, found in rocks spewed up by lava during volcanic eruptions, Ashwal and his colleagues have found that remnants of this mineral were far too old to belong on the island of Mauritius. "Earth is made up of two parts - continents, which are old, and oceans, which are "young". On the continents you find rocks that are over four billion years old, but you find nothing like that in the oceans, as this is where new rocks are formed," said Ashwal. "Mauritius is an island, and there is no rock older than nine million years old on the island. However, by studying the rocks on the island, we have found zircons that are as old as three billion years," he said. Zircons are minerals that occur mainly in granites from the continents. They contain trace amounts of uranium, thorium and lead, and due to the fact that they survive geological process very well, they contain a rich record of geological processes and can be dated extremely accurately. "The fact that we have found zircons of this age proves that there are much older crystal materials under Mauritius that could only have originated from a continent," said Ashwal. This is not the first time that zircons that are billions of years old have been found on the island. A study done in 2013 has found traces of the mineral in beach sand. However, this study received some criticism, including that the mineral could have been either blown in by the wind, or carried in on vehicle tyres or scientists' shoes. "The fact that we found the ancient zircons in rock (six-million-year-old trachyte), corroborates the previous study and refutes any suggestion of wind-blown, wave-transported or pumice-rafted zircons for explaining the earlier results," said Ashwal. Ashwal suggests that there are many pieces of various sizes of "undiscovered continent", collectively called "Mauritia", spread over the Indian Ocean, left over by the breakup of Gondwanaland. "According to the new results, this break-up did not involve a simple splitting of the ancient super-continent of Gondwana, but rather, a complex splintering took place with fragments of continental crust of variable sizes left adrift within the evolving Indian Ocean basin," Ashwal added. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. "The deletion (of references to the charge) can be allowed only when the value of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure," the court said in a statement posted on its website. Japan's Supreme Court has rejected a man's demand that news search results of his arrest on sex charges be deleted from Google, ruling that to do so would violate freedom of expression. Japanese media said it was the first decision by the nation's top court involving the "right to be forgotten" relating to Internet searches. "The deletion (of references to the charge) can be allowed only when the value of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure," the court said in a statement posted on its website. Tuesday's decision came after the Saitama District Court, north of Tokyo, in December 2015 upheld a temporary injunction against Google ordering it to delete search results about a man convicted on charges related to child prostitution and pornography. The Tokyo High Court last July had overturned the lower court decision, saying there was no such legally protected right. While the top court set strict conditions for allowing the deletion of certain references, it did not mention the "right to be forgotten" recognised in 2016 in overhauled EU rules on Internet data protection. The Supreme Court said conditions for deleting search engine results include factors such as the degree of damage caused to privacy, how broadly specific searches can be carried out and the social standing of individuals in question. Tomohiro Kanda, the man's lawyer, called the decision "disappointing," saying that ensuring a crime is remembered differs from having the name of a person associated with it "passed on for many years". The Japanese office of Google was not immediately available for comment. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later, leaving authorities negotiating into the evening for the last two being held. (Representational Image/ AP) Smyrna, Delaware: Inmates at a Delaware prison took four corrections department workers hostage Wednesday, a move the inmates told a local newspaper was due to concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and prompted a state-wide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later, leaving authorities negotiating into the evening for the last two being held. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 am when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. Bratz initially said five employees were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said 27 inmates also had left the building over the course of the evening. Authorities don't know "the dynamics of the takeover" or whether those inmates had been held against their will, Coupe said. One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasn't immediately available. Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Coupe said authorities had been communicating with the hostage-takers via radio. He also noted that inmates in Building C have access to television and could be watching the news conference live. "We'd like to tell them we want to resolve this peacefully," he said. Coupe declined to comment when asked about the phone calls to the News Journal but said a dialogue about issues at the prison could happen later. "Once this matter is resolved safely, then that will be the time to talk if the inmates want to talk about conditions, privileges, those types of things," he said. Delaware Governor John Carney spoke briefly, saying he had talked with the hostages' families. "As you can imagine, it's been very difficult for them as well," the new Democratic governor said. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate there raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours at the Smyrna prison, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. Dover attorney Stephen Hampton, who has represented state inmates in civil rights cases, said complaints have increased in the past year from inmates systemwide about substandard medical care and poor record-keeping. Hampton also said that pretrial inmates at Vaughn and other facilities are locked up for much of the day, without access to gyms or libraries, because rules prohibit mixing pretrial and sentenced inmates. "There gets to be a tremendous pressure on these inmates," who sometimes make deals just to get out, Hampton said. Trump, a billionaire former reality TV star, is known for his capricious moods. (Photo: AP) Washington: President Donald Trump was perhaps not having a gday when he recently spoke with his Australian counterpart, whom the new US leader upbraided over a refugee accord, The Washington Post reported. The new US leader reportedly abruptly cut short his call with Australian Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull after criticizing the countries bilateral refugee agreement and exulting over his electoral college victory in the November election, according to the paper. Australia is considered one of the closest allies of the United States, and one might have expected to the call to be smooth sailing. Turnbull insisted Thursday that relations between the diplomatic partners were strong despite reports that Trump had berated him. The Australian leader refused to comment when asked about the report and whether it was true. I appreciate your interest, but its better that these things -- these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately, he said. I can assure you the relationship is very strong. Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. There were fears the US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance, Turnbull said. But as Australians know me very well -- I stand up for Australia in every forum -- public or private. Trump, a billionaire former reality TV star, is known for his capricious moods. He regularly takes to Twitter to lambast his political opponents, the media and others. A bonfire set by demonstrators protesting a scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos burns on Sproul Plaza on the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo: AP) Los Angeles: US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to withdraw federal funds from UC Berkeley after violent overnight protests against a planned appearance by a controversial editor of conservative news website Breitbart. Hundreds of students and other protesters chanting "shut him down" smashed windows at the University of California campus, set wooden pallets on fire and threw fireworks and rocks as police in full riot gear responded with tear gas. The university was placed on lockdown as the sold-out appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative firebrand, was canceled Wednesday evening. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday. Trump's top political adviser Stephen Bannon is the former chairman of Breitbart News. UC Berkeley is one of the top public universities in the United States. Its operating costs are funded by money from the state of California and tuition fees, as well as grants and government and private contracts. Budget shortfalls About half of research at Berkeley is funded by the federal government, according to the university website. Berkeley however has been struggling in the past years with budget shortfalls and spending deficits. Yiannopoulos, who is the Breitbart technology editor, is known for his provocative social media posts and was banned from Twitter in July for fueling abuse directed at "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones. The British journalist is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump nicknaming the US president "Daddy" during his election campaign and has become one of the faces of America's "alt-right" movement. Similar protests at the University of California at Davis last month also forced the cancellation of speeches by Yiannopoulos and former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli. The events at Davis and Berkeley were organized by conservative student groups. A similar invitation to speak at UCLA was rescinded and Berkeley was to be the last stop of his tour. Officials at the three University of California campuses stressed that they did not invite Yiannopoulos or endorse his ideas but were committed to free speech. More than 100 UC Berkeley faculty members had signed two letters sent last month to the school's chancellor, urging him to cancel the event. "Although we object strenuously to Yiannopoulos's views - he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event," read one of the letters. They cited as one example an incident in December at the University of Milwaukee where Yiannopoulos, a gay crusader against "political correctness" openly mocked a transgender student, displaying her name and photo on screen. Washington: The new US Secretary of Homeland Security told Fox News late on Wednesday that he hopes the US-Mexico border wall ordered by President Donald Trump can be built in two years. "The wall will be built where it's needed first, and then it will be filled in. That's the way I look at it," retired Marine general John Kelly told Fox. "I really hope to have it done within the next two years." Trump has signed an executive order designed to meet his campaign pledge to build a wall along the 2,000 mile (3,200 km) southern US border, with the stated goal of keeping out undocumented migrants, drugs and criminals. Some 653 miles of border already features fencing that blocks people and/or vehicles. Kelly said that protecting the southern border is "a layered approach" that includes physical barriers as well as technological sensors "and things like that". Kelly, who will oversee the wall's planning and construction, said that the Trump administration officials "already have the authority" under existing law to start the project. Trump has said that his cost estimates for building the wall range from $4 to $10 billion, but other estimates put the price at $11 billion for 400 more miles of fencing. The MIT Technology Review estimated that a 1,000 mile steel and concrete wall would cost $27 to $40 billion. Kelly was optimistic about what he called "the money aspect." "I think the funding will come relatively quickly," Kelly said, adding that construction could begin in just a few months. The White House can divert existing funds toward the project, but the Republican-controlled Congress would need to allocate funds if the wall is to be anywhere near completed. Trump's campaign vow to make Mexicans pay for the wall has caused a diplomatic row and sparked patriotic fervour south of the border. Mexico has categorically ruled out paying for the wall or reimbursing the United States for it. A US woman has been arrested for attempting to murder a man she met on Craigslist, before trying to eat his heart. (Representational Image) Washington: A US woman has been arrested for attempting to murder a man she met on Craigslist, before trying to eat his heart. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the 24-year-old accused had planned to meet a man she met on Craigslist at the Rodeo Inn motel in Lynwood, Washington. Things soon turned ugly when the woman repeatedly asked the victim if he was a murderer. When he did not reply, the woman pulled out a knife from her pocket and started threatening him, the report said. She then proudly boasted that she was a serial killer. She then stabbed the victim several times, before he escaped. The victim somehow managed to inform police authorities from the motel's office. He was immediately rushed to the Harborview Medical Center. Although his condition is said to be stable, he suffered some serious injuries including a punctured lung. Meanwhile, police arrested the accused from the parking lot. She confessed to the crime after interrogation. The accused also told police that she had planned to first kill her date and then eat his heart. The accused is currently being held on a USD1 million bail. The plane skidded off the runaway as it landed at a major airport in heavy rain, the airline said. (Photo: Representational Image/AP) Jakarta: An Indonesian passenger plane carrying 130 people skidded off the runaway as it landed at a major airport in heavy rain, the airline said Thursday, the latest mishap to hit the country's aviation sector. No one was hurt after the Boeing 737-800 operated by Indonesian flag carrier Garuda came off the runway at the airport serving the city of Yogyakarta late Wednesday as it arrived from Jakarta. Adisutjipto International Airport, on Java island, was closed following the incident, with authorities saying it would remain shut until Thursday afternoon to allow the plane to be removed from the area. Services to and from Yogyakarta were axed, with flights supposed to arrive at the busy airport diverted to the nearby city of Solo. The flight was carrying 123 passengers and seven crew, Garuda spokesman Benny Butarbutar said in a statement. Transport ministry spokesman Agoes Subagio said the accident happened due to heavy rain. The Indonesian archipelago relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but has suffered a string of deadly plane crashes in recent years. Yogyakarta airport has faced criticism for its poor safety record. In 2007, 21 people were killed when a Garuda plane overran the runway and burst into flames while landing there. Tokyo: Japanese media reports say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to propose a sweeping economic cooperation initiative meant to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the US when he meets with President Donald Trump later this month. Abe and Trump are expected to meet on February 10. Japanese newspapers cited a draft of the proposal that calls for cooperation on building high-speed trains in the US northeast, Texas and California. Japan would share technology on artificial intelligence, robotics, small-scale nuclear power plants, space and Internet technology. The reports on Thursday said the government pension fund may invest in the projects. Government officials did not immediately respond to questions about the proposal. The plan is seen as a move by Abe to pre-empt complaints over Japan's perennial trade surplus with the US. Britain on Wednesday moved one step closer to a final separation from the EU as members of the UK parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing the government to begin Brexit negotiations. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP) London: A 4-month-old baby boy has become part of Brexit history after he was allowed inside the House of Commons along with his MP mother who interrupted her maternity leave to vote on triggering Britain's divorce from the EU. Norwich MP Chloe Smith's baby Alastair made history as first infant of a Conservative MP to be taken into the House of Commons chamber. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow had his hands full during the 17 hours of debate on legislation to pave the way the UK's exit from the European Union. But he did not flinch as Smith brought her four-month-old baby to the Commons to support the Government in a vote on the European Union (Notification Of Withdrawal) Bill, Eastern Daily Press reported. Britain on Wednesday moved one step closer to a final separation from the EU as members of the UK parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing the government to begin Brexit negotiations. Smith, 34, said last week she would be travelling from her Norwich North constituency to vote on "the central issue ofour times". And when she arrived in the chamber with her son Alastair, they got a warm welcome from Bercow. "I say to the honourable lady, don't be sheepish about it," the Speaker said. "The little baby is welcome to come in. There's no problem," he said. The Norwich North MP took her four-month-old through the voting lobby, where she also met Prime Minister Theresa May. Smith and her husband Sandy McFadzean's son Alastair Hugh was born last September. "Whichever way you look at it, this was a bit of history and it'll be a privilege to be able to tell our son he was there," Smith was quoted as saying. She was told he was one of the first babies ever in the Chamber by Speaker John Bercow, who gave her permission to bring in the infant. It is believed that only a Liberal Democrat and a Labour baby have previously been in the House of Commons chamber before. Parents have spoken out in the past about the fact that Parliament is not geared up for young families. MPs do not automatically get maternity leave as they are classed as self-employed and have to negotiate leave with party whips. London: The British government on Thursday presented its Brexit strategy to parliament, publishing 12 objectives that it believes will secure "a new, positive and constructive partnership" with the EU. Brexit minister David Davis unveiled the "White Paper" to the House of Commons, a day after MPs there approved the first stage of a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start pulling Britain out of the European Union. May insisted that the government did "not approach these negotiations expecting failure, but anticipating success" in the foreword to the paper, entitled "The United Kingdom's exit from and new partnership with the European Union". She called on both sides of the debate to move on from the bitter referendum campaign and aftermath of the shock June 23 vote. "After all the division and discord, the country is coming together," she said. "The referendum was divisive at times. And those divisions have taken time to heal. "The victors have the responsibility to act magnanimously. The losers have the responsibility to respect the legitimacy of the outcome. And the country comes together," she said. The document confirmed that Britain would be leaving the EU's single market in order to control immigration, but Davis said the government would seek a "bold and ambitious free trade agreement" and "a new positive and constructive partnership". Davis stressed that it was the government's "firm view that it's in the UK's interest for the European Union to succeed". Opposition Brexit minister Keir Starmer criticised the government for releasing the 77-page document minutes before the debate in parliament, and called on Davis to guarantee the rights of EU citizens in Britain. Davis said Britain would not be "throwing any people out" as a result of Brexit, but that he needed similar assurances from EU leaders over the fate of British residents on the continent. MPs on Wednesday approved a bill that would allow the government to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and formally begin two years of exit negotiations, by a margin of 498 to 114. It was the first Brexit-related vote in the House of Commons, coming after more than 17 hours of debate, with a second and final vote in the lower house set for next week before expected approval by the House of Lords next month. London: President Donald Trump's closest advisor thinks the US will fight a war with China in the next five to 10 years over the strategic South China Sea claimed by the Communist giant, British media reported. "We're going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years, aren't we?" Steve Bannon, a far-right figure, who has been given unprecedented power in the White House Bannon said on his radio show in March 2016. He said suggested that the US and China are headed towards war over the South China Sea. "There's no doubt about that. They're taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face and you understand how important face is and say it's an ancient territorial sea," the Independent quoted him as saying. Tensions between the China and the US and Japan, as well as other countries, have increased in recent years over a dispute about who exactly owns the part of the Pacific Ocean. China says nearly the entire South China Sea falls within its territory, with half a dozen other countries maintaining partially overlapping claims. China has built a series of artificial islands on reefs and rocks in attempt to bolster its position, complete with military-length airstrips and anti-aircraft weapons. The strategic South China Sea is rich in energy reserves, fishery resources and is a busy shipping route. Bannon's sentiments and his position in Trump's inner circle add to fears of a military confrontation with China, after US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said that the US would deny China access to the seven artificial islands, the Guardian said. Since Trump's election, and the anti-Chinese rhetoric that marked the campaign that preceded it, the relationship between China and the US has become increasingly fraught. Last week a senior Chinese military official said that war with the US is "not just a slogan" and that it was becoming a "practical reality". The same official called for increased military deployments in the East and South China Seas to guard the area, according to the South China Morning Post. Bannon's views are coming under increased scrutiny as he ascends to power within the White House. Over the weekend it emerged that Bannon had been appointed to a committee on which only senior generals usually sit. Damascus: Seven-year-old Bana Alabed who shot to fame with her tweets on the situation in Aleppo, has appealed to US President Donald Trump to help refugees and children in her country in her new video. "Have you ever had no food, no water for 24 hours? Just think of refugees and the children of Syria," Bana wrote on Twitter. my video to Trump. " Mr @realdonaldtrump have u ever had no food & water for 24 hrs? Just think of refugees & the children of Syria." pic.twitter.com/qbaZGp0MvB Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) February 1, 2017 A day before her new video, Bana had responded to Trump's tweet on the travel ban asking him if she was a terrorist. Earlier this week, Trump had signed an executive order blocking citizens from seven Muslim countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. He had also placed an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. His order was widely criticised by many, with thousands of people protesting against the ban. Last month, Bana wrote a letter to Trump appealing him to help the children of Syria. I am part of the Syrian children who suffered from the Syrian war, she wrote, according to a transcript of the letter her mother sent to the BBC. She told Trump her school in Aleppo was destroyed by the bombing and some of her friends had died. Right now in Turkey, I can go out and enjoy. I can go to school although I didnt yet. That is why peace is important for everyone including you. However, millions of Syrian children are not like me right now and suffering in different parts of Syria, she wrote. You must do something for the children of Syria because they are like your children and deserve peace like you. Photos have gone viral on social media and were widely published in local newspapers, sparking a welter of criticism. (Photo: Videograb) Dhaka: Bangladesh authorities ordered an investigation on Thursday after images of a politician and a then wealthy businessman clambering over groups of students who had been forced to form a human chain went viral. Parents lodged complaints this week after dozens of students were made to stand and form a bridge out of their bodies for an elected mayor who then walked over them in the central district of Chandpur. It was followed by a similar incident in which an businessman was seen walking on the shoulders of students in a celebration to mark his donation of a piece of land to a school in the district of Jamalpur. Photos of have since gone viral on social media and were widely published in local newspapers, sparking a welter of criticism. "This is a very disturbing and bizarre incident. I've directed the police to take the necessary legal steps," Shahabuddin Khan, chief government administrator of Jamalpur district, told AFP. "The students' parents said they did not send their kids to school be part of this kind of thing which have a negative impact." Chandpur's district administrator appeared to defend the mayor Nur Hossain, who is a ruling Awami League party official, saying it was a traditional celebration for an honoured guest. "But we've an ordered investigation. We are trying to find out whether the elected official did it intentionally," he told AFP, adding the mayor has since "apologised for his action". It was not immediately clear whether either man had actually broken the law but there were widespread calls on Facebook for their arrest on the grounds they had humiliated students. "The people who organise and participate in such events should be punished. We don't need any tradition which requires belittlement of human beings," one Facebook user Ariul Islam wrote. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has denied reports that its aircraft was used to airlift a horse to Qatar as a gift from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (Photo: ANI) Islamabad: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has denied reports that its aircraft was used to airlift a horse to Qatar as a gift from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. "It is clarified that the news aired on some channels regarding the airlifting of a horse to Qatar in a C-130 aircraft is baseless and incorrect," said a PAF spokesperson. The spokesperson added that the PAF strongly denies the content of this news. The Dawn quoted a letter as saying that a "special aircraft (C-130) carrying a horse will travel to Qatar on 1 February, 2017 instead of 28 January, 2017". The letter added that the "horse is a gift from the Prime Minister of Pakistan to the Emir of Qatar State" adding "The diplomatic flight clearance should be valid for 72 hrs for the journey." The letter was sent by the deputy chief of protocol in the Foreign Ministry. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb also clarified that the horse was to be gifted to the emir during his visit to Pakistan and said the news was baseless and no horse was airlifted to Qatar. The Dongfeng-5C missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China, the report said. (Photo: Representational Image/AP) Beijing: China has reportedly tested a new version of a missile that can carry up to 10 nuclear warheads, signalling a major shift in its nuclear capability as Beijing gears up for a possible military showdown with the US under the leadership of President Donald Trump. The flight test of the DF-5C missile was carried out last month using 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, or MIRVs, the Washington Free Beacon reported. The test of the inert warheads was monitored closely by US intelligence agencies, said two officials familiar with reports of the missile test. The Dongfeng-5C missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China, the report said. The missile is a new variant of the DF-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile that first went into service in the early 1980's. "The [Defence Department] routinely monitors Chinese military developments and accounts for PLA capabilities in our defence plans," Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross was quoted as saying by the report. For decades, the US has put the estimated number of warheads in China's nuclear arsenal at about 250. But the report suggested that the latest test with 10 warheads meant the actual number could be larger. China also began adding warheads to older DF-5 missiles in February last year, according to US intelligence agencies. US defence officials have previously warned that China's rapid development of long-range ballistic missiles, coupled with a lack of transparency about its nuclear capabilities, could bring uncertainty to stability in the region. The timing of the test coincided with the election of Donald Trump as US President who signalled a tougher stance against China over a range of issues, from the trade deficit to Beijing's military build-up in the disputed South China Sea. Chinese military expert from an institute affiliated with the People's Liberation Army, (PLA) said a new test would not have been aimed at Trump. "The test of a nuclear missile requires permission from the highest level - the Central Military Commission. It takes at least one year for the military to get the approval and to prepare for it," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted unnamed expert as saying. "It is not a random decision to be made just because Trump is now in office," the expert said. Although China had made steady progress in nuclear arms development in recent years, the government had no plans to drastically adjust its nuclear policy, the expert said. Also recent commentaries in the official media here said China is stepping up preparedness for a possible military conflict with US after Trump election. A commentary in the official website of People's Liberation Army's (PLA) said on January 20 the day Trump assumed Presidency that the chances of war have become "more real" amid a more complex security situation in Asia Pacific. The commentary written by an official at the national defence mobilisation department in the Central Military Commission, China's overall military high command said the call for a US rebalancing of its strategy in Asia, military deployments in the East and South China Seas and the instillation of a missile defence system in South Korea were hot spots getting closer to ignition. "A war within the President's term or war breaking out tonight are not just slogans, they are becoming a practical reality," the commentary said. Recent images purporting to show China's Dongfeng-41 missile have surfaced on Chinese websites with reports suggesting that Beijing has deployed them in Heilongjiang province, which borders Russia. The missile, with a range of 14,000 km and a payload of 10-12 nuclear warheads, is considered one of the military's most powerful. Global Times, a state-run tabloid in a recent commentary said the deployment of the DF-41 was a "strategic deterrence tool" and Beijing would "ready itself for pressures imposed by the new US government". A father-daughter duo was rescued alive from the debris of an under-construction building which had collapsed in Kanpur's Jajmau area with police booking a local SP leader and a contractor for negligence. Teams of army and NDRF this morning rescued the 9-year-old girl and her father from the building's debris. The duo received minor injuries in the incident, a senior official said, adding that total seven persons were killed in the incident and 18 injured. Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) OSD D D Verma last night complained to Chakeri Police that Mehtab Alam was getting the building illegally constructed and for which KDA had served him a notice on November 23, 2016, Senior Superintendent of Police Aakash Kulhari said. But as Alam did not reply to the notice, the said building was sealed by the KDA on December 26, last year. However, the construction was yesterday again started after illegally breaking the seal, he said quoting the complaint. On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was last night registered against Alam and his contractor under relevant sections of IPC including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Kulhari said. Police today raided Alam's house but he was not found. Alam and his contractor both are absconding, he said. Meanwhile, KDA Secretary Jaishree Bhoj has constituted a two-member team to probe the incident within seven days. Two more bodies were recovered today at 11.30 AM. Two persons presumed to be dead yesterday are battling for life, Kanpur IG Zaki Ahmed said. DIG Rajesh Modak had yesterday said that seven persons have died in the incident but the senior officer today clarified that two persons presumed to be dead are actually battling for their life. Rescue and relief operations will continue today, the second day also as over a dozen persons are suspected to be trapped under the debris, the SSP said. Kulhari said the NDRF team is not being able to use JCB and other heavy machineries to remove the debris as it is suspected that many more people could be trapped under it. Chief Medical Officer, Kanpur, Ramayan Prasad said the number of injured in the incident has increased to 18, four of them critically. He informed that a team of doctors is deployed at the mishap spot. He said out of the five dead, four are men and one woman and the bodies have been kept in Ursula hospital and Health hospital. The two bodies recovered today have not been sent to mortuary yet. At least seven labourers were killed after top floors of the seven-storey under-construction building started falling yesterday in Kanpur. A 38-year-old hijab-wearing cop has sued the New York Police Department, saying that fellow officers bullied her by calling "terrorist, Taliban" and while others tried to tear the headscarf off her head, media report said today. Danielle Alamrani who joined the department in 2006, was converted to Islam a year later. She started getting harassed, bullied and even beat up when she began wearing a hijab to work in 2008, according to a new lawsuit. Once she started going to work in head garb, Alamrani's fellow officers retaliated by calling her names like "terrorist" and "Taliban" and telling her "that she should not be a police officer," claimed in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court. Things got so bad that in 2012 she was "physically attacked" by two officers who "attempted to rip her Hijab off of her head," the New York Post quoted the lawsuit as saying. The officers, including the equal employment opportunity liaison for her district, screamed "Muslim bitch" while they attacked her and said "I will punch you in the face," according to the lawsuit. Alamrani said she has social media evidence of the harassment. She collected the evidence in 2015 after a fellow officer posted pictures of her in her hijab at the gun range on Facebook. That prompted her co-workers, who didn't like what they saw, to make comments such as "fking disgrace." They also called her a "moving target," the lawsuit said. "Many comments included threats of violence," said her lawyer Jesse Curtis Rose. Alamrani said she is seeking damages in an amount to be determined at trial. President Donald Trump's order to bar travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries is not the best way to protect America from terrorists and can spread "anxiety and anger", UN chief Antonio Guterres has said and called for lifting the ban. "In my opinion this is not the way to best protect the US or any other country in relation to the serious concerns that exist about possibilities of terrorist infiltration. I don't think this is the effective way to do so. These measures should be removed sooner rather than later," Guterres told reporters here, responding to questions on the travel and refugee ban imposed by the US. The UN Secretary-General emphasised that it is important not to have measures that "spread anxiety and anger" because then "we help trigger the kind of recruitment mechanisms that these (global terrorist) organisations are now doing everywhere in the world," he said. Guterres cautioned that banning people and refugees from entering other nations will not ensure that terrorists will not infiltrate as the extremist groups could circumvent measures and look at other ways to target nations and their citizens. The international community is dealing with "very sophisticated global terrorists originations", he said, adding that if terror groups want to attack any country they will not send people with passports from "hotspots of conflict". "They might come with passports from the most developed, credible countries or use people that have been for decades present in the country itself," he said. On the possibility that the Trump administration will cut US funding to the UN, Guterres said he will not comment on something that has not yet occurred. "Sometimes we talk too much about things that have not happened and when we talk too much about things that have not happened, you trigger the happening of those things. I will not be making comments on possibilities to enhance those possibilities to possibly be a reality," he said. Guterres stressed he will do "whatever" he can to prove the added value of the UN, to recognise the UN needs reforms and to believe that those reforms will be the best way to guarantee the support of all member states including US and its new administration. On the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees entering the US, Guterres said resettlement of refugees is in many situations the only possible solution. "The US has always been in the forefront of refugee settlement and Syrians at the present moment have more dramatic needs in the world. I strongly hope that the US will be able to reassess its very solid refugee protection in resettlement and I hope Syrians will not be excluded in that process," he said. Trump's controversial executive order, signed on Friday, halted the entire US refugee programme for 120 days, indefinitely banned Syrian refugees, and suspended all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia. Cab aggregator Uber today said it has roped in former Tata Sons executive Madhu Kannan as Chief Business Officer, India and Emerging Markets. The appointment, effective February 3, will see Kannan playing a critical role in further strengthening Uber's presence in India that is its second largest market in terms of number of trips taken. "As a key member of Uber's regional leadership team, Madhu will be responsible for growing Ubers business in India as well as across new emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region, through strategic partnerships and investment opportunities," Uber said in a blogpost. Kannan joins Uber from Tata Sons, where he was the Group Head of Business Development & Public Affairs. Previously he was the CEO of Bombay Stock Exchange Limited and has also worked as Managing Directors at Merrill Lynch and NYSE Group. "With his background and experience in India and Asian emerging markets, his appointment reinforces our commitment to continue to invest and grow our presence and unlock the full potential of ridesharing in the region," Uber President Business (Asia Pacific) Eric Alexander said. Kannan holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, a Masters in Economics from BITS Pilani, and a MBA from Vanderbilt University. US President Donald Trumps executive order indefinitely suspending the resettlement programme for Syrian refugees and temporarily banning people of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US is callous, illegal and dangerous. By suspending the resettlement programme, America has slammed its doors on thousands of Syrians who are fleeing a war-ravaged country. In doing so, the US is breaching international refugee conventions. It is violating a refugees right to non-refoulement or not to be sent back to a country where they risk facing violence or persecution. Among the refugees being kept out by the Trump order are people who worked with the US troops, providing them vital support by acting as translators and guides. Their lives being under threat back home thanks to the help they gave Americans, President Barack Obama had promised them asylum in the US. They have valid papers for entering the US and were pinning their hopes on a safe home there. But the Trump administration has cruelly abandoned them. The US President apparently feels no sense of obligation of responsibility for them. Nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen have been temporarily banned from entering the US under the new rules. It is obvious that extreme prejudice against Muslims and their stereotyping as terrorists underlies the choice of countries. Trump has claimed that people from these countries are a national security concern for the US. Not only is he branding the people of an entire country as a threat but also he is factually incorrect. None of the perpetrators of any major attack in the US since 9/11 have come from these countries. There is a view that if it is to keep out people from countries whose nationals were involved in terror attacks in the US, Trump should be banning people from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Trumps order may not go to make the US safer. On the contrary, it will make the US vulnerable to attacks and retaliatory action. The US relations with other countries, including its traditional allies will be adversely impacted. It will undermine Americas stature as a country that has historically provided a home to those fleeing persecution. If Trump is indeed genuinely committed to the security of Americans, he should act to halt easy access to guns. After all, more Americans die due to gun homicides annually than attacks by foreign terrorists, who came to the country as asylum seekers. It is evident that it is not security concerns but politics that is driving the Trump administrations agenda. His executive order has deepened the political divide in the US and is fuelling racist discourse and xenophobia. America must resist this unconscionable and dangerous order. Indian software companies need to stop sending people on H1-B visas and focus on local hiring in the US, Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said today amid rising concerns over Donald Trump administration's proposals to restrict inflow of foreign workers. Stating that by and large Indian mindset is always to take the "soft option", Murthy -- one of the pioneers of India's IT outsourcing industry -- said becoming multi- cultural is not easy and is a "very, very hard option". "They (Indian software companies) must recruit American residents in the US, Canadians in Canada, British people in Britain etc. That's the only way, we can become a true multi-national company and in order to do that, we should stop using H1-B visas and sending a large number of Indians to those countries to deliver services," Murthy told NDTV. He added that recruitment from colleges should be done and local people be trained to add value to Indian companies. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms. Also, the recent introduction of a US bill (Lofgren Bill) that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000 from USD 60,000 has made the industry worried. Any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. "I think even if the executive order comes, we should look at it more as opportunity for Indian companies to become more multi-cultural than we have been, rather than looking at it as a lacuna," Murthy said. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports. Analysts are of the opinion that Indian tech companies could easily witness around 60-70 per cent rise in salaries of H-1B visa dependent workforce, leading to a 5-10 per cent hit on the margins, depending on the total base of employees currently on H1-B visas. Asked why Indian companies were in panic over the protectionist stance of the new US administration, Murthy said Indian companies will have to learn to work with non-Indian professionals and become more multi-cultural. "I think by and large, the Indian mindset is always to take the soft option. Becoming multi-cultural is a very, very hard option, it's not easy. Our managers will have to learn with non-Indian professionals, how to get the best out of them, how to work in teams that are multi-cultural, how to make sure that we understand the rules of crossing cultures," he said. Murthy added that this was the "only way" to remove the risk of government mandating things like the executive order. Children awakened with a high-pitch cry in the early morning. Then the youths began having seizures and slipping into comas. In about 40% of cases, they died. Three years ago, Dr Rajesh Yadav, an investigator with the India Epidemic Intelligence Service, moved to the city of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, the site of one of the countrys most mysterious outbreaks. And he waited. Every year in mid-May, as temperatures reached scorching heights, parents took children who had been healthy the night before to the hospital. The children awakened with a high-pitch cry in the early morning, many parents said. Then the youths began having seizures and slipping into comas. In about 40% of cases, they died. Every year in July, with the arrival of monsoon rains, the outbreak ended as suddenly as it began. Beginning in 1995, investigations variously ascribed the phenomenon to heat stroke; to infections carried by rats, bats or sand flies; or to pesticides used in the regions ubiquitous litchi orchards. But there were few signposts for investigators. Instead of occurring in clusters, the illness typically struck only one child in a village, often leaving even siblings unaffected. A joint investigation by Indias National Centre for Disease Control and the India office of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, published in the British medical journal The Lancet Global Health on Tuesday, has identified a surprising culprit: the litchi fruit itself, when eaten on an empty stomach by malnourished children. In 2015, as a result of the investigation, health officials began urging parents in the area to be sure to feed young children an evening meal and to limit their consumption of litchis. In two seasons, the number of reported cases per year dropped to less than 50 from hundreds. It was an unexplained illness for so many years, said Padmini Srikantiah, a senior epidemiologist with the CDC and the senior author of the paper. This is kind of emblematic of why we collaborate, to build this kind of systematic approach. The Lancet article walks through a two-year medical detective story, as epidemiologists like Yadav closely examined the lives of hundreds of afflicted children, trying to understand everything they had eaten, drunk and breathed. It was a very intense situation, because we witnessed children dying in front of our eyes every day, as soon as they arrived at the hospital, said Yadav, who now works with the CDC in Atlanta. Especially difficult were the detailed interviews of parents, many of whom had carried a convulsing or comatose child for hours to get to the hospital. They were in a kind of panic, he said. Their children were dying, and it was an unknown thing. The first clue: There was no evidence the children had infections. For 20 years, clinicians were unable to determine if the disease, which led to acute brain swelling known as encephalopathy, was caused by an infection the immediate assumption in many outbreaks here. Investigators pored over records from the previous years outbreak and were struck by the fact that many of the sick children did not have a fever. Analysis of spinal fluid samples overwhelmingly showed that the affected children did not have elevated counts of white blood cells, a sign the body is fighting infection. The second clue: Most of the victims had very low blood sugar levels. Having collected biological samples from more than 300 children, the researchers were able to scan a large number of markers including some they hadnt suspected. Glucose had never been a particular concern for investigators. But some of the affected children had strikingly low levels, and those with low blood glucose were twice as likely to die, Srikantiah said. It seemed to be a little signal, she continued. One of the things we heard multiple times from the childrens mothers was that they didnt really eat dinner properly. The third clue: Outbreaks had been associated with the ackee fruit. It was in the fall of 2013, during a conference call with colleagues in Atlanta, that someone mentioned Jamaican vomiting sickness, an outbreak in the West Indies that for many decades caused brain swelling, convulsions and altered mental states in children. Deadly toxin The outbreak turned out to be tied to hypoglycin, a toxin found in the ackee fruit that inhibits the bodys ability to synthesise glucose, leading to acute hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose levels. It had been going on for a decade, if not a century, before people really figured out what it was, Srikantiah said. Now, the grandmothers and the mothers teach their kids, Dont eat the unripe ackee fruit. By late 2014, laboratory tests confirmed that litchis also contain high levels of hypoglycin, as well as a similar toxin known as methylenecyclopropyl glycine, or MCPG. This was an answer hiding in plain sight. The Muzaffarpur area produces about 70% of Indias litchi harvest, and around the affected villages, you really couldnt go 100 meters without bumping into a litchi orchard, Srikantiah said. Though orchards were typically guarded by caretakers, children often ate litchis that were unripe or that had fallen to the ground. But because everyone in the region eats them, it was difficult for many to believe that, in isolated cases, it could set off a catastrophic illness. The fourth clue: Affected children had huge metabolic imbalances. By early 2015, CDC laboratories had developed a test to measure hypoglycin in urine. They found extraordinary abnormalities in the affected children. The folks in the genetic labs said We havent seen anything like this, Srikantiah said. This was clearly abnormal. With that established, the investigators asked participants if they would be comfortable issuing recommendations based on their findings: that young children in the affected areas be encouraged to always eat an evening meal, and that consumption of litchis should be limited. Everyone agreed. And it was done. In a bid to encourage online education, and help students in accessing high quality resources, the government is planning to launch the SWAYAM platform with at least 350 online courses. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced in the Budget that this would enable students to virtually attend the courses taught by the best faculty, access high-quality reading resources, participate in discussion forums, and take tests and earn academic grades. He also added that access to SWAYAM will be widened by linkage with DTH channels that are dedicated to education. HelloClass CEO and co-founder Prakash Rengarajan lauded the launch of the new platform. Using DTH channels to link online courses will provide access to high-quality education resources for students, and will be beneficial to students in the rural areas of the country, Rengarajan said. HelloClass is into online tutoring and curriculum-based assessments, among others. Commenting on this new platform, Coursera Chief Business Officer Nikhil Sinha said, Online education is an important component of the countrys ability to expand higher education and SWAYAM alone wont be the answer to making high-quality education widely available. The government also needs to reduce the regulatory hurdles for good quality private online education providers, both domestic and international. The finance minister also announced extending Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKK) to more than 600 districts across the country, and about 100 India International Skills Centres will be established. These centres would offer advanced training and also courses in foreign languages. Jaitley also announced the launch of the Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion Programme (SANKALP) at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore. SANKALP will provide market relevant training to 3.5 crore youth. Wisdomjobs.com Founder and CEO Ajay Kolla said the focus on developing a skill-ready workforce will be key to generating more job opportunities in the future. He said skill centres will ensure that talent is tapped from tier II, III and IV cities as well. With the SANKALP and STRIVE programmes, the government continues its emphasis on skill development. However, skill development needs to go hand-in-hand with job creation and the government needs to focus on increasing employment in the formal sector, said Sinha. If Congress party has to survive, then a person belonging to Dalit community has to be made the chief minister, Congress senior leader B Janardhana Poojary said. He told reporters on Thursday: Home Minister G Parameshwara is the right candidate for the chief ministers post and people too will love to have him as the chief minister. But some leaders in the party are doing circus to stop him from becoming the chief minister. There is Shani Kaata within the party. He also said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been ignoring the party workers though they built the party. He has been ignoring the original Congressmen, Poojary criticised. Citing a TV channels report, he said that the US is preparing itself for the World War III and if it happens, then India will be nowhere. At a time when the US and China are building bunkers to survive, India is doing nothing, he said. To a query on budget, Poojary said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is trying to satisfy all. But no government can satisfy all, he said. He said 130 taluks in the state have been declared as drought-hit. The state has not received any significant contribution from the Centre for drought relief though it has a number of elected parliamentarians, he criticised. A two-day workshop on Smart cities mission- Karnataka, a planning and initiation meet for information and communication technology (ICT) solutions, has been organised on February 3 and 4 at Hotel Ocean Pearl in the city. This could prove a first step towards making Mangaluru a smart city. It will be inaugurated by Urban Development Minister R Roshan Baig at 9.30 am. As many as 150 people including seven World Bank experts, besides state-level officers, commissioners of respective corporations, 60 corporators from the MCC are expected to attend the workshop. Mangaluru City Corporation Commissioner Mohammed Nazeer said on Thursday, The workshop aimed at preparing common plans for the six cities selected to be developed under the very project Mangaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Davangere, Shivamogga and Tumakuru. According to the handout of the MCC, the morning session on the inaugural day is restricted to presentations from various corporations, while the post noon sessions will have foreign experts presentations on Smart Transport Solutions, Smart Power/ Street Light Management, Smart Energy Management, Smart Solid Waste Management, Smart Water System and ICT Infrastructure. The second and the final day will have discussions among representatives of the cities facilitated by the World Bank. Speaking on preparations for the implementation of the project, Nazeer said the mandatory special purpose vehicle (SPV) named Mangaluru Smart City Corporation has been registered, while tenders have been invited for project management consultant (PMC). The PMC will be tasked with preparing a detailed project report (DPR) that may take one year to take shape. In the MCC limits alone, 1,625 acres have been identified for area-based development (ABD) under the project. The officer said, as per procedure, both the Centre and state will release Rs 100 crore each annually for five years totalling Rs 1,000 crore towards phase-wise implementation of the project. MLA H S Prakash and Satyamangala gram panchayat members staged a protest on Thursday, urging the authorities concerned to handover one of the borewells on the premises of the Hassan Veterinary College to the gram panchayat. The MLA and members, who visited the college and gathered information on the availability of water, learnt that water from two of the five borewells is being wasted. Condemning this, they resorted to a flash protest in front of the college deans office. Prakash explained that the villagers of Satyamangala, Haralahalli and Chikkahonehalli had parted with their lands for the college. Now, they are facing severe water problem. Water is not available even after digging 1,000 feet. The water supplied through tankers is not regular due to financial constraints. Hence, one of the borewells on the college premises should be handed over to the GP, at least, for the next two months, so that water can be supplied through pipes, he appealed. The MLA pointed out that excess water from the two borewells, which is being used for construction purpose, are let into the drains. Several pleas to the Dean, seeking permission to use one of the borewells, have failed to elicit any response. The issue has been brought to the notice of the Assistant Commissioner and Tahsildar. The Deputy Commissioner too is not responding to the issue, he complained. Speaking to DH, in-charge Dean Dr Shivakumar said, Water from three borewells is being used by the college to grow fodder, maintenance of domestic animals and for the domestic use of the students. The Assistant Commissioner had suggested to spare one of the borewells for the Haralahalli gram panchayat for drinking purpose. But I dont have the power. The issue was brought to the notice of the Registrar of Bidar University, who had replied that the borewell cannot be handed over to the GP. But if required, water can be filled here and supplied to the villages through tankers, he clarified. Yoga in South Korea WDU Provost Prof Jong Soon Sue, who was the guest of honour, said the awareness about Yoga has been increased tremendously in South Korea. Practice of Yoga illuminates the consciousness and those who practise Yoga become more humane. Yoga is an indispensable part of Indian Culture, she said. Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala, Scientific Physiology Research Department research officer and surgeon Dr S D Pathak was the chief guest. Department Head Dr K Krishna Sharma was present on the occasion. The training programme will be held till February 5. Theoretical and practical sessions on Yoga will be held. Satvik food will be provided to the participants. Mangalore University Vice Chancellor K Byrappa said the university has a plan to extend the Human Consciousness and Yogic Sciences Department into a full-fledged Yoga centre. He was speaking at the inaugural function of international Yoga teachers training organised by the department and Dharmanidhi Yogapeetha, in association with Wonkwang Digital University (WDU), South Korea, at Mangalagangothri here on Thursday.Prof Byrappa said the department is the only department among the universities in the state offering both postgraduation as well as a PhD course in Yoga. The department has gathered special appreciation from the University Grants Commission, he added. He said the university has been conducting certificate and diploma courses in Yoga at Mangalagangothri campus and University College campus in Mangaluru, he added.Speaking about the tie-ups with foreign universities, Prof Byrappa said the university has signed a memorandum of understanding with Wonkwang Digital University (WDU), South Korea, for the exchange of resources. Through a recent correspondence, Indian Embassy in Mosco has shared the interest of the Mosco government to be a part of Mangalore University Yoga Department by partaking in the short-term training courses conducted by the department.The VC submitted a memorandum from the university to the state government seeking funds to establish a full-fledged Yoga centre on the university campus. District In-charge Minister and Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment B Ramanath Rai said Yoga is universally acknowledged. Yoga is the contribution of India to the world towards perfect health. Efforts will be made by the government to establish a full-fledged Yoga centre at Mangalagangothri. Rai added that he has been practicing yoga regularly. India has asked Pakistan to muster the political will to use the evidences available in their country to implicate Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. New Delhi on Thursday said that all evidence required to nail the radical cleric, who masterminded the attacks, was available in Pakistan. The entire conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack case was hatched in Pakistan, said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, on Thursday. He was reacting to a statement by the Pakistan government, which had asked New Delhi to provide Islamabad concrete evidence against Saeed, if it was serious about its allegations. The 26/11 carnage was carried out by 10 LeT terrorists from Pakistan. They sailed from Karachi to Mumbai and killed over 166 people in the three-day attack. The only terrorist to be caught alive, Ajmal Kasab, later told interrogators that he and his accomplices were radicalised by Saeed. All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered by Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan, said Swarup. Saeed, who heads the LeTs political wing Jamat-ud-Dawa, was detained in Pakistan on Monday and was placed under house arrest. Saeed has been placed under house arrest in Pakistan several times: in December 2001 after the terror attack on Parliament; in July 2006 after the Mumbai train blasts and in December 2008 after the 26/11 attacks. He was, however, released later every time. The Court of the Southern District of New York has ruled in favor of Ukraine in the case involving a complaint of Israeli-based SI Group Consort Ltd. for the payment of a $36.8 million debt, according to the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice. SI Group Consort Ltd sought to enforce a $36.8 million judgment in U.S. territory, rendered by the courts of Ukraine in the company favor over the unpaid debt by Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration for waste management services involving removal of hazardous waste (hexachlorobenzene) from the town of Kalush in Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine. The firm demanded that the debt be recovered from Ukrainian assets in U.S. banks, and property and assets owned by Ukrainian state-owned enterprises in the United States. "The ruling of the foreign court is exemplary because it demonstrates the formation of positive practice of Ukraine with respect to judicial immunity of cases involving national courts of foreign governments, i.e. that is based on the presumption of the accepted doctrine 'par in parem non habet imperium' the principle that one sovereign power cannot exercise jurisdiction over another sovereign power, which is the basis of the act of state doctrine and sovereign immunity," the press service said. Soon, teachers in government schools will be asked to counsel students who pass Class VIII and persuade them not to drop out of schools. At a workshop on Karnataka Multi Sectoral Nutrition Projects on Thursday, Subhash Chandra Khuntia, Chief Secretary, government of Karnataka, said that there was a need to extend RTE to secondary education. However, the Union government has not taken any call on this yet, he said. The workshop was organised to discuss the implementation of the nutrition project in Devadurga block, Raichur district and Chincholi block, Kalaburagi district. Under this, energy dense food is being supplied to three inter-generational target groups. Speaking at one of the sessions, Alok Kumar, advisor, NITI Aayog said, one in two women is anaemic, one in three children is stunted, one in four children is malnourished and one in five children is wasted (low weight-for-height). Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the Kannada film industry on Thursday to produce quality films like Thithi, which he watched recently. Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the ninth edition of Biffes, the chief minister said, Thithi was a unique movie made with a low budget and realistic content. He stressed a quality movie should have a social message and good story. Responding to the request by Rajendra Singh Babu, chairperson of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, that the government look into the issue of multiplexes charging a huge amount for the snacks sold there and not allowing eatables from outside, the chief minister said, I will hold a meeting with multiplex owners and film industry representatives to sort out the issue. Babu requested the chief minister to get multiplexes to screen Kannada films in prime time with minimum two shows per day. Siddaramaiah said the Kannada film industry would grow only if Kannadigas watched Kannada movies in theatres. After a brief lull, chain snatchers seem to have become active again. Four women lost their gold chains in separate but apparently coordinated incidents in northern and northeastern parts of Bengaluru between 5.10 pm and 8.30 pm on Wednesday. Two men, riding a black motorcycle, are suspected to be involved in all the cases. Police are checking the CCTV footage in the localities where the incidents were reported. Basaveshwara Nagar, 5.10 pm The men tailed Lakshmamma as she walked to a temple on 8th main road. The pillion rider snatched her chain. Rajagopala Nagar, 5.30 pm The gang followed Susheela as she headed to the local market. The men waylaid her near the water tank in GKW Layout. One of them lunged at her to snatch the chain but the woman showed grit and held onto the ornament. The chain broke off, and the men were content to flee with just one piece. Sahakaranagar, 6.30 pm Shashi Ram lost her gold chain in a similar manner on 15th main road, 20th Cross, Sahakaranagar, while returning home. Yelahanka, 8.30 pm The men followed Sulochana, a resident of Yelahanka 1st Cross, and snatched her 30-gram gold chain near the Corporation Bank ATM. 4 held for chain-snatchings The Basavanagudi police have arrested four men and recovered Rs 4.80 lakh worth of stolen gold chains, Rs 6,000 in cash and a motorcycle from them. Rahul, 22, a resident of Tavarekere, Sudarshan, 20, from Jigani, Venkatesh, 32, from Electronics City, and Surya, 20, from Veerasandra, were arrested near Cauvery petrol station off Lalbagh west gate when they were reportedly attempting to rob people. Police said the men had earlier snatched the gold chains of women in Siddapura, JP Nagar, Suryanagar and Banashankari. Home minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said foreign students in Bengaluru were creating trouble. He said he would speak to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Centre about them. This was his reaction when reporters drew his attention to the murder of a Ugandan woman in the city on Thursday. Asked whether some JD(S) MLAs would join his party, Parameshwara, who also heads the Congress in Karnataka, said no official discussions had taken place. However, the rebels might have spoken to the chief minister, he said. Six people, including Lokesh and Kiran had gone to a function at Channarayapatna. Around 2 am, while returning to Bengaluru, they heard some sound in the rear of the car when they were travelling near Arishinakunte, off Tumakuru Road. Kiran and Lokesh got down to check the source of the sound, said the police. A speeding truck driver lost control over this vehicle and hit the two from behind. As they fell down and came under the trucks wheels, the driver sped away. Lokesh and Kiran were taken to a nearby hospital and they were declared brought dead. The police said that they were trying to establish the identity of the truck based on the footage from CCTVs installed in the surrounding areas. Two persons were killed on the spot after a truck hit them on National Highway-4 on the outskirts of the city in the early hours of Thursday. The police gave the names of the victims as Lokesh, 25, and Kiran, 26, both residents of Jayanagar. A petition has been filed before the high court seeking direction to the Bengaluru police commissioner to allow the petitioner to use a helicopter to shower petals on his newly constructed house on the day of his house-warming ceremony. The petitioner, M Muniraju, has constructed a house at Mallur village, Varthur hobli in Bengaluru East taluk. The gruhapravesha (house-warning ceremony) is fixed for February 9. He had approached the police commissioner to permit him to use a helicopter to shower petals on his newly constructed house. The petitioner said that he has distributed invitation cards mentioning the petal-showering in it. The police denied permission to use the helicopter. Justice A S Bopanna directed the government counsel to get instructions from the police on permission to use the helicopter. Notice to govt, schools The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the chairman, District Education Regulation Authority (Deputy Commissioner), Krishna International school, New Carmel School and Vidyaniketan school in a petition filed against the District Education Authority for not following the high court directions on school fees. The petitioner, Karnataka Vidyarthigala Poshakara Jagruthi Vedike, had approached the court contending that the DC has not followed directions while adjudicating the dispute between the schools and the students parents in fixing the school fees. Private schools continue to charge huge fees, the petitioner said and sought directions to quash the decision taken recently on the fee structure. Justice S Sujatha ordered notice and adjourned the hearing. Transport Commissioner M K Aiyappa, however, told DH that both the companies had failed to convince the officials about the legality of their service. We had advised them to make representations to the government about bringing a change in the law. They didnt pay heed. We know the benefits of car-pooling. But we have no option but to seize vehicles that offer an illegal service, he said. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy also noted that the government was not against car-pooling. We encourage services that benefit people and welcome initiatives that decongest traffic. But everyone has to work within the ambit of the law, he said. The minister said two representatives of a cab aggregator had approached him on Thursday. I explained to them that legal backing is required as the service involves safety issues. What happens if a woman sharing the ride is molested? The state government was blamed after incidents of molesation on New Years Eve. Who will take the responsibility if something bad happens during ride-sharing, he said. Social media was abuzz with many people expressing anguish at the ban on car-pooling. One user, Veerendra Mishra, tweeted thus, Good service like pooling should be supported not opposed and stopped!! (sic) App-based cab aggregators Ola and Uber are likely to withdraw ride-sharing from Friday onwards as transport authorities warned of a crackdown on the illegal service. The authorities had on Monday given three days to the two companies to shut down ride-sharing.Uber held a press conference on Thursday, hours before the deadline expired, where the companys general manager (Bengaluru) Christian Freese maintained that the service was totally legal. We will meet the officials and convince them about our stand, he said and launched an online petition which drew nearly 14,000 supporters.The companys move indicated that it will run the service UberPOOL defying the governments warning. However, despite repeated queries, neither company stated whether the service will be discontinued from Friday onwards. Freese said car-pooling was the best solution for decongesting traffic on Bengalurus roads. UberPOOL has saved more than 4.4 lakh litres of fuel and cut over 1,000 tonnes of carbon emission, he claimed. Earlier, the BMRCL had set a deadline of February 6 for submission of tender documents. However, several banks approached the corporation for an extension of the deadline, Rao said. We extended the deadline to February 15 after the banks said they were burdened with work post demonetisation. He said the corporation has received good response after the extension and soon, 33 machines will come up at 23 stations to boost commuters convenience. Metro officials noted that banks do not have to spend on additional infrastructure and security measures as BMRCL offers visible spots and total security at its stations. Madhura Raj, who regularly travels between Attiguppe and Trinity stations, said the money dispensing machines at all stations will be of great benefit to commuters like her. That I dont have to go searching for ATMs that have cash is reassuring. There were days when I had to walk for two kilometres to find a working ATM. I look forward to the days when I can withdraw money on the way to work, she said. All Namma Metro stations in the city will soon have ATM kiosks. During the days following demonetisation, people had to stand in long queues at banks and ATM kiosks to withdraw money. But those commuting by Namma Metro were lucky as the kiosks there always had cash. We want to extend this convenience to people travelling from all stations, chief public relations officer of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), U A Vasanth Rao, told DH on Thursday. Social media posts about two policemen helping women, including one from Germany, during their distress, have gone viral. Arasaiah, an assistant sub-inspector, Halasuru traffic police station dropped a pregnant woman home in Rajajinagar in his vehicle while, Muttanna Saravagol, police inspector, suburban police station, Hubballi, bought a train ticket for a German national, who missed her train, and gave her money for her expenses during the journey to Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. Bengaluru is the safest city for women and the police are friendly with public, K D Bhuvana said in her post. A car in which Bhuvana and her husband were travelling developed a technical snag at Trinity Circle on Wednesday. Arasaiah went there as it was causing a traffic jam. Bhuvanas husband called up the service station, but he was asked to bring the car to the station. The towing vehicle did not come even after 9.30 pm. Bhuvana started feeling uncomfortable. She reminded me of my daughter-in-law, who is also pregnant. I asked her husband to take care of his car and dropped her safely at her house in Rajajinagar, Arasaiah told DH. Bhuvana posted the incident on Facebook which has gone viral. It was a different tale in Hubballi involving Gabi Werner, 27, a German national. She is staying at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. She had gone to Tirupati as part of her visits to various universities. She stayed with her yoga teacher at Chitradurga on January 30, 2017. I boarded a private bus to Hubballi on January 31, 2017 to catch the Nizamuddin Express to Delhi at 4.15 pm. I got off the bus after sometime as there was a delay and boarded another bus and reached Hubballi at 4.45 pm, she said. She missed her train and a few passengers advised her to go to the sub-urban police station. We bought her a ticket on the Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express the same night at 9.45 as she had no money. We offered her food and gave some money so that she could reach Mathura safely, Saravagold said. The Karnataka police made me feel proud about India and Indians. The incident has made me stay here longer, she added. Saravagol and his ASIs Veerupakshappa Rayapura and Kalavathi Chandavarkar were with her till she left for Delhi. DG&IGP R K Dutta said: We should appreciate such acts and reward our men. I will discuss with police commissioners of Benglauru and Hubballi-Dharwad in this regard. PrivatBank (Dnipro) denies claims of creditors liabilities of which were exchanged to additionally issued shares during the nationalization of the bank. "It is no secret that temporary administration [the Individuals Deposit Guarantee Fund] jointly with the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) conducted the bail-in transaction when some passives affiliated with former shareholders as the NBU thinks were transferred to capital and set to nil. The bank's eurobonds were included in this pool, which, of course, caused indignation of investors, as they do not understand this logic. We arranged with the NBU that we [new managers] take this bank without these eurobonds. It is not the issue of the bank to comment on this problem," PrivatBank Board Chairman Oleksandr Shlapak said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv on Thursday. He said that the NBU and Deposit Guarantee Fund will give all explanations on all transactions linked to bail-in. Shlapak confirmed that UK SPV Credit Finance Plc remained in ownership of the bank after its nationalization. "As for SPV: yes, we have it on the balance sheet. It was founded solely by PrivatBank and it remains in this status," he said. Shlapak commented on the decision of the bank to unblock accounts of U.S. Cargill at the end of January, despite the fact that they were also included in the bail-in transaction. "Eurobonds and Cargill are different cases. A mistake was done with Cargill in times of temporary administration. We corrected it as soon as possible," he said, adding that the decision on Cargill does not entail the additional capitalization of the bank. Ukrainian poultry products could return to the Israeli market by the end of this spring, Ukraine's Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry has reported. The ministry said on its website on Thursday that the talks between Ukraine's State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Rights Protection and Israel's Veterinary Service are being held. "The resumption of poultry products exports to Israel is an important issue for Ukraine. There are technical formalities. Active work between our countries is being carried out. I hope that the issue will have success," Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Taras Kutoviy said. Head of State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Rights Protection Volodymyr Lapa said that some changes were seen in regulation in Israel. This resulted in a fall in demand on Ukrainian products thanks to internal production. "We are holding a permanent dialog with representatives of Israel's Veterinary Service. Soon our Israeli colleagues will visit Ukraine to make all arrangements," Lapa said. 13:30 02.02.2017 Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Cynical Non-Guilty Verdict by Vinnytsia City Court of Killers of Two Young Men' 1 min read On Thursday, February 2, at 14.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Cynical Non-Guilty Verdict by Vinnytsia City Court of Killers of Two Young Men." The participants will include human rights activist MP Yuriy Karmazin; managing partner of the Profectum law firm Oleh Khriapa, who represents the aggrieved party, Romyhailo; the aggrieved party, Oleksandr Krylov, and his lawyer Andriy Trap (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. More information by phone: (098) 048 1018, (099) 630 7078. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in an interview with German edition Berliner Morgenrost said he is willing to hold a referendum about the prospects of Ukraine's membership in NATO. Answering a question on whether the accession to NATO is a realistic goal for Ukraine, Poroshenko said that first and foremost Ukrainian people's opinion on this issue is important for him. "Four years ago only 16% of Ukrainian people supported the idea of Ukraine joining NATO. Now 54% of Ukrainians support the idea. As a president, I am guided by the views of my people - I will hold a referendum on Ukraine's prospects for membership in NATO," the president said. Poroshenko said that he would do everything possible to achieve NATO membership, if this idea is supported by a referendum. As reported, the best way for Ukraine to guarantee its safety is by joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and, if a referendum on accession were held in the near future, more than three quarters of Ukrainians would vote for it. According to the results of a poll conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Fund named after Ilko Kucheriv together with the sociological service of the Razumkov Centre, the best way to guarantee the country's security is by joining NATO (44.1%). Choosing an unaligned status for the nation was supported by 26.4% of respondents, followed by joining a military alliance with Russia and other former Soviet republics (6.4%). Only 3.9% of those polled favored a military alliance with the U.S. Some 62.2% percent of those polled said they would vote in a referendum on NATO membership if it were held in the near future. Some 22.7% said they would abstain. The poll was conducted from December 16 until December 20, 2016 in all regions of Ukraine, except Crimea and the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, 2,018 of respondents, aged over 18 years, were interviewed. The theoretical margin of sampling error does not exceed 2.3%. This year started with the publication of a very interesting report by researchers at the University of Oxford. Entitled The Impact of Connectivity in Africa: Grand Visions and the Mirage of Inclusive Digital Development, the report goes on to note that vast sums of money have been invested in projects and plans designed to connect the worlds remaining four billion people without an Internet connection. These ambitious schemes often present digital connectivity as an instrument to achieve a range of social and economic developmental goals. This is especially the case for Africa, where Internet penetration rates remain relatively low. However, the researchers then go on to question the impact that connectivity has, writing: there remains a lack of academic consensus about the actual impacts that digital connectivity (i.e. the Internet) will have on economic development. They note it is possible that many of those visions (about the economic benefits of connectivity) are hugely overblown as the current evidence base is mixed and inconclusive. Ultimately, they conclude that we shouldnt accept it as self-evident that ICTs will automatically bring about development. However, for many of us working in rural Africa, the face of someone using a phone for the first time is unforgettable. We see for ourselves on a daily basis how lives are improved by access to reliable voice and data: from e-learning to video-conferencing by medics; from community internet cabins to checking a farming app; from m-money to social media. We dont need to be able to measure the benefits to know that they are real. Put simply, theres no way to quantify the benefits of being able to communicate with a loved one living many miles away. Based on my experience in the field, where we are helping operators and governments to build rural networks, I predict that in 2017 rising oil prices - combined with a real belief in the ability of connectivity to bring increased economic growth - will see an increase in investment in rural telephony and data. I know that many African governments are now actively encouraging companies from across the telecoms ecosystem and beyond for example power companies to build networks in rural areas. I also know that vendors such as Gilat Satcom have spent significant time and investment developing equipment which is being used to rollout commercially sustainable and cost-effective networks in rural areas across Africa. Illegal armed formations on Thursday morning shelled Maryinka, destroying a house. Rescuers are evacuating children from the school near the shelling, Donetsk regional military-civil administration's head Pavlo Zhebrivsky has said. "Russian invaders have just fired at Maryinka. A house is burning in the town. Shells have landed near the school. Units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are putting the fire out and evacuating children from the school," he wrote on his Facebook page. People living at higher altitudes have a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, according to Spanish researchers. Scientists at the University of Navarra suggest that the geographic area in which you live contributes to the risk of metabolic syndrome. This is the medical term for the combination of high blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, which contributes to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. We found that those people living between 457 to 2,297 metres had a lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome than those living at sea level (zero to 121 metres), said co-senior author and PhD candidate Amaya Lopez-Pascual. Obesity, smoking and sedentary behaviours are among the leading risk factors for metabolic syndrome, but not a lot is known about how our environment could affect this risk. The researchers analysed data from a Spanish project that asked participants to submit their health information twice-yearly since 1999. This data was then used to track the development of metabolic syndrome in relation to the altitude of where participants lived, of whom were initially health at the beginning of the study. It was shown that the higher the altitude where a person lived, the less likely they were to develop metabolic syndrome. This association existed even after analysis of family history. Living or training at high altitudes or under a simulated hypoxic [oxygen deficient] environment seems to help with heart and lung function, losing weight, and improves insulin sensitivity, said co-senior author Pedro Gonzalez-Muniesa. Unfortunately, metabolic syndrome is very common and increasing worldwide. Our research will help us understand what factors contribute to its development. The study was published online in the journal Frontiers in Physiology. Be sure to browse through A Growing Boy's Wine Diary , with 10+ years of tasting notes! TAITRA is the Taiwanese Government Body that promotes trade between Taiwan and other countries TAITRA, the Taiwanese Government Body promoting trade between Taiwan and other countries is organising an event in Bangalore to promote Computex 2017. The event is hosted to invite Indian ICT companies to participate at Computex, which is scheduled to be held between May 30 and June 3. Read the complete press release below TAITRA, the Taiwanese Government Body promoting trade between Taiwan and other countries is organizing an event in Bangalore to introduce COMPUTEX 2017, slated for May 30th to June 3rd, 2017 at Taipei, Taiwan. 5 Main Themes The event is hosted to invite Indian ICT companies to participate in the much coveted ICT & IoT trade show and entrepreneurial event. While evolving in sync with global ICT industry trend, COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2017 positions itself as building Global Technology Ecosystems, focusing on 5 main themes: Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Innovation & Startups, Business Solutions, IoT Applications, and Gaming & Virtual Reality. Highlights The Bangalore event will witness the unveiling of COMPUTEX 2017 and highlight Taiwans global leadership position in Information and communication technology, internet-of-things applications, innovation and startup technologies for India. The event will also demonstrate the shows new positioning, themes, featured exhibits and unveil the latest states of the show; attract new potential exhibitors and buyers from India to attend the worlds leading technology stage COMPUTEX Taipei 2017. Startup Ecosystem India is currently a startup hotbed for technology and generously poised at a watershed moment in terms of technology, innovation and service best practices. The event is beneficial for all parties involved. COMPUTEX is a complete end-to-end solution meant to meet the needs of all ICT professionals and more. It builds strategic alliances & ecosystem partners for ICT companies and bridges global startups with investors and manufacturers. 4 Featured Exhibits Computex 2016 saw participation from 1,602 exhibitors, 5,000 booths and 40,969 international visitors from 178 countries. Furthermore, 4 Featured Exhibits are the highlights at COMPUTEX 2017 that compliment the new position and themes of COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2017. Featured exhibits: 1. InnoVEX at COMPUTEX, held for the first time in 2016, debuted with 217 startups from 22 countries, turning out to be the biggest and most influential startup gathering event in Asia. This new established area is an ideal place for innovative and young entrepreneurs to meet investors, manufacturer. A series of events including forum, pitch, demo, meet ups are exclusively for startups only. 2. SmarTEX is the stage for the latest IoT applications. 3. iStyle, is a special showcase for Apple MFi-certified peripherals. 4. Gaming & VR is the ultimate gaming platform for the coolest high-performance gaming products. Investment and Industry between India and Taiwan Economic cooperation in areas of trade, investment and industry between India and Taiwan has been very close in recent years. India ranks as Taiwans 16th largest export destination and 21st largest source of import. The bilateral trade relationship is further enhanced by frequent exchanges of visits by business delegations. Bilateral Economic Consultations Meeting between India and Taiwan is held annually and have proven to be a success in bringing various mutual beneficial opportunities to both sides. Governments and industries of India and Taiwan will continue to engage closely in Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, and Startup India initiatives for collective growth. Mr. Thomas Huang, Deputy Director, Exhibition Department, TAITRA said, We are extremely excited to host the introductory event at Bangalore, Indias ICT hub. We really look forward to top the overwhelming success we saw last year, in this year. Computex 2016 saw participation from 1,602 exhibitors, 5,000 booths and 40,969 international visitors from 178 countries. InnoVEX at COMPUTEX, held for the first time in 2016, debuted with 217 startups from 22 countries, turning out to be the biggest startup gathering event in Asia. We want to relive the achievement this year in an even better, grander and bigger way. COMPUTEX is the total solution to meet the needs of all ICT professionals and more. It builds strategic alliances & ecosystem partners for ICT companies and bridges global startups with investors and manufacturers! Visit the most significant ICT/IoT & startup trade show in Asia from May 30th to June 3rd, 2017. InnoVEX runs for 3 days, from May 30th to June 1st, 2017. During the closed consultations of the UN Security Council on the situation in Avdiyivka, all delegations, except Russia, supported Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maryana Betsa has said. "Closed consultations of the UN Security Council took place at the request of Ukraine. We were supported by absolutely all delegations, including the U.S. I can not say that at least some statement was discordant, except for the Russian one," Betsa said in the air of Channel 5 on Wednesday night. According to her, the results of the meeting of the Security Council once again confirmed Russia's isolation on the issue of the consideration of the Russian aggression. Gmail users on Chrome 53 or older version will be redirected to a HTML version Gmail, the email service from search giant Google will stop working on older versions of the Chrome browser. Google has announced that Gmail will stop working on Chrome 53 or lower versions by the end of this year. Google has a silent update mechanism turned on by default on Chrome which updates the browser to its latest version by default. The updates are installed on the fly in order to fix the security vulnerabilities noticed with the browser. Google says consumers using Gmail on older versions of Chrome will be exposed to security vulnerabilities. With the announcement, Google is making it mandatory for users to switch to at least version 54 of Chrome on their devices. The limitation will disable some of the core features of Gmail on older versions of Chrome. "Users who remain on Chrome v53 and below could be redirected to the basic HTML version of Gmail as early as Dec 2017." This move will mostly affect users running Microsoft's Windows XP and Vista operating system. Google has dropped support for these versions of Windows and the last stable release for these systems was Chrome 49. Google plans to show a banner on top of Gmail encouraging users to upgrade to latest version starting next week. Engineering and technology recruitment firm Gattaca provided a pre-close trading update for the six months to 31 January on Thursday, reporting solid results during a period of some instability in the UK, following the EU referendum in June 2016. The AIM-traded company said it continued to position itself for maximising growth opportunities both in the UK and internationally. Accordingly, whilst the board was still monitoring uncertainty in the wider economy, it continued to invest selectively in strengthening the business to support its medium and longer term performance. Having made such investments over the last 12 months, the phasing of planned client projects in the second half of the year and the improving performance of its IT Division, the board said it has confidence that profit for the full year will be in line with its previous expectations. Net fee income in the period was 35.1m, down 2%, with both contract and permanent fees declining by 2%. In constant currency terms, net fee income was down 5%, with contract down 4% and permanent down 6%. Engineering NFI was down 4% to 21.1m, the board said, with growth in the engineering, technology and aerospace sectors offset by weakness in most other sectors as the time to hire lengthened following the outcome of the EU referendum. Vacancy flow continued to be strong, however. Technology NFI was down 6% to 14.0m, with IT seeing a return to growth, up 1% following a year of decline However, Gattaca said telecoms declined 14%, with a flat year-on-year performance in the UK offset by delays in a number of client projects internationally. The company also announced the acquisition of Resourcing Solutions Limited on Thursday. It said RSL operates from three UK offices in Reading, Uxbridge and Derby, providing specialist contract and permanent candidates to clients operating in the rail, power and built environment sectors. This is a solid set of results, achieved during a period of economic uncertainty in the UK and the US, said Gattaca CEO Brian Wilkinson. We are pleased that demand in the UK for skilled engineers remains robust and vacancy flow is increasing, however uncertainty has led to elongated hiring decisions. Wilkinson said the board was working to strengthen the group, with the aim to become the leading specialist engineering and technology recruiter. We are pleased to have completed the acquisition of Resourcing Solutions Limited, broadening our capability in the UK's rail, power and built environment markets where we are seeing continued investment. The group said it expects to announce its interim results for the six months to 31 January on 20 April. SocGen strategist Albert Edwards agreed with the US president when it came to Germany - but not on China - it was indeed one of the biggest currency manipulators on the planet. "The Donald Administration might be a neo-liberal nightmare, but stripping away some of his more controversial rhetoric on immigration, a lot of what he says on the economic front makes perfect sense to me. "Germany is one of the biggest currency manipulators in the world. Germany aggressively refutes any criticism, let alone does anything about it (unlike China)," Edwards said in a strategy note sent to clients. Berlin's continuing intransigence would have "huge" implications for financial markets and the sustainability of the single currency, Edwards added. "Until the last couple of weeks the markets had embraced only the good bits of his campaign rhetoric and only now they are reappraising, among other things, the likelihood of a trade war, with the Administration turning on Germany." He also agreed with Trump when it came to the difficulty of starting a new business in the States because of excess regulation. "It is even easier to start a new business in France than it is in the US." Donald Trump has upset the applecart once again via Twitter, as he questioned the value of an agreement between the US and Australia which would see 1,250 asylum seekers relocated to America. The deal to bring the refugees from camps in Nauru and Manus Island was agreed to by former US President Barack Obama, but heavily criticised by his successor both through the social media site and during a conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Trump tweeted late on Tuesday. The tweet followed on from reports earlier this week of a fractious phone call between Turnbull and Trump, which was brought to an abrupt halt by the US President. Trump is reported to have referred to the refugee agreement as the "worst deal ever". Turnbull refuted the claims however, saying that he has received assurances from Trump that the agreement would be going ahead. "We have a clear commitment from the president," Turnbull told Melbourne radio station 3AW. "We expect that the commitment will continue." The Australian detention camps have been heavily criticised by the United Nations, with human rights activists claiming the asylum seekers have been subjected to physical and sexual assault by guards. A further phone call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Sunday has also been the subject of a leaked transcript, which appear to show Trump threatening to send US troops over the southern border to deal with so-called "bad hombres", and casting doubt over Mexico's ability to deal with organised crime in the region. Durex and Nurofen maker Reckitt Benckiser confirmed that it is advanced negotiations to buy US baby milk company Mead Johnson for around $16.7bn, a move which could bolster its health products business. The Slough-based consumer goods company, which also makes Cillit Bang and Dettol, said that it is in talks to buy each Mead Johnson share for $90 in cash giving the US company a value of about $16.7bn. Reckitt stressed that there is no certainty that any deal with be reached and that it would finance the possible acquisition from cash and debt, while retaining a strong credit rating. Both the London-listed company and Mead Johnson are currently going through due diligence and contract discussions. The takeover would strengthen its health products business and increase its presence in Asia, where Mead Johnson generates most of its revenues and has 12% share of the baby milk market. There had been many rumours that Mead Johnson would be takeover with Nestle and Danone tipped as likely suitors. French yogurt maker Danone instead bought US organic food company WhiteWave for 12.5bn last year. Steve Clayton, fund manager at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that Reckitt has swooped in when Mead Johnsons stock was close to a five year low and that Reckitts reputation has been built on its brand-building skills and with Mead Johnson having seen consistent downgrades to sales forecasts in recent years, there is clearly work to be done. He said: If the deal goes ahead, Reckitt looks set to pay in cash, so debts could reach as much as four times earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), which is where the oxygen starts to get a bit thin. But the boost to earnings could be very significant. Reckitt needs to convince the market that they have strong plans to reinvigorate the performance of Mead Johnson, and quickly pay down the debts they are taking on. Baby milk is a category with a lot of growth potential, and Mead Johnson is heavily focused on the US and Asian markets, where we expect longer term growth to be strong. The markets initial reaction to the deal is positive, and we can see why. Reckitts track record of reinvigorating brands is a strong one, and they already have strong sales links into pharmacies and supermarkets globally. This could offer interesting synergies for sales of both Reckitt and Mead Johnson brands as the two distribution networks are intertwined. Mead Johnson may have been struggling recently, but free cash flow has been resilient. Reckitt of course is a phenomenal cash generator in its own right and together, the two businesses should be capable of quickly bringing leverage down. "Could this latest supplement keep the 2017 share price recovery on track after H2s waning of sentiment from last summers record highs, the bubble punctured by a brace of guidance cuts and a Q3 results miss? Shares making an upside test of the 200-day moving average. A break could confirm a healthy change of trend," said Michael Van Dulken, Head of Research at Accendo Markets. Shares in Reckitt Benckiser were up 3.05% to 7,038p at 0911 GMT. A government report has called for retraining opportunities for people aged 45 and over and for people approaching retirement age. The report called Fuller Working Lives: A Partnership Approach has said that companies can also do more to plug the gap in the recruitment of older employees, given the ageing demographic of the country as people live longer. In light of this, the government said it has asked John Cridland, the former director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, to carry out an independent review of the state pension age, with his report due in the Spring. The report called for more apprenticeships called an all age programme. It said that in the 2015/16 financial year over 57,700, or 1.3%, of those starting an apprenticeship were aged 45-59 and 3,500 were 60 years and over. According to the Office for National Statistics, adding a year to peoples working lives could add 1% to Britains gross domestic product (GDP) per year, the equivalent of 18bn to the economy in 2015. The report found that by delaying retirement until 65 instead of 55, a male average earner could have 280,000 extra income and might increase his pension pot by 60%. It said that in order to meet future employment demand companies need to develop skills in recruiting, retaining and retraining older workers. The report cited Aviva and Mercer as examples of offering opportunities to attract and retain older workers. Mercer has begun to by publicly declare flexible working options for all suitable roles, started a reverse mentoring programme, opened up rotational working opportunities to all ages and implemented a support for working carers programme. While Aviva has launched a pilot in Bristol supporting carers in the workforce with a view to expanding this throughout the company, launching mid-career reviews for the over-50s and refreshing its apprenticeships programme. The government laid out five actions to support older workers, the first being to to introduce legislation to support Fuller Working Lives, including removal of the default retirement age, reform of the state pension, extending the right to request flexible working to all employees who have six months continuous service with their employer, and reviewing the state pension age. The second was to develop an evidence based case for action by collaborating with academics and researchers. Thirdly, to support those who need more help such as women, carers, people with long-term health conditions and disabilities, and black and minority ethnic groups. The fourth action was to reform the adult skills system with technical education, and provide better options for those already in the workforce by bringing together employers to produce new qualifications. And lastly, to improve the Jobcentre Plus offer for older workers and improve the information available to older workers on the government website. Tom McPhail, head of retirement policy at Hargreaves Lansdown, welcomed today's announcement by the government but was concerned about whether different government departments were working together. Former Chancellor George Osborne introduced new pension freedoms when he announced people would no longer be required to buy an annuity at retirement. McPhail said: The decisions we make as individuals about how much we save, how long we save for and how we invest our money will determine what kind of retirement we enjoy. The role of employers and government lies in making that as easy as possible. We welcome todays announcement however we are currently very concerned about whether the government can deliver a joined-up savings strategy which works for ordinary savers. It appears that at times some government departments are pursuing policies which actively work in opposition to each other. The reduction in the amount someone can pay in after flexibly accessing their pension is a policy which does nothing to enhance longer working lives. Anglo-Swiss miner Glencore said that that its production was in line with guidance for 2016 with an increase in nickel mined and production suspended for copper, zinc, coal and oil. The FTSE 100 company maintained its production guidance for 2017. For calendar 2016, nickel production surged 20% to 115,100 tonnes compared to the previous year, when a scheduled maintenance programme in 2014 affected throughput at the smelter in Sudbury. Copper production was 5% lower to 1.42m tonnes due to suspended production at Glencores African copper assets, this was partly offset by higher grades and throughput in South America. Zinc production fell 24% to 1.09m tonnes following cuts in production, particularly in Australia and Peru. Coal was down 5% to 124.9m tonnes following the sale of its loss making Optimum Coal business to Tegeta Exploration and Resources. Glencore's oil interest dropped 29% to 7.5m barrels after the depletion of existing oil fields. The company said that it was making progress with potential extension projects and some exploration successes. The Coroccohuayco copper project in Peru upgraded 184m tonnes to ore reserves at -1% copper during the year, and Glencore's Zhairem zinc project in Kazakhstan upgraded over 60m tonnes to ore reserves with more than 4% zinc. Its Vasilkovskoye gold project, also in Kazakhstan saw it gold ore reserve base increase by 14m tonnes, or 16%, with resources up by 44m tonnes. Commenting on the company's update, Liam Fitzpatrick at Credit Suisse said: "The deleveraging strategy that began in autumn 2015 has now been largely achieved and the company continues to deliver consistent guidance and good operational and cost control. We do not believe the reduction in debt levels and recovery in cash flows has been fully priced in by the market, the business is well diversified and latent capacity growth in copper and zinc has the potential to expand group production volumes by ~20% by 2019 at very low capex." Worldpay has poached Santanders former head of global innovation Peter Jackson to head its UK business, starting on 1 March. The online payments company said that Jackson will report to group chief executive Philip Jansen. Prior to Santander, Jackson was chief executive at Travelex and held senior positions at Lloyds and Halifax Bank of Scotland, and McKinsey & Company. Jansen said that Jacksons experience in digital innovation and business transformation, along with his experience and knowledge of the financial services industry will add real value to Worldpay. Jackson added: "The UK is one of the leaders of technology innovation in Europe. Worldpay sits at the heart of these exciting developments. It is playing a key role in helping its customers capitalise on the opportunities presented by the new digital economy. I look forward to leading a business that is helping merchants of all sizes to navigate and benefit from this rapidly changing market." Meanwhile, shares in Worldpay were down just over 4% on Thursday after Ship Global 2, a company jointly owned by funds managed by Advent International and Bain Capital, announced that it sold 214m shares in Worldpay at 282.75p each. The share placing raised about 606m and following completion of the placing, expected on 6 February, Ship Global 2 will no longer hold any shares in the company. Shares in Worldpay were down 4.17% to 275.70p at 1138 GMT. German authorities have opened a probe into share dealing by Deutsche Borse group head Carsten Kengeter shortly before the announcement of the markets planned merger with the London Stock Exchange. The inquiry centres on the acquisition by Kengeter of Deutsche Borse shares worth about 4.5m (3.8m) on 14 December 2015, a bourse spokesman told AFP on Wednesday. Guardian At dawn on Thursday, Aussie retailer PJ Davis will be throwing his first snags on a barbie carefully sheltered among flowers and plant pots in a former Homebase store on an unglamorous retail park in St Albans. The barbecue chef is the new UK boss of Bunnings, often billed as Australias favourite retail chain and famous for its sausage sizzles. Drizzle may have replaced Aussie sunshine at Bunnings first UK outpost, but the waft of onions and sausages through the store will give British shoppers the first taste of how they do DIY down under. Guardian Facebook has been ordered to pay $500m (395m) after its virtual reality division was found to use stolen technology. The ruling took the shine off the worlds biggest social network posting record fourth-quarter profits and signing up millions of new users. Telegraph A computer game maker that has reinvented dinky die-cast cars for the mobile generation has driven off with a 4m investment. Hutch, based in Londons Silicon Roundabout cluster at Old Street, has raised $5.5m (4m) in a funding round led by Index Ventures and Backed VC. Telegraph Tesco could be forced to dispose of more than 600 stores unless it can convince regulators that its 3.9 billion merger with Booker will not harm competition. Analysis by the data team at The Times has found there are 635 Tesco stores situated less than 500 metres from a shop in Bookers network of Premier, Londis and Budgens stores, raising fears about the impact on consumers, suppliers and rivals. - The Times Schroders has sold its entire stake in French Connection. The institutional investor, which had held its 9.27 per cent stake for many years, sold its shares at 33p each yesterday. The move prompted the fashion retailers share price to surge by nearly 19 per cent to 39p. It was not clear who had bought the stake, but a name is likely to emerge when the new investor makes a regulatory filing disclosure in the next few days. The Times Hummingbird Resources has agreed to sell an extra 10% stake in its Societe Des Mines De Komana business to the Mali government for $11 million. Societe holds the Komana Mining Permit, containing the Yanfolia Gold Project, of which Hummingbird owns a 95% holding. The Mali government will take an overall 20% interest in Yanfolia. I believe this is a clear signal of the government's appreciation of the enormous value accretion potential of Yanfolila in the long term, said Hummingbirds chief executive Dan Betts. Professor Tiemoko Sangare, Minister of Mines in Mali, said: Yanfolila's transition into a producing asset over the next 12 months will crystallise the value of this important national asset and will make tangible contributions to Mali through the generation of revenue, creation of employment and other ancillary benefits." Shares in Hummingbird rose 6.25% at 1555 GMT on Thursday. The so-called DPR militants are blocking access of the patrol of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) in Yasynuvata, thus blocking the restoration of the Donetsk filtration plant, OSCE SMM said in Twitter. "So called DPR commander Zloy prevented SMM patrol with Hug access to Yasynuvata," a message says. In addition, it is reported about the preliminary agreement between Hug [Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine] and JCCC [Joint Center for Control and Coordination] on works in Yasynuvata for a ceasefire and the start of work on the restoration of power supply to Donetsk filtration station. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview The easement under Lake Oahe is the last segment of the $3.8 billion project. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) The acting secretary of the Army has ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to allow construction of the Dakota Access pipeline under a Missouri River reservoir, a North Dakota senator said, the latest twist in the months-long legal battle over the $3.8 billion project. The Standing Rock Sioux, whose opposition to the project attracted the support of thousands of protesters from around the country to North Dakota, immediately vowed to return to court to stop it. . . . Bill would sell off 3.3M public acres SALEM, Ore. (AP) A Utah lawmaker's proposal to sell 3.3 million acres of public land in 10 states would include 70,300 acres in Oregon but it's uncertain whether the legislation will go anywhere. Republican U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz last week introduced a bill to sell off lands in 10 states maintained by the Bureau of Land Management to help rural communities. The Statesman Journal reports the bill would impact public lands in 19 Oregon counties. The parcels would range from 44,533 acres in Harney County to 1 acre in Marion County. Environmental groups have denounced the effort. It's not clear whether President Trump would support the bill. Jim Moore, a political science professor at Pacific University, said he thinks the proposal is basically a test balloon. Donegal TD Joe McHugh has said he backs Donegal fishermen in their call for a review into the industry to be scrapped. McHugh last night confirmed that he had protested strongly to Government colleague and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, on a review of mackerel catches. The Diaspora Minister says he wanted to acknowledge comments made earlier yesterday by the Killybegs Fishermens Organisation. I want to make my view absolutely clear. I have told Minister Creed and the Killybegs Fishermens Organisation that a review of catches at the same time as Brexit negotiations is very unfortunate, the Donegal Deputy told the Donegal Democrat. I met with the Irish Fish Producers Organisaton and the Killybegs Fishermens Organisation and the review is causing unnecessary anxiety at a time when we need to focus on the potential pitfalls of Brexit on our fishing industry. Donegals mackerel catch is hugely important to our economy, not just for the fishermen concerned but also for the fish processing businesses onshore. Fishermen and processors have invested heavily in their businesses and any threat to them is most unwelcome. I want to assure all those involved in the fishing industry that I stand by them in their stance and will continue to work on their behalf. I have made this view clear to Minister Creed and I have raised my concerns with the Taoiseach. He went on: The future viability of the pelagic sector is at stake and not just at a primary producer level. There could be potential knock on effects for Irish processors and the ancillary engineering sector. I am not convinced that a redistribution of Quota from the RSW sector to the polyvalent will have the intended impact of benefitting ports outside of Killybegs. In fact my evidence points to the fact that more landings will happen in Scotland. And while appreciating that this is a consultation period, I am conscious that if there are quota reductions in the future this will leave the viability of an industry which has invested heavily over the years in a very precarious position. Furthermore, I believe that now is the time for the industry to stand united on the eve of Brexit negotiations and I don't think this current discussion will be helpful. I have had numerous contact and representations on this issue and I believe in the sincerity and validity of the arguments. Management at a number of processors have talked about the issue surrounding seasonal workers. Others have talked about the affect on investor confidence. The premise of the debate is not healthy as it is based on two geographical parts being pitched against each other, said McHugh. He went on: However, the reality is that while the Mackerel RSW fleet is based in Killybegs the boat owners are not all from Killybegs. Additionally, this is not about redistributing mackerel quota from the 23 RSW sector to the 1400 member polyvalent sector. From the information available to me there are only 27 polyvalent boats who are seeking extra quota. A Donegal town man who left his uncle in a fight for life after stabbing him in the groin has been jailed for four years. Dylan Kilpatrick (22) of Clardrumbarron, Donegal Town, pleaded guilty to stabbing Michael Callaghan at Kilpatricks mothers house at Clardrumbarron, on January 6th, 2016. The stabbing took place when a row between the men broke out after a day of drinking. Letterkenny Circuit Court heard that Mr Callaghan suffered a serious wound to his upper leg and lost a substantial amount of blood. He was immediately taken to Letterkenny University Hospital before being airlifted to University Hospital Galway due to the seriousness of the injuries. Mr Callaghan spent ten days in intensive care and underwent two surgical procedures. The court heard that gardai in Donegal town received a report of a serious assault at the home of Kathleen Kilpatrick, Dylan Kilpatrick's mother. Gardai assisted by the Ballyshannon-based armed response unit attended the scene. Garda Charlie Gallagher told the court that when gardai arrived, which was 20 minutes after the incident, Mr Callaghan was on a sofa in the sitting room of the house and his sister, the accused's mother, was applying first aid to a large wound to the groin. There was a large pool of blood. Mr Callaghan later told gardai that there had been an argument and a scuffle broke out and he was pushed over a chair. Mr Callaghan then hit his nephew a slap in the face. Kilpatrick left the room and came back with a knife in his pocket. Mr Callaghan asked him what the knife was for and he said: Well see. Scuffle There was a scuffle and Mr Callaghan pinned his nephew down on a table. Kilpatrick stabbed him on the top of the leg. Mr Callaghan said he hit his nephew a box and he stabbed him again. Dylans brother Garrett told gardai the three men had been drinking cider all afternoon. He managed to take the knife from his brother after the stabbing. Dylan Kilpatrick left the scene and a search was carried out for him locally. He was arrested almost three months after the incident The court heard that Kilpatrick had 20 previous convictions which included two assaults causing harm, road traffic offences, public order offences, burglary offences and drugs offences. The court heard that Kilpatrick had suffered from epilepsy in recent years. Defence counsel Peter Nolan (BL) said Kilpatrick had grown up in a house where there was abuse of alcohol. His father had died six years ago and he had been taken into care as a child of four. He returned home and was taken into care again aged 16. Mr Nolan said Kilpatrick came from a broken home and had an appalling upbringing. Stupid argument Giving evidence for his nephews defence, Mr Callaghan said he forgave his nephew for what happened. He said the incident arose from just a stupid argument. I hit first. I lost my temper and slappd him, he said. He said the three men were drinking all day and drank six bottles of cider. There was an argument about money for a bike he was going to sell to Kilpatrick and his brother. He said Kilpatrick had gone down hill after his father died. The two men had made up since, Mr Callaghan said. The court heard Kilpatrick is in custody and is due to be released in April. Judge Martin Nolan said it was undeniable that in Kilpatricks mind the incident had been provoked by the behavior of the inured party. He said the offence was at the very high end of assault causing harm offences as a knife was used and life-threatening injuries were caused. He hadn't died but he could have and only survived because of surgical intervention, the judge said. The judge said he had to take into account the dysfunctional upbringing Kilpatrick had. He sentenced Kilpatrick to four years in prison and suspended the last 18 months of the sentence. The judge said the sentence would have been longer but for the unusual feature of the victim pleading on behalf of the accused. President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration from several Middle East countries has spurred much discussion in recent days, and has brought to light circumstances that many people including those in government positions from local to national office may not have considered. The resulting unintended consequences can be unsettling, and has already led to some careful tip-toeing in the educational sector. Take, for instance, Alabamas colleges and universities, which have students from all corners of the world, including those nations named in the presidents executive order. This week, Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins urged the university systems students to be mindful of the Trump Administrations travel rules. While we honor and respect the Trump Administrations commitment to national security and protection of this country and its citizens, we know the executive order of Friday has caused concern, especially among our international students, Hawkins said in a statement. Urging Troys international students to avoid unnecessary risks is good advice, particularly considering the Troy systems strong position on international study. The intersection of politics and education has long been unpredictable, particularly with regard to governmental mandates and funding challenges. Immigration challenges arent new in the U.S. educational realm, having risen to prominence throughout history, notably following the 1979 Iranian revolution and that nations subsequent brain drain. We applaud our states educational leaders for taking a position that both respects the new administrations executive order while counseling students to avoid putting their status at risk unnecessarily. Such clarity requires a deft hand. A Houston County judge ruled this week that the election of a man to the Ashford City Council last year is void because the man did not live in the Ashford city limits. The ruling could force a special election in Ashford for the now-vacant seat. Circuit Court Judge Brad Mendheim ruled that evidence indicates John Whitehurst, who was elected to the Ashford City Council in August, had not lived within the Ashford city limits for five years before the election. During a Jan. 10 hearing, Whitehurst said he was forced to move from his residence in Ashford in 2011 due to a house fire. He has since been living at a residence on Cedar Springs Road, which is not inside the Ashford city limits. Whitehurst claimed the move was temporary. Mendheim, however, said evidence indicates Whitehurst made no affirmative or timely effort to re-establish his residence within Ashford. The complaint against Whitehurst was filed by Richard Bolden, Jr., Whitehursts opponent in the election. Whitehurst claimed Bolden is not a legally qualified elector in Ashford and did not have standing to file the complaint because of a prior state and federal felony conviction for Criminal Infringement on Copyrights. However, Alabama law states a convicted felon loses standing as a qualified elector only if convicted of a crime of moral turpitude. Mendheim said there is no specific law or prior cases that identify Boldens conviction as a crime of moral turpitude. Thus, Mendheim ruled that the crime does not involve moral turpitude and allowed the complaint to continue. Whitehurst has the right to appeal the ruling. The ruling means the sheriff is required to serve a copy of the judgment on the mayor of Ashford and the remaining council, and the city must begin the process of filling the seat. National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) agents on February 1 conducted 16 searches in various Ukrainian cities in the so-called Ukrnafta case at the behest of agents from Ukraine's Specialized Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO), the NABU press service said. The searches are part of a pretrial investigation into oil sales involving PJSC Ukrnafta worth more than UAH 7.7 billion, it said. Acts committed by suspects in the case would violate Part 3 of Article 2012 (tax evasion), Part 5 of Article 191 (embezzlement using official position) and Part 4 of Article 368 (bribing a public official) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. "The pretrial investigation has established that from March through October 2015, officials of a number of enterprises, conspiring with officials at Ukrnafta, assumed control of the stated company (50%+1 share belongs to NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy) in an excessive amount. According to investigators, the criminal intent was as follows: after auctions, which took place without ensuring fair competition, Ukrnafta sold to a number of "tender-winning enterprises" oil and other goods according to agreements based on lower prices," the post on the NABU's official Facebook page says. Further actions of Ukrnafta (payment delays lasting several years for the delivered oil) incurred excessive losses to the state amounting to UAH 7.745 billion. NABU said the investigation continues. Like David Warner this summer Suzuki has hit a rich vein of form. The Japanese car brand, so often overlooked in favour of bigger rivals like Toyota and Mazda, has been producing a steady stream of quality cars. After forgettable machines, such as the Kizashi mid-size sedan, the brand is once again focused on the key segments of the market and producing simple but effective cars. The new Vitara was the first to get the brand back on the right path, taking a deserved Drive Car of the Year award for Best City SUV in 2015 and '16, and has been followed by the impressive new Baleno. Now comes the brand's latest new model, the reborn Ignis. While Suzuki is billing it as a 'Light SUV' to compete with the likes of the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota C-HR, in reality it is more car than SUV. Either way, it makes a positive impression What do you get? Suzuki is taking a simple two model approach with the Ignis with the sharply priced GL and the well equipped GLX. We're testing the latter, which is still keenly priced at $19,990 drive-away, and comes with plenty of standard gear. Included in the price are 16-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, USB port, steering-wheel audio controls, keyless entry and ignition, cruise control and power windows. Both models also get a reversing camera as standard along with six airbags, stability control, anti-lock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution. Autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping and similar active safety features are not available What Suzuki does offer as an option is the chance to customise the looks to suit your taste. In a clear nod to Mini and a sign Suzuki is chasing younger, trendier buyers there are a number of style elements to add to the car. These include five choices of mirror colours (black, red, orange, blue or white), colour accents for the front grille and the front fog lights (in red, blue, white or orange) and decals for the alloy wheels (in blue, red, orange or black). It is a nice touch that brings a level of personalisation rarely seen at this price range. On the downside, services are required every six months/10,000km, instead of annually like most rivals. So despite relatively cheap costs ($175 for the minor intervals and $359 at 24 months) they add up to a pricey $1234 after three years. What's inside? The clever exterior design carries over to the cabin, with a stylish layout and smart use of materials. The dashboard is two-tone with black plastic on top and white on the bottom half. The door pockets are shiny white plastic, adding another design embellishment. The customisation also continues inside, with the choice of blue, red, orange or black trim elements for the centre console and door handles. Thanks to good quality switchgear and a tablet-style 7.0-inch colour infotainment touchscreen mounted in the centre of the dash it doesn't look or feel like a cut-price city car. The only covered storage is the glovebox but there is plenty of spots to keep small items secure in the console between the front seats. Space is surprisingly good for such a compact car. Headroom is excellent front and rear thanks to the tall, boxy roofline which makes it feel spacious inside. Rear space is respectable for a car this size, helped by the fact the rear seats slide forwards or backwards so you can trade-off space between passengers and luggage depending on your needs. The boot is relatively small at 264-litres but the rear seats fold 50:50 to increase luggage space. With both folded down the space increases to a claimed 516-litres. Under the bonnet Motivation for the Ignis comes from a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol - dubbed 'Dualjet' by Suzuki. It is the only engine option available, but while the cheaper GL gets the choice of a five-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission, the GLX gets the two-pedal layout as standard. The Dualjet produces a modest 66kW of power and 120Nm of torque, which provides adequate performance thanks to the Ignis tipping the scales at a relatively light 865kg (by way of comparison a Mazda2 weighs 160kg more). The combination of the CVT and the engine's modest outputs means the Ignis can feel sluggish at times, particularly when it is loaded up with people. But the light weight and small engine means fuel economy is reasonable at 4.9-litres per 100km, which makes it a frugal machine. On the road Suzuki argues the Ignis is an SUV based on its greater ground clearance (it sits 180mm above the road compared to 152mm for a Mazda2) and subsequent higher driving position. While that argument has merit on paper, in the real world the Ignis looks like a city car, drives like a city car and rides like a city car. The Ignis is only available with front-wheel drive, another dent in the SUV claim but perfectly acceptable for an around-town runabout. The Ignis is most at home in the urban jungle, small and agile in city traffic and easy to park thanks to the rear camera, which is needed to compensate for the large blind spot caused by the huge rear window pillars. It rides well for the most part, given its humble underpinnings and sharp price, but the suspension can crash sharply over bigger bumps. Overall it lacks the ride and handling quality of the Mazda2 and locally-tuned Holden Spark, but it does a good job of being a compact and pleasant to drive city car. Verdict With the Ignis, Suzuki has injected some fun and personality into the compact car market. Whether you think of it as an SUV or a car it is a well-made and cleverly designed little machine. Not only does it do the driving fundamentals well but the design, packaging and customisation give it an X factor that will appeal to younger buyers, or anyone who loves the idea of personalising their car. Add to those factors a sharp drive-away price and plenty of standard equipment and you have another high quality offering from a resurgent Suzuki. 2017 Suzuki Ignis GLX pricing and specifications Price: From $19,990 drive-away Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol Power: 66kW at 6000rpm Torque: 120Nm at 4400rpm Transmission: CVT automatic, front-wheel drive Fuel use: 4.9L/100km The Competitors Mazda2 Genki Price: From $20,690 plus on-road costs Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol Power: 81kW at 6000rpm Torque: 141Nm at 4000rpm Transmission: Six-speed manual or automatic, FWD Fuel use: 4.9L/100km Our score: 7/10 Holden Spark LT Price: From $18,990 plus on-road costs Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol Power: 73kW at 6200rpm Torque: 128Nm at 4400rpm Transmission: CVT automatic, FWD Fuel use: 5.5L/100km Our score: 6.5/10 Skoda Fabia 66TSI Price: From $15,990 plus on-road costs Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol Power: 66kW at 440-5400rpm Torque: 160Nm at 1400-3500rpm Transmission: Five-speed manual, FWD Fuel use: 4.8L/100km Our score: 6.5/10 Home Four wheelers India-Bangladesh First Automotive Show Begins In Dhaka oi-Kennedy Paul With the aim of expanding and strengthening the presence of Indian automobile industry in neighbouring countries, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) inaugurated the first-ever Indo-Bangla Automotive Show here today. {photo-feature} Most Viewed Car Photo Gallery Here is an extensive photo gallery of the next-generation Maruti Suzuki Swift, the new Swift is sharper and sportier compared to the outgoing model. Click to view now. Deutsche Bank of Germany recently decided to cut bonuses for local employees as it struggles to turn a profit in the wake of a large litigation bill. The litigation issue stems from the mortgage market collapse in the lead up to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, resulting in a $7.2 billion-dollar settlement with the US Justice Department. The UK Telegraph reported Deutsche Bank is trying to avoid a mass staff exodus by offering long-term incentives, which will be deferred for up to six years. Those affected initially will lose their individual bonuses but will be entitled to group bonuses dependant on the banks performance. The reported bonus cuts have made headlines in publications worldwide, and the actions taken by Deutsche Bank raise questions around the obligation of Australias SMEs to pay bonuses. What should employers be aware of? Bonus payments are usually governed by the terms of an individual employment contract or an ancillary incentive scheme. Most contracts or incentive schemes will make the payment of any bonus subject to the overriding discretion of the employer. This discretion is usually expressed as being absolute or unfettered and is often relied upon by employers to withhold the payment of a bonus. However, courts have shown a preparedness to restrict employers from exercising their discretion in a way that is capricious or arbitrary, even in circumstances where the terms of the contract provide that the discretion is unfettered. For example, if a particular target is set by the employer and then achieved by the employee, a court may determine that any subsequent attempt by the employer to withhold payment of the bonus is capricious or arbitrary and in breach of the terms of the employment contract. Similarly, if an employee achieves the agreed targets and the employer then purports to exercise a discretion to amend the amount of the resulting bonus, a court will likely deem such an act as capricious. Accordingly, any discretion retained by an employer will only usually extend to the decision of whether or not to allow the employee to participate in the bonus or incentive scheme and the method of calculation for the bonus amount. Once the decision is made to extend this offer to the employee, and once he or she achieves the targets that formed part of this offer, the offer is ordinarily not capable of revocation and the terms are not capable of amendment. In the case of Deutsche Bank, if the employer set targets for the bank employees which were in fact met, denying payment could constitute a breach of the terms of their employment contracts. On the other hand, if the bonuses were solely reliant on the banks performance, and this was agreed to by the employees, then the bank may have had grounds to refuse payment of the bonuses. If you have incentivised your employees with bonuses, there a few points to keep in mind. Be sure to include clear terms relating to all bonuses, incentives or commission payments in the employees contract. By doing so, the terms of the agreement will have been established and documented from the outset. Always identify the nature of the incentive that is being offered. An incentive can take many forms such as a bonus (where discretion is customary) or a commission (where discretion is not customary). If the offer of an incentive is going to be subject to some form of discretion, explain why and how this discretion will be exercised up front. In conclusion, bonus entitlements can be considered somewhat of a grey area in employment law and usually depend on the terms of the employment contract. If youre unsure how to incorporate incentive plans into your workplace, we recommend you seek legal advice. About the author Trent Hancock is a senior associate with McDonald Murholme, an employment law firm based in Melbourne and Adelaide. People's deputy of Ukraine Serhiy Taruta is confident that Ukraine, as a chairman of the UN Security Council, should require the introduction of a peacekeeping mission into the ATO (Anti-Terrorist) zone in the east of Ukraine. "Ukraine has to turn to the UN Security Council and initiate the introducing of the "blue helmets" into the conflict zone. I believe that this is the step that can really become significant in the termination of the conflict," he said on the 112.Ukraine TV channel. According to the MP, the Ukrainian authorities and diplomats should stop active hostilities by all means and push the enemy troops to the disengagement line, otherwise the situation in Avdiyivka could become the second, Ukrainian Aleppo, he said. Now, Taruta thinks, Ukraine has a unique opportunity the country has become the head of the UN Security Council for the next month. "This is a historic opportunity, and Ukraine can not and must not miss it. Besides, even Russia, which voted for the Minsk agreements, will have to support this initiative, because it perfectly fits into the framework of the peaceful settlement of the conflict," the MP said. Sappers from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry are working on clearing the territory of Avdiyivka, Donetsk region, of mines, the Defense Ministry press service said. "Powerful artillery and mortar attacks on Avdiyivka occurred over the past few days. A large amount of munitions [...] did not explode, which created danger for civilians. Mine clearance groups of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue clearing the city's residential quarters of explosive objects," the report said. Requests for the destruction of dud munitions are received from the local authorities, the National Police and the Ukrainian State Emergency Service daily, the press service said. According to earlier reports, pyrotechnicians from the Ukrainian State Emergency Service have begun mine clearance work near the power lines in Avdiyivka. Russian leaders are trying to test the new world order, as well as create additional threats to Ukraine's sovereignty, Russia Free Foundation head Natalia Arno has said. "This will be a crucial year for Ukraines delicately balanced democracy and sovereignty. A real danger exists that Russian President Vladimir Putin will scan the new world order and think the time is right to complete his takeover of Ukraine," Arno wrote in her op-ed, which appeared in the Washington, D.C.-based publication The Hill on February 1. In Arno's opinion, Russia will use tactical hybrid aggression a combination of military posturing, disinformation warfare and use of paid local surrogates to carry the Kremlins agenda. "I hope our friends in Congress, who have been loyal to Ukraine, will not turn away from the global stage in this new era and will continue to support the freedom of the Ukrainian people," Arno said. The author writes that by using military and non-military means aimed at destabilizing Ukraine, Russian leaders are attempting to degrade Ukraine's military resistance and evoke doubts among the population about the legitimacy of authorities, whom they elected. "With the West pre-occupied with its own domestic issues, Putin will seize any opportunity to return Ukraine to Kremlins orbit or ensure it becomes a failed state," Arno said. She also said the most recent example of the Kremlins disinformation campaign against Ukraine is the assertion by former Ukrainian politician Oleksandr Onyschenko that the government of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko accepted millions of dollars in bribes for political favors. "These allegations are not confirmed. What is confirmed is Onyschenko was accused by Ukraines national anti-corruption body of embezzling $62 million in state funds. He was stripped of his seat in the Ukrainian parliament and charged with treason. Onyschenko fled Ukraine to London, but before, making one stop in Moscow," Arno said. According to Arno, Russia will not be satisfied by merely stealing Crimea and has much of eastern Ukraine. "The worlds great democratic powers the U.S., the U.K. and Ukraines friends in Europe must not fall prey to the siren call of nationalism and ignore Russias blatant imperialism, because it will not stop on its own," she said. Billionaire philanthropist and education reformer Eli Broad has come out forcefully in opposition to billionaire education reformer Betsy DeVos to become the U.S. Secretary of Education. This is a battle that pits Broad, a staunch supporter of charter schools against DeVos, a staunch supporter of religious schools. Broad is largely seen as an enemy to public education since the charter schools he promotes often succeed at the expense of traditional public schools. This is because, sadly, the world of education dollars is a zero-sum game. And far too often, these charter schools siphon education tax dollars into the coffers of private, for-profit education corporations. DeVos, a highly-religious Dominionist, is also an enemy to public education. She has a long history of working to promote religious schools, believing that education reform can serve to advance Gods Kingdom. She vigorously supports and finances efforts to use education vouchers to siphon education tax dollars into the coffers of religious organizations. In other words, its a clash of the anti-public education billionaire titans. However, because Broad is a Democrat, it is highly unlikely that he has donated the tens maybe hundreds of millions of dollars to the Republicans whose votes are needed to confirm DeVos that the DeVos family has. Here is the text of the letter Broad sent to Senators Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer: February 1, 2017 Dear Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer: The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee vote yesterday to refer President Trumps nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, to the full Senate for confirmation was surprising and disappointing. I am writing you to urge you to vote against Mrs. DeVoss confirmation. Like many Americans, including public school educators and parents, I watched the committees confirmation hearing with dismay. While I have never met Mrs. DeVos, she undoubtedly is kind and well-intended and cares deeply about children, as evidenced by her philanthropic work. However, these personal characteristics do not qualify someone for the massive responsibility of overseeing the education of our nations students. I am a big believer in high-quality public schools and strong accountability for all public schools traditional and charter. Before Mrs. DeVoss hearing, I had serious concerns about her support for unregulated charter schools and vouchers as well as the potential conflicts of interest she might bring to the job. Her testimony not only reinforced my concerns but also added to them. I now also question her ability to enforce key provisions of the range of federal statutes entrusted to this role. Indeed, with Betsy DeVos at the helm of the U.S. Department of Education, much of the good work that has been accomplished to improve public education for all of Americas children could be undone. At the risk of stating the obvious, we must have a Secretary of Education who believes in public education and the need to keep public schools public. We must have a Secretary of Education who will vigorously defend the rights of all students to have safe, fair and equitable learning opportunities and who recognizes the critical role of the Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights. And after far too many school shootings in this country, we must have a Secretary of Education who believes guns have no place in our schools. In short, I believe she is unprepared and unqualified for the position. As someone who is deeply committed to the belief that all children deserve access to a strong public education, I hope you will join me in opposing Mrs. DeVoss nomination. Sincerely, Eli Broad cc: All U.S. Senators Broad injecting himself into DeVoss confirmation process comes at a critical time. Two Republican Senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have both stated publicly that they will vote against DeVoss confirmation. That means Democrats need to peel off only one more Republican to scuttle her confirmation. It was hoped that Nevada Senator Dean Heller could be convinced to vote against her but, unfortunately, he released a statement yesterday in support of DeVos. Here is a list of potentially sway-able Senators. If you are in one of these districts or know someone who is, please make the call and urge your friends and family to call, as well. (Note, this list has not been updated to reflect Hellers stated position.) Updated list of senators to call. If you live in one of these states, call your senators & tell them to vote no on Betsy DeVos #DumpDeVos pic.twitter.com/rpY7PE0Y64 Rachel Levy (@RachelAnneLevy) February 1, 2017 It is believed that the Senate will vote for cloture on her confirmation vote tomorrow which means that the final vote will happen Monday or Tuesday of next week. However, very few Senators change their vote once they have voted for or against cloture so making these calls TODAY is critical. They are pushing HARD to get this vote through before the confirmation of Senator Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General because his pro-DeVos vote is needed with this razor-thin margin. 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Athleta's spring collection features more than 40 Fair Trade Certified styles and more styles will be added throughout the year, with the offering expected to approach 100 items by the end of 2017. The debut styles are produced by a newly certified facility, supporting more than 2,100 workers of whom more than 80 percent are women. Seventy-six Water Protectors were arrested following a clash with law enforcement at Standing Rock on Wednesday afternoon. The arrests came a day after federal officials claimed that the final controversial easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) had been granted. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/826986028917481472 Morton County Sheriffs Office spokesman Rob Keller told BBC News that the arrests were made after demonstrators moved from their flood-prone main camp, Oceti Sakowin, to private land owned by the pipeline operator, Energy Transfer Partners. According to the Huffington Post, deputies said rogue protesters were seized without injury after twice refusing warnings to leave the property,. https://twitter.com/savage_science/status/826927292152639488 Law enforcement showed great restraint, enduring verbal abuse and taunts and protesters resisting arrest but did not make use of any less-than-lethal munitions. The camp was cleared by around 4:00 pm, the office said in a statement. Demonstrators noted in a Facebook post that the short-lived Last Child camp was a peaceful assembly. West Dakotas KFYR TV also reported that the demonstrators built the new camp as a peaceful protest site. We want to make it more spiritual, we want to make it a difference from the old Oceti. We want to call this camp the Last Child Camp, protester Rance Sneed told the TV station. The video shows several officers arriving to the scene in armored vehicles. They were wearing riot gear and some carried arms. [facebook https://www.facebook.com/OcetiSakowinCamp/videos/1095485163930048/ expand=1] For months, the demonstrators have been trying to block the highly contested pipeline which they say violates sovereign treaty rights and could contaminate their water supply. A lot of water protectors really felt that we needed to make some sort of stand as far as treaty rights, Linda Black Elk, a member of the Catawba Nation, told The Guardian. We basically started to see police mobilizing from all directions. Someone came along and told us we had about 15 minutes before the camp would get raided. There were a lot of people who felt like the prospect of treaty rights was something worth getting arrested over, she added. Former Congressional candidate Chase Iron Eyes, a vocal opponent against the pipeline project, was among those arrested on Wednesday. The incident comes one week after President Donald Trumps orders to revive the $3.8 billion project. The Executive Order instructs the Army Corps to review and approve [the Dakota Access Pipeline] in an expedited manner and to consider withdrawing the environmental-impact requirement ordered by the Obama administration. https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/823926956479676416 On Tuesday, Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) and Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued separate statements suggesting that the acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer has ordered the Army Corps to issue the final easement to tunnel under Lake Oahe. Cramers statement appeared on his website with a photo of a shovel and a hashtag saying, #Build It. I have received word the Department of Defense is granting the easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline and Congressional notification is imminent, he said. Its time to get to work and finish this important piece of energy infrastructure enhancing Americas energy security and putting North Dakotans and Americans back to work. President Trump has proven to be a man of action and I am grateful for his commitment to this and other critical infrastructure projects so vital to our nation. But in a statement Tuesday night, the Standing Rock Sioux said they had not received notice that the easement had been granted, calling the lawmakers claims premature and challenging the possible suspension of the Army Corps environmental impact statement as a wholly unexplained and arbitrary change based on the presidents personal views and, potentially, personal investments. Law enforcement has arrested 696 protesters since August 10, 2016, the Morton County Sheriffs Office said. Unfortunately for the Water Protectors, they might be facing a legal nightmare. As Freshet Collective reported: A randomized survey conducted by the National Jury Project concluded it is highly likely that the more than 600 water protectors facing criminal charges in the coming months will not receive fair trials from petit jurors impaneled in Morton and Burleigh Counties. The survey found that 77 percent of the juror-eligible population in Morton County and 85 percent of the juror-eligible population in Burleigh County had already decided the defendants were guilty. EU foreign ministers at the EU Council meeting in Brussels on February 6 will assess the reforms progress in Ukraine over the past year and discuss the possibility of strengthening the effectiveness of the support on the part of the EU, according to the materials prepared for the meeting of European foreign ministers. In the course of the discussions that they had during their informal meeting (in Gymnich format) on September 2-3, 2016, the foreign ministers also will sum up the development of the situation in regard to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and estimate the support of the European Union in Minsk agreements implementation, a statement says released in Brussels on Thursday. The EU Council communique recalls that in the conclusions dated December 15, 2016 the European Council confirmed its commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine in accordance with international law, as well as support for the Agreement on the EU-Ukraine Association. The Council plans to encourage Kyiv to the full implementation of the planned reforms, but especially to achieve progress in the constitutional reform, legal reform, electoral, public administration, energy efficiency and the electricity market. The European Union, the document says, supports the security sector reform in the country, carried out with the mediation of the EU's advisory mission. Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee have suspended their panels rules to force through Scott Pruitts nomination to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The maneuver was made only one day after all 10 Democratic members of the committee announced a boycott over President Donald Trumps EPA pick. The boycott was sparked over their serious concerns of the Oklahoma attorney generals stances on climate change, pollution regulation and unanswered requests to provide official documents or emails that would shed light on his ties to the energy industry. JUST IN: Senate committee approves President Trump's EPA pick Scott Pruitt despite Democratic boycott https://t.co/GTiqiF9VZ0 NBC News (@NBCNews) February 2, 2017 After temporarily suspending the committees ruleswhich requires at least two minority members to meet quorumcommittee Republicans unanimously approved Pruitt by a 11-0 vote at a Thursday hearing. This means Pruitts nomination will go to the full GOP-controlled Senate, where he is likely to be approved. Committee Democrats have called the move today by their Republican colleagues irresponsible. I am disappointed that our majority has decided to ignore our concerns and those of the American people, and break the committees rules in an effort to expedite Mr. Pruitts nomination, but we have to stand our ground in our pursuit of the truth and in fulfillment of our Constitutional duty with respect to nominations, ranking member Tom Carper (D-DE) said in a statement. So reasonable that my Republican colleagues made the same requests of our last @EPA nominee, who actually worked to address their requests. https://t.co/Qx2OYQFpg8 Senator Tom Carper (@SenatorCarper) February 2, 2017 Hes dodged our questions, ignored our letters, and told us go to the back of the line and make open records requests to get the information we are entitled to, said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The pattern follows a similar move by the GOP members of the Senate Finance Committee, who altered committee rules to approve the nominations of health secretary nominee Tom Price and treasury pick Steven Mnuchin. They also move to the full Senate without a Democratic vote. We took this extraordinary step because the minority members of the committee took the extraordinary step of boycotting the business meeting to approve an EPA administrator for an incoming administration, said environment committee Chairman Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) after the vote. The minority has put us in this, unchartered waters. Never before in the history of the EPA has a new presidents incoming administration nominee been boycotted. However, as The Hill pointed out, Barrasso and his Republican colleagues boycotted a 2013 vote to confirm Gina McCarthy as administrator, though they eventually gave in. Barrasso countered that their boycott was different because Trump deserves special treatment for his first Cabinet. Elections have consequences, and a new president is entitled to put in place people who will advance his agenda, the agenda that the people voted for when they elected him president, Barrasso said. 5 Things You Need to Know Trump's EPA Pick Scott Pruitt https://t.co/gASl3w4OuE @HuffPostGreen @greenpeaceusa EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) January 7, 2017 Environmental groups have strongly criticized this play by the Senate environment committee Republicans. Its outrageous that Republicans jammed Scott Pruitts nomination through the Environment Committee, said Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, adding that Pruitt has blatantly obstructed a thorough review of his record. Suh urges the full Senate to reject Pruitts nomination because hes uniquely unfit for the job. Pruitt has spent a career colluding with polluters trying to prevent the EPA from fulfilling its central missionprotecting public health and our environment, she continued. He has opposed clean air rules that would save thousands of lives, and he embraces discredited, fringe views on climate science. Hes dodged and given evasive answers to question after question about his record, one that is rife with conflicts-of-interest. The Center for Media and Democracy, which has filed six public unfulfilled record requests to Pruitts office, also spoke out against the vote. With todays vote on Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency is now one step closer to being placed in the hands of an avowed climate denier with close ties to major fossil fuel companies, said Nick Surgey, a researcher at the center. Pruitts track-record as Oklahoma Attorney General and chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association leaves us convinced he has serious conflicts of interest that make him woefully unfit to lead the EPA. Mr. Pruitt sent woefully inadequate answers to Committee Democrats questions following his confirmation hearing: https://t.co/enTLkQBrK7 pic.twitter.com/QNlM0lAiel Senate EPW Democrats (@EPWCmte) February 2, 2017 Pruitt shows contempt for the Senates responsibility to properly vet President Trumps appointees. He refuses to discuss his deep connections to companies he would oversee as EPA Administrator. And his office has failed to respond to six public record requests filed by the Center for Media and Democracy, including one filed more than two years ago seeking his communications with coal, oil and gas companies, Surgey continued. His office has identified more than 3,000 documents in response to this request, but has yet to release any. In fact, Pruitts office appears not to have responded to any record requests filed in the past two years. It increasingly looks like he has something to hide. As families and communities from Flint to Houston to Florida work to reduce pollution and stop damage to the climate, they deserve the facts behind whose interests Pruitt really serves. Sierra Clubs Climate Policy Director Liz Perera criticized the committees vote as well. It is deeply disappointing that the committee that is supposed to put the environment and public first has approved a climate change-denying fossil fuel ally as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Perera said. Scott Pruitt is dangerously unfit to lead the EPA and has far too many conflicts of interest that should be a red flag for all Americans. Hes collected hundreds of thousands from dirty fuel interests and sued the very agency he now wants to lead eight times, all to weaken public health protections. Committee Democrats understandably have questions about Pruitts troubling conflicts of interest and whether he is committed to putting the public first, she added. These questions remain unanswered by the nominee and Democrats rightly refused to be complicit in pushing forward such an unacceptable nominee, so Republicans rewrote the rules so that Pruitt can seize control of the EPA and throw critical clean air and water rules out. That is why it is more important than ever that the full Senate must reject Scott Pruitts confirmation in order to do right by American families. Similarly, Greenpeace USA executive director Annie Leonard said the GOPs votes in favor of Pruitt are akin to a vote for poisoned air, polluted water, and an unstable climate. While reassuring to see many Senators resist Pruitts confirmation, the lawmakers who swung open the doors for the fossil fuel takeover of environmental protection should be ashamed of themselves, Leonard said. When the next Flint, Michigan crisis happens in the districts of these representatives, they will have themselves to blame. The powerful movement that has risen to stop the worst of the Trump administration, including the nomination of Pruitt, will only grow stronger as we fight to protect what is right. Lastly, Environmental Working Group president and co-founder Ken Cook said that President Trump has found just the man to carry out his vision of dismantling the EPA. By any measure, the president could hardly have foundand the committee could not have approveda worse nominee to be in charge of public health and environmental protection, Cook said. As Oklahoma attorney general, Pruitts crusade of more than a dozen lawsuits filed against the EPA to stop efforts aimed at reducing air and water pollution to protect Americans is unmatched. Time and time again, Pruitt said no when policies were proposed or rules implemented that would save lives, including initiatives specifically intended to protect children. Now, Pruitt is poised to take control of the very agency hes repeatedly attacked. If approved by the full Senate, he will start on day one as the worst EPA administrator in history. Mark my words: His record and his evasive testimony to the committee indicate he will move quickly to decimate the agencys ability to protect the health of Americans and our irreplaceable natural resources, he continued. Those on the committee who voted for Pruitt have tarnished the legacy of an agencyestablished by a GOP administrationthat for almost 50 years has worked to keep our water pure, our air clean and our families safe. We commend the senators who stood against this disgraceful nominee and pledge to fight any attempt by Pruitt and the Trump administration to return to the days when smog choked our cities, our rivers caught on fire and polluters were free to use our land as toxic waste dumps, Cook concluded. Evan Mawarire and family on his Facebook page. The Zimbabwe pastor who fled to the United States after launching the #ThisFlag protest movement faces up to 20 years in prison for organizing protests against President Robert Mugabe in New York. Evan Mawarire was arrested at Harare International Airport on his return home on Feb. 1 after having fled last year to the United States. He is yet to appear in court, The Associated Press reported. Last year Mawarire encouraged Zimbabweans on social media to hold protests against Mugabe, who turns 93 this month and is the world's oldest current head of State, a man who rules his country with an iron fist. Zimbabwe authorities have charged Mawarire with subverting a constitutionally elected government, which carries up to 20 years in prison. Mawarire backed a stay-at-home strike in July 2016, one of the largest anti-government protests in years, but he was arrested, only to be released when a court threw out the charges. Lawyer Harrison Nkomo says the latest charges arise partly from his role in organizing anti-Mugabe protests during the U.N. General Assembly in September last year. Mawarire is accused of organizing Zimbabweans "to converge in New York to confront the president of Zimbabwe," according to a police statement seen by The Associated Press and confirmed by his lawyers Feb. 2. He left Zimbabwe for the United States in July last year after the regime detained him for publicly criticizing President Mugabe and mounting a social media campaign against him. Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda, denounced Mawarire's arrest at Harare International Airport and his subsequent transfer to the Harare Central Police Station where he is being detained upon his return to the country. "The trumped-up charge of subversion brought against Pastor Evan Mawarire this afternoon is absolutely ridiculous and a total sham," he said. "Coming after a similar charge against him last year, it is designed to make him stop his human rights activism and to punish him for speaking out about the declining human rights situation in Zimbabwe. "The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pastor Evan Mawarire, as he is a prisoner of conscience imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights." Mawarire was previously arrested on 12 July 2016 after he was charged with incitement to commit public violence under the Criminal Law Act for leading a national shutdown between 13 and 14 July 2016 against "corruption" and the declining economy. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... Eight years ago, in this very newspaper, I warned against the appointment of Arne Duncan as President Barack Obamas first education secretary . He sailed through a Democratic-controlled Senate confirmation despite a track record in Chicagos public schools of advancing a corporate-driven agenda to marketize public schools, alongside test-and-punish policies that fractured the most struggling of communitiesa harbinger of things to come. The nomination of billionaire Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trumps pick to be the next U.S. secretary of education, was sent to the Senate, despite a groundswell of concernincluding from over 1 million petition signatories about her lack of qualifications and her problematic track record. In a recent public statement, I joined with 229 current and former deans of schools of education from across the country to prevail on the new administration and Congress to do better . We offered four guiding principles for doing so: First, uphold the role of public schools as a central institution in the strengthening of our democracy. Too often, education is treated like a commodity for the haves, or a competition where some win and many others lose, as if the marketplace is an appropriate metaphor for what should be a public responsibility. Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to fuel the marketization and privatization of schools with a $20 billion school choice proposal , which would in actuality consume nearly 30 percent of the federal education budget. DeVos, through her family foundations (funded, in part, by the Amway fortune) and her involvement as a board member of advocacy organizations , has leveraged her wealth to expand school choice and voucher initiatives and deregulate charter schools. These priorities resonate with the Republican Party. DeVos is a top national party donor; a former chair of the Michigan Republican Party; and among the wealthiest one percent of individuals in the country. DeVos was the board chair of the national Philanthropy Roundtable, which has long opposed investing in schools as a public good, instead turning to school choice as one of the most effective policy and rhetorical levers for privatizing. We need a vision for public education that will not deepen the divide between the haves and the have-nots. Every child should be able to receive the very best that our country has to offer, regardless of his or her circumstances of birth. We should be wary when policies are developed with goals other than the learning and wellness of our children." Second, protect the human and civil rights of all children, especially those from historically marginalized communities. Such is difficult to imagine when Trump signed an executive order in the first weeks of his presidency banning U.S. entry for travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days, and Syrian refugees indefinitely. During the Senate education committee meeting, Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Conn., shared that DeVos would not commit to the Department of Educations collection of civil rights data in his private meeting with her, which is a contradiction of what she had earlier assured Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the ranking member of the education committee. For more than half a century, during both Republican and Democratic administrations, the federal government took the lead in protecting and supporting underserved groups in schools by addressing race discrimination in the Civil Rights Act, poverty in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, gender discrimination in Title IX, language discrimination in the Bilingual Education Act, and the needs of students with disabilities in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to name a few. Such laws are not perfect and have not always been applied equally, but they reflect core democratic ideals that the federal government must continue to advance. Third, develop and implement policies, laws, and reform initiatives by building on a democratic vision for public education and sound educational research. We need leaders to be informed and judicious, but during her Jan. 17 confirmation hearing, DeVos displayed a stunning lack of knowledge about key federal laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. She came up cold when the questioning turned to policy debates and learning assessments. She also failed to discuss in detail her perspectives on such issues as institutional accountability and protections against fraudulent use of federal funds, or her own track record in Detroit public schoolsan expensive experiment that even some supporters of choice say has failed. Our children deserve a much higher standard for decisionmaking. Fourth, support and partner with colleges and schools of education to advance these goals. We should be wary when policies are developed with goals other than the learning and wellness of our children. According to the Center for Media and Democracy, DeVos funded and chaired the foundation American Federation for Children , which exerts significant but undisclosed influence (also known as dark money) on elections, and sponsors and partners with the American Legislative Exchange Council. ALEC is perhaps best known for developing stand your ground gun laws and voter-ID laws. ALEC has also long shaped education laws, from providing vouchers and school choice-related tax credits, to undermining the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to weakening teacher protections, to denying climate change in curriculum. The federal government and education leaders have many other potential partners with whom to work collectively to build a successful educational system: students and parents, community organizations and businesses, and educators and education scholars. Schools cannot improve unless all are working together. Current and former education deans are working to improve schools with these principles as our guides, as we imagine that many others across the country are doing. We hope that our federal leaders share this vision and join our movement. Over the past day two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, 14 soldiers wounded and six received combat injuries in the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) zone in the Donbas region, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson for Anti-Terrorist Operation issues Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said. "Over the past day as a result of the fighting, two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, another 14 - wounded, six soldiers received combat injuries," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday. Earlier on Thursday, the ATO headquarters reported on 67 militant attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine over the past day: two Ukrainian soldiers were killed, ten - wounded, four - injured. Beaver County preparing for robust Election Day turnout As the Nov. 8 midterm election approaches, nearly 114,000 people are registered to vote in Beaver County. State-run Ukroboronprom Concern plans to open representative office in Turkey and Poland, Ukroboronprom Deputy Head Denys Hurak has said. He announced the plans at the 6th international conference on security governance, held by the Razumkov Center jointly with DCAF, Kyiv on Wednesday. He did not elaborate on the plans, saying that the content and potential of programs for bilateral military and technical cooperation with Ankara and Warsaw will be serious. Ukroboronprom also plans to open representative offices in Brussels and Washington, DC, Hurak said. In his words, these are medium-term plans. Currently, Ukroboronprom, which was created under a presidential order in December 2010, consists of 112 Ukrainian enterprises of the military and defense industry. Among them is Ukrspecexport with its subsidiaries. Another 21 companies are located in temporarily occupied areas in Crimea and the east of Ukraine - Donetsk and Luhansk regions. As was reported earlier, Kyiv and Ankara boosted bilateral cooperation in the military and defense sector amid the new geopolitical situation in 2014. Among the promising areas of cooperation are the manufacture of tanks and armored vehicles and aircraft engines, radars, navigation and telecoms equipment, and missile munitions. Interfax-Ukraine learnt from sources in the defense sector that Ukraine may take part in a number of Turkey's defense programs for the development of certain types of military hardware, including the creation of a Turkish fighter jet and a Turkish Altay third-generation main battle tank (MBT). Currently, Ukroboronprom and Turkish Aselsan are eyeing the possibility of establishing technological cooperation in the production of electronic and optical components. In the autumn of 2016, Ukroboronprom's state-run Ukrinmash and Turkish Havelsan Hava Elektronik Sanayi signed an agreement on joint development of communications surveillance means. In addition, Kyiv is also working on plans to boost military technical cooperation with Warsaw. Among the promising areas of the bilateral cooperation is the joint creation of new models of unmanned aerial vehicles for the Armed Forced of Ukraine, retrofitting of Polish fighters, modernization of electronic and optical components of Ukrainian armored vehicles, and the development of new air defense systems. In 2015, Poland's WB Electronics and Ukroboronprom agreed on the use of the Polish company's technology for the creation of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In December 2016, the partners signed an agreement on cooperation in the development of new air defense systems. Currently, state-run JSHC Artem, which won a tender of the Ministry of National Defense of Poland, is engaged in the retrofitting of MiG-29 fighters of the Polish Air Force. Among other promising areas of bilateral military-technical cooperation are joint modernization of weapons shipped to third countries, as well as joint promotion of new weapons onto the EU market. Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy said he sees interaction with NATO as a priority for the parliament and is confident that Ukraine will become a NATO member. "Cooperation with NATO is a priority for the Verkhovna Rada," Parubiy said on Twitter after meeting with Oleksandr Vinnykov, Head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine and Director of the NATO Liaison Office. "In 2017, we mark the 20th anniversary of the NATO-Ukraine Charter on a Distinctive Partnership. Ukraine will be a member of NATO," he said. The speaker said Vinnykov had said that NATO members are closely following the security reforms in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko earlier spoke in an interview with the German edition Berliner Morgenpost about readiness to hold a referendum on the prospects of Ukraine's membership in NATO. NATO has postponed its plans to begin negotiations with Ukraine on the alliance's missile defense system, according to The Wall Street Journal. "The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has shelved a plan to meet with Ukrainian officials about the alliance's missile-defense system, Western officials said, a new sign the alliance is trying to avoid provoking Russia," the newspaper writes. According to it, NATO had considered meeting with Ukraine to discuss the matter. "The decision not to meet with Ukraine comes as the alliance is at an awkward moment with Russia," the article reads. Inside the alliance, diplomats are discussing ways to expand dialogue with Russia, while some officials expect U.S. President Donald Trump to seek to have the alliance cooperate more with Moscow, the article said. However, an escalation of violence in eastern Ukraine is complicating efforts in Brussels and Washington to recalibrate relations with Russia, the newspaper said. "Violence has grown in recent days in the Donbas region of Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian government troops since 2014," the article reads. A NATO diplomat told The Wall Street Journal the decision didn't close off future discussions with Ukraine. But the alliance is moving carefully, given Russia's history of using any development in the missile-defense system to ignite controversy. "There is some political sensitivity in the engagement of Ukraine because obviously that could fuel an overreaction by the Russians," the diplomat said. Vandals slash 21 hay bales Police are appealing for information after hay bales at a farm in the west of the Island were deliberately damaged. Between 2pm on Thursday and 1.00 yesterday lunchtime someone has used a sharp implement to slash 21 haylage bales in a field between Eary Cushlin and Dalby. The bales have been ruined, resulting in a financial loss for the farmer. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Peel Police Station. Ukraine and NATO had no plans to hold consultations on stationing missile defense systems (MDS) on the Romania-Ukraine border, the office of Ukraine's representative to NATO has said. "We were not planning to discuss and did not discuss with NATO the issue of holding consultations on MDS. We have other, bigger issues we're dealing with today, concerning the situation in the Black Sea, regional security and strengthening Ukraine's relationship with NATO. There were no conversations about stationing missile defenses in Romania and no plans to hold such consultations. I don't know where the journalist got that information," Ukraine's acting representative to NATO Yehor Bozhok told RFE/RL on Thursday. Comments of a NATO representative, who wished to remain anonymous, were cited in the broadcast: "There was no meeting with any country and nothing was cancelled." He added that the issue of missile defense has been under discussion with NATO partners and that the military bloc continues to discuss the issue transparently. Despite all the fan petitions to extend "Grimm" for another season, it seems like its journey will ultimately end in "Grimm" season 6. In fact, the cast and crew of "Grimm" season 6 has already finished filming the last episode of the series. According to KGW, the cast and crew of "Grimm" season 6 wrapped up for the very last time on Jan. 25. "Grimm" first aired in 2011 and has been one of the top TV series since then. It has also been an avenue for Portland, Oregon locals to participate and get jobs as crews or extras in the series. Meanwhile, Yahoo reports that "Grimm" recently celebrated its third and final gala on Jan. 28., days after the final episode was finished filming. The "Grimm" Gala raised a whopping $804,000 which will all go to the funds of OHSU Doernnecher Children's Hospital. The three "Grimm" Galas were presented by NBCUniversal and Comcast, to support an endowment spearheaded by Sasha Roiz, who ironically plays the role of the series' villain, Captain Sean Renard. The $804,000 raised during the "Grimm" Gala was reportedly a record-breaker, as it ballooned twice the amount raised during last year's fundraiser. During the "Grimm" gala, attendees were kept busy bidding for special memorabilia from the show and merchandise specifically designed for the event by Tinker Hatfield, one of Nike's popular shoe designers. One of the hottest and most bid upon memorabilia for that night was a pair of collector's item shoes, which was autographed by the cast of "Grimm." Now that the last episode of "Grimm" season 6 has finally wrapped up, the fans of the series are all curious as to what would happen in the end. Will Nick Burkhardt have to choose between Adalind and Juliette? Or will he end up alone? The possibility of Nick Burkhardt ending up as a loner is quite possible, considering that there were several instances that he was warned off from people, especially those that he loves and cares about. According to David Giuntoli, the actor playing Nick Burkhardt, this is because being close to Nick's character is like a trap, that puts lives in danger. Catch "Grimm" season 6 every Friday night on NBC. It was only a few days back that Nina Dobrev announced her return on "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8, sending a wave of excitement among her fans. Recent news suggests Elena and Damon's marriage. Kevin Williamson, the screenwriter and producer of "The Vampire Diaries" has shared a photo on Instagram that shows Nina Dobrev dressed in a white lace dress. The snap has led to speculations that it is related to Elena's marriage to Damon on the finale of the series. Notably, the finale of the series has started filming and the team has been sharing lots of photos on social media. As for Nina Dobrev's comeback, it is confirmed, reports E! News. A source close to the actress said that she is excited, nervous and expects the unknown for her time filming the finale. She is comparing it to a high school reunion where one sees people whom they have not seen in a while, people with whom they are still in touch as well as people whom they do not want to see. But, she is getting through it because she is professional and wants to give the fans one last hoorah. In the meantime, it has been revealed that Ian Somerhalder aka Damon never felt the absence of Elena, claims TVLine. In an interview, the actor said that Elena never really left and was always ever-present. He admitted that she plays a great deal into Damon's morality and his understanding of who he is, especially in the last episodes. He is still trying to make decisions she would approve of because she is still the light in his life. However, Somerhalder did not have anything to say about Elena's return. The actor said that he is not really sure how much she is going to physically play into things but he did acknowledge that the team was just finishing writing the finale now. The "Vampire Diaries" finale titled "I Was feeling Epic" airs March 10, on The CW. Microsoft is reported to be experimenting with a low-cost version of the popular Windows operating system called Windows 10 Cloud. The software giant seems to be keeping PC makers away from Google Chrome OS and consumers from Apple's Pad alternative. Windows RT and Windows 8.1 with Bing did not make too much noise in the industry. Microsoft could only hope that Windows 10 Cloud is a different story. There is limited information about the new operating system, but tech experts believe that the name does not imply it is powered by a cloud or streamed to a device. The Register suggests that Windows 10 Cloud is a response to Google's Chromebook which is affordable, lighter, safer and simpler. However, the Global market Insight forecasts that 17 million Chromebooks will be sold by 2023. In 2014, there were are 5.3 million Chromebooks sold. Sadly, PC shipments have continuously declined for the last five years. Microsoft Windows 8.1's license fee has been reduced to urge hardware partners to produce low-cost PCs that can compete with Chromebooks. The tech company has also launched Microsoft Intune for Education which is designed to make the Windows powered devices more appealing to the industry. Google's G Suite for Education has also been widely adopted by many school institutions. ZD Net has reported that Windows 10 Cloud will be a simplified version of Windows which is designed to run Microsoft's universal apps from the store, which is similar to Windows RT. There is no official release date for this new Windows 10 Cloud version, but reports suggest that it could arrive soon. Microsoft may now be preparing to test the new version and hopefully deliver it later this year together with the second planned update for Windows 10. Google has also announced that in 2017, all Chromebooks can run Android apps which is likely going to outpace the Windows PC. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) and the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) helped ensure the ceasefire near the Donetsk water filtration station, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said. "A. Hug: the #OSCE SMM together with JCCC assisted in ensuring localized ceasefire around DFS. It is mainly holding. Must be maintained," the SMM OSCE said in its Twitter on Tuesday. As reported, overhead power lines were damaged in the shelling near Avdiyivka late in the evening on January 30. The incident resulted in the disruption of heating and water supply, electricity was cut off to the Avdiyivka coking plant and the Donetsk filtration station. The Russian party to the JCCC has granted the Donetsk regional authorities written guarantees of a ceasefire, repair brigades have already been dispatched for the repair of the power line near Avdiyivka, Donetsk Regional Military-Civil Administration Head Pavlo Zhebrivsky said on February 1. On the same day Hug announced the start of repairs at the Donetsk filtration station. This is in response to the editorial, The Dalit Question, published in EPW on 24 December 2016. Concluding the debate that began with the publication of the article How Egalitarian Is Indian Sociology? (EPW, 18 June 2016), the editorial argues that the most acute contradictions are no longer between the upper castes (the foremost beneficiaries of the system) and the Dalits (the foremost victims), but between the latter and the jatis in the middle or even those more adjacent to them. By posing methodological and epistemological questions, I argue that EPWs conclusions stand on erroneous grounds and need to be seriously questioned. My contention is that the Dalit question and the caste question are not identical. While the former deals with the aspiration, assertion, mobility and emancipation of the Dalit community, the latter deals with the domination, discrimination, exclusion, humiliation and violence that are embedded in the caste system as perpetuated by the Hindu social order. As a result of this, any attempt to understand the Dalit question exclusively based on atrocities limits the capacity for obtaining a comprehensive picture of the subject matter. I would submit that the Dalit question has much to do beyond the issue of atrocities (not at all belittling the question of caste atrocities in the Hindu social order). David Miller, fresh off his second century in three ODI innings, will not be available for the rest of the series against Sri Lanka because of a finger injury David Miller's injury has come at a time when he is in prime form David Miller , fresh off his second century in three ODI innings, will not be available for the rest of the series against Sri Lanka because of a finger injury. Miller sustained a cut to the little finger of his right hand during the second ODI in Durban when he could not quite get underneath a diving catch in the eighth over of the Sri Lanka innings. He did not field for the remainder of the match and will require stitches which means seven to 10 days of recovery time. He remains in contention for the limited-overs series against New Zealand, which starts with a T20I on February 17. Miller made 117 off 98 balls at Kingsmead , adding 117 for the fifth wicket with Faf du Plessis, to help turn an uncertain South Africa innings into a total of 307 for 6 which set up a 121-run victory. South Africa, who are 2-0 up in the five-match series, have not named a replacement for Miller in their squad which is already without paceman Lungi Ngidi. Farhaan Behardien is the only reserve batsman and most likely to be given an opportunity after he made his international captaincy debut in the T20 series. Dwaine Pretorius, a bowling allrounder, is also at South Africa's disposal and if he is used it could see Wayne Parnell pushed a place higher in the order. Parnell has been used to open the batting at T20 level and has a recent first-class hundred to his name. He has been keen for opportunities with the bat at international level. The African Union (AU) has encouraged its Member States to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Although the resolution is not binding, South Africa and Burundi have already decided to withdraw while Senegal and Nigeria oppose the move. The African Union has accused the ICC of intervening in African affairs and undermining the sovereignty of African states. The court denies the Unions allegations and insists that it solely pursues justice for victims of war crimes on the continent. The decision to withdraw from the ICC is the second breakthrough move that has come out of its annual summit of heads of state in Addis Ababa. The first one was a decision to readmit Moroccos into the African Union after more than 30 years. The AU also said that it would hold talks with the UN Security Council, urging the ICC to reform. Sudans President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the court on charges of genocide in Darfur, attended at the summit after the South Africa had been criticized for having failed to arrest him when he attended an AU gathering in Johannesburg in 2015. The ICC investigates and tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Rome Stature that established the court was adopted in 1998 by 120 countries and then ratified by 60 in 2002, thus officially founding the ICC. Nowadays, the Statute has 123 signatories out of which 34 are African states and the United States is a notable absence. The ICC does not have retrospective jurisdiction and therefore only deals with crimes committed after this date. There have been 23 cases before the Court to date and only Africans have been prosecuted so far. Paulo Corchaki, head of UBS Wealth Management Brazil Paulo Corchaki, head of UBS Wealth Management Brazil, had a good 2016; his firms assets under management grew by 55%. And it had nothing to do with the boost to client inflows after last years amnesty for declaring offshore wealth. Rather, he says, it was the local markets dynamics. The two dominant wealth management operations, Itau and Bradesco, bought the Brazilian banks of Citi and HSBC respectively. That, plus the run on AuM at BTG Pactual in the first quarter of 2016, saw money flow to the other banks and led to Corchakis above-target performance. To give it context, the industry as a whole is estimated to have increased AuM by 14.6% in the first nine months of 2016. The growth came from the local banks, says Corchaki. HSBC was sold to Bradesco, and Citi announced it was selling. Situations like these during the year made some money flow locally, and thats mainly where our inflows came from. Sitting pretty: Croatia has fortified its economy, providing investors with a port in a global storm Croatia was downgraded to sub-investment grade by S&P towards the end of 2012, when declining GDP and large budget deficits caused its sovereign debt burden to climb above 80% of GDP. Fitch and Moodys followed the lead in 2013. Fast forward to 2016, and GDP increased in real terms for a second successive year, by an estimated 2.8%, says the Institute of Economics, Zagreb. There has been a concerted attempt to consolidate the public finances, resulting in the deficit improving more than expected, to 1.7% of GDP, the authorities claim, stabilizing the debt ratio. Government stability has also improved since the elections in September handed victory to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), led by Andrej Plenkovic, which formed a coalition with the Bridge of Independent Lists (Most). Croatias 10-year benchmark bond yield has fallen to 3% and is threatening to break through that barrier. The five-year CDS spread of 195 basis points has room to tighten based on a 147-point spread for Indonesia, less than a point higher in Euromoneys country risk survey. Scores for Croatias regulatory and policymaking environment, and government stability, improved in the final months of 2016, alongside most economic risk indicators and debt ratings. Its total risk score responded accordingly, rising to almost 50 points (out of 100), pushing the country higher in the global rankings, to 65th, meaning it is less risky than Namibia, a country the rating agencies regard as investment grade. Sunny outlook The picture for 2017 remains bright, despite the external risks. The government has approved a budget for 2017 targeting a deficit of 1.6% of GDP, which will begin to lower the debt burden, in addition to refinancing part of the debt on more favourable terms. And there are widespread expectations of a stronger economic expansion in 2017. Aljosa Sestanovic, professor at Effectus, the university college for law and finance in Zagreb, puts this down to four main factors. First, at the end of 2016 the non-competitive and complex tax system was reformed, he says. The corporate tax rate was reduced from 20% to 18%, and to 12% for small businesses. Personal tax rates were lowered and thresholds raised. [Second,] better public debt management started to be the narrow focus of the government to limit public debt to 75.3% of GDP in 2019, which is 10 percentage points lower than the current level. Third, the government is using EU structural funds. This is improving investment, and the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. A fourth factor, says Sestanovic, is the more active use of state property, with sales of minority shares in certain, non-strategic enterprises taking place. Tourism receipts are benefiting from the perception of safety from terrorism, and the unemployment rate is expected to come down from a high of 17% in 2013-14 to below 11% this year. Croatias fortunes are improving, reversing the higher risk image depicted last year. It might not be long before the credit rating agencies sit up and take notice. This article was originally published by ECR. To find out more, register for a free trial at Euromoney Country Risk. The coming to power of President Trump in many respects reflects a demand for sovereign policy-making and for reasserting control over global policies. The need for policies that resonate with local constituencies in an increasingly globalized economy is not unique to the United States. There is an increasing demand for trade and labour market regimes to be less automated and more responsive to social needs. Governance appears to be no longer about calibrating the machine and is more about representing the sovereign. How can this be achieved? There is no straightforward answer. But the implication is that an international system born out of what is known as the Washington consensus is undergoing a transition period. Any transitional period requires a leap into the unknown until we re-establish ground rules and build or rebuild trust, but we are not building from scratch. In this transition it is crucial that we remain a security community. Georgia has a longstanding relationship with the United States. Since our independence little over 25 years ago we shaped our country in an American mold: institutionally, politically, normatively, economically, socially, and even academically. Washington was never the only source of development assistance in the region, nor the sole source of diplomatic initiatives, or even the primary foreign investor, but the US presence was strategically significant and offered a vision of progress, laying the foundations we stand on today. The nations elites either studied in the United States or were raised to see democracy, justice, security, institutional checks and balances, entrepreneurship, and citizenship through American lenses. Reelected in October 2016, the second Kvirikashvili administration is pursuing a US-inspired vision of building a country based on the rule of law, low regulation, low taxation, and high economic growth. Our armed forces, judges, and the business community have American partners, trainers, teachers, mentors and role models. We are even used to saving, borrowing and paying in US dollars. We also share an American problem-solving attitude, and we have grown through our bilateral relationship as a polity and as a state. To most Americans, Georgia is a faraway country; but America feels like home to most Georgians. Georgia is unique among states with the post-Soviet label to claim an Eastern European identity. We are no longer a democracy in transition. We organize impeccable elections at every level: local, Presidential, and legislative. We have the freest and most pluralistic media landscape in Eastern Europe, comparable only to EU member states; we are among the most welcoming business environments in the world. Georgias identity defies the stereotypes of location. Georgias political culture defies the stereotypes of location. We have a can do attitude and we claim to be part of a greater European order, which goes beyond EU and NATO membership to encompass the sphere of shared norms, values, and political culture. Georgia is the most advanced reformer in the Eastern Partnership and honed a special relationship with NATO, over and beyond the Partnership for Peace framework, as well as bilaterally with the United States. And, as partners, we carry our weight, spending more than 2% of the GDP on defense for several years and contributing to joint missions like no other partner. For instance, our per capita contribution in Afghanistan is second only to the United States. Nonetheless, our relation to Washington was never contractual in nature, as we are not full members of either NATO or the EU. Chiefly, we have viewed ourselves as members of a community founded through the Helsinki Final Act the modern day Treaty of Westphalia which is in some respects the declaration of our independence. Since our independence, like most states in Eastern Europe, we do not regard ourselves as being in-between great powers, but as members of a whole and free community of nations, in which sovereignty is not a commodity appraised differently according to the distance one has from Moscow. In Europe, among Allies, sovereignty is valued, not appraised. Yes, we are in transition, but we still hold certain things to be self-evident. True, Georgia has to counterbalance the appetite of Russia to turn every nearby state into a satellite. Still, each Georgian administration reaches out and makes the most of the cultural, religious, and economic ties our countries inevitably share. And we negotiate everything except our sovereignty. We live with Russia, not in Russia. And that is a red line our Allies have always upheld and empathized with, first and foremost Washington. As a nation, we are determined to be so much more than near or further from Russia. Georgias political and institutional culture is not defined by our location, but, our geography opens an array of possibilities for the role we can play. We lie at the crossroads of energy from Central Asian, the Caspian, and the greater Middle East. We are seating at the tip of a rejuvenated Silk Path already working with American companies to open the door to economies with surging incomes and thirsty for goods and services. We are a bridge between the mature and emerging markets. We are the window to a future we can shape, together with Washington and other capitals. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time. KYIV. Feb 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) Board Chairman of PrivatBank (Dnipro) Oleksandr Shlapak has said that the bank could be additionally capitalized after an audit conducted by EY under the law on guaranteeing deposits of individuals. "Cypriot assets [PrivatBank Cyprus international banking unit] were not taken into account in the bail-in transaction and they were not considered when it was calculated to inject UAH 116 billion into PrivatBank's capital. If it is established that the Cypriot branch of PrivatBank had credits similar to those for which the reserves were formed, we would have to do something with them," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv on Thursday. He said that the situation with liabilities of Crimean department of PrivatBank is unclear. "Now we need to return funds lost in Crimea to people, while PrivatBank itself lost assets for UAH 13 billion in Crimea. We do not have assets that we can use to fulfill the liabilities. We are thinking how to settle the issue," Shlapak said. He does not rule out that additional capital is to be injected to the bank to settle the issues. "We do not have funds for this. We do not have Crimean assets. Thus, these issues could be solved only thanks to additional capitalization of the bank, as it was done with Oschadbank and Ukrgasbank when the government sent additional funds equal to the sum of assets lost in Crimea. We have prepared a letter to the Finance Ministry," he said. Shlapak preliminarily assessed the additional capitalization at UAH 28 billion, including UAH 14 billion for Crimean liabilities and the same sum for Cypriot liabilities. He said that the exact sum will be determined by newly appointed auditor of the bank EY. "The company has received the technical task. It has started working. I think by the end of March we will have the complete picture of the situation," he said. Weve got you well covered in the Sunshine State. Please join us for one of a series of screenings of the new hour-long documentary Revolutionary: Michael Behe and the Mystery of Molecular Machines. With events in the next couple of days in Clearwater, sponsored by the C.S. Lewis Society, as well as Naples, Tampa, and Orlando, hosted by Ratio Christi, you can not only see the film but meet Dr. Behe and interact with him in a Q&A following the screening. See our links for more information. Revolutionary tells the story of biochemist Michael Behe and the revolution he helped spark twenty years ago with his path-breaking book Darwins Black Box, inspiring a new generation of scientists and thinkers who are challenging Darwinian orthodoxy and discovering powerful evidence throughout nature of intelligent design. Learn what led Behe to his discoveries, how those opposed to his ideas tried to kill them in court, how Behes ideas have been vindicated by science during the past decade, and how his ideas have led to a growing movement for a new approach to biology. Filmed in the U.S. and Europe, Revolutionary features new interviews with biologists Michael Behe, Douglas Axe, and Scott Minnich, and with philosophers of science Stephen Meyer and Paul Nelson, among others. Dont miss this chance to learn more about the revolutionary science of intelligent design and why it matters! Orlando skyline, by Bill Dickinson [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. This is helpful. Our friend Alex Berezow of the American Council on Science and Health offers smart tips on spotting fake science news. The comments of Dr. Berezow, a microbiologist who co-founded the invaluable Real Clear Science site, will ring true if you follow the evolution debate with an eye to distortions committed by Darwin partisans in the media. Berezow is no ID advocate, mind you, but proponents of intelligent design will be nodding in affirmation as they read his excellent post. Excerpts: [T]oo many science journalists dont actually possess a well-rounded knowledge of science. Worse, when it comes to the ID debate, these journalists often seem to have done little more than scan the Wikipedia article, a disinformation hatchet job. Here he hits the nail on the head: [S]cience journalists are every bit as biased as their more traditional counterparts, perhaps even more so. They routinely hold double standards in regard to analyzing science policies. They conflate scientific evidence with science policy, immediately labeling anyone anti-science if he or she disagrees with their cultural beliefs. Worse, science journalists feel no inhibition whatsoever to cheerlead openly for their favorite politicians and to heap scorn upon those they dislike. Just read Twitter. [Emphasis added.] As to practical tips for spotting fake science news, he lists red flags including: 9) The article is about evolutionary psychology. That is amusing, and true. Id add a few red flags of my own. Not any journalist who commits one or more of the following is guilty of spreading fake news, but these are things to watch for: I could go on. Berezow notes that 84 percent of respondents in a poll think fake news may be hurting the country. As one example of the genre when it comes to science, he cites viral stories about how Nutella causes cancer. Im not too worried about Nutella. Fad stories like that are overnight sensations, here today and gone tomorrow, arent they? Whereas fake news in defense of Darwinism has pervasive influence, and is much less easily recognized. Scaring people with Nutella also doesnt have the power of the prestige media, academia, and U.S. federal funding behind it in quite the same way. Which is why at Evolution News we have our work cut out for us. Image: jro-grafik stock.adobe.com. Im on Twitter. Follow me @d_klinghoffer. Silicon Valley based advertising and marketing technology (AMT) company C1X (C1Exchange) has roped in Sunil Punjabi as VP and Business Head - South Asia. His appointment will enable C1X to expand its leadership in one of its largest strategic growth markets globally. With the responsibility of growing business across direct clients across India and the whole of South Asia, Punjabi will operate out of the companys Mumbai office and report to Rammohan Sundaram, Managing Director & SVP APMEA C1X. On the appointment, Sundaram stated, We are very pleased to have Sunil on board. His breadth of experience will help us develop and execute a long-term plan for growth acceleration in India and South Asia. Commenting on his new role, Punjabi said, C1X has terrific plans for the future, which make it a very exciting place to be in. Not to mention, the people, some of whom I have worked with in the past as well. I am very excited about the opportunity and look forward to taking the India and South Asia markets to newer heights at C1X. Punjabi comes with a rich media experience of over 20 years. Immediately prior to joining C1X, he led the Vuclip Media Sales team where he formed and established their audience network - the Viu Video Audience Network. Prior to Vuclip, he has had two successful entrepreneurial stints with AgencyMobi and Networkplay, where he was the Chief Revenue Officer and responsible for all revenue streams including advertising sales of LinkedIn. He later divested his stake to the principal investors G+J of the Bertelsmann Group and made an exit. He has also led the Sales team at Yahoo and worked with traditional media players like UTV, Future Media and Indian Express. He holds a Masters in Marketing from Mumbai University and is an avid reader. Programmatic advertising, while in its nascent form in India, is increasingly becoming extremely important for advertisers. Cutting through the myriads of offerings, is C1X, which offers the entire programmatic stack, thereby addressing the entire ecosystem, said Punjabi. Asias emerging markets for automated media trading are the fastest growing in the world. South Asia is certainly waking up to programmatic buying and selling, programmatic can bring great efficiencies not just with expanding reach and revenue opportunities for advertisers, but also engaging the right user with relevant ads and drive desired outcomes. Founded in 2014, C1X is a funded global corporation, headquartered in the Silicon Valley, with offices in New York, Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo, Mumbai, and New Delhi, and with development centers in San Jose, Chennai and Bengaluru. Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India) More brands are exploring DTC opportunities with the help of apps, buy buttons and subscription services Consumer goods brands are increasingly looking at direct-to-consumer (DTC) opportunities, according to Warc, the global marketing intelligence service. Research suggests that cutting out or minimising the retailer middleman allows brands that previously had no direct relationship with their customers to develop one. David Tiltman, Head of Content at Warc, says, Low-cost start-ups have disrupted established business models with customer-centric online businesses. Innovative apps, buy buttons, subscription services and engaging branded social platforms have encouraged impulse purchases and trials with seamless transactions and personalised experiences. The challenge for established brands is responding to these new models, continued Tiltman. The coming year is likely to be an area of considerable experimentation. Key insights identified in Warcs Toolkit 2017 on direct-to-consumer that will have a bearing on marketers are: Subscription services enable brands to acquire consumer data: The success of innovative subscription brands, particularly among younger age groups, has disrupted some industries and has challenged established business models. Dollar Shave Club, a US-based online brand, sent high quality razors directly to subscribers' homes for a monthly fee. In 2016, Unilever purchased Dollar Shave Club for $1bn, giving the FMCG business a 5% share of the US market. It also gained access to a new stream of customer data a key benefit of DTC strategies over traditional retail. Mobile is central to the DTC experience: Mobile is key to DTC opportunities because it reduces the number of steps between browsing and buying. Apps including Uber and Airbnb have been at the forefront of integrated commerce, a trend that many in the payments industry refer to as the Uberisation of payments. In the case of Uber, the mobile app turns many would-be cash or card transactions into automatic digital payments. Apps such as these have introduced many first-time mobile payment users to the concept of mobile-enabled commerce. The DTC 'insurgents' focus on strong customer experience: Some of the most disruptive DTC strategies have been created by companies with limited resources. Many of these successful brands have developed ingenious solutions to age-old marketing problems. Warby Parker, a start-up eyewear retailer in the US, was able to positively differentiate itself from established brands after launching a digital-first business with customer experience at the heart of its strategy and in a category slow to offer its products online. Brands are trialling with purchase 'buttons', but consumers have concerns: Connected 'buttons' that can order an item directly, such as Amazon's Dash service, are growing in popularity. One study shows that more than half of UK consumers (54%) would like to use smart shopping technology to order household supplies as well as food and drink, while a third (34%) would use it for beauty, healthcare and personal hygiene products. Consumers also expressed some reservations, such as lack of control over purchases (54%) and issues of security (51%) and data privacy (51%). Online product demos can be a route to DTC: The beauty sector is also looking at DTC opportunities. However, in this sector many consumers want to try products before they buy. Apps can be used by brands to allow trial as well as control purchase. L'Oreal's Makeup Genius, a virtual make-up app that applies make up to a user's image, has already been downloaded by more than 16 million consumers worldwide. Purchasing and click-through is encouraged on the app. China has become a DTC leader, in part due to WeChat: In China, the rise of messaging app WeChat has created new opportunities for DTC. The chat app, which has 600 million users in China alone, is focused on connecting people with businesses, and is moving from social communication to payment, utility, commerce, and service. Shoppers can browse and buy seamlessly from the app itself additionally leading to an increase in online conversions. DTC is important in emerging markets where product availability is limited: E-commerce is particularly important in some emerging markets because it offers consumers access to international brands where product availability is often limited, especially outside of urban areas. How brands are going direct-to-consumer is one of six key trends featured in Warcs Toolkit 2017. The annual report, produced in association with Deloitte Digital. Read more news about (marketing news, latest marketing news,internet marketing, marketing India, digital marketing India, media marketing India, advertising news) Legal training for aid workers to help protect migrant children from exploitation Aid workers in refugee camps and shelters in Greece are receiving legal training to help keep migrant children safe thanks to an expert from the University of Exeter. Dr Ana Beduschi is delivering guidance to those working with families and unaccompanied young people so they can support them to make applications for asylum, and make them aware of their legal rights. Charity workers in refugee camps and shelters in Greece often have no legal training. Dr Beduschi hopes by sharing her knowledge and expertise they will save lives and stop unaccompanied children disappearing from aid camps to live on the streets of Europe. The project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, also includes a toolkit to help social workers and immigration officials understand the law and assess how vulnerable the child migrants are. This covers UN guidance and definitions, why it is important to support children travelling with family, why certain groups like the Yazidi children need particular support, and a list of all legal instruments which protect the rights of migrant children. A legal training workshop for aid workers was held in Athens this week. A further training session will be held in London in early March, in partnership with the Refugee Law Initiative from the School of Advanced Study at the University of London. The event will be attended by NGO staff, as well as representatives from the Home Office, Save the Children, Red Cross, Migration Policy Institute, and Unicef. University of Exeter psychologists will attend to give expert information about the impact of trauma on children. The work is a response to requests from those helping migrant children in Greece and in the UK for training in the legal guidance they should provide for children. The workshops cover international migration law, how to support children suffering from trauma and how to protect them from human traffickers. The impact of this work, will be evaluated over the next two years. Dr Beduschi is carrying out this work with Dr Kyriaki Patsianta, a barrister at the Network for Childrens Rights in Greece, and with Professor Huw Williams, Associate Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology and Co-Director of the Centre for Clinical Neuropsychology Research (CCNR) at the University of Exeter. Dr Beduschi said: Our aim is to help protect the rights of children who have suffered extreme trauma after escaping horrific violence and conflict. We have found that those staff working in refugee camps rarely have enough knowledge to give legal advice or help children through the asylum process. They also lack the knowledge to assess specific mental health issues caused by trauma. Currently many unaccompanied refugee children in mainland Greece are living on the streets without any legal or social protection. This leaves them open to exploitation, a heart-breaking situation when they are already vulnerable and traumatised. We aim to develop a tool that will be easy to use by frontline aid workers and which will help those working with traumatised children to judge how vulnerable they are and adopt decisions on their best interests. We hope aid workers will find it valuable. KYIV. Feb 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) Board Chairman of PrivatBank (Dnipro) Oleksandr Shlapak has confirmed information that Germany's Commerzbank has been blocking EUR 17 million belonged to the Ukrainian bank on its correspondent account. "The situation with Commerzbank is not good. A major part of transactions are settled via this bank. Today it has blocked around EUR 17 million of our funds on its accounts. We have sent an official request. We are trying to clear up [a situation]," he said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine in Kyiv on Thursday. Shlapak said that the agricultural machinery long-term financing program involving Ukrainian enterprises with guarantees of Germany's Hermes public insurance company is underway. Around 10 contracts are being implemented under it, and all contractors and PrivatBank settle all payments under them. He said that the bank will inform media about the results of the talks with Commerzbank on the issue. Earlier on Tuesday Creative Producer of Groshi television program Oleksandr Dubynsky said that Commerzbank has blocked EUR 17.8 million on the PrivatBank's correspondent account as a guarantee for liabilities under the above-mentioned program. He said that the German bank has this right if financial indicators of PrivatBank worsen. What are the chances of an Indian Architecture degree getting through the Degree Assessment when applying for Australian Immigration? Not sure where to start!! Here goes... My partner has applied for a job with this company. He had his interview in Middlesbrough UK on the 31st January 2017. I decided to do some research on the company and look for people who have moved from the UK to Canada. Unfortunately the only information of people going through this was in 2010. I found good reviews and some not good reviews. We have three children so need to find out as much as we possibly can! So if there is anyone out there from the UK working for Flynn I would be so grateful to hear you experience x :fingerscrossed: First, I'd reinforce everything thathas said.I'll chip in with a bit of information, but as you imply - this is along the lines of 'how long is a piece of string?' and nor can I be very specific about Languedoc.We live in a 3-bed house, have a small family car; we pay just under 1000EUR per year insurance for the two through MAIF. What I don't know is how much that cost might change according to where the house is situated. As you might guess from my moniker, we live in Toulouse. This is expensive compared to what we paid equivalently in the UK, but the cover is much better - so that's something to check carefully. For example, we don't need to buy travel insurance in addition and since our children are scattered to the four winds, and we do visit them from time to time, that's important toI won't say much about utility bills because that depends so much on lifestyle, the shape of the house, the quality of insulation, the exact location and exposure to weather. But it is worth shopping around if you can; we buy gas and electricity fromand I reckon that saves us about 12%, maybe more, on prices from EDF and GDF (or whatever they call themselves these days). Very,approximately it costs us about 75EUR/month for gas and elec.You will be liable for the Taxe d'habitation (local govt tax) and if you own the house also the Taxe Fonciere. You'll need to check out what the rates are where you are planning to live; also check out any exemptions.As for food, try to buy fresh fruit and veg from a local market: it supports the local economy and the prices are usually well below supermarket prices for local produce. Having said that, the supermarkets often sell imported fruit (bananas, pineapples, oranges, avocados) at good prices if you are careful to look for the good deals. Our localhypermarket has got a stand for "everything less than 1EUR (or 1EUR/kg)" which offers good value - but it's right at the back of the shop! They also sell seeds, grains, nuts, etc loose. That's a lot cheaper than the small packets. Look for specialist veggie/bio shops.is one such chain and I use their shops for loose wholemeal flour bought by the kilo. They are the best places to buy wholemeal pasta, wholemeal rice, etc which can be hard to find otherwise. Cost-wise I'd guess food costs about the same as we paid in the UK (just outside the M25); we're not completely veggie, but eat little meat (which is, incidentally, more expensive). But we are in a big city: I'm sure prices in the rural areas will be higher.Fuel is around 1.24EUR/litre for diesel and 1.37 for petrol where we are, but that obviously changes at the drop of a hat. There is a government web-site to find the prices where you are, or want to, live.Second-hand cars generally hold their prices well (i.e. are more expensive than the UK), for all sorts of reasons, including: people tend to keep their cars longer and there doesn't seem to be the same turnover of fleet cars as there is in the UK. Some friends of ours bought a 2nd hand (French) car in the UK - there are some UK dealers who specialise in that. But becareful about getting the paperwork right: if you are thinking of doing that, spend a bit of time to learn what is necessary and what needs to be done to make sure your car is correctly registered in the Departement where you plan to live.A general note about cost of living is that it sounds as if your resources are going to be paid in Sterling and you're planning to spend in Euros, so you (like us) will be dependent on the exchange rate. This is down significantly in the wake of the Brexit vote; I expect it to go down again after A50 is triggered, but after that ... who knows! Doomsayers talk of parity between the pound and the euro, optimists talk of the pound going up again.. But the point is, be sure to do your sums based on a miserable rate (1GBP = 1.05EUR?). If the pound strengthens, you'll be able to buy champagne every week.Talking of which, wines are much cheaper than the UK ... look for nice local suppliers and you'll find decent bottles for 4 or 5 EUR. Our local shop has a very nice dry white for 2.80/bottle. But I'm keeping quiet about that ..Another general point is that there are few concessions for pensioners. In the UK one gets used to lower prices for all sorts of things. I won't say that doesn't exist in France, but the there are fewer offers. French pensions are more generous than UK ones (or so I'm told) which is the explanation.Do make sure you check out the weather, all year round. The idea that the south of France is warm and sunny all the time is a myth. There's a reason why a winter sport like Rugby is so popular! Languedoc/Roussillon is mild, especially near the coast, but it can also be very windy and occasionally stormy. Two weeks ago today it was -9C outside our house first thing in the morning. That's unusual but by no means unheard of.A final point: the magazine (and web-site) "" is a kind ofmagazine for life in France. We've found it very useful not just eg. for choosing a make and model of dishwasher, but for general hints (such as this year Groupama is a good choice for a top-upfor older customers, such as pensioners. True: it was a much lower price than was offered by others, and with better cover). It's also where we found out aboutGood luck! Hello, I am looking to move to Vienna, where my current employer has an official satellite office. I work as a software engineer, and my company is a contractor on a number of UN type projects. I would like to know if I could get an EU Blue Card to live and work in Vienna based on my current employment situation. My salary exceeds the minimum of 1.2x the average annual salary in Austria for "professions in shortage"but falls just short of the 1.5x threshold for other professions (not that it matters, it appears all manner of software jobs are deemed to be in shortage). Specifically, I'm curious to know the following: 1) Is it sufficient that my employment is guaranteed by the main, US, branch of my company, or would I need to get a new contract under the Austrian office? 2) Would I have to pay Austrian taxes as well as US taxes? I'd imagine if my employment "contract" is American I'd have to pay American taxes, but I'm not sure. Thanks! Dear ForumI am currently on an ICT visa (Software Developer - Data Science), and the local Employer wants to offer me a local contract. I am in SA. For this to happen, I need to apply for a critical skills visa.I have been advised that this application can only be made from home country (India) and not through VFS in SA.1. If i lodge my application in VFS India and can i attend interview here in SA (Pretoria) or should i need to visit India for Visa interview.2. Has anyone successfully transferred from a ICT to Critical Skills when applying from within South Africa?Your guidance will be appreciated.ThanksVen BRUSSELS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior EU politician said recently that China represents an external threat to Europe, an accusation which is groundless as well as outrageous. As a matter of fact, China's development provides an enormous opportunity for Europe and both sides benefit from strong and stable bilateral ties. The European Union is China's biggest trading partner, and China is the EU's second biggest, following a dramatic increase in trade in recent years. Data from Chinese customs show that bilateral trade reached 2.94 trillion yuan (423.34 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 10 months of 2016, reaching a new high, and overcoming the global trade downturn. China's rapid economic growth has served as an opportunity for the European Union's own growth. With a fragile economy, the rising threat of protectionism and uncertainty in relations with other major world powers, Europe can benefit significantly from strong trade relations with China. China and Europe should also work closer together in global governance issues, with climate change as a primary example. China and the EU played key roles as brokers of the COP21 Climate Agreement in Paris, and were urged to work even more closely for COP22 in Marrakech. With the Paris Agreement having entered into force, China and the EU will need to trust each other more than ever to help ensure that these critical measures are being implemented fully and correctly. Global security is also a core principle of China-EU relations, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for a community of shared future, and China showing its commitment to this vision through its involvement in the Iran nuclear talks, mediation for national reconciliation in South Sudan, and the facilitation of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, among others. In all global issues, China is a partner to the European Union, a sign of the friendship and mutual trust built over the 42 years since diplomatic relations were formally established in 1975. Strong bilateral ties need these twin guarantees to ensure that different political systems and different cultures can still find common ground. International relations are not a zero-sum game, as China has repeatedly shown in its partnerships with Europe. Through strong bilateral ties, China seeks a relationship with the European Union that promotes win-win development and mutually benefiting cooperation. Senior European politicians should be cautious about the statements they make, and safeguard the long-term and steady development of China-EU relations. Biased views will do no good for such development. The protracted family fight over San Antonio and New Orleans billionaire Tom Bensons estate is scheduled to go back to court Monday in New Orleans. Tom Benson, 89, still hasnt finalized a settlement announced in June with his estranged daughter, Renee Benson. They are suing each other over shares of the NFLs New Orleans Saints and the NBAs New Orleans Pelicans that Benson put in a trust for Renee Benson and her two children before the family splintered in 2015. Its unlikely the court will resume the trial, which has been on hold since the two sides announced the tentative settlement about seven months ago, said St. Marys University law professor Victoria Mather. A delay is in everyones interest. Renee and the kids may be hoping he may die before there are any changes to the trusts, Mather said. Tom Benson sued the trustees for the trusts San Antonio lawyers Robert Rosenthal and Mary Rowe after they blocked the transfer of the team shares in 2015. Tom Benson, who owns the teams and controls most of the voting shares, wants to remove Renee Bensons shares from the trust to ensure a smooth transition in passing the teams to his third wife after his death. But estate laws require him to either pay fair market prices or replace them with assets of equal value. Tom Benson proposed replacing the shares with promissory notes that the trustees say would shortchange his heirs by hundreds of millions of dollars. The June settlement has yet to be finalized. The trial was reset to resume Dec. 8 before being delayed until Monday. An out-of-court settlement is still possible. The trial, if it starts, is expected to last five days and would publicly disclose sensitive data regarding the values of the teams, as well as other information Tom Benson has fought to keep private. In a court filing this week, Rosenthal and Rowe said they believe the two sides are about $600 million to $700 million apart in estimates of the teams values. Benson has proposed replacing the nonvoting shares mainly with promissory notes and cash. Forbes magazine last year estimated the Saints value at $1.75 billion. The series of trusts created between 2009 and 2014 gives Renee Benson and her two children control over about 60 percent of Saints shares and 95 percent of Pelicans shares. Tom Benson made it clear in January 2015 he wanted to leave full ownership of the Saints to his third wife of more than 11 years, Gayle Benson, instead of his daughter and her children. Tom Benson wants to get this (team shares) to his wife. Hes the driving force. But I dont see any advantage to him of this going to a trial, Mather said. The swap is not suitable. Promissory notes wont cut it. A reasonable trustee would not find that acceptable. Mather said settling is in Tom Bensons best interest and the judge will crack down and say this is to be done. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. Tom Benson said his daughters family tried to kill me in a deposition taken last March. Later under oath when asked to explain further, he theorized, You know, by picking on my wife when I wasnt feeling very good, they were very hostile. Tom Benson became owner of the New Orleans Saints in 1985 after building his wealth through auto dealerships and banks in San Antonio. After buying the Saints, Tom Benson moved his primary residence to New Orleans from Texas. dhendricks@express-news.net Rackspace Hosting Inc. touts its fanatical client support, but a California e-commerce firm has charged in a new lawsuit that it lost numerous customers after the San Antonio company failed to provide web-hosting services and security as promised. Del Mar, California-based i3 Brands Inc. on Tuesday filed the suit in Bexar County District Court, accusing Rackspace of providing inadequate and non-existent security, causing customers including two unidentified carmakers to desert the business. I3 Brands seeks more than $1 million in damages for lost revenue, along with more than $700,000 in fees it paid to Rackspace. I3 Brands also seeks unspecified punitive damages. Rackspace spokeswoman Monica Jacob said in an email that the company has not been served with the lawsuit and therefore had no comment. The company was acquired for $4.3 billion by affiliates of New York private equity firm Apollo Global Management in November. Jim Henderson Jr., a Santa Monica, California, lawyer for i3 Brands, had no immediate comment. I3 Brands is a web-hosting company that said it has several automobile manufacturers and thousands of individual dealerships as clients. It had been a Rackspace customer since 2008. Rackspace is an internet-hosting company that retains customers data and other information on its servers. In May 2014, according to the suit, i3 Brands uncovered a security breach relating to its data and customer information on Rackspace servers. New security measures were slated to be implemented in September 2014. But i3 Brands discovered the load balancers which distribute network traffic across different servers were insufficient for the enhanced security measures, the suit said. A more expensive load balancer was required, which i3 Brands said forced it to enter into another deal with Rackspace to stabilize the thousands of websites i3 Brands hosts or manages. Last April, the suit added, i3Brands uncovered a second security breach involving the Rackspace servers. I3 Brands said it learned that Rackspace had installed the the more expensive load balancer without the necessary security patches. After security upgrades were completed, i3 Brands said Rackspaces servers would repeatedly crash. Numerous calls with Rackspaces experts proved fruitless, the suit said. An outside contractor hired by i3 Brands determined Rackspace servers were misconfigured, the suit added. Rackspace, however, had no solution, even though Rackspace had recommended and implemented the new security platform, the suit said. I3 Brands also alleged in the suit that its customers were vulnerable to hacking and theft of data as a result of Rackspace failing to activate another security device. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. Ultimately, i3 Brands said, it was forced to switch to another web-hosting company. It had been paying Rackspace $35,000 a month. I3 Brands has sued Rackpace for breach of contract and negligence. pdanner@express-news.net Twitter: @AlamoPD BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's manufacturing sector has expanded for the sixth month in a row, a sign the economy is stabilizing amid an uncertain global outlook. The country's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 51.3 in January, 0.1 lower than in December, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Wednesday. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while below 50 reflects contraction. NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe said the readings in January had remained at a high level since 2012, which pointed to steady expansion of the manufacturing sector. The sub-index for production was 53.1, 0.2 lower than in December, while the sub-index for new orders was down 0.4 to 52.8. Zhao attributed the deceleration of production and new orders to the Lunar New Year holiday, which reduces work days. China reported 6.7 percent GDP growth in 2016, lower than in recent years but within the government's target range. Zhao noted that the sub-index for the high-tech manufacturing sector had increased by 1.9 to 55.7, remarkably higher than other sectors The indices for exports and imports edged up to 50.3 and 50.7 respectively, staying above the 50 demarcation line for three straight months. The NBS also said that prices of raw materials had posted a decline after several months of increases, creating bigger room for manufacturers to earn profits. In addition, large companies continued to fare better than smaller ones, as large firms' PMI stood at 52.7, with that for small companies at 46.4. Zhao said that the steady growth of manufacturing could not conceal the fact that more than 40 percent of business owners had reported cash and labor shortages and weak market demand. "It is key for policy makers to lower borrowing costs and boost demand to stabilize the economy," he said. Meanwhile, a separate survey of the service sector showed steady growth, with non-manufacturing PMI up 0.1 to 54.6. Financial, insurance and Internet and software information technology were among the fastest growing service sectors, while transportation, catering and property sectors reported contractions, NBS data showed. The service sector accounted for more than half of China's economy last year and for the majority of growth, as rising income made catering, hotels and travel services more affordable for Chinese consumers. Analysts said that although the NBS data pointed to a good start for the economy in 2017, the country faces a string of uncertainties as the global environment becomes less predictable. Blaming Chinese goods for less competitive U.S. exports, the U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to levy heavy duties on Chinese products, during his election campaign. Although a full-fledged trade war is thought by many to be impossible, more trade friction between the world's two largest economies is unavoidable in 2017, which could deal a blow to China's manufacturing industry. Analysts said that as the country moved to reduce excess industrial capacity and contain property bubbles, the manufacturing sector could maintain moderate expansion without sharp rises in 2017. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After record sales for U.S. automakers last year, 2017 was off to rocky start, with sales down 2 percent in January and Toyota Motor Corp. performing significantly below analysts expectations. January may be suffering a bit of a hangover after those rocking deals we saw in December, said Michelle Krebs of car-buying site Autotrader. The American auto industry is coming off a record year in which it sold 17.55 million vehicles, the seventh consecutive year of growth. It started 2017 by selling 1.1 million vehicles, a 2 percent drop compared to January 2016, according to Autodata Corp. Among the big winners were Honda and Nissan, which saw sales grow by 5.9 and 6.2 percent, respectively, while Toyota, General Motors, Fiat-Chrysler America and Ford experienced a drop. The top gainer among large automakers was Volkswagen, which reported a 17 percent jump. But the increase came during Volkswagens buyback program, which is luring consumers to dealerships to replace diesels that violated emissions laws. More Information By the numbers January is typically the weakest month of the year for U.S. auto sales, and last month appeared to live up to that reputation, with several automakers reporting declines. Below is the percent change in units sold in January as compared with January 2016. Toyota: -11.3% FCA: -11.2% GM: -3.8% Ford: -0.6% Honda: 5.9% Nissan: 6.2% Volkswagen: 17.1% Source: Respective companies See More Collapse Toyota was the biggest loser in January with a 11.3 percent fall in sales, significantly more than analysts predictions of a 2 percent drop. Toyota ended 2016 on a down note, selling 2 percent fewer vehicles than in 2015, a nearly 50,000 vehicle drop. Toyotas stock ended Wednesday down by less than half a percentage point. Toyota sold 19,137 Tacoma and Tundra pickups in January, 812 fewer than in January 2016. The decrease included Tacomas first year-over-year sales drop since August 2014. Tacomas sales fell by 208 units in January compared to 2016, a 1.6 percent drop that Toyota spokesman Mario Lozoya attributed to the companys struggles to meet continued high demand, resulting in fewer trucks on dealership lots. Typically, at least for the Tacoma, for example, the sweet spot is 35 to 40 days of inventory, Lozoya said. They (dealers) want inventory to be around that long so that when the consumer comes, they have choice. Right now, its still around 14 days inventory. He added that production at the San Antonio assembly plant has not slowed, saying, Were building 1,000 trucks a day. Sales of the San Antonio-built full-size Tundra pickup fell to 6,628 in January, an 8.4 percent drop compared to the 7,232 Tundras sold in January 2016. The Tundra also saw a smaller sales drop at the start of 2016, selling 3,000-plus fewer trucks that January, down 2.9 percent from January 2015. General Motors was the only major truck maker that saw a fall in both its truck and overall sales. The companys standard bearer truck, the Chevrolet Silverado, had a 6.1 percent sales decline year-over-year, while overall sales were down 4.9 percent. Ford Motor Co. saw year-over-year sales in January decline by 0.6 percent, but the automaker said its F-Series pickup sales grew to nearly 58,000 vehicles, an increase of almost 6,500 vehicles over the 51,500 sold in January 2016. Fiat-Chrysler America had an 11.2 percent year-over-year drop in sales for January, although its Ram trucks saw year-over-year growth of 4 percent. The story continues in 2017 that consumers want trucks and sport utilities more than traditional cars, Krebs said. Toyotas overall U.S. sales fell by more than 18,000 units last month, an 11.3 percent drop from January 2016 that was worse than analysts had predicted. I think with Toyota, what sets them apart a bit is that they rely on sales of the Camry, Corolla; theyre major components of their overall portfolio, and we know that those segments have stagnated, said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. But many analysts also agree that January which comes after dealers use deep sales in December to clear stock off their lots usually takes a sales hit. Its tricky to use January as a bellwether for how auto sales will trend for the year. Its the lowest volume month and only accounts for 6 percent of annual sales on average, said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds executive director of industry analysis. An X factor for the auto industry this year is President Donald Trump, Caldwell said. Trump used the run-up to his inauguration to shame automakers Ford, General Motors and Toyota on Twitter. In a tweet at the beginning of the year, Trump admonished Toyota for building a new Corolla plant in Baja, Mexico. But the new $1 billion Corolla plant is being built in Guanajuato in Central Mexico. Toyota has a plant that operates in Baja California, Mexico, but it produces Tacoma pickups. rdruzin@express-news.net @druz_journo This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HOUSTON Fallout from the White Houses immigration ban has area business leaders pondering the implications for cabdrivers, medical researchers and others whose livelihood depends on free travel to and from the U.S. Dr. Arthur Tim Garson, director of the Health Policy Institute at the Texas Medical Center, said global cooperation is important in modern medicine. We rely on people around the globe to brings us their ideas and to share our ideas with them, Garson said. Being sick crosses every border in the world, and the idea that sick people cant have access to the best medicine America has to offer is a real problem. Dr. Paul Klotman, CEO and president of Baylor Medical School in Houston, warned that the order affecting select refugees and people seeking entry from seven Muslim-majority nations could leave dozens, if not more, at his institution in limbo. That could include those whose families are overseas or those who might not return home for a visit for fear of not being able to re-enter the U.S. Klotman derided the presidential order as amateurish and called its impact a giant, messy distraction. But the anxiety was most acute in the local Muslim business community. A leader of the United Houstonian Taxicab Drivers Association said about 65 percent of the drivers group hail from one of the seven countries singled out. Many of those drivers, who are U.S. citizens, fear traveling abroad themselves even though the order would not bar them from re-entry, said the man, who requested to be identified only by his nickname, FM, out of concern for the safety of his family abroad. Its not a well-thought-out decision, FM said. It feels very abrupt. His relatives, refugees from Ethiopia, are currently in Nairobi, Kenya. After more than a decade of trying to secure citizenship or even visas for them, FM said, the new 120-day ban on all refugees into the U.S. adds another unexpected blow to his familys hopes. Of course, nobody wants to allow bad people into this country, FM said. But at the same time, when innocent people are affected by this decision, the U.S. should be a role model in offering a hand to help people in need. The sweeping order signed last week by President Donald Trump shut the door to Syrian refugees indefinitely and all other refugees for 120 days and barred entrance for at least 90 days to anyone from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Libya and Sudan. Initially, the executive action blocked even legal permanent U.S. residents holding green cards, but that part of the order has been lifted. The order still presumably affects foreign students, workers and other visa holders from the targeted countries. The business impact could be significant in Houston. The National Muslim Business Council, which hosted its 2015 conference and expo here, noted then that the area was home to more than 3,000 Muslim-owned businesses. It also said Houston, with more than 80 mosques and Islamic centers across the metropolitan area, boasts one of the largest Muslim populations in the South. Farha Ahmed, a business transaction attorney in Sugar Land, said her phone has been ringing nonstop as concerned neighbors and acquaintances look to her for advice given her previous stint in immigration law. Many of those calls came from people with families in southeast Asian countries that are not directly affected by the ban. We will see increased interviewing of people coming from countries not on the list, she said. Ahmed said she also is concerned about the long-term business effect of the ban as international investors shy away from making deals in what could be seen as a hostile environment in the U.S. Rodwaan Saleh, executive director of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, said that while he supports safer borders, the broad and arbitrary approach of the ban has an element of meanness that is not American. At the Texas Medical Center, hailed as a local economic engine second only to oil and gas, executives scrambled to ascertain the impacts. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. A spokeswoman for the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which draws international patients to Houston for care, said it did not have any current patients from the affected nations and it did not have any appointments scheduled in the next two weeks. Other medical institutions said it was still unclear whether they had patients currently being treated from those countries or any waiting overseas. Meanwhile, media reports said more than three dozen patients at other top medical clinics across the country have patients in need of critical medical care who were set to come to the United States but could not. At Baylor Medical School, one of the nations largest and most prestigious with 10,000 faculty, clinicians, researchers, medical students and trainees, it remained unclear whether any students or faculty still in their home countries were stranded. But Klotman said it would not surprise him. We get the best and the brightest from these countries, he said. This is the last thing they need. His office sent out an institutionwide email over the weekend that said it was working to understand the new immigration policy and the effect of a federal judges ruling staying the order. There likely will continue to be changes in this policy over the coming days and weeks, which is why it is important for us to carefully monitor the political and legal issues while providing support to all members of the Baylor community. If anyone potentially affected by the order is scheduled to leave the county on business, please contact the Office of the General Counsel for guidance, the email said. Klotman said even students in countries not named in the ban were feeling the chill. It makes them nervous about their future in the country, he said. FRANKFURT, Germany Volkswagen has agreed to pay at least $1.2 billion in buybacks and compensation to settle claims from U.S. owners of cars with larger diesel engines that the company rigged to cheat on emissions tests. And the German automaker could pay even more as much as $4 billion if it cant repair many of the cars in a way that satisfies regulators. The proposed settlement filed late Tuesday before Judge Charles R. Breyer in U.S. District Court in San Francisco covers owners of some 78,000 Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche cars with 3.0-liter diesel engines. Volkswagen has already agreed on a $15 billion settlement with owners of some 500,000 smaller, 2.0-liter diesel engines. Volkswagen has now settled most U.S. consumer claims as it tries to repair a tarnished reputation. All of our customers with affected vehicles in the United States will have a resolution available to them, Hinrich J. Woebcken, head of Volkswagen Group of America, said in a statement. The company still faces lawsuits from fewer than 5,000 owners of 2-liter diesels who opted out of the settlement, as well as some shareholder suits and numerous lawsuits filed by states for violating pollution laws. VW also has settled a U.S. criminal investigation by agreeing to pay $4.3 billion, but a probe of employee behavior continues with seven people charged in the U.S. In all, VW will pay more than $20 billion to settle civil and criminal claims in the U.S. alone. Also pending is whether VW can adequately fix some older 2.0-liter engines. If it cant, VW will have to buy back all vehicles with the smaller diesel engines. A March 3 deadline is approaching. Legal issues also remain in Europe. Former CEO Martin Winterkorn and 36 others are under criminal investigation in Germany, where investors also are suing the company. Volkswagen shares plunged after the scandal broke in September of 2015. Under Tuesdays proposed settlement, owners of 20,000 older 3.0-liter models dating back to 2009-2012, which cannot be fixed to meet pollution standards, will be offered buybacks or trade-ins. In addition, they will receive compensation ranging from $7,755 to $13,880, according to a statement from owners attorneys. People who bought 58,000 newer cars from model years 2013-16, which can be fixed, will get compensation of $7,039 to $16,114. Volkswagen says those cars can be made to comply with pollution limits. VWs proposed repair must win approval from U.S. environmental authorities by an agreed deadline. If not, buybacks could push the cost as high as the $4.04 billion laid out in court documents. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. The deal must still get court approval to take effect. Volkswagen said final approval would take at least until May. Also Tuesday, parts supplier Robert Bosch GmbH agreed to pay $327.5 million to settle claims from consumers and dealers regarding 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter engines, while not accepting it was at fault. Civil plaintiffs say Bosch made the so-called defeat device that enabled the cheating. CEO Volkmar Denner said the company settled so it could focus on its business. Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen has admitted it equipped diesel engines with software that detected when the vehicle was being tested and turned the emissions controls off during every day driving. The result was cars that emitted some 40 times the U.S. limits of nitrogen oxides, a pollutant that can harm peoples health. Some 11 million cars worldwide have the deceptive software. Despite the hit to its reputation, VW passed Toyota last year to become the worlds largest carmaker by sales. VW won the sales crown with 10.3 million vehicles sold to 10.2 million for Toyota. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A fake cow in hospital scrubs greets visitors at the door, but the real eye-opener behind this trip to the eye doctor is the bovines many, many little friends in white lab coats. Because where else in San Antonio can an eye exam come with the watchful gaze of hundreds of tiny plastic, plush and ceramic doctors beaming behind glass or hanging from strings? Welcome to Braverman-Terry-Oei Eye Associates, home to six ophthalmologists, three optometrists, and nearly 1,600 doctor figurines of varying sizes, shapes and specialties. The nearly 60-year-old collection of doctor-themed dolls, statuettes, puppets and other replica physicians greets, amuses and downright befuddles eye patients and their caregivers throughout Eye Associates two-story confines just north of downtown. And no one appreciates this lighthearted look at medicine more than the very real doctor behind this very unreal practice. Its kind of a fun addition to the serious business of medicine, said Dr. Sheldon Braverman, the 81-year-old ophthalmologist and owner of the collection. Braverman guesstimates his collection to be worth maybe $8,000 to $10,000. Some pieces cost more than $1,000 each, he said, such as a metal doctor piece from Israeli artist Frank Meisler that ran him $1,200. Other pieces run as little as $1.50 and measure less than an inch tall. I feel very proud and happy that we are able to do this, wife Phyllis Braverman said. I just take pleasure out of looking at the different types of dolls. As do many Eye Associates doctors and patients. It certainly was unusual, said Dr. Barbara Ku, an ophthalmologist who joined Eye Associates in 2007. But Ive really grown to love the collection, and to love how the patients respond to all the doctor figurines. Joe Ed Canales has gone to Eye Associates for more than 20 years. Canales recalled how impressed he was with the variety of doctor figurines two decades ago, and how impressed he is that patients still contribute to Bravermans collection. Its a testament to his profession and to him about how they feel about him, Canales said. They want to express their gratitude for his services and his care to them. Signage at Eye Associates notes how a visit to the doctor often produces stress and anxiety. Hence its kind message from Braverman, his wife Phyllis and his staff, who hope viewing the collection will add an element of humor and relaxation to your visit. Theres certainly nothing like visiting this island of misfit toys. Past the cow surgeon statue at entrance, Bravermans menagerie of mini doctors covers just about every medical profession you can think of, from pediatricians and surgeons to gynecologists and psychiatrists, with pieces from the United States as well as Africa, Egypt, Europe and Peru. The eclectic curio figures wield syringes, stethoscopes and other doctorly devices, and range from nameless doctor archetypes to famous faces such as Dr. Frankenstein, Doc from Disneys Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and, a most appropriate addition to the group, Disney Juniors stuffed-animal doctor, Doc McStuffins. Bravermans collection starts on the ground floor in two giant displays that frame the main reception area housing the likes of skeletal Day of the Dead doctors, cuddly teddy bear doctors and more rows of pretend practitioners. Some are Hummel cute while others, such as a doctor with a bicycle pump giving his patient a suspicious, ahem, rise, are a bit more risque. The collection continues upstairs past the elevator, where a few larger-scale doctor figures stand as smiling sentries to Bravermans ever-expanding kingdom across several more waiting rooms. Clinic supervisor Gloria Paniagua has worked with Braverman since 1976 and curates his collection, cataloging and grouping the dandy doctor figures according to their similarities. Hence the puppet doctors dangling together on the second floor, across from glass cases teeming with groups of frog doctors, dog doctors, pig doctors and Mickey Mouse doctors. Other cases feature groupings of Nutcracker doctors with fierce teeth and clown doctors that look about as creepy as that sounds. I have a whole monkey section downstairs, Paniagua said matter-of-factly. Paniagua also has a framed 50th anniversary collage dedicated to Bravermans passion, which showcases his first doctor figurine centered among snapshots used to inventory the collection. The collection started in late 1958 with a cotton cloth doctor figurine Bravermans wife bought from a hotel lobby gift shop as a medical school graduation gift. It soon made more friends as the couple scooped up more doctor figurines from their travels abroad. Braverman has practiced in San Antonio since the late 1960s, with his patients, staff and friends adding to his collection soon after they saw that first doctor figurine and its colleagues at his first office. In 1984, Braverman moved his practice and figurines to the North Main Avenue location he still calls home. By 1996, the collection grew so large it had to continue upstairs. Now that first doctor figurine stands proud in a clear case within a glass display on the top floor, along with other doctor figures that include bobbleheads of Braverman and real-life colleagues and optometrists Philip Smith and Gary A. Borawski, a small cow surgeon next to a small cow nurse, and a top-hatted Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. Braverman wants everyone to know these doctors are always in for a visit. Just call ahead to schedule a free tour with Paniagua. And rest assured Bravermans gawker policy is pretty much the same as his doctor figurine policy. If somebody came we wouldnt throw them out, Braverman said. We welcome everybody. rguzman@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Interior design is all about changing your physical environment, making your home more comfortable, more practical, more efficient, more stylish. But its not all paint and wallpaper. The interior in interior design has all sorts of psychological implications as well. I am a therapist for your home, said Whitney Schones, president of Whitney Schones Design in Olmos Park. Shes not overstating. Designers all talk about solving problems, reflecting passions, nourishing souls. And, as in therapy, listening is important. Really, its about hearing what a client really wants, not just what they say, said Julie Bradshaw of Bradshaw Designs in Alamo Heights. And that means listening very carefully and relying on your own experience. With some designers charging $250 an hour, and kitchen rehauls running $50,000, why do you need a designer? So much money and time is spent on a project, and a designers job is really a lot of problem solving and troubleshooting, said Melissa Morgan of M Interiors. The home is a living thing like the family that lives in it, and half a designers job is counselor. In a renovation, accidents happen, and you have to figure out a way to make it work. Like in life, sometimes accidents happen for a reason, and you have to go in a different direction, one that you may love even more. Shake hands with some of San Antonios top interior designers. Whitney Schones, Whitney Schones Design Steve Bennett / San Antonio Express-News On a sunny January morning, Schones is joking about design emergencies while juggling several clients jobs and tying up the loose ends of her own Olmos Park home renovation, which includes a new family room, master bedroom suite and an expanded kitchen. Its her seventh personal remodel in 13 years; she fixes them up, lives in them for a while and then moves on to the next challenge. My husband is a very patient man, she said. Her home is where Schones got her start. Friends would come over to my house, and they would like what I did, recalls the 35-year-old Oklahoma City native, who moved to San Antonio five years ago. Theyd ask me to take a look at their own homes. Within a few months, I had three projects. Like most designers, University of Oklahoma graduate Schones process begins with a home visit: I allow at least two hours, and for the first hour, I dont talk. I just listen. I want to get an idea of a clients style. And, if they have a dresser from their great-grandmother, I need to know that. One of my first questions is, How long do you plan to live here? Twenty years? Three years? It makes a big difference. Schones niche, she said, is older homes, mostly in the North Central part of the city. Jobs range from paint and wallpaper makeovers to complete home renovations to breaking out walls and adding on. She doesnt feel the term interior designer adequately describes what she does because she frequently finds herself painting exteriors and planting landscapes. When I reached out to Whitney, my house was a hodgepodge of hand-me-downs, bad decisions I made in my 20s and a few lasting relics from my husbands bachelor days, said Jennie Hart, a Terrell Hills homeowner. The project started as an update of my den and then expanded to include my kitchen and dining room. Whitney thinks big. She pushed me out of my comfort zone, but only when she knew the payoff would be worth it. I have three small children, and when she suggested white couches, I told her she was crazy. But I trust her, and she swore by the durability of the fabric. It has now been seven months, and my couches have lived through a red Gatorade spill, muddy dog paws, chocolate-covered hands and pen marks, and they look as good as the day they got delivered. Schones favorite rooms to renovate are powder rooms and guest bedrooms. Both allow for a little more creativity, a little more risk-taking, because you are not in those rooms all the time, Schones said. In a powder room, if you want to do black Christian Lacroix velvet leopard wallpaper, you can do that. Generally, the smaller the space, the wilder you can get. And guest bedrooms are almost like hotel rooms. Schones doesnt have a particular style, she said, other than elegant and welcoming. My No. 1 rule in older homes is to stay true to the original architects vision, she said. You can put a farm table in a Tudor home built in the 30s, but you shouldnt mess with the original architectural elements like the crown moldings and baseboards and doors. Thats where things can really go bad. Schones can work with almost any decorative look, although when pressed she admitted shes not a fan of Victorian. But she does have an unrealized dream. Most of my clients are women, said the mother of two girls, ages 5 and 8. The men might hang around for the first couple of meetings, but then they are usually out of there. I have a strong masculine side. Id love to do a bachelor pad. Julie Bradshaw, Bradshaw Designs Courtesy Bradshaw Designs Julie Bradshaw can build you a house from the ground up, and she has the happy clients to prove it. But she has a special passion for kitchens and bathrooms. Like they say, everybody hangs out in the kitchen, even if the kitchen is in a dark corner of the basement, said Bradshaw, who earned a degree in design from the University of Texas at Austin and has been in the interior design business in San Antonio for 30 years. I think it has to do with comfort, warmth and coziness. And if people are going to hang out there, you might as well make it beautiful and functional. With her staff of 10 in airy Terrell Heights offices with natural Texas Lueders limestone floors, Bradshaw turns her quick sketches into detailed 3-D renderings for homes in Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills, but also in the Dominion, Fair Oaks, Uvalde, Seguin and Hondo. The rendering really helps clients to envision what we want to do and creates a dialogue between designer and client, she said. Those clients include Janice and Mark Penner, owners of Penners, the downtown clothing store and guayabera headquarters. Bradshaw updated their 1967 Castle Hills home with a new kitchen and new master and guest bathrooms. They listened to us, and then they came up with great ideas and followed through on them, Mark Penner said. They updated everything, so that now when you walk in the house, youre in 2017. We dont really have a dining room; its all open now. They also had some ideas for a remodel at the store, and that worked out well, too. Bradshaw, a math nerd who is the daughter of the late Austin newspaper columnist Ellie Rucker, draws floorplans for fun, as opposed to, say, working jigsaw puzzles, which she hates. To me, its like, why wouldnt you love floorplans? she said, laughing at herself. I cant help but do it. I think thats why I like kitchens and baths so much, because its all about precise space planning. With baths, clients want clean and fresh, Bradshaw said. A lot of times its so they can age gracefully, putting in nonslip floors and railings, which do not have to look like a hospital railing nowadays. Hardware the faucets and doorknobs and such is the jewelry, she added. But Bradshaws designs are not about bling. Her approach to design is somewhat understated, simple yet sparkling, whether she is remodeling an entire house or a couple of rooms. Her favorite materials are marble and natural wood. Her favorite colors are white and gray. Splashes of color often come from furniture fabrics and art pieces. And wallpaper. Wallpaper is back, Bradshaw said. I love it. It adds so much texture and warmth. Its not at all like it was in the 80s, with borders. Today, wallpaper is much prettier, and theres a lot more selection. Overall, Id say pattern scales are larger not those teeny little flowers. Melissa Morgan, M Interiors Steve Bennett / San Antonio Express-News Melissa Morgan strives for a look and feel of timelessness in a home. I dont want people to walk into a house in 10 years and say, Oh, its so 2017 because that lamp was so hot back then, she said recently in her Broadway office, which is well stocked with furniture, art and textiles she hopes to fit into future renovations. Along one wall, a 100-year-old wooden Thai sculpture with carved dancing figures sits atop an antique French commode, which is backed on the wall by a 6-foot photograph by San Antonio artist Riley Robinson, a huge closeup of green M&Ms titled I Love Chuck, in homage to the late artist Chuck Ramirez. I like to mix the old with the new, the local with the international, said Morgan. Most of all, I appreciate craftsmanship. Id rather have one really good thing than five sort-of-good things. A sense of timelessness is really important to me. The 47-year-old Bay Area native was raised in San Antonio and, after earning a law degree from St. Marys University, practiced corporate law here for a decade. After the birth of her second daughter the girls are 13 and 15 Morgan decided a change of career was in order. I just did it, she said, printing business cards and forming M Interiors. I started slowly, doing little things a nursery, a bath for friends. The business just grew organically. Now, I probably work more hours as I did as a lawyer, but they are flexible hours, my hours. Interior design is something Morgan never, ever considered doing. Sure, I always did design for myself, and when I was younger I liked decorating my room and working with spaces. In many ways, I still do that. I make spaces for people. They have to be balanced and not overdone. The renovation of a 1952 Atlee B. Ayres pool house in Terrell Hills named one of Architectural Digests Best Before-and-Afters of 2016 definitely has a sense of timelessness. Morgan a professed Francophile created an elegant old Hollywood look with a formal French accent for the 1,100-square-foot pool house, which includes a studio bedroom, a media room for movie watching, a new kitchen and an outdoor patio for barbecuing. It looks like it was always there, said homeowner Liecie Hollis. Melissa came to the house, and we talked quite a bit, and she got a clear idea of what sort of things I liked. So it was very much a collaboration in that way. She was a lawyer, and I think that carries over because she has a real eye for detail. But design is obviously her true love. When it comes down to it, Morgan said, a lot of design is about following your instincts. I call it the looks-right rule, she said. Style is ephemeral. You cant put your finger on it, but you know when it looks right. Debbie Baxter, Baxter Design Group Photo courtesy Minta Maria A few short years ago, Debbie Baxters Baxter Design Group comprised 25 employees and an office in Manhattan. Although she still has New York clients, Baxter closed the office and rented her San Antonio headquarters outside Loop 410 Thats my retirement fund, she said and moved to the renovated 7701 Broadway office and retail complex, where, if she so chooses, she can walk to lunch at Fredericks or Florios. I have eight employees now, and Im more selective in the jobs we take, said Baxter, who has more than 40 years of design experience. Some key employees left to raise families, and I wanted to work on just a few really good construction projects at a time. Baxter works on whole-house renovations or ground-up homes with local architects such as Roy Braswell, Chesney Morales, Richard Mogas and Lake | Flato. Interior design is a response to architecture, so we engage with the architect, said Baxter. Architecture and interior design go hand in hand. Baxter worked with Lake | Flato on a house in Leon Springs. She was responsible for all the house furnishings, said Karla Greer, a partner at Lake | Flato. What particularly impressed us about Debbie was that the scale, detailing and color palette of the furnishings was in complete balance with the architecture, where the two work as an inseparable team. There is also a very seamless experience in moving from indoor to outdoor rooms, where the exterior furnishings continued the lively dialogue. This is not a museumlike experience, but one that speaks to the comforts of home. San Antonio has been slow to embrace a more modern spirit, but we think that Baxter Design Group is an excellent fit. We have never worked with any other San Antonio designers. Baxter grew up in Lubbock and earned a humanities degree from UT-Austin. She married young, and her husbands job took the family she has two grown children, one a writer, the other a photographer, and just became a grandmother to homes in Venezuela, Madrid and Miami before settling in San Antonio in 1985. Id been thoroughly schooled in the European decorative arts and Latin American art and architecture, so San Antonio seemed a perfect place to come and use that knowledge, she said. Baxter creates what she calls nests of beauty and comfort, but doesnt have a signature style: Two of her most recent projects have been fabulous mid-century modern and ornate Spanish Colonial traditional. I truly am big-picture, she said. I see a finished product five minutes into a project. I can navigate different styles at the same time on different projects because I am so passionate about design. To me, life is a box of Crayons the big box, not the little one. Charles A. Forster, Orville Carr Associates Inc. Steve Bennett / San Antonio Express-News Sitting on one side of an antique partner desk in his Broadway office, Charles Forster is ranting about linen. The fabric is ubiquitous in the world of interior design today, he says, and thats not a good thing. Its a fad, said Forster, CEO of Orville Carr Associates, the venerable San Antonio design firm founded 60 years ago by the late Orville Van Dorn Carr, considered the dean of local interior design and, in his 2013 obituary, the epitome of good taste. Forsters clients are Old San Antonio think the German Club, the Texas Cavaliers, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills, Alamo Heights and they prefer Old World design with rich colors, durable fabrics, figurative paintings. Forster, who has been with Carr for 33 years, since he was 22, tells a story of himself as a young designer, who learned a client was on a budget. I dont design on a budget, he told her defiantly. Well, Ill teach you, she replied. Indeed, he has learned. Or perhaps its more accurate to say hes learned to stretch a budget, sometimes over many years. Bad design is bad design today and tomorrow, he said. We are into traditional, classic, refined design. We pay no attention to trends. I hate trends. Weve designed in many styles French, English, Spanish, modern but it is always classic. We advise our clients to buy quality, and if the budget isnt there, we advise them to start slowly buy one or two really good pieces of furniture and build from there. We plan on being there, guiding them, for many years. Forster, who grew up in San Antonio and Mexico City and has a design degree from the University of the Incarnate Word, believes in living well, and that ones home should reflect that. Use grandmothers crystal when friends come over, not plastic cups, he advises. Its a better way of living. Not everything has to come out of the microwave. People think, Oh, its too fancy. Thats just lazy. Use your house. Use your living room. Use your dining room. I sometimes spend a night in my guest bedroom, just to feel what my guests feel. Go to the trouble of doing the things that make living more special. Effort really does enhance community. In her book Spectacular Homes of Texas, author Jolie Carpenter wrote: Charles Forsters forte is fabrics. He uses fabrics like other designers use paint to create mood and attitude. Charles prefers classic fabrics, such as brocades or a lampas, but often adds quilting or hand painting for treatment with a twist. A traditionalist at heart, he prefers classic furniture as well. The lines of an 18th century French secretary or an elegant camelback sofa inspire him. When it comes to draperies, Forster truly is the master. He fetches a luxurious length of colorful cloth from a storeroom, pets it like a Persian cat. It feels like, well, the opposite of linen. That is a drapery we did in a house 25 years ago, he said. Now, we are redoing the house, and look at it. It is exactly the same. It has lost nothing. We are going to use it to upholster a chair. sbennett@express-news.net A high school student who came to the U.S. illegally as a small child sobbed, Ill never go to college now, will I? A student with a good attendance record requested an early dismissal to take her little brother to the doctor because her mother wont leave the house. Elementary school students who are U.S. citizens fear that they can be deported because theyre Mexican-American. The union representing San Antonio Independent School District teachers and nonadministrative employees has cited those and other incidents in urging trustees to provide resources to immigrant families and to enact policies prohibiting the sharing of information with federal immigration agents and limiting the agents access to district property. SAISD spokeswoman Leslie Price said she wasnt aware of any districtwide policy already in place that governs how to respond to immigration enforcement efforts. She said she couldnt think of a time that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ever asked the district for information or cooperation. ICE has made no changes to its sensitive locations policy that avoids enforcement actions at schools without prior approval from a supervisor or emergency circumstances, the agency said in statement. But Shelley Potter, president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, said the district needs to take steps to address widespread fear that the Trump administration will expand immigration enforcement in general and into schools in particular. Many students who are in the country legally are worried about family members or friends, she said. A lot of it is making very clear where the district stands, in that were going to do everything we possibly can to protect our students, to make sure our schools are safe, inviting places for our students, Potter said. I think our students and our families dont necessarily have a clear understanding of what the current situation is, where things may be going. The executive council of the union, which represents about 7,000 employees, approved a four-page resolution last month asking the district to enact specific policies supporting immigrant students and their families. An assembly of representatives from each campus expressed support for it this week, Potter said. Under the proposal, employees would not be allowed to ask about the immigration status of students and their families or to disclose information about students, including immigration status, without consent. One proposed policy would deny any request from immigration agents to access a school site until it can be referred to the superintendent and district lawyers, who would ask for the agents credentials, written instructions from ICE to enter district property and a warrant signed by a federal or state judge naming the person to be detained. The proposal also would forbid campus police officers from asking for or recording any information about a persons immigration status or country of birth, and it would curtail officers cooperation with ICE agents. The union also wants the district to make students aware of opportunities for college, in-state tuition, financial aid and jobs regardless of immigration status. And it wants the district to come up with procedures to care for students whose family members are deported, form partnerships with community and legal services organizations that help such families, and create presentations in multiple languages informing students and families of their rights during interactions with law enforcement and immigration agents. Finally, it asks the superintendent to develop a plan for training employees on how to respond to ICE personnel and notifying families about ICE efforts to gain information. The union is asking trustees to consider the policy at a future board meeting. Potter said she hopes that they are not deterred by efforts by state officials to cut funding for so-called sanctuary cities. We are hoping that this would not just be an SAISD resolution because most of the districts in San Antonio and in the state are impacted, Potter said. I would hope that there would not be attempts to hold funding hostage, but I think theres a point at which we have to do what we think is morally right to do for our students. I know of no teacher who thinks that fear is conducive to learning. Northside and North East ISDs are not discussing similar policy changes, spokespersons there said. North East will not share information about a students immigration status unless legally required to do so, spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor said. If ICE were to request access to a school, the district would involve its police department and seek legal advice, she said. It would be a case-by-case determination with the safety of the child and family as the driving force of the decision and outcome of our cooperation, Chancellor said in an email. amalik@express-news.net WASHINGTON Two Republican senators on Wednesday said they would vote against President Donald Trumps nominee for education secretary, delivering a blow to the White House and raising the possibility that Vice President Mike Pence would have to break a tie to win her confirmation. The nominee, Betsy DeVos, a billionaire with a complex web of financial investments, had already faced fierce opposition from Democrats and labor unions because of her political contributions to Republicans and her involvement in pushing alternatives to public education. But her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, during which she flubbed answers on education policy, also brought concerns from Republicans. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said DeVos had failed to demonstrate that she understood what public schools needed to succeed. I have serious concerns about a nominee to be secretary of education who has been so involved in one side of the equation, so immersed in the push for vouchers, that she may be unaware of what actually is successful within the public schools, and also what is broken and how to fix them, Murkowski said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she respected DeVos clear devotion to students and valuable work in education. But she said she remained troubled by DeVos focus on alternatives to public education, as well as what Collins called a lack of familiarity with federal laws protecting children with special needs and disabilities. Her concentration on charter school and vouchers, however, raises the question about whether or not she fully appreciates that the secretary of educations primary focus must be on helping states and communities, parents, teachers, school board administrators, school board members and administrators strengthen our public schools, Collins said. I will not, I cannot, vote to confirm her as our nations next secretary of education. Senators and education advocates from both sides of the aisle were taken aback by DeVos comments at her Jan. 17 confirmation hearing about core responsibilities of the Department of Education. One exchange with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was later promoted heavily on social media by the Democratic Party and activist groups, including national education unions. In it, Kaine asked DeVos whether all schools that receive public money should have to follow the requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA. DeVos responded, I think thats a matter thats best left to the states. In fact, under IDEA, a landmark 1975 civil rights law, states and school districts are required to provide special education services to children with disabilities. During the hearing, Collins said she had heard repeatedly from school officials that the most important action the federal government could take on education would be to fulfill the promise of IDEA by providing more funding for those students. DeVos responded to Collins that she would look at funding levels, but said, Maybe the money should follow individual students instead of going directly to the states. The pushback against DeVos played out in thousands of emails and phone calls urging senators to vote against her. Protesters showed up at her confirmation hearing, outside senators offices and in Michigan, where DeVos has been involved in pushing education policies. Her nomination now hangs precariously on whether Republicans will rally the support of a few undeclared colleagues, or woo Democratic dissenters. Her chances got a boost Wednesday with the support of two Republicans who were originally believed to oppose her, Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada and Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania. If the Senates Democrats and independents vote together, just one more Republican defection would be fatal to DeVos prospects. If all other senators vote along party lines, Pence could break a 50-50 tie in his capacity as president of the Senate. But three Republican votes opposing her confirmation would result in an outright rejection of her nomination. DeVos opponents said Wednesday that they would target specific Republicans, including Heller and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio. If enough senators oppose DeVos, it would be just the second time in history that the Senate rejected a nominee for a first-term president assembling his Cabinet, according to the Senate Historical Office. After Collins and Murkowskis announcements, the Senate opened consideration of DeVos nomination Wednesday, scheduling the first procedural hurdle to her confirmation for Friday. But amid strong Democratic opposition, it looks unlikely that the Senates final vote will come until early next week. The president of the National Education Association, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, said educators, parents and students were grateful for the opposition by Collins and Murkowski. The nation is speaking out; senators need to listen, Eskelsen Garcia said. Dan Cantor, national director of the Working Families Party, which has been organizing protests outside senators offices, said his group would be holding regular protests at Hellers office. Opponents of DeVos said they would target other Republicans, including Portman. The DeVos family has given millions to elect Republicans, but that shouldnt buy her a Cabinet post, Cantor said. The first step was unity from the Senate Democrats. Now were going to keep up that pressure on Senate Republicans. Democrats, teachers unions and liberal protesters have voiced concern about the DeVos familys contributions to groups that support so-called conversion therapy for gay people; her more than $200 million in donations to Republicans and their causes; and her past statements that government sucks and that public schools are a dead end. Opponents have also focused on the poor performance of charter schools in Detroit, which DeVos has bankrolled even as she resisted legislation that would have blocked chronically failing charter schools from expanding. The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, swiftly brushed off the defections as inconsequential, saying he had zero concern about DeVos confirmation by the Senate. DeVos opponents were undeterred. The more people get to know how ill-equipped Betsy DeVos is to strengthen public schools, how disconnected she is from public schools, and how her record has been focused on pursuing for-profit charters and vouchers, and not children, the more the people who believe in the importance of public education are joining to oppose her, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. Meanwhile, in a display of fierce resistance against Trump that played out in a proxy battle against his nominees, Senate Democrats again boycotted committee votes on the nominations of Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., and Steven T. Mnuchin, the presidents picks to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and the Treasury, respectively. Democrats argued that new information had emerged to suggest that the two nominees had not been truthful in their confirmation testimony. Determined not to be thwarted, the committees Republicans broke with the long-standing practice that at least one member of the minority party be present and held the votes anyway, unanimously agreeing to send the nominations to the Senate floor. At the same time, a divided Senate Judiciary Committee greenlighted Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions nomination as attorney general along a straight party-line vote, sending it to the full Senate for a final vote. Democrats also boycotted a planned committee vote Wednesday on Scott Pruitt, Trumps choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, and continued to slow down consideration of Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., his pick for White House budget director. _______ Alan Rappeport, Eric Lichtblau and Coral Davenport contributed reporting from Washington, and Dana Goldstein from New York. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas notified insurance agents and brokers on Wednesday that Tenet Healthcare, which owns Baptist Health System, will sever ties with the insurance company on April 15 if contract negotiations are unsuccessful. That would mean Baptist Healths six San Antonio-area hospitals and Resolute Health Hospital in New Braunfels would no longer be in network for Blue Cross Blue Shield policy holders. The companies have been in active negotiations for 10 months, according to the notice from Blue Cross, which arrived one day after the federal health insurance marketplace closed for this year. Im most frustrated that (Blue Cross Blue Shield) has known this since (October), but waited until the day after the open enrollment closed to announce it, said Loretta Camp, of Davidson Camp Insurance Services and spokeswoman for the San Antonio Association of Health Underwriters. Baptist serves a lot of the lower-income folks who have exchange policies that they cant change now, Camp said. Blue Cross Blue Shield, which has 5 million members in Texas, said it will update policy holders this month about the status of negotiations. It is our hope that Tenet will remain in our networks, the Blue Cross notice to agents and brokers says. Even if Tenet decides to leave our networks, members in Texas can still choose from more than 80,000 doctors and health care practitioners and 500 hospitals. People who have policies under Blue Cross PPO, Blue Essentials, Blue Advantage HMO and Blue Cross Medicare Advantage networks would be affected. As a customer-owned health insurance industry leader in Texas for more than 80 years, we are committed to advocating on behalf of our clients and members for high-quality, cost-effective health care, said Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas spokesman Gustavo Bujanda. Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare split with Humana in October, pushing all Baptist hospitals and outpatient facilities in San Antonio out of network for Humana policy holders. Baptist and Tenet Healthcare did not immediately return requests for comment. . bmartin@express-news.net Twitter: @beedotmartin BRUNI Opponents of a new oil refinery proposed for nearly rural Duval County warned of air pollution and health threats Wednesday night during a packed public meeting. Ladies and gentlemen, the wolf is at our door and now is our chance to keep that wolf at bay, said Tom Benavides, a Bruni resident and member of the newly formed coalition South Texans Against the Refinery. Why would we allow someone to come into our home, pollute it, and export the product somewhere else? he asked of the nearly 100 people attending, including some elected officials, from a half dozen communities. Bruni is a quiet, isolated settlement of several hundred residents about 50 miles east of Laredo. On most nights, the only signs of activity are the crowded 8-liner parlors. But the Bruni Community Center was bustling, and the program was preceded by free barbecue and frightening images rolling on a large screen of refineries billowing smoke and spewing flares. A colorful handout also listed dangerous chemicals, including benzene, dioxins, mercury compounds generated by refineries, and described health risks including asthma, cancer and birth defects. But rather than just trying to alarm people, the main purpose of the meeting was to help the public to become informed and involved, said Tricia Cortez, of the Rio Grande International Study Center. We are here to get the conversation started. We believe the public has the right to know the full picture of a refinery being built nearby, she said as the program began. We havent heard anything about the environmental, public health or economic impacts. And this site would be four miles upwind from the Bruni school campus, she added. Among the invited speakers at the program was Allen Messenger, an environmental engineer, who said he grew up in the refinery where his father worked. Refineries are very complex machines. Machines break. Accidents happen. Uncontrolled releases happen, he said. It will be a major source of pollution and Bruni is downwind, he added of the proposed project. Raven Petroleum, a company founded a year ago by Christopher Moore of Houston, is behind the $500 million refinery project which would initially process 50,000 barrels of light crude a day. If built, it would be the largest new refinery in the country in 40 years. Moore has forecast the start of construction by mid-2017 and completion by the end of next year. The refined products, including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, would be exported to Mexico utilizing the Kansas City Southern Railroad line that bisects the property. The 832-acre site in the southwest corner of Duval County was chosen because of its proximity to the Eagle Ford Shale, a highly productive play just to the north, according to Moore. Judges Rocky Carrillo in Duval County and Humberto Gonzalez in Jim Hogg County are apparently already behind the project. It would fortify the Duval County tax base, and according to Moore, also create 1,500 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs. Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina is taking a wait-and-see approach. His position will be determined by the benefits of the project to the local community, said Marah Montez, his spokesman. So far the company has not applied for air permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, so much is unknown about the project. One apparent uncertainty is the funding. Moore, who has been vague about his financial backers, did not return a call seeking comment on Wednesday. Bob Bruni of San Antonio, who grew up in Bruni and owns property nearby, was skeptical of the promises of an economic boost. Its easy for someone to come in talking about jobs and growth and get the county judges behind them. The problems I have is that once its complete, well be left with an automated refinery and just a handful of jobs, he said.. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Remy Salinas of Laredo delivered a fiery call to arms, urging the attendees to declare war on the project or suffer the consequences. Its a battle you have to be willing to fight tooth and nail. It will be ugly. And they dont give a damn, he said. jmaccormack@express-news.net WESLACO On a tour with Gov. Greg Abbott in the Rio Grande Valley, Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly said Wednesday that he expects to visit the border often to talk with the men and women who get dirty every day doing the nations work about the Trump administrations plan to build a wall along the Southwest border. A lot of people, speaking of Washington, have a lot of opinions about this border, Kelly said. The only opinion, in my view, that counts right now are from the people that work this border. NEW YORK, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The New York Philharmonic on Tuesday enchanted an audience accustomed to European symphonic tradition by performing selections of famed Chinese folk music in its annual Chinese New Year Concert. The concert, held at Lincoln Center, started with the cheerful "Spring Festival Overture," a widely known piece in China. The concert also featured Grammy Award-winning South Korean soprano Sumi Jo, who performed Chinese folk songs such as "A Little Path," "Three Rose Wishes" and "I Live Beside the Yangtze River." "Eternal Joy," a concerto for trumpet composed by Chinese artist Chen Qigang and played by Alison Balsom, made its debut in the United States during the concert. "The Chinese are coming up so quickly in the classic music world," Philharmonic Principal Flute Robert Langevin told Xinhua before the concert. "Music is such an international language, it is one way for different countries and peoples to get together and help create world peace," Langevin said. Victoria Li, who came all the way up from North Carolina, said she enjoyed the music so much that she felt so proud of the culture of her mother country. Founded in 1842, the New York Philharmonic is the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As they consider more efforts to curb illegal immigration, Gov. Greg Abbott and Republicans in the Legislature this year are focusing their attention on so-called sanctuary cities, opening the governor to criticism that the state is imposing itself on local law enforcement jurisdictions. Abbott made sanctuary cities legislation a priority in his State of the State address this week. He also proposed spending another $800 million on border security over the next two years, continuing the spending level in the current budget. A hearing is set for Thursday on the Senate sanctuary cities bill that would end policies like San Antonios that prohibit police from asking about immigration status of suspects and require jails to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers. Similar legislation failed two years ago. But Abbott elevated the issue amid his public fight with Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez, who has said she would only honor ICE detainers for undocumented immigrants charged with serious crimes. On Wednesday, Abbott made good on a threat to withhold $1.5 million in state law enforcement grants to Travis County over the dispute. I think the intention of my bill is that no city or county can have a policy that prohibits asking about immigration status, said Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, the author of one of the House bills that also includes a provision on ICE detainers. It doesnt say that they have to, it prohibits that. The city of Fort Worth cannot have policy or law that says police officers cannot check a persons citizenship status. It's unlikely many cities or counties would be affected by a state law on ICE detainers. Only Travis County has announced it won't comply with detainers for low-level offenders. But it remains unclear what happens when ICE abandons its Priority Enforcement Program, a detainer system that only asked jails to hold convicted criminals of serious crimes. President Trump signed an executive order last week to end the PEP system. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat who took office this year, said in a statement that the jail will will comply with all laws as they pertain to arrest and release of inmates. I will honor all warrants for arrest and will only hold inmates as specifically required by law. There's no federal law requiring jurisdictions to honor ICE detainers, although in some cities ICE has started issuing warrants instead of the semi-formal detainers. In a follow-up statement, Salazar said he had met with ICE officials last Thursday. We have agreed to work together on detainers on a case-by-case basis and to act jointly, always in the interest of public safety, he said. Much more controversial is the issue of whether local police forces can instruct officers to not ask about immigration status. The San Antonio Police Department has a written policy forbidding officers to ask about immigration status from the people they encounter. Police Chief William McManus said he cooperates with ICE, including allowing deportation officers into the citys detention center. Acting as immigration agents would hurt police officers ability to work with the community to help fight and solve crime, McManus said. Im concerned about it every (legislative) session, because again I think that if it were to happen, I think its going to hurt us, he said. Were certainly paying close attention to it this session as well, because there seems to be big push to enact that type of legislation. I believe that local law enforcement should remain under local control, he added. The issue has been consistently opposed by business groups and evangelicals, which usually are Republican allies. Other immigration-related bills would end in-state college tuition for undocumented immigrants in Texas, and require government contractors to use the federal E-verify system to prove their employees are legal documented workers. The various bills could hurt tourism Texas tourism, the states second-largest industry, and hit the labor forces for the construction, hospitality and agricultural industries, said Chris Wallace, the president of the Texas Association of Business. Overall, whether its the repeal of in-state tuition or the sanctuary cities, TABs opposed to it, Wallace said. We feel that overall, this type of legislation hurts the Texas economy. House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, has expressed little interest in ending in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants, but the choice of Geren, a Straus lieutenant, to write the sanctuary cities bill is seen as an indication that some version of it will be allowed through the House. It remains to be seen what the final legislation will include. So far, the various proposed bills contain a range of provisions including protection for crime victims and exemptions for school and hospital districts. That is a concern for me, Geren said of whether police should ask crime victims about their immigration status. I want to make sure that we dont intimidate someone, a woman thats been abused, from reporting the abuse or a witness to a crime from reporting the crime, but were trying to work with all parties concerned to alleviate some of those. I dont think anybody knows whats going to pass, said Matthew Simpson, whose group, the Trust Coalition, which includes the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, is opposing the Senate sanctuary bill. I dont think theres a version thats an anointed version. Opponents of the bills have pointed out that the same state officials who have decried federal overreach are setting policies for cities and counties. In the past, a certain party was a pro local control party until the locals started doing things they didnt like, and now theyre against local control, State Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, said in a town hall at the University of Texas at San Antonio downtown campus earlier this month. And I will also point out that usually happens when those local localities start to erect protections for themselves, whether theyre (non-discrimination ordinances) or tree ordinances or plastic bag bans or bans on fracking. Thats when the philosophy switches. Jeff Judson, a former member of the board of directors of the Heartland Institute and a former senior vice president of the San Antonio Tea Party, responded that cities dont have the same legal and constitutional protections that states do. This notion of local control is fine, but as Gov. Abbott has said, it goes federal to state control and then to individual liberty, and if a local community is violating our individual liberties and not keeping us safe, which is one of their most important functions, then we do rely on the state to step in and make sure our liberties are preserved, Judson said. jbuch@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The City Council is expected to finalize a deal today that will result in a hotel, office and residential space, and additional parking abutting parkland at Hemisfair. The council was briefed Wednesday on the final proposal between the Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corp. and ZH Downtown Development Co. LLC, an affiliate of locally based Zachry Hospitality, for a long-term lease on 5 acres at Market and South Alamo streets. Officials said the deal will create revenue helping the park to become self-sustaining and not reliant on general-fund tax dollars. For the first two years of the lease, Zachry will pay $1.925 million annually. Beginning in the third year of the lease, the company will pay a base fee of $1.45 million, plus a portion of retail rent revenue. Hemisfair officials told the council that would generate more than $500,000. Some council members expressed concerns, however, over wages for the people who would work in the hotel. In an atypical move for Zachry Hospitality owner David Zachry, he addressed concerns raised by both opponents and some council members regarding compensation for hotel workers, saying his company takes care of its employees . The company has committed to paying entry-level workers, such as those who do housekeeping and laundry, no less than the 75 percentile wage as reported by Wage Watch, Inc., according to documents provided by the city. Thats $11.80 per hour today. Zachrys employees also receive health insurance, a 401(k) plan that vests immediately, company-paid life insurance, cash bonuses, meals and uniforms, which are laundered by the company, documents show. These people work their tails off, Zachry told the council, noting many of the benefits his company provides. We are as committed to them as they are to us. Zachrys comments about how his employees are treated were pre-emptive, as some council members worried aloud that the city might not have done enough to ensure that private-sector employees working in facilities built on city-owned land are fairly compensated. But by the end of Wednesdays meeting, council members concerns seemed to have been mostly assuaged. I want to be completely enthusiastic about this project, Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales said. And I think by (Zachrys) commitment to showing what the wages will be, Im very grateful for that. Still, the Unite Here union has planned to speak out against the deal at todays meeting. Unite Here represents workers throughout the U.S. and Canada who work in the hotel, gaming, food service, airport, textile, manufacturing, distribution, laundry and transportation industries. Organizers are seeking people to speak at the council meeting. City Council will be discussing and voting on the lease of Hemisfair land to Zachry Corp to build a hotel! Come stand with SA hotel workers and community activists to say NO! reads a Facebook post. The Hemisfair Hotel deal is a bad deal for San Antonio. It is our park, our land, our community. Lets stand together! No more bad deals with big developers. Opponents of the deal have repeatedly said officials are turning over parkland to private development, which is disputed by the city. Prior to 2013, there was 14.97 acres of parkland in Hemisfair, of which half was encumbered by the Convention Center, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston told the council. Through specific legislation and by City Council action in December 2013, the City Council increased that designated parkland from 14.97 acres to 18.5 acres. In that process, the council also conveyed several parcels to a public facilities corporation, governed by the mayor and City Council, and placed a deed restriction on the land, limiting the total number of hotel rooms to 200. Under Zachrys plan, among other things, there will be a 200-room hotel, 385 mixed-income residential units, and 800 parking spaces 600 of which will be public and managed by the city. Construction is expected to begin in July 2018 after the NCAA Final Four and scheduled tricentennial events. jbaugh@express-news.net Twitter: @jbaugh City of San Antonio For San Antonians who dont have a trip to Europe planned this summer, the city will be bringing Europe or at least its traffic circles to you. Starting today, it will detour vehicles around San Pedro Avenue between Quincy and Main avenues, as it builds a traffic roundabout project that is part of the 2012-2017 city bond program. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Alex Wong /Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 2 MARCO UGARTE /AP Show More Show Less St. Marys University School of Law will host a daylong conference marking the 100th anniversary of Mexicos Constitution. The Centennial of the Constitution of Mexico Celebratory Conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday in the courtroom of the Law Classrooms Building. Speakers will include former U.S. Housing Secretary Julian Castro; Minister Alberto Perez Dayan of the Supreme Court of Mexico; Erika A. Rodriguez Hernandez, a member of the Chamber of Deputies in the Mexican Congress; and Ernesto Martens Rebolledo, a former energy secretary of Mexico. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Rex Tillerson stepped onto an uncertain international stage Wednesday after the Senate confirmed the former Exxon Mobil CEO as secretary of state at a time of increasing tension at home and abroad. Tillerson, who has no diplomatic or political experience, will be charged with representing U.S. interests and promoting President Donald Trumps America First foreign policy, which already has antagonized neighbors such as Mexico and worried allies in Europe and Asia that the U.S. will turn its back on long-standing commitments. He steps almost immediately into the furor over Trumps three-month ban on citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, which has drawn criticism from Democrats, some Republicans, and hundreds of career diplomats and staff at the State Department. On Wednesday, national security adviser Michael Flynn added to the tensions, warning Iran it was on notice over its decision to stage a ballistic missile test Sunday, as well as for an attack on a Saudi naval vessel by the Iranian-backed Houthi militants. Dominating the debate around his nomination was how the Texas oilman will manage not only those flash points but a new administration that has promised to shake up Washington and its approach to international relations. The 56-43 confirmation vote was unusually narrow, hewing largely to party lines, save for three Democrats and Maines independent senator, Angus King, who joined with Republicans. Tillerson, who was sworn in a few hours later by Vice President Mike Pence, pledged to represent all of the American people at all times. Supporters say Tillerson, who for more than a decade led a huge global enterprise often compared to a country, has the right blend of leadership skills, negotiating prowess, and international knowledge honed after a long-career of deal making. He has done business with many world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and navigated the politics of unstable countries. Although he doesnt have the same background as other who held that position have, said Sen. John Thune, R- N.D., he brings a range of experience that could be incredibly beneficial. Tillerson, 64, a Wichita Falls native with an engineering degree from the University of Texas, spent his entire career at Exxon. He follows in the line of fellow Texan Jim Baker, the Houston attorney who served as secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush. Tillersons path to confirmation, however, was much harder. Early on, his prospects appeared tenuous as some Republicans questioned his ties to Putin. During a Senate hearing earlier this month, he took tough questioning from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who asked if Tillerson considered Putin a war criminal following Russian bombing of civilians in Syria. Tensions were further heightened by a report from U.S. intelligence agencies that Russias hacking of the Democratic Partys email server was an attempt to sway the election to Trump. Rubio, and two other Republican critics, Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona, eventually backed off, assuring Tillersons confirmation. While the former Exxon chief avoided the outright Democratic protest directed at nominees like Steven Mnuchin, Trumps pick for Treasury secretary, he also failed to win widespread support from the other party. Democrats still attempted to delay the vote, pushing to get Tillerson on the record about Trumps recent travel ban. In the end, only three Democrats, Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, supported Tillerson. Last month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was confirmed in a 98-1 vote. Democrats concerns were widespread, from Tillersons skepticism that climate change poses the immediate threat described by former President Barack Obama to his hazy recollection of Exxons lobbying activity around sanctions placed against Russia in 2014. But much of Democrats concern revolved around Trump and whether Tillerson could be an effective backstop if the president chose to shift the United States away from international agreements such as NATO. Its painfully obvious when the president says America First the cumulative impact leads to America alone, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Tuesday. Tillerson will be working for the most dangerous, thin-skinned president weve seen on foreign policy issues. Republicans, however, argued that his career at Exxon and his endorsements by the likes of former Defense Secretary Bob Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice spoke for themselves. His enormous experience and aptitude and talent are going to be put to work for the American nation and the American people, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said on the Senate floor. Where Tillersons views lie in relation to those of Trumps remain difficult to dissect. During his confirmation hearing last month, Tillerson repeatedly declined to offer his opinion on the actions of other countries, explaining he had not been given access to classified reports. But he offered a general worldview, one as much pragmatic as idealistic about American democracys place in the world. During a tense exchange with Rubio over human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, he said, I share all of the same values that you share and want the same things for people the world over in terms of freedoms. But Im also clear-eyed and realistic about dealing in cultures. These are centuries-long cultures. Tillerson faces challenges that might extend far beyond those of his predecessors in recent administrations. The recent rise of nationalism in Europe and the United States has led some scholars to speculate that the liberal democracy that swept the world in the latter half of the 20th century could be at its end. The president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Washington think tank of which Tillerson was a board member until last month, wrote a memo to members Wednesday warning of the rising forces of authoritarianism in China and Russia, amongst others. Will America shake off its deep-seated desire to pull back and nurse its bruises or will it champion an international order designed to create a broad environment where human potential can blossom, wrote President John Hamre. Following the vote, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called Tillerson a Texan, somebody who understands the incredible importance of energy, and a serious leader who can sit down with both our friends and our enemies and have instant credibility. But first the former Exxon head will have to bring together a State Department deeply divided over Trumps seven-nation travel ban. A memo protesting the executive order that was circulated among career staff at the agency had close to 900 signatures when it was submitted to acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon, according to Reuters. Asked about the memo Monday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said agency officials who object to Trumps decision should get with the program or they can go. Houston Chronicle Staff Writer Kevin Diaz contributed to this report. Brad Parscale runs in powerful circles now. That doesnt mean hes forgotten San Antonio. On Tuesday in Washington, the San Antonio ad executive was preparing to attend a White House ceremony where President Donald Trump would announce his Supreme Court nomination. Hours before the event, though, Parscale was venting about the San Antonio International Airport. Im really frustrated with the airport situation in San Antonio, he told me. And I really wanted to come back and use some of my weight to fix that use my talents to pressure candidates on issues to make sure they start to work on this, or I start to entice other candidates or individuals to beat them in their races, because I feel like I have the ability to do so. If Parscale sounds convinced of his influence, theres a reason for that. He ran the Trump campaigns digital and media operation, producing ads and exploiting Facebook to turn out Trump voters and turn off potential supporters of Hillary Clinton. Post-election, Parscale has been heralded in some quarters as a marketing genius. To plenty of others, that makes him a villain. As a result, regardless of whether he plans to make an impact locally, Parscale has already been inserted into the May 6 election by foes of Mayor Ivy Taylor. I wanted to mention Brad Parscale, a male protester told a large crowd of people at the recent womens march downtown. He is the head of a company called Giles Parscale that helped out Trump, that did their marketing. So we need to stand up to the little Trumps that are right here in town. Ivy Taylor is working with Giles Parscale, so we need to at least tell her to not support somebody like Parscale and/or not support her. The anti-Trump crowd booed at the mention of the mayor hiring Parscale. In fact, Parscale helped design Taylors website but has had no further role in her campaign. The hate, though, is nothing new. I imagine a few people have said a few nasty things on Twitter, Parscale told me. Misogynist, anti-Semite Ive been called all types of hateful terms Every day I get called a white racist. Anyone who knows me knows thats not true. All of my friends are all kinds of races. Just because Im tall and I have a beard and Im from Kansas, they say he looks like a racist from the movies, he added. Talk about being racist and stereotyping, thats exactly what that is. Parscale shouldnt be shocked by blowback. In the last days of the Trump campaign, he produced a two-minute ad that featured Trump decrying global special interests over footage of Clinton, George Soros, Janet Yellen and Lloyd Blankfein all Jewish, except Clinton. Parscale is now helping to lead a new pro-Trump nonprofit called America First that echoes the name of a committee created in 1940 to keep the nation out of World War II. The spokesman for the original America First was Charles Lindbergh, a celebrity aviator who praised Nazi Germany and once gave a speech warning of the dangers of the Jewish race. Also, theres the fact that Trump, at best, is a bigot. Despite the controversy, Parscale is resolved to use his influence locally. I want to form a (political action committee) in the city of San Antonio to help advocate for the business community because I feel some of our local groups are unwilling to stand up to local officials, he said. Parscale wants to pressure the city to build a second airport solely for Southwest Airlines. The current airports dearth of direct flights is a drag on the citys economy, he said. Were the seventh largest city in the (nation). Our airport acts like its Wichita, Kansas, he said. Parscale believes his success with the Trump campaign has earned him political capital here. I think people have felt a lot of hometown love because its one of the biggest success stories in San Antonio, he said. Ive gotten a lot of praise from people locally, even though they dont agree with me. Have there been a few haters? Yes. But overall, I think its a city that respects hard work and loyalty. And Ive been loyal to San Antonio. Parscale added, I dont plan on leaving. I might spend a lot of time out of town, but I dont plan on leaving. bchasnoff@express-news.net BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's transport system saw rising traffic Wednesday as millions of people started to return to work after the week-long Lunar New Year Holiday. Some 9.7 million passenger trips were estimated on Chinese railways on Wednesday, year-on-year growth of 9 percent, as the week-long holiday draws to a close Thursday, according to China Railway Corporation. Traffic on expressways around major cities also increased, leading to rising congestion. During the New Year holiday, hundreds of millions of people go back to their hometowns to meet relatives and old friends, and as Chinese people become more affluent and keen to travel, pressure on the transport system is huge. Data from the China National Tourism Administration showed some 27.4 million visitor trips were made in China Wedneday, up 14.1 percent year on year. Tourism revenue reached 34 billion yuan (about 4.96 billion U.S. dollars) on the day. Hello Again, Well I guess winter is back but by the time you read this article January will be behind us. The warm days of January were nice but I sure could do without the mud My dogs seemed to find every muddy spot on the farm. As producers have passed through the office, politics have been on their minds and most are happy to share their opinions and it certainly has been interesting. Black History February begins Black History Month and I wondered about Black politicians in Ohios history. John Mercer Langston was born in 1829 in Louisa County, Virginia, to Ralph Quaries, a white plantation owner, and Jane Langston, a black slave. Langston and his brothers moved to Oberlin, Ohio, around 1834, after the death of their parents, to live with family friends. Langston enrolled in Oberlin College at the age of 14, earning both his bachelors and masters degrees. He was denied admission to law school, but studied under Attorney Phileman Bliss and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1854. He became actively involved in the antislavery movement here in Ohio and organized antislavery societies locally and at the state level, as well as helping runaway slaves on the Ohio part of the Underground Railroad. In 1855, Langston became the countrys first black elected official when he was elected clerk of Brownhelm Township. He would become a founding member and president of the National Equal Rights League. In 1868, Langston moved to Washington DC to establish and serve as dean of the first black law school in the country at Howard University. In 1877, Langston left Howard University to become the U.S. Minister to Haiti. When he returned to the U.S. he moved to Virginia and was named president of Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute, now known as Virginia State University. He ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as an Independent, but lost to his Democratic opponent. He contested the outcome and won the election 18 months later, serving for six months. He lost his bid for reelection. Oklahoma would later name Langston University in his honor. What an amazing chapter in Ohios African American heritage. Buffer strips On the FSA front, beginning in January producers can submit offers for Bioreactors and Saturated Buffer practices on Filter Strip (CP21) and Riparian Buffer (CP22) practices. This initiative is meant to improve water quality with the installation of a Denitrifying Bioreactor or Saturated Buffer on existing or re-enrolled CRP contract acres devoted to a CP21 or CP22. As always you can contact your local FSA office with questions. Thats all for now, FSA Andy Authentic is one of the most powerful terms in language. Quite simply put, the Webster definition is real or genuine; true and accurate. To an educator, on any level, it is a word that should describe the most relevant and current method of teaching content. In society today, we have some rather liberal interpretations that have done little to respect the beauty of such a word. Being authentic today forces us to match up our social media life (Facebook and Instagram, etc) to our personal life. Although social media allows us the privilege of expressing our personal emotions and sometimes the occasional rant, it also provides the opportunity to distort the information. Fake news According to Hannah Thompson-Weeman, with the Animal Agriculture Alliance (Ohio State graduate and former dairy judging team member), fake news is nothing new to animal agriculture. It has plagued us with everything from half-truths and misinformation to blatant lies being spread from animal rights activist. She further suggests that it is our responsibility to become task oriented and create conversations with our friends who might post some of those crazy and ridiculous stories. I would like to add that we must respond with the most authentic and accurate sources of information. It is not the time to lose control in the pig pen, but an opportunity to respond with an educated approach. If you need more inspiration and ideas of how to combat the spread of misleading or straight-up wrong claims, Hannah and I both urge you to check out the Animal Agriculture Alliances 2017 Stakeholders Summit, Connect to Protect Animal Ag. Authenticity from this source will strengthen your efforts to dispel the myths. Teaching styles As a baby boomer teaching millennials similar to Hannah, I am keenly aware that authentic learning experiences are important to this generation. Therefore it makes sense that these students will expect authentic leadership. Teachers in and outside of the classroom are expected to be multifaceted. The student in the front row may connect academically, but the one in the back may prefer your style of walking the room instead of standing in the front connected to a Power Point. Yet I have found other students, who are parents, strongly identify with that portion of my teaching. The authentic teacher attempts to locate that preference in each student and then connects the insight with the curriculum. That, my friends, is more of a theoretical goal than a realistic one. However, just as Hannah suggests, we must find a way to reach out in conversation to discover each others unique identities and backgrounds. Be authentic Every time I sit down to compose these articles, I seriously attempt to search for an authentic theme. As in the classroom or on the dairy judging trail, the authentic learning experience can be planned or spontaneous. At other times, it can emerge from the depths of a tragedy. Wherever it surfaces, the authentic experience requires your attention and action. Whatever generation you claim to be a part of, try not to be so consumed with daily routines that you fail to be the ambassador of authenticity. Students wanting to learn basic shotgun wing-shooting skills or hone up on developing skills should read this with parents. The North Lawrence Claybusters, an offshoot of the North Lawrence Fish and Game Club, is offering an introduction to trap shooting for student beginners, fifth grade and older. Claybusters, in its third year of a trapshooting program, is specifically designed for students with some level of experience or none at all. All participants are required to attend a safety briefing and complete all necessary paperwork to be part of the Scholastic Clays Target Program. This is a nationwide program that governs and supports youth shooting. The program begins in February with orientation and safety briefings for the new and returning shooters. These are Saturday mornings, dates not yet set, at the North Lawrence Clubhouse. During these briefings, parents and students will receive all necessary paperwork and a list of equipment and safety gear needed for the program. There is no cost to attend the briefing. We will have one Saturday to introduce new shooters to the sport so that they may make an informed decision. Some shooting and safety gear is required including; modern shotgun 12 or 20 gauge preferred, safety glasses, hearing protection, closed toed shoes, appropriate clothing for any type of weather practice in the rain/snow, shooting bag, hat and sunglasses. The Claybuster program runs for 10 weeks, meeting every Friday night at the North Lawrence gun range. Practice starts at 5:30 p.m. and runs until all athletes have shot at least 2 rounds of 25 targets each. All ages are welcome up to and including high school and college. Membership to the North Lawrence Fish & Game club is not required to participate in this program. Participants are from several schools districts including Jackson, Barberton, Chippewa, Smithville, Copley and several others. Cost of the program is $175 per shooter and covers registration with the SCTP and Amateur Trapshooting Association, 20 boxes of shotgun shells, all targets and a tee-shirt. For more information, go to the clubs Facebook page, North Lawrence Claybusters, email NLCBusters@gmail.com or call the Claybuster coordinator Don Witner at 330-858- 2518. The North Lawrence Fish and Game club is northwest of Massillon at 15325 Lamont Street, North Lawrence, Ohio. Ohios biggest and best whitetail bucks will be on parade at the upcoming Buckeye Big Buck Clubs annual banquet and awards ceremony will be at the Ashland University Convocation Center, Feb. 11. Doors open at 11 a.m., dinner is at 5:30 p.m. with awards following. Tickets are $30 for adults. Go to Buckeye Big Buck Clubs website for information. WASHINGTON U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced Jan. 19 that the U.S. Department of Transportation has designated 10 proving ground pilot sites to encourage testing and information sharing around automated vehicle technologies. These proving ground designations will foster innovations that can safely transform personal and commercial mobility, expand capacity, and open new doors to disadvantaged people and communities. Next step These designations are a logical next step in the departments effort to advance the safe deployment of automated technology. The proving grounds will also provide critical insights into optimal big data usage through automated vehicle testing and will serve as a foundation for building a community of practice around automated vehicle research. Designees were selected from a competitive group of over 60 applicants. Applicants included academic institutions, state Departments of Transportation, cities, and private entities and partnerships. Proving grounds designees all have different facilities that can be used to gauge safety, manage various roadways and conditions and handle various types of vehicles. Locations The Proving Ground designees are: City of Pittsburgh and the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute Texas AV Proving Grounds Partnership U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center American Center for Mobility at Willow Run Contra Costa Transportation Authority & GoMentum Station San Diego Association of Governments Iowa City Area Development Group University of Wisconsin-Madison Central Florida Automated Vehicle Partners North Carolina Turnpike Authority The future of transportation undoubtedly includes vehicles that operate with little or no input from human operators, according to Peter Rafferty, a program manager at University of Wisconsin-Madisons Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory. Outgoing Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, who announced the proving grounds, expects them to serve as a network of pooled expertise to speed the safe deployment of driverless vehicles. Challenges There are still a lot of questions of safety and human interaction and plenty of technological challenges that need addressing, says Rafferty. The Department of Transportation wants to make sure the lessons learned in that work are being shared, and being involved in this network means Wisconsin has access to that knowledge and an opportunity to contribute. AV technology in development ranges from one- and two-person vehicles and small buses for local trips up to platoons of trucks driving in tandem on the interstate, Rafferty says. We have places to test most or all of them. The Wisconsin AV Proving Grounds includes MGAs Burlington site 400 acres of roadways and crash-testing facilities originally built as a proving ground for American Motors cars and the 4-mile racing circuit at Road America in Plymouth provide secure environments for AV testing. The sprawling headquarters of Epic Systems in Verona and UW-Madisons own streets are also included in the proving grounds. Theres evidence of unmet demand for these proving grounds controlled roads where you can safely challenge a vehicle and figure out how to make it react differently to a big rock in its way than it would to a shopping bag in the street or to tell the difference between the ruts that develop in new snow and broken pavement, says Rafferty. HERSHEY, Pa. Butler Fair Queen Madeline McEachin, 18, of West Sunbury, Butler County, was crowned as the 2017 Pennsylvania Fair Queen Jan. 21, at the annual joint convention of the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs and Pennsylvania State Showmens Association. The daughter of Paul and Karla McEachin and a 2016 honors graduate of Butler High School, McEachin is attending the Pennsylvania State University pursuing a degree in accounting. McEachin now serves as Pennsylvania State 4-H Council president. In that capacity she served as co-emcee of the 101st Pennsylvania Farm Show opening ceremonies in Harrisburg. She also rode for the Grove City Area Equestrian Team and served as 2015 North Washington Rodeo Queen. The contest McEachin will receive a $2,500 scholarship from the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs at the conclusion of her reign. She was crowned by outgoing Pennsylvania Fair Queen Darby Kasper of Tioga County. Each of the 60 contestants tied for the highest number of queens in the competitions history prepared a brief speech highlighting the activities at her county or community fair. They also wrote an essay about the fairs significance in their life and local community. Each queen also gave a stage introduction during the fair convention annual banquet and was interviewed by three judges. Contestants are evaluated on their public speaking skills and knowledge of the agriculture industry, as well as on their poise and personal presentation in an evening gown competition. Five finalists were chosen and gave an impromptu answer on what they see as key components to building a successful fair. Runners-up Clearfield County Fair Queen Rachel Duke, 20, of Clearfield, Clearfield County, was selected as Alternate 2016 Pennsylvania Fair Queen. An agricultural science major at the Pennsylvania State University, she serves as an upper-class senator of the Student Government Association and as campus club coordinator. Duke has been involved with the Clearfield County Fair since she was four years old, and has competed in horse events at the fair each year. Other top five finalists were Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair Queen Emma Spackman of Port Matilda, Centre County; Elizabethtown Fair Queen Madison Rivera of Elizabethtown, Lancaster County; and Harford Fair Queen Jolie Winemiller of Harford, Susquehanna County. Winemiller was named Miss Congeniality by fellow contestants. Judges were Mary Amoss with the Miss Maryland Agriculture program, Fallston, Maryland; Timothy Bigham of the New York Farm Bureau, Franklinville, New York; and Tiffany Painter Newland, director of the Shenandoah County (Virginia) Fair scholarship pageant, Edinburg, Virginia. McEachin will travel the state this year, serving as an ambassador for the fair association. MILWAUKEE The Bureau of Land Management Eastern States is preparing for an online oil and gas lease sale on March 23. The online auction will begin at 8 a.m. on the EnergyNet site, www.EnergyNet.com. Each parcel will have its own unique open bidding period. The bidding process itself is expected to last a total of three hours. The BLM list of parcels for this sale includes 21 parcels (approximately 1,186 acres) located in the Marietta Unit of the Wayne National Forest, Ohio. Official notice. The Notice of Competitive Oil and Gas Lease Sale, March 23, 2017 is accessible at the BLM-ES website, www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/leasing/regional-lease-sales/eastern-states. The posting of the competitive lease sale initiates a 30-day protest period of the proposed lease parcels. Protests must be delivered in hard copy via postal service or fax; protests may not be emailed or hand-delivered. The BLM received consent from the U.S. Forest Service to offer these parcels, a decision which is in accordance with the Wayne National Forest 2006 revised Land and Resource Management Plan, and the forests 2012 Supplemental Information Report. Assessment. Additionally, resource specialists in the BLM Northeastern States District completed an Environmental Assessment for Oil and Gas Leasing, Wayne National Forest, Marietta Unit of the Athens Ranger District. During that process, public meetings were held in Marietta, Athens and Ironton, Ohio; and approximately 14,000 submissions were received during the 30-day comment period. The BLM extensively revised and updated the draft EA after careful consideration of public input, and the final EA was released October 13, 2016. The March 23, 2017 lease sale will not authorize the successful bidders to develop their leases; rather, they are purchasing a lease which allows them to develop the parcel within ten years of the sale date. More information. Because the sale action does not authorize drilling, a Finding of No Significant Impact was released concurrently with the final EA. More information about the parcels, including maps and the EA can be found on BLMs e-Planning website: http://go.usa.gov/xKHr4. Although the lease holder will need further authorization before developing or drilling a well, the leases do contain stipulations that are tailored to the specific situation of each parcel. Those stipulations are intended to mitigate risks to the environment due to ground disturbance, including for example risks due to: the possibility of soil erosion during construction activities; disruption to habitat for sensitive, Threatened and Endangered Species; the detriment of authorized recreational use; or the impairment of archeological research. Before any ground-disturbing activity may begin on the parcels to be leased in March, operators must first submit an Application for Permit to Drill to the BLM-ES. At that time, the BLM will initiate a site-specific environmental analysis in partnership with the Wayne National Forest to determine the feasibility of the proposed drilling plan. Concurrently, the State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources will evaluate the APD to determine whether proposed operations will pose any risks to groundwater. LONDON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Politicians in House of Commons gave overwhelming backing on Wednesday night to a parliamentary bill, paving the way for Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger the Article 50 mechanism for Britain to leave the European Union. The vote 498 against 114 gave the government a clear and comfortable majority of 384. It came after two days of intensive debating when around 180 members of parliament (MPs) spoke for and against the measure. The vote was the most critical in a process that will lead to more detailed discussions before peers in the House of Lords vote, ahead of Queen Elizabeth II giving the bill her Royal assent. Passionate speeches by a number of big-name politicians dominated the debate in the historic chamber of the Commons before Speaker John Bercow ordered votes. The debate was called after the Supreme Court ruled last month that parliament, rather than May's government, had to vote on triggering Article 50, the mechanism for any country wanting to leave the EU. An amendment put forward by the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) that would have paved the way for Britain to remain in the European single market was defeated. The final speaker in the debate, government minister David Jones, urging MPs to "trust the people" and saying the government was clear that the referendum outcome would apply to the whole of Britain. He said the British government insists it will work with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. And in a message to the people of Europe, he said: "You will still be welcome in our country, as we trust our citizens will still be welcome in yours." Earlier, former Labor leader Ed Miliband described the event as "clearly a fateful moment in the country's history". He said in the debate: "I did not want the referendum. I believed that, with the many other problems the country faced, the referendum would become as much about the state of the country as about Britain's place in Europe. Indeed, I believe that that is, in part, what happened. However, that is water under the bridge." Miliband described as a terrible irony that with the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, Britain's European co-operation is clearly needed more than ever. He added: "History will judge us not just on the decisions we make on this bill tonight, but on the decisions beyond. The government have a heavy responsibility, and we expect them to exercise it on behalf of the whole nation, not just the 52 percent (who voted leave in the June referendum). For that we will hold them to account in the months and years ahead." Former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne warned MPs that to vote against the majority verdict of the largest democratic exercise in British history would risk putting parliament against people, provoking a deep constitutional crisis. He said although he campaigned for remain, he would vote for the Article 50 bill. Osborne said the government had chosen not to make the economy the priority, but had prioritized immigration control, which was a clear message from the referendum campaign. On January 26, 2017, Fertilizer Canada and 19 other business associations pledged to work with the Canadian government to help ensure that U.S. legislators are aware of the millions of American jobs that depend on the Canada-U.S. relationship. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce discussed the groundwork for a trans-border commerce strategy designed to expand business relationships with the United States and the world. The meeting was joined by MP Andrew Leslie, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and special advisor on Canada-U.S. Relations. Participants welcomed Mr. Leslies early efforts to build up the relationship and they expressed strong support for a united Canadian effort on an issue that transcends sectoral, regional and partisan boundaries. Source: FertilizerCanada Colorado farm and ranch income has hit its lowest level in 30 years, according University of Colorado Boulder research. As Colorado Public Radio reports, much of agriculture is suffering in Colorado, which like other parts of the High Plains region is facing low corn, wheat and cattle prices. Two years ago, cattle ranchers did the rational thing when prices increased, they built up their herds and expanded their operations. Todd Inglee, a rancher in Evergreen, Colorado and president of the Colorado Cattlemens Association and chairman of the Colorado Beef Council, told CPR that he and many others are now faced with low prices because of oversupply. I know a lot of guys, whove said Ive held these cattle back as long as I can, I gotta move em. One, Im out of hay, or I dont have enough money to keep feeding em so I just gotta get em sold, Inglee said. Unlike corn, ranchers cant store cattle until prices get better. John Campbell, who runs the winter livestock auction in La Junta, Colorado told CPR that the recent highs and now lows have been like a rollercoaster, something that long-time ranchers are accustomed to and plan for. He said its most difficult for people who only recently have attempted to break into the ranching industry. We have a number of our customers, younger generation that tied into some awfully, awfully high-priced land, high-priced feed and high-priced cows, and theyre having a hard time now, Campbell said. Cattle prices arent expected to rebound this year, as a strong dollar will continue to hurt international exports of beef. Campbell told CPR that a strong dollar means its cheaper for U.S. meat packers to import beef from Mexico and Brazil, which takes business from local producers. At a time when farmland and labor costs keep rising, which doesnt make lower revenue years any easier to bear, said Dawn Thilmany, an ag economist at Colorado State University. She told CPR that several years ago, some ranchers and farmers were helped by oil and gas royalties, for drilling on their property, but with oil prices also low, those royalty checks arent what they once were. Click here to see more... Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Events and things to do to celebrate Veterans Day in Cumberland County Cumberland County will honor veterans for two weeks starting with the annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday in downtown Fayetteville. Julius Avery has signed up to direct supernatural World War II movie 'Overlord'. Julius Avery The Australian-born film director, who helmed 2014 film 'Son of a Gun', has teamed up with Paramount and J.J. Abrams' 'Bad Robot' for the horror film, according to Variety. Abrams and Billy Ray have come up with the story for the project with Ray penning the script with 'The Revenant' screenwriter Mark L. Smith also contributing to the final draft. The project dates back to 2007 when Paramount first acquired the rights and has since picked up pace after Avery got on board. The story is based on two Allied Forces paratroopers who are caught behind enemy lines in a small town outside Normandy, France, during the D-Day invasion after their plane crashes on a mission to destroy a German Radio Tower. Having reached their target, the paratroopers discover they have to fight off supernatural forces as well as enemy soldiers with the creepy foes the result of Nazi experiments. 'Son of a Gun' was Avery's breakout film and as well as earning him the job on 'Overlord' it's success also impressed Sir Ridley Scott, who approached him to direct drug trafficking film 'The King of L.A.'. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 13 times violated the ceasefire in various directions along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend Feb. 2. The Armenian army was using grenade launchers. The Azerbaijani army positions located in the Munjuglu and Alibayli villages of Azerbaijans Tovuz district underwent fire from the Armenian army positions located on nameless heights and in the Aygepar village of Armenias Berd district. Moreover, the Azerbaijani army positions were shelled from the Armenian positions located near the Armenian-occupied Garagashli village of the Aghdam district, Ashagi Seyidahmadli village of the Fuzuli district, Mehdili village of the Jabrayil district, as well as on nameless heights of the Goranboy 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. Duchess Catherine will spend Valentine's Day visiting an RAF base. Duchess Catherine The 35-year-old royal - who has Prince George, three, and Princess Charlotte, 20 months, with her husband Prince William - will meet air cadets from the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wing Air Training Corps, who will be taking part in a skills development camp in their school half-term. A statement from Kensington Palace reads: "The week acts as an initial 'camp experience' for cadets who are in their first six months of membership. Her Royal Highness will join the cadets as they view a Tutor aircraft, and participate in a personal development training session." The Duchess of Cambridge will also be given the chance to pilot her own aircraft in a flight simulator. The visit marks the Duchess' third visit to the RAF Air Cadets since she became Royal Patron and Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadet Organisation after taking over from Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Whilst Duchess Catherine and Prince William won't be spending Valentine's Day together, the couple will be able to spend more time together in London after it was recently revealed the 34-year-old royal is quitting his job with the East Anglian Air Ambulance this summer. He said in a statement: "It has been a huge privilege to fly with the East Anglia Air Ambulance. Following on from my time in the military, I have had experiences in this job I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that will add a valuable perspective to my royal work for decades to come. I would like to thank the people of East Anglia for being so supportive of my role and for letting me get on with the job when they have seen me in the community or at our region's hospitals. "I would especially like to thank all of my collegues at EAAA, Babcock and Cambridge Airport for their friendship and support. I have loved being part of a team of professional, talented people that save lives every day. My admiration for our country's medical and emergency services community could not be any stronger." Commerce minister of Bangladesh Tofail Ahmed has urged India to adopt measures to remove trade barriers in order to increase export-import between the two countries. He also stressed on the need for lifting anti-dumping duty on jute products as the imposition of the duty could have adverse effects on the import and export of these items. Trade barriers affect exports from Bangladesh to India, said Ahmed during a meeting with Nirmala Sitaraman, Indian trade and industries minister, in Andhra Pradesh after the inaugural function of a two-day partnership summit organised by ministry for trade and industries and the Indian Chamber of Commerce. The minister from Bangladesh suggested that official talks should be held between both countries to remove trade barriers, according to Bangladeshi media reports. Commerce minister of Bangladesh Tofail Ahmed has urged India to adopt measures to remove trade barriers in order to increase export-import between the two countries. He also stressed on the need for lifting anti-dumping duty on jute products as the imposition of the duty could have adverse effects on the import and export of these items. # Bangladeshs GDP growth is 7.11 per cent and the country is progressing socially as well as economically, said Ahmed. It is the second largest exporter in the region after India, with total exports amounting $34 billion, he added. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Kriti Sanon is currently shooting for her upcoming film Raabta which revolves around the storyline of horses and race course and while filming a horseriding scene, the actress injured her legs and is suffering from a lot of bruises. She said, Amy Jackson: To Work With Salman Khan Is A Dream! "I was horse-riding for a sequence. To canter you've got to put pressure on your knees and legs to hold firm and the saddle and stirrups rub against the legs. My costume was such that my legs weren't so covered, so I ended up with lots of bruises." On a positive note, Kriti Sanon is happy that she has no retakes for that particular scene as the film-makers have captured it perfectly in just two takes. "Thankfully, I got the shot right in two takes. I realised I had bruised myself badly only later." Sunny Leone 'Takes Everything As It Comes'! Raabta stars Kriti Sanon and Sushant Singh Rajput in the lead roles and Deepika Padukone will have a cameo appearance in the film. Raabta is scheduled to hit the theatres in June, 2017 and is directed and produced by Dinesh Vijan. Amy Jackson Praises Superstar Rajinikanth! Says He's A Humble & Gracious Person Evelyn Sharma is growing wiser by the day as she's constantly looking out for 'answers' about love, life and peace. It feels like the actress has found out what it really takes to hear God's voice and it really isn't that difficult after all! The beautiful actress took to her social media handle posting a picture of herself meditating and said that God's voice can be heard if you stay calm and silent. She said, "The world is a hectic place... Take a moment to reflect and find your center... If you want to hear God's voice you have to learn to be quiet first." The gorgeous Evelyn Sharma is currently in Los Angeles, California and has been posting pictures of herself chilling by the beach with her girlfriends and also visiting various places just to let her hair down. She's been visiting a lot of the country side's plush greenery and captioned a picture as, "There is nothing like a walk through nature to clear your mind." Salman Khan's 'No Entry' Sequel Stalled Due To Pay Disagreements? On the work front, Evelyn Sharma is currently shooting for her upcoming film 'The Ring' and it also stars the Baadshah of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles. The film is directed by Imtiaz Ali and major portions of the film is being shot in Europe. The next leg of the film would be shot in Punjab. Amy Jackson: To Work With Salman Khan Is A Dream! Celebrated Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey says Americans those who are still upset with Donald Trump being the President of the US, should now learn to accept the fact and get on with it. "It's time for us to embrace, shake hands with this guy and be constructive with him over the next four years," the actor stated while speaking in an interview. "Even those who mostly strong disagree with his principles or things he's said and done - which we'll see what he does compare to what he had said - no matter how much you disagreed along the way," Said McConaughey. He continued, "it's time to think about how constructive you can be because he's our president for the next four years at least," The actor stated while in a promotional event of his latest TV drama titled Gold. The actor also explained that everyone in Hollywood is quite open-minded and fearless. "It's a very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time that we've ever had. They don't have a choice now, he's our president." Added McConaughey. Talking about his new TV drama Gold, McConaughey said, "It's an underdog story." "This is the guy that nobody bets on ... like millions of people in the world, if not billions, that get of bed every day and that don't have a ticket to the American dream that are going to have to hustle their way in the back door, the side door, down the chimney and be an entrepreneur and make it their own way." McConaughey said further. Renowned Hollywood actor, Keanu Reeves has been reportedly signed in for romantic-thriller film titled Siberia. The Frank & Lola film-maker Matthew Ross is all set to helm the project. The film centers around a story of an American diamond merchant Lucas(Keanu Reeves), who set foot in Russia to meet his business partner Pyotr. In a turn of events, Pyotr goes missing and then Lucas steps in to search for his partner and trail him back to the Siberia. In between his expedition, Lucas meets a local girl Katya and falls in love with her. Scott B. Smith has penned down the entire script for the movie in collaboration with Stephen Hamel. Company Films and Summerstorm Film House Germany are co-producing the film. IM Global has been in charge of marketing and collaboration. Keanu Reeves will be seen next in the most anticipated movie John Wick: Chapter 2, all set to release on February 10. According to the sources, Matthew Ross will start shooting for Siberia later this year as the lead actor Keanu Reeves has been pretty busy with back-to-back movies releasing this year. Although the actor has been under wraps for a long time until he came up with John Wick Part 1 in 2014. (1) Performance results are presented on a net-of-fees basis and reflect the deduction of, among other expenses, management fees, brokerage commissions, administrative fees, and accrued and/or crystallized performance fees, if any. Net performance includes the reinvestment of all dividends, interest, and capital gains. Depending on the timing of an individual investor's specific investment, net performance for an individual investor may vary from the net performance as stated herein. Performance data and other information contained herein are estimated and unaudited. Net performance is a geometrically linked, time-weighted calculation. (2) Reflects the number of positions in issuers in which the Company has previously publicly disclosed an investment, which occurs after the Company has completed its accumulation. Cash, cash equivalents, direct or indirect currency or other hedges and income/expense items are excluded. Multiple financial instruments (for example, common stock and derivatives on common stock) associated with one (1) issuer count as one (1) position. A position that is included in the number of positions will be removed from the table only if the investment becomes 0.0% of the portfolio. (3) For the purpose of determining the equity and debt exposures, investments are valued as follows: (a) equity or debt is valued at market value, (b) options referencing equity or debt are valued at market value, (c) long call options and short put options (or vice-versa, short call options and long put options) held on the same underlying issuer and with the same strike and same expiry are grouped together and treated as synthetic equity positions, and are valued at the market value of the equivalent long equity position (or vice-versa, the equivalent short equity position), and (d) swaps or forwards referencing equity or debt are valued at the market value of the notional equity or debt underlying the swaps or forwards. Whether a position is deemed to be long or short is determined by whether an investment has positive or negative exposure to price increases or decreases. For example, long puts are deemed to be short exposure. (4) Includes all issuer equity, debt, and derivatives related to issuer equity and debt, and associated currency hedges. Cash, cash equivalents, direct or indirect currency or other hedges and income/expense items are excluded. The market values of associated currency hedges are included as part of the associated investment. In the event that there is a change in market cap category with respect to any non-publicly disclosed position, this information is not updated until such position is publicly disclosed. (5) Portfolio composition is reflective of the publicly disclosed portfolio positions as of the date of this report. A position in an issuer is only assigned to a sector once it has been publicly disclosed. (6) "Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. AUM" equals the assets under management of Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.. Any performance fees crystallized as of the end of the year will be reflected in the following period's AUM. (7) "Total Strategy AUM" equals the aggregate assets under management of Pershing Square, L.P., Pershing Square International, Ltd., Pershing Square II, L.P. and Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.. Redemptions effective as of the end of any period (including redemptions attributable to crystallized performance fees/allocations, if any) will be reflected in the following period's AUM DUNEDIN, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 02/01/17 -- The community, along with her sisters Nafie and Sevdie Lika, is hosting a raffle drawing on March 24, 2017, in Dunedin, Florida, at Sea Sea Riders restaurant on behalf of Mel Lika. Good friend Joseph A. Camerieri says, "Mel came to my aid. It was like perfect timing, a huge blessing." He is now returning the favor to Mel by putting in much needed time to help her cause. "I am doing some handyman work around her house, keeping her spirits up, taking her to church and creating a Facebook page." With her parents, she moved to the States as a baby. Years later she had no inkling she would one day find herself fighting for the United States and its allies against foreign terrorism. Whether it was in the Balkans gathering evidence of war crimes or at her last position a few years ago, working in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Mel was extremely serious when vetting locals in an attempt to weed out insurgents from working for U.S. Marines or other jobs on U.S. military bases; her call sign was 'Victor.' Today, she has many amazing stories to tell of all those experiences on foreign soil from Kosovo to Afghanistan. She can share some border-line confidential stories involving interrogations, locations, etc. Although her job was to find the Taliban then, now her story takes an unexpected turn. In May of 2014 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer -- stage four. Immediately Mel went to work trying to heal her body. Friends explain that Mel is a very resourceful, intelligent woman and passionate about health, for everyone. She conducts detailed research regarding treatments -- both alternative and conventional -- that have proven successful. On top of receiving news about her cancer, Mel experienced some other life trials recently, both financially and with her health. A little over two years later, the cancer made an aggressive return. The task of raising money for vital medical expenses must come from contributors who have the heart and means to help her cause. The community is hosting a raffle drawing on March 24, 2017, in Dunedin, Florida, at Sea Sea Riders restaurant. Donations can be made through our GoFundMe page. https://www.gofundme.com/my-sisters-ovarian-cancer-fund Contact: Joseph A. Camerieri Email Contact (727)741-3759 Mobile LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The following are some of the biotech stocks that made their way onto the Day's Gainers & Losers' list of February 1, 2017. GAINERS 1. Pulmatrix Inc. (PULM) Gained 73.49% to close Wednesday's (February 1, 2017) trading at $3.73. After two consecutive days of losses, following a $5 million registered direct offering on January 30, 2017, the stock seems to be moving up. News: No news The closing of registered direct offering in which the company agreed to sell about 2 million shares of common stock, at a price of $2.50 per share, is expected to take place on or about February 2, 2017. The company's most-advanced program is PUR0200, a branded generic in clinical development for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. PUR0200 has successfully completed phase I testing. PUR0200 is being developed by Pulmatrix in partnership with Mylan N.V (MYL). The option for non-US marketing rights to PUR0200 is retained by Mylan. Last month, the company's drug candidate PUR1900, under preclinical testing, for treating fungal infections in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, was designated as a 'Qualified Infectious Disease Product' by the FDA. 2. EnteroMedics Inc. (ETRM) Gained 33.23% to close Wednesday's trading at $8.38. News: No news Following the Jan.5th news about the company's vBloc neurometabolic therapy having been implanted at MedStar Health in Maryland and Roper St. Francis in South Carolina, bringing the total number of institutes to have implanted the therapy to 13, the company's shares have been on a tear. The stock touched an intra-day high of $30.41 on Jan.10th, and has since given back most of its gains. The vBloc therapy is approved for use in helping with weight loss in people aged 18 years and older who are obese. It has received FDA approval and CE Mark. On January 18th, the company announced a $16.5 million underwritten public offering. The underwritten public offering and full exercise of over-allotment option, which brought home gross proceeds of $19.0 million closed on January 23rd. Anticipated event: Q4 and full-year 2016 financial results scheduled for Feb.15, 2017. 3. Moleculin Biotech Inc. (MBRX) Gained 32.58% to close Wednesday's trading at $2.36. News: No news Near-term catalyst: Report data from phase II trial evaluating Annamycin as a potential treatment for relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia by the second half of 2017. 4. Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc. (INFI) Gained 21.26% to close Wednesday's trading at $2.51. News: No news The key drug candidate in the pipeline is IPI-549, an oral immuno-oncology compound.The company has set itself a couple of goals to be achieved this year. Near-term catalysts: - Present additional data from a Phase 1 study of IPI-549 in patients with advanced solid tumors later this year - Report Phase 1 data from the monotherapy dose-escalation phase as well as the IPI-549 plus Opdivo dose-escalation phase in 2017 - Complete the dose-escalation phase evaluating IPI-549 monotherapy in the first half of 2017 - Begin enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors in the monotherapy expansion cohort during the second half of 2017 - Complete the dose-escalation combination phase evaluating IPI-549 plus Opdivo in the second half of 2017 - Begin enrolling patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) in combination expansion cohorts evaluating IPI-549 plus Opdivo in the second half of 2017. 5. Alcobra Ltd. (ADHD) Gained 20.95% to close Wednesday's trading at $1.27. News: No news. Recent happenings: The stock touched a 52 week low of $0.83 on January 17th, following the failure of its second phase III clinical trial of investigational product Metadoxine Extended Release (MDX) for the treatment of ADHD in adult patients to meet the primary endpoint. The trial, dubbed MEASURE, did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference from placebo in the change from baseline of the investigator rating of the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales. The company reported positive top line results from the first phase III study of Metadoxine Extended Release (MDX) in adult patients with ADHD in October 2014. 6. Summit Therapeutics plc (SMMT) Gained 13.94% to close Wednesday's trading at $11.93. News: Following constructive end of Phase 2 meetings with the US and European regulators, the company has designed a phase III program for novel C. difficile infection antibiotic Ridinilazole. The proposed phase III program is expected to include two trials evaluating Ridinilazole as compared to the standard of care, Vancomycin, each of which would enrol approximately 700 patients with CDI with the primary endpoint being superiority in sustained clinical response ('SCR'). The phase III trials are anticipated to start in the first half of 2018. 7. Esperion Therapeutics Inc. (ESPR) Gained 12.05% to close Wednesday's trading at $13.58 News: No news Near-term catalyst: The company's lead drug candidate is Bempedoic Acid, an oral, once-daily LDL-C lowering therapy. It is under 3 phase III trials - in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and patients considered 'statin intolerant' with hypercholesterolemia who are inadequately treated with current lipid-modifying therapies. Top-line results from all of the pivotal studies in the phase III program are expected by mid-2018. LOSERS 1. Catabasis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CATB) Lost 70.79% to close Wednesday's trading at $1.18. News: Part B of the phase II trial evaluating Edasalonexent in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy did not meet primary efficacy endpoint. The Part B of the trial, dubbed Move DMD, enrolled 31 boys. The primary efficacy end point for Part B was average change from baseline to week 12 in MRI T2 measures in boys given Edasalonexent compared to placebo, and it was not met. 2. Galena Biopharma Inc. (GALE) Lost 22.42% to close Wednesday's trading at $1.28. News: Mark W. Schwartz has resigned from the company and its affiliates as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and member of the Board of Directors. An interim Chief Executive Officer is expected to be appointed in the next couple of weeks. The company is also in the process of engaging an independent advisory firm to evaluate strategic alternatives to maximize stockholder value. 3. Bovie Medical Corp. (BVX) Lost 21.16% to close Wednesday's trading at $2.98. News: The company's sales channel partnership with Hologic for J-Plasma product line is not going to be extended when it expires at the end of February 2017. The sales channel partnership agreement between the two companies to accelerate J-Plasma sales growth was signed last July. Anticipated event: Q4 and full year 2016 financial results to be reported on March 9, 2017. 4. Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SGYP) Lost 14.57% to close Wednesday's trading at $6.04. News: The company has priced its underwritten public offering of 20.32 million shares of its common stock at $6.15 per share. The offering is expected to close on or about February 6, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. 5. ArQule Inc. (ARQL) Lost 13.58% to close Wednesday's trading at $1.40. News: No news Near-term catalysts: -- Full data from the initial two cohorts in phase 1 trial of ARQ 092 for Proteus syndrome expected in the early part of this year -- A phase III trial of Tivantinib for hepatocellular carcinoma is scheduled to conclude in early 2017, and top-line data is expected in the first quarter of 2017. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Cabinet office is slated to release the Japan consumer confidence index for January at 12:00 am ET Thursday. The index is seen at 43.7, compared to 43.1 in December. Ahead of the data, the yen rose against its major rivals. As of 11:55 pm ET in the Asian session, the yen was trading at 121.66 against the euro, 142.85 against the pound, 113.79 against the Swiss franc and 112.81 against the U.S. dollar. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Details added (first version posted on 12:48) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 Trend: A ceremony to unveil the monument to the prominent conductor of Azerbaijan, maestro Niyazi in the park at Niyazi street of Baku has been held. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the ceremony, and delivered a speech there. Rector of Baku Music Academy, Peoples Artist Farhad Badalbayli, Peoples Artist Faig Sujaddinov, laureate of the international contests, conductor Ayyub Guliyev and sculptor Omar Eldarov addressed the ceremony. The head of state laid flowers at the monument. President Ilham Aliyev then had a conversation with the cultural and art figures who attended the event. Then a picture was taken. BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German auto giant Daimler AG (DDAIF.PK) reported Thursday that its fourth-quarter net profit climbed 18 percent to 2.21 billion euros from last year's 1.87 billion euros. Earnings per share were 2.01 euros, up 19 percent from 1.69 euros last year. Adjusted EBIT was 3.58 billion euros, up 3 percent from last year. Revenues edged up 1 percent to 41 billion euros from 40.43 billion euros a year ago. Further, the company announced that at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting on March 29, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board will propose the distribution of a dividend of 3.25 euros per share, same as last year. Looking ahead, for fiscal 2017, the company projects further growth in revenue and EBIT, and a slight increase in unit sales. 'In the year 2017, due to the very attractive and competitive product range in all divisions, Daimler expects to profit from slight growth in global demand for motor vehicles and from its strengthened market position, and to further increase its unit sales in total,' the company said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global brand strategy, design and experience firm Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) today announced the appointment of Steve Owen to executive creative director. Owen brings more than 20 years of design and branding experience to the firm and will oversee its expanding creative practice in EMEA. Commenting on the new appointment, Philip Davies, EMEA president of Siegel+Gale, said: "We're delighted Steve isjoining our EMEA team. His experience as a simplifier with a passion for design and language will add to our capabilities in the region. Steve's ability to distill complexity intoconsistentlyengaging brand experiences iswhat sets him apart." Owen joins Siegel+Gale from Heavenly and, prior to that, Landor Associates where he served as executive creative director. Throughout his career, Owen has led numerous creative projects for global clients including England Rugby, Patek Philippe, Jaguar Cars, Warner Bros, ITN and Amnesty International. His design accolades include golds in DBA Design Effectiveness, the Marketing Society Awards, a Critique Award and eight D&AD Pencils. "I can't describe how excited I am to be joining Siegel+Gale," said Owen. "From the moment I met Philip and his team I knew this was a place I wanted to work. A belief in creating compelling, modern brand experiences through honesty, integrity and simplicity is at the heart of everything Siegel+Gale does. It's a philosophy I also hold dear, and I look forward to helping deliver this ethos to the highest possible creative standard." About Siegel+Gale Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) is the simplicity company. We seek it, defend it and embrace it in everything we do to help brands reach their true potential. Simplicity is the centrepiece of the strategies we develop that reveal the unique truths of an organisation, the engaging stories we create that connect brands with their audiences, and the meaningful experiences we deliver that are both unexpectedly fresh and remarkably clear. Since 1969, Siegel+Gale has championed simplicity for leading corporations, nonprofits and government organisations worldwide. We have offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai, but we're willing to fly just about anywhere. We're also not alone. As part of the DAS Group of Companies, we have strong partners all around the world. About the DAS Group of Companies The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organisations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries. Nichola Seeley Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, Siegel+Gale T: +44 (0)20 8618 1951 M: +44 (0)77 1091 7186 E: nseeley@siegelgale.com Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/463572/Siegel_Gale_Steve_Owen.jpg STOCKHOLM, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- - Introducing Itiviti Managed FIX - a global connectivity platform, delivered as a service. - Scalable, business-enabling service, reducing TCO and time to market. - Rich toolset for efficient onboarding, monitoring and troubleshooting. Itiviti, a world-leading technology provider for the capital markets industry, today announced the launch of Itiviti Managed FIX, a fully managed service that delivers an end-to-end connectivity platform. Underpinned by Itiviti's industry-leading Catalys FIX engine, Itiviti Managed FIXcovers multiple asset-classes andprovides buy-side and sell-side firms with efficient global connectivity. It eliminates the need for capital investments in FIX infrastructure, while at the same time ensuring premium service delivery that meets the highest industry standards for reliability and performance. Co-located at strategically selected cutting-edge data centers, Itiviti Managed FIX provides convenient access to global execution venues, FIX message normalization and drop copies, as well as active system and session monitoring. It combines service capabilities with a feature-rich, high availability platform that extends far beyond managed hardware and telecom infrastructure. Value-added functionality includes support for rapid onboarding of new clients, client management and daily trading support. Itiviti provides advanced web-based tools for transparency and control of FIX activity, facilitating pre-trade order checks. Historical data on message flow can be displayed graphically, e.g. for message rates and client trading behavior. "Itiviti Managed FIX combines our mastery of Itiviti technology and solid experience from FIX infrastructure solutions to make our expertise more conveniently available to our clients and to relieve them from the day-to-day burden of infrastructure ownership," said George Rosenberger, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Managed Services, Itiviti. Several aspects contribute to make Itiviti Managed FIX a business enabling solution: It is highly scalable, and strategies for expansion and growth are facilitated by its support for multiple-asset classes. It also helps streamline operations, enabling firms to reallocate resources to their core businesses. Reinforced by a pool of FIX expertise, finding and keeping skilled tech staff is no longer an issue. Sample features and benefits of Itiviti Managed FIX: Covered by a premier support model (24x5.5). Best practice service management. FIX infrastructure managed by Itiviti's dedicated operations team of ITIL certified professionals. Reduced connectivity costs through Itiviti's Network Optimizer, which helps migrate buy-side connections to lower cost alternatives. Full system redundancy applied to data center, hardware, software and networking. Sophisticated monitoring dashboard provides detailed transparency into FIX activity. Custom service options, supported and delivered by Itiviti Professional Services. About Itiviti Itiviti is a world-leading technology provider for the capital markets industry. Trading firms, banks, brokers and institutional clients rely on Itiviti technology, solutions and expertise for streamlining their daily operations, while gaining sustainable competitive edge in global markets. With 13 offices and serving more than 400 customers worldwide, Itiviti was formed by uniting Orc Group, a leader in trading and electronic execution, and CameronTec Group, the global standard in financial messaging infrastructure and connectivity. From its foundation in 2016, Itiviti has a staff of 400 and an estimated annual revenue of SEK 700 million. Itiviti is committed to continuous innovation to deliver trading infrastructure built for today's dynamic markets, offering highly adaptable platforms and solutions, enabling clients to stay ahead of competitive and regulatory challenges. Itiviti is owned by Nordic Capital Fund VII. www.itiviti.com For further information, please contact: George Rosenberger, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Managed Services, Itiviti, Tel. +1-646-762-4548 Christine Blinke, Chief Marketing Officer, Itiviti, Tel. +46-739-01-02-01 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/itiviti-group-ab/r/itiviti-introduces-fully-managed-fix-infrastructure-service,c2179018 The following files are available for download: LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Soco International PLC (SIA.L) said it continues to pursue growth and rationalisation of portfolio. Mike Watts and Jann Brown will be joining the Company to spearhead these efforts. In the coming months, it expect to announce a new Production Sharing Agreement over two blocks, offshore Vietnam, adding to existing strong presence in the region. Capital expenditure for 2017 is expected to be approximately $50 million to cover the development drilling and infrastructure upgrade on existing Vietnam assets, purchase of seismic data for new venture Blocks 125 & 126 in Vietnam and PEX bonuses in Africa on MXI. The company continues to pursue growth and rationalisation of our portfolio. Dr Mike Watts and Jann Brown will be joining the Company to spearhead these efforts. In the coming months, we expect to announce a new Production Sharing Agreement over two blocks, offshore Vietnam, adding to our existing strong presence in the region. Capital expenditure for 2017 is expected to be approximately $50 million to cover the development drilling and infrastructure upgrade on our existing Vietnam assets, purchase of seismic data for new venture Blocks 125 & 126 in Vietnam and PEX bonuses in Africa on MXI. The Board of Directors expects to recommend a dividend to shareholders with respect to 2016 earnings consistent with strategy of sustainable cash returns to shareholders. In vietnam, Te Giac Trang Field production averaged 27,650 barrels of oil equivalent per day gross and 8,330 BOEPD net to SOCO's working interest in 2016; the Ca Ngu Vang Field production averaged 6,211 BOEPD gross and 1,553 BOEPD net to SOCO's working interest in 2016. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. With Exclusive New C+Collagen Collection NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --NYC-based Dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross is expanding the footprint of his namesake skincare collection overseas in a new retail partnership with the iconic Selfridges department store. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare hits shelves at the Oxford Street location on February 2, including the exclusive London debut of his new four-piece product line, C+Collagen, comprised of a serum, mist, facial moisturizer and eye cream. The brand will also be carried online and will include the Alpha Beta, Ferulic + Retinol and Hyaluronic Marine categories. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464130/Dr_Dennis_Gross_Skincare_C_Collagen_Collection.jpg Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464129/Dr_Dennis_Gross_Skincare_Logo.jpg To celebrate the expansion - which marks one decade in the U.K. market - Dr. Dennis Gross along with wife and CEO, Carrie Gross, will make the London trip to host press and blogger events, as well as in-store consumer events, including client consultations and facial treatments in Selfridges' Beauty Room. "Selfridges is known for carrying the biggest and most popular brands, but also the independent brands," notes Carrie Gross. "It's a great showcase for us. London is an incredible gateway to Europe and this exciting partnership will catapult us to a greater volume." "We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Dennis Gross to Selfridges - the brand ethos truly speaks to our customer, someone who is always on the lookout for the next in new and exciting skincare technology," says Melissa McGinnis, Beauty Buyer Manager, Selfridges. "The exclusive C+Collagen line is a fantastic additional to our beauty workshop. As the concept of 'the peel' continues to gain momentum, we are so pleased we can offer Dr. Dennis Gross's expert approach with these excellent at-home solutions." Practicing for nearly three decades in dermatology, Dr. Gross has dedicated the last 17 years to developing cutting-edge technologies and high-performing products for at-home use. His daily work with patients is a constant inspiration for developing breakthrough formulas, and his new C+Collagen product line was no exception. "In this digital age of the selfie, people are seeing themselves in different lights and shadows, close-up angles they've not seen before, and the emotions connected have grown to a brand-new level,"says Dr. Dennis Gross. "Cell phones are now a beauty instrument and more times than not, the tool which patients use to explain why they're in my office. The most common question I hear: why do I look so tired?" Transcending age, gender and skin type, 'tired' is a shared concern that is no longer exclusive to a feeling, morphing into a descriptor for one's appearance. "Tired is a universal appearance of the skin. It's a look of dullness, sallowness, a loss of radiance, looking older than you did the previous day. When your skin looks tired, everything looks worse," explains Dr. Dennis Gross. Challenged to find a solution to this global skin phenomenon, Dr. Gross formulated the C+Collagen technology to reawaken skin. "Vitamin C, in its brilliance, produces more collagen giving skin radiance and vitality. When coupled with my energy complex, which charges the battery, the cell's response to Vitamin C is even greater and anti-aging results are amplified. Skin is recharged and revitalized," says Dr. Dennis Gross. "London gives off the same energy as New York. Always on the go, and people are constantly on the move, tired, and needing to refuel. It's also similar to New York in its urban landscape and environment. It seemed like a terrific fit as our new collection should do very well with Selfridges' clientele. It's a very exciting moment to expand our presence," concluded Dr. Dennis Gross. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare is sold in 17 countries globally through retail outlets such as Sephora, Space NK, Mecca, Cult Beauty and Net-a-porter. The brand is also distributed in professional spas, including the world-renowned Canyon Ranch and Miraval Resorts. Dr. Dennis Gross C+Collagen collection will be exclusively available with Selfridges & Co. ranging from 30-72. PRESS CONTACT: Melissa Sansone | melissa@dgskincare.com | +1.646.747.5643 ChannelAdvisor Corporation (NYSE:ECOM), a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions that enable retailers and branded manufacturers to increase global sales, today announced its participation at the Spring Fair exhibition, a trade show for gift and home retailers. The event will take place on 5-9 February 2017 at The NEC in Birmingham, UK. ChannelAdvisor representatives will be available at stand 20B47 in hall 6-7 during the event to offer advice and guidance about marketplaces, digital marketing, and connecting with shoppers internationally. Hakan Thyr, ChannelAdvisor's director of strategic partnerships, EMEA, will deliver a keynote session at the event on 07 February at 14:15 in the E-Commerce Theatre. Thyr's keynote presentation will offer tips to help retailers and brands be more visible to consumers on social media. This session, entitled 'Converting Consumers on Social,' will discuss the retail potential of social media and offer practical tips and actionable strategies for social success for both e-commerce retailers and branded manufacturers. To request a meeting with ChannelAdvisor during the conference, please email ukteam@channeladvisor.com. For more details about ChannelAdvisor, visit our blog, follow us on Twitter @ECOMemea, Like us on Facebook and connect with us on LinkedIn. About ChannelAdvisor ChannelAdvisor (NYSE: ECOM) is a leading provider of cloud-based e-commerce solutions that enable retailers and branded manufacturers to integrate, manage and optimise their merchandise sales across hundreds of online channels including Amazon, Google, eBay, Facebook and more. Through automation, analytics and optimisation, ChannelAdvisor customers can leverage a single inventory feed to more efficiently list and advertise products online, and connect with shoppers to increase sales. Billions of dollars in merchandise value are driven through ChannelAdvisor's platform every year, and thousands of customers use ChannelAdvisor's solutions to help grow their businesses. For more information, visit www.channeladvisor.co.uk. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005033/en/ Contacts: ChannelAdvisor Jennifer Hakim, 020 3300 4221 jennifer.hakim@channeladvisor.com Patrimonium Infrastructure RailCar Opportunity (PIRCO) increases its portfolio to 2'000 railcars EQS Group-News: Dynamics Group AG / Schlagwort(e): Beteiligung/Unternehmensbeteiligung Patrimonium Infrastructure RailCar Opportunity (PIRCO) increases its portfolio to 2'000 railcars 02.02.2017 / 09:38 Press Release Patrimonium Infrastructure RailCar Opportunity (PIRCO) increases its portfolio to 2'000 railcars Baar, 02 February 2017 On 20 December 2016 Patrimonium acquired through its company Patrimonium Infrastructure RailCar Opportunity (PIRCO) an additional fleet of 1'500 freight railcars, thereby bringing its total fleet up to 2'000 railcars. The main investors of PIRCO are a fund - managed and advised by Special Investments Group (SIG) of Credit Suisse - and Ermewa, one of the leading railcar lessors in Europe. Ermewa assumes the responsibility for the management of the fleet and will utilise its customer contacts and operational expertise in the railcar leasing business to safeguard the proper servicing of the contracts and maintenance of the fleet. Ermewa leases the railcars on long-term contracts to industrial companies in Europe. Christoph Syz, a Founder and CEO of Patrimonium: "Our investment in this railcar portfolio underlines our strong belief in the attractiveness of railcars as an asset class (infrastructure-like) and Ermewa as a top tier lessor and manager of railcars. SIG from Credit Suisse and the other investors were attracted to this opportunity because of the high barriers to entry in this market and good visibility of cash flows underpinned by the long-term nature of leasing contracts. We view this investment as a first step in rolling our infrastructure capabilities and are optimistic about future investments in collaboration with SIG Credit Suisse and Ermewa". Patrimonium Asset Management AG Zugerstrasse 74 CH-6340 Baar Christoph Syz Alain Stocker CEO Director Infrastructure Tel +41 58 787 00 21 Tel +41 58 787 00 96 christoph.syz@patrimonium.ch Email alain.stocker@patrimonium.ch About PATRIMONIUM PATRIMONIUM is a Swiss independent alternative asset management company active in the asset classes real estate, private debt, infrastructure and private equity. Today Patrimonium and its affiliate companies manage around CHF 2.8bn assets for a large amount of institutional and private investors and operate offices in Echandens/Lausanne, Zurich and Baar employing over 50 investment professionals. About Ermewa Ermewa, one of the leading railcar lessors in Europe, manages a fleet of about 45'000 freight railcars. About Special Investments Group (SIG) of Credit Suisse (Switzerland) SIG is an investment group of Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Limited. SIG invests capital of Credit Suisse and its top private banking clients in debt and equity private market opportunities. Further information can be found on the following websites: patrimonium.ch Disclaimer The content of this press release is exclusively provided for informational purposes. It does not constitute an offer and does not release the recipient from his or her own evaluation. Particularly, the mention of product names does not represent a solicitation for their acquisition or the trade in them. Prior to each action based on this publication, the recipient is recommended to question the information for conformity with his or her own legal, regulatory, tax and other circumstances. Further information in this regard should be obtained from our terms of use Ende der Medienmitteilung 541241 02.02.2017 AXC0059 2017-02-02/09:39 HELSINKI, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tieto Corporation STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 2 February 2017, 11.05 EET Notice is given to the shareholders of Tieto Corporation to the Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday 23 March 2017 at 4.00 p.m. (EET) at the hotel Clarion, address Tyynenmerenkatu 2, 00220 Helsinki, Finland. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 3.00 p.m. (EET). A. Matters on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting At the Annual General Meeting, the following matters will be considered: 1 Opening of the meeting 2 Calling the meeting to order 3 Election of persons to scrutinize the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes 4 Recording the legality of the meeting 5 Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes 6 Presentation of the annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report for the year 2016 Review by the CEO 7 Adoption of the annual accounts 8 Resolution on the use of the profit shown on the balance sheet and the payment of dividend The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of EUR 1.15 per share and an additional dividend of EUR 0.22 be paid from the distributable assets for the financial year that ended on 31 December 2016. The dividend shall be paid to shareholders who on the record date for the dividend payment on 27 March 2017 are recorded in the shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy or the register of Euroclear Sweden AB. The dividend shall be paid as from 6 April 2017. 9 Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability 10 Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes that the remuneration of the Board of Directors will be annual fees and increased as follows: EUR 91 000 to the Chairman (current EUR 83 000), EUR 55 000 to the Deputy Chairman (current EUR 52 500) and EUR 36 000 (current EUR 34 500) to the ordinary members of the Board of Directors. The same fee as to the Board Deputy Chairman will be paid to the Chairman of Board Committee unless the same individual is also the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Board. In addition to these fees it is proposed that the member of the Board of the Directors be paid the same remuneration of EUR 800 for each Board meeting as currently and for each permanent or temporary committee meeting. It is the company's practice not to pay fees to Board members who are also employees of the Tieto Group. The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes that 40% of the fixed annual remuneration be paid in Tieto Corporation's shares purchased from the market. The shares will be purchased within two weeks from the release of the interim report January 1-March 31, 2017. According to the proposal, the Annual General Meeting will resolve to acquire the shares directly on behalf of the members of the Board which is an approved manner to acquire the company's shares in accordance with the applicable insider rules. The Shareholders' Nomination Board is of the opinion that increasing long-term shareholding of the Board members will benefit all the shareholders. 11 Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the number of Board members be eight. 12 Election of members of the Board of Directors and the Chairman The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the current Board members Kurt Jofs, Harri-Pekka Kaukonen, Johanna Lamminen, Sari Pajari, Endre Rangnes and Jonas Synnergren be re-elected and in addition Timo Ahopelto and Jonas Wistrom are proposed to be elected as new Board members. Markku Pohjola and Lars Wollung have informed that they are not available for re-election. The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes that Kurt Jofs shall be elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The term of office of the Board members ends at the close of the next Annual General Meeting. All the proposed candidates have given their consent to being elected. Timo Ahopelto (born 1975) is the co-founder of Lifeline Ventures, a Finnish venture fund investing in early-stage companies in health, games and technology. He was the co-founder and CEO in CRF Health, the leader in electronic Patient Reported Outcomes for the pharmaceutical industry, and Head of Strategy in Blyk, the first ad-funded mobile operator. Earlier he has worked as a consultant in McKinsey as well as a researcher in Nokia Research Center and the Helsinki University of Technology. Timo acts as Board member in various companies and organizations, such as the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA), Tekes and Slush Conference. He has graduated as MSc. (Tech.) from the Helsinki University of Technology. Jonas Wistrom (born 1960) is the President and CEO of AF Angpanneforeningen, an engineering and consulting company in the energy, industrial and infrastructure sectors. Previously, he has held executive positions e.g. in Prevas AB, Silicon Graphics AB and Sun Microsystems where he acted as Country Manager of Sweden. He is a Chairman of the Board of Directors in Ratos AB, a Swedish investment company that owns and develops unlisted medium-sized Nordic companies. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Board in Teknikforetagen and IVA Business Executives Council and Board member in Business Sweden and ICC. Jonas holds a MSc. (Tech.) from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. The biographical details of the candidates and information on their holdings shall be available on Tieto's website at www.tieto.com/cv. In addition to the above candidates, the company's personnel shall appoint two members, each with a personal deputy, to the Board of Directors. The term of office for the personnel representatives is two years and Esa Koskinen (deputy Ilpo Waljus) and Anders Palklint (deputy Robert Spinelli) are appointed to the Board until the Annual General Meeting 2018. 13 Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting, in accordance with the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Directors, that the auditor to be elected at the Annual General Meeting be reimbursed according to the auditor's invoice and in compliance with the purchase principles approved by the Committee. 14 Election of auditor The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting, in accordance with the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Directors, that the firm of authorized public accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy be re-elected as the company's auditor for the financial year 2017. The firm of authorized public accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy has notified that KHT Tomi Hyrylainen will act as the auditor with principal responsibility. Recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee The Audit and Risk Committee has prepared its recommendation in accordance with the EU Audit Regulation and in a full-scale selection procedure. The Committee has comprehensively assessed the received offers against the predefined selection criteria. In addition to the knowledge and competences, the Committee has considered the quality and expense risk related to the change of the auditor and, on the other hand, the integrity of the auditor. In its recommendation to the Board of Directors, the Audit and Risk Committee placed second the firm of authorized public accountants Ernst & Young Oy. 15 Amendment of the company's Articles of Association The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Articles 1 and 6 of the Articles of Association of the company be amended as follows: "1 Company name and domicile The company name in Finnish is Tieto Oyj, in Swedish Tieto Abp and in English Tieto Corporation. The domicile of the company is Espoo." "6 Auditor The company has one ordinary auditor who shall be an audit firm with a KHT auditor as the auditor with principal responsibility. The term of office of the auditor expires at the closing of the first Annual General Meeting following his election." 16 Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the Board of Directors be authorized to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares as follows: The amount of own shares to be repurchased shall not exceed 7 400 000 shares, which currently corresponds to approximately 10 % of all the shares in the company. Only the unrestricted equity of the company can be used to repurchase own shares. Own shares can be repurchased at a price formed in public trading on the date of the repurchase or at a price otherwise formed on the market. The Board of Directors decides how the share repurchase will be carried out. Own shares can be repurchased inter alia by using derivatives. The company's own shares can be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shareholdings of the shareholders (directed repurchase). The authorization cancels previous unused authorizations to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares. The authorization is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 30 April 2018. 17 Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares as well as options and other special rights entitling to shares The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the Board of Directors be authorized to decide on the issuance of shares as well as on the issuance of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares referred to in chapter 10 section 1 of the Companies Act in one or more tranches as follows: The amount of shares to be issued based on the authorization (including shares to be issued based on the special rights) shall not exceed 7 400 000 shares, which currently corresponds to approximately 10 % of all the shares in the company. However, out of the above maximum amount of shares to be issued no more than 700 000 shares, currently corresponding to less than 1% of all of the shares in the company, may be issued as part of the company's share-based incentive programs. The Board of Directors decides on the terms and conditions of the issuance of shares as well as of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares. The authorization concerns both the issuance of new shares as well as the transfer of treasury shares. The issuance of shares as well as of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares may be carried out in deviation from the shareholders' pre-emptive right (directed issue). The authorization cancels previous unused authorizations to decide on the issuance of shares as well as on the issuance of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares. The authorization is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 30 April 2018. 18 Closing of the meeting B. Documents of the Annual General Meeting The agenda of the Annual General Meeting, the proposals of the Board of Directors and the Shareholders' Nomination Board and this notice are available on the company's website www.tieto.com/agm. The annual report, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report of Tieto Corporation are available on the website latest on 1 March 2017. These documents are also available at the meeting. Copies of these documents and of this notice will be sent to shareholders upon request. The minutes of the meeting will be available on the company's website latest on 5 April 2017. C. Instructions for the participants in the Annual General Meeting 1 Shareholders registered in the shareholders' register Each shareholder, who is registered on 13 March 2017 in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Oy, has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder, whose shares are registered on his/her Finnish book-entry account, is registered in the shareholders' register of the company. A shareholder, who is registered in the shareholders' register of the company and wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, shall register for the meeting no later than 20 March 2017 at 3.00 p.m. (EET) by giving a prior notice of participation, which shall be received by the company no later than on the abovementioned date. Such notice can be given: through Tieto's website at www.tieto.com/agm by e-mail agm@tieto.com by phone +358 20 727 1740 (Mon-Fri 9.00 a.m.-3.00 p.m. EET ) ) by telefax +358 20 602 0232 or by mail to Tieto, Legal/AGM, P.O. Box 2, FI-02101 Espoo, Finland . In connection with the registration, a shareholder shall notify his/her name, personal identification number, address, telephone number and the name of a possible assistant or proxy representative and the personal identification number of a proxy representative. The personal data given to Tieto Corporation is used only in connection with the Annual General Meeting and with the processing of related registrations. The shareholder, his/her authorized representative or proxy representative shall, where necessary, be able to prove his/her identity and/or right of representation. 2 Holders of nominee registered shares A holder of nominee registered shares has the right to participate in the general meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which he/she on the record date of the general meeting, i.e. on 13 March 2017, would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Oy. The right to participate in the general meeting requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered into the temporary shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy at the latest by 20 March 2017 by 10 a.m. (EET). As regards nominee registered shares this constitutes due registration for the general meeting. A holder of nominee registered shares is advised to request without delay necessary instructions regarding the registration in the temporary shareholder's register of the company, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the general meeting from his/her custodian bank. The account management organization of the custodian bank has to register a holder of nominee registered shares, who wants to participate in the general meeting, into the temporary shareholders' register of the company at the latest by the time stated above. Further information on these matters can be found on the company's website (www.tieto.com/agm). 3 Shares registered in Euroclear Sweden AB A shareholder with shares registered in Euroclear Sweden AB's Securities System who wishes to attend and vote at the AGM must: 1 be registered in the shareholders' register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB not later than on 13 March 2017. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in order to be eligible to request a temporary registration in the shareholders' register of Tieto Corporation maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy, request that their shares are reregistered in their own names in the register of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB, and procure that the nominee sends the above mentioned request for temporary registration to Euroclear Sweden AB on their behalf. Such reregistration must be made as of 13 March 2017 and the nominee should therefore be notified well in advance before said date. 2 request temporary registration in the shareholders' register of Tieto Corporation maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy. Such request shall be submitted in writing to Euroclear Sweden AB no later than on 14 March 2017 at 15:00 Swedish time. Further information about attending the AGM is found on the company's website page www.tieto.com/agm. This temporary registration made through written request to Euroclear Sweden AB is considered a notice of attendance at the general meeting. 4 Proxy representative and powers of attorney A shareholder may participate in the Annual General Meeting and exercise his/her rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate his/her right to represent the shareholder at the Annual General Meeting. When a shareholder participates in the Annual General Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares at different securities accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the Annual General Meeting. Possible proxy documents should be delivered in originals to Tieto, Legal/AGM, P.O. Box 2, FI-02101 Espoo, Finland before 20 March 2017. 5 Further instructions and information Pursuant to chapter 5, section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act, a shareholder who is present at the Annual General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting. On the date of this notice to the Annual General Meeting the total number of shares and votes in Tieto Corporation is 74 109 252. The meeting will be conducted primarily in Finnish, and simultaneous translation will be available into English and as necessary into Finnish. Coffee will be served after the meeting. Espoo, 1 February 2017 Tieto Corporation Board of Directors For further information, please contact: Esa Hyttinen, Deputy General Counsel Tel. +358-40-766-6196, E-mail: esa.hyttinen (at) tieto.com DISTRIBUTION NASDAQ Helsinki NASDAQ Stockholm Principal Media This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/tieto/r/notice-to-the-annual-general-meeting-of-tietocorporation,c2179080 DUBLIN, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FlowForma, the leading provider of BPM tools for Microsoft Office 365, today announced that its FlowForma BPM tool has become a strategic asset for European Union agency, Eurofound. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160908/823123 ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161012/427743 ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/463820/PRNE_David_Pritchard_FlowForma_Image.jpg ) Dublin-based Eurofound provides research and knowledge in the area of social and work-related policies for the improvement of living and working conditions. Like every organization, the agency is constantly evaluating business processes to increase efficiencies and save money. When faced with increasingly regulated HR procedures that demanded process change and an inadequate and ageing form-building application called Microsoft InfoPath, David Pritchard, Systems Analyst at Eurofound took charge of seeking out a more powerful Business Process Management (BPM) tool for the European agency. Having reviewed several process management solutions, Eurofound selected FlowForma BPM. "We're a Microsoft house that has made SharePoint the central pillar of our internal application development. FlowForma BPM was a natural fit built from the ground up to integrate with the SharePoint platform, but it was a combination of features, ease-of-use, and price that made it our preferred solution," explained David. Adopting FlowForma BPM has empowered Eurofound to build and publish processes with a 75% efficiency improvement on its old application. Commenting on the ease of use and speed of FlowForma BPM, Pritchard said, "It can take as little as half a day to set a workflow up, so I'm always looking at new ways to maximize the investment." With a drive to disseminate information as quickly as possible rather than wrestle with software and technology, Eurofound see FlowForma BPM as the ideal link between IT and the business needs. Initially deployed to solve an HR process problem, the agency now has 5-10 more process projects in the pipeline including press release, payments and employee onboarding processes. "It's got to the point where FlowForma BPM has strategic importance to the organization for driving efficiency and freeing up staff time to do other work," said David Pritchard. "Committed to supporting organizations with a self-service BPM tool that can be used by both Process Owners and IT to deploy processes across an entire organization, we are delighted to hear examples of how FlowForma BPM has become embedded as a strategic asset across Eurofound and more importantly how it has driven real efficiencies," said Neil Young, Chief Executive Officer, FlowForma. Supporting Resources: To understand more about how Eurofound are using Flow Forma BPM, read our case study at www.flowforma.com/pages/casestudy/eurofound www.flowforma.com/pages/casestudy/eurofound To learn more about FlowForma the BPM tool for Microsoft Office 365, watch our short video at http://www.flowforma.com/how-a-no-code-bpm-tool-can-help-drive-digital-transformation To find out how the FlowForma Cloud BPM tool works visit www.flowforma.com/howitworks To download a free trial of FlowForma visit www.flowforma.com/trial About Eurofound The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) is a tripartite European Union Agency, whose role is to provide knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies. Eurofound was established in 1975 by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1365/75 to contribute to the planning and design of better living and working conditions in Europe. Eurofound's role is to provide information, advice and expertise - on living and working conditions, industrial relations and managing change in Europe - for key actors in the field of EU social policy on the basis of comparative information, research and analysis. For further information, visit www.eurofound.europa.eu About FlowForma FlowForma, the leading provider of Business Process Management (BPM) tools for Microsoft Office 365 has been revolutionizing the traditional BPM space with an innovative approach to developing award winning BPM products that empower users to get work done, smarter and faster, on the familiar SharePoint platform, without any coding. FlowForma is a Microsoft Partner, with over 100 customers across Europe, South Africa and North America. The company is headquartered in Dublin with offices in London and Boston and is motivated by its values to innovate, evolve and achieve with employees, customers and partners. For further information, visit www.flowforma.com Regulatory News: Checking emails and social networks, streaming live content at 36,000 feet are poised to become reality at the end of this year for passengers connected to Taqnia Space Aero services' platform following an agreement between Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL), one of the world's leading satellite operators, and Taqnia Space (TSC), owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. The multi-million dollar, multi-year deal covers spotbeam capacity on the EUTELSAT 3B satellite in order to provide HTS connectivity services to Taqnia Space Airline clients over the Middle East, North Africa, Mediterranean and Europe regions. Exceptional take-up of in-flight services Bandwidth on EUTELSAT 3B will support live TV, on-board voice GSM and broadband connectivity from third quarter 2017 on commercial aircraft connected to the TSC Aero platform. Saudi Arabian Airlines, one of the leading airlines in the Middle East, will be the first commercial airline connected to the platform, with more than 100 medium and long-haul aircraft. Passengers will enjoy the Taqnia Space Connectivity package through their devices laptops, tablets, smartphones on domestic flights in Saudi Arabia and international flights over the Middle East, North Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe. Abdullah Al-Osaimi, CEO of Taqnia Space, commented: "This cooperation with Eutelsat empowers Taqnia Space in the fast-changing landscape of in-flight services. It supports our strategy to expand our TSC Aero platform to global coverage and capacity in order to satisfy demand driven by regional and international commercial airlines. Adding EUTELSAT 3B satellite capacity to the TSC Aero platform is a continuation of a growth plan initiated a few years back with the 5C satellite over the Middle East that will be followed by two major satellite projects, SGS-1 (2018) and 6D (2019)." "Having the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) as the prime technology and R&D partner in the TSC Aero platform project provided invaluable support to the development of the first Saudi Aero Satellite Service Solution," added Al-Osaimi. The only way to go is satellite Taqnia Space will use four High Throughput Ka-band spotbeams on the EUTELSAT 3B satellite that have been steered by Eutelsat to cover flight paths extending from London to Saudi Arabia and from Casablanca to Oman. A new level of connectivity Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat, concluded: "Satellite technology naturally comes into play in the in-flight connectivity market thanks to its ability to deliver a best-in-class service across large territories. We are delighted that the efficiency that can be achieved with the Ka-band multi-beam configuration on EUTELSAT 3B has won the confidence of Taqnia. This venture is an opportunity for long-term cooperation with a major player in Saudi Arabia's innovation development ecosystem." About Taqnia TAQNIA SPACE (TSC) is a Saudi Company owned by Saudi PIF (Public Investment Fund). TSC objectives include technology transfer, commercializing technology, supporting sustainable growth of the GDP, diversifying the economy, and creating high quality jobs. TSC vision is to be a leader in the Middle East as satellites manufacturer, operator and service provider targeting different market segments, Satellite Communications and offering voice, data, video services. The Company also provides high value remote sensing Data and images. About Eutelsat Communications Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 39 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat's satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user's location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service. For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com www.eutelsat.fr - Follow us on Twitter @Eutelsat_SA and Facebook Eutelsat.SA View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005513/en/ Contacts: Eutelsat Communications Press Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: 33 1 53 98 37 91 voconnor@eutelsat.com or Marie-Sophie Ecuer, Tel: 33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com or Investors and analysts Joanna Darlington, Tel.: +33 1 53 98 35 30 jdarlington@eutelsat.com or Cedric Pugni, Tel.: +33 1 53 98 35 30 cpugni@eutelsat.com Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The Azerbaijani parliament at its plenary session has passed the draft amendments to the law on aviation, which envisages the creation of a government program to ensure the safety of flights. The amendments were prepared on the basis of the proposals of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Other changes include the provision of the relevant executive body with the right to check the status of safety on aircraft belonging to other states. These inspections will be carried out in line with the flight schedule of the aircraft. Earlier, Director of Azerbaijans State Civil Aviation Administration Arif Mammadov said that currently, there is no program on ensuring flight safety in Azerbaijan. However, currently, the ICAO requires touching upon the issues related to the flight safety in a special program, which envisages the creation of a special system ensuring the flight safety, noted Mammadov. Moreover, he had said that the Administration wont prepare new rules, but will change and expand the existing ones and will bring them to a level of a program. An ICAO audit will be held in August 2017 that will allow determining the compliance of the existing aviation standards with the international ones. Metsa Board Corporation Notice to General Meeting, 2 February 2017 at 12:15 EETNotice is given to the shareholders of Metsa Board Corporation to the Annual General Meeting to be held on Wednesday 23 March 2017 at 3.00 p.m. at the Finlandia Hall, Congress Wing, Hall A, at Mannerheimintie 13e, Helsinki. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 2.00 p.m.A. Matters on the agenda of the General MeetingAt the General Meeting, the following matters will be considered:1. Opening of the meetingReview by the Chairman of the Board2. Calling the meeting to order3. Election of persons to scrutinize the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes4. Recording the legality of the meeting5. Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes6. Presentation of the annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report for the year 2016Review by the CEO7. Adoption of the annual accounts8. Consideration of the annual result and resolution on the payment of dividendThe Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of 0.19 euros per share be distributed for the financial year 2016. The dividend shall be paid to shareholders who on the record date for the dividend payment, 27 March 2017, are recorded in the shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. The dividend shall be paid on 3 April 2017.9. Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO10. Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors' Nomination and Compensation Committee proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the annual remuneration for the members of the Board of Directors be increased by approximately 8 per cent such that the Chairman be paid EUR 95,000, the Vice Chairman EUR 80,000 and ordinary members EUR 62,500 per year. In addition, a fee of EUR 700 would be paid for each attended meeting of the Board of Directors and its Committees. The Committee additionally proposes that one half of the annual remuneration be paid in the company's B-class shares to be acquired from public trading. The Committee finally proposes that an additional monthly remuneration of EUR 800 be paid to the Audit Committee Chairman also going forward.11. Resolution on the number of members of the Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors' Nomination and Compensation Committee proposes that the number of members of the Board of Directors be nine (9) members.12. Election of members of the Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors' Nomination and Compensation Committee proposes that board members Martti Asunta, Kari Jordan, Kirsi Komi, Kai Korhonen, Liisa Leino, Juha Niemela, Veli Sundback and Erkki Varis be re-elected. The Committee further proposes that Jussi Linnaranta be elected as a new Board member. Mr Linnaranta holds a M.Sc. (Agriculture) degree and acts as an agriculture and energy entrepreneur. He has previously served in various positions at the information department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Further information on proposed members and their independence is available on the Company's website at www.metsaboard.com. The term of office of board members expires at the end of the next Annual General Meeting.13. Resolution on the remuneration of the auditorThe Board of Directors proposes, based on the Audit Committee's recommendation, that a fee in accordance with the auditor's reasonable invoice, as approved by the Company, be paid to the auditor.14. Election of auditorThe Board of Directors proposes, based on the Audit Committee's recommendation, that auditing company KPMG Oy Ab be elected as auditor with APA Raija-Leena Hankonen as responsible auditor. The auditor's term of office shall expire at the end of the next Annual General Meeting.15. Authorization of the Board of Directors to issue new shares and special rights entitling to sharesThe Board of Directors proposes that the Board be authorized to decide on a share issue and the issue of special rights entitling to shares as defined in 1 of Chapter 10 of the Companies Act as follows. By virtue of the authorization the Board is entitled to issue up to 35,000,000 new B-series shares corresponding to approximately 10 per cent of all current shares. The Board would decide on all terms and conditions of share issues and the issues of special rights. The authorization covers both the issuance of new shares and the transfer of own shares. A share issue or the issue of special rights may be executed in deviation of the shareholders pre-emptive rights to subscribe for new shares (directed share issue). This authorization supersedes the Board authorization issued by the general meeting on 28 March 2012 to issue shares or special rights as defined in 1 of Chapter 10 of the Companies Act. This authorization shall be effective until 23 March 2022.16. Closing of the meetingB. Documents of the General MeetingThe proposals for the decisions on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting as well as this notice are available on the company's website at www.metsaboard.com. The annual report of Metsa Board Corporation, including the Company's annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the audit report is available on the above website no later than on 1 March 2017. Said documents are also available at the meeting. Copies of such documents and of this notice will be sent to shareholders upon request. The minutes of the meeting will be available on the Company's website no later than on 6 April 2017.C. Instructions to the participants of the General Meeting1. Shareholders registered in the shareholders' registerEach shareholder, who is on 13 March 2017 registered in the shareholders' register of the Company held by Euroclear Finland Ltd., has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder, whose shares are registered on his/her personal Finnish book-entry account, is registered in the shareholders' register of the Company.A shareholder, who wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, shall register for the meeting by 11.00 a.m. on 20 March 2017 at the latest by giving a prior notice of participation. Such notice can be given as of 2 February 2017:a) on the Company's website at www.metsaboard.com;b) by e-mail to metsaboard.AGM@metsagroup.com;c) by mail to Metsa Board Corporation, Legal Services/Nenonen, P.O. Box 20, FI-02020 Metsa; ord) by telephone as of 13 February on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to +358104654102.In connection with registration, a shareholder shall notify his/her name, personal identification number, address, telephone number and the name of a possible assistant or proxy representative and the personal identification number of such proxy representative.2. Holders of nominee registered sharesA holder of nominee registered shares has the right to participate in the general meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which he/she on 13 March 2017 would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. The right to participate requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered in the temporary shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Ltd. at the latest by 10 a.m. on 20 March 2017. As regards nominee registered shares this constitutes due registration for the general meeting.A holder of nominee registered shares is advised to request from his/her custodian bank, without delay, necessary instructions regarding the registration in the shareholder's register of the Company, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the general meeting. The account management organisation of the custodian bank shall register a holder of nominee registered shares wishing to participate in the general meeting to be temporarily entered into the shareholders' register of the Company by the above specified time at the latest.3. Proxy representative and powers of attorneyA shareholder may participate in the general meeting and exercise his/her rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate his/her right to represent the shareholder at the general meeting. Possible proxy documents shall be delivered in original to Metsa Board Corporation, Legal Services/Nenonen, P.O. Box 20, FI-02020 Metsa before the last day of registration.4. Other instructions and informationPursuant to chapter 5, paragraph 25 of the Company's Act, a shareholder who is present at a general meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting.The personal data given to the company is used only in connection with the general meeting and the processing of related registrations.On the date of this notice, the total number of shares in Metsa Board Corporation is 35,895,651 A-shares and 319,617,095 B-shares carrying an aggregate of 1,037,530,115 votes. According to the Articles of Association each A share carries twenty (20) votes while each B share carries one (1) vote.In Espoo on 2 February 2017METSA BOARD CORPORATIONBOARD OF DIRECTORSAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=613152 SOLNA, Sweden, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NCC has been commissioned by Skandia Fastigheter Oresund AB to redevelop the Davida 16 block in Malmo. The entire block will be refurbished into new offices for the Public Employment Service and a Choice hotel containing 225 rooms in 13 stories. The order is worth SEK 270 million. The property, which previously housed the Malmo Concert Hall and a hotel and office premises, will undergo a total interior refurbishment. The lower part of the building, which has previously housed the concert hall, will be converted into new office premises for the Public Employment Service. Some 225 hotel rooms and a restaurant and lobby bar will be built for Choice Hotels in the high-rise part of the building. The total refurbishment area is 24,000 square meters. The property location opposite Malmo City Hall, at the junction of Amiralsgatan and Foreningsgatan, which are two streets with frequent bus traffic, imposes considerable demands on the ability to handle logistics and material management. "We are pleased to be entrusted with the construction of this well-known building in central Malmo. We will create new, functional premises with low energy consumption and a good indoor climate. A lot of time and effort will also be dedicated to the implementation process in order to minimize disruption for the surrounding area," says Henrik Landelius, Head of NCC Building Sweden. Construction is scheduled to start in May 2017. The order will be registered during the first quarter of 2017 in the NCC Building business area. For further information, please contact: Magnus Jarebrant, Business Manager, NCC Building, Tel: +46-76-521-55-27 Anna Trane, Head of Corporate Media Relations, NCC, Tel: +46-70-884-74-69 NCC's media line +46-8-585-519-00 or press@ncc.se This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/ncc/r/ncc-to-build-office-and-hotel-in-malmo-for-sek-270-million,c2179299 The following files are available for download: HONG KONG, Feb 2, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited ("CITIC Telecom") (SEHK: 1883) announced it has finalized the acquisition of the telecommunication business of Linx Telecommunications B.V. (Linx Telecommunications), following completion of all regulatory clearances.The acquisition further extends CITIC Telecom CPC's global infrastructure and points of presence to the Central Asia, Central and Eastern Europe markets, including regions encompassed by China's "One Belt, One Road" economic cooperation initiative.Mr. Xin Yue Jiang, Chairman of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited said: "One Belt One Road is an important part of our growth strategy. We believe Linx's acquisition is fully complementing CITIC Telecom's development strategy of 'keeping Mainland China as the foundation of our business, with Hong Kong and Macau serving as both base and springboard to accelerate our business expansion internationally and global network coverage'. The acquisition will help the Group become a leading ICT service provider to multinational companies and carriers beyond Asia Pacific."Dr. Tiger Lin, Executive Director and CEO of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited said, "Linx's acquisition is part of the Group's ongoing strategies. This is a quantum step to foster the Group's strategic transformation towards mobility and the Internet. It has a clear synergy with the Group's current business in terms of geographical coverage, customer base and service offerings, allowing our customers to enjoy ubiquitous ICT solutions globally. We will continue to look for these opportunities to drive long-term growth through expansion of core competence and geographical reach."Eyes acquisitions for global expansionThe acquisition includes Linx's 470 kilometer submarine fiber network in the Baltic Sea, and its network operations centers (NOCs) in Moscow and Tallinn, Estonia. The acquisition also includes Linx's data center in Tallinn, which serves as Estonia's largest Internet Exchange (TLL-IX). These all cover high-growth potential markets including Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, as well as Kazakhstan and others "Stan" region. Linx Telecommunications team members have also joined CITIC Telecom CPC as part of the acquisition, contributing their technical and Russian language proficiencies with local expertise toward expanding business in the regions.Mr. Stephen Ho, CEO of CITIC Telecom CPC said: "Completion of the acquisition of Linx's assets represents a significant milestone along the company's path to extending our network coverage through Central Asia and into Europe. The addition of Linx's professional talents, infrastructure, technology and expertise will position CITIC Telecom CPC as a leading ICT service provider to multinational and large companies worldwide. It continues our global footprint expansion, and enhances our full spectrum of managed networking services, cloud computing and other managed value-added data services to businesses around the world."CITIC Telecom CPC has worldwide network coverage in over 120 countries with more than 100 Points of Presence (POPs), covering the mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sydney in Australia, London and Frankfurt in Europe, as well as Los Angeles and New York in the USA. Synergistically leverage the Linx acquisition, CITIC Telecom CPC can now better serve its customers in further 14 countries with 24 more POPs across Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Central Asia. This fundamentally boosts CITIC Telecom CPC's access to, and capability to realize, the promise of helping enterprise customers to capture opportunities arising from all these regions, including areas of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.Added Mr. Ho: "With the addition of Linx to CITIC Telecom CPC's portfolio we look forward to serving our customers with greater capabilities and higher synergies, all beneficial to both their business needs and potential expansion plans. In the coming months, we will provide further updates regarding our leverage of the Linx assets, and offer more specific details about how they fit into CITIC Telecom CPC's direction and business strategies."CITIC Telecom CPC is especially enthusiastic about the opportunity to expand its services coverage to countries along the new "Silk Road Economic Belt", particularly those in the Baltic region, which will help enhance the company's status as a preferred partner by global and regional enterprise customers requiring seamless, high performance and secure network solutions to connect among their points of presence in Greater China, Asia Pacific, and other parts of the world.About CITIC Telecom CPCCITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), is a trusted Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions provider with multiple branches across Asia Pacific, and a preferred partner by multinational corporations and business enterprises.CITIC Telecom CPC delivers a range of innovative services, including: TrueCONNECT - an advanced MLPS VPN service which employs state-of-the-art fully meshed network, TrustCSI - an integrated suite of information security solutions, DataHouse - converged cloud solution and global unified management data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD - smarter, better and high performance cloud computing solutions which complement the company's managed network, managed security, and managed cloud data center solutions.As further testament to its commitment in providing premium quality services in the Asia Pacific region, the company became the first VPN service provider in Hong Kong to achieve all four ICT related certifications in ISO 9001 - Quality Management System, ISO 27001 - Information Security Management System, ISO 20000 - Information Technology Service Management System, and ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System. Learn more at www.citictel-cpc.com.Media Contact:Headquarters (Hong Kong)Rowena LeungCITIC Telecom International CPC Limited+852 2170 7536Email: rowena.leung@citictel-cpc.comSource: CITIC Telecom International CPC LimitedCopyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. RESTON, VA--(Marketwired - February 02, 2017) - The award-winning spine surgeons at Virginia Spine Institute are the first in the Mid-Atlantic region to utilize the Mazor X' System, a transformative robotic platform for spine surgery. Dr. Christopher Good, Dr. Thomas Schuler and Dr. Colin Haines teamed up to perform a spinal fusion with the new Mazor X' System which utilizes enhanced analytical tools, precision guidance, optical tracking, and intra-operative verification to make spine surgery safer and less invasive. This latest advancement in spinal surgery was developed at Reston Hospital Center. "I am very excited to offer the new Mazor X' System's robotic technology to our patients," says Dr. Christopher R. Good, Spine Surgeon and Director of Research at Virginia Spine Institute. "We are proud to have performed the first and the most advanced robotic spine surgery in the Mid-Atlantic region and to be able to offer robotic surgery to our patients both for minimally invasive spine surgery and scoliosis reconstruction. Our research is already showing that robotic surgery can decrease intra-operative radiation to patients in the operating room, as well as improve accuracy of surgery and decrease patient complications. The new Mazor X' System represents the future of robotic spine surgery and will lead to many future breakthroughs by combining robotic surgery with intra-operative spinal navigation and increase the number and types of surgeries we can perform with robot guidance." The new Mazor X' System, manufactured by Mazor Robotics Ltd., represents a breakthrough and improvement from the original Renaissance system. Mazor commercially launched the FDA-cleared platform during the North American Spine Society annual meeting in October 2016. Through their leadership and vast experience, Virginia Spine Institute is reshaping the future of spine surgery by improving patient safety and reducing recovery time. Virginia Spine Institute continues to pioneer alternate methods of utilizing technology to more efficiently perform complex spinal procedures. With the latest release of the Mazor X' System comes improved surgical accuracy while incorporating a combination of robotics and live intra-operative navigation. About Virginia Spine Institute: Virginia Spine Institute is an award-winning medical practice in the Washington, DC metro area solely dedicated to spinal health care. For 25 years they have improved the lives of over 80,000 patients suffering from back or neck pain conditions. This comprehensive spine center provides convenience of specialty care with the top experts from multiple specialties of spinal health care under one roof. Custom treatment options include non operative care, pain management, physical therapy, and when necessary surgical intervention, including minimally invasive, laser and robot-guided procedures. For more information about Virginia Spine Institute visit SpineMD.com. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/2/2/11G129207/Images/VSI_MAZOR_2-c3bbfffa5e479f76bb217178ecb78a5e.JPG Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/2/2/11G129207/Images/MAZOR_X-a1980a153591a5eda1ef1b217dc8e1f0.JPG Contact: Erin Orr Communications Director Virginia Spine Institute Tel: 703.709.1114 x 180 Email: Email contact SpineMD.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (TSX VENTURE: GSV)(NYSE MKT: GSV) ("Gold Standard" or the "Company") today announced plans for the 2017 exploration program on its 100%-owned/controlled Railroad-Pinion Project in Nevada's Carlin Trend. The US$15.5 million program includes up to 48,800 m of reverse-circulation (RC) and core drilling in a total of 117 holes. The 2017 program objectives are: (1) aggressive drilling at the North Dark Star oxide gold discovery to follow up 2016 successes; (2) drilling to expand known resources at Dark Star and Pinion; and (3) drilling to test new high-value targets within the Dark Star Corridor, North Bullion and elsewhere within the Railroad-Pinion District. The budget also includes an extensive pre-development component including new resource estimates, further metallurgical work and economic studies to de-risk key assets. Funding for this program was obtained in a private placement financing dated October 28, 2016. Jonathan Awde, CEO and Director of Gold Standard commented: "Railroad-Pinion has now become a truly district-scale play with multiple deposits of different types. Each year, we set out to find the limits of the gold systems we have discovered and each year we end up with new opportunities that exceed our expectations. We think 2017 will be no different. We believe we have found the right balance between expanding and advancing resources at known deposits and continuing to evaluate the many new targets that have emerged over the past year. This should be a very exciting next few months." Key Highlights for 2017 include: Exploration Dark Star -- At North and West Dark Star, complete up to 24 reverse-circulation (RC) and core holes (approximately 12,600 m) to expand areas of known shallow oxide gold mineralization and test new targets stepping out from intercepts of 52.1m of 1.04 g Au/t in DS16-26 and 24.4m of 2.03 g Au/t in DS16-38, to the west of Main Dark Star (see January 19, 2017 news release). Mineralization in DS16-26 and DS16-38 is associated with a thrust fault and feldspar porphyry dikes. To refine the geometry of this target, and potential targets between Pinion and Dark Star, multiple seismic lines are planned for 2017. -- Within the 6.7 km-long Dark Star Structural Corridor, complete about 11,400 m of RC scout drilling in 25 holes to test new targets south of the Dark Star maiden resource. The Dark Star Structural Corridor is a north-trending structural high of altered Pennsylvanian-Permian host rocks defined by gravity, CSAMT, geologic mapping, and soil sampling. The corridor is largely untested by drilling. -- As background, the maiden Dark Star NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate was completed in 2015 by APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, Canada and included an Inferred Mineral Resource of 23.11 million tonnes grading 0.51 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au), totaling 375,000 ounces of gold using a cut-off of 0.14 g Au/t (see March 3, 2015 news release). More recently, 2016 drilling by Gold Standard confirms that the North Dark Star and Main Dark Star oxide gold deposits connect to form one large occurrence. A new resource estimate will be completed in 2017 to incorporate all of Gold Standard's 2015 and 2016 North Dark Star and Main Dark Star drilling results including 97.0m of 1.61 g Au/t in DS15- 13 (see January 21, 2016 news release), 126.2m of 3.95 g Au/t in DS16-08 (see August 9, 2016 news release), 101.2m of 1.50 g Au/t in DS16-03B (see August 18, 2016 news release), and 97.3m of 3.16 g Au/t in DS16-24 (see August 9, 2016 news release). Pinion -- At the Sentinel Breccia target 350 meters to the north of Pinion, 13 RC and core holes (approximately 3,900 m) will test for bedrock extensions to oxide gold mineralization identified by surface rock samples. This target is a hematitic, silicified breccia within the footwall of the north-striking Bullion Fault Zone. At a 0.14 g Au/t cutoff, continuous rock chip channel samples returned seven significant weight-averaged, composite intervals that included 27.4m of 0.35 g Au/t and 12.2m of 0.46 g Au/t (announced on January 25, 2016). North Bullion -- Drill ten holes (approximately 6,700 m) to extend areas of west- northwest and north-trending, high-grade gold mineralization in the Lower Breccia Zone. Drilling will follow-up on the 2016 results in RR16- 01 which intersected 65.6m of 3.17 g Au/t, including a higher-grade interval of 8.5m of 11.16 g Au/t located west-northwest of previous drilling (announced on August 30, 2016); and, RR16-05 which returned 19.8m of 4.40 g Au/t, including a higher-grade interval of 5.3m of 7.02 g Au/t located north of previous drilling (announced on January 23, 2017). Early Stage District Exploration -- Geologic mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysics will continue to define new targets throughout the 115 square km. Railroad-Pinion district. Thirty reverse circulation scout holes (totaling about 10,600 m) are planned to provide the first tests of these targets. Highlights for two of these target areas are summarized below. -- At the Bald Mountain and Steve's Camp targets, drill up to 10 RC scout holes (about 4,600 m) to test new oxide gold targets developed within a 4 km-long west-northwest-striking dike-filled corridor. In 2013 at the Bald Mountain target within the central Bullion area, core hole RRB13-01 intersected 56.1m of 1.47 g Au/t including 7.3m of 5.66g Au/t in oxidized, multi-lithic collapse breccia (mlbx) developed along the contact between the Tripon Pass Formation and the underlying Devils Gate Limestone (see news release dated October 2, 2013). This mineralization occurs in the same stratigraphic position as mlbx hosted gold at Pinion and North Bullion. Geochemical zonation for multiple targets around the Carlin-age Bullion intrusive center will be re-worked and combined with geology to help define gold-rich targets within this large system. -- To the northwest of Pinion, early stage geologic mapping along the north-northwest-striking Ski Track corridor has identified altered carbonate rocks that are similar to the Pennsylvanian-Permian rocks that host the Dark Star gold deposit. Detailed mapping is planned to confirm this promising correlation with follow-up sampling, gravity and CSAMT used to define new targets at Ski Track. Up to 20 RC scout holes (about 6,000 m) are allocated for these targets. Pre-Development -- In addition to exploration, Gold Standard plans to move the North-Main Dark Star and Pinion deposits forward toward development this year. Work will focus on de-risking these key assets including updated resources estimates, advanced stage metallurgical testing, and economic studies. -- New resource estimates are expected for the Pinion and North-Main Dark Star deposits early in the second quarter of this year, to be followed by a maiden resource for the North Bullion deposit later in the second quarter. These estimates will incorporate all the drilling completed to date. -- Up to 15 PQ-size core holes (3,600 m) will be completed to provide material for more definitive metallurgical test work. The objective is to complete column leach tests on composite samples taken from typical sections of Pinion, Dark Star and North Dark Star. -- An exploration Environmental Assessment has been submitted to permit more extensive drilling of the Pinion and Dark Star resources and additional targets; Bureau of Land Management approval is expected during the second quarter of this year. -- A Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Pinion and North-Main Dark Star resources is planned to be completed during the third quarter of 2017. Mac Jackson, Gold Standard's Vice President of Exploration stated: "This aggressive 2017 exploration program will follow up on our great success in 2016 by continuing to expand our oxide gold resources at Pinion and Dark Star, and offsetting open high-grade gold intercepts at North Bullion. We will also complete our folio-style, detailed geologic work to define and test new targets throughout our large land position, including targets along the Dark Star corridor, Ski Track corridor and Pinion thrust (a newly recognized geologic connection between Pinion and Dark Star). With this well-funded, systematic exploration program in place, we are looking forward to our next big discovery in the Railroad-Pinion district." Sampling Methodology, Chain of Custody, Quality Control and Quality Assurance: All sampling was conducted under the supervision of the Company's project geologists and the chain of custody from the project to the sample preparation facility was continuously monitored. Core was cut at the company's facility in Elko and one quarter was sent to the lab for analysis and the remaining material retained in the original core box. A blank or certified reference material was inserted approximately every tenth sample. Dark Star samples were delivered to Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories preparation facility in Elko, NV where they were crushed and pulverized. Resulting sample pulps were shipped to Bureau Veritas certified laboratory in Sparks, NV or Vancouver, BC. Pulps were digested and analyzed for gold using fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish on a 30 gram split. Over limit gold assays were determined using a fire assay fusion with a gravimetric finish on a 30 gram split. Pinion and North Bullion samples were delivered to ALS Minerals preparation facility in Elko, NV where they were crushed and pulverized. Resulting sample pulps were shipped to ALS Minerals certified laboratory in Sparks, NV or Vancouver, BC. Pulps are digested and analyzed for gold using fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish on a 30 gram split. Over limit gold assays were determined using a fire assay fusion with a gravimetric finish on a 30 gram split. All other elements are determined by ICP analysis. Data verification of the analytical results includes a statistical analysis of the standards and blanks that must pass certain parameters for acceptance to insure accurate and verifiable results. Drill hole deviation was measured by gyroscopic down hole surveys that were completed on all holes by International Directional Services of Elko, NV. Final collar locations are surveyed by differential GPS by Apex Surveying, LLC of Spring Creek, Nevada. The scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by Steven R. Koehler, Gold Standard's Manager of Projects, BSc. Geology and CPG-10216, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ABOUT GOLD STANDARD VENTURES - Gold Standard is an advanced stage gold exploration company focused on district scale discoveries on its Railroad-Pinion Gold Project, located within the prolific Carlin Trend. The 2014 Pinion and Dark Star gold deposit acquisitions offer Gold Standard a potential near-term development option and further consolidates the Company's premier land package on the Carlin Trend. The Pinion deposit now has an NI43-101 compliant resource estimate consisting of an Indicated Mineral Resource of 31.61 million tonnes grading 0.62 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au), totaling 630,300 ounces of gold and an Inferred Resource of 61.08 million tonnes grading 0.55 g/t Au, totaling 1,081,300 ounces of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au (announced March 15, 2016). The Dark Star deposit, 2.1 km to the east of Pinion, has a NI43-101 compliant resource estimate consisting of an Inferred Resource of 23.11 million tonnes grading 0.51 g/t Au, totaling 375,000 ounces of gold, using a cut-off grade of 0.14 g/t Au (announced March 3, 2015). The 2014 and 2015 definition and expansion of these two shallow, oxide deposits demonstrates their growth potential. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the NYSE MKT accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements about our proposed exploration programs are forward looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risk factors affecting the Company include, among others: the results from our exploration programs, global financial conditions and volatility of capital markets, uncertainty regarding the availability of additional capital, fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) and with the SEC on EDGAR (available at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. CAUTIONARY NOTE FOR U.S. INVESTORS REGARDING RESERVE AND RESOURCE ESTIMATES All resource estimates reported by the Company were calculated in accordance with the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Classification system. These standards differ significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for descriptions of mineral properties in SEC Industry Guide 7 under Regulation S-K of the U. S. Securities Act of 1933. In particular, under U. S. standards, mineral resources may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. Accordingly, information in this press release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral properties may not be comparable to similar information made public by US public reporting companies. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Gold Standard, Jonathan Awde, President and Director Contacts: Gold Standard Ventures Corp. Jonathan Awde President 604-669-5702 info@goldstandardv.com www.goldstandardv.com Espoo, Finland, 2017-02-02 11:59 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SRV GROUP PLC PRESS RELEASE 2 FEBRUARY 2017 AT 12:59SRV will construct 528 rental housing units for LocalTapiola in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Turku and JyvaskylaSRV and LocalTapiola Asuntosijoitus Suomi KY have signed a framework agreement for the construction of 528 market-financed rental housing units. Under this framework agreement worth approximately EUR 100 million, SRV will construct several apartment houses for LahiTapiola in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Turku and Jyvaskyla. Project-specific agreements will be signed before the construction work at each site is started. All buildings will be completed during 2018 and 2019.All the buildings to be constructed for LocalTapiola will have excellent transport connections.The framework agreement includes the construction of 140 residential units next to the new Niittykumpu metro station in Espoo. In addition, 85 residential units will be constructed for LocalTapiola in the immediate vicinity of the Jokeri Light Rail Line stop in Perkkaa, Espoo."Furthermore, the 95 residential units that will be built in Kerava will be located within a mere 20-minute train journey from the Helsinki city centre, so the common denominator for the buildings is their excellent location along the metro and tram lines. We are already one of the major housing construction companies in the Helsinki metropolitan area, and our intention is to continue focusing on rapidly growing urban centres and, above all, on areas close to good rail connections", says Antero Nuutinen, who is responsible for SRV's housing business area in Finland.In addition, the framework agreement with LocalTapiola includes the construction of 118 residential units on Kirkkotie in Turku, 54 residential units in Sarfvik in Kirkkonummi, and 36 residential units in Jyvaskyla."With this agreement, we can acquire customised small and sought-after apartments. The apartments are well equipped, just like our existing ones. In addition, these buildings have also been prepared such that electric cars can be charged at the buildings' parking spaces", says Kim Sars, Director of Real Estate, LahiTapiola.The revenue recognition for the residential units included in the agreement will be carried out based on the completion rate. The buildings will be added into SRV's order backlog at various phases during 2017.For further information, please contactAntero Nuutinen, Vice President, Housing, phone +358 (0)40 531 4918, antero.nuutinen@srv.fi Paivi Kauhanen, SVP, Communications, +358 (0)50 598 9560, paivi.kauhanen@srv.fiwww.srv.fiYou can also find us on the social media:Facebook LinkedIn Twitter InstagramSRV - Building for life LONDON, Feb. 2,2017 /PRNewswire/ --Chubb today announced the promotion of Steve Parry, currently Claims Director for UK and Ireland, Operations and Integration, to the role of Director of Claims, Europe and Eurasia & Africa. In his new role, Steve will have overall responsibility for strategy and delivery of the company's claims service in these two regions. He brings over 30 years of insurance industry experience, of which the last ten have been with Chubb in positions of increasing responsibility. Before assuming his current position in January 2016, he served as Head of UK and Ireland Claims from 2012 to 2016. Steve joined the company in 2006 as Head of Property, Energy and Technical Lines Claims for Europe, and previously held a range of claims management positions at AIG Europe. Steve will continue to be based in London and will report to Jalil Rehman, Chief Business Operations Officer and Executive Vice President Europe, with a matrix reporting line to Andrew McBride, Executive Vice President of Claims for Overseas General Insurance. Steve succeeds Peter Murray who, after a distinguished 40-year career in the insurance industry, will retire this year. Peter joined the company in 1999 as Claims Director of ACE Global Markets. In 2001, he was promoted to his current role, which he has held ever since. Earlier in his career, he spent 22 years at Lloyd's Claims Office, in a number of claims technical and management roles. During his career at Chubb and at Lloyd's, Peter has played an active role in a number of Lloyd's market committees and London claims reform initiatives. Peter will work closely with Steve and Andrew over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover. Steve's appointment remains subject to the regulatory approval. Andrew Kendrick, Regional President, Europe at Chubb, said: "Steve's breadth and depth of experience and his proven leadership of the claims function in our biggest European market position him perfectly for this important role as we continue to build a market-leading claims proposition to support the future needs of our clients and partners." "Over the past two decades, Peter has been a trusted, dependable and astute partner to me, to our boards and executive team, and to the whole company. He leaves with my sincere thanks for an outstanding contribution to the organisation and very best wishes for his retirement." Andrew McBride, Executive Vice President of Claims, Overseas General Insurance at Chubb, said: "Steve brings impressive technical and market experience and a deep commitment to delivering a superior and market-leading claims service. I look forward to working with him in his new role. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Peter for his outstanding contribution, not only to Chubb but also to the wider industry. He has provided his valued leadership and direction to a range of major loss events and transformational market changes over many years." About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: chubb.com/uk Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464196/Chubb_Steve_Parry.jpg Logo -http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg NACKA, Sweden, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fabege's profit after tax for the full year 2016 amounted to 7,107 million (3,232), an increase of nearly 120 per cent.The healthy earnings are largely due to excellent market conditions, with rising rent levels and property values combined with persistently low interest expenses. Rental income increased to SEK 2,105m (1,998), primarily as a result of completed project properties beginning to generate revenue. Fabege also carried out a number of renegotiations during the year and raised rents by 23 per cent in relation to prior leases, which were normally signed approximately three years previously. Net lettings totalled SEK 127m (74). Major new lettings were agreed in 2016 with Migrationsverket, which is bringing its operations together under one roof in Sundbyberg; 3, whose new offices will constitute a landmark in the newly formed Soderstaden district, and Ambea, which is relocating to Arenastaden and will be neighbours with Siemens and H&M. "Market conditions remain positive. I am confident that both rent levels and property values will continue upward, albeit at a slower pace than we have seen over the past year. Completed projects will help boost cash flow in 2017. We have considerable potential in our development rights and are well positioned to capitalise on the business opportunities that lie ahead," commented Fabege's CEO Christian Hermelin. Fabege's profit after tax corresponds to SEK 42.97 per share (19.54). Net asset value growth, EPRA NAV, increased to SEK 163 per share. Fabege AB (publ) This information is information that Fabege AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 12:02 CET on 2 February 2016 For further information, please contact: Christian Hermelin, CEO, Phone 46 (0)8-555-148-25, 46 (0)73-387-18-25 Asa Bergstrom, Deputy CEO and CFO, phone 46 (0)8-555-148-29, 46 (0)70-666-13-80 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/fabege/r/fabege-doubles-earnings,c2178413 The following files are available for download: DETROIT, Michigan, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report onGlobal Automotive Suspension Market by Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Light Commercial Vehicle, and Medium & Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicle), by System Type (Passive, Semi-Active, Active, and Air Suspension), by Architecture Type (Dependent and Semi-Independent / Independent), by Damping Type (Hydraulic / Pneumatic and Electromagnetic), by Component Type (Coil Spring, Leaf Spring, Air Spring, Shock Absorber, Strut, Control Arm, Ball Joint, and Others), and by Region (NA, Europe, APAC, ROW), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021 (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/402975LOGO ) This exhaustive market report, from Stratview Research, is of 386 pages with 230 figures and 38 tables. It studies the suspension market in the global automotive industry over the period 2010 to 2021. The report provides detailed insights on the market dynamics to enable informed business decision making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market. The Suspension Market in the Global AutomotiveIndustry: Highlights As per Stratview Research, the global suspension market offers an excellent growth of 4.3% CAGR during the forecast period and reach an estimated $64 billion in 2021, which offers an opportunity to the automotive industry players to align themselves with the market growth. There are several factors bolstering the growth of suspension system in the global automotive industry. The author of the report cited growing global economy and rising per capita income, increasing annual production of passenger cars, light, and medium & heavy duty commercial vehicles, increasing fleet size of passenger cars, light, and medium & heavy duty commercial vehicles, increasing need for lightweight suspension system owing to stringent regulations, such as CAFE Standards and EU Legislation on emission reduction targets, and increasing customer expectations related to vehicle comfort, safety, stability, and control; as some of the key factors driving the automotive suspension market. Automotive suspension system includes many components, such as shock absorbers (also known as dampers), struts, leaf springs, coil springs, control arms, ball joints, stabilizer bars, torsional bars, air springs, air compressors, etc. Shock absorber is expected to remain the largest component type in the global automotive suspension market over the next five years. It is also likely to witness a healthy growth during the same period, driven by an increasing demand of electromagnetic shock absorbers. The global automotive suspension market is highly dominated by passenger car segment (driven by high annual production of passenger cars, large passenger car fleet size, increasing demand of lightweight suspension components, and continuous advancement in suspension components), followed by LCV, M&HCV. Passenger car is expected to remain the largest segment for automotive suspension over the next five years as well, and the segment is also likely to witness the highest growth during the same period. As per the study, semi-independent / independent architecture dominated the global automotive suspension market in 2015 in terms of value, followed by dependent architecture. Double wishbone & multi-link, MacPherson, and twist beam are the major semi-independent / independent architecture types. Air suspension and double wishbone & multi-link are expected to witness the highest growth over the next five years, respectively. In terms of region, Asia-Pacific dominated the global automotive suspension market in 2015 in terms of value, followed by Europe and North America, respectively. RoW is likely to be the fastest growing region, driven by expected recovery of Brazilian automotive industry after 2016, and upcoming assembly plants in the Middle East and Africa. The report suggest that the global automotive suspension market is moderately consolidated with presence of more than 200 global as well as regional players. Top 10 players (ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ThyssenKrupp AG, Benteler International AG, Magneti Marelli S.p.A., KYB Corporation, Tenneco Inc, Mubea Fahrwerksfedern GmbH, NHK Springs Co., Ltd, Mando Corp, and Rassini) together constituted approximately 40% of the market in 2015. All of them have vast product portfolio, an excellent product development capability, wide geographical reach, an excellent distribution network, and an excellent customer base. Report Features This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis. Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis. Market trend and forecast analysis. Market segment trend and forecast. Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc. Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities. Emerging trends. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players. Key success factors. This report studies automotive suspension market and has segmented the market in six ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. The following are the six ways in which the market is segmented: Global Automotive Suspension Market by Vehicle Type: Passenger Car (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Light Commercial Vehicle (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Global Automotive Suspension Market by System Type: Passive Suspension System (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Semi-Active Suspension System (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Active Suspension System (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Air Suspension System (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Global Automotive Suspension Market by Architecture Type: Dependent (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Semi-Independent / Independent(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Global Automotive Suspension Market by Damping Type: Hydraulic/Pneumatic (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Electromagnetic / Independent(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Global Automotive Suspension Market by Component Type: Coil Spring (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Leaf Spring (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Air Spring (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Shock Absorber (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Strut (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Control Arm (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Ball Joint (Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Other Components(Regional Analysis: NA, Europe , APAC, and RoW) Global Automotive Suspension Market by Region: North America (Country Analysis: USA , Canada , and Mexico ) Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , UK, Italy , Russia , and Rest of the Europe ) Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Japan , South Korea , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Rest of the world(Country Analysis: Brazil , Argentina , and Others) Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the automotive industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports: Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Automotive & Transportation Industry Related premium market reports in the automotive industry are: Global Automotive Leaf Springs Market by Vehicle Type, by Spring Type, by Material Type, by Manufacturing Process, by Location, and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016-2021 Global Automotive Composite Leaf Springs Market by Vehicle Type, by Installation Type, by Location Type, by Manufacturing Process, and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021 Global Automotive Composite Suspension Components Market by Component Type by Vehicle Type, by Manufacturing Process, and by Region, Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2016 - 2021 About Stratview Research Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas. We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies. Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making. For enquiries, Contact: RiteshGandecha Stratview Research E-mail:sales@stratviewresearch.com Direct: +1-313-307-4176 Please feel free to drop an enquiry with us or ask for a free sample in the below page and our team will get back to you very soon: http://www.stratviewresearch.com/register.html NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO U.S. PERSONS OR IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION This announcement is an advertisement and not a prospectus. This announcement does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as, any offer for sale or subscription of, or solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, any Shares in GCP Student Living plc or securities in any other entity, in any jurisdiction, including the United States, nor shall it, or any part of it, or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or investment decision whatsoever, in any jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation regarding any securities. Any investment decision must be made exclusively on the basis of the Prospectus (defined below) which has been published today by the Company and any supplement thereto in connection with the admission of Shares of the Company to the Premium Listing segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities. Issue of equity and publication of prospectus 2 February 2017 GCP Student Living, the UK's first REIT focussed on student residential assets, has today published a prospectus (the "Prospectus") in relation to a placing programme (the "2017 Placing Programme") and initial issue (the "Initial Issue") of new ordinary shares. The Initial Issue, which opens with immediate effect, will be conducted by way of an Offer for Subscription and Initial Placing of new ordinary shares targeting gross proceeds in excess of 60 million. Initial Issue highlights: The issue price of the Initial Issue will be 140.0 pence per Share, which represents a discount to the closing mid-price per ordinary share on 1 February 2017 of 143.0 pence. The Initial Issue will be NAV accretive for existing shareholders. It is currently intended that the net proceeds of the Initial Issue be used to acquire a private student residential accommodation asset in a prime central London position and in respect of which the Company has entered into an exclusivity arrangement (the "Target Asset"), as announced on 25January 2017. The Company, through its Investment Manager, continues to see high quality opportunities in the student residential accommodation market and is currently reviewing and conducting due diligence on assets in the Company's core markets totaling c.2,800 beds and in respect of which c.980 beds in and around London are under future contractual arrangements. Shares acquired pursuant to the Offer for Subscription under the Initial Issue should be eligible for inclusion in an ISA (and SIPP). Background to and benefits of the Initial Issue and Placing Programme The Company was admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange (Specialist Fund Segment) on 20 May 2013 as the UK's first REIT focused on student residential assets. In order to broaden its investor base and meet the liquidity requirements of a wider audience of Shareholders and potential investors, the Company migrated its listing to the premium segment of the Official List and transferred to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities on 16September 2016. Following this migration, in December 2016, the Company joined the FTSE All-Share Index. As at 31 December 2016, the Group had a total asset value of c.530 million including six standing assets, providing c.2,000 modern studios and beds, and one forward funded development asset which will provide a further c.580 beds on completion. The Company, through its Investment Manager, continues to see high quality opportunities in the student residential accommodation market, including in respect of the Target Asset, which it believes are strongly positioned to benefit from the core supply/demand imbalance characteristics which the Company seeks to identify in potential investments. To provide it with the operational flexibility to take advantage of such investment opportunities as and when they arise in a competitive market, the Company announced on 31 January 2017 that it had obtained shareholder authority to issue and allot up to 200 million Shares on a non-pre-emptive basis, by way of a series of placings and/or open offers and/or offers for subscription, at the discretion of the Directors. The Initial Issue and any placings under the 2017 Placing Programme are being conducted under the shareholder authorities described above. Benefits of the Initial Issue and the 2017 Placing Programme The Directors believe the Initial Issue and the 2017 Placing Programme will have the following benefits for Shareholders: the Company will be able to raise additional capital promptly, enabling it to take advantage of investment opportunities as and when they arise; selective acquisitions of assets with attractive rental growth characteristics will further diversify the Company's investment portfolio and reduce portfolio concentration risk; an increase in the market capitalisation of the Company should make the Company more attractive to a wider investor base; it is expected that the secondary market liquidity in the Shares will be further enhanced as a result of a larger and more diversified shareholder base.The Initial Issue and the 2017 Placing Programme will partially satisfy market demand for Shares from time to time and may improve liquidity in the market for Shares; and the Company's fixed running costs will be spread across a wider asset base, thereby reducing its on-going charges ratio. Further details of the Initial Issue The Company is targeting raising gross proceeds in excess of 60 million through a non pre-emptive Offer for Subscription and Initial Placing pursuant to the Initial Issue. The Initial Issue Price is 140.0 pence per Share. The Company may accept applications from investors under the Initial Issue to raise gross proceeds equal to a maximum of 90 million. The maximum gross proceeds reflects the Directors current view on the potential opportunities available to the Company, including the Target Asset, and should help ensure that the Company remains conservatively leveraged. The Initial Issue is conditional on, inter alia, gross proceeds in excess of 42.5 million being raised. In the event that commitments under the Initial Issue exceed the maximum number of Shares available, applications under the Initial Issue will be scaled back. In such event the Shares will be allocated at the discretion of the Board, in consultation with its sponsor. The Initial Issue is being made pursuant to the terms and conditions set out in Part 3 and Part 10 (Initial Placing) and Part 11 (Offer for Subscription) of the Prospectus published today. Subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Prospectus, investors are invited to apply for Shares pursuant to the Initial Placing by contacting their usual contact at Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. Applicants under the Offer for Subscription are instructed to refer to the Application Form appended to the Prospectus. The Initial Issue is expected to close on 21 February 2017, but may close earlier (or later) at the discretion of the Company, in consultation with Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Initial Issue is not being underwritten. Application will be made to the London Stock Exchange for the Shares issued pursuant to the Initial Issue to be admitted to the Premium Listing segment of the Official List and to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities ("Admission"). It is expected that Admission will become effective and that dealings in the new Shares will commence at 8.00 a.m. (London time) on 24 February 2017. Shares issued pursuant to the Initial Issue will rank pari passu with the Shares then in issue (save for any dividends or other distributions declared, made or paid on the Shares by reference to a record date prior to the allotment and issue of the relevant Shares). For the avoidance of doubt, subscribers for new Shares pursuant to the Initial Issue will not be entitled to the dividend of 1.43 pence per ordinary share declared in respect of the quarterly period ended 31 December 2016, as announced on 31 January 2017. The Shares will be issued in registered form and may be held in uncertificated form. Shares allotted and issued pursuant to the Initial Issue may be issued in un-certificated form and settled through CREST from Admission or issued in certificated form. It is expected that share certificates for Shares issued in certificated form would be dispatched approximately one week after Admission. Further details of the Initial Issue and the 2017 Placing Programme are set out in the Prospectus. Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement will have the same meaning as set out in the Prospectus. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. Expected timetable2017 Initial Issueopens 2 February Latesttimeanddateforreceiptofcompleted Application Forms in respect of theOffer for Subscription 1:00p.m. on21 February Latesttimeanddateforreceiptofcommitmentsunder the InitialPlacing 3:00p.m. on21 February Publication of results of Initial Issue announced and trade date 22 February Admissionanddealingsinnew Sharescommence 8.00 a.m. on24 February The dates and times specified above are subject to change. References to times are to London times. Any changes to the expected timetable will be notified by the Company through a Regulatory Information Service. Dealing codes Ticker DIGS ISIN for the new ordinary shares GB00B8460Z43 SEDOL for the new ordinary shares B8460Z4 An electronic copy of the Prospectus is available at www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm and on the Company's website at www.gcpuk.com/gcp-student-living-plc. For further information, please contact Gravis Capital Partners LLP +44 20 7518 1490 Tom Ward tom.ward@gcpuk.com Nick Barker nick.barker@gcpuk.com Dion Di Miceli dion.dimiceli@gcpuk.com Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited +44 20 7710 7600 Neil Winward neil.winward@stifel.com Mark Young mark.young@stifel.com Tom Yeadon tom.yeadon@stifel.com Buchanan Charles Ryland charlesr@buchanan.uk.com +44 20 7466 5000 Vicky Watkins victoriaw@buchanan.uk.com AboutGCP Student Living plc The Company was the first student accommodation REIT in the UK, investing in modern, purpose-built, private student residential accommodation and teaching facilities. Its investments are located primarily in and around London where the Investment Manager believes the Company is likely to benefit from supply and demand imbalances for student residential accommodation. The Group has an estimated total asset value of c.530 million including six standing assets, providing c.2,000 modern studios and beds, and one forward funded development asset which will provide a further c.580 beds on completion. The Investment Manager is currently reviewing and conducting due diligence on assets in the Company's core markets totalling c.2,800 beds and in respect of which c.980 beds in and around London are under future contractual arrangements The Company's standing assets are primarily occupied by international students and offer high specification facilities and hotel-level concierge type services which the Investment Manager believes are attractive to overseas students. Important Information The content of this announcement has been prepared by, and is the sole responsibility of, GCP Student Living plc. The information contained in this announcement is given at the date of its publication (unless otherwise marked) and is subject to updating, revision and amendment from time to time. Neither the content of the Company's website nor any website accessible by hyperlinks to the Company's website is incorporated in, or forms part of, this announcement. The distribution of this announcement and any other documentation associated with the Initial Issue and/or the 2017 Placing Programme into jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession these documents come should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws or regulations of any such jurisdiction. In particular, such documents should not be distributed, forwarded to or transmitted, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in, into or from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or the Republic of South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so may constitute a violation of the securities laws or regulations of any such jurisdiction. The Shares have not been registered and will not be registered in the United States under the U.S. Securities Act or under any other applicable securities laws and the Shares may not be offered, sold, exercised, resold, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act), except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction in the United States. There will be no public offer of the Shares in the United States. The Shares are being offered or sold outside the United States to non U.S. Persons in offshore transactions in reliance on the exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act provided by Regulation S thereunder. The Shares have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the US or any other US regulatory authority, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Shares or the accuracy or adequacy of this announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the US. The Shares have not been registered under the applicable securities laws of Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa and, subject to certain exceptions, may not be offered or sold within Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa or to any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus relating to the Company and does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for, any shares in the Company in any jurisdiction nor shall it, or any part of it, or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with or act as any inducement to enter into, any contract therefor. Recipients of this announcement are reminded that applications for Shares may be made solely on the basis of the information contained in the Prospectus. Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting only for the Company in connection with the matters described in this announcement and is not acting for or advising any other person, or treating any other person as its client, in relation thereto and will not be responsible for providing the regulatory protection afforded to clients of Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited or advice to any other person in relation to the matters contained herein. None of the Company, Gravis Capital Partners LLP or Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, or any of their respective affiliates, accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to this announcement, including the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of the announcement or its contents. The Company, Gravis Capital Partners LLP and Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, and their respective affiliates, accordingly disclaim all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which they might otherwise have in respect of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Viticulture sphere in Azerbaijan has great scope and potential, Elchin Madatov, head of the Wine Exporters and Producers Association of the country, told Trend. Madatov said that this sphere was historically developed in Azerbaijan, and the conditions created in the country nowadays allow to gain back the lost positions. Modern grape processing plants were constructed in Azerbaijan over the past 10-15 years, technical equipment of which allows them to compete even with the leading European facilities, as this sphere was given special attention by the government, and a lot of investment was attracted, Madatov added. In addition, the area under grape crops has significantly increased in Azerbaijan in recent years, he noted. Thanks to this, nowadays Azerbaijans potential, that is, the technical indicators of the plant, as well as the amount of raw material, allow it to produce annually about 100 million bottles of wine. However, due to several reasons, Azerbaijan still cannot reach such production volumes, Madatov said. Russia and China are currently our main markets. The Chinese market is fairly new for us - Azerbaijani products entered the Chinese market just about a year ago, and the dynamics is good enough there. The situation is much more complicated in the Russian market, because of the very high competition by global producers of alcohol aimed at this market, he added. In particular, we are actively competing with the Georgian and Armenian producers. Therefore, we believe that the Azerbaijani wine production needs government support as it is difficult for individual Azerbaijani producers to promote their goods on the Russian market. Madatov noted that specific work is already underway in this direction export missions are organized, the Azerbaijani government provides an opportunity for manufacturers to participate in exhibitions and promote their products. For the last three months we have visited China, Belarus and Germany, where we actively advertised Azerbaijani products, Madatov added. I would like to note that this is already bearing fruit. We already have requests from Belarus, and I believe that this year the Azerbaijani wine and cognac will return to the Belarusian market. There is also great interest for our products in Europe, but this market is new for us, and we have to promote our products, he said. Of course, our products are exported to the European market, but the export volume is low, and its necessary to continue advertising and promotion of Azerbaijani wine in Europe. Madatov noted that the main purpose of wine producers in Azerbaijan will be the expansion of the scope of wine export in the near future. MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Saputo Inc. (TSX: SAP) - A conference call for analysts and institutional investors will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), to discuss the fiscal 2017 third quarter results. The conference call will begin with a short presentation followed by a question and answer period. The speakers will be Mr. Lino A. Saputo, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Louis-Philippe Carriere, Chief Financial Officer. -- To participate in the conference: 1-800-698-0460 Please dial-in approximately five minutes before the call. -- To listen to the call on the Web: http://www.gowebcasting.com/8297 Replay of the conference A replay of the conference call will be available until Thursday, February 9, 2017, 11:59 p.m. The webcast of the call will also be archived on the Company's website. -- To access the replay: 1-800-558-5253 (ID number: 21842178). -- To access the archived webcast: www.saputo.com, in the "Investors and Media" section, under "Press Releases". Contacts: Media Inquiries 1-514-328-3141 / 1-866-648-5902 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release. Terraco Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: TEN) ("Terraco" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, TGC Holdings Ltd. ("TGC"), has exercised its right of first refusal ("ROFR") to acquire, from the Schmidt Family Mining Partnership LLC, an additional 1% net smelter returns royalty on certain lands within a one-half mile perimeter ("Perimeter NSR"(1)) of the Schmidt Claim Block(2) included in the Spring Valley Gold Project ("Spring Valley"), Pershing County, Nevada. The ROFR, upon exercise, was subject to an option with RK Mine Finance ("Red Kite") whereby Red Kite's wholly owned subsidiary, EXP2 LLC, could purchase 50% of the 1% Perimeter NSR from TGC (net 0.5% NSR royalty) on the same terms of the TGC purchase price. Red Kite has concurrently exercised its option and has purchased 50% of the Perimeter NSR with TGC retaining the other 50% or 0.5% NSR royalty. Terraco currently owns a 3% NSR royalty on the Schmidt Claim Block covering a majority of the known gold resource at Spring Valley, as well as a 1% NSR royalty on adjoining additional lands to the Schmidt Claim Block (the "Additional Royalty Area"(3)) covering the northeast portion of the known gold resource at Spring Valley. The acquisition of the Perimeter NSR adds new royalty coverage on areas beyond the Schmidt Claim Block and further increases Terraco's Additional Royalty Area to 1.5% NSR. The Perimeter NSR also adds brand new royalty coverage on the southern portion of the Spring Valley resource where Barrick Gold Corp. ("Barrick") previously completed step out drilling outlining further evidence for the potential to expand Spring Valley's resource base. "We are very pleased to further consolidate and increase our royalty position at Spring Valley, including the additional 0.5% NSR over resource areas on the north side of the deposit and adding coverage to the remaining resource areas where we previously had none. Pre-feasibility development work at Spring Valley has included, but not limited to, extensive resource drilling, metallurgical testwork, hydrological studies, geotechnical studies, pit slope stability studies, mine facility design and seismic hazard analysis. Based on the advanced nature of the work completed by Barrick, we strongly believe that Spring Valley is a cornerstone Nevada asset and are happy to be able to increase royalty coverage on the deposit," said CEO Todd Hilditch. (1) See Figure 1 for approximate outline of Perimeter NSR in BLUE (2) See Figure 1 for approximate outline of Schmidt Claim Block in RED (3) See Figure 1 for approximate outline of Additional Royalty Area in GREEN To view the photo associated with this release, visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170201-Terraco-F1-gr.jpg In conjunction with the acquisition of the Perimeter NSR both Terraco and Red Kite have each separately paid CDN$743,544 (USD$567,895) for 0.5% of the Perimeter NSR. The Spring Valley Gold Project is a pre-feasibility multi-million ounce gold project owned and operated by Solidus Resources, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waterton Precious Metals Fund II Cayman, LP ("Waterton"). Spring Valley adjoins the silver producing Coeur Mining-Rochester Mine and is 125 miles (200km) from Reno Nevada. Waterton purchased and consolidated 100% of the project in December 2015 by acquiring Barrick's and Midway Gold Corporation's separate interests in the project. Corporate Terraco also announces that William Lamb has resigned, for time commitment purposes, from the board of directors of Terraco after over 6 years of dedication but will continue in an advisory role. "We are extremely grateful for Mr. Lamb's service and wish him continued luck and success in his efforts as President, CEO and a Director of Lucara Diamond Corp. ("Lucara"). William has led the growth of Lucara to over $1B in sales and a market capitalization of over $1.1B. I have had the honor of working with William for the past 8 years on both Terraco and Salares Lithium (sold to Talison Lithium) and look forward to his continued involvement as an advisor to Terraco", stated Todd Hilditch, CEO of Terraco. William Lamb commented, "It has been a pleasure and a learning experience being part of the Terraco Board. The mechanisms used to drive shareholder value through non-dilutive financings and the transition of the Company from a gold exploration company to a dynamic royalty company has been an exciting and valuable experience. I am pleased to be able to continue to be part of Terraco's development as an advisor to the Board." About Terraco Terraco is a gold royalty company with a royalty portfolio that is currently focused largely on or around the multi-million ounce Spring Valley Gold Project located in Pershing County, Nevada. The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "TEN". Please visit the Company's website at www.terracogold.com for additional information. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Company's operations and financial results are included in reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). Contacts: Terraco Gold Corp. Todd Hilditch President and CEO 1-604-443-3831 Toll free: 1-877-792-6688 Ext. 2 www.terracogold.com NEW YORK, NEW YORK and TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- For the third consecutive year, TouchBistro has been named the Best POS System for Restaurants by Business News Daily in its annual review of dozens of point-of-sale (POS) systems. According to the January 2017 publication, TouchBistro was selected because it has everything that's needed "to run all types of food establishments, without all the fuss. Whether you run a fine-dining restaurant, casual eatery, cafe, food truck, pub or any other type of restaurant, TouchBistro is an affordable and easy-to-use POS system that focuses solely on your unique needs." TouchBistro's iPad point of sale system is designed specifically for restaurants. Topping the Apple App Store in more than 37 countries, TouchBistro helps restaurateurs increase sales, improve service, and make informed decisions on how to grow their businesses. By making the point of sale mobile, TouchBistro has revolutionized restaurant operations. Waiters can enter orders into an iPad right at table-side and send them to the kitchen for preparation without running back and forth. Food pictures and allergen information are at the waiters' fingertips. Secure, integrated EMV payments can also be taken at the table. Ordering is done in TouchBistro with just a tap on the iPad. With TouchBistro's patented design, even complex actions like bill splitting or combining orders from different seats take only a tap or swipe. Forced modifiers tell serving staff what to upsell and list food preparation variations, so there are no missed opportunities or guessing. "This is a tremendous recognition from Business News Daily for our long-term commitment to our customers' success. While other POS solutions lose focus by trying to appeal to other verticals, like gaming or even gas stations, we believe our laser focus on Hospitality is what led to this award. We take to heart the feedback we received from the more than 7,000 TouchBistro restaurants we deployed, and ensure their insights, comments, and wish lists are the basis for our features and functionality," said Alex Barrotti, CEO and founder of TouchBistro. "We have so many great stories that operators share with us about how TouchBistro has helped them increase efficiency and improve their bottom line. We will continue to invest in our rich feature set, and provide enhancements every six to eight weeks, to ensure they have the latest and best technologies at their fingertips." TouchBistro uses readily available Apple hardware that can be purchased off the shelf to deliver a cost-effective, mobile solution, unlike the expensive proprietary hardware of a traditional point of sale system that is stuck in fixed positions. TouchBistro supports multiple payment processors, has integrated with popular restaurant and business apps, and provides APIs for future integrations. Comprehensive security features and robust reporting make it easier for owners and managers to control, monitor, and measure operations. World-class training and installation teams with extensive restaurant experience are available 24/7. TouchBistro may be downloaded for a free 30-day trial from the Apple App Store. For the full Business Daily News article, click here. About TouchBistro With offices in New York and Toronto, TouchBistro is an iPad point of sale (POS) for restaurants that helps increase sales, improve customer experience, and make better business decisions. TouchBistro is used and loved by thousands of restaurants world-wide and is perfect for all foodservice business types including restaurants, bars, cafes, breweries, food trucks, and quick service restaurants. The TouchBistro app has been ranked as the top-grossing food and beverage app in 37 countries on the Apple App Store(SM). TouchBistro offers a 30-day free trial that can be converted to a no-contract subscription. Additional information is available at www.touchbistro.com. Contacts: Media Contact: Kari Wise Boulevard Public Relations (for TouchBistro) 818.588.8074 kari@boulevardpr.com MIDLAND (dpa-AFX) - The Dow Chemical Company (DOW) announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its global Ethylene Acrylic Acid or EAA copolymers and ionomers business to SK Global Chemical Co., LTD., a subsidiary of SK Innovation, as a part of the ongoing regulatory approval process for the proposed Dow and DuPont merger transaction. The divestiture will be conditioned on Dow and DuPont closing their merger transaction, in addition to other closing conditions, including regulatory filings, local employment law and governance obligations. As per terms of the purchase agreement, SK Global Chemical will honor certain customer and supplier contracts and other agreements. Both companies are working together for a seamless transition for all stakeholders. Given current regulatory agency status, merger closing for the proposed Dow and DuPont transaction would be expected to occur in the first half of 2017, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of all regulatory approvals. Dow and DuPont expect the intended business separation transactions to be about 18 months after the merger close. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Editor's Note: There are two images associated with this release. Winning Brands Corporation (OTC PINK: WNBD) www.WinningBrands.com is launching a new program with fire departments, significantly improving the commercial outlook for Winning Brands' ReGUARD4 bunker gear cleaner in North America. The impact of the new program will be to deliver 4 times as many benefits to fire departments from the single ReGUARD4 solution, significantly increasing convenience and value to firefighters. This will move ReGUARD4 to the leadership position in its field by technical performance. The program, in cooperation with select fire departments, is starting in the Montreal region effective immediately. The purpose of the program is to define protocols for the additional uses of ReGUARD4 that fire service personnel consider most beneficial in maintaining fire service assets. The resulting compendium of favorite uses, together with vetted procedures, will support marketing of ReGUARD4's expanded official uses across the sector. The program is being co-ordinated for Winning Brands through the company's new exclusive dealer for ReGUARD4 in the Quebec market., DSO - Distribution Sud-Ouest, www.dsoinc.ca. Quebec has approximately 700 fire departments and 23,000 fire fighters. ReGUARD4 material will appear on the DSO website in coming weeks, in stages. In North America there are over 25,000 fire departments and over 1 Million firefighters. Before now, ReGUARD4 had been positioned exclusively as a bunker gear cleaner to remove fire-scene grime from protective garments worn by firefighters. Positive feedback from municipal fire services about broader usefulness of ReGUARD4 had been known anecdotally, but was not applied to marketing. Now, expansion of the official uses for ReGUARD4 is being made to include fire service equipment cleaning, vehicle cleaning, facilities cleaning and turnout gear cleaning. These additional types of maintenance are performed continuously, whether there are fires or not. ReGUARD4's new "4-way multiple use" strategy increases ReGUARD4's appeal to the fire services supply sector in USA and Canada, and the growing "disaster restoration" market, by delivering new convenience and value on top of performance. The new DSO program of cooperation with firefighters will specify and formalize these additional uses. Winning Brands CEO, Eric Lehner, comments: "This program adds shareholder value to Winning Brands by demonstrating that a core asset, the ReGUARD4 brand, has greater commercial potential than presently appreciated. This is meaningful because it is our customers, the firefighters themselves, not a merely a "marketing department", confirming that our product is 4 times more useful to them. The knowledge gained through the Montreal protocols will be shared with ReGUARD4 dealers in America, including LaFrance Equipment Corporation and DiVal Safety Equipment, amongst others." Winning Brands is coming out of a quiet period during which it was assessing how to regain earlier momentum. A recently announced $1.5 million Tier I offering under SEC Regulation A will enable Winning Brands to take new steps to better support its existing brands. These brands will eventually include new items in launch partnerships with innovators whose inventions represent exceptional opportunities for public shareholders. Mr. Lehner maintains a CEO weblog for the benefit of shareholders at www.WinningBrandsCorporation.com/blog . It is a journal of the company's mission, providing answers to many shareholder questions. It is a regular source of public information pertaining to the company pursuant to SEC Fair Disclosure guidelines. ABOUT WINNING BRANDS CORPORATION: Winning Brands is expanding its scope to include cooperative product launches with innovators whose projects can benefit from public company partnership. Winning Brands has previously been, and continues to be, a manufacturer of record for advanced environmentally oriented cleaning solutions such as ReGUARD4 fire service cleaner, KIND, 1000+ Stain Remover, World's Most Versatile Cleaning Solution, and others through its subsidiary Niagara Mist Marketing Ltd by means of contract packaging. 1000+ is an alternative to conventional cleaning solvents for consumers because of its unique desirable properties; VIDEOS Link; WEBSITE Link . The versatility of 1000+ Stain Remover can be seen on FACEBOOK. 1000+ Stain Remover is available to U.S. NAVY personnel at 7 NEX depots in Japan, Spain, Italy and the Middle East; in the U.S. at HOME DEPOT (online), WALMART (online), DO IT BEST HARDWARE stores and many independent retailers. In Canada, the leading chain retailer is LOWES HOME IMPROVEMENT:. 1000+ Stain Remover is also available in select international markets including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, UK, Serbia and the Caribbean. TrackMoist, ReGUARD4 www.ReGUARD4.com and BRILLIANT www.BRILLIANTWetCleaning.com are industrial products by which Winning Brands serves specialized professional markets. Safe Harbor: Statements contained in this news release, other than those identifying historical facts, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Safe Harbor provisions as contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relating to the Company's future expectations, including but not limited to revenues and earnings, technology efficacy, strategies and plans, are subject to safe harbors protection. Actual Company results and performance may be materially different from any future results, performance, strategies, plans, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by any such forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. TrackMoist, 1000+, KIND, ReGUARD4 and BRILLIANT are trademarks of Niagara Mist Marketing Ltd in connection with indicated uses. To view the images associated with this release, please visit the following links: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170201-1084674a_800.jpg http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170201-1084674b_800.JPG Contacts: Winning Brands INFORMATION and INTERVIEWS: Eric Lehner, CEO 92 Caplan Avenue, Suite 134 Barrie, Ontario L4N 9j2 Tel: (705) 737-4062 eric@winningbrands.ca PROVIDENCE, RI--(Marketwired - February 02, 2017) - Energy Source, a division of Revolution Lighting Technologies, today announced that it has recently completed an LED retrofit project for Axcelis Technologies, Inc., in Beverly, Mass. The "turnkey" retrofit of Axcelis's 400,000 sq. ft. advanced technology center facilities, including interior and exterior spaces, is expected to reduce annual lighting energy use by more than 50% and achieve a payback of less than three years. Energy Source's "turnkey" services began with the detailed testing and evaluation of Revolution Lighting's LED tubes, concluding its LED solutions will improve lighting efficiency by over 50%, while increasing light output for enhanced safety. After the initial stages of development, Energy Source worked closely with Axcelis Technologies to achieve the lighting retrofit energy savings on time and within budget, managing all phases of the project, including scope and budget development, final material selection, pursuit and securing of project incentives, and project management. As a world-leading provider of equipment and services to the semiconductor manufacturing industry, Axcelis was focused on incorporating the latest LED lighting technology to achieve its operational, safety and environmental goals. Energy Source made it easy to achieve these goals, carefully analyzing existing facility lighting to recommend the most compatible high quality LED solution to maximize return on investment and long term benefits. Revolution Lighting's T8 Uni-Fit Ballast Ready LED tubes were selected, providing an industry leading 70,000 hour lamp life, which is three times longer than conventional lighting, combined its market leading 10-year warranty, to provide years of energy and maintenance cost savings for Axcelis. "We wanted to introduce the latest LED lighting solutions throughout our facilities that not only improve energy use, but also improves the quality of light output for our employees," said Don Godfrey, Facilities, Real Estate Manager, Axcelis Technologies, Inc. "Energy Source acted as an integral partner, providing extensive time and effort, in particular throughout critical decision making processes, to ensure a successful project." "We are proud to work closely with Axcelis Technologies, providing unparalleled customer service through our experienced and knowledgeable team to successfully achieve their energy efficiency goals," said Ron Sliney, Vice President, Energy Source. "Selection by Axcelis Technologies demonstrates the confidence in our company's dedication to delivering quality service at every point in a project." About Energy Source Energy Source, LLC is a leading provider of comprehensive energy efficiency solutions, including lighting retrofit, lighting controls, and energy management solutions. Energy Source's headquarters are located in Providence, Rhode Island, assisting its customers throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts and greater New England area. Energy Source partners with its customers, utilizing its extensive experience to deliver the authoritative knowledge and seamless project experience to maximize project benefits and savings. For additional information, please visit www.energysource.com. Media Contact: Matthew Bretzius FischTank Marketing and PR matt@fischtankpr.com LONDON, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100,000 healthcare professionals will have quick, easy access to electronic medical information via state-of-the-art clinical search engine Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announced today that more than 100,000 healthcare professionals across 21 regions in Sweden now have access to ClinicalKey. EiRA (Effective Information Retrieval and Acquisition), the consortium of all the county councils/regions in Sweden, selected ClinicalKey, Elsevier's intelligent clinical search engine, to make electronic medical information available to healthcare professionals in a cohesive, simple way. EiRA helps to ensure that all healthcare professionals have access to a common, high-quality knowledge base, regardless of where in Sweden they work. ClinicalKey brings a broad range of Elsevier's peer-reviewed medical information searchable in one master tool, ensuring that clinicians can access reliable clinical material at anytime from anywhere. This empowers clinicians to make quicker, more informed decisions that improve patient safety and care. The Medical Library at Vastmanlands hospital Vasteras has adopted ClinicalKey since autumn 2015. "We chose ClinicalKey because of its breadth of medical content and especially for the many e-books and journals," said Vastmanlands hospital Chief Librarian Mona Berglind. "The health professionals in the Region Vastmanland get access to a number of medical resources such as journals, medical textbooks, multimedia, guidelines, patient education, point of care content and more from a single platform, and they all have access regardless of their location. "We noticed that the e-book collection is a popular part of ClinicalKey among our users. The region is also interested in an integration with the electronic medical records (EMR), allowing our clinicians to have easy access to the most clinically relevant, evidence-based medical and surgical information." Clinicians in every hospital across all 21 regions in Sweden will now have access to the latest, trusted, evidence-based information at their fingertips. "Elsevier is a key provider in the field of knowledge-based information in digital format. Elsevier's ClinicalKey solution is constantly evolving and updating to respond to changes in the way health professionals search, generate and review information, equipping our health professionals of the future to manage patients with precision," said Anneli Mindemo, Consortium Manager, EiRA at Inera AB. "ClinicalKey has been providing medical professionals across the globe answers to questions posed within a clinical care context," said Tim Hawkins, Managing Director of Clinical Solutions for EMEA & Latin America. "The adoption of ClinicalKey by EiRA will allow all clinicians and health care personnel in the public sector in Sweden to get immediate online access to comprehensive and trusted information at the touch of a button, enabling a more efficient and safe patient care system. And we are excited that Elsevier is part of EiRA's digital health journey." --- About EiRA EiRA - the consortium of all of the county councils/regions in Sweden, ensures that all healthcare professionals have access to a common, high-quality knowledge base, regardless of where in Sweden they work. The primary aim of the EiRA consortium is to negotiate a high quality and diverse, common knowledge base, on behalf of all county councils. The content is agreed in cooperation with the hospital libraries and mainly based on demand, user statistics and price. There are yearly negotiations with the publishers, resulting in both one-year and multi-year agreements. Sweden has 21 county councils/regions, whose primary areas of responsibility are health and dental care. About Elsevier Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Research Intelligenceand ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.http://www.elsevier.com Media contact Christopher Capot Director, Corporate Relations, Elsevier +1 917 704 5174 c.capot@elsevier.com TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP) (FRANKFURT: HBP), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer, will be presenting at the BIO CEO & Investor Conference, The Waldorf Astoria, New York, New York. Presentation Date: Tuesday, February 14th Presentation Time: 1:30:00 PM Presentation Room: Duke of Windsor Main Therapeutic Focus: Oncology "We remain excited about our data which suggests that nearly all immuno-oncology therapies, especially checkpoint inhibitors and Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapies ("CAR-T"), would strongly benefit from a combination approach with our Tumour Defence Breaker as well as classical chemotherapeutics, e.g. cisplatin," outlined Dr. Sven Rohmann, Helix's Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Rohmann's presentation will also outline Helix's CAR-T preclinical program based on single domain antibody design. A copy of the presentation will be made available on the Company's website immediately following the presentation. About L-DOS47 L-DOS47 is Helix's first immunoconjugate-based drug candidate in development, based on Helix's novel DOS47 technology platform which the Company believes alters the tumor microenvironment from acidic to alkaline and is positioning its core technology in the field of immuno-oncology as a unique Tumour Defence Breaker. The Company believes L-DOS47 represents an innovative approach in modifying the microenvironmental conditions of cancer cells which the Company also believes serves as a general defense against cancer drugs and immunotherapies. Breaking the tumor defense by changing the tumor microenvironment from acidic to alkaline represents one of the forgotten hallmarks of cancer. L-DOS47 is intended to offer an innovative approach to the first-line treatment of inoperable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. L-DOS47 is currently being evaluated in two clinical studies, one in the United States ("LDOS001") and the other in Poland ("LDOS002"). About LDOS001 LDOS001 is a Phase I, open label, dose escalation study being conducted in the United States at three centers; The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; and University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The primary objective of the study is to determine the safety and tolerability of L-DOS47 in combination treatment with pemetrexed/carboplatin. The study will also evaluate the potential clinical benefit of L-DOS47 with this combination. Other exploratory objectives include the evaluation of the L-DOS47 pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity. About LDOS002 LDOS002 is an open-label Phase I/II clinical study being conducted in Poland to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of ascending doses of L-DOS47, initially as a monotherapy, in patients with inoperable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic, non-squamous, stage IIIb/IV NSCLC. The study is being conducted at five Polish centers under the direction of Dr. Dariusz Kowalski at The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre & Institute of Oncology as the overall coordinating investigator, together with four other principal investigators: Prof. Cezary Szczylik, MD, PhD at the Military Medical Institute, Prof. Elzbieta Wiatr, MD, PhD at the National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Dr. Aleksandra Szczensa, MD, PhD at the Mazovian Center of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis in Otwock and Prof. Rodryg Ramlau, MD, PhD at the Department of Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Science. About Helix BioPharma Corp. Helix BioPharma Corp. is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the field of cancer therapy. The company is actively developing innovative products for the prevention and treatment of cancer based on its proprietary technologies. Helix's product development initiatives include its novel L-DOS47 new drug candidate and Chimeric Antigen Receptor ("CAR") based cell therapies. Helix is currently listed on the TSX and FSE under the symbol "HBP". Cautionary Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including, without limitation, those relating to advancing any of the Company's CAR-T solid tumor candidate toward clinical testing, which may be identified by words including, without limitation, "will", "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations, are intended to provide information about management's current plans and expectations. Although Helix believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated, no assurance can be given that these expectations will be realized, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include those described in Helix's most recent Annual Information Form, including under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors", filed under Helix's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com (together, the "Helix Risk Factors"). Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, that the Helix Risk Factors will not cause Helix's actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements qualify all such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are based on the beliefs, assumptions and expectations of Helix's management on the date of this news release, and Helix does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement or information should those beliefs, assumptions or expectations, or other circumstances change, except as required by law. Investor Relations 21 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 1100 Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1L9 Tel: 416 925-3232 Fax: 416 925-1551 Email: ir@helixbiopharma.com MONTREAL, QC --(Marketwired - February 02, 2017) - Siyata Mobile Inc. (the "Company" or "Siyata") (TSX VENTURE: SIM) (OTC PINK: SIMFF) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Signifi Mobile Inc. ("Signifi") has received a CDN$1.275MM commitment from a Tier 1 Canadian Bank to finance its growth. The commitment is secured against certain assets of Signifi and comprises of four separate facilities totalling $1.275MM at prime plus 2%. Marc Seelenfreund, CEO of Siyata Mobile stated, "This is a great achievement for Siyata Mobile to have a leading Canadian bank as our partner. This finance commitment will assist with our working capital and support our continued rapid growth in North America." The Company also announces that it has received CDN$150,000 from the proceeds of broker warrants that were issued in relation to the financing completed in connection with its reverse takeover in July of 2015. About Siyata Siyata Mobile Inc. is a leading global developer and provider of innovative cellular communication systems under the Uniden Cellular brand. Siyata's "Connected-Vehicle" devices and accessories are specifically designed for professional fleets including trucks, vans, buses, emergency service vehicles, government cars and more. Siyata aims to provide greater mobile connectivity for professional drivers and to facilitate replacement of the aging in-vehicle, multi-device status quo with a single device that incorporates voice, push-to-talk, data, and fleet management solutions. Siyata also markets and sells Uniden cellular signal boosters and accessories as well as rugged mobile phones for both the consumer and enterprise markets. Siyata's customers include cellular operators, commercial vehicle technology distributors, and fleets of all sizes in Canada, the US, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. Visit www.siyatamobile.com and www.unidencellular.com to learn more. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of: SIYATA MOBILE INC. Marc Seelenfreund CEO and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws. Investor Relations: Arlen Hansen Kin Communications 1-866-684-6730 SIM@kincommunications.com Sales Department: Glenn Kennedy VP Sales Siyata Mobile Inc. 416-892-1823 glenn_kennedy@siyatamobile.com PUNE, India, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Molecular Diagnostics Market by Application (Infectious Disease (HIV, HBV, TB), Oncology, Genetics, Microbiology), Technology (PCR, Hybridization, DNA Sequencing), End User (Hospitals, Laboratory), Product & Service (Reagent, Software) - Forecast to 2021" published by MarketsandMarkets, the Market is projected to reach USD 10.12 Billion by 2021 from USD 6.54 Billion in 2016, at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 231 market data Tables and 51 Figures spread through 241 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Molecular Diagnostics Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/molecular-diagnostic-market-833.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The report Molecular Diagnostics Market provides a detailed overview of major drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, current market trends and strategies impacting the global market along with estimates and forecast of revenue. Major factors driving the growth of the market are high prevalence of infectious diseases and various types of cancer, increasing awareness and acceptance of personalized medicine and companion diagnostics, growth in the biomarker identification market and advancements in molecular techniques, and reforms in the reimbursement system in the U.S. On the other hand, complex regulatory frameworks are a major factor restraining the growth of the molecular diagnostics market. Advancement in genomics and proteomics, increasing adoption of point-of-care testing, and high potential emerging markets such as China, India, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa offers significant growth opportunities for the key players in the molecular diagnostics market. Inquiry Details: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=833 The global market is segmented on the basis of application, technology, products & services, end user, and region. By products & services, the Molecular Diagnostics Market is segmented into reagents & kits, instruments, and services & software. The reagents & kits market is expected to account for the largest share of the market in 2016. The accessibility of a wide range of reagents and need for reliable, specific, and faster detection of chronic diseases and genetic disorders at early stages are expected to drive the reagents & kits market in the future. Based on application, the market is broadly classified into infectious diseases, oncology, genetic tests, blood screening, microbiology, and other applications (cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, DNA fingerprinting, tissue typing, and food pathogen detection testing). The oncology segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The oncology Molecular Diagnostics Market is driven by technological advancements, rising prevalence of cancer, and growing focus on personalized medicine. By technologies, the market is broadly classified into PCR, INAAT, microarrays, hybridization, DNA sequencing, and Next-generation sequencing (NGS), and other technologies (electrophoresis, flow cytometry, and mass spectrometry). Among these technologies, PCR is expected to command the largest share and microarray segment is expected to be the highest growth segment. Factors such as the increasing need and demand for molecular-targeted drugs/therapy (personalized medicine) are expected to drive the microarray market during the forecast period. On the basis of end users, the market is segmented into hospital & academic laboratories, reference laboratories, and other end users (blood banks, local public health laboratories, home health agencies, nursing homes, point-of-care settings, and self-testing). The reference laboratories segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the fact that these laboratories can perform new, complex, and highly specialized tests. Download PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=833 North America is expected to account for the largest share of the global Molecular Diagnostics Market in 2016, followed by Europe. The growth of the North American Molecular Diagnostics Market is majorly driven by the factors such as the availability of government funds, growing applications of MDx in genetic disorders and cancer screening, and ease of use of self-monitoring techniques. The Molecular Diagnostics Market is dominated by established players such as Roche Diagnostics (U.S.), QIAGEN N.V. (Netherlands), Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Hologic Inc. (U.S.), and Grifols (Germany). Browse Related Reports: In Vitro Diagnostics/IVD Market by Product (Instruments, Reagents, Software), Technology (Immunoassay, Clinical Chemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Hematology), Application (Diabetes, Oncology, Cardiology, Nephrology, Infectious Diseases) - Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/ivd-in-vitro-diagnostics-market-703.html Respiratory Diagnostics Market by Product & Service (Instruments/Devices, Kits/Reagents), Test Type (Pulmonary Function Test, Imaging Test), Disease (TB, Lung Cancer, COPD), End User (Reference Laboratories, Physician Offices) - Global Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/respiratory-diagnostics-market-163390459.html 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. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets 701 Pike Street Suite 2175, Seattle, WA 98101, United States 1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://mnmblog.org/market-research/healthcare/medical-devices Connect with us on LinkedIn @http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Anvar Mammadov, Azad Hasanli Trend: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) still wants to convert the loans it allocates to Azerbaijan into manats, the countrys local currency, but this depends on its availability, which means first issuing the local currency bonds or obtaining manats from a different source, Ivana Duarte, head of the EBRD resident office in Baku, told Trend. She said that the EBRD intends to issue the local currency bonds, as there is strong demand from the private sector clients in the Azerbaijani market. "We have been working with authorities [of Azerbaijan] and will continue doing so also in 2017 in order to be able to issue bonds in manats," Duarte said. "We did issue local currency bonds in the neighboring country Georgia, which was well received by the market and was a very successful initiative." Earlier, a source in the Azerbaijani government told Trend that the delay in the issuance of the manat bonds by the EBRD is due to a number of technical nuances. The source added that no concrete timing for the release of the bonds by the bank has been defined. The Baku office of the EBRD told Trend that the manat bonds will be sold within Azerbaijan and the issue of the bond delivery to the foreign markets can be considered in the future. STEWART, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd (TSX: MTB)(FRANKFURT: 9MU) (Mountain Boy) announces that two drill holes completed late in 2016 tested the large Ataman Zone located in Surprise Creek within the Golden Triangle district of British Columbia. Highlights of the drilling are as follows: -- 4.58 m of 4.31 % Zn, 44.75 g/t Ag, 0.33 % Cu and 67 % barite in DDH SC-2 The remainder of assays include: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole # From To W Au Ag Zn Pb Cu BaSo4 (m) (m) (m) g/t g/t % % % % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SC-2 58.26 77.20 18.94 0.12 28.0 1.21 0.03 0.31 46.73 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Incl. 58.26 62.84 4.58 0.11 44.75 4.31 0.05 0.33 67.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Incl. 58.26 60.4 2.14 0.09 70.7 6.49 0.09 0.56 60.48 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The drilling was terminated due to bad weather and freezing of the water source. DDH-SC-1 was drilled parallel to the zone and intersected low values. DDH-SC-2, drilled at right angles to the zone, was still in the mineralized horizon as the last assay had 73.47 % barite. The Ataman zone has been traced for over 600 m of height as well as 600 m of width within the Surprise Creek valley. Surface work in 2016 indicates that the barite horizons extend from the valley floor to the ridge tops, over 600 m in height. The indicated length of the Ataman zone is at least 1.2 km. The Surprise Creek property is underlain by an anticlinal structure that hosts the VMS horizon along both the eastern and western portions of the property. E. Kruchkowski, President of the Company states: "The preliminary results indicate a robust mineralized system that appears to present a huge exploration target. Some of the intersections graded over 90 % barite. Work in 2017 will target this extensive barite horizon. Metallurgical studies by Mountain Boy on similar material in the Stewart are has shown that flotation processes followed by gravity on the non-sulphide tailings show a greater than 92 % barite product. In addition, the nearby port of Stewart offers a cost-effective method for shipping." Barite is utilized primarily for its high specific gravity (SG 4.5), utilized as a drilling mud in the oil and gas industry, in addition to its chemical and physical inertness, relative softness and very low solubility (uses in the medical and paint industry). The largest deposits currently mined are stratiform beds in China and India. The US and Canada presently import 400,000 tonnes of industrial grade barite (SG;4.3-4.4) and 3.6 million tonnes of oilfield barite (SG greater than 4.1). Oilfield barite sells for several hundred dollars a tonne at the well sites. The Surprise Creek project is a joint venture with Great Bear Resources, the 50 % partner with Mountain Boy who is the project operator. Rock assay results are evaluated through a Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) procedure that includes the use of standards with known precious and base metal values. Assaying was carried out by Loring Laboratories Ltd. of Calgary, AB Ed. Kruchkowski, P. Geo., a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 is responsible for the contents of this release. E. Kruchkowski is not independent of Mountain Boy as he is the president and a director of the Company. Mountain Boy Minerals is a diversified exploration and project development company with its 20% interest in the "Silver Coin" deposit located between Ascot's "Premier" and "Big Missouri " pits (over 2MM oz of gold equivalent with its share carried to production by Jayden Resources Ltd). It also owns a 35% interest in the "Red Cliff" property, a high grade advanced gold-copper exploration project. Furthermore, the company holds a 100% interest in the "MB Silver" and a 50% interest in the expansive "BA" and "George Copper"claim blocks (greater than 12MM spent to date - Zinc, Lead, Silver and Copper mineralization. At the company's "Zeolite Project" in southern B.C. consulting and permitting is planned for this spring. For a complete listing of the Company assets and developments, visit the Company website at www.mountainboyminerals.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF Mountain Boy Minerals LTD. Ed Kruchkowski, President, Director "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." "This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements." Contacts: Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd Investor Information 250-636-2264 Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd Gary Assaly 604-377-7969 www.mountainboyminerals.ca TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Cordoba Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE: CDB)(OTCQX: CDBMF) ("Cordoba" or the "Company") and its joint-venture partner, High Power Exploration Inc. ("HPX"), a private mineral exploration company indirectly controlled by mining entrepreneur Robert Friedland's Ivanhoe Industries, LLC, are pleased announce that Cordoba has been named to the 2017 OTCQX Best 50 a ranking of top performing companies traded on the OTCQX Best Market last year. The OTCQX Best 50 is an annual ranking of the top 50 U.S. and international companies traded on the OTCQX market. The ranking is calculated based on an equal weighting of one-year total return and average daily dollar volume growth in the previous calendar year. Mario Stifano, President and CEO of Cordoba, commented: "Cordoba being named the best performing company on the OTCQX Best 50 is a testament to the outstanding discovery success that we enjoyed last year at the San Matias Copper-Gold Project in Colombia. Together with our partner HPX, we believe that we are extremely well positioned to accelerate the pace of our drilling and deliver even better exploration results in 2017." About the OTCQX Best Market The OTCQX Best Market offers transparent and efficient trading of established, investor-focused U.S. and global companies. To qualify for the OTCQX market, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, demonstrate compliance with U.S. securities laws and have a professional third-party sponsor introduction. The companies found on OTCQX are distinguished by the integrity of their operations and diligence with which they convey their qualifications. About High Power Exploration (HPX) HPX is a privately owned, metals-focused exploration company deploying proprietary in-house geophysical technologies to rapidly evaluate buried geophysical targets. The HPX technology cluster comprises geological and geophysical systems for targeting, modelling, survey optimization, acquisition, processing and interpretation. HPX has a highly experienced board and management team led by Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Friedland, President Eric Finlayson, a former head of exploration at Rio Tinto, and co-chaired by Ian Cockerill, a former Chief Executive Officer of Gold Fields Ltd. For further information, please visit www.hpxploration.com. About Cordoba Minerals Cordoba Minerals Corp. is a Toronto-based mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and acquisition of copper and gold projects in Colombia. Cordoba has a joint venture with High Power Exploration on the highly prospective, district-scale San Matias Copper-Gold Project located at sea level with excellent infrastructure and near operating open-pit mines in the Department of Cordoba. For further information, please visit www.cordobaminerals.com. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY Mario Stifano, President and CEO Cordoba Minerals Corp. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Cordoba Minerals Corp. Mario Stifano President and CEO info@cordobamineralscorp.com www.cordobaminerals.com OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. ("Cornerstone" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: CGP)(FRANKFURT: GWN)(BERLIN: GWN)(OTCBB: CTNXF) announces the following project update for the Cascabel copper-gold porphyry joint venture exploration project in northern Ecuador, in which the Company has a 15% interest financed through to completion of a feasibility study. SolGold Plc is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project. Figures, table and photographs referred to in this news release can be seen in PDF format by accessing the version of this release on the Company's website (www.cornerstoneresources.com) or by clicking on the link below: http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/i/pdf/NR17-03Figures.pdf. HIGHLIGHTS: -- Drill hole 18 assay results return 664m (true width 398m(1)) grading 0.70 % copper, and 0.77 g/t gold (1.39% CuEq(2)) from 904m, within a broader mineralized halo of 1204m (true width 722m) grading at 0.46 % copper and 0.47 g/t gold (0.88% CuEq) from 466m at the growing Alpala deposit, at 0.3% Cu cutoff. -- Hole 19 terminated at 1632.52m on January 21, 2017 and samples at laboratory. -- Drilling focus moving towards Alpala south-east and Hematite Hill high temperature, bornite rich zones. -- Hole 20R continuing at 1310m. -- Holes 21 & 22 commenced and at 289m and 249m respectively. -- Two additional rigs to arrive in February. (1) Estimates have been made in defining true widths due to insufficient drilling in the outer limits of the currently known extension of the Alpala deposit and drill results not having been fully interpreted. These estimates may change as more drilling is completed and results continue to be processed. (2) Copper Equivalent (CuEq) calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.89, with copper price of US$2.20/lb and gold price of US$1,350/oz. FURTHER INFORMATION: The Cascabel Project is located within the gold-rich northern section of the prolific Andean Copper belt renowned as the production base for nearly half of the world's copper (Figure 1). The project area hosts mineralization of Eocene age, the same age as numerous Tier 1 deposits along the Andean Copper Belt in Chile and Peru to the south. The project base is located at Rocafuerte, in northwestern Ecuador just west of the City of Ibarra, approximately 3 hours drive north of Quito and close to water, power supply and Pacific Ports (Figure 2). SolGold holds an 85% interest in ENSA (Exploraciones Novomining S.A.) which holds the Cascabel concession. Fourteen different targets have been defined at Cascabel and only one of these, the Alpala Deposit has been drilled to date (Figure 3). The deposit at Alpala continues to grow with each new drill hole. Drilling has focussed on defining the geometry of the Alpala deposit, which is open in all directions. 29,000m of drilling has been completed to date (Figure 4). Drill Hole CSD-16-018 ("Hole 18") was terminated at a depth of 2216.75m, on January 17, 2017. To date only assay results from 0m to 1794m of Hole 18 have been received. Assay results for the remainder of the hole are pending. Hole 18 is interpreted to have drilled out of the south-west side of the deposit at approximately 1670m depth. Hole 18 intersected copper and gold mineralization over an interval of 1204m from 466m depth. This interval is characterized by 112m long upper zone of mineralization from 548m to 660m, and a 664m long lower zone of mineralization from 904m to 1568m, separated by a late stage lower grade dyke intersected from 660m to 904m. Highlights from the assay results received from Hole 18 are shown below in Table 1. To view Table 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1084672_table1.jpg Table 1: Drilling Results from Hole 18 (CSD-16-018) at Alpala. The results of all 18 holes drilled and assayed can be seen in the Table in the Figures. Following geological review and updated modelling, SolGold is focussing on the Alpala south-east and Hematite Hill zones, covering a further 750m of strike, or double the existing strike of the Alpala zone. Drilling on Rig 1 continues with Hole 22, which is at a current depth of 249m. Hole 22 will test for shallower extensions above recent mineralization encountered in Hole 19. Rig 2 was moved to Hematite Hill drill site for Hole 21, which is at a current depth of 289m. Hole 21 is testing southeast extensions of the Alpala deposit. The high-grade core of the Alpala deposit, remains open southeast and below Hole 16, which returned an encouraging 856 metres grading at 0.80 % copper and 1.04 g/t gold. Rig 3 continues deepening Hole 20R, which is at a current depth of 1300.5m. Updates on the progress of current holes 20R, 21, and 22 will be provided in the coming weeks. SolGold is awaiting the arrival of two additional rigs in February to focus on drilling to define the extent of the Alpala system, prior to an optimized maiden resource statement. About Cascabel: SolGold Plc owns 85% of the equity of Exploraciones Novomining S.A. ("ENSA"), an Ecuadorean company that holds 100% of the Cascabel concession in northern Ecuador. Cornerstone owns the remaining 15% of ENSA. SolGold is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project. Cornerstone's 15% interest is financed through completion of a feasibility study. Cascabel is located in northwestern Ecuador in an under-explored northern section of the Andean Copper Belt, 60 km northeast of the undeveloped inferred resource of 982 million tons at 0.89% Cu Llurimaga (formerly Junin) copper project (0.4% Cu cut-off grade; Micon International Co. Ltd. Technical Report for Ascendant Exploration SA, August 20, 2004, pages 28 & 29). Mineralization identified at the Llurimaga copper project is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the Cascabel Property. Plans: To date SolGold has completed geological mapping and soil sampling over 25 km2, along with and an additional 9km2 of Induced Polarisation and 14km2 Magnetotelluric "Orion" surveys over the Alpala cluster and Aguinaga targets. SolGold has completed 29,000m of drilling and expended over USD 39M on the program, corporate costs and investments into Cornerstone. Intense diamond drilling is planned for the next 12 months with multiple drill rigs. The Alpala deposit is open at depth and in the upper extensions, as well as to the north, north-east, south-east and south-west. The mineralized zone at Alpala and Moran is closely modelled by magnetic signatures and currently encompasses over 10Bt of magnetic rock expected to be mineralized with copper and gold. SolGold is focussing on extending the dimensions of Alpala before completing a resource statement and drill testing the other key targets within the Cascabel concession at Alpala Southeast, Aguinaga, Trivino, Moran, Alpala Northwest, Hematite Hill, Cristal, Parambas, Carmen, Tandayama-America and Chinambicito. SolGold is planning further metallurgical testing and completion of a conceptual early stage mine and plant design and a scoping study (which may not be the equivalent of a National Instrument 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment) for an economic development at Cascabel. SolGold is investigating both high tonnage / low-medium grade open cut and underground block caving operations, and a high grade / low tonnage underground development. Qualified Person: Yvan Crepeau, MBA, P.Geo., Cornerstone's Vice President, Exploration and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Cascabel project for Cornerstone and has reviewed and approved the information contained in this news release. Logging, sampling and assaying Holes referred to in this release were or are being drilled using HTW, NTW, NQ and BQ core sizes (respectively 7.1, 5.6, 4.8 and 3.7 cm diameter). Geotechnical measurements such as core recovery, fracturing, rock quality designations (RQD's), specific density and photographic logging are performed systematically prior to assaying. The core is logged, magnetic susceptibility measured and key alteration minerals identified using an on-site portable spectrometer. Core is then sawed in half at the ENSA core logging facility, and half of the core is delivered by ENSA employees for preparation at LAC y Asociados ISO 9001-2008 certified sample preparation facility in Cuenca. Core samples are prepared crushing to 70% passing 2 mm (10 mesh), splitting 250 g and pulverizing to 85% passing 75 microns (200 mesh) (MSA code PRP-910). Prepared samples are then shipped to MS Analytical Services (MSA), an ISO 9001-2008 laboratory in Langley, BC, Canada where samples are assayed for a multi-element suite (MSA code IMS-230, 0.2g split, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish). Over limit results for Cu (greater than 1%) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code ICF-6Cu, 0.2 g, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES finish). Gold is assayed using a 30 g split, Fire Assay (FA) and AAS finish (MSA code FAS 111). Over limit results for Au (greater than 10 g/t) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code FAS-415, FA, 30g., gravimetric finish). Drill hole intercepts from the Cascabel Property are calculated using a data aggregation method, defined by copper equivalent cut-off grades and reported with up to 10m internal dilution, excluding bridging to a single sample. Copper equivalent grades are calculated using a gold conversion factor of 0.89, determined using copper price of US$2.20/pound and gold price of US$1350/ounce. Copper equivalent calculation assumes 100% recoveries of copper and gold. All reported drill core intervals from the Cascabel Property are core lengths, unless otherwise indicated. At present the true thicknesses of all of the holes has not been calculated by SolGold. Low-grade intersections, where applicable, are expressed as average true widths (utilizing the "B-vein greater than 0.5%" shell orientations). High-grade intersections are better constrained for holes 1, 5, 8 and 9, and these intersections are also expressed as average true widths (utilizing the "B-veins greater than 20%" shell orientations). Quality assurance / Quality control (QA/QC) The MSA Analytical Laboratory is a qualified assayer that performs and makes available internal assaying controls. Duplicates, certified blanks and standards are systematically used (1 control sample every 15-20 samples). Rejects, a 100 g pulp for each core sample and the remaining half-core are stored for future use and controls. About Cornerstone: Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a well funded mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, and a proven ability to identify, acquire and advance properties of merit. The company's business model is based on generating exploration projects whose subsequent development is funded primarily through partnerships. Further information is available on Cornerstone's website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter. Cautionary Notice: This news release may contain 'Forward-Looking Statements' that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone's plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words "potential," "anticipate," "forecast," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "may," "project," "plan," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify 'Forward-Looking Statements.' Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these 'Forward-Looking Statements' are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views subsequent to the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements. On Behalf of the Board, Brooke Macdonald, President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations: Mario Drolet Email: Mario@mi3.ca Tel. (514) 904-1333 MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Further to its January 23rd press release, Orbite Technologies Inc. (TSX: ORT)(OTCQX: EORBF) ("Orbite" or the "Company") today informs that the calcination system at its high purity alumina ("HPA") plant is presently in temperature ramp up mode to operational conditions for the continued production of HPA. "We are pleased to be restarting production operations towards commercial production at our HPA plant," stated Glenn Kelly, CEO of Orbite. "The results achieved to date are very encouraging, and we look forward to expanding our production and commercial activities in the HPA space." About Orbite Orbite Technologies Inc. is a Canadian cleantech company whose innovative and proprietary processes are expected to produce alumina and other high-value products, such as rare earth and rare metal oxides, at one of the lowest costs in the industry, and in a sustainable fashion, using feedstocks that include aluminous clay, kaolin, nepheline, bauxite, red mud, fly ash as well as serpentine residues from chrysotile processing sites. Orbite is currently in the process of finalizing its first commercial high-purity alumina (HPA) production plant in Cap-Chat, Quebec and has completed the basic engineering for a proposed smelter-grade alumina (SGA) production plant, which would use clay mined from its Grande-Vallee deposit. The Company's portfolio contains 16 intellectual property families, including 45 patents and 71 pending patent applications in 11 different countries and regions. The first intellectual property family is patented in Canada, USA, Australia, China, Japan and Russia. The Company also operates a state of the art technology development center in Laval, Quebec, where its technologies are developed and validated. Forward-looking statements Certain information contained in this document may include "forward-looking information". Without limiting the foregoing, the information and any forward-looking information may include statements regarding projects, costs, objectives and future returns of the Company or hypotheses underlying these items. In this document, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, such future performance will be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are based on information available at the time and/or the Company management's good-faith beliefs with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. These risks uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those described in the section of the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) entitled "Risk and Uncertainties" as filed on March 30, 2016 on SEDAR, including those under the headings "Recent increase in budgeted capital costs will require additional financing and may adversely impact our prospects", "We will need to raise capital to continue our growth" and "Development Goals and Time Frames". The Company does not intend, nor does it undertake, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements contained in this document to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. Contacts: NATIONAL Equicom Marc Lakmaaker External Investor Relations Consultant 416-848-1397 mlakmaaker@national.ca For Media Inquiries: NATIONAL Equicom Scott Anderson External Media Relations Consultant 416-586-1954 sanderson@national.ca LINCOLNSHIRE, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Camping World Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CWH) ("Camping World"), the nation's largest network of RV-centric retail locations, announced aggressive plans for expansion in the state of Idaho, with the proposed acquisition of the Nelson's RVs dealerships, with three locations in the greater Boise metropolitan market. Camping World currently operates two SuperCenters in the Meridian and Idaho Falls areas and with the acquisition of Nelson's RVs, is further expanding in the Boise metropolitan market with three new SuperCenters, including two in Boise and one in Caldwell, increasing our presence in Idaho to five Camping World locations. "We continue to seek acquisitions to leverage the progression of our brand and to provide a superior experience to customers across the country," said Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Camping World and Good Sam. "Tom Nelson and his team have served Idaho and Eastern Oregon with premier recreational vehicle services for over 33 years and we look forward to continuing their high standards of quality and service and solidifying our leading position in the state of Idaho." Brent Moody, Chief Operating Officer of Camping World and Good Sam commented, "The Nelson family exemplifies the core values that are synonymous with Camping World and the way we run our business, and these standards will remain and guide us as we look toward the future." Added Moody, "We will continue to operate the two Boise area locations as Nelson's RV locations while rebranding the Caldwell location as a Camping World RV SuperCenter as we pursue our expansion in the area. We look forward to working with the management team to continue their success and take the businesses to the next level." About Camping World Holdings, Inc. Camping World Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CWH) is the only provider of a comprehensive portfolio of services, protection plans, products and resources for recreational vehicle ("RV") enthusiasts. Through its two iconic brands, Camping World and Good Sam, the company offers new and used RVs for sale, vehicle service and maintenance along with more than 10,000 products and services through its retail locations and membership clubs. Good Sam branded offerings provide the industry's broadest and deepest range of services, protection plans, products and resources while the Camping World brand operates the largest national network of RV-centric retail locations in the United States with over 120 retail locations in 36 states and an e-commerce platform. With both brands founded in 1966, product and service offerings are based on 50 years of experience and customer feedback from RV enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.CampingWorld.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning Camping World and other matters. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "targets," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important 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 the forward-looking statements. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties that affect our business, including those described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our public announcements and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For Media Outlets: Contact Karen Porter Email Contact OAKVILLE, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. ("Saint Jean" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SJL) (OTCQB: TORVF), a carbon science company engaged in the design and build of green energy storage, green energy creation and green re-creation through carbon materials. The Company is pleased to announce that as of February 2nd 2017 Saint Jean Carbon will be trading on the OTCQB under the symbol TORVF. This allows the investor to trade the same shares on a different exchange. The Company has met the stringent requirements of the regulators. Saint Jean is not issuing more shares; the issued and outstanding shares will remain the same. The company will continue to be listed on the TSX.V under the symbol SJL. Paul Ogilvie, CEO, commented: "As we continue to look for global reach with our communications, admission to the premium OTCQB Venture is part of a long-term strategy to introduce the Company to a broader international audience. This provides us with a trading platform for current and future American investors as well as a means of increasing our international visibility." To access quotes visit: https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/TORVF/quote The OTCQB Venture Market is for entrepreneurial and development-stage U.S. and international companies. To be eligible, companies must be current in their financial reporting, pass a minimum bid price test and undergo an annual company verification and management certification process. The OTCQB quality standards provides a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors. About Saint Jean Carbon Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining and lithium claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jean's properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/ On behalf of the Board of Directors Saint Jean Carbon Inc., Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jean's business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "intends" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Transaction, including regulatory and shareholder approvals, if necessary, will be met. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Contacts: Saint Jean Carbon Inc. Email: info@saintjeancarbon.com Tel: (905) 844-1200 LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. (OTC PINK: PNOW), parent Company of the Central American-Caribbean Online Travel Agency (OTA) Oveedia and Numismatic Specialty Store (Meso Numismatics) announced today, that the Company will offer shareholders of a certain record date [to be determined], a special class of preferred shares -- convertible into common stock -- as a dividend for perceived lost value. "This will be a special type of preferred shares, intended to benefit all of our loyal shareholders," stated Melvin Pereira, President and CEO of Pure Hospitality Solutions. "This preferred share class will carry certain favorable convertible features and anti-dilutive features, which cannot be reversed in any type of capital restructuring. Management clearly acknowledges that during the time of its commitment to cleaning up the Company's debt, derivative liabilities and putting into place a sound business plan, our long-term shareholders may have experienced some "lost value." Given that the Company has now virtually eliminated all of the market toxicity and any associated liabilities when the Company redeemed the debt of 14 convertible notes, it is anticipated that with the increased productivity, expanded market visibility, and the strong strides in profitability PNOW is beginning to achieve, "our market will soon show signs of good health and increased confidence," continued Pereira. "Offering shareholders, a class of preferred shares isn't a gift, it's a responsibility to support our shareholders, like they've supported us. We anticipate that our market will soon show strong signs of improvement over the next 6 months to Year-End. Our revenues are growing daily. Our visibility is increasing daily. Our technologies are improving daily. And, most importantly, our business is producing daily. So, this preferred share dividend will help to assure the value sought by our long-term investors." About Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. PURE provides proprietary technology, marketing solutions and branding services to hotel operators and condominium owners. The Company's vision is to build competitive operations in the areas of (i) online marketing and hotel internet booking engine services, (ii) hotel branding and, (iii) own, operate and in some instances develop, boutique hotels under the new, "by PURE" brand. PURE is the creator of Oveedia, the Central American-Caribbean online travel hub. Related Links: Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Pinterest Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Facebook Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Twitter Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Google + Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. LinkedIn Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Investors Hangout Oveedia Google + Meso Numismatics Safe Harbor Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Company's customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact: Team PURE IR Div. (800) 889-9509 LONDON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Droit Financial Technologies ("Droit") is significantly increasing its investment in Europe. In addition to expanding the London office in January, the firm appointed Keith Tippell to run Sales and Business Development, among a series of hires planned for early this year. The investment in Europe comes alongside the completion of a MiFID 2 solution implementing cross asset MiFID 2 mandates within sales-trader voice and ecommerce trading systems. Droit has an increasing major bank client base, and the appointment of Tippell will help expand the firm's footprint across the entire spectrum of sell-side and buy-side financial institutions. Tippell joins from SWIFT, where he was Managing Director, Head of Securities and FX Markets. Prior to this, he spent eight years at Markit, where he was Managing Director, Product Management and Business Development in the MarkitSERV division. "Keith's appointment is key to our European expansion," said Satya Pemmaraju, CEO of Droit. "He has a keen understanding of the industry and market micro-structure, which are so fundamental to the value we provide to clients. His appointment is part of a string of London-based hires, as we look to help market participants deal efficiently with the trading and compliance challenges that MiFID 2 presents." "When Satya presented the opportunity, the decision was a simple one," said Tippell. "Droit is one of the most impressive regulatory technology firms in the world. Working in a complex, fast-paced environment with technology and a team that allows customers to take a holistic approach to regulatory compliance and optimization is tremendously exciting." Droit, the industry standard for complex, real-time, regulatory decision making, has onboarded a growing list of global financial institutions since its first live install in February 2014. Starting with Dodd-Frank, the platform currently implements more than 12 global regulatory regimes within real-time trading and compliance systems. The company was founded in 2012 by a team of veteran derivative traders, quants, ecommerce specialists and technologists with a mission to provide robust, enterprise infrastructure facilitating compliant and optimal trading of derivatives across asset classes, regulators, CCP's and execution platforms. Droit recently moved into new London offices at Austin Friars, following a $16 million Goldman Sachs-led Series A financing round in October last year. ABOUT DROIT Droit is a New York-based financial technology firm focused on providing enterprise solutions for OTC derivative trading processes. Its mission is to provide clients with robust, enterprise infrastructure facilitating compliant and optimal trading of derivatives across asset classes, regulators, CCP's and execution platforms. Droit's platform, ADEPT, unifies pre-trade decision making in the front-office and post-trade compliance analysis with a common infrastructure, data and logic. The firm was founded in 2012 by a team of veteran derivative traders, quants, ecommerce specialists and technologists with front-line experience and expertise with products, markets, regulations and systems. Droit has offices in New York City and London. For more visit www.droitfintech.com Companies must adjust to a more U.S.-centric administration, finds Frost & Sullivan's Visionary Innovation team SANTA CLARA, California, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --President Donald Trump's proposed policies will have significant implications for a range of industries and, indeed, the entire global economy. While many of his proposed policies on trade, the environment and healthcare may take time to implement, infrastructure and defense spending will give a short-term boost to the U.S. economy. If distributed widely, thus supporting both public and private projects, increased expenditures will create opportunities for smart and secure technology upgrades in both infrastructure and defense, paving the way for the next generation of travel, transport, broadband and utility delivery. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the ways in which spending, coupled with tax cuts, will impact mid-term economic growth, especially if Trump's proposed trade reforms lead to economic contraction. Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States is part of Frost & Sullivan's Visionary Innovation (Mega Trends) Growth Partnership Subscription. Frost & Sullivan has also created the New Populism Pendulum Custom Workshops. These are one-day consulting engagements with our industry experts and strategists. To preview our new analysis Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States please click here please To register your interest in our New Populism Pendulum Custom Workshops please go to https://goo.gl/NiW5Ii "Self-determination will play an increasingly important role in American culture over the next four years, with citizens, businesses, cities and states adjusting to the redirection of responsibilities away from the federal government," said Frost & Sullivan Visionary Innovation Senior Consultant Jillian Walker. "Decisions regarding income, investment and funding will become even more specific, personalized, and consequential, and there will be a greater need for consumer guidance." There will also be keener focus on automation technologies in manufacturing, with manufacturers finding a balance between controlling costs and expanding American operations. The sectors that will gain the most from proposed deregulation include energy and financial services. "In terms of consumers, we expect connected delivery models for education, healthcare and financial services to accelerate, meeting greater consumer demand for a wider range of convenient, affordable, and on-demand alternatives," noted Walker. Trade, especially, is under a cloud of uncertainty, causing businesses to reassess their supply chains and long-term investment strategies. Companies are also adapting to Trump's use of social media, and they will increasingly deploy proactive strategies emphasizing their commitment to America. "In terms of foreign policy, Trump has begun his administration with a much friendlier attitude toward Russia, and there is a strong possibility that the U.S. will lift its sanctions on the country," noted Walker. "U.S. relations with both Mexico and China will be strained in the first few months of Trump's presidency. It is evident that Mexico will be hit the worst, as American manufacturers are already reconsidering expanding capital investments in the country." Overall, Trump's economic plan, his approach to trade, and his realignment with global powers could stimulate a short-term boom, but they could also lead to economic contraction over the mid-term if planned approaches do not yield anticipated results. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States K192-MT Contact: Francesca Valente Corporate Communications - Americas P: +54 11 4777 5300 F: +54 11 4777 5300 E: francesca.valente@frost.com http://www.frost.com Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464238/Frost_Sullivan.jpg VAL-D'OR, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Metanor Resources Inc. ("Metanor") (TSX VENTURE: MTO) is pleased to provide an update on its ongoing underground drilling program at the Bachelor Mine. Underground drilling from below level 14 continues to intersect the main vein at depth below the current ore body. The longitudinal section below shows the intercept and demonstrates the potential extension of the main vein at depth. Furthermore, 3 holes drilled west of a fault have also intersected the main vein at depth further defining what could prove to be a promising area for ongoing resource growth at the mine. Future drilling will continue to focus on these 2 areas at depth as the ramp progresses deeper. The drill hole results are presented in the table below: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- from to length Grade Au Hole No. (m) (m) (m)(i) (g/t) Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14-172 84.5 87.7 3.2 4.6 16-00-03 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-172 103.7 105.2 1.5 3.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-173 89.0 91.5 2.4 4.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-174 91.2 95.9 4.6 6.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-175 68.9 71.0 2.1 15.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-175 80.2 87.8 7.6 9.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14-176 78.7 82.3 3.6 11.9 16-00-01 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-177 72.4 76.2 3.8 6.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 14-178 62.6 64.7 2.2 8.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ((i)) Core length Quality Control and Reporting Protocols Metanor estimates that the mineralized intercepts true thicknesses are 55% to 70% of the drill core intercepts reported. Grades were capped at 31 g/t. The Company employs a rigorous, industry-standard, QA/QC program. The samples were assayed by fire-assay at the Metanor assay lab. Blanks, duplicates and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance. The quality control program of the assay results (QA/QC) adopted by Metanor includes a minimum of 10% of controlled assays being conducted as well as verification by an independent ALS-certified assay laboratory in Val-d'Or, Quebec. Results of the spot checks were consistent with those reported. About The Bachelor Mine The Bachelor mine extracts gold from a series of sub-vertical narrow veins using an underground long-hole mining method with access through conventional track drifts from a vertical shaft. The ore is processed on site in a mill using carbon in pulp to separate the gold from the ore. All the lodging facilities are on site, connected to the power grid, and accessible from a paved highway. Qualified Persons Pascal Hamelin, P. Eng., Vice-president of Operations, is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101, responsible for reviewing and approving the technical information contained in this news release. Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". The potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature as there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. All statements in this discussion, other than those of historical fact, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities and projected exploration, including costs and other estimates upon which such projections are based, and events or developments that the company expects, are considered forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the map associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/170102_MTO_Map.pdf Contacts: Metanor Resources Inc. Ronald Perry Vice-president 514-262-8286 rperry@metanor.ca Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $285 million in January 2017 at currency auctions organized by the Central Bank, SOFAZ said Feb. 2. In December 2016, SOFAZ sold $246 million at currency auctions, and in total, Azerbaijani banks bought nearly $4.92 billion from SOFAZ in 2016. The state oil fund will continue selling currency through auctions in 2017. The currency sale is carried out as part of SOFAZs transfers to the Azerbaijani state budget, which are envisaged in the volume of 6.1 billion manats for 2017. Helsinki, Finland, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --MUNKSJO OYJ, STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 2 February 2017 at 15:00CET Helsinki, Finland This stock exchange release may not be published or distributed, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Japan or any other country where such publication or distribution would violate applicable laws or rules or would require additional documents to be completed or registered or require any measure to be undertaken, in addition to the requirements under Finnish law. For further information, see "Important notice" below. Supplement to the merger prospectus Munksjo Oyj ("Munksjo") has supplemented the merger prospectus dated December 16, 2016. The Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority has on February 2, 2017 approved the supplement to the merger prospectus, which relates to the publication by Ahlstrom Corporation of its financial statements release 2016 on January 27, 2017. The Finnish language merger prospectus and the supplement to the Finnish language merger prospectus are available on the internet at www.munksjo.com/ahlstrommunksjo/fin and www.ahlstrom.com/fi/Sijoittajat/ ahlstromin-ja-munksjon-yhdistyminen as well as at the registered office of Munksjo at Etelaesplanadi 14, FI-00130 Helsinki, Finland, and at the registered office of Ahlstrom Corporation at Alvar Aallon katu 3 C, FI-00100 Helsinki, Finland. The English language merger prospectus, the supplement to the English language merger prospectus and the supplemented Swedish language summary are available on the internet at www.munksjo.com/ahlstrommunksjo and www.ahlstrom.com/en/Investors/ahlstrommunksjo-combination/. Munksjo Oyj For further information, please contact Anna Selberg, SVP Communications, tel. +46 703 23 10 32 Laura Lindholm, Head of Investor Relations, tel. +46 72703 63 36 IMPORTANT NOTICE The distribution of this release may be restricted by law and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. The information contained herein is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa or Japan. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This release is not directed to, and is not intended for distribution to or use by, any person or entity that is a citizen or resident or located in any locality, state, country or other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would require any registration or licensing within such jurisdiction. This release does not constitute a notice to an extraordinary general meeting or a merger prospectus and as such, does not constitute or form part of and should not be construed as, an offer to sell, or the solicitation or invitation of any offer to buy, acquire or subscribe for, any securities or an inducement to enter into investment activity. Any decision with respect to the proposed statutory absorption merger of Ahlstrom Corporation ("Ahlstrom") into Munksjo (the "Merger") should be made solely on the basis of information contained in the actual notices to the extraordinary general meeting of Munksjo and Ahlstrom, as applicable, the merger prospectus and the supplement to the merger prospectus related to the Merger as well as on an independent analysis of the information contained therein. You should consult the merger prospectus and the supplement to the merger prospectus for more complete information about Munksjo, Ahlstrom, their respective subsidiaries, their respective securities and the Merger. No part of this release, nor the fact of its distribution, should form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment or investment decision whatsoever. The information contained in this release has not been independently verified. No representation, warranty or undertaking, expressed or implied, is made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information or the opinions contained herein. Neither Munksjo nor Ahlstrom, nor any of their respective affiliates, advisors or representatives or any other person, shall have any liability whatsoever (in negligence or otherwise) for any loss however arising from any use of this release or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with this release. Each person must rely on their own examination and analysis of Munksjo, Ahlstrom, their respective subsidiaries, their respective securities and the Merger, including the merits and risks involved. This release includes "forward-looking statements." These statements may not be based on historical facts, but are statements about future expectations. When used in this release, the words "aims," "anticipates," "assumes," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions as they relate to Munksjo, Ahlstrom, the Merger or the combination of the business operations of Munksjo and Ahlstrom identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Other forward-looking statements can be identified in the context in which the statements are made. Forward-looking statements are set forth in a number of places in this release, including wherever this release include information on the future results, plans and expectations with regard to the combined company's business, including its strategic plans and plans on growth and profitability, and the general economic conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on present plans, estimates, projections and expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on certain expectations, which, even though they seem to be reasonable at present, may turn out to be incorrect. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Shareholders should not rely on these forward-looking statements. Numerous factors may cause the actual results of operations or financial condition of the combined company to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Neither Munksjo nor Ahlstrom, nor any of their respective affiliates, advisors or representatives or any other person undertakes any obligation to review or confirm or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. This release includes estimates relating to the cost synergy benefits expected to arise from the Merger and the combination of the business operations of Munksjo and Ahlstrom as well as the related integration costs, which have been prepared by Munksjo and Ahlstrom and are based on a number of assumptions and judgments. Such estimates present the expected future impact of the Merger and the combination of the business operations of Munksjo and Ahlstrom on the combined company's business, financial condition and results of operations. The assumptions relating to the estimated cost synergy benefits and related integration costs are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic, and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual cost synergy benefits from the Merger and the combination of the business operations of Munksjo and Ahlstrom, if any, and related integration costs to differ materially from the estimates in this release. Further, there can be no certainty that the Merger will be completed in the manner and timeframe described in this release, or at all. Notice to Shareholders in the United States The new shares in Munksjo have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under any of the applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The new shares in Munksjo may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act), unless registered under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable state securities laws of the United States. The new shares in Munksjo will be offered in the United States in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Rule 802 thereunder. Munksjo and Ahlstrom are Finnish companies. Information distributed in connection with the Merger and the related shareholder votes is subject to disclosure requirements of Finland, which are different from those of the United States. The financial information included in this release has been prepared in accordance with accounting standards in Finland, which may not be comparable to the financial statements or financial information of United States companies. It may be difficult for Ahlstrom's shareholders to enforce their rights and any claim they may have arising under the U.S. federal securities laws in respect of the Merger, since Munksjo and Ahlstrom are located in non-U.S. jurisdictions, and all of their officers and directors are residents of non-U.S. jurisdictions. Ahlstrom's shareholders may not be able to sue Munksjo or Ahlstrom or their officers or directors in a court in Finland for violations of the U.S. securities laws. It may be difficult to compel Munksjo and Ahlstrom and their affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/munksjo/r/supplement-to-the-merger-prospectus,c2179471 DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- New IoT research from Parks Associates shows that 7% of U.S. broadband households own smart light bulbs. The firm notes that while smart thermostats are the most popular single energy-based smart home device (11%), smart light bulbs encourage more multiple purchases. Owners of these devices have an average number of 2.4, compared to approximately one device per smart thermostat household. The international firm and other key industry leaders in the smart home, energy, and IoT spaces will examine strategies for utilities to leverage these smart home devices to benefit the grid and develop compelling value propositions for their customers at the eighth-annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, February 20-22, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. "Creating a mass market for energy management is challenging, but there is a vital role for energy within the smart home," said Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates. "Consumers can benefit from a number of engaging products that provide cost savings, appliance monitoring, and smart lighting that can change color to set a mood in different rooms throughout the house. Speakers at Smart Energy Summit will share insights on their experiences selling IoT solutions to consumers." "If you are looking for ways to enhance the customer experience, this is a must-attend conference -- great speakers, insightful research, and innovative ideas -- all focused on engaging energy consumers in mutually beneficial ways," said Deborah Kimberly, VP, Customer Energy Solutions, Austin Energy. "The Smart Energy Summit is an excellent event for us to keep a finger on the pulse of how utilities are engaging consumers and how Bidgely disaggregation technology can help empower those efforts," said Leesa Lee, VP Marketing, Bidgely. "We believe solar energy is a key component of a smart home," said Jeremy Warren, CTO of Vivint Smart Home. "Combining rooftop solar power with smart learning capabilities will help homeowners manage energy and save money, which enhances their smart home experience." The Smart Energy Summit agenda features keynotes, presentations, and speaker panels from experts in energy management, with discussions on new technologies and consumer research. Parks Associates will also host a pre-conference research workshop, "Utilities and Consumer Engagement Strategies," on Monday, February 20, 1:00-5:00 p.m. At the workshop, industry expert Kenneth Wacks will share his insights on interoperability (making everything work together). "For too long, interoperability has been a stated goal but in reality rarely crosses application domains. I have personally wrestled with interoperability failures because manufacturers focused on products rather than systems. This must change in order to achieve a mass market for integrated home systems." The following speakers will participate in the Smart Energy Summit: KEYNOTES/KEY SPEAKERS Kevin Butt, General Manager, Environmental, Toyota Motor North America Abigail Daken, ENERGY STAR Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Irene Dimitry, Vice President, Business Planning and Development, DTE Energy Manoj Kumar, CEO, Powerley Sudeep Maitra, Global Director of Strategy and Development, Centrica Connected Home Ann McCabe, Consultant; Former Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission SPEAKERS Amena Ali, Chief Revenue Officer, Whisker Labs Siva Ayer, Head of Smart Controls, Carrier Scott Baker, Sr. Business Solutions Analyst, PJM Benjamin Brown, Senior Product Manager, Google Home Lead for Apps & Connectivity, Google Bryan Christiansen, Chief Operating Officer, Vivint Solar Amy Kight Costadone, Manager, Data Governance and Products, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Mark Cosby, Director - Business Development, Westar Energy Nancy Cronin, Managing Partner, ipCapital Group, Inc. Eric Danziger, Co-founder and Vice President, Genability Tanuj Deora, Chief Strategy Officer, SEPA (Smart Electric Power Alliance) Mauro Dresti, Senior Manager, Demonstrations & Pilots: Product Development & Division Management, Southern California Edison (SCE) John Floyd, Energy Efficiency & Renewables Manager, Gulf Power, a Southern Company Seth Frader-Thompson, President, EnergyHub, Inc. Jordan Fruge, Chief Marketing Officer, Sunnova Bruce Germano, Vice President, Enterprise development and Operations, Jasmine Universe, LLC Jeff Hamel, Head of North American Energy Partnerships, Nest Labs Brendan Hanna, Head of Technology Innovation, National Grid Cullen Hay, General Manager, U.S. Energy, Direct Energy Daniel Herscovici, SVP & GM, Xfinity Home, Comcast Cable Dr. Marissa Hummon, Senior Energy Scientist, Tendril Deborah Kimberly, VP, Customer Energy Solutions, Austin Energy Leesa Lee, VP Marketing, Bidgely Olaf Lohr, Director of Business Development, Sonnen, Inc. Stuart Lombard, Founder & CEO, ecobee Nathan Mancha, Director of Demand Response, EDF Energy Services, LLC Bob Marshall, CEO, Whisker Labs Derek Mauzy, Principal, Innovation and Competitive Intelligence, Reliant/NRG Matt McCaffree, Senior Director, Regulatory Strategy, Comverge, Inc. David Meyers, CCO, Grid4C Claire Miziolek, Market Strategies Program Manager, NEEP (Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships) Rob Munin, President and CEO, LUX Products Michael Murray, President, Mission:data Coalition Erik Norwood, CEO, Curb Inc. Derek Okada, Senior Manager, Policy & Planning, Southern California Edison (SCE) Jorge Perdomo, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Development, MivaTek Roy Perry, VP, Alarm.com Gregg C. Sayre, Commissioner, New York State Public Service Commission; NYRev Kevin Schwain, Director of Program Strategy & Development, Xcel Energy Jason Sears, Senior Lead, Solar Strategy and Development, Green Mountain Energy, a NRG company Ingmar Sterzing, VP Power Supply and Energy Services, Pedernales Electric Cooperative Dr. Kenneth Wacks, President, Home, Building & Utility Systems Gene Wang, CEO and Co-founder, People Power Jeremy Warren, Chief Technology Officer, Vivint Smart Home Paul Wattles, Sr. Analyst, Market Design & Development, ERCOT Ilen Zazueta-Hall, Director of Product Management, Enphase Energy Conference sponsors include People Power Company, Austin Energy, Bidgely, Carrier, ecobee, EnergyHub, Hampton Products International, Honeywell, Powerley, Trusource Labs, UtilityShield, The Weather Company, Whisker Labs, Xively, Grid4C, ipCapital Group, MivaTek, and State Farm. Conference supporters include ACEEE, Advanced Energy Economy, Internet of Things Consortium, AltEnergyMag.com, Antenna, B2 Group, CIOReview, Conference Guru, Engerati, Green Button Alliance, HomeGrid Forum, Hometoys, IoT Today, ISE Magazine, Israeli Smart Energy Association, KNXtoday, LonMark International, Mission Data, NEEP, oneM2M, OpenADR Alliance, Open Connectivity Foundation, POWERGRID International, Smart Energy Journal, Smart Grid Spain, Smart Grid Today, TD The Market Publishers, TelcoProfessionals, TREIA, USNAP Alliance, Utility Dive, Utility Post, Wi-Fi Alliance, and WSNBuzz.com. Parks Associates is accepting press pass requests for Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer at http://www.parksassociates.com/ses-presspass. More information about the Smart Energy Summit is available at www.SES2017.com. To speak with an analyst or request specific research data, contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com or 720-987-6614. About Smart Energy Summit Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer examines new cross-industry opportunities in the expanding market for energy solutions, including connected devices, energy management, utility services, and home control platforms and services, as they evolve within the smart home and consumer-based Internet of Things. Smart Energy Summit focuses particularly on the challenge of engaging consumers with energy-related solutions. Research analysts, thought leaders, and industry executives present and discuss business strategies, case studies, partnership opportunities, and consumer research that utilities, service providers, retailers, and manufacturers can use to expand and monetize their energy offerings. The eighth-annual Smart Energy Summit will take place February 20-22, 2017, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas. The summit agenda features leaders from utilities, state and national regulators, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs. Follow the event on Twitter at @SmartEnergySmt and SmartEnergy17 and on the Smart Energy Insights Blog. For information on speaking, sponsoring, or attending Smart Energy Summit, visit www.ses2017.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3105383 Holly Sprague Parks Associates 720.987.6614 hsprague@gmail.com MIAMI, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Amazonas Florestal, Ltd. (www.azflusa.com) (OTC PINK: AZFL), a natural resources company dedicated to innovative, sustainable forest management, the certification and sales of carbon credits, and Industrial Hemp, today announced that the company has filed its Annual List with the State of Nevada naming Peter W Stebbins as C.E.O. and company accountants have submitted and posted the pending Q3 Quarterly Report, Financials and OTC Disclosures for 09.30.2016 making the company compliant with its disclosure responsibilities. The Company now remains on schedule to file its S1 Registration no later than April, 30th, 2017. The company will now move forward with the activation and implementation of its Business Plans for 2017 beginning with the restructuring of its Colorado subsidiary Amazonas Hemp Ltd, which will change its name and now be known as Amazon Hemp Ltd. The Colorado subsidiary has achieved funding to complete the economic requirements for the Colorado Hemp project and will proceed to lease a substantial amount of rural land to plant, cultivate and develop a market for Industrial Hemp products with focus on the production of CBD Oil and the formulation of its own product lines. Peter W. Stebbins, Chief Executive Officer of Amazonas Florestal Ltd. commented, "The completion of the Q3 and return to compliancy with OTC Markets is outstanding news for our company and its shareholders. We are aggressively focused on moving AZFL in a positive direction. In addition, Company accountants are now working to complete the Audits pending to date along with our 2016 10-K Annual Report and Audits." Stebbins continued, "We are planning on setting up operations in Colorado this year with people we have currently on the ground there. Our shareholders will also be pleased to know that Amazon Hemp will plant 100 acres of Industrial CBD Hemp this year and news reports will follow in the coming weeks as the project progresses." About Amazonas Florestal Ltd. Amazonas Florestal Ltd. is a natural resources company dedicated to innovative, sustainable management of large tracts of land in the rainforests of Amazonas, Brazil, that include the certification and sale of carbon credits and the growth, harvesting, research and development of Industrial Hemp and related products in the U.S. Headquartered in Miami, FL, Amazonas's goal is to become a leader in sustainable forest management and preservation, creating revenue while protecting the biodiversity of the rainforest ecosystem and enhancing the lives of the people who live in it. Through a strategy of selective harvesting, certification and sale of carbon, biomass and biofuel production, and conservation incentives, Amazonas Florestal Ltd. intends to help protect one of the world's greatest natural resources and show how its preservation can be a profitable activity. Visit the Company at: www.azflusa.com Forward Looking Statements Forward-looking statements in this release regarding Amazonas Florestal Ltd. are made pursuant to the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, continued acceptance of the Company's products, increased levels of competition, new products and technological changes, the Company's dependence upon third-party suppliers, intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Amazonas Florestal Ltd Email: info@azflusa.com Web: www.azflusa.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Note to Editors: There is a photo associated with this press release. Cogeco Peer 1, a global provider of enterprise IT products and services, today announced the appointment of Cynthia Jordan-Ford to the role of Vice President and General Manager, U.S. and Latin America (LATAM). Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Cynthia will be responsible for the tactical and strategic direction of the organization in the United States and Latin American regions, overseeing operations and driving revenue growth. Cynthia brings over 25 years of experience in IT sales and service leadership to the role, having held positions with Xerox, Sprint, AT&T, Savvis (CenturyLink), and Virtustream. This experience, paired with her drive to inspire innovation and enhance collaboration across organizational functions, promises a spirited and focused perspective to the position. "We have appointed Cynthia to this role to inspire new levels of innovation and performance and strengthen regional collaboration. Cynthia's depth of knowledge within the information and communications technology sector and her successful track record make her an exceptional fit for this role and ensure that Cogeco Peer 1 will promote meaningful customer experiences in the region and beyond," said Philippe Jette, President of Cogeco Peer 1. "Cogeco Peer 1 is unique and I was drawn to its diversity and place in the market. I am looking forward to working with the team to enhance profitability and further drive a culture that embraces innovation and cooperation to ultimately deliver exceptional experiences for our customers," said Cynthia Jordan-Ford, Vice President and GM, U.S. and LATAM, Cogeco Peer 1. Cynthia has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from the National Louis University in Chicago. ABOUT COGECO PEER 1 Cogeco Peer 1 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cogeco Communications Inc. (TSX: CCA) and is a global provider of essential business-to-business products and services, such as colocation, network connectivity, hosting, cloud and managed services that allow customers across Canada, Mexico, the United States and Western Europe to focus on their core business. With 16 data centers, extensive FastFiber Network and more than 50 points of presence in North America and Europe combined, Cogeco Peer 1 is a trusted partner to businesses small, medium and large, providing the ability to access, move, manage and store mission-critical data worldwide, backed by superior customer support. To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170202-1084693_200.jpg Contacts: Information and Interview Requests: Shawna Gee Director, Communications and PR (416) 903-2025 shawna.gee@cogecopeer1.com PARIS, FRANCE -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Symphony GOLD, provider of the GOLD unified software platform for omni-channel retail, today announced that leading grocery discounter DIA has selected the GOLD Store and Category Space Optimisation solutions. This will enable the retailer to better manage shelf space throughout its network of locations and different formats across Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina and China. Offering a total of 8,500 items to more than 40 million customers, DIA operates 7,700 plus stores (proprietary and franchise stores), under different store formats, including DIA Market, DIA Maxi, Clarel, La Plaza de DIA, Fresh by Dia, El Arbol and Minipreco. The DIA mission is to deliver stores that are close to shoppers and that provide a broad range of products at unbeatable prices. Its stores are differentiated from those of hard discounters with their quality selection of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat; private label brands; and quality health and beauty items. As DIA stores are updated to provide clearer category zoning and open lines of sight to create a warmer environment, GOLD will help the retailer determine the best use of shelf space across multiple store sizes, formats and layouts, as well as maximize global performance of all categories. By automating the production of cluster specific planograms, DIA will increase speed to market across all of its operations. "With multiple store formats across five different countries, DIA is addressing shopper expectations by ensuring each category is customer relevant and implemented correctly at the store level," said Mercedes Idoate Huarte, International Sales Director, DIA. "GOLD helps us optimize space performance down to individual products and categories at store level, and will enable HQ and stores to connect to ensure relevant plans are in place to increase shopper satisfaction and return of investment." "DIA are experiencing solid growth and needed a space planning and optimisation platform to support their multiple store formats and various layouts," said Graeme Cooksley, CEO & President, Symphony GOLD. "Deploying Symphony GOLD will enable DIA to more effectively manage their shelf space across Europe, South America and Asia and provide them with a scalable platform for future expansion." Multimedia and Resources Find out more about Symphony GOLD Store and Category Space Optimization. About Symphony GOLD Symphony GOLD, provider of the industry-leading GOLD unified software platform for omni-channel retail, helps high volume and CPG retailers grow revenue and margins through localized, space-aware assortments and pricing, improved inventory deployment and availability, and increased operational productivity. Symphony GOLD has delivered results for some of the world's most known retail brands and consumer goods manufacturers for almost 30 years in over 70 countries, enabling them to provide their shoppers with better value, greater convenience and improved choice. More at www.symphonygold.com follow us on twitter @GOLDretail Symphony GOLD solutions help power the Symphony Retail Cloud, the industry's first role-based, customer-centric cloud solution that enables retailers and manufacturers to deliver more than two percent revenue growth by translating customer intelligence into insights and actions that drive bottom-line decisions. More at www.symphonyretailcloud.com Press Contact: For further media information contact: Symphony GOLD Joan Geoghegan Email Contact 978-371-3921 AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - February 02, 2017) - A diverse group of more than 200 local legislators, advocates, students, and faith leaders convened this week to learn more about the juvenile justice system and to demonstrate their support and solidarity for efforts to "Raise the Age" of juvenile jurisdiction in Texas. The "Raise the Age" effort, which helps keep kids out of adult jails and prisons, would increase the age of adult facility incarceration from 17 to 18. On Monday, approximately 200 supporters rallied at the State Capitol in Austin, Texas for "Raise the Age Day," in an effort to raise awareness for the policy. Hosted by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) -- a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that helps advance solutions that transform the adult and youth justice systems -- "Raise the Age Day" provided an opportunity for students, legislators, and youth advocates to discuss the importance and impact of raising the age, which will ensure that youth do not end up in adult prisons and reduce later incidents of re-offending. Students had the opportunity to meet with Capitol staff and legislators to discuss what raising the age would mean for them, as well as participate in a press conference on the Capitol steps, where Senior Vice President of Community Engagement and Education for Goodwill, Traci Berry; State Representative, Gene Wu; Policy Associate and Caucus Coordinator for Prison Fellowship, Kate Trammell; former CEO and President of the Texas Association of Business / President of consulting firm Bill Hammond and Associates, Bill Hammond; Deputy Director for the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Right on Crime Campaign, Derek Cohen; and 17-year-old student, Gretchen Smith spoke about the positive impact that raising the age will have on our youth and community. "Youth advocates, law enforcement officials, and parents all agree that the adult justice system is no place for a 17-year-old," said Elizabeth Henneke, Policy Attorney at TCJC. "Treating adolescents as adults in the criminal system is extremely short-sighted and ineffective. 'Raising the Age' is a common sense approach that would make our communities safer, protect parental rights, and keep youth out of dangerous mental and physical conditions inside adult facilities." On Wednesday, a coalition of faith leaders and advocates announced their support for the "Raise the Age" legislation during a press conference at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas, adding their names to the growing list of supporters throughout the state. The faith leader coalition represents approximately 70 members of various denominations, all of whom are pushing Texas leadership to protect Texas youth. "We must act now to raise the age in Texas," said Bishop James Dixon of the Community of Faith Church. "Our legislators must realize that a failure to act this legislative session will leave behind a legacy of injustice." "This is an issue of moral and spiritual significance, because it is a way of saving many adolescents who commit low-level crimes from the lifelong stigma of being involved in the adult system," said Rabbi Emeritus Samuel Karff of Houston's Congregation Beth Israel. "It also protects them from the abuses in the adult system, while also saving them from the higher recidivism rates that come with being involved in the adult system." Currently, Texas is one of only seven states that sends 17-year-olds into the adult criminal justice system and charges them as adults, even for minor offenses. Sending youth into the adult system has serious consequences for their mental health and physical wellbeing, as well as for their ability to secure future employment and housing. This sets young people up to become re-offenders, and, indeed, research has shown that young people who go through the adult system are much more likely to re-offend than those in the juvenile system. You can support TCJC by purchasing a "Raise the Age" t-shirt (https://www.booster.com/raise-the-age-tx) or by donating to help fight for reforms at the Capitol: http://www.texascjc.org/donate. You can also contact your legislative representative by visiting this link: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx. For more information on "Raise the Age" visit: www.raisetheagetx.org. For more information on the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition and/or to support the Coalition and its work, visit the new TCJC website: www.texascjc.org. About the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) The Texas Criminal Justice Coalition works with peers, policy-makers, practitioners, and community members to identify and promote smart justice policies that safely reduce the state's costly over-reliance on incarceration -- creating stronger families, less taxpayer waste, and safer communities. TCJC is a proud member of the Texas Smart-On-Crime Coalition, which also supports the "Raise the Age" campaign effort. Its Executive Committee members include ACLU of Texas, Christian Life Commission, Goodwill Central Texas, Prison Fellowship, Texas Association of Business, and Texas Public Policy Foundation. The Coalition also has 21 supporting partners. TCJC works in support of "Raise the Age" with other advocates, including R Street Institute, Texans Care for Children, Texas Appleseed, and Texas PTA. Media Contact for Texas Criminal Justice Coalition Lisa Koetz Bloom Communications 503.805.6538 Lisa@bloom-comm.com PORTLAND, Oregon and PUNE, India, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "Global Proteomics Market-Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014-2022", projects that the global proteomics market is expected to reach $44,452 million by 2022 from $17,988 million in 2015 at a CAGR of 13.7%. Instruments segment is expected to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period. North America held the leading position in the global market in 2015, and is expected to maintain this trend. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 ) Summary of the Proteomics Market Report can be accessed on the website at:https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/proteomics-market According to Hemali Narkhede, Manager - Healthcare Research at Allied Market Research, "Proteomics has the capacity to explain questions that were unsolved by genomics, as proteins are the functional unit of cells. Advancements in the technology of mass spectrometry, chromatography and development of computer algorithms for database searching facilitates the proteomics research." She further adds that "the analysis of target proteins for disease diagnosis is the largest application of proteomics." The key drivers of the market include increased R&D funding by leading players and government agencies, such as National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF), and technological advancements, such as development of dual mass analyzers (for instance LC/MS, GC/MS, FT-MS, and MALDI-TOF/TOF) and improvements in the liquid chromatography & gel electrophoresis procedures. Also, the increase in popularity of personalized medicines is set to propel the market. However, high cost of the instruments and dearth of skilled researchers hamper the market growth. Protein microarray generated the highest revenue in 2015, owing to the high usage rates of this technology as it tracks protein interactions in lesser time as compared to other technologies. In the reagents segment, immunoassays generated the highest revenue in 2015 as these are extensively utilized in primary screening in drug discovery and microarray technologies. On the basis of applications, drug discovery accounted for the major share of the overall market in 2015. Key Findings of the Study The instrument segment generated the highest revenue in 2015, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.6% during the forecast period. Protein microarrays segment occupied about half of the total proteomics instrument market share in 2015, while the spectrometry segment was the second leading segment. Drug discovery dominated the global proteomics applications market in 2015 accounting for about two-third of the market in 2015. In the year 2015, the U.S. was the leading country in the global proteomics market, accounting for about one-third share of the overall market. Germany held about one-fourth share of the European proteomics market in 2015. held about one-fourth share of the European proteomics market in 2015. Indian proteomics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.3%. North America held the largest share of about two-fifth of the market in 2015. The increase in popularity and adoption of personalized medicines and favorable government funding and initiatives are the key factors that drive the market growth in this region. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.0% from 2016 to 2022. The rise in prevalence of chronic diseases and increase in interest of researchers to utilize proteomics in the disease diagnosis and treatment are expected to fuel the market growth. Key players profiled in this report include Thermo Fisher Scientific Corporation, Agilent Technologies, Luminex Corporation, Danaher Corporation, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., GE Healthcare, Waters Corporation, Caprion Proteomics, Inc., PerkinElmer, Inc., and Bruker Corporation. Summary of similar reports can be viewed at:https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/life-sciences/medical-devices-market-report About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: Rahul Thakur 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Direct: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1 (800) 792-5285 (U.S. & Canada) Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975 E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - The British government published a White Paper on 'Brexit' on Thursday that set out the principles and strategies for exiting the European Union and to move forward afterwards. The 77-page policy document was released for public as soon as the Brexit Secretary David Davis presented it in the House of Commons. The paper set out the basis for the 12 priorities for the government for 'Brexit' talks with the EU, which were set out by Prime Minister Theresa May in her Lancaster House speech in January. On Wednesday, the House of Commons voted 498-114 to allow May to give notice of 'Brexit' under the Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The government plans to trigger the formal exit process by the end of March. May was forced to seek parliament approval after the UK Supreme Court on January 24 struck down the government's appeal to trigger Article 50 by serving a notice using its prerogative powers. Formal talks between the UK and the EU must conclude in two years. The Article 50 bill was published in the parliament on January 26. 'We do not approach these negotiations expecting failure, but anticipating success,' May said in the foreword to the paper. 'Business isn't calling to reverse the result, but planning to make a success of it,' she said. Davis said in the paper that the government 'will negotiate the right deal for the entire UK and in the national interest'. 'With our economy proving resilient, the UK enters these negotiations from a position of strength,' he added. The focus of the talks will not be about removing existing barriers or questioning certain protections but about ensuring new barriers do not arise, Davis said. The White Paper said the government will introduce the Great Repeal Bill to remove the European Communities Act 1972 from the statute book and convert the 'acquis' - the body of existing EU law - into domestic law. There will be a separate white paper on the Great Repeal Bill, which was announced in parliament in October 2016, it added. Some other priorities listed in the White Paper included the UK taking control of its laws, leaving the Single Market and entering into a free trade deal with the EU. The government will also seek a new customs agreement with the EU, the paper said. The paper also mentioned the government's goal to control immigration. Further the paper said, the government wanted to resolve the issue of securing the rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons in the EU ahead of the start of formal talks, but it added that 'this has not proven possible'. The Article 50 bill will reach the committee stage in the Commons next week when it will be discussed in detail. The main opposition, the Labour Party, and others are seeking hundreds of amendments to the bill. On Wednesday, 47 Labour party lawmakers voted against the bill. The Commons will be done with the bill by February 8 and the legislation is expected to reach the Lords on February 20. The government hopes to trigger Article 50 before by March 31 so as to complete the process before the next European parliamentary elections and ahead of polls in France and Germany this year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States has put Iran 'on notice' for test-firing a ballistic missile and carrying out a deadly attack on a Saudi warship in the Red Sea. Speaking at the routine White House briefing Wednesday, National Security advisor Michael Flynn said recent Iranian actions, including a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilizing behavior across the Middle East. He added that the recent ballistic missile launch is also in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Citing a series of Iranian Government sponsored attacks by Houthi forces on Emirati and Saudi vessels, Flynn said Iran continues to threaten U.S. friends and allies in the region. The top official in charge of the nation's security blamed the Obama Administration for failing to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions-including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms. 'As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice,' he told reporters. 'Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened,' he said in reference to a nuclear deal that US-led major powers signed with Iran last year. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) granted several exemptions to Iran in return for agreeing to limitations on its nuclear program. 'Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them,' Trump tweeted Thursday echoing Flynn's statement. 'Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion,' he added. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de NEW YORK, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rapid industrialization, growing consumer awareness about water quality and safety, and rising technological advancements to drive demand for water purifiers in China through 2025 According to TechSci Research report, "China Water Purifiers Market By Technology, By Sales Channel, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2025'', water purifiers market in China is forecast to grow at a CAGR of more than 18% during 2016-2025, on account of strong growth in manufacturing sector, unmonitored waste discharge in water sources, rapid industrialization and rising urbanization. In 2016, China Ministry of Water Resources reported over 80% of ground water is unhealthy for domestic and drinking purposes, and contains heavy metals, toxic compounds and other contaminants. Robust growth in China water purifiers market can also be attributed to rising number of waterborne diseases and health disorders. Browse 2 market data Tables and 52 Figures spread through115 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "China Water Purifiers Market" https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/china-water-purifiers-market-by-technology-membrane-ultraviolet-offline-gravity-by-sales-channel-direct-indirect-competition-forecast-and-opportunities/884.html In 2015, China's urbanization and industrialization rates stood at growth of 55.60% and 42.80%, respectively. On the back of heavy water pollution caused by numerous industrial set ups in provinces such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao and Hangzhou, and Eastern China dominated demand for water purifiers in China. Increasing levels of wastewater discharge from agriculture and chemical industries in the region is fueling demand for water purifiers in China. Technology advancements in China has interrupted conventional way of brand building and marketing pertaining to water purifiers. Indirect sales channel dominated sales of water purifiers in China, owing to growing online sales coupled with well-established logistics and distribution network in China. Download Sample Report @ https://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=884 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "China water purifiers market is dominated by offline/gravity water purifiers due to their relatively low cost and rising awareness levels in rural areas about benefits of water purifiers. Moreover, offline/gravity water purifiers are energy independent, require minimum maintenance and can be installed at a very low price. However, consumers in the country are slowly opting for advanced technology based water purifiers such as membrane water purifiers and combined technology based water purifiers due to their high efficiency in eliminating pathogenic microorganisms and other contaminants. Rising standards of living and growing disposable income levels are further anticipated to propel demand for advanced technology based water purifiers in China through 2025.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "China Water Purifiers Market By Technology, By Sales Channel, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2025" has evaluated the future growth potential of China water purifiers market and provides statistics and information on market size, structure and future market growth. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in China water purifiers market. Browse Related Reports Global Residential Water Purifiers Market By Technology (UV, Media and Membrane), By Function (Point-of-Entry and Point-of-Use), By Sales Channel (Retail, Direct, Online, etc.), By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/water-purifier-market-by-technology-uv-media-and-membrane-by-function-point-of-entry-and-point-of-use-by-sales-channel-retail-direct-online-etc-by-region-competition-global-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/704.html Global Commercial Water Purifiers Market By Technology (UV, Media and Membrane), By Region (North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, Europe & Russia, Middle East & Africa), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/global-commercial-water-purifiers-market-by-technology-uv-media-and-membrane-by-region-north-america-south-america-asia-pacific-europe-russia-middle-east-africa-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/665.html Global Media Based Water Filters Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/global-media-based-water-filters-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/551.html About TechSci Research TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: sales@techsciresearch.com Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Kazakh Tsesnabank and Tsesna financial holding discuss the possibility of a merger with Kazakh Bank CenterCredit, the banks said in a joint message. The message said that South Korean Kookmin Bank, which holds a 41.93 percent share in Bank CenterCredit has selected the members of Tsesnabank and Tsesna financial holding as preferred buyers of its share. The negotiation on the terms of the acquisition will be completed in near future. Moreover, the International Finance Corporation which holds 10 percent of Bank CenterCredits shares, selected Bakhytbek Baiseitov, the main shareholder of this bank, as a preferred buyer of its share. The merger of two banks will create a bigger financial institution that will maintain its position as one of the leaders in the banking sector of the country in the corporate lending segment, financing of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as in the field of retail lending and banking services, said the message. The deals are subject to approval by regulatory authorities. The shareholders of the Bank CenterCredit are expected to change in the second quarter of 2017. Tsesnabank, Kazakhstans 3rd largest bank, was established in 1992. The banks core business lines are corporate, SME and retail banking. Headquartered in Astana, the banks branch network consists of 22 full-service branches and 146 outlets throughout Kazakhstan. Bank CenterCredit is one of the top commercial banks in Kazakhstan in terms of assets and total deposits. The banks primary business consists of corporate and retail banking. It has over 100 branches and offices throughout Kazakhstan. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - An exhaustive Defense Department Inspector General investigation into allegations that U.S. Central Command officials falsified or distorted intelligence found nothing to support such allegations, according to a DoD IG report issued Wednesday. Still, the investigators did find ways to improve the command's intelligence directorate, and made several recommendations. 'While the allegations were unsubstantiated, the DoD IG's report did provide thoughtful and helpful recommendations on ways to make improvements within the command and we are taking those and others' recommendations to heart and acting on them,' said Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel, Centcom's commander. The investigation covered the period between May 2014 and September 2015, when now-retired Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III was in command. The allegations centered on charges that intelligence leaders at Centcom were falsifying or skewing intelligence to make the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant look more successful than it was. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - Conflict on the legalities as well as mounting taxes and fines have forced Uber to leave Taiwan. The U.S. based technology company has announced its move to halt the operations from February 10. There are reports that Taiwan's Investment Commission has urged Uber to suspend its business in mainland China. The company has been facing opposition from the government for recruiting for transportation service, despite its registration as a software company. It has been asked to re-register as a transporting company to continue its business in Taiwan. Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communication has slapped Uber with a fine of more than $10 million and it has paid a portion of it. Uber have claimed to have around 10,000 drivers for its local services and more than one million riders in Taiwan. The taxi service based on technologies have experienced resistance from various parts of the world. Last year, the French government has introduced Tgevenoud law, making licenses mandatory for the drivers and preventing geo-locations software. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) has elected a new Board of Directors and officers -- a collection of dedicated individuals who reflect the diversity of GSA's membership and the broad spectrum of the gaming industry. Elected as officers were: Adrian Marcu of IGT, Chair Roman Czubak of Novomatic Gaming Industries GmbH, GSA's new Vice Chair Keith Wood of Aristocrat Technologies, Treasurer Bryon Bridger of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Secretary Also elected to the Board were Randy Hedrick, Scientific Games; Syed Hussain, Oregon State Lottery; Mike Langedock, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation; and Francesco Rodano, Playtech. "GSA's Board of Directors reflects the makeup of its membership -- a collection of companies who represent the many disciplines of our diverse and vibrant industry. GSA creates standards for the entire industry, it is important that our membership and board reflect that," said GSA President Peter DeRaedt. Czubak and Rodano are both based in Europe, and will be at ICE Totally Gaming, where GSA will play a critical role. From its stand ND6-A, GSA will discuss its newly announced GSA Europe Division, as well as launch the first course in its new e-learning series. That series is produced in cooperation with the iGaming Academy and will focus on GSA's GAT Standard. There is a level of membership for every budget. Visit www.gamingstandards.com to learn more. Join GSA as a member today, and join GSA on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. GSA Platinum members include: Aristocrat Technologies Inc.; International Game Technology (IGT); Konami Gaming Inc.; NOVOMATIC Gaming Industries Gmbh; Playtech, (PTEC.L), Scientific Games International (SGMS), & Sega Sammy Creation, Inc. Other members include: Ainsworth Game Technology Inc.; Amatic Industries GmbH; APEX pro gaming; Appolonia; Ares Way; Atlantic Lottery Corporation; BMM Testlabs; Casinos Austria; CasinoFlex Systems; Casino Technology; ComTrade Gaming; Combination AB; Crane Payment Innovations; DRGT Europe NV; eBet Gaming Systems Pty., Ltd.; European Casino Association; Everi; FortuNet, Inc. (FTNT); Gamblit Gaming, LLC; Gaming Laboratories International, LLC. (GLI); Gaming Consultants International; Gaming Technologies Association; Gauselman GmbH; Ganlot; Grand Vision Gaming; Innovative Technology Limited; Intralot S.A. (INLr.AT); Inspired Gaming Group Ltd.; Interblock USA; Loto-Quebec; Macao Polytechnic Institute; Macau Gaming Equipment Manufacturers Association; Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation; Maxgaming; Multi-State Lottery Association; Nidec Sankyo Corporation; Onetill Pty. Ltd.; Oregon Lottery; Radical Blue Gaming; Random Consulting; RAY; Seminole Tribe of Florida; Seoul National University of Science & Technology; Sightline Payments; Smartgames Software Hardware Systems Holdings Ltd.; techno-consult GmbH; TNDR, Inc.; Transact Technologies Incorporated (TACT); U1 Gaming; Universal de Desarrollos Electronicos, S.A.; UNLV International Gaming Institute; Western Canada Lottery Corporation. CONTACT: Peter DeRaedt Gaming Standards Association President Tel: +1 (775) 846-4422 E-mail: Email Contact Paul Speirs-Hernandez Steinbeck Communications President +1 (702) 413-4278 Email Contact Ascom, the ICT solutions provider for healthcare and other sectors, was named the overall winner in the 'Best Communications System' category at the Building Better Healthcare (BBH) Awards, held last November in London. The event is organized annually by 'Building Better Healthcare' magazine to celebrate and recognize outstanding innovation and improvements in the healthcare sector. Ascom won the Best Communication Award for its solutions for Benenden Hospital in Kent, Chase Farm Hospital in London, and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005913/en/ Award for Best Communications System at Building Better Healthcare Awards 2016 (Photo: Business Wire) The solutions integrate Internet Protocol nurse call systems with patient monitors and monitoring alert systems. Messages, calls, alerts and requests are made mobile going to clinicians' wireless devices such as the Ascom Myco. The BBH Awards judges were particularly impressed by the solutions' speech capabilities and their ability to directly link clinicians and patients. "This is a great concept," the judges remarked, "providing direct-to-nurse communications for patients and other staff". Commenting on the award, Ascom UK Managing Director Paul Lawrence said: "We're of course honored and delighted to receive this recognition. The shift towards single-room hospital layouts together with rising patient expectations is making full speech mobile communication solutions the obvious choice. Moreover, making it possible for mobile staff to stay in touch with patients can really help boost workflow efficiency." For more information about Ascom win and the BBH Awards, click on: http://content.yudu.com/web/fiqy/0A3zyjg/bbhcnov16/flash/resources/index.htm?dm_i=8EU,4N9MG,FQ5Y7V,HBG78,1 About Ascom Ascom is a global solutions provider focused on healthcare ICT and mobile workflow solutions. The vision of Ascom is to close digital information gaps allowing for the best possible decisions anytime and anywhere. Ascom's mission is to provide mission-critical, real-time solutions for highly mobile, ad hoc, and time-sensitive environments. Ascom uses its unique product and solutions portfolio and software architecture capabilities to devise integration and mobilization solutions that provide truly smooth, complete and efficient workflows for healthcare as well as for industry and retail sectors. Ascom is headquartered in Baar (Switzerland), has subsidiaries in 15 countries and employs around 1,200 people worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005913/en/ Contacts: Ascom (UK) Ltd. Paul Lawrence Managing Director Phone: +44 75 87 03 42 82 Email: paul.lawrence@ascom.com PORTLAND, Oregon and PUNE, India, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "Power Line Communication (PLC) Systems Market by Type, Solution, Component, and Application: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014-2022," the global power line communication (PLC) systems market is projected to reach $14 billion by 2022, with a CAGR of 18.4% from 2016 to 2022. In 2015, Europe dominated the global market, in terms of revenue, accounting 34% of market share, followed by North America. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 ) With the advent of broadband access, the demand for sending digital voice, video, and Internet data is on a continuous rise. Currently, rise in demand for higher efficiency, faster data transfer rate, and minimal power loss are key factors that drive the PLC market growth. Moreover, increased need for power management technologies is expected to provide lucrative opportunities to market players. Broadband PLC is the leading segment in the global market, and is expected to maintain this trend throughout the forecast period. However, narrowband PLC segment is expected to witness significant growth in the future, as this transistor is compact and cost-effective. For more information visit at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/power-line-communication-plc-systems-market The transmitter & receivers segment is projected to maintain its lead by component as these components are used for transmitting and receiving power and data carrier signals with minimum energy loss. Moreover, in 2015, Europe was a major revenue contributor in this segment due to presence of top manufacturers in the region. UK, Italy, and France are the prime consumers of power line communication, which is expected to fuel the overall market growth. Europe is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period, owing to the increase in number of smart grid projects and industry systems utilizing PLC. Moreover, advancements in residential and commercial sectors are expected to boost the growth, especially in Asian countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and India. "Power line communication is applied in residential and commercial applications to enable power management and reduce power leakage. Moreover, it offers numerous benefits, such as high efficiency, low system complexity, and reduced system maintenance. Broadband PLC represents almost 48-50% of the total power line communication market, owing to its resilience and high efficiency. In addition, substantial demand for high-speed data transfers and trend of smart grids to achieve better efficiency are expected to fuel its adoption in the energy & power, oil & gas, and other industry sectors," states Himal Srivastava, Semiconductor & Electronics Research, AMR. Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to increase in power transmission, upsurge in use of Internet, and rise in adoption of advanced technologies. Furthermore, increase in power management devices across China, Japan, India, and South Korea to cater to the end user needs, such as consumer electronics and industrial systems, have supplemented the market growth. Moreover, technological advancements to overcome power loss issues in extreme conditions are expected to offer lucrative opportunities for market players in the coming years. Key findings of the study In 2014, broadband PLC segment dominated the global PLC systems market, in terms of revenue, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.9% during the forecast period. PLC over AC lines segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.2%. Line tuners segment is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In 2014, China was the major shareholder in the Asia-Pacific power line communication systems market, accounting for about 25% share. The key players operating in the PLC market have adopted new product launch as their preferred strategy to expand their market foothold. The major players profiled in this report include Cypress Semiconductor, ST Microelectronics, Texas Instruments, Maxim Integrated, Marvell, Qualcomm Atheros, Microchip, Sigma Designs, Inc., Broadcom Corporation, and Echelon Corporation. Read similar market research reports on semiconductor and electronics at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/semiconductor-and-electronics/semiconductors-market-report About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: Rahul Thakur 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Direct: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1 (800) 792-5285 (U.S. & Canada) Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975 E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com Website: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Regulatory News: United Company RUSAL Plc (Paris:RUSAL) (Paris:RUAL): NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EXCEPT TO QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. 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There is no intention to register any portion of the offering in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States of America and the securities will only be offered for sale in the United States of America to "qualified institutional buyers" (QIBs) as defined in and in reliance upon Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act 1933, as amended and will only be offered for sale outside the United States of America to persons other than U.S. persons under Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act 1933, as amended. The information contained herein shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering and the distribution of this communication and other information referred to herein may be restricted by law and persons into whose possession this communication or such other information comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement contains no information or material which may result in it being deemed (i) to be a prospectus within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Companies (Winding up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Chapter 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong), or an advertisement in relation to a prospectus or proposed prospectus or extract from or abridged version of a prospectus within the meaning of section 38B of that Ordinance or an advertisement, invitation or document containing an advertisement or invitation to, or directing at, the public falling within the meaning of section 103 of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or (ii) in Hong Kong to have effected an offer to the public without compliance with the laws of Hong Kong or being able to invoke any exemption available under the laws of Hong Kong. This announcement does not constitute or form part of and should not be construed as a prospectus, notice, circular, brochure or advertisement offering to sell or issue or solicitation or invitation of offers to acquire, purchase or subscribe for any securities of the Issuer or any other member of the Group in Hong Kong or intended to invite such offers or inducing or intended to induce subscription for or purchase of any securities of the Issuer or any other member of the Group in Hong Kong nor should it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or commitment or investment decision whatsoever. This announcement is directed only at persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc") of the Order or (iv) to whom this announcement may otherwise be directed without contravention of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. FCA/ICMA stabilisation applies. In member states of the European Economic Area, this announcement is directed only at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of Directive 2003/71/EC (the "Prospectus Directive") ("Qualified Investors"). This announcement is an advertisement for the purposes of applicable measures implementing the Prospectus Directive. This announcement or information contained therein is not an offer, or an invitation to make offers, to sell, exchange or otherwise transfer securities in the Russian Federation to or for the benefit of any Russian person or entity and does not constitute an advertisement or offering of securities in the Russian Federation within the meaning of Russian securities laws. Information contained in this announcement is not intended for any persons in the Russian Federation who are not "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 51.2 of the Federal Law No. 39-FZ "On the Securities Market" dated 22 April 1996, as amended (the "Russian QIs") and must not be distributed or circulated into Russia or made available in Russia to any persons who are not Russian QIs, unless and to the extent they are otherwise permitted to access such information under Russian law. The securities mentioned herein have not been and will not be registered in Russia and are not intended for "placement" or "circulation" in Russia (each as defined in Russian securities laws) unless and to the extent otherwise permitted under Russian law. The ratings mentioned herein are strictly for information purposes only and not for any other purposes. Such ratings do not constitute a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and may be subject to suspension, adjustment or withdrawal at any time by the rating agencies. Investors and shareholders of the Company are advised not to place any reliance on the information disclosed herein but to exercise due caution when dealing in the securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Any investor or shareholder of the Company who is in doubt is advised to seek advice from professional advisors. UNITED COMPANY RUSAL PLC (Incorporated under the laws of Jersey with limited liability) (Stock Code: 486) UPDATE ON THE U.S. DOLLAR-DENOMINATED FIXED RATE NOTES OFFERING Reference is made to the announcement of the Company dated 26 January 2017. The Company is pleased to announce the completion of its debut USD600,000,000 5.125% offering of Eurobonds due in 2022. The Notes are rated "B+" by Fitch Rating Ltd and "B1" by Moody's Investors Service Limited, Russian Branch. Application has been made to the Irish Stock Exchange for the Eurobonds to be admitted to the Official List and trading on the Global Exchange Market of the Irish Stock Exchange. The net proceeds of the offering of the Eurobonds will be applied by the Company and its subsidiaries for refinancing of their existing indebtedness. No listing of the Eurobonds has been or will be sought in Hong Kong. DEFINITIONS In this announcement, the following expressions have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires: "Company" United Company RUSAL Plc, a limited liability company incorporated in Jersey, the shares of which are listed on the main board of the Stock Exchange. "Eurobonds" US dollar-denominated fixed rate notes issued by the Issuer, and guaranteed by the Company and several of its operational subsidiaries under Rule 144A/Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. "Irish Stock Exchange" The Irish Stock Exchange Plc. "Issuer" Rusal Capital D.A.C., wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company incorporated in Ireland. "Listing Rules" the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Stock Exchange. "Stock Exchange" The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. "USD" United States dollars, the lawful currency of the United States of America. By Order of the Board of Directors of United Company RUSAL Plc Aby Wong Po Ying Company Secretary 2 February 2017 As at the date of this announcement, the executive Directors are Mr. Oleg Deripaska, Mr. Vladislav Soloviev and Mr. Siegfried Wolf, the non-executive Directors are Mr. Dmitry Afanasiev, Mr. Ivan Glasenberg, Mr. Maksim Goldman, Ms. Olga Mashkovskaya, Ms. Gulzhan Moldazhanova, Mr. Marco Musetti, Ms. Ekaterina Nikitina, Mr. Maxim Sokov and Mr. Daniel Lesin Wolfe, and the independent non-executive Directors are Mr. Mark Garber, Mr. Philip Lader, Dr. Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Mr. Dmitry Vasiliev, Mr. Matthias Warnig (Chairman), and Mr. Bernard Zonneveld. All announcements and press releases published by the Company are available on its website under the links http://www.rusal.ru/en/investors/info.aspxhttp://rusal.ru/investors/info/moex/ and http://www.rusal.ru/en/press-center/press-releases.aspx, respectively. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170202005951/en/ Contacts: United Company RUSAL Plc OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- In the news release, "Media Advisory: Minister Joly to Address Prime Time in Ottawa Conference," issued on February 1st 2017 at 2:59 p.m., please be advised that the time of the event has been changed from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Complete corrected text follows. The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, will share her first impressions of the consultations on Canadian content in a digital world at the Prime Time in Ottawa conference on Thursday. Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local. The details are as follows: DATE: Thursday, February 2, 2017 TIME: 5:00 p.m. PLACE: The Westin Ottawa 11 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario 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 Media Relations Canadian Heritage 819-994-9101 1-866-569-6155 pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca EMMEN, SWITZERLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- ALSO Holding AG (SIX: ALSN) has acquired Internet Smartsec, the Finnish importer and value-added distributor of high-standard security and network products, for an undisclosed sum. Internet Smartsec's portfolio encompasses secure e-commerce solutions, VPN routers, user identification equipment, smart cards, encryption technology, IDS and filtering products, as well as various firewall devices. The company also provides consultation and training in data security and data networks. In 2016, Internet Smartsec's net sales reached EUR4.5 million, a 61 percent increase compared to the previous year. The company has eleven employees. "The expertise and product portfolio of Internet Smartsec perfectly complement our range of solutions. Now we can support the growth of our customers by offering them more extensive expertise and a wider product portfolio in the growing network and security market, which will serve as an important basis for the Internet of Things. In leveraging Internet Smartsec offers on a European scale, we will be in a position to expand our Solution and Service business," said Gustavo Moller-Hergt, CEO of ALSO. "As a leading company in Europe, ALSO provides us with broad access to international markets. We are delighted to become part of the ALSO Group and offer a more comprehensive range of products and services to our customers. I am confident that Smartsec's customer-oriented approach combined with its deep technical expertise will be a strong added value in the future," said Tom Mickelsson, Partner at Internet Smartsec. Direct link to the press release: http://www.also.com/goto/20170202en ALSO Holding AG (Emmen/Switzerland) brings providers and buyers of the ICT industry together. The company offers services at all levels of the ICT value chain from a single source. In the European B2B marketplace, ALSO bundles logistics services, financial services, supply services, solution services, digital services, and IT services together into individual service packages. ALSO's portfolio contains more than 160 000 articles from some 350 vendors. The Group has around 3 880 employees throughout Europe. In fiscal year 2015 (closing on December 31), the company generated net sales of 7.8 billion euros. The majority shareholder of ALSO Holding AG is the Droege Group, Dusseldorf, Germany. More information: http://www.also.com Droege Group (Major shareholder) Droege Group (founded in 1988) is an independent consulting and investment company under full family ownership. The company acts as a specialist for tailor-made restructuring programs aiming to enhance corporate value. Droege Group combines its corporate family-run structure and capital strength into a family-equity business model. The group carries out direct investments with own equity in corporate subsidiaries and medium-sized companies in "special situations". The motto of "The Art of Implementation" has made the group a pioneer of hands-on implementation-oriented corporate development. Droege Group demonstrates its implementation excellence daily within its own portfolio. The entrepreneurially platforms of the Droege Group are aligned to current megatrends (knowledge, connectivity, prevention, demography, shopping 4.0, future work). Enthusiasm for quality, innovation and speed determines our actions. In this way Droege Group has successfully gained a position in domestic and international markets and operates with over 120 companies in 30 countries. More information: http://www.droege-group.com Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current assumptions and forecasts of the ALSO management. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the forward-looking statements made here and the actual development, in particular the results, financial situation, and performance of our Group. The Group accepts no responsibility for updating these forward-looking statements or adapting them to future events or developments. Contacts: Brunswick Group GmbH Dr. Marc Langendorf +49 89 80 99 025 17 mlangendorf@brunswickgroup.com ORTHO VISION Analyzer Wins International Awards for 'Outstanding Innovation' and 'Outstanding Product/Service' RARITAN, New Jersey, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Ortho), a global leader of in vitro diagnostics, today announced that it has received two Global Business Excellence Awards for its ORTHO VISION Analyzer, a fully automated blood-testing system used by transfusion medicine laboratories. Ortho received accolades in the Outstanding Innovation and Outstanding Product/Service categories. The Global Business Excellence Awards, which recognize and reward business excellence across all sectors, are among the world's highest-profile business honors. The awards pride themselves on having a large panel of independent expert judges who select winners according to strict criteria for each category and sector, focusing on financial results, innovation and benefits to customers, employees, investors and communities. The awards attract a wide range of global entries, ranging from large international companies and public-sector organizations to dynamic and innovative small enterprises. "Ortho Clinical Diagnostics has improved the immunohematology process with an automated platform called ORTHO VISION that can efficiently match a patient needing a transfusion with the right blood," the Global Business Excellence Awards said upon presenting the award to Ortho. "By using the latest Information Technology, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is helping to lead immunohematology into the future and has helped give hospitals enhanced blood matching processing, helping them to deliver increased services to patients with fewer staff. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a pioneer in using technology in medicine and ORTHO VISION is brilliant technological innovation."[i] Ortho recently also celebrated the 1,000th installation of the ORTHO VISION platform worldwide. The platform, which is comprised of the ORTHO VISION Analyzer and the ORTHO VISION Max Analyzer, offers a solution that improves workflow and standardizes systems and processes. MD Buyline, an independent, evidence-based research firm, recently released its Q3 2016 vendor rankings report, which placed Ortho at the top of the blood bankautomationcategorywith a 9.3 composite rating. The scoreis based on six factors: system performance, reliability, installation/implementation, application training and service repair quality and response time. "We are committed to helping hospitals and blood banks perform immunohematology testing as quickly, efficiently and accurately as possible," said Heidi Casaletto, vice president transfusion medicine at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. "The Global Business Excellence awards, coupled with our recent achievement of 1,000 ORTHO VISION platform installations, further build on our commitment to excellence in the transfusion medicine industry." About Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a global leader of in vitro diagnostics serving the clinical laboratory and immunohematology communities. Across hospitals, hospital networks, blood banks and labs in more than 120 countries, Ortho's high-quality products and services enable health care professionals to make better-informed treatment decisions. For the immunohematology community, Ortho's blood typing products help ensure the patient receives blood that is safe, the right type and the right unit. Ortho brings sophisticated testing technologies, automation, information management and interpretation tools to clinical laboratories around the world to help them run more efficiently and effectively and improve patient care. Ortho's purpose is to improve and save lives with diagnostics, and it does that by reimagining what's possible. This is what has defined Ortho for more than 75 years, and it's what drives Ortho forward. For more information, visit www.orthoclinicaldiagnostics.com. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics 2017 [i] This statement is from the Global Business Excellence Awards. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464285/Ortho_Vision_Line.jpg Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/376902/ocd_only_black_Logo.jpg Founded over 20 years ago by Dr Philippe Genne, the Company's CEO and Chairman, Oncodesign is a biotechnology company that maximises the pharmaceutical industry's chances of success in discovering new therapeutic molecules to fight cancer and other serious illnesses with no known effective treatment. With its unique experience acquired by working with more than 600 clients, including the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, along with its comprehensive technological platform combining state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry, advanced animal modelling and medical imaging, Oncodesign is able to predict and identify, at a very early stage, each molecule's therapeutic usefulness and potential to become an effective drug. Applied to kinase inhibitors, which represent a market estimated at over $46 billion in 2016 and accounting for almost 25% of the pharmaceutical industry's R&D expenditure, Oncodesign's technology has already enabled the targeting of several promising molecules with substantial therapeutic potential, in oncology and elsewhere, along with partnerships with pharmaceutical groups such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Ipsen and UCB. Oncodesign is based in Dijon, France, in the heart of the town's university and hospital hub, and within the Paris-Saclay cluster, Oncodesign has 165 employees and subsidiaries in Canada and the USA. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: The international Rating Agency S&P Global Ratings placed its 'B-/C' long- and short-term counterparty credit ratings and its 'kzB+' Kazakhstan national scale rating on Kazakhstan-based Capital Bank Kazakhstan JSC on CreditWatch with negative implications, the rating agency said in a message Feb. 2. The CreditWatch placement reflects our concerns regarding Capital Bank's liquidity, S&P said. According to the rating agency, at the beginning of January, Capital Bank experienced a material outflow of deposits from government-related entities (GREs). This occurred because of the revocation of the license of another Kazakh Bank, which negatively affected the liquidity of Capital Bank as well as of some other banks in the sector. As a result, the bank's liquid assets reduced to about 5.5 percent of total assets (4.7 billion Kazakhstani tenge or approximately $14 million) as of Jan. 27, 2017, from its usual level of above 15 percent. This decrease led S&P to reassess the bank's liquidity position to moderate from adequate previously. S&P expects that the bank will meet its repayments over the next few months fully and on time without breaching the regulatory liquidity ratios. The rating agency bases this expectation on planned inflows of GRE deposits and/or potential shareholder support. S&P also noted as a positive that the bank's liquidity position stabilized in the second half of January. The rating agency expects to resolve the CreditWatch by the end of February 2017, when it expects to have more information on the bank's liquidity cushion, its ability to repay its scheduled debt over the next few months, and support from the owner and/or GREs. S&P could lower the ratings to 'CCC' category if liquidity further diminishes following the absence of tangible support from the owners and/or GREs; or continuation of deposits outflows. The agency could also lower the ratings if liquidity deterioration results in the bank failing to be compliant with regulatory ratios. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova PUNE, India, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Outdoor Fabrics Market Report 2017 is a professional and in-depth survey on the current state of the Outdoor Fabrics industry. The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Outdoor Fabrics market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions' development status. Browse 145 tables and figures, 11 company profiles spread across 128 pages at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/836239-global-outdoor-fabrics-market-research-report-2017.html . Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Region, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Outdoor Fabrics in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), like North America, China, Europe, Japan, India, Southeast Asia split by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type Split by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Outdoor Fabrics in each application. This report studies Outdoor Fabrics in global market, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering 3M Company (U.S.), Koninklijke Ten Cate NV (Netherlands), Teijin Ltd (Japan), E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Kolon Industries Inc. (South Korea), Lakeland Industries, Inc. (U.S.), Milliken & Company (U.S.), W. L Gore & Associates, Inc. (U.S.), Klopman International (Italy), Glen Raven, Inc. (U.S.) and Cetriko, SL (Spain).. Order a copy at http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=836239 . Related Reports: Global Woven Fabrics Market Research Report 2017 The Global Woven Fabrics Industry, 2012-2022 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Woven Fabrics industry with a focus on the global market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Woven Fabrics manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2012-2017 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global total market of Conveyor Belt industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2017-2022 market development trends of Woven Fabrics industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Woven Fabrics Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2022 global Woven Fabrics industry covering all important parameters. Europe Prepreg Fabrics Industry 2016 Market Research Report The Europe Prepreg Fabrics Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Prepreg Fabrics industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Prepreg Fabrics market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions' development status. Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, Benelux and Spain), and other regions can be added. United States None Polymer Coated Fabrics Industry 2016 Market Research Report This report studies None Polymer Coated Fabrics in United States market, focuses on price, sales, revenue of each type in Global. This report also focuses on the sales (consumption), production, import and export of None Polymer Coated Fabrics in United States, forecast to 2021, from 2016. Firstly, this report focuses on price, sales, revenue and growth rate of each type, as well as the types and each type price of key manufacturers, through interviewing key manufacturers. Second on basis of segments by manufacturers, this report focuses on the sales, price of each type, average price of None Polymer Coated Fabrics, revenue and market share, for key manufacturers. The None Polymer Coated Fabrics industry development trends and marketing channels are also analyzed and the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered. With the tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals. About Us: ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets. With comprehensive information about the publishers and the industries for which they publish market research reports, we help you in your purchase decision by mapping your information needs with our huge collection of reports. We provide 24/7 online and offline support to our customers. Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune- 411013 Maharashtra,India. + 1 888 391 5441 sales@reportsandreports.com Connect With Us On: LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/company/reportsnreports VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- First Cobalt Corp. ("First Cobalt" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: FCC) is pleased to announce that it will conduct a non-brokered private placement of up to 7,500,000 common shares, at a price of $0.40 per share, for gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000. Proceeds of the private placement will be used by the Company to support its ongoing operations, as well as to review acquisition opportunities in the strategic metals sector. The Company also announces that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Cobalt Projects International Corp. ("Cobalt Projects") in order to evaluate the existing assets of Cobalt Projects with a view to pursuing an acquisition. Cobalt Projects holds an option to acquire one-hundred percent of a series of mining licenses and claim groups located in the Cobalt Ontario mining camp in Northeastern Ontario. If completed, the transaction would complement the 1,950 hectares recently acquired by First Cobalt in connection with its acquisition of Cobalt Industries of Canada Inc. Readers are cautioned that the letter of intent entered into with Cobalt Projects is non-binding, and that completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, completion of due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements in respect of the transaction, and receipt of any required regulatory approvals. The transaction cannot be completed until these conditions are satisfied. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. About First Cobalt Corp. The Company is focused on developing its existing portfolio of exploration stage mineral properties through the acquisition of assets in the strategic metals sector, with a particular focus on exploration-stage cobalt projects. On behalf of the Board, First Cobalt Corp. Kevin Ma, Interim Chief Executive Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. Contacts: Skanderbeg Capital Advisors Mario Vetro 604.687.7130 mario@skanderbegcapital.com Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Belo Sun Mining Corp. ("Belo Sun") (TSX: BSX) has received the "Licenca de Instalacao" ("LI" or "Construction Licence") for its Volta Grande Gold Project from the Brazilian State Government of Para under the environmental authority, SEMAS ("Secretaria de Estado de Meio Ambiente e Sustentabilidade do Para" or "Para State Secretary of Environment and Sustainability"). The Construction Licence is the final governmental approval authorizing Belo Sun to proceed with the construction and development of its Volta Grande Gold Project. The project consists of an open pit, a gold recovery process facility, water and tailings management and supporting infrastructure. Peter Tagliamonte, President and CEO of Belo Sun, commented "We are very pleased to have received the construction licence. This marks a significant milestone in the development of the Volta Grande Gold Project, and we look forward to starting construction. We would like to express our gratitude to the state and municipal governments, as well as the local communities, for their ongoing support of this project." About the Company Belo Sun Mining Corp. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company with a portfolio of gold-focused properties in Brazil. The Company is currently focused on the development of its 100%-owned Volta Grande Gold Project. Belo Sun trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "BSX". For more information about Belo Sun please visit www.belosun.com. Caution regarding forward-looking information: This press release contains "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the next steps for the property, timetable for development, permitting status and authority, production forecast, infrastructure projections, progress in development of mineral properties and the future financial or operating performance of the Company. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; other risks of the mining industry and the risks described in the annual information form of the Company. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Contacts: Belo Sun Mining Corp. (416) 309-2137 info@belosun.com www.belosun.com AMITYVILLE, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Iconic Brands (OTC PINK: ICNB) is pleased to announce the initial entry into the Chicago market as well as statewide with the brand's exclusive distributor in Illinois, The Winebow Group, www.thewinebowgroup.com. The company also is pleased to announce Bellissima is available at Binnys Beverage Depot, www.binnys.com, both online and in store. Binnys is the largest independent retailer in the Midwest with over 30 locations. Due to overwhelming demand after their opening order, The Winebow Group has already moved into a Direct Import ordering platform, ordering a full container representing over 2100 cases, which is extremely exciting this soon after the initial brand launch just last month in the Chicago market. The company is also finalizing a distribution agreement with Young's Market in California, www.youngsmarket.com, the oldest distributor in California dubbed "The Best in the West." As previously announced Bellissima will be available at retail with Bevmo!, www.bevmo.com, initially on an exclusive basis then expanding availability to every retailer in the state. It is expected this program will be finalized in a matter of days and shipping immediately thereafter. Further, Iconic Brands is in discussions with the Bucca Di Beppo chain of restaurants as well the Planet Hollywood Group, www.planethollywood.com. This will be Bellissima's first of many national on premise accounts and Bellissima is very pleased to partner with the team at Planet Hollywood. We're anticipating this program to begin in Q2 of this year. Finally, the company would like to wish our Brand Partner Christie Brinkley a Happy Bellissima Birthday. Iconic Brands is a proud supporter of Christie's Birthday Fundraiser for the Children of Smile Train, https://my.smiletrain.org/fundraiser/christiebrinkleysbirthdayfundraiser. Please visit our website and join the mailing list at www.BellissimaProsecco.com and see our product availability map, and Christie's appearance schedule which we will continue to update, as well great new recipes; also follow us on twitter at @BellissimabyCB. Please visit our website www.bivivodka.com to learn about the finest Sicilian Craft Vodka on the market today. Please watch the great videos with Chazz Palminteri to learn about the brand and see the map for our list of current retailers. About Iconic Brands, Inc. Iconic Brands Inc. ("Iconic") is a beverage company with the highest expertise of developing, from inception to completion, alcoholic beverages for itself and third parties. Iconic Brands markets and places products into national distribution through long standing industry relationships. Iconic is also a leader in "Celebrity Branding" of beverages, procuring superior and unique products from around the world and branding its products with internationally recognized celebrities. Currently offering Bivi Vodka, www.BiviVodka.com and Bellissima Prosecco, www.BellissimaProsecco.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology including "could", "may", "will", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "potential" and the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. While these forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business, actual results will almost always vary, sometimes materially, from any estimates, predictions, projections, assumptions or other future performance suggested in this report. Except as required by applicable law, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements so as to conform these statements to actual results. Investors should refer to the risks disclosed in the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. Iconic Brands, Inc. Info@IconicBrandsUSA.com SILICON VALLEY, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- NovaWurks Inc., a provider of high technology space products and services, announced today that Talbot Jaeger, founder and chief technology officer at NovaWurks, will speak at the upcoming SmallSat Symposium within a panel discussion titled, "Pricing and Marketing SmallSat Services" on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 4:45 p.m. Jaeger, accompanied by other industry experts, will present their insights on market opportunities and where to sell the multitude of products that have resulted from the SmallSat revolution. Held in Mountain View, Calif., the SmallSat Symposium will unlock the business aspects, technologies and the financial and legal acumen that comprise the foundation of today's rapid growth in the small satellite market. With many companies aiming towards the "new" space race that includes rapid acceleration of innovation and new space capabilities, NovaWurks is leading the industry with the company's flagship technology platform, the Hyper-Integrated Satlet (HISat). Jaeger's participation in the panel session will offer insight into who has bought, who will buy, and provide an understanding on how products should be priced to maximize revenue. "Smallsats have revolutionized the industry, creating new markets and opportunities once not available due to cost or efficiencies," said Jaeger. "Creating a beneficial marketing model will allow smallsat pioneers the ability to continue to innovate and provide products and services to a larger variety of businesses seeking access into space." NovaWurks' HISat technology contains all of the functional capabilities of an autonomous satellite, in a small form factor, allowing the flexibility to conform to the shape or capability requirements of any payload. This biologically inspired technology that provides a foundation for building safe, rapid and cost-effective custom spacecraft around any payload for any commercial entity, is mass-produced and is flexible for a variety of mission purposes -- drastically decreasing the time and costs associated with traditional monolithic spacecraft solutions. SIMPL -- NovaWurks' first, self-funded satellite is currently awaiting deployment aboard the International Space Station, and the company's eXCITe spacecraft is scheduled to launch this year as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s Phoenix project. To learn more about the conference, visit: www.smallsatshow.com. About NovaWurks: NovaWurks, Inc., located in Los Alamitos, California, invents, designs and creates high technology products and services for a broad range of applications for space. The NovaWurks team of designers, scientists and engineers offers a diverse background in spaceflight, consulting and research work with decades of experience in managing complex, visionary projects for government, military and corporate clients. For more information, visit www.novawurks.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Vivian Slater 714-573-0899 ext. 235 vivian@echomediapr.com CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Quattro Exploration and Production Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: QXP) ("Quattro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding term sheet with Advisco Capital Corp. ("Advisco"), a New York-based private finance company, for the provision by Advisco of a secured revolving credit facility and secured term loan in the aggregate amount of CDN$15,000,000 (the "Proposed Loan"). The Proposed Loan has been negotiated with Advisco for the purpose of satisfying all amounts outstanding to the Company's senior secured lender, The Business Development Bank of Canada (the "Lender" or "BDC"). The Loan consists of (a) Secured Revolving Credit Facility in an amount not to exceed eighty percent (80%) of the Company's eligible accounts receivable, and sixty percent (60%) of the orderly liquidation value of eligible inventory on hand, and (b) a Secured Equipment Term Loan in an amount not to exceed sixty-five percent (65%) of the orderly liquidation value machinery, equipment, and other tangible property. The Proposed Loan bears interest at the rate of 1% per month, plus a 2% fee on the aggregate amount of Proposed Loan, payable at Closing. The Proposed Loan is for a one (1) year term, with an option to renew for an additional one (1) year term, provided the Company is not in default, at a cost of one percent (1.0%) of the gross amount of the Proposed Loan then outstanding. Management of Quattro believes that the Proposed Loan, along with other negotiated non-core asset transactions will allow the Company to submit an equitable plan to its creditors and exit from its current Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA") process. The Company also provides the following report on its CCAA process, the activities to date in regards to Quattro's Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta approved proposed sale and investor solicitation process ("SISP") that was initially launched on October 3rd 2016. On January 5, 2017, the stay of proceedings under the CCAA for Quattro was extended to February 17, 2017. In connection with the stay, Quattro entered into a term sheet with its senior lender (the "Lender") whereby the Lender agreed to provide an additional $650,000 of debtor-in-possession financing to Quattro (the "Interim Financing"), bringing the total amount of debtor-in-possession financing under the CCAA to an aggregate $1,900,000 (the "Interim Financing Agreement"). The additional debtor-in-possession financing was approved by the Court pursuant to the CCAA process. The term of the additional loan was due to expire on March 20, 2017. $440,000 had been advanced by the Lender under the Interim Financing Agreement to date. In the assessment of the Lender and the Monitor, the Proposed Loan and the additional efforts of the Company to satisfy the BDC debt did not meet the conditions of the Term Sheet and, in accordance with the terms of the Term Sheet, BDC was entitled to (a) reject the provision of the remaining Interim Financing and (b) make an application to the Court upon 24 hours' notice to Quattro and the Monitor, for the appointment of a Receiver. On January 31, 2017, Quattro was served such notice of an application by BDC to occur on February 2, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and those actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's registered filings which are available at www.sedar.com. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Trading in the securities of Quattro Exploration and Production Ltd. should be considered highly speculative. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Leonard Van Betuw President and Chief Executive Officer Office (403) 984-3917 Ext.102 Direct Line (587) 228-7070 leonard@qxp-petro.com Michael Bejerman, MBA, CPA, CMA Office (403) 984-3917 Ext.114 michael.b@qxp-petro.com www.qxp-petro.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Columbus Gold Corp. (TSX: CGT)(OTCQX: CBGDF) ("Columbus Gold") is pleased to announce it has been named to the 2017 OTCQX Best 50, a ranking of the top performing companies traded on the OTCQX Best Market last year. Robert Giustra, CEO of Columbus Gold commented: "Columbus is pleased to be included among the best-performing stocks on the OTCQX Best Market. Ranking 28th of 399 companies is an achievement that endorses our accomplishments throughout 2016." The OTCQX Best 50 is an annual ranking of the top 50 U.S and International companies traded on the OTCQX market. The ranking is calculated based on an equal weighting of one-year total return and average daily dollar volume growth in the previous calendar year. Companies in the 2017 OTCQX Best 50 were ranked based on their performance in 2016. For the complete 2017 OTCQX Best 50 ranking, visit: http://web.otcmarkets.com/otcqx-best-50/ The OTCQX Best Market offers transparent and efficient trading of established, investor-focused U.S. and global companies. To qualify for the OTCQX market, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, demonstrate compliance with U.S. securities laws and have a professional third-party sponsor introduction. The companies found on OTCQX are distinguished by the integrity of their operations and diligence with which they convey their qualifications. About Columbus Gold Columbus Gold is a leading gold exploration and development company operating in French Guiana and Nevada. In French Guiana, Columbus Gold's 100% owned Montagne d'Or Gold deposit hosts Indicated mineral resources of 3.9 million ounces(1) gold (contained within 83.2 million tonnes grading 1.45 g/t gold) and Inferred mineral resources of 1.1 million ounces(1) gold (contained within 22.4 million tonnes grading 1.55 g/t gold). An exploration drilling program has been initiated to assess expansion potential and a Bankable Feasibility Study is anticipated by the end of Q1 2017. In Nevada, Columbus Gold is advancing its 100% owned Eastside Gold discovery. Columbus Gold recently announced an initial NI 43-101 pit-constrained Inferred Resource Estimate of 721,000 ounces(2) of gold equivalent (contained within 35.8 million tonnes grading 0.63 g/t gold equivalent) and the proposed acquisition of Historical near surface oxide resources of 272,153 ounces(3) of gold (contained within 11.2 million tonnes grading 0.82 g/t gold). During Q1 2017, Columbus Gold plans to drill a new target on the Eastside property, known as Target 5. (1)Using a cut-off grade of 0.4 grams per tonne gold. For more information, see news release dated April 21, 2015 filed on SEDAR. (2)Using a cut-off grade of 0.15 grams per tonne gold and a gold/silver ratio of 60:1. For more information, see December 5 and 7, 2016 news releases and the NI 43-101 technical report for the Eastside property filed on SEDAR on December 7, 2016. (3)The historical mineral resource estimate for the Castle gold project was completed by James D. Greybeck, Senior Geologist for Cordex Exploration Co. in April, 1999, under the direction of Andy B. Wallace, then Manager of Cordex Exploration Co. and Vice President of Rayrock Mines, Inc. This report and data used in its preparation has been recently reviewed by Andy B. Wallace for the purpose of this news release under his obligations as a Qualified Person for Columbus Gold (US) Corp. Drill data used for Greybeck's report was from Cordex Exploration Co., Kennecott Exploration, Houston Oil and Minerals, Falcon Exploration, and Mintek Resources, which data is on file in the offices of Cordex Exploration Co. The data is judged relevant and reliable by Andy B. Wallace. The mineral resource was termed a "Geologic Resource" at the time of Greybeck's report, which was in line with current practice for the time. Greybeck prepared geological cross sections and calculated the mineral resource estimate by hand, using a polygonal method with a lower cut-off of .005 opt Au (0.17 g/t Au). Where drilling was closely spaced gold values were interpolated between cross sections using weighted averages projected 50 feet on either side of the cross section. Columbus Gold plans additional drilling to confirm Greybeck's interpretations and to fill in gaps in the drilling. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical mineral resource estimate as a current mineral resource estimate or a current mineral reserve estimate. Columbus Gold is not treating the historical mineral resource estimate as a current mineral resource estimate or a current mineral reserve estimate. For more information, see Columbus Gold's news release dated January 20, 2016 filed on SEDAR. Qualified Person Andy Wallace is a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists and is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release. Mr. Wallace is the principal of Cordilleran Exploration Company (Cordex), which is conducting exploration and project generation activities for Columbus Gold on an exclusive basis, and the President of Columbus Gold (Nevada) Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbus Gold that holds Columbus Gold's property interests in the United States. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, Robert F. Giustra, Chairman & CEO This news release contains forward-looking information and statements, as defined by law, including without limitation, Canadian securities laws and the "safe harbor" provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("forward-looking statements"), respecting Columbus Gold's expectations that or as to: exploration potential provided by new exploration permits for the Paul Isnard project; plans to carry out an exploration drilling program and assess expansion potential, if any, for the Paul Isnard project will proceed; a previously announced financing to fund such expansion drilling program will be completed successfully and within the necessary time frame to allow Columbus Gold to proceed with the exploration drilling program before the onset of the rainy season in French Guiana; the proposed drilling on Target 5 will proceed at all and according to plan; positive results will be achieved from planned drilling programs; due diligence results will be satisfactory and the acquisition of the Castle property will be completed, if at all; the accuracy of the mineral resource estimates; the realization of mineral resource estimates; the realization of the expected economics of the Montagne d'Or deposit; the time frame for completion of a bankable feasibility study for the Montagne d'Or deposit will be achieved; and management plans and expectations generally will be met. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: the actual results of current and future exploration activities; changes in project parameters and/or economic assessments as plans continue to be refined; future prices of metals; possible variations of mineral grade or rates of recovery; ability to acquire necessary permits and other authorizations; environmental compliance; cost increases; availability of qualified workers and drill equipment; competition for mining properties; risks associated with exploration projects generally, including, without limitation, the accuracy of interpretations; mineral reserve estimates and mineral resource estimates (including the risk of assumption and methodology errors); the ability to complete the feasibility study by the stated deadline, or at all; dependence on third parties for services; non-performance by contractual counterparties; title risks; risks associated with Nord Gold S.E. electing not to exercise its option and make the related option payments, and the time frame within with such exercise will occur; and general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including without limitation assumptions about the following: that the proposed drilling program will be completed in full or at all, and according to plan; the assumptions contained in Columbus Gold's Preliminary Economic Assessment are accurate and complete; that the results of the Bankable Feasibility Study will be positive; general business and economic conditions; the timing and receipt of required approvals and permits; the availability of financing; power prices; the ability to procure equipment and supplies including, without limitation, drill rigs; and ongoing relations with employees, partners, optionees and joint venturers. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and Columbus Gold undertakes no obligation to update any of the foregoing except as required by law. Contacts: Columbus Gold Corp. Investor Relations (604) 634-0970 1-888-818-1364 info@columbusgold.com www.columbusgold.com LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Weintraub Tobin, one of California's leading full-service law firms, adds long-time litigator Andrew Gilford as a shareholder and Jessica Corpuz as an associate in its Los Angeles office. The duo previously practiced with the boutique law firm of Baute Crochetiere & Gilford. "Weintraub Tobin is pleased to kick off 2017 with these two strategic additions, which reflect our continuing efforts to attract service-oriented lawyers with serious litigation prowess across key industries prominent in the southern half of the state," said Michael Kvarme, Weintraub's managing shareholder. "Andy and Jessica share our deep dedication to service and have proven that they can deliver in exceeding business clients' needs and expectations." With more than 25 years of experience, Gilford most recently practiced with Baute Crochetiere & Gilford, which he joined in July 2012. Before landing at the boutique, he was a career-long partner with Alston & Bird in Los Angeles and, prior to that, Weston Benshoof, which merged with Alston in 2008. Gilford has extensive experience handling complex business and commercial disputes, and he has tried cases involving intellectual property rights, contract and fraud claims stemming from a large-scale real estate development, contract and business tort claims, and product defect and warranty claims in the power and energy space, as well as insurance coverage matters. Experienced in both federal and state courts, he has defended consumer class action claims on behalf of nutritional supplements retailers and manufacturers under the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, and he has also handled appellate matters. Gilford earned his J.D. from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law (1989) and his B.S., cum laude, also from UCLA (1986). Corpuz has experience with high-stakes litigation on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants in matters involving complex business disputes, including tort, fraud, IP and contract claims. She was a member of the trial team responsible for a $21 million verdict in a 2012 breach of contract action and alter ego judgment. Corpuz has also handled appellate matters and obtained a published California Court of Appeal decision interpreting the state's False Claims Act. She holds a J.D. from Loyola Law School (2011) and a B.A from University of California, Santa Barbara (2008). About Weintraub Tobin With offices in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco the Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation combines its shared vision and pledges to be an innovative provider of sophisticated legal services to dynamic businesses and business owners, as well as non-profits and individuals with litigation and business needs. The firm continues its long-time and strong support of the communities in which its attorneys live and work. Contact: Michael A. Kvarme Managing Shareholders Weintraub Tobin 916.558.6081 mkvarme@weintraub.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Caspian Energy Inc. (NEX: CKZ.H) ("Caspian") is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, Aral Petroleum Capital LLP ("Aral") produced 158 thousand barrels of crude oil during 2016. That was the maximum production allowed under Aral's government-approved work program. Commenting on the results, Chairman of the Board Frank Ingriselli stated: "Notwithstanding the challenges faced in the worldwide energy industry in 2016, Caspian Energy stayed focused on successfully settling major parts of its debt and reducing expenses and achieving the maximum production rates allowed. We will continue to focus on shareholder value in 2017." During 2016 Aral sold its oil in the local Kazakhstan market and exported the oil to the Russian port of Ust-Luga. Average market price was equal to $21 per bbl. The Company fulfilled its minimum commitments under the annual work program for 2016. Also on January 16, 2017 the Company received permission for gas flaring up to June 30, 2017. Permission for gas flaring for the second half of 2017 is expected to be received soon. The Company settled major parts of debts to its trade creditors. With the remaining trade creditors agreed on the repayment schedules. So no legal suits from the trade creditors are expected. Aral Petroleum has all necessary permissions, resources and documentation to successfully operate during 2017. This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation which we refer to herein, collectively, as "forward-looking information". Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will be taken", "occur", or "be achieved" and include statements relating to the trading of the Company's securities. Caspian's actual performance, developments and/or results may differ materially from any or all of the forward-looking statements. Further information which may cause results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements is contained in Caspian's filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. All material assumptions used in making forward-looking information are based on management's knowledge of current business conditions and expectations of future business conditions and trends. Although Caspian believes the assumptions used to make such statements are reasonable at this time and has attempted to identify in its continuous disclosure documents important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Caspian does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the NEX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Caspian Energy Inc. Frank Ingriselli Chairman of the Board 925-526-0115 Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: Transit container traffic from Asia to Europe through Kazakhstan increased by 100 times in 2016 compared to 2011, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy company (Kazakh railway) said in a message. The company also said that rates and tariffs for container traffic by Trans-Caspian transport route for 2017 have been agreed in order to insure further growth in traffic by this route. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR) runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and then through Turkey and Ukraine to Europe. In October 2016, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia signed an agreement on the establishment of the TCITR International Association with its office in Astana. Its activities are aimed at attracting transit and foreign trade cargo, as well as developing integrated logistics products via the TCITR. In Jan. 2017 Batumi hosted the first meeting of the working group on development of the TCITR. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Shrugging off concerns about reports of contentious phone calls will other world leaders, President Donald Trump argued he has to be tough with other nations seeking to take advantage of the U.S. Trump pledged to those in attendance at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday that he would address the serious threats facing the world. 'That's what I do. I fix things. We're going to straighten it out. Believe me,' Trump said. 'When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it. Just don't worry about it. They're tough. We have to be tough.' 'It's time we're going to be a little tough, folks,' he added. 'We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world, virtually. It's not going to happen anymore.' Trump's comments came on the heels of reports of his combative phone calls with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. During his remarks, the president also vowed to 'destroy' the Johnson Amendment, which he suggested is a threat to the freedom of religion. The Johnson Amendment prohibits non-profit organizations such as charitable foundations and churches from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Trump also once again defended his controversial executive order banning immigrants from several Muslim-majority nations. 'We need security,' Trump said. 'There are those who would seek to enter our country for the purpose of spreading violence or oppressing other people based upon their faith or their lifestyle. Not right.' Trump said his administration would develop a system in the coming days to help ensure those admitted into the country fully embrace American values of religious and personal liberty and that they reject any form of oppression and discrimination. (Photo: Michael Vadon) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- The Mint Corporation (TSX VENTURE: MIT) ("Mint" or the "Company") announces the following: Mint Middle East LLC ("MME"), a company 51% owned by Mint and Mint Gateway for Electronic Payment Services LLC, a company 51% beneficially owned by Mint (together referred to as Mint Group) has signed a term sheet to acquire a UAE Central Bank licensed Financial Company through a company to be incorporated (the "Acquirer"). The purchase price is USD$27.25 million, with USD$11.7 million to be funded by end of the month of February, 2017. The Company is currently exploring options to raise the capital and expects that the capital will be raised by the Acquirer without the issuance of securities by Mint. There is no assurance that the Company can raise the required capital at this time. The Mint Group owns the technology used to operate as a payroll card and processing services provider in the UAE. However, the Mint Group is dependent on external third party banks and other financial institutions when issuing payroll cards and offering additional financial services to its cardholders. Acquiring a licensed financial entity in the UAE will allow the Mint Group to offer a greater range of financial products and services to its cardholders and to more quickly respond to opportunities and changes in the marketplace. In particular, Mint expects that the acquisition will facilitate the launch of a lending program to payroll cardholders. The acquisition will not constitute a non-arm's length transaction. Completion of the acquisition is subject to conditions including the execution of a definitive agreement, stock exchange approval and the approval of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates. General Disclosure Statement Investors are encouraged to read the Management Discussion and Analysis Documents filed on SEDAR for a description of additional risks associated with investing in the Company. The following statement is only intended to inform investors on certain of the many risks associated with investing in the Company. The Company operates predominantly in the Middle East. It is exposed to significant political, legal and regulatory risks associated with operating in this emerging and volatile market. The key management personnel and operations of the Company are based in countries which do not have strong and reliable judicial enforcement. This results in additional risk with respect to the enforcement of legal and contractual rights, including, for example but without limitation, the enforcement of the rights of creditors, the protection of intellectual property rights, the enforcement of joint venture arrangements, and binding key employees with non-compete agreements. Since inception, the Company has not reached profitability. The Company relies heavily on debt financing to fund its business plan. This has exposed the Company to unique financial risks associated with significantly higher than normal debt levels. Investors in the company are strongly encouraged to be aware of the significant risks of the Company, to conduct additional due diligence and to seek the help of a licensed investment advisor before investing in securities of the Company. Moreover, investors must be aware that the purchase of the Company's securities involves a number of additional significant risks and uncertainties, as disclosed in the Management Discussion and Analysis reports filed on SEDAR by the Company. Investors considering purchasing securities of the Company should be able to bear the economic risk of total loss of such investment. About The Mint Corporation Established in 2004, Mint is a vertically integrated prepaid card and payroll services provider with its own processing platform, ATM network and proprietary branded card products delivered to unbanked workers in the United Arab Emirates. Mint operates as a payroll card and processing services provider in the UAE through its ownership in Mint Middle East LLC and Mint Gateway for Electronic Payment Services LLC. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, this press release contains statements which include the USD$11.7 million required by the end of February, 2017, the reduction in the dependency on external third party banks and other financial institutions resulting from the acquisition and the statement that the acquisition will allow Mint Group to offer lending services to its customer base. The forward-looking statements are based on certain expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Although the Company believes that those expectations and assumptions are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. In addition to other risks, the Company may be unable to raise the required funds by the end of February, 2017, the extent of the reduction in reliance on third party banks and financial institutions may be less than anticipated and the offering of lending services to Mint's customer base will require systems and approvals not yet in place. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward- looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: The Mint Corporation Vishy Karamadam President 647-352-0666 www.themintcorp.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/02/17 -- Mobetize Corp. (OTCQB: MPAY), a provider of mobile financial services (MFS) technology for the multi-billion dollar business to business (B2B) segment of the FinTech as a Service (FaaS) sector, is pleased to announce it has entered into a Software License, Customization Development and Service Level Agreement (the "Commercial Agreement") with Tata Communications (America) Inc. ("Tata America"). The Agreement Mobetize and Tata America have entered into the Commercial Agreement to govern the global deployment of products and services through the Mobetize B2B FinTech Hub ("Hub") for Tata America's customers based on a licensing model. The Agreement is a five year strategic partnership which has three distinct contractual goals and delivery obligations tied to the relationship: 1. the realization of revenue from anticipated service level support fees and the sharing of transactional proceeds; 2. a technology alliance to jointly advance Fintech innovation in order to enhance revenue sharing opportunities; 3. a research and development partnership intended to encourage new product innovation in FinTech. Mobetize has been working with Tata America over the past 12 months under an interim agreement as a mobile money technology partner. The execution of the Commercial Agreement was a natural progression of its relationship with Tata America. The Commercial Agreement also goes a long way towards validating Mobetize's business model and its unique positioning as an industry leading FaaS innovator. "Mobetize is a key partner in enabling Tata America's Mobile money strategy. The innovative Hub platform and team of industry experts delivers unique solutions that can bridge financial services and mobility," stated Frederic Dingemans, Head of Mobile Money Enablement for Tata America. "Tata America is the ideal partner to expand our global reach and scale operations. Our partnership is clearly focused on collaboration, innovation and long term growth opportunities. Based on the demand for Fintech over the past 12 months in collaboration with Tata's team and their customers, we anticipate significant growth in our technology, resources and revenues," stated Ajay Hans, CEO, Mobetize. About Tata Communications (America) Inc. Tata America is a division of Tata Communications Ltd, a global company with its roots in emerging markets ("Tata Communications"). Headquartered in Mumbai and Singapore, it has more than 8,000 employees across 38 countries. The $3.2 billion company is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India. Tata Communications is the flagship telecoms arm of the $103.3 billion Tata Group. Tata Communications is the largest wholesale voice carrier carrying 53 billion minutes of wholesale voice traffic annually and 1,600 telcos use Tata Communications's network (70% of the world's mobile network operators). http://www.tatacommunications.com/about About Mobetize Corp. Mobetize Corp. (OTCQB: MPAY) has developed a global B2B Fintech as a Service (FaaS) Supermarket. Mobetize digitizes bricks and mortar financial services to deliver mobile money services to leading telecommunications companies and financial institutions. Mobetize ensures end-to-end integration for services such as prepaid air-time top ups, data gifting, mobile lending, international money transfers, P2P transfers, Visa/MasterCard programs and mobile bill payments. Mobetize seamlessly integrates and white labels its secure mobile money platform services for customers who then offer the services to millions of users. Mobetize experts to help telecom and banking providers discover new revenues, new customer relationships and navigate the emerging Fintech ecosystem. For more information, visit http://www.mobetize.com. Forward Looking Statements This press release includes statements that are not historical in nature and may be characterized as "forward-looking statements," including those related to future financial and operating results, benefits, and synergies of the combined companies, statements concerning Mobetize's outlook, pricing trends, and forces within the industry, the completion dates of capital projects, expected sales growth, cost reduction strategies, and their results, long-term goals of Mobetize and other statements of expectations, beliefs, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. All predictions as to future results contain a measure of uncertainty and, accordingly, actual results could differ materially. Among the factors which could cause a difference are: changes in the general economy; changes in demand for Mobetize's products or in the cost and availability of its raw materials; the actions of its competitors; the success of our customers; technological change; changes in employee relations; government regulations; litigation, including its inherent uncertainty; difficulties in plant operations and materials; transportation, environmental matters; and other unforeseen circumstances. A number of these factors are discussed in Mobetize's previous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mobetize disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release. Contacts: Shareholder Relations: 778-588-5563 Info@mobetize.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Republicans remain committed to tax reform and boosting infrastructure spending but noted that the issues will have to wait until the spring. Ryan told Fox News the GOP has prioritized repealing and replacing the healthcare reform law known as Obamacare because the system is collapsing. 'It's just the way the budget works that we won't be able to get the ability to write our tax reform bill until our spring budget passes, and then we write that through the summer,' Ryan said in an interview on 'Fox & Friends' on Thursday. The speaker said a proposed infrastructure package to help fix the nation's roads and bridges would also come out of the spring budget. Ryan pledged Republicans would not be distracted by obstructionist tactics by Democratic lawmakers, arguing that voters want Congress to get work done. 'I understand they're upset because they had a bad election, and they're upset about it,' Ryan said. 'That's not going to deter us from getting our work done and do what were elected to do.' Along with tax reform and infrastructure, Ryan the GOP would also strive to reduce regulation, improve border security, rebuild the military, and balance the budget. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Republicans once again shrugged off Democratic opposition to push the nomination of one of President Donald Trump's controversial Cabinet nominees through committee on Thursday. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee vote 11 to zero in favor of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt's nomination as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The unanimous vote came as Democrats once again boycotted the meeting, arguing that Pruitt has failed to provide essential information about his record. In order to move the nomination forward, Republicans on the committee voted to suspend rules requiring that at least two minority party lawmakers be present. 'We took this extraordinary step because the minority members of the committee took the extraordinary step of boycotting the business meeting to approve an EPA administrator for an incoming administration,' said Committee Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wy. 'The minority has put us in unchartered waters,' he added. 'Never before in the history of the EPA has a new president's incoming administrator nominee been boycotted.' Barrasso accused Democrats of engaging in political theater and argued the nation needs a new EPA administrator. Meanwhile, Senator Tom Carper, D-Del., the top Democrat on the committee, claimed Pruitt has not provided the relevant documents and substantive answers Democrats have requested. 'We cannot advise the full Senate on whether Scott Pruitt will lead the EPA in a manner that will protect the public's heath in the absence of critical information about his record,' Carper said. Environmental groups have been highly critical of Trump's nomination of Pruitt, a climate change skeptic who fought the EPA's regulations on carbon emissions. The move to push through Pruitt's nomination came after Republicans used a similar maneuver to advance the nominations of former Goldman Sachs (GS) executive Steven Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary and Congressman Tom Price, R-Ga., as Health And Human Services Secretary. The Cabinet nominees are widely expected to receive the majority support needed to clear the full Republican-controlled Senate. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de AMSTERDAM, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Constellium N.V. (NYSE and Euronext: CSTM) ("Constellium" or the "Company") today announced that the Company has priced a private offering (the "Offering") of $650 million of senior unsecured notes due 2025 (the "Notes"). The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 6.625% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears. The Notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain of the Company's subsidiaries. The Offering is expected to close on February 16, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering, together with cash on hand, to cause its wholly owned indirect subsidiaries, Wise Metals Group LLC and Wise Alloys Finance Corporation, to repurchase pursuant to a tender offer (the "Tender Offer") announced on February 1, 2017, and/or redeem, satisfy and discharge in accordance with the relevant indenture, all of their 8.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 (the "Wise Senior Secured Notes"). Constellium intends to use the remaining net proceeds, if any, for general corporate purposes. There can be no assurance that the Company will successfully complete the Offering on the terms described herein or at all. The Notes are being offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the Notes or any other securities and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area which has implemented the 2003/71/EC directive as amended (the "Prospectus Directive") (each a "Relevant Member State"), an offer of securities to the public has not been made and will not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer in that Relevant Member State of securities may be made at any time to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive, if the qualified investor prospectus exemption has been implemented in that Relevant Member State and provided that no such offer shall result in a requirement for the publication of a prospectus in that Member State. About Constellium Constellium (NYSE and Euronext: CSTM) is a global sector leader that develops innovative, value added aluminium products for a broad scope of markets and applications, including aerospace, automotive and packaging. Constellium generated 5.2 billion of revenue in 2015. www.constellium.com Forward-looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" with respect to the Offering, the Tender Offer, the redemption of Wise Senior Secured Notes, our business, results of operations and financial condition, and our expectations or beliefs concerning future events and conditions. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as, but not limited to, "believes," "expects," "may," "should," "approximately," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "targets," likely," "will," "would," "could" and similar expressions (or the negative of these terminologies or expressions). All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Many risks and uncertainties are inherent in our industry and markets. Others are more specific to our business and operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to those set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F and as described from time to time in subsequent reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The occurrence of the events described and the achievement of the expected results depend on many events, some or all of which are not predictable or within our control. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/463991/CONSTELLIUM_LOGO_Logo.jpg WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. (BECN) released a profit for its first quarter that increased from last year. The company said its bottom line came in at $26.97 million, or $0.44 per share. This was higher than $24.68 million, or $0.41 per share, in last year's first quarter. Analysts had expected the company to earn $0.43 per share, according figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company said revenue for the quarter rose 2.0% to $1.00 billion. This was up from $0.98 billion last year. Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q1): $26.97 Mln. vs. $24.68 Mln. last year. -Earnings Growth (Y-o-Y): 9.3% -EPS (Q1): $0.44 vs. $0.41 last year. -EPS Growth (Y-o-Y): 7.3% -Analysts Estimate: $0.43 -Revenue (Q1): $1.00 Bln vs. $0.98 Bln last year. -Revenue Change (Y-o-Y): 2.0% Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WINNIPEG, MANITOBA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/02/17 -- Financial Inc. (IGM) (TSX: IGM) today reported preliminary total mutual fund net new money in February of $533.3 million as shown in Table 1. Total assets under management were $145.0 billion at February 28, 2017, compared with $141.7 billion at January 31, 2017 and $129.0 billion at February 29, 2016. Mutual fund assets under management were $140.1 billion at February 28, 2017, compared with $137.0 billion at January 31, 2017 and $123.1 billion at February 29, 2016. Assets under management are shown in Table 2. Table 1 - Mutual Funds Net New Money(i) Month ended February 28, 2017 Investors IGM ($ millions) (unaudited) Group Mackenzie Counsel Financial ------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------ All Mutual Funds Gross Sales $1,071.8 $1,268.0(1) $68.5 $2,408.3 Net New Money $450.8 $73.6(1) $8.9 $533.3 Long Term Mutual Funds Gross Sales $965.6 $1,231.4 $65.5 $2,262.5 Net New Money $402.6 $64.9 $6.7 $474.2 (i)Mutual Fund Net New Money is defined as Gross Sales less Gross Redemptions and is consistent with the terminology used by The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC). (1) During February 2017, a third party program which includes Mackenzie mutual funds made fund allocation changes which resulted in gross sales of $313.0 million, redemptions of $472.5 million and net redemptions of $159.5 million. Table 2 - Assets under Management February January February % Change % Change ($ billions) (unaudited) 2017 2017 2016 Last Month YOY -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Total Assets under Management(2) $145.02 $141.74 $129.01 2.3 12.4 Mutual Fund Assets under Management $140.12 $136.98 $123.14 2.3 13.8 Investors Group Mutual Funds $83.05 $81.31 $72.92 2.1 13.9 Mackenzie Mutual Funds $52.49 $51.19 $46.14 2.5 13.8 Sub-advisory, institutional and other(3) $13.06 $12.72 $12.81 2.7 2.0 -------------------------------------------------- Total Mackenzie $65.55 $63.91 $58.95 2.6 11.2 -------------------------------------------------- Counsel Mutual Funds $4.59 $4.48 $4.09 2.5 12.2 (2) Excludes assets managed by Mackenzie on behalf of Investors Group and Investment Planning Counsel. These assets had a value of $8.2 billion at February 28, 2017 ($8.0 billion at January 31, 2017 and $6.9 billion at February 29, 2016). (3) Includes exchange traded fund ("ETF") assets managed by Mackenzie of $200.7 million as at February 28, 2017 and $177.2 million at January 31, 2017. ETF assets include investments from Mackenzie mutual funds of $62.4 million as at February 28, 2017 and $57.6 million as at January 31, 2017. Preliminary average mutual fund assets under management and average total assets under management for the quarter to date are set out in Table 3. Table 3 - Average Assets under Management(4) ($ billions) (unaudited) Quarter to Date --------------- --------------- Total Average Assets under Management(5) $143.24 Mutual Fund Average Assets under Management $138.43 Investors Group Mutual Funds $82.13 Mackenzie Mutual Funds $51.78 Sub-advisory, institutional and other $12.83 --------------- Total Mackenzie $64.61 --------------- Counsel Mutual Funds $4.53 (4) Based on daily average mutual fund assets and month-end average institutional, sub-advisory and other assets. (5) Excludes average assets of $8.0 billion managed by Mackenzie on behalf of Investors Group and Investment Planning Counsel. IGM Financial Inc. is one of Canada's premier personal financial services companies, and one of the country's largest managers and distributors of mutual funds and other managed asset products, with approximately $145 billion in total assets under management. Its activities are carried out principally through Investors Group's network of Consultants located across Canada, Mackenzie Financial Corporation's network of third-party financial advisors and Investment Planning Counsel's network of financial planners dedicated to serving the needs of their clients. A MEMBER OF THE POWER FINANCIAL CORPORATION GROUP OF COMPANIES. Contacts: Media Relations: Ron Arnst 204-956-3364 ron.arnst@igmfinancial.com Investor Relations: Paul Hancock 204-956-8103 investor.relations@igmfinancial.com Direttoo, a Milan, Italy-based B2B food procurement platform, raised 275k in the first tranche of a funding round. Backers included LVenture Group (100k) and members of Angel Partner Group. The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand nationally in major cities. Launched in 2016 by Diego Pelle, CEO, and Chiara Mastromonaco, COO, Direttoo provides restaurateurs with a B2B food chain digital platform to acquire equipment from manufacturers. In a few months, the company has achieved 500k in revenues operating in the Lazio region, consolidating relationships with high-end restaurants based in Rome and strategic partnerships with companies operating in various Food&Beverage segments. Direttoo participated in the last batch of the Acceleration Program of LUISS ENLABS, concluded in November 2016. FinSMEs 02/02/2017 Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 1 By Dalga Khatinoglu Trend: While Irans energy minister says the drop in gas export price is 1.5 times more than the decline in power export price, Oil Ministry claims that electricity exports for Iran are totally unprofitable. Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said Jan. 28 that Irans gas export price plunged from $450 per thousand cubic meters in 1H14 to about $250 currently (a 44 percent decrease), but the power export price experienced only a 20 percent decline to $100 per thousand kilowatts hour (kWh). In 2016, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said, regarding low efficiency of power plants, that exporting electricity is not only unprofitable, but also damages Irans gas export policy. Deputy Oil Minister Amir Hossein Zamaninia also told Trend in August 2016 that Energy Ministry has a huge amount of delayed debts for taking fuel from Irans national oil and gas companies. Now, SHANA news agency, which belongs to Oil Ministry, has reported regarding the 37 percent efficiency of power plants that for producing 1 kWh of electricity, Iranian power plants consume 0.27 cubic meter of gas. The report says the fuel cost of each kWh of electricity stands at 5.4 cents, while after adding 1.5 cents of other operational expenditures to this figure, the final price is 6.9 cents. Despite Chitchians statement, the report put the electricity export price at 6 cents (instead of 10 cents) and argued that power export price is lower than gas export price. The report also says Irans Energy Ministry hasnt paid any money to national oil and gas companies (NIGC and NIOC) since 2010. During 2016, Iran converted about 53.867 bcm of gas and about 7 billion liters of liquid fuels to about 227 billion kWh of electricity, of which about 10 billion kWh was exported to neighbours, especially Iraq and Turkey, which share 86 percent of Irans total power exports. Iran also exported about 8.6 bcm of gas to Turkey and is preparing to start gas export to Iraq to feed its thermal power plants in Baghdad. Zanganeh said that exporting cheap power to Turkey and Iraq makes Irans gas disinclined to getting higher prices. Irans Deputy Minister of Energy Houshang Falahatian said January 14 that soon the government would issue tenders for upgrading 18 GW of capacity, taking the efficiency to 48 percent by 2021. This would be achieved partly by converting the plants to combined-cycle gas turbines and also by shutting plants that operate below 23 percent efficiency. Coming to new projects, he added that Iran also plans to add 25 GW of capacity, with 58 percent efficiency, by using F and H class turbines. Iran received its first F-class turbine, made by Germanys Siemens, last year. It is to be installed at a 1-GW power plant in Bandar Abbas. Geneva Health Solutions (formerly Geneva Healthcare), a Pasadena, Calif.-based provider of Cardiac Remote Monitoring solutions, raised $1.9m in funding. Backers included Nebraska Medicine and Don Cohn. The company intends to use the funds to expand the adoption of its solutions among cardiology practices across the country. Founded in 2010 and led by Yuri Sudhakar, CEO, Geneva Health Solutions has developed cardiac remote monitoring solutions to manage patients with implanted cardiac devices beyond the practice. Patients with pacemakers and defibrillators can transmit critical cardiac data from their implanted device from home to the provider via the cloud. These transmissions allow providers to monitor their patients for both routine device follow-up and for alerts regarding device issues or clinical events, like new arrhythmias and indicators of heart failure. The GHS platform aggregates cardiac device data from the four major device manufacturers remote monitoring portals. FinSMEs 01/02/2017 Boston, MA-based Great Hill Partners closed its sixth private equity fund, at $1.5 billion of limited partner commitments. Great Hill Equity Partners VI, L.P., had a target of $1.25 billion, and the firm began fundraising in late September 2016. Similar to prior funds, Fund VI will seek opportunities to finance the acquisition, recapitalization, or expansion of growing middle market companies ranging in size from $25 million to $500 million. The fund will be invested by Great Hill Partners team of 25 investment professionals, led by Managing Partners Christopher Gaffney, Michael Kumin, Mark Taber, Matthew Vettel; Partners Christopher Busby, Nick Cayer, Rafael Cofino, Peter Garran; and CFO Laurie Gerber. Since its inception in 1998, the firm has raised $5.3 billion in capital commitments across all funds. FinSMEs 01/02/2017 Knowledge to Practice (K2P), a Bethesda, Md.-based edtech startup focused on Continuing medical education (CME), raised $6.5M in Series A funding. The round was led by Rethink Education. In conjunction with the funding, Rick Segal, Managing Partner, Rethink Education, will join K2Ps board of directors. The company intends to use the funds to expand its physician-education offerings into surgery, screening, and womens health. Led by Ellen Beliveau, Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge to Practice specializes in personalized, digital practice improvement. Through its proprietary technology, the company adult learning techniques combined with clinical content from academicians to deliver personalized online learning for physicians across the world. The curriculum is personalized to each physician, enabling them to monitor their progress and learn wherever, whenever and however they choose. Designed to provide information customized to the practice needs, K2Ps proprietary online system allows physicians to self-assess, identify knowledge and practice gaps and develop their knowledge across their core competencies. FinSMEs 01/02/2017 SoFi, a San Francisco, CA-based finance company offering student loan refinancing, mortgages and personal loans, acquired Zenbanx, a Delaware-based fintech company providing multi-currency mobile banking services in the United States and Canada. The amount of the deal expected to close in mid-February was not disclosed. Founded in 2012 by former ING Direct CEO Arkadi Kuhlmann, Zenbanx offers a mobile banking account that lets people save, send and spend money in multiple currencies both domestically and internationally. Now, SoFi intends to leverage Zenbanxs platform and the underlying technology to expand its suite of online personal finance offerings. Kuhlmann is assuming an executive role leading banking products at SoFi, and Zenbanxs staff will be joining the company. Zenbanxs Claymont, DE and Toronto, Canada locations will remain open as SoFi offices. Customers in both the U.S. and Canada will continue to have access to their accounts through Zenbanxs mobile platform and will later be transitioned to SoFi bank accounts once the new product is finalized. Led by Mike Cagney, co-founder, CEO, and Chairman, SoFi provides refinancing student loans, student loan consolidation, mortgages, mortgage refinancing, personal loans e MBA loans. The company, which has received more than $1.4 billion funding, including a 2015 $1 billion Series E led by SoftBank, has over 800 employees across offices in San Francisco (HQ); Healdsburg, CA; New York City, NY; Helena, MT; Washington D.C.; and Cottonwood Heights, Utah. FinSMEs 02/02/2017 A special court in Delhi on Thursday discharged all accused in the Aircel-Maxis case, including former Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran. Special Judge OP Saini discharged Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran, Kalanithi's wife Kavery Kalanithi, South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL) Managing Director K. Shanmugam and two companies SAFL and Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) in two different cases. The court was hearing two different matters related to Aircel-Maxis deal lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). CNBC-TV18, meanwhile, reported that CBI is likely to appeal in the Supreme Court against the special court order. The CBI had alleged Dayanidhi Maran, as minister in the UPA-I government, used his influence to help Malaysian businessman TA Ananda Krishnan to buy Aircel by coercing its owner Sivasankaran to part with his stake. In the other case, the Enforcement Directorate has chargesheeted Maran brothers, along with others for laundering Rs 742.58 crore. The former union minister has, however, refuted all allegations laid against him claiming that during the time period in which the alleged crime was committed, Chennai-based businessman C Sivasankaran was in talks with several other companies to sell his stakes in Aircel. "There is no reason why I would try to facilitate a business transaction, which may even attract criminal charge, which was not even embryonic at that time. Allegations against me are that I am trying to help in Aircel and Maxis business. Am I facilitating a deal which was non-existent," Maran's counsel had told the court. The CBI has chargesheeted the Maran brothers and Chennai-based firm Sun Direct TV, Malaysian businessman TA Ananda Krishnan, Augustus Ralph Marshall and the two accused firms Maxis Communications Berhad of Malaysia and Astro All Asia Networks. They were chargesheeted for the offences punishable under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The chargesheet alleged that Dayanidhi Maran used his influence to help Krishnan buy Aircel by coercing its owner, C. Sivasankaran, to part with his stake. It was alleged by Sivasankaran that Dayanidhi Maran favoured the Maxis Group in the takeover of his company. In return, he alleged, the company made investments through Astro Network in a company stated to be owned by the Maran family. With inputs from PTI and IANS New Delhi: In the perennial tussle between Bharat and India, has the hinterland won? The pro-poor, pro-farmer, pro-small business proposals presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget for 2017-18 surely seek to portray this government as a friend of the masses. Not of the classes, nor of big business. Rahul Gandhis stinging Suit Boot ki Sarkar charg, leveled before the Budget presentation last year, has now been quite effectively negated with all that the Budget promises. To hammer in its pro poor leanings perhaps, Jaitley pointedly ignored one of the most persistent demands of India Inc. - that the government lower the headline corporation tax rate. The other long standing gripe of the suits, about eliminating Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT), was also passed over. To all intents and purposes, Jaitley sent out a clear message: the wealthy are to bear the tax burden for the less fortunate and the large corporations must bear the cross of taxes even as smaller companies get a relief. Whether Jaitley has been able to achieve this socialist, left-of-centre narrative in Indias economy will become clear as the fine print on his tax proposals is read, re-read and analysed over the next few days. He has lowered corporate tax rate for companies with a turnover of Rs 50 crore by five percentage points, income tax for those earning upto Rs 5 lakh a year has been halved. And those earning between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore have been slapped with an additional 10 percent surcharge. On the corporate front, Jaitle has cut corporate tax rate only for the MSMEs while on the personal income tax front, large swathes of the middle class have been left untouched while the rich bear the cross. It is quite possible that after the dust settles on the Budget, his proposals may become mere indications of a change instead of bringing about any real change in the lives of Bharat. The focus on MSMEs while cutting corporate tax rate could, some argue, enable massive job creation in the economy as the MSME sector has borne the worst impact from cash squeeze post demonetistaion. Jaitley has himself said as much in post-Budget interviews to some newspapers. But analysts at Ambit Capital doubt any impetus has been provided to job creation through this single move. In a note to clients, they said The GDP growth in India is decisively slowing as evinced by the dramatic slowdown in bank credit as well as auto sales volume growth in Q3FY17GDP growth in FY18 would be lower than what it would have been had the government not forced the economy to formalize at such a rapid pace. The increased focus on tax compliance is likely to mean that the non-tax paying informal sector in India will shrink at a rapid pace. This in turn will entail a degree of demand destruction as the informal sector accounts for +40 percent of Indias GDP and provides employment to close to +75 percent of the labour force So what happens to India Incs wishlist? According to a CII pre-budget memorandum, the effective corporate tax rate is just 19.8 percent now (much lower than the headline rate of 30 percent, thanks to myriad exemptions). And India Inc wanted it lowered to 18 percent, including all surcharges and cess. We believe that in the past when corporate tax has been lowered, corporate tax collection has gone up. An 18 percent corporate tax should therefore not lead to revenue loss to the government and at a stroke move us away from a high tax, high concession regime. This will bring India in line with the most attractive international investment destinations such as Singapore, Sri Lanka, UK and Turkey, CII had said. Another business chamber, Assocham, had sought immediate reduction in the corporate tax to 25 percent to attract more investment in the country. Neither business chamber had presumably counted on the FM to lower taxes exclusively for MSMEs, specially since he has earlier promised to gradually reduce the headline corporate tax rate while also doing away with exemptions. A tax expert had pointed out that tangible benefits would accrue to the economy by reduction in corporate taxes not by lowering personal income tax rates. He had said this single move would mean job creation and incentivizing the manufacturing sector so that the overall economic growth is enhanced. What will lowering personal income tax achieve except conveying the message that the rich will have it easy.already, GST has strengthened the perception that tax inequality will increase since this tax will be equal for the rich and the poor..income tax rates wont be tinkered with this time, he had said. According to a post-Budget analysis by ratings agency Crisil, corporate tax, a levy companies pay on their earnings, is expected to grow the fastest in at least three years in the current fiscal to 9 percent versus 5.7 percent and 8.7 percent in the preceding two fiscal years. It is obvious that with central excise collections expected to take a major hit next fiscal due to GST, the finance minister does not want a dip in corporate tax collections. So Crisil has projected that collections from this levy will keep up this growth trajectory even in the next fiscal at 9.1 percent. This single levy accounted for almost 30 percent of the governments total tax revenue in the current fiscal at almost Rs 4.94 lakh crore. Or roughly a third of all tax revenues come from this single levy. But it is projected to come down in its share of total tax revenues next fiscal to just 28 percent at almost Rs 5.39 lakh crore. Corporate tax accounted for 35 percent and 31 percent of total tax revenue in the two preceding fiscal years. Then, even when dealing with the high-octane personal income tax issue, Jaitley played the class tune. He lowered taxes only for the lower middle class, for people earning up to Rs 5 lakh. Crisils analysis shows only two crore Indians will benefit from this. That is less than 2 percent of Indias population though this section accounts for almost a fourth of the governments total income tax revenues. Crisil goes on to say that sectors like transport and affordable housing received a shot in the arm. This is expected to push demand in sectors such as cement and steel, generating positive multiplier effects in employment and incomes. This, to an extent, will help alleviate some stress in rural areas which were hit hardest by the demonetisation drive. Also, the reduction in individual income tax rates (brought down to 5 percent from 10 percent for those in the income slab of Rs 0.25-0.5 million) will raise the purchasing power. Nearly, 20 million people who currently declare income in this bracket will benefit from the change. Whether Jaitleys preference for Bharat at the cost of India works towards improving Indias economic growth will be apparent in the next few months. But one thing is sure: the Suit Boot wale have been given short shrift by the government this year. For full coverage of Union Budget 2017 click here. While stars like Shah Rukh and Salman Khan prefer to work in an average of two films per year, Akshay Kumar, with his meticulous planning and calculation, does no less than four films every calendar year. He has his economics worked out, and like every year, Kumar has already announced his four films coming up for release in 2017. Belonging to four totally different genres, this year, Akshays releases include Jolly LLB 2 (February 10), Toilet Ek Prem Katha (June 2), 2.0 with Rajinikanth (October 19) and Padman (starts rolling first week of March). So here's a question everyone wants to ask him. How does he maintain this pace? I have the stamina to balance three to four films as an actor and four as a producer. That keeps me occupied for the whole year, says Kumar, who strictly believes that a film should not take more than 60-70 days to complete. He even managed to complete a multi-starrer like Housefull 3 in 38 days flat. Talking about his experience of playing a lawyer for the first time in Jolly LLB 2 a courtroom drama, where Kumars character questions the system the actor says: Any film that you finish in three to four months, your experience is bound to be good because you are living that character for a little while. If a film's shoot extends more than that then you start getting bored even if you are portraying the best of characters. I prefer to complete my films in maximum three months and when the film gets extended by more than five to six months, I dont enjoy working. As soon as I start a film I tell the makers that lets finish it fast. Akshay Kumar believes in following his director rather than preparing for the role himself. He adds, "Working with Subhash Kapoor (director) was excellent. For the first time I was playing a lawyer and I enjoyed it because I am seen cracking quite a few interesting cases in the film. I remember I had started shooting for this film one day after the release of Rustom and today I am sitting here promoting the film. The film also stars Huma Qureshi who plays the role of Kumar's wife, who wants her peg and food on time. Actor Arshad Warsi had essayed the lead role in the 2013 film, Jolly LLB, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. Arshad had earlier said he was supposed to feature in the second instalment too, but then the makers wanted a bigger star, which they found in Akshay Kumar. From the looks of it, Jolly LLB 2 appears far more commercial obviously because of the presence of a bigger star. However, sounding modest, Kumar says, "I am very grateful to Arshad to show me the way of doing this film. It is not about commercial or non-commercial. I just followed Arshads path. On the contrary I hope that this film has the kind of success the first one saw. Arshad made the first film a success and thereby a big film and now the pressure is on me. When a star does a character-oriented or an author-backed role there is definitely some kind of pressure. Talking about the awards, after the nominations for this year's Filmfare Awards were announced, Twitter seemed to have been instantly enraged by the overlooking of Kumar for the Best Actor nod, despite acclaimed performances in Airlift and Rustom. #FilmfareAwardsOnSale trended furiously, buoyed by indignant tweets from Akshay Kumar's fan clubs. So how does he deal with the situation when his work goes unrecognised? Maybe I didnt deserve an award because there were many others who did a better job. Awards are good and because of these reasons I wont stop believing or questioning awards, says Akshay Kumar. He appears a bit rattled when asked whether he had advised his co-star of many films, Kareena Kapoor Khan, recently to believe in rewards and not awards. Did Kareena give that out? That was supposed to be a secret, I had told her in confidence. I told her that she should just keep working and not think too much." While action remains his forte, in 26 years of his career, Kumar has tried quite a few genres. Its only recently that I have started enjoying my work. Now, I am getting a lot of different offers so it feels good. I started as an action hero. For eight-10 years, I only did action every day. No one would consider me for any other role than action. That got to me. I learnt that you cant stick to one image. You have to have different images. Not only will people say that to you but you yourself will start getting bored of it," he says. I still remember one day when I was going for shoot of an action film. I stayed on the 11th floor so I got into the lift and when I looked into the mirror, it talked to me and said, So, you are going to do the same thing today as well? Give three kicks and two punches? Are you going to do the same thing all your life? That was a wake up call. Then I decided to do something different. I spoke to Priyadarshan sir and he believed I could do comedy. I didnt have that belief in myself. I also learnt comedy from Rajkumar Santoshi and Neeraj Vora," adds Kumar. He holds Priyadarshan in high regard. The actor-director duo gave hits like Hera Pheri, Garam Masala, Bhagam Bhag and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. While Kumar has no immediate plans to reunite with the director on a project, he only has heaps of praise for him. I love Priyadarshans work. That man is a genius. No one makes comedies better Priyadarshan. He finishes a film in 30-40 days. He writes his own scripts, edits the film besides directing it. He is highly talented. Kumar might have chosen acting as his career just for money, but he says as time passed he started becoming an 'extremely passionate actor' - and this change was brought about by 1999 film Sangharsh. "When I assured myself of a decent bank balance, that's when I started taking risks. If I recollect, Sangharsh changed my perspective as an actor. I started to love what I do and now I am an extremely passionate actor," he adds. He recently tweeted about Hrithik Roshans Kaabil calling it a good film, and strongly feels that social media helps in maintaining good relations between actors. Lot of times people write anything. Problems do occur between actors but media makes mountain out of a mole-hill with screaming headlines. It is all exaggerated. Now you can fix these problems with the help of social media. I was often accused of chopping my co-stars role. Do I have the power to enter a directors editing room, take him aside and cut another actor's role while the director keeps watching me do so? It happened with one of Priyadarshans film, and he got terribly angry with the journalist," shares Kumar. Meanwhile, in the first kind of collaboration between two contemporary star/producers and a contemporary director/producer, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and filmmaker Karan Johar are coming together for a movie slated to release in 2018. The yet untitled project will be produced by Salman and Karan, while Akshay will star in the lead role. The film will be directed by Anurag Singh, who has previously done Punjabi films. While Karan and Akshay have never worked together, Akshay and Salman have done Mujhse Shaadi Karoge and Jaaneman. However, Kumar remains tight-lipped about the project, merely saying, Nothing has been finalised yet and if I tell you my agreement may get cancelled, adding, "It is great that a huge star like Salman is asking another actor to do a film for him. It only happens in Hollywood, I have never seen it happen here. Incidentally, Salman is also a part of the Jolly LLB 2 trailer, in a dialogue related to his personal life. In it, Kumar asks the question, When will Salman Khan get married?" To this, he says, "Dont worry, and dont create controversies, Salman knows about it. After that only he signed me for his film. Also read: Jolly LLB 2 review: Akshay Kumar, Subhash Kapoor pull off emotional resonance in a patchy film The first look of Dulquer Salmaan's film with Amal Neerad has finally been unveiled, and the actor confirmed that it is called Comrade in America CIA. Sharing the poster on his Facebook page, Dulquer wrote: "At long last, here is the title for my first full length Amal Neerad film! Thank you Amal Etta for the opportunity and for letting me be a part of something so ambitious and grand. Hope you all love everything about the film." The poster depicts Dulquer's character against the American flag, with the Communist sickle and hammer symbol in place of the usual stars. The title and poster both indicate that Communism will be a major part of CIA's narrative. The Hindu reports that shooting on the project had started over a year ago and features locations in the US and Mexico. Meanwhile, the Malayam film star is said to be preparing for a Bollywood debut with a Bejoy Nambiar film. Here's the poster of CIA: Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor spontaneously joined actor Varun Dhawan, who was walking the ramp as a showstopper for popular designer Kunal Rawal at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017 in Mumbai on Wednesday. While walking the ramp, Varun asked Arjun, who was one of the guests for Rawal's show titled 'The Race of Separates' presented by Lamborghini, to join him and the designer. The two actors were seen sporting traditional attire. While Varun was seen wearing an ivory coloured deconstructed bandhgala jacket, with intricate embroidery by Rawal, Gunday star Arjun looked dapper in black kurta paired with a white pyjama. At the end of the ramp walk, the two actors picked up Rawal and posed for the cameras. Rawal on Wednesday unveiled his line at an offsite show at the venue's parking lot. The designer showcased over 15 ensembles, which consisted of kurtas that fit like jackets, an Indian three piece set (kurta-jacket-sherwani), high low kurtas and longline bundis. About his collection, Rawal said: "Basically it's a collection which is modern Indian. It is very contemporary Indian that's how I like it. I feel like me, even my customer, is looking for luxury and key pieces. Hence, I have made my looks with separates.I believe a lot in luxurious key pieces in a look and everything else can just sort of be a background for the look." Apart from Arjun, Rawal's show was attended by actors like Sonakshi Sinha, Prateik Babbar and Mohit Marwah. By Jane Wardell and Colin Packham | SYDNEY SYDNEY U.S. President Donald Trump labelled a refugee swap deal with Australia "dumb" on Thursday after a Washington Post report of an acrimonious telephone call with Australia's prime minister threatened a rare rift in ties between the two staunch allies.The Post reported that Trump described the resettlement plan as "the worst deal ever" and accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers". It said the call had been scheduled to last an hour but Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tried to turn to subjects such as Syria.Turnbull told reporters the call with Trump at the weekend had been frank and candid but refused to give further details."I do stand up for Australia. My job is to defend Australian interests," Turnbull said in Melbourne.Turnbull refused to confirm the Post report that Trump, who had earlier spoken to world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, had angrily told him that the call was "the worst so far".Political analysts said such acrimony was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former U.S. President Richard Nixon and then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who pulled Australian troops out of the Vietnam War."Even that was always done in the language of foreign policy niceties," said Harry Phillips, a political analyst of 40 years experience at Edith Cowan and Curtin universities in Perth. As reports of the conversation hit headlines on both sides of the world, Trump tweeted shortly before midnight in Washington: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal." That threw more confusion over the status of the controversial deal Australia agreed with former President Barack Obama late last year for the United States to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru.In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.REPERCUSSIONS The swap deal is at odds with Trump's executive order last week that suspended the U.S. refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq, and Syria.Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.White House spokesman Sean Spicer and the U.S. Embassy in Australia have both said Trump would honour the deal. In several media appearances after Trump's tweet, Turnbull reiterated that he believed the deal stood. "He is saying that this is not a deal he would have made, but the question is will he honour that commitment? He has already given it," Turnbull said. "I make Australias case frankly, powerfully, forthrightly and hopefully persuasively when I deal with other leaders." The apparent breakdown between Washington and Canberra that has developed over the resettlement deal could have serious repercussions.Australia and the United States are among the five nations that make up the Five Eyes group, the world's leading intelligence-sharing network. The United States also plans to send extra military aircraft to Australia's tropical north this year as part of a U.S. Marines deployment that will bolster its military presence close to the disputed South China Sea. Australia is also one of 10 U.S. allies purchasing Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet programme.The Post quoted unidentified senior U.S. officials briefed on the conversation between Trump and Turnbull. It also quoted the official read-out from the call, which emphasised "the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally".It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. (Reporting by Jane Wardell and Colin Packham; Additional reporting by Tom Westbrook; Writing by Jane Wardell; Editing by Paul Tait) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.2 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Hungary can join the Nord Stream and Turkish Stream gas pipeline projects in the future, said Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov. He made the remarks on the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to Hungary, Russian media outlets reported. Ushakov pointed out that Russia accounts for over 75 percent of oil and 60 percent of gas consumption in Hungary. Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement October 10 on the implementation of the Turkish Stream project. The agreement involves construction of two branches of the main gas pipeline under the Black Sea, the power of each branch being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas. One branch is provided to supply gas directly to the Turkish market, the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe. The intergovernmental agreement also stipulates that these two offshore branches should be built by December 2019. Nord Stream is an export gas pipeline running from Russia to Europe across the Baltic Sea. As it bypasses transit countries, Nord Stream provides Gazprom with direct access to European consumers. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin | DUBAI DUBAI Iran said on Wednesday it had test-fired a new ballistic missile, prompting a tough response from a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.Iran's defence minister said the test did not breach the Islamic Republic's nuclear agreement with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the pact,Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump entered the White House. Trump said during his election campaign that he would stop Iran's missile programme."The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defence affairs," Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told Tasnim news agency. "The test did not violate the nuclear deal or (U.N.) Resolution 2231."Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said the United States was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilising activity" after it fired the missile."As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, without explaining exactly what that meant.Flynn said the missile launch defied the U.N. resolution that called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons.A U.S. official said Iran had test-launched a medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after travelling 630 miles (1,010 km). The Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday and recommended the missile testing be studied at committee level. The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the test "unacceptable". Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran would never use its ballistic missiles to attack another country.Some 220 Iranian members of parliament reaffirmed support for Tehran's missile programme, calling international condemnation of the tests "illogical.""The Islamic Republic of Iran is against weapons of mass destruction, so its missile capability is the only available deterrence against enemy hostility," the lawmakers said in a statement carried on state media on Wednesday. The state news agency IRNA quoted Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran's National Security Council, as saying Iran would not seek "permission from any country or international organisation for development of our conventional defensive capability". The Security Council resolution was adopted to buttress the deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear activities to allay concerns they could be used to develop atomic bombs, in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.The resolution urged Tehran to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics say the resolution's language does not make this obligatory.Tehran says it has not carried out any work on missiles specifically designed to carry nuclear payloads. The test on Sunday, according to U.S. officials, was of a type of missile that had also been tested seven months ago.Iran has one of the Middle East's largest missile programmes but it has been dogged by a poor record for accuracy.However, Hossein Salami, deputy head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, said on the day of the test that the country was now one of the few whose ballistic missiles were capable of hitting moving objects.This would enable Iran to hit enemy ships, drones or incoming ballistic missiles. Some of Iran's precision-guided missiles have the range to strike its regional enemy Israel.On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Iran's new missile test a "flagrant violation" of the U.N. resolution. He said he would ask Trump in their meeting in mid- February for a renewal of sanctions against Iran. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Giles Elgood) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jane Wardell and Roberta Rampton | SYDNEY/WASHINGTON SYDNEY/WASHINGTON U.S. ties with staunch ally Australia turned strained on Thursday after reports of an acrimonious phone call between the two leaders emerged and U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal between the two nations on refugees was "dumb."Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke for about 25 minutes on Saturday, but the call ended abruptly after Trump panned a bilateral resettlement deal on refugees, the Washington Post reported. Trump accused Australia of trying to export the "next Boston bombers" and said the call was the worst he had had with world leaders thus far, according to the newspaper.The Post, citing unidentified senior U.S. officials, was first to report details of the weekend call, which came at the end of day of widespread protests and confusion over Trump's order for a 120-day halt of the U.S. refugee program and a 90-day suspension on visits from people from seven predominantly Muslim countries.The apparent breakdown between Washington and Canberra that has developed over the resettlement deal could have serious repercussions. Australia and the United States are among the five nations that make up the Five Eyes group, the world's leading intelligence-sharing network. Under the Australia deal set with former President Barack Obama last year, the United States agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.Many of the people being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on Thursday that Trump was "unbelievably disappointed" and "extremely, extremely upset" with the deal, but said it would go ahead.Spicer said all the refugees presented to the United States would be subject to "extreme vetting" to ensure they do not pose security risks. Turnbull told reporters he was surprised and disappointed that details of the call with Trump had been leaked but gave few particulars other than to deny reports Trump had hung up on him.As far as the call is concerned, the report that the president hung up is not correct. The call ended courteously. And as far as the nature of the discussion, it was very frank and forthright," he told a Sydney radio station on Thursday."I make Australias case as powerfully and persuasively as I can, wherever I am," he said.As reports of the phone conversation made headlines on both sides of the world, Trump tweeted shortly before midnight in Washington: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal." UNPRECEDENTED ACRIMONY Political analysts said the acrimony between the two countries was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former U.S. President Richard Nixon and then-Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who withdrew the country's troops during the Vietnam War."Even that was always done in the language of foreign policy niceties," said Harry Phillips, a political analyst of 40 years experience at Edith Cowan and Curtin universities in Perth. Australia, New Zealand and the United States have been allies under a formal security treaty since 1951. They co-operate on military matters in the Pacific region, although today the treaty is taken to relate to conflicts worldwide. The United States plans to send extra military aircraft to Australia's tropical north this year as part of a U.S. Marines deployment that will bolster its military presence close to the disputed South China Sea. Australia is also one of 10 U.S. allies purchasing Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N) F-35 fighter jet programme.Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, said the conversation could damage the alliance. "Australia is one of the strongest friends we have, and our common interest in fighting terror and confronting Chinese aggression binds us ever closer."John McCain, the powerful Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he called Australia's U.S. ambassador on Thursday to express his unwavering support for the military alliance between the two nations.Trump, attending a national prayer breakfast in Washington on Thursday, said he was involved in "tough phone calls" on the immigration issue, though he did not name Australia or its leader by name."Believe me, when you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having - don't worry about it," Trump said. "We're going to be a little tough, folks. We're taken advantage of by every nation in the world, virtually." (Additional reporting by Eric Walsh, Susan Heavey and Ayesha Rascoe in Washington and Colin Packham in Sydney; Writing by Jane Wardell and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Paul Tait and Jeffrey Benkoe) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The Chhattisgarh government has asked Bastar IG SRP Kalluri to go on leave citing ill-health as the reason behind the decision. According to ANI, Kalluri has been on leave for a month after undergoing a heart blockage surgery. Chhatisgarh: Bastar IG SRP Kalluri, goes on leave again, after being on leave for a month due to a heart blockage operation he underwent. ANI (@ANI_news) February 2, 2017 Meanwhile, CNN-News 18 reported that Kalluri, who has been facing allegations of violating human rights norms, was forced to go on leave and the state government appointed IPS officer P Sunder Raj as DIG Bastar. According to The Indian Express, the seven districts of Bastar would come under Sunder Raj. #BREAKING -- The Chhattisgarh government sent controversial Bastar IG SRP Kalluri on forced leave; DIG Sunder Raj to take charge pic.twitter.com/WJppjSKUfI News18 (@CNNnews18) February 2, 2017 Kalluri has been charged for threatening journalists and human rights activists in Bastar. He has been issued by the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) in cases of fake encounters and atrocities. In November last year, the NHRC had summoned Kalluri over alleged hostility and abuse of power against human rights defenders. The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of a "nationwide outcry and protest" against Kalluri over the FIR registered against Delhi University Professor Nandini Sundar, Jawaharlal Nehru University Professor Archana Prasad and others. "The media reports over the last week have alleged that the Chhattisgarh Police named Nandini Sundar and 10 others as accused in the murder of tribal Somnath Baghel in Sukma district. "It is reported that he was killed by Maoists as he had been leading a campaign against their activities since April. There is no apparent connection between murder and visit of these human rights activists and, therefore, it has been alleged that they have been framed in a mala fide manner by police to settle scores," the NHRC statement had said. The commission also took note of Sundar's petition in the Supreme Court against the alleged police atrocities on Bastar tribals by burning their homes. "The commission took suo motu cognisance of unprecedented acts of hostility and indiscipline by the Chhattisgarh Auxiliary Police in burning the effigies of Sundar and other lawyers and journalists as they were instrumental in exposing police deeds," said the statement. "The NHRC is also of the view that since allegations are made against Kalluri, it would like to know from them why the investigation in the registered first information report should not be handed over to an independent agency like the Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department or the Central Bureau of Investigation," it added. (With inputs from IANS) New Delhi: A day after Pakistan asked India to provide "concrete evidence" against Jamaat-ud-Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the country has been providing evidence at different levels and cautioned the longer Pakistan stays in "denial mode" the more it risks its own security. Asserting that Pakistan is now the "epicentre of terrorism" in the entire region, particularly in the Indian sub-continent, Singh said the neighbouring country is also the "hub of gross human rights violations". "The entire world now acknowledges and realises that from time to time India has been providing a series of evidence at different levels. And therefore there is hardly any evidence required. "The longer Pakistan prefers to stay in denial mode, they must realise, the powers that be in Islamabad, the more they are going to risk their own security," Singh told reporters outside Parliament. Pakistan had yesterday asked India to provide "concrete evidence" against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed if it was "serious" about its allegations against him. Before that, India had said that only a credible crackdown on the Mumbai terror attack mastermind would be proof of Islamabad's sincerity. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud-Dawa leaders Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz - were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab Province's Interior Ministry in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on 27 January. On the H1B Visa issue, the Minister said the External Affairs Ministry will look into it and take appropriate measures. "It won't be right for me to give a final response to that without being privy to exact details. Nevertheless, I am sure the government and the External Affairs Ministry will take cognisance and justice will be done," he said. Of all the railway stations across the country that will be redeveloped, one-fifth are located on the Mumbai suburban routes. It's both significant and appropriate that the five stations on the shortlist (four within Greater Mumbai, and one just outside) are Bandra, Borivali, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Mumbai Central and Thane all of them crying for attention. These stations happen to handle both long-distance trains as well as commuter locals connecting the metropolis with its distant suburbs. The metro region is nine times the size of Mumbai, and houses a little over one-third of the total population, but is almost entirely dependent on Mumbai for its economy. Increasing number of users, and the resulting congestion, are the hallmarks of these stations, which witness uninterrupted footfall during morning and evening peak hours, putting even more load on the short-distance commuter trains, popularly known as "locals trains". However, they are the lifelines of the city. Shut one down, and crisis would befall the city. When signing a redevelopment agreement for Habibgunj in Madhya Pradesh, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had said last year, "Apart from passenger services, we can look at commercial complexes as well the station areas." Habibgunj has the potential to be one of the revenue streams for the railways, and could generate upto Rs 300 crore. The same could be replicated in other stations as well. The railways own spaces within and around station premises at several places. They could be put to commercial use, and that's where a private player could come in. Real estate always promises gains, and there are no better places to do so than a railway station in suburban Mumbai, which are nicely strung along the north-south alignment of the island city. However, focus should not be on extracting benefits alone; it should also look at building passenger amenities. Currently today, all the stations are past their use-by date in terms of ability to handle crowd capacity. There is a crying demand for amenities to be improved, including the simple comfort of being able to stand in a train without being elbowed by another passenger. Let's take a look at the stations on the shortlist. Borivali is a western suburb, an important commuter hub that handles long-haul passenger trains as well. It's a busy station and handles nearly three lakh commuters everyday, several of whom descend on it only because it's not possible for them to board trains from the stations around it Dahisar, Kandivali and Malad. Inadequacies of the system only worsen conditions in stations like Borivali. Every time a train from further north arrives at Borivali, it does so packed to the brim and can take in no additional passengers. Such similar pressure is also felt at Thane on the central line, which handles two separate lines: A Thane-Panvel "trans-harbour" line, and a main line going towards CST. There isn't a single location on the Western or Central systems that can be considered comfortable to board a train. Efforts to improve the situation around stations have been made. Skywalks, a Mumbai term to describe a long pedestrian bridge connecting the station to the road outside, exist at almost all important stations, while Thane also has Satis (Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme), but even this comes with its flaws. Public transport, meant to be discharged from a top deck, is hardly used, it being a factor of poor city transport planning. But more importantly, it has meant an arterial road needs to be used for private vehicles. Furthermore, narrow roads are monopolised by hawkers, meaning vehicular traffic can only travel in a single file. Parking for private vehicles is also inadequate. The constraints come from the approaches to these stations, as shown at the eastern side of Bandra or Borivali stations. At both places, hawkers, many of them without requisite licences, block out valuable road space. A commuter rushing to catch a fast train would need to wait patiently, as his/her bus crawls past these congested streets. On the west side of Borivali, meanwhile, one wouldn't even be able to identify the station entry points, unless one was a regular user. Much like Mulund on the Central line. At every spot, pedestrians who arrive at the station prefer using the roads meant for vehicles, because the footpaths are taken up by hawkers. It's a feature typical of all stations and the foot-over-bridges (FOB). How would the exploitation of these stations for commercial purposes bring in more footfalls, without worsening the existing load? This is tricky, and even private partners may end up scratching their heads in frustration. On Thursday, the Nagaland government called in five column of the Indian Army and imposed section 144 in Kohima after month-long protests in the state turned violent on Tuesday. The government has also suspended mobile services in the region, according to India Today. The state has been burning over the issue of granting women reservation in civic polls for over a month. However, the situation spiraled out of control on Tuesday as two tribals were killed in police firing in Dimapur following violent protests in the state, according to India Today. The government has now ordered a judicial enquiry into the killing of the two people. The report states that hundreds of protesters tried to storm the private residence of chief minister TR Zeliang in Dimapur on Tuesday night, following which the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd. The crowd retaliated with stone pelting and Molotov cocktails, and burning government vehicles, after which the police fired at the crowd, killing two tribals. The two persons who were killed have been identified as Khriesavizo Metha and Bendangnungsang Ao, according to The Northeast Today. The scene of the protests then moved to the state's capital as the bodies of the two killed youth were brought to Kohima on Wednesday. Following this, the violence catapulted with scores of angry protesters swarming the streets. The mob launched into a rampage setting ablaze several government buildings while ransacking many others, according to The Hindustan Times. While various Naga tribal organisations have been protesting against the state government's decision to grant 33 percent reservation to women in the civic polls, which were scheduled to be held on 1 February, the government had been adamant on holding the elections. However, the polls were deferred for a further date after two people died in police firing but that was not enough to appease the raging tribal bodies, who now demand that the chief minister should step down. Many tribals believe that it is against their cultural beliefs, and hence an infringement of their constitutional rights. The tribals in opposition to the government cite Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India, which provides the Naga people with the right to frame their own laws as per local customs. Hokiye Sema, the president of Central Naga Tribal Council, a tribal body, told Firstpost, "In Naga society, a woman is not considered to be equal to men. She is not even allowed to speak in panchayat until and unless she is summoned by it. Providing 33 percent reservation to women amounts to giving her the same status as men and it gives men inferiority complex." Sema said that the Naga society has been following these laws for more than thousand years and those cannot be just wiped out. Islamabad: Pakistan has neglected to address trans-border water issues and delayed presenting the cases of dispute with India to the Indus Water Commission related to the Indus Water Treaty, Dawn quoted a United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) report as saying. "Pakistan's negligence in conducting a sound analysis of trans-boundary water issues and delays in presenting the cases of dispute with India to the Indus Water Commission or the World Bank on the issues related to the Indus Waters Treaty have caused the issues to linger on and remain unaddressed," Dawn News said on Thursday. The report titled "Development Advocate Pakistan" was released by the UN global development network on Wednesday, it said. "An increase in water stress in the basin states since the early '90s has brought the treaty under strain," the report added. It added that Pakistan has gone as far as calling the treaty an "inefficient forum for resolving water issues, elevating the water issue to a core issue and including it in the composite dialogue". "But India has refused to include the issue in the composite dialogue because it is not ready to discard the treaty," Dawn said in its report. The treaty permits India to create storages on the western rivers for power and flood storages. The report says: "A clear ambiguity in the treaty occurs in its permission to be interpreted differently, thereby creating conflicts between Pakistan and India. The treaty also fails to clearly address India's share of shortages in relation to storage dams on the western rivers, an issue of major concern." Pakistan, as per the treaty, is not allowed to prohibit construction of hydropower dams by India. Although Pakistan benefits from international legal frameworks for water resources management, it is largely dependant upon the treaty for resolving trans-boundary water conflicts with India, the report points out. As bilateral ties plummetted in 2016, India said it will utilise its share of upstream water as per the treaty, which it has not done for so many years. Both sides have been locked in a dispute over the Kishanganga and Ratle projects that India is building in the Indus river basin. Pakistan maintains the projects violate the Indus Waters Treaty, under which waters of Indus, Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum rivers are to be shared between the two countries. Waters of eastern rivers Beas, Ravi and Sutlej are allocated to India, while the bulk of water from the three western rivers is for Pakistan. Pakistan maintains the Kishanganga project, coming up on Jhelum river, will reduce by 40 per cent the water flowing into its territory. It also wants the storage capacity of the reservoir of the Ratle project, coming up on Chenab, to be reduced. India says the two projects do not violate the treaty. Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met the World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva and raised the Indus Water Treaty dispute. Sharif expressed hope that a Court of Arbitration would solve the Indus Water Treaty dispute with India. New Delhi has requested the World Bank to appoint a 'neutral expert' to resolve the water-sharing disagreement. The Ministry of External Affairs has been allocated Rs 14798.55 crore for FY 2017-18 in this year's Union Budget. This is an overall increase of just Rs 135 crores compared to last year, when the MEA had been allocated Rs 14662.66 crore. However, the ministry received only Rs 13,426 crore of the total fund allocated to it in 2016-17 Budget. While the total budgetary allocation to the ministry has only risen by a mere one percent, a careful breakdown of the allocation tells a different story. Although, there has been a 14 percent decline in the total aid and grants to countries between the 2017 and 2016 editions of the Budget, countries like Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives have seen their grants skyrocket. While the Maldives received just Rs 80 crore in grants in 2016-17, this year it has been allotted Rs 245 crore. This amounts to a 512 percent increase in funds. Seychelles, on the other hand seems to have hit a jackpot as it has been allocated Rs 300 crore in the present Budget, while Mauritius has been allotted Rs 400 crore. No grants had been announced for both these island nations in the last Budget. If seen through the prism of New Delhi's foreign policy priorities, this signals India's growing interest in the Indian Ocean Region to counter China. Bhutan, however, still takes a large slice of the pie, despite a one-third cut in funds for the Himalyan kingdom. With Rs 3,714.13 crore of the total 6,479.13 crore allotted to just Bhutan, Thimpu takes about 57 percent share of the total aid and grants. The country remains close to India, having no diplomatic ties with China and is strategically crucial for India vis-a-vis China. The same can be said of Nepal, another buffer state between China (technically, the region of Tibet) and India. The MEA has allocated Rs 375 crore to Kathmandu, an increase of 25 percent from the previous budget. However, the biggest addition to the MEA Budget has been the Chabahar Port project, in which Indian companies have a huge stake. The port is reportedly being propped up by India as a counter to China's growing influence in the Indian Ocean Region through the Gwadar Port in Balochistan. The government has approved an allocation of Rs 150 crore to the Iranian port. Nevertheless, there are many other countries that have been allotted less than what they had received last year. The Union Budget has slashed the allocation to the war-torn Afghanistan, where India has been active in many infrastructure projects like construction of the Salma Dam and the Afghan Parliament. With a one-third cut in the total grant, Kabul has been allocated just Rs 350 crore, down from Rs 520 crore last year. The Economic Times reported that the completion of the Salma Dam and the new parliament building had been the possible reason for the cut in the total grant. However, Myanmar, an important component of India's Look-East policy, and Sri Lanka, a long-time partner, have seen a cut in their allocation. While Colombo has been alloted Rs 125 crore a decline of 45 percent, Myanmar has been allocated 43 percent less funds this year. Bangladesh, too, will see a minor cut in the total grant it will receive. While in 2016-17, Dhaka had been allotted Rs 150 crore, this year it has been alloted just Rs 125 crore. Overall, if the budget allocation is any indication of India's future foreign policy priorities, it suggests that the Narendra Modi government is consolidating its presence in the Indian Ocean Region to balance China's aggressive maritime expansion. By Ila Ananya When the budget came out last year, we wondered what exactly Arun Jaitley and his Finance Ministry thought they were doing. They had quite happily decided to ignore maternal mortality, primary education, and malnutrition, among many other things, and there was no mention of any women-oriented policies (except cooking gas). Even the scheme meant for the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act hadnt got any allocation. A year on, with Uddhav Thackeray wondering just why we have the budget every year when the previous years budget isnt implemented, and Mamata Banerjee poetically tweeting, A controversial #Budget2017 which is clueless, useless, baseless, missionless and actionless. Heartless, after the session, it seems like this year hasnt really been any better for women. If you spent your morning following various Twitter feeds to find out what people were saying about the budget, while watching Jaitley on television announcing it morosely (he even broke into poetry once), you might have come across GIFs on his poetry and people waiting to hear about tax cuts with baited breath. But the general impression is that youd have to strain your ears a bit to hear what the budget had for women in most cases, women were included within allocations for other disadvantaged classes, with no understanding that there might be different problems for each of them. This is even though conversations about gender budgeting (that the Kerala and Kolkata governments decided to implement in 2017) have increased this year. Gender budgeting itself is based on the argument that the outcomes of policy reform arent usually gender neutral and can end up adversely affecting minorities. Of course, the government doesnt seem to have thought about it as something other than women-specific schemes. As Priyanka Chaturvedi and Vidisha Mishra argue in their piece in The Hindu, the idea of gender budgeting, it seems, is to rigorously look at every policy decision through a gendered lens rather than having just these few women-specific schemes: Something that last years budget certainly didnt do. And while women this year were wondering about demonetisation, tax cuts, housing loans, and benefits for start-ups, it seems like things havent changed much, despite numerous reports about how a lot more women were involved in the budget-making process this year. Whats making the rounds as a big announcement Hindustan Times has even said that women and child welfare continues to be a key thrust area of the Narendra Modi government is that there has been an allocation of Rs 1.86 lakh crore (increased from last years Rs 1.56 lakh crore) for women and children across ministries. But there were unanswered questions here too, with the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) wondering whether this increase included Dalit and Adivasi women. They stated explicitly that their demand was for schemes that would directly help the community, with a special focus on Dalit and Adivasi women (which was unsurprisingly lacking). Strangely, whats being presented with even more fanfare (the Ministry WCD and others have been tweeting about this incessantly with #Budget4Women), is the scheme for pregnant women that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come up with on New Years Eve, as though it was a big shiny present for women living in rural areas everywhere. It guaranteed a transfer of Rs 6,000 to women who underwent institutional deliveries, but if youve happily blanked it from your memory, its the same scheme that wasnt really new. While Modi had played it up as an attempt to curb infant mortality rate, the scheme conveniently ignored a huge section of women and the range of problems women face in accessing healthcare. It came with many conditions, as reported in The Ladies Finger, and shifted away from what should have been the focus: To improve the quality of health services in government hospitals, and making home deliveries safer. It seems like the only other two schemes exclusively for women are the Mahila Shakti Kendras and a doubled allocation for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to Rs 200 crore. For the Mahila Shakti Kendras, the government has promised to set them up with a budget allocation of Rs 500 crore in 14 lakh anganwadi centres in what the government claims will promote self-reliance among women. Then theres also to be increased sanitation coverage in rural areas, which will improve womens health and security. So can the budget be viewed as a dheela improvement if compared to last years only exclusive scheme for women (cooking gas)? The WCD Ministry has also put out a whole bunch of tweets about the provisions for women schemes with other focuses that might in the process benefit women, with no guarantee that theyll actually benefit them. Take the Aadhaar smart cards for instance. According to Jaitley, the smart cards are going to contain health details that will help senior citizens, particularly women, in accessing health services. How is it going to particularly help women? We dont really know. Theres also the argument that since womens participation in MNREGA has increased to 55 percent, the allocation was increased to Rs 48,000 crore (from last years Rs 38,500 crore) in this budget. If this seems like a substantial jump, Fact Check India has helpfully informed us that Rs 9,000 crore had been added on to the Rs 38,500 crore last year, which meant that MNREGA actually got Rs 47,500 crore last year: So the increase has only been by Rs 500 crore. Again, we dont know how this will specifically benefit women while there are so many people looking for employment. A bunch of other schemes include a shops and establishment bill that intends to open up additional opportunities for the employment of women, and a Swayam platform for free of cost digital learning launched to bridge the digital divide for students, especially girls. Ninety crore has been allocated to the setting up of One Stop Centres the same ones that should have come up back in 2015. Theres also an allocation of Rs 50 crore for Working Womens Hostels, and a Stand Up India scheme to support women entrepreneurs to start green field enterprises which has been announced as also for Dalits and Adivasis. And just increasing available loan limit doesnt mean anything when theres no data about how many women actually ask for loans. The more you begin to read about this already short list of schemes, the more you begin to wonder what would have happened if the government had thought of including tax cuts for women, because women who belong to the salaried class are already so low? Or that when they were talking about improving the skills of youth, did they attempt to look at the skills of young women? Where is there any recognition of the unorganised sector (which is where a lot of women work) or anything about ways in which the Nirbhaya fund could be used or about family courts and more women in the police force? While whats in Budget 2017 might seem like a lot more than last year, there is also the sense that this is only a list buried somewhere in a mostly average budget whose audience is male, and that hasnt really begun to look at women as more than a token gesture. 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. By Maya Palit I remember speaking to a woman who did sex work in Kolhapur. She was picked up, sent to Mumbai, and enrolled in a government rehabilitation scheme for nine months. They taught her income-generation skills like stitching, painting, crochet, weaving and sewing hats. But then she came back to Sangli and returned to sex work after failing to make an income off those skills over four months. Meena Seshu, founder and general secretary of Sangram, the grassroots organisation that advocates for sex workers rights, tells me this story. Although rescue and rehabilitation efforts can be useful, they are often far removed from the ground reality for women involved in sex work, she says. One frequent oversight is the possibility that women may opt to stay in sex work if other employment doesnt pay enough to support themselves or their families. Or, as suggested by the Pan-India Survey of Indian Workers, supplement other incomes with sex work. According to Seshu, who is currently working on a research study on sex work, the government and NGOs myopic approach to sex work often portrays the sex worker as a victim. This was again evident at a conference held in New Delhi this week to discuss methods for abolishing prostitution. Organised by the Coalition for the Abolition of Prostitution International (CAP Intl), an international NGO group headquartered in France, in association with Apne Aap Worldwide, the event included a lecture called Last Girl First: World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation. It has been described as a global movement of survivors mobilising against sexual exploitation, and lists prostitution under the category of sexual violence: The panel will highlight the continuum between all forms of sexual violence, including rape, incest, sexual harassment and prostitution, and how this feeds into the normalisation of sexual violence. This has led to howls of protest from womens groups across the country, several of which, including Sangram, Saheli womens resource centre, queer feminist collective LABIA, Nazariya, and Sama have signed an open letter condemning the events perspective on sex work. Amongst the arguments they raise is the fact that CAP Intl has conflated sex work with trafficking and violence. It's attempt to end demand for sex work through a video which tries to convince clients of the horrors of prostitution, the groups say, effectively portrays all women who engage in the profession as helpless victims. Instead, they believe that decriminalisation would do far more good for sex workers rights. CAP Intl did not respond to requests for comment despite several requests. In India, voluntary sex work itself is legal (there were approximately three million sex workers at the last official count over a decade ago) but organised sex work is illegal, and protests confronted the Justice Verma Committee three years ago for seemingly equating sex work with exploitation. (It was later clarified that voluntary sex work was not included in the anti-trafficking clauses of Section 370.) A Supreme Court panel last year also made the crucial suggestion that voluntary sex workers be given dignity under Article 21, says advocate Aarthi Pai at the Centre for Advocacy on Stigma and Marginalisation (CASAM). Evidence from other countries compiled by Rashida Manjoo, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women until 2015, also indicates that sex workers appear to be safer in parts of the world where it is decriminalised. It is apparent that a more inclusive approach to the notion of prostitution is required in India, and banning sex work, rather than fighting to improve the working conditions of workers, is certainly not a helpful option. Rituparna Borah from Nazariya is vocal about her stance on the Delhi conference, claiming that sex work should be viewed in the context of a right to livelihood: I interacted with sex workers for over a year when I worked with the Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad, (VAMP, a collective movement against HIV/AIDS, led by sex workers). There was an organised sangathan in place, which used the informed consent approach. It did not accept younger girls or trafficked girls into the brothels. Many petitions were written to the government that were anti-trafficking but pro-sex work. When there is a conflation of the two, misleading phrases like sex slavery denies the fact that women might have choice in the matter. Recalling the case of a young sex worker in Maharashtra who was pregnant and beaten up by the police after an altercation, Borah adds that there is certainly no denying that the sex work industry is unsafe for women. However, the optimal way to significantly reduce trafficking would be to decriminalise it so that sex workers can complain to the police about harassment, financial exploitation or other grievances. Chayanika Shah from the Labia Collective says that, over the decades, sex workers have debunked the notion that the occupation itself is synonymous with exploitation. The question then remains, which other factors shape the negative views around sex work? While Borah feels that taboos over sex itself contribute to such misconceptions, which also explain why similar outrage doesnt manifest itself in campaigns against domestic worker trafficking or forced marriages. Shah adds that moral policing also plays a significant role in India. The Labia Collective signed the open letter because we believe that society doesn't have a right to impose [its] moral standards which conflate sex with intimacy rather than see all sex as transactional in some sense on people voluntarily engaging with the profession, she says. So what is the way forward? Reiterating how crucial it is to provide women in the sex work industry with dignity, Seshu says the answer lies in a fight that acknowledges sex workers agency and right to livelihood: We have been part of a vibrant movement fighting for the sex workers rights, to negotiate condom use, for instance, and take cognisance of human rights violations against them by both state and non-state actors. But judgmental attitudes will negatively impact their lives. Can our discourse around sex work overcome this divide in opinion, so that vital issues that consistently plague people involved in sex work from police and hooligan violence to negotiating fair salaries become the focus of everyones concerned efforts? (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.) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: Kazakh officials have recently restarted talks on Kazakh Caspian Transportation System (KCTS), online oil and gas Nefte Compass magazine has learned. This oil transportation scheme was widely discussed between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in 2007 2008. The KCTS was expected to consist of Eskene-Kuryk oil pipeline in Kazakhstan and Trans-Caspian Oil Transport System, including an oil terminal in Kazakh Kuryk port on the Caspian Sea, tankers and other vessels, an oil terminal on the Azerbaijani coast of the Caspian Sea and facilities connecting it to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. Further, oil would be transported to international markets through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and/or other oil transportation systems located in the territory of Azerbaijan and other transit countries. But the project was later shelved because of uncertainties over Kashagan oil field production and the expansion of Tengiz field. Kazakhstan's current export capacities are enough to accommodate the country's current output, industry players say. However, it is clear that the country would need extra capacities and KCTS is back on the agenda due to rising optimism over future crude exports after last year's two milestones -- production start-up at the Kashagan field and the final investment decision to move forward with a $37 billion expansion of Tengiz, Nefte Compass said. Kashagan located in the north of the Caspian Sea is the biggest oil field opened in the last 40 years. Its recoverable oil reserves are assessed at 9-13 billion barrels. Oil production at Kashagan was launched in autumn 2016, and Kazakhstan plans to produce 8.9 million tons of oil and 5.6 million tons of gas at this field in 2017 with gradual increase in output in subsequent years. Tengiz field gives about 30 percent of Kazakhstan output. In June 2016 the project partners approved the final investment decision for the Future Growth Project at the field. The project is expected to increase Tengiz crude oil production capacity by 12 million tons per year to about 39 million tons. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, Kazakhstan's proven oil reserves as of early 2016 stood at 30 billion barrels. According to Kazakh Statistics Committee, Kazakhstans oil and gas condensate production hit 78.04 million tons in 2016, which is 1.8 percent less to compared to 2015. Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova By Sarita Santoshini Imphal: Boinu was about 21 when she fell in love and decided to get married. It seemed a better option than living with indifferent relatives who gave her shelter after the death of her divorced parentsan alcoholic father and a sick mother. A lanky girl with a solemn face and raspy voice, Boinu (she uses one name) lived on Indias far, eastern edge, in the town of Churachandpur, where the plains meet the hills in one of Indias most diverse and conflict-ridden states, Manipur. A year later, her husband had brought home another woman, and a distressed Boinu returned to her relatives. She spent the next many weeks in her room, bursting into tears every now and then, and seldom eating or talking to anyone. When some friends offered her a syringe packed with heroin, she took it. Its not like I had anything else working out for me, she said. Soon, I was injecting heroin four times a day. Each injection, done among friends who did the same, usually meant about three grams, or shots, of the drug, each Rs 100money she got from her relatives. Boinu, now 29, is one of 236 female injecting drug users registered with the targeted intervention project of an Imphal-based NGO, Nirvana Foundation, which aims at preventing HIV among drug users. For two years, she has been coming here for shelter, medical checks or just to talk. Boinu has been a sex worker for six years, using her earnings to buy drugs, unable to kick her habit, and living on the streets with no family or social support. There are hundreds of such drug users across the state. Among them are teenagers, teachers, mothers andthe latest victimsschool girls. Their stories are important to India because this is a province where the countrys much-discussed but slow-moving emancipation of women is moving from theory to reality. But years of relentless conflict, stress and collapsing governance are nullifying these advances. The merits of being a Manipuri woman are nullified by being Manipuri A girl child born in Manipur is more likely to not be killed at birth; more likely to be educated; more likely to be working as an adult; more likely to survive childbirth and more likely to not be the victim of crime than in most Indian states, as the chart below shows. Source: Census 2011; Census 2011; The National Sample Survey Office Report; Regional Institute of Medical Sciences Manipur 2010-11; Sample Registration System Report 2010-12; NCRB Crime in India 2015 Report. Note: Rankings are among 29 states; they do not include union territories. Contrast these statistics with another: Manipur had the highest percentage of female injecting drug users (28.2 percent) among all northeastern states, according to this 2015 study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) last year. Manipur makes up less than 1 of Indias population, but even 25 years ago, the states intravenous drug users accounted for 23.1 percent of the nations HIV cases because, as this 1991 paper explained, addicts share needles and syringes. Life in Manipur is more challenging than in most Indian states. Manipur is half the size of Haryana, but its complexities are sub-continental. It has no more than 2.7 million peopletwice the population of Goabut it has more than 30 ethnic groups and tribes with conflicting aspirations, as many dialects, and about 34 armed groups, fighting either to secede from Manipur or India. Manipur is a cauldron of strife, made worse by frequent excesses by security forces, granted impunity by a lawthe Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa)that provides them immunity from prosecution and has been in operation for 36 years, 10 more than in Kashmir. More than 20,000 widows in Manipur have lost their husbands to extra-judicial killings by either state or non-state forces, and a large number of widows here are HIV positive following an HIV epidemic that gripped the state in the 1990s. More than 700,000 educated youth are unemployed because there are few industries and private enterprises; young Manipuris stream out into Indias largest cities, their education, fluency with English and neat demeanour offering them employment across the country. The protracted cycle of violence, poverty, unemployment, and ethnic tensions has pushed thousands of Manipuris to use drugs, the most common being heroin no. 4as the locally available version of high-quality heroin is called; Rs 100 a shotperhaps a tenth of the cost in Punjab. The easy, cheap availability of drugs comes from Manipurs location next to the Golden Triangle, a region at the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, infamous for international drug runners. Every second household in Manipur now has at least one drug user or a history of a family member who died due to HIV or drug overdose, according to Kunal Kishore, an UNODC official. For many women, substances are a way of self-medicating for emotional problems or the experience of living under conditions of extreme distress, this 2008 UNODC report stated. Societies in constant cycles of violence and repression are prone to high degree of drug usage, Kishore added. Manipuri women are most vulnerable because they are less likely than men to seek help or be treated because of the stigma and opprobrium involved, this 2012 study said. They are also more likely to take to sex work to feed their addiction. In a 2011 studyconducted by two NGOs, Alliance India, and Social Awareness Service Organisation (SASO), among female addicts in Manipur17 percent of women reported experiencing physical violence over the last three months, about 49 percent reported harassment, and 32 percent said they had been isolated by their families. People who take to drugs set off a cycle of drug-taking. In a close-knit society where vulnerable women have injecting drug users around them, the likelihood of them taking to drugs is extremely high, Kishore said. Feeding this addiction leads women into progressively darker areas. Drugs to prostitution: The rapid descent into the dark Boinu cannot forget the first time she had sex for money. I couldnt stop crying that first night in the hotel room, she recalled. Hotel work is what friends suggested when her family stopped supporting her. I realised later they were talking about sex work, said Boinu. I refused initially but what other option did I have? I had tried to give up heroin and failed. Manipur also has the lowest percentage of women drug users living with a partner or spouse (12 percent), an indicator of their social and economic vulnerability. According to several studies on drug use among women, the primary reasons for initiation are stress, tension, and the influence of friends, spouse or sexual partners. Of the 236 women registered with the Nirvana Foundation in Imphal, where Boinu now lives, 205 are sex workers. For more than half of Manipurs women addicts, drug peddling and sex work are the primary sources of income, according to the 2015 UNODC studyagain, the highest in the northeast. On average, Boinu earns about Rs 3,000-5,000 a day. Later at night, she and her five friends scout for safe street corners to sleep. The only thing that Boinu has going for her is that she does not have HIV. Drug use and the HIV epidemic of the 1990s Manipur has had a long, hard struggle against a heroin and HIV epidemic, which was first reported here more than a quarter century ago. Only over the last three years has the government focused attention on women users. There was a time 25 years ago, when HIV was a mystery virus that scared even doctors. Those were desperate times, said Vikram Singh Nepram, 53, head of the Manipur State Aids Control Society (SACS) Partner NGOs Forum, an umbrella body with about 50 members statewide, recalling how drug-users-turned -social workers began to provide home-based care and support to HIV-positive injecting drug users. I remember just one doctor willing to touch those who were HIV positive. People were dying, and there was widespread stigma against them. We wanted only to at least help them pass away with dignity. With the help of Naco and other organizations, Nepram, an observant and affable activist whos worked with injecting drug users for most of his life, led a project called Continuum of Care, which trained family members, healthcare providers and NGO volunteers to care for HIV positive injecting drug users at home and in hospitals. In 2004, the first Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) unit was set up in Manipur, and as the drug, which slows the spread of HIV in the body, became freely available, the project ended. But community-based organisations have continued their work. Though Manipur continues to have high number of injecting drug users, the prevalence of HIV among themaccording to the the last survey in 2014is 12 percent, lower than both Punjab (21 percent) and Delhi (18 percent). But when it comes to female drug users, HIV is only a part of the problem. Why Manipurs women need specific, special attention When I met Boinu in Nirvana Foundations day-care centrewhere she goes to rest and recuperateshe was nursing a mild fever and headache. She had not slept well in days. Although she could afford to rent a room, landlords were suspicious of a lone woman. People keep chasing us from the streets. We have to change places at least four times every night, and wake up before dawn, she said. Harassment by locals and law enforcement were not uncommon. Men touch us inappropriately, said Boinu. They say Hum log marega bhi toh kahan case karega! Chup raho! (Even if we beat you, where are you going to file a case about it? Shut up!). I am constantly worried about being raped. Three of five women drug users I spoke to in Imphal and Churachandpur had experienced mental or physical abuse when they were married. The other two had begun injecting drugs as teenagers in the 1980s and remained single. One was a government teacher, the other a graduate who never got a formal job. Sobhana Sorokhaibam, general secretary of the Nirvana Foundation, formed the organisation in the year 2003 along with a group of people who either injected drugs themselves or had family members who did. She had worked on an intervention project with male injecting drug users for more than seven years, but it was only when she started working with women in 2010 that she realised how different their needs were. Men do not have to worry about family acceptance. When my brother used drugs, hed come home and always find hot meals at the table. My family never threw him out, said Sorokhaibam, 44, who spoke candidly and affectionately in her sturdy voice. But women are shunned by both the family and the society. These women use drugs not out of choice but because of their circumstance, and yet the level of discrimination against them is unimaginable. First funded by UNODC when it started six years ago as an intervention project for female injecting drug usersfor the last three years, funding comes from the SACSNirvana provides primary health services, such as medical check-ups and HIV tests, abscess management and condoms. Injecting drug users are provided harm-reduction services, such as needle-syringe exchange programmes to ensure hygiene and safety, and opioid substitution therapy, where addicts orally swallow prescribed medicines to be weaned off a drug. Over a few hours with Sorokhaibam in the Nirvana office, women in distress streamed in: One struggled to walk with an abscess in her ankle; another came rushing to seek help for a friend who had overdosed on the street. There just wasnt enough support. It was only in the fourth phase of National Aids Control Programme in December 2013, that female injecting drug users were added as a separate group to be addressed. NGO representatives pointed out that none of the projects running in the state address the social and economic vulnerabilities of female drug users adequately. Nirvana also runs a day-care centre, a floor of their office in northern Imphal, where women can bathe, watch TV, and can rest from 10 am to 4 pm. But the women still dont have a safe place to go to at night. Most of them spend the night on streets, Sorokhaibam said. They start leaving the centre by 4 pm and we cant do anything to help them after that. Even with help, getting your life back is not easy Nenghoiching (she used one name), 38, was a drug user and has been on therapy for over a year now, even as she works as a peer educator with Society for HIV/AIDS and Lifeline Operations in Manipur (SHALOM) in Churachandpur, about 60 km north of Imphal. She has survived an ethnic conflict in which her village was burned down, lived through extreme poverty with her two sons because her husband was an injecting drug user. Nenghoiching decided to separate from her husband, sent her children to her parents, and lived alone in a rented room. She took to injecting drugs and made a living by doing some sex work and some manual labour. Six years earlier, she tested HIV positive and started ART. But it was only when she ran out of money last year that she decided it was time to start opioid substitution therapy. In all those years, she seldom met her children, and her family accepted her back only once she was clean. When we do drugs, people dont love us, Nenghoiching said softly, looking at me for a brief moment with troubled eyes. Sitting on a far corner of the same bench as me, she faced away most of the time, and spoke briefly and carefully. When I started injecting, I, at least, forgot how miserable my life was, but after a few years, I really wanted to stop but couldnt because the withdrawal symptoms were terrible, and I had no support, she said. Experts say that women find it tougher to stop drug use. They are fewer in number but more at risk because they engage in sex work. They are likely to earn more and so, spend more on drugs. Their dosages are higher and they inject more often. And at the same time, they have no support system whatsoever, said Lalruatpuii Pachuau, SHALOMs project director. From 2010 to 2013, apart from health and harm-reduction services, SHALOM and SASO offered those willing to give up drugs long-term shelter, where they could stay for a minimum of six months. Their primary focus was to provide women with vocational skills as well as the funds, about Rs 20,000, to start a small business and resume normal life. Such a project no longer exists. The squeeze on help centres and the retreatagaininto drugs Till August 2015, 10 of 23 opioid substitution therapy centres in Manipur were run out of public and community health centres. None of the four NGOs that run the targeted intervention projects for female injecting drug users have been accredited as therapy centres yet. Nirvana, for instance, has been trained by UNODC to provide therapy but has now been told that NACO is in favour of limiting the service to public health centres. Fewer options make it particularly difficult for women who are on the streets, where there is easy supply of drugs for any therapy to be effective. The component of night shelter is very important, said Nirvanas Sorokhaibam. In Imphal East, Sneha Bhavan, a 15-bedded drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre sponsored by the states Social Welfare Department, follows the 12-step recovery programme of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, global addiction recovery organisations that have prescribed steps rooted in spirituality and social support. From 5:30 am to 8:30 pm, womenwho spend a month or two hereengage in several group discussions and counselling sessions. Theres also a daily vocational class but only a handful were able to turn these skills into a livelihood. At the time of my visit, a female drug user had checked herself in with her eight-month-old baby, who faced the risk of being infected with HIV or developing a dependence on heroin through her mother. Four of the five women I spoke to had checked themselves into Sneha Bhavan at least once, but none had been able to return to their families, and admitted to using drugs again because of lack of social support. A growing number of users, some in school uniform About 30 new injecting drug users are registered every month, said Sorokhaibam, mostly school or college going students, at Nirvanas drop-in center in Khumidok, about 7 km from Imphal. She recalled a 14-year-old girl in her school uniform who came to the centre seeking a clean syringe and told the staff that around ten of her friends in her class abused heroin. The age of the drug user is dropping in Manipur, and they often directly start injecting instead of consuming the opioid through other modes as they did earlier, said Kishore. While the number of injecting drug users was increasing, said Nepram, people were now more aware of safe practices so the chances of infection were considerably lower. However, for those like Boinu who crave a new life, every day brings a new struggle. I walk with the thought that people are constantly judging me, and theyd much rather I did not exist, said Boinu. Drugs made my already difficult life more difficult, but I still hope that it will all get better someday. Names of the two female drug users in the article have been changed to protect their identity. (Santoshini is an independent journalist based in Assam, reporting on human rights, development and gender issues. She is also the 2016 Bitch Media Writing Fellow in Reproductive Rights & Justice.) Despite facing criticism from the Opposition parties for his involvement in the Goa Assembly elections, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said he was "the leader of the state". A report in The Indian Express said that Parrikar has even missed important national events like the Beating Retreat, Parliament's Budget Session so far and even the presentation of the Budget. In Delhi, I am the defence minister. Here in Goa, I am the leader of the state, the report quoted him as saying. "I feel they (Opposition) are scared of my face. Scared of seeing me here. Scared of seeing me go door to door and gain voters confidence. They know if my face is all over Goa, the state will vote for the BJP. Every other party is scared." In January, Parrikar had even indicated that he might relinquish his current job as India's defence minister and that he is ready to go back to Goa politics if his party, the BJP, is re-elected in the forthcoming polls in the state. The former Goa chief minister had said that he "never said no to any request by the party". Parrikar was responding to BJP chief Amit Shah's comment during his public meeting at Goa's Vasco, where he said that the next government in the state will "function under Parrikar's leadership, irrespective of his posting". "(Prime Minister) Narendrabhai (Modi) needs him (Parrikar) at the Centre as well. We will decide after elections where Parrikar will be working. But let me assure you that wherever Parrikar may be working, the Goa government will function under his leadership," the BJP chief had said. Sharpening his attack on Parrikar, RSS rebel and Goa Suraksha Manch founder Subhash Velingkar had said that the defence minister is desperate to be back in Goa. Velingkar, whose outfit is fighting the polls in alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantk Party (MGP) and Shiv Sena, also accused the RSS leadership of turning a blind eye to 'misdeeds' of Parrikar, even as he affirmed that he still stood by the basic "principles of the Sangh." "Parrikar has been failing in Delhi in his job as the defence minister. Now, he is desperate to return to Goa as chief minister," Velingkar had told PTI. "Parrikar is acting as a part-time defence minister. All political and administrative reins of Goa are in his hands," he had claimed. With inputs from PTI If language is seen to betoken identity, it is generally taken to be national identity. The French language, for example, is considered the prime marker of French national identity. The very term linguistic-ethnic identity stems from the idea that language determines ethnicity and, for many, nationality. It is this conceptualisation of identity that spurred the emergence of Bangladesh. And Tamil Nadu had exploded in riots in the late 1960s over the imposition of Hindi as the sole national language. In particular, the language in which education is given can become a political issue. Under the noise and clutter of the ongoing elections in Goa too, language lurks as an issue not of ethnic but of religious identity. The chief issue over which RSS strongman Subhash Velingkar split from the BJP a few months ago was that the state government was subsidising schools in which languages other than Konkani and Marathi were the medium of instruction. That really boils down to English medium schools. So salient is the issue that 'MOI' (for medium of instruction) is a commonly used acronym in Goas political arena. In the minds of many voters, English medium schools translates to diocesan schools run by the Catholic church. To be sure, these are popular with most parents, since fluency in English is perceived as vital for career prospects. However, for many proponents of indigenous culture, particularly Hindutva activists, promoting English as the medium of instruction is a compromise on identity. They are determined that, at the least, the government should not subsidise, and thus encourage it even if it tolerates it in the unaided private sector. This was an issue in the previous round of Assembly elections too. At the time, Hindutva activists were convinced that Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who had led the Goa campaign of the BJP, and then the BJP-MGP coalition government, would end state subsidies to schools that use English as the medium of instruction particularly to diocesan schools. They are deeply disappointed that Parrikar did not do that. Nor did Laxmikant Parsekar, his successor as chief minister, even when Hindutva hardliners like Velingkar pushed the envelope. The BJPs five-year term has passed, and those schools still get aid from the state government. Politically, it appears to have worked out well; voters by and large do not seem to hold the continuance of aid to diocesan schools against the BJP. If the issue comes up during a range of conversations with voters across the state, it is from a few Christians who express unease that aid to these schools might still be withdrawn. As things stand, the governments inaction on the issue has promoted communal harmony, and kept happy those parents of various religious affiliations who want their wards to be instructed in the English language. Polarisation in Kashmir The language issue has the capacity to polarise communities. For example, it became a major political issue in Jammu and Kashmir three-quarters of a century ago, leading to communal polarisation between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims. The then prime minister of the state, Gopalasami Ayyangar, had introduced the scheme, which allowed students to choose whether to write in Urdu or Devanagari. A host of Muslim leaders, including Sheikh Abdullah had vehemently opposed the move, arguing that it insidiously polarised religious communities among children. Interestingly, Ayyangar had appointed eminent educationist Dr Zakir Hussain, who later became the President of India, as a one-man committee to recommend the scheme. But, after examining the issue, Dr Zakir Hussain did not back it. Ironically, the Hindutva hardliners who oppose state aid to English-medium schools in Goa have been at the forefront of defending the rights of Kashmiri Pandits since the exodus of the majority of that community from the Kashmir Valley in 1990. The ways in which Pandits may be rehabilitated in the Kashmir Valley now has once again polarised opinion in the state and, to some extent, beyond on communal lines. Hindutva backers argue that separate Pandit colonies need to be established, in which Pandits might feel secure. Many Muslims, including those in power in the Peoples Democratic Party, have countered that Pandits can only be secure and integrated in the long term if they live in composite multi-religious communities. Many Kashmiris are keenly aware of the need to re-establish a composite culture one that does not allow for script or any other marker of religious identity to divide society. The fact that a quarter of Goas population comprises a vibrant community of Catholics underlines that need to strengthen a composite multi-religious community among Goans too. Language, after all, is meant for communication, not division. Panaji: The bitter electoral battle between a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader and guru, and his illustrious and politically-powerful shishyas, is fast attaining mythical proportions in this coastal state going to the hustings on 4 February. Ranged against each other are Subhash Velingkar, the sacked RSS chief, and three BJP politicians he personally groomed and mentored Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Union minister of state for ayush Shripad Naik. Fighting for the same electoral constituency, the conservative Hindu vote, the battle between the Velingkar-mentored Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) and the BJP seems to be taking a leaf out of Indian epics Mahabharata and, to some extent, the Ramayana, if the comments made recently by leaders from both the parties are considered. Regarded by the BJP party cadre as the Bhishma pitamaha of state politics, after the grand patriarch of the Mahabharata, Velingkar was sacked as the Goa RSS chief last year after his consistent criticism of the state BJP for backing English over regional languages as a medium of instruction in schools. Velingkar, during his tenure as Goa Sanghachalak, mentored several generations of BJP leaders, including Parrikar, Parsekar and Naik. Immediately after he was sacked, Parsekar, however, decided to depict him as the warrior Karna, whose kavach kundals had been stripped off and was therefore rendered vulnerable. "There is nothing to fear now. He has lost his kavach kundals," Parsekar said just as the BJP's poll campaign kicked off. In the Mahabharata, the kavach kundal is a reference to Karna's earrings which made him invincible in battle, but the warrior was tricked into parting with them by Lord Indra, disguised as a pauper, rendering Karna vulnerable. Parsekar, obviously, was referring to Velingkar's sacking from the RSS, an organisation which he had been a part of for nearly 50 years. Velingkar responded in equal measure. "My kavach kundals are not linked to the RSS post. I am a Sangh Swayamsevak for life. He should know our kavach kundals are not temporary in nature. Their kavach kundals will fall when elections are held," Velingkar had retorted. The rhetoric wedded to mythology did not end with this. When asked if the GSM, which is contesting five seats as part of an alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Shiv Sena, would be able to take on the might of the ruling BJP, party President Anand Shirodkar told IANS: "Our five Pandavas are fighting the Kauravas of the BJP. And you know who eventually won the battle of righteousness." For the Shiv Sena, it would appear that Velingkar is Lord Krishna incarnate. "This election is a contest like the final war as described in the Mahabharata. While the BJP represents the Kauravas, those who are fighting against them are the Pandavas. Velingkar is for us like Lord Krishna, who is going to guide non-Congress and non-BJP forces to victory," former state Shiv Sena President Sudip Tamhankar had said. Velingkar himself, in a speech on 29 January, slipped in a bit of the Ramayana in the Pernem Assembly constituency while campaigning for the MGP. "Power has gone to their heads in such a way that during the corporation elections in Panaji last year, they tried to once again sow the seeds of Portuguese influence in their manifesto. Some people have studied in IIT, even Ravan at the time had studied in the IIT of that era," Velingkar said, in a veiled reference to Parrikar, an Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay alumnus. While top BJP leaders have refused to directly criticise Velingkar in their public speeches, they have suggested that the former RSS leader had lost his bearings due to age. In response to a question about Velingkar's criticism on Sunday, Parsekar said that he would not like to respond to his allegations against the BJP. "It is not necessary for me to react to Velingkar's comments. It would be good if you clarify with him... We have allowed him to talk. Let him keep talking. We will keep listening," Parsekar said. There is an undercurrent of support for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa albeit a mild one. As with any undercurrent, its tough to make out from the surface how strong it is but, to all appearances, it is not nearly as strong as the wave of support that swept the new party to victory in Delhi a couple of years ago. AAP activists and leaders assert that there is a quiet wave of support for their party. They point to large crowds at some of their public meetings. Speaking of "a quiet vote", Dr Mariano Godinho, the AAP candidate for Nuvem constituency, says "people are scared" to reveal their preferences. This much is certain: AAP is the only party that has positive support across large parts of Goa particularly along the relatively heavily populated coastal belt. Most observers, even among AAP activists, say their support is the greatest in the Christian-dominated Salcete belt in south Goa. However, several Christians and others in north Goa areas like Mapusa too are drawn towards AAP. By contrast, support for other parties seems to be limited to some pockets, mainly for certain candidates rather than backing on a party basis. Most people see both the established parties, the ruling BJP and the Congress, as jaded. The Congress is still seen as a bastion of corruption. The BJP is viewed as a disappointment although the anti-incumbency sentiment is not nearly as strong as it was against the Congress government five years ago. Lower caste support An undercurrent within the undercurrent is that many of those who have turned to AAP are from weaker and marginalised castes both among Hindus and Christians. This is by no means a norm but is a discernible undercurrent. For example, Dumiyana Fernandes of Felvaddo village near Cansaulim, describes herself as a lower caste Christian a bamboo worker whose maternal grandfather was a gravedigger. She says that the BJP governments schemes have been "all for hi-fi people". She adds, "The Congress already robbed and finished (us). What was remaining, BJP finished. AAP may be good for the poor," she says. Dhiraj Kankonkar, whose brother is the AAP candidate for St Andre constituency, sets store by the 50,000 new jobs AAP has promised. A third brother talks of "a silent vote" of Christians, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes backing their brother. Not far from Mapusa, the city of north Goa, a Christian couple who are chary of giving their names turn out to be AAP supporters and they too talk animatedly of the Congress and the BJP both being dominated by Goas traditionally dominant Saraswat Brahmins. To be sure, not all those supporting the AAP are from generally weaker communities. Saluzinho Vaz, a priest of Orlim village in the south of Benaulim constituency, has a Kshatriya caste affiliation. He too says people are turning to AAP as "a new alternative". He adds, "Christians, irrespective of caste, in the past, were putting (their vote) on the hand (Congress election symbol." Negative image The Goa unit must contend with the negative image that has been generated by perceptions of the Delhi government, particularly party supremo Arvind Kejriwal. Particularly in north Goa, several voters say that tourists from Delhi have told them they are very disappointed with their state government. One Goan observer remarks that the party would surely have fared better if Kejriwal had not expelled "that lawyer". He is obviously referring to Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav but struggles to remember the names. So, negativities lurk in some voters minds, even though others are enthusiastic about the party. Indeed, AAP seems to have hardly a presence in some constituencies although it is the only party to have fielded candidates everywhere (including one who is not technically an AAP candidates owing to procedural difficulties). To be sure, the party cannot be faulted for effort. Party activists started door-to-door campaign before other parties got revved up. The partys chief ministerial candidate, Elvis Gomes, claims that he and other party candidates have personally visited 95 percent of homes in each constituency after other workers made preliminary visits. The party also has workers from other states. One comes across two software engineers leading a band of cap-clad, broom- and banner-waving workers on the main road outside the Vasco Da Gama railway station. Despite all their efforts, however, the party remains a new force in Goa. The dominant sentiment among most supporters is that it might be worth trying them out. As things stand, it appears to be a ripple rather than a wave. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is a canny political operator whose reign has been marked by insurgency and turmoil. Running for his fourth consecutive term, Singh has been ruling the state since 2002, a feat made especially impressive considering that Manipur chief ministers usually do not serve out their full terms. Ibobi has led the Congress to impressive victories in the state, especially in 2012, when the Grand Old Party won a record 42 out of 60 seats even as they lost ground elsewhere. Ibobi was born on 19 June, 1948 into a Hindu Metei familly to Okram Angoubi and Lukamani Devi at Athokpam, Thoubal district. He had six brothers and three sisters. As the oldest child, he was expected to help his father, a farmer, which he did while also excelling at school. Ibobi received his Bachelor in Arts from DM College, Imphal and also attended Harvard University in the United States. His first foray into politics took place in 1984 as an independent candidate from the Khangabok Assembly constituency after which he joined the Congress. In 1990, he won re-election from Khangabok on a Congress ticket and took up a position as the minister in-charge of municipal administration, housing and urban development in the RK Dorendo government. He has been a Congress stalwart ever since. A bloody reign Ibobi's 15-year rule has been the bloodiest in its history so far when it comes to "administrative liquation", a term coined by the Supreme Court. According to statistics compiled by NGO Human Rights Alert, a spike in extrajudicial killings was immediately noticed soon after Ibobi took over as chief minister in 2002. Babloo Loitongbam, director of the Human Rights Alert, told Firstpost earlier, that almost 1,200 people have been killed during Ibobi's three terms. Critics say the biggest victim of Ibobi's rule in the state have been human rights. The biggest challenge in Ibobi's first term as chief minister was dealing with the public fallout over the rape and murder of Manorama Devi in 2004, allegedly by troops of 17 Assam Rifles. That incident turned the spotlight onto the Armed Forces Special Protection Act (Afspa), 1958 and the violation of human rights by the army in Manipur. Perhaps the key to Ibobi's longevity is his uncanny sense of timing. Responding to pressure from civil rights groups, in August 2004, his government removed Afspa from Imphal's municipal areas, although the controversial law remained (and still remains) firmly entrenched in Manipur. He also managed to get the Assam Rifles personnel removed from the historic Kangla fort. The chief minister also earned brownie points by preventing NSCN (IM) leader, Thuingaleng Muivah, from entering the state. One would imagine that Manipur's constant state of turmoil and complaints about governance and lack of infrastructure would leave Ibobi vulnerable to political rivals but that hasn't happened. Ibobi has survived multiple assassination attempts in 2003 militants ambushed his convoy in Thoubal district, killing three of his security personnel and in 2006 his convoy was once again ambushed by armed militants in the same district, this time while he was travelling to attend a ruling Congress party meeting. Later that year, a grenade was tossed at his home. In 2016, suspected NSCN(IM) militants fired upon his chopper, injuring a soldier. But Ibobi, if nothing else, is a survivor. The smart money seems to be on him continuing his winning ways in Manipur. His better half Ibobi's wife, L Landhoni Devi, is the first woman MLA from Thoubal and has won two consecutive elections from its Khangabok constituency in 2007 and 2012. In fact, in 2007, she won more votes than her husband in the Assembly elections. But sadly, Devi is the exception and not the rule. Despite women voters in Manipur outnumbering men, Devi is the only woman in the 60-member house. According to one state official, in 2007 Devi was the only woman in Manipur who ran for office and won. The other five women lost to their male counterparts. However, this time, Devi will not be seeking re-election. She told reporters she would be stepping down so that Manipur received more youth power. However, this is politics and in that tale lies a twist. The son also rises Into her place steps son Okram Surajkumar, who will be making his debut into politics. Surajkumar has an economics degree from London's Kingston University, is a polo player and a state-level badminton champion, but where politics is concerned, he is a novice. The 29-year-old has claimed he had no political ambitions until recently, and said he felt compelled to run for office after witnessing the difficulties faced by the underprivileged in his district. Surajkumar, the youngest candidate in the state's history to fight assembly elections, has stated that he would focus on digitisation for the northeast state if elected. All eyes in the state are on the young man, waiting to see if he can follow in his parents' footsteps. After all, this is how dynasties are built. Elections in Manipur will be held in two phases on 4 March and 8 March with the results being declared on 11 March. Representatives from 60 constituencies will be elected. The previous Assembly election, held in 2012, resulted in a landslide victory for the Congress, giving them 42 seats and allowing Okram Ibobi Singh to be re-elected as chief minister for an unprecedented third consecutive term. While Manipur has been a Congress stronghold for over a decade, thanks to the leadership of Ibobi, a savvy political operator, the BJP has been upbeat about its chances, buoyed undoubtedly by its success in last year's Assam elections. All eyes are also on Irom Sharmila, who shocked many political observers by giving up her 16-year fast against the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa), and decided to enter politics. Manipur's Iron Lady has formed the People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) and will be taking on the chief minister in his own den Thoubal constituency only time will tell if this is a masterstroke or a blunder. Sharmila, while announcing her decision, had said: "During his 15 years of leadership he has not done anything to repeal Afspa. Since I realise that no politician shall repeal it, I am planning to contest the election, become the chief minister and repeal it." Here are some quick facts about the state: Number of Parliamentary Constituencies: 2 Number of Assembly Constituencies: 60 The present ruling party: Indian National Congress Opposition Party: Trinamool Congress Chief Minister: Okram Ibobi Singh Governor: Dr. Najma A. Heptulla Chief Electoral Officer: Oinam Nabakishore Singh Political Parties in Manipur The Indian National Congress (INC) The Bharatiya Janata Party The Rashtriya Janata Dal The Nationalist Congress Party The main regional political parties are : Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party Manipur State Congress party Lok Jan Shakti Party All India Trinamool Congress Manipur People's Party (MPP) Federal Party of Manipur Manipur National Conference Naga People's Front National People's Party (India) Nikhil Manipuri MahasabhaManipur Assembly Election 2017 Imphal: The newly-floated Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) of rights activist Irom Sharmila, who ended her 16-year-long fasting agitation in August last year, has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) for granting the PRJA image of 'whistle' as the party symbol. PRJA convenor Erendro told PTI that the party has applied to the EC for being granted whistle as the party symbol and was "waiting for confirmation". The main reason behind choosing the image of whistle is "to awaken the people to end corruption", said Erendro, who returned to Imphal on Wednesday after submitting the party symbol. Meanwhile, the 'Ten4Change' campaign of the party has heightened up, mostly to "raise funds" as well as to interact with youth about the "need to bring a change in Manipur". PRJA has been holding rounds of interactive sessions, mostly with the young electorate, with a new concept titled 'Ten4Change', where participants will voluntarily donate Rs 10 each to the party fund. Sharmila, who ended her 16-year-long fasting agitation on 9 August last year, had maintained that her sole agenda was to have the "draconian AFSPA 1958" repealed from the militancy-hit north-eastern state. The party recently suffered a setback after its co-convenor Najima Bibi was denounced by a section of her community for announcing her decision to contest the polls on a PRJA ticket. The AFSPA 1958 had been imposed in the state to enable the security forces deal with militant outfits and put a lid on extortion, anti-social activities and period ambushes of security forces. Manipur is a microcosm of India, inhabited by numerous ethnic communities professing various religions. Hinduism is the majority religion in the state followed by Christianity and Islam which forms the third largest religious community constituting 8.4 percent of the total population in Manipur. Even though Hindus are in majority, Indian politicians never dare to ignore minority issues during the time of elections. Then, how can political parties afford to ignore Muslim population as their vote can swing election results in more than a dozen assembly constituencies in Manipur. It is against this backdrop, inclination of the Muslim voters becomes a crucial factor in the upcoming Manipur Assembly election 2017. Muslim community of Manipur is locally known as Pangal or Meitei Pangal. In terms of origin and common ethnic attributes, Meitei Pangals are product of amalgamation between Muslims and indigenous Meiteis. At present, according to estimates more than 2 lakh Meitei Pangals form a large portion of the Muslim population in Manipur. Starting from the initial stage of democratisation, Meitei Pangals have been actively involved in political activities in Manipur. Since 1606 AD, when they started actual settlement in Manipur, Meitei monarchs appointed many Meitei Pangals in key administrative posts. Even the then Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 reserved three seats for Muslims in the state assembly assuring their adequate representation. Meitei Pangals have so far produced prominent political leaders including the first chief minister of Manipur after statehood. When it comes to political inclination, Meitei Pangals do not have a single party alliance. In the last ten general elections, on an average 3.5 Meitei Pangal MLAs represented the community in 60-member house. Sometime, representation of Meitei Pangal increased as much as 7 MLAs in the second Manipur Legislative Assembly (1974-1979) but it decreased to as low as only one in the seventh state assembly. Results of previous elections confirm that Indian National Congress (INC) and Manipur Peoples Party (MPP) were the most popular political parties among the Muslim voters. The Congress government in December 2006 announced 4 percent reservation policy for the Meitei Pangals in state job reservations and others, and it partially addressed the aspirations of the Muslim community, but only one INC Muslim candidate managed to win from Keirao constituency in 2007 general election. In the 10th State Legislative Assembly (2012-2017), Congress party fielded 6 Meitei Pangals out of which three won but BJP gave ticket to only one Meitei Pangal candidate in Mayang Imphal constituency, who eventually lost. With the advent of BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, a new political wave entered Manipur. Renewed BJP wave in Indian politics found supporters from all sections of Manipuri society including Meitei Pangal community. In 2014, many prominent Meitei Pangal CSOs criticized the incumbent ruling Congress government for not implementing the prime ministers new 15-point flagship programme. They blamed successive state governments for the persisting pathetic condition of the community. During the ILP movement, particularly in 2015 and 2016, Meitei Pangals felt ignored as they feel that the contentious bill passed by the state government defining the original settlers of Manipur do not clearly define their case. Recently, Muslims in some villages and towns organised protests and sought slogans against the state government for its tardy reaction towards some mob violence inflicted upon them by the majority community. All this and other factors garnered the recent Muslim disenchantment of the Congress government in Manipur. On the contrary, for the ensuing election more than 17 Meitei Pangals emerged as intending BJP candidates. Even though BJP is yet to come up with the second list of candidates for the remaining 29 constituencies, at the most, Meitei Pangal might get another ticket at maximum as BJP disappointed them even in most of the Muslim stronghold constituencies in the first list of 31 BJP candidates announced on 23 January 2017. For the Congress, they are likely to continue their previous strategy of giving half a dozen tickets to Meitei Pangals. Congress shall be fielding three to six Meitei Pangal candidates. In the upcoming election, not only the major national political parties, the newly formed PRJA (Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance) of Irom Sharmila is also giving party tickets to Meitei Pangals. PRJA is floating the first Meitei Pangal women candidate. Representation of Meitei Pangal MLAs in the 60 member state Assembly has always been there. However, this time Meitei Pangals are demanding the opportunity for the representative representation of Meitei Pangals in the State Assembly corresponding to their population share which is in tune with provisions in the then Manipur State Constitution Act 1947. As against the demand for minimum three tickets, BJP has so far given ticket to only one Meitei Pangal. This may again change the equation between BJP and Meitei Pangal because it does not fulfill the raising aspirations of Meitei Pangals towards BJP as a new political force in Manipur. Changing equation of Meitei Pangal with BJP presented another twist when some of Meitei Pangal intending candidates were not given tickets. These left out and dejected Meitei Pangals who were once BJP ticket intending candidates, reiterated BJP as anti-Muslim party and some of them have already deserted the party. Thus, due to a few years of BJP in power in the centre, the dynamics of Meitei Pangal politics in Manipur has shown some dramatic changes in light of the ensuing general elections to the Legislative Assembly scheduled on 4 and 8 March this year. Even if the focus may be on Hindu and tribal votes, BJP must not ignore the demand for proportional representation of Meitei Pangals if it wants to build a secular image among the Muslim electorates of Manipur. Yumlembam Khogen Singh teaches at the Department of Sociology, Manipur University as an Assistant Professor. By Tulay Karadeniz | ANKARA ANKARA German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the importance of freedom of opinion in talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, during a visit meant to help improve frayed ties between the two NATO allies.In her first trip to Ankara since a failed military coup in Turkey last July, Merkel said she had discussed Syria and Iraq with Erdogan and that they had agreed on the need for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism.Germany and Turkey have been at odds over Ankara's crackdown on dissidents since the abortive July 15 coup, as well as its claims - rejected by Berlin - that Germany is harbouring Kurdish and far-leftist militants."With the (attempted) putsch, we saw how the Turkish people stood up for democracy and for the rules of democracy," Merkel told a news conference, when asked about concern over proposed constitutional changes that would strengthen Erdogan's powers."In such a time of profound political upheaval, everything must be done to continue to protect the separation of powers and above all freedom of opinion and the diversity of society," she said, adding she had also raised the issue of press freedom."Opposition is part of democracy," Merkel said.Turkey's allies, including Germany, fear Erdogan is using the coup attempt as a pretext to curtail dissent. Erdogan's opponents also fear the planned constitutional changes, expected to be put to a referendum in April, will lead to an authoritarian state.Erdogan told the same news conference he expected to receive a bill from parliament on the constitutional proposals later on Thursday or on Friday. Once he approves it, the electoral commission will set a date for the referendum."It is out of the question for the separation of powers to be abolished," he said of the proposals, which would replace Turkey's parliamentary system with an executive presidency."It gives more opportunity for the executive branch to work more swiftly. The judiciary will retain its power and function as usual with the new system." POST-COUP CRACKDOWN Erdogan also said that Turkey may provide evidence to the German authorities after around 40 mostly high-ranking Turkish soldiers who worked at NATO facilities in Germany were reported to have requested asylum. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak said on Wednesday that Berlin was sheltering members of what Ankara calls the "Gulenist Terrorist Organisation" (FETO), the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Turkey blames for last July's coup bid. Gulen denies involvement."If the Gulenists involved in the coup are fleeing to Germany, the justice ministry may send information and documents," Erdogan said, adding that the United States should take quicker action on an extradition request for Gulen.Turkey's defence minister has urged Berlin to reject the asylum applications and warned that a failure to do so could damage relations. Berlin has said the applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.More than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the police, military, civil service and private sector on suspicion of supporting Gulen since the attempted coup. Some 40,000 people have been jailed pending trial.The crackdown has worried rights groups and allies including Germany. Turkey says the moves are necessary to protect democracy and root out supporters of the failed putsch. (Additional reporting by Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber in Berlin; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by David Dolan and Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.2 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: South Koreas SK E&S company has kicked off a natural gas power plant using shale gas imported from the US - a first for the country, said the message posted on the companys website. Paju Energy Service, wholly-owned by SK E&S, announced that it has started commercial operation of a high-efficiency LNG power plant. This operation follows last months importation by SK E&S of 66,000 tons of US shale gas. Unlike other natural gas power plants that buy fuel from Korea Gas Corporation, the Paju LNG Power Plant uses directly-imported shale gas obtained at competitive prices, enabling it to reduce its costs. It is therefore expected that the power plant will produce electricity at a more affordable price. The Paju LNG Power Plant has a capacity of 1,800 MW, or 2 percent of South Koreas total generation capacity of 100 GW, and can produce enough electricity for 600,000 households, according to the message. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Widespread anger against the ruling Badal clan along with growing public resentment across Punjab with demonetisation could push the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP regime to not just defeat but a humiliating rout in this weeks Assembly polls. "Ae te vapas nai andene (these guys arent coming back)" was the common refrain from a variety of people I spoke to on a three-day road trip through a wide stretch of Punjab to gauge the popular mood a few days before voting. Young college students and elderly farmers, shopkeepers and rickshaw pullers, transporters and carpenters, Jat Sikhs and Mazbis, men as well as women were near-unanimous that the denouement of the 10-year-old government was near. There was considerable confusion on who the established Congress or the fledgling AAP would emerge as the winner, but virtually everybody was certain that the current ruling dispensation would come a huge cropper in the polls. The deep-rooted disaffection against the government is for multiple reasons. The Akalis are being blamed among other things for the rapid impoverishment of farmers, the deteriorating state of the economy with gross state domestic product plunging from over nine percent to below five percent in the past decade, mounting drug addiction, widespread corruption among the police and bureaucracy, losing the SutlejYamuna Link Canal case in the Supreme Court against Haryana, a reign of terror by goons allied to the ruling party who are also said to have a stranglehold over the transport and liquor business. To compound their woes, the Akalis who have always cleverly used the Sikh religion to propel their political agenda have also fallen afoul of the faithful and are seen as responsible for the recent desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and other incidents that have offended religious sentiments. Yet beyond this litany of complaints and the fierce anti-incumbency that the Akalis face after being in power for a decade is a wave of personal animosity against the ruling Badal clan. They are seen as unscrupulous wheeling-dealing politicians, who have hijacked for their petty private ends a venerable institution of the Sikhs that has been a rallying point for the community for nearly a century. The Badals are rascals and scoundrels who have turned the Akali party into a private club of family and friends to share the spoils of office, fumed Ameer Singh, a farmer in the Majitha constituency on the outskirts of Amritsar the traditional stronghold of the deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badals brother-in-law Vikram Singh Majithia. This was a sentiment shared widely in both towns and villages across Punjab. Indeed, the spread of the Badal clan in the corridors of power is palpable: The 90-year-old Parkash Singh Badal is chief minister, his son Sukhbir is his deputy and three other family members Majithia, Adesh Singh Kairon and Janmeja Singh Sekhon are senior cabinet ministers. The rage against the ruling coterie has been further aggravated because of the arbitrary manner in which the Badals have snuffed out the democratic process over the past several years. Jagrup Singh Sekhon, a distinguished political scientist at the Guru Nanak University in Amritsar, pointed out that unlike most other states where the Opposition provides political checks and balances to the government, in Punjab duly-elected Opposition legislators have no power at all in the constituencies they have won. Instead local Akali leaders many of whom were defeated in the polls have been appointed as 'halaqs-in-charge' and subterfuge legislators, who call the shots much like their elected party colleagues. "By controlling every single Assembly seat in this manner and also manipulating local panchayats, the Badal regime has left no space whatsoever for any kind of political Opposition to them. There is a lot of pent-up anger among people against this dictatorship," said Sekhon. This may well be the reason there have been a series of physical assaults against the Badals and senior Akali leaders as the polls draw nearer and word spreads that they are about to be deposed from power. The most shocking instance was a shoe attack in his own constituency of Lambi on the venerable old chief minister, that according to some reports broke his spectacles. His son and deputy Sukhbirs cavalcade has been stoned, veteran Akali Dal leader and Member of Parliament Prem Singh Chandumajras turban was ripped from his head and Rural Development Minister Sikander Singh Maluka and his son was gheraoed in an ugly fracas outside Takht Damdama Sahib from which they had to be saved by the police. Not surprisingly even the mighty Badals and their close relatives who seemed once electorally invincible are struggling to retain their seats. For instance, Vikram Singh Majithia is reported to be in serious trouble in his Majitha stronghold not least because of persistent charges that he was connected with the drug syndicate and indirectly responsible for the many addiction-related deaths in Punjab. In Jalalabad constituency, the deputy chief minister who is known to be a past master of electoral manipulation, faces the humiliation of coming third in the face of a strong challenge from popular AAP leader Bhagwant Singh Mann and former Congress chief minister Beant Singhs grandson Ravneet Singh Bittu. Even the senior Badal, who became chief minister for the first time nearly half a century ago and has won a series of electoral victories since then, appears to be struggling to win his traditional Lambi seat now that the Congress chief ministerial candidate Captain Amarinder Singh has decided to contest from there. "Prakash is in serious trouble this time because people are simply fed up with the way he has trampled over the rule of law. Here in Lambi, the chief ministers own constituency, the law is broken all the time whether it is in road construction, water supply, the distribution of lethal drugs or rapes and murders. It is the law of the jungle here," declared Pappi Manjinder Singh, a social activist in Lambi. Significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modis demonetisation appears to have only deepened the unpopularity of the Akali regime even though the BJP is a minor political player in the state. "What kind of prime minister is this?" asked a roadside dhaba cook as he slapped a paratha on the tawa. "He had promised acche din, but has only brought us misery. Even our womenfolk use curse words against him," he added. A variety of people complained of notebandi seriously disrupting their lives. A potato farmer said that he had to throw away his crop because there was no cash in the mandis, a transporter complained his business had slumped and labourers lamented that it was difficult to find work. Indeed, if the Akalis are heading for a rout, the BJP in Punjab may be decimated and left with no more than a handful of seats. Just two days ahead of Punjab going to polls, the slugfest between political parties in the north-western state turned uglier as both the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress blamed the Aam Aadmi Party for the high-intensity twin blasts on Tuesday in Bathinda that killed six people including two children. Both Congress and SAD blamed AAP of colluding with hardliners who support the Khalistan movement and the blasts, even though police on Thursday held the Pakistan intelligence agency ISI responsible for it. The blast had occurred at around 8.30 pm on Tuesday shortly after the jan sabha of Congress candidate Jassi, who is contesting from the Maur constituency. Jassi, who is a relative of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, escaped unhurt in the incident. After Congress Punjab president Captain Amarinder Singh blamed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for creating a "1987-like situation", it was Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's turn to link AAP with the twin blasts on Tuesday. He said: "Some days ago six people were killed in a bomb blast. Kejriwal, who is Delhi's chief minister is helping those powers. He is helping them come back to life." Kuch din pehle bomb blast mein 6 log maare gye.Kejriwal jo Delhi ke CM h, wo in shaktiyon ko madad kar rhe h,unhe khada hone de rhe hain: RG pic.twitter.com/EbFLUED6qJ ANI (@ANI_news) February 2, 2017 Earlier Amarinder had said, "What Kejriwal is trying to do is very dangerous. Last night he spent in the house of a Khalistan operator. That is the kind of politics that started the Khalistan movement. He may be playing for politics but that should not be allowed," he told Times Now. Amarinder also alleged that most of AAP's foreign funding has come from Khalistan supporters "living abroad". Considering the way NRIs have been garnering support for AAP in Punjab and the fact that it happened soon after Congress campaigning, it is natural for Amarinder and his party to be unhappy with it, but his latest comment only shows that AAP's popularity has been hurting Congress a little too much. So much that it forced the sensible Amarinder to basically hold all Punjabi NRIs responsible for the blast. But Amarinder is not the only one who considers the NRIs supporting AAP as terrorists. According to a Hindustan Times report Sukhbir Singh Badal highlighted how chief minister Parkash Singh Badals rival candidate from Lambi, AAPs Jarnail Singh, had addressed "a public meeting of the Khalistani groups" in London a year ago. "The forces behind Tuesdays blast are siding with the AAP," the report quoted the senior Badal leader as saying. But what is more interesting about Sukhbir Singh Badal's statement is that the SAD leader went on to allege that "Khalistani separatist groups" are working with the AAP to disturb the peace in the state even though just recently a CIA document revealed that Parkash Singh Badal was a Khalistan sympathiser himself. Meanwhile, AAP blamed SAD and Congress for the blast and has already approached the Election Commission seeking interrogation and arrest of Sukhbir Singh Badal to ensure peaceful polling in the state. To ensure peaceful elections, Sukhbir Badal should be immediately arrested. His role in (the) blast be probed. He will cause more violence, Kejriwal tweeted. Sukhbir Badal is a hardened criminal who will go to any extent to ruin Punjab and its peace. Election Commission must arrest him to ensure peaceful elections, he added. As per preliminary probe, the blast had occurred in a car which was found to be stolen and was bearing the registration number of a two-wheeler. The chassis and engine number of the vehicle was also removed, police officials said. The blast was so powerful that it ripped apart the vehicle. Initially, it was suspected that the blast was caused by a LPG cylinder in the car. But later it was found that the car was not running on gas. A burnt pressure cooker was also found near the blast site. A forensic team of police, based at Chandigarh, has reached Bathinda to investigate the cause of the blast on Wednesday. Chandigarh: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday shared a meal of 'dal-subzi' with villagers and interacted with them in Sangrur district, on the last day of campaigning for the Punjab Assembly polls. Dressed in blue denims, white kurta and a half jacket, Gandhi sat on a wooden cot, flanked by the village headman and council members, and interacted with the residents of Baliyan village, 145 km from here. He later shared a traditional meal with commoners and party leaders at the 'Sanjha Chulha' (common kitchen) put up by the villagers. The Congress vice-president sat on the floor and was served the lentils and vegetables from steel buckets along with rotis (flat bread). A number of village elders, women, youth, including girls, sat down to share the meal with Gandhi. As the villagers highlighted the problems they were facing, Gandhi also took the opportunity to urge them to vote for the party to form the next government in the state saying the Congress cared for their needs and problems. "Do not fall into the trap of parties which are allied with radical elements," he said. Campaigning in Punjab ends at 5 pm on Thursday. Polls for the 117 Assembly seats are scheduled for Saturday. The main contest is among the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Apart from the rallies, allegations and counter-allegations, elections are all about promises. And some of the promises made during elections can sound a bit too ambitious, if not downright ridiculous. And in a state like Punjab, where politicians are either trying to utilise or defend themselves from anti-incumbency, some of these poll promises really stand out. Perhaps the best example is when the Shiromani Akali Dal's manifesto, which was launched by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in Ludhiana on 24 January, promised that if Akalis are voted to power, the government would buy one lakh acres of land in US and Canada to settle Punjabi farmers there. Not just this, the party promised to give Rs 100 per quintal on wheat and paddy as 'fertiliser input incentive' in addition to the minimum support price (MSP), which if implemented, will put a burden of Rs 2,700 crore on the state exchequer, according to Hindustan Times. SAD has also promised to provide free power to farmers for ten hours every day. The manifesto also promises to provide assistance to 10 toppers in Class XII for overseas education. SAD ally BJP is also not far behind in making tall claims. In its 16-page manifesto, BJP has assured a house to every poor family besides promising plot of land to Dalits and those belonging to backward class. The party has also promised a job to at least one member from each family. The manifesto assures making free the studies of girls till PhD level. A group housing scheme for journalists was also announced in the manifesto. But perhaps the most entertaining poll promise came from the Congress. On 9 January, when Congress released it manifesto, Amarinder Singh announced that Congress plans to launch a programme called 'Guardians of Governance'. "We are starting a programme called Guardians of Governance. This will be a group of ex-servicemen from panchayats to blocks to districts, right up to the chief minister. This department will be under the chief minister. They will report about the implementation of schemes. We will utitlise a discipline force. This is going to hopefully eradicate the misuse of funds," Amarinder had said. We really do not know whether this programme's name's similarity to Guardians of the Galaxy is a coincidence or not but we really hope politicians name their promises in such a manner. Both AAP and Congress have promised to end the drug menace in Punjab in four weeks, a pretty unrealistic promise, because the drug abuse problem in Punjab has persisted for years. Amarinder had also said that the Congress plans to launch a programme called 'Har Ghar Mein Naukri' which plans to provide employment to 55 lakh households in Punjab. "In each district, there will be a new set-up which will monitor what type of jobs are required." Amarinder Singh had announced that the state would generate as many as 25 lakh jobs within the next five years. "Till jobs are available, we will give a stipend of Rs 2,500 to every youngster," he had said. AAP's poll promises also include some tall ones made to farmers in the state. In their kisan manifesto, the party promises compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre of crop loss in case of disaster and compensation of Rs 10,000 to agricultural labourers for every month of work lost in case of crop failure. The party also promised free medical treatment in government hospitals and cashless treatment up to Rs 5 lakh every year for farmers. AAP had launched a manifesto for government employees, promising to implement the 6th Pay Commission, besides assuring regularistion of contractual employees, if voted to power in the Assembly polls. The party also promised that all contractual employees of the state will be regularised and the minimum wages in Punjab will be reviewed by a committee. With inputs from agencies One of the key issues, if not the most important one, dominating the discussions around this year's Punjab Assembly election is that of drug abuse. While Opposition parties like Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are blaming the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for neglecting and even encouraging the rampant drug abuse in the state, the SAD-BJP government is accusing Opposition parties of distorting facts and insulting the youth of the state. It is a different matter, of course, that much of the mudslinging and claims made by both sides are either false or just partially true. Let's take a look at some of these prominent claims: Only 0.06 percent of Punjab's population found abusing drugs: Sukhbir Singh Badal Apart from the fact that the ruling government has been claiming that the drug abuse problem in Punjab is not really as bad as it seems, Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in February 2016 had said that out of the 2.77 crore population of the state, only 0.06 percent was found abusing drugs, which is the lowest percentage across the nation". Badal had cited a 2015 study. What he did not mention, however, was that the Punjab Opioid Dependence Survey (PODS), conducted by the Society for Promotion of Youth & Masses (an NGO) in collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims), was not about all drugs, but just one type of drug opioids. The Aiims finding translated to 837 opioid-dependents per 100,000 people in Punjab, or 0.84 percent of the states 28 million population. This alone is more than three times as much as the corresponding all-India figure for all types of drug dependents, based on a Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment estimate of three million drug dependents nationwide, which is 250 per 100,000, or 0.25 percent of the Indian population. This fact alone shows the extent of the drug abuse problem in Punjab, and the extent to which Sukhbir Singh Badal had distorted the facts. Just the number of opioid-dependents in Punjab was estimated to be over three times the number for all types of drugs in the country. By the way, the PODS also mentioned that there may be up to 860,000 opioid users in the state. On 18 January this year, PTI had reported that till that time, Punjab had witnessed the maximum seizure of drugs worth Rs 1.78 crore (heroine and poppy husk) followed by contraband in Goa valued at Rs 16.72 lakh while such seizures in Manipur amounted to Rs 7 lakh. An affidavit submitted by Harjit Singh, secretary of the states Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development citing a departmental survey in reply to a petition filed by some drug rehabilitation centres before the Punjab and Haryana High Court in May 2009 had also said that over 16 percent of Punjabs population is addicted to hard drugs". Seventy percent of Punjab's youth affected by drugs: Rahul Gandhi On the other hand, even opposition parties are involved in distortion of facts. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had said earlier in January, "Four years ago, I said that 70 percent of the youth are affected by drugs. Badals made fun of me. Now the whole of Punjab is saying what I had said." What the PODS revealed, though, is something completely different. "Based upon the analysis of the data, around 76 percent of opioid dependent individuals in Punjab are in the age group of 18 to 35 years," the report had said. While the survey said that over 70 percent of opoid-dependents were youth in Punjab, Rahul claimed that 70 percent of youth were opoid-dependents in the state. "Even by the extrapolated figures, Punjab's addiction level falls to somewhere between 10 to 15 percent of its population. That figure too is worrisome, but it is nowhere near Rahuls claim of 70 percent," said this News18 report. Rajnath Singh blames Pakistan for drug abuse problem in Punjab "Our neighbouring country Pakistan is definitely doing gadbad (mischief) on this (drug issue)," PTI had quoted Rajnath Singh as saying earlier in January. The home minister had basically held Pakistan responsible for the drug menace in the state. Now, it is true that a lot of the drugs in Punjab come from Pakistan. "The drug lords from Pakistan have also roped in poor people on Pakistans side who work in tandem with smugglers and couriers on this side of the border," said this article in Economic and Political Weekly. "Even the goods train ferrying cement into India from Pakistan via the AttariWagah route has been frequently used for smuggling heroin. Dozens of Pakistani and Indian peddlers are caught by the BSF every year," the article further said. But the fact is that the "smugglers and couriers" and "Indian peddlers" in Punjab are also part of the nexus, something which Rajnath Singh did not address. What is worse is that there have been serious allegations made against people associated with the Punjab chief minister. For example, several criminals in jail over drug charges have named Bikram Majithia as being complicit in drug trade, said the News18 report. Majithia, along with Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, is understood to be the first line of leadership in SAD. So, Rajnath was only partially accurate when he said that Pakistan was behind the drug menace in Punjab. With inputs from agencies Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav defended his decision of partnering with Congress ahead of assembly elections in the northern state. Scheduled to address six rallies on Thursday, Akhilesh also addressed a Jan Sabha in Muzaffarnagar, where he took on rival parties BJP and BSP. Akhilesh, who is eyeing a second stint as chief minister, has partnered with Congress to consolidate the Muslim and upper caste votes. He admitted to being a little confused about a possible tie-up with Congress and said he was once unsure about which way the elections will swing, but is now confident of forming government in the state. According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, Akhilesh said so while addressing a rally at SD Inter College in Muzaffarnagar. Justifying the seat-sharing formula between the two parties, Akhilesh said that his party had a big heart and he is not stingy with sharing seats, according to Hindustan. He has drawn flak within circles of his own party for being generous and allowing Congress to contest more seats, with many believing that the latter party, after a series of electoral losses in several states, is politically attenuated. He also tried to play down father Mulayam Singh Yadav's criticism of the alliance, stating that if SP retains power in Uttar Pradesh, even if with the help of Congress, it will be a complement to Netaji's prestige. Trying to woo voters in the politically important district in Western Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh promised to provide non-stop electricity in the power-starved state, according to ABP News. The communally sensitive Muzaffarnagar is a political nerve point in western UP, and Samajwadi Party is desperate to woo the cleaving voter base of BSP and BJP. While on the one hand, veteran leaders have switched camps to join other parties, Jats, a sizeable majority in the state's western part, are miffed with the BJP after having voted for the saffron party in large numbers in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In a state that traditionally votes along caste lines, SP is desperate to consolidate voters still looking to change their allegiance. This is Akhilesh Yadav's third visit to the communally sensitive district, one that saw large-scale anti-Muslim violence in 2013. Akhilesh had been chief minister while the riots had taken place, and had then visited the town on three more occasions soon after the riots, and to condole the death of SP leader Chittaranjan Swaroop, who was a minister in the Akhilesh government. Meanwhile, Akhilesh's Muzaffarnagar rally assumed importance in another sense as well, as it saw him targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party as a key opponent in the upcoming elections, using the dais to target the party, though he barely spoke about BSP, saying it has weakened following several leaders changing camps. Even though he said that the BJP was out of the race in Uttar Pradesh, he countered the party's electoral key points. According to the report in Hindustan, he said that the BJP is promising the formation a palayan sena (a team to probe the alleged exodus from Kairana), it is looking to fight elections with the help of immigrants, referring to leaders who recently changed camps to join BJP. He also included Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the list, saying he first migrated from Gujarat to come to UP to gain a seat in Lok Sabha election, but then turned to Delhi. Akhilesh also tried to corner BJP on the issue of demonetisation, saying many people lost their lives due to the long queues prompted by the note ban. He also said that the BJP did nothing to help the people, while adding that the party promised to bring black money back, but nothing has materialised so far. In his first election rally on 27 December 2016 in Dehradun, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the people of Uttarakhand construction of an all-weather highway with 13 modern bridges for the four shrines pilgrimage (Char Dham Yatra). Construction of such a highway, if undertaken, will be a Herculean task it will take many years and billions of rupees. The promise also showed the prime ministers poor understanding of the Uttarakhand hills and the ecology. In fact, there are already wide roads to the Char Dham Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and one can even easily drive a car easily up to Badrinath and Gangotri. What is needed is better maintenance and amenities along the way. Second, there cannot be an "all-weather road" as the doors of all dhams get closed during the winters and roads are also covered with heavy snow. Third, the prime minister completely ignored the immense physical and ecological devastation the highway construction will cause to the hills that are already ruined or weakened by the abundance of roads. The hills of Uttarakhand Tehri, Pauri and Chamoli, in particular have been quite susceptible to developmental projects as two of our mightiest rivers Ganga and Yamuna and many others originate and flow through these areas and make the hills more moist and porous as compared to the hills short of big rivers. Sliding of soil and stones in the lake formed by the Tehri Dam is a common sight today. No doubt, tourism (religious tourism especially) is one of the biggest sources of income in Uttarakhand and amounts to 4.4 percent of the gross state domestic product (GSPD). It suffered during the time of disastrous floods in 2013 with a loss of Rs 12,000 crore. But if we compare this GSDP with the relatively smaller neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh, it provides a study in contrast. The tourist industry in Himachal Pradesh contributes around 7.8 percent of GSPD even though the state has a lesser number of places meant for religious tourism than Uttarakhand. But, on the other hand, Himachal Pradesh also has many more tourist spots at least 25 much celebrated as well as solitary places with better facilities which attract an ever-increasing number of foreign tourists every year. Uttarakhand can boast of important shrines, but the pilgrimage is mostly undertaken by the poor and middle-class people with shoe-string budgets. There is no dearth of scenic attractions for tourists in Uttarakhand, but, except for some well-known centres, they still remain to be fully developed or enabled to accommodate the flow of tourists. Its very surprising to know that almost all tourist spots in Uttarakhand were discovered by the British before Independence and only one place, Auli in Chamoli district, was established as the winter games spot after Independence, and that too is in want of amenities and maintenance. The dominance of the army cantonments at many tourist places since the colonial period has been another misfortune. Beautiful natural habitats like Ranikhet, Kausani, Chakrata, Lansdowne, Harsil are under the control of the army which hinders their expansion and improvement as no infrastructural work can be done without the consent of the army. When this region was a part of Uttar Pradesh and after it gained a separate statehood, no government or political party ever thought of exploring and developing new tourist spots which could attract tourists from the country and abroad, therefore generating revenues in a big way. Take, for instance, the case of Harsil, on way to Gangotri, which is a rare wide place in the narrow Bhagirathi valley. It was discovered by one captain Wilson or Raja Wilson as he was later called. A fugitive from the British army during 1857 revolt, he used the Bhagirathi waters for transporting wooden logs that were much in demand from the British Government for laying the railway tracks in the country and made so much of money that the revenue of the ruler of the then Tehri State increased tenfold. Wilson even started his own currency, generated electricity at the local level and built a huge wooden house that got burnt down by two fires. The great Hindi scholar Rahul Sankritayan along with poet Nagarjun had stayed in the house when he journeyed to Tibet for bringing the original Buddhist manuscripts to India. Harsil could be turned into one of the most beautiful, serene tourist spots in the country, but, being a cantonment area, its capacity to accommodate tourists remains restricted and people are not very welcome there. In fact, there are many more quaint and less-frequented places all around, but exploring and developing them into full-fledged tourism centres has never been a priority of the political parties in the state. This situation has resulted in overloading in places of pilgrimage. There had been no control or regulation on the inflow of religious travellers and it was only after the devastating floods of 2013 and after the knowledge of at least 34,000 pilgrims were present at Kedarnath at the time of tragedy that monitoring of the number of travellers to the shrines began. The pressure on religious places during the rush season remains difficult to cope with. Given the situation, the Herculean task of constructing a great highway to Char Dham as devised by Narendra Modi sounds more like a joke vis-a-vis a problem which has a good solution in the exploration of more, new and modernised hill stations which could contribute in increasing the revenue of the state and making it more beautiful and liveable. The Assembly constituencies of Kotdwar and Yamkeshwar in Uttarakhand share a boundary with each other. They also present a paradox between the state's hill and Tarai belts. While Kotdwar is the gateway to the Pauri Garhwal region and demarcates Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh, the hills of Yamkeshwar are the first thing one encounters upon entering the constituency. So the absence of Pauri Garhwal's most sensitive issue of migration from the hills in this election is hardly surprising. Pauri is known for witnessing large-scale migration of people from the state's hilly areas. Also, Yamkeshwar remains in the news for registering man-animal conflict. So, unlike in the past, there is almost no sign of the "pahadi vs desi" conflict in Kotdwar this year. The town is close to the Uttar Pradesh border, and people from UP villages like Nazibabad and Nagina have migrated here, to look for livelihood. It is in such an environment that the BJP decided to name political heavyweight Harak Singh Rawat as its candidate to take on Congress nominee Surendra Singh Negi, who is also the health minister in chief minister Harish Rawat's government. Negi had sprung a surprise by defeating former chief minister BC Khanduri at the 2012 assembly elections in Kotdwar. Back then, Khanduri had been the party's chief ministerial candidate, and him tasting defeat at the hands of Negi meant the Kotdwar seat has assumed high priority status for the saffron party. Negi has strong connections with the locals of Kotdwar, while Harak Rawat is known for having changed his constituency in almost every assembly election. In 2012, he was elected from Rudraprayag on a Congress ticket, and was also a member of Harish Rawat's government. But he was one of the nine rebel MLAs who defected to the BJP last year. Fielding him from Kotdwar is perhaps BJP's attempt to stop Negi from bagging the Thakur votes of Kotdwar. By fielding Harak Rawat, BJP also denied a ticket to its own old hand Shailendra Rawat. Congress lost no time in persuading the latter to join its ranks, fielding him from the neighbouring Yamkeshwar seat, to take on BJP's Ritu Khanduri, the daughter of former chief minister BC Khanduri. Bagging Shailendra Rawat from Yamkeshwar is a big coup for the Congress, as it now gets to not only target Thakur votes, but also use his influence in the neighbouring Kotdwar town. "Shailendra has always been associated with local politics of Kotdwar," said a Congress party source. The contest between Shailendra Rawat and Ritu Khanduri will be interesting. In order to field Ritu from Yamkeshwar, BJP had denied a ticket to its sitting MLA Vijay Barthwal, who had been representing the seat regularly, since 2002. He then filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate, but after BJP made efforts to pacify him, he has withdrawn his candidature. Meanwhile, there is palpable local sentiment in favour of Negi in Kotdwar. Citing examples of developmental work undertaken by him in his constituency, a woman voter, Rekha Maheshwari, said Negi spares time to remain in touch with the locals. "He never misses functions at the locals' houses. He interacts regularly with his voters," she told this reporter in Kotdwar's Jhanda Bazar. Congress' election office in the same Jhanda Bazar area displays a list of development works undertaken by Negi, including a hospital base he ensured got built. He reminds voters that he has ensured the availability of doctors at the local hospital in his capacity as health minister. GD Juyal, a voter from Yamkeshwar, said he is disappointed by the absence of real issues in this election. "There is a drinking water problem; there is no irrigation facility; monkeys destroy our crops. But, these are not the issues determining this election," he rued. By David Ljunggren and Rod Nickel | OTTAWA/WINNIPEG OTTAWA/WINNIPEG Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking a low key approach to dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump, seeking to avoid clashes while indirectly signalling the two leaders' differences to a domestic audience.Insiders acknowledge the cautious strategy could anger progressives whose support helped bring Trudeau to power in 2015 but say for now, he has no choice but to hold fire: Canada sends 75 percent of its exports to the United States and could suffer if it is targeted by Trump."Why poke a grizzly bear while it's having lunch? Trump has just got into office and he is formulating his economic plans," said one senior political source.While Trudeau's close friendship with former President Barack Obama was often referred to as a "bromance" and "dude-plomacy," Canadian prime ministers have not always had close ties with U.S. presidents.Still, few in Ottawa have experienced anything like Trump, insiders said."He is totally unpredictable," said another government source.Although Canada regards the United States as its closest ally, Trudeau has yet to visit Washington to see Trump. A visit tentatively scheduled this week was cancelled after a shooter killed six Muslims in a Quebec mosque and no new date has been set, said two people familiar with the matter.Michael Kergin, a former Canadian ambassador to Washington, said Trudeau's caution was wise."He's been playing it pretty well by restraining the temptation to be publicly critical of the president. At the same time, it's a delicate balance," said Kergin, now a senior adviser at law firm Bennett Jones.Trudeau was also right not to follow British Prime Minister Theresa May in rushing to Washington to "gin up a special relationship," only to watch Trump make an unpopular move on immigration after she left, Kergin said. Trump labelled a refugee swap deal with Australia "dumb" on Thursday after a telephone call with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the Washington Post reported was acrimonious. Turnbull kept any sparring behind closed doors.Trudeau, however, has taken indirect shots. When Trump signed orders banning people from seven Muslim-majority states, Trudeau tweeted that Canada was open to those fleeing war.His chief spokeswoman blasted U.S. network Fox News on Tuesday for a tweet falsely claiming the Quebec gunman was of Moroccan origin. But she said nothing publicly when Trump's spokesman said the attack on Muslims showed why it was important to suspend immigration from Muslim nations. This approach infuriates the opposition New Democrats, who have called on Trudeau to denounce Trump's "racist" immigration policy. Trudeau team members acknowledge that over time, Liberals could lose support before a 2019 election if the prime minister is deemed not to be standing up for Canadian values such as inclusiveness."That is a risk, but we'll address it closer to the time," said the first Ottawa insider.Surveys show the Liberals have a healthy, but narrowing, advantage over their nearest rivals.Pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research said it was too early for Trudeau to be aggressive. "He has to avoid making any kind of criticism. Trump has a very thin skin and he's quick to lash out," he said. (Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Alan Crosby) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Details added (first version posted on 17:19) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 Trend: Azerbaijan has presented data on daily oil output in January 2017 to OPEC within the implementation of a term of the Vienna agreement on reducing output, the countrys Energy Ministry told Trend Feb. 2. The ministry said that countries joined the Vienna agreement will present monthly reports on oil output to the technical commission. The Azerbaijani Energy Ministrys representative, who will work on this issue with the technical commission, has already been determined. The data for January has already been presented to the commission. According to the data, daily oil output was 793,900 barrels in Azerbaijan in January, 50,800 barrels of which accounted for condensate, said the ministry. About 617,000 barrels of oil, 50,800 barrels of condensate and 24,200 barrels of oil products were daily exported, according to the ministry. Azerbaijan fully fulfilled its commitments on reducing oil output by 35,000 barrels per day, noted the ministry. Thus, until the agreements signing, Azerbaijan produced 37.72 million tons of oil in 11 months of 2016, or the daily output level was 829,100 barrels, said the ministry. The researches showed that the made decisions have had a positive impact on oil prices increase and stabilization, added the ministry. In March, Kuwait will host a meeting of the Monitoring Committee, where the implementation of agreements and their impact on the market will be discussed, said the ministry. As a result, proposals and decisions will be made that will help the oil producing countries to form plans on output. The Energy Ministry is convinced that Azerbaijans fulfillment of commitments on the reduction of output confirms the countrys interest and resoluteness in the implementation of necessary measures to stabilize oil prices. The joint technical commission was created on Jan. 22 under the Monitoring Committee, created to control the fulfillment of commitments by countries on oil output reduction. During a meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Nov. 30, 2016, OPEC members decided to implement a new production target of 32.5 million barrels per day. Later, non-OPEC countries agreed to cut the output by 558,000 barrels per day during the meeting held Dec. 10, 2016. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov By Megan Davies and Robin Respaut | NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO President Donald Trump's travel restrictions on people from seven countries could dampen international enrolment at U.S. colleges, at a time they have become increasingly reliant on tuition revenue from overseas students.Colleges and universities have struggled in recent years with slowing tuition growth, increased competition and a stronger focus on making education more affordable.Those factors have increased the importance of international students, who made up 5.2 percent of enrolment last year, up from 3.2 percent a decade earlier, according to the Institute of International Education, or IIE. "International student growth is important for many institutions," said Roy Eappen, municipal research analyst at Wells Fargo. "Many international students come to the U.S. to study and are willing to pay full price for higher education."Analysts said international student applications could be hit by the White House travel order. Trump suspended travellers from seven majority-Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - saying the move would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks.The curbs come "at a delicate point in the admissions cycle" because students are beginning to decide where to enrol this autumn, said Susan Fitzgerald, associate managing director, Moody's. "You could see an impact in the fall. We just don't know yet."U.S. universities in both Democratic- and Republican-led states said over the weekend they were unnerved by the executive order. Lee Bollinger, president of New York's Columbia University, wrote in a statement on Sunday that "if this order stands, there is the certainty of a profound impact on our University community."Of the 1,043,839 international students in the United States during the 2015-16 school year, 17,354, or 1.7 percent, came from the countries affected by the order, IIE data shows.While that is a small portion of the total, there could be a broader impact on the country's ability to attract students from the global marketplace if the United States becomes viewed as potentially less welcoming for international students, some analysts said. 'RIPPLE EFFECT' Wells Fargo's Eappen said any kind of anti-immigration sentiment may lead to a pullback in demand from international students. IIE President Allan Goodman said in an emailed statement that "beyond the immediate impact of students from specific countries who are not able to enter the country, there could be a ripple effect of significant unintended economic consequences as students, faculty and researchers from other countries decide whether to come to the United States."Public universities have increasingly fallen victim to state budget cuts or tuition freezes, while many private universities now discount tuition, meaning they slash their price tags to lure prospective students. In many parts of the country, enrolment numbers are on the decline and university debt is on the rise. That makes attracting international students increasingly important. International students make up an estimated 10 to 12 percent of tuition revenue among U.S. schools rated by Moody's, Fitzgerald said. "University education for Americans is subsidized by foreigners who occupy seats in classrooms," said David Kotok, chairman and chief investment officer of Cumberland Advisors. "Ask any dean or provost what his school's financial structure would look like if there were no foreign students enrolled."According to NAFSA, an international education association, international students contributed $32.8 billion and supported more than 400,000 jobs in the U.S. economy during the 2015-2016 academic year. Moody's Fitzgerald said international students had become a counterweight to the relatively low revenue growth from domestic students among U.S. schools."It would be an additional challenge for the sector should it fall," Fitzgerald said. (Reporting by Megan Davies in New York and Robin Respaut in San Francisco; Editing by Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson was sworn in Wednesday to take charge of a US State Department simmering with opposition to President Donald Trump's refugee ban. After the 64-year-old oilman's nomination was confirmed by the Senate, he headed to the White House, where Trump formally named the political newcomer Washington's next top diplomat. "This is a man that is respected all over the world before he even begins," Trump said, thanking Tillerson. "He left a very good job for this, I want to tell you." Also in the Oval Office as Tillerson was sworn in was Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon, the nationalist former boss of right-wing news platform Breitbart. Bannon is emerging as a key foreign policy figure and was reportedly involved in drafting the visa and refugee ban that triggered global protests. Tillerson thanked the president and vowed to serve him and the American people at all times. He is due to meet State Department staff at his new headquarters on Thursday. He takes over an agency already rattled by top-level resignations and by Trump's order suspending refugee arrivals and visas for citizens from some Muslim countries. On Tuesday, around 1,000 officials from US missions across the globe signed and submitted a protest memo, decrying Trump's ban as an affront to American values. The State Department "dissent channel" has existed since the Vietnam War to allow diplomats to question official policy, but the scale of the protest was unprecedented. One official, speaking to AFP condition of anonymity, warned a bureaucratic "insurgency" against Trump is under way. Others spoke of colleagues bursting into tears. Tillerson has not made his views known on Trump's executive order, but the White House's response was uncompromising. Trump's spokesman Sean Spicer said the travel restrictions would help weed out extremists and keep America safe. The dissident diplomats, Spicer declared, "should either get with the program or they can go." His threat outraged many at the State Department, who argue that their in-house experts should have been consulted before the order was signed. Amateur policy Thomas Countryman, a 35-year career diplomat who retired on Monday as assistant secretary of state, urged Tillerson to protect his new employees from retribution. "If you don't trust professional public servants to help you on foreign policy then by definition you end up with an amateur foreign policy," he told MSNBC. Tillerson comes into office after a decade as Exxon's CEO and trails an impressive reputation as a manager of a large international organization. ExxonMobil's global empire has been compared to a quasi-state with its own policy. It is the world's largest publicly-traded energy firm a $350 billion corporation with revenue last year of $226 billion and more than 70,000 employees. The US State Department has an annual budget of only $65 billion and employs 13,000 diplomats, 11,000 civil servants and 45,000 local staff at 270 missions worldwide. At Exxon, Tillerson was the ultimate insider. He joined the firm in 1975 as a young engineer straight out of college and worked his way up the ranks to the top. At the State Department, by contrast, he will come in as an outsider with no political or diplomatic experience. Many deals ExxonMobil has operations in dozens of countries, under multi-year contracts with a variety of governments, and Tillerson was at the heart of many of the deals. As the director of Exxon Neftegas, a Bahamas-registered consortium set up to exploit offshore oil and gas in the Russian far east, he built close ties to the Kremlin. So close was he to President Vladimir Putin that in 2013, Tillerson received Russia's "Order of Friendship." This has raised eyebrows in Washington, where lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have questioned why, under Tillerson, Exxon lobbied against sanctions on Russia. Trump has said he too hopes to form a friendship with Russia, and US allies are concerned that he and Tillerson might halt measures taken to punish the Kremlin's intervention in Ukraine. This led to some combative moments in Tillerson's confirmation hearing, but the Senate voted by 56 votes to 43 to approve him. Donald Trump has barely completed a fortnight in office as the US president and there is already much turmoil and confusion in the Muslim world especially in the wake of the ban on the entry of citizens from seven Islamic nations. Many other countries are reeling under a similar fear of unpredictability whether they could be next. Pakistan, our immediate neighbour, is panicking and it's more than evident. A majority of Pakistanis are apprehending and anticipating a ban. Many are drawing parallels between this and the house arrest of 26 November, 2008 mastermind Hafiz Saeed (head of Jamaat-ud-Dawa). The military spokesperson had clarified that the house arrest was due to an order 'from the top'. So who is this 'top'? Is it Nawaz Sharif or Donald Trump? Kuwait too has followed suit, banning the grant of visas to immigrants from five Islamic-majority countries. More such knee-jerk actions are afoot as Trump ruthlessly enforces his campaign promises. Fear and uncertainty also haunts Muslim students currently studying in the US who could very well face deportation. Trump's decisions or 'threats' for further drastic action have given rise to the emergence of one segment of miscreants who are essentially anti-Islam and racist. Hiding behind Trump's belligerence, they seem to have a free hand in targetting the Muslims. Reverberations are being felt in Justin Trudeaus liberal Canada during the recent attack in a Quebec mosque where a shootout left half a dozen worshippers dead. Its a worry for Trudeaus tolerant policies, the space for liberalism is shrinking fast. The bottom line is what the possible repercussions of Trumps actions could be beyond the US. The echoes will be felt in the Islamic world. Trumps systematic isolation and blanket ban on these few Muslim countries will not go down well with other Muslim-majority nations. The liberal thinkers could slowly gravitate towards taking a harder line. It is this possible backlash that needs to be carefully watched by security agencies. There does not seem to be any one Islamic leader of apolitical credibility whose appeal will be adhered to. In the absence of such a leader, any mass movement may assume dangerous proportions. There is significant worry among Indian Muslims about their future prospects in the US. Are higher studies and career options slowly diminishing especially for them? Assessing developments in India related to Trump's action, India could see protests outside the US embassy or perhaps sponsored actions backed by Tehran. It's still a force to reckon with and judging by Iran's past track record of targetting US interests and facilities outside India (hostage-taking in the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 and targetting an American diplomat in New Delhi three to four years ago), Iran has the capacity to provide a few jolts. Remember India has a significant Shia population that will also be unhappy with Trumps stand and ban on Iran. Banning Pakistan may see some reactions in India. While it may not impact Delhi, Kashmir could see violent reactions causing law and order problems with far-reaching implications. This needs to be watched rather closely with a hawkish eye. It could be a gamechanger that upsets the relative the peace in the Valley consolidated with such painstaking efforts in the recent past. Further, if Trump chooses to take on the Muslim Brotherhood, then their supporters and sympathisers may surface overground in other countires and India could be a target. This also merits close supervision. As of now, Trump is speaking and acting tough. The aggrieved quarters may not be only silently watching the executive decisions and warnings to the attorneys, they must be, within and outside the US, contemplating the next course of action. If not overt, it could be covert with damaging results. They are not to be underestimated. They have the capacity to flex their muscles and bare their fangs when time is opportune. Pacifists are hoping such an 'opportune' moment never comes. All said and done, affected parties are unlikely to remain dormant for long. Somalia, Yemen et al have shown in the past that they have nothing to lose, so the message is to fight till the end. The terror groups active or dormant in Africa may join hands. Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia have all seen terror. Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State are just round the corner. Help is more than forthcoming. Other than Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Maldives and southern Thailand have the potential to dare the mighty and powerful to prove that they are alive and kicking and don't deserve to be ignored. The author is a retired IPS officer and a security analyst. He is also a senior fellow with the India Police Foundation. Views are personal. At one of the many sites of resistance in the US, a protester holds high a poster declaring: 'Dissent is patriotic'. The three words nicely sum up the defiant mood currently sweeping the US, stoking and driving the upsurge against the Donald Trump presidency. At the same time, these are words that also gesture to the countrys broader legacy of dissent; words that appear to be inseparable from the countrys historical tradition of speaking truth to power. Arguably, this history of dissent its roots running deep (which in some cases has led to the institutionalisation of dissent has been a critical factor behind the genesis of the extraordinary moment unfolding now. Many commentators in recent days have, for instance, drawn an analogy between Trumps sacking of US attorney-general Sally Yates for refusing to execute the travel ban, and an event known as the "Saturday night massacre" which occurred during Richard Nixons presidency in 1973. Like Yates, then attorney-general Elliot Richardson and deputy attorney-general William Ruckelshaus, refused to endorse Nixons dismissal of the independent special prosecutor Archibald Cox in the infamous Watergate case. In protest, the two high-level judicial functionaries resigned from their posts. Following Trumps executive order last Friday, temporarily barring immigrants from seven Muslim majority nations and all refugees from entering the country, America has been awash in an endless tide of protests. What is of particular interest to many is the multifaceted nature of the resistance the way, virtually every day, a new flank of opposition opens up against the nascent Trump presidency. Trumps Supreme Court nominee is likely to be the next, additional focal point for protesters. Hope you like my nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch for the United States Supreme Court. He is a good and brilliant man, respected by all. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2017 Not only are people coming out on the streets or gathering outside airports by the thousands, strong voices of dissent are also emanating from within powerful institutions the diplomatic core, the judiciary, the tech industry, universities, taxi unions, corporates, national park rangers, and the ever-vocal celebrities in Hollywood. No institution worth its name is willing to give the president the benefit of doubt, or give him a free pass to use the enormous powers the presidency has. Soon after the ban kicked in, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on his page that the directive "would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of undocumented folks who dont pose a threat will live in fear of deportation". Zuckerberg mentioned that his wifes parents had been refugees from China and Vietnam. Alongside a host of other corporate entities, Amazon and Expedia extended support to the Washington state attorney-general who had filed a lawsuit against the executive order. While the Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky pledged that his company would house refugees for free, Google co-founder Sergey Brin joined a protest at San Francisco International Airport. He told the media that, having fled the Soviet Union as a child, he himself was a refugee. One of the most striking assurances came from Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz. He has promised to hire 10,000 refugees worldwide over the next five years, starting in the US. The transportation sector too reacted to the ban with a host of retaliatory measures, including a strike. While the New York taxi union went on a lightning strike, the co-founders of Lyft donated a million dollars to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is suing the government on behalf of refugees. People also quick to punished companies which were seen to be violating solidarity among protesting citizens. Uber faced the ire of subscribers who deleted their accounts and the app after the company tried to break the New York taxi drivers strike by halting surge prices. On the political front, the mayors of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles have pledged to continue to provide services to undocumented immigrants even after the US president has warned that he would cut off federal aid to sanctuary cities. Revolt is brewing within the bureaucracy too. Activating the dissent channel (a process institutionalised within the system), nearly 900 US Department of State officials have signed an internal memo protesting the travel ban. According to a Reuters report, the memo highlighted that the policy runs counter to core American values of non-discrimination, fair play and extending a warm welcome to foreign visitors and immigrants. Only into second week of his presidency, Trump seems to be hemmed in by opposition groups and protesters both within and outside the system. The depth and extent of the popular outrage against the Trump presidency was in evidence in the streets across America the very first day Trump was sworn into office. The massive womens marches across the nation, a day later, further signalled that protesters were not retreating any time soon. But what the world witnessed last week, has far exceeded the anticipated boundaries of protest. It now remains to be seen how the protests will play out in the coming days and months. Especially when more Trump policies will begin to kick in. But as of now, the signs clearly portend turbulent times ahead. WASHINGTON Eleven civilians were killed in four separate air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria between Oct. 25 and Dec. 9, the U.S. military said on Thursday."Although the Coalition takes extraordinary efforts to strike military targets in a manner that minimizes the risk to civilian casualties, in some incidents casualties are unavoidable," the military said in a statement.In an incident on Dec. 7, near Raqqa, Syria, the military said seven civilians were killed in an air strike on a building where Islamic State fighters were present. The number of civilians killed since the start of the air campaign in 2014 totals 199, the statement added, but the estimate is far lower than those provided by monitoring groups. At least 2,358 civilians have been killed by coalition air strikes, according to monitoring group Airwars. The coalition has conducted more than 17,861 air strikes since the start of the operation, as of Jan. 31, with 10,993 in Iraq and 6,868 in Syria, according to U.S. military data. The total cost has been $10.9 billion at an average daily cost of $12.5 million. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Curtis Skinner | OAKLAND, Calif. OAKLAND, Calif. The widow of the gunman behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history knew he was planning an attack and concocted a cover story for him, federal prosecutors said in a California court on Wednesday.Prosecutors revealed new details about their case against Noor Salman, 30, as they argued she should remain jailed on charges stemming from the June 2016 shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu did not immediately rule, instead ordering psychiatric and psychological tests for Salman.Salman was arrested earlier this month in the San Francisco Bay Area on federal charges of obstructing justice and aiding her late husband, Omar Mateen, in his attempt to provide material support to a terrorist organization. She admitted knowing Mateen left their house with a firearm and a backpack full of ammunition before the Pulse nightclub shooting, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney told a federal judge in Oakland. Sweeney also said Salman devised a cover story, directing Mateen to tell his parents, if asked, that he was at dinner with a friend."Noor aided and abetted her husband and repeatedly lied to the government," Sweeney said, calling her a "very calculating and callous person" who should be detained until her trial in Florida."Salman knew her husband was leaving to commit an attack and her actions contributed to the deaths of 49 people," she added. Sweeney also alleged Salman accompanied Mateen on "casing" trips to two other locations, including Downtown Disney in Orlando, in the days before the shooting.The prosecutor said Mateen asked Salman whether she thought people would be more upset by an attack on Downtown Disney or a club. Sweeney did not say whether Salman answered or specify her role in those trips. Defense attorney Charles Swift said Salman's alleged admissions occurred after 18 hours in police custody, during which she was interrogated without a lawyer. Prosecutors have yet to provide written or recorded evidence of Salman's alleged admissions, Swift noted."She's alive and Omar Mateen is dead. So she's the only person they can charge," said Swift, describing Salman as a battered spouse who had learning disabilities in high school.Salman's attorneys want her released to her family, saying she poses no threat to the public and requires mental health services not available in jail. They said she was asleep at home with the couple's 3-year-old son during the attack. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Phil Berlowitz) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Donald Trump has picked Neil Gorsuch, a young conservative, as the next justice to fill the vacant seat in the eight-judge bench in the US Supreme Court. Trump's next battle, however, will be to confirm Gorsuch whose legacy will likely outlive the presidency. The elegant, silver-haired 49-year-old is Donald Trump's pick to serve on the Supreme Court. The youngest nominee in a generation, Gorsuch, however, differs from his prospective colleagues in a specific respect. On a court with five Catholics and three Jews, he would be the lone Episcopalian. He would replace former justice Antonin Scalia who died in February 2016. Largely unknown until just a few days ago, the Colorado native with an Ivy League education who has served on the federal Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver since 2006 now must win Senate confirmation. He earned an undergraduate degree from Columbia University in New York and a law degree from Harvard shortly after Barack Obama got his. He then headed across the Atlantic to study at Oxford which perhaps explains his penchant for quoting Winston Churchill. If confirmed by the Senate to the Supreme Court, Gorsuch would fill the seat of the man he seeks to emulate as a judge. He would be the first justice to serve alongside a colleague for whom he worked. Gorsuch described his former boss, Justice Anthony Kennedy, as one of the judges who brought him up in the law on Tuesday. Ever confident, Trump said he expected Gorsuch to be donning his robes "very quickly", but the Democrats will perhaps put up more of a fight this time. Some Democratic lawmakers, still miffed that the ninth seat on the court sat empty for a year as Barack Obama's nominee could not even win a hearing from the Republican-controlled chamber, have pledged to make things difficult. The court currently has before it a case about the rights of transgender students, though the case could end up being returned to a lower court without a full hearing in the high court. Next term's big issue could be whether some partisan redistricting violates the Constitution. Critics of labour unions are also likely to bring before the court a case that could damage the financial viability of unions that represent government workers, an issue on which the court split 4-4 after Scalia's death. If he is confirmed, Gorsuch would join: Elena Kagan (56) and Sonia Sotomayor (62), appointed by Barack Obama Chief Justice John Roberts (62) and Samuel Alito (66), appointed by George W Bush Stephen Breyer (78) and Ruth Bader Ginsburg (83), appointed by Bill Clinton Clarence Thomas (68), appointed by George HW Bush Anthony Kennedy (80), appointed by Ronald Reagan Gorsuch: A conservative like Scalia Trump is thus mulling the "nuclear option" getting Senate Leader Mitch McConnell to change the rules to allow 52 Republican senators to give him a simple majority. A brilliant conservative judge with a prestigious resume, Gorsuch is a proponent of traditional so-called family values, a strict reading of the Constitution and the need to protect the role of religion in American society. Gorsuch has a pedigree that will reassure Trump supporters, especially given the comparisons many make between him and Scalia. Supporters say he could also win over those Republicans who have been less than enthusiastic about the billionaire property mogul-turned-president. Gorsuch, known for being extremely polite is also seen as having diplomatic skills and a certain intellectual rigour. His ability to write incisive rulings and his traditionalist views have fueled the comparisons with Scalia. The Columbia and Harvard graduate says he is flattered by such comparisons, and does not hide his admiration for Scalia, who died at age 79. Like Scalia, Gorsuch favours what is known as originalism the idea that judges should interpret the US Constitution by reverting to how it was understood at the time it was written, with no modern filters. Gorsuch believes in sanctity of life, religion and is against abortion Gorsuch's opinions are largely known through his writings. He authored a book on the moral and legal arguments against euthanasia and assisted suicide, and backed companies who refused to provide contraception to their employees, as was called for under Obama's health care reform. The law requires companies to support payments for "drugs or devices that can have the effect of destroying a fertilised human egg", Gorsuch wrote. They believe that "violates their faith, representing a degree of complicity their religion disallows". He also rejects the notion that the courts should revert to federal agencies when a legal point needs to be interpreted a stance backed by conservatives. Gorsuch's trump card, as it were, is that he's never offered a seriously controversial viewpoint, especially on abortion, that could jam up his confirmation. Abortion rights groups immediately criticised the nomination, saying Gorsuch represents a threat to women's reproductive rights and to the landmark Roe vs Wade Supreme Court decision legalising abortion nationwide in 1973. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to appoint a crusading anti-abortion Supreme Court justice who'd work to overturn the Roe vs Wade opinion that legalised it. An Associated Press review of decisions and writings by Gorsuch during a decade as a federal appeals court judge in Denver turns up no guarantees on how he might rule on that hot-button issue. "With a clear track record of supporting an agenda that undermines abortion access and endangers women, there is no doubt that Gorsuch is a direct threat to Roe Wade and the promise it holds for women's equality," Naral Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue said in a statement. The president of the Family Research Council, which backed Trump, heralded the president's nomination of Gorsuch as a win for abortion opponents in a TV appearance Tuesday. "He said he was going to pick pro-life judges that were strict constructionists, and that's what we appear to have in Judge Gorsuch," Tony Perkins said in an interview on Fox News Channel. "So, I think evangelicals are going to be very pleased." As a Vox report explains, Gorsuch thinks that "human life is fundamentally and inherently valuable, and that the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong," essentially, he pins it on secular principles instead of religion. However, this line of thought doesn't align with his views on the death penalty, Gorsuch's predecessor Scalia didn't entertain death row appeals very often, it is likely that Gorsuch will not either. In a 2006 book titled The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, he characterised assisted suicide as "essentially a right to consensual homicide." He also has joined decisions upholding death sentences. According to Charlotte Observer, Gorsuch, in the past upheld death sentences through a textual interpretation of law. From his time on the appeals court, Gorsuch's notable opinions include defence of religious freedom. In two cases that involved the contraception mandate under the Obama health care law, Gorsuch sided with businesses and non-profit groups that voiced religious objections to the requirement that they provide cost-free contraception to women covered under their health plans. Here are summaries of some of his notable opinions: On contraception | Hobby Lobby Stores vs Sebelius Gorsuch voted with a majority of the 10th Circuit in favour of privately held for-profit secular corporations, and individuals who owned or controlled them, who raised religious objections to paying for contraception for women covered under their health plans. Gorsuch wrote a separate opinion in which he explained the moral dilemma facing the family that owns Hobby Lobby. "As they understand it, ordering their companies to provide insurance coverage for drugs or devices whose use is inconsistent with their faith itself violates their faith, representing a degree of complicity their religion disallows... No doubt, the Greens' religious convictions are contestable. Some may even find the Greens' beliefs offensive. But no one disputes that they are sincerely held religious beliefs," he wrote. Giving power to federal agencies | Gutierrez-Brizuela vs Lunch In this 2016 case, Gorsuch wrote for a panel of judges who sided with a Mexican citizen who was seeking permission to live in the US. The case gave Gorsuch an opportunity to raise an issue he has championed in his time as a judge: whether courts should so readily defer to federal agencies in determining what laws and regulations mean. Referring to high-court cases that Gorsuch believes cede too much power to agencies, he wrote: "There's an elephant in the room with us today. We have studiously attempted to work our way around it and even left it unremarked. But the fact is Chevron and Brand X permit executive bureaucracies to swallow huge amounts of core judicial and legislative power and concentrate federal power in a way that seems more than a little difficult to square with the Constitution of the framers' design. Maybe the time has come to face the behemoth." Gorsuch also has written opinions that question 30 years of Supreme Court rulings that allow federal agencies to interpret laws and regulations. Gorsuch has said that federal bureaucrats are allowed to accumulate too much power at the expense of Congress and the courts. Those rulings "permit executive bureaucracies to swallow huge amounts of core judicial and legislative power and concentrate federal power in a way that seems more than a little difficult to square with the Constitution of the framers' design," he wrote last year. Justice Clarence Thomas has raised similar concerns. With inputs from agencies By Eli Berlzon | AMONA, West Bank AMONA, West Bank Israel said on Wednesday it would establish a new settlement in the occupied West Bank, the first since the late 1990s, to rehouse settlers evicted on the same day from an outpost built on private Palestinian land.A statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he was making good on a commitment to the settlers of Amona and had ordered the formation of a committee to locate a site where they could rebuild their homes."As promised a month and a half ago to the settlers, (Netanyahu) has set up a committee that will promote the establishment of a new settlement... It will begin work immediately to locate a spot and to establish the settlement," a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.The announcement was made shortly after Israel's Supreme Court rejected a government plan to rehouse some of the Amona settlers on an adjacent plot because it ruled that homes built there would also encroach on land owned by Palestinians.According to the Israeli human rights group, B'Tselem, Israel last established new settlements in the West Bank in 1999, although outposts such as Amona, that settlers set up without official permission, have been built far more recently. Around 330 Israeli settlers live in Amona, the largest of scores of outposts built in the West Bank. The Supreme Court ruled in November, after a lengthy legal battle, that settlers had to leave because their homes were built on privately owned Palestinian land.On Wednesday, rightist protesters scuffled with Israeli police carrying out a court order to evict the Amona settlers, hours after the government announced more construction in larger settlements.With no weapons visible but wearing backpacks, hundreds of police walked past burning tyres and pushed back against scores of nationalist Israeli youths who flocked to Amona in support of the settlers.Working into the night the forces made slow progress, with three or four policemen at a time lifting each of the protesters out of dwellings in which they had holed up, and carrying them away onto buses. By dark police said many of Amona's 40 families had left but some protesters remained holed up in the settlement's synagogue and negotiations were ongoing to secure an orderly eviction. Thirteen protesters were detained by police during the scuffles and there were a few instances of stone-throwing. A police spokesmen said at least 20 officers were injured slightly by rocks and caustic liquid thrown at them."A Jew doesn't evict a Jew!" the youngsters chanted.The Amona settlers themselves stayed largely put inside their homes after erecting makeshift barriers in front of their doors and vowing passive resistance to eviction."We won't leave our homes on our own. Pull us out, and we'll go," one settler told reporters. "It is a black day for Zionism." On a nearby hilltop, Issa Zayed, a Palestinian who said he was one of the owners of the land on which Amona was built, watched the scene through binoculars. "With God's help, it will be evacuated and our land will return to us," he said.Most countries consider all Israeli settlements to be illegal. Israel disagrees, citing historical and political links to the land - which the Palestinians also assert - as well as security interests.NEW SETTLER HOMES Earlier, Israel announced plans for 3,000 more settlement homes in the West Bank, the third such declaration in 11 days since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. Trump, a Republican, has signalled he could be more accommodating toward such projects than his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama. An announcement a week ago by Israel that it would build some 2,500 more dwellings in the West Bank, territory captured in the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war and where Palestinians now seek statehood, drew rebukes from the Palestinians and the European Union. It followed approval a few days before of over 560 new homes in East Jerusalem, also taken by Israel in 1967."The decision ... will place obstacles in the path of any effort to start a peace process that will lead to security and peace," said Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.Palestinians want the West Bank and Gaza Strip for an independent state, with its capital in East Jerusalem. Israeli troops and settlers withdrew from Gaza in 2005.In 2006 Amona saw a violent partial eviction, with nine shacks torn down by authorities. Police were confronted by thousands of settlers and more than 200 people were injured.The Amona issue had caused tension within Netanyahu's coalition government. But it eased after he got behind a law proposed by the Jewish Home party, a far-right political ally, to retroactively legalise dozens of outposts. This would not apply to Amona because of the existing court decision."We have lost the battle over Amona but we are winning the campaign for the Land of Israel," Cabinet minister and Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett tweeted after the evacuation began. Parliament is expected to pass the legislation next week. It is opposed, however, by Israel's attorney-general, and legal experts predict that it will eventually be overturned in court. (Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell and Ori Lewis, writing by Jeffrey Heller,; Editing by Gareth Jones and Tom Brown) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The verdict is in. If confirmed, Neil Gorsuch will take the place of the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. For such an anticipated move, the appointment is unsurprising. Out of an original list of 21 potential candidates, three main contenders had come into focus in recent weeks. Thomas Hardiman, Neil Gorsuch, and William Pryor were considered the front-runners, with Hardiman and Gorsuch more favoured in the preceding days. After Trump took the stage, things moved quickly. Within a few minutes, Gorsuch was named and 15 minutes later, the entire affair was over. Many liberals view Gorsuch as the best possible outcome of a terrible situation. Being similar to Scalia, Gorsuch is not expected to radically shake up the recent balance of the Court. Currently, the eight sitting justices are evenly divided ideologically. Bader Ginsberg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan are Democratic appointments, while Roberts, Alito, Kennedy, and Thomas were Republican picks. Scalia, of course, was notoriously conservative. In terms of the Court's makeup prior to Scalias death, the Court already leaned conservative in a 5-4 majority, with Kennedy acting as a swing vote. If Obama had succeeded in getting Merrick Garland on the bench, it would have been the first time since 1968 that the Supreme Court had a majority of Democrat-appointed justices. Gorsuch, like the other finalists, is young. At 49, Gorsuch, if confirmed, will be the youngest on the bench by far, and the youngest confirmation in over 25 years. He is poised to be on the bench for decades to come, and will have a hand in shaping the Court, and the laws of the United States, for potentially generations to come. The ideological makeup of the Court is important because, while the Supreme Court has the power to expand peoples rights, it also has the ability to restrict them. In 1944, for example, the court upheld the internment of Japanese Americans in camps during the second World War. Although most people dont give too much thought to the judicial branch on a regular basis, Supreme Court decisions deeply impact daily life. In the past, Supreme Court decisions have shaped laws regarding emancipation, segregation, abortion, religious liberty, free speech, police powers, political funding, and voting, to name a very few. If no other seat opens on the Supreme Court during Trumps administration, the Court will likely continue in a similar fashion as it did before Scalias death. Gorsuch is slightly more conservative, but stays true to Scalias profile. However, at least two justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy, are in their eighties. Ruth Bader Ginsberg is known for her liberal stance, and Kennedy, while a Republican appointment, is moderate. Another liberal justice, Stephen Breyer, is also at the average retirement age of 78. If any of these justices are replaced by more conservative picks, the makeup of the court would alter drastically, resulting in a conservative block that could erase progressive gains made in recent years. If all three of them are replaced by Trump picks, the results could be catastrophic. Looking forward, the Court is set to hear several important cases this year. One such case has the potential to be the first major ruling on transgender rights; the controversial bathroom question. With a conservative majority and a fresh justice with a bad track record of anti-LGBTQI rulings, reaching a progressive verdict will be difficult. This is especially so given that Gorsuch previously clerked for Kennedy, giving him insight that could be used to influence the swing vote, which could result in a restriction of rights for transgendered individuals. But Gorsuch is a worrying pick for other reasons, as well. As a Supreme Court justice, Gorsuch is expected to maintain a high standard of judicial independence and impartiality. In a system of checks and balances, judicial independence is critical and justices must be free to decide Constitutional issues without the interference of the executive branch. Despite this, Trump has assured the nation that his pick will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, a critical case upholding womens reproductive rights. This kind of blanket assurance raises questions about Gorsuchs ability to function independently and whether, like so many of Trumps other ill-advised nominations, he is not just being put in place to act as a Trump puppet. Concerns have also been raised regarding Gorsuchs religious motivations and apparent favoring of Christianity in his opinions, a dangerous trait for someone sworn to remain impartial and uphold the separation of Church and State. Within minutes of the announcement, debates began among liberals about how to move forward. Fresh in the minds of many is Obamas thwarted attempt to place Garland, viewed as a capable judge and solid bi-partisan choice. The refusal of the Senate to take a vote on Garland was seen (rightly) by many as a blatant power play by Republicans trying to hedge their bets on a Republican taking the Presidency, a move not seen since the 1800s. Should Democrats now attempt to block Gorsuch in retaliation? The underlying question is: hes bad, but is he bad enough? Given the uncertainty of the future of the Supreme Court during the Trump administration, caution is warranted. There are certainly ways to block a Supreme Court justice nominee. Democrats could filibuster the vote, for example. If they do that, however, Republicans are likely to fight back, and may go as far as changing Senate rules to defeat the filibuster, a process known as nuking, which lowers the number of votes needed for confirmation from 60 to 51. Trump has already indicated that he expects the nuclear option to be used if Democrats attempt to fight his nomination. Once the process is nuked, Democrats wont be able to block Trumps pick, as Republicans currently hold 52 seats. Trump is already butting heads with the Judicial branch following the refusal of several judges to follow Trumps Muslim Ban and if there is one thing Trump is known for (aside from his child-sized hands), its that he tends to target and control those who oppose him. If Democrats attempt to block Gorsuch, it could lead to a bitter battle for control of the Supreme Court and could weaken the Democrats ability to filibuster a future nomination, an undoubtedly more important seat. As tempting as it is to react swiftly and strongly against a move that is clearly just the latest in a series of infuriating and astonishingly bad choices made by Trump, the future of the Court is too uncertain to risk going in hotheaded. The effects could easily end up being more harmful and long-lasting than anticipated, setting Democrats up for future failure on the mere hope of a temporary win. Its not worth it. There are so many battles that need to be fought, but right now, the Supreme Court nomination is not one of them. By Isabel Coles | RASHIDIYA, Iraq RASHIDIYA, Iraq His name was Ayman, but the couple who brought the boy home to their Iraqi village after buying him for $500 called him Ahmed.Islamic State militants had killed or enslaved Ayman's parents in their purge of the Yazidi religious minority to which he belongs, then sold the four-year-old to Umm and Abu Ahmed, who are Muslims.For the 18 months he lived with the couple, his relatives assumed he was dead, one of several thousand Yazidis who have been missing since the militants overran their homes in what the United Nations has called genocide.When Iraqi forces retook east Mosul and the surrounding area last week, they found Ayman and returned him to what is left of his family. While their reunion was full of joy, breaking the bond between Ayman and his adoptive parents brought new sorrow.Speaking to Reuters journalists brought by Iraqi forces to his home in Rashidiya, north of Mosul, Abu Ahmed swiped through photographs of the boy on his phone: "Thats him riding a bicycle here. Thats him standing in our hall. Thats an exercise machine he played on."The windows of the couple's one-story home on the eastern bank of the Tigris river have been shattered by a blast that destroyed their neighbour's house, evidence of the fierce fighting that will continue when the army attacks the western side, which is still controlled by Islamic State.Abu Ahmed emptied the contents of a box onto the bed Ayman used to share with them: toy cars and building blocks, and a childrens book for learning Arabic script. It was Umm Ahmeds idea to adopt a child. The couple had no children, and she heard Islamic State was selling orphans in the town of Tel Afar, some 40 km (25 miles) to the west.My objective was to win favor (with God), said Umm Ahmed, only her eyes showing in a gap in her black veil. To be honest, I wanted to teach him my religion, Islam." Her husband, a government employee, was against the idea but could not dissuade his wife, who went alone to get the boy from an orphanage run by the militants, paying for him with her earnings as a teacher.Although the boy cried and did not want to go with her, she coaxed him, saying: "Come, you will be my child. We will live together and I will buy you everything."REALLY SMART Gradually he grew accustomed to his adoptive parents, who taught him Arabic instead of the Kurdish dialect spoken by Yazidis. They told people he was a nephew they had taken in and enrolled him at the local school under the name Ahmed Shareef, but mostly he was kept indoors. "He was really smart. I taught him to pray and perform ablutions. Do you know how much of the Koran he memorized?" Umm Ahmed said.They did not want him to forget who he was and encouraged him to speak about life in his village of Hardan. But she said: "I always warned him not to tell anyone (he was Yazidi)."Islamic State imposed a radical version of Islam in Mosul after establishing the city as its de facto capital: banning cigarettes, televisions and radios, and forcing men to grow beards and women to cover from head to toe.They branded the Yazidis, whose beliefs combine elements of several ancient Middle Eastern religions, as devil-worshipers.Sometimes Ayman asked about the rest of his family but Umm and Abu Ahmed did not know what happened to them except for a sister in her mid-teens who was taken as a slave by a militant from Tel Afar. The militant brought the sister to visit several times but her current fate is unknown.The whereabouts of a half-brother who was sold at the orphanage before Ayman are also not known.As the U.S.-backed campaign to drive Islamic State out of Mosul gathered pace and the Iraqi army's ninth division reached Rashidiya, things began to unravel for Umm and Abu Ahmed. On entering the village, a commander received a tip that a Yazidi boy was being held there and dispatched soldiers to retrieve him. The couple had no choice but to give him up.A video clip of the moment they were parted shows Ayman clinging to Umm Ahmed and crying.In the clip, provided to Reuters by an aid group embedded with the army, she pleads with the soldiers who came to get the boy. "Leave him with me a bit," she says, then tries to comfort him in spite of her own distress: "You will go and see your mother now... and when you grow up you will come and see me".BACK FROM THE DEAD Ayman's parents and most other relatives are still missing, but his grandmother and uncle live on the edge of one of several camps to which the Yazidi community has been displaced en masse, about 50 km (30 miles) away from Rashidiya.Samir Rasho Khalaf thought his nephew had been killed until he saw a post on Facebook on Jan. 28 that a Yazidi child named Ayman Ameen Barakat had been found. I was stunned, said Khalaf. Its a miracle: he came back from the dead."That same night, they were reunited. In a video of the reunion shown to Reuters by the soldiers who handed Ayman over, his grandmother strikes herself on the head repeatedly when she sees the boy, picking him up and wailing in disbelief."We all cried," Major Wathiq Amjad Naathar, the army official who oversaw the handover, told Reuters.That night, Ayman was beside himself and begged to be returned to Umm Ahmed, Khalaf said.But on a visit by a Reuters reporter and TV crew this week, he appeared happy and calm, if bashful about all the attention.Asked if he had been happy with his adoptive parents, he said yes, and asked if he was happy to be back with his real family, he said yes too. Khalaf said he was pleased that Umm and Abu Ahmed kept Ayman safe and healthy, and he was grateful that, unlike so many other Yazidi boys abducted by Islamic State, he was not forced to train with weapons or fight. But he was angry the couple did not try harder to find his family to say he was alive and well, and has refused to allow them to talk to Ayman, even though they called once."We dont mention them (his adoptive parents) so he will forget them," he said.Umm Ahmed said he will never forget them, however, just as they will not forget him."I expect he will return," she said. (Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: New heads have been appointed to Kazakhstans Aktau and Kuryk ports on the Caspian Sea. Abay Turikpenbaev was appointed as the president of the Aktau International Sea Port, the ports press service said Feb. 2. He earlier served as director general of the Kuryk Port. Turikpenbaev will replace at this post Michail Yalbachev. Meanwhile, Myrzabek Saktaganov, who earlier served as deputy director of Kuryk Ports ferry complex, was named the director general of the port. Kazakhstan does not have any other sea ports besides Aktau and Kuryk ports. By Lesley Wroughton | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for understanding on his first day at the State Department amid internal dissent over policies of President Donald Trump, which have also antagonized a range of allies.Hundreds of State Department officials greeted the former Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) chairman with applause as he entered the building. Loud cheers broke out when Tillerson thanked Acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon for standing in after the departure of John Kerry."My first day is here. I'm on the job," said Tillerson, who was sworn in on Wednesday, adding: "Hi, I'm the new guy."The Senate confirmed Tillerson to his post on Wednesday despite concerns about his ties to Russia and questions over whether he would wield enough influence as Trump's main foreign policy adviser. Trump has called for closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.In remarks that did not go into foreign policy specifics, Tillerson addressed the dissent within the department that emerged in a memo signed by more than 900 officials in protest against Trump's decision to suspend the U.S. refugee program and restrict most travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries. "One of the great challenges and thrills for the State Department staff is deciding how to confront changing conditions in every corner of the world," said Tillerson, "I encourage all of you to use your natural and well developed skills to adapt to changes here at home as well."I know this was a hotly contested election and we do not all feel the same way about the outcome, each of us is entitled to expression of our political beliefs, but we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team," said Tillerson.He added: "Each of us is entitled to the expression of our political beliefs, but we cannot let our personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team." He also signalled he was likely to impose changes to improve the functioning of the department but did not elaborate.In his first meeting with a foreign counterpart, Tillerson met German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at the State Department. He had been scheduled to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah but the meeting was postponed after the two met earlier at the National Prayer Breakfast attended by Trump, according to U.S. officials.Tillerson inherits a messy globe with war in Syria and Iraq, nuclear-armed North Korea threatening to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile, and increased violence in eastern Ukraine. Over the past 48 hours more foreign policy challenges piled up as tensions erupted between the U.S. and ally Australia over an existing refugee swap, which Trump called a "dumb deal."Strains with Iran also escalated after the White House said it was putting Tehran on notice for test-firing a ballistic missile and the new administration in Washington moved to impose sanctions on multiple Iranian entities on Friday, according to sources familiar with the matter.Tillerson also takes over at a time of worsening ties with Mexico after Trump vowed to build a wall between the two countries and reexamine the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) deal with Mexico and Canada. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Yara Bayoumy, Tom Brown and Bernard Orr) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump took an aggressive posture toward Iran on Wednesday for test-firing a ballistic missile, with his national security adviser declaring "we are officially putting Iran on notice" for what he called a provocation.The warning from Michael Flynn marked an abrupt change in policy and tone toward Iran from that of Trump's predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama, who had negotiated a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.It was Trump's sharpest threat against a U.S adversary since taking office on Jan. 20, a warning that could foreshadow more aggressive economic and diplomatic measures against Iran.Flynn told reporters that, instead of being thankful to the United States for the nuclear deal, "Iran is now feeling emboldened. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.Iran confirmed on Wednesday it had tested a new missile but said it did not breach a nuclear accord reached with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution that endorsed the pact. The Islamic Republic carried out the test of a medium-range missile on Sunday, a U.S. official said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.Flynn said on Wednesday that the missile launch was in defiance of the 2015 Security Council resolution. While signalling a more muscular U.S. foreign policy that Trump has said he would pursue, the meaning of Flynn's comment was unclear.Three senior U.S. officials who briefed reporters at the White House said a range of options, including economic sanctions, was being considered on how to respond and that a broad review was being conducted of the U.S. posture toward Iran. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to say whether a military option was on the table."We are in the process of evaluating the strategic options and the framework for how we want to approach these issues," one official said. "We do not want to be premature or rash or take any action that would foreclose options or unnecessarily contribute to a negative response."Crude oil futures rallied on Wednesday, jumping more than $1 a barrel on geopolitical concerns after Iran confirmed the missile test and bulls found support in reports on production cuts. [O/R]The Islamic Republic has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump became president. Flynn, in his first appearance in the White House press briefing room, said the missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-allied Houthi militants off the coast of Yemen underscored "Irans destabilising behaviour across the Middle East."Richard Nephew, a former Obama administration official who was a U.S. negotiator with Iran on the deal, said Flynn's comment could backfire."I think this will create an impetus for the Iranians to 'resist' and 'defy' more, and that could well create an escalatory cycle with Iran," he said. "Being tough with Iran is one thing, but you have to back it up and bring partners with you. Is Flynn prepared to deal with what comes from that?Trump has frequently criticized the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. While campaigning in September, then-candidate Trump vowed that any Iranian vessels that harass the U.S. Navy would be "shot out of the water" if he is elected.A section of U.N. resolution 2231 calls on Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology."Trump and Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Salman, spoke by phone on Sunday and were described by the White House as agreeing on the importance of enforcing the deal and "addressing Irans destabilising regional activities."Mark Dubowitz, head of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based policy group that advised Trump during the campaign and has continued to consult with the new administration on Iran, said the missile test was the 12th since the 2015 Iran deal."Its going to provide further justification for what we expect over the coming months, which is new congressional sanctions, new administration sanctions and a message ... that Iranian aggression needs to be punished and deterred, Dubowitz told Reuters on Tuesday.Trump is due to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a strident critic of the Iran deal, at the White House on Feb. 15. The two leaders are expected to try to coordinate strategy on Iran, Israels regional archfoe. (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Yeganeh Torbati, Lesley Wroughton, Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Tom Brown and Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Washington: Rex Tillerson, the former chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil, has been sworn in as US President Donald Trump's secretary of state after having been confirmed by the Senate earlier in the day. "Though you inherit enormous challenges in the Middle East and around the world, I do believe we can achieve peace and stability in these very, very troubled times," Trump said at the swearing-in ceremony in the White House's Oval Office. 64-year-old Tillerson, who was confirmed by the Senate in a 56-43 vote, was administered the oath of office by vice president Mike Pence. His confirmation as the top US diplomat was welcomed by the White House and the Republican party but opposed by Democratic lawmakers in the Senate, who raked up his ties with Russia and President Vladimir Putin. At the ceremony, Trump lavished praise on the former oil executive for his "diplomatic skills", and said it was time to bring a "clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs, to take a fresh look at the world around us, and to seek new solutions grounded in very ancient truths." "These truths include the fact that nations have a right to protect to their interests, that all people have a right to freely pursue their own destiny, and that all of us are better off when we act in concert and not in conflict. There's rarely been conflict like we have in the world today very sad," Trump said. In his brief remarks, Tillerson expressed thanks to Trump for giving his the opportunity. Among those present at the swearing in were White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, chief strategist Steve Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus and press secretary Sean Spicer. Former President George W Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former secretaries of state James A Baker and Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and former Senator Sam Nunn had endorsed Tillerson's nomination. In remarks on the Senate floor, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said Tillerson's "extensive and longstanding ties with Russia" meant that the US couldn't trust him to be a strong advocate for their interests. "Secretary Tillerson's close personal and business ties with President Putin give me no confidence that he would be an effective force in America's dealings with Russia," said Democratic Senator Dick Durbin. "There have even been reports that this administration is considering dropping sanctions against Russia. There is bipartisan opposition to that idea in Congress, which will conduct vigorous oversight of the State Department," he said. ROME Protesters chanted outside the U.S. embassy in Rome on Thursday against President Donald Trump's order to restrict entry into the United States for refugees and citizens of seven Muslim countries.Last week's executive order blocked citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and placed an indefinite hold on Syrian refugees."I fear the worst is yet to come," said Fouad Roueiha, 37, who was born in Syria and raised in Italy. He brought his son and daughter with him "to teach them about civic duty", and said the order prevented them from visiting family in Florida.The order sparked large protests across the United States and in other countries. In Rome, a few dozen protesters waved signs reading "No Ban, No Walls" and "Trump, ban torture not Muslims" in English. A candlelit protest was due to be held later in front of the embassy by a group of Americans who live in Italy. "If discriminatory policies take hold, it's a danger for everyone everywhere," said Michael Stiefel, 50, a lawyer and a U.S. citizen. Antonella Napolitano, 35, who works for an Italian rights group that helped organise the protest, said: "One hundred years ago Italian immigrants in America were treated badly. There can be change. History does not have to repeat." (Reporting by Steve Scherer; editing by Andrew Roche) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Lisa Lambert and Richard Cowan | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON Public refusals on Wednesday by two U.S. Senate Republicans to support Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trump's pick for education secretary, raised the possibility of a rare congressional rejection of a Cabinet nominee.In an ominous sign for Trump, Republican senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski said they would not vote for DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist and charter-school advocate. They would be the first Republicans to break party ranks and vote against one of Trump's cabinet selections.Democrats, uniformly opposed to DeVos, are expected to oppose her as a block. They would only need for three Republicans to side with them to make DeVos just the 10th cabinet nominee in U.S. history to be rejected by Congress.Collins and Murkowski also created a possible speed bump in confirming another Trump nominee, that of Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. Once Sessions, who was approved by Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, becomes the country's top law enforcement officer, he will have to vacate his seat and can no longer cast a vote supporting DeVos. With voting margins so thin, his departure would put her nomination in peril.Soon after Collins and Murkowski staked out their opposition to DeVos, the White House said it is confident that she will ultimately be approved. Senator John Cornyn, responsible for tallying Republican votes in the chamber, was also confident DeVos would be confirmed.Nonetheless, DeVos' opponents kicked into high gear on Wednesday to press other Republican Senators to vote no when the chamber begins considering the nomination, expected as early as Wednesday afternoon."I cannot support this nominee," Murkowski said in a floor speech saying she needed to make her intentions clear to her colleagues.DeVos' nomination barely squeaked through a Senate committee vote on Tuesday, with both Collins and Murkowski saying they voted yes only so the entire Senate could debate the matter. Trump's early nominations, primarily for security posts, had an easier time on Capitol Hill than names now before the Senate.Republicans hold majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, but Democrats have been on a blitz to try to block the nominations, often raising concerns about conflicts of interest.On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee had to suspend its rules to advance Treasury Secretary nominee Steve Mnuchin and Health Secretary nominee Tom Price to the full chamber for approval, the final step in the confirmation process. Committee Democrats on Tuesday had boycotted the vote, forcing Republicans to scrap a requirement that at least one Democrat be present for a vote.Confirmation hearings for Labor Secretary nominee Andy Puzder have been indefinitely delayed over ethics filings.Meanwhile, the Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson as secretary of state on Wednesday, filling a key national security spot despite concerns about the former Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) chief executive officer's ties to Russia. Education Secretary nominees are rarely the focus of congressional debate or political protests. DeVos, though, has faced unusually fierce opposition since her confirmation hearing, where she appeared unfamiliar with education laws and public school issues. Old-guard Republicans including Former first ladies Barbara Bush and Laura Bush have defended her as a lifelong champion of low-income students and literacy. (Additional reporting by Susan Heavey; editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Alan Crosby) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. United Nations: President Donald Trump's order to bar travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries is not the best way to protect America from terrorists and can spread "anxiety and anger", UN chief US has said and called for lifting the ban. "In my opinion this is not the way to best protect the US or any other country in relation to the serious concerns that exist about possibilities of terrorist infiltration. I don't think this is the effective way to do so. These measures should be removed sooner rather than later," Guterres told reporters here, responding to questions on the travel and refugee ban imposed by the US. The UN Secretary-General emphasised that it is important not to have measures that "spread anxiety and anger" because then "we help trigger the kind of recruitment mechanisms that these (global terrorist) organisations are now doing everywhere in the world," he said. Guterres cautioned that banning people and refugees from entering other nations will not ensure that terrorists will not infiltrate as the extremist groups could circumvent measures and look at other ways to target nations and their citizens. The international community is dealing with "very sophisticated global terrorists originations", he said, adding that if terror groups want to attack any country they will not send people with passports from "hotspots of conflict". "They might come with passports from the most developed, credible countries or use people that have been for decades present in the country itself," he said. On the possibility that the Trump administration will cut US funding to the UN, Guterres said he will not comment on something that has not yet occurred. "Sometimes we talk too much about things that have not happened and when we talk too much about things that have not happened, you trigger the happening of those things. I will not be making comments on possibilities to enhance those possibilities to possibly be a reality," he said. Guterres stressed he will do "whatever" he can to prove the added value of the UN, to recognise the UN needs reforms and to believe that those reforms will be the best way to guarantee the support of all member states including US and its new administration. On the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees entering the US, Guterres said resettlement of refugees is in many situations the only possible solution. "The US has always been in the forefront of refugee settlement and Syrians at the present moment have more dramatic needs in the world. I strongly hope that the US will be able to reassess its very solid refugee protection in resettlement and I hope Syrians will not be excluded in that process," he said. Trump's controversial executive order, signed on Friday, halted the entire US refugee programme for 120 days, indefinitely banned Syrian refugees, and suspended all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia. Washington: US president Donald Trump was perhaps not having a good day when he recently spoke with his Australian counterpart, whom the new US leader upbraided over a refugee accord, media reported. The new US leader reportedly abruptly cut short his call with Australian Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull after criticizing the countries' bilateral refugee agreement and exulting over his electoral college victory in the November election, according to The Washington Post. Australia is considered one of the closest allies of the United States, and one might have expected to the call to be smooth sailing. Turnbull insisted today that relations between the diplomatic partners were strong despite reports that Trump had berated him. The Australian leader refused to comment when asked about the report and whether it was true. "I appreciate your interest, but it's better that these things these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately," he said. "I can assure you the relationship is very strong." Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. There were fears the US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. "The very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance," Turnbull said. "But as Australians know me very well I stand up for Australia in every forum public or private." Trump, a billionaire former reality TV star, is known for his capricious moods. He regularly takes to Twitter to lambast his political opponents, the media and others. By Gina Cherelus | NEW YORK NEW YORK Hundreds of New York City bodegas, grocery stores and restaurants owned by Yemeni Americans closed for hours on Thursday in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policies, organizers said. Loyal patrons who rely on the stores for staples of daily life had to look elsewhere for lunch after more than 1,000 locations shut their doors from noon to 8 p.m. in a move coordinated by groups including the Muslim Community Network and the Yemeni American Community.Bodega, a Spanish word meaning wine shop, is New York City slang for small stores selling everything from deli foods to newspapers and cat litter. "We want to send the message that we're here," said Sulaiman Alaodyi, a 24-year-old cashier at the Best and Tasty deli in the borough of the Bronx, a bodega that is normally open around the clock. This was the first time it closed its doors since it started business nine months ago. The protests followed the decision by Trump's administration to put a four-month hold on letting refugees into the United States and to temporarily bar travellers from Yemen, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Somalia. The order, which is being challenged in U.S. courts, left some travellers stranded and others held at airports on arrival. It provoked an outpouring of anger and dismay from immigrants, refugees and supporters.Many store owners and workers who shut up shop were going to rally and hold public sundown prayers outside Brooklyn Borough Hall. "We're going to go out and support all our brothers and sisters who are detained in airports and in other countries that can't get back," Alaodyi said. "This is just not fair."New York City is home to many immigrants from Yemen, a country of about 24 million in the Arabian Peninsula. Many live in Brooklyn, but some are in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx.Golden Deli, a Yemeni-owned bodega in Manhattan, was swelling with customers who picked up early lunches before it closed. Nermin Radoncic, 22, walked up shortly after workers pulled down the shutters at noon. Radoncic, who lives nearby but is moving to Queens, was disappointed he could not buy a pastrami and Swiss sandwich on his last day in the neighbourhood. But he said he supported the protest."They make the bomb sandwiches," Radoncic said of Golden Deli. "This is like the best deli out here. Trump is a jerk." (Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. ADEN Warships shelled suspected al Qaeda strongholds in a mountainous region of southern Yemen on Thursday, in what two Yemeni government officials said they believed was a U.S. operation.U.S. officials could not be immediately reached for confirmation. The strikes come less than a week after a covert U.S. Navy SEAL raid, also in Yemen's south, the first ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump as commander in chief.The naval attacks appear to be part of an intensifying campaign against one of the most active branches of the Islamist militant network. "Ships fired several missiles towards the al-Maraqisha mountains, where al Qaeda elements are based. The ships are widely believed to be Americans," said one official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. "We have received no information on the outcome of the shelling." The United States regularly uses drones to hunt suspected al Qaeda militants in Yemen's barren hinterlands, but the involvement of naval ships is less common. The al-Maraqisha mountains are a key al Qaeda stronghold in southern Yemen. Militants took refuge there last year after Yemeni government forces, backed by Arab coalition aircraft, drove them from the cities of Zinjibar and Jaar. The militants have exploited a civil war between Iran-aligned Houthi rebels and forces loyal to the internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to regroup in the impoverished country, which shares a border with Saudi Arabia. Hadi's forces have made gains against the Houthi rebels in past months, advancing north into al-Mokha and Dhubab last week in a bid to deprive the Houthis of strategic Red Sea ports. In a separate incident, six soldiers loyal to Hadi were killed when a bomb, apparently planted by al Qaeda militants, exploded near the city of Lawdar in the Abyan province. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf and Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Sami Aboudi; editing by Richard Lough) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 2 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Ashgabat hosts a meeting of authorized representatives of the Caspian littoral states, the Turkmen government said in a message. The meeting is dedicated to discussions on a draft agreement on trade and economic cooperation in the Caspian region. The event is attended by heads and experts of relevant ministries and authorities of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran. This initiative was made in September 2014 at the 4th summit of heads of the Caspian littoral states in Astrakhan (Russia). During the summit, special attention was attached to further promotion of the Ashgabats initiative on creation of the permanently operating Caspian Economic Forum. Turkmenistan supports the diversification of trade and economic relations, realization of the natural, energy, industrial, transport-transit potential of the Caspian region, according to the Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary state news service. The news comes as earlier in the day, the Iranian Defense Minister confirmed that Iran carried out a new missile test, Sputnik International reported. He also said that the missile test did not violate the nuclear agreement between Tehran and P5+1 group of world powers or the UN Security Council resolution. "Abbas Araghchi is expected to visit Moscow on February 8. [The visit] is linked to holding another round of regular consultations on international issues. The issues of implementation of the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] and the work of specialized platforms in Vienna and New York will be the main topics," Ryabkov said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 1 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: Currently 11 direct flights are being carried out between Iran and Azerbaijan per week, Iranian envoy has told Trend. "Now with the inauguration of the new direct flights between the two countries by the Iranian private airline Mahan Air, the number of weekly flights will reach 14," Irans Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh added. He made the remarks in Baku on the sidelines of a ceremony for launching the Iranian companys first direct flight to Azerbaijan on Feb. 1. Mahan Air has announced that an Airbus 310 with a capacity for carrying 179 passengers is scheduled to fly between Tehran and Baku three times a week. In addition to Mahan Air, Azerbaijans flag carrier AZAL, alongside with Irans ATA airline carry out scheduled flights between the two neighboring countries. The ambassador elaborating on the expansion of bilateral cooperation in the area of tourism forecast that the number of flights would increase in spring as more tourists are expected to travel between the two countries. He further called on the aviation officials from both countries to draw up plans for launching new flights between Baku and several Iranian cities such as Urmia, Ardabil and Rasht Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 1 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: Iranian private airline Mahan Airlines plans to launch transit flights between Azerbaijan, Iran and the Far East. Majid Kargaran, the director for foreign branches at Mahan Airlines, told Trend that the company will make efforts to connect Azerbaijan to the three countries of Thailand, Malaysia and China through transit flights through Iran. He made the remarks on the sidelines of a ceremony for launching the Iranian companys first direct flight to Azerbaijan on Feb.1. According to the official, an Airbus 310 aircraft with a capacity for carrying 179 passengers is scheduled to fly between Tehran and Baku three times a week. This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Itas common knowledge that Silicon Valleyas innovation engine would grind to a screeching halt if tech companies couldnat hire foreign workers to make up for a chronic shortage of American engineers and scientists. And everyone knows that the H1-B visa program prevents that from happening. But what if thatas not exactly true? What if there are plenty of new graduates and experienced workers to fill those specialized STEM jobs, right here in America? And what if the H1-B foreign worker program has been subverted by multinational consulting giants so tech companies can cut their labor costs? Now thatas a lot closer to reality. And itas about time, in my opinion, that somebodyas finally getting around to doing something about it. The leaked draft of President Trumpas proposed executive order to improve our foreign worker visa program has been circulating for just a week, but the problem itas intended to fix has been rampant for years. While once well-intentioned, it has morphed into a tool for outsourcing American jobs to lower-paid, foreign-born workers. This is not some dirty little secret that somehow snowballed out of control and became a massive snow job on the American people; if this is a secret, itas got to be the worst-kept secret since Silicon Valleyas rampant ageism problem. And itas no coincidence that the two are related. Who wants to pay a 45-year-old engineer twice as much to do the same job as a recent grad from India? I believe it was the New York Times that, in 2015, first broke the story of how outsourcing consulting giants Tata, Infosys and Wipro (all based in India), as well as Cognizant and Accenture, figured out how to game the system and flood the H1-B lottery with applications so theyad get the lionas share of visa grants. And as far back as 2013, study after study by respected academic researchers effectively debunked the myth of a systemic shortage of American engineering and science workers (see aThe STEM Crisis Is a Mytha in IEEE Spectrum or aThe Myth of the Science and Engineering Shortagea in The Atlantic). And Iam sure nobody wants to hear this, but this is not some grand conspiracy dreamed up by big tech CEOs to boost their stock price. Rather, itas an inevitable consequence of the multi-decade globalization and outsourcing trend. To compete, American tech companies need to spend the least on the very best talent they can find, simple as that. Sometimes that means helping a foreign-born Stanford student obtain a work visa to stick around after graduation. Other times it means outsourcing an entire function to an IT consultancy whose U.S.-based employees also happen to be H1-B recipients. Itas all about getting the most talent bang for the buck. If there is a culprit in all this, itas the big government bureaucrats that were asleep at the switch and allowed a good program to be corrupted. The beauty of Donald Trumpas executive order proposal is that, rather than dictate specific measures, it calls for the appropriate departments to get their acts together, review the program, stop companies from gaming the system and ensure that they consider American workers first, which is consistent with his election platform. It also calls for transparency and verification, which is about time. And hereas a little factoid: The H1-B program only grants 85,000 work visas per year. Thatas about one-eighteenth of 1% of the U.S. labor force. Youad think even a federal government operation could manage that effectively, wouldnat you? In the end, I do believe that American technology workers and companies alike will benefit from an overhaul of a dysfunctional program thatas been broken for years. And if folks would just start paying attention to whatas going on right under their noses, that would also help. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: While the US power has weakened over the past several years, Irans situation has improved, a high-ranking Iranian official believes. We nowadays observe that gaps have appeared between Europe and the US. There are some reasons for this, including the fact that the Europeans have come up with the result that the Islamic Republic is a stable state in Western Asia which has the final say in the region, Mehr news agency quoted Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on military affairs, as saying. Rahim Safavi said the US over the past decade has failed to reach its objectives in invading Afghanistan and Iraq, suffering huge costs and leaving over 15,000 wounded. However, they eventually failed to fulfill their wishes and plans, he added. The US president [Donald Trump] also criticizes the measures taken over the past eight years regarding war costs imposed on America. This is a fact that the US power has weakened, the Iranian official said. Saying that Irans power has increased, Rahim Safavi accused the US of fanning the flames of war in the region. Donald Trump criticized the US policies regarding the Iraq war on Feb. 1. Helmerich & Payne, Inc.'s (NYSE: HP) business struggled in 2016. That's not unique -- all of the oil and gas drilling services industry hit a performance wall last year. Relatively speaking, Helmerich & Payne handled the downturn in rig demand fairly well. But that doesn't change the facts. Here's just how ugly the numbers were in its core business -- and why you shouldn't despair. Helmerich & Payne employees in a control room. Image source: Helmerich & Payne Big and bad Helmerich & Payne breaks its business into three segments: U.S. land, U.S. offshore, and international land. By far the largest business is the U.S. onshore segment, which accounts for nearly 90% of the 395 oil and gas drilling rigs the company owned at the end of fiscal 2016. That's a problem because the active rig count in the United States plummeted after oil prices started to fall in mid-2014. The number of drilling rigs in the United States has fallen sharply. Image source: Helmerich & Payne It's been bad for Helmerich & Payne, too, with rig utilization falling throughout fiscal 2016. To put some numbers on that, the company ended fiscal 2015 with 43% of its U.S. rigs working. By the end of the first quarter of 2016, that number was down to 39% and it had fallen to just 24% by the end of the third quarter. Utilization actually ticked up to 25% by the end of the company's fiscal year, but it's hard to call that positive news. In fact, if you flip that number around, you'll find that, by the end of fiscal 2016, 75% of Helmerich & Payne's oil rigs were idle. Generally speaking, rigs that aren't working aren't earning the company any money. So you can see why this division's troubles, combined with its size within the company, made it the worst business segment of 2016. But don't get too caught up in the bad news. Overshadowed by negatives The first thing to understand is that Helmerich & Payne doesn't just build rigs, it builds industry-leading rigs. Staying at the leading edge of drilling technology is part of the business model. The company owns more of the most desirable AC drive rigs, which are faster and more efficient than other types, than any other industry player. That means that, when demand picks up again, Helmerich & Payne's rigs will be in high demand. Helmerich & Payne has more cutting-edge drill rigs than anyone else. Image source: Helmerich & Payne Then there's the fact that Helmerich & Payne generally doesn't build a new drilling rig without a customer ready to use it -- which helps explain why its rig count has pretty much flatlined over the last couple of years. In fact, at this point, the company'sforecast is for a net total of two additional rig builds in all of fiscal 2017. There are two positive takeaways from the disciplined building program. First, investors don't have to worry much about Helmerich & Payne making the utilization problem worse than it already is. And, second, the drop-off in new construction has materially reduced capital spending. The benefit of this shows up on the cash flow statement. While Helmerich & Payne's top and bottom lines look horrible, the driller is actually generating plenty of cash -- the lifeblood of every business. That's because GAAP earnings include the depreciation expense for all the rigs the company has already built. That's a non-cash item that doesn't impact cash flow, as the money has already been spent. New-rig construction costs would ordinarily offset the add-back of depreciation on the cash flow statement. Since the company isn't building new rigs, however, all that cash just flows through to the company's bank account. In fiscal 2016, Helmerich & Payne's cash balance actually increased by $175 million despite the troubles of its largest business segment. Ready for better times Helmerich & Payne's main business is its U.S. onshore drilling segment, and it was horrible last year. It easily earns the ignominious distinction of being the company's most disappointing business segment in 2016. But that shouldn't stop you from seeing the positives hidden under all the bad news. Helmerich & Payne is financially strong and its portfolio of rigs is positioned well for when demand picks up again. When that eventually happens, the worst segment will quickly become the best again. 10 stocks we like better than Helmerich and Payne When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Helmerich and Payne wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2017 Reuben Brewer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Infosys (NYSE: INFY) reported quarterly results on Jan. 13 and notched another increase in business. However, the company's outsourcing services have come under fire since the election of President Donald Trump. The outsourcing industry has also been facing headwinds from disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence. CEO Vishal Sikka addressed both issues the day before the new U.S. president's inauguration in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. Infosys' CEO Vishal Sikka. Image source: Infosys. But first, the numbers... Compared with the previous quarter, revenue shrank 1.4% in Infosys' most recent quarter, partly because of what the company deemed seasonal weakness. However, the top line was up 6% compared with the same period the previous year. Through the first nine months of the company's fiscal year, revenue was up 8.3% compared with the previous year. Profit was up 6.1% so far on the year. Guidance for the full fiscal year was updated. Management sees full-year revenue increasing from 8.4% to 8.8% when negating currency factors. In spite of the overall positive update, share prices have been under pressure. In the last year, political talk about the theft (real or perceived) of jobs from local workers has cast a shadow over outsourcing companies. Also of concern are new technologies like artificial intelligence and automation, which could eliminate the need for some jobs completely. INFY data by YCharts. In a recent interview, Sikka addressed these potential threats to Infosys and struck a positive tone, pointing out reasons that he's still optimistic for his company. International politics and disruptive tech When asked about the impact the new administration could have on Infosys, Sikka indicated his company is not overly concerned about it: "My sense is that it's going to be a business-friendly, technology-friendly, and entrepreneurship-friendly administration." That isn't to say there couldn't be an impact in the near term, though. During his campaign, Trump spoke out against the H-1B visa program for foreign skilled workers, a program that foreign tech and outsourcing firms have relied on in the past. Said Sikka: Basically, companies like Infosys are aware of the impact new policy could have on them in the U.S., and they're on it. Thus, a push to keep operations on a more local level could develop soon for businesses like Infosys. Image source: Infosys Foundation USA. One way this is being addressed is through local foundations, like the Infosys Foundation USA, set up to foster technology education. The goal is to bring computer science education to the classroom at the high-school and middle-school levels. With H-1B visas under scrutiny, the plan is to tap into such local foundations to hire, train, and manage staff from within the U.S. rather than from the outside. Innovations in technology are also potential disruptors for Infosys. Artificial intelligence and automation have eliminated the need for many positions, including some outsourced services. Infosys has been making the transition, though, to becoming an organization that embraces AI and uses it to supplement what its workforce is already doing. Rather than eliminating the need for Infosys, the trend has been that even more skilled labor is needed. Sikka continued: Image source: Infosys. Rather than being a disruptor, AI is helping Infosys gather new clients. Customer service, prediction analytics, and risk management have all been enhanced by the introduction of technology. The company's business software platform has also been on the rise as more businesses look that direction for help solving problems. Times are changing Question marks still linger. While Infosys has been working to stay ahead of the curve as technology changes the needs of businesses, the company could yet run into political headwinds in the short term. Nearly two-thirds of Infosys' business comes from the U.S. Those uncertainties are keeping me from buying shares just yet, but as the question marks get cleared, this stock is one worth watching. 10 stocks we like better than Infosys Technologies When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Infosys Technologies wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2017 Nicholas Rossolillo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trump's administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban. Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday. But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter. In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered U.S. officials to refrain from "removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa" who is arriving from one of the seven nations. According to the U.S. Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder. Birotte's ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travelers with non-immigrant visas. The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation. Trump's executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including U.S. citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the U.S. State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries. More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to U.S. citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti. "It's terrible because I have children here who are without their parents," she said. Some other children in the group are U.S. citizens whose parents were traveling with immigrant visas, she added. In Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent U.S. residents who entered from the seven countries. By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of "absolutely ignoring" rulings she believes should allow their departure. In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked "relevant visas as defined" under Trump's executive order. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Bernard Madoff's victims will soon recoup another $252 million from the trustee unwinding the swindler's firm, boosting their total recovery to $9.72 billion. The latest payout by trustee Irving Picard was made possible by settlements in the second half of 2016 with people accused either of facilitating Madoff's fraud or withdrawing more money from his firm than they deserved. This included money from a settlement with the family of Stanley Chais, who prior to his 2010 death managed money for Hollywood clients like director Steven Spielberg, and was accused by Picard of excess withdrawals. Picard's eighth distribution started on Thursday, and will go to customers who once had 953 accounts at Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC. Checks will range from $271.80 to about $42.3 million. Once the distribution is finished, 1,335 Madoff accounts with valid claims will be fully paid off, including all claims of $1.25 million or less. Customers who have not been fully repaid will have received about 60 percent of what they are owed when the distribution is finished, the trustee said. Picard has estimated that Madoff customers lost $17.5 billion in a decades-long fraud that ended when Madoff was arrested in December 2008. Madoff, now 78, is serving a 150-year prison term. The trustee has recouped nearly $11.6 billion, but has held some of it back because of litigation. A separate $4 billion fund set up by the U.S. Department of Justice will also compensate Madoff victims, including people who invested with him through third parties. Richard Breeden, the former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman overseeing that fund, last month said he was on track to make a "large initial distribution" in 2017. Claims are subject to Justice Department review. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) Theres more tumult in the troubled retail sector on Thursday, as Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) announced a C-suite shakeup stemming from a clash with the companys founder. The high-end American apparel brand announced CEO Stefan Larsson will leave the company on May 1, and an executive search for a new leader is underway. Larsson said on a conference call following the news his decision to exit the retailer was a result of differences of opinions on how to move the company forward, though he and founder and board chairman Ralph Lauren share a mutual deep respect and love for the brands DNA. It came down to views on how to evolve customer-facing parts of the company. It came down to a decision related to how to evolve those areas of product, marketing, shopping experiencewe worked hard to find common ground, and we didnt, Larsson said. Larsson joined Ralph Lauren in October 2015 after serving as global president of Gaps (NYSE:GPS) Old Navy brand, where he helped lead three-straight years of profitable growth. Before that he spent 15 years at fast-fashion retailer H&M. During his 14 months at the helm of Ralph Lauren, he helped construct the companys Way Forward Plan aimed at turning around struggling sales and profits by overhauling its product, marketing and consumer shopping experiences. After many conversations with one another, and our board of directors, we have agreed to part ways. I am grateful for what Stefan has contributed during his time with us, setting us in the right direction with the Way Forward Plan, Lauren said in a statement. As Larsson transitions out of his post, Chief Financial Officer Jane Nielsen will spearhead continued execution of the companys turnaround plan. News of Larssons departure Thursday sent Ralph Lauren shares plunging more than 10% to around $77.90, the latest blow to its share price which has seen a more than 24% decline over the last year. CFRA Research cut its 12-month price target for Ralph Lauren to $78 as it sees uncertainties about the execution of the restructuring plan as its relatively new CEO exits. Alongside details of the executive shakeup, Ralph Lauren also released third-quarter operating performance that beat Wall Street expectations. Revenues, which declined 12% from the year ago period, came in at $1.71 billion alongside earnings per share of $1.86. Analysts had been looking for profits of $1.64 a share on sales of $1.70 billion. The company said sales at stores open at least 12 months declined 5% in the all-important holiday quarter, thanks to challenging in-store foot traffic and transaction sizes. Meanwhile, revenue from its wholesale business plunged 26% during the quarter after the company adjusted down the lead times for merchandise requirements of its wholesale partners. Ralph Lauren said the change, part of the Way Forward Plan, is aimed at better aligning it shipments with underlying demand in an effort to reduce excess inventory and increase quality sales. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's council of business leaders, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. Kalanick wrote to his employees that he'd spoken with Trump on Thursday to "let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that." His departure came on the eve of the first meeting of the group at the White House, planned for Friday. White House officials did not respond to requests for comment. Led by Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and chief executive of the private equity group Blackstone, the council has about 15 members, including the leaders of Wal-Mart, Tesla, the Cleveland Clinic and Pepsi. The council is "designed to provide direct input to the president from many of the best and brightest in the business world in a frank, non-bureaucratic, and nonpartisan manner," according to a Blackstone press release in December announcing its formation. Yet public outcry about Trump specifically his executive order suspending the country's refugee program and halting other aspects of immigration has put some business leaders in an uncomfortable spot. Uber, a ride-sharing company has been buffeted all week by boycott campaigns that began when people perceived it as trying to break a taxi strike to and from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport that was in response to the executive order on refugees. Kalanick subsequently condemned the executive order and has contributed to relief groups, but calls for a boycott had continued. One woman urging boycotts for all companies tied to Trump said only total resignation from the Trump business forum would satisfy her. "This is not a 'seat at the table' moment. This is a flip-the-table moment," said Shannon Coulter, one of the organizers of the anti-Trump social media campaign "Grab Your Wallet." Other forum members said they'd keep their commitment. General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra remains a member of the advisory group and plans to attend the meeting on Friday, spokesman Patrick Morrissey said. Tesla Inc. didn't immediately respond when asked whether CEO Elon Musk planned to remain on Trump's business and manufacturing councils. Earlier this week, Musk asked his Twitter followers to read the immigration order and send him specific amendments he could present to the president. Musk has said that the refugee order "is not the best way to address the country's challenges." __ Associated Press writers Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. FCA is closer to delivering on CEO Sergio Marchionne's ambitious five-year transformation plan. Image source: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. What happened Shares of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (NYSE: FCAU) surged in January. FCA's NYSE-traded common stock ended the month at $10.99, up 20.5% from its closing price on the last day of December. So what FCA shareholders had a bumpy ride in January. Share prices spiked early in January, after the company showed an electric minivan concept vehicle. Prices then fell sharply after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency charged the company with civil violations related to a diesel engine used in Ram pickups and the Jeep Grand Cherokee -- but began to recover once it became clear that the diesel issue was a minor one. FCAU data by YCharts. The month's big news, however, was FCA's earnings report. FCA reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 earnings on Jan. 26, and they were very good. The Italian-American automaker generated a net profit of 1.8 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in 2016, up from just 93 million euros ($100 million) the year before. That report cheered investors. FCA's guidance may have been even more cheering: The company forecasts increases in revenue, pre-tax earnings, and net profit in 2017, along with a significant reduction in its heavy long-term debt load. And it reiterated earlier guidance saying that it expects its total debt to fall below its cash holdings sometime in 2018. The debt goal is one of a series of ambitious goals set by CEO Sergio Marchionne in a "five-year plan" first announced in 2014. FCA's shares have struggled, partly because investors have been skeptical that the debt-burdened company would be able to achieve those goals. But FCA's 2016 results and 2017 guidance appear to have alleviated some of that skepticism. Now what Now FCA has to deliver. That might not be easy: Its U.S. sales have been down for five months in a row, held back in part by an increasingly dated product portfolio. New products are coming; they'll need to be good to deliver the profits that Marchionne expects. 10 stocks we like better than Fiat Chrysler Automobiles When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2017 John Rosevear has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. President Trump found himself in a heated exchange on Saturday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a deal reached during the Obama administration to harbor 1,500 refugees living on islands off the mainland of the ally nation. Trump appeared to waver in his support for the agreement, even tweeting Wednesday that it was a "dumb deal," but later agreed to honor it. Former Bush 41 U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr addressed the agreement on the FOX Business Network's Cavuto: Coast to Coast. I think he definitely should keep it, said Barr. He went on to add, however, that he agrees with President Trumps reasoning for being skeptical. This is a group of people who have been rejected by Australia, and Obama stepped in and said, OK, well take them. And, does that mean from now on that countries that dont take refugees, the United States is going to step in and take those refugees, or this just a one shot deal that we negotiated with Australia? said Barr. I think what the President is trying to do is lay down a marker that this is not going to be our modus operandi moving forward. Were not going to come in as the people who sort of sweep up and take all the refugees that other people dont want to take. The former Attorney General also gave his thoughts on Trumps executive order on immigration, which has sparked protests throughout the country. The law couldnt be clearer, and its always been the case that the president can suspend immigration from any country or group of countries or group of aliens or all aliens if he felt it posed a threat to the United States thats his constitutional duty and it's explicit in the statutes, so I think he was clearly on safe ground doing this. Following a feisty early-morning tweet from President Trump, the University of California, Berkeley said Thursday it adeeplya regrets canceling controversial Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulosa speech amid violent protests. aUC Berkeley condemns in the strongest possible terms the actions of individuals who invaded the campus, infiltrated a crowd of peaceful students, and used violent tactics to close down the event. We deeply regret that the violence unleashed by this group undermined the First Amendment rights of the speaker as well as those who came to lawfully assemble and protest his presence,a Dan Mogulof, UC Berkeley spokesperson, said in a statement. While many peaceful protestors gathered in opposition to Yiannopoulos, the university reported the event had to be axed due to the group of more than a100 armed individuals clad in Ninja-like uniformsa who threw smoke bombs and broke windows at the venue where the conservative commentator was scheduled to appear. Trumpas tweet could be read as a threat to cut federal funding to the university, condemning its suppression of free speech on campus. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 The university responded by offering regrets for having to cancel the event and by asserting its commitment to the First Amendment. "We are now, and will remain in the future, completely committed to Free Speech as essential to our educational mission and a vital component of our identity at UC Berkeley," the statement read. Ripping federal funding away from UC Berkeley would likely do some damage. For the 2015-2016 school year, the university received $370 million in federal aid, according to the schoolas website. Trumpas threat may send chills through other public universities across the country. According to the most recent data available, total federal obligations to universities and colleges in 2014 came in around $30.8 billion, as reported by the National Science Foundation. Thirty-seven percent of public higher education institutional revenue for fiscal year 2013 came from federal and state aid, according to a study by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The top three schools receiving federal aid, according to the National Science Foundation data, are Johns Hopkins University, the University of Michigan and the University of Washington. While some private universities, because they are not funded by the government, can establish a unique set of school regulations, public universities, like UC Berkeley, must comply with federal law. Yiannopoulos, whose provocative speeches focus on the overreach of political correctness on college campuses, is no stranger to controversy. Nearly one year ago, his speech scheduled at UC Davis in California was abruptly cancelled. Riots erupted during his appearances at Rutgers University and the University of Washington as well. *Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Milo Yiannopoulos as the speaker cancelled at California State University Los Angeles last year, when it was conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan says the countrys recent missile test was successful. He said the countrys missile tests are neither against the nuclear deal reached between Iran and the world powers in 2015 nor the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Tasnim news agency reported Feb. 2. Earlier on Feb. 1, Brigadier General Dehqan also confirmed that Iran carried out a ballistic missile test. He said that the Islamic Republic will not allow foreigners to interfere in its defense affairs. Following the reports on Irans missile tests, Reuters said the White House announced that it put Iran "on notice" on Wednesday for test-firing a ballistic missile and said it was reviewing how to respond, taking an aggressive posture toward Tehran that could raise tensions in the region. Pastor Darrell Scott, a pro-Trump pastor from Ohio, on Thursday said President Trump whole-heartedly embraced former gang thugs request to pro-actively address violence in Chicago. Scott said a top former Chicago gang leader contacted him due to his proximity to President Trump. [Trump] gives us access and lends us his ear, Scott told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney. When we offer suggestions to him hes able to process them very quickly and hes always helpfulhes never denied me anything that Ive requested. Scott added that he appreciates Trumps efforts to engage with the African American community. Ive been trying to tell everybody, Ive been a voice crying in the wildernesshe wants to engage and he wants to do something to alleviate whatever depressed or disenfranchised conditions that we experienced, he said. The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday adjusted sanctions on Russian intelligence agency FSB, making limited exceptions to the measures put in place by former President Barack Obama over accusations Moscow tried to influence the U.S. presidential election with cyber attacks on political organizations. The department said in a statement it would allow U.S. companies to make limited transactions with FSB that are needed to gain approval to import information technology products into Russia. The Treasury Department often issues general licenses such as the one announced on Thursday to help U.S. companies overcome unintended business consequences of sanctions. Sanctions experts and former Obama administration officials stressed that the new exceptions do not signal a broader shift in Russia policy. They say the general license issued Thursday is designed to fix a unintended consequence caused by last year's sanctioning of the spy agency. Beyond its intelligence function, the FSB also regulates the importation of software and hardware that contains cryptography. Companies need FSB approval even to import broadly available commercial products like cell phones and printers if they contain encryption, sanctions experts say. The exceptions made today were likely in progress before President Trump took office last month, said Peter Harrell, a sanctions expert and former senior State Department official. Tech companies had been complaining about this collateral consequence since Obama placed sanctions on FSB in December, said Harrell. "I don't think when they sanctioned FSB they were intending to complicate the sale of cell phones and tablets," Harrell said. U.S. intelligence agencies accused the FSB of involvement in hacking of Democratic Party organizations during the election, won by Republican Donald Trump. The agencies and private cyber security experts concluded the FSB first broke into the Democratic National Committee's computer system in the summer of 2015 and began monitoring email and chat conversations. They said FSB was one of two Russian spy agencies believed to have been involved in a wide-ranging operation by top-ranking individuals in Russia's government to discredit Democrat Hillary Clinton and help Trump win the election. In December, Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian suspected spies and put sanctions on two Russian spy agencies. He also sanctioned four Russian intelligence officers and three companies that he said provided material support to Russian cyber operations. Trump has said he wants better relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reporting by Joel Schectman and Dustin Volz; additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Jason Lange; Editing by Alistair Bell and Grant McCool) Katey Sagal is making her way back to the small screen in CBS new comedy Superior Donuts. Sagal plays a Chicago police officer and told Fox News at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour her character drew her to sign on for the role. Ive never played a cop and that was one of the other reasons I wanted to do it, she said. Im doing [research] as I go Shes been a cop for many years. She comes from a family of cops. Its one of those things where once you put on the gun and the belt you sort of fall into it with the wardrobe a little bit. Shes street smart so I understand about that. Bob Daily, the shows executive producer, told reporters that the show is not shying away from important issues. There will be episodes about gun control, the gentrification of a Chicago neighborhood and breaking Muslim stereotypes. Daily said he wouldn't mind if the show garnered a tweet from Donald Trump. If we were to incite a tweet from the president of the United States, we probably would not turn down the publicity, he said. Sagal, for one, is used to being on shows that gain a lot of attention. The star said she remembers some of her biggest roles fondly. I did love being a biker [on Sons of Anarchy]. But you know her story line really ended the way it should have. I don't think I will be playing any bikers soon. I do love that, she said. I loved Married with Children but that, too, ended appropriately. Its not like I have a desire to go back there. I just want to keep doing different things so this is different once again. I have nostalgia, but not like I wish I was back there, just like warm nostalgia. Right now the 62-year-old is hoping to add a play to her long list of credits. Im not dying to do Broadway because I dont think I want to do eight shows a week, even though if it was the right play I would. I dont think I would want to do a musical, probably too hard on my throat but I would love to do a play. More features, more dramatic roles. Its interesting coming back into the sitcom world, its really, really great but I would also love for drama so Im hoping more of those things come my way. Superior Donuts premieres Feb. 2 on CBS. Ever adaptable and always elusive, Canis latrans thrives in varied landscapes across the country. Whether youre working on your hundredth coyote or dreaming about dropping your first, our complete guide shows you how to hunt down success this winter It used to be that when small-game, upland bird, waterfowl, and big-game seasons ended, a hunter finally had a chance to pull up an easy chair next to a cozy fire, rest up, and reflect on an autumn well spent. Ditch that notion. Winter is time to hunt the hunter. Coyotes are out there waiting in habitat near you, and all you have to do is go after them to experience some of huntings knee-shakingest thrills. While the basics of coyote hunting are simpleset up with visibility and minimize movement; keep the wind in your face or crossing; call in dogs by appealing to their stomach, territoriality, or libidosuccess hinges on the details. It pays to match your approach to the habitat, and assemble your gear with meticulous care. Easy chairs are for old farts. Get out there now where the air is clean and the coyotes roam. RELATED: 10 Myths About Blood Trailing Deer BIG-TIMBER YAPPERS Coyotes in forested areas are spread out and challenging to find. But there are ways to locate them and bring them in. Strategies Though traditionally thought of as creatures of the wide-open West, coyotes have moved into timber country in untold numbers in recent years. The challenges of hunting expansive woods are clear: The cover never ends, and the calling noises you make will only reach so far. Here are three solutions. In flat country, search out clear-cuts, meadows, loggers landings, marsh edges, cover seams, and other openings, and set up there. Youll gain much-needed visibility, your calls will carry farther, and youll be where the coyotes arethat combination of clearings, transition zones, and thick cover where prey (including cottontails, mice, voles, and moles) reside. In hill country, head for hollows, gullies, valleys, draws, washes, and other terrain that lets you set up on one side and survey the opposite slope for approaching varmints. In big timber habitat, set up often, call loudly, and wait a short time (15 to 20 minutes, with three to five distress calling sequences in there), then move on. Covering ground, and lots of it, is the way to find a coyote that will hear you; the dogs have many places to be, and call sounds do not carry far. Theres another secret to shooting coyotes where the cover sprawls on forever: Scout hard. Here are three effective approaches. Spend a starlit winter evening out in hunting country, standing by your vehicle and listening for the yips, yowls, and howls of coyotes. Triangulate the approximate location of the calls (they carry better on a clear winter night) and youll know if theres a pack in the area and where you might start your search. An even better time to do this kind of scouting is the last hour before dawn, when the coyotes will be close to their denning area. Its like listening for a turkey gobble to determine where his roost is. Hike in toward the howls, and hunt. Or after a fresh snow, drive back roads and trails, and look for coyote tracks crossing. The purpose isnt to take off and track the dog down (a formidable task), but rather to just know there are coyotes working the area. UPDATE: Utah Congressman Withdraws Bill That Would Have Sold 3.3 Million Acres of Public Land, Cites Sportsmens Blowback CALLING Coyotes inhabiting the sprawling forest of the upper Midwest, Canada, and the Northeastern U.S. have a favorite full-meal deal: snowshoe hares. It can take a specialized mouth call that mimics the snowshoes high-pitched, baby-like whine to get a dog excited. Try Bugling Bulls Snowshoe Rabbit Distress Call (1). ($13; buglingbull.com) Big woods are a good place to reach out with the volume that an electronic call provides. One of the best on the market is FoxPros Shockwave (2). Check out the FoxMotion, FoxPitch, FoxFusion, and FoxData features. And dont let the word fox in the name fool youthis is a coyote-hunting tool with real power behind it. ($600; gofoxpro.com) GUNS & GLASS By their very nature, big woods mean close-range shooting. This isnt the place for long-range rifles and high-powered scopes. Rather, opt for a shotgun to get on your target fast. Turkey shotguns make great predator guns because they feature short barrels that are easy to hold and aim, and tight chokes. For under $300, the rugged Stevens Model 320 Turkey Gun (3) in 12-gauge sets you up for dual-season action. ($280; savagearms.com) Youll be just fine with open sights. But if you like optics, couple the 320 with Weavers Rapid Fire Red Dot Sight (4), which will get you on that dog quickly and aiming fast. ($240; weaveroptics.com) DECOY With its adjustable speeds, the Primos Sit N Spin Crazy Critter (5) offers both erratic movements and a real rabbit look. ($36; primos.com) FARM DOGS Farmland is rich with coyotes. . .and coyote hunters. It takes woodscraft and effort to dupe an experienced dog into range. STRATEGIES After exurban and suburban areas, agricultural habitat has experienced the biggest increase in coyote populations over the last decade. That doesnt mean farmland song dogs are easy to hunt. On the contrary: These coyotes are pressured and persecuted hard by everybody and their uncle. Folks who hear the dogs howling at night know where they live and pursue them with a vengeanceand educate them in the ways of hunters. Heres another challenge: Agricultural coyote habitat varies widely. Rolling dairy farm country with a mix of woodlots, row-crop country punctuated with sloughs and grasslands, beef country with its expansive pastures and extensive wooded river bottomstheyre all different, and no single setup and approach fits all. As a hunter, you have to be as adaptable as the coyotes youre chasing. All these landscapes have two things in common, though: limited cover, and ample open areas across which to draw curious coyotes. The trick is getting in unseen with the wind blowing from likely coyote hideouts toward you, setting up secretively, calling with a purpose, and staying patient with these suspicious and reluctant canines. RELATED: Pressured Ducks Snubbing Your Decoys? Try Setting Up Far Away From Crowded Shorlines Dont overestimate the amount of cover a coyote needs. Where I hunt coyotes in western Minnesota, frozen cattail sloughs serve as the hideout of choice. In the southern Wisconsin dairy farm country where I grew up, brushy abandoned pastures harbor higher densities of coyotes than do traditional woodlots. Never underestimate the wariness of farmland coyotes. They may be used to vehicles driving around, but not yours; sneak in on foot. Farmland parcels can be small, with only a limited area or two for setups. If the wind is wrong, hold off and hunt the area another day rather than educate the coyotes even more. Set up across fields, pastures, or meadows, and call into covergrasslands, wetlands, fence lines, brushy thickets, forgotten orchards, fallow meadows, ditches, and other spots where prey (rabbits, pheasants, quail, mice) hide out and coyotes would be prowling. Keep the wind blowing from the cover to you, or flowing cross-lots, and draw the coyotes out. CALLING Fat farmland coyotes need big sound to get their attention, and some finessing to get them to commit. You can do both jobs with one call. Primos Raspy Coaxer (1) creates long-range prey screams to get things started. Then, by covering one port with your finger, you can make little whines and whimpers. ($13; primos.com) Some farmland coyotes have heard it all when it comes to rabbit-in-distress sounds. Thats when you need to appeal to their territoriality or (late in winter) their sex drive. Carver Predator Calls Big Dog Howler and Pup/Female Howlers are hand-carved, human-tuned calls that are ready to make the coyote sounds you need. ($25; carverpredatorcalls.com) GUNS & GLASS A rifle thats smaller than your deer gun is more funand more palatable to landowners. Lets go all-in for under $1,000 while were at it. The Savage Model 25 Walking Varminter (2) carries a budget-friendly price but performs like a much more expensive rifle. And it comes in one of the perfect small-centerfire coyote calibers, the .22 Hornet. ($620; savagearms.com) Bushnells Trophy 39x40 (3) is bright, lightweight (to go with the rifle), and affordable. ($189; bushnell.com) DECOY The Mojo Critter (4) is lightweight, simple to use, and operates on four AA batteries. Itll give that coyote something interesting to focus on. ($35; mojooutdoors.com) COWBOY-COUNTRY COYOTES Prairies, plains, and Western hills constitute classic coyote range. But shooting an open-country songdog is never easy. STRATEGIES Classic coyote hunting begins west of the 100th meridian. Every serious coyote hunter owes it to himself to hunt coyotes out where the deer and the antelope play. You can have more action here in three or four days than you can generate in an entire season elsewhere. That brings up another important point: The West is a perfect place for a new predator hunter to gain experience and gut-level confidence, knowing that coyotes really can be called in. With high populations of coyotes, theres always more opportunity awaiting if you commit mistakes on your call or miss with your rifle. But dont get the wrong idea. One of the worst miscues you can make with Western coyotes is being overconfident and nonchalant. These varmints are ready to beat you up. All that open country both helps and hurts: You can see coyotes coming from a long way off and be ready for them, but those dogs can spot you in a heartbeat if youre silhouetted or making sudden movements. So be a real sneak as you move about or travel between setups. This means skirting below the crests of ridges and hills, and never skylining yourself. Only cross heights at dips or saddles. And for heavens sake, dont stand on a hilltop and glass. RELATED: Michigan City Sterilizes Wild, Free-Ranging Deer When moving into a likely spot for a setup, stay low, be silent, and slide in quietly. Treat the situation like a coyote is within a hundred yardsbecause he might be. Here are five prime setup spots for Western coyotes: Within sight of a rocky bank, jumble, ridge, or escarpment. Just beyond cedar thickets, willow tangles, and other daytime coyote hideaways. In river-bottom habitat thats patched with brush and meadows. In rolling pastures of low sagebrush or other shrubs. Anywhere the terrain is broken and inhospitable. Believe it or not, many ranchers welcome responsible predator hunters. Get landowner contacts from local chambers of commerce or cattlemens associations. Most landowners are only too happy of get rid of a few coyotes in winter, when the cows are in feedlots. The West also offers ample Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acreage, much of which is open rangeland and prime for coyotes. The best way to get maps: Go to blm.gov, click on Offices/Centers, and contact the state office for the area you want to hunt. CALLING Sometimes you need to match the hatch. Western coyotes love chowing down on a big old jackrabbit, and the Jack Rabbit Distress (1) call from Bugling Bull provides deep-throated, slower squalls that mimic a jack in trouble. ($14; buglingbull.com) Wide-open country begs for electronic callers that can really reach out and do the work for you. Primos Boss Dog (2) (which you can operate via remote control from up to 200 yards away) comes preprogrammed with 100 sounds and 8 Expert Hunt sequences. It includes a random motion decoy you can place up to 30 yards from the speaker. ($718; primos.com) GUNS & GLASS Part of the allure of Western coyotes is the chance to take them at long range. For that, you need a rifle that reaches out fast, shoots flat, and hits where you point it. You could spend $10,000 on that gun, or you could spend around $1,500. Lets consider the latter. Its hard to beat Tikka for value and accuracy, and the Tikka TX-3 Varmint (3) comes in at a $975 MSRP to boot. A free-floating barrel benefits accuracy. It comes in both .22/250 Rem. and .223 Rem. I prefer the .22/250, which shoots a bit flatter and faster. ($975; tikka.fi) For glass, go with the Leupold VX-2 412x40mm (4). Leupold offers the clearest glass and reliability for the price. ($450; leupold.com) DECOY The windy West is the perfect place to go low tech: Tie a feather to a stake or twig and let it fluff, ruffle, and blow in the breeze (5). COYOTES IN THE 'BURBS These days, coyotes live on the edge of, and even in, suburbia. Here's how to hunt these savvy predators on small parcels STRATEGIES Proof positive of the coyotes incredible adaptability is its foothold in exurban and suburban areas, sometimes within sight of city skylines. Its hard to find a community anywhere across the country that doesnt have a coyote problem in its outlying areas. You can be part of the solution. The good news is that suburban coyotes are underhunted. The bad news is, theyre largely on private land. Sometimes thats the chief trick for suburban predator huntingjust getting access. To do this, you need to make a public-relations play. Knock on doors in neat street clothes (not your hunting camo) and explain your interest in hunting coyotes and taking a few of them off the neighborhoods hands. Leave a card identifying yourself. Youll be surprised at how many landowners are willing to let you in, especially if you talk a lot about gun safety. Promise to refrain from using a high-powered rifle. Instead, stick with shotguns, rimfires, or light calibers like the .17 Rem. and .22 Hornet. And if a landowner has reservations about even those firearms, offer to use a crossbow or (better yet) a high-powered airgun. Once youre hunting, stay under the radar to prevent encounters with folks who might be driving, biking, walking, or jogging along roads or trails. Hunting only at dawn and dusk solves some of these issues, and those are good times for coyote activity anyway. Another trick is to hunt populated suburban and exurban areas only on weekdays, when fewer people are about. Thats a lot about PR, but you wont be doing much suburban hunting without it. Once youre in the field, hunting city-cousin coyotes takes on a few twists. These dogs are highly opportunistic and often quite competitive with one another, so they are usually going to come in fast to rabbit and other distress calls. If a coyote comes in and you shoot it, stay put for five minutes and call again; there might be another dog in the vicinity. Property lines can be tight in these areas, so hone your skills with squeaker calls in case you need to coax a coyote through a fence or across a road and onto land where you have permission to hunt and shoot. CALLING When a smart citified coyote gets coy on you, you have to give him a little bit of soft love. With a little finesse from your fingers, Knight & Hales Mouse Squeaker (1) makes the irresistible little pleadings you need to lure that dog a few steps more. ($10; knightandhale.com) The suburban predator hunter needs versatility in his arsenal, and a mouth call such as the Primos Hot Dog (2) has it. You can make coyote yips and howls when the mouthpiece is attached, or remove the mouthpiece and make distress calls imitating birds, cottontails, squirrels, and fawns. ($31; primos.com) GUNS & GLASS Pyramyd Airs Dragon Claw (3) is a .50-caliber pneumatic air rifle that throws a 225-grain projectile at 679 feet per second with 230 foot-pounds of energy. Thats plenty of punch to take down a coyote at 50 yards. As an added benefit, theres no noise to call attention to you. ($600; pyramydair.com) For less than $200, the Leapers UTG Accushot 18x28 scope (4) pairs up well with the Dragon Claw. The low magnification is perfect for closer-in suburban hunting situations. ($199) DECOY Western Rivers Deceptor Rabbit (5) looks like the real thing, can be used on a stake or on the ground, and is remote-capable. ($35; western-rivers.com) TAGS Thursday, President Donald Trump will address Christians and other people of faith directly for the first time of his presidency when he speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast. This will be a tall order for the most secular, religiously illiterate president in American history whose recent actions on immigration and refugees were--according to some of his own advisors--motivated by animus toward an entire religious community. What Trump says at the prayer breakfast will tell us much about how we can expect his administration to navigate religious issues during his presidency. As I discuss in my recent book about faith and the Obama White House, "Reclaiming Hope," the National Prayer Breakfast is useful in that it prompts the entire federal governmentor at least those parts of the federal government President Trump has bothered to staffto consider their priorities and message to the faith community. We will likely learn what President Trump intends for the future of The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. I have serious concerns that the Trump administration will view the Office as just one more platform to use to build political support for their policies. Instead, the Faith-based Office, since it was first created by President George W. Bush, is intended to focus on supporting and resourcing the religious and non-profit sector to serve those in need. This core focus is key to the success of the Office, and to maintaining its viability through both Democratic and Republican administrations. If President Trump is serious about maintaining the integrity of the Office as a resource for good work happening across the entire faith community, he can make it clear in several ways at the prayer breakfast. First, President Trump should appoint someone from the social service sector to lead his faith-based office. Someone who is intimately acquainted with the challenges facing non-profits, particularly religious non-profits, and who has a record of leadership in serving the poor and vulnerable. Second, the Executive Director of the Office should be restored to at least the level of a Deputy Assistant to the President, which will empower the official within the federal government, and in dealings with stakeholders. Third, the faith-based office should focus squarely on representing the views of the religious and non-profit communities in policy planning, and serving as a resource to them, and only serve a supplemental role in building support for various White House initiatives. There should be a senior official in the Office of Public Engagement, also a commissioned officer, who is chiefly responsible for working with the faith community on administration policy priorities. Fourth, if President Trump cant bear to have a diversereligiously, ideologically and otherwiseAdvisory Council for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, he should get rid of it. When President Obama started the Council in 2009, its members represented the diversity of the American faith community, and the administration benefitted from its expertise. It is important that the Advisory Council not be a turned into a cadre of religious lackeys for Trump who get trotted out to justify whatever policy the Trump Administration happens to be pushing at the time. Finally, President Trump should give the faith community a unifying charge in his prayer breakfast speech. Our country is facing big challenges, and people of faith can be part of the answer to many of them. A report from Baylor University released this week highlights just how much the faith community contributes to alleviating homelessness in this country. The Trump administration could choose to double-down on these efforts and empower people of faith and religious organizations to do even more. Or the focus could be supporting foster care and adoptive families. Or mentoring kids. The prayer breakfast is a great opportunity for Donald Trump to show that he understands that America is not about him. He is not the publics star; he is their servant. Donald Trump will speak at his first prayer breakfast to a divided audiencesome members of his audience will be divided themselves. He has a record of crass statements that do not reflect moral discernment. He has denigrated entire religious communities. Broad swaths of the faith communityincluding Catholics, evangelicals, Muslims and Jewish organizationshave mobilized against his recent actions against immigration and refugees. And yet, for particularly conservative religious Americans, his administration also represents an opportunity to advance forward a pro-life agenda, and protect religious freedoms they feel are at risk. There will be open ears in the audience on Thursday morning. The question is whether Trump will use the opportunity to further divide us, to close minds and calcify hearts. I believe prayer works wonders though, so Ill keep an open mind Thursday morning, too. President Trump has the opportunity to make his faith-based office welcome to all faiths, focused on service, not politics. He can send the message President Obama sent at his first prayer breakfast: The particular faith that motivates each of us can promote a greater good for all of us. Instead of driving us apart, our varied beliefs can bring us together to feed the hungry and comfort the afflicted; to make peace where there is strife and rebuild what has broken; to lift up those who have fallen on hard times. This is not only our call as people of faith, but our duty as citizens of America. Here is my request: President Trump, please let the prayer breakfast, and the faith-based office, be a haven for service in these divisive times. America needs it. Within four hours of becoming president of the United States, Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to limit immediately the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in ways that are revolutionary. With the stroke of a pen, the president assaulted the heart of the law that was the domestic centerpiece of his predecessors administration. How did this happen? How can a U.S. president, who took an oath to enforce the laws faithfully, gut one of them merely because he disagrees with it? Here is the back story. When Obamacare went through Congress in 2010, all Democrats in Congress supported it and all congressional Republicans were opposed. The crux of their disagreement was the laws command that everyone in the United States obtain and maintain health insurance -- a command that has come to be known as the individual mandate. Republicans argued that Congress was without the authority to compel people to enter the marketplace by purchasing a product -- that such decisions should be freely made by individuals and that that freedom was protected from governmental interference by the Constitution. Democrats argued that the commerce clause of the Constitution, which permits Congress to regulate commerce among the states, also permits it to compel commercial activity on the part of individuals who make up a highly regulated component of interstate commerce. To ensure compliance with the individual mandate, the law provided that the IRS would collect the fair market value of a bare-bones insurance policy from those who did not obtain and maintain one. The government would then take that money and purchase a health insurance policy for that individual who rejected the laws command. Though Congress did not call it a tax and the governments lawyers uniformly and consistently denied in all courts where it was challenged that it was a tax and President Barack Obama rejected the idea that it was a tax and even the lawyers for the challengers denied it was a tax, a 5-4 majority in the Supreme Court characterized the money collected by the IRS from noncompliant individuals as a tax. This is profoundly significant for constitutional purposes because though Congress cannot regulate anything it wants, Congress can tax anything it wants, as long as the tax falls equally on those in the class of people who are paying it. This unheard-of characterization of a non-tax as a tax was necessary to salvage Obamacare before the high court because a different 5-4 majority in the same case ruled that the Republican congressional argument was essentially correct -- that the commerce clause does not empower Congress to compel commercial activity. All of this has been debated loud and long since the law was enacted in 2010, validated by the Supreme Court in 2012 and came into Trumps crosshairs in the Republican presidential primaries and again in the general election campaign. Trump argued that the government cannot compel commercial activity, even as part of a large regulatory scheme, because the Constitution protects everyones right to purchase a lawful good or not to purchase one. He also asserted that Obamacare does not make economic sense because its regulation of the practice of medicine and its administration of health insurance have resulted in a diminution of choices for consumers, which in turn has raised premiums, as well as deductibles, and chased primary care physicians from the marketplace. The Obama mantra that you could keep your doctor and your health insurance under Obamacare proved to be patently false, Trump argued. When Trump promised that as president -- on day one -- he would begin to dismantle Obamacare, some Republicans, many members of the press and most Democrats laughed at him. They are laughing no longer because the first executive order he signed on Jan. 20 directed those in the federal government who enforce Obamacare to do so expecting that it will soon not exist. He ordered that regulations already in place be enforced with a softer, more beneficent tone, and he ordered that no penalty, fine, setoff or tax be imposed by the IRS on any person or entity who is not complying with the individual mandate, because by the time taxes are due on April 15, the IRS will be without authority to impose or collect the non-tax tax, as the individual mandate will no longer exist. Why take money from people that will soon be returned? Then he ordered a truly revolutionary act, the likes of which I have never seen in the 45 years I have studied and monitored the governments laws and its administration of them. He ordered that when bureaucrats who are administering and enforcing the law have discretion with respect to the time, place, manner and severity of its enforcement, they should exercise that discretion in favor of individuals and against the government. This is radical coming from any president in the modern era of government-can-do-no-wrong. It is far more Thomas Jefferson, the small-government champion with whom Trump has never been associated, than it is Theodore Roosevelt, the super-regulator whom Trump has stated he admires. It recognizes the primacy and dignity of the individual and the fallibility of the state. It acknowledges the likely demise of Obamacare. It is utterly without precedent since Jeffersons presidency. Trumps revolutionary act is a breeze of freedom on a sea of regulation. It recognizes something modern governments never admit -- that they can be and have been wrong. It is exactly as Trump promised. This past weekend, we all saw massive public outrage in major cities throughout the country. It was directed at the Jan. 27 issuance of an executive order, signed by President Donald Trump, addressing immigration. With the executive order, the president ordered the suspension of entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, as well as anyone from Syria for an indefinite period and anyone from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days. The crowds of protesters, which included members of Congress, called the president a tyrant. The president argued that he was lawfully protecting the country from those who might facilitate terrorist attacks here. Can he legally do this? Here is the back story. The Constitution expressly gives Congress the power to regulate naturalization, which is the process of becoming an American citizen. It does not expressly give it the power to regulate immigration, which is the process of legally entering the country. From 1776 to 1882, Congress recognized this distinction by staying largely silent on immigration, and thus, anyone could come here from anywhere, with the only real regulation being for public health. In 1882, Congress gave itself the power to regulate immigration, contending that although the Constitution was silent on the issue, the concept of nationhood gave Congress the ability to regulate the nations borders and thereby control who was permitted to enter from foreign countries and under what circumstances. In response to economic competition from Asian immigrants in California -- and in the midst of anti-Asian racial animus -- Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which limited the number of immigrants from China for 10 years. In 1892, Congress extended the law for another 10 years, and in 1902, Congress made the law permanent. In 1924, Congress passed the Johnson-Reed Act, which restricted entry into the United States through quotas with respect to national origins. The quotas were capped in 1929, reduced in 1943 and substantially expanded in 1965. In 1952, Congress passed the Immigration and Nationality Act, which expressly authorized the president to suspend the immigration of any person, class of people or group of people into the United States for public health, public safety or national security reasons. The courts have upheld this presidential power because under our system, immigration materially affects the nations foreign policy and foreign policy is constitutionally the domain of the president -- with Congress role being limited to the senatorial confirmation of treaties and ambassadors and to authorization of money for the president to spend. Yet the courts have limited the presidents exercise of this power so that he cannot base it on First Amendment-protected liberties, such as the freedoms of speech, religion and association. So he cannot bar an immigrant because of the immigrants political views, religion or colleagues. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter exercised this presidential power to bar anyone from Iran from entering the country until the hostage crisis was resolved. In 2011, President Barack Obama used this presidential power to bar anyone from Iraq from entering the country for six months. Enter President Trump. As a candidate, Trump promised that he would secure the nations borders from those whom he deems harmful to national security for limited periods of time -- at least until he and those under him could determine a more accurate mechanism for separating the true refugees from the ones seeking entry for nefarious purposes. On his eighth day in office, he did just that. The reaction was swift, loud and seemingly everywhere as foreign-born people, many with green cards and visas, were stopped and detained at the nations international airports last Saturday. Over the weekend, federal judges in New York City, Boston, Virginia and Seattle ruled that Trumps order could not apply to green card holders or those who received valid State Department-issued visas based on the pre-executive order protocol. To its credit, the government recognized that the language of the executive order needed to be clarified because green card holders, no matter the country of origin, have the same right of exit and entry as citizens. Moreover, the government cannot constitutionally give anyone a benefit -- such as a visa -- and then nullify the benefit because it changed the issuing standards afterward. So the Trump changes can be prospective only. Where does this leave us? Expect numerous challenges in Congress and in the courts to Trumps order because, the challengers will argue, though its stated purpose was not to bar a religious group, its effect is largely to bar Muslims. For sure, the courts will address this. The purpose/effect distinction -- which exists in many areas of the law, such as school desegregation, legislative apportionment and voting rights -- has not been accepted by the courts against a president for a temporary immigration ban because the courts have often deferred to presidents on foreign policy. Is the ban just? Everyone knows we are a nation of immigrants. Three of my grandparents immigrated here as children. Most people recognize that all people have the natural right to travel, which means they can seek entry here; but the country has accepted the ideas that our borders are not open, that the welfare state here is not without financial limits and that in perilous times such as today, immigration is largely and legally in the hands of the president, whether one has voted for him or not. Yet like all governmental powers, particularly those that often clash with natural rights when they are exercised, the power to regulate immigration must be exercised narrowly. Many reading this are here because someone left another country for the freedoms that are respected here. Those freedoms are natural to everyone and will always draw people here. The government can only morally and constitutionally interfere with personal freedom for the most compelling of reasons and utilizing the least restrictive means. Is the government faithful to that well-recognized rule? We shall soon see. Before there was radical Islam, immigration and terror didn't mix. No one coming here was trying to blow up your family at a mall over some maniacal belief in a death cult. So you had the luxury of holding separate opinions about borders and national security. You could be liberal about who crossed the river from down south and totally hardcore regarding the Soviet threat. That's the past. The explosion of jihad and its desire to export its contagious madness to all areas of the world have changed the way we view immigration. Terror, married to technology and accommodated by progress in travel, has turned evil individuals into traveling ballistic missiles. They pick a spot, and they hit it. Islamists are nothing but guided missiles that pride themselves on taking out as many infidels as possible. The explosion of jihad and its desire to export its contagious madness to all areas of the world have changed the way we view immigration. Terror, married to technology and accommodated by progress in travel, has turned evil individuals into traveling ballistic missiles. This is why those who decry or defame President Trumps executive order limiting travel to the U.S. are playing a dangerous game, one built on emotional response and virtue signaling. The critics are not interested in facts; they are interested in being perceived as heroic defenders of freedom. Which is false. Their beliefs make the future of freedom vulnerable to those who take advantage of the naive and wish to annihilate our freedoms forever. They are worse than the fellow travelers during the Cold War. They hold hands with terror and guide it in. The protesters gladly eviscerate Trump but ignore President Obama, who also stopped travel once, after a specific threat. Also, lets not forget that Obama helped engineer this catastrophe by exiting Iraq early and allowing the rise of ISIS. But the media lets him off the hook. And Hillary, too. Speaking of protest I look at all the ragtag armies quickly assembled at every airport, and I wonder why they dont give 2 cents for the Christians around the world who are truly persecuted. I guess it's just not edgy enough to give a damn about people who look and act like your parents. I'll give you this: the rollout of the executive action was a little fast and sloppy, and perhaps its a bit too pugnacious. But do you remember the rollout of ObamaCare and its damn website? Peoples lives were greatly inconvenienced by such incompetence. Here, with the terror-pause, people (not citizens, by the way) were detained and questioned. Oh my God! The injustice! But judging from some of their reactions, the detainees didnt seem too bothered. They've dealt with worse. They understood the threat and why the moratorium was necessary to separate the needles from the haystacks. Also, it's not like they lost their health plan, or their doctor, or had a daughter murdered in a sanctuary city. Once again, let's deflate these emotional tantrums and spray some refreshing cold water on this eruption of outrage. Obama restricted travel, too, based on country of origin limiting refugees from Iraq for six months in 2011. No one in the media cared then, because he was their guy. To question him was to risk betraying your squad. You'd likely be called racist, which was the go-to defense on all things. Of the countries on Trumps list Syria, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq and Iran only Iran has a functioning central government. So how is a temporary pause to get a better vetting process from failed states a violation of our Constitution? How the hell is it a Muslim ban if countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Chad, Qatar and Lebanon all Islamic countries aren't on the list? It's not a Muslim ban. It's a security vetting that trumps emotional vetting. The vetting mirrors what these same countries use themselves. The world treats the world worse than America treats the very worst in this world. We take in more people than anyone, and now we meekly ask for a temporary pause in a time of terror and are treated, by our own media, like Nazis. Screw you. Speaking of Nazis I ask those comparing this immigration pause to the Jewish travel ban during Hitlers time to tell us who the contemporary Nazis are in this equation. Obviously, they are other radicalized Muslims. The Nazis today are the radical Islamists extremists who wish to remake the world as an Islamist paradise or destroy it completely as a stepping stone to their illusory heaven. Why don't you have the guts to say that? The only real Muslim ban is the one imposed by Muslim countries that prevent their Muslim brothers from migrating there. But no one is calling them intolerant. Why? Because even they see the difference between the mild and hardcore religious nut, and they do their own vetting, too. So if they can distinguish between the tame and the terrible, why cant we? Again, extend the logic: Does anyone who wants to come here have the right to come unvetted? If so, the rich and the comfortable who agree with that conclusion should open the doors to their Upper West Side luxury condos and take in anyone, without exception. They're for a false "right," though, because the open door applies to you. It doesnt apply to their luxury condos. They know they won't be harmed, so it's no skin off their cowardly backs. Donald Trump expected to attend Thursdays National Prayer Breakfast is clearly not your archetypal Christian. Yet after years of feeling marginalized, millions of Americas faithful are optimistic his presidency signals a renaissance of renewed respect and influence for Christianity in U.S. governance and culture. They have a right to expect it. Strong majorities of them defeated the Democrats and put Trump into the Oval Office Protestants (58%), white and Hispanic Catholics (52%), Evangelicals (81%), and even Mormons (61%). Hillary Clinton was strongly backed by non-religious Americans: nones (the religiously unaffiliated, 68%); people who never attend services (62%); and atheists and agnostics (61%). Trump was enthusiastically endorsed by a broad spectrum of Christian leaders, as evidenced in the inauguration ceremony. Clinton was roundly championed by worldly celebrities. The striking contrasts not only help explain why Trump won; going forward, they hold great promise for Christians beyond politics. Brooke Barnes, reporter for The New York Times, noted recently, Ultraliberal movie executives, shocked to see a celebrity-encircled Hillary Clinton lose the presidential election to Donald J. Trump, have realized the degree to which they are out of touch with a vast pool of Americans. Perhaps now the clueless execs will engage more attentively and knowledgeably with Christian audiences and filmmakers. Theres also reason to hope the great awakening will open the eyes and minds of iconic reportorial corporations on both coasts; its sorely needed. The New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet himself recently confessed: I think that the New York-based and Washington-based media powerhouses dont quite get religion. We have a fabulous religion writer, but shes all alone. We dont get religion. We dont get the role of religion in peoples lives. At the very least, Christians now have a powerful, if unlikely, champion in the White House a welcome departure from the past eight years. Michael Wear, a former Obama White House staffer, says, theres a religious illiteracy problem in the Democratic Party. Wear recalls a fellow staffer questioning the title of a fact sheet titled Economic Fairness and the Least of These. The staffer didnt get the meaning of least of these, a well-known Biblical phrase. Is this a typo? he reportedly queried. It doesnt make any sense to me. Who/what are these? Historians will surely debate why Christians selected Trump over candidates more overtly religious than he, such as Ted Cruz. But its evident they like Jesus selecting his disciples looked past Trump's glaring defects and saw a faithful ally. As a Christian, I too expect he will make good on his promise to respect and protect religion in America, and not just Christianity. Hes an improbable, imperfect Defender of the Faith, to be sure, but I believe a sincere one. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 2 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: The US President Donald Trump has harshly criticized the nuclear deal reached between Iran and the world powers in 2015, adding that the accord has prevented the collapse of the Islamic Republic. The officials from Iran and the US over the past couple of days have exchanged sharp criticism amid reports on the Islamic Republics recent missile tests. Iran has said it will not allow foreigners to interfere in its missile activities as they follow strictly defensive purposes. Iran and the world powers in 2015 reached a historic deal on the country's nuclear program removing sanctions on the Islamic Republic in exchange for curbing the country's nuclear program. Action, Mark Twain once observed, speaks louder than words but not nearly as often. Unfortunately, this observation aptly describes the last administrations Iran policy. In April 2015, as President Obama tried to sell the deeply flawed Iran nuclear agreement to Congress and the American people, he vowed that [o]ther American sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorism, its human rights abuses, its ballistic missile program, will continue to be fully enforced. Yet the Obama administration responded to Irans escalating ballistic missile activities, support for terrorism and other rogue regimes, and human rights abuses with inaction. This has encouraged Iranwhose government is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans in Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistanto continue and even escalate its destabilization efforts, threatening the United States and our allies. In fact, Iran defiantly continues to test ballistic missiles, most recently last weekend. Irans challenge to the new administration underscores the immediate need for a tougher U.S. policy. To reverse this dangerous dynamic, the new administration and Congress should start imposing serious consequences on Iran. Thats why we recently introduced the Iran Non-Nuclear Sanctions Act to impose severe financial and economic sanctions targeting Irans ballistic missile violations, human rights abuses, and support for terrorism. Irans continued development of its ballistic missile program illustrates why tough words from the Obama administration were not enoughand why Congress and the White House should adopt this legislation without delay. Iran, thanks in part to assistance from North Korea and Russian entities over the years, possesses the Middle Easts largest and most formidable ballistic missile arsenalan arsenal that already threatens our forward deployed troops, Israel, and our other allies in the region. This reality explains why General Martin Dempsey, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned in July 2015 that under no circumstances should we relieve the pressure on Iran relative to ballistic missile capabilities[.] Yet, relieving the pressure was exactly what both the Iran nuclear deal and the U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 did. After Iran predictably fired ballistic missiles in late 2015, the Obama administration responded belatedly in January 2016 by issuing tough statements and imposing weak sanctions that amounted to little more than a symbolic slap on the wrist. Not surprisingly, the regime in Tehran was not impressed, and responded by escalating ballistic missile development and testing. In fact, a few months later, Iran provocatively fired two ballistic missiles with the phrase Israel must be wiped out emblazoned in Hebrew on the side. Such Iranian provocations are disconcerting for our allies in Israel, but Americans should not view Irans ballistic missile program as solely a regional threat. Our intelligence community believes that Tehran would utilize ballistic missiles as its preferred method of delivering nuclear weapons, and that Irans progress on space launch vehicles provides Tehran with the means to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that could eventually deliver a nuclear weapon to the United States. Reflecting a broader failure of foreign policy, the previous administration also did not impose sufficient consequences on Iran for its support for terrorism and abuse of human rights. As a result, leaders in Tehran and also in Moscow, Beijing, Damascus, and Pyongyang came to view the U.S. as a paper tiger that often responds to belligerent activities by roaring loudly and going back to sleep. Our values and national security interests, as well as the safety of Americans and our allies, demand action. We should not sit idly by and pretend the status quo is acceptable as Iran continues to strengthen its ballistic missile arsenal and support terrorists. We welcome the statements by President Trump and National Security Advisor Flynn with respect to Irans ballistic missile program. It is time to take action with respect to Irans growing missile threats, terrorism support, and human rights abuses. Thats why we introduced the Iran Non-Nuclear Sanctions Act, and why we call on lawmakers of both parties to join us in seeking its passage and sending it to the president for his signature. Republican Todd Young represents Indiana in the United States Senate. The greatest threat to the United States and to world peace during the administration of President Donald Trump will be the enormous rise of persecution of Christians and religious minorities. In America we call it the first freedom, but in a growing number of countries individuals are not permitted to decide for themselves what their faith will be, or even to choose not to believe. And the clock is ticking. Religious intolerance was the root cause of nearly every major crisis of the Obama administration. The president steadfastly refused to admit its role in the Islamic State caliphate and other humanitarian crises for fear of stoking religious extremists, choosing instead to attribute these to tribal or criminal elements. But the truth cannot be denied. Religious intolerance is real and spreading at an alarming rate. In January Open Doors released the 2017 World Watch List. We discovered that a shocking 1 out of every 12 Christians around the world today experiences high levels of persecution because of their faith. Global persecution has risen to another all time high as countries in South and Southeast Asia are now as volatile as the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. Even here in the Americas, 23 Christian leaders were killed in Mexico specifically because of their faith. It is a dim picture of how the killing of Christians has spread and become more geographically dispersed hitting every continent. President Trump rightly recognizes the incredible rise in Christian persecution, and to some, his executive order to ban travel on immigrants and refugees from many Muslim-majority countries may seem like an appropriate action. However, it's likely to be interpreted as religious criteria to enter America which could exacerbate the already severe worldwide trend of religious persecution. It has the potential to result in serious backlash to Christians in countries plagued by Islamic extremism, countries where Open Doors is at work. Oddly, it leaves out key perpetrators of persecution such as Saudi Arabia and India. Six out of the seven countries included in the recent travel ban are in the top 10 on the 2017 Open Doors World Watch List. The seventh country, Libya, is rated No. 11. There's time to clarify and adjust this policy but it seems likely to cause more problems than it solves in the short run. The Obama administration left the critical position of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom at the U.S. State Department vacant for up to 27 months. While this position sat unfilled, the expansion of the Islamic State took place, culminating in the fall of Mosul in June of 2014. At this critical time in history, the administration seemed to show little interest in investigating and advocating for the religious liberty of Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities. Now this crucial position of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom is about to be vacant once again. Prior to the election, I met with Trump officials as part of a group of religious liberty experts. At this time we were assured that they considered the lack of action by the Obama administration an egregious oversight and promised to take swift action if elected. My hope is that the Trump administration will heed the advice we have provided. During the president's first 100 days, we are asking the Trump administration to quickly appoint or re-appoint an Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. Today more than ever, this position is crucial to informing U.S. policy on this important issue. We are also urging the Trump administration to re-appoint or appoint a Special Envoy for Religious Minorities in Near East and South and Central Asia. Those working within the Office for International Religious Freedom at the U.S. State Department have worked tirelessly to advocate for religious minorities around the world who face violence and impoverished conditions. For either of these key positions to be left vacant would be an enormous detriment and send a message to those who persecute that the United States does not care or consider religious freedom to be a priority. We also are encouraging the president and Secretary of State to make a public statement announcing that international religious freedom policy is vital to U.S. interests in the world, including national security, and detail how it will be expanded under the new administration. Taking a strong public stance on this will send a clear message that the Trump administration will not tolerate any deviation from valuing every persons religious freedom and right. I am not alone in these requests. In a poll recently conducted by Open Doors, we discovered that 60 percent of all Americans said it is important for the Trump administration to take action on the persecution of Christians within the first 100 days in office. Our friends in Congress agree with us. Speaking at the release of the 2017 Open Doors World Watch List, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) shared that we are in a time when religious persecution is at its worst. He urged the United States to do more for those suffering. Recently, Congressman Smith sponsored the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, which elevates the issue of freedom of religion within U.S. foreign policy. Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) also spoke on the gravity of the situation, stating that this is one of those issues that really is about life and death. Where human and religious rights are being violated, countries are most vulnerable to societal unrest and destabilization. As we have already seen in the first two weeks of Trumps administration, international religious freedom is clearly the dominant issue at the center of every major humanitarian crisis on the globe today. The president must examine and consider the root causes of religious persecution throughout the world and seek to address the spread of violent persecution. It will be a failure of the Trump administration if it does not address religious intolerance by integrating it into the core of U.S. foreign policy and aid the more than 215 million Christians around the world who face extreme persecution every day. This is the issue the Trump administration must tackle for the administration to be successful. I hope they make it a top priority. The birthplace of the free speech movement has become its graveyard. Hundreds of liberals rioted at the University of California Berkeley Wednesday night -- burning stores, throwing Molotov cocktails and clashing with police. Click here for a free subscription to Todds newsletter: a must-read for Conservatives! The rampaging mob forced the university to shut down an event featuring gay conservative firebrand and Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos. Im outraged that Milo has been given a platform at UC Berkeley, and there should be no place for him here, visiting assistant art professor Samara Haplerin told the Daily Californian. He should be scared that people arent going to stand for this. Ironically, Milo had planned to deliver remarks defending free speech. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down, he wrote on Facebook. Learn how Conservatives can fight back and reclaim our public universities! The British conservative journalist called the violence a horrible spectacle and very humiliating for American higher education. The crowd hurled fireworks at police officers and smashed windows at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Union. They also damaged buildings in downtown Berkeley including a Starbucks and a number of banks. The bloodthirsty mob targeted several supporters of President Trump. One young lady wearing a Make America Great Again hat was attacked during a television interview. An unknown man sprayed some sort of liquid in her face. The Daily Californian reports another Trump supporter was grabbed by a crowd of agitators and thrown to the ground. He escaped, but they grabbed his red hat and set it on fire. And police had to rescue another man who was bloodied and beaten. The university released a statement blaming the violence on outsiders who they allege came to the campus to cause mayhem. They also affirmed Milos right to speak on the liberal campus. Chancellor Nicholas Dirks made it clear that while Yiannopoulos views, tactics and rhetoric are profoundly contrary to those of the campus, UC Berkeley is bound by the Constitution, the law and the universitys values and Principles of Community, which include the enabling of free expression across the full spectrum of opinion and perspective. Those are very nice words but they are meaningless unless they are enforced. According to the university, not a single person was arrested. Not a single arrest, folks. Did someone order the police officers to stand down? If so, who gave that order and why? So here's what needs to happen: President Trump should immediately issue an executive order blocking Berkeley students from receiving any federal funding. And the same goes for any other public universities that want to silence conservative voices. Universities must guarantee free speech for all students conservative and liberal. Its time for the federal government to eradicate this un-American infestation in higher education. So shut down Berkeley, Mr. President. Shut it down. No ones safety is at risk from different opinions, Milo told Tucker Carlson Tonight. No ones physical safety is endangered by political ideas from a speaker on campus, but universities have sort of allowed this stuff to happen, and even in some cases encouraged it. Ironically, it was liberals who silenced a gay immigrant and vandalized a building named after a Civil Rights legend. Who knew there were so many homophobic, racist xenophobes at Berkeley? Chinese nuclear experts reportedly warned the U.S. earlier this year that North Korea's nuclear arsenal is larger than previously estimated, creating a heightened security threat to the U.S. and its East Asian allies. The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday that by Beijing's estimate, North Korea may already have manufactured 20 nuclear warheads and is capable of producing enough weapons-grade uranium to double that amount by next year. U.S. experts have previously estimated that North Korea has between 10 and 16 nuclear weapons. The Chinese estimates were presented to U.S. nuclear specialists at a closed-door meeting at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing this past February. The Journal reported that Chinese military representatives and experts on the North's nuclear program were at the meeting. Siegfried Hecker, a Stanford University professor and former head of the Los Alamos National Laboratory who attended the February meeting, told the Journal that estimates about North Korea's nuclear program involved a sizable amount of guesswork. He estimated that North Korea currently could have no more than 12 weapons, and as many as 20 in 2016. "Im concerned that by 20, they actually have a nuclear arsenal," Hecker said. "The more they believe they have a fully functional nuclear arsenal and deterrent, the more difficult its going to be to walk them back from that." Washington has not had high-level talks with Pyongyang since 2012, when North Korea conducted a banned nuclear missile test. In the intervening time, the U.S. has relied on China to use its economic leverage to put pressure on the impoverished nation's missile program while the Obama administration works toward a nuclear deal with Iran. However, the Journal reports that relations between China and North Korea have deteriorated since the death of dictator Kim Jong Il in 2011 and the ascension of Xi Jinping to China's leadership the following year. The Journal report comes a day after the U.S. envoy to the long-stalled six-nation talks said that North Korea should learn from the emerging nuclear deal with Iran that Washington is willing to engage its adversaries if it has a "credible" negotiating partner. "The entire international community is looking for this type of policy shift in Pyongyang, and that policy shift would be positively responded to," Sydney Seiler told a Washington think tank Tuesday. But Seiler said there was no sign in two years that Pyongyang is willing to denuclearize, adding that the country would need to halt its nuclear program and missile launches while any talks are underway. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. EXCLUSIVE: In his first television interview as Homeland Security secretary, retired four-star Marine Gen. John F. Kelly told Fox News he wants the U.S.-Mexico border wall finished in two years setting an ambitious schedule for the project ordered last week by President Trump. "The wall will be built where it's needed first, and then it will be filled in. That's the way I look at it," Kelly said. "I really hope to have it done within the next two years." Fox News traveled with Kelly in McAllen, Texas, on Wednesday where he saw first-hand the challenges for Border Patrol agents. The Rio Grande Valley, known as the "RGV sector," is among the busiest. On any given day, Border Patrol agents pick up at least 600 people who have crossed the Mexican border, entering the U.S. illegally. Those personnel, he explained, are all part of the broader plan for securing the border. "Any discussion about the protection of our southwest border involves discussion of physical barriers but also of technological sensors, things like that, he said. But it's a layered approach, and its got to be backed up by great men and women who are going to make sure that the wall is intact." But first, the department faces the tough task of funding and then building what would be the largest-ever construction project undertaken by the president who made his name in real estate. Kelly, who was tasked by the presidents executive order with overseeing the planning and construction of the wall, echoed Trump in saying they already have the authority under existing law. We're looking at the money aspect, he acknowledged. But he said the White House is working with Congress on the timetable. I think the funding will come relatively quickly and like I said, we will build it where it's needed first as identified by the men and women who work the border," Kelly emphasized. Kelly said it will be only a matter of months before construction begins. Kelly also said he supported a "surge" of resources to the border so that processing those who cross illegally can happen in a matter of weeks, not "600 plus days." "If we could surge the court proceedings -- immigration court proceedings on the border -- and within the law, do it very rapidly ... I think that alone would act as a huge deterrent for people who are considering making the trip up," he said. As for hostility to the wall from Mexico, Kelly said the safety of Americans comes first, though he wants to build a partnership on shared border issues. "I'd really like to establish a relationship on this, on the other side. It would be a mutually beneficial relationship." Kelly also defended his agents in the wake of last weeks controversial executive order suspending the refugee program and restricting travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. As his agency came under fire over the weekend, he said the department worked to verify reports of mistreatment, and could not. Kelly suggested critics had blown the issue out of proportion. "Mr. Trump is not loved by everyone in America, and I think this very rapid succession of decisions, I don't think the American public is really all that used to people making decisions, he said. I really don't think they're used to people that say things on the campaign trail actually turning them into action." Asked if the pace had come as a "shock" to the public, Kelly said: "Yes, I think so. But I will tell you the men and women of Homeland Security did a great job out on the front lines, in this case mostly at the airports. People were treated with dignity and respect." Kelly knocked down media reports that he first learned of the executive order by watching television, the day it was signed, a story first reported by the New York Times: "As soon as I was confirmed which was on Friday a couple of weeks ago, inauguration day, I knew that they were being developed. Asked if he was "blindsided by the order," Kelly said, "Not at all. I saw the initial couple of cuts on them probably on Tuesday maybe Thursday, knew it was coming soon and then it came. " After more than 45 years of service, Kelly retired last year, and did not plan a return to Washington or full-time employment. He said it all changed with a cold call from the transition team when he and his wife Karen were relaxing. Kelly was initially skeptical about the caller, who is now White House chief of staff. "We were sitting on the couch when I got the original call on a Saturday afternoon and Reince Priebus called me, he said. I don't know him. Once he convinced me it was really Reince Priebus, he said, Would you come up and talk to Mr. Trump, he'd like to talk to you about a position in the administration. And I said, I can do that, I'll be up tomorrow. He told his wife he thought the Trump administration was about to offer him a job. She said, take it, your whole life, our whole life, the Kelly family is a life of service." Senate Judiciary Committee chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Wednesday that he hoped to have Judge Neil Gorsuch sworn in on the Supreme Court by the middle of April after President Trump said hed urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to go nuclear if his Supreme Court nominee is held up. Going nuclear is Washington code for changing Senate rules to allow a nominee to win confirmation with a slim majority, without first having to get 60 votes. Doing so could have lasting effects on the consideration of future nominees, not just Gorsuch. "I would guess that we ought to be able to have this on the Senate floor the first week of April if Senator McConnell wants to," Grassley told "Special Report with Bret Baier." "And I think he does want to get it done and then therell be the days of debate it takes and then a vote, so that he can be sworn in on the Supreme Court hopefully by the middle of April." But the threat comes as Democratic lawmakers give conflicting signals over how far they might go to fight Trumps nominee. Some are urging their colleagues to give the justice a chance and not attempt to block him. But others are demanding Gorsuch hit the 60-vote bar, and laying the groundwork for a potential filibuster, which would require the nominee to garner the support of at least eight Democrats. On the Senate floor Wednesday afternoon, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., voiced very serious doubts that Gorsuch is up to the job, while noting any one of his colleagues could require the nominee to clear 60 votes. There will be 60 votes for confirmation, he said. And in a warning to majority Republicans, Schumer said they should not change the rules to help Gorsuch. Theres a special burden on this nominee to be an independent jurist, he argued, citing concerns not only about the allegedly pro-corporate tilt of the court but also the Trump administrations respect for the rule of law. But McConnell called Gorsuch an outstanding choice and urged colleagues to give him fair consideration. He has not said whether hed change the rules. Trump, speaking to reporters, characteristically did not mince words regarding McConnells options. If we end up with that gridlock I would say if you can, Mitch, go nuclear, Trump said. Because that would be an absolute shame if a man of this quality was caught up in the web." The tensions come as the honeymoon period of Trumps young presidency appears to be all but over. His immigration executive order last Friday outraged Democrats, who this week tried delaying votes on several Cabinet nominees. This could tee up a dramatic and drawn-out debate over Gorsuch, who won unanimous confirmation from the Senate a decade ago to his current seat on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Even before Trump named his pick, a contingent of Democrats was inclined to seek payback over Republicans refusal to so much as consider then-President Barack Obamas nominee Merrick Garland last year. And within minutes of the announcement Tuesday night, liberal groups and leaders were taking a hard line. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., announced her opposition an hour after the ceremony. An arm of the liberal Center for American Progress blasted out a memo saying the Senate should refuse to act on any nominee that does not have a supermajority of upwards of 66 senators. The Democratic National Committee was ready with a point-by-point condemnation of Gorsuch, describing him as a reliable right wing ideologue who sides with corporations against workers and holds views more extreme than the late Justice Antonin Scalia, whose seat he would fill. But some Democratic figures seem to be looking to lower the temperature on Capitol Hill. Perhaps the most robust Democratic case for Gorsuch came from Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general in the Obama administration. In a brief endorsement overnight, he called the federal appeals court judge one of the most thoughtful and brilliant judges to have served our nation over the last century. He also penned a New York Times op-ed praising the nominees record while chastising Trumps leadership to date. I am hard-pressed to think of one thing President Trump has done right in the last 11 days since his inauguration. Until Tuesday, when he nominated an extraordinary judge and man, Neil Gorsuch, to be a justice on the Supreme Court, he wrote. There is a very difficult question about whether there should be a vote on President Trumps nominee at all, given the Republican Senates history-breaking record of obstruction on Judge Merrick B. Garland perhaps the most qualified nominee ever for the high court. But if the Senate is to confirm anyone, Judge Gorsuch, who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver, should be at the top of the list. A handful of moderate Democrats went on record urging their colleagues not to filibuster, and at least give the nominee a fair hearing. I look forward to meeting with Judge Gorsuch, examining his record, and making a determination of whether to provide my consent, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said in a statement. Just as I have all along, I urge my colleagues to put partisan politics aside and allow the vetting process to proceed. Several states are considering bills that target protesters who block or disrupt traffic, in the wake of widespread demonstrations that choked off roads and even highways. Some bills came about after protests spilled out onto roadways and created havoc for motorists. In Indiana, watching national protests grow large and affect traffic prompted Republican state Sen. Jim Tomes to propose a measure calling on police to disperse crowds that block traffic. In recent days, protesters in cities across the nation gathered at or near airports to denounce President Trumps travel restrictions and the detention of dozens of people who had a connection to one of seven countries deemed terrorist risks. When protesters blocked traffic in front of the airport in Los Angeles, police in riot gear moved to confine them to another area as motorists who were stuck missed flights. The lawmakers behind the measures appear to be mainly Republican and say that such actions are aimed at control at a time when protests sometimes grow violent and create chaos. Civil rights groups, however, say the bill sponsors are really seeking to undermine protesters and that they are ready to fight such attempts in court if they become law. North Dakota state Rep. Keith Kempenich, a Republican, has proposed a bill that would relieve a motorist from punishment who accidentally hits or kills a protester who is obstructing traffic. Kempenich, whose bill has come under fire, drafted it after the large protests over the pipeline project near Standing Rock Indian Reservation last year. Kempenich said he was moved to address concerns from relatives who described protesters walking in front of their cars as they were driving near the demonstrations. Theres a First Amendment right to assemble, Kempenich told Fox News. But theres also the First Amendment right of people who dont have to pay attention to it and should be able to pass by and not be bothered. When people get aggressive, then the peaceful assembly [right] protected in the First Amendment disappears, he said. Protesters stood in front of their cars and flashed signs in front of them, Kempenich said of his relatives experiences. If theyd hit the gas instead of their brake, someone would have been hurt. Lee Rowland, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that the measures are unnecessary because localities and states already have laws that forbid the intentional disruption of traffic. These bills are not isolated, Rowland said. Theres an alarming trend of bills that penalize protesters in many different ways. Theyre dressed up as [traffic] obstruction bills, or bills on public safety. These bills are about one thing and one thing only silencing dissent. Rowland said the ACLU and other groups are closely keeping track of the measures and are prepared to fight them in court if they become law. States that have pending legislation seeking or increasing penalties for obstructing highways include Iowa, Indiana and Minnesota, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other state legislatures have discussed introducing bills, according to NCSL officials. Proposed legislation in the state of Washington seeks to punish protestors who participate in economic disruption, which includes obstructing the passage of any train, truck, car, ship, boat, aircraft, or other vehicle or vessel engaged in the carriage, hauling, transport, shipment, or delivery of goods, cargo, freight, or other item, in commerce. Tomes created a stir when he introduced a measure that directed police to use any means necessary to disperse protesters who block traffic. Critics say the bill raises serious constitutional questions that were likely to impinge on First Amendment rights. And they say it could be used to justify brutal tactics, similar to those used on black civil rights activists in the 1960s. Democratic Sen. Karen Tillian challenged the wording in Tomes' bill at a state Senate Local Government Committee hearing in which she held up historical photo of protesters cracking down on protesters during civil rights demonstrations. The object of this measure is very simple, Tomes said in a statement sent to Fox News. We need to keep our streets and interstates open to commerce, traffic, motorists and emergency personnel. Anyone who wants to stage or participate in a protest or demonstration is free to do so," Tomes said. "Butan ambulance needs to be able to get to an individual who is having a heart attack, and law enforcement needs to be able to respond to a call to attend to someone who needs help. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump reportedly had a fiery conversation over the weekend with Australias prime minister over a refugee deal agreed upon under the Obama administration. Trump reportedly blasted the agreement as the worst deal ever and accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of seeking to export the next Boston bombers. The call went so badly, Trump told Turnbull that he had spoken to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Russias Vladimir Putin and their call was his worst so far. The Washington Post, citing unidentified senior U.S. officials, reported that Trump cut their first call short with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after the conversation turn to a deal that would allow mostly Muslim refugees rejected by Australia to be resettled in the US. Trump reportedly called the agreement the worst deal ever and accused the prime minister of seeking to export the next Boston bombers. Turnbull also would not say whether Trump had abruptly ended the expected hour-long conversation after 25 minutes as the Australian attempted to steer the conversation to other topics. Trump was reportedly joined by chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn and White House press secretary Sean Spicer. "It's better that these things -- these conversations -- are conducted candidly, frankly, privately," Turnbull told reporters. Turnbull said the strength of the bilateral relation was evident in that Trump agreed to resettle refugees from among around 1,600 asylum seekers, most of whom are on island camps on the Pacific nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Trump tweeted Wednesday night, Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal. The Washington Post story immediately shot to the top of trending topics on Twitter in Australia. It was plastered across the top of Australia's major news sites, and the nation's news networks launched into lengthy, running commentaries on it. The Associated Press contributed to this report A career Border Patrol official who was backed by the agents' union was named Tuesday as chief of the agency, less than a week after his predecessor resigned under pressure. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Twitter than Ronald Vitiello has been appointed to lead the agency at a time when President Donald Trump has pledged to erect a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico and add 5,000 agents from the current level of about 20,000. The National Border Patrol Council an early and outspoken backer of Trump's presidential bid openly supported Vitiello for the job and pushed for the ouster of his predecessor, Mark Morgan, who resigned Thursday at the request of the new administration. Morgan stepped down only seven months after being named the first outsider to run the agency since it was created in 1924. Vitiello, who was most recently CBP's executive assistant commissioner for operations support, was acting Border Patrol chief when Morgan was appointed last year and had been considered a leading contender for the job then. He joined the Border Patrol more than 30 years ago and served as deputy chief in the administration of President Barack Obama. BORDER PATROL CHIEF, WHO ONCE BACKED IMMIGRATION REFORM, REMOVED FROM OFFICE Brandon Judd, the union president, said in an interview days before Trump took office that Morgan never had the support of agents. "(Vitiello) and I do not see eye to eye on a great, great many things but we were always able to keep it respectful, always," Judd said. "Morgan and I have not been able to do that." Union officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Morgan's abrupt departure alarmed advocacy groups that criticized the Border Patrol for lack of oversight of agents and what they considered a culture that condoned abuse and misconduct.. Morgan was briefly CBP's internal affairs chief in 2014 while on loan from the FBI, where he worked for 20 years and climbed the ranks to assistant director for training. During his first stint at CBP, he oversaw an extensive review of complaints of excessive use of force and employee misconduct. Ronald Colburn, who preceded Vitiello as deputy chief and recommended him as his replacement, said Vitiello brings experience and a mild-mannered temperament to the job. He said Vitiello's tenure as deputy and acting chief positioned him well. TRUMP'S TRAVEL DECREE: WHAT IT MEANS, HOW IT WORKS "He's a bootstraps leader, raised the rough the ranks, tested by fire," Colburn said. "If I were picking among 20,000 employees, he's the first one I would think of." The leadership change comes a week after Trump issued an executive order to build a wall on 2,000-mile border with Mexico, extending it from about 700 miles currently, much of it in California and Arizona. Vitiello also faces a tall order in hiring more agents. CBP says about two-thirds of job applicants fail a required lie detector, causing the Border Patrol to recently fall below 20,000 agents for the first time since 2009. CBP did not make Vitiello available for an interview Tuesday and declined to comment beyond the announcement on Twitter, which was signed by Kevin McAleenan, CBP's acting commissioner. The appointment is not subject to Senate confirmation. Judge Neil Gorsuch, in a low-key speech last spring, paid tribute to the man he eventually would be tabbed to replace going well beyond platitudes to an inspired, articulate defense of his own judicial mantra. Those remarks on the late Justice Antonin Scalia, in the midst of a heated presidential primary, caught the attention of a small group of conservative legal activists. Sources close to the selection process tell Fox News it was that lucid, literate display of conservative legal thought that gave advisers to then-candidate Donald Trump a growing confidence the Colorado native could be the right person to fill the vacancy. Now Gorsuch's journey has taken him to edge of the nation's highest court. Already, his nomination has been caught up in the partisan Senate warfare that dates back to majority Republicans blockade of then-President Barack Obamas nominee last year. But he is seemingly well-prepared, personally and intellectually, to navigate the tricky Senate confirmation process. "He is a very worthy successor to Justice Scalia," said Thomas Dupree, a former Bush deputy assistant attorney general. "Judge Gorsuch is a textualist, he cares about what our founders envisioned, he cares about the text of the Constitution. So I think when the senators meet him, and learn what he's all about, he will be confirmed." As every member of the Supreme Court may note, timing is everything -- being in the right place at the right moment when lightning strikes and the president chooses you above other qualified candidates. Gorsuch was in the mix from the beginning, being on a list of 21 names the Trump campaigned released last year -- an unprecedented peek at the kind of judge he would ultimately choose. All were proven conservatives, all but one a federal or state judge. While long admired by legal conservatives, the nominee, however, was not on the initial list that contained what many court watchers were told were the favorites. That included federal appeals court judges William Pryor and Diane Sykes, whom Trump had specially mentioned on the campaign trail. But Gorsuch slowly, subtly moved up the judicial food chain, widening his circle of support within the Trump team. The president, in introducing his nominee Tuesday, kept it short and simple. "Judge Gorsuch has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline, and has earned bipartisan support," he said. "As good as it gets." Sources say Gorsuch's star began rising after the election, when the focus on the Supreme Court became more acute. With low-key help from his legal advisers, and the input of Vice President Pence and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, the 49-year-old judge on the 10 Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals began to get more intense vetting. His Scalia tribute in April was a key selling point, an unintended way to make him stand out from other equally qualified judges, showing the accessible writing style that was cited as a key asset. "If you wanted to know what kind of justice he would be, those remarks gave you a handy idea of who he was, saying more perhaps than a bunch of opinions could," said one source, just after Gorsuch was nominated. The topic ostensibly was a summary of Scalia's remarkable life and times. Gorsuch, speaking at Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, recalled the moment when he heard the justice had suddenly died in February. "I was taking a breather in the middle of a ski run with little on my mind but the next mogul field when my phone rang with the news," he said. "I immediately lost what breath I had left, and I am not embarrassed to admit that I couldn't see the rest of the way down the mountain for the tears." But instead of piling on the superlatives, Gorsuch made a subtle turn to defend the larger impact legal conservative thought has had in the past three decades or so, when Scalia's 1986 ascension to the high court (and the elevation of William Rehnquist to chief justice) marked the beginning of a clear conservative majority on the court that promises to continue if Gorsuch is confirmed. And more importantly, Gorsuch offered a reasoned portrait of the role of judges that was uniquely his own. He cleverly cited the conflicting legal reasoning liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan reached in a contentious sexual abuse case the court decided just days before Gorsuch's speech. "At the end of the day, we may not be able to claim confidence that there's a certain and single right answer to every case, but there's no reason why we cannot make our best judgment depending on (and only on) conventional legal materials, relying on a sort of closed record if you will, without peeking to outside evidence," he said. "No reason, too, why we cannot conclude for ourselves that one side has the better of it, even if by a nose, and even while admitting that a disagreeing colleague could see it the other way." Conservative in theory, but far removed in tone from Scalia's reputation as an uncompromising jurist with a sharp pen and wicked wit to match. Intentional or not, Gorsuch's speech served as an audition of sorts, a sign this judge had the intellectual heft and quiet confidence to dissect the very court to which he would aspire. In the days before the January inauguration, Gorsuch was among a whittled list of a half-dozen possibles, and was then among four the incoming president personally interviewed. It came down to him and Judge Thomas Hardiman, of the Philadelphia-based 3rd Circuit. Sources say it was a close decision, with both men offering a range of favorables, with few noted downsides. Gorsuch received the nod in a phone call from President Trump himself on Monday night and 24 hours later was addressing the nation. Now that his professional dream is tantalizingly close, it will be his personal skills and expansive judicial record that will prove his measure. His mantra may be the words he gave in his speech nine months ago: "Hear courteously, answer wisely, consider soberly, and decide impartially. The evil Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) exploited the Turkish peoples appreciation for education, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, Anadolu reported. FETO supporters -- including academics, judicial officials, police officers, soldiers, teachers and business figures -- had followed a charlatans false claims, he told the audience at a Turkish Academy of Sciences awards ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Ankara. Like many heretical structures, FETO members have lost their way, Erdogan said. Forgetting what they are and who they are, they have become mankurt who do exactly what their owner orders. A mankurt is a Turkic word to describe someone whose mind is enslaved by another. FETO, led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, is held to be responsible for the July coup attempt in Turkey. Gulen spent decades establishing a network of schools and exam-cramming colleges in Turkey, whose students would go on to find careers in the state. According to the government, these supporters in the armed forces, police, judiciary, business and elsewhere have been used in an attempt to subvert the legitimate administration, with the coup attempt being the latest and most obvious example. FETO has also established a network of education institutions and businesses overseas. The ceremony heard Erdogan congratulate 35 academics and scientists for their contribution to Turkeys development. We really have progressed in this process to build a new and great Turkey from the way that science has enlightened us, he said. A thick fog recently blanketed the U.S.-Mexico border along Imperial Beach, Calif., a prime opportunity for border crossers to probe vulnerabilities in both the fence and the beleaguered agency patrolling it. In SUVs or ATVs, Border Patrol agents with video surveillance equipment and binoculars spent hours, as they do every day, scanning the hilly and treacherous terrain that connects Tijuana, Mexico, to Southern California to try and prevent anyone trying to illegally cross the border. By the next morning, the processing rooms at the U.S. Border Patrol Imperial Beach Station were filled with men. They included two men from Turkey who washed up onshore on surfboards and wearing wetsuits. Federal agents spent hours that morning questioning nearly a dozen detained men who were suspected of being from Pakistan. Its just a snapshot of what happens every day along the busy San Diego sector of the U.S. Border. Agents say they are doing all they can to protect the border, but for years have found themselves in a losing battle against a well-financed and sophisticated network of smugglers. "We are undermanned and there are revisions and renovations that need to be made in the infrastructure along the border," says Chris Harris, a veteran Border Patrol agent and director of legislative and political affairs for the National Border Patrol Council. Agents hope all that changes under President Donald Trump. BORDER PATROL CHIEF, WHO ONCE BACKED IMMIGRATION REFORM, REMOVED FROM OFFICE Harris said the unprecedented support the agency has received from Trump will reinvigorate an agency that has for years been hampered by inadequate funding, dismal resources and seesaw policy changes. On January 25, Trump laid out a forceful yet controversial border security policy through a series of executive orders that included suspending catch and release, moving forward on building a border wall and pledging to hire 5,000 more federal agents. The move drew outrage among immigration advocates across the country. But to the rank-and-file agents who have attempted to guard the border with a vague and contradictory mission for the past eight years and saw morale plummet to historic levels it was a welcome move they believe will make their agency more effective. When Trump was elected, there was an increase in optimism among the agents, but nothing like what weve seen in the past few days, Shawn Moran, vice president of the National Border Patrol Council, said in reference to Trumps executive orders. Moran said he saw first-hand how morale plummeted under the Obama administration. Agents, he said, felt handcuffed by stringent policies that prevented them from doing their jobs. Under catch and release, they were releasing nearly 80 percent of the people they apprehended trying to enter the U.S. illegally, Moran said. Moran said he is not totally surprised at the opposition Trump is receiving from sanctuary city mayors and the public, who he believes does not understand the implications of illegal immigration. Im not surprised by the reaction, Moran said, people just dont get it. DHS SECRETARY: BORDER WALL SHALL BE FINISHED IN TWO YEARS But overhauling the agency will not be an easy task. Harris said it will entail a philosophical paradigm shift and will require agents to rethink how they approach their missions. Our skill sets have atrophied in this arena during the last eight or so years concurrent with the previous presidential administration, said Harris. It will take a complete paradigm shift in some of the ways we conduct business, and even in the way we think. Our operational mindset needs to be rethought and rechanneled. Despite Mexicos pledge to stem the flow of Central American migrants entering its country from bordering Guatemala, the numbers have increased over the past year. The number of unaccompanied children apprehended at the Southwest border jumped nearly 50 percent between fiscal years 2015-2016, from 39,970 to 59,692. In the first three months of this fiscal year (Oct. 1-Dec. 31), 21,321 have already been apprehended, according to Border Patrol stats. But it is the number of family units apprehended that is staggering. Apprehensions jumped 95 percent between fiscal years 2015-2016, from 39,838 to 77,674. The numbers for the 2017 fiscal year have already surpassed the total for 2015, with 44,843 apprehended the past few months, according to Border Patrol. Trump has made it his priority to stem the flow of migrants coming in through the porous border saying its a matter of national security. The unprecedented surge of illegal migrants from Central America is harming both Mexico and the U.S. and I believe the steps we will take starting right now will improve the safety in both of our countries. It's going to be very, very good for Mexico, Trump said when announcing the executive orders. "A nation without borders is not a nation. Beginning today, the U.S. gets back control of its borders, gets back its borders." In his first public remarks abroad as U.S. defense secretary, Jim Mattis is criticizing North Korea for provocative acts that require new consultations with Japan and South Korea. Mattis spoke to reporters aboard his military plane Thursday en route to Seoul from Washington. Mattis says he needs to speak with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts during this trip about what new defensive steps might be needed to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The new Pentagon chief says his Seoul meetings will include discussion of deploying the U.S. missile defense system known as THAAD. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch easily won the support of top Democratic senators for a lifetime appointment to the bench ... in 2006. What a difference a decade makes. Several of the same senators who helped unanimously confirm Gorsuch to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in July 2006 are now railing against his nomination by President Trump to the highest court in the land. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday he has "serious doubts" about Gorsuch. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued a scathing statement citing Gorsuch's stance on assisted suicide, and saying nobody who believes individual rights are "reserved to the people" can support his nomination. But if they have long harbored concerns Gorsuch is extreme, they didn't much show it in 2006. Schumer, Wyden and many others were in Congress at the time of the unanimous voice vote on July 20 of that year. The record does not reflect who specifically was on the floor for the 95-0 tally, but it would have included most, if not all, of the following Senate members that year: Four former top Obama administration officials (President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry) and 12 current Democratic senators (Sens. Schumer, Wyden, Dianne Feinstein, Patrick Leahy, Patty Murray, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed, Bill Nelson, Tom Carper, Debbie Stabenow, Maria Cantwell and Bob Menendez). WHO IS JUDGE NEIL GORSUCH? In 2006, Leahy was as he is now the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the group tasked with questioning Gorsuch prior to a full chamber vote. But Leahy was not present during the session with Gorsuch at the time. Indeed, the only senator to question him directly was Republican Lindsey Graham, during testimony that lasted just 20 minutes, according to official congressional documents and The Denver Post. Leahy did, however, submit six written questions, ranging from queries on assisted suicide to consumer class-action lawsuits and congressional powers. Wyden, D-Ore., was the only other member of the committee to submit questions, asking Gorsuch mainly about the legality of a physician aiding a patient in dying and Oregons assisted suicide law. Gorsuch wrote about those topics in his 2006 book The Future Of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. KURTZ: GORSUCH, POLITICS AND PAYBACK Though Wyden ended up voting for Gorsuch after receiving the judges answers, Wyden cited that Oregon law Tuesday as one of the reasons he would now oppose Gorsuch being elevated to the high court. Gorsuch could become the first former law clerk to serve on the #SCOTUS alongside his/her old boss (Justice Kennedy) https://t.co/h7eHlqCdWY Fox News Research (@FoxNewsResearch) February 1, 2017 His opposition to legal death with dignity as successfully practiced in Oregon is couched in the sort of jurisprudence that justified the horrific oppression of one group after another in our first two centuries, Wyden said in a statement. No senator who believes that individual rights are reserved to the people, and not the government, can support this nomination. Schumer also has been a leading voice of the Gorsuch opposition. Judge Gorsuch has repeatedly sided with corporations over working people, demonstrated a hostility toward womens rights, and most troubling, hewed to an ideological approach to jurisprudence that makes me skeptical that he can be a strong, independent Justice on the Court, Schumer said in a statement. The change in tone today could reflect the overall hostility right now among Democratic lawmakers to numerous Trump appointees, as well as specific concerns about Gorsuch's judicial body of work since his confirmation to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Some of the senators now voicing skepticism also may still be smarting over majority Republicans blocking then-President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland last year. Leahy nodded at Garland in his statement on Gorsuch, saying: From my initial review of his record, I question whether Judge Gorsuch meets the high standard set by Merrick Garland. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Wednesday noted the dozen sitting Democrats who once backed Trump's nominee. Hes a widely respected jurist who deserves the nomination to be voted upon, Spicer said. President Trump inched closer Thursday to getting key administration posts filled, as Senate Republicans advanced his nominees to lead the White House budget office and the Environmental Protection Agency to a full Senate vote. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee swiftly took up the nomination of Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA after Democrats boycotted a scheduled vote on Wednesday. As colleagues on another committee did a day earlier to overcome Democratic delays, Chairman John Barrasso, R-Wyo., used a procedural maneuver to suspend committee rules requiring at least two Democrats to be present for a nomination vote. With 10 Democrats absent and the rules suspended, the committee easily voted to send the Oklahoma state attorney general forward for consideration by the full Senate. The move comes as Republicans scramble to advance a series of nominations that have been stalled amid Democratic resistance. In doing so, they've further inflamed tensions with the minority party. I am disappointed that our majority has decided to ignore our concerns and those of the American people, and break the Committee's rules in an effort to expedite Mr. Pruitt's nomination, Sen. Tom Carper said in a statement, referring to efforts by him and others to extract more information from Pruitt. Carpers fellow Democrat, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, suggested the nominee was engaged in an effort to hide information from the Senate before his confirmation. Barrasso countered that the delay was unprecedented, particularly because Pruitt had answered a total of more than 1,200 questions, which is more than the EPA nominees from the Obama, Bush, and Clinton administrations. He told reporters after the nomination hearing he was confident the Senate parliamentarian would sustain the rules change. Also heading to the full Senate is the nomination of Rep. Mick Mulvaney to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after clearing two separate committee votes. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Budget Committee voted 8-7 and 12-11, respectively, to approve his nomination. The homeland security committee was ready to vote on Wednesday, but Ranking Member Claire McCaskill of Missouri called for a delay until she could fully review Mulvaneys FBI file. The votes fell along party lines. Mulvaneys nomination hit a snag early in the process after the New York Times reported he failed to pay more than $15,000 in payroll taxes on a nanny. I have come to learn during the confirmation review process that I failed to pay FICA and federal and state unemployment taxes on a household employee for the years 2000-2004, conceded Mulvaney. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., voted for the nomination in the committee, but has expressed concerns about Mulvaneys commitment to strengthen the military considering the nominees support for budget cuts. McCain has not committed to backing him on the Senate floor. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A New Jersey judge will rule next week on whether a criminal misconduct complaint against Republican Gov. Chris Christie in the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal can go forward. Last week the Bergen County prosecutor's office wrote a letter to a different judge saying it wouldn't proceed with the case. Christie's lawyer wants the case dismissed entirely. Christie has consistently denied any wrongdoing. But the judge said Thursday that he would consider former firefighter William Brennan's complaint. Neither Christie nor his lawyer attended the hearing. The judge also denied Brennan's request for a special prosecutor to be appointed. Despite President Donald Trump calling it the worst deal ever, the United States has reportedly agreed to keep a promise by the Obama administration to resettle nearly 1,200 asylum seekers being held on Pacific island camps. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that during a weekend call, Trump had agreed to honor the agreement made by the Obama administration to resettle refugees. Recent reports have suggested the conversation between Trump and Turnbull was a fiery one. White House spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed on Wednesday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal. But a White House statement sent to Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Thursday said, "The president is still considering whether or not he will move forward with this deal at this time." The U.S. State Department said in a statement later Thursday that the United States would in fact honor the agreement "out of respect for close ties to our Australian ally and friend." Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to call the Obama administrations refugee program a dumb deal. Trump's administration also said "extreme vetting" would be used to check refugee cases. Australia refused to accept the refugees and instead pays for them to be housed on the nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. The State Department classified details on refugees to be resettled in America via a secret deal made with Australia. The New York Times has called the deal a one-time agreement. This is a backroom deal, wheeling and dealing with another country's refugee problem, Center for Immigration Studies fellow Don Barnett told FoxNews.com late last year. I dont believe for a moment its a one-time deal. Thats for public consumption. Secretary Jeh Johnson and Secretary of State John Kerry, key lawmakers Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. complained about the lack of candor in a letter written to the Department of Homeland Security. This situation is concerning for many reasons, the letter stated, adding, Your departments negotiated an international agreement regarding refugees without consulting or notifying Congress. "The United States has agreed to consider referrals from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of refugees now residing in Nauru and Papua New Guinea," the State Department said in a statement late last year. "These refugees are of special interest to UNHCR and we are engaged on a humanitarian basis, as we are in other parts of the world." Australia has been under fire for paying the surrounding island nations to house the refugees. The camps were reportedly created in an effort to curtail people smuggling. Australia has long had a policy which prevents individuals seeking asylum from entering the country before proper vetting. During a press conference in November of last year Turnbull said, Nobody is taking any more refugees, but what the Americans are doing is assisting these individuals on Nauru and Manus by bringing them in within their existing quota. Starting in October, the Obama administration increased the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. to 110,000 for the year. Officials confirmed some of the refugees countries of origin to be Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq and Sudan. Trump suspended U.S. refugee admissions for 120 days and set a 90-day ban on U.S. entry for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen in an executive order last week. Turnbull has resisted pressure this week to join other Western leaders in condemning Trump's temporary ban of immigrants from the seven Muslim-majority countries. Some observers suspect Turnbull has held his tongue because he is grateful to Trump for agreeing to honor the refugee deal. Fox News' Melissa Jacobs, Alyssa Madruga and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Law enforcement officials have interviewed the interloper who managed to slip into the congressional Republican retreat in downtown Philadelphia last week and are considering charges, Fox News has learned. Sources identified her as Philadelphia reporter Emily Guendelsberger. Officials from the Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police and Philadelphia police conducted the interview on Wednesday, Fox News is told, though she apparently has obtained a lawyer and did not answer questions. Fox News is told authorities are now looking at charging her with some form of trespassing. Guendelsberger was questioned, sources said, after posing as a congressional spouse and sneaking into the retreat, which featured presentations by President Trump, Vice President Pence, British Prime Minister Theresa May and scores of lawmakers. The host site Loews Hotel in Philadelphia was locked down during the retreat, preventing even journalists from entering, relegating them to across the street. But sources said Guendelsberger used a fake congressional ID to make it in, though she did not have an official spouse pin issued to significant others of members. Its not clear if Guendelsberger posed a threat to lawmakers. The Congressional Institute, which sponsored the high-profile forum, said that an intruder misrepresented themselves and was later evicted from the meetings. Another question is who made a covert recording of a high-level meeting on health care. The audio of the meeting was anonymously leaked to the New York Times and Washington Post. It is not clear if the interloper was responsible for the recording, but sources told Fox News that authorities are leaning toward that presumption. Fox News is told authorities also are examining potential wiretapping charges for Guendelsberger. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blocked funding to Austin on Wednesday after its sheriff said the citys jails would no longer honor most federal immigration detainers. Abbotts move begins a crackdown over sanctuary city policies in the state. The Republican governor is also pushing to sign new laws that could go even further than President Donald Trumps new executive actions against sanctuary policies. Travis County officials condemned Abbotts decision, which would cost Austin 1.5 million in grant money earmarked for crime victim services, courts and other programs. They stood by Sheriff Sally Hernandez, who announced after Trumps inauguration that her jails would only honor immigration holds I murder, aggravated sexual assault and human trafficking cases. Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt wrote in a letter to Abbott that she was confident the sheriff is within the law. "I am certain you have come to the same conclusion; else you would not be seeking to change current State law to put all Texas Sheriffs in the service of the United States Department of Homeland Security," Eckhardt wrote. TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT THREATENS TO OUST OFFICIALS WHO PROMOTE SANCTUARY CITIES The revoked funds came a day after Abbott used his State of the State address to declare a "sanctuary city" ban an urgent priority for lawmakers. A Senate committee on Thursday is expected to vote on a bill that would deny state grant funds to jurisdictions that discourage "inquiring into the immigration status of a person under lawful detention or arrest." Abbott has also called for the power to remove locally elected officials if they don't comply. Abbott announced the legislation in an interview Wednesday with "Fox & Friends," saying he and fellow Republicans in the Texas legislature are working to ban sanctuary cities and impose financial and criminal penalties on officials who fail to comply. "We are working on laws that will ... ban sanctuary cities [and] remove from office any officer-holder who promotes sanctuary cities," he said. While Abbott cant personally remove a local official, the governor hopes to work with lawmakers in Austin who have filed multiple bills that would punish local governments for not arresting or detaining immigrants living in the country illegally. Last November, Texas state Sen. Charles Perry filed SB 4 which would eliminate sanctuary cities in the state and was similar to one he filed during the 2015 session that would have required county jails to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What the governor said yesterday is that he wanted this added to a bill, a spokesperson for Abbott told Fox News. Its something that weve been bouncing around in the office for a while. While this is not the first time that Abbott has had to deal with a rogue law enforcement officer in regard to sanctuary cities in 2015, the governor warned Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez to back down from a policy change on federal immigration detention requests or face financial penalties his office says Hernandez has gone a step too far. Trump signed an order last week to withdraw funding from sanctuary cities that decline to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. It didn't specify what kind of money could be pulled. In California, San Francisco officials sued over the order, saying it was unconstitutional and an invasion of the city's sovereignty. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Making his debut as America's global envoy, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought Thursday to reassure U.S. diplomats who are anxious after a turbulent first two weeks of President Donald Trump's presidency. Still, he warned diplomats that unspecified changes would be coming. Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO, used his first appearance at the State Department to praise the members of America's diplomatic corps as "among the finest public servants in the world." He said he intends to pursue diplomacy based on core principles of honesty, respect and accountability. Yet he also noted that he was assuming the role following a "hotly contested election." "Each of us is entitled to the expression of our political beliefs," Tillerson said. "But we cannot let out personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team." The incoming secretary's remarks alluded to a "dissent cable" signed by hundreds of diplomats challenging President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees. Although the White House had warned diplomats as signatures were being collected that they should "get with the program" or resign, Tillerson adopted a notably more amicable tone. "No one will tolerate disrespect of anyone," Tillerson said to hundreds of State Department employees who gathered in a lobby on their boss' first day. "We are human beings first." Tillerson said diplomats should be aware that he might make changes to "how things are traditionally done," although he did not elaborate. Rather than move rashly, Tillerson said, he is gathering information "on what processes should be reformed." "Change for the sake of change can be counterproductive, and that will never be my approach," Tillerson said in his booming baritone voice, accented with the twang of his Texas background. After speaking for a few minutes, Tillerson paused for a moment of silence at a wall listing the name of fallen U.S. diplomats. On his first day, Tillerson planned to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II and with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. He was sworn in Wednesday evening in the Oval Office. For Tillerson, the diplomatic landscape looks far different than it did when Trump nominated him less than seven weeks ago. Trump has rattled diplomats with tough talk toward Mexico, Australia and Iran while stoking concerns about potentially dramatic changes of U.S. position toward Russia, Taiwan, and Israel and the Palestinian territories. An engineer by training who rose to the top of oil giant Exxon, Tillerson won Senate confirmation despite an effort to derail him by Democrats who criticized his close working relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Several Republican senators who raised concerns about Tillerson during his hearings ultimately voted for him. Though he has no experience as a diplomat, Tillerson used his confirmation hearings to portray himself as a levelheaded tactician with foreign policy views well within the mainstream. "Some people didn't like Rex because he actually got along with leaders of the world. I said, `No, that's a good thing,"' Trump said Thursday morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, which Tillerson also attended. "I think he's going to go down as one of the great, great secretaries." The Trump administration is reportedly looking to revamp the U.S. program used to counter violent extremism in order to focus directly on Islamic extremism. Reuters reported Thursday that the current program known as Countering Violent Extremism would be changed to Countering Islamic Extremism or Countering Radical Islamic Extremism. Sources told Reuters the program would no longer go after certain groups, such as white supremacists, who have also carried out violent acts across the U.S. The move would align with Trumps campaign vows to fight Islamic extremism and his criticisms of the Obama administration for being weak in its fight against the Islamic State. The current program hopes to deter would-be terrorists through community campaigns, education or social media campaigns through Google and Facebook, according to Reuters. However, a Homeland Security source told the news website that plans to change the name and focus began in December. The Obama administrations tactics to combat extremism involved local governments and police departments, universities and non-profit groups. The program hoped to build relationships with community groups and involve them in the counterterrorism effort. But the program repeatedly came under fire from Congressional Republicans who said it was too politically correct. Some critics fear that the rebranding could make things more difficult with building relationships with the Muslim community, especially after the outcry over Trumps executive order to halt immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. That is concerning for us because they are targeting a faith group and casting it under a net of suspicion, Hoda Hawa, the director for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, told Reuters. The funding for the current program had already been approved by Congress and grants were already given out before Trumps presidency began. A source told Reuters Homeland Security Chief John Kelly was still reviewing the matter. Click for more from Reuters. ADS ADS Mr. Philippe Leopold-Metzger will retire from his position as CEO of Piaget on 31 March 2017 after a career of 36 years in the Richemont Group and will become non-executive President of Piaget. His successor as CEO is Ms Chabi Nouri, who is currently Managing Director for Marketing & Sales at Piaget. Under Philippe Leopold-Metzger's leadership, Piaget has developed very successful collections of watches and jewelry, built a strong network of 100 stores worldwide and invested significantly in its two fully integrated manufactures. Mr. Johann Rupert, Richemont Executive Chairman commented On a day to day basis we will lose one of our most experimented and senior colleague this Spring. Philippe Leopold-Metzger has contributed so much to the development of his Maison and Richemont as a whole during his tenure as Chief Executive of Piaget. I want to thank him most sincerely for his significant involvement in transforming the Maison into the much broader-based business that we see today. We wish Philippe every success and a long, active and happy life. His knowledge of the business will be extremely hard to replace although we will continue to draw on his expertise in the future. Swiss-born Chabi Nouri earned her Masters in Economics from the University of Fribourg. Prior to joining Piaget in 2014, Ms Nouri spent 6 years at British American Tobacco as Worldwide Director for the brand Vogue and more recently as Marketing and Sales Director for Switzerland and Austria. She had previously worked for 10 years at Cartier. Chabi has already had a strong impact, in particular in redeveloping successfully Piaget's jewelry business and repositioning the brand. While capitalising on its history and unique heritage, as well as leveraging its development strategy across the world and launch a new managerial dynamic. She brings a unique perspective to the Maison Piaget thanks to her overall vision that is both strategic and operational. President Trump, in a series of early-morning tweets on Thursday, blasted the Obama administrations Iran nuclear deal, again putting the Islamic Republic ON NOTICE. Following up on National Security Adviser Michael Flynns stern public rebuke of Iran on Wednesday for its continued testing of ballistic missiles, Trump lashed out at Iran and the nuclear deal struck by former Secretary of State John Kerry which has been a frequent target of Trumps criticism. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Trump tweeted, quickly adding: Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion. Irans most-recent ballistic missile test occurred Sunday, Fox News was the first to learn, and followed a similar test on Dec. 6. Both of the launches appear to be in direct violation of U.N. Resolution 2231, which "calls upon" Iran to not conduct any activity related to ballistic missiles.including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Flynn made a statement prior to Wednesdays White House press briefing in which he delivered the same warning as Trump, putting Iran on notice and criticizing the Obama administration for failing to respond adequately. Moments before his Iran broadside, Trump also saluted U.S. Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens, who died in a firefight with Islamist militants in Yemen over the weekend. Trump journeyed to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday afternoon to meet Owens family and receive his remains. Attending Chief Ryan Owens Dignified Transfer yesterday with my daughter Ivanka was my great honor. To a great and brave man thank you! Trump also publicly congratulated his new secretary of state, businessman Rex Tillerson, who was officially confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday and sworn in. Tweeted Trump: He will be a star! President Trump vowed Thursday to defend and protect religious liberty on multiple fronts describing his recent immigration executive order as part of that goal during his first appearance as president at the traditional National Prayer Breakfast. In wide-ranging remarks, the president spoke about the uniting power of faith, honored members of the U.S. military, and even took a swipe at his successor on The Celebrity Apprentice, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Its been a total disaster, Trump said of the show since Schwarzenegger took over as host, reprising his taunts that the ratings have gone down the tubes after he was introduced at the breakfast by Apprentice creator Mark Burnett. I want to just pray for Arnold if we can, joked Trump, who is listed in the "Apprentice" credits as the show's executive producer. The movie star soon posted a video rejoinder on Twitter, saying, "Why dont we switch jobs? You take over TV because youre such an expert in ratings and I take over your job. Then people can finally sleep comfortably again. After his ratings aside Thursday morning, the president moved on to describe his administrations policies toward national security and immigration as part of an overarching fight for religious liberty. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION ON RISE AROUND GLOBE Amid criticism of Fridays executive order suspending the U.S. refugee program and restricting travel from seven mostly Muslim countries, Trump said his administration is developing a new screening system so that those who want to spread violence and intolerance are not admitted. My administration will do everything in its power to defend and protect religious liberty in our land. President Trump We will not allow a beachhead of intolerance to spread in our nation, he said. We want people to love us and to love our values. Trump also described terrorism as a fundamental threat to religious freedom saying peace-loving Muslims are being targeted and Christians are the victim of genocide in the Middle East as he vowed: It must be stopped. My administration will do everything in its power to defend and protect religious liberty in our land, he said. Trump also used the faith forum to reiterate a vow from his campaign to eliminate the so-called Johnson Amendment, which bars some tax-exempt groups (including religious groups) from taking firm positions on political candidates. I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment, he said. The breakfast itself marked a moment of calm amid a turbulent start to Trumps presidency. His administration since Friday has been battling critics over his executive order on immigration. He unveiled his Supreme Court nominee Tuesday night, touching off an instant battle with Democrats hinting they may try and filibuster as they simultaneously slow-walk consideration of a slew of remaining Cabinet nominees. Trumps secretaries of Treasury, Health and more still are not in place. At the same time, Trump is plowing ahead with a string of meetings with business leaders, phone calls (some of them tense) with foreign heads of state and other executive orders meant to jolt the economy and boost national security. A day earlier, his White House put Iran on notice over recent missile tests, a message Trump reiterated on Twitter shortly before Thursdays prayer breakfast. Shoring up a key U.S. alliance, Trump also met on the sidelines of the prayer breakfast with King Abdullah II of Jordan. As Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly voices confidence he can oversee the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall within two years, questions remain over how President Trump might fulfill the other half of his campaign promise making Mexico foot the bill. But despite Mexican leaders insistence they will not pay, and no shortage of skeptics this side of the border, the presidents team and outside analysts say Trump has several options for at least seeking reimbursement in the end. Mexico may pay for the wall and then some, said Marc Thiessen, a fellow with the American Enterprise Institute and former speechwriter for then-President George W. Bush. Thiessen, also a Fox News contributor, argues that Trumps vow to make Mexico pay was more than just campaign rhetoric. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said Sunday on CBS News Face the Nation that the administration indeed has a buffet of options. DHS SECRETARY: WALL SHOULD BE DONE IN TWO YEARS Based on campaign documents and comments from Press Secretary Sean Spicer, this could include: a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico, an increase in visa and border-crossing card fees, or even a lump-sum payment from Mexico of billions of dollars. The latter is perhaps the least likely scenario, considering Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos vow that his country would not pay though the Trump campaign had floated the possibility of threatening to cancel visas and/or restrict wire transfers as leverage. The import tax option gained prominence over the last week after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer mentioned it, in the wake of Trump signing the executive order directing the walls construction. Though Trump earlier had voiced skepticism about the tax, Spicer said last Thursday: If you tax that $50 billion at 20 percent of imports which is, by the way, a practice that 160 other countries do right now we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone thats really going to provide the funding. Spicer later clarified the tax was only a possibility and not a hard policy proposal, describing the idea as one route for financing the wall. Congressional Republican leaders say they plan on drafting a budget measure to provide funding for the walls design and construction on the front end. As for eventual reimbursement, Thiessen touted the import tax option as a triple play. Its a trifecta: it pays for the wall, its good tax policy and there is nothing Mexico can do about it, Thiessen told Fox News. Trump wants to encourage exports and discourage imports, and this will force Mexico to payif you want to do this without a big diplomatic blow up and actually get the money from Mexico, this is the way to do it. Thiessen specifically was touting whats known as a border adjustment plan, a broader proposal going beyond just Mexico which would exempt exports from taxation while taxing imports to the U.S. But Director of Research at the Center for Immigration Studies Steven Camarota said Mexico wont pay, the Mexicans will, as he played down the imperative of making Mexico pay. The way I see it is, the wall should pay for itself if it is effective, Camarota said. If the wall keeps immigrants out of the country, it is a net-fiscal benefit for the country, and so it pays for itself. At last weeks GOP retreat in Philadelphia, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., estimated a $15 billion cost associated with initial construction of the border wall, though independent research groups estimate it could be as high as $25 billion. Under the border adjustment proposal, Thiessen estimated the wall could be fully paid for in one to two years. GOP leaders say the president will send a supplemental appropriations request to Congress asking for funding for the wall, which an aide from the Senate Appropriations Committee told Fox News has not yet been submitted. But Democrats are likely to resist anything the Republicans put forward. The same Republicans who howled fiscal responsibility when it comes to investments to help working families are apparently willing to light billions of taxpayer dollars on fire and add to the federal deficit in order to build Trumps useless border wall, Drew Hammill, a spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said. The wall is a multi-billion dollar boondoggle in the making, and Republicans should be embarrassed at their brazen hypocrisy in enabling it. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, told Fox News the American taxpayers will ultimately be paying for the wall no matter what the administration says. Anyone that feels that Mexicans will pay this, in all due respect, is in fantasy land, Cuellar told Fox News. If anyone thinks were going to do 1,954 miles of fencing, its not going to happen. But former Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Fox News contributor, said Congress has a responsibility to review the request. This kind of stuff doesnt just happen overnight, Kucinich said. We dont want taxpayers to have to take it in the neck. Though Republicans have the majority on the Hill, Thiessen urged Democrats to go along: This is a pro-trade, pro-entrepreneurship, pro-U.S. manufacturing, pro-corporate tax reform its good for business. A lawsuit filed against Time Warner Cable is a reminder that buying a modem and router yourself is nearly aways a better idea than renting the devices from your cable company. New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman announced Wednesday that his office is suing Time Warner Cable, New York Citys biggest broadband provider, and its parent company over two issues. (The company was acquired by Charter Communications in 2016 and is officially known as Spectrum-Time Warner Cable.) First, the suit alleges that Time Warner Cable and Charter failed to deliver the internet speeds consumers were promisedand that aspect of the suit has received the most attention. Second, the Time Warner Cable is accused of wrongly assuring subscribers they could get those promised speeds via WiFi using the modem/routers provided by the company. In response, the company said: "Charter made significant commitments to New York state as part of our merger with Time Warner Cable . . . We will continue to invest in our business and deliver the highest quality services to our customers while we defend against these allegations involving Time Warner Cable practices." It's not only TWC customers who should look at alternatives to the hardware provided by their internet service. One issue is simply cost. We've found that it generally sets you back $5 to $10 per month to lease a cable-company router, meaning you'll pay anywhere from $60 to $120 a year in rental fees. (Time Warner Cable subscribers, for example, paid $10 per month.) If you look through our router ratings, you'll find recommended models that cost as little as $100. Simple math reveals that if you buy a router, it will quickly pay for itself, sometimes even within the first year of ownership. Another reason is that a cable-company router may not be equipped with the latest technologies. In the Time Warner Cable case, for example, the attorney general alleges that the company supplied customers with outdated equipment, knowing that the routers couldn't provide the WiFi speeds it had advertised. One final reason you may want to own a new router: We're currently in a golden age of router technologies and designs. Many of the newer models have sleek-looking designs you won't mind displaying in a living room and they can provide whole-home coverage, something you're not likely to get with cable-company routers. While many of these new, high-tech models are expensive, they are capable of providing the higher levels of WiFi performance required in householdslike mine, for instancewhere multiple family members regularly stream movies, play games, or watch YouTube videos. Whether you decide to get your own modem/router or stick with the one you rent, you'll want to get the best performance possible. Check out these simple tips for coaxing the strongest WiFi you can from the equipment you have. Copyright 2005-2017 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this site. A Spirit airlines passenger says she was thrown off a recent flight for baring too much bosom. The woman-- who has not been named-- alleges that she was preparing to travel from New Orleans to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. when she was repeatedly approached by the flight crew and told to cover up. "It's not even about money. I was really embarrassed," the woman told Miamis Local 10 News. But Paul Berry, a spokesman for Spirit Airlines, says the passenger was not removed for lack of clothing. "Nobody was taken off a plane because of cleavage," Berry said in a statement. "People are taken off of planes because of their behavior." According to Spirit, the young woman was ejected because she was intoxicated and disturbing other passengers though Berry admitted that the flight crew commented on her cleavage, too. The flight attendant made that decision, and as she was leaving, she said, 'By the way, you might want to cover up, added Berry. It was more of a personal statement to her. However, Berrys version of events is being disputed by at least two of the other passengers on the flight, including Cathy Supp, who also spoke with Local 10 News. "It was the injustice, the way they were treating this woman," said Supp, who was also tossed from the flight. Supp, a Florida resident, claims she was only trying to hand the quietly sobbing young lady a tissue when a flight attendant returned and began scolding both passengers for continuing to cause a disturbance: Supp also alleges that the flight crew was looking for any reason to free up the young womans seat for an off-duty flight attendant who was waiting on standby. Fellow passenger Bob Kowaleski also defended the young woman, writing that the flight crew embarrassed her, and that she didnt appear any more out of bounds than anyone else on flight. A representative for Spirit Airlines was not immediately available for comment. Two Delaware Department of Correction (DOC) employees were being held hostage at a maximum-security prison Wednesday night as inmates remained locked in an hours-long standoff with authorities. DOC Commissioner Perry Phelps told reporters that four staff members at the the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna were taken hostage at around 10:30 a.m. ET after a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance. One DOC employee was released approximately four hours later, while a second was released shortly before 8 p.m., Phelps said. The first hostage was taken to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries and Delaware Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Rob Coupe said the second freed hostage was being examined by medical personnel. Earlier Wednesday, authorities said that five prison employees, not four, were being held by inmates. Officials did not specify whether any of the hostages were guards or prison counselors. MAN WHO STABBED 3 IN HOLLYWOOD RESTAURANT KILLED BY POLICE In addition to the staff members, 27 inmates had left Building C. Authorities said they didn't know whether the inmates had been held against their will. It was not immediately clear how many inmates were holding the hostages or whether they were armed. Inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Officials said they had no knowledge of the phone calls during a Wednesday evening news conference and did not discuss whether the inmates had made any demands. We are looking for more O blood type and platelet donations to go to Smyrna. Please RT https://t.co/J0wsbXvlkk Blood Bank Delmarva (@DelmarvaBlood) February 1, 2017 POSSIBLE PLEA DEAL DISCUSSED IN MURDER OF TENN. STUDENT HOLLY BOBO Video from above the prison showed uniformed officers gathered in two groups along fences near an entrance to the prison. Later, video showed several people surrounding a stretcher and running as they pushed it across the compound. It wasn't clear if a person was on the stretcher. People could be seen standing near a set of doors with an empty stretcher and wheelchair. Gravell said firefighters were called to the scene after reports of smoke and were being held on standby. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, housing about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It is also the site of the state's death row and where executions were carried out. The prison opened in 1971. In 2004, an inmate raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours at the Smyrna prison, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. Fox News' Tamara Gitt and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A 7-year-old South Carolina boy made the find of a lifetime while he was journeying with dad to the toy store Tuesday. According to WBMF-TV, Shane Steele and his son had stopped at a gas station in Horry County while on their way to Toys R Us. Steele was filling up the air in his vehicles tires when his son found a $20 bill with red dye all over it. Steele went inside the store and asked if the bill was real. After buying his son a Gatorade, the boy went to deposit the drinks plastic wrapping into the trash bin and found a horde of money stashed away. Steele told WBTW-TV he called police right after discovering the money. It was a surreal moment, he said. That will probably never happen again in my lifetime, finding that much money. Steele said it was a teachable moment for his son. The moral lesson for him to do whats right and that will be the best path and he feels great about what we did, he explained. The boy told WBTW-TV that he never thought about keeping the money. Police said they were searching for Brian Humphries Jr., 35, in connection with two bank robberies that occurred at the end of January. Humphries allegedly robbed a Conway National Bank on Jan. 23 and then hit a TD Bank on Jan. 28. Steeles son received awards for integrity and for caring after finding the cash. Click for more from My Fox 8. Ryan Gaydos is a news editor for Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @Gaydosland. The story of a Latina who regained her sight thanks to what is believed to be a miracle performed by St. Charbel, has awakened interest in the relics of this Lebanese saint being kept at a church in Phoenix, Arizona. Dafne Gutierrez is convinced she was able to see again after she visited the relics at St. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church a year ago. So many people continue to visit the chapel since that it was decided to create a sanctuary in his honor. The Lebanese pastor of the church, Fr. Wissam Akiki, told EFE that the construction of the sanctuary has already begun and will be shaped like a half-moon, with a large statue of the saint standing at the center. Gutierrez, whose blindness was healed on Jan. 18, 2016, insists that what happened to her was truly a miracle. "The doctors can't explain it. At first they thought I was imagining things because I so longed to see, but when they examined me no damage to the optic nerve was to be found," she said. "They were surprised, because according to their diagnosis, I was never going to see again, not even with a cornea transplant," she said. Cristofer Pereyra, director of the Hispanic Office of the Phoenix Diocese, said that Bishop Thomas Olmsted himself spoke with the doctors and checked very carefully the womans case. The bishop went to make sure there was no scientific explanation for the miraculous recovery of Dafne's sight, Pereyra said. Fr. Akiki said that thousands of people now visit the saint's relics for their miraculous powers. "Dafne came to confess to me, and I told her to pray and have faith. Then I made the sign of the cross on her forehead and her eyes. And then St. Charbel performed the miracle that would benefit her three children," the priest said. The relics of St. Charbel, whose real name was Youssef Antoun Makhlouf, visited Phoenix between Jan. 15 and Jan. 17, 2016; they have toured various parishes around the country since October 2015. In view of the great devotion of the faithful to this saint, it was decided to leave a fragment of his hand in Phoenix, a city with a large Lebanese community. Gutierrez, who had lived with the Arnold Chiari malformation since age 13, went blind in both eyes several years ago. "I remember hearing on the news about a saint who did miracles, but I'd already been to so many churches I wasn't very excited about it. It was my sister-in-law who convinced me," she said. St. Charbel died at age 70 at a Maronite monastery in Lebanon on Christmas Eve, 1898. His body lies in a tomb and was said to remain undecomposed for the greater part of a century. The saint, who has a long history of healing the sick and disabled, even after his death, was beatified on Dec. 5, 1965, and canonized on Oct. 9, 1977, by Pope Paul VI, making him the first Lebanese saint. The body of a Nashville police officer who fell into the Cumberland River while trying to rescue a woman was recovered. The Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed with heavy hearts in a tweet around 8 a.m. Thursday that a fire department diver found the body of 44-year-old Eric Mumaw. In tribute to Officer Eric Mumaw, 44, an 18-year MNPD veteran, who gave his life this morning in service to Nashville. pic.twitter.com/4MQI9DW9MZ Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) February 2, 2017 Metro Nashville Police spokesman Don Aaron said during a news conference that the officer, an 18-year veteran, was last seen in the river about 50 to 60 yards from a boat ramp. Aaron says two officers were responding about 4:30 a.m. Thursday to a call about a 40-year-old woman who relatives said was contemplating suicide. He said they found the woman in a car on the boat ramp near the water's edge. Aaron said it appeared that she was about to get out of the car to go with officers when the vehicle went into gear and rolled down the ramp, which ended abruptly under the water. "The two officers as the car was rolling tried to make heroic efforts to save the woman who was in the vehicle," Aaron said, but both officers ended up falling into the river. One was able to get back to get back to the bank. Aaron said that officer tried to grab the other officer but was unsuccessful. "There are police officers now looking along the riverbank. There's a helicopter in the air from the police department scouring the riverbank, hoping that we can find our officer," Aaron said. Divers and boats are also searching in the water, which authorities said is very cold. "We need the thoughts and prayers of the city for this police officer," Aaron said. He said crews found the woman from the car about an hour later on the riverbank and she was taken to a hospital for treatment. Metro Nashville Fire Department spokesman Brian Haas said river conditions were brutal, with a fast current on top of cold temperatures. "It's extremely dangerous for anybody to be in that kind of a situation," he said The Associated Press contributed to this report. Watches are not rocket science Watches are not rocket science Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,... A Massachusetts nonprofit is launching a nationwide campaign to get more Muslim Americans involved in local politics. Jetpac Inc. is focused on training Muslim Americans to leverage social media, data analysis and other critical tools to build winning political campaigns for city council, school committee and other down ballot races. A separate, nonprofit political action committee is also looking to raise money for Muslim candidates. Shaun Kennedy, Jetpac Inc.'s executive director, says the Muslim American community is far behind other minority groups in political organization. Deborah Schildkraut, a Tufts University political science professor not affiliated with the effort, says the campaign is among a range of efforts attempting to turn the energy of recent protests against President Donald Trump's policies into something tangible. Friends and the U.S. Coast Guard were ramping up their search Thursday for a filmmaker who vanished while scuba diving off the Florida Keys two days earlier. BIZARRE DISAPPEARANCE OF CALIFORNIA MAN UNDER INVESTIGATION Search continues today for missing diver Rob Stewart @USCG working w partners throughout night and today pic.twitter.com/ZliDKdKZzW USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) February 2, 2017 Rob Stewart, director of the 2007 documentary Sharkwater, disappeared around 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday near Alligator Reef off Lower Matecumbe Key, according to the Coast Guard. He is from Toronto. Friends taking part in the rescue said Thursday they had plenty of search boats ready to go, but needed people to take the boats out on the water. U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Jonathan Lally told the Sun Sentinel that Stewart was among the crew on a vessel named The Pisces. He said Stewart was last seen after resurfacing but disappeared when the boat turned around to pick him up. MEXICAN POLICE FIND 6 KIDNAP VICTIMS DEAD ON ROADSIDE One of the divers had passed out after reaching the surface -- indicating a possible problem, according to Stewart's father, Brian. He told reporters his son had thousands of hours of diving experience. The search-and-rescue efforts spanned an 11-by-25-mile area. The Facebook page for Stewart's documentary "Sharkwater" shared the news and asked for donations on a GoFundMe account to support the search. It had raised more than $112,000 by Thursday afternoon. Stewart is a wildlife photographer, filmmaker and conservationist. His films include "Sharkwater" and "Revolution," released in 2013. He's also written two books, "Sharkwater: An Odyssey to Save the Planet" and "Save the Humans." Rob is a very, very experience diver, he said, according to the Sun Sentinel. His mission in life is to save the worlds oceans from the devastation being wreaked upon them. Joseph Pickerill, a spokesman for Canada's foreign minister, said he couldn't confirm personal details but said Canadian consular officials "are in direct contact with the family and will support them during this difficult time." Coast Guard officials say the Navy, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office are assisting in the search. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A U.S. appeals court has agreed that older refugee students can choose to attend a mainstream high school instead of an alternative school in Pennsylvania. Disputes over how to educate 17- to 21-year-olds with little formal schooling are erupting across the country. School officials in Lancaster say they welcome refugees but need the flexibility to place students where they see fit. They believe older students have a better chance of earning a diploma at the alternative school. The American Civil Liberties Union says that program is less rigorous in both English language instruction and other subjects. The appeals court has agreed in a ruling this week that lets the ACLU's six plaintiffs choose which school to attend until a trial this summer. Lamarr Monson spent more than 20 years behind bars for murder -- and it turns out he might be innocent. New evidence shows someone else is likely responsible for the death of 12-year-old Christina Brown back in 1996. A judge granted Monson a new trial earlier this week. Monson took his first steps toward freedom Wednesday night as he walked out of the Wayne County Jail on bond. His mother dared not let him go. "It's surreal right now for me, it's just surreal," he said. "I've been dreaming about this time to just hug my mom and be free." His mom says she never lost hope that this day would come, because she knew her son was innocent. A judge granted him a new trial Monday after lawyers from the Michigan Innocence Clinic introduced a new witness who identified a different man as Brown's killer, Robert Lewis. This information played a role in the judge's decision, as well as damning evidence that Lewis's fingerprint was found on a toilet tank lid - which prosecutors say was the murder weapon. Click here to read more at Fox 2. As the new government puts together a plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, in El Paso, Texas, the idea of a border wall is nothing new. The border town siting directly across from Juarez has had fencing for over 25 years. It has been significantly enhanced over the years, especially between 2007 and 2009, when large steel fencing was installed between the two cities. DHS SECRETARY: BORDER WALL SHOULD BE FINISHED IN TWO YEARS Former Congressman Silvestre Reyes, who is also the former chief of El Paso Sector Border Patrol, believes the fence plays a big role to improve safety for both residents and law enforcement. From an officer safety standpoint and a managing the border standpoint, its very effective, said Reyes. While Reyes was chief of the El Paso Sector, he enacted the Operation Hold the Line, where all available border patrol agents worked a 20-mile section in El Paso to prevent people from running across the border. He told Fox News that thanks to the operation illegal crossings in El Paso dropped from 10,000 a day to 500. HOW FEASIBLE IS TRUMP'S PROPOSED WALL? Local business owner Dorine Brown was seriously considering moving her store away from the border area until a fence was built directly behind it in 2005. She recalls how undocumented immigrants would run inside her shop to hide from border patrol and entire families would break in and sleep in her warehouse overnight. We havent had a single person cross [since then]. Not one, said Brown. Allyn Echaniz, who also owns a business right on the border, said the fencing is the best thing ever. She understands that some people are against the wall, but she says she can attest to the security gains it brought to the town. She said one night the alarms went off in her business because someone was trying to carve a hole into the back of her building. She also said over the year she has watched many people run across the Rio Grande and through her property, or on the highway in front of her business. She said its a lot safer now. I guess its not a friendly looking thing, but if you stop and think about it, dont we all have a front door and a back door to our homes? said Echaniz. In some areas, theres more than just a fence. For instance, 8 miles around the Ysleta Port of Entry in east El Paso, theres an additional steel barrier about 15 feet high, a canal with swift water flowing directly on the other side, and another barbed wire fence along the canal. Even with all that security, border agents still patrol the area day and night. Former Border Patrol Agent Martin Wilson who began his career in 1985, when just about the only thing stopping illegal immigration was the Rio Grande River and his fellow agents, agrees that the fencing is helpful. He remembers being part of Operation Hold the Line and how effective it was for the safety of the city. It is a big deterrent, it is effective in that sense, he said. It gives us that deterrence and gives us time, and with the proper resources then we can be more effective. A Navy SEAL killed in action last week during a raid in Yemen will be posthumously advanced to senior chief petty officer, the Navy announced Thursday. TRUMP MAKES PRIVATE VISIT TO HONOR SLAIN NAVY SEAL Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Ill., died Jan. 29 of wounds sustained in a raid targeting Al Qaeda. The Navy approved an exception to policy request for Owens' posthumous advancement, effective the day of his death. VOLUNTEER FIGHTER REPORTEDLY KILLED HIMSELF SO ISIS COULDN'T CAPTURE HIM Owens, who was eligible for the fiscal year 2018 active duty Senior Chief Petty Officer Selection Board, was the first known U.S. combat casualty since Donald Trump took office less than two weeks ago. More than half a dozen militant suspects were also killed in the raid on an Al Qaeda compound and three other U.S. service members were wounded. More than a dozen civilians were also killed in the operation, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed by a drone strike in 2011, The Associated Press reported. Owens joined the Navy in 1998 and was the recipient of two Bronze stars, a Joint Service Commendation and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among other honors. In a statement following his death, the Navy Special Command called Owens a "devoted father, a true professional and a wonderful husband." President Trump's visited Delaware's Dover Air Base to pay his respects in a trip that was shrouded in secrecy. His death underscores the human costs of the military campaigns Trump now oversees. Far fewer troops are serving in combat now than in the wars Trump's predecessors led in Afghanistan and Iraq, but thousands of Americans remain in hotspots around the world. In Afghanistan, where America's longest war continues, about 8,400 U.S. troops are training and advising local forces. More than U.S. 5,100 troops in Iraq and about 500 in Syria are involved in the campaign against the Islamic State group. The U.S. also engages in counterterrorism operations -- mainly drone strikes -- in Yemen, where Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has exploited the chaos of the country's civil war. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The guard found dead Thursday after a Delaware prison hostage standoff that stretched for nearly a day was a 16-year veteran of the force, investigators revealed, saying they considered all 120 inmates in the building as suspects. WHIRLWIND HEIST: VIDEO SHOWS THIEVES STEAL $250G OF GOLD AND DIAMONDS IN SECONDS Sgt. Steven Floyd, 47, was found unresponsive at James T. Vaughn Correction Center in Smyrma once police made their way into the building early Thursday, Dept. of Corrections Commissioner Perry Phelps said. He did not reveal how Floyd died. A relative told Fox News Floyd was a married father. "Sergeant Floyd remained steadfast and never wavered in his duties as a sworn law enforcement Officer," the corrections department said in a statement. Four prison workers were taken hostage in all. A woman identified as a prison counselor was rescued unhurt as the siege ended. Two other guards escaped Wednesday night. PAROLE RECOMMENDED FOR FOLLOWER OF CHARLES MANSON Investigators did not reveal a possible motive. They said the inmates used "sharp instruments" to take over the building, but did not elaborate. Perry also said three maintenance workers hiding in the prison's basement were able to make their way to the roof where they were rescued early Thursday. The prisoners blocked doors with foot lockers filled with water, Delaware Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe told reporters. He said corrections officers ultimately knocked down walls with a backhoe. Gov. John Carney said it was a very sad day across the state of Delaware with the loss of one of our brave corrections officers and said flags would fly at half-staff. We will no stone unturned to make sure that our correctional facilities are secured and that our employees are safe, Carney added. Our officers work together... but every day is dangerous, Coupe added. The standoff forced Delaware to lock down all of its state prisons. A preliminary investigation suggested the disturbance began around 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C --which houses more than 100 inmates -- radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. One inmate who claimed he was a hostage spoke to The News Journal over the phone Wednesday afternoon, saying the hostage-takers' grievances included President Trump. Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. We know the institution is going to change for the worse, one inmate said in the call. That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority, along with effective rehabilitation and information about how money is allocated to prisons. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. Bratz initially said five workers were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Fox News' Serafin Gomez, Griff Jenkins, Lucia Suarez Sang and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man who received a life sentence at age 16 for his role in a fatal robbery is getting out prison. A Tampa judge on Wednesday ruled that 39-year-old Floyd LaFountain has been jailed long enough and resentenced him to 22 years. With time served, LaFountain should walk free in a few days. LaFountain expressed remorse for the 1994 death of 73-year-old Manuel Huerta. A series of court decisions declaring it unconstitutional to give juveniles life sentences opened the door for a reduced sentence. Prosecutors noted LaFountain's good behavior in prison. The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/2jvRlIg ) reports he'll serve 15 years of probation and was ordered not to return to the Athol, Massachusetts area where he was raised. Sixteen-year-old triggerman Kyle Moran also received a life sentence. A Missouri man was charged with murder after two of his three children told teachers at school that he had stabbed their mother to death. According to court documents, authorities were alerted to the incident and found the woman's body Monday morning after the children, 8- and 9-year-old boys and a 6-year-old girl, were taken to school by their father. Vincente Roldan-Marron was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Yadira Gomez. Roldan-Marron told authorities he blacked out after drinking alcohol and taking pills and couldn't remember what happened. Independence police detectives told the Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/2l0gVBy ) that the three young children spent the night in the same home as their mother. "The children were witness to a portion of this," said Officer Luis Virgil, who is helping the children and their grandparents. "You know that these children just witnessed something that no one would be able to deal with even as adults." He said authorities were moved by what the children endured and began filling a candy jar with donations. By Wednesday the police department employees chipped in more than $1,400. "We saw this big need for the family and kids," said Virgil. "It kind of tugged at our hearts because of what they witnessed." The Independence community also contributed to the family. Best Buy donated three Android tablets for the children. Other donations made to help the family include grocery gift cards, food, clothing, toys, movie passes, new mattresses and money for funeral expenses. The apartment complex also moved the family into a newer and bigger unit. According to Virgil, the family had recently moved to Independence from New York. ___ Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com LG G6, which is LG's flagship phone for 2017 , has an unibody design and a screen size of 5.7 inches. (Photo : YouTube/My Smart Price Web Technology Pvt Ltd) LG G6 specs include minimal bezels, USB Type-C port and a dual rear camera. LG G6 will release at Mobile World Conference, which will be held in Barcelona. The LG G6 is expected to release on Feb. 27 at MWC. Apart from LG, other companies are also going to release their upcoming gadgets. Sony is going to launch five new smartphones whereas Xiaomi is planning to skip the event, altogether. Advertisement LG is planning to incorporate the latest features and capabilities in their flagship device so that it can have a good run in sales. In this endeavor, the device is going to come with a fingerprint sensor, which will be placed on the back of the smartphone, according to GSM Arena. Earlier in 2016, there were speculations that LG G6 may have a metal unibody but it may come with a different back cover, according to recent images of the prototype released by Droid Life. The device also has an USB Type-C port on the bottom, which is placed next to the microhole and the mono speaker. Bezel-free devices are going to be the norm of the future and hence, LG G6 comes with minimal bezel so much so that the front side is almost taken up solely by the display unit. The 5.7 inch display screen may have rounded corners but it is not known. Other LG G6 specs include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and a touchscreen of 2800X1440 pixels. It may also come with the latest Google Assistant and provide competition to Apple's Siri. On the other hand, LG G5 did not have a great run in sales and therefore the company is hoping that LG G6 will redeem the company with decent sales, this time around. LG is eleasing their flagship device before other companies so that they can have a good run in sales bereft of any competitors. Samsung S8 is expected to release in April so the LG G6 will have an unprecedented two months monopoly on the market. Watch the video to know more about the possible LG G6 specs, expected release date and other details here: next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The Latest on an Indiana man charged with punching a police officer at an Elizabeth Smart event (all times local): 12:35 p.m. Kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart is thanking police after an officer stopped a man with a knife from approaching her at an event at Indiana State University. Smart's spokesman issued a statement Thursday saying she "is grateful for law enforcement and Indiana State University's quick response and that the event and her work continued undeterred." ISU Police Chief Joseph Newport says 80-year-old Claude Hudson was fiddling with a 3-inch knife, then concealed it and headed toward Smart, who was signing books. Hudson is accused of punching the officer who stepped in to stop him from reaching Smart. Hudson of Terre Haute, Indiana, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a battery charge. A judge set his bond at $25,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation. Authorities say he has a history of arrests in California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Tennessee. ___ 11:55 a.m. Authorities say a man punched a police officer who stopped him from approaching kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart with a knife. Eighty-year-old Claude Hudson of Terre Haute, Indiana, pleaded not guilty to battery Wednesday. The charge stems from an event Monday at Indiana State University, where Smart spoke about overcoming adversity. She was 14 in 2002 when she was abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom and held for nine months. ISU Police Chief Joseph Newport says Hudson was fiddling with a 3-inch knife, then concealed it and headed toward Smart, who was signing books. Hudson punched the officer who stopped him. Hudson's public defender and Smart's representative haven't responded to requests for comment. There was no answer at a phone listed for Hudson in Terre Haute. Investigators have found no connection between Hudson and Smart. A Mexican delegation met U.S. military officials in southern Mexico on Tuesday to discuss security initiatives, sources said on Wednesday, as the two countries try to find common ground in tough negotiations over trade, security and immigration. The relationship between the United States and Mexico has become strained after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to build a wall between the two countries to keep out illegal immigrants, drug dealers and criminals and make Mexico pay for it. MEXICO HIT BY SURGE OF 5K HAITIAN, AFRICAN AND ASIAN MIGRANTS ON THEIR WAY TO THE U.S. Lori Robinson, chief of the U.S. Northern Command, and Kurt Tidd, head of the Southern U.S. Command, attended the talks, two people familiar with the matter said. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity so they could discuss the meeting. It was one of the first known meetings between U.S. and Mexican officials since Trump became president in January, after threatening to upend years of cooperation between the two neighbors with divisive rhetoric on trade and security. One of the sources said the talks focused on Mexico's commitment to securing its southern border to keep out criminals and illegal immigrants. The source said that U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson also attended. Mexico's Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray was not present. A third source said Socorro Flores, deputy minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, represented Mexico at the meeting. DHS SECRETARY: BORDER WALL SHOULD BE FINISHED IN TWO YEARS U.S. Northern Command spokesman Michael Kucharek confirmed Robinson and Tidd visited Mexico on Tuesday as part of "continued coordination in partner nation security," adding that the two also went to Honduras and Guatemala. A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Mexico City said: "The southern border visit has been planned for months and gave U.S. authorities a chance to learn first-hand about the challenges Mexico faces in protecting its borders." The spokesman did not provide further details. Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos said Wednesday that the riot that canceled his planned speech at the University of California-Berkeley was "heavily ironic and very, I think, self-defeating for the social justice left." 'WHITE PRIVILEGE' ESSAY CONTEST STIRS UP CONTROVERSY IN CONNECTICUT TOWN Yiannopoulos' planned talk was scrapped after violent protesters hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and started a bonfire outside the student union where he was to appear. "No ones safety is at risk from different opinions," Yiannopoulos told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" in a phone interivew. "No ones physical safety is endangered by political ideas from a speaker on campus, but universities have sort of allowed this stuff to happen, and even in some cases encouraged it." TRUMP HINTS THAT FEDERAL FUNDING COULD BE CUT AFTER BERKELEY RIOT The Berkeley appearance was to be the 32-year-old's last stop on a nationwide college tour that has sparked protests and occasional violence. Yiannopoulos told Carlson that he believes the protesters view him as a proxy for President Donald Trump, whom he vocally supports. "I annoy the feminists and the Black Lives Matter guys probably almost as much as Trump does, certainly on college campuses," Yiannopoulos said. "So, they go for the next best thing. They go for ... the person they think they can scare. Well, they dont scare me. I will continue to give college talks until the day I drop dead." Yiannopoulos has made remarks in the past that have been criticized as racist, misogynist, and anti-Muslim. Of his opponents, Milo said, "They never want to debate because theyre scared of losing. They dont have the facts on their side and for 30 years the left has been able to bully people into silence by name-calling and theyve forgotten how to argue." "UC Berkeley condemns in the strongest possible terms the actions of individuals who invaded the campus, infiltrated a crowd of peaceful students, and used violent tactics to close down the event. We deeply regret that the violence unleashed by this group undermined the First Amendment rights of the speaker as well as those who came to lawfully assemble and protest his presence," university spokesman Dan Mogulof responded. A Mississippi school district is moving forward with a plan to desegregate its schools, 62 years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court ruling. TEACHER HAS PERSONALIZED HANDSHAKES WITH EACH OF HIS STUDENTS The Cleveland School District must come up with a plan to merge the schools, federal district court judge Debra Brown ruled last May, stating in her opinion that the delay in desegregation has deprived generations of students of the constitutionally-guaranteed right of an integrated education. The school system has been under a separate desegregation court order for decades. The district has two high schools. All students except two at East Side High School are African-American. The other two are Hispanic. At Cleveland High School, 48 percent of students are black, 45 percent are white, 1 percent are Asian and 5 percent Hispanic. 'GET OFF YOUR PHONE!!' DAY CARE'S MESSAGE TO PARENTS GOES VIRAL Since 2013, students have been allowed to choose which school they want to attend but East Side High has remained mostly black, even after attempts to attract a more diverse group of students. Advanced academic programs have been assigned exclusively to East Side High since the 1990s. The programs are open to students from Cleveland High and those who chose to enroll are bussed. For the 2014-2015 academic school year, 48 Cleveland High students took one or more International Baccalaureate courses at East Side High. Among those 48 students, 62.5 percent were white, 29.2 percent were black and 8.3 percent were other races. The school district conceded that the Dept. of Justices plan to merge the schools is constitutional, but had concerns over school capacity, the continuation of the International Baccalaureate program and loss of extracurricular activities. Jamie Jacks, the attorney for the Cleveland School District, said a drop in white student enrollment was another concern. According to Jacks, the district noted a 3 percent drop in the enrollment of white children after the courts decision last year but she admitted that not every student went through an exit interview to determine the reasons for withdrawal. She added that the district has always followed the direction of each court order throughout the years. However, on Monday the district announced it unanimously agreed to withdraw its appeal and move forward with the merger. The district is also moving all 7th and 8th grade students to one junior high school located on the campus of what is now East Side High. The high school would be located on the campus of Cleveland High and Margaret Green Jr. High. According to Jacks, the board decided to settle the case after a meeting with school leaders and hearing concerns from parents. Diversity is a goal of the Cleveland School District and to have diversity within the district you need students of all races, Jacks said in a phone interview with Fox News. East Side High School principal Randy Grierson said his students were ready for the change. Grierson would take over as the principal of the newly merged Central Cleveland High School later this year. Im really proud of how our kids responded because this is one of those things that, its going to happen, Grierson said. Instead of being against it, theyre just going with whats accepted and theyre making the most of it and theyre positive about it. As for the response from parents, Bolivar County Sheriff Kelvin Williams -- whose son was a 10th grader at East Side High School -- said the community should move forward and support the students. Williams was part of a multi-racial advisory panel created last fall. The group consisted of parents, community members and plaintiffs from the case. Im just happy that my child and all the rest of the [children] will be able to benefit, Williams said. He noted the increased opportunity for students under the wing of a much larger school. The opportunity is far greater by being together than it was being separate. East Side High School has been the pride and joy for many members of the African-American community in Cleveland. Edward Duvall graduated from East Side High in 1977 and his son, Edward Duvall Jr., is an 11th grader at the school. Duvall was one of the private plaintiffs on the case and a member of the multi-racial advisory group. He said some in the black community were unsure about giving up the heritage and culture of East Side High, but now people are getting behind the merger. Its not going to be easy trying to merge the two bands. Those are two different types of cultures, Duvall said. The Cleveland High School Wildcats and the East Side High School Trojans will now be known as the Central Cleveland High School Wolves starting August 2017. The new deputy director of the CIA is a career spymaster who once ran a CIA prison in Thailand where terror suspects were waterboarded a harsh interrogation technique President Donald Trump has supported. CIA Director Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that he has selected Gina Haspel to be the first female career CIA officer to be named deputy director. She has extensive overseas experience, including several stints as chief of station at outposts abroad. In Washington, she has held several top senior leadership positions, including deputy director of the National Clandestine Service and deputy director of the National Clandestine Service for Foreign Intelligence and Covert Action. She also had a role in the CIA's former covert program where suspected terrorists were subjected to harsh interrogation methods, including waterboarding, which simulates drowning. More than a decade after it was last used, the CIA is still haunted by the legacy of a tactic that the U.S. government regarded as torture before the Bush administration authorized its use against terrorist suspects. It's unclear if Pompeo's pick signals an attempt to restart the harsh interrogation and detention program. Last week, news organizations obtained a copy of a draft executive order that would order up recommendations on whether the U.S. should reopen CIA detention facilities outside the United States. It also orders a review of interrogation methods used on terror suspects and calls for suggested modifications that would not violate the U.S. legal ban on torture. Haspel briefly ran a secret CIA prison where accused terrorists Abu Zubayadah and Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri were waterboarded in 2002, according to current and former U.S. intelligence officials, who spoke earlier to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. She also helped carry out an order that the CIA destroy its waterboarding videos. That order prompted a lengthy Justice Department investigation that ended without charges. Trump, who has pushed for tougher interrogation techniques, said he would consult with Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis before authorizing any new policy. But he said he had asked top intelligence officials: "Does torture work? And the answer was 'Yes, absolutely.'" Haspel was lauded by veteran intelligence officials, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who recently retired. "It speaks well of him for picking a seasoned veteran of the agency who is widely and deeply respected by the workforce as well as those outside the agency," Clapper said in a statement. "She has also been a strong proponent for integration, not only within CIA, but across the intelligence community." A disturbing wave of seven suicides and likely drug overdoses has swept through Columbia University so far this school year and students say cutthroat academics and inadequate campus counseling programs are in large part to blame. The student deaths include three in January alone two of whom police suspect ODd, plus an exchange student from Japan who killed herself by leaping from the seventh-floor window of her Broadway dorm. The four other student suicides came once a month, from September through December, The Post has learned. They include a promising 21-year-old journalist, a 29-year-old Navy veteran, a Moroccan exchange student and an 18-year-old freshman from Brookfield, Missouri, named Taylor Gilpin Wallace. You dont know how badly I want to jump out that window right now, Wallace, who would be Columbias October suicide, said in a Facetime call from his John Jay Hall dorm room to his mother in Missouri days before quitting school, moving back home and hanging himself in his basement. Click here to read more at the New York Post. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Nonprofit groups are rejecting federal grant money to combat violent extremism because of what they described as President Donald Trump's actions against the Muslim and Arab community. The Obama administration in its final days awarded 31 grants through the Homeland Security Department worth a total of about $10 million. Those agreements haven't been signed, and no money has been distributed. Now, two groups said they were rejecting the money they already had been offered, and a third objected to Trump's plans. Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities in Dearborn, Michigan, said it was turning down $500,000 for youth development and public health programs because of the "current political climate." Ka Joog, a leading Somali nonprofit in Minneapolis, rejected nearly $500,000 for its youth programs. "Our nation's new administration and their policies which promote hate, fear, uncertainty and even worse; an unofficial war on Muslim-Americans and immigrants," the group said in a statement. The Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond to phone messages from The Associated Press. Trump has endorsed extreme vetting and ordered a temporary ban on refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Charities that already have worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, Justice Department and Homeland Security Department, said they were reacting to discussions within the Trump administration to exclusively target "radical Islamic terrorists" under a U.S. program to counter violent extremism. A U.S. official with knowledge of the discussions said the Trump administration has been discussing a change in policy, which would change the Obama administration program's name, established in 2014, to some iteration of "countering Islamic extremism." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak publicly. Most of the 31 federal grants were promised to municipalities, but also to nonprofit groups such as Life After Hate Inc. in Chicago, which received $400,000 for its work with former white supremacists a large portion of which will also go to a partner group to work with al-Qaeda and Islamic State group inspired individuals. The U.S. official said it was unclear whether a group such as Life After Hate would continue to receive funding or be included in any future program. The co-founder of Life After Hate and a former white supremacist, Christian Picciolini, said such a change would be troubling and "sends a message that white extremism does not exist, or is not a priority in our country, when in fact it is a statistically larger and more present terror threat than any by foreign or other domestic actors." White supremacist groups saw renewed interest during the presidential campaign that many credited to Trump's candidacy. Picciolini said a change to focus on Muslims would "further marginalize them and strain an already shaky relationship between law enforcement and Muslim communities." Picciolini said that since the group had not received its funding yet, "I suppose it's possible it could be rescinded altogether." The nonprofit Washington-based Muslim Public Affairs Council has been working on a new intervention program to bring teams providing social services, mental health counseling and religious educators to communities in at least 10 cities, including Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta and Chicago. It had encouraged the Muslim community to give the countering violent extremism program a chance. "If there's a policy change that basically in effect tells us we have to fight our own religion, then this is a fundamental violation of our constitutional rights and we will consider all possible actions for redress, " said Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Councils. "A policy change that stigmatizes the Muslim community and treats them as a suspect community (means) we have to rethink everything in terms of our whole approach toward policy engagement toward this administration." He said there was such disarray throughout federal agencies that "nobody knows where this is going." "To implement the program takes a lot more and has to have the right environment to help it succeed. Now with this toxic vitriol coming out of the White House ... this administration may undermine everything we've been working on for the last 10 years," Al-Marayati said. Suehaila Amen, a director for Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities, said members voted unanimously Jan. 26 to reject the funds and were influenced by recent discussions of a possible name change. "What's most important is we protect our community and their needs and concerns," she said. "Our patriotism isn't tied to a grant, and at the end of the day we need to continue to serve our community (and) ensure is transparency and trust, and we're not willing to compromise that." Amen, who worked with the Bush and Obama administrations to help build outreach to minority groups domestically and internationally, said she told U.S. officials this past week that she will no longer be participating in discussions around countering violent extremism with the Trump administration. ___ Follow Tami Abdollah on Twitter at https://twitter.com/latams. A wanted felon who had been deported to Mexico in 2004 but managed to make his way back into the U.S. was finally arrested Tuesday in New Jersey. COLOMBIAN WANTED IN DEATH OF JOURNALIST IS DEPORTED Javier Atlixqueno-Vaquero, 37, was captured as he was leaving his home in Newark. He served time for charges including sexual assault with a minor before he was deported. He had been living in the U.S. illegally for an unknown period of time, officials say. GUARD FOUND DEAD IN DELAWARE PRISON STANDOFF WAS 16-YEAR DEPARTMENT VETERAN The man was included recently in the list of most wanted fugitives by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE). A convicted felon and one of our most wanted fugitives, Mr. Atlixqueno-Vaquero is a threat no more and is in custody awaiting removal from the United States," said John Tsoukaris, field office director for ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations. "I commend the hard work and dedication of our officers, he said in a statement. Since Oct. 1, 2009, immigration authorities have expelled more than 1,700 foreign men and women being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In addition to the sex assault charge, Atlixqueno-Vaquero was convicted for felony sale of drugs and felony failure to appear in court. Hundreds of ethnic Yemeni business owners who operate New York City corner bodegas and neighborhood delis closed shop Thursday in protest of President Donald Trump's travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The shops were locked at noon and were to remain shuttered until 8 p.m., according to organizers of a late afternoon rally in downtown Brooklyn. At least 1,000 Yemeni-run small businesses are a part of many New Yorkers' daily lives, said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who planned to attend the rally. Haron Zokari closed his Manhattan deli at noon, as well. He said his wife and baby are stuck in Yemen after almost completing a four-year, green-card process. "We are trying to stay strong," he said. "There's people there who are refugees and who are starving and running for their lives, so thank God we don't have it as bad as they do." JUDGE ORDERS HALT TO TRUMP'S BAN FOR IMMIGRANT HOLDERS Trump's executive order barred people from Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria from entering the U.S. for 90 days. Under the order, travelers have been detained, sent back from the United States or stranded in other countries. Zaid Nagi, who owns three delis in the Bronx, said the ban disrupted plans to bring his mother to the United States, where he has lived for more than 20 years. The 36-year-old married father of four said the point of the protest was to say, "We are part of this community. We are not who this order is trying to say we are." He said most of his customers had expressed solidarity with the shutdown. "They know who we are. They know we are human beings just like them," he said. "I believe in the good people of America." Shenzhen Luohu Metro Station (Photo : TimmyME/YouTube) Perhaps the greatest gift that the Zhao family received this Lunar New Year is the rescue of their three-year-old boy, who was kidnapped last Thursday. The boy was rescued after being kidnapped by a middle-aged woman for 15 hours. The father reported shortly after 17:00 on Thursday that their son has gone missing while playing near their home in Shenzhen. The family searched for the little boy for over an hour but were unsuccessful. Advertisement Through a surveillance video, the local police determined that shortly after 15:40, the boy was taken away in a taxi by a middle-aged woman whom the family did not know. The police identified the woman surnamed Wei, who is a 34-year-old migrant worker from Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The woman was unemployed and lived in a hotel in Shenzhen. When the authorities arrived at the hotel, they found that the woman took the boy to the hotel but had already left. Police followed Wei to the Luohu Railway Station in Shenzhen and were tipped by the railway police that the woman boarded a train with the bay to go to Wuchang, Huhang Province at 18:00. She was spotted on the train and when it arrived in Wuchang just a little after 6:00 last Friday, the police arrested her and rescued the Zhao's little boy. Wei said she took the boy and pass him off as her own son to rekindle her relationship with her ex-boyfriend. She gave birth to a boy in 2015 in Shenzhen but the baby died shortly after. She broke up with her boyfriend after giving birth but the man was unaware of the baby's death. This year, Wei wanted to meet her ex-boyfriend in Hubei for the Lunar New Year. With the fast thinking of the police, they were able to intercept Wei just before she could have gotten farther away from Shenzhen. Prince Johnson, a former warlord-turned-politician who is best known for having videotaped himself overseeing the torture of Liberia's ex-president, announced Friday he is quitting the political party he founded. For years since the end of Liberia's civil war, Johnson has tried to erase his violent past, first becoming an evangelical pastor, and later running for office. He was already a senator from his native Nimba County when he founded the National Democratic Union Party in order to run for president in the 2011 election. Despite his notorious past, he came in third, allowing him to play the role of kingmaker in the election by throwing his support behind Nobel Peace Prize winner President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who won a second term with Johnson's backing. On Friday, Johnson told The Associated Press he was leaving the party because the party's executives "do not have regard for me as the standard-bearer, founder and financier." He added that the people he had brought on board to run the party were bent on "diluting my vision for the party and the country." He also claimed that party officials couldn't account for the funds he had loaned them. "They were behaving like grasshoppers or birds, who cannot produce but can only chop (or eat)," Johnson said. "I won't pray that the party dies, because if it succeeds, the credit will go to me." The spokesman of the party, Eric Gbemie, welcomed Johnson's resignation saying in a local radio interview that there were other financiers who were prepared to help the political body. Nimba County, in Liberia's northeast, borders Ivory Coast and Guinea. It's there that warlord Charles Taylor started Liberia's civil war on Christmas Eve in 1989. Before joining Taylor's movement, Johnson headed his own rebel group and in September 1990, his men kidnapped Liberia's then-President Samuel Doe. They brought him to Johnson, who decided to videotape what came next. On the grainy footage which was broadcast around the world, Johnson can be seen sipping beer as attendants fan him. Doe is on his knees begging for his life. In front of the rolling camera, Johnson's men then cut off Doe's ears. The president died in Johnson's custody. Syria's regime says it will need at least a year to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal, but if Libya's experience is anything to go by, this is a hopelessly optimistic forecast. Damascus has provided the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) with a full inventory of its chemical arsenal, in order to avert US-led military strikes in line with a US-Russian deal. The plan calls for Syria's arsenal to be destroyed by mid-2014 amid hopes that it could pave the way for peace talks to end the 30-month Syrian conflict which has killed more than 110,000 people and forced two million more to flee abroad. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said last week "it needs a year, or maybe a little bit more" and $1 billion for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons. But judging by the Libyan experience, that "little bit more" could stretch to years. Nine years after Tripoli signed on to the Chemical Weapons Convention, the new authorities are still trying to destroy the remainder of the stockpile they inherited from slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi. The process began early in 2004 when Kadhafi, keen to shake off Libya's "pariah state" image, signed the Convention and joined the OPCW. Libya had 13 tonnes of mustard gas when it signed the treaty, but the former regime claimed at the time to have destroyed the munitions needed to deliver the deadly substance. In the years following the signing, Kadhafi's regime destroyed around 54 percent of its mustard gas stocks and about 40 percent of the chemicals used to manufacture the substance, besides 3,500 bombs intended to deliver deadly chemicals. The process, supervised by OPCW experts, was interrupted by the 2011 uprising against Kadhafi in which he was ultimately toppled and slain by Western-backed rebels. The experts' work resumed in 2012. "The process of elimination is being conducted step-by-step, with the latest stage of the destruction of chemicals taking place between December, 2012 and May, 2013," said Colonel Ali Chikhi, spokesman for the Libyan army staff. To date, he told AFP, "Libya has destroyed 95 percent of its mustard gas stocks and is on course to eliminate the remainder by 2016 at the latest". The largest stockpile of the gas is inside a warehouse in the city of Al-Raogha, around 700 kilometres (435 miles) south of the capital Tripoli. "Chemical substances stored in warehouses are strictly monitored and subject to draconian controls by Libya and the international community," said Chikhi. Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz, meanwhile, told AFP that agreement had been reached with the United States earlier this month for technical help in destroying the remainder of Libya's chemical weapons. Abdelaziz added that a team of US experts was expected in the country in the next few days. Washington, the minister added, will meet 80 percent of the costs for the operation while Germany will pick up the shortfall. Latest technologies will be used to prevent the environment being impacted in any way. Abdelaziz stressed that the project envisages destroying only "mustard gas and chemical products considered toxic and dangerous". For the moment, Libya's stocks of concentrated uranium, or yellowcake, will not be touched. At the end of 2011, in the aftermath of the revolution that toppled Kadhafi, a large stock of yellowcake was discovered at an arms depot in the city of Sabha, in southern Libya. "Libya is trying to determine if the concentrated uranium can be used for peaceful nuclear energy purposes or sold to countries which use the product for peaceful purposes," said the minister. The stockpile has since been secured in collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors. But the Centre for Strategic Studies in Tripoli has asked the Libyan authorities to ensure the concentrated uranium is used for the benefit of Libyans, in "industrial and agricultural development and in the production of clean energy". next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 On his first trip to the European Union since the U.S. presidential election, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday is heading to Hungary, the nation whose leader has cozied up to Moscow despite Russia-West tensions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a populist dubbed "little Putin" by his opponents, has been critical of the U.S. and of EU sanctions imposed on Russia for its action in Ukraine. Speaking ahead of Putin's visit, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the EU sanctions against Russia have failed to achieve their objectives and cost Hungary some $6.7 billion in export opportunities. He also pointed at what he described as the previous U.S. administration's pressure on Hungary to prevent it from warming up to Moscow. "The whole world is noticeably holding its breath while waiting to see if there will be rapprochement ... in American-Russian relations and if so, to what depth and dimension," Szijjarto said. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to mend ties with Russia, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russia's meddling in the U.S. elections. For the first time since his inauguration, Trump on Saturday had a phone call with Putin, which both the White House and the Kremlin described in strongly positive terms. "If American pressure has been taken off European countries in terms of the sanctions, and there seems to be a good chance for this, I believe all of those who emphasized pragmatic relations and talked about the need to reevaluate the sanctions will be more courageous and that will be a new basis for debate," Szijjarto said Wednesday. Hungary has also voiced hope for better ties with Washington under Trump. Orban has criticized the past administration for what he described as attempts to influence Hungary's domestic policies, such as a ban on entering the U.S. for six Hungarians, including the then-head of the Hungarian tax office, because of corruption allegations. Orban, who has faced EU criticism for building a barbed-wire fence along its borders with Serbia and Croatia to stop migrants, has a sympathetic interlocutor in Putin, who has warned that flows of migrants could destabilize Europe. Putin's foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov hailed what he described as "good personal ties" between the Russian and Hungarian leaders. Putin last visited Hungary in February 2015, and Orban traveled to Moscow a year ago. Discussions focused on long-term supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary and a deal to expand Hungary's Soviet-built nuclear power plant with a 10 billion-euro loan provided by Russia. Ushakov said during this visit the parties will discuss the possibility of extending prospective Russian pipelines to Hungary, as well as the Paks nuclear plant deal. The plant, launched in the 1980s, now accounts for about 40 percent of Hungary's energy consumption, and building two new reactors there will double its output, Ushakov said. The project is still awaiting permission from the European Commission, which Ushakov said has stymied it with "quibbles." ____ Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report. The 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was killed in a drone strike in 2011, was reportedly among those killed Sunday during a raid in Yemen. The Guardian reported that Nawar al-Awlaki was killed after suffering a gunshot wound to the neck. The girls grandfather told the paper that he did not believe the girl was targeted. I dont think this incident was intentional, the former government minister said. He told the paper that the location of the strike was confusing because it was not a hotbed for Al Qaeda, rathera tribal sheikhs fighting the government, which is supported by Iran-backed Houthis. More than a dozen civilians were also killed in the operation, The Associated Press reported. Col. John Thomas, a spokesman for central command, told the paper that the U.S. military was unaware that the girl was at the location. Thomas said Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has a horrifying history of hiding women and children within militant operating areas and terrorist camps and continuously shows a callous disregard for innocent lives. The Sunday raid on a believed Al Qaeda compound, which also claimed the life of a U.S. Navy SEAL, turned into a brutal firefight in Bayda province. A Marine helicopter, gunships, Harrier jets and two MV-22 Ospreys were called in to extract the raiders, Reuters reported. One of the two suffered engine failure and had to be destroyed, the report said. Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in 2011 in a CIA-led U.S. drone strike, marking the highest-profile takedown of terror leaders since the raid on Usama bin Laden's compound. Fox News reported that two Predator drones hovering above al-Awlaki's convoy fired the Hellfire missiles which killed the terror leader. Al-Awlaki was a U.S.-born Islamic militant cleric who became a prominent figure with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the network's most active branch. He was involved in several terror plots in the United States in recent years, using his fluent English and Internet savvy to draw recruits to carry out attacks. President Obama signed an order in early 2010 making him the first American to be placed on the "kill or capture" list. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the raid yielded an unbelievable amount of intelligence. A defense official told the Associated Press that the mission was planned by the Obama administration but authorized by Trump. A U.S. official told Reuters that surveillance of the compound was minimal, at best. The decision was made ... to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected, that official said. The Associated Press contributed to this report In the past year, the persecution of Christians has not only increased, but it has also spread to more corners of the globe with incidents occurring on every continent, according to a new report. The advocacy group Open Doors USA recently released the latest edition of its annual World Watch List, which ranks countries based on the treatment of their Christian populations. The group said the increase in incidents considered persecution was alarming and only getting worse. "It is appalling that Open Doors has to report that persecution has increased again in 2016 and we are still at the worst levels of persecution in modern times," David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA, said to Fox News. "The spread of persecution has gotten worse, now hitting nearly every continent in the world. There were 23 Christians killed in Mexico specifically because of their faith. CHRISTIANS THE MOST PERSECUTED GROUP IN WORLD FOR SECOND YEAR: STUDY The report comes on the heels of another study by the Center for Studies on New Religions that showed nearly 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2016 and that as many as 600 million were prevented from practicing their faith through intimidation, forced conversions, bodily harm or even death. These numbers underscore what we already know," Robert Nicholson of the Philos Project, an advocacy group for Christianity in the Middle East, told Fox News at the time of the reports release. "There are many places on Earth where being a Christian is the most dangerous thing you can be. Those who think of Christianity as a religion of the powerful need to see that in many places its a religion of the powerless. And the powerless deserve to be protected. Open Doors said in its new report that some 215 million Christians around the globe are facing some degree of persecution. But that number, it noted, could actually be much higher. Our report is conservative because it only calculates incidents that are reported and can be validated, Curry told Fox News. It is likely that there are thousands of incidents that are never reported and nobody knows because Christians are often fearful to tell anyone even their own family members." Curry said the group has seen an uptick in persecution in various countries throughout Asia, driven by governments and Islamic extremism. Christians in that part of the world have been targeted by nationalist religious movements -- Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist -- in such countries as Pakistan, India and Myanmar. Governmental raids increased, church membership requirements were suddenly doubled overnight resulting in churches being regarded as now illegal, among other things, Curry told Fox News. This is one area of the world that we are keeping a careful eye on because of the dramatic rise in persecution. Many of these groups increasingly view Christianity as a foreign, "colonial" import, and believe its practitioners are doing the bidding of the West, experts say. India saw some of the highest increase in incidents as Hindu nationalists battered Christian churches ever since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2014. Since he has been in office, Modi has instilled Hindu nationalism, and experts say that has had devastating consequences for Christians in India. There was an average of 40 incidents per month of Christian persecution last year in the subcontinent, including pastors beaten, churches burned and Christians harassed. Eight Christians were killed for their faith. Of the 64 million Christians in India, approximately 39 million experience direct persecution, according to the Open Doors study. While Christians continue to be targeted by ISIS radicals in Syria and Iraq, the religion is also under threat in other sections of the Middle East with incidents of Christian persecution on the rise in Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations. Surprisingly, North, Central and South America are also seeing increases of Christian persecution even though Christianity is by far the most practiced religion in the region. In all, 23 Christian leaders in Mexico and another four in Colombia were killed specifically for their faith. While Mexico is considered more than 80 percent Catholic, a number of priests have come under attack and killed in the country the past few years. MEXICOS CHRISTIANS FACE BEATINGS, FORCED CONVERSIONS AT HANDS OF HYBRID FAITHS In January of last year, some 30 evangelical Christians in the state of Chiapas were banished by village elders who then destroyed their homes, according to supporters. Curry said he hopes the Open Doors list will bring more attention to the global epidemic. "It is vital to remember that the Open Doors World Watch List is not just about numbers. Rather, this represents a real life that was either taken or harmed. It is someone's mother, father, brother, sister, friend, etc., he said. This is one of those issues that really are about life and death. It matters what we do as Americans and it is time that we took a stand and said that we will not allow this to happen anymore." For more than 6,000 years, the marshlands of southern Iraq played a major role in sustaining the agriculture, economies and livelihoods of those residing in the Fertile Crescent. Living in arched reed houses and relying on water buffalo along with rice, barley, wheat and pearl millet for sustenance, the inhabitants of these wetlands the so-called Marsh Arabs maintained for centuries a lifestyle that was both unique and separate from the rest of the Middle East. But things changed rapidly in 1992, when former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein angered by claims that the Marsh Arabs were harboring defeated Shia rebels decided to punish them by sending engineers to divert the Tigris and Euphrates rivers away from the marshes. The billion dollar retaliation project was disastrous turning the almost 20,000-square-miles of marsh into a virtual desert and displacing the half million people who called the region home. Now with Hussein dead and a tenuous Iraqi government attempting to bring some semblance of peace to the turbulent nation, officials in Baghdad along with scientists from the United States are working to revive what was once the Middle Easts largest wetlands and help the Marsh Arabs return to their ancestral homeland. These are our marshes, theyre a key part of our heritage, and were doing everything we can to get the water to them to preserve them, Hassan Janabi, Iraqs minister of water resources told the Guardian. Last July, UNESCO designated Iraq's marshes as a world heritage site. Restoring the wetlands, however, is not as simple as just breaking up the dams and dikes and flooding the area. After the U.S. invasion in 2003, a lot of people tried to knock down the dams and dikes, Jennifer Pournelle, a professor at the University of South Carolina who has spent the majority of her academic career studying the ancient civilizations that once thrived along Iraqs southern marshes, told Fox News. But when you drain a marsh, you cant just put water back in because you just get muck. Since the marshland was destroyed in the early 1990s, numerous dams have been built on both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to irrigate land not just in Iraq but in neighboring Turkey and Syria. Turkey alone has built at least 34 large dams on the Euphrates and Tigris and their tributaries. While these dams have no doubt helped farmers in drier northern Iraq, they have also prevented the flood pulse from the Taurus and Zagros mountains from flushing out the marshland leaving only stagnant water in the remaining parts of the region. Adding to this quagmire is that earlier efforts to refill the wetlands used waste water from farms, irrigation returns and nearby cities like Basra and Nasiriyah. Marshlands naturally act as natures water filter in that they separate toxins from the water, but without any water moving through the area the marshlands cant do their jobs. Its like pouring water onto a cheap sponge, Pournelle said. The water just turns into a toxic sludge. Pournelle, along with her colleagues at USC and the University of Basra in Iraq, believe that the best way to help restore the region is through constructed wetlands. Designed to emulate the features of natural wetlands, a constructed wetland acts as a biofilter to remove sediments and pollutants from the wastewater before channeling the cleaner water into parts of the wetlands that scientists hope to revive. Researchers say that it is probably not feasible to bring the Iraqi wetlands back to their original size given the damming upstream and the years the ecosystem has spent without water. But that doesnt mean that the area, and the lifestyle of its former residents, cant be saved. You cant replace the ecosystem but you can use the wetlands to treat urban wastewater, Pournelle said. Then we can at least move people and the livestock out of the urban centers and back into the marshes. But moving the former residents back will not be easy. After the exodus from the marshes following Husseins construction projects, many of the Marsh Arabs settled in squatters camps on the outskirts of Baghdad, Basra and Nasiriyah. In the ensuing two and a half decades, many of the exiled Swamp Arabs have set up lives and businesses for themselves in the cities and are wary of returning to a life without the amenities of contemporary living. Still, there are some who hope to return to the life that famed British adventurer and writer Wilfred Thesiger described in his seminal work on the people and the region as The Marsh Arabs. "Memories of that first visit to the marshes have never left me, wrote Thesiger, before describing scenes of life there. He added: Probably within the next 20 years, certainly within the next 50, they will have disappeared forever." While Thesigers words proved prophetically true, recent efforts look to not only bring back that lost way of life but add some modern comforts to the marshs inhabitants. Iraqs Ministry of Water Resources last summer dredged up tons of mud to create 43 islands, with one island dedicated completely to infrastructure projects such as a classroom and a filtration system to make the salty marsh water potable. "There is modern housing, there's refrigeration, there are roads, schools. Now the boats have engines so it takes no time to get the grasses," Om Hussein, a Marsh Arab, told National Geographic. So far, about 250,000 people have trickled back into the marshes over the last 10 years mostly making their home around the roads that Hussein had built, where access to amenities is better. Acknowledging the difficulties that lie ahead, Pournelle said that its ultimately up to Iraqis to take matters into their own hands if they want to right Saddam Husseins wrong. The end game, she said, is where Iraqis get the idea that a destroyed wetlands needs to be fixed by preserving the existing wetlands. A day before European Union leaders meet to discuss closing off the illegal migrant route from Libya, Italy laid some of the groundwork Thursday by reaching a deal with the Libyan prime minister to try to stop migrants from setting out to cross the central Mediterranean. Premier Paolo Gentiloni told reporters Thursday night after meeting Libyan Premier Fayez Serraj in Rome that the two sides signed a memo of understanding to step up cooperation and to fight migrant trafficking from Libyan shores. A European Union summit scheduled for Friday in Malta on Friday is focused on finding ways to reduce the number of migrants leaving from Libya. Italy's Coast Guard has coordinated the rescue in the Mediterranean near Libya of hundreds of thousands of migrants in the last few years. Gentiloni called his deal with Serraj "just a piece" of a wider plan that will be discussed in Malta and require an economic commitment from the EU's member countries. EU Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday the EU summit would pave the way for humanitarian action to save lives of poor people with no chance of being granted permission to remain in Europe. The meeting comes amid global criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump's restrictions on refugees and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. Tusk wants tougher action from the 28 EU leaders to break smuggling rings and the dangerous journeys on which they take migrants because "this is the only way to stop people dying in the desert and at se, and this is also the only way to gain control over migration in Europe." "This goal is within our reach," he said on the eve of the summit. After reaching a deal with Turkey to curb the number of desperate migrants setting off for Europe, EU leaders have been contemplating a similar accord with the internationally recognized but largely ineffective Libyan government. Migrant traffickers have funneled hundreds of thousands of economic and war refugees into southern Libya to await passage toward Italy's shores. Serraj told reporters in Rome that his agreement with Gentiloni calls for more support for Libyan Coast Guard vessels patrolling the waters off the country's north and "humanitarian repatriation" of migrants. Serraj said economic deals between Italy and Libya are being discussed. Human rights groups and some EU leaders have worried about the fate of migrants who set off for Europe from Libya. Most are economic refugees from Africa and unlikely eligible for asylum. Some who reached Italy described being held in Libya for months before their smugglers arranged for flimsy boats to send them across the Mediterranean, where most ended up being rescued in operations coordinated by the Italian coast guard. Survivors have told of rape, torture, inadequate food and forced labor while awaiting passage from Libya, which has largely been left lawless after the 2011 demise of Moammar Gadhafi and his regime. Gentiloni said the EU's "economic commitment" would be vital for any success of the Libyan-Italian plan. Tusk had already discussed Italy's move with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande and said that the leaders had agreed on the need to support Italy and the memorandum. "Europe should and will stand by Italy in sharing responsibility," he said. With warmer weather coming, fears are that weekly migrant drownings in the Mediterranean will increase. Last year, at least 5,083 people died in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the International Organization for Migration. The EU is now working with Libyan authorities to make sure the migrants do not board rickety sloops and head into the unforgiving waters, and will require that the bloc step up its aid to Libya's government. In the draft summit declaration obtained by The Associated Press ahead of the summit in Malta, the 28 EU leaders say "authorities (need) to acquire control over the land and sea borders" to combat smuggling. It says the EU will give priority to training and equipping the Libyan coast guard. The EU already has a military presence in international waters off Libya to counter smugglers and save lives but moving inside its maritime border would have a bigger impact on keeping migrants from boarding smugglers' boats. "We are talking about a complicated situation on the ground," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. "We have an interest as Europeans to invest." Beyond Libya, EU investment to counter people from leaving Africa would have to be extended over a big swathe of nations from Ethiopia to Nigeria, making for a very costly arrangement. In Turkey, EU committed 3 billion euros through to the end of the year to help the mostly Syrian refugees there. On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a long meeting in Ankara before moving to Valletta. She praised Turkey for its "extraordinary" efforts on refugees and pledged to do everything to ensure the EU money can be spent as quickly as possible. Kosovo's president has called on the European Union and NATO to warn Serbia against inciting a new conflict in Kosovo and the region. President Hashim Thaci's request followed a Brussels meeting with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and their prime ministers convened by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. In a statement Thursday, Thaci accused Belgrade of inciting inter-ethnic hatred in northern Kosovo. Tensions started to build there in December when ethnic Serbs erected a wall at a bridge, saying it was to prevent landslides. The barrier was seen as a provocation by the ethnic Albanian majority. Mogherini has urged the countries to normalize ties "both to preserve peace and advance towards the European Union." Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has not recognized it as a separate country. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials for talks focusing on a troubled European Union deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants. Both leaders will also discuss a Turkish request for the extradition of around 40 soldiers, allegedly involved in Turkey's failed coup, who are seeking asylum in Germany. Merkel's visit to Ankara on Thursday comes as ties between Turkey and Germany are strained. Turkey frequently accuses Germany of not backing its fight against outlawed Kurdish rebels, and is pressing Germany to reject the soldier's asylum requests. In Germany, Merkel is under pressure to speak out against curbs on rights and freedoms in Turkey. Turkey has threatened to scrap the refugee deal over EU demands that it soften its anti-terrorism laws. Venezuela is riding its own wave of the fake news phenomenon. Insisting in its lack of accuracy, President Nicolas Maduro not only has banned the airing of a Sony Pictures miniseries about the life of late President Hugo Chavez he has ordered the production of an alternate version of the socialist leaders rise to power. El Comandante premiered this week in several Latin American countries and in the U.S. via Telemundo and TNT, to the ire of Maduro and all Chavistas. This includes Chavezs ex-wife Maria Isabel Rodriguez, who is reportedly considering a defamation lawsuit against Sony. NEW 'ANTI-COUP SQUAD' IN VENEZUELA MONITORS, HUNTS OPPONENTS PERCEIVED AS RISK In the past couple of weeks, the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) launched a campaign on social media to alert Venezuelans of the upcoming illegal show, which it said jeopardizes Chavezs legacy. Report if any cable operator insults the legacy of Hugo Chavez transmitting the series El Comandante, says Conatel in his Twitter account with the hashtag #AquiNadieHablaMaldeChavez (#NobodySpeaksIllOfChavezHere). El Comandante, a 60-episode production, did air in neighboring Colombia on RCN channel. However, the signal went black in Venezuelan border towns for the duration of the entire episode on the night of the premiere Jan. 30 and the two other episodes that have aired so far. RCN will be out of the air for an hour. We apologize for the inconvenience, a message read on the screen. On the eve of the series premiere, President Maduro came out on TV and announced that the revolution will counterattack with its own series, and also a feature film. Chavez, who died of cancer in 2013, called himself the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution and ruled Venezuela for 14 years with a strong socialist fist. VENEZUELA'S VP GRANTED UNPRECEDENTED POWERS, FUELING RUMORS OF SUCCESSION They are so scared [of Chavez] that they invented a series to try to disfigure a true leader and a Latin American and world hero; and they will not be able to. We have to counterattack with the truth, he said. The production of the new TV series and the biopic was announced by Chavezs brother and Culture Minister Adan Chavez. The alternate TV series will be named Chavez for Real, he said. The governments reaction is not surprising, filmmaker Oscar Lucien told Fox News. This is a regime that systematically abuses the freedom of expression rights. But it doesnt work: when a message is banned it only stimulates the interest to know it. People who were not interested, now are, he noted. The actors in the series, which continues to be produced in Colombia, say that the governments fears are misplaced because those who like Chavez will continue to like him no matter what. Is the government afraid of criticism? Is it afraid of people who think differently? History should not be censored, said actor Vicente Pena, who plays Chavezs best friend. Like it or not, Chavez is part of the history of our country and the world. The government should focus on meeting the needs of the country and not pay attention to a series that, Im sure, will not change anybodys political point of view. The title role is played by Andres Parra, the same actor who not long ago played the role of late drug trafficker Pablo Escobar another sore point for the adoring Chavistas. Actor Ernesto Campos, who plays Chavez at age 17, said he read books and watched documentaries and TV broadcasts of the late president because he was too young during Chavezs 14-year rule. He said his opinion on the late Comandante remains intact. I just know that hes responsible for the Venezuela we have today, he said, referring to the countrys acute polarization. There will be people who will love the series and others who will hate it. Ivan Zambrano contributed to this report. Although a full-blown conflict between China and the US is unlikely, a senior Chinese military official has been quoted to say that claiming war is a practical reality. (Photo : Getty Images) International relations experts warn of mounting tensions between China and the United States, saying that military confrontations are likely to happen, The Independent reported. Advertisement It's only been days since Trump finally sat in the oval office, but he has already drawn the ire of China. Before his inauguration, Trump questioned the One China policy and conversed with the Taiwanese president on the phone. In another incendiary statement, Trump accused China of financially "raping" the United States and promised to impose a 45 percent tariff on imports. Trump further inflamed China-U.S. relations when he accused China's military of stealing an underwater research vessel assigned in the South China Sea. In an official statement, China disproved the accusations. According to Beijing, the underwater research vessel was removed from the area to help passing ships navigate the seas safely. Due to the controversy of its capture, the research vessel was eventually returned. Although a full-blown conflict between China and the U.S. is unlikely, a senior Chinese military official has been quoted to say that claiming war is a "practical reality," a statement published in the People's Liberation Army's official website. For Kerry Brown, an associate fellow in Chatham House's Asia programme, clashes between Chinese and American military forces at sea will only make the situation worse and won't benefit either parties. "It's a no-win situation. Only through the act of the most amazing stupidity and provocation would conflict happen," Brown said in an interview with The Independent. "But Mr. Trump and his team have shown they are willing to do very high-risk things. It is significantly more probable that there would be a misunderstanding than it has been for many, many years. It is still improbable but significantly more likely." In response to Trump's chaotic approach, China has taken a more cautious stance until the American president has completed his cabinet. "At the moment China has taken a 'wait and see' approach to Mr. Trump to see who the rest of his team will be," said Veerle Nouwens, a research analyst for Asia studies at the Royal United Services Institute. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Warsaw's mayor has harshly denounced a government plan to enlarge the Polish capital to incorporate 32 neighboring municipalities. The plan is controversial because it would increase the chances of the conservative ruling Law and Justice to take control of Warsaw in local elections in 2018. The city's residents tend to be more liberal and more critical of the government than those in surrounding areas. Work on the plan comes as Law and Justice is centralizing its power in a way denounced by opponents as anti-democratic. Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, with the opposition Civic Platform party, said that it was a "disgrace" and "it pushes us in the direction of Belarus or even Moscow." If implemented, the city of 1.7 million people would become geographically bigger than New York or Moscow. Unsafe interactions at sea between the U.S. and Iran are on a troubling upswing, the commander of an American destroyer that recently fired warning shots said on Thursday. SENATORS CORNYN, RUBIO, YOUNG: IT'S TIME FOR ACTION AGAINST IRAN Cmdr. Mark Davis, the USS Mahan's commanding officer, said the number of "unsafe and unprofessional" interactions jumped from 23 in 2015 to 35 last year, although the percentage of such incidents slipped slightly. "We tend to abide by the international rules of the sea and also the international norms and laws. And part of that is: if you're closing a vessel that you're supposed to, you know, establish communication, let them know what your intentions are and then you come to an agreement as to how you're going to pass so that it's not unsafe and does not make people nervous," Davis told The Associated Press. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION SEEN IN MORE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE, NEW REPORT SHOWS Fox News reported over the summer when four of those unsafe interactions unfolded in just one week. Last month, the USS Mahan fired warning shots after four high-speed Iran Revolutionary Guard Navy patrol boats approached it at the entrance to the Persian Gulf and ignored multiple warnings. The destroyer fired three shots in all using .50-calibre machine guns. Davis said they were within their right to act, as all boats should "abide by the international rules of the sea and also the international norms and laws." The U.S. Naval Forces Central Command deemed the Iranians' actions "unsafe and unprofessional." Davis added. In 2015 there were 23 unsafe and unprofessional interactions out of the 327 that occurred with the Iranian Navy. In 2016, he said, the number increased to 35 out of 527, according to Davis. So far in 2017 the USS Mahan has had eight interactions with the Iranians, of which the last was unsafe, the commander said. Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized 10 U.S. Navy sailors after their two patrol craft drifted into Iranian waters near Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf early last year. They were released the following day. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A British man who volunteered to join Kurdish fighters in Syria faced imminent capture by the Islamic State terror group -- and chose to kill himself rather than become a prisoner, his parents told U.K. media on Wednesday. TUNISIAN ISIS SUSPECT ARRESTED OVER ATTACK PLOT IN GERMANY Ryan Lock, a 20-year-old chef from West Sussex, had no military experience but felt compelled to lend a hand in the terror fight, Sky News reported. His parents said he told them he'd be vacationing in Turkey last August, but instead joined the Kurdish militia known as the YPG. Lock and at least four other fighters were surrounded by ISIS fighters on Dec. 21 in Ja'bar, west of the terror group's Syrian hub of Raqqa, the BBC reported. None of the five made it out alive. CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION SEEN IN MORE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE, NEW REPORT SHOWS After other Kurdish fighters received Lock's body, they noticed a "trace of a gunshot wound was found under the chin" suggesting he killed himself, the BBC added. His father, Jon Plater, said that's exactly what he believes his son did. "Our martyr fell putting up a brave fight," YPG General Command member Mihyedin Xirki said at a ceremony honoring Lock. Video showed fighters carrying his coffin -- along with a British flag and his photo -- to an ambulance. Lock was at least the third British man to die fighting ISIS alongside the Kurds, according to the BBC. "Since we heard the devastating news of Ryan, it's been pretty tough, especially the difficulties surrounding the repatriation," Plater said. "We are grateful to the YPG for bringing him home." His parents also described him as a "caring and loving boy." "I personally believe he deserves the very highest of military honors for such outstanding bravery in the face of such a barbaric enemy," Kurdish rights activist Mark Campbell told the BBC. Click for more from Sky News. Burger 21 Highlights Modern Appeal with New Restaurant Design Diverse Design Options and Refreshed Logo Position Brand for Next Steps in Expansion February 02, 2017 // Franchising.com // TAMPA, Fla. - Burger 21, an award-winning, beyond the better burger fast casual franchise, is celebrating the new year with a new restaurant design and refreshed logo design rolling out in all future and existing restaurants, to be completed in all corporate locations by the end of March. The new design was recently unveiled at the opening of the brands Sterling, Virginia, location and features a more modern look to match Burger 21s innovative and creative menu. In addition to four footprint options now available to franchisees, the new interior design incorporates more natural materials and bright colors, accentuating the companys multi-generational consumer appeal. Burger 21s previous interior, while originally modern was more subdued, it was not speaking to our guests. We knew we wanted something that would emphasize our high-quality ingredients and the hand-crafted preparation of our food because those are the stars of the show, said Arlene Johnston, co-founder and VP of concept development. This new look gives us an opportunity to tell our brand story in a more modern and fun way. The Sterling restaurant reflects the new brand identity created by Terrain Collective, formerly known as Brand Architecture in Orlando, FL. Sterling is one of four different models that are now available for Burger 21 franchisees to select. Options include the original 3,000-square foot model as well as a smaller, 2,000-square foot space, a hybrid version with a full bar and up to 4,000 square feet, and an 1,800 square foot airport footprint. Burger 21s diverse menu is key to giving our guests the innovative experience that keeps them coming back, and we know our franchisees are hungry for diversity as well, said Johnston. By offering design options to fit a variety of urban and suburban settings, we can continue expanding into new markets and deliver on our unique brand promise with a design to match. Burger 21s refreshed brand identity is also reflected in a new logo. Modern, straight lines convey an edgy cool look, while the black and white color reflects the classic timeless feel of a favorite burger place. Burger foodies seek us out because Burger 21 is a fun and modern place where multiple generations can come together to enjoy chef-inspired burger creations, shakes, salads and more, said Johnston. Burgers are a $70 billion business in the U.S. and still growing every year. We are growing and evolving with the industry, and now our restaurants will better reflect that commitment. Recognition for Burger 21 includes being named one of Entrepreneur magazines Top New Franchises and Restaurant Business 50 Fastest-Growing Small Restaurant Chains of 2016. Additionally, the company has been ranked on Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers for the last four consecutive years, while Burger 21 Founder and President Mark Johnston was acknowledged as one of Fast Casuals Top 25 People of 2014 for his strategic leadership in the brands growth and development. Burger 21 also was named one of QSR's "Best Franchise Deals of 2014. As the brand continues to expand across the U.S., Burger 21 is actively seeking single- and multi-unit operators with restaurant experience to expand its national footprint across the country. Franchisee candidates should have a minimum net worth of $600,000 and liquid assets of at least $250,000 per unit. Burger 21 will be developed through both single-unit agreements and Area Development Agreements. Depending on the real estate site selected, franchisees can expect the total investment for one restaurant to be approximately $428,247 $1,085,164. The initial franchise fee is $40,000; however, reduced franchise fees apply for veterans, minorities and Area Development Agreements of four or more units. To learn more about ownership opportunities with Burger 21, contact Jim Sullivan at 813.3272 or jsullivan@burger21.com or visit burger21franchise.com. About Burger 21 With 22 locations now open in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, and approximately 15 in development in 6 states, Burger 21 is a beyond the better burger fast casual franchise concept founded in 2010. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Burger 21 is a chef-inspired brand with offerings including 21 unique burger creations ranging from hand-crafted, freshly ground Certified Angus Beef to chicken, turkey, vegetarian, shrimp and tuna burgers, fresh salads, all-beef hot dogs, hand-breaded chicken tenders and an extensive shake bar including hand-crafted shakes, floats and sundaes. Since its inception, the company has provided more than $160,000 in contributions as part of its B Charitable initiative, in which it donates 10 percent of its restaurants sales to local schools and charities on the 21st of each month. Media Contact: Morgan Butler BizCom Associates (903) 285-8662 morgan@bizcompr.com SOURCE Burger 21 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus To foster effective partnerships with Chinese businessmen, foreign entrepreneurs learned the best way to seal the deal is through personal connections. (Photo : Getty Images) Are you thinking of fostering a partnership with a Chinese person? It's not enough to be introduced through an acquaintance, a lesson learned and shared by Marco Ropke, a Canadian entrepreneur, in an interview with The Globe and Mail. Advertisement Before opening the Pastry Training Centre of Nanjing, Ropke was emailed by a Chinese individual, inviting him to conduct classes in China. After several exchanges, Ropke found out the person he was talking to was a vice president for Sina.com, a digital media company. After a home-cooked dinner in Vancouver, Ropke finally agreed to teach professional bread baking and pastry classes in Nanjing for two weeks. And the rest, they say, is history. "We arrived last August with no plans beyond teaching, but the pastry classes hit social media within two days--Sina.com was happy with the outcome--and we had a long waiting list," shared Ropke with The Globe and Mail. Due to its success, Ropke explored the idea of opening a school in Nanjing. His partner? The wife of Sina.com's vice president. "Finding the right partner is destiny," said Rozemerie Cuevas, a Canadian fashion designer currently based in China. "We started out in Vancouver back in 1986 and for the next 25 years I tried to expand but production costs were too high. If I didn't leave, my business would've died." Fortunately for Cuevas, she met a Chinese couple whom she became industry associates with. The partnership allowed her to expand to China, as the couple manufactured her clothing in the country. "Because we had been kind, they reciprocated and agreed, even though it wasn't financially viable for them because our quantities were too low." Cuevas is now based in Hangzhou, where she moved five years ago, and her clothing line, Jacqueline Conoir, is now available in 70 locations across China. An M1A2 Abrams main battle tank of the U.S. Army 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team now deployed to Poland fires its 120 mm gun. (Photo : US Army) Russia's worst fear -- combat ready U.S. troops at its doorstep -- became a tactical reality with the start of joint ground warfare exercises by U.S. troops newly arrived in Poland and the Polish Land Forces. Joint exercises with the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) are also in the cards. Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary will all also see US troops deployed on their soil. Advertisement The arrival of the U.S. troops makes it certain any Russian invasion of the these NATO states and allies will be transformed into a world war, a conflict Russia is not prepared to fight since it lacks the resources to do so. On Jan. 13, the U.S. Army 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team (BCT) belonging to the U.S. 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson, Colorado rumbled into Poland from Germany, heralding the largest U.S. military deployment in Europe since the end of the Cold War in 1991. Over the next few months, 3,500 men of the BCT; 87 M1A2 of its Abrams main battle tanks; 144 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and 2,500 other vehicles of the 3rd BCT will be deployed to Poland. The move of the U.S. Army to the doorstep of Russia seeks to deter wanton Russian aggression in Eastern Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Russia has repeatedly threatened Poland and the Baltic States with invasion in the past. "Russian aggression takes many forms," said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, Commanding General, United States Army Europe. "Cyber, misinformation, threatening other countries, Russian snap exercises. We're serious -- this is not just a training exercise. It's to demonstrate a strategic message that you cannot violate the sovereignty of members of NATO ... Moscow will get the message -- I'm confident of it. " Most of the men and equipment of the 3rd BCT will be deployed across Poland. Others will go to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary to train with local troops. "To arrive at this point so swiftly is proof that when we work as a team ... no challenge is too large to overcome, no distance is too far to cross, when the need arises," said U.S. Army Col. Christopher Norrie, who led the convoy. "The main goal of our mission is deterrence and prevention of threats." He described the new mission as a "cornerstone" to preserving freedom across Europe. Maj. Gen. Jaroslaw Mika of the Polish Land Forces, whose soldiers will be training with some of the 3rd BCT's 3,500 troops, said he's thrilled the Americans are here. He said it's important to "be together, to build our common relationship and to provide more security" -- not only for Europe but the world. Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said on the state TV that the NATO deployment puts an end to Russia's influence in the region. "Even after 1989 we had to continuously wonder whether the Russians won't veto this or that action," said Macierewicz. "Russia's veto power in Central Europe, in Poland, has ended once and for all." The British will also be deploying to Russia's western border with Europe. A few days ago, the combined US and Polish forces began training with tanks, artillery and helicopters in an overt show of force aimed at a watching Russia. A bond hearing for a man accused of killing another man during a brawl in Stafford County last month came to an abrupt end Wednesday when the suspect appeared to faint. The hearing, which was held to address Clint Alan Hills request for a bond, was ongoing in Stafford General District Court when Commonwealths Attorney Eric Olsen announced that he had cellphone footage of the fight that a neighbor had filmed. Shortly after that, Hill collapsed to the floor and the hearing was halted. He was later transported back to the Rappahannock Regional Jail. His hearing is scheduled to resume Friday. Hill, 41, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of 35-year-old Bryan George Hinckley. Hinckley was found unconscious the evening of Jan. 21 in the hallway outside Hills apartment in the 1900 block of Green Tree Road. A medical examiner said Hinckley died as the result of blunt force trauma to the head. A metal expandable baton has been identified as the weapon. According to an affidavit for a search warrant filed by Detective Todd Nosal, Hill told police that Hinckley sent him several threatening messages that day regarding a $50 debt Hill owed for a motorcycle he had purchased from Hinckley. They reportedly got into a physical altercation after Hinckley showed up at his door that evening. Hill claims that Hinckley grabbed him by the arm and bit him. Hinckley was bloody and had multiple severe lacerations on his head when police and rescue workers arrived. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Hill is being represented by the law firm Gardner and Burks. Attorney Mark Gardner said the defense cited Hills strong ties to the community, his longtime employment and his lack of a major criminal history as reasons that a bond should be granted. Trouble came to his door, he didnt go looking for it, Gardner said. The Virginia General Assembly is honoring a canine member of the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office for his heroic actions last year. Sen. Bryce Reeves, RSpotsylvania, put forward a resolution commending K-9 Dux, a 2-year-old German shepherd who was shot during a pursuit of a suspect in October. The resolution details the incident, which authorities say occurred after Dux and his handler, Deputy Kory Kelley, got to the scene of what appeared to be a routine traffic stop. But the vehicles driver attempted to flee and began firing at the officers. Dux attempted to subdue the man and prevented him from injuring any of the other officers at the scene, but he was shot twice and sustained severe injuries, the resolution reads. The story has a happy ending. After a nearly two-month recovery, Dux returned to serving and safeguarding the residents of Spotsylvania County, according to the resolution. The commendation lauds the dogs heroic actions to protect his fellow officers. The Senate approved the resolution late last month, and the House of Delegates will vote on it next. The resolution directs the Senate clerk to provide a copy of the document to Kelley as an expression of the General Assemblys admiration for service and sacrifices of all members of the law-enforcement community. King George County resident Joseph Conway, 34, who is accused of wounding Dux and shooting at deputies, faces charges including two counts of attempted capital murder and felony assault on a law enforcement officer. A jury trial has been scheduled for May 2425. Spotsylvania County resident Stefanie Fell did not know much about President Donald Trumps nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court until Tuesday nights announcement. But after reading up on Judge Neil Gorsuch, she said she is confident he would adhere to the Constitution. And theres nothing in the Constitution that says a woman has the right to an abortion, added Fell. What is wrong with protecting peoples right to life? she asked. I dont understand why people are so upset about that. She said she volunteered in the 1980s for Birthright of Fredericksburga crisis pregnancy center that believes it is the right of every pregnant woman to give birth, and the right of every child to be born. Anti-abortion advocates have rallied behind Gorsuch, while pro-abortion rights groups have signaled their opposition to the nominee. The left-leaning ProgressVA, which held a rally to oppose Gorsuchs nomination, stated that the majority of Americans voted for equality, for reproductive rights and civil rights, for workplace protections. Virginias Democratic U.S. senators each released statements promising to carefully review Gorsuchs record, and the Fredericksburg areas Republican congressmen expressed support for the nominee. Gorsuch would succeed the conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last year. Sen. Tim Kaine said Supreme Court nominees demand a higher threshold for confirmation than for any other appointee. The Trump administrations actions over the last week raised the stakes even more, he added in a reference to Trumps 90-day ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. In considering Judge Gorsuchs nomination and observing his confirmation hearing, I intend to carefully scrutinize his temperament and record, particularly on civil rights and other Constitutional guarantees, Kaine stated. Sen. Mark Warner said Gorsuch boasts an impressive resume, though he said he wished Trump had not limited his consideration to candidates recommended by conservative advocacy organizations. His record must be thoroughly vetted to ensure his views and judicial philosophy are not out of the mainstream, Warner said. Rep. Rob Wittman, R1st District, said he hoped the Senate would quickly confirm Gorsuch, who he said will uphold a legal philosophy putting life, liberty, and the words of the Constitution above all else. Rep. Dave Brat, R7th District, echoed Wittmans comments, saying Gorsuchs resume puts all of us to shame. At this time of heightened political tension, it is important that justices of our highest court be committed to following the law as it is written and not push personal, political agendas, he stated. Judge Gorsuch is that type of jurist: fair and unbiased. University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth described Gorsuch as a highly credentialed, consistently conservative choice, but said he would not change the balance of power on the Supreme Court. Justice Anthony Kennedy would continue to be the deciding vote, as he was before Scalias death, he said. If Donald Trump has the opportunity to nominate a second justice over the next four years, that may be where things change, Farnsworth said. If one of the Democratic appointees leaves the court, things may change a great deal. Last year, President Barack Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to fill Scalias seat, but the Republican Senate refused to even consider the nominee. Some Democrats have vowed to return the favor this year. If they do as was done unto them, this nominee may languish for some time, maybe even 10 months, as Democrats try to get even, Farnsworth said. Spotsylvania Democratic Committee Chairman Al Durante said it is absolutely ludicrous for Republicans to pretend to hold the moral high ground, given their treatment of Obamas nominee. And he said Gorsuch should not be considered status quo, adding: With the current hostile environment towards womens rights and religious freedom its anything but that. Meanwhile, Fell said Gorsuch impressed her with his humility. But the mother of threewho also has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildrensaid shes not sure whether his appointment would be enough to undo Roe v. Wade. We dont know how those people think, she said. Theyre always surprising us. A Spotsylvania County man was ordered Wednesday to serve 38 years in prison for sexual crimes against children that date back to 1985. Edward Dean Ingram, 58, was convicted in Stafford Circuit Court of two counts of sodomy, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of indecent liberties. Judge Michael Levy issued a sentence that was near the top end of the recommended state sentencing guidelines. According to the evidence, the victims were about 6 and 8 when the abuse began at a Stafford residence in the mid-1980s. Ingram was arrested last year after the younger victim, a man now well into adulthood, came forward after years of emotional problems and counseling. The man and his older sister gave emotional testimony Wednesday about the devastating impact the abuse has had on them. The woman had told her mother about the abuse when she was still a minor, but the mother apparently did not believe her. On Wednesday, Ingram said he was sorry for what he had done but has changed for the better since then. He said he too was abused as a child and hopes the victims can "find it in their hearts" to forgive him. A number of Ingram's supporters sent letters to Judge Levy seeking leniency. Nearly all of them said they couldn't believe the man they know could have done such things and that he is not a danger to children or anyone else. His mother, Eileen Dickerson wrote, "I just can't see or imagine this happening and why after 30 some years reporting it. If you can give him a light sentence, it would be appreciated." Because the crimes took place before Virginia abolished parole in 1994, Ingram will be eligible for parole well before 38 years is up. However, statistics show that only a small percentage of Virginia prisoners eligible for parole have actually been released. RICHMONDA House of Delegates committee advanced two bills Wednesday that would change how schools deal with students facing suspension and, advocates say, give kids a better shot at improving their behavior. The Senates Education Committee will take up matching bills today. The legislation calls for schools to shift their approach for disciplining students away from sending kids home and having troubled kids get even farther behind. Del. Richard P. Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, sponsor of the House bills, says the idea is for schools to address issues and work toward solving problems rather than suspending or expelling a student. Sending students home and keeping them from the structured environment of school makes things worse because kids fall further behind, he said. It also makes it more likely that students will drop out of school or land in the juvenile justice system. HB1534 calls for reducing the maximum length of a long-term suspension from 364 calendar days to 90 school days. The bill originally called for suspensions not to extend beyond 45 days. A measure that called for keeping long-term suspensions from extending into the next school year was taken out as well. (SB995 is the Senate version). And HB1536 would prohibit students in preschool through third grade from being expelled or suspended for more than five days except for drug offenses, firearm offenses or certain criminal acts. The bill originally called for keeping preschool through fifth-grade students from being suspended or expelled. (SB997 is the Senate version). Bell and Sen. William Stanley Jr., R-Franklin County, sponsor of the Senate versions, withdrew a third bill that would have prohibited schools from suspending or expelling students solely for disruptive behavior unless the behavior involved intentional physical injury or is a credible threat of physical injury to another person. The legislation grew out of a report last year from the JustChildren Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center. Titled Suspended Progress, the report found that Virginia school districts, including several in metro Richmond, are pushing students out of school through widespread, discriminatory overuse of suspensions and expulsions. The report found that in the 2014-15 school year, state schools issued 123,107 short-term suspensions to 68,802 students, 2,922 long-term suspensions to 2,819 students and 388 expulsions. Relic Sites Unearthed In Beijing Section Of South-to-North Water Diversion Project (Photo : Getty Images) A series of excavations of 2,000-year-old tombs in Jiangsu Province dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC 220 AD) yielded a lot of precious archaeological finds. The items dug include vessels, ceramics, loofahs, jade butt plugs and bronze dildos. Spiritual Use Advertisement However, according to researchers, some of the items considered sex toys at present times could have been used differently during those times. The use of the jade butt plug was more for spiritual instead of sexual purpose since jade was considered having the ability to ward off spiritual and physical ravages. Embalmers used the butt plus as a seal to the anal orifice of a corpse which could possibly be a source of body fluid leaks, Shanghaiist reported. Fan Zhang, exhibition curator, explained that besides preventing a leak, the butt plug also kept inside the corpse vital essences. Besides the anal orifice, embalmers also placed a mouth seal on corpses during that era because the mouth was considered the most vital orifice. Fan Zhang said there is a sample also of the cicada-shaped mouth plug in their exhibit. Strap-Ons However, in the case of the bronze dildos, Fan Zhang said it appears to have been made for used as strap-ons, using leather or silk things. He said it is unclear if the bronze dildos were designed for male or female use, but Fan Zhang believes the one with a ring form was likely for mans use since it was discovered inside a kings tomb, Metro reported. The artefacts from Han Dynasty are on display at the new Tomb Treasures exhibition of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The Han Dynasty is considered one of the most powerful and advanced civilizations during that era and is often compared to the Roman Empire. From the moment they met, Mohammad Mesbahi and Homa Esfandiaris romance was like something out a movie. Hes reserved, shy and studious. Shes adventurous and sporty, with a rebellious spirit. Mesbahi, a 2012 graduate of the University of Mary Washington and United States citizen, traveled to Iran to visit family the summer before he started law school at American University. Thats when he met Esfandiari through a friend of a friend. From the moment I saw her, she had this amazing energy, he said. I was instantly infatuated with her. We saw each other every day for a month. They bridged his American customs and her Iranian upbringing. He proposed marriage the Western way, with a ring, as the couple stood at a lookout point in the mountains that locals call the ceiling of Tehran. He had his family meet hers and make formal arrangements for the wedding. But the couple, married on Christmas Day 2014, are separated by half a world and complicated political borders. Their future was thrown into question by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday. Esfandiari was nearing the end of a tumultuous immigration process Friday when the executive order on immigration was signed, imposing a 90-day ban on seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It also suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days. That same day, she was on her way to the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, Armenia, for a final interview that would have resulted in a green card, or a visa with a green card to follow. The U.S. does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, so Armenia is the closest embassy. Now, Esfandiaris green card process is halted and Mesbahi worries that if he leaves the U.S., he might not be allowed back in. He came to this country at age 7 and is a citizen, but is considered a national of Iran, as well. Weve been apart so long, weve missed each others birthdays, he said. She missed my law school graduation. I missed her graduation. She has a picture of me in robes graduating and I have the same picture of her. Mesbahi said all they have now are little memories that someone else might think is cheesy. He remembers, for example, the day when he was visiting and she surprised him with a fancy cake. Now they have to resort to handwritten letters, phone calls and texts. Immigration was already a difficult process, Mesbahi said, and they were trying to do it right. First, documents had to be gathered and translated. Then those translations had to be approved. With attorney Wali Raheen of Raheen Law Group in Chantilly, the couple filed an I-130 petition, known as a petition for an alien relative, in early 2016. They moved on to a series of interviewsthe final stages of the process. As a matter of policy, I agree with vetting, but I dont understand the idea of a blanket ban, Mesbahi said. With this order, theres a lack of clarity ... As Americans, we stand up for each other despite our different backgrounds. We see beyond and look at the individual. Mesbahi said hes not fond of the Iranian government and was even more disheartened when it reacted in-kind to the U.S. ban on immigration, limiting visas to Americans. And he cant see a situation in which Iran would cooperate with U.S. directives, making him worry even more that this ban will last longer than 90 days. She cant leave, he said. We cant meet in a third country. Im stuck and shes stuck. He is reaching out to immigration lawyers and anyone he can think of who could help them understand her green card status. Were not super religious to the point that it would raise suspicion, he said. Were not political. Theres nothing that would raise a red flag. He said he hopes case-by-case reviews can open up soon, so they can start their life together. We have no plan B, he said. We never thought wed need one. As a U.S. citizen, this is my country and I worked so hard. We planned on starting our lives together here. I never thought that as a citizen, my spouse would not be able to come here. Mesbahi said Esfandiari has cried through each of their conversations since the ban was enacted. Shes worried about me and Im worried about her, he said. We are trying to comfort each other over the phone. Their conversations used to involve hopes for the future, he said. They would talk about what their house will look like, what kind of vacuum cleaner they should get and what furniture theyll shop for. I just want to go out and do something normal: shop for furniture with my wife, Mesbahi said. China's rise in green technology innovations can afford the country of a leadership role against climate change. (Photo : Getty Images) With climate change continuing to threat global ecosystems, China's investment in green technology increasingly appears as a strategic move for the country. That, apart from the fact that the U.S. under President Donald Trump is stepping back from its global commitments. Trump, an avowed critic of climate change who called it a "Chinese hoax," promised to retract the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, as well as undo any progress on carbon emissions reduction done under the previous administration. Such is in line with his "America First" policy of prioritizing domestic industries. Advertisement Notwithstanding that, China looks set to gain incentives from the U.S.' withdrawal from anti-climate change efforts. Apart from the fact that the Chinese government looks to improve its citizens' quality of life, the country's green efforts can produce generous economic and political benefits, said Brink News. Economic gains from mitigating climate change looks forthcoming for China, given the pace of current efforts in which green technology in the country is prospering. Authorities have given subsidies and tax incentives to those who produce and purchase electric cars, an effort set to curb smog in large cities. China's growing middle class - an inevitable result of the country's rapid economic boom as of late, has become more lenient towards paying more for renewable energy. That creates an even greater economic incentive for green technology producers to ramp up their efforts. Politically speaking, China can take advantage of its focus on green technology by improving its highly vilified image in the international sphere. By showing a caring side through improving quality of life, the country can build its legitimacy in leading the rest of the world against climate change in place of the U.S. Moreover, China can use its massive green technology investments as a bargaining chip for promoting global efforts to fight climate change, against the U.S.' current journey towards protectionism. That alone can win the country favors globally by strengthening its soft power, notwithstanding U.S. free ridership. Nestle USA, the maker of Haagen-Dazs, Baby Ruth, Lean Cuisine and dozens of other mass brands, is moving its U.S. headquarters to Arlington Countys Rosslyn area, bringing roughly 750 jobs to an area struggling with widespread office vacancies. The worlds largest packaged-food company which bills itself as a nutrition, health and wellness company will move in at 1812 N. Moore St., the regions tallest building, which has remained vacant since it was completed in late 2013. Nestle was lured to the area, executives say, by its proximity to lawmakers, regulators and lobbyists and more than $16 million in state and county subsidies. Frankly, this brings us closer to the heartbeat of our industry, said Paul Grimwood, chairman and chief executive of Nestle USA, which is part of the global giant Nestle SA, based in Vevey, Switzerland. It allows us to collaborate not just with consumers but also with other important stakeholders in Washington and on Capitol Hill. The companys current U.S. headquarters is in Glendale, Calif., where it has come under fire in recent years for bottling water during the states record multi-year drought. In 2015, Nestle which has nine brands of water, including Arrowhead removed 36 million gallons of water from a natural forest in California to bottle and sell, prompting public criticism and at least one lawsuit. Nestle, founded in 1866, has built itself into a global powerhouse with worldwide sales of around $90 billion in 2015. The companys brands also include Nestle Crunch, Butterfinger, Toll House, Hot Pockets, DiGiorno, Nescafe, Boost, Gerber and Purina. With Nestles move, the Mid-Atlantic area will boast three major candymakers. Mars, the privately held maker of Snickers, Milky Way and M&Ms, is based in McLean, and Hershey is based in Pennsylvania. In recent years, Nestle has made a steady push to remove unnatural flavors and colors from its chocolate bars and reduce the sugar in its Nesquik drink powders. It has also invested in health care firms and medical device companies, and earlier this year it brought in Ulf Mark Schneider, a former health care executive, as chief executive of its global operations. Virginia officials wooed Nestle for more than a year, said Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe. The company considered 20 locations across the country but by October had narrowed its search to Rosslyn and Atlanta. Relocation of the Nestle USA headquarters was under consideration before the election cycle, said Lisa Gibby, a Nestle spokeswoman. Grimwood said the states incentive package, combined with easy access to transportation and Arlingtons reputation for good public schools, helped seal the deal. The move brings Nestle closer to its customers and its productions facilities 80 percent of the companys U.S. products are sold east of the Mississippi River, where three-fourths of its 87 U.S. factories are based, Grimwood said. It also helps bring U.S. executives closer to the companys global headquarters and supports the companys government-related efforts. Nestle spent more than $16 million lobbying Congress between 2012-16 on issues related to environmental regulations, trade and labor, according to public records. For Northern Virginia, the arrival of Nestle USA which in 2015 had $9.7 billion in sales serves as proof that it can look beyond defense contractors for growth. The state is now home to more than 70 corporate headquarters, including Volkswagen Group of America, Hilton Worldwide and Capital One Financial. For us, its perfect, McAuliffe said, adding that he and Nestle executives finalized the deal four weeks ago while drinking Virginia wine in California. We brought in a company that is not dependent on federal government spending. We realize we do have to diversify, which means we have to bring in different types of businesses. The commonwealth is offering $10 million in cash grants to Nestle: $6 million as a Commonwealth Opportunity Fund incentive and $4 million from a Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grant. Arlington County is offering an additional $6 million in incentives $4 million from performance grants and $2 million in infrastructure updates as well as additional money for extensive relocation assistance to help cover expenses related to the companys move and training of new hires. Nestle will spend an estimated $39.8 million building out its share of the 35-story high-rise. The company will take over 40 percent of the building, or about 206,000 square feet, on the top nine floors. The move will begin this summer and is expected to be complete by late 2018. Of the 750 positions in Rosslyn, about half will be new hires, Grimwood said. In addition to Nestles corporate operations, the Arlington office will house the companys confections and beverage businesses, as well as its online division. Nationally, Nestle has 51,000 employees. RICHMONDThe Senate Finance Committee has killed a bill that would have allowed constitutional carry in Virginia. Meanwhile, the House of Delegates has given preliminary approval to a bill that would allow people protected under a court order to carry a hidden handgun without getting a permit. Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed similar legislation last year. The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Dick Black, R-Leesburg, would have negated the need for concealed handgun permits in Virginia by allowing all law-abiding gun owners to carry concealed weapons without a permit across the state. Blacks bill was approved by the Senate Courts of Justice Committee on Jan. 18 by a 96 voice vote, but it was killed unanimously by the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday before it could reach the full chamber. Black introduced similar legislation in 2016, but it was defeated on the Senate floor after Republican Sen. Emmett Hanger of Mount Solon joined the 19 Democratic senators in voting against the bill, resulting in a 2020 tie. Because of the stalemate, Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, cast the deciding vote to defeat the bill. Constitutional carrygiven its name by gun rights activists who believe the right to carry concealed weapons is implied by the Second Amendmenthas been a hot-button issue around the country in recent years. Since 2015, seven states have passed similar legislation, bringing the total tally of constitutional carry states to 11. Similar bills are being considered by legislatures in Texas, New Hampshire, Georgia, South Dakota, Utah and Minnesota. Despite the death of Blacks bill, Second Amendment advocates still have hope for the passage of constitutional carry in Virginia. Similar legislation was introduced earlier this month in the House of Delegates by Del. Ben Cline, R-Amherst. It is currently awaiting hearing by the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee. However, Clines iteration of the legislation must be approved by the committee and be passed by the House by Tuesdaythe deadline by which all legislation must pass its originating chamber in order to be considered during the 2017 session. The bill is not on the agenda to be heard during the committees meeting today. The bill the House advanced this week would grant people protected by a protective order the temporary right to carry a concealed handgun. Republican supporters of this years bill said it would help victims of domestic violence better protect themselves. Democrats who opposed the bill said it would encourage victims of domestic abuse to introduce guns into already dangerous situations. ALTHOUGH there were exceptions, Donald Trump famously lost the conservative intelligentsiaand went on to do quite well electorally without us. But conservative scholars will, I predict, be virtually unanimous in their praise of the presidents choice of Appeals Court Judge Neil Gorsuch to succeed Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. I know firsthand why: Gorsuchs combination of outstanding intellectual and personal qualities places him in the top rank of American jurists. If confirmed, as I expect him easily to be, he will certainly be a good justice and has the potential to be a great one. Gorsuch and I have worked together on academic projects, most notably when I was the editor of the Princeton University Press book series for which he wrote The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasiaan impressive book praised by bioethicists in 2006. The book critically engages the work of scholars across a range of disciplines and represents a spectrum of viewpoints. Gorsuch went the extra mile to ensure his treatment of other writers workespecially those with whom he disagreeswas sympathetic and impeccably accurate. His sheer fair-mindedness was the thing I found most striking about him. When it comes to fitness for judicial office, the first criterion usually considered is intellect and education, and here Gorsuch is off the charts. Even people who do not share his political outlook or judicial philosophy, but have read his judicial opinions, recognize him as an intellectual superstar. His opinions are marked by analytical depth and precision and remarkably lucid writing. In selecting Gorsuch, the president has fulfilled his pledge to appoint a justice in the mold of Antonin Scaliaa conservative intellectual leader. But one respect in which Gorsuch is unlike Scalia is that he is not fiery or pugnacious. Rather, his demeanor is scholarlyone might even say bookish. He is not a fierce debater. I recall being with him at an academic conference at which a graduate student contradicted a comment he had made. Far from bristling, he encouraged the student to develop her argument further, graciously acknowledging merit in the point she had made. Likewise in the courtroom, he does not interrogate, much less intimidate, the lawyers who appear before him. It is truer to say that he engages them in conversations that enable him to explore the strengths and weaknesses of arguments they advance. Of course, most people are interested above all in how he is likely to vote on hot-button issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control, campaign finance reform and religious freedom. In the confirmation hearings, he will no doubt do what Justice Elena Kagan did and refuse to discuss these issues on the ground that they are likely to come before him. Orthodox conservatives believe that the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted in a way that is faithful to the text and guided, where the text is less than perfectly clear in its application to a question, by the original understanding of its framers and ratifiers. Gorsuch, like Scalia, is a textualist and an originalist. But he is not dogmatic, and his credentials help explain why. After studying at Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Gorsuch earned a doctorate from Oxford University, where he was supervised by John Finnis, an acclaimed philosopher of law and a theorist of natural law and natural rights. After completing his education, Gorsuch clerked for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony M. Kennedy. He spent a year in the Justice Department and then a decade in the private practice of law. He has served on the 10th Circuit since 2006. If Democrats are looking for a point of vulnerability in either Gorsuchs integrity or impartiality, they wont find it. He is basically a Boy Scout. Hes a faithful husband, a good father, a caring neighbor, a generous friend, a man of probity who holds himself to the highest ethical standards. Oh, and he will bring religious diversity to a Court that is entirely Catholic and Jewish: Hes an Episcopalian. Gorsuch will be a hard man to depict as a ferocious partisan or an ideological judge, which isnt to say he wont be described this way by partisan critics. Yet as Gorsuch himself has observed, good judges sometimes have to vote or rule in ways they do not likebecause that is what the law requires. Indeed, he noted, if a judge does not sometimes find himself voting or ruling against his own personal beliefs about politics or morality, as Scalia himself did in holding that the desecration of the American flag is political expression protected by the First Amendment, that is a sure sign that he is failing to do justice according to law. In a democracy, the law never lines up perfectly with anyones political and moral beliefs. And it is to the law that judges have sworn a sacred oath of fidelity. Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He wrote this for The Washington Post. THE PLIGHT of 50 trailer park residents in Fredericksburg puts an unflattering spotlight on this communitys inability to meet the housing needs of its less fortunate. There is no specific party at fault here, but there is an overall systemic failure in that no one, no organization, is in a position to offer concrete, methodical assistance. If there are any angels here, anyone with ideas, they are staying well hidden. Land redevelopment is nothing new in the Fredericksburg area. Properties are bought and sold often with the intention of changing their use, and those who live on the property but dont own it may need to find someplace else to live. For the residents of Fredericksburg Trailer Park, these are the circumstances they face. They pay rent for the land on which their trailers sit, and the trailers arent mobile homesthey either cant be moved or arent worth moving. Many of the trailer dwellers are aged or disabled, experiencing difficult, long-term life challenges that explain why they are where they are now. Many are on fixed incomes. The Social Security checks, disability payments or other public assistance many receive barely covers their lot rent, food and other basic necessities. They will come away from the park with nothing but their pets and possessions. Most still dont know where they will go next. They got the word late last summer that the parks days were numbered, but there has been little progress in helping residents relocate during the past five months. The bankruptcy proceedings of the parks landlord, Carter Yates Embrey, led to this dilemma. The Silver Cos. bought the property and plans to redevelop it. The big problem these people face, and one that Fredericksburg officials are trying to address, is the citys lack of affordable housing. The citys Comprehensive Plan says this: All persons who live and work in Fredericksburg should have the opportunity to rent or purchase safe, decent and accessible housing within their means. Notice that the statement says shouldwhich in this case is a pie-in-the-sky desire that commits no one to doing anything. Fredericksburg City Manager Tim Baroodys efforts to provide information to the residents, and visits paid to the residents by City Council members Tim Duffy and Matt Kelly are laudable and worthwhile. City officials are looking into what other Virginia localities are doing to deal with similar affordable housing issues. But at this point, area agencies and nonprofit organizations lack the funding or available permanent housing that would help. The residents are simply left to hope that their own efforts or any ongoing efforts to relocate them bear fruit. Jud Honaker, Silver Cos. president of commercial development, has indicated from the beginning that the company is in no hurry to redevelop the site, that it wants to help the displaced residents and that it has no intention of putting them out in the street. But business is business and this is not an open-ended arrangement. Honaker says a development plan for the property, dubbed Cowan East, is likely to be completed this spring. Eventually a firm deadline for the residents to leave will be set. Though its no consolation, they are not alone. Other communitiesnotably the 60 families facing eviction from a trailer park in Manassasare staring at the same fate. What can set Fredericksburgs situation apart, however, is clear evidence that progress is being made on the park residents behalf. Homelessness is not an option. These people are losing their homes through no fault of their own due to redevelopment in the city, which has boomed in recent years. While there is an immediate need to see the residents resettled, their experience also serves as a cautionary tale that affordable housing here is lacking and needs to become more of a priority than it already is. Illegal immigrants contribute to U.S. economy For decades, illegal immigration has been a subject of heated debate, a debate fueled by emotion, not fact. Consider the following: 1. Since 1971, the U.S. birth rate has met neither replacement requirements nor that necessary to expand the economy. 2. Between 1969 and 2014, the illegal immigrant population increased from approximately 540,000 to about 11.3 million. 3. In 2012, 98 percent of illegal male immigrants, age 18 to 64, were estimated as participating in the U.S. paid labor force; for illegal adult female immigrants, the figure was 58 percent. In 2006, President George W. Bush said illegal immigrants were doing jobs that U.S. citizens would not do. He misstated the facts. Illegal immigrants were doing jobs for wages that U.S. citizens would not accept. Illegal immigration has been a boon to the bottom line of many U.S. businesses. 4. Illegal immigration has been a pressure release for Mexico and Central American countries, as their excess labor migrated to the U.S. That migration, along with cash remittances sent home by those immigrants, lessened the likelihood of social unrest in those countries. The illegal immigrant population is an integral part of our society. Those immigrants supplement an inadequate U.S. birth rate; mostly, they are employed; they contribute to domestic consumption by renting or buying homes and purchasing vehicles, food, clothing and electronics; they pay billions in local and state taxes; and they serve in our armed forces and fight in our wars. Politicians understand this, and those who pander to their constituents by claiming they will fix the issue of illegal immigrants are pulling a bait-and-switch on those constituents. Excepting its criminal element, the illegal immigrant population currently in the United States is here to stay for as long as it wants. Bob Straight Falmouth Despite Facebook's efforts to reenter China, the country remains an impenetrable wall for the world's largest social media service. (Photo : Getty Images) Asking a mainlander to connect on Facebook is virtually impossible these days, let alone deemed a faux pas, since the Chinese government banned the social media giant throughout the country in 2009. Local social media firms have filled the gap since then--the likes of Sina Weibo and Tencent being the largest. Advertisement But Zuckerberg, who isn't keen on giving up, made his point clear as recent as 2015. Saying that leaving out the world's most populous country in trying to connect everyone in the world is a paradox, he continues to see China as a lucrative part of Facebook's plans, The Wall Street Journal reported. In fact, Zuckerberg has been known to do practically everything just to get a piece of the much-vaunted Chinese social media market. He studied Mandarin, met and hosted several Chinese officials, and even ran through Beijing's Tiananmen Square on a smog-filled day without a mask on. Several Facebook officials have featured in many of China's leading universities in varying degrees. Zuckerberg himself joined as a board member in the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University, a leading academic institution in the country. But despite of all those antics, the prospect of Facebook reentering China remains a dim one. And even if it does, it might be too late already. Sina Weibo, Tencent, and all others have dominated a large part of the Chinese social media market share in the absence of Zuckerberg's creation. Struggles in fulfilling a web of legal tangles, as well as concerns over censorship, characterize Facebook's current attempts to penetrate the Chinese market. That, despite the social media giant's officials committing to play through China's complex social media regulations. One example is Facebook's development of technology that can censor banned content in China, an attempt to curb uprisings like the Xinjiang Region riots back in 2009, which caused the social media giant's ban. But an attempt to do so may introduce another problem: alienating the rest of its 1.8 billion users. Facebook's closest attempt to restore its presence in China was in 2015, when the firm secured a permit to establish a representative office in Beijing. But with the permit being valid for only three months, the firm didn't even bother to start. Perhaps Zuckerberg needs more jogging miles throughout the capital. Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. China is also expecting to cooperate with France on civil aviation, space travel, climate change, agriculture and health. (Photo : Getty Images) China will account for almost 75 percent of the total global increase in nuclear power generation by 2035, estimates the latest Energy Outlook published by British oil and gas giant BP. Advertisement China's nuclear generating capacity is expected to grow 11% annually by 2035, equivalent to almost three-quarters of the global increase in nuclear generation. The report forecasts nuclear power generation to grow 2.3% annually over the 2015-2035 period, with the share of nuclear power to increase from 4% to 5% of the entire energy mix. BP, however, forecasts a drop in Europe's nuclear generating capacity as older plants are decommissioned and there's little new investment. It expects the EU's nuclear power generation to be 30% lower by 2035 than in 2015. Japan might restart some of its idled nuclear reactors gradually by 2025. Almost two-thirds of the increase in global energy consumption from 2015-2035 will go to power generation, said BP. Because of this, the share of energy used for power generation should jump from 42% in 2015 to 47% by 2035. Renewable energy sources should account for 40% of the growth in power generation, leading to an increase in their share of global power from 7% in 2015 to almost 20% by 2035. The report expects oil, gas and coal to remain the dominant sources of energy, accounting for over three-quarters of total global energy supplies in 2035, but down from 85% in 2015. Carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will increase, too. BP said carbon emissions from energy use might increase by some 13% between 2015 and 2035. This total far exceeds the International Energy Agency's 450 Scenario that suggest carbon emissions need to fall by around 30% by 2035 to have a good chance of achieving the goals set out in the Paris climate change agreement. BP, however, pointed out that projected carbon emission growth should be less than one-third of the rate seen over the past 20 years. This will be the slowest rate of emissions growth for any 20 year period since BP's records began in 1965. BP also predicted world energy demand will increase by only around 30 percent says between 2015 and 2035. (L-R) Actors Yoo In-Na, Gong Yoo, Kim Go-Eun, Yook Sung-Jae, Lee Dong-Wook attend the first script reading session of tvN's 'The Lonely, Shining Goblin.' (Photo : YouTube/Jackson GOT7) With "Goblin's" immense popularity, tvN has rewarded the entire cast and staff members with a paid vacation trip to Phuket, Thailand. However, the main cast's participation in the said vacation treat remains unclear. On Jan. 02, Thursday, it was revealed that Gong Yoo, Lee Dong-Wook, Kim Go-Eun, Yoo In-Na and Yook Sung-Jae will not be able to attend the celebratory trip due to their busy schedules. While their respective agencies did their best to adjust the actors' schedules, they were unable to accommodate the said vacation since the cast received a lot of love calls from various TV projects, movies, and ads photoshoots. Advertisement Further, the BTOB member is currently busy filming for the SBS reality-documentary show "Law of the Jungle." The show's production company Hwa & Dam Pictures, on the other hand, expressed their surprise at the news. "The plane tickets were bought and other reservations are all finished already," a source from the company said in a press statement obtained by Soompi. "We didn't receive any word from the actors [about them not being able to come]." Nonetheless, fans can still watch the actors' in the upcoming special episodes of "Goblin." The popular fantasy drama will continue with two special episodes that are scheduled to air on Feb. 3 and Feb. 4. Ahead of its official release, tvN gave viewers a sneak peek into the special episodes by releasing two short teasers on Naver TV. In the clips, Gong, Lee and Yoo reminded viewers to stay tuned to see the upcoming specials. The highly anticipated special episode will reportedly feature several unseen footages, behind-the-scenes clips, blooper reels and more interviews with the cast members. It will also include Ji Eun Tak (Kim) and Kim Shin's (Gong) movie date scene, where they watched the latter's global hit zombie film "Train to Busan." While waiting, check out the finale of tvN's "Goblin" below: USS John C. Stennis, which now patrols Asia. (Photo : Getty Images) Unsurprisingly, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) singled out the United States as the greatest threat to the continuing rule of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the Chinese state. PLA is the armed forces of the CPC and owes its primary loyalty to the CPC and not China. Advertisement A recent PLA document said to have been written by PLA military thinkers and revealed to the world by Japanese media shows the U.S. heading the list of the five potential threats to CPC's rule over China. The U.S. earned top spot because of the "Pivot to East Asia" regional strategy implemented by the administration of former U.S. president Barack Obama in 2011. That pivot meant the deployment of more than half of the U.S. Navy's combat power to Asia. That re-deployment of combat resources continues to this day. Three of the navy's 10 carrier strike groups are assigned to Asia and all have patrolled or are patrolling the disputed South China Sea. The PLA listed its ally, North Korea, as the second greatest threat to the existence of the CPC. It noted the existence of many of North Korea's nuclear facilities close to the Chinese border is a grave threat in itself. If there is a Second Korean War, these nuclear facilities will present a "huge threat" to the northern and northeast parts of China. Japan was third on the list. The report cited the dispute over the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, which are also claimed by China. Japan has embarked on its largest post-war military build-up of the Japan Self-Defense Force and the Japan Coast Guard. Japan recently received its first Northrop Grumman F-35A Joint Strike Fighter from the U.S. and is awaiting the delivery of close to 50 other stealth jets. The South China Sea and its potential to trigger World War III is listed as the fourth deadliest threat to the CPC. India and its modernizing military is considered the fifth gravest threat because of India's growing appetite for territorial expansion. Story Highlights 42% approve of temporary ban for seven Muslim-majority countries 38% approve of order to build border wall 36% approve of indefinitely suspending Syrian refugee program WASHINGTON, D.C. -- About half of Americans say President Donald Trump is moving too fast in addressing the major problems facing the country today, with most of the rest saying his speed of action is about right. When Gallup asked the same question in early 2009 about then-newly elected President Barack Obama, the public's sentiment was significantly different; 63% said Obama's pace was about right, with 22% saying it was too fast and 10% not fast enough. Do you think _______ is -- [ROTATED: moving too fast, doing about right or not moving fast enough] -- in addressing the major problems facing the country today? Too fast About right Not fast enough No opinion % % % % Donald Trump Jan 30-31, 2017 47 35 10 7 Barack Obama Jan 30-Feb 1, 2009 22 63 10 5 Gallup The current results are based on interviewing conducted Jan. 30-31. Americans identifying with the same party as the president were very positive about Obama's speed of action in early 2009 (82% of Democrats said it was about right) and are similarly positive now (76% of Republicans say it is about right). The big difference comes with the more critical attitudes among those who identify with the opposite party as the president. In 2009, 45% of Republicans said Obama was moving too fast. Now, 73% of Democrats say Trump is moving too fast. Roughly Four in 10 Approve of Trump's Executive Orders The perception that Trump is moving too fast is likely based on reaction to the continuing stream of memoranda and executive orders he has issued in his first 10 days in office. The most controversial of these have focused on immigration and refugees, to which Americans' initial response is significantly more negative than positive. Between 36% and 42% of Americans approve of suspending the Syrian refugee program, temporarily halting entry into the U.S. for most people from seven Muslim-majority countries, and ordering the construction of a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. These approval scores are slightly below Trump's overall job approval rating of 43%. Americans' Views on Donald Trump's Executive Orders Approve Disapprove No opinion % % % Ordering temporary ban on entry into U.S. for most people from seven predominantly Muslim countries 42 55 3 Ordering construction of a wall along the southern border with Mexico 38 60 2 Indefinitely suspending the United States' Syrian refugee program 36 58 6 Overall job approval 43 52 6 Gallup, Jan. 30-31 (executive orders) and Jan. 29-31 (job approval), 2017 Although there are some differences in approval of Trump's orders, Americans' reactions to them -- and their overall evaluation of Trump as president at this point -- are broadly similar. The executive orders receive majority disapproval, ranging from 55% who oppose the immigration restriction to 60% who oppose building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Fifty-two percent disapprove of Trump's overall job performance. In early 2009, the public's response to six different actions taken by then-newly inaugurated Obama showed a wider range of approval. Americans strongly supported Obama's naming special envoys to handle the situations in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan (76%) and restricting people from working as lobbyists either before or after serving in his administration (76%). But 35% approved of allowing U.S. funding for overseas family planning organizations that provide abortions, and less than half (44%) approved of Obama's order to close the Guantanamo Bay prison for terrorist suspects. By Obama's second year in office, his approval rating was routinely below 50% and marked by extreme political polarization, with most Democrats approving and most Republicans disapproving of his job performance. That polarization persisted to the point that Obama ended his presidency with the most polarized average approval ratings of any president in Gallup's polling history. It now looks as if Americans' overall reaction to Trump will be little different. Large majorities of Republicans approve of Trump's immigration-related executive orders and the overall job he is doing, while few Democrats agree. Americans' Views on Donald Trump's Executive Orders, by Party % Approve Republicans Independents Democrats % % % Ordering temporary ban on entry into U.S. for most people from seven predominantly Muslim countries 83 42 14 Ordering construction of a wall along the southern border with Mexico 80 39 8 Indefinitely suspending the United States' Syrian refugee program 71 35 10 Overall job approval 86 41 12 Gallup, Jan. 30-31 (executive orders) and Jan. 29-31 (job approval), 2017 Bottom Line Trump is not enjoying the type of honeymoon that the American public accorded his predecessors in their first weeks in office. Trump's initial job approval rating was the lowest in Gallup history, and a majority of Americans continue to disapprove of the job he is doing. No other president going back to Dwight Eisenhower had majority disapproval in his first several months in office. A majority of Americans, in similar fashion, disapprove of several of the high-visibility executive actions Trump has taken within his first 10 days in the White House. This polarization of opinion most likely reflects not only Trump himself -- his style and the actions he has taken -- but also the prevailing political environment today. Americans are sharply divided along political lines on any number of issues, meaning that any newly elected president these days will find it difficult to develop bipartisan support for their presidency or for specific actions. These data are available in Gallup Analytics. Oculus CTO and programming luminary John Carmack has published a statement refuting some of the allegations levelled at him and his employer during the recent Zenimax vs. Oculus trial -- a trial which virtual reality company Oculus lost. Carmack rarely offers such lengthy commentary in public, but after coming out on the losing end of a $500 million court case that revolved around him, he was compelled to go public with his side of the story. "The Zenimax vs. Oculus trial is over. I disagreed with their characterization, misdirection, and selective omissions," he wrote. "I never tried to hide or wipe any evidence, and all of my data is accounted for, contrary to some stories being spread." Carmack used to work for Zenimax subsidiary Id Software (which he founded) before leaving the company to work at Oculus, which Facebook bought for $2 billion in 2014. Carmack joined Oculus in 2013. Last summer, Zenimax accused Carmack of copying thousands of documents from a Zenimax computer to a USB storage device. Zenimax said those files were crucial in Oculus' effort to get its VR business off the ground. In his post-trial statement, Carmack took issue with those accusations of code theft, saying Zenimax's courtroom expert made claims that were plain wrong. "The plaintiffs expert that said Oculuss implementations of the techniques at issue were 'non-literally copied' from the source code I wrote while at Id Software," he wrote. "This is just not true. The authors at Oculus never had access to the Id C++ VR code, only a tiny bit of plaintext shader code from the demo. I was genuinely interested in hearing how the paid expert would spin a web of code DNA between completely unrelated codebases." For context, non-literal copying refers to a type of infringement where a program's primary functions are reproduced using different code. The analogy Oculus' expert gave to the jury posited if someone wrote a book that was for all intents and purposes Harry Potter, with a few name changes, it would still be copyright infringement. Carmack himself agreed with that point, but went on the explain that if you "abstract Harry Potter up a notch or two, you get Cambell's Hero's Journey, which also maps well onto Star Wars and hundreds of other stories. These are not copyright infringement." "There are objective measures of code similarity that can be quoted, like the edit distance between abstract syntax trees," he said. Carmack took issue with Zenimax's expert's presentation, accusing the plaintiff of misleading the court with illegible slides. "It was ridiculous," he wrote. "Even without being able to read the code on the slides, you could tell the steps varied widely in operation count, were often split up and in different order, and just looked different." Further questioning the credibility of Oculus' expert, Carmack noted that he himself wasn't allowed to read the full expert report, and said that if the code examples were made public "the internet would have viciously mocked the analysis." Carmack also strongly suggested that the expert witness, apparently an academic, sold their integrity for a high-paying gig. "The expert witness circuit is surely tempting for many academics, since a distinguished expert can get paid $600+ an hour to prepare a weighty report that supports a lawyers case," he said. Zenimax initially pushed for the Jury to award the company $2 billion in compensation plus another $2 billion in punitive damages. In the end Zenimax was awarded $500 million after a jury ruled that Oculus didn't illegitimately obtain trade secrets, but that Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey did indeed violate a non-disclosure agreement. You can read the Carmack's complete statement over on Facebook. UPDATE: Zenimax has responded to Carmack's criticisms, and has offered the following statement to Gamasutra: "In addition to expert testimony finding both literal and non-literal copying, Oculus programmers themselves admitted using Zenimaxs copyrighted code (one saying he cut and pasted it into the Oculus SDK), and [Oculus VR co-founder] Brendan Iribe, in writing, requested a license for the 'source code shared by Carmack' they needed for the Oculus Rift. Not surprisingly, the jury found Zenimax code copyrights were infringed. The Oculus Rift was built on a foundation of Zenimax technology." "As for the denial of wiping, the Courts independent expert found 92 percent of Carmacks hard drive was wipedall data was permanently destroyed, right after Carmack got notice of the lawsuit, and that his affidavit denying the wiping was false. Those are the hard facts." Readers, we need your help to prove a merry Christmas for victims of domestic violence. Economic managers from the Philippines presented a total of 40 small and large infrastructure projects for potential financing by China. (Photo : Getty Images) Notwithstanding the Hague's arbitral tribunal ruling against China's territorial assertiveness in the South China Sea, both China and the Philippines are reviving the Joint Commission on Economic and Trade Cooperation (JCETC), according to a report by the Philippine Inquirer. Advertisement Months before the announcement, preparations for JCETC) were already underway in Nov. 2016, when the Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry hosted a 14-member delegation from Beijing. China's representatives were led by Wu Zhengping, Director General for Asia in China's Ministry of Commerce The trade body will be revived after six years since its last meeting in 2011. During a meeting with officials from the Philippine Department of Finance, China's Commerce Minister, Gao Hucheng, has stated that Beijing is interested in enhancing mutual trust and understanding with their Filipino counterparts. "China attaches great importance to the list of priority projects submitted by the Philippine delegation," said Gao. Reinvigorated Bilateral Ties to Help Address Economic Issues Economic managers from the Philippines presented a total of 40 small and large infrastructure projects for potential financing by China. For Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, the new chapter of PH-China bilateral relations reaffirms both countries' commitment "to pursue long-term comprehensive, stable and cooperative relationship with China, grounded on mutual respect, sincerity, equality and mutual benefit for the advancement of peace, security and prosperity of our two countries." The JCETC meeting will discuss economic cooperation initiatives in the areas of trade and investment promotion, manufacturing, infrastructure, tourism, energy, small and medium enterprises, and agriculture. Last October China pledged an economic package comprised $9 billion worth of financing facilities and $15 billion worth of investment agreements that are forecast to generate two million jobs over five years. According to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, the $24 billion investment and credit line pledges secured from Beijing was a display of greater confidence in the future economic ties of the two countries. The next meeting of the City Club of Corvallis will explore the notion of sanctuary in the wake of President Donald Trumps threats to withhold federal funding from cities and institutions that attempt to protect illegal immigrants from deportation. Corvallis Mayor Biff Traber, Corvallis School District Superintendent Ryan Noss, Corvallis School Board Chair Alexis McQuillan and Scott Vignos of Oregon State Universitys Office of Institutional Diversity will discuss the pro-sanctuary positions their organizations have taken. The meeting will begin at noon Feb. 14 at the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, 1112 N.W. Circle Blvd. There is no cost to attend. Lunch is available at a cost of $10 for City Club members or $15 for non-members. To reserve lunch, send an email to info@cityclubofcorvallis.org by Feb. 11. If a tree falls in the forest and no ones there to witness it, does it make a sound? Photographer and former logger David Paul Bayles has been there to see the big trees fall, and he can tell you exactly what it sounds like. When the tree hits the ground, the sound is indistinguishable from the sensation. It is deep and thunderous. It pounds your eardrums and sends a shockwave up your legs. You see, hear, and feel the moment simultaneously. Those words are from Bayles description of Falling Trees, a series of black and white photographs that capture the final moments of a trees existence between the bite of the chainsaw and the impact with the earth. The images were created as a companion piece to Sap in Their Veins, an earlier series that depicts loggers plying their trade in Northern California in the 1970s and 80s. Each group of photos is compelling in its own way, in part because Bayles camera treats both trees and men with equal respect, portraying them with a deeply felt dignity born of long familiarity. Bayles, 64, doesnt shrink from the contradiction inherent in his photography. Its a conundrum, he admitted during an interview in his home studio in the woods outside Philomath. How could I passionately love trees and (yet), when Im honest, I also really loved my work. A native of The Dalles, Bayles got into the timber industry almost by accident in his early 20s. He wanted to attend art school in California but needed a way to pay for tuition, and his sisters boyfriend offered a solution: a good-paying job on a logging crew that would let him save money for college. I thought I was going to be able to do that in one season, but it turned out to be four, Bayles recalled. From 1974 through 1977, Bayles logged alongside his future brother-in-law in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It was difficult and dangerous work, but he came to value his hard-won skills and the camaraderie he found among the choker setters, cat skinners and timber fallers. After his last day on the job, he went out for one last round of beers with his co-workers before heading off to art school. One of them took Bayles aside and told him, I sure hope you dont forget us dirty old loggers. He never did. After graduating from the Brooks Institute of Photography in 1980, he set up shop as a commercial photographer and ran a portrait studio in Seal Beach, California. In his spare time he pursued personal photo projects. Bayles found himself drawn into the growing environmental movement, but as the timber wars began to heat up, he also found himself coming to the defense of the men who worked in the woods. I was able to separate what the timber companies were doing and the guys on the ground, he said. They were the ones on the front lines dealing with the environmentalists but not the ones making the decisions. They were just fighting for their livelihoods. Bayles response to those troubled times was Sap in Their Veins, a living history project that paired his sympathetic portraits of loggers at work with audio recordings of the men telling their stories in their own words. But the men with the chainsaws werent the only characters in this passion play: There were also the trees. Feeling that he wanted to tell their stories as well, Bayles lugged his large-format studio camera out to the woods to make portraits of trees as his brother-in-law brought them down. Bayles lens captured their deaths with the same sensitivity he brought to documenting the lives of the loggers who felled them. For me, its really about the poetry of those moments in transition, he said, the poetry of what happens between life and death. The tension between the human and natural landscapes runs through all of Bayles photography, whether hes shooting loggers in the woods, trees struggling to survive in urban environments or the ebb and flow of a working forest in the hills near his home. I just love trees and this dynamic that is always shifting between trees and people and forests, he said. Thats been a theme throughout all of my work. Bayles has exhibited in museums and galleries, and some of his photographs have found their way into national magazines and the collections of such institutions as the Portland Art Museum, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris and the Helmut Gernsheim Collection in Switzerland. Now his entire body of work will be preserved for posterity at the University of California-Berkeleys Bancroft Library, a major research institution that houses the worlds largest collection on the history and development of the American West, including work by such seminal photographers as Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange and Carleton Watkins. After a fire broke out in a farm field near his house in the summer of 2015, Bayles began to worry that some of his most precious prints and negatives could be lost in a natural disaster. The following spring he approached the Bancroft, thinking it might be interested in archiving his photos and audio tapes documenting the California logging industry. The application process culminated in a lengthy interview with Jack Von Euw, chief curator of the Bancrofts pictorial collection. Bayles remembers being nervous as he asked if the library would be willing to house his photographs of loggers and falling trees. The response was far more than he expected. Actually, we would like to create an archive for your entire lifes work, Von Euw told him. My knees just about buckled, Bayles recalled. I couldnt believe it. The agreement with the Bancroft, signed in November, allows Bayles to retain the copyright to his work for now and donate individual photographs to the collection when hes ready. After his death, the remainder of his personal collection will go to the library. When he looks back at the arc of his photographic career, Bayles hopes he has been able to shed at least a small amount of light on the complicated relationship between people and trees. Humans will always need wild landscapes, he believes, and now more than ever the natural world needs wise human stewardship. In the last hundred years we have learned really well how to replant and grow tree farms but theyre not forests. Im not saying thats bad, but I have to believe there are ways we can do it better, he said. All my work, its just a bunch of questions, he added. I dont have the answers, but the only way we get better at anything is if we ask the right questions. This log includes incidents in which there might have been a public disturbance or a risk to the public. Information comes from the Corvallis Police Department, the Benton County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police. It does not include all calls for service. The status of incidents might change after further investigation. Locations are approximate. People arrested or suspected in crimes are considered innocent until proven otherwise. Benton County Sheriff's Office MONDAY, JAN. 30 GRAFFITI: 8:32 p.m., 800 block Clemens Mills Road, Philomath. A representative with the old mill site reported that four people were captured on surveillance camera trespassing on the property. The man reported that three buildings had been tagged with graffiti and a window had been broken out. Deputies and Philomath police were unable to locate the suspected taggers. RECKLESS DRIVING: 2:09 a.m., Southwest 45th Street and Brooklane Drive. Deputies were dispatched for an injury motor vehicle crash. A newspaper delivery person reported turning her 2001 Infiniti around in a driveway when she was confronted by Kenneth Robert Shine, 33, of Corvallis. According to police reports, Shine got in a 1987 Chevrolet Suburban and "chased the victim's car" to Brooklane Drive where he rear-ended the Infiniti. Shine was cited with reckless driving. Microsoft Surface Phone (Photo : Twitter / XboxMAD) Fresh rumors suggest that the Microsoft Surface Phone release date will be slotted in 2018 as it may be aimed to rival Google Pixel 2 and iPhone 8 that will release later this year. Speculations are rife that the heavily rumored Microsoft Surface Phone is not ready for a launch. Hence, it is expected to get announce in 2018. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has hinted that the Surface Phone would deliver ultimate mobile experience. Advertisement Microsoft did best in keeping the Surface series and HoloLens secret until they were ready. It is likely that the company is secretly working on Surface Phone and it will be revealed once the smartphone is ready. One of the hints that indicates that the Microsoft Surface Phone exists is that the company has discontinued its Lumia lineup The Redmond giant is expected to re-enter the smartphone market with the popular Surface branding. The company was recently granted a patent for a 2-in-1 foldable smartphone that will not only function as tablet but also a tablet, MS Power User reported. Even though the rumor mill is speculating a lot on the design and specs of Surface Phone, the company seems to be doing best in keeping the smartphone a secret. In the recent past, several leaked images of Surface Phone had surfaced, but all of them were found to be fake. However, speculations indicate that smartphone is slated for 2018 release so that it can arrive after the iPhone 8 and Google Pixel 2 and compete with them. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Apple iPhones. Hence, iPhone 8 rumors have hinted that the smartphone would be coming plenty of new features. Some of the speculated features include edge-to-edge display, wireless charging and dual-SIM support. In 2016, the first Google branded smartphone was launched. The arrival of Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones resulted in the demise of Nexus lineup. Now, the search engine giant is expected to be working on a Snapdragon 835 edition of Google Pixel 2 that is likely to release in the last quarter of 2017, 9 to 5 Google reported. Will Microsoft Surface Phone arrive in 2017 to disturb the sales of Apple iPhone 8 and Google Pixel 2? Do let us know your thoughts by adding comments below. Here is why Surface Phone is expected to bring success to Microsoft: Technion University eyes "Tech Triangle" with China and the U.S. (Photo : Getty Images) Israel's Technion University is set to open a campus in China's Guangdong Province simultaneously with another one being set up in New York City, U.S. The move is symbolic of a new trend between the three countries called the "Tech Triangle." The Tech Triangle is a link between Israel, China, and the U.S. involving venture capital and research and development (R&D) efforts for building breakthrough technology. Technion University's prowess in startups through its engineering and entrepreneurial expertise stands to benefit the cause. Advertisement The U.S., for its part, has Stanford University near Silicon Valley that specializes in both venture capital and R&D for startups. Its counterpart in China, Tsinghua University, is known to innovate in fields such as AI and virtual reality, Forbes reported. Thus, Technion University's opening in China and the U.S. stands as a strategic effort to diffuse the development of startups throughout the world's most technologically innovative areas. The Chinese technology scene is fast shifting to innovation from manufacturing (and copying others). Such has been evidenced by China's massive number of patents; at over 1.2 million, the country is now the third-largest country for patents. Venture capital investment is also well and alive in the Chinese market; it's the second-largest in the world in that field at around $50 billion. Technion University's expansion is nothing short of strategic in that sense, given that the Chinese technology market holds a lot of promise for potential investors and innovators alike. At the same time, China requires access to top technologies from Silicon Valley--still the world's tech leader. Said ties would give Technion University access to a larger market for Israeli tech companies, with the opening of its two campuses in China and the U.S. effectively pushing the Tech Triangle at full speed ahead. Innovation, in that sense, would grow at a rapid but steady rate globally. Influenza : Flu outbreak rolling into Bonn Infuenza: Noch ist die Lage in Bonn entspannt. Foto: picture alliance / dpa Bonn/Region The flu season has hit harder than normal in many European countries this year. According to health authorities, the numbers in Bonn are starting to climb. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Looking at the map used by a workgroup, the color for Rhineland is bright red. It shows the number of people with acute respiratory problems, and signalizes a big increase in the number of people with infections. The group has also registered a clear rise in flu activity in the west of Germany. Christian Drosten is the director of the Institute for Virology at the University Clinic Bonn. He says the peak is still to come: In many European countries this year, the flu season has hit harder than normally, he said on Wednesday. In Germany, the numbers are just starting to climb and we see that here in Bonn too. Many clinics in the region are already reporting lots of activity. Rhine-Sieg county hospitals are full, Its cramped, said county spokesperson Rita Lorenz on Wednesday. The hospitals are full at the moment. But there is still space for the acute emergencies. Also in neighboring areas such as Bergisch Gladbach and Euskirchen, hospitals report being full. Ten cases of flu reported every day In comparison, the situation in Bonn is still relaxed. The Malteser Hospital in Rhine-Sieg is reporting normal levels of activity. The University Clinic Bonn is reporting a high level of occupancy but this is not attributed to cases of influenza. Despite the wave of flu in Germany, the University Clinic has not seen an increase of patients with the flu. We also have not seen an increase of patients with flu-like symptoms in the emergency room, said Wolfgang Holzgreve, medical director of the Uni Clinic. His colleague from the Malteser Hospital, Walter Bors, declared A new wave of flu is already approaching. The Bonn public health department reports 70 cases of influenza recorded so far this year. 32 of those cases were registered in the past week. At the moment, the Bonn health department is registering around 10 cases of influenza per day, which can change very quickly when the weather conditions also change, said a spokesperson. World Congress Center Bonn : G20 foreign ministers come to Bonn in February Bonn Germany currently has the G20 presidency, and in that role will play host to ministerial meetings on February 16 and 17 in Bonn. It would like to use the opportunity to strengthen international cooperation. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Germanys new foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel will play host to the G20 ministerial meetings on February 16 and 17 in Bonn. The working meetings are a precursor to the G20 summit which will be held in Hamburg on July 7 and 8. He is inviting his colleagues to debate in the World Congress Center Bonn (WCCB) about how to get the world back into a system of multilateral order. After two weeks in office, U.S. President Donald Trump is on his way to shaking up the world order. He pulled the U.S. out of transpacific trade agreement TTP at the horror of Japan and Australia. He called NATO obsolete and in his campaigns, he expressed an aversion to multilateralism. When he became new foreign minister of Germany, Gabriel said he was wanting to meet up with the new U.S. foreign minister, Rex Tillerson very soon to establish ties. On Wednesday, Tillerson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as foreign minister. It is generally expected that he would be coming to the G20 ministerial meetings in this role. On the agenda is climate change and this could be the first conflict. The Trump administration will probably not feel tied to the climate agreement of the G7 in 2015, which was supported by former President Obama. Tillerson, former CEO of Exxon Mobil, is probably not a big friend of a departure from fossil fuels. The G20 in Bonn wants to advance the Agenda 2030 for growth in sustainability. To that end, the UN has outlined 17 goals to be achieved by 2030, including clean water and sanitation facilities, education, climate protection, affordable and clean energy and also a fight against hunger. Bonn : Schools receive threatening mails Bonn Fourteen Bonn schools were the recipients of unsettling e-mails on Tuesday. Police confirmed on Wednesday that all of them had received a mail with the same wording, containing threatening content. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The e-mails had been sent via the contact forms found on the school websites. Police officers went to all of the schools affected and spoke with those in charge. They also contacted the city of Bonn, according to police spokesperson Robert Scholten. The situation was not seemed dangerous. Police have opened an investigation, pursuing charges against an unknown person for disturbing the peace with threats of criminal intent. Kourtney Kardashian attends the 2016 Angel Ball hosted by Gabrielle's Angel Foundation For Cancer Research on November 21, 2016 in New York City. (Photo : Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation)) Kourtney Kardashian surely knows how to attract her ex Scott Disick's attention. The reality star was vacationing in Costa Rica where her former lover was seen admiring his on-off partner's gorgeous bikini clad body. Disick was spending family time with Kardashian clan over the weekend when he was clicked checking out his ex-girlfriend. The 37-year-old mother-of-three showed off her bikini body in a white two-piece as she leaned on a railing at their private Villa Manzu while her sister Kim Kardashian sunbathed in front of her in a similar white bikini. Apparently, to show Disick what he is missing, Kourtney even took to Instagram on Jan. 31, Tuesday, to share a sexy pic of herself flaunting her curves in skimpy swimwear. Advertisement I don't think you ready for this jelly A photo posted by Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) on Jan 31, 2017 at 7:23pm PST However, just a day later, the handsome businessman was in Miami and enjoying some one-on-one time with brunette beauty Jessica Harris, a Next model from Philadelphia. The duo was seen embracing and nuzzling each other as they hung out in the pool at the luxurious Setai Hotel. It turned out that Disick secretly flew a mystery woman to the tropical locale while on a four-day vacation with his ex, their children, Mason, 7, Penelope, 4, and Reign, 2, and the rest of the reality TV clan. After spending a day with the family, Disick went missing after which security and "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" crew told the family that he was at production's hotel with someone, Us Weekly reported. The E! stars were infuriated as they found it disrespectful that Disick brought someone whom he barely knows. He eventually left Costa Rica for Miami. Although it seems that Disick's rendezvous will stir up any sort of drama with Kourtney, the fact remains that the beauty does not care what her former lover does anymore. While the two reportedly have been on better terms and even vacationed together recently, they have not connected romantically since a long time. "They were never 'back on,'" the insider told E! News. "They don't even live together." Meanwhile, watch the preview of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" Season 13 below: Song Joong-ki & Park Bo Gum Bromance (Photo : Instagram/Song Joong-ki) Descendants of the Sun actor Song Joong-ki and Love in the Moonlight star Park Bo Gum must be so secure in their manhood that they are not afraid of rumors questioning their gender preference. After guesting in Park Bo Gums last fan meet in Taiwan on Jan. 23, Song Joong-ki posted on Instagram on Tuesday on his Instagram account another bromance photo of his Dominos Pizza commercial co-star. The photo, as expected, became viral with more than 120,000 likes in two days. Advertisement Male Bonding However, even fans have noticed the unusual male bonding between the two close friends which they posted as comments on Song Joong-kis page. Jenniferlagunero20 wrote, Bromance be like. Iklimjr asked Why in every your post youre always he which seems to convey an observation by many that Song Joong-ki prefers male companionship, at least in photo sessions, than female. No Family Photos? Ucielubis, meanwhile, asked the actor how come he does not post photos of his family on his Instagram account, rather Song Joong-ki posts pictures even with babies of fans. The fan reminded him, familys number 1 for our life, so we dont forget them, share and show them is better. Diana_102002 teased, I can see the real smile on your face. But anggee.x was more direct and wrote, magkasama ang ex mo at ang present mo hahaha. She wrote in Pilipino, the Philippine national language, which translates as your ex and your present are together, hinting that the two are in a relationship. Besides posing with Song Joong-ki for the photo, Park Bo Gum is preparing for the next stop of his Asian fan meet which would bring him to Bangkok on Feb. 11 and Singapore on Feb. 18, Korea Portal reported. Egyptian MP Mohamed Fouad filed an inquiry with parliament regarding the hunting of endangered species of marine animals, including baby sharks and sea turtles, which puts them under threat of extinction. Fouad, who is a member of the Local Administration Committee, said in a statement on Tuesday that fishermen catch this marine life off the coast of Alexandria to be sold for food at local markets, according to Ahram Arabic website. "This is a blatant violation that is a result of a lack of supervision by the concerned authorities and bodies, which has led to an increase in this phenomenon and the exacerbation of its negative effects," Fouad said, adding that these practices not only threaten endangered species, but can also negatively affect the health and safety of citizens. In late January, a social media campaign against fishing for endangered marine life was launched under the title "protect sea turtles from extinction." On 26 January, a post went viral on Facebook showing pictures of four endangered turtles sold in Alexandria's Midan market, calling on concerned authorities to take action. The post said that the four turtles are female all of which were carrying eggs that weighed up to 250 kilogrammes. According to the Ministry of Environmental Affairs website, Egyptian law prohibits the hunting, killing or trading of any endangered living organisms. Search Keywords: Short link: Article Protecting the worlds oceans an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs. Egypt's foreign ministry said it is following with great concern the repercussions of a militant attack by Houthi forces on a Saudi warship off the western coast of Yemen which it said would have an impact on the security of navigation in the Red Sea. Houthi militants launched an attack Monday from three suicide boats on a Saudi frigate west of Hodeidah port, killing two Saudi naval forces sailors. In a statement late on Wednesday, the ministry said the "vicious" attack "threatens efforts to transfer humanitarian aid and relief supplies" to Yemeni citizens and poses a threat to "navigation security in the Red Sea." The ministry added that Egypt strongly condemns the assault which reflects a "continuous policy of destabilizing the region." The attack was claimed by the Iran-allied Houthi group that controls Yemen's capital city, Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition of the Kingdom's Gulf Arab allies have been carrying out thousands of bombing raids in Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to restore the ousted, internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The coalition has said the attack on the ship was a serious development that "would impact international navigation and the flow of humanitarian assistance to the port for Yemeni citizens." Search Keywords: Short link: Former President Barack Obama issued a statement reacting to President Donald Trumps executive order to restrict immigration from high-risk countries in the Middle East, urging Americans to organize against the president. Quote President Barack Obama is heartened by the level of engagement taking places in communities around the country, Obamas spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement to reporters. Through his spokesman, Obama also opposed discrimination against people because of their faith or religion, although he did not say that Trumps actions did so. With regard to comparisons to President Obamas foreign policy decisions, as weve heard before, Lewis said. The president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion. Early on Monday, President Donald Trump was asked to comment on Barack Obamas statement in an exclusive interview with the Chicago Tribune, and as expected, he wasted no time in ripping into the former president. Quote Let me tell you something right away, Barack Obama was a terrible president. He had no less than eight years thats two presidential terms eight years to solve the problem of Americans being outnumbered in their own country and he didnt, all under the disguise of democracy and equal rights for everyone. Well, that might have worked before, but its not going to work anymore, Ill tell you that much. He wants to do things differently? He can run again against me; Ill beat him like I beat Crooked Hillary. And another thing Ive just about had enough of all these attacks, everybodys angry about something. LGBT people are angry, pro-lifers are angry, pro-abortionists are angry, women are angry, men are angry, black people are angry, Muslims are angry, now even the man who stepped down from the presidency no less than 10 days ago is angry what is wrong with all of them? Trump said. Quote Ill tell you whats wrong theyre the people who dont want to see America great again. They want Muslim terrorists to keep coming into the country and destroying American values, they want us to have bad trade deals with Russia and China and Mexico. They want this country to fail. Well, you know something? Thats not going to happen. Not on my watch. And to show all of them Im serious about this and especially Barack Obama, who was darn near on the verge of running this country into the ground if I hadnt come along I hereby promise to add Kenya to the executive order and add it to the travel ban list unless he and those like him stop attacking the new policy and new course that America is on. I am not joking, he knows Im serious, they all know Im serious, I am one step away from adding more names and more countries to the list. They need to know Im ready to do it on the spot. " Ive agreed to let the Muslims and Kenyans who were already here stay, but I have no trouble banning travel from Kenya in the future. And thats just one option. Obama should be lucky hes not been deported back to his home country, though I wouldnt rule out that option yet if I were him. As of recently, hes fair game, too, Trump concluded. Nokia 8 Soon after the launch of Nokia 6, rumors about Nokia 8 started surfacing online. It was speculated that the smartphone was used to demonstrate the power and efficiency of the Snapdragon 835 SoC and its image stabilization abilities at Qualcomm's booth at CES 2017. But the same was denied later by the chipmaker. Talking about the specifications, the Nokia 8 is rumored to arrive in two variants. The premium variant is claimed to arrive with a Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 6GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage capacity with support for expandable memory. Also, this variant is said to feature a 24MP main snapper with EIS and OIS. The other model is likely to employ the Snapdragon 821 processor with 4GB RAM and a downgraded camera. Also Read: Nokia 8 video reveals two variants of Android flagship on the cards Nokia P1 The flagship smartphone that HMD is expected to announce at the MWC 2017 is the Nokia P1. Lately, we saw the gorgeous concept video of the Nokia P1 showing its design. Going by the existing rumors, the Nokia P1 is speculated to equip 6GB RAM as some of the Android phones from other manufacturers and a whopping 256GB of internal storage. The camera department is said to comprise a 22.3MP main snapper that sounds pretty impressive. Apart from these, the Nokia P1 is believed to boot Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box. Also Read: Nokia P1 concept video shows how gorgeous the flagship would look like Nokia D1C The Nokia D1C is rumored a lot lately and we are seeing some or the other report about the smartphone hitting the web frequently. The smartphone's specifications were revealed by a recent AnTuTu benchmark listing that showed that the Nokia D1C might use the Snapdragon 430 processor teamed up with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage capacity that can be expanded up to 128GB using a micro SD card. The device is likely to boast a 5.5-inch FHD 1080p IPS display. Imaging wise, the Nokia D1C is said to feature a 16MP main snapper at its rear and an 8MP selfie camera at the front. Running on Android 7.0 Nougat, the D1C might be topped with Nokia's user interface. Also Read: Nokia D1C specs and price leaked ahead of launch at MWC 2017 Nokia Heart After the announcement of the Nokia 6 smartphone, another smartphone with the codename Nokia Heart hit the web. This is believed to be a budget smartphone as its specifications were revealed by a listing spotted on GFX benchmark. Going by the listing, the Nokia Heart is likely to flaunt a 5.2-inch HD 720p display and employ an octa-core Snapdragon 430 processor that is believed to be coupled with 2GB RAM and 16GB of default memory capacity. The camera department is likely to include a 13MP main snapper and an 8MP front-facing selfie camera. Also Read: Nokia Heart' with 5.2-inch display and 2GB RAM tipped for MWC 2017 launch Nokia Edge As edge-to-edge display is believed to be featured by a few premium smartphones that are to be launched this year, Nokia is not left behind. There is a concept of Nokia Edge that is making rounds all over the internet. This concept seems to be realisitc unlike many others that won't come to life. The concept shows a buttonless design with controls included in the display. There seem to be no volume keys as well on board. The Nokia Edge concept seems to feature a secondary display above the primary screen to display notifications, virtual volume keys, and media playback UI. It also appears to feature a 23MP main snapper at its rear with the Carl Zeiss lens. Also, the device might feature a fingerprint sensor and an iris scanner, as per the concepts. Also Read: New Nokia Phone Concept Hits the Web and it's Absolutely Gorgeous Nokia Z2 Plus The Nokia Z2 Plus made an appearance on the Geekbench benchmarking website in December last year revealing its key specs and features. As per the listing, the Nokia Z2 Plus might be powered by the Snapdragon 820 chipset teamed up with 4GB RAM and run on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS. The other specifications of this smartphone remain unknown for now. Android 7.1.2 adds swipe for notifications gesture to Nexus 5X and 6P News oi -Rohit With the latest Android 7.1.2 update, Nexus 5X and 6P users can swipe on fingerprint sensor to access notifications on their smartphones Google recently started rolling out Android 7.1.2 Nougat public beta update to all compatible devices including Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. The new beta update brings the fingerprint 'swipe for notifications' gesture to the Nexus smartphones, a feature that was first introduced only in Pixel devices. With the new feature, users can access notifications on their smartphone by just swiping their finger on the rear fingerprint sensor. The feature is already available in some Chinese handsets from Huawei as the smartphones have the similar fingerprint sensor hardware. The developer preview is currently available only to Nexus 5X owners; however the feature will soon land up on Nexus 6P handsets. SEE ALSO: Bluetooth SIG listing reveals a mysterious Sony smartphone As per Google, the Android 7.1.2 is an incremental maintenance update focused on polishing and refinements, but Nexus 5X owners who have installed it on their smartphones are now able to access the new feature. If you own a Nexus 5X smartphone and have installed the update, just head to Settings menu and look for 'Moves' section. Switch on the toggle button for 'Swipe for notifications' to access the feature. Besides the swipe to access notifications, you can quickly jump to camera, flip camera and lift the handset to check your notifications. As noted, the Developer Preview update is currently made available for Google Pixel phones, Pixel C tablet, and Nexus devices including the Nexus 5X, Nexus Player. However, the company said that they would release the same update for Nexus 6P in coming days, due to some unknown reasons. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Bluetooth SIG listing reveals a mysterious Sony smartphone News oi -Prajith Sony could unveil as many as 5 smartphones at MWC 2017 and this could be one of them. Of late, the rumor mill has repeatedly been suggesting that Sony could unveil as many as 5 new phones under the Xperia series at this years MWC event held in Barcelona. Although no specific details were revealed, a mysterious Sony smartphone was sighted on Bluetooth SIG listing, a couple of days ago suggesting that the smartphone in question could be one among the 5 rumored phones. Also Read: Sony may out 5 new Xperia devices at MWC 2017 including a 4K, Snapdragon 835 SoC handset As mentioned, the listing reveals hardly any details about the mystery smartphone except for its model number: PRO20161112 and the fact that it will offer support for Bluetooth 4.1. Among the bunch of phones that are rumored to be launched at MWC 2017, Sony is also expected to unveil a Snapdragon 835 SoC powered phone which is also rumored to feature a 4K display. Source Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Moto G5 first stock will go on sale by mid-March, launch set for MWC 2017 News oi -Sneha Moto G5 first stock to go on sale by mid-March. Ahead of the launch, both Moto G5 and G5 Plus have been the talk of the town for quite some time now. If the rumors are to be trusted upon, these Motorola handsets will be making its fist public appearance at the MWC 2017 to be held late this month in Barcelona. Earlier we had reported about the rumored specs of both Moto G5 and G5 Plus. To recall the features, the Moto G5 Plus may be powered by Snapdragon 625 chipset under-the-hood along with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage space. Moving ahead, the G5 Plus will be further run on Android 7.0 Nougat, and sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and will be backed by a 3,100mAh battery. SEE ALSO: Moto G5 and G5 Plus alleged prices leaked In terms of the camera set up, the upcoming Moto G5 Plus will feature a 12MP rear camera, along with a decent 5MP selfie shooter, and will be priced around, Rs. 32,132. It should be noted that these are just mere rumors, and the company hasn't confirmed on any of it yet. On the other hand, rumors about Moto G5 suggest that the smartphone has already cleared FCC and received the certification. As we had reported earlier, the FCC documents suggest that Moto G5 is expected to ship with a DTV Dongle. Not only that, the FCC website also claims that the smartphone will feature NFC connectivity allowing it to support Android Pay and will be roughly priced around, Rs. 23,743. Motorola Moto G5 will be in retail shortly after MWC launch it seems - this coming from a UK retailer. pic.twitter.com/Dcg3tVDDn1 Roland Quandt (@rquandt) February 1, 2017 Adding on to the rumor mill, Ronald Quandt is his twitter confirms that Moto G5 will be launched at MWC 2017, and will be up for sale soon after the event, may be by mid-March. The tweet reads as follows: "Motorola Moto G5 will be in retail shortly after MWC launch it seems - this coming from a UK retailer." Spotted at a UK retail website, the post shows that the handset with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage variant in both Gold and Grey of 16GB will go on sale. The post further notes that Moto G5's first stock will be up for sale by mid-March. Well, how apt are these rumors will only be revealed after the Moto G5 is launched at the MWC 2017 later this month. Best Mobiles in India Heres how the Indian tech industry reacted to Union Budget 2017 News oi -Prajith The FMs new budget receives mixed reactions (mostly positive) from the big wigs of the Indian tech industry. Arun Jaitley, the Indian Finance Minister had unveiled the new norms for Union Budget for 2017 yesterday. And ever since, he has been applauded by the Indian tech industry for the changes that were brought into existence. So, without any delay lets get to know who said what. MS Vinita Bimbhet , President , FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) said, FICCI Ladies Organisation applauds the e government for bringing forward an inclusive budget. Concerted efforts have been made to keep the budget proposals in line with developmental priorities of the nation and will yield dividends for India. We are hopeful that Allocation of Rs. 1,84,632 crores for women and Kids, will help achieve the goal of poverty alleviation and providing adequate healthcare. We can also see that skilling youth and women have been taken as a priority area, which is truly essential for achieving the goals of sustainable development of the nation in totality. The allocation for women skill development has been hiked to to Rs 1.84 lakh crore and the proposal of setting up of 100 India-international skill centre will enhance skill development and create employability avenues for women. Another commendable initiative is the allocation of Rs 500 crore for setting up Mahila Shakti Kendra at village level, which will aim at empowering women, she added. Mr. Rajiv Srivastava, MD, HP India, commented The Union Budget 2017-18 is extremely positive for the common man, farmers, small and medium businesses and would drive significant growth in Indian economy. Governments commitment to make taxation rate reasonable, tax administration fair and expand the tax base is the step taken in the right direction. The tax relief given by the Government for the middle class tax payers will definitely boost the purchasing power, thereby aiding the overall growth of the economy. The major tax relief given to the MSMEs and SMEs with an annual turnover of Rs. 50 crores, would enable them to invest in job creation, increase capital expenditure and explore their digital journey. The strong emphasis laid on technology in almost all the development areas in the budget reaffirms that technology has been at the forefront of Indias recent economic growth and digital transformation. It has been recognized as an important enabler across initiatives ranging from agriculture to skill development to manufacturing and infrastructural development. The Governments focus on making India a digital payment economy will definitely help companies like HP to contribute in technology adoption in rural and semi-urban areas, thereby bringing the Digital India vision closer to reality. We also welcome the Finance Ministers commitment to introduce and implement Goods and Services Tax (GST) as per schedule and start GST awareness programme from April 1, 2017 for all stakeholders. Sameer Grover, Founder and CEO Crownit said Overall the budget is pro-entrepreneurs which will help create jobs in India, hire skilled talent at low cost and also improve industry output. Two specific highlights of the budget which particularly enthuse me are : Firstly the easing of tax for India based funds and FDI/FIPB changes- this will give a big boost to early stage startups. Secondly, the tax exemption for startups, now that's a big support to the Indian startups. Anurag Avula, CEO and Founder, Shopmatic said, "Its agreeable to see positive reforms being proposed in favour of digital pay systems for the common man, more specifically in rural and semi-urban areas. The move for forming reduction on tax for small and medium enterprises is a boost to The Make in India initiative, that will encourage the nation to keep in lines with motivational 2017-2018 budget theme of Transform, energize and clean India. Ajith Mohan Karimpana, CEO and Founder, Furlenco said, This budget is a continuation on the path towards improving tax administration & compliance and increased emphasis on digital transactions; Similarly the attempt to clean up political funding is also commendable. However, given the strong emotions that the Demonetization exercise evoked from the country at large and impending implementation of GST, the government refrained from bringing in any pathbreaking changes on direct taxes. Most of the proposals of personal and corporate tax have marginal impact for the tax payers. Specifically coming to the extension of tax break for startups to 7 years, this change was definitely required as there are very few startups that actually generate profits in first 5 years of their existence; reduction in corporate tax rate for entities with turnover less than Rs.50 Cr may not be of much use for new age startups that take 5-7 years and much larger turnover base to turn profitable. Overall on a scale of 10 we would rate the budget 6.5. Aneesh Reddy, CEO and Co-founder, Capillary Technologies said, As a retail and technology centric startup, we were hopeful around 3-4 high impact areas revolving around digitization measures, GST, corporate and individual taxation laws and differential duties on certain products. It was heartening to hear about the Digital theme focused measures revolving around digital payments through BHIM app and Aadhar based payment initiatives. The referral bonus and the cashback schemes would further encourage cashless transactions by consumers and adaptability by merchants. Although the Finance Minister, had suggested that GST bill will spur economic growth, we were hoping for an announcement on the implementation of GST bill starting this financial year. Overall, this budget has created the most positive impact as far as digitization measures are concerned. The digital transformation initiatives coupled with a spike in the digital transactions would encourage more startups like ours to play a vital role in innovating and significantly contributing to boost the digital economy in the country. Archit Gupta, CEO and Founder, ClearTax commented, The govt has proposed to abolish FIPB. This is a significant move for startups eco-system. The govt has proposed automatic FDI approval route. This is also a move towards ease of business - as obtaining FIPB approvals involved time and effort. This is an excellent move for removal of lengthy and time consuming approval processes. We are awaiting further details on this. Mr. Himanshu Bindal, CEO & Founder, One Internet said, The 2017/18 budget seeks to pursue prudent fiscal management to preserve financial stability. It will help start-ups as it proposes to cut income tax rate in 2017/18 for small companies, extends relaxation on withholding tax on foreign investor's interest income from debt until June 30, 2020 and proposes change in capital gains tax in real estate, land. Mr. Rajiv Mehrotra, Chairman and Founder of VNL & Shyam Telecom said, We welcome the budget with its thrust on maintaining the GDP growth momentum and curtailing current account deficit. The overall approach has been to spend more in rural areas and that will help the farm sector. Emphasis has been given to areas like infrastructure development, skill development, encouraging manufacturing and on Digital India. All this echoes our own focus. The DigiGaon initiative announced to provide tele-medicine, education and skills through digital technology in rural India is exactly what weve been propagating through our Digital Villages solution, so we heartily support that. We also welcome the Finance Ministers additional budgetary support to the BharatNet initiative to bring broadband access to more Gram Panchayats this fiscal. However, we would have liked to see some initiatives for the promotion of the indigenous telecom equipment manufacturing industry, and a boost to the Design in India and Make in India programmes. Mr Brij Nagpal, Executive Director, Finance, Luminous Technologies commented, It appears to be a very balanced budget with great focus on job creation, demand generation, spending on infrastructure all across in rural sector, urban sector and a big way in housing. More emphasis is given on tax compliance and rationalisation of various govt. subsidies & claims, digitisation and digital transactions which is a big thing. Its focused on the long term economic correction in the country. Its a must for the govt. to expand the tax base and increase the resources to be able to provide more benefits and incentives to the industrial sector. Since this budget is focused on overall development, its immediate impact on manufacturing sector is expected to be good as well. With tax reforms or GST implementation round the corner and commitment to stick to 25% corporate tax in the long run, we are moving in the right direction. Mr. Manish Sharma, President & CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia, and Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation said, The Union Budget 2017 will have a long term impact, it needs to be analyzed further when it comes to the appliances and consumer electronics industry. This budget, a lot of impetus has gone to rural economy and allocation on infrastructure by the honorable finance minister. From a consumer electronic company point of view we were expecting direction on the upliftment in supply chain and logistics in India. The budget allocated towards MSIPs and EPF looks progressive and will surely reduce dependency on imports in the industry. We look forward to the next draft of GST to come forward, however the governments move on imposing a 2% special additional duty on populated printed circuit boards (PCB) used for mobile phones imported into the country, will provide adequate protection to the domestic industry and give the necessary impetus to Make-in-India under the GST regime. "Make in India" is a great opportunity given India has attracted huge investments in local manufacturing lately not only benefitting the economic growth but also creating increased employment. The investment of Rs. 10,000 crore towards that aim will definitely be beneficial to further grow local manufacturing. At Micromax we are committed to support the Make in India initiative and invest accordingly. With focus on growth, it is a progressive budget and is a stepping stone to Indias growth story. The delivery however will be contingent on effective implementation of these policies. Arvind R Vohra, Country CEO & MD, Gionee India said, We are positive, that the Governments increased allocation and incentives in schemes like M-SIPS and EDF will provide the necessary push to the mobile and internet manufacturing economy . Also the allocation of INR 10,000 crore in BharatNet provides the much needed boost for the penetration of Digital India into the rural segment, and for strengthening the consumptions of smartphones. Mr. Ashok Kumar Gupta, Chairman, Optiemus Infracom commented, We welcome the Government for presenting a progressive budget. Governments agenda for 2017-18 is Transform, Energise and Clean India, with impetus on digital Economy, access to public services, and financial inclusion. Smartphones play a key role in realizing digital India agenda catalyzing the mobile economy. The government had introduced a slew of measures to drive digital transactions for speed, accountability and transparency. Manufacturing continues to be one of the top focuses area for the government and accordingly the union budget 2017 bodes well for the industry. The government has exponentially increased the allocation and incentives of schemes like M-SIPS and EDF to Rs745 crore in 2017-18, which is an all-time high. This reflects governments focus on making India a global hub for electronic manufacturing. We expect this to increase economy activities, drive innovations and create more jobs. Kunal Bahl, Co-Founder &CEO Snapdeal said, We commend the focus on growing the digital footprint in the country - enhancing digital infrastructure, capping cash transactions, reducing cash donations, using Adhaar Pay to enable more digital payments are significant measures. Initiatives make an impact when there is continued attention and the announcement of today builds on the demonetization efforts of last few weeks. We also welcome the emphasis on skill development and technical education - this will enable India to successfully harness the demographic dividend. The attention to affordable housing, greater employment in rural areas are the right interventions to build a more equitable society. Mr. Pankaj Anand, CEO, Jivi Mobiles said, We were hoping to get some relaxation in taxes for low end smart phones in lieu of promoting smart devises to the masses which would have enabled them for digital banking and also some packages to support mobile manufacturing in India, on the contrary increase in duty on PCB will certainly increase the prices of mobile phones. Mr. Jay Chen, CEO, Huawei India commented, We at Huawei Telecommunications India are pleased to note that the current budget strongly supports the progressive vision of a Digital India set by Honble Government. The allocation of Rs 10,000 crore towards BharatNet will give an overall boost to broadband connectivity in the country. The success of the BHIM app and announcements related to its promotion, Aadhar based swipe machines, and tax exemption to those who use Aadhar based POS machines, will all help accelerate acceptance of digital payments. Furthermore, initiatives like 'Digital Village and 'Digi-Gaun will significantly extend the benefits of digitization to rural India and contribute to a Better Connected India. Kuldeep Malik, Country Head - Corporate Sales International, MediaTek India said, We were expecting Financial Budget 2017 to offer incentives to start inflow towards design led manufacturing in place of assembly led manufacturing ecosystem, but it seems government not yet convinced towards adopting multiple layered incentives for localization while increasing the duties on CBU (Completely built Units), overall based on the information available from the budget the impact of the policies seems to be neutral for mobile/tablet industry, at best. There has been a 2% increase in duties levied on import of PCBA in India, which still will reflect only on one part of the manufacturing cycle with focus on assembly of mobile handsets. On the other hand, providing attractive incentives for localization of design and R&D capabilities would have bolstered the 'Make in India' initiative, and driven more handset makers to introduce design led manufacturing in India. Post demonetization government seems to be totally convinced towards digital payment adoption, and there is one key development towards 'Digital India' program, where Government has decided to waive all duties (SAD/CVD, BCD) levied on mPOS systems, which in turn means that the POS devices will become cheaper and hence we can expect the adoption of such devices, even in grass root level, to grow exponentially in the coming year, helping drive forward the mobile payments ecosystem. Considering the adoption of Aadhar based payment government has also waived of duties from components such as IRIS scanner, fingerprint readers. Best Mobiles in India Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy. Related Egyptian presidency says only bilateral meetings scheduled during Sisi's trip to UAE Egypt's Sisi to head to UAE on Thursday for two-day visit Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry headed to Abu Dhabi on Thursday for a two-day visit to attend an Arab foreign ministers meeting and discuss boosting ties between Egypt and the UAE. The ministers are set to discuss in the meeting regional developments and cooperation on national security issues of mutual concern. Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu-Zaid said Shoukry will meet with his Emirati counterpart Abdullah Bin Zayed as well as other state officials on his visit. The meeting comes in the framework of preparation for the Arab League foreign ministers summit in Cairo in March. Search Keywords: Short link: A foreign affairs ministry official said that the EU should instead invest in more jobs in the southern Mediterranean region and African continent Egypt announced its rejection on Thursday of establishing camps for irregular immigrants in Africa, following a recent meeting of European Union (EU) interior ministers who discussed the possibility of financing camps on the continent. Hisham Badr, Egypts assistant foreign minister for multilateral affairs, called on Europe instead to increase investments to create more jobs in the southern Mediterranean region and African continent to curb irregular migration. Badrs statement came ahead of his visit to Geneva upon an official invitation from the International Organization For Migration (IOM) to present Egypts expertise in combating irregular migration. In November 2016, Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi signed into law a bill aimed at curbing illegal immigration and cracking down on human smuggling amid a hike in the number of migrants departing from the country to Europe. Last week, interior ministers from the EU discussed in a meeting the possibility of financing camps in Africa where the UN's refugee agency and aid groups would process migrants to prevent them from trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. Nearly 210,000 irregular immigrants arrived in Europe across the Mediterranean from January to June 2016. Around 3000 irregular immigrants drowned in the Mediterranean during the same period, according to the IOM. Search Keywords: Short link: Russian cybersecurity experts arrested in 'US-linked' treason case Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 6:40PM Two senior Russian cyber security officials along with a top anti-hacking expert have been arrested in a US-linked treason case. A lawyer representing one of the suspects said on Wednesday that Sergei Mikhailov, the deputy head of the FSB's Centre for Information Security, and his deputy Dmitry Dokuchayev along with Ruslan Stoyanov, the head of the investigation unit at Moscow-based cybersecurity giant Kaspersky, had been detained by authorities in Moscow. Ivan Pavlov said the three were suspected of committing treason. He added that the case was linked to the United States but said the CIA spy agency was not specified in the documents related to the case. This is believed to be one of the highest-profile treason cases to hit the Russian intelligence community in years. Authorities have yet to officially confirm the arrests but sources in the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had been informed about the case when Russian media were earlier covering it. Kremlin spokesman Demitry Peskov, however, denied there was any link between the case and recent allegations in the United States that Russia carried out cyber attacks on American organizations with the intention of paving the way for the election of Donald Trump as president. Peskov said there could be no connection as Russia "categorically denies any claims on the possible Russian involvement" in any hacking. Pavlov said more suspects were involved in the case but he would not elaborate. If confirmed, the case could be one of the most sensitive affecting Russia's domestic intelligence agency FSB. Sources in the CIA also said that they had no comment on the issue. Kaspersky had confirmed the arrest of its former official last week although it said charges brought against Stoyanov were related to the time he was not an employee of the company. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Lawyer Says FSB Officers, Kaspersky Manager Charged With Treason Carl Schreck February 01, 2017 Russian lawyer has confirmed the arrests of two Federal Security Service (FSB) officers and a manager at a Russian cybersecurity company on treason charges, and that they are suspected of passing classified information to U.S. intelligence. Ivan Pavlov, who is representing one of the detainees, told RFE/RL in a phone interview on February 1 that more than three people had been detained in the case. He refused to identify his client or whether his client was an employee of the FSB. Pavlov's remarks were the first independent confirmation of the arrests, which occurred in December. The growing number of arrests, and a steady stream of leaks in Russian media over the past two weeks, have stoked speculation and offered potential glimpses into Russia's formidable security apparatus, and its possible ties to Russia's shadowy underground hacking networks. At the time of their arrests in December, Sergei Mikhailov and Dmitry Dokuchayev were officers with the FSB's Center for Information Security, a leading unit within the FSB involved in cyberactivities. Pavlov confirmed to RFE/RL the arrest of Mikhailov and Dokuchayev, along with Ruslan Stoyanov, a former employee of the Interior Ministry who had worked for Kaspersky Labs, a well-known private cyber-research company, which announced Stoyanov's arrest last month. The newspaper Kommersant reported that Mikhailov was arrested at a meeting of FSB officers and was taken from the meeting after a sack was put on his head. The independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, meanwhile, said that a total of six suspects -- including Mikhailov, Dokuchayev, and Stoyanov -- had been arrested. The state news agency TASS reported on February 1 that two men associated with a well-known hacking group had also been arrested in November, but it wasn't immediately clear if those arrests were related to the FSB case. There has been no public detail as to the nature of the treason charges against Mikhailov, Dokuchayev, and Stoyanov. The Interfax news agency on January 31 quoted "sources familiar with the situation" as saying that Mikhailov and Dokuchayev were suspected of relaying confidential information to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Pavlov told RFE/RL the individuals were suspected of passing on classified information to U.S. intelligence, but not necessarily the CIA. "We have no information about the CIA" in the matter, he said. While Russian officials have not commented on the record about the arrests, Russian media, citing anonymous sources, have reported the suspects may be tied to hackers targeting the Russian elite and may have disclosed information related to cyberattacks targeting the U.S. election system. Last month, U.S. intelligence agencies released a report concluding that Russia orchestrated a hacking-and-propaganda campaign targeting the U.S. presidential election with the aims of undermining the U.S. electoral system. The effort, the report said, sought to discredit Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, and help her Republican rival, Donald Trump, who won the contest and took office on January 20. The sources cited anonymously in the Russian media have not expressly linked the reported accusations against Mikhailov and Dokuchayev to the breaches of U.S. Democratic Party servers. Novaya Gazeta has reported that there may be links to attacks on electoral systems in individual U.S. states. Private U.S. cyber-researchers have also added to a growing pile of clues linking the U.S. election intrusions to Russian hacking groups, some of whom, according to Russian media, worked in tandem with security agencies. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied efforts to meddle in the U.S. election. President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on February 1 that Mikhailov and Dokuchayev could not have been involved in cyberattacks targeting the U.S. election "because as we have already said, we categorically reject any assertions about the possible involvement of the Russian side in any hacker attacks." TASS said the arrests revealed on February 1 were two men from the notorious Russian hacking group known as Shaltai-Boltai, Russian for Humpty Dumpty. The agency quoted a spokeswoman for Moscow's Lefortovo court as saying Aleksandr Filinov and Konstantin Teplyakov had been arrested in November and faced charges of illegally intruding into computer systems. With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, TASS, RIA Novosti, and RFE/RL's Russian Service Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-fsb-officers -treason-kaspersky/28272937.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Coalition Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, Feb. 1, 2017 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, bomber and fighter aircraft conducted 11 strikes in 16 engagements in Syria: -- Near Abu Kamal, five strikes destroyed six oil wellheads, five front-end loaders, a bulldozer and an oil tanker. -- Near Ayn Isa, three strikes damaged three supply routes. -- Near Raqqa, three strikes destroyed 20 oil barrels, three tunnels, an oil inlet manifold and an oil storage tank. Strikes in Iraq Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in 11 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position and a supply cache. -- Near Kirkuk, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position, a supply cache and an observation post. -- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and damaged a tunnel. -- Near Rutbah, two strikes destroyed three vehicles and a vehicle bomb. 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 they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group'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, 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Soldiers Prepare for Training With NATO Partners in Estonia By Army Staff Sgt. Corinna Baltos, 24th Press Camp Headquarters TRZBIEN, Poland, Feb. 1, 2017 In a little less than a day and a half the soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division's Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, completed a logistical feat; they loaded a company's worth of fighting vehicles onto railcars in Poland to be shipped to Estonia. Loading the vehicles was expected to take two days, officials said. "It's pretty amazing," said Army Capt. Edward Bachar, Charlie Company's commander. "Over the last day and a half, we have uploaded nearly 80 pieces of equipment onto rail cars and all of our primary combat platforms [were] moved onto the cars by their own power." This feat was managed due to the diligence of the soldiers in making sure their vehicles were in good working order when they arrived in Poland earlier this month. "After the vehicles arrived in Poland we made sure they were fully operational," Bachar said. Once the vehicles were operational, the soldiers began firing their weapons systems to make sure that the crews and vehicles were ready to train. Both the vehicles and the soldiers are expected to arrive in Estonia on Feb. 3 and immediately start training with their NATO partners. "We are going to begin our expert marksmanship training the week of Feb. 6," Bachar said. Operation Atlantic Resolve The movement of equipment and troops into and around Europe marks the beginning of a continuous rotation of armored brigade combat teams from the United States as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Atlantic Resolve is a demonstration of continued U.S. commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of America's dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region in light of the Russian intervention in the Ukraine. The Estonia rotation is one of several operations over the next few weeks involving units from the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team to spread out from Poland to seven other countries in central and Eastern Europe as part of a persistent U.S. armored presence in the region. Over the next few weeks, other combined-arms units in the brigade combat team will begin moving into Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. The movement of Charlie Company to Estonia is a prime example of how the 3rd Brigade is exhibiting its ability to move freely from one NATO country to another, an effort made in part to show how the brigade combat team could respond quickly if called to support an allied nation. In November, the brigade combat team loaded about 2,800 pieces of equipment onto railcars in Colorado, and shipped them to Beaumont, Texas, where they were placed on cargo ships bound for the port of Bremerhaven, Germany. The ships arrived in Germany in early January and were loaded onto railcars and transported to Poland. The Silver Lions' move to Estonia will enhance deterrence capabilities in the region and improve the U.S. ability to respond to potential crisis and defend its allies and partners within the European community. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Army departs Grafenwoehr to support NATO in Lithuania By Andre Potzler, 7th Army Training Command February 1, 2017 GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- The German Army's 122 Panzergrenadier Battalion wrapped up its pre-deployment training here for their NATO mission by loading nearly 40 wheeled and tracked vehicles on trains at the U.S. Army's Grafenwoehr Training Area railhead. The transport is headed to Rukla, Lithuania, where the unit will deploy for six months in support of NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence. The unit is homestationed in Oberviechtach, Germany and is part of the 12 Panzer Brigade, 10th Panzer Division. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Future warfighting calls for semi-independent units, empowered leaders By Sean Kimmons February 1, 2017 TWICKENHAM, England (Army News Service) -- In future warfare, subordinate units isolated from the theater's top brass may have to go against their original orders and rely on a mix of capabilities to defeat an evolving enemy, Army planners say. That calls for a change in the culture of Army institutions to update tactics, according to Maj. Gen. Eric Wesley, commander of the Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, which is tasked with crafting the future requirements of maneuver forces. "You have to create training environments where a captain, for example, has to choose to do something that he was told not to do, but is consistent with the intent of the expectation of his higher command," Wesley said. Speaking at the International Armored Vehicles conference Thursday, Wesley described this as "realizing mission command," a strategy that invests more trust in leaders in the field to use multi-domain capabilities. "When we say mission command, I think in many ways it has become a buzzword that we truly don't understand or we don't employ," he said. "Our armies, and in particularly ours, are drunk on information and dependent on permission." In his remarks, Wesley outlined other challenges to his center's movement and maneuver functional concept, a set of ideas for maneuvering and fighting within a future operating environment. The concept is slated to be reviewed by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley in February. Under this concept, which is being developed simultaneously with the Army Training and Doctrine Command's overall multi-domain operating concept, units would likely rely on an emphasis on cross-domain maneuver. "This is formation indiscriminate. It's an idea on how brigades fight," Wesley said of the concept. "You won't have multi-domain brigades; you'll have brigades that will have to fight in a multi-domain environment." In the near future, unit commanders will be called upon to juggle capabilities in the land, air, maritime, cyber and space domains while maneuvering troops in a contested environment. "What we're struggling with at Fort Benning [in Georgia] is what tools can I give captains and majors to leverage that kind of synchronization?" Wesley asked. The U.S. Army isn't the only one asking such questions, he told the conference audience of military members and industry partners from around the world. "As a military profession, it will be indispensable that we understand collectively where we're going," he said. The general called the movement and maneuver functional concept an azimuth that shows the direction for the U.S. Army and its allies. Further collaboration, he said, will help shape doctrine and allow the defense industry to customize technology to it. "This is by no means [set] in stone," he said. "With our coalition partners and allies we need to refine what we have here." When developing ideas and technology, Maj. Gen. Robert White, commander of the 1st Armored Division, said the human capacity of troops should always be at the forefront of discussions. "No matter what we do and what we make or the concepts that we have, at the end of the day, it's the Soldier that pulls the trigger, that steers the vehicle, and that engages in battle with the enemy," he said Jan. 24 during his speech at the conference. Capabilities, he suggested, should be tailored to the Soldiers who will use them, not the other way around. "It's really about building lethality around the Soldier, not building the lethality and serving the Soldier inside of it," White said. "Those solutions that we come up with, in the end, fall on the shoulders of a 19-year-old man or woman and we're going to enable them to win." For example, he said, there's room for improvement in communications systems that have become overcomplicated, affecting how the U.S. Army works with its sister services and other nations. "If we're going to fight together in the future as we are today, we've got to be able to talk," White said. The reliability of communications systems could be even more urgent in the multi-domain environment, where episodic disruptions in communications may affect dispersed forces. It's important that the young leaders who may someday fight in multiple domains are empowered to handle such issues, according to Wesley. "Because you [will] have a very fast and hyperactive battlefield, we must unleash the power of subordinate formations in order to operate," he said. That will require a significant level of confidence in young leaders not typically seen in today's Army, Wesley said. "You can't truly trust someone unless you are willing to take a risk," he said. "If you're not willing to take risks as a senior commander, you do not trust. And the only way to get to trust is to employ some risk." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Colonel John Dorrian, Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesman February 01, 2017 Department of Defense Press Briefing by Col. Dorrian via teleconference from Baghdad, Iraq CAPTAIN JEFF DAVIS: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We're pleased to be joined today live from Baghdad by Colonel John Dorrian, our spokesperson for Operation Inherent Resolve. And J.D., if we can just make sure we can hear you and you can hear us. COLONEL JOHN DORRIAN: I've got you loud and clear, Jeff. CAPT. DAVIS: Great. Sir, we will turn it over to you. COL. DORRIAN: Outstanding. Good morning. We'll start with Syria and move over to Iraq. In Syria, the Syrian Democratic Force with their affiliated Syrian-Arab Coalition fighters continue to back-clear and strengthen defensive positions four to five kilometers west of Tabqa Dam. As local Arab tribes join the ranks, the coalition will continue to bolster these fighters' abilities with training, weapons and equipment as we have already done for more than 3,000 members of the SAC. Most recently, the coalition provided several Guardian armored vehicles to provide the Syrian-Arab Coalition with increased survivability from ISIL's small arms and improvised explosive device threats. Coalition efforts to isolate and pressure Raqqa continue. As we've discussed before, Raqqa represents the nexus of ISIL's external operations. With that in mind, we continue conducting strikes there to disrupt the enemy while the city is being isolated. As the pressure mounts in the city, ISIL fighters in Raqqa have been invading homes to search for satellite dishes and mobile phones used to communicate with the outside world. We've seen these same measures in other places that ISIL controls. Moving over to Al-Bab, since January 1, 2017, the coalition's conducted 19 strikes, including 36 engagements in or near Al-Bab to destroy ISIL fighters, equipment, artillery, fighting positions, tunnels and command and control nodes. These strikes are coordinated through the Turkish army by liaison officers in strike cells to ensure we understand the disposition of Turkish military forces on the ground as we strike. We continue to deconflict strikes, air operations and more recently ground operations as well as -- and sharing targeting information. We believe the coalition is more lethal against ISIL due to these unified efforts. In Iraq, ISIL continues losing ground despite using barbaric population control measures against Mosul residents in their attempt to complicate the ISF advance. The coalition has liberated about 60 percent of ISIL-held territory in Iraq. ISIL remains on the back foot in Mosul. Its leaders are accusing citizens of spying, and tragically, they are executing people who don't cooperate with them in some cases. They've also lost trust in some of their fighters and they've even done executions against their own fighters. Although ISIL has fought hard to maintain control of territory in Mosul, we'll expect them to continue to do so, their difficulty in maintaining control is no surprise. The coalition has made a concerted effort to degrade the ISIL leadership network in Mosul in preparation for the battle. Even before the battle ensued, between August and October of 2016, 18 ISIL leaders in and around Mosul were killed by coalition air strikes. These ISIL leaders were involved in Mosul's security, law enforcement and the perverted control of local civilians and attack plots away from the city. Since the battle started just over 100 days ago, the U.S.-led coalition removed in additional 15 ISIL leaders in Mosul, including Abu Abbas, a terrorist fighter leader killed January 12th, and Abu Taha, who was ISIL's jailer and also responsible for the implementation of population control measures in the city. He was killed October 31st. What this means is that ISIL leaders who are trying to defend their territory in west Mosul are less experienced and less effective than the leaders that they replaced. Again, we expect them to continue fighting hard and for the rest of the west side of Mosul to be difficult, but they do not have enough capability remaining to stop the ISF advance. For now, the Iraqi army continues back-clearing areas in the east and north of Mosul, and clearing areas in the north like al-Qubah village, to set conditions for operations on the west side. Coalition forces are working with the ISF on planning how we can support the ISF with advice and assistance, strikes, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. And we continue training hold forces for once Mosul is liberated. The terrain in west Mosul makes it a challenge to clear. On the ground, the narrowness of the roads and the density of the buildings sets conditions for close fighting. Some of you have asked if the coalition will be able to capably support the ISF with airstrikes in such challenging terrain with drastically increased civilian casualties -- without causing drastic increases in civilian casualties or collateral damage. We can. And protection of civilian populace is a cornerstone of the Iraqi campaign plan, and our efforts will be consistent with that priority. One of the ways that we do that is through the selection of munitions. An example of one of these munitions is the advance precision kill weapons system two. This is a laser-guided, high-precision, low-collateral damage weapon that provides the capability to engage targets, including moving targets, in dense urban terrain. These weapons were fielded last year within six months of congressional approval, and are now being used for close-air support missions by Air Force A-10s and Marine AV-8B Harriers. Since June 2016, more than 200 of these munitions have been employed against enemy fighters, oil tanks, and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices, among other targets. More than 60 have been used in and around Mosul. And now I'm delighted to take your questions. CAPT. DAVIS: We'll start with Joe Tabet from Al Hurra. Q: Hi, Colonel Dorrian. I would like to ask you if you could explain to us, or give us more clarification, about the difference between the Arab -- the Syrian Arab Coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces? COL. DORRIAN: Yep, the Syrian Arab Coalition is made up of Arab fighters predominantly from the local area. This has been a cornerstone of the campaign is to try to work with local fighters, because in the areas that are to be liberated, the legitimacy of the force that's going to go in there is an important part of the campaign. If it's local fighters, certainly that's better than outsiders. Q: As for the SDF? COL. DORRIAN: The SDF is a multi-ethnic group. They've been proven to be a reliable partner for us, they've defeated Daesh in many areas including Manbij and other areas in northern Syria. They include Kurdish elements, Christians and others, so -- also the Syrian Arab Coalition including local Arabs. Q: So, I understand from you that the armored vehicles have been delivered to the Syrian Arab Coalition and the SDF has nothing to do with these vehicles. And also, could you tell us what type of vehicles have been delivered? COL. DORRIAN: The Syrian Arab Coalition was the organization that received these. Again the Syrian Arab Coalition is a part of the Syrian Democratic Forces. So it's a group that includes the Syrian Arab Coalition. As far as the vehicles, they're Guardian vehicles, so these are up-armored Ford vehicles. They're trucks that have had a lot of armor added in order to increase their survivability and ability to withstand improvised explosive devices and small arms fire. CAPT. DAVIS: Next we'll go to Laurie Mylroie from Kurdistan24. Q: Hi, Colonel Dorrian. I've got two questions for you. The first is, now that U.S. -- these travel restrictions have been put in place by the United States and they include Iraq and Syria, has that had any impact on the coalition's ability to fight ISIS? Does it interfere with morale or contributed to problems with coordination or any other issues? COL. DORRIAN: So far, I'm not aware of any issues that have developed as a part -- as a result of the executive order. In fact, the coalition has continued working with our partners in Iraq non-stop to attack enemy resources. We've dropped more than 600 bombs this week. We continue training them, we continue our advice and assistance, and really nothing has changed at all with regard to the conduct of the campaign. Q: Thank you. And my second question- now that you've liberated eastern Mosul, you must've gotten a lot of information about ISIS there, and you must have new insights, I assume, into its structure, who's involved- could you give us- could you share any of those new insights with us and particularly in regard to foreign fighters? COL. DORRIAN: Certainly. You know of of the things about liberating a very large area like Mosul, is that you're going to find a treasure trove of intelligence information. So we're working with the Iraqi security forces as major areas are liberated, places like the University of Mosul, Mosul University, and some of the larger neighborhoods and facilities where ISIL was present because all of those areas contain a lot of evidence, a lot of important information about how the organization works, how they recruit foreign fighters, how they build weapons. You see some of the facilities that they use to do these things, you get deep insight into how they get their materials, you get information about who they coordinate with around the world. We're probably not going to be able to give a tremendous amount of information in depth about that. There are -- you know, there is information about foreign fighters. You find documents, you find computers and personal devices as these fighters are killed or forced to leave resources in place as they run away. Q: Follow-up questions. Was Mosul University used for ISIL's chemical weapons production? COL. DORRIAN: We have reports that that's the case, yes. Q: You have the -- that equipment now in your possession now that you have Mosul University? COL. DORRIAN: I'm having a little bit of trouble hearing you. Can you repeat the question? Q: Say that Mosul University was used for chemical weapons production. Presumably now, that equipment that ISIS was using for chemical weapons production is in the hands of the Iraqi security forces. Is that correct? COL. DORRIAN: That is correct. Q: Can you tell us anything more about what ISIS was doing in terms of chemical weapons? COL. DORRIAN: Well, we've long known that the enemy has aspired to use chemical weapons. They have used -- mustard agent is one that they've used many times and this is -- you know, the reports that we have are that's -- that's what was found in Mosul and those are in open sources. So you know, these are rudimentary capabilities as far as the chemical weapons piece, but you know, ISIL does have very capable production facilities for -- for weapons with regard to machine-grade weapons. So it's very important that we continue to roll back their control of territory because this is not something that we want to wait and let ISIL get good at. CAPT. DAVIS: Next, we'll go to Kasim Ileri at Anadolu News Agency. Q: Colonel, about these armored vehicles, could you -- to what extent you are confident that none of those vehicles have passed to the YPG element of this SDF? COL. DORRIAN: They were divested to the Syrian-Arab Coalition. Syrian-Arab Coalition fighters fight in concert with the SDF, so they're there together. That's -- that's where the -- where those vehicles are. Q: So -- so are YPG forces who are moving towards Raqqa also using this vehicles? COL. DORRIAN: I don't have firsthand knowledge of whether they are or whether they are not. Those forces are fighting together and they're working to isolate Raqqa. So that's the latest information that I have. Q: From -- from the very beginning, the U.S. officials have been saying that that is -- the U.S. policy does not include training or equipping YPG elements. And now, you are saying that you are not really sure whether YPG elements also benefit from this vehicles or not. COL. DORRIAN: Well, what I would tell you is we gave them to the Syrian Arab Coalition. The Syrian Arab Coalition has taken charge of them. These are groups that are fighting together to isolate Raqqa. Now, when a partner force has the capability, that provides incidental benefits to the other partner. So, for example, our partner force in Iraq is the Iraqi security forces. They benefit pretty greatly by our use of air power, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and some of the other capabilities that the coalition has. So, this is probably the same concept that we're talking about in Syria. Q: Can we report you, that YPG elements also might use or benefit those armored vehicles that provided to the Syrian Arab Coalition? COL. DORRIAN: We divested them to the Syrian Arab Coalition. That's really about all the information that I have for you at this point. Q: And the other thing, it was told us that -- we were told that -- oh, he's saying something? COL. DORRIAN: Yeah, I said we expect the Syrian Arab Coalition to use them, control them, and be responsible for them. Q: And we were told that these vehicles were authorized by the Obama administration -- the former administration. Is there a reason for the timing of delivery of these vehicles now? And did you get reaffirmation from the new administration before delivering them? COL. DORRIAN: These vehicles -- the transport and the divestiture of these vehicles have been in the works for months. It's just a matter of the logistics tail that obtaining these vehicles has been in the works for months. It's just a matter of the logistics tail that takes time to go ahead and get those bought and delivered. So this is something that's been in the works for months. It's been authorized using existing authorities from the previous administration. And the timing is that, you know, the Syrian Arab Coalition is getting ready to continue their operations to isolate Raqqa. And as they approach the city and get into tough fighting, this capability is going to increase their survivability, their ability to withstand small-arms fire as well. CAPT. DAVIS: Okay. I'm sorry your name is blanking me. What's that? Q: Caroline Houck. CAPT. DAVIS: Caroline Houck. Okay. Go ahead, Caroline. Q: Hi, Colonel Dorrian. I wanted to follow up on something you said about the terrain in west Mosul, making it more difficult to conduct airstrikes and support the Iraqi forces operating there. Yesterday happened to be one of the very -- happened to be the first day in I think 130, 140 or more days that you didn't report any coalition strikes in Mosul. Would you say this is just a blip in daily activity? Or is it something that we can expect that actually airstrikes are going to become significantly, like, less frequent in Mosul? COL. DORRIAN: No, this is a weather-related issue. And it's temporary. And the enemy probably prays for bad weather because as soon as we're able, we're going to begin hammering them again. CAPT. DAVIS: Next to Kevin Baron. Q: Hi, J.D. I -- I missed -- it might have been touched earlier, I just wanted to ask if since the inauguration and the changeover, there's been any -- any kind of change in the pace of the orders coming down to you guys, coming, you know, coming down the chain of command? Anything more quickly? Any more -- any kind of sense of any confusion? Anything different at all that's changed in the last week and a half, two weeks? COL. DORRIAN: If there's any change, I can't detect it. We are charged with the same mission that we were charged with in the previous administration and we continue to use the existing authorities that we had in place, so there's really been no change in the operation at all. We continue to move forward and defeat the enemy. That's what we're here to do and we're not going to pause on that in any way. That's really all there is to it. CAPT. DAVIS: Next -- I'm sorry, sir. Your name? Q: Rebaz, from Rudaw. CAPT. DAVIS: Rebaz, okay. Q: Hi, colonel. I have a question about the new Iraqi interior minister. There are some reports that he was -- he had been arrested by the coalition after the invasion in 2003 a couple of times. Is there any concerns from your part regarding this new minister, given the fact that his forces -- at least some of his forces are going to be -- are working with the coalition in the fight against ISIS? COL. DORRIAN: No, the forces that we're going to work with, these are decisions for the government of Iraq to make. Prime Minister Abadi has appointed the officials that he deems appropriate to work with. We're going to work with those officials and Prime Minister Abadi to continue defeating this enemy. Q: Can you confirm or deny the reports that this new interior minister had been arrested by the coalition a couple of times? COL. DORRIAN: I'll have to take that one back for you. CAPT. DAVIS: Next to Corey Dickstein with Stars and Stripes. Q: Hey, sir. Thanks. I wanted to see -- there's some reporting out of Iraq that kind of indicates that the ISF leadership might think that liberating west Mosul will be faster and easier than east Mosul. I wanted to see if the coalition, you know, had any concerns about them going into that part of the fight with that attitude potentially or if -- you know, if the coalition feels the same way? COL. DORRIAN: No, you know what, it's very difficult to predict exactly what -- what's going to be found on the west side of Mosul. There are things that point to it being more difficult and there are things that point to it being less difficult and I think we're just going to have to plow on, work with the Iraqi security forces and figure that out. So the enemy lost a tremendous number of fighters on the eastern side of the city, a tremendous amount, and the city is completely surrounded with no real ability for the enemy to resupply or reinforce their fighters. So that would lead one to think that perhaps it will be a little less difficult. In addition, they used a tremendous amount of resources. They don't have the ability to resupply, also something that would be an indicator it would be less difficult. Now, that said, it's a smaller area with a lot more civilians in it; very concentrated fighting. Those are things that lead you to believe that it might be more difficult. So, in the end, what we have to do is just get on with the mission, figure out what we're going to find over there, remain committed to it, completely committed to it as we all are. And that's -- that's the way forward. Q: On east Mosul, recent days has there been fighting, attacks, anything noteworthy? COL. DORRIAN: Really, not much noteworthy. I would say probably some of the things that you would see in a situation like this are happening. There's some crime. You know, there's a little bit of a vacuum there because these areas have been largely cleared out of enemy, but a lot of civilians have left their homes. So there is some criminal activity. The Iraqi security forces are on it. But really, nothing -- nothing yet. Nothing really significant at this point. Q: Is it safe to say at this point that none of the ISF or coalition forces have entered into west Mosul? COL. DORRIAN: I'm not going to get into whether that has or hasn't happened. It would be inappropriate to do that. We're going to protect operational security. The Iraqi security forces will announce that their forces have moved into west Mosul at a time of their choosing. CAPT. DAVIS: Okay. Next to Carla Babb from Voice of America. Q: Hi, colonel. Good to see you. Thanks for doing this. I have three questions, two on Syria; one on Turkey. There's been reporting out of the U.N. that the Syrian opposition is having trouble forming a coalition to meet for the peace talks there. And I was just wondering on the flip-side, on the military side, what are you guys seeing with these various militia groups that you are working with to try to defeat Islamic state? COL. DORRIAN: Well, we are continuing the mission. We're not seeing any real change in what we've been doing. Our partner forces are moving into position to continue their operations. They've been very effective so far. They've liberated well over 3,000 square kilometers of terrain from the enemy. And they've done exactly what they had planned to do. So we have every confidence that they're going to be successful. We continue working with our allies -- you know, our ally Turkey -- as they continue to press into al-Bab. That's a very tough fight there, but we've provided a significant amount of strikes and we think we're getting -- giving them good support with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well. Those things are really unabated. They've -- we just continue the mission. You know, they -- that's -- that's really thematically all these other issues, the political issues, other things. We have continued our operations at pace. Q: And so secondly, in Syria, there's the thought of potentially creating safe zones for civilians and there have been kind of back-and-forths on who would do that. Does -- the Syrian militias that you're working with -- the Kurds, the SAC -- are there enough people to help set up these safe zones -- enough Syrians to help set up these safe zones and also continue pushing Islamic State at the same level that they're pushing? Or would there need to be an outside force that comes in, should the call for safe zones be implemented? COL. DORRIAN: Carla, you know, you're really calling for some speculation there. We've not received orders to set up safe zones at this point, so I think we're just gonna have to leave that one. I understand why you're asking, but we just don't have anything for you in there. Q: I -- I'm not necessarily saying like will you set up safe zones? I'm saying are there enough Syrian fighters and security forces to go around to take on another job in addition to fighting Islamic State? COL. DORRIAN: Again, I think we would have to cross that bridge if and when we come to it. I don't know. Q: Okay. Thank you. And finally, on Turkey, you said you continue to work with Turkey in Al-Bab. What's going on with their role in Raqqa? And what's going on with their potential role in Mosul? COL. DORRIAN: Well, that has yet to be determined. This is a subject of ongoing diplomatic discussions between the coalition and our ally Turkey, so if -- if they would like to be involved in Raqqa, we'll -- we'll certainly try to work a place for them. But right now, that has yet to be determined. Q: What's taking so long? This is taking a lot longer than most deliberations on any sort of involvement in previous operations. COL. DORRIAN: Well, Raqqa is a -- is a very complicated area. There are a lot of various groups that have a lot of various interests. So we continue to work with the partner force that we believe can isolate the city. It was very important to move out smartly to get that done since Raqqa is an area that's used for foreign fighter facilitation. But we're completely open to certainly working with any partner that wants to go and help liberate the city. This is something that we want to try to have a -- the unifying interest of defeating Daesh be the primary consideration and we'll just have to keep working on that. CAPT. DAVIS: Sir, your name again? I'm sorry. Q: Ben Kesling, Wall Street Journal. Hey, Colonel Dorrian. How are you? I got a couple quick questions. One is you said there haven't been any -- any changes that have -- that have been ordered yet by the Pentagon or through the White House. But I wonder if any warning orders have come down the pipe yet to be -- to expect changes, to expect to have to set up safe zones, to prepare for if an order does come down to do that? On the flipside of that, have you received word from the White House or the Pentagon saying that things are going to be steady as she goes for the foreseeable future? COL. DORRIAN: I've really received neither at my level. I'm sure that as the new administration comes in, new secretary and new officials and they have an opportunity to review the -- the -- where we are with the campaign, what's been done, assess the results of it, they'll ask a lot of questions and then perhaps make some decisions about the way ahead. But right now, we just continue at pace and we're providing a lot of information through the chain of command so that, you know, the officials who are coming onboard can make the decisions that need to be made. Q: There's been zero change from -- from the Pentagon or from the White House since -- since the change in the administration, correct? COL. DORRIAN: At this point, that's -- that's true to my knowledge. Q: There was no effect by the executive order on the -- the temporary immigration and travel ban, but I wonder if there was any effect on our coalition partners in -- in country? Were there any discussions between top -- top officers or even folks working at the advisory level with Iraqi partners about the effect of this executive order? Was there any -- was there any discussion between -- between officers at the highest levels about the effect that this would have on the operation, on missions? And did the CJTF in any way put forth any list or recommendations or official memos to the White House or to the Pentagon that reflected any opinions on how the executive order could affect operations? COL. DORRIAN: We're not really in the business of providing opinions, we're in the business of conducting a mission. So I don't have all the things that you've asked for. I'm not aware of any of that. I know that we continue our daily coordination with the Iraqi security forces. They've made -- you know, we've made clear to them our intent to continue helping them to defeat this enemy and we've continued every single thing that we're doing in order to facilitate that happening. Q: Final thing I've got for you is as -- as moving into -- into west Mosul and the eventual -- the eventual retaking of the city is at least on the horizon, what sort of plans are being put into place, discussions being made to clear out other hot spots and pockets throughout the country? Places like Hawija, places in Anbar where there are still a large number of -- of ISIS -- ISIS fighters or -- or still pockets of fighters. Has any preparation for dealing with those situations -- has that picked up at all? Is that a discussion that is becoming more prevalent? COL. DORRIAN: Well, one of the things that we continue to do, first off, the priority is to get Mosul done. And the east side of Mosul has been a very, very, very tough fight and I think, you know, our focus has been to make sure that we're ready to help the Iraqi security forces with a very, very tough fight in west Mosul. That's the appropriate way to handle this. After that, the enemy will be crushed in Mosul. You are correct that places like Hawija, Tal Afar, some of the areas of -- you know, along the Euphrates River Valley, gonna have to clear those areas out too. But the damage that it'll do to ISIL in Iraq is going to be very significant. And then, you know, we're going to have to go out and get into these other areas. The Iraqi security forces will make the decision what the priority is with regard -- what's next and we'll be there to support them. We do continue to conduct supporting fires with our aircraft all over Iraq and Syria to make sure that the enemy remains disrupted; that we take away resources; we take opportunities to take leadership figures off the battlefield. All those things are ongoing. So, we remain focused on west Mosul now, but we are setting the stage to help the Iraqi security forces move into these other areas. At this point, I don't think decisions have been made about where they'll go next. Indeed, it's all west Mosul all the time for right now. CAPT. DAVIS: Okay. And next to Luis Martinez, ABC News. Q: Hi, John -- a quick question about the other executive order. This is the one with giving 30 days to come up with new ISIS options. What is your tasking with that? What kind of -- are you providing information up the chain of command already about future options? I mean, what -- what is your role, given this new order? COL. DORRIAN: Well, you know, there's not really any insight that I can provide on that, Luis. I do understand why you're asking. Certainly, it's an area of interest to all. But all those discussions and proposals, any of that, it's all going to work quietly through the chain of command up into the Pentagon and then decisions will be made there. I just don't have anything to offer. Q: Okay. What about the process? I guess I asked it not the right way. I was asking more about the process of how you're going to come up with that. COL. DORRIAN: Well, we're constantly assessing our results on the battlefield. So, you know, we're conducting strikes. We're doing training. We're assessing the training of the Iraqi security forces and their performance on the ground to determine if we need to make any changes there. All these types of things, we're constantly doing. And so there is, you know a stream of information that can be provided in order to, you know, make any changes that are deemed appropriate. But, you know, that's -- those are internal deliberations and discussions and it's just not really anything that I can get into a lot of deep detail on process-wise or content-wise. Q: Okay. Can I ask you just one other question about -- in Syria. Dawr az Zawr seems to be a very complex battle space. What is the situation there for ISIS? I mean, how would you describe their presence there? COL. DORRIAN: Well, they've come into that area and attacked regime elements. And now they control a significant amount of territory that they didn't previously control. The regime is fighting back. And it's just very tough fighting between the regime and Daesh out in that area. We continue to conduct strikes in that area, you know, to take resources away from the enemy. The overwhelming preponderance of those strikes for us are on their oil infrastructure. It's an oil-rich area and we want to deny Daesh the ability to fund their operations through the illicit sale of oil. This has been a key piece of the campaign to deny those resources. We've been very effective in Iraq and it's a part of the shaping operations that we continue to do in Syria. Now, the nature of that is that when we conduct these kinds of strikes, it's a temporary impact. It's a disruption, not a complete denial so it's something that we have to do constantly, but it's something that we intend to keep on doing. We know this and we're not just -- we're not going to stop doing that any time soon. CAPT. DAVIS: Okay. And next, Lucas Tomlinson with Fox News. Q: Colonel, just following up on that, is Dawr az Zawr the only area where ISIS has made gains recently? COL. DORRIAN: ISIS had made gains. They've -- they've made gains -- gains against regime elements. One of the things that has not happened is ISIL making any significant gains against any of our partner forces in either Syria or Iraq. That just hasn't happened and it's not going to happen any time soon. They continue to be on the back foot, but they have seized an opportunity to move into a Syrian regime area and have taken a significant amount of territory. Q: And these armored vehicles that you've given this Arab force, why weren't armored vehicles also given to the SDF? COL. DORRIAN: We -- we don't have authorities in place to do that, so our authorities are for giving them to the Syrian Arab Coalition and that's what we did. Q: The SDF might be jealous that you're giving these armored vehicles to the Arab forces, but not them. COL. DORRIAN: That's possible. (Laughter.) Q: That's all I had, thank you. CAPT. DAVIS: Yeah, Thomas Watkins from Agence France-Press. Q: Thank you. Hello, colonel. Just to quickly follow up. I missed the very top of the meeting, so apologies if you already said this. Are you -- I know you can't give an exact number, but are you able to give us a ballpark of how many vehicles we're talking about here? COL. DORRIAN: Really can't go beyond what the -- what the announcement was yesterday, the day before. So a small number. CAPT. DAVIS: Okay. And Kasim Ileri I believe had a follow-up from Anadolu. Q: Yes, one follow-up on the armored vehicle again. Colonel, you said that those armored vehicles were divested to the Syrian Arab Coalition, and as a partner force, the other elements of Y -- of SDF might benefit from this capability provided to them. Is this the case for the ammunition and the small arms that you have been providing to this group from last year? COL. DORRIAN: I'm having difficulty understanding the question. I'm sorry, can you please repeat it? Just speak a little bit slower. Q: You have said that those armored vehicles had been provided to Syrian Arab Coalition, divested to the Syrian Arab Coalition. And as a partner force to this SDF, other SDF elements might benefit from this capability provided to the Arab force. The question is, is this the case for the ammunition and small arms that you have been providing to the Syrian Arab Coalition? In other words, did the other elements of SDF, are they also benefiting from the ammunitions and the small arms that you have been providing to the Syrian Arab Coalition? COL. DORRIAN: Well, what I would tell you is that the resources that we're providing to the Syrian Arab Coalition have helped them be successful in fighting Daesh. And that benefits not just the SDF, but that benefits all of our nations because this is a brutal enemy. And what they've been doing is trying to isolate Raqqa so that the enemy is unable to do external operations beyond Syria. So, it -- it provides the same kind of benefits to all of us. CAPT. DAVIS: And a follow up from Lucas Tomlinson. Q: Colonel, what areas can you tell us where you can ramp-up operations against ISIS after this executive order calls for a new battle plan? COL. DORRIAN: Well, I'm really not going to get into that. We're -- we're actually conducting some pretty robust operations now. And those operations are intended to support the Iraqi security forces in Iraq, and they've been very successful in rolling back ISIL's gains. They've gotten more than 60 percent of the territory that Daesh had previously controlled, back from them. So we'll just have to let that play out. Q: Are there any areas where the coalition could ramp-up operations against ISIS? COL. DORRIAN: Again, not going to speculate about that. We're going to leave that to the experts to come up with some recommendations of what might be done and to work those through the chain of command. CAPT. DAVIS: To Ben Kesling again. Q: Hey, Colonel Dorrian, just a quick question about Iran. With the Iranian missile test that happened and some of the reciprocation of travel -- of travel ban, does that escalation of -- of diplomatic issues threaten to spill over into Iraq? And is there -- could it have any effect on the fight that's occurring against ISIS? And also, with American interaction with -- (inaudible) -- elements? COL. DORRIAN: I haven't seen any evidence of anything like that happening. But I'm not going to speculate as to what might happen. CAPT. DAVIS: To Laurie Mylroie for a follow-up. Q: Yes, my previous questioning about ISIS, C.W. capability and Mosul University. To what extent has, now that Mosul University has been taken out of -- been liberated from ISIS -- to what extent has that denied ISIS the ability to produce chemical weapons? Does it still have that ability? Or it's ended with the liberation of Mosul University? COL. DORRIAN: Yeah, we don't know how many other facilities the enemy might have. It certainly damages their capability because they had a significant lab there. But the enemy has, you know, done a lot of this type of activity. They've made no mistake -- or made no secret of their desire to have the capability and to use it when they have it. Right now, it's a rudimentary capability, so we'll have to just continue taking territory back from them and I think what we'll find is that they're trying to do this in a lot of locations. Q: Thank you. CAPT. DAVIS: Okay. And with that, we are out of time. And wanted to thank you very much, J.D., for coming to talk to us today and we look forward to seeing you again soon. COL. DORRIAN: Thanks, Jeff. Take care, everyone. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1067971/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Exercise Cutlass Express 2017 Begins Navy News Service Story Number: NNS170201-02 Release Date: 2/1/2017 7:57:00 AM From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs PORT LOUIS, Mauritius (NNS) -- Maritime forces from East Africa, West Indian Ocean nations, Europe, and the United States, as well as several international organizations began the sixth iteration of the annual multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express, Jan. 31. Cutlass Express 2017, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, is designed to assess and improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity and promote national and regional security in East Africa, inform planning and operations. "Cutlass Express aims to sharpen our skills in a number of ways so we can make these waterways secure from piracy, illegal fishing, marine pollution, illicit trafficking of people, and other maritime threats that not only affect African nations, but in this interdependent world it affects all of us," said Scot Ticknor, foreign policy advisor for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The exercise leverages The Djibouti Code of Conduct, which 21 nations are signatories to, as a framework for exercising information sharing practices and enforcing maritime rule of law at sea. "Maritime security is just not a U.S. concern, it's an international priority," said Melanie Zimmerman, U.S. Embassy charge d' affaires. "The fact that so many nations came to Mauritius to participate in Cutlass Express is a clear confirmation of the importance of international cooperation for maritime security, but also the continued desire for strategic partnership among all the participatory nations." The scenarios and objectives, specifically for endorsing nations of the globally-recognized Proliferation Security Initiative, are designed to increase capabilities to detect and disrupt the delivery of materials used to build and develop weapons of mass destruction, and will test participating nations' ability to board vessels and detect illicit activity or respond to piracy incidents. "The Cutlass Express exercise is a collaboration between the ... partners to develop their capability of controlling the waters around their countries, exercise law enforcement, reduce piracy, illicit trafficking, and promote commerce and trade," said Capt. Geoffrey Colpitts, Exercise Cutlass Express 2017 director. Participating nations in Cutlass Express 2017 include Canada, Comoros, Djibouti, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Uganda, and the U.S. Representatives from the Eastern Africa Standby Force, EU Naval Force, International Maritime Organization, and Combined Task Force 150 will participate as well. Exercise Cutlass Express is one of three Africa-focused regional, "Express" series exercises facilitated by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet. The exercise is part of a comprehensive strategy of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet to provide collaborative opportunities among African partners to address maritime security concerns. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Sherif Ismail said that some ministries could be scrapped or merged but no new ones would be created An anticipated Egyptian cabinet reshuffle would not take place before 12 February when the parliament reconvenes for a vote, Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail was quoted by MENA on Thursday. The parliament, which is currently on a short recess, will have to approve the reshuffle before the new ministers are sworn-in before the country's president. Ismail also stated that some ministries could be merged and some eliminated but no new ministries would be created. According to MENA, the PM said that some figures who were approached to take ministry portfolios declined the offer. Ismail explained some turned down the job because of the critical conditions the country is currently facing. Ismail added that this limited the choices available. On Wednesday, cabinet spokesman Ashraf Sultan said on TV that the reshuffle is still being finalised and that no final decisions on portfolios have been made yet. Last week, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said a government reshuffle would take place very soon. The last government shake-up took place in March 2016, when ten ministers, mainly those with economic portfolios, were replaced. The March changes included the ministers of tourism, finance, investment, justice, civil aviation, irrigation, human resources, antiquities and transportation. A new ministry for the public business sector was also created. The current cabinet comprises 34 ministries. Search Keywords: Short link: Naval War College Launches Institute for Future Warfare Studies Navy News Service Story Number: NNS170201-09 Release Date: 2/1/2017 1:50:00 PM By Daniel L. Kuester, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- U.S. Naval War College (NWC) President Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harley opened the Institute for Future Warfare Studies (IFWS), Feb. 1, as a new research and study department of the school aimed at understanding how armed conflict may evolve in the future and how the United States can better prepare for it. The mission of the new institute is to serve as a cross-functional focal point for NWC action to support defining the future Navy, and associated roles and missions. "Anticipating future security challenges is critical to national security," said Harley. "And navies are expensive and require capital, and they take many years to build. That's why we have to look out a long way to figure out what we're going to need." IFWS will be taking a long-range look at the warfare needs of the country, according to William Glenney, IFWS acting director. "What differentiates us from other activities that are looking at these issues is the time horizon," said Glenney. "Most of the other groups are looking at a one to two, maybe three-year time horizon because they are talking about today's problems. Our charter indicates we will be looking 30 years out." Locating at NWC allows the academic horsepower existing at the school to assist the new IFWS in carrying out its mission. "We have a network of people already here that IFWS can have access to," said retired Vice Adm. James Wisecup, acting IFWS chairman. "People who understand the cyber world and lots of other areas -- it won't be just the Institute for Future Warfare Studies figuring this out. It will be all of us. We need access to the expertise in Naval War College to help us tackle some of these problems." Harley has placed an increased emphasis on NWC helping futurize the Navy. "This institute will become another vital service we are providing to Navy decision makers and stakeholders," said Harley. "We are excited about the research this group -- working with their partners in government, academia, and industry -- will provide to us and to the fleet." Another reason, as the IFWS charter emphasizes, is the institute's mission closely aligns with one of NWC's core missions to support defining the future Navy and associated roles and missions. The leader of the institute said the group is hoping to contribute now and into the future. "This is a very modest effort, which Rear Admiral Harley feels is important to get moving on now," said Wisecup. "We hope we can make some contribution to help fulfill the mission of the Naval War College. Whatever is accomplished will rely on a high level of collaboration to succeed over time." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's new settler units make so-called two-state solution impossible: EU Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 7:20PM The European Union (EU)'s high representative for security and foreign policy, Federica Mogherini, has warned that the new wave of Israeli illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank territories mark a "very worrying trend" that will jeopardize the so-called two-state solution to the decades-long conflict in the region. Mogherini made the remarks in a statement on Wednesday, saying that the EU "is strongly opposed to this policy and deeply regrets that Israel is proceeding with this, despite the continuous serious international concern and objections, which have been constantly raised at all levels." Her comments came after the Israeli regime announced that it planned to build more than 3,000 new illegal settler units, including units deep inside the West Bank, following an announcement on 24 January of the construction of 2,500 units and the approval of building permits for 566 settlement units in East Jerusalem al-Quds on January 22. "Continued settlement expansion, illegal under international law as reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334, goes directly against long-standing EU policy and the recommendations of the Quartet Report," she further said, referring to a 15-year-old entity composed of the United Nations, the US, the UN and Russia, allegedly aimed at mediating the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mogherini also cautioned that Israeli expansionist policies would pose "a direct challenge to the prospects of a viable two-state solution, which is increasingly difficult and risks becoming impossible." Meanwhile, Israeli forces clashed with settlers to evict them from the illegal Amona outpost that had been built on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. Forty settler families were forced to move out following an Israeli court order. On Tuesday, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)'s Secretary General Saeb Erekat also denounced Tel Aviv's illegal and provocative move, calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an investigation into the Tel Aviv regime's settlement expansion in the occupied territories. UN Security Council Resolution 2334 demands that Israel "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem" al-Quds. It also states that the building of settlements by Israel has "no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law." About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds. The Palestinian Authority wants the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinians state, with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Colombia's FARC ex-rebels start turning weapons over Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 9:13AM Former rebels with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have been gathering in demobilization centers in the Latin American country to start a disarmament process, ending their 52-year armed conflict with the central government. "What is happening is really most extraordinary. This is the peace process in action," said the Colombian government's top delegate for the peace process, Sergio Jaramillo, on Tuesday. He said thousands of FARC fighters, out of a total of 6,300, had already reached the disarmament zones. The rest of the fighters would arrive by Wednesday, he said. Fighters are arriving by boat, canoe, bus, truck, and on foot at the 26 disarmament zones set up to disarm the rebels under the United Nations' supervision. The former rebels, who were granted amnesty by the Colombian Congress in December 2016 after signing a peace deal with the government in November that year, will gradually re-enter civilian life. Meanwhile, the country's other rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), is engaged in its own peace talks with the government. The ELN said on Monday that the government had begun releasing some ELN prisoners, paving the way for the peace talks to gain momentum. In return, the ELN is to release a former lawmaker it has been holding hostage on Thursday. The ELN announced on Tuesday that it was also willing to release another hostage, a Colombian soldier previously reported missing by the army, whom the rebel forces took hostage last week. Last year, after signing the peace deal with the FARC, President Juan Manuel Santos said he wanted to seal a peace deal with the ELN as well in order to bring about "complete peace" in Colombia. The Colombian conflict is rooted in land disputes between the former Marxist rebels and the government, dating back to the 1960s. The armed conflict in Colombia has left more than 260,000 people dead and 60,000 missing, and forced seven million others to flee their homes, according to official reports. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN 'extremely' concerned for civilian safety in embattled Mokha Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 6:53AM The UN aid official for Yemen has voiced "extreme concern" about the severity of the situation facing civilians in the southwestern port city of Mokha, which has been under attack by Saudi mercenaries backed by Riyadh's air raids. UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen Jamie McGoldrick sounded the alarm on Tuesday concerning the port city of al-Mokha, while suggesting that the situation was not much better off in the general Ta'izz Province, where the city is located. On January 7, the pro-Saudi militiamen started out an offensive to wrest control of Mokha from Houthi Ansarullah fighters and allied army forces amid a push to take control of all strategic Red Sea ports in Yemen. Nearly 230 people have reportedly died ever since the militants loyal to the former government launched the offensive to capture Mokha. Up to 30,000 people are estimated to be trapped in al-Mokha, roughly one-third of the population, and in need of immediate protection and relief assistance, McGoldrick said. "A halt to the fighting is required to facilitate the delivery of assistance to al-Mokha and enable the free movement of civilians," he added. He also noted that scores of civilians have been injured by repeated airstrikes, shelling and sniper attacks in and around the city. The official regretted that the attacks had also halted most services, including the main market and the water supply system. "I call on all parties to the conflict to meet their obligations under the international humanitarian law," he said, urging all sides to ensure the humanitarian organizations have "rapid, safe and unimpeded access to reach the people in need in the town of al-Mokha and the wider affected region." McGoldrick further warned about the situation in the province's Dhubab District, saying tens of thousands of civilians were being forced to flee their homes there. Yemen's former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is a devoted ally of Saudi Arabia, resigned in March 2015 and fled to Riyadh. Ever since, the Saudi military has been taking the country under inexorable bombing and lending backup airpower to the militias operating on the ground to reinstall the former head of state, who is now based in Aden. The Houthi Ansarullah movement has joined forces with the army and popular forces to defend the civilian population against the notoriously-indiscriminate attacks by the Saudi military and its mercenaries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mystery Cargo: Suspicions Of Smuggling Swirl Around Airline Tragedy In Kyrgyzstan Pete Baumgartner, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service February 01, 2017 Strewn among the aircraft wreckage and obliterated homes outside Kyrgyzstan's capital lie the charred remnants of iPhones, luxury cigarette lighters, and other electronic gadgets disgorged when a Turkish cargo plane slammed into a village near Manas International Airport. The crash of the MyCargo 747-400 in dense early morning fog on January 16 killed four crew members and 35 villagers in Dacha-Suu, nearly half of them children. But it also set off a storm of inquiry, fueled by contradictory statements from the Istanbul-based flight operator, into suspicions that some of the cargo was part of an illegal scheme to line officials' pockets or to feed the gray market in this fledgling democracy of 6 million people. "Some goods found at the crash site deepen our suspicions," Omurbek Tekebaev, a veteran lawmaker and deputy chairman of a parliamentary commission looking into the incident, told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service in late January. He added that "there is a basis to suspect that there is systematic smuggling going on at [Manas] airport" and that the commission expected to deliver its conclusions in late February. The Kyrgyz parliament formed the 11-member commission, representing six parties, to clarify the ownership of the cargo and its planned destination. One of the lawmakers' central questions is whether the pilots were stopping in Bishkek simply to refuel the four-engine jet or were planning to unload some of its 86 tons of goods. En route from Hong Kong to Istanbul via Bishkek, the plane was descending toward Manas when it slammed into a former vacation community that now houses permanent residents. Eyewitnesses told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that looting broke out almost as soon as police and emergency workers arrived at the crash scene, with even first responders hauling off as many of the undamaged smartphones and other electronic devices as they could carry. "One policeman took off his shirt and filled it with mobile phones," a young boy said. Tekebaev, who heads the opposition Ata Meken (Fatherland) party, suggested that key sources for the investigation were stonewalling. "First of all, the information about the crashed plane provided by the Kyrgyz authorities and the Turkish air company" -- a reference to ACT Airlines, which operates as MyCargo Airlines --"is contradictory," he said. "Their statements are being changed accordingly to fit the situation." Tekebaev also criticized airport officials to whom the commission had turned for information. "We have seen that authorities [at Manas airport], especially officials of the aviation services, have no desire to cooperate with us," he said. "Some of them demonstratively refused to do it." Busra Goksay, an assistant manager at ACT Airlines, which owns the ill-fated aircraft, told RFE/RL from Istanbul on January 18, two days after the crash, that the plane was landing in Bishkek to unload cargo. An ACT Airlines press release on January 19 said the plane had enough fuel when it left Hong Kong to fly nonstop to Istanbul. But when Hamza Tiglay, deputy director-general of MyCargo Airlines, appeared in Bishkek on January 19 to record a video for Kyrgyzstan's Emergency Situations Ministry that was distributed to the media, he repeatedly said that the flight was due to refuel at Manas and change pilots but was not scheduled to unload cargo. "We land in Bishkek exclusively for refueling and crew changes," he said. Airport officials have gone on the record to say the same thing -- that the plane was only going to refuel in Bishkek -- yet they have declined to provide flight records or other documents to back that claim. They have denied access to employees who might confirm that version of events. The parliamentary commission has requested information from airport officials about MyCargo's 51 previous flights from Hong Kong to Manas. "They didn't provide any documents," Tekebaev said. "I think perhaps they need some time to create some 'official' papers or to eliminate some information." Emergency Situations Minister Kubatbek Boronov has said the cargo was not intended for delivery in Kyrgyzstan, and the Transport Ministry added in a statement that the plane was stopping to change pilots. A Turkish MyCargo pilot, Nihat Yilmaz, who has flown the Hong Kong-to-Istanbul route, echoed those statements to RFE/RL. Donald Knutson, an international aviation expert, told RFE/RL that the Boeing that crashed in Kyrgyzstan could easily fly 9,000 kilometers with a full payload without refueling. The flight between Hong Kong and Istanbul is around 8,000 kilometers, and 86 tons would represent only around 75 percent of a 747-400's payload capacity. MyCargo received a license in September to land in Bishkek for technical reasons, according to Transport Minister Jamshitbek Kalilov, but is not allowed to make commercial stops in which it would deliver or pick up goods. But Tekebaev noted the discovery of printed materials at the crash scene that were printed in Kyrgyz and Russian, Kyrgyzstan's official languages -- "clearly oriented toward the Kyrgyz market -- [they] create big suspicions." An RFE/RL correspondent at the crash site confirmed seeing instruction manuals printed in Kyrgyz among the debris. President Almazbek Atambaev's failure to visit the site of the tragedy or meet with survivors for a full 10 days led to criticism and speculation about unacknowledged official involvement with the cargo. Atambaev was ending a combined official and private visit to China and flew home to Kyrgyzstan in the hours before the MyCargo crash. His plane was reportedly diverted to Issyk-Kul to wait for the weather around Bishkek to clear before he flew on to the capital. A presidential spokesman, Almaz Usenov, told RFE/RL that Atambaev had "nothing to do with the cargo" on the Turkish plane. A clue to the cargo mystery emerged on January 27, when international transport firm Global Link Logistics said it was expecting a MyCargo plane coming from Hong Kong to arrive at Manas airport. Spokeswoman Anna Nedugova told RFE/RL that Global Link Logistics was hired by JTI Kazakhstan to process the goods from the MyCargo plane and deliver them to "the door of the recipient," JTI Kazakhstan, in Kyrgyzstan. She said JTI Kazakhstan had told Global Link Logistics on January 12 that the cargo would arrive at Manas by January 20. Nedugova's assertions suggest airport representatives and government officials were unaware that MyCargo was going to unload goods at Manas airport or knew about it but tried to avoid disclosing that fact. "There are reasons to be doubtful about the official information" provided by airport and government officials, Janar Akaev, another member of the parliamentary investigative commission, told RFE/RL. Tekebaev said lawmakers were still undecided as to "whether or not we believe there are smuggling or corruption schemes at the airport." He added: "We will investigate not only the Hong Kong-Bishkek-Istanbul flight, [but] we will investigate how many cargo flights operate in total and how much cargo has been transported to the country or gone through Kyrgyzstan on other flights as well." Tekebaev said the parliamentary commission is continuing its investigation and expects to issue a final report in February. In October, 45 tons of smuggled goods, including iPhones and other electronic devices, were found on two trucks leaving Manas airport. There have been no arrests in that case. Kyrgyzstan, which joined the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union in 2015, is plagued by large-scale smuggling and other forms of corruption. The country slipped in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index last year to 136, from 123 on the world list in 2015. With contributions from Gulaiym Ashakeeva and Kubat Kasymbekov of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyzstan- plane-crash-mystery-cargo-smuggling- suspicions/28273442.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Warns Romania Against Backtracking On Antigraft Reforms February 01, 2017 The European Union's executive arm has warned Romania against backtracking on the fight against corruption. "The fight against corruption needs to be advanced, not undone," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his deputy, Frans Timmermans, said in a joint statement on February 1. "We are following the latest developments in Romania with great concern." The statement comes after the Social Democrat-led government of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu issued on January 31 an emergency decree decriminalizing a number of graft offenses. It said the changes were needed to get the Criminal Code in line with recent Constitutional Court rulings. But more than 10,000 people gathered in Bucharest and other cities to protest against the move, shouting "Thieves!" and "Traitors!" Mariana Ghena, the president of Romania's top judicial watchdog, the Superior Magistrates Council, said she would file a challenge against the decree with the Constitutional Court later on February 1. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/romania-antigraft- reforms-eu-warning/28273050.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon: Houthi Attack on Saudi Ship Intended for US Seacraft Sputnik News 22:35 01.02.2017(updated 23:08 01.02.2017) A recent maritime suicide bombing off the coast of the Yemen may have been a "dress rehearsal" for a comparable attack on US destroyers patrolling waterways in the Middle East. Defense analysts believe that not only might the attack have been a practice round for bigger fish, like the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Cole, but also that the attack was from a manned suicide vessel, as opposed to a missile or rocket strike. Multiple suicide ships may have caused the strike. The Houthis are experimenting with tactics to reduce the power of the US naval fleet in the region, Pentagon analysts told Fox News, which corroborates with the chorus of a man promulgating "Allahu Akbar (God is great)! death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and victory for Islam!" in the following video. A Saudi-led coalition of nine Middle East nations has been engaged in a conflict with the armed Houthi political opposition faction, which has been seeking to create an autonomous state since 2004. Washington has supported the Saudi-led coalition by supplying weapons and military equipment. In December 2016, the Department of Defense announced the sale of $3.5 billion worth of Chinook helicopters to Riyadh, in addition to some 600 Lockheed Martin PAC-3 missiles, worth some $5 billion. The three biggest buyers of US weapons in 2015 were, in descending order, Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, writes national security specialist Catherine Theohary. Each nation is fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthis. Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia accounted for 94.5 percent of the US' $40 billion revenues from the global weapons market, according to Theohary's data. Many have called for the US to reduce its military presence in the Middle East, including isolationist rhetoric during campaign season from President Donald Trump. Since the Persian Gulf crisis of 1990-1991, however, "this crisisfirmly established the United States as a guarantor of Gulf security," while also increasing the demand for American-made weapons. The armed mission in Kuwait effectively "created new demands by key purchasers such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for a variety of advanced weapons systems," the researcher said. In 2015, Qatar procured more US-made weapons than any other country, according the Congressional Research Service. Qatar controls 13 percent of the world's proven natural gas reserves, or approximately 25 trillion cubic meters, according to the CIA World Fact Book. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Not to Tolerate Greece Taking Any Steps to Escalate Tensions - Ankara Sputnik News 17:33 01.02.2017(updated 17:41 01.02.2017) Turkey is not going to escalate tensions with Greece, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Wednesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Turkey will not escalate tensions with Greece but at the same time will not tolerate any violations from Athens, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Wednesday. "Greece has recently increased the frequency of its border violations. As Turkey, we do not want to be the party to escalate the tension, but we also will not bow to any fait accompli," Isik said, as quoted by the Hurriyet Daily News newspaper. He added that Greece and Turkey should resolve their issues through dialogue without letting tensions intensify. The relations between the two countries have been improving over the past few years, with cooperation on the issues of illegal immigration and the reunification of Cyprus. But recent Greece's refusal to extradite the participants of the 2016 Turkish military coup attempt and Turkey's reciprocal pledge to withdraw from the bilateral treaty on readmission of undocumented migrants started to strain the countries' relations. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Croatia, Serbia Buying Advanced Weapons Sputnik News 01:33 01.02.2017(updated 05:27 01.02.2017) Serbia has announced that it will acquire two BUK surface-to-air missile systems and eight Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft from Belarus, following Croatia's plans to obtain new military trucks, transport helicopters, fighter jets, self-propelled howitzers, and patrol vessels this year. Minsk is also in talks with Belgrade about acquiring the S-300 missile system. Zoran Djordjevic, Serbia's Defense Minister, told local media, "These will be the S-300 V and S-300 PG variants that are in [Minsk's] possession," according to Defense News. Croatian Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic stated that the country's military is seeking to acquire new fighter jets while phasing out Soviet-era military equipment constructed by NATO allies. This was alluded to in December 2016, when Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic announced that the country's Air Force would select a new fighter by the end of 2017. In an interview with Vecernji List, Grabar-Kitarovic said, "I believe we will strengthen our cooperation with the US, considering that our armed forces must continue to shift to Western military technology. We postponed a decision on the purchase of supersonic military aircraft to the end of 2017 because that's how long we need to adopt a rational decision. But we have already adopted a decision to procure transport helicopters, most probably the American Black Hawks." Saab's JAS-39 Gripen and Lockheed Martin's F-16 are both in the running as top contenders for the new aircraft, and Israel's Kfir, a variant of South Korea's T-50, and the French Mirage are considered as alternatives. Whichever aircraft is chosen will replace Zagreb's aging Cold War-era MiG-21 fighters. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK and Egypt continue to tackle joint threats 1 February 2017 The Defence Secretary and Chief of the Defence Staff have reaffirmed the UK's commitment to tackle regional security threats alongside Egypt. Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach today welcomed his Egyptian counterpart to London to discuss shared challenges and threats, including that posed by Daesh. Lieutenant General Mahmoud Hegazy was received by a ceremonial guard from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, before holding discussions with Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon. Discussion included shared security interests in Libya, planned Defence Engagement this year, including preparations for a future joint exercise involving counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) training, and the UK's commitment to security in the region. Dates for the annual military staff talks were also confirmed, which aim to identify mutual training opportunities and areas where both nations can deepen their military relationship. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: "Stability abroad helps keep the streets of Britain safer and more secure." "With a strengthening relationship and as a key partner in defence and military matters, Britain is working with Egypt to combat threats, including from Daesh terrorism in Sinai and Libya." "Deepening our relationship with Egypt helps ensure stability in the Middle East and improves safety and security here in Britain." The Defence Secretary visited Cairo in September, where he committed the UK to continue working alongside the Egyptian military, particularly through C-IED training. As part of joint Defence work last year, Royal Navy warships HMS Ocean and Bulwark visited Egypt and met with ENS Tahya Misr to practice manoeuvres and participate in an air defence exercise. 10 Egyptian officers from their Mistral class helicopter carriers were also hosted on board, and ahead of the exercise HMS Ocean, visited the port of Alexandria, the first Royal Navy ship to do so for eight years. Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach said: "I was pleased to welcome Lt Gen Hegazy to London, and following a positive exchange I have personally reaffirmed our important Defence ties. We will continue to develop this military bond." While in the UK, Lt Gen Hegazy is also due to visit Northwood Headquarters, where he will meet Commander of Joint Forces Command General Sir Chris Deverell, among other senior personnel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seven major Egyptian human rights and feminist NGOs have recently been a target of a large-scale online phishing campaign aimed at collecting personal information of the NGOs employees and other rights activists, the Egyptian Initiative Personal rights (EIPR) said on Thursday. The Initiative's report, which is based on a study it asked the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab for Communication Technologies to conduct, EIPR stated that the Initiative and other six Egyptian NGOs as well Egyptian independent activists faced 92 online "phishing attacks" from 24 November 2016 to 31 January 2017. The EIPR said the six other reported targets were against the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF), Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, Nazra for Feminist studies and another NGO that asked to remain anonymous. "Phishing" is a way to steal personal information online like passwords and bank information through deception by sending phishing emails to deceive online users to enter their passwords in to fake websites which look legitimate such as a "home page" for Gmail or Facebook. The EIPR report said the government "may stand" behind the attacks citing official notifications it received from Google at the time of the attacks warning some rights activists and groups that it had detected "government-backed attackers" attempting to steal their "Gmail password." The report added that there is no law in Egypt that gives the authorities the right to "phish" citizens or hack their personal accounts. EIPR said some of the individuals it believes were targeted in the phishing campaign are among those accused in the ongoing court case known in the media as "the illegal NGO foreign funding case." The EIPR report also included screenshots of the reported attack attempts and what seemed like prompt warnings from Google to the targeted users. The Initiative claimed that if proven correct, the government action represents another example of the authorities campaign to hinder the work of rights groups. Ahram Online could not independently verify the methodology or the findings of the study. The NGO funding case dates back to late 2011 when the Egyptian Ministry of Justice accused several NGOs of illegally receiving funds from foreign governments and institutions. None of the accused were referred to court at the time. In 2016, the prosecution reopened the case, adding more NGOs and activists to the list of the accused, and barring a number of rights activists from traveling while imposing a freeze on their assets. Those added to the case include renowned rights activists Hossam Bahgat, a journalist and founder in 2004 of the Egyptian Initiative for Personnel Rights (EIPR), Bahy El-Din Hassan, the founder of Cairo Institute for Human Rights, Mozn Hassan, the founder of Nazra, and Azza Soleiman, the head of the Center for Egyptian Women Legal Assistance. Search Keywords: Short link: UN envoy strongly condemns attack on UN team near Nigeria-Cameroon border 1 February 2017 Strongly condemning an attack against a United Nations monitoring team near the Nigeria-Cameroon border that resulted in the death of five persons, the UN envoy for West Africa and the Sahel region, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, called on both countries to take swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice. According to preliminary reports, at around 14:00 hours, yesterday, an unknown armed group attacked a UN Technical Monitoring Team, killing five individuals a UN independent contractor, three Nigerians nationals and one Cameroonian national and injuring several others. The team was conducting a field mission in the vicinity of Hosere Jongbi, near Kontcha, Cameroon, about 700 kilometres north of the capital Yaounde, as part of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission mandate. In a news release issued by the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr. Chambas reiterated the vital role of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission in accomplishing the border demarcation, in compliance with a judgment of the International Court of Justice, and in contributing to stability and security in the region. He also offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the attack and wished a speedy recovery to those injured. The Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission was established by the UN Secretary-General, at the request of Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria, in 2002, to settle border issues between the two West African neighbours. The Mixed Commission's mandate includes demarcation of the land boundary and delimitation of the maritime boundary between the two countries; withdrawal of troops and transfer of authority in the Lake Chad area, along the land boundary and in the Bakassi Peninsula; addressing the situation of populations affected by the demarcation activities; and development of recommendations on confidence-building measures aiming at promoting peaceful cross-border cooperation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan Rejects US Watchdog Report Claiming Continuing Loss of Territory By Ayaz Gul February 01, 2017 An American watchdog says Afghan national security forces lost about 7,000 personnel in the first 11 months of 2016 and the U.S.-backed government controls less than 60 percent of the country. The findings are part of a new quarterly report the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko released Wednesday, after submitting it to the U.S. Congress. "The numbers of the Afghan security forces are decreasing, while both casualties and the number of districts under insurgent control or influence are increasing," according to the report, though Afghan defense ministry officials immediately questioned it. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction is tasked to detect waste, corruption and mismanagement in the $117 billion Washington has invested in the war-ravaged country since 2002. More than half of the money has been spent on building and training Afghan National Defense and Security Force (ANDSF) personnel. "From January 1, 2016, through November 12, 2016, according to figures provided by the Afghan government to USFOR-A (U.S. Forces Afghanistan), 6,785 ANDSF service members were killed and an additional 11,777 members were wounded," the report noted. Citing U.S. military assessments, it said that approximately 57.2 percent of 407 Afghan districts are under government control or influence, showing a nearly 15 percent decrease since November 2015. The number of districts under insurgent control or influence rose to 10.1 percent while the rest are contested, the report added. It cited Uruzgan and Helmand as among the most contested provinces, where five out of six districts and eight of 14 districts respectively are under insurgent control or influence. Afghan Defense ministry disagrees Defense ministry spokesman, Dawlat Waziri, disagreed with the report findings, claiming the government is in control of all 34 provinces and last year's casualty toll was not different from 2015, when U.S. military said around 5,000 personnel were killed. "The figures shown in the report are not correct. Certainly there were more losses in 2015 and 2016, compared to 2014 and you are aware of the reasons. But the report and statistics shown in it are completely incorrect and not factual," Waziri told VOA. Most of the U.S.-dominated international forces left Afghanistan in late 2014, allowing newly trained ANDSF to take control of the counterinsurgency operations. Waziri justified the battlefield losses, saying the fighting in Afghanistan intensified only after foreign forces withdrew from the country. But he vowed Afghan forces will show more progress in 2017 because of their experience and better performance in the previous year. SIGAR's report, however, acknowledged that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's national unity government's anti-corruption campaign has led to a noticeable drop in corruption when procuring goods and services. The quarterly report is the first since President Donald Trump took office January 20. Sopkoo observed it was a good opportunity for the new administration to reflect on the Afghan reconstruction mission. The report also warned drug production continued to proliferate in Afghanistan and the U.S. mission will face challenges unless the issue is tackled, because the Taliban insurgency is largely benefiting from the illicit narcotic income. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Report: Militant Groups in Afghanistan Get Rich Off Mineral Smuggling By Noor Zahid February 01, 2017 The smuggling of Afghan minerals supplies millions of dollars to armed groups, insurgents and strongmen in the country, an Afghan anti-corruption watchdog reported Wednesday. The Afghanistan Anti-Corruption Network said in a report that militant groups last year received at least $46 million from minerals and precious stones illegally exported from eastern Nangarhar province to neighboring Pakistan. The report said up to 750,000 tons of marble and talc stones were smuggled in 2016 from various parts of the restive province, where Taliban and Islamic State fighters have been active in several districts. "Every day, 500 trucks carrying white stones pass through government-controlled roads and arrive in Pakistan from where the stones are shipped to European countries," Zaman Khan Amarkhail, president of the anti-corruption network, told Radio Liberty's Afghanistan service. "Each truck carries around 45 tons of stone." Talc, one of the most in-demand minerals, is used in the manufacturing of various products including cosmetics, plastics, ceramics and paints. Afghanistan has some of the world's richest mineral resources, including extensive deposits of world-class copper, iron, gemstones and precious metals. Surveillance of mines 'weak' Insurgent groups and local strongmen have taken over mining operations in many areas and put a levy on minerals smuggled out of the country, watchdog groups say. "Unregistered and illegal artisanal and small-scale mining operations continue to be a source of civil strife, unrealized government revenues, and lost economic output," the U.S. Special Inspector General for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan (SIGAR) said last year in a report. "The unregulated and illegal excavation and trafficking of precious stones and other minerals has played a role in the fundraising strategies for militant groups and organized crime syndicates," the SIGAR report said. The Afghan government says fighting between Afghan forces and militant groups has led to an increase in illegal mining. "Due to the conflict and insecurity, we have not been able to properly protect the mines, and illegal extraction of mines and smuggling continue," said Ghizal Habibyar, Acting Minister of Mines and Petroleum. Analysts say the mineral-smuggling occurs through a strong network of militants, local mafia, and some civil and military officials in the country. "A triangle of Taliban militants, including some Central Asian fighters that are linked with al-Qaida, local strongmen, and corrupt government officials are involved in this illegal business," Haroon Rashid Sherzad, a Kabul-based civil society activist and former deputy minister of anti-narcotics, told VOA. "It is a huge business for the involved parties who are thriving under a weak government surveillance," Sherzad said. The Afghan mines ministry says the government has banned the exports of minerals to Pakistan and encouraged local businesses to invest in the sector and legally export processed material to foreign countries. "But the ongoing insurgency and instability in the province has not allowed businesses to establish factories," an official of the ministry of mines told VOA, on condition of anonymity. Border corruption Pakistan and Afghanistan have no official agreement on the export of minerals to Pakistan. An ever-increasing demand by the Pakistani industrial sector continues to draw raw material from Afghanistan, including chromite, lapis lazuli, coal, and marble. Experts say border corruption is costing Afghanistan millions of dollars. Although customs revenue collections have increased during the past year, according to the country's finance ministry, rampant corruption at border crossings means the government loses an untold amount in revenues. "Surveillance is weak at the borders. An individual with a license to export 100 tons of stones would be able to export 1,000 tons instead," Sherzad said. "Corrupt officials turn a blind eye to illegal exports and, in return, they too benefit from it." According to the anti-corruption network, precious stones are being illegally extracted from at least 2,000 mines in northeastern Badakhshan province. "Last year, $300 million worth of precious stones were smuggled from the province to China," said Zabiullah Wardak, a member of the watchdog group. The remote Badakhshan province is connected to China through the narrow Wahkhan Corridor. The Taliban and Islamic State have imposed several illegal levies in areas they control. "They are receiving money by imposing various taxes, from Ushar [an Islamic tax on agricultural products] to municipality and transportation taxes," Sherzad said. He added that many Taliban commanders are running illegal businesses besides directing fighting against government forces. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Experts Divided Over Trump Administration Plans for US in Afghanistan By Hasib Danish Alikozai February 01, 2017 President Donald Trump has said nothing publicly about his plans for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, but last week the Taliban reached out to him. In an open letter the group released to the news media, a spokesman called for Trump to abandon what he called a "futile" and "unwinnable" war. President Trump barely talked about Afghanistan and Pakistan during his election campaign, even though both countries are longtime U.S. foreign policy priorities, receiving billions of dollars in aid. At a time of increasing concern over the Afghan Taliban's rising influence, and the growth of other militant groups including the Islamic State, foreign policy experts are divided over what the new administration will do about a conflict that has now become the responsibility of a third American president. Leaving decisions for Trump Outgoing President Barack Obama said his successor would determine the next U.S. move. "As president and commander-in-chief I have made it clear that I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven to attack our nation again," Obama said in July of last year. "Instead of going down to 5,500 troops by the end of this year [2016], the United States will maintain approximately 8,400 troops in Afghanistan into next year through the end of my administration." The president cited the "precarious situation" in Afghanistan and "Taliban threat" as a reason behind his decision. But foreign policy experts have mixed predictions about the decisions a Trump administration may make. "If the new administration really wants to make progress in Afghanistan, they have to do something about the Taliban and Haqqani network sanctuaries that are still inside Pakistan," Lisa Curtis, senior research fellow of Asian Studies Center at Heritage Foundation, said. Curtis is optimistic about continued U.S. engagement in Afghanistan. "We can expect that the new administration will judge and form its new strategy towards Afghanistan based on the actual conditions on the ground rather than domestic political timelines which we saw the Obama administration do," Curtis added. Former ambassador to Afghanistan and Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, Earl Anthony Wayne, agrees with Curtis about avoiding timelines. "Many of us who have worked on Afghanistan and remain deeply committed to the work that has gone out there hope that we will see an enduring partnership emerge and a commitment without timelines," Wayne said. Trump might focus on Pakistan Some scholars suggest the Trump administration may shift its focus towards Pakistan. During the election campaign candidate Trump said the situation in Pakistan, not Afghanistan, is the region's main security problem. "We know that Trump hasn't said a lot about Afghanistan during the campaign or after the election but what he said about the region makes it sound like he is primarily interested in the strategic problems related to Pakistan," said Rebecca Zimmerman, a policy researcher at Rand Corporation. But Thomas H. Johnson, director of the Naval Postgraduate School's Program for Cultural and Conflict studies warns against that. "His initial conversation with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was very strange and his eventual policies towards Pakistan will have a significant impact on his Afghan policies," Johnson said. Johnson added that given his statements concerning NATO, Germany and other traditional American security instruments and allies, the past polices may mean little to the new U.S. president. Prominent Pakistani journalist and author Ahmed Rashid says, "What you have now is a much more complicated regional situation with the Taliban also getting backing from Iran. They are in talks with Russia. They have been in talks with China. You have many more regional players involved." Anthony Cordesman, national security analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies also believes Pakistan is not the only country the United States should be concerned about when it comes to dealing with Afghanistan. He says the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating, "I think we are looking at a year which is going to be another year of very serious fighting. There is very little immediate prospect that you are going to have the kind of negotiations that would actually have a major impact or a predictable impact." Pakistan urged to do more In their defense, Pakistan's military and civilian leaders have argued that they have sacrificed in the war against terror and have paid with blood and treasure. U.S. officials continue to assert that Pakistan could do more. "We have seen progress. We have seen them take some steps to address these safe heavens, but clearly the problem persists and it is something, which is part of our ongoing conversation with Pakistan," said U.S. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner. Scott Worden, director of Center for Asia at the U.S. Institute of Peace says Pakistan has to be convinced. "I think there needs to be both carrot and sticks. There needs to be pressure on Pakistan to change some of its strategic calculations so that it supports better in the Afghan peace process, but at the same time Pakistan is not going to do that unless it sees benefits or opportunities." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Defense Secretary Embarks on Damage Control Mission to East Asia By Brian Padden February 01, 2017 On his first official trip to South Korea and Japan this week, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis is expected to reassure allies made nervous by President Donald Trump's criticisms of "free rider" nations that do not pay their fair share of mutual defense costs. "I think that uncertainty is viewed as destabilizing or potentially destabilizing. I think a number of alliance partners in the region are raising questions about the credibility of the U.S. alliance commitments," said regional security analyst Daniel Pinkston with Troy University in Seoul. North Korean Threat The Pentagon says the defense secretary's decision to make East Asia his first overseas destination is meant to reinforce the longstanding U.S. commitment to defend its allies against North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threat. The U.S. defense secretary already spoke with South Korean Defense Minister Han Minkoo on Tuesday by telephone. Mattis reportedly reaffirmed the U.S. obligation to uphold the mutual defense treaty, that would include providing "extended deterrence," the guarantee that American armed forces would help counter any North Korean attack on its allies with the vast U.S. arsenal of conventional weapons and even tactical nuclear weapons. In addition, the two defense ministers agreed to deploy the U.S. THAAD missile defense shield this year as planned, over objections from China and despite mounting opposition in South Korea. President Trump also spoke to South Korean Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn this week to say the U.S. would remain a strong military ally. And Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with Trump at the White House on February 10. Trump uncertainty During the campaign Trump suggested he might withdrawal troops and allow allies to procure their own nuclear weapons to defend themselves, unless they agree to pay significantly more for American military protection. And in his inaugural address the president vowed to change U.S. policies that, "subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military." Leaders in Tokyo and Seoul have embraced the supportive statements coming from Trump and Mattis. But others expect the president to follow through on his campaign promise to use strong arm tactics to pressure Japan and South Korea to increase their defense contributions, just has he has done on other controversial issues like recently blocking visitors from seven Muslim-majority nations. Critics say the Trump administration's mixed messages to the region, and the increasing internal divisions and protests in the U.S., are leading allies to doubt whether they can continue to rely on American power. "I think it would be odd if Japan and South Korea do not rethink their positions given the changes in the United States. Otherwise you will be completely at the mercy of the whims, and really the unpredictable conduct and deeds, from the Trump administration," said Koichi Nakano, a professor of political science at Sophia University in Tokyo. Nakano says Trump's hardline approach will be as divisive in Asia as it is in the U.S., and will likely lead to an increase in anti-American sentiment and closer ties to China. Converging interests But Pinkston says the existential threat that a nuclear North Korea poses will keep the U.S. and its East Asian allies united, and that even contentious negotiations over defense costs will not ultimately dismantle longstanding security relationships in the region, especially the ties between Washington and Seoul. "The incentive to cooperate, particularly in areas of national security and economic cooperation between U.S. and South Korea, are so strong that I think it transcends any person or individual in the White House and also the Blue House," said Pinkston. Mattis's visit to East Asia, he says, as well as the continuation of annual joint military drills, will send a strong signal to adversaries in North Korea and China that the U.S. will remain engaged in the region. There are over 50,000 American troops stationed in Japan and more than 28,500 in South Korea to maintain regional security. Both countries maintain they are currently in compliance with current defense sharing agreements. Tokyo reportedly pays over $1.6 billion and Seoul over $866 million to Washington to support American troops, in addition to other base construction costs and support. The U.S. spent $5.5 billion in 2016 on its bases in Japan, according to the Pentagon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fighting Forces IOM to Suspend S. Sudan Upper Nile Aid Operation By Lisa Schlein February 01, 2017 Clashes between government and rebel forces in South Sudan's Upper Nile town of Wau Shilluk over the weekend have forced the International Organization for Migration to suspend its humanitarian operations for thousands of internally displaced people and host communities. The IOM was in the process of registering thousands of vulnerable people for humanitarian assistance in Wau Shilluk when fighting broke out. IOM reports the 14-member staff was forced to evacuate to safer areas, with the support of World Vision, which also provides humanitarian aid in the area. IOM information officer, Olivia Haedon tells VOA Wau Shilluk has been relatively calm during the past year. She says this renewed fighting has come as a shock to the inhabitants and has disrupted the agency's ability to provide critical aid to the displaced and host communities. "A lot of civilians have moved into the bush from the center of town during the shelling. Others are scared for their lives," Haedon said. "So, we hope that this movement towards the bush has been temporary and we already see that some are returning to the town since it has been relatively quiet since Sunday. And, we hope that continues." IOM had registered more than 20,000 people for assistance in Wau Shilluk between January 16 and 26. Nearly 3,000 displaced and local residents remained to be registered when the agency was forced to halt the operation. Haedon says IOM has been providing health care, and non-food items, such as hygiene kits for women, clothes and shelter material. She says suspending this operation has serious consequences. "They are already in an extremely serious situation," Haedon noted. " And, then when aid is cut off, it puts them in an even more dangerous situation where you have people who need life-saving assistance not being able to be accessed by IOM and other humanitarian partners." Fighting between the government and rebels began on January 25 south of Wau Shilluk. It has continued to spread toward Wau Shilluk and to Malakal town, South Sudan's oil center, which is home to more than 33,000 displaced people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Central Africans Use Radio Network to Stay Safe from LRA By Zack Baddorf February 01, 2017 Two decades after the Lord's Resistance Army began terrorizing civilians in northern Uganda, the LRA boasts just a fraction of its former strength, about 100 to 150 fighters active in parts of central Africa. However, the communities most at risk of attack have little protection in remote lawless regions of the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the village of Fenzane in southeastern C.A.R., for example, there are no government police officers, no army, and no United Nations troops. What they do have are regular attacks by bandits and armed groups like the Lord's Resistance Army. Two people were killed in the village in an attack on Tuesday, just days after VOA visited. Wearing a weathered jacket inside a thatched hut, 46-year-old Jeane Nakanda said she and the other residents in the area "feel abandoned by the government." "Even though we're just 10 kilometers from the town center," she said. "The government doesn't think of us." Remote region There also has been minimal economic development in this rural remote part of the country. They're cut off out of reach of cellphone networks. But a $15-million project funded by USAID has found another way for communities to communicate and prepare for attacks an early warning network of high-frequency and FM radios. "The community was regrouped and closed off in itself," said Yvon Brice Congo, who works on the radio project for Catholic Relief Services, "And so the community didn't go from there, didn't circulate between the villages. And they were deprived of essential foods, the elements essential for the life and all." Congo and his colleagues facilitated the creation of organized community protection committees in 32 communities in C.A.R., and another 62 in the DRC. Catholic Relief Services brought VOA to the area to show how it works. Residents keep an eye on the movements of armed groups. They bring the information to the village chief who passes it onto the radio operator. The security information is shared via a solar-powered radio network operated by community volunteers. "Before the project, the communities were very isolated," Fenzane's radio operator, Judical Mgbatissoungue, said inside of a small brick building with just enough room for a desk, a chair and his radio. "In the past, the enemy came and we were surprised by that," said Mgbatissoungue. "Now it's more difficult for them. We can prepare ourselves and be ready for the attack." Protection plans When info gets broadcast about armed groups nearby, the communities execute their non-violent protection plans. "The community has already identified the spots in the village where the women and children go to the hiding spot," said Jean Modest Oumboyo, Fenzane's village chief. "The men go and survey the village to make sure everything is okay." Residents also keep their belongings and food in different spots in the town so they wouldn't lose everything in a raid. In the nearby larger town of Zemio, Jean Paul Kpiboroano helps to get the security information out more broadly to the area over FM radio airwaves. It's distributed publicly only after it's been verified by multiple sources. "Attention, attention. Alert warning, alert warning," he says over the radio waves, using local Central African languages when sharing critical information. Kpiboroano said the LRA has been weakened and splintered over the past few years. "In the bush, it's not just the LRA who create the insecurity," said Kpiboroano, the Berassa FM radio station director. "There are many forces of bandits who are found in the bush. If the LRA is defeated, the community protection plan designed by the project will survive forever. It's not just for the LRA. It's for us." Taking ownership This early warning network has reached nearly 300,000 people in isolated communities of C.A.R. and D.R.C. With no other protection available, these communities can rely only on themselves. "So much of it is the process of taking ownership and taking on the responsibility that is a transformation often from what happens in a society, like here where there is a lot of manipulation by leadership sometimes and other actors here," said Scott Campbell, CRS's Central Africa regional director. "That has real implications for one's self image and the entire community." Meanwhile, the new Trump administration has questioned whether the U.S. government should bother hunting down Kony. "In the very small, globalized world of today, what happens in Africa, Middle East, Latin America has direct implications for us in America and vice versa," he said. "We are all one human family and the interconnectedness of the world today is such that you cannot close yourself off from the rest of the world." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Quietly, AU Encourages Withdrawal From International Criminal Court By Anita Powell February 01, 2017 The African Union is moving forward on what it calls a "withdrawal strategy" from the International Criminal Court, a move that could alter peace, security and justice on the continent. Dozens of heads of state -- some of whom have been accused of war crimes or are wanted by the International Criminal Court -- quietly approved the strategy on Tuesday, the last day of the AU summit in Addis Ababa. African leaders have often accused the ICC of unfairly targeting them, pointing to the fact that of the 39 individuals indicted so far by the Hague-based court, all 39 are African. There was no grand announcement of the decision as leaders rushed through an early closing ceremony and leaders congratulated each other while a choir belted out the AU anthem, which includes the line: "Let us dedicate ourselves to fight together/ for lasting peace and justice on earth." VOA News obtained verification of the decision from two sources who are well-connected within the AU, and who identically described the motion. In short, they said, the decision is not legally binding, but rather a political statement of support by the AU that if any of the court's 34 African members chooses to withdraw from the court, the AU will support the move. In the last year, three African nations have expressed intent to begin the lengthy and complicated withdrawal process -- Burundi, Gambia and South Africa. Decision could inspire more withdrawals Researcher Ndubuisi Christian Ani of the Addis Ababa-based Institute for Security Studies said it could inspire other states to start looking to leave the ICC. "The withdrawal strategy, it's a political tool for the AU to voice the collective concerns of the African states regarding to the ICC. With the withdrawal strategy being adopted, it now motivates African states to withdraw based on their own sovereign decisions without any clash from the African Union," he told VOA. That may not sound like much, and he stressed that the strategy is "as vague as possible" -- but it's significant, especially for those who consider themselves victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity. "The decision to withdraw is hugely, is very significant against the whole effort to combat human rights violations in Africa," he said. "Especially in view of the fact that the African court is not yet functional and the judicial systems within the respective states, not reliable." Early warning system As the sprawling AU headquarters compound returned to its usual laconic state on Wednesday morning, the re-elected commissioner of the Peace and Security Commission, Smail Chergui, was back at work on the business of brokering peace in the Central African Republic, where rebels have challenged the government and sown chaos since 2012. He told VOA that the AU body is working hard on building an early warning system and a standby force to respond to conflict, along with demobilization initiatives in countries like conflict-plagued South Sudan. But, he said, "this is not enough, indeed. When we talk about prevention, I think we also have to talk about our architecture for governance. These are interrelated. So, we are very active in working on all of those fields." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Politics in Romania Romania remains one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the EU. Authoritarian populism is an emerging force among voters across Europe and could be the defining political phenomenon of the next decade, according to a November 2016 survey conducted by YouGov. Romania topped the list with at least 82 percent of voters holding an authoritarian populist viewpoint. One of the biggest drivers for an increasing authoritarian populist viewpoint has to be the economic consequences of globalization. The concern is that mainstream political parties no longer offer a realistic prospect to people and their power, as well as influence, are declining. In the 1980s, the use of a new academic term authoritarian populism (AP) became common among some political scientists when describing the politics of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. This term was based on the theory that they and their supporters shared a core set of attitudes: cynicism over human rights, anti-immigration, an anti-EU position in Britain, and favoring a strong emphasis on defence as part of wider foreign policy. Those with authoritarian populist views tend to be less well-educated and older. Since the fall of communism in 1990, Romania has made decisive strides in developing a competitive multiparty system and an active civil society. In recognition of its strong performance, particularly in this decade, Romania achieved membership to the European Union in 2007. There remained the task of building political neutrality into Romanias public administration and judiciary. Romanias political system was initially characterized by three critical factors: a viable and durable system of governance, enshrining individual liberty and other fundamental political and human rights; political moderation, anchored in well-organized political parties and strong civil society, among which fundamental consensus on Romanias geopolitical orientation exists; and interethnic cooperation that has prevented the type of devastating conflicts seen next door in the former Yugoslavia. Romanias political system was not sufficiently healthy to merit the confidence among citizens that theirs is a democracy in good working order. For many of the democracy ills on display corruption, questionable judicial independence, the use of urgent procedure to pass significant legislation without substantive review the political establishment is viewed as the primary culprit, as well as the beneficiary, since there appears little in the way of widespread public scrutiny that can make political misconduct too costly when it comes time to be re-elected. No one has ever accused Romania of being a tidy place politically. This is a rough-and-tumble political environment. Ideally, power is shared between the President and the Prime Minister, with the latter being chosen by the former. The Social Democratic Party [PSD] government, led by Prime Minister Adrian Nastase [200-2004], forged a de facto governing coalition with the ethnic Hungarian UDMR, ushering in four years of relatively stable government. The PSD guided Romania toward greater macro-economic stability, although endemic corruption remained a major problem. In September 2003, the center-right National Liberal Party (PNL) and centrist Democratic Party (PD) formed an alliance at a national and local level, in anticipation of 2004 local and national elections. Romania then moved closer toward a political system dominated by two large political blocs. Since then, the political scene has unravelled. The Romanian political system was designed in response to the Ceausescu dictatorship. Among other features, the powers of the President and Prime Minister are divided so as to precluded a return to dictatorship. But in recent years the result has been an unending struggle by each to over throw the other. This political churn is set against a background of pervasive corruption, and massive public protests against this corruption. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief calls on Trump to lift controversial travel ban Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 5:51PM UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the administration of US President Donald Trump to entirely lift a controversial ban it has imposed on the entry of nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries. "I think that these measures should be removed sooner rather than later," Guterres told reporters on Wednesday, adding that the ban would fail to serve the objectives of the US administration to make the country safe in the face of threats. Guterres, who took on as the UN chief last month, said Trump's ban on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen would not deter terrorists from entering the United States, urging the new administration to overturn the decision. "This is not the way to best protect the US or any other country in relation to the serious concerns that exist about possible terrorist infiltration... I don't think this is the effective way to do so," Guterres stated. It was the first official stance adopted by the UN secretary-general concerning Trump. Guterres spoke by phone with the new US president last month, with sources saying that the UN chief sought during the introductory call to engage more with Washington. Farhan Haq, a spokesman for Guterres, described the call as a "very positive discussion on US and UN relations." However, there have been many speculations that Trump would be tough on the UN as he repeatedly accused the world body during his election campaign of failing to perform its duties. Trump has also vowed to reduce Washington's financial contribution to the UN. He has clashed with the UN over issues such as the condemnation of Israeli settlements, climate change and refugees. Trump's 90-day travel ban, which has triggered demonstrations inside the United States, has been accompanied with an order for the suspension of the entry of all refugees for 120 days while Syrian refugees have been barred indefinitely. Trump claims the move is aimed at making America safer in the face of increasing threats from terrorist groups. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Saudi soldier has been killed in a firefight on the border with Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been battling rebels, the interior ministry said on Thursday. A border guard post in Jazan province came under heavy Yemeni rebel fire at 6:30 am (0330 GMT) on Wednesday, the ministry said. The army intervened to back up the border guards and one soldier was killed. At least 113 Saudis have now been killed in skirmishes or rocket strikes along the frontier since the coalition launched its intervention in Yemen almost two years ago. The gun battle came as forces loyal to Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi pressed an assault against the rebels with coalition backing just across the border around the Red Sea coastal town of Midi. Early last month, loyalist forces launched a two-pronged offensive along the coast, thrusting north from the Bab al-Mandab strait at the entrance to the Indian Ocean and south from the Saudi border. On Monday, the coalition said two Saudi sailors had been killed in a rebel "suicide" boat strike on a frigate patrolling off the coast. The rebels said they hit the ship with a guided missile. The government and its coalition backers have come under mounting international pressure to agree to a UN ceasefire plan. More than 7,400 people have been killed since the Saudi-led intervention began in March 2015, most of them civilians, according to the World Health Organization. The rebels remain in control of the capital Sanaa and much of the densely populated highlands, Search Keywords: Short link: Iraq's President Masum criticizes Trump over travel ban Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 3:31PM In Iraq, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is not the only senior official to have censured US President Donald Trump's travel ban targeting seven Muslim-majority countries; President Fuad Masum has also said Washington's move was "a shock." The Iraqi president on Wednesday reminded Trump that many Iraqis had sacrificed their lives in the fight against terrorism on behalf of countries such as the United States. Trump ordered last week a 90-day ban on the entry of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The measure, which triggered demonstrations inside the United States, also suspended the entry of all refugees for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The new US president claims the move is aimed at making America safer in the face of increasing threats from terrorist groups. President Masum called on Trump "to be just to people fighting terrorism with the blood of their sons and their resources on behalf of the whole world, including the United States." The Iraqi military has been at the forefront of the fight against Daesh, a Takfiri terrorist group which seized territories in the Arab country three years ago. Iraqi forces have managed to repel terrorists from major urban centers and the battle now continues in the second largest city of Mosul. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Abadi said Trump had effectively punished "people who are sacrificing, who are fighting terrorism." The Iraqi parliament has also ratified a bill that would enable the government to reciprocate and ban US nationals from entering Iraq if Washington does not change course. Reports emerged of continued chaos in airports around the world on Wednesday in the wake of Trump's ban. Hundreds of Yemeni nationals have been stranded in Djibouti, with an American lawyer speaking from the tiny African state saying the Yemenis had US visas but could not travel to the United States due to the ban. "These are all the children, parents and the spouses of US citizens," Julie Goldberg said, adding that more than half of the more than 200 Yemenis stranded in Djibouti are children. The lawyer said she was seeking an airline that would comply with a court order dated Tuesday from the US District Court in California's central district, which urged a halt to the enforcement of Trump's ban and instructed officials to allow Yemenis to fly to the United States. Yemenis stranded in Djibouti are part of a larger population of expatriates displaced by the war in Yemen. The impoverished Arab country has suffered about two years of constant bombardment by Saudi Arabia. More than 11,400 have been killed in the carnage. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran unveils new satellites on Space Technology Day Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 7:58AM Iran has put on display its latest achievements in the area of space technology during a ceremony attended by President Hassan Rouhani and other senior officials. The Exhibition of Space Achievements was held in Tehran on Wednesday to mark the ninth National Space Technology Day. Also present at the event were Minister of Science, Research, and Technology Mohammad Farhadi and Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan. During the ceremony, the domestically-designed Nahid (Venus) 1 telecommunications satellite, and student-manufactured Cube satellite were unveiled. Nahid 1 has been manufactured at Iran's Space Research Center. Through its production, the country has sought to hone its capabilities in building geosynchronous satellites. The solar-powered satellite is designed to provide telecommunication and imaging services. Among other achievements put on display were the surveillance-imaging Payam-e-Amirkabir satellite, designed and built by Iran's Amirkabir University of Technology and Saman 1 Orbital Maneuver System, which can be used to change satellite orbit. Speaking at the ceremony, the Iranian president called for efforts to promote domestic capabilities in the field of space technology by drawing on relevant international experience. "It is wrong for us to either be exclusively reliant on buying [technology] from abroad or totally turn our backs on international experience," said President Rouhani, adding that the country needs to tap domestic potential and benefit from international expertise as well. The Iranian chief executive further described space technology as a source of power for the Islamic Republic. US 'trampling on human rights' Elsewhere in his comments, Rouhani once again slammed US President Donald Trump's ban on the entry of travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations as well as all refugees into the country. This is not the day and age for separating nations and their ideas, Rouhani said, adding it is wrong for a president to assume that by banning the issuance of visas for the nationals of certain countries, he can create a rift among people. He added that it takes time for individuals who are new to politics to get an understanding of what is really going on in the world. Trump on Friday signed an executive order banning the entry of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen into the United States for 90 days over purported security concerns. The order also bars the entry of all refugees for 120 days. Rouhani further slammed Trump's "wrong move" as a violation of human rights and said Americans "are today trampling on all international principles and commitments." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Aircraft Carrier Program to Make New Advances in 2017 Sputnik News 02:58 01.02.2017(updated 05:48 01.02.2017) The progress of China's aircraft carrier program continues to move forward into the new year after achieving a number of milestones in 2016. In November 2016 the Soviet-era Liaoning, Beijing's only carrier, was declared "combat ready" by political commissar Senior Capt. Li Dongyou. Following the declaration, the ship departed on a training voyage that featured a stop on the edge of the South China Sea, at the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) base on Hainan Island. Several PLAN corvettes, frigates and destroyers accompanied the Liaoning, which was carrying Changhe Z-18 and Harbin Z-9 helicopters, along with more than a dozen Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-borne fighters. China's second carrier, currently called the 001A, is being built at the same Dalian shipyard that renovated the Liaoning. The new carrier differs from the Liaoning, with its revised flight deck arrangement and other features, but retains the ski-jump bow used for launching aircraft. The ship is expected to be launched in late 2017, and recent satellite photos of Plan's Hulado air base show that the runway replicas constructed for pilots to practice landings underwent modifications between June and October 2016. According to China defense experts, this was done possibly to reflect differences in the new ship's flight deck. Images recently surfaced on Chinese social media platforms suggesting that Beijing may be developing a carrier with Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR), that can accommodate carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft, AEW and other large aircraft. This is plausible given the limitations of the arrested recovery (STOBAR) launching method, which limits the payload and range of shipborne aircraft. According to the The Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG) website, "A CATOBAR equipped CV-18 will gain the advantages of greater range and weapons load-out for its strike wing. It will also allow for the use of fixed-wing anti-submarine (ASW) aircraft and tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. The PLAN's current reliance on helicopter borne ASW and AEW is a shortcoming that must be resolved." Author Andreas Rupprecht, who has written books on Chinese military aviation and its aircraft industry, told Defense News that in 2017 there will likely be "more lengthy and intense exercises by the Liaoning and J-15s, as well as the likelihood that we will see a second J-15 regiment established with aircraft from the third production batch." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Majlis commission says country's defense posture should be strengthened IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Feb 1, IRNA -- Majlis (Parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in an extraordinary session on Wednesday stressed the importance of providing all-out support to strengthen the country's defense vigor and might. Improving relations with the neighboring countries and paying attention to the regional capacities by diplomatic activities were also among the important issues reviewed at today's session, spokesman for the Majlis Commission told IRNA. Hossein Naqavi-Hosseini said the Commission's extraordinary session also reviewed the latest developments in US, the recent measures taken by the new US President Donald Trump and the US and certain Western countries' inopportune reactions to the Islamic Republic's achievements in defense and missile areas. Deputies ministers of foreign affairs, defense and intelligence as well as officials from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force were present in the commission session, the lawmaker added. "The Islamic Republic of Iran will go ahead strongly and with full capability to promote its missile, military and defense bases in order to upgrade the level of defense might in the country," the parliamentarian stressed. Iran's missile and defense successes are not any other countries' business, said Naqavi-Hosseini, adding those achievements are not negotiable, and Iran will not let any one meddle in the area. He further stressed that the defense and missile achievements in the country are not against the United Nations (UN) Security Council's resolutions. He went on to say that today's commission session also discussed the US relations with China, European Union (EU), Russia and the countries in the Middle East region. About the US visa ban of citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, to the United States, the lawmaker noted the move was against the US claims on democracy, freedom and human rights. Today's session also concluded that the US should wait for its collapse soon as the country is facing crises inside the country and should pay for them, he stressed. To support the missile development in the country, a statement is to be issued by the parliament, the spokesman announced, adding the signatures of the parliamentarians are being collected for the statement. 1483**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian MPs underline need for boosting national deterrence power Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 4:49PM Iranian lawmakers have thrown their weight behind the country's missile program, underlining the need for boosting deterrence power to guarantee national security. In a statement issued on Wednesday, a total of 220 lawmakers voiced their "full-fledged support" for Iran's Armed Forces, saying "the reinforcement of the defense capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in line with deterrence strategy" is an absolute necessity to ensure the country's security. Iran, "unlike other major world powers, has not defined its power based on [the possession of] weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including atomic, chemical and biological ones," the Iranian legislators said. The sole way to ward off any act of aggression against Iran is to boost the country's missile might, the MPs added, describing certain countries' opposition to Iran's defense might as "illogical." They said the country's missile tests were by no means in violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, including Resolution 2231, which was adopted in July 2015 to endorse a nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries. The statement by the Iranian lawmakers came a day after the United States called an urgent meeting of the UNSC to discuss a recent missile test by Iran, which Washington alleges is against Resolution 2231. Iranian officials say the country has carried out the missile launch as part of its program to boost defense capabilities, rejecting claims that the test was in violation of Resolution 2231. Iran's defensive ballistic missile program has been a bone of contention with the West. Tehran says its missile tests do not breach UN resolutions because they are solely for defense purposes and not designed to carry nuclear warheads. Arms control experts have also said that Iran's missile tests are not banned under the nuclear agreement and the UNSC resolution, because Iran's missiles are not meant to deliver nuclear warheads. 'No permission needed to boost national missile work' Meanwhile, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said Iran needed no permission to develop its missile capabilities. "We will not ask permission from any country or international organization to expand our conventional defense capabilities," Shamkhani said in a meeting with visiting Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan on Wednesday. "We will firmly counter any foreign interference when it comes to defense matters, including the Islamic Republic of Iran's missile might," he added. Also on Wednesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi, who was a member of Iran's nuclear negotiating team, rejected claims that Tehran's missile tests violated UNSC Resolution 2231. "The issue of our missile [program] is by no means a breach of UNSC Resolution 2231, because our missiles have not been designed to carry a nuclear warhead and we have stressed this issue both verbally and in the form of registered Security Council documents," the diplomat said during a meeting with members of the Iranian Parliament's Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy. 'Iran missile tests don't breach JCPOA' Meanwhile, Nabila Massrali, the spokeswoman for European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday that "the Iranian ballistic-missile program was not part" of the 2015 nuclear deal and "hence the tests are not a violation of it." Separately, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who was part of the Russian negotiating team in the talks that resulted in the conclusion of the JCPOA, rejected the US claims that Iran's missile tests violated the UN resolution, saying the resolution calls on Tehran only to abstain from launching missiles that can "carry nuclear warheads." Russia is confident that Iran has no nuclear weapons program, he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran confirms missile test, spurns foreign intervention Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 11:28AM Iran confirms it recently carried out a missile test within the framework of its defense program, saying the Islamic Republic does not allow any foreign intervention in affairs concerning its defensive prowess. "The recent test has been in line with our [defense] program, and we do not let any foreigner intervene in our defense affairs," Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said on Wednesday. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a government meeting in reaction to US calls on Tuesday for a UN Security Council (UNSC) emergency meeting on a missile launch by Iran. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Iran had "a medium-sized missile launch testing on January 29." Dehqan reaffirmed assertions made by several Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, that the test had not violated UNSC Resolution 2231. The Resolution was adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse a nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the resolution, Iran is "called upon" not to undertake any activity related to missiles "designed to be capable of" delivering nuclear weapons. Iran says it is not involved in any such missile work and has no such warheads. "The test is in no way in contravention of Resolution 2231," Dehqan likewise said. "We have always stated that we never abandon developing and reinforcing our defense foundation in line with our interests," said the Iranian defense chief, adding that the Islamic Republic does not "require anyone's permission" in this regard. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi also defended the country's missile tests as the "inalienable and absolute" right of the nation, saying the Islamic Republic would never seek permission from anyone to defend itself. Elsewhere in his comments, the Iranian defense chief also addressed the issue of the military maneuvers underway in the Persian Gulf. The US, the UK, France and Australia started a three-day joint naval exercise called Unified Trident in the region on Tuesday. The exercises reportedly simulate a potential confrontation with the Islamic Republic. With the inauguration of the new US administration, the Persian Gulf states are worried about their future, and seek to strengthen their position in the region, Dehqan said. "These [efforts], however, are of no avail. Countries which do not rely on their own people's will cannot advance any goals." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boeing's Iran deal in limbo after Trump ban Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 10:0AM The fate of a landmark deal for Boeing to sell 80 passenger aircraft to Iran has been thrown into doubt following President Donald Trump's executive order barring travel by Iranians to the US. Boeing announced a $16.6 billion agreement with the national carrier Iran Air in December, saying the orders were on course to support nearly 100,000 new jobs in the United States. The deal, however, has already run into opposition in the Republican-run Congress and Trump's travel ban further makes it impossible for pilots, cabin staff and maintenance crews to enter the US for training. And given the kind of people who have gathered around Trump - from 13 pro-Israeli politicians in his administration to anti-Iran aides - the agreement might be headed for his chopping block. "We think the president's travel ban could have negative implications for orders from Iran and Iraq," James Corridore, an aerospace analyst at CFRA Research, has been quoted as saying. Boeing issued a statement Monday in response to media inquiries. "We're continuing to assess any impact the executive order might have and are closely monitoring congressional, administration and judicial actions," a spokesman said. Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan has warned that Iran would seek return of "prepayments with interest" if the Boeing deal were thwarted by Trump's administration. The aircraft have to be delivered over 10 years, beginning in 2018. The agreement includes orders for 50 narrow-body 737 passenger jets and 30 wide-body 777 aircraft. Boeing has said the deal was reached under the conditions of a US government license issued in September. While the value of the contract has been put at $16.6 billion, Fakhrieh Kashan has said it may be worth only half that given the type of orders and the specifications Iran has chosen. Iran, a country of 80 million people, is a critical market for Boeing which is in the midst of cost-cutting in its commercial aircraft division and facing tough competition from Airbus. Airbus has a deal with Iran Air for the delivery of 98 aircraft, including 46 single-aisle airplanes and 52 wide-body jets, worth about $8.4 billion. It rushed to deliver the first airplane to Iran in January, making the deal a fait accompli. According to vice president with industry consulting firm Avitas Adam Pilarski, Airbus was smart. "They immediately delivered a plane, so it's hard to step back," he was quoted as saying Tuesday. The first of the airliners, a brand new 189-seater of the A321 type, flew into Tehran last month. On Tuesday, Iran's Transport Minister Abbas Akhundi said two more Airbus aircraft will join the Iranian fleet in the next four weeks. On Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault traveled to Tehran with a trade delegation to assure Iran of Europe's support for better relations. He said a deal between ATR with Iran Air for the sale of at least 20 turboprop aircraft was "practically sealed." As for Boeing, Pilarski said the travel ban could be bypassed and waivers granted if the Trump administration chose to let the group sell airplanes to Iran but he saw it unlikely. "During the election campaign, Trump and a number of people close to him said they hate the Iran nuclear deal," said Pilarksi. "A number of his military advisers have been strongly anti-Iran." Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst with the Teal Group, was even more alarmist, saying he believed Trump might reinstate the sanctions the US agreed to lift under a nuclear deal with Iran in January 2016. "My assumption has been they are going to re-impose sanctions, so it's probably dead anyway," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address It's Time To Talk About The Iran Nuclear Deal Carl Schreck February 01, 2017 WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump has long portrayed himself as a consummate deal maker, an image he made central to his presidential campaign. That reputation could face a stern test if he pursues one of his proposals: renegotiating the Iran nuclear deal. Trump has sent mixed messages on how he would handle the accord between Iran and major world powers that lifted some sanctions on Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. At times, he said he would "renegotiate" what he described on the campaign trail as "one of the worst deals we have ever made." At other times, he said he would "dismantle" it. Scrapping the deal altogether would almost certainly alienate European allies and trigger retaliation from Iran, possibly including ramping up both its contentious nuclear program and its projection of regional power. But any bid to renegotiate the accord would be fraught with those same risks, experts say. "No Iranian politician would be in a situation to accept a deal that is worse for Iran and better for the United States," Ali Vaez, a senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, tells RFE/RL. "Already, the current agreement has many opponents -- many powerful opponents -- inside Iran, and I think no Iranian politician is in a position to take a step that would basically humiliate them internally and turn into a poison pill for them," he adds. Bilateral Deal As Helga Schmid, the secretary-general of the EU's foreign policy service, noted recently, the deal hammered out over many years between Tehran and the P5+1 group of powers (the United States, Britain, China, France, and Russia, plus Germany) "is a multilateral agreement that cannot be renegotiated bilaterally." Thus, Vaez says, any effort by Trump to renegotiate would likely be a bilateral process between Washington and Iran, the results of which -- if any -- would then serve as an addendum to the main deal. During Trump's presidential campaign, one of Trump's foreign policy advisers highlighted the potential bilateral nature of any renegotiation effort. "He is going to revise it after negotiating one-on-one with Iran or with a series of allies," Walid Phares said in a July interview with the Daily Caller, adding that Trump would not implement the deal "as is." Getting Iran to come to the table, however, appears to be a tall order for the moment. "Renegotiation is out of the question," Iranian President Hassan Rohani said on January 17, adding that the deal "isn't something where one person elected can say, 'I don't like it.'" Sanctions Trump could use sanctions to pressure Iran to negotiate, including by imposing new punitive measures or reversing executive orders used by former President Barack Obama to lift some sanctions on Tehran in order to comply with the nuclear deal. Such a move, however, would likely stiffen Iran's resistance to new talks, says Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "Why would Iran agree to renegotiate a deal with a party -- the United States -- that would have just violated the last deal? They would have little reason to do so," Fitzpatrick tells RFE/RL. If the current deal is torn up, Iran's nuclear program "would resume in a new manner that would shock Washington," the country's nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying recently. If the Trump administration were to unilaterally restore sanctions that were lifted under the Iran deal and, as a result, penalize foreign parties for doing business with Iran, it could cause a rupture between Washington and its allies in Europe and around the world who "wouldn't want to go along," Fitzpatrick said. Economic Incentives Besides the threat of new or revived sanctions, Trump could offer economic incentives in exchange for further concessions from Iran, including longer-term limits on Tehran's enrichment of uranium beyond 5 percent or the ability to reprocess plutonium, Vaez of the International Crisis Group says. To secure such concessions, the Trump administration could dangle access to the U.S. financial system, which Iran continues to be denied and was not a condition of the nuclear accord. Iran has complained that it is not benefiting fully from the deal due to U.S. sanctions outside the scope of the nuclear deal and related to Washington's concerns over issues such as terrorism and human rights. "That is the leverage that the U.S. currently has, and I think the Iranians have already realized that without access to the U.S. financial system, they will have many difficulties for conducting trade," Vaez says. Such leverage could be deployed to seek nonnuclear concessions as well, including greater cooperation from Iran in ensuring a cease-fire and political transition in Syria or helping to end the war in Yemen, where Iran is backing the Houthi rebels that captured the country's capital in 2014, Vaez adds. Fitzpatrick says Trump could use the opportunity to boost American business as well, noting the president's earlier complaints that the deal has not benefited U.S. companies. The exception is Boeing, which reached a $16 billion deal with Iran thanks to an aerospace industry condition in the accord. "One of the big cards...is to remove the sanctions that prohibit U.S. businesses from entering into the Iran market," Fitzpatrick says. "There's a lot more potential for such American business, and I can think that somebody like (former ExxonMobil CEO and Trump's nominee for secretary of state) Rex Tillerson would go along with that." A More Durable Deal Trump's picks for top national security posts so far have resisted calling for the Iran deal to be scrapped. In his Senate confirmation hearing, Tillerson called for a "full review" of the accord. New CIA chief Mike Pompeo was a fierce opponent of the deal while in Congress, but in his Senate hearing stressed the importance of "aggressive" verification that Tehran is complying with the terms of the accord. Meanwhile, new Defense Secretary James Mattis said in his hearing that the landmark deal was flawed but must be upheld. That doesn't mean there aren't targeted punishments that Trump or Congress could mete out. In an op-ed last month, former U.S. Senator and vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mark Wallace argued that deficiencies in the Iran deal could be rectified by "securing an agreement with Iran to verifiably curb its regional aggression, state sponsorship of terrorism, and domestic repression of human rights." "In exchange, Iran could be given broad-based sanctions relief and even normalization of relations," they argued. The former officials, both of whom opposed the accord, suggested punishing Iran for noncompliance with measures such as designating the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization and backing legislation that would impose further U.S. sanctions related to Iran's ballistic-missile program. Vaez of the International Crisis Group says the ongoing tension between Tehran and Washington is the most significant factor contributing to the fragile state of the nuclear deal, but that a deal between the Trump administration and Iran could make the accord stronger and "more durable." Washington, however, would have to be prepared to offer attractive concessions and not rely exclusively the threat of sanctions, Fitzpatrick says. While sanctions contributed to Iran's eagerness to secure a deal, the Islamic republic did not fully commit until Washington made a "major concession" by allowing some uranium enrichment. "It was a combination of sanctions and of mutual compromise that produced the deal," Fitzpatrick says. "Sanctions alone didn't bring about the last deal, and I don't think would have brought it about -- and I don't think would bring about a future deal." Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/iran-nuclear- deal-trump-renegotiate-worst-deal- in-history/28273337.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Puts Iran 'On Notice' Over Ballistic-Missile Test RFE/RL February 01, 2017 The U.S. government has said it is "officially putting Iran on notice" over Tehran's recent test of a medium-range ballistic missile. U.S. national security adviser Michael Flynn told journalists in Washington on February 1 that the move comes in response to Iran's "destabilizing behavior." Flynn did not specify exactly what being "put on notice" entailed. Asked about this at a press conference, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said, "We felt as though their actions were both provocative and in violation." He said Flynn's statement made "sure that they understand that we aren't going to sit by and not act on those actions." Flynn's statement attacked the administration of former President Barack Obama for allegedly failing "to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions." It noted that President Donald Trump has "severely criticized the various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration, as well as the United Nations, as being weak and ineffective." These agreements had "emboldened" Iran, Flynn said. Flynn's statement also cited "an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Huthi militants" as an example of Iran's aggression. He charged that Iranian-trained militants had "threatened U.S. and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea." The United States believes Iran's missile test was a violation of a UN Security Council resolution banning the country from developing nuclear-capable weapons systems. At a closed UN Security Council session on January 31, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said Iran's test was "absolutely unacceptable." Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said on February 1 that "the recent missile test is in line with our plans and we will not let any foreigner meddle with our defense issues." Dehghan said the test did not violate the Security Council resolution or Iran's nuclear deal with leading international powers. The UN Security Council has requested the secretary-general and a UN committee on Iran affairs to compile a report on the test. Flynn's comments were his first public statements since Trump took office on January 20. In March 2015, Iran tested two ballistic missiles, one of which was decorated with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew. With reporting by CNN and Reuters Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-missile- test-flynn-on-notice/28273787.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Confirms Ballistic-Missile Test That U.S. Calls 'Unacceptable' RFE/RL February 01, 2017 Military officials in Iran have confirmed the country tested a medium-range ballistic missile on January 29, but continued to deny that the test violated a UN Security Council resolution forbidding the testing of nuclear-capable weapons systems. Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said on February 1 that "the recent missile test is in line with our plans and we will not let any foreigner meddle with our defense issues." Dehghan said that test did not violate the Security Council resolution or Iran's nuclear deal with leading international powers. The United States has warned Iran that the test was "absolutely unacceptable." U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley issued the warning at a special closed-door session of the UN Security Council on January 31. "We have confirmed that Iran did have a medium-size missile launch testing on January 29, on Sunday. This is absolutely unacceptable," Haley told reporters in New York. She challenged Iran's assertion that its missiles are not in violation of a UN resolution passed after the 2015 nuclear accord was signed. Iran says that they are for defense only and that it does not intend to put nuclear warheads in them. "They know that they are not supposed to be doing ballistic missile testing" of anything that can carry warheads, said Haley. She said the missile launched on January 29 was capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload and had a range of 300 kilometers, putting it in violation of the nuclear accord. "That is more than enough to be able to deliver a nuclear weapon," she said. Reuters quoted an unnamed U.S. official as saying the missile tested on January 29 traveled about 1,000 kilometers before exploding. Iran is trying to convince the world that "they are being nice," Haley said, but "I will tell the people across the world that is something we should be alarmed about." "The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out," Haley said. "We are committed to making them understand that this is not anything that we will ever accept." Haley said the United States wants to shut down supplies of missile technology to Tehran. "No country should be supplying Iran with any of the technology allowing them to do that," she said. The council did not officially endorse Haley's views, however. It requested a report on the missile launch from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and a UN committee dealing with Iranian issues, British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said. He said council members had "very significant concern about the ballistic missile launch, which has now been confirmed." Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on January 31 said Iran's missiles are "not designed for the capability of carrying a nuclear warhead... Our ballistic missile was designed to carry a normal warhead in the field of legitimate defense." Zarif said he hopes the issue is not used as "an excuse for some political games by the new U.S. administration. The Iranian people would never allow their defense to be subject to the permission of others." Also on February 1, some 220 members of the Iranian parliament adopted a resolution calling international outrage over the test "illogical" and defending the country's missile program. Iran has conducted several missile tests since the 2015 nuclear deal, but the January 29 launch was the first since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. The United States and some European allies maintain that a longstanding UN prohibition against Iran's testing of missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads was reaffirmed and extended by the nuclear accord. The resolution adopted after the July 2015 deal, which restricted Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, says that "Iran is called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." A 2010 resolution. which was terminated after the deal was signed, had expressly barred Iran from undertaking work on "ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads." With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/us-warns -iranian-ballistic-missile-tests-absolutely- unacceptable-violate-nuclear-accord- haley-un-security-council/28271196.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to ensure full freedom of expression in Turkey ahead of a crucial referendum on constitutional change. Making her first visit to Turkey since July's failed coup, Merkel was seeking to keep a key partnership alive after a series of crises in recent months. Her visit -- which has caused controversy at home and in Turkey -- comes as the country prepares for a referendum expected to be held in April on constitutional changes to give Erdogan greater powers. "I emphasised from my side that in this far-reaching change the separation of powers and freedom of expression must be ensured," Merkel said after talks with Erdogan at his presidential palace in Ankara. Merkel added she had also passed on concerns over press freedom and the accreditation of German journalists in Turkey, several of whom have not received approval to work in 2017. "We spoke in detail over freedoms for journalists," she said. Merkel said the referendum on constitutional change could be monitored by a delegation from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) "so that what the people want is guaranteed". Erdogan responded that a separation of powers would remain in place under the new constitution, with other centres of power along with the presidency. "The legislative is still there. So is the executive and the judiciary. Their dissolution... is out of the question," said the Turkish president. The relationship between the two NATO allies has been battered in recent months by a series of rows in the wake of the July 15 failed coup aimed at ousting Erdogan. Berlin has repeatedly expressed unease over the extent of the crackdown that has seen some 43,000 people arrested in the wake of the putsch, under a state of emergency that has now lasted over half a year. Erdogan, meanwhile, has vented his exasperation that Germany has not responded to requests for the extradition of hundreds of suspects linked to the coup, the Kurdish militant movement and the ultra-left. Last week it was reported that 40 Turkish soldiers stationed at NATO bases had asked Berlin for asylum, with Turkey pressing for the bids to be rejected. Merkel emphasised that Germany was Turkey's partner in the fight against terror but could only act against suspects "when we have evidence and it is examined by the courts". Erdogan said he hoped Berlin would take "more rapid decisions" on the issue. The controversy over Ankara's post-coup crackdown has dealt a new blow to its long-running EU membership bid, although Berlin has stopped short of backing Austrian calls for the entire process to be halted. Merkel also wants Turkey to keep implementing a deal that has so far successfully reduced migrant flows to Europe, despite threats by Erdogan to walk away from it due to a failure to fulfil a pledge to grant Turks visa-free travel. "The refugee issue is very important for Turkey and also the EU and Germany," she said, adding the deal was in their "mutual interest". With the hugely controversial constitutional referendum looming, the visit has not been universally welcomed in Turkey, with opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu saying he was disappointed Merkel was not emphasising more that "Turkey must improve its democratic standards". But Merkel was due to meet Kilicdaroglu and figures from the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) whose co-leaders are under arrest. Merkel said after meeting Erdogan: "Opposition belongs to a democratic state." Opposition figures in Germany have also suggested Merkel should not be meeting Erdogan as he is presiding over the crackdown and Turkey policy is set to be a key issue when Merkel faces re-election in September. Germany is home to some three million people of Turkish origin, the biggest population of Turks in the world outside Turkey. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere defended the trip in comments to the Passauer Neue Presse, saying: "The chancellor does not need advice. She knows what she has to do." Search Keywords: Short link: White House Issues Unprecedented Warning to Iran Sputnik News 21:58 01.02.2017(updated 23:58 01.02.2017) US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, has put Tehran on notice in response to recent ballistic missile testing. In a highly unusual step, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer interrupted a White House daily briefing with media to pave the way for President Trump's National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Retired Gen. Flynn took to the podium to announce that the United States is "officially putting Iran on notice" due to its recent missile test and attack on a Saudi military ship by Houthi fighters in Yemen. The missile testing combined with the Houthi attack, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilizing behavior across the Middle East," Flynn said. "These are just the latest in the past six months in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels, and threatened US and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea," according to Flynn. Footage of the attack was shown by Arab TV channels. In the video, Houthi rebels celebrate hitting the vessel by crying out, "Allahu Akbar! (God is great!) Death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and victory for Islam!" Trump has "severely criticized" deals between Washington and Tehran, such as the nuclear arms reduction deal, in addition to the United Nations, Flynn said, adding that the agreements have been "weak and ineffective" while warning that "Iran is now feeling emboldened." As of February 1, 2017, the US is "officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn concluded his remarks. Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan previously verified that Iran has tested a new missile but claimed that the missile exercises did not violate the Iran nuclear arms deal with the US, China, France, the UK, Russia, and Germany. US defense analysts believe that the attack on the Saudi ship may have been a "dress rehearsal" for a similar-style offfensive against US Navy ships stationed throughout the region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian Defense Minister Confirms Latest Missile Test - Reports Sputnik News 13:01 01.02.2017(updated 13:02 01.02.2017) Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan confirmed Tehran had tested a new missile, Tasnim news reported Wednesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Sunday, media reports suggested that Iran conducted a medium-range ballistic missile test near Semnan, in 225 kilometers (140 miles) from Tehran. "Defense Minister confirms Iran 's new missile test," Tasnim news service said on its Twitter account. He added that the missile test did not violate the nuclear agreement between Tehran and P5+1 group of world powers or the UN Security Council resolution. On Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief's spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said that the European Union was concerned about the latest ballistic missile test conducted and urged Tehran to abstain from further actions that could negatively affect the mutual trust. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US: Iranian Missile Launch 'Absolutely Unacceptable' By VOA News February 01, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser denounced Iran's ballistic missile launch Wednesday and said Tehran is putting at risk the nuclear agreement it reached in 2015 with the United States and other major powers. Retired General Michael Flynn, the president's top security adviser, condemned the missile launch, declaring it was "just the latest in a series of incidents" in which Iran has threatened the U.S. and its regional allies over the past six months. He said leaders in Tehran were emboldened to take such actions now because the nuclear agreement is "weak and ineffective," and because the other nations involved in the agreement failed to take action to rein in Iran's military ambitions. Flynn blamed former President Barack Obama and other members of his administration for Iran's actions. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms," Flynn said at the White House. "The Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk." Flynn did not, however, threaten any specific action against Iran. Resolution 2231 Iran confirmed Wednesday that it carried out a missile launch Sunday, but said this did not violate its nuclear agreement with the world powers. U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which was adopted after the Iran nuclear deal was agreed upon among six world powers and Tehran, called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles, but it did not specifically ban such activity. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, denounced Iran's missile launch as "absolutely unacceptable" during a Security Council meeting Tuesday, and said the Trump administration will not turn a "blind eye" to such actions. During the U.S. political campaign last year, Republican candidate Trump repeatedly condemned the international powers' nuclear agreement with Iran as a "terrible" deal, and threatened to dissolve the pact. Since taking office last month, however, Trump has not acted on those campaign promises. Britain's U.N. envoy, Matthew Rycroft, echoed Haley's concerns: "There was very significant concern about the ballistic missile launch, which has now been confirmed." He said the January 29 launch is "inconsistent" with Resolution 2231, and he urged Iran to abide by all of its obligations. A committee that monitors implementation of Resolution 2231 will review the incident, the British ambassador said, and the Security Council also has asked U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to investigate the incident. Urging Tehran to consider the regional repercussions of its actions, Rycroft said, "This is a step which is potentially destabilizing in an already unstable region." Iran's response Iran's U.N. mission issued a statement reiterating Tehran's position that "Security Council Resolution 2231 does not prohibit legitimate and conventional missile activities. We reject politically motivated comments regarding Iran's missile program." Asked during her confirmation hearing before the Senate how she would deal with the Iran nuclear agreement when representing the U.S. at the United Nations, Haley said she felt the agreement had increased the threat Iran posed to the rest of the world, and said she would focus on Iran's compliance with its provisions. Haley said Tuesday: "What we need [Iran] to know is that Security Council Resolution 2231 means something." She said she also told the 14 other Security Council members that the resolution is only as good as its enforcement. "So, what we are hearing from Iran is that they are being naive, saying, 'We have no intention of attacking any country.' I will tell the people across the world that is something we should be alarmed about," Haley told reporters. "You will see us call them out as we said we would, and you are also going to see us act accordingly." Haley said the United States also will follow through to make sure prohibitions on supplying Iran with technology that enables such missile launches will be enforced. "We have said with this administration that we are not going to show a blind eye to these things that happen," Haley said. "We're gonna act, we're gonna be strong, we're gonna be loud and we're gonna do whatever it takes to protect the American people and the people across the world, because that's what the goal is supposed to be." VOA's Margaret Besheer and Josh Fatzick contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary General: NATO stands ready to support Libya NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 01 Feb. 2017 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on Wednesday (1 February 2017) for talks on the security situation in Libya. The Secretary General said he was encouraged by the progress being made in the fight against ISIL in Libya and conveyed NATO's support to the Government of National Accord. During their meeting, the two leaders also discussed how to take cooperation forward. "NATO stands ready to assist Libya in building effective security and defence institutions, strengthening your ability to fight terrorism and create conditions for peace," said Mr. Stoltenberg after the meeting. He added that, in the future, NATO could offer advice on establishing a modern Ministry of Defence, a joint military staff, and security and intelligence services under civilian control. If requested, the Alliance could also support the efforts of the European Union to strengthen the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy. Speaking at a joint press conference with Prime Minister al-Sarraj, the Secretary General also addressed the situation in eastern Ukraine. He expressed deep concern over the recent spike in ceasefire violations and violence around Avdiivka. Calling for "an immediate return to the ceasefire," the Secretary General stressed that OSCE monitors must be guaranteed free and safe access to the region. He further called on Russia to use its considerable influence over the separatists to bring the violence to an end. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Republic of Korea - AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Missiles Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov Transmittal No: 16-85 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea for AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Missiles and related support. The estimated cost is $70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on January 31, 2017. The Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) has requested a possible sale of sixty (60) AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II All-up-Round Missiles and six (6) AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, containers, spares and missile support, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $70 million. This proposed sale contributes to the foreign policy and national security of the United States. The ROK is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key partner of the United States in ensuring peace and stability in the region. It is vital to U.S. national interests to assist our Korean ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability. This sale increases the ROK's capability to participate in Pacific regional security operations and improves its national security posture as a key U.S. ally. The ROK intends to use the AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II missiles to supplement its existing inventory of AIM-9X-2 Block II missiles. The ROK will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. The ROK will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support does not affect the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor is Raytheon Missile Systems Company, Tucson, AZ. At this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the Republic of Korea. However, U.S. Government or contractor personnel in-country visits will be required on a temporary basis in conjunction with program technical oversight and support requirements. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded. All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov. -30- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Republic of Korea - AGM-65G-2 Maverick Missiles Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov Transmittal No: 16-83 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea for AGM-65G-2 Maverick Missiles and related support. The estimated cost is $70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on January 31, 2017. The Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) has requested the potential sale of eighty-nine (89) AGM-65G-2 Maverick missiles, missile containers and other related elements of support. The total estimated program cost is $70 million. This proposed sale contributes to the foreign policy and national security of the United States. The ROK is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key partner of the United States in ensuring peace and stability in the region. It is vital to U.S. national interests to assist our Korean ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability. This sale increases the ROK's capability to participate in Pacific regional security operations and improves its national security posture as a key U.S. ally. The proposed sale will improve the ROK's capability to meet current and future threats. The ROK will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. The ROK, which already has AGM-65G missiles in its inventory, will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles. The proposed sale of this equipment and support does not affect the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor is Raytheon, Tucson, AZ. At this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the Republic of Korea. There is no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded. All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov. -30- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ban abruptly ends presidential bid for South Korea Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 10:51AM Former United Nations (UN) secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has ended his unofficial bid to run for the top office of his country of origin, South Korea. While many were predicting Ban to be the most likely person to replace scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye, he abruptly ended his presidential campaign on Wednesday. "I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country," he told reporters at a hastily-arranged press conference. "I'm sorry for disappointing many people." South Korea's politicians are "selfish" and joining them would be "meaningless," Ban said after meeting leaders of conservative parties at the National Assembly on Wednesday. Ban returned to his country more than two weeks ago after serving in New York as UN chief for a decade. While he never officially announced that he was running for president, he had indicated his intention to lead "change" through national reconciliation. His abrupt decision to abandon his bid for presidency apparently came after he failed to secure any party affiliation. South Korea is caught in political turmoil. The country's conservative President Park has been impeached by parliament amid a wide-ranging corruption scandal. If the impeachment vote against Park is upheld by the Constitutional Court, she will have to quit office and a fresh election will have to be held two months later. A ruling is expected later this month. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S Korea Asks US for Military Assets Deployment to Counter N. Korea's Threat Sputnik News 09:19 01.02.2017(updated 09:28 01.02.2017) South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin called Wednesday on his US counterpart Gen. Joseph Dunford to deploy US strategic weapons on the territory of the Asian country, local media reported. TOKYO (Sputnik) The Yonhap news agency said citing the South Korean JCS that Lee made the request in a phone talk with Dunford in the light of the threat posed by the North Korean nuclear program and missile tests. The conversation took place on the eve of US Secretary of Defense James Mattis' first official visit to South Korea, during which he will meet Defense Minister Han Min-koo. The sides are likely to discuss North Korean missile and nuclear threat and deployment of US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) missile defense system in South Korea. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump and South Korea's acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn discussed security measures to tackle potential threat posed by North Korea, the White House said in a statement. In July 2016, Seoul and Washington agreed to deploy a THAAD system in South Korea's Seongju County and in mid-December the White House confirmed that no change in the plans was expected despite the South Korean parliament's vote for President Park Geun-hye's impeachment. On September 5, 2016, Pyongyang launched three ballistic missiles in the direction of the Sea of Japan. Several days later it conducted a successful test of a nuclear warhead, which is believed to be the fifth and largest blast since Pyongyang began pursuing nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin Heads To Budapest Amid Concerns Over EU Unity Pete Baumgartner, Rikard Jozwiak February 01, 2017 Russian President Vladimir Putin is heading to Hungary for his second visit in two years, a development that has many in the European Union looking on with concern. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's February 2 meeting with Putin comes at a time of heightened worries within the bloc about the views of new U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed disdain for the European Union and a desire for closer relations with Moscow. "We are concerned [about the trip], there is no doubt about it," an EU official requesting anonymity told RFE/RL on February 1. "It is Putin's year. He's looking at a divided Europe, which the Visegrad Four (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia), especially Hungary, are making more divided due to actions like [inviting Putin to Budapest], and a United States that for the first time is providing no counterbalance to [Putin]." Putin's visit -- his second to Budapest in two years and his third official meeting with Orban in that time -- is primarily to discuss economic issues, including the controversial Paks nuclear-power plant that Russia is contracted to build and further agreements on natural-gas purchases. Putin has received few invitations to EU countries since Moscow's illegal 2014 takeover of Ukraine's Crimea region and the introduction of EU sanctions against Moscow over its interference in Ukraine. Antisanctions Leader Analysts see the visit as an opportunity for Putin to encourage Hungary in its efforts to get the EU sanctions against Russia lifted. "I'm not surprised that President Putin visits Hungary so frequently, and his upcoming visit to Hungary is just one illustration that Putin is interested in keeping pressure on the EU," Lithuanian European Parliament member Petras Austrevicius told RFE/RL. "And I'm sure [it is an effort to] destroy our solidarity." Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto railed against the EU sanctions in Budapest on January 27, saying they had failed to change Russian involvement in Ukraine and had severely affected the Hungarian economy. "I don't think we should celebrate that we hit the Russian economy because it's bad news for Europe as well," Szijjarto said, claiming that Hungary had lost $6.5 billion in exports to Russia because of the sanctions and countersanctions imposed by Moscow in retaliation. "If the sanctions were truly effective, they should have had some impact by now." Analyst Peter Kreko, director of Budapest's Political Capital Institute, told The Moscow Times that the government figures on economic woes due to the sanctions spat are "simply false" and intentionally inflated. Russia, for its part, said Russian-Hungarian bilateral trade has decreased by 50 percent over the past three years, to $3.9 billion. Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said the fall in trade is due to "anti-Russian sanctions and the volatile global economic environment," adding that Hungarian investment in Russia had decreased from $2 billion in 2015 to $1 billion last year. Szijjarto's assertions have been echoed by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Czech President Milos Zeman, who in August called for EU sanctions against Russia to be lifted. Such sentiments are music to the ears of the Kremlin, which is hoping to expand such official views into Western Europe with victories by Russia-leaning candidates in crucial March parliamentary elections in the Netherlands and the April-May presidential election in France. Newfound Friend? "What a wonderful world," exclaimed Orban after Trump's surprising U.S. election win in November. Reportedly one of the first foreign leaders to call the entrepreneur and former reality star after his triumph, the populist Orban and his government are reveling in the change in U.S. leadership from Barack Obama to Trump. "Timing [for the Putin visit] is, let's say, perfect. The visit has great significance since there's a great expectation all around the world about the improvement of the U.S.-Russia bilateral relationship," said Szijjarto. He added that when Budapest tried to improve relations with Moscow in the past, "we had to face American pressure not to do it." The Obama administration followed the previous Putin visit to Budapest, in 2015, by sanctioning six Hungarian officials for corruption. "Now there will be no more American pressure," said Szijjarto. Orban, who rose to popularity in the early 1990s as an anti-Soviet "freedom fighter," defends his efforts to improve ties with Moscow by pointing to the need for cheap energy from Russia and his obligation to put the "interests of the Hungarian nation" first. Russian presidential aide Ushakov said on the eve of Putin's visit to Budapest that several political topics -- including the intensified fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's Donbas in recent days -- will be on the agenda. Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/putin-russia- hungary-orban-european-union-concerns- trump-sanctions/28273592.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hundreds of militants hand over weapons to Syrian government forces Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 7:2PM Hundreds of foreign-backed militants have handed over their weapons to Syrian government forces in a strategic area northwest of Damascus. The militants surrendered their weapons, including mortar launchers and various kinds of explosive shells, in the village of Dayr Qanun in Wadi Barada valley, where a major spring supplies most of the capital's water. On January 29, Syrian troops established full control over the strategic valley and agreed to the evacuation of hundreds of militants from the area as part of a reconciliation agreement between armed opposition groups and the government. Under the deal, militants could either choose to stay after giving up their weapons or be sent to Idlib, considered the last major stronghold of militants in northern Syria. Fresh military gains across Syria Meanwhile, Syrian army forces recaptured several areas on the outskirts of Aleppo and Homs from the Daesh terrorist group and inflicted heavy losses on the extremists over the past 24 hours. The Russian coordination center based in Syria's in Hmeimim airbase said the Syrian army liberated Umm al-Rumman village east of Dumayr city in the northern countryside of Damascus on Wednesday. A video released online showed that members of the Syrian army took control of Umm al-Rumman after they advanced from al-Badia cement factory southeast of the village. A Syrian army unit also carried out strikes against Daesh terrorists to the east of al-Sein airport in the northeastern countryside of Damascus, killing a number of terrorists and destroying a tank and a vehicle equipped with a machinegun used by the terrorists. Syrian army units also targeted Daesh positions near the city of Dayr al-Zawr. Syria has been battling foreign-backed militancy for nearly six years. Over the past few months, the Syrian army has made significant gains against terrorists wreaking havoc in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The United Arab Emirates said Thursday it summoned the Iranian envoy to protest Tehran's alleged arming of Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen, including providing drones, in their fight against the government. The foreign ministry handed the charge d'affaires a "protesting memorandum concerning Iran's illegal arming" of Huthi rebels, according to state news agency WAM. It said that "Iranian weapons, including unmanned drones targeted recently by the Arab coalition, represent a flagrant violation" of UN Security Council resolutions. The UAE is a key partner in the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after rebels stormed the capital Sanaa and advanced on second city Aden. Emirati press reported recently that UAE warplanes destroyed a rebel drone before it was launched on Yemen's west coast. The Yemeni government and its allies have repeatedly accused Iran of arming the insurgents, a charge that Tehran has categorically denied. The war in Yemen has cost more than 7,400 lives since the coalition began its operation, according to the UN's World Health Organisation. Search Keywords: Short link: Syrian Armed Opposition to Attend Peace Talks on Condition of Power Transfer Sputnik News 23:24 01.02.2017(updated 00:37 02.02.2017) The Syrian armed opposition announced on Wednesday it would not accept an invitation for intra-Syrian peace talks unless they would result in a full transfer of power to a transitional governing body in the war-torn country. BEIRUT (Sputnik) Intra-Syrian peace talks in Geneva will be held on February 20. The opposition factions so far have struggled to form joint delegation to attend the talks. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Tuesday he would select the delegates for Geneva talks himself if a united Syrian opposition delegation is not formed by February 8. "No invitation to peace talks could be accepted if their outcome is not aimed at the full transition of power to an interim government," the opposition said in its Twitter blog. The armed opposition also demanded the release of all prisoners by Damascus as a precondition for resumption of peace talks in the war-torn country. "No steps could be taken toward a political solution without a fully-enforced ceasefire and respective monitoring mechanismsthese steps also include the release of prisoners, women and children in the first place," the opposition tweeted. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Armored Vehicles Delivery to Syrian Arab Coalition Approved by Obama Sputnik News 20:19 01.02.2017(updated 21:30 01.02.2017) The United States has supplied the Syrian Arab Coalition with up-armored vehicles under an authorization from the administration of President Barack Obama, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman John Dorrian said in a briefing on Wednesday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Tuesday, the US Department of Defense confirmed to Sputnik that the United States has supplied the Syrian Arab Coalition with up-armored vehicles. "This is something that has been in the works for months," Dorrian told reporters. "It is authorized using existing authorities from the previous administration." Dorrian said the United States delivered "a small number" of vehicles to the Syrian Arab Coalition forces as they are getting ready to continue the assault on the city of Raqqa, which is occupied by Daesh. The spokesperson added that he did not have firsthand knowledge of whether the Syrian Arab Coalition's partner forces, including the Syrian Kurdish Popular Defense Units (YPG), are also using the vehicles in question. "When a partner force has a capability, that provides incidental benefit to the other partner," Dorrian noted. The Syrian Arab Coalition is one among several forces fighting the Islamic State militants in Syria, including Kurds, Assyrians and Turkmens. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SDF Commander: Coalition Forces Supply Weapons, Fight With Us Against Daesh Sputnik News 19:58 01.02.2017(updated 23:30 01.02.2017) The US has transferred weapons to Kurdish fighters as part of aid in an operation to liberate Raqqa, Syria from Daesh, according to some media reports. In an interview with Sputnik, the commander of one unit of the Democratic Forces of Syria and a spokesperson for the situational center for the operation to free Raqqa, Cihan Seyh Ehmed, said that, "Yes, as part of Operation Wrath of Euphrates we have a significant support from the coalition in accordance with the agreement which was concluded between us at the beginning of the operation." So far 200 units of military hardware have been transferred but more are planned to arrive shortly. She further said that during the second stage of the operation in Raqqa, help from coalition forces increased. "It turned into a multilateral military support. There is help in the form of weapons and soldiers from the coalition, together with our soldiers fighting against Daesh," the commander told Sputnik Turkey. Another representative of the Democratic Forces of Syria, who requested to stay anonymous, told Sputnik that the United States regularly supplied the Kurdish forces with arms and military equipment. "The United States in the fight against Daesh has constantly provided us with firearms and heavy weapons. In addition, they train our forces in the use of heavy weapons during the course of hostilities. The US supplies us with heat-seeking missiles, mortars, sniper rifles and other weapons, along with vehicles," the source said. He further said that most of the weapons are delivered via aircraft. Sometimes they are delivered to Rojava [Syrian Kurdish region] through the territory of the Iraqi Kurdistan through the Semelka checkpoint. "Four days ago we received Hummer vehicles and armored personnel carriers from the United States. These vehicles will be used during the operation in Raqqa. The rocket, mortar and sniper attacks from Daesh can't do anything to these machines. They are very robust and can withstand even mine blasts," the source said. However, despite the interviews on the ground, US Department of Defense spokesman, Adrian Rankine-Galloway, dismissed these reports in a comment for Sputnik stating that Pentagon only provides training and material support to the Syrian Arab Coalition, which is a component of the SDF. Similarly, the reports were denied by the YPG spokesman, Redur Khalil, who said that the Kurdish Popular Defense Units emphasize that "these reports are incorrect as we have not received any weapons from the Alliance." Operation Wrath of Euphrates, aimed at liberating the Syrian city of Raqqa from Daesh was launched by Kurdish-led SDF on November 5, 2016. The SDF started the second stage of the operation on December 10. The SDF is among of the forces fighting against Daesh in war-torn Syria and brings together Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians and Turkmens among others. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kurdish YPG Militia Refutes Reports of Receiving Arms From US-Led Coalition Sputnik News 14:33 01.02.2017(updated 17:02 01.02.2017) The Syrian Kurdish Popular Defense Units (YPG) militia denies reports that the US-led coalition had supplied them with weapons to help in the anti-Daesh offensive, the group's spokesman, Redur Khalil, said in a statement obtained by Sputnik on Wednesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, Reuters news agency reported that US weapons were transferred to Kurdish fighters within the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a part of aid in an operation to liberate Syria's Raqqa from Daesh. US Department of Defense spokesman Adrian Rankine-Galloway dismissed these reports in an comment for Sputnik stating that Pentagon only provides training and materiel support to the Syrian Arab Coalition, which is a component of the SDF. "The media incorrectly reported that the international coalition against Daesh led by the United States has supplied units with arms, including tanks and up-armored vehicles. We in the Kurdish Popular Defense Units emphasize that these reports are incorrect as we have not received any weapons from the Alliance," Khalil said in the statement. The Syrian Democratic Forces are a rebel group predominantly consisting of Kurdish fighters, as well as of Arabic and Turkmen forces, who are jointly fighting against the Daesh terrorist group. The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) are the main force of the SDF group. The SDF has long been supported by the US-led coalition. The Operation Wrath of Euphrates, aimed at liberating the Syrian city of Raqqa from Daesh was launched by Kurdish-led SDF on November 5, 2016. The SDF started the second stage of the operation on December 10. The SDF is among of the forces fighting against Daesh in the war-torn Syria and brings together Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians and Turkmens among others. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Think of those fleeing Syria and elsewhere not with fear but with open arms and open heart - UN agency chief 1 February 2017 Expressing shock at the scale of the devastation in war-ravaged city of Aleppo, the top United Nations refugee official today made an impassioned plea for the world to stand in solidarity with those suffering from the effects of conflict there in Syria, as well as in other places such as Iraq, Somalia and Yemen. "There are people here, some of them are returning to these ruins, who need help, immediate help. They are cold, they are hungry, they need to work to earn some money, they need the elementary things in life in this very ancient city," said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, presently in Aleppo as part of his mission to Syria. Stating that despite following the crisis closely, nothing prepared him for immensity of the destruction, and the sights in the war-torn country will weigh very heavily on the conscience of the world for generations. "When you see children's clothes hanging out of windows, kitchens cut in half by shells and rockets, the real lives of people interrupted by war as it was happening [...] You drive for miles and miles you see destroyed civilian houses, destroyed schools, destroyed hospitals. Everything has been ruined," he added. Drawing attention to the plight of those who fled such places, he stressed: "This is what refugees from Syria, who are now denied entry [to the United States], have fled from." "And it is not just here in Aleppo, although this is massive. Refugees from Somalia, refugees from Yemen, refugees from Iraq they all flee from destruction like this, from devastation like this." Appealing to the global community for accelerated and immediate for humanitarian assistance, High Commissioner Grandi said: "All the Syrian people need help. We cannot abandon them because the crisis is not over." "How can we turn them back? How can we not consider giving them protection? At least, for the time while the conflict is continuing, this is what they are escaping from millions of them," he said, adding: "The world has to go back to solidarity, has to think again of these people not with fear, not with suspicion, but with open arms, with an open mind, with an open heart." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria: UN, Security Council welcome Astana talks and look forward to intra-Syrian negotiations 1 February 2017 The United Nations and the Security Council have welcomed the international talks on Syria held in the Kazakh capital of Astana, and, in separate accounts to the press, said they look forward to the resumption of the intra-Syrian negotiations. Speaking to journalists earlier today in what was his first press conference in New York since taking office in January, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN presence in Astana was essential to the resumption of talks in Geneva expected to begin later this month. "Our presence in Astana was an absolute must, in order to guarantee that after Astana we could have Geneva, and in Geneva you could discuss the key political aspects that are essential to be on the table," Mr. Guterres said. The two-day talks in Astana were the first time that the Syrian opposition participated in the discussions alongside representatives of the Syrian Government. The closed-door meeting convened by Iran, Russia and Turkey, with a representative from the United States attending as an observer resulted in an agreement on how to monitor the ceasefire effort started in December 2016. In a statement released late last night, the Council called the international meeting in Astana "a step towards a strengthened ceasefire." The Council's 15 members said said they hoped it would lead to fewer violations, and noted the need for "secure safe and unimpeded" humanitarian access in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions. They also expressed hope that the meeting would lead to progress in reaching a political settlement and to efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist activities by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIL or Da'esh, the Al-Nusra Front and others. The members "look forward" to the resumption of intra-Syrian talks, they said, and encouraged the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to re-convene the negotiations "as soon as possible." Speaking to journalists yesterday following his briefing to the Council, Mr. de Mistura said he had asked the Council to postpone the UN facilitated talks from 8 February until 20 February, in order to give the country's opposition more time to unite and participate as one group. "We want to give a chance to this Astana initiative to actually implement itself," the Special Envoy said. The talks in Geneva are guided by the UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a roadmap for a peace process in Syria, including issues of governance, constitution and elections. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Death toll from upsurge in clashes in eastern Ukraine rises to 19 Iran Press TV Wed Feb 1, 2017 6:8PM The death toll from the latest upsurge in fighting between government troops and pro-Russia forces in volatile eastern Ukraine has reached 19, as the United Nations has called on the warring sides to halt the clashes and NATO urges Moscow to help stop the spike in the deadly violence. The death toll rose as the two sides exchanged mortar and rocket fire for a fourth day on Wednesday, around the flashpoint town of Avdiivka on the outskirts of Ukraine's eastern restive region of Donetsk, after the pro-Russia forces allegedly launched an offensive to capture the government-held town over the weekend. The Ukrainian army said three of its servicemen had been killed overnight while the opposing forces claimed that four civilians had lost their lives. The government on Tuesday reported that the fighting had claimed the lives of a dozen of its soldiers and inflicted injuries on dozens more in the bloodiest outburst of violence since a ceasefire brokered last December. An unspecified number of civilian casualties has so far been reported, with some 200 coal miners trapped underground. The clashes in Avdiivka have left more than 20,000 freezing and nerve-shattered residents of the town without heat, water and electricity in the harsh winter weather with limited relief centers in sight. The UN Security Council also held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, demanding an immediate end to the violence. The secretary general of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, also expressed "grave concern" about the resumption of deadly battles in the region. "The intense fighting is a blatant violation of the ceasefire, as stipulated by the Minsk agreements. It puts civilian inhabitants at grave risk," he added. Back in February 2015, a peace deal was brokered by Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, to end the conflict that has left more than 9,500 people dead and over 21,000 others injured, according to the UN figures. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to use its "considerable influence" with pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine to put an end to what he called as "the most serious spike in violations" of a shaky truce there in a long time. He added that the ceasefire in the volatile region had been violated for over 5,600 times in the previous few days. Also on Wednesday, Martin Sajdik, the envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is tasked with monitoring truce agreements in eastern Ukraine, said that both Kiev and Moscow had called for a "full and all-encompassing truce to be introduced across the entire war zone." Placing the blame on Kiev, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow was extremely concerned by the incident, which, he said, would undermine efforts to implement the Minsk peace agreements. "Such aggressive actions supported by the armed forces of Ukraine undermine the aims and the task of realizing the Minsk accords." Ukraine's Donbass region, where the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk are located, has witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since April 2014, when Kiev launched military operations to crush pro-Moscow protests there. The conflict in eastern Ukraine and the March 2014 reintegration of the Black Sea Crimean Peninsula into the Russian Federation have pushed relations between Moscow and the West to their lowest level since the Cold War as the latter supports Kiev. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Contact Group Urges Immediate Cease-Fire Amid Surging Violence RFE/RL February 01, 2017 The Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), which is attempting to regulate the conflict in eastern Ukraine, has urged both sides to adhere scrupulously to the agreed cease-fire and to withdraw heavy weaponry away from the contact line as previously agreed. The TCG -- which includes Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- met in Minsk on February 1 amid a significant uptick in fighting between the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed separatists in recent days around the government-controlled town of Avdiyivka. The TCG statement also called for "safe and secure access" for OSCE monitors and the "facilitation of humanitarian efforts" aimed at restoring water and electricity supplies. Also on February 1, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the renewed fighting "the most serious spike in violence in a long time," adding that the humanitarian situation for civilians in Avdiyivka was "dire, with 20,000 people facing freezing temperatures without heat, electricity, and water." Stoltenberg also called on Russia "to use its considerable influence over the separatists to bring the violence to an end." The Ukrainian military said on February 1 that nine servicemen and one civilian were also injured in the previous 24 hours. Ukrainian officials had reported the deaths of seven soldiers in the past few days, the highest casualty toll in weeks. An emergency official, Vladislav Husinskyy, said that 175 people, including 88 children, had been evacuated to nearby towns by bus on the morning of February 1. Shelling left many residents of the town north of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk without electricity, water supplies, and heating in temperatures well below freezing. The AP news agency quoted residents of Donetsk as reporting incessant outgoing and incoming artillery salvos through the night and in the morning. Separatists said two civilians were killed and another wounded in the shelling of Donetsk and the neighboring town of Makiyivka. The UN Security Council on January 31 expressed "grave concern" over the "dangerous deterioration" in eastern Ukraine and called for a halt to the violence. Kyiv and Moscow are accusing each other of being responsible for the recent escalation, with Ukraine's Foreign Ministry describing it on January 31 as "a clear indication of Russia's continued blatant disregard of its commitments under the Minsk agreements." Speaking on February 1, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected accusations that Russia and the separatists were responsible for the flare-up of hostilities, and called on Kyiv to stop what he said were "provocative actions." Peskov also said that the escalation was evidence what he called the need for "a swift resumption of dialogue and cooperation between Russia and the United States." Russian-U.S. relations are badly strained over Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, its actions in Syria, and what U.S. intelligence agencies say was state-directed interference in the U.S. presidential election. U.S. President Donald Trump has called for improved relations with Russia, and both the White House and Kremlin said a conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on January 28 was a positive sign. Despite substantial evidence, Russia denies claims by Kyiv, NATO, and Western governments that it stirred up separatism in the region and has sent troops and weapons to Ukraine to support the separatists. The European Union, United States, and other states have imposed sanctions on Russia over the conflict, as well as for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014. With reporting by Christopher Miller, AP, UNIAN, TASS, and Interfax Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/un-security-council -calls-halt-renewed-violence- eastern-ukraine/28271190.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Says Russia Fired On Military Transport Plane Over Black Sea February 01, 2017 Ukrainian military authorities say that an unarmed military transport plane was hit by antiaircraft fire from a Russian naval vessel over a disputed area of the Black Sea. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said no one was injured in the February 1 incident and the plane returned safely to base despite being hit several times. A spokesman for the Russian Black Sea Fleet -- based at the port of Sevastopol on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 -- said the Ukrainian aircraft acted "provocatively" by flying at "extremely low altitude." The Russian spokesman denied that the aircraft was fired upon, saying such claims by Ukraine were "a lie." The spokesman said the plane made close passes to Russian oil platforms and security guards sent it a warning signal. The Ukrainian military said the shots were fired from a Russian Navy antisubmarine corvette patrolling the area. The incident occurred before noon local time over a part of the Black Sea that both Russia and Ukraine claim. Based on reporting by Dumskaya.net, DefenceBlog.com, Interfax, and TASS Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-says- russia-fires-on-cargo-plane-black -sea-crimea/28273559.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Official Confirms Heavy Shelling of Yasinovataya by Kiev Forces Sputnik News 21:43 01.02.2017(updated 21:50 01.02.2017) A Russian representative at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) confirmed the shelling on Wednesday of Yasinovataya in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, where SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug was at the time. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Albert Budyshkin, a group of JCCC and SMM monitors came on Wednesday under heavy artillery shelling from positions of Kiev government forces near Avdiivka, which continued for over 90 minutes. "Only because we took shelter behind a building, nobody was injured," Budyshkin said. Earlier in the day, OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine's Chief Monitor Ertugrul Apakan on Tuesday called on the conflicting sides in eastern Ukraine to immediately cease hostilities on the line of contact in the Avdiivka-Yasynuvata-Donetsk airport area. The situation near the industrial town of Avdiivka and neighboring Yasynuvata has been tense for several days, with civilians being deprived of running water, central heating and electricity. The Ukrainian forces and Donbass militia are accusing each other of being responsible for escalation of fighting. On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had to interrupt his visit to Germany due to the escalation of the security situation on the line of contact in eastern Ukraine. He also charged his aides with calling for the extraordinary session of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine to discuss the situation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow had reliable data that the Ukrainian independent armed groups, supported by the Ukrainian Armed Forces' artillery, were behind the attack on Avdiivka. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrians fleeing the Islamic State (IS) militant group in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor are taking dangerous smuggling routes through mined territory to reach safety, but harsh conditions await near the Iraqi border. Hundreds of people have arrived from Deir Ezzor to the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Hasakeh province, particularly after recent heavy fighting between the Islamist militants and government forces. The city has been besieged by IS since early 2015, and the group already controlled around half the city before making fresh advances last month. The assault sparked fierce fighting with government forces and has brought new misery for residents. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said IS sought to prevent people fleeing neighbourhoods under its control by arresting them, opening fire on departing civilians and executing those suspected of smuggling. Sara, a Deir Ezzor resident in her thirties who did not give her family name, described a harrowing journey to Al-Hol. "We came here through a smuggling route, across mined areas, and we were very afraid," she told AFP. "My husband is still there but we have no information about him and it is impossible to make contact with him." "Our conditions are difficult, we have nothing but canned food and the weather is very cold," Sara said. Inside the camp, administered by Kurdish authorities with help from the UN refugee agency UNHCR and other humanitarian groups, displaced families lined up for water and fuel. The UN says more than 500 displaced Syrians, mostly from Deir Ezzor, are currently in Al-Hol, though a local official put the number closer to 800. Children gathered around an open fire, rubbing their hands together for warmth in the freezing desert winter. A woman baked bread on a metal dome placed over a bonfire as snowflakes drifted down around her. The camp is home to tens of thousands of people, including Syrians displaced from IS-held areas in Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces, as well as Iraqis fleeing the city of Mosul across the border. Recent arrivals from Deir Ezzor complained of the bitter cold and limited resources and said officials barred access to nearby Hasakeh city, controlled by Kurdish authorities. "There are sick people in the camp and they won't allow us to leave," one Deir Ezzor resident in the camp told AFP, without giving his name. "We're detained here even if we have a sponsor... we appeal to international organisations to get us out, because the conditions here are very difficult," he added, his face wrapped in a scarf. More than half of Syria's population has been displaced since the country's conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011. The war has also killed more than 310,000 people and drawn in players including neighbouring Turkey, government ally Russia, and Islamist militants like IS. The Observatory also said it had received reports from Al-Hol that displaced civilians there were prevented from leaving to nearby cities. The monitor said it had documented the deaths of at least six people from Deir Ezzor, among them two children and an elderly woman, from lack of medical care and harsh conditions in the Rajm al-Salibeh area where the camp is located. "We're happy to be in the camp because it is safe here, but the conditions for the Iraqis are better than ours," complained Suad, a former teacher from Deir Ezzor. But Yerevan Hussein, a camp official, said all residents were being treated equally, despite limited supplies, including the recent arrivals from Deir Ezzor. "They live in a special camp and the management of the camp is meeting their needs," she told AFP. She said camp officials were "helping those who wish to fly to Damascus or the Gulf," while those in need of medical attention were allowed to go to Hasakeh city if they were "sponsored by someone living there." Search Keywords: Short link: Parties to Donbass Conflict Agree to Withdraw Heavy Weaponry by Feb. 5 - OSCE Sputnik News 19:41 01.02.2017 The parties to the conflict in Donbass have agreed to withdraw heavy weaponry by February 5, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group Martin Sajdik said Wednesday. MINSK (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine adopted a statement demanding that heavy armaments be withdrawn from the contact line in Donbass by February 5. The situation near the industrial town of Avdiivka and neighboring Yasynuvata has been tense for several days, with civilians being deprived of running water, central heating and electricity. The Ukrainian forces and Donbass militia are accusing each other of being responsible for escalation of fighting. On Monday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had to interrupt his visit to Germany due to the escalation of the security situation on the line of contact in eastern Ukraine. He also charged his aides with calling for the extraordinary session of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine to discuss the situation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow was concerned about Kiev's actions in the Donbass region, adding that the Ukrainian authorities were derailing the Minsk peace agreements. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Military Denies Shooting at Ukrainian Transport Plane in Black Sea Sputnik News 19:35 01.02.2017(updated 23:27 01.02.2017) The Russian Black Sea Fleet categorically denied claims by Kiev that a Ukrainian military transport plane came under fire from Russian drilling platforms in the Black Sea on Wednesday. SEVASTOPOL (Sputnik) The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said earlier on Wednesday that a Ukrainian An-26 transport plane came under small arms fire from two Russian drilling platforms while flying near the Odessa gas field in the Black Sea. "All Ukrainian claims of the alleged shooting at the An-26 plane are absolute lies," an official from the lack Sea Fleet's headquarters said in a statement. According to the statement, the Ukrainian An-26 military plane carried out on Wednesday afternoon two provocative approaches at extremely low altitude to Russia's Tavrida and Crimea-2 drilling platforms. "During the plane's second approach, a security guard at one of the platforms fired four signal flares to prevent a possible collision of the plane with the platform's mast," the official stressed. The news comes amid the joint naval drills of the seven North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states with the Ukrainian Naval Forces in the Black Sea, which started on Wednesday. Moreover, the situation near the industrial town of Avdiivka and neighboring Yasynuvata has been tense for several days, with civilians being deprived of running water, central heating and electricity. The Ukrainian forces and Donbass militia are accusing each other of being responsible for escalation of fighting. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Head of Egypt's state oil company EGPC Tarek El-Hadidi said an Egyptian delegation will visit Iraq this month to finalise a crude oil import deal, state news agency MENA reported Thursday. The deal would see Egypt import Iraqi oil under a one-year agreement, which could be renewed, according to El-Hadidi. In December, Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla announced the country was seeking an agreement with Iraq to import crude oil from the state directly. El-Molla said then that he hoped to finalise a deal in the first quarter of 2017. The bilateral deal would help Egypt to secure its petroleum needs after the country was informed in November by Saudi national oil company Aramco that oil shipments expected under a prior multi-billion dollar aid deal had been halted indefinitely. In April 2016, Riyadh had agreed to finance Cairos petroleum needs for five years with a $22 billion soft loan and facilitated payments. In November, Kuwaiti newspaper Alrai reported that the country's cabinet had approved a nine month extension of its oil exports to Egypt, allowing up to 2 million barrels of crude oil to be delivered to the country each month starting in January. Search Keywords: Short link: Concise letters 250 words or fewer on topics of local interest will receive first consideration for publication. All letters are subject to editing for language and clarity. Mailing Address: Letters to the Editor, The Register & Bee, 700 Monument St., Danville, VA 24541 Letters submitted by mail must include the writer's name, signature, address and a daytime phone number. Fax: (434) 799-0595 Email: letters@registerbee.com Or submit a letter via our online form: Submit a letter Pittsylvania County celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. The Scene takes a look at few museums in Pittsylvania County, all with very different historical focuses: military, funeral and local history. Simpson Funeral Museum There are only a handful of funeral museums in the United States, and one of is right on Main Street in Chatham. The Simpson Funeral Museum is located at 16 S. Main St., in the same spot where the first funeral home in the town stood, and it still has the original tin ceilings and hardwood floors, as well as some of the original signage. The museum is run by Scott Simpson, a Chatham native, whose father is still in the funeral business. He and his father own the museum as well as their own boutique handmade casket business in Graham, North Carolina. Simpson said the Victorian spirit is what the funeral business is all about, and hes dedicated his life to that business. Its only been a museum for about years. The Simpsons want the museum to help stimulate a conversation about a topic that not everyone wants to talk about. The building may be small, but the tour of the museum can take anywhere from five minutes to two hours, depending on how curious the group taking the tour is. The tour will teach visitors about the history of funeral services, the difference between caskets and coffins and offer a general walkthrough of how the embalming process works. The museum is a nonprofit organization and accepts donations. The museum is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. To learn more, call (434) 432-1085. AAF Tank Museum The American Armoured Foundation Tank Museum may have a Danville address, but its actually located in Blairs off U.S 29 Business. The museum opened in 2003 in Danville. Before that, the museum had been in Mattituck, New York since 1981. In addition to hosting military memorabilia year-round, the museum also holds Flamethrower Day twice a year, in which they show off three historical flamethrowers on a dummy theyve nicknamed Flammable Fred, and monthly radio-controlled tank battles in a 6,000-square-scale model of a Dutch town. Once a year, they also raffle off the chance to ride around the museum in some of the tanks. The museum is a nonprofit, and gives the option of donating to add a commemorative plaque to some of the wooden benches around the museum, in honor of a soldier, or to adopt a tank The museum holds more than 15,000 international tank and cavalry artifacts dating from 1509, available for anyone to view for $12. The AAF Tank Museum is only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. open Saturday between January and March, and is open Fridays and Saturdays during the same time frame from April through December. While the museum is entirely indoors, it is not heated or air conditioned, so dress appropriately for the weather when visiting. Learn more at www.aaftankmuseum.com. History Research Center and Library The History Center is a part of the Pittsylvania County Public Library system, but that wasnt always its purpose. The building that houses it was constructed in 1918 to be Norfolk Southerns Southern Railway Depot. The Pittsylvania Historical Society bought it with fundraised money in 2001, and partnered with the library system in 2008 in order to make sure that the building would have an ongoing plan. Some of the exhibits include The Veterans History Project and a model train exhibit that represents the Old 97 rail line that goes throughout the county. The Veterans History Project is an ongoing project that collects, preserves and shares the personal stories of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. They do this through DVDs of recordings of local veterans, which are also shared with the Library of Congress. The Pittsylvania Historical Society is beginning to work on restoring the Ennis building in Chatham, to turn that into a local history museum, as well, hoping to bring local peoples stories together with their artifacts to be able to share that. CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Feb. 2, 2017) - Mkango Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MKA)(AIM:MKA) (the "Company" or "Mkango") is pleased to provide an update on its 100% owned Thambani uranium project in Malawi. Following recent management site visits, Mkango plans to commence its 2017 exploration programme in the Thambani licence area during the first quarter. The programme will comprise follow up of the results of the World Bank airborne geophysics survey reported in 2016 (http://www.mkango.ca/s/news.asp?ReportID=755345) and of previous exploration programmes completed by Mkango, and will include but is not limited to further mapping, soil and rock chip sampling, trenching and ground truthing of new geophysical anomalies. Whilst uranium (and associated tantalum and niobium) is the primary focus of the exploration programme, Mkango will also evaluate the licence for its lithium potential. The Thambani licence area is host to pegmatite occurrences, which can be a potential host rock for lithium. Furthermore, historical reports refer to an occurrence of a lithium mineral in the licence area. However, these need further geological investigation to determine the significance, and the main focus is on uranium. The Company aims to commence field work following the end of the rainy season in Malawi, usually late February or early March. All costs associated with the work programme will be covered out of existing cash resources. Alexander Lemon, President of Mkango, stated: "The market is clearly seeing renewed interest in uranium projects in recent months following moves by Kazakhstan to cut production and the increasingly apparent lack of supply for new reactors being brought online over the next five years in countries such as India and China. Our strategy for the project remains to bring in a joint venture partner, but we believe that we will enhance value for our shareholders in the near term by pushing ahead with a clearly defined, low cost exploration programme following the end of the rainy season in Malawi. We look forward to updating shareholders in the near future." In relation to the Songwe Hill rare earths project, Mkango will be providing an update on flow sheet optimization in due course. About Mkango Resources Limited Mkango's primary business is the exploration for rare earth elements and associated minerals in the Republic of Malawi, a country whose hospitable people have earned it a reputation as "the warm heart of Africa." Mkango holds, through its wholly owned subsidiary Lancaster Exploration Limited, a 100% interest in two exclusive prospecting licenses in southern Malawi, the Phalombe licence and the Thambani licence. The main exploration target in the Phalombe licence is the Songwe Hill rare earths' deposit, which features carbonatite hosted rare earth mineralisation and was subject to previous exploration in the late 1980s. Mkango completed an updated Pre-feasibility Study for the project in November 2015. Mkango's strategy for Songwe is to further optimise the project with a view to maximising efficiency and reducing costs, thereby providing a strong platform for entering into partnerships, marketing and offtake arrangements. The main exploration targets in the Thambani licence are uranium, niobium, tantalum and other associated minerals. For more information, please visit www.mkango.ca. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, delays in obtaining financing or governmental or stock exchange approvals. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any equity or other securities of the Company in the United States. The securities of the Company will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold within the United States to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. Egypts Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany toured on Thursday work on the Giza Plateau Development Project and said that the plateaus administrative building would be ready for inauguration very soon. The minister said that work on the plateau is in full swing, and that the site looks entirely different from how it did two months prior. El-Enany called for information boards to be erected at the sites ticketing area to serve as a guide for visitors. Ashraf Mohi, Director-General of Giza Plateau, told Ahram Online that progress on at the site includes the completion of the administration building and the visitor centre. The foundation, pillars and ceiling of the students building have also been installed. The purpose of the students building, Mohi said, would be to educate youth on archaeological work, and especially the excavation process. It is also intended to raise visitors awareness and understanding of Egyptian heritage. Mohi said the plateau development project aims to improve security measures to make the site more tourist friendly. The project started in 2009 but was put on hold in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution for lack of funding. Work on the project resumed late last year. Mohi said that state-of-the-art security system with monitoring cameras have been installed at the site. A new lighting system to illuminate the Giza Pyramids and the plateau at night is scheduled to be installed soon. Search Keywords: Short link: VANCOUVER, February 2, 2017 - MGX Minerals Inc. ("MGX" or the "Company") (CSE: XMG / FKT: 1MG / OTC: MGXMF) is pleased to announce it has acquired the Lisbon Valley petro lithium project (the "Project") located in the Paradox Basin, Utah. The Project includes 888 placer mineral claims inclusive of lithium brine mineral rights covering the majority of the Lisbon Valley oil and gas field (see Figure 1), where historic lithium brine content has been reported as high as 730 parts per million lithium (Superior Oil 88-21P). "This recent acquisition in the Paradox Basin is strategic for MGX. These claims cover the majority of the Lisbon Oilfield placing MGX as a major player in oilfield lithium brine in the United States," stated MGX Chairman Marc Bruner. Geologic Setting The Lisbon Valley oil and gas field is located approximately 40 miles southeast of Moab, Utah in the salt anticline belt on the southwest edge of the Paradox Basin in San Juan county. The oilfield was first discovered by Pure Oil Company in 1960. The Lisbon field produces oil and gas from the southwest flank of a faulted anticlinal trap in the Devonian sandstones and Mississippian limestones (Segal et al., 1986). The Paradox Basin covers large parts of San Juan, Garfield, Wayne, Emery, and Grand Counties in southeastern Utah. The Basin was a structural and depositional trough associated with the Pennsylvanian-age Ancestral Rocky Mountains. The subsiding basin developed a shallow-water carbonate shelf that locally contained carbonate buildups along its south and southwest margins. The region is home to the former Rio Algom uranium mill facility, an active copper mine operated by Lisbon Valley Mining Company, and a natural gas processing plant located in the city of Lisbon, Utah. Extraction of Lithium from Oil Field Brine As previously announced, MGX and engineering partner PurLucid Treatment Solutions ("PurLucid") have successfully extracted lithium from oil sands wastewater (see press release dated January 3, 2017). The Company and PurLucid are now preparing for deployment of the pilot plant shortly with commercial scale deployment expected during the second half of 2017. The pilot plant unit represents fully integrated technology combining MGX's patent pending lithium extraction process, which potentially reduces recovery times of lithium and other valuable minerals from 18 months to one day when compared with conventional lithium extraction, with PurLucid's patented water purification technology, which removes particulate and dissolved material including dissolved and emulsified oil, colloids and heavy metals. Pilot Plant Optimization Update Results from pilot plant optimization testing will be released shortly as part of the completion of the pilot plant. Lithium carbonate has been extracted from oil well production waste water at the Company's flagship Sturgeon Lake property. Results are currently under technical review and will be released shortly (see Figure 2). Figure 1. MGX Minerals South Paradox Basin Claims Click Image To View Full Size Figure 2. Lithium carbonate produced from Sturgeon Lake Oilfield production water using MGX's patent pending recovery process and engineering partner PurLucid Treatment Solution's patented oilfield wastewater filtration technologies. Click Image To View Full Size Qualified Persons The technical portions of this press release were prepared by Dr. Preston McEachern, CEO of PurLucid Treatment Solutions Inc., and have been reviewed by Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for MGX Minerals. Mr. Kikauka is a non-independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards. About MGX Minerals MGX Minerals (CSE: XMG) is a diversified Canadian mining company engaged in the development of large-scale industrial mineral portfolios in western Canada and the United States. The Company operates lithium, magnesium and silicon projects throughout British Columbia and Alberta as well as petro lithium exploration in Utah. MGX recently released a maiden N.I. 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for its Driftwood Creek magnesium project, which outlined 8.3 million tonnes grading 43.31% magnesium oxide. In January the Company received a 20-year Mining Lease for Driftwood Creek. Additionally, the Company is the largest lithium brine land holder in Canada, controlling nearly 487,000 hectares of land representing over one million barrels of brine production per day. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.mgxminerals.com. Contact Information Jared Lazerson Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 1.604.681.7735 Email: jared@mgxminerals.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements including the completion of the rights offering (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - IsoEnergy Ltd. ("IsoEnergy" or the "Company") (TSXV:ISO) is pleased to report that it has acquired the Mountain Lake uranium deposit in the Hornby Bay Basin, Nunavut. The property consists of five claims totaling 5,625 hectares and was acquired by staking. Mountain Lake is located 100 kilometres southwest of the coastal community of Kugluktuk. Mountain Lake Uranium Deposit Discovered in 1976, the property area was the subject of intense exploration during the 1970s and 1980's, when Acquitaine Company of Canada and Esso Resources Canada completed 190 drill holes totaling approximately 22,000 m on the project area. Pitchstone Exploration Ltd. (Pitchstone) and Triex Minerals Corp. (Triex) carried out additional exploration during the period 2005-2008, including the completion of 30 drill holes in the area, 15 of which were located within or immediately adjacent to the Mountain Lake deposit itself. Figure 1 shows the location of the deposit relative to the newly staked claims. Uranium mineralization at Mountain Lake is hosted within sandstone of the mid-Proterozoic Dismal Lakes Group within the Hornby Bay Basin. The deposit is a shallow-dipping (5-10 degrees) tabular zone of strata-bound mineralization that extends from the top of the bedrock (10-30 metres below surface) down to approximately 180 metres below surface at its deepest point. Overall the mineralization covers an area measuring 1,300 metres long and up to 320 metres wide. The thickness ranges from 1.0 to 6.5 metres. High grade mineralization is locally present, with drill intersections returning up to 5.19% U 3 O 8 over 0.9 metres. IsoEnergy intends to complete a detailed review of all historical data from the property and develop an exploration plan to discover new uranium deposits or extensions of existing mineralization. Craig Parry, President and CEO, commented: "We are very pleased to have secured at minimal cost, by way of staking ground, a significant land package hosting a historic uranium resource. This acquisition is in-line with IsoEnergy's strategy of utilizing in-house knowledge and experience to identify, acquire and explore undervalued uranium assets with strong exploration potential in Canada. Mountain Lake has the potential to provide IsoEnergy with both an initial resource base and option value in the current resurgent uranium commodity and equity markets." Historical Mineral Resource The property contains a historical inferred mineral resource estimate of 8.2 million pounds U 3 O 8 with an average grade of 0.23% U 3 O 8 contained in 1.6 million tonnes of mineralization. The estimate was reported in the technical report entitled "Mountain Lake Property, Nunavut" prepared for Triex and dated February 15, 2005. This resource is a historical estimate and a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources. As a result, the historical estimate is not being treated as a current mineral resource. However, the Company believes that the historical estimate is relevant and reliable, as it was prepared by a Qualified Person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) with significant experience on the project, using methods that were standard in the industry. In order to upgrade or verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources, the Company anticipates that it will need to incorporate the drilling data collected by Triex and Pitchstone in 2006-2008. The historical resource uses the "inferred mineral resource" category set out in section 1.2 of National Instrument 43-101. There are no more recent estimates available to the Company. The historical estimate was prepared with the polygonal method using only intervals greater than 0.1% U3O8 with a vertical thickness of at least 1.0 metre. Polygon sides were determined by drawing lines perpendicular to, and one half the distance to each adjacent drill hole. Estimated uranium was then obtained by multiplying the polygon areas by their thickness, a specific gravity of 2.5, and the grade of the drill hole interval. The mineral resource was classified as inferred. Qualified Person Statement The disclosure of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release was prepared by Steve Blower, P.Geo., IsoEnergy's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Blower has verified the data disclosed. About IsoEnergy IsoEnergy Ltd. is a well-funded uranium exploration and development company. In addition to the Mountain Lake property in Nunavut, the company is actively exploring a portfolio of prospective projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. IsoEnergy is led by a Board and Management team with a track record of success in uranium exploration, development and operations. The Company was founded and is supported by the team at its major shareholder NexGen Energy Ltd. The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, and that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, potential forfeiture of the Radio Option Agreement, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder, alternative sources of energy and uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE IsoEnergy Ltd. ROUYN-NORANDA, Feb. 2, 2017- Granada Gold Mine (TSX-V: GGM) (OTC: GBBFF) (Frankfurt: B6D) (the "Company" or "Granada") today announced plans to drill test the thickness of mineralization under the porphyry intrusion between Old Pit #1 and the 2014 Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) Pit at the Granada Gold Property near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The drill test is to obtain additional data for the new geological model being developed on an on-going basis by geological consultants GoldMinds Geoservices Inc. The drill that has been operating at the property since December 2016 is currently being moved to location GR-17-04 to conduct the drill test to a depth of approximately 120 metres. It will be the first time that a hole will be drilled toward the west to assess a revised mineralization model in that sector of the property. After completion of this relatively shallow hole, the drill will be moved to a location to the north to continue the 8,000-metre, deep-hole program announced last December. As part of the deep-hole program, 3,690 meters have been drilled to date, including GR-16-14 for 924 meters, GR-16-15 for 891 meters, GR-17-01 for 1,278 meters, and GR-17-02 for 597 meters. These four holes drilled to date intersected mineralization with smokey quartz veining and favorable alteration associated with pyrite, arsenopyrite and galena. The Company announced preliminary assay results for GR-16-14 in a news release on January 18, 2017. Assay results for the other holes are pending and will be released once received and validated. A map of the drill-hole locations, including GR-17-04, can be viewed below or at the following link: http://www.granadagoldmine.com/assets/pdf/Granada-drill-map-February-1-2017.pdf Qualified Person Claude Duplessis, P. Eng., of Goldminds Geoservices Inc., a geological, environmental and mining consultant, is an independent qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. About Granada Gold Mine Inc. Granada Gold Mine Inc. (formerly Gold Bullion Development Corp.) is developing the Granada Gold Property near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The property includes the former Granada gold mine which produced more than 50,000 ounces of gold in the 1930s before a fire destroyed the surface buildings. The highly prolific Cadillac Trend cuts through the north part of the property. The Cadillac Trend has been the source of more than 50 million ounces of gold produced in the past century on a line running from Val-d'Or to Rouyn-Noranda. The Company has obtained all necessary permits for the initial mining phase known as the "Rolling Start" for which stripping has already begun. Additional information is available at www.granadagoldmine.com. "Frank J. Basa" Frank J. Basa P. Eng. President and Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward?looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward?looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. SOURCE Granada Gold Mine Inc. VANCOUVER, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - NxGold Ltd. ("NxGold Ltd." or the "Company"), (NXN:TSXV) is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher McFadden as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the appointment of Mr. Richard Patricio, Mr. Trevor Thiele and Mr. Todd Roberts to the Company's Board of Directors, all effective February 2, 2017. Mr. McFadden and the three incoming directors each have extensive capital markets experience, particularly in the mining sector. Messrs. McFadden, Thiele and Patricio are also directors of NexGen Energy Ltd. (NXE:TSX) and IsoEnergy Ltd. (ISO:TSXV). Leigh Curyer, Chairman of the Board of Directors commented: "On behalf of everyone at NxGold, we would like to welcome Mr. Chris McFadden as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr McFadden brings extensive experience and an excellent track record in business development, governance and finance across the gold, energy and mining sector. I would also like to welcome Mr. Patricio, Mr Thiele and Mr. Roberts to the Board, whose track records in the sector, particularly at the Board level, is exceptional. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Cosh and Mr. Louie for their key involvement in delivering NxGold to this next phase and remaining close and committed shareholders." Christopher McFadden President and CEO Mr. McFadden joins NxGold from Newcrest Mining Ltd. where he held the position of Manager, Business Development. Mr. McFadden was also previously head of Commercial, Strategy and Corporate Development for Tigers Realm Coal Limited, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Prior to that Mr. McFadden was a Commercial General Manager with Rio Tinto's exploration division. Mr. McFadden has extensive international experience in managing large and complex transactions in the mining sector and has a broad knowledge of all aspects of project evaluation and negotiation in challenging and varied environments. Mr. McFadden is a lawyer with 21 years' experience in exploration and received a combined law/commerce degree from Melbourne University and an MBA from Monash University. Mr. McFadden is also a director of IsoEnergy Ltd. and Chairman of the Board of NexGen Energy Ltd. Richard Patricio - Director Mr. Patricio is Chief Executive Officer and President of Mega Uranium Ltd., having been its Executive Vice President since 2005. Mr. Patricio was previously Chief Executive Officer of Pinetree Capital Ltd., having joined Pinetree in November 2005 as Vice President, Corporate and Legal Affairs. Mr. Patricio also practiced law at Osler LLP in Toronto where he focused on mergers and acquisitions, securities law and general corporate transactions. Mr. Patricio holds senior officer and director positions in several companies listed on stock exchanges in Toronto, Australia, London and New York including IsoEnergy and NexGen Energy. Mr. Patricio has a law degree from Osgoode Hall and was called to the Ontario bar in 2000. Trevor Thiele - Director Mr. Thiele has over 30 years' experience in senior finance roles in medium to large Australian listed companies. Mr. Thiele has also been Chief Financial Officer for companies involved in the agribusiness sector and the biotechnology sector (Bionomics Limited). Mr. Thiele has experience with initial public offerings, capital raisings, corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, refinancing and joint ventures. Mr. Thiele holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accountancy from the University of South Australia and is a member of Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Thiele is also a director and the Chairman of the Audit Committee of each of IsoEnergy Ltd. and NexGen Energy Ltd. Todd Roberts Director Mr. Roberts is the General Manager Institutional & Corporate banking for South Australia and the Northern Territory at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ("CBA") and has been a Chartered Accountant for over 17 years. Prior to this position Mr. Roberts was a Partner in a Chartered Accounting firm and Finance Director and CFO of a private equity-backed investment. In his current role Mr. Roberts works with a large range of clients to achieve their strategic goals including clients in the mining sector. Mr. Roberts has a Bachelor of Arts in Accountancy from University of South Australia, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, AICD and the Governor's Leadership Foundation, a graduate of FINSIA and is an Associate of the Australian Restructuring Insolvency & Turnaround. Mr. Roberts will join the Company's Audit Committee. Mr. Roberts currently holds a number of community positions including being the President of the Heart Foundation in South Australia, National Treasurer and Board member of the National Heart Foundation, Chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee and Board member at Novita and is a Board Member of Kick Start for Kids. Todd's previous community involvement has included being the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, South Australian chapter. Joanna Cameron Company Secretary The Company is also pleased to announce that effective February 1, 2017 Joanna Cameron will be appointed as Corporate Secretary of the Company. Ms. Cameron has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Queen's University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Saskatchewan. Ms. Cameron is also Vice President Legal and General Counsel at NexGen Energy and Corporate Secretary of IsoEnergy. At the same time, the Company announces that Andrew Cosh and Howard Louie have resigned from the Company's Board of Directors but remain committed long-term shareholders and close associates to the group. The Company would also like to announce the grant of an aggregate of 3,300,000 stock options to directors, employees and certain consultants at an exercise price of $0.52. The options are exercisable for a period of five years. The options will be governed by the Company's stock option plan. About NxGold NxGold is a Vancouver-based exploration Company. NxGold has an exclusive option to earn up to a 70% interest in the Peter Lake Gold Property. The Peter Lake Property is located approximately 40 km northwest of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. The Property covers 4,174 hectares immediately along trend from Agnico Eagle's advanced Meliadine Gold project (with applications pending to increase the size of the Property to 10,670 hectares). Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information. This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, and that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, that required permits will not be obtained in a timely fashion or at all, no known mineral reserves or resources, reliance on key management and other personnel, potential downturns in economic conditions, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, and risks generally associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations and community relations. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE NxGold Ltd. Two ancient Egyptian pieces carved in glass were handed over to Egypts embassy in London Two ancient Egyptian artifacts carved in glass were recovered on Thursday after being handed over to the Egyptian embassy in London. Both objects were stolen and illegally smuggled out of the country. Shaaban Abdel Gawad, the supervisor-general of the Antiquities Repatriation department, said that both artifacts depict human faces. The first one was stolen from the storehouses of Al-Qantara East city, after being damaged and looted amid the security vacuum following the January 2011 Revolution. The second, he said, was stolen from the El-Sheikh Ebada site in the Upper Egyptian city of Minya. With the return of these two objects, Abdel Gawad told Ahram Online, Egypt has in total recently recovered four items. He continued to explain that the first was a limestone relief that was stolen from Queen Hatshepsuts temple in El-Deir El-Bahari in Luxor. It was chopped off a wall and illegally smuggled out of the country. The relief was stolen from the temple in 1975 and resurfaced earlier this month at a small auction hall in Spain, where it was bought by a British antiquities dealer. Two months ago the relief was recovered. The second was an ushabti figurine from Qubet Al-Hawa necropolis store gallery in Aswan and was handed over to the Egyptian embassy in London two days ago. Search Keywords: Short link: An exhibition on Egypts Coptic 'martyrs' from the early Coptic era until the present was inaugurated on Thursday at Cairos Coptic Museum Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany and Bishop Julius of the Old Cairo Churches inaugurated on Thursday an archaeological exhibition at the Coptic Museum titled Egypt Martyrs." The exhibition pays homage to Egyptian martyrs across the span of the countrys history with a focus on Copts who were killed during the period of religious persecution by the Romans in the early Christian era as well as Egyptians (whether Christian or Muslims) killed in terrorist attacks in recent years. The exhibition spans up until the most recent deadly sectarian attack against Christians in December 2016 at the St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Cairo, which killed 28 Copts. Ahmed El-Nemr, the supervisor general of the Coptic Antiquities Documentation Department, told Ahram Online that the exhibition put on show ten artefacts carefully selected from the museums treasured collection and banners displaying martyrs. The artefacts, he pointed out, include three icons, a relief, a copy of Al-Senkesar (a book commemorating the life of Coptic Saints) as well as glass and clay oil chandeliers. Search Keywords: Short link: President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw federal funding from the University of California at Berkeley over its decision to cancel an event at which Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos, known for his provocative and often misogynistic stances, was scheduled to speak.If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday morning.The university opted to cancel Yiannopouloss speech roughly two hours before it was set to begin after a protest against his presence on the campus turned violent, CNN reported. The school blamed 150 masked agitators with igniting the violence, which included Molotov cocktails and fireworks launched at police. Protesters also threw rocks at officers and smashed windows at the U.C. student center, where Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak. Democrats allege bullying Passage of ban likely Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday made good on a promise to cut off state grant funding for Travis County criminal justice programs over Sheriff Sally Hernandez's new policy of refusing to cooperate with all federal immigration detainers.Hours after Hernandez's new policy took effect, Abbott halted more than $1.5 million in criminal justice grants that go through his office, less another $300,000 that aides said already had been transferred and spent.Ten days ago, Hernandez announced a new policy that her department no longer would honor most warrantless requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain jailed suspects who were in the United States illegally, except those charged with murder, aggravated sexual assault and human smuggling.Abbott had threatened to cut the grant funding if Hernandez did not rescind her policy -- and at one point had suggested she should be removed from office.His subsequent termination of funding set off immediate political shock waves, with Democrats blasting the move as illegal bullying and Republican lawmakers promising to quickly pass a new law to make so-called "sanctuary cities" illegal in Texas. A vote for approval in the Senate could come as soon as next week.Hernandez insisted she is following state and federal law and said she has no plans to change her policy. She ran for office on a platform that included enacting the new policy.Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt in a terse letter to Abbott said the county will work to replace the state money that funds drug-diversion and veterans courts, family-violence therapy and juvenile-justice programs."I am confident Sheriff Hernandez's policy is well within the current law. I am certain you have come to the same conclusion; else you would not be seeking to change the current state law to put all Texas sheriffs in the service (of) the United States Department of Homeland Security," Eckhardt wrote.The fight between Abbott and the capital county has drawn national attention to the sanctuary city issue in a week when President Donald Trump suggested a cutoff of federal funding to locales that refuse to cooperate on federal immigration enforcement.Passage of a law banning sanctuary cities could impact dozens of other Texas cities that are said to be considering policies similar to Travis County's as a protest against the push for an immigration crackdown by Trump and other state Republicans.Travis County's policy differs from those elsewhere in Texas, like Harris County, where officials have had cooperative agreements with federal immigration officials to detain immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally when they are released from jail under what is known as the 287(g) program. While running for office, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez ran on a platform to end the county's 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; sheriff's office spokesman Ryan Sullivan said the department is reviewing the agreement.Before his rift with Travis County, Abbott in 2015 tangled with Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, over her policy to honor immigration detainers only on a case-by-case basis. She later agreed to honor all detainers.Democrats on Wednesday blasted Abbott's move to cut off grant funding to Travis County. U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, labeled the governor's decision "an unlawful act of intimidation" that he likened to bullying."This lawless intimidation puts politics over Texas veterans and public safety," Doggett said. "Its vindictiveness is more like Russian President Putin's authoritarian regime than our democracy. His anti-immigrant hysteria damages local law enforcement and our entire community."Most members of the Travis County delegation in the Legislature also criticized the decision. The exception was state Sen. Dawn Buckingham, the lone Republican in the group, who said she supports a ban on sanctuary cities."We have a clear message to our law enforcement officers: obey the rule of law, respect the detainers or else there are dire consequences," she said.Despite her protest of Abbott's move to block funding, Eckhardt acknowledged that the county would obey a change in state law that bars Hernandez's policy.Senate supporters of a ban on sanctuary cities immediately announced they will fast-track a vote in the upper chamber to change the law, starting with a public hearing on Thursday. Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said the hearing could draw hundreds of people wishing to testify.Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, said his Senate Bill 4 will ban sanctuary cities by prohibiting law enforcement agencies from refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement agencies.State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin said Abbott's decision to cut off grants would hurt participants in various local justice programs, not the sheriff's office."Not a single dollar of the (Governor's) Criminal Justice Division grants are allocated to or administered by the Travis County Sheriff's Office," said Rodriguez. "Instead, these resources are used to help veterans get back on their feet, support victims of family violence, reunite children with parents in recovery and reach our youth before they become involved with the criminal justice system in ways that will affect their entire lives."Perry said he was unmoved by those pleas because Hernandez is the one responsible for the cutoff of funding because she's the one who decided not to follow the law."The bill is not intended to define what a sanctuary city is," Perry said. "You can have a sanctuary city that provides charity. ... This bill only deals with allowing agencies that do not enforce the law. That's where they cross the line. ... If you don't respect the rule of law, there will be consequences."Perry said the revised bill includes civil penalties for violators.In his State of the State speech, where he detailed his priorities for the Legislature during their five-month session, Abbott on Tuesday designated a ban on sanctuary cities as an emergency item so it can be passed quickly and signed into law.Perry said his revised bill protects crime witnesses, to address an issue Hernandez cited as a reason she adopted her policy. She said immigration detainers can make it more difficult for local police to investigate crimes in immigrant communities because of a fear of retaliation or deportation by federal authorities.While more than a dozen senators -- Republicans and Democrats -- predicted Wednesday that the ban will sail through the Senate, they and several House leaders say it could face a tougher route to passage because of opposition from Democrats and moderate Republicans. Even so, both sides said Wednesday that the measure likely will be passed in some form, with support from Texas' top three leaders. President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration, which sparked protests abroad and in the U.S., is also raising fears about the impact on international medical students vying for training programs at U.S. hospitals, as well as young doctors in training from affected countries who are already working here.Medical residency assignments will be announced in six weeks. The Association of American Medical Colleges, which represents medical schools and teaching hospitals, has identified 260 applicants who could be affected.In a statement Monday, the AAMC asserted the nations need for foreign physicians to address the growing doctor shortage and maintain the U.S. as a global leader in medical innovation. The organization urged the Trump administration to carefully consider the health care needs of the nation.Atul Grover, executive vice president at the AAMC, said the immigration policy's effect on international medical graduates remains uncertain. Although the ban potentially affects a fraction of the nearly 31,000 people who are placed in residencies, he said he worries the executive order will cause disruption for the students and people whom they could help."These are doctors. They could be exceptional practitioners and I dont know if you want to stop them from coming here and serving their patients," Grover said.Clarence H. Braddock III, a professor and vice dean at UCLA's medical school, acknowledged concerns about the prospects for some international students following the Trump administration's order and said that it could discourage residency programs from offering positions to some candidates.Trump signed an executive order Friday imposing a 90-day ban on travelers entering the U.S. from seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The initiative also suspended refugees from entering the country for 120 days and indefinitely from Syria.One Sudanese applicant, who asked not to be named for fear of impacting his residency placement, said the news was a shock."Its very devastating, he said. Because you [are] born in an unfortunate situation, you have to pay the price for that."The 26-year-old grew up in a middle class home in Sudan and graduated with awards from the University of Khartoum in 2014. He said he studied for two years for the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination, a series of four tests required for international medical graduates to secure a spot in a residency program. He traveled twice to the U.S. and twice to Dubai to take the exams. He estimates the cost of travel, study materials and exam registrations totaled upwards of $20,000.Young doctors from these nations who have already secured a coveted U.S. training slot and are working in U.S. hospitals are worried about their futures. As a first-year internal medicine resident in South Dakota, Radowan Elnair, 27, who is also from Sudan, had heard rumors of a major legislative change coming, but didnt believe it would happen."It all happened so suddenly, he said.Elnair has been in touch with his immigration lawyer to learn how the ban affects his legal status. He needs to extend his visa but is waiting until more details of the executive order are released. His attorney recommended against traveling overseas, so he has cancelled plans to visit his family in Sudan this year.Elnair also is concerned about whether he can even complete his training in internal medicine. "No one knows what's gonna be next, he said.The ban began at a critical point for medical students. The residency announcements set for March 17 mark the end of a long application process for thousands of domestic and international medical graduates. Students submit a list of their preferred residencies to the National Resident Matching Program. Hospitals review applicants and submit a list of their preferred candidates. The program uses computer technology to assign students to residencies.Mona Signer, the president and CEO of the matching program, said in an email that her organization is still planning to move forward with the original date, but no one knows the long-term effect of the Executive Order. She also said its likely the immigration change will make program directors reluctant to rank international students among their preferred candidates for residencies.On Wednesday, Dr. James L. Madara, the CEO of the American Medical Association, sent a letter to the administration saying his organization is "concerned that this executive order is negatively impacting patient access to care and creating unintended consequences for our nations health care system." He specifically raised fears that the restrictions could affect medical students applying for residencies and international doctors seeking to practice in the U.S. "Guidance is urgently needed from the Administration to ensure the upcoming residency matching program in March 2017 does not leave training slots vacant and that all qualified IMG applicants can participate," Madara said.The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, which is responsible for assessing international medical graduates qualifications for U.S. residencies, said Friday it was also evaluating the potential impacts.International medical graduates already face an uphill battle to secure a residency, said Carl Shusterman, an immigration attorney in Los Angeles. Medicare funding for residencies have been capped since the 1990s, curtailing the growth of programs and increasing competition among applicants.According to Grover, international medical graduates have about a 50-percent chance of securing a residency in the U.S. "There's way more people applying to more residency positions than there are available," Grover said.The majority of medical residents enter the country using a J-1 visa, which is relatively easy to acquire but requires holders to leave after they complete their training.Many of them, however, stay in the country after their residencies through the Conrad 30 program, which places doctors in medically underserved areas, said Shusterman.Phil Miller, vice president of communications for the physician recruiting company Merritt Hawkins, said these physicians help fill the gaps in American medicine that domestic doctors alone cannot do.We are, I think, benefiting from their presence here," Miller said. "They're saving a lot of lives."Dr. Catherine Lucey, professor of internal medicine and vice dean for education at the University of California, San Francisco, noted that many international graduates that stay in this country end up choosing specialties that are facing shortages, such as primary care, and practicing in places in dire need of doctors, including many rural communities. We have benefitted a lot as a profession from the hard work and contributions of international graduates in the U.S. health care workforce, Lucey said. As educators, we are concerned about the health care workforce that serves our most vulnerable patients.She said her facility is not directly impacted by Trumps executive order because the medical school graduating class doesnt include students who are from the affected countries and its residency program generally recruits students from U.S. medical schools.Foreign doctors provide a vital lifeline for health care in the United States. About a quarter of doctors in the country were born abroad. And according to the AAMC, the United States faces a shortage of up to 94,700 physicians by 2025.But for the medical graduates seeking to enter the country for their residencies, Shusterman said they have few legal options at their disposal. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the ban. Individual doctors could file their own lawsuits, Shusterman said, but a resolution is unlikely to occur before they are to begin their residencies. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is awarding $2.6 million to create a network of five trauma recovery centers aimed at helping victims of violence recover and access the services they need.MetroHealth Medical Center and University Hospitals, each with a local community partner, together will receive $1.5 million of the total funding. The money will be used to provide crisis intervention to violent crime victims who are hospitalized and follow-up after discharge."We are looking at trauma like an injury, no matter what the event is. It's something that needs to be managed and treated," said Sarah Hendrickson, MetroHealth's manager of survivor recovery services.Hospital-based and hospital-linked violence intervention programs aim to reduce violence by treating the trauma it causes and addressing the social barriers to help, including joblessness, lack of transportation, and poverty."The whole premise of this is that 'hurt people hurt people' and this is our response to address that issue and try to stop the cycle of violence," said Hendrickson.Many violence victims identified by MetroHealth as needing mental health or other services after a traumatic event don't come back to the hospital after they're discharged, she said.To address this, each network hospital partnered with a local victim service provider or community health center when applying for the funding. These centers will serve as outreach coordinators for patients once they've left the hospital, providing counseling and connecting them to the services they need, Hendrickson said.MetroHealth will work with the May Dugan Center, a West Side non-profit which provides health and human service programming. University Hospitals partnered with Circle Health Services, formerly the Free Clinic, a federally qualified health center on the East Side.Dr. Edward Barksdale, division chief of pediatric surgery at UH Cleveland Medical Center, said the network will address a vexing problem for doctors, who know their violently injured patients are likely to get hurt again."Being a victim of violence has long-term health effects," he said. "So much of what we see in trauma is is not even what happens in the hospital, it's what happens later, after discharge."Barksdale compares the violence victim's recovery to that of someone who has been in a war and suffered post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD."When someone goes to war and they're a victim of violence or they witness violence, they're forever changed. It affects their lives in every way, including ability to work, relationships with family and friends, and overall well-being."The network's community partners will provide trauma counselors to give mental health support and advocacy to hospitalized patients who are the victims of traumatic violent crimes."These Trauma Recovery Centers will fill a gap in connecting victims of crime to services, especially those within under-served, vulnerable populations that may face barriers in accessing or may not know how to access victim services," DeWine said today at a news conference at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, which is another grant recipient.The AG's trauma network is modeled after a similar one in California, The Trauma Recovery Center, launched by the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and UCSF Medical Center, according to a spokeswoman for Mike DeWine's office.It's separate from an effort by The Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, which recently announced plans to embed some of its staff members, who are former gang members and reformed criminals, as "violence interrupters" in both MetroHealth and University Hospitals emergency departments. The positions will be funded with two $75,000 grants from the city of Cleveland and United Way of Greater Cleveland.The AG funding allows MetroHealth and UH to serve more than gun violence victims, including victims of gang violence, physical attacks, sexual assault, human trafficking, domestic violence, and hate crimes."To me, violence is violence," Barksdale said.MetroHealth, which serves about 640 violence victims a year with mental health and other services, hopes to roughly double its capacity with the network funding.The other three sites statewide are:--The Ohio State University STAR Program and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center: $839,335--Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses and Cincinnati Children's Hospital: $125,685--CitiLookout and Springfield Regional Medical Center: $171,963"Ohio joins a growing list of states recognizing the impact of unaddressed trauma and the importance of providing trauma recovery services to stop the cycle of crime," Lenore Anderson, president of the Alliance for Safety and Justice, said in a release. The Alliance helped develop Ohio's network."Eight in ten crime victims experience at least one symptom of trauma and too many do not receive the support they need from the criminal justice system. Today, Ohio took an important step to fix that," Anderson said.The $2,675,770 in grants are part of the 2015 "Ohio Attorney General's Expanding Services and Empowering Victims Initiative" and uses money from the Victims of Crime Act, which comes from federal settlements, fines, and fees.Grants for additional trauma recovery centers throughout the state could be awarded in the future, according to the Attorney General's statement. In his third State of the State address, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan spoke of a need for bipartisanship in Annapolis and pressed the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to approve his most ambitious legislative agenda yet.In the roughly 30-minute speech, he bypassed any mention of the political division roiling the country since the election of President Donald J. Trump. Instead, the popular moderate -- who is frequently at odds with Maryland's legislative leaders -- focused on state policy.He said in the last two years he had "chosen action over apathy," and delivered on the "unifying promise of bipartisan change.""We have already accomplished a great deal," he said. "But together, we can -- and we must -- do more."Democrats, seeking to retake the governor's mansion in 2018, had called on Hogan to use the annual address to weigh in on actions by Trump that have drawn thousands of Marylanders out to protest.Hogan, who is trying to become the first Republican governor in the state to be re-elected in more than 60 years, was silent on Trump, leaving Democrats with little to attack.Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller praised the speech as upbeat and positive -- especially compared with Hogan's more combative State of the State address two years ago -- but suggested it was driven as much by politics as policy."I give him an 'A' on his speech in the sense that it touches on every issue that has favorable ratings in the polling," the Calvert County Democrat said.Sen. James C. Rosapepe, a Prince George's County Democrat, noted Hogan's silence on immigration, the federal workforce and repeal of the Affordable Care Act."He said a lot of nice things, a lot of things we can agree with, but he ignored the elephant in the room -- President Trump and the Trump Republicans," Rosapepe said. "He decided in his speech not to stand up to Mr. Trump. So that falls to the Democrats in Maryland, and we're certainly prepared to do that."Hogan hewed closely to his state legislative agenda.He pledged to eventually eliminate all taxes on retiree income, and asked lawmakers to vote on his proposal for an independent commission to redraw congressional boundaries.House Minority Leader Nic Kipke praised Hogan for laying out an ambitious plan that he said should win bipartisan support.The governor's programs to combat heroin use and reform government procurement, for example, are "non-political, nonpartisan," Kipke said."He's doing everything possible to strike a bipartisan tone," the Anne Arundel County Republican said. "While some of the legislature continues trying to drag politics surrounding Donald Trump into Maryland politics, our governor is focused on the work of the people here in our state."St. Mary's College political scientist Todd Eberly said Hogan had crafted an effective message for the times."He knew that what people wanted to hear was a pledge of bipartisanship to contrast with what's happening in Washington," Eberly said.The only time Hogan mentioned the federal government was when he urged a multifaceted response to the opioid epidemic."We have made strides, but this crisis continues to grow out of control all across our country," the governor said. "This rapidly evolving threat is going to take federal, state, and community partners working together to find real solutions and to help save lives."Hogan argued for what he described as equitable access to education, and urged lawmakers to support tax breaks for student loan interest, more money for scholarships to private schools, and a broad expansion of the state's charter school program.Del. Cory McCray, a Baltimore Democrat, said Hogan outlined "a lot of good initiatives" but failed to address critical issues confronting the city."We've got a $42 million deficit with the school system, and he really didn't talk about how we address that issue," McCray said.The city stands to receive $42 million less in state aid to schools next year largely due to a formula that bases funding on enrollment numbers and wealth. Enrollment in the city has declined as property values have increased.Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said she thinks she'll be able to work with the governor on education and economic revitalization."We are still among one of the most impoverished areas," the Democrat said. "Job creation focus on education is still a very big issue for us."Hogan embraced several policy ideas that have been championed by Democrats, including a requirement that some companies provide paid sick leave to employees.Hogan's proposal does not go as far as one that cleared the House of Delegates last year, but he asked lawmakers to support his plan, which would apply to large companies. It would also offer tax incentives for small employers to offer the benefit."Let's strike a compromise," Hogan said. "In this way, we can provide even more employees the benefit without hurting the small business owners and without causing the loss of jobs."Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Jr., the Senate's minority whip, said Hogan was right to stick to Maryland concerns in the face of Democratic attempts to insert controversial national issues into the debate in Annapolis."They certainly are trying to tie the governor to Washington," the Upper Shore Republican said. "They've talked about that before session even started."Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, a Democrat who is considering a challenge to Hogan in 2018, said the governor should stand up for immigrants after Trump suspended refugee admissions and banned the entry of all people from seven mostly Muslim countries.Kamenetz said Hogan should also reassure Marylanders who worry they will lose health insurance when the Affordable Care Act is repealed."I wish he would use his popularity to influence his fellow Republicans in Congress and in the White House," the county executive said.Republicans frequently stood and applauded Hogan during his remarks. Democrats kept to their seats and occasionally clapped -- though not when he admonished them to repeal a law requiring transportation projects to be prioritized according to a scoring system. The assembly approved the legislation over his veto last year.GOP members cheered lustily as Hogan warned that the law could imperil the state's transportation program. He said it would force the cancellation of most major highway projects -- a claim Democrats and the Maryland attorney general's office have disputed."We risk eliminating much of that progress, and 66 of the 73 highest-priority projects in nearly every jurisdiction," Hogan said. "Let's repeal this misguided, poorly drafted, and fatally flawed Road Kill Bill."Democrats have declared the governor's repeal bill dead on arrival. They say the legislation gives the administration the authority to fund projects regardless of a lower score as long as it provides a rational explanation for doing so.Miller dismissed the governor's call."He doesn't want repeal," he said. "He wants to use it in two years," when he runs for re-election.The governor closed his speech by mentioning his 2015 diagnosis with cancer. Hogan's cancer went into remission more than a year ago."I've learned that our time on this Earth is much too short, so we had better make the most of it," he said. Description GIS 02 February, 2017: Today, the Civil Service epitomises a centre of excellence, increasingly capable of reacting to changing customer needs and aspirations, expediently, and in the most cost effective manner, said the Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, Mr Marie Cyril Eddy Boissezon, this morning at Fooks House in Port Louis. The Minister was addressing some 50 Assistant Permanent Secretaries (APS) attending an Induction Course organised by the Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms. Out of the 50 participants, around 41 have been recently appointed to the post following a selection exercise. The remaining ten were already in post. The selected candidates were required to take part in a written examination conducted by the Public Service Commission designed to assess their potential and aptitude for administrative work and their ability for problem-solving. In his address, the Minister stated that Public Officers are not only viewed as providers of services, but more importantly, as key partners of development due to the fact that the nature of Government has changed over the years. Government, said Mr Boissezon, is by and large being regarded as a facilitator of business, creating the necessary conditions and laying the foundations and this is where the role of an APS as manager becomes crucial. This is because quite apart from implementing the objectives and vision of Government, it also devolves on these Officers to manage scarce resources in order to respond to unmet societal needs, he pointed out. All this per force calls for a change of mind-set, a new work culture and ethos, integrity and commitment of the highest order, the Minister added. The Induction The APS is expected to assist in providing administrative support to the machinery of Government in designing, formulating and implementing Government policies. The five-day Induction Course aims at sharing organisational values and job specific information as well as increasing beneficiaries knowledge about organisational procedures and policies. Topics being addressed include: challenges and responsibilities of APS; machinery of government; law-making process; drafting of cabinet papers, replying to Parliamentary Questions and policy documents; project management; public sector financial management; human resources management in the public service; integrity of public life and good governance; leadership and managing change; strategic thinking; and, international relations-obligations. Resource persons are from the public sector. Description GIS - 02 February, 2016: In line with its strategy of market consolidation and expansion, Enterprise Mauritius is leading a delegation of 14 Textile and Apparel companies in Premiere Vision Paris in France from 7 to 9 February 2017. In line with its strategy of market consolidation and expansion, Enterprise Mauritius is leading a delegation of 14 Textile and Apparel companies in Premiere Vision Paris in France from 7 to 9 February 2017. The Premiere Vision Paris is a global event which attracts some 60,000 visitors from 130 countries. It is a platform where industry professionals meet and where diverse range of buyers connect with manufacturers and forthcoming fashion trends are highlighted. The ultimate objective behind participation in this exhibition is to enhance the visibility of Mauritius as a sourcing destination of choice with regard to textile and apparel. Moreover, this exhibition will be an effective platform for Mauritian enterprises to familiarise with latest trends and collections. For the last edition in September 2016, Mauritian companies were present in three specialised areas namely: Manufacturing, Upper Jeanswear and Knitwear Solutions. They had the opportunity to showcase latest collections and establish contacts with international buyers. Textile and Apparel is one of the key pillars of the Mauritian economy. France remains one of the most prominent importers for Mauritius. In 2015, Mauritian exports to France with regards to textile and apparel amounted to Rs 3.1 billion. In order to sustain the visibility of Mauritius in France, Enterprise Mauritius has been regularly participating in this must-attend fair for the past years as more than 80% of the visitors at Premiere Vision are decision-makers for Pret a Porter brands, fashion accessories and home textiles. Regular participation in the fair have affirmed the position of Mauritius as a reliable sourcing destination to the French buyers as well as the increasing number of international buyers. Contact Promotion Programme in Spain In keeping with its strategy of market consolidation and expansion , Enterprise Mauritius is renewing with a Contact Promotion Programme (CPP) in Spain in two targeted cities namely Madrid and Barcelona from 1 to 3 February 2017 for the Textile and Apparel companies. Spain is one of the leading economies in Europe. In 2015, the value of exports of Textile and Apparel from Mauritius to Spain increased from Rs 27 million in 2014 to Rs 48 million in 2015 which represents an increase of 81%. A number of retail chain buyers have their main offices located in Spain hence the need to establish business relationship with Spain. Last year, Enterprise Mauritius organised a CPP and initiated preliminary contacts with Spanish buyers. Description GIS - 31 January, 2017: The Cutlass Express exercise, designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness and information sharing practices to increase capabilities of participating nations to counter sea-based illicit activity, was launched this morning at the Coast Guard Training School at Le Chaland. The Charge DAffaires of the US Embassy, Ms Melanie Anne Zimmerman, was present on that occasion. The Cutlass Express exercise, designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness and information sharing practices to increase capabilities of participating nations to counter sea-based illicit activity, was launched this morning at the Coast Guard Training School at Le Chaland. The Charge DAffaires of the US Embassy, This Cutlass Express Final Planning Event/Field Training exercise, which will be held in Mauritius from 30 January to 8 February 2017, is organised by AFRICOM with the collaboration of member countries and under the guidance of US Navy experts (NAVAF-NAVEUR). Cutlass Express is one of three Africa-focused regional "Express" series exercises facilitated by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet (CNE-CNA/C6F). The exercise falls under Africa Partnership Station, the umbrella program for the Express series exercises and other capacity-building initiatives throughout Africa. Held on a yearly basis since 2010, in different parts of the Indian Ocean and in Djibouti, Cutlass Express is constantly reviewed in a bid to improve on existing strategies and sustain operational capacity of law enforcement organisations in as far as maritime security is concerned. The Mauritius Police Force will be one of the main operation platforms for this exercise and will be hosting representatives from Seychelles, Comoros, Denmark, Madagascar, Kenya, Djibouti, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda and the United States. In her address, the Charge DAffaires of the US Embassy, Ms Melanie Anne Zimmerman, highlighted that maritime security is an international priority requiring the cooperation and collaboration of all the countries involved. She added that there is a need for safer waters to ensure trading and economic sharing of goods and services. This Cutlass exercise, she pointed out, will allow Mauritius and other countries involved to achieve more success as regards real world operations for maritime security. For his part, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr K. Jugroo, stated that training is a key component to reinforce maritime safety while expressing confidence that through the Cutlass exercise, participants will gain tremendous skills and knowledge and best practices that will be applicable in real world experiences and operations and will assist them in their duties . Objectives The main objective is to train Navies and Coast Guards of the region in combatting piracy, terrorist attacks, illicit drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, trafficking in human beings, illegal fishing and illegal dumping of radioactive materials at sea Most countries in the region are developing countries and their economies are vulnerable. Maritime security in this region of the world has a bearing on them. The more the region is protected from whatever type of illicit activities the better it will be and will boost up economic activities. Heightening maritime security will surely dissipate the fear of unforeseen attacks thus facilitating navigation for both cargo and passenger vessels and fostering International Trade. Cutlass Express scenarios will test participants' ability to respond to illicit trafficking, piracy, illegal fishing, and search and rescue situations. The exercise, scheduled to last nine days, includes an in-port preparatory phase and four days of underway drills. The exercise leverages The Djibouti Code of Conduct, which 20 nations are signatory to, as a framework for exercising information sharing practices and enforcing international law of the sea. Scenarios, which will focus on the globally recognised Proliferation Security Initiative, will allow endorsing nations to develop capabilities to detect and disrupt the delivery of materials used to build and develop weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore , the U.S. Naval War College will facilitate a four-day Senior Leader seminar at Le Meridien Hotel with Cutlass Express participating nations to promote the development of national maritime strategies and the development of operational concepts and capabilities to operationalise maritime strategy. Description GIS - 02 February, 2017: The Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made an overview of the economic situation in Mauritius in the wake of the uncertainties prevailing on the international economy and discussed the way forward for the Mauritian economy with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Mrs Christine Lagarde. The Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, made an overview of the economic situation in Mauritius in the wake of the uncertainties prevailing on the international economy and discussed the way forward for the Mauritian economy with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Mrs Christine Lagarde. He was speaking on 31st January 2017 following his meeting with the IMF Managing Director in his office at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. Prime Minister Jugnauth expressed satisfaction regarding the discussions with the head of the IMF which he said were very cordial and productive and appropriate in the context of challenges looming ahead especially with the Brexit issue and the economic evolution worldwide. He also solicited the continuous assistance of the IMF in terms of technical expertise regarding the series of economic reforms upon which Mauritius has embarked among which the infrastructure projects and the water sector. Other topics discussed pertained to the economic transition of Mauritius, the macro-economic measures enunciated in the budget 2016/2017, as well as the priority projects earmarked to boost the economy and position Mauritius as a knowledge hub in the region. It will be recalled that the IMF Managing Director, Mrs Christine Lagarde, was in Mauritius in the context of a Pan-African conference on Financial Stability and Banking held on 1st February 2017. Prior to her visit in Mauritius, the IMF Managing Director, effected an African tour to Central Africa and Uganda. Each year after the next, the anniversary of the January 2011 revolution brings more questions than answers With the passage of time you get the chance to ask questions that were not asked before. In our instance, to view the January revolution from new perspectives and diverse angles. The result is usually new findings, which but demonstrates how significant the 25 January revolution was on the social, political, cultural, economic and even personal levels. Those who took to the streets on Tuesday, 25 January 2011, and those who stayed home in fear or in refusal of the idea of revolution, those two extremes interacted with the January revolution as an event, an event that transformed the lives of those who interacted with it, or at least left an impact that was too significant to ignore. Therefore, in order to discuss something like post-revolutionary trauma in the case of 25 January, the revolution itself as an event must be depoliticised, meaning that post-revolutionary trauma is a product of a series of events that do not necessarily have to be political. Post-revolutionary trauma is not something to be politically situated or contextualised, in order to be understood. However, six years after that Tuesday, we can all identify changes in our lives as a result. These changes do not necessarily have to be traumatic, but for some, and perhaps a lot of people, those changes caused significant trauma. Before discussing post-revolutionary trauma, we must clarify first the concept of the outcome of revolution. Revolutions are not systematic or mechanical processes and their outcomes do not necessarily have to be in accordance with their origins. In other words, revolutions usually lead to results that are very different to the demands the revolution once raised. The origins of revolutions are meanwhile the factors or causes of revolution, and determining revolutionary origins depends largely on the analytical approach used to identify the causes of revolutions. In Egypts case, there are analysts who use a Marxist approach towards identifying the origins of 25 January, summarising the causes of the revolution in a class conflict that escalated during the last 10 years of Mubaraks rule and the uneven distribution of income and wealth in a time where all of Egypts economic indications were significantly high. Other analysts saw that the origins of Egypts revolution in 2011 could be traced to elite conflicts, or the empowerment of social movements and forces of opposition, and of course there are those who vest a lot of belief in the conspiracy theory approach towards explaining the revolution of 25 January. While the past six years witnessed several analyses of why the Arab Spring revolutions erupted, analyses of what was the outcome of the Arab Spring revolutions are quite rare. Most probably this is the number one cause of post-revolutionary trauma in the 25 January case; the high ceiling of expectations that many Egyptians set after Mubarak was forced to step down. After Mubaraks rule was ended on 11 February 2011, many Egyptians believed Egypt was on the brink of a major change, one that would exceed a change in political leadership and reach high levels of reform in the different aspects of state and society. However, the revolution did not provide that, or even something close to it. After all, 18 days of protest are not enough to cause social and cultural changes. The result of unmet expectations are deep frustrations, ones that make individuals associate 25 January with a frustrating or traumatic experience. Another source of trauma in the case of 25 January is how politics suddenly broke into the lives of millions of Egyptians who were never politicised before. Before January 2011, levels of political awareness never exceeded the narrow parameters of politicised individuals who were a minority after all. For the majority of Egyptians, politics was never a dimension of their lives; they never interacted with it and never participated in it. These people suddenly realised that politics affects their daily lives and their economic status, as well as their overall feeling of security. What is also worth mentioning is how diverse the effects of 25 January were on the lives of Egyptians. There were those who looked at the revolution as a long awaited move that enhanced the quality of their lives and rid them of so many ills that prevailed during Mubaraks rule. On the other hand, there were those who looked at the January revolution as an unnecessary rupture in a stable and productive regime that should have endured. Egyptians who work in the tourism sector, for example, suffered traumatically from the decline in their income as a result of the political unrest caused by the revolution. Therefore, 25 January was a traumatic experience for many Egyptians, either those who suffered frustration due to a high levels of unmet expectations, or those who were directly affected in a negative manner, whether in economic losses or being subjected to physical or psychological violence. Another important dimension of post-revolutionary trauma is rebuilding the relationship with the other. Revolutions in general reconstruct the perceptions and interactions of citizens with the other, while the other could be state institutions, political factions or cultural and religious cleavages. The relationship of so many Egyptians with the other has been restructured as a result of the events of 25 January. The most common of those manifestations is the reformulation of citizens relationship with state institutions (coercive institutions in particular) and all the different manifestations of political Islam. Reconstructing the relationship with the other has led to a pause in the interactions of Egyptians with that other, and in turn, became a cause of further trauma. While Egypt resides in a political environment that appears to be supportive of post-revolutionary trauma, it only seems logical to ask about the strategies of adaptation and coping applied by the different participants in 25 January. The most common tool of adaptation with post-revolutionary trauma is de-politicisation. It is equally observable between those who were politicised before 25 January and ones who were politicised after it, as a significant retreat from political participation and political involvement. On the other hand, the ones who did not choose to retreat were faced with one of two options: either significant marginalisation or further radicalisation, two options that seem to construct a lose-lose situation. Finally, the January revolution managed to transform several facts about Egyptian politics. However, the extent of change perceived in that revolution depends largely on the accuracy of the sources and the precision of historicisation. However, what seems to be more evident than any other thing is the extent of cultural change induced by the January revolution, which points to further profound changes in coming years. The writer is senior researcher at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. Search Keywords: Short link: Description GIS 02 February, 2017: NEC Cybersecurity Solutions and Platform were discussed during a working session held on 31 January 2017 at SICOM Tower, in Ebene Cybercity, between technicians from the Ministry of Technology, Communication and Innovation, and a delegation from NEC Corporation Africa Office. The working session was preceded by a courtesy call on the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden. The NEC delegation is led by Mr Norihiro Maki, Manager, Americas and EMEA Division, NEC Corporation, and comprises two Managers involved in the Cybersecurity and Biometric Security fields, specifically in the Global Business Promotion Department, Transportation and City Infrastructure. Minister Sawmynaden spoke about cooperation avenues that can be explored in the Technology, Communication and Innovation sectors, and invited the NEC delegation to consider positioning themselves vis-a-vis major development projects in the pipeline in Mauritius, which include setting up of Metro Express and SMART Cities. For his part, the head of the NEC delegation, Mr Maki, presented the information technology services and products offered by the Japanese multinational, and reiterated the will to reinforce the existing economic ties between Japan and Mauritius. Working session During the working session, the NEC delegation made a presentation which focused on NECs approach to cybersecurity solutions in Japan mainly, which reckons 30 years of experience and proven track record. The Japanese delegation is in Mauritius till 4 February 2017 to introduce its activities and seek business opportunities. During their seven-day visit, the NEC delegation are also meeting with high officials from the Home Affairs Division of the Prime Ministers Office and the IT Unit and Cybercrimes Unit of the Mauritius Police Force, and other stakeholders. Topics being discussed comprise: TICAD VI Summary; NEC Biometrics Technology Introduction; NEC case studies and use studies; and NEC cybersecurity solutions (digital forensic for police, cybersecurity workshop system introduction, web server protection, NEC cybersecurity platform). It is recalled that NEC provides safe, secure and efficient social solutions for domestic and foreign governments, governmental agencies, public institutions, financial institutions and other organisations by combining its distinctive technology assets, including networking and sensing technologies, with broad systems integration expertise and customer assets. (TNS) -- On the eve of two major hearings by state regulators on the fitness of SoCalGas Aliso Canyon storage field above Porter Ranch, responsible for the nations biggest methane leak, the utility has declared the facility safe to be brought back online.SoCalGas announced its position in an email Monday evening.As a result of comprehensive testing, physical changes and the establishment of tubing flow only, SoCalGas has demonstrated that the Aliso Canyon storage facility is safe to resume operations, the company said.The decision by the utility came in advance of public meetings today and Thursday night in Woodland Hills, during which regulators from the state Department of Conservations Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) and the California Public Utilities Commission will provide an update on Aliso Canyon.The meetings will provide residents and environmental groups with information on Aliso Canyons well-safety review, the investigation, the CPUCs reliability analysis and upcoming proceedings to determine the feasibility of minimizing or eliminating the use of Aliso Canyon.Regulators will also collect public comment on the safety review, proposed pressure limits for Aliso Canyon and they will hear concerns about reopening the field.They will start the decision-making process after the public comment expires next week.SoCalGas will have a representative at the meetings, said company spokesman Chris Gilbride.There is no timeline, at this point, for a final ruling, but regulators have said that it could come before Texas-based Blade Energy Partners Ltd. completes its analysis on why well SS-25, high on Oat Mountain, ruptured and spewed methane into the atmosphere for 112 days.That position has upset some residents, environmental groups and lawmakers.The leak began in late October 2015 and was not stopped until mid-February 2016. It pumped 94,067 metric tons of methane into the atmosphere, according to the California Air Resources Board.SoCalGas maintains the field is now sound.We have made, and continue to make, comprehensive infrastructure, technology and safety enhancements that strengthen the facilitys infrastructure, introduce real-time pressure monitoring, and enable improved communication with the community, the company said in its email.DOGGR spokeswoman Teresa Schilling said that regulators will also take written comments, which have to be submitted by 5 p.m. Feb. 6. Information about submitting written comments is available at conservation.ca.gov/dog Were not committed to a decision on the facility by any date. Well take whatever time is needed to make a final decision on whether the field is safe to reopen for operation, Schilling said.The meetings are from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Woodland Hills, 6360 Canoga Ave.The company said that as of last Friday all 114 wells remaining in the field have completed the first phase of required tests. Of those, 113 are in the second phase of testing and 38 wells have completed all of the required tests.Thirty-four wells have received final DOGGR approval.On Tuesday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger once again reiterated her support for Senate Bill 146, which would extend the prohibition of gas injection into the wells in Aliso Canyon until the final cause is known.Until the public hearings have been completed and the root cause of the leak is revealed, there should be no injections, she said.There has been an investigation since the date of incident to identify the root cause of the gas leak, Barger said in a board motion she introduced last week, which was approved by the supervisors. The investigation has not yet identified the root cause. About this time last year, New York CIO Maggie Miller testified before state legislators during a budget hearing that the Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) needed experts as soon as possible. She communicated her urgency by informing legislators that the agency expected to lose one-fourth of its staff to retirement in the immediate future and that current policies restricted her from hiring necessary replacements.Fast forward to Jan. 31, when Miller testified at a joint legislative budget hearing that this is still a need. This time, however, she outlined a state budget proposal that would allow her to hire 250 contractors that would stay in their roles for up to five years, followed by options for permanent roles.Miller argued that outside contractors are being used solely because there are rules in place that allow her to only hire entry-level government employees.We have fantastic internship programs and we love having bright kids straight out of college join the organization, Miller said. But, as I said, expertise is a mixture of skill and experience. And we desperately need an injection of experience into the middle layers and the more senior layers of the organization.The new hires would come into a wide range of roles, but Miller is pushing hard to fill the skills deficit.The ITS has made strides with training programs to aid current employees, as 11 percent of the agencys staff was promoted since last years budget hearing. That will not be enough to make up for the 25 percent of employees on their way to retirement.In her testimony, Miller informed legislators that the proposal is focused on hiring current contractors as government employees because they already possess an understanding of state systems. Following President Donald Trumps highly controversial executive order on immigration, one thing was immediately clear to state leaders: The administration would need data from the states to create a registry of Muslims and carry out mass deportation.Washington was the first state to act. Gov. Jay Inslee worked with his staff to find which agencies the federal government could use as data sources, focusing on the Washington Department of Licensing (known as the Department of Motor Vehicles in most states) and the Washington Department of Social and Health Services as the two primary agencies with relevant data.Nick Brown, who serves as Inslee's general counsel, told The Verge that in the event of genuine public safety concerns, the state would not stop information-sharing with federal law enforcement agencies. It is clear, however, that Washington, along with many other states, will be tightening security on agencies that collect and store personal information and citizenship status.The reason why federal authorities want to access information from state and local officials is because their personnel and resources are limited, Anil Kalhan, a professor of law at Drexel University who also and has conducted detailed studies on surveillance systems, told. The logic of doing this is that it essentially creates border checkpoints all over the place. So, when a person is going about day-to-day life and interacting with the police or applying for a drivers license or for social service benefits that effectively becomes an immigration screening opportunity.The extent to which states and federal immigration authorities participate in direct data-sharing remains murky, according to but in public records, glimpses of these programs have emerged. And for immigration advocates, any state database that contains information useful to Trumps deportation plans is a potential point of vulnerability.According to the National Immigration Law Center, state DMVs have worked directly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, providing information to the its Enforcement and Removal Office, the primary deportation force in the United States. Additionally, Kalhan says it is likely that law enforcement agencies across the country provide criminal justice data key to the deportation of immigrants who have been incarcerated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the FBIs National Crime Information Center, a national clearinghouse for arrest data.And this could mean that states may not be able to control the sharing of information put in this federal database. A handful of states, including California and Connecticut, do not use these databases that allow federal access.Other states are attempting to move further away from data collection and sharing. Democratic legislators in California, New York, Massachusetts and Washington have already begun discussions on bills that would prevent state data pertaining to religion from being collected by federal authorities. Meanwhile, a New York senator proposed a bill to limit the citys universities from compiling data on foreign students, including nationality and immigration status.To the millions of undocumented residents pursuing and contributing to the California Dream, the state of California will be your wall of justice should the incoming Administration adopt an inhumane and over-reaching mass-deportation policy, Sen. Kevin de Leon, the author of one such bill, declared in a recent statement. We will not stand by and let the federal government use our state and local agencies to separate mothers from their children.This issue may become bipartisan, as Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, openly called out Trumps order as unjust and proposed a civil rights and criminal justice team be formed to take action against what has been condemned as a blatantly unconstitutional executive order.Massachusetts Sen. Jamie Eldridge summed up the states' collective voice: State tax dollars and resources should be not going to aid abetting that effort if its contrary to our values," he told, "and we believe it is. Bernie Ecclestone may be gone as chief executive, but he may not be gone for good according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. Long-time 'F1 supremo' Ecclestone, 86, recently rejected claims his comeback might be in the form of a breakaway series. But Wolff insists the inimitable Briton can never be written off. "With Bernie, you never know if he's really gone or if he will be back somehow," he told the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "But it's true that Liberty has not only got the majority of shares in formula one but also the voting rights, and with this is the right to occupy the management. Chase Carey is the new boss -- that is a fact," Wolff said. Asked if he thinks Ecclestone might try to sweep back into power somehow, Wolff answered: "This has happened repeatedly in the past, and of course you have to count on anything in formula one. "However, I basically assume that a situation has now been created in which there will be no way back," he added. As for Ecclestone's exit, expert opinions are split. Some see the departure of an 86-year-old as a great opportunity to finally modernise F1, while others think the sport is now dangerously exposed without its 'dictator'. "Both are possible," Wolff admitted. "The risk is that a lot of knowledge is lost. Bernie made incredibly good deals, we have long-term contracts and building on that is not easy because much of it was built on personal relationships that Bernie built up over decades. "On the other hand, there are also areas where we can improve," he explained. And while Liberty Media has clear ideas for future changes, Wolff thinks the sport could in fact be about to enter a calmer era. "The (2016) qualifying story, the discussion about the engine formula -- we were always confronted with erratic decisions," Wolff said. "The approach will now be much more strategic and thoughtful, based on data, with areas in which we can improve examined in detail," he added. (GMM) F1 does not look set to switch to a two-day race weekend format any time soon. The news comes after Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul said that as Liberty Media takes over the sport, scrapping Friday would be a cheap and easy way to make F1 "more dynamic". It might also be a way to accommodate Liberty's apparent plans to expand the F1 calendar well beyond its already bustling 20-race calendar. "Friday practice does not play any role," Abiteboul told the French magazine Auto Hebdo. But FIA president Jean Todt said: "It is quite simple -- we have not found anything that would be better than the current format. "If we were to find something that we believe would be real progress, we would look at it very closely," the Frenchman is quoted by Speed Week. (GMM) Sebastian Vettel's 2015 switch from Red Bull to Ferrari was a mistake. That is the view of F1 legend Gerhard Berger, referring to the fact that the quadruple world champion's switch to the famous Italian marque was compared at the time to his mentor Michael Schumacher's move of two decades ago. "But Michael had Benetton people in his luggage," Berger, who had two separate stints driving for Ferrari in the 80s and 90s, told the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell. "Sebastian should have made the move to Ferrari only as Michael did, by taking key figures from Red Bull with him," the 57-year-old F1 veteran added. A big rumour is that if Ferrari does not considerably improve in 2017, Vettel might be tempted to switch to Mercedes once his current contract is up. And Berger said: "I do not see that there will be much change in Ferrari for 2017. So in that case Vettel would have to make a decision." Berger also commented on the departure from the day to day running of the sport of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. "The bottom line is that he is the father of our business, and there's a certain sadness when you see an era end," said the Austrian. Instead of giving him a largely symbolic or honorary role as chairman emeritus, Berger said Liberty Media should have considered keeping Ecclestone on board. "It would have been an opportunity for the new owners to try to bundle their plans with Bernie's experience," he said. (GMM) Meritors mechanical drivetrain components will be combined with UQMs motor and inverter technology and hardware to create the Meritor and UQM Electric Axle System (MUQM Electric Axles) for the medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle markets. The companies anticipate that prototypes will be ready by early fall of 2017. UQM Technologies has signed a development agreement with Meritor. The development program is expected to last for two-and-one-half years. The alliance will develop full electric axle systems to address the increasing commercial vehicle market demand requirements for improved fuel economy and reduced emissions through much higher levels of vehicle electrification. The benefits of the system are expected to allow customers in the medium- and heavy-duty EV commercial markets to improve on component packaging requirements, realize cost savings from integration, and increased vehicle performance. We are excited to align ourselves with Meritor to address the commercial market from a new vantage point. This allows UQM to focus on design and development and in turn approach the market as a Tier 2 supplier with a proven Tier 1 OEM. We believe this relationship gives Meritor the opportunity to become a leading supplier of E-axles using UQMs technology allowing customers to benefit from integrated solutions that drive cost savings in the long term. Joe Mitchell, President and CEO of UQM Meritor is the worlds largest independent manufacturer of commercial truck axles for a broad range of vehicle applications. In North America, Meritor supplies drivetrain systems and components including axles, drivelines, braking and suspension systems for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Meritor currently offers front drive, single rear drive, tandem rear drive and tridem rear drive axles in addition to brakes, drivelines and other components. The Taiwanese harbor city of Kaohsiung has launched a new hybrid electric ferry. The Cijian Island passenger ferry is retrofitted with a Visedo electric propulsion system, replacing the original diesel engine. It heralds Asias first hybrid electric ferry and, if successful, the Kaohsiung City Government plans to retrofit the rest of its diesel fleet to help reduce pollution levels around Taiwans largest harbor. Given the geography, ferries are a vital mode of public transport across East and Southeast Asia but they are also the most energy intensive per kilometer travelled. Until now, diesel ferries have been a dirty but necessary part of life around harbours like Kaohsiung. In Hong Kong for example, passenger ferries make up the majority of licensed vessels in Victoria Harbour, where its estimated air pollution kills about 3,200 people every year. Visedo has developed a cost-effective and efficient alternative, so rather than waiting until a vessels service life ends, harbor cities can swap noisy, dirty and expensive diesel for silent electric powertrains that are more efficient, can halve fuel costs and emit no fumes or oil pollution. Visedo CEO Kimmo Rauma Kaohsiungs new e-ferry, Ferry Happiness, will halve daily fuel consumption while transporting 15,000 passengers every day to Cijian Island, a popular tourist destination in Taiwan, at a top speed of nine knots. Launching from berth every 15 minutes, the ferry will help share the eight million passengers who travel the 650m route every year. Its estimated the electric propulsion will save more than 25,000 liters of fuel every year. Visedo retrofitted the 100-tonne, 23m-long vessel with an electric system to replace the original 300HP diesel engine. The powertrain was designed to ensure pure electric cruising for half the ferrys operation time and, with fast shore charging, this pure electric percentage can be higher. Founded in 2009, Visedo is a Finnish company specializing in electric powertrains and components for the marine industry, commercial vehicles and heavy-duty machinery. Its powertrains are suitable for hybrid and electric systems within the power range of 30-2,000kW. Visedos head office is located in Lappeenranta, Finland, and the company has a subsidiary in the Netherlands. Visedo has a broad, international client base, with exports to Europe and Asia representing 90% of its sales. The company also recently announced that it was powering the new all-electric bus, manufactured by Linkker, that has entered into service in Helsinki, Finland. Tests demonstrated that the Visedo-powered e-buses consume less than 0.7 kWh per kilometer. This also makes them much more cost-effective as well as requiring less maintenance and offering longer lifespans than diesel buses. A Green River Police officer, who is accused of murdering a two-year-old boy, has had his jury trial rescheduled. Jacob Anglesey, 35, was placed on administrative leave, after he was indicted for a first-degree murder charge on Feb. 3, 2016, in the Third District Court of Judge Nena James in front of a grand jury. At that time, the jury convened to determine whether or not there was enough probable cause to charge Anglesey with first-degree murder, which stemmed from the 2009 death of Konnor Allen, a 2-year-old boy. Allen was the son of Phylicia Rasdall and Corry Allen. The jury trial was s... Booming times for Wyomings oil, gas, and coal industries might come again, but the next boom may be the last one, or, at any rate, the booms will become less and less significant. Perhaps something like open warfare breaking out between Saudi Arabia and Iran, or a Civil War within Russia, would reduce global energy output enough to create huge demands for our states fossil fuels, and prices will skyrocket, thus solving our states economic problems overnight. This, however, would only be putting off the inevitable; fossil fuels are being phased out. Most of Wyomings legislators... Late last Friday afternoon, Jan. 27, Rep. Jerry Obermueller, R-Casper, submitted House Bill 267 to the legislature seeking to increase the minimum annual reporting fees for businesses by 200 percent - from $50 to $150 - effectively tripling fees for most businesses. While we all recognize the budget difficulties our state is currently facing, I believe HB 267 will be detrimental to small business owners registered in Wyoming and will damage our business friendly reputation and likely end up hurting our State budget much more than it helps. As Secretary of State overseeing the filing... Julian McFadden looks at his cell phone while he is giving blood Thursday. Last Thursday, many Green River High School students were waiting to donate blood. The friendly competition between Green River and Rock Springs high schools is a way for students and adults to get out and support their communities. It's all for the High School Blood Drive Challenge, which encourages students to donate blood. Student Council member Emma Marsing was busy helping people fill out paper work and to get their place in line. "It's good. We've had a lot of people," Marsing said. "It's been a good year." Marsing not only helps direct people, but she donates blood. She said this yea... Members of the Supreme Courts conservative majority are questioning the continued use of affirmative action in higher education. In lengthy arguments Monday, the justices wrestled with persistent, difficult questions of race. The justices heard from six different lawyers in challenges to policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard. Those policies consider race among many factors in evaluating applications for admission. One conservative justice likened affirmative action to giving some college applicants a head start in a footrace. But a liberal justice said universities are the pipelines to leadership in our society and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop. Sen. John McCain quickly stepped in to mend fences with Australia after President Trump insulted its prime minister, The New York Times reports. The Republican senator from Arizona called Australia's ambassador to the U.S. and issued this statement: On the Fourth of July 1918, American and Australian soldiers fought side-by-side at the Battle of Hamel. In the century that followed, our two nations struggled and sacrificed together in World War I and World War II, Korea and Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Those of us who took part in the conflict remember well the service of more than 50,000 Australians in the Vietnam War, including more than 500 that gave their lives. Today, Australia is hosting increased deployments of U.S. aircraft, more regular port visits by U.S. warships, and critical training for U.S. marines at Robertson Barracks in Darwin. This deepening cooperation is a reminder that from maintaining security and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region to combating radical Islamist terrorism, the U.S.-Australia relationship is more important than ever. In short, Australia is one of Americas oldest friends and staunchest allies. We are united by ties of family and friendship, mutual interests and common values, and shared sacrifice in wartime. Trump probably knows nothing about any of that. Not only did he have an apparently unpleasant phone conversation with Malcolm Turnbull, he issued one of his undiplomatic tweets: "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" That was a day after his own spokesman said the U.S. would honor the agreement. This man, our president, is coming unglued. He's going to keep responsible leaders, like McCain, very busy trying to pick up the pieces of fractured international relationships. Four people will join the daily White House press briefing on Wednesday, as the "inaugural panelists" for "Skype seats," press secretary Sean Spicer said. The cyberseats are an attempt by the Trump administration to open the briefings to a more diverse group of journalists, as well as allow outlets without traditional White House access and outside the nation's capital at the briefings. The White House has not said how the Skype panelists were selected, although Spicer said that anyone applying for the seat must live at least 80 kilometers from Washington. The Triads first AR Workshop is opening next week on Pembroke Road. Melissa Steele Martin, a Greensboro resident with a background in interior design, owns the local franchise and will operate it with her sister, Lisa Steele. AR, or Anders Ruff, is named for the two designers who started the graphic design, party styling and online business. Maureen Anders and Adria Ruff expanded their business to offer do-it-yourself workshops. Alone or in groups, participants do projects such as wall hangings using various mediums. There are also AR studios in Raleigh and Pineville. AR Workshop Greensboro opens Feb. 10 at 1801 Pembroke Road. To sign up for a workshop, or for more information, visit https://www.arworkshop.com/greensboro/. Mattress store helps children Local Mattress Firm stores are collecting new pajamas and money to benefit area foster children. Proceeds from the Pajama Drive will go to the Childrens Hope Alliance, Childrens Home Society of North Carolina and Thompson Child and Family Focus. You can drop off donations at any Mattress Firm through Feb. 12 during regular store hours. Mattress Firm hosts drives throughout the year to collect needed items for foster children and to raise money to help them. Mattress Firm has several locations in Greensboro, including at 2643 Lawndale Drive, 1562 Highwoods Blvd. and 2504 Battleground Ave. Food Lion helps Urban Ministry Many individuals and groups answered the call last week when Greensboro Urban Ministrys pantry shelves were nearly empty, including Food Lion. The Salisbury-based grocery on Friday donated the equivalent of 26,000 meals to Greensboro Urban Ministry, according to a Food Lion spokeswoman. The donation included items such as beef stew, tuna, peanut butter and pasta sauce. Food Lion said last week that it would help restock food banks in its 10-state footprint through its Food Lion Feeds program. Fashion show to benefit nonprofit Tickets are now on sale for Restoration Runway, which benefits Restoration Place Counseling. The eighth annual event, which includes a silent auction, will be from 6 to 9:30 p.m. March 30 at the Greensboro Country Club. The merchandise of local retailers will be featured in the show. The money raised will help Restoration Place, a Christian-based nonprofit, fund counseling sessions for women. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at www.bidpal.net/famous. GREENSBORO Touring Theatre of North Carolina has received a $7,500 grant from the Lincoln Financial Foundation to support another year of performances of The Life and Times of Fannie Lou Hamer in the Guilford County Schools. This year of grant funding marks the seventh year that Lincoln Financial has supported the educational touring component of the nonprofit professional touring company based in Greensboro. The support has enabled Touring Theatre to perform for almost 20,000 students in Guilford County, the theater company said in a news release. When the Freedom Riders came to Sunflower County, Miss., in the 1960s, sharecropper Fannie Lou Hamer was among the first black people to attempt to register to vote. Her famous words Im sick and tired of being sick and tired explain her persistence in her efforts to become what she called a first-class citizen. Hamer was one of two people allowed to take the literary test, which she failed. Upon her return home, she was fired from her job on the plantation. Shots were fired into the house where she was thought to be staying. Things grew more difficult as local sheriffs and their deputies beat her and threatened to kill her. But she was steadfast in her determination. Today, Hamer is recognized as one of the most important leaders in the civil rights movement. These famous words uttered by Mississippi sharecropper Fannie Lou Hamer, explains her persistence in her efforts to become what she called, a first-class citizen. Thus, when the Freedom Riders came to Sunflower County, Mississippi Fannie Lou Hamer was among the first black persons to attempt to register to vote. She was one of two allowed to take the literary test which she failed. Upon her return home, she was fired from her job on the plantation. Shots fired into the house where she was thought to be staying. Things grew more difficult as local sheriffs and their deputies beat her and threatened to kill her. But she was steadfast in her determination. Killing or no killing, I am staying with civil rights. Today she is recognized as one of the most important leaders in the civil rights movement. "The Life and Times of Fannie Lou Hamer" is her story. Feb. 2, 1923 It is the unsettled problem of the Allied debts which more than anything else ties the hands of the United States in Europe. When the British economic conference was proposed, the administration promptly objected that such a meeting would be fruitless unless a discussion of the debts was proposed. And the real reason why Mr. Hugues did not make a definite proposal of an inquiry by experts into Germanys capacity to pay was because he did not wish to have the question asked in return why experts should not also determine how much the United States might fairly try to collect from the allies. DANVILLE Police have now arrested three men connected to a series of robberies that occurred Jan. 17. The latest, Saheem Roger Waddell, 19, was arrested and charged with robbery and wearing masks in certain places Tuesday. His arraignment was Wednesday morning. Jevon Zackeal Williams, 21, and Joshua Malik Coleman, 20, also were arrested in a robbery the same day. Waddell is suspected in a crime that occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 17 at Piedmont Credit Union on Piney Forest Road. The victim reported that after making a transaction at the ATM, she was approached by two men, according to a Danville General District Court criminal complaint. One man was holding a large kitchen knife and the other one stood to the side, wearing a mask, the complaint stated. The man holding the knife demanded money from her, but she refused to give it to him. She began arguing with the man until the suspect wearing the mask motioned for the male to come on, the complaint stated. Eventually, both suspects ran off without harming the woman or with her money. Williams and Coleman were charged last week in an incident at Riverside Shopping Center. That robbery occurred at about 3:20 p.m. on the same date, where a suspect displayed a large kitchen knife and demanded money from a 40-year-old man, according to a Danville General District Court criminal complaint. Police have not said if all three men are connected to the crimes or if the incidents were related. Two other robberies involved pizza delivery drivers later that evening. Police said they are still investigating the incidents. GREENSBORO A Greensboro man on trial on drug trafficking charges walked out of court Wednesday during an afternoon recess and hasnt returned. Dewayne Shon Woolridge, 34, this week is facing charges of attempted trafficking cocaine, conspiracy to traffic cocaine and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance. Surveillance video from the courthouse showed Woolridge leaving the building with his family at 3:24 p.m., 9 minutes into a 15-minute afternoon recess. Guilford County Chief Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said that, before the break, Woolridge had listened from the defense table to testimony from a co-defendant that helped tie him to an alleged drug deal. Superior Court Judge Stuart Albright on Thursday morning issued three warrants for Woolridges arrest. Deputies have not been able to locate Woolridge at any of the locations he is known to frequent. The judge issued a $900,000 bond and an order for his arrest, Guilford County Sheriffs Office Col. Randy Powers said. Powers said the sheriffs office is leading the investigation, but other law enforcement agencies are involved. Despite Woolridges absence, Neumann said, the trial continued. Once a trial starts, we can continue it without the defendant, Neumann said. The jury was instructed not to take anything from his absence or hold it against him. Jurors have not been told that Woolridge is missing. Neumann said, despite Woolridges absence, the jury can deliberate and reach a verdict, but if Woolridge were to be found guilty, he must be present for sentencing. Woolridges attorney, Jason Keith, could not be reached immediately for comment and did not respond to a voicemail left on the phone in his law office. Neumann said jurors listened to testimony Wednesday and Thursday from two co-defendants about a wiretap that led to the arrest of Woolridge. Neumann said for an officer to get permission to wiretap someones phone, he or she would have to go before a panel of three Superior Court judges. Those judges consider information from the officer about why the wiretap is important and whether the officer has exhausted all other means of investigating the alleged crime. If a wiretap is approved, it goes before the N.C. Attorney Generals office. Neumann said officers received permission to wiretap Woolridges phone and from there identified possible suspects who were purchasing drugs. Officers stopped those suspects as they were leaving Woolridges house and found drugs. One of those people, who is being tried separately related to this case, was testifying before the recess that text messages sent during the wiretap, which were read in court, had been sent to and from his phone to Woolridges. Neumann declined to identify which of those charged was testifying, because he said that person had received numerous threats for agreeing to serve as a witness. GREENSBORO Audrey Trawick remembers the day in 2007 when a Guilford County deputy sheriff showed up at her house to serve a judgment demanding money for her late husbands bills from Moses Cone Hospital. They were bills she had never agreed to pay and didnt even know about. I was shocked, Trawick said. According to Greensboro lawyer Bob King, its a common situation that widows are finding themselves in because of a little-known state law that hospitals use to collect bills. Called the doctrine of necessaries, the law allows medical centers to force a surviving spouse to pay the bills of a spouse who has died. King said he believes the practice which only applies to medical bills is antiquated and unfair, according to a lawsuit he has filed on behalf of a Greensboro woman whose husband died in 2010. In that lawsuit filed last week against the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital Operating Corp., Annah Awartani alleges that the practice causes surviving spouses to incur huge debts. A spokesman for Moses Cone said last week that the medical center does not comment on pending litigation. The doctrine of necessaries applies to men and women, King said. But it earlier applied only to women, and King said the N.C. Constitution has been amended to protect womens property rights. The North Carolina Constitution says that a married womans property cant be made subject to her husbands debts, he said. King explained that the doctrine of necessaries is derived from a British law that predates the independence of North Carolina in 1776. He said hospitals across the state use it to collect debts typically backed by court judges. The law has origins in old English law when a married woman was not a whole person, King said. A man controlled her property and if he incurred any debts for his necessary medical care, the wife would forfeit her property to pay his bills, even if he had died. Even today, a separated couple, as long as they are legally married, is bound to this law, King said. And while it is true that all debts should be paid, King said that you are not liable to anybodys debts presumptively unless you agree to be. With hospital debt, hundreds if not thousands of people throughout North Carolina have found otherwise, he said. Awartani, who immigrated to the United States with her husband, Masoud, founded the now-closed Zaytoon Mediterranean Cafe on North Elm Street. Masoud became ill and died at Cone in 2010. Awartani alleges in her lawsuit that after her husbands death she discovered four lawsuits from Cone that included court judgments requiring her to pay the bills. She says in the lawsuit that she never guaranteed to pay her husbands bills. Those actions, which are in the public record, have affected her credit and imposed liens on her house. King said these situations are so common that he has asked a Guilford County Superior Court judge to certify the case as a class action so a large group with similar complaints could join the lawsuit. King said this week the case will likely have to be resolved by the N.C. Supreme Court, which must ultimately interpret whether the law is valid under the constitution. Trawick challenged the system in 2007 when her husband died, leaving medical bills at Moses Cone. She and husband, Sam Hawley, were quite aware long before he contracted leukemia that his credit wasnt as good as hers and that he had incurred other debts. So they kept separate credit cards and didnt even use the same bank. This is all in an effort to keep me protected, she said. To keep bill collectors from coming after me or my home. He didnt want me to worry about that stuff. Hawley declared bankruptcy in 2005 partly because his medical debts after insurance coverage amounted to half his unsecured debt. One month after Hawley died in July 2007, deputies showed up at Trawicks door. Trawick, who has since remarried, said the bill was around $1,000, but Cone insisted that she pay it in full or the hospital would put a lien on her house. I felt very violated. I felt very alone, Trawick said. I felt there was no way I could compete against a multimillion dollar corporation. And it was true. We lost. GREENSBORO N.C. A&T brought Dorothy Dobson and her husband together. A high-rise apartment complex in New York helped them give back to their alma mater. A&T on Wednesday honored Dorothy Dobson with one of its highest awards, the Human Rights Medal, for her work to help low-income residents of Rochester, N.Y., find decent, affordable housing. Its hard to find words to explain, Dobson said after the early morning ceremony. I never dreamed in my life I would receive such an honor. A&T presented Dobson with the award during the universitys annual commemoration of the Greensboro sit-ins. On Feb. 1, 1960, four A&T freshmen Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and David Richmond led sit-ins at the former Woolworth in downtown Greensboro. McNeil was the only one of the four who attended the 57th annual event. Richmond and McCain have died and were represented by their oldest sons. Khazan was sick this year and didnt make the trip down from Massachusetts. He also missed the 2016 ceremony because his wife was ill. Since 2001, A&T has awarded the Human Rights Medal to people who have worked to correct social injustice and improve the world. Past winners include U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a national leader of the civil rights movement; the Rev. William Barber II, president of the North Carolina NAACP; and the Rev. Nelson Johnson and Joyce Johnson, Greensboro civil rights and community leaders. The 2016 recipient was Maurice Mo Green, the former Guilford County Schools superintendent whos now executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Winston-Salem. On Wednesday, it was Dobsons turn. A native of Chesterfield, Va., a suburb of Richmond, Dorothy Ann Pryor came to A&T to study applied sociology. She met James Dobson, originally from Winston-Salem, in a chemistry class, and the two fell in love. They were engaged shortly before they graduated in 1957 and moved to Rochester, N.Y., where his parents had moved. They married that October and spent their honeymoon in Greensboro at A&Ts annual homecoming. The Dobsons made a life for themselves in Rochester. James worked for three decades as an accountant. Dorothy put in 31 years as a social worker. They raised three daughters: Jacquelyn and Kimberley graduated from A&T, and Gina started at A&T and finished at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. In addition to their careers and families, the Dobsons had another interest: providing Rochester seniors and families with decent places to live. James Dobson and several other concerned citizens formed a nonprofit housing corporation in 1966. With U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development backing, this group opened the 254-unit Urban Park Apartments in 1971 just across the Genessee River from downtown Rochester. James Dobson was the first president of the I.C. Housing Development Fund, the group that built and managed the apartment building. Dorothy Dobson started a Girl Scouts troop and a senior citizens group for residents and added a computer lab so apartment dwellers could learn job skills. Dorothy Dobson said she and her husband were aware of the need for decent affordable housing for people of color in Rochester, she said. Their motto, she added, was humanity through housing. After James Dobson died in 1997, Dorothy joined the groups board, then became managing director. The building was sold in 2007, and the complex was refurbished and renamed the James A. Dobson Apartments. In 2014, the proceeds of the sale were given away to several Rochester nonprofits and 11 historically black colleges including A&T. A&T used a previous $100,000 gift from the apartments new owners to create the James and Dorothy A. Pryor Dobson Scholarship. The scholarship helps cover the educational expenses for A&T undergraduates from Rochester or upstate New York. Dobsons work to provide housing in Rochester and scholarships to A&T students obviously impressed the committee that decides who should get the Human Rights Medal. Dobson, meanwhile, was most impressed Wednesday by her first meeting with McNeil and the sons of the A&T Four. It was unbelievable, Dobson said. I was speechless to be with some giants who have withstood the test of time. GREENSBORO The United States has plenty of challenges in front of it these days. The issue of greatest concern to perhaps one of the nations most well-known scientists, Neil deGrasse Tyson: Americans know far too little about science. Americans overall are bad at science. Scared of math. Poor at physics and engineering. Resistant to evolution. This science illiteracy, Tyson told a nearly sold-out crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum on Tuesday night, is a threat to the nation. The consequence of that is that you breed a generation of people who do not know what science is nor how and why it works, he said. You have mortgaged the future financial security of your nation. Innovations in science and technology are the (basis) of tomorrows economy. Tyson, the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, author of 10 books and star of TV and radio shows about science, was the guest of the Guilford College Bryan Series. Almost 3,400 people turned out to hear Tyson speak for nearly two hours about science and science literacy. Americas decline isnt unprecedented, Tyson said. Just look back 1,000 years ago at the Middle East, where math and science flourished in Baghdad. Algebra and algorithms were invented in the Middle East. So were Arabic numerals the numbers we still use today. But when a new cleric emerged during the 12th century, he declared math and science to be earthly pursuits, Tyson said, and good Muslims should be concerned about spiritual affairs. The scientists drifted away, and scientific literacy faded from that part of the world. Of 655 Nobel Prizes awarded in the sciences since 1900, Tyson said, only three have been awarded to Muslims. Things that seem harmless can have devastating effects, he said. Europe dominated science in the centuries that followed. You can see its influence today, Tyson said. Just look at currency: European paper money has carried the pictures of famous scientists. The former German currency bore the picture of the mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss and his most famous contribution, the bell curve. It is a not-so-subtle message from the government that math matters, Tyson said. If its on your currency, it is part of your culture. You think it. You feel it. Whether or not youre a scientist or a mathematician, youre not going to be the person to stand in their way when theyre trying to get math and science done. The United States had its own scientific golden age in the last half of the 20th century. The space race and the Cold War drove scientific invention. Popular culture was full of flying cars, monorails, cities of tomorrow and world fairs that celebrated progress and invention. You didnt need special programs to try to convince people that they should like science, Tyson said. It was already writ large in headlines. You dont do that without science, technology, engineering and math. And everybody knew it. Today, Tyson said, too many Americans mistake clouds for UFOs, believe in alien abductions, reject evolution (known to scientists as the foundation of biology), fear the number 13 and negative numbers, and freak out about supermoons that really arent any bigger than regular old full moons. If national leaders and local school boards want to ignore science, Tyson said thats fine with him. But, he said, lets say hes the chief executive officer of a corporation thats looking for a site for its headquarters. Its not going to be in your state, Tyson said. The future companies need science literacy for their R&D, for advancements, for innovation. And so your state will fade among the 50. Thats a consequence. Exports grew in double digits for the first time in four years last month, but domestic consumption remains weak amid political unrest in Korea. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday, exports grew 11.2 percent on-year in January to US$40.3 billion. The last time exports grew in the double digits was in January 2013. Exports had been shrinking for 19 straight months but returned to growth in November last year. Exports are rebounding thanks to rising global oil prices that led to recoveries in oil-producing countries and rising global demand and hiked prices of Korean petrochemicals. Exports of semiconductors, petrochemicals and displays all grew more than 20 percent compared to last year. But domestic consumption remains weak. According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, retail sales dropped 1.2 percent in December after falling 0.1 percent the previous month. Industrial output was flat in December after growing 1.8 percent in November. As the slump drags on, manufacturers' average rate of operation stood at only 72.4 percent last year, the lowest since 1998. More than one out of every four factories sits idle, while the factory operating rate has slowed to levels last seen during the Asian financial crisis. "Investments are rising powered by a recovery in exports, but political unrest is impacting private consumption and causing industrial activity to slow down," the ministry said. I agree, and I believe this was handled very poorly, but do you believe there is more chaos and outrage today than there was on 9/11? Other countries such as France and Germany opened their borders, and that did not work so well for them. It didnt take long for those countries to realize their mistake and take steps to correct that policy. President Donald Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court that should have been filled last year. On the very day that Justice Antonin Scalia died Feb. 13, 2016 Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed that no one put forward by then-President Barack Obama would be given a confirmation hearing or a vote. He kept his word. That was unprecedented obstructionism, but there was worse to come. Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina said during the campaign that, if Democrat Hillary Clinton were elected, he would do everything he could to block her from filling Supreme Court vacancies during her entire term. Other Republicans made similar statements. We can believe thats exactly what would have happened. So its understandable that some Senate Democrats want to give Trump the same treatment and use the filibuster to deny Gorsuch a vote. They would just be following the new rule book written by the Republicans. They should do no such thing. That rule book is a formula for dysfunction and endless partisan gridlock. It is contrary to the spirit of our Constitution and ought to be discarded forever. The Democrats should do the right and responsible thing, which is to examine Gorsuchs credentials and work product, ask him hard questions, listen carefully to his answers and then vote whether or not to approve his nomination based on his qualifications. Gorsuch is a highly educated and experienced federal appellate judge. Like most of the sitting justices, he is a product of the Ivy League Columbia undergrad and Harvard law. He also studied at Oxford in England. He is conservative but reportedly not outside the mainstream of American jurisprudence. He clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is the swing vote in many key cases. After his introduction by Trump Tuesday evening, he said, A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge. That means he attempts to interpret the law and Constitution faithfully, whether the result fits his personal beliefs or not. Trump promised to nominate a judge in the mold of Scalia. If Gorsuch meets that description, his decisions wont always please Trump, whose impulses often defy constitutional principles. For example, Trump believes flag-burners should be jailed and stripped of their U.S. citizenship. Scalia joined two rulings that found flag-burning, though offensive, is protected by the First Amendment. We hope Gorsuch would agree. Trumps refugee ban makes distinctions based on religion. We dont think Scalia would have approved and expect Gorsuch to join a unanimous court in rejecting Trumps policy, if a case comes before it. As legal experts pore through Gorsuchs record, specific objections will come up and give reason for some senators to oppose him. But they must know that Trump could have done much worse, appointing an unqualified political partisan. Gorsuch seems to be respected and respectable. In the long run, he may prove to be more like Kennedy and Chief Justice John Roberts than Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. Many justices gravitate toward the center over time. Partisan obstructionism would be no better this year than it was last year. WENTWORTH Carl Ellington has been sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison for the Jan. 28, 2016 shooting death of 20-year-old Breandra Chance Patrick, of Eden. Ellington, who was charged with first-degree murder in January of last year, accepted a plea deal of second-degree murder in Rockingham County Superior Court on Jan. 30. He could serve a maximum of 27 and a half years behind bars. The 21-year-old had no prior record prior to the taking the plea deal and was given credit for 368 days served. Ellington accepted the deal under an Alford plea, which means despite entering a plea of guilty, the defendant maintains innocence. On Jan. 26, Eden Police officers responded to South Avenue and Merriman Street at about 2:20 a.m. after reports of a body lying in the roadway. Patrick died as a result of a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation process led to the arrest of Ellington, who was at one time in a domestic relationship with Patrick. Later investigation revealed that Ellington had picked up Patrick in a car and after arguing ensued, he shot her twice. When the Eden Police Department collected the gun as evidence, it didnt function. Prosecutors believe that once the gun stopped working, Ellington continued to strike her with the weapon. Ellington sat uncomfortably with his head down, tapping his feet as District Attorney Craig Blitzer read through a summary of the case and the mother of Patrick spoke openly to the court about the worst day of her life. I cant get her back and it hurts, she said while fighting back emotion and tears. Every day it hurts. She is my only girl. I died a year ago; no matter what, I cant get my life back. According to online public records through the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Ellington was transferred to Polk Correctional Institution in Butner on Jan. 31. Im sorry for your loss, said Superior Court Judge Lori Hamilton to family members and the mother of the victim who spoke to the court. Im sorry there is nothing we can do in this court room to bring her back. For the first time in decades, America's oldest allies are questioning where Washington's heart is. This week, President Donald Trump and his deputies hit out at some of America's closest friends, blasting a "dumb" refugee resettlement deal with Australia and accusing Japan and Germany of manipulating their currencies. Ties with Mexico have deteriorated to the point its government had to deny reports that Trump told President Enrique Pena Nieto he might send U.S. troops across the southern border. "When you hear about the tough phone calls I have, don't worry about it," Trump said this to an audience of religious and political leaders at the National Prayer Breakfast, a yearly event in Washington. "The world is in trouble -- but we're going to straighten it out, OK? That's what I do." The dilemma for officials globally is figuring out if Trump's blunt style is simply a tactic to keep them off balance or the start of a move to tear up the rule book that has guided relations with the U.S. since World War II. In the mean time, allies have little choice but to prepare for the worst. The latest attacks came against Australia and Japan, even with Trump's new Pentagon chief in the region to offer assurances about the U.S.'s commitment to security ties. The White House described Trump's hour-long conversation with Mexico's leader as "lighthearted." "For those of us like Australia, Japan or Korea, who have been dependent on that continuity, we have got to start thinking about a situation where the U.S. is much more self interested, and more more capricious on what it might do," said Nick Bisley, a professor of international relations at La Trobe University in Melbourne. "Countries in the region have got to sit down and say those old arrangements can't last forever." Trump's willingness to publicly attack America's friends in Asia marks a sharp contrast from the Obama administration, which sought to build a united front against China's military and economic clout. Trump instead has suggested Asian nations should pay more for U.S. security and pulled out of a 12-nation Pacific trade deal. Earlier this week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushed back on Trump's accusations his country was gaming the foreign exchange market and hindering U.S. auto sales. Still, Abe has a bigger concern when he meets Trump on Feb. 10: Japan depends on the U.S. "nuclear umbrella" to protect it from China and North Korea. On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull found himself under fire. In a late-night tweet, Trump blasted a deal that involved the U.S. resettling refugees that are being held by Australia in offshore camps, many of them from the Middle East or South Asia. "Do you believe it? The Obama administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Trump tweeted. If the tweet wasn't bad enough, earlier in the day Turnbull fielded questions on a Washington Post report that said Trump berated him in a Jan. 28 phone call. The president told Turnbull he had spoken to four other global leaders that day, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and "this was the worst call by far," the paper reported, citing unidentified U.S. officials. In a radio interview on Thursday after Trump's tweet, Turnbull said he still expects the deal will go ahead. He added he was "very disappointed" over the leak and said the call with Trump ended "courteously." "A lot of Australians will find this report deeply unsettling," said John Blaxland, a senior fellow at the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre in Canberra. "Australia has invested in this relationship and has been a faithful partner, especially since the declaration of the global war on terror. Trump needs Australia to support its interests in the Asia-Pacific." One calming voice may be Defense Secretary James Mattis, who is visiting South Korea and Japan. In Seoul on Thursday he reaffirmed the U.S.'s commitment to defend South Korea against North Korea, according to a statement from the nation's presidential office. Still, given Trump's unpredictability, even Mattis' words may not help. On Thursday Trump was again busy on Twitter, warning Iran had been "put on notice" for testing ballistic missiles. "Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion," Trump said. Key tests for Trump in Asia will be whether he reaffirms that the mutual defense treaty with Japan applies to islands also claimed by China, and if he continues freedom-of-navigation operations in Asia's waterways, according to Fumiaki Kubo, a professor at the University of Tokyo. "Even if Mr. Trump says something very positive, we may not be really reassured yet unless positive words are followed up by concrete action," Kubo said. "There's no advance consultation with allies in the region, so there are many things to be concerned about." One country that could benefit from a U.S. retrenchment is China. President Xi Jinping has fashioned himself as a champion of globalization in recent months, and sought to accelerate the passage of a regional trade agreement initiated by Southeast Asian nations. Still, Beijing has a lot to lose if things go wrong. A trade war with Trump could worsen an economic slowdown in a politically sensitive year, with the Communist Party set to shift many top leaders. As well, China is embroiled in a dispute with several Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea, an area where it has reclaimed reefs and built military outposts. New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has already pledged to challenge China over the waterway. "China has no idea at the moment about how to deal with Trump and taking a cautious approach," said Nicholas Thomas, an associate professor of Asian studies at City University of Hong Kong. "The one question that everyone is looking at in the region -- and this goes to the web of security partnerships in Asia -- is what is going to happen between the U.S. and China over the South China Sea." --- Bloomberg's Isabel Reynolds, Jason Scott and Kanga Kong contributed. trump-assess Washington Post News Service (DC) 2/2/2017 9:21:13 AM Central Standard Time This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As they watched state legislators struggle to balance a budget nearly two years ago, staff at Access Independence in Stratford foresaw cuts to its state funding and that of the states four other centers for independent living. But the decrease was much worse than expected. The nearly 60 percent cut approved by the Legislature meant the five centers, which provide services to people with disabilities throughout the state, had to share $202,005 for the fiscal year ending in June, down from $495,635 the previous year. Access Independence was forced to lay off a staff member and decrease its service footprint to towns surrounding its Stratford headquarters, when it previously served towns from Monroe to Greenwich, said Operations Director Joe Eckert. Right now we cant afford to get to them, he said. The cut led the board of directors to brainstorm ideas for increasing revenue independently. We needed a way to offset that so we could keep offering the services so greatly needed by our consumers, said Bernie Richfield, president of the organizations board. Richfield and his fellow board members decided to create a for-profit arm that could create new revenue streams and help Access Independence become more self-sufficient. The result was the creation of Access 3D Services, a 3D printing business. Charlie Conway, executive director of Access Independence, said he borrowed the idea from one of his mentors, who is employing a similar concept for a center for independent living in New Mexico. Conways son also had experience with 3D printing. With the help of a state grant, the organization purchased two 3D printers and began offering the service last year to local businesses, organizations and individuals. Jack Heslin, vice president of the board, said 3D printing has the potential to be a game-changer and is already being used in innovative ways throughout the country. He noted there have been cases where customized silicone body parts have been printed and used by surgeons to practice a difficult surgery before performing it on a patient. Theres enormous potential there, said Heslin, who provided his 3D printing advisory services for the purchase of the machines before deciding to join the board. I think whats been a little bit difficult is really getting the word out there that we exist and the benefits of 3D printing, Conway said. Eckert, who oversees the 3D printing business, said those benefits extend to the nonprofits clients. Besides customer requests, products made so far include a right-angled spoon and a plastic holder with a handle for juice cartons, both for individuals who cant move their wrists well. It really allows you to customize something for the individual, for example like a prosthetic hand, Eckert said. It just gives our organization another means to provide services to people with disabilities. Next month, the nonprofit is taking its business and mission one step further. Starting March 1, the organizations staff will be accepting submissions for a national competition. The contest will seek designs for products that can help someone with a disability maintain or increase their independence and mobility. Submissions will be accepted for roughly two months and three winners will be chosen in late spring or early summer, with the ultimate winner taking home a 3D printer. The organization is now looking for sponsors, as well, for the contest. Richfield said the goal of the competition is to seek innovative designs that can become marketable products for the nonprofit. Were going to create something that will benefit the consumers and also keep this agency functioning, he said. Heslin noted the designer would also receive royalties. Richfield said if the organization can find a marketable product that can help produce new revenue to fund its operations, while helping its clients, then it would have achieved its short-term goal. For the long term, the organization is hoping its 3D printing will grow as the process becomes more accessible and gains traction. Theres a world of possibilities, he said. ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227 Marvel Studios will shoot parts of its new film "Black Panther" in Busan in March and April. Black Panther is a character from the superhero film series that made its first appearance in the Avengers franchise in "Captain America: Civil War" last year. He is played by Chadwick Boseman. Scenes will be filmed at several tourist sites in Busan such as Gwangalli Beach, Jagalchi Fish Market and Haeundae Beach. A huge car chase scene involving a helicopter, 150 cars and more than 700 people will be filmed there. "We will fully support filming by cooperating with relevant organizations as we believe it will be a good opportunity to promote the city," a Busan city official said. Marvel Studios shot parts of its previous installment "Avengers: Age of Ultron" in Seoul in 2014. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY The way Jim Moretti sees it, taking a little break from work now and then makes you a more productive and effective employee. And if you can utilize those breaks to do something for the greater good, why not do it? Moretti, the manager of corporate finance for Cartus, is also the companys mentoring liaison for the Danbury Schools and Business Collaborative. Cartus hosted this week a lunch and workshop to recognize the volunteers during National Mentoring Month. A diverse group of about 30 mentors from various Danbury businesses attended. (Mentoring) puts your own issues into perspective, Moretti said. I think it makes for better employees because they can step away from stressful situations at work. When you come back youre more relaxed and focused. Plus, it benefits the students. Cartus has about 20 mentors in the program. Moretti said it is in the companys culture to be involved with nonprofit organizations such as the Danbury Schools and Business Collaborative. The organization offers one-on-one mentoring as well as the new Workplace Learning E-Mentoring, an online mentoring option tied to the Danbury Early College Opportunity program. Mary Gregory, director of Danbury Schools and Business Collaborative, said there are about 220 one-on-one mentors and 90 mentors in the E-Mentoring program. More mentors are needed for both programs, she said. The one-on-one mentoring program has a wait list of more than 50 students. Gregory said the local community banks and corporations such as Cartus, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pitney Bowes and Praxair are major supporters of the Danbury Schools and Business Collaborative. About two-thirds of the mentors come from local businesses and the rest come from the community at large, she said. Working with businesses is at the core of the organization, Gregory said. It gives employees the opportunity to volunteer but also the opportunity to develop the future workforce. Mentors, through their place of employment, sign up for a one-year commitment and meet with students weekly. Gregory stressed the volunteers are mentors and not tutors. Students of all grade levels seek mentors, she said. Oscar Rodriguez of Boehringer Ingelheim volunteered because he missed out on having a mentor when he was growing up and did not want to deny a student the opportunity. A lot of kids in Danbury have tough times. I didnt grow up in a good neighborhood so having a mentor would have been nice, Rodriguez said. A little bit of my time once a week means so much more to someone else. BI has about 20 volunteers and is one of the original supporters of the organization, which was founded 27 years ago. Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving our communities. We encourage our employees to engage in skills-based volunteer opportunities that fuel their passion, Kate OConnor, president of BIs Cares Foundation, said. We know our employees get as much as they give through these opportunities, including professional development and personal reward. Our (mentor) volunteers inspire young students to be all that they can be and tell us they learn from the students, too. Kelly Troccoio of BI has been mentoring students for five years. She said the experience helps her in the workplace by improving her communication skills. It teaches you to listen, she said. You have to make more of an effort with quiet students, but you have to pay attention and be patient. The workshop at Cartus focused on mentoring diverse youth. Gregory said Danbury is one of the most diverse school districts in the state with 40 different languages spoken at the citys schools. Deneen Harris, an assistant professor of social work at Western Connecticut State University, led the discussion. One slide Harris showed displayed a quote from a Mexican student saying he wanted a white mentor because that is his image of a successful professional. Jonathan Arteago of BI took the message to heart. Being a Hispanic and a professional I can change the image that people may have, Arteago said. Im slowly changing the mold. For more information about the Danbury Schools and Business Collaborative, call 203-797-4845 or visit www.dsabcmentors.org cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Turning a historic brick building overlooking the water in Cos Cob into a showroom just makes sense, said Louis Van Leeuwen, CEO of Greenwich Construction and a new venture, Curry & Kingston. Once a power company building, the property at 209 River Road Ext. was contaminated with arsenic, Van Leeuwen said. But the years worth of work in cleaning up the place has proven to be rewarding, he added. A long way from looking like a polluted power building, the site houses offices for Greenwich Construction, which moved from Riverside last September, and a new showroom for kitchens and cabinetry. On the heels of learning his construction company won a highly competitive award in the housing industry, Van Leeuwen planned the opening of his partnership with Kathy Currie, a longtime Greenwich resident, designer and now director of design at Curry & Kingston. On one side of the building, Greenwich Constructions offices boast water views; on the other side, tall windows flood the Curry & Kingston showroom with natural light. Greenwich Construction and Curry & Kingston will work in tandem, offering clients access to services from both businesses. This makes it very easy for us to do a whole project, Van Leeuwen said, citing a recent example where a plumber from the construction side was able to swoop in for an emergency during a project with Curry & Kingston. The new Curry & Kingston brand held a launch event last week, which attracted a packed house full of architects, designers and friends of the business partners, Van Leeuwen said. This will be the first of many events hosted at the showroom, Currie said during a tour of the space. One of the kitchen setups is fully functioning and lends itself to being used for cooking classes or mix-and-mingle events, she said. Otherwise, architects and designers are encouraged to use the showroom while working with clients on projects, Van Leeuwen said. Curry & Kingston features a transitional to modern style of kitchens and cabinets, Currie said, adding that most people are past traditional. They want simpler lines and classic style. All the lines carried at Curry & Kingston are high-quality and classic, Van Leeuwen said, but more importantly, they can be modified to work in a variety of budgets. Few construction companies have a showroom or business venture like Curry & Kingston, Van Leeuwen said, but by folding it into Greenwich Construction, he believes it will give him a competitive edge on projects. The new brand will also partner with Renovation Angel, and donate some proceeds to Kids in Crisis. For more information about the new Curry & Kingston showroom, visit www.curryandkingston.com. Contact the writer at MBennett@greenwichtime.com, 203-625-4411; Twitter @Macaela_ This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday that as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he will review Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuchs record as an appeals court judge before coming to a firm decision on the merits of his Senate confirmation bid. But not surprisingly as a Democrat from deep-blue Connecticut, Blumenthals initial impression of the conservative Colorado-based federal appeals court judge is not favorable. Im deeply concerned by a number of his opinions, which I feel reflect hostility to privacy rights including women health care, worker and consumer protections, and public health and safety, he said in an interview Wednesday, the day after President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch to fill the vacancy left by the death a year ago of Justice Antonin Scalia. His opinions are pro-corporate, and the legal doctrine he advances undermines the rules and standards that protect consumers, workers and others who may be vulnerable, Blumenthal said. I want to scrutinize his record thoroughly. In his first full day as nominee, Gorsuch visited senators on Capitol Hill. A confirmation hearing is likely within six weeks, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. Gorsuch won praise from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who called him exceptionally qualified to succeed the late, great Antonin Scalia, who was a conservative icon. Gorsuch is known as a Scalia admirer and believer in Scalias principle of originalism judgments based on the text of the laws and Constitution. At the White House, Trump urged McConnell and Senate Republicans to go nuclear if Democratic resistance amounts to gridlock. He was referring to the so-called nuclear option, an aphorism for changing the current 60-vote Senate threshold on Supreme Court confirmations to a simple 51-vote majority. Republicans hold a 52-48 majority in the Senate. If Democrats are united against Gorsuch, Republicans could not defeat a filibuster and win confirmation under current rules. But exercising the nuclear option changing the rules to 51 votes would get Gorsuch confirmed and put the nations highest court at full strength for the first time since Scalias death. Blumenthal, however, said he doubted McConnell and the Republicans could win over enough Republican support to overturn the 60-vote rule now in place for Supreme Court confirmations. Email: dan@hearstdc.com Its difficult to have a calm immigration policy discussion following President Donald Trumps January 27 executive order, which banned migrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. I felt, as an immigrant to the U.S., both the spirit and implementation of that order were discordant with the American values that convinced me to leave my family and move here. The next executive order could hit my new home, Silicon Valley, hard. The administration has released a draft copy of an executive order that would overhaul the H-1B visa program, once a vital recruiting tool for American tech startups. The contents of the order remain unknown, but the stakes are high. Trump could throttle H-1Bs, exacerbate Americas tech talent shortage, and stifle innovation. Or, he could draw foreign engineers away from outsourcing firms and into fast-growing technology companies, which build products we all use and create new jobs for Americans. Rather than join the chorus of outrage towards changing immigration policy, I want to focus on ways to make positive changes to the H-1B program. The H-1B overhaul is an opportunity, not a threat, if done correctly. Beyond the rhetoric Im optimistic theres potential for Trump to implement a positive H-1B plan. One of his allies, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista), has a reasonable proposal that he introduced Jan. 4. H.R. 170, called the Protect and Grow American Jobs Act, would raise the minimum salary for exempt nonimmigrant H-1B workers from $60,000 to $100,000. It would also eliminate an exemption that allows companies to avoid the salary minimum if the candidate has a masters degree or higher. At least one Democrat shares Issas general perspective. On January 31, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) introduced a more nuanced bill, The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017. It would effectively raise the minimum exempt H-1B wage to $132,000, and its market-based allocation system would favor H-1B visas for candidates who are offered the highest wages, an indicator of their relative talent and value to the U.S. economy. Notably, the bill reserves 20 percent of the annual H-1B visas (now 85,000) for small and startup employers, defined as having 50 or fewer employees. Lofgren, too, calls for eliminating the masters degree exemption. Theres more to each bill, but based on those key points, I could see Issa and Lofgren reaching a bipartisan bill. They clearly have the same target: IT outsourcing firms. The lottery flood Ten years ago, when I moved from England to the Bay Area, startups were hiring exempt H-1Bs all the time. At my company Triplebyte, where we help businesses find technical talent, weve noticed that startups have stopped trying to hire H-1B workers. H-1Bs are simply a bad bet for startups. In 2016, 236,000 foreigners applied for H-1Bs, but only 85,000 get visas each year. When the number of applicants exceeds the limit, the government resorts to a lottery. Twenty thousand of those slots are reserved for foreigners who earned masters degrees or doctorates in the U.S. Therefore, if you sponsored an H-1B candidate with a bachelors degree -- at a minimum cost of $1,075 -- your chances were roughly one in four. The H-1B lottery is oversubscribed because outsourcing firms have learned that it pays to flood the system. Last March, Dawn Kawamoto from InformationWeek reported that in 2015, the top eight employers of H-1Bs took 49,539 out of the 85,000 visas available. The companies have a few important things in common. Six of the eight are headquartered abroad (five in India, one in Ireland). All but one paid a median wage in the $60,000 to $70,000 range, and the majority have faced criticism or legal action for favoring H-1Bs over U.S. workers. Essentially, the $60,000 minimum salary created a business plan. First, apply for as many H-1B applications as possible. Second, hire visa recipients at or near the minimum salary. Third, bill out H-1B workers far above their hourly wage to make a massive profit. Raising the minimum exempt H-1B wage to $100,000 or $132,000 would make it unprofitable for outsourcers to play this game. If outsourcers bowed out, startups would have significantly better odds of obtaining H-1B visas for foreign engineers, which they desperately need. Engineers and new jobs Outsourcing firms want the cheapest engineers that can fill desks, do grunt IT work, and never leave the company. A Silicon Valley company wants the best engineers and cant underpay them because competitors would poach them immediately. Thats why Lofgrens wage-based allocation system makes so much sense. Silicon Valley companies are already paying their H-1B engineers more than the minimum wage required under the current H-1B program and the new proposals. Why would they do this if they could find an equally qualified engineer locally? Why place that once-a-year bet on H-1Bs when youre growing fast and needed a new engineer yesterday? Trump needs to understand that if he blocks access to H-1B workers, he will starve American innovation. Engineers have a ripple effect in startups. Typically, they create new products, which attract customers and create work for marketers, salespeople and many other professionals. Shifting H-1Bs from outsourcers to startups would create new jobs in Americas tech hubs. Related: Should U.S. Visa Control Tighten, Here's How Overseas Tech Firms Might React A better H-1B program Technology startups, by definition, create innovation. Trump may have the fate of this American innovation in his hands. Silicon Valley has no monopoly on great ideas; the Bay Area is only as good as the talent it attracts. Issa and Lofgren offer a good starting point for changing the H-1B program to help startups. Id like to build on their proposals with a few ideas: 1. Minimize America-first hiring requirements. If startups could find all the talent they need in the U.S, they would. Startups survive by moving fast, so theyre intrinsically motivated to look locally first. Trumps draft proposal promises to . . . prioritize the protection of American workers. If that were implemented unreasonably -- by, for instance, forcing companies to prove they reviewed 50 American candidates before recruiting abroad -- the program would backfire. Onerous protectionism just forces companies to find alternatives and workarounds. Why keep your startup in the U.S. if you cant hire the engineers you need to compete effectively anyway? Related: Why It's Time to Reform the H-1B Visa Program 2. Use a dynamic minimum salary. Engineers in Silicon Valley command higher salaries than those in other areas. In Silicon Valley, the average is $147,220 versus $64,280 in Cheyenne, Wyo. Therefore, Lofgrens $132,000 minimum helps Silicon Valley while potentially making it impossible for other areas to afford H-1B talent. Im a strong advocate for Silicon Valley, but county-by-county minimums might help get broader buy-in for changing the program. Related: Charging a Startup with a VISA -- Just Not the Kind You Think 3. Divide H-1B into multiple categories. H-1B visas are for people in a specialty occupation, an ambiguous category. Workers ranging from software engineers and data scientists to teachers and artists apply for the same visa. If Trump (or Congress) carved H-1B into industry pools like Technology, Education, Finance, etc., the State Department could match quotas and salary minimums to the correct levels for each industry. It would be ironic if an Indian engineer, rejected by an H-1B program designed to safeguard American jobs, helped build the next Google in Bangalore and created 10,000 new jobs there instead. Depending on what happens in the next few days, that is a real possibility. If Trump overhauls the H-1B program to stop outsourcing firms from arbitraging foreign talent, great. Smart immigration policies help turned Silicon Valley into a magnet for the worlds best talent. Lets keep it that way. Related: Here's How to Fix the H-1B Visa Program to Drive Startup Growth 3 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Protect Employees From Trump's Immigration Executive Order 5 Ways Trump Can Impact The Indian Economy Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved To start your own business or not? That is the question. Serial entrepreneur, angel investor and philanthropist Gerard Adams wants to help you find the answer. Having been through great highs and lows in the entrepreneurial world, Adams knows from experience when it is time to go all in, and when it is time to step back and rethink. Adams' first major success came in 2012. After trying and failing at multiple businesses, he teamed up with Jonathon Francis and David Arabov to launch news platform Elitedaily.com. Within three years, the wildly popular site sold to The Daily Mail for $50,000,000. (Yes, a lot of zeroes in that number.) That success, along with many that followed, put Adams on Business Insiders list of the 100 Most Influential People in Silicon Alley. Dedicated and passionate about passing along insights to aspiring entrepreneurs, Adams created Fownders, a startup accelerator situated in the city he was raised in, Newark, N.J. Bringing tech and innovation brings me a sense of fulfillment that Ive never had in my entire career," Adams told Entrepreneur. "Its exciting how Newark is changing. Eataly just came to town, Whole Foods came to town, we just met with the mayor who is super behind everything that were doing. Newark is the next Silicon City. Related: Gerard Adams and Gary Vaynerchuk Discuss 'Real' Entrepreneurship We spoke to Adams about the innovative program at Fownders, what hes learned from past experiences and where he sees the future of entrepreneurship heading. Here are some of the takeaways from that conversation. Learning to be an entrepreneur the hard way. "Entrepreneurship today is a sought-after career path. When I first started, I didnt even call myself an entrepreneur. I dropped out of college my first semester and everyone looked at me as a typical failure. I was trying to make my parents proud by going to college but I looked at it -- being told what classes to take, the amount of debt Id be in -- and it wasnt for me. I dropped out and I had to find out the hard way what entrepreneurship entailed. It took me about 14 years of hustle and grind and getting the right mentors to learn about business, how to scale a business." Why Newark? "After being asked to speak about my journey in Silicon Valley and New York, I looked around at the incubators and accelerators and asked myself, 'Why dont we bring these resources back to the inner cities?' I wanted to create a platform that brought social-economic development to an area like Newark. I wasnt a kid who had everything handed to me. I had struggles early on and I know that you can have success regardless of where youre from. Not everybody can be a great entrepreneur, but a great entrepreneur can come from anywhere." Fownders' Fall 2016 team Don't doubt, pivot. "As an entrepreneur, youre going to get told 'no' 100 times. Youre going to constantly have people doubting you. Stick to your beliefs, but understand that everything you think youre going to create, youll need to adapt and pivot. Most ideas dont wind up as what you envisioned to be the final product. In the beginning, we tell everyone, 'Theres a good chance that your idea wont work. Are you going to have the ability to pivot and understand where the market is going?' Its not about what you think, it is about what your consumers want." Until you have value, you have nothing. "You might have a business, but you dont own shit if that business doesnt have a value. So youre going to need to sacrifice. Late nights, early mornings, weekends spent building your product and a team of people around you. If you are willing to do that for years and years, then you have a chance to succeed." The power of mentorship. "Ryan Blairs book, Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain, really hit home for me, especially after I lost millions during the recession, between 2008 and 2010. I lost my business and my money and Ryans book inspired me to push on. I wrote about him in an article, got him as an advisor when we started Elite Daily, and he became a dear friend and an investor. Because of his guidance, we were able to continue to scale Elite Daily and have an exit, and now we have a lifelong friendship. Hes a great mentor. Gary Vaynerchuk, someone else who is from New Jersey, hes been a mentor of mine." Related: What is Emotional Intelligence and Why Does it Matter? Where do ideas come from? "Ideas stem from solving problems. How many times have you seen a product or service and thought, 'Oh my God, why didnt I think of that?' Create something you wish existed. Or look at other peoples ideas and refine them. For Elite Daily, we didnt reinvent the wheel. We were getting our information from five or six publications and we thought, 'How can we find something that is more the voice of generation Y, that hits all of these verticals in a one-stop shop place?' So we created it ourselves. The idea is sitting right in front of you sometimes. What do you wish existed? Theres your idea." Related Gerard Adams on Success, Inspiration and Leadership Ask yourself this tough question. "How do you know if this is the idea you want to pursue? Forget about the money and ask yourself, 'Does it have true meaning and purpose?' Is it going to make an impact on the world and change peoples lives? If you can honestly say yes, then you have a higher purpose and at Fownders, thats when we think you are ready to go all in." What's the next big wave? "I think video technology and virtual reality are exploding fields right now. Personal branding is really exploding as well. Influencer marketing is so powerful, and weve coined something called 'social currency' and were helping some entrepreneurs leverage social media to build a community. A community can help generate ideas and business." Related: Gerard Adams and Lewis Howes on Entrepreneurship and Success The importance of community. "People live at Fownders and were developing an entire Fownders district right down the street here in Newark -- a production studio, an art gallery -- so much is happening. And with each new piece, we build a tighter-knit community. It really is a family now. Previously, as an entrepreneur, youre working in a coffee shop or your parents basement. At Fownders, youre sitting side-by-side with other ambitious and passionate people. Thats the secret sauce. Thats the intangible thing that makes this place special and the thing I wish existed when I first started out. Related: The Question All Entrepreneurs Need to Ask Themselves What It Means to Be an "Intrepreneur," According to This SVP 7 Simple Hacks That Will Radically Improve Your Productivity Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved The Navy on Wednesday put four AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat helicopters into service. The batch was part of eight of the European-made maritime helicopters the Navy purchased, a spokesman said. They were delivered in June last year. Another batch delivered in December will be put into service in July. Wildcat choppers carried on frigates will carry out combat missions against submarines and other ships as well as maritime patrol missions. The Navy the same day conducted a search and attack drill against submarines with three of the choppers in waters south of Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province. It believes they will boost its capability to detect North Korean submarines with ballistic missiles. Dont expect them in your size at Niketown, but Mark Wahlbergs ongoing love affair with Air Jordans has at least scored the Wahlberg brothers restaurant empire a very rare set of new kicks. The actor teased the shoes officially called the Wahlburgers x Jordan Formula 23 on Instagram yesterday. He helped with the design, which explains why the main color is a very Boston-St.-Paddys-Day shade of green: Their A&E show Wahlburgers actually hinted back in December that some sort of collaboration was coming. On his flight to meet Michael Jordan at Nike headquarters, Mark even spilled the beans on his plans to ask M.J. for a full-on Wahlburgers line: I wanna tell Phil Knight and Michael that, You know what, I want to do my own line of workout apparel for the everyday guy. Who knows if His Airness was feeling that idea, but Marks Instagram post ends on an optimistic note for at least the shoes (More to come ). Either way, big brother Paul can now challenge Mario Batali for the title of Undisputed Wearer of the Industrys Brightest Footwear. Part of the crowd at the rally that capped off the bodega strike. Photo: Google At noon today, more than 1,000 Yemeni-American bodegas, grocers, and other New York City businesses went on strike as a direct response to President Trumps executive order on immigration, which named Yemen as one of the seven nations from which immigrants and refugees are temporarily banned. The strike is unprecedented, and its organizers hope it will serve to bring more attention to a community that is not only overlooked, but is now feeling threatened in a very new way. I have U.S. citizens asking me, Am I going to get deported? says Zaid Nagi, a small-business owner who helped organize and promote the strike along with Debbie Almontaser, Widad Hassan, Summer Nasser, and Rabyaah Althaibani. Early last night, Nagi, a co-owner of 20 grocery and wireless stores in the Bronx, was distributing flyers for businesses participating in the strike, which he says came about in an organic, grassroots way. People started talking with friends and on Facebook, and eventually it was decided that they would shut down their businesses. (Todays strike will last until 8 p.m., and a rally will be held at Brooklyn Borough Hall at 5:15 p.m. that will include a call to prayer, as well as stories from grocers about how the ban has affected themselves and others afraid to come forward. ) Nagi an American citizen who moved to the United States when he was 12 says that it was the response to the executive order that has emboldened people to come forward. After the devastating executive order came in, we were shocked for a couple days, he explains. Then when we saw the whole nation erupt in defense of us, we felt safe to come out and that we have a story, a message, and our voice must be heard. Word spread through social media into last night, building tremendous momentum. Issam Hassan, who lives in Bay Ridge and works in Manhattan, found out about the strike yesterday afternoon. Like Nagi, he says that he felt encouraged by the protests that erupted across the country over the weekend. Before ten oclock yesterday evening, he says, everybody was posting about the strike on Facebook, informing their friends, and planning to join the movement, as well as and attend the rally. It marks a watershed moment of unity at a time when many people feel less safe. Since the election, Hassan says hes had run-ins with pro-Trump supporters in Bay Ridge, a neighborhood thats long been home to a substantial Arab-American community. Those individuals, he thinks, feel emboldened to express very hateful rhetoric around me. September 11 caused him to go through what he calls an identity crisis, and the executive order has given him a similar shock. Im not sure what the definition of immigrant and American is anymore, Hassan, who was born in Park Slope, says. It makes you feel like theres a pigment standard. You will always be viewed as an immigrant, an other, an outsider. At the store where he works, Hassan says, he and the staff took time to educate their customers on their closing. Bodegas are an integral part of the fabric of New York City, with their own culture and quirks. Closing them, even temporarily, is a significant statement. As Hassan points out, theyre pillars for our communities and are particularly important to low-income areas. I feel like when our customers, neighbors, community knows how were being affected, I think theyre going to see that its hitting very close to home, Hassan says. Its not just Yemeni-Americans, Iraqi-Americans, Iranian-Americans. Its your neighbor, your doctor, thats what were trying to show tomorrow. Thankfully were out here in large numbers in the bodega and convenience-store business. Thats just one way we can make it more transparent. Looking forward to his grilling. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Andy Puzder yesterday reassured reporters yet again that hes really looking forward to his cabinet hearing, but the possibility of it being the nastiest confirmation fight yet seems to grow almost daily: Senators Elizabeth Warren and Patty Murray, two of his loudest critics for Labor secretary, have now produced a report of their own called Charbroiled: Workers Tell All About Life Under Puzder that contains ten pages of firsthand accounts from Carls Jr. and Hardees workers. Their stories are not what youd call complimentary of their employer, parent company CKE Restaurants. The report explains they surveyed employees about whether [Puzder] stands up for them in order to determine whether he is qualified and capable of standing up for Americas workers. The senators conclusion is even more solidly No than it was before the report, because the employees all described a remarkably similar terrible workplace at both chains. Some of the highlights: When I started [in 2006], I made $5.85 an hour and the only wage increases I ever received were due to the federal minimum wage increases. Working at CKE means being constantly afraid. Managers are afraid of getting fired if they dont work enough time off the clock to meet all their budgets. My sugar level was so low that I passed out and when my son found me, he called my manager and said that I was not able to work that day. My manager retaliated and suspended me for four days. And then they terminated me. Myself and many others at our location have come to work sick like really sick. Managements response is that if we cant find someone to take our shift, we must come in, no matter how sick we are. I can recall multiple instances when the cooks in the back would be puking off into the garbage can and then finish up an order. Employees routinely worked while having pneumonia. A supervisor also had inappropriate interactions with me when I first started working there. Once, he just grabbed me and kissed me while we were cleaning in the back. Puzders confirmation hearing was postponed for the fourth time on Tuesday. It had previously been scheduled for January 12, January 17, February 2, and February 7. An aide to Senator Lamar Alexander, the Republican who chairs the committee overseeing Puzders hearing, told the AP this keeps happening because Puzder has yet to provide key paperwork (i.e., financial disclosures, a plan for avoiding conflicts of interest if allowed into office, etc.). Earlier reports had indicated he might be getting cold feet, but a spokesman says divesting his assets is a complex process, and theyre working on it now. Vets say you cant miss them because they wear flags on their aprons. Photo: Starbucks Starbucks has rolled out a group of ex-military baristas to fire back at Trump supporters who continue making the fanciful claim that the chain doesnt care about jobless veterans. The claim has sort of become the #BoycottStarbucks crowds default response to CEO Howard Schultzs news that theyll hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years. Even though Starbucks pointed out its ahead of schedule with its plan to hire 10,000 veterans by 2020, theyre demanding the chain help veterans instead. The group that released todays statement Starbucks Armed Forces Network has actually been around for ten years, and exists for no other purpose than to support the vets and their spouses employed by the company. The group wanted to, in its words, officially correct the false and inaccurate statements about Starbuckss commitment to hiring veterans: We respect honest debate and the freedom of expression. Many of us served to protect that very right. Some of our brothers and sisters died protecting it. But to those who would suggest Starbucks is not committed to hiring veterans, we are here to say: check your facts, Starbucks is already there. The group reminds critics that Starbucks has hired more than 8,800 veterans in less than four years, none of which would have been possible without our bosss very personal commitment. Schultz has literally written a book called, For Love of Country: What Our Veterans Can Teach Us About Citizenship, Heroism, and Sacrifice, and his family foundation runs a program called Onward Veterans that he pledged $30 million to in 2014. At the time, he said it was important because he saw war vets coming home to an American public that really doesnt understand, and never embraced, what these people have done. The HTC 10 has had its fair share of problems regarding the update to Android Nougat in Europe, with the rollout starting, then being halted, then starting again only for it to be paused once more last month. At the moment it's still in that state, unfortunately. There is however some good news out of HTC for that region today, as the company has announced that the Nougat update for the One M9 is now going out. This is headed to devices that were purchased from mainland Europe, Turkey, and South Africa, with more countries and regions to follow soon. As you may know, unlocked units purchased in the US have received the same update in December of last year. The information is as official as it can be, since it comes straight from the Twitter account of Graham Wheeler, HTC's Product and Service Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He has also promised to deliver some news regarding the re-release of the update for the HTC 10 "in the next few days". Hopefully that will be good news, but we'll have to wait and see. Source Samsungs Tizen OS is heading towards Version 4.0 and it will debut .NET integration. This will enable more developers to jump on the platform since it can bring over developers from the Microsoft camp (.NET is a Microsoft technology similar to Java and was used in Windows, both desktop and mobile). Tizen 4.0 Preview 3 will launch next month and a near-final version should come out in September. This will support both ARM and x86 processors. .NET Standard 2.0 with Xamarin.Forms 2.5.0 (or higher) can be used (this is a GUI toolkit that works on anything from a Mac to a Tizen phone). Performance is expected to surpass the current web apps used in Tizen starting with Preview 3. So, you can expect your fridge apps to run faster. 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A recurring problem in Haiti for all cities that organize a major cultural event. The Mayor of the Cayes, Gabriel Fortune said that all standards combined, there are hotel rooms in 16 of the 18 municipalities of the department but that he was looking for 2,000 additional rooms among the inhabitants to welcome all visitors. On this subject and in support of the efforts of the Mayor, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Industries launched a NOTICE : Important Notice : "In order to increase the accommodating capacity of the national carnival which will take place in Les Cayes , from 26th to 28th February 2017, under the theme 'N'ap Danse, N'ap Konstwi', the Ministry of Tourism asks all those who would have a comfortable room to rent during the carnival period, go to the carnival office which is located on the 2nd main street (near the Place d'armes of Les Cayes) , or they can call the following numbers to register : 3933 9091 and 4170 6464. An inspector will accompany you to make a visit." Concerning the budget of the Carnival National 2017, Mayor Fortune said that this was the responsibility of the Organizing Committee, while evoking an estimated amount of 85 million Gourdes, waiting for details by the president of the Committee Sergo Chery. TB/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping politics... Guy Philippe, registration in the Senate The General Secretariat of the Senate has produced a certificate dated 31 January 2017 which "hereby certify and attests to have received from the lawyers of the elected Senator Guy Philippe the documents required by Article 7 of the Interior regulation as part of the fulfillment of registration formalities in the Senate of the Republic." Senator Wilfrid Gelin takes the oath This week Senator Wilfrid Gelin, who was the subject of an administrative investigation by the Provisional Electoral Council, following accusations rejected, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19918-haiti-flash-cep-s-decision-on-senator-wilfrid-gelin-phtk.html was sworn in the Senate, swearing to fulfill its task, to maintain and safeguard the rights of the Haitian people and to be faithful to the Constitution before receiving the two-color scarf. Paris agreement ratified Wednesday the parliament met in national assembly for a session of ratification of important international instruments "The Paris Agreement [signed in April 2016] https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17231-haiti-environment-dieuseul-desras-to-the-signing-ceremony-of-the-paris-agreement-cop21.html has just been ratified by the Haitian National Assembly [90 votes for, 0 against and 4 abstentions]," announced Simon Dieuseul Desras, Minister of the Environment Senate, D-1 preliminary results Wednesday, Robenson Cherilus, the Director of the Voting Tabulation Center (CTV), announced that 87.28% of the minutes for the 1/3 of the Senate are already proceeded. However, he reported that some 30 minutes had not yet been forwarded to the CTV, but that the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) was keeping the expected date of publication of the partial results, Friday 3 February. Danilo Medina at the investiture The National Palace in Santo Domingo confirmed that Dominican President Danilo Medina will attend the inauguration of the elected President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise on 7 February. Participation between 19 and 20% ? The national electoral observation consortium, composed of organizations such as RNDDH, SOFA, CONHANE and CNO, estimates between 19% and 20% the turnout in the elections of 29 January 2017 See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19984-haiti-elections-preliminary-review-in-figures-of-the-ocid.html Bill on the identification of children The Senator of Northwest, Onondieu Louis filed this week a draft law on identification of children at birth. HL/ HaitiLibre Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 12:22, 4 NOV 2022 The public broadcaster also announced that an additional 35 positions will be eliminated through natural attrition and that 17 employees will be transferred to other duties within the organisation. YLE is set to lay off 63 members of its design and production departments in order to increase its content purchases from independent production companies as per requirements imposed by a parliamentary working group. YLE was initially intent on making redundant 145 of the 466 people employed in the design and production departments. YOT, the association of programme employees at the public broadcaster, has expressed its disapproval with the announced lay-offs, pointing out that they are all but unprecedented in the media industry of Finland. The lay-offs are one of the biggest in the history of Finnish media, even though the number was reduced substantially in the negotiations, a YOT spokesperson states. YOT argues that the lay-offs are untimely especially because of the manpower requirements arising from the upcoming municipal elections and the events organised to commemorate the centenary of Finnish independence. It is also known that more consultative negotiations will be launched during the course of the spring. This is an indication of illogical planning and lack of respect for employees, the spokesperson says. Arto Satonen (PS), the chairperson of the parliamentary working group that presented its conclusions in October, 2016, reminds in an interview with Uusi Suomi that the objective of the content purchase requirement is not to reduce the number of employees but to improve the operating environment of the media industry in Finland. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Martti Kainulainen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi The erroneous and misleading coverage has according to the press release damaged the reputation of the Defence Forces. The Finnish Defence Forces reveals in a press release that it has submitted a letter to YLE requesting that the public broadcasting company retract coverage of its alleged treatment of dual Finnish-Russian citizens. Such concerns were echoed by Jussi Niinisto (PS), the Minister of Defence, in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday. Niinisto also reiterated his assessment that the public broadcaster may have been the victim of a disinformation campaign. YLE on Tuesday reported that the Finnish Defence Forces has introduced classified guidelines designed to prevent dual citizenship holders from advancing to positions with access to classified or sensitive security information. The Finnish Defence Forces is adamant that its procedures are in compliance with the current legislation. The Defence Forces does not discriminate against conscripts or employees based on language, religion, nationality, race, gender or opinions. If anyone inside the Defence Forces had issued such instructions, they would have exceeded their powers, it states. Riikka Venalainen, an editor-in-chief at YLE, confirmed that the broadcasting company has received the retraction request. Venalainen in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat expressed her confidence in both the credibility of the sources cited in the story and the accuracy of the story. YLE, she revealed, has not only several independent sources corroborating that such guidelines exist but has also had access to the written documents. We've also confirmed that all of the sources are credible, she said to the newspaper. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Jaaskelainen had received almost two dozen complaints suggesting that Sipila should have disqualified himself from the decision-making process. The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Petri Jaaskelainen, has ruled in favour of Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) in a case related to a decision to capitalise Terrafame Group, a state-owned nickel and zinc miner. The complaints were lodged after it emerged that the state-owned miner had awarded a half-a-million euro contract to Katera Steel, an engineering company owned by the children and uncles of Sipila, shortly after receiving the cash injection. Katera Steel's business operations and their continuation, however, were not dependent on receiving the contract, according to the ruling. Five per cent of shares in the engineering company were at the time owned by the children and the remaining 95 per cent by the uncles of Sipila. His children divested their stake in the Katera Steel in January, reports YLE. Jaaskelainen also determined that there was no interrelation between the decision to capitalise Terrafame and the decision to award the contract to Katera Steel. The order, he explained, would have had to be placed also in the event that the central administration had decided to pull the plug on the mining operation. The Parliamentary Ombudsman has for the aforementioned reasons concluded that the decision to capitalise Terrafame Group provided no expected or special benefit to the children of Sipila, he stated. The Prime Minister consequently was under no obligation, as defined in the Administrative Procedure Act, to disqualify himself from the decision-making process related to the capitalisation of Terrafame Group. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Kimmo Rauatmaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Some under-pressure GP practices in north Dublin are refusing to provide free care to children under the age of six because they are already struggling with over-capacity. Only one general practice out of three in Balbriggan has signed up to the State scheme for free GP care. Dr John Ferguson of the Bracken Clinic told the Herald that his practice simply does not have the capacity to take on the extra workload. He also believes that other practices around the country had only signed up to it out of fear they would lose patients. "It's a huge failure on behalf of the Government for setting up this scheme and for promoting it the way they did. Criticism "We've always strived in the Bracken Clinic to provide a good quality service to our patients but it's now become impossible," he said. The introduction of free GP care was a key element of the Government's overall health reforms, however it has been dogged with criticism ever since it was rolled out in July 2015. "We weren't in a good position to sign the contract because of the increased workload that we anticipated. But instead of taking the scheme on board I decided to reduce my fees by half," Dr Ferguson said. "The contract was really forced upon us. We had no say as GPs and no consultation or input into it. This is the reason why I had a huge problem with it. "I know that there were plenty of other general practises who reluctantly signed the contact out of fear that they'd lose patients. I was initially worried that we were going to lose families but thankfully this was not the case," he said. Dr Ferguson added that he will consider signing up to the under-six scheme once his practice moves to the Balbriggan Primary Care Centre in April. "When we move we will have more resources and be more likely to sign up to the contract, under consultation with patients and staff," he added. Fingal TD Louise O'Reilly has raised this issue in the Dail. "[Balbriggan] has a very young population and we can expect to see a surge in the number of children under six in the next couple of years," she said. "Parents cannot find a doctor willing to take them and, therefore, they cannot register. This is an everyday occurrence. "Their children do not have access to the GP services that the Minister and the people who sit on that side of the House were congratulating each other on granting. "The GPs are already overburdened. They do a fantastic job but they are only human. They are up to the limit of their capacity. We need to incentivise general practitioners to go to the areas they are needed and we must have salaried GPs if that is what is necessary. Useless "In the short term, we need to reimburse people who, through no fault of their own, are forced to attend and pay for GP services for children under six. "It is utterly useless to people in Balbriggan who cannot register with their GP and who are left without these vital services," she added. According to the latest figures from the HSE, 2,274 GPs have signed up to the under-six scheme. This represents 93pc of the 2,452 with General Medical Services contracts. Health Minister Simon Harris recently told the Herald that he was committed to introducing free GP care for all children. However, he said he would expand the scheme to under-12s only when he reached agreement with doctors on a new GP contract. John and Darren Gilligan arriving at the Four Courts in Dublin Twisted drug trafficker John Gilligan embarked on a bizarre rant during which he said he prays for Veronica Guerin - the journalist brutally gunned down by his own gang. In a shocking exchange with the Herald, the deluded gangster also boasted about his good health and arrogantly insisted that his conviction for drug trafficking was not based on "proper charges". Gilligan made the sick comments just minutes before his appeal against the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) seizure of his last three remaining properties in Ireland failed. The crime boss spent 17 years in jail and has escaped two attempts on his life since his release in 2014. "I pray for Veronica Guerin. I often do," he said ahead of yesterday's landmark ruling. The pint-sized gangster said he does not know any of the criminals currently engaged in Dublin's gangland activity. He also said he would be setting up his own Facebook page in the coming weeks to counter a number of fake ones that already exist. Fighting Before the ruling, Gilligan had been in a buoyant mood. Arriving early, he declined to make any comment, but then told the Herald he had spent more than 20 years in a battle for his rights. "Twenty-one years. Twenty-one years I've been fighting for my rights," Gilligan said. He then handed the Herald a copy of the original charge sheet from 1997, which was used to convict him of drug trafficking, and questioned its basis in law. "They're my charges that I got convicted on. 'An unknown date.' Read that, why didn't you print that in the paper? It's the truth. It's an official document," he said. "A conviction from the courts. 'On a date unknown'. How can you defend [in court] a date unknown between a six-month period, from the first day of January 1995 to the 30th day of June 1995?" As he continued complaining about the charge sheet in his bizarre rant, he pointed to a highlighted piece of text on the page. "On a date unknown you did import cannabis," he read aloud. "Not even an amount - and then they broke that down to five times over two-and-a-half years. How can you defend that [in court] over two-and-a-half years? They're not even proper charges," he said. Gilligan then explained in detail, with full recollection of dates over the last two decades outlining court decisions and appeals, why he thought the CAB and garda cases against him were flawed. Before he learned of the Supreme Court ruling, Gilligan would not comment on what he would do if he lost the case. Asked about his health, he said he "couldn't be better". "The only pains I have are growing pains. I have no lasting injuries," he said. Gilligan also said that he would set up his own Facebook page in the coming weeks. "There are loads out there already pretending to be mine, using pictures you put in the papers, but I'll do my own one and take my own picture," he said. Gilligan then brought up the subject of Veronica Guerin without being prompted. He falsely claimed that she had planned to give up journalism before her muder in 1996 and take on a project writing a movie script based on gangland crime in Ireland. "With no disrespect to the girl, I pray for Veronica. I often do," he said. Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin was shot dead as she drove back to Dublin from Naas District Court on June 26, 1996. Gilligan was acquitted of her murder, but was eventually convicted of drug trafficking in 2001. D-Day Yesterday was D-Day for the Gilligan family after a long battle with the CAB, who had already sold off his massive Jessbrook equestrian centre in Kildare and a house in Lucan for 870,000. He was fighting to hold on to a bungalow beside the equestrian centre where he has been holed up with his wife, Geraldine, for a number of months, a former family home on Corduff Avenue in Blanchardstown, and another house in Willsbrook View in Lucan. When the panel of five judges entered the Supreme Court and everyone was asked to stand, Gilligan gave his wife a 'thumbs-up'. However, within a minute he had lost his grip on the properties and the CAB had won. "I am satisfied that the Gilligans are not entitled to succeed in the Greendale motions," was the opening line he heard. The five-judge court said the Gilligans had not established that a previous Supreme Court decision of 2008 came within rare or exceptional circumstance in which a final judgment may be set aside. Breach To do so, it would have been necessary to show that, through no fault of their own, they had been the subject of a breach of constitutional rights, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne said. "There is nothing extraneous in the circumstances of this case going to the very root of the fair and constitutional administration of justice, which would necessitate the setting aside of the judgment of the Supreme Court of 2008", she added. Speaking after the ruling, a CAB investigator said it was a fantastic result. "It is because of Gilligan and the murder of Veronica Guerin that the CAB was set up. He is the reason we exist," he said. "Now he has tested the law surrounding CAB to the very ends and in every court in the land it means he has copper-fastened our existence and it will make us more successful in seizing the assets of criminals and criminal gangs in the future. "The Supreme Court ruling can be used as precedent now. Gilligan frustrated the system for twenty years but he has lost, and more like him will lose as a result," he added. "The Bureau acknowledges the dedication, throughout the years, of the officers and staff, solicitor and counsel, and those who have contributed to finalising this issue. A spokesman said: "This case shows the determination and dedication of the Criminal Assets Bureau to deny and deprive people of the proceeds of crime." Dublin's reach in terms of economic activity is now big enough to extend into 11 counties. A report to be released today reveals that half of population growth in the last two decades has been largely centred on our capital city. It paints a grim picture for rural Ireland and the knock-on effects, including long commutes to Dublin city for work and lengthy journeys to avail of basic services such as healthcare. Employment is centred on an increasingly "smaller number of areas" while new homes are "spread out", according to the Ireland 2040 document. The report says many built-up areas, stretching north from Cavan, south to Wexford and east to Longford, are effectively Dublin commuter towns. It will be launched by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Housing Minister Simon Coveney. Pressures According to the document, Dublin generates some 49pc of national economic growth - way above the London figure of 32pc. Failure to address growth in the 'Dublin City-Region' may risk competitiveness and the ability to attract companies in the wake of Brexit, it warns. Dublin's success as a city-region is a double-edged sword, the report says. "It has enabled Ireland to compete in an international context but such success has also given rise to pressures in areas such as housing, transport and infrastructural requirements, which affect competitiveness. If Dublin is under-performing, Ireland is under-performing. "Should the Dublin City-Region suffer a loss of competitiveness and become a less attractive place in which to invest as a result of housing and infrastructural bottlenecks, investment and influence will inevitably be attracted to other similar city-regions in Europe or elsewhere." Scattered The report comes after the Government unveiled its Action Plan for Jobs and the recent launch of a programme to develop rural Ireland. "There has been an increasing concentration of population and economic activity in the east of the country, with much of the growth associated with Dublin being accommodated in 10 other counties, extending from Cavan to Wexford," the report adds. "We know that present trends take us to an Ireland where around three-quarters of the extra population and homes will happen on the eastern side of the country, much of it clustered around but not necessarily happening in our capital city. "This will further exacerbate massive and increasingly unmanageable sprawl of housing areas, scattered employment and car-based commuting, presenting major challenges around lop-sided development, under-utilised potential, congestion and adverse impacts on people's lives and the environment." Washington County football: Wildcats, Warriors open playoffs with victories Williamsport and Boonsboro will play in the second round of the Class 2A-1A West playoffs after victories Friday night. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services, to personalize ads and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. 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No one under 18 can enter our giveaways. No purchase is necessary. All winners have one week to claim their prize. USA shipping only. Offer void where prohibited. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ It is good to see in the budget an attempt to increase transparency in electoral funding. While my first reaction is indeed positive, I do feel that though it may be a good beginning, it does not go far enough. The most significant fact is the finance minister acknowledging that transparent method of funding political parties is vital to the system of free and fair elections and that even 70 years after Independence the country has not been able to evolve one. He also rightly acknowledges that political parties continue to receive most of their funds through anonymous donations which are shown in cash. The finance minister goes on to say, An effort, therefore, is required to be made to cleanse the system of political funding in India. Yes, quite an effort! The question is whether the steps proposed are commensurate with the gravity of the problem as acknowledged. Read: President supports note ban, pitches for electoral reforms in R-day eve address The reduction of cash donation limits by any individual from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2000 is most welcome. But people are asking why not every transaction which is expected of a vegetable vendor and auto driver? It is good to see at least one proposal of the election commission getting approved. Normally, ECs proposals keep gathering dust on governments tables, if they are not rejected outright. The inclusion of this reform in the budget is in fact a formal adoption of a proposal which PM had recently accepted publicly. The only other step is the proposal to issue electoral bonds which the donors could purchase from authorised banks. These bonds will be redeemable only in the designated account of a registered party. Whether these donations will be in public domain is not clear. Till now, all donations above Rs.20,000 are disclosed by the political parties to EC. Hopefully donation through bonds would be disclosed to EC as well. The operational details would be known only after the scheme is framed by the government of India. The devil, as they say, is in the detail. Hope none is hidden here. I take these two measures as the first small step. For me the most significant thing is the government putting electoral reforms, especially transparency of political funding, high on its agenda. The ideal solution would be to set up a National Electoral Fund to which all donors can openly contribute without expressing any preference for any political party. The funds could then be allocated to all registered political parties in proportion to the votes obtained. This will also address the donors concern for secrecy. Read: For cleaner polling, its time to push through big bang electoral reforms Will this fund be enough for political parties? It can be ensured that all political parties end up getting as much as they are receiving now from the present opaque and often dubious means. By a simple calculation, Rs.100 for every vote obtained would generate nearly 6000 crore after every election. Once public funding of political parties is ensured, private donations must be totally banned. And since public funds will be involved, there must be an annual audit by CAG or an auditor approved by it. Several recent measures of the Prime Minister seem to lead towards electoral reforms. First it was the PMs call for simultaneous elections in view of the repeated overwhelming costs. Then came demonetisation with the stated objective of rooting out the monster of black money from the economy. Then the direction to all his party legislators to disclose all their bank transactions. Beginning withhis own party sends a good signal. Let the prime minister take his express concern for political corruption to its logical conclusion with complete range of electoral reforms. He will have the nations support. SY Quraishi is former chief election commissioner and the author of An Undocumented Wonder - The Making of the Great Indian Election The alleys are created. The booths are set. And Delhi is ready to convert itself into the art capital of the world, for its time for the India Art Fair. Brimming with aesthetics and creativity, the event, in its ninth edition, has attracted 72 Indian and international galleries. Six leading Nepali artists will also display their works in the fair. The cultural discourse in South Asia will be highlighted at the speakers forum, which will have artists, curators, critics, administrators, academics, and collectors discuss about different aspects of art. In addition this year, therell be an Art Projects programme, spanning across outdoor and indoor spaces. This includes 16 especially-curated projects by artists such as Mithu Sen, Thukral and Tagra, Sudarshan Shetty and Hemant Sreekumar. A hand-coloured black and white print, Night Prowl, by Rajesh Soni on display at the Tasveer Arts booth at the fair. A newly-curated space, by Dr Annapurna Garimella, titled Vernacular in Flux that will present vernacular art on Gond, Madhubani and Mysore paintings, will appeal to visitors. Building on the success of Platform last year, and the positive reception it received, we are bringing back this significant section for the 2017 edition of the fair too. This year Platform participants include Britto Arts Trust (Dhaka, Bangladesh), Nepal Art Council (Kathmandu, Nepal), Theertha International Artists Collective (Colombo, Sri Lanka) and Blueprint 12 (New Delhi, India), says Neha Kirpal, founding director, India Art Fair. Storyteller Devi, a mixed-media art work by Vinita Dasgupta at Art Lounge Gallery. Film buffs must keep an eye for the Film Programme, curated by Godrej India Culture Lab with Avijit Mukul Kishore and Rohan Shivkumar. Art on Film is an intersection between film-making and visual arts in India from the 1960s till today. Meanwhile, we tell you what to look out for and where. Catch It Live What: India Art Fair 2017 Where: NSIC Grounds, Okhla On till: February 5 Timings: 11am to 7pm Nearest Metro Station: Govind Puri on Violet Line An akhara photograph in Tigri by Namrata Alex and Soaib at Evidence Room: A Retrospective of Negotiating Routes. Some collateral events around the city: Evidence Room: A Retrospective Of Negotiating Routes, a group show by 12 artists at Khoj Studios, S-17, Khirkee Extension The Open Hand, different international projects at 24, Jor Bagh Dreams of the Mind, by contemporaray Hungarian artists at Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, 1/A Janpath Horizon: Against Nature in collaboration with Artium Basque Museum of Contemporary Art at Instituto Cervantes, 48, Hanuman Road, CP SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal led the final assault of his party by concluding his campaign for the Punjab assembly elections in the Hindu-dominated Ludhiana Central segment, on Thursday. The strategy was not lost on anyone, as the party has been beset with allegations of siding with Sikh radicals, particularly after Tuesdays alleged terror blasts in Maur,Bathinda. Earlier, at a press conference, he was visibly angry at a reporters question about his overnight stay at an ex-militants house in Moga. Punjab ke logon ko aatankwadi kehna band karo; bakwas band karo! (Stop calling people of Punjab terrorists. Stop this nonsense!), he thundered. Waves report on sacrilege However, he continued his tirade against the ruling SAD-BJP combine, particularly the Badals, over the issue of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in 2015. He waved what he claimed was a copy of the Zora Singh Commission report into the incidents and alleged that the Badal government had suppressed facts. he said he had procured the report not made public yet but covered widely by media through sources last year from a well-wisher on Wednesday night. He dodged the question as to why he had not visited families of the Maur blast victims admitted in Ludhiana, he said party leader Sanjay Singh had visited them. Later, he held a road show from Samrala Chowk to Jagraon Bridge, particularly seeking to woo traders and migrants, who in the shadow of the Bathinda bomb blasts are reportedly scared of return of militancy. Starting at 1.30 pm, he rode an open jeep with allies Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjeet Singh Bains of the Lok Insaaf Party. Accompanied by a cavalcade of 30-odd cars, 15 cycle rickshaws, and hundreds of supporters on foot as part of the crowd that went hysterical, Kejriwal waved to one and all. Traders the target Traders were on the slogan radar: Niklo bahar dukaanon se, milo Arvind Kejriwal se (Come out of your shops, and meet Arvind Kejriwal). The show passed through the citys busiest and the congested Chaura Bazaar. A song played on the loudspeakers targeting the Akalis went: Chitta kurta, neeli pagg; rehen ni dena Badal thagg! (Wearing white kurta, blue turban, Badal the thug will not be spared!) Shopkeepers could be seen clicking selfies as Kejriwals vehicle passed by. Kejriwal was all smiles as he greeted voters with folded hands. Sushma Batta, who works in a cycle manufacturing firm and was part of the roadshow, said she had come in support of the Bains brothers, and as they are in alliance with the AAP her vote will naturally be with Kejriwal. I am no fan of Kejriwal, but the Bains brothers have really worked for us, she said. Anil Goyal, owner of a cloth shop, said he came out to witness the enthusiasm but his vote is with the Congress. AAP is only playing negative politics, he said. The roadshow then moved in front of the Ludhiana railway station, bringing traffic to a halt. Even the vehicles belonging to AAP supporters had a tough time wading through the traffic as those on foot clogged the road. At Jagraon Bridge, just after 4pm, Kejriwal and the Bains brothers garlanded to the statues of martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal addressed a rally in Dakha where he made an attempt to woo the rural electorate. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi accused AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of helping forces who want to disturb Punjabs peace on Thursday, just two days before the state goes to election that is expected to see a three-way contest. Gandhi made the comments during a rally in Ballian village in Sangrur district, where he is trying to woo voters in the Malwa region that has 69 seats out of total 117 seats in the assembly. On the last day of the poll campaign, the Congress leader said Kejriwal was promoting elements that were against Punjab and voters should keep in mind who they vote for, as the Aam Aadmi Party leader and Sikh radicals will hijack the progressive agenda of Punjab. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi addressing a gathering at Ballian village, Sangrur on Thursday. (Bharat Bhushan/HT Photo) He also said the twin blasts that killed at least six people at Maur Mandi in Bathinda on Tuesday nigh, was a chilling reminder of the black days in the northern state. The most important thing is the atmosphere you live in. If that atmosphere gets spoiled, violence starts or anger prevails, then the work of farmers, labourers, weaker sections suffers, entire state suffers, Gandhi said. And Arvind Kejriwal is backing the perpetrators of the blast. He is allowing them to contest elections. This is very dangerous for Punjab. If these elements gain strength in Punjab, then it will hijack all the development issues, he said at the rally. The explosions just ahead of February 4 polls sparked a no-holds-barred blame game, with the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress accusing the AAP of involvement in the incident. The AAP, however, demanded interrogation of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for the blasts. Linking the forces behind the blasts with the AAP, the ruling Badals alleged that the Khalistani separatist groups were supporting the AAP to form the next government and disturb peace in the state. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said chief minister Parkash Singh Badals rival candidate from Lambi, AAPs Jarnail Singh, had addressed a public meeting of the Khalistani groups in London a year back. Gandhis comments came days after Captain Amarinder Singh blamed Kejriwal for promoting extremist forces such as the Khalistan Commando Force (KCF). Even if AAP is not directly involved in the bomb explosion, Amarinder said, it was clearly promoting extremist ideology and forces. Kejriwal does not care who lives or dies, Amarinder said. Rahul breaks bread Rahul Gandhi interacted with the residents of Ballian village, Sangrur on Thursday. (Bharat Bhushan/HT Photo) During his visit to Punjab, the Congress vice-president along with party candidate Vijay Inder Singla ate with villagers at Ballians community kitchen. Gandhi also tried to strike a chord with villagers and Dalits as atrocities on them is one of the major issues in Sangrur and central Malwa. Dressed in blue denims, white kurta and a half jacket, Gandhi sat on a wooden cot, flanked by the village headman and council members, and interacted with the residents of Ballian village. He later shared a traditional meal with commoners and party leaders at the Sanjha Chulha (common kitchen) put up by the villagers. Read | Maur blasts: Survivors, witnesses recall moment of horror Dressed in blue denims, white kurta and a half jacket, Gandhi sat on a wooden cot, flanked by the village headman and council members, and interacted with the residents of Ballian village. He later shared a traditional meal with commoners and party leaders at the Sanjha Chulha (common kitchen) put up by the villagers. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The campaign for the assembly elections in Punjab and Goa, billed as the first major test of the Modi governments popularity post-demonetisation, ended on Thursday. The gruelling campaign concluded for all the 117 seats of Punjab and 40 of the coastal state of Goa on Thursday evening ahead of the February 4 single-phase polling in the two states where BJP is in power. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who has not been keeping well, did not campaign for the party and the task of spearheading the partys drive was left to heir apparent and vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party held rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh, finance minister Arun Jaitley and defence minister Manohar Parrikar in the two states.. Punjab, where the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine has been in power over the last decade, saw bitter exchanges between it and two other major contenders for power -- Congress and AAP over drug menace, corruption and law and order. Read| Punjab assembly elections: Campaigning comes to a high-voltage end in state BJP president Amit Shah addresses a BJP rally in Vasco town, Goa. (PTI File Photo) Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party is contesting assembly elections in both the states, where BJP and Congress have been traditional political rivals, for the first time and is said to be a potential contender for power. Apart from the drug menace, the contentious SYL canal issue and sacrilege of holy books of Sikhs were among the major issues flagged by electoral rivals. Prime Minister Modi held two elections rallies in Jalandhar and Kotkapura in the state where he flagged the issue of threat from Pakistan to seek votes for SAD-BJP combine, which he claims alone could provide a stable government that would guarantee safety and security of the state. Read| Punjab election: Rahul Gandhi says Arvind Kejriwal helping forces who want to disturb peace Rahul Gandhi took Congress campaign to the pocket boroughs of the ruling Badal clan, including Lambi, Majitha and Jalalabad, to target it over alleged corruption, playing dynastic politics and promoting drugs and mining mafia. The AAP, which had won four Lok Sabha seats in 2014, has plunged into the contest whole-heartedly with Arvind Kejriwal criss-crossing large parts of the state. It has fielded candidates in all the 117 seats and is expected to fare well. After initial dithering, Rahul Gandhi declared the Patiala royal family scion Amarinder Singh Congress chief ministerial face. Amarinder, 74, has already announced it would be his last election. Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh at an election rally for party candidate from Rampur Phula, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, in Mehraj, Bathinda. (PTI Photo) A clutch of AAP leaders including Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Bhagwant Mann, a potential candidate for chief ministership if the party wins, added heft to the partys campaign. In Goa, where the BJP is facing a rival in a rebel RSS leader, the party has not projected incumbent chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar as their chief ministerial candidate and has hinted at a Manohar Parrikars return to the hot seat, apparently to cash in on his enduring popularity in the state. Read| Goa election: 156 crorepatis will contest assembly polls 2017 In a major seizure, the election commission-appointed surveillance teams seized over 7 lakh tablets and capsules worth over Rs 38 lakh in Hoshiarpur on Wednesday. The seizure included 7,19,000 capsules of Tramadol, 17,888 tabs of Tramadol, 52,400 tablets of Alprazolam, 8,400 tablets of Chlotdiazepoxide and 226 kits of Mifepristone, an official spokesman of the state election office said. It was one of the biggest haul of illegal pharmaceutical drugs in the state, he said. EC teams along with the district drug inspectors were involved in the raid on an unlicensed shop in a local market, the the spokesman added. Polling is scheduled on February 4 in the state. If theres one thing common between both Congress and the BJP in Uttarakhand, its their failure to prevent rebel party members from contesting against their state presidents. BJP state president Ajay Bhatt is locked in a fierce battle at Ranikhet in Almora district, well aware that he had beat rival Congress candidate Karan Mahara by just 78 votes in the 2012 polls. He can only hope that fortune favours him this time too, given that he has one more competitor district panchayat member and party rebel Pramod Nainwal to contend with. As Nainwal is a Brahmin, just like Bhatt, he may eat into votes from the community. The BJP has taken strong action against a number of party members who refused to withdraw their candidature in favour of official candidates. State general secretary Naresh Bansal recently issued a letter sacking 17 rebels from primary membership of the party for six years. On Thursday, the Congress expelled 23 rebels from primary membership for six years. The party will take appropriate action (against the rebels), spokesperson MD Joshi had said earlier. Congress rebel Arvendra Sharma had lost by a margin of over 4,000 votes to his BJP rival in 2012. Though he was seen as a probable candidate in the Muslim-dominated seat, the party eventually picked PCC president Kishore Upadhyay over him. Congress crisis managers from New Delhi have been camping in Dehradun for the last few days. They had earlier succeeded in placating rebel candidates in four other seats, the most significant among them being party general secretary Shilpi Arora. Arora had filed her papers against chief minister Harish Rawat from Kichha constituency. The BJP, however, is still a long way from dousing the rebellion thats threatening to play havoc with its electoral prospects. Barring sitting MLA Vijaya Barthwal, who had filed her nomination papers against former chief minister BC Khanduris daughter in Yamkeshwar, the state party leadership has been unsuccessful in mollifying any of the rebels in its midst. While the BJP has given tickets to 10 Congress turncoats in the upcoming elections, the latter has done the same for three candidates from the BJP. As many as 51 candidates withdrew their bids on Wednesday, the last day for doing so, leaving over 400 contenders for 70-odd seats in Uttarakhand. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On the last day of campaigning, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and candidate from Dakha constituency HS Phooka alleged that the Badal government had deliberately suppressed the findings of Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege incident that took place at Bargari in 2015. Kejriwal, while conducting a press conference in Ludhiana, showed a supposed copy of the Jora Singh Commission which he said has been sourced from an xyz person only last night. He said the report shows the negligence of the state and the police in the incident. Further it was stated in the report that there was general perception among people that some bigwig was involved behind the sacrilege, said Kejriwal. When asked about the authenticity of the report, Phoolka challenged deputy CM Sukhbir Badal to make the report public. Kejriwal blamed Sukhbir for orchestrating the sacrilege and subsequent firing that led to the killing of two persons and left five injured. When asked about his stay at a militants house and his meetings with sikh radicals in the state, Kejriwal stated that all the people of Punjab should not be termed as terrorists. Punjab ke logon ko aatankwadi kehna band karo, bakwas band karo, he said. Kejriwal said Sukhbir Badal is a hardened criminal and should be arrested for destroying peace of the state. Congress president Sonia Gandhi skipped campaigning in the two-poll bound states of Punjab and Goa, in what party leaders said were growing signs of her readiness to let vice-president Rahul Gandhi take the political centre stage. Campaigning ended on Thursday in the two states which go to the polls on Saturday. There is also a cloud of uncertainty over her election tours to Uttarakhand, Manipur and the battle ground state Uttar Pradesh where the Congress is fighting the elections in alliance with the ruling Samajwadi Party. Voting in Uttarakhand will be held on February 15, in Manipur on March 4 and 8 and spread over seven phases in Uttar Pradesh between February 11 and March 8. Congress sources described Sonias absence as deliberate as she slowly withdraws from organisational matters with all key decisions being taken by Rahul. Perhaps, this is the first time that Sonia, 70, has chosen to stay away from poll campaigning after she joined active politics in 1998. The Congress president had launched the poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh with a road show in Varanasi on August 2 last year but had to call it off mid way due to ill health and a shoulder injury. Sonia also visited Goa twice on private tours in the past few months first in November and then to celebrate the New Year. Sonia had started campaigning for the Congress even before taking over the reins of the party from Sitaram Kesri on March 14, 1998. It was on January 11, 1998 that she kicked off her first election tour by addressing a public meeting at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu where her husband and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991. Read | Rahul Gandhi likely to take over as Congress chief after party leaders appeal In between, Sonia had skipped canvassing in Manipur in 2012 but that was only on the advice of party leaders following militant threats. In the past few months, she has skipped the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on November 7 when as many as 32 members urged Rahul to assume the top party post. She also stayed away from a Congress convention on demonetisation at Delhis Talkatora Stadium on January 11, giving 46-year-old Rahul the opportunity to chair such a big party event. However, Sonia, who has been the president of the 131-year-old party for a record 18 consecutive years since 1998, continues to play an active role in the selection of candidates and has chaired all the meetings of the partys central election committee. Congress leaders insist that Sonia remains the ultimate authority in the party and vets all the decisions taken by Rahul. Read | Sonia Gandhi admitted to Delhi hospital after asthma-related problem They cite the recent negotiations with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party, maintaining that while Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did all the groundwork, the final nod was given by the Congress chief. With the Election Commission directing the Congress to conclude its organisational elections by June after rejecting its plea for a one-year extension, a shake-up in the grand old party is expected any time after the poll results in the five states on March 11. Click here for full coverage on assembly elections 2017 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Delhi high court on Thursday sought responses of the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a petition seeking to restrain all political parties from making promises of offering freebies to people if they are voted to power. A bench of chief justice G Rohini and justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the ECI to explain if its guidelines on election manifesto are in conformity with the Supreme Courts direction given earlier. You (ECI) will have to file your response and inform this court whether the guidelines issued by you are in conformity with the directions given by the Supreme Court, the bench said. The court also issued notice to the Centre and asked both the government and ECI to file their response within eight weeks. The bench has fixed the matter for hearing on May 24. The high court was hearing a plea by Delhi resident Ashok Sharma who has sought direction to the ECI to restrain all political parties from distributing free goods (freebies) as are being allegedly offered in the upcoming state Assembly elections in the five states, scheduled to be held in February and March. Assembly polls are to be held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. The plea, filed through advocate A Maitri, has claimed that the poll panel in its recent guidelines has nullified the Supreme Courts directions, which had directed the ECI to frame guidelines in consultation with all recognised parties. The apex court in its July 2013 verdict had observed that, although the law is obvious that promises made in an election manifesto cannot be construed as a corrupt practice under section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, the reality is that distribution of freebies of any kind undoubtedly influences all people and it affects level-playing field. Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday brought party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to Lambi and vowed to politically end five-time chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Smelling victory, Rahul addressed the Congress last public rally at Badal bastion on the last day of the campaigning on Thursday. Rahuls gestures of hope in Amarinder as the next chief minister, clubbed with the endorsing presence of the state party stalwart Sunil Jakhar, made it a convincing event in a jam-packed stadium. We will wipe out chitta (white synthetic drug powder) in a months time, Rahul said. I have asked Captain Sahib to bring stricter laws to deal with drugs. Drug suppliers, dealers or manufactures will be put behind bars and their properties sealed and given back to people, Rahul earlier stated at Gidderbaha at a rally in favour of Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Also Read | Punjab assembly elections: Campaigning comes to a high-voltage end in state Common cremation grounds in villages to end the caste bias, retrieval of the panchayat land, filling up the backlog of government jobs, generating employment in the private sector and setting up a world class cancer cure institute were other promises made by Rahul. Religious pitch Rahul Gandhi repeatedly mentioned the principles and teachings of Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh, saying the Gurus had served the people at their own cost, but the Badals had gathered huge wealth at the cost of the people. Guru Nanak Ji spread message of sab kuchh tera (all is your) but Badals have made it sab kuchh mera (all is mine). Attack on AAP The Congress roped in AAPs dissident MLA Col Devinder Sehrawat from Delhi for the AAP bashing. Kejriwal is a big liar, a fraud, the disgruntled MLA from Bijwasan on Delhis outskirts said from the Congress dais. Kejriwal is helping the extremist forces and the result is what happened in Maur, he said. Rahul said, It is sad that Kejriwal is not only helping such forces but also staying at their houses. Punjab needs to fight against such forces, he said. Badals absence As Rahul appealed to the people of Lambi to acknowledge Amarinder as their future leader now, Badal was over 100 km away to conclude the Shiromani Akali Dals campaign at Sardulgarh. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal instaed held the fort in Lambi, leading a well-attended road show. Terror couldnt have returned to Punjab at a worse time. The Maur bomb blasts, barely four days before the high-stakes Punjab polls, have not only injected the fear of the unknown into the electoral landscape, but its tremors have also dramatically altered the dynamics of a bitterly-fought contest for power in ways that one had scarcely imagined. The electoral fallout of the targeted terror attack as police investigators concluded is still nebulous. But, what is sinisterly evident is that the sensational strike may revive the tenuous communal and sectarian fault lines before February 4, and beyond. And therein lies the insidious dimension of a dangerously divisive quest for power among the three chief players Congress, Akali-BJP and Aam Aadmi Party. It is, in fact, reminiscent of the diabolical political and power games that had pushed Punjab into a vortex of horrendous violence in the 1980s. More than the timing, the scarier part is the context of the Maur mayhem, which was clearly a bid to kill Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi and his supporters. It has happened in the backdrop of an escalating war of allegations by both Congress and the Akalis against the AAP over support of Sikh radicals that the rookie party has been getting in its determined bid to dislodge the traditional parties that have ruled the state since 1966. Flirting with fundamentalists Its an open secret that the fundamentalist fringe, both in Punjab and abroad, for whom moderate Akalis are an anathema, is aggressively pitching for the AAP. A phalanx of fiery hardliners many of them avowedly Khalistani protagonists have made common cause with Kejriwal. They have helped power the AAP juggernaut by stridently amplifying an anti-Badal tirade on the emotive issue of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib that had rocked Punjab two years ago but still rankles the Sikh minds. By cleverly juxtaposing its bring-on-a-revolution rant with the latent Sikh anger, the AAP has made major inroads into the Panthic constituency, a time-tested turf of the Akalis. Nowhere is the Akali meltdown more evident than in the Malwa heartland, where AAP has emerged as a formidable frontrunner on most of its 69 seats more than half of the states 117 legislative count. The Sikh voter for whom takri (weighing scales, the Akali symbol) has been an article of faith for generations is seemingly in a mood to punish the mother party. Stunned by the breach of their fortress, the Akalis were swift in shifting the campaign gear from the development plank to an all-out attack on AAP for its nexus with anti-national radical forces. Each vote for AAP will be a vote for radicals is the new poll thunder of chief minister and Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal, saying that the AAP is playing with fire. The Congress, too, lost no time in chipping in to the choir of criticism in projecting the AAP as a threat to peace in Punjab. Kejriwal had already gifted artillery to rivals by his night stay at a house of a former terrorist of the Khalistan Commando Force in Moga. The indiscretion was disconcerting enough to prompt even Prime Minister Narendra Modi to harp on security and stability of Punjab in his rallies. Counting on polarisation In the last lap of the no-holds-barred campaign, the first terror incident has ratcheted up the AAPs dalliance with radicals, with both Akalis and Congress raising the spectre of the dark 80s. Their gambit is aimed as much at weaning away the moderate Sikhs from the Kejriwal spell as it is at wooing the states 43% Hindu electorate, which could well be the tipping point in the power sweepstakes. In a state where religion and politics make a menacing mix, the deras are adding caste to the cauldron. A day after the Maur blasts, Dera Sacha Sauda a Sirsa-based sect that has been in the crosshairs of confrontation with radical Sikhs and its chief on the hit list of extremists for his 2007 act of imitating Guru Gobind Singh directed its followers to vote for Akali-BJP candidates. The dera commands sizable sway in at least two dozen segments in Malwa. The apparent quid pro quo in the deras move is the ongoing CBI-monitored criminal trials in murder and rape cases against the sect head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who had thrown his lot behind the saffron party in the last Haryana assembly polls. Ironically, the Akalis miseries, in part, stem from this very dera. Their covert move of orchestrating the pliant Sikh clergys pardon for the dera chief two years ago had backfired. A sinister sequel was a string of incidents of desecration of Guru Granth Sahib that outraged the Sikh community. Now, the Akalis see in the controversial dera a lifeline to buck the Malwa ire. In poll-time hobnobbing, the party has overlooked the Akal Takht edict of calling for the deras boycott. But, its a double-edged tactic that may drive the Sikh vote into the arms of the AAP and Congress even in Majha and Doaba regions. Peace at stake Tuesday nights blasts fit into a worrying pattern of targeted attacks that no one has owned up and thus remain unsolved till date. Even the CBI has failed to crack four high-profile murders of RSS and other right-wing leaders, besides the sacrilege incidents. Police authorities see a common link in all these incidents and suspect these to be the handiwork of residual, shadowy militants at the behest of foreign-based Sikh radical bodies. We are up against a new ISI-sponsored terror strategy of limited and targeted attacks to create communal chaos in Punjab, says state director general of police Suresh Arora, also tying in Pakistans spy agency. And Arora, one of the states battle-hardened cops credited with fighting terrorism, is not exaggerating. Its in this context that political observers see the downside of the AAP enlisting support of the radicals who find it an ally to gain political space and challenge the hegemony of the Akalis on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and other Sikh institutions. The latest attack is also a chilling reminder of how deceptive peace is in Punjab. As pre-poll nerves are on the edge, it could well be a game-changer. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON When it comes to voicing her opinion actor Raveena Tandon never thinks twice. The actor is concerned about womens safety in India. Being a mother of three daughters, Raveena finds it scary how rape isnt age-bound in the country no one is spared, from a kid to an older female. Crime against women isnt age-bound. That is a serious concern. I dont think any of the kids are safe. So we would have to create a safe environment for them. What irks me further is the way our ministers, who are supposed to take a strong stand, end up doing things that in a way encourage crime, she says. Raveena is the ambassador of the Delhi-based NGO that works on womens issues, and she recently met the Delhi gangrape victim Jyoti Singhs mother Asha Devi and spent time with her. Talking about the interaction Raveena says, She said that after the initial support from politicians and other groups, people forgot about the incident. They also let go of the brutal attacker. She feels the justice system has failed her, she adds. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former US First Lady and secretary of state Hillary Clinton is all set to publish her first childrens book a reboot of her hugely successful It Takes a Village, the non-fiction title she first published in 1996. Due for publication this fall with Simon & Schuster, this time the story will be told in pictures, rather than words. The original [book] inspired the nation to think critically about how the choices made today, to raise our children and support families, will determine how we will face the challenges of the future, said Simon & Schuster in a statement. The picture book edition will bring this inspiring message to a new generation in a format that is perfect for story time and bedtime. The book will be illustrated by Marla Frazee and is set for publication in September. Clinton is also set to publish a collection of essays inspired by numerous quotations that she has been collecting over the years. These are the words I live by, noted Clinton. These quotes have helped me celebrate the good times, laugh at the absurd times, persevere during the hard times and deepen my appreciation of all life has to offer, she continued. I hope by sharing these words and my thoughts about them, the essays will be meaningful for readers. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Uber announced on Thursday it is halting operations in Taiwan, saying it is at an impasse with authorities which deem the ride-hailing app as illegal. The US firm has racked up fines since it entered the Taiwan market in 2013 for running a business without the proper registration to operate as a taxi service. Taiwans suspension comes after Uber halted services in Hungary last July due to new legislation that stops drivers from making money with their own vehicles. Last month Taiwanese authorities hiked the maximum possible penalty for Uber drivers to Tw$25 million ($803,639) -- the highest in the world. The Transport Ministry Thursday said it was preparing to charge the firm Tw$230 million in penalties and would issue an order to halt operations. The order would be executed by the Taipeis office of commerce, an official at the transport ministry told AFP. Preempting the order, Uber said in a statement on its website that it would suspend service on the island from February 10. In the face of this impasse, we must create a new path forward, the company said. We hope that pressing pause will reset the conversation and inspire President Tsai to take action, it added. Uber had in November warned President Tsai Ing-wen in an open letter that actions against the firm were scaring away foreign investors. Tsais administration is pushing for Taiwan to foster its own Asian Silicon Valley to help kickstart the economy by encouraging and fostering start-up technologies. But Uber on Thursday slammed the government for shunning new business models. Unfortunately, the government has moved further and further away from embracing innovation and setting the stage for a 21st century transportation policy, it said. Uber has also taken heat on social media in the United States in recent days for continuing to operate during a New York taxi strike against Donald Trumps immigration ban. The firm this week said it was committed to assisting drivers affected by the restrictions. Across the world, the smartphone app has faced stiff resistance from traditional taxi drivers, as well as bans in some places over safety concerns and questions over legal issues, including taxes. Uber says it is not a transport company like taxi companies, and that it is simply a platform connecting drivers and passengers. It had intended to reconcile with cab drivers with a new service UberTAXI in Taiwan that lets customers order taxis with its app. my/lm/klm/ds On Lansdownes electoral battlefield, a mahant and an army veteran will cross swords for the second consecutive assembly election to win the cantonment town. BJPs sitting legislator Dilip Singh Rawat aka Mahant ji will take on Congresss Lt Gen (retd) TPS Rawat who contested the last election on Uttarakhand Raksha Mocha ticket and lost in the February 15 polls. Dilip Singh, the mahant (chief priest) of Siddhbali Temple at Kotdwar, defeated the army veteran by 5,438 votes in 2012, while Jyoti Rawat of the Congress stood third. In the 2002 and 2007 polls, the seat was bagged by former Congress heavyweight Harak Singh Rawat. With nearly 40% voters in the constituency comprising defence personnel, retired officers and their families, the Congress thinks Lt Gen Rawat is a strong bet. We will continue to support our army representative, come what may, says Lt Gen (retd) RS Negi, a local resident. However, Dilip Singh has his own support base in the area. At least he (Singh) visits us and asks for our problems. Lt Gen Rawat comes here in army style and leaves without even seeking our support, Ashok Dhyani, a shopkeeper, complains. Local people say the constituency lacks proper health facilities as well as professional colleges. Rajesh Bedwal, 70, of Pulkot village, 10 km from Lansdowne, is ailing with diabetes. But due to non-availability of free medicine at the only government hospital in Lansdowne, his son has to go to Kotdwar, 40 km away, every now and then, he says. Sukesh Chandra, a shopkeeper in the main market of Lansdowne, says, There is only one lady doctor and one male doctor at the hospital. They could check patients with routine problems, but if someone is suffering from ENT diseases or other severe illnesses like diabetes, thyroid, heart and liver, they have to go to other town to get medical services. Private doctors, too, are not easily available. Who would want to practice in an area that is completely neglected, said Sharad, a dairy owner. Students also suffer as the area has only a few private schools but no private college or university. I have to travel each day to Kotdwar for my college. I am enrolled in the government degree college there. Its disappointing. Arent we a part of Uttarakhand and shouldnt the government be proactive in providing us better higher education? said Swati, an undergraduate student. Lansdowne has a government degree college in Jaharikhal. But the lack of engineering and other colleges has left the future of many youngsters uncertain. The population of the constituency, with over 83,000 voters, is scattered across several villages most of which lack basic amenities. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mohalla clinics may not just bring universal healthcare (UHC) to Delhis residents, it may also partially solve the problem of anti-microbial resistance, former World Health Organisation director general and Gro Harlem Brundtland said on Thursday. The healthcare reforms being undertaken in Delhi strike me as an excellent strategy to build an exclusive health system in India and bring UHC to its people, Brundtland, who is the former Prime Minister of Norway, said. The praise for the project came at the ongoing Prince Mahidol Award Conference at Bangkok, Thailand after a presentation by Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain. This is the second time in a week that the project has received international acclaim. Former secretary general of United Nations Kofi Annan had written to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on January 25 to commend the mohalla clinic project. The project could be a model for states trying to move towards UHC, he had written. In her speech, Burtland said Mohalla clinics were fulfilling the needs of the people. In seven months since their launch, these clinics have seen an astonishing 1.5 million people visiting them, indicating the huge unmet demand of free universal healthcare in India, she said. The governments initiative of providing free medicines may have the unintended effect of partially solving the problem of anti-microbial resistance, she added. They (the government) are also providing access to free essential medicines and diagnostic tests throughout the entire public health system. This is reducing the need for people to buy medicine over-the-counter from private drug shops, which we know is one of the factors driving anti-microbial resistance in India and across the world, Brundtland said. An 8-year-old boy was allegedly crushed to death by a tempo in south west Delhis Dwarka North area on Thursday. Police said that the victim, Ankush Kumar, was a class 1 student of MBD School. He was on his way to buy books with his 14-year-old sister when the accident took place around 9.15pm near block A of Bharat Vihar. The tempo allegedly hit Ankush and brushed past his sister. The latter escaped unhurt but Ankush sustained severe head and shoulder injuries. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead. Soon after the accident, the tempo driver fled from the spot. A case under relevant sections has been registered at Dwarka North police station. Police said they are searching for the accused driver. Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Surender Kumar said that Ankushs father works as a driver in Uttam Nagar. He lived in Raju Extension at Shivani Enclave. The family belongs to Begusarai in Bihar. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday directed Delhi chief secretary M M Kutty to constitute a study group comprising eminent sociologists, psychologists and experts to study and analyse the root causes of offences against women and recommend corrective action. The L-G directed formation of a standing committee of senior officers of Delhi Police and Delhi government for a structured mechanism to coordinate on women safety-related issues and take appropriate action. The directions came during a fortnightly review meeting on law and order. The agenda of Thursdays meeting was safety of women. In a departure from the past, senior Delhi government officials attended the meeting, besides senior police officers. Read: Delhi govt forms six task forces to decongest roads, ease traffic jams On the study group, the L-G directed that an appropriate proposal should be put up before him after consulting all stake holders. The standing committee would comprise representatives from Delhi Police and officers of the women & child department and education department of the Delhi government, an official said. The action taken report has to be submitted to the L-G over the issue within one month. Other directions include adequate number of public toilets and night shelters for women, sufficient number of creches, day care centre for children, particularly in resettlements, slums and and areas dominated by migrant labours. The excise department was directed to conduct a special drive to check underage drinking and take action. Read: Special Task Force for women safety reconstituted Officials said the police were was advised to share a list of vulnerable routes and dark spots with agencies concerned, which will give a status report on corrective action. The chief secretary has been directed by the L-G to coordinate and ensure action on all the points zeroed in on in the meeting as per rules, an official said. Read: Have a blooming weekend with Lincoln, Jawahar and Elizabeth at Delhis Mughal Gardens Nabbed for their alleged role in 250-300 cases of snatching and robbery, including the brazen crime at Moolchand Flyover that left a beautician with brain injuries, the three accused stayed off police net for over 18 months with the help of detailed planning. Also into stunt biking, the trio of Rahul, Habib and their minor accomplice, got rid of their KTM Duke motorcycle when it came to snatching. They have said they fell off the Duke motorcycle on two-three occasions while escaping. So they went for a high-end bike as they say it was more comfortable, said Nupur Prasad, DCP (Shahdara). While they distributed among themselves the task of executing the snatching, the planning was left entirely to the 17-year-old gang member who dropped out of school in Class 9. So, the minor snatcher would decide the location of snatching and the getaway route. They would never return to the same snatching spot again. So, their area of operation spread from Ghaziabad in UP to Geeta Colony and Krishna Nagar in East Delhi, ITO and Farsh Bazar in Central Delhi and parts of South Delhi, said a senior investigator. Read: Dangerous lanes: Prashant Vihar streets most unsafe in Delhi Since the snatchers considered themselves capable of leaving behind the fastest of the motor vehicles if chased, they did not even wear helmets while committing the crimes. A fake number plate, bearing the words meri raani (my queen), put up on their motorcycle, did little to help police trace them. The gang would particularly target people who appeared rich. That helped them make more money in one go, said an investigator. To dispose of the mobile phones stolen by them, they had befriended some people who could unlock the phones or buy them. With credit or debit cards they snatched from people, they were often lucky as they found the PINs written on the card covers, said the DCP, advising the public against revealing the PIN this way. While their plan varied from situation to situation, the schedule that remained constant was visiting a disco with their girlfriends at the end of every successful day. During interrogation the accused said we would never have been able to catch them if they had not briefly lowered their guard just after meeting their girlfriends, said an investigator. Read: Preventing crime before it happens: How data is helping Delhi Police Their foray into the world of crime was not abrupt or unplanned. Before they took on real victims, the youngsters practised on dummy targets by snatching ice-creams. By the time they landed in police net on January 30, the three accused had snatched or robbed between 250 and 300 people within an 18-month period. Rahul, Habib and their juvenile accomplice were nabbed from Shahdara district earlier this week based on a tip-off. Police was on their trail after they had targeted a class 10 student in East Delhis Geeta Colony a few days ago. Read | Delhi snatchers also stunt bikers, made meticulous plans Their earlier victims include Sharmila Rai, a 39-year-old beautician who received several injuries to her brain and has temporarily lost her power of speech while resisting their attempt to snatch her bag at Moolchand flyover on December 27, and Jairam Sahu, a geologist at ONGC who lost important data to their snatching at ITO. The bikers recently bought a high-end motorcycle. (HT Photo) The three performed motorcycle stunts and followed it up by sharing their videos on YouTube. We wanted our stunt videos to get likes on YouTube, Rahul told reporters on Thursday. They recently bought a high-end motorbike. Their interrogation has revealed that the gangs chief planner was the 17-year-old juvenile even though Rahul and Habib are in their mid-20s. Residents of east Delhi, two are school drop-outs and one is a BCom student. Read | Wedding guests who robbed people of cash and jewellery busted in Delhi They credited the juvenile with their long successful run of 250-300 snatching and robberies without getting arrested, said Nupur Prasad, DCP (Shahdara), on Thursday. The adult trusted their minor partner with planning their crimes as they believed him to be smarter than them because of his education from a private school, added the DCP. Items recovered from the stunt bikers. (HT Photo) Coming from humble backgrounds, the trio was desperate for money to pay for dates, discos, expensive alcohol, and branded clothes, said the DCP. So, when they decided to take to snatching to overcome their poverty, they decided to practice first. They practised by snatching ice-cream cones from people eating them on roads as they thought getting caught for it would not invite much trouble for them, said Prasad. They would practice various difficulty levels such as snatching ice-creams from people standing on highways to those in narrow busy lanes. Each of these accused youths practised snatching 30-40 ice-creams each over two-three days before they believed they were ready to snatch mobile phones and hand bags, said a senior investigator. Within a few weeks of their entry into the world of snatching, this gang was making over Rs 5,000 per day on an average by selling the mobile phones, jewellery and other valuable goods, police claimed based on their interrogation. Read | Delhi Police sees pattern in robbery at oldest luxury watch shop in Connaught Place The kidnapping of a female Beagle on December 22 that remains untraceable till date has brought the focus back on illegal breeders operating in the city to earn quick bucks. Coco was allegedly kidnapped by an unidentified man from outside her owners house in central Delhis Pusa Road. Animal activists in the city said that there have been several instances where dogs were stolen for illegal breeding. To lure male dogs, illegal breeders use female dogs. Female dogs in heat attract the male ones. The breeders use this to get the dogs out of their owners houses and trap them, said Geeta Seshamani, co-founder of Wildlife SOS. To catch female dogs, they first monitor their daily activities. After sometime, these dogs are lured to come out using food as bait, she said. Seshmani said their organisation receives two to three cases of dog thefts every week. Most such cases remain unsolved because priority is not given to such cases by the police, she added. Sonya Ghosh, member of Delhi state advisory board for animal welfare, said that breeders in the city do not follow rules and regulations. Hundreds of illegal pet shops and pet breeding centres are running illegally in houses and on rooftops in slums in areas such as Trilokpuri, Seelampur, Nizamuddin, Rangpuri Parahi. Illegal breeding causes serious health issues to pet animals. But as rules and regulations are not followed, this has become a common practice in such areas. The police prefer to turn a blind eye towards such illegal practices, said Ghosh. In the case of Coco, a case of theft was registered through e-FIR after the dogs owner reported the kidnapping to the police through Dial 100. One-and-a-half-year-old Coco escaped through the partly open main gate of her owner, Jachika Sethis, house and reached the pavement on the busy main road. . A man wearing black and white check T-shirt and sweater came out and walked towards my dog. He first looked around and then picked Coco by the collar. In the footage he is seen dragging Coco and then putting her inside the car before driving away. Everything happened in less than 40 seconds, said Sethi who works as a business development manager with a startup. Sethi said that by the time her sister Jigyasa came out looking for Coco, the dog had gone missing. They looked for her in the locality. But when she could not be located, they scanned the CCTV footage and saw the man driving away with Coco. We called the police on 100 and filed a complaint. However, no FIR was lodged. It was only when I approached somebody in a ministry and sought help, the FIR was filed on December 29, a week after the crime, she said. The investigating officer from the Karol Bagh police station collected the CCTV footage but later told the complainant that they were unable to identify the suspect or his cars registration number as the video footage was of poor quality. The police sought help from local taxi drivers and shopkeepers but failed to trace Coco. Mandeep Singh Randhawa, DCP (central), said, A team has already been formed to trace the missing dog. We will take help of cameras installed on the route that was taken by the thief. Their footage may give us some clues. The police suspect that the person who kidnapped Coco was a member of a gang of professional cattle thieves that steal pet animals, mostly dogs, and sell them illegally for large profits. Coco being a female dog, may be used for breeding purposes and her Beagle puppies may then be sold in the illegal market, for a cost starting from Rs15,000. Tracing a missing dog and nabbing such thieves is a difficult task because we have not come across any organised gangs in the past. Also, such cases are not reported frequently, said a senior police officer. Tracking Delhis missing dogs November 2016: A male Indian dog Johnny went missing from north Delhis Wazirpur. His owner Gautam said they are yet to trace Johnny. June 2016: A Siberian Husky was kidnapped by a gang of cattle thieves when it tried to prevent them from stealing pigs in south Delhis Vasant Kunj Enclave. A week later, the dog was found tied to an electric pole in the same area. His kidnappers havent been caught. March 2015: 4-year-old Labrador Bosco was stolen by unknown people from Indraprastha Park near Sarai Kale Khan in south Delhi where his owner, a banker, had taken him for a walk. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday allowed the waste-to-energy plant in Okhla to function, saying it was non-polluting , but levied an environmental compensation of Rs 25 lakh for its earlier polluting ways. The waste-to-energy plant would be permitted to operate till further orders of the tribunal and/or CPCB/DPCC, as the case may be. The plant shall operate to its optimum capacity and would not cause any environmental pollution, said the bench headed by chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar. The bench said the plant need not shift to another locality or shut down as there was definite proof that it complied with all requirements and was non-polluting. Read: Sukhdev Vihar residents knock on Kejriwals door over Okhla plant The petitioners called the verdict a huge disappointment. Residents of Sukhdev Vihar had filed a petition against the plant, alleging that it was releasing harmful and toxic emissions. The residents said the plant authorities had initially said they would only use refuse-derived fuel and biogas to convert waste to energy when they sought environmental clearance but later burnt mixed waste, which polluted the air. It is definitely a huge disappoint. After seven years of litigation, three years in the high court and four years in the National Green Tribunal, we are saddened by the outcome. The plant is just 35 metres away from residential areas. It almost feels like the bench has not considered the medical consequences and health hazards... It feels one-sided, said Ranjit Devraj, resident of the area and one of the petitioners. The tribunal directed that the plant, under M/s Jindal Urban Infrastructure Ltd, would be liable to pay an environmental compensation to the tune of Rs 25 lakh as its stack emission was in excess of the prescribed standard, and was found to be functioning inefficiently until December 2014. The bench said the compensation will be paid to the Central Pollution Control Board and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in equal share. Read: Delhi will get its biggest waste-to-energy plant in Narela in June Residents said the compensation was insufficient. The major letdown is how the plant has been allowed to get away with such little reprimand. Rs 25 lakh is almost nothing. What if even one resident in the area gets cancer? It would probably cost the person much more than that, said Devraj. Devraj said the residents were considering moving the high court or even the Supreme Court. But there is some ambiguity here. The NGT order says that the plant will be allowed to operate till further orders of the tribunal and/or CPCB/DPCC. Does this mean we cant move other courts in the matter? Whatever it is, we will definitely fight for justice in this matter, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A part of a building in Connaught Place collapsed in the early hours of Thursday, raising concerns about the safety of buildings in the citys favourite shopping destination. The incident took place on first floor of C-Block above the popular Jain Book Depot where a wall and the roof collapsed. Delhi Police and fire department officials said that nobody was hurt in the incident as the section of the building that collapsed had been vacant for a long time. A security guard present in the building at the time of the incident escaped unhurt. The operation to remove debris from the collapse site by fire department rescue teams continued till late in the morning. A possible tragedy was averted as the incident took place around 2am when the shops in Connaught Place were closed. Had the incident occurred later in the day when inner, middle and outer circles of Connaught Place are packed with shoppers, there could have been casualties, they said. The fire control room was informed about the collapse around 2.10am after which four fire tenders led by 20 firemen reached the incident site. The section of the building that collapsed was vacant for a long time, which is why no person was there when the incident took place, a Delhi fire services (DFS) official said. While three fire tenders were sent back after an hour, one vehicle was stationed to handle any incident during the rescue and removal of debris. Later in the morning, senior fire officials and civil engineers reached the spot to take stock of the situation. Some other walls and the floor were also damaged in the collapse, due to which the officers have asked people not to go near the debris. The civil engineers have been informed about the incident. They will investigate further to find out the cause of the collapse. On Wednesday morning, at least 30 people were rendered homeless after a tree fell and destroyed seven shanties at Mandir Marg on Wednesday morning. Three people, including a two-year-old girl who was speech and hearing impaired, were injured. Locals said that the 20-year-old tree, which stood some 30 metres from the shanties, fell on the roofs around 5 am. Fire tenders were rushed to the incident spot and those trapped inside their damaged shanties were rescued. The H-1B visa programme is facing the political guillotine once again. The visa programme, designed to let US firms import highly-skilled workers to temporarily fill in workforce gaps, had been under sustained attack from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. In keeping with Mr Trumps record of fulfilling his campaign promises, it is no surprise that an executive order to restrict H-1B visas is in the offing. The US president is not alone. Four separate anti-H visa bills have been introduced in the US Congress. The H visa is highly imperfect. A large number of them are used to bring in low-end software programmers just to save on labour costs which was not the original intent. The visa also gives far too much authority to the US employer who has veto over the workers ability to apply to become a full-time US resident. As the administrative path between the temporary workers visa and the green card is unclear, 1.5 million, mostly Indian, workers live in an immigration limbo today. Read | US judge orders Trump administration to allow entry to immigrant visa holders The H visas for tech workers have separated into two levels. One set are used by mainly Indian outsourcing firms to carry out lower-end programming jobs. Another set is for better-paid project work for big US tech firms. Mr Trumps victory is being read by US politicians as evidence of electoral anger over the first variety of H visas, which is what both Mr Trump and the US Congress are targeting. The creamy layer of H visas will survive because of the lobbying power of Silicon Valley. There is probably little India can do about this legislative shift. The question New Delhi should ask is what can it do to prevent this H visa roller-coaster in future. Many countries have negotiated trade deals with the US, which incorporate a fixed H visa quota. Unfortunately, this will almost certainly be beyond the protectionist mindset of Indias commerce ministry. New Delhi should be working with Washington to create a new variety of temporary work visa that reduces the scope for abuse and offers a clear path towards legal residency if only as a favour to the Indian workers involved. The Indian infotech firms should support this as there is evidence that body-shopping is a dying business model. Read | Foreign investors reassured but Trumps shadow looms In the meantime, the government should consider how to entice more highly-skilled Indians to give up on their American dream and return home. Surveys indicate many of these migrants are in two minds. But this requires India to create a more convivial business environment. Indian-Americans are among the most entrepreneurial communities in the world, but need an eco-system to flourish. Otherwise, waiting out the Trump administration is still a better option for them. Students can no longer carry their textbooks to examination halls. Two years after it was introduced, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to discontinue Open Text Based Assessment (OTBA) for class 9 and 11 from this academic year. According to sources, the board had received negative feedback from the schools about the OTBA system. OTBA was introduced by CBSE in Class IX for Hindi, English, Mathematics, Science and Social Science and final examination of Class XI in few subjects such as Economics, Biology and Geography from March, 2014. The CBSE now says that the objectives of the OTBA were hardly met and based on the feedback of stakeholders, the board subsequent to the resolution passed in the Governing Body Meeting, has decided to withdraw the OTBA from the Scheme of Studies in Classes IX and XI from the Session 2017-18. On Tuesday the board had also issued a notification to make class X board compulsory from 2017-18. There ARE 18000 schools affiliated to CBSE in the country. Under the open text based assessment students were provided text material four months in advance and they were allowed to carry the case studies during the examination. Schools had to prepare question paper out of the material provided by the CBSE and students were asked questions based on that, said a senior official. Under the system students were allowed to refer to their notes or textbooks while answering questions. The focus was not on rote-learning, but on applying that information critically. The system had many flaws as rather than developing the critical abilities of the student, the system was being used by some schools to tell the questions in advance to the students and they used to study just that. This only helped them score well. After consulting everyone a decision to discontinue it has been taken, said a source. In 2015, the HRD ministry had urged state and central school boards to consider introducing open-book tests in secondary and senior secondary-level examinations. The suggestion was made by the School Education Secretary at a meeting of 42 education boards held on October 28 in 2015. Read| CBSE to drop its international curriculum SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In its 2016 post-graduate batch, 21.21% of students at IIM-Ahmedabad were women. At IIM-Kozhikode, just 27% were women. At IIM-Calcutta, there were only 76 woman students in a batch of 463. When Kshama Shetty, 22, arrived at IIM-Indore for the group discussion round of the admission process last year, she felt intimidated. I was the only girl in a group of 10, she says. The moderators were all men too. Shetty is currently in the second year of her post-graduate management course and the scenario, she says, is not too different from her GD day. Though Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) have been trying for years to have more women in their classrooms, top Indian B- schools remain a picture of stark gender disparity. In its 2014 batch, women accounted for only 23.3% of the student population at IIM Bangalore; in the 2013 batch, that figure was 23% at IIM Calcutta. The aim, says Janat Shah, director of IIM-Udaipur, is for at least a third of the students to be women. This has never happened, even in a single batch. Some years we get close to 31%, but that is rare, Shah says. At the Xaviers School of Management (XLRI) in Jharkhand, meanwhile, 75% of the students are women. Our fellow programme in management has more girls than boys and other courses have close to 50% girls, because our entrance exam, XAT, has been following a multidimensional testing framework that gives equal weightage to aptitude and language skills, says a spokesperson. That difference between the CAT and XAT is key, IIM professors and former directors say. In the CAT 2016 results declared last month, 20 candidates scored a 100 percentile. All were boys and all were engineers. Overall, 67% of the candidates were male, says Rajendra K Bandi, convenor of CAT 2016. WORKING BACKWARDS The trouble, says P Rameshan, former director of IIM-Rohtak and professor at IIM-Kozhikode, begins with the low representation of women at the Common Entrance Test stage. The primary reason for girls not taking the CAT is the exam pattern, says Shah. The pattern favours engineers and there are fewer girls in engineering, so consequently fewer women take the CAT and even fewer end up joining B-schools. CAT exam being heavy on quantitative aptitude favours engineers and there are fewer girls in engineering, so consequently fewer women take the CAT and even fewer end up joining B-schools, says Janat Shah, director of IIM-Udaipur. Aptitude helps engineers and discourages aspiring managers like Vidhi Panchal, 21, a third-year Arts student at St Xaviers College, Mumbai. I would not want to join a B-school, though I would like to study management, she says. CAT is math-heavy, so it will be difficult for me to crack. Had the test been more rounded, I would have applied. GT Thampi, principal of Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Bandra, points out that fewer girls opt for engineering and CAT because, in most cases, the environment is not welcoming at engineering colleges. Another social factor that results in fewer women in IIMs is that the number of women pursuing higher education is still very low, Rameshan adds. Though there are comparatively more women pursuing higher studies today, social conditioning is still goes against them taking up a management role. Women generally opt for courses in the humanities and social sciences, says a spokesperson from Xaviers School of Management (XLRI) in Jharkhand. EXPECTATIONS Given the family expectations from women in our society even now, a lot of them opt to take up low-responsibility jobs. Since they do not prefer taking senior managerial roles, they do not study management, says Shubika Bilkha, business head at The Real Estate Management Institute (REMI). It is still considered remarkable when a woman heads a company, as she does. Since last year, IIMs have been giving less weightage to quantitative aptitude in admissions, says Bandi. Through the move, we want to encourage more non-engineers and girls to opt for management education. Several B-schools are also practising normalisation of scores among engineers and non-engineers. At the time of short listing students for next level of selection, we ensure to have a good number of girls, says Shailendra Nigam, chairperson-admissions, International Management Institute New Delhi. We give preference to girls and so have close to 50% per batch for the last three years now. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON None of the favourites from the US which usually dominate world rankings made it to the top 20 of the 2017 Times Higher Education (THE) rankings of 150 of the most international universities in the world, released on Tuesday. Denying that Donald Trumps tough talk on immigration had impacted the rankings, Phil Baty, THE World University Rankings editor, said the survey data had been collected before the current controversies in the US. Though US universities led the traditional world university rankings as they were outstanding performers across teaching, research and knowledge transfer, the institutions were relatively less dependent on international partnerships and collaborations as other nations, such as the UK and Australia. Also, even though international students found US to be the most attractive destination, its universities had fewer international students as a proportion of total students compared to many countries, Baty said. Most international universities are those that attract undergraduates, postgraduates and faculty from all over the planet. They also collaborate with leading scholars and departments. These academic brands are respected both locally and globally. Swiss institutions took the top two positions in the ranking. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics university ETH Zurich led research institute Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. Hong Kong University and National University of Singapore, at number three and four, respectively, indicated Asias emergence as a prominent international study destination. Only one institute in the top 30, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at 22nd place, represented the US and it had 64 universities in the overall ranking. Germany and the UK were second and third respectively with 15 and 13 institutions in the ranking. Oxford, Cambridge and London School of Economics made it to the top 20. In what could be considered a warning to the US and the UK, Baty said a university could not be world class without a global outlook, a global network and a global pool of talent. The new data released by THE recognized that the best universities in the world live or die by their ability to attract talent from all across the world students, academics, researchers, and managers, he said. Changing attitudes and policies towards immigration had the potential to change the flow of global talent and shift the world balance of power, particularly in the US and UK, currently the worlds most attractive destinations for international students. Both countries should realise that their institutions led the world, in part, as a result of their ability to draw in the brightest and the best. Restrictions to the mobility of academic talent in these countries will inevitably harm their position, while other countries welcome talented immigrants, and their universities strengthen, Baty added. A THE release said the list was published against a backdrop of warnings by the Association of American Universities that allowing other nations to replace the US as the prime destination for the most talented students and researchers would cause irreparable damage and could help competitor nations surpass the US as the global leader in higher education. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tamil Nadu has passed a legislation exempting students from the state from taking the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical and dental colleges across the country. The assembly took up the Tamil Nadu Admission to MBBS and BDS Courses Bill 2017, on Wednesday, seeking to do away with any entrance test for medical and dental college admissions. The bill, tabled on Tuesday by state health minister C Vijaya Baskar, seeks to admit students to undergraduate medical courses based on their marks in Class 12 board examinations. Similarly, in another bill, the state government sought to admit students to post-graduate courses in medical and dental colleges on the basis of marks in the qualifying examinations rather than any entrance examination. The two bills were passed in the assembly and were supported by all political parties. DMK working president MK Stalin demanded a few days back that the government ought to bring the relevant bills to exempt students in Tamil Nadu from NEET in the current assembly sitting, which closes on February 4. Now, the passage of the two bills on the day the Union finance minister proposed National Testing Service (NTS) to free up various agencies like the CBSE, IITs, IIMs and the AICTE that conduct examinations for admissions to medical, engineering and business colleges across the country, throws up an interesting situation. Tamil Nadu, like many other states, is opposing NEET on the grounds that this examination would put its students from rural backgrounds and from Tamil medium schools at a disadvantage. There is a consensus among political parties that are unanimously opposed to the move by the centre. Sudha Ramalingam, a senior advocate at Madras high court who has been following the issue said it was something that was expected from the Tamil Nadu government to safeguard and protect the interests of its students. It is a populist step of the state government that viewed the NEET as an instance of intrusion into its own domain. But since the subject is on the concurrent list, it remains to be seen if the centre has a view on this Tamil Nadu bill that seeks to bypass a central law that has the sanction of the Supreme Court, she added. Late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had strongly opposed NEET, which was sought to be introduced in the last academic year. The Centre had promulgated an ordinance last year to exclude Tamil Nadu from the common entrance exam, but this academic year, all students seeking admission to medical colleges must pass the NEET. The Tamil Nadu government has taken a number of steps, starting from 2005 towards systematising the admission process to medical colleges. It also abolished entrance examinations for professional undergraduate courses in the state, by enacting the Tamil Nadu Admission in Professional Educational Institutions Act, 2006. The Central Board of Secondary Education will conduct NEET May 7. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Youve thought about it, attempted it, and ultimately decided to pass: denim on denim can be intimidating. But the truth is, its not as tricky to pull off as one might think. Equipped with the right inspiration - were looking at Alia Bhatt - anyone can be a jean queen (and a nonbasic one at that). Below youll find nine full-on denim ensembles that the Dear Zindagi beauty wore for fashion shoot with Vogue magazine. Most of these offer styling hacks you havent yet thought of. Rock an unbuttoned chambray jumpsuit with a pair of black chokers or style high-waist blue jeans with matchy-matchy ripped crop top - the possibilities are endless. Vogue A photo posted by Alia (@aliaabhatt) on Jan 27, 2017 at 9:49pm PST Styled by celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania and photographed by New York-based Greg Swales, the breathtaking pictures you see below were shot at Rajasthans blue city, Jodhpur. Ladies, heres the ultimate Alia Bhatt guide to mastering denim-on-denim, once and for all: Blues in the blue city A photo posted by Alia (@aliaabhatt) on Feb 1, 2017 at 1:47am PST A rapidly spreading oil spill off the Ennore coast has impacted the livelihoods of fishermen, threatened the aquatic biodiversity along the coast, and raised serious questions about the authorities tackling the mess. After two tankers collided on Saturday leading to the spill, the Kamarajar Port Ltd released a statement claiming that there was no damage to the environment like oil pollution, a position reiterated by union shipping minister Pon Radhakrishnan who visited the area on Sunday. By Tuesday, as oil slicks spread as far as Thiruvanmiyur beach, Tamil Nadu fisheries minister D Jayakumar stated that 1 tonne of oil had leaked, and that the situation was under control. Subsequent reports by the Coast Guard have since estimated that over 20 tonne of oil have spilled into the Bay of Bengal, while the latest report from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) says that 40 tonne of oil sludge and 27 tonne of oil mixture and water have been removed as of Thursday morning. The INCOIS report also mentioned that the spillage has polluted 24.06 km of the Chennais coastline. While it was estimated to have affected a stretch of 7.1km of coastline on Saturday, it spread to 13.1km stretch by Sunday. Over 500 workers, from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Kamarajar Port, and local fishermen, have been working alongside the Coast Guard in an effort to control the increasingly large oil spill. For the fishermen, the unchecked oil spill has been exacerbated by the slow response of the authorities, as well as a lack of coordination among them. They didnt remove it immediately, and so now it has spread across all beaches, including Marina, says K Bharati, leader of the Fishermens Welfare Association in South India. Now its mixed with the sand to create this semi-solid substance, and has severely damaged the ocean. The lack of responsibility on the part of the authorities, and the poor coordination between the Coast Guard and the Kamarajar Port has also worsened the oil slick, according to Bharati. This could have been contained easily, he says. Instead, you have Coast Guard officials who havent been informed of the situation by the Port, and who arent working effectively with them. The primary problem is that Kamarajar Port gave out wrong information on the first day, says environmental activist Nityanand Jayaraman. What was needed was a credible assessment of the situation, not an incorrect statement that led to a complacent attitude. The ecological disaster is only matched by the lack preparedness on the part of the authorities. The Coast Guard are doing the best they can given that they were provided incorrect information, says Nityanand. What is more frustrating is that the agencies involved, the Pollution Control Board and the Kamarajar Port, clearly dont have any emergency plan for these types of situations. A history of oil spills in India August 2010: Merchant ships MSC Chitra and MV Khalija 3 collided off Mumbais coast, spilling more than 800 tonnes of oil. All fishing activities were suspended for 15 days near the area after the catastrophic spill. January 2011: ONGCs Mumbai-Uran Trunk pipeline burst 80 km away off Mumbais coast. The spill had reportedly spread to around 4 square km from the site of the leak. October 2013: Another oil spill was reported from the Mumbai-Uran Trunk after a rupture in the pipeline. ONGC said a few days later the leak was fixed. August 2013: Officials had reported an oil spill in the coastal areas of Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat. The leak was from an ONGC pipeline near Bhadbhut village of the district. In a city which has no less than three ports in close proximity to each other this lack of coordination is indicative of a pan-Indian problem - there is no concept of a safety culture, he adds. The longer that oil slicks are allowed to spread increases the difficulty in containing them. This is because the oil breaks up and forms smaller slicks which prolong containment efforts. For the fishermen, the last five days has seen significant financial losses. Not only are they unable to go out and fish, but rumours of polluted and unsafe catches have meant that their fish markets have been uncharacteristically empty since Saturday. Weve submitted a complaint to the fisheries ministry demanding compensation for us, says Bharati. The visible sludge of oil along the coastline at Ernavoor, north Chennai. (V Srinivasulu/HT Photo) According to Nityanand, what the response has shown is how unaccountable the agencies have been. Weve been conducting these post-mortem reports after disasters for several years now, with no results, he says. Who was sacked after the 2015 floods? No one. And I doubt anyone will be after this, he says, pointing out that the Pollution Control Board has yet to file a complaint against the Kamarajar Port. The port authorities have refused to answer questions about its handling of the oil spill. The real ecological damage may not be seen for a few months. The fish weve caught now are safe because they live beyond the area the oil has spread, says Bharati. But the damage to their eggs - and to the other species that live on and near the shore - will only be seen in a few months time. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Environmentalists fear the massive oil spill after two ships collided near Chennai last Saturday will have a long-term impact on the marine life than previously believed. The collision took place around 4am on Saturday when MT BW Maple - a ship from the Isle of Man that was on its way out of the Ennore port - hit MT Dawn Kanchipuram, an Indian ship carrying nearly 45,000 tonnes of petroleum. MT Dawn Kanchipuram was on its way to berth at the Ennore port, 24 km north of Tamil Nadu capital. The Coast Guard said on Tuesday nearly 40 tonnes of oil sludge and 27 tonnes of oil and water mixture has been collected. The thick oil sludge washed ashore along 800m of shoreline north of Chennai harbour. The popular Marina Beach and a 2-3 km stretch of shoreline near Thiruvalluvar have also been affected. In Pics: Indian Coast Guard cleans up the Chennai oil spill V Arun, coordinator at the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network, said the oil can get into the lungs of marine species and cut off their oxygen supply effectively smothering them. Turtles, fish and prawns coated in oil have been found dead on the beaches. It is difficult to say if the deaths in the last few days are directly a result of the oil spill, but marine species are without a doubt being affected by the oil spill, Arun said. Marine life is already under threat from commercial trawlers, with close to 150 Olive Ridley turtles being found dead in beaches in Tamil Nadu in January, he added. Unfortunately, Arun said, there is a lack of studies to gauge the impact of such events on the health of marine populations. MD Dayalan, president of the Indian Fishermens Association, the incident has also affected the fishing community. Dayalan said although big trawlers have not been affected, small fishermen who fish in in country boats have not been able to go out fishing for the past few days and are under pressure. Almost 60 fishing villages have been impacted, he said. Coast Guard team tackles the oil spill in Chennai. (V Srinivasulu/HT photo) State fisheries minister D Jayakumar and senior government officials inspected the area on Tuesday after reports said people were hesitant of buying seafood as many fish were found dead after the incident. It is not true. People need not fear to consume fish, Jayakumar said responding to a query. It is our duty to allay such fears. Therefore, we took some samples of the dead fish taken from Ennore, Marina, Thiruvanmiyur areas where there were reports of the oil slick. The results from the laboratory have clarified that it is safe to consume (them), he told reporters. The State Pollution Control Board has asked to activate the State Oil Spill Crisis Management Group. Owners of MT Dawn Kanchipuram have been directed to hire private agencies to contain the oil slick. Several government agencies are engaged in cleaning up the shoreline following the oil spill. Over 1,000 personnel from various government departments were involved in the clean-up of the shoreline, Coast Guard has said. Volunteers from engineering colleges, fishing communities have also joined the cleaning operations. Coast Guard helicopters, which were carrying out regular sorties for continuous monitoring of the oil slick, identified stagnated thick oil slick about 100 metres wide near Ennore and 500 x 500 metres near Kasimedu harbour. Coast Guard ship Varada along with a helicopter integrated with pollution control equipment has sailed to clear the oil slick. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Controversial Bastar inspector general (IG) of police S R P Kalluri has proceeded on medical leave and is unlikely to return to his posting in the Maoist-affected region of Chhattisgarh, a highly placed source said on Thursday. Sundarraj P, Dantewada deputy inspector general (DIG) of police has been put in charge of Maoist-hit Bastar Range in south Chhattisgarh. The position of DIG Bastar was first created in 2010 just after the Tadmetla Maoist attack in 2010 in which 76 security personnel were killed. Kalluri, a 1994 batch Indian Police Service officer, was appointed the first DIG of the range. Kalluri has been unwell for a while. In November last year, he was admitted to hospital with kidney and heart problems. Another officer looked after the Bastar region while he was on medical leave. I dont think, he (Kalluri) will return. He is seriously ill and needs rest. Recent developments also tarnished the image of state government and hence it is possible that Kalluri will not return as Bastar IG, a senior police officer who did not want to be named told HT. A high-level meeting on this issue called by senior administrative officers a few days ago, the officer added. Subodh Singh, secretary in chief ministers office, told the media Kalluri applied for leave due to health reasons and it was sanctioned by the government. Kalluri has been a controversial figure and has had a running battle with civil rights activists and the media of the region. He has been lauded as a hero by supporters and painted as a villain by critics. He was again in the news last month after activist Bela Bhatia came under attack from a local outfit believed to be supporting the police in the fight against Maoists. He landed in controversy after allegedly abusing activists and lawyers on social media because they asked him to intervene to protect Bhatia, who was threatened to leave Bastar. Kalluri has often been quoted telling journalists from outside the state that they were not welcome in the insurgency-hit region. Several journalists are still in jail in Chhattisgarh after being charged with complicity with Maoists. According to activists, these journalists have been framed. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had summoned Chhattisgarh chief secretary Vivek Dhand and Kalluri to appear before it on November 30 last year to explain the allegations of hostility and abuse of power against rights activists. Kalluri had not appeared before the NHRC citing health reasons. . Rahul was just a few months old when he was abducted by his father and taken from India to the US, alleges his mother Soniya. That was two years back. Since then Soniya says she has had no access to her son. Her anguish and love for her son finds expression in a song that she has penned and composed for him. But the song titled Na Rukenge or We Wont Stop, can be symbolic of the struggle that every left behind parent who has had his or her child abducted by an estranged spouse is fighting for their parental rights. My son was abducted twice, once from India to the US and then in 2015 from the US back to India, alleges Soniya, adding that she is fighting legal battles in both countries to be reunited with her son. HIGHLIGHT POINTS India is among the top ten countries to which children abducted from UK are being taken by the abducting parent. A 2013 report found that between 2003 and 2013 the number of parental child abduction cases have doubled in UK. India is number two on the list of countries to which children wrongfully removed from the US are being taken. According to US government data, there were more than 80 cases of parental child abduction cases from the US to India. In seventy per cent of cases of parental child abduction from the UK, it is the mother who removes the child. The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of abduction and retention across international boundaries by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt return. The Law Commission of India has said that India should become a signatory of the Convention. India does not recognise parental child abduction as an offence. Nor is it a signatory of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which is a multilateral treaty that seeks to protect children from the harmful effects of abduction and retention across international boundaries by providing a procedure to bring about their prompt return. Faced with an increasing number of such cases, however, the ministry of women and child development will meet on Friday to discuss Indias stand on the treaty. Those to be present at the meeting include officials from the ministries of Women and Child Development, home affairs and external affairs, two high court judges, a few independent lawyers, representatives of non-government organisations and some affected parents, says a source in the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The meeting, says the source, is not to take an immediate decision on whether India should sign the treaty, but to listen to different opinions and try to find a solution. Indias original reason for not signing the treaty was because the government felt that most cases of child removal are committed by women trying to escape a bad or abusive marriage in another country and criminalising this and forcing her to return to the country of habitual residence would add to her problems. But in the absence of laws, a case of abduction becomes a custody battle here, says US-resident Rakesh Agarwal, who alleges that his son was abducted by his wife in 2012. Not only is it time-consuming, but decision is dependent on the discretion of the judge, says Deepti Khanna, whose daughter was allegedly abducted by her husband in 2014. All these parents now have their hopes pinned on the meeting today. India not being a signatory to the Convention has encouraged people like my husband to abuse the legal system. Parental child abduction should be a punishable offence, says Soniya. The meeting is the hot topic of conversation on social media between parents fighting to be reunited with their children. Their only peeve point is that they were not allowed a sufficient participation in the meeting. We have been asked to email or tweet our views. How is it possible to put our feelings in a tweet of 140 characters. Why couldnt we have been asked to participate via a video conference, questions Sunita Singh, an engineer in the US who alleges that her son was abducted by her husband and parents-in-law in 2015. (Names of parents and children have been changed to protect identities) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has announced the release of five Indians from Kerala who were jailed in Togo and appreciated the Indian mission in and Consulate in Togo for their support. She tweeted: We have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo. Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 1, 2017 The five Indians, employees of a Merchant Navy firm, were in jail since 2013 for their suspected involvement in a piracy attack off the coast of Togo. They were sailing on board a ship from Mumbai to South Africa when they were arrested. The external affairs minister has in the past been appreciated for her timely interventions and speedy responses on social media, which has made her one of the most followed politicians on the platform. Five Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested and their boat impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters, a fisheries department official said on Thursday. The incident occurred on Wednesday night when the fishermen from Jegadapattinam in Pudukottai district were fishing near Neduntheevu and were rounded up by the Lankan Navy and taken to Jaffna in the island nation, Pudukottai district fisheries department assistant director Sekar said. Over 3,500 fishermen in 625 boats from this island town had ventured into the sea on Wednesday and were fishing off Katchatheevu when the Lankan naval men came and snapped the fishing nets of 25 fishing boats forcing all of them to return to the shore without any catch on Thursday morning, Rameswaram fishermen association Presdient S Emerite said. On January 8, 10 fishermen from Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts were arrested and their boats impounded by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in their territorial waters. Kashmirs top separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was hospitalised late Wednesday night after he complained of chest pain. His respiratory system was being closely monitored by doctors and the results of all medical investigations were satisfactory on Thursday. The 88-year-old chief of the hardliner Hurriyat faction was admitted to the intensive care unit of SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar. He is now completely stable and feeling better, Hurriyat spokesperson Ayaz Akbar told HT. Later, in a press statement, Akbar said, Syed Ali Geelani complained massive chest congestion and pain and was immediately rushed to SKIMS Soura, where several tests including ECG were repeatedly conducted. He was later admitted in medical ICU and continues to be under constant monitoring by specialists. Akbar added that Geelanis respiratory system was being closely monitored by doctors and the results of all medical investigations were satisfactory. He also said there was nothing to worry as Geelani was doing well and had read the local newspapers after breakfast on Thursday. The statement said that that High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi and thousands from all corners of world called on phone and enquired about his condition. Pakistan high commissioner to India Abdul Basit called Geelani at 5pm on Thursday and enquired about his health and prayed for his speedy recovery, Akbar said. Meanwhile, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq visited Geelani in the hospital. He tweeted, Visited Geelani Sb in hospital, Alhamdulillah he is stable now, praying for his speedy recovery. Visited Geelani Sb in hospital,Alhamdulillah he is stable now,praying for his speedy recovery pic.twitter.com/FJ9lZYWmwy Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) February 2, 2017 Chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Yasin Malik also visited the ailing leader in the hospital. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a sharp reaction to Indias demand for credible crackdown on Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan said on Thursday India should look at its own involvement in fomenting militancy on Pakistani soil before pointing fingers at others. India had reacted cautiously to Saeeds detention, saying only a credible crackdown on terror outfits, including Saeeds, will prove Pakistans sincerity as such actions had been taken against the 26/11 mastermind in the past too. Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakari, at his weekly briefing, was asked to comment on the Indian reaction to Pakistans action against Saeed. Zakaria reacted by saying that India should look at its own role in militancy in Pakistan rather than pointing a finger at Islamabad. India itself has been involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan, he said. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders -- Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz -- were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab pProvinces interior ministry on Monday in pursuance to a directive from the federal interior ministry on January 27. During the briefing, Zakaria also claimed that Indian brutalities against Kashmiris were going on. He said last year three boys had inadvertently crossed the border from Narowal area in Punjab and were still in an Indian jail, despite efforts to bring them back. We contacted the Indian government over the matter, but so far they have not responded, he said. The ongoing Jat quota agitation in Haryana on Thursday entered its fifth day and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere, officials said in Chandigarh. Amid elaborate security arrangements, the Jats held dharnas at several locations which remained peaceful, they said. The call for the fresh stir has been given by some Jat outfits, especially those owing allegiance to All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti headed by Yashpal Malik. Asked to comment on the ongoing Jat stir issue, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar told reporters in Panchkula that everyone in a democracy has the right to demonstrate peacefully without impairing law and order. We had a meeting with one group of Jat leaders recently where the government accepted their demand to give jobs to the next of kin of those who had lost their lives in the agitation last year. Process has been initiated for the same, Khattar said. Also Read | Jat leaders refuse to hold talks with govt, say agitation to continue till demands are met Compensation to those affected by the Jat agitation last year has already been disbursed as per the survey report, Khattar further said, adding if anyone has a complaint, he or she can apply to the Claim Commissioner to get the issue settled. Paramilitary forces are out in sensitive areas in Haryana while heavy police force has been deployed to maintain strict vigil, as the stir entered its fifth day today. During a similar stir a year ago, there were 30 deaths and widespread destruction of property. This time, Haryana has been put on maximum alert, officials said. Notably, Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar had been worst hit by the violence which broke out during last years Jat stir. Apart from the quota demand, the agitators are demanding release of arrested Jat youths from jails, withdrawal of cases registered during last years agitation and grant of government jobs to the kin of those killed and injured during the agitation. This Valentine Day will be special for transgenders. For the first time, around 10 transgenders will write the Class 12 (intermediate) examinations of the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), beginning February 14, using their identity. Similarly, around eight transgenders have applied for BSEBs Class 10 (matriculation) examination from March 1 to 8. Prior to this, the BSEB did not allow candidates to exercise third gender option. The candidates had to specify their gender either as male or female while filling up examination forms. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CSBE) has already allowed third gender option for examinees. Around 12.61 lakh candidates will appear in the intermediate examinations and another 17.69 lakh in matriculation examination, taking the overall tally of BSEB examinees to over 30 lakh this year. Though the number of transgenders taking the ensuing examinations is insignificant, it is a beginning in the right direction, said Reshma Prasad, secretary of Dostana Safar, an organisation of transgenders. We welcome the BSEB move. The government should commence residential schools for transgenders, just like it has for women and children. Merely allowing transgenders to express themselves on examination form should be the first and not the last initiative, she added. BSEB chairman Anand Kishor said, We are trying to verify the number of transgenders who have applied for appearing in examinations. My office is calling them up individually to find out if they exercised the transgender option inadvertently. We want to give equal opportunity to all. The transgenders will be allowed to take the examination along with others. We want to give equal opportunity to all, Kishor added. The number of examinees is more as compared to last year, when 27.58 lakh 11.58 lakh intermediate and 16 lakh matriculation students took the examination. E-admit cards will be available on the BSEB website from Friday evening. Schools can download e-admit cards of candidates, take their print-outs, and get signature of principal with office seal, before they are circulated among examinees, said BSEB public relations officer Rajeev Dwivedi. Of the nearly 40,000 transgenders in Bihar, 30% were students who had passed Class 8, said Prasad, quoting a 2012 UNDP report . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Asserting that no executive order has been passed by the Trump administration for overhauling of H1B visas so far, India on Thursday said it will not prejudge the outcome of the three private bills raised in this regard when they go through the full Congressional process. No executive order has been signed so far... Three private bills have been introduced in the US House of Representatives. Such bills have been introduced in the past also and such bills have to go through the full Congressional process, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. Lets not prejudge the outcome because we have seen what has happened to the similar bills in the past also. If and when the executive order is passed, we will certainly give a reaction, Swarup said. Indian IT companies such as Infosys, Wipro and TCS avail a large number of H-1B visas to send Indian professionals to the US. Swarup also said India remains in dialogue with the Trump administration. They are fully aware of our position in this particular matter i.e Indian software exports and Indian software technical professionals add to the competitiveness of the US industry, Swarup said. Earlier, MEA had said it has conveyed its interests and concerns to the US amid reports that an executive order has been drafted by the Trump administration to overhaul H-1B which will severely impact Indian companies, specifically IT organisations. Read| H-1B visa: Trump administrations proposed changes and how they can affect Indians H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US firms to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. Asked if the Trump Administration was aware of Indias concerns over Pakistan, Swarup said the two sides have held wide ranging consultations at the highest possible levels i.e talks between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They (US) is very well aware of our position on cross-border terrorism and what Pakistan needs to do, Swarup said. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer had earlier told reporters that H-1Bs and other visas were a part of larger immigration reform effort that Trump will continue to talk about through executive order and through working with Congress. There is an overall need to look at all these programs and you will see that both through executive action and through comprehensive legislative measures a way to address immigration as a whole and the visa programmes, he had said. Trump had earlier talked about issuing an executive order for the labour department to investigate visa abuses that he asserted affect the wages of American workers. H-1B visas are issued to skilled professionals. It is estimated that nearly 86% of H1-B visas for computer-related jobs and 46.5% for engineering positions are bagged by Indians. The US issues 85,000 H1-B visas every year. (With PTI inputs) Leprosy cases with severe deformities have increased by 50% increase in the past six years, indicating that many cases of the curable disease are being detected late. This rising trend of late diagnosis is a cause for concern, especially after the government had declared leprosy had been eliminated from India in 2005. WHO norms say leprosy is eliminated if the prevalence of the disease is less than one case per 10,000 people. The figures released by the government-run National Leprosy Eradication Programme show that 5,851 leprosy cases with grade 2 disabilities were detected between 2015-2016 as compared to 3,865 in 2011-2012. Grade 2 disabilities refer to the presence of visible and often permanent deformities caused by damage to the patients peripheral nervous system, which excludes nerves in the brain and the spinal cord. These deformities, for example, include muscle damage in the fingers, toes and visual impairment, which affect basic day-to-day activities such as holding objects, wearing slippers, cooking and typing. A patient with leprosy develops severe disabilities only if the condition is left untreated for at least two years from the time of infection, said Dr Vivek Pai of the Bombay Leprosy Project, a city-based non-governmental organisation, which sees almost 40 referrals in a month. Managing a leprosy case once the deformity has set in is certainly not easy. The damage sometimes is irreversible. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for South-East Asia, in a statement on World Leprosy Day January 29 said, Disabilities do not occur overnight, but happen after a prolonged period of undiagnosed disease. Early detection is key to achieving this target, alongside scaling up interventions to prevent leprosy transmission. According to the WHO, 60% of the 2,12,000 people detected with leprosy globally in 2015 were from India. WHO norms say leprosy is eliminated if the prevalence of the disease is less than one case per 10,000 population. In 2005, India achieved statistical elimination of leprosy with a national prevalence rate of 0.96. The prevalence rate declined to 0.66 in 2015-16. The next step is eradicating the disease, when not a single case is reported. Recognising the need to find leprosy cases in India, the government in 2016 conducted a massive door-to-door survey between September and October. The survey covered a population of 360 million people and reported 31,666 new cases, including 3,755 among children. Although the survey has brought these cases to light, experts say leprosy cases could be underreported owing to major shortfalls in the implementation of screening methodologies. At the ground level, when a health worker examines people, they show pictures of leprosy and ask people if they have the condition and look for deformities, said Dr Vinaja Shetty, consultant with the Foundation of Medical Research, Worli. If a patient in the early stage of the infection, who has a lesion on his or her back or stomach, is definitely not going to get reported. So, only cases where the deformity has set in come to light, she added. Lack of awareness and fear of social stigma, too, prevent people from reporting their condition, said Shetty. Physical screening of people during the surveys must be made mandatory in the screening protocols to detect cases early and prevent disabilities, doctors said. The important indicators of prevalence of leprosy are children being detected with it and high numbers of disability cases. This means cases are undetected for long. An exhaustive and not a superficial examination is going to bring out more cases, said Dr Chitra Nayak, head of dermatology department, BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai. Anil Kumar, deputy general (leprosy), health and family welfare department, said that the efforts to detect cases early are on. According to the guidelines, for every household, a male and a female worker have to be present to conduct a physical examination. The people being screened should be in minimal clothing. We will continue the screening programme in the coming years, he said. In the wake of multiple cases of derailments, Indian Railways has inked a pact with Italian Railways for improving the safety level of the Indian carrier through a review of the infrastructure and transport management system. The pact was signed by Renato Mazzoncini, CEO and Managing Director of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (Italian Railways) and AK Mittal, Chairman of Indian Railways. The Memorandum of Understanding that Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane signed with Indian Railways represents the beginning of a close cooperation between two of the most prominent railway companies in the world. We will provide all the know-how we developed with large-scale infrastructure and technological projects that have modernised Italy by connecting the countrys most important cities, Rome and Milan, in just three hours, said Mazzoncini in an official press statement. The tie-up between the two entities will also enable co-operation on certification of technologies based on SIL 4 (Safety Integrity Level 4) and staff safety training. Another MoU was also signed between Italferr, the engineering company of FS Italiane and RITES, an engineering consultancy company of the Indian Railways. According to a statement released by the Italian behemoth, Italferr, the FS Italiane engineering company, and Italcertifer, the FS Italiane railway certification company, are working on six projects in India. The most important is the design and supervision of works for constructing the Anji Khad Bridge, a 750-metre-long bridge with a central span of over 260, suspended over a 200-metre gorge between Katra and Reasi. The FS Italiane Group is a major international engineering, infrastructure and transport player and operates in more than 60 countries in over five continents. Five Indian nationals, who were released after being put in jail four years ago in the West African nation of Togo on charges of piracy, are now set to return home, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. In his weekly media briefing here, ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the five Indians -- Anthony Godwin, Navin Niravath Gopi, Tharun Babu, Nithin Babu and Shaji Abdulla Kutty -- belong to Kerala . External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted about their release on Wednesday. We have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo. Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 1, 2017 Swarup said all the five, who had been in prison since 2013, were released by a presidential pardon, on account of the persistent efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs and our High Commission in Accra (Ghana). High Commissioner spoke to the Indian nationals after their release, he said. They are in good health and are looking forward to re-unite with their families in India. The spokesperson also said travel arrangements were being made to facilitate their return to India and the air tickets were being organised through the Indian Community Welfare Fund. Honorary Consul General of India in Lome is making stay arrangements till the necessary formalities for their departure to India are completed, he added. Tamil Nadus child rights panel has recommended banning PETAs website for allegedly showing sexually explicit content, the latest charge against the animal welfare group which had campaigned for a controversial ban on the bull-taming sport Jallikattu. The panels move against PETA the commonly used acronym for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals comes amid a fresh call for a complete ban on the groups activities in the state which saw violent protests last month over a Supreme Court bar on holding the traditional sport. The state government hurriedly passed a new bill last month, amending a 57-year-old law to bypass the court ban on Jallikattu. A member of the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Protection of Child Rights said the recommendation was in response to a complaint filed by a Chennai-based child rights activist, Enoch Moses, who argued that celebrity nudity shown on PETAs website violated Indian laws. Read | What is Jallikattu? All you need to know about the bull-taming sport The PETA operates across the world and has celebrity brand ambassadors, including Hollywood and Bollywood stars, who appear in campaign videos supporting the groups cause. Several PETA advertisements had invited criticism earlier for allegedly degrading women and showcasing nudity. It is against the law, what they have exhibited is very harmful for children, said AD Revathy, a member of the child rights body. We visited the website and found pornographic content. They are totally exhibiting body parts it is a very dangerous website. The child right panel has called for banning the websites of PETAs India chapter as well the international organisation. PETA Indias CEO Poorva Joshipura termed the panels move as harassment and alleged that the state body did not seek the animal welfare groups views. (But) we are pleased at the extra visits to PETAIndia.com where people can watch videos, take online actions to help animals and learn about animal rights, she added. Read | Ban-PETA demand by pro-Jallikattu protesters foolish and illogical, says animal rights group Revathy acknowledged that after the Jallikattu controversy, PETA had become a household name in the state and more youngsters were accessing the website. She, however, denied hounding the organisation. She said the commission talked to about 10 children but did not contact PETA whose members she referred to as misguided people giving immoral things to society and youngsters. PETA had successfully campaigned for the ban on Jallikattu and say the sport is cruel and unsafe to the animals, who often have chili powder rubbed into their eyes and have their tails broken as crowds try to grab them. The sport has also left many people dead and injured over the years. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Suspected Maoists attacked the camp office of a road construction firm and set on fire two vehicles near Barachatti town in Bihars Gaya district, about 110 km south of Patna, on Wednesday night. Locals said the Maoists had earlier demanded levy from Ramie Construction Company, engaged in various road construction projects near Barachatti. They said the construction company belonged to RJD leader Bindi Yadav, who is an accused along with his son Rocky Yadav in the Gaya road rage of May 7 last year. Barachatti police station SHO Chetnanand Jha said suspected Maoists attacked the camp office of the firm on Grand Trunk (GT) Road and torched a mixer machine and a roller. Jha said police were trying to identify the Maoist group responsible for the incident. This is the third incident of attack on construction companies in Bihar in less than two months. Maoists had earlier on January 30 hacked an employee of a construction company at Belkhori village under Chakai police station of Jamui district, 160 kms south-east of Patna. On January 12 this year, two employees of another firm were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Derni police station area of Saran district, around 80 km north-west of the state capital. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A protest against a $2.4-billion Chinese-backed power plant in Bangladesh turned violent, killing one person and injuring about a dozen, risking delay to a project seen as a symbol of warming ties between the two nations. The coal-fired plant being built 265 km (165 miles) southeast of Dhaka, the capital, is a major draw for foreign investment in Bangladesh, and is expected to begin power generation by the end of 2019. Police said security forces were guarding the site on Thursday to prevent disruption to construction work that villagers fear will force several evictions, disturb graveyards where relatives are buried, and damage the environment. There is an uneasy situation, and police are patrolling the area to avoid any further clashes, said Alamgir Hussain, an official of the Banshkhali police station near the plant site. Protesters were chanting slogans on Wednesday when project supporters attacked them, said Nurul Mostafa, a leader of the group that wants the plant shifted. About a dozen people were injured in the clashes. A similar protest last year led to the deaths of four demonstrators, halting work on the plant. Such protests risk delaying the project and hamper fund-raising efforts, said a senior official of conglomerate S Alam Group, which has a deal with Chinas SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corp to build the 1,320-MW plant. We hope to resolve the problem soon, otherwise we may not be able to finish our project in time, said the official, who declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media. Chinese banks are expected to provide 70% of the projected investment, he added. The plant will use the most sophisticated technology to reduce its environmental impact, said Masud Alam, chairman of the Bangladesh conglomerate, who offered to help with medical treatment for the injured. Late last year, China signed 27 pacts worth billions of dollars with the south Asian nation, as it steps up a competition with India to build regional influence. It is also seeking to boost investment in another of Indias neighbours, Sri Lanka. Was Rani Padmini a fictional character that sprang out of a 16th century poem? Or was she a flesh-and-blood queen whose valour is still remembered fondly across Chittorgarh? The controversy over the Bollywood movie Padmavati has put its inspiration, Padmini, in the spotlight but historians are divided over the authenticity of the character. Noted historians such as S Irfan Habib say Padmini is a legend originating in the epic poem Padmavat written in 1540 by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. No mention in any historical record before this, Habib had tweeted hours after men from the Rajput Karni Sena vandalised Padmavatis sets. But many historians in Rajasthan say the queen was a real-life person. It is a well-documented fact that Padmini was the 15th wife of Rawal Ratan Singh, who has been described as Madam Kunwar Padmini and theres no doubt about the fact she was a real historical figure. Padmini was also from Sri Lanka, and Ratan Singh had married her there after a swayamvar, said Krishna Gopal Sharma, professor of history at Rajasthan University. However, Sharma added that the legend surrounding Alauddin Khiljis supposed obsession with the beauty of Padmini that apparently drove him to attack Chittor was a myth. The story of how Khilji was enamoured by Padminis beauty and saw her reflection in water is a myth which traces its roots from Padmavat written by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, said Sharma. The queen is seen as a mark of Rajput bravery after she committed Jauhar, a Rajput tradition of women jumping into the fire to thwart aggressors. (Deep Mukherjee/HT Photo) Lokendra Singh Chundawat, head of history department in Government PG College, Chittorgarh, agreed with Sharma on Khiljis lust for the queen being a myth but contradicted him on claims that Padmini was from Sri Lanka. In Padmavat, Jayasi wrote Padmini was from Sri Lanka but believing it would be wrong as she was born in Pungal Pradesh, an area between Bikaner and Jaisalmer. In fact, after writing Padmavat, Jayasi clarified that it is a work of fiction, said Chundawat. But Rima Hooja, historian and author of the book A History of Rajasthan felt that a woman must have inspired the legend of Padmini. Logically it would seem that there must have been a queen whose action was such that she was remembered even though the Rawal line ended with the death of Rawal Ratan Singh. The truth lies somewhere between history and mythology. Hooja added that it was highly probable that the reverence associated with Padmini invites stemmed from the life of this queen who sacrificed her life. However, Meena Gaur -- former professor and faculty chairperson of Humanities in the Mohanlal Sukhadia University at Udaipur, the capital of Mewar said it was unlikely that the legend of Padmini sprang completely from Jayasis imagination. Even today, one can see the place inside the Chittorgarh Fort where Alauddin Khilji saw the reflection of Padmini and the place near the water where she stood. Is it really possible that everything was fictional about her and the narrative was made to suit the one in Padmavat? I think that there must have been some basis, even for Jayasi to write Padmavat, she said. Gaur added that over the years, Padmini has become the pride of Mewar and Rajasthan because of her act of sacrifice. Thats why any contradictions from the legend invites strong reactions from the people, said Gaur. Padmavatis director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has struck a compromise with the Karni Sena, which said Rajput feelings were hurt by the film that reportedly showed a romance between Khilji and Padmavati. The queen is seen as a mark of Rajput bravery after she committed Jauhar, a Rajput tradition of women jumping into the fire to thwart aggressors. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India on Thursday said Pakistan needs to show requisite political will to implicate JuD chief Hafiz Saeed in the Mumbai terror attack case, dismissing Islamabads demand for concrete evidence against the terror mastermind. External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the entire conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan. He said India would not go by the claims or statements made by Pakistan about the steps taken to check terrorism but by what happens on the ground. The entire conspiracy for the Mumbai attack was hatched in Pakistan. All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered by Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan, he said. In fact, Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple terrorists attacks directed at India. So the concrete evidence that Pakistan establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need to find is requisite political will, Swarup said. He was responding to a statement from Pakistans interior ministry spokesperson who said If indeed India is serious about its allegations, it should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world. The spokesperson also said mere casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence would not help. Earlier this week, Pakistan placed Hafiz Saeed under house arrest. JuD, a self-proclaimed charity organisation, is believed to be a front for the banned Lashkar e Taiba that he had founded earlier. Saeed was declared a globally designated terrorist by the United Nations. On the recent release of Indian soldier Chandu Babulal Chavan who was taken into custody after he had crossed the Line of Control and if this indicated softening of Pakistans stand that could lead to resumption of bilateral dialogue, Swarup said India welcomes the steps taken by Islamabad on humanitarian matters. We have consistently maintained that a bilateral dialogue with Pakistan is only possible in an atmosphere free of terror and violence. Any credible steps in that direction will certainly be welcomed by India, he said. He added, We will not go by their (Pakistans) claims and statements. We will go by what we will see on the ground. At the end of the day, that is what matters. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thousands of Jat protesters, many of whom came on tractors, thronged the dharna site at Jassia village in the district on Wednesday to observe community leader Chhotu Rams birth anniversary. Due to heavy rush of supporters and pile-up of vehicles, there was a virtual blockade on the Rohtak-Panipat national highway (NH-71A) for several hours, even as the administration had invoked Section 144, barring assembly of more than four people along national highways and public spots. The police, which failed to clear the road full of supporters, closed traffic on one side of the highway facing the dharna site. A company of Rapid Action Force and police personnel were kept ready along the protest spot to check for any eventuality. However, the event ended peacefully on Day 4 of the fresh round of Jat agitation. AIJASS national chief Yashpal malik addressing the protesters. (Manoj Dhaka/HT Photo) All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) national president Yashpal Malik, who is facing sedition charges, came to address the gathering at Rohtak and Jhajjar. Adopting a tough stand, he ruled out any talks with the government. What should we talk for? We have not changed our demands. They have given us assurance thrice, but failed to fulfil our demands. The only way to end this agitation is to accept our demands as promised, Malik said. He said if their demands were not met, Jats will take the dharnas to more than 300 villages across Haryana. He warned the government that actions like invoking NSA (National Security Act) might invite lakhs of protesters on roads, but asked the public to maintain peace. He also attacked the government for booking him falsely under several cases. The Jat leader also slammed Haryana BJP ministers Captain Abhimanyu and OP Dhankar for calling Jat leaders chanda khor (someone who misappropriates donations). He added, The way they are giving their statements signifies they are against the (Jat) community. We are sorry that his house (Abhimanyus) got burnt, for which so many of our children are in jail. But has he ensured justice to two of our youths who were brutally murdered in February last year? The AIJASS chief said, We want them to rollback all cases. Our children were killed. Jat Dharamshalas were burnt. But we are ready to forgive and forget, so should the government. He said the government was doing nothing to ensure quota for them in the central jobs. The quota case in Haryana is in the Punjab and Haryana high court. But what is the Centre doing for reservation? In Jind, the police installed CCTV cameras at all the nakas to keep track of anti-social elements, as the crowds at Jat dharnas swelled on Wednesday. JATS TO TAKE STIR TO DELHI FROM FEBRUARY 3 The All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti will start holding dharnas in Delhi from February 3 to press for their demand of reservation in central government jobs and withdrawal of cases registered against Jat youths during last years quota stir that claimed 30 lives and saw a large-scale destruction of government and private property. The AIJASS said they will largely affect the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and will not let BJP form the government in the two states if their demands are not met. INLD EXTENDS SUPPORT TO PROTEST IN KAITHAL KAITHAL:Giving political colour to the ongoing Jat agitation for reservation, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has extended support to protesters at Deoban village in Kaithal district. The decision to extend support to the members of All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) was announced by senior INLD leader and former MLA Ram Pal Majra. The Supreme Court will hear the State Bank of India (SBI)-led consortiums plea against defunct airline Kingfishers owner Vijay Mallya on Thursday. On January 11th, the Supreme Court granted three weeks time to Mallya to file a reply to the consortium of banks who sought deposit of the amount of 40 million dollars. The consortium of banks had earlier approached the apex court seeking its intervention in bringing back Mallya to India and also repayment of money which the beleaguered businessman, who has absconded to England, had taken. The banks, in their plea, told the apex court that there was an outstanding loan of almost Rs 9,000 crore against the businessman. The banks have argued that the business tycoon has not been candid with the court regarding his assets, citing the failure to disclose the severance package he received from Diageo Plc as part of his exit from United Spirits Ltd. On April 26, the Supreme Court had directed Mallya to disclose his assets to the consortium. The banks also said the disclosures made by Mallya on his Indian and overseas properties were vague. The banks also refuted Mallyas allegation that all 17 banks did not reject the three proposals made by him for repayment of over Rs 9,000 odd crore in instalments. AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala suffered a legal setback after the Madras high court on Wednesday refused to discharge her from three cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 1995 and 1996 on charges of violating the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). The cases were related to payments made to foreign firms in US and Singapore dollars for hiring uplink facilities for J Jay TV, the predecessor to Jaya TV. The ED had probed charges against the now defunct JJ TV in the 1990s when Sasikala was its chairperson and director. Justice G Chockalingam also allowed a criminal revision petition by the ED and set aside an order passed by a Chennai magistrate on May 18, 2015, that discharged the AIADMK leader from a fourth case that had been filed against her in 2001. The Madurai bench set aside her discharge in the Rs 3 crore deposit case, which means she will now have to stand trial. The cases date back to late chief minister J Jayalalithaas first term in power. Sasikala, who was the late CMs confidante, was arrested on June 20, 1996, for FERA violations, shortly after Jayalalithaa was completely defeated in the assembly elections. She spent 11 months in jail before she was granted bail. The case is related to Bharani Beach Resorts, where Sasikala was charged with transferring Rs 3 crore (or $19 lakh) to the non-resident non-repatriable account of her friend, Susheela. The amount was allegedly sent back to Sasikala, who then purchased the uplink facilities. The ED had stated that the illegal transactions related to J Jay TV were revealed during a search conducted at the Chennai office of the television channel on September 21, 1995. Officials reportedly recovered several incriminating documents including a fax message sent on December 15, 1994, by V Bhaskaran, managing director of the channel, to his aunt Sasikala. The message reportedly spoke about a deal having been struck with an American company for hiring a transponder and a company based in the Philippines for uplink facilities at a cost of $10 lakh and $3.6 lakh, respectively. It also stated that only 50% of the amount should be paid on record as per the norms of those companies and that was corroborated by agreements seized by the ED confirming payment of $5 lakh and $1.8 lakh to those two companies. The second complaint filed against Sasikala was related to purchase of goods for the amount of Singapore $1.36 lakh for the television channel, again in alleged violation of the provisions of the FERA. The third complaint was filed after ED officials flew to Malaysia and Singapore for an inquiry in November 1996, and interrogated retired civil servant K Ramachandran. He allegedly told the officials about payments made through him in Singapore dollars to a company in Moscow for hiring transponders and uplink facilities for J Jay TV. In May 2015, the Economic Offences Court discharged Sasikala from the deposits case stating that the ED had no evidence to prosecute her. The ED, however, then challenged her discharge in the case. Justice Chockalingam also reversed orders discharging Sasikalas nephew, former MP TTV Dhinakaran, from two similar charges of FERA violations. The legal decision comes as a shock for the ruling AIADMK, even as they are making arrangements for Sasikala to become the next chief minister. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Customs nabbed Ibrahim Masood who had landed at Mangaluru from Dubai with four dated phones. A 25-year-old Ugandan woman was allegedly stabbed to death here in a scuffle over payment for sex, police said on Thursday. The accused has been arrested. Accused Ishan, 30, from Himachal Pradesh, has been arrested for fatally stabbing Florence Nakayaki, a degree student in a private college, over a sexual favour, IANS quoted the deputy commissioner of police, Bengaluru North-East, PS Harsha as saying. The incident came to light when neighbours called the police on hearing screams from the second floor house at Kothanur. The victim met the accused on Wednesday night and drove to her house to have sex. An argument ensued when Florence asked Ishan for Rs 5,000 more after he already paid her Rs 5,000, IANS reported. However, Praveen Sood, Bengaluru police commissioner, told HT that the two had taken a cab to the victims house, where the incident took place. David Amun of the African Students Union said he was not aware of the details and would enquire with police. However, Sood said the accused had injuries and that the probe was on. Ishan has been charged with murder. As per Ishans preliminary deposition, he stabbed Florence in self-defence after she threatened to raise an alarm and kill him for not paying her more. Ishaan said he snatched the knife from the victim and stabbed her in a fit of rage for betraying him on the deal and in self-defence, said Harsha. It is an unfortunate incident or accident involving a foreigner and an Indian. We have asked the CCB to probe the case, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara told reporters, adding that it was not a racial attack but an accident. (with agency inputs) Angry mobs protesting against holding of urban local body (ULB) polls with reservation for women burned down several government buildings in Nagalands capital Kohima on Thursday, prompting the administration to clamp prohibitory orders and deploy additional security personnel. Thousands of youths armed with spears, machetes and catapults went on a rampage and burned down several buildings and ransacked others as the violence shifted from Dimapur to Kohima. Police told HT that the Kohima municipal council office and some other buildings were set ablaze. A senior officer said there was total breakdown of law and order. Kohima had been on the edge for some time and most of the security had been concentrated around the state secretariat which left other areas vulnerable. Mobs are on rampage and the situation is very tense. Our men are on the ground trying to control the situation. We, are being assisted by Assam Rifles Nagalands director general of police (DGP) LL Doungel told HT. Kohima superintendent of police Joseph Hesso stated that the situation was very tense, but refused to divulge more. According to an agency report, five columns of the army have been deployed to control the situation. Read | Nagaland continues to remain tense; curfew still on in some parts Mobile internet services have been blocked and additional forces sent to handle the situation. Two persons were killed and several others injured in police firing in Nagalands commercial hub of Dimapur on Tuesday night during violent protests against the elections. Chief minister TR Zeliang, who had earlier signed a deal with tribal bodies opposed to the polls, to postpone the election by two months, gave a go-ahead for polling on February 1 following intervention by the Gauhati high court. The deaths on Tuesday night and a call for total strike by tribal bodies prompted the government, on Wednesday, to postpone the elections. But the move wasnt enough to appease tribal bodies. Protesters burn tyres on a road in Dimapur during a bandh called against the 33% womens reservation for the forthcoming urban local body election. (PTI) On Wednesday, the bodies of the two youths were brought to Kohima -- and the scene of the protests also moved to the state capital. Tribal organisations, upset with the state government, have decided to continue with their protests till Chief Minister Zeliang steps down. There is anger among the people. Unless the situation improves, we will continue our protests, Kevichata Sechi, vice president of Angami Youth Organisation, told HT. Read | Chaos in Nagaland as govt decides to go ahead with civic polls after HC order Nagalands powerful tribal organisations are opposed to holding of ULB polls with 33% reservation for women. They say it violates Article 371A of the constitution that grants special status to Nagaland and safeguards its traditional laws. Tribal laws do not allow women in administrative positions. Nagaland has never elected a woman legislator since it got statehood in 1963. (With agency inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The distance between Kolkata and Lucknow is nearly 900 kms, but for Mamata Banerjee, Bengal chief minister is keenly watching the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. Not only that UPs political outcome will determine much of the future course of action of Trinamool Congress but also the fate of the much cherished federal front against Modi before the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. It was the Bengal chief minister who was not only among the first and most vociferous against the ill effects of demonetisation, but also the first to congratulate and even support the alliance between Congress and Samajwadi party in UP. The importance of polls in Uttar Pradesh lies in the fact that there has been a novel alliance between Congress and Samajwadi party. The alliance was the need of the hour. It is important that political parties join hands against BJP. The party at the centre has money and administrative power which they misuse against their political opponents. Also in a multi-party system and for strengthening the federal structure such alliances are necessary, said Sukhendu Shekhar Roy, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson. Polls in the five states are important because it is taking place just within three months of demonestiation. Polls in Uttar Pradesh are more important since it is the state with largest number of assembly seats, added Roy. Just after the alliance was announced in UP, Mamata Banerjee was the first to respond tweeting Full support from Trinamool Congress @AITCofficial to the good alliance for UP between @incindia & @samajwadiparty. Trinamool Congress which was one of the most vociferous against demonetization both inside the Parliament and outside had already highlighted arrest of its MPs in chit fund scam as political vendetta by Modi. With Narada case likely to go to CBI, it is all important for Trinamool Congress that BJP gets a jolt in UP. Trinamool Congress leaders stated that a lot is at stake depending on the results of Uttar Pradesh. In case BJP fares badly in the UP polls, party leaders expect that CBI once again will have to go slow against a section of party leaders. With Mamata Banerjee going all out against Narendra Modi, not only she will be vindicated, but she will be in a pivotal position in Delhi among all opposition parties with her strength in Lok sabha and Rajya Sabha. Mamata Banerjees federal front dream against BJP will also get a boost. Already Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has called for more parties to join hands during his press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav last Sunday. Trinamool Congress leaders believe that such alliances hold the seed of a front against BJP before the Lok Sabha polls. In case BJP does badly in UP, Modi-Amit Shah duo are likely to face pressure from inside their party and outside. Modi will be forced to go soft on Trinamool Congress leaders in chit fund scam, to make sure that Congress do not get TMCs unconditional support. On the other hand if BJP does very well in UP, it is obvious that more Trinamool Congress leaders will be arrested. Modi will become more aggressive against Mamata, said Shibaji Pratim Basu , political analyst. Trinamool Congress continued to be relentless against Narendra Modi, even by boycotting the first two day of budget session in the Parliament. The Uttar Pradesh results are not only important for national politics but also for Mamata Banerjee. If BJP fares badly, Mamata Banerjee will have the upper hand and an opportunity to vigorously target Modi on the floor of the house and outside, joining hands with other opposition parties including Congress, Basu added. Interestingly, on January 6, Mamata Banerjee made public statements, where she demanded that Narendra Modi should resign and any other senior leader from BJP should become the Prime minister. Come forward to form a national government. Even other leaders from the BJP such as LK Advani, Rajnath Singh or Arun Jaitley can take the initiative to form a national government... But Narendra Modi cant run the government, Mamata said after an administrative meeting at the Town Hall. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Higher borrowing limit may bring more funds to UP The Union governments move to allow more borrowings to states by increasing the limit from 3% to 3.2% of the GSDP may bring some relief to debt-ridden Uttar Pradesh. Though the state government is still analysing the budgetary proposals by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, sources said an increase in borrowing limit would help in getting more funds for development works. The state governments are allowed to borrow funds up to 3% of the GSDP from the market. An increase in the limit will allow more borrowings, said a senior officer, adding the state government would have to borrow more in future to fund ongoing projects. Additional borrowing will also be required as the state government will have to spend a huge chunk of revenue on payment of increased salaries to staff as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. The state government had announced implementation of the pay panel report before the announcement of assembly election. The government employees will get increased pay for the first time this month. However, more borrowings may also push the state into a debt trap as its indebtedness is expected to reach Rs 3,75,049.45 crore on March 31, 2017. UPs indebtedness comes to about 30.3% of the GSDP, an increase from 30% as on March 31, 2016. UPs borrowings have considerably come down in the past 10 years. We plan to bring down borrowings further, said the officer.UP also hopes to get more funds from the Centre in view of reported increase in allocations to the states by about 14%, he said. Read more| Budget 2017: The numbers are deceiving, they hide more than they reveal Youths discussing budget at a coffee shop in Allahabad. (HT Photo) Union budget fails to impress Sangam city youths Employment and corruption were the core issues that the Union budget failed to address, feel youths here in Sangam city. Despite being a pre-poll budget, youths feel it would not have much impact in assembly elections. Huddled in a corner of a roadside coffee shop discussing the Union budget, students of Allahabad University feel the Centre had miserably failed to take adequate steps for generating employment for youths. As per Pranvesh, an LLB student at Allahabad University, the budget was all about tall claims and little change, just like the previous two budgets. PM Modi promised two crore jobs a year to youths. The result is known to everyone. Here post graduates had applied for jobs of sanitation workers in Municipal Corporation recently, he said. Shreya, also an AU student said, If Modiji had lived up to his promise, he should tell how many youths have got jobs under his regime till now. Simply announcing provision for innovation funds for secondary education would not help when the first step i.e. primary education is in a pitiable state. Chipping in the discussion Rohit, also an undergraduate student says, Lack of employment generation and corruption in government machinery are to major problems. The government should address these issues genuinely. Youths felt providing more autonomy to colleges based on ranking, promoting virtual learning by establishing a national testing agency for all entrance exams were some of the things that needed to be addressed. Read more: Jaitley halves income tax for those earning Rs 2.5L-Rs 5L Mixed response in PMs constituency Union budget evoked a mixed response in Prime Minister Narendra Modis parliamentary constituency. While many called the budget routine, others found it balanced with more focus on rural and agriculture sector. Arvind Singh, a resident of Jagatganj, also expressed surprise over no words on Ganga cleaning in the finance ministers budget speech. This is a major issue that must find a mention along with some specific provision for its cleaning and some specific provision for eastern UP, including PMs constituency, he said. He was also of the view that tax exemption limit should have been increased to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2.5 lakh. Rise in tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh will give just a little relief, he said. Veerendra Yadav, a milkman, too, is not impressed with the budget. Yadav said, There is negligible increase in tax exemption limit. I dont understand intricacies of economics. Had they increased it to Rs 5 lakh, it would have given relief to commoners a lot. He also wanted some specific announcements for eastern UP. Sipping tea at a tea stall in Teliabagh, Sitaram Yadav and SK Singh were found discussing the budget, which failed to impress Yadav. Singh, however, called it a balanced budget. It will create employment in rural areas, he felt. Singh said , Those talking about no region specific announcements in the budget must remember that the budget presented is for whole India, not for only Varanasi the PMs constituency. The budget is good and balanced one. It will strengthen agriculture sector. Singh also praised increasing allocation from Rs 38,500 crore to Rs 48,000 for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MNREGA). Head of department, agriculture economics, UP College, Prof SK Singh said, Budget is good and will strengthen the agriculture sector. Specially, allocation of funds for irrigation sector will help in irrigating more fields. But more focus to improve income of the farmers is needed. Prof Vinod Kumar said the budget was balanced one with more focus on infrastructure development in rural pockets and agriculture. Read more: Jaitley bets on rural, infra spending to beat demonetisation blues According to a state government report, there has been an 80% drop in cases of mangrove destruction in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from 2015 to 2016. However, activists have criticised the survey, pointing to the fact that no one has been convicted of destroying mangroves since 2013. The report, by the Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit, a body constituted by the Bombay High Court that works under the state mangrove cell, says that in 2015-16, there were a total of 103 cases in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. Sixty-six were encroachment related, 23 were debris dumping, and 14 were hacking and burning cases on government land.This dropped to 18 cases in 2016-17 12 encroachment related and six debris dumping. Majority of the cases were observed in Mumbai suburbs and very few were reported from Thane or Navi Mumbai, said Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit. Awareness among citizens has increased. At the same time, the unit is taking suo motu action against violators. Preliminary offence reports were filed in all cases over the past two years, the report added. As compared to 38 arrests in 2015, 20 people were nabbed in 2016. However, all were released on bail and not a single conviction has happened in mangrove destruction cases since 2013, with the inception of the state mangrove cell. The unit seized 12 vehicles involved in debris dumping, of which eight have been confiscated by the state while hearings are underway for the remaining four. While there are many unidentified persons involved in mangrove destruction, local courts are yet to hear a number of cases in the coming months. We hope for the first conviction soon, which will set an example for violators, said Ghodke. For mangroves on private land in Mumbai, data from the Konkan divisional commissioners office identified 122 mangrove destruction cases in 2016, of which enquiry is pending in seven cases. While there have been arrests, no convictions have happened. This includes the Kapil Sharma case where two first information reports (FIRs) were filed against the actor-comedian for destroying mangroves around his Versova bungalow. City based activists said that there have been a number of cases that have not gone reported. The destruction of mangroves is only on the rise as numerous cases have happened all over MMR that the cell is unaware of, said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation. The mangrove cell had claimed in 2015, that there was an increase in the mangrove cover in the state but we shared satellite images that highlighted the opposite. Large-scale destruction of mangroves and wetlands continues right from Malad to Dahisar. Concerned authorities either delay or neglect taking action since their own officers are involved, said Reji Abraham, activist from Charkop. My fight over the last 12 years to protect 125 acres of wetland at Charkop still goes on as no action has been taken by the authorities to stop the destruction yet. Some environmentalists said that while the data might be accurate, the state machinery had failed to restore sites where mangroves had been destroyed. Noting the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Bombay Environment Action Group an NGO in Mumbai in 2005, the Bombay high court (HC) banned the destruction of state-wide mangroves and construction within 50m of them. After Vanashakti filed another PIL, the HC banned all reclamation and construction on wetlands in 2014. Stalin D, director, Vanashakti said, As per our petition, the state machinery needed to restore eight sites that had fallen prey to mangrove destruction by 2016, but as per document submitted in court, they have restored only one. The coastal ecosystem will only be safe if there is restoration of trees. Apart from restoration, environmental activists also said that deterrence will only come with conviction. Violators are well aware that they can get away scot-free as even though the law is in place, no prosecutions have taken place in years. Action needs to be taken on field by recognising mangrove and wetland destruction as a heinous crime, said Harish Pandey, secretary, New Link Road Residents Forum, an NGO that highlighted over 15 cases of mangrove destruction over past two years. Mangroves are salt tolerant plants, trees, shrubs or ground ferns in intertidal areas. They are a breeding ground for marine animals, and apart from protecting the coast from the brunt of cyclones and tidal waves, these coastal forests are pollution sinks that control climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. Currently, Mumbai has a total of 5,800 hectares (ha) of mangrove cover 4,000ha on government land and 1,800ha in private areas. This is more than 10% of the citys land. Navi Mumbai and the eastern end of Thane creek have a total cover of 1,471ha. Activists alleged half of citys wetlands under threat City-based activists have alleged that wetlands in the city, which mangroves form a portion of, are under severe threat from developmental activities. The allegation comes on the occasion of World Wetlands Day, which is celebrated every year on February 2 highlighting the importance of such an ecosystem. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, along the shores of the Caspian Sea. Wetlands such as lakes, ponds, estuaries and creeks, which mangroves are a part of, is an ecosystem that stabilises the coastline, controls erosion and provides a habitat for plant and animal species; they prevent floods and filter groundwater. Environmentalists alleged that almost half of citys wetlands, right from Malad, Marwe, Gorai, Borivli, Kandivli, Kalwa, Kasheli all the way up to Uran is under threat. Wetlands continue to be decimated. This is largely due to insensitive state machinery, which describes wetlands and wastelands, said Stalin Dayanand, director, NGO Vanashakti adding that a lot more needs to be done for their protection. In spite of numerous environmental laws, coastal regulation zone guidelines and high court orders, the destruction continues. Wetlands are a bridge between the terrestrial and marine ecosystems as a powerhouse of medicinal benefits and help mitigate effects of pollution, said Dayanand. READ MORE 500kg trash removed from Mumbais Carter Road mangroves SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modis advice to his leaders, asking them not to seek poll tickets for their relatives notwithstanding, leaders in the Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party, including MP Kirit Somaiya and state minister Vidya Thakur, have ensured their sons get tickets. Somaiya managed to get a ticket for his son, Neil, from ward 108 in Mulund. Thakur ensured the party nominated her son Deepak in ward 50 in Goregaon. Senior party MLA Raj Purohits son Aakash was fielded by the party from ward 221 in Kalbadevi. The leaders who have been criticising other parties for dynastic rule however sought to justify their actions claiming their sons were given tickets on merit. Raj Purohit said his son has been active in politics. My son applied for a ticket and he was selected by the BJP core committee. I have not recommended his ticket, Purohit said. Modijis message was that tickets should not be given to those relatives who are inactive. Here, my son has been doing work from the past 15 years, he said. Recommending names of relatives for party tickets was seen in all political parties. The Sena too has not been free of dynastic politics. Senas senior local leader Mahesh Sawant raised a flag of rebellion after a ticket was announced for Samadhan Sarvankar, the son of Mahim legislator Sada Sarvankar. In the Nationalist Congress Party, three relatives of NCP leader Nawab Malik filed nominations on Thursday. Maliks daughter Saeeda from ward 165, sister Dr Saida Khan from 168 and brother Captain Malik from 170 are all in the fray for the polls. However, state labour minister Sambhaji Nilengekar Patil, is an exception, as he rejected party workers request to nominate his brother, Arvind Patil, as a candidate for the ZP elections in Latur. Nilangekar, who had contested on a BJP ticket against his grandfather and former CM Shivaji Patil Nilangekar, took the decision inspired by Prime Minister Modi, who is against dynasty politics. Significantly, Modi had last month asked BJP members not to seek tickets for their relatives. However, leaders across the nation, in states going to polls, have not heeded. In Uttar Pradesh too, many top BJP leaders have accommodated their family members in candidate lists. READ MNS, Shiv Sena may gang up in BMC elections to avoid split of Marathi vote SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thane Creek features as one of the two sites that the Bombay Natural History Society has recommended to the state government as potential Ramsar sites on February 1, a day before World Wetland Day. Hatnur Dam in Jalgaon is the second recommendation that the body made. Ramsar sites are wetlands considered to be of international importance. The Ramsar convention, an international body, forms the basis for identification of such wetlands. The international treaty came into effect in 1971 after identifying the first such wetland at the Ramsar city of Iran. The Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. In 2013, the state forest department had identified five prominent wetlands - Jaikwadi Bird Sanctuary (Aurangabad), Ujni Reservoir (Pune), Sewri Creek or Mahul-Sewri Mudflats (Mumbai), Nandur Madhmeshwar Bird Sanctuary (Nashik), and Lonar Lake Sanctuary (Buldhana) as proposed Ramsar sites for the state government. The BNHS proposal adds an additional two sites to this list, taking the total to seven. However, Maharashtra does not have a Ramsar site yet. India is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, said Dr Deepak Apte, director, BNHS. The declaration of these seven sites as Ramsar sites would help garner global recognition. It will also promote conservation of the wetlands as a habitat, in turn protecting the varied biodiversity they harbour, as well as ensure water security in the region, Apte added that the proposed sites easily qualify as they fulfil the nine criteria listed by the Ramsar convention. The process takes time as a lot of documents need to be in place for each site and in the system, such proposals may not get its due priority all the time. So we have to work with the government to pursue them, he said. State government officials said that they had not received the proposal yet but will definitely consider it. While there seems to be no issues with wetland areas of Thane creek to get international recognition, an artificially created area like Hatnur dam has been commissioned as a project for a specific purpose either drinking water or irrigation. If the declaration puts a stop to such purposes, the proposal needs to be thoroughly considered, said a senior official from the state environment department. Proposed Ramsar sites Recently declared as a flamingo sanctuary, Thane creek, an important bird area (IBA), hosts over 40,000 flamingos for nearly six months every year, including both greater and lesser flamingos. Additionally, many species of migratory birds are spotted here, including a large number of pied avocets, black-tailed godwits, common redshanks, stints and sand plovers. Hatnur dam is known to host 20,000 to 32,000 birds during winter, including hundreds of threatened painted storks, black-headed ibis and other water birds. READ MORE SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After All India Congress Committee appointed observer and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to bring the warring groups within the city unit of the party to the discussion table, a meeting between Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam and senior party leader and former Union minister Gurudas Kamat took place on Thursday. The duo discussed the matter of disputed seats for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls. The party is expected to release its second list by Thursday evening. The party released its first list of 115 candidates on Tuesday evening leaving the wards with dispute over candidature, which will be decided by Hooda. The constituencies represented by former MPs and MLAs of the party had majorly disputed wards on which decision could not be taken due to differences. Hooda, who arrived in Mumbai again on Wednesday evening, asked the warring groups and leaders to hold a meeting and finalise the candidates. Hooda is insistent for the release of the final list of the candidates by Thursday evening. Nirupam held deliberation with all the key leaders from the city and discussed the names recommended by the district units. There is a possibility of some names from the first list to be replaced, said a party functionary. Ahead of the civic polls, the differences between Nirupam and Kamat have come to the fore. Kamat, by sending an SMS to his followers had announced to distance himself from the election process owing to the negative approach of the Mumbai Congress chief. Nirupam claimed that the selection of the candidates was being done as per the norms laid down by partys vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Also read Mumbai civic polls: Gurudas Kamat withdraws from campaign, blames Sanjay Nirupam Congress shares blame for the collapse of BMC and Mumbai Spend a morning getting to know the gargoyles that crouch atop the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, learn the many ways of draping a sari, or spend the afternoon with a connoisseur of cheese at a cheese tasting. If youre looking to do something different, theres no better place than the HT Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. Learn a new skill, try your hand at a new craft, or just walk along and listen. A total of 60 workshops and 20 heritage walks will take participants on journeys through time and space, revisiting the history that has shaped the city we love. We have added an additional venue for workshops this year, since the response to our workshops was phenomenal in 2016. Apart from the Artisans gallery and the Somaiya Centre, we are hosting workshops at the Jehangir Art Gallery too. Its a much bigger venue and will accommodate twice as many people, says section curator Ami Patel. This years line-up of workshops spans multiple themes art, music, cinema, fitness and food. Highlights include a mural painting workshop by Argentine artist Pablo Ramirez Arnol, who will paint on a 15-ft-wide canvas with participants, the cheese-tasting and appreciation session by the Canada-based gourmet cheese-maker Aditya Raghavan, and a sari-draping session by stylists Sonia Mehta and Ammisha Shah. The idea of our workshop is to encourage women to embrace the sari and not think of it as a difficult garment to wear. Its a no-fuss outfit that instantly adds elegance to ones personality. Its also a celebration of the handloom textiles of India, a segment that we will talk about through the workshop, says Mehta. (Participants are requested to wear skirts or trousers so they can participate in the different draping techniques). The heritage walks, meanwhile, will trace Mumbais dramatic transformation into the countrys financial capital, touching upon vital areas such as the citys rail network and movie history. The opening walk is titled Celebrating the Life Line Mumbai Locals. The tour will take participants inside CST, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Central Railway general manager AK Shrivastava will talk about how Mumbai, as a city, developed around railway stations and how, by extension, local trains are indispensable to the soul of Mumbai, says section curator Kruti Garg. Also on the cards is a dramatised walk around Kala Ghoda titled Poetry in Motion. Inspired by poems on Kala Ghoda by Arun Kolatkar, it will see actors enact anecdotes from the history of establishments such as the David Sassoon library and Cafe Military. A walk called Dramatic Cinematic Operatic Mumbai will shed light on the newly opened Opera House, and take participants through the restoration process and its importance as one of the last surviving opera venues in the country. Heritage walks are an old-school, analogous way of engaging with the city. Its learning through interaction and minimal use of technology. Thats where the spirit of Mumbai is reflected, Garg says. Among those who would agree with her is Abhijit Kacchap, 24, a freelance writer who says he has attended multiple workshops at the festival and enjoyed them all. I remember one particular one, a storytelling session by Emily Hennessy, co-founder of the UK-based theatre group Pandavani 108, he adds. It was on a Sunday morning and I was wondering whether I should push myself to go, and Im so glad I did. It was definitely one of my best festival experiences ever. The festival has been responsible for raising awareness about the heritage of Mumbai, adds fashion designer James Ferreira, who has attended multiple editions of the festival. Its made Mumbaikars more sensitive towards culture, and helped them understand the importance of conserving it, he says. I also appreciate the motive-free celebration of art that the festival promotes. The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival offers a fantastic platform for people to reconnect with the cultural history of Mumbai. Against the backdrop of urbanisation and modern art, visitors get insight into heritage structures and cultural institutions, and get to engage with anecdotes and stories from a time that has moulded Mumbais into the urban powerhouse it is today, says Abha Narain Lambah, conservation architect. Read Turn over a new leaf at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai Catch a flute symphony, jive to different beats at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Look for giant cattle, tiny horses at #HTKGAF SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Just days before the civic election, the Shiv Sena suffered a jolt in several electoral wards on Thursday as three senior local faces defected to rival party BJP, while an internal rebellion in the ranks rocked the party at two other places. The BJP poached Sena leaders even as all parties struggled to deal with rebellion, a day before the deadline to file nominations comes to an end on Friday. Sena leaders Sanjay Ambole from Parel and Dinesh Panchal from Chembur, both sitting corporators, and Prabhakar Shinde from Mulund, who has been a corporator multiple times and a former chairman of the BMC standing committee joined the BJP. All three quit the Sena owing to disagreements over candidature allotments for the election. What came as a surprise in the citys political circles is the defection of leaders like Ambole and Shinde, regarded as hardcore sainiks, who rose in the Sena ranks over the years. In the form of Ambole, the BJP has got a face in the Marathi heartland of Parel-Lalbaug, which has been a Sena bastion. The BJP gave candidature to Amboles wife Tejasvini from Parels ward number 203. Ambole said, I had a lot of friction with the local Sena legislator who would call for meetings for civic works without my knowledge, and even claim credit for the work I had done. I consulted all my followers and Sainiks, and they affirmed their support to me irrespective of which party I am associated with. I am not upset with the Sena though. Panchal said, There has been grave injustice to me within the Sena. I have done a lot of work for my ward [ward number 144] and earned ample goodwill. With my ward now being reserved as a womens ward, I was pushing for a Sena ticket for my wife, but the party decided to give it to parliamentarian Rahul Shewales wife, Kamini, instead. So, I decided I wont take it lying low. Both Panchal and his wife will now contest on a BJP ticket, with his wife, Anita Panchal, promised the coveted ward number 144 (comprising areas of Deonar and Mankhurd) and Panchal to be fielded from ward number 141 (Annabhau Sathe nagar, Zakir Hussain nagar in Chembur). Shinde, a senior leader from Mulund, said, The way seats for this election have been allotted in Mulund has deeply disturbed me. All Shiv Sainiks from the area are upset. He said the party has chosen candidates with dubious financial and political histories. The party has given a ticket to the wife of a person who had once protested against our leader Balasaheb Thackeray and burnt copies of Saamana. In another case, in Mulund the Sena has chosen a candidate who jumped to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena before coming back to the Sena. Then someone from the Nationalist Congress Party, who went to the BJP and came to Sena just eight months ago, has been chosen as a candidate. Shinde, however, maintained he does not know if the BJP is offering him candidature for the upcoming BMC elections. To avoid more rebellion in the ranks and prevent defections, none of the political parties in the fray released a complete list of candidates, with just 24 hours to go for the final date of filing nominations. The Congress, too, released a partial list earlier this week, and then kept any further disclosures on hold. The parties mostly communicated their decision directly to the candidates chosen and handed over their party nomination forms. Besides the defections, there was anger within the Shiv Senas ranks in at least two places Mahalaxmi and Wadala as local Sainiks were upset with the partys official choice of candidate. At Worli, a few local Shiv Sainiks and the shakha pramukh objected to the candidature of Sena corporator Kishori Pednekar from ward number 199 (Arthur Road jail, Dhobi Ghat area). Rajesh Kusale, head of the Sena Shakha, said, Nearly 70% of the Shiv Sainiks attached to this ward are upset with the decision. We were pushing for my wife, Rupal Kusale, to get a Sena ticket because I have worked diligently and built up the Senas presence in this ward as shakha pramukh for 19 years. But the vibhag pramukh and the local Sena legislator swayed the top leadership and got a ticket for Pednekar instead, who has nothing to do with this ward. Kusale said, We have been trying to meet our party chief for a month to express our wish and resentment with what has been happening. We even tried to go once, but were driven away like dogs. Similarly, in the Dadar-Wadala, local Sena leaders were dismayed with the candidature of ward number 178 (Hindu colony, Parsi colony, Kohinoor mills area) given to Yuva Sena leader Amey Ghole, known to be part of Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackerays coterie. The local cadre locked up the shakha office in protest. In another blow, former mayor Shubha Raul, a three-time corporator from the Sena, decided not to contest this time, making way for a new face, sitting Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkars wife Tejasvee. I had declared my intention not to contest elections anymore three years ago, but the party leadership was still persuasive. There is no end to politics. We need to make way for new faces, new brains and creativity, Raul said. Read more: Mumbai civic polls: Proposed alliance with Shiv Sena to thwart BJP, says Raj Thackeray SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The kingpin of the Rs2,000-crore ephedrine drug racket, Kishoresingh Rathod, has been taken to Gujarat along with his driver, Bharat Katiya, for questioning by the Thane police on Thursday. Rathod was arrested from Rajasthan three weeks ago. The police plan to probe how the ephedrine was manufactured, and the people who were involved in its transportation and delivery. They also want to investigate the involvement of angadiyas in the exchange of money. The Thane police also found that Rathod was tipped off about the raid conducted at the Solapur factory Avon Life sciences limited by Jay Mukhi. Mukhi, who is one of the key accused in the case, helped transport the ephedrine from Solapur to local drug peddlers in and around Mumbai, Thane, and Gujarat. When we raided the Solapur factory on April 13 last year, Jay Mukhi, who was in Mumbai, alerted Rathod about the raid, who then formulated an escape plan. Rathod told his family that had to travel out of Gujarat for office work. He initially fled to Africa, and later went to Madhya Pradesh, from where he would come to the Gujarat border to keep a check on the police, said a police official. It was also found that Rathod was in regular touch with international drug baron Vicky Goswami, who was arrested on Sunday from Kenya by the US-DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). According to the police, Goswami used to supply money to Rathod via angadiyas when he was on the run. A senior police inspector from Thane police commissionerate said, We are in touch with the US DEA, are following up on the case. We have shared all the necessary details with them about case. The Thane police have arrested 14 people in Ephedrine drug haul, and more than half a dozen of people are wanted in the case. Apart from this, police are also keeping a close watch on Nigerians in Thane and Navi Mumbai, as the police suspect that they helped the arrested accused Jay Mukhi and Sushil Kumar Assikanan to get more customers. Also read: Kingpin in Ephedrine haul brought to Thane SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bombay high court on Thursday rejected the bail application filed by artist Chintan Upadhyay, who was arrested in connection with the murders of his estranged wife artist Hema Upadhyay and her lawyer Haresh Bhambhani. Justice SS Jadhav observed that there existed prima facie, sufficient material to establish that Chintan not only nurtured a grudge against Hema, but had also expressed in his personal diary, the desire to get her eliminated. She relied upon the prosecutions submissions, including witnesses statements, Chintans diary entries, and his call detail records to arrive at this conclusion. Chintan rarely stayed at his Chembur flat while divorce proceedings between Hema and he were pending and even after they were complete. However, just around the time of the incident between December 1 and December 8, 2015 he stayed at that flat. According to the prosecution, it was there that the murder plot was hatched, she added. Though Chintan said he bore no ill will towards Hema, justice Jadhav said it was apparent that their relationship was strained. Chintan had painted a few nude portraits of Hema, which upset her. She had registered a police complaint against him and was suspicious of his behaviour, said justice Jadhav. Thus, Chintans conduct before and after the incident does not warrant bail, she said. Hema and Bhambhani were killed on December 11, 2015. Their bodies were stuffed in cardboard boxes, which were thrown into a ditch in Kandivli. The prosecution said Chintan hired killers to carry out the murders. They stated that he hired prime accused Vidyadhar Rajbhar a fabrication artist who he knew and others to kill Hema in exchange for money. While Vidyadhar has still not been traced, Chintan was arrested soon after the murders. The police also arrested Vidyadhars accomplices Pradeep Rajbhar, Azaad Rajbhar and Shivkumar Rajbhar. The prosecution said Chintan was in touch with Vidyadhar before the incident. The two met the other accused in Chembur to decide upon how to carry out he murders. Chintan said he had been made a scapegoat and falsely implicated in the case by the other accused, who saw him as a soft target. His counsel, advocate Raja Thakare argued that there was no dispute between Chintan and Hema and he had no reason to get her killed. The high court dismissed this argument, saying it was too early to discuss the motive behind the murders. The court also directed the police to look out for Vidyadhar. Read Mumbai double murder: Sessions court rejects Chintan Upadhyays bail plea Hema Upadhyay murder: Chintan reapplies for bail Kandivli double murders: Accused tells court he confessed under pressure SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The family of a Class 6 boy who was shot dead at Ambernath near Ulhasnagar on Wednesday was gearing up to celebrate his 13th birthday on April 2. Pratiks father, Bhaskar Gaikwad, 35, works in a factory and is a resident of Ambernath (East). Pratik was shot at during a baby shower ritual at a temple at 2am on Wednesday, said the police. The police arrested three people Atish Ashok Gaikwad, 25, Ashish Ashok Gaikwad, 21, and Kabir Naresh Gaikwad, 30 while a fourth suspect, Satyajit Naresh Gaikwad, 26 is on the run. Pratik was looking forward to celebrating his birthday on April 2 and was very excited about it. Until now, we had not celebrated his birthday owing to household issues, but this time we decided to mark the occasion by inviting friends and relatives. He was affable at home and never fought with anyone, said Pratiks sister, Priti,18. On Tuesday, he came home at 7pm after attending his school and playing with his friends, said Priti . As there was the baby shower ceremony, he told us that he was going to attend it. We were initially scared as he did not came home by 2am. We also went to the house of an accused but it was locked. When we asked other relatives of the accused men, they were silent and said they are not aware of my brothers whereabouts, said the sister. The family members alleged that they were not told about the death of their son immediately and searched for him in the area. As Pratik did not return home till 3 am, the family lodged a complaint with the police. Meanwhile, a few locals and Kabir, a suspect, took the boys body to the hospital. The police took us to the Central Hospital where we saw Pratiks body and Kabir, said the victims cousin, Vinod, 26, who works in a private firm. The victim was hit in the chest, said the police. The family of the main accused, Satyajit, fires in the air during functions to show off and intimidate people in the area, said Vinod. READ 12-year-old boy shot dead at baby shower in Ambernath SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With Friday being the last day for filing nominations for the civic polls, the State Election Commission on Thursday received 462 nominations from candidates from various political parties, taking the total number to 628. However, candidates are having a tough time in filling in online nominations on an electronic platform. They have claimed that the process is time consuming and tedious. Nominees from the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have spent almost a day to file the nomination as a small error meant repeating the application form. Some candidates even questioned the mandatory digital procedure, saying it could not have been down away with as a form had to be physically submitted to the returning officer (RO)of the area. Other candidates alleged that deposits are being accepted in cash instead of through cashless transactions. Madhusudan Sadadekar, an NCP candidate from the Andheri area, who went to fill in the nomination form on Thursday, said, Unless we complete one particular in the form, we cannot jump to the other, which takes a lot of time. Asif Zakaria, a Congress candidate from Bandra area, said, If they had to do everything online then even deposits should have been accepted online. But they are allowing cash payments. This is such a tedious process as we have to file in an online form and also submit it physically. Officials said a training session was conducted for all political parties before the filing procedure, which started last Friday, at the BMC head office. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Differences among Congress workers and leaders came to the fore again on Thursday, during a meeting with Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the former Haryana chief minister appointed by the All India Congress Committee as an observer to help stop the infighting. A clash broke out between workers outside a club in Juhu, where Hooda was meeting with senior party leaders. The workers flocked to the venue of the meetings on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon. During the clashes, Arif Sayyad, a minority cell leader was beaten up when he said he would support Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam. Hooda was appointed last month as observer to end factionalism in the party ahead of the polls. He had to convene series of meetings to work out a consensus. During one of these meetings, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi decided the names of candidates finalised at the district level will be approved by city unit chief Nirupam. In spite of this agreement, people objected to the names, said a former MLA from the western suburbs, blaming the party leadership for undue interference. Sources close to Nirupam, however, claimed former MPs and MLAs had listed undeserving supporters in the list of candidates. Party workers and loyalists were sidelined, compromising the winning prospect, when the names were finalised . Nirupam objected to such names, one leader said. Late on Thursday, after a series of meetings with top leaders Narayan Rane, Gurudas Kamat, Priya Dutt, Arif Naseem Khan and Ashok Jadhav, Hooda finalised a candidate list. The party released its first list of 115 candidates on Tuesday evening. There was a tussle among workers, as the number of aspirants was too large. But we have settled the issues amicably. The list will be released on Friday, said Nirupam. Meanwhile, upset over not getting candidature for the BMC polls, two Congress corporators, Vakil Ahmed Shaikh (ward 178) and Neha Vinayak Patil (ward19) joined the NCP on Thursday. Neha had sought ticket for herself while Vakil wanted to field his wife after his ward got reserved. NCP city chief Sachin Ahir has assured them the tickets. READ Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls: Congress Gurudas Kamat, Sanjay Nirupam meet to settle dispute on seats SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray claimed on Wednesday that he had proposed an alliance with the Shiv Sena for the upcoming civic elections only to thwart the BJP. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray effectively turned down the MNSs proposal and snubbed the party on Tuesday, saying the Shiv Sena hadnt received an alliance proposal from anyone and would fight the elections on its own. Addressing his party workers at Dadar on Wednesday, Raj hit out at the Shiv Sena, saying its leaders, eyeing the mayors bungalow, were trying to keep the BJP in good humour. My only aim was to keep the BJP out of power, said Raj. However they (Shiv Sena) do not want to forgo power both at the state and the centre. In addition, there is also a monetary angle to it, he added cryptically. My only aim was to safeguard the interests of the Marathi manoos. He added that the Shiv Sena wanted to usurp the mayors bungalow at Shivaji Park, which has been earmarked for a memorial to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. The memorial is just an excuse. The aim is to grab that property, claimed Raj. They fear that if they go all-out against the BJP, it will not hand over the plot to them, he added. Raj recently extended an olive branch to his estranged cousin Uddhav, seeking an alliance for the civic polls. On Sunday, he sent MNS leader Bala Nandgoankar to Matoshree, Uddhavs residence, with the proposal. But Uddhav not only denied receiving any such proposal, he also did not answer telephone calls from Raj, according to sources. Raj also hit out at the BJP, prime minister Narendra Modi, and BJP president Amit Shah, accusing them of conspiring to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. He went as far as to call Modi a liar, saying After demonetisation, Modi promised a new India from January but this is still to materialise. This man just speaks lies and fools people all the time, he added. READ MORE BJP lays claim over Mumbaikar tag in campaign SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Quick thinking helped an eight-year-old boy from being sodomised by a madrassa teacher as the boy stabbed the accused with a pen, which his mother kept in his shirt pocket. Meanwhile, the boy said the onlookers didnt step ahead to help him while he was being kidnapped and assaulted, the police said. According to the police officials, the arrested accused originally hails from Bihar and teaches at a madrassa in Sewri. Speaking to HT, the boys mother said, My son had his tuition classes from 5pm to 7pm on Saturday and during the class, his teacher sent him to a grocery shop to get sweets for the students. While he was on his way back from grocery shop, the accused stopped him and asked my son to come with him. According to the police, as the eight-year-old did not know the accused, he was reluctant to go with him. Seeing this, the accused asked for his fathers number and acted like he was talking to his father over the phone about some other tuitions. The accused then took the boy to a secluded location. My son got suspicious as the accused was constantly getting phone calls, where he said the boy is with him. My son looked to run and shout for help when the accused covered his mouth and grabbed him. The accused took my son to his room where he tore his clothes and kept assaulting him. The accused even threatened to kill him if he failed to give in, added his mother. However, the boy remembered he had a pen in his shirt pocket which he removed and stabbed the teacher with on his thigh. An officer from Sewri police station said, The Class Four student then opened the door and fled from the spot. The boy went back to his tuition place, informed his teacher who along with other local residents went to the spot and caught the injured accused and handed him over to the police. Shaikh was locking his door and about to flee when locals reached the spot at the right time, said an officer. Nobody came to the boys rescue The eight-year-old boy said people in the area did not intervene while he was being taken by the accused. According to the police, many people saw the boys reluctance to go with the accused, but nobody stepped forward to help him. Even while I was being assaulted in the room, one woman knocked on the door and enquired. I could not yell as he had covered my mouth. He said his relatives son was crying so she left. As soon as I got an opportunity, I removed my pen, stabbed him and escaped, the boy said. What are the charges? The accused has been booked under sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 506 (2) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code along with sections 8 and 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual offences Act 2012. What can parents do? Listen to the child - Listen to the childrens problems - If they are upset and talk about forms of abuse, then take counsellors help - Screen the content they watch on television and internet - When children ask questions on sex and sexuality, answer them in an age-appropriate manner. Past instances October 2014 A history-sheeter entered a house in Mulund to rape a woman, when her four-year-old daughter escaped and alerted the local residents who reached the spot in time and avert a sexual assault. February 2013 A eleven-year-old girl narrowly escaped being raped by a 60-year-old man in a Mumbai suburb owing to the efforts of three teenagers. The accused, who was allegedly intoxicated, was reportedly trying to force the girl to come with him to a dark and secluded location. This was noticed by the teenagers who saved her. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 42-year-old man was recently arrested by Powai police for allegedly posing as a cop along with his aide and extorting money from a man saying that he had been booked in a rape case. The accused Vijay Tatkare was booked in a similar case around 12 years ago . Powai police officials said the incident took place on Sunday around 12.30 pm. The 45-year-oldvictim, who works as a manager in a private firm, was passing by the SM Shetty college in Powai. A police officer from Powai police station said, The duo caught him and pretended to be cops. One of the wanted accused, Govind Chavan, was wearing a Khakhi pant and black shoes. The victim got scared on hearing they were cops. They told him that he had raped a woman in a lodge and they have received a complaint. The victim told them its a case of mistaken identity but they didnt budge and took him in a rickshaw to Airoli and made him withdraw Rs7,000 from an ATM. They asked him to get the rest of the money in sometime if he did not want to get arrested. The victim quietly approached us. He told us that he has been asked to come to Gandhi nagar. We kept our policeman as a shadow behind the victim. The accused were shrewd and asked him to come near IIT-Bombay in Powai. The accused again changed the address. Finally, Tatkare came to accept the money and we caught him but Chavan got away, added the police officer. Tatkare has been booked under IPC sections 170 (personating a public servant) 388 (extortion by threat of accusation of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life) and 389 (putting person in fear of accusation of offence, in order to commit extortion). Tatkare was remanded to police custody and subsequently sent to judicial custody. The case is being investigated by assistant police inspector Nilima Jadhav. Tatkare in 2005 was booked in a similar case under section 170 and 420 (cheating) of the IPC by Sakinaka police station. Also read Jigishas murderer used to pose as a cop, extort money Delhi: Impostors held for cheating, extorting money from VIPs, lawmakers Close to 40,000 students from Urdu medium junior colleges in the state will be affected by the Centres decision to exclude the language from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2017, said members of the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India. The group said that they will file a writ petition in the Supreme Court this week, asking the government to either have an Urdu version of the NEET paper, or to bring back MH-CET for health science courses in Maharashtra. Not only has the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) decided to exclude Urdu from NEET, the Maharashtra state board is also not going to conduct a separate medical entrance test for courses other than medical and dental. This means students form Urdu medium junior colleges cannot apply for health science courses altogether, said Mohammed Ali Shaikh of SIO (south Maharashtra). NEET was first introduced in 2013, following which Maharashtra scrapped their Common Entrance Test (CET) for health science courses. Based on a petition filed at the Supreme Court in 2014, NEET was scrapped by the SC and the state once again conducted a CET based on the NEET syllabus, while in 2015, the MH-CET was conducted on the basis of the state board syllabus in several languages, including Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and Urdu. In April 2016, the Supreme Court once again lifted the ban on NEET and proposed to conduct admissions to MBBS, BDS and post-graduate courses through the one common test. Maharashtra state government decided to conduct admissions to all health science courses based on NEET score for 2017, thus scrapping CET for medical admissions in the state. The SC had made NEET compulsory only for medical and dental courses, so at least our students had the choice of appearing for the state-conducted CET in Urdu and apply for other health science courses. By scrapping CET, our students have now been left in the lurch, added Shaikh. Officials from CBSE said that the decision to not include Urdu in NEET 2017 came from the central government, whereas officials from the Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER) said that reintroducing CET will be difficult. The easier way out will be for CBSE to set the question paper in Urdu as well, well have to wait and watch, said an official from DMER. Resident doctors protest govts decision Over 4,000 resident doctors with interns and undergraduates in medical colleges across Maharashtra protested against the central governments decision to introduce a National Exit Test (NEXT) on Thursday. As per the Medical Council of India Amendment bill 2016, the health ministry is planning to introduce NEXT for all MBBS students in the final year, as an eligibility test to practice as doctors. This is excess burden on students, who are already bogged down by too many tests. Besides, this test means the government doesnt trust their own institutes, and therefore they want to test our skills after graduation, said Dr Yashowardhan Kabra, president of Medical Association of Resident Doctors (MARD). He also added that in case some graduates dont clear the NEXT, they will be left unemployed despite having an MBBS degree. Read: CBSE to conduct NEET UG on May 7, 2017 NEET registrations delayed by six weeks SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Read this news in brief form. Click here Following the presentation of the budget by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, the Maharashtra government has decided to set up a committee of secretaries to study its provisions and enable the state to grab a large share of the pie. The committee is likely to be headed by the additional chief secretary (finance). Based on the committees report, we will take steps to ensure the state gets maximum funds from the Centre and will make necessary arrangements for sectors that are not covered by central schemes, said state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Wednesday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government is expected to leverage some of the incentives introduced in the budget during the upcoming elections. This includes increased spending for Dalits, a 25% hike in farm investment and a hike in the expenditure for the rural employment scheme. Close to 80% of states population is expected to vote in the mini assembly polls in February. Ten of the states biggest cities and 25 district councils comprising 75% of its rural vote bank will elect new members of local self-government bodies. The state government welcomed the Union budget, describing it as transformational. Its a participative, inclusive budget that will cause as much disruption as demonetisation and take the country to next level of developmentsaid chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. While maintaining financial prudence, the budget has made way for a substantial jump in spending. This was made possible owing to the positive impact of demonetisation. Capital expenditure has been enhanced by 25% and expenditure on infrastructure is pegged at Rs4 lakh crore,he added. Finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar praised the budgets focus on four sectors farmers, poor citizens, women and youth. Both Fadnavis and Mungantiwar applauded radical reforms in political funding, saying this would usher in transparency in politics and was a step towards eliminating black money. The CM termed the decision to slash income tax from 10 %to 5%for the slab of Rs2.5 lakh to Rs5 lakh earners historic. He added that this would help create a more tax-compliant society. He said the 5% tax rebate for medium and small sector enterprises would help create jobs. He also praised the never before focus on the housing sector. Meanwhile, the opposition slammed the budget. The Union budget has taken care of corporate houses and industrialists, but has no provisions for farmers and for the poor. The government should have announced a loan waiver for farmers affected by demonetisation,said state Congress chief Ashok Chavan. The budget has no provisions for small traders, labourers, tribals and minorities. The Prime Minister constantly talks about employment, but his government has failed to make any provisions for employees. The budget is full of the announcements that are not backed by solid schemes, he added. People were expecting relief in terms of income tax after facing the ill-effects of demonetisation. However, the budget wasnt up to the mark. Whatever relief was announced is minimal. It is also unclear if one compares it to earlier budgets,said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Nawab Malik The government should have provided tax relief up to R 5 lakh a year as the Shiv Sena had suggested. It has instead proposed Rs3 lakh. Every year, there are provisions for infrastructure, agriculture and rural development, which do not translate to actual expenditure and wealth creation, said Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar Kirtikar . Read Mumbais Dalal Street divided on Union Budget 2017 Railway budget: Dont expect big ticket projects this year, say officials from Mumbai Budget 2017: Cigarettes to cost more. See what else is costlier, what is cheaper The murder of 25-year-old Infosys engineer Rasila Raju OP in her Pune office has again raised concerns about safety of working women. Police have issued guidelines to IT companies in the city to step up security on campuses. Ten things we know about the techies murder: Rasila Raju OP was found dead late on January 29 on the ninth floor of Infosys facility in Hinjewadi IT park near Pune. She was found strangled with a computer cable. A security guard, Bhaben Saikia, was arrested from a train station in neighbouring Mumbai for the murder the next day. The 26-year-old Saikia, who came from Assam, worked with a private security firm and was sent to the Infy campus six months ago, police said. His background check returned clean, no history of crime. January 29, Sunday, was Rasilas day off but she was working on a project, so she came to office and was in touch with colleagues in Bengaluru. Her supervisor in Bengaluru alerted colleagues in the Hinjewadi office after her phone went unanswered in the evening. Her colleagues found her lying on the floor with a computer wire around her neck, assistant police commissioner Vaishali Jadhav said. She was punched in the face before being strangled. The guard, said police, allegedly killed Rasila after she ticked him off for staring at her. Rasila had complained about Saikias advances to the company but no action was taken, her maternal uncle said. Infosys said it was committed to the safety of its employees. Yesterdays unfortunate incident is a reminder, however, that nothing is foolproof, and we are continuing to seek recommendations and suggestions from different stakeholders on how we can try and strengthen the safety of our employees at our campuses and offices, it said in a statement on January 30. Rasilas father, however, blamed the software giant for security lapses. The Bengaluru-headquartered firm said it would pay Rs 1 crore as ex gratia to Rasilas family and give a job to one of her family members. According to her family, police found Rasilas purse, coffee mug and other personal belongings but not her mobile phone. The phone was found Wednesday. Before coming to work, Rasila had told her friends that she had sought a transfer back to Bangalore, which was closer home. She came from Kozhikode in Kerala and was transferred to Pune six months ago. A student of Kozhikode Kendriya Vidyalaya, Rasila went to neighbouring Tamil Nadu for higher studies. After completing BTech, she got a job with Infosys in Bengaluru around two years ago. Rasila was buried in her hometown on Tuesday. Also read | Pune techie complained about guard to Infosys, but no action was taken, says uncle Spotlight on security agencies vetting practices after Pune techies murder SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following the murder of software professional working with Infosys, the police on Wednesday initiated process of issuing various safety related guidelines to all the IT companies in Pune to prevent similar incidents in the future. Joint Commissioner of police Sunil Ramanand said that the process to issue safety related points to IT and ITES companies has started. Some of these safety points include round-the-clock monitoring of CCTV footage, deployment of women security guard near female staff and calling female IT professionals during the day shift. These IT companies have to realise that its their responsibility to ensure the safety of their staff on the campus which is out off limit for common public. To make them realise this and help them ensure the safety of staff, we are in the process of sending IT companies safety related guidelines, Ramanand told Hindustan Times. Ramanand said, while security agencies rely only on background checks of persons they recruit, what is needed for them was to check the emotional aspects of people prior to their recruitment. Many a times, the security guards or drivers come from a certain social background. Under such circumstances, its the responsibility of IT firms to also check emotional stability of these guards or drivers who work in entirely different cultural place. The IT companies need to factor in these issues. Senior officials said they will also be inviting delegates of IT and ITES companies to personally apprise them about the safety measures to be implemented on the campus. Rasila Raju OP, software engineer working with Infosys, was murdered by security guard on the campus on Sunday evening. The police arrested Bhaben Saikia the next day. Mobile phone found Murdered Infosys techie Rasila Raju OPs Mobile phone, which the family claimed was missing, was found, claimed the police. According to officials, the mobile was seized from her section after hours from the crime. Also read Murdered Pune Infosys techie wanted to be transferred to Bangalore but wasnt allowed Pune Infosys techie murder: IT workers stunned, question outsourced security Pune techie complained about guard to Infosys, but no action was taken, says uncle SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A treat awaits nature lovers in the city by the end of this month where they will be able to take a boat ride through the Thane mangroves to spot flamingos and other birds. The construction of the first phase of the Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre at Airoli, Navi Mumbai a pet project of the state mangrove cell - has been completed and will be open to the public by the last week of February. A closely guarded secret of Mumbai will be revealed this February end, said Sudhir Mungantiwar, forest minister. Thane creek is known for its sea ports and how it defines the landscape of Mumbai, but its biodiversity is not all that well known. Our attempt is to bring the people of Mumbai closer to nature and let them experience the wonderful biodiversity in the citys backyard. In August 2016, the state government declared the northern part of Thane creek as a flamingo sanctuary to safeguard the flamingo population. The area, that includes Airoli and Vashi, is spread over 1,690 hectares, that has 896 hectares of mangroves and 794 hectares of land in the periphery, . The Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit, under the state mangrove cell, was handed over the responsibility for the management of the sanctuary. Visitors will be able to take a 10km boat ride through the thick mangrove cover, that will start from Airoli, move towards Diva and return to Airoli again. The three-hour journey will be undertaken using a large boat with a capacity of 25 people at a cost of Rs300 per person. A second boat ride, in a much smaller boat with a capacity of six to seven people, will enter smaller creeks along the flamingo sanctuary, which will cost Rs500 per person. This smaller boat will go an additional 2km. Officials from the state mangrove cell said that along with the boats, two buildings spread across 3,000 square-feet each at the centre were ready to make tourists better their understanding of the marine biodiversity in Mumbai. The centre will focus on creating awareness about wetlands, marine life, mangroves and coastal ecosystem through displays imported from Germany, said a senior official from the state mangrove cell. A parking space for about 30 vehicles has been provided at the entry along with a ticketing centre where visitors can buy a ticket for Rs 100. Additionally, a cinema hall, screening films on coastal and marine biodiversity has been made within the building. The idea was to visually reach out to visitors before they go for the boat ride and experience the aura of the wetlands for themselves, said Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, state mangrove cell. Two watchtowers have been built within the mangrove forest to ensure security at the centre. The project is being funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), an international agency, and the forest departments mangrove foundation. The cost for the first phase of the project was Rs3 crore. The second phase of the centre, costing Rs10 crore, will have Indias first marine mammal museum with skeletal remains of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Additional facilities will include a mangrove trail using a boardwalk on one end of the site, a separate centre for educating students about crab-farming, a bird-hide to spot and photograph avifauna from the area and an artificial water body located at the centre of the complex. Construction for the second phase is likely to be completed by December. READ MORE 80% fall in mangrove destruction in 1 year, says study by Maharashtra government SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Union budget may have given infrastructure status to the real estate sector along with a couple of tax incentives but these are unlikely to impact the Mumbai realty market in a big way. According to both builders and experts, these incentives are unlikely to provide a boost to the realty sector, especially when it is facing a massive slowdown. Sukhraj Nahar, chairman and managing director of Nahar Group said that the budget does not provide any respite to the buyers. We had anticipated that the budget would have measures to correct market drawbacks as a whole. It, however, ignored the consumers belonging to the middle class that forms the largest segment of real estate buyers, said Nahar. He added, This has left little room for any property in this region to be within the reach of the common man. He said that the criteria of houses to be built with a carpet area of 30 square metres, was not practical as people living in metros prefer bigger houses. Finance minister Arun Jaitley had in his speech stressed that the Union government was committed to providing affordable housing schemes. He changed the criteria for affordable housing from built-up area of 30 and 60 square metres to carpet area of 30 and 60 square metres. Jaitley also declared that developers who would be roped in for constructing affordable houses would be exempted from tax on their profit for five years. But experts said that adequate attention was not paid to prospective buyers who were shying away from the market. The middle class tax payers, who were the ones badly hit during demonetisation, have been ignored in this budget, said Amit Wadhwani, managing director of Sai estate consultants, a major consultancy firm in the city. He added, There is no relief in service tax or the value added tax, which tends to increase the builders expenditure. The realty sector is, however, enthused as the affordable segment has been given the infrastructure status. Now, developers can access foreign funds at a cheaper rate and also be a priority consumer for Indian banks. The Union finance minister also said that the government plans to build 1 crore houses for the poor by 2019 along with the allocation of Rs23,000 crore for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to fulfill its agenda of Housing for All mission by 2022. Also read: Union budget: Jaitley brings no good news for Mumbais 75 lakh commuters SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) star campaigner and actor-turned politician Hema Malini on Thursday urged voters, especially women, to help secure a win for BJPs woman candidate in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. She was addressing a gathering in Modi Nagar assembly segment in Ghaziabad. Hema, who is also the MP from Mathura, arrived at the venue by helicopter almost three hours late after attending a rally in Baraut area of western UP. Being a crowd puller, she was roped in by the party to campaign for Dr Manju Shiwach, the Modi Nagar candidate of the BJP. Today, time is important in view of assembly elections. This golden chance will go away if you do not select a party that works for development. In 2014, you all chose PM Modi who is the only one who is working selflessly for the country and for the people. All previous PMs did nothing for the country, youngsters, women and farmers, as PM Modi is doing. So, you need to strengthen his hands and choose party representatives in the election, she told the gathering. Since noon, thousands of people, including women and farmers, had arrived at the venue on foot, tractor trolleys and in autorickshaws to get a glimpse of the yesteryear Bollywood star. Many students skipped classes for the dream girl of the 1970s and 80s. Hema greeted the crowd with chants of Radhey Radhey and introduced herself as the MP from Mathura, the birthplace of lord Krishna. Despite arriving late, the crowd waited patiently to hear her. I got attached to the BJP as this party is for all and not for any religion or caste. This party works for all, especially the poor. So, I got attached to the party and been with them for the last 10 years. Earlier too, I have appealed for different candidates, and people have listened to me and made the candidates win, she said. She also conversed with the section of women and girls who had arrived at the venue in large numbers. I am pleased to see the women and girls who have arrived here. In my previous rallies, I did not see much presence of women. I request you to vote for the party and help the woman candidate win. This will help you and your daughters get a secure and golden future, she told the women. Dr Manju Shiwach is contesting her first election and she is the only woman candidate fielded by any major political party from Ghaziabad district. She is pitted against two sitting MLAs, Wahab Chaudhary from Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal MLA Sudesh Sharma. The other strong contender from the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance is Ram Asre Sharma. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Around 20 investors, who had gathered outside the Ablaze Info Solutions Limited in Sector 63 on Thursday evening, expressed their full support to the company and its business methodology. They said the company has been running its operations transparently and providing employment to lakhs of people. The Uttar Pradesh special task force said Ablaze Info Solutions Limited, which runs a web portal, socialtrade.biz, is involved in a Rs 3,700 crore fraud committed in the name of online trading. The police have arrested three persons, who have collected money from around seven lakh investors. Those who have invested in the schemes of the company kept thronging its Noidas Sector 63 office as news about it being a fraud company spread through media. The crowd remained outside the office till evening. Around 7pm, some 20 investors in the age group of 20-30 expressed solidarity with the company. I have invested around Rs 1.8 lakh in 2016 in the scheme of the company. I have got back about half of my investment and the remaining will be paid soon. I feel its a good company and the business is also good, said Yogesh Rohilla, a banker who lives in Delhi. Many who work with the BPOs and IT companies in Noida have made investments in the firm, sources said. (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO) According to the UP police, an investor has to deposit anything between Rs 5,750 and Rs 57,500 in the companys account to become a member. Each member earns Rs 5 per click. Sachin Tyagi, who runs a shop in Ghaziabad, said he is earning Rs 22,000 per month from his investment he in the company. I do not want to tell you how much I invested. But the company has provided jobs to lakhs of people, who are happily working with the firm. Because of elections, leaders have got this company shut as they want money. We will support this company till the end, Tyagi said. Many who work with the BPOs and IT companies in Noida have made investments in the firm, sources said. I made an investment of Rs 57000 to become a member. Soon after, I started getting Rs 1,000 per day, but they stopped payment after a while. I hope the company will again start paying me daily if the police and the government do not disturb its plans, said a BPO employee, requesting anonymity. He said around 30% of the nearly 1,000 employees in his BPO have made investments with Ablaze Info Solutions. I invested Rs1 lakh in 2016 and got Rs 2.5 lakh in return in six months. I made 100 people invest in this company and they all are happy. The UP police is harassing the company for no reason because it was doing all transactions digitally. Why did the government not take action when it was started? Why has the government given a licence for them to operate? said Bhagwat Singh, a teacher, who got his Uttarakhand friends to invest in Ablaze. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tucked in towards the end of Part A of his fourth Budget speech, just before Prudent Fiscal Management, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley had a couple of throwaway sentences in which he declared the governments commitment to celebrating 200 years of the Paika revolution in Odisha as well as a host of other Mahatma Gandhi-related events 100 years of his Champaran satyagraha in Bihar, a century of the founding of the Sabarmati ashram in Ahmedabad all of it leading up to the celebration of 150 years of Gandhis birth in 2019. Make no mistake, though, theres nothing dilettante-ish about the governments celebrations of these anniversaries, especially those around Mohandas Karamchand. None other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided he will head the high-level committee that will soon be set up to celebrate these historical dates in a befitting manner. Considering Modi replaced the Mahatma in the Khadi Village Industries Commission new year calendar this year, spinning khadi in the exact same pose as Gandhis pictures once showed us he did with one arm close to the wheel and another outstretched holding the yarn on the other end there is no question that Indias most powerful Gujarati sees himself as having inherited the mantle of his provincial ancestor. Read: Modi replaces Gandhi in Khadi Udyog stationery, workers to hold silent protest Of course, Jaitley no doubt prodded by his prime minister didnt bother to remember that the Mahatmas protege, Jawaharlal Nehru, would be sharing 2019 with his beloved Bapu, as it would be the 130th anniversary of his own birth. But there was not one word about Nehru in Jaitleys speech, nothing at all about the man who played a huge role in making India the democracy it is today. Perhaps its better this way. The shabby marking of the 125th anniversary of Indias first prime minister in 2014-15 had deteriorated into such a farce by the time the Modi government was done with it, that all those involved were grateful when the year finally ended. Todays politics revels in the vindictive celebration of history, a selective remembrance of things past. As if the BJP is saying to the Opposition Congress party, Enough of your forefather! Just as equally cynical observers will insist that the Sabarmati ashram is being celebrated because the Gujarat polls are round the corner, while the Paikas are being remembered because the BJP hopes that Odisha, after 19 years of BJDs Naveen Patnaik in the saddle, will be ripe for the plucking in 2019. Read: Modi-fication of Khadi calendar unites Opposition, PMO dismisses row Indeed, the celebration of the Paikas is a great event. To think that in 1817, a whole 50 years before the first war of independence in 1857, the Oriyas were rising up against the East India Company and demanding the right to rule themselves. Odisha was the missing link between the Calcutta and Madras presidencies and needed to be subjugated; it had been conquered in 1803. But the Paikas, a landed militia under Bakshi Jagabandhu, projected Lord Jagannath of Puri as the great symbol of unity and fought the Company raj. The rebellion grew into a popular revolt, enlisting the king of Khurda, feudal lords as well as commoners. Certainly, India is littered with stories of both valour and grace, several of which have fallen through the cracks these intervening decades and centuries, and must be rescued. The Paikas are a fine example. But in this cherry-picking of our historical heroes, Jaitley and Modi have abbreviated the vast and generous experiment of Indian democracy into something smaller than it is. It neednt be this way. Let us revel in our common but diverse inheritance. Let us bequeath a hundred blooming flowers to our future. Jyoti Malhotra is a senior journalist. The views expressed are personal For those who say This is not who we are, look again. Sadly, its who weve always been. President Donald Trumps executive order banning travellers and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries is only the latest twist of dark threads that have long been present in America. The executive order is not unprecedented. It is evolutionary. The countries affected by Trumps executive order - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - have been singled out under American immigration law since the days following 9/11. But lets be more specific. Trumps executive order only lists Syria by name. It refers to the other countries in reference to a 2015 Obama-era law, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12). (And the list thus has nothing to do with any of Trumps business interests. He did not create it, nor is he the first American president to omit Saudi Arabia from post-9/11 scrutiny.) That list, part of the Orwellian-named Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, disallows use of Americas visa-free travel program to persons who even once visited the targeted nations. So, for example, British citizens otherwise eligible to enter the United States without a visa must instead appear for questioning and be individually approved for an actual printed visa in their passport at an American embassy or consulate abroad. The rule applies even if their travel was as a journalist or member of a volunteer health team. Though Trump in his crude style proposes extreme vetting, such a process has been in place since the George W Bush administration, continued under Barack Obama, and is operating today. It too has an Orwellian name, administrative processing. Among the nations affected: those same seven countries. People from these nations go through an alternate visa procedure that delays their travel as they wait to be vetted by various intelligence agencies. Some applications are left to pend indefinitely. There were no mass dissent memos filed by State Department employees over any of those steps. While the idealized stories of individual refugees heard this weekend are deeply emotional, left undiscussed was the fact that compared to other nations, the United States is quite stingy in the number of people it accepts. America sets an annual ceiling on refugees; for FY 2016 it was 85,000. Refugee number 85,001, no matter how desperate, waits until next year. Go back to 2006, and the ceiling was 70,000 (though less than 50,000 were actually admitted). There have been refugee surges into the United States such as Holocaust survivors following World War Two (650,000 displaced people, opposed by half of Americans) and Vietnamese boat people (130,000, opposed by 57 percent of Americans), though Americans historically fear refugees, rather than welcome them. Since 1980, the United States has accepted fewer than two million refugees overall, and 40 percent of those were children accompanying their refugee parent(s). By contrast, though not limited to refugees, the Obama administration alone deported 2.5 million people. People continue to protest in lower Manhattan against the polices of President Donald Trump in New York City. Trump's executive order on immigration has created chaos and confusion among many Muslims and others as it temporarily bars citizens from seven largely Muslim countries, as well as all refugees, from entering the US. (AFP Photo) A total of 30 American governors said theyd refuse to accept Syrian refugees into their states if they could. Some 60 percent of all Americans oppose accepting any Syrian refugees. A little less than half of Americans polled support suspending immigration from terror prone regions. The FY2016 American quota for Syrian refugees was 10,000. In contrast, among Syrians alone, Canada in 2016 took in 25,000. Germany admitted 300,000 refugees from various nations in 2016, following close to one million in 2015. 8 U.S.C. 1152 Sec. 202(a)(1)(A) makes it unlawful to ban immigrants (Legal Permanent Residents, green card holders) because of nationality, place of birth, or place of residence. The law however is silent on banning non-immigrants such as tourists or students, as well as refugees, for those same reasons. And even though legal immigrants are not banned by nationality or place of birth per se, yearly limits on the number of immigrants from certain nations are near-virtual bans. For example, the restrictions some Filipino and Mexican relatives of American citizens face amount to a 24-year wait (another Orwellian term, priority date) for a green card. It is not uncommon for applicants to die before their turn comes. Challenges to Trumps order will be difficult. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired after refusing to defend Trumps executive order in court even after her own departments Office of the Legal Counsel signed off, appeared to base her opposition on other than strict legal grounds - the intent of the order. She singled out personal objections over whether the order was a wise or just policy. American courts have as recently as 2015 upheld the long-standing non- judicial reviewability of visa decisions made abroad, meaning those decisions cannot be challenged in domestic courts. The United States also generally does not extend the protections of American law to foreigners outside the country. The Supreme Court acknowledges immigration laws plenary power doctrine, leaving most discretionary decisions in the hands of the executive branch. Legal victories this weekend were only limited stays of actions inside American borders, and complied with by the Department of Homeland Security on an exceptional national interest basis, not a policy one. It is unclear a Constitutional crisis is afoot. However, the most noteworthy aspect of Trumps executive action on immigration is the driver of it all: fear. The government of the United States, from September 12, 2001 through the present day, has fanned the flames of fear. Despite an American here at home having a greater chance of dying in a fall than by terror, Trump follows his predecessors in warning of attacks inside the Homeland committed by the poster child of fear, the foreign militant infiltrating the United States. What happened if we didnt act and somebody was killed? Trump spokesperson Sean Spicer said in defense of the executive order. The order itself invokes the specter of 9/11, even further receded into history than the last time it was invoked to support something (torture, leaving Guantanamo open, shoes off at the airport...). Nothing Trump has done regarding immigration will make America safer. But like much of the security theater normalized post-9/11, safety is not the point. Keeping fear alive and maintaining the politically-driven myth that government is on the job protecting the Homeland is what matters. Trump knows this, as did Obama and Bush. The ugly truth is despite the protests, a number of Americans remain afraid of foreigners and want what Trump is giving them. They always have. There is unfortunately little here unique at its core to the Trump era. (By Peter Van Buren) On a cold Sunday morning, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate from SAS Nagar Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu (58), a former bureaucrat, heads from Sector 70 to the constituency villages for holding a door-to-door campaign. Sidhu, dressed in a pair of jeans and jacket, wants to make a statement through his sartorial choice he does not want to look like a typical politician clad in white kurta-pajama. Instead, he wants to make a modern appeal to the voters. Being a former bureaucrat, he wants to make connect with the educated, middle class. Leading a cavalcade of five vehicles in a Toyota Fortuner SUV, Sidhu, who remained SAS Nagar deputy commissioner for three years, heads to Balongi, Badhmajra and Chappar Chiri villages after holding some meetings in Sector 70. After their arrival in the villages, Sidhu greets the local residents and addresses nukkad meetings there. As villagers complain of broken roads, lack of sanitation and clean water, he promises to fulfil their demands if elected. He also claims to have carried out development works as the SAS Nagar deputy commissioner. Taude vote nu koi khareed ni sakdaidi keemat lakhan toh vi zyada hai (No one can buy your voteyour one vote is worth more than lakhs), he says, drawing applause and smiles from the gathering. Im adopting this village like a mother takes care of her child, he says. He also talks about providing affordable housing, proper waste management system to residents. There were more women at the gatherings, with the youth largely giving them a miss. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON For two-time Congress MLA and party candidate from SAS Nagar Balbir Sidhu (56), the Tuesday morning fog that envelops villages in the constituency is hardly a deterrent from reaching out to voters in the last leg of campaign for the Punjab assembly elections. Sidhu, once elected from the Kharar segment, woke up at 4:30am and went out for a walk in Phase 7, SAS Nagar, locality where he lives. Then he held meetings with his team, party workers and supporters besides his family members to discuss his schedule for the day and has his breakfast around 8am. Now, he prepares to visit villages in the surrounding area of the international airport. Sometimes, I go out all by myself to interact with people living close by. Thats how one gets the pulse of people, Sidhu says as he sits in his car followed by three vehicles with members of his extended family part of the cavalcade. As soon as the cavalcade reaches Manakpur Kallar village on the Dairi-Banur road, the vicinity is dotted with flags carrying hand, the Congress symbol, while the elderly and youngsters are waiting to welcome their sitting legislator. Sidhu personally knows several locals, many of whom, especially the youngsters, wait to seek his blessings. With folded hands, he greets whoever comes his way. They raise slogans in his favour. Since Sidhu was in the opposition for two consecutive terms and the kind of rapport he enjoys at the grassroots level in the constituency, he does not draw much criticism for lack of development in area. He is confident of a positive election outcome. His frequent references to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)s inabilty to perform in the state get him a lot of response at the public meeting. He emphasizes upon eradicating the drug menace, youth employment, ensuring adequate health facilities, getting more EWS housing and waiving of agriculture debt. He is known for attending cremations and bhog functions whether or not he knows the person or the family. He is also popular among village womenfolk. They say he would regularly distribute clothes to the unmarried girls on Raksha Bandhan besides shoes and uniform to schoolchildren. An 80-year-old at Manakpur village in SAS Nagar said, Unlike many other politicians, he answers his mobile phone himself mostly. He has always been there in time of grief. Although he left his studies midway, he has actually proved that you need to have compassion to work with and for people, said Rajbala, 30, a local resident. But there are some who disagree. They talk about a lack of concern for primary schools in the villages and want their representative to build more high schools in the area. Gurnam Kaur, 55, says, There is no dispensary in some villages here. One has to walk miles to get medicines. Then there are some youngsters who are looking for change as they feel the parties in power have failed to address their problems. The inadequate sewerage has always been a concern. All other villages have gymnasiums now. I think the MLA should look at these things too, says Rajbir Singh (29). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Tamannaah Bhatia is looking forward to the release of Baahubali 2 in April. I am very excited for Baahubali 2, which is coming out in April. The first part has already garnered so much interest, love and appreciation. I am looking forward to seeing the audiences reaction this time too, the Himmatwala star said. The Indian epic historical fiction film, directed by SS Rajamouli, stars Prabhas in the lead. The film is scheduled for worldwide release on April 28. Tamannaah Bhatia seen here training for her film, Baahubali 2. (HT Photo) Tamannaah spoke on the sidelines of the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017 here on Wednesday. Talking about fashion, she said: In Mumbai, we all sweat a lot in summer. So, the fabric that you wear is what really matters. I would say one should wear cotton and Indian fabrics which are suitable for this weather, and you will feel comfortable. However, if you really want to look smashing, then go for that dress you want to wear. For Tamannaah, fashion has become a part of life. I enjoy fashion now... Its like waking up and living with it. I love to attend fashion shows, the 27-year-old actress said. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop You cant remember the last time you made any flirtatious overtures to your partner. You dont recall the last time you had a conversation that didnt involve the kids or talk of paying the bills. As maligned as it can be among greeting card haters, Valentines Day can serve as a yearly wake-up call to reignite the spark with a romantic getaway. Whether youre the type of couple who fell in love over a mind-blowing coq au vin in Paris, or the type in need of a serious beach holiday, here are a few travel ideas for this much awaited annual holiday. For the nature-loving couple: Kauai, Hawaii Editors of National Geographic magazine chose the dramatic wilderness of Kauai, Hawaii as one of their 21 must-see places for 2017. If you and your partner are nature lovers who find the idea of hiking trails through North Americas mahogany forest, or the floor of a Canyon and lush landscapes seductive, youll want to look into Kauai, which has been featured in the Jurassic movie franchise and 60 other feature films for its towering sea cliffs and cascading waterfalls. If anything, the hikes will get the heart pumping and increase blood flow. For the tried and true: Paris Yes, its predictable and cliche. But in a survey carried out by Expedia and market research group GfK last year, 69 percent of the 1,000 US respondents named Paris the most romantic destination in the world. The City of Light also snagged the title of sexiest city in the world, and the place where singletons would most want to spend their Valentines Day. Indeed if theres one city in the world where you can indulge in unapologetically public displays of affection, its here. In fact, one French writer wrote a book about it: Best Places to Kiss in Paris. Best not forget your lip balm. For the singleton: Miami Because Valentines Day doesnt just belong to couples. Whether it be to celebrate your singledom, or put an end to that status once and for all, readers of Travel + Leisure suggest heading to Miami, which topped the magazines list of Americas best cities for singles. Along with gorgeous locals, the city pulses with nightclubs, cocktail lounges, champagne bars and celebrity hotspots. Throw in some Miami heat and youve got the perfect cocktail for seduction. For the burnt out couple: A stay at the worlds most romantic resort in the Maldives Life has come at you like a speed train with no brakes over the last few years, juggling kids, jobs and everything in between. A self-imposed time-out can help rekindle the romance, especially when taken at the Baros Maldives, which was named the worlds leading romantic destination at the World Travel Awards in December, also known as the Oscars of the travel world. This remote, island getaway is only accessible by boat and offers a paradisiacal setting of over-water villas against turquoise waters. Packages include Essence of Romance featuring champagne, couples massages and candle-lit baths, and Renewal of Vowels, with photographer, bouquet and wedding cake. http://www.baros.com/ Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Finance minister Arun Jaitley has banned all cash transactions exceeding Rs 3 lakh from April 1, a move that is expected to give another push to digital transactions and help his government in its fight against corruption. In his budget speech on Wednesday, Jaitley said the move was based on a proposal made by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money. The SIT set up by the government for black money has suggested that no transaction above Rs 3 lakh should be permitted in cash. The government has decided to accept this proposal, the finance minister told Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has said it is committed to rooting out graft, as part of a clampdown on corruption that Modi promised during his election campaign. After coming to power, it quickly implemented a Supreme Court directive to set up the high-powered SIT to look into the issue. Last November, Modi banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes, a move he said was aimed at eliminating corruption. The decision sparked chaos and confusion across the country, with millions of consumers queued outside banks and ATMs to change a limited number of old notes for new ones or withdraw cash. Ministers, however, have asserted the decision will yield long-term gains, and batted for digital transactions and the idea of a less-cash society. The Rs 3 lakh limit on payment by cash we have put along with PAN card limits on unaccounted expenditure de-incentivises the use of cash, Jaitley told HT in an interview after his budget speech. Chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian said the demand for cash should essentially determine the extent of remonetisation, or the replenishment of cash needed in the economy after the note ban exercise. What you hope is that the economy will voluntarily want less cash than it used toyou dont want to force people to use less cash, you need to create that environment for moving towards digital you want to make the conditions such that people use less cash, Subramanian said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On paper, the rural development ministry got 24% more funds in this budget over the last one. But a closer look reveals that the ministry might have to overcome many challenges, including money. With the governments renewed interest in the rural jobs scheme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has fetched Rs 10,000 crore more than its allocation in the last budget. But after a spurt in rural jobs last year, the government had allocated another 9,000 crore. And this year, the ministry actually got just 501 crore more than the last years revised estimates. Former rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said that an increase in allocation was a tacit acknowledgement that more jobs were coming the MGNREGA way because the recall of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes had led to the closure of small factories and left millions of workers unemployed. If MGNREGS got a meagre 1.05% spike in funds , the rural roads received exactly the same quantum of moneyRs 19,000 crorethat it will spend in the outgoing financial year. The rural and the poor have emerged as key focus areas of the Narendra Modi government in recent months as the NDA prepares for a clutch of assembly polls and general elections in 2019. But even as the government spoke about the greater pace of road construction to connect villages, critics argued that the budget had actually not given any enhanced support. Finance minister Arun Jaitley has liberally flushed money for constructing house in rural India. There is a steep Rs 7,000 crore of extra funds as the government employed its resources to fulfil the PMs ambitious plan of building 4.4 million houses under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Awas Yojna. It is a tall order for the ministry that has been grappling to meet targets. Up against a target of 4.4 million house in one year, the rural development ministry has been able to build just 1.1 million to 1.8 million houses annually in the last five years. To push faster construction of houses, the union government has also announced prizes for district magistrates. Districts in which at least 50% of the target if fulfilled, DMs will be given special awards from the Centre. We are also getting good response for this programme from all states, said rural development secretary Amarjeet Sinha. The rural housing scheme has also emerged as a key area for employment for locals. Sensing its potential, the ministry is also providing training programmes in masonry, carpentry and plumbing. The Centre, in a bid to reap demographic dividend, has an ambitious plan to get 30,000 trained masons by July 2017. While the UPA government had allotted Rs 82,000 crore for construction of a house and a toilet, the Modi government had hiked the allotment to Rs 1.32 crore. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Finance minister Arun Jaitley presented on Wednesday a budget that encouraged business and provided relief to people in the lower tax bracket without succumbing to populism in the run-up to the assembly elections in five states. In an attempt to soothe tempers frayed by demonetisation, the Centre slashed the tax rate for individuals in the Rs 2.5 lakh-Rs 5 lakh annual income bracket from 10% to 5%. However, it sought to compensate for this cut by levying 10% surcharge on individuals with an annual taxable income between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore. The budget set Rs 10 lakh crore as the target for agricultural credit in 2017-18, with special emphasis on flow of funds to Jammu & Kashmir and the countrys eastern states. It also fulfilled Prime Minister Narendra Modis promise of granting 60 days interest waiver to farmers on loans from the cooperative credit structure. Besides this, the budget earmarked a sum of Rs 9,000 crore for crop insurance against natural disasters under the Fasal Bima Yojana. Aspiring house owners found a special place in Jaitleys budget, with a proposal to raise allocation for the Prime Minister Awas Yojana from Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 23,000 crore. However, no specific incentive was announced for first-time buyers. In a proposal aimed at bringing cheer to 96% of the business establishments in India, Jaitley reduced the tax rate for companies with an annual turnover of up to Rs 50 crore by a whopping 25%. Also, with the Union budget extending a concessional 5% withholding tax for the next three years, Indian companies seeking foreign debt are likely to see its cost of capital fall amid a rise in overseas investor interest. As far as small investors are concerned, a draft bill aimed at curtailing the menace of illicit deposit schemes will be introduced soon. INDIVIDUALS MARGINAL RELIEF 5%, not 10%, to be the tax rate for individuals with annual income between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh Zero tax on income up to Rs 3 lakh per annum Rs 2,500 tax liability for people with income between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh Zero tax liability on income of Rs 4.5 lakh if the limit of Rs 1.5 lakh under Section 80C is used fully Rs 12,500 uniform benefit for taxpayers in Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh category , not 10%, to be the tax rate for individuals with annual income between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakhtax on income up to Rs 3 lakh per annumtax liability for people with income between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakhtax liability on income of Rs 4.5 lakh if the limit of Rs 1.5 lakh under Section 80C is used fullyuniform benefit for taxpayers in Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh category 1 page form to be filed as income-tax return for individuals having taxable income of up to Rs 5 lakh PAIN FOR HIGH EARNERS 10% surcharge to be levied on tax payable on categories of individuals whose annual taxable income is between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore 15% existing surcharge on tax for people earning more than Rs 1 crore stays Companies TAX CHEER 25% to be the reduced tax rate for companies with annual turnover of up to Rs 50 crore. About 96% of all companies will benefit from this FOREIGN COMPANIES GAIN 5% concessional withholding rate charged on interest earned by foreign entities in external commercial borrowings or in bonds and government securities extended to June 30, 2020 to be the reduced tax rate for companies with annual turnover of up to Rs 50 crore. About 96% of all companies will benefit from thisconcessional withholding rate charged on interest earned by foreign entities in external commercial borrowings or in bonds and government securities extended to June 30, 2020 BANK NPAs 8.5% instead of 7.5% to be allowable provision for non-performing assets, falling short of market expectations START-UPS 51% of voting rights as a condition for carrying forward to start-ups losses has been relaxed subject to the holding of the original promoter/promoters continuing MAT CARRYOVER 15 years to be the carry-forward period for minimum alternate tax (MAT), instead of 10 years at present, to enable companies to use MAT credit in future years investors LESS RED TAPE 90% FDI already coming through automatic route, so the foreign investment promotion board (FIPB) will be abolished in 2017-18 MARKET REFORMS The commodities markets will undergo reforms. A panel will study and promote creation of an operational and legal framework to integrate spot market and derivatives market for commodities trading FDI already coming through automatic route, so the foreign investment promotion board (FIPB) will be abolished in 2017-18The commodities markets will undergo reforms. A panel will study and promote creation of an operational and legal framework to integrate spot market and derivatives market for commodities trading 25.4% will be the hike in capital investment by the government SMALL INVESTORS A draft bill to curtail the menace of illicit deposit schemes has been placed in the public domain and will be introduced shortly to protect poor and gullible investors DISPUTE RESOLUTION Bill to streamline resolution of disputes in infrastructure-related construction contracts, PPP and public utility agreements farmers EASY LOANS Rs 10 lakh cr to be given in agricultural credit in 2017-18, with special emphasis on fund flow to the eastern states and Jammu & Kashmir CHEAPER RATES 60 days interest waiver on loans from the cooperative credit structure, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on December 31 to be given in agricultural credit in 2017-18, with special emphasis on fund flow to the eastern states and Jammu & Kashmirinterest waiver on loans from the cooperative credit structure, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on December 31 CROP INSURANCE Rs 9,000 crore provided for crop insurance against natural calamities under Fasal Bima Yojana NO WAIVER Hopes of a farm loan waiver to help drought and demonetisation-affected farmers were dashed as the budget only lent a Rs 1,900 crore boost to the integration of the digital credit network MILD MNREGA SUCCOUR Rs 48,000 cr for MNREGA, a slight rise over last years revised estimate of Rs 47,500 crore, may not be enough to help note ban-hit workers whove gone back to villages youth QUANTIFIED LEARNING System of measuring annual learning outcomes to be introduced in schools, with emphasis on science education and flexibility in curriculum to promote creativity SKILLS 600 districts, from 60 earlier, to be covered by Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras for promotion of skill development among the youth System of measuring annual learning outcomes to be introduced in schools, with emphasis on science education and flexibility in curriculum to promote creativitydistricts, from 60 earlier, to be covered by Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras for promotion of skill development among the youth INNOVATION 3,479 blocks that are educationally backward to be covered under an innovation fund for higher education GUNNING FOR OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES 100 India International Skills Centres will be established across the country to offer advanced training and also courses in foreign languages. This will help those who would like to pursue job opportunities abroad, besides ensuring the countrys tourism sector sees a higher footfall HOMING IN Ordinary Indians dreaming of owning a house will benefit as allocation for the Prime Minister Awas Yojana was raised from Rs 15,000 crore to Rs 23,000 crore, though no specific incentives were announced for first-time buyers *Higher funds for the scheduled castes at Rs 52,000 crore will help the socially disadvantaged While presenting the budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley spoke about the need for digital and cashless transactions, and said that it will help fight corruption, but the incentives were largely for BHIM, the government-aided mobile wallet, and Aadhaar Pay, the unique identification enabled payment mechanism for merchants that will soon be launched. In the process Jaitley has created a situation were the wallets and digital payment mechanisms supported by the government are pitted against private players, such as Paytm, MobiKwik and Freecharge. Read| Budget 2017: Govt pushes for digital economy but no substantial tax breaks Jaitley said that BHIM, which has 1.25 million users, would help in financial inclusion. Two schemes a referral bonus scheme for individuals, and cashback scheme for merchants will attract users to adopt BHIM, he said. Also, necessary steps will be taken to possibly mandate petrol pumps, fertiliser depots, municipalities, block offices, road transport offices, universities, colleges, hospitals and other institutions to have facilities for digital payments like the BHIM app, he said. A proposal to mandate all government receipts through digital means beyond a prescribed limit is also under consideration, Jaitley added. No such dole outs were mentioned for any other mobile wallet companies, such as Paytm or MobiKwik. One of the mobile wallet firms founder also told HT that the government could have taken some decisions to reduce service charge on transactions, like it did for e-tickets being booked through IRCTC. Also, the Aadhaar Pay, especially to be launched for merchants who do not have debit card or use mobile wallets for transactions will not be pitted against private companies. Jaitely said that the mission is to target 2,500 crore digital transactions for 2017-18 through UPI, USSD, Aadhar Pay, IMPS, and debit cards. Meanwhile, the government is considering integrating Aadhar and BHIM, which will also mean integration of Aadhar Pay and BHIM. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Non-BJP ruled states saw little to cheer in the Union budget on Wednesday. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, A controversial #Budget2017 which is clueless, useless, baseless, missionless and actionless. Heartless. The Trinamool Congress chief has emerged as the most vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP after demonetisation. The ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh described the budget as a betrayal of farmers, the youth and the poor. Its a betrayal. No justice has been done to the people of Uttar Pradesh. If the budget had been presented after the polls, some announcements may have come for them, SPs chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said. Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in seven phases beginning February 11. Read| Mamata attacks clueless Budget 2017, CPM says it gives no solutions Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac said the budget was a big letdown and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley had played with statistics to give a wrong picture that some of the recent decisions including demonetisation helped the economy. It is a directionless exercise. There are some announcements, but funds were not allocated. He tried his best to give a picture that some of the recent decisions helped the economy. He cant fool people who suffered the most under the present regime, said Issac. Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also criticised the budget, saying the states long-pending demand for an AIIMS was overlooked again. Read| Budget 2017: Kerala disappointed, says Jaitley played jugglery with statistics Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar described the budget as disappointing for the state as well as the nation, with nothing new to offer. It seems sloganeering will continue and the ground realities are for all to see. There is not much to show how the second green revolution will be taken forward. It will be in the eastern India and Bihar has already launched its agriculture road map, but there is not much on offer for the state. We initiated reforms early, but the budget has no roadmap, said the JD(U) leader. RJD chief Lalu Prasad called the budget as disappointing and shorn of any concrete schemes for the poor, even as he slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pushing back the countrys growth due to faulty policies and demonetisation. The Karnataka government, headed by the Congress, said the budget had not addressed the drought in the state. Karnataka rural development minister HK Patil said, The budget was more like a manifesto, where claims were made but the allocations did not match these intentions. Read| Budget 2017: A big disappointment for Bihar, says CM Nitish Kumar Maruti Manpade of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, a farmers organisation, said there was nothing in the budget that would benefit the drought-hit agriculture sector. Saying this is the highest allocation for MGNREGA does not mean anything. Allocations must be based on demand and not on bettering the previous governments meagre allocations. The AAP government in Delhi also criticised the budget. Delhi has been deprived of its due from central share in this years budget too. Delhis share in central taxes remains stagnant for 17th year at Rs 325 crore, said deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia. He also criticised the cap on cash donations to political parties. Post-demonetisation, even vegetable vendors have had to go cashless for transactions as small as Rs 20. Why should political parties get a relaxation of up to Rs 2,000? Read| Budget 2017: No mention of Andhra Pradesh special package, YSR Congress upset (With inputs from Avijit Ghosal in Kolkata; Umesh Raghuvanshi in Lucknow; Ramesh Babu in Thiruvananthapuram; Arun Kumar, Anirban Guha Roy in Patna; Vikram Gopal in Bengaluru; Sweta Goswami in Delhi.) Donald Trumps determination to recast the role of government has a whiff of Reaganism, and his plays on divisions are reminiscent of Richard Nixon, a historian says. But many Americans have a simpler assessment of the opening days of the new administrations governing-by-upheaval: Its unsettling, even to some who voted for the shake-up that Trump promised. Were in a very fragile state right now, said Margaret Johnson of Germantown, Maryland, who runs a small translation business. We dont know whats coming next. The countrys divided. Theres a lot of fear. And I think were kind of at that point where things can go any kind of way, and its really hard to say which way theyre going to go. That uncertainty finds an echo in Pastor Mike Bergmans church in Adrian, Missouri, 40 miles south of Kansas City, where many congregants count themselves as conservatives and embrace the new administrations order cutting off funding to international groups that provide abortions. But as church members consider another order restricting refugees worries about security are tempered by concern about the needs of refugees and whether Trumps rhetoric is widening the gulf between Americans, Bergman said. There is worry about some of the political rhetoric ... about how all that is going to cause the divide in the community to deepen and more bitterness to spring up between the people of our country. I wouldnt say were really optimistic right now, he said. Trump is hardly the first president to take office promising wholesale change in the face of substantial skepticism. But Kevin Boyle, a professor of American history at Northwestern University who compared Trump to Reagan and Nixon, said the clashes set off by the administration are unique. I cannot in my adult life think of a moment that compares to this, he said. The level of tension between these two competing visions of the country needs to be resolved in some way or another. Trumps actions have unsettled Suzanne Kawamleh, 24, a graduate student born in Chicago to parents who emigrated from Syria. On Saturday night, Kawamleh said, she joined protesters at OHare International Airport to protest the executive order stopping Syrian refugees from entering the country. The next day, she told a crowd gathered at the county courthouse in Bloomington, Indiana, about how her relatives had fled Syria by boat and ended up in a refugee camp before finding refuge in Germany. Last year, Kawamleh said, she and her father were taken off a flight for questioning when they returned from Lebanon to do relief work in a refugee camp. But that scrutiny, she said, pales with Trumps executive order, which forced a family friend from Syria who had flown to the U.S. to visit a sick relative to return to the Middle East on Saturday. Immediately after the order, everything changed. There wasnt a chance to plead your case, she said. It seems like everything is very in flux. People dont know whats going on. Over the last week, teacher Dee Burek has led discussions with the seventh- and eighth-graders in her debate and journalism classes about Trumps first days as president. Students were dismayed when they read about false statements by White House press secretary Sean Spicer and by an interview with Trump adviser Steve Bannon in which he compared himself to Darth Vader. When one girl compared Trump to Dolores Umbridge a character from the Harry Potter series who provokes a student revolt after issuing a series of harsh decrees classmates nodded in agreement, Burek said. As a teacher Im trying to present both sides, as I always have to, and when I deal with the children and Im reading articles to them (about the Trump administration), their faces are in shock, said Burek, who teaches in Allentown, New Jersey. They just keep coming back to, Were America. How could this happen? And I say I just dont have the answers. Many Americans say that Trumps moves since taking office are exactly what the country needs. Nonetheless, they are taking note of the pushback. Juan Villamizar, a 52-year-old flooring business owner in West Hartford, Connecticut, said he supports Trumps executive order restricting refugees and immigration from seven countries as a way to protect Americans from terrorism. But while he believes the country is headed in the right direction, he is disheartened to see a negative response to Trumps actions. I just think that the people of this country, the citizens of this country, need to take a really deep breath and read the Constitution, he said. During the presidential campaign, Brenda Horvath strapped a Make America Great Again sign to her Logan, West Virginia, front porch. While supportive, she thinks the new president could do a better job at presenting his plans with compassion, in a way that doesnt alienate so many. She believes Trump is off to a rocky start, but believes he deserves more time to get on track. You can listen to the wrong people and do the job wrong. Im hoping and praying that hell start listening to the right people, she said. Yatziri Tovar, a 24-year-old college student in New York who emigrated from Mexico as a toddler, saw the response to Trump in a different light. Though troubled by the initial days of the new administration, she was encouraged to see the activism it has spurred. She felt a duty to speak, too, addressing a weekend rally that she helped organize as a member of an immigrant advocacy group, Make the Road New York. Its a moment that has a lot of confusion, it has some scary times, but at the same time it has become a time of unity, said Tovar, a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which President Barack Obama instituted to allow young people brought into the country illegally as children to stay and obtain work permits. Read | Proudly made in America by immigrants, reads Twitters Periscope Others hold the protesters, not Trump, responsible for the discord. John Fusaro, an immigration officer in Dallas who voted for Trump, said the media and protesters should ease up. Theyre trying to sow seeds of doubt and keep stirring the pot, he said. Fusaro said the upheaval represents a new normal of constant protests. While hes dubious of the protesters message, the presence of a niece in their ranks reminds him of the wide gulf in Americans political views. Shes standing against Trump, out there yelling and stuff, and Im honestly thinking you dont know the whole picture. I sent her a message: Give it time. Itll sort itself out. So far, he said, she hasnt responded. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday he had spoken candidly and frankly with US President Donald Trump, but would not confirm a Washington Post report that Trump had berated him over a refugee swap deal and cut the call short. The Post report said Trump had described the call with the leader of Australia, one of the United States staunchest allies, as the worst so far. It came less than a day after Washington had sewn confusion in Australia after saying it would apply extreme vetting as part of the resettlement deal. The deal was agreed late last year between Australia, which has fought alongside US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the administration of former President Barack Obama. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 As part of the deal, Washington agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Quoting unidentified senior US officials briefed on the conversation, the Post reported that Trump had told Turnbull he had spoken to four other world leaders on Saturday, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but said theirs was the worst call by far. The call had been scheduled to last an hour but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. It also said Trump described the plan as the worst deal ever and accused Australia of trying to export the next Boston bombers. Turnbull would not comment on the contents of the call other than to say he believed the resettlement deal remained in place. These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, Im not going to add to them, he told reporters in Melbourne. The Washington Post report received almost blanket coverage in Australian media and was widely seen as embarrassing for Turnbull, whose conservative Liberal-National coalition has only a razor-thin majority after an inconclusive election last year. Mr Turnbull needs to confirm or deny the accuracy of that report, Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Perth. The resettlement deal was thrown into confusion after Trump signed an executive order last week that suspended the US refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. The Washington Post also quoted the official read-out after Saturdays call, which emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. The first stage of Brexit was completed when MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of a bill authorising the Theresa May government to begin the process to exit the European Union, as the promised white paper on the issue was published on Thursday. The white paper reiterated the 12 key objectives outlined by May during her major speech on January 17. Brexit secretary David Davis said the countrys best days are still to come outside the EU, but the opposition Labour said the document says nothing. The white paper mentions the objective of taking back control of laws, particularly those relating to immigration, and repeats Mays declaration that Britain will leave the European Single Market and the customs union. It mentions India as one of the top 20 countries for fastest growth in UK exports of goods and services in 2005-2014 period, adding: We have started discussions on future trade ties with countries like Australia, New Zealand and India. On Wednesday evening, the MPs voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill authorising the government to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to leave the EU, but it faces several hoops and amendments in parliament in the coming weeks. May plans to initiate Article 50's two-year process by the end of March. The bill will now move to the committee stage where Labour and other parties plan to table a large number of amendments that could delay its passing on to the House of Lords, where the ruling Conservatives do not have a majority. The bills passage in the House of Commons (498 in favour; 114 against) was marked by deep divide across and within parties, with Labour demonstrating the most tensions. As many as 47 Labour MPs including at least two whips voted against its three-line whip to vote for the bill. Those who defied the party whip included senior MP Virendra Sharma and several members of leader Jeremy Corbyns shadow cabinet. Those who voted against the bill were from constituencies that voted to remain in the EU during last years referendum. Corbyn, who had defied the party whip several times before becoming the leader, said: MPs have a duty to represent their constituents as well as their party, and I understand the difficulties that MPs for constituencies which voted Remain face. The only Conservative to vote against the party governments bill was the veteran pro-EU MP Ken Clarke. Before the voting, May conceded to the demand by opposition and some ruling MPs to publish a white paper on its strategy on Brexit. The white paper was due to be published on Thursday, but sources said it was unlikely to reveal more than what May had laid out in a major speech on January 17, when she spoke about 12 priorities, including on the sensitive issue of immigration. George Osborne, chancellor in the David Cameron government, noted on Wednesday during the debate that May had chosen to privilege immigration instead of Britains membership of the EU. The public could expect a bitter divorce from the EU, he said. If the Brexit bills passage through parliament is on schedule and May formally notifies Brussels by initiating Article 50 by the end of March, the exit process is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON British lawmakers approved on Wednesday legislation seeking parliaments approval for the start of formal divorce talks with the European Union, allowing it to progress to the next parliamentary stage. The legislation, which will give Prime Minister Theresa May the right to trigger Article 50 of the EUs Lisbon Treaty, was supported by 498 votes to 114 after two days of debate in parliaments House of Commons. It will begin the next, more detailed, legislative stage in the House of Commons on Feb. 6. China has reportedly tested a new version of a missile that can carry up to 10 nuclear warheads, signalling a major shift in its nuclear capability as Beijing gears up for a possible military showdown with the US under Trump Presidency. The flight test of the DF-5C missile was carried out last month using 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, or MIRVs, the Washington Free Beacon reported. The test of the inert warheads was monitored closely by US intelligence agencies, said two officials familiar with reports of the missile test. The Dongfeng-5C missile, carrying 10 dummy warheads, was launched from the Taiyuan Space Launch Centre in Shanxi province, and flew to a desert in western China, the report said. The missile is a new variant of the DF-5, an intercontinental ballistic missile that first went into service in the early 1980s. The [defence department] routinely monitors Chinese military developments and accounts for PLA capabilities in our defence plans, Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross was quoted as saying by the report. For decades, the US has put the estimated number of warheads in Chinas nuclear arsenal at about 250. But the report suggested that the latest test with 10 warheads meant the actual number could be larger. China also began adding warheads to older DF-5 missiles in February last year, according to US intelligence agencies. US defence officials have previously warned that Chinas rapid development of long-range ballistic missiles, coupled with a lack of transparency about its nuclear capabilities, could bring uncertainty to stability in the region. The timing of the test coincided with the election of Donald Trump as US President who signalled a tougher stance against China over a range of issues, from the trade deficit to Beijings military build-up in the disputed South China Sea. Chinese military expert from an institute affiliated with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) said a new test will not have been aimed at Trump. The test of a nuclear missile requires permission from the highest level -- the central military commission. It takes at least one year for the military to get the approval and to prepare for it, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted unnamed expert as saying. It is not a random decision to be made just because Trump is now in office, the expert said. Although China had made steady progress in nuclear arms development in recent years, the government had no plans to drastically adjust its nuclear policy, the expert said. A dog that killed the son of Gambian President Adama Barrow has been put down, an agriculture ministry source said, with mystery over the circumstances sparking witchcraft rumours amid political turmoil in the country. Eight-year-old Habibou, one of Barrows five children, died after the attack last month, days before his fathers contested inauguration at a time when then-president Yahya Jammeh was refusing to step down. Jammehs refusal to cede power to Barrow, who won a December election, triggered a crisis in the small west African nation, before the longtime leader eventually agreed to hand over the reins to his successor and leave the country. The timing of the boys death, and lack of details on the circumstances surrounding it, has inflamed the imagination of Gambians, giving rise to rumours of sorcery. The dog was put down on Wednesday, the source in the veterinary unit of the department of agriculture told AFP, on condition of anonymity. We concluded that it was not wise to allow this dog to continue roaming in the streets. We carried out some test and realised that the dog is not infected with rabies, the source said. Barrow returned to The Gambia last week to a jubilant welcome marking the beginning of the west African nations first democratic transfer of power. He had been living in Senegal for safety reasons since mid-January. Jammeh went into exile in Equatorial Guinea under threat of regional military intervention. President Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans on Thursday they should not worry about the tough phone calls he is having with global leaders as he goes about straightening out the world, which, he said was in trouble. He had one of those calls with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last Saturday, which was reported in all its gory details only on Wednesday, and another with Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto just the day before. The world is in trouble but we can straighten it out. That's what I do. I fix things. Believe me. When you hear about the tough phone calls I'm having, don't worry about it. We have to be tough, Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast in DC. The US president has been having customary phone calls with world leaders after assuming office two weeks ago he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on January 24, and the call was amicable and uneventful, according to both countries. Given the occasion the National Prayer Breakfast is an annual even attended by the incumbent president Trump spoke of religious freedom and how it faced a fundamental threat from terrorism, and promised to deal with it. It must be stopped and it will be stopped, he said. It may not be pretty for a little while but it will be stopped. My administration will do everything in its power to protect religious liberty in this land. The president addressed immigration as well, as an issue that has caused him most trouble lately, accruing from a temporary ban he has ordered against all refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. Our nation has the most generous immigration system in the world. But there are those who would exploit that generosity and undermine the values that we hold so dear. We need security. There are those who would seek to enter our country... to spread violence or oppressing other people based upon their faith. President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged Senate Republicans to go nuclear and impose a rule change to force a simple majority vote on confirmation if Democrats block his US Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, as Democrats manoeuvred for a hard fight. Gorsuch, a federal appeals court judge from Colorado seen as a conservative intellectual, began holding private meetings with senators, starting with top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, to drum up support for his nomination a day after Trump picked the 49-year-old for a lifetime job on the countrys top court. Trumps fellow Republicans control the Senate 52-48. Democrats signalled on Wednesday they would set up a procedural hurdle, known as a filibuster, requiring 60 votes, rather than a simple majority, to move towards confirmation of Gorsuch. The president urged McConnell to change long-standing Senate rules to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, a move dubbed the nuclear option, if Democrats block Gorsuch. We want to have him (Gorsuch) go through an elegant process as opposed to a demeaning process, because theyre very demeaning on the other side, and they want to make you look as bad as possible, Trump said, referring to Democrats. If we end up with that gridlock, I would say: If you can, Mitch, go nuclear, Trump said at a White House meeting with conservative advocacy groups. Supreme Court nominations require Senate confirmation. If confirmed, Gorsuch would reinstate the Supreme Courts conservative majority, in place for decades until Justice Antonin Scalias death last Feb. 13. The courts ideological shift could prove pivotal on a range of issues including presidential powers, abortion, the death penalty and transgender, gun and religious rights. Trumps comments came as Democrats plotted strategy on how to deal with Gorsuchs nomination. They remain furious over McConnells refusal last year to let the Senate hold confirmation hearings or a vote on Democratic President Barack Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland to succeed Scalia on the court. Some Democratic senators, arguing that Republicans stole a Supreme Court seat from Obama, announced their opposition to Gorsuch, while others said they were willing to hear him out. Change the nominee Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor that if Gorsuch could not meet the same standard Republicans insisted on for Obamas Supreme Court nominees, at least 60 votes for confirmation, then the problem lies not with the Senate, but with the nominee. The answer should not be to change the rules of the Senate, but to change the nominee to someone who can earn 60 votes. Sixty votes produces a mainstream candidate, Schumer added. To get those 60 votes, Republicans hope to lure eight Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in Republican-leaning states or states that voted for Trump last November. Those include Democrats from Indiana, North Dakota, West Virginia, Missouri, Michigan, Montana and Wisconsin as well as closely divided Maine. Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Republican-leaning Ohio, already announced he would vote against Gorsuch. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin said she would review Gorsuchs record but was deeply troubled over his stances against disabled students, workers and womens reproductive healthcare. Senator Jon Tester of Montana said in an interview he wanted to review Gorscuchs record on womens rights and other issues, adding the judges stance on end-of-life issues distresses me. Gorsuch is known for siding with the Christian owners of a company that challenged federal requirements that businesses provide insurance coverage for womens birth control and for writing against euthanasia and assisted suicide. The influential, deep-pocketed Americans for Prosperity is promising a vigorous effort to help Gorsuch get confirmed and is using its network of wealthy contributors to build support, especially in battleground states. The organisation is led by multi-billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch. It has been ramping up its political campaign donations in support of Republican candidates for the Senate and other offices. Schumer said that while Trump campaigned as someone who would be for the working man and woman, he now had chosen a Supreme Court nominee who sides with CEOs over citizens. Unfortunately, Judge Gorsuch has proven to have a judicial philosophy outside of the mainstream and time and again has subjugated individual rights to those of corporations, said Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who came out in opposition to the nomination. Senator Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat who met with the nominee on Wednesday, said a Supreme Court nominee should have to win the support of 60 senators but urged fellow Democrats to give Gorsuch a chance. Manchin, whose home state, West Virginia, voted overwhelmingly for Trump, is up for re-election in 2018. Senate aides said Republicans were hoping the Judiciary Committee could hold hearings and a vote on the nomination by late March, paving the way for confirmation by the full Senate in the first week of April. If that happens, Gorsuch could be on the high court in time to year a major transgender rights case. Three Nigerians and a Cameroon national were among five people killed when gunmen opened fire on a United Nations team on the border between the two countries, the world body said. The UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) said in an emailed statement on Wednesday evening that the shooting happened Tuesday in the Hosere Jongbi area near Kontcha, northern Cameroon. An unknown armed group attacked the UN team and killed five persons and injured several others, UNOWAS said. The victims were one UN independent contractor, three Nigerian nationals and one Cameroonian national. The UN special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, condemned the attack. The team was working to demarcate the nearly 2,000-kilometre land border dividing Nigeria and Cameroon, which in the past has been a source of tension between the two nations. Islamist group Boko Haram, whose insurgency has devastated northeast Nigeria since 2009, is also active in the far north region of Cameroon. The widow of the gunman behind the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history knew he was planning an attack and concocted a cover story for him, federal prosecutors said in a California court on Wednesday. Prosecutors revealed new details about their case against Noor Salman, 30, as they argued she should remain jailed on charges stemming from the June 2016 shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. US Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu did not immediately rule, instead ordering psychiatric and psychological tests for Salman. Salman was arrested earlier this month in the San Francisco Bay Area on federal charges of obstructing justice and aiding her late husband, Omar Mateen, in his attempt to provide material support to a terrorist organization. She admitted knowing Mateen left their house with a firearm and a backpack full of ammunition before the Pulse nightclub shooting, Assistant US Attorney Sara Sweeney told a federal judge in Oakland. Sweeney also said Salman devised a cover story, directing Mateen to tell his parents, if asked, that he was at dinner with a friend. Noor aided and abetted her husband and repeatedly lied to the government, Sweeney said, calling her a very calculating and callous person who should be detained until her trial in Florida. Salman knew her husband was leaving to commit an attack and her actions contributed to the deaths of 49 people, she added. Sweeney also alleged Salman accompanied Mateen on casing trips to two other locations, including Downtown Disney in Orlando, in the days before the shooting. The prosecutor said Mateen asked Salman whether she thought people would be more upset by an attack on Downtown Disney or a club. Sweeney did not say whether Salman answered or specify her role in those trips. Defense attorney Charles Swift said Salmans alleged admissions occurred after 18 hours in police custody, during which she was interrogated without a lawyer. Prosecutors have yet to provide written or recorded evidence of Salmans alleged admissions, Swift noted. Shes alive and Omar Mateen is dead. So shes the only person they can charge, said Swift, describing Salman as a battered spouse who had learning disabilities in high school. Salmans attorneys want her released to her family, saying she poses no threat to the public and requires mental health services not available in jail. They said she was asleep at home with the couples 3-year-old son during the attack. An Indonesian passenger plane carrying 130 people skidded off the runaway as it landed at a major airport in heavy rain, the airline said Thursday, the latest mishap to hit the countrys aviation sector. No one was hurt after the Boeing 737-800 operated by Indonesian flag carrier Garuda came off the runway at the airport serving the city of Yogyakarta late Wednesday as it arrived from Jakarta. Adisutjipto International Airport, on Java island, was closed following the incident, with authorities saying it would remain shut until Thursday afternoon to allow the plane to be removed from the area. Services to and from Yogyakarta were axed, with flights supposed to arrive at the busy airport diverted to the nearby city of Solo. The flight was carrying 123 passengers and seven crew, Garuda spokesman Benny Butarbutar said in a statement. Transport ministry spokesman Agoes Subagio said the accident happened due to heavy rain. The Indonesian archipelago relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but has suffered a string of deadly plane crashes in recent years. Yogyakarta airport has faced criticism for its poor safety record. In 2007, 21 people were killed when a Garuda plane overran the runway and burst into flames while landing there. German chancellor Angela Merkel visited Turkey on Thursday for the first time since Julys failed coup, seeking to bolster a relationship frayed by differences over issues from the fight against terrorism to free speech. Merkel is due to hold talks with President Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during the one-day visit to Ankara, and is also expected to meet members of the main secularist and pro-Kurdish opposition parties, officials said. Turkeys migration deal with Europe, cooperation in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, intelligence sharing and human rights are expected to be on the agenda. But the two NATO allies have been at odds over Turkeys crackdown on dissidents after the failed July 15 coup, as well as Turkeys claims, which Berlin rejects, that Germany is harbouring Kurdish and far-leftist militants. A row is also brewing over intelligence gathered by German Tornado fighter jets operating out of the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey. Germany, concerned Turkey could use the high-resolution aerial imagery in its campaign against Kurdish militants, has ruled out giving Ankara unfiltered access to the data. Germany has rejected suggestions it is harbouring militants connected to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency in Turkey and is considered a terrorist group by the European Union and United States. Read: Germany to abolish law on insulting foreign heads of states But Turkish deputy prime minister Veysi Kaynak told the state-run Anadolu agency on Wednesday that Germany had given shelter to terrorists even during Turkeys hour of trouble. He said Berlin was also sheltering members of what Ankara calls the Gulenist Terrorist Organisation (FETO), the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Ankara blames for last Julys coup bid. Gulen denies involvement. The most important actors of the coup attempt ... are being hosted in Germany, Kaynak said. German media reported on Saturday that around 40 mostly high-ranking Turkish soldiers who worked at NATO facilities in Germany had requested asylum. Turkeys defence minister has urged Berlin to reject the applications and warned a failure to do so could damage relations. Berlin has said the applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. More than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the police, military, civil service and private sector on suspicion of supporting Gulen since last Julys failed coup. Some 40,000 people have been jailed pending trial. The crackdown has worried rights groups and allies including Germany, who fear Erdogan is using the coup attempt as a pretext to curtail dissent. Turkey says the moves are necessary to protect democracy and root out supporters of the failed putsch. Three Nigerians and a Cameroon national were among five people killed when gunmen opened fire on a United Nations team on the border between the two countries, the world body said. The UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) said in an emailed statement on Wednesday evening that the shooting happened on Tuesday in the Hosere Jongbi area near Kontcha, northern Cameroon. An unknown armed group attacked the UN team and killed five persons and injured several others, UNOWAS said. The victims included one UN independent contractor. The UN special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, condemned the attack. The team was working to demarcate the nearly 2,000-kilometre land border dividing Nigeria and Cameroon, which in the past has been a source of tension between the two nations. Islamist group Boko Haram, whose insurgency has devastated northeast Nigeria since 2009, is also active in the far north region of Cameroon. US President Donald Trump defended his order to temporarily bar entry to people from seven majority-Muslim nations, which has come under intense criticism at home and abroad, saying on Thursday it was crucial to ensuring religious freedom and tolerance in America. Trump, speaking at a prayer breakfast attended by politicians, faith leaders and guests including Jordans King Abdullah, said he wanted to prevent a beachhead of intolerance from spreading in the United States. The world is in trouble, but were going to straighten it out, OK? Thats what I do - I fix things, Trump said in his speech. Trumps executive order a week ago put a 120-day halt on the US refugee program, barred Syrian refugees indefinitely and imposed a 90-day suspension on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The measure, which Trump says is aimed at protecting the country from terrorist attacks, has drawn protests and legal challenges. People continue to protest in lower Manhattan against the polices of President Donald Trump in New York City. (AFP Photo) Trump, a wealthy businessman and former reality TV star who had never previously held public office when he was sworn in on Jan. 20, also sought to reassure the large crowd about the nature of his phone calls with world leaders. The Washington Post said Trump had a tense call with Australias Prime Minister about his immigration order. Believe me, when you hear about the tough phone calls Im having - dont worry about it. Just dont worry about it, Trump said. He did not specify which calls he was referring to. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Were taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. Its not going to happen anymore, said Trump, who campaigned on a stance of America first that he said would ensure the country was not taken advantage of in its trade or other foreign relations. Trump said violence against religious minorities must end. All nations have a moral obligation to speak out against such violence. All nations have a duty to work together to confront it, and to confront it viciously, if we have to, he said. Trump said the United States has taken necessary action in recent days to protect religious liberty in the United States, referring to his immigration action. Critics of the measure have accused him of violating the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, because the designated countries are majority-Muslim, and of slamming the door shut to refugees. Several hundred demonstrators protest President Donald Trump's executive order which imposes a freeze on admitting refugees into the United States. (AFP Photo) Trump has said the move was necessary to ensure a more thorough vetting of people coming into the United States. Our nation has the most generous immigration system in the world. There are those who would exploit that generosity to undermine the values that we hold so dear, Trump said. There are those who would seek to enter our country for the purpose of spreading violence, or oppressing other people based upon their faith or their lifestyle - not right. We will not allow a beachhead of intolerance to spread in our nation, he said. Trump said his administrations new system would ensure that people entering the United States embrace US values including religious liberty. He also pledged to get rid of the Johnson Amendment, a tax provision that prevents tax-exempt charities like churches from being involved in political campaigns. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the travel order clarifying that legal permanent residents, or green card holders, from the designated countries require no waiver to enter the United States. Read: Trump stumps: World nations struggle to deal with new US President Indonesia and Australia on Thursday pledged to choke off funding to terrorist groups planning attacks, as fears grow in both countries that Islamic State group supporters may be hatching new plots. There have been a series of IS-inspired assaults and foiled plans in the neighbouring countries in recent years as the appeal of IS spawns a new generation of extremists in the region. Indonesian and Australian ministers meeting in Jakarta pledged to halt the flows of illicit money used to fund attacks, while financial intelligence agencies from both countries signed an agreement to tackle the scourge. We know that one of the most effective ways to combat the surge of terrorism is to attack the funding and the movement of money, Australian attorney-general George Brandis told reporters after the talks. Indonesian chief security minister Wiranto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said the discussions focused on how we can choke off funding routes. Indonesian militants fighting with IS in the Middle East are suspected of sending money to finance plots in recent years, while radicalised Indonesian domestic workers in wealthier parts of Asia, such as Hong Kong, have also been accused of transferring funds to extremists back home. There have also been indications that money to fund extremist activities has been flowing between Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country, and Australia. In 2015 Indonesias financial intelligence agency said it suspected that six billion rupiah ($450,000) linked to terrorism had been transferred from Australia to Indonesia. The agreement announced by the intelligence agencies is a seven-year collaboration that includes sending Australian IT specialists to help the Indonesian side and workshops on counter-terrorism financing. Read| IS militants attack Jakarta in first strike at Indonesia, 7 dead An Iranian scientist heading to Boston to take a job at a Harvard Medical School lab has sued President Donald Trump after she was denied entry into the US. Samira Asgari says in her lawsuit filed on Wednesday in US District Court that she was denied entry to the US even though she had a valid visa and federal judges had issued a restraining order against the presidents ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Iran. Asgari had most recently been living in Switzerland. Last weekend, Asgari flew from Switzerland to Germany, but was blocked by US and airline officials as she tried to board a plane to Boston. In addition to Trump, the suit names Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection officials as defendants. Japans Supreme Court has rejected a mans demand that news search results of his arrest on sex charges be deleted from Google, ruling that to do so would violate freedom of expression. Japanese media said it was the first decision by the nations top court involving the right to be forgotten relating to internet searches. The deletion (of references to the charge) can be allowed only when the value of privacy protection clearly outweighs that of information disclosure, the court said in a statement posted on its website. Tuesdays decision came after the Saitama District Court, north of Tokyo, in December, 2015 upheld a temporary injunction against Google ordering it to delete search results about a man convicted on charges related to child prostitution and pornography. The Tokyo High Court last July had overturned the lower court decision, saying there was no such legally protected right. While the top court set strict conditions for allowing the deletion of certain references, it did not mention the right to be forgotten recognised in 2016 in overhauled EU rules on internet data protection. The Supreme Court said conditions for deleting search engine results include factors such as the degree of damage caused to privacy, how broadly specific searches can be carried out and the social standing of individuals in question. Tomohiro Kanda, the mans lawyer, called the decision disappointing, saying that ensuring a crime is remembered differs from having the name of a person associated with it passed on for many years. The Japanese office of Google welcomed the ruling. Were pleased that with these latest rulings, the Supreme Court has unanimously recognised... that any decision to delete information from search results should prioritise the publics right to information, it said in a statement. Kuwait has suspended the issuance of visas for nationals of Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. After US President Donald Trumps executive order banning seven Muslim-majority countries last Friday, the Kuwaiti government has told would-be migrants from the five banned nations to not apply for visas, as it is worried about the possible migration of radical Islamic terrorists, Sputnik International reported. Under the executive order signed by Trump, refugees from all over the world will be denied US entry for 120 days while all immigration from so-called countries with terrorism concerns will be suspended for 90 days. The countries included in the US ban are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Kuwait was the only nation to prohibit the entry of Syrian nationals prior to Trumps executive action. Kuwait City previously issued a suspension of visas for all Syrians in 2011. A group of militants bombed a Shia mosque in 2015, killing 27 Kuwaiti nationals. A 2016 survey conducted by Expat Insider ranked Kuwait one of the worst nations in the world for expatriates, primarily due to its strict cultural laws. As a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Kuwait has become embroiled in escalated tensions between the GCC and Iran. Washington has been a guarantor of GCC security since the early 1990s, according to a Congressional Research Service brief. Observers have pointed out that most of the nations on Trumps list have substantial Muslim populations and are experiencing some form of economic or military conflict. Work on the long-awaited 1,680 km Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline will begin in Pakistan this month, a senior Pakistani official has said. Leaders of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India performed the ground-breaking of the project in December 2015. The project would help ease energy deficiency in South Asia. The Express Tribune newspaper reported that the Tapi Company, having the mandate to run the pipeline, has awarded the project management consultant (PMC) contract to German firm ILF. Pakistans Inter State Gas Systems Managing Director Mobin Saulat told the daily that the consultant was ready to conduct route survey, detailed engineering and feasibility study this month. A team from Turkmenistan will reach Islamabad on February 14 to begin work on the route survey, engineering and feasibility study to implement the TAPI pipeline project, he said. The team will first start work in Pakistan and then it will proceed to Afghanistan. Pipeline construction and gas-field development has started in Turkmenistan and we appreciate efforts of Turkmenistan authorities to expedite the project, said Saulat. He said Pakistan had reiterated its firm commitment and continued to provide full support for the TAPI pipeline. Efforts to achieve financial closure were going on and the project would be commissioned as per schedule, he said. Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have already signed a $10-billion investment agreement for the TAPI pipeline in a bid to kick off activities, update feasibility study and finalise pipeline route in Afghanistan. According to the agreement, Turkmenistan will invest around $25 billion to deliver 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) to energy-hungry Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Of the total, $15 billion will be invested in developing the gas field whereas $10 billion will be poured into laying the pipeline over 1,680 km connecting Afghanistan, Pakistan and India with Turkmenistan. Officials said a consortium of Japanese companies was working on a fast-track basis to develop the gas field in Turkmenistan. A gas sale and purchase agreement had already been inked in 2013 to set the pricing mechanism under which the gas price at Turkmenistan border would be around 20 per cent cheaper than the price of Brent crude. Pakistan and India will receive 1.325 bcfd of gas each while Afghanistan would get 500 mmcfd. Nepal Police on Thursday arrested C K Raut, a prominent Madhes rights activist who has been advocating an independent Madhes, on charges of sedition. Rauts arrest in the southern city of Janakpur is likely to cause ripples in the Tarai region at a time when the government failed to amend the constitution to address Madhesis demands. His massive campaign across the southern Tarai region through the Alliance for Independent Madesh ( AIM) has been gaining support from several Mades-based districts. The state agencies of Nepal have accused him of forming an armed force to fight for separate Tarai. Confirming the arrest, Inspector General of Nepal Police Upendra Kanta Aryal said a case of sedition will be filed against Raut. The police will investigate each and every case against him. Raut was arrested on the request of Siraha district police. Recently he had held a protest rally in Lahan, the district headquarter, demanding the separation of Tarai from Nepal. Police is preparing to lodge a treason case against Raut over his provocative speech in Lahan. After the arrest, he was sent to Siraha for police investigation. Talking to the media, Raut opposed his arrest, saying police had no right to smash the door and enter his room. I was not even served any legal notice for arrest, he said. While appealing for calm and restraint after the arrest, Rauts campaign urged the government to prove the charges against him. Raut already faces some sedition cases in a special court in Kathmandu and in some other local courts. He was arrested on September 14, 2014 on the same charge by Morang district police and later acquitted by the special court in April 2015 after paying Rs 50,000 in bail. He is still facing four treason cases in various courts in Nepal. A scientist by profession, Raut holds a PhD from Cambridge University and had worked in the US. US President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to withdraw federal funds from UC Berkeley after violent overnight protests against a planned appearance by a controversial editor of conservative news website Breitbart. Hundreds of students and other protesters chanting shut him down smashed windows at the University of California campus, set wooden pallets on fire and threw fireworks and rocks as police in full riot gear responded with tear gas. The university was placed on lockdown as the sold-out appearance by Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative firebrand, was canceled Wednesday evening. People protesting controversial Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos march on a street. (AFP Photo) If UC Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Trumps top political adviser Stephen Bannon is the former chairman of Breitbart News. UC Berkeley is one of the top public universities in the United States. Its operating costs are funded by money from the state of California and tuition fees, as well as grants and government and private contracts. Budget shortfalls About half of research at Berkeley is funded by the federal government, according to the university website. Berkeley however has been struggling in the past years with budget shortfalls and spending deficits. Read | Little heard in public, Steve Bannon is the quiet power in Trumps White House Yiannopoulos, who is the Breitbart technology editor, is known for his provocative social media posts and was banned from Twitter in July for fueling abuse directed at Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones. Rainbow colors light up a building at UC Berkeley on February 1, 2017 in Berkeley, California (AFP Photo) The British journalist is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump -- nicknaming the US president Daddy during his election campaign -- and has become one of the faces of Americas alt-right movement. Similar protests at the University of California at Davis last month also forced the cancellation of speeches by Yiannopoulos and former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli. The events at Davis and Berkeley were organised by conservative student groups. A similar invitation to speak at UCLA was rescinded and Berkeley was to be the last stop of his tour. Officials at the three University of California campuses stressed that they did not invite Yiannopoulos or endorse his ideas but were committed to free speech. More than 100 UC Berkeley faculty members had signed two letters sent last month to the schools chancellor, urging him to cancel the event. The inside of a Starbucks is seen after violent protests in Berkeley, California. (AFP Photo) Although we object strenuously to Yiannopouloss views - he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny - it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event, read one of the letters. They cited as one example an incident in December at the University of Milwaukee where Yiannopoulos -- a gay crusader against political correctness -- openly mocked a transgender student, displaying her name and photo on screen. Pakistan has imposed an international travel ban on Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and 37 activists of his organisation, days after he was placed under house arrest in Lahore. Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the others were included in the interior ministrys Exit Control List (ECL), the media reported. The move followed international censure that the government was not doing enough to stop the activities of Saeed, for whom the US has offered a $10 million bounty. The interior ministry has sent letters to all four provincial governments and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that list the names of the 38 individuals included in the ECL. All of them were said to be affiliated with the JuD or LeT. The move effectively bars the individuals from leaving Pakistan, reports said. On Monday night, authorities placed Saeed and four aides, Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Kashif Niaz, under house arrest. In a notification, the interior ministry said it had placed the JuD and its front organisation, the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), on a watch list under the Second Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The action was in line with the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1267. The interior ministry said Saeed, Ubaid, Iqbal, Abid and Niaz were reportedly active members of the JuD and FIF. As such, they must be placed under preventive detention, it said. Saeed was detained at the JuDs main centre at Chowburji in Lahore and taken to his residence in Johar Town, which has been declared a sub-jail. Under the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1267, Pakistan is required to freeze the financial assets, cut off access to arms and bar foreign travel by sanctioned individuals. Saeed has said he intends to challenge his detention. My detention orders are unlawful and we will challenge them in court, he told reporters before he was led away by police on Monday. He claimed the orders for his arrest came from Delhi via Washington. A day after the detentions, the militarys chief spokesman told the media that the move was the result of a policy decision taken in the national interest, showing that the powerful military and the civilian government were on the same page on the issue. A number of hardline and extremist groups have protested against the detention and said the government had given in to pressure from abroad. A seven-member advisory committee tasked with expediting the development of a north London house as a memorial for social reformer and jurist BR Ambedkar has been formed, with Indian high commissioner YK Sinha as its chairman. The house where Ambedkar lived in the 1920s while studying at the London School of Economics (LSE) was acquired by the Maharashtra government in September 2015. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2015. The committee formed during this weeks visit of Maharashtra minister for social justice Rajkumar Badole includes representatives of Dalit organisations in Britain, who played a key role in the process to acquire the house. Badole, who visited the house, said the Maharashtra government was ready to extend financial and other help to expedite the development of the house as a memorial. He also met the newly-formed committee. Besides Sinha, the committee includes Surendrakumar Bagde, secretary, department of social justice, government of Maharashtra; Sunil Kumar, first secretary, high commission of India; Santosh Dass, president, federation of Ambedkarite & Buddhist organisations UK; C. Gautam, joint secretary, federation of Ambedkarite & Buddhist organisations UK; Jograj Ahir, president, Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha, London; and Sukhdev Sahai Hira, social worker. Badole also visited LSE and met Mukalika Banerjee, director of its South Asia Centre, to discuss the Maharashtra governments proposal to establish a permanent chair at the institution. Badole said two students from Maharashtra will be offered a scholarship to study at LSE. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Thursday the military will take a leading role in his deadly drug war, while vowing to kill more traffickers and addicts. Im taking in the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and raising the issue of drugs as a national security threat so that I will call on all the armed forces to assist, Duterte said, while promising to kill more son of a bitch drug addicts. His comments were the first following a report from Amnesty International that the killings in the drug war, in which more than 6,500 people have died in seven months, may amount to crimes against humanity. They were also the clearest signal of Dutertes plans for the drug war, after he admitted this week the police force that had taken the leading role was corrupt to the core and said they would no longer be allowed to take part. Read: Philippines police pulled out of drug war by President Duterte Dutertes moves against the police he had entrusted as his frontline troops came after series of scandals emerged over the past month in which police were caught committing murder, kidnapping, extortion and robbery using the drug war as cover. In one of the highest-profile cases, anti-drug officers kidnapped a South Korean businessman then murdered him inside the national police headquarters as part of an extortion racket, according to an official investigation. Then Amnesty on Wednesday accused police of systemic human rights abuses in the drug war, including shooting dead defenceless people, fabricating evidence, paying assassins to murder drug addicts and stealing from those they killed. It also said police were being paid by their superiors to kill, and documented victims as young as eight years old. The police are behaving like the criminal underworld that they are supposed to be enforcing the law against, Amnesty said as it warned of possible crimes against humanity and that the International Criminal Court may need to investigate. However Duterte was unrepentant on Thursday as he launched a profanity-laced tirade against his critics and rejected charges of human rights abuses. Read: Philippines Duterte says he may impose martial law if drug problem virulent He gave a lengthy explanation of the problems for people who used the highly addictive methamphetamine known locally as shabu. And you bleed for those son of a bitch(s), he said, adding that roughly 3,000 had been killed so far. I will kill more. If only to get rid of drugs. Police have reported killing 2,555 people in the drug war, while nearly 4,000 others have died in unexplained circumstances, according to official figures. Rex Tillerson was on Thursday sworn in as new US Secretary of State after being confirmed by the Senate despite concerns over the veteran oil executives close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 64-year-old former chairman and chief executive of Exxon Mobil was confirmed by the Senate in a 56-43 vote. He was administered the oath of office by Vice President Mike Pence. Tillerson, who has never held political office, faced intense scrutiny over his ties to Russia. Though you inherit enormous challenges in the Middle East and around the world, I do believe we can achieve peace and stability in these very, very troubled times, President Donald Trump said at the swearing-in ceremony in the White Houses Oval Office. His confirmation as the top US diplomat was welcomed by the White House and the Republican party but opposed by Democratic lawmakers in the Senate, who raked up his ties with Russia and President Vladimir Putin. At the ceremony, Trump lavished praise on Tillerson for his diplomatic skills, and said it was time to bring a clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs, to take a fresh look at the world around us, and to seek new solutions grounded in very ancient truths. These truths include the fact that nations have a right to protect to their interests, that all people have a right to freely pursue their own destiny, and that all of us are better off when we act in concert and not in conflict. Theres rarely been conflict like we have in the world today -- very sad, Trump said. In his brief remarks, Tillerson thanked Trump for giving him the opportunity. The former oil chief forged multibillion-dollar deals with Russias state oil company, Rosneft, and was awarded the Order of Friendship by the Kremlin in 2013. In his Senate confirmation hearing, he admitted that the West had reason to be alarmed by Russian aggression, but he refused under questioning to label Putin a war criminal. Tillersons confirmation was more contentious than those of his predecessors. The Senate confirmed President Barack Obamas selections John Kerry 94-3 and Hillary Clinton 94-2. One of the challenges that Tillerson now faces is to allay fears at the State Department over President Trumps order to ban travel or immigration from seven mostly Muslim nations. He will also be tasked with restoring relations with those affected countries as well as outraged European leaders. On his first trip to the European Union since the US presidential election, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday is heading to Hungary, the nation whose leader has cozied up to Moscow despite Russia-West tensions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a populist dubbed little Putin by his opponents, has been critical of the US and of EU sanctions imposed on Russia for its action in Ukraine. Speaking ahead of Putins visit, Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said the EU sanctions against Russia had failed to achieve their objectives and cost Hungary some $6.7 billion in export opportunities. He also pointed at what he described as the previous US administrations pressure on Hungary to prevent it from warming up to Moscow. The whole world is noticeably holding its breath while waiting to see if there will be rapprochement ... in American-Russian relations and if so, to what depth and dimension, Szijjarto said. US President Donald Trump has promised to mend ties with Russia, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russias meddling in the US elections. For the first time since his inauguration, Trump on Saturday had a phone call with Putin, which both the White House and the Kremlin described in strongly positive terms. Read: Putin may meet Trump before G20 in July, says Kremlin If American pressure has been taken off European countries in terms of the sanctions, and there seems to be a good chance for this, I believe all of those who emphasised pragmatic relations and talked about the need to reevaluate the sanctions will be more courageous and that will be a new basis for debate, Szijjarto said on Wednesday. Hungary has also voiced hope for better ties with Washington under Trump. Orban has criticised the past administration for what he described as attempts to influence Hungarys domestic policies, such as a ban on entering the US for six Hungarians, including then head of the Hungarian tax office, because of corruption allegations. Orban, who has faced EU criticism for building a barbed-wire fence along its borders with Serbia and Croatia to stop migrants, has a sympathetic interlocutor in Putin, who has warned that flows of migrants could destabilise Europe. Read: Trump dials Putin; talks trade, security in significant start to better ties Putins foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov hailed what he described as good personal ties between the Russian and Hungarian leaders. Putin last visited Hungary in February, 2015, and Orban travelled to Moscow a year ago. Discussions focused on long-term supplies of Russian natural gas to Hungary and a deal to expand Hungarys Soviet-built nuclear power plant with a 10 billion-euro loan provided by Russia. Ushakov said during this visit the parties will discuss the possibility of extending prospective Russian pipelines to Hungary, as well as the Paks nuclear plant deal. The plant, launched in the 1980s, now accounts for about 40 percent of Hungarys energy consumption, and building two new reactors there will double its output, Ushakov said. The project is still awaiting permission from the European Commission, which Ushakov said has stymied it with quibbles. Fighting between Yemeni government forces and rebels has trapped tens of thousands of civilians in and around the port town of Mokha, where over 30 fighters were killed Wednesday, residents and the UN said. We fear the (Shiite) Huthi (rebel) snipers who have taken up positions on rooftops but also the firing from the other (government) side, said Majed Mukaibar, a 32-year-old fisherman and father in the Red Sea town of southwest Yemen. Ibrahim Saleh, a tradesman who works in southern Yemens main city of Aden, told AFP that he has been trying since last week to evacuate his family from Mokha but has been thwarted by incessant gunfire. The UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, said in a statement released Tuesday that he was extremely concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians in Mokha and nearby Dhubab. Information from the field indicates that military operations in the coastal region have forced most residents of Dhubab to flee the area, he said. McGoldrick said an estimated 20,000-30,000 people, almost one third of the population, are trapped in the town (of Mokha) and require immediate protection and relief assistance. Constant air strikes, shelling and sniper fire around the town had killed and injured scores of civilians and have ground most services to a halt, including water supplies. The UN official appealed for a halt to fighting to facilitate the delivery of assistance to Mokha and enable the free movement of civilians. Military and medical sources said 25 rebels and six soldiers on the government side, which is being supported by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, were killed in the latest clashes on Wednesday for control of Mokha. Forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi have been battling on three fronts but so far failed to penetrate the centre of Mokha, according to residents and military sources. Before government forces launched a major offensive on January 7, Huthi rebels controlled virtually all of Yemens 450-kilometre (280-mile) Red Sea coastline. Soldiers have since thrust north from the Bab al-Mandab strait where the Red Sea joins the Indian Ocean, overrunning Dhubab district and entering the historic port of Mokha in their biggest advance in months. Conflict in Yemen escalated in March 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition launched air raids against the Huthi rebels, who had taken over the capital and seized swathes of the countrys centre and north. The war has cost more than 7,400 lives in the past two years, according to the UNs World Health Organisation. President Donald Trump was perhaps not having a gday when he recently spoke with his Australian counterpart, whom the new US leader upbraided over a refugee accord, The Washington Post reported. The new US leader reportedly abruptly cut short his call with Australian Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull after criticizing the countries bilateral refugee agreement and exulting over his electoral college victory in the November election, according to the paper. Australia is considered one of the closest allies of the United States, and one might have expected to the call to be smooth sailing. Turnbull insisted Thursday that relations between the diplomatic partners were strong despite reports that Trump had berated him. The Australian leader refused to comment when asked about the report and whether it was true. I appreciate your interest, but its better that these things -- these conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately, he said. I can assure you the relationship is very strong. Turnbull said Monday that Trump had agreed to honor the deal struck with Obama to resettle an unspecified number of the 1,600 people Australia holds in offshore processing centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. There were fears the US president would rescind it after he signed an executive order last week to suspend the arrival of refugees to the US for a least 120 days, and bar entry for three months to people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance, Turnbull said. But as Australians know me very well -- I stand up for Australia in every forum -- public or private. Trump, a billionaire former reality TV star, is known for his capricious moods. He regularly takes to Twitter to lambast his political opponents, the media and others. US President Donald Trump will be Donald Trump, even with world leaders. In a customary call on Saturday, he blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, bragged about his election and hung up on him. This was the worst call by far, Trump told Turnbull, according to The Washington Post which first reported it, after letting him know he had spoken to three other world leaders earlier that day, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump got angry, it was reported, when the Australian leader tried to extract an undertaking from him to accept 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention centre as agreed by former president Barack Obama. Trump had signed an executive order the day before banning all refugees from entering the US for 120 days indefinitely for those from Syria and all citizens of Muslim-majority nations Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya for 90 days. Trump told Turnbull that accepting those refugees would get him killed politically. He ended the call, which was expected to last an hour, in 25 minutes. In a Tweet on Wednesday, Trump thundered, Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! These are no illegal immigrants, but asylum seekers from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia four of the seven countries on Trumps travel ban list. Australia doesnt want them, and has kept them in off-shore detention centres in Papua New Guinea. Under Obama, the US agreed to accept half of them, and the US embassy in Canberra has told reporters the Trump administration will honour the commitment, despite the Trump-Turnbull call that has predictably upset Australians. Australia is one of Americas closest allies a Five Eye partner in intelligence sharing along with the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand and the two countries have fought together in Afghanistan and Iraq. But Trump showed similar disregard for existing relations when in a recent phone conversation with Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto, another ally, he threatened to send US troops across the border to take care of bad hombres. In an aggressive move that could raise tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump on Thursday put Tehran on notice over a ballistic missile test and said it was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of a terrible deal. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. (It) Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!, he tweeted, signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. Trump said that Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: USD 150 billion. The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administrations policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. Iran said on Thursday the U.S. National Security Advisors (NSA) comments on the recent ballistic missile test were repetitive, baseless and provocative, state TV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying. Instead of thanking Iran for its continued fight against terrorism, the American government is practically helping the terrorists by claims about Iran that are baseless, repetitive and provocative, Ghasemi said. Read: Trump stumps: World nations struggle to deal with new US President In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them weak and ineffective. Earlier, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said that the Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, Flynn said, adding that recent Iranian actions, including the provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-supported Houthis, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Irans destabilising behaviour across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region, Flynn said. The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions -- including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms, he said. Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened. Senior officials said the US administration has all its options open. Describing the Iranian actions as destabilising, they said the US will respond to it appropriately. There should be no doubt that the US is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising, a senior administration official told reporters on Thursday. The United States is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Irans ballistic missile activity, the official said. We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Irans ballistic missile programme, he said. The question of how to handle Donald Trump is proving to be a major headache for governments around the world, and there is no agreement on how best to do it. The shared fear, reflected across the international community, is that everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. After braving the White House last week the UK prime minister, Theresa May, was castigated for her allegedly fawning behaviour towards the new US president. But the UK government believes, pragmatically, that Trumps objectionable views and actions, such as his support for torture and his travel ban on seven mainly Muslim countries, must not be allowed to undermine the special relationship. Saudi Arabia, which was not on Trumps hit list, is also taking a practical approach. King Salman did not raise the travel ban when he spoke to Trump on Sunday, according to official accounts. Khalid al-Falih, the Saudi oil minister, emphasised the positive instead, welcoming Trumps policy on fossil fuels and ignoring the rest. Pakistan, also exempted, is keeping its head down too. Acquiescence, or what critics call appeasement, has not found favour in some European capitals. The French approach, typified by Francois Hollande, the countrys outgoing president, has been visceral and emotional. When they spoke last weekend, Hollande lectured Trump on democratic principles and the dangers of protectionism. Withdrawal into oneself is a dead-end response, he said. In contrast, Germanys official reaction to a week of unpleasant, Trump-related shocks was cool and rational, if not a little patronising. Unlike May, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, was quick to signal her opposition to Trumps ban on Syrian refugees. But she has not retaliated over his insulting description of her open-door policy as catastrophic. Instead, Merkel talked down to him when they spoke last weekend. The [1951 UN] refugee convention requires the international community to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds. All signatory states are obligated to do so. The German government explained this policy in their call, Merkels spokesman said. Some countries may feel they have little to lose. Iran is one. It described Trumps ban on Iranian travellers as a shameful act. Tehran suspects the new administration is looking for reasons to abrogate the 2015 nuclear deal. The US complaint at the UN on Monday about an allegedly illegal Iranian ballistic missile test was a politically motivated sign of things to come, Irans foreign minister, Javad Zarif, suggested. Suspicions in Iran and so-called rogue states such as North Korea or Sudan that Trump may deliberately try to provoke them has been strengthened by his brutal treatment of Mexico, ostensibly a close US friend and ally. North Korea has been behaving itself, waiting perhaps to see what happens. But the fact that this weeks first overseas visit by the new US defence secretary, James Mattis, is to South Korea and Japan will not have gone unnoticed in Pyongyang. The danger is that the targets of Trumps ire may decide to get their retaliation in first. There is another way to handle Trump, and it is the most worrying for the western allies. It is based entirely on one-sided calculations of national advantage. Governments ask themselves, how can the arrival of an impulsive, inexperienced and self-important American president be exploited for our benefit? Russia, Israel and potentially China exemplify this approach. In his talks with Trump last week, Vladimir Putin, Russias president, purposefully laid the ground for a cost-free deal (to him) on Ukraine and sanctions. For Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, the prize includes unconstrained expansion of settlements. Thousands of new homes in the Occupied Territories have been announced since Trumps inauguration. Xi Jinping, Chinas no-nonsense president, is also holding his fire, looking for weakness. For these hard-headed leaders, the question of how best to handle Trump comes down to how best to flatter, manipulate and then hoodwink him. Some conservative leaders, such as Viktor Orban in Hungary, have been welcoming, applauding Trumps America First nationalism and the end of multilateralism. They doubtless hope for a political and economic pay-off. Far-right European parties seeking power in elections this year, such as Frances Front National and the Alternative for Germany, hope to profit by his example. Marine Le Pen, the FN leader, will look for a Trumpist endorsement, tacit or otherwise. Donald Tusk, the European council president, is so alarmed about what he calls the Trump threat that he has issued an urgent call to EU leaders, who meet in Malta on Friday. The Europeans are not quite at panic stations yet. But Tusks message is plain: We need to talk about Donald. President Donald Trump threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send US troops to stop bad hombres down there unless the Mexican military does more to control them, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by The Associated Press. The excerpt of the call did not detail who exactly Trump considered bad hombres, nor did it make clear the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos response. Mexico denies that Trump made the threat. Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. Trumps remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. Read | Trump berates Australian PM Turnbull over phone, ends call abruptly: Reports A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. The Mexican Foreign Relations Department told The AP: The negative statements you refer to did not occur during said telephone call. On the contrary, the tone was constructive. The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trumps determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. You have a bunch of bad hombres down there, Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt given to AP. You arent doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it. A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided only that portion of the conversation to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. The Mexican website Aristegui Noticias on Tuesday published a similar account of the phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation. Mexicos foreign relations department denied that account, saying it is based on absolute falsehoods. Americans may recognize Trumps signature bombast in the comments, but the remarks may carry more weight in Mexico. Political analyst and former presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar notes Pena Nieto had enjoyed an apparent spike in his low approval levels, as Mexicans rallied around him for publicly challenging Trump in the border wall dispute. The latest remarks could undercut that, if Pena Nieto is viewed as weak, he said. Trump has used the phrase bad hombres before. In an October presidential debate, he vowed to get rid the US of drug lords and bad people. We have some bad hombres here, and were going to get them out, he said. The phrase ricocheted on social media with Trump opponents saying he was denigrating immigrants. Trumps comment was in line with the new administrations bullish stance on foreign policy matters in general, and the presidents willingness to break long-standing norms around the globe. Before his inauguration, Trump spoke to the president of Taiwan, breaking long-standing US policy and irritating China. His temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, aimed at reviewing screening procedures to lessen the threat of extremist attacks, has caused consternation around the world. But nothing has created the level of bickering as the border wall, a centerpiece of his campaign. Mexico has consistently said it would not pay for the wall and opposes it. Before the phone call, Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the United States. The fresh fight with Mexico last week arose over trade as the White House proposed a 20 percent tax on imports from the key US ally to finance the wall after Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped his Jan. 31 trip to Washington. The US and Mexico conduct some $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to major environmental issues. Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner a real estate executive with no foreign policy experience with managing the ongoing dispute, according to an administration official with knowledge of the call. At a press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May last week, Trump described his call with Pena Nieto as friendly. In a statement, the White House said the two leaders acknowledged their clear and very public differences and agreed to work through the immigration disagreement as part of broader discussions on the relationship between their countries. Turkish warplanes killed 51 Islamic State militants in operations over the last 24 hours, the military said in a statement on Thursday. Warplanes destroyed 85 Islamic State targets in the areas of al-Bab, Tadif, Kabbasin and Bzagah, including buildings and vehicles. Turkey launched an operation, dubbed Euphrates Shield, to drive jihadists away from the Syrian border more than five months ago and has been besieging the Islamic State controlled town of al-Bab for weeks. Police breached a building at Delawares largest prison early on Thursday, ending a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff that left one corrections employee dead. Inmates assumed control of the building at the James T Vaughn Correction Center on Wednesday, taking four corrections department workers hostage. The inmates told a local newspaper that concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States had prompted their actions. Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmates fiancee and another persons mother. The mother told the paper that her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons for doing what were doing included Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Authorities did not immediately explain how the employee died. They said Delaware state police entered the building about 5:05am on Thursday and found the man unresponsive. He was pronounced dead about 25 minutes later. A second Department of Correction employee who had been held hostage was rescued. She is being examined at a hospital. The prison is in Smyrna, about 15 miles north of the state capital of Dover. Delaware governor John Carney said the priority now is to determine what happened and why. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna, Delaware. (AP Photo) In a statement released Thursday, the new Democratic governor said officials will hold accountable anyone who was responsible for taking the hostages. He said officials will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. Details of how many inmates were involved and how they took control of the building were not immediately clear. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said authorities dont know the dynamics of the takeover or whether inmates had been held against their will. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30am Wednesday when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses more than 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware state police spokesperson Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. A news release from the Delaware Department of Correction said 14 more inmates were released about 12:30am Thursday from the building where the hostages had been held and were being held elsewhere at the prison. The news release said a total of 46 inmates had been released from the building since the standoff began. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released on Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later. One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasnt immediately available. According to the departments website, the prison is Delawares largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. Sgt. Richard Bratz issues a statement about the prison guards who were taken hostage by inmates. (Reuters Photo) It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled President Donald Trumps administration must allow immigrants with initial clearance for legal residency to enter the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations, despite an executive order ban. Tuesdays ruling by US District Judge Andre Birotte Jr follows decisions by federal judges in at least four other states that also limited the executive order Trump issued on Friday. But it goes further, by focusing on a large group of people from the seven nations of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - the countries targeted in the executive order - who are outside the United States and trying to enter. In the temporary ruling, Birotte ordered US officials to refrain from removing, detaining or blocking the entry of plaintiffs or any other person ... with a valid immigrant visa who is arriving from one of the seven nations. According to the US Department of State, immigrant visas are the first step to becoming a lawful permanent resident, or a green card holder. Birottes ruling does not apply to tourists, students or business travellers with non-immigrant visas. The US Department of Justice is reviewing the order and would have no further comment, a spokeswoman for the agency said in an email. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security cited its policy of not commenting on pending litigation. Trumps executive order has not only caused consternation for the nations involved but among other Muslim-majority countries, allies such as Germany and Britain and career State Department officials. Attorney Julie Ann Goldberg, who brought the case on behalf of more than two dozen plaintiffs of Yemeni descent, including US citizens, said they sought the ruling after learning of a move by the US State Department to cancel the immigrant visas of people from the seven countries. More than 200 people with immigrant visas who left Yemen and are related to US citizens or legal residents are stranded in Djibouti across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Yemen and were barred from flying to the United States, Goldberg said by telephone from Djibouti. Its terrible because I have children here who are without their parents, she said. Some other children in the group are US citizens whose parents were travelling with immigrant visas, she added. In Boston, US District Judge Allison Burroughs on Sunday issued a ruling, to last seven days, that barred the detention and removal of approved refugees, visa holders and permanent US residents who entered from the seven countries. By early Thursday in Djibouti, Goldberg said, no one from the group she represented was being allowed to leave for the United States. She accused the Trump administration of absolutely ignoring rulings she believes should allow their departure. In an email, a State Department official confirmed the agency had provisionally revoked relevant visas as defined under Trumps executive order. The White House said on Wednesday it has issued updated guidance on the order clarifying that green card holders require no waiver to enter the United States. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will review a dumb deal to take hundreds of Australian asylum seekers after the Washington Post reported he had angrily berated Australias prime minister and abruptly ended a tense telephone call. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters the call on Saturday had been frank and candid but refused to provide further details on a private conversation that has hit headlines on both sides of the world. The Washington Post reported that Trump had described the call with the leader of Australia, one of the United States staunchest allies, as the worst so far. Read | Australian PM describes frank call with Trump after Washington Post reports angry exchange It came less than a day after Washington had sown confusion in Australia after saying it would apply extreme vetting as part of the refugee resettlement deal. The deal was agreed late last year between Australia, which has fought alongside US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the administration of former President Barack Obama. Trump said on Twitter not long before midnight Washington time: Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 As part of the deal, Washington agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Trumps comments cast further doubt on the resettlement deal, which was already in question after Trump signed an executive order last week that suspended the US refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. Worst by far Quoting unidentified senior US officials briefed on the conversation, the Post reported that Trump had told Turnbull he had spoken to four other world leaders on Saturday, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but said theirs was the worst call by far. The call had been scheduled to last an hour but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. It also said Trump described the plan as the worst deal ever and accused Australia of trying to export the next Boston bombers. Turnbull would not comment on the contents of the call other than to say he believed the resettlement deal remained in place. These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, Im not going to add to them, he told reporters in Melbourne. The Washington Post report was widely seen as embarrassing for Turnbull, whose conservative Liberal-National coalition has a razor-thin majority after an inconclusive election last year. Mr Turnbull needs to confirm or deny the accuracy of that report, Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Perth. The Washington Post also quoted the official read-out after Saturdays call, which emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. The White House issued a cryptic warning Wednesday that the US will act against Iran unless it stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen, but declined to say what retaliatory actions the US would pursue. Michael Flynn, President Donald Trumps national security adviser, forcefully denounced Irans behavior in his first public remarks since Trump took office. He accused Iran of threatening US allies and spreading instability throughout the Middle East while faulting the Obama administration for doing too little to stop the Islamic Republic. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, Flynn said from the White House podium. On notice for what, Flynn didnt say. Senior Trump administration officials said they were actively considering a range of options including economic measures and increased support for Irans regional adversaries. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, declined repeatedly to say whether military action was being considered. Later Wednesday, Trump tweeted: Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq even after the US has squandered three trillion dollars there. Obvious long ago! The warning was an early manifestation of Trumps promise of a tougher American approach to Iran. Yet administration officials emphasized that their allegations were unrelated to Irans obligations under the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama and world leaders negotiated. Though Flynn noted Trump has criticized that deal, officials declined to say whether Trump planned to follow through on his campaign pledge to renegotiate it. The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms, Flynn said. The White House also faulted Iran for backing Houthi rebels in Yemen who on Tuesday claimed a successful missile strike against a warship belonging to a Saudi-led coalition fighting to reinstall Yemens internationally recognized government. The media arm of the Shiite rebels said the vessel was believed to belong to the Saudi Arabian navy. Administration officials said Iran was providing key support by arming, training and financing the rebels, with a goal of leveraging its relationship with the Houthis to build a long-term presence in Yemen. The White House said the goal in putting Iran on notice was to signal to Tehran that it needed to rethink its behavior. Flynn said Iran specifically violated the UNs ban on activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Irans Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan confirmed Wednesday that Iran conducted a missile test, but did not say when the test was carried out or specify the type of missile. He insisted it wasnt a violation of UN resolutions. The US said the test was of a medium-range ballistic missile. It ended with a failed re-entry into the Earths atmosphere, said a US defense official, who wasnt authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Reports of the test emerged after Trump signed an executive order last week temporarily suspending immigration from Iran and six other majority-Muslim countries. On one point, the US and Iran agree: The test didnt violate the nuclear deal itself. Ballistic missile testing wasnt explicitly included in the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. But as part of the final negotiations, Iran agreed to an eight-year extension of a UN ban on ballistic missile development. The UN Security Council later endorsed the agreement, calling on Iran not to carry out such tests. But Iran has flouted the prohibition regularly in the past year-and-a-half, drawing sanctions from the US but also diplomatic cover from Russia. At Americas request, the UN Security Council held a session Tuesday to address the missile test. The council referred the matter to its committee on Iran and asked for an investigation. Iran has long boasted of having missiles that can travel 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), putting much of the Middle East, including Israel, in range. Such capability would also put US bases in the region in danger. Iran says its missiles are key to deterring a US or Israeli attack. In March, Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles. One was emblazoned with the phrase Israel must be wiped out in Hebrew, sparking international outcry. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. A young pilots letter to a newspaper columnist started a story that ended 45 years after he was killed. In May 1968, when Nancys Vietnam Mailbag first ran in the Wilmington, Delaware, Journal, I received a letter from a Captain News Michael Momcilovich Jr. in Vietnam. My column of war correspondence featured letters from Delaware soldiers, and the captains sense of community prompted him to write to his hometown paper, which provided complimentary subscriptions to all Delaware service members in Vietnam. I wanted the column to be a vehicle for soldiers to exchange ideas, to vent, to gripe and to meet other Delawareans serving in Vietnam. In four pages penned on May 4, Momcilovich shared his views on the war. You wanted to know a gripe? Well, I have one, he wrote. Im an armed helicopter pilot with A Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry [1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)]. Back home we hear about the Saigon warrior whose biggest day was the Tet Offensive. True, it was rough, but it wasnt year round. The soldier in the field has it all year round and he gets little thanks for it. It would be his last letter home. One day after he wrote it, Momcilovich was killed in action. The envelope is postmarked May 6; his obituary ran in The News Journal on May 13. Momcilovich, not one of the so-called Saigon warriors he had referred to in his letter, was serving up north near the Demilitarized Zone. He was taking part in Operation Delaware (the name was a coincidence), a cavalry raid into the heart of the remote A Shau Valley. Heavy fighting had begun in April, when U.S. troops and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam moved into the valley, which the Communists used as a vital corridor for transporting supplies from North Vietnam through Laos to their forces in South Vietnam and as a staging area for attacks against the coastal cities of Hue and Da Nang. American and South Vietnamese forces had not been in the A Shau Valley since the U.S. Special Forces camp there was overrun in 1966. The 1st Cavalry Division had established fire support bases in the north and then rapidly continued air assaults south through the valley. During the first few days of May, two cavalry brigades crisscrossed the valley and uncovered well-stocked caches of tools and equipment. Based in Quang Tri as a pilot with A Troop, Momcilovich flew frequent armed visual reconnaissance missions in an AH-1G Huey Cobra, a fast attack helicopter gunship with multiple machine guns and rockets. On May 5, the North Vietnamese began to strike back in the A Shau Valley, gradually increasing their 122mm rocket, artillery, mortar and recoilless rifle fire from the nearby border with Laos. Momcilovich, four months shy of his 25th birthday, was on his second sortie of the day when his Cobra was hit by groundfire. He successfully brought his chopper down, south of Landing Zone Sharon a few miles inland from the South China Sea, but it was immediately consumed by fire. The captain and his co-pilot, 1st Lt. William Allen Rees, also 24, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, unsuccessfully struggled to evacuate. Although the helicopter was destroyed, both bodies were recovered and brought home for burial. Forty-five years later, in February 2013, I received a call that jarred me. It was from a Vietnam veteran who said he had found me on the Internet and asked for my help in finding the Momcilovich family, which he had been trying to do for more than 20 years. I have Captain Mike Momcilovichs military drivers license, which was recovered from his helicopter crash site, he said. Can you help me find his family? The veteran on the phone was John W. Bill Melfi Jr., of Sebastian, Florida. He said he had acquired Momcilovichs license through his ongoing friendship with a former South Vietnamese army officer, Ngoc Van Vo, whose son had found it at the helicopter crash site. Melfi, who had enlisted in the Army and shipped out to Vietnam in 1970, met Vo during his second tour in 1971, when both men were assigned to an ARVN compound at Ba Hoa Mountain, overlooking the village of Qui Nhon on the coast about halfway between Saigon and Da Nang. Melfi, a specialist 4 in an artillery unit, manned a battery-operated Xenon searchlight at night to thwart any attempt to blow up the compounds depot. Vo, a sergeant 1st class who had trained in Redstone, Alabama, was a munitions expert. The two soldiers established an immediate rapport and frequently ate together at Vos house. After Melfis tour ended in January 1972, the two stayed in touch, hoping that one day Vo and his family would come to live with Melfi and start new lives in the United States. But after the fall of Saigon in April 1975, Vo was sent to a Communist reindoctrination camp. Then, with his wife and children, he was relocated to a collective farm at Long Vong in Lam Dong province. To supplement their hardscrabble existence, they had often gone on clandestine metal salvage expeditions, and in 1978 Vos 14-year-old son, Long, went on an operation high in the mountains of Quang Tri province near the DMZ. Long saw remnants of a barely recognizable helicopter overgrown with dense vegetation. He found no salvageable metal in the wreckage but spotted nearby a badly decomposed wallet that contained a fragmented ID. Recognizing it as Western, he gave the ID to his father. Vo wrote down the name on the U.S. military drivers license: Michael Momcilovich Jr. Vo hid the license from the Communists for 12 years until he and his family immigrated to the United States. To prevent the Communists from detecting the license at Ho Chi Minh International Airport in 1990, Vo had his wife, Luu, sew the fragments into the lining of his pants. After the family arrived in the United States, they lived with Melfi in southern Florida for a year. They arrived with only five suitcases, Melfi said, and most of them were filled with gifts. Vo presented Momcilovichs license to Melfi and told him the story of how his son found it at the crash site. We tried to contact the proper organizations in Washington at the time, but they had no information, Melfi recalled. Years passed and he eventually found information about Momcilovich on the Internet, but he lacked a link to the soldiers family. He found my website and contacted me in February 2013. I contacted the captains niece, Lana Momcilovich, of New Castle, Delaware, whom I had met in 2010 in order to give the family the page proofs of the letter from Michael Momcilovich Jr. that I had used in Vietnam Mailbag, my 2008 book based on the correspondence I had received for my column. Through Lana and her sister Katherine, I learned a lot about the Army captain, including that he had a daughter, Kristin, living in Nashville, Tennessee. They also gave me contact information for their father, Mark, the captains younger brother who lived in Bear, Delaware. I later had long phone conversations with both of them. In March, I met Melfi and Vo in Florida and filled them in on the subject of their quest. Michael Momcilovich Jr. was the oldest of three sons of retired Army Lt. Col. Michael Momcilovich, a decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Self-assured and popular, the younger Momcilovich had worked diligently throughout high school for an appointment to West Point, class of 1965. At 17 he was among the youngest cadets in his class to enter Beast Barracks on July 5, 1961. After graduation, he married Lynne Lawrence, whom he had met in middle school, and left for Army Ranger School and then Fort Benning, Georgia, where he trained in armored tank warfare. In 1966 he deployed to West Germany, switched to the Air Cavalry and returned stateside to attend the Armys helicopter flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama. In February 1967 Kristin was born, and that fall the first lieutenant had orders for Vietnam. Assigned medevac duty flying the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, Momcilovich suffered minor injuries later that year when his chopper apparently struck a tree branch that shattered its canopy. Then, during the 1968 Tet Offensive, he switched to piloting the AH-1G Huey Cobra. Momcilovich was a respected team leader with A Troop and a valued member of the Bullwhip Squadron, as the 1st Squadron called itself. I feel the work here is for a worthy cause, he wrote in his letter to me on May 4. At times it appears the South Vietnamese arent too sure they want to pay the price for freedom. I have seen some ARVN units withdraw from an enemy force much smaller than their own and other times I have seen ARVN units hold their own when confronted with quite formidable odds. With better guidance and some patience Im sure the Vietnamese Army will come of its own just as the South Korean Army was able to do. If the people are given a chance to decide for themselves, Im sure wed have a staunch ally here in Southeast Asia. Mike was easy to become friends with, open, warm, smiling, fellow officer Phil Hendrix of Lakewood, Washington, posted in 2005 on Momcilovichs memorial page on the Virtual Wall website. I learned the teamwork that was A Troops legacy from Mike. When [my platoon was] on the ground, it was always comforting to hear Mikes voice on the radio, and see his face looking out of his helicopter window, Hendrix added. I was there to recover Mike, and it was hard to see through the tears. I lost a friend and the hero I already knew he was. Eyewitnesses said they could not attempt a rescue because his full load of ammo was cooking off, recalled Mark Momcilovich, who was just 14 when his family received the dreaded notification that forever altered their lives. His brother is buried at the West Point Cemetery at the U.S. Military Academy. But of all the information I shared with Melfi and Vo, none was more important to them than that Michael Momcilovich had a daughter who had never known her father. Both men agreed to travel to Delaware and personally present Captain Momcilovichs military drivers license to her and Michaels brother at Wilmingtons 2013 Memorial Day parade. On May 30, 2013, at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Wilmington, Melfi and Vo, grand marshals of the citys 146th Memorial Day Parade, finally got to tell their story and recount the long journey Momcilovichs license had taken. Its a great honor to be here today, Melfi began. Ngoc and I have waited a long time to finalize this long search. Vo, now an American citizen, added: I thank all of you for this miracle that I never forget. Today, my duty is over. They turned to Kristin Momcilovich James, the captains only child, and presented her fathers fragmented military drivers license to her. The crowd erupted in a standing ovation. I am completely overwhelmed by the courage and integrity that Ngoc and Bill have shown in order to return this piece of my father to me, Kristin said. I was 15 months old when he was killed, but to me my dad was always a hero. Ngoc risked his freedom and potentially his life to do what he thought was the right thing, and Bill never gave up trying to find our family. Mark Momcilovich, the last surviving member of his birth family, also was profoundly affected on that Memorial Day. Ngoc and I had more than just my brothers drivers license in common, he said. We both had brothers who died for the cause of Vietnamese independence. Michael and Marks father had died in 1971. Another brother, Peter, who served in Army intelligence and helped secure the U.S. Embassy in Saigon before it fell in 1975, died in 2001. Michaels widow, LynneKristins motherdied in 2012. One of the reasons I persisted in finding the Momcilovich family was the strength of Ngocs commitment, Melfi said. He risked his life to bring that license to America. While of considerable consolation to the captains family, the honorable deed the Florida veterans performed also provided some long-needed closure of their own. Ngoc lost his country, and I came home to name-calling and an antiwar attitude, Melfi said. But at the Memorial Day event, Ngoc truly felt like an American, and I was finally welcomed home. Michael Momcilovich Jr. and co-pilot William A. Rees were two of 187 U.S. troops killed on May 5, 1968, when U.S. forces sustained the second-highest number of casualties in a single day of the war, the highest being Jan. 31, 1968. Operation Delaware ended on May 17, 1968, after nearly two dozen UH-1 Hueys, a C-130, a CH-54 Skycrane and two CH-47 Chinooks were destroyed in combat. Several others were lost in accidents or damaged by groundfire. The 1st Cavalry Division suffered more than 130 dead and 530 wounded. Nevertheless, Operation Delaware was hailed as a success, though the subsequent withdrawal of U.S. and ARVN troops made it possible for North Vietnamese forces to quickly regain control of the A Shau Valley. In 1968, the controversial wars deadliest year, the conflict claimed 16,899 American lives, according to the National Archives/Defense Manpower Data Center. Nancy E. Lynch is the author of Vietnam Mailbag: Voices From the War, 1968-1972, based on nearly 900 letters to her column in The News Journal and a dozen contemporary interviews with veterans detailing how the war influenced them. For more information, go to www.VietnamMailbag.com. Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. In the wake of the Communist Tet Offensive, LBJs point man on pacification policy, Robert Komer, saw the opportunity to rebuild the programif Washington and Saigon acted quickly. President Lyndon B. Johnson made Robert Komer his special assistant for Vietnam pacification policy in March 1966. Im going to put you in charge of the other war in Vietnam Johnson told him. I want to have a war to build as well as to destroy. Komer, known as Blowtorch for his abrasive personality and disdain for bureaucratic foot dragging, made several trips to Vietnam in 1966 and reported his findings to the president. Pacification, Komer told Johnson, would critically depend on whether we can set up an at least marginally effective Government of [South] Vietnam. By mid-1966 Komers ideas would lead to the establishment of Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support, or CORDS, a civil-military organization to manage U.S. advice and support to the South Vietnamese government. The following year Komer left for Vietnam to assume his duties as the first deputy for CORDS (with ambassadorial rank) under General William Westmoreland, head of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. MACV oversaw all U.S. combat forces in the country. In this excerpt from Blowtorch: Robert Komer, Vietnam, and American Cold War Strategy, author Frank Leith Jones describes Komers efforts to realign pacification programs after the Tet Offensive. As January 1968 neared its end, Robert Komers attempts to arouse the government of South Vietnam, or GVN as it was known, could be measured only by the number of meaningless meetings with government officials. The end of the month would bring the Vietnamese holiday known as Tet, the Lunar New Year. MACV announced that U.S. forces would honor a 36-hour cease-fire declared by the Saigon government to begin on Monday, January 29. U.S. forces nonetheless remained on alert not only because previous truces had been violated but because there was sporadic but growing intelligence that a Communist offensive was being planned. Saigon took on a festive air on January 29. Businesses and most offices closed, the midnight curfew was lifted and revelers crowded city streets. At 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 31, Komerasleep in his eight-room house a few blocks from the U.S. embassyawoke to gunfire but assumed it was the sound of fireworks. His housemates, Maj. Gen. George Forsythe and Colonel Robert Montague, appeared in his room with pistols in hand and informed him that the embassy was under attack. Komer asked about actions he should take, but they answered there was nothing for him to do, so he went back to sleep. The three men had little appreciation for what was actually occurring. The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army regulars had attacked Saigon, 38 of the 44 provincial capitals and the U.S. air base at Da Nang. VC Sappers blew a hole in the concrete wall of the U.S. embassy and briefly occupied the compound before they all were overwhelmed and killed or captured. Other VC guerrillas attacked the buildings of the South Vietnamese Joint Chiefs of Staff, Vietnamese navy headquarters, the Philippine embassy and Ton Son Nhut air base. At Independence Palace, where President Nguyen Van Thieu had his offices, there were shell bursts, and one of the buildings caught fire. The fighting persisted beyond sunrise and into daylight. Reports indicated that several provincial capitals had been successfully invaded by VC units. A U.S. military spokesman stressed that the allies were in control of all the cities attacked except for one. General William Westmoreland stated that the attacks demonstrated that the truce was a hoax and fraud. In a statement broadcast over Hanoi Radio, President Ho Chi Minh of North Vietnam declared he was very happy with the victories of the Viet Cong. He accused the allied forces of breaking the truce and claimed that Viet Cong forces held Hue, Nha Trang and Quang Tri. He described the Viet Cong attacks as an answer to a speech by President Johnson two weeks ago saying the Americans were winning the war. The public relations battle began. Fighting outside Saigon continued for a fourth day. Westmoreland called it a go-for-broke proposition, a maximum effort. He believed that the enemy was capable of continuing its campaign for several more days but remained confident that further attacks could be blunted. Within a few days, the allied forces overcame the enemy attacks. Hue remained the exception; fighting in this provincial capital lasted three weeks and left the city in ruin. The attack there had given way not to an urban uprising but to a massacre of innocents: 2,800 South Vietnamese and foreigners were killed; local authorities found their bodies in mass graves on the periphery of the city after the battle ceased. The situation in other cities was less horrific but had severe effects. The CORDS staff calculated a week later that there were 13,000 civilians dead, 27,000 wounded and more than 600,000 refugees. Property damage was thought to be approximately $173.5 million. The attacks had done considerable damage to Komers reputation. For the last few months, Komer, the president and his chief advisers had genuinely believed that the United States and the GVN were winning. Komer had claimed major gains in security. Journalist David Halberstam had heard about such predictions upon his arrival in Saigon in November 1967 and asked Barry Zorthian, the Joint U.S. Public Affairs Office chief, Whats all this crap Komer is putting out about the war being over in six months? As Komer would later remark, The difference between November [1967]hey, were finally winningand the next thing you know the U.S. embassy in Saigon is under attackwell, that robbed me of all my credibility and that of everybody else, especially the president. Komer had little time to sulk. Initial reports indicated that in addition to a severe refugee problem, the South Vietnamese governments footing in the countryside had been weakened. Nearly one-tenth of the Regional Forces/Popular Forces (RF/ PF) outposts, or about 500 out of 5,000, had been overrun or abandoned as the government moved these local militia units from the rural areas to defend cities and towns. Don Oberdorfer, reporting for Knight-Ridder newspapers and convinced that Tet had set back pacification, visited several provinces. He saw the large number of local Viet Cong who had been killed. Tet exposed the VC leaders who had discarded their cover in anticipation of a military victory, resulting in heavy losses for their guerrillas, sappers and local force battalions. U.S. figures for casualties during the offensive were estimated at 32,000 killed and 58,000 captured. Oberdorfer calculated that approximately 40 percent of the Viet Cong Infrastructure (the VC shadow government that directed the insurgency) were killed or captured by allied counterattacks. It was a striking defeat for Hanoi, which the Central Office of South Vietnam, the Viet Cong headquarters, confirmed on February 1. Its report cited how it failed to seize many of the primary objectives, hold occupied areas and motivate the people to rise up against the GVN. Komer perceived Tet as a desperate gamble by the Viet Cong and a direct result of a growing U.S. military presence as well as a surging pacification program. [The Viet Cong] had snuffed out the best of the southern cadre by sending them into the cities.After Tet, it really became an NVA war, said Komer. He was the first in the MACV headquarters to realize that these losses had changed the whole picture in the countryside. Although Komer wanted to take advantage of the Viet Cong losses by reviving the pacification effort immediately, he was forced to wait. On the morning of February 2, U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam Ellsworth Bunker chaired a Mission Council meeting to examine what urgent actions were needed, especially by the GVN but also by the United States, to surmount the psychological advantage gained by the Viet Cong through their attacks on the urban areas. The council members agreed that the most pressing need was visible and effective GVN leadership to restore confidence and to foster recovery from the attacks. The Americans would have to help, and although Komer thought this was a job for the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bunker and Westmoreland thought otherwise. They told Komer that he was the only person who could make this thing go, and CORDS the only organization with the drive to boot. Komer and his staff now had a new supporting role: Pacification was to turn into a relief effort, with CORDS assisting the GVN with its recovery program. The emphasis would be on security first, so that the roads and airports would be open to commerce and the countrys economic life restored. At a meeting with Bunker and Westmoreland, Thieu agreed to maintain martial law and the curfew until the security threat came under control. In addition, there would be a vigorous and creative psychological operations campaign to blunt Communist propaganda. Westmoreland added his views about the necessity of restoring health care and sanitation services, refugee care and the rebuilding of schools and houses. He then suggested that South Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Van Loc and Komer head a joint task force to plan and execute the measures. They would report to President Thieu but should delegate supervision to Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky. The task force would be composed of personnel from the relevant GVN ministries as well as CORDS. Thieu agreed and at the next meeting, Komer was designated as Kys adviser for Project Recovery, the name given to the GVNs relief efforts. Bunker reported in his weekly cable to Johnson that Komer had established a command post in the presidential palace with a small group of bottleneck-breakers and problem solvers who were working there to pull together civil-military operations on both South Vietnamese and American sides. Both Bunker and Komer saw the Tet emergency as a means of forcing Thieu to undertake a sweeping overhaul of the GVN bureaucracy and, particularly, its leadership. Komer looked for expedient measures to quicken the recovery effort, and CORDS devised the ten/ten/five program. Every refugee head of family received 10 bags of cement, 10 sheets of roofing, and 5,000 piasters to build housing. CORDS also pushed the South Vietnamese government to establish a multibillion-piaster special recovery fund administered by the prime minister. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam provided logistical support, primarily transportation, and ferried South Vietnamese officials throughout the country to assess the situation. CORDS took the lead for planning and program development, while the GVN was responsible for execution. Komer attended Thieus cabinet meetings, during which he sat at the table with the president. Operation Recovery was having an unanticipated benefit: strengthening relations between CORDS and the South Vietnamese government. The South Vietnamese believed that the capture of the ancient royal city of Hue and the massacre of its civilians presaged what would occur if the North Vietnamese won the war. Tet made clear the once faint perception that South Vietnam was in a struggle in which everyone was a stakeholder. Thieu now recognized that Komers insistence that the rural population be able to defend itself was sensible and necessary. The GVN was able to overcome its fears that weapons provided to the people would end up in enemy hands. Consequently, Thieu signed the new General Mobilization Law, which made all Vietnamese men, ages 18 to 38, liable for military service. Further, the GVN armed villagers and organized them into the Peoples Self-Defense Forces. By arming all the able-bodied villagers, male and female, Saigon sent a message of trust and confidence in the peoples ability to counter the Communists. The American public had little interest in such events, particularly after the countrys most revered newsman, Walter Cronkite, presented his assessment of the war in Vietnam at the end of a CBS News special on February 27. It seems now, he intoned, more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.To say that we are closer to victory today is to believe, in the face of the evidence, the optimists who have been wrong in the past. To suggest that we are on the edge of defeat is to yield to unreasonable pessimism. To say that we are mired in a bloody stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory, conclusion. On February 20, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, while visiting with the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO in Bal Harbour, Florida, conceded to reporters that pacification efforts had stopped. Acknowledging that the Tet Offensive had wreaked great havoc in terms of life and property, he quickly reminded the press that the Viet Cong and North Vietnams military objectives had been frustrated by an effective response from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. He claimed as well that the offensive may have left the Saigon government stronger than before. However, Vice President Ky and Maj. Gen. Nguyen Duc Thang undermined Humphreys optimistic remarks the next day when they resigned from the Central Recovery Committee. The U.S. press reported this development as a major setback for the Johnson administration, since Ky and Thang had been held up by U.S. officials as examples of Saigon power brokers working together to overcome the devastation of Tet. Komer traveled to Washington at the end of February. On the evening of March 7, he sat with the presi- dent in the Oval Office and confirmed that Tet had sidetracked the pacification program. Intimates of the president leaked to columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak that Johnsons interest in pacification was now in decline. In long Johnsonesque monologues, the two columnists reported, he had taken to emphasizing the shooting war and de-emphasizing pacification since the January offensive. The days when the president would discuss the progress of pacification, citing Komers statistics, were no more. On Komers return to Saigon, Bunker took him to report privately and candidly to Thieu on his Washington trip. Komer hammered heavily on the deep discouragement of the U.S. press, public and a sizable portion of Congress by the success of the Viet Cong offensive and the GVNs slow response in ridding itself of corrupt and incompetent leaders, recovering the countryside, attacking the enemy and rebuilding the citiesfactors that intensified antiwar sentiment and hardened attitudes against the Johnson administration. Komer emphasized that the president and his top advisers remained resolute and unflustered. Nonetheless, how the GVN acted in the next few months was critical; the South Vietnamese government had to demonstrate that it could conduct a full-scale counteroffensive to eliminate the threat to the cities and reclaim control of the countryside. In response, Thieu at first offered excuses about how difficult it was to persuade the GVN to act together, but then he asked guilelessly, Should I have a change of government? When Bunker asked what he meant, Thieu said he wanted to know whether he should dismiss Loc or any other ministers. Bunker replied that he realized the difficulty of forcing Loc out, but he gave no indication that Thieu should replace the prime minister. Komer was equally noncommittal, suggesting only that Thieu must take charge, as Loc was indecisive. He then added that the president should give Loc a few months to sweep out the corruption; if he could not, then he should be replaced. Thieu smiled but did not respond. It was clear that a race for the countryside was now in progress. As Komer and Bunker maintained, the essential, immediate tasks were to push supplies to the provinces, settle the internally displaced in camps and push the security forces back into specific local areas to re-establish security. Knowledgeable observers concluded that there was now a greater feeling of unity and more willingness to contribute to the common cause than has ever been witnessed before in this country. However, as both men understood, such nationalist fervor was fleeting, and stimulating the GVN to act on it was always problematic given its political fragmentation and bureaucratic battlegrounds. The shock of Tet, however, could neither be wished away nor compensated for by leadership made more evident or by superb emergency response. The press now considered Komer and the administration delusional about the future of pacification and, because of limited access to the countryside, resorted to conjecture. Walter Cronkite asserted without evidence that pacification had been set back by years, certainly by months. Sir Robert Thompson, the famous British counterinsurgency expert, writing in the Washington Post, claimed that nation building and pacification were now in ruins. When William Colby, chief of the CIAs Far East Division, arrived in Saigon in early March to begin his new role as assistant chief of staff for CORDS, he knew he had better be prepared to offer Komer some ideas about how to quicken the pace of pacification and obtain concrete accomplishments in the field. After a week at MACV headquarters, Colby paid a visit to John Paul Vann, who ran the CORDS program in the III Corps Tactical Zonean area that consisted of the 12 provinces north and west of Saigon, considered to be the most important part of South Vietnam. Vann had Colby meet with one of the village chiefs and his men, whom Colby found brandishing crude swords made from automobile springs. The message was not lost on Colby. The village chiefs and their militias needed weapons to fight off the Viet Cong insurgents, who were armed with AK-47s. But that was not the only signal Colby received. He and Vann came to an understanding that it was essential for the war to be fought by building communities and gradually pushing the Communists away from the population. In March Vann proposed a new approach to pacification to Komer. Vann argued that the first basic requirement, security, was still unmet. You cannot expose the population to the inroads of the enemy every night and expect them to willingly cooperate with the government or overtly reject the Viet Cong. The focus must be on village security rather than the hamlet, and a Regional Force company needed to be assigned to each village on a continuing basis, with a Popular Forces platoon posted permanently in each hamlet. Colby recognized that Komer had already established the groundwork for this approach when the previous year he had moved responsibility for U.S. support of the RF/PF under CORDS. Komer directed that the IV Corps Tactical Zone, in the Mekong Delta, be the focus of immediate pacification attention, and Thieu agreed in principle, showing he was committed to moving more quickly and asserting his control of the program. Then Lyndon Johnson made a commitment of his own. On March 31, during his televised address to the American people, the commander in chief came to the end of his prepared speech and announced, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President. In Saigon, at a meeting of the U.S. Mission Council, Bunker, Westmoreland, Komer, Barry Zorthian and George Jacobson, the mission coordinator, listened to the broadcast on Armed Forces Radio. When Johnson finished speaking, there was silence in the room. As reporter Don Oberdorfer wrote, The men just sat there looking at one another, measuring each others surprise and wondering about the future of the war the President had led and the future of those whose careers had been tied to his. Within a few days, Komer regained his balance. Success in pacification depended solely on Thieu, and now the leader knew that the South Vietnamese had to shoulder the burdens of the war, as Bunker phrased it. Komer reminded the ambassador that the United States still had not capitalized on the enemys defeat at Tet and the greater determination of the GVN. Our bargaining position is a lot stronger than Washington seems to think, he said. He added that this favorable situation would erode if the relationship between Saigon and Washington soured. If we cant convince Washington, well be in a descending spiral out here. A day later Bunker conveyed the message to LBJ and his advisers at a meeting at Camp David, but it had little effect. The discussion drifted to other topics. Frank L. Jones is professor of security studies at the U.S. Army War College. He held several high-level policy and strategy positions in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. Stockdale Would Agree With Us It is interesting to see in your info graphic (December 2014) that 84 percent of us agree that LBJ did purposely mislead the nation regarding the August 4 Gulf of Tonkin repeated attacks. Guess who else would agree? Admiral Jim Stockdale, who had the facts because he was there. Then a Navy squadron commander, Stockdale was in his F-8 Crusader above Maddox and Turner Joy on the night of Aug. 4, 1964. When Stockdale was debriefed in the Ticonderoga ready room following the incident, he was asked if hed seen any enemy boats. Not a one, he replied. No boats, no boat wakes, no ricochets off boats, no boat gunfire, no torpedo wakesnothing but black sea and American firepower. In his book In Love and War, Stockdalestates that when he was shot down and made a POW a year later, on Sept. 9, 1965,he was afraid the North Vietnamese knew he was the guy in the sky that night. He feared that they would make him refute repeated attacks, the official LBJ pronouncement and the justification to go to war. Stockdale believed he was in possession of treasonous information. The North Vietnamese never even asked him about the August 4 incident. They did not know who they had. Adele Borman Redondo Beach, Calif. Le Has Ingenuity Our Woman in Saigon (December2014), about Le Ha, who uncovered a Communist sabotage ring at Esso petroleum for the CIA, was quite a story. One of the most amazing parts was that after the fall of Saigon, she found a way to use the corruption of her new Communist masters to escape from Vietnam! How the Viet Cong terrorized Esso employees families to force them to work for the VC uncovers one of the unknown fronts of the war. Raymond Opeka Grand Rapids, Mich. Books-A-Missed While Marc Leepson tells us upfront that his Top 30 Vietnam War Books (December 2014) is very subjective, I still find the list flawed. He includes three titles by Tim OBrien, yet leaves off one of the most important works by anyone at any time. I speak, of course, of Dispatches, by Michael Herr. Yall keep up the good work. Danny Hinton Macon, Ga. Marc Leepson seriously missed the mark by not including 365 Days, by Ronald J.Glasser, one of the first books, maybe even the first, to expose the facts of the war. Ken Kortz Edina, Minn. If memory serves me right, Stolen Valor identifies two phonies as two of the men in Bloods, listed in Top 30 Vietnam War Books. Also my favorite book of nonfiction on Vietnam is Hill 488, by Ray Hildreth. Dana Meyer Charles City, Iowa Marc Leepsons nonfiction list omitted We Were Soldiers Onceand Young, by Lt. Gen.Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway. It remains one of the most powerful and memorable books on the war that Ive read,and Ive read many. Scott Wallace Leesburg, Va. I was surprised at the omission of Frances FitzGeralds Pulitzer Prize-winning Fire in the Lake, published to wide acclaim in 1972. Another good book is Bao Ninhs The Sorrow of War. Bao, a North Vietnamese Army veteran, penned a fictional memoir that is right up there with Matterhorn and The Things They Carried in its depiction of the life of a soldier in combat and the impact war has on human beings, regardless of which side one is fighting on or for. Patrick Nolan , Adjunct professor of history, Jacksonville Beach, Fla. I served in the Marine Corps Reserve from1970 to 1977 and later had some regrets for not going to Vietnam. That was until I read Wandering Souls, by Wayne Karlin. It follows the journey of 1st Lt. Homer Steedly Jr., as a soldier who shot and killed a North Vietnamese medic in a kill-or-be killed encounter and then his redemption in 2008, when he returned to Vietnam to mourn with the victims family. If such a book could help one troubled veteran rebound, its well worth my recommendation. Tim Yelton Atlanta, Ga. Editors note: Vietnam featured an excerpt from Wandering Souls in December 2009. VFW? No Thanks I read the interview with John Hamilton on how great the VFW is (August 2014). Following my tour in 1968, I drove by our local VFW and asked about joining. One of the guys there told me they dont take losers.I left and never went back. You know it was hard enough coming back to a country that hated us, but to be treated bad by my own kind was worse. I got on with my life with help from my family; please dont tell me how wonderful the VFW is. Bob Monninger Antioch, Ill. Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here. T he Chocolate Factory, birthplace of the penny sweet, Sherbet Fountains, Flumps, Black Jacks, Milk Bottles and Dip Dabs among many, is to be the centrepiece of the multimillion-pound regeneration of Wood Green. Unlike its fashionable neighbours Crouch End and Stoke Newington, the district has until now stubbornly resisted change. A planning application for the project is being drawn up and Haringey council, which has ambitions to regenerate the whole of Wood Green, is already enthusiastic. A report by planning officers, published last week, concluded the proposals to build more than 200 homes on the five-acre site are acceptable in principle. A final decision is expected later this year. Earlier this month, Haringey council officers unveiled proposals to replace Wood Greens ugly town centre with a 3.5 billion development featuring a new shopping centre and up to 8,000 homes. The area is earmarked to become part of the Crossrail 2 train line, which would significantly enhance its appeal to buyers. It leaves one of Londons largest grass-roots arts charities, Collage Arts, based at The Chocolate Factory, facing an uncertain future. The charity provides affordable office space for about 200 artists and small creative businesses, and offers courses in everything from music production to visual arts aimed at disadvantaged young people, those with disabilities, minority ethnic communities, and ex-offenders. Manoj Ambasna, founder of Collage Arts, said he was being consulted by Haringey about the future of the organisation. We do also have two other buildings around the corner, he said. We are being listened to. What is really encouraging is that all the artists are coming together as a community to make sure [this area] . does not become another Hoxton, where local people are priced out. They have made us a promise that they will meet all the artists and talk to them directly. Nobody from Barton Willmore, the planning consultant acting for the currently unnamed developer, would comment. Built in Clarendon Road in 1922 as the HQ of confectionery giant Barratt & Co, a household name rivalling Cadbury and Mars for most of the last century, The Chocolate Factory scented the area with the aroma of molten sugar as its workers produced hundreds of different retro favourites including Bruisers, Fruit Salad chews, and Refreshers. Almost every newsagent in Britain sold these cheap-and-cheerful sweets to drooling schoolchildren for pennies. The company ran into financial difficulties during the Seventies and the factory gates finally closed in 1980. Hospitality Net today Sign up to our free daily newsletter, It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home With his highly anticipated album I Decided dropping Friday, Big Sean has decided to launch a few pop-up shops in its support in four major cities this weekend: New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, and of course, his hometown of Detroit. Kicking off Friday, the 3-day event will offer some limited edition Big Sean merchandise inspired by his I Decided album, including items like tees, hats, hoodies, and bomber jackets. Look for the prices to vary anywhere from $30-$200 for the merch. The shops will be open from 5-11 PM on Friday & Saturday, while Sunday will run from noon-6PM. Peep the locations of the shops (below), and see some of the upcoming merch in the gallery (above). I Decided pop-up locations New York: 127 Grand St., New York, NY 10013 Los Angeles: 501 N. Fairfax, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Detroit: 1441 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226 Toronto: 12 Ossington Ave., Toronto ON M6J 2Y7, Canada big sean Hackers are targeting small radio stations across the country and overtaking their airwaves with a political, expletive-ridden rap song, which you all will well know as YG and Nipsey Hussles Fuck Donald Trump. Released last March, the song became the most recognizable protest song of the presidential election, and it was played and chanted at many anti-Trump demonstrations. Though it was unable to stop Trumps rise to the White House, dont expect FDT to go away over the next four years. A station in Salem, SC reported that FDT took over its broadcast on Monday night and played repeatedly for about 20 minutes, before Jeff Bright, who runs Sunny 107.9 WFBS, had to temporarily shut down the whole station. You folks are as mad as we are, the station wrote in a Facebook post. Rest assured that we have taken every possible security measures to keep this from happening again. Crescent Hill Radio, a nonprofit station in Louisville, KY, experienced a similar breach on Jan. 20, as FDT was played on loop for 15 minutes. Station manager Kathy Weisbach thinks that the hackers targeted the Barix Exstreamer device that is commonly used by smaller radio stations. Other stations that it happened to have contacted me, and we all used the same device, and none of us had set a password to the device, Weisbach told Heat Street. My bad, as I had done other security measures at the tower and the studio but failed to password protect this device. You can bet it is now. Other stations that have been hit by a similar FDT hack include El Jefe 96.7 a Spanish station in Murfreesboro, TN, Mother of the Redeemer Radio 103.5 a Catholic station in Evansville, IN, and Sunday Morning Glory 100.5 a gospel station in San Angelo, TX. Those stations were all targeted on Jan. 20, the day of Trumps inauguration. A pirate radio station in Seattle was able to keep the song on loop for at least a week, Q13 Fox reported. It is unclear if the station was set up solely for that purpose. Stations across the country are permitted to play the radio version of FDT, the hook of which only consists of the repetition of the presidents name. Watch the (explicit) FDT music video below. [via BuzzFeed News] FDT As if touring with Drake wasnt enough, Young Thug is planning a new project. The self-described richest in the A took to Instagram Thursday to deliver a snippet from an unknown track. The short clip features the new joint playing over loud speakers while a hand rotates, showing off a diamond-encrusted watch and a huge diamond ring. And Im going through stuff, I dont feel no love, Thugger can be heard spitting over a minimal beat. This week, the Pick Up The Phone rapper said he felt a lot of hate from his peers. Hes also in the studio with Drake so he might be exorcising his demons in the recording booth, airing out his emotions with the 6 God. His London Pop Up show is scheduled from February 3 to the 5 while he visits the British Isles on Boy Meets World tour. Young Thug It's already being hailed as the film of the year, and won the Best Ensemble Award at this week's Screen Actor's Guild Awards. The hit historical drama Hidden Figures tells the story of the scientists behind one of the greatest space operations in history. Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), the African American women who fought racism and sexism during their time working at NASA, finally get their story told on the big screen in the new film. In this exclusive clip from the film, Katherine (Taraji P. Henson), uses her brilliant skills to determine astronaut John Glenn's landing zone. As you can see in this featurette clip, women all over the world have fought to achieve recognition for their work, women like Elena Poniatowska, a journalist from Mexico. Listen to her story below. Hidden Figures hits cinemas February 17. Watch the trailer below. Advertisement Paul McCartney fans will no doubt be pleased to learn that a previously unheard song recorded by the ex-Beatles star with Elvis Costello has just been uploaded onto social media. The demo, which is entitled Twenty Fine Fingers, was recorded during the sessions for the Flowers in the Dirt album back in 1989. The critically acclaimed album Flowers in the Dirt is to be reissued next month. And fans of Sir Paul McCartney will be also excited to learn that the remastered version of his eighth solo studio album, which went to number one in the UK charts on its original release in 1989, will also include even more previously unreleased demos recorded with Elvis Costello. I hadnt listened to them in ages but when I did I knew we had to put them out, says the ex-Beatles star. We made a little tape of them and sent them to Elvis, who loved them too. We said we should put out an EP or something and now the moments finally arrived. The song 'Twenty Fine Fingers' has been available in the past on several bootlegs, but was incorrectly named 'Twenty Five Fingers'. But this is the first official release by the ex-Beatles legend. You can listen to it here: There will be various versions released of the remastered album, including an exciting DVD edition that will come with extra demos, b-sides, remixes, single edits. It will also have three new short films, music videos and the 1989 documentary Put It There. Heres Paul McCartney performing one of the albums big hit singles, My Brave Face with Elvis Costello: Texas' oil and gas regulator, emboldened by possible changes in federal energy policy, is paring down regulations on the industry, arguing that removing regulatory burdens will create more energy jobs in Texas. The Railroad Commission, which launched the initiative last summer, has changed rules to lower compliance costs for oil and gas companies and encourage them to report their own violations by waiving penalties. This year, the agency plans to ease several reporting requirements for the industry, eliminating paperwork that companies must file or else face fines. Among the most lauded, and controversial, moves by the commission: changing the definition of active oil and gas wells to relieve companies of the cost of plugging inactive wells. While oil and gas companies have praised the commission's changes, environmental advocates argue that relaxing regulations would only encourage companies to damage the environment, compromise the safety of people nearby, and further promote an agency culture that they say already allows companies to operate with minimal monitoring by the Railroad Commission. Advocates add that it's ironic the commission wants to cut regulations as it makes a case to the Legislature to provide more money to increase inspections of wells and pipelines to better protect the public and the environment. The commission has sought an increase of $44.9 million; the House has proposed raising funding by $35 million, but the Senate's plan would cut it by $13 million. "Lessening oversight further puts families' health and safety at risk," said Sharon Wilson, a Gulf region organizer for Earthworks, a national environmental advocacy group. But the commissioners say eliminating unnecessary regulations will make it easier for companies to focus on crucial rules, such as those that require companies to protect nearby water sources. In addition, they say, cutting red tape will lower costs and help companies stay in business and add workers after an oil bust that cost the state an estimated 100,000 energy jobs. Many of these rule changes, added commission Chairwoman Christi Craddick, are aimed at lowering costs for smaller operators that run low-producing oil and gas wells, and continue to struggle as oil prices remain low. "We want to make sure that those wells and those operators stay in business, and that those wells have an opportunity to produce," Craddick said. The Railroad Commission launched its effort, called the Oilfield Relief Initiative, in August, targeting nine rules and processes that need updating, Craddick said. Many of the proposed changes target obscure data that companies are required to report, as well as other paperwork for elimination. The signature revision changed the definition of inactive wells, saving companies the costs of plugging and cleaning up many wells that produce minimal amounts of oil. Before the change, an oil well was considered inactive if it produced less that 10 barrels a month for three months consecutively. Today, a well remains active if it produces just one barrel a month for a year. The commission also introduced self-audit guidelines, which offer companies immunity from hefty fines if they voluntarily report violations. These moves dovetail with promises of President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress to unravel the regulations imposed on the energy industry under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump has pledged to ease emissions limits on power plants and remove barriers to oil and gas exploration on federal lands. Recently, congressional Republicans moved to overturn Obama administration limits on the amount of methane - a potent greenhouse gas - that can be released or flared by drilling operations on federal lands. In December, when she was elected chairman of the commission, Craddick said she looked forward to working with Trump, whose Cabinet nominees include Rex Tillerson, the former CEO of Exxon Mobil, and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. "They at least get us, I hope, as an industry," Craddick said. The three-member commission is looking to make more changes that would aid oil and gas companies. In January the commission started allowing well logs - reports on rock formations a well passes through - to be filed electronically. The commission is also eliminating a requirement that companies conduct and report pressure tests that measure production of oil and gas wells and help regulators to determine when a well becomes inactive and needs to be plugged. In the past, companies had to shut down a well to run the test; now the commission will get the information from production data companies report monthly. The Texas Land and Mineral Owners Association, which represents property owners that lease land and mineral rights to oil and gas producers, has opposed changes to rules on inactive wells and self-reporting of violations. During a public comment period last year, the group said that such changes would only keep unstable companies in business and encourage poor care of well pads around the state. Craddick, however, is confident that the changes will not affect what she calls the commission's main mission - safety of the public and the environment. "That's our first priority," she said. "We don't anticipate that those concerns will be a problem. That is our job to inspect to enforce our laws and penalties." WASHINGTON Rex Tillerson stepped onto an uncertain international stage Wednesday after the Senate confirmed the former Exxon Mobil CEO as secretary of state at time of increasing tension at home and abroad. Tillerson, who has no previous diplomatic or political experience, will be charged with representing U.S. interests and promoting President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy, which already has antagonized neighbors such as Mexico and worried allies in Europe and Asia that the U.S. will turn its back on long-standing commitments. He steps almost immediately into the furor over Trump's three-month ban on citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, which has drawn criticism from Democrats, some Republicans, and hundreds of career diplomats and staff at the State Department. On Wednesday, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn added to the tensions, warning Iran it was "on notice" over its decision to stage a ballistic missile test Sunday, as well as for an attack on a Saudi naval vessel by the Iranian-backed Houthi militants. How the Texas oil man will manage not only those flash points, but a new administration that has promised to shake up Washington and its approach to international relations dominated the debate around his nomination. The 56-43 confirmation vote was unusually narrow, hewing largely to party lines, save for three Democrats and Maine's Independent senator, Angus King, who joined with Republicans. Tillerson, who was sworn in a few hours later by Vice President Mike Pence, pledged to "represent all of the American people at all times." Supporters say Tillerson, who for more than a decade led a huge global enterprise often compared to a country, has the right blend of leadership skills, negotiating prowess, and international knowledge honed after a long-career of deal making. He has done business with many world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and navigated the politics of unstable countries. "Although he doesn't have the same background as other who held that position have," said Sen. John Thune, R- N.D., "he brings a range of experience that could be incredibly beneficial." Tillerson, 64, a Wichita Falls native with an engineering degree from the University of Texas, spent his entire career at Exxon. He follows in the line of fellow Texan Jim Baker, the Houston attorney who served as secretary of state under former president George H.W. Bush. Tillerson's path to confirmation, however, was much harder. Early on, his prospects appeared tenuous as some Republicans questioned his ties to Putin. During a Senate hearing earlier this month, he took tough questioning from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who asked if Tillerson considered Putin a war criminal following Russian bombing of civilians in Syria. Tensions were further heightened by a report from U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia's hacking of the Democratic Party's email server was an attempt to sway the election to Trump. Rubio, and two other Republican critic, Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona, eventually backed off, assuring Tillerson's confirmation. While the former Exxon chief avoided the outright Democratic protest directed at nominees like Steven Mnuchin, Trump's pick for Treasury secretary, he also failed to win widespread support from the other party. Democrats still attempted to delay the vote, pushing to get Tillerson on the record about the Trump's recent travel ban. In the end, only three Democrats, Senators Mark Warner of Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, supported Tillerson. Last month, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was confirmed in a 98-1 vote. Democrats' concerns were widespread, from Tillerson's skepticism that climate change poses the immediate threat described by former president Barack Obama to his hazy recollection of Exxon's lobbying activity around sanctions placed against Russia in 2014. But much of Democrat's concern revolved around Trump and whether Tillerson could be an effective backstop if the president chose to shift the United States away from international agreements such as NATO. "It's painfully obvious when the president says 'America First' the cumulative impact leads to America alone," Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Tuesday. Tillerson will be working for, "the most dangerous, thin-skinned president we've seen on foreign policy issues." Republicans, however, argued that his career at Exxon and his endorsements by the likes of former Defense Secretary Bob Gates and former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice spoke for themselves. "His enormous experience and aptitude and talent are going to be put to work for the American nation and the American people," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said on the Senate floor. Where Tillerson's views lie in relation to those of Trump's remain difficult to dissect. During his confirmation hearing last month, Tillerson repeatedly declined to offer his opinion on the actions of other countries, explaining he had not been given access to classified reports. But he offered a general world view, one that was as much pragmatic as idealistic about American democracy's place in the world. During a tense exchange with Rubio over human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, he said, "I share all of the same values that you share and want the same things for people the world over in terms of freedoms. But I'm also clear-eyed and realistic about dealing in cultures. These are centuries-long cultures." Tillerson faces challenges that might extend far beyond those of his predecessors in recent administrations. The recent rise of nationalism in Europe and the United States has led some scholars to speculate that the liberal democracy that swept the world in the latter half of the 20th century could be at its end. The president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Washington think tank of which Tillerson was a board member until recently, wrote a memo to members Wednesday warning of the "rising forces of authoritarianism" in China and Russia, among others. "Will America shake off its deep-seated desire to pull back and nurse its bruises or will it champion an international order designed to create a broad environment where human potential can blossom, " wrote president John Hamre. Following the vote, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called Tillerson, "a Texan, somebody who understands the incredible importance of energy, and a serious leader who can sit down with both our friends and our enemies and have instant credibility." But first the former Exxon head will have to bring together a State Department deeply divided over Trump's immigration ban. A memo protesting the executive order that was circulated among career staff at the agency had close to 900 signatures when it was submitted to acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon, according to Reuters. Asked about the memo Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said agency officials who object to Trump's decision "should get with the program or they can go." Chronicle reporter Kevin Diaz contributed to this report. SEATTLE - Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos says the Seattle-based company supports a lawsuit filed by Washington state's attorney general against President Donald Trump and the administration over Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees. Fellow Washington state-based companies Microsoft and Expedia are also supporting the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The complaint and motion for an emergency temporary restraining order says the restrictions on immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries is damaging Washington state's economy and hurting its companies. "We're a nation of immigrants whose diverse backgrounds, ideas and points of view have helped us build and invent as a nation for over 240 years," Bezos said Monday in an internal email to Amazon employees. "No nation is better at harnessing the energies and talents of immigrants. It's a distinctive competitive advantage for our country - one we should not weaken." Bezos vowed to support Amazon employees in the U.S. and around the world who might be affected by this order. The company is aware of 49 employees who were born in one of the seven countries targeted in Trump's order. One employee impacted by the travel ban is Asghar Farhadi, an Iranian who directed the Amazon Studios film "The Salesman." The film was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category, but Trump's order will prohibit Farhadi from traveling to Los Angeles to attend the Academy Awards, the company declaration said. The keenly observed realism in Steven Stafford's play "Small Jokes About Monsters," which runs at the Landing Theatre through Feb. 18, has tinges of Sam Shepard, Tracy Letts and Stephen Karam. But its central character, Ryan, is a singular creation. Just listen to the way he talks, the words he picks like bullets from a belt. His style of speech is loose and mordant, his jokes peppered with piercing truths that betray a wounded man underneath. Ryan, played with fervor and finesse by Joshua Hoppe, is the second out of three children. Older brother John (Jonathan Gonzalez) and younger brother Derek (Colin Brock), who unlike Ryan have wives and children, join him in a New Jersey beach house after their father's funeral. The father has left behind an envelope, inside which is supposedly his will, though they soon find that its contents raise far more questions than answers. The events that follow involve family secrets and childhood traumas, as any proper kitchen-sink drama should. Like a train, the play's puttering dialogue quickens in measured intervals, each reveal adding fire and steam as the first act ends in an accelerando. More Information 'Small Jokes About Monsters' When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, through Feb. 18 Where: Landing Theatre at the Docks, 1119 Providence Tickets: $10-$100; 562-502-7469, landingtheatre.org See More Collapse The second act is a different vehicle, with an unraveling that feels both surprising yet inevitable. The introduction of the mother, a fierce, precise and comically domineering Rachel Dickinson, saves the play from its windless opening - Hoppe, Gonzalez and Brock struggle to mix up the energy early on before Dickinson's manic gesticulating or Stafford's gripping second-act plot enter the fray. Why is it that family members struggle so much to talk to each other? The brothers and mother in this play are each too consumed with their own lives, not to mention with what role they believe they should play in the family, to create the kind of disruptive dialogue that can push forward, or ruin, relationships. Then Ryan finds out something about himself, which in turn reveals truths about his brother, mother and father. His father tried to keep these revelations hidden inside a cryptic message inside an envelope, but once they're in Ryan's hands they pour out in waves. Not every bit of the script is perfect, but "Small Jokes About Monsters" represents a notable full play debut from Stafford, a Chicago-based actor known for his one-man show "Methtacular!," which delved into his experience as a meth addict for three years. With Stafford's vivid examination of family secrets, Landing Theatre shows just what is possible for a relatively new company in Houston (the play's premiere is tied to the company's new works series, New American Voices). "Small Jokes About Monsters," after all, indicates a mind in search of truth that's painfully aware of the bottomless nature of such a search. The title of the play speaks to this theme. It comes from Ryan's idea that there are three kinds of comedians. Overt ones are Godzillas, subtle ones are Mothras and unintentional ones are Gamera. But which brother gets assigned which fictional Japanese monster is not nearly as important - or as symbolically meaningful as it's intended - as the fact that the siblings need to fulfill distinct roles in the family. When events throw the family into chaos, the image of monsters battling over Tokyo gives them both a narrative they can understand and a way to illustrate the destruction they foresee ahead of them. The mother who blows in like a typhoon won't be giving them what they want from her, so they resort instead to jokes and pop-culture triviality. The tactics work, until they don't. All of a sudden, the laughter stops. That's when things get interesting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate "Where have I seen this before?" How often you must ask yourselves that same question when it comes to broadcast TV. Well, get ready to ask it again, but don't dismiss "Superior Donuts" just because it's uncannily similar to the old Freddie Prinze vehicle, "Chico and the Man." The creators of CBS' "Superior Donuts," getting a special preview Thursday before moving to its Monday time slot, have added new and agreeable life to the template with tightly effective comic writing. The show is set in the doughnut shop that time forgot, located in the middle of a rapidly gentrifying Chicago neighborhood and run by set-in-his-ways Arthur Przybyszewski (Judd Hirsch). Business isn't very good these days. Only Maya (Anna Baryshnikov), a graduate student working on her doctorate, is a regular, but Chicago cop Randy DeLuca (Katey Sagal) stops in whenever she's on patrol as well. Her late dad used to bring her to the shop when she was a girl, and he was also Arthur's best friend. His neighbor Fawz (Maz Jobrani) stops in daily to renew his offer to buy the building, but even though there's no hope that business will turn around, Arthur is staying put. One day, a fast-talking young man named Franco Wicks (Jermaine Fowler) comes into the shop and persuades Arthur to hire him. Never mind that the script sidelines logic at this point: Although Arthur has shown no interest at all in hiring anyone, much less modernizing his shop, he hires a kid he's never met before for work that doesn't appear to exist. More Information 'Superior Donuts' When: series premieres at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, regular slot starts at 8 p.m. Monday Network: CBS xxxx See More Collapse You know exactly where this is going, even if you are too young to have seen "Chico and the Man," a sitcom from the '70s in which Chico (Prinze) fast-talks his way into a job working for a crusty garage owner played by Jack Albertson. Like Arthur, Albertson's Ed gripes about the rapidly changing neighborhood, which in this case, was in Los Angeles. The writing in "Donuts" is nicely peppered with contemporary references, but, more to the point, effective character-based humor. In other words, this show is funny. Hirsch is perfect for the role without being required to do any heavy lifting. Fowler dominates the show, even when he's not onscreen. He has great comic timing that not only serves the joke well but also works within the context of his character and the scene. In spite of the fact the setup feels familiar, there's nothing stale about these "Donuts." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When they heard their names called as winners in Pasadena High School's 55th annual Emerald Pageant, David Ruiz and Destiny Alvarado were each caught off-guard. "I didn't go in thinking I would be the worst, but everyone was awesome; so I was surprised when I won," said Alvarado, 18, who was crowned Miss Pasadena High 2017 on Jan. 28. Perhaps a factor in her win was Alvarado's heartfelt explanation to pageant judges in a six-minute private interview about who inspires her. "I told them how my grandmother was a single mother, as is my mom," Alvarado said. "My grandmother is an inspiration for all women to be strong and independent. She told me, 'Being a single mom is not as hard as it sounds, if you stay motivated. If you stay motivated to your goal, what you want to happen will surely happen.' " The new Miss Pasadena High School, who is the eldest of seven children, is the daughter of Amanda Alvarado and the granddaughter of Alvina Jimenez, all of Pasadena. Before being named Mr. Pasadena High School, Ruiz, 18, kept thinking of his 9-year-old sister, Aimee, when answering questions. "I love talking about her; so I always liked the opportunity to tie her into my answer," he said. The two seniors said they became friends about 10 years ago when they attended L.F. Smith Elementary in South Houston. "I thought she was really funny," Ruiz said. "We got along really well." Both winners were surprised to hear their names called from a roster of more than 20 students who paraded the runway at Pasadena High School Auditorium. They then fielded onstage questions to advance through the Top 10, Top 5 and Top 3 narrowing of candidates. Alvarado After graduating from high school, Alvarado plans to attend Sam Houston State University and major in primary education. "I want to teach pre-K or kindergarten," she said, noting that she is the first in her family to go to college. "It's a lot of pressure, especially since I am setting an example for my younger siblings," Alvarado said. "I want to go through with it and not stop just because it gets hard." Alvarado added that her experience as a hostess at a Pasadena pizza parlor helped prepare her for handling the pressures of the pageant. "At work, I am surrounded by people I don't know, who I greet with an upbeat, positive attitude," she said. Alvarado's next challenge will be to perform in the ensemble cast of "Anna in the Tropics," which will be Pasadena High's entry in University Interscholastic League one-act play competition. The 2003 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for drama, penned by Nilo Cruz, "is an excellent choice," said Alvarado. "It is very, very beautifully written." Ruiz At 5 foot 11 inches, Mr. Pasadena High School is so tall that some who attended the school's recent performances of "The Sound of Music" said they could see Ruiz playing drums in the orchestra, even though the musicians sat a few feet below the stage. Onstage was a grand staircase that suggested the villa where Georg von Trapp, a real-life Austro-Hungarian Navy officer, lived with his seven children prior to World War II. "They kept the set up for the Emerald Pageant," Ruiz said, "so we got to walk down the staircase." Ruiz is captain of the school's drum line, and he's looking forward to returning to state University Interscholastic League competition this spring. "Part of winning is song selection, and the harder the piece, the more points you can score," he said. "It's also about sounding good, musically. In one competition, you also have to memorize the piece." Another competition is held for sight-reading music, said Ruiz, who plans to attend Sam Houston after graduating from high school. He wants to major in music education. He is the son of Joe David and Elizabeth Ruiz of Pasadena, where his father works as an electrician for the city and his mother teaches at an elementary school. Clad in a black tuxedo, Ruiz sailed through the competition on the wings of studying the list of 80 questions, from which any might be posed at random when he addressed the crowd. Ruiz added that he spends a considerable amount of time stretching. "I am really hoping to get to 6 feet," he explained. Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net With May elections hanging in the balance, lawyers made their case before a three-judge appeals court panel in Houston Wednesday in an historic voting rights case that will determine how Pasadena elects its city council. The lawyers' rapid-fire, back-and-forth discussion with the robed trio of judges perched above them drifted from esoteric -- how do you properly measure voting power? -- to downright gritty -- was Pasadena's mayor motivated by mounting racial tension when he brought a pistol to a city council meeting? The City of Pasadena asked for the expedited hearing before the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on a narrow issue - the structure of Pasadena's City Council districts for the upcoming election. Hearing the case for the circuit court were judges Jennifer Walker Elrod, Priscilla Owen and Gregg Costa. At a later date, the court will address the city's appeal of a sweeping order from a lower court judge who threw out Pasadena's city council election format, saying it was discriminatory against Hispanic voters. The judge ordered the city to revert to a 2011 system for electing the council, with eight single-member-district seats, instead of the 2014 system that used six single-member and two at-large districts. Attorney C. Robert Heath, who represents longtime Mayor Johnny Isbell, asked the appellate judges to grant a stay of the judge's order because he said he was likely to win the overall appeal on the merits. His client did not intend to discriminate against Hispanic voters, and the election results did not reflect a diluted Latino vote, he said. He said that Hispanics' chosen candidates had won in four districts under the 6-2 system, proving the format was not discriminatory. That assertion was later disputed by the other side, who argued that two of the candidates had Anglo surnames. Heath told the judges that Pasadena would suffer irreparable harm if it held its May elections under the 2011 scheme. "The Voting Rights Act does not guarantee success; it guarantees opportunity," he said. "If voting turnout is low, there is an opportunity to correct that." He said if the circuit panel ruled quickly in favor of the stay, there would be ample time to revise ballots and inform candidates and voters. Costa pressed Heath about the harm that might be caused if the appellate panel switched the election to 6-2 and then the appellate court upheld the appeal. "That's significant harm, isn't it?" Costa asked. "It is if it has a discriminatory effect," Heath said. Nina Perales, with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which filed the suit on behalf of Latino voters, stressed to the judges that the 8-0 system the lower court put in place would sufficiently eliminate questions of discrimination in Pasadena's council race. However, a decision by the appellate judges to temporarily lift the lower court's 8-0 format would confuse voters and candidates who have already filed to get their names on the ballot and begun canvassing neighborhoods, she said. "There is no reason to grant the stay based on (the city's) likelihood of success because there is no single case supporting their contentions," Perales said. "The case law is unified if there is lower Hispanic registration and turnout rates it is tied to a history of past discrimination." The judges also asked about party affiliation and Hispanic voters, and what Isbell's exposed handgun had to do with racial discrimination. Perales said the gun was exposed at a volatile city council meeting in which most of the participants who came to testify were Hispanic. A stay by the appellate panel would leave in place an election format that Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ruled was discriminatory against Latino voters. Rosenthal said the revised 6-2 election system -- backed by Isbell -- was deliberately set up to diminish Hispanic voting power. The city has the burden of proving Rosenthal erred in the 113-page opinion that touched on Pasadena's tense racial history. Pasadena must also prevail on the argument that the 6-2 format is in the best interest of the public and Hispanic voters in the May elections. So far, 14 candidates have submitted their names for the ballot for city council in May under the 8-0 plan, including three for each of the contested districts. MD Anderson Cancer Center lost another $58 million in December, a continuation of mounting operational deficits that caused it to slash its payroll by about 5 percent last month. The December loss brings the cancer center's operating deficit to nearly $170 million four months into its fiscal year 2017, well above the $21.4 million shortfall that leaders projected for the September-December period in the budget approved in August. The four-month loss followed a $266 million loss in fiscal year 2016. "There are always monthly fluctuations, especially in December," said Dan Fontaine, MD Anderson's chief financial officer and executive vice president of administration. "We're not yet seeing the appropriate balance of revenue and expenses, but hopefully we'll see the benefits of the cost-saving steps we've taken, including the workforce reduction and attrition, as we move into the spring." Fontaine acknowledged this week that MD Anderson would need to do something more to reduce expenses if revenues don't recover, but said that "at this point in time there are no plans for a second workforce reduction." The world-renowned cancer center announced in early January it was cutting roughly 1,000 jobs, 778 of them by layoffs, the rest through attrition. They said the cuts would save the institution about $120 million - a little more than it lost in the first quarter of the new fiscal year. MD Anderson leaders at that announcement attributed the financial difficulties mostly to the launch of a new electronic record-keeping system, launched in March, whose steep learning curve has been known to hurt productivity. But they said those issues were largely behind them, characterizing the cancer center as "95 percent up to speed" now. They noted that the operating losses declined to $9 million in November from $41.5 million in September and $60.9 million in October. December's spike suggests MD Anderson's financial woes are rooted deeper, said Vivian Ho, a health care economist at Rice University. "It's going to be very challenging for MD Anderson to address all the factors," Ho said. "It's the introduction of electronic medical records; it's insurance providers pushing them out of networks because their prices are so high; it's the movement toward higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs causing patients to go elsewhere; it's the slowdown in the Houston economy leading to fewer people with rich insurance and employers deciding to cut on their health care benefits." Dr. Thomas Buchholz, MD Anderson's physician-in-chief, said the changing health care landscape is definitely causing much of the cancer center's financial difficulties. He said insurers often don't cover cancer treatment after MD Anderson doctors provide it and that higher deductibles and co-pays are increasing the hospital's bad debt. He also said that more patients are going to the elite cancer hospital for an initial diagnosis, then closer to home for treatment, where the greatest revenue is generated. But MD Anderson officials acknowledged those trends don't explain December's $58 million loss since they've been occurring since well before then. They also said the new electronic record-keeping system is no longer a major contributor to the deficit. December is considered a slow month in health care, particularly cancer, because many patients delay appointments until the holiday season is over. But MD Anderson's financial records show that December's gross patient revenues represented a slight increase over November's numbers and that its overall operating losses in the Decembers of 2013, 2014 and 2015 averaged only less than $2 million. The 2017 budget anticipated a $3 million positive margin for December. Fontaine downplayed the December losses, arguing that it's not uncommon for one month to be out of whack because insurer reimbursements can fluctuate depending on that month's types of insurance billed and the coverage provided for certain treatments. He emphasized he is more interested in trends evident over a number of months. "I certainly hope December is the outlier, not November," Fontaine said. "January through March will give me a better feel. In today's day and age, I don't like calling numbers until I see them, but there's been more patient activity every January I have been here. I have the sense that was the case this January, too." Though operating losses are an important indicator of a hospital's health, MD Anderson is still in the black overall, thanks to other revenue streams, such as state funding and philanthropy. Following the layoffs, it now has 19,830 employees. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Staff Sergeant Nick Moore lay flat in the belly of a KC-135R Stratotanker and peered into the azure skies miles above the Gulf Coast, waiting for the F-16 Fighting Falcon to drift into view. "Here it comes," the 24-year-old Air National Guardsman warned, as he began maneuvering a mechanical boom into position behind the fighter jet's cockpit. As the two planes tore through the sky at more than 400 miles per hour, he used two joysticks to guide the boom into place, then began piping hundreds of gallons of fuel into the fighter jet, speeding along just a few feet below him. A careless error could cause millions in damages or even catastrophic injury, he said, but moments later, the plane detached, and another took its place. His unit, the Mississippi-based 186th Air Refueling Wing, frequently refuels flights across the country and around the world. On Wednesday, however, his team flew to Houston to refuel the fighter jets, which were taking part in a training exercise in preparation for Super Bowl LI. Members of the Air National Guard and Houston local law enforcement remained on high alert Wednesday, as pilots took to the skies for "Falcon Virgo," a training exercise replicating how they'd respond if an errant pilot flew into the restricted area over NRG Stadium. The training missions are part of Operation Noble Eagle, launched by 1st Air Force/Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR) - which oversees air defenses for the continental United States - after the 2001 terror attacks, said Maj. Andrew J. Scott, a Public Affairs Officer in the 601st Air Operations Center. "For special events like the Super Bowl, NORAD works with inter-agency partners to make sure the skies are safe over NRG Stadium," he said. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction for Sunday, with air travel restricted in a 30-mile radius around the stadium between 4 p.m. and midnight, authorities said. To fly in that area, pilots will need to be in contact with air traffic control. The core, 10-mile radius around NRG Stadium is a stricter no-fly zone, with very few aircraft authorized to enter that area. Drones are not permitted anywhere within the 30-mile radius, officials said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command will have fighter jets and tanker aircraft to fuel those jets in case an aircraft needs to be intercepted on Super Bowl Sunday. Authorities will issue radio warnings first before intercepting any planes. "Falcon Virgo is a cost-effective and highly effective exercise conducted throughout the year that helps the Air Force practice critical safety maneuvers associated with major national events," said Maj. Gen. Joe Vazquez, Civil Air Patrol's national commander. The drill gave pilots the chance to play out the scenario from start to finish, by identifying and intercepting an aircraft and escorting it to safety, said Lt. Col. Ernie Mayfield, of the Oklahoma-based 138th Fighter Wing. The pilots coordinated with the Houston Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration and Customs and Border Patrol, he said. "It's an opportunity to exercise the complete communications chain," he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After waiting five years for permission to come here and surviving death threats targeting him for working with U.S. armed forces in Iraq, Haitham Alkhfe was thrilled when he finally arrived in Houston last November. He, his wife and golden-curled toddler set about rebuilding their lives in this neat, faded brick apartment complex in Piney Point Village where dozens of Iraqis, Syrians and refugees from Somalia to Iran begin their first chapter as Americans. They take English classes at the leasing office and find solace in the likelihood that a familiar language, no matter how obscure, can probably be found in its maze of arched courtyards. Sensing a growing anti-Muslim sentiment outside the gates, Alkhfe's wife, Rasha, stopped wearing her hijab. But they comforted themselves that making America great would surely include them, legal residents who endangered their lives for U.S. efforts in Iraq, professionals who were looking to work hard and pay taxes. Nothing could have prepared them for the anger and despair that has overwhelmed them ever since President Donald Trump announced a sweeping temporary immigration ban for refugees and citizens of seven Muslim countries, including Iraq. "I don't know what our future is going to be," said Alkhfe, 42. "I wonder what have I done." Outrage over Trump's executive order, which was issued Friday, has coalesced in particular around the tens of thousands of Iraqis who like Alkhfe have worked closely with American troops for more than a quarter-century since the first Persian Gulf war in 1991. Some 17,600 Iraqis and their relatives have received a special immigrant visa for working with the U.S. military since 2007, about 4,000 coming to Texas, according to government statistics. Thousands more, like Alkhfe's brother, are still in the pipeline and could be left out under Trump's ban. New level of tension The far-reaching order, details of which continued to emerge Wednesday, sparked global chaos as hundreds of passengers were stopped from flights and dozens more detained when they got here. It's now embroiled in legal challenges, but seemed to signify a new level of tension in Washington as some Republicans and career diplomats protested the order. Roughly half of Americans backed the ban on party lines, however, according to a Reuters poll. Military veterans, on the other hand, broadly condemned the order - arguing that their Iraqi translators provided invaluable help - and signed petitions to exempt them. This week the Pentagon was compiling a list of Iraqis who supported coalition forces to see if they could obtain a waiver for them. "We made a promise to the men and women who served alongside us on the battlefield, and we must uphold that promise to leave no man behind," wrote two Republican lawmakers, U.S. Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, both military veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wednesday, former CIA Director David Petraeus said the order was blocking the commander general of Iraq's counterterrorism forces from meeting in person with officers from U.S. Central Command in Florida. The White House also clarified that immigrants from the seven nations who, like Alkhfe, have green cards would indeed be allowed back into the United States after all and no longer needed a waiver - one of the most confusing and troublesome aspects of the order. But the fear and uncertainty it has sparked continued as Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly noted that the 90-day ban, covering travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, could be extended indefinitely and other countries added to the list if it is determined they "could tighten up their (security) procedures." "Perhaps the next step is that President Trump says all Iraqis should be kicked out of the U.S.," said Alkhfe as he waited for a technician to install his Internet and his toddler played videos on his phone. "Then I would really be in trouble. I can't go home and I can't stay here." Home is Basra, Iraq's biggest city outside of Baghdad with the country's main port and largest oil fields. When the Americans invaded in 2003, Alkhfe showed his support for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by interpreting for the British armed forces. But after more than a dozen of his fellow translators were killed in a coordinated attack, he quit. In 2008 he was employed by the U.S. National Guard's 34th Infantry Division. It was dangerous work. Not only did he go out on missions with American soldiers but translated when they invited local councils to meetings at the base. "They see you have the same accent that they know from Basra and they wonder, 'What are you doing working with the Americans?'" he said. 'Asset' to the U.S. Twice, threatening letters signed by Shia militias were placed on his windshield, warning him to stop working with the Americans or his family would be killed. Each time he temporarily moved them into another apartment or sent them to relatives' homes. Sometimes he stayed at the base. Every moment was filled with foreboding, checking the car to see if someone placed a bomb underneath it, carefully inspecting any stranger coming his way. In 2010, his supervisor, Sgt. Keith Paulson, recommended Alkhfe for a special immigrant visa for Iraqis working with U.S. troops. Paulson noted Alkhfe's trustworthiness and ability to recognize a potential problem before it arose. A subsequent manager at an American contractor, Specialist Transport Services, said Alkhfe's dedication to coalition forces was absolute and his work ethic indisputable, making him "an asset to the United States." Then Rasha, who had a high-level position in public administration at Basra's International Exhibition Center, found an envelope addressed to Alkhfe filled with bullets in front of their apartment. They moved to another neighborhood. Alkhfe sought a more low-key job at British Petroleum. "But the reality is that nothing is peaceful in Iraq," he said. He worked up from site manager to supervising more than a hundred engineers. Rasha fell pregnant with Hamzah, a replica of his father in both his exuberance and long curls. Meanwhile her sister fled Mosul, a northern city under siege by the Islamic State and in the midst of a government offensive to reclaim it. "I worry about her," she said quietly. On Nov. 1, Alkhfe received the call. He had made it through the time-consuming screening process for the visa. "Just give me two weeks," he replied. He sold everything, settling on Houston, where he had energy contacts from his time at BP, as his preferred destination. Alkhfe had followed the presidential elections and supported Trump's efforts to reduce illegal immigration and bolster security vetting to prevent terrorists. But he found himself stunned by the nations the administration banned. "These people, these countries, they don't create terror," he said. "They are victims from terrorism." He questioned why, if Trump's intent was to prevent terrorists, he would leave off Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two countries responsible for about 90 percent of Americans killed in terrorism attacks on U.S. soil since 1975, mostly in 9/11, according to an analysis of government data by Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration analyst with the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington D.C. It was a question repeated this week by Iraqis across the apartment complex, indeed the world, as they considered what seemed a slap in the face from their long-standing ally in the war against terrorism. More than 16,600 Iraqi military and police working with coalition forces have been killed since 2003 as have hundreds of interpreters. Trump has said he would put more resources into Iraq to eradicate the Islamic State but who, Iraqis wondered, would U.S. forces work with? Worried about future News of the ban flew over social media, alarming Iraqis both in the immigration process or those hoping to come here. One, pulling up into this apartment complex, said he was so upset about it he couldn't even talk. Another, Mohammad Alobaidi, worked with Australian forces before receiving a visa here and applied for his parents and siblings to come too. He said people broke into his family home and threatened to kill them. "Your son is a traitor," they said. Now Alobaidi worries not just about their future but about his own. "I worry about that too," said Mustafaa Tuaimah, 25, who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad before coming here last fall. He said he has dozens of relatives here, many with American citizen children. "If I go back, they will kidnap me and say you were in America, you must have money," he said. A few apartments away, Alkhfe pointed at his son, a gift he said after years of trying. "I don't care about my own life," he said. "My main concern is about him." Matt Dempsey contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate VICTORIA - After a fire destroyed this South Texas town's only mosque last weekend, Victoria's sole Jewish temple handed over a set of keys to the Muslim worshipers. "A Jewish value is to love your neighbor as yourself," said Robert Loeb, 66, president of B'nai Israel Temple. "So I think you have some responsibility when other people have some turmoil to help them out." In a town of fewer than 80,000 where people can give telephone numbers without an area code, the offer was as simple as a man stopping by a friend's house and turning over the keys to the synagogue. Though the mosque made other arrangements, the offer from the temple - along with support from local churches and other residents - resonated at a moment when Islam is in the national spotlight. The blaze, the cause of which has not been determined, erupted hours after President Donald Trump signed an executive order limiting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. Dr. Gary Branfman, a 61-year-old Jewish plastic surgeon, woke up Saturday morning to news that the Islamic Center of Victoria had burned down. From his house, he could see the flames that took firefighters four hours to extinguish. "We're a pretty small city, so you could see it from everywhere," Branfman said. Jon Shapley/Staff He drove the short distance to the mosque, where he saw the wreckage. He decided on the spot that he would drive to the house of the mosque's president, Dr. Shahid Hashmi, a fellow surgeon who is a former neighbor and longtime friend. The drive didn't take long. Branfman said Victoria residents joke that they can get anywhere in the city in eight minutes or less, "unless there's a cow crossing the road." Branfman pulled up to the Hashmi home in his white Land Rover with a Grateful Dead bumper sticker. He walked up to the familiar house, which features arches, tiles and other elements of Islamic architecture. 'Our prayers are very simple' Hashmi, a 69-year-old general surgeon who serves as president of the Islamic center, returned home a few minutes later. Branfman, a member of the B'nai Israel board, pulled out his set of temple keys. He had not yet asked the rest of the board for permission, but he was prepared to ask their forgiveness later. He left the keys in the hand of his old friend. The move was natural in a place like Victoria. "When you live in a town of 80,000, you know a lot of people," Loeb said. When their neighbors needed help, they weren't strangers. Several churches and an office building also offered to host the Muslim worshipers. "We appreciated everybody's offer," Hashmi said. "It was nice, very nice." For the time being, the mosque is using a portable building donated by a local school and placed beside the burned house of worship, board member Irfan Qureshi said. "Our prayers are very simple," he added. "We really just need a clean place to put our forehead." Mosque burglarized before fire Members of the temple and mosque got acquainted during a series of interfaith events three or four years ago, Loeb said. People spent several Saturday afternoons visiting the mosque, the temple and a church to learn about each other's faiths. Christians and Jews have been among those supporting the mosque as it makes plans to demolish the burned building and rebuild. A fundraising page to support the project raised more than $850,000 in 24 hours. By Wednesday it had drawn more than $1 million. In 2013 teenage vandals spray-painted graffiti on the mosque, which was burglarized a week before the fire early Saturday, the Victoria Advocate reported, and the synagogue was the target 10 years ago of anti-Semitic graffiti. A clerk at a convenience store spotted smoke and flames billowing from the Islamic Center of Victoria at around 2 a.m. No injuries were reported. Victoria Fire Marshal Tom Legler asked for help from the Texas Fire Marshal's Office and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine what caused the blaze. Andrew Kragie reported from Houston, Susan Carroll from Victoria. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration condemned Iran on Wednesday for its recent test of a ballistic missile, saying it was putting Tehran "on notice" and threatening reprisals, still unspecified, from the United States. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," said Michael Flynn, the national security adviser, speaking in the White House briefing room. He said Iran's test was the latest in a series of provocative actions that had destabilized the region and violated United Nations resolutions. Flynn did not specify how the administration would respond, although other officials have said the White House is weighing sanctions on the Iranian government. Officials planned to brief the news media later on Wednesday afternoon. He said the U.S. and Iran had signed several agreements that he labeled "weak and ineffective." Instead of being grateful to the United States, he said, Iran escalated its provocations. Earlier Wednesday, Iran confirmed that it had recently conducted a missile test, but it rejected accusations from the United States that the launch had violated a U.N. Security Council resolution. The confirmation by the defense minister, Hossein Dehghan, was the first by an Iranian official since the country was accused of violating the 2015 resolution because the test involved a ballistic missile that could theoretically carry a nuclear warhead. The remarks came a day after President Hassan Rouhani disparaged President Donald Trump for his immigration order barring refugees, as well as citizens of seven predominantly-Muslim countries including Iran. "Banning visas for other nations is the act of newcomers to the political scene," Rouhani said. Dehghan emphasized that the missile test did not, in Iran's view, violate the terms of the resolution, nor those of the 2015 nuclear agreement that preceded it. No country will be allowed to interfere in Iranian domestic affairs, he said, adding that tests would continue. The United States called an urgent meeting of the Security Council on Tuesday to discuss the matter. Iran does not have a modern fleet of fighter jets, but it has tried to compensate in recent decades by building an extensive defense program, with missiles able to strike Israel and Southern and Eastern Europe. It has denied that its missiles can carry nuclear warheads, a view that has been supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors parts of the execution of the nuclear agreement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday made good on a promise to cut off state grant funding for Travis County criminal justice programs over Sheriff Sally Hernandez' new policy of refusing to cooperate with all federal immigration detainers. Hours after Hernandez's new policy took effect, Abbott halted more than $1.5 million in criminal justice grants that go through his office, less another $300,000 that aides said already had been transferred and spent. Ten days ago, Hernandez announced a new policy that her department no longer would honor most warrantless requests from U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to detain jailed suspects who were in the United States illegally, except those charged with murder, aggravated sexual assault and human smuggling. Abbott had threatened to cut the grant funding if Hernandez did not rescind her policy - and at one point had suggested she should be removed from office. His subsequent termination of funding set off immediate political shock waves, with Democrats blasting the move as illegal bullying and Republican lawmakers promising to quickly pass a new law to make so-called "sanctuary cities" illegal in Texas. A vote for approval in the Senate could come as soon as next week. Hernandez insisted she is following state and federal law and said she has no plans to change her policy. She ran for office on a platform that included enacting the new policy. Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt in a terse letter to Abbott said the county will work to replace the state money that funds drug-diversion and veterans courts, family-violence therapy and juvenile-justice programs. "I am confident Sheriff Hernandez's policy is well within the current law. I am certain you have come to the same conclusion; else you would not be seeking to change the current state law to put all Texas sheriffs in the service of the United States Department of Homeland Security," Eckhardt wrote. The fight between Abbott and the capital county has drawn national attention to the sanctuary-city issue in a week when President Trump suggested a cutoff of federal funding to locales that refuse to cooperate on federal immigration enforcement. Passage of a law banning sanctuary cities could impact dozens of other cities in the state that are said to be considering policies similar to Travis' as a protest against the push for an immigration crackdown by Trump and other state Republicans. Travis County's policy differs with those elsewhere in Texas, like Harris County, where officials have had cooperative agreements with federal immigration officials to detain undocumented immigrants when they are released from jail under what is known as the 287(g) program. While running for office, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez ran on a platform to end the county's 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; sheriff's office spokesman Ryan Sullivan said the department is reviewing the agreement. Before his rift with Travis County, Abbott in 2015 tangled with Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, over her policy to honor immigration detainers only on a case-by-case basis. She later agreed to honor all detainers. Democrats on Wednesday blasted Abbott's move to cut off grant funding to Travis County. U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, labeled the governor's decision "an unlawful act of intimidation" that he likened to bullying. "This lawless intimidation puts politics over Texas veterans and public safety," Doggett said. "Its vindictiveness is more like Russian President Putin's authoritarian regime than our democracy. His anti-immigrant hysteria damages local law enforcement and our entire community." Most members of the Travis County delegation in the Legislature also criticized the decision. The exception was state Sen. Dawn Buckingham, the lone Republican in the group, who said she supports a ban on sanctuary cities. "We have a clear message to our law enforcement officers: obey the rule of law, respect the detainers or else there are dire consequences," she said. Despite her protest of Abbott's funding cutoff, Eckhardt acknowledged that the county would obey a change in state law that bars Hernandez's policy. Senate supporters of a ban on sanctuary cities immediately announced they will fast-track a vote in the upper chamber to change the law, starting with a public hearing on Thursday that is expected to attract hundreds of supporters and critics. Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said the hearing could draw hundreds of people wishing to testify. The bill that will be aired at the Senate State Affairs Committee hearing is a revised version of the one first filed. Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, said the new version of Senate Bill 4 is limited to penalties on law enforcement agencies that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin said Abbott's decision to cut off grant funds would hurt participants in various local justice programs, not the sheriff's office. "Not a single dollar of the (Governor's) Criminal Justice Division grants are allocated to or administered by the Travis County Sheriff's Office," said state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin. "Instead, these resources are used to help veterans get back on their feet, support victims of family violence, reunite children with parents in recovery and reach our youth before they become involved with the criminal justice system in ways that will affect their entire lives." Perry said he was unmoved by those pleas because Hernandez is the one responsible for the cutoff of funding because she's the one who decided not to follow the law. "The bill is not intended to define what a sanctuary city is," Perry said. "You can have a sanctuary city that provides charity ... This bill only deals with allowing agencies that do not enforce the law. That's where they cross the line ... If you don't respect the rule of law, there will be consequences." Perry said the revised bill includes civil penalties for violators. In his State of the State speech on Tuesday, where he detailed his priorities for the Legislature during their five-month session, Abbott designated a ban on sanctuary cities as an emergency item so it quickly can be passed and signed into law. Perry said his revised bill protects crime witnesses, to address an issue Hernandez cited as a reason she adopted her policy. She said immigration detainers can make it more difficult for local police to investigate crimes in immigrant communities, because of a fear of retaliation or deportation by federal authorities. While more than a dozen senators - Republicans and Democrats - predicted Wednesday the ban will sail through the Senate, they and several House leaders say it could face a tougher route to passage because of opposition from Democrats and moderate Republicans. Even so, both sides said Wednesday the measure likely will be passed in some form, with support from Texas' top three leaders. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Hurray! Just a few more days to go before we welcome the New Year. All of us are busy wrapping up goals for 2015 and setting growth initiatives for 2016. As author Mark Sinatra rightly points out, finishing the end of one year and looking forward to another can be both stressful and exciting. Maintaining success and finding new opportunities for expansion are at the top of everyones list, but those mainline prerogatives can start to play second fiddle if a companys human resources health isnt performing at its peak. When your HR systems are functioning optimally, its much easier to minimize strain so you can focus on your companys potential. If you are ready for that fresh leap, read his article Enhance Your HR In The New Year. Our cover article for this year end edition is something that every HR professional is looking forward to. Dominique Jones HR Technology Trends For 2016 talks about top trends to look forward in the New Year. According to Dominique, in order to stay competitive and profitable, we must learn to navigate through todays fast-paced, unpredictable work environment. And as work environments continue to evolve and develop, organizations must seek ways to simplify how they manage their greatest asset their people. The good news is that HR technology can help. To know how, read her article. On the same lines, Emily Disstons article Key HR Trends For 2016 (Part 1) focuses on 3 HR the... i employers may have their work cut out for them when it comes to retention and recruitment as one new study shows New Zealand is now in the most competitive hiring market since 2008.The research, from global talent solutions firm Hudson, indicates a significant shift in jobseeker mind-set with many open to new opportunities as long as the employer does the leg work.Of the 1,500 professionals surveyed in New Zealand, almost half (46 per cent) considered themselves to be passive jobseekers up from 35 per cent in the second half of 2016.Meanwhile, the number of employees who describe themselves as active job seekers has dropped from 41 per cent to just 22 per cent.People are redefining what passive means, Roman Rogers, Hudsons regional general manager. Youve got this large pool of talent who are not necessarily actively looking to jump ship, however they are deliberately setting up job alerts and online digital profiles, and meeting with specialist recruiters, and then keeping an eye on whats out there so they dont miss out on a great opportunity.According to Rogers, technology is a key area where employers should be looking to improve.Some organisations are struggling to fully leverage the tools available to find the best talent because the adoption of technology by prospective employees is more advanced than the utilisation of it by hiring managers, he says.Rogers also says it crucial for employers to have a strong employment value proposition as employees continue to eschew salary in favour of workplace culture and flexible arrangements.Creating an appealing offering that engages potential hires with more than just salary is a must in this market, he says.In fact, compensation rated seventh in a list of factors that attract potential candidates to a company, according to a 2016 Hudson survey of candidates, coming behind work environment, work/life balance, a challenging role, advancement opportunity, the chance to make a difference, and flexible work arrangements.Cultural fit needs to be built into the hiring process from the get-go, so the right people are attracted to your organisation in the first place and are identified early on, says Rogers. New Democrats embittered by the Liberal governments about-face on electoral reform have publicly blasted Canadas prime minister as a liar. Its a charge that saw one NDP MP lose a question in the House of Commons Wednesday for unparliamentary language, and later apologize for letting anger get the best of him. Advertisement NDP democratic reform critic Nathan Cullen kicked things off at a press conference in Ottawa, just moments after new Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould made clear that the government will not move forward with Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus promise to reform Canadas voting system. I want to choose my words very carefully, Cullen said. I know words matter. The words we speak here and in Parliament matter. Then Cullen, not typically known as a hot-head, lowered the boom. What Mr. Trudeau proved himself (to be) today was a liar, was to be of the most cynical variety of politician, saying whatever it takes to get elected, Cullen said. Advertisement The veteran B.C. MP charged that instead of Trudeau keeping his word to millions of Canadians who voted Liberal and hundreds of thousands who participated in the electoral reform process, he instead chose to spit in their face. "It was Mr. Trudeaus decision today to prove himself a liar. Nobody elses." He also suggested, more than once, that Trudeau lacked the courage and fortitude to announce the change himself and instead sent out his rookie minister. It is a Liberal decision today to break their word, it was Mr. Trudeaus decision today to prove himself a liar. Nobody elses, Cullen said. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair also accused Trudeau of being untruthful about the electoral reform file on his way in to the House of Commons for question period. Justin Trudeau lied to Canadians about democratic reform, Mulcair told reporters. 'Massive political deception' Mulcair did not repeat the charge in the Commons, but accused Trudeau of a massive political deception by courting voters with a promise to move away from the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system that he didnt intend to keep. Advertisement The prime minister said that after taking the time to consult with Canadians, it is clear there is no consensus on the issue. Trudeau said that while he personally prefers a preferential ballot system, the NDP wants a proportional system and Tories want the issue put to a referendum. The prime minister suggested it was best to focus attention on other matters. I am not going to do something that is wrong for Canadians just to tick off a box on an electoral platform, Trudeau said. Thats not the kind of prime minister I will be. Quebec MP Alexandre Boulerice, who sat with Cullen on the electoral reform committee, stepped up moments later to note that last years Speech from the Throne and minister mandate letters made it clear that Liberals would bring an end to the FPTP system. They lied. They lied to Canadians, Boulerice said. What is the prime ministers word worth? The line sparked applause from the NDP bench but also drew an admonishment from Speaker Geoff Regan, who asked Boulerice to withdraw the remarks. Advertisement If they didnt lie, then they laughed in our faces, Boulerice responded. We will not be hearing from this member, Regan told MPs. Boulerice did retract the remarks shortly after question period. Minister says Liberals have always been clear Cullen also rose in question period to again hammer at a prime minister that he said promised Canadians he would be different. He promised to bring more people into the democratic process, he promised to make every vote count and he promised millions of Canadians that 2015 would be the last election under the outdated and unfair voting system, he said. Cullen then asked if any Liberal would find the integrity to stand up to Trudeaus blatant betrayal. Gould responded that Liberals were simply listening to Canadians who have said they are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians, she said. Advertisement Electoral reform survey didn't ask about specific systems In December, the electoral reform committee released a report recommending the government design a proportional voting system and hold a referendum to test Canadian support. Liberals on the committee, however, cautioned against a referendum and recommended a period of comprehensive and effective citizen engagement. Days later, the government asked Canadians to participate in an online survey on electoral reform on the website MyDemocracy.ca. The exercise was widely mocked because the survey did not ask about specific electoral systems, such as proportional representation. The results of that controversial survey, released last week, suggested Canadians were generally satisfied with things the way Canadian democracy functions. With a file from Althia Raj Also on HuffPost A friend of the Muslim men killed by a gunman in Quebec City has a powerful message for terrorists: When they go low, we go high. Yasmina, whose full name was not made public, quoted former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama in a statement to media on Wednesday. Advertisement Its just unbelievable. Thats it, she said. What to say to the children? Most of them were born here, she said of the mens families. They feel absolutely, totally Quebecois. Sunday night's attack left six dead and many others injured. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it "a despicable act of terror." We tried to teach them the good values of Islam," Yasmina said, "not to be angry, not to do bad things. Watch her full statement below. Please take a moment to listen to the strength and grace of Yasmina, who lost friends inside Quebec's Grande Mosquee, her place of worship. pic.twitter.com/0Ke814poup Wendy Gillis (@wendygillis) February 1, 2017 Advertisement Follow The Huffington Post Canada on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also on HuffPost A Conservative leadership hopeful claims he was fighting back against the radical, looney left when he became the only MP to vote against a private members bill to establish a Gender Equality Week. Saskatchewan MP Brad Trost made the comment in an email to supporters Thursday, with the subject line: YEAS: 287, NAYS: 1. Advertisement Those numbers represent the recorded vote from the night before on Bill C-309, introduced by Liberal MP Sven Spengemann, which seeks to have the first week in October designated as a celebration of gender equality. Seventy-two of Trosts Conservative colleagues voted for the bill, including interim leader Rona Ambrose and leadership candidates Michael Chong, Maxime Bernier, and Erin OToole. Twenty-four other Tory MPs did not vote, either by choice or because they were not in attendance, including leadership candidates Andrew Scheer, Steven Blaney, Kellie Leitch, Deepak Obhrai, and Lisa Raitt. Trost, an avowed social conservative, said in the release that he couldnt support the bill because it contained a full-meal-deal of cringe-worthy, left-wing grievances and theories. Advertisement He included the full text of the bill in his message and asked supporters to read it themselves. Instead of asking why I refuse to support this left-wing grudge list, ask yourself how any principled conservative would or could support it, and still look themselves in the mirror, Trost said. Spengemanns bill contains a lengthy preamble that notes challenges faced by Canadian women including a wage gap and gender-based violence are also experienced by individuals of minority gender identity and expression. "Instead of asking why I refuse to support this left-wing grudge list, ask yourself how any principled conservative would or could support it, and still look themselves in the mirror." The bill states poverty and inequality disproportionately affect Canadian women, particularly elderly, disabled, transgender and visible minority women, leaving them isolated and vulnerable. C-309 acknowledges how transgender women in visible minority groups are at an increased risk of isolation and violence. It also spells out how indigenous women are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence and sexual exploitation, and face barriers to education and employment. Advertisement The bill will be read a second time and referred to the standing committee on the Status of Women. Trost against transgender rights bill When Spengemann tabled the bill in September, he told the House a gender equality week would present an opportunity to address challenges faced by Canadian women and individuals of minority gender identity and expression. Spengemann said the bill would also underscore the role men need to play to establish a gender-equal society in Canada. This is not the first time Trost has railed against a bill discussing the challenges faced by transgender Canadians. He is a vocal critic of Liberal governments transgender rights Bill C-16, tabled last spring, which seeks to make it illegal under the Canadian Human Rights Act to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression. Though the bill easily passed second reading in the House in October by a vote of 248 to 40, it has sparked division among Tories. Advertisement Trost and Scheer were the only Tory leadership candidates to vote against C-16. Former MP Pierre Lemieux, also running for Conservative leader, has pledged to repeal it. Chong, Bernier, OToole, Obhrai, Raitt, and Blaney all voted to support C-16. Prominent Tory MP Michelle Rempel also delivered an emotional speech to the House in November in which she said she was wrong to have previously voted against similar legislation. I believe in the capacity of my colleagues across party lines to be compassionate, to be strong, to stand up for Canada, and to stand up for what is good, what is just and what is beautiful, Rempel said at the time. Also on HuffPost Being a black girl with natural hair isn't always easy. Before it became increasingly mainstream to rock our natural kinks and curls out in public, many of us resorted to chemicals and straightening irons to get the slick hair we so badly craved. And even for black celebs in Hollywood, the experience was unfortunately no different. Advertisement Actress Gabrielle Union opened up to Harper's Bazaar last year to share her struggles with self-acceptance while growing up. "We weren't anybody's standard of beauty," she recalled. "I didn't love my skin colour, I didn't love my lips. I didn't love my nose, I didn't love my hair. I didn't love anything. I didn't love my body. Because no one was choosing me my self-esteem was determined by somebody choosing me." Thankfully, many black women have come a long way since then. And now, more than ever, more and more black women have set their own beauty standards and begun to embrace their God-given tresses Union included. The "Being Mary Jane" star has teamed up with Macadamia Natural Oil to release Flawless a natural hair care brand specifically for women with textured hair. The line, which launches March 1, ranges from US$19 to $29, making it quite affordable, and will include shampoos, conditioners, styling products and oil treatments. Advertisement This new, exciting business venture is one the 44-year-old definitely takes to heart, recently reminiscing with WWD on her journey with chemical relaxers, and her genuine desire to encourage more black women to embrace their hair. "I want women with textured hair to have great hair days," she told the fashion and beauty publication. "I went through a phase where I would leave my relaxer on so long, thinking the longer I leave this relaxer on, the straighter it's going to be. "Cut to lesions, like open wounds in my scalp, trying to chase something that was unrealistic, and eventually probably in my mid- to late-20s I decided to give up my relaxer, and I went natural. By natural I mean underneath the weaves, extensions, clips and the hair colour was my natural hair thriving." Flawless will be sold at Ulta Beauty stores across the U.S. But don't worry, Canucks! The store does offer shipping to Canada. Advertisement Also on HuffPost Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister is putting her all effort in helping Indians who face any sort of problem who are all living in foreign states, miles away from their nation. She yesterday mentioned that the release order for the five Indian Nationals who are jailed in Togo have been secured. She tweeted "We have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo" The five Indian Nationals of Merchant Navy were sailing from the Mumbai to South Africa when they were arrested for their suspected involvement in a piracy attack off the coast of Togo. Also Read: VK Sasikala wrote letter to President, PM and TN Governor Rajnath Singh praised the 'Union Budget 2017' presented by Arun Jaitley Rahul Gandhi showed his displeasure on 'Union Budget 2017' An Edmonton man says he's shocked by an Islamophobic note left on his car Tuesday morning. Ahmed Mustapha, 27, had already been on edge over discrimination against Muslims, he told The Huffington Post Canada. The handwritten note, which told him to move his car and called him a "Muzlem," has him even more worried. Advertisement "Can't just tie up your camel anywhere over here...," reads the note. "Adapt or go back." "Obviously, there's a different message behind [the note], not just moving my car," Mustapha said. "It didn't need to have hateful comments in here." The Edmonton man cited a 2015 North Carolina shooting that left three Muslim students dead, and allegedly began over a parking dispute. "Three Muslims in the states got shot over a parking spot," he said, explaining why the note is worrisome. "I just didn't think that that would be happening here in Canada, especially in my neighbourhood so close to home." It was later discovered that the shooter, Craig Stephen Hicks, had posted anti-Muslim messages on Facebook. Mustapha said he finds Tuesday's incident difficult to believe. "I just didn't think that that would be happening here in Canada, especially in my neighbourhood so close to home," he told CBC News. The note has been reported to Edmonton police who will meet with Mustapha on Wednesday. Islamophobic incidents in Edmonton Edmonton police have recently dealt with other incidents of anti-Islam messages. In December last year, they released surveillance video of a man leaving Islamophobic flyers outside homes. Some flyers read "I hate gays, thinks Islam." Edmonton Police Service also launched an Islamophobia hotline alongside the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council in April 2016 to help those dealing with discrimination. "We'll consider it successful when we don't get any calls," Mustafa Farooq of the council said at the time. Advertisement Also on HuffPost Mr. Speaker, Sunday night, a young man murdered six other men in my riding in cold blood, in a cowardly manner. Khaled Belkacemi, Azzedine Soufiane, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane, Mamadou Tanou Barry, and Ibrahima Barry were fathers and husbands, brothers and sons, honest good men. Today, I want to offer my most sincere condolences and prayers to all the families and the entire Muslim community of Quebec, with whom I grew up. And that helped me grow up in Sainte-Ursule and Saint-Benoit, in the Caravelles, in Rochebelle, throughout my life. Today, I also want to apologize to them. I apologize for having observed stigmatization and ostracization over the past few years, having seen the mistrust, the fear, and the hatred among my peers. And having tried to respond, but not having done enough. Silence also has consequences. Never again. You are at home in Sainte-Foy. You always will be. I sincerely hope that you will find the strength in your hearts to do what so many have refused for you and see through the great darkness in our society, and see the light that remains. Assalaam alaykum. (Peace be with you.) OTTAWA Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch acknowledged Thursday that her call to screen newcomers will lead to fewer immigrants and refugees admitted to Canada but she said theres nothing racist about the plan. In a 2,588-word fundraising email, the Ontario MP, who was the target of protesters for her divisive language after six Quebecers were gunned down in a mosque this week, doubled down on her desire to screen immigrants for so-called Canadian values. Advertisement Her campaign is getting traction with Conservative members and non-members alike who are proud of Canada, proud of shared historic values and, what she calls, our unified identity. Leitch wants officials to ask face-to-face potential immigrants, refugees and visitors whether they agree that: Men and women are equal Violence has no place in political disagreements All should be left to worship how they see fit There is one law that applies to all Canadians equally. Her plan will reduce the number of newcomers allowed into Canada each year. This is an undeniable conclusion, she states. By forgoing quotas a yearly range of applications the government plans to accept in different categories, such as privately sponsored refugees, economic immigrants and family-class immigrants and imposing time-consuming interviews, Leitch notes that: Certainly, there will be the effect of reducing immigration rates as we establish these procedures. Her policy, she writes, shouldnt be viewed as racist. It is not. It will apply to all people equally regardless of where they are born. As a nation we are as interested in keeping out white supremacists, as we are in keeping out those who believe women are property. Values of hard work, generosity, freedom, tolerance, equality of individuals and equality of opportunities are civic values,not ethnic ones, Leitch writes. Obhrai: 'What is she talking about?' But Calgary MP Deepak Obhrai, a vocal critic of Leitchs proposal and one of her leadership rivals, isnt convinced. Obhrai says her plan is really aimed at courting favour with the Tories White Christian rural male base who fear immigrants and others they have little contact with. Advertisement Screen white supremacists? Hello. They dont come from outside, Obhrai told HuffPost. What is she talking about? Its a total red herring. Also on HuffPost OTTAWA Most Canadians will forgive Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for breaking his electoral pledge, many Grit MPs told The Huffington Post Canada on Wednesday. Its a bold move, and its a brave move on the prime ministers part, longtime Nova Scotia MP Rodger Cuzner said shortly after Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould announced that the Liberal government is going back on its promise to make 2015 the last election held under the first-past-the-post voting system. Advertisement Those that care [about electoral reform], care a great deal about it, Cuzner said. But he added that people in his riding are more interested in changes with employment insurance than changing the way Canadians vote, he said. When he held a joint town-hall on the environment and election reforms, 100 people showed up to talk about climate change but only about 30 stayed to talk about voting systems, he said. Ridings that have a fairly high level of support for the NDP might lose some Liberal voters, Cuzner said, but the people who base their vote solely on one issue, there is not much chance of winning their support. I think that most Canadians are less motivated by a single issue and more [by] the overall performance of the government. Advertisement Calgary MP Darshan Kang said the Liberals were not breaking the pledge. We spoke to thousands of Canadians, and there is no clear consensus on which way we should go, he said. During the last election, the Liberal party ran on a platform that clearly stated: We will make every vote count." No clear consensus: Gould The Liberals promised to convene an all-party committee to review of variety of reforms namely ranked ballots and proportional representation and, within 18 months of forming a government, to table legislation to enact electoral reform. The promise was repeated in the throne speech. On Wednesday, however, Gould repeated what former Democratic Institutions minister Maryam Monsef had concluded: that there was no consensus. A clear preference for a new electoral system, let alone a consensus, has not emerged, Gould said. Furthermore, without a clear preference or a clear question, a referendum would not be in Canada's interest. Changing the electoral system is not in my mandate. Advertisement In the Commons, Trudeau was defiant. There is no clear path forward and no consensus, he said. I am not going to do something that is wrong for Canadians just to tick off a box on an electoral platform. That is not the kind of prime minister I will be, he said. Quite frankly, a divisive referendum at this time an augmentation of extremist voices in the House is not what is in the best interest of Canada, he later added. There are more important issues we should be dealing with. I dont think this is a priority for Canadians." The Liberals noted that during a recent public consultation process postcards sent to 15 million Canadians household inviting them to participate in an online survey some 383,000 responses had been received, through the input from only 243,057 was counted and weighed. The result, according to the reports executive summary, found that Canadians are generally satisfied with Canadas democracy. Advertisement The data in the report, however, suggest that Canadians actually want change. Seventy per cent of respondents preferred a government in which several parties need to agree collectively before a decision is made, rather than one in which one party makes all the decisions, the survey found. The town halls that the electoral committee held overwhelmingly suggested participants wanted a more proportional system, so that a party that obtains, for example, 39 per cent of the vote as the Liberals did in the last election receives 39 per cent of the seats in the Commons. The committee the Liberals struck also found consensus among the opposition parties, which all recommended a system with more proportionality and a referendum to consult Canadians on the proposed changes. The Liberal members on the committee, however, were the ones who recommended that the government abandon its promise and take time to consult and study the issue more carefully. Opposition members, furious with the government, were quick to denounce Trudeaus decision. NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said Trudeau had lied to Canadians during the election campaign. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said she had never felt so betrayed by her government in her entire adult life. Bloc Quebecois MP Gabriel Ste-Marie said now that Trudeau had 100 per cent of the power with 39 per cent of the vote the Liberals saw no need for reform. Advertisement Conservative democratic institutions critic Scott Reid said the Liberals promise could not have been worded more clearly. To some degree, that just goes to his credibility. How can we trust him on other promises he may make? Whether or not the Trudeau government is breaking its word, Kang said, the issue isnt a concern for his constituents. There are more important issues we should be dealing with. I dont think this is a priority for Canadians. In Alberta, its the economy, jobs, and we are more concerned with getting [people] back to work. Canadians don't vote on one issue: Brampton MP Andrew Leslie, an Ottawa MP and the new parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, told HuffPost the government had consulted widely with Canadians and there is no overwhelming appetite to move forward on electoral reform. Advertisement There is a good argument to be made that roughly 300,000 plus out of many tens of millions [of Canadians] does not trigger enough of a support base to actually get the moral mandate to get it done, he said. Brampton MP Raj Grewal said he doesnt think Canadians vote on one issue. I think Canadians are very smart and look at what the government does as a whole. Ninety-nine per cent of the calls his constituency office gets are related to immigration, he said. Toronto MP Adam Vaughan explained the governments decision by saying it had to make a number of tough choices among a lot of competing priorities. The circumstances in the last three or four months, have created some significant challenges, he said. We have a suicide rate among youth that has not abated despite new investments. We have situations internationally that are more volatile and changing even more quickly than we anticipated. We have a situation in my own riding with homelessness that must be tackled. And, we have an election promise that we made that we have had to break. Advertisement Vaughan understands that a lot of people feel passionate about electoral reform many who live in his riding do, he said. Weve had to make a tough decision. We have very serious priorities. We have, literally, peoples lives hanging in the balance, and as a government we had to make a decision as to where we were going to focus our efforts to make the most change for Canadians. "For people who wanted electoral reform, I understand their disappointment. I understand that they were promised something in the campaign and they may have voted for me precisely because of that, but Ive made it abundantly clear in my political career that Im here in Ottawa to deliver a national housing program, and thats the work Im focused on, and if you ask me what is more important, I will tell you that the national housing program in my opinion is more important. "I would have liked the conversation to keep going." Some Liberal MPs didnt want to comment on the broken election pledge. Toronto MP Rob Oliphant said he wasnt ready to speak: Not yet. Im thinking. Manitoba MP Dan Vandal didnt think the Liberals decision is going to personally cost him in his Saint BonifaceSaint Vital riding, but it isnt the direction he had hoped the government would take. Advertisement I could understand why it was getting late to do this year, but I would have liked the conversation to keep going, because I think its something that is worthwhile and I would have liked to see some form of electoral reform, he said. Perhaps, the government could have said it is still committed to changes but thinks installing a new voting system by 2019 would be too short a time frame to work with, he said. The desire for electoral reform isnt going away, Vandal added. Many of my constituents expressed the same thing. So I know Im going to hear it. Toronto MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith expressed the strongest disappointment. I disagree with the governments decision to abandon electoral reform, he told HuffPost. I believe a referendum at the same time as the 2019 election would have been a fair compromise for all parties. Advertisement Erskine-Smith said he made those points in and out of caucus, and he still plans to speak out in favour of an electoral system that is more proportional. Im disappointed not for my own political ambition but because I think we missed an opportunity to improve our democracy, he said. Its not a good day. Also on HuffPost A New Brunswick couple have to pay more than $17,000 after they dumped a massive pile of manure beside their property, a judge ruled last month. David and Joan Gallant sued their neighbours, Lee and Shirley Murray, last summer alleging nuisance, trespass and harassment and claiming damages, according to CBC News. Advertisement The Gallants bought the next-door property from the Murrays in Indian Mountain, near Moncton, in 2001 and got along well with their neighbours until November 2013, the broadcaster reported. N.B. couple used giant manure heap to harass neighbours, judge rules https://t.co/paIT6yAjMnpic.twitter.com/hc324Z9HwN Calgary Herald (@calgaryherald) January 28, 2017 Thats when the Murrays were accused of leaving a mountain of cow dung next to their property, according to CBC News. Its unclear why. The pile was so large that at one point it could be seen by Google Earth satellites. But even though the Gallants asked for the pile to be cleared multiple times, even when it spread to their property, it stayed put until October 2014. Advertisement But the wall of stink wasnt the Murrays' only act of aggression. The couple used a snowblower to blow snow and rocks onto their neighbours' property, and probably let cows trample the Gallants' lawn, Court of Queens Bench Justice George Rideout said in an affidavit obtained by the National Post. I have little doubt these activities were initiated by the Murrays and designed to inflict fear, nuisance and harassment against the Gallants, he said. Defendant denies harassment claims Lee Murray said in a call with the Post he and Shirley planned to appeal, saying his neighbours were just looking for money and that they were the ones being aggressive. Theres more to this, he said. This thing isnt over yet. This isn't the first time people have been accused of dumping spite-motivated cow dung piles. Last fall, a Rhode Island couple were ordered to remove a heap of manure near their neighbours' property line. The offended neighbour claimed the couple were retaliating because he hosts weddings. Advertisement Also on HuffPost Canadas oilsands industry may find itself fighting with the U.S. its own largest customer for a share of a shrinking oil market within four years. According to research released this week from Imperial College London and the Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI), demand for oil and coal could stop growing as soon as 2020, thanks to falling prices for solar energy and the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs). Advertisement The report notes the price of solar power cells has fallen by 99 per cent in the past 40 years. Electric vehicles and solar power are game-changers that the fossil fuel industry consistently underestimates, said Luke Sussams, a senior researcher at CTI. Further innovation could make our scenarios look conservative in five years time, in which case the demand misread by companies will have been amplified even more. Canadas government and oil industry have shown little sign they are adapting their oil production forecasts to account for this possibility. Neither have adjusted their forecasts to account for the Paris climate accord, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives noted in a recent report. Advertisement The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers predicts that Canadian oil production will continue to grow beyond 2020 at a similar pace that it has grown over the past decade. It sees oil output rising about 15 per cent from 2020 to 2030, to 5.54 million barrels pay day. By contrast, the CTI report estimates that fossil fuel growth could end as soon as 2020, and could lose 10 per cent of market share within a decade. Not preparing for such a scenario could have major costs, the study warned. A 10 per cent shift in market share can be crippling for incumbents, such as the near collapse of the U.S. coal sector, the report noted. Meanwhile, a new survey of analysts from Bloomberg predicts the U.S.s oil exports will jump significantly this year, to around 800,000 barrels of oil per day, from around 527,000 barrels daily in 2016. Analysts say the Trump administrations pro-oil stance, coupled with higher prices that are fuelling more drilling, will spur the jump in exports. Advertisement The U.S. had a ban on the export of oil for decades, until 2015, when the Obama administration dropped it in the wake of a boom in U.S. shale oil production. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. oil production will reach 9 million barrels of oil per day this year, compared to Canadas roughly 4 million barrels per day at present. All this could mean that the large-scale investment into projects like the Keystone XL pipeline between the U.S. and Canada may prove unnecessary, as some observers have suggested for some time. President Donald Trump signed an executive order meant to revive the Keystone XL pipeline earlier this month, a move praised by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Advertisement That came despite earlier comments from Trudeaus cabinet that the Keystone XL pipeline is no longer necessary, and the government is focusing on expanding exports to Asia and elsewhere. And it came after Trudeau himself suggested the oilsands will need to be phased out in time, a remark he partly walked back after anger among some voters in the oil patch. The Trudeau government also approved the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline last year, which will bring Alberta oil to a Pacific Ocean port for export. It's part of an apparent strategy to pivot away from the U.S. as the oilsands' principal market. Also on HuffPost If youve ever coveted Princess Dianas stunning jewels, nows your chance to buy the real deal. The late princess iconic Swan Lake Suite necklace is up for sale but for a whopping $12 million! The necklace was handcrafted by Crown Jeweler Garrard and consists of 178 diamonds and five pearls. Advertisement Princess Diana attends a performance of 'Swan Lake' by the English National Ballet, wearing the iconic 'Swan Lake' necklace. While the stunning piece was originally bought by a Ukrainian couple in 2010 for roughly $630,000, it appears they are looking to make a profit by selling it during the 20th anniversary of Diana's death. Diana famously wore the statement necklace to a June 1997 performance of Swan Lake at Londons Royal Albert Hall. The outing was one of her last public appearances, as the princess died just two months later in a tragic car accident in Paris. Additionally, the night of the ballet was when the princess first met Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed, who was the father of her romantic partner Dodi Fayed. Dodi also died in the Paris car crash, along with the driver, Henri Paul. Advertisement According to People magazine, if the necklace sells for the expected $12.1 million, the Ukrainian couple will have made a turnover of $11.5 million. The Swan Lake Suite necklace on display in New York City in 2000. I can only imagine the renewed memorials after twenty years are adding to the perceived value of the jewel, jewelry expert Marion Fasel told Yahoo Style. But thats not its only appeal. According to Fasel, Diana made big statement pieces popular again, which is another reason this iconic necklace has an increased value. Despite the fact that the necklace was made in the 1990s, it has a mid-century formal quality to it, she told the site. Diana made it look, well, cool, wearing it with her fitted shift knee length dress. Advertisement Diana at the 1997 performance of 'Swan Lake.' The Swan Lake Suite necklace is now up for sale at New York auction house Guernseys. Promoting the sale of the iconic jewels, Guernsey's website notes: It is the general belief that these may well be the only substantial jewels worn by Diana that will ever be sold. Also on HuffPost Ehsan Abedi is a married, 33-year-old accountant who lives near High Park in Toronto's west end. He loves Canada so much he says he's proud to pay taxes. He is also a refugee from Iran. That means Abedi would fall under both parts of Donald Trump's border ban, which blocks entry of passport holders from seven Muslim-majority countries for three months, and bars all refugees from entering for 120 days. Syrian refugees are banned indefinitely. Advertisement Abedi is in Canada because he was involved in Iran's 2009 Green Revolution. In the wake of a disputed presidential election, thousands of Iranians took to the streets in protest. Instead of sticking to his day job, ignoring public unrest, Abedi joined demonstrations advocating for democratic reform. They failed. "I was part of that group and after the revolution the government started to arrest all the people who were involved," Abedi tells the Huffington Post Canada. "So based on those activities I had to leave the country." Abedi was able to lie low for a few years but it was "so scary," he says. "You don't know [what will happen]. You are at home. They knock on the door. You open the door and they arrest you. There is no charging. Nothing. They can arrest you for any reason." Advertisement Eventually he escaped to Canada where he applied for asylum at customs and was taken in by Matthew House, a Toronto-based organization that provides shelter for non-sponsored refugees. Abedi was eventually granted refugee status and went back to school to certify his accounting skills. "You are at home. They knock on the door. You open the door and they arrest you. There is no charging. Nothing. They can arrest you for any reason." Ehsan Abedi, Iranian refugee He got a job and, two years later, his wife was able to join him. Abedi says regular people just like them are who Trump is punishing. Though initially shocked by the U.S. president's executive order, his spirits were raised by Trudeau's tweet seen round the world. To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada a Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 28, 2017 "Honestly, I'm so happy that I'm living in a country that he's my prime minister. When I see that government supports me, and they don't care what my religion is, I will respect that government and I will do whatever that I can to help this society," he says. Advertisement "[Trudeau] showed his feelings to the people. I think it's so important that Trump understands that other countries will not be quiet." But so far, feelings are all the prime minister has shown. "[Trudeau] showed his feelings to the people. I think it's so important that Trump understands that other countries will not be quiet." Ehsan Abedi, Iranian refugee Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), says initial responses at a rhetorical level are important in messaging. She worries what repercussions Trump's executive order might have on other countries' refugee resettlement plans. "People understand the importance of showing solidarity with refugees at this time. Of course, the next thing is in terms of policy what does this mean?" So far immigration minister Ahmed Hussen, himself a former refugee from Somalia, one of the seven countries on Trump's travel ban list, has rejected all calls for action. He insists Canada has "an immigration plan that we intend to stick to." Advertisement Dench recommends breaking away from that plan, noting prior concerns such as the number of government-assisted refugees being reduced to 7,500; and privately sponsored numbers dropping to 16,000 despite 45,000 private sponsorship applications still in process at the end of 2016. "Canada could also offer, along with other resettlement countries, to take in at least some of those people who have had the door slammed shut on them by the U.S.," she says. "People who have been all the way through the process for resettlement, who have cleared all the hoops and done all the security screening and have been living with that expectation of being resettled, and may be in a situation of great precariousness." Another major CCR issue is the Safe Third Country Agreement because, Dench notes, "we cannot in confidence say the United States is going to be able to safely protect anybody who needs refugee protection." This concern is shared by Matthew House founding director Anne Woolger, who has helped settle nearly 4,000 refugees since 1988 and considers the Trump ban "absurd and sad." Advertisement "[Trudeau] showed his feelings to the people. I think it's so important that Trump understands that other countries will not be quiet." Ehsan Abedi, Iranian refugee In the past would-be asylum seekers could come to Canada from anywhere but that changed in 2004 with the Safe Third Country Agreement, she says. Now anyone making a refugee claim at the U.S. border, except unaccompanied minors or those with close relatives, is turned back because the U.S. is considered "safe" for refugees. But with the safety of refugees in Trump's America called into question, Woolger and others are calling for immediate change. Though withdrawing from the agreement would require six months notice, it has a provision allowing for an immediate three-month suspension. The effect, Woolger says, would be "asylum seekers in the U.S. would be able to come to our border, say 'help I'm a refugee, can I get the protection of Canada?' and Canada would at least let them in to have a proper hearing before an immigration court." She would also like to see Trudeau take in those refugees currently being blocked by Trump to "show Canada as a leader in this." Advertisement Patrick Akera, Woolger's coworker at Matthew House and a refugee who came to Canada seeking asylum from government persecution in Uganda, sees this as a moral issue. (Akera's name has been changed.) "It is very cruel for leaders, or even citizens, to say we cannot take in these refugees, we've done enough," he says, adding hes been encouraged by protests that have erupted in response. "Canada is a country founded on the backs of immigrants so I couldn't see Canadians standing by or just keeping quiet. It's just natural that Canadians would come out to stand with those that are affected in the U.S. It's a good thing, to show a unity of purpose and also of identity." "If Canada is really standing up to Trump, it must start with opening the borders to migrants and refugees fleeing violence." Those will continue, fuelled further by recent tragedy at a Quebec City mosque. Refugee advocacy group No One Is illegal joined with Black Lives Matter and dozens of other groups to organize National Days of Action Against Islamophobia & White Supremacy beginning with protests scheduled across the country for February 4. Advertisement The group also launched a petition to convince the Trudeau government to revoke the Safe Third Country Agreement and give "special humanitarian consideration of applicants coming from the U.S.," among other asks. It gathered nearly 40,000 signatures in just a few days. "Trudeau and Minister Hussen are relying platitudes over policy," says No One Is Illegal's Sharmeen Khan. "If Canada is really standing up to Trump, it must start with opening the borders to migrants and refugees fleeing violence." Also on HuffPost When President Donald Trump issued an executive order preventing travellers and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries including Syria from entering the United States last week, many took to Twitter in protest. Seven-year-old Syrian Bana Alabed was one of them. Am I a terrorist? Alabed tweeted in response to an Islamaphobic tweet sent by the president. Advertisement Alabed garnered international attention when she began tweeting about the devastation surrounding her in Aleppo, Syria. This is our house, My beloved dolls died in the bombing of our house. I am very sad but happy to be alive.- Bana pic.twitter.com/9i0xxJrQtD Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 29, 2016 Alabed's family's house was destroyed during a bombing, however she and her family survived with minor injuries. The family was evacuated from the former rebel-held districts of Aleppo and are currently living in Turkey. Advertisement The self-proclaimed "peace preacher" has tweeted at Trump numerous times over the past week and even published an open letter to the president asking him to help the children of Syria. My letter to @realdonaldtrump: I beg you, can you do something for the children of Syria? If you can, I will be your best friend. Thank you pic.twitter.com/rWmgDuBf6P Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) January 25, 2017 "I know you will be the president of America, so can you please save the children and people of Syria? You must do something for the children of Syria because they are like your children and deserve peace like you," she wrote. "If you promise me you will do something for the children of Syria, I am already your new friend." When the president failed to respond to the letter Alabed tweeted again letting him know "banning refugees is very bad" and asking him yet again to help make other countries peaceful. To @realdonaldtrump: Dear Trump, banning refugees is very bad. Ok, if it's good, I have an idea for you. Make other countries peaceful. Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) January 25, 2017 Advertisement Despite being retweeted thousands of times, Trump has yet to acknowledge Alabed's tweets. On December 29 Alabed's mother Fatemah posted a tweet stating she would no longer be tweeting from her daughter's account. Fatemah Alabed manages Bana's account and previously posted from the account indicating her name in the tweets she posted. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated Alabed's mother tweeted on January 29. The tweet was actually published in December. Also on HuffPost The president famed for his grab em by the p***y comment, and who just banned visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries, may need to get much friendlier with women and immigrants. A new analysis says the only way President Donald Trump can meet his job-creation goal is to increase the U.S.s rate of immigration or encourage more women to join the workforce. Advertisement In a statement on the White House website, President Donald Trump announced a bold plan to create 25 million new American jobs in the next decade and return to 4 percent annual economic growth. But the analysis from the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) says there's an obstacle to reaching such a fast rate of job growth in America: The share of Americans who are in the workforce is shrinking, meaning there are fewer young people coming into the workforce to replace aging people. Advertisement In the post-war decades in which the Baby Boomers grew up, this wasnt a problem because even though workforce participation for men was already falling women were entering the workforce, more than making up the difference. But U.S. womens workforce participation peaked in the 1990s and has been slowly declining. That, coupled with an aging population, limits how quickly the U.S. economy can grow and create jobs, ECRI said. Absent the demographics the U.S. used to enjoy in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and without a dramatic surge in immigration or the number of women joining the labor force it will be virtually impossible for any president to add 25 million jobs in the next eight years, ECRI concluded. The U.S. isnt alone in dealing with this problem; its even more acute in countries with slow or no population growth. Advertisement According to recent media reports based on the Panama Papers, some see Canada as a tax haven. It may seem unlikely when you are reviewing how much tax you paid to the government in 2016 but evidently, our reputation and economy is a good venue for hiding wealth. Apparently, it helps that Canada has tax agreements or tax information exchange agreements with 115 countries -- the most in the world. It means that the treaties in place can be leveraged to ensure little to no tax is paid in Canada or the originating country. And our corporate registration systems allow the actual owners to remain anonymous. Advertisement But before you start investigating offshore accounts and corporate registration, the Canada Revenue Agency is working to crack down on tax evasion and avoidance. According to the CRA, Canada has one of the highest voluntary compliance rates in the world. More than 29 million personal tax returns were filed last year so the system does work. But there are exceptions. People are always looking for ways to lower their tax bills and some choose to use less-than-legal methods to do it. Tax avoidance and evasion is illegal in Canada and you can face penalties, interest and/or criminal prosecution depending on how aggressive the scheme being used. Individual taxpayers are not the only ones facing more scrutiny. There are a limited number of legal tax shelters -- like RRSPs and TFSAs -- in Canada. But that does not mean people aren't always trying to come up with new ones. For example, there were several companies that sold a tax program based on the charitable donation credit. They marketed that a donation was worth more than the actual dollar amount and charities issued tax receipts for more than actual amount given. This kind of tax gymnastics meant the taxpayers taking advantage enjoyed a bigger refund when they claimed the inflated amount. Initially, people did receive a refund based on this kind of "donation" before the CRA started to conduct reviews. The result was charities that participated lost their registrations and taxpayers who made the inflated claim were stuck with a big tax bill. You can only claim the actual donation amount. There is no multiplication factor allowed. Rather than waiting for these schemes to show up on tax returns, the CRA is working to identify and stop them by going after the promoters directly. Advertisement Individual taxpayers are not the only ones facing more scrutiny. Multinational companies are also being targeted. Canada signed the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) which will require stronger international reporting obligations for large multinational companies. Some companies leverage international tax laws to reduce their tax bills. The goal is to have global operations be more transparent so companies pay the appropriate amount of tax in the countries where they generate profit. The CRA will also review high-value money transfers crossing borders of more than $10,000. It will note specific offshore locations and certain financial institutions used. With increased funding in last year's budget, the CRA has more resources to examine potential tax avoidance across jurisdictions. Transferring $10,000 or more via Electronic Funds Transfer (ETF) is not a crime but if you are sending it to a known tax haven, you can expect the CRA to have a look at it. You can always transfer funds via ETF but just make sure you are tax compliant. A new Offshore Compliance Advisory Committee (OCAC) is also advising the CRA on new ways to address offshore tax evasion and tax avoidance. The committee is comprised of experts and has already delivered a report about the Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP). The report identified several areas of improvement for the VDP including a recommendation that taxpayers disclose the advisors who helped prepare the VDP application, eliminating the option for taxpayers to object to their VDP decision and less generous relief in certain circumstances. Advertisement The VDP allows Canadians to voluntarily correct or report an unreported tax situation. If you want to use the program, you cannot wait until the CRA contacts you about the problem. You must be proactive in filing any changes or corrections to past or unfiled returns. And if you are not willing to confess your tax sins, your neighbour might be. The Offshore Tax Informant Program (OTIP) encourages Canadians to offer information anonymously if they think someone is avoiding their fair share of taxes. Unfortunately, there will always be people who try and game the system. By introducing more programs to catch the tax avoiders, the CRA is working to make it fair for other taxpayers who are paying their share. Being tax compliant should be part of your financial plan. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook There is an old parable of a North American indigenous culture. My best sources say it is Cherokee, but I first heard it from a Mi'qmak elder. It is the story of a grandfather who told his small grandson that within him a war was raging. "There are two wolves," he said. "And they are fighting in me and they are fighting in you. One wolf is vile. It breeds resentments, greed, envy and violence. The other is pure goodness. It thrives on love and hope, healing and generosity." The little boy's eyes grew wide. "Which wolf will win, grandfather?" "Ah," said the grandfather. "That all depends on which wolf you feed." Advertisement Our society is now in the throes of a desperate battle. The life of democracies around the world is being torn asunder as if by two wolves. Competing styles of politics duke it out. Some carry a worrying odour. Is it fascism? Or is it merely a bit off? Some give oxygen to the previously presumed dead forces of white supremacy, racism, misogyny and hate. One thrives on fear, division, raw prejudice and cynicism. The other is pure. It needs hope, faith, mutual trust and co-operation. It thrives on love. I firmly believed that every campaign promise would be met. Our young prime minister came to us wearing the mantle of the good wolf. He inspired hope. He imbued caring and compassion, generosity and sharing. He told young people (and he told us old people), "I am here to bring real change." Advertisement I loved that the Liberals formed government without paying for one single moment of attack ads. (Take that cynical politics. Score one for the good guys. "Dog whistle politics" takes a beating.) I loved that the power of the executive was redistributed from an all-powerful PMO to cabinet ministers. The 2015 mandate letters made transparent the promises of the platform. I firmly believed that every campaign promise would be met because every campaign promise was distilled into the Speech from the Throne. Admittedly, I never thought the Liberals' promises on climate were particularly hard to meet. They were vague and weak -- better than Harper's -- but not a challenge for delivery. I figured the platform was thin on promises in order to make sure they were all met. Then blow upon blow rained down in the last eight months. Woodfibre was approved. Site C permits to dam the Peace River were issued. Pacific NorthWest LNG on Lelu Island got the thumbs up. Harper's weak climate target was embraced as the new government's goal. And painfully, brutally, Kinder Morgan and its risky tankers, loaded with diluted bitumen (an oily substance that cannot be cleaned up), was given a green light. Advertisement But I told myself -- these decisions, egregious as they are -- violating the commitment to First Nations, breaking faith with the principle that decisions must be evidence-based, with a strong scientific foundation -- these projects were not mentioned specifically in the platform. By extension, they blow huge holes through the Liberals' promises, but it is possible the Liberals do not appreciate the facts of dilbit, Flora Bank and the eel grass that supports the Skeena salmon. This is a moment for urgent course correction. The Liberals are misled by their advisers. The ministers are new and untested and unaware of how far they have fallen off course. Yes, I made excuses. Why am I so willing to give the benefit of the doubt? It is because I know how critical it is to keep hope alive. I do not want to feed the bad wolf. Citizen engagement and faith in the system are essential ingredients for our survival. I speak not of a figurative survival. I speak in real terms of real survival. Rapid decarbonization is essential in order for human civilization to survive. We cannot risk feeding cynicism. The promise to make every vote count, to ensure that 2015 would be the last election held under first-past-the-post, was clear. It was not open to interpretation. Advertisement Claiming, as the prime minister and his newly minted youngest woman minister -- replacing as the youngest minister in government, the previous minister of democratic reform -- claimed today that they had "always" said no change would be made until they knew what the majority of Canadians wanted -- is raw meat to the bad wolf. There was never a condition set that consultations would be required to ascertain the will of the body politic. That was the stuff of the 2015 election in which 63 per cent of those who voted supported candidates (whether Liberal, NDP or Green) calling for an end to our perverse voting system. Our promising (pun intended) prime minister must take stock. This is a moment for urgent course correction. Do not feed the wrong wolf. Too much is at stake. A version of this blog originally appeared on the National Observer. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: Bloomberg via Getty Images Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, waves during the end of a town hall event in Bellevile, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. Trudeau confirmed that his senior advisers have met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's officials. Photographer: Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images An article recently published in Macleans urges Canadians to not learn from what just happened in the United States. The author praises our multicultural heritage and makes effort to differentiate Canadian problems from American problems. Please stop saying Canada has nothing to learn from what is happening down south. For we have similar problems here. Advertisement First, Trump's electoral victory must be taken as the beginning of the era of tribal politics. Critics can say as much about Trump's nasty remarks about the women, the minority, and the refugees. In the end, it's all irrelevant. Those who had voted for Trump has seen for decades that he is a man true to tribal instincts. He has demonstrated that he is ruthless when he comes to getting what he wants. Now, he is successful in portraying himself as a leader and utilizes the ethnic nationalist sentiment in the U.S. He promises that he would be just as ruthless in taking good from others for his tribe. Unfortunately, many admire leaders with such character and embrace Trump as 'one of us.' Advertisement Furthermore, social media, technological innovation, perpetuates the antipathy among people holding different views. Rather than engaging in open discussion with people who hold different views, people have become more interested in finding others who would validate their beliefs--no matter how biased they may be. We now have Trudeau, who appears to take more democratic, the transparent approach to getting jobs done. But if his approach fails to achieve desirable outcomes, what then? It'd be imprudent to rule that Canadians are a different species of homo sapiens, completely detached from tribal instincts. Can we really say that we do not have "fake news" in Canada? What about Rebel Media? Youtube is full of videos showing Rebel Media journalists preaching their political belief. Coincidently, they do not sound much different from arguments common in various internet media sources that were imperative in rallying support for Trump. If the oil price continues to remain low, Alberta may as well as be the Canadian Rust Belt. I had lived in Alberta-Saskatchewan for a decade. Many western Canadians are good, hardworking people. However, there are those who share the worldview of American South and the anxiety of Americans living in the Rust Belt. Those who are faithful to environmentalism may have welcomed Trudeau's "phase out" comment. But what makes you think that they won't rally for a tough, trash-talking individual who vows to give them back what they have lost? Advertisement Without a doubt, oilsands development creates pollution. But for some, it is their only livelihood. Canada has done so much for recognizing and improving the rights of LGBT and Feminists. But perhaps the hubris of LGBT and feminist movement is that they overlook the number of people who wish to abide traditional lifestyle. Thousands of U.S. Christians rallied for the person reflecting hardly any Christian values from his actions. Again, not all Christians voted for Trump or like him personally. But they have prioritized the protection of their beliefs on Christianity and family headed by the opposite-sex couple over sexual preferences they cannot accept, or ideology that they cannot sympathize. Keep in mind that there are Canadians who identify themselves as evangelical. Racism is alive and well in Canada. Even before the shooting at the mosque in Quebec City, there were numerous warnings. It was not too long ago when numbers of mosques, synagogues were vandalized with Swastika in Ottawa. The fact that such senseless act occurred in a capital of a country celebrating its multicultural heritage was a wake-up call. But unlike some may presume, it is not always a white Canadian discriminating another Canadian of a visible minority. I recall an Aboriginal elder referring Koreans like myself are "slaves of Americans." Racism exists in every community in Canada. And that's the sad reality. Advertisement Messages are placed near a mosque that was the location of a shooting spree in Quebec City, Quebec on Jan. 31, 2017. (Photo: Alice Chiche/AFP/Getty) Nothing is more dangerous than the efforts to make ourselves feel good about being Canadians by telling us that we are all good and free from the toxicity of U.S. politics. We keep telling ourselves that the incidents where we portrayed our distrust and hate towards each other are all isolated incidents, carried out by the misfits. They don't represent who we are. We are nice people. Wake up, Canada. No matter how much we try to differentiate ourselves from the misfits of our society, it does not shadow the fact that they too are Canadians. Canada is like a boat in a middle of an ocean, stuck in a violent storm. In this boat, all Canadians are on board. An ancient Chinese proverb says even people who are enemies will help each other if they found themselves in a boat, drifting in middle of the raging sea. If people who are enemies can help each other, why can't we help ourselves? Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook U.S. President Donald J. Trump made it very clear through his election campaign and inaugural address that "from now on it will be America first." So far that has meant tearing up or renegotiating trade deals to further American interests, trying to take charge of the UN, making demands of NATO allies, and cutting off flows of refugees and immigrants. When Trump issued an executive order over the weekend to ban all travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations, including those who had already been issued green cards and visas, the reaction was immediate: enormous protests outside of international airports throughout the U.S., and a tidal wave of outrage on social media. Advertisement Justin Trudeau, who is at his best when he's a little bit cheeky, took the opportunity to tweet that refugees are welcome in Canada regardless of their faith. While he certainly drew the most attention in the press for the tweet, which has been characterized as "trolling Trump" by some, he was not alone. A message from Pope Francis from last fall urging acceptance of refugees made the rounds from numerous sources, TED retweeted every TED Talk they have about islamophobia, and Canadian politicians from all parties at all levels chimed in with statements renewing their commitment to accepting refugees and reaffirming the positive role of immigrants in our society and economy. Few of these "trolls" directly referenced Trump or the so-called #muslimban, but the unspoken reference is impossible to miss. To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 28, 2017 Pundits warn about antagonizing Trump, and emphasize that every nation is entitled to set their own immigration policies; it is inappropriate for Canada to criticize our closest ally and trading partner. The question of the day on CBC's The Current Tuesday morning was whether or not Canada should draft policies in response to -- even in contradiction to -- American policies. Advertisement Despite their bickering on air over fine details, all three MPs presented more or less the same strategy of focusing on writing and implementing policies that reflect our own values rather than reacting to America. Nonetheless, Tuesday's Question Period and Tuesday night's special debate on the #muslimban filled the House of Commons with echoes of call after call to outright denounce Trump's executive order. So, is this approach of refusing to criticize our neighbours while vocally contradicting them a form of passive trolling, or is it clever diplomacy? By avoiding directly criticizing the policy and instead focusing on presenting our own values -- and backing up those values with our own effective immigration policy -- Canadian politicians are staying well within their own mandate. This is not only wise, it is an example of Canada taking global leadership: a truly Canada-first diplomacy. While president Trump's America-first policies focus on turning inwardly to protect, promote and privilege Americans, a Canada-first approach to international relations does the opposite. The overwhelming response over the weekend from all parties pledging hospitality toward newcomers shows that, whatever some Conservative politicians promote as "Canadian values," Canadians value hospitality, diversity and internationalism. America is our closest ally and trading partner, not our big brother. A Canada-first diplomacy, then, means that Canada will be Canada on the international stage, not to protect and promote our own people so much as to fulfill and promote our values, without reference to or permission from America. Advertisement America is our closest ally and trading partner, not our big brother; we don't need to imitate them or take our cues from them in order to maintain a close and respectful relationship. Canadians all too often define ourselves as not being Americans, and our diplomacy must recognize that there is strength in Canada being, first and foremost, Canada. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: This should be a good news story. Thanks to the digital revolution, Canadians have access to more news and information than ever before. Public consumption of the news is at historic levels. Through websites and mobile apps, newspapers are reaching more readers than they ever could in print, and broadcasters are reaching more viewers. Media outlets are learning to use the online tools available to them to better tell stories. Social media is also getting stories to audiences well beyond the traditional reach, and helping media outlets to engage with readers and audiences like never before. Advertisement In a democracy, access to information helps ensure an informed citizenry and government is more responsible to the people it serves. In this era of fake news and alternative facts, access to reliable news and information is more vital than ever. Despite all that, and despite the capacity to reach more people than ever thought possible before, the economic underpinning for gathering and producing reliable news and information is quickly collapsing. The same digital revolution that brought news outlets unprecedented levels of readership and viewership has undercut the ad-driven model that pays for producing the news stories that people are demanding. Advertising revenue -- the bedrock of pre-internet news media business models -- is today being siphoned off by tech giants such as Google and Facebook. Advertisement It's a harsh reminder of the realities of working in this essential and important industry. Between 2006 and 2015, overall revenue in the newspaper industry declined by 48 per cent, resulting in significant layoffs, newsroom consolidations, downsizing and closures. In broadcast, the drop has been 18 per cent since 2008. To raise concerns about what is happening in Canada's media industry, Unifor members from across Canada, who work in media, are in Ottawa all this week to meet with members of Parliament and senior federal staff. Media workers are bringing their personal experiences about what the crisis has meant as dwindling newsrooms leave stories uncovered and journalists struggle to keep their communities informed -- even as their work is so desperately needed. While those meetings were taking place, layoff notices were announced at Bell Media and Post Media. In fact, some of those Unifor members meeting with MPs this week were frantically making phone calls home to find out if any their friends and colleagues were now out of work. It's a harsh reminder of the realities of working in this essential and important industry, as we fight to ensure a stable future, more journalists are being shown the door. Advertisement Thanks to the rise of Donald Trump and his White House driven by fear and falsehoods, appreciation of the importance of a strong media sector has never been higher among MPs and the public. MPs have discussed with us the worrisome rise of fake news, and the need for professional journalists to ensure constituents have access to reliable journalism. Canadians, too, are well aware of the connection between a strong media and a functioning democracy. Awareness is only a first step, however. The future of the media industry, and the continued production of reliable news, depends on what comes next. The crisis in media is putting quality journalism at threat just when we need it most. The Shattered Mirror report on the state of the Canadian media, released last week, had a number of interesting ideas for funding quality journalism, from tax changes to direct incentives. My hope is that the report sparks a much-needed conversation among media outlets, politicians, media workers and the general public about how to ensure a healthy future for this vital sector in Canada. Unifor has several ideas about how to achieve this, and will be a big part of that discussion. Advertisement The debate is long overdue. The crisis in media is putting quality journalism at threat just when we need it most. The only defense against the lies of the Trump White House or anyone else is an unflinching dedication to the truth, and to the journalists and other media workers, including 12,500 Unifor members, dedicated to getting that truth out to the public. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook In the last election, we promised to reform our voting system and make every vote count. That promise is now broken. In the Minister of Democratic Institutions' new mandate letter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau writes: "Changing the electoral system will not be in your mandate." I am disappointed that we have broken our promise, and I strongly disagree with our government's decision to abandon electoral reform. Advertisement Our new minister has called electoral reform "foundational," and she is right. We live in a representative democracy, and our democracy should be more representative of where we live. In my conversations with constituents on this topic, I ask a simple question: should a party with less than 40 per cent of the popular vote control 100 per cent of the power in our democracy? There is an overwhelming consensus that the answer is "no." Democracy's legitimacy lies in its authority from the people, and the majority of Canadians are left unrepresented in governments under our current voting system. There was a significant consensus among parties on the process to change our voting system. Now, there are different answers to this gap between voter intention and electoral outcomes. As one example, a 2004 Law Commission of Canada report recommended mixed-member proportional representation. It's a system that maximizes choice by allowing citizens to vote separately for a local candidate and a party, and that maximizes fairness by ensuring that a party's percentage of seats in the House of Commons matches its percentage of the popular vote. Advertisement There are other systems worth considering. And our prime minister is right that there is no consensus on a specific alternative. But that does not justify breaking our promise. After all, there was a significant consensus among experts at the special committee that our system should be more proportional. There was a significant consensus among Canadians that we need a more co-operative government that works across party lines. And most importantly, there was a significant consensus among parties on the process to change our voting system. The special committee tasked with studying electoral reform recommended putting the question of electoral reform to Canadians in a referendum. Specifically, it recommended pitting our current voting system against a more proportional alternative. A referendum could be divisive. It might be overrun by misinformation. It would cost $300 million if it took place before 2019. And it may well be biased towards the status quo and fail to deliver reform. But it removes the question from politicians with a self-interested stake in any change, and it is better than abandoning reform altogether. Advertisement The Liberals on the committee cautioned against a referendum. They pointed to the testimony of Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand: a referendum would take six months to organize, and a new voting system would require an additional two years to implement. With legislation first required to enable a referendum, the timeline to change our voting system in advance of 2019 was rushed. Given these concerns, I understood the reality that 2015 wouldn't be the last election under first-past-the-post. But walking away from the promise entirely is different. Instead, a referendum at the same time as the 2019 election would be a fair compromise for all parties. It would save the sizeable cost of holding a referendum separately, and ensure participation in the process by Canadians who do not care as strongly about the issue. It would meet any and all concerns about the public legitimacy of the process for changing something so fundamental. It would give reformers an opportunity for change. And if our promise meant anything, at a minimum, it meant a real opportunity for change. In 1992, New Zealand held a referendum on electoral reform. They asked two questions. First, do you want to change the voting system? Second, which system do you prefer out of a list of four options? The reformers won. Advertisement A year later, at the same time as a general election, New Zealand put it to another referendum, pitting first-past-the-post (their status quo) against mixed-member proportional. The reformers won again. To all Canadians who support the promise of reform... I am deeply sorry. New Zealand went on to change its voting system to mixed-member proportional. Years later, in 2011, the new voting system was put to a final referendum, and the old reformers successfully defended the proportional status quo. We know from New Zealand's experience that reform is possible, that a referendum process can work, and that it requires a long-term commitment to continuing the conversation. It's a conversation Canadians have now begun, and it's a conversation that Canadians should now continue. I first campaigned on the idea of electoral reform in my nomination campaign, well before my Liberal Party included the promise in our election platform. As a member of Fair Vote Canada, I met with my predecessor MP to advocate for electoral reform alongside other constituents. Since the election, I have spoken publicly in support of electoral reform and greater proportionality, in the House and in interviews. To all Canadians who support the promise of reform, and especially to those who supported me and believed in my promise of change throughout both the nomination and general election in Beaches-East York, I am deeply sorry. True to my word, I will continue to be an advocate for electoral reform for as long as I am in Ottawa. Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: andresr via Getty Images Group of people in a business meeting working together at the office brainstorming Many companies go to great lengths to attract and retain top talent, but face big challenges when it comes to keeping employees performing at their very best. It's no secret that factors like compensation, promotions and performance feedback are all important, yet employers tend to overlook other key factors that help drive employee success -- namely culture and engagement. If you're an HR professional, business leader or owner looking to cultivate a positive work environment that keeps all employees engaged and motivated, here are five things that you need to put on your organization's priority list: Advertisement Upgrade Technology to Encourage Collaboration There's nothing more frustrating to employees than not being able to quickly and successfully do their jobs due to outdated tools and resources. While the world has changed dramatically in recent years with the evolution of social and mobile, the world inside most organizations has stayed largely the same. Too many companies have raced to upgrade their systems to meet customers' expectations, but have failed to consider the employee experience. To unlock employee potential while boosting productivity, businesses need to move into the future with virtual collaboration tools like Salesforce Chatter that allow cross-functional teams to connect, collaborate, share files, data, and expertise, all in real-time and from anywhere in the world. New workplace technology also promises to finally put an end to those seemingly endless company email chains. With solutions like Quip, chat is built into documents so your entire team can write, edit and discuss them in real-time. It's a perfect example of how upgrading your technology isn't just about helping employees work faster -- it's about getting everybody working smarter and more efficiently. Design a Space to Reflect Your Unique Office Culture In business, you often hear about the importance of setting your employees up for success -- which becomes very literal when discussing how a physical workplace impacts office culture. After reviewing more than a decade of research, a recent World Green Building Council (WGBC) meta-study uncovered overwhelming evidence that elements of office design have real impact on the productivity and well-being of the people who work there. So, while in the past, an employer's only concern might be providing a desk, a phone and a computer, Salesforce now recognizes there's real value in outfitting office spaces with details like warm LED lighting, windows that provide sunlight and views, desks that can be adjusted to sit/stand for comfort, and dedicated mindfulness areas that help employees recharge. Advertisement In addition to helping shape how your employees work and interact, it's also important to remember your office design is a reflection of your brand. At Salesforce, we realized we could apply the same creative muscle to our workplaces as we do for our events and marketing programs. Now, when customers and partners cross our thresholds anywhere in the world, including our Canadian offices, they are treated to a consistent brand experience that both celebrates our culture and inspires our employees. Make Healthy Living an Easy Choice More important than providing your employees with a great place to work, however, is encouraging them to do things outside of work. As employers, it's our responsibility to empower employees to prioritize balance, it makes good business sense to do so. A 2014 study by the UK's Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, shows there's a direct correlation between employee wellness and job performance. Similarly, eating healthy and exercising is tied to increases in workplace productivity, getting more sleep helps employees earn more, and meditation helps promote divergent thinking. As an HR professional, you'll need to build a business case for wellness in the workplace and demonstrate to your executives there is real ROI in having happy, healthy employees. It starts with getting alignment from stakeholders and buy-in from managers because, ultimately, they are the ones who will give their employees permission and encouragement to take breaks, unplug from their devices, and put health and happiness first. Managers should also be urged to lead by example by attending the wellness events and taking advantage of the programs themselves. Not only will this help employees feel more comfortable when prioritizing wellness, it will of course help those managers become better, more efficient workers as well. While it takes a leap of faith to unplug from work and take care of ourselves, it's clearly worth it. One of the reasons Salesforce was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2017) is our longstanding commitment to wellbeing in the workplace. We offer standing and treadmill desks, discounted fitness memberships, a monthly wellness reimbursement and frequently we bring our employees sessions on wellness and mindfulness. We also have Salesforce Moves 2 Million Miles, a company-wide fitness challenge that tracks real metrics and celebrates employees who achieve their fitness goals. Treat Employees Like People Not Processes This sounds like a simple concept, but it goes much further than making small talk with an employee about their kids or remembering to say "good morning". This is about creating and defining an organizational culture that everyone in the company can articulate. For instance, Salesforce builds its culture around the spirit of Ohana, which means "family" in Hawaiian and represents the idea that families -- related or chosen -- are bound together, and that members feel a sense of responsibility for one another. Advertisement When bringing new people into your company, elevate 'cultural fit' as importantly as education, experience, and skills, and train all of your recruiters and managers on what behaviours and attitudes drive your values and help people succeed. Create a Culture that Gives Back All employees want to feel like they're making a difference -- it's human nature. But to create a truly engaged workforce, you need to give employees a purpose that's much bigger than simply driving sales and upping profits. At Salesforce, giving back is a core value we hold close to our hearts, driven by our integrated 1-1-1 philanthropic model: we donate 1% of our product, 1% of our equity, and 1% of our employees' time to help improve the state of the world. Regardless of its size or profit margins, it's likely your organization can afford to donate 1% of its product and equity to a good cause, and you'll quickly find that employees will be more than happy to donate 1% of their time -- which is about five minutes of an eight hour workday and 20 hours over a full year -- especially once they see what can be accomplished. We're in an age where people often struggle to find value and meaning in their work. Empowering your employees to make a difference in the world will not only have a huge impact on engagement, it has the added benefit of helping your business attract and retain the top talent you need to stay competitive. Alan Freed / Reuters Groundhog co-handler Ron Ploucha holds up groundhog Punxsutawney Phil after Phil's annual weather prediction on Gobbler's Knob on the 130th Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania February 2, 2016. Punxsutawney Phil, a famed U.S. groundhog with an even more famous shadow, emerged from his burrow on Tuesday and predicted an early spring. REUTERS/Alan Freed Groundhog Day derives from Candlemas, a festival that has been celebrated since the fourth century. Traditionally, observers would light candles on an early February day to brighten things up, and monitor the weather to see if spring was approaching. Many poems have been written to celebrate Candlemas, such as this Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year." Early Europeans later began enlisting hedgehogs to help predict future weather conditions, as the animals typically came out of hibernation at the start of February, during Candlemas. When German settlers started immigrating to present-day Pennsylvania, they brought with them Candlemas traditions, with one slight modification: Instead of using hedgehogs, they used a species native to their new dwellings: groundhogs, despite there being no relation between the two. If a groundhog saw its shadow, it would return to its burrow, meaning six more weeks of winter lay ahead. If it didn't see its shadow, then that meant spring was fast approaching. Advertisement Groundhog (Photo from Wikimedia Commons) The first-ever North American Groundhog Day took place in 1888 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, currently the hub of American Groundhog Day festivities. The tradition arrived in Canada much later in Wiarton, Ontario, when resident Mac Mackenzie, seeking an excuse for a celebration, initiated the first Groundhog Day event in 1956. To spread the word, he delivered invitations resembling press releases, one of which reached a reporter. At the event, McKenzie and others threw a button-adorned fur hat in the snow and photographed it, claiming it was a groundhog. The infamous photograph made it into the Toronto Star, gathering nationwide attention. For 60 years, Canada's main Groundhog Day event has taken place in Wiarton, Ontario. Later on, in the 1980s, McKenzie and other Wiarton residents spotted an albino groundhog, which they decided to call Wiarton Willie. Since this discovery, more visitors started coming from all over to witness Willie and his successors to predict spring's arrival. Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil aren't the only groundhogs who make the predictions in North America. There's also Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam, Manitoba's Winnipeg Willow, Quebec's Fred and Alberta's Balzac Billy. Advertisement Groundhog Day from Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (Photo by Anthony Quintano/Wikimedia Commons) The 1993 movie Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Annie MacDowell, added to the tradition's hype. Since the film's release, nearly 30,000 people have visited Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, each year to celebrate Groundhog Day. As fun as the tradition is, groundhog predictions have rarely been accurate. Data gathered from several decades show that Canadian groundhogs have been correct only 37 percent of the time. But even so, there's nothing wrong with being optimistic about an early spring. This post originally appeared on the Nature Conservancy of Canada's blog, Land Lines. "U.S. President Donald Trump labeled a refugee swap deal with Australia 'dumb' on Thursday after a Washington Post report of an acrimonious telephone call with Australia's prime minister threatened a rare rift in ties between the two staunch allies. The Post reported that Trump described the resettlement plan as 'the worst deal ever' and accused Australia of trying to export the 'next Boston bombers'. It said the call had been scheduled to last an hour but Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tried to turn to subjects such as Syria. ... Turnbull refused to confirm the Post report that Trump, who had earlier spoken to world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, had angrily told him that the call was 'the worst so far'. Political analysts said such acrimony was unprecedented, surpassing even the difficult relations between former U.S. President Richard Nixon and then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, who pulled Australian troops out of the Vietnam War. ... As reports of the conversation hit headlines on both sides of the world, Trump tweeted shortly before midnight in Washington: 'Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal.'" The five things you need to know on Thursday, February 2 1) MISSED WHIPLASH We hacks tend to overuse the word historic in our copy, but for once it is apt when describing last nights Commons vote on the Brexit bill. It was only the second reading, the in principle bit of the legislation, but the overwhelming vote of 498 to 114 confirmed that MPs will not be defying the outcome of last years referendum. With the Bank of England due today to double its growth forecast, you can see why the Brexiteers tails are up. Advertisement For Labour, its split was underlined by 47 MPs - a fifth of its Parliamentary party - defying its three-line whip. You can read the full list of 47 HERE. Yet what was surprising was that 10 shadow frontbenchers remain in place this morning, despite voting against the bill and against their party leaders edict. We knew something was up yesterday when Jeremy Corbyns spokesman said decisions on the rebels would be made later, without specifying when. And on the Today programme Shadow Chancellor John McDonnnell confirmed that there could be a distinction drawn between Shadow Cabinet rebels and those who merely occupied other frontbench roles. Parliamentary convention will apply, he said. If youre in the Shadow Cabinet you will be expected to resign [Rachael Maskell, Jo Stevens and Dawn Butler did just that]other positions, that will be for the chief whip to report In fact, McDonnell sounded like Corbyn was ready to rewrite Parliamentary convention not confirm it. Normally, a vote against a three-line whip is instant, automatic grounds for a sacking. Especially when three of those MPs who did so are whips themselves (Jeff Smith, Vicky Foxcroft and Thangam Debboanire). Instead, there seems to be some wriggle room - or at the very least a delay - in deciding their fate. McDonnell said that any discipline will be applied after the Parliamentary process in the Commons, ie Third Reading of the bill next week. If Shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis does quit then, at the very least Corbyn will need a wider reshuffle. Alarm bells rang among some in the PLP last night when I tweeted that Diane Abbott had not voted, with her office saying shed been taken ill about 5pm. The Shadow Home Secretary, who has suffered from severe migraines in the past, is in a London seat that voted Remain. When asked on Today if shed also been sick of Labours uncomfortable position on Brexit, McDonnell replied we are all uncomfortable. I'm told she informed the whips she was ill. Advertisement McDonnell also made this bold claim: We may look divided, but when we get past article 50 our party is capable of uniting - and this Tory party will split apart. There seems no real sign of that, despite George Osbornes passive-aggressive warning yesterday about not putting the economy first. Still, the Times reports that Remainers are keeping their powder dry for amendments insisting EU citizens get guaranteed rights. Todays White Paper is said to be substantial but for all the charts and graphics lets see if it actually goes beyond the PMs Lancaster House speech. More interesting will be Labours meaningful vote amendment next week on the final Brexit deal, as this is something ministers may actually concede, depending on what meaningful means. As for the customs union, trade minister Lord Price has suggested we really will be making a clean break. 2) BELT LOOSENER We will all get a bit of a Brexit breather next week as the Government finally publishes its Housing White Paper. The Sun has a spread on the guts of the Sajid Javid proposals which it says will come on Tuesday. The FT too says the White Paper is likely to include plans to housing density, relaxed rules on heights of buildings in urban areas. So-called right to light rules could be watered down, but Tory backbenchers may well revolt over plans to reform current Green Belt rules. Four million acres of protected land could be opened up Ministers are likely to set out plans for a swath of new prefabricated housing, using modular, or off-site, construction in a bid to speed up housebuilding volumes. Advertisement The Tories have promised to build 1m new homes by May 2020, but Labours John Healey last week revealed that the target was being put back to several months. One thing to watch for will be just how tough Javid will be with councils, including Tory councils, who fail to increase home-building. Tory MP Andrew Mitchell has been on the warpath. And HuffPost reported this month that the 4.8bn New Homes Bonus fund could be used as a stick to beat councils with if they do not allocate more land for houses. 3) ATOMISED INDIVIDUAL Labours uneasy coalition of the metropolitan middle class and its working class heartlands is facing a big test in the Copeland and Stoke-on-Trent by-elections. And one campaign issue that symbolises Jeremy Corbyns balancing act is nuclear power. Now, having spent weeks side-stepping it, he has given his firm support to plans for the new Moorside development in Copeland. I back the proposed new power station at Moorside which will bring thousands of skilled jobs, he told HuffPostUK (and the local paper too). But he had a caveat, adding he hopes the Japanese-backed investors can provide the necessary assurances on the strike price and value for money. Almost as divisive for Labour has been the issue of Heathrow, with many sharing John McDonnell and Ed Milibands doubts about a third runway, but unions and others also keen on the jobs that aviation brings. Today, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling unveils a four-month consultation and I reckon the biggest challenge will be meeting air quality pledges. On the Today prog, Grayling said this is a real issue and Defra would shortly publish plans to tackle diesel cars to the next level. I understand theres been a big battle with the Treasury on this though. The Sun picks up on former Cameron adviser Julian Glover telling a Radio 4 Today documentary that Cameron saw air pollution as an annoyance, as a bit of an enemy. But he added after the Government were taken to court by the ClientEarth group suddenly they saw this as a huge political problem, they had a panic and had a real problem..[with] Ministers absolutely looking frightened at what an earth they were going to do. Advertisement BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR In case you missed it, heres a bunch of anti-Trump protestors in Brighton singing a rather rude version of that 60s classic Hey Baby. 4) ABUSIVE POWER The Digital Economy Bill has got little attention so far but its second day of Lords Committee stage today will see the start of something that could escalate. Labours Baroness Jones, backed by a Lib Dem and helped by the All-Party Parliamentary Group of Anti-Semitism, has tabled two key amendments to crack down on abuse on social media. Under the plans, Twitter and Facebook would be forced to have safety responsibilities and must inform the police if they become aware of any threat on its site to physically harm an individual and remove any posts that are deemed to be violent or could incite violence. The abusive trolling of Labour MP Luciana Berger is just one example of why peers want tougher rules. The Government would also be forced to issue a code of practice about the responsibilities of commercial social media platform providers in dealing with online abuse. There will be no vote today but watch it come back at Report stage if ministers fail to show willing. The rise in anti-semitics attacks reported by the Community Safety Trust today should worry everyone. As for a different kind of crackdown, the Telegraphs Chris Hope has a scoop that spies and civil servants who leak national security secrets face up to 14 years in jail. In a major overhaul of the Official Secrets Act in the face of the growing threat from Russia, the Law Commission proposals published today will aim to update legislation for the digital age, with one eye on leakers like Ed Snowden. Advertisement 5) NURSING A GRIEVANCE A sharp drop in nursing applications and EU students have led to a fall in overall university applications of 5%, new figures show today. Nursing had the biggest fall of any subject, and the Royal College of Nursing says thats all down to the Government axeing the nursing bursary. But there were also falls in older students applying to uni, with a 23% drop in 25-year-olds, suggesting rhetoric about giving people a second chance at higher education is not matching reality. The Health Service Journal meanwhile has a corking exclusive that the former head of NHS Digital repeatedly clashed with Theresa Mays Home Office over requests to hand over confidential patient data to help trace immigration offenders. We were supposed to be a safe haven for patient data, Kingsley Manning says. On the health service more widely, May yesterday held a cross-party meeting at No.10 with Lib Dem Norman Lamb and others arguing for a Convention on NHS and Social Care funding. The Sun points out the PMs newly appointed adviser James Kent will sit down for regular meetings with Tory, Labour and Lib Dem MPs after the PM gave talks the green light. One to watch. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. The Blog British Colonialism Means Being Gay Is Still Illegal In My Home Country Bisi Alimi is a Nigerian LGBT advocate and HIV activist. The first person to ever come out as gay on Nigerian television, Bisi fled Nigeria for the UK after an attempt on his life in 2007. Here he vlogs for The Huffington Post UK marking 50 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in Britain, and how it continues to be illegal in his home country. Alexandra Thompson via Getty Images Let's face it: Brexit is a mess. Remainers and Leavers are at each others throats, political parties are divided down the middle, Nigel Farage is actually happy and our Prime Minister is playing her cards so close to her chest not even she knows what hand she's holding. So far, our liberation from European imperialism has been opaque, confusing and angry, and worst of all, it's left a lot of us with a lack of appetite for democracy. But it didn't have to be this way. First, our lovely unelected PM, who believes it's vital that no one, including the people she serves and possibly even herself, has a clue what Brexit looks like, so that we don't reveal our hand too early in negotiations. This argument could, of course, be used for almost anything. Maybe we shouldn't discuss publicly whether we continue to supply arms to Middle Eastern dictators with links to terrorist organisations, in the interests of commercial sensitivity (with the growing role of private interests in public provision, this argument could be used for almost anything)? Maybe our government shouldn't let us know if they are considering reducing defence spending, for matters of national security? Maybe we shouldn't have a conversation about welfare, health or education due to matters of... well, I'm sure we'll find something. Advertisement Accepting such arguments would quickly lead to our acceptance no longer being needed for an awful lot of things. Brexit isn't a poker game: it's people's jobs, people's families, people's lives. The terms of Brexit will be of huge consequence for a good chunk of the rest of this century: it is vital that we all have some ownership and say over what these look like, as well as the slew of trade deals coming our way too. Some concessions have now been made by the government, with a white paper on Brexit promised and a degree of parliamentary scrutiny happening last night, yet it took a protracted legal battle and even more division in the country to get us there. This is far from the only mistake being made post-referendum, however. The idea that it is somehow right that MP's (or even unelected officials) 'stop' Brexit is dangerously immoral and risks creating a legacy of permanently disenfranchised segments of the population, and setting a dangerous precedent for discarding democracy when it is inconvenient. MP's should have the right to scrutinise the deals proposed and temporarily block the triggering of Article 50 if they do not think it is in the best interests of the country, but to permanently block it should never be on the table. Yes, the referendum was technically advisory (if you ever have to use the word technically to defend your position, you're in trouble), yes Parliament is technically sovereign, but we are a society that is supposed to value democracy. Think about what that word means. We elect representatives not to cede all authority over to them for the next 5 years, but because it is the most practical way of running a country of over 60 million people: their authority stems from us, the people. You cannot defer to said authority when doing so denies the very thing it rests upon. Advertisement Just as culpable as the Remainers are the tabloids that have abandoned all attempts at nuance, balance or middle-ground. Along with Theresa May's dogged determinism to personally decide the fate of the country along with a handful of woefully unprepared and ill-equipped Cabinet members, tabloid reporting has led us to this position: it has created a crude contrast between 'hard' Brexit and no Brexit at all, in which any suggestion of scrutinising the terms we Leave under or starting a conversation about what these should be is misconstrued as defying the will of the people. Our beloved press, owned by a handful of billionaires, has by and large poured resources into ensuring the public stays in its deeply divided state- I wonder why? Nuance, compromise and morality has been left at the door not because of the 'ignorant masses', but because of the machinations and fumblings of an elite and the prejudices of those that occupy positions of power. Contrary to what most commentators will profess, the aftermath of the referendum debate in fact highlights the need for more transparency, accountability and democracy, not less. Perhaps then the longest-lasting legacy of Brexit, once we're past the trade negotiations and the inevitable economic turmoil that will ensue, will be the disparagement of direct democracy, the contempt for the idea of allowing ordinary citizens a direct role in deciding their collective future. Yet this is exactly the opposite of the argument we should draw, and plays right into the hands of the few, not the many. Whilst I disagree with the decision to Leave and believe it will cause us to have to face a number of difficult challenges in the future, it isn't the source of our current woes: the shape of Brexit being controlled by a few is. It was my pleasure to attend the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, which examined the seismic political, economic and social developments that took place in 2016, and their implications for the world order. As Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, argues, decision makers must acknowledge that frustration and discontent are only increasing among people who haven't experienced economic development and social progress. In response, leaders must 'listen and honestly explain the breadth of issues, proactively generate solutions and make decisions based on shared values'. I believe that this emphasis on responsible and responsive leadership is especially pertinent for Africa. Late last year, the World Bank reported that economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to fall to 1.6%, the lowest level in two decades. Furthermore, there remain underlying structural issues that are hindering our pursuit of inclusive economic development. First, there is a severe energy deficit that is depriving 600 million people of access to electricity. These persistent power supply issues are not only affecting our citizens' quality of life, but they are also pushing up the high cost of doing business in Africa. Second, there are unrelentingly high rates of unemployment among our younger generations. According to the Brookings Institution, youth unemployment across sub-Saharan Africa is four times higher than the region's aggregate unemployment level. This can be attributed to higher education that fails to equip graduates for the job market, and inadequate support for young entrepreneurs. Advertisement If we want to ensure that Africa remains a competitive place to do business and that sustainable development is a reality, we must take decisive action on these issues. Certainly, African governments have the main responsibility in addressing the continent's underlying structural issues. However, I would emphasise that the scale of our development challenges demands collaboration among a variety of stakeholders. As the biggest source of job creation and a recognised engine of growth, I believe that the private sector is well positioned to help African countries become sustainable and inclusive knowledge economies. First, for-profit businesses can help enhance our citizens' access to clean and affordable electricity. For example, they can enhance energy access over the long term by accelerating the deployment of affordable and localised tech innovations. I've been particularly impressed by the Kenyan start-up, M-Kopa, which is using solar technology to provide affordable electricity to East African homes. After paying a small deposit, M-Kopa users are given a solar system to install at their homes. Using a mobile payment system on their mobile phone, they can then top it up every day for a paltry sum in order to get energy. Initiatives such as these are particularly valuable for two reasons. By providing affordable, reliable and clean power, M-KOPA is giving its customers the productive demand they need to start and grow their own businesses. M-KOPA has also demonstrated that harnessing popular mobile money technologies and the latest solar systems can yield impressive economic benefits. In an article for Harvard Business Review, Clayton Christensen, Efosa Ojomo, Derek van Bever write that M-KOPA has been pulled into more than 400,000 homes and is signing up an average of 550 homes a day. The company has also established 100 services across Kenya and created approximately 2,500 jobs. Given their expertise and resources, I would encourage other private sector companies to explore similarly impactful activities that can generate a competitive financial return. Private sector companies can also demonstrate responsible and responsive leadership by facilitating African entrepreneurs' access to financing. As the Brookings Institution notes, African SMEs find collateral requirements one of the main obstacles to accessing traditional forms of financing needed to purchase equipment and grow their businesses. Businesses can help homegrown SMEs in this regard by using lending practices that circumvent the need for collateral and a well-established credit history. Since March 2015, Kenya Commercial Bank, the country's largest bank, and M-Pesa, Safaricom's mobile money service, have partnered to issue loans to the country's micro SMEs by using credit scores derived from mobile phone data. Although most of the borrowers had been considered un-creditworthy due to their non-existent credit history and access to financial services, KCB-Mpesa accepts 80% of applicants, with a default rate of just under 2%. Since funding represents a key constraint to the success of start-ups, these initiatives could be both game changing for entrepreneurs and profitable for private sector companies. Considering micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for around half of Africa's employment and one third of its GDP, empowering entrepreneurs in this way could help boost economic growth on the continent. Advertisement Finally, businesses should also help Africa's young and dynamic population to develop appropriate skills for the workplace. For example, they can help fill the endlessly documented skills gap by working with higher education institutions to deliver high-quality and industrially relevant STEM curricula. Businesses could also assist cash-strapped local universities deliver courses that allow students to develop a detailed knowledge of the sciences, as well as the softer skills needed to prosper in an unforgiving job market. A good example is US enterprise tech leader, SAP's University Alliances Programme, which gives universities and other vocational education providers across Africa access to the company's software and curriculum, enabling faculty to help students connect business and IT concepts to practice. The company also runs the Skills for Africa Programme, an initiative that offers talented students a fully paid scholarship and assistance to launch a career as an associate SAP consultant. Initiatives such as these help ensure that young graduates are able to hit the ground running, and expose companies to top local talent. scarletsails via Getty Images One fine Saturday after Trump's inauguration, millions around the world marched to warn Trump not to act on his manifesto pledges; he started signing one Executive Order after the other anyway. Women's rights groups and feminists joined hands with known Islamists, in the hope that they'd deter the man in the White House from touching women's rights; he went ahead and pulled funding from NGOs providing reproductive health services in other countries. Advertisement People carried placards with "refugees welcome" and "no more walls" messages; he placed the first symbolic brick on that wall with Mexico and put curbs on immigration and entry of refugees from some seven Muslim majority countries - out of the 50 in this world. Net result from these protests apart from lots of opportunities for social media posts and smiling selfies; zero! Had they waited for him to start delivering on his promises, and had then taken up specific issues to protest against, in a similarly coordinated manner, there is a tiny chance Trump's advisors might have paid more notice to them and would've given it some more thought the next time he'd be preparing to sign an Executive Order. Regrettably, the allegedly spontaneous protests couldn't achieve their objectives other than pumping up the ego of a man who thrives on controversy and rubbing people the wrong way. Till now, his policies have been evidently ill-conceived and poorly executed, nevertheless they are pledges he made during his campaign and is fulfilling those promises. Advertisement The latest blow to his opponents and critics has come in the form of Trump picking up a list of countries that his predecessor had compiled and acting on it in the form of increased restrictions of their citizens travelling to the USA. During the same week, an otherwise seemingly harmless white terrorist opened fire on a mosque in Canada killing six Muslims. Justin Trudeau and the rest of the left leaning western society were appalled at this mass shooting just as they were at Trump's actions during his first few days in office listed above. Neither what Trump's enacted policies are surprising, given that he's been saying he'd do all that for the past couple of years, nor is the opposition to his actions unanticipated, by the very people who said they'd oppose him no matter what. What requires a moment of introspection or perhaps longer, is the fact that what most people are protesting against, has been a norm in front of their eyes, if not in their own backyards, then certainly around the world. Take for example the mosque shooting in Canada. There have been hard-line Islamist preachers from Canada who have been travelling to other nations to promote similar attacks on the houses of worship of minority groups there. Apart from a few groups who tried to bring this fact to the authorities' attention, there was no uproar in the social circles of the largely peaceful and welcoming country. Shia mosques and Sufi Shrines get attacked regularly across the Muslim world, by other Muslims. Whilst they burn the vast majority of Sunni Muslims don't even bother to take a brief pause to feel sorrowful. After all the victims are considered apostates at best or deviant sinners at the least by many. Advertisement The left embraced the American Flag hijabs as a symbol of female empowerment dished out by very Islamists who indoctrinate young girls as little as 3-4 into believing the sight of their hair might incite lust in older men and boys their ages alike thereby enforcing the garb upon their heads and minds, sexualising them. The same Muslim leaders who led pro-choice anti-Trump protests alongside feminists, proudly act as champions of Sharia Law and hold celebrity status within extremist groups opposed to abortion rights. These Islamist leaders took this opportunity to bolster their credentials within the emerging Islamist-Left Alliance who act as apologists for the regressive Neanderthal laws of Saudi Arabia and have never spoken out against the inherent racism within the Middle East, whilst complaining about racism in USA because of populism promoted by Trump. Had it not atleast ticked an fairness box if the protestors had also been vocal against the proposed border wall between Mexico and Guatemala, or the restrictions placed by Muslim nations on prospective visitors with even an airport stamp suggesting they'd ever been to Israel? Trump will certainly face difficulties imposing enhanced security upon Muslim travellers from any given countries for the simple reason that unless their attire or names would give it away, or they admit to it themselves, determining one's faith is a rather difficult feat to accomplish. However in the case of some Muslim countries their discriminatory laws that force people to accept that their version of Islam is not acceptable to the state, and whose passports carry a "religion" section, it would be exceedingly easy for US immigration officials to allow the non-Muslims to pass through without much of a hassle. Genuine Syrian and Iraqi refugees will bear the brunt of the new administration's policies barring them entry into far away USA for a period of 90 days, esp when they're not even allowed into neighbouring rich Arab states. Iraqis suffered the same treatment in 2011 under Obama, however tactfully it was implemented, painful it still was. Atleast Trump's not barred Rohingya Muslims from entering, knowing there's no chance in their lifetimes these most deserving people could ever even contemplate reaching the US shores. How can they, when their co-religionists wouldn't turn their attention away from the Middle Eastern politics and the plight of self-professed superior Muslims in the divinely-promised yet massively disputed piece of real estate and surrounding nations to even consider the ongoing genocide of the Burmese lesser Muslims as remotely important? Advertisement Across the pond from the land of dreams, in the UK, a petition has been doing the rounds, with over 1.7 million people having signed a petition (from around the world to be correct) to ban Trump from getting invited to a state visit. The same was honour bestowed upon the Chinese premier and the King of Saudi Arabia, both carrying beacons of human rights and democracy when they arrived, yet didn't attract a fraction of the protests that people are joining in anticipation of the President's tea with HM the Queen. In the light of the above, it would be better for the protesters, both Muslims and non-Muslims, Americans, Hispanics and Asians alike, to indulge in a bit of serious introspection to examine for themselves where they loose out on retaining moral high-ground. Where exactly, as a result of them applying double standards on issues like freedom, equality, human rights and dignity, do their slogans begin to appear hollow. Antonio Gramsci wrote: "The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear." This feels so true. In my work as Director of the Centre for Welfare Reform, I'm constantly struck by the sharp contrast between the ghastly rhetoric and policies I see emerging from Westminster and the creativity and commitment to justice that exists within our communities. The new is trying to emerge, both despite and precisely to spite, the dead hand of central government. Here are two brief examples. In Ed Milliband's seat of Doncaster there exists one of the most vibrant and exciting developments in mental health. The People Focused Group, instigated by one lone and unpaid social worker, Kelly Hicks, has given rise to a fantastic collective effort. People from Doncaster, many with mental health or other problems, have figured out how to generate levels of self help and mutual support that simply cannot be replicated by the NHS, even at its best. Advertisement A little further north, in Halifax, WomenCentre provides community-based support to women and families facing hellish abuse and real poverty. WomenCentre creates a three way partnership between women facing their own problems, high quality professional support and support from the women who have been through the same hell and who've come out the other side and now act as volunteers. The effectiveness and efficiency of this approach trumps that of traditional social work. The dilemma here is that these kinds of powerful social innovation, inspired by the commitment of ordinary men and women to social justice, are often perceived by the powerful as providing further evidence for the incompetence of the state or the limitations of public services. This then leads to further privatisation or the justification of even deeper cuts to public services. This is a bitter pill to swallow. One of the leaders of the WomenCentre described how, after lobbying the New Labour Government, funding was guaranteed to develop more women centres around the country. However WomenCentre itself - the organisation upon which this investment had been based - lost the tender for these services. It was won instead by a male dominated organisation. The mind boggles. In fact these kinds of community-based social innovations do not provide evidence to support privatisation; instead they are living examples of anti-privatisation. People and families, given half a chance, will seek out and support forms of collective effort and will create new forms of public service. Yet our limited imagination treats all that is not government as if it were private. This is one of the primary sources of our confusion. Advertisement Government does not define the public. The public is the space created by limiting the encroachment of private ownership. This is seen vividly in the ancient agora of Athens. The agora - or public square - was not dominated by government. It included all the kinds of activities that people would want to do together: education, sport, worship, politics and business. The square was marked off by a series of sacred marker stones that the people were forbidden to move and these markers declared that there could be no private ownership inside the agora. It is not private activity - but enclosure, or the theft of public space - that we must resist. At a deeper level our tendency to define the public only be reference to government reflects a long-standing failure in political theory to protect and sustain a vital sense of our citizenship. In the past few hundred years liberal, conservative and socialist thinking has operated with an inadequate sense of who it is that we are when we come together in community. In fact the word politics - which is rooted in the ancient polis - now means government-focused activity - but to the ancient Athenians the term would have meant public or community life - this is a much larger concept. In my view, citizenship will be one of the keystones necessary for us to revitalise the welfare state and transform our shared political life. Although the idea of citizenship is flexible enough to be distorted and misused by xenophobes, the term should really be used to describe the codes by which live together with dignity and respect. Restoring a proper sense of citizenship to community life would give us a better way of understanding our vital needs for equality, freedom and community. One philosopher who did understand this was Hannah Arendt, she realised that equality is best achieved when we come together as equals, by means of community: "Aristotle explains that a community is not made out of equals, but on the contrary of people who are different and unequal. The community comes into being through equalising." Too often modern political theory has stripped us of our citizenship. We have become economic agents, utility seekers, consumers, workers or merely subjects to be moulded by society. This is not just a problem of neoliberalism. All the dominant political traditions have their own limited and inadequate accounts of what it is to be a human being. Advertisement The opportunity created by the ideal of citizenship is constantly brought home for me by my friend Wendy Perez, a woman with learning disabilities. Wendy is rightly proud of herself and her identity; she doesn't want to be remoulded or changed. She doesn't want her disability to be taken away - it is part of who she is. But she does want to be treated with respect, she does want to be treated as a citizen and she does want to play her part as a citizen in making the world a better place. Northern social change charity RECLAIM has released the latest report regarding the experiences of working class university students in the United Kingdom, and unless the country has been living under a rock, the results are less than surprising, albeit very saddening. The 'Educating All' report is a youth-led research project, commissioned by the social change and leadership development charity RECLAIM. RECLAIM aims to end leadership inequality by enabling working class young people to be heard and lead change. The research finds that working-class young people are still failing to see Universities as a 'place for them' and lack the same sense of entitlement and belonging as their middle-class peers. The Educating All survey found that over 70% of students who identify as working class, feel that their class is a barrier when integrating at university, compared to only 12.5% of those who did not identify as working class. RECLAIM activists say that 'Educating All' aims to move away from the status quo and provide a voice to working-class young people, who too often do not have a say in decisions that affect them the most. Advertisement Xavier Greenwood, a final year Classics student at Balliol College, Oxford spoke of social exclusion because he could not afford the social activities of his peers. He went on to say that, "The expectation that Oxford is a social leveller is, quite frankly, a myth." Another working class student Sophie Hannaway, who is a Law graduate from the University of Bristol said, "once we got the letter saying that we'd got into university, that's when we thought that educational and social inequality had ended. When I got into university it was clear within the first three weeks that this wasn't the case." Martha Hilton, an author of the report, who studied physics at Imperial College London, said she was "shocked by the level of privilege at university" and that "for true and lasting change, universities need to act now to make sure that the working classes do not feel like imposters." Some universities across the country are trying to combat the division seen by working-class students in higher education institutions. Through working RECLAIM and at the recommendation of the Educating All report, the University of Manchester has recently created a position within the students union to recruit 'working class officers' to bridge working and middle-class divide on campus. The University of Manchester's student union has said that the elected officer will "act as a voice for working class students". Applicants for the two posts, one of which was reserved for female, had to "self-identify as working class". In order to be considered, students would need to be in receipt of the Manchester Bursary, a care-leaver or the first in their family to go to university. Russell Group universities have seen a dramatic decline in the applications of working class young people to begin a course at university. Many students unions believe that the creation of these officers will help to directly combat the divide and encourage more working class young people to consider University or further education. Advertisement With pioneering reports such as 'Educating All' and the work done by students unions across the country, it is clear that there is an urgent need for change for working class students and young people in the UK. Charities like RECLAIM are refusing to ignore the problems faced by working-class young people and are paving the way for like-minded organisations across the country to combat class division in all its forms. It really is very difficult to understand what is going on. The debate here over whether or not Parliamentary authority was needed before the Prime Minister could issue a notice under article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon was bad enough. At least that is now resolved and those who want to follow the technicalities can read the judgements handed down by the Supreme Court. But when it comes to whether or not the President of the United States can decide things by executive order and, if, so, the effect of the orders, I have to say that it is beyond me. Let's leave it to the American Bar to resolve the issue: they are already throwing amendments to the Constitution about like hand grenades. Most of us Brits can add little to the debate, not that that will stop the North London intelligentsia from sounding off at their drinks parties: "..well, I have it from Archie who knows all about the law, no, not just because of that illegal dumping matter - that was so unfair, by the way - but because his brother's a barrister. Well, he says it's just like our case on the Royal Prerogative, except that the President isn't royal of course, not that I care about such distinctions, they're just Liz and Phil to me. Still, America was a colony once, or even several of them, and there is this thing called the common law... blah... magna carta .... blah... Council of Nicea... blah... offside rule..." Advertisement Yes, well. Addition to sum of human knowledge: zero. World prosecco stock: minus several cases. About the usual score in fact. With the content of the immigration orders, initially it seemed we were on much safer ground. A 120 day suspension of the US refugee settlement programme, a permanent ban on Syrian immigrants and bans against those coming in from another 6 states where Muslims are in the majority. Confusion over those who hold Green cards. Well, it is all mediaeval. Everyone knows that the US has a history of indiscriminately accepting refugees. They should stick to it. After all, it isn't as if they were coming here. But then the rot of doubt began to set in. The US has blocked immigration from particular jurisdictions in the past. Barack Obama excluded the countries in question from the visa waiver programme. A distinguished writer for The Times believes that Trump is entitled to make the move. Perhaps there is more to all this than at first appeared. It is at this stage that you are in for a disappointment. Aa a readerof the huffington Post you will be used to a perpetrating analysis of the issues leading up to a brilliant conclusion, to high moral tone and to pretensions to common sense - the wisdom of Aristotle combined with the decisiveness of Alexander. Well, you can go to The Guardian for that sort of thing. We commentators have the luxury of saying that we find US politics difficult to understand- even harder than our own or those of the EU which, God knows, are quite hard enough. That is my excuse for less marching and more "wait and listen", until the Americans have had a chance to clarify the debate. Advertisement For governments, however, it is different. The currents may be confusing but a course has to be picked and the way in which we deal with the States will have real consequences. What approach should be taken? Should Mrs May regard herself as "a citizen of the world" to borrow a phrase used by Matthew Parris last week? Should she be casting her sympathies beyond Britain in formulating policy or should she be keeping the focus on British interests, go 'little Englander' as it were? Once upon a time everything that happened in America was the concern of the British government because its citizens were our colonists and we exercised an Imperial jurisdiction. In the end it all went wrong, of course. Perhaps we didn't do it very well or perhaps, once the capture of Quebec had eliminated the threat from France, the colonialist did not have so much need for British support. Either way the 1781 surrender at Yorktown spelt the end of our jurisdiction and our entitlement to dictate America's affairs. When we gave up our colonial role we ceased to have the right to interfere. For that reason it is no business of ours who they select for their President, how they look after their health and in general how they deal with other countries. We may comment of course but they are entitled to throw those comments in our faces just as we would the other way round (can you remember the enthusiasm with which the public welcomed Obama's unwise intervention in the Brexit debate?). But there are areas where their interests interfere and overlap with ours and there we are entitled to have our say, apply sanctions or go to war just like any other independent nation. I am sure that readers will think of lots of areas which fall into this category but somewhere at the top of the list would be: the environment - clearly of fundamental importance to everyone and an area where deliberately sabotaging treaties is more or less an act of aggression; Advertisement defence - we are partners in NATO and winding it down would endanger our security; avoiding nuclear war - radiation knows no frontiers; refugees - in that it is a world wide problem and we need to work together to solve it; and, of course, a trade treaty- well, we would certainly like one of those, wouldn't we? The role of the Government must be to pursue British interests in these and other areas whatever it might think of the regime with which it has to deal. Yes, Trump should visit the Queen if it would help. Her Majesty has, amongst her other responsibilities, an important role in the national diplomatic team and would, I am sure, wish to play her part in something as important as our relations with the US. Mrs May's government should keep relations friendly even if that does mean avoiding certain subjects where our approaches differ. Protests as to America's place in the world are for Americans. Following the loss of our imperial role our legitimate interests are in things which affect us. Twenty-seventeen is poised to be a challenging year for drug policy reform. Extrajudicial killings have surpassed 7,000 in the Philippines, 140 lives have been claimed in Brazil's prison riots, and the U.S. president is gearing up to pursue the war on drugs with renewed vigor. To the south, Indonesia's President Widodo continues his support of the death penalty for drug offenses. Since taking office in 2014, 18 people have been executed - all for drug trafficking. Advertisement The recent violence in Brazil's penitentiary system, and visited upon the country's poorest in their home communities, can be traced directly to punitive drug policies. "The current policy of criminalising drug use, production, and distribution has fueled the growth of criminal organizations," Human Rights Watch reports. "It has also filled prisons with people detained for possession of small quantities of drugs, who become vulnerable, while incarcerated, to recruitment by gangs." Worryingly, U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly praised Duterte for going about his fight against drugs "the right way." His nominee for U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, when serving as Alabama's attorney general, promoted a state bill to establish mandatory death sentences for a second drug trafficking conviction, including for dealing marijuana. This, despite the fact that the Supreme Court banned mandatory death sentences. Though Sessions now says he does not support mandatory executions for drug trafficking, the fact that he once put great political weight behind it is telling. Moreover, Gen. John Kelly, the new Secretary of Homeland Security, served as head of U.S. Southern Command, overseeing drug war efforts in Latin America under the Obama Administration. The question is whether we are going to move forward, stall, or be forced to take a defensive stance in order to protect the hard-won gains of 2016. In November, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, comprised of several former presidents and world leaders, released their yearly report advocating for the elimination of all penalties, of any kind, for persons who use drugs, and presenting decriminalization models that have worked. Advertisement Soon after, while accepting his Nobel Peace Prize, President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia used the platform to call for a rethink of the war on drugs, noting that it "is equally or perhaps even more harmful than all the wars the world is fighting today, combined." In his last day in office, President Obama commuted the sentences of 330 federal inmates convicted of non-violent drug crimes, bringing to 1,715 the total number of commutations granted. "He saw the injustice of the sentences that were imposed in many situations, and he has a strong view that people deserve a second chance," explained is White House counsel. Meanwhile, other countries are moving forward with progressive reforms that have proven far more effective than punitive models at solving drug-related problems. In December, Ghana introduced the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, which reduces penalties for possession, funds harm reduction services, and redirects some drug users away from incarceration and to compulsory treatment. Uruguay continues to move cautiously ahead with cannabis reform efforts; full implementation of commercial sales will occur in early 2017. Other countries in Latin America including Chile, Colombia, and Mexico continue to push forward on medical cannabis legislative initiatives. Advertisement In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has permitted a phase 3 trial for MDMA, also known as ecstasy, to treat PTSD, marking the first step towards possible approval in the coming years. California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine voted for full regulation of marijuana for recreational use, and Florida, North Dakota, and Arkansas passed medical marijuana initiatives, marking a significant milestone for drug policy reformists that will hopefully influence national and international opinions and standards. Italy's Inter-gruppo Parlamentare Cannabis Legale fought hard to bring the cannabis reform conversation to Parliament in 2016 and generated widespread support across party lines as well as with unlikely partners, including anti-mafia and anti-terrorism prosecutors, in favor of reform. The Chamber of Deputies in Rome will continue its discussion of a draft bill to promote legal regulation of production and commerce of cannabis for all purposes. Ireland is currently reviewing The Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Bill, which would allow centers to be introduced in Ireland if it is passed. The bill,strongly supported by former Drugs Minister Aodhan O Riordain, proposed opening a pilot center in Dublin City Center. Thailand has introduced the idea of decriminalizing methamphetamine, a popular drug used by both the rich and the poor. The country still upholds rigid drug laws, but the recent surprising statement by the country's Justice Minister, Paiboon Koomchaya, suggesting that the drug should be taken off the dangerous drugs list, could dramatically shift opinions and policies that would help many throughout the country. The UN's incoming Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, was the prime minister of Portugal when the country decriminalized all drugs. His previous positions and policies will likely inform his decision making as the Secretary General. Advertisement Image credit: SPANA Working animals. Sound familiar? Probably not. Did you know that there are nearly 200 million horses, donkeys, camels and elephants slaving through day and night, doing the job of trucks, tractors and taxis in some of the world's poorest communities? Few in the developed world are aware that one billion people in the developing countries have an extraordinary reliance on millions of working animals with one working animal supporting the livelihood of an extended family of up to 30 people. Advertisement Across Africa and beyond, working animals are critical to transporting food, water and goods, and their role is vital in international development and sustainability yet widely unrecognised. Without these animals, arduous jobs, such as carrying firewood and transporting water fall solely onto women. Without working animals, the lives of women would be radically different. Image credit: SPANA With animal welfare still in crisis, news is doing the rounds of China's growing appetite for African donkey hides. Advertisement Donkey hides are in heavy demand in China due to their medicinal properties -gelatine produced from the hides is used as a medicine to treat common colds and insomnia. Despite pharmaceutical medicine and herbal remedies, like Ayurveda, offering varied options to treat common ailments, why is the world community still permitting a nation to drive the slaughter of innumerable livestock? "China is demanding African donkeys and demanding quite good price to buy them...in the short-term, the local communities are making a little bit of money. The price of a donkey in some countries, like Mali has gone up by about 450%," said Geoffrey Dennis, the new Chief Executive of animal charity SPANA . In a recent interview with the BBC World Service, Dennis talked about the implications of China's demand for African donkey hides. The long-term effects of donkeys being decimated to satisfy the world's second largest economy could be catastrophic for vulnerable communities. When the money runs out, communities are left without a sustainable revenue generating asset. This is why some African governments, like Niger and Burkino Faso, have now banned the export of donkeys, says Dennis. Advertisement We need to get the world's poorest communities out of this death trap by convincing governments, aid organisations and major charities that the best way to protect communities is to look after their animals. "International aid needs 'complete overhaul,'" said Dennis, calling on the international community to realize the urgency of drawing resources towards animal welfare in communities where livestock is crucial to survival. During emergencies, such as natural disasters, extreme weather and conflict, the international community is focused exclusively on providing humanitarian aid and relief, with little attention given to preventing livestock deaths - animals that underpin the economic well-being and livelihoods of as many as one billion people worldwide. These animals must be put at the heart of emergency responses and sustainable development. When media changes, the world changes. We live in a world where the Pope and the President are on Twitter and Rabbis communicate on Facebook. We live today in a time, which some call the Fourth Industrial Revolution. A period which is distinct in the speed, scale and force at which it transforms production, distribution and consumption. Technology is changing our lives and that of future generations; reshaping the economic, social, ecological, religious and cultural contexts in which we live. Without doubt, today, in one day, more information is going through the Internet then all the information collected in over one hundred years of printed books. Today, we are witnessing political change resulting from the new way we communicate and exchange information with one another. However, it is all not always for the better. Social media has become a favoured tool for the communication to, and recruitment of, terrorist groups. For the first time, non-edited news content has become available for mass consumption, causing political turbulence and uncertainty. Images of young children beheading innocent men have been beamed across our TVs. We are being presented with a new world order. Ultimately, Islamic-terrorism, matched with the momentum of the far-right, sweeping across Europe, provides a unique challenge to world leaders. For ISIS, its new Islamic ideology, spread across the Internet, appeals to the masses. Suddenly we have fully radicalised extremists who have never left their own town. Advertisement However, the Internet, like any other creation, whether physical or spiritual, can be used to advance humanity, to bring peace and health, freedom and prosperity and education and understanding. Five years ago, we decided to create the CERprize to award start-up companies, and individuals, who have created working apps and sites which will bring benefit to humanity and civilization, in the spirit of our beliefs of 'tikun olam' - to better the world through the Internet. The worthy winners did just that. This year was extra special as we announced the winners at a Gala Event in Munich held in conjunction with the Digital Life Design Conference (DLD). Our winner, German-based Academy, a simple and safe communication aid for teachers, parents and students creates a virtual classrooms can. The need for education to be up to scratch with technology has never been so important. If we neglect our children, there is the risk that they will fall out of the education system and into the hands of evil. Each of the winners in their own way made this world a better place and showcased the power that an app can have in improving the world. Bastiaan Slabbers via Getty Images There is little need to recap the chaos of the last few days. Certainly to anyone with a social media presence or who reads the newspapers the horrors have been all too evident. The values that make up the very fabric of our societies are being challenged by hate. Our humanity and principles are threatened by a wave of Nationalistic hatred that now legitimately warrants the comparisons to Hitler's Germany. Donald Trump becoming the President of the USA was so farfetched a year ago as to be laughable. It seemed inconceivable that a man who is willing to discriminate on faith and origins of birth could be appointed to be leader of a country whose very foundations are based on tolerance and, indeed, on immigration. But become the President he did. Advertisement Did the tolerant left underestimate Donald Trump or did we overestimate ourselves? Were we so secure in the values of liberal democracy that we neglected to treat the rise of the far right with the caution it warranted? Did we fail to understand the need for change and fail to empathise with the desperation of those who would turn to anyone, even far right haters, if they promised that change. We certainly overestimated the integrity of the media as we unwittingly allowed fake and misleading news to be consumed by the people who would vote in the crucial Presidential elections. Perhaps we even overestimated some of the people themselves. America put the future of its country, and as a consequence the future of the world, into the hands of many whose only source of political knowledge came from the likes of Stephen Bannon's Breitbart. Among these were people willing to deny the science of climate change, people who supported a ban on abortion but wanted to bring back the death penalty, people who opposed the Democratic President based on his colour and who in many cases were and are genuine racists, Islamophobes, fascists, Anti Semites and White Supremacists. America gave ignorance a vote and ignorance voted We are perhaps now as a collective Coleridge's sadder and wiser men. It has taken the events of this week to bring the world at large to an understanding of who and what Donald Trump is. And I stress this, these problems do not begin and end just with Donald Trump. The core of this hatred goes deeper than one man. His entire administration is infected with the Nationalistic fervour to give white American born citizens more human rights than they would grant to others. As upholders of tolerance and diversity we have learned the lesson that - Left unchecked, hate can flourish - in the hardest way possible but the hope is that we have learned it in time. A Facebook meme commented: The Holocaust started with words not actions and this is deeply relevant to where we find ourselves at the end of this week. We know where the path to hate will take us. We know how easily it is for those well versed in the art of hate rhetoric to take power. We understand the danger of allowing silence to be mistaken for complicity in atrocity. Advertisement Everything we ever learned from history is being played out right before our eyes on the stage of 2017 The important thing now is what we do with this knowledge. Those of us who support humane and liberal values are very far from being defeated. People are mobilising themselves en masse to stand up against this threat to freedom that is Donald Trump. Every march, every petition, every tweet, every phone call to elected representatives, every post on social media helps hammer home the point that we cannot and we will not stand back and allow our fellow human beings to be denied their rights and their worth. As well as protesting we also need to focus on putting good into the world. We need to build bridges between communities. We need to make minority groups feel they do belong in the countries they live in, despite what the hate press and divisive politicians say. This doesn't have to be on a grand scale, even eye contact and a smile can help eradicate the invisible barriers that the far right hate has erected. Uphold the values you stand for in every aspect of your life. Challenge prejudice wherever you encounter it and be willing to explain why it is wrong and why it hurts people. Educate rather than intimidate people into an appreciation of why it is wrong to discriminate against individuals and communities. We will silence Donald Trump more effectively by educating the ignorant than through any other means. Ignorance got us into this mess but education will help get us out of it. Whatever you are willing and able to do to fight hate is of absolute critical importance in this current climate. Trump will be impeached, it is inevitable, but the infrastructure he has put in place will continue with his aim to undermine all that is decent in our world. Make no mistake, the far right are not going away, they are engaged in a battle to win the hearts and minds of the populace and we must not let this happen. We must not be the good men who saw the evil and did nothing. We must not be the people who turned their backs until it was too late. Advertisement Cornwall is stunning, let's not be coy about it. The imposing cliffs of the Lizard Peninsula, the pretty coastal towns of St. Ives, Padstow, Looe and Bude. The fishing villages of Polperro and Port Isaac. I can even see the appeal of Newquay for a family holiday. I'll even go as far as admitting that much of the Cornish coast is more stunning than much of the coastline of my beloved Isle of Wight. Cornwall's visitor numbers are greater, their waves are higher and I expect the sticks of rock will rot your teeth quicker. Advertisement But I still don't think Cornwall is the UK's number one holiday destination. For me, it's the Isle of Wight. Yes, I'm a little biased having spent many years living on the Island but hear me out. There's a perception that the Isle of Wight is a 1950s version of England but in my view it's more like a mini version of England, so you can see a remarkable variety of coastline on a lump of rock which is just one ninth of the size of Cornwall. If you stay in the middle of the Isle of Wight you will struggle to drive for more than 25 minutes in any direction without getting your feet wet. If you find a nice B&B in Bude and fancy seeing Land's End then you will have a four hour round trip. In a car. In summer. Behind a caravan. Admittedly Newquay is more central, but it's still an hour's drive to the southerly point. It's not just Cornwall, in most English counties you face a choice of either visiting the same few beaches all week or spending hours driving along A-roads. Advertisement On the Isle of Wight, it's feasible to abandon the car for a couple of days and see huge chunks of the Island's coastline in a short trip on an open top bus. You can spend the morning building sandcastles and eating ice creams on Shanklin beach, eat lunch at a seafood restaurant in charming Steephill Cove and then have one of the South Wight's rocky beaches all to yourself in the afternoon. That closeness means you get to know the Island after a couple of days but it also means you can confidently ask a four year old what they want to do today and know that it won't lead to a huge journey and a tantrum. Some of the main towns are linked by pretty cycle tracks (due to the closure of most of the Island's railways in the 1960s) so you can avoid the car altogether if you travel a little lighter than we do. The numerous attractions certainly don't compete with the big theme parks of the mainland, but they are mostly around a tenner and they're perfect if you want to waste a couple of hours with younger children. The rarely visited wildlife haven of Newtown Creek feels a world away from the busy sailing town of Cowes, even though they are just five miles apart. The 2p machines which empty your pockets on Sandown Pier are 10 miles from the virtually uninhabited West Wight coastline. Poundland is only a couple of miles from an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. People of Cornwall, please don't be offended. We've had some lovely trips to your county and I'm not surprised it is frequently voted as England's favourite holiday destination. But come and see our fair Isle once and I'm confident you'll be back again. Advertisement alexis84 via Getty Images Last Friday, Donald Trump signed his fourteenth executive order as President, an order purporting to protect American citizens from incoming terror by banning immigrants from high-risk countries from entering the United States. The order prevents entry or re-entry into the United States from seven 'Muslim majority' countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. As well as blocking short-stay travel visas, it also blocks those who already have US green cards, and also, astonishingly, dual citizens. It starts as an excuse to ensure border security checks are tight, banning travellers for 90 days whilst checks are being completed. It depends on these states to provide information about their personal circumstances to the US authorities after 60 days, proving they are low-risk or in a persecuted minority, or face an indefinite ban. Advertisement "I'm establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States," the President told an audience at the Pentagon on Friday, and true to his rhetoric, it was passed off as being a patriotic sensibility. Even to hardcore Trump fans, it must be obvious that it is not that simple. Instead of demonstrating conservative shrewdness, I feel this political move is one of incomparable foolishness. In context of the executive order, the country I'd like to focus on is Iran. The daughter of a Christo-Zoroastrian political immigrant who fled to Britain during the Iranian Revolution in 1979, to me, it is almost laughable to assume that Iran would simply comply with America's request and hand over personal information about their citizens after 60 days to circumvent a travel ban. Those observing the Iranian regime and its shortcomings should be familiar with the case of Nazanin Zaghari, the dual British-Iranian citizen imprisoned in Iran on allegations of 'spying'. In its excessive paranoia, the Iranian regime has a tendency to accuse anyone with western ties of spying, and due to its diplomatic rigidity, is unlikely to withdraw these accusations with foreign intervention. In Ms Zaghari's case, her dual citizenship is not recognised by Iran, which considers her a citizen of its state only, and therefore by its own law is under no obligation to listen to diplomatic pleas from the Foreign Office here in the UK. What Trump has failed to see is that by highlighting those with western ties, whether dual citizens, or those with US green cards wishing to return to the United States, he has now created hundreds more Nazanin Zagharis. He is forcing the Iranian authorities to investigate those who could have previously passed through customs with limited risk of arrest. What Trump has done is unwittingly put a huge number of westernised Iranians at risk. Advertisement This brings me to another of the executive order's misunderstandings: it is not a Muslim ban - but an outright ban on citizens of these countries. The order has failed to take into account that asking travellers to deliberately denounce Islam in 'Muslim majority' countries is tantamount to heresy. I have strong opinions on radical Islamism and the damage it can do, but this is not the right way to tackle extremism. As the millions of non-religious, westernised, educated, successful Iranians will tell you, the difference between citizen and state is palpable. Iranian citizens are progressives. Women demonstrating enormous acts of defiance by covering their heads as loosely as possible, with glimpses of their dyed-blonde hair showing through; street parties in Tehran when the more liberal President Rouhani, educated in Glasgow, was elected to replace Ahmedinejad; no conflict or warfare on the streets; no contemporary reports of Iranian extremists. But behind this are subtleties that others can't see: press and internet censorship; religious law; prudishness. These are the signs of citizens surviving under a country's dictatorship, not signs of a regressive society. Denouncing Islam in this environment in order to enter the United States, and getting Iran to send proof of your persecution to the US, is a risk which could put citizens in considerable personal danger. This order does nothing to punish the Iranian regime as it is intended, but punishes the people who already disagree with it: it's subjugated citizens. The Iranian voice is often silent in countries such as Britain and America, because of their love for western culture and their patriotism for their adopted countries - they are too assimilated to speak out, or to want to stand out. Naturally conservative and with a severe dislike of religious extremism due to their backgrounds, if the pre-election media reports are to be used as an example, I believe many American-Iranians were Trump voters. I was really, really bored, sat doing nothing in bed. Clicking on the dating app Tinder on my phone I thought, 'ah this will be a laugh, let's check out the weirdos.' I wasn't really interested in having a boyfriend, I just fancied a conversation. There was a guy, David Boakes, who was the only one being nice to me. And he wanted to meet me for a drink. Advertisement I really wanted to... but how do you tell someone you're busy Monday through to Friday for the foreseeable future? How do you put him off without thinking he's being fobbed off? In the end, I just came out with it. "I'm having chemotherapy". He was like: "What? Have you got cancer?" The only thing I could think to say back was: "Yeah, but don't worry, I haven't lost my hair!" When I first met David, who's still by my side, I didn't tell him about the feeding tube sticking out of my stomach, either. When he went to hug me I had to be careful that he didn't press against it. You see, these are the things they don't tell you when they tell you you've got cancer aged 22 - the boredom, the frustration, the monotony, the embarrassment. Advertisement I hated moaning. I hated people feeling sorry for me. I was more pissed off than scared. And I also didn't anticipate the struggle I'd face, not just to get the Pencil Beam Proton Therapy treatment I wanted, but to convince doctors that there was something wrong with me in the first place. I'd first noticed something strange back in November 2014 when the glands on my neck had swollen dramatically during a bout of cold. I was at Plymouth University at the time, studying for a degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, so went to see my GP. 'It's fine', they said, 'It's swollen now but if you leave it for a bit it'll go down.' But the lump on the right hand side didn't go down. If anything, it got larger. I went back to my GP for a second, and then a third time, the worry growing in line with the lump, but it took until February of 2015 for me to be referred for an ultrasound and biopsy at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. 'The scan looks fine', they told me, 'It just looks like an abscess in your gland from being full of cold and flu'. The results of the biopsy, meanwhile, came back 'inconclusive'. Advertisement Because I was young, fit and showing no other symptoms, they assumed all was well. I went home with a course of antibiotics...but I wasn't convinced. The swelling on my neck was pretty obvious. And it wasn't going away. My mum, Jeanette, begged me to go back to the hospital and so I did...only to return home with yet another course of antibiotics. But by March 2015, I was beyond worried. I was Googling my symptoms and panicking. Time and again, I was told that the longer I did nothing, the better it would be because my body would fight it naturally. In hindsight, it was the worst advice I could have been given. It's really weird, but I instinctively knew I was in trouble. I remember being in the sitting room of my student house with my best friend, Beth, and I blurted-out, 'I feel something bad is about to happen to me. I don't know what it is...but I feel like I'm going to be that friend who's going to die'. It was like my body was whispering to my subconscious and telling it to prepare for the worst. I rang my mum, breaking down in floods of tears, telling her, 'I think it's cancer.' And she urged me to go back to the doctors and get a second ultrasound. Advertisement I visited my GP once more, even showed up at A&E, but was repeatedly told everything was okay. Up until this point, I hadn't even used the private health insurance I had. I'd felt confident enough in the NHS not to bother activating it. But now I felt like I had no other choice. In April 2015, I went back home to Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, went to see my concerned local GP, and was immediately referred to the private Pinehill Hospital in Hitchin where I I finally got my second ultrasound and second biopsy. 'It's a branchial cyst', it revealed, 'Nothing to worry about. Let's have it removed through surgery and see if there's anything nasty in it'. Finally, I was getting answers. On 29th April 2015, I had the operation to remove the cyst. It was a big mass to remove, next to all my nerves. But I felt absolutely fine, I didn't even have any pain. I was relieved. This thing was out, it's done, it's gone, I can carry on with life. I went back to uni, with everyone poking fun at the huge scar running down my neck. Life for me went back to normal. I heard nothing from the hospital for two weeks and assumed no news was good news. Then, one morning, I woke up at around 10am and looked at my phone. There were a lot of missed calls from a number with a Hertfordshire dialling code. Advertisement It was the hospital in Hitchin. And they were telling me that I needed to come back and see them...today. I'm not an idiot. They couldn't tell me over the phone, but I knew. I called my dad and said, 'They've obviously found cancer'. I went upstairs to pack and collapsed in tears. It's the most upset I've ever been, but I didn't really cry again after that point. The five hour train journey home was torture. Did I have brain cancer? Was I going to die in a matter of days? I'm a blunt person. I even told my friends, 'That's it, I'm going to die'. I was so scared, but almost laughing at how sad I was feeling. Advertisement The appointment at the hospital was intense. With my mum and dad, Chris, sitting beside me, everyone expecting me to break down. But the initial shock was already over. I just wanted them to get to the point. My Ear Nose and Throat specialist started to speak, saying, 'We've found'... and I interrupted, 'Cancer cells? Well, yeah, I know that. No-one makes you travel half way across the country if you hadn't.' The cancer had been detected in the swollen lymph node in my neck, which meant the actual tumour could have been anywhere. And at this stage they had no idea where it was. I had an MRI scan within a few days and then they told me I had Stage 3 'Nasopharyngeal cancer', a rare type of head and neck cancer in the upper part of my throat, behind my nose. I couldn't feel it, but it was there, and roughly 3cm in diameter. And because of where it was, they couldn't get to it. It was inoperable. But, and this sounds crazy, I actually felt okay. I was thinking, 'Right, we know what it is, let's got on with it, give me the treatment, I don't care how painful it is, bosh, I'm done, I want to go back to how I was before.' All I kept asking was, 'How long is this going to take? I want to carry on with my life.' Advertisement There was no point moaning about it, was there? It was all just so annoying. I was two exams away from finishing uni and I'd just spent ages growing my hair! My private oncologist at a hospital in Bishop's Stortford told me everything that was going to happen next. I needed chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). I didn't know what it all meant, but I knew it wasn't good. And when he told me about the radiotherapy, listing the side effects, and how awful a time I'd have, I was horrified. With standard radiotherapy - high energy rays blasted at a tumour to kill cancer cells - I risked brain damage, losing my hearing, getting thyroid disease, going blind, and increasing my chances of getting another cancer in the future by 50 per cent. I thought, 'This is a joke. I'm not doing that. Is there nothing else?' But I was told, 'This is it. This is what you're having'. They may as well have added, 'How dare you even ask?' In June 2015 I was told by my private oncologist that if I sought out an 'alternative' for the radiotherapy they'd refuse to treat me at all. They said it'd be 'too complicated'. Advertisement That's pretty much when I decided that I wasn't going to let them dictate to me any more. We went away as a family, in secret, and started looking at the alternatives. And what we found was pencil beam proton therapy. I'd heard of it before because of the Ashya King case, and what I learned is that unlike conventional radiotherapy, it uses a positively charged particles to attack cancer cells with pencil-point precision, preserving healthy tissue in front of the tumour and preventing damage to the tissue behind it. It wouldn't go through my brain, wouldn't touch my eyes and I wouldn't need a feeding tube. It looked, quite literally, like a no-brainer. There were just a couple of hitches. Number one - it's expensive. I had to find 57,000 because the NHS won't fund it for everyone. Number two, I had to go to the Proton Therapy Center in Prague, Czech Republic, as there's only a few specialist places in the world who do it. (Sam and friend Beth in Prague, March 2016) I decided to launch a crowdfunding page to help pay towards my proton therapy treatment. I didn't like it at all. I didn't even want to tell people I had cancer. It felt embarrassing, like I was begging. But I felt I had no other option and wanted to help my family gather the money as much as I could. Advertisement This would have been a huge struggle if it wasn't for the amazing generosity of the public and in particular a close family friend of mine, Josh, who came to my rescue immediately, giving me a large amount which, with the money raised, meant I was able to afford this treatment. Then, at the start of August, I left the UK having had two weeks of chemotherapy and got on a plane to Prague, knowing I had seven-and-a-half weeks of proton beam therapy - 38 'fractions' - and more chemotherapy in front of me. And I felt so good. (Sam and mum Jeanette in a Prague taxi) The crowdfunding had worked, the money was in place, I was going to be well looked after and I was looking forward to it being done with. I felt like, 'Bring it on!' Over the next few weeks, I watched as the tumour slowly shrank and died. It had reduced by 50 per cent after just two weeks. Advertisement And my boyfriend David got me through the dark times, spending hours on FaceTime with me every single day. (Sam and David at Proton Therapy Center) I got mouth sores and a scratchy throat and I felt a bit rubbish, but other than that the side effects were minimal. Nothing was unbearable. I didn't even use painkillers until five weeks in. And then my tumour disappeared completely after seven and a half weeks. Gone. I remember them saying, 'There's no sign of it'. I'd responded amazingly well to the treatment. Yet, while my mum was sobbing with relief, there was no cause for celebration for me. Any sense of relief didn't hit me until a few months afterwards. Advertisement I went home late September, got a part time job as a dog walker in October, and slowly relearned how to be normal again. Do I feel like I'm back to what I was before all of this happened? Not yet. I won't be discharged fully for another four years and have to have regular scans. My cancer has made me a more anxious person, compared to the incredibly confident young woman I was before. Nothing ever worried me. Now I get upset easier. I've had a big reality check. But I'm working, I'm living my life, and as you read this I'll be fulfilling a lifelong dream by travelling around Asia for three months with my best friend. This is what I should have been doing when I left university. This is why I've been so frustrated. Now, as well as living my life, I want to share my story to make other people in my position aware of pencil beam proton therapy. Some in the NHS are excited by it, others are dismissive and negative. Advertisement And that's not fair. As it stands, there's only one NHS proton therapy centre in the UK - at the Clatterbridge Hospital in Cheshire - and it only treats eye tumours. Anyone else, if they're lucky, has to be treated abroad. There are other centres currently being built and due to open in 2018. But there are fears that by the time the technology is up and ready it may already be outdated. More money needs to be invested in proton therapy and it needs to be available to way more many cancers than it currently is. And please, doctors, GPs, oncologists, radiographers, and A&E workers - stop turning away young people just because they look fit and healthy. Otherwise more people like me will fall through the cracks. Advertisement I don't know many photographers who would turn down a Las Vegas elopement or the opportunity to travel further afield to shoot an amazing wedding (that would be daft!) but more often than not wedding photographers tend to shoot in and around the area within which they live, which is no bad thing! Here are my five good reasons for choosing a local wedding photographer. Image: Sue Kwiatkowska Photography 1) You Can Easily Meet In Person Many of the couples I work with meet up with me for a chat before booking their wedding, then again for pre-wedding shoots and often right before the big day to finalise the plan of action. I heartily recommend this as you are going to be spending a lot of time with your wedding photographer on the day and you need to know right from the off that you're going to get along! Advertisement Living within a short distance of one another means you can get together easily without having to go out of your way to make time consuming travel arrangements every time you want to meet, at what is undoubtedly going to be a very busy time in your lives. 2) Proximity Booking a wedding photographer who lives close to where you are getting married means that you won't have to shell out for their travel expenses or overnight accommodation. Bonus! All good photographers will plan their journey to and from your venue or venues, allowing plenty of time to spare. But, if on the off chance something did go wrong (the car breaking down or a dreaded train strike for example), there is a greater chance of finding an alternative mode of transport at short notice for somewhere just ten or twenty minutes away from home. 3) Local Knowledge I've lived in Brighton all of my life (I know - we're a dying breed!) which means that by default I know the Sussex area very well and a fair few 'alternative routes' to and from places on busy summer Saturdays and bank holiday weekends, when the traffic can be a right nightmare and when most weddings take place! Advertisement As well as being familiar with the 'not so familiar' back roads, a local photographer will have more time to check out, and be able to recommend, some great spots for pre-wedding shoots and those close to your venue on the wedding day itself. Image: Sue Kwiatkowska Photography 4) Familiar With Local Venues In the same way that a local wedding photographer has good local knowledge, so they will probably be familiar with local venues and worked at them on multiple occasions. I love shooting at exciting and new locations but it is always nice to return to a venue where you are familiar with the layout and the light and have built up a good working relationship with the owners and their staff. 5) Supplier Recommendations Over the course of many seasons us wedding photographers get to know lots of local and really creative wedding suppliers and this means that personal and genuine recommendations can be passed on to future couples. Happy Planning! Sue Kwiatkowska is a Brighton Wedding Photographer and shoots wholesome, feel-good prawny via Getty Images "What is going to happen to me?" This is the message I awoke to this morning as Islamic societies find American Muslim students frightened about their future when they go home. It is questions like this that make us all uncertain about the future ahead, in the wake of Trump's increasing policies of exclusion, marginalisation and divisiveness. On Friday 27th January, President Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning refugees and citizens travelling to the states from seven Muslim majority countries to stop 'radical Islamic terrorists'. This ban is a blunt instrument and does not safeguard anyone. Refugees are searching for shelter instead the Trump administration assumes they seek to bring violence. Advertisement The world remains shocked that the President of the most powerful country of the world, built upon values of liberal democracy is attacking the weak and vulnerable. The news has been filled with stories of Trump as he continues to carry out his pledges for a greater America. Sadly, all we have seen are greater attacks to human dignity, further oppression of refugees and marginalised communities. In such times of uncertainty we have to ask ourselves, what is our responsibility and what should we be doing? The policies of Trump are a concern for everyone. They seek to harm and destroy what makes up the very fabric of society. Edmund Burke eloquently expressed: " All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." History is full of too many examples of the consequences of inaction. The increased politics of hate and islamophobia can only act as a driving force for us to unite with all, to defend the rights of all marginalised and minorities and to maintain the values of what makes us human. It has therefore been a testament of our communities strength, that as Trump continues, a tremendous force of good from all backgrounds, faiths and sides of societies; those voices are speaking up and saying we cannot allow this divisive legislation to continue. The level of solidarity that has come forth inspires me and the many campaigns now happening, the protests and rallies as well as those comforting messages being shared by friends, colleagues and even strangers that we are not alone in this struggle. Advertisement The recent attack in Canada; six people were killed and another 18 wounded after several gunmen opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City, in an act condemned as a "terrorist attack" by Canada's prime minister. The response from the people and political representatives has been one of love and compassion, an example for all of our communities to follow. As FOSIS (Federation of Student Islamic Societies) we are clear in our message for all that have been affected, we are here with you. We stand firm with our friends, the Muslim Student Association of America (MSA) in carrying on their work to ensure Muslim students can carry on building a future in their country. We call for our own political leadership and representatives to stand up against this ban. Islamic societies across the country will also be standing up against this hatred, working with Universities to support for fellow american students on campus. The month of February marks the beginning of our Believe and Do Good campaign, alongside hundreds of events for Discover Islam Week, in which islamic societies will be supporting community projects such as feeding the homeless, donating blood as well as opening prayer spaces for all to visit and events to understand more about Islam, President Trump is welcomed to attend and learn. FOSIS we call upon all Muslim students to carry on being the drivers of change and a source of good for our communities. Let us carry on building relationships and not allowing creeping hate to enter our world. This is the second in a series of articles based in part on eyewitness accounts about the rapidly deteriorating socio-political conditions in Turkey and what the future may hold for the country. The first article is available here. Much has been written on the endemic corruption in Turkey which involves virtually every social strata -- including political, judicial, government administration, private sector, civil society, business, and military -- and which stands in total contrast to President Erdogan's grandiose vision to make Turkey a significant player on the global stage. After fifteen years in power, Erdogan now presides over a state deeply entrenched in corruption, conspiracy theories, and intrigue. He uses every lever of power to cover up the pervasive corruption consuming the nation and overshadowing the remarkable socio-political progress and economic growth that he made during his first nine years in power. To consolidate his reign, he intimidated his political opponents, emasculated the military, silenced the press, and enfeebled the judiciary; most recently, he pressed the parliament to amend the constitution to grant him essentially absolute powers. Advertisement Turkey ranks 75th in the world in transparency on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index--falling nine places since 2015--along with Bulgaria, Kuwait, and Tunisia. More than 40% of Turkish households perceive public officials to be corrupt. The economy: Given the pervasiveness of corruption, economic progress in Turkey has slowed down. In Erdogan's initial years, the economy grew by 5-7 percent because he made it a priority while focusing on the poor and less educated, who subsequently became his core supporters. When the global economy was strong Turkey registered significant economic growth, but the recent economic slowdown revealed the fault line in Turkey's economy. An inflated and corrupt bureaucracy made it extremely difficult to be granted licenses for development, making it ever harder for foreign and local investors to accelerate the process without bribing government officials. During a corruption investigation in 2013, $17.5 million in cash was discovered in homes of various officials, including the director of state-owned Halkbank. Fifty-two people connected to the ruling AK Party were detained in one day, but subsequently released due to "lack of evidence." Advertisement Given this grim reality, as long as the government continues to deny the existence of pandemic corruption, Erdogan's ambition to make Turkey's economy among the ten largest economies by 2023 (the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic) has become nothing but a pipe dream. Suppressing the press: Erdogan has shown zero tolerance for criticism and has worked to stifle the press. Any media outlet that exposed corruption cases became an 'enemy of the state.' According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 81 journalists are currently imprisoned, all of whom have been charged with anti-state offenses, and over 100 news outlets have been ordered closed by the government. In total, between July 20 and December 31, 2016, 178 broadcasters, websites, and newspapers were shuttered. Whereas in a democracy the media is considered central to keeping the government honest, in Turkey investigative journalism has become taboo as the Erdogan government is terrified of the potential exposure of corruption cases where government officials are directly involved. The implications of this are far and wide as other countries, especially democracies, become suspicious of Turkey's positions. The lack of transparency severely erodes its credibility and international standing. Advertisement Political: Two-thirds of Turks in a survey revealed they perceive political parties to be corrupt. Turkey lacks an entity that monitors the financing of parties, which are required to submit their financial tables to the Constitutional Court, an institution ill-equipped to handle audits. Additionally, according to the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, Turkey "does not have a specific regulatory process to eliminate possible conflicts of interest" for parliamentarians who transition to the private sector after their terms are complete. Commenting on former Prime Minister Davutoglu's "transparency package", Erdogan shamelessly stated that "If it [requiring party officials to reveal wealth] goes on like this, you can't find anyone to chair even [the AKP's] provincial and district branches." Several of Erdogan's ministers (Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, Interior Minister Muammer Guler, and Environment Minister Erdogan Bayraktar) resigned after their sons were arrested on allegations of bribery. Following their resignation, Erdogan "proceeded to dismiss thousands of police officers, prosecutors, and judges" and accused the Gulen movement of a coup attempt. The arrest and indictment in US courts of Iranian-Turkish gold trader Reza Zarrab poses a significant threat to Erdogan's authority, as top AK officials are wrapped up in the indictment--including some of Erdogan's family members. Pro-government media quickly leveled accusations against the American prosecutor and judge involved in the case of being instruments of the Gulen movement. Advertisement The ramifications of the wide-spread political corruption also have major adverse impacts on Turkey's relations with foreign governments who interact with Ankara out of necessity rather than by free choice--particularly the EU--which makes Turkey's foreign relations tenuous and puts its long-term security at risk. Judiciary: According to the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer, 13% of households reported having to pay a bribe after coming into contact with the judiciary, which has increased in the past three years. The flaws of the Turkish judiciary have "undermined the acceptance of the ruling by all segments of Turkish society and tainted it with allegations of political score-settling." An even-handed judiciary is necessary to have a healthy and sustainable democracy. But when it becomes corrupted, as it has in Turkey, it is not just the cases before a court that become compromised--there is a ripple effect that occurs, impacting on behavior of officials engaged in criminal activity and who feel they can continue to act in such a manner with impunity. Military: According to the EU Progress Report 2016, extensive legal protection is given to counter-terrorism personnel and "the military and intelligence services continue to lack sufficient accountability in Parliament." The same report states that "Access to audit reports by the Turkish Court of Accounts on the security, defense and intelligence agencies remains restricted." Erdogan has replaced hundreds of generals, which led to a reduction in strategic planning and overall quality of military effectiveness. His purge of the military high brass three years ago on charges of conspiring to topple the government has eroded Turkey's position in NATO. Advertisement Similarly, the purge of the top echelon of the military following the July 2016 coup further weakened military preparedness, which raises serious questions about Turkey's military prowess and its effectiveness as a member of NATO. Turkey defies the NATO charter that requires its members to "safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law." By not adhering to these principles, Turkey risks being potentially expelled, especially now that Erdogan appears to be increasingly gravitating toward Moscow. Civil society: The EU Progress Report 2016 notes: "Participation by civil society in the budgetary process is poor...and independent civil society organizations are rarely involved in law- and policy-making processes." Corruption creates fear in society--individuals who might otherwise wish to expose acts of corruption are now afraid to be implicated. According to Transparency International's Oya Ozarslan, "Today you can't offer people neither a good nor a bad example because corruption trials have become impossible in Turkey. This in turn legitimates the notion that [the corrupt] get away with it anyway." The AK Party pledged "[to wage a] most intensive struggle [against corruption]," and fully ensure "transparency and accountability prevail in every area of public life... [to prevent] the pollution of politics," but then Erdogan himself rejected any practical measures to tackle corruption, fearing damaging exposure. Advertisement Sadly, much of what Erdogan aspired for could have been realized had he continued the reforms he initiated and brought Turkey to the international status he desired without resorting to authoritarianism. After 15 years in power, Erdogan provides a classic example of how power corrupts. It is time for the public and the opposition parties to demand that he leaves the political scene and allow the formation of a democratically-elected government to begin the process of stemming corruption. By Hong Soon-do, Beijing correspondent, AsiaToday - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang may not retain his position as the Communist Party's No. 2 soon. There is a persistent rumor that Li will step down from his position as Premier at the 13th National People's Congress in March 2018 and move to chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC). And this is likely to be discussed at the 19th National Party Congress, which will take place this fall. If this is the case, Xi Jinping's selection of the next Premier, inevitably loyal to the President, will likely to take place at the upcoming party congress as well. [Premier Li Keqiang is expected to move his position to chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress./ Source: Xinhua News Agency] These observations are in line with the reality that the power struggle within the top leadership in China, which has been fierce behind the curtains, seemingly stopped by the overwhelming victory of Xi Jinping's clique. According to sources familiar with the situation on Wednesday, China's government power has been dominated by Xi Jinping's clique or Zhejiang, with some remaining parts shared by Hu Jintao's Communist Youth League (CYL) faction and Jiang Zemin's Shanghai clique. However, this structure was completely shaken after Xi Jinping cemented his "core leader" position within the party at the sixth plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee, which was held in October last year. The recent promotion of Zhejiang's key members to important positions in the party, the military, and the local governments have led the Shanghai faction and the CYL faction completely out from power. Advertisement In this situation, it's not easy for Li to keep his position since his power base is the CYL. Besides, he has practically handed over his full authority as Premier over managing the economy to Xi Jinping. It's very natural that there a talk involving his position. He may choose to move to the chairman of the Standing Committee of NPC instead of keeping his position as Premier without power. [Vice-Premier Wang Yang is a strong nominee for the next Premier if Li steps down./ Source: Xinhua News Agency] As a result, nominees for the next Premier are being mentioned naturally. At present, Vice-Premier Wang Yang seems to be the strongest candidate. His strength is that he is a current Vice-Premier and the Member of the Political Bureau. Other candidates include Liu He, the chief of the General Office serving the Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, and Chen Min'er, the Party Secretary of Guizhou Province. Advertisement In issuing his executive order immediately banning refugees and hundreds of thousands of Muslim travelers from the United States, President Trump claimed he wanted "to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals." In fact, national security experts across the political spectrum say his order does just the opposite. Calling for the order to be rescinded, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and over 100 other former senior government officials and military service members who served both the Obama and Bush Administrations are saying the executive order "not only jeopardizes tens of thousands of lives, it has caused a crisis right here in America and will do long-term damage to our national security." Here are eight ways the order does just that: 1. The order supports terrorists' claims that the U.S. is at war with Islam, by banning all nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries for an extended period, and explicitly favoring Christian refugees. That's terrorists' primary recruiting point: that Muslims must fight back. As former CIA Director and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said, the order "gives ISIS a major argument that I think will help them in recruiting and that increases the chances of a potential attack in this country." 2. The order harms critically important U.S. relations with our partners in the Middle East. Some of those, like Iraq, are countries whose nationals have all been banned. Others, like Jordan, now face huge political hurdles cooperating with a U.S. government that has instituted what's perceived globally as a "Muslim ban." The executive order makes it virtually impossible for them to continue to provide the support, intelligence and resources the U.S. depends upon to fight terrorism. As General Hayden told The Washington Post: the order "makes it harder for our allies to side with us." Advertisement 3. The order will increase anti-American sentiment among ordinary, innocent people in the targeted countries and beyond. With the stroke of a pen, 220 million citizens lost the opportunity to travel to the United States for an extended period of time. This sent the message that we see them all as dangerous, inviting them to view us as enemies as well. As about 1,000 State Department officials have pointed out in a dissent memo, almost one-third of populations in these countries are under 15 yrs old. Shunning them now will affect those societies' perceptions of the United States for decades to come, negatively influencing their future leaders. This could be a "tipping point toward radicalization," the U.S. foreign service officials warned. 4. The order directly undermines our key allies in the Middle East. By suspending all refugee resettlement for at least 120 days, prioritizing religious minority refugees, blanket banning all travel for nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries temporarily, and suspending all Syrian refugee resettlement indefinitely, our key allies in the Middle East, who have accepted large numbers of Syrian refugees, will find their resources further strained and will face further political opposition and regional turmoil. Our acceptance of Syrian refugees supports those allies and helps ease the burdens they face. The U.S. refusal to resettle Syrian refugees may encourage other countries to do likewise. That will leave front-line countries, such as Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Iraq, which already host about 80% of Syrian refugees, to host all of them. This seriously undermines global stability. 5. The order undermines U.S. global leadership and our reputation as a country that abides by international law -- in this case the international refugee convention. U.S. leadership and respect for the rule of law is one of the most important ways we encourage other countries to cooperate with us and respect the law as well. We need that cooperation for our counterterrorism, law enforcement, diplomatic and economic policies to be effective. 6. The order discourages all Muslims -- at home and abroad -- from assisting U.S. anti-terrorism efforts, because it's widely perceived as a "Muslim ban" and was advertised as such by the president and his advisors during his campaign. By targeting Muslim majority nations and favoring Christian refugees over Muslims, it suggests all Muslims are suspicious and potential enemies, while Christians are not. It also gives terrorists an excuse to attack any Muslims suspected of aiding the United States or its allies. Indeed, within 24 hours of Trump signing the order, Islamic State propagandists began exploiting the travel ban on social media. One message warned Muslims who cooperate with the US: "The dogs of the cross should know their true value now," he wrote, referring to collaborators. "Worthless!" Advertisement 7. The order puts U.S. troops in grave danger. By fueling terrorists' groups claims that the U.S. is at war with Islam, the order encourages potential terrorists -- both abroad and "homegrown" -- to see American soldiers as legitimate targets. It is unconscionable for the Commander-in-Chief to directly place his own troops at risk, with no discernible national security benefit to be gained. 8. The ban could lead to retaliation from other countries. Iraqi lawmakers have already called for a ban on US citizens. Iran has already passed one. The United States already conducts "extreme vetting" of refugees resettled here. As former CIA Directors General Petraeus and General Hayden and former Defense Secretaries Panetta, Cohen, Perry, and Hagel, said in a joint letter: "The process that refugees undergo in order to be deemed eligible for resettlement in the United States is robust and thorough... Those seeking resettlement are screened by national and international intelligence agencies; their fingerprints and other biometric data are checked against terrorist and criminal databases; and they are interviewed several times over the course of the vetting process." Barring all Muslim travelers from the seven specified countries, for any period of time, will do nothing to prevent terrorism, but it will do a lot to encourage it. Suspending the resettlement of refugees, dramatically decreasing the refugee admissions, and prioritizing Christian over Muslim refugees will not make the U.S. safer, but it will show that America is abandoning its ideals and values. As former Secretary of State and George W. Bush national security advisor Condoleeza Rice said recently: "The very best public policy that we have is actually when people come here, and study, and see what it is really like to be in America... I believe strongly we still need to advocate for people seeking the freedoms we enjoy." Advertisement Donald Trump won the presidency by pledging to fight for the forgotten man and woman, the people left behind by corporate globalization and Washington corruption. But it's clear now that it was simply another false promise from a career con artist. This morning, when Trump's Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, arrived to start work, what was left of the president's broken promise was smashed to bits. It was already bad enough that Trump is filling his cabinet with predatory capitalists like Andy Puzder and Steve Mnuchin, who have thrived by, respectively, abusing workers and evicting homeowners, and filling his team with long-time lobbyists for big corporations. Advertisement Worse, Trump is turning our American Democracy into American Kleptocracy. He set the tone by ignoring the views of top ethics experts and refusing to divest from his businesses, just as his companies leverage Trump's new status in order to sell Trump-branded hotel rooms and club memberships. After he was elected, Trump repeatedly brought up his business dealings on calls with foreign leaders and bragged in public about huge overseas business opportunities he was offered, and, he claimed, he had the legal right to take -- like it was killing him that he wasn't accepting. Trump's presidency will make big money for Trump's businesses. He knows it, and he likes it. The corruption of our new government radiates from Trump. He wants to turn over education policy to Betsy DeVos and Jerry Falwell Jr., each of whom has a major financial stake in education enterprises. Trump's designated Health and Human Services secretary, Representative Tom Price, misled the Senate about a sweetheart insider stock deal he got on a biotechnology stock, even as he voted in the House on health policy issues. This morning our American Kleptocracy got much, much worse. Rex Tillerson has no diplomatic experience. Instead he spent his entire 41-year career at the giant multinational oil and gas company ExxonMobil, rising to be the CEO in 2006. Unlike Trump, Tillerson has divested himself from his company. But he ignored the requests of Democratic senators that he recuse himself from matters relating to Exxon during his tenure. Instead, Tillerson offered only a one-year recusal. Advertisement While Tillerson's backers stress that he was recommended to Trump by former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, they don't mention that Rice and Gates run a consulting firm whose clients include ExxonMobil. In his wholly unpersuasive Senate confirmation hearing, Tillerson displayed little sophistication about international issues. And he was evasive, offering misleading statements about Exxon lobbying, and refusing to discuss the allegations -- the basis of ongoing investigations by the New York and Massachusetts attorneys general -- that Exxon misled the public about climate change. Amid all these concerns and others, Tillerson was confirmed by a vote of 56-43, getting by far the most "no" votes of any Secretary of State nominee in U.S. history. (The previous record was a mere 13 against Rice.) But far from chastened by the criticisms that Tillerson received, including from a few Senate Republicans, Tillerson and Trump are now embarking on an agenda that will sacrifice U.S. national interests and security but will meet the demands of big fossil fuel companies, most notably Exxon Mobil -- to the benefit of Tillerson's former employees, board members, and investors. Trump has issued executive orders to move ahead with the Keystone XL pipeline, which the Obama Administration blocked out of concerns about climate change, and the Dakota Access pipeline, which the Obama Administration delayed in the face of protests by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their supporters, who contend the project will contaminate water and damage sacred burial sites. Exxon is invested in Canadian tar sands projects that could benefit from new pipelines carrying crude oil. Advertisement Republicans in Congress are moving to repeal the landmark bipartisan Cardin-Lugar anti-corruption law, which requires oil, gas and mining companies to disclose details of the payments they make to foreign governments in order to obtain drilling and mining rights. The purpose of this 2010 law is that deter the bribery and corruption by fossil fuel interests that has enriched foreign dictators and harmed poor citizens of developing nations. One of the fiercest foes of Cardin-Lugar has been ExxonMobil. Similarly, Tillerson's record at Exxon is one of subordinating human rights and anti-terrorism concerns to lucrative business deals. Such bedrock elements of U.S. policy could be weakened by Tillerson's narrow, business-focused view of the world. Next up could well be the lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia by President Obama in response to Vladmir Putin's aggression in Ukraine and interference in the 2016 election to favor Trump. Trump's frequently-professed admiration for Putin, and the ties between Russia and Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, now the subject of a Justice Department investigation, are suggestions that Russia may get more gentle treatment from the new U.S. regime. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of such a policy shift: Exxon Mobil. Despite Tillerson's denials at his hearing, Exxon lobbied to lift the sanctions, which blocked progress on the 2011 agreement that Tillerson and Exxon reached with Rosneft, Russia's state oil company, to explore and drill for oil in the Siberian arctic, a deal worth tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars. In pursuing the deal, Tillerson developed strong personal ties to Rosneft head Igor Sechin, an ex-KGB agent close to Putin, and in 2012, Russia awarded Tillerson one of its highest honors, the Order of Friendship decoration. When the Obama Administration imposed the sanctions on Russia, and on Sechin personally, in the wake of Russia's actions in Ukraine, Tillerson responded by expressing opposition to U.S. economic sanctions. Finally, there is U.S. policy on climate change, as the overwhelming evidence of rising temperatures and eroding coastlines, spurred by the burning of fossil fuels, threatens human survival. Asked at his hearing by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) whether the Trump administration would honor the Paris climate agreement aimed at slowing this menace, Tillerson said only that his State Department would conduct a "fulsome review" of the issue and that there would be "no space" between him and Trump on the issue. Which was hardly reassuring, as Trump has labelled climate change a hoax. A top Trump EPA transition advisor, Myron Ebell, told a London conference this week that he expected Trump to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris accord within days. Advertisement Although Tillerson at his hearing acknowledged that "the risk of climate change does exist, and the consequences could be serious enough that action should be taken," he added, "Our ability to predict that effect is very limited," and then told us what he really thought: "I don't see it as the imminent national security threat that perhaps others do." Those others include the leftists at the U.S. Department of Defense. With a designated new EPA head, Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt, who has raised millions in support from fossil fuel interests and has repeatedly argued for the same positions as Exxon, the Trump team also appears poised to overturn Obama domestic rules aimed at curbing climate change and protecting our communities from toxic pollution. These new or looming Trump policies are weak on human rights, bribery, Russia's dictator, climate change, pollution, and U.S. national security. They are, however, the kinds of policies favored by the multinational oil company ExxonMobil, which generously donated $500,000 to help pay for the Trump inauguration. And now they can be implemented by the man who was running ExxonMobil until last month, Rex Tillerson. Your government has been stolen from you. South Korea's political convulsions seem likely to deliver a new president sooner rather than later. Elections are scheduled for December, but if the Constitutional Court ratifies the National Assembly's impeachment of President Park Geun-hye the poll will come months sooner. What remains of the devastated ruling party hoped for salvation through the candidacy of former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, but he has abandoned the race. The opposition has a decided advantage, especially the sooner the vote is held. There are plenty of contenders on the left. On the rise is Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, who has gained notoriety pushing for Park's ouster. Lee styles himself as the Korean Bernie Sanders, railing against economic inequality and corporate privilege. Advertisement Of greater interest to Washington, however, is Lee's perspective on security issues. South Korea's left long has had a love/hate relationship with America. Washington's support for the military dictatorships of Park's father, Park Chung-hee, and Chun Doo-hwan, who emerged after Park pere's assassination, soured many South Koreans on the alliance. Nevertheless, fear of North Korea and desire to avoid having to bear the full cost of defending against the North led even Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun to preserve the relationship. Similarly, the main opposition party's formal leader and current presumptive presidential nominee Moon Jae-in supports the status quo with the U.S. Not Lee, however. He has a very different perspective on security issues, and sharply antagonistic opinions as to America's role. He recently complained that U.S.-ROK ties had "degenerated into a subordinate relationship where we give whatever amounts of money they ask us to give." Instead, he argued, "The U.S. should be begging us for the defense of East Asia." He suggested defenestrating America's nearly 29,000 troops, renegotiating the bilateral free trade agreement, and talking with North Korea's Kim Jong-un. Ironically, the Trump administration might be sympathetic to all of these policies, though perhaps for different reasons than Lee. President Donald Trump is a committed protectionist and views virtually any agreement reducing any U.S. trade barriers as unfair to America; presumably he believes this applies to South Korea. He might be happy to tear up the FTA, even though Americans would pay more for imports and sell fewer exports, an economically painful combination. Candidate Trump also indicated his willingness to talk with Kim. The president did not indicate whether he meant personally meet or governments engage, but broadly speaking it's a sensible idea. Refusing to have diplomatic relations for the last 69 years has achieved nothing. Isolation has not convinced Pyongyang to give up its nuclear and missile programs. Advertisement Engagement offers no sure path to success, of course. But regular contact might discover limited areas where agreement was possible, encourage modest confidence-building measures, reduce tensions and perceived threats, and provide a limited window into an almost uniquely opaque system. Negotiations should not be seen as a reward with the North, but the best means to salvage something from years of U.S. failure in dealing with the DPRK. Finally, candidate Trump criticized America's troop presence: "We have 28,000 soldiers on the line in South Korea between the madman and them," yet "We get practically nothing compared to the cost of this." His solution: "They have to protect themselves or they have to pay us." However, he seemed to instinctively recognize that U.S. military personnel should not be hired out like mercenaries: "We are better off frankly if South Korea is going to start protecting itself." Which would mean bringing the garrison home. Defense Secretary James Mattis appears to have a contrary view, but the president has imposed his viewpoint elsewhere. The fighting stopped more than 63 years ago. The South has raced past the DPRK in virtually every measure of national power. The former's economy is about 40 times that of the North. The ROK overwhelmingly wins the two nations' technology race. Pyongyang's old allies, China and Russia, would not back the North in a war. Indeed, U.S. policy has succeeded, providing a defense shield behind which South Korea could develop. Seoul is now capable of doing what nation states normally are expected to do: protect themselves against foreign threats. There's no longer any reason for Americans to defend South Korea. Washington should bring its forces home, allowing South Koreans to do whatever they believe necessary to safeguard their own nation. Thus, rather than wait for President Lee, or whoever else wins the South Korean election, to send the U.S. home, President Trump should begin the process now. He should announce that his objective is to turn over the ROK's conventional defense to Seoul, indicate that he will negotiate the withdrawal period for American troops with the new South Korean president, as well as offer to talk with Pyongyang. Advertisement However, there is one place where President Trump should disagree with Lee. And that is on the defense of East Asia. Unless Lee has discovered a new way of thinking about geography, he will come to realize that the ROK actually is in the region. Thus, regional stability and security matter to his nation. In contrast, America is thousands of miles away, on the other side of the world's largest ocean. A total regional meltdown would cost the U.S. economically by disrupting commerce, but would not threaten America's safety. There would be no flood of refugees into California. No civil war on U.S. borders. No North Korean or Chinese expeditionary force headed toward America. Thus, even when it comes to East Asia the U.S. presence serves the ROK (as well as Japan and other friendly states) far more than it does America. If anyone should be paying anyone, the South should be writing Washington a check. Better, however, would be for Seoul to do more with its own resources to protect its own interests. No more relying on the U.S. for protection. If Lee is elected and decides that the region doesn't matter, President Trump should wave a hearty good bye as he orders America's troops home. Washington officials should stop allowing other nations to manipulate them into serving other nations' interests. In the late afternoon of May 22, 2001 an apocalyptic-looking set of thunderstorms rolled across the National Mall, with bolts of lightning striking just outside the Capitol dome. Inside the Senate chamber, an even bigger storm was brewing -- James Jeffords, the venerable patrician Senator from Vermont, had informed Democratic and Republican party leaders that he was likely crossing the aisle. Two days later Jeffords, who died Monday (Aug. 2014) at age 80, would leave the Republican Party that he served in on Capitol Hill for the previous 26 years, first in the House and then the Senate, and would caucus with Democrats. The move ended an historic five-month run in which the Senate sat deadlocked at 50-50 margin, with Vice President Dick Cheney giving Republicans titular control as the tie-breaking vote. Jeffords was handing Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) the title of majority leader and putting the breaks on the domestic agenda of the Bush White House. People in other parts of the country may not understand, but Angelenos sometimes tire of the warm weather. Park City, Utah is an excellent getaway that caters snowbirds looking for a picturesque view and some great bites. Here are a few travel tips for those of us non-skiers who like to hit the slopes for the food. Driving vs. Flying It's only a 12-hour drive from Los Angeles to Park City, so on the surface it seems like a cheaper alternative to flying. But if you factor in stops for food and gas (and the inevitable speeding ticket) the trip is realistically 15 hours and more expensive than you'd expect. Flying is the way to go. Advertisement How to Stay Hotels in Park City command exorbitant rates, so many travelers opt to stay in shared rooms at local homes and condos. But at a certain point in your life, you want a cozy retreat that doesn't require you to share the kitchen and living room space with a half dozen other travelers. This year, I went with HomeAway, which only rents out whole properties, meaning no one else will be sleeping on your sofa unless you invite them. This kind of stay gave me access to a full kitchen -- a must when I'm trying to spend my dining dollars wisely. The weather outside is frightful... - Photo by Gina Hall You can also get amenities you don't normally get at a hotel -- fireplace, private hot tub and roomier living quarters. Mine was also dog-friendly for my travel-loving pooch and offered late check out to accommodate my evening flight. Learning from past experiences, I booked my spot a short walk from Main Street in Park City, which saved me a ton of time in transportation and allowed me enjoy more of my stay. I felt more like a local than a tourist. Advertisement ...but a fireplace is so delightful - Photo by Gina Hall Where to eat Handle Executive Chef Briar Handly's small-plate establishment serves up primarily American fare that will warm your soul on a chilly night. Tucked just off Main Street, Handle's open design features dark woods and warm Edison-style light bulbs. Cold weather is perfect for rich foods, so I recommend starting with the decadent duck liver mousse served creatively with sweet potato donuts, huckleberry and pistachios. The dish sells out often enough that regulars call ahead to make sure they get it. Plan accordingly. Handle's duck liver mousse with sweet potato donuts - Photo by Gina Hall Looking to start on the light side? Try the Idaho trout with pepper jelly. If you need to warm up, grab a bowl of the butternut squash soup with farro and black garlic emulsions. The menu also has plenty of craft cocktails to give you a warm fuzzy feeling before you head back into the snow. I recommend the Brooklyn, a take on the Manhattan with Luxardo cherries. High West Distillery & Saloon You may have seen High West whiskey at your local liquor store. They're now in all 50 states. Stop here to have it served up the right way. The whiskey is distilled on site, and as you can see from the photo below, there's a lot of science that goes into your beverage. The chemistry that goes into your liquor - Photo by Gina Hall I ate here for lunch, so I tried the High Noon Punch (that's a lunchtime drink, right?), an exquisite blend of High West's double rye, American Prairie Bourbon, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, absinthe, grenadine, rose and soda water, served in a flute and garnished with a lemon peel. Advertisement The restaurant serves alpine-inspired Western fare with a great deal of German influence. Start with the soft pretzel, the perfect conduit to get creamy beer cheese and spicy mustard into your mouth. The dish is served with house-made pickles worth munching on their own. If you love chicken wings, High West's won't disappoint. The sriracha-glazed chicken provides just enough heat and pairs well with the house-made blue cheese dressing. High West's sriracha-glazed chicken - Photo by Gina Hall Love comfort food? The chicken pot pie stuffed with wild mushrooms, roasted tomato and root veggies is the perfect antidote to the winter cold. The chicken schnitzel is also an excellent choice, served with a tangy lemon-caper sauce and salad. Riverhorse Riverhorse is an excellent dinner spot, but this time I came for brunch and wasn't disappointed. Snag a table on the patio (don't worry it's heated) for spectacular overhead view of Main Street. Start off with a bacon-garnished, Tabasco-dashed Bloody Mary -- a little hair of the dog for all those late night parties. But early morning drinkers beware, due to Utah's liquor laws, no one can serve alcohol until 11:30 a.m. Make your reservations accordingly. The menu is a wealth of delicious selections. I recommend the French toast if you're looking for breakfast. Want lunch? Try the lobster salad -- a deconstructed Cobb salad, featuring bacon and blue cheese, and served with a lobster tail. Advertisement Save room for dessert. If you're crazy for chocolate, the intensely rich dark chocolate duo is a delight. The sweet and tangy huckleberry cheesecake is also worth the extra calories. Don't worry, you'll trudge them off in no time at this elevation! Riverhorse's chocolate duo is a colorful treat - Photo by Gina Hall Wahso This French-and-Asian fusion spot will take you a world away from Park City. Wahso, the name which comes from phonetic spelling of "bird" in French, has Art Deco decor akin to Shanghai in the 1930's, so I was told. There are plenty of see-and-be seen tables, or tuck yourself away in a private booth and draw the curtain. The portions here are generous, so come after a day of screenings or some time on the slopes. Start with the steamed Chinese buns -- I recommend the pork, but you can also get duck confit or kimchi. The Thai beef salad is as much a pleasure to see as it is to eat, featuring thin slices of beef carpaccio, cucumbers and Thai herbs. Don't skip the Tom Kha Gai soup, an aromatic blend of galangal-lemongrass broth and coconut chicken. Wahso's vivid Thai beef salad - Photo by Gina Hall GUEST BLOG Dispatch from Standing Rock: Queer and Trans Asian Americans' (QTAs) Reflections In preparation of our trip, we sought to understand how Asian Americans are historically & politically connected to indigenous histories, which is why solidarity is crucial in this current moment. As immigrants, we reflected on how we can become puppets in a centuries-old project of upholding the "American Dream," and when we do not practice active solidarity with our indigenous siblings, we continue to play into a mythology that not only hurts indigenous struggle, but also mires our own people. The experiences we had at camp signaled to us the need to learn from new organizing structures being modeled by indigenous folks, especially as we move towards greater community reliance for our well-being and safety as we shift into this next administration. Advertisement These are our reflections. Asian America & Indigenous Solidarity: Making Connections & Committing to Struggle As queer and trans Asian Americans (QTAs) people who engage in solidarity work, an intention we had in going to Standing Rock was to develop a deeper understanding of how the struggle for indigenous sovereignty and freedom in the face of extreme violence is connected to our own immigrant and refugee histories. We entered Oceti Sakowin carrying with us our people's ongoing fight against US global imperialism, as well as an acknowledgement that we, too, are settlers on this land. As QTAs, we also recognize that we come from a vast diversity of backgrounds and nations - from war-torn countries that are currently resisting imperialism to countries that are still struggling for their own independence; from countries that have been colonized to those that have a history of having colonized other nations. Our people come from the Philippines, where people are organizing against continued U.S. militarization, imperialism, violence and erasure of Indigenous communities there. We come from Hawai'i and the Pacific Islands, where Indigenous people continue to fight for independence from U.S. rule. We claim histories in India, and the continued resistance to the facist and Islamophobic rule of Narendra Modi. Our people come from Sri Lanka, a country facing increasing economic colonization from China and the West. We have legacies in Korea, where the U.S. military has helped fuel an industry that prioritizes American over local candidates for adoption. While complicit at times, our people have always struggled against imperialism, Westernization, and neo-colonialism. As immigrants, many of us have been pushed out of our own countries -- by the same forces that created the American project -- only to continue the colonization of indigenous communities. We occupy lands stolen through genocide and pillaged by capitalism, call "home" to places which have only been preserved on the blood and bodies of our indigenous and Black siblings. Our presence upholds an "American Dream" whose myth continues to bring settlers to Turtle Island under the guise of freedom. Stories of our success feed this false promise and further justify our siblings' imprisonment on reservations and in inner cities. At the same time, QTAs communities have been subject to great violence both in our home countries and in the United States. Many people in our communities, especially those at the margins, have experienced policing and the rapid normalization of violence against our people under the guise of safety. White supremacy uses our bodies to maintain control of this system. Advertisement These instances of violence against our own people is deeply connected to the ongoing legacies of colonization and imperialism the U.S. government has been engaging in for centuries. The violence and trauma that the United States has created continues to wreak havoc on our people and our homelands, and it is deeply connected to the ways in which we experience oppression in this country. We strongly believe in the importance of moving forward in solidarity with indigenous leadership in this fight. We cannot truly find liberation in the U.S. while our people continue to live under imperialism and colonization abroad. Similarly, we cannot end imperialism abroad while condoning it here, continuing to live complacently on colonized land without being in solidarity with the indigenous struggle here. Our values must transcend borders; truly, until all of us are free, none of us will be free. Witnessing Ongoing Violence & Genocide "Honor the treaties!" This was one of many rallying cries heard at Oceti Sakowin camp in the fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline, which crosses through sacred land ceded to native people, would completely disregard the sovereignty of indigenous people, continuing the never-ending project of colonizing "America." That this pipeline is a perpetuation of violent U.S. legacies of genocide could not have been made more clear than on November 20th on a bridge very close to Oceti Sakowin. Water protectors mobilized near a barricade built by the the Morton County Sheriff's Department. The police shot rubber bullets at Water protectors at point-blank range, sprayed them with water canons in sub-freezing temperatures, and fired tear gas and flash grenades into the crowd indiscriminately.This became a site of violence beyond what many of us had ever experienced within a protest space. Advertisement The message from the police was clear: they were not afraid of killing us, and they never have been. This country was founded through the genocide of indigenous peoples. This violence was simply a continuation of a centuries-long American project, and although many of us had never witnessed the same level of state-sanctioned violence, it came as less of a surprise to many of the Indigenous leadership. Building the World We Want to Live In: Oceti Sakowin as a Model The violent parallels that exist beyond the U.S. border and across the Pacific and the violence that exists within walking distance of Oceti Sakowin becomes significant in understanding how to actively and collectively resist against a genocidal state, especially as we move into a dangerous administration. We drew upon our individual experiences and began to recognize the ways in which Indigenous leadership transformed camp as a community-based alternative that existed and operated beyond the state. The Standing Rock Sioux founded Oceti Sakowin on the seven Lakota values: prayer, respect, compassion, honesty, generosity, humility, wisdom. Allies are asked to be mindful of these values, and to incorporate them into daily life while at camp. The Oceti Sakowin camp website lists out bullet points under each value. Under prayer: "Do not cultivate fear or doubt. It works against our cause." Under respect: "When an elder arrives in the meeting, offer your seat." Under honesty: "Withhold from offering ideas or suggestions that you cannot commit to working on." Under generosity: "If you are with camp on a short term basis, we ask that you give more than you take." When one enters camp, the first stop is a visit to the legal tent where any Water Protector who is arrested has the option to be bailed out by the Legal Collective with money collected through grassroots fundraising. If one is hungry, communal kitchens will feed thousands of other campers needing nourishment, even under extreme weather conditions. To keep people safe, the medical tent takes care not only folks injured by chemical weapons and rubber bullets, but also those needing mental health and treatment for PTSD. Direct action trainings were convened for anyone inclined to participate in direct actions to maximize community accountability and safety. Many of these services have historically been inaccessible to marginalized people, but by ensuring the needs of the most marginalized first and foremost, camp self-governed such that it could provide these resources to everyone. Advertisement As QTAs people, the Two Spirit Nation camp was a home base for many of us - some of us stayed and slept there, others came to gather around the fire every night. The Two Spirit Nation camp was a space where the organizing at Oceti Sakowin, and the fight against the DAPL, was grounded in two spirit, queer, trans and gender non-conforming identities and stories. As a model for how queer and trans people are always at the center of transformative cultural and direct action organizing, this camp also worked to shift the dynamics at camp at large to make the space safer for queer, trans and Two Spirit people. There were also spaces specifically for people of color to convene, including POC-centered planning meetings. Though outnumbered by white folks, spaces and rules were carved out to ensure indigenous and people of color experiences were centered. That said, these intentions by Two Spirit Nation camp felt important as the rest of Oceti Sakowin camp was not a perfect space. Patriarchy, racism, queerphobia, ableism and more were present at camp. We recognize that these carry over from the frameworks of what we know, are used to, and how we bring our baggage. And yet, camp felt like a model of what is possible, at a large system-wide scale as we prepare for an escalation of American dystopia. Oceti Sakowin provided a model of how communities can offer legal aid, sustenance and health, and holistic well-being at a scale that supported thousands of people. All of these resources existed due to a continuous centering of those who experience unique marginalization outside of camp space. It was no longer a choice: it was a necessity to reimagine and develop an infrastructure beyond our flawed system in order to successfully defend, protect, and sustain systems of protection for anyone who came into contact with camp. It is no secret the challenges all of our communities will face as we head into the next administration. But if there was anything we took away from our experiences being at Oceti Sakowin, it's that localized, community-driven work, however imperfect they may be, is one of our strongest weapons against state-sanctioned violence. Moving Forward & Ways to Support Indigenous communities organized a resistance movement of over 450,000 people and The Army Corps of Engineers denying the easement needed for DAPL. Yet the #WaterisLife fight continues. In the months since press coverage has waned, the peaceful, prayerful protest of Water Protectors at Oceti Sakowin has continued to be met with tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber coated steel bullets at point blank range. Further, threats of state bills further diminishing the accountability of police and even a military grade missile launcher stationed at camp are evidence of an increasingly militarized and emboldened police. This week, Trump's Executive Memorandum to expedite the easement directly violates treaty rights and represents just the latest way in which the state has chosen to protect white, elite wealth over indigenous lives, and those of 17 million other Americans. In the face of racist captains of industry, we must stand-up and resist. If you have been moved by anything in this piece, please consider taking the following actions: 1.Sign the re-opened Standing Rock Youth petition and share on social media. 2.Show your support for the Environmental Impact Statement: 3.Donate to the Water Protectors at Oceti Sakowin camp Dont fear the end of Daylight Saving Time and turning back the clocks on Sunday, Nov. 6. There are a few things you can do to help your baby or toddler with this sleep transition. Like millions of women - and men - I joined the Women's March on January 21st. It's now on record as the biggest demonstration in US history, and the estimates are that in Denver alone, where I was, we had 200,000 people gathered in Civic Center Park. The energy was incredible, the signs were funny and snarky, and the passion and diversity of the crowd was on a scale I have not before, and I attended national marches many years before. It was also a friendly, positive and polite audience, finding solidarity in our numbers. There were whole generations of Coloradans marching, from toddlers in strollers to families, to older women with posters reading, "Now you've pissed off Granny." Our campus organizer marched with her mom. Our political director brought her 9 year old niece. I brought my 8 year old daughter. We were there, together, because we know how much is at stake under this administration. We were heartened to see the Editorial Board for our hometown paper, The Denver Post, endorsing both the march and the fight for reproductive rights it represented. The Post said this: Advertisement "The Women's March in Washington, D.C., and the one in Denver are about more than this single issue, but one force driving women to the streets in protest is the simple idea that women's health care should be covered by insurance, readily available, and not subject to the whims of politics." We couldn't agree more. So after the March, now what? Most of us feel sad, stressed or slightly panicked by the pace of actions and crisis generated with each tweet or order. I am resolving to get up each day and not let the bad news get the best of me. I am stronger than this, and so are you. Do your best but take care of yourself. Rest, de-stress and don't panic. We are all in this together. That said, there are many, many things you can do. Your voice is needed to sustain the energy and the drive we saw in that sea of pink. A small action each day or as often as you can squeeze in will make a big difference. You need to call your Senators, Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, and ask them to oppose anti-choice Trump Administration nominees Jeff Sessions for Attorney General and Tom Price for Health and Human Services Secretary. The most dangerous nominee now before us is Justice Neil Gorsuch . His appointment could impact women's health care and threaten Roe v. Wade long after this administration. Ilyse Hogue, NARAL's national president, illuminates why this appointment is a long-term threat to Roe v Wade and reproductive health care. Advertisement Take action against these appointments by calling your senators. Sen. Gardner's Washington DC office, state offices and phone numbers are listed HERE. Senator Bennet's offices are listed HERE. (Senator Bennet announced on Monday he will oppose Sessions as AG.) You need to go to our website "The Price is Wrong" and tell us your story about abortion and the cost of contraception so we can send it to Colorado's Members of Congress. You can join us at the Colorado State Capitol for Women and Families Wednesdays to meet with state legislators about the issues important to you. We'll be there at 9 am every Wednesday through the end of the legislative session in early May. You can also help us by testifying at the state capitol, not only against the onslaught of bad bills we are already seeing this session, but on what is the most pro-active legislative agenda we have run in recent memory. Including family leave, access to contraception, access to abortion, the unjust taxes women pay for being women (commonly referred to as "the Pink Tax) and equal rights for pregnant women. You can sign up for our email list to stay informed and take action on the fight to maintain our reproductive rights here in Colorado even as they are under assault in Washington, DC. Advertisement You can volunteer with NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado to help us get the word out at events around the state - we even have organizers in Western Colorado and the Arkansas Valley. You can invite your friends to like our social media channels and to share our posts. You can even start by sharing this one! Or one of the many graphics involving the different actions you can take that will be running all week on our social media channels: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And of course you can join NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado as a dues paying member and become a part of a 50 year old grassroots organization that advocates for reproductive rights in our state. Yes, I said 50 - NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado began in 1967 as Colorado became the first state to allow safe, legal abortion. What we saw that day in Denver and across the country was people rising up to resist and to say, There's more of than there are of them, and we will fight for what matters. By Edward Vargas, Senior Analyst, Latino Decisions Like all voters in the electorate, Latino are paying attention to a wide variety of issues, especially the environment. The appointment of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency has caused a large divide among Senators. In fact, all ten Democrats on the Senate committee tasked with considering President Donald Trump's pick to lead the EPA boycotted the meeting to vote on Pruitt. Of great concern for Latinos is Pruitt's history of litigation that negatively impact Latinos such as a 2016 lawsuit against President Obama on power plant emissions. A recent poll of Latino voters, suggests that these actions are at odds with Latinos who strongly feel (83 percent) the U.S. should require power plants to reduce carbon emissions. Moreover, given that Latino children are disproportionally impacted by asthma, Latinos oppose Pruitt or any politico who denies the scientific evidence of climate change and the urgency to act on climate change. In contrast, Latinos deny the claim that passing environmental laws will hurt the economy. To the contrary, polling data finds that over 60 percent of Latinos believe passing stricter environmental laws would improve growth and create economic prosperity through job creation. Furthermore, the most recent Latino polling finds that 70 percent of Latinos say it is extremely important that the next President and Congress to take an aggressive stance on global warming or climate change. When stratifying the sample by key states, we find that from Arizona to Florida to Colorado and Nevada - more than 70 percent of Latino voters believe it is important for the new administration to take steps to pass legislation to aggressively combat global warming or climate change. We also find that over 80 percent of first time voters believe it is very important to that the new administration tackle global warming and climate change. The trend is consistent for millennials and viejitos, for men and women, and for immigrants and U.S. born Latinos. By wide margins, Latinos want to see more aggressive policies to combat climate change and reject the policy record of Mr. Pruitt. Advertisement When examining views towards clean energy, we find that over 72 percent of Latinos think it is extremely and very important for the new administration to take steps to develop and set requirements for increased use of clean energy sources like wind and solar power. The key demographics that were more likely to say extremely important include millennials and first and second generation Latinos, that are all growing as a share of the electorate. We also find strong support for clean energy across party lines, where we find 44 percent of Latino Republicans think it is very important and an additional 31 percent of Republicans who say it was somewhat important for the new administration to take steps to increase clean energy like wind and solar power. This is compared to 83 percent of Latino Democrats saying very important and 15 more percent saying somewhat important. Given the current divide on Pruitt's appointment and his unwillingness to be transparent on his long record of suing the EPA, it is no surprise that Latinos foresaw this pick as controversial and against the best interests of the environment and the Latino community. Edward Vargas, Ph.D. is Senior Analyst at Latino Decisions. He received his Ph.D in Public Affairs from Indiana University. His research explores health and environmental disparities, social policy, quantitative research on race and ethnicity, and immigration. He currently holds a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Center for Women's Health and Health Disparities Research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. It's beginning to look a lot like Valentine's Day. Retail displays overflow with heart-shaped sweets, whimsical greeting cards and other love-laden products designed to pull at our heartstrings. Love -- or at least the illusion of it -- is abundantly in the air. The most commercially amorous day of the year is fast approaching and you can expect roughly 6 million couples to get engaged on Feb. 14, according to American Express. Sounds great, doesn't it? Or does it? "It's the high school reunion you have every year,'' Boston radio host Lauren Beckham Falcone once told The Boston Globe. "You're constantly faced with what you don't have.'' Advertisement The timing of Valentine's Day isn't so great either. "It comes right after the holidays, when everyone's always asking, 'So, are you seeing anyone?' It's the pile-on effect," Falcone added. And for those feeling like Falcone, here' s a fun fact on love. Many of those 6 million canoodling couples mentioned above (around 40-50 percent according to the American Psychological Association) will see their marriages end in divorce. You might be feeling better already. So, this Valentine's Day here at insuranceQuotes we've decided to focus on coupling and uncoupling this February, and all the insurance pitfalls that come with navigating either. Consider us your equal opportunity insurance informer on marriage and divorce for Valentine's Day. CHECK OUT: How to Best Insure a Gift of Jewelry Determining how insurance will impact your marriage -- or divorce -- always should be high on your personal finance checklist. Advertisement Adding a spouse to your policy or watching your auto premiums go down as a married couple can be a fun topic of conversation. Sharing your life (and expenses) also can be a great boon to your pocketbook. Talking about life insurance beneficiaries, however, may seem a little less romantic. And when it comes to divorce, all topics (and that definitely includes insurance) usually start on a sour note. "When discussing the financial aspects of a divorce or a breakup, insurance considerations should be a key component in ongoing and final decisions," says Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and chief communications officer for the Insurance Information Institute. "If you are separated and your spouse or partner is paying the insurance bills, make sure to provide your contact information to the insurance company as well," Salvatore adds. "This way you can be notified if your spouse is in arrears. You don't want to find out after an accident that your coverage was cancelled for lack of payment." Health insurance Because many employer-based plans include an option to add a spouse, once you are married, you should review your respective plans to see what services are covered. Doing a cost assessment of premiums and copay/coinsurance associated with each plan is also important. Don't forget to review family coverage options if children are in the existing picture or on the horizon. Advertisement Usually you can add a spouse to an employer policy at any time during the year because it's considered a "qualifying life event." That means you don't have to wait for the company's open enrollment period. On the other side of the equations, once a divorce is final you will immediately be dropped from your former spouse's plan. The good news is that you have a few options. If you wish to continue being covered on your former spouse's plan, you can pay it yourself through COBRA, a law that permits family members who lose group health insurance because of divorce or other life changes to buy the coverage for up to 36 months. If your employer offers coverage, opting-in will most likely be a more affordable than paying for COBRA. You can purchase a plan directly from a health insurance exchange, though keep in mind that Obamacare may be repealed under the Trump administration. Or, you can always purchase health insurance from a private company, but it's smart to shop around first. Life insurance Life insurance provides financial support in the event a partner dies. Life insurance generally falls under two main categories: term life insurance and whole life insurance. Payouts can cover ongoing, standard expenses such as rent, mortgages and car payments, as well as unexpected expenses such as debts and funeral costs. Once you're married, you will want to review your financial obligations to determine which type of policy is best for you and your spouse. Because beneficiaries are named by the policyholder (the person who pays for the policy), it's wise to confirm that you -- and not someone else -- is the one listed on the policy. Advertisement Already have a life policy? Now may be the time to review your beneficiaries. "After you're married, you probably want to make your new spouse your beneficiary in place of your parents or an ex," says Matt Rogers, an Allstate agency owner in Georgia. If newly divorced, you as a policyholder can decide whether or not to change the beneficiary under your policy. If you do not have children and you have a permanent policy, you may opt to cash in your life insurance policy. However, if you do have children and you are the primary caretaker, keeping your ex-spouse as the primary beneficiary on your policy may be wise to protect child support or alimony income. If your spouse is no longer in the picture, designating a trusted family member or friend as the primary beneficiary in the event of your death will help protect your children. Renter's and homeowner's insurance Renter's insurance, like homeowner's insurance, ensures the value of your household possessions against unexpected damages and injuries, and provides liability coverage. While the two are similar, there are differences; for instance, homeowner's insurance covers the structure itself while renter's insurance does not. And that engagement ring? It's usually added on as a rider on either your homeowner's or renter's policy. Advertisement "Before you give the ring to your fiancee, it should be covered on your policy," Rogers says. "However, once your loved one accepts the ring, it is legally hers and she should protect it with a rider on her insurance policy." If you're just moving in with your spouse, combining your coverage by adding your spouse onto your existing policy (or vice versa) is usually the most affordable solution. Keep in mind that you will need to extend the coverage to add your spouse's possessions to what is already being covered. Most homeowner's policies contain language that automatically includes a spouse. However, it is wise to double check just in case. "Depending on what you own, you may want to bump up your personal property coverage -- the portion of the policy that covers your 'stuff,' or personal belongings -- to help make sure your now-combined belongings are insured," Roger suggests. If you are moving out and moving on you will want to take out a new renter's or homeowner's insurance policy. If you own the home you are vacating, the homeowner's policy will continue to be in your name. However, if you are the one staying, you should check your current policy to make you're your existing coverage is appropriate for your new situation. Advertisement Also be sure to double check the laws in your state before buying a home once you're separated but before you are officially divorced. Community property laws vary and you may be surprised to learn your ex may be entitled to a portion of your new digs. Auto insurance Combining auto insurance policies after you are married generally saves you money through a multi-vehicle discount. But there are instances in which keeping separate policies may be less expensive. Factors that go into play include yours and your spouse's driving records, what types of cars you two drive and how many miles driven per year. Couples should review their driving histories together before making any changes to their auto policies. After a divorce, you should keep your insurance company abreast of changes, such as a change in address or if you transfer ownership of a vehicle. If you share a policy under your name, it is best to remove your ex-spouse. This will protect you from liability if he or she gets into an accident or gets sued. Expect your auto rates to increase if you are no longer insuring multiple vehicles. For those exiting a bad relationship, however, that's probably a small price to pay. Advertisement This article was originally published on insuranceQuotes.com. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 30: People protest against the US travel and immigration ban from seven Muslim-majority countries and demand President Donald Trump's planned state visit to the UK to be cancelled outside Downing Street in London, England on January 30, 2017. (Photo by Tolga Akmen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) For all of our brilliance and strength as a nation, America has historically and consistently neglected to create long-term strategic plans for our international engagement. We have not considered the unintended consequences of our actions. The former gets us into situations that are not well thought out; the latter creates chaos, conflict and serious consequences that reverberate far beyond the initial action. And there are always unintended consequences. For nearly 30 years, I safeguarded our nation's security as an FBI agent. I worked in the U.S. and overseas in more than 30 nations. I lived for more than five years in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where I led and established FBI offices. I led the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force. I worked closely with all members of the U.S. Intelligence Community, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Judiciary, and many international partners and organizations. I served five U.S. Presidents and was proud to work for each - regardless of whether I agreed with or voted for them. I love my country. Deeply. Advertisement That is why I am speaking up on its behalf. At times, our government has reacted in a reflexive manner to a real or perceived threat or problem. That is not to say these actions were without merit. But the ripple effects have profound impact. It results in a great deal of frustration and inefficiency among our career civil servants and members of our military on the ground -- particularly overseas -- who could easily foresee these outcomes. In too many cases their input was disregarded, and at times they were not even consulted. A leader must have the maximum amount of information available to make a decision. It is crucial to seek that information from those we agree with and those with whom we disagree. It's imperative that we "know what we don't know." Intellectual humility, in concert with the insight of experienced day-to-day implementers of policy, will help in considering all consequences -- intended and unintended. It's also just smart. No one knows better about what happens on the ground than those on the ground. Their wisdom is important because exigent circumstances arise which demand that leaders act quickly to make accurate decisions. I've been there. Among them: 9/11; the terrorist attacks in Casablanca, Morocco in May 2003; and, while assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France, direct threats to airline carriers traveling between Paris and the U.S. over the Holiday season of 2003-04. The latter marked the nascent stages of the No-Fly list and the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC). The protocol was not yet fully established and we created it on the fly. It was not without some conflict, but it worked and we kept the nation safe. Advertisement What did matter is that we collaborated in a transparent environment. We kept our nation's leaders fully informed so that they could make the best decisions possible. President Trump's Executive Order (E.O.) putting a temporary stop on all entering the U.S. from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen did not need to be executed immediately. ISIS is a very real threat, but there was no apparent intelligence to suggest that people from these nations had to be "banned" on January 27th. A few weeks' pause to seek input from all relevant players in the U.S. government at the Departments of State, Defense, Justice and Homeland Security, both in the U.S. and abroad would have been a wise course of action. I respect that President Trump didn't want to broadcast his decision to the world in advance.But it would make no difference if this E.O. was signed January 27th or February 27th. Additional time would ensure that the experts provided all relevant information and wisdom to the Commander in Chief. Their input maximizes the chances for success. Publicly available information tells us that didn't happen. White House senior advisor Stephen Miller's reported belief that he didn't need to consult other agencies is also deeply troubling. It's worth remembering now that the 9/11 Commission Report stated that there were missed opportunities to thwart the 9/11 plot because "...information was not shared..." and "analysis was not pooled". Consider these examples of past actions with unintended consequences: When the United States made the decision to invade Iraq and topple Sadaam Hussein, one of the decisions made was to get rid of all the Ba'athists and remove virtually everyone in the military and in law enforcement as well as other government entities. The result: No one with any real experience in governing was left to govern as we, with the Iraqi people, attempted to rebuild Iraq. And those officials who were tossed out? Many of them formed the base of what became ISIS. The U.S. chose to create a governing council based on sectarian and ethnic identity, something, according to Iraqis, was not a major point of relevance in its past, yet "...making it part of the political identity was the first destructive force." The outcome should not have been a surprise. Advertisement In Africa, specifically in North Africa and the Sahel, those of us working in the region began to see evidence of growing Islamic extremism in several places. In one instance a Minister of Culture who was a member of a minority tribe asked to meet. He said that "foreigners", "Arabs" were arriving in the north of the nation. This turned out to be part of the regional expansion of what became Al Qa'eda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). The area was ripe for their development and expansion for many reasons. And when this was reported back to DC by multiple agencies, one response was, "You don't get it. The problem is in the Middle East, not Africa." That was in 2003. Since then, hundreds of citizens, dozens of Westerners, and U.N personnel in this region have been held hostage, injured, and lost their lives to terrorism. ISIS established a presence in Libya, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria. The most recent action? A terrorist attack on January 18th of this year in Gao, Mali, where I worked periodically. It's clear that the President intends to do all he can to keep our nation safe. That's exactly what we all want. And I do not suggest that something dire will happen as a result of this E.O. But issuing executive orders, memoranda, and legislation will always have consequences that are unintended. No decision will please everyone, but this particular Executive Order provokes just too many unintended consequences. Clear and coherent guidance to the dedicated employees of Customs and Border Protection would have eliminated much of the weekend's confusion . It created unnecessary angst for green card holders who are, in the eyes of many aspects of our laws and policies, treated as U.S. citizens. Both were unintended and completely avoidable. Here are more serious unintended consequences: First and foremost, it has created an immediate increased threat to the lives of U.S. personnel overseas: government employees, private individuals, the business sector, international organizations, and not just in combat theaters. I know first-hand that the threat level jumped for all of us while assigned overseas based on some U.S. actions. It was well known fact that there were, and are, "bounties" on the heads of U.S. government employees, civilian and military. Advertisement The ISIS foothold in Libya, Iraq, and Syria and efforts to gain a foothold in Somalia are real. The U.S. has been assisting the fragile governments in three of these nations. This E.O. undermines our own work to bring about good governance, including through the U.S. Department of State's Partnership for Regional East Africa Counterterrorism (PREACT) and other programs. There is a very real impact on U.S. policy and activities in each of these nations. Was consideration given to the impact on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private sector businesses and the safety of their employees in these nations? Alienation and fear within our own population. Although it's been derided by some in the Administration and Congress, it's real. Statements regarding "extreme vetting" suggest there has been insufficient vetting up to this time. Can it be better? Always. But everyone should know there is an existing and comprehensive protocol for vetting. Alienation of our partners and the population of the very nations we need to combat ISIS. There are many citizens of Iraq who have risked their lives to help the U.S. and their ability to enter the U.S. is now jeopardized. Jordan's King Abdullah II, one of our staunchest allies, is in Washington, DC, for meetings with, among others, members of the Armed Services Committee, and according to Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA, Iraq veteran), on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, the tension in the room was palpable. And, with this E.O. we gave great ammunition to ISIS and contravened our own efforts to counter the ISIS message. On a humanitarian level, the refugees and others who seek to enter our country have paid fees to the U.S. Government to come into our country legally. The U.S. took their money. Who is going to reimburse them now that we've voided their legal entry? And how quickly will they pay them back? If they had any belongings -- and in the Kenyan refugee camp Dadaab, for Somalis, that's very meager -- they've sold them for passage to the U.S. and housing in the U.S. There are an estimated 26,000 Somalis who have been waiting 7 to 10 years to enter the U.S. as refugees; 13,000 have been interviewed and approved for entry by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services; 286 had already left the camps for departure to the U.S. and have now been told they cannot travel because of the ban. Their money is gone as is their temporary housing in the camps. Waiting to receive essential items including food, jerry cans, blankets, soap and plastic sheeting at Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp. Credit: Jo Harrison, Oxfam Some people will dispute or say they don't care about these consequences. That's unfortunate because they are all serious consequences -- whether intended or not. They impact our security and our standing in the world; they are a mirror on the democratic values we hold so dear. Eryon Luke, a certified nursing assistant from Louisiana, was fired from her job in 2012 after becoming pregnant with twins. Today, her legal case may determine how other pregnant and breastfeeding women are treated in the workplace. When she became pregnant, Eryon wanted to continue working and, like most people, needed her job. Her doctor told the rehab facility where she worked that Eryon could continue doing her job, so long as she didn't lift more than 30 pounds. But Eryon's employer refused to provide minor accommodations that would allow her to work without engaging in heavy lifting. Her employer refused to even discuss it. Eryon believes it wouldn't have been hard for the rehab facility to either provide assistance with lifting or transfer her temporarily to another position - she would have been happy with either. Eryon's direct supervisor agreed an accommodation was possible and initially allowed her to continue doing her regular job without any unassisted heavy lifting. But two days later, the human resources supervisor intervened and sent Eryon home. With two babies on the way, Eryon tried to persuade her employer to allow her to continue working with a modest accommodation, but they refused and ultimately terminated her twenty-eight days before her babies were born. Advertisement Eryon, pushed out of the workplace over a simple accommodation, found a lawyer to represent her. It looked like she had a strong case under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, a nationwide law that requires employers to treat women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions (like breastfeeding) as well as they treat other employees who have a similar ability to work. Although Eryon's employer denied her accommodation request, it had both a policy and practice of providing accommodations to other employees, including assistance with lifting. In fact, the employee handbook instructed all nurses to seek assistance when lifting heavy loads. Eryon's legal case was strengthened in late 2015 when the United States Supreme Court confirmed that employers ordinarily must accommodate pregnant women when they accommodate other categories of employees. Despite the strong wind at her back, the judge overseeing Eryon's case threw it out of court without giving her an opportunity to convince a jury that her former employer engaged in unlawful pregnancy discrimination. But although he ruled that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act did not require Eryon's employer to accommodate her, the judge also shared his opinion that "No pregnant woman should, in 2016, be fired for being unable to lift more than 30 pounds." Eryon won the judge's sympathies, but apparently he believed his hands were tied under the law. Eryon's lawyers disagreed and appealed the judge's decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Eryon is not alone in her fight. Last week, a group of 26 legal organizations from Louisiana and around the country - led by the ACLU's Women's Rights Project, A Better Balance, and the Center for WorkLife Law - filed a legal brief in support of Eryon's appeal. These organizations assert that the judge misunderstood the legal standard, denying Eryon's claim outright, when he should have allowed her to present her case to a jury. The legal brief also stresses the importance of an employer's legal obligation to have a two-way conversation with pregnant employees who request accommodations to find a solution that works for everyone. Unpaid leave and termination are not "solutions." Advertisement This case is important to Eryon Luke, but it is also important to millions of other women who may someday need accommodations at work for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Because there are currently only a couple rulings from appellate courts on the legal issues presented by Eryon's case, the outcome of her lawsuit will be used to determine the fate of cases brought by other women in the future. And employers will look to the Fifth Circuit's ruling as a guide for how they are required to treat their own pregnant and breastfeeding employees. The Fifth Circuit will not rule on the case for months, but its ruling should be guided by the underlying purpose of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act - to ensure that employers don't force pregnant women off the job, so that pregnant women and new mothers have the ability to participate equally in the workforce. The lower-court judge was absolutely right that no pregnant woman should be denied the opportunity to work because she cannot lift more than 30 pounds. The Fifth Circuit should find that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act makes such denials illegal in cases like Eryon's. Ludwig von Beethoven wrote exactly five piano concertos. Tchaikovsky, three. Brahms, two. Grieg, one. Okay, Mozart, the outlier, wrote 23, but if you're going to dedicate your life to touring as a classical pianist, part of your job is to keep these pieces fresh for yourself and for audiences. I asked Richard Goode, one of the world's greatest Beethoven interpreters, headed to Boston to perform a Beethoven concerto on February 12 with the Budapest Festival Orchestra as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston, how he does it. Michael: What's the secret of keeping Beethoven as exciting today as when you first performed his work? Advertisement Richard: Since 2005, I haven't played many performances of these pieces, so it wasn't difficult to see them freshly this time around--something like meeting old friends after a long interval. I remember a comment by the pianist Mieczyslaw Horszowski, who said that progressing as a musician meant learning to read a score better. Returning to the 4th Concerto, I've been struck by the leisure and breadth of Beethoven's conception of the first movement--it is marked 'Allegro Moderato', and a moderate allegro is rather rare with Beethoven. There is so much detail, and much of the piano writing is delicate filigree. The seamlessness of the transitions in the first movement remind me of Mozart. It is something that I don't think Beethoven achieved in the first movements of his earlier concerti. This makes the dramatic climax in the development where the music goes to the most distant key--C sharp minor--that much more powerful. I think that in this piece, Beethoven is very much in dialogue with Mozart--specifically with Mozart's C major Concerto K. 503. Michael: The most popular Beethoven concertos are the 3rd and the 5th, the Emperor Concerto. What brings you back time and again to the 2nd and 4th? Advertisement Richard: There are beautiful dialogues between piano and orchestra in both Beethoven 2 and 4. In the second movement of the 4th, it is very possible that Beethoven (as the legend goes) really did have in mind Orpheus pleading with the guardians of Hades. But there is also the very touching coda in the Adagio of the 2nd, where the piano's eloquent voice is answered by the hushed replies of the orchestra. Michael: How were these pieces received when Beethoven first performed them? Richard: One thing that might enlarge people's understanding of Beethoven is to realize how bizarre his music sounded to many of his contemporaries. Of course he was revered as a master, but the sheer weirdness and wildness of his imaginative flights were a constant source of amazement. He was compared to the poet Jean Paul Richter, the master of far-fetched metaphor, beloved of Schumann. Michael: The common perception of Beethoven is that his music is great but depressing. Do you buy that? Richard: Karl Ulrich Schnabel, the son of the great pianist Artur Schnabel, liked to say, somewhat mischievously, that Beethoven's music was '85% cheerful'. He felt that the pathos and tragic struggle too much dominated the public perception, with the enormous humor and classical balance getting short shrift. So symphonies 3, 5, and 9 fit the heroic and tragic image. Stravinsky said that he much preferred the even numbered ones. For Boulez, the Grosse Fugue was the summit. Michael: Where are the Beethovens and Mozarts of today? It seems as though no one is capable of composing what we would call classical music or universally accepted music. Advertisement The U.S. finds itself at the right place, at the right time, but it has chosen the wrong individuals as partners. Partnership with Afghanistan is vital to the U.S., and it's endorsed by the Afghans through a lengthy and democratic process. Emerging threats of ISIL, Russia's aggressive strategy, China's vision of dominance for the region, and Pakistan as a fragile nuclear state require a significant U.S. and NATO presence in the region. President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania greet service members at the Salute to Our Armed Services Ball at the National Building Museum, Washington, D.C., Jan. 20, 2017. Since 2001 the U.S. taxpayers have paid around $113.1 billion for the security and reconstruction programs in Afghanistan, and at least 2247 U.S. military personnel died and more than 20,000 wounded in the "war on terror". Afghans paid the highest price with tens of thousands of deaths and injuries. Advertisement Yes, Afghanistan is still a leading producer of opium and heroin in the world. It produces at least 75% of the world's opium. It is still among the most corrupt, insecure and unstable countries. But this is not what Afghans want. It is imposed by some corrupt politicians, warlords, transnational criminal groups, and terrorists. The Afghan people benefit the least, and they get the most blame. Remaining among the poorest countries of the world proves that neither the international aid nor the illicit money stays in Afghanistan. Of course, during the last five years in particular, since the establishment of the National Unity Government, Afghanistan remains stuck in a rigorous economic, political and security crisis and is more fragile than ever. Some of the problems were inherited from the previous administrations, and some new issues made those even worse. But this does mean we should give up. Let's look at the last 15 years. Despite all these challenges, overall Afghanistan is better off than it ever has been before. Infant mortality rate was 48.83 in 2001, and it decreased to 34.22 in 2014. Life expectancy at birth increased from 55.41 years to 60.37 years in 2014. Around 9 million people, nearly one-third of the population is going to schools, and women's rights are recovering. GDP increased from 2.46 billion USD in 2001 to 19.33 USD in 2015. Afghanistan is a member of the World Trade Organization, and once again the country has its international recognition and representation. Advertisement These gains came at a high price and the great sacrifice of Afghans and their U.S. partners. Building on the existing gains and securing the achievements of the last 15 years, would be wise and prudent. Service members from several units at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, pay their respects during a fallen comrade ceremony held in honor of six Airmen Dec. 23, 2015. The six Airmen lost their lives in an improvised explosive attack near Bagram Dec. 21, 2015. President Donald Trump has won the election because he became the voice of many unheard and frustrated Americans. He can also imagine the level of frustration Afghans feel because of a rigged system and their corrupt politicians. They are fed up with the establishment as well. They are also tired of four decades of war resulting in millions of casualties. President Obama has tried his best to end the war in Afghanistan, but there is a big difference between ending a war and withdrawing from a war. Acting with noble intentions, Obama thought that quick withdrawal of the U.S. forces and setting an exit timetable would help the peace process. The results were quite the opposite. President Trump has opposed the U.S. premature withdrawal from Iraq. I commend his position and second his approach. This mistake should not repeat in Afghanistan. A premature exit strategy and rushed timeline never help to end a war - on the contrary, it can assist the Taliban's narrative of "you may have the watches, but we have the time." Advertisement The reckless military strategy for Afghanistan has made the situation worse. At the peak of the Afghanistan mission, in 2010, the U.S. had around 100,000 troops and President Obama scheduled 99% reduction of the troops after 2015. In several announcements, the numbers dramatically increased and decreased. Per initial plan, there should be only 5,400 U.S. forces in 2017 in Afghanistan, but now there are around 9,800 of them. Some may favor this strategy and call this a flexible approach, but there is no such thing as a flexible war. The war on terror can't be flexible and reckless. This rapid change in U.S. policy during the last seven years has created an uncertain situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a strategic partner and a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) of the U.S. It's expected that the U.S. should have a steady and long-term strategy for Afghanistan. History teaches us that any early decision and disengagement will not make Afghanistan safer place, but rather a safe-haven for terrorists and insurgents. In the late 1980s, the former Soviet Union abandoned the Afghan government. Thus, the regime fell at the hands of the Afghan Mujahedin. In the 1990s the U.S. abandoned the Mujahedin, which was then overthrown by international terrorism and the Taliban. These events ultimately resulted in the 9/11 tragedy in 2001. Afghanistan is rich in natural resources, gas, minerals, and oil. Some initial estimates show that it hosts a value of minerals worth more than a trillion US dollars. Furthermore, the country has significant geostrategic and geopolitical importance. The 4,000 miles long trade route - the Silk Road - passes through Afghanistan, as does the Khyber Pass, which has long been one of the most important strategic military locations in the world. Through Afghanistan, the U.S. has great access to the entire region and helping Afghanistan to extract and sell these minerals will assist the country to be self-sustained and it can make Afghanistan a great business partner. Peace is the only and the best alternative to war. President Trump, as a strong negotiator have an excellent reputation of making deals. So, to put an end to Afghanistan's crises, he should engage in direct peace talks with the Taliban. It cannot be only an Afghan-led process anymore, and so far, all the Afghan-led efforts towards peace with the Taliban have failed. If the insurgents are not included as a part of the solution, it is my firm belief that they will remain a part of the problems only. Advertisement Afghans have been victims of four decades of tragedy and war and they will do anything for peace at this point. Long-term political, military and economic support to Afghanistan, along with the open-door policy for negotiations, are the best way to move forward. If the U.S. abandons Afghanistan, it will turn into a second Iraq and the investment of the last decade will vanish into thin air. Messages of love and unity gathered from all over the world have been delivered on posters by Avaaz to citizens of Baghdad, Kabul and Mogadishu after the cities were hit by deadly terror attacks in the past month. In his telephone discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian King Salman last weekend, President Trump reportedly raised a plan for the creation of safe zones to protect vulnerable Syrian populations. Both Russia and Saudi Arabia have said that they could support Trump's plan, but what these safe zones will be in practice remains a mystery. The idea of safe zones to protect the civilian population in Syria has long been under discussion and has been called for at different times by U.S. political leaders from both parties. The geopolitics are different under the Trump administration. President Trump has made clear his intention to have a good relationship with Russia and has asserted that they have common interests in fighting against terrorism. Meeting in Astana, on January 24, Russia, Iran and Turkey announced an agreement to establish a cessation of hostilities agreement in Syria. Previous agreements fell apart in the absence of effective agreed-upon monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Russia was negotiating while actively engaging in war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the indiscriminate bombardment of densely populated civilian areas, like eastern Aleppo, and the targeting of hospitals and even humanitarian aid convoys. These brutal tactics strengthened extremist elements of the opposition at the expense of the more moderate groups the United States has tried to support. Advertisement If Russia is now genuinely interested in pursuing its objectives in Syria in ways other than the use of illegal military force, then the United States should certainly explore cooperation that could lead to more robust protection of the civilian population and an eventual end to the devastating conflict. However, the United States should be cautious that cooperation with Russia in Syria does not create more problems than it resolves and prove counterproductive to U.S. interests and the Trump administration's stated policy priorities. The Assad government and its allies' tactics have alienated large portions of the Syrian population, especially in the majority Sunni Muslim community. A continuation of Assad's repressive, increasingly sectarian regime will drive more Syrians into support for the violent extremist terrorist groups. The suffering of the Sunni Muslim population under Assad has been a recruiting aid for ISIS worldwide. Too close an alignment with Russia in Syria risks the United States being seen as an active protector of the Assad regime, rather than just the passive enabler it was seen as under the Obama administration. This will only fuel further resentment of the United States in the Sunni Muslim world. President Trump has said that he has "tremendous feeling for the people involved in the horrific humanitarian crisis in Syria." He has a funny way of showing it. Banning all Syrians from entry to the United States for an indefinite period only exacerbates the suffering of the millions of Syrians displaced from their homes, and compounds the problems faced by countries bordering Syria--including several key U.S. allies--which are coping with the influx of people fleeing the conflict. If Russia and the United States can agree on the creation of safe zones, then it is conceivable that monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to protect them could be created through the UN Security Council, overcoming one of the stumbling blocks to U.S. action, but that still leaves many unanswered questions. Advertisement * Will the United States deploy its own forces to help monitor safe zones and deter those who might violate it? * If it does so, will the administration seek and obtain authorization from Congress for this use of force that would place U.S. forces closer to harm than they have been to date in the Syria conflict? * If the United States does not deploy its own forces, or NATO forces, how can it prevent Russia and Iran, the most powerful forces on the ground in Syria, from infiltrating these zones, making them unsafe in the eyes of many Syrian civilians they are ostensibly designed to protect? An even more complex set of issues arises in the north of Syria along the Turkish border where U.S. special forces are assisting opposition efforts to capture the ISIS capital, Raqqa--a vital step in the fight against ISIS. The United States' principal allies in the fight are the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), dominated by Kurdish People's Protection Units. NATO ally Turkey is deeply suspicious of US support for Kurdish forces in Syria, which it says are too close to the PKK, an armed Kurdish opposition group in Turkey listed as a terrorist organization by the United States. It will take skillful diplomacy to maintain Turkish acquiescence to Syrian Kurdish forces playing their indispensable role in the battle for Raqqa. The territory liberated from ISIS on the Turkish border could eventually become a safe zone for Syrian civilians, easing the burden on Turkey, which hosts around 2.7 million Syrian refugees. For this to happen, the United States will have to mediate Turkish-Kurdish tensions and ensure that the SDF force that liberates and then governs Raqqa has a sufficiently Arab makeup to satisfy the predominantly Arab population of Raqqa. A further concern is the attitude of the Syrian government to the proposed safe zones. The Syrian government has stated that any safe zones would need approval from the Assad regime, or would be viewed as violations of Syrian sovereignty and subject to attack. The question arises: what will the United States do to deter the Assad regime from attacking civilians in safe zones, and will Russia cooperate in reining in its ally? Underlying the new administration's efforts to ease the Syria crisis is the reality that the Assad regime and its Russian allies are implicated in serious war crimes and crimes against humanity. Not only has the Assad regime repeatedly starved and indiscriminately bombed civilians, it has also detained tens of thousands and subjected prisoners to torture and brutal treatment. The United States cannot just do a deal with Russia and the Assad regime and overlook the crimes of the past. This will not be acceptable to the Syrian opposition, nor to many key American allies in the Middle East. It will not bring peace in Syria or the broader region. Advertisement Stabilizing Syria ultimately depends on a diplomatic negotiation involving all parties to the Syria conflict and leading to a political transition resulting in the removal, or at least the substantial diminution of power, of the Assad ruling clique. It is far from clear that Russia would be prepared to make this concession, having already invested in shoring up Assad's rule, and given its conviction, which it shares with authoritarian rulers in Cairo and Riyadh, that popular uprisings must never be allowed to overthrow repressive authoritarian rule. President Trump may believe that he can achieve stability, and make progress in the fight against ISIS by establishing a modus-vivendi with Assad, fitting his regime into a regional system of authoritarian rulers in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. This is a frightening prospect. Authoritarian rulers in the Middle East have failed to bring stability or decent governance to their people for decades and the region has become a source of instability and violent extremism that have plagued successive U.S. administrations since Carter. Following Donald Trump's executive order banning immigration from 7 predominately Muslim countries and issuing a moratorium on most refugees, except for Syrian refugees who are banned indefinitely, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said, "There are terrorists in other countries who want to kill us and have leveraged a weak vetting system to do so." Such paternalism needs to be grounded in reality. The fact remains that refugees undergo stringent scrutiny with the process taking between 18-24 months. The probability of a successful application is very low, making it unattractive for terrorists to use this system to gain entry. Refugees from these banned countries are often the victims of terrorism and government oppression. Precisely the type of people the Statue of Liberty proclaims we should welcome. Alex Nowrasteh, from the libertarian Cato Institute, has found that between 1975 and 2015 people from the 7 countries on Trump's ban list have killed zero people in terrorist attacks on American soil. He further notes that over the last four decades the U.S. has welcomed 3.25 million refugees (not all Muslim, a reminder in case you hit the panic button). Only 20 of them have been convicted of attempting or committing an act of terror on American soil. Only 3 Americans have been killed in such acts, all by Cuban refugees in the 1970s. Syrian refugees account for exactly zero terrorist attacks. Mr. Mayor, we have not forgotten 9-11 either. Maybe you have. Of the 19 hijackers, 15 came from Saudi Arabia, 2 from UAE, one each from Egypt and Lebanon. Why are those nations not on the ban list? Is it due to the fact that Mr. Trump has significant business interests in most of those nations? Advertisement Newly minted Congressman John Rutherford noted that he supports "increased vetting of travelers from countries that are known sponsors and harbors of terrorism." The Congressman, like the Mayor, has not done his homework either. Global Terrorism Index ranks nations by terrorist activity. Countries in the top-10 but not on Trump's 7-nation ban list include Afghanistan (ranked #2), Nigeria, Thailand, and Egypt. In their haste to score political points, the Trump administration failed to articulate a clear logic about why refugees are being banned and why people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are being singled out while people from countries that round out the top-25 list escape unscathed. It is noteworthy that Iran is number 39 on the Global Terrorism Index. Keeping America safe and a land of liberty are not unique challenges that Trump stumbled upon after January 20, 2017. If the Trump administration was truly trying to preserve both liberty and security, they could have slowed down the intake of immigrants from the 7 nations of concern without issuing a blanket ban that is perceived to be based on religion. Trump and his surrogates have made no secret of their intention to ban Muslims while giving Christians priority. The fact that more Muslims, than people of any other religion, have been the victims of ISIS and al-Qaeda, is ignored in intending this policy. That religious litmus test is being applied to public policy has brought several legal challenges to the executive order. Conflating refugees with immigrants gives away the notion that the Trump administration is motivated by animus not rational logic. Botching the rollout that left hundreds of travelers stranded with families split being apart, shows heartlessness. Just as this tragic drama was playing out at airports all across this country, just north of the border in Canada, a pro-Trump anti-immigrant student killed 6 Muslim worshipers at a mosque. Trump spokesman used this incident to support the Muslim ban. If American safety is truly the motive then Trump and his supporters should plan a wall along the Canadian border and apply extreme vetting on all Canadians who wanted to immigrate to America. Anyone with pro-Trump anti-immigrant views should be turned back. A President who received only 46 percent of the votes and currently stands at 36 percent approval ratings, has undone what the past two President's assiduously avoided - signal to the world that America is at war with Islam, not just radicals who want to do us harm. Trump's executive order approving "extreme vetting" that blocks visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries and imposing an indefinite ban on refugees from Syria, while prioritizing Christians suffering religious persecution, is a giant step down the slippery slope of using religious litmus test for public policy and a fulfillment of Trump's campaign promise of a "Muslim ban." Americans of all shades and backgrounds have reacted angrily to what appears not only to be a violation of the Constitution but also a fundamental alteration of American exceptionalism so aptly carved on the Statue of Liberty, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door." To every objection that American's are now raising, the reply from the Trump camp has been "but he won!" Yes he did win an election that he doubts was free of illegal voting. But more importantly, if "he won" is the operative answer to every Presidential action, then on what basis was Barrack Obama denied a vote on his Supreme Court nominee, despite winning elections twice with clear majorities? The unbridled hypocrisy of the "he won" logic is a telling sign of the Trump Presidency. Instead of showing moral courage and political fortitude standing up to a President's clearly un-American actions (like acting Attorney General Sally Yates did), our Mayor Lenny Curry and Congressman John Rutherford are sheepishly riding Trump's coattails. There is time for politics and there comes a time when our common decency and values must outweigh our political tribalism. Exasperating the problem further, the executive order on "extreme vetting" is cruel, misguided and laced with conflict of interests. The seven countries that are on the banned list (Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Iran), also happen to be countries we or our allies are currently bombing or have violently intervened in the recent past. Iran is a possible exception where our interventions were in the form of sanctions and covert cyberwar. The irony is inescapable. First we bomb or destabilize a nation and when the most vulnerable amongst them seek our compassion and mercy, we say no entry. Advertisement The "Muslim ban" is misguided, because it will not make Americans any safer. Charles Kruzman, professor of sociology at University of North Carolina, has compiled a database of violence by Muslims in America. The report also makes clear that violence by Muslims account for less than 1 percent of all murders in America last year. Moreover, many of the plots uncovered and stopped by law enforcement was the result of tips from within the American Muslim community. Alienating this community will make it harder for the community to self-police. Finally, missing from the list of countries are places like Saudi Arabia (home of 15 out the 19 hijackers), or Pakistan (home country of the San Bernardino attackers) or Afghanistan (home of the Orlando attacker) or Kyrgyzstan (where the Boston bombers spent their childhood). Also, escaping bans are places like the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, places with significant Trump business interests. The temporary ban on refugees defies any logic. According to the U.S. State Department, of the nearly 785,000 refugees admitted since 9/11, "only about a dozen, a tiny fraction of one percent of admitted refugees, have been arrested or removed from the U.S. due to terrorism concerns that existed prior to their resettlement in the U.S. None of them were Syrian." If a terrorist wants to come to the U.S. to harm us, there are many easier ways of entry than the onerous refugee resettlement process. Advertisement The Kingdom and its school books remain the source of hatred. Why doesn't President Trump's executive order include Saudi Arabia, the country of origin of 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11? And why does the US State Department refrain from pushing The Kingdom to drop the incitement to commit violence from the text books it exports around the world? Some years after 9/11, Saudi Arabia eventually promised to revise its hate-filled school books by 2008. Since then, the State Department has exaggerated the extent to which anti-Semitic and anti-Christian bigotry have been purged from the Saudi curriculum. In fact, analysts believe, US officials have covered-up for the Saudis, failing to ask for copies of recent books (as recently as 2016, it was regurgitating Saudi excuses that seven books requested were "still being revised"). In its 2005 annual report, the State Department parroted Saudi's claims to have revised its textbooks, a claim contradicted by the US Government Accountability Office, which conceded American officials "did not know" if the Saudis had actually taken steps to ensure that Saudi-funded curricula and religious activities in other countries "do not propagate extremism." Advertisement According to terrorism authority David Weinberg, the State Department tried to bury a US-tax-payer-funded study of the Saudi books commissioned in 2011. When the report, completed by the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, was finally published, after significant pressure, it concluded that Saudi school texts "continue to teach hatred toward other religions and in some cases, promote violence." Yet, in its 2015 annual report the State Department maintained, "The Saudi government continued its ongoing program to modernize the educational curriculum, including textbooks." However, the same report admitted, "this has not been completely implemented and some textbooks containing derogatory and intolerant references to Shia and non-Muslims remained in circulation." This is an understatement. According to Dr Ali al-Ahmed of the Institute for Gulf Affairs, who has examined the books, as of 2017, "the textbooks remain largely unchanged. The State Department is part of the problem," he adds (email from Ali al-Ahmed to the author on January 23 2017). What remains in the books, given to five million Saudi students, and distributed free in thousands of mosques and madrassas around the globe? Advertisement Muslims are ordered to "hate" Christians, Jews, "polytheists" and other "unbelievers," which includes Muslims who don't follow the Saudi's Wahhabi interpretation of Islam; Children are taught the West is plotting to undermine Muslims; and the Rotary and Lions Clubs are part of a Zionist conspiracy; "Jews and the Christians are enemies of the [Muslim] believers" and that "the clash" between the two realms is perpetual; Students must not to "greet," "befriend," "imitate," "show loyalty to," "be courteous to," or "respect" non-believers; The spread of Islam through jihad is a "religious duty;" In a 12th grade textbook, Christians and Jews are described as "the worst of creatures" who "dwell in hellfire." A 10th grade book claims God made Jews "swine and apes." These publications are among those supplied to the 1,359 mosques (of which 16 are in the USA), 210 Islamic centers, 202 colleges and 2000 schools built by Saudi Arabia around the globe . Middle East authority James Dorsey has studied the extent of Saudi's reach: "Estimates of Saudi spending on the funding of Muslim cultural, religious and educational institutions across the globe range from $75 billion to $100 billion," he reports. Thanks to the spread of Saudi propaganda, Dorsey believes that it will take a generation to turn around the ultra-conservative ideology funded and supported by Saudi in Pakistan and beyond. The result of Saudi's disruptive global propaganda campaign was apparent in a 2007 opinion survey of British Muslims. One quarter of those questioned believed the UK government had staged the 2005 terrorist attack on the London transportation system in which 52 died. In addition, a Pew Research study found that 75% of Egyptians refused to believe Arabs were responsible for 9/11. According to Scott Shane, in countries with diverse but fragile faith traditions such as Pakistan and Nigeria, "the flood of Saudi money and the ideology it promotes have exacerbated divisions over religion that regularly prove lethal." In his paper "Textbook Diplomacy," David Weinberg reports that current and former State Department officials admit they withheld an official report on the toxic nature of Saudi school books because it made the Saudis look bad. "American officials can sometimes be so focused on Saudi Arabia's massive oil production and pivotal role in regional security that long-term concerns such as indoctrination get swept under the rug." That, and the estimated $100 billion in arms sales to Saudi since 2010. The State Department claims the Kingdom cooperates in shutting down the financing of terrorism and in sharing intelligence. Yet, at the same time, millions of young people around the globe are receiving a different message from Saudi-donated school books. Advertisement My friends Wassef and Racha Haroun are both from Syria, with roots throughout the Middle East, though they have lived in the US for over two decades. They feel they are "hybrids," a fairly uncommon group of people who has a deep understanding of and gratitude for both Levantine and Western cultures. Both left the Middle East seeking a life free from oppression and seeking opportunities that are open to whoever is qualified. Both watched from a distance as recent matters in their home region began to once again headline the news. They were inspired to do something to counter and breakdown stereotypes about their origin region; something that might build an accessible bridge between the different cultures, religions and geographies. And, so they opened restaurants, first Mamnoon, which means "thankful" in Arabic and Farsi; and most recently mbar, a Seattle rooftop supper club with views to forever (and at least seven mostly Muslim countries,) and a menu that melts the world. Like many from all corners who have responded to course-changes in Washington, D.C. in recent days, Wassef and Racha feel the need to remind and encourage their teams to keep the energy and soul behind the work alive, and so I reprint here a message to patrons, family and friends from a beautiful couple with a unique perspective, the Harouns: Advertisement "The flurry of ill-considered, hateful executive actions by President Trump has shut down futures and thrown lives, plans and dreams into chaos. The harm goes far beyond refugees and immigrants. Americans are facing the prospect of losing standing in the world, increased isolation, a worse security climate, and threatened privacy to everyone. The all-out fear mongering campaign behind these actions is sowing self-doubt and shaking American confidence, making everyday events into causes for panic and crippling thoughtless defensiveness. The executive order on immigration goes beyond anything I have seen in my lifetime, 25 years of which I have been a US Citizen, and 11 before as a Syrian student and work immigrant in the US. I still remember what it was like for me before becoming a US citizen. I was stuck in the Middle East and could not travel, it took months to get a visa appointment, I was looked on with suspicion at every port of travel. My prospects for the future were limited and things did not change until I was recruited to work for Microsoft in Redmond. Microsoft didn't care where I was from; they only cared that I had the qualifications for the work. Period. Racha's family escaped persecution from Syria in 1982, and found refuge in Houston where she had to learn English from scratch while attending University of Houston classes. Racha went on to graduate with honors and matriculated into the Rice University Psychology PHD program. Advertisement We are the lucky ones. We had the means to travel, live and get educated. Moving to the US was a doorway to a new life with a continuum of opportunities. Our Mamnoon family of restaurants is a direct beneficiary of that. There are millions of people today under constant threat, without hope or opportunity to improve their lives, or the lives of their children. They come from all parts of the world, but the numbers and trials of Syrian refugees are particularly harsh and the blight is compounded when we start looking the other way, or allowing ourselves to fear a five-year-old child. Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world - thousands and thousands of years old, incredibly rich in civilizations, heritage, cultures and most importantly a very warm social fabric of humans. The refugees are purely and simply victims of extreme strife with no hope. We are deeply attached to our cultures of origin. We have extensive family ties - parents, brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, school friends, family friends, school teachers, principals, neighborhood kids in Hama, Lattakia, Damascus, Beirut, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Alexandria, Amman, to name a few. Most are impacted by the bans directly or indirectly. The culture is part of who we are, but the story doesn't end there. When you emigrate, you go through intense new learning experiences and you adapt. I landed in the US at age 17, Racha at 18. We are no longer Syrian-only; we are not Seattleite-only; we are truly hybrid. We started Mamnoon because our culture was either misunderstood, under- or badly-represented. We thought we could create a compelling, unique combination of food and hospitality from the region with progressive and modern values that are the hallmarks of Seattle. Seattle responded and rewarded us with recognition and patronage that no other restaurant had before. We didn't hype anything, we didn't push ourselves as the masters of cuisine or hog the limelight - we worked hard to make Mamnoon eminently accessible and insisted on being true to the food and soul of the origins, even when we were creating something new and completely original. It's been five years and nothing makes me feel more proud or satisfied as seeing the diversity in our teams, in the dining room, and the ease and comfort for our guests to simply "be" who they are when they are in our care. mbar doesn't have an overt cultural signature, but it's there. mbar is our take on the Seattle culture of the future. We learned from the amazing things happening in Mamnoon and our city: desire for richer real experiences, increased diversity, increased exposure to cultural influences from Asia, the Sub-Continent, the Middle East, and a desire for more social outlets where people can "be" who they are with as few constraints and walls as possible - in a setting that can only exist in Seattle. Ahmad Matar has been doing parkour in the Gaza Strip since he was 10 years old. Now 20, he was inspired to try the extreme sport - which sees participants acrobatically traverse physical obstacles using no additional aids or equipment - by his friends Abdullah Anshasi and Muhammed Aljkhbeir, who introduced parkour to the Palestinian territory after watching the documentary Jump London online. Enamoured by their early attempts and videos, Ahmad joined them as one of 12 founding members of Gaza Parkour in 2005. Despite the difficulties presented by living in a place* other people's conflicts have reduced largely to rubble, the collective hold tight to their dream of bringing hope to Gaza through a sport that, as Ahmad explained to me for Impolitikal, makes them feel truly free. *Ahmad secured an athlete visa after three years of trying, and currently has residency in Sweden. Why did you start doing parkour? How did you find out about it? I was inspired by my friends, who started parkour in Gaza. They were practicing in the street. I liked the idea, because I saw that they are jumping, they are flying. For me it was incredible how they can jump, and how they can flip in the air. I joined with them, and we started to learn parkour by internet, and to see how the people out of Gaza do parkour, and to learn from them. In Europe they can learn with the equipment. It's safe for them, and it's not difficult for them to learn any new skills, but for us the only thing that we can look at is the internet, to see step-by-step how they do it. Then we can be better by better, in the level. In this moment, there are people that say that we are from the best teams in the Arab world, and there are people who say we are from the top best teams in the world. There are professional teams in the world, and we are one of them. That makes us happy, and makes us complete. Advertisement Have you been able to travel out of Gaza, other than to Sweden, to do parkour? If anyone wants to get out of Gaza it's so, so difficult. For example, I've been trying to travel for three years. I've been invited for many events. For three years I've been trying, and in the end I got help from my friends here in Sweden. It was a long time to do all the documents, because it's difficult for someone from Gaza to travel to Europe. Sometimes you get refused, sometimes you get accepted. Even if you get a visa it is still difficult to leave because the borders are closed all the time. When the border between us and Egypt is closed we can't travel, because there is no airport in Gaza. The only way we have to go is from Egypt airport, or boat. You'd never left before? I didn't travel before. It was the first time for me. To be in Sweden, and to travel. Really, the freedom is so beautiful. It's different between Sweden and Gaza. The life that people have. I can see that they're always happy and they all can do what they want. But in Gaza I couldn't do anything I wanted. I was just doing parkour all the time, after parkour to go home and sit with my family and sleep, and the next day is the same. Because there's no work and nothing to do, and parkour was the only thing to show our feelings. Does doing parkour give you a sense of freedom? When I do parkour I can forget that situation, when I was in Gaza. It's the only thing that I could do, and the only thing that helped me to keep hope that the future is coming, and that something will happen for me. I was always doing parkour. It's my life, it's in my blood, I can't not do it. For us in Gaza, we practiced parkour to feel our freedom. Because it's the sport that we can fly, we can jump over the obstacles, there is nothing that can stop us. That's the idea that we can find our future, and our freedom in parkour. In Western media, most of what I see of Gaza is photos of bombed-out buildings, and rubble. But are there areas where it still looks nice? Some places are bombed from the Israelis, it's not all the places. There is also another side in Gaza that shows that Gaza is beautiful, but at the same time there is another side that you can see the rubble and you can see the bad situation inside the people. There are people that live their life with happiness, and there are people that have a sad life and bad life. It's 80% of the people who have the bad situation in Gaza. We were showing the videos, of us doing parkour on the rubble, just to show that we have dreams and we continue even despite all this rubble, and nothing can stop us. Also, it was the idea to show how much is difficult in Gaza. We practice sport in this situation. We don't have the place, and the rubble is our place. Advertisement Do you feel a strong sense of connection to the rest of Palestine? For sure, we are friendly with other people who live in Palestine. And I wish someday that Palestine gets freedom, so everyone can go where they want, and live where they want. For sure, when I talk with someone from Palestine I feel happiness. Because I want to feel their situation at the same time. All the time I'm talking with my family, because I want to see their situation, I want to make them feel better. Because I know the situation there, and I know how difficult it is. And I hope some day that it gets better and better. "Politics and religion mixed is the headiest cocktail ever invented." -Norah Bentinck I love the Facebook page "Humor from a Pentecostal Pew". I was raised in the Pentecostal movement, and there's nothing funnier than people who have the guts to poke fun at themselves. Then I saw this meme on Facebook a day or so after the inauguration of President Trump. If Kellyanne Conway wants to talk about some "alternative facts," this image is a perfect example. Maybe conservatives find it funny. And maybe some actually believe it to be true, but is there any mature Christian with a balanced worldview out there who honestly believes Jesus just moved into the Lincoln bedroom? Advertisement /// A couple of days ago, as I was prepping for Sunday service, my kids nearly killed each other in the next room. He had her blanket and she had his bouncey ball. At five and three, these things matter greatly. There was weeping and gnashing of teeth and my blood pressure was on the rise. There were a few times when I sincerely questioned why we ever had children. When I see memes like the one above, it reminds me of my son stealing his sister's blanket. "That's mine!" he would scream, yanking it out of her hands. And she would sulk and pout and yell for Dad to rescue her. Since the inauguration and the Women's March, my Facebook and Twitter feeds have been inundated with some of my adult friends, who are acting much like my children. It seems that many of us think we can somehow own Jesus, that Jesus is more prone to wear an elephant pin on his lapel than a donkey. Sometimes I think we've got a bad case of mine-itis, continuing to pull and fight, laying claim as the rightful owner of this Americanized, political Jesus. The marriage of bad theology and dirty politics has created a bastardized version of American Christianity that must be breaking the heart of God. It is ripping our churches down the middle and splitting out country wide open. This is a game where nobody wins. None of us have all the answers. Not one of us is right 100% of the time. But we can each be intentional with our kindness and decency, even toward those with whom we vehemently disagree. Advertisement What if we gave up the idea of trying to label Jesus as a Republican or Democrat altogether? What if we stopped fighting so hard to be right? What if, instead, we focused on kindness and cooperation, in order to make not only America, but this whole wide world, a little better? I think the last place Jesus wants to live is in the White House. The Son of God isn't lobbying Congress on behalf of Planned Parenthood any more than he is sitting with the Joint Chiefs, pressing someone to drop a bomb. Jesus has far greater concerns than who is being confirmed by the Senate or which Bible the President-elect used for the Inauguration. My honest opinion is that the government has a very important job to do, and so does the Church. Both operate more efficiently and effectively when they stay out of each other's business. When you talk with entrepreneurs, you often find that they are drawn to solve a problem that has impacted them directly. Maria Yuan is the perfect example of this sort of solution-oriented entrepreneur. Yuan says she remembers being in second grade and going to participate in mock voting. She grew up being told by her parents that voting was an important civic responsibility. In college at the University of Texas she was part of a small group of students who lobbied the Texas legislature to introduce and pass a bill creating the first student seat on the University of Texas System's Board of Regents. It was working for a state representative in Texas where she says she "saw first-hand that that Representatives really do track every constituent contact, yet such a small percentage of us actually reach out." Advertisement She was on the campaign trail, working in Iowa on an open seat race in a swing district that she got the idea for a software solution to a real world problem. "I distinctly remember sitting in the office on my laptop and thinking, "There's so much focus on elections, but there should be an easy way to track what our reps are doing throughout the year when the work that impacts our lives gets done." So, her vision came true with a website she's just launched called Issue Voter. "When I first envisioned IssueVoter, I thought, 'Someday technology will get there. Someone will create this, and I will be able to use it!' Fast forward, and years later it was still hard to research and understand legislation and contact elected officials." Says Yuan: "There has to be a tech solution for civic engagement to be accessible and efficient. A legislative correspondent cannot possibly speak to every concerned constituent - there simply aren't enough hours in the day. We are learning more and more that petitions don't work, and that 'How to contact Congress' is what's wrong with Congress." Advertisement So Yuan created IssueVoter. IssueVoter is a non-partisan platform that aims to give voters a voice by making civic engagement accessible and efficient. IssueVoter helps users make their voice heard in Washington and then tracks how elected officials vote. The idea is to hold politicians accountable in a more granular way. The mechanics of IssueVoter are deceptively simple. 1. Users sign up and receive targeted alerts before Congress votes on issues you care about - IssueVoter summarizes bills and offers pros, cons, and related news for context. 2. Then voters can make their voice count by sending their opinion directly to their rep - with the click of a mouse. 3. The idea is that politicians are kept accountable: Track your rep's votes and bill outcomes - helping you make an informed decision at election time. IssueVoter was slated to launch on November 9th, 2016, the day after the presidential election. Yuan says before the election, people would say to her, "You must be so busy preparing for the election." But in reality, she knew that IssueVoter would be relevant after the election, helping millions of voters answer the question, "The Election is over... now what?" Says Yuan "No matter the candidate who won, we would still be answering that question because it's the time between elections is when the work that impacts our lives gets done - and IssueVoter gives its users a say year-round." Advertisement Yuan says she works hard to be non-partisan, and to find an important underserved middle ground. "Being non-partisan is important to me personally for so many reasons, including: I don't agree 100% with either party, and so many people are in this camp. There are already hundreds of arenas for partisan politics both online and offline. With the far left and far right often being the loudest voices, the moderate majority's voices aren't being heard." "I often get the question, "How do we know your bill summaries aren't biased?" And I remind people that every bill is inherently biased - it's introduced by a Democrat or Republican who believes the proposed law is a good one. We summarize what the bill proposes to do. Also, we provide what the proponents and opponents are saying for each bill summary." So, how does Yuan measure success, and will IssueVoter succeed? "Ultimately, we want to give everyone a voice in our democracy and have elected officials who are truly representing their constituents. It's frustrating to me that there are some issues that over 80% of Americans support, yet no legislation representing that majority has passed." It's an admirable goal, turning the public's electoral interests into actions. One that she recognizes won't happen overnight. Ed Dixon in Georgie Photo: Carol Rosegg When devising a one-man play about show biz, it is understandably helpful to choose a famously crusty, famously crotchety, famously charming scene stealer as your subject. Ed Dixon--himself one of those weathered show biz types who has gone from chorus boy to character man, while also writing plays and even a memoir detailing his off-stage struggles with addiction and homelessness--has chosen to memorialize his friend George Rose, who easily fits the descriptors above. But whose life also brings a built-in problem and not an inconsequential one: a secret course of action which he was never made to pay for, until one fine day when he was bludgeoned to death. How do you make merry of such a man? And is it even proper to put him in any sort of spotlight? The magic of Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose is that Dixon was and remains clearly tortured by his discovery of Rose's dark side. A loving and comedic stage portrait of Rose might be seen as dishonest; how can you paint a bright picture and ignore the unspeakable beast lurking behind the facade? What makes Georgie a remarkable theatre piece--and what saves it from those who might ask how can you under any circumstance celebrate such a monster?--is Dixon's portrayal of his own shock and dismay as he discovers the true Georgie. How could he have been a confidant of Rose? And what was there about Dixon that made the famously private Rose bring him into the heart of his secret? Rose died--or rather--was hacked to death--in 1988. One imagines that Dixon has been struggling with the relationship for decades, and that it took this play for Dixon to finally make sense of these deeply personal questions. Advertisement Ed Dixon in Georgie Photo: Carol Rosegg Rose was a British actor who worked at the Old Vic with Gielgud, Olivier, Richardson and other stage legends. His success in the major role of The Common Man in Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons brought him from London to Broadway in 1961, where he remained thereafter. By 1966 he was starring in musical comedies, most notably opposite Katharine Hepburn in Coco, opposite Kevin Kline in The Pirates of Penzance, and in Best Actor Tony Award-winning performances in the 1976 revival of My Fair Lady and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Those who recall his Penzance or Drood will recall that once in the spotlight, Rose became an insatiable, unstoppable clown Dixon linked with Rose in a 1973 pre-Broadway tryout of Sigmund Romberg's The Student Prince which never reached Broadway. They remained comrades until Dixon visited the house Rose bought in the Dominican Republic in 1984, using his salary from the film version of The Pirates of Penzance, and recoiled in horror when he discovered what Rose was hiding. We don't reveal this here, although you can easily find the facts on the Internet. Given that we highly recommend Georgie, we pay deference to unsuspecting theatergoers so that the reveal will be as shocking to them as it was to Dixon at the time. The play is all Dixon, mostly sitting on an overstuffed divan against a backstage pinrail. Eric Schaeffer, who originated the play at his Signature Theatre in Arlington VA, repeats his direction and does a capital job of it. (While the production is properly spare, we must add that the new space they call the Loft at the Davenport receives instant high marks as perhaps the most ramshackle and least comfortable playhouse in New York). Ed Dixon in Georgie Photo: Carol Rosegg Dixon mimics Rose, naturally, but also many others who play a part in the tale (Rex Harrison, Noel Coward, Gielgud, Burton, Edith Evans and more). The combination of the stories, the characters, and Dixon's own persona make Georgie an evening of charm and delight. That is, until the shattering and brutal truth comes blustering in, as it must. . Ed Dixon's Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose opened February 1, 2017 and runs through April 15 at the Loft at the Davenport Theatre The searing novel by Alice Walker that transformed your sense of the social world, the ancient flint arrowhead that transported your understanding of time, the tempestuous Hudson River School painting that showed you the divine in nature, are all extravagances unworthy of the support we call "public." Beauty - the ideas that convey it, the objects that carry it, the words that harness it - is out in the era of Donald Trump. Or at least, this is the insinuation of the President's team when they threaten to place the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts on the chopping block. In this surreal version of America-The-Great, the quest for the truth of us and for the best in us through our national letters and arts is deemed unworthy of recognition. But as the trenchant writer Audre Lorde has professed, "poetry is not a luxury." Recent psychological studies have borne this revelation out, finding that reading books (and perhaps especially novels) strengthens our most noble qualities, leading us to be kinder, smarter, and even happier. Reflecting on the nature and valences of our existence - who and why we are - is among the essential elements that not only make us human, but also make us citizens. Poetry, history, criticism, philosophy, novels, dramas, objects thoughtfully exhibited, and edifices tenderly preserved: these are the cultural goods, the collective riches, which reflect a nation's story, make a country distinctive, and weave together a larger global society of the human. These books, these essays, these artful things are where we meet the illumination of introspection, massage the tense muscles of moral fiber, and see our separate experiences as intermeshed. These cultural goods of the highest order should be fed by the common pot if we seek to nurture a rich, diverse present and future America. Advertisement Our literary forebears recognized this fact. In the early and mid-nineteenth century, a whole generation of self-conscious young Americans fretted about the inadequacy of our nation as betrayed by the immaturity of our arts. In the hollows of New England, writers began to address the lack, hurling forth an array of stunning tomes. The Scarlett Letter, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Self-Reliance, Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn, were all works of the imagination that sought to simultaneously translate local, national, and transcendent meanings. We still read those texts in the classroom as expressions of our national yearnings. To be sure, Hawthorne, Irving, Emerson, Melville, Twain and their set created classics without support from government agencies. The US was just in its infancy when these men were born. It took generations for our country to recognize the value of democratically funding cultural and intellectual production. The NEA and NEH, bold American inventions, would not emerge until 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson signed into law ambitious reforms of the Great Society. Medicare and Medicaid were among these, as was civil rights legislation and funding for public broadcasting. But if public support for the arts had existed in 1800, imagine our haul of talent. We might have added such depth, such range, to our shared interpretive heritage. (Toni Morrison, Louise Erdrich, Mary Oliver, and Joyce Carol Oates, and the list goes on, are all recipients of NEA awards.) Will we time-travel back to the days when the white, the male and the moneyed dominated the arts as practitioners and patrons? Or will we embrace the ideal of a democratic beauty that holds mirrors up to multiple worlds of inner light? Our best moments have been marked by radical ideas, stunning feats of oratory, and great machinations of imagination. When the revolutionaries who made this country a thing of its own gathered to endorse one of the most beautiful humanities texts of an age, they charged the deeply flawed but rhetorically talented Virginia statesman, Thomas Jefferson, with crafting the treatise. But one voice was not enough. This work of art was a national project. The Declaration of Independence had to be a collective endeavor, drafted by committee, underscored by many names, co-signed in spirit by the people. My ancestors were not represented in that Continental Congress. In an irony that we know painfully well with a debt to meticulous works of history, no African American had the freedom or standing to sign that day. But riding in on the coattails of Johnson's Great Society, any of us can hold the pen that knits our country closer together, and all of us are co-signers on our fellow citizens' masterpieces. Advertisement Last Friday, Donald Trump made his first visit to the Pentagon where he spoke of signing an order to begin "a great rebuilding of the armed services of the United States," something he's been advocating for quite a while. As TomDispatch regular Bill Hartung indicates today in "What Happens When All We Have Left Is the Pentagon?" this will mean a massive surge in federal dollars pouring into the abyss of the institution, which has shown itself quite capable of absorbing such moneys in the past and seems to lack the slightest ability to account for what's done with them. (The Pentagon has never even managed to pass an audit.) We already know that this will mean more troops, more ships, more planes, and as a draft executive order for the new president put it, "a desire to invest in a host of military capabilities, including Special Operations forces and nuclear weapons." These are two areas in which "build up" is already the operative phrase. At approximately 70,000 personnel, the elite Special Operations forces are now an enormous, secretive military -- larger than the armies of some sizable countries -- cocooned inside the regular armed forces. Special ops types are now dispatched annually to about 70% of the nations on the planet. As for those nuclear forces, under President Obama who won a Nobel Peace Prize in part for his abolitionist sentiments, they were already launched on a trillion dollar, three-decade "modernization" program, involving the creation of new delivery systems and "smart nukes" as well. If each of these forces is now to be expanded even more rapidly and expensively, that's a genuine upping of the military ante on the planet. Advertisement As former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who, with President Ronald Reagan, came remarkably close to negotiating nuclear weapons out of existence, pointed out recently in Time magazine, "it looks as if the world is preparing for war... Today,... the nuclear threat once again seems real. Relations between the great powers have been going from bad to worse for several years now. The advocates for arms build-up and the military-industrial complex are rubbing their hands." Indeed, at the dawn of the Trump era, it's worth remembering that, despite the obvious power of the United States, this is no longer a one-way planet. Take the new "nationalism" of the president (and his close adviser Steve Bannon). As the guiding principle of American foreign policy, nationalism will prove a distinctly two-way street, as is already the case in Mexico where Trump's wall, his immigration policies, and his tax threats against Mexican products may only stoke Mexican nationalism, uniting an otherwise riven country in a fierce spirit of anti-Americanism. And don't expect a staggering American military build-up to be a one-way phenomenon either, especially on the nuclear front. Before he's done, Donald Trump, who has a yearning for the 1950s, could well put the planet on the kind of military footing that hasn't been seen since at least the height of the Cold War. He could well spark a potentially out of control three-way arms race that would include China and Russia, while heightening increasingly pugnacious nationalist feelings across the planet. Worse yet, as Hartung points out today, if your money is going to head massively into the military (while civilian spending is slashed), when problems or crises arrive, as they will on such a planet, it's obvious where you're most likely to turn. At this point, only two weeks into his presidency, the Earth looks like a distinctly more dangerous place. No wonder the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has just moved its Doomsday Clock 30 seconds "closer to catastrophe" at 2 minutes to midnight. Nigeria is a case in point. The country is in the midst of a national health crisis; one-third of children under the age of five are stunted due to poor nutrition; and more than 41,000 children become newly infected by HIV every year. Yet the solution - unlike with so many development challenges - is within our grasp. Technology, has increased access to vulnerable communities and, crucially, new pioneering funding mechanisms mean that key areas of primary healthcare, from midwifery to general practice, could be rapidly improved. The Nigerian National Health Act Basic Healthcare Provision Fund was developed in 2014 and was designed to improve Nigeria's poor primary healthcare. But three years on, the Act remains only partially implemented. Primary healthcare, the cornerstone of a healthy population, has been left by the wayside. It must be prioritised. Take Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent health and nutrition, a key facet of primary care. Nigeria's new healthcare narrative includes the revival of the Midwives Service Scheme previously established in 2011, the creation of a national health management information system and a strengthened focus on maternal and newborn health. The aim is to provide an easily accessible route to care, producing quick and visible impact that will altogether affect the lives of every Nigerian, especially the most vulnerable. This would be a revolutionary set of initiatives but they are yet to be funded, and yet to be delivered. Overall, gains in PHC and efforts to implement long-overdue universal health coverage in Nigeria have been thwarted by chronic underfunding. The Abuja Declaration of 2001 saw members of the African Union pledge to spend at least 15% of the national budget on healthcare. Yet, Nigeria currently allocates a mere third of that pledged amount to public health services. As Chair of the Nigeria's Primary Healthcare Revitalisation Support Group, I believe that primary healthcare investment, both from the private and public sector, is key to ensuring universal healthcare for all Nigerians. From a social investment perspective it is also a huge opportunity to see a social return on money invested. The nature of primary healthcare - the ability to monitor and manage delivery of, for example, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa's Mamacare antenatal and postnatal health access through birth preparedness classes, or by the USAID-funded MPowering Healthworkers Program which engaged mobile-technologies in training midwives in Ondo State of Nigeria- means that money invested in, can be quantified by results gained. For innovative social impact investors, there is an opportunity here for collaboration between both the central and state level governments in Nigeria to fund real change. In Mali, Nigeria's West African neighbour, the Novartis Foundation implemented an initiative aimed at improving access to PHC, specifically for children and women in one region. The project targeted 200,000 inhabitants from rural areas and was funded by both regional and district partners. The results were remarkable: between 2008 and 2010 the community health associations increased their average score by 10%, improving particularly in the areas of internal governance and support to healthcare personnel. During the same period the utilisation rates for prenatal consultations increased more than 30%. In Nigeria, the Primary Healthcare (PHC) Revitalisation Support Group Program is working with the Nigerian state and development partners to take the kind of innovative financing mentioned above and use it to drive and deliver the kind of interventions the Government has already pledged to achieve. The government must also increase efforts to harmonise and streamline additional sources of funding to PHC, and reduce the barriers to access that restrict healthcare services to so many. In opening up PHC to the private sector, social impact investors have the opportunity to co-fund tangible and visible improvements to healthcare. At the multi-state level my foundation, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, has already seen the impact that public-private partnerships can bring to maternal health provision. The breadth of public-private partnerships should not stop at healthcare: partnerships of this nature should also be applied to areas such as primary education. The Rajasthan Education Initiatives, for example, engages global and local private actors in supporting Rajasthan's State Government in India, impacting over 6,000 schools through various interventions, and training 22,000 teachers in ICT training. Such an initiative could be replicated in Nigeria and beyond; indeed, Nigeria has taken nascent steps through it's recently piloted nPower program to drive nationwide graduate internships in the areas of agriculture, education and health. Even as rumors were flying that Mike Flynn had been outmaneuvered by Steve Bannon in the fight to see who would have the most influence over a Trump foreign policy, Flynn made a cameo appearance at yesterday's White House press briefing to speak on his favorite topic: Iran. In his brief remarks - barely a minute long - Flynn denounced what he described as "Iran's destabilizing behavior across the entire Middle East" and said that the Trump administration was "officially putting Iran on notice." On notice for what? Trump officials wouldn't say exactly, but when asked if the U.S. would take military action, a senior administration official said "we are considering a whole range of options." Then, in a statement that may have been meant to be reassuring, the official went on to say "We are in the second week. We do not want to be premature or rash or take any action that would foreclose options or unnecessarily contribute to a negative response." This statement is less than reassuring, given that Flynn's decision to breeze into the White House press room and issue a veiled threat of military action against Iran is itself a rash action. Flynn's remarks were prompted by two events - an unsuccessful Iranian test of a medium-range ballistic missile and a missile attack on a Saudi ship by Houthi forces in Yemen. Neither event poses an imminent threat to the United States or its allies in the region. Iran's missile test may be controversial, but it does not violate its commitments under the multi-party agreement that curbs Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. And despite Saudi and Trump administration suggestions to the contrary, the Houthis are an indigenous movement with longstanding political and economic grievances, not a proxy force directed by Iran. Threatening military force over either of these events is dangerously counterproductive. That is, everywhere but in the fantasy world inhabited by Mike Flynn, who has written that Iran is the "linchpin"of a global anti-U.S. coalition that stretches from Venezuela to China to North Korea to Russia, and who relentlessly pushed his fellow intelligence officers to find an Iranian link to the deadly attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya - a link that did not and does not exist. Advertisement Flynn's mantra seems to be when in doubt, blame it on Iran. This is a dangerous prejudice at a time when large parts of the Middle East are already at war. As Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group put it, Flynn's outburst was "either an empty threat or a clear statement of intent to go to war with Iran. Both are reckless and dangerous ... In an attempt to look strong, the administration could stumble into a war that would make the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts look like a walk in the park." As with Trump's ill-advised Muslim ban, Flynn's threat to Iran does not appear to have been seriously discussed with other key players in the administration. It has been reported that Secretary of Defense James Mattis convinced Flynn to "soften" his remarks. If so, it's hard to imagine how hawkish the "pre-softened" remarks were. As retired general Mark Hertling said on CNN, "This is the kind of thing that brings people to a war footing and this is not good. It is very provocative language." A spokesman for the U.S. Central Command has said that so far it's just policy talk, and "we have not been asked to change anything operationally in the region." Hopefully it will stay that way. Advertisement U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (R) listens to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump after a swearing-in ceremony for Mattis at the Pentagon in Washington, U.S., January 27, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Trump's Vision of a Militarized America Cross-posted with TomDispatch.com At over $600 billion a year and counting, the Pentagon already receives significantly more than its fair share of federal funds. If President Donald Trump has his way, though, that will prove a sum for pikers and misers. He and his team are now promising that spending on defense and homeland security will increase dramatically in the years to come, even as domestic programs are slashed and entire civilian agencies shuttered. The new administration is reportedly considering a plan -- modeled on proposals from the military-industrial-complex-backed Heritage Foundation -- that would cut a staggering $10.5 trillion in federal spending over the next decade. The Departments of Energy, Commerce, Transportation, and State might see their budgets slashed to the bone; the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be privatized; and (though the money involved would amount to chicken feed) the National Endowments for the Arts and for the Humanities would be eliminated altogether. In the meantime, the ranks of the Army and Marines would be expanded, a huge naval buildup would be launched, and a new Star Wars-style missile defense system would be developed -- all at a combined cost of up to $1 trillion beyond the already munificent current Pentagon plans for that same decade. Advertisement The specifics wont be known until Trumps first budget becomes public in perhaps April or May, but as we wait for it, Republican Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain has just taken the unusual step of releasing his own spending blueprint for the military. It suggests that a key senator and the president and his team are on the same page when it comes to military funding. At an extra $430 billion over the next five years, the numbers in McCains plan are similar to the potential Trump buildup. One thing is already clear: this drastic tilt toward yet more Pentagon spending and away from investment in diplomacy abroad and civilian needs at home will only further militarize American society, accelerate inequality, and distort the countrys already highly questionable foreign policy. After all, if your military is the only well-funded, well-stocked arm of the government, its obvious whom youre going to turn to in any crisis. This process was already visibly underway even before Donald Trump took the oath of office. His gut decision to entrust national security policymaking only to military figures was particularly troubling. From National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Secretary of Defense James Mattis to head of the Department of Homeland Security John Kelly, retired generals and other ex-military types now abound in his administration. Defense analyst and former White House budget official Gordon Adams summed up the risks of this approach recently in this way: Advertisement Putting military officers in charge of the entire architecture of national security reinforces the trend toward militarizing policy and risks cementing in place the military-industrial complex that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned of. To borrow the psychologist Abraham H. Maslows words, if all the men around President Trump are hammers, the temptation will be to treat everything as if it were a nail. How the Military Came to Dominate Foreign Policy President Trump wont, of course, be starting from scratch in his urge to further elevate the military in foreign and domestic affairs. Hes building on a process thats already well under way. In the Obama years, for instance, there were a record number of drone strikes, especially outside official U.S. war zones -- 10 times the number launched by the Bush administration. Similarly, the Obama administration paved the way for various Trumpian urges by waging wars on multiple fronts and instituting a historic crackdown on whistleblowers in the military and the intelligence communities. It also approved record levels of U.S. arms sales abroad, $278 billion worth of them, or more than double those of the Bush years. (In Trumpian terms: jobs!) In addition, as part of his pledge to avoid large, boots-on-the-ground conflicts like the Bush administrations 2003 invasion of Iraq, President Obama oversaw a sharp increase in the size of the U.S. Special Operations forces, sending them abroad to arm, train, and fight alongside militaries in 138 countries in 2016. Think of this approach -- having a lighter footprint while expanding the number of conflicts the United States is involved in -- as a case of what Ive called politically sustainable warfare. It seems cheaper, is far less visible, and involves fewer U.S. casualties than full-scale invasions and occupations. In these years, the Pentagon has also continued to encroach on turf previously occupied by the State Department and the Agency for International Development, including funding its own arms and training programs and engaging in economic development projects. Under the euphemistic term building partner capacity, the Pentagon now has the authority to arm and train foreign military forces through no less than 70 separate programs. To be fair, the drift toward military dominance of foreign policy began well before Barack Obama took office. In her 2003 book The Mission, Dana Priest of the Washington Post described the increasing role of regional combatant commanders in shaping policymaking in Washington. They could leverage their greater resources and close connections to foreign leaders to outstrip U.S. ambassadors in power and influence. And their growing role was just a symptom of a larger problem that Priest described at the time and that has only become more obvious in the years since: the urge of American leaders to turn to the military for solutions to problems that are often, at their root, political and economic. As retired General Anthony Zinni, former head of the U.S. Central Command, noted for instance, There is no military solution to terrorism. Thats a conclusion shared by other American military leaders, but one that has had little effect on U.S. efforts to use force as the primary tool for combatting terrorism in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen, a process that has only led to more failed and failing states and the further spread of terror groups. Advertisement Donald Trump may indeed gut the diplomatic corps, but dont forget that State Department funding was long ago overwhelmed by the largesse available to what the new president regularly refers to as our depleted military. The Pentagons budget is today more than 12 times as large as the State Departments, a disparity sure to grow in the years to come. As former Defense Secretary Robert Gates noted some years ago, there are more military personnel stationed on one aircraft carrier task force than trained diplomats in the U.S. Foreign Service. And keep in mind that the United States currently has 10 active aircraft carriers, which themselves will be just a small part of the Trump administrations proposed 350-ship Navy. Even the intelligence community is likely to be further militarized in the Trump years. While he was head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), National Security Advisor Michael Flynn tried to increase its influence at the expense of the CIA. Expect him to attempt to seize control of the nations intelligence apparatus and put it in service to his own distorted view of the world. From failing to predict the collapse of the Soviet Union to allowing itself to be used to put forward misleading information about Saddam Husseins alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction, the U.S. Intelligence Community has hardly covered itself in glory. Still, it does contain a cadre of professional analysts who can provide sitting presidents with actual information contradicting prevailing prejudices. This was even true in the case of Iraq, where a number of analysts dissented from the claim that Iraq had nuclear weapons, while others only acquiesced after being browbeaten by Vice President Dick Cheney and the band of neoconservatives in his office. In the years to come, expect the Cheney model of intelligence manufacturing to be replicated, especially by Flynn, whose extreme views include a belief that Islam is not a real religion, that Iran is the linchpin of a global anti-American coalition of enemies extending from Cuba and Venezuela to North Korea, China, and Russia, and that Islamic Sharia law is actually being imposed in parts of our country. Flynns views on Islam would have been beyond the pale for a top adviser in any prior administration. Now, however, hes positioned to regularly press his views on Donald Trump, who doesnt read and seems inclined to believe the last person he talks to. Advertisement A Military-First Administration To imagine how Flynn might wield his new power, consider his attempt, while still at the DIA, to get subordinates to prove that Iran was the hidden hand behind the 2012 attacks on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, that resulted in the death of Ambassador J. Christopher Stephens. As the New York Times reported, Like many other investigations into Benghazi, theirs found no evidence of any links, and the generals stubborn insistence reminded some officials at the agency of how the Bush administration had once relentlessly sought to connect Saddam Hussein and Iraq to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Trump and his men now seem poised to purge the CIA and other intelligence agencies of analysts who might have opinions contrary to their own fantasy view of the world. Expect Flynn, in particular, to try to shape the intelligence communitys products towards his ends while serving as interpreter of last resort for the president. Getting Trump to swallow intelligence assessments skewed toward his particular set of prejudices and inclinations should be an easy feat, given that he cant even acknowledge the size of the crowd at his own inauguration or let go of the demonstrably false claim that millions of undocumented immigrants voted illegally in the 2016 election. The only likely obstacle to Flynn's ambitions to impose his twisted view of the world on Trump is the other "big league" Islamophobe in the administration, White House counselor Steve Bannon. As a recent New York Times account noted, Bannon has already attempted to outmaneuver Flynn in the battle for access to the president on foreign policy issues and his elevation to the National Security Council at the expense of the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence is just the latest indication of how influential he's likely to be in shaping Trump's foreign policy agenda. This is hardly good news, as on certain issues he may be even more extreme than Flynn, if that's possible. Trumps predictably militarized approach to policymaking could have serious impacts on the domestic front as well. On his fifth day in office, for example, he threatened by tweet to send in the Feds to Chicago if the city government didnt take steps to end the carnage there. It was unclear whether he meant federal law enforcement personnel or federal troops, a vagueness troubling in its own right. And dont forget that his pledge to build a wall ensures a significant jump in funding for the further militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border, already being patrolled by unarmed drones and growing numbers of armed federal agents. After all, it took him just days after his inauguration to announce a plan to add 5,000 personnel to the Border Patrol and 10,000 agents to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. As in all matters Trumpian, some will say we shouldnt take him at his word, or that we should wait for his first budget proposal and other such documents to see what hes really going to do. But the evidence is already abundant that the Trump administration is on a path toward undermining our democracy by pouring taxpayer dollars galore into the U.S. military. This will happen despite the fact that, 15 years after 9/11, that military has won nothing and settled no conflicts to Washingtons advantage, even as terror groups have spread across the Greater Middle East and Africa. Its a decade-and-a-half-long record that should lead to almost any other set of plans than the ones the Trump administration clearly has in mind. But dont tell them. They could care less. Frightening as it may be, its important to recognize that Trumps impulse to further militarize American society is by no means a done deal. Democrats in the Senate are in a position to stop him by voting as a bloc against any proposal to dramatically ratchet up spending on the Pentagon, which would deprive Republicans of the 60 votes they need to move forward on a spending proposal. In addition, the new presidents plans to pump up the Pentagon, dramatically slash taxes, invest in expensive new programs like the border wall, and create a trillion dollar infrastructure plan could set the stage for massive deficits that will undoubtedly unnerve constituencies ranging from fiscal conservatives to important sectors of the business community. And keep in mind that significant numbers of military and intelligence professionals truly believe in civilian control of the military and dont want to take on tasks unrelated to traditional military missions. In addition, Trump has already pledged to target overpriced weapons systems like the F-35 and force the Pentagon to get its books in order so it can at last pass an audit. Whether or not he follows through on these promises, he will have put them on the public agenda, reinforcing one reality: the way so much of the money currently going to the Pentagon has more to do with lining the pockets of contractors than with defending the United States and its allies. The military-first direction in which Trump is going to take his administration will predictably lead to yet more militarized policies in the world. Its that hammer and nail again. He should take a lesson from history by listening to the speeches of the former Supreme Allied Commander in World War II, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, a military man who also rose to the pinnacle of power in Washington. As president, Eisenhower not only spoke out against the dangers of the military-industrial complex but also stressed that Americas power is ultimately rooted in the strength of its economy and the health of its citizens, not in seeking magical military solutions or in overspending on the Pentagon. Unfortunately, Donald Trump is no Dwight D. Eisenhower. William D. Hartung, a TomDispatch regular, is the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy. He is the author of Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex. By Adam Grant Because I help companies market products and services to college students, I get a lot of questions regarding recruitment. How can one position their brand to attract more recent graduates? For many companies, the first thing that comes to mind is career fairs. At these events, I often see larger, high brand awareness companies attract a long line. Those without product recognition usually don't do as well in comparison. How can these smaller lines grow larger outside of career fairs? Apply these four techniques: Have Your Interns Get Involved on Campus According to Kissmetrics, 89 percent of millennials trust recommendations from friends and family more than brand claims. Turn your interns into brand representatives for your HR department when they go back to school. They have experienced your brand and can be your eyes and ears on their campus. Have them speak in front of student organizations, identify top performers in the classroom, and serve as a trusted recommendation in the eyes of their peers. Advertisement Utilize Social Media Meet your candidates where they are: on social media. Embrace the newer social media platforms. I was recently at a conference and heard a presentation from General Electric. The brand used Snapchat to set geofilters for their interns and for potential candidates. For example, it implemented a branded geofilter at various airports over the holidays so that its target audience could see that GE is involved in the transportation and aviation industry. GE's head of social media Sydney Williams told Business Insider, "This is a generation that may one day apply for jobs at our company. We are always looking for the best engineers and it's important for us to get in front of them when they are younger and make sure the brand is relevant to them. Because eventually, these are the people who will become the future of the company." Let your interns share their experiences on their social media pages, or set a geofilter for your employees to use as part of their Snapchat story. Move Into the Classroom Many universities have students in their capstone courses work with real-world clients. For example, at Michigan State University's capstone course for advertising majors, students split up into teams and act as an advertising agency. They develop and execute on specific plans for certain companies. The company has a chance to speak to students about what they are looking for and determine a winner at the end of the semester. This gives your brand great insight into how potential candidates view your brand and allows you to reach out to students who stand out for interviews. You can get involved by reaching out to professors of these classes. Most universities allow you to search for courses on their website. Advertisement Be Everywhere at Once Make a list of key campuses where you recruit from. Incorporate digital elements so that you have a presence in places where you can't be physically to drive applications. Further target students by sending videos of your internship or entry-level programs to student organizations that contain your ideal candidates. For example, you could show an engineering internship video at a Mechanical Engineering Association meeting. You could also send these videos to the organization's executive board (you can usually find contact information in the student organization directory online.) Make sure the video is relevant and educational, and have the executive board snap a video of the group watching it. Remember, students are looking for information on careers and figuring out what they want to do. Be sure your video addresses these elements. Your video can extend well beyond just one student organization meeting. I counted over 20 engineering-related organizations at Michigan State University alone. Multiply this across thousands of campuses across the United States, and you can get in front of hundreds of student organizations within weeks, without even having to be in the room. When it comes to startup recruitment, career fairs aren't necessarily the answer. Use the above channels to spread the word about your company. Hutchinson's 14-7 win over Bishop Carroll sets up rematch against Maize Hutchinson's Mason Jones scooped up a Bishop Carroll fumble at the Eagles 7-yard line and scored the game-deciding touchdown in a 14-7 victory Friday Renaissance Re (RenRe), a reinsurance company headquartered in Bermuda, has posted US$69.4 million in profits for the last quarter of 2016, down from US$92.2 million in the last quarter of 2015, a 24.73% decrease year-on-year.According to the company, Hurricane Matthew, a Category 5 storm that damaged North Americas Atlantic coast, as well as major storms in Texas and the Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada have all affected its earnings.Kevin ODonnell, RenRe CEO, said: I am proud of how our team navigated the challenges of 2016 while building an attractive portfolio of risks and continuing to execute our strategy.We have strengthened our operating platforms globally, developed deeper relationships with more clients, brought more efficient capital solutions to market and exercised underwriting discipline in building a diverse and profitable portfolio of risk.For the entire year of 2016, RenRes net income was US$480.6 million compared to US$408.8 million in 2015, an increase of 17.5%.The reinsurers casualty and specialty segments income went down by 7.4%, while the property segments increased by 19.4%.The company report also stated that the single most devastating event of the year, Hurricane Matthew, brought US$60.1 million in net claims and claim expenses, with a net negative impact of US$51 million on the companys consolidated underwriting result. This added 15.8 percentage points to the firms consolidated combined ratio. Just two names from the world of insurance were able to crack the top 100 in a newly released collaboration of the 500 most valuable brands globally.The two insurance names to make it to the upper circle of this elite group were Chinas Ping An Insurance and Germanys Allianz . Ping An took 79place overall with a brand value of $16.3 billion, representing a 29% jump over the previous year; whereas Allianz, the previous years leading insurance brand, actually slipped back by 7% to a brand value of $15.1 billion.The list is compiled annually by value and strategy consultancy Brand Finance. Brands are first evaluated to determine their power/strength (based on factors such as marketing investment, familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction and corporate reputation). Brand strength is used to determine what proportion of a businesss revenue is contributed by the brand, which is projected into perpetuity to determine the brands value. The results of this analysis are ranked, with the worlds 500 most valuable brands featured in the Brand Finance Global 500, which you can see in full here Of particular note is that the ranking presents a new overall number one, with Google taking the crown from Apple thanks to a 24% surge in value during 2016, from $88.1 billion to $109.4 billion to take the title for the first time since 2011. By contrast, Apple saw its value slip by 27% from $145.9 billion to $107.1 billion. Apple was judged to have over exploited the goodwill of its customers and the report noted that it failed to generate significant revenue from newer products such as the Apple Watch. Meanwhile, Google remains largely unchallenged in its core search business.The rest of the top 10 was completed by Amazon, AT&T, Microsoft, Samsung, Verizon, Walmart, Facebook and Chinese bank ICBC, respectively.Focusing again on insurance, there was a notably strong performance from professional services provider PwC, which also has an insurance arm. Though not officially classified as an insurance company, it did finish ahead of all official insurance providers at 66place in the list and was also ranked in the top 10 of the worlds most powerful brands with a 90.9% score, finishing eighth in that particular ranking which was topped by Lego.Other notable insurance brands on list included US health insurance giant Anthem in position 127, AXA at 143, Aetna at 165, Zurich at 206, another health insurance superpower Humana at 211, MetLife at 231 and Allstate at 246 all cracking the top 250. Also notable was the performance of Chubb , which entered the top 500 at number 284, having previously been outside the list. Earlier this week, Validus Holdings, Ltd. announced that it had reached an agreement with a Decatur, Illinois-based primary crop insurance general agent.Through the transaction, Validus will acquire Archer Daniels Midland Companys (ADM) Crop Risk Services (CRS). It will include a marketing services agreement under which both companies will cooperate to continue offering insurance, farm products, and services to CRSs customers.CRS had $548.9 million gross premiums written for the 2016 reinsurance year. The unit currently has 1,170 agents across 36 states. Following the acquisition, Validus intends to have CRS operate as part of the Western World Insurance Group.Under the terms of the transaction, ADM will receive $127.5 million in cash, subject to certain working capital and balance sheet adjustments, in exchange for the entirety of its outstanding stock in CRS. Validus plans to use cash on hand to fund the transaction which is expected to close during the second quarter of this year, subject to obtaining required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.Im very pleased to welcome CRS to Validus, said Validus chairman and CEO Ed Noonan.CRS is a high quality crop insurance provider that has achieved excellent growth in recent years. Validus will benefit from CRSs commitment to provide superior customer service to agents and farmers via their leading technology capabilities. The addition of CRS complements Validuss existing agriculture book and participation in this market is a logical step as Validus continues to expand our presence in US primary specialty lines. The Licensing Board was updated on the progress Monday. Efforts to Re-Open Polish Club in Pittsfield Still Ongoing PITTSFIELD, Mass. Steve Fillio has joined the efforts to reopen the Polish Community Club. The club has been closed since the end of 2014 and members have been trying to re-open since. But, it had many hurdles in its way to get things aligned and now some two years later, it's still trying. Fillio is expected to take over managing the bar and he is currently heading efforts to renovate the interior. "Right now we are cleaning up the place and getting it ready," Fillio told the Licensing Board on Monday. "The place is looking nice." Fillio said he has recruited friends and volunteers to restore aspects of the building. That includes new flooring and fixing the heating system. The next step is secure financing from the bank. He hopes to have the club up and running in the spring. John Kerwood had already brought the club through a number of steps to reopen. The issues began in 2014 when Stella Spence, the former club president and license holder for the liquor license, died. At that point, there was no formal manager picked to replace her and the club continued to operate without a bar manager. That summer police responded to a fight at the bar and found no manager, which brought the attention to the Licensing Board. At the end of the year, the club closed its doors. Kerwood stepped in to reorganize it but faced issues with financing. The club's accounts were in Spence's name and the club needed to go through a new election process to get a new board of directors. It also needed to craft a new business plan to get bank financing. Kerwood spent the better part of 2015 and 2016 getting that in order. Throughout the process, Kerwood kept up with paying the fees to keep the liquor license and has been keeping the board up to date on the slow-moving progress. Fillio was voted in by the club to manage the bar in October and has taken charge of the physical changes to the club's building. "I'm doing everything I can do to help this club," Fillio said. The change in manager still needs to be approved by the Licensing Board and Fillio said he would be filing that application. The change in manager is likely to come before the Licensing Board at its next meeting. In other business, the Licensing Board began a show-cause hearing on the liquor license owned by the Crowne Plaza regarding overserving. Police Lt. Michael Grady reported to the board that a severely intoxicated man was arrested after he, and other patrons, taunted officers at a party in the early hours of Christmas Eve. "It occurred on Dec. 24 at 1:20 a.m., multiple units from the Police Department were called to the hotel ballroom to assist hotel security and police detail officers who were there for a party in the ballroom," Grady said. Grady said officers were there on detail for a private event. At the end of the night, the 23-year-man was severely intoxicated and argued with an officer after the police took a drink from his hands. When trying to escort the man out of the building, Grady said officers were faced with a number of "derogatory remarks" from groups of others who attended the event. He added there were other attendees who were noticeably overserved as well. "He was ultimately arrested. The issue is there was some overservice," Grady said. Crowne Plaza General Manager Charles Burnick said, "I wasn't aware that had even taken place." It was just a week ago when police contacted Burnick about the incident and he was called to the Licensing Board. Burnick said he had his own security staff inside of the ballroom and they had not reported any such incident as taking place. "I believe it happened outside of the ballroom area and in the lobby, down toward One West Restaurant," Burnick said. He agreed to bring the staff working that night before the board next month to explain their views of what had happened. Interim Superintendent Robert Putnam explains to the Adams Selectmen what he expects to see in a report commissioned on the school district's structure and future. Adams-Cheshire Prepares For Final Collins Center Report ADAMS, Mass. Consolidating school buildings will be among recommendations offered to the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee at next week's presentation by the University of Massachusetts' Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. Center officials will release information from the final segment of their study on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. in the C.T. Plunkett School auditorium. The center provided preliminary information on trends and budgeting last month. Interim Superintendent Robert Putnam said the team hired to find cost-saving measures within the district will present part two of their findings that will include ways to reconfigure the buildings in the district, along with cost-saving efficiencies that can be implemented internally. "They are going to show us what is available to our district and what their research has shown them so I am guessing they will present us with a broad range of ways to save money," he told the Selectmen on Wednesday. After the presentation, he plans to immediately schedule public input meetings because the School Committee is expected to vote on a budget March 13. He added that he would like to have public building tours to give the community a better idea of the conditions of the schools. "One good thing that I think is very important when we make our decision is for members of the community to be touring the buildings," Putnam said. "I want to feature this because I think it is important for people to see what the possibilities will be." Putnam said he hopes the study will help inform both the district's long-term and short-term vision. "As we look at the choices that we have to make, closing a building is in no way an end in itself," he said "What it is is a step to take towards creating something for our future because that is the really important part. Where do we see ourselves in five years?" He said this long-term planning is part of the reason that the district has applied for Massachusetts School Building Authority funds over the past years. When a district applies for these funds, the MSBA requires it look at all options but also be mindful of the future, he said. Putnam said the district must have a strategy to entice community students who may instead attend McCann Technical School, Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School and St. Stanislaus School. The students were evacuated for about two hours Thursday for the hoax bomb threat. Reid Middle School Evacuated After Hoax Bomb Threat PITTSFIELD, Mass. A secretary at Reid Middle School picked up the phone about 11:25 on Thursday morning to hear a message that a bomb was in the school and would explode at a certain time. Reid was one of five schools across the state and two more schools in New Hampshire that received the same call on Thursday. Ultimately, it was determined that it was a hoax. "We received intelligence from the state police after we reached out for resources that this was one of multiple, five in Massachusetts and two in New Hampshire, and based on the timing and the multiple reports, and that no devices detonated, it is being treated as a hoax," Police Chief Michael Wynn said. But between 11:25 and 1:30, the school district implemented a safety protocol to evacuate the children to a safe location. Emergency responders set up a command center to investigate and manage the situation. In a nearby conference room, school administrators joined police and fire in assessing the situation. At about 1:30, the students were brought back to school. "For us, the real story today is that the entire staff knew what to do. The training worked," Superintendent Jason McCandless said. This isn't the first time there has been a hoax bomb threat. Multiple schools in Berkshire County received such calls nearly a year ago. Each school has an emergency plan and McCandless said those plans were executed perfectly at Reid on Thursday. "This generation of kids practice lockdowns. They practice staying in place. They practice staying absolutely silent and hiding as best they can. They practice getting out of buildings any way they can. And they do practice these evacuations," McCandless said. So what does that all entail? It starts with any threatening call, which prompts an immediate report to 911. School administrators, the principal in most cases, determines the next step. On Thursday, that was left to Principal Linda Whitacre, who ordered the evacuation. "The principal absolutely made the right call," McCandless said. "It tends to be with school folks, and I deal with this when I am out driving around trying to make a call on snow days or delay days, we always err on the side of making sure people's children are safe." Each school in the city has relocation sites identified, mostly private institutions such as community clubs or social halls. For Reid there are three, and though most people know where those are the department doesn't like to broadcast that information for safety sake. "The parents know the sites because the kids practice it. We tend not to publicize in general where they are," McCandless said. The students grab red backpacks prefilled with emergency supplies that are stored in the classroom and walk in an orderly fashion to the evacuation site. The evacuations aren't just when there is a bomb threat but also other situations such as a heating failure. "We do ask people to take a quick scan of the building to make sure nothing looks significantly askew," McCandless said. The city has its own bus fleet so buses can be deployed to transport children as needed, particularly if the children are mobility impaired. Otherwise, closer sites are identified to handle a small number of children who may not be able to make the walk to the other sites. "We do have sites for each of the schools where walking is perhaps an issue, where mobility is perhaps and issue. So we have alternative sites so maybe a certain percentage of kids go here, a certain percentage of kids go there, and then a tiny percent of the kids go to another site that is really close by," McCandless said. At about 12:30, McCandless sent out an emergency robocall to parents. The district has the option of sending those calls out to every number families have listed, and that's the one McCandless opted to use on Thursday. "Our desire is to give as much information as humanly possible because parents trust their children to us. Sometimes for the sake of investigation and prosecution that can happen after, that is not something that we can do," McCandless said. When parents get those calls, McCandless said a flurry of responses come into his office and parents will drive to the location to pick up their children. But the superintendent said that makes things difficult when trying to keep track of all of the students, so he encourages parents not to try to pick their children up. "There are great pains going into keeping track. They take attendance before we leave the grounds. There is attendance once you arrive at the relocation site. There is attendance at the relocation site to go back. And there is attendance once you arrive back at the school," McCandless said. At 1:30, the students began heading back to the school because the threat had been deemed false. Reid parents received another call with more details, this time explaining that it was a bomb threat. Another call went out later in the day to the whole district telling parents about the circumstances. Thursday's bomb threat wasn't credible. But, should something more severe happen, the schools have plans in place, plans the students have practiced. Email IC Arizona at azpoliticalintel-at-yahoo.comIC Arizona is a subsidiary of IntellectualConservative.com Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump just cannot let some things go particularly when it comes to his business interests past and present. So at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC, Mr Trump decided to spend his time plugging The Apprentice the show he just happens to be executive producer of. Mr Trump asked the religious leaders gathered to say a prayer for Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man who has taken over host of The Apprentice and whose ratings the New York tycoon has often mocked. We had tremendous success with The Apprentice. When I ran for president I had to leave the show, he said, explaining his decision to stand down as host of the reality television show. They hired a big, big movie star to take my place, and we know how that turned out. The ratings are right through the tubes. Its been a total disasterso maybe we should pray for Arnold - for his ratings. This is not the first time that Mr Trump has made fun of his replacement on the show, which he hosted for 14 seasons. Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban Show all 20 1 /20 Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-1 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-2 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-3 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-4 SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 28: Demonstrators hold signs during a rally against a ban on Muslim immigration at San Francisco International Airport on January 28, 2017 in San Francisco, California. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday that suspends entry of all refugees for 120 days, indefinitely suspends the entries of all Syrian refugees, as well as barring entries from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering for 90 days. Stephen Lam/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-5 A crowd of protesters gathers outside of the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse as a judge hears a challenge against President Donald Trump's executive ban on immigration from several Muslim countries, on January 28, 2017 in Brooklyn. The judge issued an emergency stay on part of Trump's executive order, ruling that sending refugees stopped at U.S. airports back to their countries would be harmful. Yana Paskova/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-6 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the new immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-7 NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Protestors rally during a demonstration against the new immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-8 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the new immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-9 Getty Images Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-10 Getty Images Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-11 NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-12 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-13 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-14 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-15 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-16 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-17 NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-18 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-19 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-20 Passengers wait in line to check in at the American Airlines terminal at JFK International Airport August 10, 2006 in the Queens borough of New York City. British authorities arrested 21 people and halted a anallegedly terrorist plot to use liquid explosives concealed in carry-on luggage to blow up airliners traveling between Britain and the U.S. Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff said that the plot appeared to be directed at U.S. carriers flying out of Heathrow. such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines. Stephen Chernin/Getty In January, he tweeted: Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got swamped (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine. Schwarzenegger tweeted back: There's nothing more important than the people's work, @realDonaldTrump. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings. On Thursday, the star of movies such as Terminator, was quick to hit back. Hi Donald, I have a great idea - why dont we swap jobs, he said in a video message. You take over TV because youre such an expert on ratings, and I take over your job so that people can finally sleep comfortably. Though no one knows quite how genuine their beef is, the latest comments will do nothing to harm ratings of the show. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Gore Verbinski's had quite the unusual career in Hollywood: a mixed bag of styles, genres, and quality - though always with a keen eye for visual flair and storytelling on a grand scale. A frequent collaborator with Johnny Depp, Verbinski's most notable for directing the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films, alongside Disney's The Lone Ranger and animation Rango. However, the director was also responsible for 2002's The Ring, which launched a franchise and a short-lived hysteria for American remakes of Japanese horror flicks. It's to this territory he now returns with A Cure for Wellness; a wholly original horror based on a story by both Verbinski and Justin Haythe, with the latter penning the script. The film sees Dane DeHaan play a ruthless young executive sent to retrieve his company's CEO from a strange, secluded "wellness centre" located in the midst of the Swiss Alps. Though, as this new clip shows, things soon take a turn for the utterly bizarre. Jason Isaacs and Mia Goth also star. Films to get excited about in 2017 Show all 13 1 /13 Films to get excited about in 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Director: Rian Johnson Rian Johnson Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Lupita Nyong'o Plot: No details yet, but it will continue directly on from Rey coming face-to-face with Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. Release Date: 15 December 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok Director: Taika Waititi Taika Waititi Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, and Mark Ruffalo Plot: Story details are minimal as of now, but Thor's third return to screen has already been teased to feature a loose adaptation of the famous 'Planet Hulk' storyline. Release Date: 27 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 You Were Never Really Here Director: Lynne Ramsay Lynne Ramsay Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Alessandro Nivola Plot: A war veteran's attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring goes horribly wrong. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Annihilation Director: Alex Garland Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A biologist's husband disappears. She thus puts her name forward for an expedition into an environmental disaster zone, but does not quite find what she's expecting. The expedition team is made up of the biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Wonderstruck (image from Far From Heaven) Director: Todd Haynes Cast: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Amy Hargreaves Plot: The story of a young boy in the Midwest is told simultaneously with a tale about a young girl in New York from fifty years ago as they both seek the same mysterious connection. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Mother (image of Darren Aronofsky) Director: Darren Aronofsky Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Ed Harris Plot: A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (image from The Lobster) Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Alicia Silverstone Plot: A surgeon forms a familial bond with a sinister teenage boy, with disastrous results. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Blade Runner 2049 Director: Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto Plot: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Release Date: 6 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Lady Bird (image of director Greta Gerwig) Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Lucas Hedges Plot: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (image of director Steven Spielberg and star Mark Rylance) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Mark Rylance, Oscar Isaac Plot: The Kidnapping Of Edgardo Mortara recounts the story of a young Jewish boy in Bologna, Italy in 1858 who, having been secretly baptized, is forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. His parents' struggle to free their son becomes part of a larger political battle that pits the Papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties Director: John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell Cast: Elle Fanning, Ruth Wilson, and Nicole Kidman Plot: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Dark Tower Director: Nikolaj Arcel Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Taylor Plot: Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world. Release Date: 28 July 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Suburbicon Director: George Clooney George Clooney Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A crime mystery set in the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, where the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Release Date: 24 November The Independent had the opportunity to see the first half hour of the film, which showed some incredible restraint in deliver slow-burner chills, with an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of the slew of highly inventive, fun genre films which characterised the Twin Peaks-dominated early 90s. A Cure for Wellness hits UK cinemas 24 February. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Paramount released its big Super Bowl TV spot for its adaptation of the Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell. Scarlett Johansson takes on the role of Major, a special-ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9 devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists; with this spot ending on The Major's cybernetic flesh being peeled back to reveal her inner workings. Though the trailer promises some stunning, futuristic visuals; what's been shown so far does little to quieten the whitewashing controversy surrounding this film, showing a distinctly Japanese setting but with the focus being largely placed on Johansson and Danish actor Pilou Asbk. Fans had already expressed their dismay at the news Johansson would be cast in the lead role of (the clearly Japanese) Motoko Kusanagi, and the first image of the actor in the role seemed only to solidify the dissonance of her casting. A defining voice in the backlash was Ming Na-Wen, the voice of Disney's Mulan and current star of Marvel television series Agents of Shield; with comic writer Jon Tsuei explaining Ghost in the Shell actually ties into something deeply rooted within Japanese identity and to whitewash its story is to strip it of its weight, power, and relevance. Hollywood whitewashing controversies Show all 11 1 /11 Hollywood whitewashing controversies Hollywood whitewashing controversies Scarlett Johansson cast as Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell Blonde, white US actress Scarlett Johansson was announced to be playing the clearly Japanese character Motoko Kusanagi in Hollywood's Ghost in the Shell remake, much to the dismay of Asian film fans Hollywood whitewashing controversies Tilda Swinton cast as The Ancient One in Doctor Strange Marvel sparked outrage when Anglo-Scottish actress Tilda Swinton was cast as Tibetan mystic The Ancient One alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange Hollywood whitewashing controversies Zoe Saldana was criticised for 'blacking up' to play the considerably darker-skinned soul singer Nina Simone in Nina AP Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jake Gyllenhaal stars in Prince of Persia The half Jewish, quarter Swedish actor was cast to play a Middle Eastern Prince in Disney's 2010 film Hollywood whitewashing controversies Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily in forthcoming film Pan Mara was been cast in the role of American Indian Tiger Lily, sparking an online protest from angry film fans Warner Bros Hollywood whitewashing controversies Christian Bale plays Moses in Ridley Scott's Exodus: Gods and Kings Ridley Scott claimed he would never cast 'Mohammed so-and-so from such-and-such a country' in a lead role in his Biblical epic, and went on to cast an entirely white cast instead Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jim Caveziel plays Jesus in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ Catholic star Mel Gibson chose to cast a Caucasian American actor in the role of Jesus for his controversial film AP Hollywood whitewashing controversies Micky Rooney plays a Japanese neighbour in Breakfast at Tiffany's Who better to play Holly Golightly's Japanese neighbour IY Yunoishi than American actor Mick Rooney. At least Hollywood has come some way since 1961 YouTube Hollywood whitewashing controversies Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in Argo Ben Affleck became the subject of a few editorials in Latin American newspapers for casting himself (an American with English, Irish, Scottish and Swiss ancestry) as a Mexican CIA operative Hollywood whitewashing controversies Jennifer Connelly plays Alicia Nash in A Beautiful Mind Alicia Lopez-Harrison de Larde was a naturalised US citizen from El Salvador, but was played by an actress of Jewish, Irish and Norwegian descent YouTube Hollywood whitewashing controversies Chinese actresses cast in Memoirs of a Geisha What better way to alienate Japanese cinemagoers than to cast three Chinese actresses in the lead roles in a film about Japanese culture REUTERS Producer Steven Paul has defended the decision by stating that fans are "going to end up being really happy with it" and that the film isn't distinctly Japanese, but takes place in "an international world"; though Kaori Momoi has recently revealed she'll be - confusingly - playing Johansson's mother in the film, leaving the film in a particularly perilous position when it comes to navigating the cultural issues brought up by this approach to adaptation. Ghost in the Shell hits UK cinemas 31 March. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Kal Penn has thanked fans for raising over $800,000 for Syrian refugees, after beginning a fundraising page late last month. The Harold and Kumar actor - who was later appointed as a public engagement advisor to Barack Obama - started the campaign after Tweeting a picture of an abrasive comment from Instagram. Penn, who was born to Indian parents in New Jersey, shared the image with the fundraising page link on the social media site, along with the message: "Donating to Syrian refugees in the name of the dude who said I don't belong in America. "We are better than the hateful people who tell us we don't belong in our own country, that American can't be a beacon of freedom and hope for refugees from around the world," he wrote on the page. We will turn their bigotry, along with the President's, into love." Fans began donating money in their own name, but also on behalf of Steven Bannon, Melania Trump, Kellyanne Conway and - of course - Donald Trump. In his fourth update on the fundraising page, Penn thanked fans for all their donations, writing: I just want to keep it short and let you know that so far, you have raised a total of $813,533 and counting for Syrian Refugees through Internation Rescue Committee (in the name of the dude who said I don't belong in America, haha)! The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters I'm so speechless. Thank you for continuing to share our stories on social media for folks who would like to contribute. More than 20,443 of us have joined together to donate. To borrow a phrase from a friend, this is obviously about so much more than any one of us. Thank you, and keep it up! Wonder how high we can get this number! Penn has posted more information about how to help refugees here. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Standon Calling Festival has announced electronic duo Orbital and Clean Bandit as headliners for its 2017 event. Also confirmed are Slaves, Mercury-nominated artist Laura Mvula, Gary Numan, Nothing But Thieves, Nadia Rose, Cabbage, Fickle Friends and Dutch Unkles. The Laundry Meadows stage (in association with The Independent) is set to play host to a diverse range of established and up and coming talent: already confirmed are Steve Mason, !!! (Chk Chk Chk) and British Sea Power. British Sea Power return to Standon Calling with new album Let The Dancers Inherit The Party and their stellar reputation for live shows. UK MC Nadia Rose, indie pop band Fickle Friends and the much talked-about Manchester anarchists Cabbage have also been confirmed for the festival, along with a brilliant range of DJ sets from Hot Chip's Joe Goddard, Faithless, Jax Jones, DJ Yoda and Maxxi Soundsystem. Speaking about the first line-up announcement, Founder and Festival Director Alex Trenchard said: "Standon Calling has always been about jaw dropping performances, whether that be from crowd favourites or emerging talent. "For me, the very first Orbital Glastonbury show is something I will never forget but Standon is also about the now and I'm very excited to be announcing Clean Bandit straight off the back of nine weeks at number 1. When it comes to breaking acts, something that has been such an important part of Standons gone-by, I'm really excited about Cabbage, Nadia Rose and Fickle Friends. We've got loads more to announce including a very special Sunday night headliner, and I can't quite believe this is only the first wave. But what I do know is Standon 2017 is going to be the best ever." Headliners Clean Bandit said: Having spent so long in the studio working on the new album, its incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to play our new music to fans this summer. "Its a really exciting opportunity to be headlining a festival in the UK and we hope to bring the party to Standon!" Ticket Information Standon Calling tickets are on sale now, and are available here. Super Early-Bird and Early-Bird tickets sold out in record time, with Tier 1 tickets now standing at: Adult Weekend Tickets from 137 Teen Weekend Tickets from 97 Child Weekend Tickets from 35 Infant Weekend Tickets from 5 Standon Calling is situated in the Hertfordshire countryside - less than 45 minutes from Central London. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Stormzy has revealed details of his anticipated debut album GSAP, including the full tracklisting. Returning to social media for the first time since September, he confirmed what looks like a release date of at least some new material (24 February 2017), if not the entire album. Check out the tracklist below: The album looks set to feature a strong range of guest artists, including Kehlani, who just released her own debut album SweetSexySavage, Ghetts, MNEK, and Raleigh Ritchie. Stormzy shared a 45-second clip of 'Cold' in September, one of the singles off the album, which he performed live for the first time in Gothenburg, Sweden. The grime star left clues around London last week in the form of billboards which featured lyrics taken from GSAP, along with his signature hashtag #Merky. Stormzy is currently nominated for Best Male at the Brit Awards, which take place on 22 February. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The UK has one of the lowest rates of renewable energy consumption in Europe, according to new figures. The European Union has a target of 20 per cent of energy use coming from carbon-free sources by 2020. However there is a vast difference between the best and worst performing states. Sweden has the highest rate with more than 54 per cent of its energy coming from renewable sources in 2015, following by Finland on just under 40 per cent and Latvia on 39 per cent. The UKs figure is just 8.2 per cent, putting it in 24th place out of 28 and not far ahead of last-placed Luxemburg on 5 per cent. However the European Commission said the EU as a whole remained well on track to meet it 2020 target, with an average figure of 16.4 per cent in 2015. Miguel Arias Canete, Climate Action and Energy Commissioner, said: Despite the current geopolitical uncertainties, Europe is forging ahead with the clean energy transition. There is no alternative. And the facts speak for themselves: renewable energy is now cost-competitive and sometimes cheaper than fossil fuels, employs over one million people in Europe, attracts more investments than many other sectors, and has reduced our fossil fuels imports bill by 16bn (13.7bn). Now, efforts will need to be sustained as Europe works with its partners to lead the global race to a more sustainable, competitive economy. The figures include electricity consumption, but also the energy used for heating and transport. More than 20 per cent of the UK's electricity now comes from renewable energy, but the country has struggled to make an impact on the greenhouse gases produced by cars and other vehicles and also to heat people's homes. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan The figure for the UK's renewable energy use in 2015 means that the UK is slightly ahead of schedule if it is to meet its share of the overall EU target of 20 per cent, set at 15 per cent because of its low starting point. But there are concerns that progress is beginning to stall. Dr Nina Skorupska, chief executive of the Renewable Energy Association, said: "We have been saying for some time that the UK is unlikely to meet its 2020 renewable energy target overall given the current policy framework. "While we are likely to meet and even overshoot on power, much more progress needs to be made on transport and heat. In heat, the Governments recent reform of the Renewable Heat Incentive has stilted the growth of much of the biomass sector, which was the technology that was previously deploying the majority of the heat under the scheme. The Department for Transport should accelerate the introduction of ... renewables in the fuel mix, increasing the cap on crops in the production of sustainable biofuels. While the European Commission report indicates that we met our interim target in 2013/2014, the Government has introduced over a dozen negative policy changes that have significantly slowed renewable deployment since that point." "The UK is moving to 15 per cent renewable energy from a low base and, as the report points out, along with the Netherlands, France, and Luxembourg we have the biggest gap to meet our target." The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "We are currently progressing in line with the trajectory set out in the Renewable Energy Directive, having met the Directives interim targets." Here is a list of each EU country showing its renewable energy share in 2015: Sweden 54.1% Finland 39.5% Latvia 39.2% Austria 33.6% Denmark 30.6% Estonia 27.9% Portugal 27.8% Croatia 27.5% Romania 24.7% Lithuania 24.3% Slovenia 21.8% Bulgaria 18.4% Italy 17.1% EU average: 16,4% Spain 15.6% Greece 15.5% France 14.5% Germany 14.5% Czech 13.6% Slovakia 11.9% 20, Poland 11.8% Hungary 9.4% Cyprus 9.1% Ireland 9% UK 8.2% Belgium 7,.3% Netherlands 6% Malta 5.3% Luxemburg 5% Sign up to IndyEat's free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyEats email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} First it was Prosecco, then Nutella, then our beloved avocados - yes, it seems like theres just one shortage of our favourite delicacies after another. And the latest food to be under threat? Bacon. Yes, pig farmers are struggling to keep up with our appetite for bacon butties. Recommended The UK is currently in the midst of a courgette shortage Fortunately for Brits partial to a sizzling rasher or two, the shortage is currently only affecting supplies across the pond in the US, where bacon reserves are at their lowest for half a century. The US Department of Agriculture revealed there has been a 67 per cent year-on-year drop in pork belly inventory levels. On Tuesday, the Ohio Pork Council revealed that demand for frozen pork belly (which is often made into bacon) is exceeding supply. Todays pig farmers are setting historic records by producing more pigs than ever, said Ohio Pork Council President Rich Deaton. Yet our reserves are still depleting. In what has been dubbed the aporkalypse, it didnt take long for #baconshortage to start trending on Twitter as panic spread. The nations love for bacon has pushed up pork belly prices which saw an increase of 20 per cent in January according to the Council. And it might not just be Americans driving up prices - demand from overseas may be contributing to the shortage, officials have suggested. However Deaton is adamant that Americans will not have to go without their BLTs, even if they become more expensive: Rest assured. The pork industry will not run out of supply. Ohio farmers will continue to work hard to ensure consumers receive the products they crave. Lets just pray Britains bacon supplies wont be under threat next. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The UK's revenge porn helpline is set to close next month, according to Labour MP Sarah Champion. The helpline, which launched in February 2015, offers support to men and women affected by revenge porn, where explicit images or videos of them have been shared without their consent. Speaking in the House of Commons today, Ms Champion, the Labour MP for Rotherham, asked why the government was cutting funding for the helpline. Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty Some 20% of 13- to 21-year-olds have had unwanted pornographic images sent to them, and 5% of them have had indecent images shared without their consent, she said. Why is the government cutting the funding to the revenge porn helpline and how will you ensure that the victims have access to bespoke support, when you are shutting the only helpline in March? Minister for women and equalities Justine Greening responded by saying that no announcement had yet been made. According to the Guardian, the revenge porn helpline has been in talks with the government over funding for months, but has failed to receive any commitment of support. Over 200 people were prosecuted for disclosing private sexual images without consent in the year 2015-16, after new laws to tackle revenge porn were introduced. When the revenge porn helpline was launched, then equalities minister Nicky Morgan said, I want to ensure that anyone who finds that they have had images of themselves shared without their consent has the support and advice that they need. This helpline will provide essential free legal advice on how to have pictures removed from the internet. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} There are few situations where hanging up on someone mid-phone call is considered acceptable, least of all an important call between two national leaders. And yet that is reportedly what Donald Trump did just 25 minutes into what was meant to be an hour-long conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. According to the Washington Post, the US President abruptly ended the call with Turnbull over his demand that the US honour the refugee deal agreed with former President Barack Obama. Donald Trump's top five Twitter feuds Recommended Psychologists believe Trump is showing signs of severe mental illness Trump apparently subjected Turnbull to a torrent of vitriol (which the world has seen many a time on Twitter), became exasperated and started yelling, before terminating the conversation. It is behaviour largely associated with stroppy teenagers who cant deal with not getting their way, but does acting like this suggest yet another worrying red flag when it comes to the new POTUS? Behavioural and celebrity psychologist Jo Hemmings believes Trumps behaviour on the phone is another large indicator of his malignant narcissism. He has a messiah complex, no conscience, and lacks complete empathy, she told The Independent, adding that hanging up the phone is just like a child having a tantrum. According to Hemmings, most people grow out of this behaviour by the age of three or four, although theres sometimes a reappearance during adolescence due to hormones. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Trump acts like a child who hasnt yet developed enough to consider anyone elses opinion, Hemmings says. She believes that the Presidents behaviour further suggests hes never wanted for anything in his life or had to modify his behaviour, which has fueled his narcissism. Trump is clearly used to getting his own way and is very hot-headed, she says. He wont see things from anyone elses perspective and gets very annoyed when challenged. The Presidents malignant narcissism results in a desperate need and entitlement for power, according to Hemmings, and she says Trump is likely to see no point in continuing a conversation after someone disagrees with him because hes massively bloody-minded. But as we have already seen, not all the world leaders will play his game and Trump will fall out with anyone who doesnt agree with him, which is likely to lead to problems down the line. Trump thinks hes invincible, says Hemmings, who doubts whether his advisors will ever question or criticise him. Usually leaders choose the people around them to keep them in check, and Trump needs people to temper his hotheadedness and aggression. Instead, hes picked advisors who worship him. It remains to be seen how other leaders will react. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An effective cure for all types of cancer could be just five to 10 years away, according to one of the worlds leading experts on the disease. Survival rates have dramatically increased over the last five decades from an average of 24 per cent the early 1970s to about 50 per cent. But some forms of the disease have remained extremely hard to treat just one per cent of pancreatic cancer patients and five per cent of those with lung cancer are still alive 10 years after diagnosis. Speaking to The Independent ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, Professor Karol Sikora, former head of the World Health Organisations cancer programme, said advances in genetics meant doctors would soon be able to prescribe drugs specifically targeted at each individuals cancer. He said the tumours in 100 women with breast cancer would all be unique to each individual but understanding the molecular cogs that make cancer cells different to normal cells and therefore developing drugs personalised to the cancer would allow personalised, precision medicine. What it would do is suppress the cancer and convert cancer into a long-term chronic disease, Professor Sikora said. Most patients with cancer tend to be in their 50s or 60s. If they live another 20 or 30 years, they would effectively live a normal lifespan. Professor Sikora suggested this medical revolution would happened in the next five to 10 years. There will be, not a cure-all, but a much better predictive way of knowing which drugs to give to which patients, he said. In the 1970s, the survival rate for testicular cancer went up to 98 per cent, so essentially its a cure. I think there will be a sudden surge once we understand the data about the genome. Testicular cancer has the highest 10-year survival rate, following by malignant melanoma (89 per cent) and prostate cancer (84 per cent), according to figures for 2010-2011 in England and Wales compiled by Cancer Research UK. Some 78 per cent of breast cancer patients live at least 10 years, along with 80 per cent of Hodgkins lymphoma patients and 77 per cent of those with cancer of the uterus. The lowest 10-year survival rates are for pancreatic (one per cent), lung (five per cent) and oesophageal (12 per cent) cancer. 13 ways to help prevent cancer Show all 13 1 /13 13 ways to help prevent cancer 13 ways to help prevent cancer Stopping smoking. This notoriously difficult habit to break sees tar build-up in the lungs and DNA alteration and causes 15,558 cancer deaths a year 13 ways to help prevent cancer Avoiding the sun, and the melanoma that comes with overexposure to harmful UV rays, could help conscientious shade-lovers dodge being one of the 7,220 people who die from it 13 ways to help prevent cancer A diet that is low in red meat can help to prevent bowel cancer, according to the research - with 30 grams a day recommended for men, and 25 a day recommended for women 13 ways to help prevent cancer Foods high in fibre, meanwhile, can further make for healthier bowels. Processed foods in developed countries appear to be causing higher rates of colon cancer than diets in continents such as Africa, which have high bean and pulse intakes 13 ways to help prevent cancer Two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables a day were given as the magic number for good diet in the research. Overall, diet causes only slightly fewer cancer deaths than sun exposure in Australia, at 7,000 a year 13 ways to help prevent cancer Obesity and being overweight, linked to poor diet and lack of exercise, causes 3,917 deaths by cancer a year on its own Getty 13 ways to help prevent cancer Dying of a cancer caused by infection also comes in highly, linked to 3,421 cancer deaths a year. Infections such as human papilloma virus - which can cause cervical cancer in women - and hepatitis - can be prevented by vaccinations and having regular check-ups 13 ways to help prevent cancer Cutting back on drinks could reduce the risk of cancers caused by alcohol - such as liver cancer, bowel cancer, breast cancer and mouth cancer - that are leading to 3,208 deaths a year 2014 Getty Images 13 ways to help prevent cancer Sitting around and not getting the heart pumping - less than one hour's exercise a day - is directly leading to about 1,800 people having lower immune functions and higher hormone levels, among other factors, that cause cancers 2011 Getty Images 13 ways to help prevent cancer Hormone replacement therapy, which is used to relieve symptoms of the menopause in women, caused 539 deaths from (mainly breast) cancer in Australia last year. It did, however, prevent 52 cases of colorectal cancers 2003 Getty Images 13 ways to help prevent cancer Insufficient breastfeeding, bizarrely, makes the top 10. Breastfeeding for 12 months could prevent 235 cancer cases a year, said the research AFP/Getty Images 13 ways to help prevent cancer Oral contraceptives, like the Pill, caused about 105 breast cancers and 52 cervical cancers - but it also prevented about 1,440 ovarian and uterine (womb) cases of cancer last year 2006 Getty Images 13 ways to help prevent cancer Taking aspirin also prevented 232 cases in the Queensland research of colorectal and oesophagal cancers - but as it can also cause strokes, is not yet recommended as a formal treatment against the risk of cancer While there has been some progress on hard to treat cancers, others have remained stubbornly lethal. For example the 10-year survival rate for brain cancer has gone up from six per cent in the early 1970s to 14 per cent, while the same figures for oesophageal cancer rose from four per cent to 12 per cent. However for lung cancer, the survival rate rose from three per cent to five per cent and has not changed for pancreatic cancer, although recent research was hailed as a significant breakthrough. Dr Emma Smith, Cancer Research UKs science information manager, said the charity was funding cutting-edge research to find new ways to prevent cancer, to diagnose it early when treatments are more likely to work, and to develop more effective, kinder treatments. The good news is that for some cancer types, such as leukaemia and testicular cancer, many patients are cured, she said. Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Show all 6 1 /6 Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Art helped Ms Black to cope with her treatment. She is pictured here with an Alice in Wonderland 'Drinke Me' bottle painted on her head, symbolising the drugs she took but didn't understand. Lillyan Ling Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Nikki as she waits to be tattooed Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Comedian Nikki Black before being tattooed Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Nikki being tattooed at The Gilded Lily Design Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Ms Black mid-way through her tattoo Breast cancer survivor gets double-mastectomy tattoos Nikki Black after being tattooed But much more needs to be done for people with other types of cancer, including pancreatic, lung, oesophageal and brain tumours. This is why were boosting research in these areas so we can hope to cure more patients in future. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} American Airlines has formally opened an office in Havana, Cuba despite uncertainty over what the Donald Trump presidency will mean for relations between the two countries. According to the Associated Press, the opening of the office on Wednesday comes just two months after the airline celebrated its first commercial flight from the US to Havana in more than five decades. We cannot speculate about what [Mr Trump's] next step will be, but I can assure you that we are moving our machine forward, said Galo Beltran, the Cuba manager for American Airlines, according to the Associated Press. You are a witness to the investment and how important Cuba is to American as a US entity doing business. As one of his final acts as US President, Barack Obama last month ended a longstanding immigration policy that allows any Cuban who makes it to US soil to stay and become a legal resident. The repeal of the wet foot, dry foot policy followed months of negotiations focused in part on getting Cuba to agree to take back people who had arrived in the US. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The Cuban government praised the move. In a statement read on state television, it called the signing of the agreement an important step in advancing relations between the US and Cuba that aims to guarantee normal, safe and ordered migration. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit secretary David Davis has strongly indicated that the UK will leave the EU's customs union after Brexit, potentially introducing much higher import duties and intrusive border checks. In a White Paper published on Thursday, the government said that after leaving the EU, it wants to ensure that we can take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate our own preferential trade agreements around the world. We will not be bound by the EUs Common External Tariff or participate in the Common Commercial Policy. After the paper was published, Mr Davis was asked to clarify what the White Paper says about the customs union, and he confirmed that it meant Britain was definitely leaving it. Tory backbencher Sir Edward Leigh said: On page 49, the Government says we have an open mind on how we implement new customs arrangements with the EU. Just for the avoidance of doubt, will the Secretary of State confirm today we are not only leaving the single market and the EU, we are definitely leaving the customs union? Mr Davis replied: If he continues to read that page, it confirms that we 'will not be bound by the EUs Common External Tariff or participate in the Common Commercial Policy', which amounts to exactly that, what he said. The currency customs union facilitates free trade between EU states by ensuring that they all charge the same import duties to countries outside the union. Countries in the bloc agree not to impose tariffs on goods travelling between countries in the union. It also reduces administrative and bureaucratic trade barriers such as customs checks. The government is likely to want to emulate some elements of this arrangement even if it does formally leave the customs union. A customs union is different from a free trade area. In the latter no tariffs, taxes or quotas are charged on goods and services moving within the area but members are able to negotiate their own external trade deals. Mr Davis' commitment to quit the union chimes with comments made earlier this week by Lord Price. Speaking to German newspaper Die Welt, the Minister of State at the Department for International Trade said that the government understands that it will not be granted a special deal. Over the past weeks I have met with many of my EU counterparts [] most of them have made it clear to me that there will be no cherry-picking, Lord Price told the paper. We have understood the message, he added. He said that the aim is now to agree on all elements of Brexit through a free trade agreement with the remaining 27 member states of the EU, and that he hopes that this will be done within the next two years. Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Show all 13 1 /13 Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Supreme Court Brexit Challenge People wait to enter the public gallery outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Gina Miller, co-founder of investment fund SCM Private arrives at the Supreme court in London on the first day of a four-day hearing Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waves the EU flag in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Satirical artist Kaya Mar poses with two of his paintings in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin. The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Businesswoman Gina Miller arrives at the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Attorney General Jeremy Wright arrives at the Supreme Court in London EPA Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Protesters outside the Supreme Court in London, where the Government is appealing against a ruling that the Prime Minister must seek MPs' approval to trigger the process of taking Britain out of the European Union PA wire Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protesters wearing a judge's wigs and robes stands outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protester holds up a placard outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waiting to enter the public gallery waves a European Union flag outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters In January, in a landmark speech at Lancaster House in London, Prime Minister Theresa May said that Britain would pull out of the single market when it leaves the EU. On the customs union, however, she suggested that the UK could negotiate some sort of associate member access while retaining the right to carry out its own deals with non-EU nations - in other words, becoming exempt from the common external tariff. The European customs union is the largest in the world by economic output, which gives it considerable negotiating power. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Switzerlands financial regulator fined Coutts & Co for violating money-laundering rules and illegally profiting from transactions associated with 1Malaysia Development Bhd, prompting Swiss prosecutors to review the decision to see if the bank should face a criminal investigation. Coutts, owned by Royal Bank of Scotland, allowed a total of $2.4bn worth of assets related to the Malaysian development fund to flow through accounts in Switzerland even though it had good reason to be suspicious of the transactions, Finma said. Finma ordered the bank to pay back 6.5m Swiss francs in unlawfully generated profits from the transactions, saying Coutts had seriously breached money laundering regulations by failing to carry out adequate background checks into business relationships and transactions associated with 1MDB. The bank also ignored internal warnings from some of its employees, Finma said. In December, the Monetary Authority of Singapore imposed a 2.4 million Singapore dollar fine on Coutts for anti-money laundering breaches at its branch there. Finma said it was also considering enforcement proceedings against those Coutts employees responsible for the banks actions. A young Malaysian businessman opened an account in the summer of 2009 with the expectation that $10m would be transferred to it from the holders family assets. Instead, about $700m was moved to the account late that year from 1MDB. The wealth fund, which has consistently denied wrongdoing, is at the centre of several international investigations into alleged corruption and money laundering by public officials. Prosecutors in Singapore, Switzerland, the US and other jurisdictions are looking into a sweeping multiyear scheme in which more than $3.5bn was allegedly diverted from the investment vehicle. We regret any historic failings in our [anti-money laundering] processes, RBS said in an e-mailed statement. Coutts & Co has progressively and substantially strengthened its AML policies and controls. We are in the process of winding-down this Swiss-incorporated business, following the sale of the majority of the assets last year. RBS sold the Coutts International private-banking unit to Union Bancaire Privee last year. UBP declined to comment on the Finma announcement and said that since it was an asset-only deal, it didnt inherit any legal liability. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. The Swiss attorney-generals office said Thursday it had asked Finma for a copy of the enforcement decision to help evaluate whether Coutts behavior meets the test for corporate criminal liability. Finma said it has also flagged the case to the UK Financial Conduct Authority. A spokesman for the FCA declined to comment. Coutts & Co is not the first Swiss bank to be sanctioned for its 1MDB dealings. Falcon Private Bank and BSI, both based in Lugano, were ordered to shut down their Singapore banking units as punishment for facilitating illicit payments, and BSI was fined 95 million Swiss francs last year for ignoring clear warning signals, according to Finma CEO Mark Branson. Bloomberg Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit Secretary David Davis has strongly indicated that the UK government is committed to leaving the EU customs union after Brexit. After we have left the EU, we want to ensure that we can take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate our own preferential trade agreements around the world, the government wrote in a White Paper published on Thursday. We will not be bound by the EUs Common External Tariff or participate in the Common Commercial Policy. After the paper was published, Mr Davis was asked to clarify what the White Paper says about the customs union, and he confirmed that it meant Britain was definitely leaving it. In her landmark speech at Lancaster House last month, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the UK would quit the European single market, but left open the issue of future membership of the customs union. But what is the customs union and what exactly will leaving it mean for people in the UK? What is the customs union? The customs union facilitates free trade between EU states by ensuring that they all charge the same import duties to countries outside the union. The countries also agree not to impose tariffs on goods travelling between countries in the union. Jeremy Corbyn says Theresa May risks 'trade war' with Europe over Brexit strategy The agreement reduces administrative and financial trade barriers such as customs checks and charges. This is different from a free trade area, which means no tariffs, taxes or quotas are charged on goods and services moving within the area but allows its participants to negotiate their own external trade deals. It is also not the same as the single market, which is broader, encompassing the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The European customs union is the largest in the world by economic output, which gives it considerable negotiating power. In practice, it is possible to be outside the customs union but still have access to the single market, as Norway is. This means it can negotiate its own trade deals but has to accept free movement of people and must comply with EU legislation - an option that would anger many UK Brexit voters. Conversely, Turkey, Andorra and San Marino have customs union agreements with the EU but are not part of the single market. These agreements only cover certain goods. Turkey's agreement with the EU for example, excludes agricultural products, services and public procurement. 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 What would leaving the customs union mean? The clearest effect of leaving the customs union is likely to be increased tariffs leading to rising prices. EU officials have said that they will not give the UK an easy ride, and the country cannot pick and choose which elements of the union it wants to keep and which it does not. In practice, this means that if the UK restricts the free movement of people with immigration controls it cannot have completely tariff-free access to the single market. The cost of doing business will therefore rise, with those costs ultimately being passed on to consumers. Countries Such as Switzerland and Norway do enjoy tariff-free access without being part of the customs union but both accept free movement and make contributions to the EU budget. The UK could negotiate a free trade deal with the EU, as Canada has recently done, for example. This means the UK would have access to the single market to sell its products but would not be part of it - ie, it would not have to sign up to free movement of people. Agreeing such a deal could take many years. The EU-Canada trade pact signed in October took seven years to negotiate. How big could the impact be? A huge 44 per cent of Britains exports go to the EU - 220bn out of 510bn - according to the Office of National Statistics. They would be subject to import tariffs as well as extra administrative costs. If the UK did not negotiate a more favourable trade deal with the EU, it would have to trade on standard tariffs under World Trade Organisation rules. An analysis by The Independent found that the cost to Britains exporters -- in extra tariffs alone -- would be at least 4.5bn per year. This conservative estimate does not include the difficult-to-measure costs of non-tariff barriers, such as the enforcement of different market standards and regulations. Theresa May announces Britain will not remain full member of EU customs union As an example of how damaging a WTO scenario could be, the Nissan plant in Sunderland, which has a workforce of 6,700, exported around 250,000 cars to the EU in 2015, around half of its output. Those exports would face a tariff of up to 10 per cent outside the customs union unless a free trade deal could be negotiated. The extra costs on companies could force them to relocate UK operations within the EU after Brexit, potentially leading to job cuts. In Tuesday's speech, Ms May said she would pursue a free trade deal as an alternative to membership of the customs union. Such a deal could significantly lower tariffs though it may not match what the UK currently enjoys inside the customs union. What will the positive impacts be? The main positive put forward by hard-liners, such as Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox, is that Britain would be free to negotiate its own trade deals with non-EU countries. This could allow the lowering of barriers elsewhere to help to make up for any loss of trade with the EU. However, trade deals take a notoriously long time to negotiate - far longer than the two years the Government has between triggering Article 50 and leaving the bloc. The UK would also be in a far less advantageous negotiating position. Being the worlds largest economic trading bloc with 500 million relatively wealthy consumers gives the EU hefty clout which the UK alone cannot match. The second positive put forward is that the country would not have to pay the 13bn it paid to the EU for membership in 2015, though there would be other, potentially huge, costs to businesses. European officials have also mooted charging an annual fee if the UK wants access to EU markets to buy and sell its products but remains outside the customs union. The Prime Minister warned on Tuesday that this would a be a "calamitous act of self-harm" on the part of EU member states and threatened to ditch a deal if it was seen as punitive. Norway is set to pay 140 per head for its access to the single market between 2015 and 2020. The UK currently pays 220, according to analysis by factchecking organisation, Full Fact. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} German authorities have raided the home and office of Carsten Kengeter, the chief executive of Deutsche Boerse, as part of an investigation into his purchase of company stock just months before the exchange announced talks to acquire London Stock Exchange Group. Frankfurt prosecutors are looking into Mr Kengeters purchase of the German exchanges shares on 14 December 2015, according to a statement from the market operator. It emerged on 23 February last year that takeover discussions with LSE were under way. Recommended LSE Deutsche Boerse merger approved Brexit EU referendum Deutsche Boerses shares rallied 6.7 per cent between those two dates. The insider trading investigation is unlikely to derail Deutsche Boerses acquisition of LSE, according to Ian Davey, head of Scorpeo Analytics, a corporate-event advisory firm in London. He noted that the German firms supervisory board approved the purchase. It would be somewhat extraordinary for such a stock purchase not to have been thoroughly vetted prior, Mr Davey said. In my view, this has a very low probability of preventing the deal closing. Frankfurt prosecutors confirmed the probe and raids in a statement on Thursday morning. The investigation was opened because of talks about a possible merger starting in July or August 2015 between the leadership of Deutsche Boerse and LSE, the investigators said. Deutsche Boerse shares declined 1.3 per cent in Frankfurt trading, falling further after Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg cut the stocks rating to hold from buy. LSE welcomes the strong statement of support from Deutsche Boerse chairman Joachim Faber, who has described the allegations related to Carsten Kengeter as without foundation, LSE said in an emailed statement. We look forward to working towards completion of our proposed merger. The probe alleges that Mr Kengeter bought Deutsche Boerse shares in December while knowing about the talks that at that time werent public, prosecutors said. Mr Kengeters office in Eschborn and his Frankfurt home were searched Wednesday, according to the statement. Investigators are seeking to understand how the negotiations proceeded until 23 February when the companies disclosed that talks had been held in an ad-hoc release following market rumours that had emerged. The transaction was part of a compensation programme that was approved by the companys supervisory board, Deutsche Boerse said on Wednesday, adding that the company and Mr Kengeter fully cooperate with the public prosecutor. The probe comes as Deutsche Boerse and LSE are in a decisive phase in their effort to create Europes dominant exchange operator, a feat that has eluded previous chief executives. European Union competition watchdogs, who blocked a similar merger attempt in 2012, are likely to make a decision on the deal next month. The approximately $12bn (10bn) takeover has also faced opposition in Germany over a plan to locate the headquarters of the combined company in London. This probe is clearly unhelpful, however its still too early to predict the outcome of something so personal, said Arjun Bowry, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. LSE and Deutsche Boerse still have sizable antitrust hurdles to overcome and those remain the key risk to the deal. Biggest business scandals in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Biggest business scandals in pictures Biggest business scandals in pictures Volkswagen emissions scandal VW admitted to rigging its US emission tests so that diesel-powered cars would looks like they were emitting less nitrous oxide, which can damage the ozone layer and contribute to respiratory diseases. Around 11 million cars worldwide were affected. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Martin Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli became known as the most hated man in the world after his drug company, Turing, increased the price of a 62-year-old drug that treated HIV patients by 5,000% to $750 a pill. He was charged with illegally taking stock from Retrophin, a biotechnology firm he started in 2011, and using it pay off debts from unrelated business dealings. Shkreli, who maintains he is innocent, and says there is little evidence of fraud because his investors didn't lose money. Biggest business scandals in pictures Panama Papers: Millions of leaked documents expose how worlds rich and powerful hid money - April 2016 Millions of confidential documents have been leaked from one of the worlds most secretive law firms, exposing how the rich and powerful have hidden their money. Dictators and other heads of state have been accused of laundering money, avoiding sanctions and evading tax, according to the unprecedented cache of papers that show the inner workings of the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which is based in Panama. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Google's tax avoidance Google reached a deal with the HM Revenue and Customs to pay back 130 million in so-called back-taxes that have been due since 2005. George Osborne championed the deal as a major success. But European MEPs have since called for the Chancellor to appear in front of the committee on tax rulings to explain the tax deal. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Rogue trader A French court cut the damages owed by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel from 4.9bn (4.2bn) to just 1m (860,000). The court ruled on that Kerviel was partly responsible for massive losses suffered in 2008 by his former employer Societe Generale through his reckless trades. Kerviel has consistently maintained that bosses at the French bank knew what he was doing all along. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Barclays CEO under investigation for trying to identify whistleblower - Monday Paril 10 Authorities have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive officer Jes Staley for trying to identify a whistleblower, the bank said on Monday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are both investigating Mr Staley after the bank notified them that Mr Staley had tried to identify the author of two anonymous letters, which were sent to the board and a senior executive in June 2016. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures UK to crack down on bank money laundering after reports of 65bn Russian scam, City minister says - March 2017 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has vowed that the Government will crack down on money laundering practices, after several of the UK's biggest banks were accused of processing money from a Russian scam, believed to involve up to $80bn (65bn). Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former HBOS bankers convicted of bribery and fraud over 245m loan scam - February 2017 Two former HBOS bankers were among six people found guilty of bribery and fraud that cost customers and shareholders hundreds of millions of pounds, the BBC reports. Lynden Scourfield, 54, a manager at HBOS, forced struggling clients to use the services of his friends David Mills, 60, and Michael Bancroft, 73. In return, the two businessmen arranged sex parties, cash and lavish gifts. On Monday, the three were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on accounts including bribery, fraud and money laundering. Mark Dobson, another manager at HBOS, Alison Mills, and John Cartwright were also convicted. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Lloyds chief apologises for damage caused by affair allegations - August 2016 Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Lloyds Bank, has broken his silence over allegations about his private life admitting he regrets any "damage done to the group's reputation". In a message sent to the bank's 75,000 employees, the banker said that anyone can make mistakes while insisting that staff had to maintain the highest professional standards. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Christine Lagarde faces court over 340m Bernard Tapie payment - July 2016 The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, must stand trial in France over a payment of 403 million (now 340m, then 290m) to tycoon Bernard Tapie, a France's highest appeals court has ruled. The court rejected Ms Lagarde's appeal against a judge's order in December for her to stand trial over allegations of negligence in her handling of the affair. Ms Lagarde could risk a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if convicted. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures HSBC senior manager arrested in FX rigging investigation at JFK airport in New York - July 2016 A senior executive at HSBC has been arrested at New York's JFK airport for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig currency benchmarks, according to reports. Mark Johnson, global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London, was reportedly arrested on Tuesday. He will appear before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bloomberg said. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Former PwC employees found guilty in 'Luxleaks' tax scandal - June 2016 Two ex- PricewaterhouseCoopers staffers were found guilty in Luxembourg of stealing confidential tax files that helped unleash a global scandal over generous fiscal deals for hundreds of international companies. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet face suspended sentences of 12 months and 9 months and were ordered to pay fines of 1,500 (1,230) and 1,000 (822) for their role in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. Despite the minimal sentences, the ruling was described by Deltours lawyer as shocking and a terrible anomaly. The ruling puts on guard future whistle-blowers, Deltour told reporters.The LuxLeaks revelations sped beyond Luxembourg, causing European Union regulators to expand a tax-subsidy probe and propose new laws to fight corporate tax dodging, while EU lawmakers created a special committee to probe fiscal deals across the 28-nation bloc. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Goldman Sachs dealmakers lavished Libyan officials with prostitutes to win contract - June 2016 A former Goldman Sachs dealmaker trying to persuade Gadaffi-era Libya to invest $1 billion with the investment bank procured prostitutes and invited Libyan officials to lavish parties in the hope of winning the business, the High Court heard on Monday June 13.The Libyan Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund is suing Goldman Sachs for inappropriately coercing its naive staff into giving its sovereign wealth fund cash to the bank to invest in products they did not understand. The products were designed to generate big profits for Goldman, the LIA claims.Goldman denies wrongdoing and says the LIA was treated as an arms-length customer Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former boss of BHS said his life was threatened - June 2016 Darren Topp, the former boss of BHS, has said former owner Dominic Chappell threatened to kill him when he challenged him over a 1.5 million transfer out of the business. MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee asked Mr Topp about a 1.5 million transfer Mr Chappell made from BHS to a company called BHS Sweden. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley admits paying workers below the minimum wage - June 2016 Mike Ashley admitted paying Sports Direct employees below the minimum wage at a hearing in front of MPs. The company founder said that workers were paid less than the statutory minimum because of bottlenecks at security in an admission that could result in sanctions from HMRC. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Mitsubishi admits improper fuel tests - April 2016 Mitsubishi has admitted to using false fuel methods dating back to 1991. The scale of the scandal is only just coming to light after it was revealed in April that data was falsified in the testing of four types of cars, including two Nissan cars. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Quindell, the scandal-ridden insurance firm Quindell was once a darling of AIM but its share price fell in April 2014 when its accounting practices were attacked in a stinging research note by US short seller Gotham City. In August the group was forced to disclose that the 107 million pre-tax profit it had reported for 2013 was incorrect, and it had in fact suffered a 64million loss. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Toshiba Accounting Scandal The boss of Toshiba, the Japanese technology giant, resigned in disgrace in the wake of one of the countrys biggest ever accounting scandals. His exit came two months after the company revealed that it was investigating accounting irregularities. An independent investigatory panel said that Toshibas management had inflated its reported profits by up to 152 billion yen (780m) between 2008 and 2014. Biggest business scandals in pictures FIFA Corruption Scandal Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since the summer of 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is ongoing. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Libor fraudster City trader Tom Hayes, 35, has become the first person to be convicted of rigging Libor rates following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court. Hayes worked as a trader in yen derivatives at UBS before joining the American bank Citigroup in Tokyo. He was fired from Citigroup following an investigation into his trading methods. He returned to the UK in December 2012 and was arrested following a two-and-a-half year criminal investigation by the SFO. Getty The exact date that discussions began between Mr Kengeter and Xavier Rolet, the LSE chief executive, has not been officially disclosed. Mr Rolet said in a Telegraph interview last year that his counterpart reached out to him after becoming the German exchanges chief in June 2015, but formal discussions began later. The companies entered into a confidentiality agreement that was dated 19 January 2016, according to a March prospectus. The supervisory board granted Mr Kengeter a one-time opportunity to purchase up to 4.5m worth of shares in 2015 that he will have to hold through 2019, according to the companys annual report. In exchange for doing so, he will receive an extra award of 68,987 performance-linked shares that will pay out in increments between 2019 and 2021 if the company meets certain goals. Mr Kengeter bought 60,000 shares for 4.5m on 14 December 2015, under the plan, data compiled by Bloomberg shows. Bloomberg For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Reckitt Benckiser is in talks to buy baby formula maker Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. for about $16.7 bn (13bn). It's the latest push by the UK consumer giant, whose brands include Nurofen and Durex, to build on its faster growing consumer-health business and bolster its presence in Asian markets. The companies are discussing an offer of $90 a share in cash, Reckitt Benckiser said late Wednesday. Thats 29 per cent higher than Mead Johnsons closing stock price. Reckitt Benckiser, based in Slough, England, would finance its biggest-ever deal with cash and debt. Mead Johnson confirmed the discussions in a separate statement, and both companies said there is no certainty that any transaction will ultimately be agreed on. Speculation that Nestle or French yogurt maker Danone could bid for Mead Johnson has been rife since the company went public in 2009, and talk resurfaced last month that the Swiss food company was considering an offer. Reckitt Benckiser is striking as Danone is busy trying to complete its $10bn acquisition of organic food manufacturer WhiteWave Foods Co. Nestle, whose new chief executive officer started last month, would face too many antitrust obstacles in such a transaction, analysts at RBC Europe have said. Reckitts portfolio exposure to health, hygiene and home products presents a much cleaner takeout scenario when compared to antitrust issues which may otherwise arise in the case of a bid by a pure competitor to Mead, wrote John Baumgartner, an analyst at Wells Fargo. He said the offer price values Mead at 17 times earnings compared with multiples of 20 that Nestle paid for Pfizers baby formula unit and 22 that Danone paid for baby-food maker Numico in 2007. Mead Johnson soared 24 per cent to $86 in after-hours trading in the US.The acquisition would let Reckitt Benckiser add formula to a portfolio of consumer brands that includes Lysol cleaning products. CEO Rakesh Kapoor has held off on big deals in the past few years, though hes always been on the lookout, after telling Bloomberg News late in 2015 that he could be interested in Pfizer Inc.s consumer-health unit. Kapoor has turned more to over-the-counter health products, with brands such as Mucinex and Scholl, for growth, with the home and personal-care divisions expanding more slowly. Hygiene represents about 40 percent of Reckitt Benckisers sales, compared with 33 percent for health, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. More recently, the company has been grappling with slowing growth in emerging markets and fallout from the sale of toxic disinfectant products in South Korea. Shares of Glenview, Illinois-based Mead Johnson had fallen about 34 per cent from their 2015 peak, hurt in part by a resurgence in interest in breastfeeding in countries such as China. With a 10 percent share of the baby-food market, the company trails Nestle and Danone globally, though its second only to Nestle in Asia, the biggest market, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Infant Formula Baby food will likely be one of Asias fastest-growing food categories, even as the industry contends with near-term headwinds, Bloomberg Intelligence noted in December. The categorys growth in China might be hurt by smaller baby-food makers slashing prices over the coming year, according to the note. Over the long term, Chinas two-child policy will increase spending on formula while demand in Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia and Vietnam will also likely climb as more women enter the workforce, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. In 2016, about half of Mead Johnsons total sales of $3.7bn came from Asia. The worlds most valuable brands Show all 10 1 /10 The worlds most valuable brands The worlds most valuable brands 1st - Google Google replaced Apple as the worlds most valuable brand, with a brand value of $109.5bn, according to Brand Finance The worlds most valuable brands 2nd - Apple Apples brand value declined from $145.9bn to $107.1bn in 2016 The worlds most valuable brands 3rd - Amazon Amazon's brand value rose from $69.6bn to $106.4bn in 2016 Amazon The worlds most valuable brands 4th - At&t Of the 40 telecoms brands in the ranking, AT&T in 2016 overtook Verizon as the most valuable brand rising to $87bn from $59.9bn the year before The worlds most valuable brands 5th - Microsoft Microsoft's brand value rose marginally from $67.3bn to $76.3bn in 2016 The worlds most valuable brands 6th - Samsung Amazon's brand value rose from $58.6bn to $66.2bn The worlds most valuable brands 7th - Verizon Verizon's brand value inched up from $63.1bn to $65.9bn The worlds most valuable brands 8th - Walmart Walmart's brand value rose from $53.6bn to $62.5bn The worlds most valuable brands 9th - Facebook Facebook's brand value increased sharply from $34bn to just shy of $62bn The worlds most valuable brands 10th - ICBC ICBC saw its brand value rise to $47.8bn from $36.3bn. It was the most valuabe financial brand in the world in 2016 replacing Wells Fargo The deal would be Reckitt Benckisers biggest-ever acquisition, surpassing its purchase of Durex condom maker SSL International for about 2.5bn in 2010, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Infant formula has been a sector that has drawn acquisition interest globally in recent years. In 2012, Pfizer sold its infant nutrition business to Nestle for almost $12bn. Frances Danone in 2015 sold its Dumex Chinese infant milk brand to a unit of China Mengniu Dairy Co. and used the undisclosed proceeds to take a bigger stake in Mengniu, the Asian countrys second-largest dairy manufacturer. Bloomberg For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Steve Bannon was behind the White House directive that made US green card holders subject to additional screening under Donald Trump's travel ban, it has been claimed. The alt-right populist, who Mr Trump has named his chief strategist and even elevated to the National Security Council, is reported to have intervened personally to overrule the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) view that green card holderslegal permanent residentswere not included in the ban. CNN says the decision was handed down "from the President's inner circle, led by Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon", who said holders could only be admitted on a case-by-case basis. Mr Trump's executive order, issued last Friday, blocks travellers born in seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. Its implementation led to widespread confusion between US government departments and at airports. DHS' legal interpretation on Friday night was that the order did not apply to permanent residents, but it was overruled overnight, according to CNN. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said on Sunday: "In applying the provisions of the president's executive order, I hereby deem the entry of lawful permanent residents to be in the national interest. "Accordingly, absent the receipt of significant derogatory information indicating a serious threat to public safety and welfare, lawful permanent resident status will be a dispositive factor in our case-by-case determinations." Following a weekend of protests and condemnation from lawyers across the US, Mr Trump issued a statement that denied the action amounted to a "Muslim ban". "To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religionthis is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order," Mr Trump said in the statement. He said America is "a proud nation of immigrants" and stated the country will again issue visas to all countries "once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days". The claim seems somewhat at odds with Rudy Giuliani's statment that Mr Trump told him he wanted a Muslim ban and instructed him to put together a commission to show him the right way to do it legally Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Scientists are to march on the White House in an attempt to convince Donald Trump that climate change is real. A movement that began as a Reddit thread will now see thousands of people march on Washington DC, and a range of solidarity actions happening across the world. The "march for science" will be held on April 22, which is celebrated around the world as Earth Day. There will be other marches across the US and in other places throughout the world, all of them intended as a way of standing up against the Trump administration. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan The march is positioned as being in opposition to the funding cuts and gagging orders that have been threatened or already applied to organisations including Nasa and the Environmental Protection Agency. It is just one of a range of activist efforts from scientists, which have also included a pledge signed by more than 14,000 female scientists, a letter sent to Donald Trump by scientific institutions that highlighted the dangers of the Muslim ban, and rebellions against the administration's efforts to remove or hide climate and other important data. Recommended Donald Trump to sack climate change scientists and slash budgets Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, and was created by Senator Gaylord Nelson. A few months later, in December 1970, Congress created the Environmental Protection Agency which the Trump administration has repeatedly suggested will either be much diminished or destroyed entirely. "It may be hard to imagine that before 1970, a factory could spew black clouds of toxic into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream, and that was perfectly legal. They could not be taken to court to stop it," a post on the EPA website reads. "How was that possible? Because there was no EPA, no Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act. There were no legal or regulatory mechanisms to protect our environment. "In spring 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day as a way to force this issue onto the national agenda. Twenty million Americans demonstrated in different U.S. cities, and it worked! In December 1970, Congress authorized the creation of a new federal agency to tackle environmental issues, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Parliament has remained sovereign throughout our membership to the EU despite people not always feeling like that, the Brexit White Paper says. The statement contradicts a key message from the campaign to leave the European Union, which argued ending the UKs membership to the EU would "bring back sovereignty" to Parliament and end Brussels' control over national laws. But in a section titled taking control of our own laws, the White Paper states: The sovereignty of Parliament is a fundamental principle of the UK constitution. Whilst Parliament has remained sovereign throughout our membership of the EU, it has not always felt like that. Government publishes Brexit White Paper setting out plans for leaving EU A key tenet of the campaign ahead of the Brexit referendum last June was the debate about loss of control and the idea the UK was increasingly governed by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. In an article published by the Sun on 22 June written by "Brexit campaigners" Lord Green, Daniel Hannan and Patrick Minford, they said "leaving the EU on June 23 will save our sovereignty". The article said: "Britain has lost its sovereignty to the EU. "The EU aims to become a country called Europe "Sovereignty is something we havent heard much about during this campaign. "The referendum has mainly been fought on immigration and the economy. "But both are really about sovereignty. In other words, both are really about who gets to decide." In an article in The Daily Telegraph on 16 March, Boris Johnson - a key Brexit figurehead argued: "Sometimes the public can see all too plainly the impotence of their own elected politicians as with immigration. That enrages them; not so much the numbers as the lack of control. That is what we mean by loss of sovereignty the inability of people to kick out, at elections, the men and women who control their lives" And just in case there was any doubt about the reasons people voted, Michael Gove told LBC radio in December when asked if the result had been mainly about immigration: "No, absolutely not. The overwhelming reason was sovereignty." But the White Paper seems to contradict that by stating Parliament never lost its sovereignty. The extent of EU activity relevant to the UK can be demonstrated by the fact that 1,056 EU-related documents were deposited for parliamentary scrutiny in 2016. Leaving the EU will mean that our laws will be made in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and will be based on the specific interests and values of the UK, The White Paper states. The document, which sets out Theresa Mays plans was, was presented to Parliament today. It comes after a Supreme Court ruling empowered Parliament to give its approval before any official talks on Brexit could begin. The ruling was a blow to Theresa May, who would have rather bypassed a Parliament vote. However, MPs overwhelmingly supported the triggering of Article 50 with 498 votes to 114 on Wednesday. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Queen has hosted 109 state visits in her time on the throne but there is reason to think Donald Trumps trip could be the most awkward yet. From recent reports Prince Harry is not a fan of the President to Mr Trump's old tweets about Kate Middleton which recently resurfaced, there are a number of points of potential discomfort for the state trip which tends to involve a banquet with the Queen and a stay at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. Theresa May not only shocked many but broke diplomatic tradition when she invited the billionaire property mogul on an official state visit on behalf of the Queen last week. Mr Trumps mother might be from Scotland and he might be said to be a massive anglophile, but there are manifold reasons the visit could not be the smoothest of affairs behind the scenes. Here is a selection of the potential points of tension during the no doubt grand occasion: Prince Harry is reportedly not a fan of Mr Trump A source who is said to be close to the royal told US Weekly, the Prince is not a fan of the former reality TV star. They also said: Harry thinks the president is a serious threat to human rights. A second source claimed the royal has often been vocal about his feelings towards Mr Trump since the Republican announced his presidential bid in 2015. A palace spokesperson declined to comment on the matter to The Independent, saying: By long-standing convention, we never comment on reports from unnamed sources of purported private conversations involving members of the royal family. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Mr Trump once claimed he could have sex with Princess Diana In a 1997 interview unearthed by BuzzFeed last year, Mr Trump and radio shock jock host Howard Stern discussed the late Princess Dianas attractiveness and whether Mr Trump would have been able to nail Diana. In the interview which was held shortly after she was killed in a car crash, Mr Trump claimed Diana had sent him the most beautiful, warm letter after he did her a personal favour and sent her some flowers. Why do people think its egotistical of you to say you couldve gotten with Lady Di? Stern subsequently asked Mr Trump. You couldve gotten her, right? You couldve nailed her. Mr Trump retorted: I think I could have. However, in an interview with Piers Morgan last year, Mr Trump denied having any romantic interest in the Princess. Mr Trumps old tweets about Kate Middleton As has become routine, one of the Presidents old tweets has recently come back to haunt him and this one is about the Duchess of Cambridge. In 2012, Mr Trump weighed in on the furore around the publication of topless photos of Middleton, saying the royal only had herself to blame for the photos being taken. Kate Middleton is great - but she shouldn't be sunbathing in the nude - only herself to blame, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter at the time, prompting criticism. Prince Charles and Mr Trump are reportedly engaged in a diplomatic row about climate change While Mr Trump is a vocal climate change sceptic, Prince Charles is an outspoken environmentalist. The stark difference in standpoint is reported to be a growing sore spot. The Sunday Times recently reported members of the Republican politicians staff have warned Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeths son, should not lecture the President on climate change during the state visit in case the unpredictable politician erupts in response. On top of this, at the end of last year, Prince Charles issued a warning over the rise of populism in a veiled apparent reference to Mr Trumps presidential victory and the rise of the far-right in Europe. Although he did not mention any politicians by name, he said there were deeply disturbing echoes of the dark days of the 1930s and evil religious persecution was occurring across the world. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Security service G4S has been accused of inciting a culture of intimidation against asylum seekers who complain about poor housing conditions. Asylum seekers have alleged that employees of G4S, which manages asylum housing in several regions of the UK as part of a contract with the Home Office, have made threats against them when theyve complained about housing defects, including the threat of moving them to other cities, sending them out onto the streets or interfering with their asylum claims. It comes two days after an inquiry by the Home Affairs Select Committee found that asylum seekers across the UK, including those in G4S-managed housing, have been living in accommodation with "appalling conditions", including infestations of mice, rats and bedbugs. An independent film, released on Tuesday but not broadcast in the media until now, shows a series of anonymous interviews with asylum seekers living in G4S service provision, filmed over several months last autumn, in which they allege they have been victim to threats and intimidation by G4S staff, including reports of physical force. In the footage, which has been shared on social media, one woman alleges that she was forced to choose between signing a contract for a very dirty house or sleeping on the streets with her children. Another female asylum seeker, also a mother, claimed G4S staff attempted to physically force her and her baby into a house that had reportedly been abandoned for years, by pulling her luggage from her and into the door. A number of asylum seeker support workers and experts in asylum said in the film and later confirmed to The Independent that such allegations against G4S were large scale, alleging that asylum seekers were terrified of complaining and that intimidation was at the heart of the asylum housing system. G4S, which manages asylum housing in the Midlands, the east of England and Yorkshire and the Humber regions, strongly denied the allegations of threats and intimidation against asylum seekers, asserting that it was not in the companys interest for defects in properties to remain unresolved. One of the asylum seekers interviewed, a woman who arrived in the UK after fleeing political persecution in Iran, told the filmmakers she had been threatened with being kicked out onto the street with her children by a member of G4S staff if she didn't sign a contract for a very dirty property. The woman, who remains anonymous and speaks under the name Bahar, said: [The housing officer] said sign this, we've given you this property. I said no, I can't sign. I can't open my luggage here, it's very very dirty. The kitchen was full of water because the washing machine was broken. The refrigerator was full of insects. He said it you don't sign, I'll kick you out on the street and you will sleep on the street with your children. "I was crying. He said you dont have any other option: go to the street or sign this. I was crying and my daughter was crying. I signed it. I was forced to sign it." Another woman, who is said to have been sex-trafficked to the UK from Nigeria, alleged that G4S officers attempted to force her and her five-month-old son to move into an "abandoned house", by use of physical force. The mother-of-one, who is named Esther in the film, said: "When they decided to rehouse me and my son, they took us to another accommodation and when we got there, it was really horrible. Worse than where I was before. So I said Im not going to accept living here. And they were saying that because Im an asylum seeker, I dont have any right to choose or to say Im not going to live in this property. That Im on a no-choice basis and that these were the orders from the Home Office. Footage in the film shows poor conditions in asylum housing, including bugs on cooking hobs (Brass Moustache Films) I said no, Im not going to live here with my son. Then they forced my stuff into the property. I said they needed to stop. But they were actually pulling my stuff, and I was trying to pull it back for them not to take it in. A neighbour intervened and testified that that property had been abandoned for years. The staff said it was none of their business. When they saw that we were beginning to draw a crowd, they eventually stopped." Esther alleged that in another instance she was told by a housing officer when she called up to complain that she "didn't have this kind of accommodation where you came from" so should appreciate the fact that she was being given "this kind of place". She added: He made me feel really worthless. He treated me like Im some sort of dirt." The filmmakers said that during the production of the film two thirds of the asylum seekers who initially agreed to talk about G4S housing subsequently declined to be interviewed, and that all participants described a culture of intimidation and retribution on the part of G4S and its private sub-contractors. John Grayson, an independent researcher in migration studies and co-chair of South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG), visits G4S-run asylum houses on a regular basis, and told the filmmakers asylum seekers were terrified of complaining, for fear it would affect their asylum claims. Most asylum seekers are terrified of G4S and the Home Office, because theyre told regularly that if they complain, and certainly if they go public, this will affect their asylum claims, Mr Grayson said. This cannot legally happen, but if G4S are telling them this, they are very unlikely to complain or go public. In response to the allegations in the film, a spokesperson for G4S said: We absolutely do not recognise the picture painted of our staff in this video, the majority of whom are career professionals in social housing, drawn from councils, charities or most recently from former asylum seekers who have gone through the Compass programme. "They have no influence on the outcome of any asylum seekers application to remain in the UK and this is widely understood. Every asylum seeker has a dedicated Home Office case worker and access to a Migrant Help employee in addition to their G4S welfare officer. Asylum seekers access our free 24/7 service centre by telephone in large numbers to report problems with access to funds, request inventory and report property defects. In January alone we received 3,000 calls, a clear demonstration that asylum seekers in our 4,000+ properties are willing to engage where they need assistance and shows that the population is forthcoming in raising issues that need addressing. Our inspection regime reveals many defects in properties and their inventory that require repair or replacement each month. It is not in our interests that defects in our properties are left unresolved. As any home dweller knows, if left, defects become more costly and time consuming to fix the longer they are left. Since 2012, asylum accommodation in the UK has been provided through six regional contracts delivered by three providers, G4S, Serco and Clearsprings Ready Homes, appointed by the Home Office under contracts called COMPASS (Commercial and Operational Managers Procuring Asylum Support Services). While the COMPASS contracts were due to run out in August of this year, the UK Government extended them by two years in December, despite a critical report on the contracts from the National Audit Office published in 2014 in which the conduct of the providers housing staff was flagged up as an issue. Dr Jonathan Darling, a geographer at the University of Manchester focused on forced migration, told the filmmakers: G4S and Serco had no real experience of providing this form of housing before the onset of COMPASS. They have historically run things like detention centres and deportation contracts, so what were saying is that the forms of social care and support that were providing to people within the asylum system are being provided by the same people who might also be deporting people from the country. That is a significant political and symbolic message. The select committee report, published on Tuesday, found the dispersal scheme used to place asylum seekers around the country was not working, due to applicants being concentrated in a small number of some of the most deprived areas, placing pressure on local schools and healthcare services. The report added that contractors were housing more people than they were funded for because of the contract design, growing delays in Home Office asylum processing and higher applications. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A survivor of forced marriage who suffered years of abuse at the hands of her extended family has criticised calls by a Conservative MP to ban the term honour in describing certain types of violent crime. Mariam says removing the label would invalidate the suffering she and others have endured in the name of protecting their families honour and would disempower both victims and survivors. Outlining a proposed Bill in Parliament on Tuesday, MP Nusrat Ghani said the phrase honour killing should be banned from all official documents because it assumes the violence is culturally sensitive. The Wealden MP said the term fuelled political correctness and intimidates the agencies of the states in pursuing and prosecuting these violent crimes. Recommended What the Koran actually says about sex slavery Womens rights groups have reacted with anger, branding the proposal dangerous and irresponsible. While they welcome the suggestion that British police should act in transnational honour killings, they say Ghanis assertion that so called honour abuse is just like domestic violence is misguided and could place potential victims at risk. Now Mariam, who did not wish to give her surname for fear of reprisals, has decided to speak out about the importance of acknowledging the role honour plays in these complex crimes. She told The Independent: Honour is a powerful word and to remove that would be to ignore the abuse I have suffered and the recognition that it was rooted in terms of shame and dishonour. She added: It is not about religion or culture, it is about controlling children and especially girls and women who grow up with the constant threat of bringing shame on the family." As a child Mariam was told from as young as eight that she was to marry a cousin she had never met. From an early age I was controlled by my extended family," she recalled. "When I started thinking for myself I was taken out of school in case I did something to dishonour them - that could mean having friends, wearing make-up, getting an education or going to the corner shop. Mariam, who is now in her thirties was warned never to speak to boys or even look at them but when she was 16 she was taken to Pakistan and later raped on her wedding night after being forced to marry her 23-year-old cousin. She said there was huge pressure from multiple perpetrators colluding against me. Mariam went on to endure an extremely violent marriage and her daughters were in turn harassed and controlled. She said: My husband and his family controlled every aspect of my life. His mother even chose my clothes despite living abroad. When I had my children they said Id brought shame on the family for not producing a son. The final straw came when her husband beat her and threatened her with a knife when she was pregnant. 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 He was convicted and sent to prison but was released three months later. It was another four years until she and her daughters were able to escape the family. I suffered domestic abuse and honour based abuse but they are not the same thing," she said. "Professionals need to understand the different motivations and risks involved because these people will kill their own sons and daughters in the name of honour. But speaking in Parliament, Ms Ghani argued that using the term "honour" diminishes the victim and provides a convenient excuse for what in our society we should call quite simply murder, rape, abuse and enslavement. She cited the case of a woman who after being beaten and treated as a domestic servant by her husband reached out to police only to be returned to her abusers because it was just a cultural misunderstanding. Introducing the Crime (Aggravated Murder of and Violence Against Women) Bill, Ms Ghani said police and other agencies, including the CPS, have been reluctant to tackle domestic abuse in minority communities for fear of being accused of racism. Diana Nammi, founder of the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation, said Ms Ghani has correctly identified significant failures by police as reflected in the findings of a major HMIC investigation which found only three out of 43 police forces in the UK are sufficiently prepared to tackle 'honour' based violence. Barbaric 'honour killings' become the weapon to subjugate women in Iraq Show all 4 1 /4 Barbaric 'honour killings' become the weapon to subjugate women in Iraq Barbaric 'honour killings' become the weapon to subjugate women in Iraq 25795.bin Barbaric 'honour killings' become the weapon to subjugate women in Iraq 25796.bin Barbaric 'honour killings' become the weapon to subjugate women in Iraq 25794.bin Barbaric 'honour killings' become the weapon to subjugate women in Iraq 25793.bin But she added: "But rather than demand the police do their job, address these failings and protect those at risk, bizarrely she is trying to sweep the failings under the carpet and let the police off by claiming that "honour" based violence doesn't exist. This is an extremely dangerous and irresponsible approach which will put victims at real risk. "Evidence shows that "honour" based violence is a significant problem in the UK impacting on thousands of victims. It is distinct from domestic violence and it is vital we use a word that identifies what we are trying to prevent, so that the risks can be correctly assessed and that we use a term that is recognised across the world by professionals, academics and communities." UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA 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 Reacting to the proposed Bill, Labour MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion said: There are different ways in which violence against women and girls is perpetrated. It is absolutely necessary to recognise and understand the dynamics of different forms of abuse, in order to disrupt and prevent this violence. She added: If the police and CPS are failing to properly investigate and prosecute perpetrators of these crimes we must look again at the training received. The charity Karma Nirvana has trained 26 out of the country's 43 police forces in identifying the risks of 'honour' based abuse. Its founder Jasvinder Sanghera said: 'Honour' based abuse is a term we fought for as survivors because it is at the heart of all our experiences. If we dishonour our family we know that will become the motivation for our families hurting us so we want professionals to recognise the term and understand it." She added: We are reclaiming the word and to have it removed would undo years of hard work teaching professionals to recognise honour based abuse in its own right. Womens rights groups said they welcomed a second proposal in the bill to improve the provision of police assistance to British women who are victims of aggravated domestic violence outside the UK. A second reading of the proposed Bill will take place in March North Korea fired four short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) toward the Yellow Sea Saturday, the South Korean military said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected th... The South Korean football governing body confirmed on Saturday the men's national team captain Son Heung-min had undergone successful surgery on fractures around his left eye, thou... In a crucial South Korean baseball championship game with his club's title hopes hanging in the balance, Kiwoom Heroes left-hander Lee Seung-ho delivered the best postseason outing... "The Astronaut," the first official single by Jin of the K-pop supergroup BTS, has landed at No. 61 on the British Official Singles Chart Top 100. According to the latest chart ... Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Michael Gove is being urged to make good on his promise and back an amendment to the Article 50 Bill demanding the Government publish an analysis of the impact of Brexit on the NHS. If successful the amendment would compel Downing Street to probe the effects of exiting the EU on the UKs health service. It would also place pressure on those who claimed the NHS would benefit from 350m extra a week one Britain left the EU. In a letter to the former Cabinet Minister, Chuka Ummuna, a Labour MP who chairs the campaigning organisation Vote Leave Watch, said Mr Gove should have no hesitation in voting for the amendment given he was co-chair of the Vote Leave Group. During the referendum campaign prominent Leave advocates, including Mr Gove, travelled around the country on a battlebus promising voters a 350m-a-week spending bonanza for the health service. Michael Gove says vote to Remain would make British public 'hostages' to the EU But despite the NHS commitment having been one of the flagship pledges in the run-up to the referendum, ministers have, so far, made no mention of the proposed injection of cash in their plans for Britains exit from the EU. The amendment to the European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill the legislation needed to invoke Article 50 - has the support of 52 MPs. Supporters include former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, and former Labour leadership contender Owen Smith. It will be decided on Friday whether the amendment goes forward. In the letter to the former Justice Secretary, Mr Umunna, the chair of Vote Leave Watch and Labour MP, said: I appreciate that you are no longer in Government. But as a backbencher with an apparently sincere wish to boost the resources available for our NHS, I cannot understand why you could not back this amendment. Many of those who voted Leave, in party on the basis that extra monies would be put into the NHS, will consider the failure to make good on the Vote Leave NHS pledge to be a gross betrayal, he added. So you can join me and dozens of other MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens by adding your name to the amendment to show you intend to make good on your promise If you fail to do so, it will simply confirm to the British people the hollow cynicism of your promises about our National Health Service. 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 Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP and former health minister during the coalition, said his party have come together with Labour and Green MPs to force the Government to come clean about whether or not Brexit will leave 350 million a week more to be spent on the NHS, as the Vote Leave campaign promised. He continued: There is no reason whatsoever why Vote Leave MPs like Michael Gove shouldnt join them unless, that is, they are scared of being shown up for misleading the British public during the referendum. Our NHS is in dire need of extra funding, and all MPs, Remain or Leave, should get behind that. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Government departments are being given the freedom to pay Brexit experts up to 142,000 - almost as much as former Prime Minister David Cameron - after Whitehalls recruitment watchdog changed recruitment rules. Staffing regulations will be relaxed for three years in order to fill jobs quickly, according to the Civil Service Commission - the independent regulator tasked with ensuring that government departments only hire staff on merit after an open recruitment process. The arrangement will help the Government to recruit significant numbers of staff and experts, who will work on delivering the governments commitment to exit the European Union by 2019. Under the new rules, the recruitment process will be made easier and ministers will be able to hire staff in bulk using exceptions, so they will not have to hold open recruitment competitions for each job. Currently, any new member of staff hired without a fair and open recruitment process cannot serve in the role for more than two years before they have to apply for the job and undergo a standard interview process. Departments previously had an 87,000-cap on the amount they could pay those staff without having to make an explicit case to the Commission - a figure that has now been increased to 142,000. It is a salary that would rival those of the countrys highest paid politicians. David Cameron earned just 500 more than that, while Theresa May's salary is 143,462. The changes come after MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of Theresa May triggering Article 50, allowing the Prime Minister to remain on track to begin Brexit negotiations with Brussels in March. The peak demand for additional staff is likely to fall in the next three years: in the months leading up to the triggering of Article 50; the two years of negotiation allowed under Article 50; and the immediate period after the UK has exited the European Union, Civil Service Commissioner Ian Whatmore said in a statement. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto This is to recognise the fact that there is an urgent and unusual need in respect of skills that the civil service has to have for Brexit," Mr Whatmore told Civil Service World. "This is to get key skills that we don't otherwise have. If we didn't have this place, departments would either consistently come back, one case after another, and that would minimise their impact on the market and be a bureaucratic pain for everybody. Or much more likely, theyd say, well we won't recruit them we'll go and buy all these people in through expensive firms." The new guidelines will enable Brexit staff to be employed for a period of three years with departments able to decide whether some of the positions need to be made permanent. This means ministers will be free to hire staff and experts working on Brexit when needed but other areas of recruitment will not be unaffected. The decision to relax the recruitment rules was nonetheless criticised by the FDA Union, which represents public service professionals. Its General Secretary Dave Penman said he was "deeply concerned about the message this sends to civil servants and the public". He said:: "Brexit has been - and continues to be - one of the most polarising political events in recent times and it places an enormous challenge on both the Government and the civil service. "There has rarely been a time when the requirement of the civil service to speak truth unto power has been needed more, yet the Commission is suspending the requirement for open and fair selection, one of the key principles that underpins a politically impartial civil service, for potentially large groups of staff being brought in to work on Brexit. "In the wake of calls from some ex-Ministers to recruit 'cheerleader' civil servants to deliver Brexit, following the departure of Sir Ivan Rogers as the UK's Ambassador to the EU, suspending the requirement for open and fair selection to a larger group of staff - at a more senior level and for longer - is a worrying development." Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Neil Carmichael has become the first Conservative MP to say he is likely to rebel in a key vote to stop Theresa May carrying out her threat to take Britain out of the EU with no fresh trade deal. The pro-EU select committee chairman told The Independent he is ready to vote with Labour next week, warning the Prime Minister: Im not going to sign a blank cheque. Mr Carmichael voted with the Government last night to allow the Article 50 Bill to start its passage through the Commons, its so-called second reading. MPs vote in favour of the Government's Brexit bill But that will be followed by line-by-line scrutiny, over three days, including a likely vote to guarantee Parliament is given a meaningful vote on the outcome of Britain's Brexit negotiations. Worried Remain-supporting MPs want it to be staged before any deal is ratified in Europe - early enough for the Prime Minister to go back and seek better terms if MPs reject the agreement she has reached, in 2019. Ms May has insisted a rejection by MPs would see Britain crash out of the EU with no agreement at all, because Westminster will not be allowed to block Brexit. Mr Carmichael said: Im looking very carefully at the amendments to ensure that Parliament is given a meaningful debate and decision at the end of the two-year period. Im very keen for Parliament to have that opportunity to assess and decide on any proposal or no proposal that may arise at the end of that two-year period. In short, Im not going to sign a blank cheque. Mr Carmichael, who chairs the education select committee, is the first Article 50-backing Conservative MP to indicate he will rebel on the amendment to secure a meaningful vote. Others have hinted they might, having put pressure on the Prime Minister to concede that Parliament must be given a stronger say at the end of the Article 50 process. Former business minister Anna Soubry said, this week: I want assurances from the government that, in the event of no good deal being reached, all options will be placed before this house, and that we, on behalf of all our constituents and our businesses, will decide what happens next. We may need more time. And Dominic Grieve, a former Attorney General said: "I worry very much that we should have a proper process to help to engage the House and the country in what we're going to do. However, Nicky Morgan, the former Education Secretary and another leading pro-EU Tory has indicated she will not join any revolt next week. Ken Clarke will vote against triggering Article 50 itself. So far, ministers have refused to say exactly when the crucial vote will take place, or to guarantee it will before the proposals go to the EU Parliament. A poll this week found most British people oppose Ms May's take-it-or-leave-it threat to leave the EU with no deal, risking an economic crash, Before the referendum, the Treasury forecast that falling back on World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariffs the likely consequence of leaving with no deal would deliver a 7.5 per cent hit to GDP, by 2030. Other likely flashpoints next week are over the Prime Minister's refusal to guarantee the rights of 3m EU nationals in the UK and over the planned withdrawal from Euratom, Europe's nuclear power treaty, and the fears it will delay the building of new nuclear power stations. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An embarrassing error has been identified in the Governments Brexit white paper, casting doubt on the care taken when drawing up the document. A chart in the paper comparing British and EU standards for holiday leave and maternity leave claims Britons are entitled to 14 weeks paid holiday a year ten further than stipulated under EU law. In fact, British workers are entitled to five weeks holiday, just slightly more than the basic standard required by the union. Recommended Government publishes Brexit White Paper outlining plan for leaving EU The error appears to be due to a mislabelled key on the chart, which is supposed to reassure readers that workers rights are not under threat from Brexit. The apparent slapdash approach to drawing up the paper which was announced just last week by the Prime Minister will give force to claims that it simply a longwinded restatement of the Prime Ministers speech last month. Furthermore the document's creation date is time-stamped as "Feb 2nd. 04:26am" suggesting it was an all-night last-minute job. There was also further confusion in the House of Commons today after Brexit Secretary David Davis appeared confirm the UK would be completely leaving the customs union. Asked by Tory MP Edward Leigh whether the UK would be leaving, Mr Davis said the policy outlined in the white paper amounts to exactly that. By contrast the white paper itself actually appears to echo Ms Mays ambiguous claims about the future of the UKs participation in the customs union. The UK will seek a new customs arrangement with the EU, which enables us to make the most of the opportunities from trade with others and for trade between the UK and the EU to continue to be as frictionless as possible, the paper in fact states. There are a number of options for any new customs arrangement, including a completely new agreement, or for the UK to remain a signatory to some of the elements of the existing arrangements. The precise form of this new agreement will be the subject of negotiation. The chart is wrong (HM Government) The text accompanying the inaccurate holiday graph says: These rights were the result of UK Government actions and do not depend on membership of the EU. The Government is committed to strengthening rights when it is the right choice for UK workers and will continue to seek out opportunities to enhance protections. 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 In her speech last month Ms May outlined 12 point that the Government would focus on with some however as vague as 12. Delivering a smooth, orderly exit from the EU. Little new specific information about the shape of Brexit was contained in the white paper released today. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May yesterday finally delivered on the Governments promise of a White Paper on its plan for Brexit. The document, which runs to 75 pages, fleshes out some of the 12 Principles outlined in Ms Mays keynote speech at Lancaster House last month. It is, in essence, the concession government whips offered to parliamentary critics, including within Conservative ranks, to ensure the safe passage of the bill to trigger Article 50 in its initial stages in the House of Commons. Government publishes Brexit White Paper setting out plans for leaving EU The White Paper covers such crucial areas as migration control, trade, sovereignty and the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union collectively styled taking control of our own laws. As promised, it also contains some infocharts and diagrams, but also at least one egregious error and signs that it was produced in haste. A time stamp of 4.17am appears on one page, while a chart suggests UK workers are currently entitled to a generous 14 weeks, or three and half months worth of annual leave. The white paper's time stamp is printed on the bottom right-hand corner of every page Critics such as former Chancellor Kenneth Clarke have already pointed out that the White Paper was released after the first parliamentary vote on related legislation the opposite of the conventional way of conducting government business. Labour said the document says nothing and had been produced too late for meaningful scrutiny. Brexit Secretary David Davis said the UK's best days are still to come, outside the EU. Within hours the White Paper was being dissected and rejected by critics on both the Eurosceptic and Europhile sides of the argument. For example, a new system to control EU migration will be phased in to give businesses time to prepare something that has disturbed Eurosceptics who want an end to free movement from the EU almost immediately. Recommended Brexit White Paper completely contradicts key argument for Brexit The new system will be designed to help fill skills shortages and welcome genuine students but will not satisfy those who argue immigration is essential to provide workers for public services and boost economic growth. Pressure groups and political opponents were quick to point to some of the key areas where the Governments approach to the coming talks may unravel. These negotiations have been described by the former UK Ambassador to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, as the most complex since the Second World War, and possibly ever. The fear is that the White Paper may not be a sufficiently strong base for ministers and civil servants to see them to a satisfactory conclusion within the tight two-year timetable dictated by Article 50 with the spring of 2019 the notional end point for new arrangements to be in place. The white paper setting out the government's stategy for departing the European Union (Reuters) There are fears that trade with the EU will be damaged whatever the outcome of the talks. Pro-EU group Open Britain said: The Government provides zero detail of how they will deliver trade that is as frictionless as possible apart from a brief mention of the use of digital technologies. This is not good enough. Research from Open Britain has previously shown that this could cost UK businesses 12.7bn. Below are the 12 key section headings taken from the White Paper, with an analysis of each and the big question that each section leaves unanswered: Section 1: Providing certainty and clarity: Question: When will the text of the Great Repeal Bill be published? A Great Repeal Bill will take EU-derived law and directives and transfer them into UK law. However, there is doubt as to how easily this can easily be done in the case of EU directives that did not form part of any UK Act of Parliament. While the Government agrees that funding commitments made to the EU already will be honoured, there is no figure, or range of figures, to suggest how much. Some claim the divorce bill might amount to 60bn. Section 2: Taking control of our own laws Question: Will a UK-EU trade panel have the right to overrule UK law? The Government reiterates that removing the European Courts role in British political life, like migration, is a priority above any considerations about trade or economic prosperity (a point made in the powerful backbench speech by former Chancellor George Osborne during the Article 50 debate). Here the Government concedes that without the European Court of Justice (ECJ) some form of arbitration will be required to rule on disputes between the UK and the EU on any trade deals. However, as with so many other areas, what eventually may take the place of the ECJ has to be agreed by both sides and that there may still be cases where a European panel can override UK laws, just as the ECJ can now. Section 3: Strengthening the Union Question: What will happen if Scotland votes for independence in 2018 or 2019? Despite much discussion and meetings with Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders, there is no answer to the problem of how the UK Government can remove Scotland and Northern Ireland from the EU without the consent of their peoples; nor any substantive response to the Scottish governments proposal that Scotland be allowed to remain inside the single market after Brexit. Section 4: Protecting our strong historic ties with Ireland and maintaining the Common Travel Area Question: Will there be any border controls with Ireland after 2019? Again there is no concrete idea of how the free travel zone, which has been in place since 1921, can survive Brexit. If, say a Pole flies to Dublin and then gets a train to Belfast, he or she will have entered the UK with no formalities, leaving immigration from the EU still unrestricted in practice. Section 5: Controlling immigration Question: How many EU nationals will come to Britain after Brexit? Despite the message that the referendum gave on immigration, and Ms Mays pledge to fulfil the expectation; there are no proposals or figures for likely migration levels post-Brexit. Section 6: Securing rights for EU nationals in the UK and UK nationals in the EU Question: What will happen to UK nationals living in Spain and elsewhere if we fail to reach agreement? No progress: both groups remain bargaining chips, though British ministers blame the EU for an unwillingness to engage on the issue before Article 50 is invoked, but the White Paper does not even address the argument that the UK Government could act unilaterally. Section 7: Protecting workers rights Question: What will the new UK economic model look like? No new proposals. Mrs Mays previous commitment to have workers on the boards of larger concerns has been watered down to: We will ensure the voices of workers are heard by the boards of publicly-listed companies. A commitment to review employment law is repeated. Moreover, there is no sense that a radical reform to the UK economic model implying weaker labour laws and workers rights, what Jeremy Corbyn calls a bargain basement Britain hinted by the Chancellor Philip Hammond and the Prime Minster is yet being pursued. Section 8: Ensuring free trade with European markets Question: What about the Leave campaigns promises to try to gain access to the single market? The White Paper provides a useful and highly educational Euler diagram (below) illustrating the different jurisdictions of the EU, single market, customs union, eurozone, European Free Trade Association and European Economic Area, but moves Government policy no further. Section 9: Securing new trade agreements with other countries Question: What will the effect of Brexit be on the economy? Understandably, few suggestions of where new deals will be coming from; how those with different countries can be balanced against one another; nor what impact falling back on World Trade Organisation rules the basic framework for trade would have on trade, investment and the economy as a whole. This is in stark contrast to the work by HM Treasury and Bank of England during the referendum campaign. Section 10: Ensuring the United Kingdom remains the best place for science and innovation Question: Can the Government offer guarantees to universities about science funding for the decades ahead? This section is extremely short and unlikely to appease worried universities or indeed anyone alarmed about the threat to British science. Section 11: Cooperating in the fight against crime and terrorism Question: What will the effect of Brexit be on efforts to reduce crime and fight terrorism? Home Secretary Amber Rudd recently gave evidence to Yvette Cooper and the Home Affairs Select Committee about how keen she was to retain the existing relationships with Europol an EU agency and, in particular, sharing with them intelligence about terrorist activities. And we are no clearer about whether the Government intends to remain part of the European Arrest Warrant, which Theresa May as Home Secretary claimed was vital to fighting crime.. Section 12: Delivering a smooth, orderly exit from the EU Question: Are transitional arrangements an aim of policy or not? The prospect of a cliff-edge exit is probably the greatest single fear shared by business and the banks. The Chancellor has previously suggested a long period of adjustment; in her speech and again in the White Paper the Prime Minster and David Davis have foreshortened this. In what may prove a dangerous position for the Government, there was no movement in the White Paper on what Labour called a meaningful vote that could send the Prime Minister back to the negotiating table if the deal is deemed unsatisfactory by MPs. So far Ms May has only offered a vote on the deal but with no opportunity for Parliament or the people through a referendum to take the option of remaining in the EU if the terms are thought to be worse than the status quo. This has been a consistent demand of the Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto With the White Paper offering further background, MPs will discuss the bill to trigger Article 50 in more detail next week when it reaches the committee stage in the Commons. The SNP, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have tabled more than 100 pages of proposed amendments. Amendments aimed at delivering a meaningful parliamentary vote on the eventual deal in 2019, with the option of remaining in the EU or further talks, are now likely to unite opposition and Conservative doubters. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government has published its White Paper setting out the Prime Ministers plans for leaving the European Union. It comes after MPs voted in favour of Theresa May triggering Article 50 by 498 votes to 114 on Wednesday evening. The Governments key points, listed in the White Paper, are: 1. Providing certainty and clarity We will provide certainty wherever we can as we approach the negotiations. 2. Taking control of our own laws We will take control of our own statute book and bring an end to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the UK. 3. Strengthening the union We will secure a deal that works for the entire UK for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and all parts of England. We remain fully committed to the Belfast Agreement and its successors. Legislation to allow PM to start formal Brexit talks clears first Commons hurdle 4. Protecting our strong and historic ties with Ireland and maintaining the common travel area We will work to deliver a practical solution that allows for the maintenance of the common travel area, whilst protecting the integrity of our immigration system and which protects our strong ties with Ireland. 5. Controlling immigration We will have control over the number of EU nationals coming to the UK. 6. Securing rights for EU nationals in the UK, and UK nationals in the EU We want to secure the status of EU citizens who are already living in the UK, and that of UK nationals in other member states, as early as we can. What experts have said about Brexit Show all 11 1 /11 What experts have said about Brexit What experts have said about Brexit Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond The Chancellor claims London can still be a world financial hub despite Brexit One of Britains great strengths is the ability to offer and aggregate all of the services the global financial services industry needs This has not changed as a result of the EU referendum and I will do everything I can to ensure the City of London retains its position as the worlds leading international financial centre. Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Yanis Varoufakis Greece's former finance minister compared the UK relations with the EU bloc with a well-known song by the Eagles: You can check out any time you like, as the Hotel California song says, but you can't really leave. The proof is Theresa May has not even dared to trigger Article 50. It's like Harrison Ford going into Indiana Jones' castle and the path behind him fragmenting. You can get in, but getting out is not at all clear Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Michael OLeary Ryanair boss says UK will be screwed by EU in Brexit trade deals: I have no faith in the politicians in London going on about how the world will want to trade with us. The world will want to screw you that's what happens in trade talks, he said. They have no interest in giving the UK a deal on trade Getty What experts have said about Brexit Tim Martin JD Wetherspoon's chairman has said claims that the UK would see serious economic consequences from a Brexit vote were "lurid" and wrong: We were told it would be Armageddon from the OECD, from the IMF, David Cameron, the chancellor and President Obama who were predicting locusts in the fields and tidal waves in the North Sea" PA What experts have said about Brexit Mark Carney Governor of Bank of England is 'serene' about Bank of England's Brexit stance: I am absolutely serene about the judgments made both by the MPC and the FPC Reuters What experts have said about Brexit Christine Lagarde IMF chief urges quick Brexit to reduce economic uncertainty: We want to see clarity sooner rather than later because we think that a lack of clarity feeds uncertainty, which itself undermines investment appetites and decision making Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Inga Beale Lloyds chief executive says Brexit is a major issue: "Clearly the UK's referendum on its EU membership is a major issue for us to deal with and we are now focusing our attention on having in place the plans that will ensure Lloyd's continues trading across Europe EPA What experts have said about Brexit Colm Kelleher President of US bank Morgan Stanley says City of London will suffer as result of the EU referendum: I do believe, and I said prior to the referendum, that the City of London will suffer as result of Brexit. The issue is how much What experts have said about Brexit Richard Branson Virgin founder believes we've lost a THIRD of our value because of Brexit and cancelled a deal worth 3,000 jobs: We're not any worse than anybody else, but I suspect we've lost a third of our value which is dreadful for people in the workplace.' He continued: "We were about to do a very big deal, we cancelled that deal, that would have involved 3,000 jobs, and thats happening all over the country" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Barack Obama US President believes Britain was wrong to vote to leave the EU: "It is absolutely true that I believed pre-Brexit vote and continue to believe post-Brexit vote that the world benefited enormously from the United Kingdom's participation in the EU. We are fully supportive of a process that is as little disruptive as possible so that people around the world can continue to benefit from economic growth" Getty Images What experts have said about Brexit Kristin Forbes American economist and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England argues that the economy had been less stormy than many expected following the shock referendum result: For nowthe economy is experiencing some chop, but no tsunami. The adverse winds could quickly pick up and merit a stronger policy response. But recently they have shifted to a more favourable direction Getty 7. Protecting workers rights We will protect and enhance existing workers rights. 8. Ensuring free trade with European markets We will forge a new strategic partnership with the EU, including a wide-reaching, bold and ambitious free trade agreement, and will seek a mutually beneficial new customs agreement with the EU. 9. Securing new trade agreements with other countries We will forge ambitious free trade relationships across the world. 10. Ensuring the UK remains the best place for science and innovation We will remain at the vanguard of science and innovation and will seek continued close collaboration with our European partners. 11. Cooperating in the fight against crime and terrorism We will continue to work with the EU to preserve European security, to fight terrorism, and to uphold justice across Europe. 12. Delivering a smooth, orderly exit from the EU We will seek a phased process of implementation, in which both the UK and the EU institutions and the remaining EU member states prepare for the new arrangements that will exist between us. Read the Governments Brexit White Paper in full here Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britain will continue to work with other EU countries to tackle the refugee crisis after Brexit, Theresa May is expected to say. Speaking in Malta at an informal summit of EU leaders, the Prime Minister is also expected to brief allies on her meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington DC last week. The morning session in Valletta it is expected the session will focus on external migration to the bloc particularly through the central Mediterranean route. According to Downing Street, Ms May will pledge to continue working with her European allies both before Britain leaves the EU, and afterwards. May and Corbyn clash over Government's response to Trump's refugee ban She will advocate a comprehensive and collaborative approach that includes supporting refugees close to their homes; deterring economic migrants from moving; tirelessly pursuing smugglers; and returning those who arrive on our shores with no right to remain, Downing Street added. On her meeting with Mr Trump, she will also relay the Presidents 100 per cent commitment to Nato, just weeks after he labelled it obsolete in its failure to deal with terrorism. In comments that worried some European leaders Mr Trump also said it was very unfair to the United States that only five of the 28 member-states were paying their fair share to the organisation. But standing next to Mr Trump at a historic press conference last week the Prime Minister said: On defence and security cooperation, were united in our recognition of Nato as the bulwark of our collective defence and we reaffirmed our unshakeable commitment to this alliance. Were 100% behind Nato" As the Prime Minister travelled to the Maltese capital Joseph Muscat, whose country hold the rotating presidency of the European Council, said the UK will be a junior partner in any trade deal with the EU and must pay a fee to leave the bloc. His warning came after Sir Ivan Rogers, the former UK ambassador to the EU, told MPs on Wednesday that Brussels could demand a divorce settlement sum as high as 60bn euros. Speaking to Sky News, the Maltese Prime Minister Mr Muscat said he wanted a fair deal for the UK after Brexit, but repeated his view that whatever agreement was reached it must be inferior to full membership of the union. The Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat the ceremony of the Maltese EU Presidency on Wednesday in Valletta (EPA) He said: "I do believe the UK is in a very delicate situation, right now. It is fetching a free trade deal with Europe and eventually the United States. "In both trade deals it will be the junior partner because the UK is much larger than most European states, but it is smaller than Europe as a whole and smaller than the United States as a whole. "I think it is a balancing job the Prime Minister must make. I will not judge her on the choices she makes. But it is pretty clear she needs to choose her priorities well." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Theresa May in London next week. The talks at Downing Street on Monday will be the first time the UK Prime Minister has received Mr Netanyahu since she took office in July. News of the visit comes just days after uproar over Ms May decision to invite US President Donald Trump to the UK. Mr Netanyahu is expected to carry on to the US, where he has been invited to the White House to meet the President. Earlier this week, Israel announced plans to build 3,000 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, just days after Mr Netanyahu's government approved an additional 2,500 homes in the West Bank and hundreds more in east Jerusalem. On Monday, the Foreign Office issued a statement condemning the expansion initiative. Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood said: "The announcement of further settlement units in the West Bank is part of a growing trend which we condemn. "We have consistently been clear that settlements are illegal under international law, and not conducive to peace. This spike in settlement activity undermines trust and makes a two state solution with an Israel that is safe from terrorism and a Palestinian state that is viable and sovereign - much harder to achieve." Mr Netanyahu is preparing to fly to London on Sunday, according to Israeli media, and is expected to meet with Ms May on Monday, although neither the British nor Israeli government has yet confirmed the meeting. He is due to visit Washington on 15 February. The Israeli leader met then Prime Minister David Cameron on a visit to London in 2015, but he has never met Ms May, having cancelled a reception during her only official visit to Israel as Home Secretary, in June 2014, due to a crisis in which three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and killed. Arrangements were reportedly made for Ms May and Mr Netanyahu to meet on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland between 17 and 20 January, but the Israeli Prime Minister is thought to have cancelled the meeting over the UKs support for a UN resolution condemning the building of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Britain was among 14 UN Security Council members to approve the resolution which declared Israeli settlements illegal, with British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson later telling parliament the UK was "closely involved" in drafting the resolution, which enraged Israel. Gaza's junior mechanics Show all 13 1 /13 Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics The hands of Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, are seen as he works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Yassin, 18, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Tamer Yassin, 17, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Tamer Yassin, 17, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, is reflected in a mirror as he works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Abed al-Majeed Reheem, 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Abed al-Majeed Reheem (R), 18, works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian boy Mohamoud Yazji, 16, who works as apprentice mechanic, repairs a car at a garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian boy Mohammad Dader, 12, who works as apprentice mechanic, helps his employer at a garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Yassin, 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, works in a car repair garage Reuters Resolution 2334 states that Israeli settlements have "no legal validity" and are "dangerously imperiling the viability of the two-state solution". In a significant move, the United States abstained from the vote. The election of Mr Trump, who has promised to be far more supportive of Israel than his predecessor, is believed to have emboldened Mr Netanyahu, and it has been reported that he is now seeking Britain's support for a change in policy against Iran. Mr Trump derided the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran, which Israel has long opposed, during the election campaign, but it is not clear whether he will abandon the deal entirely. Downing Street declined to comment on the upcoming visit. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Shadow Chancellor has downplayed suggestions of a deep split in Labour over Brexit by soft-balling his response to his MPs rebellion against triggering Article 50. John McDonnell said there was understanding and mutual respect for the different positions of the partys MP 47 of whom failed to back the party leaderships order not to vote against Brexit. Despite the MPs having broken a three-line whip the strictest possible instruction the close ally of leader Jeremy Corbyn would not immediately commit to punishment for Labour rebels outside the shadow cabinet. Recommended Two Labour Shadow Cabinet members quit ahead of Article 50 vote The normal Parliamentary conventions will apply: If youre in the cabinet or shadow cabinet you will stand down. If youre in other positions that will be for the whips, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. The chief whip will report after the legislation is through on the process from there on in. It will be after the parliamentary process in terms of the Commons. Im not going to pre-empt what the whip is going to recommend. Among those Labour MPs who defied their party leadership are whips Vicky Foxcroft, Thangam Debonnaire and Jeff Smith. Mr McDonnell said that the Conservative party would not split and Labour would come together to oppose the terms of Brexit, having respected the result of the referendum. Lets make it absolutely clear, we may look divided at the moment because weve had to wrestle with the fact we campaigned for Remain but now the referendum has been lost, he said. We may look divided but when we get past Article 50 our party is will and capable now of uniting to protect our country under this leader. This Tory party will split apart. The nature of Jeremy Corbyns politics, that consensual, mutual respect politics will be the one that holds our politics together in that united fashion to protect our community. Mr McDonnell pointed out that the Liberal Democrats, whose leadership has been solidly against Brexit, split in the same proportion as Labour, despite having only nine MPs. 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 Labour campaigned for Remain, along with the vast majority of its MPs. However the party says the referendum result should be respected. Theresa May is today expected to release more details of her Brexit plan in a so-called white paper on the issue. The details come following the MPs second reading vote on Article 50. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May will raise the issue of Israeli settlement building in the West Bank when she holds bilateral talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in London next week. A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed Mr Netanyahu would hold a working lunch with Ms May in Downing Street on Monday, where the two leaders will discuss trade opportunities between the two nations. But the spokesperson said the Prime Minister would restate Britain's concern that settlement building in the West Bank is undermining trust in the Middle East peace process. Recommended Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Theresa May for first time The meeting will be the first time the pair have met, though they speak on the telephone in August, shortly after Ms May became Prime Minister. More than half a million Jewish Israelis are estimated to live on settlements built in the Palestinian territories. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Atlanta Police Department has been forced to apologise for their inappropriate response to the news Beyonce is pregnant with twins. The pop superstar announced she is expecting twins in an Instagram post which has broken the Guinness World Record and officially become the most-liked post in the site's history. Officers in Atlanta responded to the pregnancy news by taking to Twitter to warn people not to use celebratory gunfire to rejoice the news of Beyonces twins. Beyonce may have everyone wanting to celebrate her pregnancy, but remember no celebratory gunfire! Stay safe, Atlanta! the department wrote on Twitter. Some accused the police department of poking fun at racial stereotypes and gun violence while others just thought it was simply odd. The police force has now removed the tweet from their account and apologised but has yet to comment on what caused them to compose the tweet in the first place. Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Show all 16 1 /16 Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Blue Ivy kissing her mother, pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce on a car Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Blue Ivy sitting next to her mother, pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce underwater Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce underwater with other women Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce underwater Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce with daughter Blue Ivy Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce underwater Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce underwater Beyonce.com Beyonce's maternity photoshoot Pregnant Beyonce underwater Beyonce.com The photo, which has already received nearly eight million likes and exploded on Twitter, also received a strange response from Denny's. The all-American restaurant chain, which first opened in California in the 1950's, has a history of odd tweets. Wow, Bey has TWO buns in the oven! thats just an expression by the way. please dont eat those buns. They are babies, they wrote. A Bloomberg reporter retorted: Denny's Diner are you guys ok? The image shows a heavily pregnant Beyonce kneeling in front of a massive multi-coloured bed of flowers. She is covered by a long green veil and wearing light blue satin knickers and a maroon bra. Beyonce revealed she was pregnant with her first daughter Blue Ivy at the MTV music awards in 2011. Her appearance helped that year's awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, attracting 12.4 million viewers. What's more, the announcement was listed in the Guinness World Records for most tweets per second recorded for a single event on Twitter. It received a staggering 8,868 tweets per second. A representative for Beyonce did not immediately respond to request for comment. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of advertisers are pulling away from ultra-conservative news website Breitbart, and campaigners are confident the backlash is snowballing. According to a database from grassroots campaign group Sleeping Giants, a total of 935 companies have pledged to remove Breitbart from their media plan so far. The number has jumped up from 818 companies in the last week. In the last few months, giant corporations such as Kelloggs, BMW, Visa, T-Mobile, Nordstrom and Lufthansa have all severed ties with the company. Milo Yiannopoulos defends Breitbart headlines as 'satire' And in the same week that President Donald Trump has threatened to pull funding from the University of California, Berkeley after it cancelled a speech by Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, two universities in Canada have also signed up to the advertising ban. Emma Pullman, lead campaign strategist at separate campaign group SumOfUs, told The Independent most of the companies were pre-existing advertisers while some have put the website on their black list, as Breitbart has been accused of writing misogynist and racist articles. Stephen Bannon, who now works as Mr Trump's chief strategist, boasted last year that Breitbart was a "platform for the alt-right", the white supremacist movement. Breitbart could not be reached for comment. SumOfUs is now looking to target third-party ad agencies, and larger players like Amazon and Google. "If Google stops engaging with Breitbart that would be a really big step as a lot of advertising wouldnt appear on the site," she said. A petition for Amazon to cancel its relationship with the news outlet has reached more than 300,000 signatures. SumOfUs launched their campaign around a month ago. Ms Pullman said at that point only around 200 companies had dropped their adverts, and the campaign has since snowballed. "We are reaching fever pitch," she said. One company that has not yet budged is Shopify, a Canadian e-commerce website which Breitbart uses to sells merchandise on its own platform, such as $19.95 t-shirts telling migrants to "Get in line". More than 21,000 people signed a petition to ask Shopify to stop selling the items, but it has reportedly refused. Shopify said in a statement that it supported freedom of speech and its service "will not be refused to merchants based on their politics, sexual orientation, religion or background." "If we begin to arbitrarily remove products and merchants from our platform, we compromise this core value and threaten its sanctity as a driving force that shapes both our own company and that of society at large," the statement read. As Breitbart aims for expansion in Germany, France and Italy, people are buying up French URLS like Breitbart.fr and large German companies like BMW, restaurant chain Vapiano, Deutsche Telekom and Lufthansa have cut ties with Breitbart. Lufthansa said its decision was due to Breitbart's "violent, sexist, extremist and radical political content". "The idea behind the campaign is if we can convene enough people we can interrupt its ability to expand," said Ms Pullman. "The campaign is symbolic. This is a really tangible way people can convince companies to not advertise and it's also a way to criticise the rise of the far-right and the hatred, xenophobia and racism that is coming out of Breitbart." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has been President for 13 days and yet more than half of Americans are missing former President Barack Obama, according to a new poll. A total of 52 per cent of Americans are yearning for Mr Obama, found a survey from Public Policy Polling, while just 43 per cent are glad that Mr Trump is in the White House. Furthermore, 40 per cent want the new President to be impeached, up from 35 per cent one week ago. More than 500,000 people have also signed up to a petition by campaign group Impeach Trump Now on the basis that he has not taken a far enough step away from his real estate empire whilst in government. Barack Obama gives first speech as US citizen in eight years Mr Trump, despite winning the electoral college, lost the popular vote by close to three million votes and is already suffering the lowest popularity ratings in contemporary American history. The low numbers come down to opposition to his policies. Only a quarter of Americans (26 per cent) were in favour of the Muslim ban, the executive order which barred nearly all travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries for at least 90 days. Almost half of Trump supporters were in favour of the order, however, and 48 per cent believed the protesters at airports around the country - as well as people at the womens marches - were paid by billionaire investor and Hillary Clinton supporter George Soros. Mr Trumps view that millions of illegal voters cost him the popular vote is not widely shared (26 per cent agreement) and 54 per cent of voters are opposed to Americans paying to build the wall along the Mexican border. The wall is estimated to cost as much as $14 billion and Mexican President Pena Nieto has vowed he will not reimburse the US. The Presidents signature campaign pledge, to repeal and replace Obamacare, has become increasingly unpopular. Just 41 per cent of voters are against the Affordable Care Act. His unpopular policies started early. On Inauguration day he demanded to know why the National Park Service had tweeted pictures of relatively small crowd sizes at his swearing in ceremony compared to Mr Obamas, and then censored the government agencys social media access. Just 30 per cent of voters approved of that plan. His chief strategist and Breitbart founder Steve Bannon has very low support of 19 per cent of voters. Just over one third of those polled think it was a good idea for Mr Bannon to become a permanent member of the National Security Council. The poll surveyed 725 registered voters between 30 and 31 January with 80 per cent of them participating through land line telephones. The margin of error was 3.6 per cent. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The fate of Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, appeared to be in jeopardy, after two Republican senators said they will vote against her. Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski announced their decision on the Senate floor, after having repeatedly expressed reservations. Their decision puts Ms DeVos one defection away from losing the 50 votes needed to confirm her nomination. Both senators cited concerns with her support for charter schools and vouchers. It would be the first of Mr Trump's cabinet picks not to be confirmed. (Betsy-DeVos-hearing) Her concentration on charter schools and vouchers raises the question about whether or not she fully appreciates that the Secretary of Educations primary focus must be on helping strengthen our public schools, Ms Collins said. Ms Murkowski added that thousands of her constituents shared similar concerns. Ms DeVos formerly chaired the advocacy group American Federation for Children, which promotes both publicly funded charter schools and vouchers for private school tuition. Ms DeVos has called such education reform a means to advance Gods Kingdom. Donald Trump tells Republicans to 'go nuclear' to stop Democrats blocking Supreme Court nomination More recently, the businesswoman stumbled through her 17 January confirmation hearing, where she appeared unfamiliar with both federal disability law and educational achievement standards. She narrowly avoided a second hearing on 23 January, when the Senate HELP Committee advanced her nomination to a full Senate vote. Ms DeVos faced additional scrutiny from womens rights groups and LGBTQ activists. In her hearing, she declined to commit to Title IX gender discrimination protections put in place by President Obama. She blamed records placing her on the board of an anti-LGBTQ foundation on a clerical error. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said at a press briefing on 1 February that he had 100 percent confidence in Ms DeVoss confirmation. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funds from the University of California at Berkeley after protesters caused a talk by the senior editor of Breitbart News to be cancelled. Demonstrators hurled smoke bombs, started fires and smashed windows ahead of Milo Yiannopoulos scheduled visit on Wednesday. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? the President tweeted. It was unclear how the threat would be carried out. Milo Yiannopoulos defends Breitbart headlines as 'satire' Mr Yiannopoulos is a senior editor of Breitbart News, whose former executive chair Steve Bannon has been appointed as Mr Trumps chief strategist. The outlet, described as alt-right supported the President throughout his campaign and has been accused of propagating fake news with its vehemently anti-immigration agenda. Around 1,500 people gathered to peacefully protest Mr Yiannopoulos visit before a smaller group of people dressed in black started a wave of vandalism. This was a group of agitators who were masked up, throwing rocks, commercial grade fireworks and Molotov cocktails at officers, said UC Berkeley Police Chief Margo Bennet. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters As police decided that could not guarantee Mr Yiannopoulos security, officers cancelled the event and removed him from the building. There were no immediate reports of arrests or serious injuries. The Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down, the commentator said. Comments by Mr Yiannopoulos, a vocal supporter of Mr Trump, have been criticised as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. A harassment campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones led to him being banned from Twitter last year. Berkeley University said it did not endorse his ideas but was committed to free speech and rejected calls to cancel the event, which was sponsored by the campus Republican club. The Berkeley College Republicans said its constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs. Dan Mogulof, the university's assistant vice chancellor, told The Independent: "C Berkeley condemns in the strongest possible terms the actions of individuals who invaded the campus, infiltrated a crowd of peaceful students, and used violent tactics to close down the event. "We deeply regret that the violence unleashed by this group undermined the First Amendment rights of the speaker as well as those who came to lawfully assemble and protest his presence." Additional reporting by AP Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trumps administration is reportedly pushing to erase neo-Nazis and white supremacists from the US governments counter-extremism programme by moving it to focus exclusively on Islamist terrorism. American officials briefed on the proposed changes told Reuters the Countering Violent Extremism (DVE) initiative could be renamed to Countering Radical Islamic Extremism. The reclassification would remove its work combating far-right attacks and mass shootings, such as the massacre of black churchgoers in Charleston, which are rarely classified as terrorism by American authorities. USA: Hundreds march against racism in Charleston after church shooting Violent extremist threats come from a range of groups and individuals, including domestic terrorists and homegrown violent extremists in the United States, as well as international terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and Isil (Isis), reads the current description of CVE on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. But Mr Trumps rhetoric has focused exclusively on the dangers of radical Islam, seeing him criticise Barack Obama for being weak on Isis. The position sparked his executive order suspending the US refugee programme and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries of concern. The President claimed the move would prevent bad dudes coming to the US, despite the fact countries linked to previous terror attacks were not on the list, as well as warnings the Muslim ban would fuel propaganda efforts by Isis and other jihadi groups. Proponents of the existing CVE programme fear any move to rebrand it would make it more difficult for the government to work with Muslim counter-extremism groups already unsettled by Mr Trumps policies and divisive statements. Dylann Roof, the Charleston shooter, wrote a racist manifesto before massacring black churchgoers (AP) It aims to deter groups or potential lone attackers within the US through community partnerships and education and counter-messaging campaigns in cooperation with companies such as Google and Facebook, and is separate from military and intelligence efforts against online extremism. Some Republicans in Congress have accused the programme of being too politically correct and ineffective, claiming that that singling out Islamist extremism as the trigger for many violent attacks would help focus deterrence efforts. Recommended A timeline of US mass shootings following the Orlando nightclub attack A source who has worked closely with the DGS told Reuters that members of the Trump transition team first met with a CVE task force in December and floated the idea of changing the name and focus. In a meeting last Thursday attended by senior staff for DHS Secretary John Kelly, government employees were reportedly asked to defend why they chose certain community organisations as recipients of CVE grants. Mr Kelly is reviewing the funding, which has been appropriated by Congress and the grant recipients including local authorities, police, universities and non-profit groups were notified in the final days of the Obama administration but has not yet been transferred. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Among anti-jihadi groups, grants also went to Life After Hate, which rehabilitates former neo-Nazis and other domestic extremists. Terrorism is defined in the US Code of Federal Regulations as the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. The definition, used by the FBI and other American agencies, does not specify any groups and encapsulates all extremism from Islamism to anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism. MI5, the UKs domestic security agency, admits that there is no agreed definition of terrorism internationally, while the Terrorism Act 2000 defines it as violent threats or action for the purposes of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause. The DHS and White House did not respond to requests for comment. Additional reporting by Reuters Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Donald Trump has announced he will "get rid of and totally destroy" a 60-year-old rule that blocks tax-exempt religious groups from endorsing or opposing political candidates. The so-called Johnson amendment was introduced by then-Senator Lyndon B Johnson in 1954. It threatens churches and other religious institutions with the loss of their tax-exempt status should they overstep the mark. At the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC on Thursday Mr Trump said: "Jefferson asked, 'Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?' Among those freedoms is the right to worship according to our own beliefs. That is why I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retributionI will do that." Mr Trump also spoke about a global threat to free worship. He said: "Freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it's also a right under threat all around us and the world is under serious, serious threat in so many different ways. "I've never seen it so much and so openly. We're going to straighten it out. That's what I do, I fix things. It's time we're going to be a little bit tough." In an apparent reference to Isis, he added: "We've seen unimaginable violence carried out in the name of religion. Acts of wanton slaughter against religious minorities. Terrorism is a fundamental threat to religious freedom." The declaration came as an apparent leaked draft of a new executive order set out how specific religious beliefsreflecting conservative Christian social tenetscould become enshrined as executive policy. They include "the belief that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, sexual relations are properly reserved for such a marriage, male and female and their equivalents refer to an individuals immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy, physiology, or genetics at or before birth, and that human life begins at conception and merits protection at all stages of life". The draft order seeks to protect the tax-exempt status of organisations that propound those beliefs, as well as to block "adverse action" against groups that discriminate, on religious grounds, in the provision of adoption and fostering services. White House spokesman Sean Spicer did not comment on the specifics of the leak. Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Show all 28 1 /28 Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Martin Rowson for The Guardian Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Morten Morland for The Times Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Bob Moran for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Morten Morland for The Times Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' KAL for The Economist Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Martin Rowson for The Guardian His address to the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event organised by The Fellowship Foundation, a Christian group, and attended by the President of the day, was not the first time Mr Trump had set out his plan for the Johnson amendment. Last September he tried to woo evangelical voters with a promise that the US' "Christian heritage will be cherished, protected, defended like you have never seen before". His repeal of the amendment would "give our churches their voice back", he said. The repeal was one of his 282 campaign promises. On Thursday Mr Trump added: "Our republic was formed on the basis that freedom is not a gift from government, but that freedom is a gift from God. We are all united by our faith, in our creator, in our firm knowledge that we are all equal in his eyes. We are not just flesh and bone and blood. We are human beings with souls." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Donald Trump administration is preparing to enshrine specific religious beliefs in executive policyincluding that premarital sex is wrong, that marriage "is or should be recognised" as between a man and a woman, that life begins at conception and that the words "male and female" refer to "immutable biological sex" assigned at birth. A leaked document that purports to be a new executive order claims to "respect religious freedom" and appears to reflect conservative Christian and Catholic beliefs. If signed, it will seek to shield people or organisations receiving federal funds that espouse and act on such beliefs, even if they are made in the course of their employment or contract, from punitive government action. It is likely to worry the country's LGBT community, which has fought for protection from discrimination. The draft order seeks to protect the tax-exempt status of organisations that propound those beliefs, as well as to block "adverse action" against groups that discriminate, on religious grounds, in the provision of adoption and fostering services. White House spokesman Sean Spicer declined to get "ahead of the executive orders that we may or may not issue". "We have nothing on that front now," he added. "Abortion access more popular than Trump" banner flown over March for Life It further provides for total exemption on religious grounds for people or groups who object to providing employee health insurance that includes contraception, currently mandated under the Affordable Care Act. Some limited exemptions did already exist. Legal experts told The Nation, which first published the leaked draft in conjunction with The Investigative Fund, that if signed by President Trump the order would likely violate the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution, commonly referred to as the separation of church and state. In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters Marty Lederman, a professor from Georgetown University's Law Centre, told the magazine: "This executive order would appear to require agencies to provide extensive exemptions from a staggering number of federal lawswithout regard to whether such laws substantially burden religious exercise." In full, the specific beliefs that are among those the order looks to protect from action under tax exemption rules are: "the belief that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, sexual relations are properly reserved for such a marriage, male and female and their equivalents refer to an individuals immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy, physiology, or genetics at or before birth, and that human life begins at conception and merits protection at all stages of life". The Treasury Secretary is charged with ensuring that penalties are not imposed for a "person or organisation [that] believes, speaks, or acts (or declines to act) in accordance" with those positions. The order's provision on the point at which human life begins chimes with the beliefs of Vice President Mike Pence, who last Friday attended the anti-abortion March For Life, for which Mr Trump also tweeted his "full support". Mr Pence told marchers: "This administration will work with Congress to end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion providers." "Life is winning again in America," he added. The draft order would also require the Health Secretary "to ensure that the federal government shall not discriminate or take any adverse action against a religious organisation that provides federally-funded child-welfare services, including promoting or providing adoption, foster, or family support services for children, or similar services, on the basis that the organisation declines to provide, facilitate, or refer such services due to a conflict with the organizations religious beliefs". Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump left the White House on Marine One in an unannounced trip to pay respect to a US Navy Seal killed in Yemen. Speculation surrounded the US president's unexpected departure as the White House had not disclosed the destination of his flight. Mr Trump travelled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware in an unexpected visit to meet the family of William "Ryan" Owens, a US commando who died in a raid on al-Qaeda in Yemen that went wrong. The military operation was the first to be authorised by the former reality TV star. The world has forgotten the Yemen war, says senior UN humanitarian official The US military said 14 militants were killed in the raid on al-Qaeda. Three other commandos were injured. The Pentagon did not confirm or deny reports from medics on the ground and in Yemeni media that up to 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed. US military officials told Reuters Mr Trump approved his first covert counter-terrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support, or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking Seal team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al-Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. They said the extremists' base had been identified as a target before the Obama administration left office on 20 January, but then-President Barack Obama held off on approving a raid, in part because officials said they were not certain the available intelligence was sufficiently reliable. Also, on-the-ground surveillance of the compound was "minimal, at best," one of the officials said. Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Show all 4 1 /4 Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod Why Yemen's future threatens to destroy its past Hugh McLeod White House officials were not immediately available to comment about the officials' characterization of the raid. All three officials said "a brutal firefight" took the lives of Mr Owens and at least 15 Yemeni women and children. One of the dead was the eight-year-old daughter of the late militant Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by a 2011 US drone strike. Some of the women were firing at the US force, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. The American elite forces did not seize any militants or take any prisoners offsite but White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the raid yielded benefits. "Knowing that we killed an estimated 14 [al-Qaida] members and that we gathered an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil - is something that I think most service members understand, that that's why they joined the service," Mr Spicer said. Additional reporting by Reuters Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Activists are calling for people to stop working and buying things for a day to bring down Donald Trump. A national general strike across the US is being called for 17 February the Friday before President's Day as a way of protesting the new administration. Those behind the strike hope that they can cause enough disruption to bring about change in the political system. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The argument was first published in the mainstream media in a Guardian article in which writer Francine Prose wrote that protests wouldn't be enough to oppose Mr Trump. The trouble is that these protests are too easily ignored and forgotten by those who wish to ignore and forget them, Prose wrote. The barriers go up, the march takes place, the barriers come down. Everyone goes home happier. Recommended Trump reportedly threatens to send US troops to Mexico "Lets designate a day on which no one (that is, anyone who can do so without being fired) goes to work, a day when no one shops or spends money, a day on which we truly make our economic and political power felt, a day when we make it clear: how many of us there are, how strong and committed we are, how much we can accomplish. Much of the organising of such an event is taking online, and without the support of the official unions. On Twitter, activists are posting under the #NationalStrike hashtag. A post by The Wire creator David Simon that used the hashtag and called for people to show that they believe in America by "refusing to work on the Friday before President's Day" has received 3,000 retweets on its own. One Facebook page supporting the event claims that the national strike will be a way of moving towards a new kind of politics. "At this dangerous point in our history, we must confront a bitter truth: any political system that can allow Donald Trump to come to power is not a system worth keeping," the administrators of the page write. People are very worried by this video of Donald Trump "The logic of the general strike is simple," the event's page continues. Through cooperative action, each and every one of us refuses to comply with whatever orders the economic establishment has given to us. "We walk out of our homes, our places of work, and our schools, and we join our fellow citizens in the streets and online in a peaceful display of resistance and solidarity. We refuse to shop or otherwise participate in the rigged economy that Trump presides over and is beholden to. In this way, we defy the establishment and create an opening for reconstitution." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump's government has loosened sanctions imposed by Barack Obama on Russia's Federal Security Service, that would make it easier for US companies to do business with the intelligence agency. A notice posted on the Treasury Department website said that sanctions imposed by Mr Obama - first in 2015 and then tightened late last year amid accusations of Russian hacking of political parties - had been eased. All transactions and activities otherwise prohibited pursuant to Executive Order 13694as amended by EO 13757, are authorised, says the notice. Russias Tass News Agency said: US authorities have weakened the sanctions regime against the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB). It said that President Vladimir Putins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, did not immediately have a comment on the development. First we need to understand what is at stake, it quoted him as saying. Trump tells National Prayer Breakfast to 'pray for Arnold's ratings' There had been speculation that Mr Trump was set to ease or lift some of his predecessor's sanctions against Russia ahead of his first conversation last weekend with President Vladimir Putin. But the matter apparently did not come up during the call. The amended order, announced by the Treasury in December 2016, blocked four additional Russian intelligence agents and five entities including the FSB from obtaining property for use in cyber-attacks against the US. It gave the Treasury the authority to determining that circumstances no longer warrant the blocking of the property and interests in property of a person. The FSB was the only Russian intelligence entity named in the amendment announced Thursday, leaving much of the emergency action taken by Mr Obama intact. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied that the amendment was an easement of sanctions against Russia, adding that it was a "fairly common practise" by the Treasury Department. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Mr Trump has said that he was willing to lift sanctions imposed in 2014 related to their illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, in exchange for a nuclear arms reduction agreement. "They have sanctions on Russia lets see if we can make some good deals with Russia, Mr Trump said last month. "For one thing, I think nuclear weapons should be way down and reduced very substantially, thats part of it." In his final press conference as president, however, Mr Obama criticised the idea and said that the sanctions should remain attached to the reason they were imposed in the first place. "The reason we oppose the recall was not because of nuclear issues. It was because the independence and sovereignty of a country, Ukraine, had been encroached upon by force by Russia, Mr Obama said. I think it will probably best serve not only American interests but also the interests of preserving international norms, he added, if we made sure that we dont confuse why these sanctions have been imposed with a whole set of other issues." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's business ties with Russia raise significant concerns about conflicts of interest. While he was ExxonMobil CEO, Mr Tillerson brokered an energy agreement with the Russian government and the Texas oil company. But the 2014 sanctions caused an immediate halt to the oil operations in the region between Exxon and state-owned oil company, Rosneft. According to 2016 lobbying disclosure forms, ExxonMobil had lobbied against legislation that would have levied the sanctions against Russia. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} US President Donald Trump has said he will review a dumb deal to take hundreds of Australian asylum seekers after the Washington Post reported he had angrily berated Australia's prime minister and abruptly ended a tense telephone call. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters the call on Saturday had been frank and candid but refused to provide further details on a private conversation that has hit headlines on both sides of the world. The Washington Post reported that Trump had described the call with the leader of Australia, one of the United States' staunchest allies, as the worst so far. It came less than a day after Washington had sown confusion in Australia after saying it would apply extreme vetting as part of the refugee resettlement deal. James Corden films airport journey in protest at Donald Trump's 'Muslim ban' The deal was agreed late last year between Australia, which has fought alongside US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the administration of former President Barack Obama. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal, Trump said on Twitter not long before midnight Washington time. As part of the deal, Washington agreed to resettle up to 1,250 asylum seekers held in offshore processing camps on Pacific islands in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would resettle refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Trump's comments cast further doubt on the resettlement deal, which was already in question after Trump signed an executive order last week that suspended the US refugee programme and restricted entry to the United States for travellers from majority-Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Many of those being held in the Australian detention centres, which have drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and rights groups, have fled violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. Quoting unidentified senior US officials briefed on the conversation, the Post reported that Trump had told Turnbull he had spoken to four other world leaders on Saturday, including Russian president Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, but said theirs was the worst call by far. The call had been scheduled to last an hour but the Post said Trump cut it short after 25 minutes when Turnbull tried to turn to other subjects, such as Syria. It also said Trump described the plan as the worst deal ever and accused Australia of trying to export the next Boston bombers. Turnbull would not comment on the contents of the call other than to say he believed the resettlement deal remained in place. These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I'm not going to add to them, he told reporters in Melbourne. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The Washington Post report was widely seen as embarrassing for Turnbull, whose conservative Liberal-National coalition has a razor-thin majority after an inconclusive election last year. Mr Turnbull needs to confirm or deny the accuracy of that report, Labour opposition leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Perth. The Washington Post also quoted the official read-out after Saturday's call, which emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally'. It also said Trump had boasted to Turnbull about the size of his election victory. Reuters Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump is being lambasted for describing refugees the Obama administration agreed to resettle from Australian detention camps on Pacific islands as illegal immigrants. His predecessor pledged to house up to 1,250 of the most vulnerable asylum seekers held in "inhumane" centres on Papua New Guinea and Nauru, while Australia agreed to resettle refugees from Central America. Mr Trump called the agreement struck last year a dumb deal on Twitter in an unprecedented public attack on one of Americas closest allies. Leaked Nauru report highlights appalling refugee conditions The President had reportedly aired his grievances in an angry phone call with Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday, when the Australian Prime Minister attempted to confirm whether the arrangement still held. Describing it as the worst deal ever, Mr Trump accused his ally of attempting to export the next Boston bombers, the Washington Post reported. He followed up the call by tweeting: Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Critics quickly pointed out that the men, women and children to be resettled could not be illegal when their transfers had been organised and facilitated by the US government. To be defined as an illegal immigrant, people must have violated a countrys laws by either crossing the border irregularly or overstaying their visas. The vast majority of migrants arriving in Europe in the ongoing refugee crisis initially fulfil the definition but then become asylum seekers by exercising their right under the 1951 Refugee Convention to apply for international protection. Australians join a rally organised by the Refugee Action Coalition calling for the closure of the Manus and Nauru detention centres (Getty) The US agreement with Australia, by contrast, sees men, women and children who have already been vetted by the Department of Homeland Security legally transferred into the country by the American government. The United Nations and humanitarian groups have raised concern over Australias camps in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, where all asylum seekers attempted to reach the country by sea are held indefinitely as part of the controversial stop the boats policy. Refugees have set themselves on fire in protest at dire conditions at the processing centres, where physical, mental and sexual abuse has been reported. Most are Muslims from the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including the persecuted Rohingya minority, meaning their arrival would contravene Mr Trumps executive order suspending the US refugee programme and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries of concern. He claimed the move would prevent bad dudes coming to the US, despite the fact countries linked to previous terror attacks were not on the list, and warnings the Muslim ban would fuel propaganda efforts by Isis and other jihadi groups. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Despite the Presidents statements, the White House and the US Embassy in Australia both said Mr Trump would honour the agreement, while Mr Turnbull reiterated that he believed the deal stood in media appearances following the tweet. Australia has refused to resettle any refugee arriving by boat since July 2013, whatever their circumstances, instead paying Pacific nations to detain them while searching for other countries to take the arrivals permanently. After the transfer deal was struck with the US in November, Mr Turnbull said: Our priority is the resettlement of woman, children and families. This will be an orderly process. It will take time. It will not be rushed. He has declined to comment on his phone call with Mr Trump but said he would stand up for Australia. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has warned that he plans to be tough and straighten things out after reports emerged that he had yelled at the Australian Prime Minister about their refugee resettlement deal and had hung up mid-conversation. At a prayer breakfast, the President said: Thats what I do, I fix things. Were going to straighten it out. Believe me. When you hear about the tough phone calls Im having, dont worry about it. Just dont worry about it. Theyre tough. We have to be tough. Its time were going to be a little tough, folks. Were taken advantage of by every nation in the world virtually. Its not going to happen any more. Its not going to happen any more. The call with Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday should have lasted an hour, but after 25 minutes Mr Trump wanted off the call. Australia Sky News sources reported that the President yelled at Mr Turnbull as he sat in the Oval Office, flanked by Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon, Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Defence Secretary Michael Flynn. It was the last call of the day after several other scheduled phone calls with several foreign leaders. Recommended Malcolm Turnbull claims victory in 2016 Australian general election Mr Trump reportedly criticised the Prime Minister over his refugee agreement with former President Barack Obama, and boasted about his electoral college win. As reported by The Washington Post, senior US officials briefed on the conversation said Mr Trump hung up after 25 minutes and said: This was the worst call by far and that the immigrant agreement was the worst deal ever. He also reportedly said to Mr Turnbull he was going to get killed politically and accused him of wanting to export the next Boston bombers. Thousands join London protests against Donald Trump travel ban When Mr Turnbull suggested the two leaders move on from discussing refugees to the conflict in Syria and other issues, the President decided to end the call. It was far shorter than his conversations with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin. At almost 11pm the same evening after the Washington Post report surfaced, Mr Trump took to twitter to vent his anger, saying he will review the dumb deal to take hundreds of Australian asylum seekers. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal, he wrote. Mr Turnbull told reporters the conversation had been frank and candid but said he would not reveal details of a private call. These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, Im not going to add to them, he told reporters in Melbourne. Their conversation has only caused further discord between the two countries, the day after the US announced it would apply extreme vetting to Australian refugees. The refugee deal that Mr Trump had berated was agreed late last year due to Australias fighting alongside US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It includes resettling up to 1,250 asylum seekers who are held in offshore processing camps in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. In return, Australia would take refugees from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The official read-out after Saturdays call highlighted the enduring strength and closeness of the US-Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Detroit-area woman whose son told television stations that she died because President Donald Trump's travel ban prevented her from returning to the US for medical care actually died several days before the order was signed, the leader of a mosque said. Imam Husham Al-Hussainy spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday about comments Mike Hager made to TV stations in Boston and Detroit. Hager said he tried to bring his ill mother back from Iraq on Friday, but that she was not allowed to enter the country because of Trump's order temporarily barring citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. Al-Hussainy told the AP that the woman actually died on January 21 or 22 and that prayers were said for her at the Karbalaa Islamic Educational Center in Dearborn. Al-Hussainy said he learned she died then by members of his mosque and from posts on the family's Facebook page. A funeral was held for the woman at a nearby mosque last weekend, Al-Hussainy said. The Associated Press was unable to reach Hager on Wednesday at his Dearborn home. He told television stations that he and his family had travelled to Iraq to visit relatives when his mother fell ill. He said he is a US citizen, but that his mother and others in his family who travelled to Iraq were not. The others were not allowed to return, he said. Al-Hussainy said Hager spoke to him by phone around January 19 that he and other members of his family were travelling to Iraq to visit relatives. Hager also said his mother suffered from kidney disease, the imam said. Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban Show all 11 1 /11 Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Al-Hussainy has not spoken to Hager since that phone call. He said the woman's body remained in Iraq. AP Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hollywood is currently engaged in a culture war with Donald Trump. The billionaire property magnate has been the butt of more scathing rebukes and wisecracks from tinsel town actors than any President in recent history. This makes it all the more surprising Matthew McConaughey has gone against the grain and provided a positive perspective on Mr Trump's presidency. The Oscar-winning actor, who is known for his roles in Wolf of Wall Street and True Detective, urged Hollywood to embrace Mr Trump. McConaughey argued Americans should learn to be constructive even if they do not agree with the President. Appearing on the Andrew Marr Show, he was pressed about whether it was time for Hollywood to give the President a break. Every single American actor or arty type who comes over to London dumps on Trump. You all completely hate him. Do you think it's time maybe Hollywood or the cultural elite of America gave this guy a break, asked Marr. They dont have a choice now, McConaughey replied. Hes our president. Its very dynamic and as divisive of a time and inauguration as weve had, at the same time, its time for us to embrace. Shake hands with this fact, be constructive with him over the next four years. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The actor suggested Americans should look for ways to be constructive even if they disagree with the President. Even those who most strongly may disagree with his principles or things hes said or done - which is another thing, well see what he does compare to what he has said - no matter how much you disagreed with the way, its time to think how constructive can you be. Because hes our President for the next four years, at least. While the Texan actors interview aired on Sunday morning - two days after Mr Trump implemented his hardline immigration ban - the actual interview was recorded around a week before the controversial ban was brought in. McConaugheys wife Camila Alves is an immigrant from Brazil who moved to the US at the age of 15. This appears to be the first time McConaughey, who rarely speaks out on politics, has discussed Mr Trump. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Melania Trump will move to the White House from New York in the summer, a senior aide has said. The First Lady is to leave her Trump Tower penthouse and move to Washington, joined by the couples 10-year-old son Barron, at the end of the school year, and is already beginning to to take on her duties, according to the aide. Ms Trump will be moving to DC and settling into the White House at the end of the school year, splitting her time between New York and DC in the meantime, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, senior adviser to the First Lady told ABC News. Melania Trump dismisses husband's leaked audio as 'boy's talk' Ms Wolkoff added that Ms Trump was "honoured to serve this country and is taking the role and responsibilities of the First Lady very seriously." The announcement appears to dispel rumours published in American tabloids and magazines on Wednesday that the First Lady and the coupe's 10-year-old son may no longer be moving to Washington. It comes as the White House announced on Wednesday that Lindsay Reynolds, a former member of worked under George W Bushs administration, would be joining the First Ladys team as her Chief of Staff. In an official statement on Wednesday, Ms Trump expressed her honour at taking on the position of First Lady, and said she was in the process of putting together a dynamic and forward thinking group of individuals to make up a team that would work to make the country better for everyone. It has been an honour to take on the responsibility of the position of First Lady, with its long history as an important representative of the President, our family, and the traditions of our nation around the world," she said in the statement. I am putting together a professional and highly-experienced team which will take time to do properly. I am excited to be organising and bringing together such a dynamic and forward thinking group of individuals who will work together to make our country better for everyone. Ms Trump remained barely visible during her first week as First Lady, making no public appearances since a prayer service the morning after the inauguration, giving no media interviews as first lady and not indicating with any specificity what she has planned for her new role. Many saw this as a sign that she was reluctantly grappling with how to embrace the increased scrutiny, while others viewed it as an indication she was taking her time to determine how she would make an impact as First Lady. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Despite her silence, Ms Trump has already been under scrutiny over her body language during Mr Trump's widely broadcast inauguration, with one body language expert suggesting she "doesn't look comfortable in her own skin" and another saying her body was "an object" to Mr Trump. The First Lady assumed her role with the lowest favourability ratings of any modern first lady. Only 37 per cent of the public had a favourable view of her in a Gallup poll released in January, while the same percentage gave her an unfavourable rating. Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton each had a favourability rating above 55 per cent when they became first lady. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mexico has denied Donald Trump threatened to send American soldiers into the country during a telephone conversation with his counterpart, President Enrique Pena Nieto. Such a threat did not happen during that call, the Mexican government said in a statement, released on Twitter on Wednesday night. I know it with absolute certainty, there was no threat, a spokesman for Mr Pena Nieto, Eduardo Sanchez, said in a radio interview. The things that have been said are nonsense and a downright lie. Donald Trump's Mexico wall: At what cost, and how long? The Associated Press reported that Mr Trump had threatened to send US troops south of the border if his Mexican counterpart failed to stop bad hombres in the country, after an unnamed source leaked them a purported transcript of a telephone call between the two leaders last Friday. The transcript did not include Mr Pena Nieto's response. You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You arent doing enough to stop them, Mr Trump is reported to have told Mr Pena Nieto. I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it. The White House would not comment on the purported transcript, but denied that the US was planning to invade Mexico. On Friday, the two leaders issued a joint statement saying they had discussed the need to work together to stop drug cartels, drug trafficking and illegal guns and arms sales. The phone call was meant to patch up tensions between the heads of state but, if authentic, the transcript suggests that President Trump may still be using the same brash style that he employed on the campaign trail. Tensions between the US and Mexico, longtime allies, have heightened since Mr Trumps inauguration. In one of his first acts as president, Mr Trump signed an executive order calling for the immediate construction of a border wall between the countries. A few days later, he tweeted that Mr Pena Nieto should not visit Washington for a scheduled meeting unless Mexico was prepared to pay for construction of the wall. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Mr Pena Nieto cancelled the meeting, and stressed that Mexico had no intention of paying for the project. Last Friday, the leaders appeared to be mending their differences, with both sides describing the phone call as productive. But the allegations that Mr Trump threatened to send soldiers across the border sparked fury in Mexico, where many already feel deeply insulted by Mr Trumps attacks on the country, which he repeatedly accused of sending criminals and drugs into the United States during his campaign. There are now widespread calls in Mexico for Mr Pena Nieto's office to release their transcript of the call Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Top ranking Democrat Nancy Pelosi did not mince her words when she expressed her concerns about Donald Trumps chief strategist becoming a permanent member of the National Security Council. Ms Pelosi, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, told reporters repeatedly during a conference about the Muslim ban executive order that Steve Bannon was a "white supremacist" who was making the country "less safe". "Whats making America less safe is to have a white supremacist named to the National Security Council as a permanent member while the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Director of National Intelligence are told, Dont call us, well call you. "Theyre no longer permanent members." Mr Bannon was said to be a key architect of the Muslim ban, which indefinitely suspends Syrian refugees and bars nearly all travelers from six other Muslim-majority countries for at least 90 days. It was also reported that he pushed for the rule to target green card holders, a move which caused widespread confusion and protests. Its a stunning thing that a white supremacist, Bannon, would be a permanent member of the National Security Council and dismissing [the] Chairman of Joint Chiefs and the Director of National Intelligence as permanent members, Ms Pelosi added. Her direct naming of Mr Bannon, an unelected official and one of the founders of Breitbart, is one of the first, if not the first, instances of a high-profile Democrat using the words white supremacist in such a public sphere. Sean Spicer defends Steve Bannon sitting in on national security council meetings Other Democrats and even some Republicans have criticised Mr Bannon in the past but used more moderate terms. Senator Cory Booker told MSNBC this week that the strategist had launched a platform for racism and bigotry, and that his self-description as "alt-right" was a "synonym for white supremacy". Steve Bannon calls liberal women 'a bunch of dykes' Mr Bannon came under fire this week for his comments about Islam after resurfaced audio recordings revealed that he thought Islam was "very dark" and "on the rise" while Christianity was falling, and mocked the notion that Islam was a religion of peace. In the Muslim ban executive order, it states that Christian refugees will be prioritised. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer dodged a question about his colleagues comments on Wednesday. When pressed again on the subject, he responded: "I think I just made it clear that there's a difference in the President's view [to Mr Bannon]." Hundreds of thousands of people signed petitions and more than 12,000 lawyers wrote an open letter to protest his appointment to become the Presidents right-hand man. Mr Trump still has close ties to the far-right news outlet. He threatened to pull federal funds from the University of California, Berkeley, after a speech from Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos was cancelled amid protests. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A babysitter donated a part of her liver to save the life of a baby girl she had known for just three weeks. Kiersten Miles first met the Rosko family last June after a mutual friend recommended her to look after their 16-month-old daughter Talia. They told her the baby was suffering with Bilary Atresia - a life threatening condition which causes the liver's ducts to become backed up with bile, destroying cells and the liver itself. As a result the little girl required a liver transplant and the 22-year-old college student immediately volunteered to see if her organ matched. It's such a small sacrifice when you compare it to saving a life," the college student from New Jersey told the US broadcaster WTXF. "Some of her doctors said she possibly wouldnt have made it past two-years-old." She added: "All I had to do was be in the hospital for a week and a 5-inch scar. I dont know, it just seemed like such a small sacrifice to me." Kiersten Miles pictured with baby Talia before their operations (Facebook) After discovering she was a match, Ms Miles immediately volunteered to donate a part of her liver, undergoing a major surgery that would last for five hours. But Talia's parents, George and Farra initially questioned her decision. Ms Rosko said: "I'm like: 'Kiersten, this is a serious surgery. You have to talk to your parents. It's not like donating blood." Ms Miles told her that she had already discussed the donation with her mother and they had agreed it was the right thing, she added. After six-months of tests, Ms Miles was operated on at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Part of her liver was removed and then transported to Talia who was operated on at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Both operations were successful and both Talia and Ms Miles are said to be recovering well. She will never be able to donate again, even if she decides to have children of her own in the future and they require a similar organ donation. I can never donate again, so they had to tell me in the future so if I have a child in a similar situation or a different one and they need a liver even if Im a 100 per cent match I cant donate. You can only donate once,"she told Fox News. She added that she had no regrets about her decision. Talia "was 9 months old when I started watching her," she said. "Shes so helpless. She cant tell anyone whats wrong with her. She cant spread the word and ask for help." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trumps actions during his first fortnight as President are like those of a coup, a historian of fascism has warned. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history and Italian studies at New York University, is the author of Italian Facisms Empire Cinema and an expert on fascist history. In a op-ed for CNN, she has warned of the Trump administration: From their actions and pronouncements, we cannot exclude an intention to carry out a type of coup. She explains: Many may raise their eyebrows at my use of this word, which brings to mind military juntas in faraway countries who use violence and the element of surprise to gain power. Our situation is different. "Trump gained power legally but this week has provided many indications that his inner circle intends to shock or strike at the system, using the resulting spaces of chaos and flux to create a kind of government within the government: one beholden only to the chief executive. Ms Ben-Ghiat continues: Second is the unleashing of the political purges that authoritarians so love. "Some purges are punitive (say the firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates because she defied Trump's immigration order) and some pre-emptive (the expulsion of senior State Department staff) but the effect is to cleanse the government of troublemakers and leave a power vacuum to be filled with loyalists or not filled at all, for added disruption of the state bureaucracy. During his first fortnight in the White House, Mr Trump has spearheaded many controversial actions. One of his first executive orders was to reinstate the Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy, barring any government funding for international aid organisations which give women advice about abortions. He subsequently announced a broad travel ban, issued by a further executive order. This ended admission of refugees, as well as barring immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. The ban has been criticised for allegedly unfairly targeting Muslims. However, Mr Trump has insisted the measure is necessary in order to ensure national security and defend against terrorism. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Acting attorney general Sally Yates protested the ban, saying she would not ask Justice Department lawyers to defend it. Mr Trump promptly terminated her employment. Following the controversy of his first days in office, counsellor to the President, Kellyanne Conway, defended him, tweeting: Get used to it. [President Trump] is a man of action and impact. Promises made, promises kept. Shock to the system. And hes just getting started. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Canadians have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for those affected by the shooting at a Quebec mosque on Sunday night. A collaboration between a Canadian restaurant and an international Islamic charity has raised more than $60,000 (36,489), while another Canadian Muslim organisation has collected almost $292,000 (177,582) to offer relief in the aftermath of the tragedy. Six people were killed and a further 19 injured in the attack when a gunman opened fire at a mosque in Quebec City during evening prayers on Sunday. Middle-eastern Ontario-based restaurant Paramount Fine Foods and Islamic Relief Canada, the largest Islamic charity in the world, launched a campaign on Monday to raise money for supporting injured victims and the families of those killed, as well as efforts to reconstruct the mosque and protect the local community. Mohamad Fakih, CEO of Paramount Fine Foods, said: We were all shocked when we heard the news of the shooting. I wanted to help and today I am committed to making sure the funding for the reconstruction of the mosque is taken care of as well as all the funeral costs for those killed. Donations will be divided up into various support efforts, including tightening security at the mosque and others nearby, paying counsellors to those affected by the tragedy and helping support those recovering from injuries from the shooting, according to Zaid Al-Rawni, CEO of international charity Islamic Relief Canada. Mr Al-Rawni added that the tragedy had brought a sense of hope and unity among the Canadian people, saying: This is an outright rejection of intolerance. If intolerance is allowed to take hold it will destroy everything we know and love about this country. All Canadians are coming together and acknowledging that these arent our values, we know what our values are and they are values we all share as Canadians. Its a beautiful thing for us to see. I know from speaking to the community in Quebec, that they are really feeling the love from across Canada. 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 A separate fundraising appeal launched by Canadian Muslim organisation DawaNet has raised $292,000 (177,582), which it said will contribute to funeral costs as well as supporting other short-term financial needs of the families of the victims. The man charged with carrying out the attack is French-Canadian Alexandre Bissonnette, a 27-year-old white student who supported Donald Trump and far-right French politician Marine Le Pen. On Wednesday, Fox News was forced to delete a false and misleading tweet that claimed the suspect in the attack was of Moroccan origin, following a call from the office of the Canadian Prime Minister for the network to remove the post. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} 'Joe the Plumber', a Conservative commentator who came to symbolise the American working class during the 2008 election, has called on Starbucks to scrap its plan to hire 10,000 refugees and to take on veterans instead. Samuel Wurzelbacher accused the coffee company of political grandstanding after CEO Howard Schultz pledged to hire 10,000 refugees in response to Donald Trumps immigration ban. The Liberty Alliance vice president of public relations also said veterans were the ones who made it possible for Starbucks to be where they are now. However, the chain announced a similar commitment in 2013 to hire 10,000 veterans by the end of 2018. Starbucks has hired more than 8,000 veterans and military spouses since 2014, according to the company. The latest pledge came following Mr Trumps executive order temporarily barring visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. It also suspended the US refugee resettlement program for 120 days and permanently barred Syrian refugees from entering the country. Mr Schultz made the commitment in a company-wide letter in which he stated uncertain times call for different measures. We are living in an unprecedented time, one in which we are witness to the conscience of our country, and the promise of the American Dream, being called into question, Mr Schultz wrote. There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognised as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. CEOs of tech giants Apple, Google, Twitter and Facebook all publicly condemned the Republican leader's "Muslim ban", along with Nike, Airbnb and others. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The US military is investigating whether more civilians were killed in a raid on al-Qaeda in Yemen at the weekend, in the first operation authorised by President Donald Trump as commander in chief. Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens was killed in the raid on a branch of al-Qaeda, also known as AQAP, in al-Bayda province, which the Pentagon said also killed 14 militants. However, medics at the scene said about 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed. US Central Command said in a statement that an investigating team had concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed during Sundays raid. It said that children may have been among the casualties. It said its assessment seeks to determine if there were any still-undetected civilian casualties in the ferocious firefight. US military officials told Reuters that Mr Trump approved his first covert counter-terrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, the three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al-Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. The Pentagon directed queries about the officials characterisation of the raid to US Central Command, which pointed only to its statement on Wednesday. Centcom asks for operations we believe have a good chance for success and when we ask for authorisation we certainly believe there is a chance of successful operations based on our planning, Colonel John Thomas, US Central Command spokesman, said. Any operation where you are going to put operators on the ground has inherent risks. The US officials said the extremists base had been identified as a target before the Obama administration left office on 20 January, but then-President Barack Obama held off approving a raid ahead of his departure. A White House official said the operation was thoroughly vetted by the previous administration and that the previous defence secretary had signed off on it in January. The raid was delayed for operational reasons, the White House official said. The military officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said a brutal firefight killed Mr Owens and at least 15 Yemeni women and children. One of the dead was the eight-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a militant killed by a 2011 US drone strike. Nawar al-Awlaki was a US citizen. An unnamed official said: Almost everything went wrong. Some of the women were firing at the US force, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. The situation in Yemen Show all 14 1 /14 The situation in Yemen The situation in Yemen Houthi supporters trample on a US flag during a gathering mobilizing more fighters into several Yemeni battlefronts, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen People carry the coffins of men, who were killed in the recent Saudi-led airstrikes during their funeral, in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen AP The situation in Yemen Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha. Yemeni rebels are putting up fierce resistance in a key Red Sea port city where they are encircled by pro-government force Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni stands in front of a graffiti protesting US military operations in war-affected Yemen, in Sana'a, Yemen. According to reports, US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen US Special Forces troops allegedly disembarked from US helicopters in the Yemeni town of Yakla and attacked several houses belonging to members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, killing three high-ranking Al-Qaeda members and nine civilians, six women and three children. One American serviceman has been killed and three injured in the attack EPA The situation in Yemen A Yemeni female fighter supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, takes part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen Yemeni female fighters supporting the Shiite Huthi rebels, and carrying weapons used for ceremonial purposes, take part in an anti-Saudi rally in the capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A boy shouts slogans next to pro-Houthi fighters, who have been injured during recent fighting, during a rally held to honour those injured or maimed while fighting in Houthi ranks in Sanaa, Yemen Reuters The situation in Yemen Balls of fire and smoke rise from a Houthi-held military camp following alleged Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sana'a, Yemen EPA The situation in Yemen Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty Images The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy looks on as Yemenis search under the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa Getty The situation in Yemen A Yemeni boy sits amidst the rubble of damaged houses following reported Saudi-led coalition air strikes on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sanaa AFP/Getty The situation in Yemen Marine One with US President Donald Trump flies with a decoy and support helicopters to Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, for the dignified transfer of Navy Seal Chief Petty Officer William 'Ryan' Owens who was killed in Yemen Getty Images The situation in Yemen US President Donald Trump aboard the Marine One to greet the remains of a US military commando killed during a raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen on Sunday, at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, US Reuters The American elite forces did not seize any militants or take any prisoners offsite, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Wednesday the raid yielded benefits. Knowing that we killed an estimated 14 AQAP members and that we gathered an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil is something that I think most service members understand, that thats why they joined the service, he said. A senior leader in Yemens al-Qaeda branch, Abdul Raouf al-Dhahab, and other militants were killed in the gun battle, al-Qaeda said. One of the three US officials said on-the-ground surveillance of the compound was minimal, at best. The decision was made ... to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected, that official said. As Sundays operation intensified, the raiders called in Marine helicopter gunships and Harrier jump jets, and then two MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to extract the SEALs. One of the two Ospreys suffered engine failure, two of the officials said, and hit the ground so hard that two crew members were injured, and one of the Marine jets had to launch a precision-guided bomb to destroy it. Mr Trump travelled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday in an unexpected visit to meet the family of Owens, who had been a chief special warfare operator. Reuters Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A group of US military veterans have vowed to block construction of the controversial Dakota Access pipeline. On the fourth day of his presidency, Donald Trump signed an executive order to expedite the construction of the pipeline. "We are committed to the people of Standing Rock, we are committed to nonviolence, and we will do everything within our power to ensure that the environment and human life are respected," Anthony Diggs, a spokesman for Veterans Stand, told CNBC. "That pipeline will not get completed. Not on our watch." Standing Rock protests continue: 'Water is life' The group has raised $37,000 (30,000) which will go towards "basic transport of supplies and personnel". Native American protesters vowed they would not back down after Mr Trump signed his executive order. Lawyers for the tribe said Mr Trumps action was done hastily and irresponsibly, and they will pursue legal action. Mr Trumps orders overturn decisions made by Barack Obama to halt the construction of the pipeline. Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Show all 15 1 /15 Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota A person pours a pepper spray antidote into a protester's eyes during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People swim across a river to where the police officers are standing guard during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota A man holds up a ceremonial object while police officers look down from a hill during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota November Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Two people stand in the water of a river while police officers guard the shore during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota A man stands on a makeshift bridge over a river while police officers stand on the opposite shore during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Tonya Stands recovers after being pepper sprayed by police after swimming across a creek with other protesters hoping to build a new camp to block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, near Cannon Ball, Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Dakota Access Pipeline protesters stand in the foreground and in the waist-deep water of the Cantapeta Creek, northeast of the Oceti Sakowin Camp, near Cannon Ball, N.D., Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Officers in riot gear clashed again Wednesday with protesters near the Dakota Access pipeline, hitting dozens with pepper spray as they waded through waist-deep water in an attempt to reach property owned by the pipeline's developer. Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Dakota Access Pipeline protesters stand in the foreground and in the waist-deep water of the Cantapeta Creek, northeast of the Oceti Sakowin Camp, near Cannon Ball, N.D., Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016. Officers in riot gear clashed again Wednesday with protesters near the Dakota Access pipeline, hitting dozens with pepper spray as they waded through waist-deep water in an attempt to reach property owned by the pipeline's developer. Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People who were tear gassed return to the shore during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota People yell at police officers standing on the opposite shore of a river during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Protesters occupy Standing Rock reservation, North Dakota Police use pepper spray against protesters in a boat during a protest against the building of a pipeline on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation near Cannonball, North Dakota, U.S Reuters Last year, the US Army Corps of Engineers denied the permit to build the $3.8bn Dakota Access Pipeline amid months of protest outside the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. However, the secretary o the Army has instructed the US Army Corps of Engineers to grant the permit needed to complete the final stretch of the pipeline. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donations for the rebuilding of a burned down mosque in Texas have passed the $1m (789,000) mark. The Victoria Islamic Centre was destroyed on Saturday and since then the community in the city of some 62,000 has rallied behind its Muslim neighbours. Members of a synagogue lent a set of keys to allow them space to worship and several churches have reportedly opened their doors as well. The blaze was discovered at at about 2am on Saturday by a clerk at a convenience store, who called the fire department. It took around four hours to bring it under control and no injuries were reported. Recommended Mayor of Madrid compares Donald Trump to Hitler over immigration ban One donor wrote on the centre's fundraising page: "I'm an atheist and I am deeply saddened and disgusted by what was done to you. Religious freedom and freedom from persecution are fundamental rights!" Robert Loeb, the president of Temple Bnai Israel whose members handed over the keys, said: "Everyone knows everybody, I know several members of the mosque, and we felt for them. When a calamity like this happens, we have to stand together. "We have probably 25 to 30 Jewish people in Victoria, and they probably have 100 Muslims. We got a lot of building for a small amount of Jews." Chuck Schumer breaks down talking about Trump's 'Muslim ban' The Islamic centre, built in 2000, had previously been burgled, it was reported. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Afghan woman has described how her "very suspicious" husband tied her up and cut off both of her ears. Zarina, from the northern province of Balkh, said she was suddenly woken by her husband at midnight, who tied her up and cut off her ears. She told Pajhwok news: I havent committed any sin. I dont know why my husband did this to me. Her husband is on the run in Kashinda district, police told local media. 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 Zarina told the BBC she married her husband at the age of 13. Speaking to Tolo News, she said relations between the two were "not good" and added: "My husband always treats me badly. "He is a very suspicious man and often accused me of talking to strange men when I went to visit my parent." Zarina is now in a stable condition in hospital. She has called for the arrest and prosecution of her husband. Reza Gul, whose nose was sliced off by her husband, lies on a bed with her baby as she receives treatment at a hospital in the northern province of Faryab (AFP/Getty Images) Last year, another woman had her nose cut off by her husband. Reza Gul lost a significant amount of blood after she was mutilated by her husband Mohammad Khan. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Abortion is legal in India, but in some areas, 80 per cent of women do not know this. Many take matters into their own hands instead, using untested herbal remedies or visiting backstreet clinics one death every two hours is caused by unsafe abortion, research suggests. A lack of information, stigma, and probably knowledge of a safe facility stops Indian women, particularly in rural areas, from ending pregnancies without putting their lives in danger, said Vinoj Manning, head of global reproductive rights charity Ipas in India. When theres a failure of a termination at home or at a quack, they dont go to a safe facility and present themselves with a post-abortion complication. They go to multiple facilities, unsafe providers, trying to resolve the problem, he told The Independent. We have a lot of Ayurvedic drugs which are contraindicated for pregnancy. These become default, low-cost, methods. The first immediate side effect is that the abortion is not complete, so theres lots of bleeding. This can lead to infection and sepsis, which in worst cases is a threat to life, and in serious cases leads to serious morbidity like infertility, Dr Manning said. We see this often. Ipas, which works to provide information and access to safe abortion, does not receive funding from the US government, but Dr Manning said a number of women are referred to the organisation by charities and NGOs working on other health issues. Under Donald Trumps global gag rule, reinstated last week, these groups risk losing all US funding simply for providing advice about abortion. The anti-abortion rule, also known as the Mexico City policy, was introduced in 1984 by Ronald Reagan. It has been retracted and reinstated numerous times since then by successive governments, with Democrats against the rule and Republicans in favour of it. However, this time it has been put forward in its most extreme form yet, campaigners say, having been expanded to withdraw funding not only from reproductive health services but from an organisations entire health budget if they provide or offer information about abortion. President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office (AP) Kalpana Apte, head of the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI), which provides sexual health services to more than two million people a year, said the organisation would not sign a policy that denies human rights and puts the lives of women at risk. We believe everyone should be able to make choices about their well-being. We cant support something which tries to restrict those choices or take them away, she said. While under previous administrations the gag policy applied only to international family planning funds, the expansion of the policy today to encompass all global health funding is wholly unprecedented. Programmes which address HIV, maternal and child health, cervical cancer screening, addressing gender based violence and other health and disease areas will now be affected. Recommended India just banned all forms of disposable plastic in its capital The US invests about $20m (16m) a year in health programmes in India. FPAI is a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which is set to lose $100m (80m) for its programmes worldwide due to the policy. Last week, a teenage girl was rushed to hospital and narrowly escaped death after she was force-fed abortion pills by her school, the Hindustan Times reported. Dr Manning said he was irritated and angry about the rules reinstatement, which represents a subtle interference on the sovereignty of the Indian governments policy, and also women's rights. There are 11 million abortions in the country, out of which five million are unsafe. And 8 per cent of maternal deaths happen because of unsafe abortion, he said. Given the fact that [this] action could inhibit awareness, and obviously direct services too, its going to have a negative impact. Abhijit Das, director of the Centre for Health and Social Justice in New Delhi, told The Independent the number of deaths from unsafe abortion would not fall until the procedure became freely available through public services. There is a law permitting abortions, but we have not been able to put in place the necessary services across the country, he said, adding: Often because abortion is stigmatised, people choose not to visit the public system because they do not feel confident their privacy will be respected. However, he said Mr Trumps rule could have a silver lining if it led to an improvement in local services. A very adverse, counter-productive step has been taken in the US. That could somehow become a stimulus for other philanthropy to step in on abortion, both Indian and global, he said. Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights Show all 5 1 /5 Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights REUTERS Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights REUTERS Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights REUTERS Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights REUTERS Thousands march in Dublin for Irish abortion rights REUTERS A 2011 study found enforcement of the gag rule by the George W Bush administration led to an increase in abortion rates in sub-Saharan Africa, likely because of lost contraception access, while a 2010 study stated that it hampered Ethiopias efforts to address high rates of unsafe abortion. Marie Stopes International, an NGO that lobbies in favour of abortion and provides a variety of family planning services in both the UK and abroad, warned women in developing countries would pay the price for Mr Trumps reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, saying it would result in thousands more maternal deaths every year. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} PayPal founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel has bought a property on the South Island of New Zealand, where he recently became a citizen. The country has recently gained a reputation for being a favourite for the super-rich of Silicon Valley who fear a doomsday scenario like a nuclear attack or political meltdown in the US. Many have bought bunkers and other property in the country/ Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of business network LinkedIn, told The New Yorker magazine that "buying a house in New Zealand" has become code for obtaining "apocalypse insurance". The investor added that he believes that numerous tech billionaires have acquired hideaways either in the US or abroad. It is unclear what inspired Mr Thiel's property purchase. Mr Thiel, who backed Hulk Hogan's $140 million (111 million) lawsuit against the now defunct gossip website Gawker, became a dual US-New Zealand citizen in 2011, although he had never lived in the country. A senior politician in the country decided his entrepreneurial skills and philanthropy were valuable to the country, according to Associated Press. In his application he wrote: "In the course of pursing my international business opportunities, my travel, personal philosophical commitments and benefaction, I am happy to say categorically that I have found no other country that aligns more with my view of the future than New Zealand." Mr Thiel, who was the first professional investor in Facebook, has invested millions in New Zealand and has called the country "utopia". A number of his companies there have names inspired by The Lord of the Rings, the move adaptation of which was set in New Zealand. The Independent has contacted Mr Thiel's representatives for comment but none had arrived at the time of publication. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The leaders of the European Parliament's main political parties have written to the European Union to reject the appointment of Donald Trump's likely pick of ambassador. The parliament's conservative, socialist and liberal political parties have written to the European commission and the European council to describe Ted Malloch as hostile and malevolent. The businessman and strident Brexiteer has indicated he is no fan of Brussels several times. Donald Trump's potential new ambassador to the EU jokes about breaking it up When asked during a recent BBC interview why he wanted to be US ambassador to the EU, he said: "I had in a previous career a diplomatic post where I helped bring down the Soviet Union. So maybe there's another union that needs a little taming." He also said Mr Trump dislikes the idea of EU integration, describing it as "supranational" and "unelected". He also suggested he believes the euro could soon collapse. In their letter, reported in The Guardian, Manfred Weber, leader of the centre-right EPP and Guy Verhofstadt, liberal ALDE leader, accuse Mr Malloch of "outrageous malevolence" towards "the values that define" the EU. Writing to European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk, they say Mr Malloch's statements about breaking up the EU "reveal outrageous malevolence regarding the values that define this European Union and, if pronounced by an official representative of the United States, they would have the potential to undermine seriously the transatlantic relationship that has, for the past 70 years, essentially contributed to peace, stability and prosperity on our continent. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters They add: We are strongly convinced that persons seeing as their mission to disrupt or dissolve the European Union, should not be accredited as official representatives to the EU." In a separate letter, Gianni Pittella, leader of the Socialists and Democrats group, writes: We firmly believe that ignoring this unacceptable stance would undermine our future relationship with the US administration and could potentially contribute to the spread of populism and Euroscepticism across Europe." Mr Malloch has reportedly already been interviewed for the job by Mr Trump. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The German government is planning to electronically tag jihadis amid outrage over revelations another suspected Isis supporter was set free by authorities. More than a thousand police officers raided homes, mosques and businesses in the state of Hesse, but the huge operation resulted in the arrest of only 16 suspects, including a man who had been on security services radar for years. The 36-year-old Tunisian, Haikel S, is a suspected Isis recruiter and smuggler linked to at least two terror attacks in his home country, as well as leading a German extremist network planning an attack. German police officers stand guard in front of a mosque during a terror raid in Frankfurt on 1 February (AP) Police hailed his arrest on Wednesday but there was a swift backlash over revelations that like the Berlin Christmas market attacker, he was known to authorities and an attempt to deport him had failed, forcing him to be released from detention. Germanys cabinet has addressed proposals to better keep track of potential extremists, approving a law allowing the fundamental modernisation of police IT systems to improve information sharing. The measures include the use of ankle bracelets to monitor anyone deemed to be a security threat who has been put under restrictions by the Federal Criminal Police Office. Thomas de Maiziere, the interior minister, said the electronic tags would help control their compliance. Ankle bracelets are an important instrument to facilitate the surveillance of dangerous people, he added. German security services have a list of more than 550 Islamists considered threats to public security who have lived or currently reside in Germany. Angela Merkel reacts to shooting of Berlin market attack suspect Johannes Dimroth, a spokesperson for the interior ministry, declined to speculate how many suspects might now face electronic monitoring. How many of them could in the future be affected by such a measure is a purely hypothetical question, he told reporters in Berlin. The proposal still has to be approved by the German parliament, where there could be resistance from MPs opposing the tracking of people who have not been convicted of a crime. Germanys government is following up on promises of reform following a litany of security failures exposed in the wake of the Berlin Christmas market attack. Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker, killed 12 people months after a delay receiving paperwork from his home government ended Germanys attempt to deport him. He had been put under surveillance over a separate alleged terror plot but monitoring was stopped in September after officials uncovered drug dealing and minor crime but failed to reveal evidence of extremism. Amri managed to flee through European countries including the Netherlands, Belgium and France amid an international manhunt following his attack, before being shot dead when he opened fire on police in Italy. Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Show all 18 1 /18 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Several people have been killed after a lorry drove into crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'At least nine' people have been killed and more than 50 injured. AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency Services rush a Berlin market victim to an ambulance Associated Press Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Police cordoned off the square at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church following the incident REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers inspect the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin EPA Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency crews inspect the lorry that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market, killing at least nine people AFP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Fire crews attend the scene of the attack AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Armed police secure the site of a lorry attack at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Crushed debris is visible beneath the wheels of the vehicle REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack An injured man is pushed to an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Medics attend an injured person after the lorry attack which killed at least nine and injured more than 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters examine the lorry which was rammed into a Berlin Christmas market REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack A person is carried into an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack View of the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least nine and injuring at least 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher to an ambulance Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters assess the damage after the lorry rammed the Christmas market, killing 'at least nine', and injuring more than 50 people AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters stand beside a toppled Christmas tree at the site of the suspected terrorist attack in a Berlin Christmas market AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Damaged stalls at the scene of the incident at a Berlin Christmas market where at least nine people have been killed EPA Investigations continue into his possible associates in Germany, with three terror suspects accused of planning to join Isis in Syria or Iraq arrested at his former mosque in Berlin on Tuesday. Amris attack sparked a 10-point plan by the government to tackle terror, including the tightening of residence requirements for migrants who give false identities, fast-tracked deportations and the detention of rejected asylum seekers who are deemed a threat. Other measures include increased surveillance, the recording of air traffic data to track movement within the EU and improved information sharing. They come after a string of Isis-inspired terror attacks in Germany that started with a teenage girls stabbing of a police officer at Hanover railway station in February last year. It was followed by the Wurzburg train attack, a suicide bombing in Ansbach and the Berlin Christmas market attack, which were all claimed by Isis. Anti-immigration groups have seized on the atrocities to criticise Angela Merkels decision to open Germanys border to Syrian refugees during the height of the refugee crisis in 2015. The Chancellor is battling to be re-elected for a fourth term amid opposition from the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany party, which has enjoyed unprecedented success in local elections. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Dutch government has decided to hand count all ballots in its next election and to ditch its vulnerable counting software to prevent potential hackers from influencing the outcome. The decision was taken amidst fears that hackers could influence next months elections after allegations by the US intelligence agency that Russia hacked into Democrats emails to help Donald Trump get elected. Russia denies any wrongdoing. Intelligence agencies have warned that three crucial elections in Europe this year in the Netherlands, France and Germany could be vulnerable to manipulation by outside actors. In a letter to the Dutch Parliament, Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk said that "reports in recent days about vulnerabilities in our systems raise the question of whether the results could be manipulated and that no shadow can be allowed to hang over the result". Mr Plasterk told Dutch broadcaster RTL that possible external actors, which could influence the vote included Russia. "Now there are indications that Russians could be interested, for the following elections we must fall back on good old pen and paper," he said. In previous elections, the ballots were counted by hand locally but regional and national counts were done electronically. But this year, all ballots will be counted by hand after voters make their choice on 15 March. In the last parliamentary election in 2012, there were nearly 12.7m people eligible to vote. Mr Plasterk told RTL the vote count should not take longer than normal since election authorities will still publish a preliminary result on the evening after polls close. Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Show all 9 1 /9 Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Nikolaos Michaloliakos, leader of the Golden Dawn party, addresses supporters in front of the party's offices in Athens during the commemoration of the death of three officers in 1996 during the Imia crisis that brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war Getty Images Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party lift torches and wave national and party flags during an annual rally to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Imia dispute, in Athens, Greece Reuters Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Golden Dawn supporters wave flags and chant slogans in front of the party's offices in Athens to commemorate the death of three officers in 1996 during the Imia crisis that brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war Getty Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greek ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn hold Greek national flags and torches during a gathering of Greek nationalists in central Athens, to commemorate the death of three Greek military officers Getty Images Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of the Greek ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn hold Greek national flags and torches during a gathering of Greek nationalists in central Athens, to commemorate the death of three Greek military officers Getty Images Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Protesters hold banners in a march to the US Embassy and to the offices of far-right wing party Golden Dawn, during an anti-fascist rally organized by leftist movements in Athens, Greece EPA Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Protesters hold banners in a march to the US Embassy and to the offices of far-right wing party Golden Dawn, during an anti-fascist rally organized by leftist movements in Athens, Greece EPA Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greece's extreme right Golden Dawn party raise torches during a rally commemorating a 1996 military incident which cost the lives of three Greek navy officers and brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war, in Athens AP Golden Dawn rally in Athens, Greece Supporters of Greece's extreme right party Golden Dawn attend a rally in Athens AP Dutch media have reported that the counting software may not only be insecure but also outdated. The counting software is reported to be distributed by CD-ROM to regional counting centres, where it is set-up on old computers that are internet connected. An expert from Amsterdams Free University Herbert Bos told RTL that if one of his students had handed in the electoral programme in class as an assignment, hed fail him. The Electoral Commission in the Netherlands said a computer security company was now investigating for possible vulnerabilities. The March parliamentary vote is expected to see the far-right Freedom Party make gains. Under the leadership of Geert Wilders, the anti-immigration and anti-European Unions party has been leading in the opinion polls. The outcome of the Dutch election is also expected to set the scene for the French election in April and the German election in September. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Romania to demonstrate against an emergency decree that will decriminalise some corruption offences. The country's government has rejected calls to withdraw the decree in the face of huge nationwide protests, the resignation of a cabinet minister and a call from the president to rescind the decree. The order, adopted late on Tuesday, has triggered some of the biggest nationwide protests since the fall of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989. Eight people were injured during clashes between police and protesters on Wednesday and 20 were detained. Eight people were injured during clashes and 20 were detained (AP) When he was asked if the cabinet, which has been in power for less than a month, planned to withdraw the decree, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said: "No, we don't." The decree decriminalises cases of official misconduct if the funds involved are less than 200,000 lei (38,000). The government says the decree is necessary to reduce overcrowding in prisons, but critics argue the measure will release government allies and help other figures facing corruption charges. It would also potentially halt an ongoing abuse-of-office trial of Social Democrat (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea. Protesters rally in front of the government headquarters in Bucharest, Romania, 1 February, 2017 (EPA) Romania's trade and business minister, Florin Jianu, resigned in reaction to the bill, saying on Facbook it was the "ethical thing to do... not for my professional honesty, my conscience is clean on that front, but for my child. "How am I going to look him in the eye and what am I going to tell him over the years? Am I going to tell him his father was a coward and supported actions he does not believe in, or that he chose to walk away from a story that isn't his?" President Klaus Iohannis followed Romania's top judicial watchdog in filing a legal challenge to the decree with the Constitutional Court. The decree is due to take effect in just over a week. 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 European Commission vice president Frank Timmermans urged the government to "urgently reconsider" the decree, warning it could affect the EU funds Romania receives if it adopted. In a separate statement, the US, Germany, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, and France said Romania's government had undermined "progress on rule of law and the fight against corruption over the past ten years." Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Civilians are among more than a dozen people killed in Ukraine in a dangerous deterioration in the continuing war amid fears rebels have been emboldened by Donald Trumps silence on alleged violations. Both sides have been accused of ceasefire violations in battles around the town of Avdiivka, sitting on the frontline between separatists and the Ukrainian army. A 61-year-old mother was among those killed in rebel shelling as she rushed to check on her daughters safety. Her body was left lying in the snow, surrounded by blood and black scorch marks. Ukrainian servicemen distribute hot food and tea to local citizens at the eastern city of Avdiivka (EPA) A state of emergency has been declared in Avdiivka, where Ukrainian tanks have been stationed by residential flat blocks as families queue in the freezing cold for food in temporary camps. At least two government soldiers have been killed in bombardment, while rebels also reported shelling on their positions overnight. In their stronghold of Donetsk, self-proclaimed authorities said two civilians were injured when projectiles hit their houses on Wednesday evening. About a dozen people are known to have been killed and many others wounded in intensified fighting since Monday. Vladimir Putin accused the Ukrainian government of provoking the renewed violence, claiming it was a ploy to win the support of the new US administration, while Kiev blamed rebels. Accusing Ukraine of seeking to present itself as a victim, the Russian President claimed the country was attempting to mend ties with Mr Trumps government. What sparked the escalation is unclear, although Ukraines military has acknowledged that its troops have gained some ground in an advance around Avdiivka. Olof Skoog, President of the UN Security Council, said he was gravely concerned about the dangerous deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine and its severe impact on the local civilian population. Members of the Security Council call for an immediate return to a ceasefire regime, he added. Boris Johnson flies in to address Ukraine crisis but is left sidelined Mr Skoog condemned the use of Grad rocket launchers and other heavy weaponry, which both sides committed to withdraw under the 2015 Minsk agreements. The fragile pact has been repeatedly violated in fighting that continues more than two years after pro-Russian separatists declared independence in eastern Ukraine following Russias annexation of the Crimean peninsula. The UN Security Council expressed its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as did the British Government. Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, said recent days had seen a high number of casualties and a drastic humanitarian situation as civilians were left without water, electricity and heating in temperatures plummeting to -20C. The immediate priority must be security and a full sustained ceasefire, in line with the provisions of the Minsk agreement, he added. I urge all parties to demonstrate restraint, and help facilitate crucial repairs to restore vital utilities and assist the vulnerable. Mr Johnson said sanctions put on Russia over its alleged backing for the separatists would not be lifted until a full ceasefire held. By Thursday, the water supply and heating in Avdiivka, just a few miles from Donetsk, has been partly restored but workers were unable to restore electricity because of sustained fighting around cut power lines. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg urged the Kremlin to use its influence to stop the most serious spike in violence in a long time, saying 5,600 ceasefire violations had been recorded in the past week. Russian military activity in Crimea Show all 11 1 /11 Russian military activity in Crimea Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian13-ap_1.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian9-ap.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian12-ap.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian11-rtp.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian10-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian7-rt.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian6-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian8-rt_1.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian-navy1-rt.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian4-ap_1.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian3-ap.jpg AP In Brussels, European Union President Donald Tusk urged Moscow to use its influence to disengage the Russia-backed separatists. But there was a notable silence from the US government, amid concerns in Kiev that the Trump administration will take a comparatively soft line on Russia. The new President has vowed to improve relations with Mr Putin, praising his Russian counterpart repeatedly during his election campaign and kicking off their formal relationship with a cordial phone call over the weekend. The White House said the two leaders discussed mutual cooperation in defeating Isis and achieving more peace throughout the world, describing the one-hour call as positive. Mr Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, claimed the issue of sanctions over Ukraine had not arisen, but a Kremlin statement said the conflict was touched upon in the discussion. The sides agreed to build up partner cooperation in these and other areas, a spokesperson said, adding that Mr Putin and Mr Trump would maintain regular personal contacts ahead of a meeting. Sean Spicer, the White House spokesman, was evasive when asked whether there could be a link between the rebel assault in Avdiivka and the new Presidents inauguration. When asked whether the President feels that Russia is testing himand what he plans to do about it in a press briefing, Mr Spicer replied only that Mr Trump was being kept updated. President Donald Trump has not yet made any statement on the Ukrainian conflict (Getty) Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the Centre on Conflict, Rights and Justice at SOAS University of London, said there was concern over the new Presidents impact on the actions of Russia, as well as Israel and China. There is for very good reason general concern that the positions Trump is taking regarding Russia is setting up a series of unintended consequences, she told The Independent. Its bound to change the calculations of a number of actors. People are looking for a signal on where the Trump administration will draw red lines and thats not obvious right now. The Kremlin has denied persistent allegations of military intervention in the conflict and providing support to pro-Russian rebels, but the International Criminal Court classes the situation in Crimea as an international armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine. A report released last year found the conflict began in February 2014 when Russian troops were deployed to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian government. It defined the current situation, which Russia claims is legitimised by a referendum and local elections, as an on-going state of occupation. A Dutch-led investigation found rebels used Russian weaponry to down a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane, killing 298 people, while Nato has published satellite images appearing to show Russian troops and weaponry crossing the border. Separatist rebels have been fighting government troops and volunteer brigades in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 in clashes that have killed more than 9,700 people. Additional reporting by AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A prominent critic of the Kremlin was rushed to hospital with organ failure, two years after he nearly died from suspected poisoning. Vladimir Kara-Murza, who works for pro-democracy group Open Russia, was taken to an intensive care unit in Moscow. The activist and journalist had spent the previous night at his in-laws home. Mr Kara-Murza's symptoms are "similar to those he had two years ago, his wife Evgenia told Radio Free Europe (RFE). "His doctors describe his condition as critical," she said. "He has low blood pressure and respiratory insufficiency, and the reason for this is yet again unclear." In a separate interview with the BBC, she said he was on life support and in a medicated coma. The 34-year-old has been travelling around Russia in recent weeks to promote a documentary about his friend Boris Nemtsov, a liberal opposition politician who was assassinated near the Kremlin in 2015. The day before falling ill, Mr Kara-Murza paid tribute to Mr Nemtsov on Facebook. No cause was ever established for Mr Kara-Murzas illness in May 2015, though tests confirmed he had ingested a poisonous substance. He was in a critical condition for several days and spent two months in hospitals in Moscow and the US as he recovered. Vladimir Putin says Donald Trump didn't use prostitutes because he's met so many beautiful women Mr Kara-Murza has no doubt his ordeal two years ago was a deliberate poisoning aimed to kill, and that it was politically motivated. "I was a healthy 33-year-old man. Suddenly, when all of your major organs shut down within 24 hours, one after another -- that doesn't just happen, he told RFE. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Harrowing images have emerged of an Indonesian woman crying and burying her head in her hands after being caned by a religious officer for breaching Sharia law. The woman is believed to be from the city of Banda Aceh in the Aceh region on the island of Sumatra. It is the only place in the worlds most populated Muslim-majority country, where Sharia law is imposed. The woman was canned 26 times on a stage and in front of a crowd of people. Her crime was spending time in close proximity with a man, who is not her husband. She was also alleged to have had sex outside marriage. Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law Show all 4 1 /4 Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law A Sharia law officer punishes a woman accused of cheating on her husband by whipping her on stage in public in Bandah Aceh. CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images) Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law A religious officer canes an Acehnese woman for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty Images) Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law An Indonesian woman known as Linda is examined by a doctor and officials after being caned for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. Aceh is the only province in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes sharia law. People can face floggings for a range of offences -- from gambling, to drinking alcohol, to gay sex Getty Images Woman caned in public for breaking Sharia law An Indonesian woman known as Linda is helped by two Sharia officials after being caned for spending time in close proximity with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law, in Banda Aceh. Aceh is the only province in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes sharia law. People can face floggings for a range of offences -- from gambling, to drinking alcohol, to gay sex Getty Images Pictures of a man being canned afterwards suggest her alleged partner was also publicly flogged. Since the Aceh region gained special autonomy from the Indonesian authorities in 2001, it began to impose Sharia law. People can face floggings for a range of offences including gambling, drinking alcohol, gay sex or any sexual relationship outside marriage. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} As the last of the 250 Jewish settlers living in an illegal outpost settlement are escorted from their homes by unarmed police, Palestinians have been quick to decry Israeli plans to build thousands more homes on occupied land. In a ruling that caused outrage in Israel, in 2014 the Supreme Court found that Amona, a settlement built without government permission on private Palestinian land, was illegally constructed, and ordered its demolition. The international community views all Israeli construction over the 1967 Green Line as illegal, whether government authorised or not. Evacuations from the site finally began on Wednesday as protesters threw rocks, bleach and sewage at police and set fire to tires to block the paths of bulldozers. Others protested peacefully, chaining themselves to large objects and singing religious songs. We will hold on to the ground and not give up because this is our land that God promised to the people of Israel, one non-violent demonstrator told Channel 2 TV. However, at the same time that police and soldiers moved in on Amona, Israel said 3,000 new settler homes in the West Bank will be built, on top of more than 11,000 more new units announced in the last two weeks. And on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to make up for the court-ordered demolition of Amona by constructing a brand new settlement in the West Bank. What Netanyahu has done is a big trick and dangerous propaganda, there is no real eviction at all. A few settlers are being moved from a few houses on Palestinian private land to other confiscated Palestinian lands, Mustafa Bargouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), told Middle East Eye. Barack Obama uses final interview as President to slam Israeli policy on settlements There is a use of the Amona issue to hide the Israeli decision to build another 3,000 new housing units, [part of a plan] to divide the West Bank in two, surround Jerusalem, and prevent any opportunity for a Palestinian state and the option of two state solution. The bold new policy approach to settlements has coincided with the arrival of US President Donald Trump in office. Mr Trump is far more sympathetic to Israeli interests than his predecessor Barack Obama, who was highly critical of Israeli settlement building. Both the United Nations and the European Union condemned the accelerated settlement expansion initiatives this week. The Palestine Liberation Organisation has demanded international action on the major expansions, saying in a statement it believed the Israeli moves are a result of what they consider encouragement by American President Donald Trump. While the move comes too late for Amona, on Tuesday, the Knesset began debating a bill which would legalise 3,900 homes in 54 other wildcat outposts. The legislation which is expected to pass promises generous financial compensation for Palestinian owners, or land elsewhere. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Syrian army has created a new battalion solely consisting of female recruits who have signed up for the fight against Isis, local media reports. Al-Masdar News, which is sympathetic to the Syrian regime, posted a video of several dozen women in combat fatigues and headscarves taking part in target practice and singing patriotic songs on Wednesday. The battalion, named Khansawat Souria, is made up of around 150 women from towns in Qamishli in the north of the country. It is led by Baath party member Jazya Tumah. Qamishli city itself is a Kurdish centre which has become strategically important during the course of Syrias civil war. The region has long been fought over by Kurdish, Syrian army and Isis forces. The newly formed battalion and video appear to have been created in the style of the female units of the Kurdish troops fighting off Isis in the region. The Womens Protection Units (YPJ) was set up in 2012 to empower women in the fight to carve out an autonomous Kurdish state in northern Syria, and fight off the extremist groups which have flourished in the chaos of war. In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Show all 11 1 /11 In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Women and children celebrating after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A man cuts the beard of a civilian who was freed from Isis by the SDF in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Women carry newborn babies while running after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman freed from Isis hugs an SDF fighter in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman adding her veil to a pile of niqabs burning in Manbij, Syria, after being freed from Isis on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Children celebrating on top of a lorry after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A man and child freed from Isis by the SDF in Manbij on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman carrying her children walks towards SDF fighters after being freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij A woman and child freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij An SDF fighter kisses a crying man who was freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters In pictures: Civilians freed from Isis in Manbij Hundreds of civilians freed from Isis in Manbij, Syria, on 12 August Reuters Dozens of Arab and Yazidi women have joined fighting units after their towns have been liberated by the YPJ, inspired by their example. The number of women in the Syrian armed forces has grown since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. The Republican Guard, a unit which defends Damascus, created an all-female section in 2013, which has been nicknamed the Lionesses of National Defence. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Jewish University declared itself a sanctuary campus, which will provide financial support for undocumented students, staff and faculty in response to an executive order signed by Donald Trump, which prevents entry to anyone from seven majority-Muslim countries. Yeshiva University, a private university based in New York, adopted the policy after a petition initiated by the Minority Law Students Alliance was signed by more than 200 students, alumni, administrators and staff at the Universitys Cardozos law school. The petition requested the administrators to refuse entry to immigration officials on the university campuses without a warrant or disclose private information about students and staff without a court-order. Yeshiva Universitys website notes more than 500 students and professors from 50 different countries enrol at the institution each year. The petition also required university administrators to provide financial support to students who may lose their ability to work as they fear Mr Trumps administration will repeal Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Under DACA certain undocumented immigrants, who entered the country as minors, are allowed to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and are eligible for a work permit. In a statement, the Minority law Students Alliance said: The petition was written in response to the xenophobic, anti-immigrant Republican presidential campaign and in fear of the repeal of immigration executive order, specifically DACA. On the same day the university decided to become a sanctuary campus, Mr Trump announced executive orders including building a wall on the border with Mexico and banning refugees from entering the US. An executive order has suspended all entry into the US from seven Muslim-dominated countries, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, for 90 days on national security grounds. Mr Trump also halted the US refugee programme for 120 days and indefinitely for Syrian refugees, which sparked international condemnation. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto President of the university Richard M. Joel said in a statement administrators were taking the issues most seriously. He reassured the student body that the university will not disclose any private information nor assist in any efforts to investigate or detain students and staff and will make every effort to keep students in class if they are prevented to work. I hope this clarifies our position: to support all members of our community to the greatest degree possible under the law, the statement read. In a separate comment, Mr Joel urged students from the seven country listed to stay in the US. Other universities in the US have declared themselves as sanctuary universities Wesleyan University and Northwestern University. President at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, Michael S. Roth previously said: "Since our very beginnings, our country has been immeasurably strengthened by immigrants. Turning our backs on those in need today is worse than heartless. The idea of a religious test for immigrants from some parts of the world is reprehensible, and we believe it to be unconstitutional. These are matters that will be resolved in the courts. Meanwhile, Wesleyan University will remain steadfast in our commitment to treat immigrants and refugees with the dignity and respect they deserve. This is what we mean when we say we are a Sanctuary Campus." Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Personal safety and security is one of the most important aspects to consider when moving abroad for work. In a survey by InterNations, the worlds largest network for people who live and work abroad, the company asked 14,300 expats, representing 174 nationalities and living in 191 countries or territories, to rate 43 different aspects of life abroad on a scale of 1-7. One of these aspects was "personal safety and security." The safest countries for expats, according to the survey, span across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The US and UK did not make the top of the list. Check out the top 11: 11. Oman The cost of living is low in the country and crime rates are very low across all metrics, making it a prime spot for expats. (Flickr/Andres Nieto Porras (Flickr/Andres Nieto Porras) 10. Taiwan The country ranks highly for job satisfaction, good career prospects, and for being on the safest places to be in the world. 9. Finland Seven out of 10 expats in Finland said they thought of personal safety as a benefit to their move. (scanrail / Getty Images) 8. New Zealand The country, consisting of two main islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, is considered one of the most peaceful places in the world, according to expats. 7. Norway The country is particularly popular with expats that moved for relationships or with families and expats say the safety aspect is a huge draw. 6. Switzerland The wealthy nation has a persistently low crime rate and expats report that it is very peaceful to live there. 5. Malta The small archipelago has just over 400,000 residents and is popular amongst British expats in particular due to its ease of settling in, great weather, and high personal safety and security. 4. Canada Expats gave the country a high ranking in the personal safety and security index, thanks to low crime rates across the board. (Wikimedia Commons (Wikimedia Commons) 3. Japan The country has widened its remit to bring in skilled workers and expats report in the InterNations survey that Japan stands out for its "peacefulness." 2. Singapore The island nation is one of the richest countries in the world and on every metric from personal safety to corporate crime, is rated very low. 1. Luxembourg The country has only around half a million people living there but its crime rate is one of the lowest in the world. Hiscox is moving its EU base to Luxembourg as a result of the country's 'pro-business position' (Wikimedia) Read more: The 13 cheapest countries to live in the world for expats The chance an American will be killed by a foreign-born refugee is 1 in 3.64 billion These are the richest billionaires in 18 European countries and this is how they made their money Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A week on from the Trump travel ban, the absurdity of the Executive Order Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States is getting clearer. When the White House published the new Presidents travel ban last weekend, it appeared to bar almost all nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen from travelling to America. The only such people allowed would be those with a green card entitling them to permanent residence in the US, or one of five specific visas for official bodies such as the United Nations. Any normal visitor to the US from one of those countries, whether on holiday, seeing friends and family, or on business, it seemed, was banned. Horribly hardline, but at least clear. As airlines struggled to make sense of the order, thousands of prospective passengers were turned away from airports across the world because they were regarded as ineligible to travel. Some airlines changed their staff rosters to avoid, for example, an Iranian pilot or Somalian cabin-crew member being assigned to a New York-bound plane. Forty-eight hours later, though, it turned out that the rules would affect only a tiny number of people. Recommended 11 culturally inappropriate things tourists do without realising Late on Sunday evening, the Foreign Office clarified that the ban applied only to people who, in effect, failed two tests. They held a passport from one of the seven countries on Donald Trumps list, and were also boarding a flight from one of those seven countries to the US. If you are travelling to the US from anywhere other than one of those countries (for instance, the UK) the executive order does not apply to you and you will experience no extra checks regardless of your nationality or your place of birth, said the Foreign Office Some media misreported that the travel ban was only for direct flights from those seven countries to America. It took about five minutes work with the OAG Pocket Flight Guide to Europe, Middle East and Africa to confirm that the grand total of flights from Tehran, Baghdad, Tripoli, etc to the US is zero. Therefore it must apply only to passengers on connecting flights making airside transfers to America. Anyone who went through passport control between flights at Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt, etc would reset the clock by going landside. They would be boarding from a service from the UK, France or Germany, rather than one of the seven benighted countries. You might be thinking, Surely everyone in that position would just exit the transit lounge and come back in, then? but its not as easy as that. Even for airside transit at Heathrow, for example, not all nationalities are equal. There are 57 varieties of passports, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and including all seven specified nationalities, whose citizens require a visa simply to change planes at a UK airport. The only exception is if they have an impressive visa from another country, such as a US green card; a normal American visa for business or tourism is insufficient. Given that theres so much red tape involved when all you want to do is spend a couple of hours drinking coffee or shopping in the transit area, dont even ask about the complications of landside transit. Happily, there are plenty of other possibilities. Sudanese people, for example, can make their way across the border to Eritrea, get a visa on arrival, and then check in at Asmara airport for a flight via Cairo, Dubai or Istanbul to a wide range of US destinations. Iranians, Iraqis, Libyans and the rest can find similar workarounds. The Trump travel ban may be proving as illusory as many other presidential promises, but there are plenty more nations where the barriers are real. Even in Europe, you can be turned away from Serbia if you have a Republic of Kosovo entry stamp in your passport. Many countries that are mainly Muslim such as Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia do not allow anyone whose passport indicates they have visited Israel. In my experience Israeli border staff are happy not to stamp your passport, though if you are crossing by land from Jordan or Egypt then the exit stamp will give you away. Frequent travellers to the region circumvent these restrictions by having two passports (and then trying to remember to present the right one). But if you happen to have been born in Israel, regardless of your nationality, the Foreign Office warns you may not be welcome in Saudi Arabia. India has harsh stipulations for foreigners of Pakistan and Bangladeshi origins as well as nationals of those countries. They face a wait of at least seven weeks to obtain a visa. Perhaps Donald Trump should have studied such hardline policies first. His inept attempt to look tough has proved pathetic. Yet, I dont agree that the new President should be disinvited from his impending state visit. The more that a leader attempts to build barriers, the more we should welcome him in to demonstrate the virtues of travel, tolerance and internationalism. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The UKs goals for the impending Article 50 negotiations with the European Union are clearer now the Government has published its white paper setting out what it wants. In the Commons David Davis confirmed that Britain has no interest in staying in the single market or even partial membership of the EU customs union. It is full political and economic isolationism. Nevertheless fully cutting the UK out of Europe will take well into the next decade. The German election in September is now the event to watch as, regardless of Theresa Mays White Paper wish list, no real negotiations will start until there is a German government in place and that may not happen until the end of the year. The timetable goes like this. Once Mays Article 50 notification letter arrives in Brussels next month, it is sent to the 27 remaining EU member states. They will then decide what mandate to give Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator, when heads of government meet at the June EU Council meeting. The Article 50 negotiations wont make any progress during the summer break or in the build-up to French and German elections, scheduled for 23 April and 24 September respectively. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto No one knows the outcome of the German election. But speaking to German industrialists last month Angela Merkel told them not to play games over Brexit. The German priority is to maintain the single market of 27. Last year the Eurozone grew faster than the US economy and unemployment is coming down. Merkel insisted that there could be no partial, sectorial or special deals for Britain. As the German foreign ministrys top Brexit negotiator told me, after Brexit, Britain becomes a third country In that means we have the same status as other nations that want to cut a trade deal with the EU. Other G7 economic powers like the US or Japan have no automatic, unfettered access to the worlds biggest market unless their firms and banks open offices or factories inside the EU not in a third country as the UK will become. After the German election in September there will be a laborious three months of coalition building, party conferences to accept or reject the contract drawn up between the governing parties whoever they are. So we have to wait for the appointment of a new German Foreign Minister at the end of the year. Since the German Foreign Ministry is in charge of Brexit negotiations there will be no settled Brexit policy from Berlin. On what the UK has to pay, if hopes that some access for the City is feasible, whether the open border in Northern Ireland or the rights of 10,000 UK citizens in Gibraltar to cross the frontier from Spain every day can be maintained, or whether there can be parallel discussion on a future UK-EU trade deal for at least 12 long months. Government publishes Brexit White Paper setting out plans for leaving EU And without a German line there is no EU 27 line. Any final deal has to be ratified by 27 EU governments and parliaments and if it includes proposed UK discriminations against citizens of any EU member states in terms of work, residence or travel visas it will arouse national political opposition in any EU member states Britain wants to treat differently from others. The withdrawal treaty ratification process needs a minimum of six months before March 2019 when Britain secures political Brexit before the next European Commission, Parliament and Council of Ministers begin work in May 2019. That means there is a short nine months between January 2018 and October 2018 to conclude the legal language that divorces Britain from Europe. That may be all the negotiators can do a limited divorce settlement decree nisi. The final divorce and the future relationship with the continent Britain shares with other nations will take many years with Britain on the outside looking in. Denis MacShane is a former UK Minister for Europe, His book, Brexit: How Britain Left Europe, is published by IB Tauris. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Brexit is the greatest fraud perpetrated on this country since Tony Blairs Iraq dossier. It was predicated on presumptions and on Wednesday night it was legitimised by deceit. MPs who voted to remain in the EU in June queued up to give Theresa May carte blanche to trigger Article 50, which sets us on an irreversible course of self-destruction. The only honourable justification for MPs who hitherto vehemently believed remaining in the EU was in the countrys best interests not opposing Theresa Mays bill would be if they had been persuaded that the opposite is true. Instead they all hid behind the vapid Ukip mantra the so called will of the people. The idea of being driven to economic ruin (for which the poor will pay) for political expediency is, in my view, an act of constitutional vandalism. Worse still, it flies in the face of the emerging evidence indicating the "will of the people" has changed since June. How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15 a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto Professor Adrian Low of Staffordshire University has analysed the result of 13 polls since the Brexit vote in June, all of which ask variations on the question, would you vote the same way again?" A staggering 11 of the 13 polls show that, were there to be a second vote, Remain would produce a decisive victory. While the Remain vote held firm statistically, a significant number of people who voted Leave would now change their vote. In December, the West Midlands Express & Star newspaper published the following headline: "We DONT want out anymore: shock poll reveals Express & Star readers have changed their minds". When asked before the referendum how they would vote, 80 per cent of readers voted Leave and 16 per cent Remain. When asked the same question in December, an incredible 62 per cent chose to remain with only 37 per cent saying they would now vote to leave. The Express & Star said that it was the biggest survey the local paper had ever carried out, with 10,000 respondents. John Bercow welcomes MP's baby into Commons for Brexit Bill vote So, why have so many people changed their mind, and why was the Brexit vote so fraudulent? First, it traded in alternative facts, or lies. Most notably the promise of 350m a week to the NHS, which was rescinded as soon as the vote was in. Families in my community have fallen out because older members admitted they voted Leave believing the NHS would get the promised cash. The younger ones feel betrayed by their parents and grandparents and the parents and grandparents feel betrayed by the politicians who deceived them. Second, while the turnout for the election was 72 per cent of the electorate, with Leave winning by 51.9 per cent, this only equates to 37 per cent of the electorate when we include those who did not vote but were eligible to. This is not a representative or legitimate outcome. The referendum also did not require a supermajority (or two-thirds of the vote) which is the norm when the outcome involves major constitutional change. Furthermore, in the wake of the Brexit win, a significant number of those who voted Leave told the media they regretted it, or didnt understand it, or thought it could be reversed at the next election, or that they did it as a protest against austerity and the Tories. An irate local farmer told me he voted to leave as a protest against EU bureaucracy that delayed payments of his subsidies. When I pointed out that Defra was responsible for the delays, he said, Thats right!. He thought Defra was an EU department. He didnt realise it was Britains Department for Rural Affairs and that the EU had fined our governmental department for its incompetent administration of subsidies. No matter, we got our country back, even if it means losing the subsidies and keeping the incompetence. British farmers received 2.4bn last year in EU payments and the National Farrmers Union has already warned that many farms would fail without these handouts. Importantly, EU membership already has built-in border controls under the right to reside test. This provides conditions to entry, such as having a job or being financially self-sufficient. There are no immediate, automatic entitlements to benefits, which require further conditions. Most other EU states impose these controls rigorously but the UK has been less assiduous in their implementation. There was no mandate to leave the single market, sell off the NHS to US private health insurers or to turn the UK into a tax haven. Brexit has divided the nation. For Theresa May to unite the country she must heal wounds and take the public with her. As Churchill said, Never give in never, never, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Brexit is neither, so I shan't be giving in anytime soon. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It still doesnt seem real, so it feels daft even trying to come to terms with it, as if the new President was Spongebob Squarepants. But now the world has to take Donald Trump and his new rules seriously. Theresa May has to laugh at his jokes and interruptions, and not complain when he grabs her hand, for reasons of trade. This is the way deals are done now, hell tell the Germans hell put a tariff on Volkswagen cars unless Angela Merkel lets him squeeze her tits. At least Merkel might offer some opposition, and insist he only grabs the left one, even if it results in a 12 per cent tax on German sausage exports. But our Prime Minister was determined to look as keen as possible, which makes sense because history shows when a megalomaniac ruler bans an ethnic group to keep supporters at his rallies happy, if you hold his hand and giggle to appease him, everything will probably turn out fine. Comedian rips apart Donald Trump's 'Not-A-Muslim ban' Until this week it still seemed like a game, with commentators and politicians assuring us In time we must hope the new President comes to terms with his responsibilities and acts to unify his nation. This strategy of stopping him by hoping he becomes nicer, may already have proved a little optimistic. Its a method that hasnt always enjoyed the success it deserves. In the 1930s, responsible characters probably suggested, In time we must hope the Ku Klux Klan learn to behave responsibly, as fire can be quite a hazard, especially with inflammable sheets nearby. You can understand how Trump has taken the old establishment by surprise, because whod have guessed hed do the things he insisted he was going to do. This is what happens when you elect an amateur who doesnt know the rules. Instead, the pace is so fast that if he keeps it up, by March hell have signed an Executive Order that burqas can only be worn if theyre filled with wasps, and whichever country comes last in Miss World has to have Piers Morgan as their King for a year as punishment, in a palace they have to pay for. Mosques will be demolished unless Islam installs a new prophet who has magical hair and ascends to heaven in a golden lift and smites his enemies by telling them theyre fired. This would flow from his order that, to stop terrorism, no one is allowed to enter America if they come from any country deemed to be an Islamic terrorist state. The ban extends to people who fled those countries, but I suppose you have to be careful. Because when an Islamic terrorist government threatens to kill someone, a little bit of Islamic terrorism is bound to rub off on them, as Islamic terrorism is contagious, like chicken pox. It was the same in the 1930s. The Jews that escaped Nazi Germany must all have been a little bit Nazi, as they were from Germany. If Donald Trump had been around hed have stopped any of them escaping to the West, then we might have put a stop to Hitler. The argument the Jihadists make is the West sees all Muslims as the enemy. So the best possible way to ensure that nonsense gets no support amongst Muslims is to ban everyone from Muslim countries from entering the country, on account of all Muslims being the enemy. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters To be fair Trump has proved himself liberal in some ways, by making exceptions to his ban, such as Saudi Arabia. This must be because its a whole 15 years since anyone from that country knocked over any towers, so it makes sense to let them off. The Saudi government also appears to provide oil and buys billions of dollars worth of weapons, so a cynic may suggest that makes a difference as well. This seems reasonable, though Trump ought to make a chart to make it clear how much oil and arms deals is worth how much terrorism. For example, a million barrels of oil and a contract to buy 12 fighter jets must be worth two explosions in a city centre. For less wealthy countries, a more compact package could be arranged, so a couple of tanks means they can send one madman to wave a knife in a branch of PC World until theyre led away by security. The important point is Trump is determined to stop the violence being carried out in his country, especially as America is traditionally a tranquil area, apart from a weekly incident involving someone with a blank expression and staring eyes who has spent 19 hours a day playing computer games and for five years has been buying an assortment of machine guns on Amazon and written blogs that start We must CLEANsE the wOrld With BLOOD!!!! NO one is INNoceNt there MuSt be DEATH!$. But it wouldnt be fair to stop them buying flame throwers as that would be an outrageous infringement on their civil liberties. Even so, this may prove to have been the most heartening week since his election. Because the world has woken up to what Trump is about. The petition to stop him coming to Britain attracted over a million signatures, declaring his visit would be an embarrassment to the Queen. This may be true, although its also possible the Queen thinks Him and Philip should get on like a house on fire, and leave me in peace to watch Cash in the Attic. But also vast numbers assembled to express themselves against him, in demonstrations that were bigger, more youthful, joyous, witty and inclusive than anything we have seen for years. This could lead to a huge movement to stop him. Or we could all try queuing up to hold his hand. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Despite White House staff making preparations on the ground in Milwaukee, a source has told CNN that the Harley-Davidson factory President Donald Trump had planned to visit on Thursday is no longer comfortable hosting him amid planned protests. The director of Harley-Davidsons corporate communication, Maripat Blankenheim, said we look forward to hosting the president in the future, while denying that a visit had ever been on the cards. If the report is true, and a company has been forced to cancel a visit from the President, then it must be clear to the scoffers and the naysayers that our protests are having a real impact. On Good Morning Britain, journalist Owen Jones faced off against MP Philip Davies, a truly compassionate chap who tried to derail legislation protecting women against violence, and beloved presenter Piers Morgan, a sort of Poundland version of Bill O'Reilly. Farage defends Trump's 'Muslim ban' in EU Parliament Davies described the recent country-wide protests against both the #MuslimBan and Trumps state visit to Britain as pointless and bizarre. Id wager theyre nowhere near as bizarre as filibustering in Parliament for 93 minutes to stop carers being allowed free hospital parking. Piers Morgan made a comment about the endless hysteria of those protesting against Trumps policies, although Im not sure endless is the right word as Trump has only been president since 20 January. The ability to protest peacefully is a hard-earned democratic right. It is an essential part of a functioning and healthy democracy. Privileged MPs and smug TV personalities do the people of Britain a great disservice when they dismiss protest in this manner. Trump is a dangerous man. Hes the most powerful person in the world and he acts on impulse, raving and blaming and banning. He has resurrected Ronald Reagans Global Gag Rule, jeopardising the health of the worlds most vulnerable women. He has banned citizens from a number of Muslim-majority states from entering the US, a racist, Islamophobic move that has been described by both Democrats and Republicans as counterproductive to combating terrorism. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters We may feel helpless in the face of this stomach-churning spectacle, but there are peaceful means of protest available to us all. Whether youre strapped for time, unable to attend marches due to disability or simply not very good in crowds, there are different avenues to explore. You can pledge support to those penalised by Trumps administration by signing petitions, organising fundraising events, explaining the situation to friends and family members, and by boycotting businesses that support Trump or were complicit in his election. We should be proud that so many people in Britain have given up their time to march, to paint signs and to stand in solidarity with those all over the world who have been affected by Trumps ill-conceived and vindictive policies. Peaceful protests show our representatives and law-makers that were not torpid dimwits, too busy scanning the sidebar of shame or watching reality TV (the beast that spawned Trump) to notice whats going on in our world. Theresa May has already demonstrated her disinterest in standing up to the orange bully. It is up to Britains ordinary citizens, every one of whom has the tool of protest at their disposal. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The silence of would-be First Lady of France Penelope Fillon is arguably the most disturbing aspect of the sleaze scandal engulfing her adopted country. It is now more than a week since allegations of sustained criminality were being investigated, but she has not uttered a single public word in that time. What a contrast to her alpha male husband, Francois Fillon, who has been on a furiously loud offensive around Paris, desperately trying to salvage his career. At the time of writing, Fillon is still convinced he can become the French President in May, standing on a platform of fiscal rigour, absolute probity in public life and the slashing of some 500,000 civil servant posts. This despite the fact the couple allegedly misappropriated up to 1m by setting up bogus jobs for Ms Fillon, including the role of parliamentary attachee. One of the pillars of Project Fillon is the image of a selfless wife concentrating on bringing up her five children on the familys rural estate, and thus sacrificing any chance of a professional career. She portrayed herself as an exiled Anglo-Welsh housewife, riding horses and studying Shakespeare in between household chores. As she said in a newly-uncovered English language interview in 2007, which is about to be broadcast on France 2 as part of an investigative documentary, I have never been his assistant or anything of the sort. Fillon denied any wrongdoing. Now, however, the couples defence claims that she was a go-getting political executive all along at one point earning up to 10,167 (8,650) a month for her expertise and hard graft. The logical way to uphold this sudden and hugely surprising change of status would be for Penelope Fillon to explain herself with dignity and conviction, to tour TV studios and public meetings showing off her record of service, and her qualities as a slick operator. Instead, when I saw her at one of her husbands rallies on Sunday, she looked more like a despairing (and often utterly terrified) groupie. As the apparently unfazed Fillon made a bombastic speech on stage, she stared forward with tears in her eyes, shaking visibly like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Every time he grabbed her hand, she seemed to be even more scared. France presidential race: Francois Fillon wins conservative candidacy In that sense, Penelope Fillon remains just the kind of woman that most members of the French political establishment expect her to be especially right-wing conservatives like her husband. It was Fillon who, as prime minister, infamously joked that Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who stood against him in the Republican Party presidential primary, might be barred from becoming a minister in his government because she was pregnant. Note too how, throughout the current crisis, Fillon has presented his wife as not only the main victim, but also the main problem. It is as if he is a white knight pressing on with his state duties regardless, while he tries to sort out his silly spouses self-inflicted woes. Fillon is like his wife a devout Roman Catholic; all his social policies are rooted in a traditional view of family life. Yet the scandal also involves allegations about two of the couple's children appearing on the public payroll too, while they were still studying, even though Fillon originally claimed they were qualified lawyers. Interestingly, his daughter received 27 per cent less that his son in these questionable monthly payments. Recommended The real problems will start after our divorce from the EU The handful of people Penelope Fillon has been forced to discuss such details with behind closed doors are financial prosecutors and judicial anti-corruption police officers. Following a five-hour interrogation on Tuesday, it emerged that she had no recollection of signing work contracts, and had never picked up a parliamentary identification badge or even an email address. This after receiving her first remuneration from the public purse back in the 1980s. As far as the actual work done by Fillons wife is concerned, her lawyer admits it was not necessarily tangible and usually took place inside the couples family chateau, near Sable-sur-Sarthe, some 160 miles from the National Assembly in Paris. It included opening mail at home and meeting guests. Such revelations add a ludicrous element to the whole affair yet one entirely in keeping with the caricature of a nice-but-daffy wife trying to please the macho careerist who tells her what to do at all times. For all we currently know, Penelope Fillon might not even have been told that she was among the most highly-paid members of her husbands political staff. In pictures: France flooding Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: France flooding In pictures: France flooding Firefighters help a woman to disembark a boat as the city is flooded due to heavy rainfalls at Montargis Getty In pictures: France flooding The Eiffel Tower facing the flooded Seine river in Paris Getty In pictures: France flooding Firefighters walk with their boat in a flooded street in Montargis Getty In pictures: France flooding A replica of the Statue of Liberty facing the flooded Seine river in Paris Getty In pictures: France flooding The flooded Vert Galant park is pictured from the Pont Neuf bridge after the banks of the river Seine became flooded following heavy rainfalls in Paris Getty In pictures: France flooding A flooded street of Montargis, south of Paris Getty In pictures: France flooding Two women enter their flooded home as they float on an inflatable raft in Montargis Getty In pictures: France flooding A man holds his inflatable raft in a flooded street in Montargis Getty In pictures: France flooding A flooded area in front of the Chateau de Chambord (the Castle of Chambord) in Chambord Getty In pictures: France flooding The Zouave statue of the Alma bridge just near the Eiffel Tower, flooded by the river Seine after its banks became flooded following heavy rainfalls in Paris Getty Despite all this, it was Fillon himself who along with other wild conspiracy theories suggested that his legal difficulties were based on misogyny. Offering no evidence whatsoever, he claimed that sex discrimination was driving an unrelenting attack on his wife designed to destroy him. If such a feminist argument is to be taken even slightly seriously, then perhaps Fillon should allow his wife of nearly 37 years to break her silence, and finally speak up for herself. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mass beheadings, public throat-cutting, eye-gouging, the chopping up of corpses, torture and mass executions into open graves. Professional butchers employed to decapitate victims. Remind you of anything? No, not the cruelty of Isis, the cult which the US Joint Chiefs of Staff labelled apocalyptic only a couple of years ago and with whom Donald Trump now thinks he is at war. No, think instead of those nice, relaxed, laid-back, ouzo-drinking, euro-spending Greeks. The years between 1944 and 1949 were enough to curdle anyones blood in the land where European civilisation supposedly began, and a new study of that frightful extermination in Greece reads like a template of Syria, Iraq and all the other landscapes stained with the blood of Isiss victims. Hostage-taking by the thousand, charnel houses in mountain villages, the slow and sadistic killing of spies, collaborators and political opponents, the revenge execution of women and children, rape; those who believe that Islam is a violent religion should read the story of those who fought for the post-war land of Socrates and Plato. Andre Gerolymatos is a Canadian historian of modern Greece, a Vancouver academic who writes with sadness, horror and compassion of how his country of origin provided such a dark, but now largely forgotten tragedy at the end of the Second World War. In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Show all 30 1 /30 In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian family arrives at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian woman, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, reacts as she stands with her children in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past resident fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood , after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past residents fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-regime fighter speaks with a child, as residents flee violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood. Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops AFP/Getty Images In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Smoke rises as seen from a governement-held area of Aleppo, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers targeting rebels-held areas in the eastern neighborhoods in Aleppo, Syria. According to media reports, the army is now holding on 99 percent of Aleppois eastern neighborhoods EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-government forces patrol Aleppo's eastern al-Salihin neighbourhood after troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers rest following the battle at al-Sheik Saeed neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-government fighter walking past closed shops in the Bab al-Nasr district of Aleppo's Old City. Once renowned for its bustling souks, grand citadel and historic gates, Aleppo's Old City has been rendered virtually unrecognisable by some of the worst violence of Syria's war Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The crucial battle for Aleppo entered its 'final phase' after Syrian rebels retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The retreat leaves opposition fighters confined to just a handful of neighbourhoods in southeast Aleppo, the largest of them Sukkari and Mashhad Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilans arrive at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods. Syria's government has retaken at least 85 percent of east Aleppo, which fell to rebels in 2012, since beginning its operation Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilians flee the Sukkari neighbourhood towards safer rebel-held areas in southeastern Aleppo Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The fall of Aleppo would be the worst rebel defeat since Syria's conflict began in 2011, and leave the government in control of the country's five major cities Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee Aliya inside the tent where she lives with her husband and ten children in a camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee women and children outside the entrance to their tents in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee woman outside the entrance to the tent where her family live, in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A vehicle drives past a mosque at night in Idlib, Syria. Picture taken with a long exposure Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The night sky is seen through damaged windows in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled area of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, Syria Reuters Churchill, Stalin and Truman all played a role in this grisly story and all were guilty, but none more so than the Greeks themselves, the left and right, communists and royalists, emerging out of the Nazi occupation to engage in a civil war whose catalyst was a famine that wiped out between half a million and 750,000 souls. Take a look a brief one, if you value your sanity into the world of ELAS (the Greek Peoples Liberation Army) socialist and communist killings. The standard means of execution was the axe or meat cleaver, Gerolymatos writes. In addition to the terror that such means of execution inspired, it was also quieter, aside from the screams of the victims. Each victim had to undress and kneel with the head resting on a large stone. The executioner could decapitate the condemned man or woman (occasionally also children), slice their throat or hack away with the axe or meat cleaver, reducing the individual to a heap of flesh and bone... When the young mistress of a wartime collaborationist prime minister, a popular actress already doomed by the tweet-like viciousness of opposition newspapers, was taken to the execution grounds at Galati, a sadistic killer called Captain Orestes only discovered her identity by chance. He wanted her fur coat, but at the open pit to which she was taken he demanded all her clothes. Only now realising she was to die, she broke down and screamed. Her alleged murderer later said he felt sorry for the woman and shot her. But when her remains were uncovered in a mass grave, she had apparently been both raped and cut to pieces. The Greek governments Security Battalions also slaughtered villagers by the dozen, cutting up their corpses in front of their neighbours. US intelligence officers, like their British Special Operations Executive (SOE) predecessors, were well aware of this savagery. But Washingtons military help to the conservatives would set the successful Cold War precedent of US military involvement in Vietnam and the Middle East. America supported freedom and democracy in Greece and provided a right-wing junta of army officers with the weapons and training to destroy the communists who had largely won the resistance war against the Gestapo. Years of military dictatorship were to follow a history which the EU forgot when it added this damaged nation to its membership in 1981. But how could those harmless Mediterranean chaps with their antiquity, bouzoukis and boring, flat-capped priests commit such atrocities in Christendom? Of course, two world wars, the Holocaust and fascist occupation provided Europe with enough Golgothas to last for generations. The early 20th century genocide of Christian Asia Minor Greeks as well as Armenians in neighbouring Turkey, the mass of returning refugees from Asia Minor, and the flight of the peasantry into the cities during the civil war (which is why Athens today contains half the population of Greece) all played their part in normalising atrocity. Greece anti-austerity protesters call for government to resign Gerolymatos is an old friend of mine, a great journalistic contact for modern Greek politics, a touch verbose but with a grim humour to match his gory subject matter. You only have to chat to the author of the new book, An International Civil War: Greece 1943-1949, which remains tantalisingly unpublished in the UK, to understand what happened as the Germans withdrew from Greece. The communist ELAS, the leftist Democratic Army of Greece, the right-wing White Terror and the collaborationist Sacred Squadron who were later collaborating with British troops were contaminated by violence. Like Isis, ELAS and later the Democratic Army attracted criminals and cutthroats during the occupation and afterwards, Gerolymatos says. There were also a lot of Germans, Ukrainians, Armenians, Albanian Muslims and Chechens left over from the occupation who were still in Greece and were very vicious. There were smugglers and torturers and there were hardcore communists who thought the more cruelty, the better. Villagers would come home to find the head of someone on the table of a taverna, people they knew. There were right-wing groups and the X Organisation who went beyond the call of duty to maim and torture communists. SOEs Monty Woodhouse and Edmund Myers, who led the first British anti-Nazi sabotage operation in Greece, were locked on to the idea that only the left could fight, Gerolymatos says. Woodhouse, whom I knew in his old age as he shook his head in horror when remembering a young Greek collaborator whom he was forced to hang during the German occupation, was probably right. SOE was forced to tell Churchill that in Yugoslavia, too, the communists were the men who knew how to kill Germans. Having armed the left, we then betrayed them for the sake of Greek government order, and their collapse led America to believe it could win the war of dominoes in the Far and Middle East. De Gaulle also understood that the left made up most of the anti-German resistance and injected them into the French national army to stop them taking over France. Greek attempts to do the same were a catastrophe. Churchill, according to Gerolymatos, believed in re-establishing the pre-war order in Greece (monarchist, conservative, liberal) but wanted to bring on a clash with the left. He got his way. In the 1944 December Uprising, British soldiers, veterans of the Western Desert and Italy, stood powerless in the streets of Athens as Greek policemen had their eyes taken out with knives, and then watched as the cops had their throats cut open. There was even a journalist, George Polk, the CBS Middle East correspondent in Greece, who paid with his life, shot in the head in Thessalonika, rather than knifed like his colleagues in Syria today probably because he had accused government officials of corruption. His colleagues demanded an investigation into his death. It changed nothing. A BBC reporter, who was later kidnapped and released, witnessed the trial of a female doctor suspected of supporting communist claims to Thessalonika as a Bulgarian city. Kenneth Matthews, the BBCs man, watched a man identified as the Bishop of Volos, cry out: Kill her, my general! In the name of the religion, kill her where she stands! Other bishops tried to save the lives of prisoners of the Nazis. But as Gerolymatos concludes, the ghosts of this civil war have resurfaced in modern Greece, protestors using mass grave taunts against their political opponents during the 2015 political crisis a phenomenon largely unnoticed by the thousands of reporters who were in Athens at the time. The extreme ideologies ... bloated and unresponsive civil service, and chronic political corruption in modern Greece are the legacy of that terrible conflict of the late 1940s, the author writes. As Macbeth predicts after Banquo has been stabbed 20 times: They say, blood will have blood. Quite so. And how long, one must ask, will Isiss crimes continue to haunt the Middle East, long after we have forgotten our own sins in Afghanistan and Iraq and the disturbed mind of Donald Trump? Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Heres a ghoulish game we can all play: guess where the next major war will break out. Or, more apposite; where will Donald Trump start his first war? Not a thermonuclear one with Russia, obviously this was one of the silver linings attached to the Trumpian cloud. But he seems a man permanently looking for a fight. The bad news is that there are plenty in the world who would give him one. Although Paddy Power and William Hill have the good taste not to run a book on such things, if it were possible to do so then obviously the smart money would be on Turkey proper (a truly horrific prospect); Iran, now on notice from the Trump White House; or perhaps Korea. The Ukraine (round two) and the Baltics (those Russians again) seem unlikely given the whole Putin-Trump thing, though you never know. But what about the Spratly Islands? Or Paracels? The Scarborough Reef? Nothing to do with the North Riding of Yorkshire, by the way, these are just a few of the tiny collections of islets and rocks that spatter the South China Sea. Virtually none are inhabited, in any meaningful sense, but the various conflicting and overlapping national claims on these micro-territories are the most dangerous set of conflicts in the world today. No less an authority than Steve Bannon, now Donald Trumps senior adviser, said so some months ago during radio broadcasts for the Breitbart website, well known for its rightist sympathies. Just because it was on Breitbart doesnt make it wrong, though; and because Bannon is now ensconced in the White House it makes this important. Donald Trump's closest advisor Steve Bannon thinks there will be war with China in the next few years Heres what he said last spring: Were going to war in the South China Sea in the next five to 10 years Theres no doubt about that. Theyre taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face and you understand how important face is and say its an ancient territorial sea. They in this case being China, perceived by the Trump team as dangerously expansionist and increasingly militarised and confident. Alongside their other crimes, such as undercutting US industry and currency manipulation, this idea of a resurgent China is something of a theme in Trumpist circles. It is, one suspects, one reason why the rapprochement with Russia is given such importance. Thinking geopolitically, if they do, the Americans now want to work with Russia in order to push China towards deals on economics and defence. This is in fact an analogy to the Nixon opening to China in 1971-72; on that occasion the idea was to pressure the Russians to do a deal on strategic nuclear weapons limitation and pursue detente more widely. That time it worked. Will it work this time? It would be foolish to underestimate the red mist that descends on even the most moderate Chinese patriot when faced with any challenge to Chinas territorial integrity. That is why the issues of Taiwan and Tibet have always been so sensitive (and before that Hong Kong). China believes that the South China Sea is its own paddling pool, and the artificial islands and reefs it has set up reinforce the point. Each of these obscure archipelagos has their own tale, but they usually involve territorial claims by, in various combinations and in varying degrees of viciousness, Vietnam, the Philippines, the two Koreas, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. And, of course, China. Each is about more than who holds dominion over the bemused and who claims sovereignty over sea turtles and albatrosses that mostly comprise their populations. It is about more, even, than the possible rights to oil and minerals and the safety of some of the worlds most busy shipping lanes. It is about national pride, above all, and, with the most touchy US president in a long time in the White House, it is also about American pride, and that is why the Americans have been increasing their naval presence in the area. The bizarre notion that America might go to war on behalf of what was once Communist North Vietnam is no longer quite so strange. 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 So Bannon is right in his analysis, and he is now in a position to do something to prevent it coming true. Like the disputes in the Balkans before the great War broke out in 1914, these disputes are impossible to comprehend, both in in the sense that they are so trivial and yet so important in terms of the emotions they provoke. No one, pretty much, in Britain, Russia, France or Germany could find Sarajevo on a map in 1914, but that didnt stop Europe being bled to death for four years. Maybe we should all have a look-see where the Spratly Islands are. Mr Bannon can show Trump where they are, for a start. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has reportedly said his phone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was his worst call by far. As the head of a global superpower, Mr Trump will need to work on his telephone manner or Americas national interests will be badly compromised It was never going to be an easy sort of phone call. When Mr Turnbull asked the Canberra switchboard to put him through to the Oval Office, he should have known this was going to be tricky. First, he was going to ask President Trump to honour a commitment made by former President Obama. The mutual loathing between the President and his predecessor seems to grow bitterer by the day, and Mr Trump is unlikely to view any commitment made by Mr Obama with generosity of spirit. Second, Mr Trump was never going to be happy about taking in refugees that Australia simply refuses to. Here Mr Trump has a point: Australia could house them just as easily as the US. Instead, Mr Turnbulls government pays Papua New Guinea and Nauru to keep them in inhumane camps until they can be offloaded elsewhere or returned. Third? Well, it was The Donald on the other end of the line, vainglorious as ever, fond of boasting and whose thin skin and erratic behaviour make him a challenging interlocutor at the best of times. Mr Turnbull was probably lucky to have lasted as long as he did 25 minutes in the ring. Still, the reports that the US President hung up on the Prime Minister of Australia were rightly sensational. Australia, after all, spilled blood with the US in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, was its faithful ally in two world wars, and has enjoyed a formal mutual defence pact, the Anzus treaty, together with New Zealand since 1951. Even so, The Washington Post reported that he told the Australian PM that their conversation was the worst call by far. The refugee resettlement deal, whereby 1,250 desperate souls were to be offered a new life in America, was a dumb deal. Sad to say, the Trump-Turnbull conversation is unlikely to retain the title of worst ever phone call between the White House and a friendly nation for very long. As a global superpower with military, political and economic interests in virtually every corner of the globe, either Mr Trump will need to work on his telephone manner and, more appositely, the general policy of engagement with friends and allies or Americas national interests will be badly compromised. Thus far, only the leaders of Taiwan and Israel have actually enjoyed a chat with the President. Of course, those came at the cost of offending China and adding further tensions to the situation in the Middle East. With the focus on China, Russia, the Middle East, Mexico, the UK and the EU, the rest of America's important relationships, such as those with Australia, have gone by default. They still matter, however. When the President meets Shinzo Abe of Japan in a few days time, how will he reassure Japan that America stands by her defence, and wont require the Japanese to contribute more to it or demand that they send some jobs back to the US in return for the nuclear umbrella? Would Mr Trump casually suggest, as he did last year, that the Japanese could develop (and pay for) their own nuclear arsenal? Similarly with the South Koreans: what can Mr Trump say to the acting President to reassure them in a time of domestic political turmoil and the very-present lunacies of Kim Jong-uns regime? Mr Trump did use his apparently good-natured phone call to Hwang Kyo-ahn to say America was 100 per cent behind South Korea, but so far Mr Trumps attitude to North Korea has been both unspecific and aggressive. In some of its more comical aspects, the Supreme Leader in Pyongyang is a mirror image of the increasingly unpredictable and belligerent Supreme Ego sitting in the White House. Mr Trump may suggest America uses its nuclear arsenal on the Korean peninsula, a terrifying notion not seriously suggested since President Truman sacked General MacArthur in 1951 for advocating them during the last war in Korea. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada appears to have made a better job of talking to Mr Trump; but the two men are yet to meet to discuss the dismantling of the North American Free Trade Agreement. On that issue the Canadians are in an honourable alliance with the Mexicans, something that cannot endear them to President Trump. The Trudeau-Trump summit could be one of the most difficult, a gulf of generations and outlooks personified. Prime Minister Modi of India, meanwhile, claims a White House invite for later in the year and an incident-free conversation. Thus far, then, President Trump has mostly taken a markedly more hostile line with friend and foe alike. Where President Obama sought to normalise relations with Iran and Cuba, for example, Mr Trump has put them on notice. Where Mr Obama pursued the policy of European integration and support for traditional Nato allies, Mr Trump has sounded an uncertain note (apart from Theresa Mays notable intervention in the interests of Western security). Where every American president since Richard Nixon has sought to form a partnership with Beijing, Mr Trump is dismissive. The only nations, in fact, that Mr Trump wants to be closer to, such as Russia and Israel, are the ones where he ought to be most wary of entanglement. The spat with the Australian PM will go down as a footnote in history, no doubt, but it is indicative of an American approach to the rest of the world that is not only exceptionalist, chauvinistic and downright rude, but damaging to Americas reputation and interests. Even a superpower needs friends sometimes. Gavan Hennigan arrives in Antigua having made history in completing the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge A former heroin addict who fought back from the brink of suicide to become an endurance athlete has rowed his way into the record books. Clean-living endurance athlete Gavan Hennigan, 35, has become the fastest solo competitor in the history of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, dubbed the world's toughest row. He pulled into Antigua's English Harbour after a punishing 3,000-mile journey across the ocean in a time of 49 days, 11 hours and 37 minutes. It meant he also smashed the record for the quickest Atlantic crossing by an Irish rower, beating the previous best by Sean McGowan by 69 days. Mr Hennigan, from Galway, fought mental and physical challenges during the crossing, which began on December 14 in the Canary Islands, to come in third ahead of a fleet of two-, three- and four-person teams. Speaking as he arrived to a hero's welcome in the Caribbean, Mr Hennigan said: "It was pretty tough those last few days holding off the team behind me - I was rowing non-stop, but I was determined to finish third. "Coming into the finish line tonight was just an incredible atmosphere. "It was an epic adventure, and I'd absolutely want to do it again." The 35-year-old was used to the isolation, having been a saturation diver on oil rigs for the last decade. And the mental challenge was an altogether different battle to the anguish he suffered while addicted to hard drugs in a bedsit in London in the early 2000s. Mr Hennigan said he turned to heroin after struggling to admit he was gay. But after fighting back from the brink of suicide, the Irishman channelled his energies into clean living and endurance challenges which have seen him travel the globe in pursuit of his next thrill. Speaking to the Press Association on the eve of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, Mr Hennigan said: "I had a lot of personal struggles. "I feel like having come back from the brink, that dark place in my mind, I don't feel like something like this challenge could faze me too much - this is just for fun." Praising Mr Hennigan for his detemination, Carsten Heron Olsen of race organiser Atlantic Campaigns said: "We're thrilled to see Gavan in safe and sound following a record-breaking row. "From the start, Gavan has been one of the most organised participants in the race and I'm not surprised to see him finish third - clearly his preparation and hard work has paid off. "Gavan's a fantastic example of someone who has used difficult moments from his past to motivate himself to achieve great feats and inspire others in the process." His crossing - making him the fastest solo racer in the three-decade history of the competition - saw him raising money for Jigsaw Galway and Cancer Care West. Mr McGowan, the only Irishman to have previously completed the challenge, did so in 118 days. The overall race winners, Anglo-American quartet Latitude 35, arrived in Antigua after just 35 days, itself a challenge record. British foursome Row For James arrived four days later and raised more than 500,000 for pioneering suicide prevention crisis centres. :: For more information, visit taliskerwhiskyatlanticchallenge.com The Garda smearing of a murdered man's name ranks among the most shameful episodes of the Irish state, Dublin's High Court has been told. A barrister said the Justice Minister's failure to hold a commission of investigation into events around the 1976 killing of Seamus Ludlow "flies in the face of reason" when such an inquiry was being considered for the Olympics ticket-touting affair. Summing up a three-day hearing, the first time the case has been heard in a court, Ronan Lavery QC, for the family, said the gravity of the allegations involved demanded a proper inquiry. "The failure in conduct of gardai after the killing, in smearing Seamus Ludlow's name, must rank among one of the more shameful episodes that could be laid at the door of the state," he said. "It is not just in the interest of the Ludlow family to look at this, but it is in the interests of every citizen to examine this closely." Mr Ludlow, a 47-year-old bachelor, was shot dead as he was returning home to Mountpleasant, Dundalk, from a pub in the Co Louth town on May 2 1976. His family say gardai were behind a smear campaign wrongly alleging the murder was carried out by the IRA because Mr Ludlow was an informer and that some family members had prior knowledge it was planned, sparking a decades-long rift among them. A parliamentary committee in Dublin recommended more than 10 years ago that two commissions of investigation be held into the murder and subsequent events, after an official judge-led report damned the original botched Garda probe. The Ludlow family is seeking a High Court declaration that the justice minister's failure to launch an inquiry is unlawful. The Royal Ulster Constabulary told the Garda in 1979 the names of four loyalists it suspected of being involved in Mr Ludlow's killing, but the information was not pursued by the Garda at the time. The family was told by a local garda that the murder probe was suspended without explanation three weeks after it started on orders that "came from Dublin", the court has heard. No one has ever been charged with the murder. Two of the suspects were members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, a now defunct unit of the British Army. "If this is not a serious matter of public concern one cannot imagine what is," Mr Lavery told the High Court. Justice Mary Faherty said every matter that comes before the High Court is weighty and this case was particularly weighty. Reserving her judgement, she said she would take some time to consider the documents and reread the original parliamentary committee report. Solicitor for the Ludlow family, Gavin Booth of KRW law firm in Belfast, said outside the court it was unfortunate the family "had to take these steps". "But it is important that justice is done and seen to be done," he said. "Every day the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice delay, it causes further grief and distress for a family that has been through so much at the hands of the state." Ireland's legal challenge to a European Commission ruling that Apple return billions in unpaid taxes will accuse Brussels of exceeding its powers The finance minister has said a European ruling that Apple owes the country 13 billion euro in unpaid taxes is a mix of tax law and politics. The government has already spent 1.8 million euro fighting the landmark decision which says the tech giant secured illegal state aid. Answering questions at a parliamentary inquiry into the case in Dublin, Michael Noonan said he did not think the ruling helped the fight to get multinationals to pay more tax. An investigation by the European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager last year found Apple paid 50 euro in tax for every one million of profit made outside the US in 2014. The government and Apple are both appealing the decision. At the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr Noonan said: "I don't think (the Commission) were focusing on Ireland particularly. "I don't think Apple worldwide were paying sufficient tax. The argument was that the tax liability was not in Ireland." Mr Noonan added: "I think a lot of decisions in Europe are a mix of technical data and mix of politics and I think there was a political input here." Apple got rulings from Ireland's tax inspectors in 1991 and 2007 about a complex corporate structure involving three subsidiaries - Apple Operations International (AOI), Apple Sales International (ASI) and Apple Operations Europe (AOE) - and how sales were routed through Ireland. Mr Noonan said he was surprised Commissioner Vestager estimated the tax due was 13 billion euro over 10 years. Apple boss Tim Cook rejected an invitation to attend committee hearings on the case. Mr Cook previously appeared at a congressional hearing in Washington DC, where he explained that Apple effectively paid 2% tax rate for its subsidiaries in Ireland, where the headline corporation tax rate is 12.5%. Ms Vestager told the committee during the week that her office's inquiry began in 2013 after evidence from Apple to the US Senate that it had a "tax incentive arrangement" with Ireland. Negotiations are ongoing with Apple for the 13 billion euro to be transferred into an escrow where it would be held until the appeal at the European courts runs its course. In his statement to the committee, Mr Noonan said it was untrue that Ireland treated Apple more favourably. "It is important to take this seriously as it is very damaging for our reputation to be called into question in this way," he said. "This affects how Ireland could be treated by other jurisdictions, damages Ireland's credibility in the international tax debate and inhibits Ireland in pressing arguments that serve our national interest." Mr Noonan said a central aspect of the case is that the economic activity that created the value in Apple's business operations was not conducted in Ireland. "Everyone knows that the iPhone and other well-known Apple products were developed in the US, not Ireland. "Our tax legislation, which reflects international norms, only allows us to tax non-resident companies on the profits that they make in Ireland. "As a result, the bulk of Apple's profits were not subject to Irish tax," he said. Mr Noonan also accused the commission of "attempting to re-write Irish corporation tax legislation". The Government is too focused on Northern Ireland in relation to Brexit, at the expense of trade and industrial policy, the head of the Irish Exporters Association has claimed. Simon McKeever told a manufacturing conference that the Government's thinking was too narrow. Mr McKeever said the Government and enterprise agencies need to be conscious of the fact that in the coming years there could be a north Atlantic trading bloc encompassing the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, while the EU moves towards a more federalist agenda. More attention needs to be paid to our industrial strategy for the coming years, he said. "I think that we as a country are looking at Brexit in too narrow a confine," Mr McKeever told the National Manufacturing and Supply Chain conference. "I think we're looking at it as the Ireland/UK relationship, and it's a very important issue - Northern Ireland and the common travel arrangement, -but our government seems to be completely focused on Northern Ireland to the detriment of all the other aspects of this." Mr McKeever suggested greater focus needs to be placed on the direction of Ireland's relationship with the European Union and the direction of that relationship. He said that, in the wake of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as US president, the Government needs to think about the State's industrial policy for the coming years. "I think our thinking is very narrow. I think we need to think a lot bigger. I think we need to be thinking five, 10, 15 years down the road. The whole Trump factor needs to be taken into this at the moment," Mr McKeever said. "I get a sense that, other than Northern Ireland, there's nothing going on." Barry Heavey of the IDA said the agency was "actively promoting" Ireland as an "English-speaking safe haven within Europe" in the wake of Brexit. He said there were four manufacturing-related sectors in Ireland - pharmaceuticals, medical devices, microelectronics and food sectors. With the exception of agri-food, he said the sectors were not making major contingency plans as they will "find a way to work around" Brexit. He said he did not expect a major flight of investment from Ireland by IDA-backed companies as a result of Brexit, and that from a manufacturing point of view, the IDA sees Ireland as an opportunity to win investment. A 'hard Brexit' inevitably means the return of border controls which will wreck the Norths fragile peace, the Dail has heard. Fianna Fails Marc MacSharry said a former head of EU customs services had publicly warned that security huts would be required along the border, despite widespread use of electronic surveillance for new post-Brexit customs controls. The Sligo TD heavily criticised government lack of preparation and demanded the appointment of a dedicated Brexit Minister and publication of a plan to handle negotiations between London and Dublin and the EU and Ireland. Brexit has the potential to wreck the Northern Ireland peace process, to wreck the Good Friday Agreement, he said, calling for special EU status for the North. Mr MacSharry said Irish people had to wait to hear news from the British parliament on the border issue. He said the former EU customs boss, Michael Lux, had told a Westminster committee that border controls could not be avoided. Replying for the Government, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald, said it was wrong for the main opposition party to be damaging Irelands international reputation by claiming the Government was badly prepared. Ms Fitzgerald said there were enormous challenges ahead and preparations would continue with ongoing meetings. She will meet British Home Secretary Amber Rudd next Monday for talks. The Tanaiste said the Taoiseach was coordinating the government response himself and all ministers and officials were engaged. She said the issue of the North and the Border are being addressed and EU chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, had identified it as one of his four priorities. 'Customs expert Michael Lux said Ireland would be obliged to have border controls in place - even if the UK chooses not to' Photo: Getty Ireland faces financial penalties from Europe if it systematically fails to enforce customs controls with the UK should the latter leave the Customs Union, a former European Commission official has warned. Customs expert Michael Lux said Ireland would be obliged to have border controls in place - even if the UK chooses not to. Mr Lux told a Westminster committee that member states which failed to enforce customs rules on EU borders faced having to cough up any lost duties. "If the member state systematically disregards the rules, as a consequence duties will be evaded, the European Commission will calculate the duties, and make the member state pay any evaded duties. "This is very serious," Mr Lux told the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. However, Taoiseach Enda Kenny last night said the Government "will not tolerate" any checkpoints or return to old-style borders between the Republic and Northern Ireland. Mr Kenny made the remarks at a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party where he updated TDs and senators on the Irish response to Brexit. Mr Kenny also said there is no question of a Brexit Minister being appointed, arguing that "every minister and minister of state" is working on it. Declaration But Mr Lux, a customs and international trade lawyer, said that if goods were brought from Ireland to the North after the UK leaves the Customs Union, an export declaration would have to be lodged on the Irish side. Mr Lux was interrupted by Sylvia Hermon, a Northern Ireland MP, who pointed out there were currently no officials at the Border, and that Prime Minister Theresa May had stressed there would be no return to the "borders of the past". "Yes, but Ireland has to do so," said Mr Lux. "What you do on your side, that's up to you. If you feel that you don't need to control the goods that are entering Northern Ireland you're of course free not to do that. But Ireland is obliged to do this." Asked if a "seamless, frictionless" Border was achievable, Mr Lux said it all depended on how "seamless" was defined. "If you define the term 'seamless that there are no border controls, then the answer is no, at least for the side of Ireland, because Ireland is obliged to apply the union law." He said there would have to be customs officials on the side of the Border in the Republic. "Even if they don't like it, they will have to do it," he said. He suggested achieving a special arrangement between the UK and Ireland on customs would be "problematic". Royal Bank of Scotland has indicated it would probably pick Dublin as its European Union base following Brexit. The revelation came as Financial Services Minister Eoghan Murphy said positivity toward Dublin was increasing among banks considering Brexit-related moves. Ireland has received more than 100 inquiries from companies, Mr Murphy said. However, RBS, which is a UK taxpayer-owned bank, may ultimately only have to move "tens" of employees from Britain to other offices, RBS Group chairman Howard Davies told reporters. Mr Davies said: "In our case, we don't have a problem, because we do own a eurozone bank in the form of Ulster Bank. "Probably we would have to move some people, but we are talking tens of people, not the numbers other banks are talking about." Global banks have started to reveal more about their plans to shift jobs and set up offices within the EU after UK Prime Minister Theresa May indicated she would pull Britain out of the single market. They include Barclays Plc, which may move about 150 employees to Dublin, and Lloyds Banking Group Plc, which will shift a handful of people to Frankfurt. Mr Davies said any disruption from Brexit would be minimised for RBS because Ulster Bank was already regulated by the European Central Bank, while the Edinburgh-based lender also has smaller operations in the Netherlands and Germany. The Irish unit is "quite a sizable bank, so we have a eurozone base", he added. Mr Davies said he was concerned about a "cliff edge" Brexit, whereby access to the EU is cut off after two years of negotiations. But, he said he was encouraged that Mrs May mentioned the importance of temporary arrangements in a speech last month. The agriculture sector is set to receive special attention for safety inspections this year, the Heath and Safety Authority (HSA) has announced. The Authority has today published its Programme of Work for 2017 providing details of planned actions, priorities and inspection targets for the year. The reduction of workplace fatalities in all sectors remains a priority and the Authority will carry out a wide range of enforcement, prevention and support activity during 2017. This year there are a total of 11,220 workplace inspections and investigations planned. There will be 4,000 construction site inspections with a focus on preventing accidents involving self-employed workers and small sized contractors. The HSA says the agriculture sector will also receive significant attention with 2,000 farm inspections planned. However, this is down from a target of 2,300 announced last year. The Authority says there will be a continued emphasis on promoting safety on farms through participation in knowledge-sharing and discussion groups. An updated Farm Safety Code of Practice will also be published. Irish farmers who break farm safety rules will risk losing their EU grants, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan has said recently. Mr Hogan said he was reluctantly coming to this conclusion in the light of the large toll of deaths from farm accidents in 2016. He said the rate of serious workplace accidents was reducing in Ireland and across the EU but no such progress was happening in farming where 21 Irish people were killed in 2016. The Commissioner said progress was being made and two EU-backed schemes were, TAMS 2 and the Green Cert, were laying great emphasis on farm safety, especially for young farmers. But we have to do more in the light of the recent accidents and heart-breaking tragedies which have hit so many farm families in 2016, Mr Hogan told the Irish Independent. The EU Commissioner said farmers can already lose grant money if they breach pollution control rules or other issues like animal welfare. He said it is time to consider including farm safety in the so-called cross compliance regime to help preserve human life. The Health and Safety Authority (HAS) last week revealed that 21 people died in farm accidents in 2016. It was down from a record high of 30 fatalities in 2014 but an increase of the 2015 death toll of 18. A High Court judge has repeated his warnings about legal advice being given to people over repossession orders. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan said that a number of applications contesting repossession orders have come before the High Court recently. These applications are misguided, he said. The judge, noting that these actions are being brought on similar grounds by people representing themselves has questioned the sources and the quality of legal advice contained in the applications. The Judge made the comments while dismissing a farmer's application to challenge a decision by a Circuit Court judge to grant a repossession order in favour of a bank over the farmer's family home. Earlier this month the Judge, in dismissing several similar applications based on similar grounds, warned about certain legal advice being offered to those seeking to challenge repossession orders made by the Circuit Court. At the High Court on Monday, the farmer said his home was worth 250,000, and that the bank was owed 31k. He also said that he had made attempts to pay off what he was owed. Mr Justice Noonan said he had "every sympathy" with the situation the farmer found himself in, but that the man had brought an action based on grounds not suitable for judicial review. Judicial reviews were about the legality and the lawfulness of decision and not the merits of decisions, the Judge said. They can only come before the High Court by way of direct appeal against the Circuit Court decision, not as judicial reviews. The Judge also warned that by bringing judicial review applications, persons were damaging their prospects of being able to bring appeals against the Circuit Court's orders within the prescribed time allowed. The farmer said he had not been assisted by anyone and he had based his application on research he had done himself. New research has discovered a vaccine which prevents against TB in badgers under natural conditions. It comes following a scientific research project which involved the administration of an oral vaccine to badgers, to investigate its impact against bovine tuberculosis in a large scale field trial in Co Kilkenny. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed of the results and said that the results of the trial were very positive in that they demonstrated that the oral vaccination of badgers has a significant protective effect in badgers under natural conditions. The findings confirmed the results of earlier experimental vaccine challenge studies where BCG vaccine was delivered to captive badgers by a variety of routes, including oral inoculation. The findings in the study of a significant protective effect of oral BCG vaccination in badgers under natural conditions, is also consistent with the results of other oral vaccination studies in cattle, deer and wild boar. The Minister went on to say that it is my Department's ambition to deploy a full badger vaccination strategy as part of the eradication programme provided that the vaccination of badgers delivers an outcome equivalent to the current badger removal strategy. In this regard, the Minister emphasised that the vaccine trial in question related to the protective effect of vaccination against TB in badgers and did not provide any direct evidence of the protective effect of badger vaccination in relation to TB in cattle. Further trials are currently being conducted in six separate locations throughout the country, involving the vaccination by intramuscular injection, of several hundred badgers over 3 to 4 years, with continuous monitoring of the cattle population to assess the impact of the vaccine on the incidence of the disease in the cattle population. The outcome of these field trials, the initial results of which are due in 2018, will eventually determine whether the vaccination of badgers delivers an outcome equivalent to the current badger removal strategy. Minister Creed noted that the report concluded that any vaccination programme would need to be undertaken against a background of an exhaustive investigation of cattle and herd management related factors and take account of related environmental issues. Furthermore, one of the conclusions to be drawn from the Report was that, given the relatively high incidence of TB in the country, it is likely that vaccination alone, even at high coverage levels, would require many years to eradicate the disease in the badger population. However, other studies conducted by the Department have shown that mixed strategies incorporating culling (to reduce badger density/remove infected badgers) and vaccination can be effective and may be a cost effective way of eradicating the disease. Minister Creed stated that there is currently no TB vaccine licensed for anything other than humans in Ireland and, as mentioned in the report, prior to widespread deployment of oral vaccine containing live BCG, a vaccine will need to be licensed as a veterinary medicine and receive authorisation from regulatory bodies under EU medicines legislation. He said that his Department is collaborating with UCD and DEFRA in the United Kingdom in carrying out the research needed to prepare a dossier for submission to the licensing authorities in Ireland and the UK for authorisation of a licence for an oral vaccine for badgers. In addition, research is also being carried out both in Ireland and in the United Kingdom on suitable bait delivery methods for an oral vaccine to ensure that, when such a vaccine is licensed, an effective delivery method is available. Concluding, Minister Creed said that the report provided valuable evidence that the vaccination of badgers can be an effective mechanism for reducing the incidence of TB in badgers. He continued it is my Departments intention in due course to increase the role of badger vaccination in the TB eradication programme provided that suitable and cost effective vaccine delivery methods can be identified and my Department is satisfied that the vaccination of badgers delivers an outcome equivalent to the current badger removal strategy. A wild swan found in County Londonderry near Lough Beg has tested positive for H5N8 avian influenza. The swan was reported to DAERA by a member of the public as part of DAERA's Avian dead wild bird surveillance programme, and was submitted for testing at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute where initial testing has indicated avian influenza, sub-type H5N8. This finding follows the extension of a Prevention Zone in Northern Ireland until March 16, 2017 which requires all keepers of poultry and other captive birds to keep their birds indoors, or take appropriate steps to keep them separate and protect them from wild birds. There have been five cases of avian influenza confirmed in the Republic of Ireland. The Chief Veterinary Officer, Robert Huey said: This finding is not unexpected and follows calls for bird keepers to be more vigilant for signs of the disease. It is possible that more cases will be confirmed. This finding serves to remind us all of the risk of infection. The Prevention Zone and temporary suspension on gatherings of poultry remain in place. It is also important that bird keepers in Northern Ireland remain vigilant and where necessary improve their biosecurity. "Even when birds are housed there is still a risk of infection and biosecurity should not be compromised. Clothing and equipment should be disinfected, the movement of poultry should be reduced and contact between poultry and wild birds should be minimised. Mr Huey added: Expert advice remains that consumers should not be concerned about eating eggs or poultry and the threat to public health from the virus is very low. Poultry and other bird keepers are reminded that anyone who has any poultry or any other captive birds must be registered with the Department. Retaining Ireland's share of the UK food market is essential to the Irish economy, regardless of Brexit. That's the warning from the head of one of the country's biggest food exporters. Dawn Farms yesterday signed a deal worth 850m to supply fast food giant Subway's 4,000 restaurants across Europe. The seven-year deal means that Dawn Farms will be providing meat into 30 countries where Subway is located, including the UK. The deal builds on a 20-year relationship that Dawn Farms has with the global fast-food chain. According to Dawn Farms ceo Larry Murrin it took 14 months of negotiations, with the company eventually seeing off competition from meat processors in Germany and Italy. But Mr Murrin warned yesterday that even with new markets opening the UK would remain a key buyer of Irish meat. "It is absolutely essential that Ireland does everything in its power to maintain its market share in the UK for the agri-food sector," Mr Murrin told the Irish Independent yesterday. "It took 50 years to build. You can't diversify that amount of critical mass in two, three, or seven or eight years. Dawn Farms exports to over 40 countries worldwide, but one third of its exports go to the UK. According to Mr Murrin that should still be the case in 10 years' time. With Ireland sending over 4bn worth of food and drink to the UK, he said that market was crucial to the long-term sustainability of the Irish agri-food industry. Mr Murrin said the Subway deal was a testament of Dawn Farms' continued investment in product innovation, its strengths in supply-chain consistency and food security and vigilance in relation to competitiveness. "Having Subway commit to a new seven-year contract is a really great vote of confidence in Dawn Farms but also Ireland and our agri-food sector," he said. "The Subway organisation has ambitious growth plans for new restaurant openings in Ireland, the UK, and across Europe - and with this strategic supply agreement these can translate into significant additional export sales for Ireland," he said. Subway already has supply links with Ireland sourcing dairy, bread and confectionery products from Irish companies as well as its sandwich meats from Dawn Farms. Established in 1984, Dawn Farms is one of the leading suppliers of cooked and fermented meat for pizza, sandwiches, ready meals and snacks, to international foodservice chains and food manufacturers and exports to more than 40 countries. Dawn Farms started life as a 12-man start up in Cherry Orchard, Dublin, with an aspiration to sell cooked meats into delis around the country, which it did, before looking at export opportunities in a growing convenience food market. Today, it exports over 95pc of its products. This deal with Subway will see Dawn Farms provide around two-thirds of the meats used in European Subway restaurants. According to Murrin, Dawn Farms' innovation capabilities were key to this export-driven growth, as the company provided cooked meat to a range of customers looking for various variations to suit their end products. "We are like the guys who make the engines for BMW. We provide customers with cooked protein in all shapes and sizes that fits into their products," he said. Subway is the largest restaurant chain in the world. It has been in Ireland since 1994. Yesterday's announcement further expands Dawn Farms reach, not just through the 250 Subway restaurants now in Ireland, but onto the trays of millions of Subway diners worldwide. Residents in a Kildare housing estate say they are being 'invaded' by a large flock of sheep Residents of a Kildare housing estate say the estate is becoming overrun with sheep from the Curragh commonage. Local Councillor Joanne Pender says that Orchard Park, which is home to 100 houses, is being overrun by sheep that are damaging all the greens and turning them into a pigsty. "Local farmers are putting sheep feeders under the trees beside the estate, so hundreds of sheep turn up and are turning the ground into muck and a pigstye. "It's a long standing tradition that sheep can graze on the Curragh, she said, but the lack of fencing means there is no way to keep them on the Curragh. " Normally farmers only let them out to graze on the grace, but there are now five or six sheep feeders near the estate some farmers are treating the Curragh land like its their own farm." Joanne Pender, a local councillor has called on farmers to moave the feeders to help prevent the sheep wandering in and out of the estate. The Independent councillor asked Kildare Newbridge Municipal District meeting if the council could liaise with the Department of Defence and local farmers about the issue. John Vardy, who has lived in the estate for the past 20 years, said the problem of sheep damaging the estate has been going on for years. "This has been going on for years. The sheep mainly come in at night. There is a green area in the middle of the estate, which has 100 houses. "If you don't have gates on the driveway, you can't sow flowers or keep pots of flowers as the sheep will eat them. The army has spent so much money on sheep grids and the sheep are still coming in to the estate. "We need a fence or wall around the estate, not sheep grids, to keep the sheep out." Joanne said she has called on the local council to liaise with the Department of Defence over the issue. Half of all economic activity in the State is generated in Dublin and the capitals reach now extends into 11 counties. A stark report to be published today paints a grim picture of a two-tier Ireland, where a flight from rural Ireland is resulting in isolation among the elderly, while workers grapple with hour-long commutes and are forced to travel long distances to access basic services including healthcare. The Ireland 2040 document, which will be launched today by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Housing Minister Simon Coveney, says that half the population growth in the last two decades has been largely centred on Dublin. Many built-up areas, stretching north from Cavan, south to Wexford and east to Longford, are effectively Dublin commuter towns. Employment is centred in an increasingly smaller number of areas while new homes are spread out. Unless radical action is taken, some 75pc of the projected population and new homes will be clustered around the capital city by 2040. Growth The document says Dublin generates some 49pc of national economic growth, which is way in excess of the London figure, which stands at 32pc. Failure to address growth in the Dublin City-Region may risk competitiveness and ability to attract companies in the wake of Brexit, it warns. There has been an increasing concentration of population and economic activity in the east of the country, with much of the growth associated with Dublin being accommodated in 10 other counties, extending from Cavan to Wexford. We know that present trends take us to an Ireland where around three quarters of the extra population and homes will happen on the eastern side of the country, much of it clustered around but not necessarily happening in our capital city. This will further exacerbate massive and increasingly unmanageable sprawl of housing areas, scattered employment and car-based commuting, presenting major challenges around lop-sided development, under-utilised potential, congestion and adverse impacts on peoples lives and the environment. It also says there has been over-development in some places and a decline in others, particularly in parts of rural Ireland which are poorly served by roads and public transport. This has meant that services and facilities are rapidly required in many different areas, but can be under-utilised elsewhere. This makes it costly and difficult to plan for future needs, it warns, adding that many towns experiencing rapid population growth in recent years are not equipped to deal with growing numbers. This will lead to situations such as children not being able to secure a school place in their local area and pressure on basic facilities such as access to healthcare. Brexit The report comes after the launch of the Governments Action Plan for Jobs and recent launch of a programme to develop rural Ireland. It warns that failure to curb the growth of the economy puts the entire country at risk, and suggests that attracting businesses in the wake of Brexit may prove difficult unless action is taken. Dublins success as a city-region is a double-edged sword, it says. It has enabled Ireland to compete in an international context but such success has also given rise to pressures in areas such as housing, transport and infrastructural requirements, which affect competitiveness. If Dublin is under-performing, Ireland is under-performing. Should the Dublin City-Region suffer a loss of competitiveness and become a less attractive place in which to invest as a result of housing and infrastructural bottlenecks, investment and influence will inevitably be attracted to other similar city-regions in Europe or elsewhere. Growth since the early 1990s has been unprecedented, but almost half of the population growth has been in the local authority areas of Fingal in north Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Laois and counties Galway and Cork. Populations fells in Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Monaghan. It says the defining pattern of development has seen settlements where people live becoming more spread out, with employment in a smaller number of areas. Unless car use is curbed, rural towns and villages will die due to a rise in out-of-town shopping centres. Aer Lingus ceo Stephen Kavanagh is focused on developing the airlines quality of network rather than a great spread of destinations There are two long-haul Airbus A330s undergoing winter maintenance in the hangar near Stephen Kavanagh's office at Dublin Airport. Passenger seats have been stripped bare and are huddled outside the jets, the St Patrick and St Ronan, waiting to be reupholstered - just one of the jobs being taken care of during the slacker winter months. But if Kavanagh has his way, those planes will in future be spending more of their time in the air. Jammed during the summer, the transatlantic routes they serve are quieter at this time of year. It's handy for maintenance, but having over 500m worth of assets sitting idle means they're not making money. And so Kavanagh is throwing the dice with his plan to operate an Aer Lingus service between Dublin and Las Vegas next winter. But it's a calculated risk - like one taken by the gambler who's been playing blackjack, but has been busy counting cards. "We are working to build a business case to operate a seasonal service to Las Vegas," he says. "We need to find a balance to the peak summer months, where the US consumer the main source of our traffic and where Ireland is the destination." Aer Lingus hasn't yet decided, he adds, if the service will be year-round, or just "tactically" deployed during the winter months. "We've a lot of issues to put to bed, not least the cost of the operation, but we think there's demand there," says Kavanagh. "We can see from our own traffic data that for the Irish consumer Las Vegas is very attractive." The service would operate no more than three times a week, and possibly two, he adds. All this is part of a wider strategy that Kavanagh (49), whose father spent his own career in the Dublin Airport police and fire service, has been a low-key architect of over the past number of years - including helping build the airport into a European hub for transatlantic travel. Kavanagh has worked his way up through the ranks, starting on check-in desks when he was just 18, before rising to become chief commercial officer at Aer Lingus when the airline's former boss, Christoph Mueller, joined in 2009. It was a tumultuous time. Mueller had to embark upon a rapid cost-cutting and restructuring programme at the Irish carrier to align the business with a new economic reality at the time. The nation's finances were headed down the tubes, a slide reflected in companies and in consumers' pockets across the country. But now Kavanagh, who succeeded him in early 2015 as British Airways owner IAG tabled a 1.36bn offer for the Irish carrier, presides over a very different airline. Not only is it part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), which also owns Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling, but it has expanded rapidly - and is continuing to do so. And although the changes under Mueller (who's now working at Gulf carrier Emirates) were sweeping, Kavanagh reckons more recent history at Aer Lingus has been more transformative. "We have delivered more change in the past two years than we delivered in the previous decade," he says. "What has enabled that is the success of the growth. It's far easier to restructure and far easier to achieve change in a growth scenario. We have become more cost-efficient, more competitive and sustainable." And profitable. In 2015, the year it was acquired by IAG, Aer Lingus posted a 124m operating profit. That compared to 72m it made in 2014. The growth in its transatlantic services has played an important part in achieving that profit boost. In 2015, the adjusted operating margin at Aer Lingus was 8.9pc. IAG's group figure was 11.2pc. But in November, Kavanagh told investors that Aer Lingus's previous 12-month adjusted operating margin was in excess of 13pc, and it was targeting a return on invested capital (a key measure of how efficiently a company generates profits) of five percentage points above the IAG target, which is about 15pc. IAG, headed by former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh, has also been keen to use Aer Lingus as a tool for capturing more transatlantic traffic. Last year - in its first full year under IAG ownership - Aer Lingus added 350 jobs, bringing its total to more than 4,000. And being part of the bigger airline group has enabled Kavanagh to scale up Aer Lingus much faster than would have been possible as a standalone entity. This is a point continually made by Aer Lingus management and IAG in early 2015 when they were being grilled by politicians who wanted it to remain an independent company with the State retaining its 25.1pc stake. Last year, IAG said it was adding long-haul A330-300s to the Aer Lingus fleet. This summer, it will have 15 jets serving North America, including four leased Boeing 757s. Since it was acquired by IAG, Aer Lingus has boosted frequencies on existing routes, announced a new service to Miami (it begins later this year) and opened routes between Dublin and Newark (New Jersey), and Hartford (Connecticut). Later this year, it will start flying between Dublin and Miami (it already serves Orlando). So how many US cities does Kavanagh think Aer Lingus could serve beyond the 11 it will have with Miami and Las Vegas? "There are a limited number of gateways (in the US) that we would wish to serve," he says. "We think we have the capacity to serve more. "New technology aircraft bring us the potential to add more. But we also see opportunities to grow on the existing networks. We want to fly to where people want to fly. "If we continue to grow New York JFK, for example, it just improves the efficiency of the hub at Dublin and it means that there's more connecting opportunities to the UK and Europe as a result. It's not necessarily the spread of destinations, it's more the quality of the network that we're focused on." Dublin is now the fifth-largest airport in Europe for connectivity to North America, hot on the heels of Amsterdam. At the moment, Aer Lingus has about a 2.5pc share of total transatlantic capacity, flying 1.7 million such passengers last year out of a total 11.9 million it carried in 2016. The ambition, says Kavanagh, is to "at least" challenge the 3pc of transatlantic capacity figure. That would see it add between three and five more aircraft, adding as many 500 jobs. The airline will offer more than 2.2 million transatlantic seats this year. About half its transatlantic passengers fly point-to-point - from one airport to another. But about a third of passengers who take an Aer Lingus long-haul flight have first taken another flight to connect to a long-haul service, with the remainder using the long-haul network to fly onwards to a further, final destination. "We've had great success in recent years at becoming relevant as a gateway," says Kavanagh. "For a consumer in Newcastle, if an airline is only flying to two or three destinations (in North America), then you're a secondary consideration to a secondary hub. "If you have a dozen destinations in North America, delivering on value and service, then when you're considering a journey across the Atlantic, you'll think Aer Lingus. It's not a third or fourth option any more. That's what we've built and what we'll continue to develop." Don't even think of describing Dublin as a secondary hub. It gets Kavanagh riled up. He argues the point is to think big. Dublin, he says, has an opportunity to be more than that, able to provide a "compelling proposition" to customers who currently fly to the US out of London, Amsterdam or Paris, for instance. "The opportunity doesn't exist forever," he says, noting how other carriers such as Iceland's low-cost carrier WOW are flying passengers from Ireland via Reykjavik to the US. WOW is also considering setting up a base in Dublin. "If you don't take it, someone else will. That's what we need to recognise, not just from an Aer Lingus perspective, but from a Dublin perspective and an Ireland Inc one." And a small part of the jigsaw includes the once unthinkable - a deal with former arch nemesis Ryanair. The pair have all but sealed a so-called interlining agreement that will effectively see Ryanair feeding passengers from its extensive short-haul network to long-haul Aer Lingus routes. It will involve revenue-sharing and back office co-operation with ticketing. Both airlines downplay the significance, Ryanair management pointing out that its planes are full most of the time anyway, giving little leeway for carrying many passengers who'll be connecting to Aer Lingus. Turning 50 next December, Kavanagh is not far off the age of 55 that Willie Walsh once described as his own "ideal" retirement age. Walsh has since said he's realised that 55 is still young. Kavanagh tussled with former EasyJet chief operating officer Warwick Brady to secure the Aer Lingus chief executive role, and says he has no plans of going anywhere soon. Brady is now deputy chief executive at Stobart Group, the UK transport firm that owns Aer Lingus Regional operator Stobart Air. "I worked for many years to try and develop the business and the opportunity," says Kavanagh, who famously doesn't drive but gets the bus to and from work from his home in nearby Drumcondra. "I believed I could add value in that context. That was the reason I had the ambition to be chief executive," he says. "Ultimately - I won't say it's a lifetime's work - but I'd spent 26 years in Aer Lingus. There weren't many things that I hadn't some hand or part in, or supported. The ability to have some influence over the delivery of that opportunity was something that was too good an opportunity to pass." Scandinavian carrier SAS has confirmed it will secure an Irish Air Operator Certificate (AOC) as part of radical plans to compete against low-cost carriers by opening bases in London and Spain. "The air travel market in Europe is experiencing intense price pressure and rising demand for leisure travel," according to the airline, whose ownership is split between the governments of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, as well as private investors. Having an Irish AOC means SAS will also have to base a management team in Ireland and it will also register aircraft here. "To secure the company's long-term competitiveness and to take an active role in the growing leisure market, SAS is now taking a further step to reduce the cost differential to newly established competitors," the airline said. "If SAS is to secure the long-term profitability of key traffic flows and actively participate in the growing leisure market, SAS must have the same preconditions as other market participants. Therefore, SAS has decided to establish a new AOC in Ireland with operational bases in London and Spain," it added. The Irish unit will hire locally, while its cost advantage is more likely to come from lower social security expenses and taxes rather than from reduced wages, spokesman Fredrik Henriksson told a Nordic business publication. Services will begin with small number of aircraft, with the same livery and service offering as SAS's existing fleet, he added. "In line with SAS's strategy of focusing on those customers who travel frequently to, from and within Scandinavia, the majority of SAS's airline operations will continue to be based in Scandinavia moving forward," said SAS president and ceo Rickard Gustafson. "The establishment of new bases means we can complement our Scandinavian production and, in time, build an even broader network with a superior schedule to the benefit of our customers," he said. SAS said that start-up costs for the new AOC and new bases are expected to impact earnings in the short-term, but that financial benefits will "gradually increase" as the new operations grow. SAS already works closely with Dublin-based airline CityJet. The Irish carrier bought SAS units Blue1 and Cimber. PEOPLE paying off loans to bust Rush Credit Union have complained to the Central Bank over what they claim are threats from the lender's liquidators. The former members claim they were threatened with poor credit ratings unless they signed up to make repayments through a standing order. McStay Luby, liquidator of the now-closed credit union, said it was investigating the claims, but denied threats to report people to the Irish Credit Bureau (ICB) for not setting up standing orders. The High Court appointed McStay Luby as liquidators to Rush Credit Union in November following an application by the Central Bank on foot of a probe that had revealed fraud and a funds shortfall. One member said he was called by a person working for the liquidator asking him to switch from making payments in person at the offices of the former credit union to setting up a standing order instead. "I explained I did not wish to set up a standing order but am very happy to continue to make payments locally where possible as I work 9 to 5, at which point he told he me I was going to have a bad credit rating." The member, who did not want to be named, has a loan for 6,500. He did not understand why he got the call as he has paid 2,000 in advance on the borrowings. The man says he was told he had no choice but to sign a standing order to pay off the debt, and if he did not it would be flagged on the former credit union's system and reported to the Irish Credit Bureau. He posted comments on Askaboutmoney.com and was subsequently spoken to by the Irish Independent. "He told me he would update the system to say 'I would pay when it suited me'. I argued this is not what I said but he only heard what he wanted. "He didn't care when I mentioned my loan was in credit, so how could I be behind payments? I asked about a possible settlement and he would not even talk about this." Jim Luby of liquidators McStay Luby said his firm was dealing with the complaint. "There is no basis for the comment that not setting up a standing order would result in a credit-rating issue," Mr Luby added. "Obviously, if a borrower defaults, credit rating may be affected." There is close to 9m owed on 1,600 outstanding loans. The Central Bank said: "The liquidation of Rush Credit Union does not imply any change in members' repayment obligations, for example, a faster repayment schedule cannot be imposed." The regulator said payments should continue to the term as set out in the existing terms and conditions. Rush Credit Union was placed into liquidation by the Central Bank and the High Court following the emergence of a 4.7m hole in its reserves, and allegations of financial mismanagement emerged. Gardai are expected to press charges in relation to the allegation of fraud at the credit union. The sale of a business is a life-changing event for a business owner. The business can represent years of work and its value can often be a significant portion of the owner's wealth. The sales process is complex and there are many ways that value can be eroded during the process if it is not handled properly. Consequently, good advice and proper preparation are absolutely key to a successful outcome. The ongoing volatile global environment led to a 4pc year-over-year drop in global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deal volumes in 2016. This was exacerbated in Ireland as a result of the UK Brexit uncertainty. The top 10 advisers in Ireland advised on 50pc fewer deals in 2016 when compared to 2015. However, this year is expected to bring a bounce-back in M&A activity, notwithstanding the geopolitical challenges. Companies and private equity firms are realising that their strategic plans cannot be put on hold to wait for final Brexit certainty - and Irish target companies continue to attract strong interest from international investors seeking to enhance their European presence. The recent sale of Irish packaging group Americk to a Spanish packaging company, Saica Group, in October 2016 is a case in point. While realising value will be a key driver, there are many reasons why an owner might consider selling. These include a desire to retire with no apparent succession, a wish to expand the business as part of a larger group or an unsolicited approach from a credible buyer. The complexity of the sale process should not be underestimated - it generally takes at least six months and there are a number of distinct stages, including preparation, identifying potential buyers, negotiating price and terms, due diligence and legal documentation. This complexity reinforces the importance of exit planning. It will never be possible to maximise the value of a business in a sale if the appropriate steps have not been taken in advance. The first consideration is to determine the right type of buyer to meet the owner's financial and non-financial objectives. A sale to a strategic buyer offers the greatest prospect of a 100pc sale and the opportunity for the owner to leave the business. It is also worth noting that earn-out structures requiring the owner's involvement for a period post-sale are quite common. On the other hand, a whole- or part-sale to a private equity fund may suit an owner seeking to de-risk by taking some money out but also requiring further investment to expand aggressively for the next stage of growth. Strategic buyers may be willing to pay a premium price for a business in order to secure entry into a new market or acquire an additional product range to be sold through their distribution network. If competitive tension can be generated for the company involving a number of bidders, a valuation in excess of the norm may be achieved. A common scenario is where a company receives a direct approach from a potential buyer and enters into bilateral discussions which are then broadened into an auction process involving other bidders, thus maximising the value achieved. Sometimes even just the threat of moving to a wider auction can optimise the result for the target company. The value of a business being sold is ultimately determined by a willing buyer and a willing seller and in a sale a company is worth what the buyer is prepared to pay for it. Company valuations are not an exact science but can be estimated by experienced advisers based on a number of factors, including current market data, the company's historic and projected financial performance and the strength of its market position. The sale of aviation software provider, Arconics, to US-based technology company, ViaSat Inc. in November 2016 highlighted how an Irish home-grown technology business could attract a premium valuation from a major quoted US buyer as a strategic asset. IBI Corporate Finance expects the technology, media and telecommunications sector to continue to be the most active for sell-side deals in Ireland (accounting for 16pc in 2016) and we also have visibility on a strong deal pipeline in the food and healthcare markets. A purchaser of a business will carry out a robust due diligence exercise before completing the transaction. Any weaknesses identified during the due diligence process may be used by the purchaser to challenge the terms of the deal. Therefore, any potential issues should be identified upfront and either rectified or appropriate remediation measures put in place. In summary, the sale of a business is a complex transaction and to achieve a successful outcome, good advice, proper planning and a lot of hard work is required for any business owner. Laurence O'Shaughnessy is director of IBI Corporate Finance Sue ONeill, who has highlighted the collective impact of small businesses, and chef John Grennan from Simpli Baked, at yesterdays SFA awards at Dublins RDS. Photo: Gary ONeilland The Government needs a more focused strategy for small business, the head of the chairwoman of Small Firms Association (SFA) said at the group's annual awards. Over 30 finalists from 13 counties were at the RDS in Dublin yesterday to showcase their business offerings for the SFA Small Business Awards. "Small companies make up 98pc of all businesses and we are present in every city, town and village in the country. Together we employ half of the private sector workforce - some 800,000 people - highlighting our collective impact," said SFA chairwoman Sue O' Neill at the event. "We are calling on government to engage now in delivering a more medium-to-long-term vision for the small business community, as outlined in our 'Next Generation Business' policy document. We want to make Ireland the most vibrant small business community in the world," she said. Speaking at the RDS, Jobs and Enterprise Minister Mary Mitchell O' Connor, insisted her department's policy was to meet the needs of the small business community. "We have placed the growth and support of SMEs and indigenous enterprises at the centre of our medium to long-term goals. I agree with the SFA on the importance of entrepreneurship as a career option. The Government's National Skills Strategy 2025 includes a commitment to develop an Entrepreneurship Education Policy Statement. This will help ensure that more young people can choose to become entrepreneurs, which are the lifeblood of our economy," she said. The SFA awards are broken into seven categories, which recognise excellence in manufacturing, food and drink, innovator of the year, exporter of the year, and sustainable energy, together with outstanding business and emerging new business. Did the magic of psychological analytics - the big data version of "secret sauce" - launch Donald Trump into the presidency? Don't believe the hype. Trump's successful digital campaign has lately garnered a lot of breathless attention, notably in a German magazine article that credits a small British company called Cambridge Analytica with giving him an edge in the cut-throat world of political messaging. The idea is that the company employed newly developed methods to derive peoples' personality traits from their activity on Facebook and elsewhere. There are a couple of problems with this narrative. First, that particular sauce wasn't very secret. Second, everyone was doing it, including - or especially - Hillary Clinton. Don't get me wrong. Cambridge Analytica ceo Alexander Nix seems amply capable of hatching diabolical schemes, judging from a video in which he brags about helping Ted Cruz with a "cutting-edge" model that defines people according to five personality traits. But everyone has something to sell. And in this case, Nix has a product that sounds a lot better if it seems extra-sophisticated and devilishly clever. In reality, personality tests have been around for decades and are in wide use - big US companies use them to filter job applicants. Or consider the publicly available 2011 paper in which computer scientists from the University of Maryland explain how to infer the 'Big Five' personality traits pretty effectively from Twitter data alone. Some secret sauce. Clinton's analytics team put much more money - and just as much, if not more data - into categorising and manipulating American voters through targeted political ads. The Trump campaign reportedly focused on Facebook, tricking people into taking personality surveys and culling their likes. Compare that to Clinton's database, which started with everything that Barack Obama's campaign had. This would include Facebook data handed down from Obama's famous analytics team, which employed an app - no longer available - that helped access information about Obama supporters' friends. In other words, it looks like Clinton's campaign had more information, not less, than Trump's. Obama invented this game. And although Democrats, with the help of Google executives, had a good head start, it wasn't ever going to last. There's plenty to be appalled at in this story. The asymmetry of information represented by this new generation of political ads, tailored to the exact personality type and browsing history of each voter, is scary enough on its face. It's a threat to democracy that directly undermines the notion of an informed citizenry. It's just not specific to Trump. Granted, in some ways, Trump's campaign might have taken the practice to a new level. A case in point: its self-described "voter suppression" efforts, which involved non-public Facebook "dark posts" (since suppressed by Facebook) and the campaign aimed at discrediting Clinton among specific groups of African-American voters. But when did campaigns ever play nice? Expect big data strategies on both sides to get dirtier in time for the midterm congressional elections. Whatever you may think about the two dominant political parties, neither has a monopoly on voter manipulation. (Bloomberg) A group of large US technology companies has met to discuss filing an 'amicus brief' in support of a lawsuit challenging US President Donald Trump's order restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. The meeting was called by GitHub, which makes software development tools, a spokesman said. Amicus, or friend of the court, briefs are filed by parties which are not litigants in a case but want to offer arguments or information to the judge. Google, Airbnb and Netflix were among the companies invited, a separate person familiar with the situation said. The technology sector has become the clearest corporate opponent to the ban announced last week. The industry depends on talent from around the world, and companies have been considering the best way to muster their resources. Efforts so far have included statements condemning the move and financial support for organisations backing immigrants, such as the American Civil Liberties Union. The Trump administration says the rules will increase national safety and are well within its powers. Michal Rosenn, general counsel for fundraising company Kickstarter, which will be involved in a filing, said the effort began on Monday. "We're all very shaken. We're shaken to see our neighbours and our families and our friends targeted in this way," Rosenn said. "All of us are trying to think about what we can do." The discussions among the tech companies come after Amazon.com and Expedia filed declarations in court supporting a lawsuit filed by the Washington state attorney general. Amazon and Expedia said Trump's order adversely impacts their business. A separate lawsuit challenging Trump's order as unconstitutional was filed on Monday by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. If the tech companies decide to file an amicus brief as a group, it is unclear which case they would weigh in on. Other companies invited included Adobe Systems, AdRoll, Automattic, Box, Cloudera, Cloudflare, Docusign, Dropbox, Etsy, Evernote Corp, Glu Mobile, Lithium, Medium, Mozilla, Pinterest, Reddit, Salesforce.com, SpaceX, Stripe, Yelp, and Zynga, the source said. A representative for internet communications company Twilio confirmed it will be involved in filing an amicus brief. Cloudflare ceo Matthew Prince said the internet security company is willing to consider and sign an amicus brief. Denelle Dixon, chief legal and business officer for Mozilla, said the immigration order was "misplaced and damaging, to Mozilla, to the technology industry and to the country." The move comes after Irish-American software company Intercom intervened in the US immigration controversy by offering to pay the legal fees of Muslim tech workers thinking of moving to Dublin. Intercom'sceo, Eoghan McCabe, said that the firm is offering to pay legal fees of up to 250,000 for "at least" 50 Muslim tech workers if they consider Dublin as their next career destination. "If you're in tech, and you're from one of the newly unfavoured countries, or even if you're not, but you're feeling persecuted for being Muslim, we'd like to help you consider Dublin as a place to live and work," he said. Stepping out of the lift at the barista level at LinkedIn, I was first struck by the noise of the people congregated there - and then the realisation that there were genuine beer taps behind the bar. The fact that the alcohol isn't generally available until Fridays when some up and coming band arrives to play to employees - and the loud meet and greets are largely business focused - does little to quell the office envy. I'm here at the firm's EMEA HQ in Dublin and about to meet the region's HR chief Wendy Murphy who arrives with a beaming smile in her corporate blue outfit. I like her immediately. Naturally, I'd done a little spying on Wendy beforehand (on LinkedIn of course) and was impressed with her diverse CV, something she would later tell me is an attribute she looks for in potential employees. But I wasn't prepared for honesty - "I never intended to work in HR" - or for her seemingly authentic passion for the job that she's ended up in. "I did an internship in Eircom to see what HR was all about and it was really really helpful," she said, "I knew then that this was for me." "Engaging with people, the thought that was put into how peoples careers evolved that just really sparked [the interest]. My core passion and one of my values is around developing people... there was no looking back for me." From talent acquisition to in-house and general recruitment, Wendy maintains that it's her commercial awareness that has led to her success in the industry - that and her international experience. "I took a big risk and I moved to Jamaica to work with Digicel. I literally would not be sitting in this chair at LinkedIn if I had not gotten those five years abroad," she said. "It gave me the ability to scale a business; the ability to diversify and to operate across multicultural industries. I became accustomed to the fast pace, being agile, and going with whatever is thrown at you. Theres nothing better than being in a culture where you have to immerse yourself, to find out who you are and what your capabilities are." Unsurprisingly, this bucket list of skills, talents and experiences sums up what the LinkedIn HR team look for in their staff. And their recruitment drive is very active. Last November, the company announced that it was expanding its workforce by 200 new staff bringing the total employees in Dublin to 1,200. Its new "even better" European HQ building - scheduled to be completed by early April - is adjacent to Dublin's Grand Canal, and next door to the existing offices. Read More So what can those hoping to get a job in LinkedIn do to impress? *Agility That is learning agility, commercial agility, being able to adapt to commercial situations, to customers, to audiences. "Whatever the role is, that you pick it up pretty quickly and you go with it, constantly eating up the opportunity to learn new things." *Open to change People that are up for - and don't flinch - challenges when they arise. "At LinkedIn, the pace is incredibly fast so if you dont have that adaptability you are not going to survive." *Good personality Those that genuinely care, and are compassionate towards, people. Volunteering and relevant project work on your CV is a good indicator here. "People that will go the extra mile to help a colleague, call it collaborative, call it team playing...I just call it treating people with respect." *Creative/Innovative "Someone that has created a video or manages a blog would stand out. There are some really interesting and clever people out that there - I want to see that rich media talent that just grabs your interest." *Diverse People who have tried a lot of things and are not afraid to do something different, to jump into a new role that they dont know anything of the knowledge. "We dont hire for just one role we hire for their potential." This really isn't an empty statement. Anyone that is joining the LinkedIn group is flown into Dublin for a two induction program "to be immersed into the culture". And they are made aware from the very outset that they are the makers of their own careers - and they are encouraged to take up all the learning tools available to them at LinkedIn i.e LearnIn portal, class-based training, webinars etc. "The first thing we say to them is that were delighted that they are on the team but they probably not going to stay at LinkedIn forever," she said. "The job of a lifetime doesnt exist anymore but we encourage you to use every opportunity to become the best professional that you can be." Not only does LinkedIn aim to prepare every employee for that step but, according to Wendy, the company strives to make the "journey" as comfortable as possible. And the barista TGIF drinks are just the tip of the iceberg. You know the brief, so what are the perks if you meet it? *Perk Up An extra allowance given to employees every quarter. "Employees can spend it either on health and wellness, parenting or animals. It really gives employees other options so they have a more fulfilled and meaningful life." *Reward programs Anybody in any part of the company can give another person an award. *Time outs - "We have all our health and well-being programs, we have our gym, we have meditation, and gurus on staff who take time out of their working day and even hold classes themselves." *In Day - One day given back to every employee every month so they can transform themselves, the company or the world. "What I mean by themselves, its back to the learning invest in yourself every day. Theres a theme every month so you can follow the theme or read a book or take a class or go online and do a video. You can also go to a charity and do some work there." *Shut Down Week Employees get a really good break over the Christmas. "We believe you work hard you play hard but have to enjoy life overall." Read More Not necessarily a perk in itself but definitely an advantage, particularly with a diverse and expanding workforce, LinkedIn is "extremely passionate" about DIBS - Diversity, Inclusion - and Belonging. And it's evident from tiny gestures through to formal policies. "Belonging is probably a new addition to the narrative," said Wendy. "Every employee, no matter what your background, needs to feel a sense of belonging in the company." In addition to LinkedIn's Out@In - which won LGBT Employee Network of the Year in 2016 - the firm has also established Women at LinkedIn and more recently, Parents at Linkedin which was spearheaded by Wendy herself. "There are about 1,000 people here and some 50pc of those are non native Irish - and weve have 99 babies born in 2016! "When youre not from here and you dont have your parents or grandparents as a network, and when youre a first time parent and trying to balance a demanding job, it can be a real struggle." But while some may view LinkedIn's strategies as relatively trailblazing, Wendy admits that the firm has "a really long way to go" and they are constantly inviting feedback from employees in what they could do better. "It has to be implemented from the top down and from the ground up - we have to make sure even the most junior employees have a voice," she said. And they are listening. Wendy said that when she emails CEO Jeff Weiner, she will get a response - and that is the same for any employee emailing another executive at the firm. "We dont hire for ego there are no barriers, no hierarchy in that sense and thats hugely important. If you really want people to have a voice thats hugely important," she said. Fans were spotted queuing outside Ticketmaster in Dublin's Jervis Street Shopping Centre at 6.30am. Pic: Independent.ie Some Ed Sheeran fans have been queueing since 10am yesterday Eager fans have braved the freezing temperatures overnight to secure their tickets for Ed Sheeran's 3 Arena gig. Queues have been building outside Ticketmaster outlets across the country in the past 24 hours with desperate fans setting up their camping gear in order to be first in line for tickets when they go on sale at 9am today. Dedicated fans have been showing their support with people in Sligo, Mullingar and Dublin hitting the queues from about 2pm yesterday. The Leinster Express reports that superfans in Portlaoise began queuing at 10am yesterday, nearly 24 hours before tickets are set to go on sale. Expand Close Fans were spotted queuing outside Ticketmaster in Dublin's Jervis Street Shopping Centre at 6.30am. Pic: Independent.ie / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fans were spotted queuing outside Ticketmaster in Dublin's Jervis Street Shopping Centre at 6.30am. Pic: Independent.ie Fans were left disappointed on Tuesday when pre-sale tickets for Ed Sheeran's Dublin concerts sold out on his fan site in less than 20 minutes. However, soon after the tickets were sold-out they were being re-sold on ticket touting website viagogo.ie for over 800 - ten times the original price of the tickets, which cost between 76 and 86. There's a queue in Sligo already for Ed Sheeran tickets pic.twitter.com/DyGoRuIEqS Val (@magnumlady) February 1, 2017 Queue of fans out for Dublin @edsheeran tickets in the rain at 6.30am. Not going to lie, I'd join them if I didn't have work #EdSheeran pic.twitter.com/BmyJfwxmn2 Sarah Magliocco (@SarahMagliocco) February 2, 2017 Ed Sheeran queue in Blanch is HUGE! Ryan Dunne (@RyanD14) February 2, 2017 On the site, users are told that the tickets are "selling fast" and are the "cheapest in Dublin." Ticket prices for the two dates that Sheeran will be taking to the stage at the 3Arena, 12 and 13 April, range from 175 to 819.14 for both seated and standing tickets in all sections of the arena. Tickets are sold live on screen, as "just sold!" pops up and fans are warned: "Tickets are likely to sell soon! Don't wait until it's too late! Buy now so you don't miss out on today's price." Aiken Promotions is cautioning fans not to buy tickets via secondary sellers or any unofficial source. The concert promoter is warning fans to be aware of fraudulent websites and ticket sellers and only buy tickets from official sites. Purchasing from unofficial sites or secondary sources can result in fans being turned away at the door due to counterfeit tickets, resulting in financial loss and no entry to the concert. Video of the Day "Tickets on any secondary sites cannot be confirmed as valid tickets," said Peter Aiken. 'The greatest risk is in Cork, where high tides are predicted until Friday' (stock photo) A wind warning has been issued nationwide and will be in effect until tomorrow morning. Motorists are being warned of wind-blown debris which could affect their safety on the roads. AA Roadwatch are also warning drivers to be mindful of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Met Eireann issued the Status Yellow Wind Warning for the whole country. Flooding expected in Cork city centre this morning. Council has issued an alert for high tide around 9am: https://t.co/qvBPcgxUj8 AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) February 2, 2017 Forecasters are predicting a windy day with gusts of up to 100km/h and spells of rain and drizzle, expected to be heavy at times. Strong southerly winds will veer southwest this evening, but they will continue to be strong and blustery. Read More Flooding Motorists and householders have been warned about the risk of flooding in southern and eastern areas due to high spring tides. The greatest risk is in Cork, where high tides are predicted until Friday. The highest tides are forecast between 8am and 9.30am and 7pm and 8.30pm today. Cork County Council's severe weather analysis team urged the public to be aware of the likelihood of high tides with the greatest water heights expected in the south and east of the county. The greatest impact of the high tides is expected to be felt by motorists due to the likelihood of floods on low-lying roads, particularly in parts of Cork city and Cork harbour. Residents and traders in low-lying properties have been urged to take all necessary precautions. Gardai have urged people not to park vehicles along low-lying quays, while motorists have also been asked to allow extra time for rush-hour journeys. A disqualified driver who stole a BMW after the owner accidentally left the keys inside later crashed it while out of his mind on drugs and tablets, a court has heard. Jonathan Conway (35) lost control of the car at a roundabout while being pursued by gardai and it briefly became airborne before hitting a lamp-post and wall. Conway has 112 convictions, mainly for road traffic and public order offences, theft and failing to appear in court. Conway, of Delhurst Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to taking possession of car without the consent of the owner, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and refusing to give a sample at locations in south county Dublin on July 1, 2016. Conway, formerly of Haven House, Morningstar Avenue, Dublin 7 in currently in custody. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing until May to allow further reports to be prepared and ordered Conway to undergo urine analysis. Garda Paul Byrne told Maurice Coffey BL, prosecuting, that he was on routine mobile patrol on the Wyattville dual carriage way when he saw a black BMW change lanes without indicating. He said he activated the siren and lights and the BMW shot off like a rocket. He said further down the road the driver attempted to turn left at the roundabout at the The Graduate pub but the driver, Conway, lost control of the car and it briefly became airborne before hitting a lamp post and the wall of the pub grounds. Two female passengers in the car were treated for minor injuries. The car which had been taken earlier in Killiney was written off. Conway did not have a valid driving licence or insurance and admitted taking the car. The court heard that the owner had mistakenly left her keys inside her car parked outside her home. Conway was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where he refused to supply a sample of blood or urine. Gda Byrne agreed with defence counsel, Luigi Rea BL, that at the time of the offence Conway appeared to be out of his mind on heroin, alcohol and tablets. He agreed that Conway was co-operative with gardai. The court will hear a full plea in mitigation from Mr Rea on behalf of Conway on the next date. A Dutch man arrested in Dublin during a garda swoop on an alleged Kinahan gang property has had his surrender to Dutch authorities ordered by the High Court. Naoufal Fassih (36), a Dutch citizen of Moroccan origin, is being sought in the Netherlands to face allegations of attempted murder, assault, possession of false documents and money laundering as well as for an alleged money laundering offence here in Ireland. The Amsterdam Public Prosecutor issued three European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) in respect of Mr Fassih on various dates in 2016. He was arrested by gardai at an apartment believed to belong to the international Kinahan crime gang on Dublin's Baggott Street in April last year and High Court extradition proceedings have been ongoing since then. In the High Court on Thursday, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly ordered the surrender of Mr Fassih to Dutch authorities on each of the three European Arrest Warrants. Ms Justice Donnelly said she had considered all of the points of objection raised by Mr Fassih's lawyers and was quite satisfied to reject them all. She awarded legal costs against Mr Fassih on foot of an application by Ronan Kennedy BL, counsel for the Minister for Justice and Equality. Ms Justice Donnelly said the State should only be entitled to one day's worth of costs because matters had been staggered for a period of time. Mr Fassih made no reaction when the judgment was delivered. Mr Kennedy, for the State, said the first alleged offence relates to a violent assault at a Dutch nightclub on October 5, 2012. The prosecutor in Amsterdam said that Mr Fassih is suspected of being involved in a fight that left several people injured, one seriously. The prosecutor wrote to the Irish authorities last month explaining that a judge in Amsterdam had already discharged Mr Fassih on that charge due to a lack of evidence. However, the prosecutor intends to appeal that judgment and wants Mr Fassih to be there for the appeal. The second charge relates to over 10,000 in cash that Mr Fassih had on him when he was arrested in 2012. Mr Fassih was on social welfare at the time and refused to explain to the Amsterdam police how he could be in possession of such a sum. The court heard that he can be prosecuted under Dutch money laundering laws for failing to explain where the cash came from. The third charge alleges that he was in possession of a false passport. The warrant for the attempted murder charge was issued last September and relates to a botched assassination on November 5, 2015. The Dutch authorities suspect that he allegedly paid 8,000 to the would-be assassin and gave instructions on how to carry out the killing. Another European Arrest Warrant was issued after Mr Fassih's arrest in Dublin. Mr Kennedy said Fassih was in possession of luxury watches worth over 40,000, cash, mobile phones and "other items that can be linked to criminality". Although the seizure was made in Dublin, Dutch authorities said they can adjudicate on Dutch citizens accused of crimes committed in other jurisdictions. Mr Fassih's barrister, John Byrne BL, argued that there was no evidence linking his client to the items seized at the Dublin apartment other than that he was present when the raid took place. He argued that Mr Fassih could not be prosecuted in Ireland in those circumstances and therefore should not face extradition to Holland on those grounds. Furthermore, the fact that Mr Fassih had already been acquitted on the assault charge meant that the "precise nature" of the proceedings against him were not known, Mr Byrne argued. In relation to money laundering, Mr Byrne referred to the "expert opinion" of a Dutch lawyer who is acting for Mr Fassih. The Dutch lawyer, in an affidavit given to the court, said that under Dutch law there is not enough evidence in the warrant to bring a prosecution, and he therefore should not be extradited. Mr Byrne said the allegation in relation to the false passport is merely that he is a suspect in a crime but the authorities have not decided whether to prosecute. This, he said, would be insufficient grounds for an extradition. On the attempted murder charge, he said it is not clear from the warrant what the specific charge against Mr Fassih would be, as it is not alleged that he is the hitman. Ms Justice Donnelly said Mr Fassih's surrender was not prohibited on any of the points raised by Mr Byrne. The family of murdered journalist Veronica Guerin have spoken of their disgust after gangster John Gilligan said he prays for her. Gilligan - who spent 17 years behind bars for drug trafficking, and who has had two attempts on his life - told the Irish Independent he "often prays for Veronica". Expand Close Veronica Guerin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Veronica Guerin He made the claim just before he lost his appeal against the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) from seizing his last three remaining homes in Ireland. But reacting to Gilligan's words, Veronica's brother Jimmy Guerin was disgusted. Expand Close Gilligan's daughter Tracey Photo: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gilligan's daughter Tracey Photo: Collins "Gilligan's comments are another display of the total contempt he has for Veronica, her family and for everything that has happened since her killing," he said. "I have deeper thoughts and comments on this prayer claim of his also, but they are not suitable for print," Mr Guerin added. He also said Gilligan was "an immoral individual" who killed Veronica, not to stop her writing, but to halt an assault case she brought against him which would expose his crime empire. Asked for his reaction to Gilligan losing his appeal and his loss of his three remaining homes, Mr Guerin said it would be a shallow victory if there was a delay in the CAB seizing the houses and selling them. Expand Close Gilligan's wife Geraldine Photo: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gilligan's wife Geraldine Photo: Collins "I appreciate that there is due process in these matters, and that it will take time, but it will be a shallow victory until these properties are seized," he said. "It has taken more than 20 years to get this far and it's time it ended now." Expand Close The Jessbrook site, where John Gilligan still lives in a cottage on the land / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Jessbrook site, where John Gilligan still lives in a cottage on the land Convicted drug trafficker John Gilligan gave his wife the thumbs-up sign from across the courtroom as the judges prepared to deliver their ruling. But within minutes, Gilligan and his family had lost their appeal on the ruling that gives the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) the right to seize three houses. The CAB fought for more than 20 years to strip the crime boss of his properties on the basis that they were bought with the proceeds of crime. It has already sold off his massive Jessbrook equestrian centre in Kildare and a house in Lucan for 870,000. The decision of the Supreme Court means the CAB can now seize a bungalow beside the equestrian centre, a former family home in Corduff Avenue in Blanchardstown, Dublin, and another house in Willsbrook View in Lucan, Dublin. "I am satisfied that the Gilligans are not entitled to succeed in the Greendale motions," Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne said. The five-judge court said the Gilligans had not established that a previous Supreme Court decision of 2008 came within rare or exceptional circumstance in which a final judgement may be set aside. To do so, it would have been necessary to show that through no fault of their own, they had been the subject of a breach of constitutional rights, Ms Justice Dunne said. "There is nothing extraneous in the circumstances of this case going to the very root of the fair and constitutional administration of justice which would necessitate the setting aside of the judgment of the Supreme Court of 2008", she added. Gilligan looked both shocked and disbelieving of the outcome as he sat at the back of the court with his son Darren. Read More They left soon afterwards, and the man who was the boss of the gang that killed crime journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996 was then seen on his phone, reading passages of the ruling aloud. A spokesman for the CAB said the bureau noted the judgment with satisfaction. "This now brings these lengthy proceedings to a conclusion. The bureau disposed of a significant amount of the properties relating to this matter in 2014, including the former equestrian centre, and is now free to proceed to dispose of the remaining residential properties," he added. A CAB investigator said the ruling was a fantastic result. "It is because of Gilligan and the murder of Veronica Guerin that the CAB was set up. He is the reason we exist," he said. "Now he has tested the law surrounding CAB to the very ends and in every court in the land it means he has copper-fastened our existence and it will make us more successful in seizing the assets of criminals and criminal gangs in the future. "The ruling can be used as precedent now. Gilligan frustrated the system for 20 years but he has lost, and more like him will lose as a result." Wealth Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said the ruling sent a clear message to serious criminals: "We will take your wealth from you. What we see from these people is they get into these cycles and it takes every ounce of effort and resource of the State to stop it." Ms Fitzgerald described the CAB as "one of a kind" and said its processes had been "heavily tested in the courts". She also praised her predecessor Nora Owen for setting up the bureau. The CAB now has to wait for the Supreme Court to perfect its case in law before moving forward. "Once that is done we will be sending a letter to the Gilligans, through their solicitor, in which we will be seeking them to vacate the properties," said a spokesman. "Then at that point we will be seeking sale and disposal of the houses." 'In his action, Mr Sayers claims a mechanical excavator Mr Hayes was controlling moved the tree, causing it to fall' Stock photo: Getty Images A man suffered a severe crush injury while helping a friend cut down a tree which fell on him, the High Court heard. Anthony Sayers (65) has sued dairy farmer Tom Hayes of Rathcole, Fethard, Co Tipperary, as a result of the incident on September 12, 2013, on Mr Hayes's property. Mr Sayers was tended to by a doctor as he was trapped under the tree for 45 minutes, his senior counsel Jeremy Maher told the court. Mr Sayers, from Watergate, Fethard, Co Tipperary, had been helping his friend fell the 70ft tree. He had to be given morphine and oxygen as efforts were made to free him. In his action, Mr Sayers claims a mechanical excavator Mr Hayes was controlling moved the tree, causing it to fall. He also claims there was a failure to ensure the area where the tree was to fall was safe. The case is before the court for assessment of damages only. The court heard Mr Sayers suffered a very serious injury to the pelvic area. The case continues. A man who was allegedly beaten to death with a hatchet during a row over a chihuahua had a previous conviction for stamping on a man's head, a murder trial has heard. Wayne Cluskey (25), and Josh Turner (24), both of Mooretown, Ratoath, Co Meath have pleaded not guilty to the murder of 27-year-old Christopher Nevin at Tailteann Road, Navan on November 19, 2015. Garda Michael Fitzpatrick of Navan Garda Station today told Mr Cluskey's defence barrister Shane Costelloe SC that in 2007 Mr Nevin pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm having stamped on a man's head as he lay on the ground. He said the assault left the victim with lifelong injuries and Mr Nevin was jailed for five and a half years with 18 months suspended for his part. On another occasion Mr Nevin was convicted of possession of an article with intent to cause injury. Mr Nevin's wife, Lisa Nevin, also gave evidence today, telling prosecution counsel Michael O'Higgins SC that she married the deceased in 2011. She said they were "very happy", that they traveled abroad once a year and that her husband loved life. "He just wanted a simple life," she added. She said she knew Josh Turner and Wayne Cluskey, who would often call to their home. They shared an interest in lamping for rabbits and Josh and Christopher shared a love of dogs. About six months before her husband died Mr Turner had provided a male chihuahua to breed with three female chihuahuas belonging to her husband. She said only one of the dogs got pregnant and Christopher believed she would only have one pup. Expand Close Christopher Nevin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christopher Nevin On the morning of the day Christopher died, they had received a phone call from the council telling them they were to get a house. At the time, they were living in a caravan at a halting site in St Francis Park. The last time she saw her husband alive was that afternoon when he left the caravan with his friend, Wayne Casserly, to walk the short distance to Mr Casserly's home on Tailteann Road. Mr Casserly told Mr O'Higgins that he and Christopher arrived at the house on Tailteann Road at about 1.20pm. They watched television until a short time later he saw Mr Turner and Mr Cluskey arrive in Mr Cluskey's girlfriend's car. Mr Turner came to the living room window of the house and knocked and the deceased went to the door. Moments later, Mr Casserly heard a "commotion and shouting" so he went out. "The two of them were shouting at each other. Just roaring and shouting," he said. He told them to "calm the f**k down" and then Wayne Cluskey got out of the car and took something out of the back seat. He said Mr Cluskey ran at Mr Nevin and struck him on the shoulder with what he then realised was a hatchet or an axe. He said all three of them scuffled until Mr Nevin ended up on the ground. "Wayne was on top of him and Josh was standing over him with the axe," he said. Mr Casserly said he tried to intervene but Mr Turner struck him on the back of the head with the weapon. He said he stumbled around in a daze and then heard Wayne Cluskey say: "You have gone and done it now, you have killed him." When he regained his senses, he said he saw his friend lying on the ground, bleeding so he went inside to get his phone and call an ambulance. He added: "Josh told me to keep my mouth shut, that I seen nothing." He said the two men also checked to see if Christopher was breathing and before leaving one of them told him to ring an ambulance. About half an hour later he said he received a phone call from Josh Turner who asked about Christopher. Mr Casserly told him: "I think you are after killing him." Mr Casserly said Mr Turner told him again to keep his mouth shut. Mr Casserly agreed with Mr Turner's defence counsel Patrick Marrinan SC that he believed the two men were concerned for Mr Nevin before they left. Mr Marrinan will continue his cross examination tomorrow in front of Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women. Thomas McFeely was found by the court to have failed to disclose an interest in 12 apartments Photo: National Pictures Priory Hall developer Thomas McFeely has lost his appeal over the near five year extension of his bankruptcy. The three judge Court of Appeal's decision means 68-year-old Mr McFeely, who was due to exit bankruptcy in July 2015, will not do so until 2020. On Thursday, the appeal court dismissed all grounds of his appeal against the High Court's extending his bankruptcy over "deliberate and persistent" failures to co-operate with official assignee Chris Lehane, including by not disclosing his interest in 12 apartments in Dublin. The appeal court also dismissed claims his constitutional rights were breached when computers and documents were seized after a bankruptcy inspector searched offices at Holles Street, Dublin, of Coalport Building Company, of which Mr McFeely was a director until he resigned some years before his bankruptcy. Mr McFeely claimed he owned the freehold of that premises which he leased to Coalport, a separate legal entity, and the search lead to illegally obtained documents being used to back up the bid to extend his bankruptcy. Mr Lehane denied the claims for reasons including his agents were invited onto the premises by the receiver of Coalport and ownership of the material seized was already vested in him as official assignee. In their judgment, Mr Justice Michael Peart, Mr Justice Gerard Hogan and Mr Justice John Hedigan noted there was no cross appeal against the High Court finding the entry onto the Coalport premises was unlawful with the effect the appeal court must accept that finding. The High Court had found a warrant obtained under Section 27 of the Bankruptcy Act 1988 did not authorise that search and the warrant should have been sought under Section 28, allowing a court direct a bankruptcy inspector to seize any property of the relevant bankrupt. For reasons including the Coalport premises was not a residence or property of Mr McFeely himself and no constitutional right of his was breached as a result of the search, the High Court had discretion to find the evidence arising from the search was admissible for the bankruptcy extension application, the appeal court held. Any rights invaded by the search were of Coalport's and any rights inherent in materials found on the premises had been vested in Mr Lehane as being part of the bankrupt's estate, it said. Coalport had no superior entitlement to those materials. Mr Lehane had argued there was other material, apart from that seized at the Coalport premises, to support the bankruptcy extension, it also noted. The appeal court stressed unlawful entry by State agents onto business premises is "always a serious matter" and nothing in its judgment should be understood as "diluting this basic principle, itself a cornerstone of personal freedom and the rule of law". If the bankruptcy inspector entered premises occupied by Mr McFeely himself, the conclusion the evidence was admissible would be different, the court held. Because of the finding no constitutional rights of Mr McFeely were breached, it was unnecessary to decide whether Coalport's rights were breached, it added. It also ruled there was "ample evidence" for the High Court's findings of non co-operation by Mr McFeely with Mr Lehane, including his failure to disclose his interest in 12 apartments and to provide his address or addresses and a "proper" statement of affairs. A nightclub boss accused of assaulting two customers had been grabbed by the throat and punched in the face, a court heard today. Counsel for Mark McCourt insisted he was subjected to aggression before any attempt to push away one of the men outside Thompsons Garage in central Belfast. Mr McCourt, of Pattersons Place in the city, denies charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of common assault. The 35-year-old part-owner of one of Northern Ireland's most high-profile nightclubs was among three men due to go on trial at Belfast Magistrates' Court. But a co-accused, Joseph Doyle, 28, from Cliftonville Road in the city, entered a guilty plea to a single charge of common assault before the hearing began. The third defendant, 50-year-old Seamus Deeds of Horn Drive in Belfast, is contesting one count of common assault. Charges were brought over an incident at the venue early on March 12, 2015. Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes was told alleged victims Aaron Quinn and Jonathan Russell had been drinking in another bar before arriving at the club. They were said to have met with Mr McCourt and received free drinks following a complaint about not getting served. Mr Quinn claimed he became involved in a brief scuffle with the owner which he described as "friendly banter". He and his friend Mr Russell then left the premises along with Mr McCourt and a number of bouncers. The alleged assaults took place in an outside alleyway. With CCTV footage of both incidents shown during the hearing, the two friends claimed door staff forced them to the ground and either punched or kicked them. But Martin Morgan, representing Mr McCourt, put it to Mr Quinn that he had grabbed his client by the throat and slapped him on the head during their encounter inside the club. He argued that the complainant then lunged again towards the defendant outside the venue. The barrister contended that Mr McCourt pushed Mr Quinn away due to his aggression. "Your response to him pushing you, and that is the common assault allegation, is to grab him and punch him in the face," Mr Morgan said. At one point Judge Holmes, who studied the CCTV footage, commented that he was in no doubt the defendant's alleged push came after "clearly offensive" actions by Mr Quinn. Mr Russell gave an account of getting kicked and punched about the face and body, claiming up to ten men were involved. He descried being put in a head lock, struggling to breathe, and being told they were going to "fix" him. "I was lying straight down, flat on the ground on my stomach and guys were sitting on top of my legs and back," he told the court. Under cross-examination he was unable to remember some of the movements depicted in the CCTV footage and photographic stills. Mr Morgan described his lack of recall as "frightening". The barrister continued: "The reason you can't remember is you were just absolutely plastered." Counsel for Mr Deeds put it to Mr Russell that the CCTV recordings showed him punching one of the doormen approximately five times. The witness again confirmed he could not recall those alleged actions. With evidence still to come from a third alleged victim, Judge Holmes adjourned the contest to a later stage. He cautioned that it could be months before another suitable date is available No garda investigation was conducted into the shredding of case documents by a lead investigator in the Sean FitzPatrick loans probe, a court has heard. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was also told the investigator, Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) legal advisor Kevin OConnell, was given a qualified immunity from prosecution so he could testify in the case. The court also heard he had not been disciplined by the ODCE. Defence lawyers claimed gardai had failed to carry out their duties when they did not investigate what amounted to a criminal offence. Mr OConnell was a leading figure in the ODCEs investigation of Mr FitzPatrick over his alleged misleading of auditors of Anglo Irish Bank about the size of multi-million euro loans he had from the bank between 2002 and 2007. Mr FitzPatrick, who was Anglos chairman, has denied 27 charges. The court heard earlier this week that Mr OConnell shredded four or five documents on May 1, 2015 which should have been disclosed to Mr FitzPatricks defence team. He claimed he did so in a panic as he was terrified at the prospect of having to tell a court why they had not been disclosed. Bernard Condon SC, for Mr FitzPatrick, told a jury today the shredded documents were relevant to the case and should have been disclosed to the defence. This was accepted by Mr OConnell. He also accepted it was an offence to destroy documents material to a criminal investigation. Mr Condon said, despite this, there had been no garda investigation. The jury heard that the head of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, Detective Chief Superintendent Pat Lordan, had confirmed to the court no investigation had taken place. Mr Condon said the defence team had been seeking to find out if an investigation had occurred into the shredding for some time. But the fact there had been no investigation was only disclosed to them last October. Mr OConnell told the court he had expected there would be repercussions for him such as criminal investigation or disciplinary proceedings. He said that when he admitted about the shredding to his boss, Director of Corporate Enforcement Ian Drennan, on May 4, 2015, he did so knowing there would be a serious outcome for him. Mr Condon observed that someone who had destroyed evidence would expect to have their collar felt. Yes. Such a person would expect that to happen, said Mr OConnell. The court was also told Mr OConnell was concerned evidence he gave to the trial could be used against him and that he had indicated last year he may exercise his right not to incriminate himself. In American terms they call it pleading the fifth. A person does not have to answer a question where they could incriminate themselves, Mr Condon explained to the jury. A letter was written by his solicitor, James Macguill, to the Director of Public Prosecution on October 12 last raising the issue. The court was told the Office of the DPP wrote back giving a limited assurance to Mr OConnell. The letter said: Without prejudice to the question of whether or not the acts of your client amount to the commission of any offence and in order to address the concerns expressed by your client and to vindicate the defence right of cross examination of your client, the Director indicates that no evidence given by your client in this trial or any further trial of Mr FitzPatrick concerning the above incident will be used in any criminal proceedings against your client. Mr Condon said this amounted to a qualified immunity that anything Mr OConnell said at the trial could not be used against him. The barrister said, however, that in reality the immunity enjoyed by Mr OConnell was wider than what was said in the DPPs letter. I am suggesting to you, you have effectively been given an immunity by the failure of the gardai, I would assert, to carry out their duties, he said. Mr Condon said prosecution counsel Dominic McGinn SC would say that the DPPs letter did not offer an immunity at all. The case continues. A court has been told there is now a serious sewage problem at a Co Dublin private residential house where up to 70 South American and east Europeans had unlawfully been housed. Judge Jacqueline Linnane, who had directed that the house be cleared of residents by noon today, said in the Circuit Civil Court that she had read an affidavit which revealed there was now a sewage problem on top of everything else. Jayne Dobson, an engineer with Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown County Council, stated in the affidavit that she had carried out an inspection at The Pines, Lehaunstown, Cabinteely, following fears that a septic tank serving the premises may not be suitable for the intensity of occupancy. She stated that the Ballyogan Stream, a tributary of the Shanganagh-Loughlinstown river runs almost parallel to the property and both stream-water and groundwater systems were vulnerable to pollution. Ms Dobson told the court that the waste water treatment system at the house comprised a septic tank and percolation area. There were manifest issues with the treatment system which give an impression that there is a serious risk of pollution of the Ballyogan Streem as well as ground water in the area, she said. Ms Dobson said blocked waste gullies at the side of the house was causing effluent to collect on the hard-standing car park area and a broken inlet pipe to the septic tank pit was permitting raw sewage to collect around the outside of the tank. She said the tank was manifestly inadequate for servicing the waste from a property containing in excess of 10 people let alone 60. The percolation area was equally inadequate for treating the waste of the number of people occupying the premises. Ms Dobson stated that suspected sewage effluent was discharging from the percolation area into the car park area and through an opening in the boundary wall into the river bank. I believe that in order to mitigate the potential contamination risk to the environment that intensive use of the sewage system must cease, she told the court. Michael Binchy, who appears with solicitor Kevin OHiggins for the owner of the house, 85-year-old Richard Stanley, of The Pines, Glenamuck Road, Glenamuck, Dublin 18, said his client had been unaware of the situation. Mr Stanleys son, who lives in London, had rented the property to Christian Carter, who has addresses at Dunedin Drive, Monkstown, Co Dublin and at Grove Park, Rathmines, Dublin, for 4,000 a month. Barrister Liam OConnell, counsel for the local authority said the council is seeking an injunction restraining the continued use of the house as a multi-occupancy dormitory property. He believed council for Mr Carter would be telling the court the number of residents had now been reduced to 10. Fran Rooney, who appears with OBrien Redmond Solicitors for Mr Carter, told Judge Linnane his client had not appeared in court because he was currently busy reducing the number of tenants in the house and trying to find accommodation for them. Judge Linnane said he should be asked to attend court later today when she intends to deal with the county councils application for a permanent injunction. Mr OConnell had earlier told the court that the local authority had moved to obtain the injunction after learning that up to 70 tenants were occupying a living room, a dining room, bedrooms and the basement of the house in dangerous, unhealthy and cramped conditions. Ms Doyle/White had given evidence which was not only frequently unreliable 'but unfortunately deluded in many respects', Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said (stock photo) The sister of retired judge Barry White has lost a High Court action in which she claimed her family had obtained up to 2.9m less from the sale of their parents' home than they could have. Aideen Doyle, otherwise Clodagh White, had sued two of her sisters over the sale of Chimes, Mount Anville Road, Goatstown, Dublin, for 16.1m. There were seven children in the White family including retired High Court judge Barry White, who gave evidence in the case. Ms Doyle/White had given evidence which was not only frequently unreliable "but unfortunately deluded in many respects", Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said. "Regrettably, I am satisfied that her lengthy history of launching allegations is the work of a fantasist", he said. She had sued Niamh and Derval White, as administrators of their mother's estate, claiming she is owed at least 350,000 for her share of the extra that could have been achieved from the sale of Chimes in 2007. The court heard negotiations had been taking place with developer Niall Mellon but that deal did not go through and it was sold by tender. Mr Mellon subsequently bought it from the successful tenderer. Ms Doyle/White claimed the administrators had breached their duty to get the best price, which reached 19m in a private offer from Mr Mellon at one stage. Mr Justice Humphreys ruled there was no breach of duty as administrators. He found evidence from Barry and Niamh White to be honest and reliable while Ms Doyle/White's evidence was evasive and misleading. Ms Doyle/White had treatment in Beaumont Hospital which involved the removal of a portion of her brain in the frontal lobe, the judge said. Despite a DNA test to the contrary, she developed the belief she was not a biological sibling based on "alleged conversations with shadowy advisers", he said. Friends and family of the deceased at his funeral TWO women have been sent for trial charged with murdering a father-of-one who was found dead in his home in west Dublin. Anna Marie Pezzillo (33) and Rachel Comiskey (34) both had books of evidence served on them when they appeared in Blanchardstown District Court this morning. They are charged in connection with the death of Ian Quinn two years ago. Judge David McHugh sent them forward for trial to the current sittings of the Central Criminal Court. Ms Pezzillo, of no fixed address and Ms Comiskey, from Dodsboro Cottages, Lucan, are each charged with the murder of Mr Quinn (32) at an apartment at Block B, Annaly Grove, Ongar Dublin 15. The murder is alleged to have taken place between May 30 and 31, 2014. Today was their second court appearance after they were arrested and charged last month. Judge David McHugh was told a book of evidence was ready to be served on both defendants. He gave each woman the formal notice that they must provide any alibi details to the prosecution within 14 days. He also ordered copies of their gardai interviews to be furnished to the defence. Neither Ms Pezzillo, wearing a black and grey striped jumper and blue bottoms, or Ms Comiskey, dressed in a brown coat with cream coloured collar, black top and leggings, spoke during the brief proceedings. Judge McHugh granted legal aid to cover both senior and junior counsel following applications by Matthew de Courcy solicitor, for Ms Pezzillo and solicitor Paul Byrne, representing Ms Comiskey. He said he was making the order to cover two counsel given that the charge is murder. Previously, Garda Paul Kirwan said Ms Pezzillo made no reply to the charge after caution. Detective Garda Sergeant Daniel Callaghan gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to Ms Comiskey. She also made no reply to the charge. The defendants have not yet indicated how they intend to plead to the charges. Mr Quinn, who was originally from Donomore Park, Tallaght was found dead by gardai at his Ongar apartment at around 4am. Emergency services were called to the scene. A subsequent inquest into Mr Quinn's death was opened in November 2014 but was adjourned while criminal proceedings take place. A 37-year-old network technician, who injured his right elbow while installing UPC cables on a house, has been awarded damages in the Circuit Civil Court. Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke reduced Jakub Plotkas 40,000 damages award by a third for contributory negligence, to a total of 26,667. Plotka, who sued employer Sierra Communications Ltd and UPC Communications Ireland Ltd, told the court that he was putting a cable on a house wall in May 27, 2014 when he slipped off his ladder. He said he had been with a colleague and had set his ladder against a wall with bushes. While descending the ladder, he had slipped on leaves which had gone through the steps. Plotka told his barrister, Lydia Bunny, that as he tried to hold on with one hand, he rotated to the side and struck his right elbow. He had felt pain and discomfort in his upper arm but had continued to work that day. He had later attended his GP who referred him to the Kilkenny Hospital where X-rays did not reveal any fracture. He had suffered soft-tissue injuries and his life had been discommoded since the incident. Plotka, of Sandhills, Hackestown Road, Carlow, told the court that he was now working at a different position within the company as he could not undertake heavy work anymore. He claimed he had not been trained for this type of slippery hazard and the company safety guides did not mention what to do when confronted with foliage. Alan Conlan, a forensic engineer who gave evidence on behalf of Plotka, said he had to cable at least 18 houses per day and had been working under pressure. He said bushes were a frequent hazard for this particular job and another person should have been assigned to work with Mr Plotka and his colleague. Barrister Shane English, counsel for both defendants, said his clients denied liability and claimed Mr Plotka was a highly trained and experienced employee. They alleged Plotka, having felt that the bushes were a hazard before starting the job, should have called his supervisor as per company procedure. Judge Groarke said he did not believe that foliage had been considered a hazard sufficient enough to call the supervisor each time. He said Mr Plotka had felt he had to get on with the job but should have been more careful when descending the ladder. Had this accident happened when Mr Plotka was ascending the ladder it would have been a different matter, the judge said. Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Simon Coveney at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers Damien English TD, Professor Philip Nolan, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Simon Coveney at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers The Government is not prepared to meet the massive infrastructural requirements needed to promote balanced regional development and combat the growth of Dublin, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has admitted. Launching a public consultation on a long-term plan to allow balanced development across the State and avoid the creation of new commuter towns, Mr Kenny said the 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' document was designed to unlock the potential of the regions. Speaking in Maynooth University, he said while the Government was committed to a capital investment plan out to 2021, it was a short term analysis of needs but we need to look beyond that. We want to unlock the potential of our regions. It's about reducing disparities, and there are so many, he said. There are glorious opportunities if we can grasp that. This is the start of a major consultation. That's (capital investment plan) a short-term analysis of capital monies we have already voted in principle for various projects and priorities. We need to look beyond that. Our population is rising. Demand for rehabilitative places, hospitals, hospices, schools, third-level... these are massive infrastructural requirements over the next 30 years and we're not geared for that now. He said there was a different set of obstacles today, not least of which was the challenge posed by Brexit. Expand Close Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers Referencing Brexit, the election of US President Donald Trump and elections in the EU including France and Germany, he said: If Governments don't listen to people, strange things can happen. Read More The 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan', setting out the issues which must be addressed under a new National Planning Framework out to 2040, was formally launched by the Taoiseach and Housing Minister Simon Coveney. Expand Close Professor Philip Nolan and Taoiseach Enda Kenny Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Professor Philip Nolan and Taoiseach Enda Kenny Photo: Damien Eagers It aims on how best to provide housing, jobs and essential services including schools and healthcare facilities to cater for a projected population increase of one million by 2040, of which 20pc will be over 65 years old. More than 500,000 additional people at work, and half a million homes will be needed. Expand Close Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Simon Coveney at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Simon Coveney at the launch of 'Ireland 2040 Our Plan' Photo: Damien Eagers The focus of the plan is avoiding the continued influence of Dublin, which now stretches into 11 counties and accounts for almost half of all economic activity in the State. The draft report warns that if 'business as usual' is continued, it will result in the growth of commuter towns serving Dublin, with congested roads and city centres. While regional cities such as Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford will continue to grow, it will not be at the scale needed to counteract the influence of Dublin. Irish Planning Institute president Deirdre Fallon said the plan represented a major opportunity to prepare effective and evidence-based policy to address many of the issues which will affect the long term future development of Ireland. They included climate change, the landscape, the roles of our cities, towns and villages and rural development. The Construction Industry Federation said that balanced regional development could only be delivered by a thriving construction sector, with Director General Tom Parlon noting that the plan was a hugely ambitious vision for the future. Full details are available on www.Ireland2040.ie, and views are sought by March 16 next. A draft copy of the plan will be prepared, and go back out for a second round of consultation before the summer. A final version will be submitted to the Government by the autumn. The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin says he will work with Education Minister Richard Bruton on the latest plans for the handover of Catholic primary schools to other patron bodies. Dr Martin said he would be "willing to co-operate on pilot projects" to explore how the idea would work in reality. Earlier this week, Mr Bruton announced moves to revitalise the process to divest some of the 90pc of primary schools under the control of the Catholic Church, in order to offer parents more choice. The minister is suggesting ground-up talks in areas where demand for change is identified, with a view to leasing an existing school property from the church if agreement is reached on transfer to a new patron. Speaking on RTEs Today with Sean ORourke show, Dr Martin admitted that the previous divestment process, initiated under former Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, was far too slow, and said there was for a nee d for a different approach He said while you can have all these ideas at an intellectual level, there was need too get into the community and see how it could work. Archbishop Martin said the approach taken in the consultation with parents under the original divestment process, was wrong and the right information had not been gathered. I am hoping the minister will get it right. He should be asking community what they really want, said Dr Martin, who supports the plan to survey parents of pre-school children, rather than parent of existing pupils. If I consult with parents in a school, they are the wrong people, I should be talking to parents of children aged 2-3, he said. Dr Martin also referred to the emerging option of community national schools which, in many cases, will be rivalling the more familiar Educate Together school model, to take over patronage of Catholic schools. He said he thought the community national schools model offered a solution. Community national schools differ from Educate Together in that they offer formal religious instruction to all faiths during the school day, while Educate Together provide a general education about religions. Dr Martin said it wasnt only about pupils adding: I dont think a teacher should be obliged to teach a religion if they dont believe. He also reiterated his views that parents should not be baptising their children purely for the purpose of school entry and he said there was a need for more rigorous standards for everyone coming for baptism. ASTI members have rejected the latest package on pay and junior cert reform, re-igniting the threat of disruption in two in three second-level schools Members of the secondary teachers union have voted 52.5 to 47.5 against a document that emerged in discussions before Christmas. The majority took the advice of the unions 180-member central executive committee, which urged rejection. Some 75pc of ASTI members voted in the ballot and ASTIs 23-member Standing Committee will meet next week to consider the outcome. It raises the prospect of a return to industrial action in about 500 schools, where the 18,000-strong Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has members, although there are no details on that yet. It also leaves a question-mark over the fate of about 35,000 third year pupils now at risk of losing 10pc of the marks for their English exam this year because the union is not co-operating with junior cycle changes. Pupils in schools where the other second-level teachers union, the TUI represent teachers, have done a written school-based assessment for which up to 10pc of marks are being awarded. The result will come as a big blow to parents, pupils, school authorities and Education Minister Richard Bruton. Even without any further work stoppages, action in place by the ASTI is already disrupting school life, such as curtailing the number of parent-teacher and planning meeting that can take place. The ASTI is isolated as the only public service union that has not signed up for the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) and other pay deals that flowed from it. It means its members are not benefiting from a range of post-austerity pay restoration measures and improvements in conditions being enjoyed by other teachers. These include pay rises, protection against redundancy in the event of school closures, amalgamations or a fall in pupil numbers, and quicker access to full-time posts for newly-qualified teachers. All other public service unions have moved on from the LRA and are focused on its successor. Negotiations on a successor will begin immediately after the Governments Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) makes its initial report in April. ASTI president Ed Byrne said there was no immediate threat of renewing industrial action unless the Department of Education moves to threaten redundancies, teachers who become surplus to requirements arising from a school closure, amalgamation or a drop in pupil numbers in a school. A number of ASTI teachers become "surplus" in schools every year and because of the unions rejection of the pay deal, the Department is withdrawing the usual protection of guaranteed redeployment for these teachers . Decisions on teacher numbers for next September are being made in coming weeks so ASTI members at risk of redundancy will know their fate soon. Some observers of our school admission system argue that the "baptism barrier" is a problem affecting only a small number of parents. For Sarah Lennon, it is very real. Ms Lennon and her husband have applied to 20 primary schools for their son who starts in Junior Infants in September. There are three state-funded primary schools near her home in the south Dublin suburb of Shankill - two Catholic and one Church of Ireland - but Ms Lennon says he will not be admitted to any of these schools, because he is unbaptised. Ms Lennon, who is chairwoman of the campaign group Education Equality, has applied to a variety of schools including Catholic, gaelscoileanna and Educate Together. "We have received some offers from outside our area, but the schools are too far away, and we would either have to move house or work fewer hours if we had to drive that far." Education Minister Richard Bruton has his work cut out as he tries to adapt a primary system, where 95pc of schools are under the control of churches, (90pc Catholic) but tens of thousands of children come from non-religious families. The minister suggested that no politician, public servant or school manager would create the system we have now if they were starting from scratch. When considering the future direction of the faith-based education system, one is reminded of the joke about a tourist asking directions and being told: "Well, I wouldn't start from here." As the minister put it: "It is something we have inherited, and reflects a very different era in Ireland, and change is needed to meet the needs of today's families." The minister has proposed four options to control how religious schools admit pupils: * A catchment area approach, banning religious schools from giving preference to children of their own religion who live outside the catchment area ahead of non-religious children who live inside the catchment; * A 'nearest school rule', allowing religious schools to give preference to a religious child only where it is that child's nearest school; * A quota system, which would allow a religious school keep a certain number of places for children of that religion; * An outright ban on schools using religion for admissions. Church schools might be allowed to require parents to indicate respect for the ethos of the school. From religious traditionalists to secular parents, none of the lobby groups involved in education are likely to be entirely happy with these options. The last option is, perhaps, the simplest from an administrative point of view, although legally it may be the most fraught, while also still requiring a "buy in" by parents. "On the face of it, it looks fine, but the requirement to sign something saying they respect the ethos of the school is a step too far," says Ms Lennon. "If you come from an LGBT family, a divorced family or you're a single mother, you would have to sign something respecting the Catholic ethos, knowing that ethos doesn't respect your family." The last option is likely to be bitterly opposed by schools run by minority faiths, including the Church of Ireland. The minister has already acknowledged it would have a severe impact on the capacity of these groups to run their schools and maintain their ethos in any real sense. The Catholic Church has not yet expressed a preference for one of the Bruton options, but Archbishop Eamon Martin recently indicated that Catholic children in a parish could be given priority, and then children from the local area. That would favour the use of catchment areas to select children where a school is oversubscribed. While catchment areas might help churches to maintain their ethos in a school and make sense for transport purposes, there are some notable disadvantages. There would still be an element of religious discrimination in admissions, and the mapping of the catchment could be complex and controversial. It would put parents who want to place their children in a school that is convenient to where they work at a disadvantage. Representatives of Catholic schools argue that the real problem is not one of religion, but the shortage of school places generally in a number of areas. Seamus Mulconry, general secretary of Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, says: "This is an issue of over-subscription that occurs mainly in parts of the greater Dublin area and the commuter belt. "There are now choke points in certain area of Dublin. If a local Catholic school is oversubscribed, then you tend to find that other schools in the area are oversubscribed as well." This is borne out by figures from Ms Lennon. She says that close to her area, the Dalkey School Project National School has a waiting list of 300. Mr Mulconry says children applying to Catholic schools are denied admission because they do not have baptism certs only in a tiny number of cases. "If they have places, Catholic schools take everybody. Schools will often ask for the baptism cert, but it is not because of enrolment; it is to make sure that when a child is doing Holy Communion, they have the papers for it." While the baptism barrier causes genuine anguish, there are also a lot of areas where Catholic schools have a shortage of pupils. The cases where there are too few places for every applicant tend to be in highly successful schools in middle class areas, according to Mr Mulconry. "There are a lot of working class areas where over-subscription is the least of their worries." Mr Mulconry says the intake of pupils to Catholic schools is the most diverse in the country. Solving the conundrum of the role of religion in admissions is just one aspect of the controversial issue of religion in schools. Another is the sheer number of schools under the control of the Catholic Church. Moves to transfer some church schools to multi-denominational or non-denominational patrons have proceeded at a snail's pace since an initiative on divestment was announced in 2012. This week, Mr Bruton announced a plan to lease schools from the Catholic Church in areas where there is a strong demand for multi-denominational schools. The focus will be on areas of stable population, where there are enough school places, but a lack of diversity. In areas of population growth, diversity is being addressed by the opening of new schools under multi- or non-denominational patronage. How to have your say on the baptism barrier Parents, teachers, the general public, as well as organisations that stand to be impacted by the changes, are invited to submit their views on the best way of dealing with the so-called "baptism barrier". Education Minister Richard Bruton has opened a four-week public consultation process, which will run until February 20. A consultation document, 'The role of denominational religion in the school admissions process and possible approaches for making changes', is available on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. Submissions should follow the format set out in the document, and should be forwarded to: admissions&religion@education.gov.ie. As well as offering their views, those participating in the consultation are also asked to identify which of the four possible approaches set out in the proposals they would prefer to see implemented. Mr Bruton's intention is to make changes, in the first instance, in respect of the primary school system, as this is the part of the system where change is deemed to be most urgent. Some 95pc of primary schools are under religious patronage, compared with 45pc of post-primary schools. The minister says he wants to have legislative proposals to give effect to the preferred option ready by the summer. Fianna Fail has been accused of trying to delay a decision on the future of water charges after backing an invitation for Right2Water to address an Oireachtas committee. A row erupted during a private session of the cross-party committee on water over whether the pressure group could add anything to the information already available to TDs and senators. Fine Gael party chairman Martin Heydon, a member of the committee, sharply criticised Fianna Fail members for the move, which will not be in the public interest, he claimed. "With today's antics at the Oireachtas Water Committee, Fianna Fail is effectively holding up the work of the committee which is not in the public interest," the Kildare South TD said. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water was established to examine the expert report on water charges. It has a deadline of April 1 for reporting back to the Dail. "When the Oireachtas Water Committee was set up, Minister Coveney ensured it had a full representation of the Houses of the Oireachtas," Mr Heydon said. "Accordingly, all viewpoints on water are represented on this committee through the work of public representatives. The mandate we have is to hear from experts in the field and come to a consensus on the basis of fact. "We do not need interest groups wielding agendas, be it on the pro or anti-water charges side of the debate, coming in to tell us what we already know their position to be. "It is a shame Fianna Fail has contributed to this delay in the work of the committee." The row between the parties took place during a private session of the committee. The public session was addressed by Dr Tom Collins, chairman of the Public Water Forum, a body which represents domestic users as well as industry, tourism interests, group water schemes and other sectors. The forum believed "water, as a basic need, is a citizen entitlement where access should not be determined or circumscribed by ability to pay or that one's water usage should in any way increase the risk or exacerbates the impact of poverty". Dr Collins proposed a merging of the Public Water Forum and the National Rural Water Services Committee and other consultative groups to reduce duplication and provide a single, more powerful voice for users and stakeholders. The new body would be concerned with water supply, water quality and environmental protection. Such a body, called the National Water Forum, would advise the minister on a wide range of initiatives. Dr Collins raised a rare laugh on the subject of water charges when he pointed out that domestic water charges were to yield 232m in 2014 when they were dropped but, in the same year, Irish people spent 215m on bottled water. He said that meant 25 litres of bottled water per head. If Irish Water had got that kind of funding, its money problems would have been solved. A leading hospital consultant said he has seen people "needlessly die" in his emergency department as a result of hospital overcrowding in Ireland. Dr Fergal Hickey, a specialist in emergency medicine at Sligo University Hospital, said up to 350 people will die "needlessly" in the next year if the situation does not improve in the Irish health service. Speaking to RTE Radio One's Morning Ireland on behalf of the Irish Association for Emergency Medicine, Dr Hickey said one or two people "needlessly die" each year in his emergency department, and he believes it is the same elsewhere. He also said he has to apologise to families for their experiences in the hospital. "Yes, I have seen people needlessly die," Dr Hickey said. "There is often a look at staff to see if they had done something differently, but it is impossible for emergency staff to provide care for patients in an overcrowded environment. 3 key measures underway to break vicious overcrowding cycle -1) bed capacity review, 2) recruitment & 3) new gp contract @CathalMacCoille Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) February 2, 2017 "We certainly see a few ["needless deaths"] every year, it might be one or two but it does happen," he continued. "It's important we don't trivialise things... I've had to apologise to families for their experiences in the hospital." Dr Hickey said Ireland requires an extra 9,000 beds if we were to reach the OECD average of acute hospital beds per a population of 1,000, but acknowledged this wasn't realistic. "We're avoiding the key issues, which is the shortage of beds," he said. "It worsened during austerity when 1,800 beds were removed. If we were short before, we're short now. "So far there has been no effort to address this. People are trying to deal with small issues, but it's moving deck chairs around the Titanic. "The OECD average of acute hospital beds is 4.3 per population of 1,000. "Ours is 2.8. That requires an extra 9,000 beds. Nobody is suggesting this, but we do need the 1,800 we're short and a couple of hundred beds before that. "Something in the order of 2,000 beds would fix this. We keep avoiding the issue in the hope it will go away," he added. Health Minister Simon Harris responded to the interview, saying that the three key measures taking place were a bed capacity review, recruitment and new GP contracts. The highest number ever recorded by the INMO was 612 patients waiting on beds on January 3, while 602 patients were recorded the afterwards. Yesterday, there were 601 patients waiting on beds in hospitals around the country, the worst-hit hospitals being University Hospital Limerick and Cork University Hospital. Today, there are 517 patients on trolleys. A MAN who left a clamper with severe neurological damage after he struck his head with a lump hammer was yesterday sentenced to 10 years with the final three suspended. Gheorghe Pista was clamping Gerard Sweeney's girlfriend's car when Sweeney approached him shouting and swearing that he was not going to pay the fine. He then went to the boot of the car, took out a lump hammer, came back to the front of the vehicle where Mr Pista and his colleague were, and struck him on the left side of his head knocking the man to the ground. Mr Pista sustained a fractured skull and later had to have a metal plate inserted. He was in a coma for seven weeks and a medical report before the court stated he is now profoundly disabled. He can only verbalise a few words and needs assistance to walk. He requires 24-hour care which is provided by his sister and her partner. Mr Pista's elderly parents and 10-year-old daughter live in his native country of Romania and he has seen very little of them since the attack. Mr Pista's cousin, Dana, read a victim impact statement on behalf of the family, which had been prepared by his sister. She said that her cousin has gone from "being a strong man to being a fragile child". "He can't eat alone, shower alone, dress alone, he can barely walk. Today he is not even able to hug his little girl," Ms Pista said. Sweeney (25), with addresses at St Mark's Avenue and High Grove, Mount Talbot, both in Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Mr Pista (38) in Werburgh Street, Dublin 8, on October 14, 2009. He has 30 previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan said the facts of the case were "simple and tragic" and referred to the use of "such a savage weapon". "It is an incredibly heavy hammer used in the building industry for crushing stones and splitting bricks. Apply that to any part of the body and it seems inevitable serious injuries would be expected," he said. Mr Pista's former employer, Nationwide Controlled Parking Systems (NCPS) welcomed the sentence last night, saying justice had been done. In a statement, NCPS, who continue to support Mr Pista and his family, said: "It is our hope that the sentence will act as a deterrent to anyone else thinking of attacking any other service industry employee going about their work." Mr Pista is now an Irish citizen and had been working as a clamper for a number of years. On the night in question he was working with a colleague and noticed that five vehicles were parked illegally in a car park on Werburgh Street. Sgt Paul Costelloe said Mr Pista has no recollection of the attack but his colleague told gardai that they were taking details and photos of the vehicles in question when Sweeney approached them. After the attack, Sweeney ran away but his girlfriend remained at the scene. She later told gardai: "Ger is a hot head but I never saw him react like that". Defence counsel Remy Farrell said his client had 19,000 in court as a token of his remorse but the court was later informed that the Pista family did not want to accept the money. A man has been killed and three people injured in a two-car collision in north county Dublin overnight. The crash happened on the Skerries to Rush road near the intersection with St Catherine's Estate at 11.45pm. A 35-year-old man, who was the sole occupant of his car, was pronounced dead at the scene and his body was removed to the mortuary at Connolly Memorial Hospital. The three occupants of the other car, a 24-year-old female and a 45-year-old and 28-year-old male, were injured and taken to Beaumont and Connolly Memorial Hospitals. Units from Swords,Skerries & D/O from Finglas are attending a serious RTC in Lusk area Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) February 1, 2017 DUBLIN: Skerries/Rush Rd (R128) closed btwn St. Catherine's Est & Palmer Rd following serious collision. Local diversions in place. theAA.ie AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) February 2, 2017 Their conditions have been described this morning as serious, but not life-threatening. The crash happened on a sharp bend on the Rush side of the St Catherines estate. As dawn broke today the two cars could be seen at the side of the road after the head-on crash. Local diversions were put in place while the road was closed between the St Catherine's estate and the Cliffland estate pending a technical examination of the scene by garda crash investigators. Dublin Fire Brigade said it had sent units from Swords and Skerries and a District Officer from Finglas to the crash. Four ambulances were reported to have been seen at the crash site last night. Gardai are appealing for witnesses or anyone with any information to contact them at Balbriggan Garda station 01 8020510, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. Transport Minister Shane Ross has claimed a Bus Eireann strike will be "very damaging" to the travelling public as Siptu confirmed industrial action will go ahead on February 20. Siptu's Transport Sector organiser Willie Noone confirmed today that the indefinite strike will go ahead unless Bus Eireann's CEO Ray Hernan submits a letter to the unions confirming that the company will hold talks without pre-conditions. Unless that happens, all Bus Eireann intercity and Expressway services will grind to a halt, he said. "We're saying 'take the proposals off the table and make it without conditions' and we'll meet with you," Mr Noone said. He also didn't rule out the strike spreading to all CIE companies. "There are disputes bubbling under the surface at other CIE companies. They're aghast at what happened to their colleagues at Bus Eireann. They've put huge pressure on us to actually convene a meeting to discuss with them manners and ways they can support their colleagues," he said. "This dispute at Bus Eireann has really raised the bar and it may well now spread and have contagion to other CIE companies," he said. He also didn't rule out school bus drivers "getting dragged into it very quickly." However at this stage, they are not affected, he said. But Dermot O'Leary, general secretary of the National Bus and Railworkers Union (NBRU) said there is possibility of a reprieve over the next fortnight if Bus Eireann's acting CEO Ray Hernan agrees to drop the pre-conditions for an agreement. "All he has to do is write a letter to the trade unions and request a meeting without pre-conditions," he told Independent.ie. "That would solve it." The decision to go on strike was unanimously agreed by the five unions representing Bus Eireann following a meeting that lasted only an hour at the UNITE trade union office in Dublin this afternoon. Bus Eireann Acting CEO, Ray Hernan responded to union plans for industrial action by stating that he is "more than willing to hear any alternative proposals they have for achieving savings of 30m". In a statement the company said it will not put pre-conditions on any talks that will assist in addressing the current financial crisis to ensure the long term viability of the company. Mr Hernan said that the necessary efficiencies must be found within the company because it is a long term solution and not a short term fix, which is required. "Bus Eireann has commenced consultation with the National Transport Authority to ensure connectivity is maintained for our customers. Given that it has been clarified by the Minister for Transport that no funding can be made available for commercial services. Bus Eireann believes it is imperative that talks commence urgently to protect the long term future of the business, which today marks its 30th anniversary as the largest national transport provider in Ireland," the statement reads. Transport Minister Shane Ross expressed his disappointment at the announcement by the Trade Unions in Bus Eireann of their intention to strike. He stated: A strike will be very damaging to the travelling public, the workforce, rural communities and the company itself. He once again renewed his call for both the company and the Trade Unions to engage in negotiations, without any preconditions, to address the serious problems stemming from its commercial Expressway services. Minister Ross added: Through the WRC or Labour Court, the State can assist both the staff and management in discussions to resolve this dispute. Commenting on todays decision, Unite Regional Officer Willie Quigley accused Minister Shane Ross and Bus Eireann management of holding communities and unions to ransom through the threatened unilateral imposition of cuts without consultation. "Over the past fortnight both the Minister and management have disregarded numerous requests from the unions to convene a forum of all stakeholders, to publish all relevant information, and to withdraw threatened cuts so that meaningful talks could take place. "The Minister and management are effectively holding both workers and communities to ransom, and today the Group of Unions had no option to respond to this unprecedented attack on semi-state workers by announcing an all-out strike starting on February 20. "In taking this action, our concern is as much for communities and the travelling public as for our members, and our meeting today decided that school buses will not be affected by the strike. "It is not too late for the Minister to reflect on the situation, instruct Acting CEO Ray Hernan to withdraw his letters of threat, and convene a forum involving all stakeholders to chart a sustainable way forward for this vital public service and national asset. "Meanwhile, Unite will be serving notice tomorrow of strike action commencing at 00.01 hours on Monday February 20", Willie Quigley said. A priest was tied up and locked in an upstairs room as raiders ransacked his rural home last night. Parish Priest Canon Tony O'Keeffe was targeted at his home in Shanagolden, Co Limerick between 8pm and 9pm shortly after returning from Mass in nearby Foynes. Local TD Niall Collins (FF) said: "They tied him up and they put him in a back room. They then ransacked the home where there was a safe." Mr Collins said it was unclear if the raiders escaped with the contents of the safe. Canon O'Keeffe eventually managed to free himself and raise the alarm. He was not physically injured in the attack but Deputy Collins said the cleric was "pretty traumatised" by the events. Gardai were called to the scene and an alert was issued across the community. Expand Close Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fianna Fail TD Niall Collins An incident room has been set up in Newcastlewest Garda station and gardai have appealed for help locating the raiders. In a statement gardai said: "A male occupant was confronted by three males who entered the house. They locked the man in an upstairs room and ransacked the house. The man was not threatened or injured. He managed to free himself after a period of time and raised the alarm. The three men had fled the scene sometime previously. "The scene was preserved for technical examination. The men are described as mid 20s of average height and were all wearing hoodies." Gardai are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen any activity in the vicinity of the Parochial House in Shanagolden, Co. Limerick, between 6pm and 9pm on Wednesday. Deputy Collins said: "The community is in shock over this. What it shows is that while crime stats go up and down, crime never goes away. It also reminds us about the vulnerability of people living alone." He continued: "I'm calling on the community or anybody who has any information of any relevance to pass it on to gardai." Witnesses can contact gardai in Newcastlewest on 069-20650, the Confidential Line - 1800 666111 or Crimestoppers - 1800 250025. A father who claims his 12-year-old daughter broke her neck while riding the Cu Chulainn rollercoaster in Tayto Park has called for an overhaul of the regulations overseeing theme parks and funfairs. Eoin Moran told RTE Prime Time programme that his daughter initially believed she had suffered whiplash after a ride on the rollercoaster last August. However after four weeks in pain she had an x-ray which revealed that her neck was broken. Tayto Park says it was notified of the extent of the alleged incident four weeks after it occurred, and they carried out a full investigation. They confirmed that this is now the subject of legal proceedings which they will be rigorously defending. Expand Close Eoin Moran told RTE Prime Time programme that his daughter had a broken neck after riding the rollercoaster / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eoin Moran told RTE Prime Time programme that his daughter had a broken neck after riding the rollercoaster Eoin Moran told RTE Prime Time that he "counts his blessings" that his daughter is alive. "When she was x-rayed in Crumlin the medical team reacted immediately that this was an emergency situation and she was in surgery twice over the next couple of days. "The medical team has made it clear to us that this is a very serious injury that she is very lucky to be breathing, that she is very lucky not to be paralysed she is lucky to be alive. "So while what she has gone through is very serious and has been very difficult for her and us we do count our blessings that that child is alive and will recover for the most part." Mr Moran spoke on the show to highlight a gap in legislation which means that no statutory body has the responsibility or authority to investigate health and safety incidents in theme parks and funfairs. "We were shocked when we realised our child has a broken neck but we are shocked again to find that no statutory body is responsible, that no one is looking after the health of our children, that there is no oversight." Fairground rides and equipment have been subject to strict annual inspections by independent engineers since 2003. Tayto Park said that its health and safety standards are subject to constant review to meet the highest standards. However no state body has the power to investigate reports of accidents or injuries on such sites. RTE Prime Time programme revealed that no state authority has investigated the stairs collapse in the House of Horrors attraction in Tayto Park last October when nine people were taken to hospital. Tayto Park told RTE Prime Time a Health and Safety Authority official had visited the site and told them to have a replacement stairs evaluated by two engineering companies which they did. "We considered that we had co-operated with a HSA investigation but they may have another descriptor for this interaction with the incident." The HSA said the legislation it operates under does not stretch to the investigation of such incidents. "We have to be able to make the link between the place of work and a work activity. In that circumstance we determined that it wasnt a matter for the authority. We did not investigate that." HSA Assistant Chief Executive Brian Higgisson told the programme: "To my knowledge there is no other statutory body that would have a role to investigate in relation to a public safety incident in a fairground or funfair." Housing, Planning and Local Government Minister Simon Coveney told the family that his Department is currently reviewing issues in relation to safety at funfairs, theme parks and community events. "The issues of legislative change and updated guidance will be considered in light of this review," Mr Coveney said. A similar review was ordered by then Minister Mary Harney 18 years ago had never been acted on. Tayto Park management said in a statement that it is aware of an allegation of an injury on the Cu Chulainn Coaster. "We have carried out a full investigation utilising CCTV footage, staff interviews etc and as a result of this Tayto Park will be defending this action rigorously. "Tayto Park is very proud of its Health and Safety standards. Tayto Park has not received any other complaints from over 850,000 customers who have enjoyed the Cu Chulainn Coaster." Eoin Moran said his family have been on an "emotional journey". "We have been on quite an emotional journey over the last few months. We were shocked that our child, a happy go lucky healthy 12-year-old kid could go to her local theme park for a day out and come back with her neck broken, that shocked us and that has made us angry...but when we raised the issue and our concerns that this could happen to someone else and find that no one is responsible, that no one is looking after the health of our children, that there is no oversight, to find that neither the Health and Safety Authority or no other body is overseeing the health and safety, protecting our children. "That has been quite a shock to us and this is something that needs to be dealt with." Fianna Fails new recruit Stephen Donnelly has denied that his decision to join the party was a cynical ploy to get a ministry in the next government. The Wicklow TD told reporters this afternoon that the country is facing very choppy waters and he wants to be in a position to help deal with that. He has been appointed the main Opposition partys lead spokesperson on Brexit. Read More I got into politics in 2011 because I was very concerned about the future of the country. And nearly a decade on from the crash Ireland should be in clear blue waters but of course were not. Various challenges we have going on in Ireland coupled with what is going on in the UK, whats happening in American, the rise of extremism in Europe mean Im more concerned about the future of the country now than when I got into politics, he said. Mr Donnelly said he had no regrets about helping to set up the Social Democrats but he feels it was the correct decision to leave five months ago. Asked whether his support base in Wicklow backs his decision to join Fianna Fail, he replied that the overwhelming majority did. The former management consultant said he is very proud to be joining Fianna Fail because he believes they have the desire and ambition to fix the country. Im not going to retract various statements I made over mistakes made back leading up to the crash. What is important is whats happening to Ireland today. Brexit is happening today. American protectionism is happening today. The rise of extremism in Europe is happening today, he said. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he is always open to new talent. A party has to grow. And you dont grow if you stay in single seat constituencies with just one seat in each constituency, he said. Fianna Fails new recruit Stephen Donnelly got tongue tied on radio this evening when he was probed about a Sunday Independent column he wrote in 2014. RTE Drivetime host Mary Wilson quoted from the column where the politician, paraphrasing an unnamed person, described Fianna Fail as being part of a culture of "jobs for the boys, bonuses for the boys, lack of accountability and two fingers to the Dail". The Wicklow TD went on to write: "I hate it when the cynics are right." When asked about this, Mr Donnelly responded: "I don't know where you are quoting from." Ms Wilson said she was quoting it from his Sunday Independent column. "That's certainly not my language, I stand to be corrected," the politician responded. "I don't believe I wrote those words. It doesn't sound like the kind of language I use." Ms Wilson went on to say that she had just been told the quotes were on Mr Donnelly's website as well and she continued to push him on the quote. Mr Donnelly tried to change the subject but the radio host wasn't going to let it go. "You have left a trail of commentary on your twitter feed, on your website, in your writings in the Sunday Independent and indeed in your commentary on other radio shows," said Ms Wilson. Eventually Mr Donnelly conceded: "I stand corrected." Read the column here and tell us what you think: Tributes have been paid to a Co Fermanagh teenager who has lost her battle for life almost seven years after receiving a heart transplant. Kirsty Clarke (18), who died suddenly on Monday morning, had undergone the transplant procedure in March 2010 after a virus diminished her own heart's function by almost 75pc. A local councillor and family friend, Victor Warrington, told the Belfast Telegraph last night that the family had been left devastated. "Speaking not just as a councillor, but as someone who knows the family quite well, I would like to say that my thoughts and prayers are with them at this very difficult time," he said. "Everyone I have spoken to is in absolute shock. "We are a small close-knit rural community. "Everybody knows everybody and, because Kirsty had the transplant at such a young age, everyone knew who she was. "We knew she has faced hurdles and had been unwell recently, but no-one was expecting this." The former Lisnakea High School pupil complained of feeling unwell at around 7.30am on Monday. After going back to bed, Kirsty's health quickly deteriorated and she died within hours. The family have endured much heartache over the years following the murder of Kirsty's grandfather Jimmy Graham and his two brothers in the 1980s. The UDR men were murdered in three separate incidents over four years. Jimmy was targeted on February 1, 1985 by the Provisional IRA, four years after his two brothers were killed by the same terror group. Kirsty's mother later became a member of a victim and survivors support group, the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF). SEFF Director Kenny Donaldson also paid tribute to young Kirsty, saying she was held in high regard. "There has just been an absolute avalanche of emails and calls, she was extremely well respected," he said. "A lot of people admired her courage and confidence. Despite her struggles, she lived a full life and served others. "Volunteering was important to her. "Even last week she was in here wanting to volunteer at our upcoming conference." Kirsty became an active member of the support group and represented SEFF at Project Common Bond (PCB) meetings in the USA on two occasions. The PCB was established after the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. It brings together young people who have been affected by conflict from 20 different countries. "She was always aware of her roots and wanted to honour the memory of her grandfather and his brothers, but she wanted to help build a better future," said Mr Donaldson. US President Donald Trump has been told he would receive a warm welcome in Northern Ireland by Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness. The DUP leader and ex-Sinn Fein leader in the North wrote a congratulatory letter to Mr Trump before the Stormont Executive was dissolved. The Impartial Reporter says the two leaders offered their "personal congratulations and those of all the people we represent on your election as the 45th President of the United States of America". We are a small region but we are fortunate to have strong historical, economic and political ties to the United States. Some of those links predate the War of Independence and we can boast that no fewer than seventeen of your predecessors had Scots-Irish heritage. The letter, which was co-signed, went on to say: "In more recent times we have become a magnet for American companies looking for a European based and we continue to attract American tourists in ever increasing numbers." Ms Foster and Mr McGuinness informed the President that the US is the largest inward investor into Northern Ireland and say the relationship has proved mutually beneficial for both your great country and our small but dynamic region. They concluded by wishing Trump "every success in your new role". "And we extend an invitation to visit Northern Ireland. You can be assured of a warm welcome." Sinn Fein has been one of Mr Trumps heaviest critics in the Dail with party leader Gerry Adams revealing earlier this week that he has written to the White House to protest against his policies. The words of Donald Trump and now the decisions by President Trump have caused huge anger across the US and around the world, including in Ireland, Mr Adams said this week. He said people are appalled by the racist, anti-women and anti-immigration policies of President Trump. This evening new Sinn Fein leader in Stormont Michelle O'Neill insisted that the Mrs O'Neill said she would not extend a similar invitation in the current circumstances. "The invitation from the Executive Office was issued immediately after Donald Trump was elected and before he took office. "Since taking office, President Trump has pursued policies on immigration and the banning of refugees that runs counter to international standards and decency. I believe these are wrong and should not be imposed at Irish airports. "The actions of President Trump since taking office mean that an invitation to visit would not now be appropriate. "If I was in the Executive Office at this time I wouldn't issue an invitation and I'm confident that Martin McGuinness wouldn't either." A cabinet decision to agree to a commission of investigation into the National Assets Management Agency (Nama) was influenced by an inaccurate leak to the media, the Dail has been told. As Finance Minister Michael Noonan appeared to row back on commitments given to Opposition party leaders, a Fine Gael backbencher used Dail privilege to allege that the Taoiseach's department was responsible for "spurious" reports about Nama. Waterford TD John Deasy claimed that an official in Government Buildings wrongly told a newspaper last September "that irregularities had been cited by the Comptroller and Auditor General in his report into Project Eagle and Nama". "That fabrication provided the justification in part for a Cabinet decision on the matter and a subsequent announcement of a commission of investigation," he said. Mr Kenny said he had no knowledge of any individual spinning against Nama, adding that the decision to hold an investigation into Project Eagle followed a number of submissions from party leaders. Opposition parties believe the Taoiseach gave a definitive commitment to establish a formal investigation into Project Eagle which comprised of almost all of Nama's assets in Northern Ireland. Two Cabinet ministers last night told the Irish Independent that the discussion around establishing a commission came against a backdrop where they were worried about losing a Dail vote on the issue. "A lot of politicking went on at the time, but it was a pragmatic decision at the time," a source said. However, despite the promise of a commission, Mr Noonan was yesterday accused of "muddying the waters". The Oireachtas's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is due to publish the result of a probe into the Project Eagle deal within the next fortnight. The PAC began its inquiry after the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) found that a probable loss of 190m (223m) was incurred in the sale. Nama has rejected this finding. Mr Noonan told the Dail that Nama had answered every question put to it by the Comptroller and Auditor General and the PAC. "Today, I do not believe that sufficient grounds have been established on which to progress a commission of investigation without first taking the views of the PAC into account," Mr Noonan said. He asked deputies to "step back and realise what an achievement" Nama had made in generating a profit of 2.3bn. "I am well aware that last year, the Taoiseach invited, received and discussed submissions from party leaders on this matter and that, in principle, there was agreement to progress a commission of investigation, if required," he said. Fianna Fail's finance spokesman Michael McGrath said the minister was signalling "a shift in the Government's position". "It is one thing to say that finalising the terms of reference should come after the publication of the report of the Committee of Public Accounts, but it is different entirely to say the decision as to whether to proceed with a commission is dependent on the content of the report of the Committee of Public Accounts," he said. "We do not propose that a commission of investigation should go down every rabbit hole and examine every transaction in which Nama has been involved, because it would simply get lost and end up being a bonanza for the legal profession." Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace alleged Nama was "rotten to the core". "I believe the minister knows this. I do not believe for a second he thinks it is clean," he said. Transport Minister Shane Ross won't be opening his chequebook - and feels the threat of an all-out strike at Bus Eireann can be averted. But Mr Ross refused to give a commitment that all services will remain in place due to the financial crisis at the company. One of the largest unions at Bus Eireann has threatened a "large-scale and intense campaign of industrial action" if the company imposes cuts to workers' pay later this month. Five unions at the troubled company meet today to discuss their strategy after being given an ultimatum of February 20. Yesterday, Anti-Austerity Alliance deputy Mick Barry asked Mr Ross if he would give a pledge that the level of service would be maintained, which would mean keeping the same bus stops. "I'm not going to give commitments in detail on individual routes," Mr Ross said. "What I'm saying is the pledge is there that there will not be a loss of connectivity." He said he would not micromanage the solution. He also said he would enter talks with Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar on funding for the free travel scheme. But he insisted the taxpayer cannot fund the Expressway service, as this was a fundamental tenet of European law. He claimed union demands to get him to intervene and attend talks were an attempt to get him to open his "chequebook". Mr Ross said he did see "signs of hope" that the dispute can be resolved. Read More "I know this might seem strange, but I saw some signs of hope last week," he said. "Because among all the noise, we heard two clear messages." He said the first was unions were willing to engage in talks with no preconditions. "The second was the acting CEO confirming to this committee that nothing he has said or issued in recent weeks constitutes preconditions," he said. Acting chief executive of Bus Eireann, Ray Hernan, told TDs failure to implement cuts later this month would be "reckless and irresponsible". He insisted unions' refusal to discuss the measures he believes "must be taken" left management with no option but to proceed with "necessary changes". On this week's show, Kevin Doyle was joined by Nicola Anderson and Niall O'Connor as they look back on the week in Irish politics from Enda eyeballing Trump to the Tories on the border in the North. Click here subscribe to the Floating Voter on iTunes. As politicians sought to turn up the heat on Enda Kenny and the government over the visit to the White House on St. Patrick's Day, others were asking if we're in danger of an Irish version of Trump emerging if the political rhetoric continues with empty promises? The Floating Voter also heard from a group of primary school-kids who were asked for their views on Donald Trump - and they provided probably the most honest and insightful comments of all. But after only two weeks of chaos and cluelessness, can the media and public handle an entire four years of the Trump presidency? Plus it was the week that saw the visit of British PM, Theresa May, but, asked INM's Group Political Editor, Kevin Doyle, was it just another PR stunt? And does anyone really have a clue what a border with Northern Ireland will look like post-Brexit? The Tories certainly don't get it, they don't understand the symbolism of what a return to border control would mean to the Irish people, argued Niall O'Connor, before bizarrely commenting on May's sartorial choices as PM...... Each week on the Floating Voter, INM's political team discuss the main issues affecting Irish politics, bursting the bubble around Leinster House. New episodes on Independent.ie every Thursday. A publican has revealed that a Cork Emergency Department was so crowded he had to share a trolley with a prisoner handcuffed to an Irish Prison Service officer. Sam McNicholl, a publican and musician, runs the famous Connolly's Bar in Leap in west Cork. However, he was stricken with a severe pain in his side last week and his girlfriend feared he could be suffering from an acute appendicitis. "Rather than wait for an ambulance we went straight to Cork University Hospital (CUH) at about 11pm," he said. Mr McNicholl said he was left with total admiration for nurses and doctors who worked tirelessly to help patients despite the incredibly crowded conditions. Over the past fortnight, the Emergency Department in CUH has ranked, along with University Hospital Limerick (UHL), as the busiest in the country. CUH had a record number of patients on trolleys last month in its Emergency Department. "I had a trolley eight hours after I arrived. Staff kept me updated at the beginning," Mr McNicholl said. "I was taking turn on the trolley with another person. I would lie down for half an hour and he would take it himself. He was a prisoner and handcuffed with someone else." The publican was so taken by the diligence of CUH staff in trying conditions he contacted Cork radio station 103FM to pay personal tribute to their dedication. "I arrived in the emergency room with my girlfriend. She was quite persistent that I needed to be seen very quickly," he said. "We may have jumped the queue there a little bit. But I was in terrible pain - actually doubling over. "It was 10 out of 10 pain. The front line nurses saw me and that was where most of the chaos was. "I was given morphine and was put in a plastic type of chair - not even a trolley. "I am young, healthy and fit. I guess I was ignorant to the situation existing in a bubble so I was suddenly thrust into a reality for a lot of (other) people." Mr McNicholl said he never would have imagined the work demands being placed on front line HSE staff. "I have (huge) admiration for nurses for the job they do. It was like conveyor belt of people coming in and sitting and waiting. "It was just people on trolleys, (mostly) older people and all that hustle and bustle all around. "It was a place that was overrun and crowded and I just wanted to get out of there." Mr McNicholl arrived at the emergency department at 11pm and had his priority surgery at 4pm the next day. "The nurses in the wards are overextended and overworked. Any time I met them they were at the end of it. I could handle it only for a day or two. "I just felt it was a system that was broken. The world is obsessed by what is happening in the United States or England but at home we have all this happening and it seems to be ignored." Mr McNicholl's business, Connollys Bar in Leap, ranks as one of Ireland's most iconic music venues. The pub dates back more than 400 years and, over more than 30 years, it has become legendary for its impromptu gigs. Famously, the pub inspired the phrase amongst visiting musicians: 'No sleep till Connolly's of Leap.' The pub was previously operated by Mr McNicholl's late father, Paddy, who died in 2010. Mr McNicholl re-opened the pub as a special music venue two years ago. Flooding hit roads around Cork city and county this morning due to the combination of high spring tides and gusting winds. However, there were no reports of major property damage as high tide peaked around 9am. Further high tides will occur in Cork at 7pm tonight and at 7am and 7pm again tomorrow before water levels begin to fall. Flooding was reported on low-lying roads in Cork city centre at George's Quay, Union Quay and Sharman-Crawford Street from 8am today. Flooding was also reported on Bailick Road in Midleton and on the East Cliff Road in Glanmire. Cork Co Councils severe weather analysis team urged the public to be aware of the likelihood of high tides over the next 48 hours with the greatest water heights expected in the south and east of the county. Astronomical conditions were blamed for the exceptionally high tides while gusting winds helped exacerbate the tidal conditions. The greatest impact of the high tides is expected to be felt by motorists due to the likelihood of floods on low lying roads, particularly in parts of Cork city and Cork harbour. Residents and traders in low-lying properties were urged to take all necessary precautions. However, it is expected that the primary impact of the high tides will be spot-flooding on low-lying roads during the peak morning and evening rush hours. Read More Gardai have urged motorists to allow extra time for journeys and not to park cars in low-lying areas at risk of tidal flooding. Drivers were also urged not to park cars in areas prone to flooding in Cork city centre. Cork is currently the focus of a 140m flood protection scheme devised by the Office of Public Works (OPW). The scheme was devised after the combination of torrential rainfall and high tides left the city facing its worst flooding in over 800 years in 2009. An estimated 100m worth of damage was caused by those floods eight years ago. However, Cork has been hit by less severe flooding four times since 2009. Major flood protection plans are also underway for Skibbereen and Bandon in west Cork. The family of murdered journalist Veronica Guerin (pictured inset) have spoken of their disgust after gangster John Gilligan said he prays for her. Gilligan - who spent 17 years behind bars for drug trafficking, and who has had two attempts on his life - told the Irish Independent he "often prays for Veronica". He made the claim just before he lost his appeal against the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) from seizing his last three remaining homes in Ireland. But reacting to Gilligan's words, Veronica's brother Jimmy Guerin was disgusted. "Gilligan's comments are another display of the total contempt he has for Veronica, her family and for everything that has happened since her killing," he said. "I have deeper thoughts and comments on this prayer claim of his also, but they are not suitable for print," Mr Guerin added. He also said Gilligan was "an immoral individual" who killed Veronica, not to stop her writing, but to halt an assault case she brought against him which would expose his crime empire. Asked for his reaction to Gilligan losing his appeal and his loss of his three remaining homes, Mr Guerin said it would be a shallow victory if there was a delay in the CAB seizing the houses and selling them. "I appreciate that there is due process in these matters, and that it will take time, but it will be a shallow victory until these properties are seized," he said. "It has taken more than 20 years to get this far and it's time it ended now." Ireland must "build relationships" with Donald Trump's key decision makers if there is to be any breakthrough for the undocumented in the US, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has said. After meeting with Mr Trump's National Security Adviser, General Michael Flynn, and his deputy, KT McFarland, at the White House, the minister said he had "sensitised" them to the mood of the Irish people. "I directly conveyed to General Flynn the concern expressed in Ireland, and indeed, across the EU, at the most recent Executive Orders on immigration," Mr Flanagan told the AGM of the Irish Network Washington last night. "In response, General Flynn outlined the rationale for this order while I pointed out its damaging consequences in humanitarian terms, as well as for the international reputation of the United States." Mr Flynn is among the president's most controversial appointments. He's known for being combative and has a history of making provocative statements about Islam. Various US media organisations have also criticised him for spreading misinformation, known as 'Flynn Facts' when he served as assistant director of national intelligence. However, Mr Flanagan stressed his purpose in Washington was to engage with the White House and members of Congress. "The political context in Washington may have changed, but the Irish Government's objectives remain constant - achieve some relief for the undocumented and find some legislative pathway for legal immigration," he said. "There has been much written and said about the different tone and style of this new administration. "But I want to emphasise that the unique relationship that exists between Ireland and the United States is as strong as ever. "Whether one looks at the economic, political, cultural, or any other manifestation of the relationship, one can see the real depth of the ties that bind our two nations together." Mr Flanagan has also met with senators Chuck Schumer, Pat Leahy, Dick Durbin, Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republic Speaker Paul Ryan. Meanwhile, at home, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald has described President Trump's ban on refugees entering the US as "extraordinarily disappointing" and "morally, totally questionable". "We've never needed an international response to refugees more than the world needs it at present," she said. "So in that context, what's happened in America is extraordinarily disappointing." The Tanaiste was deeply concerned about the complete ban on refugees "in a country that has always been so welcoming of immigrants, including Irish immigrants". "It's been there in our hour of need and you'd like to think it would be there in the hour of need of so many refugees internationally," she said. Ms Fitzgerald said the ban would be challenged in the US courts. Former president Mary Robinson said the new US president was a "bully". Ms Robinson, who is a member of independent global leaders group The Elders, said they were extremely concerned about a number of orders introduced by Mr Trump. "He's got a big ego, as we know and he's a bit of a bully. And you have to stand up to bullies," she said. But she believes Mr Trump will be influenced by the reaction from the public to his policies. "The trouble is that this ban on all refugees from Syria and the ban on seven largely Muslim countries has really upset a balance globally," she said. Through the ages: It is increasingly common to be caught in the pressure valve of minding children and parents at the same time Nothing prepares us for that call. Bookshelves are weighed down with the guides on how to parent our children, but they are light when it comes to providing help on how to parent our parents. However, for many of my generation, it is increasingly common to be caught in the pressure valve of caring for children and parents at the same time. The sandwich generation - of which a Trinity College study found that a third of all women, and presumably men, in Ireland belong to - is a growing group, as the trends continue for women giving birth later and people living longer. But at last a national conversation seems to be happening around the issue of caring for our parents. As TV presenter Brendan Courtney's RTE documentary on his family's fight to get support to care for his dad in his own home made the headlines, it hit home with many confronted by those same stressful challenges. I know, because my family faced the same. The difference was, we were able to care for my mum at home. My sandwich years arrived by ambulance one night, but for many others, it can be a slow drift into a scenario where the person who cared for you now needs your help. Very few of us are prepared. And it seems the system here in Ireland is unprepared too. Four days after I gave birth to my third baby, my mum had a devastating stroke. Like Brendan Courtney's dad, it was totally unexpected, and in a matter of moments she transformed from a lively, glamorous and loving mother who had been with me at my daughter's birth, to being immediately and permanently paralysed and brain damaged. Expand Close Three generations: Alana and her mum in hospital after the birth of her daughter Ruby / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Three generations: Alana and her mum in hospital after the birth of her daughter Ruby I had spoken to her just hours earlier. I was still in hospital recovering from a c-section and she was about to put my other daughters to bed. I was coming home in the morning and she was so excited. As I fed my newborn baby, I tried to do the crossword, waiting for mum's texts. We always did it together. But no texts came. My husband came instead, his face telling me my life had changed before he uttered a word. I had to discharge myself from one hospital and get driven to another where I found my mum on a bed in A&E, unresponsive. For a week we were told to prepare for the worst, but she survived - the worst was still to come. As I sat round the kitchen table every night with my dad and brother, clutching their hands wondering how we would cope with her death, slowly it dawned on us that she wasn't going to die, and we would have to cope with her care. She was unable to feed herself, talk, or move anything but her left arm. She was doubly incontinent and brain damaged. I searched her wild eyes for a clue that my mum was in there, but it took a long time before that happened. She eventually gained speech but was unable to really communicate and couldn't follow or participate in conversations. So the shock of her imminent death was replaced with the shock of her imminent and long-term care. It was only when I went on to write about the impact of strokes on families and talked to others that I realised how lucky we were, because once my mum was stable, she was transferred back to Belfast where they lived, and that made all the difference. Unlike the HSE Fair Deal Scheme which, as Mr Courtney bravely highlighted in We Need To Talk About Dad, only provides financial support for long-term care in nursing homes, the NHS supports community care. In Belfast, my dad was assessed and deemed fit enough to take on the burden of looking after mum at home, supported by a comprehensive care package that included six visits every 24 hours by two carers to wash and change my mum. Because my mum was bed-bound, my active dad became house-bound, so the package also provided cover two mornings a week so that he could go out. Although it was tough caring for mum as well as my own children, at least we had the choice available to us to figure out as a family the best way to care for my mum. For us that was at home, surrounded by her things, where my dad could get on with his life, and friends and family could congregate. I have to say that caring for her at home wasn't easy. It was extremely challenging and there were many times when we wondered if we had done the right thing. The main burden fell on my dad whose life changed the night my mum's did. My brother and I lived in Edinburgh and Dublin and had careers and young families. Expand Close Brendan Courtney who shared his experiences in a TV documentary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brendan Courtney who shared his experiences in a TV documentary For the next five and a half years, I was constantly torn between my old family and my new, travelling up the M1 every other weekend, and weeks at a time to give my dad a break and to spend time with mum. Our lives were dominated by our mum's care needs, and the awful grief of caring for someone we loved so much but whose quality of life had been so diminished was harrowing. But it was also a gift. My mum died in my arms a year ago, with my dad and brother holding her hands. She died as she loved living, at home, surrounded by her family. Despite the fact that those five and half years were the toughest of my life, I am so grateful to have had them with her. An RTE poll taken after Mr Courtney's documentary showed that 85pc of people would like to be cared for in their own homes, by the people that loved them. But that can only be done with the proper financial and community supports. It is time this country took note because we need to talk about our parents, and how we care for them. The Sandwich Years by Alana Kirk is out now (Hachette Ireland, 8.99) Disconnecting: Rest or 'me time' (above) is not selfish and can make you more productive Do you work on your wi-fi-connected commute? Feel virtuous putting in long hours at the office? Eat your lunch at your desk and keep your smartphone on 24/7? If the answers are yes, you're working inefficiently and ruining your health, says Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. The 52-year-old former Silicon Valley strategy consultant is one of a new breed of lifestyle gurus who has concluded that the average office worker can achieve as much, if not more, work in four focused hours a day as in eight, and that making time for deliberate daily rest is a skill we all need to learn. The problem is we've all bought into the long-hours culture, he says - it's no longer just for highly-paid execs. If you're working on open-ended projects and enjoy your work, it's probably worse, while many twentysomethings feel that if they haven't "made it big" by 25, their career is over. That's not to mention the obvious fact that most businesses are relentlessly competitive and expect employees to be available to colleagues, bosses and clients day and night. But, he argues, snoozing is emphatically not for losers. The time-out trend is growing fast. Its disciples include Arianna Huffington, whose Thrive Global company launched last year to promote sleep and sleep products to the corporate world; then Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, whose Little Book of Hygge - one of dozens - is currently topping the Amazon bestseller chart, and an entire brigade of thinking fast and slow behaviourial scientists such as Danny Kahneman, Daniel Levitin and Charles Duhigg. Pang, who lives with his teacher wife and two teenage children, has perfected his own daily routine to achieve peak results and claims to feel more intelligent and be more productive than he did when he was working a 15-hour day. Having consulted for a string of tech companies including Microsoft, he has just set up The Restful Company to advise companies and schools on how to incorporate deliberate rest into their schedules. He has also, helpfully, written a book for the rest of us. Here are his rules. Four hours' focus That's the maximum most humans, including top athletes, musicians and scientists can manage in any 24 hours, says Pang. But you can get far more done if this time is not broken up by email, voicemail and other interruptions. Office managers need to block out times when no one has meetings or is obliged to check their emails. Smartphones should be turned off at least two evenings a week. Pang's research suggests companies that allow employees such a luxury have a happier workforce and achieve better results. What's more, their clients don't actually notice. We overestimate the urgency of most communication, Pang thinks, because it makes us feel important. The curse of the open-plan office They may well induce collaboration, but they make it harder to do any remotely intellectually challenging work. Earplugs and noise-cancelling earphones are a good first solution but, Pang warns, you have to work really hard to get into the right head space where you can hunker down and focus. Other potential solutions include being allowed to work from home, going to a coffee shop or taking over a meeting room. Or, ahem, how about a return to individual offices? Why company break-out areas are bad The hip company with a climbing wall beside the espresso bar is becoming a cliche, says Pang. While breaks can restore energy and help employees re-focus, there is a risk that they will become a way of keeping people in the office for as long as possible. Not good. Encouraging employees to have their own lives away from the workplace makes them more productive when they are present. We tend to think of rest, or 'me time', as being selfish. It's not. Keep meetings short They should never be more than 40 minutes long. To get the max out of everyone in the shortest time, insist on no multi-tasking, keep devices switched off and ban chit-chat. If you don't need to write things down, walking meetings can be useful as people can't check emails under the table or self-distract. LinkedIn does it. Routine is critical to creativity People tend to think that long hours and late nights are signs of seriousness and that leaving important stuff until the last minute is a sign of genius. Wrong, says Pang, who admits that as a student he used to stay up until 1am in a hyper-caffeinated frenzy and had to learn the hard way how to get more work done. Routine is the answer. Author Stephen King, one of the most prolific creatives alive, swears by it. Take a nap Widely accepted in Japan and increasingly by companies such as Google, which has banks of nap pods, a 20-minute nap taken roughly six hours after waking up is as restorative as two hours of sleep and better for you than a strong flat white - but it needs to become company policy to be socially acceptable. Falling asleep on the job can be a sackable offence. The art of perfecting the short nap takes practice; you may need to set an alarm. Stop working mid-sentence Neuroscientists have found that when people stop doing a piece of work they know they are going back to, their subconscious keeps processing it even when their attention goes elsewhere. Take advantage and zone out. Your brain will still be problem-solving even if you aren't aware of it. How to achieve peak vacation happiness Short, frequent holidays are more restorative than a month away as you're likely to do less. The optimum break is 10 days, with peak relaxation coming on day eight, says Pang. Alternating intense activity and deliberate restful periods each day is ideal. Pang's own routine It starts the night before, when he sets out slippers and puts coffee and sugar in a mug. He rises at 5am and goes straight to his computer where the programme will still be running, with yesterday's last sentence unfinished. From 7am to 8.15am he walks the dogs and takes his children to school. He allows an hour each morning on 'client work', has an early sandwich lunch, followed by a 20-minute nap, then goes for a walk or to the gym. He finishes at 5pm. Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, is published by Penguin (18.45) tomorrow It has taken 20 years. But the wheels of justice have finally ground to a successful halt and the Criminal Assets Bureau has secured its most prized target. The CAB was set up by the then government as one of a series of measures introduced in the wake of the murder of 'Sunday Independent' investigative journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996. Its initial focus was on the assets of John Gilligan, whose gang was responsible for the murder. Gilligan was charged with the murder but was acquitted. However, he was convicted in 2001 of trafficking cannabis and sentenced initially to 28 years in prison - the longest sentence handed down in an Irish court for a drugs offence. It was reduced on appeal to 20 years. He was released from the top security Portlaoise prison in October 2013 after serving 17 years behind bars with remission for good behaviour despite a number of encounters with the authorities, including being caught in possession of mobile phones and issuing threats against staff. Gilligan, who will be 65 next month and is originally from Ballyfermot, Dublin, is a career criminal, securing his first conviction as a 15-year-old. He gained a reputation in the criminal underworld for organising a number of thefts from warehouses but while serving an earlier jail sentence in 1993 he decided to form a new gang and concentrate on bigger profits. Among those who joined him were Brian Meehan and Paul Ward. The gang initially focused on importing cigarettes but then moved into drugs, and Gilligan was well established by 1996. Gilligan purchased Jessbrook with 100 acres on the Kildare-Meath border and set about turning it into an equestrian centre. He also became a racehorse owner and on one occasion at Naas racecourse was spotted paying his fees to his trainer with cash stuffed into a paper bag. Quickly building up a big cash stockpile, the gang began laundering it through bureaux de change and casinos in Amsterdam while Gilligan was also known to gamble regularly with bookies in Dublin, betting heavily on short priced favourites to cleanse his cash. His lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of expensive cars and designer clothes, and exotic holidays overseas, soon attracted the attention of gardai and in 1995 Operation Pineapple was established to gather intelligence on the gang. At one stage, the garda authorities had deployed more than 100 personnel to the Guerin murder investigation, under the control of now-retired garda assistant commissioner Tony Hickey. This resulted in 214 arrests and 39 convictions while more than 100 guns and drugs worth 5m were seized. In January 2006, the High Court gave the go-ahead to the CAB's application to seize the equestrian centre and other property owned by the Gilligan family. With free legal aid, Gilligan launched a series of legal actions to thwart the CAB from his prison cell in Portlaoise and this resulted in the protracted battle through the courts, which resulted ultimately in yesterday's decision. After his release from prison in October 2013, Gilligan discovered that the world had changed radically. He was no longer a kingpin on the crime scene and any thoughts he might have secretly harboured of re-establishing himself were quickly dispelled the following March when he was shot four times in the face, chest, hip and leg when two gunmen attacked him while he was visiting his brother's home in Clondalkin. Since then, he has been clinging to his three remaining properties as a reminder of the wealth he once enjoyed. Now that, too, has been removed from the thug. I would like to commend your newspaper for shedding light on the involvement of New York Congressman Peter King in assisting and supporting the Trump administration's new American immigration policies (Irish Independent, Monday). As a dual American and Irish citizen, I am horrified at what is currently taking place in the United States and am deeply disturbed by those US Republican officials like Congressman King who are enabling Trump and his far-right cronies. As your article rightly noted, Mr King has championed the Irish cause in the US since the 1980s and it is now clear that he has severely lost his way. Considering the overall severity of these new immigration rules and the fact that nearly 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants in the US are currently facing life under an administration that is determined to deport them, any affiliation with Mr King that exists whether in Irish government circles or through Irish-American organisations should be immediately terminated. Dr Gavin Wilk Newport, Co Tipperary Taoiseach Enda Kenny has ordered a complete review of pre-clearance visa arrangements to the US. The review should also include the US military use of Shannon Airport as most of the flights there are classified as "civilian". If any nationals from the six Muslim countries - Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - are found on board I'm sure they would only be too delighted to be repatriated to their country of origin. While they're at it, the review should also include requests for permits to carry munitions of war through Ireland or Irish airspace. Martin Carey Athlone, Co Westmeath Wrong to criminalise buyers of sex Proposals to criminalise the purchase of sexual services are out of line with a modern secular Ireland where consenting adults can make their own decisions about bedroom activities. The same subjective arguments used against consensual sex work could equally be used against the sale of condoms, homosexuality or in favour of censorship. Not all escorts are victims. The rescue industry have used misleading half truths and wild exaggerations about the adult industry in behaviour similar to the way misinformation was used to start the war in Iraq or blaming all Muslims for Islamic terror. The issue of trafficking is used as a Trojan horse by abolitionists with a vested interest in conflating it with sex work and increasing stigma. People will be trafficked from places like Syria and Libya whether sex work exists or not. Up to 98pc of sex workers in Northern Ireland and French surveys are against criminalising patrons, which will make their work more dangerous, oppress clients with disabilities and make health initiatives unworkable. We shouldn't accept a culture of marginalisation and demonisation of individuals on the whim of a dictatorial unholy alliance of radical feminists and moralists. Niamh McGrath Tallaght, Dublin 24 Ireland will jump to Trump's tune Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan's intention to plead on behalf of illegals breaking the law in the United States is a poor example of Irish political responsibility. As for Donald Trump's stand on immigrants and illegals, he's perfectly right; the rest of the world should follow suit while it's still (relatively) free! Does anyone think that any Muslim country would let us in illegally - not, of course, that anyone would want to live there? If Europeans had to seek refuge in Syria, you can be sure we would be kept in indoctrination camps and not admitted until we had absorbed our new faith...oh, God forbid! I am sure that President Trump will be quaking in his boots after the visits from both Mr Flanagan and Enda Kenny! The hard truth is that our Government, like all who have gone before, just don't want to create an economy independent of multinational corporations. It's in their interests to keep illegals in America as they could never be repatriated here. As usual, they'll do as the president dictates. Our politically correct politicians really need to wake up and confront the reality of problems endured by their own people at home. Dr Florence Craven Maynooth, Co Kildare We know the nasty things President Trump has said about women and other minority groups. We know he intends to bring back jobs to the USA, meaning the US industries will be made to leave Ireland. That could cost many Irish people their employment. Mr Trump also intends to pull America out of Nato. No wonder Mr Putin and Russia wanted Mr Trump to win the US election as Europe is left unprotected and Russian tanks get ready to overrun all of Europe. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that things are going to continue as normal. Could we be moving towards World War III by the extreme policies which may be carried out by President Trump? Mr Trump intends to deport all illegal immigrants and that would include many thousands of Irish citizens. What is the point of our politicians going to America on March 17, when there is a new man in the White House who has no interest in Ireland or its people? Why is Taoiseach Enda Kenny going to Washington to grovel at the feet of Mr Trump with a bowl of shamrock when he does not respect Ireland or its people? Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin must know the feelings of the Irish voters and can pull the plug on Mr Kenny's Government if the Taoiseach intends to make us look like beggars in the eyes of Mr Trump. I would also urge other political parties not to go and pay homage to fascism in USA, but stay at home with your own people who elected you. Our future is now with the EU and not the US. Why doesn't the Taoiseach bring the shamrock to Berlin or Paris for a change? Martin Ford Sligo, Co Sligo Nothing wrong with sex in 50s I was so upset by an article in your paper ('Full steam ahead: sex on hitting middle age', Irish Independent, January 25), written by Barbara Scully. What planet was she on to write an article about women in their 50s having sex? I am 54, had six children and buried two. This does not mean I cannot have sex and get on with my life. She wrote about a film and a woman of the time. So what if she had sex in the apple garden or down the lane. She painted all 50 year olds as sex maniacs. But there is nothing wrong with it. Maybe she should keep her own private life out of her articles. She painted all women in their 50s in a very negative way. Guess what, I am not dead yet at 54. Name and address with editor Kanye West is reported to be planning to boycott the Grammys A British music producer who featured on Kanye West's Grammy-nominated album says it would be "silly to miss out" on the awards show amid reports the rap superstar will boycott the event. Adnan Khan, known as Menace, helped produce a track on Life Of Pablo, which is nominated for rap album of the year at the ceremony on February 12. TMZ reported that West and fellow music stars Drake and Justin Bieber plan to miss the Grammys despite receiving multiple nominations, claiming the event is no longer relevant. Khan, who will travel to America ahead of the awards show, told the Press Association: "Everybody's got their own decisions. It's entirely up to them. "The Grammys is one of the biggest platforms for the music industry. If it was me, it would be silly to miss out." Khan, 22, from Rochdale, said he had hoped to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles but claimed many producers had been overlooked this year. "I wanted to go but obviously the rules for the Grammys are a bit different this year," he said. "A lot of hit producers won't be going. It's mainly for the artists only. "Producers overall don't get the same credit as artists. I've been in the shadows." Khan - a former mobile phone shop worker - plans to meet West when he travels to the US this month. He produced a beat which was sampled on the rap star's song, Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2, and is listed as a producer on the track. The sample reached West after rapper Desiigner - who is signed to West's label - bought the rights from Khan for 200 dollars (158) and included it on his 2016 single Panda. Video of the Day Before travelling to America, Khan, whose mother is from Pakistan, voiced concerns about President Donald Trump's ban on nationals from seven Muslim majority countries entering the US. He said: "With me it won't be a problem because I'm born in the UK. "It is concerning because a lot of the people he's turned down are legally allowed to stay in the US. "America when it was founded, it's always been an immigrant type of country." :: The 59th Grammy Awards, hosted by British comedian James Corden, take place at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles on February 12. Actors Dominic Cooper (L) and Ruth Negga attend AMC's 'Preacher' panel during Comic-Con International 2016 at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC) (L-R) Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga and Joseph Gilgun attend an autograph signing, panel and screening of AMC's new series "Preacher" at SXSW on March 14, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images for AMC Networks) Actors Dominic Cooper, left, and Ruth Negga attend the Los Angeles Premiere of AMC's "Preacher" on May 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC) Actors (L-R) Joseph Gilgun, Ruth Negga and Dominic Cooper attend AMC's PREACHER Upside Down Church Event In Time's Square on May 20, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for AMC) Actors Dominic Cooper (L) and Ruth Negga attend AMC's 'Preacher' panel during Comic-Con International 2016 at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC) Dominic Cooper (L) and Ruth Negga attend the press night after party for "The Libertine" at the Haymarket Hotel on September 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) Actors Dominic Cooper and Ruth Negga attend the premiere of Universal Pictures' "Warcraft" at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on June 6, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images) Actors Dominic Cooper and Ruth Negga attend the premiere of Universal Pictures' "Warcraft" at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX on June 6, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images) She keeps her relationship with actor Dominic Cooper very much out of the public eye, but Ruth Negga's famous other half will be on hand to support her at the Oscars. However, the Herald can reveal that the Mamma Mia! star will be keeping a low profile and is not expected to join Ruth on the red carpet on what will be the biggest night of her career so far. "Dominic will be attending the Oscars. He is Ruth's rock and her constant support, but both of them are fiercely protective of their relationship," a source said. "Exclusive sit-down interviews with magazines are as far away from Ruth and Dominic as you can get - they have no aspirations to be any sort of a showbiz couple and guard their privacy. Expand Close Dominic Cooper (L) and Ruth Negga attend the press night after party for "The Libertine" at the Haymarket Hotel on September 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dominic Cooper (L) and Ruth Negga attend the press night after party for "The Libertine" at the Haymarket Hotel on September 27, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images) "They have a lovely life together in London with a bunch of close friends and that's the way they like it. "Both of them are extremely grounded but focused. They make a great team and have been together over six years now, so even though there has been a lot more attention on them lately because of Ruth, they are pretty rock solid." The couple first met while they were co-starring in a stage adaptation of Phedre with Helen Mirren in London in 2009 and live together in the west of the city. Last year they teamed up again to work on the cult series Preacher. Expand Close The couple pictured together in 2011 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The couple pictured together in 2011 Dominic was absent during last month's Golden Globes ceremony, where Ruth was also up for Best Actress for her portrayal of real-life hero Mildred Loving in Loving. The actress instead took her cousin David to the glitzy bash and admitted that, although she was in bed by 11pm, "it was great craic". Video of the Day Ruth stars alongside Joel Edgerton in the Jeff Nichols-directed Loving, which tells the story of an illegal inter-racial marriage in Virginia in the 1950s. The 35-year-old, who was raised in Co Limerick by an Irish mother and an Ethiopian father, has also been nominated for a Bafta Rising Star Award. Expand Close Actors Dominic Cooper, left, and Ruth Negga attend the Los Angeles Premiere of AMC's "Preacher" on May 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Actors Dominic Cooper, left, and Ruth Negga attend the Los Angeles Premiere of AMC's "Preacher" on May 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC) Meanwhile, speculation is mounting over whose designs Ruth will decide to wear on the big night. The stunning actress turned heads at the Golden Globes in a Louis Vuitton creation and is hotly tipped to sport another Vuitton number for the ceremony. The 89th Academy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on February 26 in Los Angeles. (L to R) Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian attend the Balmain aftershow party as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2017 on September 29, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jacopo Raule/Getty Images) Television personalities Scott Disick (L) and Kourtney Kardashian attend the E! 2013 Upfront at The Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center on April 22, 2013 in New York City. Khloe Kardashian and Kourtney Kardashian attend the 2016 Angel Ball hosted by Gabrielle's Angel Foundation For Cancer Research on November 21, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation) Kourtney Kardashian attends the 2016 Angel Ball hosted by Gabrielle's Angel Foundation For Cancer Research on November 21, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation) TV personalities Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian attend the Wildfox Swim Cruise 2014 show at Soho Beach House on July 21, 2013 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Wildfox) It's hard to keep up with Scott Disick. Fresh from his trip to Costa Rica with ex-girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian, he was pictured cosying up to two mystery women in Miami and sources close to the reality star confirmed the pair haven't reconciled after all. Which is a good thing because he reportedly snuck a date into a nearby hotel in Costa Rica while filming Keeping Up With The Kardashians. According to TMZ, Kourtney, Kim and their mother Kris Jenner discovered he had "secretly flown" someone to the holiday hotspot during their family holiday and she was staying at the same hotel as KUWTK crew members. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference "Were told someone from the crew ratted Scott out, telling Kris and Kim about Scotts muse. Our sources say Kim and Kris had a ferocious argument with Scott. It had nothing to do with Kourtney ... that relationship has been over for a long time. They felt it was disruptive and disrespectful," a source told the site. The pair split in 2015 after a nine-year relationship plagued with drama after he was pictured kissing his ex-girlfriend Chloe Bartoli. He had a "blowout fight" with Kris and Kim and then jetted off after the fallout. "Kourtney hasnt been happy with Scott for weeks. It has nothing to do with what he is doing in Miami right now. She just doesnt like when he parties. He is an irresponsible dad when he parties," a source told People. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference "Kourtney returned to L.A. on Monday with the kids. She is not happy with Scott. She allowed him to come to Costa Rica for a couple of days so he could have fun with the kids. Scotts behaviour is again getting out of control. He is partying a lot." A roof was ripped off a building and blown onto a popular bar in Dublin this afternoon. Pictures, show the structure on top of Matt the Threshers on Pembroke Street in South Dublin. 1 fire engine from Tara St is dealing with the collapse of a flat roof on a building on Pembroke St #StormDoris #Dublin #fire pic.twitter.com/tM1UDJP05q Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) February 2, 2017 One eye-witness said: "I just heard a wicked gust of wind and an almighty crash. "Some roof got ripped up and landed on top of Matt the Threshers." Photos were also posted by Dublin Fire Brigade on their official twitter account. Other images show how one motorist had a lucky escape after a tree crashed down on top of their vehicle in Rathfarnham, South Dublin. Our Rathfarnam fire engine has responded to a tree down damaging cars. Luckily no one was injured. pic.twitter.com/e65BqeHwAt Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) February 2, 2017 A Status Yellow Weather Warning is in place for the country today, according to Met Eireann. Forecasters are predicting a windy day with gusts of up to 100km/h and spells of rain and drizzle, expected to be heavy at times. Strong southerly winds will veer southwest this evening, but they will continue to be strong and blustery. Read More Flooding Motorists and householders have been warned about the risk of flooding in southern and eastern areas due to high spring tides. The greatest risk is in Cork, where high tides are predicted until Friday. The highest tides are forecast between 8am and 9.30am and 7pm and 8.30pm today. Cork County Council's severe weather analysis team urged the public to be aware of the likelihood of high tides with the greatest water heights expected in the south and east of the county. The greatest impact of the high tides is expected to be felt by motorists due to the likelihood of floods on low-lying roads, particularly in parts of Cork city and Cork harbour. Residents and traders in low-lying properties have been urged to take all necessary precautions. Gardai have urged people not to park vehicles along low-lying quays, while motorists have also been asked to allow extra time for rush-hour journeys. David Hockney at his studio in Los Angeles with his artwork of The Sun masthead (Arthur Edwards) Artist David Hockney has redesigned The Sun's masthead for a one-off edition of the newspaper which will be seen on newsstands on Friday. Hockney, 79, said he was "delighted" to have been asked to add his flair to the newspaper's red and white banner as a life-long fan of the publication. The redesigned masthead is strongly reminiscent of the original logo - the white title against a red background - but will now include Hockney's hand-drawn sun and its rays. He said: " Once I thought about the idea, it didn't take me long. The sun and The Sun. I love it." The A Bigger Splash painter utilised modern technology to create the design, opting to use a painting app on a tablet and drawing it with his thumb. The Sun's editor-in-chief Tony Gallagher said: "Nothing demonstrates the enduring position of The Sun in British culture like having Britain's most-loved living artist redesign our logo. "We're immensely proud that we can offer Sun readers their own David Hockney, and incredibly grateful that he chose our newspaper." The Hockney edition of the newspaper, which will also feature an interview with the artist, is printed days before the opening of his biggest-ever exhibition at the Tate Britain on Thursday February 9. Fans of Hockney, who is considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, will be able to see more than 250 pieces of artwork, from his earlier pop art pictures to newer paintings in ultra-bright colours completed in 2016. The UUP's party election broadcast of a disorientated man in his pyjamas drew the attention of concerned police. (Ulster Unionist Party/PA) The filming of a much-talked about party election broadcast that featured a disorientated man in his pyjamas even drew the attention of concerned police. It has emerged that officers called at the Ulster Unionist Party headquarters in Belfast last week after receiving a report from a worried onlooker about the welfare of the bleary-eyed man. He was actually an actor who took the lead role in the UUP's pre-poll film, which aired on Wednesday evening. The premise of the broadcast was the dressing gown-clad man had just woken from a 15-year plus sleep and stumbled into UUP HQ at the junction of the Holywood Road and Belmont Road in east Belfast to be informed how the political landscape had changed while he was unconscious. UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said: "Whoever phoned the police is obviously a good neighbour and citizen." He described the broadcast as "Marmite" because people either loved it or hated it. "I have had more reaction than we have ever had to any election broadcast. "It is a bit Marmite. I would say it is four or five to one positive. "We set out to provoke a reaction because we are very conscious that apathy could be the winner (in the election) and we have certainly succeeded." A PSNI spokeswoman said: " On the afternoon of Wednesday 25th January, police received a report of concern for the safety of a man on the Holywood Road in east Belfast. Police attended and confirmed that there was nothing untoward." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the funeral of three men killed in a shooting at a mosque in Canada The Canadian prime minister has attended the funeral of three of the six men killed in an attack at a Quebec City mosque. Justin Trudeau spoke to the thousands of people packed into Quebec's Maurice-Richard Arena in Arabic. There was applause after he said "as-Salaam-alaikum", which means "peace be unto you". The Liberal Party leader stood before the caskets of Abdelkrim Hassane, Khaled Belkacemi and Aboubaker Thabti, which were draped in the flags of their homelands. He said the massacre has left Canada in shock but also unified the country in solidarity with the Muslim community. "It is with a heavy heart that we come together this afternoon to grieve the loss of these innocent lives," he said. "But as a community and as a country, together we will rise from this darkness stronger and more unified than ever before. That is who we are." Mr Thabti, 44, was a pharmacist of Tunisian origin who had three children. Mr Belkacemi, a 60-year-old father-of-two, was from Algeria and a professor at Universite Laval. Mr Hassane, a 41-year-old also from Algeria, was a father-of-three and worked in information technology for the Quebec provincial government. Mr Trudeau said they were devoted fathers who worked hard to ensure their families had a bright future - a dream, he said, that Canadians have known and shared for generations. The men, along with three others, were killed when a gunman entered the mosque and opened fire during evening prayers. Nineteen more people were wounded. University student Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, has been charged with murder and attempted murder. He was arrested on Sunday night following the attack. Bissonnette was a fan of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and US president Donald Trump, and acquaintances said he took extreme nationalist, pro-Le Pen positions at Laval University and on social media. Quebec mayor Denis Coderre, who was also among the dignitaries at the funeral, said the attack was a blow to everyone. "I think that we are all suffering" after the shooting, he said. "Not just the Muslim community, it's not just the people of Quebec. Everyone is suffering from this." Philippe Couillard, premier of Quebec province, noted all six dead were fathers like him. He said: "They were sons and brothers and uncles, like me, like us. Friends, co-workers, like us. They were us. "They were loved, appreciated, respected and they always will be. We won't forget them." "I want to tell Muslim Quebecers: You're at home here. We are all Quebecers," Mr Couillard said, to thunderous applause and cheers. A funeral is expected in Quebec City on Friday for the three other victims: Mamadou Tanou Barry, 42; Ibrahima Barry, 39; and Azzedine Soufiane, 57. AP Ukrainian tanks in the yard of an apartment block in Avdiivka, eastern Ukraine (AP) Artillery has been fired in eastern Ukraine as escalated fighting between government troops and Russia-backed separatist rebels continues for a fifth day. Two Ukrainian troops were killed overnight and 10 others wounded, the government said, while rebels said one of their fighters was killed. Shelling appeared to intensify after nightfall and both sides reported civilian deaths - two in Avdiivka and one in Donetsk city. Grad rocket launchers could be heard firing on both sides during the night. In the afternoon, shelling was heard in the distance from Avdiivka, a government-held town north of Donetsk, the largest rebel-controlled city. At least 15 people have been reported killed since the fighting around Avdiivka surged over the weekend. More than 9,700 people have been killed since the war with separatist rebels began in April 2014. An agreement reached nearly two years ago called for a ceasefire and a pullback of heavy weaponry by both sides, but skirmishes persist. Russian president Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of starting the latest escalation to rally support from the new US administration and other Western powers. Ukraine is concerned that President Donald Trump could roll back some sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine, and that European Union members could follow suit. "The Ukrainian leadership needs money, and the best way to get the EU, the US and international organisations to pay is by posing as a victim of aggression," Mr Putin said. He spoke in Budapest after a meeting with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban. Shelling over the weekend damaged water, heating and electricity supplies in Avdiivka amid a strong cold snap. Valentina Pasternak stood on her porch clutching two loaves of bread brought by aid workers. A shell landed in her yard. "I was born in 1941. I was in a war at birth and now I see it again," she said. By Thursday, water and heat had been partly restored, but Avdiivka remains without electricity. In Brussels, European Union president Donald Tusk urged Moscow to pressure the separatists to make sure the flare-up of fighting ends and a ceasefire is restored. "Russia should use its influence to disengage the Russia-backed separatists," he said. The Trump administration, meanwhile, maintained a low-key approach with a restrained tone that may reflect the start of a new US response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. AP Designer Riccardo Tisci has announced that he is leaving Givenchy after nearly 12 years at the French luxury label. The Italian-born designer wrote a thank-you note on Instagram, accompanied by a picture of a sunset, thanking "my incredible team, the magical atelier and everyone who made these 93 collections possible and all the other crazy adventures". He added: "Your love and support, in the day and in the night, will forever remain in my heart." During his years at Givenchy, Mr Tisci was beloved by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Beyonce. The French couture house confirmed his departure to Women's Wear Daily (WWD), which quoted sources calling the parting "mutual and amicable". In a statement to WWD, Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Givenchy's parent company, praised Mr Tisci's achievements. "The chapter Riccardo Tisci has written with the house of Givenchy over the last 12 years represents an incredible vision," it said in part. AP Undated handout photo issued by West Midlands Police of Craig Palmer who has been jailed for 14 years at Birmingham Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences. Photo: West Midlands Police/PA Wire A man who sexually assaulted a baby and had more than 1,000 indecent images of children on his phone has been jailed for 14 years. Craig Palmer pleaded guilty to a string of child sex offences in December and was sentenced for the crimes at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, West Midlands Police said. The 33-year-old of Blakesley Grove, Stechford, Birmingham, admitted eight counts of sexual assault, which took place when the baby girl was aged between five and 12 months. He also pleaded guilty to a further 14 offences including making, possessing and distributing indecent photographs of children. There was also one count of inciting or causing child prostitution and pornography and all the offences took place between December 2014 and February 2016, West Midlands Police said. Detective Inspector Jim Foy from the force said it has been a "disturbing" case for the officers to pursue. "This has been a difficult and protracted investigation that has had at its heart the protection of children," he said. "Palmer has been found guilty of horrendous offences that have been particularly disturbing for my officers to pursue. "However, due to their professionalism and determination this offender has been found guilty and will now suffer his punishment." Police investigating the case discovered Palmer's crimes after a tip-off from the National Crime Agency linked him to indecent images of children posted online. Officers moved in to arrest him at his then home in Fairfax Road, Sutton Coldfield in February 2016 and seized his mobile phone to gather further evidence. Full forensic analysis revealed he had a haul of more than 1,000 pornographic images of young children on the phone, including some showing him sexually assaulting the baby. Mr Foy added: "Anyone who downloads photographs of abuse of children creates a market for those photographs and that leads to other children being abused. "Please be assured that West Midlands Police is determined to identify such offenders and put them before the courts." Francois Fillon, the embattled French conservative presidential contender, would be knocked out of this spring's election in France in the first round, according to a shock poll, as a "fake jobs" scandal involving his British wife intensified yesterday. The poll came as Mr Fillon accused the ruling French left of being behind the allegations, and said he was the victim of an "institutional coup d'etat". He urged his demoralised camp to remain loyal "two more weeks" as cracks emerged over whether his campaign was fatally compromised. Recent surveys placed Mr Fillon in pole position to beat far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential run-off on May 7. But the poll by Elabe for 'Les Echos' newspaper for the first time placed maverick former economy minister Emmanuel Macron as most likely to win the presidency on a "neither left nor right" ticket, with Ms Le Pen also gaining ground. For April 23's round one, voting intentions for Mr Macron were unchanged or up a point to 22-23pc. Ms Le Pen's first round score was up by three points to 26-27pc. However, Mr Fillon's score fell by between five and six points to 19-20pc. Mr Fillon faces elimination in both cases from the May 7 second round, as only the top two go through to the run-off. Mr Macron would go on to beat Ms Le Pen in the second round with 65pc of the vote. Should Mr Fillon make the second round, he, too, would beat Ms Le Pen, but by a lower margin, at 59pc, Elabe said. Yves-Marie Cann, head of political studies at Elabe, said Mr Fillon was haemorrhaging support from "hard-right voters who used to back ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy and are now tempted by Le Pen, and centre-right voters are now leaning towards Macron". The poll was conducted on January 30 and 31, a few days after a newspaper report alleging that Mr Fillon's wife Penelope was paid hundreds of thousands of euros in taxpayers' money for a fictitious job as parliamentary assistant to her husband and his replacement. A preliminary inquiry has been opened and the couple - who deny wrongdoing - were interviewed by police on Monday. Detectives searched Mr Fillon's offices in the French parliament the following day, reportedly only to discover that Welsh-born Mrs Fillon had no entry badge. 'Le Canard Enchaine', the investigative weekly that broke the story, then increased pressure on the Fillons by reporting yesterday that the amount of taxpayers' money spent on Mrs Fillon and two of her children for allegedly fake jobs was higher than previously thought - around 900,000. She also faces allegations she was unfairly paid 100,000 to write a handful of articles for a magazine owned by the Fillons' wealthy friend. The surprise victor in November of primaries for his Les Republicains party, Mr Fillon has pledged to stand down if placed under formal investigation. But some right-wingers express doubts that he can continue given the daily revelations, despite the presumption of innocence. Georges Fenech, a right-wing MP who had supported Mr Sarkozy's nomination, said Mr Fillon's candidacy was "highly compromised" and that his victory in party primaries should be considered "null and void". He called for the party to hold an "extraordinary national council meeting" to decide what to do next. But Mr Fillon urged MPs at campaign headquarters to "hold on for 15 days" until the inquiry had run its course. The allegations against Mr Fillon are particularly damaging as he has depicted himself as a champion of political probity and austerity to reduce state debt and deficit. As he sought to focus on rolling out his manifesto, his main rivals were preparing for two key rallies this weekend in the same southern historic city of Lyon to kick off their campaigns proper. Mr Macron's camp is expecting at least 10,000 people to show up to his on Saturday, while Ms Le Pen will be rolling out 140 "presidential commitments", including plans to take France out of the euro, and to leave the EU unless it agrees to become a very loose cooperation of nations. Yesterday, Ms Le Pen, who has tried to "de-demonise" her far-right party's image in the run-up to the election, said she would not include a pledge to reimpose the death penalty in her manifesto, replacing it with "proper life imprisonment". She, too, is embroiled in corruption allegations, after the European parliament demanded she start repaying around 300,000 it says were wrongly paid to legislative aides and her bodyguard. Her entourage said she had no intention of paying the sum back, saying the party was the target of "persecution". Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] A new terror attack plot has been thwarted in Germany after mass police raids resulted in the arrest of a prolific Tunisian Isil recruiter. Police stormed 54 homes, mosques and businesses in the state of Hesse early yesterday in an operation targeting extremists planning "serious state-threatening violence". "According to evidence gathered so far, attack plans were still in an early phase and had not selected a specific target," said a spokesperson for the Hesse state criminal investigation office. Officials said the main suspect arrested was a 26-year-old Tunisian man who has been wanted since August 2015 as a recruiter and people- smuggler for Isil. The unnamed suspect had allegedly established a network of supporters "with the aim, among other things, of committing a terrorist attack in Germany". He was present in Germany from 2003 to 2013, then returned during the refugee crisis of 2015, posing as an asylum seeker. He was arrested shortly afterwards over a previous conviction for bodily harm in 2008, for which he needed to serve 43 days in prison, and Tunisian authorities requested his extradition. They suspect the jihadi of involvement in the attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunisia in March 2015, which left 20 tourists dead, and an assault by Isil insurgents on the border town of Ben Guerdane last year. German authorities said the man was freed from prison in September, and because Tunisia had not submitted the required extradition documents, he had to be released from temporary custody in November after the maximum period allowed under German law. Paperwork delays also prevented the deportation of the Isil supporter who carried out the Berlin Christmas market attack, with the revelation sparking anger at German and Tunisian authorities, as Angela Merkel pledged reforms. "From immediately after his release until his arrest on February 1, the main suspect was watched around the clock," a spokesperson for Frankfurt police said. The man did not resist his arrest, which was delayed to avoid jeopardising the ongoing investigation into a wider terror network, he added. He is one of 16 suspected Isil supporters aged between 16 and 46 targeted in the four-month investigation. In a separate case, prosecutors in Berlin said that they arrested three people on Tuesday night who were suspected of planning to travel to Syria or Iraq to undergo explosives and weapons training with Isil. All three were associated with the Fussilet mosque in Berlin, known as a gathering point for radicals, prosecutors said. Anis Amri, the Berlin Christmas market attacker, visited the mosque shortly before he ploughed a lorry into crowds on December 19, killing 12 people. ( London Independent) An inquiry into alleged embezzlement by presidential candidate Francois Fillon is to include two of his children (AP) French conservative Francois Fillon has suffered new setbacks to his presidential candidacy, with prosecutors expanding an embezzlement probe into his wife's paid political job to include two of their children. National financial prosecutors have been investigating Welsh-born Penelope Fillon's work as a parliamentary aide to her husband, seeking to determine whether there are grounds to suspect embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds. A person close to the investigation told the Associated Press that prosecutors have extended the probe to also cover the couple's daughter Marie and son Charles. Allegations that Mr Fillon's family used his political connections to enrich themselves with cushy parliamentary jobs have been particularly damaging for the former prime minister's image as an upstanding Catholic family man and country gentleman untainted by the long history of sleaze in French politics. The contrast between Mr Fillon's words and his supposed actions sting because he has promised to slash public-sector jobs and make the French work harder and longer. His nose-diving prospects of winning France's two-round presidential election in April and May have thrown open the race that had been expected to be between him and far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen. The Canard Enchaine weekly has reported that Mr Fillon hired his children as parliamentary aides when he was a French senator between 2005 and 2007, and they earned 84,000 euros (72,000) in total. Mr Fillon has confirmed he paid two of his children, "who were lawyers", for "specific assignments" when he was a senator. However, Marie and Charles still were in law school when they worked for their father, French media have reported. According to Le Canard Enchaine, they drew salaries not for assignments, but for two full-time jobs. French politicians are allowed to hire family members as aides as long as they actually do the jobs for which they are paid. Mr Fillon insists that Penelope's work for him was genuine. Piling on the pressure on Mr Fillon, France Televisions said it would screen extracts on Thursday evening from an interview with Mrs Fillon in 2007, when her husband was prime minister, in which she said she had never worked as his assistant. It would contradict the couple's defence in recent days that she was legitimately employed as his parliamentary aide. Mr Fillon and his wife were separately questioned by investigators for five hours on Monday and the Canard Enchaine reported on Wednesday that she made 830,000 euro (713,000) over 15 years. AP Israeli police arrest a settler in the West Bank outpost of Amona (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to establish the first new West Bank settlement in more than two decades "as soon as possible", promising to make up for the demolition of an illegal settler outpost. Mr Netanyahu's announcement was his latest step to expand Israeli settlement construction in the wake of President Donald Trump's inauguration. Mr Trump has signalled a far softer line toward the settlements, which are considered illegal by most of the international community. Mr Netanyahu made the comments just as Israeli security forces were completing the evacuation of Amona, where they broke into a synagogue earlier on Thursday to remove 200 protesters who had barricaded themselves inside. The pro-settler government of Mr Netanyahu had unsuccessfully tried to block the evacuation of Amona. Israel's Supreme Court rejected all appeals after determining the outpost was built illegally two decades ago on private Palestinian land. Speaking at a ceremony in the West Bank settlement of Ariel, Mr Netanyahu expressed "great pain" over the removal of Amona. "We all understand the depth of the pain and therefore we will establish a new settlement on state land," he said. "Already yesterday I formed a team that will determine the settlement location and get everything ready. We will act so that it happens as soon as possible." According to the Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now, Israel has not officially broken ground on a new settlement since 1992. Since that time, however, it has greatly expanded its existing settlements and allowed dozens of unauthorised outposts to sprout up, in some case subsequently legalising them. In all, some 400,000 Israelis now live in West Bank settlements, in addition to 200,000 others living in east Jerusalem. The Palestinians claim both areas, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future independent state. The international community has opposed the settlements, built on occupied lands sought by the Palestinians, as obstacles to peace. On Thursday, Israeli police completed the evacuation of the wind-swept Amona community, where hundreds of Jewish activists joined residents in resisting the pullout. Police began the evacuation on Wednesday but about 200 activists remained holed up in the synagogue. On Thursday, several hundred Israeli forces surrounded the building and officers wearing goggles and wielding plastic shields broke through the doors and sprayed water to push back defiant protesters. "The officers faced especially tough and violent resistance," police said in a statement. Protesters sprayed fire extinguishers at police and threw rocks, paint bottles and wooden planks, police said. AP Israeli policemen remove a pro-settlement activist from a house during an operation to evict settlers from Amona Photo: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun Israeli police clashed with hardline Jewish settlers yesterday as they tried to evict them from an illegal outpost, just hours after the government unveiled plans for a further 3,000 homes in other West Bank settlements. Settlers, and dozens of activists who flocked to Amona to oppose the evacuation, burned tyres and made makeshift barricades at its entrance. And while several families with small children left, others resisted the eviction. Teenage girls wrote slogans on the walls of their caravan homes, while youngsters chanted: "A Jew doesn't evict a Jew!" Avihai Bavaron, one of the outpost's leaders, said: "We won't leave our homes on our own. Pull us out, and we'll go...it is a black day for Zionism." Amona, near Ramallah, is the largest of scores of West Bank outposts built without official authorisation, is home to around 330 settlers. Last November, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that they had to leave because their homes are on privately owned Palestinian land but this operation marked the end of months of attempts by government militants to legalise the outpost. Most countries consider all Israeli settlements on occupied territories to be illegal, but Israelis cite historical and political links to the land to rival those of the Palestinians, as well as security issues. The Amona issue had caused tensions within Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government. But they eased after the prime minister got behind a law proposed by the Jewish Home party, a far-right political ally, to retroactively legalise dozens of outposts. This would not apply to Amona because of the existing court decision. "We have lost the battle over Amona but we are winning the campaign for the Land of Israel," Naftali Bennett, a cabinet minister and Jewish Home leader, tweeted after the evacuation. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Jim Mattis (right) said Donald Trump wanted to emphasise the importance of the relationship between the US and South Korea (AP) US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has criticised North Korea for provocative acts in his first public remarks abroad in his new role. Mr Mattis said he would consult with South Korean and Japanese officials about whether the current strategy for getting the North to curtail or eliminate its nuclear and missile programmes is adequate. He spoke to reporters aboard his military plane en route to Osan air base in South Korea from Washington DC. In the brief interview, he said he would be discussing plans to install a new US missile defence system, called Thaad, in South Korea as a means of deterring the North's ballistic missile threats against South Korea and Japan. North Korea has also said it is nearly ready to test-launch a ballistic missile of intercontinental range, meaning it could theoretically threaten the US. "Were it not for the provocative behaviour of North Korea, we would have no need for Thaad out here," Mr Mattis said. Alluding to China's objections to having Thaad deployed in South Korea, Mr Mattis said: "Thaad should be a worry to no nation other than North Korea." He held an introductory meeting with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who said he looked forward to working with the Trump administration. Mr Mattis said he was delivering a message from Mr Trump. "I talked to President Trump and he wanted to make a very clear statement about the priority that we place on this alliance between our two nations," the secretary said. "Our new administration inherits a very strong, trusted relationship between our two countries and it's our commitment to make it even stronger, especially in the face of the provocations that you face from North Korea." After a series of meetings in Seoul on Thursday and Friday, Mr Mattis was scheduled to fly to Tokyo for further consultations. AP Judge Neil Gorsuch, left, speaks as his wife Louise looks on after US President Donald Trump nominated him to the Supreme Court during a ceremony at the White House Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images US President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado federal appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. Mr Trump has opted, in the most important decision of his young presidency, for a favourite of the conservative legal establishment with high credentials to fill the opening created last year by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Judge Gorsuch (49) prevailed over the other finalist, Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania, also a federal appeals court judge, and Mr Trump announced the nomination at a televised event at the White House. The bonhomie of the ceremony was in stark contrast to the reaction of Democrats, who are ready for a pitched battle over the future of the Supreme Court. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said Judge Gorsuch will have to win over some Democratic senators to get the 60 votes needed to clear procedural hurdles. Mr Trump broke tradition by entering the White House ceremony by himself, rather than alongside his nominee. He declared that after "what may be the most transparent judicial selection process in history", he had delivered on a campaign promise to "find the very best judge in America" for the court. Judge Gorsuch took a humbler approach, and showed the flair for language that has won him praise as a legal writer. "Standing here in a house of history, and acutely aware of my own imperfections, I pledge that if I am confirmed, I will do all my powers permit to be a faithful servant of the constitution and laws of this great country," Judge Gorsuch said, with wife Louise, at his side. The selection of Judge Gorsuch won extravagant praise from Republicans and conservatives, something that has been rare in the Trump administration's combustible start. "I can only hope Democrats and Republicans can come together for the good of the country," Mr Trump said. That is unlikely. Democrats and liberals are still furious that the Republican Senate did not allow a vote on former president Barack Obama's choice for the Scalia seat, Judge Merrick Garland, and have vowed to contest Gorsuch. Mr Trump yesterday endorsed the use of the "nuclear option" if needed to achieve Senate confirmation of his Supreme Court nominee. Citing partisan gridlock in Washington, Mr Trump said at a White House event he would support the approval of Judge Gorsuch with 51 votes, instead of the 60 that have traditionally been required in the Senate to break a filibuster. Discontent Mr Trump's remarks came as Democrats have launched a battle over Judge Gorsuch's confirmation, insisting that Senate Republicans abide by the rule of requiring 60 votes, as was the case with Mr Obama's nominees. An early sign of discontent: Trump invited senior Democratic senators to the White House for a reception to meet his Supreme Court pick, but they declined. A group of legal and civil rights groups blasted the nomination, saying Judge Gorsuch was a tool of conservative activists who would gut protections for consumers, workers, clean air and water, safe food and medicine and roll back the rights of women and gay people. Judge Gorsuch is seen as a less bombastic version of Mr Scalia and would seem destined to be a solidly conservative vote on the ideologically split court. But friends and supporters describe Judge Gorsuch as being more interested in persuasion than Mr Scalia. Judge Gorsuch would be the youngest Supreme Court justice since Clarence Thomas was confirmed in 1991. But like Mr Scalia, he is a proponent of originalism - meaning that judges should attempt to interpret the words of the constitution as they were understood at the time they were written - and a textualist who considers only the words of the law being reviewed, not the consequences of the decision. Judge Gorsuch has not ruled on abortion. But activists on both sides of the issue believe they know where he stands. They point to language in his book 'The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia' in which he opines that "all human beings are intrinsically valuable and the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong." Ship and tug oats are seen at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad A view of the main container cranes which have been hit by recent Saudi-led air strikes at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad Newly recruited Houthi fighters take part in a parade before heading to the battle front to fight against government forces in Sanaa, Yemen, February 1, 2017. The headband reads: "We are tough on infidels." REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah The U.S. military said on Wednesday it was looking into whether more civilians were killed in a raid on al Qaeda in Yemen on the weekend, in the first operation authorized by President Donald Trump as commander in chief. U.S. Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens was killed in the raid on a branch of al Qaeda, also known as AQAP, in al Bayda province, which the Pentagon said also killed 14 militants. However, medics at the scene said about 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that an investigating team had "concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed" during Sunday's raid. It said children may have been among the casualties. Central Command said its assessment "seeks to determine if there were any still-undetected civilian casualties in the ferocious firefight." Expand Close A view of the main container cranes which have been hit by recent Saudi-led air strikes at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A view of the main container cranes which have been hit by recent Saudi-led air strikes at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. The Pentagon directed queries about the officials' characterization of the raid to U.S. Central Command, which pointed only to its statement on Wednesday. "CENTCOM asks for operations we believe have a good chance for success and when we ask for authorization we certainly believe there is a chance of successful operations based on our planning," CENTCOM spokesman Colonel John Thomas said. Expand Close People walk past a ship ducked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People walk past a ship ducked at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad "Any operation where you are going to put operators on the ground has inherent risks," he said. The U.S. officials said the extremists' base had been identified as a target before the Obama administration left office on Jan. 20, but then-President Barack Obama held off approving a raid ahead of his departure. A White House official said the operation was thoroughly vetted by the previous administration and that the previous defense secretary had signed off on it in January. The raid was delayed for operational reasons, the White House official said. The military officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said "a brutal firefight" killed Owens and at least 15 Yemeni women and children. One of the dead was the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a militant killed by a 2011 U.S. drone strike. Expand Close Ship and tug oats are seen at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ship and tug oats are seen at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, Yemen February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Abduljabbar Zeyad Some of the women were firing at the U.S. force, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters. INTELLIGENCE GATHERED The American elite forces did not seize any militants or take any prisoners offsite, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Wednesday the raid yielded benefits. "Knowing that we killed an estimated 14 AQAP members and that we gathered an unbelievable amount of intelligence that will prevent the potential deaths or attacks on American soil - is something that I think most service members understand, that that's why they joined the service," Spicer said. A senior leader in Yemen's al Qaeda branch, Abdulraoof al-Dhahab, and other militants were killed in the gunbattle, al Qaeda said. One of the three U.S. officials said on-the-ground surveillance of the compound was "minimal, at best." "The decision was made ... to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected," that official said. As Sunday's firefight intensified, the raiders called in Marine helicopter gunships and Harrier jump jets, and then two MV-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft to extract the SEALs. One of the two suffered engine failure, two of the officials said, and hit the ground so hard that two crew members were injured, and one of the Marine jets had to launch a precision-guided bomb to destroy it. Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday in an unexpected visit to meet the family of Owens, who had been a chief special warfare operator. Protestors during a rally against the scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos on the University of California at Berkeley campus (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Protesters forced the cancellation of a far-right commentator's appearance at the University of California at Berkeley after hurling smoke bombs, breaking windows and sparking a massive bonfire. The decision came two hours before Wednesday's talk by British journalist Milo Yiannopoulos, a polarising editor of Breitbart News, after some 1,500 people had gathered outside the venue. Officials said it was a smaller group of protesters dressed in black that showed up as night fell to break windows, throw smoke bombs and flares and start the raging blaze outside the building. "This was a group of agitators who were masked up, throwing rocks, commercial-grade fireworks and Molotov cocktails at officers," said UC Berkeley police chief Margo Bennet. Ms Bennet said police determined at that point they could not guarantee security, cancelled the event and evacuated Mr Yiannopoulos from the building. There were no immediate reports of arrests or serious injuries, she said. President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Thursday morning to comment, tweeting: "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Prior to the burst of violence, hundreds of peaceful demonstrators carrying signs that read "Hate Speech Is Not Free Speech" had been protesting the appearance for hours. As the evening wore on, crowds of protesters cleared away from outside the building. By 8pm, the crowd had thinned and the 100 or so protesters that remained danced to a brass band playing music and marched off campus and into a main avenue. Mr Yiannopoulos, a 32-year-old right-wing provocateur, is a vocal supporter of Mr Trump and a self-proclaimed internet troll whose comments have been criticised as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. He was banned from Twitter after leading a harassment campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones. His visit to Berkeley was sponsored by the campus Republican club. The university has stressed it did not invite him and does not endorse his ideas, but is committed to free speech and rejected calls to cancel the event. "The event has been cancelled," Mr Yiannopoulos posted on his Facebook page. "I'll let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." The Berkeley College Republicans said its "constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs". AP A vet in Taiwan 'euthanised' herself as she was allegedly overwhelmed by the grief of putting down stray animals. Chien Chih-cheng worked as a vet at a shelter for abandoned dogs in Taoyuan City. She was passionate about dogs and often worked overtime to help those in need. The shelter's lobby was decorated with pictures of animals drawn by Ms Chien to encourage adoptions, but many of them were destined to be put down, according to the BBC. On May 5 2015, Ms Chien took her own life using the same drug she used to put down animals. She said she wanted to help people understand what happens to strays in Taiwan, according to the BBC. It's reported that as her time as a vet, Ms Chien euthanised over 700 stray dogs. In a letter Ms Chien left behind after she died she suggested her concern for the welfare of the animals had consumed her. Rhode Island voters will head to the polls Tuesday to choose the first new face to represent the state's 2nd congressional district in 20 years as leading candidates Seth Magaziner and Allan Fung vie to replace the retiring James Langevin, who has served in the role since 2001. The tightly-contested congressional race is just one of a number of important contests taking place Tuesday as the state will also select its next Governor, voters will decide the fate of a number of high-priced ballot initiatives and towns up and down Rhode Island select their local officials in a number of highly-divisive and politicized town council and school committee races. Do you believe the results of this years election will make a positive or negative impact on your community? Let us know in this week's poll question below. You voted: CONCORD In 2015 alone Cabarrus County doctors gave out 193,000 prescriptions for opioids, which equals about 12 million individual pills, according to Concord Police Chief Gary Gacek. Its those opioid pills that are the gateway to abuse, misuse, addiction, Gacek told members of the Concord City Council during their recent retreat. And then what ends up happening is you can no longer, easily, get pills through legitimate means and you go on the black market, you pay cost prohibited prices for those pills. And so what a lot of folks unfortunately end up doing is they revert to something thats more addictive, more dangerous, that being heroin. That heroin abuse can sometimes lead to a drug overdose, and now Concord Police Department is looking to help those suffering an overdose with officers being issued a drug that can counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. The Concord City Council approved Gacek spending roughly $7,000 for a program that uses the drug Naloxone to counteract the effects. The drug is administered through an intranasal system and more than 125 Concord officers will be supplied the Naloxone kits, Gacek said. Cabarrus County EMS and Concord Fire Department already use the Naloxone program, Gacek said, adding that in 2015, officials reported around 311 uses of Naloxone in Cabarrus. Of those cases, about 160 patients were located within Concord City limits, Gacek said. Now, officials look to expand the program, since an officer can sometimes be the first on the scene during an opioid overdose. Officers area also having to deal with the issue that some heroin suppliers lace their drugs with a substance called Fentanyl. Which is somewhere around 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, Gacek said. The Fentanyl laced heroin is not just a threat to users, but potentially to police officers who may need to use the Naloxone on themselves in an emergency. A very small amount of heron can be deadly and a minute fraction of Fentanyl can be deadly, Gacek said. And if you have contact exposure to Fentanyl, you can lose your life and officers encounter this sort of thing. So, if it gets airborne or you have contact exposure, having the Naloxone available to officers can save a life. The Concord Police Departments Naloxone program will now join that of Concord Fire Department and Cabarrus County EMS. Fortunately, in our particular area response times are very good with fire and EMS, however there can still be opportunities where we are the first ones to response to the scene of an overdose, Gacek said. And in these types of situations, seconds matter between life and death. Three people arrested in large-scale heroin trafficking operation face long prison sentences. On Tuesday, Jan. 31, a three-year long federal, state and local heroin trafficking investigation culminated in the arrests of three Mecklenburg County residents. In 2013, the Rowan County Sheriffs Office began targeting large-scale heroin distribution inside Rowan County. During the course of the investigation, purchases of heroin were made from multiple Rowan County residents that led to searches of several locations in Rowan County and the seizure of large amounts of heroin, United States currency and firearms, according to law enforcement. Investigators gleaned information from multiple cooperating witnesses that a Mexican National heroin trafficking ring based in the Charlotte-Matthews, N.C., area had been supplying heroin to Rowan County for more than 10 years, a report said, with some transactions involving quantities of up to $10,000 worth at a time. In December 2016 and January 2017, investigators purchased large amounts of heroin from two individuals working for this Mexican National Drug Trafficking Organization, MNDTO, according to the report. These transactions involved ounces of heroin that were delivered by passenger vehicles to Rowan County, law enforcement said, and one exchange took place inside a bathroom at a restaurant in China Grove while others occurred in parking lots of area shopping centers. The report said the suspects used fraudulent registration plates and alias names to try to conceal their identities from law enforcement. On Jan. 31, an individual using the name Gerardo Juarez, 39, a resident of 2521 Cross Point Circle, Apartment 24, in Matthews, was arrested in the Walmart parking lot, 323 S. Arlington St. in Salisbury, with 52 grams of heroin in his possession. Simultaneously, a search warrant obtained by the Rowan County Sheriffs Office was executed at the Matthews residence by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles, United States Department of Homeland Security, Rowan County Sheriffs Office and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Seized during the search of the residence was 478 grams of heroin, two handguns, one rifle, ammunition, numerous telephones, United States currency, a vacuum sealer, drug paraphernalia, ledgers and other items utilized in the drug trafficking operation, according to a report. Darya Sergeyevna Borovskaya, 26, a resident of the Matthews address, and Hugo Fernando Navarrete-Lopez, 27, were arrested in Mecklenburg County for their involvement in the distribution ring. Documents seized at the residence detailed tens of thousands of dollars of drug sales, the report said. Additionally, investigators determined that the suspects were in direct communication with MNDTO members in Mexico. At this time, federal authorities are attempting to determine the true identities of Juarez and Navarrete-Lopez. The investigation at this point showed that Juarez had previously entered the United States in the 2005 time frame under another name. On Jan. 18, Borovskaya was convicted in Mecklenburg County of felony possession of cocaine and placed on 24 months supervised probation, law enforcement said. Additionally, the person using Juarezs name had a previous federal conviction in the state of Texas and a previous cocaine trafficking arrest in 2010 by the Birmingham, Ala., police department and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Borovskaya and the person using the name Juarez would be prohibited from possessing firearms and could be charged with possession of firearm by felon, law enforcement said. Borovskaya was charged with six counts of trafficking heroin and one count of conspiracy to traffick heroin in Rowan County. Juarez was charged with four counts of trafficking heroin and one count of conspiracy to traffick heroin in Rowan County. Navarrete-Lopez was charged with trafficking heroin in Mecklenburg County. All three suspects were placed under bonds of $1 million and face potential penalties of 18.75 years to 23.25 years in state prison and fines of $500,000 due to the amount of heroin involved. Heroin abuse continues to plague local communities, and it is clear from the volume of heroin seized by law enforcement that MNDTOs are pushing huge amounts of heroin into the Charlotte area, law enforcement said. The investigation is ongoing with additional arrests expected. CONCORD- School officials say they are working to find a solution for a scheduling mistake that could prevent many students from attending their senior prom. Students and parents at Concord High School shared their disappointment with our news partner WSOC-TV after they discovered the schools senior prom was scheduled at the same time as a school trip to New York City. Krystal Walters, the sister of one of the schools seniors, told Channel 9 that if the students choose to forgo the trip and attend the prom, they will lose the non-refundable deposit. She said the school never told students they would be double-booked and that some of them have already paid $500 toward the trip. The Concord prom is only for seniors, so this is the one chance they would have to attend their own prom. Channel 9 reported that most of the students who paid to go on the New York trip did not purchase insurance on their tickets. Ronnye Boone, communications director for Cabarrus County Schools, released a statement on Wednesday, Feb. 1 saying the school is working to develop a solution. We are aware of the scheduling conflict between the fine arts trip to New York and the Concord High School prom, Boone said. The scheduling conflicts of both of these significant events at the same time is an unfortunate mistake and oversight. Concord High School administrators apologize for the inconvenience and are working to develop a feasible solution for the students affected. President Donald Trump raised the threat of pulling federal funds from the University of California at Berkeley on Thursday after the institution canceled a talk by provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and put the campus on lockdown after intense protests against the planned speech. While Trump framed his early-morning tweet around free speech and opposition to violent demonstrations, his critics are likely to interpret the message as indirect support for Yiannopoulos, a polarizing figure who portrays himself as a champion of open expression. His detractors view him as a hatemonger. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Trump tweeted. Yiannopoulos echoed that sentiment Thursday. "UC Berkeley should have all federal funding cut until it can demonstrate its commitment to the First Amendment and guarantee the safety of libertarian and conservative speakers on campus -- and the safety of their audiences. Nothing less will do." Berkeley is the flagship school in the University of California's public university system. Student loans and grants make up the vast majority of federal funding to colleges and universities, along with grants for research given by institutions such as the National Institutes of Health. California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted on social media: "As a UC Regent I'm appalled at your willingness to deprive over 38,000 students access to an education because of the actions of a few." Yiannopoulos writes for the Breitbart website, which was led by Stephen Bannon, a key Trump adviser. Yiannopoulos has a large following as a self-proclaimed "free-speech fundamentalist" crusading against political correctness. He was banned from Twitter last summer after sending tweets targeting actress Leslie Jones, who is black. Some schools have canceled or indefinitely postponed events featuring Yiannopoulos because they often generate such intense responses. In January, a man was shot and seriously wounded as fights broke out during one of those events at the University of Washington. When the events are canceled, some call it censorship. Others counter that universities aren't required to pay security and other expenses for speakers invited by student groups. "The event has been canceled," the 32-year-old Yiannopoulos posted on his Facebook page. "I'll let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." Free speech is an exceptionally volatile issue right now, with debate over code words, safe spaces, implicit bias and microaggressions on campuses across the country. Yiannopoulos's events are flash points, and his cross-country tour touched off intense opposition Wednesday in Berkeley. The Daily Californian, the student newspaper at Berkeley, reported that protesters were chanting, "No Milo, no Trump, no fascist USA," setting off fireworks, throwing rocks and bricks and pounding on windows. The paper reported that university police used rubber bullets and tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd. "Amid violence, destruction of property and out of concern for public safety, the University of California Police Department determined that it was necessary to remove Milo Yiannopoulos from the campus and to cancel tonight's scheduled 8 p.m. performance," the university announced Wednesday night. The decision was made about two hours before the event to a crowd of more than 1,500 protesters gathered outside the venue. Berkeley's administration said it went to "extraordinary lengths" to plan for the event, working with the Berkeley College Republicans and adding crowd-control measures and dozens of additional police officers. Security officials said that about 150 "masked agitators" joined the demonstration, setting fires, throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks and attacking some members of the crowd. Officers from the city of Oakland and Alameda County arrived at 7:45 p.m. to help the university and Berkeley city police. There were no immediate reports of arrests or serious injuries. The "shelter in place" order was lifted about 10 p.m., although campus police warned that protests were still going on in the surrounding community and advised people to avoid neighboring streets. Campus officials said in a statement that "they regret that the threats and unlawful actions of a few have interfered with the exercise of First Amendment rights on a campus that is proud of its history and legacy as the home of the Free Speech Movement." The demonstrators included "Black bloc" protesters, who wear masks and black clothing to present a unified front as they disrupt events, making it difficult for police to recognize individuals in the group. They are often seen at protests organized by groups such as Black Lives Matter and Occupy Wall Street, destroying property and setting fires. They torched a limousine in Washington last month on the day of Trump's inauguration, and a group spray-painted buildings and smashed electrical boxes during a demonstration in Portland, Ore., earlier in January. When a group of them arrived at Berkeley, it swiftly changed the tenor of the peaceful demonstration. Some at Berkeley were worried that Yiannopoulos was using the event to begin a campaign against "sanctuary campuses" and that individual students would be identified and targeted as examples of illegal immigration. A story posted Tuesday on the Breitbart website announced that "MILO and the David Horowitz Freedom Center have teamed up to take down the growing phenomenon of 'sanctuary campuses' that shelter illegal immigrants from being deported. MILO will kick start the campaign with a speech at the University of California's Berkeley campus on February 1, where he, backed by the Freedom Center, will call for the withdrawal of federal grants and the prosecution of university officials who endanger their students with their policies . . ." More than 100 faculty members signed two letters to Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks. One said: "Although we object strenuously to Yiannopoulos's views - he advocates white supremacy, transphobia and misogyny - it is rather his harmful conduct to which we call attention in asking for the cancellation of this event." The faculty members said that Yiannopoulos "has labeled Black Lives Matter a form of 'black supremacism' and argues that the protest movement should be labeled a 'terrorist organization'; he refers to principles of diversity at college campuses as 'anti-White racism.' He has also denounced rape culture as a myth propagated by feminists 'aimed squarely at undermining masculinity.'" They noted that Yiannopoulos sometimes singles out people on campus and cited an event in Milwaukee when he projected an image of a transgender student on a screen. "Yiannopoulos's views pass from protected free speech to incitement, harassment and defamation once they publicly target individuals in his audience or on campus, creating conditions for concrete harm and actually harming students through defamatory and harassing actions. Such actions are protected neither by free speech nor by academic freedom." Nils Gilman, associate chancellor and chief of staff to Dirks, responded that while the administration was sorry that some speakers would upset some people on campus, "our Constitution does not permit the university to engage in prior restraint of a speaker out of fear that he might engage in even hateful verbal attacks." That debate - forms of which are playing out on campuses across the country - has particular resonance at Berkeley, where the Free Speech Movement began in 1964. Some members of that original movement wrote an op-ed in the Daily Californian defending Yiannopoulos's right to speak: "Yiannopoulos is a bigot who comes to campus spouting vitriol so as to attract attention to himself. His modus operandi is to bait students of color, transgender students and anyone to the left of Donald Trump in the hopes of sparking a speaking ban or physical altercation so he can pose as a free speech martyr. His campus events are one long publicity stunt designed to present himself as a kind of hip, far right, youth folk hero - sort of Hitler Youth with cool sunglasses." The Berkeley College Republicans, who sponsored the sold-out event, had explained that while they don't agree with everything Yiannopoulos says and "totally disavow" any violence that might result from the event, they wanted to offer a chance for people to consider alternative viewpoints. ". . . a peculiar groupthink phenomenon has formed here in Berkeley, where, in the eyes of many, there can be no viable solution to any problems we face other than the ones the progressive left has to offer," the executive board wrote. "The Free Speech Movement is dead," the group wrote on social media after the protests. "Today, the Berkeley College Republicans' constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs seeking to cancel Milo Yiannopoulos' tour. Their success is a defeat for civilized society and the free exchange of ideas on college campuses across America. We would like to thank UCPD and the university administration for doing all they could to ensure the safety of everyone involved. It is tragic that the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement is also its final resting place." JMC Projects India secures new orders of Rs2,277 crore; Stock gains 2.6% JMC Projects (India) Limited (JMC), a leading Civil Engineering and EPC Company has secured new orders of Rs2,277 crores. The details are as follows: Water Projects in India of... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 2:08 pm Lupin receives USFDA tentative approval for Drospirenone Tablets Global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) has announced that it has received tentative approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug ... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 1:26 pm Bloomberg Report: Pegatron Corp starts production of iPhone 14 in India Pegatron Corp., a Taiwanese contract manufacturer for Apple Inc., has begun producing the most recent iPhone 14 model in India. Pegatron is now the second Apple supplier to manufacture th... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:48 pm JMC Projects India allots NCDs for Rs100 crore; Stock rallies over 3.5% The Management Committee of the Board of Directors of JMC Projects (India) Limited at its meeting held on November 04, 2022 has allotted 1000 Repo Rate, Unsecured, Rated, Listed, Rede... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:34 pm Nykaa receives shareholders' approval for bonus issue and ESOP; Stock down 1% The Board of the lifestyle retailer FSN E-Commerce Ventures Limited (Nykaa), on October 3, 2022, approved Bonus Issue of Equity Shares in the proportion of 5 (Five) fully paid-up Equity Sh... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:03 pm Hundreds of people gathered at the Indianapolis International Airport on Jan. 29 to protest President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration. The diverse crowed chanted Refugees are welcome here, while holding signs with declarations such as Give me your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free; Jesus was a refugee; and Build bridges, not walls. This protest was one of many that took place at airports across the country. On Jan. 26, Trump issued an executive order to prevent citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries (Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq) from entering the U.S. for 90 days. The order also prohibits refugees from being admitted into the U.S. for 120 days and puts a preference on Christian refugees over Muslims. There have also been reports of green card-holding U.S. residents being turned away from U.S.-bound flights. Opponents of the order believe it is in violation of the United States Constitution, and U.S. District Judge Ann M. Donnelly blocked a significant portion of the ban because she felt it violated the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment. In addition, the preference for Christians over Muslims has many questioning how this ban plays into the First Amendments stance on freedom of religion. Opponents have also noted that the order seems to overlook countries Trump has business ties with, such as Saudi Arabia, despite those countries histories of terrorism. Many local community leaders were present at the Indy airport protest, including author John Green, U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly and religious leaders including Rabbi Scott Fox and Derrick Slack, youth pastor at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Imam Michael Saahir, from Nur-Allah Islamic Center, attended the protest and said he feels the order threatens his religious freedom. (Trump) is trying to camouflage it to say its not a Muslim ban, but to have massive crowds and spontaneous responses at airports around the country shows that people are not buying these charades. Freedom of religion is part of the founding of our country. No laws should be made to restrict, violate or take away from a persons faith, said Saahir. Saahir also worries the Muslim ban will backfire and create more terrorists. With bad policy and the mistreatment of people, Trump is giving them fuel for the fire to build more terrorists. It is what terrorists actually want to be done. If someone is moderate, sane and decent-minded, but they feel you have attacked them, you trigger something in them to say, Im not patient any more, said Saahir. Congressman Andre Carson, who represents Indianas 7th congressional district and is the second Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress, also attended the protest at the airport. This ban does nothing to block terrorists, but it risks blocking Muslims. I think ISIS is like any organization that claims to be religious but has ill intent; they prey on people who are vulnerable and living in poverty and use them for their own agenda and to spread a doctrine of hate. Now they are saying, Come to us. America doesnt want you and your own country doesnt want you, said Carson. In addition to community leaders, everyday citizens came out to show solidarity with the Muslim community. Among the crowd was Danielle Badgett, a resident hall director at Ball State University. When she and a friend arrived at the airport, the parking garage was full, so they headed to economy parking and hopped onto a shuttle bus. The entire bus was full of protesters. Everyone was talking and hugging and reading each others signs. There was this strong feeling of camaraderie and unity between people of all races and religions. There was a woman in a hijab on the bus, and she was not there for the protest, but she was quietly watching and smiling, and I was thinking, this is why we are here. Carson says his heart was warmed by the way the community came together to show support. Christians, members of the Jewish community, Buddhists, non-religious people, Black, white, Democrat, Republican, rich and poor joined hands and said this is un-American and we are not going to stand for it. There are people trying to divide us, but it didnt work. In the African-American community, where there has been a history of discrimination, it certainly wouldnt work. We know one day it is Muslims, the next day its the Christian faith, the next day its the Jewish community. This is what history has shown us, so no one should feel comfortable thinking they wont be attacked. Badgett hopes the Black community will get involved in fighting for the rights of immigrants. Black people are very vocal when it comes to Black issues, and we get mad at white people when they are silent about our issues, but sometimes we are just as guilty, she said. As humans, we have a responsibility to each other to fight for each others rights, so thats why I came out. I believe injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Greater Indianapolis has lost one of its greatest Christian unity champions of life despite death on the streets of greater Indianapolis. Joe Zelenka represented all of us at The Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis when he ministered to victims of violent death, at the sites of their violent deaths, for approximately 15 years. He passed on to eternal life on Jan. 13. Services were held on Jan. 18 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Few people can rise to the occasion of ministry at the intersection of life and violent death on a regular basis. Few people understand and recognize the fragility of having the breath of life and the stillness that comes without breath in violent death. Few people can love without regard for the social boundaries that ensnare us and prevent us from seeing the beauty of all of humanity and live out a calling of protecting and serving as a conduit for the sanctification of it. Yet, Joe Zelenka was one of the people who embodied all of this with a daily rugged passion and sternness in the act of ministry on our streets. The women at the tomb of Jesus understood this role in the Bible. They represented a tradition that beautified and honored the deceased. They gave watch over the deceased but gave testimony to the resurrected Lord and celebrated life even in death. Joe Zelenka was a Christian champion of life even in death. He served at The Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis in this role as he led prayer vigils and testimonies of lives taken by the horror of violence on the streets of greater Indianapolis. He did not care who it was or where it was; he was there representing the churches throughout greater Indianapolis and their profession of faith that Jesus the Christ was the resurrected Lord. He diligently and faithfully lived out his calling to remember and celebrate the lives of these beloved ones in our community-wide services of remembrance and peace, as well as the prayer vigils. Hundreds of families were remembered and publicly celebrated because of his labors. He also lived at this intersection with more than 20 years of ministry service leading delegations to provide medical care to Haiti. We give thanks to God for Joe Zelenka for what he gave to all of us by remembering and standing with those on our streets who perished at the hands of violence and their beloved families. May we go and fight for better conditions for life and remember the lives of those who have suffered violent death. Angelique Walker-Smith is the former executive director of The Church Federation of Greater Indianapolis. We all want a better future but how many of us are really ready to work towards it? All talk and no action is exactly what is holding our society back. Barring a few good samaritans who are fighting day and night to change the way our society works, the rest of us are always waiting for things to change on their own accord. Well, not anymore. It is the time we get inspired by these revolutionaries and bring about some much-needed changes in the society. Before you head out to start a movement, know more about these crusaders of good that were felicitated by 100 Pipers for their work towards the society. 100 Pipers recognized the constant hard work that was undertaken by these crusaders and rightly decided to give them what they deserve. 1. Indrani Malkani Foundation.moneylife.in Known as the School Bus lady, Indrani has tirelessly worked towards developing the model school bus. Back in 2002, troubled by the constant honking and traffic near her residence in Malabar Hill, she approached the neighborhood Cathedral and John Connon Infant Secondary School to initiate a model school bus. She chalked out the route for the buses and got contractors to submit their tenders. The bus services finally commenced in June 2002 and each bus was equipped with first aid kits, two fire extinguishers, detailed information of students along with their blood groups and contact numbers to tackle emergencies. Other schools also picked up on her model school bus. Thereafter, the government took notice and implemented the model across all schools in Maharashtra in 2008. 2. Bittu Sahgal Wikimedia.org This 69-year-old crusader is fighting against the colonization of the next generation by the current one. Working as the Editor-in-Chief of Sanctuary Asia, Bittu says how his generation is colonizing the rivers, the forests and every other resource available on this planet. Soon there will be nothing left for the next generation. He remarks that it is the people of his generation that he is fighting against as today his audience is younger than 12 years. Through his magazine and talks, he is trying to teach the society to save the environment for the coming generations. 3. Chetna Gala Sinha BCCL An economist and social activist, Chetna left the urban life to pursue a career in farming in the poorest, drought-stricken villages of Maharashtra. It was there that she experienced the hardships women go through to get financial support. It opened her to the reality where women were considered viable entrepreneurs. With a zeal to empower women, Chetna founded Indias first rural cooperative bank owned by women called the Mann Deshi Mahila Bank. This bank works to guarantee loans to low-income women and small time businesses where these women are involved. She also started a B-school to help women hon their entrepreneurial skills. She has also been educating women about their land and property rights since 1996. This woman of strength has also been awarded the Social Entrepreneur of the Year for her work in 2014. 4. Shaheen Mistri Youtube A social activist and educator, Shaheen believes that one little step makes a big difference and this is exactly what she did. Born in Mumbai, Shaheen has had an international upbringing as she moved to different countries with her father while she was a child. Later, she moved back to Mumbai for higher education. As a young college student of 20, she walked into a Mumbai slum and expressed her desire to teach the underprivileged children. That was the beginning of the biggest social education initiative, Akanksha Foundation. What started as an initiative to teach 15 students is now teaching more than 3,500 children across 58 centers and six schools. The promising social educator also took up a leadership role for Teach For India back in 2008. 5. Pranik Naik Youtube This crusader of good wants to disrupt the status quo of education in India. He firmly believes that millions of children who start their education in regional language schools lose out on big educational and professional opportunities due to their poor English skills. He recognizes the importance of English language training to facilitate job placement for the youth of India. Pranik, therefore, founded an organization called Leap for Faith that aims to address the issue of lack of access to opportunities for educated youth resulting from their poor English skills. Since its inception, Pranik has reached out to more than 4000 students, and teachers. 6. Dr. Ramakanta Panda Indiatimes Mending hearts and not losing hope - this helped Dr. Ramakant Panda achieve his dream of improving the medical standards in India for heart care. Born in a small town of Orissa, he had to walk 7-8 km every day to receive his education. He always dreamt of setting up his own hospital for heart care but it was back during his stay in the US that his idea of a hospital underwent a drastic change. He realised that fancy interiors don't make a hospital great and only world-class medical facilities and treatments could change the face of medical health care in India. With this renewed dream of changing the way heart patients are treated in India, Dr. Ramakanta Panda set up the Asian Heart Institute. Hope, confidence, and conviction turned his dream into a reality. Just like these brave crusaders of good, there are many others who are doing their best to be #RememberedForGood. Dr. Vibha Krishnamurthy, Gaurav Singh, Shashank Mani, Abhishek Ray are just a few of #TheGoodCrusaders who are fighting every day to bring out a change in the society and empower the people around them to live a better life. You can know more about these revolutionary crusaders in this video series by 100 Pipers. Air pollution is a massive threat to metropolitan cities and if not taken seriously it can be a huge issue in coming years, rather it has started affecting the health of people staying in big cities already. The invisible particles in the air we breathe can elevate the risk of dementia by 92 percent according to the new research. timeoutbeijing.com Toxic fumes from cars and power plants are infiltrating brain cells, causing them to swell in response. This leaves the brain at risk of succumbing to the devastating condition, according to a new study. Experts believe that dangerous levels of pollution in cities could actually be responsible for a fifth of global dementia cases. And scientists also discovered the risk was greater for women - especially if they possess a well-known 'dementia gene'. Researchers from the University of Southern California analysed data of 3,647 women between 65 to 79 who didn't have dementia. 'Microscopic particles generated by fossil fuels get into our body directly through the nose into the brain,' said study co-author Professor Caleb Finch. 'Cells in the brain treat these particles as invaders and react with inflammatory responses, which over the course of time, appear to exacerbate and promote Alzheimer's disease. cdn.ipsnews.net 'Although the link between air pollution and Alzheimer's disease is a new scientific frontier, we now have evidence that air pollution, like tobacco, is dangerous to the ageing brain.' The study, which was published in the Translational Psychiatry journal, is the first of its kind conducted in the US. It noted that women who live in heavily polluted areas - such as near main roads or busy city centres are 81 per cent more at risk for cognitive decline. While they are also 92 percent more likely to develop dementia if they are exposed to levels deemed unsafe by health officials. And it also found that women with the APOE4 gene - a variation that increases the risk of Alzheimer's - were most at risk. Worldwide, nearly 48 million people suffer from dementia, and there are 7.7 million new cases every year, according to the World Health Organization. www.atlantahealthcare.in Earlier this year, scientists in Canada found that living close to a busy road increases the risk of Alzheimer's by up to 12 percent. They tracked the progress of six million adults for 11 years found a clear trend with dementia incidence rising the nearer people lived to main roads. Compared with those whose homes were more than 300 metres away, people living within 50 metres of heavy traffic had a 7 percent higher risk of developing dementia. While Danish researchers earlier this year found expectant mothers living close to busy roads are at greater risk of serious complications in pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia a condition suffered by 42,000 pregnant women in Britain each year is made more likely by noise and pollution from roads. She is the Worlds Oldest Yoga Teacher who, at age 98, still teaches five classes a week. But above all, Tao Porchon-Lynch is a poster child for health and positivity in a world obsessed by wellness and longevity. i.ytimg.com The former model and Hollywood contract actor who earned her title from Guinness World Records still has a delicate, slender physique. Tao, as everyone calls her, grew up in India and lives in the New York suburbs, travelling the world attending yoga retreats. Stylish and fashionable, she zips from her Hartsdale home in Westchester County to the studio in a Smart car. Once in the studio, she happily demonstrates yoga poses, even if she sometimes calls on one of her dedicated students to show off others. Watch this: Did you enjoy this? If yes, please leave. If no read on... Did you feel disturbed? If no, please leave. If yes read on... Did you feel that he could have been saved? If no, you're wrong. If yes or maybe - please remember it if you ever see an accident victim! Tv9 His name is Anwar Ali Ekalaspur. He was 18-year-old and he was on his way to work in the market area of Karnataka's Koppal when he was hit by a KSRTC bus. What happened next, may not shock us but will surely make us introspect! He was severely injured and laid there on road, slowly bleeding to an uncertain death. The hospital is just a stone's throw from the accident spot, but people watched Anwar writhing in pain and some even used their cellphones to shoot pictures and videos. He pleaded with people to take him to a hospital. But, onlookers did not heed his appeal, reportedly fearing harassment by police and the hospital, said eyewitnesses who did not wish to be named. None of them tried to shift him to a hospital - it was right next to them, but nobody! "I was shocked to find people recording the incident on their mobiles instead of shifting him to hospital. I offered him water and called for the 108 ambulance. When I sought help from an auto driver to shift him, he refused to do it. Police should educate people about the Supreme Court's rules about helping accident victims," said Sridhar (name changed), a degree student and eyewitness to the incident. District surgeon at Koppal Dr Suresh Danaraddi, told TOI: "Anwar was brought to the hospital around 9.15am in a serious condition, and our doctors tried their best to save his life, but in vain. His pelvis was crushed. He died of injuries and haemorrhagic shock around 1.20pm." He added: "People still fear harassment by police and hospitals if they shift any accident victim. We won't harass any person who brings accident victims to the hospital for treatment and we won't include their names in medico-legal cases. There are also clear guidelines by the Supreme Court to encourage people to save accident victims. People needn't fear action or harassment." BCCL Anwar was the only bread-winner of his family which consists of two younger brothers, sister and their mother. His father died four years ago. Hey people of Koppal, I don't know you but I hope you can somehow rest in peace knowing your inaction not just killed an 18-year-old but also forced a family of four to lose their only hope! External affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, has promised to help an Indian student, currently undergoing treatment in the ICU wing of the Georgia Hospital in the US. After the student's sister reached out to Swaraj on Twitter, the Minister assured her that the Indian Embassy will "extend all possible help". ndtv On January 28, Gayathri Vijaykumar tweeted to Swaraj seeking help to bring her brother back to India. @SushmaSwaraj madam this is my brother who is in a ICU for past 50 days in Georgia. V need ur help to bring him back to India pic.twitter.com/3k5EmFgF7B Gayathri Vijaykumar (@GayaVijay28) January 28, 2017 The minister replied a couple of days later, after having gone through her brother's medical report. I have got the report. As per medical advice, your brother cannot travel at this stage.Your mother is with him in Georgia. /1 https://t.co/QOwtXsgmz2 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 1, 2017 She then assured help after directing the Indian Embassy to offer all possible help. Her visa has expired. I have asked Indian Embassy to get her visa extended. Indian Embassy will extend all possible help. @GayaVijay28./2 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 1, 2017 Let's pray for a quick recovery of the student. It hasnt been long when astrologers in India would get a customer who sought help prediction of auspicious times for marriage, charting a career path or healing a broken heart. But over last six months, an orange haired, filthy-rich politician who now has been catapulted by US people as their president has loomed large in their catalogue of worries as now people are rushing to astrologers to know what Trump will do to their H-IB Visas. Vinod Shastri, an astrologer who operate from an old office next to the ancient observatory from where the astronomers of the maharaja once would monitor the heavens says that post-Trumps election as President he has been getting calls about people seeking prediction about H-1B Visa in Trumps era. AFP It all started with a suited clad hotelier from Mumbai who jetted in for a day with one question: Would Donald Trump win the presidency? Obviously, Shashtri replied in yes. "When I told them that he will win, their response was that America will be destroyed and that he can do anything," Shastri was quoted in The Washington Post. Now, clients are wondering "how his relationships will affect Indian leaders, how he will do for India, his relationship with U.K [and] the effect he will have on Indian-U.S. business relations." Indians have a firm belief in astrology and Trump has become a worry for the US bound people across the globe and Indian astrologers have become their source to know about the possible actions of US President. AFP Vaibhav Magon, 25, the founder of Ask monk, an astrology application for mobile phones, says he has witnessed a "huge spike" in Trump-related queries to their in-house astrologers in recent weeks - mostly from investors and would-be immigrants worried about visas. "People are uncertain about the future, and they're looking for astrologers to guide them or come up with a solution," he said. It is not surprising that his Indian clientele would turn to astrology during tumultuous times, he said. "Astrology is inherent within us, whether it's taking a decision to get married or starting up a business." Reuters An Askmonk reading of Trump's horoscope using his birth date of June 14, 1946, has gone viral, with readers flipping through its pages over a million times, Magon said. Raj Aggarwal, a project engineer working in Chicago had asked Askmonk and his three family astrologers including a guru living on a hill about the fate of his H-1B visa. "People in my age group want to know if they're in a position to rise in their careers and what the future looks like. That's what I want to know," Agarwal said. "Is he going to do something that's going to put my future in the line of fire? If so, I'd rather stay back [in India] and build something here." On January 23, as violence erupted in the city over the pro-jallikattu protests, most cab drivers stayed off the roads. Not Jayalakshmi Babu. The 34-year-old, a partner with cab aggregator Ola, ferried passengers through the day, including an outstation trip on credit. TOI Around 12.30pm, Babu was watching images of a burning city on television, when she received a booking that required her to drive from T Nagar to Katpadi junction and return to Porur, a distance of at least 300 kilometres. "My family members did not stop me...," she said. Also Read: Chennai Cop Says She Was 'Grabbed And Pushed Around' By Molesters During Jallikattu Protest R Shaktivel of the Kirloskar group had to go to Katpadi to pick up material from Bengaluru stuck due to a rail roko. "...I was surprised to see a woman driver taking outstation trips and was embarrassed to put her through this trouble but I had not option," he said. BCCL Shaktivel said she immediately understood his urgency and drove fast but was in control. "Besides a 10- minute break, she didn't stop anywhere," he said. Also Read: Ravichandran Ashwin Takes The Chennai Metro To Avoid Getting Stuck In Jallikattu Protests On Streets Babu dropped Shaktivel ahead of time. But, the man only had Rs 500 in hand for the Rs 3,100 bill. "Without any hesitation, she asked me to focus on my seminar and transfer money later. I must confess even I don't have this level of trust," said Shaktivel. BCCL/representational image Babu said she knew he had urgent business and online payment was not working. "I had his number and Ola's backing so I told him not to worry and shared my bank account details with him." Also Read: Tamil Nadu Governor Signs Pro-Jallikattu Ordinance, Bull Races May Begin On Sunday She didn't stop there. Making light of the tense situation, she to complete several rides through the riot-torn city. BCCL Before joining Ola Pink two years ago, she was a valet driver with Savera Hotels. A native of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, she has been in Chennai for more than two decades and has now trained five homemakers. "I feel motivated to take night shifts because women professionals look so overjoyed when they see a lady driver." Chinas second aircraft carrier, currently being built at a rapid pace, is likely to be based somewhere near the South China Sea (SCS) to handle complicated situations, state-run media reported amid tensions over the countrys assertiveness in the disputed region. Reuters Also Read:With Trump Signalling Hard Stance On South China Sea, China Prepares For War Against US The second carrier is being built at the port of Dalian. An official television network in Shandong on Tuesday reported that the aircraft carrier was taking shape after two years and nine months of construction, but it did not provide further details, such as when the carrier would be completed. Various Chinese media reports have suggested that the carrier was expected to be completed in the first half of 2017 and would officially join the navy in 2019, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The countrys second carrier is likely to be named the Shandong after the province on Chinas east coast, an article carried by Xiake Dao, a social media account affiliated with the overseas edition of the state-run Peoples Daily said. Reuters Recent reports in the official media said China is also in the process of building a third aircraft carrier. Also Read:China Answers Trump's Call To Taiwan President, By Flying Nuke Bomber Over South China Sea The first carrier, the Liaoning, which is a refitted version of former Soviet Union ship, is based in Qingdao, a port in the north that is close to Japan and South Korea. An aircraft carrier base in the southern part of Chinas coast is likely to enhance the nations military capability in the SCS, where China is building up artificial islands and stirring up tensions with the U.S. Reuters Recent write-ups in the official media say China braced for a showdown with the U.S. as officials of the Trump administration have made remarks like U.S. should stop Chinese ships accessing the artificial islands in the disputed waters. China has become more assertive over the SCS after an international tribunal struck down its claim over almost all of the area. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have counter claims over the SCS. Also Read:Taiwan Puts Jets, Navy On Alert After China Aircraft Carrier Entered Its Waters The way things are going, a fresh rift between Iran and the US look imminent. The US President Donald Trumps national security advisor reprimanded Irans most recent missile test as well as its attack on a Saudi navy ship. America said it was officially putting Iran on notice. Reuters US National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn said, Recent Iranian actions, including a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Irans destabilizing behavior across the Middle East. Iran did confirm that on Wednesday it had tested a new missile but also added that it did not breach globally established nuclear agreements. According to Flynn, though, the test violated UN Council Resolution 2231. Reuters He also said that former President Barack Obamas administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions [that have] placed American lives at risk. Iran is being emboldened. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, added the National Security advisor. On Sunday the US carried out its first military raid in Yemen which was reportedly authorised by President Donald Trump himself. According to Associated Press, at least a dozen civilians have been killed in the strike, which was said to be targeted at some high-ranking Al-Qaida operatives in Yemen. EPA However, reports from ground claimed that at least 30 people including over a dozen women and children were killed. Even though the US initially claimed that all those killed in the strike were terrorists, they later admitted that some civilians could have been killed in the attack. Now, it has emerged that, one of the civilian fatalities is Nawar al-Awlaki, an 8-year-old American citizen. Twitter Confirming her death, Nawar's family said she was shot by US soldiers. She was hit with a bullet in her neck and suffered for two hours. Why kill children? This is the new administration. Its very sad, a big crime, her grandfather Nasser al-Awlaki told Reuters. Her mother, who was also present at the spot during the raid survived with minor injuries. Nawar is the daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, an American radical Islamic cleric who was killed in Yemen in 2011 in a CIA-led U.S. drone strike. SITE Two weeks after the killing of Awlaki, a separate CIA drone strike in Yemen killed his 16-year-old American-born son, Abdulrahman, along with the boys 17-year-old cousin and several other civilians. He was considered the second most high-profile leader killed by US since Osama Bin Laden. Col John Thomas, a spokesman for the central command, said in the statement that the US military forces were unaware of the presence of the girl in the compound before launching the operation. He added that during the gun battle, al Qaeda fighters took up firing positions on the roof of a nearby building and that the US troops came under fire, calling in an airstrike against the building which likely led to the civilian casualties. Twitter A US Navy SEAL, identified as Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, was also killed during the raid, making him the first known U.S. combat casualty since President Trump took office less than two weeks ago. Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Sat., Nov. 5, 7-8:30 p.m. Mason City Limits Comedy Club 114 E. Chestnut St., Mason City Central Illinois Theater & Comedy He Has The Right to Remain Silly. Mike Armstrong was the type of cop most people wouldn't mind seeing in their rearview mirror. He liked to stop drivers to warn them of the speed traps ahead, just to see their reaction. "I really wasn't into writing tickets or anything like that," he said. "I think that when I quit the police department three other cops lost their jobs. They simply didn't need that many internal affairs officers anymore!" Mike has appeared on Comedy Central, TNN and NBC and was featured on The Friends of Bob and Tom tour 217-482-5233 Will Trump Blunder Into A War With China? By Conn Hallinan February 01, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - In his Jan. 13 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson made an extraordinary comment concerning Chinas activities in the South China Sea. The U.S., he said, must send a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops, adding that Beijings access to those islands is not going to be allowed. President Trumps Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, repeated the threat on Jan. 24. Sometimes it is hard to sift the real from the magical in the Trump administration, and bombast appears to be the default strategy of the day. But people should be clear about what would happen if the U.S. actually tries to blockade China from supplying its forces constructing airfields and radar facilities on the Spratly and Paracel islands. It would be an act of war. While Beijings Foreign Ministry initially reacted cautiously to the comment, Chinese newspapers have been far less diplomatic. The nationalist Global Times warned of a large-scale war if the U.S. followed through on its threat, and the China Daily cautioned that a blockade could lead to a devastating confrontation between China and the U.S. Independent observers agree. It is very difficult to imagine the means by which the United States could prevent China from accessing these artificial islands without provoking some kind of confrontation, says Rory Medcalf, head of Australias National Security College. And such a confrontation, says Carlyle Thayer of the University of New South Wales, could quickly develop into an armed conflict. Last summer, Chinas commander of the Peoples Liberation Army Navy, Wu Shengli, told U.S. Admiral John Richardson that we will never stop our construction on the Nansha Islands halfway. Nansha is Chinas name for the Spratlys. Two weeks later, Chang Wanquan, Chinas Defense Minister, said Beijing is preparing for a peoples war at sea. A certain amount of this is posturing by two powerful countries in competition for markets and influence, but Tillersons statement did not come out of the blue. In fact, the U.S. is in the middle of a major military buildup, the Obama administrations Asia Pivot in the Pacific. American bases in Okinawa, Japan, and Guam have been beefed up, and for the first time since World War II, U.S. Marines have been deployed in Australia. Last March, the U.S. sent B-2 nuclear-capable strategic stealth bombers to join them. There is no question that China has been aggressive about claiming sovereignty over small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, even after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague rejected Beijings claims. But if a military confrontation is to be avoided, it is important to try to understand what is behind Chinas behavior. Roots of current tensions The current crisis has its roots in a tense standoff between Beijing and Taiwan in late 1996. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) was angered that Washington had granted a visa to Taiwans president, Lee Teng-hui, calling it a violation of the 1979 U.S. One China policy that recognized the PRC and downgraded relations with Taiwan to unofficial. Beijing responded to the visa uproar by firing missiles near a small Taiwan-controlled island and moving some military forces up to the mainland coast facing the island. However, there was never any danger that China would actually attack Taiwan. Even if it wanted to, it didnt have the means to do so. Instead of letting things cool off, however, the Clinton administration escalated the conflict and sent two aircraft carrier battle groups to the region, the USS Nimitz and USS Independence. The Nimitz and its escorts sailed through the Taiwan Straits between the island and the mainland, and there was nothing that China could do about it. The carriers deeply alarmed Beijing, because the regions just north of Taiwan in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea were the jumping off points for 19th and 20th century invasions by western colonialists and the Japanese. The Straits crisis led to a radical remaking of Chinas military, which had long relied on massive land forces. Instead, China adopted a strategy called Area Denial that would allow Beijing to control the waters surrounding its coast, in particular the East and South China seas. That not only required retooling of its armed forces from land armies to naval and air power it required a ring of bases that would keep potential enemies at arms length and also allow Chinese submarines to enter the Pacific and Indian oceans undetected. Reaching from Russias Kamchatka Peninsula in the north to the Malay Peninsula in the south, this so-called first island chain is Beijings primary defense line. China is particularly vulnerable to a naval blockade. Some 80 percent of its energy supplies traverse the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, moving through narrow choke points like the Malacca Straits between Indonesia and Malaysia, the Bab al Mandab Straits controlling the Red Sea, and the Straits of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. All of those passages are controlled by the U.S. or countries like India and Indonesia with close ties to Washington. In 2013, China claimed it had historic rights to the region and issued its now famous nine-dash line map that embraced the Paracels and Spratly island chains and 85 percent of the South China Sea. It was this nine-dash line that the Hague tribunal rejected, because it found no historical basis for Chinas claim, and because there were overlapping assertions by Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines. There are, of course, economic considerations. The region is rich in oil, gas, and fish, but the primary concern for China is security. The Chinese have not interfered with commercial ship traffic, although they have applied on-again, off-again restrictions on fishing and energy explorations. China initially prevented Filipino fishermen from exploiting some reefs, and then allowed it. It has been more aggressive with Vietnam in the Paracels. Rather than trying to assuage Chinas paranoia, the U.S. made things worse by adopting a military strategy to checkmate Area Denial. Called Air/Sea Battle (renamed Joint Concept for Access and Maneuver in the Global Commons), Air/Sea Battle envisions attacking Chinas navy, air force, radar facilities, and command centers with air and naval power. Missiles would be used to take out targets deep into Chinese territory. The recent seizure of a U.S. underwater drone off the Philippines is part of an ongoing chess game in the region. The drone was almost certainly mapping sea floor bottoms and collecting data that would allow the U.S. to track Chinese submarines, including those armed with nuclear missiles. While the heist was a provocative thing to do it was seized right under the nose of an unarmed U.S. Navy ship it is a reflection of how nervous the Chinese are about their vulnerability to Air/Sea Battle. Chinas leaders have good reason to worry about this emerging U.S. naval strategy [use of undersea drones] against China in East Asia, Li Mingjiang, a China expert at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told the Financial Times. If this strategy becomes reality, it could be quite detrimental to Chinas national security. Washington charges that the Chinese are playing the bully with small countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, and there is some truth to that charge. China has been throwing its weight around with several nations in Southeast Asia. But it also true that the Chinese have a lot of evidence that the Americans are gunning for them. The U.S. has some 400 military bases surrounding China and is deploying anti-ballistic missiles in South Korea and Japan, ostensibly to guard against North Korean nuclear weapons. But the interceptors could also down Chinese missiles, posing a threat to Beijings nuclear deterrence. While Air/Sea Battle does not envision using nuclear weapons, it could still lead to a nuclear war. It would be very difficult to figure out whether missiles were targeting command centers or Chinas nukes. Under the stricture use them, or lose them the Chinese might fear their missiles were endangered and launch them. The last thing one wants to do with a nuclear-armed power is make it guess. Enter Trump The Trump administration has opened a broad front on China, questioning the One China policy, accusing Beijing of being in cahoots with Islamic terrorists, and threatening a trade war. The first would upend more than 30 years of diplomacy, the second is bizarre if anything, China is overly aggressive in suppressing terrorism in its western Xinjiang Province and the third makes no sense. China is the U.S.s major trading partner and holds $1.24 trillion in U.S. Treasury Bonds. While Trump charges that the Chinese have hollowed out the American economy by undermining its industrial base with cheap labor and goods, China did not force Apple or General Motors to pull up stakes and decamp elsewhere. Capital goes where wages are low and unions are weak. A trade war would hurt China, but it would also hurt the U.S. and the global economy as well. When President Trump says he wants to Make America Great Again, what he really means is that he wants to go back to that post-World War II period when the U.S. dominated much of the globe with a combination of economic strength and military power. But that era is gone, and dreams of a unipolar world run by Washington are a hallucination. According to the CIA, by 2030 Asia will have surpassed North America and Europe combined in terms of global power based on GDP, population size, military spending and technological investments. By 2025, two-thirds of the world will live in Asia, 7 percent in Europe and 5 percent in the U.S. Those are the demographics of eclipse. If Trump starts a trade war, he will find little support among Americas allies. China is the number one trading partner for Japan, Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, and India, and the third largest for Indonesia and the Philippines. Over the past year, a number of countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines have also distanced themselves from Washington and moved closer to China. When President Obama tried to get U.S. allies not to sign on to Chinas new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, they ignored him. But the decline of U.S. influence has a dangerous side. Washington may not be able to dictate the worlds economy, but it has immense military power. Chinese military expert Yang Chengjun says China does not stir up troubles, but we are not afraid of them when they come. They should be. For all its modernization, China is no match for the U.S. However, defeating China is far beyond Washingtons capacity. The only wars the U.S. has won since 1945 are Grenada and Panama. Nonetheless, such a clash would be catastrophic. It would torpedo global trade, inflict trillions of dollars in damage on each side, and the odds are distressingly high that the war could go nuclear. U.S. allies in the region should demand that the Trump administration back off any consideration of a blockade. Australia has already told Washington it will not take part in any such action. The U.S. should also do more than rename Air/Sea Battle, it should junk the entire strategy. The East and South China seas are not national security issues for the U.S., but they are for China. And China should realize that, while it has the right to security, trotting out ancient dynastic maps to lay claim to vast areas bordering scores of countries does nothing but alienate its neighbors and give the U.S. an excuse to interfere in affairs thousands of miles from its own territory. This article originally appeared at the authors blog, Dispatches From the Edge. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. US-China war increasingly a 'reality,' Chinese army official says : China is preparing for a potential military clash with the United States, according to an article on the Chinese army's website. Donald Trump's closest advisor thinks there will be war with China in the next few years ; Were going to war in the South China Sea Mr Bannon said on his radio show in March 2016. China getting ready for war over Donald Trump hostility, warns state media ; Chinas state media has announced it will step up preparedness for possible military conflict with US Trump Bull in the Mideast China Shop By Eric Margolis February 01, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - President Donald Trump is getting ready to plunge into the burning Mideast with all the zeal and arrogance of a medieval crusader. The new administrations knowledge of the region is a thousand miles wide and two inches deep. Reviving a truly terrible idea originated by know-nothing Congressional Republicans, Trump proposes US-run safe zones in Syria for refugees from that nations conflict. The president went out of his way to insist that such safe zones would spare the United States from having to shelter Syrian refugees. He should better worry about Chicago where 762 citizens were murdered last year. At the same time, Trump, declaiming from his new Mount Olympus of New Yorks Trump Tower, vowed to impose a 30-day halt on immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to protect the American people from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals. One wonders if any of Trumps Praetorian Guard noticed that all these listed terrorist nations have been attacked by the United States or seen their governments overthrown by Uncle Sam. Im surprised Afghanistan and Pakistan were left off the list. Their time will likely come soon. Is it any wonder that all of these Muslim nations bear a serious grudge against the United States? The angriest group is ISIS, who are seeking revenge for the destruction of Iraq. Former President Barack Obama shied away from direct military intervention in Syria, preferring stealthy warfare, drones and hit squads. He had the sense to know that US military intervention in the heart of the Mideast would be fraught with danger, not the least clashes between US and Russian forces. History shows its easy to invade into unstable areas but hard to get out. But not so for bull in the Mideast china shop Trump as he charges into the Levant, advised by generals who made a mess in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Trumps ardently pro-Israel cabinet must be rubbing their hands in glee as they see Syria in his cross hairs. The destruction of Syrias regime and fragmenting that nation is an Israeli strategic priority. One wishes Trump would stop for a moment and reflect. There are 11 million Syrian refugees in Syria and neighboring states. They are the result of a civil war engineered by Washington, Turkey, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with France and Britain playing a supporting role. Western money, arms and supplies have fuelled the six-year old conflict whose aim was to overthrow Syrias Assad government because he is an ally of Iran. The US and France did exactly the same thing in Libya, overthrowing its leader, Muammar Khadaffi, and murdering him thank you Hillary Clinton. The US invaded and destroyed Iraq, tore apart Somalia and neighboring Sudan, and is now providing warplanes, bombs and mercenary advisors that Saudi Arabia the patron of the jihadi forces in Syria is using to crush little Yemen. The largest number of Mideast refugees are now in Syria, thank you Uncle Sam, and its neighbors, Jordan and Lebanon. The second biggest group are the 5.2 million Palestinian refugees scattered across the Levant. Iraq is awash with internal refugees, thank you George W. Bush. Add now a couple of million refugees from strife-torn South Sudan, a new failed nation created by blundering US Mideast policy as a way of punishing disobedient Sudan, thank Bush and Obama. At the same time, Washington must avoid any and all risk of military clashes in Syria with Russia. We cant keep huffing and puffing that Moscow has no business in Syria when its as close to southern Russia as northern Mexico is to Texas. The US has troops and bases across the globe, most lately in Africa. Who are we to tell Russia to get out of Syria? Just when it seemed that the Syrian conflict was beginning to simmer down, Trumps intervention will be certain to heat up the conflict and undermine potential peace agreements. In case there are still Muslims who believed the US is their friend, as was the case fifty years ago, they will now understand that America is their enemy thanks to Trumps ham-handed, no Muslims policies. Muslims account for 23% of the worlds population and will surpass Christians in about four decades. Besides riling up the Chinese, is it really wise to antagonize and insult members of Islam, the worlds fast-growing religion? And single out Muslims as most likely to face torture? Bad idea. Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation Pakistan, Hurriyet, Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. EricMargolis.com The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Trump Is Being Sabotaged by the Pentagon By Paul Craig Roberts February 01, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - President Trump says he wants the US to have better relations with Russia and to halt military operations against Muslim countries. But he is being undermined by the Pentagon. The commander of US forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, has lined up tanks on Polands border with Russia and fired salvos that the general says are a message to Russia, not a training exercise. http://russia-insider.com/en/us-tanks-fire-salvos-poland-warning-against-russia/ri18767 How is Trump going to normalize relations with Russia when the commander of US forces in Europe is threatening Russia with words and deeds? The Pentagon has also sent armored vehicles to moderate rebels in Syria, according to Penagon spokesman Col. John Dorrian. Unable to prevent Russia and Syria from winning the war against ISIS, the Pentagon is busy at work derailing the peace negotiations. The military/security complex is using its puppets-on-a-string in the House and Senate to generate renewed conflict with Iran and to continue threats against China. Clearly, Trump is not in control of the most important part of his agendapeace with the thermo-nuclear powers and cessation of interference in the affairs of other countries. Trump cannot simultaneously make peace with Russia and make war on Iran and China. The Russian government is not stupid. It will not sell out China and Iran for a deal with the West. Iran is a buffer against jihadism spilling into Muslim populations in the Russian Federation. China is Russias most important military and economic strategic ally against a renewal of US hostility toward Russia by Trumps successor, assuming Trump succeeds in reducing US/Russian tensions. The neoconservatives with their agenda of US world hegemony and their alliance with the military-security complex will outlast the Trump administration. Moreover, China is rising, while the corrupt and dehumanized West is failing. A deal with the West is worth nothing. Countries that make deals with the West are exposed to financial and political exploitation. They become vassals. There are no exceptions. Russias desire to be part of the West is perplexing. Russia should build its security on relations with China and Asia, and let the West, desirous of participating in this success, come to Russia to ask for a deal. Why be a supplicant when you can be the decider? Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. U.S. 'As of Today, We're Officially Putting Iran on Notice By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin February 01, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Reuters " - Iran said on Wednesday it had test-fired a new ballistic missile, prompting a tough response from a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump. Iran's defense minister said the test did not breach the Islamic Republic's nuclear agreement with world powers or a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the pact, Iran has test-fired several ballistic missiles since the nuclear deal in 2015, but the latest test was the first since Trump entered the White House. Trump said during his election campaign that he would stop Iran's missile program. "The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defense affairs," Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan told Tasnim news agency. "The test did not violate the nuclear deal or (U.N.) Resolution 2231." Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said the United States was putting Iran on notice over its "destabilizing activity" after it fired the missile. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, without explaining exactly what that meant. Flynn said the missile launch defied the U.N. resolution that called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons. A U.S. official said Iran had test-launched a medium-range ballistic missile on Sunday and it exploded after traveling 630 miles (1,010 km). The Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday and recommended the missile testing be studied at committee level. The new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the test "unacceptable". Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran would never use its ballistic missiles to attack another country. Some 220 Iranian members of parliament reaffirmed support for Tehran's missile program, calling international condemnation of the tests "illogical." "The Islamic Republic of Iran is against weapons of mass destruction, so its missile capability is the only available deterrence against enemy hostility," the lawmakers said in a statement carried on state media on Wednesday. The state news agency IRNA quoted Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran's National Security Council, as saying Iran would not seek "permission from any country or international organization for development of our conventional defensive capability". The Security Council resolution was adopted to buttress the deal under which Iran curbed its nuclear activities to allay concerns they could be used to develop atomic bombs, in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. The resolution urged Tehran to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Critics say the resolution's language does not make this obligatory. Operation Chaos: Trump Will Ignite a Powder Keg in the Middle East By Ramzy Baroud February 02, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Those who dont learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump is about to do just that, reversing an historical course that has been in the making for one hundred years. The inexperienced, demagogic politician hardly understands the danger that lies in his decision to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. If he goes through with this, he is likely to unleash an episode of chaos in an already volatile region. The move, which is now reportedly in the beginning stages, is not a mere symbolic one, as some naively reported in western mainstream media. True, American foreign policy has been centered mostly on military power, rarely historical fact. But Trump, known for his thoughtlessness and impulsive nature, is threatening to eradicate even the little common sense that governed US foreign policy conduct in the Middle East. If the new president moves forward with his plan, unsympathetic to Palestinian pleas and international warnings, he is likely to regret the unanticipated consequences of his action. History for the Wise A century ago, British forces under the command of General Sir Edmund Allenby occupied the Palestinian Arab city of Jerusalem. That ominous event in December 1917, has disturbed the cultural and political equilibrium that existed in Palestine for nearly a millennia. It also initiated a war that has proved the longest and one of the most bloody and destabilizing in modern human history. Although Palestine was wrestled from the hand of its governing bodies operating under the auspices of the Ottoman Empire, its new British rulers understood the unequalled importance of Jerusalem to its people. That understanding was always present, even when France and Britain signed the Sykes-Picot agreement in May 1916, dividing Ottoman territories amongst themselves, Jerusalems status was designated as an international area due to its shared religious significance. The same emphasis regarding the neutrality of Jerusalem was made time and again, including in the League of Nations decision in 1922 to give Britain a political mandate over Palestine, and the United Nations resolution to divide Palestine into two countries, one Arab and one Jewish, in November 1947. While that envisaged Palestinian state never actualized (thanks to numerous obstacles placed by the US and Israel), Israel became a reality in May 1948. Mere months after an armistice agreement was reached, Israel declared Jerusalem as its capital in December 1949. It was then that biblical mythology was remolded to fit political exigencies. Israels first Parliament (Knesset) declared in January 1950 that Jerusalem was, and had always been the capital of Israel. The was and always been are references to a twisted interpretation of history that has no place in modern international law, of which Israel is never a follower to begin with. After 1500 years of Canaanite rule over Palestine, the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea fell under the rule of numerous invaders, including the Philistines, the Israelites, the Phoenicians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Macedonians, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, and then it was ruled by various Islamic Caliphates from 1291 until the British mandate in 1922. The Israelites control barely lasted for 77 years and it is largely contested that Israeli Jews of today are even blood relatives of the groups that inhabited Palestinians 2000 years ago. Yet that was enough for the modern Israeli national myth, which is now championed by the most right-wing, religious extremists in both the United States and Israel. In 1967, Israel occupied the rest of historic Palestine, including Palestinian East Jerusalem, annexing the city in 1980. The international community has continually rejected and condemned the Israeli occupation, with repeated emphasis on Jerusalem. Countries around the world, even those who are considered allies of Israel, including the United States reject Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, and refuse Israeli invitation to relocate their embassies from Tel Aviv to the illegally-occupied city. The American Exception The United States attitude towards Jerusalem, however, has been marred with contradictions. Since 1995, the US position has been divided between the historically pro-Israel US Congress, and equally pro-Israel, but slightly more pragmatic White House. In October 1995, the US Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act. The act passed by an overwhelming majority in both House and Senate. It called Jerusalem the undivided capital of Israel and urged the State Department to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The US administration at the time protested the violation of protocol as such a decision is the responsibility of the executive branch, not lawmakers beholden to Israels influential lobby in Washington. The other dilemma is that if the US walks away from international consensus on the matter it both loses the little credibility it had as a peace broker and would be left to contend with the likely terrible consequences included political instability and violence. It is true that Jerusalem has tremendous spiritual significance for Muslims, Christians and Jews. But the uninterrupted cultural and religious significance it had for Palestinian Christians and Muslims alike makes it unpatrolled as an economic, political and cultural hub as well. For many years, US administrations under Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama have signed a presidential waiver that deferred the Congressional bill six months at a time. The last time the waiver was signed by former President Obama was on December 1, 2016. Bull in China Shop Foreign Policy Throughout his campaign for the White House, Trump made numerous, wholesale, often contradictory promises. While initially pledged to keep a similar distance between Palestinians and Israel, he later reversed his position, to adopt that of Israels rightwing government. Now, the opportunistic real-estate mogul enters the White House with an eerie agenda that looks identical to that of the current Israeli government of right-wingers and ultra-nationalists. We have now reached the point where envoys from one country to the other could almost switch places, wrote Palestinian Professor, Rashid Khalidi, in the New Yorker. He wrote, The Israeli Ambassador in Washington, Ron Dermer, who grew up in Florida, could just as easily be the US Ambassador to Israel, while Donald Trumps Ambassador-designate to Israel, David Friedman, who has intimate ties to the Israeli settler movement, would make a fine Ambassador in Washington for the pro-settler government of Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli right is almost in a state of political euphoria. Not only the superfluous references to a peace process and a Palestinian state is over, but they now have a free hand to build illegal Jewish settlements (colonies) in occupied Jerusalem unhindered. New bills are springing in the Israeli Knesset to annex even the Jewish settlements rendered illegal by Israels own definitions, and to remove any restriction on new settlement construction and expansion. The Trump administration has no qualms with that; to the contrary, this falls squarely in the agenda of the new rulers of the United States who now control the legislative and executive branches. Careful What You Wish For The odd thing is that the US is about to violate the very international consensus (as in US-led western consensus) regarding the conflict in Palestine. Speaking to the Paris peace conference on January 15, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault warned Trump from the very serious consequences that await in case the US embassy is in fact moved to Jerusalem. The French and other European countries are aware that such a move would end the US-led peace process along with the thus far futile quest for a two state solution. However, this should be the least of anyones concern, since both the peace process and the two-state solution charade have been largely an American investment to maintain US leadership, power and influence over the conflict in Palestine. The US and its western allies certainly had the needed clout and power to achieve a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict, if that was indeed their overriding priority. They failed to do so over the course of 25 years, starting in the Madrid Talks in 1991 and ending with the pitiful Paris conference on January 15. Past American failures notwithstanding, the Trump administration gamble in moving the US embassy is likely to ignite a political fire throughout Palestine and the Middle East with horrific and irreversible outcomes. Palestinians and Arabs understand that moving the embassy is far from being a symbolic move, but a carte blanche to complete the Israeli takeover of the city, including its holy sites, and complete the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian Muslims and Christians. That escalation will certainly, and explicably lead to violence. Vital US interests in the Middle East could and will also suffer the consequences of such an imprudent move. Palestinian officials and religious figures alike condemned the US decision. A top Palestinian official referred to it as a declaration of war on Muslims. Considering the significance of Jerusalem to Palestinian Muslims and Christians, and hundreds of millions of believers around the world, Donald Trump might indeed be igniting a powder keg that would further derail his already embattled presidency. While some in the mainstream western media are already predicting a fresh wave of Palestinian violence shall the embassy be relocated, the new US administration must think carefully before embarking on such self-destructive moves. Just because Trump intends to reverse the legacy of his predecessor, doesnt mean the new American president should begin his legacy by inviting more violence and pushing an already volatile region further into the abyss. Dr. Ramzy Baroud has been writing about the Middle East for over 20 years. He is an internationally-syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and the founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His books include Searching Jenin, The Second Palestinian Intifada and his latest My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gazas Untold Story. His website is www.ramzybaroud.net . The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. A Color Revolution Is Under Way in the United States By The Saker February 02, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " UNZ " - A Russian joke goes like this: Question: why can there be no color revolution in the United States? Answer: because there are no US Embassies in the United States. Funny, maybe, but factually wrong: I believe that a color revolution is being attempted in the USA right now. Politico seems to feel the same way. See their recent cover: While I did predict that The USA is about to face the worst crisis of its history as far back as October of last year, a month before the elections, I have to admit that I am surprised and amazed at the magnitude of the struggle which we see taking place before our eyes. It is now clear that the Neocons did declare war on Trump and some, like Paul Craig Roberts, believe that Trump has now returned them the favor. I sure hope that he is right. Lets look at one telling example: US intelligence agencies are now investigating their own boss! Yes, according to recent reports, the FBI, CIA, National Security Agency and Treasury Department are now investigating the telephone conversations between General Flynn and the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyk. According to Wikipedia, General Flynn is the former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Chair of the Military Intelligence Board Assistant Director of National Intelligence Senior intelligence officer for the Joint Special Operations Command. He is also Trumps National Security Advisor. In other words, his security clearance is stratospherically high and he will soon become the boss of all the US intelligence services. And yet, these very same intelligence services are investigating him for his contacts with the Russian Ambassador. That is absolutely amazing. Even in the bad old Soviet Union, the putatively almighty KGB did not have the right to investigate a member of the Communist Party Central Committee without a special authorization of the Politburo (a big mistake, in my opinion, but never mind that). That roughly means that the top 500 members of the Soviet state could not be investigated by the KGB at all. Furthermore, such was the subordination of the KGB to the Party that for common criminal matters the KGB was barred from investigating any member of the entire Soviet Nomenklatura, roughly 3 million people (and even bigger mistake!). But in the case of Flynn, several US security agencies can decide to investigate a man who by all standards ought to be considered at least in the top 5 US officials and who clearly has the trust of the new President. And that does not elicit any outrage, apparently. By the same logic, the three letter agencies might as well investigate Trump for his telephone conversations with Vladimir Putin. Which, come to think of it, they might well do it soon This is all absolutely crazy because this is evidence that the US intelligence community has gone rogue and is now taking its orders from the Neocons and their deep state and not from the President and that these agencies are now acting against the interests of the new President. In the meantime, the Soros crowd has already chosen a color: pink. We now are witnessing the pussyhat revolution as explained on this website. And if you think that this is just a small fringe of lunatic feminists, you would be quite wrong. For the truly lunatic feminists the subtle hint about their pussyhat revolution is too subtle, so they prefer making their statement less ambiguous as the image on the right shows. This would all be rather funny, in a nauseating way I suppose, if it wasnt for the fact that the media, Congress and Hollywood are fully behind this 100 days of Resistance to Trump which began by a, quote, queer dance party at Mike Pences house. This would be rather hilarious, if it was not for all gravitas with which the corporate media is treating these otherwise rather pathetic protests. Watch how MCNBSs talking head blissfully reporting this event: Listen carefully to what Moore says at 2:00. He says that they will celebrate the fact that Obama is still the President of the United States and the presstitute replies to him, yes he is not once, but twice. What are they talking about?! The fact that Obama is still the President?! How is it that Homeland Security and the FBI are not investigating MCNBC and Moore for rebellion and sedition? So far, the protests have not been too large, but they did occur in various US cities and they were well covered by the media: Make no mistake, such protests are no more spontaneous than the ones in the Ukraine. Somebody is paying for all this, somebody is organizing it all. And they are using their full bag of tricks. One more example: Remember the pretty face of Nayirah, the Kuwaiti nurse who told Congress that she had witnessed Iraqi soldiers tossing our babies from Kuwaiti incubators (and who later turned out to be the daughter of Saud Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States)? Do you remember the pretty face of Neda, who died on TV in Iran? Well, let me introduce you to Bana Alabe, who wrote a letter to President Trump and, of course, the media got hold of the latter and now she is the face of the Syrian children. Want even more proof? Okay, click here and take a look at a sampling of anti-Trump caricatures and cartoons compiled by the excellent Colonel Cassad. Some of them are quite remarkable. From this nauseating collection, I will select just two: The first one clearly accuses Trump of being in the hands of Putin. The second one make Trump the heir to Adolf Hitler and strongly suggests that Trump might want to restart Auschwitz. Translated into plain English this sends a double message: Trump is not the legitimate President of the USA and Trump is the ultimate Evil. This goes far beyond the kind of satire previous Presidents have ever been subjected to. My purpose in listing all the examples above is to suggest the following: far from having accepted defeat, the Neocons and the US deep state have decided, as they always do, to double-down and they are now embarking on a full-scale color revolution which will only end with the impeachment, overthrowal or death of Donald Trump. One of the most amazing features of this color revolution against Trump is the fact that those behind it dont give a damn about the damage that their war against Trump does to the institution of the President of the United States and, really, to the United States as a whole. That damage is, indeed, immense and the bottom line is this: President Trump is in immense danger of being overthrown and his only hope for survival is to strike back hard and fast. The other amazing thing is the ugly role Britain plays in this process: all the worst filth against Trump is always eventually traced back right to the UK. How come? Simple. Do you recall how, formally at least, the CIA and NSA did not have the right to spy on US nationals and the British MI6 and GCHQ had no right to spy on British nationals. Both sides found an easy way out: they simply traded services: the CIA and NSA spied on Brits, the MI6 and GCHQ spied on Americans, and then they simply traded the data between partners (it appears that since Obama came to power all these measures have now become outdated and everybody is free to spy on whomever the hell they want, including their own nationals). The US Neocons and the US deep state are now using the British special services to produce a stream of filth against Trump which they then report as intelligence and which then can be used by Congress as a basis for an investigation. Nice, simple and effective. The bottom line is this: President Trump is in immense danger of being overthrown and his only hope for survival is to strike back hard and fast. Can he do that? Until now I have suggested several times that Trump deal with the US Neocons the way Putin dealt with the oligarchs in Russia: get them on charges of tax evasion, corruption, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, etc. All that good stuff which the US deep state has been doing for years. The Pentagon and the Three Letter Agencies are probably the most corrupt entities on the planet and since they have never been challenged, never mind punished, for their corruption, they must have become fantastically complacent about how they were doing things, essentially counting on the White House to bail them out in case of problems. The main weapons used by these circles are the numerous secrecy laws which protect them from public and Congressional scrutiny. But here Trump can use his most powerful card: General Flynn who, as former director of the DIA and current National Security Advisor to the President will have total access. And if he doesnt he can create it, if needed by sending special forces to ensure collaboration. However, I am now beginning to think that this might not be enough. Trump has a much more powerful weapon he can unleash against the Neocon: 9/11. Whether Trump knew about it before or not, he is now advised by people like Flynn who must have known for years that 9/11 was in inside job. And if the actual number of people directly implicated in the 9/11 operation itself was relatively small, the number of people which put their full moral and political credibility behind the 9/11 official narrative is immense. Let me put it this way: while 9/11 was a US deep state operation (probably subcontracted for execution to the Israelis), the entire Washington swamp has been since 9/11 accomplice after the fact by helping to maintain the cover-up. If this is brought into light, then thousands of political careers are going to crash and burn into the scandal. 9/11 was a collective crime par excellence. A few men actually executed it, but then thousands, possibly tens of thousands, have used their position to execute the cover-up and to prevent any real investigation. They are ALL guilty of obstruction of justice. By opening a new investigation into 911, but one run by the Justice Department and NOT by Congress, Trump could literally place a political handgun next to the head of each politician and threaten to pull the trigger if he does not immediately give up on trying to overthrow Trump. What Trump needs for that is a 100% trusted and 100% faithful man as the director of the FBI, a man with clean hands, a cool head and a burning heart (to use the expression of the founder of the Soviet Secret Police, Felix Dzerzhinsky). This man will immediately find himself in physical danger so he will have to be a man of great personal courage and determination. And, of course, this man could be a woman (a US equivalent of the Russian prosecutor, Natalia Poklonskaia). I fully understand that danger of what I am suggesting as any use of the 9/11 weapon will, of course, result in an immense counter-attack by the Neocons and the deep state. But here is the deal: the latter are already dead set in impeaching, overthrowing or murdering Donald Trump. And, as Putin once said in an interview, if you know that a fight is inevitable, then strike first!. You think that all is this over the top? Consider what is at stake. First, at the very least, the Trump Presidency itself: the Neocons and the US deep state will not let Trump implement his campaign promises and program. Instead they will sabotage, ridicule and misrepresent everything he does, even if this is a big success. Second, it appears that Congress now has the pretext to open several different congressional investigations into Donald Trump. If that is the case, it will be easy for Congress to blackmail Trump and constantly threaten him with political retaliation if he does not get with the program. Third, the rabid persecution of Trump by the Neocons and the deep state is weakening the institution of the Presidency. For example, the latest crazy notion floated by some politicians is to prohibit the President of the United States from using nuclear weapons without congressional authorization except when the United States is under nuclear attack. From a technical point of view, this is nonsense, but what it does is send the following signal to the rest of the planet: we, in Congress, believe that our Commander in Chief cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons. Never mind that they would trust Hillary with the same nukes and never mind that Trump could use only conventional weapons to trigger a global nuclear war anyway (by, for example, a conventional attack on the Kremlin), what they are saying is that the US President is a lunatic that cannot be trusted. How can they then expect him to be take seriously on any topic? Fourth, can you just imagine what will happen if the anti-Trump forces are successful?! Not only will democracy be totally and terminally crushed inside the USA, but the risks of war, including nuclear, will simply go through the roof. There is much more at stake here than just petty US politics. Every time I think of Trump and every time I look at the news I always come back to the same anguished thought: will Trump have the intelligence to realize the fact that he is under attack and will he have the courage to strike back hard enough? I dont know. I have a great deal of hopes for General Flynn. I am confident that he understands the picture perfectly and knows exactly what is going on. But I am not sure that he has enough pull with the rest of the armed forces to keep them on the right side should a crisis happen. Generally, regular military types dont like intelligence people. My hope is that Flynn has loyal allies at SOCOM and JSOC as, at the end of the day, they will have the last say as to who occupies the White House. The good news here is that unlike regular military types, special forces and intelligence people are usually very close and used to work together (regular military types also dislike special forces). SOCOM and JSOC will also know how to make sure that the CIA doesnt go rogue. Last but not least, my biggest hope is that Trump will use the same weapon Putin used against the Russian elites: the support of the people. But for that task, Twitter is simply not good enough. Trump needs to go the RT route and open his own TV channel. Of course, this will be very hard and time consuming, and he might have to begin with an Internet-based only channel, but as long as there is enough money there, he can make it happen. And, just like RT, it needs to be multi-national, politically diverse (including anti-Empire figures who do not support Trump) and include celebrities. One of the many mistakes made by Yanukovich in the Ukraine was that he did not dare to fully use the legal instruments of power to stop the neo-Nazis. And to the degree that he used them, it was a disaster (like when the riot cops beat up student demonstrators). After listening to a few interviews of Yanukovich and of people near him during those crucial hours, it appears that Yanukovich simply did not feel that he had a moral right to use violence to suppress the street. We will never now if what truly held him back are moral principles of basic cowardice, but what is certain is that he betrayed his people and his country when he refused to defend real democracy and let the street take over replacing democracy with ochlocracy (mob rule). Of course, real ochlocracy does not exists, all mobs are always controlled by behind-the-scenes forces who unleash them just long enough to achieve their goals. The forces which are currently trying to impeach, overthrow or murder President Trump are a clear and present danger to the United States as a country and to the US Federal Republic. They are, to use a Russian word, a type of non-system opposition which does not want to accept the outcome of the elections and which by rejecting this outcome essentially oppose the entire political system. I am not a US citizen (I could, but I refuse that citizenship on principle because I refuse to take the required oath of allegiance) and the only loyalty I owe the USA is the one of a guest: never to deliberately harm it in any way and to obey its laws. And yet it turns my stomach to see how easy it has been to turn millions of Americans against their own country. I write a lot about russophobia on this blog, but I also see a deep-seated Americanophobia or USophobia in the words and actions who today say that Trump is not their President. To them, they micro-identity as a liberal or as a gay or as African-American means more than the very basic fundamental principles upon which this country has been built. When I see these crowds of Trump-bashers I see pure, seething hatred not of the AngloZionist Empire, or of a plutocracy masquerading as a democracy, but a hatred of what I would call the simple America or the daily America the simple people amongst whom I have now lived for many years and learned to respect and appreciate and whom the Clinton-bots only think of as deplorables. It amazes me to see that the US pseudo-elites have as much hatred, contempt and fear of the American masses as the Russian pseudo-elites have hatred, contempt and fear of the Russian masses (the Russian equivalent or Hillarys deplorables would be a hard to pronounce for English speakers word , roughly cattle, lumpen or rabble). It amazes me to see that the very same people which have demonized Putin for years are now demonizing Trump using exactly the same methods. And if their own country has to go down in their struggle against the common people so be it! These self-declared elites will have no compunction whatsoever to destroy the nation their have been parasitizing and exploiting for their own class interest. They did just that to Russia exactly 100 years ago, in 1917. I sure hope that they will not get away with that again in 2017. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Farage : EU is Showing Its True Nature Now - Genuine Anti-Americanism Video Members of the European Parliament became embroiled today in a heated debate during a special session on President Trump's travel ban. Posted February 02, 2017 The Final Solution If the Israeli Knesset approves the legalisation of Jewish settlements on stolen Palestinian land, then the Zionist concept of a Greater Israel is getting closer to becoming a reality. All the more so since Donald Trumps election as U.S. president will apparently support the Netanyahu governments unscrupulous ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people as the final solution for the judaisation of all Palestine. By Evelyn Hecht-Galinski, English Translation by Milena Rampoldi The Zionist concept of a Greater Israel can only be achieved by hijacking Judaism and exploiting Biblical narratives to legitimise claims to the Promised Land as a state exclusively for Jews. Since its establishment, Israel has in its quest for the Judaisation of the Holy land left a trail of death and destruction in its barbarous wake. Announcements of new settlements are now an almost daily occurrence without there being even a token hypocritical protest from a Trump administration packed with neoconservative Zionists. So yet again it is the forgotten Palestinians who suffer while the hypocritical West with its Israel induced Islamophobic obsession remains focussed on the phony War on Terror instead of addressing Israels irrefutable crimes against humanity. It has always been the White Race with its racist capacity to articulate that has entrenched the premise of White Superiority. What right do Aryans have to wage wars against the Black, Red, and Yellow races; what makes Aryans superior to non-Aryans of different colours and ethnicity; and why should such racist perceptions be fostered and tolerated from childhood, through to adolescence and adulthood? All genocides have stemmed from racist perceptions of superiority be it by a master race or a chosen people that have variously resulted in the mass murder the world over including American Indians, the Herero people in Africa, the victims of the Indian caste system, and Jews during the Holocaust. Even if my list is incomplete, I would like stress the importance of remembering a subject that has concerned me for years and which should not be allowed to descend into oblivionbecause it involves almost 70 years of continuous barbarous displacement and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians to make way for an insidiously illegal occupation by Zionist Jewish colonisers. This long history of colonisation by the only democracy in the Middle East which outrageously claims to speak for all Jews in diaspora is appalling especially when supported by the newly elected so-called President of the United States who has wasted no time in undermining all democratic principles and values. Such amoral U.S. presidential support has unleashed an unprecedented acceleration of settlement building with thousands of more apartments. One of the very few who people who was happy to welcome the change of occupant in the White House was Benjamin Netanyahu who was also the only Western leader to welcome Trumps intention of constructing a wall along the border with Mexico and discriminating against Muslims and refugees. Israels applause for Trumps conduct, however, is understandable considering the fact that the Jewish State has for many decades been embracing similar policies with equally arrogant impunity. When it comes to building separation walls; illegally encroaching on Palestinian land; and segregating Palestinians while expelling refugees and asylum seekers, Israel is second to none and reigns as the undisputed champion of Apartheid. Jews fleeing Nazi persecution were given refuge in many countries including the United States which more than any other country became the home of millions of persecuted refugees and immigrants including Donald Trumps Scottish mother. Have Kushner, and Friedman, and their friends forgotten this fact? While seven Muslim states were included in Trumps ban, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Pakistan, and Turkey were excluded. Saudi Arabia is an important partner for the real estate Mogul Trump; is involved in several companies and Joint Ventures; and is notorious for exporting terror like bombing bad Houthi rebels in Yemen with weaponry generously supplied for the War on Terror by Germany and the U.S. who require Saudi oil. In the meantime, even the Jewish State has initiated a community of values with the Saudis, all for the purpose of the war against terror. In a phone call the Saudis convinced Trump to limit a strict implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran. Trump and King Salman absolutely agreed to commonly move against the destabilizing activities of Iran. Let us see how the friend Netanyahu will react during his forthcoming visit to Washington. Now Trump wants to comply with the refugee agreement made with Australia. However, I am asking myself how Trump will distinguish between Christian and Muslim refugees. Actually the worst characteristic of Trump seems to be his dangerous unpredictability. In no time at all he has signed Executive Orders which do not mean anything positive for the world peace. Trump continues at the point where his predecessor Obama started: and drone flights and assassinations of civilians are the sad result. But in the end we are the good ones fighting for our values. Trump operates according to the notorious German slogan of all National-Socialists saying I decide who is Muslim and who is not. What Palestine needs, is an alliance complying with the Declaration of Human Rights. Palestine also needs a broad civil rights movement, able to struggle for new elections for a free Palestine with an undivided capital Jerusalem. Only after that the relocation of the embassies can start, not now as unilateral provocation of US-Christian-Zionist Trump hardliners, guided by Netanyahus regime. I n the end, I would like to refer to an interview in DLF in which the so applauded David Grossman, who in Germany is called peace activist exposes more than racist ideas. Grossman stressed on the importance of a strong army to defence Israel. Does he want to defence the occupation? Grossman considers himself as more hungry for peace as the people in Europe because in his life he has not lived one day of real peace. Why does Grossman not ask about the reasons of this absence of peace? Israel could have lived in peace for a long time now, but it did all to promote illegal occupation and wars. Mr Grossman your claim for a normal life can only be achieved if you do not brutally oppress another people! For Grossmann the idea of leaving in a state which is not a Jewish State in which he would be part of a minority, is horrifying! He only believes in a Jewish Home and cannot imagine that in a common state they could be a Palestinian as finance minister, as minister of education, as police chief, or as chief of the national secret service Shin Bet. Yeh, what to say about it? Grossman admires Merkel for her refugees acceptance, and Germany should stay relaxed. Grossmann does not lose one word about the Jewish State and his treatment of refugees. Oh yes, Grossmann would not like to be in a minority among Palestinians. This interview showed once against the racist Apartheid mentality of Jewish Israelis! They feel superior and are walled in their Apartheid life. It was a sad and scaring interview, appropriate to new US president Trump and his politics. (1) Yes, the Final Solution (Endlosung) of the Palestinian Question is coming closer and closer, and it does not mean anything good for Palestine! The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Four Ways They Can Get Rid Of Donald Trump By Rosa Brooks February 02, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " SMH" - Are we really stuck with this guy? It's the question being asked around the globe, because Donald Trump's first week as president has made it all too clear: Yes, he is as crazy as everyone feared. Remember those optimistic pre-inauguration fantasies? I cherished them, too. You know: "Once he's president, I'm sure he'll realise it doesn't really make sense to withdraw from all those treaties." "Once he's president, surely he'll understand that he needs to stop tweeting out those random insults." "Once he's president, he'll have to put aside that ridiculous campaign braggadocio about building a wall along the Mexican border." And so on. Nope. In his first week in office, Trump has made it eminently clear that he meant every loopy, appalling word - and then some. The result so far: The president of China is warning against trade wars and declaring that Beijing will take up the task of defending globalisation and free trade against American protectionism. The president of Mexico has cancelled a state visit to Washington, and prominent Mexican leaders say that Trump's border wall plans "could take us to a war - not a trade war." Senior leaders in Trump's own party are denouncing the new president's claims of widespread voter fraud and his reported plans to reopen CIA "black sites." Oh, and the entire senior management team at the US Department of State has resigned. Meanwhile, Trump's approval ratings are lower than those of any new US president in the history of polling: Just 36 per cent of Americans are pleased with his performance so far. Some 80 per cent of British citizens think Trump will make a "bad president," along with 77 per cent of those polled in France and 78 per cent in Germany. And that's just week one. Thus the question: Are we truly stuck with Donald Trump? It depends. There are essentially four ways to get rid of a crummy president. First, of course, the world can just wait patiently for November 2020 to roll around, at which point, American voters will presumably have come to their senses and be prepared to throw the bum out. But after such a catastrophic first week, four years seems like a long time to wait. This brings us to option two: impeachment. Under the US Constitution, a simple majority in the House of Representatives could vote to impeach Trump for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors." If convicted by the Senate on a two-thirds vote, Trump could be removed from office - and a new poll suggests that after week one, more than a third of Americans are already eager to see Trump impeached. If impeachment seems like a fine solution to you, the good news is that Congress doesn't need evidence of actual treason or murder to move forward with an impeachment: Practically anything can be considered a "high crime or misdemeanor." (Remember, former President Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about his affair with Monica Lewinsky.) The bad news is that Republicans control both the House and the Senate, making impeachment politically unlikely, unless and until Democrats retake Congress. And that can't happen until the elections of 2018. Anyway, impeachments take time: months, if not longer - even with an enthusiastic Congress. And when you have a lunatic controlling the nuclear codes, even a few months seems like a perilously long time to wait. How long will it take before Trump decides that "you're fired" is a phrase that should also apply to nuclear missiles? (Aimed, perhaps, at Mexico?) In these dark days, some around the globe are finding solace in the 25th Amendment to the Constitution. This previously obscure amendment states that "the Vice President and a majority of the principal officers of the executive departments" can declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office," in which case "the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President." This is option three for getting rid of Trump: an appeal to Vice President Mike Pence's ambitions. Surely Pence wants to be president himself one day, right? Pence isn't exactly a political moderate - he's been unremittingly hostile to gay rights, he's a climate change sceptic, etc. - but, unappealing as his politics may be to many Americans, he does not appear to actually be insane. (This is the new threshold for plausibility in American politics: "not actually insane.") Presumably, Pence is sane enough to oppose rash acts involving, say, the evisceration of all US military alliances, or America's first use of nuclear weapons - and presumably, if things got bad enough, other Trump cabinet members might also be inclined to oust their boss and replace him with his vice president. Congress would have to acquiesce in a permanent 25th Amendment removal, but if Pence and half the cabinet declared Trump unfit, even a Republican-controlled Congress would likely fall in line. The fourth possibility is one that until recently I would have said was unthinkable in the United States of America: a military coup, or at least a refusal by military leaders to obey certain orders. The principle of civilian control of the military has been deeply internalised by the US military, which prides itself on its nonpartisan professionalism. What's more, we know that a high-ranking lawbreaker with even a little subtlety can run rings around the uniformed military. During the first years of the George W. Bush administration, for instance, formal protests from the nation's senior-most military lawyers didn't stop the use of torture. When military leaders objected to tactics such as waterboarding, the Bush administration simply bypassed the military, getting the CIA and private contractors to do their dirty work. But Trump isn't subtle or sophisticated: He sets policy through rants and late-night tweets, not through quiet hints to aides and lawyers. He's thin-skinned, erratic, and unconstrained - and his unexpected, self-indulgent pronouncements are reportedly sending shivers through even his closest aides. What would top US military leaders do if given an order that struck them as not merely ill-advised, but dangerously unhinged? An order that wasn't along the lines of "Prepare a plan to invade Iraq if Congress authorises it based on questionable intelligence," but "Prepare to invade Mexico tomorrow!" or "Start rounding up Muslim Americans and sending them to Guantanamo!" or "I'm going to teach China a lesson - with nukes!" It's impossible to say, of course. The prospect of American military leaders responding to a presidential order with open defiance is frightening - but so, too, is the prospect of military obedience to an insane order. After all, military officers swear to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not the president. For the first time in my life, I can imagine plausible scenarios in which senior military officials might simply tell the president: "No, sir. We're not doing that," to thunderous applause from the New York Times editorial board. Brace yourselves. One way or another, it's going to be a wild few years. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. If U.S. Cared About Muslims, They Would Stop Killing Them by the Millions Trumps current ban on travelers affects nations that were already targeted by President Obama, a perfect example of the continuity of U.S. imperial policy in the region. The memo from State Department dissenters contains not a word of support for world peace, nor a hint of respect for the national sovereignty of other peoples. By Glen Ford Since 2001, war has been normalized in the U.S. -- especially war against Muslims. February 02, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " BAR " - In the most dramatic expression of insider opposition to a sitting administrations policies in generations, over 1,000 U.S. State Department employees signed on to a memo protesting President Donald Trumps temporary ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries setting foot on U.S. soil. Another recent high point in dissent among the State Departments 18,000 worldwide employees occurred in June of last year, when 51 diplomats called for U.S. air strikes against the Syrian government of President Bashar al Assad. Neither outburst of dissent was directed against the U.S. wars and economic sanctions that have killed and displaced millions of people in the affected countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Rather, the diplomatic rebellion of last summer sought to pressure the Obama administration to join with Hillary Clinton and her Big Tent full of war hawks to confront Russia in the skies over Syria, while the memo currently making the rounds of State Department employees claims to uphold core American and constitutional values, preserve good will towards Americans and prevent potential damage to the U.S. economy from the loss of revenue from foreign travelers and students. In neither memo is there a word of support for world peace, nor a hint of respect for the national sovereignty of other peoples -- which is probably appropriate, since these are not, and never have been, core American and constitutional values. The diplomatic rebellion of last summer sought to pressure the Obama administration to join with Hillary Clinton and her Big Tent full of war hawks to confront Russia in the skies over Syria. Ironically, the State Department dissent channel was established during one of those rare moments in U.S. history when peace was popular: 1971, when a defeated U.S. war machine was very reluctantly winding down support for its puppet regime in South Vietnam. Back then, lots of Americans, including denizens of the U.S. government, wanted to take credit for the peace that was on the verge of being won by the Vietnamese, at a cost of at least four million Southeast Asian dead. But, those days are long gone. Since 2001, war has been normalized in the U.S. -- especially war against Muslims, which now ranks at the top of actual core American values. Indeed, so much American hatred is directed at Muslims that Democrats and establishment Republicans must struggle to keep the Russians in the hate zone of the American popular psyche. The two premiere, officially-sanctioned hatreds are, of course, inter-related, particularly since the Kremlin stands in the way of a U.S. blitzkrieg in Syria, wrecking Washingtons decades-long strategy to deploy Islamic jihadists as foot soldiers of U.S. empire. The United States has always been a project of empire-building. George Washington called it a nascent empire, Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France in pursuit of an extensive empire, and the real Alexander Hamilton, contrary to the Broadway version, considered the U.S. to be the most interesting empire in the world. The colonial outpost of two million white settlers (and half a million African slaves) severed ties with Britain in order to forge its own, limitless dominion, to rival the other white European empires of the world. Today, the U.S. is the Mother of All (Neo)Colonialists, under whose armored skirts are gathered all the aged, shriveled, junior imperialists of the previous era. The United States has always been a project of empire-building. In order to reconcile the massive contradiction between Americas predatory nature and its mythical self-image, however, the mega-hyper-empire must masquerade as its opposite: a benevolent, exceptional and indispensible bulwark against global barbarism. Barbarians must, therefore, be invented and nurtured, as did the U.S. and the Saudis in 1980s Afghanistan with their creation of the worlds first international jihadist network, for subsequent deployment against the secular barbarian states of Libya and Syria. In modern American bureaucratese, worrisome barbarian states are referred to as countries or areas of concern -- the language used to designate the seven nations targeted under the Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 signed by President Obama. President Donald Trump used the existing legislation as the basis for his executive order banning travelers from those states, while specifically naming only Syria. Thus, the current abomination is a perfect example of the continuity of U.S. imperial policy in the region, and emphatically not something new under the sun (a sun that, as with old Britannia, never sets on U.S. empire). The empire preserves itself, and strives relentlessly to expand, through force of arms and coercive economic sanctions backed up by the threat of annihilation. It kills people by the millions, while allowing a tiny fraction of its victims to seek sanctuary within U.S. borders, based on their individual value to the empire. The mega-hyper-empire must masquerade as its opposite: a benevolent, exceptional and indispensible bulwark against global barbarism. Donald Trumps racist executive order directly affects about 20,000 people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees. President Obama killed an estimated 50,000 Libyans in 2011, although the U.S. officially does not admit it snuffed out the life of a single civilian. The First Black President is responsible for each of the half-million Syrians that have died since he launched his jihadist-based war against that country, the same year. Total casualties inflicted on the populations of the seven targeted nations since the U.S. backed Iraq in its 1980s war against Iran number at least four million -- a bigger holocaust than the U.S. inflicted on Southeast Asia, two generations ago -- when the U.S. State Department first established its dissent channel. But, where is the peace movement? Instead of demanding a halt to the carnage that creates tidal waves of refugees, self-styled progressives join in the macabre ritual of demonizing the countries of concern that have been targeted for attack, a process that U.S. history has color-coded with racism and Islamophobia. These imperial citizens then congratulate themselves on being the worlds one and only exceptional people, because they deign to accept the presence of a tiny portion of the populations the U.S. has mauled. The rest of humanity, however, sees the real face of America -- and there will be a reckoning. BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter What Flynn Could Learn From Kerry About Iran By Trita Parsi February 02, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Even the most inexperienced commander knows not to escalate without having de-escalatory options at hand. That is the most troubling issue with National Security Advisor Michael Flynns harsh notice to Iran yesterday in response to Tehrans ill-advised missile test. Flynns statement may have been bluster. The Donald J. Trump presidency is only a few days old and there is pressure to signal its firmness and the approach it will take in the Middle East. But bluster without having established a channel for de-escalation is profoundly dangerous, and it is likely to increase rather than decrease the administrations challenges with Iran. Most pundits and journalists have pressed the White House to specify what it would do in case Iran continues testing ballistic missiles or aiding Houthi rebels in Yemen (a connection that Flynn greatly exaggerated in his statement). Will the U.S. fire at Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf? Will it impose new sanctions? Will it walk away from the Iranian nuclear deal? But the more important question is not how the U.S. will escalate, but how it will calm down the situation once it has achieved its yet-to-be revealed objectives. This is what remains unclear. It is disappointing but unsurprising, given Trumps campaign and his chosen advisors, that this administration has begun its tenure by raising tensions with Iran without first having established lines of communication with the higher echelons of the Iranian leadership. Twitter is not an acceptable line of communication for U.S. leadership to engage the world. The Obama administration did the opposite it first tried to establish strong, authoritative channels before it made any positive gesture or issued any threats. These lines of communication not only helped secure a nuclear deal that prevented both war with Iran and blocked Irans potential paths to a nuclear weapon, but the channels also proved crucial in securing the freedom of 10 U.S. sailors after they had accidentally drifted into Iranian waters. Instead of a standoff that could have taken months to resolve, the Americans were released unharmed within only 16 hours. The Trump administration does not have any such channels and has not bothered to create them either. While former Secretary of State John Kerry developed an extremely useful rapport with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif over the course of two years of negotiations, this channel has not been handed over to Secretary Rex Tillerson (who wasnt confirmed by the Senate until Wednesday). And even if an attempt was made now to put it in place, it would begin under the worst circumstances precisely because Trumps first communique to Iran was a threat. Moreover, Iran is hypersensitive to American signals as it enters the early phases of its political season. The history of U.S.-Iran relations in the past 35 years is ripe with examples of how such tough talk is more likely to cause Tehran to dig in its heels than to cause it to back down. Kerry secured the release of the 10 American sailors precisely because he did not engage in such language. As I reveal in my forthcoming book Losing an Enemy Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy, Zarif was first informed about the 10 American sailors as he was leaving a theater in Tehran. His first concern was to ensure that the U.S. wouldnt make any public threats against Iran as that would dramatically complicate their release and force him to adopt a much harsher position. As Zarif likes to say, Iranians are allergic to threats. Knowing the United States, Zarif told me, the language theyd use would be Iran must release our guys. And then Iran would take it as a threat. And then we would have responded, and then this whole thing would have taken a life of its own. Fortunately, he already had a scheduled call with Kerry that same evening, so there was time to convey this to Kerry before he would address the media. Do you know the story? Kerry asked. Had you not called, I would have called you, Zarif replied. Kerry pressed Zarif to quickly release the sailors, arguing the incident otherwise would jeopardize both the nuclear deal, which was nearing Implementation Day when sanctions would be lifted in return for Irans completion of initial nuclear steps, as well as the secret prisoner swap that was in the making. Zarif, in turn, pressed Kerry not to issue any public threats. If Kerrys message was, Dont let this unravel the nuclear deal, Zarifs argument was, We dont want the sailors, so dont force us to keep them by making threats. Zarif and Kerry spoke to each other five times that day. Instead of making threats, the Obama administration kept its cool and quietly negotiated the sailors release. Clearly, the Iranians were cooperating, and the channels of communication were open and effective. President Obama saw no value in raising the issue in the State of the Union Address, even though the news had broken. By contrast, his critics rushed to declare that it was the start of another hostage crisis and portrayed him as weak, indecisive and foolish, all the while blatantly ignoring the intrusion of the sailors into Iranian waters. The fact that you have an active conversation going on diplomatically means youre not going to be talking about this, a White House official explained. Had Kerry acted like Flynn, it is possible these 10 Americans could still be stuck in Iran. The prisoner exchange likely would have fallen part, resulting in a prolonged imprisonment for former Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and several American citizens. And it is extremely difficult to imagine any nuclear deal coming to fruition while American sailors are detained torpedoing the Iran deal and leaving the U.S. and Iran on a path to war. Rather than following Kerrys successful diplomatic path, Flynn has put the U.S. in an escalatory cycle with no clear exit. Iran is likely to respond to Washingtons notice with another provocative measure, which in turn will beget yet another and perhaps a more tangible threat from Washington. At some point, what started off as bluster, may turn into a real military conflict or even open warfare precisely because Flynn and the Trump administration prioritized threats over direct diplomacy. Amateur hour at the Trump White House continues. Trita Parsi President, National Iranian American Council The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. On Tolerance By Camillo Mac Bica, Ph.D. February 02, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - I am first generation born in the United States and I grew up in what can probably be described (affectionately) as an Italian ghetto. As a child, I remember walking to Sunday mass on a warm summer morning and enjoying the smells of sauce and meatballs, probably simmering since the night before, radiating from many of the homes along East 87th street. I knew my mother was making sauce as well, so I was anxious to return home after picking up a loaf of semolina bread, still hot from the oven, from the local bakery. I knew dinner wasnt for a few more hours (the main meal on Sunday was in the early afternoon), so when I thought my mother wasnt looking, Id break off an end of the loaf, dip it into the sauce, and quickly thrust it into my mouth to avoid detection, inevitably burning my tongue. My grandparents didnt speak English but just about everyone in the family, and probably in the neighborhood, spoke and/or understood enough Italian, usually a dialect, mine was Sicilian, to get along. I was pretty much an adult before I learned that baqasu wasnt the Italian word for bathroom, that it was broken English for back (out) house. Though it wasnt an issue at the time, Im sure that more than a few family members and friends were undocumented, or illegals as some in the current climate of intolerance would probably refer to them. My father became a citizen while he was serving in the American Army during World War II, fighting in the invasion of Sicily, through the villages and towns of his birth. Because, at the time, the job market for immigrants with little education was so difficult, some may have flirted with the mafia in order to make a living. Though they were but a few, to this day, Italian Americans are stereotypically portrayed on TV and in film as gangsters and criminals. I can honestly say that most members of my immigrant community were honest, patriotic, honorable, and hard working people. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, my mother worked all of her life as a seamstress in a Manhattan sweatshop, my father in construction. Because of their sacrifices, I enjoyed a childhood rich, not in material possessions, but in love, tradition, compassion, understanding, and tolerance. For this I am truly blessed. Though I am not sure why, many Americans have forgotten that we are all from somewhere else, that we share more than what divides us. I am saddened about how this nation has forgotten its values and for what we allegedly stand for as Americans. I grieve that even some of my friends who share a similar background as mine have grown cold and insensitive to the plight of the new immigrants. For me, understanding and tolerance has nothing to do with political ideology or who resides in the White House. For me, it is about remembering my heritage and the people I knew and loved. For me, it is about who I am, and where I came from. For me it is about the values that I learned from my immigrant family, fought for as a Marine, and for which so many of my friends have died. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared support for plans by the Federal Government to import crude oil from Niger Republic. The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun described the ongoing bilateral discussions between Nigeria and Niger Republic, which would result in piping crude oil from the Republic of Niger for refining at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) as a welcome development. According to a statement from his media office, Odigie-Oyegun made the observation while receiving an economic delegation from Niger, led by that countrys Minister of Petroleum, Foumakoye Gado and Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to Nigeria, Mansour Maman Hadj Daddo at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday. The APC chairman thanked Niger Republic for the cordial relationship and cooperation with Nigeria particularly in the fight against the insurgency in Nigerias North East. The Nigerien petroleum minister, who is also the Secretary of the Nigerien governing Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya), stated that the cordial executive relationship between the two countries should be replicated at party level. Source: Guardian Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has ordered the cancellation of all official number plates currently in use as a result of gross abuse and directed re-issuance of new official number plates to all government owned vehicles, while retired staff are to forfeit same henceforth. The governor has also banned all local government officials in the state from controlling or engaging in traffic duties. Addressing journalists at a press conference in Alausa, Ikeja, the acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said in recent times, there had been complaints about the role of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) officials in traffic enforcement. Indeed, there are traffic units in all the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas. However, this is not a responsibility for the third tier of government. We have reported instances of illegal arrest, extortion and general impunity on the part of the local government operatives. It is then appropriate to disband all the units and outfits parading as local government traffic units. This has been communicated to all these agencies. For the avoidance of doubt, officials of the ministry will start monitoring and any infraction will be dealt with in full compliance with the law. Let me also reiterate that only the Nigerian police, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Taskforce on Special Offences and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) can perform traffic duties, the commissioner said. Source: BreakingTimes The Nigerian Army on Thursday said it had arrested three Chadians in Borno State as part of its ongoing anti terrorism war in the North-East. The Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, revealed this in a statement while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri. On Jan.26, at about 1745 hours three Chadians were arrested at a check point in Damasak after a mobile phone belonging to one of them was flipped through and it shows pictures of men in both military T-shirt and mufti with GPMG, FN and AK 47 rifles. The Chadians are in custody undergoing interrogation, Irabor said. According to the Major Gen., the army had also intercepted seven females from Niger Republic last month. On Jan.16 at about 1715 hours, troops deployed at Cham check point intercepted seven female immigrants from the Republic of Niger enroute Yola via Kano. Three of them were with their passports while four had no means of identification, Irabor said. He said the immigrants were in custody undergoing interrogation and will be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further action. Irabor said that the army had also conducted ambush operations against the Boko Haram terrorists and recovered large cache of weapons and ammunition. On Jan. 28, at about 1315 hours our own troops deployed at Miyanti conducted ambush along Miyanti- Banki road. The troops encountered the terrorists elements and subsequently engaged them where two were killed in action, he said. Items recovered from them include: an AK47 rifle; three magazines and five rounds of 7.62 mom special. There were also two pieces of 36 hand grenades; a cell phone and a motorcycle, the commander said. He added that the army also intercepted some terrorists logistics. When our troops were returning from Bitta on Jan.19 at about 1400 hours, they sighted two suspected terrorists at Geleri. The terrorists immediately fled. However, some items were recovered from them, which include: 31 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition; 22 rounds of 7.62 special; a Nokia cell phone connected with wire and two packets of dicloforte with 10 tablets each, among others, Irabor said. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned Shamsudeen Bala, son of the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 15-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N1.2 billion. The younger Bala is charged along with four companies Bird Trust Agro Allied Limited, Intertrans Global Logistic Limited, Diakin Telecommunications Limited and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited. Bala and Diakin Telecommunications Limited allegedly made cash payment of N74.244 million to Abuja Investment Company Limited without going through a financial institution. The offence is in breach of Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012), the EFRCC said. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him. Upon his plea, the counsel to the EFCC, Ben S. Ikani, asked the court to fix a date for trial and for the remand of the accused in prison custody pending trial. However, Balas counsel, Chris Uche (SAN) told the court that he had a pending application dated and filed January 27, 2017 praying for the release of the accused on bail. He said that aside the health challenges faced by the accused, the EFCC had earlier granted him administrative bail which he had not breached. He urged the court to admit him to bail on same conditions set by the EFCC assuring that, the accused would be available to stand his trial. Justice Dimgba adjourned ruling on the bail application to February 3 while fixing March 27 for commencement of trial. Source: BreakingTimes A group of Muslim women under the auspices of Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative has claimed that their rights were being infringed upon by as they are being forced to remove hijabs before writing examinations. The group lamented that most women in hijabs had been denied jobs and other opportunities in the country, despite their qualifications. The Coordinator of the group, Hajia Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, on Wednesday said their constitutional rights were being violated by the government and private agencies. Orolu-Balogun was quoted by the Punch as saying, Women in hijab are forced to expose their ears and heads before sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination or getting Bank Verification Numbers. Imagine being asked to take off your shirt because you want to get your driving licence, or being told that you would not be able to vote because you wouldnt show your cleavage in the picture on your voter card. These, and worse, are what a Muslim woman who wears the hijab faces when she is asked to take off her hijab before she could be allowed her constitutional rights. The use of hijab is a religious obligation and not an Arab culture that one might discard at will. Asking a Muslim woman to remove her hijab is a form of violence against her; such should have no place in a progressive society like Nigeria, she said. Source: Dailypost The mystery behind the three Abuja residents who suddenly disappeared is currently being unraveled. The three residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja who disappeared while preparing for a birthday party are currently in the custody of notorious kidnappers, new reports have revealed. The kidnappers, who abducted the three friends when they went to buy ice-cream and cake in Abuja, have finally contacted the families of the victims, demanding $300,000. Four days after Veronica Otogo, Bisola Mohammed and Damilola Oribuyaku went missing in Abuja; those believed to be behind their abduction contacted the families yesterday. Veronica, whose birthday was last Friday, had gone out with her friend, Bisola, to buy ice cream and cake at a creamery near Wuse 2, before their abduction. It was, however, learnt that the ladies were later joined by Damilola. A close family source revealed further details on Facebook: Nigerian newspaper headlines February 2, 2017. Punch The Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has described the Federal Governments attempt to use a witness wearing a mask to testify against a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), as satanic and a mockery of democracy. Guardian The Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Fatai Owoseni, has disclosed that popular hip-hop star, Innocent Idibia, also known as Tuface, would not be allowed to embark on any protest in the metropolis. Vanguard Federal Road Safety Commissions mobile court, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, sanctioned about 15 commercial buses for failing to comply with the deadline to install speed limit devices in their vehicles. The Nation The Northeast Coalition against Terrorism, (NECAT) has urged the remaining members of Boko Haram insurgents to surrender to the military in the interest of peace. Leadership The African Union has passed a resolution aimed at mass exit of member states from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Thisday The United Kingdom has deported about 41 Nigerians for committing various immigration offences. Premium Times One of the officers controversially dismissed by the Nigerian Army for alleged partisanship in the 2015 general elections is dead. The Sun The Federal Government has raised an inter-ministerial task force to force down food prices as well as raise Value Added Tax (VAT) on luxury items. Cool FM Lagos radio personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze has thrown a subliminal shot at Nigerian clerics, and he writes on Tithing under Pastor & God. Below is what he posted on his Instagram page; The wicked people who bore false witness against Jesus, were decent enough not to add the bribe money to the treasury! How come our Daddy GOs and Yahoo boy pastors are so greedy that they dont question the source of money, they just take and take and take with absolutely no conscience? Those people that robbed the banking sector dry were great tithers, always following these men of God around, same with the fuel subsidy thieves and fraudulent politicians and leaders. One former president whose wife has several millions in dollars seized was a frequent visitor at Ota! Dont these Daddy GOs recognize the blood money or is their anointing a one way road that only takes no matter the source? Nigerians please realign yourselves with the bible, these guys are leading you to the slaughter. Matthew 27:3-6 KJV [3] Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, [4] Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that . [5] And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. [6] And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. #FreeTheSheeple A playful dog was rescued from a bizarre situation when fire crews in Montana, USA pried him out of the wheel of his owners car. Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department shared photos of Blaze, the curious puppy, who managed to get his head stuck in the tire while his owner wasnt looking. The owner left the pup by himself in his yard for just a few hours and came home to find him in this precarious position! the fire department said. The local veterinarian was unsure how to extract the puppy from the unusual snare so firefighters arrived to gently pull him to safety. With a lot of coconut oil, patience, a lot of ear tucking, and some powerful skin-pulling, Blazes head was quickly and successfully extricated from the tire wheel without the use of tools but with Firefighter Zach Osbornes brute strength, the department said. The rescuers said Blaze remained calm throughout the operation and was uninjured apart from some minor neck swelling. After the speedy rescue, Blaze was free to run around the yard again, while the fire crews hoped he and his owner learned a lesson from the incident. Hopefully this was a valuable lesson for young Blaze, and we wont have to respond to any more menacing incidents involving this playful puppy, the fire department said. AT&T will launch its first 5G wireless service in Indianapolis and Austin later this year, offering theoretical top speeds of 400Mbps or higher, the company said. The service is based on AT&T's vision for 5G; there are no standards yet for the successor to today's 4G LTE service, and any 5G standards are more than a year away at best. Current 4G LTE networks often no higher throughout than 30Mbps on downloads, according to various field tests by independent testing companies. One such testing company, OpenSignal, reported last year that AT&T had reached just 7.93 Mbps on 4G LTE for average downloads, based on thousands of measurements. T-Mobile, meanwhile, was the top performer, with 12.26 Mbps, where it had availability. Massive bandwidth and low latency from the eventual 5G networks will help self-driving cars and mobile augmented reality and virtual reality headsets, AT&T said. New technologies atop the 5G network and greater density of wireless transmitters could bring the theoretical test speeds even higher -- to 1Gbps in 2017, AT&T said. In December, AT&T launched its first business customer trial in Austin with Intel and Ericsson. The company also said it will build two new 5G testing labs this spring in Austin. The testbeds will be used to support a fixed wireless 5G connection to stream DirecTV Now for residential and small and medium business customers. Also, the testbeds will be used to evaluate multiple vendors of advanced 5G technology for wireless systems. The tests will also explore 5G signal coverage for frequency bands in the 28GHz, 39GHz, and sub-6GHz bands. AT&T described 5G as one of several parts of a technology platform called Indigo. John Donovan, AT&T's chief strategy officer for technology and operations, described Indigo as similar to an operating system for the AT&T network. Every network element will become more efficient using the Indigo approach, he said. In addition to 5G, AT&T described other components of Indigo that include software-defined networking and open-sourced ECOMP, to be hosted by the Linux Foundation. ECOMP is a network operating system behind AT&T's software-defined network. ECOMP stands for Enhanced Control, Orchestration, Management, and Policy and is basically automation software to help virtualize networks. AT&T said Indigo includes a data platform that organizations relying on AT&T's network can use to share data and collaborate securely on analytics. For example, AT&T said with Indigo, patients living far away from research centers could participate in medical trials; so-called smart cities could share data and initiatives; or cybersecurity experts could use machine learning to analyze threats to all the members of a community, not just threats faced by one member. Early in 2016, analysts predicted that full rollouts of 5G and related components by both AT&T and Verizon to reach significant parts of the U.S. would not occur until 2019 or 2020. The 5G wireless standards group, called 3GPP, approved a fixed wireless standard "accelerated plan" that could offer a completed standard by 2018, so that SK Telecom could show the new technology at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. This story, "AT&T to launch its proposed version of 5G wireless this year" was originally published by Computerworld . Power blackouts across Ukraine amid Russian shelling AP - Sat Nov 5, 8:06AM CDT Ukraines state electricity operator has announced regular scheduled blackouts in Kyiv and seven other regions of the country in the aftermath of Russias devastating strikes on energy infrastructure... $SPX : 3,770.55 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 32,403.22 (+1.26%) $IUXX : 10,857.03 (+1.56%) Climate activists block private jets at Amsterdam airport AP - Sat Nov 5, 7:48AM CDT Hundreds of climate protesters have blocked private jets from leaving Amsterdams Schiphol Airport in a demonstration on the eve of the COP27 United Nations climate meeting in Egypt $SPX : 3,770.55 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 32,403.22 (+1.26%) $IUXX : 10,857.03 (+1.56%) Should Investors Sweat the 2022 Midterm Elections? Young & The Invested - Sat Nov 5, 6:00AM CDT Election Day is right around the corner. And while there's plenty to be anxious about, Wall Street strategists say your portfolio shouldn't be one of them. Cotton Closes with another Triple Digit Gain Barchart - Fri Nov 4, 4:46PM CDT Front month cotton futures added triple digits to the climb on Friday. Dec cotton closed up by another 4.73%, for a weekly gain of 20.5%. The December to December spread is now an 8.56 cent premium for... CTZ22 : 86.93s (+4.73%) CTH23 : 85.67s (+4.26%) CTK23 : 84.63s (+3.21%) Cattle Markets Fade into Weekend Barchart - Fri Nov 4, 4:46PM CDT Live cattle futures ended the Friday session 10 to 50 weaker in the front months. For the week, Dec fats faded by $1.35. The weeks cash price was mostly near $150 in the South and mostly near $153 in... LEZ22 : 151.650s (-0.20%) LEG23 : 154.375s (-0.32%) LEJ23 : 158.000s (-0.19%) GFX22 : 177.825s (-0.10%) GFF23 : 179.625s (+0.11%) Mixed Close for Hog Futures Barchart - Fri Nov 4, 4:46PM CDT Hogs went into the weekend mixed but mostly lower with 15 to 40 cent losses in the nearbys and 5 to 20 cent gains in the deferred contracts. For the week, December hogs ended with a $13.13 loss, while... HEZ22 : 82.975s (-0.48%) HEJ23 : 92.400s (-0.16%) KMZ22 : 93.875s (-0.13%) No matter how good your self-storage business may be, there are still many laws and regulations that expose it to liability. The best way to reduce that liability is to understand your risks and adjust your operational practices accordingly. The top legal threats for facility operators in 2017 fall into three categories: technology, ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) accessibility and court intervention. Technology As the self-storage industry moves further into the world of technology and explores ways it can be applied to facility operation, theres increased risk of liability. Technology isnt fool-proof. Theres always the risk that a system will malfunction or be hacked. Even though there are operational benefits to technology use, there can be legal drawbacks. First, as more operators rely on online rentals and Web-based financial transactions, the risk of data breaches increases. Most of you work hard to secure your customer information, using firewalls and other Internet-security protections, such as encryption. When it comes to credit or debit card payments, you work with your merchant-services providers to ensure your systems comply with the Payment Card Industry standards and other regulations. However, there are no guarantees against a data breach. If youre using a website to transact business, it should meet certain requirements relating to consumer protections. For example, it must be easy to use, readily understandable for a typical consumer, and accessible to those with disabilities. As such, it should use legible fonts, clear buttons for acceptance of terms and, if possible, visual and audio methods for describing facility services. Further, the website must contain information regarding the privacy rights of the user, specifically how customer information is gathered and used. Depending on the state where your companys principal place of business is located, the website privacy policy will need to include certain warnings and a clear point of contact for consumer complaints. You should rely on your Web developer to verify accessibility compliance, and then ask your lawyer to confirm your privacy policy is up-to-date under the current applicable laws. This technology concern can also expand to systems that are subject to occasional failure, including management software, payment processing, kiosks, gate systems and security cameras. If youre using technology to manage your facility, you must make the effort to maintain the systems and be prepared to update them as necessary to avoid operational disruptions. ADA Accessibility Beyond liability arising from technology, there are other legal threats to storage operations. I expect to see an increase in litigation around the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Title III of the ADA prohibits private entities from discriminating against individuals with disabilities by maintaining places of business that arent physically accessible. The act requires that places of public accommodationprivate businesses that offer goods and services to the public, including self-storage facilitiesremove architectural barriers that limit access to or use of the location. The ADA requires that small businesses remove architectural barriers in existing facilities when its "readily achievable" to do so. This means "easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense." This requirement is based on the business size and resources. Companies with more resources are expected to remove more barriers than those with fewer resources. Barrier removal may include: Providing an accessible route from a parking lot to the business entrance Installing an entrance ramp Widening a doorway Installing accessible door hardware Repositioning shelves Moving tables, chairs, display racks, vending machines or other furniture Although self-storage operators are subject to all the ADA building-access regulations applicable to structures generally, the act also includes space accessibility "scoping requirements" that apply specifically to self-storage buildings and doors. These require that if the property has fewer than 200 units, then 5 percent of a facilitys units must be accessible. If it has more than 200, then 10 units plus 2 percent of the remaining units must be accessible. In addition, the ADA-compliant units must be dispersed among the different "classes of spaces provided. Since the term classes is undefined in the ADA, it could mean either the size or type of unit (i.e., climate-controlled). That said, if you have more unit classes than the number of accessible units required, you dont need additional accessible units just to have one in each class. There also appears to be no need to disperse the accessible units among buildings in a multistructure facility. As with hotels, there appears to be no requirement to hold the unit back from rental solely for a disabled customer if other spaces are otherwise rented and the space is needed. Theres been an uptick of lawsuits filed by disabled consumers who file claims for themselves and on behalf of others. Sometimes these individual plaintiffs and their lawyers file dozens if not hundreds of lawsuits against all types of properties including restaurants, office buildings, movie theaters and self-storage properties. Although there may be merit to these actions relating to technical violations of the ADA, most are filed solely because of the financial incentives granted to lawyers under the ADA. The statutory recovery of fees make these cases attractive. Court Intervention Finally, there are two court-related challenges that may impact self-storage operators this year: 1. The effort to weaken the enforceability of exculpatory provisions found in self-storage rental agreements 2. The effort to reverse the enforceability of class-actions waivers found in standard arbitration provisions to manage tenant disputes Over the years, the courts have struggled with the enforceability of the release of liability provisions found in all contracts, not just those included in self-storage agreements. These provisions seek to release landlords and other contracting parties from responsibility for all types of risks that may arise from the contract at issue. When it comes to self-storage, these provisions are based on the non-bailment relationship of the parties and the fact that the storage operator takes neither care, custody nor control of the stored goods. A typical provision might read: Release of Landlords liability for property damage: All personal property stored within or upon the space by Tenant shall be at Tenant's sole risk. Landlord, Landlord's agents and/or employees shall not be liable for any loss or damage to Tenant's personal property stored at the self-storage facility arising from any cause whatsoever including, but not limited to, burglary, mysterious disappearance, fire, water damage, mold, mildew, rodents, insects, Acts of God, the active or passive acts or omissions or negligence of the Landlord, Landlord's agents, and/or employees. However, there have been casesusually state-law dependentthat have held this type of release as too broad, and no release should exclude liability for a landlords negligence. Other courts have held that while ordinary negligence may be released, a landlord shouldnt be free from liability arising from gross negligence. As these types of provisions grow weaker, it becomes more important for storage operators to require: 1. That their tenants have insurance for their stored goods 2. That their tenants have sufficient insurance to cover their own risk of claims that may otherwise survive this type of release provision The other court-intervention concern involves arbitration provisions in contracts and, specifically, the ability to enforce class-action waivers contained therein. It isnt surprising that class-action lawsuits are starting to surface against self-storage operators, since the industry is a perfect breeding ground for this type of litigation. Each facility has a large number of tenants who all sign the same lease, pay the same fees and charges, and are processed under the same state lien procedure. If a claim can be developed against a self-storage operator, the class can easily be determined based on the tenants who occupied the facility during the period under which the alleged wrong occurred. One method to control such claims is to use a rental agreement that contains arbitration provisions to handle disputes as well as a class-action waiver. The waiver would allow that although individual tenants may retain their right to assert claims against the storage operator, theyre not entitled to create a class to pursue those claims. Theres recently been an effort by the plaintiffs bara group that benefits from class-action litigationto restrict the ability of businesses to avoid class actions, either by their employees or customers, via these waivers. In other words, the effort has been to contend that its unfair to restrict parties from filing class actions if thats the most appropriate way to right a wrong. Although the courts have so far continued to support these waivers, the effort to fight this type of dispute-resolution provision continues to grow. These are but three of the significant threats self-storage operators face this year. The best way to combat business liabilities is to be prepared. Be informed of legal dangers by speaking with your attorney, participating with your state self-storage association, and reading online resources. Once you understand the risks, youll be ready to face any issues that come your way. Scott Zucker a partner in the law firm Weissmann Zucker Euster Morochnik P.C. in Atlanta, which specializes in business litigation with an emphasis on real estate, landlord-tenant and construction law. Zucker is a frequent speaker at self-storage industry events, author of Legal Topics in Self-storage: A Sourcebook for Owners and Managers, and a partner in the Self-storage Legal Network, a subscription-based legal service for storage owners and managers. For more information, call 404.364.4626; e-mail [email protected]; visit www.wzlegal.com. Amys Attic Self Storage, which operates six facilities in Texas, is inviting community members to stop by the facility and create Valentines Day cards for the elderly. Decorating stations were set up on Jan. 19 at Amys Attic properties at 930 W. Highway 190 in Copperas Cove and 800 Prospector Trail in Harker Heights. Open until Friday, the stations provide heart-shaped construction paper, markers and crayons, and stickers. The cards will be delivered to local assisted-living centers and retirement communities by Amys Attic staff during Feb. 8 to 10. The operator also invited local residents to drop off homemade Valentines at all of its locations, and enlisted students from local schools to participate. Amys Attic sponsors several community and charitable programs and events each year. Its Amy in Education initiative collects and delivers donations of supplies to local schools. The goal of the program is to have a positive presence in schools through donations, mentorship and teacher appreciation as well as participation in career fairs, according to its website page. The Harker Heights property also hosted a bi-annual craft festival and fundraiser last year in conjunction with local furniture companies. The events benefited the Boys & Girls Club of Central Texas and Furniture for Families Inc., a nonprofit that provides furniture to those in need. In addition, Amys Attic supports the local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, the Rainbow Room, an emergency-resource center, and Operation Phantom Support, which provides assistance to military families. Founded in 2004, Amys Attic operates facilities in Belton, Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, Killeen and Temple, Texas. Environmental, social and governance issues are no longer just about excluding so-called sin stocks or applying value judgments they can be a source of added value, says the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Boards Matthew Sherwood. ESG investing the practice of incorporating so-called nonfinancial factors such as environmental, social and governance issues into investment portfolios has gotten a bit of a bad rap in terms of performance. But Matthew Sherwood, senior manager for public markets investments at the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB), disputes the notion that ESG investments underperform their non-ESG counterparts, and now hes got the numbers to prove it. Sherwood, who is also a member of the investment committee and ESG working group for the Plan Sponsor Council of America and lectures on ESG investing at the Kings College in New York, recently coauthored a new paper on ESG equity strategies in emerging markets, which looked at the relative performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets ESG index versus non-ESG indexes. Sherwood found that institutional investors would have done better by investing in the emerging-markets ESG index, rather than its non-ESG counterpart, based on a 15 percent allocation of assets to emerging-markets equities from 2007 to 2016 (the average institutional investor allocation to emerging-markets equities, according to a 2015 survey from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). The ESG-based index produced an annualized return of 2.69 percent over the period, while the non-ESG index returned 0.86 percent on an annualized basis. The overall portfolio return was increased by 0.4 percent annually with the use of the ESG index, compared with an increase of 0.13 percent annually if the non-ESG index had been used. For a $2 billion pension fund, that difference adds up quickly, amounting to a total of $5.49 million in assets over the nine-year period. Sherwood says that not only was the ESG-based performance statistically meaningful and significantly greater over the same period than the non-ESG indexes return, it was also less volatile than the non-ESG index. He recently spoke with Matt Craig, global content director for Institutional Investors Investor Intelligence Network, about his findings. Institutional Investor: How do U.S. investors stack up against their international counterparts when it comes to implementing ESG investment strategies? Sherwood: U.S. investors are behind the curve on ESG issues. Many still only apply sin stock exclusions, avoiding investments in areas like tobacco, alcohol, gambling or pornography. Such a stand-alone, exclusion-based policy is an outdated way of looking at ESG investing, rather than looking at how ESG can add value for investors. ESG can be a positive force for investment outperformance, and it can also help investors understand companies, both as a research tool and as a risk management tool. You are keen to see ESG factors integrated into the research and management of MMBBs investment strategies. Why? Over the long term (and everything else being equal), companies with a good ESG profile should increase in value above the market average. This result can be observed at an index level; the MSCI Emerging Markets ESG Index has been more attractive than the equivalent non-ESG index since its inception in terms of both risk and return. So, we can see how good ESG performance improves financial performance for stocks. How is MMBB integrating ESG research into its investment processes? We are looking for asset managers that incorporate ESG into their investment approach. We are not firing our managers who dont take account of ESG, but we are looking for even small signs that it is an issue for them. For example, Do they take account of gender diversity at board level when they invest in a company? You said that asset managers can be all over the place in their approach to ESG issues. In what way? While negative screening, or exclusion-based investing, was the traditional use of ESG, additional dimensions of ESG investing have emerged, such as impact-driven, engagement-based, and integration-based. Sadly, in the current state the asset management community has not done a good job at producing sophisticated strategies for implementing ESG investing, and appears to use ESG as a marketing tool, rather than a mechanism for risk and research. You have said that negative screening is an old-fashioned way of applying ESG beliefs, but there is a developing trend among large investors and MMBB to shun tobacco stocks. What do you make of this? It is a product that kills off its customers, which doesnt seem like a sound long-term investment proposition to me. Think about all the cigarette butts that filter into the water supply and sewers, creating carcinogenic waste. It is not just killing off its customers; there are other negative aspects to it. Institutional investors made a global commitment in the 1980s to unite in the fight against apartheid; tobacco exclusion is a similar cause, as drinking water is so important for all of us. If tobacco ought to be excluded, where does that leave climate changerelated companies? I would exclude, say, dirty oil and fracking companies, but want to integrate some greener energy and natural gas producers. I would prefer to engage with companies that are proactively building their business model around reducing carbon usage. How can ESG data be useful to investors? In the same way that the equity options market gives you information on companies, so ESG can give insights into stocks. As such, ESG data provide significant cross-sectional information. I hope I can be a resource for other people, as the use of ESG by many investors still has some way to go. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced plans to cut the business tax rate by 5% - but brokers are split on whether they will see benefits. In a speech to the National Press Club yesterday, Turnbull outlined plans to reduce business tax from 30% to 25% over the next decade. The plans, first announced in last years pre-election budget, aim to add 1% to economic growth when fully implemented. Karen Hardy, principal broker of Acme Insurance Brokers, welcomed the news. I think this is great news for any business, including brokers, as the cost of running a business in Australia is outrageous due to our regulatory requirements and the high cost of wages, Hardy told Insurance Business. Any saving is good news. However, Hardy was quick to note that the decision was not big enough to create a significant saving and would make little difference to her business. Want the latest insurance industry news first? Sign up for our completely free newsletter service now. Robert Cooper, director of CPR Insurance Services, agreed with this assessment, saying that the tax cut will have very little effect. I do not see this as making any real difference for brokers, Cooper continued. No-one has put forward a convincing case for how this will create jobs or growth. Dale Hansen, chief executive officer of Austbrokers Coast to Coast, welcomed the proposal as good news for our brokerage and the industry generally, and noted that an effective reduction in income tax paid by businesses would allow brokers to do more. Hansen noted that savings could be used to help develop electronic systems, processes and websites, or be used to bring on more staff or train existing staff members. Hardy noted that a tax break for other businesses could have an unexpected knock-on effect on the insurance market in general. It may allow clients to spend a little more on their insurance programs to improve their covers, Hardy continued. Will the tax reduction help your brokerage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Related stories: Turnbull government faces $3.7bn hole in NDIS funding Farmers call for stamp duty consistency on multi-peril Insurance Business magazine has opened entries for its 5th annual Elite Brokers survey this week. The industry survey will once again provide insurance brokers across Australia with the opportunity to be named as one of the countrys finest. Insurance Businesss unique methodology ensures that all brokers are compared on a level playing field by taking into consideration a number of performance metrics, including client retention and proportion of new business gained, not just revenue. All insurance brokers practicing in Australia, authorised representatives and licensees are eligible to enter. Please note employers must be headquartered in Australia. For your chance to be named one of Australias top all-round brokers enter online before entries close on Friday, February 24. The Elite Brokers report will be published in issue 6.02 of Insurance Business magazine, out in April. Related stories: Elite Brokers 2016 Australias Elite Brokers 2015 In the words of Alexander Graham Bell, when one door closes another one opens, and for Craig Walker a similar experience led him to a 30 year career in the insurance industry. Walker, underwriting manager, liability, at GARD Insurance, made a difficult decision earlier in his life that set his path through the insurance industry and has led him to start his own business. I was at university, and I applied for every job in the paper the day that I decided I didnt particularly want to be at university anymore, Walker told Insurance Business. I fell on my feet. Walker has worked across multiple sections of the insurance industry throughout his career. From a decade at Munich Re, to a spell in the direct market, before moving into the underwriting agency space and starting his own firm, GARD Insurance, Walker noted that this diversity has helped him along the way. Want the latest insurance industry news first? Sign up for our completely free newsletter service now. While Walker said that a varied career has been beneficial, he has counselled younger members of the industry to choose their course wisely as sideways steps will get you nowhere. One of the biggest challenges for the industry at the moment is Gen-Y kids that we put on for a year and they move to get an extra $2,000 a year, Walker continued. You lose all that knowledge that youve tried to impart on those people. In a career he described as hard work, successful and rewarding, Walker pointed to a spell with HIH as a good learning experience. Walker stayed with the firm through its demise and said that working at a then market leader equipped him with the knowledge to continue his career development. Having worked at some of the largest firms in the industry, Walker decided to step out on his own and advised that, for others looking to take a similar route, patience is key. With a business that continues to grow, Walker noted that the industry offers a great route to success for the right person. You are going to do alright if you are prepared to work hard, he said. Related stories: What the insurance industry can learn from the Kardashians Five Minutes With Daniel Webber, Director, Webber Insurance Services "I was a bit surprised by that," says expert A Massachusetts man has been convicted of burning down a restaurant he owned in Rhode Island. Federal prosecutors say 51-year-old Daniel Saad was attempting to collect on a nearly $1 million insurance policy when he set fire to Snows Clam Box Restaurant and Pub in Glocester more than two years ago. A federal jury in Providence on Friday convicted the Spencer, Massachusetts, man on charges including arson and wire fraud. Saad was $2.5 million in debt when prosecutors said he spread gasoline inside the restaurant and ignited the gas before fleeing the building. A woman who lived in an apartment above the restaurant escaped the flames. Saad, who denied setting the blaze, was ordered held after the verdict. Sentencing was scheduled for April. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Amtrak engineer involved in a deadly 2015 crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has sued the railroad, saying it failed to address reports that people were throwing projectiles at trains. Brandon Bostian, 33, said he was left disoriented or unconscious when something struck his train before the May 2015 crash, which left eight people dead and more than 200 injured. Federal investigators came to a different conclusion: that Bostians train wasnt hit. They believe Bostian was instead distracted over reports that a nearby train was struck and lost track of where he was, accelerating to 106 mph as he approached a 50 mph curve. The National Transportation Safety Board called Amtraks long failure to implement automatic speed control throughout the busy Northeast Corridor a contributing factor. Amtrak has taken responsibility for the crash and agreed to pay $265 million to settle related claims. Bostian filed the personal injury lawsuit Wednesday in Philadelphia under the Federal Employers Liability Act, which covers railroad employees injured on the job. He accuses Amtrak of failing to provide him with a safe workplace and seeks more than $50,000 in damages. Neither Amtrak nor Bostians lawyer immediately returned calls seeking comment Thursday. Friends describe Bostian as a conscientious train enthusiast who had worked his way up to his dream job. In the lawsuit, Bostian said the crash left him with physical and psychological injuries that now make it difficult for him to work. Bostian told the NTSB that he was concerned about the engineer on a passing commuter train that was struck minutes earlier, and said he was a little bit concerned for his own safety. But he never indicated that his own train had been struck. Train crews have a term for the problem of people throwing rocks at trains getting rocked. No one was arrested over the rocks thrown at the transit train just before the Amtrak crash. Amtrak installed the automated speed limits at the Philadelphia curve days after the derailment. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Pennsylvania Swiss Re has formed a strategic partnership with SAP SE, the enterprise application software company, to develop a solution to address the increasingly complex demands of global regulators, in the areas of financial steering and reporting. Insurance companies currently must manage and report their business using a wide range of different valuations and regulatory reporting standards, said Swiss Re, noting that maintaining compliance and consistency is therefore a challenging process. New regulations, such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 9 and 17, will also enforce additional reporting requirements, the company continued. Consequently, insurers and reinsurers have difficulties capturing reliable, comparable financial information for reporting and decision-making, which significantly increases internal process complexity, reporting efforts and operating costs, Swiss Re explained. As a result of these challenges, Swiss Re and SAP are working on a new approach to generate multiple valuations and apply financial steering methods based on the SAP HANA platform, which will enable processes to be automated and controlled in a simple and effective way. Swiss Re said the solution will be made available over time to the entire re/insurance industry. This new approach aims to: Manage increasing regulatory complexity with the ability to easily incorporate new valuations and reporting standards (such as IFRS and U.S. GAAP) on an ongoing basis Reduce reporting efforts by generating multiple financial valuations simultaneously Cut the time spent on operational tasks and controls, while increasing the capacity for analytics Create the ability to steer the allocation of financial resources. Gerhard Lohmann, CFO Reinsurance at Swiss Re, said: I genuinely believe that together we can achieve our strategic vision to enable integrated steering and reporting for ourselves and across the industry. We are proud to work with Swiss Re, a company with profound industry knowledge, to drive the development of new solutions that will provide the insurance and financial sectors with a significantly simplified approach to solving their sophisticated needs, said Luka Mucic, CFO and member of the executive board of SAP SE. (The companys global headquarters is located in Walldorf, Baden Wuerttemberg, Germany.) Its our firm belief that co-innovation projects like these are what will guide and shape the future of our industry, Mucic added. Source: Swiss Re Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Legislation Swiss Re In his state of the state address, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave a boost to the insurance industrys effort to get legislation passed that would place limits on post-hailstorm litigation. Calling lawsuits against insurers following hailstorms the newest form of lawsuit abuse, Abbott said in his Jan. 31 speech that he would like to see on his desk legislation that limits abusive hailstorm litigation. Abbott said past tort reforms in the state are one of the reason why Texas is an attractive place for business. But, he said, our work is not done without hailstorm litigation reform. Property insurers would like to see laws enacted to discourage public adjuster and attorney involvement in the claims process. They say increased involvement is causing significantly higher claim costs and will lead to higher insurance prices and fewer options statewide. Consumer advocates, however, caution against placing restrictions that would deny policyholders the right to hold insurers accountable for errors or perceived injustices in claims handling. Hailstorm reform litigation is by far the number one piece of legislation that the insurance industry in Texas is supporting. We warmly welcome Texas Governor Greg Abbotts call in his state of the state speech to put a halt to this storm-chasing lawsuit abuse, said Mark Hanna, manager of public relations and membership for the Insurance Texas Council of Texas, which represents property/casualty insurers in the state. Joe Woods, vice president of state government relations in Texas for the Property/Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCIAA), said the national insurance trade group also welcomed the governors comments. The trial bars strategy seems to be to deny that theres a litigation crisis going on at all, that it seems to be a problem in isolated areas of the state. We dont think the data backs that up. Every time theres a storm now we expect there will be a large number of lawsuits following. So we were glad to see the governor give some emphasis to the efforts this session to reform this lawsuit abuse, Woods said. Not everyone believes the issue is as urgent as property insurers claim. At a Dec. 1, 2016, hearing held by the insurance committee of the Texas House of Representatives, Joe Matetich, with the Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC), told lawmakers that preliminary data from research conducted by the Texas Department of Insurance at the request of state lawmakers shows that statewide hail litigation crisis does not currently exist in Texas, and that there does not appear to be an insurance market problem in the state. Ware Wendell, with Texas Watch, also testified that there already are laws on the books that protect insurance companies, agencies, adjusters. Many came from tort reform of 1995. He said his organization is concerned that if the insurance industry succeeds in limiting access of insurance consumers to the courts when it comes to claims, that the balance will be tipped further in favor of the insurance companies. A bill introduced during the 2015 legislative session that insurance industry said would help limit litigation related to property insurance claims died in the House. Passed the Senate on April 30, 2015, Senate Bill 1628 by Sen. Larry Taylor of Friendswood would have, among other things, limited the time frame in which property damage claims and lawsuits over those claims could be filed. Related: Topics Lawsuits Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Legislation Texas Claims Property Market Brentwood Services Administrators (BSA), headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., has promoted Lisa Whitten to claims supervisor in the Brentwood office, according to Jeff Pettus, president and chief executive officer of BSA. Whitten is responsible for providing guidance and supervision for claims adjusters and support personnel. She assists in maintaining client satisfaction and resolving issues while reporting to Mark Sparks, senior vice president, claims. Whitten joined BSA in May 2012 as a senior claim representative. Whitten has over 30 years of multi-state experience in the workers compensation claims industry, as well as 25 years of management experience. Prior to her employment with BSA, she was a first response coordinator for Future Care, in New York. Whitten attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for four years, studying criminal justice. In addition, she obtained certification in civil and criminal law from the National Center for Paralegal in Atlanta. She holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) designation. BSA provides claims management and loss control services to employers and employer associations with self-insured and large deductible programs for workers compensation and other casualty lines throughout the contiguous 48 states. BSA also provides underwriting, policy management and accounting services to association-sponsored pools and mutual insurance companies. Topics Claims A West Virginia town seeking to recoup the costs of dealing with opioid abuse is suing out-of-state drug distributors, and another community plans to file a similar suit. Media outlets report the Mingo County community of Kermit filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Mingo County Circuit Court naming five prescription drug wholesalers. It also names Cameron Justice, the former owner of a now-closed pain clinic who was sentenced in 2010 to 30 months in prison for health-care fraud and allowing unauthorized staff members to issue illegal prescriptions. The good people of Kermit deserve justice for the ravages done to them by several multinational corporations for money, said former state Sen. Truman Chafin, one of the attorneys representing the town of 392 people in the lawsuit. Charleston attorney Rusty Webb said Tuesday he plans to file a similar lawsuit by next week on behalf of the Nicholas County town of Richwood, whose population is about 2,000 residents. Every town, every city and every county has been affected by this dumping of drugs in West Virginia, Webb said. And theyve all incurred substantial costs that they would not have otherwise incurred but for the dumping of these drugs and the conspiracies by these doctors and these pharmacies to allow it to occur. The city of Huntington filed a similar lawsuit earlier in January, and the McDowell County Commission sued drug distributors in December. The state has settled similar lawsuits against several drug wholesalers. In January the U.S. Justice Department announced that San Francisco-based wholesaler McKesson Corp. had agreed to pay $150 million to settle allegations that it failed to detect and report pharmacies suspicious orders of prescription pain pills. Federal prosecutors say suspicious orders had been placed by West Virginia pharmacies, including one in Grant County that settled a federal investigation for $2 million and led to the investigation of McKesson. An investigation by the Charleston Gazette-Mail found drug wholesalers shipped 780 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to West Virginia in six years, a period when 1,728 people statewide fatally overdosed on them. The newspaper found that one pharmacy alone in Kermit received nearly 9 million pain pills from drug distributors over a two-year period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Virginia had the nations highest rate of drug overdose deaths in 2015 at 41.5 per 100,000 population, a nearly 17 percent increase from 2014. New Hampshire was second at 34.3 deaths per 100,000, followed by Kentucky and Ohio at 29.9. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Virginia Drugs Police in Greensboro, N.C., say more than 50 guns were stolen from a gun show over the weekend. Police said in a release Monday security guards reported the theft Sunday before the Greensboro Gun and Knife Show opened. Police spokeswoman Susan Danielsen told the Greensboro News & Record that officers have identified 23 of the stolen guns, but they believe roughly 30 more were taken. The identified weapons have been entered into a national database. Police say two rifles and a shotgun were found outside the Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday, the shows last day. The guns were taken overnight from vendors inside the coliseum. No suspects have been identified, and no area cameras caught the crime. The police department reminds gun buyers that its a felony to knowingly buy a stolen weapon. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Law Enforcement North Carolina Gun Liability Two California school districts will pay most of a roughly $5 million settlement to a girl who was sexually abused by a former high school teacher. Jeremy Monn is serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted in 2015 for having sex with a 16-year-old student at Paso Robles High. He was also convicted the same year for a similar relationship with a student at his previous school in Tuolumne County. The Paso Robles victims family sued, claiming negligence by the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District and Big Oak Flat-Groveland Unified School District. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reported this week that under terms of the settlement the Paso Robles district will pay $1 million and the Big Oak district will pay $4 million. The 33-year-old Monn will pay $20,000. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Education Bay Area Rapid Transit has agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the agency of violating waste and hazardous-materials laws. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the transit agency agreed to pay $1.275 million to settle the suit filed by Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties. The lawsuit alleged that more than 30 BART facilities lacked emergency response plans for spills of large quantities of petroleum, diesel, battery acid and fire-extinguishing chemicals. BART spokesman James Allison says the agency settled the lawsuit because officials agreed it was not in compliance with the planning requirements. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Top News - Investor Idea A Boat-full of Potential - Renewed Interest in the Cruise Industry Bolsters Luxury Markets (OTC: MASN) (NYSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK) (NYSE: RCL) (NYSE: NCLH) Vancouver, Kelowna, Delta, BC - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering luxury goods and cruise ship stocks releases a special report featuring Maison Luxe, Inc. (OTC: MASN), a company that offers luxury retail consumer items. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents. Top Health and Wellness News - Investor Idea Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures $3.8M Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA from Italy CAVE CREEK, Az. - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-based, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured a new $3.8 million USD order for its newly acquired, non-nicotine based vape product, HYLA from customers in Italy. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Three transition year students of the Colaiste Pobail Osrai, Kilkenny have taken it upon themselves to help preserve our native Irish language by participating in the challenge #dushlan50. This initiative and challenge was set up to spread the Irish language across the country. The challenge #dushlan50 runs for 50 hours. It is a national competition where you have to do 50 tasks within 50 hours. The competition is for all students in primary and secondary school and college. The aim of the competition is to encourage students to use and promote Irish and have fun along the way. As you can see, Irish students have been busy. Cheili iontach a bhi ann leis na lads #dushlan50 pic.twitter.com/5EfemE8ueH Scuad O Choilean (@_tIRB_) February 2, 2017 The students worry that the Irish language is dying, even now it is only spoken in certain regions and areas in Ireland although it is our "native" language. Ta ar dteanga dhuchasach, an ghaeilge, ag fhail bas faoi laithear, nil si labhairtha ach I roinnt reigiun fiu anseo, in Eireann. Mar sin, chun i a caomhnu, bionn orainn i a scapadh morthimpeall ar gcathair. Bionn eagraiochtai cosul le radio na gaeltachta agus conradh na ghaeilge ag eagru comortaisi chun an ghaeilge a scapadh. Faoi laithear taimid I mbun "dushlan 50". Seard ata I gceist na chun 50 dushlan a bhaint amach I 50 uair mor thimpeall ar gcathair. Update 12.45am: The Mayor of Tralee says he would encourage the Rose of Tralee Festival to review their position on trangender entrants. The festival says it is not currently considering allowing trans women to enter the competition, but that they constantly review their guidelines. The Transgender Equality Network of Ireland says it is disappointed at the decision, and that the festival could show better leadership. Terry OBrien is the Mayor of Tralee. "I would certainly encourage the committee of the festival to constantly review what is going on and what would be good for the festival." Earlier:The Rose of Tralee has ruled out allowing transgender contestants to enter the pageant, for now. Under the current entry rules women must be at least 18 and can never have been married. When it comes to gender the website simply states they need to be female. Organisers have told the Irish Mirror it is not something they are considering at the moment, but they are continually reviewing their guidelines and strive to reflect changes in society. Last week, former Sydney Rose Brianna Parkins posted a tweet calling for women of diverse backgrounds to enter the competition. I need to hand over the tiara and sash soon. Calling all boss ladies to apply for the Sydney Rose 2017 https://t.co/6SPHknodpK Brianna Parkins (@parkinsbrea) January 27, 2017 Cork city has experienced some spot flooding following extensive rain last night. The banks of the river Lee burst at high tide this morning around 9.04am. There has also been some reports of flooding in County Cork, including Midleton and the Carrigaline to Crosshaven road. Earlier: National status yellow warning from Met Eireann continues this morning with the threat of flooding looming over Cork city. Cork City Council has issued a tidal flood alert for 9.04am this morning. A tidal surge, southerly winds and a low-pressure area in combination with Spring Tide may give rise to tidal flooding tomorrow, Cork Council said. Prior to and after this tide at 09:04 am, there is a danger of tidal flooding in the City. It is expected that the main impact will be on traffic. Across the country wind and rain are prominent features with strong southerly winds brushing in this evening. Tonight the rain is thought to clear although showers will continue in the west and north. The bad weather is to continue into Friday with showers in the west although there will be some sunny spells. Friday evening is expected to consist of heavy rain and possible wintry conditions on high ground. A 35-year-old man has died following a crash in Dublin. The two car collision happened on the Skerries Road in Rush at 11.30pm last night. The man - who was the sole occupant of one of the cars - was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman and two men in the other car were taken to hospital where their injuries are described as serious but non life threatening. The road is closed for a technical examination and Gardai are appealing for witnesses. A 20-year-old Irish girl, working as an Au-Pair in France, has alleged that she was drugged and raped by her employer. According to Le Parisien, the incident is said to have occurred last summer and the accused, a man in his 40's was arrested last Wednesday. The firm owned by the ex-England captain and his fashion designer and former Spice Girl wife made pre-tax profits of 39.5m on sales of 47m in 2015, according to figures at Companies House. That landed them with an 8m tax bill, which works out at nearly 22,000 a day or 152,000 a week. Beckham Brand Holdings looks after Victorias fashion sales and Davids image rights. Its pre-tax profits surged from 10m in 2014 despite an 8% fall in sales. Mr Beckham, once nicknamed Golden Balls by Victoria, made 10m in sales from his brand image rights, while Victorias fashion business made 37m in turnover. He revealed earlier this week mistakes made during his time at Manchester United and sudden rise to global fame led to a rift with manager Alex Ferguson. Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Desert Island Discs, he said his celebrity status and marriage to Victoria cast doubts over his professionalism. He also said he and Victoria used to have dates in restaurant car parks in the early days of their relationship to keep it a secret. In a career spanning 21 years, Mr Beckham played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint- Germain, earning 115 caps for England. He captained the national team for six years and scored 17 times. Victoria Beckham became a household name in the mid-1990s as part of the Spice Girls, a five-piece girl band that sold 31 million copies of their debut album, Spiceworld, becoming the best-ever selling album by a female band. In 1997, the couple began their relationship and in 1999 were married by Bishop of Cork, Paul Colton, at Luttrellstown Castle in Dublin. They have four children. Financial experts estimated their worth at more than 500m in 2015. Brand Beckham is said by marketing analysts to have the same instant recognition of the likes of Coca-Cola. Both David and Victoria have been lauded as fashion icons, becoming among the most coveted spokespeople in the world for clothing, food and drink, health and fitness, beauty and fitness products. Mr Beckham signed lifetime contract with Adidas in 2003, earning hundreds of millions ofdollars upfront and receiving profits on all his branded bootwear. In 2006, his legs were insured for 100m by Lloyds of London. Mrs Beckham has been hugely successful as a fashion designer since 2008. In our case we dont have a problem because we do own a eurozone bank in the form of Ulster Bank, Davies said in a Bloomberg Television interview yesterday. Probably we would have to move some people, but we are talking tens of people, not the numbers other banks are talking about. Global banks have started to reveal more about their plans to shift jobs and set up offices within the EU after UK prime minister Theresa May indicated shell pull Britain out of the single market. British banks such as Barclays, which may move about 150 employees to Dublin, and Lloyds Banking Group, which will shift a handful of people to Frankfurt, appear less affected than their international peers, many of which have indicated thousands of jobs may relocate. Mr Davies said any disruption from Brexit would be minimised for RBS because Ulster Bank is already regulated by the ECB, while the Edinburgh-based lender also has smaller operations in the Netherlands and Germany. The Irish unit is quite a sizable bank so we have a eurozone base, he added. Financial Services Minister Eoghan Murphy said positivity toward Dublin is growing among banks considering Brexit-related moves. Ireland has had more than 100 enquiries from companies, he said. While RBS has been shedding operations in Europe to focus about 85% of its assets in the UK and Ireland, it retains a Netherlands subsidiary . Mr Davies was concerned about a cliff edge Brexit, with access to the EU cut off after two years of talks. But, he said he was encouraged that prime minister May mentioned the importance of temporary arrangements in a speech last month. Banks heard Ms May emphasise the importance of some kind of transitional arrangement, which we hadnt heard before and is particularly crucial, the chairman said. Londons financial centre can cope with changes, some people will move as result, but what you cant cope with is a discontinuity in contracts and thats going to be very, very disruptive. Dutch dairy farmers waiting since 2014 for better milk prices now have to cut numbers, even as the milk price recovers, so that the country can try to become compliant with EU phosphate limits. Having increased production in 2016 by 8%, at an average milk price of 29c, Dutch farmers now have reduce production by at least 5%, even though their milk price has risen to 34c. But unless numbers are cut, Dutch farms could be forced by the EU to slash their milk production by a massive 25%. The Dutch situation is one of five key factors to watch in early 2017 that have the potential to impact global dairy markets, said analyst Emma Higgins in the recently released dairy industry quarterly report from Rabobank, the global agri-bank which has its headquarters in the Netherlands. She said dollar currency moves, dairy produce affordability, Chinese buying, the Dutch situation, and Californian environmental regulations, will affect the market. The Commissions Milk Market Observatory has been told by the Dutch dairy industry the countrys dairy herd will reduce 10%, to return to its July 2015 size. The average Dutch dairy farmer has 102 cows yielding about 8,500 litres, having increased cow numbers 19% and milk production 25% since 2011. But this growth has exceeded the countrys nitrates derogation from the EU by more than 100%. Dutch farmers are furious at their government for not foreseeing that the end of milk quotas would land them in phosphate trouble. A phosphate ceiling has been in place since 2006, but dairy farmers were allowed to increase their herds, resulting in the Netherlands leading growth in 2015 EU milk production, after EU milk quotas were scrapped in April 2015. But their expansion brought phosphates 4-8% over allowed limits on Dutch dairy farms, with overruns in several of the years since 2008, and imminent in 2017 also. The increasing dairy herd produces too much phosphate in its effluent, which contaminates groundwater. Dutch Agriculture Minister Martijn van Dam has come under intense pressure from farmers over the phosphates issue. Unless the EU agrees with the Dutch plan to rein in dairy farming, one third of the 1.5 million cows in the country may have to go, a major blow to Dutch farmers, who are the EUs fourth-largest milk producers, generating an estimated 12 billion per year for the Dutch economy. Farmers were allowed produce too much phosphates, even though staying within limits was one of the main conditions of a 2006 exemption allowing farmers in the Netherlands to spread the extra nitrogen fertiliser on which their intensive dairy industry is based. That exemption expired on December 31, and farmers now depend on EU officials renewing it. Even if the answer is yes in Brussels, farmers still have to get rid of 190,000 dairy cows, starting in March. If the answer is no, without a nitrogen derogation, they will have to get rid of an estimated 500,000 cows. Farmers and dairy industries around the world are closely watching the outcome, because a worst case scenario could knock 2% off EU milk production. However, Dutch farmers have been allowed increase milk production by 25% since 2011, even though the country operates under an exemption from EU pollution laws which allowed only a 10% milk increase. As a result, production on Dutch farms of phosphate, which contaminates groundwater, has exceeded permitted EU levels for several years. Irish farmers can be forgiven for thinking the dairy industry here has lost out, because we slavishly follow EU rules, while the Dutch increased cow numbers 19% since 2011, and milk production by more than two times the EU permitted level. The dairy industry worldwide is now waiting to see what action the EU will take against the Netherlands, which has proposed a plan to cut back its cow numbers 10%. However, the EU could come down hard by ending the exemption granted to the Netherlands since 2006, allowing it use extra nitrogen fertiliser, because one of the conditions was that phosphate pollution be controlled. That course of action would result in the Dutch industry being slashed 25%. With output in 2015 valued at 6.5 billion, and an estimated annual contribution worth 7.1bn to the Dutch economy (including 13,800 jobs), the Dutch dairy industry and economy would be dealt a serious blow if the EU comes down hard. On the other hand, environmentalists in the country say the Dutch government did nothing to control milk production after the EU milk quota was scrapped in 2015, even though they knew what the environmental consequences would be. This raises the suspicion that the government was happy to allow farmers expand, until the nitrogen fertiliser exemption expired on December 31, 2016, forcing the EUs hand. The Dutch government may be happy to have got so far, and will now try to work out a political agreement with the EU which will allow the dairy industry hold onto as much as possible of its ill-gotten gains. One of the political weapons the Dutch government can utilise is that Brussels coming down hard would force the slaughter of half a million dairy cows, rather than the 190,000 cows the Dutch dairy industry proposes to cull. This could get the strong animal welfare lobby on their side and prevent an even deeper further slump in the already depressed beef market. The Dutch phosphates issue is also coming to a head at a very politically sensitive time, ahead of the Dutch general election in March, in which the anti-European Union Freedom Party led by Geert Wilders is poised to win the largest number of seats. The EU may fear that coming down hard on the Dutch now may topple another domino to follow Brexit. On the ground, Dutch farmers are furious at the politicians and experts who they say failed to foresee that the end of milk quotas would land farmers in severe phosphate trouble. Since 2014, many of them have been loss-making, due to a low global milk price. Now, as milk price recover, they are asked to cut cow numbers of 10%, and might yet be forced to cut 25%. Since 2008, everyone knew EU milk quotas would end in 2015, but not enough seems to have been done to ensure dairy farmers kept under the phosphate ceiling in place since 2006. It was only in 2015 that the Dutch government got down to haggling with the European Commission, proposing a system of phosphate rights. But the Commission rejected this last October, citing state-aid rules on illegal government support. Recognising that it was facing a possible calamity, the Dutch dairy sector late last year proposed its own solution, including removal of 190,000 cows (10%). If that is accepted by the EU, the industry would still have some gains to show, compared to EU-compliant countries like Ireland, where farmers can expect to be punished to the full letter of the law for environmental breaches. Independent4Change TD Clare Daly made the accusations as she outlined how no contracts, time sheets, or formal agreements were in place for some stable hands and trainers. There is something rotten at the heart of horse racing, said Ms Daly as she called on Mr Kenny to order multi-agency swoops on the sector. Speaking during leaders questions, Ms Daly explained why the industry needs to be fully investigated. She claimed a collective agreement had been signed between the Irish Stable Staff Association and the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association. Ms Daly disagreed that trainers must be registered with the Turf Club and that they were charging appropriate rates. Attempts to set up a pension scheme through the Turf Club last year, via a search exercise for P60s and staff returns for those earning over 25,000, only resulted in 300 replies, she told the Dail. How can it be that there are only 300 workers earning more than 25,000 in a multi-billion-euro industry with thousands of workers, asked Ms Daly. When the threshold was lowered to 12,500, this resulted in 800 names. Ms Daly claimed these trainer staff are operating in a black economy. She said: They are buried in the bowels of the black economy cash-in-hand, on the dole, racing allowances agreed with Revenue as tax-free expenditure being calculated as part of the minimum wage, no contracts, no tea breaks, no time sheets in an industry that is so brazen its collective agreement advertises illegality. There is something very rotten at the heart of Irish horse racing which we have not fully figured out, she said, calling on Mr Kenny to order swoops on the industry through Revenue, government departments, and other authorities. Mr Kenny agreed to look into the issue if there is a black economy in this area such that there are people working in the industry at below minimum wage rates. There is wholesale illegality in horse racing, insisted Ms Daly, who said it needs a multi-taskforce approach. A confidential hotline would encourage good trainers paying the correct wages to report abuses or the black market, she said. Talk of a frictionless border after Brexit are just nice words, according to a customs expert appearing yesterday before the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee yesterday. Michael Lux, the former head of the European Commissions customs procedures, for the first time set out the practical implications of Brexit. Independent unionist MP Sylvia Hermon asked Mr Lux if Mrs May could achieve a seamless border. He replied: If you define seamless as no border controls then the answer is no, at least for Ireland because it is obliged to apply EU law. If the UK is outside the EU it can do whatever it likes, he said. However, he said there will be a lot of fraud going on if the UK does not implement some form of border measures. He told MPs: If Northern Ireland is not part of the EU customs territory then there is a customs border. I think what [Mrs May] meant was to keep the burden as small as possible. Earlier this month, the prime minister said Brexit will mean the UK leaves the European Customs Union. There were gasps from some MPs when Mr Lux gave another example of problems that would arise post-Brexit. If a Northern Ireland person has a walk and takes its dog over the border there are specific rules on what kind of document you have to have, he told the committee. You need a specific document. If you bring a horse riding you also need a specific document. Ms Hermon responded: We have a significant number of farms straddling the border. There will be lots of dogs on farms. I cannot imagine a form has to be filled out when a dog runs from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland. "This is just unenforceable, she said. Mr Lux said he had suggested the EU allows Northern Ireland to remain in the customs union during a transitional phase. He believes this could be for a period of up to 10 years. A Taoiseachs spokesman told the Irish Examiner that the two governments are determined to ensure a seamless border is in place post Brexit. This was again made clear following the recent meeting between the Taoiseach and Ms May, he said. Meanwhile, Special status for Northern Ireland after Brexit would be the wrong approach amid fears such a deal could undermine its place in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has said. Mr Brokenshire said special status would be the wrong approach. Kevin Lawlor, aged 21, pleaded guilty yesterday at Cork District Court to a charge of assault causing harm to Michael Noonan, aged 29, on December 27, 2015, at the Grafton Bar, Oliver Plunkett St. Lawlor brought 1,000 compensation to court for the victim. Inspector Gary McPolin described the background to the incident. He said the injured party was out socialising with his girlfriend and other friends. He said words were exchanged between Mr Noonan and the defendant in the toilet of the Grafton Bar. The defendant later became aggressive back in the main premises. Lawlor approached Mr Noonan and punched him in the face, breaking his nose. Mr Noonan was laid up for a while and had to avoid sports for two months as a result of the injury. Emmet Boyle, solicitor, said Lawlor had not come to the attention of gardai since this assault and had accepted responsibility for it as soon as he was questioned about it. Unfortunately, there were words between he and the injured party. That does not give him the right to lay a finger on the injured party. He has not seen the injured party since so he has not had the opportunity to apologise to him, said Mr Boyle. The solicitor said the 1,000 was hard to gather for Lawlor because he was limited to social welfare and had saved up to put the money together. Mr Boyle emphasised the fact that it was a one-hit incident and not one where there had been any forethought or planning. Judge Aingil Ni Chonduin said Lawlor could do 100 hours of community service instead of three months in prison. She told him he should not be drinking if he could not handle it. Up to 29% of children are not eating enough fruit and veg every day, according to Grow it Yourself founder Michael Kelly who has launched an initiative aimed at getting primary school pupils to grow their own food. He has called on the Government to put food on the curriculum. The GIY-commissioned survey carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes found that half of families said they had grown some of their own food at home in the last year. Six members are suing the State, claiming their health was adversely affected due to working with hazardous chemicals. An investigation by the Irish Examiner also revealed the Health and Safety Authority threatened to prosecute the Air Corps in 2016 unless it implemented improvements in the management of employees exposure to hazardous chemicals. It found staff did not have access to basic equipment, such as gloves, goggles, and protective clothing. Calling in the Dail for separate investigations, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin described the revelations and lack of response as a serious scandal. He also accused Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Government of trying to bury the controversy. The Irish Examiner also revealed three whistleblowers had written to Mr Kenny and then defence minister Simon Coveney in 2015 and made a number of protected disclosures. However, neither Mr Kenny nor Mr Coveney contacted the men. Mr Martin said he had spoken to whistleblowers who feel the Government did not accept anything they are saying. He called on the Taoiseach to establish an independent health study of aircraft maintenance personnel and a separate independent board of inquiry into the handling of what he described as the entire affair and scandal. Mr Martin said it was extraordinary that there was no monitoring of employees health at Casement, as required by law, and that personal protective equipment was not provided to those working with hazardous chemicals. Isnt it extraordinary that in 2016 the Health and Safety Authority is writing to our own Air Corps to say very basic provisions of our law should be implemented? said Mr Martin. He compared the situation to that in Australia, where air force maintenance staff were compensated for illnesses caused by exposure to harmful chemicals. The response of the State has been standard and deeply depressing. It has resorted to the courts. There are currently six cases before the courts, and the Government is fighting them very strongly and acknowledging no negligence, he said. Why was the State so slow to respond to the whistleblowers and to investigate the health conditions at Baldonnel [Casement]? Why were the whistleblowers not acknowledged by the minister? asked Mr Martin. Mr Kenny said the matter is being reviewed by an independent third party, the second to be appointed to investigate the claims. He told the Dail it is quite difficult to get somebody with the range of competences to deal with all the implications of hazardous substances and that sort of area. However, the Irish Examiner has learned that despite being appointed last September, the investigator has not spoken to any of the whistleblowers. Mr Martin said: The Taoiseach has not explained what happened between 2015, when the protected disclosure was made, and why the minister, Deputy Coveney, did not acknowledge and respond to the whistleblowers. There is a sense that this has been buried. Mobile service providers will cap roaming prices at 3.2 cents per minute for calls and 1 cent per SMS, while data prices will be reduced over a period of five years from 7.7 per GB as of 15 June 2017 to 2.5 per GB as of 1 January 2022. Vice-President for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said in the press release: Farah Marcollas life has been upended by the stroke of US President Donald Trumps pen. The United States government hired the Iraqi citizen then a young co-founder of her familys engineering firm to manage construction projects on a Baghdad military base during the Iraq War. Her husband, bodyguard and driver were killed in retaliation for her work with the Americans. In 2012, after more than four years of waiting, Marcolla and her two sons came to America on a special immigrant visa for US-affiliated Iraqis. But her parents and two sisters in Iraq are still awaiting approval. And now, with Iraqis included in a sweeping executive order that suspends entry into the US by refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, she worries theyll never get to safety. Now all of a sudden why is my family a national security threat? asked Marcolla, a green card holder who lives in Virginia. They were vetted before working for the US military in Iraq, and Marcolla had to pass multiple background checks and security clearances before she finally got her US visa. For years before Trump entered office, the rest of the family was trapped in an endless circle of bureaucratic hell called administrative processing. They now fear theyll never escape it. Marcollas familys case illustrates the absurdity of the perceived threat posed by refugees and immigrants from the banned countries. The executive order which entails a 120-day suspension of entry for all refugees and indefinite suspension for Syrians; a 90-day entry ban for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen; and extra screening for green card holders with dual nationality from those countries makes little sense, given that there have been no fatalities in the United States caused by extremists with family backgrounds from those countries. Trumps measures will do little to make America safer. In fact, the unintended consequences could seriously harm the United States by damaging diplomatic relations, lending fodder to US enemies, or inviting retaliation. I am loyal to the US government, and I will always be, said Marcolla, 35, who has since married an American and will sit for her US citizenship exam next week. I understand the attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino were a big influence and give us a bad reputation. But those are extremists, and they dont represent us. The executive orders title declares a noble endeavour: Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry to the United States. But in reality, this is about politics, not security. Numerous studies show ones chances of being killed in an immigrant-linked extremist attack in the United States are infinitesimal, if anything. One recent report by the libertarian Cato Institute found that the likelihood of an American perishing at the hands of a foreign militant on US soil is 1 in 3.6m. The chance of being killed by an extremist refugee is even smaller: 1 in 3.64bn. And nearly all deaths from immigrant-linked extremist attacks through 2015 98.6% come from a single event: September 11. According to another report, by Duke Universitys Triangle Centre on Terrorism and Homeland Security, Muslim-American extremists killed 54 people in 2016 and the majority died in one horrific attack: The June mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub. By comparison, nearly 12,000 Americans die in gun homicides yearly. Shouldnt Trump set his security priorities based on these cold, hard numbers? Or are alternative facts so tempting as to permanently distract him from addressing national security risks that affect much broader swaths of Americans? Theres an important reason for those low fatality rates. Our immigrant and refugee vetting system works, and it is already extreme. Well over 90% of refugees worldwide are not considered for resettlement, because they have to be referred by the [United Nations Refugee Agency], and fewer than 1% are ever resettled to any country, said Betsy Fisher, policy director of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), a legal aid and refugee advocacy group. IRAP has helped Marcolla and thousands of others through the years-long, 21-step clearance process to enter the United States. It includes at least three background checks and interviews with US consular officials. Refugee applicants may be disqualified for small mistakes such as confusing details of their lifes timeline. And they must provide significant documentation. For example, as part of Marcollas visa process, she had to go back to her home in Babylon, Iraq which she fled after armed men killed her husband and bound her to a stairwell to retrieve extra paperwork. Experts across the spectrum, from refugee-rights activists to current and former government officials, have said Trumps order on immigration does little to combat terrorism. A temporary pause can prompt authorities to devise a better system for vetting refugees, to the extent we have deficiencies, said Jonathan Schanzer, vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former terrorism finance analyst for the US Treasury Department. But he is not aware of any problems, he added, noting that the Trump administration has so far not addressed the root causes of the refugee crisis: long, overlapping wars in the Middle East. As for harm to diplomatic relations, the order has already drawn global backlash. Iraq, for its part, has asked Trump to reconsider the travel ban following calls from its parliament to retaliate by barring American citizens from entering their country. (Small reminder: Iraq is a US ally in the fight against Islamic State and hosts 5,000 American troops.) At best, Trumps order is an enormous, irrational overreaction to the actual risk posed by refugees and immigrants to the United States. It directly feeds into the fears extremists hope to spread through their attacks. And at worst, its a thinly veiled attempt to fulfil his discriminatory campaign promise of a Muslim ban. I understand the national security of the United States is the most important thing in the entire world, Marcolla said. And I understand the role of the president is to protect the people. But this is too extreme. And for those of us who put our lives on hold waiting to come to the US, its a devastation. Tania Karas is a freelance journalist reporting on refugees, migration policy and human rights. For the 2015-16 academic year, she was a US Fulbright Fellow in Greece covering Europes refugee crisis. While the delivery of a bowl of shamrocks and the inherent goofiness of such a stereotypical event may seem to be lacking any true meaning, the value of the annual invitation by the White House to the Irish government is not one to be taken lightly. Calls for Taoiseach Enda Kenny to break tradition and reject President Trumps overture are wrong-headed. His acceptance in no way signals an adherence to, or support of, the misguided policies Trump espoused on the campaign trail, or, more alarmingly has already pursued in the early days of his Administration. Instead, it is the opportunity, unavailable to any other world leader, to articulate the values of his nation in the most followed arena of world politics year in and year out. In Person Laiza Mayor: The Government and the Army are on the Same Side Laiza Mayor Naw San / Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint / The Irrawaddy Fierce clashes between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kachin States Waingmaw Township between August 2016 and January 2017 led to the KIA losing four major outposts and several smaller outposts. Displaced persons at Zai Awng, Hkau Shau, and Mugga Yang camps in Waingmaw Township were forced to flee from their camps as artillery shells fell around them. Currently, around 3,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are taking shelter in Laizathe headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its armed wing, the KIAas well as in adjacent areas under the KIAs control. The Burma Army, in a Jan. 8 statement, accused the KIA of perpetrating violence in order to prevent regional stability and development. It also accused the armed group of using civilians as human shields in the form of hosting IDP camps. Ethnic Kachin activists have said that the Burma Armys offensives in the region have caused bottlenecks in peace negotiation, speculating that state security forces had chosen to threaten the KIA headquarters in order to gain an upper hand at the negotiation table. The KIO has its own administrative mechanisms, including a police force and firefighters. Laiza Mayor Naw San recently sat down with The Irrawaddys Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint and talked about the latest developments in the area. Clashes went on for more than five months around Laiza. What is the situation like there now? The military tensions are still a little bit high around our town. Anyway, as we are responsible for the safety of civilians in our town, we have emergency plans. We have told them what to do in cases of emergency. We have chosen safe places to evacuate elderly persons and children if something happens. Were there any residents who moved away from Laiza during the clashes? No, they stayed in the town, as we had plans to evacuate elderly persons and children. How many people are there in Laiza? Are all of them families of KIA members? What is the civilian population? There are around 20,000 people, including IDPs. Civilians include those holding Foreign Registration Certificates (FRC). Families of KIA members only account for 30 or 35 percent of the population. There are more civilians. The military tensions were high during the attacks on Gideon and Lai Hpawng outposts. How was the situation in Laiza at that time? At that time, we allowed civilians and vehicles to enter and leave Laiza, but the government didnt. There were restrictions. If we needed to go through their gates for the sake of town residents and IDPs, we had to ask for the help of the Kachin Baptist Convention senior members who would go and make a request that they let us through. If somebody from Laiza goes into the areas controlled by the government, does the government or the military question or investigate them? There are regular checks by the Burma Army, and these days, they have tightened the checks. Did artillery shells fall on Laiza at the time of the clashes? During the clash at Gideon outpost, artillery shells fell just around 80 feet from the IDP camps in Laiza, as well as around 30 feet from the lake where IDPs bathe. And artillery shells also fell in a village and a ward. Fortunately, it was early in the morning and no one got injured. There were severe clashes in the areas surrounding Laiza under the previous government. And there have also been fierce clashes under the new government. So, what is your comparison of the military situation then and now? As far as Im concerned, there is not much difference. But it appears to me that the security conditions and the pressure from the other side [Burma Army] are worse than in previous times. Many Kachin people voted for Daw Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) with the expectation that she would bring about peace for them. But there have been more clashes under the new government, and the new government has kept silent. What is your view on this? In my view, the government and the army are on the same side. The new government is no different from the previous one. The government talked about peace at the 21st Century Panglong Conference. But, we have not seen any signs of it yet. In their statements these days, the Burma Army has said that victims in IDP camps are in fact family members of the KIA, and that the KIA have been building human shields. In addition, some people speculate that there are only KIA family members in Laiza, and no civilians. What do you want to say about it? It is just a one-sided statement. They know how many IDPs are there in our IDP camps. Those camps shelter IDPs who dare not pin hopes on tomorrow. Their statement is biased. Civilians have to bear the brunt of clashes between the Burma Army and the KIA. They have to flee for their lives, and most of them have fled into areas controlled by the KIA. Why dont they flee into government-controlled areas? It is mainly the problem of the government. If it were benevolent, IDPs would have no reason to take shelter with us. Normally, they would question displaced persons who came to take shelter in the areas under their control, and there are a lot of restrictions. So, IDPs do not feel ease to go to them. If they open the door and accept them warmly, IDPs would have no reason not to go to them. The government should take responsibility for their safety, and provide them with sources of livelihoods because IDPs are our citizens. They are not foreigners. How has the number of IDPs changed in Laiza following the clashes? There is an increase of over 200 in two IDP camps. They are coming in gradually. Some have not yet registered, and we have not yet received the final list. But as far as I know, there are over 200 people. What is your message, as the mayor of Laiza, to the government? The independence has been nominal since we were gained it in 1948. And the military ruled the country under different names. If this remains unchanged, when will the country be peaceful? If they were willing to compromise some of the demands of ethnicities, we could achieve peace, I think. The current government has a big burden to bear and their main responsibility should be peace. If the government makes an effort with loving-kindness, there is no reason peace cant be achieved. All are [equal] citizens, and this is what ethnic armed groups have been demanding. We will never, ever achieve peace if [the government] would rule us by putting us under military pressure. They have to be aware of this and exercise restraint. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko Asia Bangladesh Firm on Rohingya Relocation Plan Bangladeshi Muslim activists of an Islamic group shout slogans as they gather in front of Baitul Muqarram National Mosque in Dhaka to protest against the deaths of Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State, Dec 18, 2016. / Reuters DHAKA Bangladesh is determined to relocate Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Burma to a Bay of Bengal island that critics say is unliveable, a Bangladeshi minister said, adding that the move is temporary and Burma will ultimately have to take them back. Around 69,000 people have fled the Muslim-majority northern part of Arakan State to Bangladesh since the Burma military launched a security operation in response to attacks on police border posts on Oct. 9. Scores of people have been killed. Bangladesh last month revived a much-criticized 2015 plan to move new and old refugees from Burma to the island of Thengar Char which floods at high tide surprising aid groups who were not consulted and consider the relocation impracticable. Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs junior foreign affairs minister, said the refugees would be moved gradually after Thengar Char was developed with shelters and other facilities. There was, however, no timeframe on when the move would start, he said. After considering all aspects, we have taken a firm decision to shift them to the island. Still, this is a very early stage of our decision, he told Reuters by phone. We also have plans to provide poultry or livestock for their livelihood. But all these arrangements are temporary. Burma will have to take them back. The plight of the stateless Rohingya, of whom there are some 1.1 million living in apartheid-like conditions, has long been a source of friction between Burma and Bangladesh. Many in mostly Buddhist Burma refer to them as Bengalis denoting that they are considered illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and they are denied citizenship despite some tracing their lineage in the country back for generations. Officials in Bangladesh, where the Rohingya are also not accepted, refer to Muslim nationals of Burma. Deluged at High Tide A government official at the Bangladesh municipality under which Thengar Char comes said the island was isolated and gets deluged at high tide, but the government could build embankments to make it liveable. He declined to be named. Alam said Bangladesh would also develop existing camps around Coxs Bazar, near the border, and expects financial support from outside. They are living in inhumane conditions, he said. About 30,000 people live in official camps run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, while tens of thousands more, including the new arrivals, are settled in makeshift settlements built around the camps and in the Coxs Bazar area. Experts estimate there are between 200,000 and 500,000 undocumented Rohingya in Bangladesh. Dhaka said in a Jan. 26 notice that further mixing of the refugees with Bangladeshi citizens could lead to law and order issues and the spread of communicable diseases. Alam said Bangladesh was trying to improve the living conditions of the refugees, but that it was important for Burma to take them back soon because Coxs Bazars social condition was deteriorating from the influx. Taking the Rohingya back and giving them citizenship is the only solution to the crisis, Alam said. They are getting involved in drugs and other unlawful activities. If we could have confined them in the camp, it would not have happened. Repatriation Talks Burma has said it has agreed to talk about repatriation, but only for those who have crossed the border since Oct. 9. The people that Bangladesh is saying are on their side, we have to verify that they are from Burma. We cant just accept on face value if they say they are from Burma, Aye Aye Soe, deputy director of Burmas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Reuters on Wednesday. If they are found to be from Burma, we will take them back and of course we will do that in due time, she said, adding that the situation in northern Arakan had to return to normalcy before any repatriation could begin. On citizenship, Aye Aye Soe said the administration of Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had attempted to start a verification process in April, but had faced resistance from local community leaders who insist on being recognized as Rohingya, a term Burma rejects. We are going to push this process forward again, she said. From the Archive Burma: A Killing Legacy In the history of modern Burma, dozens of ethnic and Burmese leaders have met their end at the hands of assassins. It is one of the tragedies of Burmese history that assassinations of influential leaders, while not common, have periodically blighted the nations political life since the period around the achieving of independence in January 1948. In the almost 70 years between the deaths of General Aung San and eight comrades in July 1947 to the appalling attack on the NLDs legal advisor U Ko Ni on Sunday (Jan. 29, 2017) , many other important political figures have lost their lives to an assassins gun. In this article from February 2008 in our archives, English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe recalled the history of assassinations in Burmese politics just after the esteemed Karen leader Pado Mahn Sha was brutally gunned down at his home in Mae Sot, Thailand. In the history of modern Burma, dozens of ethnic and Burmese leaders have met their end at the hands of assassins. The definition of politics in dictionaries lacks one more description. That description fits both ancient and modern times. It applies to both the East and the West. And it is blind to creed and color. It is the art of assassination. From American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr and US president John F Kennedy in the 1960s, to former premier Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan last December (2007), assassination fits squarely into the definition of politics. Burmese politics is no exception. Its latest victim is Mahn Sha, a Karen rebel leader. On Valentines Day, two cold-blooded Karen gunmen walked into Pado Mahn Shas house in Mae Sot, near Thailands border with Burma, and shot him in the heart after greeting him in the Karen language. Ha ler gay [good evening], they said. Then they drove away. Mahn Shas organization condemned the splinter groups the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council (KNLAPC), which are now allied with the Burmese military government for the killing. Mahn Sha was general secretary of the Karen National Union, one of the longest surviving rebel groups in Southeast Asia, struggling for autonomy since 1949. He was respected among opposition groups as one of Burmas most broad-minded and committed ethnic leaders. But rival groups saw him as a hardliner for his unwavering refusal to compromise with the military regime, which has never given autonomy to ethnic minorities. His assassination was based on political motives. Once again, Burma lost a leader of vision. Like Mahn Sha, dozens of other Burmese leaders in the countrys modern history have met their end at the hands of assassins. The most historically significant assassination happened at 10:37 a.m. on July 19, 1947, just six months before Burma gained its independence from Britain. National hero Aung San, father of then-detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and eight colleagues were assassinated by U Saw, a rival right-wing politician, and his followers. U Saw was Aung Sans main rival for the premiership of independent Burma. Many observers believed that some British army officers supplied at least some weapons to U Saw. It was a great loss and the whole country was plunged into grief. July 19 has become known as Martyrs Day. It was a bad omen for the countrys future. Since then, assassinations have become a familiar feature of Burmese political life: politicians on the left kill those on the right, who in turn kill their left-wing opponents; the government kills rebels, and rebels kill people in government; Karen fighters kill each other over ceasefire agreements; members of one ethnic group kill members of another; rivals kill rivals. Another assassinated Karen leader was Saw Ba U Gyi, father of the Karen resistance movement, who was killed in 1950 by Burmese government troops in an ambush in a town close to the Thai-Burma border. Ba U Gyi was a minister of revenue in 1937, when the country was still under British rule. Karen people said the authorities never allowed the body of Ba U Gyi to be buried because the government was afraid his tomb might become a political focal point for ethnic separatists. The body was reportedly thrown into the sea. How can the Karen ever forgive the assassination of their revolutionary father? Sometimes the politics of assassination follows logic: friends of enemies may be regarded as enemies, just as an enemys enemy can be counted as a friend. But sometimes assassination makes no sense at all. Bo Let Ya was a leftist-turned-rightist who was killed by the anti-communist Karen National Union, near the Thai-Burma border in 1978. Reports said Let Ya was killed when he was asked to surrender to the KNU. Three Kachin people who were prominent leaders in the Kachin resistance were also killed. Pungshwi Zau Seng and brothers Zau Seng and Zau Tu were assassinated together in 1975, as a result of a power struggle with fellow members of the Kachin Independence Organization. The assassin was later killed by other leaders of the organization. After Ne Win staged a coup in 1962, there were more such assassinations. Sao Shwe Thaike, the first president of Burma after it gained independence in 1948, was believed to have been killed while in detention. The former president, who was a Shan sawbwa [local chieftain], was taken away at bayonet point by government soldiers. At least one other Shan chieftain was believed to have been killed after the coup. In politics, there is no father and son. Bo Yan Aung was executed after being named a traitor by his party. His son, a fellow Communist Party member, was among those who condemned him. Before his father died, he said, I wish I could kill him myself. Today, assassination seems to be less common than in the past, and the current government rarely resorts to assassination against opposition leaders. But democracy leader Daw Suu Kyi has been targeted a couple of times. The most striking incident occurred on May 30, 2003. A motorcade carrying Daw Suu Kyi was ambushed in Depayin, northern Burma, by members of the junta-backed civic organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. She narrowly escaped after her driver sped up the car to escape the mob. Daw Suu Kyi and her partys deputy leader, Tin Oo, were both injured and later placed under house arrest. Opposition groups said dozens of Daw Suu Kyis supporters were beaten to death in the attack. No one can read the minds of the current military leaders, so it is impossible to rule out the possibility that they may one day make another attempt to finish off their enemies once and for all. And no one has been a greater thorn in the side of the generals than Nobel laureate Daw Suu Kyi. Since she entered Burmese politics in 1988, the generals have faced a lot of difficulties in handling her because of her fame in the international community. As assassination means killing important leaders, we can say that all those who have been assassinated in Burma were people who contributed something important to the country. If the young Aung San had not been killed, Burma might have been a very different country today. Like him, Mahn Sha might have been an even more important leader of his people if he had lived to see a genuine union of Burma. Brig-Gen Jonny, commander of Brigade 7 of the Karen National Liberation Army, the military wing of the KNU, told The Irrawaddy after the assassination of Mahn Sha, All this is enough to make the Burmese government very happy. We Karen people should be unified. If we are divided, we will never achieve self-determination and the rights we demand. The big question is if the KNU leadership can unify itself or not. Over the past decade, the effectiveness of the KNU has diminished. Its revolution seems to have turned into a storm in its own tea cup. No new blood is ready to replace KNU leaders like Mahn Sha. It means a new vision and policy ideas are lacking. A senior KNU official has said that two more senior KNU military leaders are on the hit lists of the KNU splinter group, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. They are Gen Mu Tu, the commander-in-chief of the KNUs military wing, and Brig-Gen Jonny. Meanwhile, Mahn Shas organization searches for the assassins of its leader. And it is not difficult to imagine what they hope to achieve: revenge. This version of the original article has been mildly edited. Burma Burma and Thailand Sign 16 Business Agreements Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Somkid Jatusripitak speaks at an economic summit in Hanoi, Oct. 26, 2016. / Reuters RANGOON As Thailands Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak visited Burma, Thai and Burmese officials signed 16 bilateral business memoranda of understanding (MOUs) on Thursday in Naypyidaw. The 16 MOUs in six different business sectors were designed to foster greater cooperation between Thai companies, Burma government ministries, and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), according to UMFCCI vice president U Ye Min Aung. The MOUs include agreements for cooperation in the banking and agricultural sectors. These are big agreements that the NLD government is signing with Thailand, said U Ye Min Aung. Thailand is among the top foreign investors here, and these agreements will foster more economic cooperation. Infrastructure development was another sector that saw major agreements signed. These agreements are made from government to government, and from government to business too, he said. Every industry has signed an MOU here today. In the finance sector, KBZ Bank signed an agreement with the Thai government over remittance services, according to U Nyo Myint, a senior official in the KBZ Group. Many Burmese workers are working in Thailand, said U Nyo Myint. So thats why remittance services should be more active. We have been working with Thai banks already, and today we signed an agreement in front of the Thai government that will strengthen that level of cooperation. KBZ Bank has already opened a branch office in Thailand, and last year it introduced a remittance service that can be used by workers in both countries. Thai investors are near the top among foreign direct investment in Burma, said U Nyo Myint. And our economic cooperation will grow bigger in the future. According to figures from the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration, Thailands investment in Burma reached US$106 million during the 2016-17 fiscal year. Thailand invests more money in Burma annually than all but three other nationsSingapore ($2.6 billion), China ($447 million), and Hong Kong ($187 million). Burma Government, KIO Unable to Set a Date for Peace Talks General Gun Maw (on right), vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization, shakes hands, with the government peace commissions Dr. Tin Myo Win (left) on June 7, 2016. / Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy CHIANG MAI, Thailand The Burmese governments Peace Commission has invited the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) to Rangoon to hold bilateral peace talks, but KIO leaders appeared frustrated by the governments lack of response to recent questions. On Jan. 26, Peace Commission chairman Dr. Tin Myo Win sent an invitation letter to Salang Sumlut Gam, who leads the KIOs negotiating team. The Peace Commission is ready to hold the bilateral talks with the KIO in Rangoon, if the KIO wants political talks, the governments letter read. The security of KIO leaders would be guaranteed. Responding to a request the KIO made last year, the government agreed to hold bilateral talks with the KIO only. The Peace Commission was ready to get started, commission advisor Dr. Min Zaw Oo told The Irrawaddy. But the agenda for the talks has not been set, and that will only be made clear when both sides can meet for bilateral discussion, Dr. Min Zaw Oo said. Moreover, Gen Gun Maw, the vice chairman of the KIO, expressed doubts about the peace commissions letter when he spoke to The Irrawaddy on Thursday. Their letter is not very clear, he said, and we think this is not really an invitation to hold bilateral talks. The letter did not specify a date for when talks could start. This letter is more like a general description, he said. It does not include the answers to questions we asked in December, so we wrote back [on Jan. 28] to ask the government to answer our previous questions. In December, the KIO sent letters asking for the governments official position on an earlier ceasefire agreementthe one the KIO signed on Feb. 24, 1994 with the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). The KIO also requested an explanation for threats made on Dec. 19 by the commander of the Burma Armys Northern Command, who accused the KIO of breaking the terms of the 1994 ceasefire related to troop deployments, and he threatened to launch further attacks against Laiza and Mai Ja Yang, according to the KIO letters. Regarding the letters, both sides told The Irrawaddy that they would engage in follow-up communications to achieve more concise descriptions and understanding. In recent months, the United Nationalities Federal Councils (UNFC) delegation for political negotiation (DPN) has represented the KIO in talks with the central government. We will continue to do so, said Gen Gun Maw. But peace talks between the UNFC ethnic blocwhich the KIO chairsand the government have been stalled since Nov. 20, when four ethnic armed groups launched an offensive against the Burma Army in Kachin and Shan states. Those four armed groupsthe Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army (AA)have joined together militarily to form the Northern Alliance. On Jan. 13, the DPN met with the Peace Commission to hold informal talks in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The two sides agreed to meet again at the end of January, but the later meeting never materialized. DPN chief Khu Oo Reh told The Irrawaddy that they are still negotiating with the government to set a date for new talks. The two sides had agreed to hold informal talks in Chiang Mai before formal talks in Rangoon, he said, but now we received news from the peace commission office that their leaders are too busy organizing the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference. So its hard to understand whether we should propose a date or not, Khu Oo Reh said, They should be more specific on the date if that is really an invitation. Burma Govt Investigates U Ko Nis Assassination U Ko Ni's funeral on Monday. / Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Burmas government said it is investigating the assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer and NLD legal advisor U Ko Ni. According to the initial findings, the assassination is likely to destabilize the country. The government is carrying out the investigation to find the truth and necessary security measures are also tightening, a statement from the Presidents Office released on Monday read. U Ko Ni was shot dead in the head at close range outside Yangon International Airport on Sunday afternoon by a gunman, identified as 53-year-old Kyi Lin, according to a police report. The assailant also shot a taxi driver with his 9mm pistol, who was among those attempting to catch him. It was reported that the detained gunman Kyi Lin was in prison in the 2000s for smuggling ancient Buddha stupas and released in a presidential amnesty in 2014. We feel deeply sorry for the assassinated U Ko Ni and also U Nay Win who was killed while attempting to catch the shooter. And also we are thankful to all dutiful citizens who helped to arrest the assailant, the statement read. It urged the public not to be frightened because of the incident and also to be aware of racial and religious instigations. It also asked the public to inform the authorities of any suspicious activities. The Burma Armys information team also released a statement that said the army would cooperate with security forces to hold the perpetrator accountable for the crime, as the incident challenged existing safety measures. The motive remains unknown and The Irrawaddy could not get a comment from the police at the time of publication. Burma Irrawaddy Division Govt Cites Security Reasons in Banning Wirathu Sermon U Wirathu at Ma Ba Thas two-year anniversary conference, held in the Rangoon township of Insein in June 2015. / The Irrawaddy PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division The Irrawaddy Division government said it has banned the delivery of a sermon by prominent ultranationalist monk Wirathu in the regional capital of Pathein for security reasons. Wirathu, the high-profile leader of the nationalist Buddhist monks organization better known by its Burmese acronym of Ma Ba Tha, had planned to deliver a sermon in Pathein on Wednesday. An assassination that seemed to be inspired by racial hatred has just happened, Irrawaddy Division municipal minister U Kyaw Myint told The Irrawaddy, referring to the shooting of prominent Muslim lawyer U Ko Ni outside Rangoon International Airport on Sunday. And despite the fact that the monk had promised [the government] that he would only preach about religious matters, he has widely preached racial hatred, and is known both locally and internationally for this, U Kyaw Myint explained. We were concerned that there would be crowd disturbances if we allowed the sermon. So, from a security point of view, we remarked that the ceremony should not be permitted. The Irrawaddy National Network, a local network of nationalist organizations based in Pathein organized the ceremonies to be held respectively on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 with sermons to be given by a local monk from Bassein and Wirathu. Following the ban, the network had to remove the stage on which the sermons were to be delivered. As a Buddhist, I feel sad that a Buddhist sermon ceremony was not allowed in a Buddhist country. We worked up a sweat to hold the ceremony. We have distributed pamphlets across almost all of Irrawaddy Division, and also put up vinyls, and prepared the stage. We feel sad that the ceremony was canceled after such detailed preparation, said U Zaw Wai, a representative of the network that took the leading role in organizing the ceremony. U Zaw Wai said that he had apologized to Wirathu for the cancelation of his sermon, and that Wirathu had accepted it. The divisional government, in response to advice from the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, a government-appointed body of high-ranking Buddhist monks that oversees and regulates the Sangha, also banned a dhamma talk by Shwenyawa Sayadaw, which was to be held in Patheins No. 10 Ward in December of last year. Shwenyawa Sayadaw is an outspoken monk known for his opposition both to the military and to Buddhist nationalism, and for his stance against the anti-Muslim sentiment of the 969-movement. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Burma Proposal to Assign Death Penalty for Child Rape Hits Setback A campaign against child sex abuse takes place in Rangoon, Nov. 27, 2016. / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Burmas Lower House voted down a proposal on Thursday that would have imposed the death penalty against those convicted of child rape. Daw Khin Saw Wai, a Lower House lawmaker from the Arakan National Party, submitted the proposal to amend Article 376 of Burmas Penal Code. I just learned from the chief justice that the amendment would be considered only if it is written in English, Daw Khin Saw Wai told reporters. So I will discuss that with legal experts and will submit my proposal again. Union Chief Justice U Mya Thein told lawmakers on Thursday that amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code needed to be presented in English because the original codes were also written in English. But the proposal from Daw Khin Saw Wai, which would have amended Article 376, was written in Burmese language, and so the Parliament voted not to discuss the proposal. The proposal would have raised the punishment for a child rape convictionrape of a person under age 16to life imprisonment (which is actually 20 years) or the death penalty. Those convicted of a gang rape would automatically face the death penalty. The existing punishment in Penal Code Article 376 ranges from 10 years to life in prison, but it does not identify a separate punishment for rape of a minor. The problem of child rape came under intense scrutiny in 2016 after a significant rise in the number of reported cases. Womens rights activists and members of the public voiced concern and organized campaigns calling for harsher penalties against sex offenders. Some have demanded that the death penalty be applied. Last month, the Supreme Court issued an order to have child rape cases handled at the district court level, and recommended that child rapists be assigned the heaviest possible sentences. The district courts are allowed assign harsher punishments than the township courts. According to police records, child rape cases made up 61 percent of all reported rapes in 2016. In 2015, that number was only 46 percent. We see that more than half of reported rape cases involved minors. We need to apply the heaviest punishment in order to effectively deter rapists, said Daw Khin Saw Wai. The death penalty is being adopted in some countries to protect citizens, she added. Burma is not a country which has abolished the death penalty, and also there are some laws that say to apply death sentences. Burma Surveillance and Threats: Slain Burma Lawyer Felt Targeted Supporters carry the coffin of U Ko Ni at his funeral in Rangoon, Jan. 30, 2017. / Reuters RANGOON Prominent Muslim lawyer U Ko Ni who was assassinated in Rangoon was being closely watched by intelligence agents, according to friends and colleagues, and had received past threats over his sensitive work as an adviser to Daw Aung San Suu Kyis ruling party. People close to advocate U Ko Ni, whose killing has been described by the government as an attempt to destabilize the country, say they warned him to take more precautions for his security, but he had brushed off their concerns. I always worried about my boss, said a staffer in U Ko Nis office, who spoke to Reuters anonymously because he feared repercussions. I would follow behind him for security when he was walking home. A lone gunman fatally shot U Ko Ni in the head on Sunday as he held his young grandson at a taxi stand outside Rangoons international airport. The killing of a lawyer known for his work on amending Burmas military-drafted constitution comes amid heightened communal and religious tensions in the country, and has raised the specter of political violence marring a widely lauded transition to democracy after decades of junta rule. The motives of the gunmanwho is in police custodyremain unclear, but he appears to have known U Ko Nis arrival time at the airport. Police have said they believe a wider conspiracy led to the shooting, and a second suspect was arrested near the Burma-Thailand border on Monday, according to Kan Win, deputy chief of police in the Karen State. The office of the civilian president said initial interrogation of the gunman indicates the intention to destabilize the state. A Targeted Person Constitutional law expert U Ko Ni, 63, was instrumental in carving out the position of state counselor for Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party came to power in April 2016. The position allows her to effectively lead the government despite being barred from the presidency under the 2008 constitution because some of her family members are foreign nationals. U Ko Ni was working on amendments to the charter, people who worked with him told Reuters. These colleagues say the veteran lawyer was working on other sensitive topics, too. U Ko Ni wanted to take military officials out of day-to-day administration, and was also spearheading an Interfaith Harmony Bill that would include measures to tackle hate speech, hate crimes, and discrimination. He wanted to amend a 1982 law that restricts citizenship for people not considered members of indigenous ethnicitiessuch as the 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims in the countrys northwest. After Buddhist nationalists forced the NLD to cancel a talk at which U Ko Ni and another Muslim would be speaking, he said his closeness to Suu Kyi and his work on the Constitution were especially sensitive. I am a targeted person, he told campaign group Fortify Rights in August 2015, according to a transcript reviewed by Reuters. I take care of myself and keep a low profile now. I only give training on the Constitution and laws, and only indoors. When U Ko Ni began campaigning for the NLD ahead of a historic election in November 2015, he started receiving warnings he should stop his political work, said Ohn Hlaing, a lawyer at the Laurel Law Firm that U Ko Ni founded. If he didnt listen, they would kill him. I didnt think it would happen, Ohn Hlaing told Reuters. He was not aware of any specific threats in recent weeks. Reported to Above After the NLD came to power, safety concerns were coupled with signs of increased surveillance of U Ko Ni by intelligence agents, according to three co-workers and two relatives. Two of U Ko Nis associates told Reuters they were directly approached by agents to provide information about his activities. Yin Nwe Khine, U Ko Nis daughter, said her father said little to his family about threats or surveillance. He told us he was being watched by someone, but we didnt know who, she said. Aye Lar, an official with military security affairs in Botataung, the area of Rangoon where U Ko Ni lived, told Reuters he was charged with watching U Ko Niwhich he characterized as routine surveillance of a prominent local figure. An official at the Ministry of Defenses press bureau declined to comment. Official monitoring of the population was widespread during military rule in Burma and the domestic intelligence agencies have not been disbanded. We had to report to above about U Ko Nis activities, like his meetings, where he went, and what did he did, said Aye Lar. Myo Win, founder of Smile Education, a non-profit foundation, who worked with U Ko Ni to promote tolerance between different faiths, said this surveillance followed U Ko Ni when he travelled outside of Rangoon, citing a trip to the northeastern city of Lashio in October during which intelligence officials visited U Ko Nis hotel. But U Ko Ni seemed unconcerned about being followed and about his own security, said Myo Win. He continued to take Rangoon taxis everywhere, Myo Win said. The NLD should have some security for their important people. Burma Yangon Bus Service Fleet to be Equipped with GPS Monitoring Commuters wait for a Yangon Bus Service bus in downtown Rangoon. / Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy RANGOON After just over two weeks of service, Rangoons new public transit system will see the installation of GPS devices on its bus fleet, in order to better monitor buses locations and the actions taken by conductors. The new Yangon Bus Service (YBS) replaced the 300 bus lines registered under the Rangoon Motor Vehicles Supervisory Committeeknown as Ma Hta Thawith around 70 bus lines on Jan. 16. The new system downsized the bus lines to eliminate overlapping routes. Dr. Maung Aung, secretary of the Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA) told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that a private company called B Smart is providing the GPS devices and has installed them in more than 100 buses out of some 4,000 buses currently in operation. We have planned to install them in every operating fleet except the Dyna light trucks and BM buses, Dr. Maung Aung said. The installation is set to be finalized in April if there are no unforeseen difficulties, said U Than Win, the joint secretary of the YRTA. The YRTA will have to reportedly pay 400 kyats (US$0.29) to B Smart per day for use of the service. Ko Thet Tin Win, aka Ko Ta Yote Lay, the owner of Power Eleven Co., which operates with 69 vehicles under YBS, told The Irrawaddy that tracking the buses with GPS devices would reduce human resource requirements in overseeing the network. The staff will become more productive in managing buses and conductors, Ko Ta Yote Lay said. They can monitor the locations of and the distances between individual buses. They can also supervise the bus conductors to see if they follow regulations and behave properly, he added. According to Ko Ta Yote Lay, the chief minister ordered the prioritized installation of GPS devices on buses that had received the most complaints of violations to regulations. Since its launch, volunteer groups have voiced concern about YBSs insufficient number of buses, as not all previous bus owners registered with the YRTA to operate under the new system. Still others were not ready to serve, which led to overcrowding, delays and short supply, especially late in the evenings. Commuters have also complained that some drivers and conductors have yet to change old habits, such as competing with other buses for passengers and taking long, unscheduled breaks at bus stops to take on more commuters. Dr. Maung Aung said that the YRTA has been handling traffic violations of the YBS buses seriouslyharsh punishments doled out will reportedly include dismissal from the YBS network. He said that the government would import another 1,000 vehicles from China and Korea to address insufficient number of buses serving the citys commuters. The YRTA aims to implement a digital payment system in YBS buses in the next phase of the project, when the new imported buses arrive in Rangoon. Vehicles manufactured after 1995 are currently allowed for temporary use and comprise around 70 percent of the buses operating under the new system, according to the YRTA. Politics Muslim Political Party Asks to Join Union Day Event Muslims in Rangoon line up to vote in the 2015 election. / Lawi Weng / The Irrawaddy RANGOON A Muslim political party has asked the National League for Democracy (NLD) government to allow them to attend a Union Day event in Panglong, southern Shan State next week. According to U Kyaw Min, the chairman of the Rangoon-based Democracy and Human Rights Party, the organization sent a letter to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Jan. 25, asking her to let their party members come to the scheduled peace conference. If we have a chance to join the conference, then we will have a chance to talk about our conflict and we will learn how to solve it. This will help a lot, to participate in the peace process in the Rakine region, said U Kyaw Min, referring to unrest in Arakan State, which intensified after state security forces initiated a clearance campaign following attacks by militants on border police outposts in October of last year. According to the UN, some 65,000 Rohingya Muslims have since been displaced to neighboring Bangladesh. We should have a chance to join the meeting, so that we can say it is all-inclusive. We should have the right to participate in the peace conference, he said. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will attend Union Day events in Panglong on February 12, along with representatives of other political parties. If they receive no reply from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Kyaw Min said that his party will not be able to join the proceedings. He added that if Burma holds a national-level political dialogue based on ethnicity in different divisions and states, the government should also hold a peace meeting in Arakan State between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims to address conflict in the region. The Rohingya-led Democracy and Human Rights Party was originally formed as the National Democratic Party for Human Rights in 1989 and won four parliamentary seats in Burmas 1990 elections, the results of which were not honored by the military. The party was subsequently banned, until re-registering to contest the 2015 election. However, due to the disenfranchisement of the Rohingya, the party was only allowed to field three candidates out of a proposed 18, none of whom won in their respective constituencies. Many US women are not sure if eating soy based food could help them prevent breast cancer. Earlier studies have shown that soy products could help prevent cancer. Soybean-based food are an excellent protein source that is low in calories and saturated fat. On the contrary doctors do not recommend the consumption of soy products for women who are prone to breast cancer called estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. Because soybean-based food contain compounds called isoflavones. In some studies isoflavones are found to be able to mimic the hormone estrogen and develop tumor growth. In an animal study at the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., have revealed the reason behind the capability of soy products to prevent and fuel its spread. By giving a set of rats soybean isoflavones throughout their lives, the rats had improved immunity against cancer. The particular one type of soybean isoflavone given to those rats was called genistein. But for a set of rats that was not given the soybean isoflavone until after developing breast cancer did not have the same immune response to kill cancer cells. Instead, these rats became at a higher risk of developing breast cancer over again. Even after their tumor was removed. The study may explain why Asian women have five times lower breast cancer risk than the women in the US. Asian women consume high amounts of soybean-based food in their entire life than women in the US. More than 200,000 US women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Most of them have estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, a data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tamoxifen is one of the most common drug that acts to reduce estrogen's ability to promote cancer growth. In the animal study, all of the sets of rats were given tamoxifen to kill the cancer. The researchers found that rats that were raised on genistein had seven percent of breast cancer recurrence after the tamoxifen treatment. However, for the rats that was given genistein after the breast cancer development had 33 percent recurrence rate. It is not clear why genistein has this kind of effect. But it may be related to the bodys immune system being activated by the isoflavone. The immune system may be recognizing it as a nutrient from its longtime consumption, said study senior author Leena Hilakivi-Clarke. According to the Science Daily, researchers suggest that breast cancer patients should consume soybean products after diagnosis, but do not start them without previous consumption of genistein. According to the Live Science, The research says that consuming soy products are good ways to prevent cancer, and not to cure it. Consuming soy products would be more helpful if women did not develop any form of cancer yet. However, consuming soy products, during breast cancer treatment would not cure the cancer, but rather encourage the development of tumor. E-cigarettes or Vapes are rapidly becoming popular among teens. A new study reveals that this habit may be dangerous to the health and put smokers at risk of heart disease. Regular cigarettes are responsible for cardiovascular diseases such heart attacks and strokes, the study revealed that vaping may also cause these diseases. According to a study published in JAMA Cardiology, it was revealed that people who are vaping almost every day were found to have biological markers known to increase the risk of heart disease when compared to healthy non-smokers. Scientists have observed increased adrenaline in the heart as well as oxidative stress making the body unable to defend itself against free radicals. The study is part of an ongoing debate on whether or not using e-cigarettes is safe. vaping is a fairly new phenomenon and the body of research on its effects is relatively few. In spite of the fact that long-term effects of vaping are still unknown, it has become widely popular. People who are addicted to smoking cigarettes are switching to vaping which is believed to be safer than smoking tobacco. Vaping also becomes more and more popular among teenagers. Previous studies have shown that e-cigarettes may potentially produce carcinogens and it is also linked to increased oxidative stress. The studys lead author, Holly Middlekauff, a cardiologist from the University of California, Los Angeles, states that the public needs to know that if you do not smoke tobacco, you should not start vaping because e-cigarettes are not harmless. Roberto Carnevale of the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy who studied the cardiovascular effects of e-cigarettes states that the study could be used to inform the public about the relationship of cardiovascular risks and vaping. Informing parents and teenagers about the potential harms of vaping is important. According to Carnevale, the potentially damaging health effects of vaping is still unknown as reported by The Verge. Researchers have found that users of e-cigarettes were prone to cardiac sympathetic activity and increased oxidative stress signs which are related to cardiovascular risk. Habitual vaping has physiologic effects which may affect a users cardiovascular health. The authors of the study recommended further investigation on the adverse effects on the health of inhalable nicotine as reported by Medical News Today. The creator of the popular manga series, Naruto has sat down with Jump Fest 2017 for an interview and he has revealed details regarding the development of the Boruto spinoff series. Boruto is going to be adapted into an animated television series soon and Masashi Kishomoto has admitted that they are going through some difficulties making the spinoff series. In light of this confession, Masashi Kishomoto also talked about the plans they have for Boruto. Masashi Kishomoto, the creator of the Naruto series went on to reveal what they have planned for the Boruto spinoff series. Boruto is a sequel and a spin-off series that stars the kids of the characters from the Naruto series, but of course the original characters of the latter series are still featured in their older years. Though Masashi Kishomoto is not the one primarily working on the Boruto manga series and anime adaptation, he is still part of the team so he still gets to make inputs on it. He said his involvement was mainly based because the major part of the script is adapted from his creation, which is the Naruto series. He has revealed that he is having a pinch trying to make sure that Boruto is a different series from Naruto. He wanted to make the series a fun and light one even though the manga series started off with a rather dark story. Aside from that, Masashi Kishomoto said that he is trying to find ways to ensure that Boruto and Naruto do not come out similar in terms of story and battles. He further divulged that he wanted to delve on the new characters he has yet to introduce in the new Boruto series and he is working on the drama that surrounds these characters. The said manga creator differentiated the main characters of the two series and said that unlike Naruto, Boruto was refined when it comes to dealing with things and actually crafty, knowing how things work out. Fans of the Naruto series would know and approve to this comparison since Naruto is outspoken, who shouts out his feelings or when he is confronted with conflicts. Masashi Kishomoto said that he was not worried about having to surpass Naruto since he never expected the said series to become hugely popular, but he did want Boruto to become a series that did not repeat the same story or pattern as Naruto. He also wants that the children, who are the main characters of the Boruto series, do not become clones of their parents but instead be introduced with a whole new identity. Masashi Kishomoto and his team are also worrying about how the story will progress especially when they were keen on making it a light and funny one. In the Boruto series, Naruto and Sasuke are shown to be very powerful, who encounter battles that get bigger and bigger, and having to incorporate the children within this plot, he is trying to come up with new ideas to do justice to the fighting scale of the series. Boruto debuted in May 2016 as a manga series that starred Uzumaki Boruto, Uchiha Sarada, and Mitsuki. These three are the children of the renowned original characters from the Naruto series. The anime adaptation of Boruto is slated to premiere on TV Tokyo on April 2017. Sanctions imposed by former President Obama on Russia for hacking during the U.S. election had an unintended side effect: they essentially barred U.S. tech firms from selling new IT products in the country. Part of last month's sanction order was designed to block U.S. companies from doing business with Russias Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, because of its suspected role in influencing last years election. But the FSB isnt just an intelligence agency. Its also a crucial regulator in Russia that clears new IT products, including smartphones and tablets, for sale in the country. Following the sanctions, tech firms flooded the U.S. Treasury Department with inquiries, according to a senior official with the agency. And so on Thursday, the Treasury Department basically tweaked the sanction order, so that U.S. tech firms can now interact with the FSB to clear their products. News of the change immediately sparked questions over whether the new Trump administration had eased sanctions on Russia. However, the Treasury Department began considering the tweak during the Obama administration, according to the senior official. Magdalena Petrova The U.S. Department of the Treasury building in Washington, D.C., on December 19, 2016. The change means that U.S. tech firms can now interact with the FSB to pay for permits or issue notifications that do not exceed $5,000 in a calendar year. According to legal experts, FSB approval is needed for imports of encryption technology, which can be found in many IT products. For instance, companies must receive an FSB granted permit in order to distribute enterprise applications with encryption, said Janet Kim, a lawyer with Baker and McKenzie, whose firm was working on behalf of U.S. tech firms to amend the sanction order. She said that Obama's sanction order had sparked concern from the U.S. tech industry that it wouldnt be able to distribute new products in Russia, including mass market devices. To sell a smartphone -- which also uses encryption -- a U.S. tech firm must send a notification to the FSB, Kim said. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the U.S. was not easing sanctions against Russia. He called it a common practice for the Treasury Department to issue carve outs for certain products or industries, after a sanction order is placed. Nevertheless, some are politicizing the matter. Russia attacked our democracy. It should be punished. Instead, President Trump is easing sanctions against its team of hackers, the FSB," said U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, a democrat from California, in a statement. Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. MPS who campaigned to remain in the EU, but who last night (Wednesday) backed the government's EU withdrawal bill, have been praised by Brexit supporter Andrew Turner. The Isle of Wight MP was among the 498 members of the House of Commons to vote in favour of the bill and he praised those who had previously campaigned against Brexit, but voted in favour of the withdrawal bill. The bill was drafted following last month's Supreme Court ruling that parliament must be consulted on Brexit, due to the impact on UK domestic law. Following last night's vote, it is due to be subject to more detailed scrutiny and will come back before the Commons on March 8 for a final vote. It will also be debated in the House of Lords. In a statement issued after the vote, Andrew Turner, said: "In 1975, as a member of the public I voted against our membership of the Common Market. Last night, as the Islands MP I was proud to support the decision of the British people who voted to Leave the European Union. This is something I have believed in for many years. "Many Remain MPs last night honourably voted to respect the referendum result. Our Prime Minister is one, and to be fair so is the Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, I respect them for that. "However, I cannot understand the position of MPs who voted to have a referendum, but against the result, that included some Labour, most Lib-Dems and the sole Green MP. Democracy is accepting the majority will of the people, not asking them a question and ignoring them if you dont like the answer." Feds laud $83M to better Pell Bridge The congressional delegation of Rhode Island was in Jamestown to celebrate an $82.5 million grant to upgrade the bridge that connects Conanicut Island to Newport. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a... Local author, illustrator collaborate on book A local woman has turned her digital cross-country teatimes with her granddaughter into a childrens book. Tuesday Tea, written by Debby Furness Saletin and illustrated by Maryann England, both of... Local group asks for rental rules changes A group of residents is expected to present its recommendations on how to improve the ordinance that governs short-term rentals. Member Ron Ratcliffe said the item is scheduled to be... Most people have certain ideas on how the richest people in the world live, with visions of billionaires getting to indulge their every whim, especially when it comes to food. While some may think that all rich people head to a Paris bistro via private jet for a quick breakfast, Warren Buffett may surprise you, as the third richest man in the world has simpler tastes compared to others. CNBC reports that while his contemporaries live in mansions, the 86-year-old still lives in the five-bedroom home in Omaha, Nebraska, that he bought in 1958 for $31,500. Moreover, Buffett is quite frugal when it comes to his meals, as he never spends more than $3.17 on breakfast. In the HBO documentary Becoming Warren Buffett, the tycoon revealed that for the past 54 years, he has been stopping by McDonalds to order one of three items for his first meal of the day. Buffett said that every morning, he asks his wife to put either $2.61, $2.95 or $3.17 in change in a little cup in his car. Each amount corresponds to a different menu item in the popular fast food chain. When Im not feeling so prosperous, I might go with the $2.61, which is two sausage patties, and then I put them together and pour myself a Coke, said Buffett. In the documentary, Buffett ordered a sausage, egg, and cheese, which totals $2.95. Buffett is one of a handful of billionaires who choose to live a frugal lifestyle. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is known for wearing the same thing every daya grey t-shirt and blue jeans. Instead of a Bentley, the father-of-one drives a manual transmission Volkswagen hatchback, according to Business Insider. Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen is also notoriously frugal, as the self-made billionaire packs a lunch of a sandwich and Gatorade before work every day. Meanwhile, IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad still flies economy and frequently rides the bus. At a shareholders meeting in 2014, Buffett explained that he has chosen to live a modest life, simply because hes happy with everything that he has. Itd be worse if I had six or eight houses, said Buffett. So, I have everything I need to have, and I dont need any more because it doesnt make a difference after a point. For more, check out Jobs & Hires report on the important lesson that Bill Gates learned from his 4th grade teacher. After incurring up to almost $6 billion in losses, Toshiba's Westinghouse unit is shaving down its nuclear ambitions. It will reportedly pull out of the nuclear construction business and will now focus only on nuclear reactor designs and finish construction of two US facilities. Toshiba's nuclear manufacturing company, Westinghouse, is putting a lid on its nuclear construction ambitions in light of the $6 billion losses that it has incurred, reports CNBC and the Wall Street Journal. Westinghouse was purchased by the Japanese company for $5.4 billion. Not only will Toshiba receive a change in its projects but also a change in leadership. As a result of the aforementioned exit, Shigenori Shiga, the chairman of Toshiba, and Danny Roderick, the former head of Westinghouse Electric, are expected to resign from their positions. What is in Westinghouse's future now? The manufacturing company will solely focus on producing nuclear reactor designs. The ongoing construction of two nuclear facilities in the United States will also continue. This loss has been gradual in the making with power plant construction delays adding to expenses. No official announcement has yet been made by Toshiba regarding this news but Wall Street Journal writes that it may be revealed this month, reports CNBC. In addition, according to CNBC, Toshiba announced plans to put up a portion of its memory chip business up for sale in order to raise funds to pay for the costs of its nuclear construction projects. In other news, another Japanese company is cutting back due to losses as well. Sony has recently written down a value of $1 billion in its movie business due to a market decline. As online stream websites dominate the industry, DVD and Blu-ray discs are no longer selling as much as it used to. This has caused Sony to cut back in outlook earnings and reduce costs. Click here to read more about it. A British woman is fighting gender discrimination in the workplace as she seeks to make mandatory high heels at work illegal. Based on actions made by a committee in the U.K. parliament with regards to the matter, it appears that the worker is a few steps closer to winning her fight against sexist workplace codes. Back in December 2015, Nicola Thorp reported to work as a temporary receptionist at PriceWaterhouseCoopers London offices. The temp worker, who was employed by agency Portico, was surprised when she was told by the agency that her flat shoes were not appropriate for work and that she needed to wear heels of between 2 to 4 inches. When she refused, Thorp was sent home from work without pay. According to Motto, the 28-year-old decided to fight back by launching a petition calling for a law that would ensure that no company would ever require to make women wear heels. In the petition, Thorp said that dress code laws should be changed so that women have the option to wear flat formal shoes to work, if they wish. She added that the current formal dress codes are out-dated and sexist. The temp workers petition gained an overwhelming response as she received 152,420 signaturesmore than enough to get a committee within the U.K. parliament to open an investigation which was published last week. The committee ran a web forum in which members of the public were invited to share their experiences of workplace dress codes. In just one week, they received 730 responses in the web forum. In the report, the committee notes that they have heard about other kinds of gendered dress codes. Apart from being made to wear heels, the gathered evidence also reveals that there are women who have been required to dye their hair blonde, wear revealing outfits, and constantly reapply makeup while at work. In response to the petition, the Government Equalities Office said that company dress codes must be reasonable and must make equal requirements for men and women. Moreover, employers are entitled to set dress codes for their workforce, however, these dress codes should be reasonable. Since then, Portico has changed its dress code policy and has removed the requirement to wear high heels. Speaking with Motto, Thorp said that there needs to be a culture shift in the workplace as asking a woman to dress in a certain way against her will is harassment. She also told The New York Times that sexism continues to be an issue that should be addressed to protect women. People say sexism is not an issue anymore, said Thorp. But when a man who has admitted publicly to sexually harassing women is the leader of the free world, it is more crucial than ever to have laws that protect women. For more, check out Jobs & Hires report on the formerly homeless man who now helps others to dress for success. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. Q: With Groundhog Day being today, I was curious if there has been a female groundhog. Also, what is the average weight and lifespan of the groundhog? Y.D. Answer: Well, we hope there are some female groundhogs, otherwise the males are going to be lonely. Today is Groundhog Day, an annual tradition in which the furry critters are used to prognosticate whether winter will end soon or not. According to the legend, if a groundhog comes out of its burrow and sees its shadow, winter will last for six more weeks. Each year, nature centers and other venues around the country trot out their groundhogs or in some cases other animals to make local predictions. Though males are generally the ones that venture out of their burrows first, some venues do use female groundhogs, such as Queen Charlotte at Discovery Place Nature in Charlotte. Queen Charlotte is taking this year off after refusing to come out of her cage during last year. And Staten Island Chuck, a famous groundhog at the Staten Island Zoo in New York, is sometimes played by a female groundhog. One in 2014 caused a minor scandal when she squirmed out of Mayor Bill De Blasios grip and fell. She died a week later, though whether it was from injuries related to the fall was unclear. The most famous groundhog in the business is Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania. Hes supposedly male, but hes also supposedly been around since the 19th century. His handlers insist, whimsically, that Punxsutawney Phil is over 100 years old and that he drinks an elixir of life each year which adds seven more years to his life, according to the website Infoplease.com. In reality, groundhogs have a typical lifespan of about six years. In captivity, they can live longer, but 10 years is still the average lifespan, far short of Phils record. The average weight of a grown groundhog is six to 12 pounds. The tradition of Groundhog Day originated in a European custom called Candlemas, in which the clergy would bless candles on Feb. 2 and people would light them in their windows to ward off the darkness of midwinter. The weather on Candlemas was held to indicate the course of winter. One of the traditions that surrounded Candlemas involved turning to the humble hedgehog for its weather-predicting skills. If a hedgehog, considered to be a wise animal, came out of its hole on a sunless day and didnt see its shadow, it would stay outside. But if it was sunny, it would see its shadow and retreat into its lair for six more weeks of winter. The tradition migrated to America with German settlers, and the groundhog, another hibernating animal, was substituted for the hedgehog. In the 1800s, a group in Punxsutawney, Pa., began looking for groundhogs on Candlemas, and by 1887 Groundhog Day became an annual event. However, the Greensboro Science Center is going back to the older tradition, using a hedgehog today rather than a groundhog; you can read more about that in the other story this page. Another famous male groundhog is Sir Walter Wally at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, who will be giving his prediction during a day of activities that start at 9 a.m. today at the museum, leading up to Wallys prognostication at noon. DAVIDSON COUNTY The Davidson County Sheriff's Office is investigating an "email spoofing attack" that affected Davidson County school system employees, Sheriff David Grice said. A memo sent to Davidson County Schools employees said: "We recently discovered that our company was the victim of an email spoofing attack on January 31, 2017, by an individual pretending to be our superintendent. A request was made for 2016 Davidson County Board of Education employee W-2 information. Unfortunately, copies of all 2016 employee W-2 forms were provided before we discovered that the request was made from a fraudulent account by someone using the name of our superintendent." The memo continued that the school system discovered the request was false later that day. Grice said the sheriff's office was notified by the Davidson County superintendent's office Wednesday. The memo said, "As a precaution, for those individuals affected by this incident, we have arranged for Equifax to protect your identity for 12 months at no cost to you. The cost of this service will be paid for by Davidson County Board of Education." A call center is also to be set up for employees with questions, the memo said. Donna Stafford, Davidson County Schools chief public information officer, told Wendesday night that the attack affected all 2016 Davidson County Schools employees and independent contractors. In a press release, Davidson County Schools said Wednesday night: "Davidson County Schools took immediate action to this breach by notifying local law enforcement, the North Carolina Attorney Generals Office, and most importantly our valued employees and other partners that may be impacted by this breach." Court records filed in connection with the seizure of $300,000 worth of marijuana last week show that officers arrested a man after observing what they believed was a drug deal in the parking lot of a home improvement store. A search warrant provides additional details of the case that began Jan. 27 in the parking lot of the Lowes store at 1450 Lumber Lane, off Peters Creek Parkway. At the time, officers were taking part in a citywide narcotics operation that targeted illegal drug deals in heavily populated parking lots in Winston-Salem. Police Lt. Bart Stone said Wednesday that drug dealers often use parking lots throughout the city to sell illegal drugs. Weve made drug arrests in that parking lot in the past, Stone said. The man charged in the case, Antonio Larey Settle, 41, was being held Wednesday in the Forsyth County Jail with his bond set at $1 million, according to the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office. Officers said they seized about 90 pounds of marijuana, along with other items, from his car and home. At the Lowes on Lumber Lane last week, officers noticed a silver colored Mitsubishi Lancer pull into a parking space in the center of the lot, according to the search warrant. A short time later, a red Acura passenger car pulled up next to the Lancer. The driver of the Acura and a man in the passenger side of the Lancer got out, shook hands and spoke briefly to each other. The man from the Lancer then retrieved a cardboard box from that vehicle and gave it the driver of the Acura, according to the search warrant. The Acura driver then put that box into that vehicles trunk. The man from the Lancer then put another package in the trunk of the Acura. Both men returned to their vehicles and left the scene, the warrant said. An investigator followed the Acura, and later stopped the vehicle after it traveled 60 mph in a 45 mph zone on Friedberg Church Road near Alice Court. Another officer identified that driver as Settle, the warrant said. During the traffic stop, a warrant says, Settle sped away and headed west on Friedberg Church Road. Officers then went to Settles home in the 400 block of Quick Silver Drive. Shortly before he arrived there, Settle stopped his car, got out and ran. Officers chased Settle and arrested him. An investigator brought a police dog to the scene, and the dog then detected marijuana in the boxes in the truck of Settles car, the warrant said. Police seized 28 pounds of marijuana from the car. Investigators later obtained a search warrant to search Settles home. At the home, police then seized an additional 64 pounds of marijuana, 2.62 ounces of cocaine, three guns, two boxes of ammunition, about $9,000 in cash, two cell phones, two laptop computers, documents and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia, according to the search warrant. Settle, who also gave authorities an address on Brassfield Drive, was charged with two counts of felony trafficking in marijuana, one felony count of trafficking in cocaine, several other drug offenses, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, three arrest warrants say. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 17. James Quander of Winston-Salem, Settles attorney, declined to comment on the charges against his client because of the ongoing police investigation of the case. However, it is imperative that there is no rush to judgment before all of the facts are thoroughly investigated and properly presented, Quander said. Mr. Settle looks forward to this matter being resolved and being back with his family. A group of state House Republicans, including one from Forsyth County, is attempting again to make the federal E-Verify employment tracking tool a requirement for more small businesses. The electronic tool checks the immigration status of new workers. House Bill 35, co-sponsored by Rep. Debra Conrad, R-Forsyth, would lower the mandatory E-Verify requirement threshold from 25 employees where it has been since July 2013 to five. Conrad could not be reached for comment in the bill. An exemption would remain for state agencies, counties, cities and other government bodies. The bill also allows for the repeal of the E-Verify exemption for temporary employees on a case-by-case basis. The bill has been referred to the House committees on Commerce and Job Development, and then to Agriculture. If signed by Gov. Roy Cooper, the bill would become law Oct. 1. Legislation related to the E-Verify tool has proven contentious in recent sessions. Legislators who support the E-Verify mandate say they have done so because they heard from businesses who had been outbid by competitors employing workers who are in the country illegally. Similar legislation was introduced in 2016 as House Bill 1069, but it did not advance out of committee. Another bill with E-Verify requirements, House Bill 318, was signed into law by former Gov. Pat McCrory in October 2015. That law required certain government contracts to adhere to E-Verify criteria, as well as established which matricula consulate documents, ID cards issued by Mexico through its consulate offices, are not acceptable for job applicants to use as identification. In August 2013, McCrory vetoed House Bill 786 because it expanded the definition of a seasonal farm worker from 90 days to nearly nine months within a 12-month period. McCrory claimed expanding the definition would make it easier for businesses to circumvent federal immigration law. The veto was overridden in September 2013. House Bill 35 would remove the nine-month exemption. All U.S. employers must complete and retain an I-9 form for each individual they hire. Employers failing to comply with the law face civil penalties of up to $10,000 and fines beginning at $1,000 for each employee without E-Verify work authorization. All E-Verify documentation on each employee must be retained for the duration of the workers employment and for at least one year after the employment relationship ends. Employers cannot use E-Verify until after an employee is hired. If an employee is not confirmed by E-Verify, the employee has the right to challenge the determination, typically a 30-day window. The E-Verify system is not perfect, according to consultants, with an error rate on red-flagging applications as high as 10 percent. The number of flu-related deaths in North Carolina has climbed to 19 with the report of three victims last week, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday. Two of the most recent deaths involved individuals 65 and older, along with the first victim in the 5-to-17 age group. DHHS officials said the child lived in the western part of the state, but declined to identify the gender or the home county. All of the victims died during the week that ended Jan. 28. The week that ended Dec. 31 has had the most deaths at four. For the flu season that began Oct. 1, 14 deaths have been individuals age 65 and older, along with two in the 55-to-64 age group and one each in the 5-to-17, 18-to-24 and 25-to-54 age groups. There have been no reported flu-related deaths in the Triad and Northwest N.C. Some county health directors do not publicly report flu deaths, citing patient privacy policies or state DHHS directives. Flu can be a serious illness not only for the elderly, but also for children under age 5, pregnant women and those with certain medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease. There were 59 flu-related deaths during the 2015-16 season, along with 218 flu-related deaths in 2014-15, with 180 of the victims being 65 and older. The new year begins with Cone Health of Greensboro and Randolph Hospital of Asheboro announcing visitors restrictions related to the flu season. The Cone Health restrictions also cover Alamance Regional Hospital, Annie Penn Hospital, Wesley Long Hospital and Womens Hospital. Forsyth Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have not chosen to restrict visitors at this time. The restrictions, as has been the case for several flu seasons, ban children from visiting patients and apply to lobbies and waiting areas. The policy does not apply to children who need emergency care or hospitalization. Most flu cases run their course in several days, and symptoms can be helped with over-the-counter medications, according to hospital officials. A poster celebrating diversity in the Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Schools system has struck a nerve within its schools and beyond, catching fire in local social media posts. The poster started popping up in schools last week, with it being put on doors, along hallways and in classrooms. It reads, We Welcome You, and it extends that to all religions, all colors, all cultures, all sizes, all ages, all genders, all types. Under a multicolored abstract graphic, the poster also declares, All are safe here. School officials say the poster was designed in August 2016 and rolled out last week as part of a preplanned schedule. The poster comes amid nationwide protests over the Trump administrations travel ban on seven majority Muslim countries and in the wake of North Carolinas controversial House Bill 2, which excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from statewide anti-discrimination protections. The political moment in which it would be received, likely helping spark the outpouring of response online, was not considered, said Alex Hoskins, the school systems chief of staff. All the feedback has been positive, Hoskins said. We didnt have those conversations, she said. It was about the work we are asking schools to do around our core values. Over the summer, the school system developed a set of six core values: student-centered, accountability, collaboration, equity, high expectations and integrity. Each has been the focus during one of the six early release days built into the school calendar for staff development. The early release day on Feb. 8 will focus on equity, and the poster was designed in-house to dovetail with those conversations, Hoskins said. Virginia Browne, a teacher at Glenn High School, said she was proud to hang the poster in her classroom. Its pretty simple, Browne said. At Glenn, were a really diverse school. We really believe our strength lies in our diversity. Dana Jones, the head of the school board, was one of the first people to suggest equity as a core value. Jones said she saw the poster for the first time on social media last week. Probably the timing of this coming out makes it look much more political in nature, but that was not the intention, she said. Its a poster, but I think the most important thing we do is model and demonstrate, as adults, that we value all of our children. Political or not, the poster has caught fire on social media, with one post from a school employee shared more than 170 times. I love this poster, Amy Farmer, the parent of a junior at Reagan High School, posted on Twitter. Thanks, @wsfcs for reminding us that we are all welcome here. People from outside the school system are seeing the image online and requesting copies. Among them was Kristi Marion, the publicity and marketing manager for the RiverRun International Film Festival. As an international film festival, which also brings films into our local classrooms with our Films with Class program, RiverRun celebrates all types of diversity, Marion said. Our mission is to foster a greater appreciation of cinema and a deeper understanding of the many people, cultures and perspectives of our world through interaction with great films and filmmakers. We would love to show that support by displaying such a timely and graphically stunning poster, she said. However, the school system wont be making the poster available to outside individuals or groups, Hoskins said. That wasnt the intention of the poster, she said. It has our logo on it. Its for internal use, to celebrate our core values. The posters are expected to be on display in all schools throughout the system for the foreseeable future. Three Reynolds High School students were arrested last week in connection with the serious assault of a homeless man, the Winston-Salem Police Department said Wednesday. The victim remains hospitalized in intensive care, police said. All three students Tremayne Butler, 18, Treshawn Plater, 17, and Decorus Roundtree, 16 have been charged with felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury. They were arrested at the high school Jan. 25. Police responded to a disturbance reported near the 1400 block of Glade Street just after 4 a.m. on Jan. 16. They found Arthur Bloxham badly beaten, with a shattered orbital bone and a punctured lung. Police allege that the three students and at least one other individual, a juvenile whose name is not being released, beat Bloxham, 59, while he was sleeping under the Glade Street bridge, next to Hanes Park. Police said Bloxham is homeless and sometimes sleeps under the bridge, which crosses Peters Creek. Reynolds Principal Leslie Alexander sent a message to parents on Jan. 25. I want to make you aware that an incident that occurred off campus on a non-school day led to the arrest of three of our students, Alexander said. Since the arrests occurred at school, I wanted to give you a courtesy notification of the situation. We are working with law enforcement on the investigation, and we will follow our discipline procedures as appropriate. Butler and Roundtree were released on bonds of $6,000 each. Platers bond status was unclear, but recors didnt show him at the Forsyth County jail Wednesday night. This is not Platers first assault charge. He is currently on probation for a previous assault, having been sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation last year for the 2015 assault of James Phillips-Crews. According to police reports, Plater punched Phillips-Crews twice in the head and repeatedly kicked him in the head and stomach. Phillips-Crews was taken to a hospital with a concussion, blood on the brain and fluid in his abdomen. Phillips-Crews mother, Shelia Phillips, said she has been troubled by Platers behavior since her sons attack. Phillips said her son and Plater grew up like cousins. She and Platers mother were close friends and the teens grew up together her son, Plater and Butler, who she said is Platers older brother. Then, Plater and his friends jumped, or attacked, her son, she said. Phillips-Crews was 15; Plater had just turned 16. My son spent four days in the hospital, she said. The rules of Platers probation include that he not to have contact with Phillips family or come to their home. He also has a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Phillips said Plater and his friends have come to the house a number of times. Its too much, she said. My son cant even be outside at his own home. Theyre not supposed to be over here. Officials with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools would not say how long the three students have been at Reynolds and its unclear what discipline they may face from the school system. Student privacy laws prohibit the release of specific disciplinary information. Under the student code of conduct, assault resulting in serious injury is considered a Level VIII offense and may be punishable by expulsion. The three suspects in the assault on Bloxham have court dates Thursday. For years, foreign policy critics, politicians and outraged members of the general public have been militating to defund and quit the United Nations. Some have advocated that a rival or successor organization be established. Now the empty sheet of bitter discontent with the UN has been filled in with a new name, and a new movement calling to defund and replace the troubled organization with a new world body: The Covenant of Democratic Nations. This writer has been a participating witness to the birth of this movement. Just days after controversial UN Resolution 2334 declared, among other things, that Israels Jewish connection to the Western Wall was effectively illegal, to ambassadorial applause in the room, concrete replacement action began. It has started with a conversation of ideas proposing an official international conference that would carefully propound a multilaterally-signed diplomatic convention that would be ratified by countries as a binding treaty that would forge the Covenant into operational reality. The entire process fraught with hazy puzzlements over a terrain of what ifs would be limited to nations governed by democratic principles. Each member would or could defund the United Nations while it labored to construct a successor entity dedicated to world peace along democratic principles with equal respect for all people regardless of religion, gender, race, identity or national origin, as well as formulating a mechanism to resolve disputes. A prime mission of the new world body would be to reratify, amend or nullify all acts and resolutions of the United Nations and its agencies. Thus, the Covenant would create a new body of long-overdue, reformed, clarified and updated international law. Just as unjust American laws perpetrating slavery, Jim Crow, segregation and institutional inequality were overturned, updated, and reformed during the civil rights era and right through our present decade, so too, the damage, inequity and misuse of international law and process would be overturned by the CDN. Sensibly, most CDN nations would remain as vestigial members of the UN, overseeing its collapse from economic and bureaucratic processes just as was done when the League of Nations was dissolved after World War II and replaced with the present UN. Understandably, some suggest that once born, the Covenant may eventually sunset its own existence after its reform work is done. The Covenant conversation started in earnest on Jan. 23 when a panel of like-minded voices assembled in a crowded Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building. Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), who currently supports a bill to defund the UN, opened the Covenant Launch proceedings by declaring, This is a critically important issue. The United Nations started out with a noble charter But they have become an anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-democratic, anti-freedom mob We need some type of alternative a Covenant of Democratic Nations We need to repeal and replace. Panelist Kenneth Marcus, former director of the U.S, Civil Rights Commission, coined the term Amexit in a newspaper column and in his panel comments. He observed that withholding funds for some trivial reform was not workable. Marcus said, If we do repeal and replace, we need to start right away and think big. The Covenant of Democratic Nations Launch in Washington D.C. was only the beginning. Monday, Palm Beach Synagogue will host a panel featuring Langfan with Lawrence Muscant, vice president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies; Irving Berkowitz, dean of academic affairs at Palm Beach State College; and Haim Shaked, director of Middle East Institute at the University of Miami. Then San Francisco, then the Australian Parliament in Canberra on Feb. 13, and finishing in Los Angeles and San Diego. This writer will function as moderator at all these events. In each city, many questions will be debated. For example, exactly what constitutes a democracy? CDNs Declaration asserts: Democratic nations can be defined many ways by many people. One definition is: a pluralistic nation with a representative electorally-based government, overseen by its own constitutional checks and balances, which protects minority rights and treats all people, both its citizens and others, regardless of race, religion, national origin, or identification, with equal justice, equal dignity, and an equal respect for human rights. In many ways, the League of Nations began with a speech, Woodrow Wilsons 14 Points. The United Nations began with a short, written declaration. For the Covenant of Democratic Nations, the conversation has now begun. WASHINGTON President Trumps temporary refugee ban and travel restrictions are a disgraceful exercise in cruelty. They do nothing to make us safer and may, in fact, make us less safe but they punish Muslims, and that is his whole point. Fear and loathing of Islam was one of Trumps campaign themes. He appealed to those who wrongly see the fight against terrorism as a clash of civilizations between Christian and Muslim worlds and see Muslim immigrants as a kind of fifth column intent on destroying America from within. During the campaign, Trump called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our countrys representatives can figure out what is going on. He later modified this position into a call for extreme vetting of Muslim immigrants, including Syrian refugees. But he continued to cite a discredited survey, conducted by a stridently anti-Muslim group, purporting to show that many Muslims in this country support global jihad and the replacement of our legal system with Islamic Sharia law. Is Trump just playing politics or is he truly an anti-Muslim bigot who believes this rubbish? At this point, it hardly matters. He has fulfilled his campaign promise by striking a gratuitous blow against would-be immigrants and visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Libya and Yemen. Even more shamefully, Trump has barred entry by refugees from all nations worldwide. Perhaps he will have the Statue of Liberty toppled and sold for scrap. This is not a Muslim ban, the president claimed in a statement. But unquestionably it is. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, an early Trump supporter, said Saturday on Fox News that when Trump first announced it, he said, Muslim ban. He called me up. He said, Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do it legally. Giuliani said the ban is not based on religion, but rather on places where there is substantial evidence that people are sending terrorists into our country. The countries covered by Trumps executive order were indeed singled out by the Obama administration for extra scrutiny. But if sending terrorists were the major criterion, surely Trump would have included Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 attacks came from. And as for the supposed goal of extreme vetting for refugees, former President Obama already put such a system in place. In 2011, Obama paused the refugee flow so that authorities could reinvestigate tens of thousands of refugees who had already come to the United States. Homeland Security officials instituted rigorous vetting procedures for new refugees that require multiple interviews, and many months of waiting, before an applicant is cleared for entry. What, then, is the point of Trumps executive orders? To kick around some Muslims who are too weak to kick back and to further the pernicious narrative of global conflict between Muslim and Christian worlds. Trumps orders carve out an exemption for religious minorities, which in this context clearly means Christians in majority-Muslim countries. By all means, I believe, the United States should be a haven for Christians or any other religious group that is persecuted. But the vast majority of those who have suffered at the hands of the Islamic State, the Syrian regime, al-Shabab and other evil forces in the affected countries are Muslims. If you prick them, do they not bleed? Trumps action was abominable; the reaction, however, has been heartening. Thousands of people spontaneously gathered at airports around the country in protest. Immigration lawyers set up shop in busy terminals and worked to gain entry for passengers who were detained. Federal judges intervened to keep travelers from being sent home. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his nation would welcome any refugees the United States turned away. Other world leaders criticized the move, as did cautiously a few Republican senators. Iran and Iraq announced they would reciprocate and close their borders to Americans. Trumps orders were not circulated through the normal interagency process before being issued, and it showed; key questions were left open, such as the status of green card holders from the affected countries. But while the administrations incompetence might have blurred the orders impact, it did not soften their intent. This wasnt about making America safe. It was about nationalism, xenophobia and punishing innocent Muslims for the vile acts committed by terrorists. It was a betrayal of our most fundamental American values. And hed been president for barely a week. Given the daily liberal head explosions occurring because of President Trumps immigration policies, one might think Trump demolished the Statue of Liberty, or worse, reintroduced school prayer, when all he did is take executive action Friday to protect Americans. The White House owes no apology for wanting to keep America safe. At most, the administration could consider special circumstances where the threat to the country is negligible, a step it has already committed to doing. The executive order temporarily bans immigration for those coming from jihadi-infested countries such as Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Iraq until better security screening is in place. The order also puts an indefinite ban on those coming from Syria because ISIS is extremely active there. We didnt hear a peep from leftists when former president Obama did something similar regarding immigration from Iraq in 2011. No one should be surprised, though, given Democrats standards have nothing to do with safety and security and everything to do with politics and appeasement. Leftists might be thanking Trump for his actions if they werent so drunk with hatred for anyone or anything that even hints of American values. If they lock their doors at night to keep bad people out, they are hypocrites to suggest it is not OK for Trump to protect Americans. Fact is, the same ISIS that vowed to import terrorists disguised as refugees doesnt care on which side of the political aisle a person sits. We are a nation governed by the rule of law, but youd never know it from leaders standing in defiance over Trumps stance on immigration and sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities are illegal and, in a civil society, those who break the law are punished. Leaders who break federal immigration laws already on the books should be removed from office, fined and criminally charged. They should be held personally liable for lives lost and havoc wreaked by illegals living within their jurisdictions. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott leads the way, promising to pursue legislation to remove sheriffs and mayors breaking immigration laws. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez also denounced Miami-Dades previous stance as a sanctuary county on Jan. 27. In my home, my fathers word was law. When Dad said no he meant no. Throwing temper tantrums didnt help. In fact, it made things worse. Its obvious to me that America has suffered from a significant shortage of alpha male leadership in families, based on the number of people losing their minds over a true leader occupying the White House. Leftists can chuck bricks, throw rocks and start fires all they want, but Trump will still be president when they wake the next morning. Their actions hurt their cause, because it helps normal people see Democrats dont really care about anyone but themselves. They claim they are pro-immigrant, but on Inauguration Day in D.C., anti-Trump anarchists set fire to a limousine owned by a Muslim immigrant. The rocks they pelt sent his employee to the hospital. That makes them about as pro-immigrant as they are pro-Christian. As you might expect, a couple of Hillarys Deplorables came to the poor guys rescue, raising more than $20,000 to assist him after leftists destroyed his livelihood. But, be of good cheer, theres a new sheriff in town who likes law and order. Sorry, snowflakes, all those free spaces to destroy other peoples stuff are no longer available. Thats why 230 Inauguration Day anarchists were charged with felony rioting and face fines of up to $25,000 and 10 years in prison, which should be time enough to keep them off the streets while Trump cleans up America. All the fit-throwing reminds me this is going to be a long eight years, but then I smile because I know liberals are thinking the same thing. MARTIN BALLARD, Winston-Salem Compromise Part of the division in the world today, which the Journal is so fond of writing about, is because liberals have to have everything their own way. They want to put homosexuals and transgender people in everything from bathrooms to the Boy Scouts (Boy Scouts will allow transgender children, Jan. 31). Its one thing to have your own institutions and organizations where theyre welcome, but its another entirely to insist that everyone has to accept them even if we have sincere religious objections. Im not saying these people have no rights. But what about my rights? Compromise means meeting everyone halfway. ****** MARY PHIFER, Winston-Salem Immortal words Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door. I believe if I were France, Id want my statue back. ****** BROOK WYDEN, Winston-Salem Mattis was a wise choice For all the controversy being generated by liberal critics of President Trump, Ive not heard one bad word about his choice for secretary of Defense, retired Gen. James Mattis. Mattis has a solid reputation. He joined the Marines when he was 18 and worked his way up the ranks over four decades. Hes known not only as a good soldier and a good leader, but as an intellectual and scholar who has written and edited books on military strategy. In todays world, its hard to get far in the world of politics or the military without suffering some kind of public stumble. Mattis has been free of scandal or controversy; he is widely admired. The vote in his favor was almost unanimous. Only one Democrat voted against him. Liberals should like him because hes deliberate and rational. Conservatives should like him because he intends to win the war against terrorism. Mattis is the right choice. And if this choice is wise, maybe the rest of Trumps choices are not so bad, either. Liberals should stop buying the party line and do a little independent research into the rest of the presidents Cabinet selections. ****** CYNDY E. LIVELY, Winston-Salem More effective Re: Special delivery? Krawiec getting boxes of lard, Jan. 27): As a participant in the Womens March in Greensboro, I understand the urge to respond to state Sen. Joyce Krawiecs demeaning tweet (Message to crazies@Womens March If brains were lard, you couldnt grease a small skillet) with a pound of lard. That said, I believe it would be far more effective to react to a public servant who has so little respect for her constituents by voting her out of office at the earliest opportunity. ****** JOHN PICKLES, Lewisville He won Many people in our country, including major players in the Trump administration, are telling all of the people unhappy with the presidential election results to get over it. President Trump won the election based on the Electoral College votes. He did not win the majority popular vote. He wants to have an investigation launched into voter fraud. I believe he should just get over it and act presidential. After all, he is our president. ****** JEFFREY S. WATSON, Winston-Salem Build a wall They could use cameras or drones or satellites. They could place more border patrol agents. Even a fence. But no, Republicans are going to let President Trump spend $40 billion taxpayer dollars to build a big, beautiful wall on the Mexican border. Oh, and remember that debt ceiling the Republicans were so upset about when Barack Obama asked them to raise it? The one they were threatening to shut the government down over? Theyre getting ready to raise it again, by $10 trillion for a decade. Because Republicans are fiscal conservatives. *** EVAN FISHER, Winston-Salem Trump claims When President Trumps pal Rudy Giuliani goes on Fox News and says that Trump asked him for a legal way to institute a Muslim ban his words; when Trumps immigration ban leaves thousands of immigrants in limbo at airports across the nation, including an Iraqi translator who helped the U.S. at great personal risk placed in handcuffs and a 5-year-old child separated from his mother; when allies around the world question whether were trying to start a war; when, on the same day, Trumps White House announcement about International Holocaust Memorial Day purposely downplays the millions of Jews who were exterminated by Nazis; when Trumps senior advisor, Steve Bannon is a white supremacist; its hard to believe that Trump is not a white supremacist like Bannon. Its harder still to believe hes trying to keep the nation safe and hardest of all to believe his claim, Im, like, a smart person. MARTIN R. WALSH, Winston-Salem Trumps credibility According to the headline of Marc Thiessens Jan. 26 column, Trump said hed fight for all Americans. Well, if he said it Trump press secretary Sean Spicer says the press is too negative and constantly tries to undermine President Trumps credibility. The problem with that, of course, is that Trump has no credibility. He lies all the time. About matters great and small. If he wants the press to trust him, he has to tell the truth, and he seems completely incapable of doing so. You cant have it both ways. If you want people to believe youre telling the truth, you have to actually tell the truth. *** LESLIE MARTIN, Winston-Salem Right reasons Shocking! Its shocking that state Sen. Joyce Krawiec would tweet that people marching in the Womens March on Washington were crazy and their brains are lard. She then goes on to say she is only talking to the ones she described and not the ones who were marching for right reasons. Krawiec criticized people (men and women) who were exercising their most basic civil rights First Amendment rights the peaceful right to assemble and speak out. All reasons are right when it comes to free speech. Just like President Trump was allowed to use the word p---- to support his right to sexually assault women, surely the use of the same word in protest of his actions is acceptable. I agree that vulgarity is not acceptable and as a participant of the march in Washington, I assure you that it was not the norm. Please Sen. Krawiec, please lay off the tweeting and focus on representing all of the people of North Carolina by improving health care, pro-tecting our environment, saving public education and protecting our civil rights, even if you dont agree. ****** RON F. SLATER, Winston-Salem Torturing detainees The teachings of Christ are pretty clear, and they dont include fight fire with fire under any circumstances. When President Trump advocates the use of torture, he abdicates any claim he makes to being a Christian (Trump says torture works in fight on terrorism, Jan. 26). Especially since hes not even talking about using torture to gather information that may save lives. His justification is that ISIS commits atrocities. Hes talking about torture as a military tactic. He doesnt want information; he wants revenge. If thats U.S. policy were going to torture detainees because we can and because we want to then we have no moral standing to object when others do that to our soldiers. On another Trump-related subject: We cant afford to give our citizens health insurance or a decent education, but we can go $20 billion in debt for a wall to keep immigrants out? This nation is going insane. ****** RUTH M. PEOPLES, Winston-Salem No stopping I live on Lakeland Avenue, which is steep and a dead end. During the recent snow, our carrier, Horatio Olmedo, delivered the paper as far as he could and my neighbors did the rest. Im thankful for my neighbors and my carrier, who arent stopped by rain or snow. ****** BEVERLY M. BURTON, Winston-Salem Petty language When President Trump fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates (Trump fires acting AG, Jan. 31), his order in part read: The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States. It also read, Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration. I dont care what side of the aisle youre on, that is not presidential language. Its petty, partisan language and beneath the office people keep telling me to respect. Trump was elected by a minority of the population. I may concede the point that he is the president, but he does not represent me and he is already the worst president of my lifetime. ****** KENNETH BRIAN SCALF, Mocksville At risk I wonder if those semi-literate deplorable who voted for President Trump have realized what theyve done. Will they ever realize that theyve put the entire planet at risk? That is why over 2 million women protested his being elected; protested not just in America, but around the world. Perhaps a few mushroom clouds appearing around the horizon will help Mr. and Mrs. Deplorable figure it out. I pray that Im wrong. If Im not, then God help us ... because you can bet the Republican Party wont. *** RUTH LILLIE, Winston-Salem Walls and tunnels Would someone please let the world know that when you build a wall to keep people out, they can build a tunnel to get in? I am so concerned about our government now. When You Write The Journal encourages readers comments. To participate in The Readers Forum, please submit letters online to Letters@wsjournal.com. Please write The Readers Forum in the subject line and include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. Or you may mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Letters are subject to editing and may be published on journalnow.com. Letters are limited to 250 words. Letter writers are allowed one letter every 30 days. If you would like a photo of yourself included with your letter, send it to us as a .jpg file. For more guidelines and advice on writing letters, go to journalnow.com/opinion/submit_a_letter. The Journal welcomes original submissions for guest columns on local, regional and statewide topics. Essay length should not exceed 750 words. The writer should have some authority for writing about his or her subject. Our email address is: Letters@wsjournal.com. Essays may also be mailed to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Please include your name and address and a daytime telephone number. BANGKOK Trudging up a lush mountainside to a remote village, plunging through a swift-moving river in the footsteps of elephants and cruising Bangkoks gleaming luxury malls with each step, I walked into different worlds, each one beautiful, all in Thailand. Dont forget glittering temples, bustling night markets and world-famous Thai massages to soothe weary muscles. Bangkok The capitals malls and markets are endless, from Siam Paragon, filled with designer brands and an upscale food court, to stands of cheap goods where souvenir-seekers haggle over the price of utensils, bracelets and trinkets. After dark, the night markets come alive, bustling with shoppers grabbing cheap sunglasses and shoes while families and friends enjoy soup and curry in more bearable heat. Bangkok is also famous for its opulent temples, including Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha, with its stair-step monuments to royalty called chedis, similar to stupas. The centerpiece is a massive horizontal Buddha, its gold girth touching the temple walls from end to end. Next door at the white-walled Grand Palace complex, black-clad mourners wait in snaking lines to pay their respects to King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The beloved leader died in October after a 70-year reign his image ubiquitous on billboards and shrines. The complex also has Thailands most sacred temple, Wat Phra Kaew, or Temple of the Emerald Buddha, with sparkling, gold-decked buildings. The surprise was the size of the famed Buddha figure, carved from jade and dressed in gold, but just 26 inches high. Chiang Mai Chiang Mais walled old city has more famous temples, including Wat Chedi Luang. Its towering red brick is worn to black, its steps have all but crumbled, but stone dragons still stand guard. My favorite temple, moss-covered Wat Pha Lat, is tucked in a forest just outside Chiang Mai. From the university, I got there by hiking Monks Trail, which is marked by strips of orange fabric. Head farther up the mountain to popular Doi Suthep temple or hail a songthaew, a shared taxi. Hungry after hiking? Hit the street vendors and restaurant options that abound back in the tourist center: vegetarian-friendly green curried rice, fried mushrooms and pad thai, plus plenty of beef and pork speared on sticks for meat-eaters. To cool off from the heat or spice, try fresh-cranked pomegranate juice or coconut ice cream. Trekking Chiang Mai is the starting point for trekking, elephant tours and other outdoor adventures. A friend and I booked an eco-tour trek and overnight home stay in a village some 4 hours away in the Mae Hong Son region. The Karen ethnic group lives there, farming rice and cabbage on vibrant green hillsides. Our guides cut down wild passion fruit for us to sample, pointed out spiders as big as a hand and chopped bamboo to whittle into cups. After reaching the mountaintops near the Myanmar border and making it to the village, we used those cups to slug homemade rice liquor. We set up a bed of blankets on the wooden floor and rested between bags of rice as our hosts cooked dinner in a hearth built into the floor. Sleeping in a home open to the elements was the only time I got cold on the trip, and the only place I skipped a shower, passing up a tub of chilly water in an outhouse with a squat toilet. Elephants I wanted to enjoy these majestic creatures, iconic in Thailand but often exploited, in an ethical way. The Elephant Nature Park allowed us to travel alongside them, not on their backs. We kept them moving through the jungle by thrusting bananas and melons into their eagerly outstretched trunks. It was surreal and a bit unnerving as we led four mostly blind and elderly female elephants on a muddy, uneven path, trying to keep our balance while avoiding their feet. In another part of the sanctuary, we got a peek at a baby elephant. Phi Phi Islands After trekking, we looked forward to decompressing on an otherworldly beach on the Phi Phi Islands. But rain was falling as we arrived and promised not to let up. Instead of the party-hearty main town on Ko Phi Phi Don, the largest island, we opted for a secluded resort. A long-tail boat plowed through choppy waters to get us there, leaving us windblown and wet from ocean spray and rain as we tried to photograph the green-topped rock rising from the Andaman Sea. The weather cooperated enough the next day for a group tour to the smaller island, Koh Phi Phi Leh, and its hotspot, Maya Bay, which is breathtaking but overrun after the movie The Beach made it famous. Even early in the day, it was tough to find a spot free of people posing with selfie sticks. Nearby, we reveled in an empty swath of sand framed by cliffs before winding through rock formations to the Blue Lagoon, a green-walled swimming hole packed with tourist boats. After the beaches and long days in the devout atmosphere of temples, our nights turned to buying knockoffs of favorite overpriced sandals, swigging 70 baht ($2) beer and watching men in elaborate makeup and sequined ball gowns perform a dance in a packed outdoor market. Thats Thailand, a country of contrasts. TEEN ANIME AND GAMING: 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. today at Lewisville Branch Library, 6490 Shallowford Road, Lewisville. Students in grades 6 to 12 will join library staff for anime and art, as well as Wii, card and board games. Free. For more information, call (336) 703-2940. ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE: 6 to 8 p.m. today in McChesney Scott Dunn Auditorium, Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, 750 Marguerite Drive. Journalist Justin Catanoso will share stories of his recent travels and reporting on climate change and illegal mining in Peru. For more information, call (336) 725-1904 or visit secca.org. FILM AND AUTHOR VISIT: 7 p.m. today at Hanesbrands Theatre, 209 N. Spruce St. RiverRun International Film Festivals RiverRun Retro will present a screening of Stella Dallas, starring Barbara Stanwyck, and a discussion with Stanwycks biographer, Victoria Wilson. A reception and book signing will follow. Admission is $15, $10 for students. Tickets are at www.rhodesartscenter.org. THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES: 7 p.m. today through Saturday in the Drama Workshop, Elberson Fine Arts Center, Salem College. Student-led performances will raise awareness about violence against women. Tickets are $10, $8 for students. Proceeds will be donated to YWCAs Hawley House, a womens substance abuse recovery facility. For reservations, email scvday@gmail.com. About 200 bags of diapers, hygiene essentials and other related products will be available free-of-charge to expecting moms, who register for the "Shower for Life" event being held on Nov. 5, from 1-3 p.m., at St. Paul's Anglican Church, located at 316 W. Carolina Ave in Summerville. Read more'Shower for Life' calls all expecting mothers 02/02/2017 Jacksonville State University is excited to announce the launch of the Transfer Pathway Program, a new initiative that will benefit all community college students in the state of Alabama, the surrounding region, and other states. The goal of the Transfer Pathway Program is to significantly increase the transferability of students from community colleges throughout the state of Alabama, regionally, and nationally. The pathway model allows students to enroll in specific courses at the community college level that will better prepare them for the major they wish to pursue at JSU. The program addresses recruitment and retention of college-bound students. The initiative will operate as a parallel option, not a substitution, and this will not conflict with the Alabama statewide articulation agreement. A pilot version of the program is slated to begin in the summer of 2017 at Gadsden State Community College. After the pilot version is evaluated, additional pathway agreements will be added at GSCC. Faculty members at JSU and GSCC have collaborated to develop five pathway programs that will serve as the pilot experience at GSCC. JSU President Dr. John M. Beehler and GSCC President Dr. Martha Lavender have provided support and resources to ensure the success of the pilot version and the additional agreements that will follow at GSCC. Dr. Jean M. Pugliese, executive director of the Transfer Pathway Program, stated, JSU wishes to recruit high quality students from community colleges, and more importantly, JSU wants these students to have a positive experience as they progress and eventually graduate from JSU. On March 4, JSU will host its first Transfer Preview Day for potential transfer students, which will be organized by Lauren Thomas Findley, assistant director of admissions, and Mitchell Brock Shelton, admissions advisor. This event will be 10 a.m. until noon on the 12th floor of the Houston Cole Library. No pre-registration is required. Afterwards, lunch will be provided. For more information on this Transfer Day, please contact Shelton at mbshelton@jsu.edu. JSUs Alumni Office has also joined forces with the Transfer Pathway Program to promote its implementation and create interest among potential students in the communities where alumni live and work. For more information about the Transfer Pathways Program or to schedule a JSU representative to speak to a gathering or conference about the initiative, please contact Dr. Jean Pugliese at pugliese@jsu.edu. Reddit Email 1 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | National Security Advisor Mike Flynn came out on Wednesday to make a brief statement putting Iran on notice. Flynn complained about Irans ballistic missile tests, about a Yemeni Houthi attack on a Saudi naval vessel in the Red Sea (maintaining that it was Iran-backed) and about weapons transfers and support for terrorism. The Iranian press pointed out that that the JCPOA or nuclear deal only bans ballistic missiles designed to carry a nuclear warhead, and said that Iran had done no such thing. The ballistic missiles it has been testing dont have warhead capability and so are not covered in the JCPOA. Visiting former French prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, had affirmed the nuclear deal but warned Iran to be meticulous in observing it. The Iranian press, at least, reported that Ayrault, now in Tehran, was not bothered by the ballistic missile test. Although the Saudi government and his allies view the Zaydi Houthi movement of northern Yemen as an Iranian puppet, there is not very much convincing evidence of such a relationship. Rather, the Houthis are indigenous and have received, if any, very little monetary support from Iran. Inasmuch as Trump supports Russian efforts in Syria, and inasmuch as those efforts are aided by Hizbullah, the Lebanese party-militia, Trump is de facto allied with Hizbullah. Likely that is the group to which Flynn refers when he speaks of Iranian weapons transfer. There was no indication that Flynn had an actual war plan for Iran, and apparently the career Pentagon personnel were livid that Trump would have Flynn announce a major strategy statement on matters of war and peace, but have no specific planning in place: CENTCOM's initial response to whether they've been notified that Iran is on notice. "Seriously?" A red line with no war plan? Nancy Youssef, (@nancyayoussef) February 1, 2017 Trump seems to be the opposite of Teddy Roosevelt, who is said to have quipped, Speak softly and carry a big stick. Trump and his people speak loudly but carry a tiny stick. Irans President Hassan Rouhani has already accused Trump of being an amateur and a bull in the china shop. Irans government has ceased issuing visas to Americans, in retaliation for Trumps Muslim ban. BBC Monitoring translated from the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, Tehran, in Persian 0554gmt 01 Feb 17: President Hasan Rouhani said of Trumps Muslim ban, Today is not the time for creating division. May be a person can think that he can restrict visas for a couple of months for seven countries. Well, he is an individual who is new in the political arena. He has been living in another world, now he came to the political world. This is completely new for him. It will take long before he and his associates understand what is going on in the world and what should be done. He will cause damage to his own people and possibly others. . . For years, they [USA] have been chanting slogans that they oppose the Iranian government, but support the Iranian people. They had been saying untrue things for years by saying one thing behind the curtains and the opposite in public. This man, [Donald Trump] who is a specific person, tore the image of hypocrisy and now is displaying [everything] they have had in their hearts. They are taking measures which are in particular against a number of our compatriots or Muslims from other countries. Their slogan in the world was against discrimination and they said that the age of discrimination has ended. What does this mean? This incorrect act is based on wrong and unfair discrimination. They used to say that they respect human rights; this is a violation of human rights. They used to say that they adhere to their commitments. How come your embassy has issued a visa and approved it, and now you are saying that you do not accept it and they [Muslims] are not allowed to travel to your country? They [USA] have violated all international principles and commitments. . . Speaking about the implementation of the JCPOA, the nuclear agreement between the P5+1 countries and Iran, Hassan Rouhani said that negotiation is the most important method to resolve problems. Meanwhile, Russian pundits continue to entertain some hopes that Russia can mediate betwee Iran and Washington: BBC Monitoring reports for Wednesday, Izvestia: Andrei Ontikov report Moscow to offer Trump to look differently at Iran says that Russia intends to find a compromise on the Iranian nuclear programme with Trumps administration. According to experts, Moscow can persuade Trump to keep Washingtons signature under the previously reached agreement on the issue as this will allow the USA to improve relations with Iran in terms of solving other important problems in the Middle East . . . - Related video added by Juan Cole: National Security Advisor Gen. Michael Flynn on Iran (C-SPAN) Reddit Email 0 Shares Maan News Agency | BETHLEHEM (Maan) The Israeli government gave its approval for the construction of more than 3,000 new illegal settlement homes across the occupied West Bank, just hours after the widely condemned outpost Legalization bill which would retroactively legalize dozens of illegal Israeli outposts passed its final committee vote in Israels parliament on Tuesday. Israeli daily Haaretz reported late Tuesday evening that ultra right-wing Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to approve the construction of the housing units in existing West Bank settlements, with more than 2,000 slated for immediate construction. We are in a new period in which life in Judea and Samaria is back on track, Lieberman said in a statement announcing the plans, using the Israeli term for the occupied West Bank. According to Haaretz, some of the settlements in which construction was approved were listed in Liebermans statement: 100 housing units in the Shilo settlement in the Nablus district; 70 housing units in the Shave Shomron settlement in the Nablus district; 700 housing units in the Alfe Menashe settlement in the Qalqiliya district; 200 housing units in the Oranit settlement in the Qalqiliya district; 100 housing units in the Qarne Shomron settlement in the Qalqiliya district; 50 housing units in the Nofim settlement in the Salfit district; 650 housing units in the Bet Arye settlement in the Ramallah district; 150 housing units in the Givat Zeev settlement in the Jerusalem district; 650 housing units in the Betar Illit settlement in the Bethlehem district; 150 housing units in the Noqedim settlement in the Bethlehem district; 80 housing units in the Kfar Eldad settlement in the Bethlehem district; 30 housing units in the Efrat settlement in the Bethlehem district; 100 housing units in the Mazadot Yehuda settlement in the Hebron district; Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat released a statement on Tuesday describing Israels continued settlement expansion as an immoral situation, as he called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an immediate investigation into the Israeli settlement enterprise. Erekat slammed the decision, saying that throughout the first month of 2017, Israel has pushed for the construction of more than 3,200 new settlement units, which has led to the demolition of around 30 Palestinian homes and to the forced displacement of close to 40 Palestinian families comprising 240 people. The statement highlighted that more than half of the displaced Palestinians were children, and the close to half of all demolished properties were donor-funded. The commitment of Netanyahus government to colonization and segregation and its determination to defy international law and resolutions continues to destroy the prospects of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, Erekat said, adding that the Palestinian leadership will pursue all necessary political, legal and diplomatic steps in order to hold Israel accountable and to bring justice to our people. Erekat implored to the international community to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, saying that Israel continues to systematically violate the rights of the Palestinian people and to give a green light and support for settlers to take over more Palestinian land and to terrorize the Palestinian population, something that should not be tolerated by the international community. Earlier Tuesday, the Knessets Law Committee and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved by a slim vote with seven in favor and six against the Legalization bill, which would retroactively legalize dozens of Israeli outposts, considered illegal under both international and Israeli domestic law, built on private Palestinian land and confiscate thousands of dunams of Palestinian land. The Times of Israel reported on Sunday that the bill states that any settlements built in the West Bank in good faith without knowledge that the land upon which it was built was privately owned by Palestinians could be officially recognized by Israel pending minimal proof of governmental support in its establishment. The news outlet added that the Israeli government would be able to appropriate land if its Palestinian owners were not identified, or offer compensation packages to the landowners whether by leasing the land or offering alternate plots of land. Both opponents and supporters of the bill have said the legislation would pave the way to annexing the majority of the West Bank. Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has repeatedly stated that the bill contravenes both Israeli and international law and that the Israeli Supreme Court would likely strike it down, while Israeli officials have also reportedly expressed worry that the passage of the bill could land Israel in the ICC, a move that Erekat promised to pursue in his statement on Tuesday. Via Maan News Agency Reddit Email 0 Shares By Shainaz Firfiray | (The Conversation) | Donald Trumps executive order to restrict immigration from seven countries has sparked widespread criticism from several quarters, including the business world. Not only does it conflict fundamentally with long-standing American values, it also seriously undermines the countrys economic dynamism and its ability to harness the talent and enthusiasm of immigrant workers. There are many reasons why people from all over the world choose to build their careers in the US. As well as the ample opportunities for work at a host of great companies, a big reason why people are drawn to the US is its commitment to diversity, tolerance and equal rights. Applying an en masse travel ban against lawful US residents and visa holders seriously destabilises this image. As a result, it weakens an important source of competitive advantage. Its hardly surprising then that several business leaders profoundly disagree with Trumps decision, including Apples Tim Cook and Ford CEO Mark Fields. Most US businesses would not be as competitive without immigration and in fact immigrant entrepreneurs have made significant contributions to the American economy. Weighing up the research Research into diversity shows the value of a varied workforce. It suggests that companies excel when people with diverse perspectives are brought together, not kept apart. Diverse groups often possess a wider range of knowledge, alongside distinct skills which enhance their ability to meet the different challenges that a business may face. Proponents of diversity have long argued that the varied opinions put forth by ethnically diverse groups facilitate better decision-making and innovation. It is worth noting, however, that studies looking into the impact of diversity on organisational performance have produced mixed results. Some have shown that diversity positively impacts performance through better information processing abilities, high-quality decision-making and innovative problem-solving. Other research has found that diversity can present some setbacks to performance differences in ethnic background can give rise to disagreements about key decisions, goals and plans of action. Yet, other research shows that this collision of perspectives is often a good thing. It is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of work processes and leveraging the creative energies that drive performance. And the need to reconcile divergent views, means work groups that are diverse assume a more methodical approach to processing information. This prevents them from falling prey to the problem of groupthink where critical thinking goes out the window and people settle on decisions that appear to be the consensus. Some recent research has also shown that racial diversity is important at all levels of the organisation as it can improve a firms ability to be competitive, which is often achieved through improving old products or introducing new ones, as well as developing new advertising campaigns and entering new markets. Greater racial diversity increases the likelihood that employees will have different knowledge bases. If this information is exchanged between colleagues and there is a collective learning environment, it gives people greater access to information, enhances their capacity to recognise opportunities for new investments and develop marketing strategies that are customised to suit specific cultural preferences. Overall, any potential downsides of diversity are outweighed by its ability to create the type of value that is both difficult to imitate and rare. An obvious payoff So diversity is not simply the right thing to do from the standpoint of social responsibility, it also has obvious payoffs for businesses. Their long-term sustainability and growth depends on how well they can capitalise on the diversity of their workforce. In an increasingly globalised world, it is essential that firms reflect the diversity of the environments they operate in. Plus, individuals with greater cultural sensitivity will be particularly well-positioned to recognise nebulous opportunities in untapped markets. In contrast, a homogeneous workforce will lack the skills to exploit new opportunities or address the unmet needs of their customers if they do not reflect the characteristics of the markets they are trying to reach. In the wake of the travel ban, Trumps campaign slogan Make America great again seems rather ironic. The failure to appreciate that immigrants are good for innovation, competitiveness and the nations future flies in the face of this aim. The executive order and the chaos it has created for many individuals, families and businesses could result in lost opportunities, leaving many to wonder whether Trumps vision for the nation is really so great after all. Shainaz Firfiray, Associate Professor of Organisation and Human Resource Management, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Related video added by Juan Cole: Aljazeera English: US universities denounce Trumps Muslim ban Leaders of multiple African countries announced Wednesday that they have backed a strategy of collective withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website]. Prior to this weeks African Union (AU) [official website] summit, the AU issued a document seen by Reuters that proposed a coordinated withdrawal [Reuters report] unless the ICC was reformed. The AU claims that the ICC is improperly focusing on prosecuting individuals from African countries, and their exit could be significant, as almost a third of the ICCs member countries are African. The African Union and the ICC have had a tumultuous relationship over the course of the past year. In July an advisory board to the African Union accused ICC of narrowly focusing [JURIST report] its investigations on African government leaders since its inception in 2002. The Economic Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) recommended that AU members should quit the ICC should lawmakers follow through with a proposed amendment allowing the prosecution and arrest of African heads of state. Opponents of the recommendation have voiced concerns that quitting the ICC would increase the risk of human rights violations. Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] also stated that giving African leaders immunity would defeat the purpose of the ICCs creation [press release]. Myanmar police announced [NYT report] on Wednesday that they have arrested four people in connection with the killing [JURIST report] of prominent Muslim human rights lawyer, U Ko Ni. The lawyer was shot in the head at Yangon International Airport on Sunday while holding his grandchild. U Myint Swe was among those arrested and is accused of being the mastermind of the killing. U Kyi Lin was arrested and is accused of being the gunman. A motive was not yet officially disclosed, but the presidents office stated on Monday that the killing was done to undermine the countrys stability. Ko Ni was a leading force in the transition of Myanmar to democracy and a conflict-free nation. Reports of human rights violations in Myanmar has prompted international concern. In November a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern [JURIST report] about possible crimes against humanity committed against Myanmars Rohingya Muslim minority. The Myanmar militarys campaign of violence against Rohingya people constitutes crimes against humanity [JURIST report], according to an Amnesty International report in December. The UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] on Thursday ruled that it had the authority to adjudicate a dispute over a stretch of water in the Indian Ocean that is potentially laden with oil and gas. Somalia asked [text, PDF] the ICJ to rule on the dispute in 2014 after negotiations with Kenya broke down over the 100,000-square mile stretch. The ICJ rejected Kenyas claim that a 2009 agreement [text, PDF] between the two countries would deprive the court of jurisdiction over the dispute. Kenyas Attorney General Githu Muigai [Kenyan Life profile] stated [Reuters report] Kenya maintains the view that litigation can resolve only one aspect of a wide range of complex issues the parties must agree upon. This decision allows the case to proceed with no date set as of yet for the trial to continue. In September, in response to this case, Kenya stated that the ICJ had no role [JURIST report] in the oil dispute between the two countries. The proximity of Somalia and Kenya has led to numerous disputes. The continuing conflict in Somalia has led to years of unstable attempts to govern, driving thousands of people into Kenya as a result. The fleeing of Somali refugees has caused Kenya great strain. In November 2015 Amnesty International [advocacy website] urged the Kenyan Government to cease the closure [JURIST report] of the Dadaab refugee camp, which contained 240,000 Somali refugees. In April 2015 Kenya asked the UN to repatriate thousands [JURIST report] of Somali refugees from Kenya in an attempt to have international assistance in the removal of the population. The nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC) [advocacy website] filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF] on Wednesday accusing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [official website] of illegally rescinding a rule that reduced the discharge of mercury from dental offices. The complaint stated [NDRC press release] that the rule was withdrawn the same day President Donald Trump [official website] was inaugurated after White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus directed federal agencies to immediately withdraw final rules that were about to be published. The NDRC claims that the rule could not be withdrawn as it was subject to the Clean Water Act [text, PDF] provision, which forbids withdrawal. The NDRC therefore claims that the EPA had no authority to rescind the final rule without getting public comment and going through the full rule-making process. They hope to undo the rules rescission with this action. This comes two days after Trump signed an executive order [JURIST report] aimed at cutting federal regulations. The president, in an attempt to reduce the amount regulations, signed the order that requires two regulations to be eliminated for every new one created. The president stated that this would spur economic growth and the entrepreneurial spirit and we do not need 97 different rules to take care of one element. The Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] advanced the nomination of Jeff Sessions [materials] for US attorney general on Wednesday. All 11 Republicans on the committee backed Sessions nomination, while all nine Democrats opposed him. It is estimated the full Senate could vote on the nomination as early as next week. Sessions was nominated by President Donald Trump last November [JURIST report], and his progression through the Senate Confirmation process has proven politically turbulent. This has been exacerbated with the removal of acting Attorney General Sally Yates upon her refusal to enforce [JURIST report] the most executive order and immigration ban. The Republican senator and former US attorney had been the first senate member to support Trump [CBS/AP report] during his presidential campaign, and he later worked with Trump to construct immigration, trade and counterterrorism policies. In the past, Sessions has been accused of racism and support of mass deportation of illegal immigrants, which he addressed [JURIST report] during his confirmation hearings. Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee agreed to delay [Alabama Today report] the vote on Sessions confirmation until the end of January. The Trump Administration has stated that the confirmation is being wrongly held up by Democrat senators for strictly political reasons. Sweden announced [press release] Thursday that it has agreed upon a new framework for its climate policy. The framework promises zero greenhouse emissions by 2045. Pending approval from parliament, the bill will go into effect in January 2018. Long-term goals and binding authority will work to ensure the measure will be productive. In an interview [AP report] with the Associated Press, Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin praised the investments made by China to improve its stance on the environment, and criticized the US. Lovin said the measure should act as an example at a time where climate-change skeptics are gaining more power. Climate change is an international concern. In November a US federal judge ruled [JURIST report] that a lawsuit against the US government over failure to limit the emission of greenhouse gasses can proceed. That same month governments around the world agreed [JURIST report] to legally binding limits on global temperature rises as the Paris Agreement [text, PDF] on climate change became effective. One of the biggest hurdles to reaching an agreement was getting China and the US [JURIST report] to sign on, the two countries being the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses, collectively responsible for about 40 percent of all gasses emitted. Phil Shiner, a disgraced human rights lawyer, is no longer allowed to practice law after being struck off [BBC report] Thursday after having 12 charges of misconduct proved against him. Shiner raised a myriad of allegations that British troops tortured and killed Iraqis during the Iraq War. An earlier investigation [materials] found Shiner had deliberately fabricated the claims. He had previously admitted to nine ethical charges and to acting recklessly. Allegations of crimes committed by UK soldiers in the Iraq war have been treated as suspect. In September a policing unit in Afghanistan set up to investigate alleged war crimes committed by UK soldiers received around 600 complaints [JURIST report] of ill treatment and abuse occurring between 2005 and 2013. UK Prime Minister Theresa May expressed her concern that the allegations may be false claims against soldiers. In July the International Criminal Court announced [JURIST report] the decision not to prosecute Tony Blair for war crimes related to the 2003 Iraq War. In May the UK Supreme Court unanimously rejected claims [JURIST report] made by Iraqi civilians that they were extrajudicially detained and physically abused by British forces. In 2005 a prosecutor argued at the opening of a much-anticipated [JURIST report] British court-martial that seven British paratroopers patrolling in southern Iraq in 2003 killed an Iraqi civilian and abused others after stopping a truck carrying them three weeks after hostilities had officially ended. This was the first trial of British soldiers for the killing of an Iraqi civilian. The UK House of Commons on Wednesday approved HC Bill 132 [text], which empowers Prime Minister Theresa May [official website] to notify the EU of the UKs intent to withdraw. Known as the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, the legislation would confer power onto the prime minister to initiate Brexit pursuant to Art. 50(2) [text] of the Lisbon Treaty, which formed the EU. The bill enjoyed support from Labour as well as the Conservative government, and passed 498 to 114 [BBC report]. While UK citizens voted to leave the EU [JURIST report] in a June referendum, a vote before parliament was required [JURIST report] by a Supreme Court decision in January. Provided the bill progresses through the House of Lords, May will have the power to initiate the exit at the time of her choosing, though she has stated her intention to commence the process by March 31. Though many questions remain as to how Brexit will be initiated and what the cost will be [BBC report] to the UK economy, Mays administration has remained committed to the nations exit from the EU. May took power this summer after former prime minister David Cameron, who supported remaining in the EU, resigned. Despite calls for a second referendum and movements for independence [JURIST reports] within the constituent nations of the UK, the movement remains on track [CNN report]. A group of UN human rights experts on Wednesday said the executive order on immigration signed by US President Donald Trump [official website] breaches international human rights obligations [press release]. The order [text], signed last Friday, bars all nationals from the Muslim-majority countries of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the US for the next 90 days. The UN experts said the order violates the principles of non-refoulement [UNHCR opinion], the practice of not forcing refugees or asylum seekers to return to a country in which they face persecution, and non-discrimination based on race, nationality or religion. According to the experts: In the midst of the worlds greatest migration crisis since World War II, this is a significant setback for those who are obviously in need of international protection. The US must live up to its international obligations and provide protection for those fleeing persecution and conflicts. An estimated 50,000 refugees are unable to enter the US due to the order. This order, which many claim to be unconstitutional [JURIST report] and in conflict with federal statutes, is one of several orders signed by the president since his inauguration on January 20. Last week the president signed an executive order to withdraw the US [JURIST report] from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement with 11 Pacific Rim Nations signed a year ago. Also last week Trump signed [JURIST report] another order preventing foreign non-governmental organizations from receiving US funding if they provide abortions or promote policies that may lead to abortions. Trump has also addressed the immigration area before in his orders. Last week he signed two orders [JURIST report] withholding federal funding to cities that provide safe haven to illegal immigrants, directing the construction of a wall along the US and Mexican border and an increase in the number of enforcement officials to remove undocumented immigrants. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres [official profile] said Wednesday that the new US order [text] on Syrian refugees should be removed sooner rather than later. Drawing a comparison [transcript] to the US history on the forefront of refugee protection, Guterres said that the policy violates our basic principles, echoing [JURIST report] the thoughts of human rights experts from the UN. However, the secretary-general focused primarily on the ineffectiveness of the strategy, saying: We are dealing with very sophisticated global terrorist organizations. If a global terrorist organization [tried] to attack a country like the United States, they will probably not come with people with passports from those countries that are hotspots of conflict today. While Guterres acknowledged the problem of global terrorism, he was resolute in stating that President Donald Trumps executive order was not the way to address the problem. An estimated 50,000 refugees are unable to enter the US due to the order. The order, which many claim to be unconstitutional [JURIST report] and in conflict with federal statutes, is one of several orders signed by the president since his inauguration on January 20. Last week the president signed an executive order to withdraw the US [JURIST report] from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement with 11 Pacific Rim Nations signed a year ago. Also last week Trump signed [JURIST report] another order preventing foreign non-governmental organizations from receiving US funding if they provide abortions or promote policies that may lead to abortions. Trump has also addressed the immigration area before in his orders. Last week he signed two orders [JURIST report] withholding federal funding to cities that provide safe haven to illegal immigrants, directing the construction of a wall along the US and Mexican border and an increase in the number of enforcement officials to remove undocumented immigrants. [JURIST] White House [official website] Press Secretary Sean Spicer [GOP profile] on Wednesday clarified in a press briefing [transcript] that Donald Trumps executive order limiting immigration does not apply to individuals admitted for permanent residence. Trump issued the controversial executive order [JURIST report] last week, and it was initially interpreted to include green card holders in its immigration restrictions on seven Muslim nations. The order also suspends all refugee immigration for 120 days and bars all Syrian refugees indefinitely. With Spicers clarification, it is now clear that the order does not apply to any US citizens, whether natural-born or nationalized. This order, which many claim to be unconstitutional [JURIST report] and in conflict with federal statutes, is one of several orders signed by the president since his inauguration on January 20. Last week the president signed an executive order to withdraw the US [JURIST report] from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement with 11 Pacific Rim Nations signed a year ago. Also last week Trump signed [JURIST report] another order preventing foreign non-governmental organizations from receiving US funding if they provide abortions or promote policies that may lead to abortions. Trump has also addressed the immigration area before in his orders. Last week he signed two orders [JURIST report] withholding federal funding to cities that provide safe haven to illegal immigrants, directing the construction of a wall along the US and Mexican border and an increase in the number of enforcement officials to remove undocumented immigrants. Indias newly-announced INR80bn (US$1.18bn) government fund for the countrys dairy sector is designed to increase milk production by 8% every year, just-food has been told. Free Report Unilever- A Deep-dive into Product Launches and Advertising Strategy Track product launches by FMCG companies to get an understanding of the product-level strategies including geographic concentrations, innovation types, product claim, category focus and more Monitoring the advertising strategies of various brands and gain insights into channel focus, regional focus, and more Perform company-level analysis to understand business model, size, and geographic focus Dont miss out on key market insights that can help optimize your next investment read the report now. Unilever product advertising is mainly through mainstream TV channels. Out of the products advertised so far at least 50% (over 850) of ads have been run on TV, while print media comes second with 496 ads. Unilever also utilizes social media platforms for advertisement. Unilever products are categorized by innovation ratings and tags in our product launch database. The North American region consists of almost 74 products with innovations related to the formulation of the product. Europe and other regions also have more products categorized under formulation-related innovation, followed by the packaging and positioning of the products. Most Unilever products are tagged with High Vitamins, Recyclable, and Natural tags to understand what the product differentiator is from other products available in the market. The majority of products belong to the personal care industry with a total of 5,788 products to date. This report, through the Unilever Example, illustrates how GlobalData Explorer enables you to:Dont miss out on key market insights that can help optimize your next investment read the report now. by GlobalData Enter your details here to receive your free Report. 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Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address. Thank you.Please check your email to download the Report. A new Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund was announced yesterday as part of the Indian governments budget. Announcing the move, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the investment was needed as a large number of milk processing units set up under the Operation Flood programme [which started in 1970] have since become old and obsolete. Commenting on the initiative, Rajender Singh, CEO of Indian dairy group VRS Foods, said: The government wants to extend the infrastructure to rural and remote areas to increase the processing and procurement capacity. Singh told just-food Indias milk consumption is increasing 5% annually but its production is growing at 4% and government wants it to touch 8%. However, some experts fear the programme might subsidise inefficient cooperatives, cheating more efficient private suppliers of deserved market share. According to Kuldeep Sharma, founder of Suruchi Consultants in New Delhi, the fund could distort markets by assisting loss making milk-federations: They neither have capability of procurement nor the market linkages and they are fearful as the private sector is exceeding [them] in milk collection, he said. Singh, however, is not concerned. He said the dairy industry had received government assurances the private sector will also be eligible for funding under the scheme: Private [dairy] companies can set up producer companies, who will be entitled to receive the benefits [under the fund], he said. Related Companies Roxanne Smith doesn't know how, when or where she contracted hepatitis C. She just knows she now has a good chance of beating it. "My hope is to kill the virus," the Lincoln woman said. "Kill it dead." Although some hepatitis C patients in the past have used medications to permanently wipe the virus from their systems, two drugs approved this year by the Food and Drug Administration appear to do the job more successfully. The drugs are extremely expensive -- $25,000 to $50,000 for a course of treatment designed to eliminate the virus, in addition to about $30,000 for other drugs that are part of the treatment. They also have harsh side effects. Nevertheless, doctors and patients have greeted the new drugs as potent weapons in the fight against a disease that can scar and ruin the liver. "I think this is one of the biggest advances in medicine this year," said Dr. Marvin Bittner, a Creighton University and VA Medical Center infectious disease expert. "It's a remarkable accomplishment, by all means," said Dr. Antonio Sanchez, a transplant hepatologist, or liver expert, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Sanchez said hepatitis C patients make up 40 percent to 50 percent of patients needing liver transplants. The Food and Drug Administration approved both drugs in May. Dr. Mark Mailliard, a University of Nebraska Medical Center hepatitis expert, said the old treatment strategy eradicated hepatitis C in about 40 percent of patients. The new strategy, based on clinical trials, appears to wipe it out in about 70 percent. Some patients with significant liver scarring or other medical problems aren't candidates for the new therapy. Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that is generally spread by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs or medication. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that before 1992, when widespread blood-supply screening began, hepatitis C also was commonly spread through blood transfusions. The CDC estimates that 3.2 million Americans are chronically infected with hepatitis C. Some doctors believe it's much higher because, they say, the prison population and homeless people are undercounted and have high rates of the disease. More than 800 new cases of the disease have been reported this year in Nebraska and more than 2,000 have been reported in Iowa, state health officials said. In most instances, the virus simmers in the system for years before seriously damaging the liver. Many viruses, such as HIV and herpes, can only be suppressed and not cured, Mailliard said. But hepatitis C can be wiped out entirely in some patients. The new medications, which are in pill form, go by the brand names Incivek and Victrelis and also are known as telaprevir and boceprevir, respectively. Until the new drugs came along, hepatitis C patients generally took a combination of interferon injections and a medication called ribavirin. That regimen, taken for many weeks, also had an array of side effects, including fatigue, irritability and rashes. A patient receiving the newest regimen still takes those medications for weeks, plus either Incivek or Victrelis through a portion of that period. "You take the tough treatment and you make it even tougher," Bittner said. "You take an expensive treatment and you make it even more expensive." Mailliard, Bittner and others said the new therapy is generally worth the price and pain. Mailliard said he has prescribed the new drugs for about 90 patients and has seen excellent results based on blood tests during the course of therapy. The treatment may last a year, and patients must wait six months before testing reveals whether it has cured them. So it's too early to declare any of those patients cured. Side effects of the new treatment regimen may include serious rashes, diarrhea, nausea and mouth sores, among others. Mailliard said that with the old regimen, five to 10 percent of patients weren't able to tolerate the effects. It appears that 15 to 20 percent won't be able to tolerate the new therapy, he said. Most insurance covers the regimen, and both pharmaceutical companies that make the drugs provide financial assistance for those who need it. A spokeswoman for Vertex, which makes Incivek, said the company will provide the medication for free to an uninsured patient whose income is less than $100,000. Medicaid in Iowa will cover both Incivek and Victrelis, while Nebraska Medicaid so far has asked doctors to use only Victrelis because it's less expensive. Mailliard said this is unfortunate because Incivek may be slightly more effective and the regimen is less complicated and thus easier for patients to understand and use. Mark Crane, a 53-year-old Omahan, is undergoing the hepatitis C treatment through the VA Medical Center. The VA is covering it and so far, Incivek, interferon and ribavirin appear to be knocking the virus out of his system. Crane is about four months into his treatment. He said his side effects have included fatigue, fever, nausea and insomnia, but he is pleased with the result. "It seems to work," Crane said. "It's really good." Roxanne Smith, whose insurance covers most of the cost, has continued to work as a flight attendant through the almost yearlong treatment period. "I don't want the fear of it becoming a devastating treatment to keep people from trying," Smith, 57, said. Smith has completed her Incivek therapy but is still taking interferon and ribavirin to complete the treatment. She had a bit of nausea and some sores in her mouth. She briefly had some weariness and shortness of breath. "I think I'm one of the lucky ones," she said. "I know people that are in treatment right now that are having real side effects." She sees this as her chance to push the virus from her system once and for all. "I'm fighting it," she said of hepatitis C. "It's had me long enough." We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form FILE - Carter G. Woodson in an undated photograph. Woodson is a founder of the Association for the Study of African American History, who first came up with the idea of the celebration that became Black History Month. Woodson, the son of recently-freed Virginia slaves who went on to earn a Ph.D in history from Harvard, originally came up with the idea as Negro History Week to encourage black Americans to become more interested in their own history. (AP Photo) This undated photo provided by the Delaware Department of Correction shows Sgt. Steven Floyd. Floyd died in a hostage standoff at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware. Officers found him unresponsive when they breached the building where inmates had held hostages on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. (Delaware Department of Correction via AP) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Oklahoma will soon join a growing list of states that collect sales taxes on purchases made through online retail giant Amazon, Gov. Mary Fallin announced Thursday, touting the agreement as a "big accomplishment" for the financially strapped state. Fallin said Seattle-based Amazon will begin voluntarily collecting state and local sales taxes on March 1 and will remit them starting in April. Local governments that are heavily dependent on sales tax revenue should begin receiving the collections in May, Fallin said. "That will really help our state, but in particular it will make a huge difference to our cities and our towns and our counties who will now start receiving that sales tax payment," the governor said. State officials estimate the state has lost about $300 million in sales tax collections from online shopping. Fallin estimated Oklahoma would raise tens of millions of dollars in new revenue through the agreement with Amazon but said the exact amount was unclear. Fallin said the revenue will not affect this year's current $870 million budget hole because the state's tax commission already projected some increased collections as a result of its negotiations with Amazon. Oklahoma collects a 4.5 percent sales tax on purchases and sales tax rates in counties, cities and towns average 4.36 percent, according to a report released Tuesday by the Tax Foundation, an independent, nonprofit tax policy institute. Amazon has been slow in collecting sales taxes in small and sparsely populated states where it doesn't have any distribution centers or corporate offices. The company has historically relied on a 1992 decision that bans states from forcing out-of-state retailers to collect taxes if they don't have a physical presence in the state. But just last year the nation's highest court rejected a challenge to a Colorado law that requires online sellers to notify customers about how much they owe in taxes. Colorado officials had estimated they were missing out on as much as $172.7 million a year. Story continues Amazon customers in at least 10 states will begin paying sales taxes on their website purchases for the first time this winter. Tax collection began Wednesday in Mississippi, Missouri, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont. It started last month in Louisiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Utah, and begins in Wyoming on March 1. On Wednesday, lawmakers in Arkansas advanced a plan to require out-of-state companies with no physical presence in the state to collect the tax if they sell more than $100,000 worth of products or make at least 200 transactions. Amazon does not have a distribution center or office. The agreement means that consumers will have to pay more for their orders if they aren't already submitting use taxes when they purchase something sales-tax free. The company's website says purchases shipped to over 30 states are subject to sales taxes. Fallin announced Oklahoma's agreement with Amazon during a legislative forum sponsored by The Associated Press. She said negotiations have been underway between the state and Amazon for a year and urged Congress to address online sales tax collections for state and local governments. "This issue is really hurting our cities and our towns across the state," she said. 539 Shares Share We are currently in the midst of the worst drug crisis in American history. A crisis that killed more than 33,000 people in 2015. Currently, an estimated 2.6 million people are addicted to opioids. As an internal medicine doctor, I deal with pain, addiction and opioid overdoses on a routine basis. The current epidemic that is sweeping across our nation, is deeply concerning. The U.S. Surgeon General recently spoke about the epidemic and asked health care providers to view addiction as a chronic illness and not as a moral failing. I completely agree with this approach but while everyone is talking about addiction, I think we need to take a step back and talk about pain. Pain was first recognized at the fifth vital sign in the 1990s. The other vital signs include blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature. I always had a hard time accepting pain as a vital sign. To me, it does not fit the objective canvas of the other measurable signs. It is a subjective feeling that a patient reports and is more convoluted than a number on a scale of 1 to 10. Treating pain appropriately is absolutely critical, but unfortunately, the definition of pain is not that simple. Pain is an extremely complex phenomenon and we do it injustice by reducing it to a mere number on a scale. Pain in an end-stage cancer patient with bone metastasis may be very different from pain in a young patient who recently had routine surgery. Both of these patients can tell me that their pain level is a 5 but the number can be interpreted in several different ways. Pain level of 10 in a patient with chronic pain and a high tolerance is very different from a pain level of 10 in a patient who has never experienced severe pain before. Redefining pain is essential to the current crisis and the education needs to start early in training. At present, primary care physicians are not well trained in addressing chronic pain and addiction. We need a multidisciplinary approach to the problem with involvement of psychiatry, pain management and addiction medicine specialists. We also need to hold our patients accountable. Yes, physicians may have contributed to the crisis by overprescribing, but physicians are not the only ones at fault. I often meet patients who deny the concept of addiction and demand strong narcotics without negotiation. They offer me no scope for education and partnership and are usually my most challenging patients. Patients need to be open to a dialogue when it comes to pain management. Lastly, I believe that we need to move away from bureaucracy in order to address the opioid crisis. Bureaucracy has introduced the concept of customer service in our hospitals. When your patient becomes your customer, the outlook for a partnership dissolves. The focus shifts from education to satisfaction. When surveys and scores take precedent, the scope for open dialogue gets diluted. Our country is in a public health crisis. We need to act. We need to employ a multidisciplinary approach. We need to redefine pain and hold everyone accountable. Physicians need a louder voice in regulations and policies. Most importantly, we need to restore the heart of medicine in the physician-patient relationship for change to occur. Neha Sharma is a hospitalist. This article originally appeared in the El Paso Times. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 458 Shares Share Maintenance of certification (MOC) is on the minds of most doctors, and the majority of them oppose it. This is a program where doctors are enforced to comply with certain educational mandates to stay compliant with their board certification requirements. The largest number of doctors did not start off following this program but rather were shackled onto it later in their careers. Being one of the earliest voices speaking out against this corrupt learning system for physicians, it is now quite reassuring to see that twenty state medical societies have now issued resolutions against MOC. In fact, last summer, the American Medical Association (AMA) came out with a position statement against MOC. And even then, the leaders of the specialty medical boards demanding the MOC program continue did not relinquish their move for control over the minds and finances of doctors. People who dont understand MOC may be appalled that doctors are fighting against continuing education. But nothing can be further from the truth. Doctors are the first who seek out educational opportunities and realize in the course of their daily practice of medicine how fast innovation changes and the necessity to keep pace. No, doctors are not denying the need for lifelong learning but rather fighting for the right to be educated as to what is relevant to the CLINICAL practice of medicine and what will improve patient outcomes. MOC does not address real-world medicine but obscure facts that often do not correlate to the actual medical care of patients. Doctors would rather learn what they need to know to give patients the best care rather than waste time learning facts that just consume time but do not help their patients at all. There are many continuing medical programs that offer this learning. However, keeping up with the modules of the MOC is a time drain sometimes that prevents many of us from pursuing activities that supply us with solid knowledge that we can utilize to give our patients with better health. The modules of MOC are time-consuming and give little benefit. There is no evidence that completing these useless activities translates into any benefit for patients. And the leaders of the medical boards have failed to provide this evidence despite being asked for it on a multitude of occasions. Now, why does the American Boards of Medical Specialties (ABMS) continue this nonsense? Because it is profitable for them and they can. For us to be able to see patients in the hospital or to be able to accept patients insurance plans, most often we need to be board certified. And to stay board certified, we must complete the MOC requirements and everything the leaders of these boards decide we must do. Many people may wonder why doctors are complaining about the expense of MOC. Because, over the course of our careers, we will spend tens of thousands of dollars to comply with the board mandates. And, this money is wasted on nonsense in our opinion. Now, give us real educational events, and we will gladly pay the fees. But, no one likes throwing money away. Doctors have been raising our voices to these leaders these past several years about our concerns. Either the leaders are deaf, or they just dont want to listen to us. They issued statements that they are listening and will make the modules more relevant. But, this is merely lip service; little actually has changed. The leaders continue to ignore us and our medical societies. They reap huge profits off the backs of hard-working doctors by deceit and greed. But the crowd of opposition is snowballing. Soon, they will no longer be able to ignore us. Their corrupt financials have been leaking out, and the rest will come to light. They will no longer be able to hide behind their false assertions. It is 2017 and time for new leadership, one that cares about the health of patients and not their wallets. If you have not already joined the opposition, the year is now. Linda Girgis is a family physician who blogs at Dr. Linda. Image credit: Shutterstock.com For any fathers and daughters interested in a fun night out, the City of Laredo Parks and Leisure Department is having a Father-Daughter Dance. "And so, we want to invite the community to come out, have a great time. Have a memorable time with the father and the daughter. Spend some time together, quality times. Have a dance, have some activities and spend the night together," says Eddie Millan, of Laredo Parks and Leisure. The Father-Daughter Dance will take place Friday, February 10 at both the Haynes Recreation Center and Fasken Community Center. The dance starts at 6:30 pm, and will last until 8:00 pm. It will be $15 per couple, and an additional $2 for an extra daughter. The deadline to sign up is February 6. You can register and pay at either location. BUENOS AIRES, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Argentina's government expects foreign direct investment to double in 2017 from 2016, Treasury Minister Nicolas Dujovne said on Thursday, citing upcoming renewable energy auctions. President Mauricio Macri has struggled to attract investment in his first year in office, even though investors generally have praised his reform agenda. (Reporting by Luc Cohen; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) QUESTIONS still haunt a Kilkenny mother about what happened to her son who is missing almost two years. Heartbroken Geraldine Roche believes her son, Dean, was murdered. Thirty-one-year-old Dean Roche disappeared on March 22, 2015. Speaking to Edward Hayden in the third part of his new series Be Not Afraid on KCLR 96fm next Saturday, Geraldine will explain that the unknown is worse because you dont know what happened. Did he call for me? Did he beg someone not to do something to him? Its so sad the pain is unreal. The documentary, which airs on Saturday will be repeated on KCLR on Thursday night at 11pm. In the interview, Geraldine reveals how her son was gripped by heroin addiction. She tried many times to get him help and even attempted cold turkey to get him off drugs. I tried everything with him. I promised him the sun, moon and stars, and he believed me, and I thought he would, but he couldnt. She recalls how she locked her son in the sitting room of their home in Hebron Park at one stage after he begged her for help. I felt terrible, absolutely terrible, and to hear him screaming and I had to open the door. When I went in, the froth was coming out of his mouth, and he was lying on the floor in a ball, crying with the pain. I said to him will you please just wait another few hours and he said mammy no, its like someones sticking a knife in me back, will you please just give me 20 pound Geraldine says she let her son out of the room and gave him money for his fix as she couldnt see him in so much pain. He didnt even have to go down the town (for the heroin) out into another estate and he was happy then when he came back. Dad-of-one Dean Roche was last seen in Ballyfoyle where he had travelled to buy a car on Sunday, March 22, 2015 and despite extensive searches is still missing. The highly controversial practice of killing (culling) badgers to stop the spread of bovine Tuberculosis is likely be coming to at an end. This follows the publication of the results of a scientific research project carried out exclusively in County Kilkenny where an oral vaccine was administered to badgers, to investigate its impact against bovine tuberculosis in the large scale field trial. Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed said the results of the trial were very positive and demonstrated that the oral vaccination of badgers had a significant protective effect in badgers under natural conditions. Importantly, he said it was the Department's ambition to deploy a full badger vaccination strategy as part of the Bovine TB eradication programme provided that the vaccination of badgers delivers an outcome equivalent to the current badger removal strategy. Which it is presumed means no more killing of the nocturnal animals. The findings confirmed the results of earlier experimental vaccine challenge studies where BCG vaccine was delivered to captive badgers by a variety of routes, including oral inoculation. This highlights the significant protective effect of oral BCG vaccination in badgers under natural conditions. It is also consistent with the results of other oral vaccination studies in cattle, deer and wild boar, Minister Creed pointed out. However, he emphasised that the vaccine trial related to the protective effect of vaccination against TB in badgers and did not provide any direct evidence of the protective effect of badger vaccination in relation to TB in cattle. He said further trials are being conducted in six separate locations throughout the country, involving the vaccination by intramuscular injection, of several hundred badgers over 3 to 4 years, with continuous monitoring of the cattle population to assess the impact of the vaccine on the incidence of the disease in the cattle population. He added that the outcome of these field trials, the initial results of which are due in 2018, would determine whether the vaccination of badgers delivers an outcome equivalent to the current badger removal strategy. SAO PAULO, Feb 1 (Reuters) - The Brazilian economy is likely to return to growth in the first quarter, the country's finance minister said, accelerating to a 2 percent annual pace by the last quarter of the year. Speaking at an event in Sao Paulo, Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said leading indicators point to signs of recovery from Brazil's deepest recession in decades. Still, he added, it is more important to lift the country's capacity to grow in the long term than to exit the current recession. (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Writing by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Chris Reese) By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS, Feb 1 (Reuters) - London could see a new EU push to end its dominance of euro clearing after Brexit and firms may pay more for merger approvals in Europe, European Parliament officials concluded in a working paper seen by Reuters. The Jan. 13 document prepared for the economic and monetary affairs committee lists dozens of issues, including outstanding legislative projects, existing financial regulations and other economic policies facing "significant consequences" once Britain exits the EU, taking the bloc's main financial centre with it. "A transitional agreement or, alternatively, a series of phasing-out provisions in the withdrawal agreement, might be considered in order to avoid 'cliff effects' that could adversely affect the functioning of financial services markets both at EU 27 and UK level," the paper said, underlining active discussion in Brussels of how to cushion the shock of Brexit. Parliament must approve any deal with London, expected in about two years, but will play a secondary role in negotiations to that of the executive European Commission and to the other 27 member state governments grouped in the European Council. The paper was produced several days before Prime Minister Theresa May laid out an outline of her Brexit strategy, which included leaving the EU's single market - a move that may leave London's financial services firms distant from many big clients. Among an array of topics covered in a parliamentary paper which notes from the outset the "considerable interdependence" of economies on either side of the English Channel, the officials said Britain could adopt a "more relaxed" policy on state aid subsidies to business after Brexit. Noting so far unspecified undertakings the British government appeared to make to Japanese carmaker Nissan so it maintained expansion plans in Britain, the document said: "Any promise made by the UK to Nissan that might have been made now but may only become effective if and when the UK will have left the EU cannot be assessed under EU state aid rules." The paper noted that the binding force in Britain of recent and pending rulings in EU courts would have to be clarified. Among these were EU moves to curb short-selling and to regulate bonus pay for executives as well as judges' support for London against EU efforts to restrict euro clearing to the euro zone. "With the withdrawal of the UK, clearing might become again a major issue to be addressed in the negotiations," it said. As for M&A, splitting British regulation from the EU common market "would mean", the paper continued, "two applications and two procedures to clear the same merger in Europe". (Additional reporting by Francesco Guarascio, writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) HANOI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Following is a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official market and indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi at 0115 GMT. Feb 2 Jan 25 USD/VND mid-point 22,199 22,202 USD/VND interbank 22,590/22,595 22,570/22,575 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.10/36.82 36.55/37.02 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank quotes are indicative bid/ask prices. One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co, the gold manufacturer. Interbank offered rates are indicative, quoted from market sources. For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath) HANOI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0415 GMT. Feb 2 Jan 25 USD/VND mid-point 22,199 22,202 USD/VND interbank 22,635/22,640 22,570/22,575 USD/VND unofficial 22,930/22,970 22,850/22,950 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 37.35/37.77 36.55/37.02 Interbank offered rates Overnight 4.5-5.2 4.8-5.8 1 week 4.5-5.3 4.8-5.5 1 month 4.8-5.5 5.0-5.5 3 months 5.0-5.5 5.1-5.5 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources. One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co. For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on . For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom) * Tabcorp excludes Sun Bets losses from underlying results * Sun Bets losses to continue in second half * Tabcorp pursuing competition approvals for Tatts merger (Recasts throughout, adds CFO comments and market reaction) By Jamie Freed SYDNEY, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Australia's largest betting company, Tabcorp Holdings Ltd , on Thursday revealed steeper than expected losses at its British online betting startup, casting doubt over a key plank of its growth strategy. Alongside Tabcorp's A$6.2 billion ($4.73 billion) bid for lotteries group Tatts Group , the Sun Bets startup is key to Tabcorp's efforts to cut its exposure to Australian betting as international rivals erode its market share. But Tabcorp said in a filing to the stock exchange that Sun Bets, its biggest venture outside Australia, had made a A$21.3 million loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the half ended Dec. 31. That was 2.5 times worse than the loss forecast by Deutsche Bank before the result, and contributed to a four percent fall in Tabcorp's share price as investors reassessed its broader growth strategy. Tabcorp also warned it expected to report a further A$15 million EBITDA loss from Sun Bets in the second half. "The 'one-off' spending may have further to run," APP Securities private wealth adviser Matthew Felsman said, adding that wagering growth also had disappointed the market. Tabcorp reported a 5 percent rise in underlying net profit to A$102.7 million for the half, which was below analyst expectations because the Sun Bets losses were unexpectedly categorised as one-off costs. The Melbourne-based company also reported one-off costs related to its Tatts bid and legal costs associated with a claim it did not comply with money-laundering regulations. Tatts shares fell 1 percent, reflecting the primarily scrip nature of Tabcorp's offer. FOREIGN FOOTHOLD Sun Bets, launched in August and linked to News Corp's top-selling The Sun newspaper, is meant give Tabcorp a foothold in the A$7 billion annual British online gaming market. News receives an undisclosed share of the Tabcorp revenues. Tabcorp Chief Financial Officer Damien Johnston told analysts the venture needed 1.5 percent of the British online betting market to break even. But he did not say when that was expected to occur, and Sun Bets' revenues were just A$1.5 million during the half. Tabcorp has been focusing on growing its online offering amid a reduction in trackside and retail betting in Australia, as consumers switch to digital channels owned by Tabcorp as well as foreign rivals like William Hill and Ladbrokes Coral Group . Tabcorp is buying Tatts to give it exposure to the more stable earnings from lotteries as well as combining their wagering businesses. Tatts in December rejected a takeover from a consortium including KKR and Macquarie Group . The group has not ruled out making a new offer . ($1 = 1.3115 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Stephen Coates) * Prices of India's 5-pct broken parboiled rice jump $17 per tonne * Vietnam's 5-pct broken rice flat at $335-$340 per tonne * Thailand's 5-pct broken rice unchanged at $355-$360 per tonne By Rajendra Jadhav and Mai Nguyen HANOI/MUMBAI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Rice prices in India advanced this week on higher demand from African buyers, while prices of the Vietnamese grain could fall soon on the prospect of rising supply as farmers start harvesting the Winter-Spring paddy later this month. India's 5 percent broken parboiled rice jumped $17 per tonne this week, to $371 to $376 per tonne, on robust exports demand. "African buyers have increased buying over the last few weeks," said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. "They are willing to pay a premium over Thai rice due to better quality." India, the world's biggest rice exporter, mainly exports non-basmati rice to African countries and premier basmati rice to the Middle East. In Thailand, the world's second biggest rice exporter, markets stayed quiet with prices of 5-percent broken rice unchanged from last week at $355-$360 per tonne. Prices of Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice stayed flat compared with last week's $335-$340 a tonne as traders returned to work after the country's biggest public holiday. But prices are expected to ease shortly as farmers are due to start harvesting the Winter-Spring paddy later this month, boosting supply from the world's third largest exporter of the grain. Vietnam's rice exports declined 26.5 percent last year with demand from China and Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines and Indonesia, falling sharply amid rising supplies from Thailand and India. Shipments are estimated to have fallen to 325,000 tonnes in January, down 32.3 percent from a year earlier, data by the Vietnamese government showed. Ghana was the second biggest Vietnamese rice buyer last year after China, but Vietnamese traders are still facing stiff competition from India in African markets, said a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader. "We still haven't seen a way out yet," the trader said. (Reporting by Mai Nguyen and Rajendra Jadhav; Additional reporting by Pairat Temphairojana; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) Feb 2 (Reuters) - Below are the ratings awarded by Credit Analysis and Research Ltd. (CARE) for local debt instruments as of February 1, 2017. COMPANY INSTRUMENT RATING AMOUNT MOVEMENT (RS.MLN) ------- ---------- ------ ------- --------- SHORT TERM RATINGS: ------------------- Anantha Pvc Pipes Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A4 70 Reaffirmed Ayoki Fabricon Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A3 410 Reaffirmed Eagle Steels Rolling Mills Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A4 85 Reaffirmed Him Steel Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A4 50 Assigned Indian Synthetic Rubber Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A1 3000 Reaffirmed Kochar Enterprises Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A4 3.2 Reaffirmed M.M Patel Public Charitable Trust ST Bk Fac CARE A4 70 Assigned Neelachal Ispat Nigamltd ST Bk Fac CARE A4 1570.5 Reaffirmed Patiala Distillers And Manufacturers LST Bk Fac CARE A4 3.5 Reaffirmed Pushp Enterprises ST Bk Fac CARE A4 70 Reaffirmed Rambal Ltd LT Bk Fac* CARE A3 45 Reaffirmed *CARE has withdrawn the rating assigned to long term term loan facility of Rs.0.93 crore with immediate effect, as the company has not availed the facility S. R. Industries Ltd ST Bk Fac- CARE A4 13.5 Assigned Non-fundbased (LOC) S. R. Industries Ltd ST Bk Fac- FB CARE A4 4 Assigned (Standby line of credit) S.S. Engineering Works ST Bk Fac CARE A4 25 Reaffirmed The Punjab State Co-Operative Supply &ST Bk Fac CARE A4 3625 Reaffirmed Marketing Federation Ltd (Markfed) Vama Construction Company ST Bk Fac CARE A4 20 Reaffirmed Venky'S India Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE A3+ 525 Reaffirmed Writers And Publishers Pvt. Ltd. ST Bk Fac CARE A3 900 Reaffirmed LONG TERM RATINGS: ------------------- ABP News Network Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE A- 400 Assigned Anantha Pvc Pipes Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE B 80 Reaffirmed Annika Promoters Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BB 200 Assigned Annika Promoters Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac Provisional 400 Assigned CARE BB Ayoki Fabricon Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BBB- 257.8 Reaffirmed Bansal Construction Works Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BBB 500 Reaffirmed Bansal Construction Works Pvt Ltd ST Bk Fac CARE BBB/A3 1350 Assigned Bansal Pathways Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BBB 802 Reaffirmed Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund Birla Capital - - Withdrawn Protection Oriented Fund- Series 16 Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund Birla Capital - - Withdrawn Protection Oriented Fund- Series 17 Datamatics Financial Services Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BBB+ 131.1 Reaffirmed Datamatics Financial Services Ltd Long / ST Bk Fac CARE BBB+ 36 Revised from /CARE A2+ CARE BBB+ Eagle Steels Rolling Mills Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BB- 255 Revised from CARE BB Engineered Power Resources India Pvt. LT Bk Fac CARE BB- 125.2 Reaffirmed Ltd. Gmr Kamalanga Energy Ltd LT Bk FacTL CARE D 45885.4 Reaffirmed Gmr Kamalanga Energy Ltd LT Bk FacFund BasedCARE D 3100.5 Reaffirmed Gmr Kamalanga Energy Ltd ST Bk FacNon fund CARE D 7400 Reaffirmed Based Him Steel Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BB- 500 Assigned Indiabulls High Yield Fund Indiabulls High CARE AAA (AIF) - Reaffirmed Yield Fund Indiabulls Real Estate Fund Indiabulls Real CARE AAA - Reaffirmed Estate Fund Indian Synthetic Rubber Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE A 2500 Reaffirmed Jasamrat Cotgin Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BB- 104.5 Assigned Kailash Rice And General Mills LT Bk Fac CARE B 92 Assigned Kerala Police Housing Co-Operative LT Bk Fac CARE BBB 1000 Reaffirmed Society Ltd Kochar Enterprises Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE B 57.8 Reaffirmed M.M Patel Public Charitable Trust LT Bk Fac CARE BB- 1102.6 Assigned Neelachal Ispat Nigamltd Long- term Bk Fac CARE A 7822.3 Revised from (TL Phase-I) CARE A+ Neelachal Ispat Nigamltd NCD CARE A 2000 Revised from CARE A+ Neelachal Ispat Nigamltd NCD CARE A 2000 Revised from CARE A+ Neelachal Ispat Nigamltd LT Bk Fac (CC) CARE B- 1400 Reaffirmed Neelachal Ispat Nigamltd LT Bk Fac (TL CARE D 5611.9 Reaffirmed Phase-II Nuziveedu Swathi Coastal Consortium LT Bk Fac CARE D 510 Reaffirmed Nuziveedu Swathi Coastal Consortium ST Bk Fac CARE D 50 Reaffirmed Panchanan Cold Storage Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE B 49.4 Revised from CARE B+ Patiala Distillers And Manufacturers LLT Bk Fac CARE B+ 100 Reaffirmed Prasadhini Enterprises Pvt Ltd LT Bk FacTL CARE B + 79.8 Reaffirmed Prasadhini Enterprises Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac-CC CARE B + 30 Reaffirmed Prism Enterprise LT Bk Fac/ ST Bk CARE B/CARE A4 70 Assigned Fac Pushp Enterprises LT Bk Fac CARE BB 50 Reaffirmed Rambal Ltd LT Bk Fac* CARE BBB- 130 Reaffirmed *CARE has withdrawn the rating assigned to long term term loan facility of Rs.0.93 crore with immediate effect, as the company has not availed the facility S. R. Industries Ltd LT Bk Fac- FB (CC) CARE C 180 Assigned S. R. Industries Ltd LT/ST Bk Fac FB/ CARE C/A4 10 Assigned Non-FB (CC/LOC) S. R. Industries Ltd LT Bk Fac- FB (TL) CARE D 113.3 Assigned S.S. Engineering Works LT Bk Fac CARE BB- 75 Reaffirmed Sant Autozone Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE B+ 103 Reaffirmed Sez Biotech Services Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac* CARE AA+ 2200 Assigned * backed by an unconditional and irrevocable short-fall undertaking from Serum Institute of India Private Limited (SIIPL; rated CARE AAA/Stable/CARE A1+ ). The Punjab State Co-Operative Supply < Bk Fac CARE BB 7500 Reaffirmed Marketing Federation Ltd (Markfed) Tulsyan Nec Ltd LT Bk Fac - TL CARE D 6158.2 Reaffirmed Tulsyan Nec Ltd LT Bk Fac - FB CARE D 2150 Reaffirmed Tulsyan Nec Ltd ST Bk Fac - Non-FB CARE D 1421.6 Reaffirmed Vama Construction Company LT Bk Fac CARE B+ 30 Revised from CARE BB- Venky'S India Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE BBB 3032.2 Reaffirmed Venky'S India Ltd Long/ ST Bk Fac CARE BBB 4000 Reaffirmed /CARE A3+ Welspun Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE A 10000 Revised from CARE A- Welspun Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE A 15641.7 Revised from CARE BBB Welspun Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd LT Bk Fac CARE A 3200 Revised from CARE A+ Welspun Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd Proposed CARE AA 12000 Assigned NonConvertible Debentures (NCDs)$ $ Backed by unconditional and irrevocable corporate guarantee from The Tata Power Company Limited. Welspun Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd Proposed Provisional 43000 Assigned NonConvertible CARE AA Debentures (NCDs)* *to be backed by unconditional and irrevocable corporate guarantee from The Tata Power Company Limited Writers And Publishers Pvt. Ltd. LT Bk Fac CARE BBB- 1200 Assigned -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- $: Rating watch with positive implication #: Rating Watch with Developing implications @: Rating Watch with Negative Implications %: Rating under Credit Watch wd -Rating Stands Withdrawn sp -Rating Suspended pp -Principal Protected pn -Principal Not Protected CARE may apply + or - signs for ratings to reflect a comparative standing within the category. BG-Bank Guarantee; CC-Cash Credit; CCPS-Cumulative Convertible Preference Share; CD-Certificate of Deposit; CLO-Collateralized Loan Obligation; CPA-Claims Paying Ability; CP-Commercial Paper; CPS-convertible preference shares; CRPS- Cumulative Redeemable Convertible Preference shares; DDB-Deep Discount Bond; EPBI-Exchange premium bond; FBL-Fund Based Limits; FRB/FRN -Floating Rate Bond/Note; ICD -Inter Corporate Deposit; ITD-Immediate Term Debt; LOC-Letter of Credit; LT -Long Term; LTB -Long Term Borrowing; LTD -Long Term Debt; MOCD-multiple option convertible debenture; MTD -Medium term Debenture; MTN-medium term notes; NCD(SO) - Non-Convertible Debenture-(Structured Obligation); NCD-Non-convertible Debentures; NCRB-Non Convertible Redeemable Bonds; NM-Not Meaningful; OCD-optionally convertible debenture; OD-Over Draft; OFCD-Optionally Fully Convertible Debenture; PCD-Partially Convertible Debenture; PCN-partly convertible notes; PCPS-Partly Convertible Preference Share; POCD-partly optional; PP-privately placed; PSPC-Post Shipment & Packing Credit; PS-Preference Shares; PTC-Pass Through Certificates; RPS-Redeemable Preference Shares; SCPN-secured convertible preference notes; SDO-Structured Debt Obligation; SLR-Statutory Liquidity Ratio; SO-Structured Obligation; SPCD - Secured Partly Convertible Debentures; SPN-secured premium notes; STB-Short Term Bond; STD-Short Term Debentures; ST-Short Term; Sub. Bonds-Subordinate Bonds; TB-Taxable Bond; TFB-Tax Free Bond; TL-Term Loan; TOCD-triple option convertible debentures. (Mumbai Rate Reporting Unit + 91 22 6180 7222/3317 7222, E-mail at rru.data@thomsonreuters.com) Keywords: CARE RATINGS/ JOHANNESBURG, Feb 2 (Reuters) - South African bullion producer Harmony Gold swung back into first-half profit on Thursday, with earnings lifted by gains from gold and currency hedges. * Headline earnings per share were 150 cents versus the headline loss of 103 cents per share reported for the previous comparable period in 2015. The company had already flagged to the market that it expected the number to come in between 139 and 160 cents per share. * An interim dividend of 50 cents was declared, its first since the six months to the end of 2012. * "The higher rand gold and U.S. dollar gold price received over the last year has improved the profitability of our operations and enabled the company to enter into favourable hedging arrangements," Harmony said. * It said it realised 233 million rand in profit from the gold hedge. * Company also says it has now "repaid most of its debt." (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Tiisetso Motsoeneng) (Adds CEO, analyst comment, background) COPENHAGEN, Feb 2 (Reuters) - DONG Energy , the world's biggest offshore wind farm developer, on Thursday reported its first full-year net profit since 2011, but will face tough competition for projects in Europe and the United States from new players that are pushing down margins. The Danish company, whose listing in Copenhagen in June was one of the biggest globally last year, has profited from being a pioneer in offshore wind for two decades and has build more than a quarter of the world's wind farms at sea. But over the past year, prices for new projects were pushed to record lows by companies eager to establish a foothold in the market, which could mark an end to high returns in the industry. In November, DONG lost a tender at home, when Swedish utility Vattenfall was awarded a project off Denmark with a winning bid to produce electricity for a price of 50 euros per megawatt hour (MWh). That beat a record DONG had itself set four months earlier with a price of 72.7 euros per MWh for a Dutch project. "We were all surprised about how fast prices have come down," DONG Energy's chief executive Henrik Poulsen told investors and analysts at a capital markets day in Copenhagen on Thursday. "Some people have said that the outcome of the (Dutch and Danish) tenders was the end of value creation in offshore wind. I firmly believe that's a wrong conclusion," he said. Some 18.2 billion euros were committed to offshore wind projects in Europe in 2016, a 39 percent increase from the previous year, with more than half of investments made in Britain. New project developers include oil majors like Statoil and Royal Dutch Shell , which have come under pressure from shareholders to diversify into green energy and have snapped up new projects in both the United States and the Netherlands. Lesser known players from China are also trying to establish a foothold, with a Chinese developer last year partnering in a Scottish offshore wind farm. "A dramatic shift has happened in the offshore wind industry over the last six months, which puts into question how much return you can get on new projects," Sydbank analyst Morten Imsgaard said. But DONG's Poulsen said: "Irresponsible players who might submit bids that are not value-creating over time will eventually be weeded out." DONG Energy is the biggest owner of offshore wind power in Europe with 16.2 percent of installed capacity, Vattenfall second with 8.3 percent, according to industry group WindEurope. "Getting to scale in this industry is a massive undertaking," Poulsen said. He also acknowledged that in the more mature European market, there was "no reason to believe that returns we were seeing a few years ago of well above 10 percent will continue in the long term." Still, DONG forecast an average return on capital employed in wind power of 13-15 percent between 2017 and 2023, a target it aims to achieve by expanding into new markets like Taiwan and the United States. "But even if you have a large balance sheet or whatever ownership structure you may have, there is a limit to how far you can go in terms of undertaking value-destroying activities of that scale," he said. On Thursday, the company posted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of 6.3 billion crowns and revenue at 15.68 billion crowns in the last three months of 2016, both below analysts expectations. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Jane Merriman) HARARE, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's ferrochrome production is expected to double to 300,000 tonnes this year after the government allocated chrome concessions to small mining companies as part of efforts to boost output, the mines minister said on Thursday. Walter Chidhakwa said last year the country earned $115 million from 149,000 tonnes of ferrochrome, which is used in the production of stainless steel. Zimbabwe holds the world's second largest deposits of chrome, which is smelted to produce ferrochrome. Raw chrome exports are expected to reach 550,000 tonnes from 285,000 tonnes, the mines minister told reporters. "We are projecting 300,000 tonnes of ferrochrome for 2017 as a result of the measures we have taken in allocating the chrome concessions," Chidhakwa said. Zimbabwe is pushing large mining companies to give up part of their concessions for distribution to individuals and smaller mines, which has helped in the gold sector, where small scale miners have tripled output to over 8 tonnes since 2014. The government has accused the two biggest ferrochrome companies of underutilising concessions and last April forced the biggest producer Zimasco, to give up half of its 46,000 hectares in mining claims. Chidhakwa said the government was still negotiating with Zimbabwe Alloys, the second biggest producer, to also give up half of its mining areas. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe. Editing by Jane Merriman) Duncan Garner writes: English will instead head to Orakei and Hoani Waititi Marae. Its a much better choice anyway a fusion of Maori, Pakeha, Asian and other cultures all enjoying food, performances and celebrating our children, families and country. Thats the way it should be in a mature nation. So I totally back him abandoning Waitangi in favour of attending a series of events, including a reggae concert, in Auckland. His absence removes these activists platform to promote their petulance. Their at-times violent approach is repugnant and has no place in our modern, increasingly confident country. Hes made the right call: someone had to deal to these self-appointed meatheads who harbour delusional thoughts of a better country under their misguided views of the world and the place of the Treaty of Waitangi. So Prime Minister Bill English has put the hotheads of Te Tii Marae in their rightful place and is giving Waitangi the swerve entirely on our national day. A true celebration. Im not sure these people will ever be happy or satisfied. Its been a problem since 1974. Rob Muldoon always attended Waitangi. David Lange never did. Jim Bolger went until the insults flew. Helen Clark walked away after she was reduced to tears. John Key promised to always go until they banned him from speaking about the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Im not even sure if the Waitangi mob can articulate what their issues are. Protest in a democracy is good. I support it. But not violence and thuggery. Yes the treaty was breached and weve spent decades setting up processes, writing cheques and apologising. Have these activists not noticed that the Maori Party has been part of the Government for the past eight years? They have a seat at the most powerful table in the country. They are included, not excluded. Its not this Government that should be vilified by Maori. If anything, the worst anti-Maori decisions came from the previous Labour administration. They blocked Maori from going to court to fight for legal rights to the foreshore and seabed and then there were those poorly judged and executed Tuhoe raids. If the activists bothered to look, Bill English has privately worked to engage genuinely with Maori for more than a decade. But that wont suit their narrative. English has done more to understand Maori and their issues than any other finance minister or prime minister I can recall. He deserved better from Te Tii Marae. Ask any Maori at the coalface of change and policy and they know English cares deeply about how policy affects their families. My children are Maori. Two of them speak the language fluently. I am proud of who they are and what they stand for. They stand as both proud and independent young Maori women and proud New Zealanders. Thats not the face of the future thats whats happening now. You can now donate to Kiwiblog SAO PAULO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Lojas Americanas SA, Brazil's largest discount retailer, has hired the local unit of Credit Suisse Group AG to underwrite an offering of new shares to fund an acquisition, a Brazil-based blog said on Thursday. According to the widely read Brazil Journal blog, which did not identify its sources, the funds could also be injected into its struggling B2W Cia Digital e-commerce unit. For years, Lojas Americanas outshone rivals in the Brazilian retail sector, delivering strong sales growth and steady margins. But investors have grown cautious due to a high debt burden and signs it may struggle to meet store opening targets. In December, the board of Lojas Americanas authorized a one-third increase in the limit of outstanding stock to 2 billion common or preferred shares. The company had said the move was aimed at speeding up potential capital increases in the future. Lojas Americanas has said it is interested in acquiring a stake in the fuel distribution unit of state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA. Local media reports have also cited it as a potential bidder for appliance retailer Via Varejo SA, controlled by GPA SA. Brazil Journal said there has not yet been a decision on whether to issue shares to current shareholders or to the general public. Press representatives for Lojas Americanas declined to comment on the report. Preferred shares slipped 1.4 percent to 16.51 reais on Thursday, lagging behind a 0.8 percent increase in an index tracking retail and consumer goods companies listed in the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange. (Writing by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Stuff reports: The revelation that Donald Trump berated Malcolm Turnbull, the leader of one of Americas closest allies, during a recent official phone call has been met with shock, disbelief and some embarrassed humour in the United States, fuelling concerns about the US president badly damaging important international relationships. The Washington Post scoop revealing the tense conversation broke late in the day in the US and went on to dominate late night news television shows and social media, with many expressing disbelief that of all the countries the US could have offended in the first weeks of a new administration, it would be Americas genial allies across the Pacific. This is how Trump treats arguably the USs 2nd most loyal ally after the UK. I made a Top 100 Possible Trump Administration Foreign Crises list & I gotta admit Rupturing US-Australia Relations was NOT on there, senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut who sits on the same committee, also wrote. If this is how he negotiates with Australia, imagine how bad relations with China are going to be! Feeling rather sorry for the new Secretary of State. Whod have thought it was possible to blow the US-Australia relationship? wrote The New York Times writer Nick Kristof. Its childproof. But not Trump-proof. Is anything? Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr This Tax Man allegedly "broke bad." An Ivy-League educated lawyer with the Internal Revenue Service has been arrested on federal charges of conspiring to distribute the illegal drug methamphetamine, authorities said Wednesday. Jack Vitayanon, a Washington, D.C., resident who is an attorney in the IRS's Office of Professional Responsibility, allegedly conspired with others in Arizona and Long Island, New York, "to distribute methamphetamine" since mid-2014, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn. "The defendant a federal attorney working for the IRS's Office of Professional Responsibility broke bad and supplemented his income by selling distribution quantities of methamphetamine," said U.S. Attorney Robert Capers. The phrase "broke bad" refers to hit television show "Breaking Bad," which depicted high school chemistry teacher Walter White becoming a meth manufacturer to make money after receiving a diagnosis of cancer. The Office of Professional Responsibility's mission is to ensure that tax practitioners, preparers and others in the tax system "adhere to professional standards and follow the law," according to the IRS's website. Vitayanon's LinkedIn page, which says he has worked at the IRS for nearly five years, details how he has conducted investigations of attorneys, accountants and IRS agents "based on reports of suspected misconduct." Vitayanon, 41, was in custody in Washington as of Wednesday afternoon after his arrest. He has yet to appear before a federal judge there. Vitayanon's LinkedIn page says that he is also an adjunct professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington. He graduated from Dartmouth in 1997 with a bachelor's degree, and got his law degree from Columbia University. He also holds a master's of law degree in taxation from New York University School of Law. Vitayanon previously worked at the prestigious Debevoise & Plimpton firm in New York City, and a small boutique tax firm. Story continues A affidavit filed in support of criminal complaint against Vitayanon suggests that his alleged meth dealing came to light in early December when authorities investigating meth distribution on Long Island seized a Federal Express package containing 460 grams of the drug at a private residence in Oceanside, New York. After being arrested, the intended recipient of the meth allegedly told authorities they had paid a source in Arizona $8,600 for the shipment. The recipient allegedly said they had originally been put in touch with that source in September 2014 by Vitayanon, who himself was using the source to purchase meth, the affidavit said. The affidavit went on to say that the intended recipient of the meth shipment agreed to cooperate with agents from the Department of Homeland Security to investigate Vitayanon, and ended up negotiating with him to buy shipment containing an ounce of meth from him. Those negotiations allegedly occurred via internet-based video chats and text messages. During a video chat on Dec. 15, "Vitayanon was observed in his Washington, D.C., apartment smoking what appears to be methamphetamine from a glass pipe," according to the affidavit. The affidavit accuses Vitayanon of eventually sending two separate shipments, totaling three ounces of meth, to the recipient on Long Island. It also claims that Vitayanon asked the recipient to split up a $1,650 payment for the initial ounce he sent that person in mid-December between Vitayanon and the source in Arizona. That payment, according to the affidavit, included Vitayanon's expenses from shipping and what he called "my Ubers." When authorities searched Vitayanon's apartment, they found suspected meth, drug paraphernalia, packaging material, as well as "drug ledgers," prosecutors said. An IRS spokesman, when asked about Vitayanon on Wednesday, said "We cannot comment on specific personnel matters." "The IRS holds its employees to high standards and does not tolerate inappropriate behavior," the spokesman said. "When questions arise, the IRS works closely with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and other law-enforcement authorities to pursue appropriate legal action. The IRS strongly emphasizes that it will take any and all actions against inappropriate employee conduct, up to and including dismissal." More From CNBC Fire experts team begins Chimney Tops 2 fire review FEBRUARY 2, 2017 at 3:34 p.m. Chimney Tops 2 fire on November 23, 2016 before it spread to neighboring cities. Image courtesy of GSMNP. BOISE A team of fire experts is gathering at Great Smoky Mountains National Park to conduct a review of the Chimney Tops 2 fire that started in the park on November 23. The purpose of the review team is to identify the facts leading up to and during the Chimney Tops 2 fire within the boundaries of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They will also make recommendations on any planning, operational, or managerial issues which can be addressed locally, regionally, and/or nationally to reduce the chances of a similar incident in the future. The team is assigned to the fire review through the division chief for the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Fire and Aviation in Boise, ID. Division Chief Bill Kaage stated, The team will conduct a thorough review of the actions and response to this fire, which will include compliance with policy and application of professional wildland firefighting practices. Ultimately the purpose of the review is to identify lessons learned from this incident for use by any wildland firefighting agency. The Chimney Tops 2 fire review team is made up of interagency representatives: a team leader, a fire behavior specialist, two fire operations/risk management specialists, an NPS fire management officer from outside of the region, a municipal fire department representative from within the region, and an NPS management liaison. The team is being led by Joe Stutler, a senior advisor for Deschutes County, Oregon. Stutler has extensive experience in wildland fire at the federal level as well as in local government and the private sector. He has nearly 50 years of knowledge of the complexities of fire management, including fire behavior and policy. Other team members include: - Fire Behavior Specialist: William Grauel, Bureau of Indian Affairs National Fire Ecologist, Boise, ID - Municipal Fire Department Representative: Jimmy Isaacs, Boone Fire Department Chief, Boone, NC - Fire Operations/Risk Management Specialist: Shane Greer, U.S. Forest Service Assistant Fire Director-Risk Management, Region 2, Golden, CO - NPS Fire Management Officer: Mike Lewelling, Rocky Mountain National Park Fire Management Officer, Estes Park, CO - Fire Operations/Risk Management Specialist/Writer/Editor: Miranda Stuart, NPS Branch of Wildland Fire Fire Management Specialist, Crawfordville, FL - NPS Management Liaison: Tim Reid, National Park Service Superintendent, Devils Tower National Monument, WY The work of the review team is expected to take up to two weeks. After that, the team has 45 days to complete their report and submit it to Chief Kaage for review prior to it being made public. Published February 2, 2017 * Escondida copper workers reject final wage offer * Strike looms * BHP says wants to keep door open to talk (Adds comment from BHP Billiton) By Fabian Cambero SANTIAGO, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Workers at BHP Billiton's Escondida mine in Chile, the world's biggest copper mine, have voted to reject a company wage offer and go on strike, the union told Reuters in the early hours of Wednesday. The strike is due to begin in 48 hours but the union said the company will likely request government mediation to attempt a resolution, which would delay any strike action for about another week. BHP in a statement emailed to Reuters said it regretted the rejection of its final offer. "We want to keep an open door to continue negotiations so that we can reach an agreement that allows us to face future challenges together," the company said. The vote had been expected after union leaders last week called BHP's latest wage offer "absurd" and recommended its 2,500 workers reject it and prepare for an extended conflict. Workers have been offered a $12,000 bonus. In the last contract talks four years ago, when the copper price was higher, workers received a $49,000 bonus after a two-week strike. The failure of the contract negotiations has already triggered a rise in the global price of copper on expectations of a potential stoppage at the mine. Escondida produced 1.15 million tonnes of the metal in 2015, about 6 percent of the world's total. It is majority controlled by BHP, with Rio Tinto and Japan's JECO also owning stakes. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero, Writing by Rosalba O'Brien; Additional reporting by James Regan in Sydney; Editing by Richard Pullin) (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) By Mark Miller WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - While the era of "alternative facts" dawned in Washington last week, experts from across the ideological spectrum gathered in the capital for a review of real facts about our two most important retirement programs: Social Security and Medicare. The annual policy research conference of the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) focused on the group's new report to the Donald Trump administration and Congress on the future of all our social insurance programs - those that cover retirement, but also those that protect the disabled, jobless, impoverished poverty and frail. NASI is a consortium of many of the nation's top social insurance researchers. The new report includes input from 80 experts in the field with a wide array of ideological and political perspectives. It describes the challenges facing these programs and provides a menu of solutions reflecting a variety of ideological perspectives. As such, it reflects a set of consensus facts that should inform the looming debates about the future of social insurance at a time when these programs certainly will be under assault from budget cutters. Here are a few facts on Social Security and Medicare that caught my eye: FACT: Social Security benefits already have been cut. Raising the retirement program's full retirement age to 70 is mentioned often as a way to solve the program's long-term imbalance between costs and revenue. But did you know that Social Security benefits already are scheduled to be cut 24 percent? That is the average cumulative reduction in enrollee benefits by 2050 due to reforms passed by Congress in 1983, driven mainly by a gradual increase in full retirement ages from 65 to 67. Since Social Security cannot deficit-spend as a matter of law, legislative reform will be needed by 2034 in order to avoid an immediate 21 percent cut in benefits. The reforms could include new revenue to the system, benefit cuts or a combination of both. Raising the retirement age to 70 would effectively cut benefit payouts by raising the bar on the age an enrollee must reach to receive her full benefit. Story continues Raising the retirement age would whack benefits further, and we have much better options, including lifting the cap on wages subject to property taxes, or raising payroll tax rates very gradually. FACT: Social Security matters to high-income households. We will hear calls to transform it into a means-tested program for the poor. But Social Security is the largest source of income for a majority of retired workers and their surviving spouses. Eighty-four percent of all people over 65 and about 90 percent of surviving spouses over 65 receive income from Social Security, and for three-fifths of them, Social Security makes up at least 50 percent of their income. "Many upper middle class people assume that it's mostly important for poor people, but that's not the case," said Benjamin Veghte, NASI's vice president for Policy. Proposals to restore solvency by means-testing Social Security would tear at a core design feature - its universality. At a time when a majority of households have not been able to save adequately for retirement, Social Security will remain critical. MEDICARE: NO CAUSE FOR ALARM FACT: Medicare is not facing a financial crisis. Politicians pushing Medicare reforms often claim that the program is teetering on the brink, but the NASI researchers conclude otherwise. Let us start with the basics on how Medicare's various "parts" are funded. Part A (hospitalization) is funded mainly by a 2.9 percent payroll tax split by employers and workers. For Parts B (outpatient services) and D (prescription drugs), 75 percent of funding comes from general federal revenue, with the remainder funded by enrollee premiums. The Hospital Insurance trust fund that finances Part A can meet all its obligations through 2028, according to the program's trustees. At that point, incoming revenue would cover 87 percent of expected costs, so there is a need to close the shortfall with additional revenue, less spending or a combination of the two. But the NASI experts note that historical trustee projections regarding how soon the trust fund will become insolvent have varied widely - as little as two years, and as much as 28. "There's no big cause for alarm in the current projection," said Veghte. Parts B and D cannot run out of money because they have permanent appropriations to cover whatever premiums do not. The cost of those programs will grow in the years ahead as the population ages, and as healthcare costs rise - especially prescription drugs. But that trend is not driven by Medicare itself, but by the cost of healthcare. Overall Medicare spending is not out of control - per-enrollee outlays rose at an average annual rate of 5.5 percent, somewhat slower than the 6.3 percent average annual growth rate in private insurance spending per enrollee between 1989 and 2014. In addition, cost containment measures within the Affordable Care Act improved the outlook substantially, pushing the insolvency date out by 11 years. "The problem really is healthcare cost, and how to control it," said Veghte. The 200-page report is exhaustive, thorough and authoritative. I encourage anyone interested in the facts on any of our social insurance programs to download it and read. You can find it here: (http://bit.ly/2kpgtNy) (Editing by Matthew Lewis) By Kim Jae-kyoung Korea must come up with contingency plans to cushion the country against any upcoming Trump shock, analysts said Wednesday. United States President Donald Trump's abrupt visa issuance and travel ban on refugees and seven Middle Eastern and North African countries won't have an immediate impact on Koreans, but the action signals that he will fulfill his campaign pledges whatever it takes. Given Trump vowed to reverse trade deficits during his campaign, the odds are growing that his attacks on the economic and trade fronts will soon materialize causing a global trade war in the near future. "As always, it is hard to predict what future Trump policies will be, but this is a confirmation that he will do what he said during the campaign," Antonio Fatas, a professor of economics at INSEAD, told The Korea Times. "His administration is run by a group of incompetents both from an economic and legal point of view," he added. "He reacts to mistakes and negative feedback by trying something bigger. He seeks revenge." Last Friday, the volatile leader and his administration abruptly banned citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, sending shock waves throughout the world and heightening uncertainty in the global economy. Modification of deals From the perspective of Korea, this is not good news, although the effects of the travel ban itself will be small for the country's economy in the immediate future. During his election campaign, Trump indicated that he would call for the modification of key political and economic deals, such as cost-sharing arrangements for U.S. troops here and the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Also, he has pledged to combat alleged currency manipulation by export-oriented Asian countries with huge trade surpluses, such as Korea and China. What is of concern is that the Trump shocks may come earlier than expected without any notice. It is likely that he will push for lopsided policies only in favor of the U.S. regardless of their effects on the global economy. "We have learned that we will see more of the same in the future on trade issues and economic policy," said the Singapore-based Fatas. "For Asia, this is also a confirmation that U.S. policies will be centered on domestic issues and will ignore the effects on others," he said. "Uncertainty keeps increasing in the fragile global economic environment." Lack of sense of urgency Despite the urgency of the situation, Korea's policymakers look a bit laidback. They are lacking not only a sense of urgency but also proper contingency plans. They still haven't got an effective channel of communication with the Trump administration. With the travel ban case, they must realize that Trump won't be easy on any countries even if they are long-time allies if anything is against what he sees as U.S. interests. A series of executive orders signed by Trump are good examples. As soon as he was sworn in as the 45th president, Trump signed orders for the U.S. to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Against this backdrop, they need to look into details of key military and trade deals and come up with scenario-based plans on how to respond when the U.S. requests renegotiations. "We will find the Trump administration much more intensely demanding actions and policies from foreign governments that are consistent with U.S. interests," said Jeffrey Jones, an international lawyer at Kim & Chang and former chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. There will be a remarkable decline in the willingness to compromise," he added. "The Trump administration will be unwilling to give special concessions to Korea and this will require the new administration in Korea to be especially skillful in pursuing policies important for Korea." In particular, Korea's policymakers should not be relieved or distracted by Trump's rhetoric. Regardless of what he says, the government should prepare for the worst-case scenario. In a telephone conversation with Korea's acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn on Monday, Trump vowed to cooperate with South Korea "100 percent," saying that bilateral relations would be "better than ever before." This should not be taken as a signal that Trump will be backing off from his assertion that Korea should pay more to keep U.S. troops in Korea. His comments came ahead of U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis' visit to Seoul Thursday. Steven Weber, a professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley, said that the best approach right now is to pay a little less attention to what the Trump administration says, and focus on what it does. "I think it's obvious by now that the President does not pay much attention to what he says and writes on Twitter," he said. "To me, much of that is a distraction. I will be watching what he does, not what he says." By Nam Hyun-woo Kim Soo-bong, former KIDI chief Former Korea Insurance Development Institute (KIDI) Chairman Kim Soo-bong will resume his insurance career as a vice president level auditor for Allianz Life Korea from next week, according to sources, Thursday. Kim will make a return to the industry after his three-year term as the KIDI chief expired in November last year. Along with auditing, his duty will cover consumer protection of the insurer, which is owned by Chinese insurance titan Anbang Group. "I will do my utmost in serving my responsibility in the position," Kim told The Korea Times. This marks Anbang Group's first personnel move after it received regulatory approval to acquire Allianz Life Korea in December. Observers say Kim, a former Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) deputy governor, will play a pivotal role for the insurer. They also point out that the appointment is in line with the Chinese business culture of stressing "guanxi." Guanxi, roughly translated into "relationships" in English, describes the Chinese culture which underscores the importance of connections among business partners to get to know each other before formal business meetings. By practicing guanxi, the relationships between businesses and businesses or businesses and the government grow and help the advance of their operations. From 2010 to 2013, Kim served as FSS deputy governor in charge of insurance. Due to his career at the powerful FSS, his human network, expertise in the insurance industry and leadership shown during his tenure at the KIDI, he can contribute much to Allianz Life Korea's operations, watchers said. When contacted, Allianz Life Korea refused to comment on Kim's appointment. ING Life Korea CEO Cheong Mun-kuk By Nam Hyun-woo ING Life Korea CEO Cheong Mun-kuk will serve one more term as a chief to lead the company's listing on the domestic bourse, the insurer said Thursday. According to an official at ING Life Korea, its owner MBK Partners decided to keep Cheong as the CEO for three more years. It will hold a meeting today to officially appoint him. Cheong took the helm of ING Life Korea after the domestic private equity firm bought the insurer in December 2013. He has been credited with bringing about noticeable improvements in performance. During his term, ING Life Korea's net profit jumped to 304.8 billion won ($260 million) in 2015 from 187.8 billion won in 2013. Following the increase in profitability, the insurer's assets increased to 31 trillion won at the end of the third quarter last year from 24 trillion won at the end of 2013. "Cheong has produced noticeable improvements in the company's performance over the past three years," said an official. Cheong also introduced an innovative low cash surrender value product, which competitors soon copied. Cash surrender value refers to the amount of cash offered to a policyholder on the cancellation of a contract. Though the cash surrender value is low, such policies provide future benefits similar to other policies with lower insurance fees. By releasing its Brave Orange Whole Life Insurance policy in July 2015, ING Life Korea became the first insurer in Korea to introduce a low cash surrender value product. Within a year, the company signed up 61,967 Orange policyholders. After its three-month long patent on the product expired, other insurers began releasing similar policies. Observers say one urgent task remaining for Cheong is to guide the insurer's initial public offering (IPO) on the domestic bourse. MBK Partners put the insurer up for sale last year, but interested Chinese companies withdrew offers after Korea's decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery here. Beijing expressed serious objections to this, claiming the system's radar could also monitor its military. Since August last year, MBK Partners negotiated with a number of Chinese and Hong Kong investors, including JD Capital. The talks showed progress, but were frustrated as the Chinese government reportedly delayed approval related to the sale. In December last year, the insurer said it would take a two-track approach of a sale and an initial public offering. It will apply for a preliminary eligibility review to the Korea Exchange this month and launch its offering in May. Samsung Securities and Morgan Stanley are lead managers for the IPO. The United States could consider a pre-emptive strike as a possible option to deal with North Korea's evolving nuclear weapons capabilities, given that its new diplomatic and national security team is comprised of many hardliners, a researcher of a Seoul-based state-run think tank said Thursday. In the report on the outlooks for U.S.-China relations under the new administration in Washington, Lee Ji-yong, a researcher of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS), also underlined the need for South Korea to open communication channels with the North to help resolve the drawn-out nuclear stalemate. "Given that Trump's diplomatic and security team is comprised mostly of hawks, there are chances that a pre-emptive strike could be discussed as a solution (to the North's nuclear issue), though we cannot say that the likelihood is high that it will be actually put into action," he said. In the event that a pre-emptive strike option is discussed, he said it would draw strong condemnation from the North and heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula, posing a "challenge" to the Seoul government in keeping things under control. Lee pointed out the deepening friction between the U.S. and China coupled with the growing voice from hardliners in Washington could end up increasing China's influence on Pyongyang and make it hard to enlist cooperation from Beijing on the nuclear front. The researcher said that the Seoul government should recognize that it has to take the initiative and endeavor to improve inter-Korean relations. He underlined the need for opening communication channels with the North. "Along with strengthening the South Korea-U.S. alliance and increasing security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan to beef up deterrence and toughening sanctions through the U.N. against the North, there is a need to launch an unofficial channel through which dialogue can be opened with the North," the IFANS researcher said. (Yonhap) By Jung Min-ho A Samsung executive criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban on seven Middle Eastern and North African countries, saying imposing it "is like operating with a blunt hammer when precise tools are needed." In his Facebook message posted Tuesday, Samsung NEXT President David Eun said he does not believe the recent executive order will help reduce terrorist threats. "Who gets hurt are innocent people, including children, seeking the safety and promise of America. What gets hurt is our own country's reputation as a beacon of democracy. We're supposed to be the land of the free and home of the brave," he said. Last week, the U.S. President signed the order to block citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia from entering the United States for 90 days and suspending all refugee admissions for 120 days. The order will also limit the total number of refugees allowed into the U.S. in the 2017 fiscal year to 50,000, a major drop from 110,000 in the previous year. It was Trump's surprising measure to keep "bad people (with bad intentions)" out of the U.S., which was attacked by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda on Sept. 11, 2001. Eun said, however, none of those responsible for the attack were from the seven countries on the list, noting "so what problem are we really trying to solve here?" He described himself as a "child of immigrants," and said, "I'm sharing this because for me, like many of my friends and acquaintances, the issue of diversity and inclusion is a personal one." "The America I know proudly proclaims its immigrant history ... By allowing those seeking to make a better life for themselves and their families here in the U.S., we are not just helping them; we are staying true to ourselves and allowing them and their descendents to make contributions that can benefit us all," he added. Eun is not the only business leader that expressed deep concerns over the controversial ban. Many others, including the heads of Apple, Ford and Goldman Sachs, have said they do not support it. By Yi Whan-woo Japanese Ambassador to Korea Yasumasa Nagamine has still not returned to Korea after Japan recalled him, Jan. 9, in the wake of a dispute over a statute of a girl symbolizing Korean sex slaves during Tokyo's 1910-45 colonial rules being placed in front of Japan's consulate in Busan. Nagamine is the first Japanese ambassador to Seoul who has been temporarily removed from his post for the longest period of time. In 2012, Masatoshi Muto returned to Seoul after Japan recalled him in protest of then-President Lee Myung-bak's visit to Dokdo, a Korean islet which is also claimed by Japan. Diplomatic sources said Thursday that Nagamine has been managing to take care of his job here while in Japan. They said it remains uncertain when he will return, citing a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Jan. 19. They concluded back then that Japan will "closely monitor Korea's response" concerning the dispute over Tokyo's sex slavery before deciding whether to have him to return to work here. The sources remained skeptical about Nagamine's early return amid the intensified diplomatic conflict over the statue. The statue joins others in Korea and abroad. Tokyo has been paranoid about them, especially the one set up outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul Japan recalled Nagamine, claiming that such the placement of the statue in Busan was an act violating the agreement reached between the two neighbors in December 2015 over Tokyo's wartime sex slavery. Citing a foreign ministry official, Japan's Jiji Press reported Thursday that Tokyo plans to call the statues "comfort women statues." This is seen as an attempt to cover up the fact that Korean teenagers were forcibly taken for sexual servitude and instead highlight Tokyo's euphemistic usage of "comfort women" when referring to them, according to the sources. Conservative lawmakers from Abe's Liberal Democratic Party also urged the use of the phrase "comfort women statues" over "girl statues" because "it can otherwise be seen that teenage girls were victimized." In Korea, potential presidential candidates have been debating over the "girl statues" issue and the December 2015 agreement ahead of the election this year. Opposition presidential hopefuls, including Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo, called for the scrapping or re-negotiation of the sex slavery deal. Japan insisted this will not happen, citing that the agreement was "final and irrevocable." (Repeats Feb. 1 column. No change to text. John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own) By John Kemp LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has been forced to return to the role of swing producer in the oil market, despite the country's insistence for three decades it would never play the role again. Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) account for the majority of production cuts made so far under the OPEC and non-OPEC accords reached in November and December. By cutting their own output deeply, Saudi Arabia and its allies have masked the low level of compliance from the rest of the organisation. Outside OPEC, Russia has so far delivered only around a third of its promised cut of 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to sources. Russia and other producers have always pledged to phase in cuts, which are meant to be averaged over the first six months of 2017. Strictly speaking, OPEC and non-OPEC members have not yet failed to honour their promises since they could reduce output more steeply in the remainder of the compliance period. But Saudi Arabia and its GCC allies have once again supplied most of the upfront cutbacks, reducing their production by enough to create a deficit in the market and draw down excess crude inventories. Adjusting production to bring about a desired balance between supply and demand, or achieve a particular target price, is the classic role of a swing producer. Saudi Arabia has been forced back into the role, despite insisting since the mid-1980s it would never assume the burden again. MARCH 1983 Saudi Arabia only officially played the role of swing producer for a short period in the early 1980s, when it failed to stem the oversupply of global oil markets and slide in prices. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries began setting an overall production target and allocating it among members at its ministerial conference in March 1982. The initial target for the group as a whole was set at 17.5 million bpd and Saudi Arabia's share was set at 7.150 million bpd. Story continues One year later, in March 1983, OPEC revised the allocation system and Saudi Arabia formally assumed the role of swing producer, varying its output to balance supply and demand. Ministers agreed "to establish a ceiling for total OPEC production of 17.5 million barrels per day, within which individual member countries were allocated," according to the communique issued afterwards. "No quota is allocated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which will act as a swing producer to supply the balancing quantities to meet market requirements" ("Communique by OPEC", New York Times, March 1983). Saudi Arabia had often acted as an informal swing producer, but this was the first time the role had been formalised. Saudi Arabia's role as a swing producer formally terminated in 1984 when it opted instead for a quota of 4.35 million bpd, though in practice it went on performing the swing producer role until September 1985. "I have a strong feeling that this will work out and that OPEC will be in the driver's seat," Saudi oil minister Zaki Yamani told a news conference after the March 1983 meeting. But the following three years proved difficult for Saudi Arabia as other OPEC members cheated on their quotas, rival suppliers outside OPEC continued to raise their output, and oil prices fell. Saudi Arabia cut its output to balance the market and shore up prices to no avail, and then switched to a netback pricing system to recapture lost market share, sending prices tumbling to $10 per barrel. NEVER AGAIN Yamani was sacked in October 1986 and replaced as Saudi oil minister by Hisham Nazer, who ruled out any return to acting as a swing producer ("Nazer rules out swing producer role for Saudi Arabia", Middle East Economic Survey, Sep 1987). "We will conscientiously support OPEC ... but we will not appoint ourselves custodians of the policies of OPEC, nor will we be willing to play the role of swing producer at all", Nazer said in an interview in September 1987. Nazer's successor as oil minister, Ali Naimi, was even blunter: "Saudi Arabia tried in the past to play the role of the swing producer by reducing production to maintain a specific price, but the result was unfavorable to the kingdom," he said in an interview in March 1998. "Despite the fact that its production fell from more than 10 million bpd in 1980 to less than 3 million bpd in 1985, prices collapsed. As a result, the kingdom not only lost in terms of prices but also lost its market share at that time." "We have abandoned once and for all the role of swing producer," Naimi said ("Saudi oil minister spells out kingdom's views on current oil market", Middle East Economic Survey, March 1998). NO ESCAPE In practice, giving up the role of swing producer has proved impossible, however much the country's policymakers loathe it. In March 1999, Saudi Arabia was again taking the lead in cutting production to shore up prices after the Asian financial crisis. Saudi Arabia and its GCC allies ended up providing most of the production cuts that helped drain excess stocks and push prices higher in 1999 and 2000. "The only country that reduced production voluntarily, according to the March agreement, is Saudi Arabia, with marginal help from Kuwait and the UAE, while all other oil producing countries were forced to reduce their production because of technical, political, or natural factors," Anas Alhajji and David Huettner wrote shortly afterwards ("OPEC and other commodity cartels", 2000). In the most recent round of cuts, agreed in November and December 2016, Saudi Arabia and the GCC are again shouldering the biggest share, despite spending months insisting this is what they would not do again. SAUDI BURDEN The problem is that the role of swing producer is not one that Saudi Arabia's policymakers have voluntarily accepted, but one which has been thrust upon them. Saudi Arabia is the only producer that exports enough and has the centralised control to exercise some degree of market power in the oil market. Other major oil producing countries are net importers, or their production is split among many small independent companies, or is too small to have much influence on global prices. Saudi Arabia is the only country that has production centralised in one company (Saudi Aramco) and exports enough to have a major influence on global prices (7-8 million bpd). Saudi Arabia is also a low cost producer which has the operational flexibility to adjust its production up or down by several million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia is therefore the only country that can to some extent choose a production target or a price target, though importantly not both. For structural reasons, Saudi Arabia is always the swing producer in the crude oil market, whether it welcomes the role or not. PUNISHMENT Saudi Arabia's operation as the swing producer in the oil market was modelled in a series of workshops run by Shell more than a quarter of a century ago ("Modelling the oil producers", Morecroft and Heijden, 1990). According to the workshop, which brought together experts from across the oil industry together with systems modellers, the swing producer can operate in two modes: "normal swing mode" and "punitive mode". In normal mode, the swing producer adjusts its output to balance supply and demand and keep prices close to an intended target. "In punitive mode, the swing producer feels that his production is inadequate - he is not getting a fair share of the market or is receiving too little revenue - and so decides to re-establish his position by punishing the other producers. "In the model, the swing producer has a threshold below which he is unwilling to allow market share to fall. When market share falls below the threshold, the swing producer sets a new and higher volume of production that floods the market and quickly lowers the price. "The switch to punitive mode can send a powerful price signal to discipline the other producers, but is an act of last resort because in this mode the swing producer has abandoned the role of price regulator, essentially the market is no longer managed". The model describes Saudi Arabia's recent behaviour reasonably well. Between 2014 and the first half of 2016, the kingdom operated in punitive mode, focusing on defending market share and allowing prices to fall. In the second half of 2016, however, the kingdom switched back to swing mode, and is now adjusting production to achieve a desired reduction in stock levels and firming prices. (Editing by Mark Potter) U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis departed for South Korea on Wednesday in his highly symbolic first overseas trip designed to underscore the U.S. security commitment to the Asian ally in the face of a saber-rattling North Korea. The trip, which also includes a stop in Japan later this week, comes as tensions are running high on the Korean Peninsula after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country is close to test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile apparently capable of reaching the U.S. It is Mattis' first overseas visit since taking office less than two weeks ago. That underscores the seriousness and urgency with which the retired Marine Corps general takes the threats from North Korea, as well as the importance of the alliances with South Korea and Japan in dealing with the provocative regime. More than anything else, the trip is aimed at reassuring the key allies unsettled by U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric accusing them of free-riding on U.S. security commitments, though Trump has significantly toned it down since the election and has talked increasingly about the importance of alliances. "Considering the fact that North Korea could test a long-range missile in the very near future, Secretary Mattis must find a way to make it clear to his counterparts in South Korea that Washington will not only honor its treaty commitments, but that there is no daylight between Washington and Seoul," said Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at the Center for the National Interest, formerly known as the Nixon Center. "Sending James Mattis certainly is a very clear signal that Washington is committed to South Korea's defense, now and in the future," he said. In Seoul, Mattis will hold talks with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo. Earlier this week, the two spoke by phone, during which Mattis reaffirmed the "U.S. commitment to defend the ROK and provide extended deterrence using the full range of U.S. capabilities," according to the Pentagon. Mattis also told Han that the U.S. will "stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the ROK forces" and the two sides agreed to take steps to strengthen the alliance further to defend against the evolving North Korean threat," according to the Pentagon. According to officials in Seoul, Mattis and Han also reaffirmed the planned deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in South Korea this year to defend against North Korean missile threats. China has denounced the upcoming deployment as detrimental to its security, despite repeated assurances from Washington and Seoul that the system is purely defensive. During his confirmation hearing last month, Mattis said the North's nuclear and missile development is "a serious threat and we've got to do something about it." Asked if "necessary force should be on the table" to deal with the threat, Mattis said, "I don't think we should take anything off the table." He is a strong advocate of alliances. In a message to Pentagon employees shortly after his confirmation, Mattis vowed to work closely with the State Department to strengthen our alliances, saying he recognizes "no nation is secure without friends." During the confirmation hearing, Mattis also said the U.S. is "stronger when we uphold our treaty obligations." Other topics that could come up during Mattis' talks with Han include defense cost-sharing. Trump pledged on the campaign trail to have wealthy allies like South Korea and Japan shoulder more of the cost of American troops stationed in the countries, saying the U.S. should prepared to withdraw the troops unless the allies agreed to pay more. Trump has toned down the campaign rhetoric since the election. Still, he spoke critically in his inauguration address of spending money to help defending allies, saying the U.S. has "subsidized the armies of other countries" and "defended other nations' borders." Mattis also said during his confirmation hearing that while the U.S. fulfills its treaty obligations, he expects "our allies and partners to uphold their obligations as well." Incoming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in his confirmation hearing that the U.S. "cannot look the other way at allies that do not meet their obligations." About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea to deter North Korean aggression, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. Seoul pays about half the costs, about $900 million a year, to help finance the troop presence. Many agree that the troop presence is also in line with U.S. interests in a region marked by China's rise. (Yonhap) Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn, right, and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis shake hands during a meeting at the Government Complex in Seoul, Thursday. / Joint press corps Korea-US defense talks will be held today By Jun Ji-hye U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis arrived in South Korea, Thursday, in his highly symbolic first overseas trip since taking office less than two weeks ago. Mattis said earlier that he chose South Korea as his first destination as the Seoul-Washington alliance is very significant amid growing North Korean threats. This was seen as an apparent effort to reassure key allies unsettled by U.S. President Donald Trump's accusation during his campaign that Seoul and Tokyo have been "free-riding" on U.S. security commitments. Trump has significantly toned down this rhetoric since his election and has talked increasingly about the importance of the alliance. Mattis's trip also includes a stopover in Japan, Friday. While staying here for two days, he is scheduled to hold talks with Defense Minister Han Min-koo, today, to discuss measures to better deal with the North's aggression as well as other challenging bilateral issues including the planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here. "I will talk to them about THAAD absolutely," Mattis told reporters shortly before landing in South Korea, according to The New York Times. "It is a defensive system. There is only one reason we would have this under discussion right now that is, North Korea's activities," he added. The retired Marine Corps general touched down at the U.S. Forces Korea's (USFK) air base in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, at around 12:30 p.m. and then moved to the USFK headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul. He received a briefing from USFK Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks on the security situation here including the latest developments in the North. The country's Vice Trade Minister Jeong Marn-ki was questioned by investigators Thursday over allegations a local doctor close to President Park Geun-hye's friend received undue business favors based on the confidante's ties to the President. The vice minister appeared at the office of the special investigation team in southern Seoul to undergo questioning over suspicions the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae was behind the state support given to Dr. Kim Young-jae's wife, Park Chae-yoon. Investigators are looking into the company run by the wife that received government research and development funding. The special counsel on Wednesday sought a warrant to formally detain the wife on charges of bribing former senior presidential secretary An Chong-bum, who is standing trial over alleged wrongdoings that surfaced following the outbreak of the scandal. Jeong is not the only high-level government official to be quizzed by the investigation team. Since its launch late last year, the special counsel has summoned a number of former and current ministers and ambassadors embroiled in the scandal. Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun, who was formally arrested last month, resigned in the process. Kim also underwent questioning by the investigators last month for treating the president with injections, based on his ties to Choi Soon-sil, without going through due safety checks. Choi, a longtime friend of the chief executive, is currently standing trial over a string of corruption charges. Earlier in the day, Choi appeared at the investigation team's office as it executed the second arrest warrant issued against her after she repeatedly declined to answer its summons. The writ, which the probe team executed Wednesday, is valid for 48 hours after it takes effect. The probe team, led by Independent Counsel Park Young-soo, has been accelerating its investigation into the scandal that led to President Park's impeachment last year. A police officer was called in to undergo questioning on the same day over allegations an ex-senior presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo exerted influence so his son, who was conscripted to serve with the police, could get an easy posting. (Yonhap) In controversial video footage that was revealed to have been manipulated, former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is seen to drink liquor in the middle of an ancestral ritual. / Screen capture from OBS Ban claims he fell victim to false reports during campaigning By Kim Se-jeong Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon claimed he had fallen victim to fake news. "My pure patriotism was damaged by slander and fake news," he said in a press conference Wednesday, shortly after announcing he would not run for the presidency. He may have been referring to either of two incidents, one being faked video footage of him at a traditional ceremony; the other involving falsified comments from his U.N. successor. Video footage shows him drinking liquor in the middle of an ancestral ritual drinking liquor during the ceremony is considered untraditional. As the video went viral, media outlets and critics mocked him as being out of touch with Korean society after 10 years in New York. It turned out the footage had been modified from the original version and was created to mock him. In the other hoax, new U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was incorrectly said to have criticized Ban for his presidential ambitions. Ahn Hee-jung, one of the presidential hopefuls from the liberal party, cited the fake news story while putting Ban down, according to news reports. Ahn later apologized. This wasn't the first time Ban was a victim since returning home from New York, Jan. 12. Meeting with conservative ruling Saenuri Party members two weeks ago, he reportedly urged lawmakers to enact laws to protect people from fake news. By Kim Rahn Moon Jae-in Forecasts are mixed about how the presidential race will unfold following the exit of former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was one of the strongest hopefuls. While some expect Moon Jae-in from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) will likely cement his lead over any other candidates from the conservatives and liberals, others believe that some of Moon's supporters may turn to other liberal candidates as the strongest conservative rival has gone. Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung, also a DPK candidate, said support for Moon will retract rather than expand. "Moon gained large support from liberal voters because of his strong rival, Ban. But as this rival has departed, liberal voters will choose a better candidate for regime change," Lee said in a radio interview Thursday. He said there is a ceiling for Moon's popularity. "Moon is overwhelmingly strong now, but he has limits in which to expand," Lee said. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party also said that the presidential race will be a battle between Moon and himself and he is confident of winning. "If people think of who is more suitable to reform Korea and prepare for the country's future, support for Moon will swiftly move toward me," Ahn said during a ceremony for the party's first anniversary in Seoul. "Voters will judge who can change the government and who can save the country. They want a leader who can put the past behind and prepare for thefuture." According to a poll conducted by Realmeter Wednesday, just after Ban renounced his bid for the presidency, Moon was leading the race but his support rating remained at 26.1 percent, while he used to enjoy more than 30 percent in previous surveys where Ban was included. Instead, the support for South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung, also from the DPK, rose to 11.1 percent from 6.4 percent a week before. Lee also garnered 9.9 percent, similar to the previous poll, while Ahn had 9.3 percent, up from 7.9 percent. The survey was conducted on 1,009 adults nationwide, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent. Some also expect Ban's exit will encourage conservative voters to unite and support other contenders to prevent Moon from being elected. Among conservative candidates, acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, and Rep. Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party are likely to be the beneficiaries: the poll showed Hwang's rating rose from 7.4 percent to 12.1 percent, jumping to second place just behind Moon. Yoo's approval rating also went up from 2.4 percent to 4.3 percent. A separate poll by the agency showed 20.4 percent of Ban supporters opted for Hwang after the former quit, and 10.9 percent chose Yoo. The ruling Saenuri Party, without its own potential candidate, has become more active in backing Hwang after Ban's exit, as the Prime Minister will be able to attract conservative voters. Hwang himself, however, has neither confirmed, nor denied a bid for the presidency. Chaebol lobby forced to support pro-Park groups By Kim Hyo-jin As the impeachment trial of President Park Geun-hye is heating up, her supporters mostly elderly people have taken to the streets to make their case and counter the much larger demonstrations calling for her removal from power. But evidence shows that organizers of the pro-Park rallies have received subsidies for years directly and indirectly through her administration. According to the independent counsel team looking into the presidential corruption scandal, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), the lobby for conglomerates, has been coerced into financing a dozen right-wing civic groups that support Park. Cheong Wa Dae held regular meetings between 2014 and 2016 with FKI officials to discuss how to sponsor conservative activists, the team claimed Wednesday. In a series of meetings, senior presidential secretaries for political affairs allegedly asked the participants to sponsor 10 far-right civic groups, including the Korea Parents Federation, the Korean Disabled Veterans Association by Agent-Orange in the Vietnam War, Moms Brigade and Zeitgeist, some of which have engaged in the ongoing rallies against Park's impeachment. The FKI took the role in determining the amount of funding that groups such as Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG should provide, according to the team. The team found a total of 7 billion won ($6 million) given by the four conglomerates was funneled into the civic groups over the past three years. The reports come as the FKI faces public calls to disband to take responsibility for its alleged role as a corrupt venue used by the government to extract funds from conglomerates. The lobby group has been investigated by the prosecution for having wired as much as 520 million won ($550,000) to the Korea Parents Federation between 2012 and 2014, in an apparent attempt to encourage its pro-government rallies. FKI Vice Chairman Lee Seung-cheol is being questioned by the independent counsel team for pressing 19 business groups to donate a total of 77.4 billion to the Mir and K-Sports foundations controlled by Choi Soon-sil, the President's confidant, under instructions from the presidential office. Lee reportedly complained of pressure on the FKI from Cheong Wa Dae to sponsor the right-wing civic movements, saying, "When Cheong Wa Dae specifically pinpointed 10 right-wing groups and asked for funds to support them, it was just impossible to refuse." Kim Ki-choon, former presidential chief of staff, is suspected of ordering then-senior presidential secretary for political affairs Park Joon-woo in early 2014 to raise funds to back right-wing civic groups and the FKI got involved following Park's demands, according to the team. This latest revelation came to light while Kim and former presidential secretaries were quizzed over the allegation that they created a blacklist of left-leaning artists and institutions, which was used to exclude them from government subsidies. The team said it plans to indict Kim on charges of abuse of power over the blacklist and is now considering applying extra charges of providing discriminatory support to rightist civic groups. Rightist groups tied to Park The Park Geun-hye government has been backed by certain civic groups every time it pushed for divisive policies, observers noted. The Korea Parents Federation and the Moms Brigade, accused of being funded by the conglomerates, were at the forefront of rallies backing the government's plan to introduce a state-authored history textbook when liberal parties and civic groups denounced the move. They also led protests to oppose salvaging the ferry Sewol, which sank in 2014, as well as extending the investigation into the incident, which claimed more than 300 victims. The Sewol disaster has driven President Park into a corner for most of her term, as her whereabouts for seven hours that day remain unknown and led to the image of her government as incompetent. The far-right civic groups are now participating in weekly protests in central Seoul in opposition to Park's impeachment. The controversy deepened after local broadcaster JTBC reported last week that presidential officials had pressured the Korea Freedom Federation, a rightist civic group, to "cooperate" by holding pro-government rallies. Quoting a former high-ranking official of the group, the broadcaster said Huh Hyun-joon, an official handling communications with the public at the presidential office, had been contacting him since Oct. 2015. This was when the Park administration started pushing for the state-authored history textbook. The broadcaster said in an additional report that participants of the anti-impeachment rallies are being paid, quoting a member of the pro-Park group who insisted he has mobilized protestors. The basic amount is 20,000 won and the price can be raised to 60,000 won in cold weather, and those who bring out a stroller can be paid 150,000 won, he said. By Ron Roman The American liberal media's reaction to the passing of U.S. Army Vietnam War "hero" Lawrence Colburn on December 13, 2016 has non-liberals like me scratching my bald head. For readers not familiar with much more than the latest news coverage of Beyonce's grinding gyrations or Kim Kardashian's antics, Lawrence Colburn was the last of three heroes of the March 16, 1968 My Lai massacre to die following the deaths of helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and crew chief Glenn Andreotta. My Lai: one of the saddest (and most sadistic) stories in the annals of U.S. military history. In a four-hour orgy of rape, torture, and sadism over 500 Vietnamese elderly men, women, children, and babies were butchered at the hands of U.S. soldiers. What makes the story remarkable was that Colburn, Thompson and Andreotta put their careers and lives on the line to stop further slaughter by confronting their fellow soldiers with their own machine guns. What makes the latest death of the last of these three heroes even more remarkable is the reaction and coverage of it by America's Mainstream (i.e., Liberal) Media. Essentially there wasn't any. Least not from what I saw and heard while in Korea or, when later researching this article, from what was broadcast and disseminated Stateside. Isn't it ironic that here in Korea only the U.S. Department of Defense's quasi-independent military paper, Stars and Stripes, would carry a feature article on it? There's no shortage of American media outlets in Korea these days. Google "My Lai's Lawrence Colburn Dies" and find not millions but a scant 151,000 hits. Yes, America's Big Three liberal newspapers, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, carried his story, but that was about it. Cleveland (Ohio) Channel 19 News covered it, though I didn't come across any other American national TV or Internet-based news network (like liberal msn.com), radio network, or magazine to do so. In fact, I didn't see or hear a word of it on any media outlet here in Korea: neither on any US military facility on-base, which I visit daily, or off. Not a word. None on any American Forces Network (AFN) channel. I say this because I'm pretty much a news junkie. I do remember well initial U.S. news coverage of My Lai and the sickening photos of slaughtered innocents lying bloodied and butchered on the ground. At the time I was a college kid and would later go on to become an American Army soldier and veteran myself before becoming a university professor. After a long cover-up, to the credit of the U.S. Army, Colburn, Thompson, and Andreotta were ultimately vindicated and viewed as heroes, albeit belatedly: Colburn was awarded the Bronze Star, Thompson the Distinguished Flying Cross. (Andreotta was killed in action shortly after the massacre.) An entire generation of Americans went sour on the American military. (As an undergraduate student I remember our university's ROTC lieutenant colonel getting jumped and beat up by five students.) To this day the memory of the aftermath of the Vietnam War haunts many of my countrymen. That American liberal media elites would virtually ignore Lawrence Colburn's passing in light of the fact that they gleefully pounce on any and all purportedly conservative-instigated "incidents," real or imagined, directed against racial minorities, Hillary Clinton, LBGT members, latte-sucking liberals, etc., says everything about them, eh? Let you readers judge for yourselves. War is hell, so the cliche goes. All soldiers are not decent, let alone saints. My Lai proved that, as if we didn't know it. Yet on March 16, 1968, in the village of My Lai, history would be witness to the making of three of the U.S. Army's greatest heroes, the last one to pass on December 13th of last year. Rest in Peace, Specialist Colburn. You deserve it. The writer has written miscellaneous articles for The Korea Times. He has taught English for the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) originally since 1996. He can most recently be seen acting as Admiral Forrest Sherman in the Korean War movie "Operation Chromite," featuring Liam Neeson. By Maija Rhee Devine As we into the new lunar year, we ponder what fortune the Rooster will bring us. According to a 2012 survey, 70 percent of Korean respondents had their fortunes read that year or planned to do so. Now, as South Korea, struck by a seismic political turmoil, writhes in death-throe moves, Koreans' anxiety levels may go off the charts. Fortunetellers' pocketbooks will fatten as they rise to the occasion and meet torrential demand. Even the face and palm readers, crouching in street and subway corners with signs for the "Four Pillars of Destiny," may earn more with baby naming, and marriage and job prospect consulting. Before tackling the fortune of one special group, the focus of this writing, let me share a story of a Yi Dynasty fortuneteller. Three Confucian scholars traveled to Seoul to take the civil service exam, the deal breaker for the successful lives of aristocratic men. They asked a fortuneteller, "Would you tell us if we will pass the exams?" After remaining silent a while, the sage held up one finger (not the middle one) and solemnly said, "In time, you'll come to know. The secret of Heaven cannot be divulged lightly." Puzzled, or perhaps each of them believing the one finger signified he would succeed, the scholars went their way. Having watched this, the sage's assistant asked, "Master, what is the meaning of the one finger? Does it mean only one of them will pass the exams?" "That is correct." "What happens if two of them succeed?" "Then, the finger means only one of them will fail the exams." "What if all three of them pass?" "That means not one of them will fail." The assistant had an "Aha" moment _ that the secret of Heaven is like the Owl of Minerva, which opens its wings only after dark. Heaven or the bird reveals itself only after certain events and circumstances have come to pass. As for the futures of the female babies waiting to burst into the world this year in South Korea, their chances look bright. The 2013 World Factbook sex-ratio-at-birth (SRB) chart that showed sharp rises in abortions of female fetuses in Horse years (1978 and 1990) presented the lowest rates in the Ox (1973), Snake (1977) and Monkey (1980) years. The rise in female fetus abortions in Horse years suggests expectant families' not wishing to have their girls develop less-ladylike characteristics associated with the Horse sign. In contrast, the traits for the Ox, Snake, and Monkey aligned with family desires for daughters with "feminine" leanings. So should the characteristics of the Rooster _ observant, hardworking, resourceful, courageous, talented and confident in themselves. The courage and confidence factors, though, might land the mind some unpleasantness. But since the chart recorded modest drops in female fetus terminations in past Rooster years of 1981, 1993 and 2005, one may remain cautiously optimistic. A 2016 update on female fetus abortions also shows a two-decade-long decline of more than 90 percent in Korea, from the 30,000 such procedures of 1994 that registered a dangerous SRB of 115 boys to 100 girls to 2016's 107 to 100. This is to 105 to 100, the norm desired by societies striving for gender balance. However, the 2016 figure indicates son preference still exists in Korea, causing female fetus terminations. Considering China's 2015 ratio of 118 to 100 and India's 1,000 boys to 887 girls in 2014 (with India's imbalance worsening), Korea's decline shines as a model. Perhaps, Koreans have come to see birth signs as no more accurate predictors than the ancient sage's one raised finger. Maija Rhee Devine is the author of an autobiographical novel about Korea, "The Voices of Heaven," and a poetry book, "Long Walks on Short Days. Write to maijadevine@gmail.com. Signs of reviving exports are offering hope for the country beset with various negative factors both at home and abroad. Exports rose 11.2 percent in January from a year earlier to $40.3 billion, the biggest jump in nearly two years. January marked the third straight month of export growth and it was the first time in over two years that exports have expanded for three months in a row. What's encouraging is that shipments to China, Korea's biggest trading partner, rose 13.5 percent the first double-digit gain in 41 months despite Beijing's retaliation following Seoul's decision to host an American anti-missile shield. Exports to Japan, the European Union and Southeast Asia were also brisk. Korea's exports fell 5.9 percent from a year earlier to $495.5 billion last year, but the trade ministry has set this year's export goal at $510 billion, up 2.9 percent from 2016. The trade ministry expects Korea to reclaim the $1 trillion trade milestone this year, which was unattainable in 2015 and 2016. Given that construction investment, which has spearheaded the Korean economy in recent years, is shrinking rapidly following the government's measures to stabilize the real estate market, there is no doubt that exports must play a role in revitalizing Korea Inc. again. But it's too early to be optimistic. That's because our export environment is murky in all aspects. U.S. President Donald Trump's de facto declaration of a currency war against China and Japan, in particular, is serious enough to unnerve Korea which has often been criticized for manipulating its currency by the United States. What is urgently needed is efforts to ease trade pressure from Washington by managing our trade surplus at an appropriate level. To reignite the embers of export recovery, it is necessary for businesses to diversify export items and markets. The government, for its part, should do whatever it can to bolster these efforts. Companies in flagship industries, which have been struggling with falling competitiveness, must waste no time in moving up-market. Needless to say, presidential hopefuls should compete fiercely to present concrete ways to boost exports, aware that Korea owes much of its prosperity to them. It is time for a competition of ideas, character Former U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has made the right decision by giving up his presidential bid. Ban should never have harbored ambitions for the nation's top elected office since a U.N. rule urges its former leaders to refrain from holding any governmental position immediately after retirement. For many reasons, it was wrong for him to hastily leap into a career in politics. His announcement to give this up confirmed in many people's minds that Ban just does not have the character to be a responsible statesman, whose key traits are perseverance and self-discipline. Rather than blaming his incompetence or lack of preparations, he blasted the media for its "fake news" and political slander as he listed the reasons for giving up on his "pure ambition" during an impromptu speech at the National Assembly Wednesday. But it is mainly his fault that he suffered a consistent drop in support in polls because his actions since is Jan. 12 arrival in Korea have only shown his shortcomings as a political novice, which resulted in an image of incompetence and dishonesty. It is the media's job to closely monitor potential presidential candidates and report on any irregularities. More than ever before, there is high emphasis on the need to properly verify candidates' backgrounds, and the media's role in this regard is crucial. The media was simply doing its job by asking whether Ban knew about his relatives' business irregularities, or whether he himself received bribes in the past from businessmen. Ban only distanced himself from the corruption allegations by saying he didn't know. He seemed to be unaware that in light of the long-running corruption scandal that has led to a presidential impeachment, Koreans expect a higher degree of ethics and responsibility from politicians and presidential candidates. Ban is also an unfit candidate to address the grave economic hardships faced by many Koreans. During a lecture last month, he told young people who don't have jobs to go out into the world and do some "volunteering." This kind of advice, which lacks a sense of reality, gave the impression that he has no idea of the problems that young people in Korea face these days. He also failed to present a specific vision to take Korea's economy to the next level, such as preparing for the 4th Industrial Revolution. The career diplomat sought to differentiate himself by stressing that he is able to speak English during a recent conference at the Press Center, lamenting that Korea has never had a President who is able to communicate with foreign leaders without a translator. Speaking English is important for leaders in any field, but it is not a core ability that Koreans look for in a president. After Ban's departure, the race for Cheong Wa Dae will heat up among the remaining presidential hopefuls. Now is the time for them to compete with ideas to advance Korea's economy and restore hope in the country's young people with more jobs, better education and the promotion of social justice. By Phil Flynn February 2, 2017 Reprints Crude oil prices are showing signs of breaking out to the upside as U.S. oil production falls for the second month in a row despite the following: expectations for an increase, OPEC record compliance to oil production cuts and because of a harder line on Iran by the Trump Administration. The Trump Administration put Iran on notice after they tested a missile that was a violation of Barack Obamas signature deal to try to convince Iran not to pursue a nuclear weapons. The missile that can carry a nuclear warhead not only violates the spirit of the deal but the deal altogether. The Trump Administration said that Iran, instead off thanking us for the billions of dollars we gave them and the lifting of sanctions, are only becoming more emboldened, and lets face it, more dangerous. The White House national security adviser, Michael Flynn, said that Recent Iranian actions, including a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Irans destabilizing behavior across the Middle East. He added that the Obama administration, failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actionsincluding weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms, and we condemn such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity, and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice. For the crude oil market, the risk premium will rise and, at the very least, we could see a new call for sanctions on Iran. Under a Trump Administration Iran may not get away with the havoc and supporting of terror like they did under Obama. This should start to add to the risk premium for oil, and in the beginning it should add about $1 to $2 a barrel. Story continues Crude oil shook off bearish Energy Information Administration (EIA) inventory numbers, because if you look beyond the headline numbers, the bearish narrative of rising U.S. oil output to astronomic levels is not panning out. The EIA headlines showed that crude supply rose 6.47 million barrels, gasoline at 3.87 million barrels, distillate at 1.57 million, supplies in Cushing, Okla., fell yet again by 1.25 million barrels and U.S. oil production fell for the second week in a row. Most of the crude oil build was on the Gulf Coast and were expecting that supply will start to fall when refiners come out of maintenance. U.S. output fell for the second week in a row to 8.915 million barrels a day. Last year we were producing 9.214 million barrels a day so we still have a way to go before we hit that level or exceed that level that many oil bears are counting on. It shows that when you add some rigs it only replaces other rigs that are already in production decline. Over time we will see production rise by 300,000 barrels from here but it is going to take some time! Winter is back in the Midwest, but will it stay? Natural gas is back to being a weather market. Because of the warm temperatures we look for withdraws to be a measly 76 bcf. But if the weather stays cold for a while we could see a return to record demand and withdrawals. About the Author Senior energy analyst at The PRICE Futures Group and a Fox Business Network contributor. He is one of the worlds leading market analysts, providing individual investors, professional traders, and institutions with up-to-the-minute investment and risk management insight into global petroleum, gasoline, and energy markets. His precise and timely forecasts have come to be in great demand by industry and media worldwide and his impressive career goes back almost three decades, gaining attention with his market calls and energetic personality as writer of The Energy Report. You can contact Phil by phone at (888) 264-5665 or by email at pflynn@pricegroup.com. Learn even more on our website at www.pricegroup.com. MrTopStep Group https://mrtopstep.com Questions: info@mrtopstep.com Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter For More Intra-Day Market Updates! https://www.facebook.com/mrtopstep https://twitter.com/MrTopStep (@MrTopStep) Dont Forget To Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel! Sign Up Here: http://www.youtube.com/mrtopstepgroup By Lee Hyo-sik Hyundai Motor has decided to rejoin the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Korea, as part of efforts to more effectively cope with U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionist trade policies. Korea's largest carmaker said Thursday it will rejoin the business network, established in 1953, to gather more information on U.S. policies and deliver its stance more actively to U.S. policymakers, politicians and business leaders. Hyundai was an AMCHAM member in 2008 when Korea and the United States were engaged in intense negotiations to conclude the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA). But since 2009, the company has not been part of the business association primarily representing the interests of U.S. businesses operating in Korea. It has about 700 members, 40 percent of which are non-U.S. firms. "We notified AMCHAM of our intent to become member again last December," a Hyundai Motor official said. "We are now doing all the paperwork to become a member again. We will soon rejoin AMCHAM." The carmaker decided to be part of the lobby group to secure a new channel with the U.S. government and business circles, the official said. "We have been directly exchanging opinions with American politicians and business leaders. We also often deliver our stance to Korean government officials and ask them to reflect our opinions in trade policies," he said. "We believe AMCHAM will be another effective communication channel with the U.S. and help us conduct business there. We cannot say the Trump presidency did not cause us to rejoin AMCHAM." AMCHAM hailed Hyundai's latest decision, saying it wants more large Korean companies as members. "We represent not only American firms operating in Korea, but also Korean businesses in the U.S.," an AMCHAM spokeswoman said. "We believe we are an optimal channel for Korean companies seeking to convey their voices to U.S. policymakers and politicians. We want more big Korean companies to work with us." Hyundai's move comes at a time when President Trump is pressing American and non-American carmakers to produce cars in the U.S. if they want to sell them to American consumers. Trump has threatened to slap a "border tax" on vehicles imported to the U.S. from Mexico and other countries. Over the past month, Ford and General Motors, but also Volvo, Toyota and other non-American companies have given in to threats from Trump. On Jan. 17, Hyundai Motor President Chung Jin-haeng told reporters from foreign news outlets that the carmaker will invest 3.6 trillion won ($3.1 billion) in the U.S. over the next five years, up from $2.1 billion during the previous five-year period. Chung even hinted at building its second plant in the U.S. Hyundai operates a manufacturing facility in the U.S. state of Alabama, capable of producing 370,000 cars annually, while its affiliate Kia Motors manufactures 340,000 a year at its Georgia plant. Kia stands to be more impacted by the new U.S. administration's protectionism as it runs a plant in Mexico. Last September, Kia also opened a plant in Monterrey, Mexico, capable of producing 400,000 vehicles a year. It manufactures the K3 compact sedan and other popular models, most of which are shipped to and sold in the U.S. By Nam Hyun-woo A Seoul court decided Thursday to end the bankruptcy protection of Hanjin Shipping, bringing the world's No. 7 shipping company to an end. Seoul Central District Court ruled to end the receivership, which the shipper filed for Aug. 31, and will receive opinions from creditors for the next two weeks. Though the period is for an appeal, it is non-binding and the court will likely rule for liquidation, Feb. 17. The decision came after the court finished selling off Hanjin's key assets, including its 20 percent stake in Total Terminals International LLC (TTI), a U.S. port terminal operator, to domestic rival Hyundai Merchant Marine. Another key asset, an Asia-North America shipping route, was acquired by Samra Midas Group, which created a new container line SM Shipping. Hanjin shares have now been suspended from trading on the domestic bourse. The court's decision came after a report by Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which was appointed to assess Hanjin's financial status. Samil PwC said: "the liquidation value of the shipping company stands at 1.8 trillion won ($1.57 billion), but its going concern value could not be assessed because of high uncertainty." Should the liquidation ruling be upheld, Hanjin, the country's No. 1 shipper since its foundation in 1977, will no longer exist. The shipping firm's crisis started after the 2008 global financial crisis. As the slump in the global shipping industry became protracted, the company hit a liquidity crisis; and then-Chairwoman Choi Eun-young could not rescue it. Hanjin suffered losses amounting to hundreds of billions of won from 2013 and saw its vessels seized as it failed to pay rental costs. After it filed for a court receivership, its fleet was stranded and ships were seized, causing serious chaos around the world. This dealt a heavy blow to Hanjin's business network and led its key workforce to leave. The remaining fallout from the shipper's liquidation is a looming massive layoff. At the end of the third quarter last year, there were 1,356 registered Hanjin employees. Adding those at related or partner companies, the number of people affected is estimated to stand at 3,000. Baek Bok-in A local court on Thursday acquitted the head of the country's leading tobacco maker of receiving some tens of millions of won in bribes from a lobbyist for striking a deal with an advertising agency, citing a lack of evidence. The Seoul Central District Court found Baek Bok-in, who led KT&G Corp. from 2015, not guilty of receiving 55 million won ($47,000) from the person, surnamed Kwon, between 2011 and 2012 in return for securing a contract with the company. "The testimony made by the briber lacks credibility," the court said. "It is hard to say that the criminal allegations have been proven without leaving any room for reasonable doubt." Baek, 51, was also acquitted of helping a witness related to a case on his predecessor Min Young-jin flee the country in 2013 while an investigation was under way. "KT&G employees, including Baek, had been thinking that the suspicions surrounding Min were not problematic and the case actually ended without indictment in August 2014," the court said. Separately, Min is standing trial at an appeals court after he was found not guilty of receiving some hundreds of millions of won in bribes from his subordinates and business partners. The Seoul court had freed him of the charges, also citing a lack of credibility in the bribers' statements. (Yonhap) American Shawols must be thrilled since the five amazing boys of SHINee will be visiting two U.S cities in March! They had two successful fanmeets last year in Chicago and Dallas and now they're back for their fist ever solo concert in the USA. The two lucky cities are Dallas and Los Angeles! More specifically: DALLAS Friday, March 24, 2017 Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie LOS ANGELES Sunday, March 26, 2017 Shrine Auditorium The tickets will go on sale on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 10 AM (Venue's Local Time). 10 AM (CST) - Dallas 10 AM (PST) - Los Angeles Seating charts and ticket links will be available in the coming weeks. You can get your tickets at www.axs.com Last year, SHINee released a retro inspired album titled "1 of 1" with a title track of the same name, followed by the repackaged version "1 and 1 with "Tell Me What To Do" serving as the title track. Most recently they released the Japanese single "Get the Treasure", their first song of 2017. It's a pre-release track of their new Japanese album "Five" which will be released on February 22, although the album was made available digitally in Japan on January 27. Fans will get to listen to SHINee's old and new songs. Don't miss the chance to see Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho and Taemin in person! crowd In wealthy countries, rates of premature death tend to go down as we improve health care and promote healthy behavior. As young people stop smoking and get treatment for diseases like HIV, they're less likely to die early, as has been the general trend in the US and other wealthy countries for about the past 40 years, from 1970 to 2010. So it's a bit disturbing to hear that premature death rates have been on the rise for certain 30-year-old populations in the US over the past 15 years or so. Premature mortality rates in the US are on the rise for white individuals (women especially), American Indians, and Alaska Natives, according to a study published January 26 in The Lancet. That increase is driven by accidental deaths like drug overdoses, liver disease and cirrhosis largely caused by alcohol abuse, and suicide. "Death at any age is devastating for those left behind, but premature death is especially so, in particular for children and parents," said senior study author Amy Berrington of the National Cancer Institute in a press release. The study, which analyzed death certificate data ranging from 1999 to 2014, found that mortality rates for 30-year-old white women rose up to 2.3% per year over that time period; those for 30-year-old white men rose .6% per year; annual rates for 30-year-old Native Americans rose 4.3%; and rates for 30-year-old Alaska Natives rose 1.9% per year. For white Americans, that represents a reversal, but the authors write that premature death rates for middle-aged American Indians and Alaska Natives have risen for every birth cohort since 1948. The researchers write that these sorts of increases are "extremely unusual in high-income countries." They say increases this high are on par with premature mortality spikes at the height of the AIDS epidemic in the US (mid-80s to mid-90s) or in Russia in the post-economic crisis late-1990s. crowd Some improvements in mortality rates However, the study also found some important improvements in mortality rates over the same time period. Story continues Premature death rates for Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific Islanders (already all lower than other groups) continued to fall throughout this 1999-2014 range, resulting in 112,000 fewer premature deaths in Hispanics aged 25 to 64 and 34,000 fewer premature deaths among Asians and Pacific Islanders. Even more impressively, premature death rates for black Americans decreased up to 3.9% per year, resulting in 311,000 fewer deaths among individuals aged 25-64. This narrows the gap between black and white Americans, though death rates among black Americans were still 1.5 times higher than those of white Americans in the 2011-2014 time period, one of the most recent spans that the study included data from. These improvements were largely due to public health successes in getting people treatment for HIV and in lowering smoking rates. "[T]here is an urgent need for aggressive actions targeting emerging causes of death, namely drug overdoses, suicide, and liver disease," said lead study author Meredith Shiels, also of the National Cancer Institute. By tracking these death rates we can see what sorts of interventions are working and find the groups that most need new interventions. Berrington explains the motivation for this research with a quote from her mentor, the epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll, saying "Death in old age is inevitable, but death before old age is not." NOW WATCH: The US government just sank a giant ship on purpose and the footage is amazing More From Business Insider SMYRNA, Del. (AP) -- Inmates at a Delaware prison took four corrections department workers hostage Wednesday, a move the inmates told a local newspaper was due to concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later, leaving authorities negotiating into the evening for the last two being held. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. Bratz initially said five employees were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said 27 inmates also had left the building over the course of the evening. Authorities don't know "the dynamics of the takeover" or whether those inmates had been held against their will, Coupe said. One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasn't immediately available. Earlier in the day, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." Story continues That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Coupe said authorities had been communicating with the hostage-takers via radio. He also noted that inmates in Building C have access to television and could be watching the news conference live. "We'd like to tell them we want to resolve this peacefully," he said. Coupe declined to comment when asked about the phone calls to the News Journal. but said a dialogue about issues at the prison could happen later. "Once this matter is resolved safely, then that will be the time to talk if the inmates want to talk about conditions, privileges, those types of things," he said. Delaware Gov. John Carney spoke briefly, saying he had talked with the hostages' families. "As you can imagine, it's been very difficult for them as well," the new Democratic governor said. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate there raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours at the Smyrna prison, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. Dover attorney Stephen Hampton, who has represented state inmates in civil rights cases, said complaints have increased in the past year from inmates systemwide about substandard medical care and poor record-keeping. Hampton also said that pretrial inmates at Vaughn and other facilities are locked up for much of the day, without access to gyms or libraries, because rules prohibit mixing pretrial and sentenced inmates. "There gets to be a tremendous pressure on these inmates," who sometimes make deals just to get out, Hampton said. ___ AP writers Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Virginia, and David Dishneau in Hagerstown, Maryland, contributed to this report. ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2017 / Dominovas Energy Corporation (OTC PINK: DNRG) announced this morning that it is in formal negotiations with local partners in India and Indonesia to secure power generation projects in these countries. Last year, Dominovas Energy conducted and completed a market analysis in both countries and verified that there is a tremendous growth and commercial potential for the advancement of the proliferation of its RUBICONTM fuel cell energy generating system. The support at the government and local level for an energy-efficient and commercially viable power generation system is sufficient, viable, and conducive for the RUBICONTM deployment in India and Indonesia. The effort has been ongoing and is being led by Dominovas Energy's Executive Vice President for Fuel Cell Operations, Dr. Shamiul Islam who is originally from Bangladesh. The formal negotiations with the local partners, as led by Dr. Islam, have allowed the company to identify specific opportunities for timely engagement in terms of evaluating project size, location, fuel price, and availability in addition to government support. Supporting the opportunities will be the execution of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), requisite financial and bank guarantees, along with bankable government supported Power Provider Agreements (PPAs). In aggregate, the potential project opportunity and market penetration is greater than 25MW per year for the RUBICONTM deployment in these markets. Dr. Islam noted, "We will continue to expand within this market, as I know and have experienced firsthand the need and significant demand for the RUBICONTM. I am very pleased that we were able to evaluate business opportunities with our local partners in India and Indonesia in a very short period of time. India and Indonesia have long had a history of accepting and benefitting from advanced technologies. The RUBICONTM has been embraced with open arms, which is a testament as to why both India and Indonesia continue to be tech industry leaders and innovators. Having highly-educated and informed local partners, government support and infrastructure in place, Dominovas Energy will press forward for the deployment of its RUBICONTM system in both India and Indonesia." Chief Operating Officer and President of the Fuel Cell Division, Michael Watkins, noted, "As an energy solutions company, it is important that Dominovas Energy continues to advance the delivery of our RUBICONTM systems not only in Africa, but worldwide, wherever opportunities exist. A diverse client base platforms and positions Dominovas Energy for the maturing of the supply chain of the RUBICONTM fuel cell that is necessary for us to expect and realize a future and ongoing revenue stream in the near future. This strategy is consistent with, and furthers our mandate to become a profitable global energy leader." Story continues About Dominovas Energy Corporation (DNRG) Founded in 2005, Dominovas Energy Corporation (DEC) is a publicly traded company, based in Nevada. With its operating headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Dominovas Energy Corporation is a leading power solutions provider to emerging markets around the world. DEC seeks to deploy its proprietary RUBICON Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology, the ORCAS hydro systems and sourced clean coal technology for deployment in multi-megawatt power generation units worldwide. The worldwide need of clean and efficient production and distribution of is well documented. this need and the energy deficit worldwide Dominovas Energy recognizes that worldwide, markets offer immense potential for commercial. Dominovas Energy is aggressively moving to allocate its intellectual and financial capital forthwith, in order to strategically address this opportunity. By engaging throughout of the world, Dominovas Energy is committed to creating shareholder value by not only generating guaranteed revenue streams, but also by increasing the value of "human and community capital." Devoted to core values by operating under the utmost of honesty and integrity in all its business transactions, Dominovas Energy is additionally dedicated to respecting the rights of all individuals, while acknowledging and respecting all cultures necessary to support the growth and development of the communities and countries in which it operates. The Company strongly believes that the impact of advanced "energy" technology can and will positively change the world, and Dominovas Energy is resolute in its mission to provide electricity where and when economically viable. For more information, visit www.dominovasenergy.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release, as well as other statements made by Dominovas Energy Corporation (the "Company"), contain forward-looking statements that reflect, when made, the Company's current views with respect to current events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the Company's operations and business environment, which may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from any future results. All statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or the Company's strategies or expectations are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as is applicable would be discussed under captions as follows: "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's filings as would be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect the Company. It should be remembered that the price of the ordinary shares and any income from them can go down as well as up. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Media and Investor Contact: QualityStocks Scottsdale, Arizona www.QualityStocks.com 480.374.1336 Office Editor@QualityStocks.net Investor Questions: ir@dominovasenergy.com SOURCE: Dominovas Energy Corporation Congo opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi died this week. Kinshasa, DR Congo On the evening of Feb. 1, Etienne Tshisekedi died in hospital in Brussels, leaving behind a gaping hole in the facade of the Congolese opposition. Tshisekedis passing has opened vacancies for the presidencies of both the Democratic Republic of Congos largest and oldest opposition party and the Rassemblement, a political coalition united around the ambition of removing from power Joseph Kabila, who has led the country since 2001. It was in the latter decades of Tshisekedis 84-year long life that he earned a reputation as a stubborn and implacable foe to three consecutive presidents: Mobutu Sese Seko, the flamboyant dictator who ruled from 1965 to 1997; Laurent Kabila, the rebel leader who chased out his predecessor and was shot by a bodyguard four years later; and his son, the current head of state. It wasnt always so. In the 1960s Tshisekedi was a minister in Mobutus government and helped the then-president turn Zaire, as the country then was, into a one-party state. In 1980 Tshisekedi broke with Mobutu, denouncing his kleptocratic and dictatorial regime in an open letter, and two years later co-founded the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the party he would dominate until his last day. Every day of my life I dream of becoming president, Tshisekedi once said. He decided to contest the 2011 polls following a lengthy European absence for undisclosed medical reasons. He then declared Kabilas subsequent victory fraudulentobservers agree that the electoral process was littered with irregularitiesbefore proclaiming himself the rightful president and ordering all successful UDPS parliamentary candidates to not take up their seats. Amid rumours of health problems, Tshisekedi was flown to Brussels in August 2014 and stayed there for almost two years. He returned to the DRC in mid-2016 shortly after the formation of the Rassemblement and his final six months reminded everyone that even a weakened Tshisekedi had a star power unmatched by any other politician (with the possible exception of the currently exiled Moise Katumbi). Huge seething crowds welcomed him home to Kinshasa last July and his rare ceremonial appearances have been eagerly anticipated. Story continues For those who stand in opposition to President Kabilathe politicians of the Rassemblement and indeed most CongoleseTshisekedis death is certainly sorrowful but also extremely inopportune. The constitution limits Kabila to two terms and the president should have handed over power to his successor last Dec. 19. Elections scheduled for Nov. 2016 have been postponed and the incumbent has opted to remain in office until polls can be held. The government has attributed the delay to a variety of logistical and financial obstacles but the regimes adversaries detect a deliberate effort to undermine the electoral commission. Many believe the president is playing for time while he unearths a means of altering the constitution and doing away with term limits. This widespread distrust meant that observers were simultaneously thrilled and suspicious on New Years Eve when Kabilas ruling alliance signed an agreement with the Rassemblement and another opposition coalition which paves the way for elections in 2017. The signatories also undertook not to tinker with the constitution and the deal recognized Tshisekedis pre-eminence by appointing him to lead the committee tasked with overseeing the application of the deal. The ailing Tshisekedis leadership has been largely symbolic. He may not have played an active role, either in securing the agreement or trying to ensure its implementation, but his support for the process has been important. Many Congolese seem to be fed up with Kabila and think he should have stepped down on Dec. 19. The protracted horse-trading risks appearing a self-interested stitch-up cooked up by the powerful. Tshisekedis status as a principled and unwavering oppositionist provided the talks with credibility and helped check popular cynicism. It will likely grow without him. Sign up for the Quartz Africa Weekly Brief the most important and interesting news from across the continent, in your inbox. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: Shawn Bouley, 40, of Reeds Spring, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident after he said he was driving a car that hit and killed a man in Springfield. Until the day after the crash, Bouley was a Stone County sheriff's deputy. Bouley is not charged for the death of Bradley Bizzle but Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson says the case is still open. Bizzle, 45, lived in Springfield since last summer after his family says he moved here from eastern Missouri to get a new start on his life. The hit-and-run crash on National Avenue near Cherry Street was just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22. The northbound car that hit Bizzle did not stop and Springfield police did not find it until the next day. It was at Bouley's home in Reeds Spring. Springfield police found the car and Bouley after getting a call from Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader the next day, about 11 a.m. Rader said one of his employees told him that he "hit a guy in Springfield last night when he was drunk," according to the probable cause statement used as the basis of the charges against Bouley. When a detective met with Bouley that day, according to the probable cause statement against him, he said he was heading north on National at about 35 to 40 miles per hour "when he heard a loud noise and realized his vehicle had struck something. Bouley said he thought the object was something large, possibly a dog or a human, but he did not stop to look because he was 'scared.' "Bouley further explained he feared the object was a human. He stated he was scared to stop because he was 'drunk' or 'buzzed.' Bouley said he woke up the following morning and read the news of the fatal pedestrian crash . . . (and) knew it was him. According to Bouley, he looked at the front of his car and saw it was damaged. Bouley said he then called a co-worker and the Stone County Sheriff to inform them of the situation. Bouley said he was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the crash," the probable cause statement says. Detectives found multiple areas of damage on Bouley's car that seemed to indicate it had hit a person. They seized the car, according to a search warrant affidavit filed last week in Greene County Circuit Court. They sent evidence collected from the car to the state Crime Lab, which could take several months to analyze it. Rader said Wednesday that Bouley resigned the day after the crash, the same day that Springfield detectives interviewed him. Rader said Bouley had been a deputy for seven months. If Bouley is convicted of leaving the scene of an accident, he could get a prison sentence up to four years and/or a fine up to $10,000. A Greene County judge set his bond at $5,000. A prosecutor filed a second-degree involuntary manslaughter charge against a Dairy Queen restaurant manager accused of bullying a 17-year-old employee who killed himself. A special prosecutor filed the charge on Wednesday against Harley Branham, 21, who testified before a coroner's jury that she never bullied the boy before his death in December in Howard County. Other witnesses said the boy was bullied for years at school and at work. The charge was recommended by a jury assembled in a rare investigation requested by the local coroner. The process, called a coroner's inquest, is similar to a grand jury investigation but public. Jurors heard hours of testimony from 20 witnesses before recommending the charge on Tuesday. Jurors also concluded that negligence from the store in Fayette and the Glasgow School District contributed to the boy's death. The Howard County coroner says he sought the inquest because he thought it important to publicly acknowledge that bullying was a problem. The manager testified she never bullied or humiliated the teen, and he never seemed bothered by jokes. Other witnesses testified the boy had been bullied for years at school and at work before he shot himself outside his family's home. A boy has been shunned by society because of an acute skin disease which is slowly turning him into stone. Mehendi Hassan, eight, does not have tender hands like other young children his age. Instead, the youngster from Bangladesh is covered with painful scaly skin all over his body apart from his face. His torso and limbs are covered in thick layers of skin that make it difficult for him to walk. Little Mehendi struggles to wear clothes as even slightest of friction to his skin is excruciating and tragically stays at home all day because his appearance terrifies other children in the village. His mother Jahanara Begum said: Other children detest him. People find him filthy because of his condition. He has been home for eight years because whenever he goes out, villagers get scared and say bad things to him. It upsets him so I keep him at home. He always cries out in pain. It is devastating to see him suffering. But 12 days after his birth, his parents noticed minor rashes in his body. However the illiterate couple ignored it believing they were mosquito bites. But soon the rash spread from his heel to abdomen and within three months, his finger, chest and back turned into thick, scaly skin. Frustrated and soon out of money, they eventually stopped his treatment. Abul Kalam Azad said: No doctor could diagnose the disease. They all say he suffers from a rare skin disease but no one has been able to cure him. I have no money left. Whatever little I could earn from driving a van, I spent it on his treatment. Doctors, who have examined Hassan believe his case is severe but are unsure of the condition and the causes. Dr Mohammad Emdadul Haque, child specialist, said: He was brought to us for treatment. The patient is suffering from a rare kind of skin disease. We do not receive such cases normally. It is hard to say what he is suffering from. We have referred him to advanced skin specialists. With no treatment and growing bizarre condition, Hassan is forced to live as a pariah in his village as no one likes to even glance at him. He does not play or study at schools because teachers turned him away as his appearance terrified pupils. The mother is now pleading government to help her son find a doctor who can treat him and give him riddance from the pain. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates A Zimbabwean woman gave birth to a frog-like creature before being ordered to burn its corpse in front of horrified villagers. Precious Nyathi, from the village of Gokwe, in the north west of the country, was eight months pregnant when she went into labour. But her husband, Mr Nomore, was left baffled when the 36-year-old gave birth to something strange which resembled an amphibious creature. The baby later died in hospital before village elders ordered that the frog-like creature be burnt in front of residents. Nomore, 39, is quoted as saying: I rushed home and was shocked to see a frog that my wife had delivered. At the hospital they confirmed she went into labour but were equally shocked. Despite receiving medical attention, the baby later died at Gokwe District Hospital, according to local news website, The Herald. Shocking pictures show the tiny body lying on a piece of paper on the ground. Mrs Nyathi later told reporters: I was expecting a child and this is what the heavens gave us. Its a hellish experience that will haunt me all my life. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates A Syngenta logo is pictured in their office in Singapore, February 12, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - ChemChina [CNNCC.UL] is set to secure conditional EU antitrust approval for its $43 billion bid for Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta (SYNN.S), the largest foreign acquisition by a Chinese company, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The deal is important for China, the world's largest agricultural market, which is seeking to secure the food supply for its huge population. Syngenta's portfolio of top-tier chemicals and patent-protected seeds would boost its potential output. The Chinese state-owned company has agreed to minor concessions to allay the European Commission's concerns over its takeover of the world's largest pesticides maker. Regulators had been worried that the deal may lead to higher prices and fewer choices for farmers. ChemChina will divest a couple of national product registrations, including existing products and a few in the pipeline, in more than a dozen EU countries, one of the people said. The products are generally from ChemChina unit and Israeli crop protection company Adama while a few are from Syngenta, the person said. No plants, facilities or personnel are involved. Adama is the largest supplier of generic crop protection products in Europe. Commission spokesman Ricardo Cardoso declined to comment. It was not immediately possible to reach ChemChina for a comment outside regular office hours. Syngenta said it has not been notified of any decision by the Commission. The Commission may announce its approval next month, ahead of its scheduled April 12 deadline, the source said. Syngenta shares were 0.45 percent higher at 426.4 Swiss francs in late trade. The deal has already been approved by a U.S. national security panel. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, additional reporting by Adam Jourdan in Shanghai and Oliver Hirt in Zurich; Editing by Keith Weir) OPINION / GUEST COMMENTARY: I just watched a documentary on public television about Rachael Carson and her world-changing work Silent Spring, with descriptions of her life and how she fell in love with the ocean when she first saw it as a young woman, having been raised inland. Then I learned about how she spent lots of quality time on the Maine coast, observing, in particular, tidal pools, which, evidently, were great because of the large tides and the diagonal rock structures that interacted with the sea there. It reminded me of my own experience as a young child as I explored the La Jolla beaches and tidal pools. Ive seen reference to them in, for instance, Cannery Row, the film about a scientist/collector who went to La Jolla for specimens. I remember, so vividly, like Im still there, what the La Jolla tidal pools were like back in the late 1950s extraordinary visages of deep, crystal-clear tidal pools, like amazing jewelry, as they were absolutely teeming with the most colorful life and beauty imaginable. A 7- or 10-year-old could absorb his whole mind and being into those myriad fairyland pools and find an endless source of fascination with how intensely, achingly beautiful it all was. The beaches were strewn with shells of all sorts and seaweed clusters here and there, and that was fun, but the tidal pools contained, for those short amounts of time during low tide, the actual live creatures that provided the bits of shells. What did I see? Hermit crabs galore were scurrying around in their various shell-homes, little spiral castles that looked pretty expensive and seemed to be what they were made of, but, then one could see the actual shell creatures that provided the crabs their homes. They glommed onto the rocks with their suction-cup mouths, along with little abalones all over the place, tentacles of some sort coming out of the shoelace holes and, even young, were hard to pry off the stone tables. There were little fish so colorful that it hurt the brain to think how they got to be so totally blue or yellow or striped, and then rock fish of various sorts milled around, looking like they had the souls of crags. There were all kinds of starfish skinny and tiny, or bulbous and strong-footed with myriad bumps. There were urchins of all sizes with their pointy spikes bristling like wild hairdos. There were purple sea cucumbers we liked to carefully poke to see their clouds emitted and waft around in technicolor for the gifted child (myself included). Then there were seaweed and the anemones, the mussels, the other mollusks, some segmented with chain mail, some volcanic, some like elongated clams and scalloped. The sand was pure. The water so clear you could see everything as if encased in crystal. In the background were endless crabs, emitting little permanent-seeming bubbles for amusement and sound effects, and threatening enough to scare a kid. There were a few seals and sea lions to swim around with, and there were, of course, sea gulls and other sea birds hovering around. The beauty and drama was like a magnet, drawing the child in and frightening him at the same time. Will the anemone suck the finger and never let it go? Will the fish sting? Will a tiger shark, an eel or a sea snake rush out and bite? Will a big wave come and tangle us all up together in a big swirl? Will some new critter, even more colorful show up like that neon one did yesterday, a first? What is edible? We lived in the great short canopy of tangled shrubs in the center of the park, playing there for hours at a time. And everything had a lovely patina of rust. There was no cold, unfriendly stainless steel to offend the eye. No background odor that continually offends. No abandoned infrastructure that looks like came from a long-lost derelict traveling carnival. No poop of all kinds everywhere everything scrubbed by nature and clean as a whistle. When I visited again last year as a 60-something visiting artist spending lots of time with my camera, I was baffled to think about how the tidal pools were almost devoid of life, the rocks were covered with droppings, the smell was overwhelming, the aesthetics of the handrails and other infrastructure was staggeringly thoughtless. (Did you ever think about getting some real artists involved in the trappings of what was once a world-class destination?) Gee whiz, you guys! What happened to you? And how did you let this happen? I think about the funds and intelligence you must have to take care of The Jewel of a place and the deep pockets around you, and I conclude, La Jolla has been taken over by something like the Mob or powers that dont know any better or just have plain bad taste and poor judgment. The child who remembers such beauty feels the humans did what Rachael Carson was warning about in just some other, more bizarre way than she envisioned children lost in the desert with water all around them. You, as we say around here, Dont seem to know the difference between a rat turd and a pinon nut! I hope you find some way to restore the natural balance and aesthetics to your lost paradise. Good luck! Thor Sigstedt is a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The environmentalist writes a blog at thor-sigstedt.blogspot.com By Anjuli Davies, Andrew MacAskill and John O'Donnell LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Regulators in European countries competing for post-Brexit banking business are offering London-based banks a range of short-term workarounds to help them relocate, bankers, regulators and lawyers say. Global banks have warned they might have to move their European bases from Britain if its departure from the European Union means they lose "passporting" rights to operate across the bloc under the supervision of just one member state's regulator. Brexit negotiations have yet to start and will take years but big centres like Frankfurt and Paris, as well as smaller ones like Dublin, Amsterdam and Luxembourg, are encouraging banks, insurers and fund managers to consider moving to them. Financial watchdogs have told banks they will need to create more than so-called brass plate operations; they will have to have a certain amount of capital, senior staff on the ground and approved risk models to get a licence to operate across the EU. They are looking at ways to make the transition easier, however by allowing institutions which typically have very complex operations to move fewer jobs and assets over from Britain in the near term. Proposals outlined to Reuters by people involved in talks between regulators and banks include 'back-to-back' trades, where a deal done on the continent could be processed in London, and licensing certain activities more quickly than usual. "Various jurisdictions are going to try to make it as attractive as possible to set up there," said Mark Compton, a financial services lawyer at Mayer Brown in London. "They will try to be as flexible and accommodating where they can. But it will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the appetite of the regulator and the constraints put on them by central authorities." DISCRETION While the European Central Bank is chiefly responsible for supervising big banks in the euro zone, national authorities such as Bafin do much of the day-to-day supervision, especially of smaller lenders. The ECB must first grant the license for, say, a London-based bank that wants to move operations to Frankfurt. Bafin could afterwards show some flexibility in its supervision, so long as this is in line with European rules. German regulator Bafin met about 50 envoys from roughly 25 foreign banks on Monday to explain how they could move business to Europe's biggest economy after Britain leaves the European Union. Many asked how large a German operation should be to win the regulator's blessing. Bafin's Peter Lutz, who met the banks, said after the gathering that it would take into account that a bank was gradually building up its business, as long as the plan was to eventually establish a substantial operation. Bafin could adjust its demands, for example, as to how many people must be based in, say, Frankfurt or how much capital is needed at the outset. "We are talking about big internationally active banks," he told reporters, adding that he was open to arrangements during a gradual transition from London to Germany. "Naturally, we can talk about transitional arrangements." One official said one such possibility is the limited and temporary use of so-called 'back-to-back' arrangements, where a bank in Germany gives, say, a loan on the continent but processes it through its London head office. "Part of the new strategy (of Bafin) is to show banks that the regulator is open to speak and discuss new policy tools for foreign banks," the official familiar with the matter told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "The overall question with regulators is how far can services be outsourced to London initially." This could help banks in London stagger the migration of staff and systems. INTERIM FIX French regulators have also spoken to banks about simplifying and accelerating the licensing process for financial institutions considering moving operations due to Brexit. "Banks are doing contingency planning, which means that in a very short period of time they will need to transfer some quite significant operational and IT teams," a source at a French financial regulator said. "It is logical that it will happen in a progressive way and that technical constraints are taken into account (by a regulator)." Irish regulators, too, are considering the practical and logistical constraints firms face in having to do a number of things in a relatively short time frame, Gerry Cross, Director of Policy and Risk at Ireland's Central Bank said last week. "We are open to thinking constructively about how this practical sequencing challenge might be addressed, how things might be arranged so that the various objectives can be met, without of course undermining our commitment to our responsibilities," Cross said. European regulators need to clarify which transitional arrangements will be approved and offer flexibility on an 'interim fix' at the onset of the Brexit process or risk disruption to financial markets, the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) industry body said in report this week. "Some banks are also considering migration to a short-term or transitional way of operating in order to be ready for Brexit," the report, which analysed the Brexit planning measures of 15 banks of varying sizes and from different home regions. "Their plans are therefore dependent upon regulatory approvals for transitional operating arrangements." Investment banks with large sales and trading operations, which buy and sell foreign exchange, debt, equities and other financial instruments for clients across Europe, require specialised talent and regulators who are familiar with sometimes esoteric financial instruments. Approving for example, complex internal risk models used by banks to calculate risk on their balance sheets, requires expertise and can have an impact on how much capital needs to be held to back risky assets. This is another area regulators could initially be flexible on, lawyers say, given that some regulators need to build up their own expertise on the issue. If these workarounds are approved, it would mean more banking staff and assets would stay in Britain for the short-term and UK regulators, used to supervising complex investment banks, would continue to have an influential role over the EU's financial markets. The banks are making the most of the competition. "Lots of member states are very keen to have financial firms," said one banking source speaking on condition of anonymity as discussions are private. "We are doing a lot of work with different regulators on accepting various solutions and interim arrangements. Regulators are having to be a little imaginative. For now, regulators say they will require senior risk managers in situ as well as some infrastructure, but staffing could be built up over time whilst banks scout for offices and local staff. "There is the expectation by regulators of substance on the ground," said one legal source. "The million dollar question is how much substance does there need to be." (Additional reporting by Maya Nikolaeva in Paris and Padraic Halpin in Dublin, editing by Philippa Fletcher) Historic ties of north Meck span throughout region Though the north Mecklenburg area didnt see significant population growth until a few decades ago, its rich history dates back to the Revolutionary War. That was the basis of... An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... LONDON (Reuters) - Regulators across Europe will need to be flexible and find "unusual answers" for handling banks looking to move operations from London to the continent after Britain leaves the European Union, a top German regulator said on Wednesday. Banks in Britain are already beginning to implement plans to ensure they can continue serving their continental European clients after Brexit, expected in just over two years' time. With no clear blueprint for Britain's new trading relationship with an EU of 27 member states, regulators worry that disruption to cross-border customer links could undermine financial stability. Felix Hufeld, the head of German financial watchdog Bafin, signalled on Wednesday in a speech in London that he and his counterparts across Europe may need to be flexible over Brexit. Hufeld said it would be a while before it is possible to see the likely outcome of two years of Brexit negotiations. "Plenty of water is still likely to flow under London's bridges before we know precisely how soft or hard the Brexit will ultimately turn out to be," he said. "In such an environment, regulation will also need to find unusual answers." British Prime Minister Theresa May, who plans to launch divorce proceedings by the end of March, has said Britain intends to quit the EU's single market, which would isolate the City of London from many European clients. Regulators would have to show "pragmatism and flexibility on many individual issues," Hufeld said in a prepared text of his speech. He compared regulators' role to playing good jazz music that involves improvising, while at the same time keeping control. "With improvisation, it is like with good jazz; it really only works if you can play the instrument and the notes perfectly," he said. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney warned last month that the rest of Europe has more to lose than Britain from an abrupt Brexit because of the importance of Britain's financial services industry for the region. Regulators in European countries competing for post-Brexit banking business are offering London-based banks a range of short-term workarounds to help them relocate, bankers, regulators and lawyers say. Many banks are looking to Frankfurt as a new EU base a process that could normally take several years to complete, going well beyond the expected 2019 Brexit deadline. Germany's top regulators met about 50 envoys from foreign banks on Monday to explain how they could move business to Frankfurt. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Helen Reid; Editing by Adrian Croft) PRESS RELEASE Grexit Debate, or Prepare for Eurozone Collapse Feb. 1, 2017 (EIRNS)Some Greek politicians are calling for Greece to prepare for the collapse of the Eurozone or leave on the coattails of Italy, if it leaves. Speaking to Greece's Skai TV, Syriza's parliamentary spokesman, Nikos Xydakis, said that MPs should hold a debate about Greece's membership in the euro. Xydakis, a former Minister for European Union Affairs, argued that "there should be no taboos when we are talking about people's fate. We have reached a point where the population does not have the stamina anymore. I believe there has to be a political and national discussion the likes of which has not taken place during the last seven years. Naturally, this discussion has to start from Parliament." The statement sparked hysteria from the opposition and also within Syriza. Posting his response to the attacks against him, Xydakis said that he did not advocate a return to the drachma, but clearly stated: "I repeat what I said the last time: We have to discuss publicly, seriously and responsibly, the historical challenges facing the Greek people, looking for the most suitable compositions. Discussing publicly, institutionallyor in cafes, or backstage. The ever-more onerous terms of our memorandums require an increasingly thorough strategic and political debate. "In this spirit I argued that no discussion should be demonized, that citizens have a clear picture in order to correspond to reality. I never supported return to the drachma.... And it is just because we know that a disorderly transition is to the detriment of the Greek people." Expressing doubts that the euro is "irreversible," he said, "Nobody knows what the Eurozone will be in a few years from now." Furthermore, he said, "leaving today, under the conditions of [German Finance Minister Wolfgang] Schauble would be unfavorable." Xydakis is not an old guard member of Syriza, but is the former chief editor of Kathimerini, the leading liberal daily, which means that such a comment carries a little more weight. Nonetheless, while saying that it would be "suicidal" for Greece to be the first to leave the Eurozone, Syriza European Parliament Member (MEP) Stelios Kouloglou said Greece should have a plan ready in the event the Eurozone breaks up; 19 of the European Union's 28 member-states, collectively known as the Eurozone, currently use the single currency, the euro. Kouloglou, who spoke at the Schiller Institute's Paris conference in June 2015, also expressed doubts that the Euro's future as fixed. He called on the government to work on contingency plan for a such a scenario: "We have to be prepared for every eventuality.... [T]he government should be working on a plan," he told Action FM radio according to Britain's Guardian. He said Greece should not put a Grexit on the table in its negotiations, because that would play into the hands of Schauble, who wants to overthrow the Greek government and put the New Democracy party back into power. However, he said, "Italy may leave. If that happens, Greece should hide behind it and leave at the time." PRESS RELEASE Rep. Marcy Kaptur Introduces Glass-Steagall into U.S. Congress Feb. 1, 2017 (EIRNS)Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) held a press conference in the U.S. House of Representatives today to announce her introduction of a bill to re-enact Glass-Steagall, into the U.S. House of Representatives. At the press conference, Rep. Kaptur announced that 26 other Members of Congress had co-sponsored the bill. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.), Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) appeared at the press conference with Representative Kaptur and made short statements, as did Bartlett Naylor, an expert on financial markets from Public Citizen. The AFL-CIO and Public Citizen also support Rep. Kapturs bill. This was the first press conference on Glass-Steagall held in the U.S. House in six years. EIR representatives attended and LPAC TV live-streamed the press conference. Three Glass-Steagall lobbying delegations came to organize support for Representative Kapturs bill, and its introduction into the U.S. Senate: 16 from Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia with petition signatures directed to President Trump; a delegation of 17-18 from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; and a delegation of six from Baltimore and Virginia. The delegations said they came to Congress to tell their Representatives that they have to fight for Glass-Steagall. One union representative said that she could get hundreds of signatures of support for the bill. The Ohio-centered delegation presented Representative Kaptur with 650 letters to President Trump and asked her to deliver them, which she pledged to "find a way to do." Rep. Kaptur opened the press conference by stating, "Recently, there has been a real uptick and support for restoring the Glass-Steagall Act. Fifteen state legislatures, including the state of Ohio, have introduced resolutions calling for Congress to reinstate ... Glass-Steagall. The Democratic and Republican Parties enacted Glass-Steagall positions in their ... platforms.... President Donald Trump even endorsed the call for a 21st-Century version of Glass-Steagall during a campaign statement in Charlotte, North Carolina. We have an obligation to work with him to achieve that." Rep. Walter Jones, a co-sponsor, said that with 2017 here, the time had arrived to get Glass-Steagall passed; he said he intended to be active with the Administration and fellow Republicans on this. Rep. Jones co-sponsored the Glass-Steagall bill introduced into the 114th Congress (2015-2016) as well as the bill in the 115th Congress. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said, "I have supported Glass-Steagall for a long period of time," adding that she intended to actively work to get it passed. Rep. Tim Ryan said that the repeal of Glass-Stagall in 1999 was the "original sin that led to the downward spiral of our states and communities," and he called Glass-Steagall "just the first step" of rebuilding the economy. Rep. Ryan, was the only Congressional challenger to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for Democratic Leader in the House, following the Democratic losses of Congressional seats in the 2016 election. The bill is HR790. It lists the 26 current original co-sponors: Reps. Lynch (Mass,), Ryan (Ohio), Pocan (Wis.), DeLauro (Conn.), Holmes-Norton (D.C.), Schakowsky (Ill.), Doyle (Pa.), Jones (R-N.C.), Welch (Vt.), Watson-Coleman (N.J.), Serrano (N.Y.), Lipinski (Ill.), Garamendi (Cal.), Speier (Cal.), Ellison (Minn.), Conyers (Mich.), Gabbard (Hawaii), Grijalva (Ariz.), Tonko (N.Y.), Defazio (Ore.), Lee (Cal.), Capuano (Mass.), Pingree (Me.), and Fudge (Ohio). Slaughter (N.Y.), McGovern (Mass.). (Rep. Walter Jones is the only Republican co-sponsor.) PRESS RELEASE Escalation in Ukraine Violence Targets U.S.-Russia Relations Feb. 1, 2017 (EIRNS)The Donbass region of southeast Ukraine has seen a dramatic escalation in the level of violence since Jan. 28, with as many as eight Ukrainian troops reported killed and 26 wounded, with smaller numbers of casualties among militia members of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and among civilians. The fighting is centered in government-held Avdeyevka, just outside the suburbs of Donetsk city. The regime in Kiev, not surprisingly, accuses "Russian occupation forces" of "massive attacks" across the line of contact between the two sides, but the timing of the escalation, coming as it did so soon after U.S. President Trumps moves to improve U.S.-Russian relations, is suspicious, to say the least. Alexander Zakharchenko, the leader of the D.P.R., charged outright that Ukrainian President Poroshenko ordered the attacks on Avdeyevka and the nearby village of Yasinovataya, when he realized the failure of his policy in the global arena. "Ukraine started hostilities only because Russia and the United States started to search for common ground. And, having understood that Kiev may get nothing, Poroshenko ordered [the military] to launch an offensive on the Donetsk Peoples Republic," he said, reported TASS. "The fighting is intense. Ukraine suffers great loss. But we will not let the enemy break through," he said. Even a story in RFE/RL, by one Christopher Miller, who three years ago was a pro-Maidan editor at the Kyiv Post, acknowledges that the Kiev regimes motivations for escalating the violence stem from its fears of losing U.S. support. "Frustrated by the stalemate in this 33-month war of attrition, concerned that Western support is waning, and sensing that U.S. President Donald Trump could cut Kiev out of any peace negotiations as he tries to improve fraught relations with Moscow, Ukrainian forces anxious to show their newfound strength have gone on what many here are calling a creeping offensive," Miller writes. Poroshenko also made a great show of being in Berlin when the fighting escalated on Monday and then "cutting short" his visit in order to return home to handle the crisis, although the official program of the journey was over by that time, reports Tass. He was in Berlin long enough, however, to convey his message that the sanctions must be maintained against Russia until Russia complies with the Minsk agreement on the settlement of the conflict. "In case they arent implemented, we support maintaining and, if necessary, increasing the sanctions pressure on Russia," Poroshenko said, prior to meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel, Reuters notes, has repeatedly said that sanctions against Russia can only be lifted once the Minsk agreement has been fully implemented. However, as many observers in both Russia and Europe have pointed out over the past year, it is Kiev which has failed to meet its commitments under the Minsk agreement, particularly the failure of the regime to adopt the electoral law the agreement calls for. Under the glow of red paper lanterns strung zigzag from the buildings along Chung King Road, a few women conferred over an iPhone map, turning this way and that, searching for The Poetic Research Bureau. In a modest storefront topped with a vintage sign announcing Win Sun Company Jade and Jewlery, the bureau, a literary nonprofit, is all but hidden; were it not for the small crowd gathered to hear Mohsen Emadi read, they may have passed it by. The bureau does not typically host readings on weekdays, but considering the urgency of Tuesday nights event, they made an exception. Exiled Iranian poet Emadi was to read from his first book in English translation, Standing on Earth, published by Los Angeles Phoneme Media. Following President Trumps executive order barring citizens of several Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., Emadi, who departs on Friday, will not be permitted to return. The bureaus plastic cream-and-orange seating, like the chairs of a high school classroom, fill quickly: Soon its standing room only, and soon after that attendees spill onto the street. One wall of the room serves as a chalkboard: smudged notes from what looks like an American history lesson definitions of scalawag and carpetbagger and a Civil War timeline are half-erased. The space also houses a tiny library. (I notice an incomplete collection of the journal Critical Inquiry). Advertisement David Shook, Phonemes founding editor, sets up a card table with Phonemes books for sale; it publishes poetry in translation. Shook, with a waxed handlebar mustache, is unmistakable; introducing the reading, he stands before us in huaraches and tweed. Shook opens with a kind of epigraph, a stanza from Langston Hughes Let America Be America Again, throwing Trumps Make America Great Again slogan some poetic shade. Emadi, who has been in exile from Iran for eight years and now lives in Mexico, gives the reading his own preface.Resistance is the only thing we have, he says. Its not a question of hope. Hope sometimes doesnt work. Our daily life gets to have meaning from our resistance. Emadi reads each poem in Persian, after which Shook reads the English translation. As a listener, you discover quickly that longing and nostalgia sound the same in any language, but far from being repetitive, this two-part structure seems an ideal way to experience a poetry reading: The first performance gives the audience an opportunity to listen for the pleasure of the language alone, for the texture and musicality, while only on a second pass does metaphor and meaning begin to consciously sink in. The Persian speakers in the audience, of course, understand both readers, but can listen on the second round for the closeness and nuance of the translation. While Shook reads the translation, Emadi silently looks out over the audience, inviting us, it seems, to look back at him. So look into my eyes / as you pack your bags / and say your goodbyes, reads Shook, and beside him Emadi stares straight ahead. Sanam Mahloudji attended the reading as a way to engage with whats going on in the world. A writer, lawyer and speaker of Farsi, she participated in the first immigration ban protest at LAX and was inspired to volunteer her services when she saw another lawyer standing there, prepared, the embodiment of what we believe in. Stephen Weiss, who was visiting from New York, had protested Donald Trumps executive order on immigration there. He noted that the present moment feels urgentIts an emergency. After the reading, Shook invited the audience to have their books signed and to give Emadi a goodbye hug. Emadi laughed, but most people took him up on it. Mahloudji, who was visibly moved by the reading, bestowed an emotional embrace. Emadi stepped outside to talk shop with readers and pack a tobacco pipe. What makes a good translation? You have to be humble before the poem, he said. Poetry is another language. Emadi leaves Friday for work on a digital poetry project in Finland, after which he will return to Mexico. In Mexico there is nobody to speak Persian to, he said, and that both the Iranian and literary communities in Los Angeles have been a solace to him. I have to live my exile as my home, he said, and added that while Trumps order is legitimate...its not just. Its humiliating to America. I dont want America to feel that shame. In January, he visited his brother, a professor at the University of North Carolina, who recently had his first child, Emadis niece. Finally I could embrace her, he said. Theres no telling when next hell be permitted into the country to see her again. Earlier Shook, on Emadis behalf, read these lines: waiting is the dense endurance of eternity / and love, the miracle of mortals / makes eternity ashamed. agatha.french@latimes.com @agathafrenchy The chaos among immigrant families and at airports wreaked nationwide by President Trumps executive order barring nationals of seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States has been well documented. Not as well understood are the effects his order will have on U.S. medical training and healthcare, especially in poor and rural neighborhoods. Ahmad Masri and Mourad H. Senussi, two physicians at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, take an early look at the consequences in an article just published by the New England Journal of Medicine. Data on the national origin of doctors in the United States arent available, they note, but statistics derived from residency matching are. (Residency matching puts graduate doctors together with residency programs across the country to pursue training in their specialties.) In 2013, Masri and Senussi report, there were 753 applicants for residencies whose country of citizenship at birth was Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan or Syria, five of the seven countries whose nationals are banned at least temporarily from entering the United States. The others are Yemen and Somalia. Advertisement Only the cream of the crop of medical students and physicians from foreign medical schools match into U.S. residency programs....'Extreme vetting at its best. Masri and Senussi, New England Journal of Medicine Of those applicants, 299 were matched into a U.S. residency program. If the ban expands to include other countries with a Muslim-majority population, the number of affected doctors will rise: In 2013, there were 2,101 applicants from 11 different countries with a Muslim majority, of which 40% were matched into a U.S.-based residency program. Setting the broader ethical and political ramifications aside, Masri and Senussi write, this order will have a detrimental effect on graduate medical education (GME) and the U.S. healthcare system as a whole. Both authors are distinguished young physicians from abroad receiving advanced training in the United States. Masri received his medical degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2011, served a residency at Cleveland Clinic in 2015 and is currently a fellow in the cardiovascular training program at Pittsburgh. Senussi received his medical degree from the University of Tripoli, Libya, in 2009 and served a residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago as well as a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic before joining the Pittsburgh cardiovascular program. As Masri and Senussi observe, it makes no sense to close off American training to international medical graduates, who fill much needed gaps in the American healthcare system. According to figures from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates cited by the authors, 24% of practicing physicians in the United States are international graduates. Foreign-born doctors typically train in the United States on J-1 visas, which cover cultural and educational exchange programs. The visas require doctors who have completed their training to return to their home countries for at least two years or obtain a waiver requiring them to practice in a medically-underserved area of the United States for three years. These often are rural or urban areas starved for doctors, especially primary care doctors. They exist in every state in the union. (See accompanying map.) Trumps travel ban, and especially its ham-fisted implementation last weekend, instantly snared at least two foreign physicians who were on their way back to their American jobs when the order came down and were prevented from entering and staying in the United States. As documented by Charles Ornstein of ProPublica, one was Kamal Fadlalla, a Sudanese second-year resident in internal medicine at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn who was blocked from boarding his flight in Khartoum and returned to his family home in Wad Madani, Sudan, instead. Suha Abushamma, a Sudanese internal medicine resident at the Cleveland Clinic, was ordered to fly back to Saudi Arabia, where her flight originated, after she had already landed in the United States. Her plane back to the Mideast took off minutes before a federal judge in Brooklyn ordered such deportations halted. As it applies to medical professionals, Trumps order is an act of surpassing insensitivity and squandered opportunity for the United States itself. Only the cream of the crop of medical students and physicians from foreign medical schools match into U.S. residency programs, Masri and Senussi write. These are trainees who have shown aptitude and dedication, have worked hard, and have made a considerable financial investment in order to reach the pinnacle of graduate medical training. This grueling process represents extreme vetting at its best, they add, referring to Trumps term for the heightened security screening he demands of travelers from the seven majority-Muslim countries. The ban could have lasting effects on medical centers and their staff. Currently, training programs are seeking advice about ranking physicians from the seven banned countries and from all countries with a Muslim majority, as well as all applicants who require visas, the authors say. Some will have little choice but to sideline applicants affected by the travel ban in order to ensure that their residency slots are filled by available applicants. Though hospitals and training program directors may be well intentioned the ban is leading to inadvertent religious and racial discrimination. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. Facebook, Inc.s FB earnings streak continues with yet another better-than-expected quarterly performance. Facebooks fourth-quarter 2016 adjusted earnings of $1.24 per share and revenues of $8.8 billion easily topped the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.11 and $8.5 billion. This is Facebooks sixth successive quarter of earnings and revenue beat. Mobile and live video efforts are paying off big time for the social media giant. Instagram is also emerging as a major cash cow with over 500,000 advertisers. CEO Mark Zuckerberg continued to emphasize on bringing more and more video content on to the platform. It has been investing on original content and said that it will keep doing the same this year as well. As expected, Facebook continues to maintain a cautious stance on revenue and ad growth. Facebook again stated that ad revenues will continue to grow but will face tougher year-over-year comparisons in the current year. Moreover, as Facebook continues to ramp up investments, costs will increase. The company plans to go on a hiring spree this year and especially recruit engineers, which will further add to its costs. Well its a no brainer that Facebook(or even any other company for that matter) will keep up with those dizzying initial growth rates as it gets bigger. Quarterly Numbers in Details Facebook reported non-GAAP earnings of $1.21 in the quarter, up 124% year over year. Revenues, excluding the impact of year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates basis, increased 51% year over year. Facebooks consistently expanding user growth remains one of its biggest growth catalysts. Facebooks monthly active users (MAUs) were up 17% year over year to a staggering 1.86 billion. In addition, at the end of the quarter, mobile MAUs were 1.74 billion, representing 21% year-over-year growth. Daily Active Users (DAUs) were 1.23 billion, reflecting 18% growth year over year while mobile DAUs were 1.15 billion, up 23% year over year. Story continues Breaking down revenue components, advertising revenues were $8.629 billion, surging 53% year over year. Excluding the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates, revenues from advertising also increased 54% year over year. Advertising revenues were driven by increasing mobile engagement, higher number of marketers, and continuing investment in new products. Mobile ad revenues in the quarter were $7.2 billion (up 61% year over year), contributing 84% to total ad revenues. Ad impressions grew 49%, driven by surging mobile ad impressions. Average price per ad increased 3% from the year-ago quarter. Average revenue per user was $4.83 Payments and other fees decreased 12% year over year to $180 million in the reported quarter owing to a reduction in payment revenues related to PC games. Management expects revenues from this segment to face further decline as PCs lose market share. On the cost front, cost & expenses increased 29.3% to $4.2 billion, driven by increases in workforce and marketing expenses. However, robust revenue growth provided enough cushion to operating margins. Non-GAAP operating income of $5.6 billion grew 58.9% year over year. Facebook, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Facebook, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Facebook, Inc. Quote Balance Sheet & Cash Flow Facebook exited the quarter with cash & cash equivalents and marketable securities of $29.4 billion, up 59.7% year over year. The company generated nearly $16.1 billion of cash flow from operating activities in 2016 compared with $10.3 billion in 2015. Free cash flow was $11.6 billion compared with $7.8 billion last year. The company incurred capital expenditure of $4.5 billion in the year. Outlook Non-GAAP expenses are projected to increase in a band of 47% to 57% while capex is expected to be $7 billion to $7.5 billion. The company expects 2017 to be a year of aggressive investments. The company plans to build more data centers as well as recruitmore engineers to fuel its AI & AR/VR technology ambitions. Stock-based compensation is estimated in a range of $3.9 billion$4.1 billion. The company expects amortization expenses in 2016 to be within $700 million$800 million. Final Word We remain positive on Facebook as it works on becoming a tech powerhouse. Its chief Mark Zuckerberg aspires to make Facebook much more than just a social media platform. Last year, we got a glimpse of what Zuckerberg intends to do. He is betting big on AR/VR. At the companys Oculus Developer conference held in October last year, Facebook announced another $250 million investment to develop VR content ecosystem. It also announced some new products including Santa Cruz, a cheaper standalone VR headset with inside-out-tracking. AI and AR/VR technology are fast emerging as lucrative business opportunities. According to a recent IDC report, global revenues of the AR/VR market are expected to grow at a CAGR of 181.3% from $5.2 billion in 2016 to over $162 billion in 2020. Recently, Facebook split Oculus into two separate units. While one division will focus on developing VR for mobile, the other one will focus on VR for PCs. He has roped in Hugo Barra to spearhead the companys VR efforts as well as head Oculus. A few days back, Facebook said that it will spend over $3 billion in the next 10 years on VR. However, a couple of days back, Facebook was ordered by a Dallas court to pay $500 million to ZeniMax for copyright infringement. ZeniMax has slapped a $2 billion lawsuit against Oculus accusing it of stealing its intellectual property to boost its own VR research. The company is also aggressively working on monetizing its subsidiaries, Messenger, Oculus and WhatsApp. Chatbots and conversational commerce are likely to be the strategies for Messenger and WhatsApp. It is also making its presence felt in enterprise software by launching Workplace. Facebook also upped its ante in the social commerce area with the launch of Marketplace. It also acquired Nascent Objects to boost its hardware efforts. However, Facebook was criticized for the dissemination of fake news on its platform, which said to have one of the reasons behind Donald Trumps win. Facebook has since then taken initiatives to curb the menace. It is availing the help of third parties for better verification of news and also considering the option of labeling stories that are flagged. Facebook said it will also scrutinize ads that promote bogus stories for monetary gains. Lastly, it said that it will work with the entire news industry to improve its fact checking systems. As of now, all of these appear to be terrific growth engines but it will be one Herculean task for the company to actually make all of it work. Moreover, intensifying competition for users & ad dollars from the likes of Alphabet GOOGL, Snapchat and Twitter Inc. TWTR, and increasing investments threaten to thwart its growth prospects. At present, Facebook carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Given the phenomenal growth in mobile ad business and video efforts, Facebook has vastly outperformed the broader market. In the past one year, Facebooks shares have generated a return of 18.89%, compared with the Zacks Internet Servicesindustrys gain of 4.43%. A stock worth consideration in the tech space is Jabil Circuit Inc JBL , which carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Jabil has an average positive earnings surprise of 45.61%. Zacks Best Private Investment Ideas In addition to the recommendations that are available to the public on our website, how would you like to follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time? Our experts cover all kinds of trades from value to momentum . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from stocks that corporate insiders are buying up to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises. You can even look inside exclusive portfolios that are normally closed to new investors. Starting today, for the next month, you can have unrestricted access.Click here for Zacks' private trades >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Jabil Circuit, Inc. (JBL): Free Stock Analysis Report Facebook, Inc. (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL): Free Stock Analysis Report Twitter, Inc. (TWTR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research It was supposed to be a victory party. Carmakers from across the globe had planned to celebrate their head-spinning boom in Mexico at the Automotive Logistics conference held in Mexico City this week. Then Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election. In the span of weeks, Trump has issued threats and hints at trade policies that could jeopardize two decades of growth for Mexicos auto manufacturing sector. It started with Trumps tweets that attacked Ford and General Motors for building and exporting small cars from Mexico to the U.S. Once in office, Trump issued an executive order Jan. 25 calling for a wall to be built at the southern border, and the presidents press secretary followed up by floating the idea of a 20% tax on Mexican imports to pay for it. Advertisement None of those moves bode well for companies that have sunk billions over the last five years into building new factories that now dot Mexican cities from the capital to the U.S. border. Mexico produced 3.5 million light vehicles in 2016, up 67% from 2.1 million in 2008, according to the Mexican Automotive Industry Assn. The country has become the fourth-largest car exporter in the world, after Germany, Japan and South Korea. We didnt expect that this would happen, Omar Mendoza Vega, a vehicle logistics manager at Audi, said of the sudden chill in the U.S.-Mexico trade climate. Audi began producing SUVs at a $1.3-billion plant in San Jose Chiapa that opened in September after four years of planning and construction. Once the facility is fully operational, it will be the only location producing the Q5 model worldwide. I am happy that we began moving units to the U.S., but I am not sure if we will continue to be able to. Was it worth spending all of this effort? Mendoza Vega said. Uncertainty stalked the hallways of the auto supply chain forum, as buttoned-up executives from several continents plied each other for inside information as to how their industry would respond to Trumps aggression on trade. Experts on subjects as varied as railroad routes and the design of shipping containers and, of course, the construction of cars and trucks put on their bravest faces and insisted that for now, nothing has changed. We are not being reactive or thinking that something may happen until there is a change. Its just day-by-day, said Mercedes Figueroa, head of logistics and customs at Fiat Chrysler Mexico, which makes heavy-duty Ram pickups, Dodge Journey SUVs, and Fiat cars at plants in Saltillo and Toluca, Mexico. Figueroa added that the Mexico division of the auto giant had begun working with the U.S. on the customs side to put together proposals for how to proceed if the Mexico-U.S. trade relationship changes. Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne told analysts that the company could easily move the production of the Ram pickups to Michigan if the company was properly motivated, Forbes reported last week. Everyone is cautious, said Enrique de la Pena Aguirre, a port manager at Hyundai. Aguirre said he hasnt heard yet about any changed plans at the South Korean carmaker, which last year began producing Kia sedans at a brand new plant in San Luis Potosi. We all came to see what others would say about politics, about new ties, about what will happen, Aguirre said. In a poll of conference attendees by Automotive Logistics, 63% said they thought that Trumps trade policy would have a negative impact on the auto sector here. Already, Ford had canceled a planned plant in San Luis Potosi, and GM announced that it would shift axle work from Mexico to factories in Michigan, moving 450 jobs back to the U.S. Several car executives and supply chain experts at the conference, who did not want to be named for fear of risking business relationships, suggested that those moves were already in the works and were dressed up as new announcements to win plaudits from President Trump. Ford was going to send an executive to speak at the conference but canceled, said organizer Christopher Ludwig of Automotive Logistics. After everything that happened, it was the feeling that it wasnt the right time to get on stage, Ludwig said. He said he believes that Fords decision to nix the new factory in Mexico was driven more by the market than Trumps policies. Low gasoline prices have bolstered sales of SUVs and trucks and hurt small and mid-size vehicles like the Ford Fusion and Fiesta, which are built south of the border. Ford is still moving the production of the compact Focus to Mexico, but will make it at an existing facility in Hermosillo. By 2023, economists expect Mexico to produce more than 5 million cars, an increase of 45% from 2016. The U.S. makes three times as many vehicles as Mexico does today, but its production is only expected to grow 11% over that same time period, the Center for Automotive Research reported. The explosive growth of Mexican automaking may have caught Trumps attention because it is fueling a U.S.-Mexico trade imbalance. In 2015, the United States had a $67-billion trade deficit with Mexico in cars and car parts, according to the National Assn. of Manufacturers. Limiting car imports from Mexico to the U.S. by ending or renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement or by imposing high taxes on vehicles could generate 22,000 new U.S. factory jobs, the Center for Automotive Research estimates. But stanching the flow of Mexican cars across the American border would also cost the U.S. thousands of other blue-collar jobs. Thats because Mexican imports arent entirely Mexican. Americans made 40% of the materials inside Mexican-made cars that were sent abroad in 2015. Parts plants in the U.S. could cut up to 20,000 jobs if Trump hits Mexican imports with a heavy tax, the Center for Automotive Research estimated. There are also an untold number of truckers and train operators whose livelihood is tied to the flow of cars across the border. Carlos Duron, the president of Mexpress, a Los Angeles company that moves cargo to and from Mexico on trucks, said that a massive tax on those products would eat into his workforce. Its going to affect drivers not having loads to haul, Duron said. He employs about 100 independent truckers and said he wouldnt know how many he would need to cut until he saw the extent of Trumps tax. The most optimistic assessment of Trumps intentions at the auto forum came from Albert Zapanta, president of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, who is a rumored candidate to be the next U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Zapanta, a Vietnam War veteran and Los Angeles native, was an early supporter of Trump and appeared at a campaign event with him in September. Zapanta received a burst of applause from the crowd when he announced from the podium that he does not represent the Trump administration. He got an equally appreciative response when he added that he also didnt speak for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who has been criticized in his country for appearing to grovel to Trump in the past. Youre not going to see a 20% border tax, predicted Zapanta, referring to the border adjustment tax that Sean Spicer, Trumps press secretary, suggested recently. That tax would be imposed on any goods that companies produce abroad and sell in the United States. In my dealings with President Trump, he loves to negotiate. He throws down a start on the discussion, and then you get into the options, Zapanta told conference attendees. He said that Trump was open to hearing out his positive views on NAFTA. He listens, but once he makes an opinion, he moves on immediately, Zapanta said. Natalie.Kitroeff@latimes.com Follow me @NatalieKitro on Twitter ALSO How a 20% border tax could set off an international food fight Boiling over on the border: The reasons behind the gasoline protests in Mexico For Mexico, Trumps retreat on NAFTA is like being drenched by a pail of cold water Defense giant Northrop Grumman Corp. has won a $35.8-million contract modification to build a new coatings facility at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, a development probably related to one of the Pentagons largest military programs, the next-generation stealth B-21 bomber. The contract notice, released Tuesday by the Department of Defense, states that the facility will be 45,900 square feet and is expected to be completed by Dec. 25, 2019. It was first reported by Defense News. Tim Paynter, a Northrop Grumman spokesman, said in a statement that the contract award for the additional facility at our Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence is part of the companys planned growth as we continue to meet our business objectives. Advertisement The government contract notice does not mention the largely secretive B-21 bomber project by name, but Air Force Plant 42 is well-known as the final assembly location for the B-2 stealth bomber, which was manufactured by Northrop. The company still performs maintenance on the boomerang-shaped planes at Plant 42. The B-2 bomber has a dark gray, radar-absorbing coating, known as alternate high-frequency material, on its exterior surfaces. In 2015, Northrop won a contract to build a new fleet of 80 to 100 long-range bombers, which could eventually cost more than $80 billion. A final assembly location has not yet been announced, but local government officials said two years ago that the company told them a large part of the B-21 bomber would be constructed at Plant 42. Last April, Northrop won a $24.8-million contract to build a multi-story, steel-framed office complex in a high bay production area in Palmdale, according to a Department of Defense contract notice. That project, which is slated for completion in 2018, refers to the same contract number as that of the coatings facility. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com @smasunaga The free breakfast buffet served daily to owners of the Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. Live includes scrambled eggs, bacon, French toast, fresh fruit and expansive 28th-floor views. The complimentary meal is an unprecedented perk in the competitive landscape of luxury L.A. condominiums, where such benefits as valet parking, fitness centers, spas, screening rooms, a 24-hour concierge and tight security have become commonplace. Its also the kind of enhancement thats making buyers think twice about purchasing a single-family home. After all, the longstanding philosophy decreed that single-family homes are better investments than condominiums. With condo perks proliferating, now buyers, and prices, are looking up. Advertisement Kerry Moy, a Los Angeles portfolio manager and restaurant investor, bought a Ritz-Carlton at L.A. Live condo in 2012 as a second home, but he spent so much time there that he ending up selling his house on the Westside. Once you stay in this environment a little while, it gets addicting. You have a five-star hotel treating you red-carpet style on a daily basis, he said, adding that the staff handles everything from his laundry to changing lightbulbs. Agents who sell luxury condos such as the Residences at W Hollywood and the Ritz-Carlton at L.A. Live say prices have rebounded greatly from post-recession lows, often outpacing single-family homes. At the Ritz-Carlton, the average price per square foot is $1,100, said Property Lab real estate agent Yvonne Arias, who sells and leases high-end condos from her office at the Ritz Residences. In comparison, the average price per square foot for a single-family home in L.A. is $562, according to Trulia. Luxury condo prices, Arias said, could be comparable to some properties in Beverly Hills or Bel-Air. Once you stay in this environment a little while, it gets addicting, says Moy. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) As units come up for resale in the sold-out, 54-story tower, theyre commanding eye-popping prices. Two 44th-floor units on the market start at $8.8 million with monthly HOA dues of $3,900. The most expensive is a 51st-floor penthouse for more than $14.5 million (thats about $2,200 a square foot). At the Montage Residences Beverly Hills, a three-bedroom unit sold for $11.2 million, just under $3,000 a square foot. The bulk of the Ws 134 condos fetch $800 to $1,000 per square foot, comparable to quality single-family homes in desirable neighborhoods such as Studio City, Silver Lake and Echo Park. Of course, homes and condos are different real estate animals, and so are the buyers. Ron Barnes, a real estate broker at the Residences at the W Hollywood, has witnessed an evolution in the profile of condo buyers since he moved to the trendsetting property. This is probably one of several or many pieces of real estate they have around the world, said Barnes, who estimated that 25% to 40% of W Hollywood buyers are from foreign countries. Everything personal is business, and everything business is personal, he said. You never see the difference between life and work. Living in a property that promises 24-hour service someone will even walk your dog at 3 a.m. is the only way for many condo owners to make their busy lives work, Barnes said. Many are in their 30s and 40s, travel often, work in creative businesses and may be relocating from San Francisco or New York, where prices are even higher. At the W, dues are from $1 to $1.25 per square foot per month; the New York range is $2 to $2.25. The fees at the Ritz Residences are $1.30 per square foot. The buyers frequently have a lot of money, but they dont have a lot of time. They may dream of a house in the hills, but the reality of shepherding repairs and maintenance and no room service is a deal breaker, Barnes said. For this buyer, time is a challenge and the solution is pay and have it taken care of for you. hotproperty@latimes.com MORE FROM HOT PROPERTY Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen sells his offbeat spot in Calabasas Former Angel C.J. Wilson seeks $2.7 million for Corona del Mar home Martin and Sandy Davidson list their Hollywood Hills West home for nearly $3 million Ive been writing about the relationship between political protest and the design of cities for more than 20 years, beginning with the senior thesis I produced as a terrifically naive undergraduate studying architectural history and political science in the early 1990s. But I cant say Ive ever covered a scene quite like the one that played out last weekend at LAX and other airports across the country. In response to President Trumps executive order to suspend the U.S. refugee program and temporarily prohibit entry to citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries, protesters showed up at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Alabama and at Chicagos OHare. They clogged parts of JFK and SFO as well as terminals in Dallas, Boston, Miami, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Seattle, Albuquerque, Denver, Missoula, Mont., and Portland, Maine. In terms of turnout sheer numbers the demonstrations were no match for the womens march events held the day after Trumps inauguration. In Los Angeles, the womens march drew hundreds of thousands of people, the protests at LAXs Tom Bradley International Terminal thousands or perhaps tens of thousands. Advertisement But the impact of the airport protests was in certain ways greater, or at least easier to measure. And more focused, since so many migrants travel by air; an immigrant here illegally is nearly as likely to be somebody who bought a plane ticket and overstayed his visa as somebody who came on foot across the border with Mexico. Its also true that the international terminals of American airports, however much some of us dread their long lines and placeless design, are conveners for the kind of cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism that Trumps nativist, America first rhetoric has put squarely in the cross-hairs. In that sense, you could read the executive order itself as a kind of protest, this one against the architecture of globalization and free-flowing traffic, literal and cultural, between this country and the rest of the world. SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter Put it this way: I would be surprised to learn that Stephen K. Bannon, who helped shape the order as Trumps chief strategist, was at all upset about the chaotic images pouring forth from airports around the country. If the rush to enact the order and the outraged response from protesters seemed similar in their freneticism, which may well be the default tone of this administration, what was new about the airport demonstrations was the way they used urban space specifically, how they used what we think of as airports architectural deficiencies and turned them to their political advantage. Some of the protests (which variously took shape as marches, sit-ins, group prayers or other attempts to disrupt or slow air travel) played out inside terminals themselves, those glossy-floored, hangar-like rooms that look the same the world over. In other cases, the inability of protesters or the media to occupy those highly choreographed interiors revealed bits of legal information that were new to me. Some reporters were asked to leave Terminal 4 at JFK as protests mounted because it is privately owned unlike the rest of JFK, which is public and operated by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. The airport is a hospitable host for protest precisely because of how poorly it works in terms of civic design on an average day. Because of restrictions of that kind, the most dramatic protests took place not inside the terminals but just outside them, along the narrow strips of land where the contemporary airport meets the contemporary city, on the line dividing the airports tightly controlled interior space from its unpredictable and noisy exterior. Unlike a public square, which tends to operate as a successful political space to the degree that its an effective public one, the airport is a hospitable host for protest precisely because of how poorly it works in terms of civic design on a typical day. The narrow sidewalks; the pedestrian bridges leading to and from parking structures; the little islands of pavement where we wait for shuttle buses; the bi-level ring roads that encircle every airport: These were the stages on which the protests were most effective on their own terms, both in clogging traffic and producing media-ready images of an angry, loud and unnerved public. At overtaxed airports like LAX, those spaces are bottlenecks on the best of days. It was precisely that quality, as vessels of public space easily stoppered, that demonstrators exploited. But that exploitation cuts both ways. Greg Lindsay senior fellow at the New Cities Foundation and co-author with John D. Kasarda of the book Aerotropolis: The Way Well Live Next points out that the in-betweenness of the airport landscape is not simply architectural. Its also legal. The protests illustrated how effectively various authorities could throttle various choke points to deny access, he told me in an email. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had to order the Port Authority Police to re-open the AirTrain to JFK after they had closed it to limit the arrival of protesters via the subway. Who knows? Maybe the airport protests will fade as new White House decisions generate fresh controversies. And crackdowns on dissent, as Lindsay notes, may be far easier to execute at an airport than in the middle of a city. But something tells me that any smart activist who looks closely at the airport protests will see something of a blueprint. christopher.hawthorne@latimes.com Twitter: @HawthorneLAT ALSO Hammer Museum finally cues up a big expansion Grand Park performs well with protest crowds; Metro and Pershing Square, not so much Long road to the Arts Districts first park Introducing a weekly column on architecture The Trump administrations executive order on travel, barring entry into the U.S. for those arriving from seven predominately Muslim nations, is reverberating throughout the arts community. The recent executive order barring entry into the United States from citizens of seven nations is antithetical to the values of the Getty, and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms, James Cuno, president of the J. Paul Getty Trust, said in a statement. We believe that the order is ill-advised, unnecessary, and destructive. The Getty stands against it and adds its voice in favor of established American principles of freedom and engagement. For some, the executive order is personal. Los Angeles conceptual artist Marjan Vayghan, whose family hails from Iran, had an uncle get caught up in the travel ban when he arrived at LAX on Friday to reunite with his family. Instead, Ali Vayeghan who has a green card acquired after more than a decade of paperwork was deported back to Iran before a federal judicial stay could take effect. Advertisement We did not think this would be a big deal, she told the Los Angeles Times. Wed pick my uncle at LAX, eat, hang out, travel. We didnt know our entire world would turn upside down. Vayghan spent much of the weekend protesting at the airport while trying to determine her uncles whereabouts. Today I went for my uncle, she stated via text message on Saturday. Tomorrow Im going back for all the families that havent been affected [yet]. Painter Carolyn Castano and writer Gary Dauphin protest at LAX with their son, Toussaint. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times) Family also motivated Ilona Berger to pile into artist Rachel Masons grey Toyota van along with art conservator Annie Wilker and a bunch of handmade signs to join a caravan of art workers participating in the airport protests Sunday afternoon. My mothers family came from the Soviet Union they were Jews who came as refugees, said Berger, who runs the Hollywood contemporary arts space Last Projects. My family was really grateful to be here. Cultural figures all around Los Angeles from visual artists to educational administrators to members of the roots rock band La Santa Cecilia (one of whose members resides in the U.S. on a green card) were in the crowds of protesters. On Twitter, the band posted the statement: In solidarity and love with our Muslim brothers and sisters! We believe that the order is ill-advised, unnecessary, and destructive. James Cuno, J. Paul Getty Trust president The Markaz, a Hollywood-based organization that stages literary, musical and other events exploring the culture of a broad swath of largely Muslim nations, from Sudan to Afghanistan to Azerbaijan, dispatched translators to LAX to assist families of travelers who got mired in the ban. Jordan Elgrably, the director of the Markaz, said the executive order on travel is bound to make life more difficult for his organization. Even before the ban, the Markaz cancelled, on average, at least one event a year because performers couldnt secure visas on time or at all. Were really at the mercy of the Department of Homeland Security and thats been the case for a long time, Elgrably said. We have a concert on Saturday, Feb. 4, of Moroccan performers [Master Hassan Ben Jaafer & Innov Gnawa]. One is American and the others are Moroccan citizens. Once they get on a plane to go home, we dont know if they can ever come back. Artist Rachel Mason, dressed as her character FutureClown, stands among protestors at the arrivals gate at Tom Bradley International Airport. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times) Though Morocco is not one of the seven nations on Trumps ban list (which includes Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Libya), the ban nonetheless leaves a question mark hanging over future exchanges. In early March, the Markaz is hosting an event at Larchmont Villages Chevaliers Books to mark the 10th anniversary of the bombing of Baghdads Mutanabbi Street, once one of Iraqs most important literary centers. Elgrably said that all of the participants for the program are in the U.S., so the program is a go. But he is concerned about events moving forward. The same goes for larger institutions, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. We do have ongoing programs that could be affected, said Linda Komaroff, who oversees the museums Middle East department. In April, LACMA is unveiling an exhibition of works by Saudi artist Abdulnasser Gharem. Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, isnt on the ban list, but the political situation could complicate the request for Gharems visa. Moreover, the museum is in the middle of organizing a large exhibition titled The Field of Empty Days: The Intersection of Past and Present in Iranian Art, which is scheduled to open in May 2018. It includes works by a lot of Iranian artists active from the 70s to the present day, she said. Some live outside of Iran and many continue to live in Iran and we hope that all of them would be able to come to the exhibition. Arts writer Carol Cheh and artist and administrator Marshall Astor protest Trumps travel ban at Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times) The Farhang Foundation, an L.A.-based cultural organization that promotes the study of Iranian culture and helped organize a new exhibition of Iranian video and photography at the Craft and Folk Art Museum is facing a similar quandary. Were concerned, very concerned, said executive director Alireza Ardekani. We do many projects and exhibitions and film festivals. Were the sole sponsor of the UCLA celebration of Iranian cinema. As part of this program, we invite filmmakers from Iran to do Q&As and present their films, and based on this ban, none of them will be able to come unless something changes. Its a huge loss to us and UCLA and to Southern California to not be able to do this. The net effect of all of this is to cut down on communication at a time when we need it most, LACMAs Komaroff said. When your information is entirely restricted to a war-like situation, to acts of terrorism, to what you see on television, you cant make an informed decision about [a culture]: Are they like me? Are they not like me? What museums do, certainly encyclopedic museums which cover the art of all times and of all regions, like LACMA, she added, is provide a diversity in the cultural sphere that we need. The Getty Trusts Cuno said in his statement:Curiosity, diversity, and tolerance are the core values of the humanities, values that require free movement of people and ideas. Thats why, for years, the Getty has supported scholars, scientists and professionals from around the world including from targeted nations in pursuing research and study here with us. Its also why we are proud to welcome people of all faiths, colors, ethnicities, and nationalities into the Getty community. Artists Rachel Mason, left, and Ilona Berger make their way to the protest at LAX. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times) Marshall Astor, an artist who works as an administrator at Otis College of Art and Design, and attended the protest at LAX on Sunday with a contingent of colleagues, agreed that international connections are key to the art world and added that a travel ban could put a serious chill in international admissions at area arts schools. International travel is part of the day-to-day in the educational universe, he said, standing before the arrivals area at Tom Bradley International Terminal. Ive written visa letters for students and its difficult as it is. Astor was motivated to participate in the protests by his own familys history. My adoptive family was denied entry to the U.S. in 1917 after being butchered in their hometown near Kiev [in Ukraine], he explained. And when my grandparents got to Ellis Island, they were told no more Jews so they became Canadians. It was a story echoed by other artists in attendance such as painter Carolyn Castano, whose family is from Colombia, and Haitian American writer Gary Dauphin, who were bearing signs that featured photos of Dauphins parents inscribed with the phrase: Granpa was a refugee!!! My parents were political exiles, Dauphin said. My father came as a political refugee. He fled the Duvalier regime. Friends of ours have family that have been detained, added Castano. I was so horrified to hear about Trumps executive order. Mason, the performance artist who for part of the protest on Sunday was dressed as her character, FutureClown, greeting passengers at international arrivals said the travel ban stands in opposition to what art is about. Unless you have some definition of art that is about restriction and cutting off access, she said. As an artist, I cant not be here. Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter carolina.miranda@latimes.com Twitter: @cmonstah deborah.vankin@latimes.com Twitter: @debvankin ALSO As Trump talks building a wall, a Japanese art collectives Tijuana treehouse peeks across the border With vigils, a film, a comic and plenty of marching: How the L.A. art world faced Trumps inauguration Artist Theaster Gates on W.E.B. DuBois and what Donald Trump doesnt get about Chicago Only three movies have won the best picture Oscar without their directors being nominated. And, yes, one of those rare occasions happened just four years ago when Argo took the Oscar in the time of the Great Ben Affleck Snub. But lets be clear. It takes some pretty special circumstances say, temporary insanity (Driving Miss Daisy) for this to happen. That almost-ironclad stat helps streamline this years best picture race for predictions purposes. So long, farewell, Lion, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures and Fences. Remember: Its an honor just to be nominated. How do the chances look for the remaining five movies across the Oscars board? Lets take a look, shall we Advertisement LA LA LAND Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in La La Land. Number of nominations: 14 Should win: Picture, director, lead actress, film editing, cinematography, production design, costume design, score, song, sound mixing Could win: Original screenplay, sound editing Analysis: With 14 nominations, La La Land winning best picture is a foregone conclusion. The suspense on Oscar night hinges on whether it can tie or best the record for most wins, 11, shared by Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Ben-Hur. (Im guessing you understand that its the 1959 Ben-Hur, not the plodding 2016 remake.) Thats a tall order. Though, to be clear, Id rather watch La La Land for an eighth or ninth time than clear my afternoon for any one of those aforementioned, overlong epics. One challenge for La La Land is that because two of its nominations came in the original song category, at most, it can win 13. Ryan Gosling has always been a long shot for lead actor, a race that Casey Affleck has dominated and one that offers a towering alternative in Denzel Washington. And lead actress Emma Stone faces her own challenges in a category packed with powerful performances. Her SAG Awards win boosts her prospects. Even die-hard fans of Damien Chazelles musical were a little taken aback when Chazelle won the Golden Globe for screenplay over the likes of Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) and Barry Jenkins (Moonlight). If Chazelle manages to pull off an upset and win the original screenplay Oscar, then all bets are off. It could well be a historic night. MOONLIGHT The trailer for Moonlight. Number of nominations: 8 Should win: Supporting actor, adapted screenplay Could win: Director, cinematography Analysis: From the moment it premiered at Telluride, Moonlight felt like the movie that America needed. Its about seeing people different than yourself and understanding them, empathizing with them and connecting with them. Fundamentally, its about the necessity of human connection. With eight Oscar nominations, Moonlights message obviously resonated with a broad swath of academy voters. Those who love Moonlight adore it in a way that makes them want to take the unconverted by the hand, lead them into a theater and then offer a handkerchief and a hug when its over. There isnt any precedent for a movie like Moonlight winning best picture. But then, has there ever been a movie like Moonlight? Its passionate fan base could well lead to an upset victory for Jenkins in the director category, though, more likely, hell come away with an Oscar for his superb screenplay. MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Manchester By The Sea stars Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck. Number of nominations: 6 Should win: Lead actor, original screenplay Could win: Other than the two cited, none Analysis: Stories about the sexual harassment allegations in Manchester lead Casey Afflecks past began appearing in earnest in November. (The charges were never proven, and the civil case was settled.) Nobody seemed to care. Then, after his Oscar nomination, Fresh Off the Boat star Constance Wu took to Twitter, calling on voters to pay attention to their role in condoning award recipients actions. Some people started to care. Whether the renewed media attention will sway any academy members minds is another matter. Affleck had won every acting prize leading up to the Oscars, until Denzel Washington took the SAG Awards honor Sunday. At the very least, the much-respected Manchester should come away with a win for the way writer-director Kenneth Lonergans screenplay examined grief and the need for forgiveness. HACKSAW RIDGE Hacksaw Ridge features Teresa Palmer, Andrew Garfield, Hugo Weaving, Sam Worthington and Vince Vaughn. Number of nominations: 6 Should win: Sound editing Could win: Sound mixing Analysis: Among La La Lands competitors, the film possessing the elements that position it as a winner key nominations for director and lead actor, as well as a handful of nods for crafts is Hacksaw. Now, if it had just been directed by anyone but Mel Gibson But if this war drama had been made by anyone other than Gibson, it wouldnt have been as good, as Gibson shoots battle scenes better than any other director working today. (Well see what Christopher Nolan has up his sleeve in Dunkirk later this year.) Gibsons past still presents a problem for some people, though he clearly has many friends and supporters within the industry. Consider the six nominations as the win, with a possibility for an Oscar or two if La La Land doesnt completely steamroll the competition. ARRIVAL Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker star in Arrival. Number of nominations: 8 Should win: None Could win: Production design, cinematography Analysis: The good news: Eight nominations! The bad news: All anyone wanted to talk about was the one nomination this sci-fi epic didnt get Amy Adams for lead actress. Moving forward, thats a sign that even the movies skeletal squid aliens would understand without any help. See the most-read stories this hour glenn.whipp@latimes.com Twitter: @glennwhipp ALSO: Varying a films structure keeps it one step ahead of sophisticated audiences Five surprising Oscar nominations and how they happened 2017 Oscars Buzzmeter: Critics predict who will win in the major categories Johnny Depps former business managers have, in a new court filing, painted a detailed picture of a client who refused to rein in his voracious spending even as he was advised repeatedly of the financial problems he would face if he failed to do so. The cross-complaint was filed Tuesday on behalf of the Management Group, Joel Mandel and Robert Mandel in response to a $25-million lawsuit alleging fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and more that was filed Jan. 13 by Depp and Edward L. White, his new business manager. TMG repeatedly warned and advised Depp to reduce his spending and sell unnecessary assets, the document (via Deadline) alleges. But ultimately, the decision whether and how to spend his money was a decision for Depp to make. Depp listened to no one, including TMG and his other advisors, and he demanded they fund a lifestyle that was extravagant and extreme. Advertisement Depp severed his relationship with TMG he allegedly paid the company 5% of his gross income in March 2016, a little more than two months before Amber Heard filed for divorce from the actor. In the course of a 17-year business relationship, Depps extravagances included 14 residences (including a chain of islands and a 45-acre chateau in France), a 150-foot yacht, 45 luxury vehicles, 70 collectible guitars, world class jewelry, 200 artworks by the likes of Warhol and Basquiat and $30,000 a month on pricey wines that were brought to him around the world for personal consumption, the filing alleges. In addition, Depps monthly payroll for approximately 40 full-time employees and 24/7 security for himself and his family ran about $450,000 a month, the document says. Travel done exclusively on private planes cost the actor about $200,000 a month. "[I] dont have all that many options at the moment, Depp said in an email response to advice that he cut back on private air travel, according to the filing. A commercial flight with paparazzi in tow would be a ... nightmare of monumental proportions. TMG says in the document that it has emails, text messages, calendar entries and notes to file to support the claim that it made Depp and his team fully aware of his precarious financial circumstances should the actor continue his $2-million-a-month lifestyle while refusing to sell any assets. In the Jan. 13 lawsuit, Depp accused TMG of, among other things, collecting exorbitant fees from him, taking out loans backed by his assets without his knowledge, self-dealing, failing to keep proper records and failing to file or pay his taxes on time, resulting in $5.6 million in penalties and interest. That lawsuit alleges Depp learned of his financial situation only after changing business managers. cdz@latimes.com @theCDZ ALSO Johnny Depp sells second of his downtown L.A. penthouses Business manager admits to embezzling $4.8 million from singer Alanis Morissette Its over: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are officially divorced, and shes keeping the dogs Isabelle Huppert has long had a reputation as one of the most fearsome and fearless actresses in the world. There has always been something both steely and vulnerable about her screen presence, an ice queen willing to show her cracks. Her electrifying performance in Elle has now earned Huppert her first Oscar nomination, following her recent win at the Golden Globes. Directed by the Dutch-born Hollywood veteran Paul Verhoeven, making his French-language debut with the film, Elle is an adaptation of Philippe Djians 2012 novel, Oh, about a woman who becomes involved in a twisted series of power-plays on the man who raped her in her home. New York Times critic A.O. Scott called the film a masterpiece of suave perversity while L.A. Times critic Justin Chang called Hupperts work masterful, and this should come as little surprise regarding a project from the director of Basic Instinct and star of the sexually provocative The Piano Teacher. For her part, Huppert says she never purposely seeks out roles for the controversy. Advertisement I dont like thinking of them as provocative roles because I dont take them as provocative roles, Huppert said during a recent phone call from Paris. Of course, truth is provocative most of the time, its provocative to say whats in your mind and in your heart. To live in society most of the time means to compromise. So when cinema allows a character to take you past where a person would normally compromise, I think its really interesting. Its not a provocation for me. I think that what I take from being an actress is to learn something about myself and to say something about whoever I play, she added. And to make a personal statement out of this, this is what draws me to being an actress. When Verhoeven was putting the project together, he was initially looking to set it in the United States and cast an American actress in the lead role. When he could not find anyone willing to take on the part, it eventually found its way to Huppert and being set in Paris. Now, of course, it is impossible to imagine anyone else in the part. First of all its talent. Lets just take the shortcut. This is an extremely talented actress, Verhoeven said. And in her head there is no fear. There is audacity about everything. If she feels she can connect with the character, she doesnt care about any moral inhibitions and certainly doesnt care what people will think about it. It is the performance of Isabelle Huppert, who makes this character, this kind of strange character, authentic, he continued. Even if you dont follow her precisely in her actions, if you might disagree with the steps she takes in her life, you always feel in the movie that this character could do that. And I think thats what Isabelle brought to the movie, that you believe it even when you disagree. Little more than a day after her Oscar nomination, Huppert was also nominated for the role at Frances Cesar awards, where she is already the most nominated actress of all time. (The film received a leading 11 nominations overall in France, including best picture and director.) Huppert prides herself on working with filmmakers from all over the world, from European titans such as Claude Chabrol and Michael Haneke to Bong Joon-ho in Korea and Brillante Mendoza in the Philippines to younger French directors such as Mia Hansen-Lve and Serge Bozon. She has made a few films in English as well. When she was recently accepting a prize from the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. for her performance in Elle, she made special note of directors Curtis Hanson, with whom she made 1987s The Bedroom Window, and Michael Cimino (the much maligned Heavens Gate), who both died last year. As she has been traveling to Los Angeles throughout the fall to promote Elle, she said those directors were often on her mind. I shared so much with the two of them, she said, but of course mainly with Michael Cimino because it was such a long adventure and so memorable and so significant in its failure, the whole story around Heavens Gate set it apart as a completely unique experience. Curtis was a great, great director. I was really very sad when he left us, as I was for Michael. Michael was a huge, huge director for me and he was completely unique and original. So I am really proud to have shared those two peoples work at some point. The role is so complete. In one role Im playing many of the roles Ive done before. Isabelle Huppert on playing Michele Leblanc in Elle Huppert also acknowledges the ways in which her commanding performance in Elle feels in some way like a summation of her career, for the ways in which it allows her to be both strong and fragile, sensual and cerebral. The role is so complete. In one role Im playing many of the roles Ive done before, except maybe something [new] that belongs to that role that wasnt in previous films, said Huppert. The role is so complex, so many layers, so many situations. She is defined not only by her sexual life, which is of course very present in the film because of her desire and this very peculiar attraction to this man. But she is also defined as a mother, a daughter, as an ex-wife and as a woman of power because she runs this video game company. So there are multiple facets to the character, which makes it so you can turn her around, over and over and over and at the end of the day you still have a mystery, she added. And the mystery she has is the mystery that belongs to anybody in life, everybody has something that you cant really explain or that you might not want to explain. Even for someone like Huppert, who has been lauded for her work all over the world, there is an element of unpredictability and uncertainty that keeps her excited about the work. A role like Elle is a perfect example, as she saw it as an interesting challenge but had no idea the accolades it would lead to. For Verhoeven, Hupperts performance pushed the story into entirely unforeseen territory. It needed Isabelle Huppert to make it authentic and acceptable, said the director. I doubt there is anyone else in the world who could make this character so believable and at the same time so different from what people normally accept about characters. I realized after one or two days I had to just let her go, I felt she was so in control of the character and so clear about how it had to be expressed, he said. She was bringing the movie in directions which were not in the book or in the script or even in my head. SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter Mark.Olsen@latimes.com Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus Also Marti Noxon of Unreal and Buffy fame explores her own struggle with eating disorder in To The Bone Julieta finds a new tone for that ultimate touch of filmmaker Pedro Almodovar Adam Driver and writer-director Jim Jarmusch find the poetry of the everyday in Paterson 2017 Oscars Buzzmeter: Critics predict who will win in the major categories Made with taste, skill and discretion, The Daughter demonstrates both the staying power of classic material and the risks inherent in bringing it up to date. Despite its Australian setting and the presence of top Anzac talent such as Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill and Miranda Otto, this film is an effective modern reworking of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsens stern 1884 drama The Wild Duck. And, as written and directed by debuting director Simon Stone, Daughter is actually twice removed from Ibsens play. Though key characters and situations remain, its a reimagining for film of what Stone calls a reinvention of the story for the modern world that the director mounted on stage in Australia. Advertisement Set in a heavily wooded area of New South Wales that was actually settled by Scandinavians, The Daughter underlines the staying power of Ibsen, a dramatist who, much like Shakespeare, had insights into character and human dynamics that involve us to this day. Because the individual roles are so strong, The Daughter has attracted actors -- not only Rush, Neill and Otto but American Paul Schneider, theater stalwart Ewen Leslie and young newcomer Odessa Young -- who are eager to grapple with the involving situations Ibsen came up with. As is often the case with the dramatist, whose plays include A Dolls House, Hedda Gabler and Ghosts, The Daughters scenario involves secrets and lies and introduces damaged people trying to cope with the inexorable forces of a pitiless fate. More than that, The Daughter takes on questions of the necessity of truth in individual lives. Is it cruel or necessary to let people live lies, is truth something to be feared or embraced, does a truth need to be told just because its true? Somber though these ideas are, The Daughter opens on a scene of happiness. Wealthy plutocrat Henry (Rush) is marrying a considerably younger woman named Anna (Anna Torv) who has worked as his housekeeper, and Henrys son Christian (Schneider) is coming home from America for the ceremony. Though he tries to seem happy, Christian has acquired an edge to his temperament as well as an international accent. With troubles in his own marriage, he wears residual resentment like a second skin. The only thing that makes Christian light up is a reunion with his oldest friend, Oliver (Leslie). Happily married to Charlotte (Otto) and devoted to his smart and inquisitive teenage daughter Hedvig (Young), Oliver also lives with his kind-hearted father, Walter (Neill), who has established a kind of woodland sanctuary for wounded animals, like a wild duck Henry has wounded but not killed. The wedding is taking place at a grim moment in this logging towns history. Henry is closing the towns timber mill, the mainstay of the community for more than 100 years, and though he says he is sorry about that, Henry comes off as too much a law unto himself to be truly affected. All these factors create a sense of impending doom, of tensions simmering under the surface, as writer/director Stone, his hand guided by Ibsen, moves his characters back and forth like a chess grandmaster. The wild card in everything that goes on is Christian, who is angry, bitter about the past and filled with enough discontent to make him an especially dangerous individual to uncover disconcerting information that has lain undisturbed in his absence. While Ibsens play dealt with the dangers inherent in an idealism about truth that doesnt take reality into account, The Daughter, as its title indicates, is more concerned with the nature of family, and the effects of that change are open to debate. That difference in focus takes a bit off the impact of Ibsens original conception, as does the inevitable schematic nature of plotting that has a touch of Masterpiece Theatre about it. But effectively counteracting all that is the combined acting skill on view as well as the care with which everything has been put together. Whats surprising about The Daughter is not so much its story but how we never want to turn away. No rating. Running time: 1 hour, 36 minutes Laemmles Royal, West Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran The over-the-top operatics of American Violence initially read as a parody of such predecessors as Dead Man Walking, The Silence of the Lambs and every mob movie ever made. But the film, directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. and written by Al Lamada, is no parody. Denise Richards stars as Dr. Amanda Tyler, a criminal psychologist who is tasked with a last-minute evaluation on the planned execution of death row inmate Jackson Shea (Kaiwi Lyman-Mersereau). Their interview serves as a portal into Sheas life story, told through flashbacks, of abuse, misery, mobsters and vengeance. Tylers aim is to uncover the cause of violence in order to stop the cycle, and Sheas history offers no shortage of reasons for his murderous aims. Though the present-day interactions between doctor and inmate verge on the silly (her approach is more bad cop than psychiatrist; hes doing his very best Anthony Hopkins), its far more intriguing than the standard-issue crime-murder-prison cycle rendered in Sheas back story. Advertisement Genial New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski pops up as a throwaway thug for a minute or two, while Bruce Dern plays a cranky, corrupt prison warden and Michael Pare serves as Jacks mentor in crime. Its crisply shot but suffers from poor, amateurish editing, an overwrought dramatic score and the storytelling fails to compel. The acting, writing and directing of American Violence indicate this flick is strictly a B-movie, but its tone is far too self-serious to have any fun with at all. ------------- American Violence Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes Playing: Sundance Sunset, West Hollywood; Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com mark fields ford ceo Ford, the 113-year-old automaker, may be headquartered in the suburbs of Detroit, but CEO Mark Fields has his eyes set on Silicon Valley. The company built a research and innovation center in Palo Alto, California, in 2015 and went on to acquire two tech startups the following year. It's now working with some 40 startups on joint research projects at the center, in addition to companies it works with through tech incubators and accelerators like Techstars. "To me it was really important to be part of the ecosystem there for our people to be rubbing elbows with somebody in line at the Starbucks and striking up a conversation and saying, 'Hey, I'm working on this,' and 'I'm working on that,'" Fields told Business Insider. Ford's innovation center employs about 150 people, but Fields plans to double that number by the end of the year. Fields, who started traveling to Silicon Valley about three years ago, described why it's important for him to do that. "One is to learn," he said. "Two is to create relationships. And three is to send the message to our team out there that you're not an outpost you are a part of our network." Auto 2.0 Ford in September bought the San Francisco-based shuttle van startup Chariot for $65 million. That company was founded in 2014 and emerged from the startup incubator Y Combinator. "We said to ourselves, 'You know, we could build this [on] our own, but it's going to take time let's just buy them,'" Fields said. That followed Ford's purchase in August of the Israeli startup SAIPS for its artificial intelligence and computer-vision capabilities. It also invested in a California startup called Civil Maps, which focuses on 3D mapping. "You'll see more of those going forward," Fields said of startup acquisitions. "You're not going to see, 'Let's go buy Cisco, or let's go buy these huge megamergers we've been down that path with car companies before.'" And Wall Street is paying attention. Story continues Deutsche Bank's cohead of internet investment banking, Riaz Ladhabhoy, recently said he was spending more and more time with his firm's auto banker as large-cap companies in that industry look to acquire internet startups. Palo Alto highway 101 traffic "There's no question that auto tech is incredibly important," Ladhabhoy said. "It's accelerating at a faster pace than a lot of research analysts thought it would." And the Goldman Sachs technology, media, and telecom bankers Tammy Kiely and Kyle Jessen described in an internal question-and-answer session the importance of the auto industry at last month's CES trade show, an annual consumer electronics and technology event. "A number of companies at CES have developed technologies to enable autonomous driving, and that idea has moved one step closer to reality," Kiely said. "Companies across sectors, from original equipment manufacturers and the direct suppliers to them, to software and semiconductors firms, are introducing products demonstrating how autonomous driving can actually be implemented." "This year, we can start to see some of the actual puzzle pieces coming together that will be the building blocks for the autonomous mobility future," Jessen said. That firm has a dedicated "Auto 2.0" investment-banking team, headed by Michael Ronen. All of this is why Fields thinks the Palo Alto center is so important. "People know that Ford's there, so these small companies can have access to us, versus, 'Oh, how would I ever get in touch with big old Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan?'" he said. "So it's worked really well." NOW WATCH: A Harvard business professor explains a legal form of 'insider trading' in America More From Business Insider The bombing that decimated Oklahoma Citys Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building may be more than 20 years in the past, but with 168 dead, including 19 children, it remains the deadliest example of home-grown terrorism, a somber reminder of the kind of damage that enraged Americans are capable of doing to each other. But though the bombings perpetrator, Timothy McVeigh, was quickly apprehended, the answer to a question posed at the time remains tantalizingly out of reach. As an FBI agent surveying the scene put it, How could somebody get so upset that theyd do something like this? Veteran filmmaker Barak Goodman persuasively replies to that query in his somber, thorough Oklahoma City, a chilling documentary that firmly positions McVeigh not as some delusional loner but rather as a product of a far-right subculture that looked on the U.S. federal government as one of the most dangerous forces on the face of the Earth. Advertisement In effect, McVeigh, who wanted to be a martyr and dreamed of starting another American Revolution, saw himself as a combatant in a conflict most of his fellow citizens had no idea was going on. To me it was a counterattack, the war had already started, he says of the bombing in one of the jailhouse interviews Goodman has had access to. You think you can be ruthless? Lets see how you like it when the fighting is brought to you. Goodman, whos won Emmys for My Lai and Scottsboro: An American Tragedy, goes back and forth between the planning, execution and aftermath of the bombing itself and an in-depth investigation of the events that radicalized McVeigh and others like him, leading them to believe in the existence of, as a headline in the far-right newspaper Spotlight claimed, Undeclared War Against Christian America. Oklahoma City begins with an audio recording of the blast itself, heard at a meeting of the citys Water Resources Board at precisely 9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995. This is followed by newsreel footage of the unimaginable damage, and stories related by those who were there or arrived soon after, like parents whose children were trapped in the buildings day-care center. Also related is McVeighs personal history as a bully-hating, gun-loving kid in upstate New York who thought hed found a home in the Army until a disillusioning tour of duty in the first Gulf War led to a sour experience washing out of the Armys Ranger School. Just as compelling, if not more so, is the films careful examination of the origins of this countrys right-wing extremist movement, starting with the Aryan Nation finding sanctuary in northern Idaho in the 1980s. Inspired by an apocalyptic novel, The Turner Diaries by William Luther Pierce, an offshoot of the nationalist movement formed a militia called The Order and, among other acts, murdered liberal talk radio host Alan Berg. Also attracted to northern Idaho, in part simply because it was remote, was Randy Weaver. Attempts to turn him into a federal informant backfired and the result was a shootout at his home on Ruby Ridge that led to the death of Weavers wife and son as well as a U.S. marshal and inflamed anti-government sentiment. Just months later a similar confrontation at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, had an even more violent outcome, with the deaths of 76 people. McVeigh, who visited the Waco siege, was deeply disturbed by the outcome as well as by the passage of the Brady Bill, which mandated a waiting period for the purchase of handguns. Convinced that the federal government was part of a conspiracy to take Americas guns away, he was determined to act. Oklahoma City explores McVeighs reasons for choosing the day (the anniversary of the attack on the Waco compound) and the site (he thought a high body count was necessary to get Americas attention) and details the intensive police work that led to his capture only three days later. McVeigh was executed on June 11, 2001, (two associates escaped the death penalty) and by all reports was proud of what he did to the end. He had no last words, but it is impossible to escape the feeling that his philosophy and beliefs are alive and well to this day. No MPAA rating. Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes. Playing Laemmles Royal, West Los Angeles. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran The UCLA Film & Television Archives series What a Difference Women and Film in the 1970s and 1980s looks at two decades that featured a breakthrough of creativity from female filmmakers. Spurred by feminism and a surge in independent film, directors such as Julie Dash, Joan Micklin Silver and Susan Seidelman made their marks. The series opens with Donna Deitchs 1986 lesbian romantic drama Desert Hearts, set in 1959 Reno. Helen Shaver stars as an uptight East Coast academic awaiting a divorce, who is swept away by free-spirited Patricia Charbonneau. The film screens with three early shorts by Deitch, who will be in attendance. What a Difference Women and Film in the 1970s and 1980s, UCLA Film & Television Archive, Billy Wilder Theater, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 206-8013 www.cinema.ucla.edu/events Desert Hearts (1986). Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Series continues through Feb. 27. Advertisement La La Land notwithstanding, big screen romance has been on the wane in recent years, so it makes perfect sense with Valentines Day looming that we turn our attention to the past for our fix of on-screen eros. Pasadenas Norton Simon Museum offers Unexpected Romance, a series of four films from different decades that examines the comedic potential of the old axiom opposites attract. It Happened One Night, Robert Riskin and Frank Capras 1934 romantic comedy that won five major Academy Awards the following year, features wealthy wild girl Claudette Colbert fending off the reportorial intentions of rascally Clark Gable and his lack of an undershirt. The series includes Howard Hawks 1941 Ball of Fire with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck; Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in 1967s Barefoot in the Park, based on Neil Simons Broadway hit; and Hal Ashbys 1971 black comedy Harold and Maude featuring Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort. ------------- Unexpected Romance, Norton Simon Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 449-6840 www.nortonsimon.org. It Happened One Night (1934). Friday, 5:30 p.m. Series runs weekly through Feb. 23. The anticipated buildup to the return of Twin Peaks to television in May makes this an ideal time to sample some of David Lynchs cinematic offerings. Beginning Feb. 3, the American Cinematheque presents Pie and Coffee David Lynch Plus, a series pairing works by the director with films that either inspired or were inspired by the idiosyncratic filmmaker. First up, a couple of landmark L.A. roadways that do not actually intersect in real life cross paths with Lynchs 2001 Mulholland Dr., starring Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring, meeting Billy Wilders 1950 Sunset Boulevard, with Gloria Swanson and William Holden. Noirish with a sense of the macabre, both films offer a nightmare vision of a carnivorous Hollywood where the price of fame may be your sanity or your life. Other double bills, some where the connection is obvious, others less so, include Blue Velvet and All That Heaven Allows; Wild at Heart and The Wizard of Oz; and Eraserhead and Raising Arizona. ------------- Pie and Coffee David Lynch Plus, American Cinematheque, Egyptian Theatre, 7612 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 466-3456, www.americancinemathequecalendar.com. Mulholland Dr. (2001) and Sunset Boulevard (1950). Friday, 7:30 p.m. Blue Velvet (1986) and All That Heaven Allows (1955). Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Series continues through Feb. 19. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers kevin.crust@latimes.com @storyspheare Early on in War on Everyone, a gleefully flippant American cop thriller from the English writer-director John Michael McDonagh, Terry Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard), one of New Mexicos not-so-finest, takes a moment to ruminate on the arts. Examining the walls of his lovers bedroom, he spies a print of Andrew Wyeths 1948 painting Christinas World and remarks on its eerie image of a young woman crawling over a grassy landscape. No one points out that the woman in Christinas World had polio probably for the best, given the movies casual mockery of various other diseases and disorders, including multiple sclerosis and dyslexia. Nor is any mention made of the fact that Terrys lover, Jackie (Tessa Thompson), is reading The Algiers Motel Incident, John Herseys account of a bloody 1967 clash between Detroit cops and rioters that left three black civilians dead. For the record: An earlier version of this review misspelled the last name of The Algiers Motel Incident author John Hersey as Hershey. The book is just a winking, decorative touch in a movie that treats race, criminality and corruption with the same one-smirk-fits-all attitude. Advertisement Like so many crime movies conceived in the post-Quentin Tarantino, post-Guy Ritchie era, War on Everyone is a breezily impudent postmodern object a fast and ferocious pileup of highbrow allusions and lowbrow insults, shoehorned in between intense episodes of coke-snorting and head-smashing. The guys responsible for much of the mayhem are Terry and his partner, Bob Bolano (Michael Pena), two dirty detectives who give policing a very bad name, if also an enviable sense of style. Dressed in snazzy three-piece suits, Terry and Bob spend much of their time driving around Albuquerque in a classic blue muscle car, leaving a trail of broken bottles and battered bodies in their wake. The colorful 1970s stylings of Wynn Thomas production design are clearly meant to remind us of that decades myriad contributions to the buddy-cop genre, from The French Connection to Starsky & Hutch; you may also flash back to last years 70s-noir riff The Nice Guys, whose bumbling private eyes look like models of serious sleuthing next to the lead duo in War on Everyone. Terry is ostensibly the wilder and crazier of the two, a handsome, heavy-drinking bachelor whose obsession with Glen Campbell accounts for much of the moody country we hear on the soundtrack. Bob, by contrast, is a family man and drive-by intellectual who can riff with ease on Steven Soderbergh and Simone de Beauvoir, though he shows no more restraint than Terry when presented with an opportunity to snort illegal substances or hit a mime with their car. Eventually Bob and Terrys foul-mouthed misadventures arrange themselves into a plot of sorts. A stern lecture on bribery and corruption from their exasperated police chief (Paul Reiser) doesnt keep them from tailing a few goons who are plotting a heist at a downtown mosque a crime that Bob and Terry arent interested in foiling so much as profiting from. Their unconventional detective work does yield a few personal dividends. Terry steals the enchanting Jackie away from Jimmy (Geoffrey Pomeroy), one of a few crooks involved, while an informant named Reggie X (Malcolm Barrett) leads the duo on a whirlwind trip to Iceland, allowing for a cool blue respite from the warm orange tones of Albuquerque. Eventually they bumble their way into a strip club run by a dapper British mastermind (Theo James) and his scarily intense henchman (Caleb Landry Jones), at which point the stakes finally get personal or as personal as things get in a movie as determinedly weightless as this one. The title of War on Everyone doesnt just offer a clue to the storys final body count. It also sums up the movies sneering, anarchic attitude toward anyone and everyone the various comically abused minorities include Quakers, Muslims, Japanese businessmen and transgender women unfortunate enough to draw Bob and Terrys fickle attention. McDonagh came to international prominence with two Ireland-set, Brendan Gleeson-starring dramas, both touched by a distinct regional blend of pungent fatalism and bleak humor. If The Guard (2011) was a stylish but derivative police thriller, then Calvary (2014), in which Gleeson played a Catholic priest marked for death, was a major breakthrough: a grim whodunit that morphed into a deeply sincere contemplation of spiritual faith and human weakness. In War on Everyone, his first picture set on American soil, McDonagh has taken one big step westward and several steps backward. The caustic streak that ran through his previous work never ruled out the possibility of authentic, compassionate feeling. But here, the change of scenery forces the writer-director to retreat into a highly strained, artificial world one that, rather than becoming its own compelling alternate reality, is content to hold up a snarky funhouse mirror to the police procedurals of yesteryear. Its pleasurable enough to see Skarsgard and especially Pena, so often cast as a genial second banana, taking pride of place in their own vehicle, even if this one fails to make the most of their considerable chemistry. We dont live in your world, Bob snarls at one of his many enemies. You live in ours. He may be right. But personally, I prefer Christinas. ------------ War on Everyone Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes MPAA rating: R for violence, sexuality/nudity, drug use and pervasive language Playing: AMC Burbank Town Center 8, Burbank See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers justin.chang@latimes.com @JustinCChang There are many ways to read an opening scene in which an elderly man glumly stares at himself in the bathroom mirror but perhaps only one way to interpret a shot that zeroes in on the surgery scar on his chest. Its imminent death thats on the mind of Ray, played by Frank Langella. Eventually, its all any of his family can think about in Youth in Oregon, a schematic and bathos-laden end-of-life indie from director Joel David Moore, whose title, if you replaced Oregon with Asia and said it out loud, cutely tells you the issue at hand. Irascible Ray is a retired doctor two years removed from a heart attack thats necessitated that he and his cheery, sociable wife, Estelle (Mary Kay Place), live with their daughter, Kate (Christina Applegate), her husband, Brian (Billy Crudup), and teenage granddaughter, Annie (Nicola Peltz). Its a tense household, especially with Ray, the kind of grump who spurs his attentive but increasingly impatient son-in-law to repeatedly suggest assisted living as an option. But Rays the one with a definitive plan, shocking everybody at his 80th birthday dinner by announcing that he wants to die and will be leaving the following day on a cross-country trip to Oregon, where hes made plans to see a physician who will allow him to be euthanized. Advertisement Quickly the contrivances pile up in Andrew Eisens screenplay. Why not stay in the East and do it in Vermont, where it is also legal? ECBecause Oregon holds sentimental value, and what would a dysfunctional family movie be without a road trip? Rays loved ones are naturally distraught, but since he withheld that his condition is incurable, nobody believes a physician will honor his wish, and they therefore assume hell be back home eventually. So why doesnt Ray bolster his decision by giving them that news? Because movies like these need a secret for later drama. And that way, Kate can live with not going on a trip she sees as a folly, and the husband who doesnt get along with Ray can drive him instead, leading to bickering shenanigans. But just to make sure theres an extra reason Kate doesnt go, she needs to deal with Annies troublemaking ways. The road trip follows the usual template: wackiness (a suspicious pill Estelle gives Brian to stay awake), lawlessness (breaking into a bird sanctuary) and stabs at redemption when they make pit stops to visit estranged offspring: Rays gay adult son (an appealingly grounded Josh Lucas) in Salt Lake City and Brians college-age kid in Boise, Idaho. Moore is primarily known as an actor but this is the third feature hes directed, and he proves surprisingly unable to get layered performances out of some great actors. Langella growls, Crudup smirks, Applegate barks/cries, Lucas wryly comments and Place offers weary sass, but altogether it smacks of waiting for each characters big vulnerable moment rather than fostering a tight-knit ensemble in which a variety of emotions are always in play. You rarely believe these characters know one another, but you certainly accept that theyre not easy to be around. (Rays love of bird-watching comes across as a signpost for hidden tenderness see, hes not a monster! rather than a true character shading.) Moore also routinely tramples on his casts what-about-me opportunities with terrible music cues intended to push whimsy or sadness, along with distractingly arty shots, from blurred edges to skewed vantage points and framing. Its an insecure movie, even if its firmly on the side of dying with dignity. But in its attempt to wring humor and sentiment out of the drama that swirls around that decision, Youth in Oregon throws a forced pity party instead. ------------- Youth in Oregon Running time: 1 hour, 39 minutes Not rated Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills; Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Fans of ABCs limited anthology series American Crime will have the opportunity to ask the shows cast and producers their burning questions about Season 2s cliffhangers at a PaleyLive LA event on March 1 in Beverly Hills. The Paley Center for Media will host a panel discussion and audience Q&A with stars and producers from the show, including Felicity Huffman, Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under), Connor Jessup, Richard Cabral, Benito Martinez (The Shield), Ana Mulvoy-Ten, Mickaelle X. Bizet and producers John Ridley and Michael McDonald. The series, which has been nominated for 14 Emmys (and taken home two), was created by Ridley, who won a best adapted screenplay Oscar in 2014 for 12 Years a Slave. Advertisement In addition to the discussion, the event will also include a premiere screening of Season 3 ahead of its March 12 air date. The series, which has touched on sensitive issues such as sexual assault and race in its first two seasons, will now shift its focus to topics as varied as immigration and modern-day indentured servitude. Tickets for the live event go on sale Friday. More information can be found here. sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @sonaiyak With Powerless, NBC gets a show set in the DC Comics universe heretofore mainly the province of Fox (Gotham, Lucifer) and the CW (Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, DCs Legends of Tomorrow, iZombie). It is not an adapted property, however, but an original office comedy, set at a company that makes products to protect ordinary citizens from becoming collateral damage in a world where superheroes and villains clash on the streets and in the sky. (Superman crashing into buildings, we are told, is the No. 1 cause of workplace injuries.) On the basis of its pilot the sole episode available for review its a pleasant show, a little on the old-fashioned side formally. With a quality cast that includes Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi, Ron Funches, Alan Tudyk and Christina Kirk, it seems crafted to sit compatibly alongside the returning Superstore, another single-camera workplace sitcom, in the NBC Thursday lineup. Advertisement As someone who still thinks that the Adam West Batman is the best of all possible Batmen, I am more favorably inclined toward this take on the comics than the new dark ones that dress their heroes in Kevlar (Super-Kevlar, most likely). Classic DC comics have a daffy streak, a candy-colored, Pop Art innocence that used to set them apart from Marvel Comics, with their more philosophical, self-doubting characters. Hudgens plays Emily Locke, who comes from a flyover state (Superheroes never stopped there, they just flew over it) and is taking up a new job in Charm City, a midsized cousin to the more metropolitan Metropolis and the more Gothic Gotham. Traveling to work in an elevated train for her first day at work, she rides into the middle of a business-as-usual battle between two DC Comics characters, Crimson Fox and Jack OLantern. Emily is excited, but her fellow riders remain cool: Kids dont look up from their video games; a man in a suit says into his smartphone, Siri, push my meeting an hour. Emily has been hired to head research and development at Wayne Security, a division of Wayne Enterprises as in Bruce Wayne, Batman under the cowl. The company is run, badly, by Waynes incompetent cousin Van (Tudyk), a character with comic-book canonicity whose lines at times sound inspired by statements of a certain sitting president: Im more of a big picture guy, he says to Emily. Look at this picture [of himself], this pictures huge. And, I feel like I could commit vehicular manslaughter and I would get away with just a slap on the wrist. Like Mary Richards taking up her associate producer post in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Emily has spunk which makes her seems suspicious or pathetic to her weary new co-workers. A familiar mix of underachievers, dreamers and dealers in snark, their ideas for new citizen-protecting products are invariably shot down because theyre too expensive or too dangerous or because you need a piece of the sun to power it and thats impossible to get. I disrupt, says chief design officer Teddy (Pudi), introducing himself. I alter the structure of expectations, make people see things in new ways. For example, what do you think this is? A desk, Emily replies. But what if it wasnt? What if it was the opposite of a desk? (Its just a desk.) The pilot takes them through the usual procession of high hopes, temporarily dashed hopes and sudden inspirations, toward a resolution that will allow the series to continue. Theres no reason to wish that it wont, and though creator Ben Queen left before production began every reason to expect that it will ripen in time, as actors and writers all get to know one another and the world theyre making. That is how it works with even the least sitcoms; its their superpower. Powerless Where: NBC When: 8:30 p.m. Thursday Rating: TV-PG-LV (may be unsuitable for young children with advisories for coarse language and violence) robert.lloyd@latimes.com Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd ALSO The Tick shows off his new look on Amazons revival Vanessa Hudgens and Kohls kick off school year in South L.A. Television review: No Ordinary Family The indie beauty explosion isnt fading anytime soon. Buyers from Ulta Beauty, HSN, Sephora, Costco, Amazon, Urban Outfitters Inc. and Peninsula Beauty, whose chief beauty officer Lori Silverstein revealed during a panel shes culling products from major conglomerates to make way for smaller players on the California specialty chains shelves, wouldnt have descended upon the second edition of Indie Beauty Expo in Los Angeles if there wasnt supercharged consumer demand for cosmetics upstarts. Along with more than 1,000 attendees, they were among the nearly 310 buyers scouring 102 budding brands at the trade show trying to decipher which ones might become the next GlamGlow, Anastasia Beverly Hills or It Cosmetics. They all want to find the next hot indie brand, proclaimed Nader Naeymi-Rad, cofounder of IBE, speaking to WWD last month from the expos penthouse venue at the California Market Center. Indie brands hold about 5 percent of the market, but theyre growing at 20 percent, and the overall market is growing at 2 to 3 percent. So, theyre capturing the growth dollars. I was talking to a large online retailer with more than $100 million in turnover that was here, and he told me that roughly 40 percent of their business is now coming from new brands. He said our page with new brands is where the bulk of our traffic is going because thats what people want. Indie brands have captured the imaginations of Millennial beauty shoppers. Whether due to their digital prowess, healthy positioning or passionate founders, theyre pushing across mass and prestige beauty segments to reach those shoppers. Color cosmetics are clearly at the forefront of the indie beauty movement, but the fragrance and skin-care categories are certainly on board, too. At IBE, products from all categories were on display and even some unusual categories jumping into beauty, such as oral care, were present. Advertisement A favorite exhibitor of IBE cofounder Jillian Wrights was Lebon, a toothpaste specialist selling fresh mint, cinnamon-mint and licorice-mint options for $16 without synthetic fragrances, parabens, triclosan, fluorine, colorings or saccharin. The French brand has broken into around 20 retail doors in the U.S., including New London Pharmacy, beautyhabit.com and luckyscent.com. The scent is like opening up a bottle of perfume, swooned Wright. Its just the most gorgeous toothpaste and, if you see their Instagram, its really beautiful and it evokes emotion. Korean brands seem to be conquering beauty aisles everywhere these days, and they were a force at IBE as well. Cle Cosmetics punched up lip products with its vibrant Melting Lip Powder for $20 that transforms from a powder to a lasting tint with a matte finish. It comes in five colors, and the bestseller is Barbie Pink. Speaking of Cle, Sarah Chung, chief executive officer of Landing International, a marketplace connecting retailers with emerging beauty brands, said, They are one of the first K-Beauty brands developed for the U.S. market. She added that Cle Cosmetics has a wider shade variety than most Korean beauty brands. Its $49 Essence Air Cushion foundation is available in four tones, and its $31 CCC Cream, a combination of BB and CC creams, is in five: light, medium light, medium, medium deep and deep. Natural beauty sales are on the rise, and the indie field offering them is increasingly crowded. But there remain niches within the natural beauty sector that have unrealized potential, according to brands and buyers. Fragrance is a key example. For the longest time there was nothing [in natural perfume]. I hope to see more, said Romain Gaillard, founder and ceo of Detox Market. The clean-beauty retail and e-commerce concept carries the scent brands Honore des Pres, Strange Invisible Perfumes and Lurk. Los Feliz Botanicals, a fragrance line inspired by California landscapes containing $8 eau de parfums and $24 perfume balms, and Thorn & Bloom, an immaculately packaged brand with nine eau de parfums priced at $12, were standout IBE scent brands. Although not at the L.A. version of IBE, Thorn & Blooms Bird of Paradise eau de parfum, which has notes of jasmine sambac and pink champaca at its heart, was feted with a best in show award for fragrance. Gaillard also believes ingestibles like vitamins, supplements and beverages formulated to improve the appearance of hair, skin and nails are finally taking off. I remember this discussion [about ingestibles] in the late Nineties where people were like, Oh yeah, its the next big thing. When we launched The Detox Market [in 2010], we were advocating them as part of our holistic approach, but people didnt care about them, even in Venice, he said, continuing ingestible brands are now resonating with customers, specifically Moon Juice with its collection of dust herbal supplements. Notable brands bringing the message of inside-out beauty to IBE were The Beauty Chef and Hum Nutrition. While the ingestible category is very nascent within natural beauty and beauty generally in the U.S., natural color cosmetics is a maturing category with established brands that have evolved to better respond to consumers. Au Naturale, for instance, is upgrading its packaging and has expanded its shade range. In March, its moving to matte charcoal componentry that feels weightier than its previous componentry. On the shade range front, its boosted the number of foundation shades to 13 from eight at its founding six years ago. African-Americans are really underserved in green beauty, explained Au Naturale founder Ashley Prange. Pranges distribution strategy for her brand is to go after Jane Iredale in spas, salons and hotels and shes finding a receptive audience. She said, People who I never thought would be interested in learning about indie brands are listening to us. ALSO SAG Awards 2017: WWD picks the best hair and makeup looks from the red carpet What does that arched eyebrow mean? Benefit Cosmetics new Brow Translator tries to tell you Tiffany & Co. taps Lady Gaga to star in its first Super Bowl commercial The crowd of hundreds was ready to march, winding a circuitous route from a Bakersfield park to the nearby district office of Rep. Kevin McCarthy to rally in support of the Affordable Care Act. But before they hoisted their signs and joined in healthcare-themed chants, there was a quick geographic roll call. How many of you are from Bakersfield? asked the emcee. About half the attendees cheered. The rest had come from farther-flung homes: Long Beach, Sacramento, Riverside. They had traveled via chartered bus, largely with labor unions or grass-roots liberal groups, to the heart of the California effort to save Obamacare. A potent mix of politics and policy has drawn the Central Valley into the center of the debate around the future of the Affordable Care Act. It is the region in the state most transformed by the landmark healthcare law. It is also a rare Republican enclave in California, represented in Congress by members of the majority party that will determine the laws fate including McCarthy, who, as House majority leader, commands a top post in the GOP. Advertisement Demonstrators target House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in a pro-Obamacare rally in Bakersfield. (Melanie Mason / Los Angeles Times) The spotlight on the region has captured the attention of Californias leading Democrats. The week before the rally, a gaggle of Democratic state legislators mostly representing Bay Area and Los Angeles-area districts convened in Bakersfield for a hearing on the potential effects of an Obamacare repeal. Other top party officials from Gov. Jerry Brown to Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones have pointedly made note of the regions healthcare landscape in recent missives. For some Central Valley residents, the attention is long overdue. The Central Valley has felt like the stepchild of the state for a while, said Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno). The expansion of the Affordable Care Act has allowed us the opportunity to see what healthcare looks like for the rest of the state, and its concerning to think about taking a step backwards. When state Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) decided to convene an offsite Senate Health Committee hearing last month, he opted for Bakersfield. If they completely eliminate the Affordable Care Act we would have the most devastating effects in the Central Valley, Hernandez said. The number of people without health insurance in the region plunged under the healthcare law. In Kern County, home of Bakersfield, the uninsured rate dropped from more than 18% in 2013 to just under 8% in 2015, according to the UC Berkeley Labor Center. In Arambulas home of Fresno County, the rate dropped from 17.9% to 9.8%. Tens of thousands of the newly insured receive federal subsidies to shop on the Covered California healthcare exchange, but the most dramatic impact in the region came from the expansion of Medi-Cal, subsidized care for the poor that was broadened to cover childless adults. Statewide, about a third of residents receive Medi-Cal. But in several counties in the San Joaquin Valley, including Tulare, Merced and Fresno, around half the population is enrolled in the program. If they completely eliminate the Affordable Care Act we would have the most devastating effects in the Central Valley. Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) Carmen Morales-Board, a nurse practitioner at Kern Medical Center, said shes seen the effects in the types of patients she treats. Our clinics are full. Its a lot of Medi-Cal expansion patients who didnt have coverage before, she said. Meanwhile, emergency rooms are less crowded with non-urgent needs. I see patients that really need the surgery, she said. I dont see a bunch of patients to get their medication refilled like I did five years ago. The laws detractors agree Obamacare has changed the Central Valley but not for the better. We dont have nearly enough specialists in the valley, and patients who have coverage have been subject to severe hikes in their premiums, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) said in a statement. But proponents argue that a repeal would affect more than insurance coverage, pointing to a UC Berkeley estimate that more than 200,000 healthcare-related jobs would be at risk in a region that has lagged economically compared with the rest of the state. The statewide job loss figure plays differently in the Bay Area than it does in the Central Valley, which still has 8[%] or 10[%] or 11% unemployment, said Anthony Wright, who leads the advocacy group Health Access. The Central Valleys elected officials also serve as tempting political targets. Democrats are eager to put the pressure on McCarthy, the No. 2 Republican in the House of Representatives. Along with Republican House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, hes the one calling the shots, Wright noted. A spokesman for McCarthy did not respond to a request for comment. But in a letter to the Sacramento Bee last month, McCarthy charged that critics were not taking into account that Republicans will not just repeal the existing law, but intend to replace it with their own plan. Congressional Republicans so far have not coalesced around a replacement proposal. McCarthy also dismissed the statistics of expanded coverage under Obamacare as meaningless, arguing that the number of insured matters little when the quality of the insurance is so dismal. Proponents acknowledge that targeting McCarthy is mostly symbolic. As a leader in the party that has railed for years against Obamacare, he is unlikely to change his opposition to the law. And after winning 70% of the vote for reelection last year in a solidly Republican district, his seat is hardly vulnerable. But advocates are also hoping their message resonates with Republicans in nearby districts, who are in more perilous territory. The district of Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), for example, borders McCarthys, but his constituents backed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over President Trump by a 15-point margin. Valadao and Rep. Jeff Denham of Turlock are among seven California Republicans designated as targets by national Democrats in the 2018 midterm election. There is no doubt we have a healthcare crisis on our hands. Our healthcare system was broken before Obamacare, but the new law made it worse. Thats why we need to find a better solution, Valadao said in a statement. As Congress considers alternatives in the coming days and weeks, I will make sure the needs of my constituents are heard loud and clear in Washington. Ensuring quality healthcare is available, accessible, and affordable, especially for low income families, is my top priority. The lack of a consensus on a replacement plan has made it difficult for Republicans to counter dire warnings of the consequences of a repeal. But defenders of the law have an uphill battle in winning popular support as well. Though approval of Obamacare has climbed since Trumps election, it still remains a politically divisive issue. The California Endowment, a nonprofit that helped enroll people when the law went into effect, is now focusing on collecting stories of those covered. Its not always 100% rosy, said Daniel Zingale, a senior vice president with the foundation. People will tell you whats working and whats not. He said the outreach serves another purpose: to start chipping away at the inequalities the Central Valley has long suffered. That region of the state is neglected by all sectors not just by policymakers, but by philanthropy, Zingale said. Were trying to make some amends for having half of our state geographically be neglected, disconnected, disenfranchised. We have a lot of catching up to do. Others in the region are looking to capitalize on the attention. Arambula, a former emergency room physician, has introduced legislation to build a medical school at Fresno State in a bid to address the regions doctor shortage. From a crisis, an opportunity, Arambula said. And while some in the Central Valley may blanch at the influx of coastal residents rallying on their turf, others said they were exhilarated by the attention. Im so proud of every person out here, said Karen Sherman, 72, a Bakersfield resident who cares for her disabled son. Normally were hidden. Were overlooked constantly. melanie.mason@latimes.com Follow @melmason on Twitter for the latest on California politics. Republicans divided over whether millions of Americans should lose government-subsidized health coverage Democrats target 7 congressional seats held by California Republicans for 2018 midterm elections On Kevin McCarthys home turf, Democratic legislators warn against Obamacare repeal They were simply making a stop at a Compton convenience store. But when three childhood friends pulled out of the gas station on a Sunday night last year, they were ambushed. Only one of them survived the gunfire. For the record: A previous version of this article said that homicide victim Richard Williams left behind a 9-month-old son. Williams son is 13 months old. On Thursday, family members of Richard Williams, 24, and Boston Keith Farley, 23, pleaded with the public to come forward to help solve the May 2016 double homicide. County supervisors have approved a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspects, and Williams parents have offered an additional $10,000. City officials are expected to offer $10,000 more. Authorities have said the victims had no gang ties and likely were shot for no reason. Advertisement These guys had nothing to do with anything, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Lt. John Corina told reporters gathered at a news conference to announce the reward. On May 15, the three men had gone to a nearby casino and were on their way home when they pulled into a gas station about 9 p.m. at South Wilmington Avenue and West Caldwell Street, authorities said. As they tried to leave, a white truck blocked them. A person got out of the passenger side, and, armed with an assault rifle, sprayed at least 19 shots. The victims in this case had nowhere to go, Corina said. The victims car hit the curb across the street. An injured Farley, who was in the front passenger seat, noticed that Williams also had been hit and got out of the car to try to help his friend. Farley collapsed outside the drivers side door. The third passenger was not injured. Surveillance cameras installed by the city captured a white pickup fleeing the scene. The truck, a white Chevy or General Motors vehicle, had ladder racks and built-in side tool boxes. It wasnt just a murder. It was an execution, Compton Mayor Aja Brown told reporters at the news conference. There are people in the community who know who did this. Williams and Farley were killed during a particularly violent month in Compton last year. In May, seven people were killed in the city of about 100,000. Last year, the city saw 33 homicides, the highest since 2013, when 39 people were killed. Williams mother, Gwendolyn Williams, described her son as someone with a real zeal for life. Williams worked as an installer for Frontier Communications and left behind a son who is now 13 months old. Please help us, she said. Please help us bring some peace into our familys life. Since the killing, Gwendolyn Williams and her husband have been devastated. The couple decided to refinance their home to be able to offer the additional reward money. Theres just one big piece missing out of our family, she said later. Farley worked at a warehouse and wanted to go back to school to become a barber, his family said. He also left behind a young child. At the news conference, Councilwoman Janna Zurita said that in the coming weeks the council will offer an additional $10,000 reward for information in the killing, bringing the total reward amount to $30,000. Please remember, Gwendolyn Williams told those gathered. This could also save someones life. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriffs department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. nicole.santacruz@latimes.com For more crime news, follow @nicolesantacruz on Twitter. ALSO Woman arrested in New Years crash that killed her spouse, an off-duty LAPD officer Mysterious disappearance of Santa Clarita man puzzles investigators and family Obscene and hateful graffiti spray-painted on Islamic center in Roseville, police say Iranian citizen and U.S. visa holder turned away last week lands at LAX Ali Vayeghan, an Iranian citizen with a valid U.S. visa, arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday after earlier being turned away. He had arrived in L.A. Friday evening, hours after President Trump signed a travel ban, and he was put (Recasts with Gabriel visit) BERLIN, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Wednesday announced plans to visit Washington and shore up ties with Germany's closest ally outside Europe, days after a key aide to U.S. President Donald Trump launched fresh attacks on Berlin's policies. Gabriel said he looked forward to a "good, open and friendly" dialogue with Rex Tillerson, confirmed as Trump's secretary of State on Wednesday by the U.S. Senate, and said Germany was seeking answers about the new U.S. administration's foreign policies, its relationship to the NATO alliance and other key issues. "The world will not wait for us. There are urgent issues on the global agenda about which Germany and America, as well as Europe and America, should be closely coordinating," Gabriel said in a statement. "The friendship between two countries is far more than a beneficial cooperation between governments, but without good and trustworthy relations between those governments, it will not go well," said Gabriel, who also serves as vice chancellor. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the go-to European ally for former U.S. President Barack Obama, who praised her as "an outstanding partner" on a farewell visit to Berlin in November, but the relationship has deteriorated markedly under Trump. Last month, Trump said Merkel made a "catastrophic mistake" with her open-door refugee policy. This week, his top trade adviser said Germany was using a "grossly undervalued" euro to gain advantage over the United States and its European partners . Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert, asked about attacks from Washington, on Wednesday described the German-American relationship as a deep "historical friendship between two peoples." Pressed to comment about Trump's attacks on Germany's migrant and trade policies, and the euro, Seibert told a regular government news conference: "We are at the very beginning of the cooperation with a new American government." Story continues "DIFFERENCES" Ingo Kramer, president of the Federation of German Employers, told industry executives today that Trump's actions and words were unsettling, but he hoped that Washington would not continue with its "retreat from the rest of the world." Gero Neugebauer, a Berlin-based political expert, said a barrage of critiques from Trump had forced Merkel to abandon her plan to refrain from public remarks about Trump. "Merkel has no choice but to step into the breach and stand up for German interests regardless of how great her desire for cooperation," he said. Merkel's government has offered to visit the United States in the spring in her capacity as chairman of the G20 group of leading economies, government sources have said. Trump has accepted an invitation to come to a G20 summit that Merkel will host in Hamburg in early July, and on Saturday said he looked forward to welcoming Merkel to Washington soon. The pair issued a positive statement after speaking by telephone on Saturday about NATO, the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, their ties to Russia and the conflict in eastern Ukraine.. But Merkel later sharply criticised Trump's travel ban on refugees and people from Muslim-majority countries. Seibert told Wednesday's news conference there were clearly differences between the two leaders. "It was clear before this (telephone) conversation that there were differences between the new president and the chancellor, or the (German) government," he said. "And we will represent our beliefs to this American government." (Reporting by Paul Carrel, Andrea Shalal, Andreas Rinke and Holger Hansen; Editing by Larry King and Andrew Hay) Sarah Fatemi knows what its like to be in the limbo of a foreign airport, hearing the chattering of voices that dont quite connect and trapped in the uncertainty about whats coming next. She was 4 years old, returning from a family trip to Iran with her mother and younger sister, when the family stopped in Turkey a common layover spot for return flights from Tehran. A misunderstanding over her mothers immigration status led to a run-in with airport officials. Not one person spoke English. Not one person spoke Farsi. My baby sister was crying, Fatemi, 24, said. Advertisement Four hours of questioning later, they were finally allowed to board a flight back to the U.S. So after President Trump issued an executive order banning immigrants from certain countries from entering the U.S., Fatemi rushed to Los Angeles International Airport armed not with protest signs or chants, but the power of language. The college student answered the call of the interpreter. I am a person who travels back and forth from Iran. I know how hard and how long the flights are and how exhausting the flights can be, she said. The executive order blocks citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from coming to the U.S. for at least 90 days. It also imposes a ban for 120 days on refugees from any country entering the U.S. and bars refugees from Syria indefinitely. Trump has said the move will better protect the country against terrorist attacks. Protesters of all backgrounds descended on the airport while activists, advocacy groups and attorneys posted pleas for translators on social media. Most of the volunteers spoke Farsi and Arabic; some spoke Dari, Urdu and Armenian. For all of them, answering the callfelt personal. My cousin who is currently studying in America texted me that he was very distraught, worried that they want him to leave, Fatemi said. I was seeing a lot of posts from people like my friends who are from Iran. By Sunday, the volunteers were circulating through LAX in full force. Interpreters with name tags in at least two languages wandered the arrivals area and greeted passengers and families, asking whether they needed help. Fatemi walked around holding a red sign that read: Have you been waiting for 3 or more hours for your family or friends? They may have been detained. Please speak to us. Given the current policies, there are more and more people who have this need, Fatemi said of translating. Im not a lawyer and I really do think this is the way I can help. Fatemi also handed out chips and juice while helping travelers fill out intake forms handed out by attorneys. They would fill out their personal information, [asked] were they treated respectfully, were they taken into a room were they forced to sign anything without being able to understand, she said. Fatemi, a student at Loyola Marymount University, said she often found herself helping Farsi speakers who also understood English, but felt more comfortable talking to someone in their first language. Others just needed emotional support. She recalled a distressed couple a British-Iranian dual citizen and his Iranian wife who is waiting for her green card who approached her. If I have to go back to England, when can I see my wife again? he asked Fatemi. Fatemi said she has worked in the international office at school and taught English to international students, but had never done any formal language interpreting before. Fatemi said she sees herself volunteering more in the future as demonstrations pop up and stories of detained immigrants continue. Volunteer Nour Joudah, a graduate student at UCLA, translates a sign into Arabic in the arrivals area of Tom Bradley International Terminal. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) On Monday, the arrivals area at the Tom Bradley International Terminal was filled with attorneys, but it was light on translators. Yassamin Maleknasr was one of a few Farsi speakers on hand trying to connect rattled family members with legal support. Maleknasr, a 61-year-old filmmaker who emigrated from Iran decades ago, said she felt a deep personal connection to those who might be affected by Trumps order. Somebody here could be my mother, could be my aunt, a family member, she said. She huddled with a young Iranian woman as she cried near an encampment of attorneys. The woman was worried that her sister, who is a green card holder, might have been detained on a flight into LAX. The womans mother had also died in Iran recently, and she was afraid that if she flew back home for the funeral she would be denied reentry to the U.S. There are a lot of good citizens Iranian and American and they are very scared now, Maleknasr said. Serving as an interpreter for those speaking Farsi, Dari and Arabic, Maleknasr held up a sign offering help to families of detainees as a steady stream of travelers funneled into the terminal. Some she directed to attorneys. Others simply needed a friendly face, she said. Ive been hugging a lot of people, she said. Loyola Marymount University student Sarah Fatemi has been volunteering as a Farsi translator at Los Angeles International Airport. Im not a lawyer and I really do think this is the way I can help, she said. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) Haleh Golestani offered up her language skills because she didnt want to stand on the sidelines. Golestanis family is Muslim, and while she wasnt personally affected by the ban, she wanted to help immigrant families. We contribute to this country, said Golestani, 30, who teaches at Cal Poly Pomona. My dad came here at 19 and he was able to make a good life for himself. How can you take that away from someone? Golestani said she worked with multiple Iranian families and acted as a liaison between attorneys and passengers to try to ease an increasingly stressful situation. She said she would continue to translate as long as shes needed and plans to attend a prayer service at LAX on Friday. Fatemi, the student, returned from a trip to Iran a few weeks ago. Her experience over the weekend reminded her of an exchange she had with her cousins there over lunch. Iranian ritual politeness, or taarof, makes it impossible for a guest to pay when the bill arrives. The family fought over the check. They said, When we come to America, you can pay for us, Fatemi recalled. Now, she wonders whether shell have the chance to return the favor. sarah.parvini@latimes.com For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report. Going to the beach may become more affordable if state legislators pass an Assembly bill introduced this week to increase inexpensive lodging along the coast. The measure by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-Chula Vista) calls on the California State Coastal Conservancy to create a program that would preserve and add to the number of low-cost hotels, motels and hostels in coastal areas, particularly on parkland. The bill would require the conservancy to work with the California Department of Parks and Recreation and to develop a separate pilot program to explore the development, maintenance and operation of affordable accommodations by the private sector and nonprofit organizations. Advertisement I grew up in a working-class family and got to enjoy the beach. There was easy access then, said Gonzalez, who introduced the bill on Monday. Now, people who grow up like I did dont have that opportunity. Even for a middle-class family it can be cost-prohibitive to enjoy the beach. Equitable access to coastline has emerged as a major concern of organizations that represent low-income people of color and the California Coastal Commission, which is responsible for protecting public access to the states beaches. According to the commission, a room at a budget hotel in beach areas costs between $135 and $260 a night during the summer an expense that many low-income families cannot afford. The commission also reports that since 1989, about 24,720 economy rooms have been lost along the coast because of hotel and motel closures and remodels. Such affordable accommodations now make up only 5% of the rooms available in coastal areas. Recent polling by UCLA and San Francisco State University indicates that the expense of travel, parking and overnight accommodations is becoming too much for many potential visitors, making the coast inaccessible to ordinary people, especially low-income families that live inland. In our research we found that the cost of staying overnight at the coast can be a real burden for some Californians, said Jon Christensen, a researcher at UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Gonzalezs bill addresses our recommendations to find a way to stop the loss of low-cost overnight accommodations and increase the supply of rooms. Adding affordable units at state parks in coastal areas is probably the easiest to accomplish, Gonzalez said. About a third of the coast is state parkland, where there is already a good record of providing low-cost campgrounds and cabins. The most successful of our lower-cost accommodations are in state parks, Gonzalez said. We need to work within that success. We need public investment in campgrounds and cabins. The investment works. We need more of it. Robert Garcia, the founding director of the City Project, has long worked on equal access to Californias parks and recreational facilities. He praised the bill and offered to work with Gonzalez to make her legislation as strong as possible. We do agree with the thrust of this bill and the steps that are suggested, he said. But we think the devil is in the details. Garcia said the measure does not address people of color or minorities specifically, and the bill needs to stress compliance with state civil rights laws, including equal justice provisions recently added to the California Coastal Act, which is enforced by the Coastal Commission. If you use a euphemism, such as under-served communities or low-income communities, it is not effective, he said. People of color can be left behind. Two previous bills to increase affordable lodging at the beach, including one last year by Gonzalez, failed to pass at the committee level. Gonzalez said her current measure has been revised and is ready to go. dan.weikel@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @LADeadline16 Los Angeles city leaders passionately decried President Trumps travel ban Wednesday during a gathering at the Islamic Center of Southern California and called upon residents to show solidarity with the local Muslim community. We will resist any attempt from the Trump administration, or any other entity, that threatens the rights of any of us or the values we cherish the most, said Councilman Mitch OFarrell, who organized the event. We must always lean against the darkness of ignorance and exclusion. Signed Friday, the executive order blocks travel from seven majority-Muslim countries for 90 days and suspends all refugee admissions to the U.S. for 120 days. The order also bars indefinitely the admission of Syrian refugees. Advertisement OFarrell said he began reaching out to fellow leaders immediately after the order was announced, believing that they must quickly take a public and united stand against what is anathema to human decency and basic civil rights. According to OFarrells office, the Los Angeles metro area has about 161,000 residents born in the countries listed in the travel ban, by far the highest number in the nation. In the City of Angels, tolerance, inclusion and compassion are part of our DNA, OFarrell said. We are a refuge of sorts for immigrants from across the world and, like myself, migrants from other states. One can make a new life here, free of the constraints and sometimes oppression that may exist from where we came. The gathering came days after thousands rallied at Los Angeles International Airport as attorneys scrambled to file documents to free those detained. City Atty. Mike Feuer, who had been concerned that federal officials were not complying with a judicial order that prevented detainees from being deported, said earlier that he witnessed a breathtaking violation of rights at the airport. He also was repeatedly denied access to federal detainees or an attorney who could discuss the situation, he said. On Wednesday, Feuer announced that a team of lawyers in his office were looking at every step we can effectively take to defend our values. I feel so strongly that this moment right now may be the defining moment in our lives, he added. The real America needs to rise up and make itself heard. The chairwoman of the Islamic Center said the words of city leaders have given her hope, but that she still wakes up in fear. When our policymakers say Islam hates us they paintbrush a whole faith, Hedab Tarifi said. It worries me that a war is being waged that has no foundation. Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said he fields calls from people worried about traveling and being caught up in a nightmare. He puts them in touch with legal help and encourages them to continue on with their plans. The problem is, when you scapegoat a whole community, you do not bring security to the American people, you only bring more fear and hysteria, he said. All community members are invited to a rally beginning at the Islamic Center scheduled for Feb. 19 that intends to underscore the point of pluralism, he said. We are brothers, we are sisters with one another, and we are, as a city, one. Ron Galperin, Los Angeles city controller Mayor Eric Garcetti asked the city to acknowledge that it has long been a haven for immigrants and that the current fight involves legal residents who have gone through the painstaking process of filing the proper documents. He compared the fight against Trumps order to the civil rights movement. This isnt about fighting one person, Garcetti said, this is about standing up for joint values. Everybody deserves to be at the lunch counter. City Controller Ron Galperin recalled how his father, who escaped Romania during the Holocaust, made his way through Turkey, Syria and Lebanon before landing at a British internment camp in Israel, which was then Palestine. His fathers plans to immigrate to the United States were hindered by restrictions during the Cold War. A U.S. senator heard of his plight and pushed legislation that allowed him to arrive in 1956. Galperin, the first in his family to be born an American, said he feels a responsibility to make sure others have the same opportunity. We are brothers, we are sisters with one another, and we are, as a city, one. corina.knoll@latimes.com Twitter: @corinaknoll The first time Ali Vayeghan tried to enter the United States, the Iranian man was met at Los Angeles International Airport by stern border control officials, who detained him in a sparse room overnight before forcing him back onto a plane. Six days and 15,000 miles of flying later, Vayeghan returned to LAX on Thursday and received a very different welcome. For the record: An earlier version of this story misspelled attorney Talia Inlenders last name as Inlander. Emerging into Terminal 2 in the early afternoon, the 61-year-old was met by a raucous cheer from supporters, lawyers and family members who have been fighting for Vayeghans admittance into the U.S. since he was sent away under the sweeping travel ban President Trump imposed on several predominantly Muslim countries. Advertisement Vayeghans successful return was the result of a federal judges emergency ruling overturning the governments decision to ban him, making Vayeghan the first person denied entry to be allowed into the country after a legal challenge to the White Houses executive order. Flanked by his brother and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Vayeghan was surrounded by a throng of journalists Thursday after showing his immigrant visa at the airports border checkpoint. Asked how he felt, he responded in Persian, which was translated by his niece: This is what humanity looks like. This is what human rights looks like. I am shocked, honored and awed. Please let them know Im not mad at anybody, he added. This is the greatest country in the world. Ali Vayeghan, an Iranian citizen with a valid U.S. visa, arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday after earlier being turned away. He had arrived in L.A. Friday evening, hours after President Trump signed a travel ban, and he was put As she waited for Vayeghan to appear, attorney Talia Inlender, part of the legal team that fought for Vayeghans return, spoke to reporters of his tortuous journey to the U.S. Standing amid supporters holding balloons and flowers, she blasted federal immigration authorities for turning Vayeghan away. Garcetti, who has spoken out against the severe travel restrictions, was on hand to celebrate the news of Vayeghans arrival, but said the effects of the presidents order continue to be felt. The moment we are about to witness should not be extraordinary, he said of Vayeghans impending arrival on a flight from Qatar. Trumps order, which went into effect Friday, bars people from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran, from entering the U.S. for at least three months. It also imposed a minimum four-month ban on refugees from any country coming into the U.S. Critics have said the order, which was billed as a way to better guard against terror attacks in the U.S., will alienate Muslims and do little to increase safety. Newly sworn-in Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly said earlier this week that the restrictions target some countries that are in various states of collapse and have poor record-keeping or unreliable police forces that undermine U.S. border officials efforts to determine travelers identities and criminal histories. Vayeghans return marked a dramatic reversal from Friday evening, when the 61-year-old arrived at LAX just hours after Trump signed the executive order, setting off chaotic scenes in airports as confused federal officials scrambled to decipher the new rules. Waiting for Vayeghan at the airport on that day was his brother, who lives in Los Angeles. The men had planned to spend a short visit catching up before Vayeghan continued on to Indiana, where he would reunite after 12 years with his son, a U.S. citizen. The brother and other family members said they waited at LAX until after 3 a.m. Saturday, with scant information about his whereabouts. The Vayeghan family reunited at LAX. Ali is on the left. pic.twitter.com/3Y7Zz5SsI6 James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) February 2, 2017 The American Civil Liberties Union and L.A.-based immigration attorney Stacy Tolchin stepped in, filing a habeas corpus petition Saturday that demanded Vayeghans release. Attorneys argued that Trumps executive order violated Vayeghans due process and was hostile to a specific religion, Islam, putting it at odds with the 1st Amendments establishment clause. U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee granted an emergency temporary restraining order instructing that Vayeghan be allowed to enter the country, but it arrived too late. Vayeghan had already been put on a plane to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday afternoon. According to his brother and attorneys who had sporadic phone contact with him, Vayeghan was pressured by officials to sign documents that revoked his immigrant visa. Regretting the decision afterward, he resisted demands that he board a plane for Dubai and was carried to his seat by authorities, an attorney for the ACLU said. Gee amended her order and instructed that U.S. officials were to facilitate Vayeghans return from Dubai and admit him to the country. Citing the irreparable harm Vayeghan would face if he was forced to go back to Iran, Gee ruled that his attorneys had showed a strong likelihood of successfully arguing that his denial to the U.S. violated federal law. Instead, officials in Dubai placed Vayeghan on a plane bound for Tehran. In an email to The Times, a Department of Justice spokeswoman said her agency coordinated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in efforts to bring Mr. Vayeghan back to the United States as per the terms of the courts order. She would not elaborate, and a Customs and Border Protection spokesman declined to answer questions, citing privacy rules. ACLU attorney Peter Bibring acknowledged that lawyers for Vayeghan coordinated with government officials in the U.S. and abroad to plan his return, but he declined to detail those efforts. As they awaited a required stamp in his passport, Vayeghan and his relatives repeatedly hugged at an airport Starbucks, where some employees offered them free food. He held his brother tightly, and spoke excitedly about reuniting with his son. Activists who staged large-scale weekend protests against the executive order, which paralyzed traffic at the airport, approached to hug the family. We were the loneliest people in the world on Friday, said Vayeghans niece Marjan. But this is the L.A. I know and love. Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report. james.queally@latimes.com joel.rubin@latimes.com Twitter: @jamesqueallyLAT and @joelrubin ALSO Other presidents have blocked groups of foreigners from the U.S., but never so broadly For victims of San Bernardino terrorist attack, conflicting views about Trump policy in their name Iranian student deported under Trump ban is kindest person youll ever meet, instructor says UPDATES: 6:25 p.m.: This article was updated with some additional background about the White House executive order and some minor rewriting. 4:00 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from LAX after Vayeghan arrived as well as a statement from the U.S. Justice Department. 2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with a quote from Vayeghan and a no comment from a Customs and Border Patrol spokesman. 1:40 p.m.: This article was updated with details of Vayeghans arrival at LAX. This article was originally published at 7 a.m. David Meneshian waited for his fiancee outside the arrivals area of the international terminal at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday afternoon holding a bouquet of flowers. The 33-year-old Eagle Rock resident spent the weekend panicking about what hed do if his fiancee, a green card holder who traveled to Iran to visit her parents four days before the inauguration of President Trump, was barred from entering the country. Plan B, he said, was to fly her to stay with relatives in Canada, Europe or Armenia. But her arrival Monday was seamless. Less than an hour after his fiancee landed, Meneshian spotted her carting her luggage out of the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Advertisement Nothing happened to me, she said, laughing and smiling. She identified herself only as Ana. I have school, I have a job. I have to go back to my life. Amid the confusion and apprehension following Trumps recent executive order temporarily blocking travelers entering the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries, there were stories like that of Ana. The executive order, which Trump said is needed to protect the country from terrorist attacks, blocks citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from coming to the U.S. for at least 90 days. It also imposes a ban for 120 days on refugees from any country entering the U.S. and bars refugees from Syria indefinitely. Critics said the ban unfairly targets Muslims and imposes undue hardship on innocent families. Meneshians mother, who was also at the airport, spent her weekend much less worried. In fact, she said she had zero concerns about her future daughter-in-laws travel plans and supports Trumps executive order. Our borders have to be secure, said Zara Meneshian, who immigrated to the U.S. from Soviet Armenia in the late 70s. I waited 30 years to vote for Donald Trump. Her only qualm was the chaos and confusion that erupted when the order was put in place immediately. As she was leaving the airport, she told a protester holding a sign that read, I stand with all immigrants to go home. You have your priorities wrong, she told him. There were a dozen or more protesters outside the arrivals area with an air horn late Wednesday, and attorneys said the last traveler they spoke to, from Iran, estimated that 50 people from different countries were still being detained. Tuesday, a family of six from Afghanistan a country not included in Trumps order was detained for more than seven hours with no food, according to Kristy White, a volunteer immigration attorney. She said the father, a mechanic, and his family were granted special immigrant visas for his work with the U.S. military in Afghanistan. But when he landed, White said, customs officers accused him of having fake passports and threatened to deport him and his family. Its unclear if Trumps executive order was cited. He said the officers told him he would never get into this country, White said. The man was taken to one room, White said, while his wife and four young children, all under 10 years old, were placed in another. Officers allegedly tried to compel the man, who is illiterate, to sign paperwork renouncing his visa, but he refused, White said. He said, Ive been trying to get this visa for three years theyre not going to take it away, she said. Officers told him they would call Kabul to find out if the passports were authentic, and if no one answered, he and his family would be deported, White said. What transpired afterward is unclear, but around 8:30 p.m., the family was released. They all grabbed water from us as soon as they came out and started drinking it, White said. She added that during the detention, she tried to file paperwork with Customs and Border Protection officials indicating that she was the familys attorney. They wouldnt take it, she said. No ones getting access to counsel back there. On Wednesday, a relief organization was helping the family resettle. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek ALSO L.A. federal judge orders a temporary halt to part of Trumps travel ban Trump travels to Dover Air Force Base to honor first service member killed in action on his watch Democrats and liberal activists face uphill battle against Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch UPDATES: 7:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information about protests and detentions at LAX. This article was originally published at 5:20 p.m. An appeals court this week reversed an Orange County judges controversial 10-year sentence for a man who sodomized a 3-year-old girl. Californias 4th District appellate court concluded Tuesday that Kevin Rojano-Nieto should serve at least 25 years and ordered a resentencing. A resentencing date was not immediately set. Rojano-Nieto, then 19, was convicted in 2014 of sodomizing the toddler, a relative, who had wandered into a garage where he was playing video games. Advertisement The girl told her mother what happened and was taken to a hospital clinic, where a nurse performed a sexual assault exam. Rojano-Nieto was arrested the same day and eventually confessed, stating that the sodomy lasted for five seconds. He faced a minimum 25-year prison term. Last year, Orange County Superior Court Judge M. Marc Kelly found himself in a firestorm when he sentenced Rojano-Nieto to 10 years, stating that the higher sentence would be cruel and unusual punishment. At the time of the sentencing, Orange County supervisors were calling for the judges resignation, and thousands signed petitions condemning his actions. The appellate court concluded that a 25-year-to-life sentence is not so disproportionate to the crime. We conclude that Rojano committed a grave and serious offense when he sodomized Jane Doe, the ruling read. Therefore, a sentence of 25 years to life is not grossly disproportionate to the crime and does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The district attorneys office, which had appealed the sentence, said in a statement that it applauded the decision. This was a good day for child victims of brutal sex assaults and the people of Orange County, Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas said. brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia ALSO Californias top court to decide whether emails and texts sent on personal devices are public record Two students threatened attack bigger than Columbine at Troy High School, police say Man sentenced to 181 years in prison for killing 3 in Pasadena shooting rampage Snowfall from a series of blizzard-like storms that blanketed the Sierra Nevada last month deposited the equivalent of more than 5.7 trillion gallons of water along the rugged mountain range enough water to fill Californias largest reservoir more than four times, according to recent analysis. In a study by the University of Colorado Boulder and NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in La Canada Flintridge, scientists concluded this month that recent snowfall had replenished more than a third of the states lingering snow-water deficit. The finding comes as the California Department of Water Resources released its latest snow survey results on Thursday. Thanks largely to a series of atmospheric rivers that ferried large amounts of tropical moisture to the parched West Coast, Sierra Nevada snowpack has now reached 173% of average. Advertisement Snow accumulation this year stands in sharp contrast to that of the previous five years a period when much of the state was struggling through drought. In order to determine how much less snow the Sierra experienced during that time, researchers used satellite and ground sensor data to calculate the size of seasonal snowpack and compared it with the historical average. What they found was that the Sierra Nevada collected about 17 trillion gallons less water than if the years had normal snowfall. Januarys storms, however, replenished more than a third of that deficit, according to researchers. They, along with storms in the previous months, succeeded in removing about half the state from lingering drought conditions by filling reservoirs and raising Sierra snowpack to rooftop levels, according to the U.S. Drought Report. But even though the rain and snow totals are eye-popping, their long-term impact on the drought remains far from clear, according to Jay Lund, director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis, who was not involved in the study. Over the last five years, numerous cities have turned to underground wells and basins for water. Exactly how much water has been pumped out over the years and how much remains is unknown, water officials say. Thats where the deficit is really concentrated. Every time [consumers] didnt have enough water, they pumped, Lund said. DWR officials acknowledge that Californias groundwater hasnt been tracked as far back in time, or in as much detail, as the states surface reservoirs and snowpack. In fact, officials may never arrive at an accurate measure. First of all, groundwater is pretty hard to estimate volume for. Its buried, Lund said. It varies with the local geology. And if you want to ask how much is the total volume underground how deep do you want to go? In many cases, consumers have pumped water from groundwater basins much faster than Mother Nature can replenish the stuff a phenomenon that has caused the ground level in parts of California to sink. A 2015 A NASA report showed that groundwater pumping has caused land in some parts of the San Joaquin Valley to subside at an alarming rate. Researchers say that when this winters snow begins to melt later in the year, the runoff will help replenish localized groundwater and aquifers along river channels and floodplains. However, other parts of the state hit hard by drought wont reap the same benefits. A plow removes snow along Aspen Ave., in South Lake Tahoe in January. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) It is important to realize that any aquifer recharge that occurs as a result of this winters storms is just a small uptick in a century-long decline of groundwater storage, at least with respect to the once-vast reserves in the Central Valley, said James Famiglietti, a senior water scientist at JPL. The drought may be easing, but Californias chronic water scarcity is here to stay. The study was produced by JPL and the University of Colorados Center for Water Earth Science and Technology, and tapped NASAs satellites to measure the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which turns into a third of Californias water supply when it melts in the spring and summer. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. ALSO Is the great California drought finally ending? What all those dead trees mean for the Sierra Nevada How California went from drought to dangerous rain and snow A woman was arrested Thursday in connection with a crash early on New Years Day that killed her spouse, who was an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer, officials said. Alayna Monroe, 25, was taken into custody about 9 a.m. on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol level of greater than .08%, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. The Simi Valley resident was driving at about 2:10 a.m. on Jan. 1 when she collided with another vehicle carrying an Uber driver and rider at the intersection of Cochran Street and Sycamore Drive in Simi Valley, police said. Monroes wife, Officer Heather Monroe, was a passenger in their car. Advertisement The Uber driver and her passenger were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a hospital, police said. Heather Monroe joined the LAPD in 2009, according to department records. The 30-year-old officer was assigned to the Devonshire station in the San Fernando Valley, and had previously worked at the LAPDs jail in Van Nuys and the departments Mission division. Losing an officer is devastating, but the pain is intensified for the men and women of the department when it happens during what is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said in a statement shortly after her death. veronica.rocha@latimes.com Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA A speech by conservative firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled at UC Berkeley on Wednesday amid violent protests that prompted President Trump to suggest cutting federal funding to the university. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump wrote on Twitter. Update: UC Berkeley home of the free speech movement finds itself under fire from left, right and Trump Advertisement Its unclear whether Trump was actually threatening to cut funding or making some kind of rhetorical point. The larger UC system, for which Berkeley is the flagship campus, receives billions of dollars from the federal government to fund a variety of programs, notably research, student aid and healthcare programs. The university receives more than $8.5 billion in federal dollars for education, research and healthcare a significant chunk of the systems $25-billion budget. Federal funds are UCs single largest source of research dollars, amounting to more than $3 billion. Yiannopoulos talks, and attempts to talk, at other campuses, including UC Davis, have generated protests and anger from students and faculty, but top UC officials have generally said they believe he has a right to speak. Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesman, said campus officials went to extraordinary lengths over weeks of planning to help the Berkeley College Republicans prepare for the event. Dozens of police officers were brought in from nine of the University of Californias 10 campuses to assist, he said. But it was not enough to prevent what Mogulof said was an unprecedented assault on campus. In a statement posted to their website Thursday, the Berkeley College Republicans thanked campus police and university officials for doing all they could to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Last night, the Berkeley College Republicans constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs seeking to cancel Milo Yiannopoulos tour, the statement read. Their success is a defeat for civilized society and the free exchange of ideas on college campuses across America. University officials called off the Berkeley event about two hours before Yiannopoulos was to speak at the student union, where more than 1,500 people had gathered outside. A number of individuals wearing black and using paramilitary tactics had essentially invaded the campus, Mogulof said. They threw commercial-grade fireworks at police, started fires and threw barricades at the windows, he said. We thoroughly condemn the violence and lawless behavior, and we deeply regret that the actions of a few trampled on the 1st Amendment rights of others, Mogulof said. On Thursday, UC Berkeley Police Chief Margo Bennett blamed the problems on so-called black bloc protesters who marched onto campus in military fashion, brandishing clubs, high-grade fireworks, baseball bats and homemade shields. We had a controlled environment up until the moment when the black bloc arrived, Bennett said. Black bloc protesters, who dress in all black and keep their faces covered with bandannas, have become a fixture of Bay Area demonstrations in the past decade, particularly in Oakland. They tend to attach themselves to peaceful protests before breaking out to start shattering windows and vandalizing property. Bennett said there might need to be some rethinking about allowing controversial appearances to take place at night. She praised officers handling of Wednesday nights protests. We have to do exactly what we did last night: to show tremendous restraint, she said. Yiannopoulos, 32, writes for Breitbart News a popular website among the far right and he is an avowed supporter of President Trump. Hes also a flamboyant provocateur who has been denounced for propagating racism, misogyny and anti-Islam views, but he styles himself a champion of free speech. This summer, he gained notoriety for encouraging a barrage of harassment against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones, which prompted Twitter to ban him from the social media platform. Follow the latest Trump administration news on Essential Washington 1 / 11 Protesters watch a fire on Sproul Plaza during a rally against the scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 2 / 11 A Trump supporter argues with a protester during a rally against a scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 3 / 11 People participate in a protest at UC Berkeley after a scheduled speech by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled. (Noah Berger / EPA) 4 / 11 A bystander who said he was attacked by protesters looks for cover amid a UC Berkeley rally against a scheduled speech by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos. (Noah Berger / EPA) 5 / 11 A bonfire set by demonstrators protesting a scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos burns on Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 6 / 11 Protesters rally against a scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 7 / 11 Demonstrators protest at UC Berkeleys Sproul Plaza against a scheduled appearance by Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 8 / 11 People protest the scheduled appearance of Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley on Wednesday. The event was canceled. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 9 / 11 Protesters demonstrate against the scheduled appearance of Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 10 / 11 Much of UC Berkeley was placed on lockdown as protesters refused police orders to disperse. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 11 / 11 People march in front of Sproul Hall to protest the appearance of Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) Controversy, unrest and, occasionally, violence have followed his appearances on a speaking tour at colleges across the U.S., on which Berkeley was to be the last stop. Last month, a man was shot outside a University of Washington hall where Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak. In an interview with CNN last month, Yiannopoulos spoke about visiting college campuses. People are tired of being told how to live, how to speak, what language they can use, Yiannopoulos said. The strength of feeling in my crowds, the enthusiasm for me from the audiences is the same the same instinct, the same sort of motivating force (that) put Trump in the White House. Wednesdays decision by Berkeley officials is the second time in two weeks that rowdy protests have forced the cancellation of one of his lectures. UC Davis also canceled one of his speeches last month. On Thursday, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) issued a statement expressing her disappointment over Wednesday nights violence, but also criticizing Trumps tweet. President Donald Trump cannot bully our university into silence, Lees statement read. Simply put, President Trumps empty threat to cut funding from UC Berkeley is an abuse of power. Terry Hartle, vice president of the American Council on Education, said there were instances in which federal funding to universities could be legally halted. They included violating Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination; barring military recruiters from campus; and fraud. However, Hartle said Trump cannot cut funding because of alleged 1st Amendment violations. There is no current law allowing funding to be stopped for alleged unwillingness to hear anothers point of view, said Hartle, whose organization represents 1,600 universities and colleges. Congress would have to give the president legal authority to do it, but it would be problematic. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a Philadelphia-based group that promotes free speech and due process rights at colleges and universities, stated that there was no evidence that Berkeley as an institution had made any effort to silence Yiannopoulos. Those who engage in violent and/or destructive protests are ultimately responsible for their unlawful behavior and may be subject to arrest and prosecution by law enforcement, the group said in a statement. To punish an educational institution for the criminal behavior of those not under its control and in contravention of its policies, whether through the loss of federal funds or through any other means, would be deeply inappropriate and most likely unlawful. At Berkeley on Wednesday night, police clashed with protesters, and much of the university was placed on lockdown. Campus police repeatedly ordered protesters to leave the area, threatening the crowd with arrest. Most refused to leave. At one point, some toppled a generator that was powering a floodlight, and the machinery caught fire in the plaza outside the student union. The flames made for dramatic images from TV news helicopters. Campus police reported no major injuries and about a half dozen minor injuries, the university said in a statement. On his Facebook page, Yiannopoulos said that violent left-wing protesters had broken into a buildings ground floor, ripped down barricades and thrown rocks. My team and I are safe, Yiannopoulous said. Masked protestors just shot off fireworks and are tearing down fences at Berkeley. Milo inside. pic.twitter.com/3SRNLjuTVn Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) February 2, 2017 In characteristic fashion, he pointed to the mayhem on campus to highlight his agenda: One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. During an appearance on Fox and Friends on Thursday, Kellyanne Conway, a Trump advisor, also touched on the campus protest. I dont even know if they know what theyre protesting, Conway said. Is it the free speech? Having somebody maybe on your campus who has a dissenting point of view or wants to present an alternative point of view? The protesters seemed as much drawn by Yiannopoulos platform as by the broader ascendance of far-right politics. Deandre Bitter, 72, brought a large sign with LED strips that brightly said No! A retired ship worker originally from Fresno, he stood near the rear of those assembled and said he brought the sign to a slew of recent protests, including a recent womens march, the airport demonstrations over Trumps travel restrictions and a protest at UC Davis. We go anywhere people are opposing Trump and his fascist regime, Bitter said. He viewed the vast majority of protesters as peaceful and attributed the violence to a handful of anarchists, who wore mostly black apparel. Others handed out yellow leaflets, calling Yiannopoulos a tool of Trumps possessive fascist government. He has no right to speak at Cal or anywhere else, the leaflet declared. Conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos in 2015. (David Ng / Los Angeles Times) By 8 p.m., the crowd had dwindled to a few hundred and spilled into the streets, marching down Telegraph Avenue. The group had a carnival-like element, with a five-piece jazz band that came together by serendipity, with tuba, trombone and clarinet players marching in step. Some came on purpose. Some came on accident, said one of the band members, who declined to be identified. But the levity was eclipsed by bursts of violence. A handful of demonstrators smashed dowels into a bank of ATMs. Photos on social media showed shattered windows at businesses. The sprawling group halted traffic at Telegraph and Durant avenues, where one driver plowed a white sedan into the crowd. One of the demonstrators grabbed on to the car for a block, then rolled off uninjured. Another motorist was injured by the crowd. Bryan Quintana, 29, who delivers food for an Italian restaurant, was in a car near the assembly when he said he was hit and pepper-sprayed by some of the demonstrators. I was driving really slow. And somebody hit my car and somebody hit my arm, and hit my head, Quintana said. His eyes were red and his arm was swollen. He was rattled, but other protesters stopped and rushed to pour water on him, to reduce the sting of the pepper spray. He later drove off to deliver an order about a mile away. On Tuesday, Yiannopoulos spoke at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where the university braced for large protests and stationed more than 100 police officers. About 150 protesters arrived and remained peaceful, and there were no reports of arrests, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. In his remarks there, Yiannopoulos extolled Cal Poly for having a student population that was mostly male, railed against abortion and provided instructions on how to apply to his male-only scholarship fund, the privilege grant, according to text of his remarks published by Breitbart. The cancellation of his talk at UC Davis sparked debate about the limits of free speech and hate speech. Davis College Republicans decided it was unsafe to continue the event after a large number of protesters blocked access to the venue, according to a release from the school. UC Davis interim Chancellor Ralph Hexter said he was deeply disappointed by the protests and the cancellation and said he worried that outside groups are using college campuses to trigger conflicts intended for the national stage. I get very, very alarmed with folks who dont treat [freedom of speech] for the treasure that it is, he said two weeks ago. So far, the UC system has resisted calls to cancel Yiannopoulos talks. At noon, just hours before Wednesdays event, Berkeley administrators issued a statement saying they were committed to tolerance as well as free speech. In the weeks before Yiannopoulos planned Berkeley appearance, administrators received hundreds of letters from faculty, students and others demanding they bar him from speaking. One letter from a dozen faculty members argued that his talk could be canceled on the grounds that his actions which they called harassment, slander, defamation and hate speech violated UC Berkeleys code of conduct. By Thursday morning, the campus was mostly back to normal, save for the crews covering broken windows with plywood at the student union and a scuffle that allegedly broke out on the southern edge of campus. At around 11:45 a.m., Jonathan Sayeh, a 21-year-old political science student, Iranian refugee and member of the Berkeley College Republicans, said he was standing on the corner talking with another group member when two other men approached them. Sayehs friend was wearing a red Make America Great Again cap, Sayeh said. One of the men punched his friend in the face, Sayeh said, while the other man shoved him. Police arrived by bicycle and on foot and detained the two men as they tried to drive away, Sayeh said. Sayeh, who was present during Wednesdays protests, said its not easy being a Republican on the Berkeley campus. Its quite concerning, every day, all day, he said. The Republican club maintains an information table on Sproul Plaza, as do dozens of other student organizations. Weve had people who tried to spit on us, he said. We have people who have thrown punches. Weve been called Nazis and fascists. Sayeh himself is Jewish and came to the U.S. from Iran about three years ago, he said. He was granted refugee status as a victim of religious persecution, he said. King reported from Berkeley, Hamilton, Watanabe and Mejia reported from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts contributed to this report. matt.hamilton@latimes.com teresa.watanabe@latimes.com peter.king@latimes.com ALSO Iranian man barred from entering U.S. is expected to land at LAX; first to return after court order Two students threatened attack bigger than Columbine at Troy High School, police say Californias top court to decide whether emails and texts sent on personal devices are public record UPDATES: 2 p.m.: This article was updated with details about an alleged scuffle on campus Thursday. 12:35 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Terry Hartle, vice president of the American Council on Education, about federal funding. 11:40 a.m.: This article was updated with a statement from the Berkeley College Republicans and information about the campus atmosphere Thursday. 10 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Yiannopoulos in an interview with CNN. 9:15 a.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Barbara Lee and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. 8:10 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from a university spokesman. 7:15 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details on UC federal funding. 7 a.m.: This article was updated with UC financial information. Feb. 2, 6:30 a.m.: This article was updated with a tweet from President Trump. 10:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the protests. 10:10 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from demonstrators. 7:50 p.m.: This article was updated with details on Yiannopoulos speech Tuesday at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. 7:30 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background on the event and new details about the protests. 7 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background on Yiannopoulos. 6:45 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the cancellation of the event and background on previous speeches by Milo Yiannopoulos at California college campuses. This article was originally published on Feb. 1 at 4:45 p.m. Some experts said it would be difficult for President Trump to significantly cut federal funding to UC Berkeley over the protests that prevented outspoken conservative Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking at an event Wednesday. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump wrote on Twitter. The White House has not said whether Trump was actually threatening to cut funding or making some kind of rhetorical point. Advertisement Terry Hartle, vice president of the American Council on Education, said there were instances in which federal funding to universities could be legally halted. They included violating Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination; barring military recruiters from campus; and fraud. However, Hartle said Trump cannot cut funding because of alleged denial of 1st Amendment rights. 1 / 11 Protesters watch a fire on Sproul Plaza during a rally against the scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 2 / 11 A Trump supporter argues with a protester during a rally against a scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 3 / 11 People participate in a protest at UC Berkeley after a scheduled speech by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled. (Noah Berger / EPA) 4 / 11 A bystander who said he was attacked by protesters looks for cover amid a UC Berkeley rally against a scheduled speech by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos. (Noah Berger / EPA) 5 / 11 A bonfire set by demonstrators protesting a scheduled appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos burns on Sproul Plaza at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 6 / 11 Protesters rally against a scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 7 / 11 Demonstrators protest at UC Berkeleys Sproul Plaza against a scheduled appearance by Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 8 / 11 People protest the scheduled appearance of Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley on Wednesday. The event was canceled. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 9 / 11 Protesters demonstrate against the scheduled appearance of Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 10 / 11 Much of UC Berkeley was placed on lockdown as protesters refused police orders to disperse. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) 11 / 11 People march in front of Sproul Hall to protest the appearance of Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) There is no current law allowing funding to be stopped for alleged unwilingness to hear anothers point of view, said Hartle, whose organization represents 1,600 universities and colleges. Congress would have to give the president legal authority to do it, but it would be problematic. The larger UC system, for which Berkeley is the flagship campus, receives billions of dollars from the federal government to fund a variety of programs, notably research, student aid and healthcare programs. The UC system receives more than $8.5 billion in federal dollars for education, research and healthcare a significant chunk of the systems $25-billion budget. Federal funds are UCs single largest source of research dollars, amounting to more than $3 billion. Yiannopoulos talks, and attempts to talk, at other campuses, including UC Davis, have generated protests and anger from students and faculty, but top UC officials have generally said they believe he has a right to speak. Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesman, said campus officials went to extraordinary lengths over weeks of planning to help the Berkeley College Republicans prepare for the event. Dozens of police officers were brought in from nine of the University of Californias 10 campuses to assist, he said. But it was not enough to prevent what Mogulof said was an unprecedented assault on campus. In a statement posted to their website Thursday, the Berkeley College Republicans thanked campus police and university officials for doing all they could to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Last night, the Berkeley College Republicans constitutional right to free speech was silenced by criminals and thugs seeking to cancel Milo Yiannopoulos tour, the statement read. Their success is a defeat for civilized society and the free exchange of ideas on college campuses across America. ALSO Trump suggests cutting funds to UC Berkeley after protests force speech cancellation Q&A: Wheres the line between free speech and hate speech? I can see the fear: multicultural Los Angeles senses a different world under Trump BERLIN, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The head of Germany's savings bank association called on Thursday for the first steps to be taken to exit the European Central Bank's expansionary monetary policy. "We need the first steps now to exit this expansive monetary policy," Georg Fahrenschon told a business conference in Berlin. (Reporting by Paul Carrel) Congos opposition icon Etienne Tshisekedi , who pushed for democratic reforms for decades in the vast Central African nation throughout dictatorship and civil war, has died, his political party said. He was 84. His death comes at a politically fragile moment for the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he was heavily involved in the recent deal to get President Joseph Kabila to agree to step down by the end of the year after months of deadly protests. The parties signed a deal that has yet to be implemented. The stalemate already had worried observers, and Tshisekedis death likely will compound the difficulties. Advertisement Tshisekedi had been seeking medical treatment in Belgium, Congos former colonizer. He has long battled rumors of ill health because of complications from diabetes. In 2010, he walked the 15 miles from the airport to his suburban home in Kinshasa following medical treatment abroad. A statement released late Wednesday by party spokesman Augustin Kabuya did not state a cause of death. Tshisekedi formed the countrys first opposition party in 1982 the Union for Democracy and Social Progress in an effort to combat the longtime dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko. At that time, the country was still called Zaire, before the U.N. approved the name change in 1997. Despite serving as the countrys most iconic opposition figure, he never managed to ascend to Congos highest office though he once declared himself president after the 2011 election was marred by allegations of vote rigging by the ruling party. Most recently, he had been the current presidents most outspoken critic, at one point last year accusing Kabila of treason for not stepping down at the end of his mandate. A court ruled that Kabila could stay on until the next election is held, but critics say the court was biased. Tshisekedi did not live to see whether Kabila will make good on his promise to leave by the end of 2017. Even in his 80s, Tshisekedi had continued his advocacy, though he appeared somewhat frail in late July when he spoke at a rally after returning to Congo after several years abroad, sporting his trademark flat cap. His son, Felix, has also become a prominent political figure and headed the coalition of opposition parties known as the Rassemblement. Tshisekedi was active on the political scene for decades, serving several times briefly as a prime minister under Mobutu, falling into the trap of many politicians co-opted by the dictator ultimately forced out in 1997. Tshisekedi went into exile in November 2000 after repeated clashes with the government of Joseph Kabilas father, Laurent, who became president after Mobutus departure and then was assassinated in 2001. At one point, Tshisekedi was banished to internal exile in his home village about 435 miles west of Kinshasa, the capital. But he made a triumphant return in 2003 and then took on Kabila in the 2011 presidential election, ultimately contesting after Kabila was declared the winner. The stalled Dakota Access pipeline project is back on, its supporters say, but opponents vow to continue to fight against the hotly debated project, most likely in court. The latest twist in the long-running battle over the oil pipeline came Tuesday when Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota congressman, tweeted, Start your engines. #DAPL #Approved. The Republican lawmaker added in a video statement: Got word from the White House today and the Dakota Access pipeline now has its final green light. Theyre notifying Congress immediately that these final few feet of this critical piece of infrastructure will finally be completed. The $3.8-billion, 1,172-mile pipeline, which would carry up to 570,000 barrels of oil a day from the Bakken oil patch in northwest North Dakota to a terminal in Illinois, then on toward the Gulf of Mexico, is all but complete. Nearly all thats left to build is a small stretch under the Missouri River, near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. Advertisement For nine months, thousands of activists have come to stand with Standing Rock, camping out near the pipeline and protesting in the face of tear gas, rubber bullets, sound cannons and water hoses in freezing temperatures. At times an estimated 10,000 people, Native American and non-Native alike, were camped out to stop what they called the black snake. In December, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied Energy Transfer Partners, the Fortune 500 company building the pipeline, an easement to cross under the river, pending an environmental impact statement, or EIS, which could take months. Now, proponents claim the fight is over. Today, the Acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer informed us that he has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with the easement needed to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline, North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven said in a statement Tuesday. This will enable the company to complete the project. On Wednesday, however, the Army Corps reiterated that no easement had been granted, and that it will make any decisions once a full review and analysis is completed in accordance with the Presidential Memorandum. A week earlier, President Trump signed executive orders aimed at reviving the stalled Dakota Access project and the Keystone XL pipeline, which the Obama administration declined to approve. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe disparaged Hoevens statement as premature, saying the agency was championing Trump directives to grant an easement for illegal construction and noting that the Army Corps has not yet granted the easement. The Army Corps lacks statutory authority to simply stop the EIS and issue the easement, the tribe declared late Tuesday night. To abandon the EIS would amount to a wholly unexplained and arbitrary change based on the presidents personal views and, potentially, personal investments. We stand ready to fight this battle against corporate interest superseding government procedure and the health and well being of millions of Americans. Translation: See you in court. Pipeline opponents on the ground, whose numbers have dwindled to a few hundred hardy folks enduring a bitter winter in the northern Plains, remain steadfast. Hoeven and Cramers announcement is irresponsible and inaccurate, said Linda Black Elk, a Standing Rock camp medic and professor of ethnobotany at Sitting Bull College on the reservation. The easement has not yet been granted. It seems as though they are attempting to incite vulnerable people to violence. It wont work. On Wednesday, a small group of what police called rogue protesters faced possible arrest after setting up a new protest camp on higher ground, across from the main camp. But their arrival to what they called Last Child Camp was short-lived. The group was given a period of time to start dismantling the camp and leave, the Morton County Sheriffs Department said in a statement Wednesday. The protesters refused, the department said, so authorities moved to evict them. Police erected a roadblock south of the area to prevent traffic from entering, and the area appeared to be in lockdown. On Wednesday night, the Sheriffs Department said more than 70 people were arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass. As for the fight over the pipeline, the self-proclaimed water protectors say the process remains in the courts and on the ground. In order for them to issue this easement, Army Corps has to abandon a process that they already started, said Nick Tilsen, a longtime Lakota pipeline activist and founder of the Thunder River Community Development Corp., which builds sustainable development projects. In September, Tilsen was arrested and charged with a felony after chaining himself to pipeline construction equipment. I think that the Trump administration is an absolutely destructive and corrupt regime, Tilsen said, adding that when it comes to oil and money, they have no regard for human rights, no regard for the environment, and no regard even for government processes. Tilsen believes authorities will disregard the legal process and attempt to drive the pipeline through, but that the resistance that took up the hashtag #NODAPL will be broad and deep. People are going to take to the streets everywhere, he said. Were going to keep fighting until the very end. Also Tuesday night, leaders of the Sacred Stone Camp, across the Cannonball River from the main protest camp, issued a call inviting all who can come to stand with [us]. We need you now. We have been saying something very simple from the beginning: Water is life, said Ladonna Bravebull Allard, a leader in the Standing Rock protest movement. We cannot let the basic essence of who we are be destroyed. We must stand, so we are asking the world to stand with us. Proponents, meanwhile, appear confident that the fight is nearly over. Cramer ended his video statement last night with a shout out to his leader: Im so grateful to Donald Trump that he is a man of action. Whatever the Army Corps rules in the coming days, it is certain that action will be met with action. We have tens of thousands of people everywhere, said camp medic Noah Morris. Folks will shut down highways, theyll shut down rail lines, well throw ourselves against the pipeline. It will be economic ruin for the state of North Dakota. He added: We are fighting for the soul of America. Tolan is a special correspondent. ALSO As secretary of State, Rex Tillerson will have fences to mend with his own diplomatic corps American Legion threatens to shut down renegade post in Portland Presidents have blocked groups of foreigners from the U.S., but never so broadly UPDATES: 7 p.m.: The story was updated to report the arrests of protesters. The story was originally published at 3:55 p.m. Using a backhoe to smash through a barricade of footlockers, authorities stormed Delawares largest prison early Thursday and ended a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff involving inmates armed with sharpened objects. One hostage a guard was found dead. A second hostage, a female counselor, was safely rescued minutes after the tactical teams forced their way into the all-male, 2,500-prisoner James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. Some inmates had shielded her from harm, officials said. Gov. John Carney called the uprising a torturous ordeal. In a statement, he said authorities would hold accountable those responsible and make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again. Advertisement Authorities did not immediately explain how 47-year-old Sgt. Steven Floyd died, but the head of the guards union said the 16-year veteran of the prison was forced into a closet and killed by his captors at some point. During the takeover, Floyd yelled to other guards who were coming to help him that the inmates had set a trap, saving some of his fellow officers lives, said Geoffrey Klopp, union president. The uprising began Wednesday when inmates with homemade weapons overpowered staff members, seized Building C and took three guards and a counselor hostage. One inmate told a local newspaper via phone that they were demanding better education and rehabilitation programs and were also upset over President Trump and all the things that hes doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse, he told the News Journal newspaper in Wilmington. During negotiations conducted for a while via an officers walkie-talkie, the inmates released two hostages and got authorities to turn the water back on, saying they needed it for drinking and washing. Instead, they filled up metal footlockers and built barricades. Officers finally went in with heavy equipment about 5 a.m. and found Floyd unresponsive, authorities said. He was pronounced dead about half an hour later. The guards who were taken hostage were beaten severely by their captors and suffered broken bones, cuts and eye injuries, Klopp said. Authorities said their injuries were not life-threatening. It wasnt immediately clear how many inmates took part in the uprising. About 120 were in the building when it began, but dozens were let out as the standoff dragged on. Officers inside the cellblocks are not armed because of concern they could be overpowered and stripped of their weapons. Armed guards are posted in prison towers. The negotiations via walkie-talkie were broadcast online for more than an hour before officials blocked the transmission. The conversations were mostly calm, with moments of tension. At one point, an unidentified inmate told a negotiator that the prisoners wanted a formal apology from the governor for decades of oppression. The prison, about 15 miles outside the state capital of Dover, holds minimum-, medium- and maximum-security prisoners serving sentences, along with defendants awaiting trial, and has about 1,500 guards. Building C includes inmates being disciplined for infractions. While authorities investigate what went wrong, Delaware Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe noted that the prison system faces staffing shortages every day. Statewide, we are down on any given day about 90 positions, said Coupe, who added that the agency uses overtime to meet minimum staffing levels. Klopp said Floyds death was preventable and criticized the state for understaffing and low pay. ALSO American Legion threatens to shut down renegade post in Portland Supporters say Dakota Access pipeline is back on. Activists counter: See you in court Democrats and liberal activists face uphill battle against Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch UPDATES: 3:20 p.m.: The story was updated with more details from the standoff and how Floyd helped save fellow officers lives. 9:15 a.m.: The story was updated with details on how the inmates took control of the prison building and how police ended the standoff. 5:30 a.m.: The story was updated to report one hostage death after authorities breached the prison building. The story was originally posted at 2:40 a.m. When the new sheriff in the liberal Texan enclave of Travis County vowed last week that her county would become an immigration sanctuary, with its officers refusing to help enforce federal immigration laws, the states Republican governor went on national TV to bite back. Completely outrageous, Gov. Greg Abbott said on Fox News, threatening to push Sheriff Sally Hernandez out of office. It was the same day President Trump signed an executive order saying sanctuary cities would lose millions in federal funds if they didnt help federal immigration agents round up those in the country illegally. On Wednesday, Abbott stepped up the pressure, announcing Texas would withhold $1.5 million in state funding from Travis County, which includes the capital city of Austin, a clear attempt to force the sheriffs hand. Hernandez, an elected Democrat, was being reckless, the governor wrote. Advertisement As mayors of major cities in solidly liberal states such as California and New York vow to fight the presidents immigration orders San Francisco sued Trump over the issue this week local officials in Republican and more politically divided areas are coming into conflict not just with governors but state legislatures and residents. In Santa Fe, N.M., the Democratic mayors staff has fielded more than 100 calls and emails attacking his stance against Trumps order, and thought at least one was serious enough to assign police to protect the mayor. In Alabama, Republican Gov. Robert J. Bentley came out this week against a move days earlier by the Birmingham City Council to declare itself a sanctuary city, saying the state would not support cities that were in clear violation of the laws. In Miami, the county mayors announcement that he will follow the presidents order has put him under heat from many residents in the majority-Latino area. The nature of the immigration debate is that its very local, and there tend to be few places where the views are unified, said Louis DeSipio, a professor of political science at UC Irvine. Were going to see more tension rather than less in the coming months. The term sanctuary city is a catchall to describe varied local policies toward federal immigration enforcement. Police in those cities often refuse to check immigration status when making arrests and frequently dont honor Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to detain people who dont have immigration papers. Some jurisdictions have also denied ICE access to jails and prisons. Many major cities and counties have declared themselves sanctuaries, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Washington and Baltimore. The sheriffs policy in Travis County, announced via YouTube the day of Trumps inauguration, says officers need a warrant to enforce detention requests from ICE. The policy allows exceptions for people charged with murder, first-degree sexual assault or human smuggling. Hernandez declined an interview, but said in a statement that she was following the law as a leader sworn to protect this community and was upholding constitutional rights to due process for all in our criminal justice system. Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales has become one of the faces of the sanctuary movement with interviews on cable TV networks and radio shows since Trumps order. Sanctuary is a word thats been pushed by Trump as rhetoric. In our city what we do is practice our value to not discriminate against people, said Gonzales, whose city of 70,000 has had a sanctuary policy since 1999. What the president is doing really disrupts efforts to have cities that are inclusive, that want full participation from their people and want residents to feel safe. Legal experts say the law may be on the side of sanctuaries. Several court decisions have said that financial threats like the one the president has made are an illegal intrusion into states rights. Experts say Trumps vague language on which jurisdictions he is targeting and what specific kinds of funds he wants to withhold has also sowed confusion. Thats left some state officials to amplify the presidents decision with their own efforts. The Texas governor said he will pursue a new law to remove from office any officeholder who promotes sanctuary cities, though its unclear how such legislation would work. There has been a huge legal battle fought over this kind of terrain already, said Christopher Lasch, a law professor at the University of Denver. Police have wide latitude. Gonzales, the Sante Fe mayor, said he thought the president was using bully tactics and wasnt sure how Trump would follow through. For the current fiscal year, the city has $6.1 million in federal grant funding. Still, Gonzales said hes felt the effect of the presidents words. As he does every few months, the mayor held open office hours this week where residents got five minutes to talk about anything they wanted to with the citys top official. Its usually easy to get a spot and find the mayor alone with his door wide open at City Hall, awaiting constituents coming to complain often about tickets and issues with loud neighbors. But after a flurry of angry complaints sent to the mayor about his sanctuary stance, this weeks open house occurred with four armed police officers outside the door. Gonzales said he was surprised he needed police protection for coming out against the presidents bully tactics. Trump, he said, is using words and the Oval Office to push out policy that will inflame people. jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com Jaweed Kaleem is The Times national race and justice correspondent. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. ALSO Trumps first week: For many in Arizona, it doesnt get any better than this Skelton: California Democrats relish opposing Trump on immigration but they could go too far Border walls arent unheard of, but today they increasingly divide friends, not enemies President Trump threatened in a phone call with his Mexican counterpart to send U.S. troops to stop bad hombres down there unless the Mexican military did more to control them itself, according to an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation obtained by the Associated Press. Update: Mexican government says Trump never threatened to send troops to Mexico The excerpt of the call did not make clear who exactly Trump considered bad hombres drug cartels, immigrants, or both or the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos response. Advertisement Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. Trumps remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment. The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trumps determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. You have a bunch of bad hombres down there, Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt seen by the Associated Press. You arent doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it. A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided an excerpt to the Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public. The Mexican website, Aristegui Noticias, on Tuesday published a similar account of phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation. Mexicos foreign relations department denied that account, saying it is based on absolute falsehoods, and later said the statement also applied to the excerpt provided to the Associated Press. The assertions that you make about said conversation do not correspond to the reality of it, the statement said. The tone was constructive and it was agreed by the presidents to continue working and that the teams will continue to meet frequently to construct an agreement that is positive for Mexico and for the United States. Meanwhile, Australias prime minister said his countrys relationship with the United States remained very strong and refused to comment on a newspaper report that an angry President Trump cut short their first telephone call as national leaders. At the heart of the weekend conversation between Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was a deal struck with the Obama administration that would allow mostly Muslim refugees rejected by Australia to be resettled in the United States. Turnbull declined to comment on reports in the Washington Post that Trump had described the agreement as the worst deal ever and accused Turnbull of seeking to export the next Boston bombers. Regarding Mexico, Trump has used the phrase bad hombres before. In an October presidential debate, he vowed to get rid the U.S. of drug lords and bad people. We have some bad hombres here, and were going to get them out, he said. The phrase ricocheted on social media with Trump opponents saying he was denigrating immigrants. Trumps comment was in line with the new administrations bullish stance on foreign policy matters in general, and the presidents willingness to break long-standing norms around the globe. Before his inauguration, Trump spoke to the president of Taiwan, breaking long-standing U.S. policy and irritating China. His temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, aimed at reviewing screening procedures to lessen the threat of extremist attacks, has caused consternation around the world. But nothing has created the level of bickering as the border wall, a centerpiece of his campaign. Mexico has consistently said it would not pay for the wall and opposes it. Before the phone call, Pena Nieto canceled a planned visit to the United States. The fresh fight with Mexico last week arose over trade as the White House proposed a 20% tax on imports from the key U.S. ally to finance the wall after Pena Nieto abruptly scrapped his Jan. 31 trip to Washington. The U.S. and Mexico conduct about $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, and cooperate on everything from migration to anti-drug enforcement to major environmental issues. Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner a real estate executive with no foreign policy experience with managing the ongoing dispute, according to an administration official with knowledge of the call. At a news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May last week, Trump described his call with Pena Nieto as friendly. In a statement, the White House said the two leaders acknowledged their clear and very public differences and agreed to work through the immigration disagreement as part of broader discussions on the relationship between their countries. ALSO Democrats and liberal activists face uphill battle against Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch L.A. federal judge orders a temporary halt to part of Trumps travel ban White House puts Iran on notice after missile test and Houthi attack on Saudi ship UPDATES: 6:30 p.m.: The story was updated with reports about a phone call between Trump and the prime minister of Australia. The story was originally published at 4:25 p.m. Mike Bonin has represented Los Angeles City Council District 11, a chunk of the Westside, for the past four years with energy and fortitude and intelligence. He deserves to be re-elected. The 11th district hugs the coast and extends from Pacific Palisades and the rugged canyons to the north all the way down to Venice and the Playas (Vista and del Mar) and Westchester near Los Angeles International Airport. It is a district of affluent and middle class homeowners as well as modestly situated apartment dwellers. Bonin has been an articulate voice on the city council for many issues such as the $15 minimum wage and Measure M, the sales tax measure passed in November to fund transit projects. Bonin also helped pass the citys mobility plan, helped settle a key lawsuit over the northernmost runway of Los Angeles International Airport and, with input from the community, has launched a widely praised transformation of Venice Boulevard in a portion of his district from a fast-moving highway into a user-friendly street for pedestrians and bicyclists. Advertisement The entire City Council has become focused on homelessness, but Bonin, particularly, has infused that cause with a sense of urgency. But nowhere has he exhibited more political courage than in his push to launch projects to help and house homeless people. Of course, the entire City Council has become focused on homelessness, but Bonin, particularly, has infused that cause with a sense of urgency. In his own district, he helped identify city-owned properties that could be used for housing or as a place for homeless people to store their belongings. And he has found funds for more rental subsidy vouchers as well as for service organizations that provide temporary housing for people in need. He has proposed a citywide safe parking program that would allow non-profit groups to open their parking lots to homeless people living in their vehicles. Homelessness, development and traffic are issues that bedevil the entire city, but in Bonins district they are particular flashpoints. Bonin has supported controversial but necessary projects. He has not backed down in the face of residents of Venice which has one of the largest concentrations of homeless people in the city who accuse him of caring more about homeless people than about his constituents. That is a false choice, as he rightly says. What best serves everyone is getting homeless people permanently off the streets by finding them permanent housing. But that takes time. Bonin has supported several development projects that have angered neighbors. For instance, he supports a controversial building project on the site of a car dealership at the heavily trafficked intersection of Bundy and Olympic that will have about 500 residential units along with commercial and office space. But this parcel was going to be developed eventually no matter what happened; the question was what kind of development it would be. Bonin pushed to ensure that 20% of the units were built as affordable housing. And the city desperately needs more housing, especially near transit stops, which this will be. So it was the right call. That said, the problems of this area are real. The Westside is paralyzed by traffic from mid-afternoon into the evening. Homeless encampments, especially in Venice, are something many residents live with all day long outside their homes. And even worthy development may end up overshadowing a neighborhood of bungalows and small apartment buildings. Both of Bonins challengers are community activists from Venice. Robin Rudisill, a former member of the Venice Neighborhood Council and a coastal protection advocate, is energetic and capable but has neither a citywide perspective nor the experience necessary to represent the entire district. Mark Ryavec has experience in politics as well as activism, but his resistance to certain development projects in the district and his approach to homelessness are misguided. He is against building housing for the homeless at a city-owned site in Venice which Bonin and advocates for the homeless support. And he would have social workers give people camped on sidewalks offers of shelter but if they turned them down, he would have police cite them for camping on sidewalks and after a few citations, issue them legal orders to stay 300 feet from residences. Thats not the right approach to fighting homelessness. Bonins instincts are right, but he must continue to listen to his constituents and work on helping them in the short term. In Venice, its imperative that there be more short-term housing solutions for people on the streets. In West L.A., its imperative that development projects be held to a high standard if they dont provide more housing for the area, they dont get approved. Bonin is capable of tackling all these challenges. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook In the last two months, two paths for Democrats to regain national and statewide majorities have emerged. The first is to engage with the rising American electorate at the grass-roots level increasing turnout and margins with communities of color, millennials and unmarried women. The other is to rebuild a past connection with working-class white voters, reducing the two-decade drift of non-college-educated whites to the Republicans. Neither recommendation engages with the most important change occurring beneath the surface of partisan politics, which President Trump will only accelerate. Democrats won voters of all races with a bachelors degree or higher by the largest margin since exit polls began tracking this information and likely since college attendance exploded in the post-World War II decades (+4% margin for those with bachelors degree; +21% margin for those with a graduate degree). Support for the Democratic Party among well-educated voters has risen steadily since 1992, when Bill Clinton made new strides in the suburbs. This development is as radical as the so-called populism reshaping the GOP, and it already has led to surprising Democratic victories from Orange County in California to Gwinnett and Cobb counties in suburban Atlanta. As Republican margins decline in former strongholds, including outer Chicagoland, greater Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Oklahoma City and the Kansas City suburbs, Democratic margins are hitting new heights in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis and Boston. Advertisement [The Republican Partys] dominance almost certainly wont last because its coalition is impossibly fragile. The addition of college-educated voters to the Democratic base could lead to a powerful and sustainable coalition. Just as people of color and millennials represent a growing share of the electorate, virtually every community where educated voters reside is growing at a rapid clip. Democrats need to stop the bleeding with working-class whites. But thats only a small piece of the equation. To confront demagoguery and populist conservatism, Democrats should create a coalition that combines a diverse electorate with increased margins among college-educated voters. This approach could solve the partys geographic problems and lead to victory in future elections. :: Running up the score with college-educated voters could help Democrats win Rust Belt states that were pivotal in 2016. Lets compare two counties in the Detroit suburbs: Macomb, where only 23% of the population has a bachelors degree, and Oakland, where 44% of the population does. Hillary Clinton maintained Barack Obamas 8% margin in Oakland County, a historically Republican suburb, while Macomb went from a 4% edge for Obama to a 12% advantage for Trump. Post-mortems of the presidential campaign focused on the drift away from Democrats in Macomb. But about a decade ago, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg pointed out that the future for Democrats lies in Oakland. Because the county is far more populous than Macomb, a mere 2% increase in Clintons margin there would have erased her 10,704 statewide deficit, and put Michigan in her column. We can find similar examples in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Some Democrats may believe they have to rethink their Pennsylvania strategy entirely, but theres plenty of low-hanging fruit. Clinton won Montgomery County and Chester both well-educated suburban areas by 21% and 9%, respectively. A future Democratic presidential candidate, cognizant that Pennsylvania can swing to the GOP, could widen those margins. Inversely, Republicans still dominate the Milwaukee suburbs, but Trumps victory margin in Waukesha County 26% was lower than Mitt Romneys. If Democrats put resources into the area, they could chip away at that number and improve their chances to take back the state. :: Although the Republican Party has control of the White House, both houses of Congress and a strong majority of state houses, its dominance almost certainly wont last because its coalition is impossibly fragile. The tea party and Trump have radically altered the ideology and constituency of the GOP. The famous GOP big tent, which now includes neo-conservatives and isolationists, free marketeers and protectionists, social conservatives and libertarians, cant handle the strain. It is too big not to fail. Before that happens, gerrymandering may insulate the GOP from Democratic incursions in the House of Representatives. Even there, however, there is still a path forward for Democrats if they court well-educated voters. Consider that Clinton won or made massive improvements in Republican-held districts in Chicagoland, suburban Dallas, suburban Atlanta and Orange County. In the past, the Democratic Party hasnt invested in these districts with real resources, but it clearly should. Although a wholesale conversion of well-educated voters to the Democratic Party will take time, energy and resources, Democratic leaders wont need to sacrifice any of their core values; on the contrary, the party is in line with these voters ideologically. Both the party, and these voters, are socially liberal. They both embrace diversity. And they both want to promote economic opportunity by reducing the cost of higher education, healthcare and child care. But what the Democratic Party really has going for it is the opposition. As Republicans embrace Trumps nationalistic policies, they will drive educated voters into the arms of the Democrats. Matthew Rey is a partner at Red Horse Strategies, a political consulting and communications firm that specializes in empowering emerging communities. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook MORE FROM OPINION: Obama focused on healthcare over jobs at great cost. Will Trump do the same? Giving sanctuary to undocumented immigrants doesnt threaten public safetyit increases it Trump is destabilizing Europe from within and without To the editor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the Judiciary Committees ranking Democrat, should ask Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch one question at his hearings: Do you believe it is ethical for a justice to receive stolen property, in this case a seat that President Obama had the constitutional right to fill? (When the GOP stole Merrick Garlands Supreme Court seat, they set the stage for a miserable battle, editorial, Jan. 31) As a civil rights and criminal defense attorney, I know that in criminal law, the defendant who knowingly receives stolen property is just as guilty as the defendants who stole it. Any ethical judge should decline this seat until Merrick Garland, Obamas choice, is seated, and then Gorsuch or any other Republican should be considered for the next seat. The Democrats should filibuster this choice and fight with every fiber of their being or they will be guilty of letting the Republicans get away with stealing a Supreme Court seat, the consequences of which we will have to live with for decades. Advertisement Dave McLane, Pasadena .. To the editor: Nothing exemplifies the arrogance of The Times Editorial Board more than its throwaway line regarding the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia that President Trump might appoint a Scalia clone or someone worse. Your statement underscores the lefts intolerance of any dissent from its views. You may criticize others for alleged intolerance, but I submit that The Times should look in a mirror. I agree that Obamas nominee should have been given an up-or-down vote in the Senate and the Republicans were wrong to refuse even consideration of Garland. But that does not excuse your criticism of Scalia, who was widely respected in the legal profession even by those who disagreed with him. The Times now sadly exhibits it prejudices not only on its editorial pages but also in its reporting. Neil B. Martin, Los Angeles .. To the editor: While I completely agree with your editorial, it omitted what is arguably the most serious consequence of the Republican gambit: the election of Donald Trump as president. The open seat on the court was a major issue during the campaign, and it provided the justification for many conservatives to vote for Trump even though they intensely disliked him. While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the GOP seem to have won a victory with this nomination, their polarizing and dishonest ploy may yet come back to haunt them. Trumps agenda includes taking down the same Republican establishment that handed him the election. That includes McConnell. Seth Jackson, San Marino .. To the editor: With the next presidential election less than four years away, Trumps Supreme Court nominee should not be considered. Let the people speak! Wait until 2021! Jordan Austin , Port Hueneme Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: The ordeal of Sally Yates, the former acting U.S. attorney general who was fired Monday by President Trump after she refused to defend his travel ban in court, is a profile in courage. (Travel order and firing of acting Atty. Gen. Sally Yates roils Justice Department, Feb. 1) During her Senate confirmation hearings, she was asked by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) how she would act if then President Obama asked her to do something she thought was unconstitutional. She answered that she would uphold the Constitution above all else. She was confirmed with 83 votes. Believing that Trumps immigration order was unconstitutional, she did as she had promised she would do. His firing of her shows he is steering this country toward autocracy. Advertisement Christopher Reutinger, La Quinta .. To the editor: Since Trump wants to protect the U.S. from terrorism by banning immigrants from certain countries, perhaps he should expand his list. Most of the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, but I dont see that country on the list. One of the San Bernardino shooters was from Pakistan, which is also not on the list. Orlando, Fla., shooter Omar Mateen was from Hyde Park, N.Y. His wife, just recently arrested, is from California. OK, but their parents came from Afghanistan and Palestine, respectively two more entries. Lets not forget the recent killing of six people in a mosque in Quebec City by a French Canadian. Maybe we can let the English-speaking Canadians come, but those French Canadians apparently harbor terrorists, so theyre out. And lets not forget the Oklahoma City bombing that killed more than 150 people. Those two terrorists were ... American. Oh dear, this is getting really confusing. Maybe we should think about it some more. Debra Kaufman, Venice .. To the editor: After 9/11, an unprecedented, disruptive nationwide security measure was imposed. For two days, almost all flights were grounded so that security could be reassessed. Is it that extraordinary to have a 120-day restriction on travelers from high-risk countries? I think it is reasonable. Steven Sims, Brentwood Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Here is something to keep you awake at night: Your future, and the future of the world, now rests in the hands of a tiny team of zealots and opportunistic hacks in the White House who prefer to rule the country by edict and alternative facts while ignoring the courts, leaving Congress out of the loop, purging seasoned officials from the government and targeting the independent media. Yes, there was an election, but this feels more like a coup. Before you run into the night screaming, it is worth noting that the coup is being managed by a collection of characters who seem unable to pull it off without raising deep opposition. Journalist Jonathan Alter called Trump and company a breathtakingly incompetent administration. And he is far from alone in that assessment, especially after the cruelly chaotic imposition of a temporary ban (yes, ban thats what the president called it) of refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. As Butch said to Sundance, Who are those guys? Well, heading up the propaganda team is motor mouth Kellyanne Conway. Less than a year ago, she was on the Ted Cruz campaign team. Back then, she called Trump a whiner and attacked him for his Trump University scam. Now, having coined the euphemism alternative facts, she has given her soul to the con man and enthusiastically warps common rules of language to justify any untruth that comes out of her new leaders lips. Advertisement The teams mouthpiece is Sean Spicer, the communications director whose angry outbursts at the White House press corps look like the reaction of someone who knows he is being forced to defend preposterous fibs and hates being caught in the act. This is the knucklehead who said out loud in front of all the world that it would have been misguided and wrong if airport security officials had not handcuffed a 5-year-old boy who got caught up in the snare of the Muslim ban. The chief of staff is Reince Priebus, a political apparatchik who, as chair of the Republican National Committee, was one of the few members of the GOP establishment to hitch his wagon to Trumps rising star. His loyalty paid off bigly, as Trump would say. Retired Gen. Michael Flynn, a big fan of conspiracy theories, is Trumps national security advisor. Flynn is currently under investigation by U.S. counterintelligence agents for his communications with Russian officials during the presidential campaign. Congressional Democrats are asking if the fee Flynn received for a speech in Moscow in 2015 broke the law against receiving payments from foreign governments. 1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) One of the architects of the Muslim ban that the administration now claims is not a Muslim ban is Stephen Miller. As a college student a decade ago, Miller organized events to raise awareness of the terrorist threat and Islamo-fascism. Before coming to the White House, he worked for Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trumps nominee for attorney general, pushing a hard line on immigration and Muslims. For Miller, the current ban is just a tiny first step. And then there is Stephen K. Bannon, a self-described Leninist and former boss at Breitbart News, where he provided a platform for an array of ideas from the so-called alt-right, including white nationalists and extreme anti-immigration activists. If the Trump administration continues to foment turmoil in government and economic and trade policy, it may actually be intentional. That is Bannons vision for America, and he has inserted it into the cavernous spaces inside Trumps untutored mind. Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and thats my goal too, Bannon said in a much-quoted 2013 interview. I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of todays establishment. Yes, this guy is the senior advisor to the president of the United States and has been given a seat on the National Security Council. Sleep well. David.Horsey@latimes.com Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter Former President George W. Bush says his recent remarks have been misconstrued as criticism of Trump (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Former President George W. Bush on Wednesday pushed back at the notion that his recent remarks about the media were criticisms of President Trump. Im asked the question, Do I believe in free press? and the answer is absolutely, I believe in free press because the press holds people to account, he said. Power is very addictive and its corrosive if it becomes central to your life and therefore there needs to be an independent group of people who hold you to account. And so I answered that question and of course the headlines were, Bush criticizes Trump. And so therefore I needed to say, There should be a free and independent press, but it ought to be accurate. Bush made the remarks at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley during an hourlong question-and-answer session promoting Portraits of Courage, his new book that features his paintings of veterans. While doing media interviews about the book in recent days, he has raised eyebrows by making comments about the media, immigrants and allegations of Russian interference in the November presidential election that were widely viewed as criticisms of the new president. He said that he decided once he left the office not to second-guess his successor, former President Obama, and that the same holds true for Trump. Doing so would undermine the office, Bush said, adding that he wants all of his successors to succeed because it is good for the nation. I dont want to make the presidents job worse, no matter what political party it is. Its a hard job, Bush said. Sometimes my remarks can be construed as criticism. Theyre certainly not meant to be, and after I finish this book tour you probably wont hear from me for a while. But he was willing to offer advice to those who follow him. Know what you dont know and find people who do know what you dont know and listen to them, he said. My advice is that the job is different once you get in. It looks one way and then you get in the Oval Office and it looks different. Trust me. Bush also made an implicit criticism of Obamas foreign policy when asked whether the world is more dangerous than it was four years ago. This may be taken as criticism of one of my successors and I dont really mean it to be. There is a lesson however when the United States decides not to take the lead and withdraw, he said. Vacuums can be created when U.S. presence recedes and that vacuum is generally filed with people who dont share the ideology, the same sense of human rights and human dignity and freedom that we do. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Aside from a handful of serious moments, Bush was jovial and self-effacing as he described how he became an oil painter after leaving the White House. Seeking ways to fill his time, he said he read an essay by Winston Churchill about painting. I basically said, What the hell, this guy can paint, I can paint, Bush said. He hired an instructor and started painting a cube and a watermelon before moving on to portraits. Former First Lady Laura Bush was not pleased with his depiction of her, so when he painted his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, he decided to depict her from behind. Barbara Bush and former President George H.W. Bush are doing well despite their recent hospitalizations, the younger Bush said. Theyre both great given their limitations. Dad cant walk, hes confined to a wheelchair and yet his spirit is joyful, Bush said. Moms doing fine. Shes shrinking, and as she does, her voice gets louder. But shes a, shes a piece of work is what she is. Bush has been reclusive since leaving office, but said he wrote the book and is publicizing it to raise money for veterans and to draw attention to the invisible wounds many of them suffer. I think when you read [their stories] youll be moved by stories of courage, injury, recovery willingness to help others, he said. Ive got a platform its not as big as it once was and I intend to use it to help our veterans for the rest of my life, and this is one way to do so. Liberal activists and Senate Democrats on Wednesday launched what is likely to be a protracted battle to block President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, focusing on how his conservative views could threaten womens rights, gay marriage and church-state separation. But Gorsuch has not given Democrats much to work with. He hasnt ruled directly on cases involving abortion and gay rights, and he won Senate confirmation a decade ago on a voice vote with no opposition. Opponents have been focusing on Gorsuchs ruling on religious liberties, which they warn could be used by some as a legal rationale for discrimination. Advertisement We absolutely must not confirm a Supreme Court nominee who has ruled that religious beliefs can trump law, said Rachel Tiven, chief executive of Lambda Legal in New York, a gay rights advocacy group. It is a short hop from birth control restrictions to restrictions on intimate relationships and healthcare needs of LGBT people. Gorsuch, who serves on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, ruled in favor of exempting religious employers from having to provide female workers with the full range of contraceptives, as required under President Obamas Affordable Care Act. He said the owners of the Hobby Lobby craft store chain who objected to certain methods of contraception had a right to invoke their religious beliefs to obtain an exemption. Otherwise, he said, they believed they would be complicit in wrongdoing. He relied on the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which says the government may not put a substantial burden on a persons exercise of religion. The Supreme Court agreed with his ruling in 2014. In October, when the 10th Circuit blocked Utahs governor from cutting off funding for Planned Parenthood, Gorsuch dissented. The governor had claimed that secretly recorded and heavily edited videos showed workers discussing selling fetus body parts for money. A federal judge and the 10th Circuit majority concluded those charges were false and did not justify the funding cutoff. Gorsuch said the majority acted too quickly and without looking at all the facts. The governor cut off the funding in direct response to the videos. And it is undisputed that the governor was free as a matter of law to suspend the funding in question for this reason, he wrote. In mobilizing the effort against Gorsuch, abortion-rights advocates point out that Trump promised to appoint only pro-life justices who would overturn the right to abortion. With a clear record of supporting an agenda that undermines abortion access and endangers women, there is no doubt that Gorsuch is a direct threat to Roe vs. Wade and the promise it holds for womens equality, said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. But unlike Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of Alabama, once the front-runner to become Trumps first high court nominee, Gorsuch does not have a track record of explosive statements, such as Pryors comment that the landmark abortion ruling Roe vs. Wade was an abomination. And Gorsuch, 49, is a well-liked, congenial jurist with a knack for saying the right thing and an ability to charm skeptics. In accepting Trumps nomination at the White House on Tuesday night, he praised the Senate which must now confirm his appointment as the greatest deliberative body in the world. Shortly after that, he reportedly placed a call out of respect to Judge Merrick Garland, President Obamas nominee for the same seat, whom the GOP-led Senate had refused to even consider for nearly a year. Democrats remain bitter over what they now see as a stolen Supreme Court seat, and are not inclined to go easy on Gorsuch. But some senators expressed a willingness to consider him. Lets give the man a chance, Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) said Wednesday on the MSNBC show Morning Joe. Still, many Senate Democrats voiced concern Wednesday over Trumps nominee. Judge Gorsuch has a long record, and it will take time to conduct a thorough review, said California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Judge Gorsuch voted twice to deny contraceptive coverage to women, elevating a corporations religious belief over womens healthcare. Gorsuch has also shown a deep interest in cases involving religion. The 1st Amendment says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. And since the 1940s, the court has said those religious guarantees extend to state and localities. Gorsuch wrote sharp dissents in recent years when the 10th Circuit decided the display of religious symbols on public property amounted to an unconstitutional establishment of religion. This has been a recurring subject of dispute in the high court for decades, and the justices have been unable to agree on clear rules. In one case, the 10th Circuit ruled that a small town in Oklahoma must remove a monument displaying the Ten Commandments. In another, the court ruled that Utah authorities may not allow the privately funded Utah Highway Patrol Assn. to erect white crosses along the highway to honor troopers killed in the line of duty. Gorsuch said both decisions were wrong, and he faulted his colleagues for viewing any religious symbol as proof of the governments endorsement of religion. He noted the Supreme Court in 2005 had upheld the display of the Ten Commandments among other monuments on the grounds of the Texas state Capitol. This was known as the Van Orden case. Now we have become the only circuit since Van Orden to order the removal of memorial highway crosses to fallen public servants, he wrote in dissent in American Atheists vs. Davenport. Thus, the pattern is clear: we will strike down laws other courts would uphold, and do so whenever a reasonably biased, impaired and distracted viewer might confuse them for an endorsement of religion. Advocates of church-state separation described Gorsuchs views as extreme and said they make him unfit for a position on the U.S. Supreme Court. Our nation needs a Supreme Court justice who respects real religious freedom and appreciates the role church-state separation plays in protecting the rights of all Americans, religious and nonreligious, said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. david.savage@latimes.com On Twitter: DavidGSavage ALSO Travel order and firing of acting Atty. Gen. Sally Yates roils Justice Department Democrats see opening in Trumps stumble on travel ban, move to block Cabinet votes As secretary of State, Rex Tillerson will have fences to mend with his own diplomatic corps For those outside Washington, government institutions seem equally dysfunctional. Inside the Beltway, however, the Senate occupies a somewhat special place. The upper chamber is often revered especially by its own members as a more thoughtful, deliberate and collaborative body, where respect for minority viewpoints is baked into cherished rules and precedents. But one by one, those long-standing traditions that have served as a check against extreme legislation or appointments are being tossed aside amid growing partisanship and a closely divided government. Advertisement Rather than nudging senators to compromise, the rules are now a being used in a procedural arms race that threatens to erode the very culture and practice that made the Senate different than the majority-rules House. This is the latest manifestation of a changing and declining Senate, said Thomas Mann, a congressional scholar at the Brookings Institution and the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Trump made promises to blue-collar voters. Democrats plan to make sure he follows through The polarization between the parties and the intensity of sentiment outside the Senate has already led to changes in norms and practices, he said. Our system is not well structured to operate in a period of intense polarization. The latest example came Wednesday when GOP lawmakers took the extraordinary step of changing committee rules to advance two of President Trumps Cabinet nominees without any Democrats in attendance. Democrats, revealing their own willingness to defy Senate niceties, had boycotted the votes on Steven Mnuchin as Treasury secretary and Rep. Tom Price as head of Health and Human Services as they sought more answers on the nominees records. Now Trump would like to see other Senate rules scrapped to the ensure approval of his Supreme Court nominee, Neil M. Gorsuch, whom Democrats had vowed to block even before his name was revealed. Democrats are still stinging over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells refusal for most of last year to grant a vote for President Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, to fill the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Supreme Court nominations have rarely been subjected to filibusters, but Democrats are talking about taking such a move against Gorsuch. In response, Republicans are considering changing Senate rules so only 51 votes are needed to end the delaying tactic, rather than the current 60. The move is seen as so severe its been dubbed the nuclear option. I would say, If you can, Mitch, go nuclear, because that would be an absolute shame if a man of this quality was caught up in the web, Trump said Wednesday. Democrats opened the door themselves in 2013 when they used the nuclear option to push through several of Obamas judicial and executive nominations, which Republicans had been filibustering. The final frontier in this procedural war could be ending the use of filibusters on ordinary legislation. That would means that bills which typically require 60 votes to advance in the Senate could be moved with a 51-vote simple majority. With Republicans currently holding 52 seats, it would relegate Democrats to bystanders in the Senate. What is the Senate if thats gone? asked one Senate aide. Its just the House. The Senate has long been a frustrating place. Its slow pace and cumbersome rules are nothing like the more rambunctious House, where the majority can quickly pass a legislative agenda. But the founders designed the bicameral system with that unique difference one chamber to swiftly answer the will of the people, the other for a more measured second look before sending bills on to the White House. Only in the 20th century did senators create an option for ending a filibuster as a way to cut off prolonged debate. It all sounds pretty archaic to an increasingly frustrated public that is reeling in an intensely partisan environment. Trumps election has only accelerated the pressure to end the civilities of the past. On the Republican side, tea party activists pressured Republicans to jam Obamas agenda, even if that meant shutting down the government. Now Democratic voters are marching in the streets to stop Trump, pressuring their party leaders to confront just as aggressively what many fear is a dangerous agenda. What were seeing now is that the base is more motivated than any of us have ever seen, said Mark Stanley, spokesman for Demand Progress, a 2-million-member progressive group whose activists will be calling and emailing Democratic senators to oppose Gorsuch. It recently turned out 3,000 people at a Democratic senators town hall meeting in Rhode Island to protest his vote for Trumps CIA director nominee. Especially in these unprecedented times were in, Democrats have to stick by their principles and do what their constituents are really asking for, Stanley said. Though both parties have contributed to the gridlock in the Senate, it was McConnells willingness to utilize the filibuster as an ordinary weapon in the Obama era rather than the occasional cudgel that is largely seen as having fueled todays standoff. McConnell has made it clear that Trumps Supreme Court nominee will be confirmed even if Democrats mount a filibuster all but declaring he will use the nuclear option to do so. Trump and the GOP are charging forward with Obamacare repeal, but few are eager to follow Such a move would probably poison legislative operations in the Senate for the foreseeable future. The prospect has so alarmed some Democrats that they may be willing to hold their nose and vote for Gorsuch to preserve the filibuster. Others are not so sure. Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats, acknowledges that when he arrived in the Senate in 2013, he, too, was so quickly frustrated by the obstruction that he was willing to consider rules changes. But the former governor vividly remembers a private meeting of the Democratic caucus when one of the older senators advised the newer arrivals about the importance of the Senate as the cooling body and urged them to think about the long-term ramifications of their actions. One of the things that surprise me about this place is that people do things and they expect its not going to have results four or five years from now, King said. Ive come to realize the 60-vote majority requires some kind of bipartisan support which ultimately makes legislation better. lisa.mascaro@latimes.com @LisaMascaro ALSO Despite talk of GOP unity, Trumps programs face fight from Republican budget hawks Believe me: People say Trumps language is affecting political discourse bigly Trumps rise draws white supremacists into political mainstream: I am winning, says David Duke More coverage of Congress Live coverage from the campaign trail Marijuana mogul Seibo Shen is accustomed to fighting but it is usually on the Jiu Jitsu mat, where the undefeated 40-year old prefers to engage completely baked. You know that movie Drunken Master? he said, nodding to the cult film about a martial arts master whose secret weapon is inebriation. Its like that. I like to consume so much before a competition that they are literally walking me onto the mat. Shen, founder of a thriving startup that hawks luxury vaporizers at $450 a pop, might want to stock up for an impending match that could prove epic. His opponent? Donald Trumps Justice Department. Advertisement Seibo Shen, founder and CEO of VapeXhale. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Shen is among the swiftly growing ranks of marijuana entrepreneurs who could be headed for a showdown with the federal government. The election of Trump has shocked the marijuana industry into a state of high alert at a time it had planned to be gliding into unbridled growth. Trumps attorney general, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, is a longtime field lieutenant in the war on drugs with unabashed hostility toward pot. It was only 10 months ago that Sessions was scolding from the dais of a Senate hearing room that the drug is dangerous, not funny and that good people dont smoke marijuana. Now he will set the direction on national drug enforcement policy at the same time that eight states, including California, have legalized recreational use of the drug. Some 60 million Americans are living in states where voters have opted to allow any adult to be able to purchase marijuana. Business leaders like Shen are betting the rapid maturity of the cannabis industry has made it too big to jail. Even before new laws took effect permitting the recreational use of pot in the massive markets of California and Massachusetts, the legitimate pot business had dwarfed its 2011 size, when the Drug Enforcement Administration was still aggressively raiding medical marijuana vendors operating legally under state laws. Since then, President Obamas Justice Department decreed that states should have freedom to pursue their own policies, and the legalization train seemed to have left the station. But those who have been in the business since the early days of medical marijuana caution the legions of newcomers that federal busts and seizures could quickly make a comeback. Sessions very deliberately left that option open during his confirmation hearing. There are people in this administration who will crush this industry if they see the opportunity, said Steve DeAngelo, who is considered a guru among pot entrepreneurs. DeAngelo, owner of the bustling Harborside Health Center dispensary in Oakland, was among the first in the industry and he has experienced it all: surprise raids from armed federal agents, unending lawsuits, getting locked in a jail cell. I dont think people who dont have firsthand experience with the irrationality of federal intervention understand what a threat we are facing. The case of marijuana-laced baked goods and candies at Medithrive in San Franciscos Mission District. (David Butow / For The Times) But its hard to see much anxiety watching the comings and goings inside DeAngelos dispensary, which these days looks more like a Whole Foods than the shady corner bodegas such operations long resembled. Well-mannered hipsters with encyclopedic knowledge of bud patiently serve customers as sommeliers might, explaining the intricacies of abundant varietals of reefer available to be consumed in ever-evolving ways. On one side of the room is an enticing display of pot-laced baked goods, opposite that is the kind of fancy kiosk where artisan granola bars or yogurt cups might be hawked in a high-end grocery; the millennials manning this one are pitching elegantly packaged microdoses of pot injected into dried blueberries and other goodies. DeAngelo says Trump might just let it all be, pointing to mixed signals the president sent during the campaign. But DeAngelo sees an easy legal path for Sessions and other committed anti-drug warriors in the administration, including Vice President Mike Pence, to immediately throw the industry into chaos, should they chose to do so. A survey by Marijuana Business Daily suggests many pot entrepreneurs share his concern, with 20% saying they would curb expansion plans. Many more are putting planning off until they see where the White House is going. Most of us are holding our breath right now, said Emily Paxhia, co-owner of a hedge fund that invests exclusively in the cannabis industry. Lately she has been making sure that each firm in her portfolio has a Plan B in case a federal crackdown comes. Can pot growing operations, for example, shift to micro-salad greens if the feds come knocking? Can vaporizers be sold to yoga enthusiasts consuming lavender? Were also starting to look at how some of the new technologies we are investing in could address needs in other countries if the U.S. becomes difficult, Paxhia said, pointing to Canada, where she said federal embrace of recreational marijuana could open up a $22-billion market. Paxhia shared her outlook at the industrial San Francisco office space of one company in her portfolio, Meadow, which has built a digital platform through which marijuana dispensary offerings can be browsed, and products can be ordered and delivered with the ease of a service like GrubHub. Meadow isnt so much a pot company as a tech company, one of scores of firms that reflect the rapid integration of the marijuana industry into the broader economy. Across the bay in Oakland, a sober-looking team at a company called CW Analytical has just spent big on sophisticated new testing equipment that allows dispensaries to quickly measure the active ingredients and purity in all the pot products they sell. The company embodies how renewed federal busts would affect not just pot growers, but an entire class of lab technicians, scientists, digital engineers, marketers and other skilled professionals. I would be lying if I told you it was not in the back of our minds, said Emily Richardson, head of business development at CW. We have been through a lot. She said the firm lost a third of its business amid the last big round of federal raids in 2011. Back then, Jeff Linden wasnt even in the trade. He was running a high-end kitchen cabinet firm. Now Linden has opened a dispensary in San Franciscos Mission District that could be mistaken for an art gallery. We treat the product like you would treat any other product of its value and price point, he said of his shop, Medithrive. The buds are displayed on freestanding pedestals the way jewelry in a museum might be, and iPad-toting bud-tenders roam the floor like staff at an Apple store. Customers are invited to examine their purchases under a high-powered microscope that projects an image on a large screen overhead. Linden refers to the security guard stationed in front of his store as a concierge. Trumps agenda is this long, Linden said, stretching out his arms to make the point the new administration has bigger issues on its plate than him. I think this industry is too big to roll back. Some people agree with me. Some are very nervous. evan.halper@latimes.com Follow me: @evanhalper ALSO Marijuana shops are trying to look like the Apple store Marijuana brands can trademark almost anything, except marijuana Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants to pull pot shops out of banking limbo UPDATES: 11:50 a.m. Feb. 10: This article was updated to show that Sessions is now the attorney general and no longer the nominee. This article was originally published at 2:10 p.m. Feb. 2. President Trump made an unannounced trip Wednesday to witness the return of the remains of a Navy SEAL killed in a raid in Yemen, the first known casualty of an operation Trump ordered, as he confronted the most fraught duty of the office while partaking in one of its most solemn rituals. At Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Trump joined the family of Chief Special Warfare Operator William Ryan Owens, 36, who died during a raid on a compound used by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the terrorist groups Yemen-based offshoot. The operation began as a mission to gather computers and electronic devices believed to contain information about the organization, and possibly about plots in the works. But it devolved unexpectedly into a firefight that also killed more than a dozen women and children. Advertisement Among those reportedly killed was the 8-year old daughter of Anwar Awlaki, the American-born Al Qaeda leader who was based in Yemen and killed in a 2011 drone strike. Awlaki has been cited as the inspiration for several major attacks in the West, including the San Bernardino shootings. The ritual in Dover, called a dignified transfer, was kept private at the request of Owens family. Trump, accompanied by his daughter Ivanka and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), were on the grounds for more than two hours. Speaking Wednesday evening after returning to the White House, Trump called the visit very sad, very beautiful. The remains of service members killed in action are brought to the Delaware base in flag-draped cases, then carried by a six-person team to a vehicle to be taken to a mortuary on the base. According to the Air Force, the dignified transfer is conducted for every service member who dies in a theater of operation. Media coverage of the transfers were banned in 1991 during the Gulf War, in response to an episode two years earlier in which a television network showed split-screen images of a jovial President George H. W. Bush and the coffins of U.S. personnel killed in Panama. The policy was lifted by the Pentagon during the Obama administration after a review, and families were given the option to allow media coverage. Since then, Dover has facilitated 1,978 dignified transfers; families attended 83% of them. More than half of families 55% allowed coverage, according to Christin Michaud, chief of public affairs for the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations. President Obama traveled to Dover twice to witness such transfers, first in October 2009. He returned in 2011 to witness the remains of 30 service members killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan being brought back to the U.S. In a speech in December, Obama said the visits to Dover made real the potential costs of decisions he made to send troops into conflict. The Pentagon typically relies on drone strikes against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula , but U.S. commanders believed they had identified militant headquarters in the village of Yaklaa in Yemens Bayda province and wanted to send in troops to gather valuable information about the terrorist groups operations. U.S. intelligence agencies consider the group one of Al Qaedas most dangerous offshoots because of its repeated attempts to attack Western targets. The group attempted to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, tried to take down two cargo planes headed to Chicago in 2010 and claimed responsibility for the mass shooting that killed 12 people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2015. The U.S. militarys Joint Special Operations Command plan for the raid had been ready in the final weeks of Obamas presidency and was awaiting approval, said U.S. officials, who werent authorized to speak publicly on the clandestine operation. Obama had opted not to sign off because the proposal called for the raid to take place on the next moonless night in Yemen, which was not until Jan. 28, after he left office. With Trumps blessing, U.S. officials said, helicopters carrying members of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6 slipped into eastern Yemen under the cover of darkness in the predawn hours and approached Yaklaa. The raid ran into problems almost immediately after the assault began. Commandos encountered gunfire and a nearly hour-long firefight ensued, wounding Owens and three other commandos. The others are expected to survive, officials said. And an MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft sent in to evacuate the wounded crash-landed in the desert nearby, injuring three more service members, officials said. The aircraft was unable to fly and was later destroyed in an airstrike to prevent militants from capturing it. At least 14 AQAP members, including women, were killed, the U.S. military said. There were a lot of female combatants who were part of this, Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters this week. We saw during this operation as it was taking place that they ran to pre-established positions as if theyd trained to be ready and trained to be combatants and engage with us. Late Wednesday, U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement that an unspecified number of civilians were also probably killed in the midst of a fierce battle that included gunfire, hand grenades and airstrikes. The known possible civilian casualties appear to have been potentially caught up in aerial gunfire that was called in to assist U.S. forces in contact against a determined enemy that included armed women firing from prepared fighting positions, and U.S. special operations members receiving fire from all sides to include houses and other buildings, the statement said. Trump repeatedly said on the campaign trail that hed increase pressure on terrorist groups, but it remains unclear whether the deadly raid was a sign of new aggressiveness from the White House. Obama had authorized several special operations raids in Libya, Somalia, Syria, and most notably in Pakistan for the 2011 operation to kill Osama bin Laden. The last ground raid in Yemen was in 2014. michael.memoli@latimes.com Twitter: @mikememoli ALSO: Trump administration signals that some bans on U.S. entry could be extended indefinitely Scalias views mixed with Kennedys style: Meet Neil Gorsuch, Trumps pick for the Supreme Court Democrats see opening in Trumps stumble on travel ban, move to block Cabinet votes UPDATES: 5:40 p.m.: This story was updated with Central Command saying it had determined that civilians were likely killed in the raid. 5 p.m.: This story was updated with comment from Trump. This story was originally published at 3:10 p.m. As the healthcare vote looms, Trump sees opposition from conservatives, both on Capitol Hill and in the media By Kurtis Lee Its a really important vote in President Trumps fledgling first term. Will House Republicans pass a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act a promise from Trump on the campaign trail or reject it? (House Speaker Paul D. Ryan rushed to the White House on Friday morning for a last-minute meeting with Trump as both attempted to corral enough votes.) Trump spent much of the week trying to win support from members of the Freedom Caucus, among the most conservative lawmakers, some of whom are holdouts because they believe the bill does not go far enough. After seven horrible years of ObamaCare (skyrocketing premiums & deductibles, bad healthcare), this is finally your chance for a great plan! Trump tweeted Friday. But even some in conservative media arent all that thrilled about the bill. Here are some of Fridays headlines: Polls: Ryancare even more unpopular than Obamacare and Hillarycare (Breitbart) So, its been clear in recent weeks that the right-wing website Breitbart does not like the new healthcare proposal. The news site has dubbed the current bill Obamacare-lite or Ryancare an homage of sorts to Ryan, who helped craft the legislation and argued it does not go far enough in its overhaul. Most conservatives want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, nicknamed Obamacare, they just differ on what the replacement should look like. For example, some on the far right want to see so-called essential health benefits, such as maternity and newborn care, stripped from the bill.) This piece highlights several of the dismal polls the legislation has received. Among them: A recent Fox News survey that showed 54% oppose the bill, compared with 34% who support it. The article also references an analysis of polling and data by FiveThirtyEight.com, which shows the GOP legislation is more unpopular than Obamacare and President Bill Clintons healthcare reform bill were when they were first introduced. A modest immigration proposal (Weekly Standard) Trumps recent immigration orders have left many immigrants on edge. Through social media and pop-up legal clinics, immigrant rights groups have doled out around-the-clock assistance, as families fear being separated. In this piece, Irwin Stelzer notes that at some point, our border will be secure, resistance to deporting felons will collapse, and we will have accepted the fact that Dreamers will be allowed to stay in this country, probably on a path to citizenship. He lays out his views of immigration reform, citing, among other things, setting an annual immigration limit and adopting a system that has the effect of enriching our citizens by filling that annual quota with immigrants who are likely to increase the well-being of the existing citizenry. Jeff Sessions is Rip Van Winkle on drug policy (American Conservative) Its clear from polls that most Republicans oppose marijuana legalization, while Democrats support it. However, libertarian-leaning Republicans often tend to support legalization. This piece highlights Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions recent comments in opposition to states legalizing pot. The attorney general regurgitates simplistic cliches right out of the 1970s and 1980s about marijuana use. I dont think America is going to be a better place when people of all ages, and particularly young people, are smoking pot, Sessions told reporters on February 26, the author, Ted Galen Carpenter, writes. He adds, Such comments confirm that critics may be right when they label him a drug war dinosaur. He seems either oblivious or scornful about the trend in public opinion regarding marijuana. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print FCC Chairman Pai wants to halt Internet privacy rules before they begin taking effect this week By Jim Puzzanghera (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) The nations new top telecommunications regulator wants to halt tough Internet privacy rules before they begin taking effect this week, arguing they would unfairly impose tougher requirements on broadband providers than on websites and social networks. Privacy advocates and a key Senate Democrat vowed Monday to fight the move as well as a separate effort in Congress to overturn the regulations, which were approved in October on a party-line vote by the Federal Communications Commission when it was controlled by Democrats under President Obama. Following President Trumps inauguration, control of the commission passed to Republicans and Ajit Pai took over as chairman. All actors in the online space should be subject to the same rules, and the federal government shouldnt favor one set of companies over another, a spokesman for Pai said Friday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says Hollywoods obsession with him led to best picture Oscar gaffe By Michael A. Memoli (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) President Trump is often loath to accept responsibility when things go wrong, but in the case of Sundays Oscars broadcast, he made an exception. As he explained it Monday, it was Hollywoods obsession with attacking him that contributed to the botched best picture announcement, calling the embarrassing episode sad, of course. Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has apologized for the mix-up that led Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway to announce La La Land as the winner of the top Academy Award prize, instead of Moonlight. But in Trumps eyes, the blame falls more broadly on an entertainment industry so preoccupied with politics that they didnt get the act together, he told Breitbart News. It took away from the glamour of the Oscars, Trump told a reporter from the website, which was once led by his chief White House strategist, Stephen K. Bannon. It didnt feel like a very glamorous evening. Ive been to the Oscars. There was something very special missing, and then to end that way was sad, he added. The ceremony did contain a number of slights at Trump during its telecast, some more subtle than others. Host Jimmy Kimmel openly at one point begged the president to weigh in by tweeting at him. Trump spent part of Sunday night hosting a black-tie dinner at the White House honoring the nations governors, who were visiting Washington for their annual winter meeting. But it appears from excerpts of the Breitbart interview that he may have spent at least part of the evening watching. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Justice Department shifts course in closely watched Texas voter ID case By Del Quentin Wilber The Trump administration has scaled back its assault on a strict Texas voter identification law that federal courts have ruled discriminated against minorities, portending a shift in how the Justice Department plans to pursue allegations of voter suppression. The government revealed its decision in court papers filed in federal court Monday, dealing a blow to civil rights advocates who have relied on federal support to help them knock down the controversial Texas statute. Its a very concerning signal to American voters about the Department of Justices commitment to enforcing the Voting Rights Act, said Danielle Lang, deputy director of the voting rights unit of the Campaign Legal Center, which is suing Texas in the case. The administrations partial retreat in the dispute highlights how Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, a conservative Republican who has championed voter identification measures, is expected to handle such cases. The Obama administration had joined civil rights groups in aggressively challenging the Texas law and other such measures around the country. At issue in the case was how the Justice Department would proceed in a federal lawsuit that alleged the Texas legislature discriminated against minority voters when it enacted the strict voter identification law in 2011. Known as SB 14, the measure requires voters to present a specific form of government-issued photo identification - such as a drivers license, military ID card, U.S. passport or citizenship certificate - to be permitted to cast a ballot. The Obama administration and civil rights groups argued the state pushed the law, in part, to suppress the power of the states minority voters, who frequently dont drive or have a passport. State officials and lawmakers countered that the law was aimed at preventing voter fraud, though there is scant evidence that the problem exists. The law was challenged in court by civil rights groups and the Justice Department under provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was intended to help overcome legal barriers erected at the local and state level to keep African-Americans from the polls. Last July, a federal appeals court ruled that the Texas law had a discriminatory impact on minority voters. It told U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos to craft a temporary remedy in time for the November elections. Ramos subsequently ordered Texas to permit voters to present other forms of documentation to verify their identities. The judges order is expected to remain in force until she imposes a permanent remedy or Texas addresses the judges concerns. According to the court papers filed Monday, the Justice Department will continue to work with civil rights groups to address those issues but will seek to withdraw from another important aspect of the suit. In the same decision that found the Texas law had a discriminatory impact, the appeals court reversed Ramos finding that Texas legislators had intended to harm minority voters. It ordered Ramos to reconsider the evidence of that finding. If the judge determines discriminatory intent in crafting the voter ID requirements, she could throw out the entire law. Civil rights groups will continue to press that claim. In its court filing, the Justice Department asked Ramos to permit it to withdraw its claim that Texas acted with intent, arguing that it is best to give the Texas legislature time to address the matter. With the loss of their key ally in court, civil rights groups will argue on their own in an effort to prove that Texas acted with a discriminatory purpose in passing the law. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Voting advocates complained that the Trump administration was backing away from a key safeguard of voting rights. The Justice Department decision defies rationality and stands diametrically opposed to positions they have taken at every stage of this litigation, Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement. This reversal of position was taken despite years of work and effort that the government has invested in fighting the Texas Voter ID law, one of the most discriminatory voting restriction of its kind. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes warns against witch hunt over Trump-Russia ties By Sarah D. Wire House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) talks to reporters about his committees Russia investigation. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes said on Monday he has seen no evidence from the intelligence community that there was contact between Russia and the Trump campaign. I want to be very careful, we cant just go on a witch hunt against Americans because they appear in a news story, said Nunes (R-Tulare). We still dont have any evidence of them talking to Russia. He said the committee has been briefed on the highlights of what the intelligence community has found, but is still collecting evidence. The committees ranking Democrat, Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), quickly responded, saying the committees investigation is in its infancy and its too soon to reach conclusions about the evidence. We havent obtained any of the evidence yet, so its premature for us to be saying weve reached any conclusion about the issue of collusion, Schiff said. The most that weve had are private conversations, the chair and I with intelligence officials. Thats not a substitute for an investigation. The House and Senate Select Intelligence Committees are conducting separate investigations into Russias reported attempts to influence voters in 2016 in an effort to curtail Hillary Clintons chances and boost Donald Trumps. A leaked U.S. intelligence report on the attempts did not look at whether the effort succeeded. The House committee has expanded a previous ongoing investigation of Russia cyberhacking to include a look at efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, Nunes told reporters Monday. Though it is still in its early stages the leaders of the committee are still discussing the investigations scope Nunes said he expects the findings to be made public. Schiff and Nunes spoke separately to reporters Monday. Schiff said the two agreed privately that they would jointly address reporters about the investigation going forward. Nunes, who served as a member of Trumps transition team, said he continues to be concerned about leaks of classified and sensitive information from the White House and intelligence communities. The leaks one of which resulted in a report about the FBI investigating Trump campaign officials will be part of the committees investigation. A government cant function with massive leaks at the highest level, Nunes said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Appeals court denies Justice Department request to put appeal of travel ban on hold By Jaweed Kaleem (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the Justice Departments request to pause proceedings in an appeal of President Trumps travel ban. The court in a filing Monday said its schedule for the governments appeal of a lower courts halt on the travel ban will proceed, with the first brief due to the appeals court on March 10. In early February, the Justice Department appealed a Seattle-based federal district judges order blocking enforcement of Trumps executive action. which established a series of immigration and refugee restrictions aimed at preventing potential terrorists from entering the country. Last week, government lawyers asked the appeals court to stop proceedings in the case because the president planned to issue a new executive order and rescind the original one. A three-judge panel of the court previously denied a request from the government to reverse a nationwide stay on the travel ban. The same panel on Monday ruled that the appeal will proceed. Trump has said he will sign a new executive order tailored to deal with court decisions that have largely gone against him. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he expected the order to be issued mid-week. Spicer has said Trump wants to fight for the current order while also issuing a new one, but the Justice Department has said in multiple court filings that the the current order will be undone after a new one is issued. The states of Washington and Minnesota, which brought the case in Seattle now under review, have pushed for courts to move forward on a review of the constitutional issues. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print No random ICE stops on streets of America, Homeland Security chief tells governor By Lisa Mascaro Gov holds closing media briefing on Capitol Hill to wrap up @NatlGovsAssoc Winter Meeting. pic.twitter.com/3mZMBA4S0o Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) February 27, 2017 President Trump received some unsolicited advice at dinner with the nations governors when Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told him he needs to do a better job explaining his policies regarding deportations. McAuliffe, a Democrat and chairman of the National Governors Assn., told the president that there has been a chilling effect going on as businesses stay away from his state and as immigrants fear being rounded up. If theyre not going to be deported, we need to hear that from the president, McAuliffe said, recounting his conversation from the governors Sunday night dinner with Trump. What I told the president is these actions are hurting us. McAuliffe, a longtime ally of Hillary Clinton, said Trump agreed in large part. McAuliffe also met privately with Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, and said the secretary assured him during an hourlong talk that Trumps enforcement actions were only targeting criminals -- despite widespread reports of otherwise law-abiding immigrants being detained for being in the U.S. illegally. He assured me there will be no random ICE stops on the streets of the United States of America, McAuliffe said, referring to the raids being conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. If thats the case, McAuliffe said, Trumps policy does not sound much different than the operations under former President Obama, whose administration deported more immigrants than its predecessors. Obama, however, explicitly put a priority on deportations of criminals, a distinction the Trump administration has done away with as part of the presidents executive action. My advice to him was he needs to let the American public know what theyre doing, McAuliffe said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump: I havent called Russia in 10 years By Brian Bennett President Trump rejected calls for an independent investigation of his ties to Russia, telling a group of business leaders Monday that he hasnt called Russia in a decade. At the start of a White House meeting with healthcare executives, a reporter asked Trump whether a special prosecutor should be assigned to investigate allegations of Russian meddling during the election. In response, Trump mouthed the word no to the executives. As reporters were led out of the room, Trump said: I havent called Russia in 10 years. Democratic lawmakers have ramped up their calls for additional investigations into allegations that Trump allies had been in contact with Russian officials during the election and inappropriately discussed U.S. sanctions against the Moscow regime during the transition. White House officials have denied reports that Trump associates were frequently in touch with senior Russian intelligence officials during the election. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had authorized an operation to damage Hillary Clintons campaign and tilt the 2016 election in Trumps favor. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump: Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated By Michael A. Memoli View Twitter post President Trump promised the nations governors Monday that his yet-to-be-revealed replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act would give states greater flexibility and thanked some Republicans in the room who advised him on healthcare. Its an unbelievably complex subject, he said. Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated. The remark likely surprised state leaders; spending on Medicaid alone was the second-biggest driver of increased state general fund spending, according to the 2016 Fiscal Survey of States conducted by the National Assn. of State Budget Officers. And it was just eight years ago that Washington dove head-first into a raging debate over healthcare reform under President Obama, which simmered long after his signature health law was enacted. But the finer points of healthcare policy are likely new to Trump, who is immersed in discussions with Republican leaders and his senior staff on that and other subjects ahead of his high-profile address Tuesday to a joint session of Congress. Trump offered no hint as to the details. Republicans have vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare, but their effort has stalled as they debate how to do so and await word from the White House on what Trump wants to do. The president seemed keenly aware of the political ramifications of whatever steps he takes. As soon as we touch it, if we do the most minute thing, just a tiny little change, whats going to happen? Theyre going to say its the Republicans problem, Trump said after telling the governors the easiest thing for him to do would be nothing, and, in his view, watch Obamacare collapse. But we have to do whats right because Obamacare is a failed disaster. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump wants to add $54 billion to defense budget while slashing domestic spending and foreign aid By Brian Bennett President Trump is proposing a massive increase in defense spending of $54 billion while cutting domestic spending and foreign aid by the same amount, the White House said Monday. Trumps spending blueprint previewed a major address that he will give Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress, laying out his vision for what he called a public safety and national security budget with a nearly 10% increase in defense spending. We never win a war. We never win. And we dont fight to win. We dont fight to win, Trump said Monday in remarks to the nations governors. So we either got to win or dont fight it at all. Trump noted that the U.S. has spent nearly $6 trillion on fighting wars since the Sept. 11 attacks but said that cutting military spending was not the answer. Instead, the increase he is proposing would be offset by cuts to unspecified domestic programs and to foreign aid, which would in turn be made up for in part by demanding that other countries pay more for security alliances that have historically been underwritten by the U.S. This budget expects the rest of the world to step up in some of the programs that this country has been so generous in funding in the past, an official from the Office of Management and Budget said, demanding anonymity to discuss the presidents spending plans. Foreign aid makes up about 1% of the budget. This budget speaks for itself, the official said. I dont think this budget has anything to do other than putting Americans first. Trumps call for deep cuts to spending at home is likely to set up major battles on Capitol Hill, where Democrats and even House Republicans will likely be reluctant to pass a spending bill that includes such major reductions in programs for their constituents. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says businesses cant borrow because of Dodd-Frank. The numbers tell another story By Jim Puzzanghera President Trump was preparing the first step in a key campaign promise dismantling the 2010 DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act when he repeated a frequent criticism of the law. We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank because, frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine that had nice businesses, they cant borrow money, Trump told leading corporate chief executives, including Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Larry Fink of money management giant BlackRock Inc., meeting at the White House earlier this month They just cant get any money because the banks just wont let them borrow it because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank, Trump said. Shortly afterward, he ordered a wholesale review of the landmark act, which was passed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But a main reason for dismantling Dodd-Frank often cited by Trump and critics of the law that its slew of tougher financial regulations have significantly restricted bank lending isnt borne out by the data. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Another Trump nominee withdraws nomination to top national security post due to business interests By W.J. Hennigan Philip M. Bilden, President Trumps pick for Navy secretary, withdrew from consideration late Sunday, becoming the second White House nominee to bail on a top Pentagon position due to problems untangling his financial investments. After an extensive review process, I have determined that I will not be able to satisfy the Office of Government Ethics requirements without undue disruption and materially adverse divestment of my familys private financial interests, Bilden said in a statement. He did not detail the issues but he said he fully supported the presidents agenda to modernize and rebuild our Navy and Marine Corps. Bildens withdrawal comes after billionaire investor Vincent Viola dropped out from becoming Army secretary after he decided his extensive financial holdings would hamper his ability to win Senate confirmation. The White House shot down reports that surfaced two weeks ago that Bilden was considering stepping down. Just spoke with him and he is 100% commited [sic] to being the next SECNAV pending Senate confirm, White House spokesman Sean Spicer tweeted on Feb. 18. Bilden, a venture capitalist and Army veteran, was a surprise selection from Trump but had the backing of Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. This was a personal decision driven by privacy concerns and significant challenges he faced in separating himself from his business interests, Mattis said in a statement. While I am disappointed, I understand and his respect his decision, and know that he will continue to support our nation in other ways. Bilden served ten years in the U.S. Army Reserve as a military intelligence officer from 1986 to 1996. He then co-founded private equity firm HarbourVest Partners LLC and spent 25 years there, mainly in the companys Hong Kong headquarters. He also serves on the board of directors of the United States Naval Academy Foundation and the board of trustees of the Naval War College Foundation. Mattis said he intends on recommending a replacement nominee to Trump in the coming days. The withdrawal marks another setback for Trumps national security team, which has struggled to find its footing since the fledgling administration began. Earlier this month, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign after it became public that he held secret talks with a Russian ambassador and then misled Vice President Mike Pence about it. Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster took the job last week after Trumps first choice to replace Flynn, retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward, passed on the opportunity. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New DNC chairman Tom Perez ridicules Trump tweet over rigged vote By Laura King Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez was chosen to lead the Democratic Party over a congressman backed by the progressive wing. (Branden Camp / Associated Press) President Trump claimed Sunday that the race for Democratic National Committee chairman had been rigged -- drawing a quick riposte from Tom Perez, who narrowly won the partys leadership race. Trump insinuated that Perezs DNC victory on the second ballot at a party conference in Atlanta on Saturday was because Hillary Clinton had backed Perez, a former Labor secretary in the Obama administration who was seen as representing the partys establishment forces. Clinton did not make a formal endorsement, but Perezs rival, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the partys more liberal wing. Bernies guy, like Bernie himself, never had a chance, Trump tweeted early Sunday morning. Clinton demanded Perez! Perez, appearing on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, told host Jake Tapper that he and Ellison got a good kick out of that, adding: Donald Trump, up in the morning tweeting about us. Sanders, appearing on the same show, said Trump doesnt have a point about the DNC vote. Moments after Perez beat Ellison by 35 votes out of 435 cast, he named Ellison as the deputy chairman of the party, leading to widespread applause. Perez is the first Latino to lead the Democratic Party, and he faces the challenge of trying to rebuild a party that suffered devastating losses in the 2016 election. Republicans now control not only the White House and Congress, but 33 governorships and dozens of state legislatures. In his CNN interview, Perez sarcastically suggested that Trump should address questions about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign rather than concerning himself with the DNC leadership battle. Frankly, what we need to be looking at is whether this election was rigged by Donald Trump and his buddy Vladimir Putin, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House again bats away call for special prosecutor on Russia By Laura King A White House spokeswoman said Sunday that it was too soon to say whether a special prosecutor should look into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, while President Trump again inveighed against coverage of Russia-related queries as FAKE NEWS. Calls have grown louder from Democrats in Congress for U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the issue because of his role as a prominent Trump supporter during the campaign, and to appoint an independent special prosecutor to carry out a Russia probe. A few Republicans have joined in that chorus some reluctantly. Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista, appearing on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, voiced support Friday for naming of a special prosecutor to probe the Russian connection, though he also said congressional intelligence committees should continue their work. He also said he considered Sessions a friend, but pointed to his role as a political appointee who had worked on the Trump campaign. Issa, who narrowly won reelection, was a vociferous critic of the Obama administration during his former tenure as head of the House Oversight Committee. In that post, he spearheaded an array of investigations on topics from Benghazi to bank bailouts. Some Republicans pushed back against the notion of Sessions needing to recuse himself. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on NBCs Meet the Press that he had seen no credible information about contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians and no allegations that rose to the level of criminal activity. If we get down that road, thats a decision that Attorney General Sessions can make at the time, said Cotton, who is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked Democratic Party computers and used other tactics last year to interfere with the election. The FBI is separately investigating whether anyone on Trumps campaign had improper contacts with Russian authorities during the campaign. On Sunday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said congressional investigations on Russia and the campaign should be allowed to go forward before a special prosecutor appointment was considered. I dont think were there yet, Sanders said on ABCs This Week. Lets work through this process. Echoing the previously stated White House stance, Sanders said the Trump campaign had not colluded in any Russian meddling. We had no involvement in this, she said. The president is known to keep a close eye on surrogates performances on the talk shows, and Sanders repeated a prime administration talking point: that questions about possible Trump campaign contacts with Russia amounted to Democratic excuses for losing the election. If Democrats want to continue to relive their loss every single day, by doing an investigation or review after review, thats fine by us, she said. We know why we won this race. Its because we had the better candidate with the better message. Trump himself underscored that notion with an afternoon tweet denouncing media coverage of the ongoing Russia investigations as FAKE NEWS put out by the Dems, and played up by the media, in order to mask the big election defeat and the illegal leaks! Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Whose news is fake? Heres the latest in Trumps war with the press By Kurtis Lee Every president since 1981 has attended the annual White House Correspondents Assn. dinner. That year, President Reagan missed out. The reason? He needed to recover after a would-be assassin fired a bullet into his chest a few weeks earlier. On Saturday, President Trump announced he will not be attending the annual dinner in April, long considered the premier social event of the Washington press corps and typically an evening of good-natured bantering between presidents and the Fourth Estate. Trumps announcement added to the ratcheting tensions between his administration and the media. Almost daily, in speeches or on Twitter, he calls particular news outlets fake, disgusting or dishonest and news organizations have responded by digging in, standing united and devoting more resources to covering a president who has branded the press the enemy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Crucial group of Americans like Trumps stands, not him, poll finds By David Lauter Trump still gets dismal ratings on temperament but is above water on economy, decision-making, promises of change. pic.twitter.com/Md0H096n9m Carrie Dann (@CarrieNBCNews) February 26, 2017 With the public deeply split in its views of President Trump, one potentially key group stands out -- those who dislike the man, but approve of the direction in which hes moving. Thats a central finding of a new nationwide survey by NBC News and the Wall St. Journal. The new poll confirms what other major surveys have shown: Trump starts his administration with less support than any president in the seven decades of presidential polling. Asked if they approve or disapprove of the job Trump is doing, 44% approve, 48% disapprove. No previous president has begun his tenure with a net negative job approval. Trump has held onto the support of his ardent backers. At the other end of the spectrum, he gets almost no approval from Democrats. In the middle, the poll found, are many Americans -- just over a third of those polled -- who either voted for Trump with reservations, voted for a third party candidate or did not vote at all in 2016. Just over half of that group gives Trump positive marks, the poll found. Their support is enough, currently, to keep Trumps standing from collapsing, and holding them is likely key to his future. Just under one third of Americans say they like Trump and approve of his policies, the poll found. Another one in six approve of most of his policies even though they dislike him. Well over half, 59%, said they did not like him personally. On a separate question, only 43% of those surveyed have a positive view of Trump -- up from the low points of the campaign, but still far below the standing of most new presidents. By contrast, 86% agreed with one of the central lines of Trumps inaugural speech, that government insiders had reaped the rewards of government, while the people have borne the cost. On other issues, the public is more closely divided. The public splits evenly, for example, on Trumps proposed temporary ban on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. Just over half of those surveyed, 52%, said that the problems Trump has encountered in his first month were unique to this administration and suggest real problems; 43% said they were growing pains similar to those other administrations have had. And by 51%-41%, the public thinks the press has been too hard on the new administration. The NBC/WSJ poll, run by a bipartisan team of two polling firms, was taken by phone, using cell phones and landlines, Feb. 18-22 among 1,000 American adults. It has a margin of error for the full sample of 3.1 percentage points in either direction. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump appears to think Perez at head of Democratic National Committee is good news for Republicans By Evan Halper Congratulations to Thomas Perez, who has just been named Chairman of the DNC. I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 The Democratic Party put its faith in its old guard Saturday to guide it out of the political wilderness, choosing as its new leader an Obama-era Cabinet secretary over the charismatic congressman backed by the progressive wing of the party. Tom Perez, a former secretary of Labor with strong ties to unions, persuaded the spirited assembly of party delegates in Atlanta that he can best help harness a grass-roots outpouring of anti-Trump protest and anger into a Democratic resurgence at the ballot box. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump to Washington reporters: Not going to your dinner By Kurtis Lee I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 The annual White House Correspondents Assn. dinner will be missing a key guest this year: President Trump. On Saturday, Trump tweeted he will not attend the April 29 dinner, considered the premier social event of the Washington press corps -- and typically an evening of good-natured bantering between presidents and reporters with a mix of celebrities watching. His announcement comes amid growing tensions between his administration and the media. Trump has decried stories he doesnt like as fake news, and described unnamed news groups as an enemy of the people. A day earlier, the White House barred reporters from several major news organizations, including the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, CNN and Politico, from attending an off-camera press briefing. In a sign of the growing rift, several media organizations that traditionally sponsor lavish parties around the black-tie dinner had announced they would not do so this year. At the annual dinner, the president usually delivers self-deprecating jokes and often is roasted by a high-profile comedian. The president also greets students who win journalism scholarships and awards, a major part of the evening. Trump has been a frequent guest of media organizations at the dinner in the past, but he always sat at a table in the crowded ballroom, not up at the front dias. President Obama singled Trump out during the dinner several years ago, mocking Trump for raising doubts about whether Obama was born in the United States. This year, as we do every year, we will celebrate the First Amendment and the role an independent press plays in a healthy republic, the White House Correspondents Assn. said in a statement earlier this month about the upcoming dinner. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez named Democratic Party leader By Evan Halper Newly elected Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez (Branden Camp/Associated Press) The Democratic Party put its faith in its old guard Saturday to guide it out of the political wilderness, choosing as its new leader an Obama-era Cabinet secretary over the charismatic congressman backed by the progressive wing of the party. Tom Perez, a former secretary of Labor with strong ties to labor unions, persuaded the spirited assembly of party delegates in Atlanta that he can best help harness a grass-roots outpouring of anti-Trump protest and anger into a Democratic resurgence at the ballot box. We are suffering from a crisis of confidence, a crisis of relevance, Perez told delegates before they chose him in a down-to-the-wire contest with Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, whom the Bernie Sanders wing of the party had rallied round. We need a chair who can not only take the fight to Donald Trump. We also need a chair who can lead a turnaround and change the culture of the Democratic Party, Perez said. The ascendance of an establishment liberal is certain to renew tension between veteran party stalwarts and the unruly progressive movement aligned with Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, both of whom backed Ellison. Some Ellison supporters erupted in protest as the final vote was announced. Perez quickly sought to unite the party by naming Ellison his deputy chair, a move unanimously approved by the 435 assembled delegates, who had supported Perez 235-200. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump chastises media for not reporting minor dip in national debt By Del Quentin Wilber President Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning to blast the news media for not highlighting a minor dip in the national debt. The media has not reported that the National Debt in my first month went down by $12 billion vs a $200 billion increase in Obama first mo., he tweeted at 8:19 a.m. The media has not reported that the National Debt in my first month went down by $12 billion vs a $200 billion increase in Obama first mo. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 Trumps tweet came shortly after Herman Cain, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, made a similar comment on Fox News. While the numbers are accurate, Trumps tweet suggests he deserves credit for something that is largely beyond his control, especially since he hasnt yet given Congress any proposals to change tax laws or the financial industry. Considering that Trump hasnt enacted any fiscal legislation, its a bit of a stretch for him to take credit for any changes in debt levels, Dan Mitchell, a libertarian economist at the Cato Institute, told the fact-checking website Politifact. President Obamas first month in office in 2009 was largely taken up with spending bills aimed at easing the massive recession that he had inherited. Trump inherited an economy with low inflation, low unemployment and a booming stock market. The national debt, which stands at just under $20 trillion, is expected to rise by more than $500 billion in the fiscal year ending in September. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mexico rejects U.S. plan to deport Central Americans to Mexico By Patrick J. McDonnell Mexico has informed the Trump administration that it cannot accept non-Mexican nationals whom U.S. authorities arrest along the border and seek to remove from U.S. territory, the nations internal security chief said Friday. Earlier this week, the Trump administration rolled out a broad immigration crackdown that included a proposal to send non-Mexican detainees apprehended along the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico while their immigration cases were pending in the United States. The vast majority of non-Mexican nationals detained along the U.S.-Mexico border are Central Americans. They often travel overland through Mexico to reach the United States. In a fact sheet released Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said that releasing detained, third-country nationals to the foreign contiguous territory from which they arrived would save on detention and adjudication resources. The idea would be to keep them out pending their hearings on deportation, the fact sheet said. However, Mexican authorities have reacted coolly from the outset to the notion. Now, they appear to have formally nixed the idea. On Friday, Mexicos interior secretary, Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, told a radio interviewer than Mexican authorities had informed a pair of visiting U.S. Cabinet officers Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly that Mexico could not oblige the U.S. request. We told them that our legal framework doesnt allow this, Osorio Chong told Radio Formula, referring to the visit this week of the two Trump Cabinet officials. We told them it is impossible. There is no way, legally, nor is there capacity. In recent years, non-Mexicans, mostly Central Americans, have become a larger proportion of illegal immigrants apprehended along the Southwest border as the relative number of Mexican nationals has declined. In fiscal year 2016, according to U.S. Border Patrol statistics, agents recorded apprehensions of almost 191,000 undocumented Mexican citizens along the Southwest frontier. In the same fiscal year, the Border Patrol said it registered 218,000 detentions of non-Mexican nationals, most of them Central Americans. Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report. An earlier version of this blog post misspelled Miguel Angel Osorio Chongs name as Osorio Chung. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump blasts FBI over Russia leaks after a brief Twitter hiatus By Kurtis Lee (Alex Wong / Getty Images ) After several days of relative silence on Twitter, President Trumps feed came alive Friday with a direct attack on the FBI. Yes, hes done this before. But recent news reports that suggest his administration pressed the FBI to quell claims that members of his campaign had contact with Russians throughout the 2016 election appear to have inspired a response. The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security leakers that have permeated our government for a long time, he tweeted. And conservative news was all over it. Here are some of todays headlines: Trump blasts FBI leakers (Fox News) Trump has assailed everyone from Democrats to intelligence officials for the leaks which he often refers to as fake news about his ties to Russia. Reports from several news outlets this week, citing anonymous sources, claim Trumps chief of staff, Reince Priebus, asked FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to publicly dispute media reports that Trumps campaign advisors frequently were in touch with Russian intelligence agents during the election. While some reports made it appear Priebus had contacted McCabe, this piece disputes that. Fox News has learned that McCabe indeed had initiated the conversation, asking to speak with Priebus for a few minutes at the end of an intelligence meeting last week, their article reports. Ed Schultz at CPAC: Trump promised Americas heartland a deal (Daily Caller) He was once among the top liberal voices in the country. Now, Ed Schultz, the former MSNBC anchor, is speaking glowingly about President Trump. Between covering high-profile speeches at the Conservative Political Action Conference from Trump and his aides, the Daily Caller popped into a panel at which Schultz provided commentary. Shultz, who now works with the Russian government-funded RT television network, blasted the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, asserting that Trumps claim that it would cost U.S. jobs was a game changer in the 2016 election. Trump went into Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin and he took down the progressive firewall, because he talked to the American people about a deal, Schultz said. It was a Wall Street deal, it was not a Main Street deal, he said, referring to the TPP. Trump is about blowing up Washington as it exists (Rush Limbaugh) Remember when Trump talked about draining the swamp? Since he entered the White House, some conservatives have wondered if Trump means business. Many members of his cabinet including Priebus and Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions are the ultimate Washington insiders. Still, Rush Limbaugh, one of the firebrand conservatives out there, is certain the president will blow up traditional Washington. Whats Trumps No. 1 obstacle? I have concluded that the media is the No. 1 obstacle because of the success they have, he said on his radio show this week. The people in Washington, media is every bit as big a part of the establishment as anybody else is. He added: The media is creating this narrative, if you will, and this picture this series of pictures, this overall image that Trump is stalled, that everybodys opposing him, that his agenda is backlogged. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After Trump calls media an enemy of the people, White House bars many news outlets from briefing By Noah Bierman Fridays White House press briefing, normally an on-camera affair open to all reporters with press credentials, was turned into an exclusive event for certain outlets hand-picked by the administration. The action came after President Trump on Friday described the media and what he terms fake news as the enemy of the people."On the list were Trump-friendly outlets such as Breitbart News, the Washington Times and OANN, a conservative television network that employs former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski as a commentator. Off the list were some of Trumps favorite targets, including the New York Times and CNN. The Los Angeles Times was also excluded. The off-camera briefing with Sean Spicer, the press secretary, was not solely for conservative outlets. Several mainstream reporters were also allowed in, including the three major broadcast networks and wire services, such as Bloomberg News. Also allowed in were pool representatives who transmit news events to a far larger group of reporters. The Associated Press and Time magazine were also invited but declined to participate in solidarity with other news organizations that were denied entry. The White House Correspondents Assn. protested, as did editors at several of the organizations that were excluded. In a statement, Times editor Davan Maharaj said that it was unfortunate that the Los Angeles Times has been excluded from a White House press briefing today. The public has a right to know, and that means being informed by a variety of news sources, not just those filtered by the White House press office in hopes of getting friendly coverage, Maharaj said. Regardless of access, The Times will continue to report on the Trump administration without fear or favor, he added. 12:30 p.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Times editor Davan Maharaj. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Its a Russian flag! Trickster strikes CPAC before Trumps speech By Matt Pearce Crowd at CPAC waving these little pro-Trump flags that look exactly like the Russian flag. Staffers quickly come around to confiscate them. pic.twitter.com/YhPpkwFCNc Peter Hamby (@PeterHamby) February 24, 2017 As the crowd waited to hear President Trump speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, little red-white-and-blue flags appeared without warning, handed down the aisles by a man with a green bag, according to a witness. The flags said Trump. They also happened to be the flag of the Russian Federation. He was dressed like any one of us, said Tyler Dever, 20, a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa, who was wearing a suit. He passed them to me and was like, Pass them down, pass them down. Dever, caught up in the moment, passed them down, before someone sitting next to him said, Oh, its a Russian flag! CPAC staff quickly recollected the flags. If it was just a red-white-and-blue flag, I would have picked it out, Dever said. He said it was his first time attending an event like CPAC and was surprised to see a provocateur in the audience, especially beyond the cordon set up by the Secret Service. Someone tried to victimize me, Dever said. You have Secret Service out here, and Id expect it to be fully screened. ... Thank God someone noticed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump still loves the USC/L.A. Times poll: What it got right and what it got wrong By David Lauter Throughout the fall campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump and his allies loved the USC/L.A. Times Daybreak poll -- the only major survey that consistently showed him winning. A couple polls got it right. I must say Los Angeles Times did a great job, shocking because, you know, they did a great job, Trump declared in his speech this morning at CPAC, the annual gathering of conservative activists. But did the poll get it right? In the simplest terms, no, and after considerble analysis, we know why. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A celebration, and wake, for a campaign legend and a Republican Party that is no more By Mark Z. Barabak (Steve Lopez/Los Angeles Times) It was a cool and rainy day when elders of the Republican tribe recently gathered to honor one of their own. The honoree, Stuart K. Spencer, was unmistakable in his white duck pants and a lime-green sport coat so bright it almost hurt to see. A reformed chain-smoker, he snapped merrily away on a wad of chewing gum. The event marked Spencers 90th birthday, but the mood beneath the surface conviviality was unsettled and gray, like the clouds fringing the mountains outside. If the occasion was intended as a personal celebration, it also had the feel of a wake for a time in politics long passed. Along with former Vice President Dick Cheney and former California Gov. Pete Wilson, veterans of the Reagan years turned out in force. It was Spencer, more than anyone, who took a political long shot and washed-up B-movie actor and helped transform him into the Reagan of legend. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print CPACs reaction to President Trumps speech: Two thumbs up By Matt Pearce Supporters cheer President Trump as he speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Friday. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump loves CPAC, and CPAC loves Trump. As hundreds of Conservative Political Action Conference attendees spilled out into the hallways Friday after Trumps speech to the group, they had glowing reviews of the man who has been tormenting Democrats and the media and transforming the Republican Party. It was fantastic, unbelievable, absolute truth, said Shia L. Lome, 84, a retired Air Force colonel from Deerfield Beach, Fla., appraising Trumps remarks. If he carries through [his promises], this will be the greatest country ever. Lome added that there is no question about it, Trump is his own type of Republican. Whether its conservative or whatever you want to call it, Lome said he is happy as long as [Trump] causes the Democrats heartaches. Kayne Robinson, 73, a former chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, said Trump was simply taking the party in the direction that people want it to go. I think the party is every bit as united behind him as it was behind either of the Bushes, Robinson said. Trump led a revolution in the party, very much like Reagan. ... I think Trump is doing just fine. Frank March, a 50-year-old Army retiree from Fairfax County, Va., emerged from the ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center wearing a red Make America Great Again cap, which carried Trumps jagged signature on the bill. Marchs daughter had gotten the hat signed when she previously met Trump, and he proudly showed off photos of that event. I recognize the signature! a woman exclaimed as she saw the hat. March praised Trumps follow-through and his commitment to workers as incredible. Hes bringing in new people to the party, March said. The hope is, by his follow-through, doing what he said he was going to do, then the non-Republicans who voted for Trump will stick. Helping workers will be one of the ways Trump can make that happen, he said. In politics, youre supposed to help people, March said. Workers are the people. Theyre people who earn money to take care of their families. Republicans should support those people because theyre the ones who make America run. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Donald Trump shows up at conservatives most prominent gathering and defines a new GOP By Noah Bierman President Trump shows up at conservatives most prominent gathering and defines a new GOP. President Trump made one of his strongest pitches Friday to unite the Republican Party and the conservative movement behind a nationalist, anti-globalist ideology that until recently would have been unthinkable for many Republicans. There is no such thing as a global anthem, a global currency or a global flag, Trump said to great applause from thousands of conservatives. Im not representing the globe. Im representing your country. He echoed ideas he has espoused in the past -- denouncing trade deals as the antithesis of economic freedom, warning that the great cities of Europe have been ruined by mass immigration, denouncing intervention in the Middle East by both parties. But while many of the words were familiar, the venue and the passion made Fridays speech remarkable. The comments came at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, just outside of Washington, D.C., the most prominent gathering of right-leaning groups and activists in the country. Such a speech would have been shocking from a conservative, much less the president, at almost any other time in the conferences history. Trump has been popular at CPAC in the past. He credits a speech there with launching his political career. But he snubbed last years event amid a heated primary in which many conservatives rejected his tone and the direction he was trying to move the GOP. I would have come last year, but I was worried that I would be at that time too controversial, Trump said in his speech, which lasted nearly an hour. Trump, the first president since Ronald Reagan to address the group during his first year in office, made clear that he is moving those once controversial ideas to the movements center. In addition to his usual critiques of the media and frequent references to his electoral success, Trump spoke directly of his ambition for reshaping the Republican Party to attract blue-collar voters, the forgotten men and women who helped propel his electoral victory. Im here today to tell you what this movement means for the future of the Republican Party and for the future of America, Trump said. The core conviction of our movement is that we are a nation that [must] put and will put its own citizens first. Later, he added that the GOP will be from now on also the party of the American worker. While Trump tried to unite conservatives, the speech made little effort to bridge the countrys larger political divide. For example, Trump dismissed people who have shown up at town halls around the country to protest reversal of Obamacare. Theyre not you, he said. Theyre the side that lost. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Justice Department rescinds order phasing out use of private prisons By Del Quentin Wilber Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions has jettisoned an Obama administration order to phase out the use of private prisons to hold federal inmates. The new order reverses one issued by former Deputy Atty. Gen. Sally Yates in August that sought to eliminate the departments use of private for-profit prisons, which hold just over 10% of the current prison population. The Obama administration order changed long-standing policy and practice, and impaired the bureaus ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system, Sessions wrote Thursday to announce the reversal. Civil rights and prisoner rights groups decried the Sessions decision, saying private prisons are not as cost-effective or as safe as government-run facilities, citing numerous abuses in the past. The Bureau of Prisons houses about 21,000 of its 190,000 inmates in a dozen private prisons, including one near Bakersfield. Atty. Gen. Sessions has shown that he is not taking the mass incarceration crisis seriously, said Wade Henderson, who heads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Continuing to rely on private prisons for federal inmates is neither humane nor budget conscious, Henderson added. We need a justice system that can work better for all people. Yates order did not affect facilities used to detain people in the country illegally. The use of private prisons is expected to surge under President Trumps promised crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump has signed an executive order calling for expansion of immigrant detention facilities and authorized the use of private contractors to construct, operate, or control facilities. Stocks in private prison companies have jumped on Wall Street since Trump won the presidential election, and they continued their rise on news of Sessions order. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print CPAC and conservative media prepare for Trump By Kurtis Lee The future path of the Republican Party is being debated in the halls of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland this week. Will it be the party of Donald Trump, an outsider of the GOP establishment, or House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, the definition of establishment? Or, perhaps, of Richard Spencer, a white nationalist leader of the so-called alt-right movement? (Spencer was kicked out of CPAC on Thursday.) Trump is set to address the conference on Friday, and the conservative media are ready for the much-anticipated address. Tomorrow it will be TPAC when hes here, Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor to Trump told reporters Thursday. Here are some of todays headlines: Go Big, Go Bold: Walker, at CPAC, pushes GOP to carry out agenda as party controls Congress, White House (Fox News) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, once a Trump foe, is urging conservatives to use the November election as a mandate. Do what you said you were going to do, Walker said to attendees. In the Fox News piece, which leads its website, it notes that leaders at the conference are hoping to use it to strategize about what they can accomplish and to better articulate their values at a time when the very definition of conservatism has seemed to waver. Sweden Democrats: Trump was right (Fox News) Remember last weekend when everyone including many Swedish politicians were really confused about Trumps comments at a recent rally? You look at whats happening last night in Sweden, Trump, at a rally in Florida on Saturday, said about the Scandinavian country that has accepted large numbers of refugees. Sweden. They took in large numbers. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible. Actually, not much happened in Sweden on Friday night. Trump said later that he had been referring to a broadcast on Fox News on that night. Still, recent riots in the country were covered extensively by conservative media. This post notes a recent op-ed penned by Jimmie Akesson and Mattias Karlsson, both leaders of the Sweden Democrats, in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday supporting Trumps characterization of a Muslim immigrant-led crime crisis in Sweden. In it they write, Trump did not exaggerate Swedens current problems. If anything, he understated them. Trump Is Letting DREAMers Stay, And Rush Is Fine With That (Daily Caller) Hes an immigration hard liner, and, apparently, hes OK with Trump allowing DREAMERs to remain in the country. This piece highlights comments by Rush Limbaugh this week. A lot of people think that Trumps caving because if you allow the DREAMers to stay, were talking 750,000 DREAMers, kids, who each have two parents who could come in. Look, this is a-no-win, Limbaugh said this week. Nobodys gonna win anything by deporting a bunch of kids that we let in. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump advisor Steve Bannon rails at corporatist, globalist media By Noah Bierman Steve Bannon to the #CPAC crowd: "If you think they're going to give you your country back without a fight, you're sadly mistaken" pic.twitter.com/ryw7iO0Snr POLITICO (@politico) February 23, 2017 The two men with the most heavily dissected relationship in President Trumps White House held a rare public appearance together Thursday and agreed on one common enemy: the media. Reince Priebus, the chief of staff who is often described as embattled, said he has grown conditioned to the media counting Trump out: during the presidential campaign, the transition and the first month of the presidency. The biggest misconception is everything that youre reading, Priebus said. Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist, framed his complaint as an ideological war. He consistently called the media the opposition party throughout a 20-minute joint interview on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference just outside of Washington. Its not only not going to get better, it gets worse every day, Bannon said. Theyre corporatist, globalist media that are adamantly opposed to an economic nationalist agenda like Donald Trump has. If you think theyre going to give you your country back without a fight, he added. You are sadly mistaken. Bannon, former executive chairman of the far-right Breitbart News, seldom speaks in public. His nationalist rendering of Republican ideology is often seen in contrast to Priebus, the former chairman of the GOP, who is viewed as the more mainstream conservative advocate within the White House. The two men said the tension between them portrayed in the media is inaccurate. But as they praised each other, the men made clear that Bannon sees his role as dominant in shaping Trumps policy. Bannon praised Priebus for doggedly keeping the trains running -- one of the toughest jobs Ive ever seen in my life. Bannon talked about being in the first inning of shaping a new political order and beginning the deconstruction of the administrative state. Priebus used more prosaic language and spoke of Bannon as the one who pushes Trump to maintain his bold vision. He is very dogged in making sure that every day the promises that President Trump made are the promises were working on, Priebus said of Bannon. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In Mexico, Homeland Security chief says there will be no mass deportations of people in U.S. illegally By Patrick J. McDonnell Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, left, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Mexico City on Thursday. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP/Getty Images) Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, on a visit to Mexico, said Thursday that there will be no mass deportations of people living in the U.S. illegally. Kelly also said U.S. military forces would not be used in deportation efforts and that any deportation cases would go through the U.S. legal system. No. Repeat, no use of military force in immigration operations, Kelly said at a news conference at the Foreign Relations Ministry in Mexico City. None. Well approach this operation systematically, in an organized way, in a results-oriented way, in an operation and and in a human dignity way. Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are in Mexico City to discuss a wide variety of issues, including immigration and security, with Mexican government officials. Kellys remarks came the same day President Trump called recent raids in the U.S. an unprecedented enforcement effort. You see whats happening at the border. All of a sudden for the first time, were getting gang members out, he said. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mexico bracing for long battle with Trump administration, foreign minister tells lawmakers By Patrick J. McDonnell Mexico Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray (Brian Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images) Mexico is preparing for a long battle with the administration of President Trump, its foreign minister reportedly told lawmakers in private comments, adding that the country was prepared to retaliate with new tariffs if necessary. We are here preparing for a battle that is going to be long, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told federal deputies Wednesday, according to the newspaper La Jornada, which said it had obtained a copy of the comments. This is not going to be resolved in three days. In the reported remarks, Videgaray said Mexico was prepared to retaliate with new tariffs on U.S.-made goods should the Trump administration follow up on its threats to slap an export tax of 20% or more of goods imported from Mexico to the United States. There was no official response from the Mexican Foreign Ministry on Videgarays reported remarks. Videgaray was among the Mexican officials, including President Enrique Pena Nieto, who met this week with a pair of visiting White House Cabinet members, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. The private remarks were apparently made on Wednesday, when the two Trump envoys were scheduled to arrive in Mexico City. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Homeland Security tried to downplay immigration raids as routine. Now Trump says theyre unprecedented By Michael A. Memoli (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) After nationwide immigration raids this month in which more than 680 people were arrested, the Department of Homeland Security issued a nothing-to-see-here statement downplaying the sweeps as strictly ordinary. ICE conducts these kind of targeted enforcement operations regularly and has for many years, the agency said last week, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But President Trump had a different take Thursday, labeling the raids an unprecedented enforcement effort. You see whats happening at the border. All of a sudden for the first time, were getting gang members out, he said before a roundtable on manufacturing. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before. Under President Obama, deportations peaked at 400,000 people in 2012, touching off widespread criticism from immigration advocates, which prompted Homeland Security to scale back deportations. Last year, deportations fell to 240,000 as the Obama administration focused on targets similar to what Trump described in the raids conducted under his authority: criminals, repeat immigration violators and recent arrivals. Trump also called the sweeps this month a military operation, even though no military resources were involved and the White House has pushed back aggressively on reports that the administration was considering seeking National Guard forces to assist in deportations. Homeland Security said the raids were conducted by ICE agents, U.S. marshals and state and local law enforcement agencies. What has been allowed to come into our country, when you see gang violence that youve read about like never before, and all of the things much of that is people that are here illegally, Trump said. Theyre rough and theyre tough, but theyre not tough like our people. So were getting them out. Of the 680 arrests last week, 161 occurred in Los Angeles and surrounding counties. Three-quarters of those detained in the Los Angeles-area sweeps were from Mexico. Trump noted that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly traveled to Mexico this week on a tough trip. We have to be treated fairly by Mexico, Trump said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White nationalist leader Richard Spencer booted from Conservative Political Action Conference By Matt Pearce Reporters surround white supremacist Richard Spencer during the first day of the Conservative Political Action Conference on February 23, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) One of Americas most prominent white nationalists, Richard Spencer, was kicked out of the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday after conference organizers gave him credentials to attend and then wavered on whether to let him stay. Spencer, who coined the term alternative right to describe his far-right views on separating the races, came to CPAC to attend a speech that was critical of the alt-right. CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp took pains to distance CPAC from the fringe Spencer represents. The alt-right does not have a legitimate voice in the conservative movement, said Schlapp, adding that nobody from that movement is speaking at CPAC. Read More Just talked to CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp. Said he didn't endorse Richard Spencer's ideas but won't kick him out of the conference. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Basically their line on this is, if they actually agreed with his ideas, they'd put him on stage, but they don't, and it's a free country. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Change of plans. Richard Spencer just got kicked out of CPAC. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Obamacare 101: Are health insurance marketplaces in a death spiral? By Noam N. Levey (Don Ryan / Associated Press) Its been a rocky few months for the health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Even if youre not one of the roughly 11 million Americans who rely on these online markets to get your health insurance, youve probably seen the headlines about rising premiums and insurance companies pulling out of the system. Last week, national insurance giant Humana announced it would stop selling plans on the marketplace. Aetnas chief executive claimed the marketplaces are in a death spiral. Republicans say the marketplaces are Exhibit A that Obamacare is collapsing. So whats the real story? Are these things really kaput or can they be fixed? Heres a rundown of where things stand. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump administration wants tax reform done by August, Mnuchin says By Jim Puzzanghera The Trump administration wants to overhaul the tax code by August, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday, laying out an aggressive timetable in his first significant public comments since taking office last week. Our economic agenda, the No. 1 issue is growth, and the first most important thing that will impact growth is a tax plan, Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC. So we are committed to pass tax reform, he said. We want to get this done by the August recess. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Loud and angry, protesters turn congressional town halls into must-see political TV By Mark Z. Barabak (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images) They came by the hundreds, in big cities and rural hamlets, to heckle, plead, badger and, in some instances, to protest the protests themselves. Congress is in recess this week, and a citizenry suddenly spurred to action used the opportunity to let their returning lawmakers know just how they feel about the tempestuous last month in Washington. Winners make policy and losers go home, a taunting Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader, told an invitation-only gathering in his home state of Kentucky, as about 1,000 protesters gathered outside. Not exactly. The town hall meeting, a throwback to a time of more intimate connection, has become a political organizing tool in the social media age a piece of performance theater and a worldwide stage. Obamacare, immigration, environmental regulation, Social Security, Russian meddling in the 2016 election and Trump, Trump, Trump all poured forth this week in the form of questions, loudly and heatedly. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump administration rescinds guidelines on protections for transgender students By Michael A. Memoli The Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era directive Wednesday aimed at protecting transgender students rights, questioning its legal grounding. Under the guidelines, schools had been required to treat transgender students according to their stated gender identity, and either allow access to restrooms and locker rooms for the gender they identify with or provide private facilities if requested. The Obama administration had said that students gender identities were protected under Title IX requirements, which prohibit federally funded schools from discriminating on the basis of sex. But officials in the Education and Justice departments said that their predecessors failed to make their case, citing significant litigation spurred by the policy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Americans in Mexico protest Trumps inflammatory rhetoric during Tillerson visit By Kate Linthicum A group of Americans living in Mexico is planning a protest Thursday to send a message to visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Their gripe? President Trumps inflammatory rhetoric. Thats according to a draft of a letter that several groups organizing the protest hope to deliver to Tillerson, who is in town along with Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly for talks with top Mexican officials. The letter, which will be cosigned by the Mexican chapter of Democrats Abroad, as well as other groups, complains about Trumps hostile attitude toward Mexico, which it says is engendering nationalistic sentiments in Mexico. Among Trumps hostile acts, the letter says, is Trumps vow to build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it. The idea of building a wall ... frames Mexico and Mexicans as foreign invaders, the letter says. It also criticizes Trump for pledging to renegotiate NAFTA, saying, The U.S. and Mexico are deeply connected economies and it is in the interest of the United States to strengthen the regional production network to boost manufacturing employment in the U.S. and ensure the long-run competitiveness of manufacturing in the region. There are more than a million U.S. citizens living in Mexico, and many have been vocal since Trumps election. Last month, thousands turned out for a womens march outside the American Embassy that saw crowds chanting anti-Trump slogans. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mexico will never accept unilateral American immigration rules, foreign secretary says By Patrick McDonnell Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray said defending the rights of Mexican immigrants is the first point in the agenda for talks with U.S. officials. (Christian Palma / Associated Press) Mexico will reject any unilateral effort from the United States to impose immigration or other policies on the Mexican government, the countrys foreign secretary said Wednesday. I want to make clear, in the most emphatic way, that the government of Mexico and the Mexican people do not have to accept measures that, in a unilateral way, one government wants to impose on another, Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray said in public comments. That we are not going to accept. He spoke a day after the Trump administration unveiled tough new measures to enforce immigration laws and deport people who are in the country illegally proposals that were widely portrayed in the Mexican media as a prelude to massive deportations. On Wednesday, two top Trump administration cabinet members Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly were arriving in Mexico for talks with that nations officials, including Videgaray. Immigration, trade and law enforcement issues were expected to be discussed at a tense moment in U.S.-Mexican relations. In his reported comments, the Mexican secretary did not single out any specific U.S. proposal as objectionable. Mexican officials have acknowledged there is little they can do to counter U.S. immigration policies. Among other things, the Trump administration has proposed sending non-Mexican citizens detained along the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico. Mexican officials would presumably have to sign off on such a plan. Mexico already detains and deports thousands of Central Americans annually who cross Mexican territory with the hope of entering the United States illegally via the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. authorities have worked with their Mexican counterparts to halt the Central American influx. The Mexican foreign secretary made it clear that immigration would be at the top of the list of items to be discussed during meetings with the U.S. Cabinet secretaries. Defending the rights of Mexican immigrants is the first point in the agenda, said Videgaray. He also said Mexico could take the issue of the rights of Mexican immigrants to the United Nations and other international agencies. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Both in power and in turmoil, conservatives head to Conservative Political Action Conference to see whats next By Matt Pearce Josh Platillero (Matt Pearce / Los Angeles Times) The eyes of men in crisp blazers darted toward passing faces and identification badges, looking for a familiar face, a famous name. As Fox News host Sean Hannity prepared to broadcast a live show from a ballroom, a brief chant burst out from the audience: U-S-A! U-S-A! Its that time of year again: Hundreds of Republicans began arriving Wednesday at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Md., just south of Washington, for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. CPAC, as its best known, is a place for conservative political figures and activists to gather, schmooze, hammer out new ideas and audition for starring roles in the Republican Party. And this year, CPAC attendees have a lot to talk about. Their party is in control of Congress, the White House and dozens of state governments across America, and yet not at all at peace with itself. President Trump is expected to address the conference later in the week after winning on a platform of populist nationalism that some conservatives have accused of not being conservative at all. Breitbart News, the brash rising star of right-wing media, is one of the conferences top promoters, but one of its staffers, Milo Yiannopoulos, lost his speaking slot at CPAC and resigned from the news organization after video circulated showing him appearing to promote pedophilia. Some conservatives had backed Yiannopoulos and cried censorship when the provocateur offended liberals at college speaking events, but now they had become offended themselves. Still, as CPAC began on Wednesday, the mood was upbeat. This was a victorious movement, after all. Many new guests were greeted by the sight of Josh Platillero, 23, wearing a cartoonishly large stovepipe hat and a suit the colors of the American flag. I love networking, said Platillero, who recently lived in Knoxville, Tenn., before moving to the D.C. area to work with a conservative nonprofit, the Leadership Institute. Its his second year attending CPAC, and he was excited about the lineup of speakers, which include some of the White House staff. I think our new president is not perfect, but I think hes doing good things, he said. Ariel Kohane, 45, who came from the Upper West Side in Manhattan, stood in the lobby holding signs that read, Jews for Trump, in both English and Hebrew. I love the fact that I can get together with many of my fellow conservative friends and colleagues and we can all be very proud of ourselves with all our accomplishments and the fact that we get to strategize and plan ways to further expand conservatism across America and across the whole world, Kohane said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pence condemns Jewish center bomb threats and visits desecrated cemetery in Missouri By Jaweed Kaleem (Michael Conroy / Associated Press) Visiting Fenton, Mo., on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence condemned a string of bomb threats against Jewish community centers around the nation and the desecration of a St. Louis-area Jewish cemetery over the weekend. Speaking just yesterday, President Trump called this a horrible and painful act. And so it was. That along with other recent threats to the Jewish community centers around the country, said Pence, who was visiting the headquarters of the Fabick Cat machinery company. He declared it all a sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil. We condemn this vile act of vandalism and those who perpetuate it in the strongest possible terms. The vice president said it was inspiring how the people of Missouri have rallied around the Jewish community with compassion and support. Among those showing solidarity with the Jewish community is a group of Muslims who launched an online fundraising campaign to help repair the cemetery. Donors had pledged more than $90,000 by Wednesday afternoon. Pence later visited the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Mo., where nearly 200 tombstones had been toppled over the weekend. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trumps move on transgender bathroom access sparks interest By Kurtis Lee (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) For President Trump, commenting on social issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion has never seemed much of a priority. Indeed, throughout the campaign, Trump hardly discussed the topics. When asked about transgender bathroom access at a town hall in April 2016, Trump said people should be able to use whichever bathroom they choose. He then moved on from the question, offering little else. Now it appears his administration is set to wade into the controversy. Its a topic the conservative media loves to explore. Here are some of todays headlines: Return to normalcy: Trump readies reversal of transgender bathroom lunacy in public schools (Daily Caller) What will the Trump administration do about transgender bathroom access? The Caller highlights White House Press Secretary Sean Spicers pronouncement on the issue: This is a states rights issue and not one for the federal government, Spicer told reporters. The lunacy referred to is the federal guidance President Obama issued prior to leaving office directing schools that receive federal funding to allow transgender students to use restrooms and other facilities that match their gender identities. Several states filed suit to overturn the directive, and a federal judge issued a temporary injunction barring its enforcement, which remains in place. Several states, following the lead of North Carolina, are seeking to implement legislation that bans transgender people from using the bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. 66 percent of Trump voters change the channel when awards shows get too political (Daily Caller) When Meryl Streep criticized President Trump last month in her Golden Globes speech, he replied quickly. Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesnt know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes, Trump tweeted. Well, Trump can probably expect more barbs as actors (in overwhelmingly liberal Hollywood) take the stage at the Oscars on Sunday. Lots of Trump voters can be expected to change the channel, according to this piece, which highlights a new poll on the subject. The Hollywood Reporter says that 66% of Trump voters said they have stopped watching an awards show because a celebrity started talking about politics while accepting an award. By contrast, only 19% of Hillary Clintons supporters have done so. Trump talks tolerance, decries anti-Semitism, but media remain skeptical (Fox News) Well, Trump finally did say something to condemn the anti-Semitic vandalism and threats that have taken place since his presidential victory. Anti-Semitism is horrible, Trump said in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday. In the Fox News piece, Howard Kurtz argues the media should give the president more credit for speaking out. I always think its unfair to blame a political leader for violence or vandalism carried out by people who support him, he writes. I felt the same way about critics who blamed Barack Obama for urban riots or shootings of police officers. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Among Republicans, Trump is more popular than congressional leaders By David Lauter Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) walk together. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press) Amid strain between the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, the White House holds the high ground, a new survey indicates. Among Republicans, President Trump has greater popularity than the partys congressional leaders. Asked specifically who they would trust if the two sides disagreed, most Republicans chose Trump over their partys leadership. The findings, from a new survey by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center underscore Trumps continued sway with the Republican congressional majority. Although the president has historically low job approval ratings among the public at large, he remains highly popular among Republican partisans and in Republican districts. As for Democrats, theyre strongly in an oppositional mood. Asked if they were more worried that Democrats in Congress would go too far in opposing Trump or not go far enough, more than 70% of Democrats said they feared their party would not go far enough. Only 20% said they worried the party would go too far. Republicans in Congress have eyed Trump warily on several fronts. His positions on trade and entitlement reform break with years of the partys positions. His reluctance to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin has generated tension. And the administrations lack of clarity on healthcare and tax policy have Republican leaders guessing which way to turn on major issues. But Republican partisans have fewer reservations than their elected representatives. Eighty-six percent to 13%, those who identify as Republicans or as independents who lean Republican have a favorable view of Trump, the Pew survey found. By comparison, 57% have a favorable view of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, with 22% unfavorable and 21% having no opinion. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is slightly better known, with 65% of Republicans holding a favorable view, 23% an unfavorable view and 13% having no opinion. Asked who they would trust if the two sides disagreed, 52% of Republicans said they would side with Trump and 34% with the Republicans in Congress. Republicans younger than 40 were the only major exception; 52% to 36%, they said they would side with Congress. At the same time, Republican partisans now have a warmer opinion of their party leadership than they had during most of President Obamas tenure. Republicans' approval of their congressional leaders has more than doubled since 2015 https://t.co/KSo1hRMhJj pic.twitter.com/WHTHxCNEFq Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) February 22, 2017 During the Obama years, GOP partisans tended to be frustrated that their side could not reverse the presidents initiatives, even with a majority in the House, starting in 2010, and then in the Senate for Obamas last two years. Their view of the GOP leadership has rebounded strongly since the election. Democrats view of their congressional leadership has been more stable. And both sides widely dislike the other partys leaders. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Supreme Court rejects use of racial stereotypes in death penalty cases By David Savage The Supreme Court rejected the use of racial stereotypes in death penalty cases Wednesday, reopening the case of a black man in Texas who was sentenced to die after his jury was told African Americans are more likely than whites to commit crimes. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said this testimony had no place in a sentencing hearing and appealed to the racial stereotype that black men are prone to violence. Our laws punish people for what they do, not for who they are, the chief justice said in the courtroom. The 6-2 decision faults Texas authorities for refusing to give a new sentencing hearing to Duane Buck, a Houston man who was convicted of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend and seriously injuring her new boyfriend in 1995. Buck was found guilty of murder, but when his jury was debating his fate, his court-appointed defense attorney put on the witness stand an expert who cited statistics showing blacks are more likely to commit future crimes than whites. After hearing this testimony, the jury decided to sentence Buck to death. Years later, Texas state attorneys set aside the death sentences for six other black defendants whose juries heard similar testimony, but they refused to reopen Bucks case. In Buck vs. Davis, the high court said that was a mistake. The jury was deciding the question of life or death, and this is no place for the introduction of a particularly noxious strain of racial prejudice, Roberts said. The court sent the case back to judges in Texas to reconsider the death sentence. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, along with Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Thomas said Buck was properly sentenced to die for a brutal murder, and he insisted the court should not have heard the case for procedural reasons. Having settled on a desired outcome, the court bulldozes procedural obstacles and misapplies settled law to justify it, he wrote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At Rep. Tony Cardenas town hall, Democrats worry about what Donald Trump may do By Kurtis Lee (Kurtis Lee/Los Angeles Times ) They arrived with soggy jackets, hats and umbrellas. The topic was supposed to be the Affordable Care Act. But many who attended Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas town hall meeting Tuesday night in a crammed auditorium at the Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies came with a question: What can we -- as Democrats -- do to help you? Show up and vote, said Cardenas, who represents a slice of the staunchly liberal San Fernando Valley. (Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in this district by nearly 60-percentage points in the fall election.) Sign people up, get people involved, he said. At times the meeting had the feel of a therapy session for Democrats, wondering aloud how to function under a Trump administration. Where is the anger among Democrats? asked one man. I want to see more anger. Cardenas, standing at a lectern on an elevated stage, offered a stern look and nodded in agreement as rain could be heard splattering on the roof above. The complaints included Republicans efforts to repeal Obamacare and Trumps new immigration mandates. Trust me, Im pissed. Im upset, Cardenas said. But we have to act constructively. We have to be responsible. Last month, Trump signed executive orders directing the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the removal of people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal convictions. In addition to speeding up the deportation of convicts, Trumps orders also call for quick removal of people in the country illegally who are charged with crimes and waiting for adjudication. And in recent days, a handful of people who have received protection under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents nationwide. Cardenas said that for him, the issue is personal. His parents were immigrants from Mexico, who lived in the San Fernando Valley for decades, raising 11 children, he said. Today his district is nearly 70% Latino. Im going to fight for you, he said. Im going to fight for the people who are my immigrant father. When a young man, a DACA recipient, asked him, via Twitter, if hell be safe in the weeks ahead, Cardenas seemed at a loss. I pray that [Trump] doesnt go after you, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Killing with kindness, GOPs McClintock faces down hostile questioners as town hall goes into overti Affordable housing, the budget deficit, establishing parking fees and the future of the Central Library were just some of the topics Burbank City Council candidates tackled on Friday during a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank. Seven of the eight candidates gathered inside the Burbank City Council chambers to field questions from Rita Zwern, a member of the League of Women Voters. Candidate Richard Carr was unable to attend due to illness. There were eight questions asked during the forum, with one of the questions presented to all candidates. The other seven questions were staggered, in which three candidates had an opportunity to answer a specific question. The question asked to all candidates was in regards to affordable housing, specifically what types of programs the candidates would implement to address the issue. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Sharon Springer, a nonprofit administrator, said she would try to raise the citys average income, work with developers to include affordable housing units to their projects and look at possibly reducing construction costs. Additionally, Springer said she would consider reducing the parking requirement, stating that there are people who would rather be without a vehicle. We must put our heads together and embrace this challenge, she said. Burbank Mayor Jess Talamantes, a retired firefighter, said Burbank residents spend a majority of their income on housing and that only a small number of housing units were built during the past five years. He suggested working with county, state and federal representatives as well as developers to come up with a solution to the housing shortfall. I want to work with developers that have that in mind when designing projects for our community, Talamantes said. Greg Sousa, a studio transportation driver, said he would use city zoning and planning to encourage developments that stabilize housing. He added the housing program should not be forced onto residents and instead should help future homeowners build equity. Its very promising that we have a plan that doesnt use a blunt instrument, that we have a plan that would actually allow people to start out in a home and build some equity in it without encouraging speculation, Sousa said. Councilman Bob Frutos, a retired police officer, said his plan is to open up a dialogue between the residents, developers, city planners and others to come up with the right solution to address the affordable-housing shortage. Additionally, Frutos said that he likes what state officials are proposing, which is to invest a portion of the states surplus to address housing needs. We only have 46,000 places to live in our city, he said. We need to do much better for affordable housing. Juan Guillen, a business owner, said that the city needs to stop selling its properties at a discount to developers, especially those that have projects that push out lower-income residents into a tighter housing market. One of his ways to tackle the housing shortfall is to create condominiums to sublease with the right for the renter to purchase the property. We need to come up with solutions that address the concerns of the community and not put the profits of the developers [first], Guillen said. The residents and the communities have to come first. Konstantine Anthony, a social media manager, said his plan is to create a new type of rent control that gives more power to renters instead of property owners. He added that he is targeting multiunit apartment owners and not those who own duplexes or apartment buildings with fewer than 50 units. If we do not do something now, if we do not get all of the 50% of residents who cant afford to live here, if they do not come out en mass and vote to put an ordinance in place to protect their own assets, they will be forced out, Anthony said. Councilman David Gordon, an optometrist, said that he is focused on bringing in high-density, low-cost housing that fits in with the neighborhoods in Burbank. Gordon said that he is currently looking at the Golden State Specific Plan, which is about a 600-acre site east of Hollywood Burbank Airport that aims to boost the economy in that area. We are hoping to designate at least 100 acres for new types of to-own and rental affordable housing in an affordable-housing zone, he said. This will begin to address the question of housing affordability and to be designed to preserve affordability and encourage long-term residency. To watch the entire candidate forum, visit the city of Burbanks website at burbankca.gov. -- Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Burbanks public information office prides itself on finding creative ways to generate information about the citys services and residents. Whether it is a State of the City address or a four-minute video on food-waste prevention, city spokesman Drew Sugars and his team are constantly creating videos to air on Burbanks government TV channel called the Burbank Channel. On Saturday, the city channel was awarded two Golden Mike Awards during the 67th annual ceremony sponsored by the Radio & Television News Assn. of Southern California. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Sugars and his staff earned an award for Best News Public Affairs Program for their show Burbank on Demand. The quarterly show features stories about various city services as well as businesses and residents. The winning entry was from the shows summer episode, which talked about the effects of the Porter Ranch natural gas leak, programs provided by the Parks and Recreation Department and how to prevent food waste. Sugars said the Burbank Channel won the same award in 2015 and that he and his staff were honored to be recognized again this year. Its a testament to our staff that they do a good job, Sugars said. We all work on this together. This is not just an individual award. This is a team award. Walter Lutz, senior video production associate for the Burbank Channel, also took home a Golden Mike Award for Best Light Feature Reporting for the piece on food-waste prevention that appeared in its Burbank on Demand summer episode. Sugars said that Lutz was able to humorously tell residents about how much food is wasted each day. He took a serious but important topic that touches virtually every one of us in our community and made it relevant and entertaining, Sugars said. For a lot of people, they dont realize how much food they waste. Despite continually winning awards for their informational pieces, Sugars said that the Burbank Channel may start moving away from traditional government news stories and move toward something more along the lines of social media to convey messages. Were facing a time where storytelling techniques are changing, so these longer-form pieces that you see that were winning awards for, were not going to be doing as much of them, he said. -- Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio The Federal Aviation Administration has slowly been implementing its new satellite-based Next Generation Air Transportation System, known as NextGen, at airports across the country, and soon the air-traffic control system will be put into place in Southern California. The first phase of the project, in what the FAA calls the Southern California Metroplex, started last November with airports updating their systems so they could transfer to NextGen. By next month, the aircraft flying into and out of the 21 airports in the region will be equipped with the new technology. NextGen is designed to make flight paths more time and fuel efficient, as well as make plane arrivals and departures safer, said Elizabeth Cory, a spokeswoman for the FAA, during a community outreach event at the Burbank Community Services Building Monday night. You know about the congestion on your highways, and of course, we have congestion in the skies, she said. So what were doing is were remapping, creating a more efficient flow that we hope will improve on-time performance in all types of weather and get people in and out of the airspace more quickly. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Cory said the switch from a radar-based to a satellite-based system was implemented to make routes more direct. Currently, planes navigate the skies via waypoints established many years ago. With the new system, the aircraft can be given better routes, Cory said. You can also accommodate a greater level of safety because you have more control and more visuals of whos in the airspace, she said. You have a better control of your air traffic in terms of knowing whos where and knowing where they are at all times. Though the new system is geared toward better flight paths and efficiency, there have been instances throughout the country when residents are upset with the new routes, claiming that NextGen has increased noise around airports. In Northern California, for example, thousands of Palo Alto residents filed noise complaints with the San Francisco International Airport in 2015 after the new system was implemented. Rob Henry, a project manager for the Southern California Metroplex project, said that was due to routes being shifted over an area where there were no flights in the past. Henry said that will not be the case for Burbank because most of the routes will remain the same after NextGen is operational. Were staying within historical flight tracks, he said. In October, several Burbank residents voiced concerns about NextGen, mainly fearing that the system would increase the number of flights to and from Hollywood Burbank Airport. Cory and Henry both said that the system is not intended to increase the number of flights at any airport and that more flights are dictated by the economy and airlines. Burbank resident Oscar Merlo had those concerns early on, but said that he is relieved a bit after hearing about the project from FAA officials and not the city or Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. Burbank resident Kevin Muldoon concurred with Merlo, adding he still has his guard up in terms of what the airport authority members will do at Hollywood Burbank and the number of gates a planned 14-gate terminal will have in the future. Its still going to be a wait-and-see, Muldoon said. You can never say never. -- Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio The owner of a manufactured-home park in Laguna Beach said Tuesday there is a high probability that the odors that some residents have complained about are coming from outside the park and not from the sewer system. Residents of Laguna Terrace Park, on South Coast Highway, gathered at their clubhouse to hear Stephen Braun, Hometown America Corp.'s chief operating officer, give an update on the companys investigation into the source of what has been identified as hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas that collects in low-lying, poorly ventilated areas and smells like rotten eggs at certain concentrations. Residents have reported odors emanating from sinks, toilets and air conditioning vents as well as outside of their units, and they have attributed various ailments such as headaches and difficulty breathing to the gas. Last night the gases built up, Michele McCormick, who made the first complaint to Hometown in April 2015, said at the meeting. I had to close my house all down. Its not OK. Hometown officials said Tuesday that they didnt receive a second complaint until the summer of 2016. Braun said Hometown will stay on this until we get it resolved. He added that since October, Chicago-based Hometown has inspected a third of the complexs sewer system using cameras focusing on areas that have drawn the complaints performed a smoke test throughout the entire system to identify any leaks, and installed monitors in seven homes, at two locations within the sewer system and outdoors along property lines. The smoke test indicated 31 defects, including 14 leaking or missing sewer caps, faults that Hometown described as minor and were later fixed, Braun said. Were not suggesting the overall problem was the 31 defects; that was a piece of the problem, he said. Average readings from outdoor monitors were either near or above readings found in homes and the sewer system, according to data from Hometown, which hired environmental risk management firm RPS GaiaTech to consult on the issue. For example, the average indoor reading taken from the seven homes from Oct. 1 through Nov. 28 was 0.694 parts per million, while the outdoor average reading near one of the houses was 0.686 parts per million from Oct. 1 through 11, according to results. The inference, said Braun, is that the odor is not coming up through the indoor sewer pipes, that there is something in the unrestricted outdoor air that is just as powerful. The maximum indoor reading taken during a one-hour span was 5.622 parts per million. Typical background concentrations of hydrogen sulfide range from 0.00011 to 0.00033 parts per million, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration website. Prolonged exposure to gas ranging from 2 to 5 parts per million may cause nausea, tearing of the eyes, headaches or loss of sleep, the OSHA website said. The average reading taken outdoors at the park entrance was 1.186 parts per million, while the average reading from the in-ground manhole at the entrance was 0.296 parts per million, according to results. We dont think at this point that it is the sewer system, Wayne Hunter, a consultant with RPS GaiaTech, said during the meeting. Resident Jeff Bardzik wasnt so quick to dismiss the sewer pipes as the problem. He said that even after his sewer cap was repaired, he closed the windows in his house for three days as an experiment and discovered gas levels ranging from 3 to 6 parts per million, suggesting the problem is still an indoors mystery. Hometown installed new sewer lines in 2015, and Braun reiterated the companys prior determination that replacing the old sewer lines was not responsible for the odors. Bardzik, who has lived in Laguna Terrace Park for 14 years, questioned that conclusion. We never had any type of odor [before the new sewer system was installed], Bardzik said during the meeting. I cant accept coincidental. "[Hydrogen sulfide] is a very serious situation. We hope there is a sense of urgency Hometown takes with them. bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce Federal Aviation Administration officials presented a workshop Wednesday evening about new air traffic procedures and how they will affect Southern California facilities, including John Wayne Airport. More than 120 people attended the session at the Oasis Senior Center in Corona del Mar, a community chosen for its longstanding interest in JWA issues. The focus was on how Southern California airspace will be affected by the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen, a nationwide policy using satellite-based technology that FAA officials contend is more precise than current radar technology. They say NextGens benefits will include fuel savings, reduced carbon emissions and fewer flight delays by establishing flight plans that are less dispersed. For Newport Beach, NextGen is expected to create a more consistent departure path from JWA, said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor, who, along with air traffic controllers and other FAA officials, attended Wednesdays workshop. Under NextGen, the pattern, called PIGGN, will replace another called STREL, which has been in place since 2011. Implementation of the new system has begun and is scheduled for remaining Southern California routes March 2 and April 27, including JWA, Gregor said. Most of the planes that depart from John Wayne follow a route that takes them across the Back Bay, over a noise-monitoring station near the Back Bay Bistro restaurant and south over Balboa Island and the southeast tip of the Balboa Peninsula before heading a few miles offshore and then in the direction of their destination. Under the new system, a precise takeoff path can be programmed into a planes flight plan. The PIGGN is essentially an overlay of the STREL. The only difference is we made some tweaks to try to create a more predictable flow of aircraft over Noise Monitor 7, Gregor wrote in an email Thursday. Some Balboa Island residents are concerned that the FAAs plan will make flights even more concentrated over their homes, potentially increasing pollution and noise. The NextGen systems using GPS has increased the accuracy of the departures to keep planes in their exact lane, the Balboa Island Improvement Assn. wrote in a letter to the FAA in 2015. This technology may actually be increasing the negative environmental impacts on those directly under the departure pattern. The cities of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach sued the FAA last year over the NextGen plans, challenging the findings of an environmental analysis that the project would have no significant pollution or noise effects. The Orange County Board of Supervisors filed a motion in November to join that challenge. Supervisor Todd Spitzer, whose district includes portions of Orange County affected by arriving JWA aircraft, attended Wednesdays meeting. Outside the workshop, his team had a booth encouraging residents to submit form letters to Glen Martin, an FAA administrator. The pre-written letters contest the FAAs findings. Spitzer told the Los Angeles Times in November that a consultant hired by John Wayne Airport to review the FAAs environmental report said he believed it was inadequate. The consultant told the Board of Supervisors that it was not possible to tell from the review what the noise impacts would be, Spitzer said. In an interview Wednesday, Spitzer criticized the structure of the FAA workshop, which featured a variety of informational displays, maps and experts answering questions one-on-one. Spitzer contended it diffused opposition to the project by not having everyone gather centrally. This is not how you do a community event, Spitzer said. Gregor, who said the FAA doesnt comment on pending litigation, noted that the Corona del Mar event was one of more than 10 community meetings officials have held about NextGen in recent years. He said the environmental report alone responded to more than 4,000 public comments. The sessions have been helpful for many who attended, Gregor said. Generally, I think the process has been good, he said. A group of residents from Newports Lido Isle attended Wednesdays meeting to learn more about the project, which they have been monitoring for some time. Shana Conzelman, a Lido resident since 2010, said she bought a home on the island knowing it wasnt supposed to be under the JWA flight path. But now, she said, airplane noise has gotten bad enough that it wakes her up in the morning. Gary Grimes, a Lido resident for 24 years, said he felt skeptically optimistic about NextGen. He said hes noticed an apparent increase in both the volume of flights above Lido and their noise levels. Well see how it comes out, Grimes said of the changes. bradley.zint@latimes.com Twitter: @BradleyZint There was a time in America when families took care of their elderly parents and other relations, no questions asked. It was expected. It was a given. Aging parents were not routinely exported to assisted living homes. They moved in with their adult children when necessary. This was especially true for strong ethnic and religious cultures. In contemporary Southern California society, the family unit has a very different dimension. Generations are independent of one another to a greater degree. People are consumed with work, climbing the career ladder, while juggling duties as parents. Homes are not always easily adapted to multiple generations. Recently, though, some things have shifted. Millennials are not leaving home since jobs are not offering wages affording independence. And in some areas, builders are constructing multi-generational housing. Such changes are not widespread, however. In the O.C., elderly residents without family to rely on and without substantial funds often face looming crisis. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Fortunately for some, there is help. In the Jewish community of Orange County is a residence for seniors called Heritage Pointe. It cares for some 225 people, offering comprehensive life-enriching services beyond shelter and sustenance. Social, cultural, religious and educational activities as well as all forms of healthcare options are made available to residents, underwritten by private donations of more than $1.5 million annually. Recently, organizers produced the 27th annual Heritage Pointe gala at Newports Island Hotel, attracting 400 donors opening their hearts and wallets to fund the needs of Jewish seniors in the O.C. The holiday party was created around the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to prominent Newport residents Leslie and Scott Seigel. For over a decade, the Seigels have been committed to the mission of Heritage Pointe and its Jewish tradition of honoring mothers and fathers. The Seigels embody the very best of what giving back to your community truly means, said Mike Silverman, chief executive of Heritage Pointe. The couple, married for 31 years, are owners of California Closets. They were surrounded by close friends and fellow community leaders at the event. I have followed my fathers footsteps trying to serve the community as he did, Scott Seigel said. Leslie and I know that its up to our generation to support our Jewish family none more important than Heritage Pointe. Donors joining the generational pledge of support included national radio host Dennis Prager; respected architect Brion Jeannette and his wife, Bonnie; prominent Newport residents Jodi Greenbaum, chairman of the Heritage Pointe board, and husband Martin Greenbaum; Heritage Pointe founders Meryl Shrimmer and Loretta Modelevsky; Fred and Aviva Forster; Pamela Davis; Beth Slavin; Bernie and Joan Rome; and Steven and Sandy Fainbarg. To learn more visit heritagepointe.org. -- B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. The Glendale Police Department has solved the cold case murder of a 41-year-old man stabbed in his home 23 years ago, authorities announced Wednesday. Avery Carlton Howard was allegedly stabbed by Phillip Arnez Ettress, 46, sometime in October 1993 in Howards home in the 1700 block of Orchard Place, according to Glendale police spokesman Sgt. Robert William. A friend of Howards called the department on Oct. 12 that year to check on his well-being after Howard had not been seen or heard from in several days, William said. When officers arrived at Howards home, they found the door was unlocked, police said. They went inside and found Howard deceased, William said. Howard had been violently attacked inside his own home with a kitchen knife. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Surveillance footage from a 7-Eleven in Glendale showed Howard with an unidentified man. William said it was the last time Howard was seen alive. Investigators followed multiple leads, but the case eventually went cold. It was reopened by a detective in 2015, and DNA evidence collected from the crime scene was sent to the Verdugo Regional Crime Lab for processing. It turned up a match for Ettress, who had a long criminal history, according to William. Detectives learned Ettress was currently in custody at the Los Angeles County jail for an unrelated burglary case and was nearing the end of his sentenced term, he said. Investigators then discovered an earlier booking photo of Ettress was similar in appearance to the man last seen with Howard. Police also confirmed a DNA match after obtaining a sample from Ettress while he was serving out the burglary sentence. William said Ettress had just finished his jail term on Jan. 20 when he was immediately arrested by Glendale detectives on suspicion of Howards murder. -- Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc Food company giant Nestle announced Wednesday that it will be leaving Glendale after nearly three decades and relocating its U.S. headquarters, along with a bulk of the 1,200 jobs, to Rosslyn, Va. Nestle USA, a subsidiary of Swiss food conglomerate Nestle S.A., will begin shifting about 750 jobs to its new location in Virginia and 300 to Solon, Ohio, as a way to station itself closer to a majority of the companys stateside business operations and customers, said company spokeswoman Edie Burge. Virginia will be home to Nestle USA corporate operations as well as the companys drink and global food divisions. In Ohio, production and supply teams will join existing Nestle facilities. The remaining employees will be headed to St. Louis, Mo., as part of a reorganization of Nestle's information technology division. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Nestle USA moved to Glendale in 1990, not long after its parent company acquired Los Angeles-based Carnation, a national dairy business. Its current headquarters is in a 22-story building at 800 N. Brand Blvd. Nestle is expected to leave Glendale by the end of 2018, according to a company statement. Were very disappointed to see them go, said Judee Kendall, chief executive of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. Theyve been great corporate neighbors and an important part of the city. Darlene Sanchez, Glendales deputy director of community development, said city officials knew Nestle had been considering leaving California for years and could tell from some of its recent lease extensions that there was a likelihood the company would leave soon. We wish them well. They were a great corporate partner with the city over the years and were definitely sorry to see them leave, Sanchez said. But, in general, its an opportunity to attract other businesses and continue to diversify the corporate space that we already have. We intend to do that. In a statement, city spokesperson Tom Lorenz said Glendale would have considered negotiations with Nestle but had only learned about its intention to move indirectly. He added that Nestle's relocation is the closing of a chapter, but echoed Sanchezs optimism for new tenants to the 518,302-square-foot space. Outside Nestle's offices in Glendale, Amy Molina whos worked in digital marketing at Nestle's local location since 2008 said she heard the news Wednesday morning along with her peers and is still unsure whether shed be willing to relocate. Its challenging and emotional change is never easy, Molina said. I really dont know if Ill be relocating yet only because there are still more meetings to come where people will get their individual communication, and, at that point, Ill make a decision. Although Nestle is pulling out of downtown Glendale, the company maintains about 5,500 employees in the state, including numerous Nestle Waters facilities in Southern California. -- Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com Twitter: @JeffLanda A La Crescenta man was arrested by police last week as part of a human trafficking sting held in Ventura. Christopher Allen Bouchard, 49, was picked up by authorities in the 2100 block of South Victoria Avenue after allegedly engaging in sexually explicit conversation with one of several detectives posing as underage girls in an Internet chatroom for teenagers. According to a statement from the Ventura Police Department, the arrest was part of a weekend-long sting from Jan. 27 to 29 to capture sexual predators. Join the conversation on Facebook >> January was first proclaimed as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month by President Barack Obama in 2010. Police departments across the state of California were encouraged to conduct operations to rescue victims of sex slavery and human trafficking, as well as target sexual predators, according to the statement. Two other men were taken into custody during the weekend, 48-year-old Reynal Reginio Guillen of Sherman Oaks and 33-year-old Jose Juan Ramualdo-Posadas of Corona. The men had supposedly agreed to meet and pick up the undercover officers at a location they believed was the girls home. All three were arrested without incident. Members of the Ventura County Sheriffs Department, district attorneys office and the countys Human Trafficking Enforcement Team also participated in the sting. -- Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com Twitter: @Andy_Truc The National WWII Museum in New Orleans is offering a fall excursion, The River Seine to the Beaches of Normandy, that features a lecture series by Alex Kershaw, author of The Bedford Boys. The nine-day journey features local battlefield guides with expert knowledge of World War II locations, including lesser-known sites and iconic landmarks. Participants will meet veterans of the French Resistance and have an opportunity to climb the bluffs of Omaha Beach and cross its Dog Green Sector. Advertisement An optional three-day pre-cruise extension focuses on the liberation of Paris. Dates: Oct. 29-Nov. 6 Price: From $4,999, depending on ship accommodations. Includes tour manager, three nights on Uniworlds new Joie de Vivre, four nights in chateaux, most meals and beverages and all gratuities. International airfare not included. Couples who book by April 3 save $1,000. Info: National WWII Museum Tours, (877) 813-3329, Ext. 257 ALSO Disneys World of Color adds a Lunar New Year story, but only until Sunday At 90, Honolulus Royal Hawaiian Resort is still pink and oh-so-dreamy Discover Bajas boutique wine country with an expert ALSO Half-cruise, half-cargo ships provide authenticity in place of cocktails and casinos Tufted puffins, black bears and you: The small-cruise-ship experience in Canadas Haida Gwaii In this new-generation cruise ship, a library is the only thing missing (but its coming soon) Of all the refugees in the world, these are among the most unfortunate trapped for years in miserable island camps in the Pacific, unwanted by any nation. Australia doesnt want them. President Trump this week made it clear that a U.S. agreement to accept 1,250 of them for resettlement was a dumb deal that hed prefer to get out of. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? he tweeted on Wednesday. Advertisement The refugees are the collateral damage in Australias widely criticized Stop the Boats policy, the rule that asylum seekers who try to reach Australian shores by sea will never make Australia home, even if they are genuine refugees, are children or have skills. If you come to Australia illegally by boat, there is no way you will ever make Australia home, an Australian army chief warned in a 2014 video aired online and on television in countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The refugees at issue, mainly men, come from countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Somalia, including some of the seven majority-Muslim nations subject to Trumps recent ban on refugees and others. But they also include some women and children. Many risked their lives, traveling on decrepit boats to reach Christmas Island, an Australian territory near Indonesia. They were moved to detention camps on Manus Island and Nauru in Papua New Guinea, under Australias policy of processing asylum seekers offshore. Some have now been trapped on the islands for years. Cases of depression and self-harm are high, according to reports that have been leaked from the centers. Two people set themselves on fire last year, one of whom died. Australia was harshly criticized over a 26-hour delay in transferring the man, 23-year-old Iranian Omid Masoumali, to a hospital in Brisbane. Many have reported that the biggest problem is the sense of paralysis at being trapped in limbo indefinitely, according to Tracey Donehue, a former teacher at one of the facilities interviewed by the Times last year. Some of her students had sewn their lips together, she said. One girl had swallowed bleach. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch published a report last year which found that Australia inflicted suffering on refugees and asylum seekers in what appears to be a deliberate policy to deter further asylum seekers from arriving in the country by boat. Amnesty International researcher Anna Neistat, who visited Nauru last year, said the apparent cruelty of their living conditions shocked her. Having worked in most of the worlds conflict zones over the last 15 years, I thought I had learned enough about suffering, injustice and despair. But what I saw and heard on Nauru will haunt me forever, she wrote in a report on the camps. In May, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said that prolonged detention on the islands was immensely harmful and called for refugees and asylum seekers to be moved and treated humanely. Last year, the refugees and asylum seekers were given permission to move out of the camps, but they are unable to leave the islands. Australian political leaders have brushed off the criticisms, insisting that their policy saves lives by deterring people from trying to reach Australia in decrepit boats. They claim the policy is a success, because it did succeed in stopping the boats. In 2014, Australia reached a deal with Cambodia to resettle the refugees there. But in October of that year, a number of Nauru asylum seekers sewed their lips shut to protest the plan. Just six refugees accepted the proposal and were flown to Cambodia in 2015 and 2016. Within months, an ethnic Rohingya man asked to be sent back to Myanmar, despite continuing persecution of Rohingya people there. Three Iranians, deeply unhappy with life in Cambodia, also elected to return to what they had called persecution in their homeland. In November, shortly after Trumps election, the Australian government announced it had reached a deal with the Obama administration to accept 1,250 of the refugees on Nauru and Manus Island. Priority was to be given to women and children, but few details were released. Meanwhile, opinion polls last year appeared to show a shift in Australian public sentiment: In one survey, 64% said they wanted the refugees on Manus Island and Nauru to be allowed into Australia. But Australias policy remains unchanged. robyn.dixon@latimes.com Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT MORE WORLD NEWS Mattis arrives in South Korea to reassure nervous U.S. ally Mexican government says Trump never threatened to send troops to Mexico African leaders amp up pressure on the International Criminal Court, with a plan for mass exit Americas top defense official was expected to confront thorny policy issues in Asia including North Koreas advancing nuclear program and a planned missile defense system that has angered China during his first official foreign trip. But a key goal for Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, analysts said, was assuring South Korea and Japan that bonds with the United States would remain strong despite tough rhetoric from its new president, Donald Trump. Mattis so far has tried to deliver. On the flight to South Korea, the retired Marine Corps general described the alliances between the two countries as enduring. Later, in a meeting Thursday with South Koreas acting leader, Hwang Kyo-ahn, Mattis promised to continue a united effort to confront North Korea. Advertisement Acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-ahn, right, greets Defense Secretary James Mattis prior to their meeting Feb. 2 in Seoul. (Song Kyung-seok / Associated Press) We have to address the reality of the threat that your country and my country faces, Mattis said, according to a small group of reporters assigned to document the encounter. We intend to be shoulder to shoulder with you as we face this together. On Friday, Mattis used stronger language, saying the United States would use effective and overwhelming force if North Korea attacked either country with nuclear weapons. The trip was seen by many as a signal that the Trump administrations foreign policy would focus on Asia. The effort was beginning in South Korea, where Mattis also visited the headquarters for U.S. troops stationed here. Though few specific details about the discussions have been made public, observers expected that he might face concern about the Trump administrations strong America first foreign policy, as announced at the inauguration, and whether it might ask for more money to continue security arrangements in the two countries. You have high levels of anxiety and uncertainty in Asia, but especially in South Korea and Japan, about where they stand under Trump, said John Delury, an associate professor at Seouls Yonsei University. In addition to offering reassuring comments, Mattis was expected to focus his talks on readiness and coordination in dealing with North Korea. Besides its nuclear threat, which includes bombs and a growing capacity to deliver them, the rogue state already has large numbers of conventional forces and artillery within striking distance of the 20-plus million people who live in and around Seoul. Mattis capped his visit by meeting Friday with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo, during which he offered a stern warning aimed at North Korea. Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming, he said. Han welcomed Mattis statement, saying it was evidence of the allies defensive cooperation on the nuclear issue. It serves as a strong warning to Pyongyang, he said. The talks come as the countries next month are scheduled to carry out joint military exercises, which sometimes prompt reactions from the North. Its unclear, though, how Trumps administration would handle a major provocation, such as a nuclear test or long-range missile test perhaps another item on Mattis agenda. At the Friday meeting, Mattis and Han discussed South Koreas deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, a U.S.-designed defensive array intended to counter ballistic missile threats from North Korea. Both leaders announced that the system would be deployed on South Korean soil by the end of 2017. The system relies on wide and sophisticated radar, prompting China to complain about its national security interests concerns Mattis has said are unfounded. Mattis encountered a supportive banner as his motorcade approached his hotel on Namsan, a mountain landmark in Seoul adjacent to the main American military presence here. But not everyone welcomed the visit, which comes as South Korea is paralyzed politically. Its president, Park Geun-hye, had her duties suspended last month after impeachment over corruption allegations. She could be permanently removed from office this spring. Some of the people Mattis talks with on the trip might exit too. The missile system remains a sore spot for some here. Peace protesters have gathered almost daily for months in front of the Defense Ministry to complain about it. And a large group gathered in a central square Thursday to protest Mattis arrival. One held a sign that read, Mad Dog Mattis Not Welcome in Korea. More protesters were expected Friday. As the new U.S. administration defines how it will deal with North Korea, the United States has more than 80,000 forces stationed in Japan and South Korea. But questions of how to pay for them or at least the size of Americas cost share was an issue Trump raised in the campaign, further adding to the allies uncertainty. It will be Mattis role, some have speculated, to ease worries about those statements. He wants to reassure the South Korean government that the United States isnt going to immediately, or even eventually, withdraw its forces from the peninsula, said Peter Kim, who teaches U.S.-Korea relations at Kookmin University. America is here to stay, contrary to what candidate Trump said during the presidential election last year. The political situation in Japan is more stable, but the nations long-sputtering economy took a hit after Trump announced he was abandoning the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal between multiple nations that Tokyo had sought. Both South Korea and Japan have concerns about China, which has reportedly cooled economic and diplomatic ties with South Korea in recent months over the missile system. Japan, where Mattis was set to travel later Friday, has its own concerns about North Koreas nuclear and missile capabilities. It is also seeking assurances about its dispute with China over its claim to the Senkakus, a series of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. While in Tokyo, Mattis could also help lay some groundwork for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit this month to Washington, where Trumps vision for Americas Northeast Asia policy could be explained in more detail. Stiles is a special correspondent. ALSO South Korea is coping with its worst outbreak of avian flu ever and U.S. egg farmers are benefiting In Asia, China looks like the winner after scuttling of Trans-Pacific Partnership New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson already has fences to mend with his own diplomatic corps UPDATES: Feb. 3, 5:55 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details and quotes from Mattis meetings. 9:45 p.m.: Updated with the announcement on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. This article was first published on feb. 2 at 7:50 a.m. In front of Ho Chi Minhs statue and the baroque yellow walls of Communist Party headquarters, they danced. Strobe lights and bass washed over sweaty young bodies twisting in the tropical night air. The DJ took a selfie with the crowd, and the din on this downtown promenade blended with the roar of motorcycles cruising along the Saigon River. For the record: This article incorrectly refers to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising as the Fashion Institute of Design & Manufacturing. This is the next generations Vietnam, where coffee roasters and tech start-ups wedge in between noodle soup vendors and bike repairmen as the city sidesteps its socialist legacy in a dash toward the future. Two-thirds of the countrys population was born after Saigon fell in 1975. Now theyre helping transform the Communist nation into one of the worlds fastest growing economies, with a hip gravity strong enough to lure back children of emigres who fled to Houston and Orange County. Advertisement These young people are creating a new national identity one filled with capitalistic idealism, responsibility, and a belief that the country offers opportunity that many of their parents wont acknowledge. Were studying abroad, were traveling, we see Western culture and our own culture, said Thao Dao, the 27-year-old co-founder of Ladan, a company that designs modern Vietnamese clothing and accessories for young adults. For our generation, its time. She attended the Fashion Institute of Design & Manufacturing in Los Angeles, but saw her future at home in Vietnam. Dao and a friend opened their small shop last year up a creaky flight of stairs near one of the citys oldest markets. They filled it with bamboo purses and elegant pastel riffs on the ao dai, a traditional Vietnamese dress-pant combo. You can come back and make a difference, Dao said. Thao Dao and Anna Phan returned from college in the U.S. to open Ladan, a company that sells modern Vietnamese clothes and accessories to young people. (L.R. Meyers) (L.R. Meyers / For The Times) She and co-founder Anna Phan, who grew up in Vietnam and graduated from Santa Clara University in California, have a dream: that a country that produces much of the worlds apparel will now become proud to wear it. Phans mother survived postwar poverty jumping on and off trains to sell food. Daos hawked fish sauce. Their daughters hope to turn Made in Vietnam into a fashion symbol. We dont talk about the war anymore, Dao said. An increasingly affluent generation is traveling abroad, especially from urban areas such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the capital. More than 21,000 Vietnamese students attended American universities last year, the sixth largest number of foreign students in the U.S., according to the Institute of International Education. Up to 3,000 startups operate in Vietnam, a country of 90 million whose economy has grown twice as fast as that of the U.S. in recent years. The statue of Ho Chi Minh, the countrys revolutionary war hero, looks out at tower cranes and the citys most expensive real estate. Residents alternate between the official name and Saigon, a throwback to six decades of French colonial rule that ended in 1954. Bike-sharing apps like uberMOTO are replacing street-corner men who for decades offered cheap motorcycle trips. Officials are building a subway and a second airport for the citys 8 million inhabitants. Bike-sharing apps like uberMOTO are replacing street-corner men who for decades offered cheap motorcycle trips. (L.R. Meyers) (L.R. Meyers / For The Times) Vietnam also has grown closer to the U.S. Then-President Obama visited in May, when he lifted a longstanding arms embargo and highlighted the countrys youth. This is your moment, he told a crowd in Hanoi. And as you pursue the future that you want, I want you to know that the United States of America will be right there with you. But optimism is still guarded. Young people talk about succeeding largely in spite of not because of the government. The one-party state is weighed down by public debt and bulky state-owned enterprises. Corruption pervades, despite an official crackdown. Human Rights Watch ranks its record as dire. Officials arrested a high-profile blogger last year who criticized the governments handling of a chemical spill that left dead fish scattered across beaches. Saigons growth has alarmed preservationists who watch the destruction of French colonial buildings and the rise of skyscrapers. Pollution is increasing; income inequality is rising. There are energetic people trying to do great things, said Vu Thanh Tu Anh, research director at the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program here. But its constrained by the education system, by political constraintsand we have a system which is not responsive enough to the needs of people. Although the country is growing faster than most, Vu said, were not close to our potential. Hao Tran, left, and Guy Truong are co-founders of Vietcetera, an English-language website that seeks to tell the untold stories of the new Vietnam. (L.R. Meyers / For The Times) Hao Tran didnt know Saigon had another name until he was 18. The San Franciscan now calls Ho Chi Minh City his home. Tran, 24, left his tech job a year ago for a country his parents fled. My perception of Vietnam growing up was pho and war documentaries, he said. Now hes co-founder of Vietcetera, an English-language website that seeks to tell the untold stories of the new Vietnam. Recent articles profiled a young model promoting sustainable development and explored the local popularity of vaping. Tran and his colleagues sat in the loft of a white-walled, minimalist coffee shop theyd just helped open. It could have been in Brooklyn, except with shaken lemonade and cafe sua, Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. We want to reach a global audience and educate them on what Vietnam has to offer, said Tran, whod recently met his mothers sisters for the first time. Theres still a lot of Wild West here; rules are ambiguous. But you can just see the energy. Like Tran, thousands of overseas Vietnamese also known as Viet Kieu are overriding parental objections and returning to a country they view through a different lens. Eddie Thais mother cried when he told her he would move here. She feared he would get cheated, that the business environment would prove too rough. Thai thought he had something to offer and it felt like the right time. Thais father worked his way from a Mekong Delta rice farm to graduate school in New York. His mother escaped Saigon as it fell to northern forces. Theres a lot of opportunity to fill the gaps, said Thai, 31, a Vietnam-based partner at 500 Startups, a venture capital firm based in Mountain View, Calif. Its really awesome to help Vietnam and Vietnamese businesses leapfrog their partners, he said. This young generation is hungry. They understand the worlda lot are asking, Where do we go from here? Older high-level investors and business executives sound less sanguine about the prospects for rapid change, especially with a regulatory system that can impede innovation. Some wonder whether the next generation can do much to change that. Young people are lazy, said Duy Dao, 36, a businessman who also runs an open-air cafe. They dont know where the money comes from. But if they can make it last, if Vietnam can continue on its high-growth trajectory, a country once considered among the worlds poorest may become Asias next stunning success. Vietnam has moved into middle-income status, and this year the World Bank will start to phase out the low-interest, lengthy payback loans it gives the country. When this generation nears retirement age, the average lifespan will reach 80, according to the United Nations, up from 73 in 2012. Le Xuan Loc thinks less about where Vietnam is going than what it still has to achieve. The 25-year-old pharmacist moonlights as a social activist, and dreams of opening a healthcare clinic in his rural, coastal hometown. Hes helped start a mentoring program for young people to build skills. Obama noticed something in Le that helped explain the new Vietnam, enough to mention him in his speech here. Le doesnt brag about the Obama shout-out, although he blushes slightly when it comes up. He blended in at yet another coffee shop, a kid with earphones around his neck sipping a green tea float and talking about hopes for his country. Vietnam has potential, he said. Why not change it instead of leave? Meyers is a special correspondent. Twitter: @jessicameyers ALSO In Asia, China looks like the winner after scuttling of Trans-Pacific Partnership South Korea is coping with its worst outbreak of avian flu ever and U.S. egg farmers are benefiting Australia doesnt want them. Trump doesnt either. Who are these refugees trapped in bleak island camps? Romanias new decree diluting the countrys corruption law ignited a furor Thursday, prompting strong criticism from home and abroad and a declaration from the president that he would ask judges to declare it unconstitutional. Tens of thousands protested for the third night in Bucharest, the capital, and thousands more in some 20 other Romanian cities, calling for the government to resign after issuing the watered-down emergency degree a day earlier. But Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said the government would not repeal the decree, deepening the political crisis. Advertisement President Klaus Iohannis announced he will take the decree to the Constitutional Court, the last legal resort to stop the law by the ruling center-left Social Democrats, whose leader, Liviu Dragnea, is among those with a corruption conviction. Protester Florin Varlan, 42, said Thursday evening that he would continue to protest, after Dragnea came out today and showed he understood nothing. The ordinance decriminalizes official misconduct if the funds involved are less than 200,000 lei ($47,800). Critics say the measure helps government allies and other officials facing corruption charges get out of prison or clear their records and claim it will encourage more officials to steal on the job. Dragnea defended the decree, which did not go through parliament, saying it would not free corrupt people. Dragnea also called Iohannis the moral author of the sporadic violence that broke out late Wednesday between police and protesters. Dragnea, who has a two-year suspended prison sentence for vote rigging, says he wants a retrial. The conviction bars him from serving as prime minister, which he says is unfair. In a statement, the United States, Germany, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands and France said Romanias government had undermined progress on rule of law and the fight against corruption over the past 10 years. European Commission Vice President Frank Timmermans urged the Romanian government on Thursday to urgently reconsider the decree, warning that if it is adopted, it could affect the European Union funds that Romania gets. Even some prominent Social Democrats were upset with the decree. Business Environment Minister Florin Jianu announced his resignation. Mihai Chirica, the mayor of Iasi, urged the government to scrap the decree and send another bill on the topic to Parliament for debate. He also said Justice Minister Florin Iordache should resign. Iordache, who has come under heavy fire for publishing the decree, has temporarily handed his duties over to a subordinate, a spokeswoman said. Salvos of artillery shook eastern Ukraine on Thursday, the fifth day of escalated fighting between government troops and Russia-backed separatist rebels. Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed overnight and 10 others wounded, the government said, while rebels said one of their fighters was killed. Shelling appeared to intensify after nightfall and both sides reported civilian deaths two in Avdiivka and one in Donetsk city. Advertisement Reporters for the Associated Press heard Grad rocket launchers fired on both sides of the conflict during the night. In the afternoon, shelling was heard in the distance from Avdiivka, a government-held town just north of Donetsk, the largest rebel-controlled city. At least 15 people have been reported killed since the fighting around Avdiivka surged over the weekend. More than 9,700 people have been killed since the war with separatist rebels began in April 2014. An agreement reached nearly two years ago called for a cease-fire and a pullback of heavy weaponry by both sides, but skirmishes persist. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday accused Ukraine of starting the latest escalation to rally support from the new U.S. administration and other Western powers. Ukraine is concerned that President Trump could roll back some sanctions imposed on Russia for its actions in Ukraine, and that European Union members could follow suit. The Ukrainian leadership needs money, and the best way to get the EU, the U.S. and international organizations to pay is by posing as a victim of aggression, Putin said in Budapest after a meeting with Hungarian President Viktor Orban. Shelling over the weekend damaged water, heating and electricity supplies in Avdiivka amid a strong cold snap. Residents nerves were raw. I was born in 1941. I was in a war at birth and now I see it again, said Valentina Pasternak as she stood on her porch clutching two loaves of bread brought by aid workers. A shell had landed in her yard. By Thursday, water and heat had been partly restored, but Avdiivka remained without electricity. In Brussels, European Union President Donald Tusk urged Moscow to pressure the separatists to make sure the flare-up of fighting ends and a cease-fire is restored. Russia should use its influence to disengage the Russia-backed separatists, Tusk said. The Trump administration, meanwhile, maintained a low-key approach with a restrained tone that may reflect the start of a new U.S. approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Mexican government on Wednesday vehemently denied reports that President Trump threatened to send American soldiers into Mexico during a phone call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Such a threat did not happen during that call, said a government statement released on Twitter Wednesday night. For the record: An earlier version of this story erroneously said the Mexican-American War took place during the 1880s. It lasted from 1846 to 1848. I know it with absolute certainty, there was no threat, Pena Nieto spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said in a radio interview. The things that have been said are nonsense and a downright lie. Advertisement The Associated Press and a Mexican news website, Aristegui Noticias, reported earlier in the day that Trump had humiliated Pena Nieto during a phone call between the leaders on Friday. Trump threatened to send U.S. troops into Mexico to stop bad hombres down there unless the Mexican military does more to control them itself, the Associated Press said, quoting an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation that it said was obtained from an unnamed source. The White House would not comment on the purported transcript and denied that the U.S. was planning to invade Mexico. A White House official pointed to a joint statement issued by the two leaders Friday noting they had discussed the need to work together to stop drug cartels, drug trafficking and illegal guns and arms sales. Tensions between the U.S. and Mexico, longtime allies, have been dramatically heightened since Trumps inauguration less than two weeks ago. In one of his first presidential acts, Trump, who as a candidate frequently accused Mexico of sending criminals and drugs to the U.S., signed an executive order calling for immediate construction of a border wall between the countries. A few days later, he tweeted that Pena Nieto should not visit Washington for a Jan. 30 meeting with Trump unless Mexico was prepared to pay for construction of the wall one of his signature campaign pledges. Pena Nieto canceled the meeting, saying Mexico has no intention of paying for a border wall. But last Friday, the leaders appeared to begin mending differences, speaking on the phone in a call that both sides described as productive and cordial. The explosive allegations Wednesday that Trump threatened to send soldiers to Mexico drew anger in Mexico, where many feel deeply insulted by Trumps repeated attacks. There were widespread calls for the Mexican government to release the transcript of the call. Alejandro Hope, a security analyst in Mexico City, said he did not know what to make of the allegations. I know it sounds crazy, but it doesnt sound completely out of character, Hope said, noting Trumps provocations of other world leaders and his frequent attacks on Mexico. If Trump did indeed threaten to send soldiers to Mexico thats tantamount to invasion, Hope said. While U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities collaborate on a range of fronts, from immigration enforcement to combating drug cartels, not having U.S. troops in Mexico has always been one line in the sand, he said, citing a history of distrust that dates back to the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. Sanchez is a reporter in the Times Mexico City bureau. Staff Writer Michael Memoli in Washington and Special Correspondent Laura Tillman in Mexico City contributed to this report. kate.linthicum@latimes.com Twitter: @katelinthicum ALSO Trumps threats to booming Mexico auto industry have executives heads spinning Democrats and liberal activists face uphill battle against Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch How a top conservative radio host took on Trump, lost his audience and faith, but gained a new perspective Indian software services firm Wipro Ltd. employees walk inside the company campus in Bangalore, India Indias major tech firms may end up paying a hefty price if US president Donald Trump goes through with an overhaul of the countrys current visa rules. Reports of a draft executive order to revamp US immigration laws for foreign workers picked up steam on Jan. 30. The largest Indian tech firms with US operationsTata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and Wiproall saw their stocks plummet over 4% on the news. An apparent version of the draft order, published by Vox, proposes changes to legal immigration that would reduce the inflow of illegal entries and visa overstays and better serve the national interest. In a bid to increase transparency around jobs going to foreigners, the order, if signed, would require immigration data to be published publicly. It also instructs the secretary of homeland security (pdf) to consider alterations to the H1-B program to make it more efficient and ensure that the beneficiaries of the program are the best and the brightest. Silicon Valleys biggest companies, including IBM, Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft, import a sizable amount of talent from abroad. But the order could have an outsize effect on the US operations of Indian firmsthe top source of applications for the H-1B visa, which grants foreign workers authorization to work in the US for up to six years. Indian firms contract out thousands of workers to tech companies across the US, and an overhaul of any kind would have have a ripple effect throughout the industry. Immigrant STEM workers have contributed an outsize share to founding new companies, getting patents, and helping build up American companies, which in turn because of their success have created tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of jobs, Gary Burtless, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, who does research in labor markets, told Bloomberg in response to the draft order. Discouraging such people to apply for visas to enter the United States to workI cant imagine how that can be considered to be in the American national interest. A 2015 survey (pdf) by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Indias oldest business association, calculated that 100 Indian companies in the US40% belonging to the IT industryhad created more than 91,000 jobs and invested over $15.3 billion in the US in 2015 alone. Story continues A number of reforms to the H1-B visa process have been suggested over the years. The visa is in high demand, and attracts three times as many applications as are filled. A bill introduced last week by Californian congressman Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat who represents Silicon Valley, proposes scrapping the H1-Bs lottery system, which randomly awards up to 85,000 visas from the pool of applicants. Instead, it suggests prioritizing applicants for whom employers are willing to pay 200% of existing wage levels. This would guarantee a place for high-paid, high-skilled labor. There is also a provision in the proposed legislation, titled the High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017 (pdf), to set aside 20% of the annual allocation for the H-1B visas for startups with less than 50 employees. This would ostensibly prevent bigger companies from flooding lower-level positions with cheaper talent from overseas (something Indian outsourcing firms have been criticized of doing). Ron Hira, an associate professor at Howard University, told Bloomberg that he found that outsourcing firms in the US paid workers a median wage of less than $70,000, compared to Apple, Google and Microsoft employees, who were paid $100,000 on average. Lofgrens bill also includes a suggestion to hike the wage exemption level. Since 1998, H-1B visa applicants needed to earn at least $60,000 in their job roles in order to be eligible for the visa. The bill suggests that the minimum be pegged at $130,000. If that happens, Indian IT firms could incur additional costs of hundred of millions of dollars. Company # of Labor Condition Applications Average Salary ($) Wage increase per person ($) Total wage impact ($ million) Infosys 33,289 79,201 50,799 1,691 TCS 16,553 69,648 60,352 999 Wipro 12,201 70,306 59,694 728 Tech Mahindra 6,041 75,044 54,956 332 Neither the bill nor Trumps order is likely to result in any immediate policy changes, but in the event that changes are made to the H-1B requirements, outsourcing companies based here will have to reevaluate whether bringing in talent from overseas is worth the increasing cost burden. Two-way dependency The US remains Indias biggest destination for software exports, and its $150-billion technology sector derives more than half of its revenue from North America. Initially, Indias IT bigwigs looked like they might try to respond to Trumps protectionist strategies by employing more local talent. When Trump first began to talk of tightening visa regulations during his presidential campaign, Wipros chief financial officer, Jatin Dalal, and Tech Mahindras chief executive, CP Gurnani, said they would look for opportunities to acquire US-based companies. Infosys COO Pravin Rao said the software firm would reduce visa dependency by stepping up recruitment efforts in the US. But Silicon Valley already has a chronic skills shortage, which could impede any efforts to hire domestic talent. More than 64% of the H-1B visas allocated in 2014 went to people in computer-related occupations, illustrating the demand the US tech industry has for foreign workers. Last year, 65% of US chief information officers and IT leaders surveyed for a Harvey Nash/KPMG report (pdf) said that skill shortages were holding them back. The visa revamp would also target the L-1 visa category, which allows multinationals and foreign companies operating in the US to bring in specialists and managers for a limited amount of time. NASSCOM, Indias IT trade association, said in a statement issued Jan. 31 that it would ask the administration to keep in mind Indias role as a net creator of jobs in the US when revising its rules, and to carefully calibrate the conditions, keeping in mind the skill shortage in the US. In attempting to reduce the incentive to bring consultants into the US, the dynamic that will be created is incentives to move the entire project outside the US, says William Stock, an immigration lawyer and president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. The big workaround is going to be: How do we ship this work overseas? Because we dont have the workforce in the US.' Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: The decision by Brazil Supreme Court President Carmen Lucia Rocha could lead to new revelations about the involvement of politicians and business leaders in the Lava Jato corruption scandal French retailer is in discussions with at least four banks and could spin off the business in May, sources say Colombian airline gets the nod to pursue links with the US carrier, while Aviancas controlling shareholders offer up to $200m for a deal Thousands of Google parent Alphabet Inc. Employees walked out and participated in a protest of Donald Trump's executive order which bans refugees from the seven Muslim-majority countries. The protestors gathered outside Google's California offices together with the company's chief executive, Sundar Pichai and co-founder Sergey Brin. In Google's Mountain View in California Headquarters, Pichai and Brin which are both immigrants spoke the crowd and voiced their concerns over Trump's order to ban travel to the US from the said countries. According to the Telegraph, there are more than 2,000 employees who joined the protest on the grounds of Google's campus against Trump's executive order. Most of them were carrying signs with messages like "We are a nation of immigrants," "All are welcome" and "No ban, no wall." The executive order demands an "extreme vetting" of immigrants which according to Pichai affects almost 200 Google employees. "Some values are really near and dear to your heart, which is foundational and you should never compromise on. The thing we've been debating for the past three days is one of them," Pichai said. According to Mashable, upon the effectivity of Trump's order, Pichai started to email Google staff to inform them that the decision that the current president made affects at least 187 employees. Furthermore, Google created a $2 million crisis fund so that employees can match donations up to another $2 million. Monday's Google Doodle has also presented a commentary on Trump's decisions. Employees organized the protest on Monday. However, Google said that the company also supported the demonstrations. The hashtag #GooglersUnite and the #NoBanNoWall hashtag were used to protest on Trump's immigration policies. Aside from Google, many tech companies also criticized Trump's order. Google have even asked their employees overseas to return immediately to help with the logistics and handle the costs. Google which had close ties to the Obama Administration is currently determining its broader policy approach to Donald Trump's on a myriad issue which includes taxes, competition law, and net neutrality. The Management Group answered Johnny Depp's fraud lawsuit saying that they did all they can to save the actor from himself. According to a cross-complaint filed by TMG, Depp should blame himself for his current financial crisis since he spends $2 million a month for his lavish lifestyle. The actor's former managers said that he simply could not afford this. The "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" star claims that TMG has grossly mismanaged his assets and took advantage of his earnings, People reported. His lawyers said that their client has lost millions and was forced to sell some of his assets to pay for the management company's "self-dealing and gross misconduct." Depp is asking more than $25 million from TMG for fraud, breach of contract and professional negligence. But TMG is revealing a completely different story and even asking the actor to pay unpaid commissions and credit card debt totaling $560,000. The management company is also asking that a court recognize that they have complied with their obligations with Mr. Depp and he is personally responsible for his financial crisis. TMG's complaint included a list of all that Depp spent over the years. Among these are 14 residences found in South of France, at the Bahamas, Hollywood, Los Angeles and Kentucky which all cost over $75 million. The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor has spent $18 million to purchase and renovate a luxury yacht, millions of dollars to purchase 45 luxury cars, $200,000 a month on private planes, tens of millions for expensive art, jewelry and collectible guitars and millions on collectibles and memorabilia from iconic legends like Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and John Dillinger. Aside from his collections, real estate and luxury vehicles, Depp also spends $300,000 monthly on 40 employees who work full-time, $150,000 monthly for full-time security for him and his family and $10 for supporting friends and relatives. TMG repeatedly said that they did all they can to remind their client of his lavish spending, said the Evening Standard. Depp's former managers said that they also recommended the actor to get a pre-nup before he married Amber Heard. Their recent divorce cost Depp $7 million in settlement. The Management Group said that every time they would tell Depp that he was spending a lot more than he was earning, he would curse and rebuke them. He would keep on increasing his spending and extravagant living and would demand that his business managers find ways to pay for all that he has spent. Johnny Depp also complained that TMG was unable to file his taxes on time costing him a lot of penalties. This was also debunked by TMG saying that they filed every tax return on time. the group also filed a separate non-judicial foreclosure for a $5 million loan to the actor that was made in 2012. TMG said that he required the loan that time since he was facing financial trouble then. Depp responded and asked the court for a temporary restraining order as well as a permanent injunction to prevent TMZ to foreclose his home. It remains a big question as to how the royal family, particularly Prince Charles, will interact with President Donald Trump as his visit to the United Kingdom looms near. The two leaders have been previously found to have differing opinions over climate change. While Trump has already been vocal about his disapproval over the subject, he further condemned it by taking down the official White House webpage on climate change. Traditionally, the royal family does not publicize their statements on political affairs, as noted by People. However, Prince Charles has been known for expressing his strong views over environmental issues, giving his first speech on the situation of the environment when he was merely 20 years old in 1968. In Prince Charles 1989 speech at Saving the Ozone Layer World Conference, he emphasized the impact of human activity on nature, persistently choosing short-term options and to hell with the long-term repercussions. On the other hand, Trump openly condemned the concept of global warming on Twitter, stating that such idea was made by the Chinese for their own benefits as it makes U.S. manufacturing less competitive. According to Prince Charles' official website, he has set his eyes on the realistic revival of rainforests by stopping its destruction for a low carbon economy, Trump insists that man-made global warming is unreal. He cited the people in the 1920s who believed in global cooling, which eventually evolved into global warming. When it comes to addressing climate change, Prince Charles relies on scientific evidence, hence the need to act in accordance to what has been logically laid out. He insists that, if humans continue to push nature to destruction until enough evidence is gathered, it will be too late to make comprehensive plans. The 68-year-old royal previously underlined the growing demand for organic food, thus the need to increase supply availability across the food sectors. Ultimately, he believes that governments have failed to address the root cause of climate change and other worldly problems. In contrast, Trump previously called out former president Barack Obama for his madness and for increasing his focus on global warming rather than facing terrorism, such as the threats brought on by ISIS. While the world is in turmoil and falling apart in so many different waysespecially with ISISour president is worried about global warming. What a ridiculous situation, he wrote on Instagram. Trump remains open to examining climate change, saying that he has an open mind and that he and his administration will look into it very carefully. Changes Name to Inomin Mines VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 1, 2017 / David Brett, CEO, reports that Inomin Mines Inc. (TSX-V: MINE) (formerly Inovent Capital Inc.; TSX-V: IVQ.P) (the "Company") has received final approval from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") for its Qualifying Transaction ("QT") under the rules of the TSX-V's Capital Pool Program, and will recommence trading at the open on Thursday, February 2nd, 2017 under its new name Inomin Mines Inc. and new trading symbol MINE, and will no longer be considered a Capital Pool Company. The Company's QT consisted of the acquisition of 100% of the King's Point Property (the "Property") in Newfoundland under the terms outlined below. At commencement of trading, the Company will have 12,768,259 shares outstanding, of which 2,300,000 are subject to a 3-year escrow period. Following the issuance of the Property acquisition escrow shares outlined below, the Company will have 15,518,259 shares outstanding. Located in the Green Bay area of Newfoundland, the Property comprises 129 claims covering 3,225 hectares within two separate blocks (North & South) hosting numerous mesothermal gold and Buchans-type volcanogenic massive sulphide exploration targets in an established precious- and base-metal mineral belt. See below for additional Property details. To acquire 100% of the Property, subject to an NSR of 2.5% in favour of the vendors (1.5% of which NSR is purchasable at any time for $1,000,000), Inomin will issue 2,750,000 escrow shares to the vendor. As part and parcel of the QT, the Company has closed a fully subscribed private placement consisting of 7,903,459 units at $0.07 per unit (the "Units") for gross proceeds of $553,242.13. Each Unit consists of one common share and one warrant to purchase an additional common share at a price of $0.10 for a period of two years ending January 30, 2019. All securities issued under the placement are subject to a hold period of 4 months ending May 31, 2017. Finder's fees paid under the financing consist of $3,903.20 in cash and the issuance of 55,760 warrants exercisable at $0.10 for two years. Story continues Certain insiders of the Company participated in the private placement, constituting a related party transaction pursuant to TSX Venture Exchange Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied on section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the related-party portion of the transaction did not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About the King's Point Gold-Copper-Zinc Property The King's Point Gold-Base Metals Project is part of the prolific Catcher's Pond Greenstone Belt in the Green Bay area of Newfoundland noted for high grade gold deposits and low exploration costs. The Project area, having excellent infrastructure and accessibility, is located only minutes from the communities of King's Point and Springdale, the mining hub of Newfoundland. The Property is host to numerous priority "Buchans Type" VMS exploration targets, as well as advanced stage targets including the Golden Anchor mesothermal gold prospect, the Rendell-Jackman gold bearing "Betts Cove Type" VMS deposit, and the Beetle Pond zinc prospect. These targets lie immediately along strike and adjacent to claims held by Maritime Resources Corp., host to the high grade Hammerdown Gold Deposit, the Orion Gold Deposit and the Lochinvar VMS Deposit. King's Point Project Highlights: Recent sampling of the historic and undeveloped Rendall-Jackman VMS deposit returned 21 of 31 samples assaying greater than 1 g/t gold ("Au") and up to 12.7 g/t Au. Copper values ran up to 9.9% Cu. Ground strategically positioned adjacent to and surrounded by Maritime Resources Corp. and miner Rambler Metals and Mining Pty. Excellent potential exists within the Property to discover additional gold and base metal deposits. Claims contain highly prospective ground for both high grade mesothermal gold and gold bearing VMS Deposits. The northern claim group lies directly along strike to the known Hammerdown and Rumbullion gold vein system and within 200 meters of the Lochinvar VMS Deposit. The claims also host the Rendall-Jackman gold bearing VMS Deposit, Golden Anchor Gold Prospect and Beetle Pond VMS Prospect. Recent Induced Polarization/Resistivity surveys over the Rendall-Jackman Deposit, Beetle Pond and Golden Anchor Prospects have defined new drill targets in areas never tested. Figure 1 Cannot view Figure 1? Please visit: https://www.accesswire.com/uploads/Inomin.jpg Key Targets: Northern Claims Block Golden Anchor Prospect Discovered by Major General Resources Ltd. in 1993, Golden Anchor is characterized by a 500 meter long, 110 degree trending gold in soil geochemistry anomaly that has been compared in size and magnitude to that of the Hammerdown Gold ("Au") Deposit held by Maritime. Only two drill holes have intersected this anomaly with one encountering highly anomalous results of 1.86 g/t Au over 2 meters. Recent geophysical surveys and geological work over this area have delineated significant targets of interest for follow-up work and have provided a new geological understanding of the area. Rendell Jackman Deposit Rendell Jackman was discovered during the late 1890's and experienced a small amount of mining during the early 1900's. The area saw only cursory exploration work during the 1980's and 1990's by Noranda Exploration Company Ltd., who identified two separate stratigraphic VMS lenses. Significant assays from this program included trenching results of 3.09 g/t Au, 7.9 g/t Ag and > 1% Cu over 3.4 m and assays from one of two shallow drill holes returned values of 1.24% Cu, 6.5 % Zn, 14.3 g/t Au, 19.6 g/t Ag over 0.6 m followed one meter deeper by 0.82% Cu, 0.22% Zn, 6.99 g/t Au, 5.8 g/t Ag over 0.7 m. Recent geophysical work and sampling have identified an open ended, strong Induced Polarization/Resistivity response over a strike length of 200 meters along with assays results from the area of up to 12.7 g/t Au, 6.7% Cu and 15.4 g/t Ag. Beetle Pond Prospect Beetle Pond is considered to be the strongest zinc anomaly in the Green Bay area as defined by work performed by Hudson Bay/Anglo Gold. With only very limited work Hudson Bay commented that "Further consideration should also be given to deep exploration in the vicinity of Beetle Pond as this area is host to widespread, visually impressive, alteration and disseminated sulphide mineralization potentially associated with a significant, deeply buried, massive sulphide deposit." Southern Claims Block The Southern Blocks have been explored to a lesser degree and provide significant discovery potential. Ursa Minor The Ursa Minor Zone consists of stringer and semi-massive sulphide mineralization returning low grade base and precious metal assays over broad widths including 0.23 g/t Au and 25 g/t Ag over 30.8 m as well as 1.1% Zn over 13.5 m. Surveys over the Ursa Minor sulphide zone detect the known mineralization as a coincident chargeability high/ resistivity low and suggest the horizon remains open in both strike directions. Pieces Showing Discovered by Phelps Dodge in 1997, this zone is hosted by felsic volcanics of the Indian Brook package and consists of a narrow band (vein?) of high-grade massive sulphide intersected in drilling assaying 12.9% Zn, 8.5% Pb, 1.02% Cu, 54 g/t Ag and 0.11 g/t Au over 0.13 m (hole GF-3, Thurlow, 1997). Subsequent drilling by Phelps Dodge intersected similar sulphides down dip; however, the zone remains untested along strike and at depth below 100 m (Thurlow, 1998). Goldfish Showing Also discovered by Phelps Dodge in 1997, this zone is located in the northeast corner of license 4330 and consists of a 0.65 m wide section of granular, pyritic, massive sulphides intersected in drill hole GF-9 assaying 1.36% Zn, 0.69% Pb, 0.06% Cu, 164.5 g/t Ag and 0.95 g/t Au over 0.65 m (Thurlow, 1997). The mineralization is interpreted to occur at a transitional contact between aphyric rhyolite breccias (Indian Brook felsic package) and an overlying sequence of felsic tuffaceous rocks and sediments (Batters Brook felsic volcanic package). Qualified Person Statement L. John Peters, P.Geo., who is an independent Qualified Person within the context of National Instrument 43-101 has read and takes responsibility for this news release. Inomin Mines Inc. Per:"David Brett" David H. Brett, MBA Chief Executive Officer & Director For more information please contact: John Gomez, Director Tel. 6044847118 john@inoventcapital.com David Brett Tel. 6046822421 david@inoventcapital.com www.inoventcapital.com Forward-Looking Statement Caution This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to, among other things, the mineral exploration potential of the King's Point Property. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes in that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com, including its Filing Statement dated January 20, 2017 for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. SOURCE: Inomin Mines Inc. Iran is 'on notice': What Flynn meant and how the White House may have miscalculated A White House warning to Tehran on Wednesday may cloud the outlook for foreign investment into Iran , but the Trump administration and its regional allies also risk playing into the Iranian regime's hands as it takes a more strident tone, analysts say. The opening shot will do little to inspire investors to commit to new projects in Iran, which is trying to rebuild its oil and gas sector after years of sanctions. While that may put pressure on Tehran, President Donald Trump has virtually no support in Europe or Asia for new sanctions and may have missed an opportunity to contain the Iranian regime, analysts say. National security advisor Michael Flynn put Iran "on notice" on Wednesday, citing recent ballistic missile tests and support for Houthi rebels in Yemen's civil war. The United States is expected to sanction about two dozen Iranian entities as early as Friday, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The White House did not immediately return CNBC's request for comment. National Security Council staffers offered few additional details during a conference call Wednesday, except to say the White House statement marked the beginning of a deliberation about "a large number of options" the administration can deploy to rein in Iran. They declined to comment on whether that included military options. Staffers said Flynn's statement conveyed that the new administration is thinking about Iran in a different light than the Obama team, and they hope the message immediately dissuades Iran from future provocations. A chilling effect But the NSC staffers also stressed that they were not considering the Iran nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers as part of the deliberations, perhaps suggesting the White House is backing away from Trump's campaign threats to tear up the accord. Indeed, the European signatories, Russia and China all believe Iran is in compliance with that deal, which puts limits on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. That suggests any new sanctions would likely be unilateral, said Greg Priddy, oil market analyst at the Eurasia Group. Story continues The question is whether those sanctions would target individuals and businesses or aim to damage Iran's economy at large, he said. The impact of the latter could be minimal because the United States does little trade with Iran, he noted. But new sanctions could still have a chilling effect on banks that would otherwise fund Iranian projects and the oil giants seeking to develop Iran's huge oil and gas reserves . The Obama administration actively assured foreign banks it was safe to do business in Iran after international sanctions were lifted, but Trump is unlikely to follow suit, Priddy said. "I think there's still a lot of interest in the industry, but this reinforces our view that the [international oil companies] are going to be very cautious," he said. "I don't think you're going to see these move forward to binding contracts and development in the next year or so." Helima Croft, global head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, said Iran watchers may be underestimating the potential impact of sanctions, especially if the United States pursues measures that disrupt other countries' ability to do business with Iran through international financial channels. That could be a risky move. European allies of the U.S. pushed back against previous attempts to impose such sanctions. They only came on board once details of Iran's covert nuclear program came to light. Miscalculating Iran-Saudi rivalry Any outcome that put fewer Iranian barrels into the oil market would be a boon to Saudi Arabia , the world's top oil exporter and Tehran's chief regional rival. Last week, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir said the kingdom is "largely in accord with Trump's stated policies," according to a briefing on his statement from the Saudi U.S. Embassy. One week earlier, Al-Jubeir issued a warning on Iran at the World Economic Forum similar to Flynn's, saying Tehran must be held accountable for supporting terrorism, violating a U.N. resolution on ballistic missile tests and intervening in neighbors' affairs. Flynn's focus on Iran's role in prolonging Yemen's civil war also brought Riyadh and Washington into closer alignment. While President Barack Obama backed the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, his administration angered Riyadh by raising concerns about the high civilian death toll and reportedly blocking arms sales to the kingdom at one point. The Saudis have pummeled their southern neighbor in an effort to oust Houthi rebels who staged a successful coup two years ago. Iran has backed the Houthis, but the depth of its support is in dispute. NSC officials on Wednesday cast the Yemeni-Iranian relationship as strong and indisputable. They said Iran's support was a growing concern after Houthis allegedly fired rockets at a United Arab Emirates warship and an U.S. Navy vessel. That could create problems for shipping vessels, they said. But Priddy said there has been no impact on Red Sea trade. No tankers had adjusted their routes to his knowledge, and Somali pirates tend to be their primary concern in those waters, he said. The scale of Iran's weapons transfers, funding and training in Yemen is open for debate, but the White House has perhaps mischaracterized or misunderstood Iran's goals in the Yemen, according to Alex Vatanka, an Iranian senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. Tehran does not so much see a Houthi victory in Yemen as an end goal, he said. Instead it views the ongoing conflict as a way to drain Saudi Arabia's energy following Riyadh's expensive intervention in 2015 after Yemen's pro-Saudi government fell. Vatanka said the Iranian regime's view is, "If that's Saudi Arabia's Vietnam ... then let the Saudis dig their own grave." "Iran right now is playing the Yemen card as part of a larger geopolitical rivalry with Saudi Arabia," he said. Missed opportunity The Trump administration may have miscalculated in one other key way, Vatanka said. By firing the warning shot shortly after ordering a temporary ban on immigration from Iran, along with six other majority-Muslim nations, Trump is allowing the Iranian regime to push the narrative that the United States is not just opposed to Iranian policy, but fundamentally anti-Iranian. "That was not thought through carefully. This moment, with the missile, is actually an opportunity for the Trump administration to come out and say, 'We're not against the people, we're against the policies of the regime that happens to rule Iran today,'" he said, referring to Iran's latest ballistic missile test earlier this week. Criticizing the missile test more thoughtfully would have been effective because the average Iranian does not support Iranian policy, in Vatanka's view. They are frustrated that the government is spending money to conduct missile tests while economic and social needs are not being met. Following a devastating high-rise fire in Tehran, Vatanka said Iranians were passing around a wry observation on social media: We have missiles that can reach Israel, but not ladders that can extend past 10 stories. "The biggest asset for any U.S. president in putting pressure on the Iranian regime is the people of Iran," he said. Feb 2, 2017, 4:20am ET Alfa Romeo to introduce Giulia coupe in Geneva? The Giulia Sprint will be joined by a convertible model named Giulia Spider. Alfa Romeo's first four-seater coupe in seven years will break cover next month during the Geneva Auto Show, according to industry rumors. The two-door will receive the historic Giulia Sprint nameplate, according to Australian website Motoring, and it will compete in the same segment as the BMW 4 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. Alfa is taking a modular approach to building cars, so the Sprint will share its rear-wheel drive platform with the Giulia sedan (pictured) and the Stelvio crossover. In the U.S., the Giulia Sprint will launch with a turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine tuned to provide 276 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive will come standard, and all-wheel drive will be offered at an extra cost. The Fiat-owned brand is prepared for a tussle in the track-ready coupe segment. The range-topping Sprint Quadrifoglio will get a twin-turbocharged, 2.9-liter V6 rated at 505 horsepower. That will be enough grunt to send the coupe from zero to 60 mph in under four seconds. The Giulia Sprint will quickly be joined by a convertible model named Giulia Spider. Both models are tentatively scheduled to arrive in showrooms in about a year. Alfa Romeo hasn't commented on the rumor, so we'll have to wait until the Geneva show opens its doors to find out what will be on display on the company's stand. Photo by Ronan Glon. Feb 2, 2017, 1:41pm ET BMW of North America to replace executive vice president It is unclear if the shakeup is related to BMW\'s nearly 10-percent sales decline in the US last year. BMW has announced an executive shakeup within its North American division. The current executive vice president of North American operations, Petter Witt, will leave his position at the end of the month. BMW suggests he is "moving on to a new role outside the company." Witt spent less than a year serving as executive VP, where he was responsible for all BMW sales operations within the US market. It is unclear if Witt may have been pressured to leave after BMW brand sales fell by nearly 10 percent in the US last year. He departs as BMW faces increasing competitive pressure after losing the US luxury sales crown to rival Mercedes-Benz. The company has also named Bernhard Kuhnt as its new CEO of North America, responsible for the US market. He will be tasked with finding a successor to Witt. "Bernhard brings many years of experience in the global automotive industry to his new role here in the United States," said Ludwig Willisch, head of BMW Group Region Americas. "At the same time, we are sorry to say goodbye to Petter Witt, but wish him the greatest success in his new business endeavor." Both Hyundai and Mazda replaced top US executives after in recent months. Like BMW, the Korean and Japanese automakers lagged behind the industry in terms of sales growth last year. BAGHDAD, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Iraq extended a wheat import tender to Feb. 12, from Feb.5, and canceled a clause about the origin of the shipments, the trade ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The initial tender on Jan. 25 specified the United States, Canada and Australia as countries of origin. The modified tender says shipments from all origins will be considered provided they comply with the contract's specifications. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; editing by Jason Neely) This coming Saturday international peace campaigners will gather in Kildare for the annual Feile Bhride conference organised by the Afri peace and justice organisation. The conference will take place in Solas Bhride Centre from 10am to 4.30pm. The theme this year looks at war, climate change and the forced migration of people and asks "how can we transform this vicious circle of darkness into a virtuous circle of light?". This question will form the basis of the Afri Conference at Feile Bride. Speakers include Kathy Kelly, a US peace activist, author and founder member of Voices in the Wilderness. A resident of Obamas home town of Chicago, she has travelled to Iraq over twenty five times, including during the early days of the recent Iraq war and she has spent time in Afghanistan and Palestine. According to organisers Kathy has been arrested over 60 times and several prison sentences including a three month term for attempting to deliver a loaf of bread in a symbolic act to US drone operators. Kelly is also described as a war tax resister and has refused to pay U.S federal taxes on pacifist grounds since 1982. Also visiting is Alastair McIntosh, a well-known Scottish author, Quaker, activist and visiting professor at the University of Glasgow who speaks passionately about climate change, land, peace, and justice issues. Irishman Dave Donnellan will also attend. He is an Irish filmmaker whose recent documentary on the LGBT community in East Timor was broadcast on RTE1. In May 2016 alongside Colm Roddy he was arrested at Shannon Airport in a peaceful protest against the U.S military use of Shannon. A powerful show of farming, community, environmental groups and local and national politicians told the government that theres no time for delay on the bill to ban fracking. Representatives were speaking at a press conference in Dublin Feb 1st 2017 about the public consultation on the bill to ban fracking. The consultation was called in late December and organisations and individuals are being asked to send in their submissions with the closing date now extended till Feb 10th. The bill was voted unanimously through the Dail on October 27th but subsequent to that decision, the public consultation was announced. Submissions were delivered on the day from Love Leitrim, Leitrim Co Co, and GEAI as well as 250 farming petitions gathered by local Leitrim farmer Michael Gallagher. Love Leitrims submission recommendations were to pass the bill in its current form to the next stage, to not delay in that aim or water it down. Submissions were presented to Hildegarde Naughton, the Chair of the committee scrutinising the bill. A hand made St Brigids cross from Leitrim to commemorate the day, and to warn off danger and protect from harm was also presented to the Chair. Friends of the Earth also delivered a petition with 7,500 names that they and Uplift had gathered online. A recurring theme at the press conference voiced from representatives, was a concern that the bill was being delayed. Tony McLoughlin TD who sponsored the bill reminded the people present that the bill was only part of the way there. He said We cannot afford delays of any kind He urged that the bill get clear passage with no ifs or buts Eddie Mitchell of Love Leitrim said The only thing that can stop this bill is if people want to hold it back." Martin Kenny TD of Sligo Leitrim reiterated that sentiment, even though a ban in fracking was voted for unanimously through the Dail, there were still forces behind the scenes promoting fracking. He said There are vested interests pulling strings. Brid Smith TD said that she was worried that they are dragging it out, to make the bill fall. Heightened public pressure to ensure the bill continues without needless delays she felt was now the priority. To that end the crowd was reminded that the Friends of the Earth and Uplift petition was still online for people to sign. A vision of a frack free country was one that was in sight. Kate Ruddock of Friends of the Earth rounded off the conference to say that Fracking plays no part in our future. Tamara Jade Huxtable did not have the 18th birthday weekend she expected, when she was the victim of a serious car crash in Keshcarrigan last Friday, January 27. The Drumshanbo girl was thrown from the back seat of the car after it hit a barrier on Friday morning. Tamara was left with a number of serious injuries but her mother Sue has told the paper they realise she is lucky to have survived. As her family and friends await Tamara's recovery, they are seeking out the good Samaritan who came across the accident and helped Tamara as she waited for assistance. Sue Huxtable told the paper, the first man on the scene of the accident put Tamara in his car to wait on paramedics and Gardai. However when paramedics arrived on the scene they didnt want to move Tamara as they did not know the extent of her injuries. The fire brigade then had to cut off the roof of the car belonging to the kind gentleman and after removing Tamara airlifted her to Sligo University Hospital. Sue said the family feel so bad for the man and want to get in touch with him to express their gratitude for his kindness and apologise for the major inconvenience. All they know is that the man is from Sligo. If this man can contact the paper, we will put him in touch with the Huxtable family. Tamara is recovering in Sligo Hospital, she had surgery on her broken wrist and will need months of bed rest for a cracked bone in her pelvis and tailbone. She also had stitches to her head and is suffering from bruising, but her family are happy that she should fully recover within a few months. Her mother said she is doing good but is still in shock. Tamara turned 18 at the weekend and had expected to go to Sligo on a night out, not to end up in surgery there. The other occupants of the car were uninjured. The road from Pruglish junction to Keshcarrigan village was closed for most of Friday as part of the Garda investigation into the accident. Tamara's family said they are grateful to everyone who attended the scene and helped Tamara as well as the local man who drove the good Samaritan back to Sligo. The Ballinamore community are holding a fundraising night for 28-year-old Colm Costello's Recovery Fund in The Commercial Hotel this Saturday night, February 4. The night hopes to raise funds for a young man who has been in a coma for six months and who is fighting an unknown illness. Colm suffered a rare auto-immune neurological disorder in the summer of 2016 and has been unconscious in St Vincents ICU Dublin since. According to his father Paul there are four different antibodies attacking his sons' body and this has never been recorded before. Mr Costello said his son returned from a holiday to America in the summer and didnt feel well. He put it down to jet lag but then he collapsed and had a seizure. He went to Cavan hospital a few days later, but they couldnt figure out what was wrong. It was only when the seizures became frequent he was admitted to St Vincent's ICU and then he had multiple seizures. He was on a ventilator for four weeks. The Costello family have only recently received the diagnosis as up to then they just didn't know what was wrong with him. Paul told the paper, The antibodies are attacking his brain, body and immune system. He has started on a severe treatment and the medical team are waiting to see what the outcome of that will be. Paul Costello said St Vincent's ICU are liaising with Oxford University. The world-renowned university holds a worldwide video link conference each week to speak to other universities around the world. He said Colm's condition has been a regular topic in these monthly links. Paul said it is a very scary time for the family as they dont know what the outcome will be or how long they will need to wait for Colm to wake up. His family take it in turn to visit him every day and talk to him, along with his partner Niamh Smith. He said all of their lives are on hold until they find out more about Colm. Colm had a liver transplant at 18 years of age, but this is no way connected to this illness. His liver is 100% and Paul said he knows his son would want people to know that organ donation has given him an amazing gift but it has been ruled out as having any connection to his current illness. Paul described his son as a strong muscley man whose physique, he said, has been reduced by 6 months in bed. He said the 28-year-old worked in Glancys SuperValu in Carrick-on-Shannon and lives in Ballinamore with his partner Niamh. He has a huge interest in ponies. He breeds and attends shows. He is heavily involved in the Connemara Breeders Association who will be auctioning off items on the night of the fundraiser. Paul said the support and help from friends and neighbours has been unbelievable. He commented, Rural Ireland is still alive and well. He said they dont know what route they will need to take in the future care of Colm and that is why the recovery fund has been set up. Colm had previously worked in the family run Centra in Killeshandra, Co Cavan - so is well known in a large circle. The fundraising night is being held in The Commercial Hotel, Ballinamore on Saturday, February 4. There will be live music and an auction on the night. The items for auction are many but if you love horses there will be plenty of amazing items up for grabs. A fundraising account has been set up in Ballinamore Credit Union 03921582 Ref 9376-9 Colm Costello recovery Fund IBAN: IE24 AIB 93703703921582 BIC: AIBKIED2D There is also a GoFundMe.com website set up to raise funds from people who cannot attend the fundraiser night this Saturday. During the August Bank Holiday weekend of 2015 public awareness of the refugee crisis arguably reached its peak. In particular, images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach sparked public outrage, and a wave of ideological mobilisation. That is not to say that the country did not care prior to this incident, but for many months following that particular fatality social media outlets were awash with vocal outcries of sympathy. Much has happened, however, since then. The world has suffered the election of Donald Trump, a referendum mandating the UKs exit from the European Union, and waves of brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Europe, as well as the threat of right wing nationalists coming to power in France, to name but a few. However, whilst these events have been, without doubt, devastating, it is important not to forget about the continuing crisis across the middle-east and Mediterranean. Amongst such a turbulent political atmosphere, it has been easy for the Government to get away with not pulling its weight in dealing with the refugee crisis. This is most apparent in the implementation of the Immigration Act 2016. Most notably, section 67 of the Act the so-called Dubs amendment makes provision for the UK to accept an undefined number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children. The figure discussed in the original amendment was 3,000 children; however, the most recent figures from the Home Office show that just 200 children have been transferred under the system so far. Even now, (more than 8 months since the Act gained royal assent) the final number of children to be transferred under the system has not been announced in either chamber. Yet, with both Houses of Parliament focused on the Brexit drama, terrorism and President Trump, there is arguably little political energy to be afforded to the refugee crisis. This means that the Government is able to get away with doing so little to fulfil its pledge to bring 20,000 Syrian refugees to the UK by 2020 under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme. We are nearly halfway towards the deadline of the pledge yet, as of mid-2016 less than 3,000 refugees have arrived in the UK. Equally, with such a turbulent political background, it is easy to miss the impact of the cuts to asylum seekers provisioned through the Immigration Act 2016. The Act removed section 4 support which provided financial provisions for migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected. Under the Act this provision has been replaced with Section 95a. However, in order to qualify for support under section 95A, individuals and families who have had their asylum application refused will need to demonstrate that they are destitute and face a genuine obstacle to leave the United Kingdom. This provision relies on families already being destitute, rather than preventing the creation of this destitution in the first place. Section 67, the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, and asylum support are just three areas out of many in which the British Government is failing to do its duty to protect vulnerable displaced people despite a capacity to do so. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of the Governments child safeguarding strategy to be released in May. This strategy review is an ideal opportunity to address some of the biggest challenges faced by unaccompanied children entering the British asylum system. Amongst other things the review has the potential to look at age assessments, legal guardians and family reunion provisions, as well as a review of the UKs capacity to receive more child refugees, in order to revise the UKs inhumane asylum policy. In closing, with so much turmoil in the world the impending Brexit negotiations, Trumps imminent inauguration, and a world ravaged by terrorism it is easy to turn inwards and neglect our moral responsibility to help displaced refugees facing unimaginable peril. We must remember that the UK is a compassionate country, which does have the ability to extend a helping hand to those with the ill-fortune to be caught up in brutal displacement. In any single one of the ideas discussed here, there is the potential to help others; we are able to do this, and we should, in order to ensure that this Parliament is remembered for doing something which promotes community and open arms, rather than enacting an agenda of narrow-mindedness and introversion. A SOUTHILL man who is accused of threatening a woman with a scissors after breaking into her bedroom has been refused bail. Dylan Williams, aged 19, of Lawn Way, John Carew Park is accused of entering the womans home in the early hours of January 26, last. He is also charged with burglary relating to an incident at Southill Junior School on the same night. Opposing bail, Garda Paul Guilfoyle said it will be alleged Williams held a scissors to the womans throat before demanding money from her. He said it will be further alleged that he punched her in the face and cut her left hand when she tried to raise the alarm. Judge Marian OLeary was told the incident happened at the womans home in OMalley Park at around 4.30am and that investigating gardai expect that further more serious charges will be preferred on the defendant. Garda Guilfoyle said Williams was arrested near Southill Junior School shortly after gardai responded to an intruder alarm. He said there was blood on Williams hands and that blood spatters were found on a window frame which had been broken by the intruder. He added that gardai were alerted to the incident at the womans home a short time later. Limerick District Court was told investigating gardai are concerned the defendant will not abide by any bail conditions imposed by the court and that he will engage in further criminality if released. Garda Guilfoyle said the teenager made certain admissions during interviews following his arrest and he submitted the evidence in the case is very strong. He is likely to receive a lengthy (custodial) sentence, if convicted, he said. Judge OLeary was told the complainant and the accused man are known to each other and that gardai are concerned attempts may be made to intimidate her before the conclusion of the proceedings. Solicitor Sarah Ryan said her client can be a bit lippy and mouthy but insisted the garda concerns were unfounded. Nothing is going to happen, she said. Having considered the matter, Judge OLeary said she was refusing bail on the basis of the evidence before me. She remanded Williams in custody until February 14, next pending further directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. THE Minister for Education and Skills says he is willing to consider a request to meet with some of the men who were sexually abused at Creagh Lane National School in the city more than fifty years ago. However, Minister Richard Bruton has told the Dail that current legislation does not allow for the victims to be included in a redress scheme which was established to compensate those who were sexually abused at certain State-operated residential institutions. Speaking during a Topical Issues debate on Tuesday evening, Limerick city TD Willie ODea called for the victims from Creagh Lane NS to be given access to the scheme. A redress scheme is a redress scheme, and a redress scheme should be concerned only with whether abuse took place, whether people were affected by it and the level of compensation. We want justice for the victims of the sexual and physical abuse suffered in Creagh Lane primary school, he said adding that it is not disputed that the men were abused by a teacher while attending the school. The victims in question have fought long and hard. Their lives have been undermined and, in some cases, destroyed as a result of what they suffered as innocent children in the care of the State, he added. Deputy Paul Murphy of the Anti Austerity Alliance says he is supporting the calls from Deputy ODea to give the victims access to the redress scheme. The men were abused by a teacher being paid by the State. That is uncontested. The man was convicted. Afterwards, the victims faced threats and bullying all over again, this time from the State, he said. Speaking during Tuesday nights debate, Minister Bruton said the law, as it stands, does not allow for the victims to be given access to the redress scheme. The school referred to by the Deputies was not a residential institution, was not listed on the schedule of institutions covered by the legislation and, because it was a day school, was not eligible for inclusion within the redress scheme. While there were calls for the redress scheme to be extended to other types of institutions and to day schools, the Government decided not to extend it, he said. When pushed by Deputy ODea, the minister said he would consider a request to meet with some of those who were abused at Creagh Lane National School during the 1960s. I will consider that matter, but I do not have the capacity to deal with the issue. The legislation is clear and I cannot just change this situation. That is the legal advice that I have received. I will consider the request, but I do not want to give the impression that I am in a position to introduce a scheme of compensation when the established rules as to when the State is liable are clear. I do not want to give a false sense of expectation, he said in reply to Deputy ODea. THOUSANDS of commuters in Limerick are facing the prospect of being left without a public transport service later this month if workers at Bus Eireann go on strike as is expected. Unions representing workers in Limerick and across the country are due to meet in Dublin this Thursday to agree a plan-of-action ahead of February 20 the date from which company management intends implementing a cost-cutting plan. Around 50 drivers and inspectors, who are represented by the National Bus and Railworkers' Union were briefed by union officials at a meeting in the city on Tuesday while Unite, which represents around 20 craft workers at the Bus Eireann depot in the city says its members have voted in favour of industrial action. The ballot result reflects the anger felt by Unite members and other Bus Eireann workers at the companys behaviour during the past number of months, and in particular the past fortnight, said Willie Quigley, regional organiser with Unite. While Taoiseach Enda Kenny has called for management and unions to enter talks, Dermot O Leary, secretary general of the NBRU, who visited Limerick this week, is calling on Minister for Transport Shane Ross to intervene in the dispute, which is set to come to a head in the coming weeks. Someone needs to take control and the only person who can take control at this stage is the minister, he said. Separately, Senator Paul Gavan this week issued a stark warning on the potential impact to rural bus services in County Limerick if the government does provide additional funds to Bus Eireann. Unless Minister for Transport Shane Ross and his government colleagues are forced into a reversal of policy, this government could destroy much of our existing rural bus network, he said during a debate in the Seanad. People living in County Limerick are not only entitled to a well funded bus network, many of them actually depend on these services. This is another example of the callous disregard for rural Ireland by this government, said the Castleconnell based senator. The former union official has issued a call to all of Limericks public representatives to demand government action to invest in Bus Eireann's transport services for rural Ireland. He maintained that the current crisis in the State bus company is as a direct result of Government policy. The 2011 Fine Gael election manifesto pledged to open up all bus routes to competition, and this has enabled private operators to cherry pick the profitable routes leaving Bus Eireann to carry the full cost of fulfilling its public service obligations (PSO) to rural communities and county towns, he said. It is unclear if any services will operate if workers at Bus Eireann engage in a campaign of industrial action. HEADMASTER of Glenstal Abbey School, Fr William Fennelly, noted the word in Latin for happy is the same as blessed beatus. He was commenting after his alma mater was named as the country's best-performing school in the Sunday Independent School League Tables. One hundred per cent of pupils from 2009 to 2016 went on to third level. It rose from third spot in the list last year. Laurel Hill Colaiste narrowly missed out on being named as first in the non fee paying schools list with 99%. Ardscoil Ris was seventh in Ireland with 97%. Fr William said he was delighted but hoped that we are about more than just league tables. Its a great school for an awful lot more reasons than league tables. Success has many different shapes and hues its sporting, musical and spiritual. This is a place where boys become men of soul, that is our tag-line. I want them to be going off making a contribution - that is the big thing for me - that they have all those skills, not just for themselves, but for the good of others, said Fr William, who is from the South Circular Road. He stresses that the happiness of the boys in his care is vital. The word in Latin for happy is the same as the word for blessed they are two sides of the one coin. It makes a clear and helpful link. Fundamentally what parents are looking for is the school that suits their child best. We can all talk about results, and parents are very driven about getting results because they want them to have all the possibilities they can, but the fundamental thing is how can my child become all that he can be, said Fr William. The cost of seven day boarding is 18,950, while day boarding costs 11,350. The most expensive in Ireland is St Columbas College in Dublin at 22,350. Aedin Ni Bhriain, principal of Laurel Hill Colaiste FCJ, and Fr William have a lot in common. They are the heads of the schools they attended as teenagers and stress the importance of the formation of young people rather than a league table. Indeed, Fr Williams sisters Janet, Suzanne and Mary attended the school on the South Circular Road. Ms Ni Bhriain said in their school the key word is companionship. That is what our founders wanted, that everyone should look out for each other thats what we want them to do in life as well. A happy student is the most important thing of all and when that comes right everything else will fall into place. What you really want for them is that they would feel a sense of happiness and where their place in society is going to be when they become young adults. Obviously working towards exams and being consistent is part of it. The results will hopefully come along as a result of a happy person that is what you strive for, said Ms Ni Bhriain. And the results are coming along. Were delighted obviously but the hard work goes on like it does in every school. People give it their best and thats all you can ask of them. It is a team effort between teachers, parents and pupils. It is nice when it is affirmed in the media but there is fantastic work going on in this school and in every school around this country all year round. It is great but there are so many other ways that they shine when they are in secondary school apart from results, said Ms Ni Bhriain, who adds that it is brilliant for Limerick to see the high standards and the interest in education that is there in the city and county. It has always been the case but it is nice to see it highlighted, she said. Senator Maria Byrne also highlighted that Limerick schools have featured highly in the list detailing the best schools in Ireland on the basis of college entry. It is great to see Limerick schools featuring so prominently on the list of best schools in Ireland. Our local schools are achieving real success in terms of encouraging students to go on to third level education once they have completed their Leaving Certificate. Fine Gael in Government is prioritising education in order to secure our countrys future. The Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, has a comprehensive plan to make Irelands education service the best in Europe within the decade. "The plan aims to see a 30% increase in the number of students from disadvantaged areas attending higher level as well as better supports for children in difficulty. I am glad to see Limerick schools already doing well in this regard and I hope to see this continue, said Senator Byrne. Limerick city and county schools: Percentage of students placed in third level 2009 2016: Ardscoil Ris, North Circular Road, 97% Ardscoil Mhuire, Corbally, 65% Askeaton Community College, 79% Castletroy College, 93% Colaiste Chiarain, Croom, 70% Colaiste Ide agus Iosaef, Abbeyfeale, 73% Colaiste Iosaef, Kilmallock, 72% Colaiste Nano Nagle, Limerick city, 65% Crescent College Comprehensive, Dooradoyle, 94% Desmond College, Newcastle West, 57% Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh, Limerick city, 92% Glenstal Abbey School, Murroe, 100% Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher, 75% John the Baptist Community School, Hospital, 88% Laurel Hill Colaiste FCJ, South Circular Road, 99% Laurel Hill Secondary School, South Circular Road, 90% Mercy Community College, Rathkeale, 75% Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry, 78% Salesian Secondary School, Limerick city, 58% Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, Newcastle West, 90% Scoil na Trionoide Naofa, Doon, 78% Scoil Pol, Kilfinane, 89% Sexton Street CBS, Limerick city, 52% St Clements College, Limerick city, 84% St Munchins, Corbally, 82% St Nessans, Moylish, 46% Villiers Secondary School, Limerick city, 87% (Source: Sunday Independent School League Tables) FINANCE Minister Michael Noonan has hailed Gus O'Driscoll, who died this week, as a "very distinguished Mayor of Limerick". Tributes have been rolling in for the former Mayor and long-serving councillor. The well-known publican, who ran the Corbally Bar, was Mayor in 1971 and 1989 and a life time member of the Fine Gael party. Denis 'Gus' O'Driscoll, of Corbally, died peacefully at University Hospital Limerick this Tuesday, surrounded by his loving family. Leading the tributes, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan described him as a great councillor. He was a good friend of mine. He was a very distinguished Mayor of Limerick, and he was very respected right through the city and in his own ward, and he had a great understanding of business. And I would like to express my sympathy to his wife and to his family. The popular former councillor was elected Limerick's first citizen in 1971, and also served as president of the Munster Branch and a trustee of Shannon RFC. The club said in a post on Facebook: Not only was Gus a truly great clubman, he was a Trustee of our club and had a lifelong dedication to Shannon. When first elected, he called for a "full-blown" university in Limerick with a powers to "grant degrees in a broad range of faculties". Mayor Kieran O'Hanlon said it was with "great sadness" that he had heard of Gus' passing. "I served with Gus on Limerick City Council from 1991 to 1999. I remember him as a dedicated councillor, committed to Limerick. Fine Gael senator Kieran ODonnell said that he was hugely popular as a publican and politician, and he left his own mark on all aspects of Limerick life. The current Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon said it was with "great sadness" that he had heard of Gus' passing. "I served with Gus on Limerick City Council from 1991 to 1999. I remember him as a dedicated councillor, committed to Limerick," he said. "He came from a business background, adding a good balance to the council. He led the campaign to retain Barringtons Hospital and was instrumental in establishing the Civic Week Festival, which was held for the first time in March 1972. "Gus was very well liked and popular. He was devoted to his family and loved Shannon Rugby. My sympathies and the sympathies of the people of Limerick go to Guss wife Marie, sons Denis and Dermot, daughter Mary, sister Phil and his beloved grandchildren Lauren, Tommy, Cian, Denis, Paddy, Conor, Shane, Emily and Sarah." The Mayor added that the flag would fly at half mast at council offices and a special council meeting will take place this Friday. Labour TD Jan O'Sullivan paid tribute to him "for his dedicated service to Limerick as Mayor and as a member of the City Council for many years. "I represented what was then Ward 2 along with Gus for more than a decade and saw his commitment at close hand, and the leadership he showed on issues that affected the city, the ward and particularly the Corbally area," said the former education minister. "He was an impressive speaker on the Council and wherever he represented the people of Limerick. No issue of concern to his constituents was too big or too small for him to take up and pursue. "Gus passion for sport and particularly Shannon RFC is also well recognised. My sympathy goes to Marie, Mary, Dennis, Dermot and his extended family." Gus O'Driscoll will repose at Thompson's Funeral Home this Thursday from 5pm, with removal at 7.30pm to St Mary's Church, Athlunkard Street. Funeral Mass Friday at 11am, with burial afterwards in the Mount St Lawrence Cemetery. A WEST Limerick priest was tied up and robbed during a burglary at his home last night. Parish Priest of Shanagolden Canon Tony OKeeffe was targeted at his home after coming home from Mass in Foynes between 8pm and 9pm. He was confronted by three burglars in the house, who tied him up and put him into a back room, and they proceeded to burgle the house where there was a safe, said Limerick TD Niall Collins. It is not known whether they made away with the contents of the safe. Canon OKeeffe eventually freed himself after the burglars left and subsequently raised the alarm. Hes pretty traumatised about the whole thing and so is the wider community, said Deputy Collins. I dont think hes injured but hes pretty shook up, the local community is completely shocked by it. It just shows that the crime statistics go up and down, but crime never goes away, and it shows the degree of vulnerability of people living alone in rural Ireland, he added. It is understood that the priest was targeted by the burglars as he lived alone and may have been handling money in his role as parish priest. Farmers, landowners and walkers are being urged to check ditches and lands, as items may have been discarded after the burglars left the scene. A CCTV hard drive and a wallet are believed to have been among the stolen items. The gardai have set up an incident room in Newcastle West and theres an appeal for information. Gardai said in a statement: "A male occupant was confronted by three males who entered the house. They locked the man in an upstairs room and ransacked the house. The man was not threatened or injured. He managed to free himself after a period of time and raised the alarm. The three men had fled the scene sometime previously. "The scene was preserved for technical examination. The men are described as mid 20s of average height and were all wearing hoodies." If anyone noticed anything significant or out of place in the area last night, they are being urged to pass it on to gardai at Newcastle West at 069 20650. PAT OMalley, wife of the former Limerick TD and Progressive Democrats founder Des OMalley, has passed away. She is survived by her husband, former Minister for Justice, whose 78th birthday is today. Originally from Tyrone, Pat lived with her husband Des and their children in Corbally for many years. She was a great family woman, said local Independent councillor and former Progressive Democrat Brigid Teefy. Mrs OMalleys health had been deteriorating in recent times, and she went downhill very quickly. Its very, very sad to hear of her passing. We were close for many many years when they were in Limerick, said Ms Teefy. Mrs OMalley famously greeted her husband as he left a Fianna Fail meeting after having been expelled from the party for conduct unbecoming. The couple kissed for the television cameras, and Des joked: I hope that is not conduct unbecoming. Mrs OMalley voiced concerns about the foundation by her husband of the Progressive Democrats, even threatening to publicly disrupt the launch in late 1985. She also warned activists that her Des was difficult. Despite this, she was a hugely supportive figure for her famous husband during his political career, and their daughter Fiona OMalley later followed her father into politics. She was always a great support for her husband and family. He was Minister for Justice at a very difficult time, recalled Ms Teefy. While Des OMalley was Justice Minister, Pat and her family were under threat from the IRA, and they developed friendships with the families of the gardai who protected them, including Jerry McCabe who was murdered by the IRA in Adare in 1996. When Des OMalley retired from politics in 2002, the family was based in Dublin. Pat and Des OMalleys daughter, Fiona, later served as a TD and senator. Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin paid tribute to Pat, who he said was "a constant support to Des political campaigns since his first election to Dail Eireann in 1965. "During the 1970s when Des was Minister for Justice, Pat suffered as a result of the campaign of intimidation resulting from her husbands stance on the Provisional IRA. A proud Tyrone woman, Pat made Limerick her home, and was embedded in her community in Corbally until she and Des moved to Dublin in 2002. On behalf of the Fianna Fail organisation, I want to express my deepest sympathies to Des, and her children Catherine, Hillary, Maeve, Fiona, Eoin and Des J," he added. Funeral arrangements for Pat OMalley have yet to be announced. ONE of James Joyces most popular short stories has received an operatic makeover in an award winning production coming to the Belltable. The Dead lends itself very well to a musical treatment, playwright Tom Swift explains. The story, centring around a dinner party and husband and wife Gabriel and Gretta, has much humour and life in it, he says. I think people will enjoy it. It is funny it is a play that, if you dont know the story or havent seen the film version of it, the title is a little, eh, somber, he laughs. But it is actually full of laughs, believe it or not, as well as being a really great story about a couple and how they completely change their view of each other by the end of the story. Swift collaborated with Ellen Cranitch on the piece, which is produced by the Performance Corporation who brought Beautiful Dreamers to Limerick in 2014 and directed by Jo Mangan, one of the original programmers for City of Culture. Written for just four actors, they are joined on stage by a string quartet, to illuminate the party atmosphere. There are references to everything from traditional Sean-nos songs, Italian opera, to music hall numbers, and discussed at length at this party, Tom explains. I think, as Irish people, we can really relate to the elements of what happens at an Irish gathering or party, and of course, there is even everything from jokes to political argument about the church and politics. What really struck me, re-reading the story, is how much humour and how much life there is in it. We have really tried to have all of those textures in the show, from the high comedy and slapstick to the tragedy of the ending. - The Dead comes to the Belltable this Saturday night. See www.limetreetheatre.ie for more TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that his plans to meet with Toyota Motor Corp Chief Executive Akio Toyoda on Friday were arranged months ago and he did not suddenly summon Toyoda in response to U.S. rhetoric on trade policy. Abe, speaking in the lower house budget committee, said he has no plans to give instructions to Toyoda, amid growing criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump about Japanese auto imports. (Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Chris Gallagher) We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. * Argentina plans US$1.5bn-$2bn in Swiss franc bonds * Argentina's GDP warrants rally on improving economic data * Research provider Lucror bulks up LatAm coverage By Mike Gambale NEW YORK, Feb 2 (IFR) - Below is a recap of primary issuance activity in the LatAm primary market on Thursday: Number of deals priced: 3 Total issuance volume: US$1.05bn, 600m RUMO Brazilian railroad operator Rumo announced a new US dollar seven-year non-call four bond. The senior unsecured 144A/RegS bond is expected to be rated BB-/BB-. Rumo SA and America Latina Logistica Malha Norte (ALL) are acting as guarantors, while Rumo Luxembourg will be the issuer. Proceeds are being used to repay short-term debt and for GCP. Bookrunners are BB Securities, Bradesco, BTG Pactual, Itau, Morgan Stanley and Santander. IPTs: high 7% GUIDANCE: Rumo US$ 7NC4 bond at 7.50% area (+/-12.5bp) LAUNCH: US$750m 7NC4 bond at 7.375% PRICED: US$750m 7NC4: par; 7.375%Y BANCO SUPERVIELLE Banco Supervielle, the fifth largest Argentine domestically-owned private bank in terms of assets, announced a US$300m equivalent ARS denominated 3.5-year bond. The 144A/RegS bond has an average life of three quarters of a year and a coupon floor of 18%. Expected ratings are B3/B by Moody's and Fitch. Credit Suisse and Santander are acting as leads. IPTs: Badlar plus 450bp area GUIDANCE: 3.5-year ARS bond at Badlar+450bp, the number LAUNCH: US$300m equivalent 3.5-year ARS bond at Badlar+450bp PRICED: US$300m equiv 3.5-year ARS bond at par to yield Badlar+450bp SIGMA ALIMENTOS Sigma Alimentos, a multinational food company with market positions in Europe, the US and Latin America, has announced a euro-denominated seven-year fixed-rate benchmark offering. Ratigns are Baa3/BBB/BBB. BNP Paribas and JP Morgan are active joint bookrunners, while MUFG and Rabobank were passive. IPTs - MS+250bp-262.5bp GUIDANCE: EUR600m 7-yr at MS+237.5bp-250bp LAUNCH: EUR600m 7-yr at MS+225bp PRICED: EUR600m 7-yr: 99.628; 2.625%C; 2.684%Y; MS+225bp Story continues PIPELINE Compania Latinoamericana de Infraestructura y Servicios (CLISA) has set initial price thoughts of high 9% on a US$100m tap of its 9.5% 2023 bonds. The Argentine infrastructure firm is expected to price the deal as soon as Monday through BCP Securities and Santander. The company issued US$200m of the notes in July last year, pricing them at 98.753 to yield 9.75%. Ratings are B-/B-. The Province of Buenos Aires is readying fixed-income investors meetings as it prepares to market a US dollar bond sale. The borrower will split into two teams and will be in New York and London on February 6 and in New York and Boston on February 7. Ratings are B3/B-. BBVA, BNP Paribas and JP Morgan have been mandated to coordinate the meetings. Stoneway Capital Corporation, a private company with equity contributed by Siemens AG, formed for the purpose of constructing, owning, and operating four simple-cycle power generating plants in the Buenos Aires region of Argentina, has secured four Power Purchase Agreements through CAMMESA for a 10-year period on each. The company mandated Jefferies as sole global coordinator and Jefferies and Seaport Global as joint-bookrunners to arrange meetings with fixed income investors starting on January 31 for a US$500m US dollar-denominated 144A/Reg S senior secured offering of 10-year maturity. The roadshow schedule is as follows: Wed Feb 1: New York, Thu Feb 2: New York, Fri Feb 3: Los Angeles, Mon Feb 6: Boston, Tue Feb 7: London, Wed Feb 8: London, Thu Feb 9: Frankfurt/Munich. Peruvian mortgage bank Fondo Mivivienda started roadshows this week to market a possible sol and/or dollar denominated bond issue. The company will wrap up roadshows in New York on Friday. Expected ratings are BBB+/BBB+ by S&P and Fitch. Morgan Stanley and Scotiabank have been mandated to organize the fixed-income investor meetings. Fondo Mivivienda is controlled by the government of Peru and is the country's leading mortgage financing developer and promoter. Uruguay will sell $2.05 billion in debt in 2017, up from $1.7 billion last year, the Economy Ministry said in a report, as the country aims to balance its books after posting its sharpest fiscal deficit in years. The South American country's financing needs will total $2.97 billion, the report said. The country plans to receive $550 million from multilateral lenders and will tap reserves for $200 million, with the remaining $170 million coming from other sources. Argentina plans to issue US$1.5bn-$2bn of Swiss franc bonds in two to three issuances this year, one of which will be in the first quarter, Reuters quoted Finance Minister Luis Caputo saying. Caputo has previously said a total of $3 billion in non-dollar bonds will be issued this year, following the sale of $7 billion in dollar bonds last month. Brazilian power company Neoenergia is considering a possible US dollar bond debut this year after sending out requests for proposals in late 2016, two market sources told IFR. Neoenergia Group's principal shareholders are Banco do Brasil's pension fund Previ, with a 49.01% stake, and Spain's Iberdrola with a 39% stake, according to the company's website. Paraguay is considering raising up to US$550m in the bond market in March, Reuters quoted Finance Minister Santiago Pena saying. Inversiones Atlantida, the largest financial group in Honduras, has finished roadshows to market a potential debut US dollar bond through Oppenheimer. Expected ratings are B/B by S&P and Fitch. (Reporting by Mike Gambale; Editing by Paul Kilby and Shankar Ramakrishnan) VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2017 / The global lithium market is now projected to reach US$1.7 billion by 2019, and the hunger for this decade's most precious commodity is set to intensify further now that America's first battery gigafactory is online and ready to start pumping out batteries to support the mass production of electric vehiclesjust for starters. Against this backdrop, there is nowhere more exciting to be than on the ground floor of a new lithium development, and the general consensus is that 2017 will lend critical acclaim to small-cap lithium companies hitting up the U.S. state of Nevada or the Latin American 'Lithium Triangle'. Lithium has become such a high-demand material driven by rapid expansion of the battery industry, Freedonia Group Global projects demand to rise 8.9% through 2019, which in dollar value for lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) is roughly $1.7 billion. Lux Research, a leading independent research and advisory firm, believes the electric vehicle market will grow to $10 billion within the next four years, while Navigant Research forecasts sales of electric vehicles to increase from 2.6 million in 2015 to over 6 million in 2024. According to Deutsche Bank, demand for lithium will rise from 209,000 tonnes in 2016 to 534,000 tonnes in 2025. Tesla Motors (TSLA) is leading the market for now because competition is all about lithium-ion batteries. But German and Chinese competitors are racing to the finish line as well. This is a heated battle for new market share, and the key weapons are lithium and batteries. Tesla is ahead of the competition because it's got its own battery gigafactory. And it's only a lack of battery supply that could give its competitorslike BMW (BAMXF), Volkswagen (VLKAF), and Daimler's (DDAIF) Mercedes-Benza chance to cut in. Still, there's a way to go before anyone starts catching up with Tesla. By 2018, Tesla predicts it will churn out 35 gigawatts of batteries per year. It's a massive amount that surpasses more than what the rest of the world combined produces. In other words, one of Elon Musk's many claims to fame will be doubling global battery production capacity as early as 2018. Story continues And while the mass production of Tesla's Model 3 electric sedan is one of the more exciting and visible drivers of demandwith 370,000 vehicles already orderedthere are other major drivers, such as massive energy storage systems, that will push demand exponentially higher. What it all means is that we're set for one of the biggest bull runs of since the shale boom thanks to limited lithium supply availability. If lithium grows at its expected rate of 16 percent annually, it will be the fastest-growing commodity of the century. With this in mind, small-cap lithium companiesthe heart of new supplyare where the smart money is going. With Tesla looking to "absorb the entire world's lithium production", in the words of Elon Musk, and seeking "American lithium sources first", there's no better place to start looking than Tesla's own back yardNevada. And when there are only a small number of lithium companies listed on the TSX.V., it comes down to picking the one that's got the right resources and the right management team. For that, we follow the money and the mining legends behind Lithium X, which has just popped up on the radar again thanks to its phenomenally fast-paced growth strategy. This time, it's acquired a 100% interest in yet another major project in Argentina, in one of the world's largest and least-explored lithium hot spots. Small-Cap with Billion-Dollar Vision One of the most talked-about lithium companies right now is Lithium X (TSX.V: LIX) (OTCQB: LIXXF), a small-cap lithium company with a world-class resource of more than 1 million tonnes indicated and 1 million tonnes inferrednot counting its brand new Argentina acquisition--and a dream team that has the capital-raising capability and the big-league mining experience to finish this race ahead of the pack. LIX has a market capitalization of US$115 million, but its lithium resource tells a story with a potentially much higher price tag. Other lithium miners operating in the 'lithium triangle' have markets caps ranging from US$250 million to US$1 billion. More than 70% of the world's known lithium reserves are in the 'lithium triangle' of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. In the U.S., not only is Nevada ground zero for the American lithium boom, but it's also the only place you can find the precious commodity being commercially producedand Lithium X (LIX.V) (LIXXF) has prime projects in both places. The company is developing its 8,156 hectare Sal de los Angeles project, situated in the prolific 'lithium Triangle' in Salta Province, Argentina. LIX owns the right to mine lithium on 32 claims here, nearby major miner FMC Corp's Salar de Hombre Muerto lithium depositone of the biggest lithium operations in the world. Here, Lithium X and its predecessors have already invested some US$15 million. And so far, resource estimates confirm the significance of the deposit. This week, we saw the company make another bold move towards growth, with the acquisition of 100% interest in the Arizaro Lithium Brine Project in Argentina. That adds another 33,846 hectares to LIX's portfolio and puts it solidly in the middle of one of the world's biggest underexplored salars, thought to contain elevated concentrations of lithium. Furthermore, by combining Arizaro lithium with its flagship project at Sal de Los Angeles, LIX has the potential to significantly enhance its brine processing, adding even more upside. As LIX moves fast to become THE go-to pure play lithium company, on a global level, this new acquisition just proves up their strategy further. The momentum is furious: Exploration here will begin already in February this year, and it's all about resource expansion and upgrade. Lithium X is also the largest land holder in Nevada's Clayton Valley, the only producing lithium area in the entire United States. The company has over 15,000 acres in Clayton Valley, contiguous to Albermarle's Silver Peak mine, the only American lithium producer right now, and about three hours from Tesla's gigafactory, where flipping the on switch has just created the start of a market frenzy. On the current playing field, the race to the finish is all about executive management, and what makes LIX the most talked about company on this scene is its raw lithium industry executive experience and the very smart money that's been following it around. Eduardo Morales, head of the LIX operating team, has drawn positive attention for his past heading up the development and operation of the Rockwood's Atacama project, the world's largest lithium brine operation, as President and CEO of Rockwood Lithium Latin America, which was later sold to Albermarle Corporation in 2014 for a whopping US$6.2 billion. This is something that makes investors sit up and listen. They also pay attention to Paul Matysek, LIX executive chairman, and a geochemist and geologist with a flair for corporate entrepreneurship. He's built up and sold four companies in the past 10 years for over US$2.5 billionand that includes lithium. Brian Paes-Braga, founder and CEO of LIX, has been cast as a visionary with a golden touch. None of this escaped the attention of Canadian mining legend Frank Giustra, whose Fiore Advisory runs LIX's equity financing and corporate structuring. This is where the 'Giustra Premium' kicks ina common media reference to the fact that capital follows Giustra around because of his reputation for financing high-level, successful natural resource deals. The Critical Phase for Lithium Volkswagen Chairman Herbert Deiss told CNBC at the Paris Motor Show in November that "electric mobility will take off by 2020." Elon Musk says that by 2020, Tesla hopes to be producing 1 million electric vehicles a year, which means the battery gigafactory will have to get cracking, and lithium supply will have to try to keep pace. To do that, we need commitment from the leaders of the new lithium supply world. No one is more committed than Lithium X, which has about 14% insider ownership and advancing full speed ahead. This is the critical juncturewhen we already know the resources are big and we're at the last technical step before production becomes imminent. The imminent reality is that lithium--the backbone of our energy future, and the new driving force of our everyday livesis set for a bull run of the sort that should have investors rushing to pinpoint where the 'smart money' should go, and it's going to come down to management. Legal Disclaimer/Disclosure: This piece is an advertorial and has been paid for. This document is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. No information in this Report should be construed as individualized investment advice. A licensed financial advisor should be consulted prior to making any investment decision. We make no guarantee, representation or warranty and accept no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness. Expressions of opinion are those of Baystreet.ca only and are subject to change without notice. Baystreet.ca assumes no warranty, liability or guarantee for the current relevance, correctness or completeness of any information provided within this Report and will not be held liable for the consequence of reliance upon any opinion or statement contained herein or any omission. Furthermore, we assume no liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage or, in particular, for lost profit, which you may incur as a result of the use and existence of the information, provided within this Report. Contact: Aaron Bodnar aaron@baystreet.ca SOURCE: Baystreet Media Corp. This image shows a barbeled dragonfish (Grammatostomias dentatus), in which bone is stained red and cartilage blue. Behind its head is a joint found in five dragonfish genuses, which helps it open its mouth wider than other fish. Barbeled dragonfish predatory fish with long, dark bodies that inhabit the deep sea are unnerving to look at. Their name refers to glowing barbell-shaped lures that dangle from their oversize lower jaws and attract unsuspecting prey in the cold, dark ocean depths. Those jaws, studded with prominent, sharp teeth, can swing wide enough to gulp down large fish whole even prey larger than the swallower. And a new study has discovered one of the secrets to their exceptional gape a specialized head joint that is unique to dragonfish. This flexible structure connects the back of the fish's skull to the first vertebra in the backbone, the study authors found. By increasing head maneuverability, this feature could allow a dragonfish to tilt its head farther back as its lower jaw drops, enabling it to open its mouth as wide as 120 degrees. [Open Wide! Scientists Find the Secret to Dragonfishes Gaping Jaw | Video] In most bony fish, the connection between skull and backbone is strongly reinforced through shoulder bones known as the pectoral girdle. For active swimmers, this stabilizes their heads as they move through water, making them more energy-efficient, study co-author Nalani Schnell, a researcher with the department of systematics and evolution at the French National Museum of Natural History in Paris, told Live Science in an email. Not so in the fish family Stomiidae, which includes barbeled dragonfish. Studies from as early as the 19th century revealed that some Stomiidae genuses (also called genera) lacked a central structure in the vertebrae closest to the head, instead having a flexible rod connecting the head and the vertebral column. A more recent paper described "joint-like articulation" between the head and backbone, Schnell said. But how that articulation actually operated was far from certain; the only specimens available were fixed in ethanol and rigid, and it was impossible to tell how the joint functioned. Rubbernecking Schnell and her co-author G. David Johnson, a marine biologist with the department of vertebrate zoology at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., observed the joint in action by analyzing dragonfish specimens that were cleared and stained meaning they were soaked in chemicals that render muscle tissue invisible and tint bones red and cartilage blue, but keep the body intact and flexible. A barbeled dragonfish photo (A) and X-ray (B) show external and internal structures; the X-ray shows a large, ingested lanternfish. This and other stomach content analyses suggest that the functional head joint greatly reinforces the maneuverability of the head to swallow large prey. (Image credit: Nalani Schnell/MNHN) Now, the study authors could manipulate dragonfish heads and jaws. They discovered that five genuses of dragonfish had a unique joint, where a supple rod was seated in a type of sheath that wrapped around the back of the skull. However, when the fish opened its mouth, the sheath stretched to expose the top of the rod, potentially allowing the dragonfish to tip its head back farther and open its mouth even wider which could provide a significant advantage for deep-sea predation, Schnell told Live Science. "Food is far more scarce in the dark, deep sea than in the upper layers of the ocean, where photosynthesis occurs," she said. Ambush predators like barbeled dragonfishes save energy by lying in wait for their dinner, rather than chasing it down, so it helps if they're capable of swallowing whatever swims by, no matter how big it is, Schnell said. The findings were published online today (Feb. 1) in the journal PLOS ONE. Original article on Live Science. Netflix engineers recently developed a mind-control gadget that could use your brain to help you browse the streaming service. As part of Netflixs hackathon in January, which challenged employees to come up with an innovative project in 24 hours that was aimed at improving the Netflix experience in some way, a group of the company's engineers made a device that allows viewers to choose what they want to watch by using their brain waves. The so-called "Mindflix" uses a Muse headband a wearable device that measures brain signals that was designed to help users with meditation. However, engineers hacked the device so that it could be used for the more forgetful (or lazy) viewer. In a "commercial" that was produced for the hackathon, the developers said that their invention could help Netflix users when they lose their remote or, if the remote is simply too far away. The people in the YouTube video then demonstrate how the "brain wearable" acts as a remote, with the wearers moving their heads to scroll through Netflix's offerings. [Bionic Humans: Top 10 Technologies] Mindflix was just one of the projects that was developed during Netflixs internal hackathon. In a company blog post (opens in new tab), other projects were highlighted, including a "picture in picture" that allows users to see what other people on their account are watching. Two of the projects were inspired by the hit Netflix-produced series "Stranger Things" a reimagining of the show as a video game, and a Christmas sweater capable of spelling out messages. One project had a charitable mission, allowing users to donate to organizations that are related to the socially conscious titles they had watched. While these hacks may be inventive, Netflix said that users may never see them on offer. "While were excited about the creativity and thought put into these hacks, they may never become part of the Netflix product, internal infrastructure, or otherwise be used beyond Hack Day," company officials wrote in the blog post. "We are posting them here publicly to share the spirit of the event and our culture of innovation." However, some previous projects have seen the light of day. Engineers first developed a virtual-reality app concept during a Hack Day in 2014 (opens in new tab), using an Oculus Rift to put users in a 3D-room-version of the streaming service's interface. Netflix now offers users a similar virtual-reality watching experience. Original article on Live Science. On one of the walls of the entrance to the 3,000-year-old tomb of a royal scribe is a carving depicting four baboons praising the sun god Ra. Archaeologists say they've discovered the 3,000-year-old tomb of a royal Egyptian scribe in the vast necropolis at ancient Thebes. Richly decorated with images of gods, baboons and mortals alike, the burial chamber dates back to the Ramesside period, around 1200 B.C. The ruins of Thebes in modern-day Luxor span both banks of the Nile River in Upper Egypt. The east side was the domain of the living, home to the city proper and sprawling temple complexes like Karnak. The west side, meanwhile, was mostly reserved for the dead, with a necropolis that included the Valley of the Kings, where royal Egyptians were buried during the New Kingdom (15501070 B.C.). [5 Big Archaeology Stories to Watch for in 2017] More modern development has obscured parts of the necropolis, but a few years ago, Egyptian authorities relocated people from the towns of Sheikh Abd el Qurna and el Khokha so that they could demolish houses and explore the tombs underneath. A team of archaeologists led by Jiro Kondo of Waseda University in Japan had been cleaning debris out of part of the tomb of Userhat (labeled TT 47) in the el Khokha area of the necropolis. Userhat was an Egyptian official who served Amenhotep III, King Tut's grandfather, with the title of "overseer of the king's private apartment." Kondo and his colleagues found a hole in the forecourt of Userhat's tomb. They investigated the hole and found that it led to a never-before-seen tomb. Inscriptions inside the newly discovered T-shaped chamber indicate that the tomb was built for a man named Khonsu, a "true renowned scribe," according to a statement from Waseda University. Here, a painting on a tomb wall showing Khonsu and his wife worshipping the gods Osiris and Isis. (Image credit: Waseda University) One wall of the tomb's entrance has a carving depicting four baboons praising the sun god Ra. Another wall features a painting of Khonsu and his wife worshipping the gods Osiris and Isis, with two ram-headed deities, likely Khnum or Khnum-Re, the researchers said. Osiris and Isis appear again though this time, in a seated pose in another wall carving. The ceiling is also colorfully painted with geometric patterns, some that look like checkerboards. Right now, the tomb's inner chamber is blocked by piles of stones, but Kondo and his colleagues say they hope to find more wall decorations once they are able to venture inside. Original article on Live Science. Donald Trump's personal doctor recently revealed that the president takes a handful of medications, including a daily aspirin to lower heart attack risk, an antibiotic to treat the skin condition rosacea, a statin to lower cholesterol and a hair-loss drug called finasteride. The physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, credited finasteride with helping maintain Trump's head of hair, as well as his own long locks. "He has all his hair," Bornstein told The New York Times. "I have all my hair." But what is finasteride, and how does it work? Testosterone hormone inhibitor The drug, which is also known by brand names such as Propecia, is an oral medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat and reverse male pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness, which typically describes hair loss that begins at the temples (also often called the "Hippocratic wreath"), can leave men with a bald top and a narrow ring of hair around the sides. [Macho Man: 10 Wild Facts About His Body] Finasteride is a type of drug called a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, and it works by preventing the breakdown of testosterone into a byproduct called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT can fuel male pattern baldness because it quiets another chemical signal that acts at the hair follicle and fuels new hair cell generation and growth, according to a 2015 review of studies in the journal Expert Opinion in Drug Discovery. Finasteride's action on DHT may also explain why Trump's medical records show low levels of the protein PSA, or prostate-specific antigen. High levels of PSA can be a marker for prostate cancer. Low levels can indicate that a person has had treatment for prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate, according to The New York Times. Safety and effectiveness Finasteride has gone through three placebo-controlled trials (where people got either the drug or a sugar pill) to assess its effects on male pattern baldness. According to drug approval data from the FDA, men who had taken finasteride had 107 more hairs per square inch (16 per square centimeter) after one year of use and 277 more hairs per square inch (43 per square cm) after five years of use. The average person may have anywhere from 1,050 to 1,935 hairs per square inch (175 to 300 hairs per square centimeter), according to a 1965 article in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. Although finasteride may be effective in terms of statistics, whether the drug has a meaningful or obvious visual benefit may be in the eye of the beholder. The drug has relatively few side effects, according to a 2016 review of studies in the Journal of Clinical of Aesthetic Dermatology. Between 3.4 percent and 15.8 percent of men using the product report sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction and decreased libido, and there was a slight association with depression. Men who take the drug may also experience a decrease in the volume of their ejaculate, according to the FDA approval data. The male fetuses of women who take the drug may also be at increased risk of birth defects. One small study also found that finasteride reduced men's consumption of alcohol, though exactly why wasn't clear. Originally published on Live Science. A previously unknown ghost shark with rabbit-like teeth and a bulky head is making waves in record books; it's the 50th ghost shark species known to science, a new study reported. At nearly 3 feet (1 meter) in length about half as long as the height of a refrigerator the newfound creature is the second largest species of ghost shark ever discovered, the researchers said. "[Ghost sharks] in general have a pretty big head and their body tapers to a thinner tail. This one was really chunky in the front, and just a big bulky specimen," said Kristin Walovich, a graduate student at the Pacific Shark Research Center at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, and the lead researcher of a new study. [See Photos of the Freakiest-Looking Fish] Kristin Walovich holds the 50th described species of ghost shark on record. The animal's nose is usually pointy, but it became crooked during its preservation. (Image credit: Courtesy of Kristin Walovich) Like some other ghost sharks, the newfound species has rabbit-like buckteeth, prompting researchers to put it in the genus Hydrolagus, which translates to"water rabbit" or "water hare." (In Greek, "hydro" means "water" and "lagus" means "rabbit" or "hare.") The species name erithacus is the genus name for robin birds. That name was chosen for the new species to honor Robin Leslie of the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, who helped Walovich study the ghost shark, Walovich said. There are already three known species in the genus Hydrolagus H. africanus, H. mirabilis and H. cf. trolli that live in the same region as the new find, between South Africa and Antarctica in the southeastern Atlantic and southwestern Indian Oceans, the researchers said. In fact, fishermen have been saying for years that individuals now called H. erithacus didn't look like the other known species, Walovich said. Two of the specimens in the new study came from deep-sea fishermen who mistakenly caught the animals as bycatch. But the other specimens included in the study had been sitting in a museum for years, she said. "The scientists and the fishermen in South Africa knew this was not the same species, because Hydrolagus africanus is small, it's brown, and this one was huge and really dark in color," Walovich told Live Science. "Just visibly, they were definitely different species." Despite their names, ghost sharks aren't actually sharks. Rather, the cartilaginous fish are relatives of sharks and rays. She noted that while sharks swim by moving their tails and rays literally "fly" underwater, ghost sharks use their large pectoral fins, located on both sides of their bodies, to propel themselves forward. An illustration of the newfound fish shows the creature's pectoral fins, which it uses to propel itself forward. (Image credit: Marc Dando) Scientists also call these animals chimaeras or ratfish, but little is known about them. Most chimaeras live in the deep sea, so researchers know little about their behavior, such as how often they reproduce. However, Walovich made an exciting find that revealed something about the ghost shark's behavior. The stomach of one of the H. erithacus specimens contained a crab claw, indicating that the fish used its strong teeth to crunch open the shells of crabs and likely other crustaceans that live on the seafloor, Walovich said. The study was published in the Jan. 31 issue of the journal Zootaxa. Original article on Live Science. (Refiling to fix formatting) Feb 2 (Reuters) - KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Data from the Markit Malaysia Purchasing Managers' Index for December. Readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions while readings below indicate deterioration. DATA JAN DEC NOV OCT SEPT AUG JULY JUNE MAY 48.6 47.1 47.1 47.2 48.6 47.4 48.1 47.1 47.2 CONTEXT * Malaysia's headline PMI contracted again in January but at the mildest pace since September * Output contracted by the smallest degree in 20 months, helped by how total new orders shrank less than in the previous three months * New export orders increased for first time in eight months, as a weak ringgit helped boost competitiveness of Malaysian products * The weaker ringgit spurred the highest input prices since collection of survey data begin in July 2012 * Employment rose for a fifth consecutive month, though at a slightly slower pace than in December Markit economist Amy Brownbill said: "Operating conditions at Malaysian manufacturers deteriorated at the weakest rate in 20 months at the start of 2017, showing signs that goods producers had come through the worst of the current downturn. The newly-released Future Output Index also signalled confidence towards the outlook, although optimism was relatively subdued when compared with the series back history. "Both production and new orders fell at slower rates, with the former declining at the weakest rate in over one-and-a-half years. New export orders also picked up for the first time in eight months, with the weakness of the Malaysian ringgit improving global competitiveness. However, the weakness of the currency had adverse effects on cost burdens, with input prices rising at a series-record rate." Reporting by Emily Chow; Editing by Richard Borsuk Contact info: emily.chow@thomsonreuters.com; +603-2333 8035; Reuters Messaging: emily.chow.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net (Reporting by Richard Borsuk) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Texas Department of Public Safety has added Gilbert Garza, 33, to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, and a cash reward up to $5,000 is now being offered for information leading to his capture. Garza, who is a Hermandad de Pistoleros Latinos gang member, is wanted for obstruction/retaliation (three counts). All tips are guaranteed to be anonymous. Garza has ties to both the Jackson County and Victoria County areas. His last known address was in Bloomington, Texas (Victoria County). Garzas criminal history includes aggravated assault with deadly weapon, burglary of habitation and harassment of a public servant. Garza should be considered armed and dangerous, and law enforcement authorities should use extreme caution if they encounter Garza. For more information or updates in the event of his arrest, see his wanted bulletin at: www.dps.texas.gov/Texas10MostWanted/fugitiveDetails.aspx?id=351. Garcia is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs approximately 230 pounds. He has tattoos on both forearms, left hand, left leg and right wrist. Texas Crime Stoppers, which is funded by the Governors Criminal Justice Division, offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitives or sex offenders. To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities using one of the five following methods: Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). Text the letters DPS - followed by your tip - to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone. Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture. Submit a Facebook tip at http://www.facebook.com/texas10mostwanted by clicking the SUBMIT A TIP link (under the About section). Submit a tip through the DPS Mobile App. The app is currently available for iPhone users on the Apple App Store: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/texas-dps/id902092368?mt=8) and for Android users on Google Play: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microassist.texasdps&hl=en). All tips are anonymous - regardless of how they are submitted, and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name. DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and Sex Offender lists. You can find the current lists - with photos - on the DPS website at http://www.dps.texas.gov/texas10mostwanted/. Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives; they are considered armed and dangerous. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis will wrap up talks in South Korea before traveling to Japan later on Friday, as he reminds both countries of Washington's support amid uncertainties over President Donald Trump's policies, a belligerent North Korea and China's territorial ambitions. It is the first international trip among Trump's cabinet secretaries, according to Reuters, underscoring the importance Trump places on Seoul and Tokyo while he threatens a trade war against Beijing , experts said. The visit should also allay broad concerns about American leadership in Asia and fears over the future of South Korea and Japan's bilateral relationships with the U.S. "The message of this trip is reassurance; reassurance that the Trump administration recognizes the importance of alliances with South Korea and Japan as well as the seriousness of the security situation there," explained Kathleen Stephens, American ambassador to South Korea from 2008-2011. During his election campaign, Trump pledged to remove existing American troops from Asia if host nations did not pay 100 percent of the costsa troubling thought for Seoul and Tokyo, given that defense is a key priority in their respective relationships with Washington. Around 28,000 American soldiers are currently stationed in South Korea, while 54,000 U.S. military personnel are based in Japan. North Korea top priority in Seoul North Korea, a common thorn in the sides of Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo, featured prominently in Mattis' talks with top South Korean officials on Thursday. The retired Marine Corps general said that his country would stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" with Seoul to face the North Korean nuclear threat, Reuters reported. Pyongyang has been increasingly hinting that it is ready to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), adding to rising fears it will act on threats of targeting enemies with a nuclear weapon. Choe Kang II, deputy director general for North American affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry told NBC News on Jan. 25 that Pyongyang was ready to test an ICBM "at any time, any place," That same day, Mattis' predecessor Ash Carter warned Washington would shoot down any missile aimed at it or an ally. Story continues North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear program is a matter crucial to Trump's re-election so Mattis will likely look to discuss ways to disarm the rogue nation as well as deploying preventative measures against potential attacks, said Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea from 2004-2005. In July, then South Korean President Park Geun-hye agreed to host a American defense technology system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. But the current political turmoil in Seoul could endanger THAAD implementation . In the aftermath of Park's resignation, the country is due to elect a new leader later this year and leftist opposition candidates are increasingly seen as the likely winners. It's not yet clear whether these leftist parties will support THAAD or give into Chinese pressure to ditch the system, remarked Hill. China and Russia believe THAAD deployment on the Korean Peninsula will threaten the mainland's national security interests. "No other nation" should be concerned about THAAD," Mattis said on Thursday, according to Reuters. "Were it not for the provocative behavior of North Korea, we would have no need for THAAD out here," he added. Hill, who led a series of negotiations aimed at halting Pyongyang's nuclear program known as the Six Party Talks, believes Kim's regime is entirely capable of developing a weapon that can reach the U.S. within the next four years. Coinciding with Matthis' arrival in Seoul on Thursday, the White House will be launching a review of its North Korea policy, the Financial Times reported, citing unnamed sources. Because Kim has expressed zero interest in denuclearization, Mattis has little chance of resuming multi-nation talks, Hill noted, adding that the best option for Trump is to slow the pariah state's nuclear program, which can't be done without Beijing's help. But that may prove to be tricky amid worsening U.S.-Chinese ties. In a tweet last month, Trump criticized China, a traditional ally of Pyongyang, for its lack of assistance on the nuclear issue. For Tokyo, China tensions and trade are key Japan's territorial dispute with China in the East China Sea could be key topic when Mattis meets Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada on Friday. A group of island known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China have been a source of conflict between the two Asian heavyweights for years, with Tokyo repeatedly urging Beijing to halt construction activity in the area . "Mattis will supposedly reassure the Japanese that not only will the U.S. continue the security treaty, but that issues like the disputed Senkaku-Diaoyu islands will still fall under the treaty," said Rodger Baker, vice president of strategic intelligence at Stratfor. Despite lingering uncertainties about Trump's policies, Japan has been especially keen to gain his favor. In fact, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was the first foreign leader to meet the Republican when he was still president-elect and another summit is scheduled for Feb. 10. "Mattis' visit is another opportunity for the Japanese to state their case why they are America's strongest ally economically, politically and security-wise in the region," Baker noted. The South China Sea, a hotbed of geopolitical tensions between Southeast Asian governments and Beijing, could be another topic of discussion. Last month, Trump's White House promised to defend American interests in the disputed region , marking a sharp turn from the previous caution exercised by U.S. leaders. Beijing then responded saying it possessed "irrefutable" sovereignty over the resource-rich area. "The U.S. is interested in maintaining the rite of passage in that area. But China wants to establish a precedent over time where they control those waters," explained Bruce Bennett, senior defense analyst at RAND. "The U.S. needs to break that precedent now. That doesn't mean going to war but it means making it clear that international law should apply." In July, Beijing rejected a ruling by The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration that said China's claim to the 1.4 million-square-mile body of water was not valid. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. More From CNBC This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday during his State of the State address that "real consequences" must occur to quell the uptick in cases of inappropriate relationships between teachers and students. Abbott commended Texas for having some of the best high schools in the nation, but also admitted that Texas has an "unwanted ranking" casting a shadow over its schools. "Texas reportedly leads the nation in teacher-student sexual assaults," Abbott said. "Some of those teachers are not prosecuted ... and worse ... (others) are shuffled off to other schools to continue teaching in other areas threatening other kids. "Teachers who assault children should lose their license and they should go to jail," Abbott said. RELATED: Reports: Texas cheerleader coach charged with improper relationship with student The governor said he also wants to penalize administrators who turn a "blind eye" to teachers involved in inappropriate relationships with students. Prior to his address Tuesday, Abbott called for tougher action on Twitter, linking to a recent case from Dallas where a teacher allegedly paid a student $28,000 to cover up their sexual relationship. While Abbott's words are bringing renewed attention to the issue, a bill tackling teacher-student misconduct has already been filed for this session. State Rep. Tony Dale, R-Cedar Park, filed House Bill 218 to address the growing problem, according to a November news release. Texas Education Agency data show a 42 percent increase in investigations from fiscal year 2011-12 to 2015-16. Click through the slideshow above to see a list of all the changes that HB 218 intends to make, if passed. With Dales bill, significant changes would be made to how educators, principals, superintendents and the TEA tackle improper teacher-student relationships. HB 218 increases penalties and closes loopholes that allow educators who engage in inappropriate relationships to resign and obtain employment in another district, according to a news release. TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson confirmed that it is currently possible for teachers to leave one school district after an accusation and go to another school district and find work. RELATED: Texas teacher accused of starting affair with teen student via Snapchat ahead of wedding Teachers who are under investigation by the TEA have their online certification flagged so that prospective employers may see that they are under investigation by TEA's discipline unit. However, Texas has seen cases where teachers caught in student misconduct resign, move and then get hired at another district before the investigation is complete. HB 218 would require immediate revocation of a teachers certification if an educator is required to register as a sex offender as a result of a case against them. Currently, educators who receive deferred adjudication and must register as sex offenders in cases of teacher-student misconduct can still go to another district or city and become a teacher, said Christie Goodman, Dales chief of staff. If you are registering as a sex offender, you do not need to be in our schools, Goodman said in an interview with mySA.com. The bill also aims to increase responsibility in reporting these incidents by including principals not just superintendents and directors, who are currently required to report as faculty members who have a duty to notify the TEA of misconduct. RELATED: Texas saw boom in teacher-student sex scandals in 2016 There is no current charge for failing to report teacher-student misconduct to the TEA and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), but HB 218 would be made a Class A misdemeanor. A faculty member found actively trying to conceal another teachers inappropriate actions would be charged with a felony. HB 218 also expands criminal liability to target educators to have improper relationships with students in schools and school districts outside of their own. During the past five complete fiscal years, 908 cases of improper relationship between an educator and a student/minor have been investigated by the TEA. 2011-2012: 156 investigations 2012-2013: 163 investigations 2013-2014: 179 investigations 2014-2015: 188 investigations 2015-2016: 222 investigations In the most current fiscal year, between September and December 2016, there have been 78 new cases opened by the TEA. Culbertson said the TEA does not comment on pending legislation, but did attribute the increase in investigations to a greater awareness to the crime and more people coming forward with complaints against teachers. RELATED: Texas student accused of blackmailing teacher after alleged sexual relationship She especially pointed to social media's role in facilitating potential inappropriate relationships, and exposing them. "It gives more avenues of access between teachers and students and can lead to inappropriate behavior," Culbertson said. "Then there are those that are using it as an avenue to exploit and behave inappropriately with students." Aside from HB 218, Goodman said Dale plans to file another bill that would enact a do-not-hire registry, which would create a list for Texas that would help administrators determine if a person should or should not be hired based on prior sexual misconduct. The registry would list teachers who have registered as sex offenders, as well as provide details regarding teachers who have been charged with improper relationship between a teacher and a student/minor. Goodman added that the bill has received praise from some private schools in the state. Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite Check out our latest E-Edition Accessible anytime and anywhere on your desktop, tablet and smart phone devices. The Lodi News e-Edition is enhanced with the latest digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking and much more. Check out our latest E-edition! The Leinster Property Auction have indicated they expect another year of strong growth in 2017 with confidence remaining strong in most areas. According to a new report released by www.daft.ie, the property market during 2016 increased nationally by 8%, and impressively over 9% in the Leinster region. Very similar figures were seen in 2015, showing the market is still recovering strongly with increases becoming more settled particularly in the urban areas which seen bigger increases earlier in the recovery. However a major challenge in 2016 was the housing supply shortage which looks to continue, thus feeding into the continued rise of house prices in 2017 and indeed for the next few years. With this increase in prices, The Leinster Property Auction are encouraging anyone thinking of selling this year to get in contact with them to arrange for a free property valuation. Last year saw a landmark year for the auction group with 6 public auctions in Leinster and an average success rate of over 93% which was the highest in the country. Patrick Folan of The Leinster Property Auction commented that, We believe the success of our auctions is due to the large marketing campaign we undertaken in Ireland and abroad as well as strong working partnerships with local auctioneers across the province. We remain the only auction company in Ireland who do not charge any upfront costs to enter a property into auction. 45 Main Street, Longford Offered at bids over 160,000 in partnership with Padraic Davis Auctioneering, Longford Town We are delighted to offer to the market this well located commercial and residential property in the heart of Longford Town. No. 45 is a mixed use, 3 storey building containing 3 apartments and a ground floor shop unit. There is also an extension to the rear that may be used as a 4th apartment, subject to the necessary planning permissions. The residential units include a large three bedroom apartment along with 2 x one bedroom apartments. This will make the ideal investment property offering a strong rental yield. Old Millennium Tavern, Ballinagh, Co Cavan Offered at bids over 299,000 in partnership with Padraig Smith Auctioneers, Cavan Town A great investment property comprising of a 7 day licensed premises with 12 en-suite bedrooms. The property extends over three floors, the ground floor has a Bar / Function Area with capacity for 150 patrons, a professional commercial kitchen and Ladies and Gents toilet facilities. Spread over the remaining floors are 12 en-suite bedrooms used previously as a Bed & Breakfast. Known as "the panda of the sea" for the distinctive black circles around its eyes, the vaquita has been decimated by gillnets used to fish for another species, the also endangered totoaba fish (AFP Photo/Omar Vidal) Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico's vaquita marina is edging closer to extinction as scientists warned that only 30 were left despite navy efforts to intercept illegal fishing nets killing the world's smallest porpoise. "The already desperate situation has worsened, despite existing conservation measures and current enforcement efforts," said the report by the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA). "At the current rate of loss, the vaquita will likely decline to extinction by 2022, unless the current gillnet ban is maintained and effectively enforced." An analysis of acoustic data from the upper Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico found that, as of November, only about 30 vaquitas likely remained in their habitat, the report said. A previous census between September and December 2015 had found around 60 vaquitas. There were 200 of them in 2012 and 100 in 2014. Authorities say the vaquitas have been dying for years in gillnets that are meant to illegally catch another endangered specie, a large fish called the totoaba. Smugglers ship the totoaba's dried swim bladder to China, where it fetches tens of thousands of dollars and is eaten in soup. Known as the "panda of the sea" because of the dark rings around its eyes, the 1.5-meter (five-foot) cetacean has rarely been seen alive. In a possibly last-ditch effort to save the vaquita, scientists plan, after getting government approval, to capture specimens and put them in an enclosure in the Gulf of California where they can reproduce. Some environmentalists oppose this because of the risk that vaquitas, which only exist in the Gulf of California, could die in the process. "Illegal fishing continues and if we don't capture them, they will die anyway," CIRVA chairman Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho told AFP. - 'Many questions' - CIRVA recommends "urgently" locating and putting vaquitas in a temporary sanctuary this spring, and keep them there for up to one year. Rojas-Bracho said the program could begin in the fall, around October. Story continues Their capture would take place in a staged manner, which will be reviewed by CIRVA at appropriate intervals, with the option of stopping it if necessary. Vessels, small aircraft and dolphins trained by the US Navy could be used to locate vaquitas, which could be caught with a light salmon gillnet and then taken to a shore-based enclosure with fences. Four possible sites are being considered. But CIRVA acknowledges that "capturing and housing vaquitas will be difficult, and perhaps impossible, and the species may not prove to be suitable for such conservation actions." "Many questions still need to be resolved. Importantly, it is unclear whether vaquitas can be captured safely, or how they will react to handling, transport, and confinement." One CIRVA member disagreed with the plan, "believing that there are too many unknowns and maybe some 'unknowables' surrounding the plan," the report said. - Illegal fishing's 'alarming levels' - President Enrique Pena Nieto deployed the navy in 2015 to stop illegal fishing, increased the vaquita protection area and imposed a two-year ban on gillnets. Drones joined the effort last year. But the high levels of illegal fishing, the discovery of three dead vaquitas last year and the population's decline "demonstrate that present enforcement efforts have been insufficient," CIRVA said. The committee called for a permanent ban on all gillnets and that their sale or possession on land in the vaquita region be made illegal, as well as "more vigorous efforts to prosecute" totoaba smulggers or anyone connected with illegal fishing. During 15 days in October and November last year, 105 pieces of illegal, abandoned or derelict fishing gear were found and 85 were removed, the new report said. "This shows that illegal fishing activities, particularly the setting of large-mesh gillnets for totoaba, continue at alarming levels within the range of the vaquita (habitat)," the report said. CIRVA said the government should speed up efforts to teach alternative fishing methods to local fishermen. Pena Nieto earmarked $70 million to help fishermen during the ban. A Culture & Creativity Plan is to be developed in Longford as part of the roll out of Creative Ireland Programme / Clar Eire Ildanach and to drive public participation in creative cultural activity across the county. Creative Ireland is the Governments Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016 Centenary and last week, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, met with Longford Chief Executive Paddy Mahon to discuss the programme. Minister Humphreys explained, Mr Mahon and I discussed how we will maximise the impact of the programme in Longford. I asked him to establish a Culture Team bringing together relevant personnel to develop a Culture & Creativity Plan for the county. Creative Ireland is a five-year all-of-government initiative, which at its core is a wellbeing strategy which aims to improve access to cultural and creative activity in every county across the country. Creative Ireland will prioritise childrens access to art, music, drama and coding; enhance the provision of culture and creativity in every community; further develop Ireland as a global hub for film and TV production; empower and support our artists and drive investment in our cultural institutions; further enhance our global reputation abroad. From 2018, an annual County of Culture will also be held each year. Minister Humphreys outlined that she has made a specific allocation of 1 million to the Local Authorities towards the implementation of the 2017 Creative Ireland Plans. She said, I have asked the national Creative Ireland team to conduct workshops around the country this spring. I view these workshops as a two-way learning process from which best practice can emerge. The date for the Longford workshop will be announced in the coming weeks. The County Longford Tourism office is inviting local anglers to attend a special meeting on Friday, February 10 at 8pm in John Brownes Pub, Longford town. Longford Tourism are currently working on a number of projects, including the development of a new visitlongford.ie website and associated social media campaign, to promote the county as an attractive tourist destination. Anna Delaney, Longford Tourism office, explained that the new website will include a dedicated angling section and she is inviting all anglers to next weeks meeting to share their expertise and knowledge. We are anxious to highlight all of the amenities and activities available to national and international visitors, as well as residents of our own towns and villages, outlined Ms Delaney. Keith OBrien, who is developing the website, will be in attendance to answer questions from anglers and it is hoped the angling section on visitlongford.ie will include information from around the county with images, mapping and details on all angling events. Ms Delaney concluded, We can also profile tourism related business, whether that is an accommodation (Failte Ireland approved), boat hire or fishing tackle shop. The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine confirmed this week that the deadline for the return of completed Sheep Census 2016 forms has been extended to Friday, February 3. This extension has been provided to the Sheep Welfare Scheme. It should be noted that the extended closing date of Friday, February 3 also applies to online Census returns, added a spokesperson. Users registering for access to agfood.ie for the first time should allow sufficient time for their log-on details, which will allow access to all relevant online services, to be sent to them by post after they register. These login details will be required to allow online completion of the census. 2016 census returns may be returned either by post to Seefin Data Management, PO Box 17, An Post, Cahirdown, Listowel D.S.U, Co Kerry or online via agfood.ie, Farmers not already registered with agfood.ie can do so by logging on to www.agfood.ie and clicking the option to register. 169 Commack Road Suite 223 Commack, NY 11725 Phone: 631-499-3000 Visit Website The BOOM Business Network is a unique organization built with the purpose of creating effective centers of influence, continuously encouraging quality referrals, and focusing on fostering successful business relationships. The network holds numerous breakfast meetings, trade shows, and other events, offering members and guests a chance to mix, mingle, network, and build relationships throughout the year. BOOM's biggest event of the year, the BOOM B2B Expo & Executive Speaker Conference, showcases many of Long Island's premier businesses and fosters and atmosphere in which professionals and owners can gather to expand their businesses. Hundreds of businesses line the Exhibitor Hall where they can exhibit their products and services, and the Executive Speaker Conference provides a chance for audiences to hear from some of the region's leaders in a wide variety of fields. Experts in financial services, real estate, accounting, legal, healthcare, marketing, technology, and other fields gather to share their wisdom and experiences. The 2017 BOOM B2B Expo & Executive Speaker Conference will take place on Thursday, April 27th at the Huntington Hilton (598 Broad Hollow Road, Melville, NY 11747). This year's Expo starts at 10:00 AM and runs through 3:00 PM. School & Education, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 02 2017 HMTC annually honors middle school, high school and college students on Long Island who confront intolerance, prejudice or other forms of social injustice. Glen Cove, NY - February 1, 2017 - The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) annually honors middle school, high school and college students on Long Island who confront intolerance, prejudice or other forms of social injustice. High school and middle school recipients of the Friedlander Upstander Award receive a $2,500 scholarship, and recipients of the Daniel Gillman Goodfellows Award, for college students, will receive a $1,000 award. The awards will be presented at HMTCs Annual Tolerance Benefit on May 1, 2017. The Friedlander Upstander Award, presented by HMTC and the Claire Friedlander Family Foundation, in conjunction with the Nassau and Suffolk County Police Departments, will be awarded to Nassau and Suffolk County middle school and high school students who have acted as Upstanders against bullying or intolerance in any of its forms. The students action as an Upstander could be one of intervention or prevention, big or small. Applications for the Friedlander Upstander Award are due March 1, 2017. The Daniel Gillman Goodfellows Award, presented by HMTC and the Gillman family, will be presented to a Long Island college or university student who has demonstrated a commitment to helping others and who has who has intervened against (or prevented) an act of intolerance or acted in the service of helping others in need. The award memorializes and honors Daniel Gillman, a kind and generous young man who dedicated himself to aiding young people and adults. His altruism was a reflection of the selflessness of the Belgian Rescuers who saved the life of his grandmother during the Holocaust. Applications for the Gillman Award are due April 7, 2017. For more information and applications, please visit hmtcli.org or call (516) 571-8040. Nature & Weather, Local News, National & World News, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 02 2017 The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is slated to vote on President Trumps nomination of Oklahoma A.G. Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. New York, NY - February 1, 2017 - Today the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is slated to vote on President Trumps nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Environment New Yorks Director, Heather Leibowitz, issued the following statement in response: This country needs an Environmental Protection Agency Administrator whose top priority is protecting our air and water and our families health. We need somebody willing to enforce and defend our bedrock environmental laws and a leader guided by science when creating and implementing policy. Our next EPA administrator needs to put public health ahead of dirty energy interests and other polluters, understand that climate change is real, and commit to taking bold action to stave off its worst impacts. Unfortunately, President Trumps nominee for EPA Administrator, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, meets none of those criteria. In fact, during his recent confirmation hearing Mr. Pruitt claimed that human impact on climate change was a matter of continuing debate. As attorney general, Scott Pruitt joined with polluters to file 14 lawsuits against the very agency he has been nominated to run. These suits aimed to dismantle critical public health safeguards ranging from the Clean Water Rule that protects drinking water sources for 117 million Americans to the Mercury and Air Toxic rule that protects our kids and other vulnerable citizens from highly damaging pollution. In addition, as Oklahoma Attorney General, Mr. Pruitt disbanded the states environmental protection unit. He was the leading opponent of the Clean Power Plan which set the first ever national limits on carbon pollution and undercut actions to clean up major poultry pollution problems in his states river system. When asked during his hearing, Mr. Pruitt could not name one current EPA protection that he supported. New Yorkers and all Americans deserve an EPA administrator who will fight to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we love. Scott Pruitt fails on all these accounts. The Senate must stand with science. The Senate must stand up for our families health, clean water and clean air. The Senate must reject President Trumps nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Environment New York is a state-wide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization working for clean air, clean water and open space. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 02 2017 Long Island McDonalds and Long Island Cares kick off their 2nd Annual food drive partnership to help support efforts addressing the critical issue of hunger on LI. West Babylon, NY - January 13, 2017 - Long Island McDonalds and Long Island Cares kick off their 2nd Annual food drive partnership to help support efforts addressing the critical issue of hunger on Long Island. Long Island McDonalds owner and operators presented a check for $4000 to Long Island Cares CEO, Paule Pachter to go towards supporting food programs addressing those in need on Long Island. Were very grateful for this opportunity to continue to collaborate with McDonalds restaurants on Long Island which will enable us to help our neighbors in need especially during the holiday season. The McDonalds brand is one of the most recognizable names throughout the world, and Long Island Cares name is one of the most recognizable charities on Long Island for our work as the regional food bank for Long Island. McDonalds also has a reputation for its philanthropy, especially through the wonderful services their Ronald McDonald Houses provide that support children and families struggling with health crises. Hunger and chronic food insecurity on Long Island is a similar crisis that affects 316,000 Long Islanders including 89,000 children. said Long Island Cares CEO, Paule Pachter. "We are happy to partner with Long Island Cares to address the critical issue of hunger in our communities. In these trying economic times where many families are faced with challenges of putting food on the table or paying bills, it is our hope that we were able to help make the holidays brighter for those going through hardships, says Luciana Montuoro, Long Island McDonalds Marketing & Public Relations Director. "The Long Island McDonalds Owner and Operators are proud to once again support a respected organization such as Long Island Cares and to work together with them on their mission to provide meals to those in need. says Josh Kaufman, President, Long Island McDonalds Owner and Operators Association. About McDonalds McDonalds is one of the worlds best known brand, and is a global leader in food service. There are more than 600 McDonalds Restaurants, owned by 100 franchisees, and located throughout the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut Tri-State area. There are 80 restaurants located throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. Visit www.LIMcDonalds.com for more information on our fire safety, summer reading, and other community programs that we support. About Long Island Cares Long Island Cares was founded in 1980 by the late Harry Chapin. We provide 7 million pounds of emergency food is provided every year to our nearly 600 member agencies. These agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, child nutrition programs, veteran services, etc. Long Island Cares brings together all available resources for the benefit of the hungry and food insecure on Long Island, and to the best of their ability, provide for the humanitarian needs of the community. Our goals are to improve food security for families, sponsor programs that help families achieve self-sufficiency, and educate the general public about the causes and consequences of hunger on Long Island. Our Vision is A Hunger Free Long Island. Pets & Animal, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 02 2017 On Jan. 16, ECOs Alena Lawston and Jeremy Eastwood investigated claims of a convicted felon shooting a wild turkey when the turkey season was closed in the town of Southampton. Southampton, NY - February 2, 2017 - On Jan. 16, ECOs Alena Lawston and Jeremy Eastwood investigated claims of a convicted felon shooting a wild turkey, although the turkey season was closed, in the town of Southampton. The ECOs located the subject and interviewed the man and his relative, who witnessed the shooting. The convicted felon was found to be in possession of two shotguns, one of which was used to shoot the turkey. After the evidence was collected and secured, the man was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, taking a wild turkey during the closed season, and failure to properly tag a wild turkey. If you witness an environmental crime or believe a violation of environmental law occurred please call the DEC Division of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267). School & Education, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 02 2017 Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory served as a panelist at an immigration forum hosted by the Cold Spring Harbor Junior/Senior High School Civil Rights Activist Club. Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, second from right, with fellow panelists Tiffany Joseph, sociology professor at Stony Brook University; Gabriella Andrade of Make the Road New York; and immigration attorney Zarah Cheema at an immigration forum held at Cold Spring Harbor Junior/Senior High School. Cold Spring Harbor, NY - February 1, 2017 - With immigration issues at the forefront of headlines this week, Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory today served as a panelist at an immigration forum hosted by the Cold Spring Harbor Junior/Senior High School Civil Rights Activist Club. Pictured at the Cold Spring Harbor Junior/Senior High School immigration forum are, from left: Professor Tiffany Joseph, student moderator Maxwell Schwartz, Gabriella Andrade of Make the Road New York, student moderator Will Sepanski, Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, student moderator Anthony Rosato, immigration attorney Zarah Cheema, student moderator Albert Kirchner, and Principal Jay Matuk. The Presiding Officer and the other panelists fielded questions from students on topics that included immigration and the workforce, access to healthcare, paths to citizenship, immigration policy shifts and their impact, struggles immigrants face, and legislative issues pertaining to immigration. The other panelists were Tiffany Joseph, sociology professor at Stony Brook University; Gabriella Andrade of Make the Road New York; and immigration attorney Zarah Cheema. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar fighters marching in Pakistans tribal areas Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a powerful faction of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (TTP), has released a video detailing a training camp somewhere in Pakistans northwest tribal frontier. The video also highlighted the training of suicide bombers and an assault on a Pakistani military base that took place last November. The video begins with news reports of the Nov. 26, 2016 suicide attack on a Pakistani military base in Ghalani in the tribal agency of Mohmand. The clip portrays the attack as dealing significant damage, however, Pakistani officials have downplayed the assault. According to Pakistani officials, soldiers repelled the attack. At least one bomber detonated his explosives, however, as two soldiers were killed and 15 others wounded. The video shows the four suicide bombers in the Mohmand assault giving speeches and then reviewing plans for the attack. The rest of the video is interlaced with more speeches from the suicide bombers and the training of just over a dozen fighters, including the four involved in the Mohmand assault. The militants are shown firing PK-machine guns, DShK heavy machine guns, as well as rifle-mounted grenade launchers. Also included in the video are statements from Jamaat-ul-Ahrar officials, including Omar Khalid al Khurasani, a ranking leader who is known to be closely tied to al Qaeda and its emir, Ayman al Zawahiri. In the past Khurasani has called for the imposition of sharia law and the establishment of a global caliphate. Khurasani has also said that a primary goal of the Pakistani Taliban is to obtain nuclear weapons. Based in Pakistans tribal areas, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar is a dangerous faction of the TTP that also has a presence in Punjab province. The group has claimed credit for multiple attacks inside Pakistan. In one of its most callous and deadly attacks, a Jamaat-ul-Ahrar suicide bomber detonated at the entrance of a park in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Easter Day in 2016. At least 72 people, mostly women and children, were killed and more than 300 were wounded in the blast. The groups spokesman explicitly stated that the target was Christians. The terrorist group has also targeted the US consulate in Peshawar and polio vaccination teams in Karachi. In Aug. 2016, the US State Department added Jamaat-ul-Ahrar to the list of global terrorists organizations. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar split from the TTP in Aug. 2014 due to a leadership dispute, but the two groups nominally reunited in March 2015. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has operated with a large degree of autonomy and issues its own statements on attacks and other matters. Screenshots from the video: Omar Khalid al Khurasani (right): Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of The Long War Journal. Caleb Weiss is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Lifestyle / Gastronomy Feb 02, 2017 | By S Naresh Nehvin Best known for Potato Head Beach Club, the Indonesian hospitality and lifestyle group PTT Family presents a uniquely local dining concept in Bali, following a successful launch in Hong Kong. Bringing together Indonesias very own rich culinary heritage is Kaum, which translates clan or tribe. With the new concept, the Group aims to present mouth-watering dishes made with the freshest ingredients, to a wider global audience and it has done just that. Located on the second level of Potato Head Beach Club, Kaum provides a touch of Asian flavour to the popular hangout that boasts an unblocked view of the sunset. Step inside Kaum and you will be greeted with an exotic ambience that combines elements from Indonesias rich heritage. True to its roots, Kaums design philosophy reflects the deep traditions and craftsmanship of the Republics tribal culture. Kaum seamlessly blends indigenous craft techniques with PTT Familys signature contemporary architectural style. In line with the family-style dining of the archipelagos tribal communities, Kaum holds long wooden dining tables, which are constructed using locally sourced materials. The Balinese concept differs from that of the Hong Kongs restaurant, by way of its culinary focus. The Hong Kong menu highlights traditional cooking methods while the Balinese menu features first-rate produce and often overlooked ingredients. Working closely with remote tribal communities, Kaum Bali has produced a menu that integrates nationally sourced products from small-scale, socially responsible producers. True to PTT Familys roots in exceptionally brewed beverages, the Kaum Collection mixes Kaum Highball an adventurous blend of Bulleit bourbon and arak with bitters and ginger beer. A sip of this packs a punch and is a treat to the tastbuds. If you prefer a Potato Head favourite, then the Kookaburra is a must try. A simple concoction of Tanqueray gin, sugars, mint and citrus interacts to create an easy-to-sip beverage that will leave you wanting more. Even rice, the simplest item on its menu is carefully thought through and is fragrant on its own. Jatiluwih Heirloom rice from within Balis farming communities is harvested with technology dating back to the 11th century and is used to prepare the highly recommended Nasi Goreng Cabe Asap, wok-friend rice with chilli, prawns and other spices. Whoever says rice needs to be white or brown should sample Kaums Nasi Merah, which is simply steamed red rice and Nasi Kuning, yellow rice that is a result of turmeric and coconut milk. Sambal, a form of hot sauce popular in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, would add an aromatic and peppery dynamic to your dining experience. Kaums Sambal Matah unites ginger, shallot and lemongrass to produce a mild yet flavourful mix. The same thought process is mirrored to spice up the Ayam Betutu Klungkung, which is a slow roasted baby chicken that is marinated in Balinese spices and wrapped in a banana leaf, as well as the Cabe Jawa or Javanese long pepper. Guests with carnivorous cravings can try the Kalio Daging Sapi, a braised beef dish is cooked with West Sumatran spices and coconut milk sauce to produce succulent, spicy and rich intense bits of beef that simply melt in your mouth. Served with sweet potato crisps, it brings the dish together beautifully. Crustacean lovers on the other hand, should savour the delectable curry based Gulai Udang Aceh (prawn tails). Okra brings a silky texture to the profile and the plantain adds a sweet and starchy dimension, which balances the myriad of flavours inside this dish. Above all, we loved the Indonesian hospitality we received. Kaums staff members are exceptional in their eye for detail and were quick to offer personal recommendations. Beyond their duties of serving and waiting on guests, they also ensure that the ambience is perfect for guests as they enjoy their meals. From the lighting, which is adjusted accordingly to the temperature of the room, no task is too small for the friendly waitstaff. We highly recommend making a reservation beforehand, given the popularity of the Club. The terrace and indoor place sits 120 people and provides a wonderful view of the sunset, with the intricacies of Indonesian architecture in the background. For those unable to venture to Bali to enjoy the flavours of Indonesias 600 ethnic groups, you will be happy to know that Kaum may just expand into Singapore and Jakarta. While the plans are still in the works, it gives hope to those of us who have left our hearts back in Bali, longing for the fresh flavour that its culinary scene has to offer. Kaum is available for sunset views daily between noon and midnight, while the terrace is opened from 4 pm. Six Lycoming College professors will discuss the future of energy during a panel discussion on Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mary L. Welch Honors Hall on the corner of 4th and Basin Streets. Admission to the event is free; light refreshments will be served. The discussion, titled The Future of Energy? An Interdisciplinary Approach, will showcase the range of issues and challenges surrounding the production and use of energy and their implications locally, nationally and globally. Faculty will discuss how specific fields like biology, physics, political science or history address subjects connected to energy in their classrooms and in their research. They also will identify how complex energy issues intersect across academic disciplines and how our understanding of these energy issues from one field influences the questions studied by other fields. The panel will consist of faculty who will be teaching courses for the Colleges new minors in energy studies and energy science, available starting in the fall: Bob Smith, Ph.D., department of biology Michael Kurtz, Ph.D., department of economics Ryan Adams, Ph.D., department of anthropology and sociology Laura Seddelmeyer, Ph.D., department of history Charles Mahler, Ph.D., department of chemistry Charles Doersam, M.S., department of physics The panel will be moderated by Jonathan Williamson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Energy and the Future and associate professor of political science. The panel discussion is part of the Colleges semester-long colloquium on Our Energy Future and is sponsored by the Center for Energy and the Future, which will begin full operations next fall. Lycoming Colleges Center for Energy and the Future (CEF) brings the Colleges interdisciplinary, liberal arts approach to the study of the complex and interconnected questions surrounding our energy future. CEF engages students, faculty, researchers, business and political leaders, and the general public in an ongoing and fair-minded conversation about energy systems of all types and their impacts at a local, national and global level. U.S. President Donald Trump 's call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday did not go well despite Australia being a close U.S. ally, according to a report from the Washington Post. U.S. officials told the Post that Trump informed Turnbull, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker, that he had conversed with other political leaders earlier in the day and that "this was the worst call by far." President Trump then terminated the call after a mere 25 minutes even though it had been scheduled for an hour, the Post stated. The full Washington Post article can be read here. Among the issues discussed was the Australian-U.S. refugee deal brokered by the Obama administration that involved the resettling of refugees on Manus Island and Nauru, the Post stated. The Trump administration later confirmed that it would receive 1,250 refugees from Australia but would apply "extreme vetting" to those seeking asylum. Trump reportedly told Turnbull that the resettlement agreement "was the worst deal ever" when the latter attempted to secure confirmation that the U.S. would follow through with its promise. Trump later repeated his displeasure with the deal in a tweet. Despite the less-than-amicable account of the call, the official White House statement stated that the two leaders "emphasized the enduring strength and closeness of the U.S.-Australia relationship." This is not the first time that President Trump has treated foreign leaders with the behavior he often uses against his critics, the media and on Twitter, the Washington Post said. Trump also adopted a similar tone in his calls with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, the Post added. Turnbull declined to comment on whether Trump hung up on him, according to a transcript provided by his office. However, he stressed that the relationship between the two countries was robust. "Australians know me very well. I always stand up for Australia in every forum," Turnbull said. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Major American companies, including Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, have drafted an open letter to Donald Trump that is now being passed around Washington D.C. The letter, obtained by Recode, takes a positive yet cautious approach to addressing Trumps immigration restrictions. Our nations compassion is a part of what makes it exceptional, and we are committed to helping your administration identify approaches for thorough screening without a blanket suspension of admissions under the U.S. Refugee Admissions program, the letter reads. While security and vetting procedures can and should always be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement, a blanket suspension is not the right approach. The letter is still a work in progress, but may be published this week. Its not the legal action Apple CEO Tim Cook said was on the table earlier this week, but the tech industry is clearly hoping to achieve more with honey than vinegar. At the very least, tech execs want a seat at Trumps table when decisions that directly affect their businesses are being made. The business community shares your commitment to growing the American economy and expanding job creation across the country. We hire both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment. As you contemplate changes to the nations complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees or DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values. Tech is leading the charge, but the industry is trying to get corporate leaders from other sectors to sign the letter and join the effort. Microsoft branched out on its own and sent a separate letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly advocating for exemptions to the immigration ban, according to Reuters. Specifically, Microsoft wants to exempt H1-B visa holders (many of whom work in tech) from the ban, so they can travel for work or a family emergency if they have no criminal record. Why this matters: The Trump Administrations ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries has caused a firestorm of controversy. Tech companies like Apple have openly opposed the ban, and Amazon is backing a lawsuit against the administration, but its unclear what kind of response (if any) execs are hearing from the federal government. By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - French presidential candidate Francois Fillon attempted to fight back on Thursday as pressure mounted on him to quit the race with some lawmakers from his own side urging him to drop his scandal-tainted bid to save the conservatives from defeat. With opinion polls showing the conservatives that their candidate may be fatally damaged, some senior members of The Republicans urged him to pull out now to give the party time to find a replacement who can save them from defeat. Fillon, 62, denied wrongdoing after Le Canard Enchaine newspaper reported the former prime minister had paid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done. Falling poll ratings since then will benefit far right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker running as an independent. A daily IFOP poll of voting intentions for the April 23 first round showed Fillon down one percentage point since Wednesday to be level with Macron. Either candidate would comfortably beat Le Pen in the May 7 runoff, the poll suggests. "I think our candidate must stop," Alain Houpert, a senator close to Fillon's former rival for the conservative ticket, Nicolas Sarkozy, told Public Senat television on Wednesday. France 2 television broadcast on Thursday extracts of a 2007 interview of Fillon's Welsh-born wife Penelope telling Britain's Daily Telegraph that if she had not had her last child she would have looked for work. She added that beyond helping her husband during campaigns, she had done nothing more. "I have never been actually his assistant or anything like that. I don't deal with his communication," she said. Her lawyer, Pierre Cornut-Gentille, said in a statement that the interview had been taken out of context and that she had always done her utmost to remain discreet and not appear to have a public role. French financial investigators are widening their probe to include two of the Fillons' children, who were also hired to help him out, a source told Reuters. Fillon himself pressed on with campaigning in the Ardennes region in northern France, telling a rally of about 1,000 people to "help him resist" against orchestrated efforts by his political opponents to break him and the party. He once again defended his actions as "nothing illegal" and sought to grab back the political high ground by attacking the other presidential candidates. "I feel like someone who is being attacked unjustly on all sides. But I am ready to defend myself," he told reporters earlier in the day when a few cries of "Resign!" rang out from a crowd. French lawmakers are allowed to employ family members, but the suggestion Penelope Fillon did no real work has damaged Fillon's image, and could yet put him in court. Fillon has said the work was genuine and will not stand down unless put under formal investigation. He held an emergency meeting with party grandees on Wednesday in which he urged them to stick by him for another two weeks - the time he estimated a preliminary investigation would take to run its course. But some appeared unwilling to give him that much time after one poll showed the hitherto favourite would be eliminated in the first round of the election on April 23. Another survey showed 69 percent of people wanted Fillon to drop his bid. SINKING SHIP "We need to change tactics, strategy," lawmaker Georges Fenech told RTL radio on Thursday. "We're like the orchestra on the Titanic as it sinks," he said in an earlier comment. Another legislator, Philippe Gosselin, called on former prime minister Alain Juppe, whom Fillon beat in a runoff for the party nomination, to think of stepping in as an alternative. But in the right-leaning newspaper Le Figaro, party stalwarts such as former candidates Bruno Le Maire and Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet offered Fillon their "total support". Aside from Juppe, other names being mentioned are Francois Baroin, a former finance minister, Valerie Pecresse, who heads the prosperous Ile de France region around Paris, and Xavier Bertrand who won a notable victory against Le Pen in regional elections in 2015. The scandal has heightened investor concerns that National Front leader Le Pen could win and take France out of the euro and the European Union. Opinion polls routinely show Le Pen making it through to a second round, but being soundly defeated in the runoff vote by any candidate - be it Fillon or the centrist Macron. The uncertainty has increased state borrowing costs, with the spread over German bond yields rising to an almost two-year high. France sold 7 billion euros' worth of bonds in an auction on Thursday at yields about 30 basis points higher than at sales in December and January. (Additional reporting by Simon Carraud, Chine Labbe and John Irish; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Robin Pomeroy) The European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights carried out a series of studies about the economic impact of counterfeiting in nine economic sectors. It is estimated that over 7.4% of all sales are lost every year in these sectors due to the presence of fake goods in the European market. The average loss of annual sales in the EU is estimated at 7.4% and at 7.9% regarding direct jobs. In Spain the percentages of loss of sales increases significantly over 15% in sectors as significant as cosmetics and perfumes (around 17%), clothing and footwear and sporting goods, being the second European country in total loss of sales and jobs. Despite the fact that fake products come mainly from out of the EU, domestic production seems to be on the rise. The distribution of counterfeit products takes place mainly in street markets, better known as "top manta" markets. Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia are key places but also the tourist towns of the Mediterranean coast are very active. City halls are implementing measures in order to end the presence of "manteros" (illegal street vendor in Spanish common language) in the streets. Madrid city fines the illegal sale of counterfeit products from 150 to 6000. In addition to fines, Barcelona has implemented communication campaigns for tourists with the intention of encouraging visitors to stop buying fake products. Other cities such as Seville and Alicante are implementing similar measures. E-commerce has become another increasingly common tool for selling fake products in Spain. Counterfeiters have taken advantage of the increase of online sales in order to create new digital platforms for illegal trading. The Spanish police are active when fighting against online counterfeiting. They have a specialised unit for fighting against IP crimes (Seccion de delitos contra la propiedad industrial e intelectual) headquartered in Madrid. Any citizen can inform them about a potential IP crime through an online contact form. The Spanish Customs authorities carried out 2,504 actions against counterfeiting in 2015. Almost 2.6 million products were seized. More than 50% of these products were found in ports and almost 75% originated in Asia. In 2015 a total of 50,715 trade marks, 2,882 patents and 1,927 industrial designs were filed at the OEPM, the Spanish trade mark and patent office. IP rights are considered positive and necessary by entrepreneurs. However there is still work to be done to promote IP awareness among citizens and visitors. Spain is interesting for counterfeiters not only because of the market that represents by itself but because of the 72 million of tourists that visit our country every year. IP protection in Spain has evolved positively in the past 10 years but there are still things to do and there will be new challenges to face. Carmen Gonzalez PONS IPGlorieta Ruben Dario, 428010 Madrid SpainTel: +34 917007600Fax: +34 913086103clientes@pons.eswww.ponsip.com Vietnam's IP enforcement system has seen great improvements over the past few years. In particular, the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has handled many complex disputes in the pharmaceutical sector related to patent infringement, unfair competition and trade mark infringement. Rights holders have generally been quite pleased with the decisions reached by MOST, as well as the expert opinions provided in various cases by the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) and the Vietnam Intellectual Property Research Institute (VIPRI), which are often a precursor to a MOST administrative enforcement action. Nevertheless, with a few tweaks when Vietnam amends its Law on Intellectual Property this year, the system can be improved even further to help better protect IP in the pharma sector. Below are a few suggestions for improvement. Patent linkage: At present, there is no strong or efficient route to have a marketing authorisation (MA) blocked or withdrawn in the event of patent infringement. Even when the Drug Administration of Vietnam is notified about a drug's potential infringement, an MA for the drug in question may still be approved. An MA may only be ordered withdrawn after a lengthy administrative or civil suit for patent infringement. In this regard, there needs to be stronger coordination between the IP enforcement and health agencies. Preliminary injunctions: So far, preliminary injunctions have not been granted in pharmaceutical patent infringement cases, even in a case where the rights holder submitted to the court three decisions/opinions (from MOST, the NOIP and VIPRI) affirming infringement. The infringer is still being allowed to participate in and win drug tenders at state-owned hospitals, and the rights holder cannot stop the sale despite overwhelming proof that it faces imminent, irreparable damage and will succeed on the merits of the case. Preliminary injunctions should be made available in these situations. Fast-tracking of invalidation actions: In some cases, such as a case involving agrochemical patents, the court has ruled on patent infringement even though an invalidation action was pending. However, in other cases, the filing of a frivolous invalidation action by the defendant has resulted in a stay being imposed on an administrative or civil action. However, such invalidation actions may take years to resolve, while damages continue to be incurred by the rights holder. Vietnam should adopt systems employed in other countries where invalidation actions heard by the patent office are fast-tracked, and/or a stay is not granted if the invalidation action is not considered to have a high chance of success on its merits. Damage calculations: In order to effectively deter patent infringement, Vietnam should adopt a system where patent damages can be trebled in the event that the infringer knowingly infringes a patent (such as by continuing to infringe after receiving a cease-and-desist letter, or after an administrative decision finding patent infringement has been issued). Moreover, the burden of proof of damages in IP cases is higher in Vietnam than in most countries. As mentioned, there are several hurdles in patent litigation in Vietnam, and it is therefore inappropriate that damages should be low if a rights holder can successfully overcome these hurdles and has suffered damages. Specialised IP court: Vietnam would be wise to consider adopting a specialised IP court. When Thailand established its IP Court, a strong message was sent to investors that the country was focusing on improving IP enforcement, and also helped consolidate the best experts in IP jurisprudence under one court for consistent handling of cases. Compulsory licensing: Vietnam is considering draft regulations on compulsory licensing. However, the draft regulations are missing several key components, such as allowing the rights holder to take part in the proceedings, and not requiring failed licence negotiations as a prerequisite to a compulsory licence being granted. Compulsory licensing has not been granted in Thailand since 2007, and has never been granted in Japan; thus, Vietnam should reconsider whether it is truly needed, and in any case needs to ensure that any regulations comply with international commitments. Parallel imports: Vietnam should consider adopting stricter regulations on parallel imports in the pharmaceutical sector. Pharmaceuticals can be imported from countries with different storage conditions (for example, different climates) and other regulatory requirements, or misleading information on origin, which can result in pharmaceuticals being imported into Vietnam that do not meet quality standards, or which mislead consumers. The Market Management Bureau of Hanoi should be commended for its stance against parallel-imported pharmaceuticals when regulatory violations are involved, as demonstrated in one case in 2016 when it raided a pharmacy, seized the medicines and imposed a fine. Special import quotas (SIQ): Many IP-infringing pharmaceuticals are imported via fast-tracked special import quotas. There is rarely any public information available on the application or decision to grant the SIQ. As a result, the rights holder cannot take action until the market has already been flooded by the infringing product, thus adding to the damages to the rights holder. Further transparency is needed. Trade marks incorporating INNs: Vietnam's trade mark registry contains many trade marks that inappropriately incorporate INNs. The registry should adopt a trade mark examination system where objections can be raised automatically in certain circumstances involving INNs, and the burden is placed on the applicant to rebut the inference of non-registrability. Thomas J Treutler Hien Thi Thu Vu Tilleke & GibbinsHAREC Building, 4th Floor4A Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: +84 4 3772 6688Fax: +84 4 3772 5568vietnam@tilleke.comwww.tilleke.com Unrest Is The Only Growth Industry Left Benoit Hamon won the run-off for the presidential nomination of the Socialist party in France last weekend. The party that still, lest we forget, runs the country; current president Francois Hollande is a Socialist, even if only in name, but he did win the previous election. Hamon ran on a platform of shortening the workweek from 35 to 32 hours, legalizing cannabis and easing the country into a universal basic income of 750/month per capita. Hes way left of Hollande, who has a hilariously low approval rating of 4%. Hamon doesnt appear to have much chance of winning the presidency in the two voting rounds taking place on April 23 and May 7, but we all know how reliable election predictions are these days, and in that regard France is as volatile as the next country. With conservative runaway favorite Francois Fillon accused of having paid his wife $1 million for doing nothing and Marine Le Pen, already desperately short on funds, targeted by the EU over money, who knows what and who will decide the election? Hamon may simply be the only one left standing on the day after the vote. I bring up Hamon, about whom I know very little, not least because he was more or less a late minute addition to the field that was supposed to have been an easy win for his former boss Manuel Valls, I bring up Hamon because he confirms something Ive been talking about for a while. That is, the fact that leftist France chooses to go even more left than expected, goes a way towards proving my theory that voters in many if not most western countries will move away from their respective political centers, and towards extremes. This is an inevitable consequence of traditional, less extreme, politicians and parties having all become clustered together in shapeless and colorless blobs in the center, both in the US and in most European countries, combined with the fact that all of their policies -especially economic ones- have spectacularly failed vast amounts of people (or voters, if you will). The failure of their policies has been hidden from sight by interest rates squashed like bugs, ballooning central bank balance sheets, real estate bubbles, fabricated economic data, and fantasy stories in their media that seem(ed) to affirm the recovery tales, but they all forgot to -eventually- line up reality with the fantasies. They never made 99% of people actually more comfortable. The entire politics-economics-media deus ex machina has failed because it was/is based on lies and fake news, meant to hide economic reality (i.e. negative growth), and this will have grave consequences. People have started noticing this despite the official and media-promoted data. And theyre not going to un-notice. Not only dont people -once they find out- like having been lied to for years, they dislike worsening living conditions even more. And thats all they get; the only people who get it better are the rich, because without that the machinery cant continue pumping up the official numbers. And what do you get? People complain about Trump. And they focus on one of his -seemingly- crazy ideas: temporarily closing US borders to refugees from nations with large Muslim populations. Which is a fine thing to resist, because yes, its a pretty silly idea, but why havent they paid similar attention to how theyve been lied to for years on both the economy and on Syria, on how Obama became the Drone King and how many innocent people lost their lives because of that?! To how favorite all-American gal Hillary screwed up Northern Africa when she declared We Came We Saw He Died and the death of Libyas Gaddafi, who gave his country the highest living standards in the region, free education and free health care, but was murdered by Hillarys US troops, co-created the chaos that led to so many people wanting to flee their homelands in the first place? Why is that? Why are there protests when people are halted at an American border crossing but not when American and British and French and Australian forces blow the very same peoples homes to smithereens? Could that have something to do with where the protesters get their information? With how much they know about whats happening in the world before it reaches their doorsteps? Yes, people are suffering, and its very unfair whats happening to many caught in the Trump Ban, but does anyone really believe that thats where it started, that this is the first time (or even a unique time) that protest is warranted, or more so? And if not, why is it happening? Because people only notice stuff when it hits them in the face, I would presume, but who among the protesters would volunteer to agree they live their lives with blinders on? Not many, I would venture. So why do we see what we do? Where were you when Obama ordered yet another child, a family, which hadnt yet made it to a US airport but might as well have, to be collateral damage? I get why youre protesting the Trump ban, but I dont get why thats your prime focus. I am guessing that most of the protesters would not have voted Trump in the first place, and would have been much happier -to put it mildly- for Hillary to be president right now. But if you would have paid attention in history class, you would know that it was Hillary who brought the refugees to your welcome mats to begin with. Take it a step further, like to the January 21 womens march, and you would realize that the vast majority of the refugees would have much preferred to stay where they grew up, where the women in their families, their sisters and aunts and daughters used to live. Most of whom are gone now, theyre either dead or diaspora-ed to Jordan, Turkey, Alberta, Sweden, Greece. All on account of Obama and his crew. Who of course blamed it on Assad and Putin. I killed 1000 children, but I had to because those guys are so dangerous. This generation of refugees, of the huddled masses that the Statue of Liberty is supposed to teach you about, didnt come to America because its the promised land; they came because America turned their homeland into a giant pile of rubble surrounded by garbage heaps and minefields. I dont know if youve ever seen pictures of Aleppo before it was destroyed, but I dare you to tell me there is even one existing American city today thats more beautiful than Aleppo was before Americans and their allies reduced it to dust. Here you go. This is Aleppo before America got involved in Syria: Theres very little left of that beautiful city, with its highly educated people and their lovely happy children. And none of that has anything at all to do with Donald Trump! I dont want to give you pics of what Aleppo looks like now. I want you to remember how lovely it was before we moved in, years go. Sure, what you hear and see in the west is that Assad and Putin are the bad guys in this story. But now that the US/EU supported rebels are gone, dozens of schools are reopening, and medical centers, hospitals. Who are the bad guys now? And yeah, Trump is an elephant, and elephants are always awkward and theyre messy and they tend to kick things over and when they make mistakes those tend to be huge, but how much valuable china does the US really have left anyway? Isnt it all perhaps just a sliver off target, the demos, the outrage and indignation? Is the idea that your army can destroy peoples living environments with impunity without you protesting in anything approaching a serious way, and that then you get to demand, through protest, that those same people are allowed entry into your country? Thats way too late to do the right thing. I started out making the point that as our politico-economic systems are failing, voters will move away from the center that devised and promoted those systems, and that this will happen in many countries. The US could have had Bernie Sanders as president, but the remaining powers in the center made that impossible. Likewise, many European countries will see a move towards either further left or further right. Since the former is mostly dormant at best, while the latter has long been preparing for just such a moment, many nations will follow the American example and elect a right wing figurehead. This will cause a lot of chaos, but thats not necessarily a bad thing. People need to wake up and become active. The recent US demonstrations may be a first sign of that, even though they look largely out of focus. More than anything else, people need a mirror, they need to acknowledge that because theyve been in a state of mindless self-centered slumber for so long, they have work to do now. And that work needs to consist of more than yelling at the top of your lungs that Trump and Le Pen and Wilders are such terribly bad people. For one thing because that will only help them, for another because they were not the people who put you to sleep or were supporting mindless slaughter in faraway nations or were making up official numbers as your economies were dumped into handbaskets on their way to hell. So ask yourselves, why did you believe what Obama was saying, or Merkel, or Cameron, Sarkozy, Rutte, you name them, while you could have known they were just making it all up, if only you had paid attention? Why? What happened? Why did the term fake news only recently become a hot potato, even though youve been bombarded with fake and false news for years? Is it because you were/are so eager to believe that your economy is recovering that any evidence to the contrary didnt stand a chance? If so, do realize that for many people that was not true; its why they voted for the people you now so despise. Is it perhaps also because youre so eager to believe your leaders do the right thing that you completely miss out on the fact that theyre not? And whose fault is that? In yet another angle, people claim that the planets in great peril because Trump doesnt believe in climate change. But its not Trumps whos the danger when it comes to climate change, you are, because youre foolish enough to believe that things like last years infinitely bally-hood Paris Agreement (CON21) will actually save something. That belief is more dangerous than a flat-out denial, because it lulls people into sleep, while denial keeps them awake. Its the idea that theres still time to rescue the planet thats dangerous, because its the perfect excuse to keep on doing what you were doing without having to feel too much guilt or remorse. Youre not going to save a single species with your electric car or whatever next green fad there is, the only way to do that is through drastic changes to your society and your own behavior. Thats not only true with respect to the climate, its just as valid with respect to the refugees on your doorstep. If you want to rescue them, and those who will come after them, the only thing that makes any difference is making sure the bombing stops, that the US and European war machines are silenced. If you dont do that, none of these protests are of any use. So sure, yeah, by all means, protest, but make sure you protest the real issues, not just a symptom. That doesnt mean you should shut the door in the face of these frail forms fainting at the door, thats just insane, but it does mean that after welcoming your guests, you will also have to make sure what brought them there must stop. If you stop killing and maiming these people, and help rebuild Aleppo and a thousand other places, they wont need to come to your door anymore. As for the political field, unrest will continue and grow because the end of economic growth means the end of centralization, and our entire world, politically, economically, what have you, is based on these two things. Today, unrest is the only growth industry left. And its not going away anytime soon. Its a new day, a new dawn, its just that unfortunately this is not going to be a pretty one. Still, none of it is unexpected. The Automatic Earth has been saying for years, and with us quite a few others, that this was and is inevitable. Of course there are those who say that we cried wolf, but well take that risk any day. Saw a nice very short video of Mike Maloney saying in 2011 that Obama would have to double US debt between 2008 and 2016 just to keep the entire system from starting to collapse, running to stand still, Alice, Red Queen and all. And guess what? Theres the recovery as its been sold to you. Its all been borrowed, to the last penny. Will Donald Trump double US debt once again? Will the EU countries do the same? How about Japan and China? And to think that federal debt isnt even the worst threat, personal debt is, and so many of us carry so much of that, and try to pass off our mortgaged homes as assets, not debt. An increasingly desperate game on all fronts. By Raul Ilargi Meijer Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory) 2017 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. White House Puts Iran on Notice Over Its Legitimate Missile Tests On Wednesday, Trumps National Security Advisor Michael Flynn irresponsibly lashed out against Irans recent legitimate ballistic missile tests. Without justification, he claimed they undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk. He cited Security Council Resolution 2231, making the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA nuclear deal) binding international law. It called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Fact: Irans missile technology, development and testing are entirely legitimate, violating no Security Council resolution or other international law. Fact: Its ballistic and other missiles arent designed to carry nuclear warheads. Fact: Iran threatens no other nations - not America, Israel or any others. Claims otherwise are Big Lies. Its government promotes regional and world peace, abhors nuclear weapons, urging their abolition. Fact: America, NATO, Israel and their rogue partners alone threaten world peace, stability and security. Its unknown whether Trump intends continuing the imperial madness of his predecessors. He indicated not. Judge him by his actions, not his rhetoric. Failing to stop the positioning of thousands of heavily armed US-led NATO forces on Russias borders, a hostile act, isnt encouraging. Nor was a commando raid on Libya massacring civilians or Secretary of State Rex Tillerson indicating he intends pursuing regime change in Venezuela, seeking what he called a transition to democratic rule - something America badly needs, not Venezuela with the hemispheres most vibrant democracy. Months before becoming Trumps chief White House strategist, Steve Bannon said (w)ere going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years. Theres no doubt about that. He called Beijing and Islam Americas two greatest threats. Its unknown if his views are unchanged, given his high administration post. Trumps UN envoy Nikki Haley indicated dirty business as usual with Ukraines putschist regime will continue, discussed in a previous article. The country shares a near-1,500 mile land and sea border with Russia. Rick Rozoff earlier explained Ukraine is the decisive linchpin in plans by the US and its NATO allies to effect a military cordon sanitaire, severing Russia from Europe. If Trump intends pursuing this plan, rapprochement with Moscow is impossible, unlikely with Michael Flynn irresponsibly bashing Iran. Russia, China and Iran are allies. Hostility toward one affects relations with the others. Tehrans ballistic missile program is solely for defense, not offense, given hostility towards its government by Washington, Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Arms control experts agree. Its entirely legitimate, violating no international laws or agreements. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov concurred, saying its missile testing doesnt breach SC Res. 2231. Flynn lied claiming Iran is now feeling emboldened. The Obama Administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions - including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms. Its unclear what steps the Trump administration intends taking. It appears recklessly embarking on confrontational relations with Iran, instead of respecting its sovereignty and normalizing things once and for all after seeking regime change for 37 hostile years, in part to please Israel. A Final Comment On Wednesday, a statement by 220 Iranian lawmakers pledged full-fledged support for the nations military, saying the reinforcement of the defense capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran in line with deterrence strategy is vital to ensure the countrys security. On Tuesday, Washington called an emergency Security Council session on Iran, a hostile act, at its conclusion, US UN envoy Nikki Haley sounded like Samantha Power, ranting: I will tell the people across the world that is something you should be alarmed about. The United States is not naive. We are not going to stand by. You will see us call them out as we said we would, and you are also going to see us act accordingly. Not an encouraging sign. It remains to be seen what action Trump intends taking. By Stephen Lendman http://sjlendman.blogspot.com His new book as editor and contributor is titled Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III. http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html He lives in Chicago and can be reached in Chicago at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Global Research News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday through Friday at 10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on world and national topics. All programs are archived for easy listening. 2017 Copyright Stephen Lendman - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. COLLINSVILLE A fight in a Collinsville motel room ended with a Martinsville resident facing assault charges. In Henry County Circuit Court, a judge found Gail Dodson Hairston guilty of felonious assault and battery of a police officer. Hairston pleaded not guilty to the charge, telling the court she was throwing a bag of trash at her boyfriend during an argument and did not mean to hit a Henry County sheriffs deputy with the bag of trash or her hand, if she did. The incident happened at a motel on Virginia Avenue in Collinsville on Oct. 20, 2016. The deputy testified that he responded to a call about a disturbance at the motel, which involved the occupants of a motel room. When he got there, the deputy said Hairston and her boyfriend were arguing over whose room it was. According to testimony, the room was in the boyfriends name, though Hairston said she paid for it. During the argument, Hairston picked up a bag of trash and threw it. The deputy said the bag of trash struck him in the shoulder, and Hairstons hand struck him on the forearm. The deputy was not injured, however. A sheriffs lieutenant testified said he saw Hairston throw the bag of trash and it looked like it bounced off the deputy. The boyfriend meanwhile testified that during the profanity-laden argument between him and Hairston, she threw a bag of trash at him, but he didnt see where it landed. Hairston said she was trying to throw the bag of trash over the deputys shoulder, in an effort to hit her boyfriend. She doesnt recall hitting the deputy, but added if she did, she didnt intend to. Judge David V. Williams ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for April 19. HENRY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT: Rashid Abdol Brown of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to attempting to obtain money or property by false pretense (on April 15, 2016). A judge set sentencing for March 1. Coral Denise Hill of Martinsville, who was charged with shoplifting-third or subsequent offense (a felony), pleaded guilty to shoplifting-first offense (a misdemeanor), in an incident Feb. 8, 2016. She received a sentence of 12 months in jail, with 10 days active and 11 months and 20 days suspended on conditions including payment of restitution of $21.98. Logan Everet Cassell of Bassett pleaded guilty to grand larceny and larceny with intent to sell or distribute such property, both felonies, in an incident on July 5, 2016. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for April 19. The prosecution dropped a charge against Cassell of felonious larceny with intent to sell or distribute such property (on Aug. 8, 2016).Bobbi Jo Gutowski of Ridgeway pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing morphine (on June 23 and June 27, 2016). A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for April 19. The prosecution dropped a charge of distributing methadone (on July 15, 2016). Steven Todd Richardson of Martinsville pleaded guilty to distributing methamphetamine (on Sept. 22, 2015) and received a sentence of 10 years in prison, with one year active and nine years suspended on conditions including three years of supervised probation and payment of $200 restitution and a $50 fine. Brenton Harvey Cooper of Collinsville pleaded guilty to three counts of obtaining money or property by false pretense-third or subsequent offense, a felony (on June 6, June 7 and June 30, 2016). A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for April 19. The prosecution dropped one charge of obtaining money or property by false pretense-third or subsequent offense (on June 6, 2016) against Cooper. Timothy Itaska Bryant of Fieldale pleaded guilty to assault and battery of a police officer and shoplifting-third or subsequent offense, both felonies and both on May 1, 2016. A judge set sentencing for March 1. A judge took under advisement a charge against James Winfred Hopkins of Martinsville of feloniously assault and batter a police officer (on Dec. 29, 2015). A court hearing was set for Feb. 7, 2018. During the next year, Hopkins is to be of good behavior, comply with mental health treatment and take medications. Jason Christopher Hayes of Martinsville, who was charged with distributing cocaine-third or subsequent offense (on May 25, 2016), pleaded guilty to an amended charge of distributing cocaine as an accommodation. A judge ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for April 26. The prosecution dropped a charge against Hayes of conspiracy to distribute cocaine (on May 25, 2016). Audrey Marie Cross of Martinsville, who was charged with felonious shoplifting (on June 24, 2016), pleaded guilty to an amended charge of misdemeanor shoplifting. She received a sentence of 12 months in jail, with 11 months and 24 days suspended on conditions including one year and six months of supervised probation. RICHMOND A Fredericksburg police officer pulled over Travis Blair and fatally shot him after a chase and struggle in March. Soon after, Police Chief David Nye authorized public release of the officers identity: Christopher Brossmer. Blair had a warrant for failing to appear in court on a drug charge and his father told The Free Lance-Star of Fredericksburg he held no animosity toward the officer who shot his son. Release of the officers name wasnt required by state law, but it was not prohibited, either. While many Virginia police agencies dont release an officers name until the investigation of a shooting is over, a 2015 Fredericksburg police policy says officers will be named within 72 hours of a shooting unless their safety is threatened. Del. Jackson Miller, R-Manassas, wants such police policies to end. Miller, a former police officer, is sponsoring House Bill 2043, which would forbid a police chief or any public official from naming an officer who discharges a gun, or is under investigation for using force, until an investigation is complete, unless the investigation lasts longer than six months. Naming an officer beforehand or providing information to the public that would identify the officer would become a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. So if Millers bill were law, a chief like Nye who released the name of an officer before an investigation was complete or a police officer passing on information to a reporter could be charged with a crime for doing so. The bill cleared a House subcommittee 5-1 and is scheduled to be heard Thursday in the House General Laws Committee. Miller said the bill would protect police and standardize a policy for identifying them after an incident. Most agencies wont release anything until well after the investigation, he acknowledged. I believe Fairfax and a couple others decided theyre going to release it really quickly, probably based on pressure they got for other issues. Miller said he didnt have firsthand knowledge of officers in Virginia facing threats after a shooting, but he said the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police relayed examples. Itll let emotions die down after a police shooting, Miller said of his bill. The state NAACP and the Virginia Press Association criticized the proposal, which comes following a series of police shootings nationally that were captured on bystanders cellphone video, such as the fatal shooting in 2015 of Walter Scott in North Charleston, South Carolina. Officer Michael Slager shot him in the back as he ran. Police in the United States killed 1,092 people in 2016, according to a database from The Guardian newspaper. Little to no information is publicly available in Virginia about the officer after a police shooting. Any history of disciplinary problems, previous shootings or use of force complaints is shielded from the public in Virginia law. Anything that broadens the gap between the community trust and law enforcement, that would deepen the divide, cannot be a good thing, said Linda Thomas, president of The Virginia State Conference NAACP. And so we would urge lawmakers to ... vote this down, and continue on the pathway that leads to better communication, citizens review and oversight in the investigatory process, and to continue to remedy anything that would prevent law enforcement officers from being in tune and in touch with the community. She also noted that after a police officer shoots someone the person shot is named and opened up to public scrutiny, while cloaking in secrecy the identity of the public servant who is paid with taxpayer money. Shrouding such information encourages public mistrust of police, she said. Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, said the bill would override some police policies and deny a chief or sheriff the ability to name an officer even if they think the information should be publicized as is currently allowed by law. There will be times when it would be in the publics interest for having that information in a more timely manner, she said. Betsy Edwards, executive director of the Virginia Press Association, said Millers bill would criminalize transparency. Police jurisdictions are not being forced to release the names. Its totally up to the officers in charge, the sheriffs, the police chiefs to decide whether or not its appropriate, she said. The vast majority of jurisdictions use the discretion to not release the name. ... I think the police chiefs and sheriffs know their communities and know whats in the best interest overall in the community and their relationship with the community. A Fairfax County policy adopted in 2016 would be overruled if Millers bill became law. Fairfax police release the name of an officer who fatally shoots someone within 10 days, as long as there isnt a security threat to the officer. Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham authorizes release of an officers name case by case, with safety being an important factor, Gene Lepley, police public affairs director, said in an email. The Roanoke County Police Department drew public criticism for refusing to release the names of two officers who shot and killed a teenager nearly a year ago. Early in the investigation, police said there was no discernible benefit to exposing officers to unwarranted speculation while the facts related to the incident are yet to be fully known. Once Chief Howard Hall announced that the officers would not face charges or discipline, he said he still would not release their names because he legally did not have to, and out of concern for the privacy and security of officers. He never elaborated on those safety concerns. In 2014, when a Roanoke County police officer shot an armed man at the Friendship Retirement Community, the department released the officers name the day after the shooting. The Roanoke Police Department generally has released names of officers involved in shootings. The department has said it does not have a formal policy on disclosing information about shootings or the names of officers involved. The increased national scrutiny of police shootings raises a need for more balance, said Wayne Huggins, executive director of the Virginia State Police Association and a former superintendent of Virginia State Police. He said he supports Millers bill, but expects it would be amended in some fashion if it survives the legislative process. Police are under scrutiny and criticism in a way Huggins hasnt seen in his career, he said. We have seen instances around the country where the police officer is presumed guilty even before the investigation is completed, Huggins said. While he acknowledged Virginia hasnt had the level of controversial police protests as some other states, the national mood about policing and concerns over safety weigh on police officers, he said. So theres a need to balance the publics desire for information with safety of a police officer, he said. Millers bill would afford a degree of protection for a law enforcement officer until an investigation is complete, he said. These use-of-force incidents can get super charged in a hurry. And this will give the law enforcement community the opportunity to kind of protect themselves, he said. And were not suggesting that the names should not be, at the appropriate time, released. Millers bill echoes 2016s Senate Bill 552 from Sen. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, which would have allowed the names of all Virginia police officers to be withheld from the public. Critics said Cosgroves bill was an extreme reaction to anti-police protests and would have hindered the publics ability to hold police accountable for their actions. After passing the Senate last year it was killed by the same subcommittee that advanced Millers bill this year. Del. Jim LeMunyon, R-Fairfax, heads the subcommittee that heard Cosgroves bill in 2016 and Millers bill last month. He was the lone vote against Millers bill in subcommittee, in part because, he said, it would supplant the discretion of local officials. Every situation is different, LeMunyon said. The question is do you trust the people on the ground in the different place and situation to exercise their judgment responsibly or not? He added that the bill could also lead to awkward situations where an officers name becomes public through unofficial channels and is widely known on the internet or in the media. The government employees are still bound not to talk about it as if its still a secret when it really isnt, he said. Roanoke Times reporter Amy Friedenberger contributed to this report. RICHMOND The Dreamers crowded into a General Assembly hearing room where oil portraits of immigrants hang poignantly on the walls. They had come to argue for a bill filed by a Northern Virginia delegate that would protect the right they now have to in-state tuition and against a bill filed by a lawmaker from Franklin County that would require colleges to aid in the enforcement of federal immigration law. Both votes went their way at Tuesdays meeting of the House Education Committees subcommittee on higher education, but success on the tuition bill was short-lived. On Wednesday, the full committee rejected the proposal by Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, who said he is trying to prevent the chaos that is looming for students caught in a very difficult situation not of their making. The students qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, the policy of former President Barack Obama which, under an opinion from the state attorney generals office, has allowed them to pay in-state rates at public colleges and universities. Lopezs legislation would have protected DACA students regardless of what might happen in Washington under the new Trump administration. Im paying in-state tuition like the American, Virginian and taxpayer that I am, said Jacqueline Cortes Nava, a fourth-year University of Virginia student. She is one of about 30 DACA students at UVa and 1,280 across the state receiving in-state tuition. The subcommittee voted to send the bill to the House Appropriations Committee over the objection of Dels. Jimmie Massie, R-Henrico, and Steve Landes, R-Augusta, chairmen, respectively, of the subcommittee and education committee. It felt premature to me to be inserting our state judgment on a federal issue when the federal law is changing so dramatically, Massie said before the committee overrode the recommendation and voted to kill House Bill 1857. Lopezs bill also would have codified in Virginia law the DREAM Act, which has not passed Congress but would give undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children a path toward gaining legal status. About 11,530 people have been approved for DACA status in Virginia, but only 1,280 are enrolled in the states two- and four-year schools, Lopez said. In-state tuition gives her the opportunity to fully unleash my potential, said Jessica Morena-Caycho, a Virginia Commonwealth University junior, and does not in any way harm native-born Virginians. Morena-Caycho was among dozens of DACA students who came to the hearing, sitting on the floor before the lawmakers and spilling out into the hallway. All around them were portraits of Ellis Island immigrants that are part of a series called Faces of America. The students saw success in blocking the immigration-enforcement bill (House Bill 2001) by Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin, which opponents feared would force educators to aid in the process of deporting students. I have lived in Virginia for 17 years, and up until a month ago, the only people I had ever felt safe divulging my legal status to were my professors, College of William and Mary student Allison Esquen-Roca said at the subcommittee hearing. Poindexters bill would put those relationships at risk, she said, forcing DACA students to go back into hiding. Requiring universities to enforce immigration laws would have a chilling effect on professors such as myself, said Leila Christenbury, a professor at VCU. Look at these walls, she said, calling attention to portraits she said show this is a country of immigrants. It is our strength. Christenbury noted the backing international students are receiving from university leadership after last weeks executive order by President Donald Trump imposing travel restrictions on seven Muslim-majority countries. The order has highlighted the ideological fissure between academia and the new administration in Washington. Universities across the state have reiterated their support of DACA and international students, and pointed to the protection they receive under the federal privacy law known as FERPA. On immigration status, UVa spokesman Anthony de Bruyn said by email, the university will not disclose information about individual students to anyone except as required by law, such as by court order or lawfully issued subpoena. Dozens of dead, injured and living turkeys flocked in a front yard along U.S. 220 in Bassett Forks Thursday morning, after the third turkey-truck accident along that highway in four years. The turkey truck overturned on US 220 northbound, just north of Tower Road, at around 2:40 a.m. Thursday, according to Sgt. Lane of the Virginia State Police. He said that Tooper B. Loatch was the initial officer to respond to the scene. There were a lot of turkeys on the truck when it wrecked, he said. It was a full truck, and we had probably about 50 (turkeys) running around. There were a lot that died as a result of the accident. The driver, Leroy Geter of Salisbury, North Carolina, was cited with reckless driving, Lane said. He was transported to Memorial Hospital in Martinsville with non- life-threatening injuries. A representative from VDOT said that VDOT was called at around 3 a.m. and arrived on the scene to close the right lane of the highway. Lane said that the dead turkeys were taken away by another truck in the wee hours of the morning. By 8 a.m., many of the remaining few dozens of turkeys had visible injuries, and a few appeared to be dead. The wrecked truck had been hauled off by then, and workers from the wrecker company out of Salem were standing around in the yard, watching turkeys. Whenever a turkey would wander away from the flock, a man from the wrecker company or VDOT would walk over to it and guide it back to its group. A man in dark blue overalls, who said he was the supervisor from the turkey company, declined to give his name or comment on the accident. The turkey truck waiting at the scene was from Circle S Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, the same company whose turkeys were being transported in trucks which wrecked along that highway in 2013 and 2012. Joe Grogan, a volunteer with the Martinsville-Henry County SPCA and an SPCA board member for 16 years, arrived at about 8:30 a.m. He asked the supervisor if he could transport the injured turkeys to Veterinary Services for treatment, and the supervisor declined. The second time Grogan asked the supervisor, the supervisor said that turkeys would be euthanized, and weve got a process for doing that. About a dozen Circle S Ranch workers arrived by about 8:45 a.m. They heaved several turkeys over the slatted rails of a large flatbed pickup truck. They put other turkeys into cages at the bottom level of cages of the waiting turkey truck. Complaints leveled Grogan said that he was upset with how the turkeys were treated, and he called in a report to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). This is the second time PETAs attention has been drawn to turkey truck accidents in Henry County; the first was after the 2012 accident just a few miles north of Thursdays wreck. It is very sad to me that this happened and the turkeys suffered so much, and so many have died, he said. I saw a couple of workers who threw them in a rough manner in the little, small areas of the truck. When they were thrown in, their heads and the sides and tops of their bodies would hit the metal of the cages. Regarding the flatbed truck with rails, two or three guys did handle them in a rough manner and threw them on the truck, he said. What really concerns me is that there are no laws protecting the injured so they could be transported to a veterinarian and humanely treated or euthanized, Grogan added. Looking back In April 2013, a tractor-trailer crashed along U.S. 220 in April 2013, killing hundreds of turkeys, just a couple of miles south of Thursdays accident, according to Bulletin reports. The truck in that accident was hauling 960 turkeys, also from Circle S Ranch in Monroe. In June 2012, according to Bulletin reports, a company driver was hauling about 600 turkeys for Circle S Ranch when it overturned on U.S. 220 in Ridgeway. After that accident, SPCA employees and volunteers and People for the Ethical Treatment of animals made allegations of cruel treatment of the turkeys as they were being rounded up after the wreck. Henry Commonwealths Attorney Bob Bushnell decided not to file charges in connection with the treatment of the turkeys after he reviewed a Virginia State Police investigation into the accident, according to Bulletin reports. Bushnell had asked for the investigation allegations of mistreatment after he received a letter about the incident from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a national animal rights organization. In his explanation of not filing charges, he wrote, the question is not whether the crew handled the turkeys as gently as possible but whether there is evidence that would establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the crew or any individual member thereof engaged in criminal animal cruelty, according to Bulletin reports. The truck driver from the 2013 accident, Mark Nepsa of Gerald Clountz Trucking of Midland, N.C., talked to Bulletin reporters about that situation. Driving in heavy traffic, he had to swerve to avoid a car which drove in front of his truck, he had said. His truck ran off the left-hand side of the road. He had said that he estimated the birds were stacked 12 to 13 feet high on the back of his truck. He said that he did not know how much weight was being carried. In the poultry industry, Nepsa had said, feed tankers and turkey wagons are the easiest to turn over because of the weight and height. MARTINSVILLE The Revolutionary War ended 234 years ago, but that doesnt mean the soldiers who fought for Americas freedom are long forgotten. According to Bob Vogler, President of the local Colonel George Waller chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, the brave militiamen are well-remembered by nearly 33,000 relatives worldwide. Its the largest male lineage group that traces heritage back to the American Revolution, Vogler said about the SAR. Your relative had to have fought for or supported the American Revolution. While serving in the militia is fairly self-explanatory, supporting the cause could mean a number of things. Paying taxes, taking an Oath of Allegiance or providing goods and services in support of the war, Vogler listed possible ancestral documentation a person could present in order to join the group. While Patrick Henry, a patriot who resided in the Martinsville-Henry County area for several years, never became a Continental soldier, his speeches and writings made a major impact on the war effort. While he received acclaim over his words, Henry also helped supply the army. Known for seeking either Liberty or Death, Vogler said the speaker also asked for one more thing, this time from the government. Patrick Henry turned in claims for supplies for the Continental Army, Vogler said. Like everybody else at the end of the war, he wanted to be reimbursed. While not as well known as Henry, history also tells the story of George Taylor, a lieutenant in the Henry County Virginia Militia. He was great-grandfather number five, Vogler said about his ancestor. He lived near Mayo River, around the Spencer Penn area. While Taylors story didnt get passed down from generation to generation, Vogler searched with persistence for his ancestor. Ive researched. I had some help, Vogler said. Ive looked in county records. In his time in service, he received three promotions. Another good way to find documentation is pension records. The soldiers cite activities theyd be engaged in. And theyd file claims. The various documents Vogler collected on Taylor helped him piece together parts of his ancestors life. Along with patrolling his area of Henry County, Taylor also scoured parts of North Carolina. He would go and intimidate the Tories, or subjects that remained loyal to the Crown, Vogler said. Hed keep them under control. Taylor also handled delinquents. Each of the 57 members in Martinsville have stories to tell about their ancestors. Some information is easy to find, but many of the tales require some digging. No matter the depth of a familys history, its interesting to find tidbits relating to the past, especially in a group with such a large reach. One of 562 chapters worldwide, the local group shares commonality with people in Great Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland every member can trace their lineage back to a colonial era relative. The Colonel George Waller group named after a local patriot who went on to become Martinsvilles trustee and a county sheriff meets quarterly and also attends events. While they celebrate many holidays throughout the year, the group attends four primary events directly relating to the Revolutionary War. We go to the Crossing of the Dan, which is when Nathaniel Greene escaped Cornwalliss army just by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin, Vogler said. That happened in South Boston. The group also travels to the location of the Raid at Martins Station, which involved General Joseph Martin, a patriot who settled in the Martinsville area. The Colonel George Waller chapter also goes to events remembering the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of the Great Bridge. When a grave dedication occurs, its not uncommon to see a Martinsville man dressed as a Revolutionary solider. Were part of the Virginia SAR Color Guard, Vogler said. While the group remembers ancestors of the past, they also honor people alive today. The Colonel George Waller chapter, who received excellence awards in 2004 and 2010 through 2015, also gives awards to local JROTC cadets, good citizens and public safety personnel. Theres really only one requirement to join the SAR or Daughters of the American Revolution, Vogler said. Youve got to be able to trace your genealogy directly from a patriot with primary documentation. RICHMOND Moviegoers at historic Virginia theaters could soon pair their buttered popcorn with alcohol. Legislation that would allow nonprofit cinemas to sell wine and beer during movies is moving forward in the General Assembly. The bill, pushed by Blacksburgs Lyric and Roanokes Grandin Theatre, passed Virginias House of Delegates 90-7 Wednesday. Del. Nick Rush, R-Christiansburg, proposed House Bill 1743 at their urging, but it would also apply to other nonprofit cinemas statewide. Operating a nonprofit movie theater is no easy task, especially considering so many of these small cinemas operate out of older buildings that have higher operating costs, Rush said. Running a historic cinema house or movie theater is a tough business model, so this will give them another avenue for revenue so they can help maintain the buildings and the presence in downtown areas, Rush said. The Grandin Theatre has fewer screening rooms than its Roanoke competitors. The Carmike 10 next to Tanglewood Mall started selling wine and beer more than a year ago. Both the Frank Theatres CineBowl & Grille + IMAX in Blacksburg and the Regal New River Valley Stadium 14 in Christiansburg sell wine and beer. Should the bill pass through the General Assembly and be signed by the governor, the theaters would not be required to make half their profits from food, as is stipulated for Virginia restaurants. But the theaters would have to obtain a $200 license for on-premises wine and beer sales. The Lyric already sells alcohol beverages to patrons attending live musical performances there. BRISBANE, CA and IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - February 02, 2017) - Purcell Murray Company and BSH Home Appliances today announced that the two companies would transition their relationship over the next year. After a successful 25 year distribution partnership, BSH opted not to renew its distribution agreement with Purcell Murray at the end of 2017, as part of a global initiative. Beginning in 2018, BSH will move to a direct sales model in California and Northern Nevada. Currently, Purcell Murray is the exclusive distributor of BSH brands Bosch home appliances, Thermador and Gaggenau in California and Northern Nevada. "We are very proud of our 25 year relationship with BSH Home Appliances," said Matt Murray, Managing Director at Purcell Murray Company. "Both companies have benefited greatly from our close distribution partnership. During the transition period, Purcell Murray and BSH are committed to servicing their customers at the highest level and executing a seamless transition at the end of 2017." The transition will take effect January 1, 2018. Purcell Murray and BSH will work closely together over the coming year to ensure the transition is successful. Until the transition is complete, Purcell Murray will continue to support the BSH brands in the marketplace and will continue to fulfill its existing BSH customer commitments. "Over the years, Purcell Murray has been instrumental in BSH growth in key markets and we have accomplished a great deal together," said John Iacoviello, Senior Vice President, Sales at BSH Home Appliances. "We thank Purcell Murray for their long-standing distribution partnership." About Purcell Murray Company Purcell Murray Company was founded by Tim Murray and Larry Purcell in 1981 as the exclusive distributor of Litton microwave ovens for the San Francisco Bay Area. Today Purcell Murray represents numerous luxury brands with exclusive distribution rights ranging from California to all of North America. Purcell Murray positions itself to the market as a sales and marketing company supported by its distribution and customer service platform. The company creates demand through its sales and marketing initiatives and its goal of being, "the easiest partner with which to do business" in order to earn market share for its vendor partners. Over its 34-year history Purcell Murray has helped pioneer some of the strongest luxury appliance and decorative plumbing brands in its market, including Bosch, Wolf, Thermador, Gaggenau, Franke, U-Line, Bertazzoni, and La Cornue. About BSH Home Appliances Corporation BSH Home Appliances Corporation manufactures and markets small and major home appliances that are known across North America for their high-quality and superior innovation. BSH sells its Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau branded products throughout North America, through distributors, independent appliance dealers, national and regional retailers, builders and large buying groups. BSH Home Appliances Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BSH Hausgerate GmbH, headquartered in Munich, Germany, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe and one of the leading companies in the sector worldwide. Manufacturing facilities are located in New Bern, North Carolina, and La Follette, Tennessee. MARTINSVILLE-A bill to legalize the possession and concealed carry of switchblades in Virginia has passed the House of Delegates, but even if the bill is legalized, local law enforcement representatives do not believe the legislation is of great concern. The legislation sponsored by Del. R. Lee Ware Jr., R-Powhatan would legalize switchblades in Virginia for lawful recreational and work use. The House passed the bill on Monday and it now goes before the Senate. A switchblade is a type of knife with a folding or sliding blade inside the handle which is opened automatically by a spring when a button, lever or switch is activated. Under current Virginia law, it is legal to possess a switchblade, but it is illegal to carry one concealed. Martinsville Police Chief Sean Dunn said that he believes switchblades are dangerous weapons, but the greatest danger is to the person operating the knife. Im familiar with folks who, in manipulating the knife, have caused injury to themselves, Dunn said. I really do think accidental punctures as a result of handling these devices are a concern. However, Dunn said, he does not anticipate that the legalization of switchblades in Virginia would create a huge demand for the knives. Its not over for this piece of legislation yet, so its yet to be seen whether it will be law, he said. Ill say it isnt my greatest concern, but it certainly would be my preference that (switchblades) not be legalized. Again, that is more out of concern for the welfare of people particularly young people who might be handling these knives and inadvertently harm themselves. Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry said that knife technology has evolved over the years, and that now, there is very little difference between assisted opening knives which are legal to carry concealed in Virginia and switchblades. The difference between the two, Perry said, is that to open a switchblade, one must simply press a button on the knife, and a spring does all the work. With assisted opening knives, Perry said, the user has to manipulate the blade itself to open the knife, but once the blade is brought past a divot point, a spring carries the blade open the rest of the way. The difference between an assisted-opening knife and a switchblade is miniscule now, Perry said. While its possible someone could obtain a switchblade and use it toward a bad purpose, he said, switchblades are not much more inherently dangerous than assisted opening knives or fixed-blade knives. No problem for schools The bill wont have much of an impact on local schools, as the Code of Virginia bans all types of knives on campus. Henry County Public Schools is proud to ensure the safety of our staff and students by providing weapon-free schools, Superintendent Jared Cotton said. Because switchblades qualify as weapons, they will not be permitted on school property. If this bill passes, we will need to continue to educate our students and community that weapons of any kind will not be permitted at school or on school grounds, regardless of the intended use. T.J. Slaughter, Director of School Safety and Emergency Management for Martinsville City Schools, added that while the General Assembly may make it legal to have a switchblade knife for work or recreational use, it still remains against the Code of Virginia to carry such knives on school property. Martinsville City Public School policy reflects the Code of Virginia and such knives are still prohibited on school property. According to the article in the Bulletins sister paper the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the legislation came at the request of a Richmond-area switchblade enthusiast who was worried that he and his colleagues in the Greater Richmond Knife Club were breaking the law by taking knives from their collections to monthly club meetings. BASSETT I felt mainly just honored that I got to fold a flag for a veteran, Bassett High School JROTC cadet Owen White said. It was a special veteran that White and his fellow JROTC cadets honored. The group folded a flag to give to 1st Sgt. Windy England, the last surviving soldier from Henry County who was involved in the Normandy invasion on D-Day. The cadets werent able to meet Mr. England in person, as he lives with family members in Fredricksburg, but they turned the flag over to former Martinsville mayor Danny Turner, who drove up and gave it to the veteran. Mr. England wasnt able to be interviewed, as hes currently dealing with some health issues. It was actually Turners idea to get the Bassett cadets involved. He stopped by the school in January and talked to them about Mr. England and the Normandy invasion. Then he asked if they would fold an American flag to deliver. He could have picked anyone in Henry County to fold the flag, but he picked Bassett High School JROTC, Caitlyn Willard, a cadet, said. Cadet Matthew Wynn said that in his three years in JROTC, this is the first veteran flag presentation of which hes been a part. He explained the process of folding the flag. We wanted to do at least four people, Wynn said, explaining that the number of individuals in a detail depended on the flag size. We had two people in the middle supporting the flag, making sure it didnt touch the ground, Wynn said. We had two people, one on one seam and one on the other seam. Together, the cadets folded the stars and stripes 13 times. They all have a significance, Wynn said about the various folds. According to the American Legion, the first fold is a symbol of life. The second is a symbol of the belief in eternal life. The third honors and remembers veterans who are departing ranks, and who defended the country in the name of peace. The fourth fold represents humans weaker nature and reminds them to lean on God. The fifth serves as a tribute to the county. The sixth fold is for where the heart lies. The seventh is a tribute to the armed forces. The eighth honors soldiers who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that they might see the light of day, and to honor mothers, for whom the flag flies on Mothers Day. The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood and the 10th honors fatherhood. The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost. The final form of presentation, where the stars are positioned upward, is supposed to remind people of the national motto, In God We Trust. The triangular form the folded flag takes also symbolizes a cocked hat, a staple among soldiers. Performing the ceremony meant a great deal to Wynn. I felt patriotic, Wynn said. I had two great-grandpas that fought in D-Day. One was on Omaha, the other was on another beach. The flag with which Turner presented England had special significance. Congressman Griffith had the flag fly over the Capitol, Lt. Col. David Hann, senior army instructor at BHS, said. I checked the history its the first at Bassett to fly over the official building. For Hann, watching his and Sgt. 1st Class Mark Vances students participate in the folding ceremony was a surreal experience. It made us feel very special because its a connection to the history and past that kids dont get to experience, Hann said. They got to put a name and a face to the history theyre reading about. Hearing Englands story gave cadets at Bassett a first-person opportunity to interact with stories from the past. They can go to a memorial. They can study and read. The actual connection is the key, Hann said. Its one generation connecting with another generation. I really do love folding flags for the veterans and I really do support them, Cadet Tyler Juarez said. RICHMOND The Senate Committee for Courts and Justice on Wednesday booted a bill that would have expanded the definition of hate crimes to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, was defeated on a 9-6 vote. It would also have added disability and gender to the definition of a hate crime. In 2015, there were 155 hate crime offenses reported in Virginia, Favola told the committee, citing data from Virginia State Police. This is a 21 percent increase over the prior years. She went on to specify on what basis the hate crimes were committed. Eighty-two were based on racial bias, 23 on religious bias, 15 on ethnicity, 13 on disability and 22 on sexual orientation. Jurisdictions voluntarily report hate crimes based on disability and sexual orientation to the state police, Favola said. The bill would have required all jurisdictions to do so. Crime analysts and experts believe that one of the reasons that our hate crime numbers are rising is because were not prosecuting and were not [making] a good educational effort on what exactly constitutes a hate crime, Favola said. Equality Virginia, the Attorney Generals Office, the Virginia Interfaith Center and ACLU of Virginia spoke in support of the bill. Anti-gay hate crimes are the third most frequent kind of hate reported nationally, said James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia. The Family Foundation of Virginia spoke in opposition to the bill. Josh Hetzler, the foundations legislative counsel, said the group is fundamentally against the idea of a hate crime. We think it amounts to a thought crime, he told the committee, adding that it makes no sense to punish someone based on their thoughts. Bills attempting to include sexual orientation within the definition of a hate crime have regularly failed in the General Assembly. Ill be back next year, Favola said after the committee voted. 1. U.S. WARNS IRAN TO STOP TESTING MISSILES WASHINGTON (AP) The White House issued a cryptic warning Wednesday that the U.S. will act against Iran unless it stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen, but declined to say what retaliatory actions the U.S. would pursue. Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan confirmed Wednesday that Iran conducted a missile test, but did not say when the test was carried out or specify the type of missile. He insisted it wasn't a violation of U.N. resolutions. The U.S. said the test was of a medium-range ballistic missile. It ended with a "failed" re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, said a U.S. defense official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's national security adviser, forcefully denounced Iran's behavior in his first public remarks since Trump took office. He accused Iran of threatening U.S. allies and spreading instability throughout the Middle East while faulting the Obama administration for doing too little to stop the Islamic Republic. Senior Trump administration officials said they were actively considering a "range of options" including economic measures and increased support for Iran's regional adversaries. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, declined repeatedly to say whether military action was being considered. 2. Inmates At Delaware Prison Take Hostages SMYRNA, Del. (AP) Inmates at a Delaware prison took four corrections department workers hostage Wednesday, a move the inmates told a local newspaper was due to concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later, leaving authorities negotiating into the evening for the last two being held. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. Bratz initially said five employees were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said 27 inmates also had left the building over the course of the evening. inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. 3. American Airlines Launches Office In Havana HAVANA (AP) American Airlines formally opened an office in Havana on Wednesday, and an executive said the company will move ahead with its plans for Cuba despite uncertainty over what President Donald Trump's administration will bring. The inauguration came two months after American Airlines flew the first scheduled commercial flight from the U.S. to Havana in more than 50 years. Several airlines had begun routes to other Cuban cities earlier and before that there were costly charter flights. The U.S. company said the flight and the office reflected the company's commitment to doing business on the island after President Barack Obama initiated detente with Cuba. Obama's successor has criticized that move, and before his inauguration tweeted that he might "terminate" detente between the U.S. and Cuba. The airline is scheduling 13 daily flights from Miami and Charlotte, North Carolina, to the Cuban cities of Havana, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Santa Clara and Varadero. A half dozen airlines have received authorization from the U.S. government to fly to Cuba. 4. Immigration Courts To Focus On Detainees WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. immigration courts are making a change to focus on deportation hearings for immigrants jailed by the federal government, giving less urgency to cases of children and families who were stopped on the U.S.-Mexico border and released. Chief Immigration Judge MaryBeth Keller said in a memo Tuesday that the top priority for immigration judges will be scheduling quick hearings for anyone who is detained. That might potentially free up space in an immigrant jail system that is already well beyond capacity, immigration lawyers said. While immigrants in jail have always been a priority, the Obama administration also had judges focus on children and families stopped on the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to deter more people from coming. The move comes as President Donald Trump has announced plans to ramp up immigration enforcement and lock up more immigrants. By making the change in the courts, the government will be able to focus more on deporting jailed immigrants to free up room in the detention system. Amid a wave of tens of thousands of immigrants arriving on the border in recent years, the immigration court docket has grown to more than 533,000 cases. The backlog effectively means that many immigrants may not have a final court ruling for several years. Immigration lawyers said it's too soon to know whether cases will move faster or the backlog of jailed immigrants waiting for their day in court will simply swell. 5. U.S. Will Not Accept Russia's Annexation Of Crimea UNITED NATIONS (AP) Ukraine's U.N. envoy says U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley has confirmed the Trump administration fully supports his country's territorial integrity and independence and will never accept Russia's annexation of Crimea. Volodymyr Yelchenko told reporters Wednesday that Haley also confirmed in their "very good" recent meeting that the U.S. is "completely against the way Russia is dealing with the eastern part of Ukraine." Yelchenko says he's "absolutely satisfied by her reaction and replies." Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014, and since then fighting between Ukrainian government troops and Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 9,600 people in the east. Yelchenko is the current Security Council president and said members will be briefed Thursday on the latest flare-up in violence. The U.S. Mission says Haley reaffirmed support for Ukraine's territorial integrity. 6. Pork Industry Says Not To Worry About Bacon Shortage DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An insatiable demand for bacon depleted frozen pork belly supplies in the U.S. to a record low level for December, but the pork industry is confident it can keep up with demand and avoid any serious shortages. Bottom line: A pound of bacon may cost a little more as winter wears on, but prices should stabilize by summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last week that pork bellies in cold storage fell to 17.7 million pounds last month, the lowest December inventory since records began in 1957. In comparison, more than 52.3 million pounds of pork bellies the cut of the hog from which bacon is derived remained in storage in December 2015. 7. Maoist Attack Kills 8 Policemen In Eastern India NEW DELHI (AP) At least eight policemen were killed in a land mine blast suspected to have been carried out by Maoist rebels in their stronghold in eastern India, police said Thursday. Senior police officer K.B. Singh said another five policemen were injured when their vehicle was blown up late Wednesday in Koraput region, nearly 550 kilometers (345 miles) south of Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa state. The injured have been hospitalized, Singh said Thursday. Authorities recovered four bodies from the site and another four died in a hospital later, police said. They were young recruits being trained as police drivers, Singh said. The insurgents, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting for more than three decades in central and eastern India, staging hit-and-run attacks against authorities as they demand a greater share of wealth from the area's natural resources and more jobs for farmers and the poor. The government says the rebels are India's biggest internal security threat. They operate in 20 of India's 29 states and have thousands of fighters, according to the Home Ministry. Raytheon Company RTN has won a foreign military sales (FMS) contract from the U.S. Army to provide engineering services for the PATRIOT weapon systems program. Details of the Contract The contract is valued at $202.2 million. It was awarded by the Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL. Per the contract, Raytheon will provide engineering services to Germany, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Netherlands, Qatar, Spain and Taiwan. Work is scheduled to be completed by Jan 31, 2018 and will be carried out across various locations. The contract will use fiscal 2017 other; other procurement (Army); operations and maintenance (Army); and research, development, test and evaluation funds. A Brief Note on Patriot PATRIOT is a long-range, high-altitude, all-weather system designed to counter threats from tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced fighter aircraft. This missile defense system was successfully used during the 1991 Gulf War and Iraqi War. Like the U.S. and its allies, other nations across the globe are utilizing advanced technology to strengthen their defense systems. Raytheon makes the popular Patriot missile defense interceptors and has consistently focused on upgrading this missile defense system in order to keep pace with the changing dynamics of modern warfare. The company believes that growing interest in including a 360-degree active electronically scanned array radar to the Patriot Air Defense systems would lead to sales growth. Why Raytheon? Raytheons Patriot missile-defense systems have seen a number of buyers in recent times including international customers like Qatar and Korea. Moreover, the company is progressing on the Patriot opportunity in Poland. In Sep 2016, Poland signed a letter of request with the U.S. for an integrated air and missile defense system based on Patriot. It is expected that the country will sign a FMS agreement with the U.S. government in 2017. With the addition of Poland, Raytheon sees emerging opportunities for its business expansion in the European region. Management earlier stated that the IDS division, which includes the Patriot program, will likely return to recording margins of 1617% in the next 23 years as international volumes step up and development programs progress. FMS contracts continue to be a vital growth driver for Raytheon. International bookings comprised 38% of total fourth-quarter bookings. During the quarter, international sales were up 5.6%, representing 31% of total sales. Price Movement Raytheons stock has gained about 7.0% in the last three months, outperforming the Zacks Categorized Aerospace-Defense Equipment industrys gain of 6.4%. This could be because Raytheon is one of the best-positioned large-cap defense players due to its non-platform-centric focus. Rising demand from the Gulf countries and Asia-Pacific, and growth in FMS contracts added to the positives. The company also poses strong competition to its peers including Ducommun Incorporated DCO, Curtiss-Wright Corporation CW and Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. AJRD. Story continues Zacks Rank Raytheon currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks Best Private Investment Ideas In addition to the recommendations that are available to the public on our website, how would you like to follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time? Our experts cover all kinds of trades from value to momentum . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from stocks that corporate insiders are buying up to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises. You can even look inside exclusive portfolios that are normally closed to new investors. Starting today, for the next month, you can have unrestricted access. Click here for Zacks' private trades >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Curtiss-Wright Corporation (CW): Free Stock Analysis Report Ducommun Incorporated (DCO): Free Stock Analysis Report Raytheon Company (RTN): Free Stock Analysis Report Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (AJRD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Its always great to have a choice. There are times you want a milkshake, but vanilla just wont do the trick. Also, Lord knows I would much rather have a Ford F-150 sitting in the garage than a Mitsubishi Mirage. And yet choice by itself doesnt fix a problem. In fact, Id argue if were not careful, it does more to simply hide the issue at hand. The argument came to the forefront this week, as multiple situations occurred. First, during this session of the General Assembly, the question of school funding is on the floor. Martinsville, as you may recall, stands to lose $896,000 if enrollment doesnt change between now and March 31, as the state currently bases district funding on the number of students that attend. That seems pretty fair to me, as the money should follow the kids from one district to another. Heres the problem though. How exactly is a district supposed to improve if you keep taking money away while they get back on their feet? Martinsville has a new superintendent, several new members on the school board and new teachers. But yet, under the current system, theyre going to be asked to turn around a struggling district and improve test scores while dealing with more budget cuts. How do you balance the two issues? How do you have the money follow the kids, while providing enough for the district to get back on its feet? One suggestion thats been raised is the voucher system, giving students the ability to attend Carlisle or another alternative, rather than keep them in the city schools. The idea would be to give parents the option, rather than force them to stay in a district that has struggled for the last few years. Then in turn, state officials argue, the district wouldnt need as much money, because they would have fewer kids in their classes. The same question popped up in Washington, during the confirmation hearings for President Trumps Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos. The idea of offering vouchers, of giving kids the choice of attending private schools, was raised time and again as a solution to the issues facing public schools. Multiple senators said that choice and competition would challenge the districts and motivate them to do better. Thats where it seems like the disconnect and the real issue is. Its worth pointing out that private and public schools arent two groups competing on a level playing field. Private schools and charter schools dont have to follow the same rules as public districts do. They dont have the same tests or requirements to meet. Id argue if we let public schools have some of the same freedoms offered in the private sector, wed see the results change within a very short amount of time. Some of the things we complain about, the assignments or curriculums that show up in schools, come directly from Richmond. You can blame the current teacher and demand that he or she be fired, only to find the same lessons being taught by their replacement. Its not because the teachers have a specific agenda. Its because these districts have to teach certain things in a certain timeframe. Public schools are forced to teach to the test, to prepare students for the Standards of Learning. Private schools have the option of more hands-on testing, more time to shape systems to the learning styles of each student. Local districts can do that somewhat, but theyre always going to be restricted to the material on the SOLs each year. Thats why when we argue that choices will fix everything, thats not exactly true. Its not really a challenge, because youre putting a handicap on one of the competitors. The public school teachers cant change what theyre teaching. Offering a choice also doesnt address the real concerns about funding. Even if a district has fewer students, there are some fixed costs that cant go away. You can cut and cut to balance the budget, but theres a point where you cant cut anymore. Also, Id argue that as you cut, you become a worse option. Cutting means larger classes, fewer people working in the district and in the schools. How can you say its a level playing field, a balanced choice between one school with strict tests and larger classes and another that offers smaller classes and more of an individual experience? Should public schools be run more like the private operations? Id argue thats a very good question, one that should be highlighted as part of the funding discussions. Id even go as far as saying more local control is never a bad thing. Any conversation about choice, however, needs to include actual solutions to the problems. Otherwise, well still be talking about this 25 years from now. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com There was a record participation at the congress of the Italian section of the International Marxist Tendency Sinistra, Classe e Rivoluzione held on 6-8 January in Bologna with more than 150 comrades from 25 cities attending. Fred Weston of the IMT introduced the debate on global relations. We live in an exceptional era in which the certainties of the ruling class are collapsing one after the other. Weston recalled how world debt has reached a staggering 325% of world GDP, and it continues to grow. The question posed is: who is going to pay for this debt? The conflict generated by this simple question is at the origin of the crisis of the bourgeois political system. All the traditional parties, both on the centre-right and centre-left throughout the world are in crisis as a result of the fierce polarization taking place in society both to the right and to the left. The victory of Trump in the United States, Brexit, as well as the emergence of Podemos in Spain or Corbyn in the British Labour Party, are all part of this same process. The comrades who intervened in the discussion added to the scenario outlined by Weston. To name a few, Bellotti stressed that Russian intervention in Syria, the collapse of Isis and the new relations between the powers laid the basis for a resumption of the Arab revolution. Serena Capodicasa showed that the growth of populist forces, such as the AfD in Germany, are expressions of the widespread anger against the whole of the establishment. Comrade Bavila recalled that the US has been weakened, so much so that they have seen historical allies such as the Philippines swinging towards China and that fundamental contradictions are developing in the Pacific area, precisely where we have seen an enormous strengthening of the proletariat. The working class is now the majority in the world and the ideological weakness of its organizations cannot stop this rise. With the need to react to capitalist barbarism political differentiation will emerge and prepare the ground for the inevitable growth of the revolutionary tendency. On the second day of the congress the Italian political situation was discussed, led off by comrade Alessandro Giardiello. He explained that in the recent period in Italy 90% of households have suffered a drop in income, compared with a European average of 70%. This condition is the material basis for the victory of the No vote in the referendum of December 4, which led to the fall of Renzi and marked a return of the masses to actively being involved in the political process. What is missing in Italy is a political expression of the working class, an independent workers party. The secretary of the Fiom (the metalworkers union), Landini, who had raised expectations in the past that he might be moving towards the formation of such a party, has seen his authority collapse after he put his signature to the latest rotten labour contract in the metal industry. This was confirmed by the big vote against the deal in the big factories, an indication that the inertia that had gripped the movement in the previous period is beginning to break down. However, as long as there is no generalised mobilisation of the working class as a whole, we will continue to see smaller scale disputes, but important nonetheless. The current government is weak and subject to conflicting pressures. The next electoral battle will see the masses coming out to vote massively against all the traditional dominant parties. The Five Star Movement is poised to make gains, but it is not a real alternative, and the masses will learn this from concrete experience. Those forces like ourselves that have the task of fighting against capitalism, of posing the need for a class-based alternative party to the Democratic Party, will have to present their alternative also on the electoral terrain, as there is no workers party today in Italy. The discussion that followed added to our understanding of recent developments. Comrade Iavazzi pointed out that what we are witnessing is a sharp acceleration in the process and a there is now deeply felt class hatred towards the establishment. Comrade Fiorini described the situation in Monfalcone, a small town near Trieste in the North East, where the Fincantieri ship-building plant is based, historically a town with a strong Communist Party tradition. After the Communist Party changed its name, this town continued to support the Centre-Left, but now for the first time since 1945 Monfalcone has shifted to the right, electing a Northern League mayor. However, those same workers, in the ballot on the metalworkers labour contract voted en masse against the Landini proposal and the No vote won with a massive 75%. The anger of the workers at their worsening conditions finds no political expression on the left, but that does not mean it is less strong. Antonio Erpice cited the experience of the mayor of Naples De Magistris, a figure that stands to the left of the Democratic Party. Initially he had set up a political association but this has now become a political movement and it is beginning to have regional and national aspirations. It is an indication that in Italy too there is the potential for movements such as those we saw in Spain that led to the setting up of Podemos. On the last day the discussion centred on the state of our organization, introduced by Alessio Marconi who outlined our relations with other forces on the left among the youth and in the trade union movement and our task of build a strong revolutionary Marxist tendency in Italy to prepare for the big events of the future. We have developed a presence in 17 universities around the country, setting up Marxist Study Groups, which have connected with a radicalised layer of the youth. We have also organised important trade union struggles, playing a leading role in the logistics industry, and also have a strong presence in the metal industry. In addition to the main plenary discussions, there were separate commissions on youth work, trade union work, the paper and self-financing. We plan to publish the new updated version of Leon Trotskys book on Stalin in Italian before the end of this year. This is part of the IMTs campaign to commemorate the Russian revolution. This is part of trilogy of three books against Stalinism. Last year we published Felix Morrows book Revolution and Counter-Revolution In Spain, and Pierre Broues Communists Against Stalin, a book on the many supporters of the Left Opposition that disappeared in the gulags. A collection was held, the purpose of which was to raise the necessary funds to publish the Stalin book. From the comrades present at the congress, 14,000 were raised and more will be coming from the comrades who were unable to attend the congress. The hugely successful collection reflected the mood of immense enthusiasm and confidence at the congress, as did a moving rendition of the Internationale and Bandiera Rossa at the end. The National Prayer Breakfast? Posted by Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday, February 2, 2017 President Donald Trump opened his appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday with a shot at Arnold Schwarzenegger, who replaced him as host of television's "The Celebrity Apprentice." The president noted that since Schwarzenegger took over as host, the NBC show's ratings have been down. He asked the audience to "pray for Arnold." "They hired a big movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to take my place, and we know how that turned out," Trump said. "The ratings went right down the tubes. It's been a total disaster. And Mark (Burnett) will never, ever bet against Trump again, and I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings." Schwarzenegger quickly fired back in a Facebook video, offering to switch jobs with Trump so that "people can finally sleep comfortably again." "Hey, Donald, I have a great idea," the former California governor said. "Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV, because you're such an expert in ratings. And I take over your job. And then people can finally sleep comfortably again." Two weeks before his inaugural as president, Trump took to Twitter to taunt Schwarzenegger for delivering low ratings. He tweeted "so much for being a movie star," and "now compare him to my season 1." Schwarzenegger responded, "There's nothing more important than the people's work, @realDonaldTrump. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you'll work for ALL of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings." Schwarzenegger, the former Republican governor of California, backed Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the primaries. Prior the general election, Schwarzenegger said he would not vote for Trump, calling it a choice of "your country over your party." Trump and Schwarzenegger each have executive producer credits on "The Celebrity Apprentice." Boston drugs.jpg Boston police seized hundreds of grams of heroin and cocaine (Boston Police Department) Following a two-month long investigation in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood, authorities say they've arrested four people and taken nearly 500 grams of cocaine and heroin off the streets. According to a Boston police press release, members of the Neighborhood Drug Control Unit received information of a heroin distribution network operating in Mattapan and Dorchester. They tied the distribution to Luis Pinales, 30, of Dorchester. On Monday, authorities executed a search warrant on a property after tracking Pinales down. The take was paltry: four bags of heroin, four bags of cocaine and $66. The team then executed a second search warrant in the area of 651 Morton St. Searching the occupants of the residence, officers discovered 322 grams of cocaine, 168 grams of heroin, scales, packaging material, cutting agents, grinders and $11,400. Officers arrested Pinales and charged him with possession with intent to distribute a Class A and Class B substance. They also arrested the occupants of the second property, Luis Cuello, 29, and Maria Baez-Guzman, 18, both of Mattapan. The pair is charged with trafficking over 100 grams of heroin and 200 grams of cocaine. A third person, Shirley Morales, 36, of Mattapan, was also arrested and charged with possessing a Class B substance and providing a false name at booking. Morales was also wanted on warrants for possession of fraudulent registry documents and false license application. Firefighting academy chiefs photo Graduates of the most recent Fire Officer Management Training Program offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. The 14-week program prepares ranking fire officials for aspects of the job outside of issues involving fire suppression (Massachusetts Firefighting Academy photo ) Two Westfield Fire Department deputy chiefs were among 31 fire service leaders to complete successfully the Fire Officer Management Training Program offered by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Deputy Chiefs Eric Bishop and Patrick Kane were the lone Western Massachusetts representatives in the class. Other departments included Revere, Worcester, Cambridge, Burlington and Andover. Graduation ceremonies were conducted Thursday at the firefighting academy in Stow. The 14-week program was developed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standards for chief fire officers. It is conducted jointly by the firefighting academy and the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management. It is designed to be a comprehensive course that provides training in aspects of managing a fire department outside of fire suppression. State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said: "These fire service leaders are committed to continually developing their management and leadership skills in order to provide the highest level of service to the communities they protect." Topics covered in the course include human resources management, ethics, executive management, government and organizational structures, strategic planning, finances, community awareness, and public and labor relations. Russia has a record of banning or restricting food imports for alleged violations of sanitary norms (AFP Photo/MIKHAIL MORDASOV) (AFP/File) Russia said Thursday it would impose a temporary ban on imports of beef and beef by-products from New Zealand from next week over what it called "repeated violations" of sanitary norms. New Zealand beef was found to contain listeria bacteria and traces of a banned feed additive called ractopamine, Russia's agricultural safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said in a statement. It said that "to ensure the country's food safety" it "is bringing in temporary restrictions on imports into Russia of beef and beef products from New Zealand from February 6." Ractopamine, which is used to promote the development of lean meat, is banned by Russia and the European Union (EU) due to human health risk concerns but is allowed in the United States, Canada and Brazil, among other countries. Russia in 2013 suspended meat imports from the United States, citing the use of ractopamine. The statement added that the watchdog was also pondering a temporary ban on fish from New Zealand after it was found to contain mercury and listeria microbes. Russia has a record of banning or restricting food imports for alleged violations of sanitary norms. The measure was notably used against a range of European foods after the EU slapped sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea and support for east Ukrainian rebels in 2014. New Zealand has a high reputation for the quality of its food exports, where it specialises in beef, lamb, dairy products and wine. In the third quarter of 2016, according to Russian customs service statistics, meat and meat by-product imports from New Zealand to Russia were worth $4.54 million (4.2 million euros) and comprised more than 12 percent of imports in this category. OAKVILLE, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb 2, 2017) - Saint Jean Carbon Inc. ("Saint Jean" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:SJL) (TORVF), a carbon science company engaged in the design and build of green energy storage, green energy creation and green re-creation through carbon materials. The Company is pleased to announce that as of February 2nd 2017 Saint Jean Carbon will be trading on the OTCQB under the symbol TORVF. This allows the investor to trade the same shares on a different exchange. The Company has met the stringent requirements of the regulators. Saint Jean is not issuing more shares; the issued and outstanding shares will remain the same. The company will continue to be listed on the TSX.V under the symbol SJL. Paul Ogilvie, CEO, commented: "As we continue to look for global reach with our communications, admission to the premium OTCQB Venture is part of a long-term strategy to introduce the Company to a broader international audience. This provides us with a trading platform for current and future American investors as well as a means of increasing our international visibility." To access quotes visit: https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/TORVF/quote The OTCQB Venture Market is for entrepreneurial and development-stage U.S. and international companies. To be eligible, companies must be current in their financial reporting, pass a minimum bid price test and undergo an annual company verification and management certification process. The OTCQB quality standards provides a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors. About Saint Jean Carbon Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining and lithium claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jean's properties and news please refer to the website: http://www.saintjeancarbon.com/ Story continues On behalf of the Board of Directors Saint Jean Carbon Inc., Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jean's business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "intends" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Transaction, including regulatory and shareholder approvals, if necessary, will be met. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Early childhood education (ECE) has strong public and legislative support. The challenge is paying for it. In Boston, Mayor Marty Walsh has called for using tourism dollars to finance an expansion of preschool. Philadelphia is using a beverage tax. Now a new brief "Innovative Financing for Early Childhood Education" highlights a number of different funding approaches. Finding up-front financing is crucial, because investments in early education end up paying off. As weve blogged, the return on investment can be as high as $13 for every $1 spent. by Alyssa Haywoode Full Story: https://eyeonearlyeducation.com/2017/02/02/innovative-financing-for-early-education/ Good invoicing software can take much of the grief out of the process by letting you manage multiple clients and automate payment and recurring invoices. Here are some top choices in invoicing and accounting software. Full Story: http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Saving-Money/2017/0131/5-apps-that-take-the-headache-out-of-business-invoicing A group of lawmakers killed a bill Tuesday that would have penalized utilities for providing Wyoming customers with electricity from wind or solar energy. Senate File 71 stated six energy resources could create electricity without being fined, including natural gas, coal and hydropower. Utilities that used wind or solar would have had to pay $10 per megawatt hour to the state. Laura Hancock 307-266-0581, [email protected] Full Story: http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/lawmakers-kill-bill-that-would-have-punished-utilities-for-using/article_09286e85-3178-5c97-a281-429143327fc6.html Its report card time for the automakers and Silicon Valley denizens studying the tricky problem of making cars drive themselves, and everyone is passing. The California DMV just released its annual slate of "disengagement reports," documents provided by the 11 companies that received state permits to test autonomous vehicles by the end of 2015. The results, summarized below, reveal how often humans had to wrest control away from the computer, and why (sort of). Alex Davies Full Story: https://www.wired.com/2017/02/california-dmv-autonomous-car-disengagement/ In a rapid-fire series of breakthroughs in just under a year, researchers have made another advance in the development of an effective treatment for glioblastoma, a common and aggressive brain cancer. The work, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, describes how human stem cells, made from human skin cells, can hunt down and kill human brain cancer, a critical and monumental step toward clinical trialsand real treatment. Posted by Thania Benios Full Story: http://www.futurity.org/stem-cells-skin-cells-glioblastoma-1349372/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=2feef5700d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_02_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e34e8ee443-2feef5700d-203916893 McDowell Technical Community College (MTCC) and McDowell County Schools (MCS) have partnered to develop a STEM-focused Early College at the Universal Advanced Manufacturing Building. The McDowell Academy for Innovation (MAI) STEM Early College will open in the fall. MAI is an inclusive, innovative high school designed to deepen student's understanding of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through project-based learning with an emphasis on work-based learning projects. Through MAI, learning will be transformed into an integrated experience of content and relevance. Students have a unique opportunity to engage in high school and college courses that are cooperatively taught class to broaden their understanding of the content and its connection to a future college and/or career. In the fall, MAI plans to open with 50 students in ninth or 10th grade. Applications will be available on Thursday at the information meeting tonight, Friday from school counselors, or on the website. To learn more about McDowell Academy for Innovation please visit go.mcdowell.k12.nc.us/mai, or attend the McDowell Early College and McDowell Academy for Innovation Information Night at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the auditorium at East McDowell Middle School. What is MAI? More than a HS Diploma Provide dual credit at no cost to students Increase college attendance and success rates for all students Offer rigorous instruction and accelerated courses Provide academic and social support services to help students succeed Increase college readiness Provide an opportunity to earn a College Associate Degree, certificate or diploma Reduce barriers to college access BOX: Applicants should Reside in McDowell County Possess a strong interest in one or more of the STEM fields of study Possess a strong work ethic Want to go to college to earn a degree, certificate or diploma Possess promising academic potential or a will to improve Want to attend a small school and is willing to embrace opportunities unique to our program Be willing to do without the traditional large high school experience Frequently Asked Questions: The following Q&A is provided by McDowell County Schools and McDowell Tech. Q: Do I have to go to the STEM middle school to go to the STEM Early College? A. STEM Early College (MAI) is open to all students, FCS students have first right to refuse. Q: How is this different from the McDowell Early College that is already in place? A. We have a phenomenal Early College in McDowell County, and they receive more applications than they can accept each year. Having a second option allows students to focus on STEM-based interests and allows us to accept more students to an early college model. You also have several options; you can obtain an associates degree or one of the 50+ certificates or diplomas offered at McDowell Technical Community College. Visit http://www.mcdowelltech.edu/programs.html. Q: What kind of teaching styles can we expect at McDowell Academy for Innovation (MAI)? A. You will see project-based and work-site based learning at MAI, these best practices allow students to apply the knowledge that they gain and explore careers (and/or college degrees) in a different manner. Q: Can I play sports? A. Yes! You can still play sports at MHS. Q: Is transportation available? A. Yes! You can still take the bus to the high school and transfer to a bus that will take you to MAI. Q: Can I take band? A. Yes! This is a collaborative effort between MHS and MAI to ensure students have access to the band. Q: What about access to clubs, extracurricular activities, etc? A. The great thing about starting a new school is that student input is really important! We are looking for students who will help build the foundation for a wonderful school! When five boys spray-painted a historic black school in Ashburn, Virginia, with swastikas, "WHITE POWER" and vulgar images, they were motivated more by teenage naivete than by racial hatred, a Loudoun County prosecutor concluded. Three of the boys are minorities themselves, and one also marked the walls with "BROWN POWER." None had previous troubles with the law. So Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alex Rueda prepared an unusual sentence recommendation meant to educate them on the meaning of hate speech in the hope that they come to understand the effect their behavior had on the community. The boys, who are all 16 or 17, have been sentenced to read books from a list that includes works by prominent black, Jewish and Afghan authors, write a research paper on hate speech, go to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and listen to an interview with a former student of the Ashburn Colored School, which they defaced. The school taught the county's black children from 1892 until the 1950s, a period during which they were barred from attending school with white students. The five teens pleaded guilty this week to destruction of property and unlawful entry in Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Rueda said the boys could benefit from understanding the devastating power of hate speech. The daughter of a former librarian, Rueda said she learned about the world through books. Police said the boys went to the building late on Sept. 30 with spray cans and defaced the aging facade of the historic school. "It really seemed to be a teachable moment. None of them seemed to appreciate - until all of this blew up in the newspapers - the seriousness of what they had done," Rueda said. The boys targeted the building because it is owned by the Loudoun School for the Gifted, and one boy had left the private school on unfavorable terms, Rueda said. "So it really seemed to be an opportunity to teach them about race, religion, discrimination, all of those things." Before the vandalism, students at the Loudoun School for the Gifted had been working to restore the site so it could serve as a sober reminder of the county's segregated past. The slurs painted there devastated the students who had started the meticulous restoration work and were raising money through bake sales and yard sales to fund the project. Deep Sran, founder of the Loudoun School for the Gifted, said he felt the sentence was appropriate. He said he was especially pleased that the order includes listening to an interview with Yvonne Thornton Neal, one of the Ashburn Colored School's former students. "We thought it would be good to really understand the story of Ms. Neal and the local community and why it was so important to them," Sran said. The vandalism occurred during a contentious election season, stoking fears that racial tension in the suburban Washington community was growing. An outpouring of support followed from community members who volunteered on a "community restoration day" to help undo the damage and from people around the world who donated through a GoFundMe page, giving more than $60,000. Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder pitched in an additional $35,000. Rueda's reading list includes "The Beautiful Struggle," the memoir of Ta-Nehisi Coates, and "Night," Elie Wiesel's searing account of Auschwitz. She also included two works by Afghan author Khaled Hosseini and other important works by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison. The boys are also sentenced to write a report that will be "a research paper explaining the message that swastikas and white power messages on African-American schools or houses of worship send to the African-American community as well as the broader community, which includes other minority groups." They also must write reports on the books they read. If the boys complete their sentences, their cases will be dismissed. If it seems to you that your email box is filling up with more spam recently, you're right. Not only is there more spam, but more of the stuff is malicious, according to the 2017 Cybersecurity Report from Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO). Spam emails that are blocked immediately (called IP connection blocks) because spam-detection programs recognize the send as a bad actor increased sharply during 2016. In the United States, IP connection blocks rose from 1.35 million in 2015 to 2.05 million. IP connection blocks doubled in France, Mexico and Brazil, and jumped more than six times in India. Cisco attributes the rise in spam primarily to the rise of large spam-sending botnets, and that between 8% and 10% of global spam "could be categorized as malicious." ALSO READ: After Cisco Makes Daring Last-Minute M&A Buy, Are These Hot Companies Next? Among the top web attack methods observed in 2016, the top-ranked were suspicious Windows binaries and potentially unwanted applications. Suspicious binaries deliver threats such as spyware and adware. Malicious browser applications are an example of unwanted applications. Facebook Inc. (FB) can deliver such scams as fake offers and media content that includes survey scams. Cisco noted: Facebook scams, which include fake offers and media content along with survey scams, ranked third on our list. The continued prominence of Facebook scams on our annual and midyear lists of the most commonly observed malware highlights the foundational role of social engineering in many cyber attacks. Facebook has nearly 1.8 billion monthly active users worldwide. It is logical territory for cybercriminals and other actors looking to dupe users. ALSO READ: Why Analysts Keep Getting More Bullish on Facebook Another of the top five most often observed malware types last year was browser redirection malware that attackers use to expose internet users to malicious advertising that can launch ransomware and other attacks on users' devices. The Cisco researchers warn that malicious adware, including such things ad injectors, browser-setting hijackers, utilities and downloaders, is a growing problem. Story continues You can review the entire report at the Cisco Systems blog. Related Articles AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS--(Marketwired - Feb 2, 2017) - Smart technology recruitment firm StartMonday Technology Corp. (CSE: JOB) (FRANKFURT: JOB) (the "Company" or "StartMonday") is pleased to announce that UK-based Atlas Hotels will commence using its technology this week. Atlas Hotels HR team now enjoys the ability to login and start using the novel technology to streamline the process of matching their next round of job-seekers to position openings using the 15-second videos, applicant tracking system, and careers-page solution provided by StartMonday. Atlas is the first hotel group from StartMonday's agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, (Press Release January 16) to onboard this innovative human resource solution, with more hotels and groups slated to start implementing the solution every Monday for the next few months. Atlas Hotels has 47 franchised properties in their portfolio. As stated previously, StartMonday is very pleased to have been selected to work with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, to help achieve the company's aim of recruiting the best possible talent to work within its hotels. Company co-founder and CEO Ray Gibson states, "We are working closely with Pippa Walker, Group People Manager, Atlas Hotels and we feel very confident that our system will work very effectively for her team. It's an intuitive platform for both employers and job seekers with plenty of ways for Atlas to promote and manage their brand and easy ways for candidates to apply from the web or from their smartphones. The system will be open to new client prospects as well as throughout the managed and franchised estates across IHG's six brands in Europe: Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites, and Hotel Indigo. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Ray Gibson" CEO & Director About Atlas Hotels Specialising in the operation of branded hotels, Atlas Hotels is an award-winning hotel company owning and operating 47 hotels in the United Kingdom. The company has a reputation for excellence in their field and are the UK's biggest franchisee of the Holiday Inn Express brand with properties in Scotland, England and Wales. Visit: http://www.atlashotels.co.uk. Story continues About StartMonday (CSE: JOB) (FRANKFURT: JOB) StartMonday helps employers select better candidates, faster, with the power of 15-second video introductions. StartMonday's video-led mobile and web applications deliver a better impression of personality and customer skills, ultimately helping employers decide which candidates they should talk to first -- making the process much more efficient. StartMonday is focused on becoming recognized as an innovative and trusted brand for job recruitment. The Company is dedicated to building powerful tools for the Mobile Generation. The mission is to make recruiting, and work itself, an amazing experience for everyone. For more information please visit www.startmonday.com. About IHG IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (LSE: IHG) (NYSE: IHG) (ADRs) is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, EVEN Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,100 hotels and more than 750,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme, with nearly 99 million members worldwide. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. Read our latest news and follow us on social media at: www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc. CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT: The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the completion of the listing of the Company's shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the Canadian Securities Exchange and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward- looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. January 30, 2017 Request For Quotes Dear Vendors: International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc., IBTCI, is pleased to issue this competitive Request for Quotations (RFQ) for printing services for the IBTCI DRC MECC Kinshasa based office during the period of performance. Materials to be printed shall have technical specifications as outlined in Attachment1. 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Attachments: Technical Proposal Specifications, see above Price Template IBTCI Representations and Certifications Tax Exemption Form IBTCI Purchase Order Template ATTACHMENT 1 Technical Specifications PRINTING ON PLEXI GLASS: Format: 120x240cm Material to be used: Plexi glass Quantity: 8 units Colors: Full color Sample: attached with the RFQ ( USAID logo with MECC details ) ) Printed material shall be fixed in MECC Offices (price per unit to be provided by the vendor) PRINTING X-STAND Format : 190 x 82 Material to be used: Tarpaulin (Bache) Quantity: 1 unit Colors: Full color Sample: attached with the RFQ (USAID logo with MECC details) Cliquez ici pour telecharger le document complet - format PDF Cliquez ici pour telecharger le logo - format PDF by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, February 1, 2017 The vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court played a crucial role in the 2016 election, particularly when it comes to Republican legislators and voters, who had a difficult time lining up behind Donald Trump. Among the most convincing arguments for conservatives in voting for him was the vacancy left by the late Justice Scalia and further seats likely to become available. According to CNN, exit polls showed 56% of Trump voters found Supreme Court appointments to be the most important factor in their vote, with 70% of all voters claiming it was important. Conservatives are encouraged by Trumps choice of 10th Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the ninth seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. The White House statement on the nomination points to the similarities between Scalia and Gorsuch: Echoing a common theme of Justice Scalias jurisprudence, Judge Gorsuch once wrote that a judge who likes every result he reaches is very likely a bad judge, reaching for results he prefers rather than those the law compels. advertisement advertisement If confirmed, Gorsuch will join Justices Alito, Thomas, Roberts and Kennedy on the conservative side of the bench. Not so fast, however. On the important issues of womens rights, political contributions and various other progressive values, Gorsuch worries Senate Democrats. Sen. Leahy (D-Vermont) in his statement following the nomination, strongly condemned Gorsuch: President Trump said he would appoint justices who would overturn 40 years of jurisprudence established in Roe v. Wade. Judge Gorsuch has shown a willingness to limit womens access to healthcare that suggests the President is making good on that promise. Likewise, Sen. Wyden (D-Oregon) tweeted: Gorsuch represents a breathtaking retreat from the notion that Americans have fundamental Constitutional rights. In the not-too-distant past, Republicans blocked a vote on the widely respected moderate D.C. Circuit Judge Merrick Garland for a year. Senate Democrats can filibuster Gorsuch with 41 votes, but Republicans could override that by eliminating the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees in a simple majority vote. With a majority in the Senate, Gorsuch is likely to be confirmed, even if the 48 Senate Democrats put up a serious fight. The hypocrisy is starkly obvious on the Republican side of the aisle. Sen. Cruz (R-Texas), for example, pushed to block Garland, and even threatened to prevent a vote if Hillary Clinton were elected president. Now. he has the temerity to ask Democrats to entertain a vote on Gorsuch, when he extended no such courtesy. The upcoming fight, as weve seen with Trumps various cabinet nominees, will be tense and possibly lengthy. First, to vet a radical pick with extreme conservative views. Second, because Democrats have the right to respond in kind during Gorsuchs process. by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, February 1, 2017 An industry watchdog is warning ad companies that it will begin enforcing a self-regulatory privacy code for cross-device tracking. The code, unveiled in November of 2015, requires ad networks, publishers and other companies to notify consumers if data about them is collected across more than one computer -- like a smartphone or tablet -- in order to serve ads to different devices used by the same consumers. The code also generally requires online companies engaged in that type of "cross-device" to let users opt out of receiving behaviorally targeted ads. That restriction means that if a user opts out on a laptop, marketers can't use data collected from that laptop to serve "interest-based ads" on any device linked to the person -- including smartphones and tablets associated with that user. advertisement advertisement "We think of the opted-out device as a 'black hole' from which no data for IBA [interest-based advertising] can escape and into which no IBA ads can go," the Better Business Bureau's Online Accountability Unit says in a compliance warning issued today. The code has come in for criticism because it doesn't require companies to let consumers opt out across all devices with a single mechanism. The watchdog addresses that concern in its compliance warning by stating that not all companies are able to offer that kind of opt out for technological reasons. The enforcement unit also posits that "there may be reasons that a particular consumer does not want an opt out to apply to all of her devices." The group doesn't speculate about what those reasons might be. The new enforcement initiative comes several weeks after the Federal Trade Commission issued a report raising questions about whether Web publishers disclose policies regarding cross-device tracking. The report said that many Web sites share the kind of information about consumers that could allow them to be tracked across more than one device, but that few sites clearly spelled out their policies regarding that kind of tracking. by Tobi Elkin , Staff Writer @tobielkin, February 2, 2017 With the furor over President Trumps immigrant ban growing by the hour and then-candidate Trumps distasteful comments about women still resonant, one ad tech company is focusing its efforts on finding more women to fill much-needed roles in ad tech/martech. Goodway Group, a managed services programmatic firm that works with local, regional, and Fortune 500 brands, said its ramping up hiring efforts for 2017 with a special focus on women. In fact, through its Goodway Group Women in Tech Hiring Initiative, the company said its looking for qualified candidates to service its regional co-op business in the quick-service restaurant, auto and hospital sectors. One notable fact: Goodways workforce is 100% remote, meaning all employees work from home. Most candidates have the ability to live in any location within the U.S. Thats a good thing for women with kids, and also those who serve as primary caregivers. Its also a great thing for men. advertisement advertisement Goodway provided testimonials from several female employees: "The benefits of a virtual environment have allowed me to cut 4+ driving hours out of my day (for work and childcare) and has allowed me to be only a room or two away from my son every day! This was important for me when evaluating new job opportunities and with Goodway, I found everything I wanted and more!" -- Anne Lehr, digital research and strategy specialist, Holly, Mich. And, from Lindy Jones, VP media operations, Waco, Texas: "I think its pretty safe to say I am the only person working in digital or programmatic advertising for about a 100-mile radius from my city! I started my career in Austin, which has ample technology opportunities -- but with that came a 2x a day hour(ish) commute to central Austin and time lost with my loved ones, time lost for myself, which many times was a drain on my sanity. Goodway has afforded me the opportunity to move back home to the country which fits my pace of life with the luxuries of fields, farms, night skies, and family. I have a 10-month-old, 2.5-year-old, and a 6-year-old, and the flexibility of working remotely has increased my quality of life, which in turns allows me to be more productive at work." Philadelphia-based Goodway said that in 2016, it added more than 100 employees to its workforce, increasing its total headcount by 30%. And heres a notable fact: Goodway is 75% female, with employees based in over 40 states. Yes, a 75% female workforce. Goodway said its virtual workforce model enables it to grow quickly and nimbly, and to tap into a large pool of experts, many of them women, who live outside of the typical tech hubs such as, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. "It's no secret that in the ad-tech world, the gender ratio is out of balance. Our aim is to hire who's best for the job, and thanks to the distributed nature of Goodway Group, our employees can be based anywhere, Jay Friedman, COO, Goodway Group, told RTBlog by email. Goodway said its maintained a consistent 10:1 sales to support ratio. Only about 10% of Goodway is directly in sales, while 75% is direct client support: media traders, account managers, campaign coordinators, strategists and planners, etc. The remaining 15% of the workforce is administrative. Goodway Group was honored by Glassdoor as one of the Best Places to Work in 2017. Have you heard about any companies in the ad tech, martech, or agency tech space actively recruiting women for mid- to advanced jobs? Let us know. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 1, 2017 New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is suing Time Warner Cable for allegedly duping consumers by delivering slower Web service than advertised. Time Warner, now called Spectrum, "conducted a systematic scheme to defraud and mislead subscribers to its Internet service by promising to deliver Internet service that it knew it could not and would not deliver," Schneiderman alleges in an 87-page complaint filed today in New York County Supreme Court. Since 2012, the broadband provider "fraudulently induced at least 640,000 subscribers in New York State to sign up for high-speed plans that it knew it could not provide," the lawsuit alleges. Time Warner Cable, which was acquired by Charter last May, priced its broadband service based on speed; the fastest, and most expensive, plans advertised service of 300 Mbps, according to the complaint. But many subscribers received significantly slower-than-promised service, according to the complaint. advertisement advertisement "When connecting wirelessly, subscribers on the 300 Mbps plan typically received 15% of the promised speed," the lawsuit alleges. "Subscribers on the 50 Mbps plan received 58% of the promised speed." Time Warner allegedly didn't provide many subscribers with the kinds of modems that would enable Web-surfing at the advertised speeds. The complaint also accuses Time Warner of using its subscribers as "pawns" in a "deliberate strategy to extract fees from backbone and content providers." That allegation appears to stem from Netflix users' well-publicized problems with choppy streams, which resulted from network congestion. In 2014, Netflix largely resolved the issue by entering into agreements to pay providers extra fees in order to interconnect directly with their networks. Schneiderman now alleges that Time Warner didn't do enough to prevent the congestion from developing. "Spectrum-TWCs decision not to install the required port capacity led to its interconnection points routinely becoming over-congested with traffic," the complaint says. "This congestion was the result of Spectrum-TWCs deliberate strategy to use its own subscribers as leverage to extract fees from backbone and content providers." Columbia law professor Tim Wu, who consulted with Schneiderman's office in the complaints. In October of 2015, while serving as senior enforcement counsel to Schneiderman, Wu launched an investigation into potential false advertising by Verizon, Cablevision and Time Warner Cable. A Charter spokesman said today the company was "disappointed that the NY Attorney General chose to file this lawsuit regarding Time Warner Cables broadband speed advertisements that occurred prior to Charters merger." By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi ZURICH (Reuters) - Private bank Coutts & Co Ltd was ordered to pay 6.5 million Swiss francs ($6.56 million) by Swiss watchdog FINMA on Thursday for breaching money laundering regulations in its relationships with scandal-tainted Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB. "The bank failed to adequately clarify the circumstances surrounding a number of business relationships and unusually large, high-risk transactions," FINMA said in a statement. Assets totaling $2.4 billion were transferred through Coutts & Co accounts in Switzerland, FINMA said, referring to a probe of operations conducted between 2009 and 2015. FINMA opened its enforcement proceedings in early 2016. "Coutts & Co Ltd has seriously breached money laundering regulations by failing to carry out adequate background checks into business relationships and transactions associated with Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB," FINMA said. https://www.finma.ch/en/news/2017/02/20170202-mm-coutts/ FINMA said it ordered the bank to pay unlawfully generated profits of 6.5 million Swiss francs and would consider opening enforcement proceedings against the employees responsible. "It did not follow up on relevant internal information and, despite the existence of substantive evidence, failed to report any suspicions to the Swiss authorities until the spring of 2015," FINMA said. In December, Singapore's central bank imposed a penalty of 2.4 million Singapore dollars ($1.70 million) on Coutts due to its money laundering breaches related to 1MDB. The company is currently in the process of winding down. FINMA said it decided against wider-reaching measures for this reason. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) (RBS.L) sold the majority of Coutts' international assets to Union Bancaire Privee (UBP) in March 2015 after splitting the bank, founded in the 18th century and best known as banker to Queen Elizabeth, into a British and a Swiss-based arm. The Swiss watchdog coordinated actions with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and also brought the case to the attention of Britain's Financial Conduct Authority. Story continues "We regret any historic failings in our AML (anti-money laundering) processes," RBS said. "Coutts & Co Ltd has progressively and substantially strengthened its AML policies and controls." Geneva-based UBP said it does not comment on actions taken by financial regulators against other financial institutions, adding it was not legally affected. "The acquisition of Coutts International, which had concluded in April 2016, was an asset-only deal and as such, Union Bancaire Privee does not inherit any of Coutts' legal issues or liabilities," UBP said. (Reporting by Brenna Hughes Naghaiwi and Silke Koltrowitz, editing by John Revill) by Jess Nelson , February 2, 2017 JotForm launched an updated version of its form building and data collection software on Wednesday, expanding to mobile devices for the first time and introducing new collaborative features and offline editing capabilities. JotForm claims to have nearly 2.5 million global users utilizing the companys technology to collect and store data in the dcloud for event registrations, applications, lead generation and surveys. Email marketers can leverage JotForm forms to add surveys or forms to their emails that collect information or feedback, as well as soliciting donations and registering volunteers. The company has a collection of more than 10,000 templates of online forms that marketers can use or adapt to suite their own specific needs. Fernando Lopez, Director of Operations at San Diego LGBT Pride Parade, says JotForm has streamlined the data collection process for his organization. As a community-based nonprofit, Lopez say that JotForm has been incredibly beneficial from a business perspective by automating the data collection process. advertisement advertisement The San Diego LGBT Pride Parade uses JotForm to collect registration information on parade participants and entertainers, as well as a myriad of other use cases. Whereas the organization previously collected information by paper, Lopez says registrations increased by six times once the organization began using JotForm. The information collected via JotForms documents is automatically imported into the organizations email system, which Lopez says helps with segregated marketing. San Diego LGBT Pride Parade also leverages JotForm for donations and community feedback on who should be the Grand Marshall of the parade, as well as recommendations for who should be awarded community activist and athlete awards. We take proceeds from Pride and turn it back into community grants, says Lopez, adding that it was formerly a paper process and that JotForm has streamlined the process and enabled the company to give out $90,000 to local community organizations last year. Lopez says that automating the data collection process has directly related to increases in cash flow for San Diego LGBT Pride Parade. JotForm has added value removing time-consuming administration work, he says, increasing the amount of work his team can accomplish and allowing staff and volunteers to focus on serving the community. From 2015 to 2016, San Diego LGBT Pride Parade quintupled donations for its Tracie Jada O'Brien Transgender Student Scholarship available to students who identify as transgender, outside of the gender binary or are in the process of transitioning gender, by using JotForm to collect donations online. The organization also hosts youth essay contests the offer students an opportunity to write about their school community via an online Jotform template. San Diego LGBT Pride Parade uses this feedback to reach out to the local school board to enact policy changes that better support LGBT students. San Diego LGBT Pride Parade is using JotForm in a new manner this year by collecting exhibitor registrations. Lopez says they already have two dozen exhibitors signed up for this years event, money that the nonprofit would not have had otherwise. Lopez says it has also helped their product ream take out the guesswork about what type of equipment they will need for the event. Ive been in nonprofit work my whole adult life and using JotForm has streamlined everything we do here, asserts Lopez. I now recommend it to every other LGBT nonprofit I work with. by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, February 2, 2017 There is only one President at a time, and Donald Trump is not one to cede authority. But in the early days at 1600 Pennsylvania, the portly and rumpled [Steve] Bannon (the only male aide who dared to visit Trumps office without a suit and tie) has the tools to become as influential as any staffer in memory, Time magazines David Von Drehle writes in his The Great Manipulator cover story , which hits newsstands Friday. Trumps chief White House strategist possibly is the second most powerful man in the world, Von Drehle writes of Bannon. A week after Trump falsely claimed in a public presentation to CIA officials that he held the record for Timemagazine covers (Richard Nixon actually does), Bannon now has one under his belt. by Mike Azzara , Op-Ed Contributor, March 26, 2018 This AI Insider column from early 2017 gave MediaPost readers the inside scoop on how Cambridge Analytica built up its data and algorithms to exploit Facebooks massive user base a year or more ahead of the mainstream media. Note the last line about "the big-brother-like political impact of big data": "It is frightening." To paraphrase Joseph Heller, just because AI is overhyped doesnt mean it wont transform the world faster than you can handle. I remember sitting in a conference audience in the late 1990s during the fat part of the first dot-com expansion curve, when everyone was complaining that the Internet was irrationally overhyped. Then, pre-Google Eric Schmidt took the stage and told us that, I actually think the Internet is underhyped. As a tech journalist in those days, Id had the privilege of long talks with Schmidt and hadnt wasted the opportunity to learn. Other people laughed, but I knew he was serious and he was right. The point is, Ive begun to get the sense that most marketers arent yet taking AI seriously enough. Sure, it wont put you out of business next month. It wont make everything you know wrong, overnight. But consider the implications of Bill Gates aphorism from "The Road Ahead: We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next 10. No, really, stop -- and think. Ten years is not so long a time. Not when youre talking about building mountains of clean, usable data (the fuel of AI); or disrupting your still-new digital marketing approaches; or transforming customer experiences; or redefining job roles; or restructuring your org chart; or reinventing your own career arc. Again. What started me down this thought path was a report on AI released Tuesday by Altimeter, and a story about how big data and algorithms probably decided the 2016 presidential election. Both are compelling, must-reads. Altimeters Age of AI: How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Organizations, written by Susan Etlinger, cuts through the hype in simple prose that lays out AIs history of fits and starts, explains why this time is different, and explores current real use cases. So why is this time different? Heres what Etlinger wrote: Given the number of false starts in the past several decades, its reasonable to wonder why now is different. There are three key factors that distinguish todays AI climate from that of the past: Massive and available datasets (also known as Big Data); Inexpensive parallel computation; and Improved algorithms. The combination of these three factors has made it possible, finally, for AI to become not just a wild idea or rarefied technology, but a commercial reality. She goes on to explore uses cases and potential pitfalls, such as unintended consequences, hidden biases in datasets, and ethical dilemmas. We agree about how critical AI/big data ethics will be in the near future, but thats not her focus, so my related post provides a bit of a deeper dive. She also notes that: Products and services will, by their nature, require public use (and in some cases, such as the incident with Microsofts Tay, abuse) to learn how to navigate unforeseen circumstances. For this reason, organizations contemplating AI-powered offerings must balance the imperative to ship product and learn from it with the imperative to preserve and protect customer experience and brand. Thats a clear exhortation to get started, ASAP, people. With AI, you have no choice: you cannot get ready, aim and fire. You have to fire in order to aim. Then she points out that its important when training AIs to use factual data rather than opinion, mainly because you introduce less bias that way. For marketers, in particular, transactional and behavioral data should trump demographic data. That one word, demographic, spun me back to The Data That Turned the World Upside Down, the Motherboard story about how big data and algorithms probably decided the 2016 presidential election. While Trump and Clinton both had huge social media datasets, and strategies for big data and social media, this story dives deep into Trumps use of psychographics as opposed to demographics. And, oddly (or not so?), all managed by the same company that helped market Brexit in the UK: Cambridge Analytica. The psychographic models used in both cases assessed people on five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The story explains, thoroughly but simply, how the original researcher built his psychographic models over several years, working with ever-growing datasets provided by Facebook users, matching those traits up with profile data, until the realization of what was possible kind of freaked him out: [n]ot only can psychological profiles be created from your data, but your data can also be used the other way round to search for specific profiles: all anxious fathers, all angry introverts, for exampleor maybe even all undecided Democrats? Essentially, what Kosinski had invented was sort of a people search engine. It then goes on to explain in equally thorough fashion how these capabilities were applied by the Trump campaign. So that was a hard transition -- from exhorting you to take up AI in your marketing organization, ASAP, to the big-brother-like political impact of big data. But no, not really. The Data That Turned the World Upside Down is simply the case study that shows exactly what big data already can do, today, in the hands of the right algorithm. It is frightening. by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, February 2, 2017 Welcome to the politics of confected controversy a weird place where the President of the United States of America openly threatens to remove federal funding from one of the worlds premiere universities because it canceled an address by the tech editor of an online publication. Of course, in all fairness, its not just any online tech editor, its Milo Yiannopoulos. He has parlayed his position at Breitbart News into a one-man juggernaut of right-wing provocation with his Dangerous Faggot tour of American colleges. The denizens of the University of California, Berkeley apparently unaware how the 21st-century game of political optics is played fell for the provocation so perfectly, they might have been following a script. Engaging in pointless violence only seemed to prove Yiannopoulos argument: The Left feels threatened by free speech. Yiannopoulos was scheduled to address an audience at UC Berkeley Wednesday night, but the university canceled the address after protests broke out around 5 p.m. and quickly devolving into violence. Protesters breached police barricades, threw rocks, broke windows, vandalized buildings and set fire to some outdoor equipment. As the night wore on, the violence spread from the universitys campus to downtown Berkeley. Some protesters engaged in scuffles. Others appeared to clash with police, who reportedly used tear gas to disperse at least one violent crowd. Like clockwork, President Trump (who has appointed Breitbarts former executive chairman Steve Bannon as his chief strategist) took to Twitter to condemn the violence as an attack on free speech and issue a typically histrionic threat with a tweet: If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trumps sentiment was echoed by Yiannopoulos himself in a Facebook post, where he asserted: One thing we do know for sure: The Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. And so the kabuki cycle of provocation, infantile tantrums and stylized indignation continues. Its going to be a long four years. by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, February 2, 2017 News organizations have made a concerted effort to bolster their coverage of the Trump administration. From CNN's creation of a new investigative unit to Reuters revamping its White House approach, Donald Trump is having a deep impact on a free press. Its not every day that a U.S. president calls journalists among the most dishonest human beings on earth or that his chief strategist dubs the media the opposition party, read a message to staff from Reuters editor-in-chief Steve Adler on Tuesday. Its hardly surprising the air is thick with questions and theories about how to cover the new Administration. Adler spoke of the work Reuters has done in Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, Thailand, China, Russia, the Philippines and Zimbabwe, for ideas on how to cover the Trump administration. advertisement advertisement In short, Reuters is telling its reporters to cover the Trump administration the way they cover authoritarian governments. Give up on handouts and worry less about official access, Adler added. They were never all that valuable anyway. Our coverage of Iran has been outstanding, and we have virtually no official access. What we have are sources. The White House press offices difficult job under Trump will likely lessen the significance of official releases. To date, contentious press briefings have revealed little other than the fact that press secretary Sean Spicer is not in the inner circle. He plays defense; he doesn't shed much light on the inner workings of President Trumps policies. Post-election, CNN is tweaking its political coverage. CNN is pulling reporters into a new investigative unit in which veteran writers Carl Bernstein and James Steele, both Pulitzer Prize winners, will serve as contributing editors and advise the teams TV coverage. "CNN needs to be an organization that breaks news, not just an organization that covers breaking news or talks about breaking news on television," Andrew Morse, EVP of editorial for CNN/U.S. and GM of CNN digital worldwide, told NPR. In addition, The New York Times,The Washington Post and Politico have expanded the size of their White House teams. Such moves by major news outlets are both a function of President Trump's adversarial relationship with the media, as well as reflection of the industry's changing business model in a world dominated by digital and social media. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 2, 2017 Yahoo has defeated a robo-texting lawsuit brought by a man who accused the company of allegedly sending him more than 27,000 text alerts meant for someone else. The ruling, issued late last week, stems from a 2013 lawsuit brought by Philadelphia resident Bill Dominguez. He alleged that Yahoo sent him thousands of text alerts meant for the phone's previous owner, who apparently signed up for a former Yahoo service that converted emails to text messages and then forwarded them to users' phones. Dominguez alleged in a class-action complaint that Yahoo violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits companies from using automated dialers to send SMS messages to consumers. He said in court papers that he complained about the messages to Yahoo, but was informed that only the phone's former owner could arrange to stop the texts. Dominguez also said he doesn't know the former owner or how to contact that person. advertisement advertisement Yahoo said it was entitled to prevail in the matter because the system it used in 2013 to power the email-to-text service didn't meet the definition of "automated dialer." In a ruling quietly issued late last week, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Baylson in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania agreed with the Web company. Baylson said in a 47-page ruling that Dominguez didn't prove that Yahoo's system was capable of generating and calling "random or sequential" numbers. The decision marked the second time that Baylson has dismissed the case on the grounds that Dominguez didn't show the company relied on an automated dialer. Dominguez appealed the earlier dismissal to the 3rd Circuit, which revived the lawsuit. That court noted that the Federal Communications Commission had recently issued a ruling that expanded the definition of automated dialer. When the FCC's ruling came out, former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler referenced Dominguez's situation. "If you have the bad luck of inheriting a wireless number from someone who wanted all types of robocalls, we have your back," he stated. "We have heard from consumers that getting stuck with a reassigned number can lead to horrible consequences. One consumer received 27,809 unsolicited text messages over 17 months to one reassigned number, despite their requests to stop the texts." Dominguez has already filed papers to appeal Baylson's new ruling to the 3rd Circuit. Asthma affects millions of people in the United States both adults and children alike. New research suggests that insomnia may be a risk factor for developing asthma in adulthood. Share on Pinterest New research suggests that chronic insomnia can lead to asthma. According to the most recent estimates from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAI), approximately 1 in 10 children and 1 in 12 adults have asthma. A chronic disease of the lungs airways, asthma has been linked to obesity and pollution. Other risk factors include smoking, allergies, viral infections, family history, and exposure to certain dusts and chemicals. More recent research has associated the adult onset of asthma with depression and anxiety. A new Norwegian study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, suggests that insomnia may also be a risk factor for developing asthma. Analyzing the link between asthma risk and insomnia Sleep researcher and last author of the study Dr. Linn Beate Strand, from the Department of Public Health and General Practice at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, explains the motivation of the study: Insomnia, defined as having difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep, or having poor sleep quality, is common among asthma patients, but whether insomnia patients have a higher risk of developing asthma at a later stage has not been thoroughly investigated. Researchers examined data from the Nord-Trndelag Health Study (HUNT), a continuous health survey of the entire population over the age of 20 living in the county of Nord-Trndelag, Norway. The team calculated the risk of incident asthma among adults with insomnia compared with their asthma-free counterparts. In total, the study examined 17,927 participants aged between 20 and 65. Those with insomnia reported trouble falling asleep, trouble maintaining sleep, and poor quality of sleep namely, non-restorative sleep. Participants reported any insomnia symptoms at the beginning and at the end of the study, approximately 11 years later. Chronic insomnia was defined as one or more insomnia symptoms at the beginning of the study, as well as 10 years prior to the study. Where people die is often important to them and their families, as well as being important for planning health care services. Most people want to die at home, but most die in hospital. While the trends have been studied in cancer, other diseases, such as respiratory, are rarely looked at even though they are common and increasing causes of death. In a new study, published in BMC Medicine, researchers from King's College London's Cicely Saunders Institute studied a national data set of all deaths from two common groups of respiratory diseases - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Interstitial Pulmonary Diseases (IPD), covering 380,232 people over 14 years. Both conditions result in a high use of hospital services, especially among people in advanced stages. This leads to high healthcare costs. In the UK in 2010, for example, it is estimated that IPD cost 16.2 million per year in hospitalisations. The NHS spends more than 810 million annually managing COPD, with hospital stays accounting for around 250 million per year. In this study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, the team looked at the impact of a national end of life care strategy to reduce deaths in hospital. The main findings included: Hospital deaths from COPD and IPD fell by 3-6% in the eight years following the introduction of the End of Life Care Strategy. This reversed previous trends. However, those patients with more than one disease or disorder (multimorbidity) did not show a fall in hospital deaths. People with three or more different diseases, as well as their COPD or IPD, were over a third more likely to die in hospital than those who did not. Deprivation also independently increased the chances of dying in hospital. London had the highest hospital deaths, and the South-West and South East Coast regions had lower hospital deaths than most other regions. Living in urban areas increased the chances of hospital death. Surprisingly for people with COPD, being single, widowed or divorced was associated with reduced chances of dying in hospital. Researchers suggest that this may show that when family members are present, they do not know what to do when breathlessness escalates which increases the chance of patients being admitted to hospitals. Lead author, Professor Irene Higginson from King's College London said: "Understanding which factors affect place of death is vital for planning service and improving care, especially given our ageing population, rising chronic diseases worldwide and the high costs of hospital admissions. "Our results show that while the End of Life Care Strategy may have helped to move some deaths out of hospital for people with respiratory disease, it still misses important groups. "It was particularly concerning that there was no fall in hospital deaths for people with multimorbidity, and that the disparity widened over time. In the UK, the number of people with three or more long-term conditions is predicted to rise from 1.9 million in 2008 to 2.9 million in 2018, requiring a major increase in healthcare expenditure. "It is therefore essential that future strategies for end of life and palliative care directly target those at highest risk, especially with multimorbidity, and in deprived areas and cities, and this may require different approaches." Researchers at Southern Methodist University in Dallas have developed a concise new explanation for the basic mechanics involved in human running. The approach offers direct insight into the determinants of running performance and injuries, and could enable the use of individualized gait patterns to optimize the design of shoes, orthoses and prostheses according to biomechanics experts Kenneth Clark, Laurence Ryan and Peter Weyand, who authored the new study. The ground force-time patterns determine the body's motion coming out of each step and therefore directly determine running performance. The impact portion of the pattern is also believed to be a critical factor for running injuries. "The human body is mechanically complex, but our new study indicates that the pattern of force on the ground can be accurately understood from the motion of just two body parts," said Clark, first author on the study and currently an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. "The foot and the lower leg stop abruptly upon impact, and the rest of the body above the knee moves in a characteristic way," Clark said. "This new simplified approach makes it possible to predict the entire pattern of force on the ground - from impact to toe-off - with very basic motion data." This new "two-mass model" from the SMU investigators substantially reduces the complexity of existing scientific explanations of the physics of running. Existing explanations have generally relied upon relatively elaborate "multi-mass spring models" to explain the physics of running, but this approach is known to have significant limitations. These complex models were developed to evaluate rear-foot impacts at jogging speeds and only predict the early portion of the force pattern. In addition, they are less clearly linked to the human body itself. They typically divide the body into four or more masses and include numerous other variables that are hard to link to the actual parts of a human body. The SMU model offers new insight by providing concise, accurate predictions of the ground force vs. time patterns throughout each instant of the contact period. It does so regardless of limb mechanics, foot-strike type and running speed. "Our model inputs are limited to contact time on the ground, time in the air, and the motion of the ankle or lower limb. From three basic stride variables we are able to predict the full pattern of ground-force application," said Ryan, who is a physicist and research engineer at SMU's Locomotor Performance Laboratory. "The approach opens up inexpensive ways to predict the ground reaction forces and tissue loading rates. Runners and other athletes can know the answer to the critical functional question of how they are contacting and applying force to the ground." added Ryan. Current methods for assessing patterns of ground force application require expensive in-ground force platforms or force treadmills. Additionally, the links between the motions of an athlete's body parts and ground forces have previously been difficult to reduce to basic and accurate explanations. The researchers describe their new two-mass model of the physics of running in the article, "A general relationship links gait mechanics and running ground reaction forces," published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. "From both a running performance and injury risk standpoint, many investigations over the last 15 years have focused on the link between limb motion and force application," said Weyand, who is the director of SMU's Locomotor Performance Laboratory. "We're excited that this research can shed light on this basic relationship." Overall force-time pattern is the sum of two parts Traditional scientific explanations of foot-ground forces have utilized different types of spring and mass models ranging from complex to very simple. However, the existing models have not been able to fully account for all of the variation present in the force-time patterns of different runners - particularly at speeds faster than jogging. Consequently, a comprehensive basis for assessing performance differences, injury risks and general running mechanics has not been previously available. The SMU researchers explain that the basic concept of the new approach is relatively simple - a runner's pattern of force application on the ground is due to the motion of two parts of the body: the lower portion of the leg that is contacting the ground, and the sum total of the rest of the body. The force contributions of the two body parts are each predicted from their largely independent, respective motions during the foot-ground contact period. The two force contributions are then combined to predict the overall pattern. The final prediction relies only upon classical physics and a characteristic link between the force and motion for the two body parts. New approach can be applied accurately and inexpensively The application of the two-mass approach is direct and immediate. Olympic sprinters were a clue to discovery The SMU team discovered a general way to quantify the impact forces from the large impacts observed from Olympic-caliber sprinters. Like heel strikers, the patterns of Olympic sprinters exhibit a sharp rising edge peak that results from an abrupt deceleration of the foot and lower leg. However, sprinters accomplish this with forefoot impacts rather than the heel-first landing that most joggers use. "The world-class sprinters gave us a big signal to figure out the critical determinants of the shape of the waveform," said Weyand. "Without their big impact forces, we would probably have not been able to recognize that the ground-force patterns of all runners, regardless of their foot-strike mechanics and running speed, have two basic parts." When the researchers first began to analyze the seemingly complicated force waveform signals, they found that they were actually composed of two very simple overlapping waveforms, Ryan said. "Our computer generated the best pattern predictions when the timing of the first waveform coincided with the high-speed video of the ankle stopping on impact. This was true to within a millisecond, every single time. And we did it hundreds of times," he said. "So we knew we had a direct physical relationship between force and motion that provided a critical insight." New approach has potential to diagnose injury, rehab The SMU team's new concise waveforms potentially have diagnostic possibilities, Weyand said. For example, a runner's pre-injury waveforms could be compared to their post-injury and post-rehab waveforms. "You could potentially identify the asymmetries of runners with tibial stress fractures, Achilles tendonitis or other injuries by comparing the force patterns of their injured and healthy legs," he said. And while medical images could suggest the injury has healed, their waveforms might tell a different story. "The waveform patterns might show the athlete continues to run with less force on the injured limb. So it may offer an inexpensive diagnostic tool that was not previously available," Weyand said. Article: A general relationship links gait mechanics and running ground reaction forces, Kenneth P. Clark, Laurence J. Ryan, Peter G. Weyand, Journal of Experimental Biology, doi: 10.1242/jeb.138057, published online 18 January 2017. Evidence supporting a key role for an altered gut microbiome in the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) would suggest that the use of probiotics or prebiotics to correct microbial imbalances in the gut could help prevent or treat AD. A comprehensive review examining clinical studies of probiotics and prebiotics, given separately or combined, and factors affecting their efficacy is published in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology website. Eishika Dissanayake, MBBS and Naoki Shimojo, MD, PhD, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan, discuss the most recent knowledge about the link between AD and aberrations in the gut microbiome in the article entitled, "Probiotics and Prebiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis." The authors emphasize the need for further research to understand the disease mechanisms and the factors that may influence the effectiveness of specific prebiotic or probiotic therapy - such as strain selection, timing, duration, and method of administration. The article is part of a special issue on atopic dermatitis led by Guest Editor Norito Katoh, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan. "Atopic dermatitis is a highly prevalent disorder, especially in developed countries where it affects up to 20% of children," says Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology Editor-in-Chief Mary Cataletto, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook. "Recent studies have demonstrated links between an aberrant gut microbiome and the development of atopic dermatitis. Given the significant impact of atopic dermatitis on quality of life and healthcare utilization, studies examining the potential role of therapeutic manipulation of the gut microbiome for either the treatment or prevention of atopic dermatitis is an important focus for future research." Article: Probiotics and Prebiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis, Dissanayake Eishika and Shimojo Naoki, Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, doi:10.1089/ped.2016.0708, published 1 December 2016. The unpleasant sensation sparked by the nervous system when confronted with a harmful stimulus can be alleviated by blocking a genetic marker that switches off the activity of the neurons involved. Jose Vicente Torres Perez, a Spanish researcher who works at Imperial College in London, has trialled this innovative pain relief therapy on mice with serious burns. The aim is to use his findings to help burn victims. One of the outstanding issues of modern medicine is to combat pain effectively. Jose Vicente Torres Perez, a Spanish researcher who works at Imperial College in London, set out to curb the suffering of people with serious burns. Torres found that blocking a new genetic marker can reduce the neural activation caused by painful stimuli. As Torres explained to SINC: "The cell activation markers most used today are pERK1/2 and c-Fos, but both have their limitations." The development and persistence of pain depends on plastic changes to the neurons that process information on noxious stimuli, which are those of the dorsal spinal cord. These plastic changes are largely regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, i.e. chemical changes that alter the expression of the genes, but not their sequence, such as post-translational modifications of histones. "Seeking new pain markers continues to be very important in the field of nociception, which analyses the subjective experience of pain, and a need that has not yet been met," adds Torres Perez. New pain relief therapy Technically, the team in which the Spanish expert works has demonstrated in mice that a population of superficial neurons in the spinal cord controls an epigenetic marker known as pS10H3. Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. There was substantial heterogeneity between the 14 cardiac surgery trials because five trials were carried out in the USA and nine trials were conducted outside of the USA. There was no effect of vitamin C against post-operative atrial fibrillation in all the five cardiac surgery trials conducted in the USA. However, the nine cardiac surgery trials conducted outside the USA found a reduction in the incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation by 44%. Advertisement Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation Length of Hospital Stay Harri Hemila, Timo Suonsyrja. Vitamin C for preventing atrial fibrillation in high risk patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, (2017); 17 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12872-017-0478-5 According to the review,Five of the nine trials were carried out in Iran, two in Greece, one in Slovenia and one in Russia. A study conducted in Greece onThe studies conducted outside the USA found thatMost of the cardiac surgery patients in the non-US studies were administered vitamin C orally. Other patients were administered vitamin C intravenously.The effects of the two administration methods might differ because the intravenous administration of vitamin C increases the levels of vitamin C in the blood.The findings showed thatIntravenous administration of vitamin C shortened the length of hospital stay by 16%. But, oral administration shortened the length of hospital stay by only 7%. The effect of intravenous administration of vitamin C was greater for the length of hospital stay but less for the occurrence of post-operative atrial fibrillation.Harri Hemila from the University of Helsinki, Finland, and Timo Suonsyrja from the Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, said, "Vitamin C is a safe low-cost essential nutrient. Given the consistent evidence from the less wealthy countries, vitamin C might be administered to cardiac surgery patients, although further studies are needed to find out optimal protocols for its administration. However, there seems to be no rationale for further study of unselected patients in wealthy countries, but the effects of vitamin C for patients who have a particularly low documented level of vitamin C might still be worthwhile."Source: Medindia Shah Rukh Khan, ladies and gentlemen, is a laughter riot. The man is so intelligent we could cry. His first podcast with AIB was a blast. From roasting the AIB guys to being hilariously politically correct, SRK proved he could totally be the best stand-up comedian in the country too! The second part of the AIB podcast is out, and Shah Rukh is as entertaining as he was in the first. From wanting to form a Help The Gaali association to confessing the one lesson Amitabh Bachchan gave him about stardom, SRK is on a roll. Lets just say SRK in real life is more entertaining than SRK onscreen! And we love both. Hope SRK is reading this. AIB Here are the best moments from the AIB podcast part 2. Stop everything and watch this, because Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.. Oh thats not SRKs film watch this because Kal Ho Na Ho. 1. When Tanmay asked him about the 3 things that people believe to be true about movie stars but they are not true at all, SRK is all of us when he says, When I wake up, I wake up as ugly as all of you guys. After lovemaking, what they show in movies is a disgusting lie. It feels their mouth smells good coz they get up and start kissingbut umnnn.. Aaaand his expression says it all. AIB 2. SRK is messy! Yes! Recalling the incident when he was travelling by train and had his feet up on the berth, he reveals how someone judged him as badtameez. But punmaster SRK has the perfect comeback to him: Its my berthright. *Something in the air is burning* AIB 3. So when SRK, still young in the industry, was sitting with Amitabh Bachchan as they both waited for their turn to go to the stage, he asked Mr Bachchan a serious question. SRK: Amitji, what is that last thought you have before you enter the stage? SRK mimicking Amitabh Bachchan who replied in his serious baritone: I check my zippers. The sanest advice ever! Who knew Amitabh Bachchan was a comic at heart. AIB 4. Everybody is jealous of the stars for their money and fame. You got money, and you are bad! Sick of being branded as bad just coz you are a star, SRK gives it back to the haters. He says, with a straight face, Nobody is corrupt or bad just because you got money. If you get rich, you wanna buy a big car. But dekhalambi lambi gaadiyon mein ghoom rahe hain. , and not in easy installments, I have always dreamt of buying a big car. I paid for it, and not in easy instalments, I paid the whole amount! *SRK breaks into mock sobs* Nobody does the you-got-it-you-flaunt-it more humbly than King Khan! AIB 5. When asked if he gets annoyed when people advise him on the roles he should do and tell him Do more like Chak De, SRK says when people draw parallels between his movies and tell him that Raees reminded them of Don, he feels like sitting in front of the mirror and wondering: Am I the most pathetic actor in the world? Am I that boyfriend who is the last to know that his girlfriend is two-timing him? Am, I the same in every film? Am I am a part of a Truman Show? Yeh sab jhooth tha? Mujhe acting nahi aati thi? Everybody was lying. Lesson: If you ever get lucky enough to meet SRK in real life, do not tell him to do more of Chak De! AIB 6. SRK: Raaes is my Gangs Of Wasseypur. Real actor! Please accept me! Enough said! (Watch it at 9:10 in the video!) AIB 7. Okay, so heres another thing you should never ever say to Shah Rukh Khan. Two days into the release of a film like Raees, and someone tells him, Do a love story na. SRK: I get so confused that what should I do?! For gods sake, I d be a dwarf in my next film. And then if people come and tell me Oh this reminded me of Chak De that small girl I swear Ill kill people. 8. SRK: Raees achchi lagi? Friend: Han, story bekar thi. Aapne bacha li bas. SRK: So I acted well? Friend: Nahi, log pyar bohot karte hain na aapko. AIB 9. About his fans and a handful of haters on Twitter, SRK says he worries if the abuses reduce. Because I am so self-obsessed, if the abuses also lessen.arre stardom kam ho gayi. Bilal, go and check, this guy has not abused me for 4-5 days. I go and check the haters timeline if hes busyexam chal raha hoga uska. AIB 10. Still a pukka Delhiite at heart, SRK says, Capital letter abuses I cant take. Mera Dilli ka janwar bahar aa jataa hai. I like to do it live. I feel so bad for the gaalis, I want to start an association to help the gaalis. Some of the spellings of the gaalisU ko pronounce karna padta hai OO se baat hi khatam ho jati hai.. it sounds like chute! AIB Watch the whole episode here: That Barack Obama handed over the presidency to Donald Trump amidst one of the most polarizing elections in the US history is old news, but the press doesnt seem to be over what many people remember as the coolest president of the United States. On his vacation, Barack Obama was seen wearing a backwards hat and the internet just couldnt keep it together. I am not an undercover cop pic.twitter.com/VBXBtVETHT Trill Withers (@TylerIAm) February 1, 2017 The Obamas are currently holidaying on Richard Bransons private island in the British Virgin Islands. Obama really in the BVI in flip flops just chillin pic.twitter.com/k1zb1Z3bQ2 Amat Victoria Curam (@BR_Nation) February 1, 2017 Theres a video too of the couple arriving and Obama can be seen wearing flip-flops and shorts, a long break from the suit and tie routine as a president. Obama's on vacation with the hat backwards. He's never coming back. pic.twitter.com/RUakcwwgtT Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 1, 2017 And here are some reactions to the Obamas chilling on their vacations after handing over the country to Mr. Trump. So now that people know what they are missing, can America tear up its constitution and write a new one so that Obama can come back, please? Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation, introduces the 2018 Camry XLE during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., January 9, 2017. REUTERS/Mark Blinch TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda said on Thursday his company had increased its U.S. production in the past three decades, and that the Japanese brand should also be considered as a U.S. manufacturer. Toyoda's comment comes as global automakers face pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has demanded that more cars sold in the United States be made locally to increase jobs and shrink the U.S. trade deficit. Trump singled out Toyota in a tweet last month, criticizing the plans by Japan's biggest automaker to build a second plant in Mexico. Since then, Toyota has announced plans to invest $10 billion in its U.S. operations to increase production and create more jobs. "Things are very different in 2017 than they were in the 1980s. Today, we produce a large number of cars locally and we have developed a strong local supply chain," Toyoda told reporters at an event in Tokyo, referring to America. "We may be a Japanese brand ... but we're also one of America's car makers." The United States is Toyota's biggest market, and vehicle sales in the country comprise around one-quarter of the automaker's global sales. It operates 10 manufacturing plants in the country, and locally produces around 56 percent of its vehicles sold there, according to calculations based on company data. Trump has focused on protectionist trade policies in his first weeks in office, formally withdrawing the United States from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade talks and has said he would renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Toyoda said his company would adapt to any "rule changes" to the NAFTA trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Automotive trade will be high on the agenda when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits Trump in Washington next week. Toyoda denied media reports from earlier this week which said he would meet Abe on Friday ahead of the summit, saying that while he would like a meeting with the prime minister, it was still unclear whether one would take place due to scheduling issues. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Writing by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) General Michael Flynn On Wednesday at a White House press briefing, retired Gen. Michael Flynn told reporters in no uncertain terms: "As of today, we're officially putting Iran on notice." Flynn's statement was in response to Iran's recent test of a ballistic missile, as well as to an attack by Iranian-backed Houthi militants that killed two on a Saudi navy ship off the coast of Yemen. Flynn seemed to confirm that the White House saw Iran as behind the attack on the Saudis and to signal some US response, but it seems the Pentagon has no idea what putting Iran "on notice" actually entails. "We saw the statement as well," a spokesman for US Central Command, the command responsible for the Middle East, told The Guardian. "This is still at the policy level, and we are waiting for something to come down the line. We have not been asked to change anything operationally in the region." A White House official told The Guardian that the US was "going to take appropriate action" and "considering a whole range of options," including military strikes. The US has repeatedly clashed with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps off the coast of Yemen, with encounters stopping just short of bloodshed. US Navy harpoon missile Lawrence Brennan, a professor of maritime law and former US Navy commander, told Business Insider on Wednesday that the US Navy may reconsider their rules of engagement with the Iranians at sea and that as the risk of conflict increases, the US Navy may look to fire on harassing Iranian ships sooner rather than later. NOW WATCH: Navy SEALs explain how a leader's ego can destroy a team More From Business Insider Donald Trump Marine One President Donald Trump made a surprise, unannounced trip on Wednesday to honor the return of slain US Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William (Ryan) Owens. Owens died during a raid on Al Qaeda in Yemen, along with about 30 civilians and 14 members of Al Qaeda. Three other Navy SEALs were wounded in the raid, and a $70 million MV-22 Osprey belonging to a Marine quick-reaction rescue force had to be destroyed. Trump issued a statement after the news of Owens' death expressing his sorrow and praising the bravery of the US service members who gathered "important intelligence that will assist the US in preventing terrorism against its citizens and people around the world." After the operation, Trump had a long phone call with Owens' family. Owens represents the first combat loss during Trump's presidency. "You never want to call something a success 100 percent when someone is hurt or killed," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Wednesday of the raid in Yemen. However, an unnamed official told NBC News that "almost everything went wrong" with the raid, citing the death of an 8-year-old girl and several other civilians, the burning of a house, and the intentional destruction of the Osprey. According to Bill Roggio, editor of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Long War Journal, raids like the one in Yemen were common under President Barack Obama and will likely continue under Trump. osprey 22 Roggio told Business Insider that the US had taken out prominent Al Qaeda figures in Yemen leading up to the raid and that the Al Qaeda branch in Yemen had indeed been plotting attacks on the US. "This is a branch that's at the forefront of launching plots to blow up airlines and attack Americans," Roggio told Business Insider. "They have a bomb maker, Ibrahim al Asiri, who has designed some complicated bombs and directed attacks against the US." Story continues Despite the death of Owens and the approximately 30 civilians, Roggio said the raid's success would ultimately be determined by the intelligence gained by the US. Roggio said the US monitors terrorists via drones and their online presences, but "you can only get so much from that, and they know what they're doing." "If you really want to know what's on their hard drive, you have to confiscate it," Roggio said. NOW WATCH: Why the US military's M1 Abrams tank is still the king of the battlefield More From Business Insider The website was developed using the open source software Elxis CMS by the Web Development Team of Foreign Ministry's ST2 Directorate for Telecommunications and Information Technologies As President Donald Trump wages a public and bellicose battle with the Mexican government, China may emerge as the victor. The world's number-two economy is closely watching as Trump threatens to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and presses Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to finance construction of a border wall . The Mexican economy, already facing a slowdown, could deteriorate further under both scenarios. Either way, strategists widely agree Mexico will look to reduce dependence on its largest trading partner, and Beijing is likely to emerge as a contender to replace the void left by Washington. "Like other countries worried about the uncertainties of a Trump administration, Mexico will look to deepen engagement with China," said Shawlin Chaw, senior analyst at Control Risks. "The mainland is a natural choice due to its economic power and in return, Beijing will able to increase the international market for Chinese exports and diversify its sources of raw materials." Mexico has one of the highest number of bilateral trade agreements in the world and China was its third-largest trading partner in 2015with exports to the mainland tallying $4.9 billion, according to the World Bank. The two pledged to strengthen ties at a meeting in December, with business deals already underway. In fact, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile and Giant Motors, partially owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, announced Wednesday they would pump more than $212.46 million into SUV production in Hidalgo. From investments in Africa to South America, Bejing has been carefully extending its sphere of influence in regions well outside its backyard as it looks to cement status as a global superpower. A number of U.S. allies have expressed concern over the apparently isolation-prone Trump administration, and China is looking to exploit that dynamic. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that point at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, saying his country was ready to take on a leadership role in international trade. Story continues "China will certainly fill up the American vacuum in Mexico," said Jonathan Bogais, adjunct associate professor, at the University of Sydney. Pena Nieto's other options include the European Union and Japan, but Bejing is the most obvious choice, he added. Aside from the natural economic attraction, China and Mexico were also early targets of Trump during his election campaign, reflected by his promises of constructing a U.S.-Mexican border wall and labeling Beijing a currency manipulator . Yet despite that connection, increasing economic engagement won't be easy, experts said. Both countries rely heavily on manufacturing, so new trade will require careful negotiation to avoid overlap. "It is unlikely that Mexico would be able to integrate itself into Asian supply-chains," said Josef Jelinek, senior China analyst at Frontier Strategy Group. "Given the extent of Chinese protectionism and economic nationalism, Mexico would likely be seen as more of a competitor than as a complimentary partner by China. In addition, Mexico would be at a cost disadvantage with regards to transshipments, being cheaper and easier to ship within region." One possible compromise could be Chinese investment into Mexico, particularly in infrastructure, in return for Mexican exports into China-controlled markets, suggested Bogais. Also hindering further economic partnerships is the fact that Beijing is limiting outbound investment in order to control capital flight spurred by heavily leveraged state-owned enterprises and local governments, according to Chong Ja Ian, a political science professor at the National University of Singapore. Moreover, Chinese investment overseas has a mixed track record, especially in countries like Nicaragua and Venezuela. Chong said that history could make Beijing more cautious about further investment in Latin America. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Correction: This story was revised to reflect the value of exports from Mexico to China. Trump threatens UC Berkeley with funds cut after Breitbart editor's speech is canceled following riot President Donald Trump threatened the University of California, Berkeley with a cut in federal funding after the school canceled a Breitbart editor's speech amid violent protests. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump said: The school went into lockdown on Wednesday amid a violent protest over a planned appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. Demonstrations broke out and a small group of protesters wearing black and hooded sweatshirts broke windows threw smoke bombs and flares. "This was a group of agitators who were masked up, throwing rocks, commercial grade fireworks and Molotov cocktails at officers," said UC Berkeley Police Chief Margo Bennett. Bennett said police determined at that point they couldn't guarantee security, canceled the event and evacuated the Breitbart News editor from the building. School officials said on Twitter that the campus was on lockdown. There were no immediate reports of arrests or serious injuries, she said. Trump 's chief strategist, Steve Bannon , previously headed Breitbart News and CNN reported that many of the protesters voiced opposition to the Republican president. Police ordered protesters at the liberal-leaning university to disperse and a short time later at least one fire erupted when protesters ignited a light post outside a building, according to CNN, which broadcast footage of the demonstration. Protesters shattered windows at the same building and threw firecrackers and rocks, according to CNN. The crowd appeared to number in the hundreds. Yiannopoulos' scheduled appearance came on the day that his college grant program for white males began taking applications. Critics blasted it as fanning white nationalism. In July, he was banned from Twitter for tweeting abusive comments toward specific users, including African-American comedian Leslie Jones. Story continues In a statement on Facebook, Yiannopoulos said he was "evacuated" from the Berkeley campus and criticized "the Left," saying it was "absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." More From CNBC The U.S. Army has not ordered the Corps of Engineers to allow construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline to proceed under a disputed Missouri River crossing, despite what North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven told The Associated Press. Hoeven announced late Tuesday that Acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer had directed the Army Corps of Engineers to "proceed" with an easement necessary to complete the pipeline, the AP reported. Hoeven said he also spoke with Vice President Mike Pence, just a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order signaling his support for the project. However, Maj. Gen Malcolm Frost, chief of Army Public Affairs, released the following statement on Wednesday: "The Army has initiated the steps outlined in the January 24th Presidential Directive which directs the Acting Secretary of the Army to expeditiously review requests for approvals to construct and operate the Dakota Access Pipeline in compliance with the law," Frost said. "These initial steps do not mean the easement has been approved. "The Assistant Secretary for the Army Civil Works will make a decision on the pipeline once a full review and analysis is completed in accordance with the directive." This is the latest twist in a months-long legal battle over the $3.8 billion project. The crossing under Lake Oahe, a wide section of the Missouri River in southern North Dakota, is the final big chunk of work on the four-state pipeline to carry North Dakota oil through South Dakota and Iowa to Illinois. The pipeline has been the target of months of protests led by Standing Rock Sioux tribe members, whose reservation lies near the pipeline's route and who have argued that it's a threat to their water supply. The tribe has vowed to challenge any granting of the easement in court, and Chairman Dave Archambault renewed that vow Tuesday night. "If it does become a done deal in the next few days, we'll take it to the judicial system," Archambault said. He added, "This is a good indicator of what this country is going to be up against in the next four years. So America has to brace itself." The developer, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, said the pipeline would be safe. An environmental assessment conducted last year determined the crossing would not have a significant impact on the environment. However, then-Assistant Army Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy on Dec. 4 declined to issue an easement, saying a broader environmental study was warranted in the wake of opposition by the Standing Rock Sioux. Energy Transfer Partners called Darcy's decision politically motivated and accused then-President Barack Obama's administration of delaying the matter until he left office. Two days before he left the White House, the Corps launched a study of the crossing that could take up to two years to complete. Trump on Jan. 24 -- just four days after he took office -- signed an executive action telling the Corps to quickly reconsider the Dec. 4 decision. Energy Transfer Partners appears poised to begin drilling under the lake immediately. Workers have already drilled entry and exit holes for the Oahe crossing, and the company has put oil in the pipeline leading up to the lake in anticipation of finishing the project, its executive vice president, Joey Mahmoud, said in court documents filed earlier this month. Hundreds, and at times thousands, of pipeline opponents who dubbed themselves "water protectors" have camped on federal land near the crossing site since August, often clashing with police and prompting more than 625 arrests. The camp's population has thinned to fewer than 300 due to harsh winter weather and a plea by Archambault for the camp to disband before the spring flooding season. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. After pulling the plug on a short-lived effort to get rid of its ratings system entirely, the Navy announced Wednesday it will add four new ratings for active-duty sailors, in an effort to channel more specialized training and resources to key positions aboard submarines and surface ships. The ratings include yeoman submarine, abbreviated YNS; logistics specialist submarine (LSS); culinary specialist submarine (CSS); and fire controlman Aegis (FCA), officials said in an announcement published Wednesday. The change will affect a relatively small number of sailors. According to data provided by Navy Personnel Command, the number of active-duty sailors eligible for each new ratings is as follows: YNS: 565 LSS: 568 CSS: 951 FCA: 2,430 The new ratings will take effect Sept. 2 for sailors in the rate of petty officer first class, Oct. 17 for sailors in the rate of chief through master chief, and Nov. 28 for rates up to petty officer second class. The ratings will be automatically applied to sailors who meet certain criteria, according to a Navy administrative message signed by Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke. As the move is administrative in nature, it is expected to have minimal impact on the fleet, the message states. "These establishments will permit optimum management and utilization of personnel, and economy of training," the message continues. "Additional value will be gained for manpower, personnel, training and education because these new service ratings establish new rating control numbers that will augment current manpower programs, ultimately decreasing inventory inaccuracies." A defense official told Military.com that adding these additional ratings had been under consideration for several years. For submarines in particular, where even culinary specialists need to hold security clearances, the change will make it easier to group sailors qualified for specific assignments, the official said. No badge or uniform changes are expected as a result of the new ratings. Those who will receive the new ratings are yeomen, logistics specialists and culinary specialists with a designator code of 1, 2, or 8, and fire controlmen serving with one of 58 Navy enlisted classifications listed in the message. In addition, the message states, a Navy-wide advancement examination will be created for each of the new ratings to improve the ability of Navy advancement centers to single out the most knowledgeable candidates within the surface and submarine specialties. The exam will focus on work tasks, equipment, tools and technologies, it states. The exams will begin in March 2018 for petty officers third through first class and in January 2018 for chief petty officers. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck. Retired Air Force Gen. Arthur Lichte has been demoted to the rank of major general and will forfeit roughly $5,000 a month in retirement pay after the service's Office of Special Investigations found that he engaged in inappropriate sexual acts while in uniform. Lichte, who retired Jan. 1, 2010, after more than 38 years of service, could have been charged with conduct unbecoming an officer, adultery, and having an unprofessional relationship under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, but those charges have a statute of limitations, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Military.com on Wednesday. Larry Youngner, Lichte's attorney, said they intend to appeal the Air Force's decision. OSI ordered an investigation into the retired general in August after being notified that a female officer -- who initially had filed a restricted report in July to her sexual-assault response coordinator -- changed her report to unrestricted to involve law enforcement. The investigation found that Lichte engaged in inappropriate sexual acts with the female officer twice in 2007, while holding the rank of lieutenant general as the service's assistant vice chief of staff and Air Staff director at the Pentagon. In 2009, Lichte, then a four-star general, once again had an inappropriate sexual relationship with the same female officer under his command, the service found. Lichte was head of Air Mobility Command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, between 2007 and 2010. Media reports identified the victim as a female colonel. The victim "felt she had no choice to engage in sexual contact with [Lichte] due to his rank and position in the AF," according to the heavily redacted OSI report. The Air Force has not released the victim's name due to privacy considerations, Stefanek said. Lichte's actions "did not rise to the level of rape," as deemed by OSI, and are not a criminal offense, Stefanek said. The UCMJ does not have a statute of limitations for rape charges, but does have a five-year limitation on related sexual misconduct. In this case, the service used administrative action and issued a letter of reprimand, in addition to the demotion in rank. As a four-star, Lichte received $18,000 a month in retirement pay, according to the Defense Department's 2009 pay scale for a retiree of 38 years. After the demotion, his pay will be reduced by about $5,000, Stefanek said. Youngner, of Tully Rinckey PLLC, issued a statement on Wednesday saying the firm intends to "appeal the Air Force's wrong decision concerning this unsworn accusation." "My client did not commit a sexual assault and vehemently denies the unsworn allegations made against him regarding consensual events that happened over eight years ago," Youngner said in a statement provided to Military.com. "Although my client is not proud of what transpired, he cooperated fully and provided statements, under oath, to defend against the allegations that went to an officer grade determination board." Youngner said Lichte, who is regretful of his decisions, "continually asserted that he is deeply sorry for the pain he has caused his family, especially his strong and loving wife." Then-Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James issued Lichte a letter of reprimand before her departure, the Air Force said in a release. USA Today obtained a copy of the reprimand and quoted part of it: "You are hereby reprimanded!" James wrote, exclamation point hers, in the letter of Dec. 6, 2016. "Your conduct is disgraceful and, but for the statute of limitations bar to prosecution, would be more appropriately addressed through the Uniform Code of Military Justice." James also initiated an Officer Grade Determination Board process to help assess the highest grade that the general "had satisfactorily served in prior to retirement," the release said. Defense Secretary James Mattis reviewed the action and took the next procedural steps to withdraw Lichte's certification of satisfactory service as an O-10, Stefanek said. She said Acting Air Force Secretary Lisa Disbrow then determined the rank at which Lichte last served "satisfactorily." "The Air Force takes all allegations of inappropriate conduct very seriously," Disbrow said in a statement. "We expect our leaders to uphold the highest standards of behavior. These standards and rules underpin good order and discipline. Airmen at every level are held accountable." After Disbrow's determination, the investigation formally concluded Jan. 31, Stefanek said. Lichte will not face a court-martial. Officials told Military.com in September that Lichte could have faced trial proceedings even years after retiring from service. The UCMJ retains jurisdiction over retired members, adding the service looks at about "10 cases a year" recalling a retiree, or members of the Reserve or National Guard, for the purpose of considering a "court-martial for misconduct committed while on active duty," a military lawyer said at the time. The current offenses would not translate in a civilian court, an official said, should the victim want to pursue alternative avenues. But Lichte could face other problems, including possibly being unseated as a board member at Airbus, a position he's held since 2010. In September, Airbus spokesman Jamie Darcy told Military.com the company was "aware of the allegations, and we are closely following the Air Force investigation." "As an organization, Airbus has a culture of zero tolerance for sexual misconduct," Darcy said at the time. When asked if Airbus would terminate its business arrangement with Lichte if the Air Force investigation turned up evidence of misconduct, Darcy replied, "As a policy, we don't publicly speculate on hypothetical situations." Darcy could not be reached for further comment Wednesday. Lichte was also appointed as the ninth member of the Air Transport Services Group Inc. board of directors in 2013. Officials with the aviation company, based in Wilmington, Ohio, told Military.com in September that they too were "aware of reports of an Air Force inquiry pertaining to his military service, and we will have no comment on the matter until after the investigation is completed." This story has been updated to include statements from Lichte's attorney. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. (New throughout, adds details and comments from senator) WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Budget Committee on Thursday voted to confirm Republican Congressman Mick Mulvaney as White House budget director under President Donald Trump. Senators narrowly approved Trump's nominee along party lines in a 12-11 vote. Democrats criticized him for hard line fiscal positions on popular social programs and for failing to pay more than $15,000 in taxes in relation to a household employee until after he was nominated. His nomination will now move to the Senate floor for a full confirmation vote. Mulvaney, a South Carolina Republican and a leading member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, favors raising the Social Security retirement age to 70 and means-testing beneficiaries of the Medicare healthcare program. Budget committee Chairman Mike Enzi, a Wyoming Republican, told the panel Mulvaney is "uniquely qualified" to be budget director: "He is a proven budget hawk that's been vocal about our need to rein in government spending and debt." But the nominee came under fire from Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination last year. The Vermont lawmaker warned that Mulvaney's positions on Social Security and Medicare contradict Trump's campaign statements to leave the programs untouched. Sanders also said his failure to pay taxes for a nanny he employed from 2000 to 2004 should disqualify him as a nominee. Sanders and fellow independent Angus King of Maine voted with the committee's nine Democrats to oppose Mulvaney. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Alan Crosby and David Gregorio) Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go. Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune... Dr. David Shulkin, President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, said he will fight full privatization of veterans care while seeking to expand community choice programs. "There should be no doubt I will seek major reform and accountability, but the Department of Veterans Affairs will not be privatized under my watch," Shulkin, the current under secretary for health at the VA, said at his Senate Veterans Affairs Committee confirmation hearing. "If confirmed, I intend to build a system that puts veterans first and allows them to get the best possible health care and services wherever they may be, in the VA or in the community," he said. Shulkin, an internist with more than 30 years of experience in major health care systems, appears headed to quick confirmation to head the $180 billion-a-year VA, which has a workforce of 314,000 serving 6.5 million veterans annually at 1,700 hospitals and clinics. The senators' questioning of Shulkin was not confrontational, and several lawmakers from both sides of the aisle announced their intention to vote for him. If confirmed, Shulkin will be the first non-veteran to lead the VA and the only holdover from the administration of former President Barack Obama to have a cabinet position in the Trump administration. Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat and the ranking member of the committee, cautioned Shulkin: "You will be fighting a war on multiple fronts" as secretary. "While trying to carry out the department's mission, you'll have to deal with a Congress that has not proven itself to be the most productive or cooperative partner," Tester said. "And you'll have to deal with a new president who has taken some public positions -- on everything from privatization to his personal opinion of the VA workforce -- that are in stark contrast to positions you have taken." During the election campaign, Trump made the wait times for care and the lengthy appeals process at the VA a constant theme. He called the VA a "broken" system that treats illegal immigrants "better than our vets," and suggested that more privatization is the remedy. When pressed about his meetings on the nomination with Trump, Shulkin said they discussed "what needs to be done" to improve care for vets in general terms. They also discussed privatization, but "I did not ask him for his definition" of the term, Shulkin said. One of his first priorities is to deal with the across-the-board hiring freezes on federal agencies imposed by Trump in an executive order last week, Shulkin said. The order allows for "public safety" or health waivers, and a VA spokesman said Wednesday that the department has begun submitting requests for exemptions. Under questioning from Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent, Shulkin said he is pleased that Trump provided for exemptions and he expects to take full advantage of them. He said there are 45,300 vacancies at the VA, and he will seek to exempt about 37,000 of those positions, mostly in health care. Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican and the committee's chairman, had high praise for Shulkin's commitment to better care for the nation's veterans and told him that fears of a Trump administration push for full privatization of the VA are overblown. "We're not about privatizing health care for the veterans, we're about making health care more available for the veterans," Isakson said. Shulkin responded that he is not opposed to giving veterans more choice, but favors an "integrated" approach to take advantage of the best aspects of VA and private care. "I've demonstrated my commitment to moving care into the community where it makes sense for the veteran," Shulkin said. He added that when he began at the VA 18 months ago, 21 percent of care was delivered in the private sector. That figure has risen to 31 percent. Currently, veterans can get private care only if they can't get a VA appointment within 30 days or if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Whether you're a recent graduate seeking your first position or an experienced professional in search of a new opportunity, attending job fairs is one way to network and find job leads. Job fairs allow you to meet hiring managers from various companies and industries all housed under one roof for the day. These tips will help you make the best impression. 1. Research Job Fair Companies "When meeting candidates at job fairs, I like to see that they've done their research," says Louis Dennis, a human resources representative for State Farm Insurance Companies in Greeley, Colorado, who regularly recruits employees by attending job fairs. "Folks who can sit down with me already knowing something about the company and the types of jobs they're interested in are very impressive to me." Related: Find upcoming job fairs. It's usually possible to obtain a list of employers participating in a job fair ahead of time. The best-prepared candidates will have already spent time researching corporate cultures, missions and open job opportunities posted on resources like Monster or employer Web sites. "If someone can say to me, I'm interested in underwriting or claims' and can back up why they're a good fit, I'm immediately going to be impressed," Dennis says. 2. Develop Multiple Versions of Your Resume After you've done your homework, tailor your resume based on your job objective, and consider bringing multiple versions to the career fair, says Christina MacGill, associate director of career programming for career services at Pennsylvania State University. "Once candidates have done their research on participating companies, they can create a few different resumes targeting these," MacGill advises. "For example, someone interested in finance can research typical job titles and types of responsibilities and then create several different versions accordingly. They also might create one resume targeted to working for banks and another one tailored to working for the finance division of a large firm like GE." Related: Does your resume pass the 6-second test? Get a FREE assessment. You should also prepare a general resume without a specific objective. "That way, candidates can be prepared for any situation at a job fair by keeping their options open and having multiple resume versions ready to go," MacGill says. Creating so many resumes can be tough, so think about having a few of them created for you professionally and use them as a template for future versions. 3. Cut Through the Clutter Brevity is crucial on resumes handed out at job fairs. "When I'm at a job fair, where the line can get eight-to-10 deep of people waiting to talk to you, I cringe when I see a resume that's more than a page and a half long," Dennis says. "If the resume is cluttered and not easy to read, this is a problem," says MacGill, who coordinates career fairs at Penn State. "Employers get so many resumes at career fairs, and you've got to make sure your resume is easy on the eye, with the main information easy to pick up and quickly scan." 4. Bring Supporting Documents Additional documents that could help support your qualifications will depend on your industry and career goals, but they may include a cover letter, professional portfolio, transcripts (usually for new graduates), reference list, letters of recommendation and job applications. Use the information uncovered during your research to guide your cover letter development. You may have found names of HR managers, position openings and job requirements that will help you customize your letters. If you don't have this information, write a cover letter to go along with each resume version. The letter should provide an overview of your qualifications that meet the goal the resume specifies. At the same time, supporting documents aren't as important as your resume, and some hiring managers won't be interested in dealing with the extra paperwork. Dennis says cover letters aren't necessary at a job fair. 5. Follow Up Request a business card from each hiring manager, and jot down a few notes immediately after each conversation -- this will help refresh your memory when you follow up. Email or mail a thank-you note within 24 hours of the job fair. "When I've met someone promising, I'm looking for them to follow up," says Dennis. "If they do, that's a sign of serious interest." Emailing about once a month should suffice. "We also recommend that after you meet with someone and learn more about specific positions, alter the resume and send an updated, customized version to the person you spoke with right away," MacGill says. Related: For the latest veteran jobs postings around the country, visit the Military.com Job Search section. The Next Step: Get Your Resume Out There Get your resume seen by companies that are seeking veterans like you. Post your resume with Monster.com. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trumps economic advisory council, Yahoo Finance has learned. Ubers chief executive disclosed the decision in a memo to employees on Thursday, obtained by Yahoo Finance. Kalanick said he withdrew from Trumps advisory board in a brief conversation with Trump on early Thursday. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick told employees in a company-wide memo on Thursday he had quit President Trumps advisory board. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the President or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that, Kalanick explained to employees in the memo. In December, Kalanick joined the Strategic and Policy Forum, an advisory board of 19 business leaders that now also includes Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and PepsiCo (PEP) CEO Indra Nooyi. The move quickly generated criticism from some, who viewed Kalanicks participation as a Trump endorsement. Some users in more recent weeks quit using Uber for Lyft as a form of protest. Below is the full memo Kalanick sent to employees: Dear Team, Earlier today I spoke briefly with the President about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community. I also let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the President or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that. I spent a lot of time thinking about this and mapping it to our values. There are a couple that are particularly relevant: Inside Out The implicit assumption that Uber (or I) was somehow endorsing the Administrations agenda has created a perception-reality gap between who people think we are, and who we actually are. Just Change We must believe that the actions we take ultimately move the ball forward. There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America. Families are being separated, people are stranded overseas and theres a growing fear the U.S. is no longer a place that welcomes immigrants. Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our countrys success and quite honestly to Ubers. I am incredibly proud to work directly with people like Thuan and Emil, both of whom were refugees who came here to build a better life for themselves. I know it has been a tough week for many of you and your families, as well as many thousands of drivers whose stories are heartfelt and heart-wrenching. Please know, your questions and stories on Tuesday, along with what I heard from drivers, have kept me resilient and reminded me of one of our most essential cultural values, Be Yourself. We will fight for the rights of immigrants in our communities so that each of us can be who we are with optimism and hope for the future. Story continues JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook. More from JP: The day Lyft was bigger than Uber. Surprise and disgust: What 6 Silicon Valley CEOs said about Trumps ban Qualcomm president: Apple is behind regulatory attacks Amazon is now worth more than the 8 largest retailers combined How Silicon Valley reacted to Trumps inauguration AMD CEO: Why its good to be the smaller guy Nick Jonas explains why you should buy his new headphones By Heather Somerville and David Shepardson SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick, facing criticism from immigration advocates for serving on President Donald Trump's business advisory group, quit the group on Thursday, the company said. The CEO of the ride hailing service had been under mounting pressure from activists who oppose the administration's immigration policies. Critics included Uber drivers, many of whom are immigrants themselves. "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that," Kalanick, who had planned to attend a meeting of the group on Friday, said in an email to staff that was seen by Reuters. Uber spokeswoman Chelsea Kohler later confirmed that he had left the group. Social media campaigns had targeted Uber, urging users to delete accounts and opt for rival Lyft Inc. Uber has been emailing users who deleted their accounts to say it shares their concerns and will compensate drivers affected by the ban. Kalanick said he spoke briefly to Trump about the immigration order "and its issues for our community" and told the president he would not join the economic council. The CEO came under increasing pressure to leave the council after Trump issued an executive order temporarily barring people from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States. "There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America," he wrote in a note to employees. "Families are being separated, people are stranded overseas and theres a growing fear the U.S. is no longer a place that welcomes immigrants." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The move could put pressure on other CEOs expected to attend a meeting with Trump on Friday. General Motors Co said its chief executive will attend, while Walt Disney Co said earlier Thursday its chief executive would not attend because of a long-planned-board meeting. Story continues Others expected to take part include the CEOs of JPMorgan Chase & Co, Blackstone Group LP, IBM Corp and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Others that are part of the council include Tesla Motors chief executive Elon Musk, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and Boston Consulting Group CEO Rich Lesser. The departure could signal a growing rift between technology companies and Washington. "There is a battle brewing between Trump and Silicon Valley," said Neeraj Agrawal, general partner at Battery Ventures. "They (the Trump administration) clearly don't value the economic activity generated by tech." Microsoft Corp on Thursday said it proposed a modification of Trump's travel limits. Technology companies including Microsoft, Google owner Alphabet Inc, Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc have opposed Trumps order, arguing that they rely on workers from around the world. Amazon and Expedia Inc have filed court documents supporting a legal challenge to the order by the Washington state attorney general. (Reporting by Heather Somerville in San Francisco, David Shepardson and Emily Stephenson in Washington, Joe White in Detroit writing Peter Henderson; Editing by David Gregorio) FEBRUARY 14: Reynolds would earn $1.5MM if he makes the roster, and can add up to $2MM via incentives, per Heyman (via Twitter). FEBRUARY 1, 7:50pm: Colorado has announced the deal, noting that it unsurprisingly includes an invitation to MLB camp. 7:05pm: The Rockies have agreed to a minor-league deal with first baseman Mark Reynolds, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. His potential salary and opt-out opportunities remain unreported at this time. Perhaps it shouldnt come as a surprise, at this stage at least, that Reynolds couldnt find a 40-man spot. There just wasnt enough demand to account for all of the available power-hitting, first base/DH types that were on the market. Righty sluggers Mike Napoli and Chris Carter remain unsigned, as do a variety of lefty bats. That said, Reynolds has also put together a string of relatively disappointing seasons. He hit at an approximately league-average rate in his 441 plate appearances for Colorado the .282/.356/.450 batting line was obviously influenced by the altitude but launched only 14 long balls and didnt quite capitalize on his opportunity at regular playing time. It was an improvement, at least, over the prior two seasons, when Reynolds combined for a .213/.301/.396 slash over 865 plate appearances with the Cardinals and Brewers. [RELATED: Updated Rockies Depth Chart] For the Rockies, the low-risk addition creates some interesting possibilities. When a southpaw takes the hill, the club can now utilize Reynolds at first while bumping Ian Desmond into the outfield in place of one of the teams many lefty-swinging outfielders. (It should be noted, though, that Reynolds carries minimal lifetime platoon splits and actually struggled against southpaws last year.) Of course, Reynolds will need to make the roster first. Though hes no longer the prolific home run hitter he once was, Reynolds still packs some punch. And he does typically draw solid defensive ratings for his glovework at first base. But he also offers nothing in the way of defensive versatility, meaning that the organization may have to decide between carrying a bench bat or an extra reliever as camp draws to a close. saudi arabai navy houthi yemen strike On Monday, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen launched an attack on a Saudi Arabian naval vessel using suicide boats, or fast-attack craft laden with explosives. According to Lawrence Brennan, a Fordham University maritime law professor and former US Navy commander, "This attack is likely to impact US naval operations and rules of engagement in nearby waters." 2016 saw a significant spike in the number of incidents at sea between the US Navy and fast-attack craft of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, at least one of which required the US Navy to open fire with warning shots. Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen had a blockbuster 2016, using an anti-ship missile to hit an Emirati naval vessel and then firing a salvo of missiles at US Navy ships in October. The US Navy successfully fended off the Houthi missile attack and retaliated by destroying three radar sites in Houthi-controlled Yemen. At the time, US officials and experts contacted by Business Insider concluded that Iran likely supplied the missiles to the Houthis. But the latest attack on the Saudis may give the US Navy pause in the future. In a questionable video of the attack, people near the camera can be heard shouting "Death to America," "Death to Israel," and "Death to Jews." One Pentagon official told the Washington Examiner that the Houthis may have mistaken the Saudi ship they attacked for a US Navy ship, though another official denied it. In any case, the US Navy frequently deals with Iranian fast-attack craft swarming its vessels and approaching closely. In one case last year, Iranian fast-attack craft got within 300 yards of a US Navy vessel. iran irgc navy fast attack craft The US Navy responded by attempting to contact the Iranians, maneuvering evasively, blowing the horn, then firing warning shots. Story continues But according to Brennan, the US may not allow hostile, unresponsive ships to get so close to Navy vessels after a force associated with Iran used suicide boats to kill two Saudi sailors. "The overarching duty of self-defense mandates revision of the ROE to provide a sufficient 'bubble' to prevent the risk of a suicide attack, particularly from swarming boats," Brennan said in an email to Business Insider. us navy uss boxer gunner US President Donald Trump has signaled his intention to respond more forcefully. "With Iran," Trump said while campaigning in Florida in September, "when they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldn't be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water." NOW WATCH: Watch a demonstration of the Pentagon's new drones that can attack an enemy like a swarm of bees More From Business Insider A group of U.S. military veterans has vowed to block completion of the hotly disputed Dakota Access pipeline, despite the secretary of the Army giving the project the green light. "We are committed to the people of Standing Rock, we are committed to nonviolence, and we will do everything within our power to ensure that the environment and human life are respected. That pipeline will not get completed. Not on our watch," said Anthony Diggs, a spokesman for Veterans Stand. Diggs added that the group hopes to raise enough funds "to have a larger, solid boots-on-the-ground presence." The secretary of the Army instructed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to grant Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) the easement it needs to complete the final stretch of its $3.7 billion pipeline, Sen. John Hoeven and Rep. Kevin Cramer, both of North Dakota, said Tuesday. President Donald Trump last week signed executive actions to advance construction for Dakota Access and another disputed pipeline. Dakota Access pipeline route, source: Energy Transfer Partners Veterans Stand has raised $37,000 since launching a GoFundMe campaign last week. Part of that money will go to "basic transport of supplies and personnel," Diggs told CNBC. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe also on Tuesday vowed to mount a legal challenge claiming the Corps lacks the statutory authority to stop an environment review and issue the easement. The tribe opposes construction, saying the pipeline passes beneath a source for its drinking water and construction would disrupt sacred land. Their campaign has drawn thousands of protesters to camps near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, in recent months. To abandon the study "would amount to a wholly unexplained and arbitrary change based on the president's personal views and, potentially, personal investments," the tribe said in a statement. Trump's financial disclosures show he owned shares of Energy Transfer Partners, the company building the Dakota Access pipeline. Staffers for Trump say he has sold that investment , but that has not yet been confirmed by any further financial disclosures. Story continues It's difficult to argue that the secretary of the Army lacks the authority to grant the easement, said Bruce Huber, an associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame who specializes in environmental law. However, any halt to the environmental study will face a high burden proof, he said. That's because the Army's assistant secretary for civil works is on the record as saying other routes should be explored and an environmental study is the best way to do that. In December, the Corps denied the easement and said the best path forward would be to consider alternative routes for the project by conducting an environmental review with public input and analysis. "That's an unclear bit of law there, whether the process can simply be terminated," Huber said. "You can bet your bottom dollar it will be litigated." The Standing Rock Sioux also took issue with Republican lawmakers who claimed the easement had already been granted. The headline on Cramer's statement on Tuesday read, "Approved Dakota Access Pipeline receives federal easement." The Indigenous Environmental Network raised concerns that attempts to force through approval would stoke tension at protest camps, where activists have already clashed with law enforcement. "Instead of following proper legal procedure and completing the Environmental Impact Study, the Army has chosen to escalate an already tense situation, go against their own processes and potentially put people in harm's way," the network said in a statement. In his statement, Hoeven said various agencies are working to bring in more "federal law enforcement resources to support state and local law enforcement." The latest flare-up occurred last month when the Morton County Sheriff's Department used foam rubber bullets, pepper spray and smoke canisters to disperse protesters. The activists attempted to enter private property and threw projectiles at authorities, the department said. A department spokesperson said there are still about 300 people at three camps on or near the Standing Rock reservation. Last week, Veterans Stand announced plans to support the protesters camped out in North Dakota. Those efforts include a plan to quickly mobilize thousands of U.S. military veterans to return to Standing Rock after about 4,000 traveled there in December. The presence of veterans among protesters potentially sets up a public relations challenge for the Trump team. Efforts by activists to boost their presence could be hampered by forecasts for flooding in the region. Numbers have already dwindled due to harsh winter weather. FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit. business Focus is on topline, cost management to turnaround: Tata Motors Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Guenter Butschek MD & CEO, Tata Motors said that they are reviewing current market conditions and is looking into new technologies as well as optimizing current activities. you are here: Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Friends In Pink is still on the radar and growing every year Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity February 02, 2017 Crazy Ideas About The U.S. Attack In Yemen The Fake Outrage About Trump piece included a part on a U.S. special force attack in Yemen that had happened just hours before: The rural home of a tribal leader's family, friendly with some Yemeni al-Qaeda members, was raided by a special operations commando. A U.S. tiltrotor military aircraft was shot down during the raid. One soldier was killed and several were wounded. The U.S. commandos responded with their usual panic. They killed anyone in sight and bombed the shit out of any nearby structure. According to Yemeni sources between 30 and 57 Yemenis were killed including eight women and eight children (graphic pics). The U.S. military claimed, as it always does, that no civilians were hurt in the raid. One of the killed kids was the 8 year old daughter of al-Qaeda propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki. That early description holds up well against recent reporting by NBC, the Washington Post and the New York Times. The incident happened as described. But an open question is still why the raid happen. The military and the administration claim it was to get intelligence, laptops, hard-drives and the like. But that is not a good explanation for an elaborate raid that needed lots of resources and backup. We had noted that "Yemeni sources say that at least two men were abducted by the U.S. military." The U.S. Central Command claims that no prisoners were taken only intelligence material. But a few days ago it also claimed that no civilians were hurt which it now admits indeed happened. My gut tells me that we will hear more on this issue. There are also some weir conspiracy theories around the raid. Marcy Wheeler aka Emptywheel headlined: Trump Fulfills Another Campaign Promise: Kills 8-Year Old American Girl and asked "Was that the point?" That is a crazy and impossible theory. Trump had been in office for less than ten days. The "raid" included SEAL Team 6 forces, UAE special forces, attack helicopters, U.S. Marine MV-22 tiltrotor planes, various drones and intelligence assets, a ship off the coast that launched Harrier jets and who knows what else. An organization like the U.S. military can not possibly vet, arrange and coordinated such a collection of different units and assets without several weeks of intense preparations. It is impossible that Trump ordered this raid up within very few days and just to kill some girl. Also - the military hierarchy would have very likely rejected such an order. One can file Marcy's piece next to the dissection about the Liberals On the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown. Note: A loudmouth ruling in the White House does not make the sky fall down. Another crazy piece was published by Reuters today: U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. On wonders who these three "U.S. military officials" are who try to back-stab Trump and his advisors. The raiders surely had prior and current intelligence, they surely had enough forces on the ground and in the air. Lots of backup actually did come in when needed. The "three military officials" are also lying about the "reinforced al-Qaeda base". The pictures show a few normal houses in a small tribal village. All reports from Yemen speak of a few local families of which men were hired by the Saudis as anti-Houthi fighters. Such may at times align with local al-Qaeda groups who are also supported by the Saudis but that does not make them al-Qaeda terrorists. The attack in Yemen must have been planned for month under the Obama administration for reason we likely do not yet know. It was then delayed and handed over "ready to go" to the Trump administration. That was my best guess days ago and it is also what the NYT now reports: [O]ver dinner with his newly installed secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, President Trump was presented with the first of what will be many life-or-death decisions [... ] Vice President Mike Pence and Michael T. Flynn, the national security adviser, also attended the dinner. ... Mr. Obama did not act because the Pentagon wanted to launch the attack on a moonless night and the next one would come after his term had ended. ... [M]onths of detailed planning that went into the operation during the Obama administration [...] the Defense Department had conducted a legal review of the operation that Mr. Trump approved and that a Pentagon lawyer had signed off on it. The "U.S. military officials" Reuters quotes must known this. Why do they try to plant their false story and thereby blame not only Trump but also Mattis, Dunford and Flynn - (former) generals who agreed on the mission? Is there some nonsense ongoing like an amateurish "military coup" attempt against Trump that Rosa Books fantasizes about? The military attack in Yemen was a bad idea. Killing some local Yemenis who work for the U.S. "ally" Saudi Arabia for what? To be hated by their families, clansmen and tribal allies for the next decades? Then there is the operational failure. According to the NYT and others the SEALs were detected early on, recognized they had been detected and still proceeded. The surprise effect was gone and they ran into an ambush. The operation should have been stopped as soon as they noticed that it was not going as planned. They screwed up just as their command screwed up - up to the strategic level of Obama and Trump. Just think about the background fight between the local "allies" in the war on Yemen. From my comment at Mary's site: Take the bigger view. The Saudis want a united Yemen under their full control. The UAE (while said to be allied with Saudis) supports the southern separation movement in Yemen. Dubai Port (DPWorld) wants exclusive rights to Aden and the south Yemeni oil terminals. (These to avoid the strategic problems of the street of Hormuz passages.) After UAE forces took Aden they were attacked by Saudi supported al-Qaeda (and ISIS) groups. The U.S. military supports the UAE in this family strife because it dislikes the Saudi support for al-Qaeda. The U.S./UAE hit against that al-Qaeda aligned Saudi mercenary gang was as much against the Saudis themselves as it was against al-Qaeda. Unless there is a really big secret about it yet to unveil, the raid was planned and done for little effect and more out of (Obama typical) pettiness than out of sound strategic necessity. That Trump agree to it was a stupid mistake he by now probably regrets. That all can and should be criticized. But that does not require unfounded conspiracy theories about some spontaneous raid Trump ordered out of malice or incompetence. There are plenty of reasons to attack him for what he does. Inventing "bad Trump" stories will only help him along. Posted by b on February 2, 2017 at 20:08 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page For those looking for a job that will pay the bills, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is looking for you. The state transportation department is holding an on-the-job program informational session on Feb. 9. The session runs from 6 - 8 p.m. at Olive Hill Community Development Corporation, located in suite 110 at 309 Colombo St. SW, Valdese. The session is free, according to information from the department. The program teaches folks the skills needed to perform specific jobs within the highway construction industry. Michael McKoy, a consultant to NCDOTs On-the-Job-Training Civil Industry Program, said the jobs available are with construction companies who contract with NCDOT to build highways and other projects. And western North Carolina, including Burke County, is expected to have a lot of road construction in the coming months and years, McKoy said. The NCDOTs 10-year plan calls for more than a couple of Interstate 40 interchanges, as well as bridges, in Burke County to be reworked or replaced in the next five years. McKoy said NCDOT requires construction companies it contracts with to offer a certain number of on-the-job training positions. And thats where the informational sessions help, he said. It helps ensure there are folks prepared for those on-the-job training jobs, McKoy said. After attending, folks can sign up for an eight-week training academy for the program. The academy is typically held Monday through Thursday in the evenings, McKoy said. The on-the-job training program teaches skills needed to do specific jobs in the highway construction industry, according to information on the session. The academy, which would offer between 15 to 25 spots, also would be held at Olive Hill Community Economic Development Corporation in Valdese. After participants complete the academy, transportation officials will work with them to get them placed with a contractor, McKoy said. Both the session and the academy are free, he said. To register for the session, call 919-956-2323 and leave a message or email bfoster@theinstitutenc.org. Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946. A janitor with Burke County Public Schools was fired on Tuesday after being charged with sex crimes against a minor. Timothy Matthew Shelnut, 44, of 1940 Enon Road, Apt. No. 4, Valdese, was charged with solicitation of a child by computer and indecent liberties with a child, the News Herald reported Tuesday. Shelnut was a second shift janitor at East Burke Middle School, according to a press release from the school system. Law enforcements investigation revealed that the alleged offense did not take place on school grounds, did not take place while the employee was on duty in the school and did not involve a Burke County student, the release said. After law enforcement arrested Shelnut, they informed BCPS of the arrest. School officials began the terminating process and delivered to Shelnut a letter of termination around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday while he was in custody of Burke County Sheriffs Office, the release said. Shelnut was hired in June of 2013 and was given a salary of $23,664, the release said. We have been in close contact with law enforcement on this matter and would like to thank Sheriff Steve Whisenant and his deputies for acting swiftly in this case, said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Larry Putnam. We would like to assure parents that the employees second-shift schedule would have limited his interaction with students, and we understand that the suspected offense took place on the former employees personal time. The school systems pre-employment process includes a thorough background check and , when employees come to work, school officials take any tips or suspicions of improper conduct very seriously and address them immediately, Putnam said. People of all ages will have an opportunity to take a step into the past this weekend with help from The History Museum of Burke County and Exploring Joara Foundation. The Exploring Joara Foundation, in partnership with the museum , is hosting its fifth annual Archaeology Day at the Museum on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Exploring Joara is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting public archaeology in the upper Catawba and Yadkin river valleys of western North Carolina, according to its website. Archaeologists Dr. David Moore of Warren Wilson College, Dr. Alan May of the Schiele Museum, and Melissa Timo, EJF staff archaeologist, will be onsite to identify artifacts that community members bring to the event, said a press release from the foundation. This is a very heritage - rich area so there are lots of people finding things in their backyard and riverbeds, said Marie Palacios, executive director with The Exploring Joara Foundation. We always have people bring in interesting stuff and having three experts in the room really brings a variety of experience so they can consult with each other. There is always a long line of people bringing in artifacts, she said. There will be hands-on archaeology activities including making boats out of recycled item s and stamping Native American pottery and medallions, Palacios said. A special presentation on Spanish shipwrecks also will be available at 12:15 p.m. for participants of all ages, the release said. The bigger thing is the History Museum of Burke is teaching people about our local heritage, Palacios said. They want to remind people that 450 years ago, before there was Drexel or modern Morganton, there were native people living here. This event is leading up to the first professional museum exhibit featuring the Berry Site on March 18, Palacios said. There have been small artifacts displayed here (The History Museum of Burke County) and there have been wall panels but this is the first professional museum exhibit created specifically to tell the story and to share some of the Spanish artifacts that have never been viewed. Saturdays event is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Those interested are welcome to drop in at anytime, Palacios said. The history museum is located at 201 W. Meeting St. in Morganton. Public tours of the museum will be conducted by museum docents and the public is encouraged to bring artifacts to be identified by archaeologists with a limit of 10 artifacts per person, the release said. For more information visit, www.exploringjoara.org or www.thehistorymuseumofburke.org for more information. Staff Writer Jonelle Bobak can be reached at jbobak@morganton.com or 828-432-8907. After less than two hours of deliberation, a Burke County jury convicted a man on Wednesday of statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl. At the end of the two-day trial, Ricardo Solis Garcia, 29, of Morganton, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge J. Thomas Davis to 20 to 29 years in prison. Federal immigration authorities also have a detainer on Garcia, and he will be deported at the end of his prison sentence, according to information from District Attorney David Learners office. According to the information, Garcia picked up the victim at her bus stop on the morning of March 6, 2015, telling her he would take her to school. Garcia and the victim had been neighbors at one time, and although reluctant, she got in the car with him, the release said. Instead of taking her to school , he took her to a Burke County motel, where he rented a room and took her in and forced her to have sex with him, the DAs release said. Morganton Department of Public Safety Sgt. Roger Tate investigated the case with assistance from Rhonda Robbins of the Gingerbread House Child Advocacy Center. Michelle Lippert and Frank Webster handled prosecuting the case for the District Attorneys Office. A Connelly Springs man wanted for attempted homicide and whos been on the Burke County Sheriffs Office most wanted list for more than a year was found hiding out in a foreign country. Dean Allen Yancey, 62, of 7890 Will Hudson Road, Connelly Springs, is charged with two counts each of felony attempted first-degree homicide, felony discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling and felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Yancey was on the sheriffs office most wanted list for a year and 11 weeks, according to a release from the department. With the help of the United States Marshals Service, it was discovered that Yancey was living in the South American country of Ecuador, according to a release from the sheriffs office. He was extradited back to Burke County. The sheriffs office says on the evening of May 1, 2013, deputies with the Burke County Sheriffs Office responded to the home of Milton Yancey on Rhoney Road in Connelly Springs after getting information about someone who had shot into Milton Yanceys residence. Sheriffs detectives processed the crime scene and during the investigation found that a total of two rounds were fired into the home, nearly hitting Milton Yancey and his wife, Christine Yancey, as they sat in their living room. The couple identified the subject that shot at them as Dean Allen Yancey, Miltons brother. Dean Yancey was charged and indicted by a grand jury in Burke County and was scheduled for trial Oct. 5, 2015, but he failed to appear for it and an investigation was started to try to find Yancey. Yancey is being held without bond and a court date for him is pending service of failure to appear warrant, according to the sheriffs office. HICKORY A Hickory woman will spend seven years in prison for her role in a conspiracy and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. Debbi Jo Albright, 23, of Hickory, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon during Catawba County Superior Court on Wednesday. She also pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and heroin, and was sentenced to serve seven to nine years in custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections by the Superior Court Judge Lisa C. Bell from Mecklenburg County, according to a release from the District Attorney's Office. Investigation by deputies from the Catawba County Sheriffs Office revealed that Albright conspired with two male subjects to lure the victim to a residence, beat him and rob him of money she knew him to carry, the release said. The victim of the crime received several text messages from Albright asking him to meet with her at a residence in the Newton area. When he arrived to meet her at the Athens Drive mobile home, the victim was taken to the back of the residence by a male subject where he thought she was waiting for him, the release said. A second male subject, David Lee Darty, attacked the victim from behind with a wooden board while the first subject started beating him with his fists. The victim managed to back away from the assailants, pulled out a handgun and fired shots that struck Darty, who later died at Frye Regional Medical Center, the release said. The victim had a concealed carry permit, and Albright indicated that she knew he carried a gun but had not shared that with her co-conspirators. The drug charges stemmed from a Sept. 6, 2016, incident when Albright and another male subject were found to be in possession of methamphetamine and heroin in a room at the Budget Inn located in Hickory, the release said. The robbery case was investigated by Kerry Penley of the Catawba County Sheriffs Office. The drug case was investigated by Hickory Police Department. Lance Sigmon handled prosecution for the District Attorneys Office. Many Democrats hope the massive demonstrations against Donald Trump will evolve into a Democratic tea party. Sloppy rollouts of incoherent policy dressed in malevolence can rile people up. But Democrats must first understand what made the tea party powerful. Its great success came not from the members' anger but from the ability to turn that anger into a show of force on Election Day. Tea party people vote. They vote in midterm congressional elections. They vote for state reps and for mayors and for judges. They show up. Democratic constituencies famously disappear in off-presidential years. That said, the party did take control of Congress in the 2006 midterms. To get there in 2018, though, it must first replace the party's somnolent leadership. Given the Democrats' generally dismal performance in the recent congressional races, it was surprising how easily Nancy Pelosi retained her post as House minority leader. She had a competent challenger in Tim Ryan, who was just re-elected in an industrial Ohio district that Trump handily won. For evidence of the national party's failure, look no further than Texas' 7th Congressional District. Hillary Clinton won the 7th, which covers wealthy parts of Houston and its suburbs and has been trending Democratic. But the Democratic candidate for Congress, James Cargas, lost after receiving virtually no support from national Democrats. Cargas had only $62,000 to spend on his campaign against incumbent John Culberson's $1.9 million. He still managed to pull in 44 percent of the vote. Imagine if the national party had actually (SET ITAL)tried(END ITAL). Some state Democratic organizations have all but flatlined. In the pivotal state of Wisconsin, the party "couldn't be bothered to recruit a candidate to take on conservative state Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler," writes editorial page editor David D. Haynes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. And in one of the state's most Democratic counties, it failed to find people to challenge Republican Gov. Scott Walker's circuit court appointees. Though Democrats' gloom may lighten at panoramic shots of throngs protesting Trump's latest outrage, the party must recognize that crowds, in and of themselves, don't necessarily translate into votes. Trump had crowds but lost the popular count to Clinton by millions of votes and so, for that matter, did Bernie Sanders. If these marches lead to grass-roots organizing, that could be a swell thing for Democrats. But as mere spectacle, protests can grow old. They attract vendors of narrow ethnic, gender and other identity interests uninterested in big-tent politics. They occasionally provide a stage for anti-social behavior. And they inconvenience motorists, businesses and locals in their path. The good news for Democrats is that they have new blood clamoring to run for office. Interest is especially high in the 22 districts that voted for Clinton but elected Republicans to Congress. Many are in former Republican Sun Belt strongholds in Arizona, Texas, Florida and Southern California. With the public growing increasingly restive over Trump's disruptive antics, it's possible that Republicans will fix the Trump problem themselves. It is not the mission here to discuss what Republicans could do about Trump, but there are various tools at their disposal. So it's early for Democrats to count on Republicans' letting Trump continue his reckless joy ride to a disastrous conclusion. For the good of the country, none of us should want that ending. But whether the politics are normal or abnormal, it's a truism that you can't win it if you're not in it. In too many places, Democrats are perilously close to becoming a PINO, party in name only. Opportunity knocks, but you can't open the door if you don't get out of bed. Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop, visit www.creators.com. President Trumps new get-tough attitude on immigration has already stopped one Mexican from coming to the United States. Trouble is, the Mexican who stayed home was President Enrique Pena Nieto. President Nieto wasnt coming here illegally, and he wasnt captured in Jeff Davis County, Texas, by one of Trumps friends in the Border Patrol. But the Mexican leader and President Trump decided to scrap their planned summit next week after trading some testy tweets about whether or not Mexico was going to pay for a new wall along the U.S. southern border. Dont worry. There wont be another Mexican-American war. President Nieto will be back in good time and he and Donald will make their deal. But before the two leaders meet face-to-face and before Trump starts spending his weekends in Texas pouring concrete footers on the border -- Trump should get his busy staff to dust off, update and improve the Bracero program. Most Americans especially the politicians in Washington have no idea what the Bracero program was. But from 1942 until 1964, when the federal governments program was eliminated, it made illegal immigration from Mexico largely unnecessary by allowing the free flow of Mexican agricultural workers into and out of the United States. Over 22 years about 4.5 million Mexican nationals worked temporarily on the vegetable and fruit farms of California and the Southwest. The braceros were poor peasants. They were seasonal workers. They did hard agricultural work that not enough Americans were willing to do. They were greeted and processed by U.S. officials at collection stations at the border. They signed contracts with the farmers and companies that employed them, then worked long hours for low wages. It was far from perfect. The braceros werent treated as well as they should have been by their bosses or the government. They often suffered discrimination. But they were free to come and go as temporary guest workers of America, not illegal invaders. They could work, save their money and, unlike illegal immigrants today, could then easily return to Mexico. The United States and Mexico both benefitted from the Bracero program, which in the long run had a huge impact on American culture, the agriculture business and the northerly flow of illegal immigration. The program was ended in 1964 in part because of President Kennedys concerns that the cheap labor of braceros was hurting American workers and because of political pressure from self-interested farm labor unions. By ending it and replacing it with nothing, the federal government and Congress essentially created the illegal immigration issue in the United States. It turned good men from Mexico who wanted to come here to work into criminals. They had to break into the United States to find work and then break out of America if they wanted to see their families again. Many Mexican immigrants here illegally had little choice but to stay and then have their families sneak across the border to join them. Fifty years and millions of illegal immigrants later, the Southern border is closed in both directions and President Trump is looking to waste billions on a wall he thinks will keep it that way. But before he starts construction, he should get rid of the government regulations, laws and red tape that have created our illegal immigration problem. Then he should come up with a new version of the Bracero program, so that the Mexicans who want to work in America can come in legally through a gate, not over a wall. Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of "The New Reagan Revolution" (St. Martin's Press). Visit his websites at www.reagan.com and www.michaelereagan.com. Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com. Follow @reaganworld on Twitter. The news came out this week that Charlotte will lose another local institution, Phat Burrito. The reason, of course, is that developers built up a bunch of new stuff and in the process used up parking spaces. So, for Phat Burrito, this meant that their daily business went from serving around 300 folks burrito-goodness to serving only around 100. When I heard the news, I couldnt help but think back to the hilarity of discovering the weird places my son would put Phat Burrito stickers on his notebooks, his car, my car, computers, notebooks. I also couldnt forget the time a church member told me that she saw light around me when I preached, but also saw darkness around others in the church, wondering about demonic forces at work in our church. At any rate, along with Common Market, Amos Southend, the Chop Shop, the Double Door Inn, and the Tremont (among others), the closing of Phat Burrito is yet another example of developers taking what they want and destroying the environment for places with any real soul or authenticity. Growing up, I learned that developers have a special way of not caring about anything other than profits. Where I grew up, it was the development of the very top of Sugar Mountain. I remember the moment my mother, generally a passive mindset, announced that she would not spank me if I found a way to demolish Sugartop condominiums, either legally or illegally. The monstrosity, for those of you who have never seen it, sits on the very tip top of Sugar Mountain, one of the highest mountains around Avery and Watauga counties. It can be seen from miles around a big cube on top of a mountain (I dont know what my mother would have said when I moved into Sugartop with a friend whose family had a condo there). Its hideous existence prompted the North Carolina General Assembly to pass Ridge Laws that limit the ability of developers to build on the tops of mountains. As expected, developers were furious at being told that they were not the owners of all Creation, so they proceeded to do what they do bring independent mountain folks to their side by whining about how the state was taking away their rights to do whatever they please with their own land. What they really wanted was to do whatever they wanted to make as much money as they could, no matter what the impact to the regions culture, land, economy and people. Thankfully, government worked for the good by maintaining those necessary restrictions. But soon after that battle was won, folks in valleys started noticing that their streams, ponds and lakes were muddier and muddier. Then they started noticing that this was happening to such an extent that silt islands started forming in their ponds and lakes. Being smart, they looked upstream to try and figure out what was happening. What they found were new developments going up the sides of mountains so that that every time it rained topsoil got washed into streams then flowed on down. These developments were built by cutting massive swaths of trees, carving roads, and excavating sites for seasonal residents as well as new permanent residents. To be sure, there is nothing wrong with gaining new friends from other necks of the woods, but there is something wrong when their new presence lays the land bare and degrades the very attributes that make the place attractive in the first place. Worse than that, even, is doing damage to the entire ecosystem (including the human lives, economies and cultures) downstream from their new stuff. So, this time when folks sought new legislation to make sure that the developers take responsibility for the impact of their business, the developers were better prepared and funded. The laws that ultimately were passed did a decent job of addressing the problems, but the accountability wasnt clear, sufficient or fully enforceable once the damage was done. Now, I dont want to come off as being totally anti-development. I think that development can balance concerns of economy and eco-responsibility but thats a delicate balance that requires great effort, creativity, patience and imagination. Many business people in almost every industry (including the church, banks, land and housing development, government, energy and so on) bought into one of the most pernicious and fiendish dark sides of capitalism: the idea that the only reason a company exists is shareholder profits to the exclusion of social and environment consciousness. They want their money now, so they say they dont have time or money to find responsible plans and formats. On the other hand, some in the environmental movement sound painfully unreasonable, unwilling to understand the real needs of many real people whose financial well-being might depend on the industries for which they work. At times its easy to wonder if some of those who vehemently oppose all development absolutely are more interested in what they are trying to preserve or in making a name for themselves. Sometimes they can sound wildly irrational in their protests, to the point of undermining the point they are trying to make in the first place. On both sides, there is crazy, but also necessary purpose. Developers develop. Those who oppose them ask important questions. Yet, they both are tempted by the same basic sin exploitation of people, cultures and Creation. The challenge of responsible development is the same in the mountains as it is in the cities, but only the landscape is different. I dont want to be a caricature of my own ideas, but I also refuse to believe that new development is always necessary and better. As Charlotte, the largest city between Atlanta and Washington, D.C., grows through its development adolescence, the same question arises: what is responsible development? To my untrained and admittedly purist eye, new stuff just doesnt have the same cultural soul as stuff thats been around a while. What gets lost in Charlotte is not so much natural beauty, but historic and cultural beauty. Im sure there may be responsible reasons for pushing old, historic and authentic establishments to the ground, but developers have earned their reputations for being all about the money. In both the mountains and the city, we are losing places that have distinction and uniqueness. They are often replaced by what looks and feels like any other building in any other community to create any kind of homogenous and generic non-culture you want. At what point will it concern us? Jonathan Henley is the host of Road Signs radio show, which airs Sunday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight on 1065 The End. Contact Henley via email at roadsigns@1065.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/roadsignsradio. Read past columns and join his blog at www.1065.com/onair/road-signs-51152/. (Editors note: This article was initially published by Carolina Public Press at 1 p.m. on Jan. 31. It was updated at 2 p.m. to include new information from Burke County.) Salaries for top elected and appointed school officials across Western North Carolina vary widely between jurisdictions, Carolina Public Press has found in conducting a survey in January of superintendent and school board member pay for the states 19 westernmost counties. An elected board of education governs each school system in Western North Carolina, hiring a superintendent who handles administrative duties. Each local school board member receives a salary, typically set by the board itself, subject to approval from the appropriate county board of commissioners or city council. The school board sets the superintendents salary, which includes a portion paid by both the state and the local system. Asheville is the only municipality in WNC that has its own school system. According to state Department of Public Instruction data, Buncombe County Schools has the highest average daily membership numbers in the region, and the 13th highest in the state, with around 24,200 students. Wake County Schools is the largest system in the state, with nearly 160,000 students. Buncombe Countys Tony Baldwin is the highest-paid superintendent in the region, and receives an annual salary of $208,716. Buncombe County associate superintendent Susanne Swanger is paid $134,600 per year and assistant superintendent Joseph Hough receives $91,200 per year. Henderson County Schools is the next-largest system in the region, with around 13,400 students. However, the district pays Superintendent Hardy Caldwell $132,000 per year, a salary comparable to Jackson Countys Michael Murray, who makes $131,000 per year while overseeing a system of 3,700 students. Burke County, with the third-largest student body in the region at 12,200, has the the second-highest compensation level for its superintendent, Larry Putnam, who receives $199,052 per year. Rutherford County Schools Superintendent Janet Mason is the third-highest paid administrator in the region with an annual salary of $179,262. The Rutherford County school system has approximately 8,000 students. Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene is the lowest paid top administrator in the region, at $95,000 per year, making him the only superintendent in the region making less than six figures. While superintendent salaries run from a low of $95,000 to a high of $208,700, school board pay remains more consistent from district to district with just a few thousand dollars of difference. However, the percentages show this is also a substantial fluctuation. The top superintendent in WNC makes 119 percent more than what the lowest-paid superintendent makes. But the top non-chair school board members make 250 percent more than the lowest-paid board members in the region. Burke County Board of Education chair Randy Burns is the highest paid in Western North Carolina at $7,500. His fellow board members are the highest-paid non-chairs in the region at $6,300. Seeking information Carolina Public Press submitted a public records request for salary information for superintendents, assistant superintendents and school board members to each of the counties in WNC, and the City of Asheville, by email on Jan. 3. Salary information for school system employees, like other public employees, is part of the public record and is available to anyone under North Carolina. Macon County, McDowell County and Polk County provided the documents requested by CPP request on the day the records request was submitted. Mitchell County, Watauga County, Yancey County and Transylvania County each filled the request in less than two days. Other counties responded over time. Burke County was the last to fulfill the records request, responding following initial publication of this article, only after repeated inquiries to the systems public information officer. Burke County Schools spokeswoman Cheryl Shuffler told CPP on Jan. 24 that the request had been submitted to finance director Keith Lawson and human resources director Sharon Colaw. After the district hadnt provided the records as of Tuesday morning, CPP sent a followup email at 9:40 a.m. Jan. 31 to the systems superintendent, finance officer and human resources director. Burke County then provided the documents within hours after that final email to administrators. No explanation for the delay was provided. However, Burke County school board members are the most highly compensated in Western North Carolina. As a senior analyst for investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown, Laith Khalaf is frequently quoted in the media with his views on stocks, funds and market trends. This research is often focused on news-led events: from the Brexit vote, to a FTSE 100 company publishing their annual results or issuing a profits warning. But when it comes to investing his own money Khalaf says it pays to ignore the noise of day-to-day events and take a longer-term view. He says: Its shouldnt really come as any surprise the learn that the investments that have performed the best in my portfolio are the one Ive held the longest. Khalaf, who is 38, has been investing for around 15 years. Working in the financial sector certainly helps. You soon understand that no-one else is going to save for you, so it makes sense to starting putting aside what you can, when you can, he says. Khalaf has tried to build up a decent investment portfolio from an early age, saying: Im partly saving for my retirement and partly building up rainy day savings, to tide me over any future financial shocks. Most of his investing is tax-efficient, using ISA and SIPP wrappers, and within these he invests largely in funds, but says he does also have some direct shareholdings. Ive tried to build as big a pot as I can, as quickly as possible, he says. Theres the danger of course of saving too much for retirement at the expense of today, but I think this would be a nice problem to have. Emerging Markets Boost Returns As Khalaf is still relatively young his portfolio has more of a growth focus. He has invested in some higher risk areas, such as emerging markets and smaller companies. But this doesnt mean he ignored steadier investments completely, saying: Ive invested in an US tracker, and also have money in some equity income funds. Khalaf says over the past 15 years some of his best returns have been from emerging markets. There are some good fund managers in this area that can really add value to a portfolio, he says. His investments in this area include First State Greater China Growth; Stewart Investors Global Emerging Market Leaders and Aberdeen Asia Pacific Equity. This First State fund has a five-star performance rating and top Gold Rating from Morningstar analysts. Fund analyst Germaine Share describes its manager, Martin Lau as a top notch portfolio manager with over 21-years experience in this sector. She adds: First State Greater China Growth remains one of our best ideas for equity exposure to the region. The fund combines good long-term performance with relatively low charges and is one of the most downside-resilient funds in its sector. The Stewart Global Emerging Market Leaders fund, which is now soft-closed to new investors, also has a five-star performance rating from Morningstar, reflecting its strong recent performance. It has a Bronze Analyst Rating, showing analysts are confident it will continue to outperform, despite recent changes at the fund. In 2015 the original First State Stewart fund split into two separate entities. More recently, the lead manager, Jonathan Asante, has stepped back from the fund, passing responsibility to Ashish Swarup. The Aberdeen fund has delivered good returns over the period Khalaf has invested, but he points out that its performance has dipped more recently. This is reflected in the fact that it has a three-star performance rating and Morningstar analysts have downgraded it from a Silver to a Bronze rating. Mark Laidlaw, an analyst for Morningstar says: Aberdeen Asia Pacific Equity remains an attractive choice, but no longer one of our top picks in this space. The peer group has been getting stronger, while our conviction in Aberdeen Asia has wavered. A potential criticism is that the team may not be critical enough when a business makes a mistake or begins to deteriorate. To its credit, Aberdeen has attempted to address this by reviewing long-term positions that have stumbled. He added: This is still a quality outfit, with a large, well-resourced investment team led by Flavia Cheong. Aberdeen Asia Pacific remains a quality choice but a few missteps have enabled rivals to get a leg up. Khalaf is also invested in smaller companies. For example he holds Schroder UK Dynamic Smaller Companies, which has a four-star performance rating and Bronze Analyst Rating from Morningstar. It is run by the experienced manager Paul Marriage. Morningstar analyst Samuel Meakin says: We believe this fund is a strong choice for investors, more so now that its size has returned to more manageable levels. Khalaf also hold smaller company funds with more of a global remit, including Standard Life Global Smaller Companies, which has a two-star performance rating from Morningstar. Commodities Deliver Mixed Performance Khalaf says it is inevitable that some of his investments have not performed so well. He say: I invested in BlackRock World Mining (BRWM) trust at probably the wrong time. The value of these shares dropped significantly shortly after I invested, and have still not recovered. But I see this as a super-long term holding so I am sticking with it for now. Im sure a better time to sell will come along. There doesnt seem to much point in selling at a loss now, he says. But while this commodity play has not performed so well, Khalaf says that he has seen better returns from more recent investments in oil and mining companies Rio Tinto (RIO) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB). Rio Tinto has a two-star rating from Morningstar, Morningstar equity analysts consider the share price to be trading below fair value. Royal Dutch Shell has a three-star rating, meaning both the stock is considered fair value at the current share price. Khalaf adds: The gains Ive made from Rio Tinto have helped offset the losses from BlackRock Mining. Investment is often like that. You are investing at different times, in different assets and across different sectors. But by sticking to it and not chopping and changing constantly hope that overall the value of this portfolio will increase. Investing for the Long Term This long-term approach meant that Khalaf did not change his investment, strategy or his underlying holdings in the wake of the Brexit vote, or the US presidential election. I dont try and second-guess the outcome of political events, and havent felt the need to make significant changes since, he says. My investments look pretty much the same as they did a year ago. The only action he did take was to take advantage of market volatility and buy, or top-up, holdings of stocks he liked when prices fell. After the EU vote the stock market did drop in value. I used this as an opportunity to buy into stocks I liked such as Barclays (BARC) and Persimmon (PSN) at what looked like flash-sale prices. Shares in UK pharmaceutical companies have come under pressure this week after US President Donald Trump signed an order scaling back parts of Obamacare. President Trump signed an executive order last month to prepare to seek the prompt repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, and during a meeting with pharmaceutical executives at the White House this week, he commented on the high cost of drugs. The pricing has been astronomical. You folks have done a very great job over the years but we have to get the prices down, Trump said I'll oppose anything that makes it harder for smaller, younger companies to take the risk of bringing their product to a vibrantly competitive market. But we can increase competition and bidding wars, big time. UK Healthcare Stocks Impacted Major UK-listed pharmaceutical stocks have been falling since Trump signed the executive order. Shares of Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) have dropped 3% since the meeting on January 20, while biotech firm AstraZeneca (AZN) fell 1.7%. Medical devices provider Smith & Nephew (SN.) and mega pharma firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) were also down 1.4% and 0.8% respectively. Shares of pharma stocks have fallen since the day Donald Trump was elected President on November 8, with AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline down 4.6% and 1.4%, while Smith & Nephew has dropped 4.7%. AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline have retained their four-star valuation ratings since November, meaning Morningstar equity analysts believe that they are trading below the shares fair estimate. Meanwhile, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Smith & Nephew are rated as fairly-valued by Morningstar analysts. What Does the Future Hold? Trumps pledge to relax regulations will bring greater risk for both patients, pharmaceutical companies and the wider healthcare system, said Ketan Patel, fund manager with EdenTree Investment Management. The President wants drug manufacturing to return to the US and for the US Food and Drug Administration to accelerate approvals for new drugs. From a patient perspective, it is worrying that Trump is calling for the elimination of 75-80% of all FDA regulations, which are in place to protect patients. The sector has been littered with drugs that have been approved and have been recalled on safety grounds, resulting in patient deaths and tens of billions of dollars in settlement payments, said Patel. Morningstar equity analysts believe repealing the Obamacare could be challenging, since Trump would need 60 votes to overcome the Senate filibuster, and the healthcare industry lobbies are likely to oppose such a move. While it might seem counterintuitive that Trump's plan for rolling back coverage would lead to an increase in the deficit, keep in mind that the Obamacare specifically included measures to raise revenue and reduce federal spending, including taxes on branded drugs, medical devices, high-end "Cadillac" health plans, and altering Medicare Advantage payments, analysts wrote in a published note. David Docherty, UK equities fund manager of Schroders agreed, saying that the replacement of Obamacare would be complicated, a far more challenging task given numerous cost and coverage issues. We would therefore be mindful of the risks to drug pricing for big pharma in the eventual legislation, said Docherty. In the case of a successful repeal, the drug and biotech industries would likely lose some volume gains as the 20 million newly insured patients from the Obamacare will likely lose some insurance coverage and spend less, but the mandated costs of Obamacare would likely more than offset the lost revenue, said Morningstar equity analysts. Focus on the Long Term Edentrees Patel reminded investors that in the long run, those pharmaceutical companies focused on innovative research and development will be able to command a premium, due to the health and economic benefits they deliver to both patients and those who foot the bill. Looking at UK pharma companies, GlaxoSmithKline has shifted from its historical strategies of targeting slight enhancements toward true innovation, said Damien Conover, director of healthcare equity research and equity strategy at Morningstar. Benefits of this strategy are showing up in Glaxo's early-stage drugs. Analysts expect this focus will improve both approval rates and pricing power of the company. Smith & Nephew's impressive innovation has allowed the firm to carve out a slice of the orthopedic and wound-care markets, said Debbie Wang, senior analyst at Morningstar. Though Smith & Nephew is smaller than the dominant orthopaedic competitors, it has been a strong contributor in terms of introducing meaningful innovation, which translated into a mere 2% gain in share over the past seven years, said Wang. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 81F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. If Vicky Gonzales has a signature, it is undoubtedly her joyous smile. Her genuine grin has been to great effect in many of her previous happy-go-lucky roles such as in Nunsense and La Cage Aux Folles. Her next performance, however, will be quite the departure. She is playing Esmerelda in Midland Community Theatres The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which opens Friday. The musical is based on the 1996 animated Disney film. As the virtuous gypsy dancer, Gonzales found her character exploration go deeper. When any Disney show is brought to the stage, darker elements are brought to life to make it more interesting for adult audiences, she said. So there is more depth to the characters. In the famous tale of the outsider Quasimodo in 15th century Paris, Gonzales has touched on many emotions in bringing her character to life. IF YOU GO: "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Opens Friday and runs through Feb. 25 at Midland Community Theatre, 2000 W. Wadley Ave. $28. mctmidland.org. See More Collapse Shes definitely tough on the exterior but with a lot of vulnerability underneath, she said. She has to be strong and fight for herself and her people. Interestingly, her role somewhat echoes todays current events. Yeah, there are lot of unfortunate parallels in our society as well as with her and the show that touches on what people deem undesirable, she said. Esmerelda is very much willing to stand up and fight for someone who cant do it for themselves. But her role isnt always so heavy. Gonzales said that her likeness to the character leans toward the sweeter side. Well, were both romantics at heart, she said. Gonzales shares her lead roles with Albert Hall as Phoebus and Matthew Nicholson as the title character. Its been great with those two, she said. Albert is laid-back fun and always open to suggestions. And I really admire Matthews work ethic. He digs for authenticity and you can see him become Quasimodo. Theater isnt just a part-time interest for Gonzales. By day, she teaches drama and music at Midland Montessori School. Her stage work sometimes comes in handy. I teach to fourth- through sixth -graders and every now and then, I give them examples of my own experience when it works. I dont try to self-promote too much but they can identify with me when it comes to their own work or rehearsal. Her takeaway for her students who plan to see the show and the rest of the audience is simple. Id really like for them to see the human side of every character. Just because people are a particular way, that doesnt mean they dont have feelings or emotions, she said. If theres a message to Hunchback, Id say it would be that. Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet unanimously tapped Ryan Matthews to serve as interim secretary for the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection. Matthews will take over the agency while a search for a permanent leader takes place over the next three months. Florida DEP interim secretary is Ryan Matthews Outgoing Secretary Jon Steverson resigned, effect Feb. 3 Steverson was criticized for his handling of algae bloom, sinkhole Ryan Matthews is a DEP official, currently the director for the Office of Water Policy. He also worked as the deputy secretary for regulatory programs. The outgoing Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection Secretary, Jon Steverson, had been Scott's favored candidate when he was appointed to the post in 2015. In the months since, Steverson has weathered intense criticism over his proposals to open state parks to commercial logging and hunting. Last summer's dual environmental crises -- a runoff-induced toxic algae bloom in South Florida and the discovery of a toxic sinkhole at a Mosaic phosphate plant in Mulberry -- led environmentalists to lambast Steverson and his agency for what they deemed inadequate responses. Steverson, however, isn't the first Scott-backed agency head to depart under a cloud of controversy. The cabinet, a board consisting of Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, has increasingly shown a proclivity for overruling the governor on his suggested successors. The search for a new DEP secretary could follow that pattern. Given the continued algae bloom threat and the complexity of a voter-mandated water infrastructure improvement program, cabinet members are likely to look for candidates with deep experience in environmental policymaking. "It's bigger than one black cat actor," said Putnam at a gathering of state government reporters and editors this week. "And we need leadership to bring us all together instead of wedge us apart, to finish the projects that have been put in place dating back 20 years now." Scientists at University of Central Florida will use over a million dollars in state funds to research the Zika virus, possibly leading to a vaccine. UCF researchers got $1.3 million for Zika research Working on several projects Research could lead to vaccine creation UCF got $1.3 million, one of 24 grants across Florida to develop better testing and prevention of the illness. Two of the UCF researchers have discovered that Zika can fight off a person's "innate immunity," which is the first line of defense. The virus does this by binding to certain proteins in the body, thus making it easier for the virus to infect someone. The researchers will use about $500 thousand of the state funds to find out what the virus uses for protection, possibly leading to a vaccine or drug therapies. Another group of researchers is designing a mosquito surveillance tool to assist in fighting the illness. The tool attracts insects and feeds them a gold nanoparticle-colored sugar water. The researchers say infected mosquitoes will turn a different color as a warning system to residents. The researchers will also remove the salivary glands from the insects to hopefully find out how the virus maintains the infection in humans. Almost 5,000 people have contracted the Zika virus across the country, including more than 1,000 in Florida. AUSTIN -- Cities could not adopt policies that prevent police departments from inquiring about immigration status or aiding federal immigration authorities under a bill unveiled at a press conference Wednesday. SB 4 is about strengthening the rule of law in Texas, according to its author, Sen. Charles Perry of Lubbock. "The integrity of our criminal justice system is built on the premise that it applies to everyone equally," he said. "When you undermine that by having individuals decide which laws they will apply, when they will apply them and how they apply them, you begin to create a perception of a double standard that will weaken this nation as we know it." Sanctuary cities, as described by Perry, are any municipalities with a formal or informal policy of discouraging or prohibiting licensed peace officers from asking about a lawfully detained individual's immigration status or cooperating with requests from federal immigration officials. Fellow Sen. Paul Bettencourt of Houston, who was among a number of senators joining Perry in support of the bill, believes this is bad policy. "There have been more than 210,000 criminal illegal aliens processed in Texas jails since June 1 2011," he said. "These criminal aliens have had 559,000 charges applied to them . . . it is completely preposterous public policy to have any entity of local government ignore this reality of public safety." The bill as originally filed would require that a police department inquire about immigration status when booking a suspect as well as checking a federal immigration database to see if the person has been previously identified as a danger to public safety. They would also have to comply with federal immigration authority requests to transfer custody of a person suspected of illegal immigration status. As far as outlawing sanctuary city policies, the bill would prevent any policy, formal or informal, that bans or frowns on inquiring into the immigration status of a person lawfully arrested. They couldn't prevent police officers or departments from sharing immigration status or information with federal authorities, prevent cooperation with federal immigration authorities, or bar them from entering city or county jails to enforce immigration policies. Municipalities violating these rules could lose state grant funding. The bill does prevent officers from stopping or arresting a person solely for the purpose of asking about immigration status. Perry says it also exempts people who are witnesses to or victims of crimes, in an effort to avoid a scenario where people are afraid to come forward due to immigration status. He added that sanctuary city policies that don't violate a federal or state statute, such as a legal defense fund for people facing deportation, would not be prohibited by his bill. Normally, the Legislature can't consider bills in the first two months of session, but Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he's designated the issue as an emergency in his State of the State address Tuesday. That means SB 4 wont be subject to the first 60-day constitutional prohibition. The bill will go before the Senate State Affairs committee Thursday. This issue is highly contentious and senators at today's press conference said they expect the number of witnesses testifying for and against the bill to be in the hundreds. The hearing is slated for 8:30 a.m. in the Senate Chamber. The Senate will reconvene Monday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. LUBBOCK Cruz Perez, a/k/a Travieso, 40, appeared in federal court Wednesday and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant to his role in a methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. Perez, a member of the Texas Syndicate, faces a statutory penalty of not less than five years nor more than 40 years in federal prison and up to a $5 million fine. A sentencing date was not set. Perez and eight other west Texas residents, including three other members of the Texas Syndicate, were arrested in early June 2016 by special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Texas Department of Public Safety, with assistance from the Big Spring, Sundown and Levelland police departments, the Howard County and Lubbock County sheriffs offices, the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Perez is the lead defendant in the case, and he is the last defendant charged in the case to plead guilty to his role in the conspiracy. Other defendants charged and convicted include: --Christopher Lee Gonzalez, aka Gonzo, 43 --Victor Manuel Castillo, aka Victor Manuel Garza, 43 --Christopher David Gonzales, aka Chris, 41 --Evan Cruz Parson, aka Evan, 21 --Alexander Alfonzo Mendoza, aka Alex, 20 --Jose Gutierrez, III, aka Baby Joey, 21 --Jasmine Pillar Hernandez, aka Crazy, 32 --Crystal Dimas, aka Babe, 28 According to plea documents filed in Perezs case, on Oct. 3, 2015, Perez distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that late that morning, Perez called Christopher Lee Gonzales and discussed Gonzales obtaining a quantity of methamphetamine from Perez. Perez advised that hed have his nephew, Jose Gutierrez III, bring it to Gonzales. At approximately 12:05 p.m., Perez called Gutierrez and told him that he needed to come back to Lamesa. Perez then texted/called Alexander Mendoza, who stored the methamphetamine for Perez, and instructed Mendoza to bring The two that were left and the one that you got yesterday and also another 9. At approximately 5:55 p.m., Perez and Gonzales discussed that Gonzales owned Perez approximately $21,000 for past drugs and that Gonzales was having trouble selling Perezs methamphetamine because other dealers were selling a better quality methamphetamine for a cheaper price. Perez and Gonzales then discussed where to do the drug transaction. Special agents with the DEA who were conducting surveillance in Lamesa observed a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe, known to be driven by Gutierrez, traveling toward Lubbock. Agents maintained surveillance until approximately 8:35 p.m. when a Texas Highway Patrol trooper stopped Gutierrez in Lubbock and found he was transporting approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine. That evening, Gutierrezs wife called Perez and told him that Joey texted at 8:40 p.m., saying that he got pulled over in Lubbock. She called Perez and told him, He went to jail. When she called Perez at 9:19 p.m. and told him, he got caught, Perez asked, With it? With the stuff? She responded affirmatively. At approximately 9:11 p.m., Perez called Parson and told him, Baby Joey went to jail, referring to Gutierrez being arrested with the methamphetamine. Then, at approximately 9:23 p.m., Perez called Gonzales and told him, He didnt make it, referring to Gutierrez being arrested with the methamphetamine. The investigation is being led by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Juanita Fielden and Sean Long are prosecuting the case. Nine unwanted dogs from the Paws Pet Adoption shelter in Plainview are now on their way to finding forever homes in Washington State as part of the newly organized Project Freedom Ride. According to Cynthia Davidson of Paws in Plainview, the shelter dogs are part of a West Texas contingent of 58 dogs that departed from San Angelo on Monday. We sent five dogs on Jan. 18, and they have already found homes, Davidson said Wednesday. Nine more of our dogs are enroute (and they) should be there by Saturday. This is huge for our shelter, she adds. I think we will definitely see a reduction in the 70-plus euthanasia rate, if we can continue to transport. The founder of Project Freedom is Jennifer McConn, who describes the multistate effort on the crowd funding website YouCaring.com. Shes attempting to raise necessary funds for another Project Freedom Ride carrying more unwanted Texas pets to the Pacific Northwest on March 6. Project Freedom Ride really just started as a wild idea to help get dogs from Texas, where many shelters still operate under high euthanasia rates, and from those rescues, supporting them in an effort to open up the opportunity to save more, she writes. Washington State and many other northern states do not have the same pet overpopulation problem Texas and many southern states suffer from. Relocating pets from Texas to Washington frees up kennel space for animals that might otherwise be put down. I lived in Texas for three years, and although where I lived has seen some change, there is still a great need for improvement, McConn observes. Thats the primary motivation behind what she jokingly calls her underground railroad for dogs to Washington. Project Freedom Ride hasnt yet qualified for non-profit status, but McConn is working on receiving that designation. The biggest hurdle was transportation costs, so Project Freedom Ride was created to help collect funds to make that hurdle disappear, she explains. So far, in only one month, Project Freedom Ride has facilitated the transfer of 55 dogs from Texas rescues to rescues in Washington. Of those 55 dogs, all but eight have already been adopted. Many of these dogs sat in Texas shelters for months, then in Texas rescues for months, if not a year or more, but then found forever families within days -- if not hours -- of arriving in Washington State. It has truly been amazing to watch. McConn estimates that it will cost almost $10,000 for the current transfer of 59 dogs which are traveling from San Angelo to Washington. These dogs will make a four-day trip in a very high-class transport trailer built for situations such as these, she explains. Those interested in following the journey and subsequent adoption process can do so on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ProjectFreedomRide/ According to McConn, a number of animal shelters and rescues are participating in Project Freedom Ride, including many in the San Angelo area Cassies Place Rescue, Concho Valley Paws, Critter Shack and Cow Dog Rescue, along with those in Plainview, Andrews and the Midland-Odessa area. Thus far on the receiving end are Noah Center in Washington and the Skagit Humane Society of Washington. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Houston-based specialty pharmacy Affinity Biotech has been acquired by a national company. Michigan-based Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc., announced this week it has completed its acquisition of Affinity for $16 million, with an additional contingent consideration of up to $4 million, according to the company. The purchase adds a second Texas facility and a New York facility for Diplomat. Acquiring Affinity will help Diplomat extend its existing reach into large markets, Diplomat CEO Phil Hagerman said in a statement. New York has 4.8 million Medicaid patients statewide and Texas has 3.7 million patients, he added. RELATED: Straus budget plan seeks to reverse Medicaid therapy cuts "Affinity Biotech's established presence in Texas and New York opens new sales synergies and opportunities," Hagerman said. "By adding a presence in New York City and Houston, we strengthen Diplomat's footprint in primary geographic markets and make our organic growth opportunities and our services stronger in the evolving specialty pharmacy landscape." Affinity, which focuses its care on patients with chronic conditions, generated $27 million in revenue in 2016, according to a company statement. Diplomat was established in 1975 and serves patients and doctors in all 50 states. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Permian Basin energy companies are known for their civic involvement, supporting everything from schools to the arts to numerous nonprofit organizations. Flotek Industries has made childhood hunger a focus of its philanthropic efforts and recently presented $36,000 to the West Texas Food Bank. We have a corporate philosophy that, if youre able to be successful and there are various ways to judge success that arent always related to the bottom line you have a civic responsibility, said John Chisholm, chairman of the board, chief executive officer and president of Flotek. The presentation was part of an effort to raise awareness of the issue of childhood hunger and nothing would make us happier than to double that amount next year, Chisholm said in a phone interview from his Houston office. The presentation to the West Texas Food Bank was part of the companys total $131,000 given to food banks in cities where the company operates in Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. The funds were 1 percent of all sales revenues generated in September from Floteks Complex nano-Fluid. The chemistry technology is made from orange-peel extracts, and Chisholm said it was easy to make the connection between those orange peels and hunger. In Midland alone, 25,000 kids are at risk of hunger, he said. Imagine that number in larger metropolitan areas. Chisholm explained that childhood hunger was chosen because these kids didnt sign up for this. A lot of us make choices in our lives; these kids didnt. Its mind-boggling, with the amount of food thats served all of us when we eat out, that we cant figure out how these kids can have enough food to eat, he said. Estimates are that Floteks donation will provide approximately 1.4 million meals. The company also partnered with the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association during the drive to encourage members and industry peers to join in the fight against child hunger in Texas. The oil and gas industry gets a bad reputation as a draconian, Neanderthal industry that doesnt care about the environment or people, Chisholm said. He plans to conduct the fund drive each September, and company employees are organizing volunteer efforts at local food banks throughout the year. Floteks Complex nano-Fluid (CnF) is the companys dominant product, he said. Like Apple is known for the iPhone, this is our dominant product. The companys CnF takes citrus oils out of orange peels and uses it to create specific behaviors in reservoirs, improving the performance of the wells, according to Chisholm. The company has extensive experience in the citrus industry. A subsidiary, Florida Chemical Co., provides essential oils and flavor and fragrance ingredients. CnF was patented in 2006, but because the industry is slow to adopt new technologies, its use really didnt begin to take off until several years later, Chisholm said. Compared to the way other technology has been accepted were pleased, he said, especially in the current watching-every-cent environment amid low oil prices. If you cant validate the benefits, costs always prevail. Were fortunate independent third parties have validated the performance of the fluid. The fluid is custom-formulated for the rocks and water in the various producing basins. Those in the Permian Basin differ from Colorado, which is different from Argentina. This is not a one-size-fits-all system. Chisholm said the company has recently opened a state-of-the-art research and development center in Houston. He described it as interactive, allowing corporate clients or others to engage in actual experiments with Ph.D.s. He said the industry has done a poor job of demonstrating how high-tech it has become. You think of Silicon Valley, but theres probably more high-tech in the Permian Basin than in the Silicon Valley, he said. Flotek has gotten through the downturn OK, making sure its balance sheet was not over-levered, Chisholm said. He said he considers 2017 to be a turning point and believes the year will be positive for the company and the industry. San Francisco police will suspend the departments much-criticized collaboration with FBI counterterrorism efforts, police said Wednesday, in an announcement that was celebrated by civil liberties and immigration advocates who have long called for stricter oversight of local participation in federal enforcement. The announcement comes as San Francisco moves to disengage from the federal government under the Trump administration, especially in regard to the presidents directives on immigration and the treatment of Muslims. The Joint Terrorism Task Force, which has two full-time city officers assigned to it, was established in 2007, when the police force entered into an agreement with the FBI that authorized intelligence-gathering by San Francisco officers of people engaged in First Amendment activities such as religious services, protests and political assemblies. Advocates penned a letter to the Police Commission last month raising concerns that the department would follow federal law over local ordinances such as San Franciscos sanctuary city policy, which limits city employees cooperation with federal immigration agents. Under the Trump administration, they said, it is more important than ever that San Francisco officers commit to enforcing San Francisco policies. While police officials acknowledged that they heard the communitys concerns, they said they were suspending participation in the Joint Terrorism Task Force because the memorandum of understanding on it was reaching its 10th year. Under the City Charter, all contracts over 10 years must be approved by the Board of Supervisors. But police officials said they were also planning to work with the Police Commission to update guidelines on investigating First Amendment activities, a department general order that came into question around the task force investigations, as well as other general orders regarding immigration issues. We are committed to community policing, Deputy Chief Michael Redmond said at Wednesdays Police Commission meeting. We want to work collaboratively with the stakeholders when the work begins on the general orders. Advocates applauded Redmonds announcement at the Police Commission meeting. Many spoke in favor of the suspension, with police watchdog John Crew, a former American Civil Liberties Union attorney, calling it the right move. Christina Sinha, an attorney in the Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus national security and civil rights program, said that while she was very happy at the news, I also recognize that does not preclude SFPD from rejoining. She beseeched the Police Department to end all involvement with the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Wednesdays eventful hearing was new Chief William Scotts first Police Commission meeting. While he had little to say about the announcement, he said the move will have little impact on public safety. I just want to ensure the public that we are committed to public safety, Scott said, and we are going to do everything in our power to protect the public. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If hankerings for barbecue, cold beer and live music are washing on you like "wave on wave," then you're in luck. Because Texas country star Pat Green is opening a bar and restaurant in his native San Antonio sometime this summer. The Rustic will also be a live music venue. Green's business partner and Rustic co-founder Kyle Noonan told mySA.com the new location is the first extension of the flagship establishment in Dallas and will be open in The Rim this summer. Noonan said a hard date has not been set, but construction began on the restaurant Jan. 3 and July is "circled" on the calendar for a debut. RELATED: Shake Shack coming to San Antonio The Rustic will be near The General Public and Bowl and Barrel, which are also owned by Noonan and his business partner, Josh Sepkowitz. Inside The Rustic's 27,000-square-foot space, guests can order from a menu full of authentic Texas items from barbecue to cold brew. "It'll be a strictly Texas-inspired menu with 40 Texas beers on draft and any Texas liquors we can drum up. We want to highlight all of the Texas cuisines," Noonan said. "We'll have free, live music seven nights a week and every once in a while we'll have a big national act." The owner said customers shouldn't be too surprised to look up from their plates and see the Texas country icon chowing down on a burger at the table beside them. "He'll pop in from time to time," Noonan said of Green. "He loves what we've done. It's become a place he just likes to go." RELATED: Central Texas H-E-B convenience store to get Whataburger drive-thru The Rustic will open its doors with a "big blowout weekend" jazzed up with a schedule of live music and parties. "We love San Antonio, it's been good to us, San Antonio is a huge city and it's often underserved people think to go to Austin, Dallas or Houston," Noonan said. "But San Antonio is vibrant and I don't think it should be looked at as the 'red-headed step child' of Texas cities." Another good reason to start a business here, as Pat Green once said: "The only ten I see ain't in Tennessee, she's waiting for me in San Antonio." Preview what's to come in the gallery up top. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye Image via Downstairs at the Esquire Tavern on Yelp This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Battalion, the new restaurant from chef Stefan Bowers and restaurateur Andrew Goodman, will open sometime between Feb. 21 and March 1, Goodman said this week. The Express-News reached out to Goodman after a post on Bowers' Instagram feed said, "Battalion is now taking applicants. ... Cleaning crew is here, equipment arrives this week, opening day is right around the corner." Goodman said the actual opening date depends on a few inspections and other factors that aren't always predictable in the extensive renovation of the old Fire Station No. 7. He said that although the restaurant has a website, battalionsa.com, its Facebook page will be a better source for announcements. RELATED: New Southtown restaurant from Feast, Rebelle team: Battalion What is predictable is that the already solid team behind Feast and Rebelle is planning a menu of Italian all-stars at the renovated fire station, with dishes from the north, south, Sicily and points throughout the country. Bowers will lead the kitchen with chef Zeke Cavazos, Goodman said. An impromptu tour of the site which did not include permission for photos, sadly revealed a space with tall sash windows and a 360-degree view of the city, epoxy floors swirled like a thunderstorm, scalloped silver glass tiles across a broad downstairs bar, chrome chandeliers, three original firepoles and staircases that accentuate the 1926 building's angles like an M.C. Escher print. RELATED: Review: Feast keeps the faith in Southtown The big upstairs kitchen is tiled in gray with chrome racing stripes and features an expo counter of feathered black marble. Even the elevator to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act is a floor-to-ceiling design trophy, painted fire-engine red. Goodman is designing the restaurant with Lori Urbano of Urbano Design & Build in San Antonio, with graphics by the local design firm Hilmy. "It's a great space," Goodman said. "It's a combination of old and new. It just has a real European feel." MORE ON HILMY: Inside the office of Hilmy Productions, San Antonio's frisky design firm msutter@express-news.net Twitter: @fedmanwalking To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) The U.S.-based ride-hailing company Uber said Thursday that it will suspend its ride-sharing services in Taiwan with effect from Feb. 10 amid media reports that it will soon face an order from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to halt its operations in this country. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Spouses, significant others and hopeful romantics need not worry about selecting a place to take their loved ones this Valentines Day, as local restaurants, bars and venues are pulling out all the stops for the most amorous day of the year. Heres a selection of some standout dining and drink listings thatll be perfect for popping the big question, a casual dinner for longtime lovers or a first date with a crush. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by phone for all listings unless stated otherwise. Acenar, 146 E. Houston St., 210-222-2362, acenar.com, will offer a selection of 3-course menus from 5 p.m. until closing. A 20 percent gratuity will be applied to all food and beverage purchases. Valet parking is available through Hotel Valencia for $7 when dining at Acenar as long as spaces are available. Aldos Ristorante Italiano, 8539 Fredricksburg Road, 210-696-2536, AldosSA.com, will serve a special menu during regular business hours, 11a.m.-10 p.m. The menu consists of four appetizers, more than 10 entree items and a choice of desserts. Reservations require a minimum of $26 per adult. Antlers Lodge at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, 9800 Hyatt Resort Drive, 210-520-4001, hillcountry.regency.hyatt.com, is presenting a four-course dinner at $95 per person. Menu highlights include an appetizer option of lamb lollipop with rosemary mint gastrique, main dish choices such as smoked elk tenderloin with parsnip puree and red pepper jelly, grilled rib-eye with roasted fingerling optatoes and housemade steak sauce; a desserts such as a pistachio strawberry moussse cake with chocolate sauce and rose pink sea salt bark. Wine pairings are available for an additional $50 per person. Asado Seafood & Grill at Hilton San Antonio Airport, 611 NW Loop 410, 210-340-6060, hilton.com, will serve a three-course dinner at $45 per person. It will include a first-course choice of smoked and charred Richardson Farms pork belly or winter kale salad; a main course of pecan-smoked Bandera quail, butter roasted scallops or Texas Wagyu bone-in strip steak; and specialty chocolate desserts created by executive chef Michael Collins. Bakery Lorraine, 306 Pearl Parkway, 210-862-5582, bakerylorraine.com will have special pastries available on Valentines Day and throughout February. Options include heart-shaped pop tarts, heart-shaped moon pies, raspberry-rose japonaise and specialty macarons. Bite, 1012 S. Presa St., 210-532-2551, biterestaurantsa.com, will offer a three-course prix fixe menu from 5 until 10 p.m. at $60. Guests will have a first-course choice of four appetizersfennel and Champagne soup, goat cheese and fig tart, pear and goat gorgonzola salad or prosciutto melon salad; main course choice of lobster risotto, beef tenderloin with potatoes gratin, butternut squash ravioli or pan-seared scallops; and a dessert choice of pistachio gelato or creme brulee. Boiler House, 312 Pearl Parkway, 210-354-4644, boilerhousesa.com, will have specialty menu items and regular dinner items available. Special items include poached egg, truffle & bacon cheese grits, lobster gnocchi, braised Wagyu short rib, diver scallops and 52-day dry-aged prime rib-eye. Boudros, 421 E. Commerce St., 210-224-8484, boudros.com, will offer a special three-course menu from 3 to 11 p.m. at $45 per person. Guests will have a first-course choice of cows milk burrata or mixed field greens; main course choice of wood-grilled Atlantic salmon or petite beef tenderloin; and Grand Marnier crepe cake. BRIO Tuscan Grille, 15900 La Cantera Parkway, 210-877-9300, BrioItalian.com, is offering a two-course prix fixe menu featuring soup or salad choices and an entree. The price of the two-course meal with the chicken saltimbocca entree is $20.95; with scallop risotto, $26.95; with crab-stuffed shrimp and lobster tail, $29.95; and with the filet mignon, $28.50. Coopers Meat Market, 6002 Broadway, 210-820-3838, coopersmeatmarket.com, is offering a take-home dinner that serves two for $99.99. It features Coopers special salad, two honey-and-bourbon-glazed quail stuffed with mild peppered couscous, two prime 6-ounce bacon-wrapped tenderloins served with Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, roasted green beans and mixed-berry cobbler with fresh whipped cream. La Cascada, Tapatio Springs Resort, 1 Resort Way, Boerne, 830-537-6245, TapatioResort.com, will offer a locally sourced a la carte menu and dinner specials from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Items offered include griddled sea scallops and foie gras saute for $16; grilled 24-ounce cowboy rib-eye and gulf shrimp for two that costs $31.95; and chocolate lovers double chocolate cake for $7. Tapatio Resort will offer Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut Champagne at $38 per bottle. Crumpets Restaurant and Bakery, 3920 Harry Wurzbach Road, 210-821-5600, crumpetsa.com, is hosting a four-course dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Guests may choose from entrees such as breast of chicken, shrimp lyonnaise, fresh salmon filet, beef tenderloin, veal scallopini or a trio of lobster tail, rack of lamb and beef tenderloin. Dinner packages cost $44.50 to $65. The evening will include live music from Terry Muska. The restaurant is offering A separate delivery package on Valentines Day morning features a breakfast of eggs Benedict, fresh squeezed orange juice, coffee, fresh fruit, European pastries and croissants, a card and a fresh flower. Dough Pizzeria Napoletana, 6989 Blanco Road, 210-979-6565, doughpizzeria.com will offer a dinner for two at $45 with optional wine pairings for an additional $15. Menu options include burrata for two, essence of truffle or pork love pizzas and torta di mele. Down On Grayson, 303 E. Grayson St., 210-248-9244, DownonGrayson.com, will feature a special for $19 that includes a 6-ounce filet of seasoned tenderloin served with skinny fries and a house salad. Frank, 1150 S. Alamo St., 210-265-5292, hotdogscoldbeer.com, will offer special $12 El Libre wines by the bottle. As a bonus, Franks owner Daniel Northcutt will be on site on Valentines Day to marry loved ones who want to tie the knot in the repurposed Methodist church. Fredericks Bistro, 14439 NW Military Highway, 210-888-1500, fredericksbistro.com, and Fredericks Restaurant, 7701 Broadway, 210-828-9050, frederickssa.com, will offer a menu that includes seared jumbo sea scallops, leeks ragout and salmon caviar; spring salad with goat cheese and raspberry Champagne vinaigrette; and fresh half Maine grilled lobster and veal tenderloin with mushroom risotto. See websites for full list of entree and dessert options. The Granary, 602 Avenue A, 210-228-0124, thegranarysa.com, presents a special three-course prix fixe dinner at $55. Guests will select from a special menu for the evening. Reservations can be made online or by phone. Grey Moss Inn, 19010 Scenic Loop Rd., 210-695-8301, grey-moss-inn.com, will offer its regular menu and several chef specials from Feb. 11 until Feb. 15. They include clams in the shell with a chardonnay butter and herb sauce, a mesquite-grilled double-rib pork chop with cranberry orange sauce and white chocolate creme brulee. Appetizer specials range from $9 to $12, main dish special range from $38 to $40 and the special dessert costs $12. Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar, 1287 Gruene Road, Gruene Historic District at New Braunfels, 830-606-1287, GristmillRestaurant.com, is serving a $24.99 special dinner that includes an 8-ounce New York strip accompanied by bacon-wrapped stuffed Texas gulf jumbo shrimp served with loaded mashed potatoes and an iceberg wedge salad. Gustology, 1856 Nacogdoches Road, 210-892-1292, gustologist.com, is offering a sweet and savory cocktail pairing and mixology class from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at $50 per person. Cocktails include kir royale, Jack Rose and a raspberry chocolate Godiva martini paired with bites such as a mini charcuterie board, bread, cheese, nuts, mixed fruit and chocolate-covered strawberries. Reservations taken via Gustologys website. Il Forno, 122 Nogalitos St., 210-616-2198, ilfornosa.com, will offer a special for two from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at $25 per person. The special will include a green salad for two, entero pizza and chocolate beet cake for dessert. Il Forno will also offer a bottle of prosecco for $20. Jazz, TX, 312 Pearl Parkway, jazztx.com, will be offering an Italian-themed performance with Frank Sinatra tunes by Doc Watkins and Johnny P. and an Italian cuisine prix fixe 3-course meal for $150 per couple, limited to 40 couples. Options on menu include choice of calamari and chiles or roasted caprese salad; truffle-ricotta stuffed tortellini with mushroom sauce or braised beef cheek with horseradish gnocchi; and tiramisu or raspberry pana cotta. Josephine Street, 400 E. Josephine St., 210-224-6169, JosephineStreet.com, will serve a special at $22.25 per person that includes an iceberg wedge salad, a 7-ounce bacon-wrapped filet served with a choice of fresh vegetable, with creamy cheesecake for dessert. Maxs Wine Dive, Quarry Village, 340 E. Basse Road, 210-444-9547, maxswinedive.com, will offer its regular dinner menu, as well as special itehsm that include stuffed quail, Maxs ramen, red chile rubbed rib-eye, panko-crusted flounder, beignets and strawberry fields. Mozies, 1601 Hunter Road, Gruene Historic District at New Braunfels, 830-515-1281, Mozies.com, will serve a special for $29.95 per person that includes a 6-ounce filet or a 16-ounce porterhouse T-bone, both flat top grilled and covered in Hoffbrau lemon butter, served with a blue cheese wedge salad and a choice of side. Oak Valley Vineyards Restaurant, 27315 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, 830-980-8033, oakvalleyvineyardsrestaurant.com, will host a dinner and dance at $75 per person. Dinner main dish items include lobster bisque, grilled vegetable panzanella salad and choice of entree, such as smoked prime rib, shrimp piccata, Champagne chicken or wild mushroom risotto. It will also have a chocolate fountain and Champagne. A $25 deposit is required per person, and reservations start at 5 p.m. Dancing will take place in a heated pavilion on the restaurant grounds. Paesanos 1604, 3622 Paesanos Parkway, 210-493-1604, paesanos1604.com, will offer a prix fixe menu at $70 per couple that includes includes two Caesar salads, a choice of Shrimp Paesano or lemon chicken and a limoncello cheesecake. Papoulis Greek Grill, papoulis.com, will offer a special dinner at all four of its San Antonio locations. Guests may choose four items from a selection of meats, that includes flame-gilled sirloin steak, chicken, shrimp, leg of lamb, or rotisserie gyro, served with a tossed greek salad, stuffed grape leaves, puff pastries, pitas and house-made garlic cucumber sauce. Included is a bottle of house red or white wine and house-made Nutella love brownie or baklava. The special costs $39.99 per person, plus tax. Paramour, 102 Ninth St., 210-340-9880, paramourbar.com, will be having a special event, Catch Flights, not Feelings that includes chocolate flights paired with a curated cocktail. It will also offer special Champagne bottles. Each bottle purchased includes a free charcuterie board. Pecan Grill, 3857 E. Southcross Blvd., 210-337-9111, is presenting a special menu from 4 to 8 p.m. that includes a first course of roasted poblano soup and corn chowder; a second course of Southwest Alamo salad; main course choice of 8-ounce rib-eye with caramelized red onion demiglace, margarita shrimp with tequila lemon-lime cream sauce, stuffed chicken bread with chorizo and peppers with a chipotle cream sauce; and a dessert of chocolate cake with raspberry glaze and creme fraiche. Dinners range from $19.95 to $23.95; patrons may bring their own alcoholic beverages. Picante Grill, 3810 Broadway, 210-822-3797, picantegrill.com is offering a five-course dinner at 29.95 per person with seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Menu options include trucha a la macadamia, Uruapan style pan-roasted fillet of trout, chicken Cordon Bleu with a light chipotle sauce and grilled rib eye steak and shrimp. Las Ramblas at Hotel Contessa, 306 W. Market St., 210-229-9222, is offering a three-course dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. at $55. Menu options include Gulf shrimp cocktail, port-braised lamb shank, gnocchi and molten red velvet cake. Restaurant Gwendolyn, 152 E. Pecan St., 210-222-1849, restaurantgwendolyn, will offer a menu that includes caviar service, oysters on fire, root vegetable salad, venison tartare, steak au poivre or fish with beurre blanc and chocolate gateau and white chocolate mousse from 5:30-10 p.m. at $125. Wine pairings at an additional cost. Sanchos Cantina, 628 Jackson St., 210-320-1840, sanchosmx.com, will host a pachanga and anniversary party from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. The event will include $1 off all barbacoa plates all day and night, served with free Big Red soda. It will also have pinatas, live music and treats. Saveurs 209, 209 Broadway, 210-639-3165, saveurs209.com, will have a dinner at $60. Includes a choice of raviole de foie gras or waffle with Scottish salmon, duck breast mortmorency or bronzini and dessert. Sea Island Shrimp House, shrimphouse.com, is offering dinner for two for $19.99 at its multiple locations. Guests may choose two entrees from options that include lemon-pepper fish, south Atlantic whitefish filet with lemon butter cream sauce, teriyaki honey salmon and shrimp or the grilled chicken skewer platter. Dinners include a slice of Key lime pie or chocolate cake. Southerleigh Fine Food and Brewery, 136 E. Grayson St., Suite 120, southerleigh.com, will present specials off the regular dinner menu for couples who will also receive complimentary matching beer glassware. Sukeban, 1420 S. Alamo St., 210-562-3231, Facebook: Sukeban, will offer two fixed price menu options from 3 until 10 p.m. The first option is $69 per couple and includes spicy or nonspicy edamame, seaweed salad or miso soup, a selection of sashimi and specialty rolls and cheese cake. The second option is $55 and includes steamed chicken dumplings, miso soup, three specialty rolls and cheese cake. Sukeban will also offer rose Champagne flights for $16. Sustenio at Eilan Hotel & Spa, 18603 La Cantera Terrace, 210-598-2950, eilanhotel.com, is hosting a four-course dinner at $75. It will feature a choice of marlin aguachile or beef tartare; foie gras terrine or pork belly ramen; milk poached Chilean seabass or Texas rib-eye; and desserts Sweet Strawberry Kiss or Chocolate Affair. Tiagos Cabo Grille, 8403 Texas 151, Suite 101, 210-647-3600, and 17711 I-10 West, Suite 101, in The Rim, tiagoscabogrille.com, is offering The Works, a meal for two that includes chips and queso, a platter of beef or chicken fajitas served with coastal rice, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, flour tortillas, choice of beans and Mexican chocolate cake and cinnamon ice cream for $24.95. Tribeca, 4331 McCullough Ave., 210-320-0698, tribeca212.com, will serve a three-course menu at $40 per person. Courses include an option of escarole salad or ginger and orange Champagne soup; Mediterranean-style marinated lamb chops, pan-seared grouper or pan-seared tenderloin; and cafe Nutella tart or apple tart tatin. Zinc Bistro & Bar, 207 N. Presa, 210-224-2900, zincwine.com, will have a dinner menu from 3 until 11 p.m. for $75 per couple. It includes a choice of lobster bisque or warm spinach salad, housemade lobster ravioli, chateaubriand for two and a chocolate box for two. Zocca Cuisine D'Italia at the Westin Riverwalk, 420 W. Market St., 210-444-6070, zoccariverwalk.com, is offering a special dinner menus that includes appetizer, salad, pasta and main dish options and a three-course menu featuring shrimp with saffron risotto or veal marsala and a trio of desserts for $55 per person. The specials will be offered from Feb. 10th until Valentines Day. procha@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Flying over Smithville, Texas provides all the evidence you need that everything is bigger in the Lone Star State. Including signatures. Yes, signatures. Looking down on the vast Texas land below, the name "Luecke" is written out with trees in giant block letters and stretches about three miles on a plot of land near Buescher State Park outside of Smithville in Central Texas. Bastrop County property records show Jimmie Luecke owns thousands of acres in the area, including the Luecke Farm, which is on the land where the giant wooded letters are located. RELATED: Thousands flock to mysterious crop circle in Mexican field Atlas Obscura reported that Luecke's signature is the world's largest signature, but mySA.com was unable to confirm the accolade. A 2011 NASA blog post says the huge letters are used by astronauts "to estimate the maximum resolution of cameras aboard the space shuttle." The Texas-sized land art can easily be seen on Google Earth from high above. Click through the slideshow to zoom in on the huge Texas signature, from space. Luecke was sued for negligence by 22 families in 2015 after the Hidden Pines fire, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The Statesman reported that the Texas A&M Forest Service ruled the fire, which burned through 4,600 acres of land and 64 structures, began on Luecke's property after a mower malfunctioned and a spark caught dry grass on fire. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Joe Ganim looked uncomfortable. To start, the temperature was dropping quickly and the mayor had no overcoat as he waited his turn to address the pro-immigrant rally downtown last week at McLevy Green. It was a brief, last minute stop en route elsewhere to show solidarity with the crowd of about 100. Ganim, staff said, had been wavering. He attended last minute after learning it was a sizable event that included other city politicians. But Ganims discomfort had to do with more than the cold weather. The mayor did not see eye to eye with the protestors who, furious over Republican President Donald Trumps recent executive orders cracking down on undocumented immigrants, demanded Bridgeport join Hartford, New Haven and some other municipalities and become a so-called sanctuary city a safe haven from federal authorities. Bridgeport, Connecticuts largest city, overwhelming supported Democrat Hillary Clinton over Trump. But the mayor got to know Trump, a Manhattan developer, in the 1990s during the formers first administration, and has said he wants to work with, not battle, the President. That choice may be out of Ganims hands if the all-Democrat City Council passes the sanctuary city proposal in the coming weeks. Half of the 20-person legislative body wants the designation. M. Evette Brantley, Kathryn Bukovsky, Scott Burns, Jose Casco, Milta Feliciano, Jeanette Herron, Mary McBride-Lee, Eneida Martinez, Aidee Nieves and John Olson all told Hearst Connecticut Media they are supportive. Five other members Jack Banta, Alfredo Castillo, Michelle Lyons, President Thomas McCarthy, Nessah Smith needed more information. Two Anthony Paoletto and AmyMarie Vizzo-Paniccia said they were ready to vote no. Hearst was unable to reach James Holloway, Richard Salter and Denese Taylor-Moye. Sanctuary cities do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement officials. So, for example, the draft ordinance in Bridgeport would specifically prevent cops and other city employees from acting as immigration agents, stopping, arresting or detaining people based on perceived or actual immigration status or belief the person has committed an immigration offense. The city also could not use municipal facilities to detain immigrants for deportation. The ordinance also re-commits Bridgeport to issue municipal identification cards to undocumented residents, an initiative that has stalled under Ganim since the fall. The mayors office has said it will issue the cards, intended for situations like dealing with local police and opening bank accounts, but wants to be certain their design ensures they cannot be used to vote. We are a community that has more foreigners than any place, said Herron. A lot of them come here first. I really feel a lot of them here are the good ones and I dont really feel we should separate families. Its heartbreaking. Its an atrocity, as far as Im concerned, that people have to live in fear, said Bukovsky. A lot of these people are hardworking contributors to society. If this eases their anxiety, helps them sleep a little easier, Im fully in support of it. Ganim in a statement following Trumps executive orders sought to play to both local and White House audiences. On the one hand he emphasized that Bridgeport police have always worked closely with various state and federal law enforcement agencies. But Ganim also stated that Bridgeport cops lead, he noted, by Chief Armando A.J. Perez, a Cuban refugee -- do not have the manpower nor legal authority to pursue or seek deportation of our undocumented population. Lennie Grimaldi, who writes the Only in Bridgeport blog, advised Ganim when he was first mayor and also worked for Trump. Grimaldi said Trump has two types of relationships those who are with him and those who are enemies. Joes a strategist, Grimaldi said. Hes not an ideologue. ... Clearly (he) has enough of a relationship with the president that if he says the right things it could come back and aid the city. ... Hes only going to embrace this sanctuary city thing if he feels like hes pushed there so hard he cant come back from it. Whether or not Trump harbors any meaningful goodwill toward Ganim after two decades is uncertain. But the Bridgeport Council, by embracing the sanctuary city designation, could lose out on federal dollars. Trump signed an executive order to withhold funding from sanctuary cities. That is one reason Paoletto and Vizzo-Paniccia cited for opposing the sanctuary city ordinance. Were already a cash strapped city, Paoletto said. Any threat to lose any funding we should take seriously. He and Vizzo Paniccia also worried that if Bridgeport becomes even more appealing to undocumented immigrants, it will place a greater burden on a police department that has been struggling with around 100 officer vacancies. Burns, chairman of the councils budget committee, said he is a yes vote but with reservations should federal dollars dry up. I think its a great way for the city to put its foot down, Burns said. Some council members noted there are questions about the legality of Trumps threat to withhold funds. San Francisco, a sanctuary city, just sued the president over his order. McBride-Lee said Bridgeport should not allow itself to be threatened and bought by Trump. Hes probably not going to give us anything, anyway, so it probably doesnt matter, she said. Hustling back to the warmth of his car from the McLevy Green rally, Ganim said he has asked city attorneys to examine the sanctuary city ordinance. If there is a tie on the council, he has the power to break it. The mayor could also veto the sanctuary city proposal, requiring a two-thirds vote to overrule him. Certainly we want to be supportive of sensible immigration policy and protect our residents, Ganim said. And well do that. BRIDGEWATER The New York man accused of invading a Bridgewater home and shooting the homeowner with his own shotgun was high, paranoid and scared and taking countless hits of crack cocaine as his plan to trade a stolen car for more drugs went awry, court documents show. Dustin Holst-Grubbe, 20, faces 18 criminal charges, including 13 felonies, for an Aug. 4 crime spree that left a Bridgewater man with a severe shoulder wound. A day earlier, Holst-Grubbe was released from an addiction crisis center in Middletown, N.Y., according to an affidavit unsealed this week. He promptly stole a BMW, drove it Waterbury and exchanged it for crack cocaine. The two dealers said theyd give Holst-Grubbe more crack in exchange for a Subaru he already had keys for, so all three set out in the BMW to pick it up in Millerton, N.Y, records show. After pickup up the Subaru, they split up and started driving both cars back to Waterbury. But as Holst-Grubbe speeded along Route 7 in the Subaru, police picked him up and gave chase, records show. He was driving so fast, though up to 104 miles an hour at one point they gave up the pursuit, not once but twice. The Subaru died in Bridgewater, so Holst-Grubbe went looking for a new car and spotted one in Victor Compes unlocked garage, records show Holst-Grubbe walked into Compes home, grabbed a shotgun and loaded it with three shells from a cookie jar, documents show. He then went to the bedroom, pointed the gun at Compes head and flicked the lights on to wake the 65-year-old man. Once Compe was awake, Holst-Grubbe demanded he hand over the keys, documents show. A scuffle broke out, and Holst-Grubbe put a shotgun slug through Compes shoulder. I thought he was hit in the heart, Holst-Grubbe later told police. The blast blew Compes shoulder apart and sheared off the top of the humerus, the bone of the upper arm, documents show Compe survived the shooting and underwent several surgeries to repair his shoulder. Certain that he had killed Compe, Holst-Grubbe ran for a few blocks and hid in a greenhouse for 30 minutes, where he did some more crack, documents show. He then found a van with keys in the ignition and drove to Waterbury. He tried to trade the van for more drugs with the same dealers, but they were unhappy with how things had gone and one threatened to kill him with a wrench, documents said. Holst-Grubbe is being held in lieu of $835,000 bond. His next court date is Feb. 7 in state Superior Court in Litchfield. blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Hundreds of parents are grappling with a decision that could shape the future of their childrens education following this weeks groundbreaking though largely expected announcement that all but one of the citys Catholic schools will merge. The bishop of the Bridgeport Diocese presented his plans to parents Wednesday night for four of the five parochial schools in Stamford to become one pre-K to eighth-grade flagship institution this fall. The move is expected to significantly help the financially struggling diocese, but result in larger class sizes and potential staffing cuts. This night is all about allowing your children to have the best Catholic education we can create and offer to them while addressing the challenges that brought us here, Bishop Frank Caggiano told a crowd of more than 100 parents at Trinity Catholic High School, which is the only Stamford Catholic school that will remain a separate entity. The plan is to merge Holy Spirit, Our Lady Star of the Sea and St. Cecilia all elementary schools with Trinity Catholic Middle School. The new school will initially operate out of two campuses. Students in pre-K through fifth grade will go to St. Cecilia at 1186 Newfield Ave., while middle school students will stay in their current building on the same street a few blocks south. In 2018, middle school students will be relocated to a new, fully renovated lower level in the Trinity High building, which is on the same property as the current middle school. While they will be in the same building, the middle and high school students will be segregated. More Information Restructuring plan Phase 1: Fall 2017 Creation of a single Catholic pre-K to eighth-grade elementary school Students at Our Lady Star of the Sea and Holy Spirit move to St. Cecilia Trinity Middle School remains in its current building Phase 2: Fall 2018 Middle school students move to renovated wing of Trinity Catholic High School Renovations begin at current Trinity Middle School building Phase 3: Fall 2020 Elementary school students move from St. Cecilia to renovated space in current middle school building See More Collapse Renovations will also begin in 2018 in the current Trinity Middle School building, which in 2020 will accommodate all of the elementary school students. Its still not clear whether that facility would connect with the new middle school within the high school. The bishops announcement comes after months of study and discussion about sparsely-populated and cash-strapped Catholic elementary schools in Fairfield County, where enrollment has dropped to 6,400 students from 7,770 in 2009. The Stamford schools that will merge have fewer than 600 students, down from more than 700 five years ago. A single school model is the ideal model, Caggiano said, because with one consolidated group of students the dioceses nearly $300,000 debt will become a $400,000 surplus. That is a $700,000 shift, he said. That goes from a financial position of instability to solvency. End of an era Erica Visokey, whose daughter is a second-grader at Holy Spirit, said the citys Catholic school community is devastated. People are so upset and feel blindsided, she said. This has the potential to be the end of an era. Visokey, who is vice president of the Holy Spirit parent association, said families feel pressured to decide whether to register their children at the combined school while digesting a large amount of information. Priority registration for current families ends Feb. 15. I dont know what Im getting here, she said. Were talking about extremely large class sizes in a very old building. Caggiano said St. Cecilia, with neither a cafeteria nor a gym, has enough space to accommodate all of the citys elementary school students, but class sizes may grow to as many as 25 children per room. The diocese anticipates offering two classes for each grade. Same tuition The phased restructuring plan, dubbed Imagine 2020, began last spring when the diocese established a group to study ways to stabilize and increase enrollment. The group determined the continuous pre-K to eighth-grade model is more viable and supportive of children than the separate middle-school experience. Tuition rates will not change in 2017-18. They will remain at $6,580 for grades pre-K through five and $7,200 for grades six through eight. The registration fee will be reduced to $200 per family from $300 per student. All affected employees who are interested in working at the new school will need to apply for a spot. Those who are not retained will be placed on a transfer list for other schools in the county. Thats the part of this process that really does pain me more than anything else, Caggiano said. But we will do our best to do this as quickly as possible. Dominick Errico, who has a child at Holy Spirit, said his biggest concern is people losing their jobs. Theyre great teachers, he said. Im scared that theyre going to move on to other schools to further their career. I think they should all have a position because they gave so much of their lives to Catholic education. Another parent noted that teachers contracts with the citys Catholic schools do not allow them to collect unemployment. Brian Wallace, a spokesman for the diocese, said hes confident most, if not all, of the displaced teachers will find a spot at a different school. He said the diocese had more than 150 openings throughout the county last year. Caggianos visit to Stamford was the second of four related announcements he has planned this week. He told Danbury parents on Monday that none of that citys Catholic schools will close, and he plans the announce the fate of schools in the Shelton and Monroe area on Friday and in Brookfield on Saturday. Visokey wants to spare her child the upcoming transition, so shes transferring her to St. Patrick's School in Bedford, N.Y. The part-time lawyer, who was also educated in Catholic schools, said other families are moving their children to Greenwich Catholic School and St. Aloysius in New Canaan. I dont like how this is being executed, she said. (Caggiano) is more concerned with saving money and shutting down the two schools. Hes less concerned about how our schools are going to do it. Valerie Vincent, who has two children at Our Lady Star of the Sea, remained positive about the situation. Something needed to be done if we didnt want to close all the schools, she said. Im sure he put a lot of thought into it and a lot of prayers. Sometimes youve got to do what youve got to do to save the Catholic education. Nobody likes changes. We dont like changes as human beings, but we are going to adapt. noliveira@stamfordadvocate.com, 203-964-2265, @olivnelson The Ebenezer Mead house was where the Greenwich Library began, when 23 residents gathered at his house with the aim of infusing in the minds of youth the principles of truth, religion and virtue. They never dreamed of the vast storehouse of knowledge that would grow out of the town library. They were together 200 years ago, and today that library is the most heavily used in the state. They apparently sold shares for the library when they met at the Mead house, a white frame house situated at the foot of Putnam Hill. By 1860, the meeting house school district had gathered together about 400 books. This led the subscribers to be interested in opening a public library, and each promised to contribute $500. The library opened on the second floor of the Moshier building on Greenwich Avenue, according to Greenwich 350 Years. The Young Peoples Library Association of the Second Congregational Church lent its 500 books to the organization. The library moved to the southeast corner of Lewis Street and Greenwich Avenue around 1884, and 10 years later, it got its first permanent home thanks to Elizabeth Milbank Anderson of New York City, who erected a building in memory of her parents, Jeremiah and Elizabeth Milbank. The Association bought the lot at 215 Greenwich Ave., which had once been the F. W. Woolworth Variety Store and now is Saks Fifth Avenue. The total charge was $11,500. Work began on the Greek Renaissance structure said to be designed by Stanford White. Elizabeth Anderson knew how to do things in a big way. Greenwich Library was incorporated in 1899 and the new institution eliminated borrowing fees. In the early years, Friends of the Library, in addition to Elizabeth Milbank Anderson, included Solomon Mead, Nathaniel Witherell, Andrew Carnegie and Mary Miller. The sole librarian sold shoe polish to help raise money. In 1917, the Town of Greenwich gave $1,000 which helped the library grow. Isabelle Hurlbutt was the first librarian and was in charge of the library from 1929 to 1961, overseeing the addition of several branch libraries and a bookmobile service to reach rural parts of town. In 1956, library President Edward Seymour launched a campaign to fund an expansion of the Greenwich Avenue building. That didnt work, however, and negotiations began for the lease of the Old Franklin Simon Department Store building at West Putnam Avenue and Deerfield Drive. The town contributed $100,000 of the $225,000 purchase price. The move in March 1960 was accomplished in a military-style operation by the librarians and volunteers. The town continued to build the library, and in 1969 it acquired adjacent land through gifted purchases and built the Marie Cole auditorium, which adjoins the library. Were now in the modern day, and the library computerized its information system. In 1974, the Oral History Project began recording the reminiscences of Greenwich folk. Many of them have been published in the well-known red books. In 1981, the library opened a second floor, expanding the library space. Then in 1992, a bequest from Clementine Lockwood Peterson lad to the construction of the new wing and expanded business and music collections, which she had thought of as a memorial to her son, who died as a young man. In 2010, the library provided refuge to residents during a March Noreaster. Today, the library has Sunday concerts and Friday films in the Cole Auditorium, and art shows in the Flynn Gallery on the second floor. It is certainly one of the finest libraries in the area and has long been hailed as the crown jewel of Greenwich. It has also received a five-star rating from Library Journal, which it has received seven times in eight years. Obviously, this is a very special place. I have loved the library ever since I was a young girl and was able to ride my bicycle from Belle Haven to the library when it was on Greenwich Avenue. I still think the library is one of the finest places that is a part of Greenwich. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped its nearly year-long investigation into Gov. Dannel P. Malloys 2014 fundraising tactics, a number of sources said Thursday. The Democratic State Central Committee said they are now freed from the grand jury probe into the use of $1 million in federal campaign funds. Federal officials reviewed tens of thousands of pages of party documents and interviewed at least a dozen party leaders and campaign workers as part of their investigation. David S. Golub, a Stamford lawyer who represents the DSCC, said he received a phone call Wednesday from three assistant U.S. attorneys announcing that the investigation is closed. He said other lawyers received similar calls for their clients. They made it clear that they closed down the investigation of the campaign committee, Golub said. More Information Timeline July 2014 - Connecticut Democrats file a complaint against Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley over alleged violations of campaign spending law. October 2014 - Then-GOP state chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. files a complaint over six mailings made by state Democrats that used funding from a federal account partially funded by state contractors who are barred from contributing to Connecticut elections. February 2015 - In documents released later under the state Freedom of Information Act, SEEC Investigator Charles Urso characterizes the Democrats' response for information as "laughable." June 2015 - The State Elections Enforcement Commission votes to sue the Democratic State Central Committee to find out its fundraising tactics. August 2015 - Democrats counter sue. The case drags on for months in state Superior Court. April 2016 - A federal grand jury in New Haven contacts the SEEC. The grand jury interviews at least a dozen witnesses on the issue of campaign finance. June 2016 - The SEEC and Democratic State Central reach a record $325,000 settlement over the use of the federal account. See More Collapse William Bloss, a Bridgeport attorney who represented the Malloy campaign, said he got a similar call from prosecutors. Were grateful for the attention to the issues by the U.S. Attorney and pleased we are able to move forward, Bloss said in a Thursday night phone interview. Thomas Carson, spokesman for the Justice Department in New Haven, where two grand juries were empaneled, declined comment Thursday. It is unclear whether the second grand jury, seated to look into the business dealings of Al Barbarotta of Trumbull, remains active. Barbarotta is a Stamford municipal facilities manager and one of Malloys friends. Party officials said they were relieved on Thursday, while Malloy said ending the inquiry was the correct conclusion. Thats the reality, Malloy told reporters in Waterbury, in reaction to the news. I dont want to talk about it a whole lot. Apparently, the U.S. Attorneys office reached the appropriate conclusion. I think that its come to a conclusion, and thats a good thing. Democratic Party Executive Director Michael Mandell said in a Thursday interview that the party responded with everything the grand jury demanded during its investigation. From the start, we really did believe, and we continue to share, that there was no wrongdoing in 2014, Mandell said. That has been the partys position since October 2014, when state Republican leaders filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission over the Democrats use of a bank account where state contractors who are prohibited from state campaigns are allowed to contribute. The subsequent federal investigation apparently focused on the use of about $1 million that the Democratic State Central Committee used from the federal account to supplement the $6.5 million that Malloy was given under the states public-financing program. The grand jury dated back to at least April of last year, when federal prosecutors first asked to review documents in possession of the SEEC. A $325,000 out-of-court deal reached between Democrats and the State Elections Enforcement Commission last summer included an agreement that the party would set up a so-called compliance account to assure that contributions from state contractors would not be siphoned from its federal account into state races. That helped to close the gap between state and federal law, said Mandell, who during last years Superior Court fight with the SEEC, claimed federal election law required the party to use its federal account for expenses including several October 2014 pro-Malloy mailers that were the focus of the original complaint by state Republicans. The SEEC reported Thursday that state Democrats have paid installments totaling $107,400 of the $325,000 owed. A Hearst Connecticut Media report last August found that a dozen state contractors prohibited from contributing to statewide political campaigns provided about $1 million dollars to the Democratic Governors Association, which in turn funneled $3.9 million to a Super PAC that supported Malloys campaign. A 2015 Hearst investigation found that the DSCCs federal account, which is supposed to be used for party-building and congressional races, included $1.1 million collected from about 460 state lobbyists, lawyers and contractors banned from backing statewide and General Assembly candidates. The DSCC took about $1 million from that account to pay for two late-campaign mailers that became the focus of the $325,000 settlement with the SEEC. Election watchdogs declared both tactics violations of the spirit of the states landmark 2005 clean-election laws. Malloy, who won the 2014 election over Tom Foley of Greenwich by 28,019 votes, has been chairman of the DGA since 2015. The state investigation resulted in the federal grand jurys interest in the election tactics. When accepting the state grant in 2014, Malloy signed a written promise not to supplement the grant with outside funding beyond the $250,000 he and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman raised through qualifying contributions of no more than $100. Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst, who has filed an exploratory committee for statewide office and has sent out fundraising requests for a gubernatorial run, said Thursday that despite the clean bill of health from federal prosecutors, Malloy defrauded the states clean-election program. Herbst said Attorney General George Jepsen should proceed with a civil fraud investigation. If the Attorney General refuses to do so, the next step would be for another aggrieved party to do the same, Herbst said in a statement. Dannel P. Malloy should be held personally liable for the $6.5 million dollars of taxpayer money he took to finance his campaign through unethical, dishonest and deceitful conduct. Angela Carella contributed to this report This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Silver cruisers with flashing lights seem to scream move over, slow down, but Connecticut State Police officials say drivers miss the message. Two CSP patrol cars have been struck on area highways have been struck by drivers in as many weeks, according to a statement from the agency on Facebook, where the mantra move over, slow down was repeated in a meme Thursday. In both collisions, troopers were treated for minor injuries. By law, drivers are required so slow down well below the posted speed limit when they see a patrol car parked on the highway and, safety permitting, give officers a full buffer lane. Sometimes, the crashes can be linked to intoxication. On Nov. 3, 2016, the driver of a Jeep careened into a Department of Transportation crash truck and landed on top of a patrolmans cruiser and allegedly admitted he was drinking. Actually hitting a car can lead to a slew of charges, including reckless driving. Injuring the occupant of the vehicle can lead to a fine up to $2,500. Causing death, $10,000. But merely threatening the area around a patrol car is an infraction with a high price tag: $181. Police didnt announce DUI charges against in the two incidents in the past two weeks. The most infamous driver to strike a patrol car was not accused of DUI, and struck an officer before the move over law was passed in 2009. State Trooper Jorge Agosto was killed in 1989 by a commuter rushing home for Thanksgiving with his family. The driver, New York stockbroker Michael Murphy, put forward a successful defense in the case arguing that he had gone into diabetic shock. Diabetic shock, urgent texts, sneezingan infinite number of circumstances could hurl a motorist with good intentions into the back of a patrol car. So on the highway, close to police officersand highway workers for that matterin the words of the CSP, slow down and move over. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN - Talk about a current events class. A new political science course at Southern Connecticut State University is focused on the first 100 days of the Trump presidency. Called Presidential Elections and Transitions, the class is being taught by Art Paulson, a professor emeritus of political science at Southern. About a dozen students graduate and undergraduate students signed up for the class which is looking at President Trumps policies, cabinet nominations and nomination for the Supreme Court. It was scheduled before we knew the results of the election, so if Hillary had won, it would have been about her transition, Joseph Musante, a university spokesman said. They have been active and vocal, Paulson said of his students. The three main areas of study will be the Trump transition, the office of the presidency from both a theoretical and practical standpoint, and an examination of the presidency and the executive branch of government. One assignment will be to have students generate policy suggestions for the new Commander in Chief as if they were working in his administration. Theyll be trying to sell ideas that fit within his policy framework, Paulson said. The separation of powers and Trumps relationship with Congress also will be studied in the course, according to Paulson. Donald Trumps election makes an interesting course even more fascinating because of its historical uniqueness, Paulson said. It marks the first time that someone without any governmental or military experience has become president. Klein ISD is participating in a pilot version of a leadership institute that is being invested by H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt. In January, Butt announced that he will invest more than $100 million in creating a leadership institute to support and train public school leaders across Texas. Butt is funding the center with his personal fortune and there are no ties to H-E-B. Klein ISD officials are working to create a strong profile so that the district is seen as quality place for students and leaders. "One primary goal for this initial phase of the work includes the development of a quality leadership profile that supports our shared vision of promise to purpose. Our vision for this guiding document is that it is one that inspires and challenges our leaders and future leaders to recognize current areas of strength and opportunities for growth," said Jenny McGown, Klein ISD chief learning officer, teaching & learning center. "Additionally, as Holdsworth is a strategic thought partner for our focus on leadership, our goal is to create the initial strategy, plan, and measures for our leadership pipeline in Klein ISD." Through the leadership institute, the Holdsworth Center in Austin, in a span of five years, will work with school districts to cultivate superintendents and principals. The center is named in honor of Butt's late mother, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt, who lived a life of philanthropy and social justice. "Developing individual leaders is a critical part of the Holdsworth mission, but the big picture is that we want to help districts learn how to grow their own leaders more effectively. It's about personal leadership combined with systems thinking and a strategic approach to talent management," said Kate Rogers, Holdsworth Center acting executive vice president. "The majority of any school district's budget is human capital. Putting the right people in key decision-making roles, providing good training and support and cultivating aspiring leaders from within is critical to maintaining high-quality schools." International travel is also included in the program. The center aims to introduce education leaders to a large spectrum of learning models. "The reason we include international travel in the program is so that we can offer superintendents and their teams a front row seat to observe successful models in action and challenge their thinking about how systems can be more intentionally designed in order to drive results," Rogers said. June will mark the center's inaugural class with six school districts that will be chosen by the end of March. In the future, the application process will be open to districts statewide. Klein ISD and Grand Prairie ISD are two districts participating in the pilot version of the program. Klein ISD in northwest Harris County and Grand Prairie ISD are the two Texas districts participating in the pilot version of the program. "School districts are like ecosystems that flourish when you have powerful leadership at all levels from the classroom to the Board room. In the end, our theory of action is pretty straightforward. When teachers feel empowered and supported by their leaders, they flourish and ultimately perform better," Rogers said. "When teachers perform better, students perform better." The center will consist of a 17-member board, which will be led by Chairwoman Ruth Simmons, the first African-American woman to head an Ivy League university. Simmons' resume includes serving as the president of Smith College from 1995-2001 and president of Brown University from 2001-2012. The Klein district does not know if the leadership center would invite it to be part of its inaugural class. District representatives hope participation in the pilot program will yield positive results for the district in working with the Holdsworth. "We also want to ensure that the process and products we develop during this pilot ultimately benefit other districts across the state who may be selected to partner with Holdsworth in the future. We know that all of us in public education benefit when we work together to develop outstanding leaders who relentlessly pursue excellence for every single one of the over 5.2 million students attending Texas public schools today," McGown said. "This collaboration between Klein ISD and Holdsworth is outstanding. It is a privilege to partner with such thoughtful, bright folks who are truly committed to developing and supporting world-class leadership in Texas public schools." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Tucked around the corner off of Tomball's Main St., Bramble and Bee is a relative newcomer to Tomball's floral scene. On a Tuesday, employees were standing around laughing and conditioning flowers for Feb. 14. Carnations are nestled besides rich greens, bright blues, and shades of purple. It's calm today, but store owner Maggie Bailey is gearing up a glut of orders and a parade of last-minute men for the store's first Valentine's Day gift rush. "I'm expecting it to be hectic," Bailey said, as she flipped through a handful of pre-order bouquet receipts. Bailey's store puts a fresh spin on the traditional flower shop. They'll deliver flowers within a 15-mile radius, select your assortment for you, and advertise primarily through Instagram. There are also no roses. Bailey's approach to her business, and the impending rush, is to make it easy for people. This, at a time when some owners say the local floral industry has dwindled over the years. "There used to be eight other shops within a five or ten-mile radius," said Joyce Dennis, owner of A Yellow Rose Floral Boutique, a shop in Spring just south of Klein. "It's mainly just the grocery stores (selling flowers) now." Dennis, who said her most popular flower are roses, describes the days leading up to Valentine's Day as very busy. "It's so chaotic, my first Valentine's Day I thought I'd quit," she said, noting that she's developed a more organized process for handling the holidays after 20 years of business. Another longtime florist, Nancy Hager, owner of Magnolia Florist, said the rush is different every year. "I think this year will be slower," she said, adding that Thanksgiving-Christmas holiday season sales help her determine Valentine's Day demand. Hager has been in business for 35 years and said she's accustomed to the up and down of the floral business. By now she knows that some men will inevitably remember Valentine's Day at noon that same day. Dennis, like other florists, is already receiving orders but anticipates a spike about a week from now. "We've been fortunate," she said of her business's success. "I don't break down anymore," she joked. Note: The following items are must-haves for your special someone in mind: Champagne glasses, Polaroid cameras, Scented candles, & Foot spa's. AUSTIN Keep Texas Beautiful and Dont mess with Texas are encouraging Texas elementary, middle school, high school and home school students to break out their crayons and paintbrushes in a crusade to keep Texas roadways clean and litter-free. The Dont mess with Texas K-12 Art Contest, sponsored by H-E-B and Central Market, is now accepting submissions for the 2018 Dont mess with Texas calendar. Students must submit their artwork no later than April 7, 2017. The contest is open to all Texas students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Entries should promote the Don't mess with Texas and/or Keep Texas Beautiful litter prevention messages in order to encourage the protection of our Texas roadways and environment. The purpose of the contest is to encourage future leaders not to litter and to keep Texas beautiful. Students who create the top 13 winning designs will have their artwork featured in the 2018 Dont mess with Texas calendar. Each winner will win a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7.0 tablet donated by H-E-B and Central Market. One students artwork, chosen from the 13 winning designs, will be featured on the calendar cover. Teachers representing students who produce the top 13 designs will win a $100 H-E-B and Central Market gift card. All student winners will be showcased on the Dont mess with Texas and Keep Texas Beautiful websites and at the 2017 Keep Texas Beautiful annual conference and 50th anniversary celebration in June. More information is available at www.dontmesswithtexas.org. WESTPORT Legally blind since 2005, James Ross, a 54-year old electronic equity market architect, used the commuter bus regularly to get to his job at the New York Stock Exchange for years. Ross 13-year-old daughter, Olivia, suffered a stroke when she was 1 and still suffers from its effects; his 11-year-old son, Emmitt, has epilepsy. When Emmitt entered grade school, his epileptic seizures required someone on hand to administer Diastat, the drug that stops seizures, but state statute limited the role to trained medical professionals. After long discussions with Westport School District officials about allowing a nurse to ride on the bus to and from school with Emmitt, Ross request was denied. He decided he needed to make a policy change happen to protect his sons health. Ross, a champion for the disabled, is the chairman of the newly formed Commission on People with Disabilities, which met for the first time in January. His advocacy, along with work from state Reps. Kim Fawcett, D-133, and Jonathan Steinberg, D-136, led to the eventual passage of H.B. No. 6288 in 2015. Introduced by Steinberg, the bill enables nonmedical professionals, who volunteer to undertake proper training, the ability to administer emergency medicine to children with epilepsy. Initially introduced in 2012, the bill hit some roadblocks along the way, prompting Ross to start the Partners in Policymaking class administered by the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities that teaches people to become more effective leaders in shaping policy for those with disabilities and their families. My wife and I were fully committed to this, and in doing this it gave me an immersion in policymaking in issues of disabilities and gave me the ability to work with other disability advocates, and that really connected me in a personal way and allowed me to learn in an environment that was supportive and kind, Ross said. At the end of the day, I am highly certain that what we drafted is a highly crafted quality piece of legislation, he said. More Information Goals of the Commission on People with Disabilities (via James Ross' PowerPoint presentation) Town adviser: To assess, advise and assist Westport elected officials, the ADA coordinator and other town employees on town policies, procedures, plans, services, programs, activities and facilities of the Town that affect people with disabilities. Information center: To provide information and guidance to individuals, town businesses and organizations on all matters related to disability. Community support: To foster and promote a community partnership and dialogue about issues and opportunities involving people with disabilities with businesses, private organizations, clubs and associations. Awareness: To increase townwide communication and awareness about issues and opportunities which affect people with disabilities. ADA compliance: To ensure compliance with federal and state laws pertaining to people with disabilities. Engagement: To engage and involve people with disabilities and their families to participate and contribute to town government and planning. See More Collapse After completing his Partners in Policymaking class, Ross worked with then Human Services Director Barbara Butler and current director Sarah Heath to establish the Commission on People with Disabilities, an ordinance unanimously passed by the RTM in July. The seven-member commission was vetted by Ross and the Human Services Department, and appointed by First Selectman Jim Marpe. We know at least 15 percent of Westporters have disabilities and, as a result, this is as large of a segment of our population as seniors or students, so this is a group that deserves attention, Marpe said. Three of the commission members either have a disability, have a relative with a disability or are a member of a nonprofit group aimed at helping the disabled. Westport joined towns including Berlin, New Britain and New Haven in establishing such a body. The other six members are Marina Derman, Diane Johnson, Stacie Curran, LuAnn Giunta, Tom Holleman and Evan Levinson. The goal here is to enhance every level of a residents life cycle, from recreation to employment to transportation. Were looking to ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy lives of independence, inclusion, productivity and self-determination. We want to make sure people have the opportunity, but also the support, Ross said. This is civil rights at its very heart. ... Clearly, people with disabilities have had trouble with their voices being heard. When we think of how people with disabilities have been treated, we can do better, he said. Assistant Human Services Director Elaine Daignault, who serves as the municipal agent for people with disabilities, will be the point person between human services and the commission. Heath said her department will provide staff support, help with the agendas, copies and paperwork and respond to any needs that people bring up at the meetings. The next meeting of the Westport Commission on People with Disabilities is scheduled for Feb. 16. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office gets its newest K9, the dog will be well protected, thanks to area animal enthusiasts. The Conroe Kennel Club donated $1,500 to the Sheriff's Office Wednesday to purchase a Kevlar vest for the K9, which should be purchased and trained for duty in the coming weeks. The club has donated to agencies throughout the county over the past three years in hopes of helping the Sheriff's Office keep four-legged deputies safe. Conroe Kennel Club Director Valeria Burton spearheaded the project a few years ago when a police K9 was killed in the line of duty in Harris County. "I made a promise to myself that it would never happen in Montgomery County," Burton said. "I wanted to make sure that all these dogs are protected." Burton and others use funds from a dog show and auction they hold to help bolster the amount they give the Sheriff's office. By now, they've helped provide at least three Kevlar vests to K9s throughout the county and do not plan on stopping anytime soon. "Whatever equipment they need, we can provide hopefully," Burton said. Sheriff's Sgt. David Birch, who heads the K9 unit with MCSO, expressed the importance of the Kevlar vests during a demonstration with his K9 Hummer, a Dutch shepherd born in 2013. Hummer is a dual-purpose K9, meaning he can both detect drugs and hunt down criminals. It's the latter practice that's more dangerous for the K9s, he said. "The vest is going to help us out tremendously, especially with offsetting our budget," Birch said. "We're allotted so much per year for the vests; but with the generous donations that come in like this one here, we're able to buy fully equipped vests with these funds." The vests will be stab-proof and able to protect the dogs from most pistol rounds, Birch said. LUBBOCK On Thursday, Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings sentenced Rudolfo Ledesma Castaneda Jr., 31, to 360 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in October 2016 to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. Castaneda and 11 defendants of a drug trafficking organization, mostly from the San Angelo area, were arrested in July 2016 in a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force operation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the San Angelo Police Department. Other agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tom Green County Sheriffs Office provided valuable assistance in the operation. Targeting drug traffickers who have taken root in the San Angelo area and jeopardize the safety and security of our communities is a top priority for my office, said U.S. Attorney Parker. But one agency cant do it alone. Today, I commend the dedicated efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the San Angelo Police Department, in addition to the several other federal, state and local agencies that lent assistance when and where needed. When these agencies join efforts, nothing stands in their way, and we will push back hard against those who peddle this poison in our communities. The state of Texas will not tolerate criminals who distribute drugs throughout our communities and endanger our residents, said Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Commander Carey Matthews. The department is proud to have participated in the multi-agency investigation that incorporated all levels of law enforcement and was key in identifying and disrupting this methamphetamine trafficking operation. This investigation is another great example of the accomplishments of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies working together to make our communities a safer place, said Chief Frank Carter of the San Angelo Police Department. I am very thankful and proud of all the personnel who worked on this lengthy investigation. Castaneda was the DTOs ringleader. Of the 12 defendants who were indicted, 11 have been convicted and 10 have been sentenced. The charges were dismissed against one of the defendants. The last sentencing in the case is set for defendant Richard Jasso, 39, of San Angelo on Feb. 17, 2017. Jasso was convicted at trial in November 2016 on one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. The government filed a notice of enhancement because Jasso has two previous felony drug offenses. If the Court finds those convictions are final and valid, then, by statute, the Court must impose a life sentence without parole. Jesse Huerra, 31, of San Angelo, was sentenced to life in federal prison. He was convicted at trial in September 2016 on one count each of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of firearms. Nancy Ann Flores, 41, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. She pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a communications facility. Antonio N. Flores, 52, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful use of a communications facility. Bruno Rudolfo Velasquez, 32, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and aiding and abetting. Joe Lopez III, 33, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. Jose G. Montez, 38, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. Shayna Kaye McCann, 25, of Great Falls, Montana, was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison. She pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony. Daniel Roy Lombrana, 29, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, with an enhancement for a prior conviction. Adam Gabriel Castaneda, 30, of San Angelo, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Texas Department of Public Safety, San Angelo Police Department, DEA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag is in charge of the prosecution. Various construction projects are under way at Covenant Health Plainview, including an office renovation at the John C. Anderson wing of the hospital. On Thursday, the hospital's maintenance team started demolition in the office of Ilhan Yildiz, M.D. The renovation is in preparation for new Covenant Health Plainview general surgeon, Paresh K. Rajajoshiwala, M.D. who will share offices with Yildiz. The construction will see an additional exam room, increasing the size of the lobby, building a better and bigger triage area, updating flooring and wallpaper, more storage room as well as adding new IT drops and electrical capabilities. CHP Plant Operation Manager Landon Roberts is a licensed electrician and has worked on a number construction projects throughout his career. Roberts drew up the blueprints for the project and said his crew is talented enough to keep the project construction in house. They are very knowledgeable and very skilled, said Roberts of his staff. Roberts said heavy construction in the 1,200 square-foot offices should be completed a week from next Monday. Rajajoshiwala, or Dr. Raja, as he likes to be called, is scheduled to join the Covenant Health Plainview team in April. Dr. Raja comes to Plainview by way of San Antonio. WESTPORT The First Selectman is speaking out with concern over a possible new route for Amtrak through town. I wanted to be on record, First Selectman Jim Marpe said at the Jan. 25 meeting of the Board of Selectmen. The projects realization may be decades away, but, nevertheless, I believe that the Federal Railroad Administration needs to hear from the communities that will be affected even now. The plan, NEC Future, could speed up some Northeast Corridor service, but has sparked concern over the potential route through Connecticut. Marpe sent a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration dated Dec. 28 which he presented to the selectmen at the January meeting. The Federal Railroad Administrations report, Tier I Final Environmental Impact Statement, shows new routes for the Northeast that, in some places, diverge from existing rails. As the plans unfold, Marpe hopes officials will have in mind that Westport would harbor at minimum extreme concern, if not strong objection to the route as seemingly mapped. While he supports enhancing the regions rail system, Marpe wrote in his letter, he is concerned the high-speed route is not along Westport and area towns existing tracks, potentially impacting coastal resources, property owners and the Saugatuck neighborhood. Moreover, it appears that the proposed additional tracks (either along an embankment or aerial structures) will pass through the Saugatuck area of Westport, but not along existing railroad rights-of-way, Marpe wrote to the plans program manager. Westports Saugatuck area is only now beginning to enjoy a full revitalization more than 50 years after the construction of I-95 split this unique and historic area in half. He continued by calling on the plan to avoid a similar disastrous impact and work to maintain and enhance the quality of life in this distinctive neighborhood. Marpe said in an interview he is pleased the route would still pass through Fairfield County, but is concerned the potential route could have a dramatic impact on the Saugatuck neighborhood, creating another barrier for people to move to the area and possibly adding additional congestion. The town is investigating a plan to make the neighborhood more pedestrian friendly and continue its revival, under the Saugatuck Transit Oriented Development Master Plan Steering Committee established last fall. A major rail line cutting through the area would undo a lot of efforts that have already been made and that will continue to be made to make that a thriving and even more accessible area for the community, he said. His concern for coastal resources, referenced in the letter, is for the potential environmental impacts, in particular, the effects on the water table and watershed of the Saugatuck River and nearby Long Island Sound from a major rail structure. Marpe is working with other local leaders in the Western Connecticut Council of Governments to encourage a public hearing on NEC Future in Fairfield County, hoping Westport residents could have a convenient venue to voice concerns and ask questions of federal officials in the near future. NEC Futures plans claim the new rails would shave time off Boston to New York and New York to Washington, D.C., trips, among other benefits. Taipei, Feb. 2 (CNA) With the Taiwan Lantern Festival just around the corner, Yunlin County -- the host of this year's official event -- has offered suggestions on several travel itineraries in the county, including bicycle tours, in an effort to attract more people to travel around the county, along with the lantern festival. Based on 2014 statistics, an average of 28 lives are lost each day in the United States due to traffic mishaps where at least one of the drivers is impaired due to the use of alcohol. Thats one life lost every 53 minutes, says Plainview Fire Marshal Philip Mize. The statistics are staggering, Mize said Wednesday. The cost of alcohol-related crashes is $44 billion annually in the United States. And the total consumption of alcoholic beverages is equally astounding. In 2016, Americans consumed 3,571,694 gallons of distilled spirits and 46,092,256 gallons of beer. In an effort to show the horrific consequences of impaired driving to students at Plainview High School, the Shattered Dreams program has been staged on a semi-annual basis since 2004. This years two-day event for PHS juniors and seniors -- is April 6-7. Sometimes we become desensitized with the dangers of drinking and driving. But when you see your friends gone and your parents hurting, it hits home, program co-organizer Joani Chapman said prior to the 2015 event. Its a very intense time for these students, but if we can save just one life with this program its well worth it. For the past 13 years, Shattered Dreams in Plainview has worked to lower the number of local deaths by bringing education and awareness to local youth. In a city-wide effort, volunteers stage an elaborate scene which brings to life the consequences of drinking and driving. Its made as realistic as possible, right down to the victims being made up to show real injuries including broken bones sticking out, ambulances, police cars and the AeroCare helicopter, Mize explains. And to drive it home, every 15 minutes during the rest of the school day the Grim Reaper pulls a student out of class and they arent seen again until an assembly the next day. Instead, the teacher reads their obituary to the class after they leave. The crash scene will be on the southwest edge of the campus, where students will be able to watch as first responders join with paramedics and EMS to treat the injured who are student volunteers. The fire department will be there using the Jaws of Life, Chapman said. Students have a chance to watch the emergency crews treating fellow teen lying crumpled on the street. Sights and sounds add to the intensity, as moans fill the morning air. Those who arent put in body bags at the scene will be taken by ground or air ambulance to Covenant Health Plainview. At the hospital, doctors and nurses treat injured students the way they would if it had been an actual wreck. Those fatally injured, whether died at the scene or from injuries at the hospital, will have to lie motionless while being identified by grieving parents. Once those scenarios are complete, the dead and injured will have phones taken away and not allowed to contact family and friends until the next day. Instead, they will be locked-in overnight at the First United Methodist Church Cross and Flame youth center. The next day, April 7, at an assembly for PHS juniors and seniors, the dead students will be reintroduced to classmates. During that assembly, the PHS audiovisual club will show a video from the day before, including the drinking party, crash, anguish at the hospital and arrest and sentencing of the students charged with drinking and driving. Also, students who died during the event will share letters from their parents. Its very heart wrenching, explains Chapman. Its also effective in driving home the realities of the consequences of impaired driving. Among those who help stage Shattered Dreams are Plainview Fire Department and EMS, police, sheriffs deputies, Department of Public Safety, constables, AeroCare, Dulaneys, Covenant Health Plainview, Central Plains Center and various restaurants which donate food for those participating in the two-day program. We have a lot of businesses willing to donate goods and services, but what we really need is money, Mize says bluntly. We need those funds to help pay for the DVDs that we make for students who participate as well as for TABC which oversees the program, along with various other expenses. And with whats left, we give scholarships to some of the students who participate as a junior or senior. In 2015 the scholarship went to Christopher Vega, and last year to Caitlyn Isaguirre. Recipients are screened and selected by the PHS Scholarship Committee. Donations for Shattered Dreams and related scholarships can be made to Plainview High School and are tax deductible. Contributions should be made payable and sent to Plainview Shattered Dreams, 1501 Quincy, Plainview, TX 79072. To schedule a program on Shattered Dreams for service clubs and organizations, contact Mize at 291-1251 or Joani Chapman at 291-4470. Questions can be directed to Mize and Chapman as well. Mize is seeking a keynote speaker for the wrap-up assembly April 7. Past speakers have included representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a Lubbock patrol sergeant in charge of accident investigations and most recently Plainview Police Chief Ken Coughlin. The state Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide the legality of a voter-approved initiative designed to speed up executions in California and extended its order blocking enforcement of the measure, Proposition 66. The court had put Prop. 66 on hold in December, before it was to take effect, to allow time for written arguments on whether a suit by opponents of the measure should be dismissed without a hearing. On Wednesday, all five justices taking part in the case voted to grant review and scheduled further briefings from both sides through April 6. At that point, they are likely to schedule a hearing, while keeping Prop. 66 on hold. California voters approved Prop. 66 by a 51 percent majority on Nov. 8. Prosecutors and other supporters of Prop. 66 said it would restore the effectiveness of the death penalty by reducing the time needed to decide appeals, typically 20 years or more. The measure would require the state Supreme Court to rule on death penalty appeals within five years of sentencing, more than twice as fast as its current pace. One effect of that timetable would be to force the court to devote more of its time and staff to capital cases and less to other criminal and civil cases on its docket. The measure does not say what would happen if a case took longer than five years to decide. Prop. 66 also would set the same five-year deadline for the second-stage appeals known as habeas corpus and would require defense lawyers to file those appeals to the trial judge within a year, compared with the current three-year deadline. Habeas corpus usually involves such post-trial claims as incompetent legal representation and misconduct by the prosecutor or jurors and has often been the basis for federal court rulings overturning California death sentences. Another provision would expand the pool of defense lawyers by requiring attorneys to take capital cases if they accept court appointments to represent defendants in other criminal cases. Supporters said the change would ease the shortage of available attorneys that is one reason appeals take so long, but opponents said it would put condemned inmates fate in the hands of unqualified lawyers and prompt many attorneys to refuse future assignments. The suit, filed by former state Attorney General John Van de Kamp and Ron Briggs, a former El Dorado County supervisor, contends Prop. 66 would interfere with courts constitutional authority to decide cases, would cause confusion and upheaval in the states judiciary, and would force both courts and lawyers into hurried and less-reliable decisions in capital cases. Wednesdays court order also allowed sponsors of Prop. 66 to defend the measure in court alongside lawyers for the state. Kent Scheidegger, legal director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation and a drafter of Prop. 66, said he was not surprised that the court had granted review of the measure but was disappointed that it would remain on hold. Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Justice Ming Chin removed themselves from the case because they are members of the state Judicial Council, a defendant in the suit. They will be replaced by two appeals court justices, yet to be named. The case is Briggs vs. Brown, S238039. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A small town in North Texas is making national headlines after its new mayor came out as transgender. Residents of New Hope, a town in Colin County with a population of roughly 600 people, were informed via an open letter on the town's website. OBAMA: LGBT rights won't be reversible 'because American society has changed' "As your Mayor I must tell you about something that has been with me since my earliest memories. I am Transgender." wrote Mayor Jess Herbst. "Two years ago, with the support of my wife, daughters and son-in-law, I began Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). At the time, I did not imagine I would hold the Mayors position, but here I am." According to the Texas Observer, Colin County is one of the most conservative suburban areas in Texas and voted for Trump with a comfortable margin of 17 percentage points. "I know that transgender people are just coming to light in our society, and we have made great strides in the last few years," continued Herbst. "Celebrities like Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox from the show 'Orange is the new Black' and popular shows like 'Transparent,' society finally has a chance to see and learn about who we are. It is gender identity not sexual preference that applies to me. I love my wife, and she loves me, we have no intention of change. My daughters have been adamant supporters of me and are proud to tell people their father is transgender." 45th PRESIDENT: Trump Vows to Keep Obama-Era Protection for LGBT Federal Workers Upon receiving news coverage, Herbst clarified on her blog that she had not been elected, rather, the previous mayor had suffered a heart attack and she was appointed by town officials. Click through above to see cities with the highest, lowest LGBT populations. Check out the video above to learn more about how the transgender community is responding to President Trump, As an artist, Carolyn Boyd, who's also an author and archaeologist, has described being "overwhelmed by wonder" when she first saw the ancient rock paintings in canyons near the Texas-Mexico border. The 1989 visit proved to be a life-changing moment for the young woman who at the time was working as a professional muralist and had a studio in north Houston, according to the Texas Observer. AUSTIN Keep Texas Beautiful and Dont mess with Texas are encouraging Texas elementary, middle school, high school and home school students to break out their crayons and paintbrushes in a crusade to keep Texas roadways clean and litter-free. The Dont mess with Texas K-12 Art Contest, sponsored by H-E-B and Central Market, is now accepting submissions for the 2018 Dont mess with Texas calendar. Students must submit their artwork no later than April 7, 2017. The contest is open to all Texas students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Entries should promote the Don't mess with Texas and/or Keep Texas Beautiful litter prevention messages in order to encourage the protection of our Texas roadways and environment. The purpose of the contest is to encourage future leaders not to litter and to keep Texas beautiful. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 San Antonio Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Google Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Google Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Police are asking for the public's assistance in locating and identifying a person of interest in the slaying of a 20-year-old man in the parking lot of a Southeast Side motel. Officers responded to a shooting call around 10:45 p.m. Saturday to a motel in the 13800 block of Interstate 37. There they found Albert Callahan dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to his upper body, police say. SAN ANTONIO The man accused of shooting his mother to death at a home in Windcrest has been identified. Thomas Nathan Clark, 37, now faces a charge of murder. He remains in the Bexar County Jail on a $100,000 bond. AUSTIN -- San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told senators Thursday that a bill targeting so-called sanctuary cities would interfere with his departments focus on reducing crime. San Antonio is not a sanctuary city. However, I have some serious concerns about Senate Bill 4, McManus told the Senate State Affairs Committee at its hearing on the measure. The San Antonio Police Department doesnt have the capacity to both address Texas criminal laws and take charge of enforcing federal immigration law, he said. Responding to a question, McManus said that it would take at least a year to train his whole department in federal immigration law, if that were required. McManus said he is worried about the impact the measure would have on our primary duty, which is to handle calls for service and work with the San Antonio community to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. The term sanctuary city is fluidly defined but is generally meant to encompass communities that provide safe harbor to undocumented immigrants. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 San Antonio police officer only will detain or arrest someone based on the reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe they have committed or witnessed a crime. Officers won't detain someone based on such factors as national origin, immigration status or suspected status, ethnicity or race, and they don't ask about citizenship status. But the police department's longstanding practice is to fully cooperate with federal law enforcement, including executing federal warrants and honoring detainer requests. The department allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials into the Central Magistrate Office, where arrested or detained people are processed. Gov. Greg Abbott raised the stakes in the sanctuary-city battle this week by declaring the fight against sanctuary cities to be an emergency in the Legislature. Abbott also halted criminal justice grants to Travis County after its sheriff, Sally Hernandez, said she only would honor federal immigration detainers asking her to hold suspects if they were booked for certain serious crimes. Hernandez has said she is in compliance with the law. pfikac@express-news.net Twitter: @pfikac A 29-year-old Central Texas man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly dropped an 11-month-old boy on his head, causing fatal injuries, and then lied about it to authorities. Richard Santillanes, 29, is now charged with injuring a child, a second-degree felony. He remains in the Coryell County Jail. RELATED: Police tie man who posted bloody photo, threats on Facebook to slaying at far SE Side motel According to the arrest affidavit, Santillanes was babysitting Daniel Bryan Cooper and three other children on Jan. 26 at his home in the 3800 block of County Road 269 in Oglesby, Texas, a town about 25 miles west of Waco. He allegedly dropped Cooper on his head around 10 a.m. and then accidentally hit his head against a door frame, according to the affidavit. Santillanes then left the home for about two hours to run some errands. When he returned, he saw Cooper "foaming from the mouth" and fluttering his eyelids inside the playpen where he had been left, according to a police report. He later told police Cooper had been "cool to the touch and limp." He tried to revive the child, the affidavit states, but his wife, who was asleep at the time, took the child from him and rushed to the hospital. RELATED: 'The kid was a psycho': Neighbors not shocked by S.A. mom's killing She called first responders, who met her on a roadway and took the boy from her. Cooper is believed to have died while en route to the hospital, according to the affidavit. Santillanes told police his own 2-year-old daughter had been on top of Cooper with a blanket over his head, and Cooper started behaving erratically after that. But an autopsy revealed that Cooper had a fracture on the back side of his skull, and his head, face and arms were bruised when he went to the hospital. RELATED: Affidavit: Facebook profile with photos of guns led to arrest of suspect in armed robbery Police offered Santillanes a polygraph test on Jan. 30, to which he consented. Prior to taking the test, Santillanes told police he had hit Cooper's head against a door frame and dropped him from standing height, according to the affidavit. Santillanes said "he had done a lot of things wrong." He was booked into jail the following day for "recklessly" causing Cooper serious bodily injury that resulted in his death. cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate On Jan. 11, Destiny Lorraine Rasmussen got a text message from the babysitter. "911-Landon please," it said. Rasmussen rushed to her Killeen home and was greeted by the police her 8-month-old son Landon was found unresponsive in the bathtub. The babysitter, Rasmussen said on a GoFundMe page, had left her son in the tub because there was an armed man trying to get inside the house. After arguing with the man, Rasmussen said the babysitter found her son under water in the tub and attempted to perform CPR. Local police told KWTX they were still investigating the incident, and charges have yet to be filed. RELATED: SAPD: Grandfather punched toddler in face during family altercation Landon was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for three weeks before he died Jan. 30. "His body was getting tired and couldn't fight much longer. Landon took his last breath in my arms and is now flying high with the angels," Rasmussen said on the GoFundMe page. "Please continue to pray for our strength." RELATED: Affidavit: Toddler drowned in tub during mom's 'booty call' in North Texas Kim Kardashian West, reality star and mother of two, tweeted a link to the GoFundMe page set up to help cover the infant's medical and funeral expenses. "This breaks my heart. Please pray for this family," she said. "Rest peacefully sweet angel." So far, $26,254 has been raised. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 A 53-year-old Fort Worth-area man was arrested on a murder charge this week after initially claiming his wife hung herself, according to the city of Burleson. Richard Allen Ward called emergency personnel at 4 a.m. Saturday and said his wife, 52-year-old Cynthia Thompson, attempted to take her own life by hanging herself in their garage in the 1300 block of Erin Court. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thursday marked the four-year anniversary of the death of U.S. Navy SEAL veteran and sniper Chris Kyle, and tributes poured in on social media in his honor. Kyle was gunned down by Eddie Ray Routh, a former Marine, on Feb. 2, 2013 at a Central Texas shooting range. In 2015 Gov. Greg Abbott declared Feb. 2 "Chris Kyle Day," to honor the veteran's memory. Last year, he re-proclaimed the day to recognize all service members as "Texas Military Heroes Day." RELATED: 'American Sniper' memorial honoring Chris Kyle as 'humanitarian' unveiled in West Texas "Texans have a long history of taking a stand against tyranny and fighting for the freedoms and values we hold dear," Abbott said in a 2016 news release. "From the Texas revolution to the struggles the United States currently faces, Texans have always answered the call to defend liberty at home and abroad. Today, and from every February 2nd hereafter, we will honor all Texans who have sacrificed and served on behalf of the United States of America." Texans and others took to social media Thursday to honor the memory of Kyle, posting photos of the veteran and quotes. RELATED: Taya Kyle, widow of 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle, joins Fox News as contributor Taya Kyle, Kyle's wife, urged her followers to upload photos wearing "Chris Kyle gear" and to use the hashtag "#HonorChrisKyle" in their posts Thursday. "Chris's spirit remains ever present among our team and the millions within our community," she said. Click through the slideshow to see how Texans honored Chris Kyle. According to Kyle's best-selling book, "American Sniper," he is credited with 160 confirmed kills. Actor Bradley Cooper starred as Kyle in the 2014 film named for the book. Good morning America, Taya's Team here this morning on this day that while we're mourning the loss of an American hero,... Posted by Taya Kyle - American Wife on Thursday, February 2, 2017 kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 WASHINGTON President Donald Trump started talks with congressional leaders Thursday to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, consulting with Texas Republican Kevin Brady, chairman of a House panel that will be charged with shaping the contours of a new hemispheric deal with major implications for The Lone Star State. "We had a very constructive, very thoughtful discussion about the path forward, his desire to update and modernize NAFTA to make it not just free, but fair trade," Brady said after emerging from the White House meeting. Brady, a Republican from The Woodlands, is a former Chamber of Commerce official and long-time free trade advocate. He said he is ready to work with Trump to fulfill one of the central promises of his presidential campaign, though he suggested a scope of reforms that may fall well short of the "new" deal that Trump said he wants. "It would seem to me he wants to build upon what works for America in NAFTA, improve what doesn't, and bring forward really the 21st century issues that just haven't been addressed in that area," Brady said. "All to the goal of creating more U.S. jobs." Trump, in remarks to reporters before the meeting began, suggested more wholesale changes to protect American workers, a signal marker of his campaign. "It's been a catastrophe for our jobs and our country," Trump said. "I want to change it and maybe we do it, and maybe we do a new NAFTA and we add an extra 'f' in NAFTA... for free and fair trade... because it's very unfair." The meeting with Republican and Democratic leaders represented the first baby steps in what could be a long process of reopening the landmark 1994 trade deal between Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. It was also the first trip to the Trump White House for Brady, who will be instrumental in forging major reforms on both trade and taxes. Lest we be confused, courage is not speaking loudly to your voting base about what they want to hear. Courage is telling your base something it might not want to hear when it would be easier to stay silent or bend with the wind. Courage is sticking to core principles even when you know it might cost you in a primary. Courage is advocating for the most vulnerable because their rights are the most easily trampled. In these first ugly, chaotic days of Donald J. Trumps presidency, House Speaker Joe Straus and U.S. Rep. Will Hurd have been true profiles in courage. Republicans, each has spoken against two of Trumps most disturbing executive orders: Building that beautiful wall between us and Mexico, and the temporary ban on refugees from around the world and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. We all want to prevent those who may wish us harm from entering our country, but it is important that we do so in a way that is consistent with the principles of this country, Straus said in his statement on the immigration ban. I am concerned about sending the incorrect message that we are at war with any religion. Principles, he said. Dont compromise American principles out of fear. Hurd, who served in the CIA for nearly 10 years, slammed the immigration ban as the ultimate display of mistrust. One that will erode the faith of our allies, especially Muslims aiding our soldiers, and endanger American troops abroad. A target has been placed on their backs by increasing tensions in an already volatile region, he said of our military. On that beautiful border wall, potentially paid with a tariff on Mexican goods, which means paid by us, they were equally steady. Straus focused on our mutual economy. The United States and Mexico have a productive economic partnership that is especially good for Texas and San Antonio, he said in a statement. The people of our state benefit greatly from trade with Mexico and from our cooperation on issues such as homeland security and counter-terrorism. Hurd focused on security and spending, Building a wall is the most expensive and least effective way to secure the border, he said in a statement. He later doubled down on National Public Radio, dissing the wall as the wrong way to do it. Lets use a mix of technology, he said. Its going to be significantly cheaper than building a wall. Lets focus on drug traffickers, you know, kingpin human smugglers. Notice, he was specific. He didnt blanket a whole group of people in fear. Hurd and Straus will likely catch hell from darker corners for espousing common sense and conviction and bucking the president and leader of their party. Their words stand in sharp relief against the reticence of other Republicans to speak up when it counts. The Texas Tribune recently captured this limp moment for tough-talking, freedom-loving Texas pols with the headline Texas Congressional delegation largely silent on Trump travel ban. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who has droned on and on about liberty and national security, whose father was a refugee, suddenly cant find his voice on this travel ban. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, appears to be in the dark groping for a flashlight. Maybe they should look west to their Senate colleagues, Arizona Republicans John McCain and Jeff Flake, for guidance. Enhancing long term national security requires that we have a clear-eyed view of radical Islamic terrorism without ascribing Islamic terrorist views to all Muslims, Flake said in a statement. In a joint statement with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, McCain called the travel ban a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism. And we should not turn our backs on those refugees who have been shown through extensive vetting to pose no demonstrable threat to our nation, and who have suffered unspeakable horrors, most of them women and children, they said. Its easy to go on in this manner of compare and contrast. But my point is this: Long after the next election, we all will see clearly who bent with the wind, stayed silent or traded in fear, jeopardizing our security, economy and values. So, too, we will know who looked outward to the world instead of closing inward, who cautioned against intolerance and chaos, and who spoke about fearful issues with nuance, conviction and moral authority. Hurd and Straus spoke up when it would have been easier to stay quiet. Thats what leadership and courage are all about. jbrodesky@express-news.net Re: Trump orders block on refugees; 120-day halt on most, but Syrians out indefinitely, front page, Saturday: Some may not realize that the day the executive order limiting refugees into the U.S. was signed was also International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This is a day during which we are often reminded that our country, in 1939, turned back ships carrying German Jewish children and adults trying to escape the Nazi concentration camps, sending them back to Germany to their deaths. The order blocks primarily Muslim immigrants, fully vetted, some with green cards, and some who had worked with our military in Iraq, from getting off their planes when landing in the U.S. to live in their new home. Unfortunately, this is not all that is happening in our country, state and city. Mosques have been burned and vandalized, the latest in Victoria (where the cause of the blaze is still under investigation); Muslim women are being harassed; and incidents of hatred of minorities is becoming more and more open in an increasing attitude of acceptance of bigotry. Where and how does this stop? I teach Muslim students at a university that also has Muslim faculty and staff. I co-founded and chaired the Interreligious Council of San Antonio that has worked for 20 years to improve relations between people of various religions in our city. We now seem to be up against something qualitatively different and more alarming than anything we have experienced in the past. San Antonio is diverse and has worked together in many crises of the past. We call on all religious groups in our city to come together to find ways to work together to stop this injustice. Peggy Starkey, Ph.D., founded the Interreligious Council of San Antonio. The first weeks of the Trump administration have been a vindication of the American nation-state. Anyone who thought it was a borderless world, a category that includes some significant portion of the countrys corporate and intellectual elite, were disabused of the notion within about the first five days of the Trump years. The theme running throughout President Donald Trumps inaugural address was the legitimacy of the nation-state as a community, a source of unity and the best means of advancing the interests of its citizens. The address was widely panned, but early polling indicates the public didnt share the revulsion of the commentariat. The speechs broadly nationalistic sentiments were bound to strike people as common sense. At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens. Who else would it serve? From this moment on, its going to be America first. Why would anything else come first? Trumps speech was less poetic, but in one sense more grounded than George W. Bushs call for universal liberty in 2005 or Barack Obamas vision of international cooperation leading to a new era of peace in 2009. Trump spoke of the right of all nations to put their own interests first. If Bush was a vindicator of universal freedom, and Obama, in his more soaring moments, a citizen of the world, Trump is a dogged citizen of the United States, concerned overwhelmingly with vindicating its interests. His executive order authorizing the building of the wall is an emphatic affirmation of one of the constituent parts of a nation, namely borders. In general, immigration is an important focus for Trumps nationalism because it involves the question of whether the American people have the sovereign authority to decide who gets to live here or not; of whether the interests of American or foreign workers should be paramount; of whether we assimilate the immigrants we already have into a common culture before welcoming even more. The Trump phenomenon is pushback against what the late political scientist Samuel Huntington called in his 2004 book Who Are We? the deconstructionist agenda, a decadeslong project of the countrys de-nationalized political and intellectual elites. Beginning in the 1960s and 1970s, Huntington argues, They began to promote measures consciously designed to weaken Americas cultural and creedal identity and to strengthen racial, ethnic, cultural, and other subnational identities. These efforts by a nations leaders to deconstruct the nation they governed were, quite possibly, without precedent in human history. If Trump is a welcome rebuke to this attitude, caveats are necessary: A proper American nationalism should express not just an affinity for this countrys people, as Trump did in his inaugural address, but for its creed, its institutions and its history. These are absent from Trumps rhetoric and presumably his worldview, impoverishing both. Trumps nationalism has the potential to appeal across racial and ethnic lines, so long as he demonstrates that it isnt just cover for his loyalty to his preferred subnational group. If Bush was overly expansive in his international vision, Trump could be overly pinched. Bushs anti-AIDS program in Africa was unvarnished humanitarianism and will redound to his credit, and the credit of this nation, for a long time. Finally, Trumps trade agenda also is an expression of his nationalism. Trade deals should have to pass the national-interest test. But protectionism is, historically, a special-interest bonanza that delivers benefits to specific industries only at a disproportionate cost to the rest of the economy. All that said, the nation-state is back, despite all the forecasts of its demise. It is no more in eclipse than religion, which we also were told would fade away as humanity embraced a more secular, cosmopolitan future. The lesson is that its a mistake to predict the inevitable decline of things that give meaning to peoples lives and involve fundamental human attachments. The nation is one of them, something that Trump, if he gets nothing else, instinctively understands. comments.lowry@nationalreview.com Gov. Greg Abbotts freeze on state government hiring was among the items mentioned in his State of the State address Tuesday that deserve wide public support. It is simply the prudent course given the revenue projections reported to the Legislature. An oil and gas slump means less revenue while critical needs loom public schools and the states child welfare system chief among them. The governor urged the right actions on those last two items as well, even if he didnt name them as emergency items. If you do nothing else this session, cast a vote to save the life of a child, Abbott told legislators, referring to the child welfare system that a federal judge declared was bad for the states most vulnerable citizens. To that point, the governor wisely exempted the Department of Family and Protective Services from the hiring freeze. Other waivers will be available on a case by case basis and when matters of public safety are at stake. While he focused on his proposal on prekindergarten education, in prepared remarks, he said this on public education generally: I think we can all agree its time to put school finance litigation behind us. Its time to stop fighting about school finance and start fixing our schools. Thats absolutely correct. The litigation will stop when schools are adequately resourced. Unfortunately, fixing the states school financing methods was not among the five emergency action items he laid out for the Legislature. It should have been. And we view the governors support for school choice as harmful to public education generally. His emergency items were early education, higher education research, transportation funding, paying for border security and ethics reform. Four of these we actively support, though we differ on details. On ethics, for instance, the Legislature must tackle the issue of dark money. The state needs a requirement to disclose the sources of large contributions to political nonprofit groups. And the state must make a better case than it has on border security. Early reports are that weve gotten too little for the infusion of state troopers along the border and the governor wants to add 500. Texans have a right to ponder the need for further state action at the border if only on a cost/benefit basis. Moreover, it appears, rightly or wrongly, that the Trump administration is making border security a priority, which prompts the question of whether this should also be a state priority. And that is also a reason the Legislature should not heed the governors call for banning so-called sanctuary cities. It is also on the Trump radar. He has threatened to withhold federal funding from cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities. One can dispute the need for this even on the federal level, but it calls into question the necessity for state action on the same issue. The states budget should be about addressing the states critical needs. Banning sanctuary cities is not among them, as most Texas jails already honor immigration requests on detaining possible deportees, and police acting as immigration agents will chill relations between the immigrant community and police. Crimes will not be reported, witnesses will not be forthcoming, and an already vulnerable population will be made more so. The governors budget proposes $4 billion a year to build more roads, the money coming from Proposition 1 funding approved by voters; a ban on diverting highway funds for any other purpose; and dedicating one-half of the motor vehicle sales tax to roads. We support all these strategies but urge some recognition that the state cannot build its way out of this problem. Alternative transportation mass transit and light rail, for instance must also be in the mix. Local governments can always use more help on these. But we return to school financing and the states inadequate child welfare system. They belong on the top of any list of legislative priorities this session. Its true; the state has many needs. The Legislature must keep its eye on the most critical of these and not be distracted by far less important peripheral issues a bathroom bill, a topic on which the governor was silent during his address, school choice and sanctuary cities chief among these. Maybe if just half the women who marched and protested President Donald Trump during the inauguration weekend had voted for Hillary Clinton, shed probably be president. Just a thought. Larry Peabody Too big a price? Re: North America trade war feared after talk of tax, front page, Jan. 27: If you believe paying $1.80 for a $1.50 Mexican avocado is too great a price for improved border barriers, then the rest of us with concerns for our safety will pay for your security while continuing to enjoy guacamole. Gilbert A. Marmolejo Time for a change Re: Trumpcare? Your Turn, Jan. 23: The reader questions why the Republicans want Obamacare replaced when so many citizens are signing up for it. According to the main provision of the ACA, its the law! You are fined if you do not comply. Could that be the reason some folks are flocking to the marketplace? Buy health insurance or pay a fine? Doesnt sound like free choice to me! Anything would be better than this debacle. Mark E Haulsee Two-way street Re: Lets bring the benefits of affluence to non-affluent, Rick Casey, Other Views, Saturday: Rick Casey cites increased graduation rates, more college access and more lifetime income among the benefits for students able to mix with their more affluent peers. The lowly see the benefits of wealth and go for it. The wonders of wealth and privilege are shared with the masses. This is all well and good, but I sensed a note of condescension in his piece. Might the less affluent have something to offer their more privileged peers? Besides learning a second language, what about friendships that might be forged among students whose parents may not run in the same social circles? The exchange of values and life experiences is a two-way street. Both groups are enriched. It is a fallacy that wealth is synonymous with all that is good. As a former school counselor, I have worked in environments where students from the whole spectrum of rank and privilege united in one place, the neighborhood school. Often, it was the more affluent student who benefited from the good example set by another some may have deemed as coming from the wrong side of the tracks. While I agree with Casey that we must work to keep low-income families in areas that are becoming gentrified, it needs to be acknowledged that being a free lunch kid is not synonymous with being derelict. Donna Fisher Insulting image Re: Political cartoon, Michael P. Ramirez, Editorial Page, Jan. 23: This cartoon was a shameful, transphobic statement, and whether one finds Chelsea Manning a heroic whistle-blower or a traitor is beside the point. In addition to being horrified by this gratuitously bigoted mis-gendering of Manning, I am baffled by its position on the same page as your editorial denouncing Texas Senate Bill 6 as discriminatory, inflammatory, and unnecessary. I suspect that the cartoon will effectively cancel any benefits the editorial would have registered for the deeply embattled trans community. James Finley In the era of HGTV and DIY, homeowners have plenty of ideas for home renovation at their disposal. But just how many home upgrades will pay off if you plan to eventually sell your home? While most good changes will add some value to your home, certain surprising and simple upgrades might pay off more than you would expect. Introduce New Shutters Not only do windows and shutters add aesthetic appeal to your home, but they also complement your interior lighting with options for controlling the amount of natural light you allow in. Naturally, this can help you use less electricity in the winter by utilizing the light, and in the summer by blocking out the heat it generates. Further, you would be shocked at the difference a quality set of shutters makes in any room. Nice shutters, and plantation shutters in particular, are sought after by homebuyers and will make it clear that you have attempted to keep your home up to date. Install Built-in Speakers When it comes to selling your home, certain upgrades can really make your house stand out from the rest. Built-in speakers add a modern touch that leaves homebuyers wondering why speaker systems arent standard issue in new homes. The cohesiveness of sound throughout your home creates the perfect atmosphere for parties, game days, or everyday tasks! The beauty of this upgrade is that while it is relatively straightforward, most people wouldnt take it on by themselves, meaning the value of the project lies in both the manpower and the system itself. As such, your extra effort will lead to extra value in the long run! Add an Outdoor Living Space Over the past few years, Americans have engaged in a noticeable shift back towards enjoying down time outside. The restaurant industry is a particularly pertinent example as you may have noticed the recent influx of patios and outdoor seating areas at the newest and hippest restaurants. This trend has spilled over into residential real-estate as outdoor living areas have become highly desirable features which will help your home sell quickly and for a great price. Invest in a Sprinkler System Anyone who lives in South Central Texas knows the importance of consistently watering your yard, and of keeping up with particular watering days in the summer. Each of those reasons causes homebuyers to greatly value built-in sprinkler systems. Not only do sprinkler systems cut down on the hassle of pulling a sprinkler and hose around the yard, but can help cut down on waste when used and set correctly! Get New Front Door One of the most noticeable items on the list, you might be surprised at how a new front door can transform your home in more ways than one! First of all, a new door can certainly add some pop to the front of your house. In fact, in many circumstances a new door can change the entire curbside complexion and feel. After all, walking through the front door is a visitors first impression! Secondly, a new door can help improve your insulation and energy efficiency by a surprising amount. Many older doors werent designed with efficiency in mind, and a new door (particularly an aluminum one) can certainly help you gain value in more ways than one! Update the Garage Door Similar to a new front door, a new garage door can make a big difference to the complexion of your home. Not only does the upgrade look better, and sound smoother, but garage doors are not quite as expensive as you might anticipate. Further, garage doors are a commonly worn out feature that can make a big negative impression if not replaced when needed. After all, who wants to buy a house with a dented and stained garage door? On the flip side, a brand new garage door makes your house look well cared for and new! Put in New Bathroom Fixtures There is no doubt that a full bathroom renovation will increase the value of your home, but if you dont want to take on a full project simply replacing your fixtures will give you quite a bit of bang for your buck. Switch out old towel holders, faucets, and light fixtures to change the complexion of your bathrooms. These simple swaps will make it feel as if every bathroom in the house has been upgraded, instead of just one. As a result, your home will look newer, more elegant, and even more expensive to prospective buyers. At the end of the day, any upgrade to your home should be something the family can enjoy for as long as you live there. However, once you outgrow your current home, make sure to call one of our great agents to help you maximize your value! RELATED: How Energy-Efficient Upgrades Can Increase Your Homes Value Editors Note: This content is made possible by Keller Williams San Antonio. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. 1 Asia trip: Other than a tweet, President Trump hasnt said how hell stop North Korea from threatening America with a nuclear weapon. And as his Pentagon chief visits key allies in Asia, neither Trump nor his GOP allies in Congress seem settled on any plan. The fight against the Islamic State is the new administrations top national security priority, but Defense Secretary Jim Mattis chose South Korea and Japan for his first official overseas trip. Departing Wednesday, Mattis will look to reassure the nations on the front line against North Korea. 2 Brexit vote: Britain moved closer to leaving the European Union Wednesday as lawmakers backed a bill authorizing divorce proceedings and kept alive the governments plan to trigger Brexit talks within weeks. The House of Commons decisively backed the bill by 498 votes to 114, sending it on for committee scrutiny. The result was a victory for the Conservative government, which had fought in court to avert the vote out of fear Parliament would impede its Brexit plans. Artist Elizabeth Boutin has traveled throughout the country and finding inspiration for her paintings along the way. However, during her years at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany she found inspiration for art that hits closer to home for our service men and women. In 2014, I allowed access to a chapter of my life which had been tucked away for years. From 2003-2006 as a military spouse, one of the many places our family was stationed included Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Boutin stated in a letter to the Fremont Area Art Association. In 2005, she became a volunteer for the American Red Cross at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. I helped the nurses tend to our soldiers who were wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom, it exposed me to the soldiers wounds, both external and internal. Each day I volunteered there were so many faces, so many stories, and so many wounds from too many soldiers, she continued. Boutin began using a journal to help her cope after working with patients with extreme anxiety, depression and sadness. She came to understand these were symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. She never imagined that the disorder would come to affect her personally, but on November 5, 2010, it hit much closer to home. A good Army friend of mine took his life due to PTSD. To this day, I have friends who suffer from this disease. Soldiers have difficulty after a deployment adapting back into society. They cant sleep, take numerous medications, drive cautiously to the store, or jump at the slightest sound of a loud noise, she said. Beginning in 2014 she used her journal writings to create paintings of images symbolizing the struggles and effects of PTSD. Boutin developed her own style inspired by her Art History studies. While studying Art History, I was intrigued by an early 17th century genre of still-life paintings in the Netherlands known as Vanitas. These collections of paintings and the objects within held symbolic meaningsome of artwork takes on different meanings, she said. Becoming an art historian and an artist has enabled me to express my encounters at [Landstuhl] and utilize these tools to bring awareness for the audience in my series Effects of PTSD, she concluded. Boutin is currently the Art Gallery Director of New Century Art Guilds Rotert Memorial Art Gallery in Bellevue, Nebraska Boutins exhibit is on display in the Hinds Gallery of Gallery 92 West during the month of February. In stark contrast, the main Gallery, now the Tracy Gallery, features the brightly colored works of Robin Zagurski of Omaha. Zagurski is a therapist, social worker and most recently an artist. According to Zagurski, she began painting in 2009, After many years of attending to the spirits of others and neglecting my own. She said that she enjoys working in cold wax and oil paint for the sheer joy of smooshing paint around. Her works focus on the luminosity of color that can be brought out by the wax when applied to a paper surface. She has found that wax allows for a freedom of experimentation that she had not found with acrylic paints. Zagurskis art has been shown at the Encaustic Art Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and at the Niza Knolls Gallery in Denver, Colorado. She has a studio at the Hot Shops in Omaha. A free public reception for both Boutin and Zagurski will be Friday, February 10, from 5-7 p.m. at Gallery 92 West, 92 West Sixth Street. President Donald Trumps pick to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court elicited praise from Nebraska Republicans and the states congressional delegation, while local Democrats decried the nomination of a conservative jurist Tuesday night. Judge Neil Gorsuch of the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was tapped to replace Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last year. The president followed through with what looks to me like the best possible selection we could have, said J.L. Spray, the states Republican national committeeman. Spray was impressed by Gorsuchs humility and honesty in his remarks following Trumps announcement. Gorsuch, who was unanimously confirmed for his appointment to the appellate court in 2006, has all the qualifications and credentials to be a supreme court justice, Spray said. Gorsuch and Judge Thomas Hardiman of the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Pittsburgh, were reported to be Trumps top two candidates for the Supreme Court vacancy. Vince Powers, former chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, called Gorsuch an illegitimate nominee for the lands highest court. This is President Obamas pick, said Powers, a Lincoln attorney. The American people voted overwhemingly for Hillary Clinton and (Merrick) Garland. Powers doesnt believe Gorsuch should be confirmed by the Senate, which refused to even give Garland a hearing after Obama nominated him. If he is confirmed, Gorsuch will likely follow a tradition of conservative judges who rule in favor of corporations over the government and individuals, Powers said. Eric Berger, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Nebraska College of Law, said said both Gorsuch and Garland have credentials worthy of the Supreme Court. But they each would bring different mindsets to the court, he said. I think (to) most fair-minded people (Judge Gorsuch) is much more ideologically conservative than Judge Garland was ideologically liberal, Berger said. Both of Nebraskas U.S. Senators, who will be involved in the confirmation process, applauded the nomination. Sen. Deb Fischer praised Gorsuchs sharp intellect, steady judicial temperament, and long history of upholding the rule of law. She looks forward to reviewing his record as the Senate vets him, she said in a statement. Sen. Ben Sasse, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee that will first vet Gorsuch, called him a highly regarded jurist, who will be unfairly attacked by Democrats. Senator Chuck Schumer is about to tell Americans that Judge Gorsuch kicks puppies and heckles piano recitals, Sasse said. Thats hogwash. Democrats are working overtime to cast Judge Gorsuch as a reflexive partisan but, as I said when Justice Scalia died, there are no Republican or Democratic seats on the Supreme Court. In Gorsuchs confirmation hearings, there should be no partisan debate, Sasse said. Each month during the 2017 school year, Parkers and WSAV-TV are awarding a scholarship to a local high school junior or senior. SAVANNAH, Ga. Parkers recently partnered with WSAV-TV to award a $500 academic scholarship to Madeline Prince, a senior at Hilton Head Island High School on Hilton Head Island, S.C., who plans to attend the U.S. Naval Academy this fall. Parkers President and CEO Greg Parker presented Prince with a ceremonial check at a special event at Hilton Head High School on January 26. She will automatically be entered for the chance to win an additional $1,000 academic scholarship, along with other monthly Outstanding Student Scholarship winners. Parkers and WSAV are partnering to honor outstanding students for excellence in the classroom, in the community and in sports. Every month during the school year, Parkers will donate a $500 college scholarship to an exceptional student in Georgia or the South Carolina Lowcountry. A panel of judges carefully reviews every nomination and identifies a winner. Education is one of the cornerstones of our charitable giving strategy at [the company], Parker said. We understand the power education has to transform lives. Giving back is part of [Parkers] DNA. Prince, an accomplished student-athlete who earned a perfect ACT score, will attend the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall. Her goal is to become the first commander of a nuclear-powered submarine. By Lambert Strether of Corrente Politics Trump Transition At the time only about a month ago Obama administration officials thought the move was a swell idea; good for national security and a subtle way to twist the knife in the president-elect on the topic of Russian election hacking [HuffPo]. But it may have been the riskiest decision of the Obama years, opening a legal door to Donald Trump forces looking to control future access to the ballot box in the name of national security, and to a new president who decries millions of (phantom) fraudulent votes he claims were illegally cast against him. Holy moley. The framing stupid and/or evil covers pretty much everything in the Beltway, but this Well, its orthogonal, shall we say (so we can avoid the hair-on-fire adjectives currently in vogue). The fourth possibility [to get rid of Trump] is one that until recently I would have said was unthinkable in the United States of America: a military coup, or at least a refusal by military leaders to obey certain orders [Rosa Brooks, Foreign Policy]. Hoo boy. As I keep saying, this is a podcast I listen to Live! From the Heart of The Blob! and these people are bughouse (as in wanting war with Russia bughouse. Lovely people, very mellow voices, a lot of laughter). No matter what you call it, Trumps immigration order will be tough to overturn, legal analysts say [WaPo]. Analysts across the political spectrum say that the president has vast authority to bar the entry of people to the United States, and to do so without the consent of other branches of government. Polling data collected by Morning Consult among more than 85,000 registered voters since the election (but before the travel executive order) demonstrates why Republicans are likely to stick with the president even if others turn against him. Over all, 47 percent of registered voters had a very or somewhat favorable view of Mr. Trump, while 48 percent had a very or somewhat unfavorable view [NYT]. The thing is, its extremely unlikely that Trump can fulfill the version of hope and change that he presented to his voters as long as he sticks to Republican orthodoxy, especially fiscal discipline. So its only a matter of time for his weakness to become apparent. And what happens then? Will a return to the good times under Obama be enough to make Democrats stronger than even a weakened Trump? Im guessing no. 2016 Post Mortem Every single Democrat is going to need to play a role in building a Democratic Party we can all be proud of. Before the DNC members vote on who will lead us through that process, let them know what you think is important in a party chair [Democrats.org]. Well share your feedback with party leaders from your state. Not the DNC, ha ha. Revolt of the Worker Bees At the EPA, a small group of career employees numbering less than a dozen so far are using an encrypted messaging app to discuss what to do if Trumps political appointees undermine their agencys mission to protect public health and the environment, flout the law, or delete valuable scientific data that the agency has been collecting for years, sources told Politico [Politico]. I hope theres a sysadmin in that group. For more technical details, see here. Realignment and Legitimacy Says [Paul Sracic, political science professor at Youngstown State University], Trump issues an executive order beginning the process of dismantling the ACA [Affordable Care Act], and Democrats respond by saying he is trying to Make America Sick Again. People think, however, that the ACA needs to be improved. Where is the Democratic alternative? [New York Post]. A lot of confusion about the internal dynamics of the Democrat Party, but on this point, the New York Post (!) is spot on. Again, what are Democrats for? Because you cant beat something with nothing. As the Clinton debacle proved. And speaking of being for something: Millennials: Recommit to the most basic New Deal era safety nets and you'll have a voting base for life. Democrats: lol no Crank Scorpio (@StephenCurley) February 1, 2017 Nancy Pelosi explains it all to you (and Trevor Hill): Nancy Pelosi: "We're capitalists, and that's just the way it is" https://t.co/LaK6293AbY #PelosiTownHall https://t.co/5CZHOqbod4 CNN (@CNN) February 1, 2017 Trevor Hills reponds to Pelosi [HuffPo]. Worth quoting in full: I was actually surprised that she was so open about a lot of the flaws that she sees in the capitalist system at least, in her eyes a capitalist system that has arisen from an older, better system, he said. I didnt expect that. But Hill said he was also kind of disappointed that Pelosi did not address whether the Democratic Party should adopt a more populist platform. She just completely ignored that question. Hill, who is registered to vote in California, identifies as an leftist independent rather than a Democrat. He voted for Sanders in the primary and then Green Party nominee Jill Stein in the general election. As a former Democrat, I had some stuff that I really did want to know about, like if they were going to make any effort to regain a lot of the voters they lost during the election cycle , Hill said. Although his recent voting pattern might make it tempting to dismiss someone like Hill as a lost cause, his personal story is not that different from many disaffected working-class voters whose support Democrats are so eager to win back. Hill used to be an enthusiastic Democrat and supporter of President Barack Obama. But he grew disillusioned with Democrats, he said, when their rosy rhetoric clashed with the economic misery his family was experiencing. His parents declared bankruptcy three years ago after a drop in his fathers income as a construction contractor made it impossible for them to pay their bills. He can attend NYU thanks to a full scholarship he receives. The bankruptcy was during the best years of the recovery when everyone was singing [Obamas] praises and saying everythings doing so well, Americas back on track. Meanwhile my parents were choosing between having the lights on and putting food on the table, Hill recalled. It was almost insulting really to feel ignored like that. And I know so many people who have the same story. That crunching noise you heard last summer was the Clinton juggernaut rolling over Hills prostrate body on its way into the ditch. Democrats are more fired up than Republicans: The [new poll of 18-29 year-olds by the Harvard Institute of Politics] found that among young Democrats, 33% say they are more motivated to get politically involved, compared to 19% of young Republicans and 20% of independents [Wall Street Journal]. * * * These Are the Groups Behind Those Spontaneous Anti-Trump-Ban Protests [Daily Beast]. Make the Road New York was just one of many groups, virtually unknown and unheard of nationally, leading the anti-Trump mass resistance and airport demonstrations that erupted all across the United States over the weekend. I dont think that local groups, unknown and unheard of nationally, merit the shudder quotes round spontaneous, and Im very glad to have the names. Its really shudder-quoted spontaneous groups funded by Brock or some squillionaire that Im worried about (making Neera Tandens horrid little Resist icon come true). So this article makes a prima facie case for good news. Not that the Democrat establishment wont try to decapitate the movements leaders and exploit the movements energy. But you cant blame them for being what they are, I suppose. Just clean house and get rid of them. (Oh, and the Womens March isnt mentioned.) Democrats are moving urgently to harness the wave of grass-roots protests that have greeted President Trump in his first weeks in office to reclaim the House majority in next years midterm elections [WaPo]. The DCCCs organizing push is aimed at turning that activism into votes come November 2018. The new field operatives, Lujan said, will be hired in most cases from within the targeted districts and who have previously worked on House campaigns there. Well, good. Theyre not hiring the actual activists, then. Had me worried there for a moment! Republicans are in control of Congress, but the House New Democrat Coalition does not plan to sit by and let the GOP generate all the policy ideas on issues like taxes, infrastructure and cybersecurity [Roll Call]. In continuing with their effort to be leaders on policy issues and find potential areas of bipartisan compromise, the New Democrats are launching new task forces designed to generate policy solutions for issues on the GOPs congressional agenda. Say, how about Medicare for All? House Democrats are rallying behind a plan to make President Trumps first speech to Congress as uncomfortable as possible by inviting guests they say will suffer under new White House policies [The Hill]. The strategy means Trump will likely face a crowd including ethnic minorities, LGBT people, undocumented immigrants, the disabled and others when he addresses a joint session on Feb. 28 (musical interlude, for diversity of visuals). Oddly, or not, Americans who work for wages arent on that list of protected classes. Strange, considering thats where the numbers are. [Fundraising] started on Nov. 9, said Democratic fundraising consultant Mike Fraioli. They may not have scheduled an event, but if they won, they slept 24 hours and put together a program' [Roll Call]. A strong first quarter helps members achieve whats known in consultant-speak as winning in the off-year. A hefty haul helps deter challenges and gives incumbents a head start. Ka-ching. Why We Support Keith Ellison for DNC Chair [Editorial, The Nation]. Even as Americans fill the streets demanding resistance to the extremist agenda of Donald Trump, congressional Democrats often lack the numbers for the pushback. The numbers? Thats the problem? What Chris Arnade said. Conclusion of a good tweetstorm: 18. I can only hope, and stay focused, on the basic decency of everyone I have met all over the US. And hope that wins out. pic.twitter.com/VlJ1BwdfgW Chris Arnade (@Chris_arnade) February 2, 2017 Stats Watch Productivity and Costs, Q4 2016: It took more hours to produce at a slower rate, thats an unfavorable mix for productivity [Econoday]. Low productivity is a stubborn weakness of the economy, the result in part of a shrinking pool of available workers but also reflecting lack of investment in new equipment. So, a capital strike? And: The year-over-year analysis is consistent with costs growing faster than productivity [Econintersect]. Challenger Job-Cut Report, January 2017: January is often a heavy month for layoff announcements as it was this year, although its better than last year [Econoday]. And: The top four job cuts announced during the month occurred in the retail sector, with Macys leading the pack by reporting plans to close 68 stores and decrease its headcount by 10,000 workers [Econintersect]. Gallup U.S. Job Creation Index, January 2017: remained strong [Econoday]. The reading indicates that many more workers believe their employer is bringing on new employees than letting people go. Gallup Good Jobs Rate, January 2017: not a statistically significant increase [Econoday]. Gallups measure of underemployment in January was 14.1 percent, up from 13.7 percent in December, and 1.4 points higher than the low point measured in October 2016. Gallups U.S. underemployment rate combines the percentage of adults in the workforce who are unemployed (5.8 percent) with those who are working part time but desire full-time work (8.3 percent). Jobless Claims, week of January 28, 2017: Initial claims continue to dig out a new plateau of lows so far this year [Econoday]. Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index, week of January 29: [B]ack near its post-election high [Econoday]. Strength in consumer confidence readings ultimately reflects strength in the jobs outlook. Chain Store Sales, January 2017: Chain stores are reporting mostly lower sales rates in January than December [Econoday]. Looking at the total retail sales report, unit auto sales proved very soft compared to December (data released yesterday) though gasoline stations likely got a January lift from a moderate increase in prices. Yet gasoline makes up only a small part of retail sales which on net, and despite very strong readings for consumer confidence, look to have underperformed during January. And: January Same-Store Sales as Cold as the Weather [247 Wall Street]. Shipping: It may seem a big surprise for a country whose industry is proud of green technology and engineering solutions, but Germany is responsible for the worst shipbreaking practices amongst all shipping nations when one compares the size of its fleet to the number of ships broken irresponsibly, the [Shipbreaking Platform Germany] NGO reported. German owners, banks and ship funds had 98 ships rammed up on the beaches of South Asia out of a total of 100 vessels sold for demolition last year, the organisation reported. Moreover, 40% of these were broken in Bangladesh, where the NGO says conditions are known to be the worst [Splash 247]. Shipping: Tanker owners have been hit with a deluge of new deliveries in the first month of the year on a scale never seen before, heaping further pressure on an already weak freight rate environment [Splash 247]. Shipping: Seoul Central District Court will pull the plug on Hanjin Shipping, almost six months after the container carrier filed for court receivership.The court will grant a two-week period for appeals before declaring the company bankrupt, with the most likely bankruptcy date being February 17 [Lloyds List]. Shipping: Demolitions of chemical tankers could accelerate towards 2020, but it is questionable whether this will have a major impact on market fundamentals because scrap candidates are in the smaller size categories, warns shipping consultancy Drewry [Lloyds List]. The Bezzle: Facebooks virtual-reality subsidiary and two of its founders are facing a sobering reality after a jury hit them with a $500 million bill for violating the intellectual property rights of video-game maker ZeniMax Media [AP]. The verdict reached Wednesday in a Dallas federal court represents about one-fourth of the $2 billion that Facebook paid two years ago to buy Oculus, a developer of virtual-reality gear and software. The jury concluded that Oculus and co-founders Palmer Luckey and Brendan Iribe infringed on ZeniMax Medias copyrights and trademarks as they built their products. Oculus vowed to appeal the decision. The Bezzle: Massive Price Hike for Life-Saving Opioid Overdose Antidote [Scientific American]. Called Evzio, it is used to deliver naloxone, a life-saving antidote to overdoses of opioids. More than 33,000 people are believed to have died from such overdoses in 2015. And as demand for Kaleos product has grown, the privately held firm has raised its twin-pack price to $4,500, from $690 in 2014. Todays Fear & Greed Index: 49 Neutral (previous close: 52, Neutral) [CNN]. One week ago: 58 (Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Feb 1 at 11:27am. That fluttery feeling Gaia Depressed Groundhog Sees Shadow Of Rodent He Once Was [The Onion]. Big Brother Is Watching You Watch When Electronic Witnesses Are Everywhere, No Secrets Safe [Singularlity Hub]. I think Amazon is great, and we have no reason to doubt them. That said, they say Echo is only recording when you say the word Alexa, but that means that it has to be constantly listening for the word Alexa. For people who believe in privacy and dont want to have all of their conversations recorded, they believe Amazon that that is actually the case. But how many people have actually examined the code? The code hasnt been put out there for vetting by a third party, so we dont actually know what is going on. Class Warfare For-Profit Colleges: Rough Times Ahead for Working-Class Students [Working Class Perspectives]. It appears that for-profit higher education programs will flourish again under the Trump administration, likely to the detriment of working-class students and taxpayers. The sharing economy in Mexico: Aplis business model is relatively straightforward. Job seekers register with the app. When businesses mostly restaurants in gentrifying areas looking to reduce their costs and minimize their social and labor obligations request a temp worker, the app offers the shift to one of its registered partners. When the partner agrees, her service provision contract begins. The contract, as the Apli receptionist reminded us, grants no labor rights or social security, only the payment of wages [Jacobin]. Life Is Hell for Tenants of Giant D.C. Slumlord Sanford Capital [Washington City Paper]. Sanford Capital has been buying apartment complexes that are home to the citys working poor for more than a decade. In extensive reporting on the companys practices, City Paper found that Sanford employs a systematic strategy for allowing buildings to become so squalid that residents are forced to leave. The company also files for evictions in bulk. Well always have Paris If we have sans culottes. Eh? News of the Wired Spam Accounts for Two-Thirds of Total Email Volume [MarketWatch]. Cisco attributes the rise in spam primarily to the rise of large spam-sending botnets, and that between 8% and 10% of global spam could be categorized as malicious.' The wisdom of the crowd is a simple approach that can be surprisingly effective at finding the correct answer to certain problems [Ars Technica]. This process has some pretty obvious limits, but a team of researchers at MIT and Princeton published a paper in Nature this week suggesting a way to make it more reliable: look for an answer that comes up more often than people think it will, and its likely to be correct. Im trying to think of a contemporary example Physics: The wave catchers [Nature]. In an age of strongman politicians and outright despotism, this impassioned call for a beacon of values is more important than ever. We desperately need science to rescue democracy from greed, [sociologist of science Harry Collins] writes. We need that even more than we need gravitational wave astronomy.' The psychological benefits of giving up on cleaning and embracing the mess [Quartz]. Filers vs. pilers. I am most definitely a piler. If you keep everything in one pile, you never lose anything. You just rotate the stack til what you want comes to the top. News you can use: PUBLIC RELATIONS is an anagram of crap built on lies. Haggard Hawks Words (@HaggardHawks) January 31, 2017 * * * Readers, feel free to contact me with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, and (c) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. And heres todays plant (JM): Readers, Water Cooler is a standalone entity, not supported by the very successful Naked Capitalism fundraiser just past. Now, I understand you may feel tapped out, but when and if you are able, please use the dropdown to choose your contribution, and then click the hat! Your tip will be welcome today, and indeed any day. Water Cooler will not exist without your continued help. Yves here. I strongly urge you to read this post in connection with an important Ian Welsh that Lambert flagged earlier: Lessons for The Resistance from the Bush Resistance By Gaius Publius, a professional writer living on the West Coast of the United States and frequent contributor to DownWithTyranny, digby, Truthout, and Naked Capitalism. Follow him on Twitter @Gaius_Publius, Tumblr and Facebook. GP article archive here. Originally published at DownWithTyranny Nothing in this country will fundamentally change until we get corporations out of our politics, until we stop allowing legalized bribery, and until we shatter the two-party system that gives us a choice between a corporate Democrat and a fascist minus the little mustache. Jeremy Scahill Corporate Democrats are all for unity, so long as theyre in charge. Yours truly As of this writing, 13 Democratic senators plus Angus King including Clinton VP pick Tim Kaine, Amy Klobuchar, Sheldon Whitehouse, Brian Schatz and Jean Shaheen have voted for all five Trump cabinet nominees. Source: Judd Legum, ThinkProgress One of the side effects (or the main effect if youre cynically minded) of the constant and appropriate indictment of Donald Trumps policies is the rapid disappearing of those Democratic party actions that set the table for all Trump plans to do. This has two serious consequences. First, it puts neo-liberal, pro-corporate, pro-austerity Democrats first in line if Trump falls from grace and loses the consent of the governed. Which means competing progressive candidates would be mainly out of luck, and if Democrats won, we would likely get back a fiscally responsible Democrat who may want, for example, to trim Social Security, as Obama tried several times to do, instead of slash it, as Paul Ryan wants to do. Or, on the climate front, we would get back a responsible (fossil fuel-financed) Democrat who will offer to trim emissions by, say, 30% over 50 years, when cuts of 50% over 10 years is the absolute slowest we should be going if the president truly wants to keep us safe. Putting austerity-loving Democrats first in line, though, wouldnt make them any more popular than they were the last time, when they lost a presidential squeaker that should have been blowout. And it puts them no closer to control of the House or Senate than they are right now, given their propensity to put up lackluster corporate candidates and kick real progressives to the electoral curb. In other words, putting corporate Democrats first in line to replace Trump is no solution at all from a real progressive standpoint unless, of course, one is fully on board with a promise of incrementalism in a time that still demands rapid change. The other consequence of disappearing Democratic Party policies that handed Trump the power he now has, means mainstream Democrats will escape all responsibility for having prepared the table at which Trump now feasts. Which means progressives, if they provide ground cover for those policies in order to protect their fellow resistance fighters, will never be able to credibly call them out later. Either way, were back to where we started under Obama, with a choice between whats really bad on most economic and climate issues (unless you count his recent climate legacy push) versus completely and whats totally terrible on all issues. Were back, in other words, to sitting on the same powder keg (economic devastation) that both the Sanders and Trump campaigns offered to address, with no one on our side actually addressing it, and the next change candidate only pretending to. Thats no way to run a country if you want to make sure that powder keg never ignites. Two Coups, Two Counter-Coups Earlier I wrote that there are multiple coups going on, including an obvious one made invisible by the media and cheered by the Democratic Party (see Whos Blackmailing the President?). There are also at least two counter-coups, one hidden and big-footed by the other (for a hint, see The Sanders Conundrum). The two coups, of course, are Trumps constitutional coup (more on that later, including some definitions and examples) and the Deep State coup the pushback by the sidelined intelligence agencies that, in the view of many, could well involve blackmail against the president and his cabinet officers. The counter-coup thats hidden is the progressive effort to put Sanders-style policies ahead of mainstream, pro-corporate Democratic policies. Whats hiding it as discussed above is the fact that the entire Party ecosystem, including the media and the Rolodexed pundit class, is merging the resistance from progressives into the resistance (if one could call it that) from the mainstream Democratic party, and calling both efforts as the same thing. Big-Footing the Progressives I think, unfortunately, progressives are letting themselves be big-footed in this way. The mainstream-led portion of Democratic Party was knocked to the ground in November. If progressives make it their job to pick them up and pretend were all somehow in the same fight against Trump, well just have to fight these Democrats later anyway, and from a far weaker position than if we take them on now. Corporate Democrats are all for party unity, so long as theyre in charge. Challenge that unity and theyll rip our throats out. Will that challenge be now, when theyre weaker, or later, when theyve been made stronger with our help? Ill say that more prescriptively. Progressives should be leading in the fight against Trump, not taking a back seat to the Chuck Schumers, Dianne Feinsteins, and yes, Amy Klobuchars of the world. Believe me, the Chuck Schumers of the world, today, are being very careful to make sure that people like Sanders and Warren stay in their place that they say nothing to discredit corporate Democrats as they attack the Trump regime. Yet mainstream Democrats have much to be discredited about. Progressives should at least be pointing that out, calling out Dems who do things like enabling the Mike Pompeos and the Rex Tillersons, loudly, clearly and constantly. They should make the public see the difference in the two resistances the weak one that still serves money, and the strong one that serves the people themselves. After all, if progressives dont take the progressive case to the people, who will? Democrats Who Set the Table for Trump The other way to do it, to make sure that people see the difference between the progressive alternative to Trump and the pretend-progressive alternative, is to make sure mainstream Democrats get tagged as Trump table-setters, as the people who made possible and normal all Trump and his band will do. Below are just a few of the ways mainstream Democrats cooked the meal that Trump is about to devour. Ill give just a taste of each article and leave you to explore the rest at your leisure. Obama Opens NSAs Vast Trove of Warrantless Data to Entire Intelligence Community, Just in Time for Trump Lets start with domestic surveillance, the ability of the intelligence and police communities to both spy on citizens and to widely share data that other spy agencies collect. That last capability the wide sharing of data acquired by domestic spying was one of Obamas last acts. The Intercept: Obama Opens NSAs Vast Trove of Warrantless Data to Entire Intelligence Community, Just in Time for Trump With only days until Donald Trump takes office, the Obama administration on Thursday announced new rules that will let the NSA share vast amounts of private data gathered without warrant, court orders or congressional authorization with 16 other agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security. The new rules allow employees doing intelligence work for those agencies to sift through raw data collected under a broad, Reagan-era executive order that gives the NSA virtually unlimited authority to intercept communications abroad. Previously, NSA analysts would filter out information they deemed irrelevant and mask the names of innocent Americans before passing it along. The change was in the works long before there was any expectation that someone like Trump might become president. The last-minute adoption of the procedures is one of many examples of the Obama administration making new executive powers established by the Bush administration permanent, on the assumption that the executive branch could be trusted to police itself. Dont like all the spying Trump will do, and all the ways he will use the information? Thank President Obama for helping make this possible. Bush II may have given the spy agencies a huge boost, but Obama normalized that boost and gave it added propulsion of his own. Murder by President I hope youre aware that the power to kill U.S. citizens without due process is a power bequeathed to Trump by Barack Obama. From Jeremy Scahill: One of the most shameful legacies that President Obama leaves this country is that he used his legitimacy in the eyes of so many liberals to try to normalize assassination as a central component of US foreign policy. Assassination has been a central component of US foreign policy since the first native people were massacred in this country. But Mr. Obama Mr. Nobel Peace Prize-winning, constitutional law scholar has created a large state of legitimacy for Donald Trump to come in and say, Im allowed to assassinate American citizens who havent been charged with a crime, even if theyre not posing an imminent threat to the lives of any Americans, and even if theyre not on a declared battlefield; that drone warfare should be expanded, not limited; that the president does not need to have any effective legal oversight to a secret process of putting people on a kill list, and then run those names all the way through his chain of command, and then signing death warrants. This amounts to the President of the United States serving as an emperor, where he is the prosecutor, the judge, the jury, and ultimately the executioner by proxy of drones that will then be used to strike and kill people across the globe. We dont even know how many people theyve killed through this assassination program that President Obama has expanded since the era of George W. Bush. And theyre still doing it, those Democrats. Democratic senators overwhelmingly approved this man: General James Mattis said its fun to shoot some people. And if you actually read the quote, those some people he was talking about, were men in Afghanistan whose identities he didnt know, whose backgrounds he didnt know. But he said it was fun to shoot them because they probably beat their wives. I dont believe anyone should lay a hand on their spouse at all, but since when is it US military policy to extrajudicially execute people based on the presumption that they may be beating their spouse? This is the guy that theyve put in charge of the entire US military. Its fun to shoot some people. Militarized cops might agree. So might Donald Trump. How do you think Trump, Bannon, Lynch and Sessions will use this assassination power? Eagerly, I would think. Obama and the Financial Crisis That Brought Trump to Power Just one more example of many I could dredge up. Barack Obama in particular, and the leadership of the Democratic Party in general, are responsible for the disastrous aftermath of the financial crisis that helped bring Trump and his wrecking ball cabinet to power. Matt Stoller, writing at the Washington Post: Obama cant place the blame for Clintons poor performance purely on her campaign. On the contrary, the past eight years of policymaking have damaged Democrats at all levels. Recovering Democratic strength will require the partys leaders to come to terms with what it has become and the role Obama played in bringing it to this point. Two key elements characterized the kind of domestic political economy the administration pursued: The first was the foreclosure crisis and the subsequent bank bailouts. The resulting policy framework of Tim Geithners Treasury Department was, in effect, a wholesale attack on the American home (the main store of middle-class wealth) in favor of concentrated financial power. The second was the administrations pro-monopoly policies, which crushed the rural areas that in 2016 lost voter turnout and swung to Donald Trump. Obama didnt cause the financial panic, and he is only partially responsible for the bailouts, as most of them were passed before he was elected. But financial collapses, while bad for the country, are opportunities for elected leaders to reorganize our culture. Franklin Roosevelt took a frozen banking system and created the New Deal. Ronald Reagan used the sharp recession of the early 1980s to seriously damage unions. In January 2009, Obama had overwhelming Democratic majorities in Congress, $350 billion of no-strings-attached bailout money and enormous legal latitude. He then asks, What did he [Obama] do to reshape a country on its back? The answers: First, he saved the financial system. Second, Obamas administration let big-bank executives off the hook for their roles in the crisis. Third, Obama enabled and encouraged roughly 9 million foreclosures. Nor did Obama do much about monopolies The result: When Democratic leaders dont protect the people, the people get poorer, they get angry, and more of them die. Should policies like these be the alternative to Trump? Should they be what we return to after Trump has fallen? Should Progressives Let Pro-Corporate Democrats Lead the Resistance? These are the Democrats who are painted by everyone around you as leaders of, and the public face of, #TheResistance. Im afraid what theyre leading instead is their own road back to power, at progressives and the peoples expense. If real progressives, inside and out of the Democratic Party, allow this to occur, it will be a loss for us all. On the one hand, if money-led Democrats try to present themselves as newborn, they may well keep losing anyway, since the ruse may continue to fail to fool an angry public, despite the fact that Republican policies are no better. (Before you say the popular vote will guarantee their return, recall again, the last presidential election should never have been close, and Democrats still control no branches of federal government and fewer and fewer state governments.) On the other hand, if money-led Democrats do succeed in replacing Trump and progressives fail even to attempt to differentiate themselves were back where we started, but worse, with wealth inequality stretched to a continents width; climate crisis, now nearly irreversible, staring us eye to eye; and servants of Big Money still in charge, but this time acting as though theyre the face of the people-loving left and self-branded as such with progressive connivance. And again, theres no guarantee that money-led Democrats will look any more attractive to key voters than they did the last time they failed to take control of government. They could easily lose next time as well, to the first attractive Republican change candidate who promises to be not-Trump. If progressives dont get in front of either of those disasters now continued electoral losses by corporate Democrats that hands power to Republicans, or a Democratic electoral victory that nonetheless still puts money before people progressives are doomed to be trying, yet again, to win the race from behind. Only this time it will have been by choice. Color-coded chemistry tests get a boost (Nanowerk News) With a prestigious early career award grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), one chemist wants to make color-coded testing of diseases easier. Xiaohu Xia, an assistant professor of chemistry at Michigan Technological University, explains peroxidase enzyme-based assays generate distinct colors when they interact with biomarkers. The tests are common and inexpensive, but not exact," Xia says. "Over the past decade, researchers have proposed peroxidase mimics to improve the assays. The nanostructures Xia works with are best seen with a scanning electron microscope (SEM); many of them have distinct forms, which make them helpful for K-12 education. (Image: Michigan Tech, Xiaohu Xia) To make them more effective, Xia will push the catalytic activity of the mimics. He starts with the structure, a core-shell nanostructure. That is, they have a palladium core with a surface coating of another noble metal, which could be platinum, gold or others. Xia compares the nanostructures' careful atomic arrangements to the masonry of a building; he needs to optimize the size, shape and composition of the parts to make a seamless whole. Cary Chabalowski, the chair of the Department of Chemistry, says Xia's precision is essential for nanotech and surface science research. "His work holds great promise for significant breakthroughs in general fields of nanoscience, nanobiomedicine and biomimetic catalysis," he says, adding that the project also introduces "students to the fascinating area of the nanoscale world where quantum-meets-classical behavior and amazing phenomena can be seen." Xia plans to incorporate both undergraduate and high school researchers into his lab and will visit local Upper Peninsula classrooms. He's even willing to go back to kindergarten. NASCAR championship contenders have plenty of ARCA Menards Series experience The Championship 4s are set, and the contenders in each series have plenty of experience and in most cases success within the ARCA Menards Series platform. Health Minister Simon Harris has instructed the HSE to come up with a plan to ensure more services are delivered at Our Ladys Hospital,Cashel which has seen a 23m investment in recent years. He told the Dail that a plan was under discussion that the developments envisaged for Our Ladys Hospital in Cashel would support the acute hospital in south Tipperary in addition to developments that should take place in Clonmel. There needs to be a plan to do much more at the site insisted Minister Harris in response to questions from Deputy Alan Kelly. This is why I instructed the HSE to come up with one. While South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel is under significant pressure on an almost ongoing basis, we have this fine facility in Cashel. On spare capacity within the building, and acknowledging what is going on within it, CHO5 in conjunction with the acute hospital south west group has now developed a vision for the future of service provision in an integrated way which would be based in Our Lady's Cashel campus and, in particular, the old building. This proposal would see the use of areas for the purposes of day hospital assessment services, extended diagnostics and outreach rehabilitation services, which would work in conjunction with both community services and hospitals, provide alternative pathways, particularly for older people, and respond to the current emergency department pressures. This is where we need to get to. The proposal is still being discussed through the ongoing winter initiative weekly meetings that I chair said Minister Harris. Deputy Kelly reminded Minister Harris of the visit he made to the phantom hospital in Cashel. By any standard, it was bizarre, and I think the Minister acknowledged that fact. The hospital being visited by the Minister for Health did not have a single patient. A huge amount of funding has been put into the hospital and that spend will come before the Committee of Public Accounts, of which I am Vice Chairman, in the coming months. However, the real issue is that we have an empty state-of-the-art hospital said Deputy Kelly. Former Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has been nominated for the 2017 Tipperary Peace Award. Last year's winner was American Secretary of State John Kerry. Mr McGuiness resigned from the Northern Ireland Executive last month and later announced that he wouldn't be seeking re-election to the Assembly due to ill health. A former Provisional IRA leader, Martin McGuinness was MP for Mid Ulster from 1997 until his resignation in 2013. Following the St Andrews Agreement and the Assembly election in 2007, he became Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland with the DUP leader Ian Paisley becoming First Minister. On 5th June 2008 he was re-appointed as Deputy First Minister to serve alongside Peter Robinson, who succeeded Paisley as First Minister. He resigned as Deputy First Minister on 9th January in a protest over the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal and announced on 19th January that he would not be standing for re-election to the Northern Ireland Assembly due to ill health. He was Sinn Fein's unsuccessful candidate for President of Ireland in 2011. The other nominees for the Tipperary Peace Award are - Amal Clooney Amal Clooney, nee Alamuddin, is a Lebanese-British lawyer, activist and author. She is a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, specialising in international law and human rights. She has been part of several United Nations commissions and tribunals. Her clients include Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, in his fight against extradition. She has also represented the former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko, and Egyptian-Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy. She is married to the American actor George Clooney. Fr. Patrick Devine Roscommon-born and Kenyan-based, Fr. Patrick Devine, is a member of the Society of African Missions with 25 years experience of helping to mitigate conflict and poverty in Africa. In 2009, he set up the Shalom Centre for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (SCCRR) in Nairobi that has had remarkable success under his leadership in replacing conflict and violence with peace and co-operation in renowned conflict areas. Amnesty Ireland (International) Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who take injustice personally. They campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. In Ireland, their 18,000 members, campaign on issues like reproductive rights, ending torture and protecting migrant & refugee rights, among others. They are currently actively campaigning for the release of Irish born Ibrahim Halawa, who is imprisoned for over 3 years in Egypt and have declared him to be a Prisoner of Conscience. Syrian White Helmets When the bombs rain down, the Syrian Civil Defence rushes in. In a place where public services no longer function, these unarmed volunteers risk their lives to help anyone in need - regardless of their religion or politics. Known as the White Helmets these volunteer rescue workers operate in the most dangerous place on earth. More than 50 bombs and mortars a day land on some neighbourhoods in Syria. When this happens, the White Helmets rush in to search for life in the rubble - fully aware that more bombs may fall on the same site. These volunteers have saved 78,529 lives, and this number is growing. Lady Rabab al Sadr Rabab al-Sadr is a Lebanese social and human rights activist and philanthropist. She adopted and promoted the social vision of her brother, Imam Musa al-Sadr, who encouraged her to join the Imam al-Sadr Foundation in Lebanon around 1960 and devote herself to social work and humanitarian aid. Al-Sadr oversees the girls' section of the foundation, providing much-needed economic assistance and social guidance to orphaned and dependent girls, regardless of their religious background. Al-Sadr strongly believes in the central role of education for women as a means for social change and personal growth. The award recipient will be announced in the coming weeks and will be presented with the International Peace Award in Tipperary on a date to be confirmed in 2017. Previous recipients of the Tipperary International Peace Award include; Former South African President the late Nelson Mandela, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, The late Senator Gordon Wilson from Enniskillen, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former President of Ireland, Professor Mary McAleese and her husband Senator Martin McAleese, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, who later went on to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Richard Haass, Former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon and and last year's recipient Former US Secretary of State, John Kerry. The junior debating team from St. Annes Secondary School are the talk of Tipperary Town following their win at the recent regional final of Comortas an Phiarsaigh, the annual competition organised by Gael Linn for second-level schools nationwide. The event took place in the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, on Tuesday 31 January last. The St. Annes students proved their points on the motion, Ta an iomarca beime ar acadulacht i meanscoileanna na hEireann! (Too much emphasis is placed on academic ability in Irelands secondary schools!), in a closely fought debate with teams from Pobalscoil Eoin Baiste, Hospital, Colaiste Mhuire, Crosshaven, and Colaiste an Chroi Naofa, Carrignavar. The young Tipp orators can be proud in the knowledge that they have qualified, from over 150 schools who entered the competition at the beginning of the school year, for the All-Ireland final in mid-March. As it happens, they will be in contention with the Ursuline Secondary School in Thurles at the event. Teachers Maria Hayes and Niamh Ni Riain, who have guided the team to victory in their various heats since November last, are proud of their students marvellous achievement the first time the school has reached the All-Ireland final in this competition. Later on that evening, the senior team from Laurel Hill Secondary School, Limerick, greatly impressed the adjudicators with their well thought out and passionate speeches on the topic Annus Horribilis a bhi sa bhliain 2016! (2016 was an Annus Horribilis! ) and were declared winners also. Their opposition included teams from Colaiste Ide agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale, Presentation College, Cork, and locals St. Marys Secondary School, Mallow. Congratulating the winners, Jamie O Tuama, Gael Linn, thanked the teachers for their help and dedication in preparing the teams. Gael Linn has always believed that pupils should acquire good levels of competence in spoken Irish, and the level of entry in the competition, combined with excellent performances from the participants, bear testimony to an increased emphasis in schools on developing students communicative skills, he added. A federal appeals court ruling has opened the door for litigants to challenge a 2012 decision by the U.S. government to sweep all of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's profits into the coffers of the Treasury Department. This weeks ruling will allow mutual fund manager Fairholme Funds and shareholders represented by Investors Unite to review 48 previously secret government documents related to the profit sweep decision. The ruling could also give the investors in Fannie and Freddie legal leverage to force the Treasury Department and Federal Housing Finance Agency to release additional documents. The group is seeking more than 10,000 sealed documents. "GSE shareholders secured a notable procedural victory in Fairholme v. U.S.," said Isaac Boltansky, a Washington policy analyst at Compass Point Research and Trading. "We believe that this decision should be viewed positively for shareholders and our sense remains that the odds of a GSE shareholder settlement have increased since the election." Bose George, a managing director at Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, agreed. "It is clearly a win for plaintiffs," he said. "Now we have to see the documents." The next question involves the mechanism for reviewing the documents and the timeline for their release. He expects the information gleamed from the documents "will reflect poorly on the government's motives." The investors praised the decision. "It is clear from the Court of Appeals' unanimous ruling that the vast bulk of the 11,000 documents withheld by the government will now have to be disclosed to the plaintiffs and the courts, and we are confident that these documents will further discredit the governments defense narrative," said Charles Cooper, a partner at the Cooper & Kirk, who argued the case before the appeals court. A Treasury spokesperson declined to comment. Fannie and Freddie were placed into conservatorship in 2008 due to rising losses and to maintain a functioning secondary mortgage market. The two government-sponsored enterprises began becoming profitable again a few years later, spurring the Treasury Department to seize their profits in August 2012. The move riled GSE shareholders who view the profit sweep as an illegal "taking" of property. But their efforts to pursue their claims have been rebuffed by several U.S. district courts. From 2008 to through 2012, Freddie took $71.3 billion in draws from the U.S. Treasury to stay afloat. From 2008 and through the third quarter of 2016, Freddie has remitted $101.4 billion in profits to Treasury. Fannie followed a similar course, tapping Treasury for $116.1 billion in cumulative draws from 2008 to 2011 and paying back $151.4 billion to Treasury. Fannie has not taken a draw from Treasury since 2011 and Freddie has not taken a draw since 2012. These quarterly profit sweeps, which remain ongoing, have allowed FHFA to pursue its plans to downsize Fannie and Freddie. It also relieved the two GSEs of paying a 10% dividend to Treasury under a prior conservatorship agreement. Monday's decision by the Federal Court of Appeals only orders government attorneys to release 48 of 56 documents requested by the investors' attorneys. But the litigants see it as a major victory as they return to the U.S. Claims Court to pursue their case. Meanwhile, the change in administrations might affect Treasury's approach to the shareholders litigation. Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin had invested in a hedge fund that holds GSE stock and stands to benefit from any government settlement. Mnuchin said he has divested his interest in that fund. "I have tremendous expertise on the entities," he said at his confirmation hearing. "As it relates to the legal case of various holders of securities. I haven't studied that at all." Still, observers said the change in administrations undoubtedly helps GSE investors. Obama administration appointees were going to do "everything they could to stonewall the shareholders and drag this out in the courts," said Ed Mills, a Washington policy analyst at FBR Capital Markets. "I don't know exactly what Treasury is going to do. But they are not going to stonewall the shareholders or fight this as vigorously as the Obama administration Treasury Department did." Meanwhile, attorneys for the GSE investors have been interviewing government and GSE persons involved in the profit sweep arrangement. As more documents are released, the attorneys are hoping to bolster their case that the government knew Fannie and Freddie would be profitable and sought to improperly redirect those funds to the government. They deposed Susan McFarland, Fannie's chief financial officer at the time of the profit sweep, who told government officials that Fannies financial outlook was getting better and "we would be able to deliver sustainable profits over time." If that improvement continued, the former CFO estimated Fannie probably would be able to recognize around $50 billion on deferred tax assets sometime in mid-2013, she said. [A deferred tax asset is an asset on a company's balance sheet that may be used to reduce any subsequent period's income tax expense.] When the profit sweep was announced, "it was probably a desire not to allow capital to build up within the enterprises and not to allow the enterprises to recapitalize themselves," McFarland said, according to the deposition. Railway tracks junction Gudellaphoto - Fotolia Ginnie Mae played a crucial role in stabilizing the housing industry between 2008 and 2012, yet the organization continues to be understaffed and underfunded, at a disservice to the American people. Ginnie Mae's role in the housing industry and, in fact, in the American economy is far too important to allow it to deteriorate for the sole purpose of political gamesmanship. Politics has no place at the table when it comes to supporting affordable housing for the American public. Prior to 2008, Freddie and Fannie answered only to their stockholders. After the subprime meltdown of 2007-2008, the GSEs entered conservatorship under the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The debate still rages as to if and when that conservatorship should end. Ginnie Mae, on the other hand, answers directly to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It falls under HUD's budgetary scrutiny and restraint, even though it is a wholly owned corporation of the federal government. As a result, Ginnie Mae is consistently underfunded and underrepresented at the proverbial table when it seeks the resources necessary to carry out its mission of making affordable housing available to several groups of Americans who need that assistance. I respectfully call upon all interested parties to raise their voices in support of an independently structured Ginnie Mae. And I call upon the new administration and Congress to release Ginnie from the budget and supervisory constraints imposed by HUD oversight. It is time to separate Ginnie Mae from HUD. It is time for the federal government to recognize its importance to the housing industry and provide access to adequate funding. Ginnie Mae has some key similarities to the government-sponsored enterprises, and some critical differences. All three organizations provide much-needed liquidity to the housing markets but unlike Ginnie, Freddie and Fannie are far riskier. This is because the GSEs are responsible for credit risk, whereas Ginnie provides catastrophic insurance against only principal and interest risk to the bond buyers. Thus, Ginnie provides a much-needed cash injection, as well as stability, to a sector of the home buying market that needs it the most, namely, first time home buyers through the Veterans Affairs and Federal Housing Administration programs. While traditional mortgage applications crashed and foreclosures reached historical highs, Ginnie Mae worked to provide historic levels of liquidity to a market impacted by the conservatorship of the GSEs. Ginnie Mae increased its liquidity capabilities through its outreach to global markets. In time, investors came to favor Ginnie Mae-issued securities in large part because of an explicit government guarantee protecting those securities (in contrast to the implicit guaranty accompanying a GSE security). Today, Ginnie Mae backs two-in-five American home loans, making it larger than Freddie Mac. In 2015, the agency returned $2.2 billion to American taxpayers. And yet, according to a recent study by an outside auditor, Ginnie Mae is understaffed and underfunded. The report notes that the agency is home to a staff of 130, and supplemented by well over 500 outsourced contractors. Nevertheless, Ginnie continues to successfully make credit available in an otherwise tight marketplace. Ginnie's repeated pleas for a more adequate budget and more resources have been consistently and repeatedly denied by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Why? The risks of continuing down this path are much larger than many realize. Investors are now becoming concerned with Ginnie's lack of resources to effectively monitor and oversee its $1.7 trillion portfolio. If not properly addressed, we could eventually experience a loss of confidence from both the domestic and global secondary markets. Any failure, or even downsizing, of Ginnie Mae could have a dramatic impact on the market, including a loss of liquidity available to support some of the most vulnerable homebuying markets, such as FHA and VA borrowers. The housing and real estate industry, one of the primary drivers for the entire U.S. economy, is being restrained in its recovery by public policy. But almost nobody is speaking up about it. Although Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, both government-sponsored enterprises, are now household names for their roles in securitizing mortgages, fewer people know and understand the role of Government National Mortgage Association. They should. I call upon the largest advocates in the mortgage industry, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors and any associations concerned with the availability of credit to less-privileged Americans, to speak up on the matter. If these institutions are serious about affordable housing, they cannot deny that Ginnie Mae represents the best means to that end. Joseph Murin is a former President of Ginnie Mae. (As delivered) President Ivanic, Thank you so much for welcoming me and my delegation here today and its great to be back in Sarajevo, and to see this beautiful city and to see the snow that we have in the city and on the mountains. For almost two decades NATO has helped guarantee the stability of this region. And we really highly value our partnership with Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is important for Bosnia and its important for NATO. Because our partnership is a two way street. We help you to implement reforms and you help us in creating stability in the Balkans and you contribute to our shared security in many different ways. I would like to thank you for Bosnia and Herzegovinas contributions to different NATO activities and operations and missions, especially in Afghanistan. I have met Bosnian soldiers who have served in Afghanistan and you have been there for many years and we are grateful for your contribution to fighting international terrorism through your presence in Afghanistan. We also appreciate your donation of ammunition to Iraq, helping to fight ISIL. So these are just two examples of how you contribute to our shared security. Your forces are making a difference. And your contributions show that you are prepared to share responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security. Bosnia and Herzegovina are a candidate for membership in NATO. And you have the necessary tools to move towards the Alliance. Today we discussed the reform process in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the way ahead. NATO stands ready to activate your Membership Action Plan, once all immovable defence properties have been registered to the state. We welcome the reforms that you are making in the defence and security sector. The defence review agreed last year was an important step forward, as is the implementation plan you agreed yesterday. And I welcome both the defence review but also the fact that now you have agreed on the implementation plan, how to implement all the defence measures in the defence review. And I really welcome this progress and your strong commitment. But I call on you to do even more. And to undertake even more courageous reforms. Now is the time for all leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to make difficult compromises. And to work together for the benefit of all communities and all citizens in this country. Your efforts will be worth it. They will pave the way for your full membership in our Euro-Atlantic family. With hard work and continued effort, Bosnia and Herzegovina will move even closer to NATO and to the European Union. So President Ivanic, thank you once again. Its great to be here and to meet with you and the whole Presidency. Thank you. OANA LUNGESCU [NATO Spokesperson]: Questions, first question. Q: Question to Mr. Stoltenberg. I hope someone that someone is translating or he should be given headsets. So, so there are some information recently that leaked from a meeting in NATO that NATO has troops ready that would intervene in case of political or other unrests in Bosnia Herzegovina. Is this true, is this your intent or is that fake news? The question to Mr. Ivanic, you said there is a consensus when it comes to MAP? Is there a consensus when it comes to full fledge membership in NATO? JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): Bosnia Herzegovina is a partner of NATO. We are working together with Bosnia Herzegovina. We are here by invitation, we have a NATO headquarters here because Bosnia Herzegovina has asked us to be here and we are working with Bosnia Herzegovina to help them implement reforms and we have no intention, no plans at all to deploy any combat troops or anything like that in Bosnia Herzegovina. Thats no on our agenda. Our agenda is to support Bosnia Herzegovina, implement reforms they have decided themselves they want to implement. So for instance the defense review which was decided by the Presidency in November and they have now decided the implementation plan well we will sit down together with Bosnia Herzegovina and look into how can we help them with the implementing the review they have decided. So we are here to support, to help a sovereign State and totally of course with respect to their sovereignty and the territorial integrity of this country. We have no other plans. And let me add one more thing and that is that NATO has never forced any country to join the Alliance. Its up to Bosnia Herzegovina to decide whether Bosnia Herzegovina wants to become a member of the Alliance, its not for me, its not for Brussels, its not for any NATO member to decide whether they would like to become a member or not; its for Bosnia to decide. But if they decide that they would like to move towards NATO well then we will work with them on how to move on that path but of course only based on the wish from the sovereign government of Bosnia Herzegovina. MLADEN IVANIC (Chairman of Tri-Presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina): [Interpreted]: You know that when it comes to full fledge membership there is no full agreement but there is full agreement when it comes to MAP, so as I said I believe that its too soon this question of full fledge membership because those generations of politicians will not decide on full fledge membership so let us focus, let us make step forward to modernize our armed forces because we need that to develop good relationship with NATO because we have that cooperation to give our contribution to PSOs throughout the world because we can do that. And when conditions are met then someone else a different time will decide on that. To ask now on full fledge membership and without even activating a MAP is too soon and I would also add that its just a cause for political dispute. So, let us stick to this what we agree and that is that we will modernize our forces, that we will activate the membership action plan, and to be able to continue modernization and equipping of our armed forces continue to cooperate with a powerful Alliance which has its global role in the world. OANA LUNGESCU: Second question. Q: Question to Mr. Stoltenberg, could you assess the security situation in Bosnia Herzegovina in terms of potential risks of potential unrest or potential new conflict. There are medias who are reporting it here internationally given the context of the whole region, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia since we know that those countries are arming Serbian Croatian modernizing their armed forces. Questions to Mr. Ivanic, since the defense review has been adopted when is Bosnia Herzegovina going to modernize its armed forces, when are they going to buy new piece of equipment? JENS STOLTENBERG: NATO has been in this region for two decades to help to stabilize the region and to help to end the wars and to keep the peace and thats the reason why we continue to stay here. And NATO and all NATO allies are NATO is a defensive alliance and and we will do whatever we can to try to keep tensions down to avoid any escalation of tensions and thats the message from the Alliance and thats also the message I convey to all the countries and all the actors in this region. The best way of avoiding new conflicts, new tensions is of course to continue to strengthen the security institutions of Bosnia Herzegovina, continue to implement reforms and to continue to work with NATO on strengthening the partnership between NATO and Bosnia Herzegovina. So we are here, NATO allies are working with Bosnia Herzegovina to keep tensions low to avoid any conflicts and escalation. MLADEN IVANIC: [Interpreted]: If I just may add a comment to this question, instability may happen only because of us and we are the only ones who can provide true stability. NATO can support us but stability depends on us and not on NATO. NATO can support us with that but certainly cannot impose stability on its own if the domestic political forces do not want that, so political responsibility is with us. Weve adopted the modernization plan and the basic concept is that there are different phases. So in the first phase is to equip individually our soldiers with quality equipment, protective equipment so that they can meet standards, individual standards be it a soldier, be it an officer, those deployed to missions that they have appropriate equipment and that is not that much expensive because weve concentrated on soldiers, on those who put their lives at risk particularly when they deploy to peace-support operations. And to prepare the armed forces of Bosnia Herzegovina when it comes to their support of civil authorities in case of natural or other disasters and this is what we are grateful for to NATO because this will be actually the topic of the exercise that will take place in Tosla (sic). The real other equipment will come at different phases and the concept is through global financial planning to bring the defense expenditures to 2 percent GDP which is also one of the long term. OANA LUNGESCU: Third and last question. Q: Question to both of you. First a question to the Secretary General, are you concerned about Russian influence in the Balkans? For example do you see Russian influence in the Montenegro coup attempt and is there anything beyond the sort of advice youre giving that can, how NATO can help stabilize the situation in Bosnia? And to the Chairman, have you seen any evidence that the new American Administration, the Trump Administration will change American policy to the Balkans? Are, do you foresee at all reduced American influence and a greater Russian influence in this region? JENS STOLTENBERG: We have seen several reports about increased Russian influence and presence in the Western Balkans and weve also seen the reports about both from Montenegro but also from Serbia about Russian intervention in the political process in Montenegro before the elections there last year. And of course this is something we are following very closely. We work with partners to improve and strengthen their intelligence services and we work of course with also all the NATO allies in the region including with Montenegro soon to be a member on strengthening their defense institutions and also their intelligence services. The best way to increase resilience against any kind of external influence or intervention is to make sure that the democratic institutions in the different countries in the Western Balkans are strong, fight corruption, modernize, implement reforms thats the best way to make sure that the institutions are strong and that they are able to resist any kind of attempts to intervene or to influence democratic processes in the different countries in the Western Balkans. So for me this is just another argument for continuing to work with the different partners in this region to strengthen their different democratic institutions including reforming their armed forces. MLADEN IVANIC: [Interpreted]: Ive been for quite some time in politics in Bosnia Herzegovina and I know what implications are or what implications were during the Bush Administration, during the Obama Administration and we were not a big topic for any of those administration and I dont expect to be a major topic of the current President Mr. Trump. I believe that key political individuals in his Administration will not deal with us. We will probably be the topic of bureaucrats in the State Department which is not bad unless we make such a big problem that we become interesting to major politicians which is certainly which will certainly not be good for us. Internationally speaking those who have the biggest role in Bosnia Herzegovina will be Brussels because we committed clearly that we want to go towards the E.U. and it is natural that conditions, standards and political legislation influence will go through Brussels. I believe that the influence of the U.S. and I would add to Russia too will be brought down to the level of the Peace Implementation Council and that is their obligation as long as we have the high rep here. So in short I dont expect any spectacular changes of the new U.S. Administration when it comes to Bosnia Herzegovina. Q: Same question for both. What do you do to fight ISIS because there are many thousands, hundreds maybe of young men that go to fight to Syria from this region so there is a strong phenomenon of radicalization and then they come back and they are very close to Italy and they want to hit Europe so how can you stop it and what NATO can do for this? MLADEN IVANIC: [Interpreted]: We are watching closely everything thats been going on in relation to people from Bosnia Herzegovina who have gone to those zones, those areas. In a certain period of time we had a spike in the number of people who went there but in the meantime we adopted a piece of legislation that actually prohibited that and it even stipulates prison sentences for people who do that. So the number of people who go there has been slashed significantly but realistically speaking people who went to Syria and then came back of course are a potential danger. Whoever kept a blind eye to that fact would be very naive in political and every other way. Our security agencies are keeping a close eye on that phenomenon on the situation and I am convinced that the situation is being intensively monitored. However, the struggle against any form of extremism regardless of where it comes from is the key obligation of politicians, religious leaders of the people from where that from which that problem comes from. So when you criticize someone too much it could be counter-productive sometimes in Bosnia Herzegovina and thats why Im so encouraged by the moves and the actions made by the religious, intellectual and political circles of Bosniacs in Bosnia Herzegovina for distancing themselves from extremism, from distancing themselves from that abuse and Bosnia Herzegovina as a whole continues to support all efforts in the fight against ISIS. JENS STOLTENBERG: NATO works very closely with the international coalition countering ISIL with other member States in this region and with partners in the region to address the challenges posed to us by the many foreign fighters we have seen going to Iraq, Syria both from this region but also from other European countries. So, one element in our efforts to fight terrorism together with the Counter ISIL Coalition and together with other international institutions and partners in Europe is to address the issue of foreign fighters. And I welcome the reports that the Chairman just referred to that the numbers are going down and it is important to be aware of that some of them are now returning and this of course is something which creates concern and we have to follow that very closely. Thats also the reason why NATO allies have strengthened their intelligence and also the way we are sharing intelligence between NATO allies and we have just established a new division in NATO which is solely dedicated to intelligence because we understand we see that we will need more intelligence and better intelligence to address not least the threats and the challenges which are stemming from foreign fighters. I would also like to underline the importance that religious leaders are so clear in condemning extremism and trying to fight the ideological message from the extremists and that we all have to stand up defending our open democratic societies because the extremists and the terrorists they actually are attacking the core values that NATO has established to defend open societies, democracy, the rule of law and therefore the fight against foreign fighters and terrorism is part of what NATO is doing in our overall efforts to defend all allies against all kinds of threats. JENS STOLTENBERG: Thank you. (Natural News) Big Dairy is making another effort to suppress non-dairy alternatives, with a new bill before Congress that would order the FDA to punish companies that use terms such as milk, cheese, or yogurt on products not made with cows milk. The bill targets products such as soy milk, almond milk, soy yogurt, and non-dairy cream cheese. The new bill is just the latest salvo in a fight that the dairy industry has been waging for years, ever since sales of dairy started to fall in favor of alternative products. People choose non-dairy alternatives for a variety of reasons, including food allergies, ethical reasons, or a belief that alternative products will be better for their health than milk. Congress blatantly shilling for dairy industry The new bill, called the Dairy Pride Act and introduced into Congress on January 12, would obligate the FDA to take action against companies that use dairy terms on the labels of non-dairy products. The agency would also have to report back to Congress in two years on its progress. Dairy Pride simply tells the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, to enforce its current laws, and make sure that imitators arent allowed to pretend theyre milk, said Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat. (RELATED: Learn more about food ingredients and food labeling at Ingredients.news) The bill is an undisguised favor for the dairy industry. Weve had issues with the price of our dairy products, said Wisconsin representative Sean Duffy, a Republican. Weve seen little pieces of the market share being taken away by plant-based substances. Through that labeling clarity thats hopefully going to come from the FDA, I think youre going to see a shoring up of the milk market, at least to a small degree, he said. Baldwin agreed that plant-based alternatives really cut into our dairy industry. But in fact, there is no law that prohibits the use of dairy-related terms, including milk, on nondairy alternative products. What does exist are FDA rules defining these products. Thus milk, for example, is the lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows. That doesnt mean, however, that its illegal to sell a product labeled goat milk; it just means you have to include to word goat, since the FDA has defined what you mean if you just call it milk. Nevertheless, the FDA has in the past sent warning letters to producers of soy milk, advising them not to use the word milk. A lawsuit waiting to happen This makes it unclear exactly what the Dairy Pride Act would accomplish, as it simply directs the FDA to enforce a law that doesnt exist. In fact, courts have repeatedly ruled that companies are permitted to use the word milk as part of their product names, as long as the product isnt posing as something it isnt. In December 2015, for example, US district judge Vince Chhabria dismissed charges against Trader Joes for deceiving consumers by selling a product called soymilk. Trader Joes has not, by calling its products soymilk, attempted to pass off those products as the food that the FDA has standardized (that is, milk), Chhabria wrote. He further said that the claims made in the FDAs warning letters have no conceivable merit. Chhabria also dismissed industry claims that use of the word milk misleads consumers into believing that nondairy milks have the same nutritional makeup and benefits of cows milk. A reasonable consumer (indeed, even an unsophisticated consumer) would not assume that two distinct products have the same nutritional content; if the consumer cared about the nutritional content, she would consult the label, he wrote. US district judge Samuel Conti made a similar argument in another case, writing that according to the dairy industrys logic, consumers are at risk of thinking that flourless chocolate cake contains flour or e-books are made out of paper. Because all the court rulings so far have come from lower courts, however, lawsuits over nondairy labeling continue to be filed. The issue is likely to remain unresolved until Congress or the FDA takes more explicit action, or a federal court rules on the question. Stay informed about raw milk and other fresh foods at FRESH.news. Sources for this article include: WSAW.com Writ.News.FindLaw.com FoodNavigator-USA.com Thursday, February 02, 2017 by: Don Wrightman Tags: Facebook , goons , Hawaii , intimidation , mark zuckerberg This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author (Natural News) Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg really ticked many Hawaiian natives off recently, when he decided to launch eight lawsuits against families who had inherited portions of his estates land. Under the Kuleana Act, natives are given the right to own land if one of their family members was the original purchaser. The Act, which was established as Hawaiian law in 1850, makes 14 parcels, or eight acres of Zuckerbergs 700-acre estate, available to natives. (RELATED: Find more Facebook news at Facebook.fetch.news) The lawsuits were launched on December 30, but the law still gives direct family members of a parcels original owner the right to enter Zuckerbergs private compound. Last year, Zuckerberg had a 6-foot high wall constructed along the Koolau Road frontage portion of the property, making it tough for the original owners family members to access the inherited portions of Kuleana land. The wall, erected through the use of quiet title action lawsuits filed by Zuckerberg, has many locals outraged. The lawsuits that have now been filed would compel owners of Kuleana parcels to either sell or surrender their ownership. Zuckerberg has stated that he is reconsidering the matter, however. Based on feedback from the local community, we are reconsidering the quiet title process and discussing how to move forward, he said. We want to make sure we are following a process that protects the interests of property owners, respects the traditions of native Hawaiians, and preserves the environment. Hawaiians march in protest Hundreds of Hawaiians plan to protest along Zuckerbergs six-foot wall every Saturday until the lawsuits are dropped. The protests are being organized by a local farmer named Joe Hart. Hart, who only lives a quarter mile from Zuckerbergs property line, insists the protests will continue because natives believe that Zuckerbergs partners will continue the lawsuits on his behalf. Protesters will be showing up for peaceful marches along the wall while blowing on conch shells and beating their drums. Hart is expecting a protest turnout of at least 200 people, and he hopes it will shed light on the issue. Hes made his money stealing everyones information, which weve let him do, but to come down here and start suing everyone, thats not going to fly down here. Zuckerbergs security staff wont play nice Zuckerbergs neighbors arent too thrilled with the Facebook CEOs security staff, who have been using intimidation tactics to keep the locals away from the public beaches and trails which cut through sections of his property. Hart grew angry when security guards confronted him while he was out for a stroll on the public beach near the property. We were walking along and they tried to say that this was private, said Hart. Ive been walking on this since I was a little kid. Other locals have also reported similar negative encounters with the security staff. Last year, Naoshi Grady called the police and filed a report after security guards escorted him off a public trail. Grady said in an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, They told me I was on private property. They were threatening to take my picture and have me arrested. They were aggressive, rude, and disrespectful. (RELATED: Find out whats being hidden from you at Censored.news) A self-professed public access activist and Kauai resident named Richard Spacer has spoken with many locals about their experiences near the estate. He determined that people were encountering no-trespassing signs along the historic Ala Loa Trail, and that security guards riding all-terrain vehicles have been forcing people away from the property. Sources: BusinessInsider.com BusinessInsider.com Thursday, February 02, 2017 by: News Editors Tags: #freebabyholm , newborn , off grid , social workers This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author (Natural News) HEFLIN, Ala. A couple is charging that social workers took their newborn the day after he was born because of their alternative lifestyle and religious beliefs. (Article by Daniel Jennings from Offthegridnews.com) They said our view was dangerous, Christian Holm said of social workers for the Cleburne County, Ala., Department of Human Resources (DHR). We were just trying to follow the Bible as close as we could and speak for Jesus. Holm and his wife, Danielle, have no house and live off the grid. They gave away their possessions and decided to enjoy life by hiking and camping out. When the two wanted to see the country, they put their car in storage and walked from Alabama to New Hampshire and back. They were camping out at Cheaha State Park in northeastern Alabama in October when Danielle went into labor. She went to the Regional Medical Center in Anniston, Ala., to give birth, and DHR social workers came to her room and started quizzing the couple about their lifestyle and where they lived. The Creators Of Adventures In Odyssey Have A Brand-New Project! Christian said state officials opposed their religious beliefs about mans creation destroying Gods creation and also had concerns that the couple didnt want to give the baby a Social Security number, according to The Anniston Star. Police and social workers took the baby and did not tell the couple where they could find it, The Star reported. They took the baby, said, Hes ours and this is the court date. Be there. Danielle told the newspaper. Two months later the baby still had not been returned and the Holms were still waiting for their day in court. A hearing in the case had been scheduled for Dec. 20, but it was cancelled after Judge Melody Walker recused herself, The Star reported. The Holms have attracted a group of supporters in Anniston who picketed the courthouse after the hearing was cancelled. Supporters have organized under the tagline #freebabyholm. You can see when you talk to them directly that they are very loving and caring people, Jonathan Payton, a friend and supporter of the Holms, told The Star. Thats what really hit home. Christine Holm posted on Facebook Jan. 15 that the couple is getting a single two-hour visit a week with the baby. They say well you can have another ISP and arrange more visits, he wrote. What? Another organized coercion and conversion meeting just to have more visits? This is nothing but psychological control tactics to force submission at the expense of our little baby boy. Where is his so-called attorney to protect his rights? On social media, the public is divided. The Indians did it hundreds of years ago and had plenty more than we do now these days, why couldnt they [also do it?], one woman named Sherry wrote. But others argued that modern society is different. The Indians lived in groups and took care of each other, food and shelter, a man named Vince wrote. The couple needs a plan to take care of this baby, it cant live like they do, it needs special care, shots and meds. Moving from place to place, out in the weather isnt the best for anyone. Read more at: Offthegridnews.com A mako shark tagged by researchers in Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI) just set a world record for traveling half way across the earth in just 600 days. The mako shark named Hell's Bay covered a total of 13,000 miles, the longest track ever documented in the Atlantic Ocean. Hell's Bay was tagged in 2015, with funding by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF). "We've had some of our tagged makos take some pretty interesting tracks over the years, but this one swims above the rest," said Mahmood Shivji, a professor at NSU's Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography and the Director of NSU's GHRI in a statement. "Having Hell's Bay report for as long as he has is fantastic because we're able to really get a detailed look at mako migration behavior over a good amount of time. He was like the Energizer bunny - he kept going and going and going, and luckily did not get captured like many of our other sharks." Daily Mail notes that Hell's Bay was tagged in Ocean City. After which it swam north along the eastern seaboard and went through the Atlantic, across Maryland, Nova Scotia and Bermuda. Mako sharks are known as excellent swimmers. United Press International reported that the shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, has been clocked at speeds of more than 60 miles per hour. Tagging has been a way for scientists to study the behavior of sharks and other marine animals. It is also one way to find a solution on how they can conserve and protect them. "These satellite tags allow us to follow sharks in near-real time," said Greg Jacoski, executive director of the GHOF said. "Understanding where these animals travel and the habitat that they use is the first step to better conserving the species." The mako shark is considered "Vulnerable" in the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. A professor from the University of Texas in Arlington has developed a new hand-held breath monitor capable of detecting the flu virus with just a single exhale. The new device, described in a paper published in the journal Sensors, acts like the breathalyzer used by the police to detect alcohol. The user will just exhale into the device then the semiconductor sensors will search for specific biomarkers associated with the flu virus. "I think that technology like this is going to revolutionize personalized diagnostics," said Perena Gouma, the lead scientist in the Institute for Predictive Performance Measurement at the UTA Research Institute and inventor of the new device, in a press release. "This will allow people to be proactive and catch illnesses early, and the technology can easily be used to detect other diseases, such as Ebola virus disease, simply by changing the sensors." For the new device, Gouma and her team reviewed existing medical literature to determine the quantities of known biomarkers present in a person's breath when afflicted with a particular disease. The researchers used three different sensors capable of detecting biomarkers related with the flu. Unlike other diagnostic tools that use a single biomarker for a single disease, such as nitric oxide for asthma and acetone for diabetes, the new device uses three sensors that detect nitric oxide, ammonia and isoprene. The researchers claim that the combination of the three biomarkers mean that the patient has flu. The new device is believed to detect the flu virus, possible as well as tests done in a doctor's office. The researchers hope that their new hand-held breathalyzers for the flu could make it to the drug store. If the device becomes available to the public, it could help people to diagnose and treat flu in its earliest stages. The device could also prevent flu epidemics from spreading, protecting both individuals as well as the public health. Artificial intelligence is undeniably getting more involved in humans' day-to-day lives. Although helpful, businessman Elon Musk and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking believe that there should be a guideline in the use of AI to avoid chaos in the future. Both are in favor of the proliferation and development of AI but it should be restricted by ethical guidelines. Musk and Hawking pledge their support in building the guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence. Currently, a group of researchers released an open letter that included AI principles containing 23 guidelines. The aim of the guideline is to make sure that the AI progress is geared towards the good of humanity. The Asilomar AI principles are working towards benefits and caution. Aside from Musk and Hawking, the proposed guideline has also received support from other industry leaders. "I'm not a fan of wars, and I think it could be extremely dangerous," said Stefano Ermon from the Department of Computer Science at Stanford University, a signatory of the paper said. "Obviously I think that the technology has a huge potential and, even just with the capabilities we have today, it's not hard to imagine how it could be used in very harmful ways." The Asilomar AI Principles is composed of 23 guidelines that put a premium on human values, safety, transparency, risks, caution and the common good. Billionaire Elon Musk, who has been very active in social media, posted the link to the guidelines in support of the points mentioned. "Top AI researchers agree on principles for developing beneficial AI," businessman Elon Musk said in a statement. His followers snooped a little more, prompting Musk to reveal some of his plans connected to artificial intelligence. He revealed that there might be an announcement next month about a neural lace that he is currently developing. In the meantime, Musk and other AI researchers are still working towards further development of AI technologies that already exist today. For Musk, the guidelines are deemed vital to the future of mankind and AI. The never-ending search for life outside the Earth led astronomers to the discovery of what appears to be water molecules in the atmosphere of hot Jupiter Pegasi b. The presence of water could mean that is a possibility of thriving or ancient microorganisms. This is the reason why the discovery of water molecules is a ray of hope for astronomers. The hot Jupiter 51 Pegasi b is categorized as an exoplanet, and the water molecules were discovered in its atmosphere. Pegasi b is located 50 light-years away from Earth. The object was considered as a hot Jupiter, a type of exoplanet, due to the fact that its orbit only last for 10 days and has similarities with the biggest planet in the Solar System, Jupiter. The exoplanet orbits its parent star called Pegasi. Jayne Birky led the team of astronomers that studied 51 Pegasi b. The team used the Cryogenic high-resolution Infrared Echelle Spectrograph (CRISES) to observe the exoplanet. The study was also conducted with the help of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) located in Chile. To come up with the finding and to discover water molecules, the astronomers captured a total of 42 spectra to analyze the radial-velocity shift from the atmosphere. "We have presented a 5,6 detection of water molecules in the atmosphere of the original hot Jupiter, 51 Peg b, providing the first confirmation that the 51 Peg Ab system is a double-lined spectroscopic binary," the astronomers said in a statement. The Cornell University published the findings last Jan. 25. Aside from water molecules, the study also presented new data about the hot Jupiter. "The detection is pretty rock solid," team member Matteo Brogi, at the University of Colorado, Boulder said in a statement. "We think that's probably going to be our best chance for looking at the atmosphere of Proxima b." The astronomers want to explore Proxima, a potentially habitable planet discovered in Alpha Centauri, using the same technique applied to 51 Pegasi b. The study is also instrumental in paving the way for the detection of water vapor or water molecules in smaller exoplanets and in potentially habitable planets in the future. The body of an 18-year-old San Diego teen was found off a Grand Canyon National Park trail this weekend, the National Park Service (NPS) said. On Saturday at approximately 5 p.m., a witness called the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center to report that a man had fallen off the rim near the South Kaibab Trailhead. The trailhead is located off Highway 64, near the North Rim of the Canyon. Park rangers found the body of an 18-year-old male, but could not get to him because of steep terrain, snow, ice and impending darkness. The following day, rangers used a helicopter to get to the body. The body was later identified as Luis Gonzales, 18, of San Diego. The San Diego Unified School District said Gonzales graduated from Hoover High School last year. The school offered support to any students that needed it on Monday. The incident is under investigation by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner's office. No further information was available. A 12-year-old Yemeni girl may be able to come to America after all, thanks to a Southern California district court's temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump's immigration order. Since Saturday, the girl and her father have been in limbo, blocked from coming to America, despite going through all the necessary legal steps. Even though the court ruling is in effect, the attorney for the Ali family says it's not that simple. They can't just show the document and get on a plane because there's so much confusion over how the executive order works. So, for now, they have to wait until it can all get sorted out. "She is really sad," Ahmed Ali said about his daughter Iman. "She is expecting to go to the USA to see her mom, her sisters and everything will be OK." From his hotel room, stuck in Djibouti, Ahmed told NBC Bay Area how he and Iman were steps away from boarding a plane Saturday, only to be turned away because of the president's order. The rest of Iman's family lives in Los Banos, citizens of the United States. Iman was born in Yemen. "They've waited for so long for this process to go through, and they've followed all the rules that have been established," said Katie Lewis, Ali's attorney. "So at the eleventh hour to not be able to board the plane is quite upsetting, frustrating." It's taken six years for the Ali family to obtain Iman's visa. On Wednesday morning, their ordeal traveled to the House of Representatives, where Congressman Jim Costa directed criticism and a plea to the president. "Mr. President, Secretary Kelly, I appeal to your compassion, your common sense," Costa said. "This 12-year-old girl, Iman, has been extremely vetted for six years or whatever you'd like to call it. She is not a threat to our country. Let her join her family." Ali's attorney said they are also trying to contact airline executives to make sure they understand the court ruling. They are also trying to get the State Department to issue a transportation letter saying that Iman is Legally welcome in the U.S. Anna Gonzales remembers the day paramedics rushed her from work to the hospital. It was so bumpy, and I was in so much pain, she said. That was more than two years ago. But back in July, Anna got a letter from a debt collector called Credence demanding almost $1,600 for the ambulance ride. And that was before she had ever seen a bill. Nobodys called me, nobodys contacted me, she said. Ive sent in my insurance information; why havent they done anything? Shes not alone. Thats exactly what Im going through, said Wai Kim Wong, a San Jose teachers aide. Wong was in a car crash more than two years ago, yet he just recently received a demand from Credence for $1,600 that he supposedly owed the ambulance company, Rural/Metro. I was shocked, he said. I never had any news from Rural/Metro about a bill or anything. Twenty-five Bay Area consumers have told us they were in a similar bind. More than people 70 contacted our sister station in San Diego to share the same story: They also received a notice from the debt collector before they ever saw a bill -- and after it was too late to file an insurance claim. They hadnt processed it through insurance. It was just an unpaid bill they dumped on collections, said NBC Sand Diego viewer Susan Rillie. We asked Rural/Metro, the ambulance company, for an explanation. It declined our request for an interview. In a statement, a spokesman acknowledged an error, though he wouldnt tell us how many people were mistakenly sent to collections. The billing issue resulted from a processing change that was made when Rural/Metro came out of bankruptcy, he said. We also had questions for Credence, the debt collector, because consumers told us no one there believed their story, and they were simply instructed to pay. That was the only way out, Wong said. A Credence compliance officer said Rural/Metro vouched that the debts were legitimate. Thats why its call centers told people to pay. But, Credence says it later saw a pattern to peoples objections and stopped collections. Credence says it has returned the portfolio of Rural/Metro accounts. We forwarded the 25 complaints we received to Rural/Metro. A specialist reviewed each one, then closed all of them, erasing almost $35,000 in debts. That included Gonzaless $1,573 balance and Wongs $1,655 balance. I'm just so happy about it, and that I called you, Wong said. You guys have helped me completely. Getting the debt erased was only half the challenge. Next, we needed to make sure the patients credit reports were clear. We pressed both Rural/metro and Credence about whether this billing error would stain peoples credit history. In a statement, the Credence compliance officer said they would not. On the Rural/Metro accounts that you inquired about we did not credit report any of those accounts, he said. Thats reassuring news for Wong, because he made a payment to the debt collector to protect his credit score. To have a bad credit score will affect everything in your life, he said. Anna is also relieved that her credit history is clear. But shes questioning what would have happened if we hadnt spoken up for patients like her. Why couldnt we do this on our own, she asked. Credence called this kind of mistake rare. Rural/Metro told us it has instituted new procedures to ensure it does not happen again. We asked Rural/Metro if it sent out a blanket notice about the mistake. In response, it said it is handling disputes on a case by case basis using a special email address. You can send collections concerns directly to credence@rmetro.com. Tech giant Google has donated four million dollars to legal aid and support organizations in response to President Donald Trumps immigration orders. Four organizations received a total of four million dollars in crisis campaign funds thanks to money raised by both Google employees and company funds. The American Civil Liberties Union, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, International Rescue Committee and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Agency all received donations. We chose these organizations for their incredible efforts in providing legal assistance and support services for immigrants, as well as for their efforts on resettlement and general assistance for refugees globally, said a Google spokesperson in an email. The donation comes the same week hundreds gathered at the company's Mountain View campus on Monday to protest President Donald Trump's new immigration orders. Over 2,000 employees protested at different Google campuses around the world. A crowd amassed at the center of the tech giant's headquarters, many carrying signs that read "#NoBanNoWall," "All are welcome" and "We are a nation of immigrants." The unofficial rally included several speakers including co-founder Sergey Brin, a Russian immigrant. Google CEO Sundar Pichai criticized Trumps immigration order in an email to staff on Friday, saying the U.S. ban on foreign nationals from seven countries affects at least 187 Google employees, according to the Wall Street Journal. The keynote speaker at the Mountain View rally was Soufi Esmaeilzadeh, a product manager on the Google Assistant. Esmaeilzadeh, an Iranian-born Canadian citizen, was on a plane from SFO to Zurich when rumors began to leak that the executive order would be signed. Googles Immigration team first suggested she not return to the U.S. for an indefinite period of time in order to lessen risk of deportation, according to Google. Yet the next day, after a federal judge ruled in favor of the ACLUs request, Esmaeilzadeh decided to fly back to SFO. No word from Google whether more protests will happen this week or in the future. Stephen Ellison and Marianne Favro contributed to this article. While crews are fixing shattered windows and covering Kill Trump messages that pockmark the UC Berkeley campus after more than 1,000 people protested a Milo Yiannopoulos speech on Wednesday, lawyers are circling. Mike Cernovich, whose website describes him as an Orange County-based lawyer, author and documentary filmmaker, reached out on Twitter to people who were victims of violence at the Berkeley riots. At least five people and counting have responded to his request. The rampage forced university officials to nix the controversial Breitbart editors speech and put the campus on lockdown. "My first reaction to the riots was sadness," Cernovich told NBC Bay Area. "Watching women being hit and maced made me wonder why the far left had become so violent." Pictures and videos from the chaotic scene on Wednesday showed protesters who university officials say were not students lobbing rocks and fireworks at buildings, setting fires, breaking down police barriers, and smashing windows of banks and other Shattuck Avenue businesses. Fights broke out, a few people were hit with pepper spray, and a handful reported being injured, according to witness accounts. We are reaching out to lawyers for a civil rights lawsuit, Cernovich tweeted on the heels of the violence. He told NBC Bay Area that several lawyers have expressed interest in the lawsuit even though it's not one where there's any money to be made." Why? "We would be fighting for the highest principle free speech," Cernovich replied. The lawsuit would likely hold city and UC Berkeley police responsible for Wednesday's goings-on, according to Cernovich. "The police were allowing the violence to occur because they disagreed with Milo's political views," he alleged. "Political discrimination by police is unacceptable in a free society." Cernovich also took offense to Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin's tweets following the protests. Arreguin, who might be sued too, first said, "Using speech to silence marginalized communities and promote bigotry is unacceptable. Hate speech isn't welcome in our community." "Violence and destruction is not the answer," he continued, and thanked the city and university's police officers for preventing "further risk to safety." However, Arreguin is also facing backlash for labeling Yiannopoulos a white nationalist." He later amended his comments by tweeting, I consider much of what Mr. Yiannopoulos says to be hateful. But I regret and apologize for the white national label. Revised statement to reflect updated information. pic.twitter.com/w9iykrWveB Jesse Arreguin (@JesseArreguin) February 2, 2017 Meanwhile, the university community remains very much on edge. Two men were caught on camera Thursday attacking a supporter of President Donald Trump on the universitys periphery. Jack Palkovic says he was wearing a Make America Great Again cap on his way to class Thursday when a white SUV screeched to a stop and two young men ran toward him and tried to grab his hat. "I thought I was safe because I was near the news vans," he said, of the reporters gathered at the scene. One of the men screamed an epithet, grabbed Palkovic's hat and pummeled him before the two got back in the vehicle and tried to drive away, said the student. Police arrived, blocked their escape and arrested both men. Palkovic said it was a scary few moments, but he's not surprised. After a surge of violence shut down the Yiannopoulos event, he's never felt more targeted. But, he stressed, college Republicans refuse to back down. I'm not going to stop wearing the hat, Palkovic said. Also on Thursday, students insisted that they were not the ones behind last night's frenzy. They also expressed anger that outsiders had trashed their campus and their university's reputation. UC Berkeley administrators also condemned the destructive protests. "I think this is a time for cool, calm, considerate reflection and for all of us at the university to talk about how we continue our commitment to free speech and expression," said Dan Mogulof, assistance vice chancellor of Public Affairs. Yiannopoulos was invited by the campus Republican club to speak at UC Berkeley. Members and others who were keen to hear his take on cultural appropriation claim that free speech met a fiery end at a university that has been known as the home of the Free Speech Movement. An article in Breitbart said that someone leaked to the public where Yiannopoulos and his team were staying, prompting his Dangerous Faggot Tour bus to get vandalized. A photograph shows that Not my president was spraypainted on the side of the vehicle. "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down," Yiannopoulos said on Facebook after being evacuated from UC Berkeley. The last Bay Area Trump-related melee occurred in June after a campaign rally in downtown San Jose. Fourteen Trump supporters filed a civil rights lawsuit, accusing the citys police department of failing to protect them. NBC Bay Area's Jodi Hernandez and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Big changes could soon be coming to a busy Silicon Valley neighborhood. On Wednesday night, city leaders in Mountain View are set to discuss potential changes to a neighborhood near the Google campus. Googles proposed plans to build apartments and expand its campus hinges on the City Council's decision. Wednesday's meeting won't directly discuss Google's plans to expand, but if the East Whisman neighborhood is rezoned, it's very likely Google could build its first apartment complex. "A lot of people work here, so if they can live close to work, that is a plus," said Emily Dong. Startups and tech giants line the streets of the East Whisman neighborhood. But very fews, if any, of the thousands of employees who work there are walking to the office. Mountain View Senior Planner Lindsay Hagan will present a plan at the meeting, detailing the options for adding housing and retail to the industrial area near the Google campus. "I think adding additional uses to an area near transit can make a lot of sense," said Lindsay Hagan, Mountain View senior planner. "It can bring a lot of activity and ridership in that area. Well wait and see what council endorses." In December, the city denied Google's proposal to build roughly 300 housing units and expand their campus. But if the area is rezoned, the company could revisit those plans if it still has an interest in the area. Some fear more neighbors could create a longer commute. "Every time you put in residential, you have the traffic that it adds as opposed to the traffic on the arteries," resident Geoff Thomson said. Others are hoping the city green-lights Google's offer to build more apartments. "The reason its expensive is because theres not a lot of places to live," Hana Kim said. The council is expected to vote on a possible zoning change in two weeks. The controversial appearance of Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley met an early demise Wednesday as protesters decrying his polarizing rhetoric grew violent breaking fences and windows, setting off fireworks and throwing smoke bombs forcing police to discharge tear gas, issue a shelter in place and place the entire campus on lockdown. The Berkeley Police Department said at least three or four people were injured during the protest, but did not provide details. They warned people to avoid the area of Telegraph and Bancroft avenues late Wednesday night as protesters continued to march, eventually making their way back to Sproul Plaza on the UC Berkeley campus. Invited by the Berkeley Republican Club, Yiannopoulos, a Breitbart News tech editor and alt-right provocateur who has been criticized as racist, misogynist and white supremacist, was expected to appear in the Pauley Ballroom of the MLK Student Union at 8 p.m.[[412499523, C]] Despite protests that started in ernest more than a month ago, campus officials decided to move ahead with the event, citing Berkeley's history as the bastion of free speech. But on Wednesday, university officials decided to cancel the event around 6 p.m., announcing on Twitter that Yiannopoulos, a self-proclaimed internet troll who has been banned by Twitter, had been escorted off campus. "Amid violence, destruction of property and out of concern for public safety, the University of California Police Department determined that it was necessary to remove Milo Yiannopoulos from the campus and to cancel tonights scheduled 8 p.m. performance," UC Berkeley said in a statement. A group of protesters dressed in black and some in hooded sweatshirts broke windows, flung flares and set a large bonfire outside the MLK student union building. Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators carrying signs that read "Hate Speech Is Not Free Speech" had been protesting for hours before the event. But that quickly changed when a small group yanked away metal barricades even as riot police stood guard outside the building.[[412504203, C]] UC Berkeley police issued a dispersal order for crowds on Telegraph and Bancroft avenues which witnesses estimated had grown to more than a 1,000 people by 6 p.m. "UC Berkeley and the UCPD went to extraordinary lengths to plan for this event and put the appropriate resources in place in order to maintain security," the university's statement said. "Multiple methods of crowd control were in place. Ultimately, and unfortunately, however, it was simply impossible to maintain order given the level of threat, disruption and violence." After the cancellation, protesters began marching down Telegraph Avenue, chanting, "First is Milo, next is Trump." The Berkeley Police Department received reports of at least three or four injuries from fights happening in the area as well as reports of some vandalism to businesses in the area. After protesters split off into smaller groups, some were seen smashing windows of banks at the intersection of Shattuck Avenue and Center Street. They shattered large plate-glass windows at a Chase Bank branch and at a Bank of America. Taking to Facebook soon after being escorted from UC Berkeley, Yiannopoulos said, "I have been evacuated from the UC Berkeley campus after violent left-wing protesters tore down barricades, lit fires, threw rocks and Roman candles at the windows and breached the ground floor of the building." The 32-year-old said he and his team members were safe and promised followers more information as it became available. "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down," he said. Yiannapoulos continued: "Hearing reports via my security that police are using nonlethal bullets and tear gas outside. Fireworks, rocks and other projectiles have been hurled at police." Leading up to his visit, Yiannopoulos has raised an issue facing campuses across America at the dawn of the Donald Trump presidency: What is the line between free speech and hate speech? He has also come under fire for fanning the flames of white supremacy by creating the Yiannopoulos Privilege Grant, which is being described as a college grant program for white males.[[412503813, C]] On Wednesday, UC Berkeley officials stressed that they did not invite Yiannopoulos, a right-wing provocateur who is gay and calls his event "The Dangerous Faggot Tour." The potential for physical danger in reaction to Yiannopoulos came into the spotlight this month after a man was shot and wounded at a protest outside his Jan. 21 University of Washington talk. Similarly rowdy protests at UC Davis Jan. 13 prompted campus Republicans to cancel his appearance at the last minute.[[412516753, C]] On Tuesday night at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, his speech was met with dozens of angry protesters outside a campus theater, but they were outnumbered by police who kept them far from the nearly 500 attendees and the event went on as planned. His last stop was supposed to be UCLA on Feb. 2, but that invitation was rescinded, making Berkeley the grand finale of his cross-country campus tour. Student Matt Ronnau acknowledged Wednesday evening that Yiannopoulos was not too popular. He brings up topics that are not politically correct, the Berkeley College Republican member said. However, the student stands by the groups decision to invite him to speak on campus. I dont think it is hate speech, Ronnau said. I think he is just making fun of people who call him a neo-Nazi. Its just a little back and forth. Video shows protesters throwing fireworks at MLK student union building on the UC Berkeley campus. But protest organizer Ronald Cruz disagreed. Students would oppose the right-wing Yiannopoulos not because they dont believe in free speech, but because they were trying to prevent his hateful rhetoric. Hes a neo-facist who has notoriously fostered a lynch mob mentality in his audiences, Cruz alleged. In the run-up to the event, professors had joined hundreds of students calling for the event's cancellation. But university officials said it would be allowed in the name of free speech as would protests that UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks expected could be "substantial" amid tight security. As a public university, UC Berkeley's administrators are legally bound by the First Amendment to protect free speech, meaning even offensive and hate speech cannot be banned or censored, Dirks said. The event's 500 seats sold out about 48 hours after the event was announced last fall, the Berkeley Republican Club said. At the University of Delaware, Yiannopoulos referred to transgender people as "mentally ill" and encouraged his audience to mock them. He has called Black Lives Matter a form of "black supremacism." Twitter banned him in July, as it cracked down on racist abuse targeting "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones. Yiannopoulos rejects accusations he is racist or white supremacist, saying his boyfriend is black, and his humor is taken too literally in today's politically correct culture. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The morning after violent protests at the University of California, Berkeley prompted the cancellation of a speech by a controversial Breitbart editor, the president of the United States took on the school on Twitter. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Trump tweeted at 12:13 a.m. ET on Thursday. Trump's tweet caused a firestorm frenzy, ranging from whether the university would actually lose millions of dollars, to the sanctity of the First Amendment. Many noted the irony of Berkeley, Calif. being the birthplace of the Free Speech movement in the 1960s. And yet, it was the progressive campus that was full of armed "Ninja-like agitators" who ended up wreaking havoc on the campus and canceling the speech that was to be made by controversial Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin lambasted those who tried to mar that tradition. "Using speech to silence and promote bigotry is unacceptable. Hate speech isn't welcome in our community," he tweeted. But, in a second tweet, he wrote: "Violence and destruction is not the answer." Cal student Juliana Mora agreed: "We don't stand for that. We don't want to get mixed up with the few bad apples. This is the home of free speech." The free speech movement was forged at UC Berkeley in the 1960s. Bettina Apthekar, among those in the thick of it, was targeted for organizing a peaceful protest against the Nazi party on campus. "Their signs said, Burn Aptheker, she recalled. But Aptheker supported the opposing sides First Amendment rights, and said the university did the right thing by not standing in the way of college Republicans who wanted to invite Yiannapoulos. We have to hold on to the principle behind the freedom of speech and expression, she said. It's too much of a slippery slope once you say this person can't speak." A generation later, David Sabes was a UC Berkeley student faced with a similar dilemma. He said the university should be a venue for different perspectives and peaceful protests. A recording of Yiannopoulos speech might have been a more powerful vehicle for the polarizing figures critics, he said. That moment could have been caught and those would have been the videos that would be viral right now, as opposed to the videos of innocent individuals being attacked, Sabes mused. As for Trump's veiled threat, UC Berkeley relies heavily on federal funds. In 2015-2016, for example, the university received $370 million in federal funds for reseach grants alone, 55 percent of the overall research funding budget. And according to the National Center for Education Statistics, Cal receives another $76 million in student aid from the federal government ($38 million in Pell Grants and $38 million in federal student loans). California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in on the money issue. Just before 8 a.m. on Thursday, he tweeted: "As a UC Regent, I'm appalled at your willingness to deprive over 38,000 students access to an education because of the actions of a few." When Trump spoke later Thursday morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, however, he was silent about what happened at Cal. Instead, he chose to trash California's former governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, over poor TV ratings. President Trump reacts to violent protests at Berkeley Cal Chancellor Nicholas Dirks also pointed out that out of a crowd of 1,500, only about 100 or so agitators, whom he said did not attend the school and were armed and masked like "Ninja warriors," created the problem. Though he had written an open letter last Friday saying he thought Yiannopoulos was a "troll" and "provocateur," who many feel is racist and misogynistic, Dirks also said that the Berkeley College Republicans had every right to invite him to speak. For his part, Yiannopoulos, who is gay, has rejected accusations that he is a white supremacist, saying his boyfriend is black, and his humor is taken too literally in today's politically correct culture. After the cancellation of the event, the 32-year-old editor took to Facebook to make his voice heard. "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down," he wrote. "Don't give up. They cannot win. They will not win," he wrote in another post. He also posted several Breitbart news accounts of a women getting hit by "violent leftists" and a piece by Breitbart author Tom Ciccotta, called "The Night Berkeley Betrayed the Free Speech Movement." In a Facebook Live post, he said what happened was "disturbing.' During the ruckus, Berkeley police said "three or four" people were injured. However, several social media accounts showed possibly many more being injured. Trump supporter Kiara Robles, for example, was pepper sprayed, as she was getting interviewed. "Look at the people causing the violence, it's not the people in the red hats," she told NBC Bay Area. Agitators Trash Cal Campus Over Breitbart Editors The evening got ugly long before dark. Campus police canceled the event at 6 p.m. Wednesday, two hours before Yiannopoulos was set to speak. That's because fires were deliberately set, one outside the campus Amazon outlet; Molotov cocktails that caused generator-powered spotlights caught fire; commercial-grade fireworks were hurled at police officers; and barricades were pushed into windows, the university detailed. And on Thursday morning, many people wanted to make things right again. UC Berkeley police said they had made just one arrest, and a "Clean Up Berkeley" Facebook page was set up. "The violent protests...do not represent UC Berkeley," the invitation read. Many said they were really ashamed of the damage that was wreaked on their campus. Protests Erupt, Forcing Cancellation of Controversial Breitbart Editor's UC Berkeley Event Leading up to his visit, Yiannopoulos raised an issue facing campuses across America at the dawn of the Donald Trump presidency: What is the line between free speech and hate speech? Protests turn violent at UC Berkeley over Milo Yiannopoulos speech, which was canceled. The potential for physical danger in reaction to Yiannopoulos came into the spotlight this month after a man was shot and wounded at a protest outside his Jan. 21 University of Washington talk. Similarly rowdy protests at UC Davis Jan. 13 prompted campus Republicans to cancel his appearance at the last minute. On Tuesday night at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, his speech was met with dozens of angry protesters outside a campus theater, but they were outnumbered by police who kept them far from the nearly 500 attendees and the event went on as planned. His last stop was supposed to be UCLA on Feb. 2, but that invitation was rescinded, making Berkeley the grand finale of his cross-country campus tour. Video shows protesters throwing fireworks at MLK student union building on the UC Berkeley campus. The morning after violent protests at the University of California, Berkeley prompted the cancellation of a speech by a controversial Breitbart editor, the president of the United States took on the school on Twitter. Bob Redell and Edward Lawrence reports. NBC Bay Area's Rachel Witte, Cheryl Hurd and the Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump took more than a moment at the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning to pray for former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and talk some trash on the new host of NBCs The Celebrity Apprentice. And "The Governator" lashed back, offering to trade jobs with POTUS saying he could do a better job. The coast-to-coast tiff occurred within one hour, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. PST. "They hired a big, big movie star to take my place," Trump said at the prayer breakfast, after being introduced by Mark Burnett, the producer and creator of both The Celebrity Apprentice. "And we know how that turned out. The ratings went down the tubes. It's been a disaster." Then he said: "I want to just pray for Arnold if we can." At 7:01 a.m. Schwarzenegger took on Trump on the president's favorite platform, Twitter. In a post titled, "The National Prayer Breakfast?" the former governor and longtime actor made a homemade video that looked like he was standing on his back porch. "Hey Donald, I have a great idea," he said. "Why don't we switch jobs? You take over TV because you're such an expert in ratings. I take over your job because then people can finally sleep comfortably again." Schwarzenegger's premiere night audience for "Celebrity Apprentice" in early January was a disappointing 5 million viewers, according to the Nielsen company. Viewership dropped to 3.9 million viewers in the second week. The season-to-date average for the first month was 4.7 million viewers, compared to 7.6 million viewers for Trump's final season as host in winter 2015. Trump is still listed as an executive producer of "Celebrity Apprentice" and retains a financial stake in the NBC program, so he has incentive to want high viewership. Thursday was not the first time Trump criticized Schwarzenegger over the show's ratings. Trump tweeted last month that Schwarzenegger was "swamped" in his "Celebrity Apprentice" debut "by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT." "So much for being a movie star," said Trump's tweet, which continued: "But who cares, he supported Kasich and Hillary." Schwarzenegger did endorse Ohio Gov. John Kasich during the Republican presidential primaries, but he did not endorse Democrat Hillary Clinton in the general election. Despite the back-and-forth, both Trump and Schwarzenegger share at least three things in common: They're Republicans. They're politicians. They're reality TV stars. AP's Darlene Superville in Washington, D.C., and television writer Frazier Moore in New York contributed to this report. A UC Berkeley structural engineering professor is expected to be the star witness Thursday at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors hearing on the sinking and tilting Millennium Tower building. It would appear to anybody that corners were cut, Supervisor Aaron Peskin said about the troubled 58-story high-rise project, which has sunk 16 inches since it was built. On Thursday, he said, he wants to press the Berkeley professor who signed off on the now sinking foundation in a letter to the city in early 2006. That expert, Jack Moehle, refused to voluntarily appear and had to be subpoenaed to City Hall. Moehle declined to comment Wednesday, saying he prefers to wait until his testimony. Peskin said he intends to press Moehle about a document uncovered by NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit. The document is a memorandum summarizing results of testing done in 2005 involving specially instrumented piles driven into the ground. Were interested in asking Professor Moehle about that; were interested in asking Professor Moehle a number of other questions, Peskin told us. Im looking forward to Thursday. In the document, engineer D. Michael Holloway of InSituTech in Orinda, said the test results were generally good, but they also raised questions about the suitability of the foundation design. The plan was to use 900 slender 14-inch square piles. But Holloway noted that the soil layers, or strata, had a rather complicated variability, and said less was known about the layers on the south side of the project. Such variations could lead to some piles not holding fast in the ground. Our findings need to be factored into the design of the overall foundation system, Holloway concluded in his November 2005 memo. After some additional testing on the south side of the site, the developers pushed forward with the foundation as designed, which was not tied to bedrock. Peskin says that should never have happened. He says he is confident he will learn why it did as a result of the hearings. Slowly but surely all of this is trickling out and we intend to get to the bottom of it regardless of how long it takes, he said. President Donald Trump's most popular tweet since he was sworn in is strikingly conciliatory, for someone whose style on Twitter can be so confrontational. That style shone through the Sunday after his inauguration, when he needled the Women's March on Washington for being too late to affect the election. But that tweet got about half as much engagement as one posted later that day, which recognized the rights of all people to protest peacefully. "Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views," @realDonaldTrump wrote. Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2017 The tweet garnered over 480,000 likes and retweets combined the tweet he's gotten the most engagement on since taking office as the 45th U.S. president, either on @realDonaldTrump or the presidential account, @POTUS. President Trump took a dig at the new Celebrity Apprentice host Arnold Schwarzenegger during his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast. Trump's Twitter activity was a hallmark of his campaign for president, and he's used it for years, racking up more than 34,000 tweets since joining the service in March 2009. In his second most-engaging tweet, judged by combined likes and retweets, Trump shared a video of his first dance at an inaugural ball with first lady Melania Trump, saying, "THANK YOU for another wonderful evening in Washington, D.C. TOGETHER, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," followed by an American flag emoji." THANK YOU for another wonderful evening in Washington, D.C. TOGETHER, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN pic.twitter.com/V3aoj9RUh4 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2017 The tweet that got the least engagement during his presidency was a link to a Facebook post with a statement on U.S. Mexico relations, earning just over 3,000 retweets and about 12,500 likes. Joint Statement on U.S. - Mexico Relations: https://t.co/wPWdC9K0xj President Trump (@POTUS) January 27, 2017 The @POTUS account has 14.8 million followers and Trump's personal account has 23.3 million followers, a number that's steadily grown since he was elected president. That makes him one of the most followed people on the social media service though former President Barack Obama has just under 84 million followers. A kindergarten class in Spokane, Washington wrote President Donald Trump a letter that included tips on being a great leader along with some burning questions of their own. While his Twitter following may be growing, Trump's social media habits have received plenty of criticism, too. In his first speech as Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer said "America cannot afford a Twitter presidency" because of the "real work" that needs to be done. The Associated Press reported last week that all of Trump's tweets are considered presidential records, and would be preserved. Most of his tweets since taking office have come through his personal Twitter account. Unlike his predecessor, Trump hasn't waited to jump online and tweet about hotly debated policies and orders, and some of those posts have done very well. The fourth-ranked tweet argued that it's not important whether his executive order keeping people from seven Muslim-majority from traveling to the U.S. should be called a ban, getting 56,699 retweets and 229,601 likes as of midday Thursday. More than 200,000 people liked a tweet saying he will "send in the Feds" to Chicago if it "doesn't fix the horrible 'carnage' going on" the seventh-most engagement among his presidential tweets. Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2017 If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible "carnage" going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017 Trump's most popular tweet ever? It contained just six words, but it's been retweeted and liked nearly 1 million times since it was sent early on Election Day: TODAY WE MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2016 [NATL] Donald Trump Through the Years NBC's Asher Klein contributed to this report. Investigators with the Essex County District Attorney's Office responded to a report of a burned body in Lawrence, Massachusetts on Thursday. The body was found on Winter Street on Thursday morning around 6:15. The district attorney's office said a vehicle was on fire at 34 Winter St. with a male inside who is now deceased. The male has not been identified, but officials say he was a 57-year-old man. Foul play is not expected at the time. Yellow crime scene tape can still be seen at the location, but there is no active crime scene at this time. The fire remains under investigation by the state fire marshal's office and Lawrence Fire. After calling for an investigation into President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration, Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced Thursday that an independent probe has been launched. The Department of Homeland Securitys independent Office of the Inspector General has launched a formal investigation into the implementation and legality of Trumps travel ban. The order halts refugee resettlement into the U.S. for 120 days and suspends entry of immigrants from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen - all Muslim-majority nations - for 90 days. The measures implementation, which has led to hundreds of detainments, sparked widespread protests at airports across the country. The DHS probe will investigate the apparent indiscriminate detention" of legal U.S. residents and previously vetted travelers from the countries included in the ban, as well as whether U.S. law enforcement officers violated a federal court order by refusing to allow permanent legal residents being held at Dulles International Airport to access counsel. Though Im encouraged by the DHS Inspector Generals decision to investigate the chaotic implementation of this un-American and unconstitutional executive order, I will continue to fight for it to be revoked, Durbin said in a statement. We must remain vigilant to ensure that our fundamental Constitutional rights are protected, and our law enforcement agents must remain allies in that effort, he added. In their letter to DHS Inspector General John Roth, the senators pointed to the order's chaotic execution, pushing an investigation into how the DHS and the Custom and Border Protection prepared to implement the order and what guidance those agencies provided to the White House during its development. Trump has defended the executive order as being narrowly focused, tweeting Monday that "only 109 out of 325,000" people were detained and held for questioning as a result of the ban. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer echoed the president during an appearance Monday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." "Three hundred and twenty-five thousand people flew into this country from airports and 109 people were affected and slowed down in their travel," Spicer said. "I understand that it is an inconvenience but at the end of the day that is a small price to pay as opposed to somebody losing their life because a terrorist attack was admitted." The Associated Press published a fact check Monday that found "nearly 400 green card holders actually were delayed after arriving at U.S. airports after the travel ban was signed." Mayor Rahm Emanuel spoke to White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus days after President Donald Trump warned that he would send in the Feds to Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reports. Emanuel, who served as former President Barack Obamas chief of staff during his first term, confirmed Wednesday that he had spoken to Priebus as recently as last week. During a White House listening session with African-American leaders Wednesday, Trump said Chicago was totally out of control, warning that his administration would solve the problem if local authorities cant. Emanuel brought up his call with Preibus after being asked about the president's most recent comments about the city. The mayor has reportedly made it clear to the Trump administration that hes willing to accept aid in the form of federal law enforcement manpower, additional assistance to prosecute gun crimes, resources to update police technology, and an expanded jobs programs. Send more FBI, DEA, ATF agents, Emanuel said Wednesday. We dont have to talk about it anymore. Just send them. After being asked if he wanted the president to visit the city, the mayor simply said, No. What I would really like is the federal resources, Emanuel said. A Chicago-area doctor trying to returning to the United States after traveling to the United Arab Emirates to get married will be allowed to return to the city, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. Dr. Amer Al Homssi, 24, a resident in internal medicine at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn on a J-1 visa was on a plane headed for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Wednesday evening after being stranded abroad. "Im really happy to be here and I would like to thank everyone -- my family, friends, colleagues, residents and program, hospital, lawyer and everyone who made it possible -- all the support I got all over the media, if it werent for you guys I wouldnt be here," Homssi said in a video message as he prepared to board his flight. "Thank you so much." Homssi holds citizenship in both Syria and the United Arab Emirates and he was married on Jan. 23 in the UAE. He attempted to return to his residency from Abu Dhabi International Airport to OHare Airport on Sunday, his attorneys say, but was stopped by U.S. security who said his Visa was canceled. "This is a pretty serious issue," said his attorney Thomas Durkin. "He's a doctor. This isn't... it wasn't like he was coming to ride the Staten Island ferry." Durkin said the government agreed that Trump's executive order to restrict travel from several countries should not include those with green cards or special visas, like the one Homssi had. "There's language in there that says he has to pass inspection," Durkin said. "What that means is they want to make sure nothing happened between the time he left for the airport this afternoon and tonight." Had the resident in internal medicine been banned from coming back to the U.S., it would have had "horrible serious consequences" for his career as well as his patients, his attorneys said. A lawsuit was filed in federal court Tuesday on Homssi's behalf. The suit refered to the plaintiff as "collateral damage" of Trump's recent travel order, naming Trump, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its Secretary John Kelly as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its acting Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan as defendants. Trumps executive order, signed Friday, temporarily bars travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries as well as refugees across the globeincluding Syria. Lawyers for Homssi say it is unmistakably clear that Trumps executive order targets Muslims. Trump in a statement Sunday said the order was not about religion but keeping the country safe from terrorists. The president said the seven countries on the travel ban list were previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror. To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting, Trump said. Kelly echoed Trumps stance on the executive order Tuesday at a news conference. "This is not, I repeat, not a ban on Muslims," he said. [NATL] Trump Immigration Order Triggers Protests Across US Homssi's attorneys said the state department was still finalizing documents in the case Wednesday evening, but U.S. Customs has agreed to let the doctor back into Chicago when he lands Thursday morning at O'Hare. Drew Petersons son said he believes his dad killed two of his former wives, Kathleen Savio and Stacy Peterson. The revelation marks the first time Stephen Peterson has spoken out against his fathers alleged crimes in the years since Drew Peterson was first accused of murder. Convicted of killing his third wife Kathleen Savio, Drew Peterson is also suspected in the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy Peterson. Stephen Peterson, who now lives in his fathers Bolingbrook home and spends his days raising his half siblings who were left parent-less after the highly publicized trial, admitted in an interview on the Lifetime cable network show Monster in My Family, which aired last month, that his father likely killed both wives. Asked if he believed his father killed Savio, Stephen Peterson said, Id say probably so. [NATL-CHI] Photos Show Inside Creepy Abandoned Edgewater Hospital In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune, he revealed he also believes his father, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, killed Stacy Peterson. Over time, you hear enough [from police]. They cant all be full of s---, he told the publication. I dont want to come out and say he did it but Im sure he did it. Peterson noted in both interviews that he still speaks to his father, who he says has never confessed to the crimes and has maintained his innocence. He was my hero for a long time, he told Monster in My Family host Melissa Moore. Hes still my dad, I still love him but basically everything we knew, we were wrong. After seven, eight years, this is the first time Im coming out and saying anything because now I have to bring myself at 36 years old Im not Drew Petersons son, you know, Im Steve. For years following Savios 2004 death, authorities had ruled it an accident, saying it appeared Savio had slipped in a bathtub and drowned. But when Stacy Peterson disappeared in 2007 at 23 years old, authorities reopened the investigation into the death of Savio. Drew Peterson was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to 38 years in prison for Savios death. He remains a suspect in Stacy Petersons disappearance, though he has never been charged in the case. During his time in jail, Peterson was also charged in a murder-for-hire case after prosecutors claimed he tried to have the prosecutor who put him behind bars killed. In that trial, he was sentenced to another 40 years in prison. In the years since Stacy Petersons disappearance, Stephen Peterson has lost his job at a suburban police department, accused of obstructing the investigation into his father by hiding guns, and he has also lost his marriage. Last summer, Drew Petersons pension payments, which Stephen had been using to support their family, stopped. A day later, he reportedly said he received a call from Lifetime offering him $10,000 to appear on the show, a request he had previously declined. He told the Tribune, The time was right. But Stacy Petersons sister, Cassandra Cales, told the publication she believed he went on the show because he wants people to feel sorry for him. Stephen Peterson said when he first learned that Savio had died, he never questioned the idea that her death was accidental. But in the years since his fathers conviction, his belief has changed. After enough loss you kind of start to think, 'OK maybe hes not the hero you thought he was,' he said on the show. The show featured commentary from relatives of both Stacy Peterson and Savio as well as a pastor who acted as a marriage counselor for Drew Peterson and a divorce lawyer for both Stacy and Savio. In it, Stephen Peterson recalls violent arguments between his father and Savio. The entire house was destroyed, the cops showed up and, you know, it was his town so you know nothing was going to happen, he recalled. It was an anger both Stephen Peterson and relatives of Savio said they saw in Drew Peterson repeatedly. Susan Doman, Savios sister who has been vocal about her sisters murder, recalled a conversation with Savio where she said, Drew said hes going to kill me and its going to look like an accident and no ones going to know. The Lifetime show featured a reunion between Doman and Stephen Peterson, who had not spoken to each other since Savios funeral. We decided this is not going to define us, Stephen Peterson said. Making his debut as America's global envoy, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sought Thursday to reassure U.S. diplomats who are anxious after a turbulent first two weeks of President Donald Trump's presidency. Still, he warned diplomats that unspecified changes would be coming. Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO, used his first appearance at the State Department to praise the members of America's diplomatic corps as "among the finest public servants in the world." He said he intends to pursue diplomacy based on core principles of honesty, respect and accountability. Yet he also noted that he was assuming the role following a "hotly contested election." "Each of us is entitled to the expression of our political beliefs," Tillerson said. "But we cannot let out personal convictions overwhelm our ability to work as one team." The incoming secretary's remarks alluded to a "dissent cable" signed by hundreds of diplomats challenging President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees. Although the White House had warned diplomats as signatures were being collected that they should "get with the program" or resign, Tillerson adopted a notably more amicable tone. "No one will tolerate disrespect of anyone," Tillerson said to hundreds of State Department employees who gathered in a lobby on their boss' first day. "We are human beings first." Tillerson said diplomats should be aware that he might make changes to "how things are traditionally done," although he did not elaborate. Rather than move rashly, Tillerson said, he is gathering information "on what processes should be reformed." "Change for the sake of change can be counterproductive, and that will never be my approach," Tillerson said in his booming baritone voice, accented with the twang of his Texas background. After speaking for a few minutes, Tillerson paused for a moment of silence at a wall listing the name of fallen U.S. diplomats. On his first day, Tillerson planned to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah II and with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. He was sworn in Wednesday evening in the Oval Office. For Tillerson, the diplomatic landscape looks far different than it did when Trump nominated him less than seven weeks ago. Trump has rattled diplomats with tough talk toward Mexico, Australia and Iran while stoking concerns about potentially dramatic changes of U.S. position toward Russia, Taiwan, and Israel and the Palestinian territories. An engineer by training who rose to the top of oil giant Exxon, Tillerson won Senate confirmation despite an effort to derail him by Democrats who criticized his close working relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Several Republican senators who raised concerns about Tillerson during his hearings ultimately voted for him. Though he has no experience as a diplomat, Tillerson used his confirmation hearings to portray himself as a levelheaded tactician with foreign policy views well within the mainstream. "Some people didn't like Rex because he actually got along with leaders of the world. I said, 'No, that's a good thing,'" Trump said Thursday morning at the National Prayer Breakfast, which Tillerson also attended. "I think he's going to go down as one of the great, great secretaries." For more than a week St. Joseph School in Meriden has been fighting a losing battle. "We're not talking about one disease going through," said St. Joseph School Principal Katherin Sniffin. "We've had confirmed cases of strep, confirmed cases of pneumonia, and confirmed cases of the flu." At one point, at least 25 percent of students and staff were out sick. St. Joseph School teaches Pre-K to 8th grade. They have 150 students. At one point, 39 students were out sick, and Sniffin said that doesn't include a number of sick students sent home that same day. Parent Lisa Suzio said her son has missed several school days. "My son had the flu. We got him recouped off the flu after missing a week of school, sent him back in, and now he's home with strep," said Suzio. Sniffin said they've done everything they can. They've diligently disinfected every day, they've watched students for symptoms--and taken their temperatures and sent them home as necessary--and they've reminded them about the importance of hygiene. "We've been talking to them about covering their sneezes and washing their hands," said Sniffin. When the school hits a 10% absentee rate due to illness, Sniffin said they report it to the Meriden Health Department. After seven days, the agency finally recommended the school close for three days. "I realize for a lot of parents it's inconvenient, but we really needed to separate the kids," said Suzio. St. Joseph isn't the only school seeing students out sick. "Our nurse was filling in on another school, and she said they sent 75 kids home. But their school is larger, so their percentage is not as high," said Sniffin. The Meriden Health Department said other schools in the area are seeing similar symptoms with an absentee rate of up to 11 percent. Meriden Superintendent of Schools, Mark D. Benigni, said they haven't had any major issues that would force them to close a school but that "whenever we hear that schools are experiencing greater absences or flu symptoms, we have our custodial and maintenance team clean and disinfect the school during evening cleaning hours." Hospitals across the state are seeing increased cases of patients testing positive for the flu. "The classic symptoms of influenza is fairly sudden onset of fever, maybe some chilly sensations, muscle aches, and a largely non-productive cough," said Dr. Joseph Garner, Chief of Medicine for The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain. Dr. Garner said we're in influenza season but that it's been pretty mild. He said there are pockets where transmission may be higher. "Anytime you have crowding, whether with adults or children, there can be spread. Kids don't always sanitize their hands the way they should. They don't always use cough hygiene, as we say, so the spread within a school probably occurs more readily than in an office setting, something of that nature, with adults," said Dr. Garner. He said, in general, once symptoms have subsided, it's safe to head back to school or work. Principal Sniffin said they want to make sure when school opens back up on Monday that everyone who comes back, comes back healthy. "We really want them to be in school if they're healthy. If they're not there yet, they need to stay home," said Sniffin. The three days that the school will be shut down will be made up at the end of the year. There are concerns from some parents about disabled students in schools across the state after allegations that not all districts are meeting federal education guidelines for these students. These claims come from nearly 100 signatures on a petition from parents who said they need more options when it comes to educational plans for their children and more access to their children's classroom. More than 20 parents testified before the Connecticut Board of Education Wednesday afternoon, all voicing concerns with the current federally instilled independent educational evaluations or IEE's their children with special needs receive. The concern parents said is not all kids are being treated the same from school district to school district. Speakers proposed a new regulation allowing parents or independent evaluators to come to class with their child. A practice BOE attorney's said is already allowed. But parents argue its not consistent across the state. "The concern is that some kids don't have that ability to tell us what's happening so it's imperative for parents to have that information," said mother Melissa Sullivan of Suffield. After more than four hours board members decided to create a new task force. The team is assembled by school officials, other stake holders. The objective will be to collect data from current federal IEE's and their implementation. Also collect input from future public discussions regarding both IEES's and matters proposed on the petition. "If there are any problems, then the problems can be addressed by monitoring the enforcement of existing federal rules," said Board of Education Legal Director Peter Haberlandt. The task force will have to report back to the BOE with their finding within the next 180 days with their findings. The pastor of a Bridgeport church has been charged with stealing about $8,000 worth of electricity. The Connecticut Post reports that Bishop William Marshall, pastor of City of Life Worship and Deliverance Center in Bridgeport, was charged Wednesday with third-degree larceny. Marshall, who was released on a promise to appear in court, did not return calls to the Associated Press for comment. Authorities said investigators for United Illuminating Co. had checked a meter at a building where Marshall was operating a barbershop in October. Police said that even though power to the barbershop had been disconnected in 2013 for failure to pay a $4,000 bill, it appeared that electricity was still being delivered. Investigators say the meter had been illegally reconnected, powering the barbershop but not registering the service on the meter. A skimmer was found at a Sunoco in West Hartford. Police said a card skimmer, which steals credit card information from patrons, was found in one of the machines at the Sunoco at 956 New Britain Ave. The employees at the gas station said the gas pump's card reader stopped working three days ago. Customers told the employees that their cards would decline when they inserted them into the machine. Gas station put up a sign on the pump instructing people to come pay inside before a technician came out on Thursday to fix the machine. When the technician opened the machine, they found the skimmer inside the pump, employees told NBC Connecticut. Employees suspect that the skimmer was inserted sometime overnight when the gas station is closed. No skimmers were found in any of the other pumps. Central Connecticut State University is likely expanding, but what will be in their new downtown New Britain location is open for discussion. In a letter to the CCSU community this morning, President Zulma Toro confirmed that the state purchased the mostly vacant building at 233 Main Street, known as The Plaza. She emphasized that the money to buy it wouldn't come out of higher education funds, calling it a "net gain" for the school. Drew Aitken of Thompson, a student, said: "In our engineering class, there's an engineering downtown campus which I went to but if they did put a new building in, I would definitely go down there and take the classes for sure." People downtown were optimistic what the move would mean for the downtown economy. "I think it would be nice for them to put a college down here in this area because this building has been vacant for a long time. I've only been here two years like I said but I think it would be good," said Cynthia Green of New Britain. "I think it would be better if they did like a college over here because it would probably bring more people into the town and more work," said Michael Larochelle of New Britain. As for what fills the seven story building, the president has asked her community for input and the university will be holding a series of focus groups soon as the planning gets underway. A lack of air conditioning, better security and increasing enrollment are reasons the superintendent of schools in East Lyme said the town's three elementary schools need upgrades. The $37.5 million project was in the hands of the Board of Selectmen Wednesday night and they voted unanimously, 6 to 0, to push the school project forward. It also comes with a price tag for taxpayers and the average homeowner would need to foot an extra $300 to $400 each year, for 20 years, according to First Selectman Mark Nickerson. But after multiple proposals one in the range of $100 million that involved building a brand new school Nickerson said the three-school renovation is the most financially responsible prospect. "It keeps everyone's house value up when you have good schools because the next family that's going to buy your home is looking for that community with a great school system," Nickerson said. Supt. Jeffrey Newton said all three elementary schools Niantic Center, Flanders, and Lillie B. Haynes need better air flow, need to become compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act, along with fixing broken ceiling tiles, getting new flooring, and new lighting. "I'm a proud graduate of Niantic Center elementary school and it looks exactly the same as it does when I went there," Newton said. Newton said enrollment keeps going up. Right now it's at 850 elementary school students. It's projected to increase to 900 to 1,000 students. "We're seeing a lot of jobs that are on the rise through (Electric Boat) and that's driving some parents into the area as well," Newton said. "Parents are pretty happy with the education their children get. But if you look around the buildings are aging," said Tara Dowling. Her son went through Niantic Center School. Her daughter is still a student there. She works at Lillie B. Haynes. She believes he project will benefit the entire community. "Just because your children grow it doesn't mean that you don't need to take care of the next group of kids that come through." The plan next moves to the Board of Finance and eventually for vote on a town referendum. Along strict party-line votes, the Connecticut General Assembly approved a pension refinancing that was negotiated by Governor Dannel Malloy's administration last year. Since it was a deal regarding the State Employee Bargaining Coalition, it would have either gone into effect immediately after Friday, or it required an up or down. House Democrats narrowly approved it, and then, for the first time in 2017, Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman broke a 17-17 tie between Democrats and Republicans in the State Senate. Earlier in the day, there was serious discussion about Republicans derailing the pension agreement, due to their objections that the refinancing plan wasn't comprehensive enough. The agreement, announced on Dec. 9, 2016, lowered expected investment returns for state employees, reduced annual state payments to the fund, and aimed to fend off a projected $6 billion balloon payment in 2032, that state analysts have described as a kind of fiscal cliff for Connecticut. Republicans wanted to see union concessions paired with refinancing and they argue alternatives were never considered. Whats the rush? This bill hits in 2032," Sen. Len Fasano said. "This is February. We can take time, look at different ways. And if this turns out to be the best way, it turns out to be the best way. Fasano of North Haven, the Republican President Pro Tem, and Rep. Themis Klarides, said they didn't receive information regarding the agreement until last week, as the deal passed a committee with Republican and Democrat votes. Fasano said if the main goal was to free up money with reduced pension payments in order to the balance the budget, then that was an irresponsible choice. "I dont think thats a good plan for the state. I dont think its a good plan for the union employees because that money should go into the union. That money should go into the coffers and grow. Democrats accused Fasano of double-speak, and said it was purely political to wait until the day of the vote to start throwing out possible options. Sen. Martin Looney of New Haven said, "It just seems to me that this is an unfortunate failure of willingness to govern in an organized, responsible, bipartisan way. Sen. Bob Duff of Norwalk, the Majority Leader, went even further, saying, This is really the first chance Republicans had to govern and they failed. Malloy had said earlier in the day that if Republicans were successful in their effort to block the package from passage, then they would be the ones with the task of coming up with a new deal. "If they break it, they own it," Malloy said. A Hartford man has been sentenced to decades in prison for setting up a robbery that led to the fatal shooting of a man selling items on Craigslist. Rashad Moon, 25, was sentenced Wednesday to 49 years in prison for murder, 20 for first-degree robbery with a deadly weapon and 20 years in prison for first-degree conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon, according to online court records. It's not clear if the sentences are set to run consecutively or concurrently. He has been in prison since he was arrested on June 17, 2013. Police said 23-year-old Marvin Mathis fatally shot 40-year-old Felix DeJesus III, of Cromwell, as DeJesus was waiting to meet a prospective buyer on the night of May 8, 2013 in Hartford. DeJesus, a 1992 graduate of Cromwell High School, left his home on May 8, 2013 to meet a man who was interested in buying a tablet he had offered for sale on Craigslist. According to DeJesus' father, the man contacted DeJesus several times to set up the meeting. When police responded to a 911 call at 8 p.m. that night, they found DeJesus, the father of two young children, with a single gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead just before 4 a.m. the next morning. Court records say Moon is accused of getting Mathis to carry out the crime. Mathis has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15. His attorney has said his client has a range of intellectual and psychiatric issues. Mathis faces the same charges as Moon. Some residents in Hamden have some big concerns about plans to bring hundreds of new apartments to the town. The zoning application process for the project is already taking place. The proposed build site is along Rocky Top Road, which is a winding and very narrow street surrounded by woods and sloping terrain. Debra Finn lives on Rainbow Court, which runs into Rocky Top Road. She said she does not want her neighborhood of thirty four years to change. This is just not suitable for our area," said Finn. She said the plans to build a 288 unit apartment complex in the area of 64 Rocky Top Road would destroy her quaint and quiet neighborhood. I cant even imagine what that will do to not only my house but my neighbors," she said. Dozens of residents were at town hall on Wednesday night as a lawyer for developer, Mountain View Estates LLC, presented plans for the project to the Hamden Inland Wetlands Commission. Attorney Stephen Studer declined to be interviewed by NBC Connecticut. Neighbors who attended the meeting had concerns about major excavation work, runoff, noise and the hundreds of additional vehicles that would be using Rocky Top Road on a daily basis. The road is very narrow; just fourteen feet across in some locations. Right now you have to slow to five miles per hour to get past each other without scraping your cars," said Tim Mack. Were hoping to have this plan stopped or at least scaled down to a reasonable alternative," he said. The approximately eighteen acre site is located between Shepard Avenue and Sherman Avenue, adjacent to Quinnipiac University's York Hill Campus. Members of the public were welcome to attend Wednesday evening's meeting but they were not allowed to voice their concerns to the Inland Wetlands Commission. They will have their chance to do so at a public meeting scheduled for March 1. The Inland Wetlands Commission will conduct an inspection of the site of the project on February 25 at 2 p.m. weather permitting. Hamden's Planning and Zoning Commission is also reviewing the developer's zoning application. Top Connecticut School Officials released statements regarding President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and how their districts will respond. "I feel good. I'm from Puerto Rico, so when they say everyone is welcomed, I appreciate that," said Victor Santiago, who has a child who attends New Britain High School. The proud parent said he supports New Britain Consolodated School District Superintendent Nancy Sarra for a statement released Wednesday regarding President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration restrictions. The statement reads in part: "The consolidated school district of New Britain will remain strong in support of our immigrant and refugee families. Our teachers, principals, social workers and other support staff are ready to support our children and families who may be experiencing distress." Connecticut's Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell also released a statement regarding how districts across the state should react to the new order. "As you know, all children in the united states have a right to public education regardless of race, color, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, or the status of their parents/guardians," Wentzell said. Thhe Commissioner also said, in person: "We had heard some reports from our superintendents and from our teachers that some of our kids were feeling unsafe at school. That they were crying, distressed, whether it was on behalf of their own situation or their family members or their classmates." In the New Britain statement, Superintendent Sarra went on to say they have more than 150 students from seven countries impacted by the executive order and more than 2,000 from 67 other countries around the world. For Santiago, hearing the school is not remaining silent is reassuring. "For me everybody is the same. No matter where they come from," said Santiago. The commissioner all said in her statement, she's urging schools to make counselors available for any students who are experiencing stress from the new executive order. A record number of runners are signed up for the 10th annual Run for Refugees in New Haven. The annual fundraiser benefits IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, which just last year helped more than 500 refugees resettle in Connecticut. It allows us to physically get out there and show our support for more families being resettled here, said Amy Boratko, who signed up two weeks ago. Since the election, Ive wanted to get more involved in activism, but specifically in New Haven and Ive long been an admirer of IRIS work. Boratko is part of a ten person team from the Yale School of Drama. I have never done anything that is part of a fundraising effort, Daniel Cress said, but I am absolutely ready to go on Sunday. When we first started we tracked at about 300 runners, IRIS Executive Director Chris George said. After a surge in sign-ups since Friday, 2,500 hundred people are expected to run in this years 5K race on Super Bowl Sunday morning. So over the weekend a thousand people signed up, George said, I think it might have something to do with the executive orders. Citing security concerns and the goal of preventing terror attacks, President Donald Trump has suspended the refugee program for four months and indefinitely blocked the arrival of Syrian refugees. George said the record number of runners are sending a message to Trumps administration. No you cant do that, George said, this is our finest American tradition, we support refugee resettlement, we believe refugees coming here are thoroughly vetted. With less federal funding this year, George said the private donations from runners will be critical to support the services IRIS provides for refugees now living in Connecticut, like housing, healthcare and teaching English as a second language. I feel like the united states should welcome those in need with open arms, Boratko said. Run for Refugees starts 10 a.m. Sunday at Wilbur Cross High School. It will be followed by a March for Refugees. The state Planning and Development Committee of the General Assembly will meet for a four-hour session today about the crumbling home foundation problem plaguing hundreds of Connecticut homeowners. The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters first began reporting on the problem in July 2015 and the governors office has said that more than 34,000 homes might be affected by crumbling foundations and the total cost to fix the problem could be up to $1 billion. Gov. Dannel Malloy in January announced plans for $5 million in state funding to go toward conducting foundation testing for homes in northeastern Connecticut and the bond commission has approved it. The state funding will go toward testing and visual inspections of foundations to better understand the problem and offset the cost of testing for homeowners. Under the governors plan, homeowners are eligible for up to $2,000 back for testing of two core samples within their home. Homeowners will also be eligible for up to $400 back for visual testing by a professional engineer. Applicants must have homes built in or after 1983 and be within a 20-mile radius of JJ Mottes Concrete Company in Stafford Springs. The governor is working with the Capitol Region Council of Governments to administer the funding to homeowners. The state also plans to access $1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help lower-income property owners defray the cost of testing. Over the past year and a half, hundreds of homeowners across Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties have discovered they have crumbling foundations. Everyone who's either spoken to NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters or has filed a complaint with the state, that knows the source of the concrete, said it's from J.J. Mottes. The last statement from the attorney for JJ Mottes is that the company is now out of business. The last full statement released to NBC Connecticut in August 2016 read: In the 15 years since we took over the management of the Joseph J. Mottes Company, we have adhered to rigorous standards set forth by the American Concrete Institute and the state of Connecticut. We continue to cooperate with the ongoing state investigation so that homeowners can get the answers and real solutions they deserve. One thing that is clear to us is the extensive media and governmental scrutiny has led to another issue arising in addition to homes affected by damage, there are now large numbers of homeowners and potential home buyers who do not have problems but are being told they will. Certainly, those homes with damage need to be remedied, but a comprehensive solution is called for - one that helps those who are not financially capable of helping themselves, guards against predators of all kinds and eases the burden placed on the real estate market. We believe that effective lower cost preventive remedial actions exist, that appropriate independent authorities can and should identify these techniques, and this information needs to be widely shared and adopted. John Patton, spokesman, The Joseph J. Mottes Company. The meeting today begins at noon in the legislative office building in Hartford and covers many issues, including initial estimates from eight towns about the numbers of affected homes, the impact on municipal tax revenues and the building fee waivers. There will also be a review of the state Department of Consumer Protection study. For more on what to look for in a crumbling foundation, watch this video. A Westport man is facing charges after police said he attacked a bus full of elementary school children in Connecticut. James Berrien was charged Tuesday with breach of peace and disorderly conduct for a Dec. 21 road rage incident. Police said bus driver Danny Castro told them the 64-year-old began chasing the bus with his BMW convertible after they came to an intersection simultaneously, and the bus drove through. Castro told police Berrien began tailgating and when the bus stopped, he forced his way on, pushing children aside and screaming as children cowered in the back. His lawyer said Berrien strongly disputes the allegations and looks forward to his day in court. Investigators said they identified Berrien from bus surveillance video. The bobcat missing from the National Zoo since Monday morning has been found safe on zoo grounds, the zoo said Wednesday. Shortly before 5 p.m., the Zoo issued a press release about their find, including a photo of Ollie the bobcat in a cage. A visitor spotted the bobcat near the zoo's birdhouse and tipped off zoo keepers, zoo staff said at a news conference Wednesday evening. Zoo curator Craig Saffoe said the zoo then set traps in the area. "[We] crossed our fingers, walked away and literally within 15 minutes the birdhouse keepers called us back and told us, 'we have a bobcat in the trap up here,'" Saffoe said. A bobcat who had been missing from the National Zoo for two days was found on zoo grounds. News4s Meagan Fitzgerald reports it was a zoo visitor that spotted the bobcat near a bird exhibit. Saffoe confirmed the bobcat in the trap was "definitely" Ollie. She appears to be well except for a minor scratch on her left front paw, said Dr. Brandie Smith, associate director of animal care sciences for the zoo. Video of bobcat Ollie's arrival at our vet hospital. She was found on Zoo property & ID'd via a transponder chip. https://t.co/RbKM7ns4ko pic.twitter.com/dRbk2duJlx National Zoo (@NationalZoo) February 1, 2017 Saffoe said he believes Ollie followed Rock Creek when she left the zoo and the spottings on Massachusetts Ave. and other areas nearby probably were her. "I think she wanted to go out, have a little bit of fun, see what it was like on the outside," Saffoe said. But after a couple of days of roaming, "I think she was ready to come home," Saffoe said. Smith said Ollie will undergo a complete exam Thursday morning to make sure she's healthy and she didn't catch any diseases from other animals during her adventure. The Smithsonians National Zoo hosts a press conference after they found Ollie the bobcat, who had been missing from a Zoo enclosure since Monday, on the grounds of the Zoo. Speaking is Craig Saffoe, curator of great cats, and Brandie Smith, associate director for animal care sciences. Zoo staff are also going through the bobcat exhibit with "a fine tooth comb" to try to find out how she was able to get out and Smith said they will make sure it's secure before they bring the animals back and reopen the exhibit. "The problem is it looks secure right now, so what can't we see? How was she able to get through that mesh?," Smith said. Earlier in the day, Zoo curators had said that they had stopped searching the northwest Washington neighborhoods of Woodley Park and Cleveland Park neighborhoods for Ollie, though they would continue to respond to tips about sightings of the animal. "We're entering the next phase of our recovery efforts," Saffoe said at the time. He said his nine-person staff needed to be realistic about how they can search for the animal, which is not known to be aggressive to humans. Ollie the bobcat has not returned to her enclosure at the National Zoo in Northwest Washington. Keepers first noticed she was gone on Monday morning. As News4s Meagan Fitzgerald reports, Ollies disappearance is affecting area schools. "My staff works with lions and tigers, so I can't have them out at all hours of the night and then come back at 6:30 in the morning and work with dangerous carnivores," Saffoe said. Zoo curators said they were hopeful that Ollie would be found. They encouraged people who believe they see Ollie to call the zoo. Zoo staff had received a tip late Tuesday that the bobcat was spotted on Massachusetts Avenue. But by the time someone was able to arrive, the animal was gone. They had received mutiple tips about possible sightings of the bobcat in Woodley Park and Cleveland Park. As a result, more than a dozen schools moved activities indoors Tuesday, a D.C. Public Schools spokeswoman said. American University warned students about the bobcat in an emergency text message sent Monday. Neighbors said they weren't worried, exactly, just ... remaining observant. "I wish that it was in its cage, rather than roaming the streets of D.C.," said Drew Montmarquet, who was visiting the zoo Tuesday. Joey Jimenez, who lives near the zoo and in the area where Ollie was reported to have been spotted, said he was looking out while taking his small dog out on walks. "I was kind of alarmed, because I have to walk her out at nighttime," Jimenez said. Ollie, who weighs 25 pounds, was discovered missing Monday when a zookeeper went to feed the bobcats at 10:40 a.m. A female bobcat has escaped. Bobcats are not known to be aggressive to humans. Sighting call 202.633.7362 https://t.co/7Y5cmCEkpp pic.twitter.com/QLM6Im7418 National Zoo (@NationalZoo) January 30, 2017 Dr. Brandie Smith, associate director of animal care sciences for the zoo, said Monday that it looked like one of the ropes that holds the bobcats' mesh enclosure had broken. Smith said it didn't look like a deliberate act, but the break left a gap through which they believe Ollie was able to escape. Saffoe said on Monday that Ollie is a capable hunter and will be able to care for herself while on the loose. "Cats are... they're survivors. This is not like she's out in an area, in an environment that she can't survive," Saffoe said, noting that bobcats are indigenous to the D.C. area, although rare. Saffoe said Ollie was equipped to survive and that bobcats sometimes catch birds that land in their enclosure. He was not completely confident they will be able to find her. "We are doing everything we can to ensure that we can get her back. The likelihood that we get her back? I mean, I'd be lying to you if I said that we're definitely going to get her back," Saffoe said. He said it was more likely that Ollie would return to her enclosure on her own. [NATL] Adorable Zoo Babies: White Lion Cubs Nala and Simba Born in France Smith said zookeepers train for "events like this," so they immediately began a search after discovering Ollie was missing. However, they quickly changed tactics out of fear that they could end up scaring her away. "We actually created a bigger perimeter search so that any looking would drive her toward her exhibit," Smith said. Ollie has a chip for identification purposes but not a tracker. She was born in the wild and is close to 7 years old. "There's food, there's shelter, there's warmth at her exhibit," Smith said. Bobcats can run up to 30 mph and are excellent climbers, according to the zoo's webpage on the animal. At the zoo, they eat prepared meat, mice, rats and chicks. In the wild, they eat rabbits, hares, squirrels and mice. "She is a carnivore, so for small birds, small animals in the area, which could even include small cats and dogs, she could be a threat," Smith said Monday. "I would treat her the same way that I would treat a stray dog. You wouldn't approach a stray dog. And she's the same thing. She's not a threat unless you become a threat to her." The most recent animal to escape the zoo was an agouti, which is a small mammal, in July 2015, a zoo spokeswoman said. The agouti escaped from an exterior habitat but was found on the walkway and was easily recaptured, she said. In 2013, a red panda named Rusty famously escaped from the National Zoo. He was recaptured in D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighborhood the following afternoon. A resident, Ashley Foughty, spotted Rusty and tweeted pictures that helped keepers find him in a tree. Zoo officials said Rusty likely escaped the zoo by "climbing across a 'bridge' created by rain-laden trees and bamboo" -- and he probably did it for a snack of some nearby bamboo, they said. Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story. A new politics class at Southern Connecticut State University will be focusing on the first 100 days of President Donald Trumps administration. A statement from SCSU says the course, Presidential Elections and Transitions, was approved before the election, so it would have been catered to studying the administration of whichever candidate won. The class started on Jan. 22 and Professor Art Paulson said in a statement that he expects interesting discussions. Donald Trumps election makes an interesting course even more fascinating because of its historical uniqueness, professor Art Paulson said in a statement. It marks the first time that someone without any governmental or military experience has become president. Students will study the Trump transition and the office of the presidency from a theoretical and practical standpoint as well as take an examination of the presidency and the executive branch of government. We are going to be looking at Trumps Cabinet selections and his Supreme Court nomination, as well as his policy proposals, Paulson said. In fact, I plan to ask students to generate policy suggestions for Trump as if they were working in his administration. Theyll be trying to sell ideas that fit within his policy framework. Police say a West Texas man who allegedly was intoxicated and stopping highway traffic has died while in custody. An Abilene police statement says 42-year-old Jeremy Johnston of Abilene died Wednesday at a hospital. Police spokesman Rick Tomlin says no cause of death was immediately determined. An autopsy was ordered. Tomlin says officers before dawn Wednesday received multiple calls about a pedestrian blocking a roadway and stopping traffic. Tomlin says police found Johnston, who appeared intoxicated, on the hood of a stopped vehicle. Tomlin says officers took custody of Johnston, put him into a patrol car and then he appeared to suffer medical distress. Medical personnel at the scene evaluated Johnston. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where he died. Texas Rangers will help investigate Johnston's death. One of the biggest issues NBC 5 Responds hears about involves bills from doctors and hospitals. That simple ER visit could wind up costing you much more than you ever expected. But there's a new service deployed in North Texas that claims it will help keep that from happening and save you money. Sharon Trugetman says time and again she fought with her health insurance company about coverage for tests and specialists. "Every doctor that I elected to go to wouldn't accept it," Trugetman said. Smart Shopper helps you find doctor's and hospitals that will give you the same services at a much lower price. They've teamed with with insurance companies around the area to offer the service, including of the the biggest, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. "The cost of a single infusion, typically people will need three to four, it's $10,000 at a hospital. If you go to an infusion center, it's $1,500," said the company's founder, Mitch Rothschild. Smart Shopper helps you find the cheaper treatment center. Your employer and insurance company spend much less, and then share the savings with you. "We'll give them back a share or savings of $100 to $500," Rothschild said. Air Medical Group in Lewisville says it's helped save money and make their employees ask smarter questions about services they received. "We all go to the doctor and he says you need 22 tests and we say, 'OK sign me up'. We need to ask questions. What are the tests? Do I really need it? Is it relevant? Can you do something else?" says Brenda Babb, benefit manager of Air Medical Group. Smart Shopper isn't out there for everyone. Your employer has to ask for it, but it's a simple add to Blue Cross Blue Shield's insurance plans. Your employer saves the most money. But to eliminate surprise billing and get as much as $500 cash back, that was good enough for Sharon Trugetman. "I feel comfortable going there and leaving there, that I don't have to pay so much for it," she said. NBC 5 Responds spoke to the Texas Medical Association about Smart Shopper. They said having access to cost savings is important and don't think it's a bad idea. But here's what you should know: Police say a homeowner shot a teenage burglar after he was caught breaking into the man's home near Audelia Road and Walnut Hill Lane in East Dallas Tuesday night, and a second burglar is on the run. Julie Lanaux was initially hesitant to speak with NBC 5 about Tuesday's harrowing chain of events involving her husband at their home, but felt it was important. "He saw the door was ajar, and he thought it was me at first and annoyed with me for leaving the door ajar, and then he looks and the door looks cracked," Lanaux said, of her husband, moments after he arrived home from work. She says her husband grabbed his concealed carry firearm and slowly entered his home, investigating further. "You don't know if they were armed. He's outnumbered in our house, and there could have been more than just the two people he saw," she said. Dallas police say at least two burglars, one just 15 years old, had broken in and were in the process of stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronics, jewelry and even firearms. Lanaux believes the pair had been casing the neighborhood for some time before breaking into their back gate. She said they clearly ignored all of the crime watch signs and likely never suspected they'd be confronted by her husband. "My husband fired some warning shots at their feet," she said. The 15-year-old was shot and wounded, and the second burglar ran away. It was a bad situation that could have been much worse, Lanaux said. "I'm hoping, to some extent, an incident like this makes people think twice about breaking in, because anything casn happen," she said. Police are still looking for the second burglar in this case. Lanaux's husband was questioned by Dallas police Wednesday afternoon and the incident remains under investigation. A North Texas mayor has been dropped as a defendant from a lawsuit filed by the father of a Muslim boy arrested after taking a homemade clock to his Irving school. A court filing Tuesday shows Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne was removed from the civil suit brought by Mohamed Mohamed. Mohamed's attorney, Susan Hutchison, says Van Duyne in her capacity as a public official is afforded immunity in the matter. The original suit claimed Van Duyne and others were libelous in their statements about Ahmed Mohamed after he brought the clock to school in 2015. A charge of having a hoax bomb was dropped. The family also has sued the city of Irving and its school district in federal court, alleging the teen's civil rights were violated. That case is ongoing. Lewisville city councilman Leroy Vaughn was found dead in his home on Wednesday afternoon. Lewisville Police said Vaughn's body was discovered by his mother and another family member and the death appeared to be natural. Vaughn who was in his early 70s has served on the Lewisville Council since 2011 and was appointed Deputy Mayor Pro Tem last June. According to the city's public information officer James Kunke, Vaughn had a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas and a Master's degree from the University of Texas. He also spent 19 years working for the City of Davis, California as a firefighter, arson investigator, and building inspector. Lewisville Mayor Rudy Durham issued the following statement Thursday: "My deep condolences go out to Leroy's family and friends, who have suffered a personal loss. The City of Lewisville also has suffered a tremendous loss. Leroy dedicated most of his adult life to public service, first as a firefighter and inspector in California and then in Lewisville as a board volunteer and City Councilman. His unique insight will be missed on the Council. His example of selfless service to the community should be an example for others to follow." Child Care Associates, the largest child care nonprofit group in North Texas, will release their study about the difficulties facing infants and toddlers in Tarrant County. We have very high rates of abuse and neglect and unfortunately we have one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the state," Kara Waddell, Child Care Associates president said. Findings in Tarrant County include: Six percent of expectant mothers have no access to prenatal care. More 14,000 thousand children under the age of six lack health care coverage. Tarrant County has the highest rate of confirmed infant and toddler abuse and neglect cases among the major metro areas in Texas. One in four children live with food insecurity. More than 7,400 children under the age of six are homeless. 50,000 women who are of childbearing age are living below the poverty line. Tarrant County had the highest rate of infant mortality among large Texas counties which is 22 percent higher than the rest of the state. I think studies like this give us a chance to pause and to come together and say 'is this what we want?' Waddell said. The information will help Child Care Associates to formulate plans and partner with local programs and agencies to tackle problems. We are excited with the Early Learning Alliance and the mayor's Fort Worth Literacy Partnership [there] are real opportunities where we are bringing together the different pieces of the puzzle and saying we can do better with the resources we have and if we have new resources, we know exactly where to target those," Wadell said. Wadell said her organization will remain on the frontline helping children. "Child Care Associates has for 49 years delivered quality early education to our highest risk children, but that's been largely three and four year olds, she said. We are looking over the next decade [to determine] how can we better serve infants and toddlers, which is going to be new facilities and beginning to retool the services we have for families." UPDATE: The hostage standoff ended Thursday morning with a correction officer dead and another correction worker rescued as crews secured the prison building. A tense hostage situation at a Delaware state prison developed Thursday morning as dozens of inmates appeared to be laying on the ground outside a building as two prison workers remained held against their will overnight as negotiations continued. The hostage situation at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC), a Level 5 maximum security prison in Smyrna, began with four hostages Wednesday morning. In calls to a local newspaper, the hostage takers said they sought better education, effective rehabilitation and more transparency on prison funding. One also linked the action to President Donald Trump "everything that he did." It wasn't clear if the latest flurry of activity indicated a resolution to the standoff. The crisis began just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, when a corrections officer radioed for help from inside the center's Building C, which houses more than 100 inmates, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said at a news conference. [[412506593, C]] Officers responded to help and the prison, which houses about 2,500 inmates in all, was placed on lockdown. Bratz initially said five employees were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Emergency responders, including police from neighboring Pennsylvania and Delaware, converged on the prison Wednesday afternoon. NBC10s Tim Furlong has breaking details on a hostage situation at the James T. Vaughn Correctional center in Smyrna, Delaware Wednesday afternoon. As NBC Philadelphia's SkyForce10 hovered near the correctional facility around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, dozens of law enforcement members could be seen staging near a gate. A short time later, a group of people were seen rushing someone on a stretcher to another building on the sprawling campus. Blood Bank Delmarva appealed to the public for O blood type and platelet donations to be taken to the prison though they did not reveal why. [PHOTOS]Lockdown at Delaware Prison One hostage was released Wednesday around 2:25 p.m. and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. At 5:20 p.m., eight inmates who were also inside Building C during the hostage situation were transferred to authorities. At 7:57 p.m. a second staff member was released and 19 more inmates were transferred to authorities. Around 12:30 a.m. Thursday, 14 more inmates were transferred from the building. Around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, SkyForce10 captured officers appearing to lead someone out of the building and about four dozen people dressed in yellow and white inmate clothing laying on the ground outside -- they appeared to be handcuffed. The prisoners were helped up and then led inside a nearby building one at a time, and by 7:15 almost everyone of them was ushered inside. No official word yet on if any more hostages were released. Earlier, officials had said 82 inmates remained inside the building along with the two hostages. They were unsure whether those 82 inmates or the inmates who were transferred from the building were involved in the hostage situation. They also said they don't know "the dynamics of the takeover." Officials also said they don't know whether anyone other than the first released staff member was injured. The FBI and Delaware State Police continued to negotiate into Thursday morning. Late Wednesday afternoon, Delaware Online received a call from a woman who claimed her fiance is an inmate at the prison. The man on the phone then told the publication a "cop had been stabbed" and that he was asked to relay a list of demands from the inmates, which included better treatment. A man claiming to be an inmate inside James T. Vaughn Correctional Center called in to read a list of demands to news outlet Delaware Online during a hostage situation. Later, Delaware Online received a second phone call from a woman who claimed to be the mother of one of the hostages and two other men who claimed they were inmates at JTVCC. The first man said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." The second man said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Two men claiming to be inmates called the News Journal/Delaware Online to make a list of demands during a hostage situation at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC) in Smyrna Wednesday. During a news conference shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday officials said they were not aware of the two phone calls Delaware Online received. Officials also said that although negotiations were ongoing, they wouldn't consider the inmates' demands until the hostages are released. Richard Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said authorities had been communicating with the hostage-takers via radio. He also noted that inmates in Building C have access to television and may have been watching the news conferences live. "We'd like to tell them we want to resolve this peacefully," he said. While Coupe declined to comment when asked about the phone calls to Delaware Online, he did say a dialogue about issues at the prison could happen later. "Once this matter is resolved safely, then that will be the time to talk if the inmates want to talk about conditions, privileges, those types of things," he said. Delaware Gov. John Carney spoke briefly, saying he had talked with the hostages' families. "As you can imagine, it's been very difficult for them as well," the new Democratic governor said. Family members of prison workers gathered outside the JTVCC Wednesday seeking updates on their loved ones. Staff members of the prison are not allowed to carry cellphones during a lockdown. "I've lived around here my whole life," said Ethan Hunt, the son of a JTVCC worker. "I have friends who have family that works in here. I have other friends actually around my age who work in here. So it's just, it's kind of nerve-wracking." The prison, which dates back to 1971, houses minimum, medium and maximum security prisoners as well as the state's death row inmates, according to the state Bureau of Prisons. The prison employs 1,500 corrections officers, according to Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware. In 2004, an inmate there raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours at the Smyrna prison, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. Dover attorney Stephen Hampton, who has represented state inmates in civil rights cases, said complaints have increased in the past year from inmates system wide about substandard medical care and poor record-keeping. Hampton also said that pretrial inmates at Vaughn and other facilities are locked up for much of the day, without access to gyms or libraries, because rules prohibit mixing pretrial and sentenced inmates. "There gets to be a tremendous pressure on these inmates who sometimes make deals just to get out," Hampton said. A former negotiator spoke to NBC10 about the ongoing hostage situation at a state prison in Delaware. NBC10s Randy Gyllenhaal has the details. The department of corrections wouldn't say if the prison is understaffed but did say they are filling vacancies. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange retreated from his pledge to accept extradition to the U.S. if Chelsea Manning was granted clemency, arguing Wednesday via his lawyers that what he was really asking for was an immediate pardon for the ex-Army analyst. It was only last week that Assange raised eyebrows across the internet when he appeared to offer himself up as a kind of swap for Manning, the former private convicted of leaking the hundreds of thousands of documents that made WikiLeaks a household name. "If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case," WikiLeaks said, apparently referring to the U.S. Department of Justice's continuing investigation into the radical transparency website. But when Obama granted clemency to Manning on Tuesday, setting a May release date that lops almost 30 years off her sentence, Assange's lawyers said it wasn't enough. "There's no question that what President Obama did is not what Assange was seeking," said Barry Pollack, who represents the WikiLeaks chief in the United States. "Mr. Assange was saying that Chelsea should never have been prosecuted, never have been sentenced to decades in prison, and should have been released immediately." Melinda Taylor, who also represents Assange, agreed, saying in an email that clemency was "far short of what Mr. Assange asked for and what Ms. Manning deserved (which is to be pardoned and freed immediately)." Neither supplied any evidence that Assange had used the words "immediate" or "pardon" in relation to his extradition offer, but Pollack said it was clear that was what Assange meant noting that the Australian computer expert had previously pushed for Manning's pardon. "Why would he be called for Manning's release in a few months from now?" Pollack said. "You can parse his tweets any way that you want to parse them. I think his position has been clear throughout." Critics of Assange had a field day, accusing him of dishonesty or using Manning's case to win publicity. "Julian Assange Backpedals on Extradition Promise in Record Time," read one headline in tech website Gizmodo. It's not the first time Assange's pronouncements in relation to Manning haven't quite worked out as advertised. In December 2010, journalists revealed that WikiLeaks had failed to honor a pledge to help support Manning's legal defense fund. It was only after the story was aired in the media that WikiLeaks paid up, reducing its expected contribution from $50,000 to $20,000 and then finally to $15,100, according to press accounts at the time. Even earlier, in June 2010, WikiLeaks said that claims "that we have been sent 260,000 classified US embassy cables are, as far as we can tell, incorrect." Four months later, the site began publishing Manning's huge trove. Gov. Greg Abbott is again calling for major changes to the state's Child Protective Services (CPS) agency. In his State of the State address Tuesday, the governor declared CPS one of four areas that needs emergency attention. CPS is often considered overburdened, and when the system is stretched too thin, vulnerable children can fall through the cracks. Abbott called on lawmakers to overhaul CPS with better funding and long-term solutions. He declared it an emergency item, meaning state legislators can vote on a fix as soon as possible. The Tarrant County-based Alliance for Children is part of that solution. The agency offers counseling and education and helps investigate child abuse cases in Tarrant County. "The average person doesn't understand that it's happening in our back yard and how frequently it is happening," said Alliance for Children spokesperson Kim Rocha. Alisa Clakley's pain is the face of a CPS failure. "My God, the hurt is so profoundly deep," said Clakley, whose 4-year-old daughter, Leiliana Wright, was beaten to death one year ago in Grand Prairie. The girl's mother and mother's boyfriend are now indicted in the child's death. Shortly after the crime, Leiliana's grandparents told NBC 5 they had reported suspected abuse to CPS. "How did this happen?" Clakley asked. "You get pictures sent to you of a child with black eyes and a cracked lip and a massive green bruise across her face, how did you pass that up?" The cases pile on at CPS: Leiliana Wright, Gabe Flores, Colton Turner. But for the past year, Alliance for Children has helped ease the burden. Staff members there read every child abuse report that comes in to CPS. "Maybe they're seeing something or picking up on something that maybe the intake person at CPS didn't pick up on, and just taking it a step further and referring it for services," said Rocha. They are working to save young lives and fulfill the wish of heartbroken families. "Maybe this is the way we can save another child," said Leiliana's grandfather, Craig Clakley. Tarrant County, where Alliance for Children is based, has the second highest rate of child abuse in the state, with more than 6,000 confirmed cases last year. The organization started reading over CPS reports when Abbott last called for increased funding and reforms in 2015. The Clakleys are in the process of moving to East Texas to get away from some painful memories, but they have become advocates for CPS reform. They are pushing to make it possible to sue CPS and individual caseworkers. They also want caseworkers to be prosecuted when there's a death, not just fired, as they were in Leiliana's case. The grandparents hope those changes would hold folks more accountable. Blood was found inside a missing man's home, investigators disclosed Tuesday, but his wife and siblings expressed hope he may still be found safe, and issued a plea for public help. Will Cierzan, 58, of Valencia, and his wife Linda have been together 28 years. She described him as a "homebody" who would not have left on his own. "All we want is for Will to come home safely," she said. He had a day off from working at the nearby Six Flags theme park last Thursday. He called her at work around 4pm and told her he was cooking dinner, but when she called him at 6pm, he did not answer, she said. When she arrived home at 7pm, she saw his pickup parked out front, and found his wallet, keys and other personal items inside, but he was gone. At this point, investigators cannot say whether Will Cierzan was the victim of a crime, or whether something else led to his disappearance, said Det. Ralph Hernandez of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. It's not yet known if the recovered blood was Cierzan's, Hernandez said. One lead being pursued is video recovered from a neighbor's security camera, showing a vehicle back into the driveway of the Cierzan house Thursday, then leave a while later. The vehicle appears to be one driven by a Cierzan relative known to have gone by the house Thursday, according to Det. Hernandez, who said the video will be enhanced in an attempt to glean more detail. "We don't know their interaction during the course of the day," said Det. Hernandez. The relative has been located and provided a statement in which he indicated Cierzan did not leave with him, according to Hernandez, who declined to name him. At this point, the relative is considered another witness and is not being identified as a suspect, Hernandez said. Neighborhood searches have not turned up any sign of Cierzan. "I don't know," Linda Cierzan told reporters asking what she thinks could have happened. But she's sure he would not have left without telling her. "It's hard to deal with. He would not do something like this." When is a groundhog a tortoise? It sounds like it might be a riddle from a whimsical storybook or some age-old philosophical question, the kind of brainteaser that makes us ponder the nature of animalia, nature and the world. But here's the straightforward answer: A groundhog is a tortoise when Californians speak of Mojave Maxine, and not Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, at the start of February. The furry superstar Punxsutawney Phil is the impressively toothed prognosticator who predicts if spring season will arrive early, or if winter will persist. On Feb. 2 each year, Phil emerges from his burrow to look at his shadow. No shadow? Spring's on the way. Shadow seen? Better bundle up for six more weeks. (Phil said there's more winter to come for 2017.) Mojave Maxine's claim to animal-cute, season-predicting fame doesn't involve her shadow. At The Living Desert animal park in Palm Desert., Maxine's mavens -- devotees of the desert tortoise and schoolkids across the region -- keep an eye on her scrubby, rock-lined burrow, waiting for her to trundle out after a brumation, a reptile's hibernation period. Now that Punxsutawney Phil's big moment has wrapped, when will Mojave Maxine emerge in 2017? Giving us all the tortoise-authenticated sign that spring in California, or at least the California desert, is definitely nigh? There's a contest each year for students to guess the date and time the hard-shelled star will make her first cameo of the year. One clue as to her pattern? Mojave Maxine left her burrow on Feb. 8 in 2016, so we may see her soon. Keep a watch on The Living Desert, which will announce the tortoise's emergence and the end of California winter. An Iranian man's family reunited with hugs, tears and cheers at LAX Thursday after he became the first person allowed to return to the U.S. under a federal judge's ruling on President Donald Trump's travel ban. A crowd of supporters sang "This Land is Your Land" as the 61-year-old Iranian immigrant embraced his family. Ali Vayeghan, who had been waiting 12 years to emigrate to the U.S., became the first person to return to the U.S. as a result of court action since Trump's travel ban took effect, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. He was barred from entering the United States under President Donald Trump's travel ban, even though he had a valid visa. The president's executive order restricted travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iran. "We were all singing along and the LAPD was singing along too, and I thought it was beautiful," said Vayeghan's niece Marjan K. Vayghan as she awaited her uncle at the airport. Marjan and her father came to Los Angeles International Airport last Friday to pick up Ali. But the day he arrived was the same day the president's travel ban went into effect, touching off confusion and protests at countries around the country, including LAX. Vayeghan boarded a flight a day earlier from Tehran. The ACLU and immigration attorney Stacy Tolchin fought for Vayeghan's safe return to the U.S. after he was detained overnight at LAX and sent to Dubai Monday. Ali has a green card, which he finally received after applying 12 years ago. He told his brother and attorneys that when he arrived at LAX last week, Customs and Border Protection personnel pressured him to sign documents revoking his visa and then forcibly carried him back onto a plane bound for Dubai. U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee issued an order instructing federal officials to transport Vayeghan from Dubai and admit him to the U.S. under the terms of his visa. She reasoned that Vayeghan would face "irreparable harm" if deported to Iran. The judge's order allowing him back into the U.S. arrived minutes too late when he was already on the plane. Trump's executive order barring people from Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria for 90 days has resulted in travelers being detained, sent back from the United States or stranded in other countries. Vayeghan was among dozens of U.S. visa holders who were detained at airports since Trump signed the order, according to The Associated Press. Then came Thursday when Ali was finally on his way back to LAX. The agency provided a photo of a smiling Vayeghan holding his travel documents at an airport in Yerevan, Armenia. "We're just so overwhelmed by this level of love and amazingness," said niece Marjan Vayghan as she waited for her uncle at LAX. "Last Friday, we felt like the loneliest three people in the whole world. There's just so much love. This is the city I know." As Ali arrived, cheers rang out as crowds of supporters, family and Mayor Eric Garcetti greeted him. "He says this is humanity, this is what human rights looks like and he's shocked, humbled and honored by it," his niece said. Ali had no comments on President Trump or the travel ban, only saying he's happy to be reunited with his family. His wife and son live in Indiana. His wife also has a green card and his son is a U.S. citizen. NBC4's Jonathan Lloyd and City News Service contributed to this report. Police were searching for a man who groped two women on the Fullerton College campus Tuesday. The crimes occurred within a few minutes of one another about 6:35 p.m. Tuesday on a walkway that connects the 1100 and 1300 buildings with the 100 and 300 buildings, according to a statement posted on the college's website. "Two female students reported that an unknown male suspect groped them in their crotch," the statement said. The suspect was described as a man in his mid-20s, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with black hair and a cropped beard. He wore a plaid shirt and light blue jeans, and was last seen leaving campus and running toward Lemon Street. "It's sort of scary to think it just happened last night," student Micaila Whalen said. Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the Fullerton College Campus Safety Department at 714-992-7777. NBC4's Vikki Vargas contributed to this report. The San Diego City Council voted Tuesday to legalize recreational pot dispensaries, but it will still be a while before they can open. San Diego is the first local city to do so since California voters approved Prop 64 in November. That state law made it legal for people over 21 to possess and smoke recreational marijuana. Previously, marijuana was legal only for medicinal purposes and available with a prescription. Now, the city is putting measures in place for when it becomes legal to buy and sell pot in January 2018. Dozens of people gathered at the council meeting to voice their concerns regarding the proposed regulations for marijuana. According to the proposed amendment by the city's Planning Department, marijuana distribution would be prohibited at special events. There would also be a limit to the number of marijuana plants people can grow in their homes to only six. The department also proposed that packaging for pot and edibles include warning labels that list the potency. Packaging should also not attract children, according to the proposal. The regulations are modeled after the city's current medical marijuana ordinance. During the council meeting, Blake Herrschaft, Vice-Chair of the Ocean Beach Planning Board, said 81 percent of Ocean Beach residents voted in favor of Prop 64 and the proposed amendment goes against voters' wishes. Herrschaft said they sent a letter to the city's Planning Department, opposing the amendment. The letter, in part, read: "The Ocean Beach Planning Board commends the City on a proactive approach to cannabis, but we very concerned that the broad-brush stroke approach put forward by the Planning Department does not align with the will of the community nor the General Plan. San Diegos City of Villages development strategy is based on the goal to create mixed-use activity centers that serve as vibrant cores of our community. To create vibrant and sustainable communities, we need responsible, area-specific approaches to regulating new use types. The amendments put forward by the Planning Department are just the opposite, and do not reflect a fully developed, well thought out, area-specific approach to Cannabis use in our community." You can read the full letter here. One woman argued that she needed a specific strain and dosage of marijuana to control the side effects of medicine she takes for cancer. She added that it's the reason why testing and access to medical marijuana is important. "This is about safe access to medicine," she said. San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman spoke in support of the amendment, saying that the city has already experienced some of the negative side affects of illegal and legal marijuana use, including armed burglaries and robberies. "We believe, at the police department, that the regulations in front of you today will help us, all of us, minimize the negative impacts of the marijuana industry in our neighborhoods," Zimmerman said. The City Council voted to have staff return within nine months with recommendations to regulate the cultivation, processing, distribution and testing of marijuana. District 3 Councilmember Chris Ward called Tuesdays vote a good first step. More than 60% of San Diego voters including majorities in every council district sent a clear message on Election Day with their support of Prop 64, and I'm encouraged that the council is moving forward with a responsible plan that respects this mandate, Ward said. A California woman is mourning the death of her husband after an unexpected death following a tooth infection. Twenty-six-year-old Vadim Kondratyuk was suffering from the bothersome tooth when he left his home near Sacramento on Jan. 17 to begin a truck driving job that would take him to New York. On his return home with his brother along for the ride after Kondratyuk said he couldnt make the trip alone the pain was too much to handle and the two stopped at a hospital in Utah. Doctors said the infection spread to his blood and lungs, killing the father of two days later. "Nobody ever thought that something from a tooth can happen so big and go everywhere, said his widow, Nataliya. It's going to be hard with both my kids without a husband. Half of me is just taken away." Tooth infections can cause serious illness if not treated. Doctors say infections can be prevented by regular dentist appointments and care. Patients should seek medical help immediately if they experience one. Luz Portillo's college degree has been sitting in the bottom of a box for about a year. The Carson, California native said she is proud of her bachelor's degree in Latin American and Latino Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, but may never display it. "It's something that's very emotional for me," Portillo said. "I don't want to live with a constant reminder of what this university did to me." The 24-year-old alleges she was raped by a professor in June 2015, one day before she was supposed to graduate. On Tuesday, Portillo's attorneys announced the University of California Regents has settled her claim for $1.15 million for what she claims was its failure to address previous allegations of sexual harassment and sexual violence by the professor. The claim states that Portillo was raped by one of her professors and a female student who was also a university employee during a wine-tasting outing on June 13, 2015. Instead of attending her graduation the next day, Portillo says she was at the Santa Cruz police station and then at the hospital for a rape kit. "The clothes I was wearing was inside out," she said. "I woke up and there were personal items of clothing that were missing that kinda led me to believe that something had happened." Hours before, Portillo joined her Latin Studies professor and the female student for wine tasting. She said the professor invited them to celebrate their graduation and for completing their senior research project. "I went to the restroom, came back, finished the drink that I had...and I don't recall anything after that," Portillo said. The legal claim states the professor had "encouraged (Portillo) to consume large quantities of wine," which had caused her to become severely intoxicated and lose her memory. Portillo said she doesn't remember how the group ended back at the other student's apartment. "They committed sexual assault on me while I was unconscious," she said. Portillo claims that the university knew for years that the professor was a sexual predator and did nothing to intervene. "You have people who are substantially older with young women in their early 20's," said John Kristensen, Portillo's attorney. "They're in positions of power, and it's a dangerous situation." A statement from the UCSC Chancellor said the campus quickly launched an investigation into Portillo's claims, which "appeared to be clear violations of the UC Santa Cruz policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment." The professor was removed from his position, placed on leave and barred from all contact with students, the statement said. When formal disciplinary proceedings began, he resigned. "Until (Tuesday's) statement by attorneys representing the victim, we have avoided public comment to protect the student's privacy," Chancellor George Blumenthal and Interim Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor Herbert Lee said. Neither the professor nor the other student was prosecuted criminally. The professor did not respond to NBC4's several attempts to reach him for comment. Now, Portillo said she is speaking out for other potential victims who may be too afraid to come forward. "He got to move on with his life, and I was left picking up the pieces that he broke," Portillo said. "How many more students have to go through this until policy changes?" UC Santa Cruz is one of more than 200 colleges and universities under federal investigation for how they handle sexual assault. The case has renewed focus on the problem of sexual assaults involving college students and raises questions about what obligations a university has to inform students and when it's time to go public. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump took a dig at the new Celebrity Apprentice host Arnold Schwarzenegger during his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast. President Donald Trump slammed former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington Thursday morning, saying he wants to pray for Schwarzenegger because of his ratings on the show "The Apprentice." Trump was introduced at the breakfast by television producer Mark Burnett, who helped make Trump the reality show's host in 2004. Trump remains a producer on the reboot of the show. The breakfast is a high-profile event bringing together faith leaders, politicians and dignitaries. Trump also warned the audience there that religious freedom is "under threat" and vowed to repeal the Johnson Amendment, an IRS rule barring pastors from endorsing candidates from the pulpit. But when he took the podium, Trump immediately criticized Schwarzenegger, the current host of "The Apprentice." "The ratings went right down the tubes," Trump said of the show. "Its been a total disaster." A majority of Americans, including a growing number of Republicans, want to see an "independent investigation" sort out any connections between Russia and President Donald Trump during the 2016 election campaign, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Monday. Trump's dismissal of Comey, who was leading the Federal Bureau of... He added, "I want to just pray for Arnold if we can, for those ratings." Schwarzenegger responded on Twitter soon after the remarks, offering to switch jobs with Trump, since he clearly cares about TV a lot. With Schwarzenegger in the White House, he said, "people can finally sleep comfortably again." Later on, Rex Tillerson apologized for being late to introducing himself at the State Department, which he now leads, citing the breakfast. "It seemed at this year's prayer breakfast people felt the need to pray a little longer," he joked. The president made no mention at the prayer breakfast of other steps he may take on promised protections for religious objectors to gay marriage and abortion, saying only that religious freedom is a "sacred right." He used his remarks to thank the American people for their prayers in his opening days in office. Religious conservatives whose overwhelming support propelled Trump to the White House have been watching closely for him to deliver on those issues. Kelly Shackelford, head of First Liberty Institute, a non-profit legal group that specializes in religious freedom cases, said no other presidential candidate was "more outspoken on their commitment to religious freedom" than Trump. [NATL] Donald Trump Through the Years While the president's comments were likely to be warmly received by religious groups, LGBTQ groups are anxious that the president could use his executive powers to curb rights. "We think it is entirely possible there could be an executive order that creates religious exemptions," said James Esseks, LGBT project director for the American Civil Liberties Union. He added that the "narrative" that Trump won't harm the LGBTQ community was "not correct." Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced that the president would leave intact a 2014 executive order that protects workers for federal contractors from anti-LGBTQ discrimination, saying in a statement that Trump "continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election." During a Monday news briefing, White House spokesman Sean Spicer offered no details on whether Trump could still issue an executive order affecting the LGBTQ community. "There is a lot of executive orders, a lot of things that the president has talked about and will continue to fulfill, but we have nothing on that front now," Spicer said. For now, both sides are speculating on Trump's plans. A group says they're still planning to demonstrate after organizers canceled a planned weekend protest march outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, saying they had concerns about safety. Lead organizer Stephen Milo said in statement Thursday that Saturday's March to Mar-a-Lago is being canceled because of "the possibility of the march turning into an angry confrontational demonstration vs. a joyful show of unity" as originally envisioned. But another group, South Florida Activism, said they plan on protesting anyway. The president is scheduled to be at Mar-a-Lago this weekend and will likely attend an American Red Cross fundraiser there Saturday night. The protest was to be aimed at the president's moratorium on refugees from seven primarily Islamic countries. Milo said his decision came after meetings with West Palm Beach police officials, whom he said were respectful and accommodating. More than 2,000 people had registered on Facebook to attend Milo's march. A man sentenced to death for the execution-style killings of two Davie Waffle House workers will have another chance to avoid death row. The Florida Supreme Court has granted a new sentencing hearing for Gerhard Hojan, who was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of armed kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery in the 2002 killings. A jury recommended the sentence of death for Hojan by 9 to 3, but the state Supreme Court later ruled last year that a unanimous decision is required. Hojan and another man, Jimmy Mickel, robbed the Waffle House in the early morning hours on March 11, 2002. Hojan ordered three employees working the overnight shift into a freezer, then returned and shot each, killing 17-year-old waitress Christina Delarosa and 18-year-old cook Willy Absolu. But 37-year-old waitress Barbara Nunn regained consciousness. Bleeding from a gunshot to the head, she walked to a gas station next door. When police arrived, she told them that Hojan and Mickel, a former Waffle House cook, robbed them and that Hojan shot the employees. A Florida woman says her iPhone burst into flames as it lay charging on her nightstand while she was sleeping nearby. Amanda Bentz, of Palm Harbor, said she was awakened early Tuesday by bright flames shooting out of her iPhone 6 Plus, NBC affiliate WFLA reported. "My face was so close to the phone that when it immediately went up in flames, it woke me up. I'm luckily a light sleeper," Bentz said. "It was just like a 'shhhhhh,' kind of like fireworks. It literally blew flames right out the side of the phone." Bentz's husband Kyle used a shirt to smother the flames, WFLA reported. "If he wouldn't have woken up right then and there, and like immediately came to and put it out, it would have caught the curtain on fire, and then the bed," she said. Bentz said the fire singed her comforter, pillow case and curtains, and left her nightstand covered in black soot. The phone she's had for two and half years is now a melted heap of plastic and cracked glass. An Apple spokesman told WFLA that they are looking into the matter. Bentz said Apple is offering her a replacement phone. Bentz says she and her husband arent sure about having another iPhone 6 Plus in the bedroom. Its scary. Its scary when its three oclock in the morning and youre not expecting that she said. Officials gave the all clear after one South Florida school was evacuated Thursday morning following a threat. Buildings on the campus of Gulliver Preparatory School were cleared while authorities searched for an unknown threat. Pinecrest Police would not say what type of threat was made, but did say that all students and teachers were safe during the investigation. Students were being transported to the school's Miller Drive campus, as parents were not being allowed to pick up students during the evacuation. Once the all-clear was given by police, students were allowed to return to the main campus to retrieve belongings and vehicles. A Florida City man is behind bars after allegedly trying to kill his brother over a lost house key. Florida City Police arrested 25-year-old Kentrell Hankerson Wednesday after he was found following the shooting. According to the arrest report, Hankerson got into an argument with his brother about the brother losing his house key at a home off Northwest 5th Court. When the victim went outside to look for the key, Hankerson pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting his brother in the chest. Hankerson was later arrested off Southwest 3rd Avenue in Homestead and confessed to the crime during questioning. He was being held on no bond Thursday on several charges including attempted murder and carrying a concealed firearm. Police are searching for a man who was caught in camera grabbing a woman in Coral Gables. The incident happened back on Dec. 22 in the 200 block of Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables Police said Thursday. According to police, the 24-year-old woman had just left Copper 29 on Miracle Mile around 12:45 a.m. and was walking along when a silver four-door sedan pulled up next to her. A man got out of the car, said "Hey I'm Mike" then wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up off the ground, police said. The woman was able to fight him off and run away and found two construction workers who walked her to her car. "Thank God she escaped and she ran away from the scene," Coral Gables Police Sgt. Thomas Salcedo said. The frightening encounter was captured by a surveillance camera from a nearby business. "It could happen anywhere. It could happen even in the safest cities in the world," Sgt. Salcedo said. "Be alert, always be alert. Stay off your phones and your headphones, look around, always look around for your surroundings and all that." Police said the suspect, a white male, fled in an unknown direction. Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Using a backhoe to smash through a barricade of footlockers, authorities stormed Delaware's largest prison early Thursday and ended a nearly day-long hostage standoff involving inmates armed with sharpened objects. One hostage a guard was found dead. A second hostage, a female counselor, was safely rescued. Some inmates had shielded her from harm, officials said. Sgt. Steven Floyd was found unresponsive as Delaware and Maryland state police, along with DOC officers, raided "C" building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC) just after 5 a.m., officials said. Floyd was pronounced dead minutes later, as police secured the building.[[412592433, C]] "This is a very sad day across the state of Delaware, with the loss of one of our brave correctional officers," Delaware Gov. John Carney said. Floyd was a 16-year veteran of the Department of Correction. A vigil was planned for Friday at Smyrna Memorial Park at 6 p.m. [[412563313, C]] Inmates, some with homemade sharp weapons, took three guards and a counselor hostage at the JTVCC, a Level 5 maximum security prison in Smyrna, shortly after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. A corrections officer radioed for help from inside the C building, which houses more than 100 inmates, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Authorities did not immediately explain how 47-year-old Sgt. Steven Floyd died, but the head of the guards union said the 16-year veteran of the prison was forced into a closet and killed by his captors at some point. During the takeover, Floyd yelled to other guards who were coming to help him that the inmates had set a trap, saving some of his fellow officers' lives, said Geoffrey Klopp, union president. [[412445893, C]] All 120 inmates taken from the facility are being considered suspects, investigators said. The building houses inmates moving up from minimum security or down from maximum security. Officials said that the prison was operating at minimum staffing levels. Officials didn't say what prompted the uprising, but in calls to a local news outlet, the hostage takers said they sought better education, effective rehabilitation and more transparency on prison funding. One also linked the action to President Donald Trump and "everything that he did." Gov. Carney said in a statement he was "praying hard" for Floyd's family and he ordered flags across Delaware to be flown at half staff. [[412549833, C]] "This serves as a tragic reminder that members of law enforcement risk their lives every day on behalf of the people of Delaware. We will stand by the fallen officer's family and fellow law enforcement officers during what is an extremely difficult time," Carney said. The guards who were taken hostage were beaten severely by their captors and suffered broken bones, cuts and eye injuries, Klopp said. Authorities said their injuries were not life-threatening. The inmates released one staffer they'd taken hostage in the afternoon and another Wednesday night. Three maintenance workers who hid out in the basement during the siege made it onto the building's roof later Wednesday night and were rescued. [[412503473, C]] Before sunrise Thursday, SkyForce10 captured video of dozens of inmates lying on the ground outside the C building, then being ushered into another building one at a time. The building being secured brought an end to 18 tense hours at the rural prison between Wilmington and Dover. "This was a long and agonizing situation," Carney said. "I want to thank all those involved in responding, including officers at the Department of Correction and the Delaware State Police, as well as our federal partners. Our priority now will be to determine what happened and how this happened. We will hold accountable anyone who was responsible. And we will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again." [[412566793, C]] The negotiations via walkie-talkie were broadcast online for more than an hour before officials blocked the transmission. The conversations were mostly calm, with moments of tension. At one point, an unidentified inmate told a negotiator that the prisoners wanted a "formal apology" from the governor for "decades of oppression." The prison, about 15 miles outside the state capital of Dover, dates back to 1971 and houses minimum, medium and maximum security prisoners serving sentences, along with defendants awaiting trial, and the state's death row inmates, according to the state Bureau of Prisons. Building C includes inmates being disciplined for infractions. While authorities investigate what went wrong, Delaware Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe noted that the prison system faces staffing shortages every day. "Statewide, we are down on any given day about 90 positions," said Coupe, who added that the agency uses overtime to meet minimum staffing levels. Klopp said Floyd's death was preventable and slammed the state for understaffing and low pay. In 2004, an inmate at the prison raped a counselor and held her hostage for nearly seven hours before he was killed by a department sharpshooter. Klopp said none of the resulting recommendations for improving staffing were put into effect after the incident.[[412548573, C]] Two New York City men have been sentenced to prison after they kidnapped another man off the street and held him for a over a month at a warehouse in Long Island City, officials from the Queens District Attorney's Office announced Thursday. Christian Acuna, 38, Dennis Alves, 36, both of Queens, were sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison Thursday after they pleaded guilty to first-degree kidnapping last month, officials said. Both faced charges of kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. Acuna and Alves were also sentenced to five years of post-release supervision, officials said. A third man, Eduardo Moncayo of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, 42, is currently serving 25 years to life in prison after he was sentenced last October. The three men held and tortured Pedro Portugal, a 52-year-old father of four, for more than a month while demanding a $3 million ransom from his family in Ecuador, authorities said. Three men have been charged in the kidnapping of another man off a Queens street in broad daylight, holding him for over a month and demanding a $3 million ransom from his family, authorities said Wednesday. Gus Rosendale reports. Portugal was approached on a Jackson Heights street in front of his office on April 18, 2013 by several men, including Moncayo, who showed him what looked like a police badge. He was forced into a car, a mask was put over his face, and he was threatened with a knife, authorities said. Portugal was taken to a warehouse in Long Island City, where he was kept for more than a month, authorities said. During this time, "the victim's fingers were burned with acid and had a tooth knocked out," said District Attorney Richard Brown. Prosecutors said he was threatened with mutilation and death. He allegedly was masked and held with his hands bound. Portugal "suffered physical injuries and has been deeply traumatized by the ordeal," Brown said. His alleged kidnappers forced him to call his mother in Ecuador, asking for the ransom, authorities said. Police, notified of his disappearance and the ransom call, were searching for him and found him through phone records and leads. A detective from the NYPD's Major Case Squad posing as a firefighter doing a safety inspection entered the warehouse and found Portugal with his hands bound with cloth and duct tape, officials said. What to Know Mayor de Blasio skipped the event for the second straight year; he dropped the groundhog in 2014 and it died a week later The mayor went to the big reveal in 2015 but didn't touch the animal The Staten Island Zoo says Chuck has an 80 percent accuracy rate; the NYC animal agreed with Punxsutawney Phil last year In a significant departure from the forecast offered by the country's preeminent groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, Staten Island Chuck has called for an early spring. A crowd of children and adults gathered at the Staten Island Zoo Thursday morning as they anxiously awaited to hear from Chuck whether winter would stick around or spring would soon be in the air. Kids pressed their faces against the glass as they tried to catch a glimpse of the groundhog. Cheers erupted as Chuck -- taking the moment in stride -- emerged with no symbolic shadow in sight. He wasn't the only one who foresees an early spring -- Public Advocate Letitia James, who was present for the reveal, predicted the same. Pennsylvania's famous Punxsutawney Phil says otherwise. Phil's handlers say the furry rodent predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow. Last year, Chuck and Phil both predicted an early spring. According to the Staten Island Zoo, Chuck has an 80 percent accuracy rate. The mayor traditionally attends the festivities at the Staten Island Zoo and reveals whether of not Chuck sees his shadow. Mayor de Blasio wasn't present for Thursday's ceremony. De Blasio dropped the groundhog in 2014, the first year he attended the ceremony after taking office. The rodent died a week after the fall. This is the second year in a row that de Blasio has skipped out on the event. His last apperance was in 2015, when he watched the reveal but did not touch the groundhog. Workers at a New Jersey auto shop made a startling discovery after towing a vehicle there: a mortar round fell out from inside the car. A spokesman for the Passaic County Sheriff says police were dispatched to the shop on East Main Street, where the car had been towed from Newark. The mortar round fell out as the car, which was newly purchased, was being unloaded, the spokesman said. Officers cleared the area, and the Passaic County Bomb Squad neutralized and retrieved the device, authorities said. No neighbors were in any danger during the retrieval, police said. The FBI and Homeland Security have been identified. Investigation is ongoing. What to Know Bodega owners across New York City plan to close up shop from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday in protest of President Trump's travel ban The business owners want to show how much they're a part of the fabric of a city known for its large immigrant population A rally is planned at Brooklyn Borough Hall Thursday evening after the mass shutdown A group of Yemeni business owners shut down their delis, grocery stores and bodegas across New York City Thursday in protest of President Donald Trump's travel ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, including the place many of the shopkeepers call home. The mass closing started at noon and was expected to last until 8 p.m. Many were rallying at Brooklyn Borough Hall Thursday evening, waving U.S. and Yemen flags and chanting, "No ban, no wall, N-Y-C for all." [NATL-NY] Photos: Yemeni Bodega Owners in NYC Protest Trump Travel Ban Among those participating in the shutdown is Abdulkera Yafei, who owns a store in Cobble Hill. He's been waiting for his wife and four children to arrive from Yemen after a long process for them to get green cards. "My family is stuck in Djibouti right now," he said. The family finally got interviews for green cards on Jan. 17, just three days before Trump was inaugurated. When Trump signed the travel ban, the family got an email telling them to check back in 90 days, said Yafei. Yafei, who's lived in Brooklyn for 10 years and is now a citizen, says he's devastated. Haron Zokari closed his Manhattan deli at noon, as well. He said his own wife and baby are stuck in Yemen after almost completing a four-year, green-card process. "We are trying to stay strong," he said. "There's people there who are refugees and who are starving and running for their lives, so thank God we don't have it as bad as they do." The bodega shutdown drew support from regular customers. Store owners closed up shop to protest the immigration executive order. Erica Byfield reports. "This is for a good cause. My sandwich can wait," said Maria Lipinto, a customer at a Sunset Park store whose owner, Frank, said the closure would cost him a couple thousand dollars. He said he hasn't closed since Sandy but the rally is worth every cent he'll lose. Another owner, Johnny Lu, added, "Money should not be more important than the rights of Americans when he puts ban on refugees, immigrants, people who make this country what it is. It's not right." Zaid Nagi, who owns three delis in the Bronx, said the ban disrupted plans to bring his mother to the United States, where he has lived for more than 20 years. The 36-year-old married father of four said the point of the protest was to say, "We are part of this community. We are not who this order is trying to say we are." Trump's executive order barring people hailing from Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Syria for 90 days has resulted in travelers being detained or deported from the United States. Many have been stranded in other countries. [NATL] Trump Immigration Order Triggers Protests Across US Meanwhile, ongoing protests over Trump's policies continued in lower Manhattan Wednesday night. On Tuesday, thousands of people protested outside of Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer's apartment in Brooklyn, demanding he do more to oppose the president's actions. What to Know Protesters took to the streets again Wednesday, this time in lower Manhattan, where they decried Trump's immigration policies The policies led to protests across the U.S. last weekend and into this week; thousands protested at Sen. Schumer's home earlier Wednesday Bodega owners plan to close up shop on Thursday in protest before a rally in Brooklyn Thursday evening As the sun set on lower Manhattan Wednesday night, nearly a thousand protesters took to Foley Square to decry President Trumps executive order limiting entry for refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries. The Muslim call to prayer was heard across the square as evening settled in and protesters marched to the front of the Jacob Javits Federal Building, holding signs like We are all Muslims and Keep families together, while chanting in unison. To be completely honest, Ive never been more proud to be Muslim and American, said Maryam Shoubir from Woodside, Queens. I see everyone out here supporting us. Wednesday's protest followed a weekend of protests over Trump's immigration policies, weekend protests that spilled over into Monday and Tuesday. We have to stand up now or else hell come for all the other groups, Anna Wahrman, of the Upper West Side, said. Earlier Wednesday, thousands of people packed the icy sidewalk outside Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer's Brooklyn apartment. They mocked him with signs like "Grow a spine, Chuck!" and "Chuck's a chicken." And they chanted, "Filibuster everything!" The Senate minority leader is not only ridiculed and insulted by Trump but is also under fire from many of his own constituents, who complain that he is not fighting hard enough against the president. Across the city in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, Adnan Alshabbi is also planning to protest Trump's executive orders by closing down his bodega. We have to show the people we close our business to go with you guys, Alshabbi said. Hes among a number of Yemeni bodega and store owners uniting across the city Thursday. They plan to close their doors from noon to 8 p.m. as a way to show opposition to the presidents stance on Muslim refugees. After that, they say they're holding a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall in the evening. We have to fight, we have to stand up, Alshabbi said. What to Know Karina Vetrano's beaten body was found Aug. 2 in a marshy park in Queens Investigators developed a DNA profile based on samples under her fingernails and on her neck, but found no match in law enforcement database Her family is holding a rally to support the use of familial DNA evidence, which is currently not allowed in New York The body of 30-year-old Karina Vetrano was found six months ago Thursday in a marshy park in Queens. The avid runner had been beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted, and though authorities have culled DNA from three investigative points, state and local databases have yet to yield a match. No arrests have been made in the case, which has become one of the city's highest-profile unsolved murders in recent years. On Thursday, Vetranos family plans to rally at the site where the young woman entered the park Aug. 2; they want officials to allow the use of familial DNA evidence to find her killer. Familial DNA searching is currently not allowed in New York. The Vetrano family has been campaigning for months to have investigators use the technique, which uses DNA found at the scene to look for the killer's relatives. A GoFundMe page set up after Vetrano's death has raised nearly $290,000 toward the investigative effort, and in a post Thursday morning, Vetrano's father Phil asked supporters to come out in force for the rally. "I just want to remind everyone that today at 4 , exactly 6 months that Karina was murdered, we will have a press conference/ rally," wrote Phil Vetrano, who was among the search crews to find his daughter's body. He normally ran with her in the park but didn't go that fateful day because of an injury. "Those of u that can come please do. It at the exact spot that KArina went in . 83 st and 164 ave . Let's show support for DNA testing." Prosecutors and police have also asked state forensics officials to allow the technique, saying that other investigative techniques have been exhausted. Janine Kava, a spokeswoman for the state Commission on Forensic Science, said in December that state officials will continue working to provide law enforcement with "cutting-edge tools" to solve crimes "without compromising individual protections." What to Know Sarah Stern vanished from her Neptune City home the afternoon of Dec. 2 Her fully operational vehicle was found on the side of the Route 35 Bridge in Belmar; investigators found no evidence in the water The young woman's body still hasn't been found A 19-year-old man faces first-degree felony murder and other charges in the disappearance of Sarah Stern, the 19-year-old New Jersey woman who vanished from her home in early December, and another young man is accused of helping him try to cover up the crime. Sarah Stern's body has not been found. According to prosecutors, Liam McAtasney strangled the young woman in the course of committing a robbery at her Neptune City home Dec. 2. A second 19-year-old man, Preston Taylor, allegedly helped McAtasney get Stern's body out of the house and throw her over the Route 35 Bridge in Belmar, prosecutors say. Taylor faces charges of conspiracy, hindering apprehension and other crimes. Prosecutors say McAtasney and Taylor, who lived in the same town as Stern, were longtime acquaintances of the teen. The arrests announced Thursday are the culmination of a nearly two-month investigation into Stern's disapperance. Her fully operational 1994 silver, four-door Oldsmobile Eight-Eight was found abandoned on the shoulder of the southbound lanes of the bridge, and many assumed she killed herself. Prosecutors say some hoped she had simply run away after withdrawing a large amount of money from her bank account. A Crime Stoppers tip led police to McAtasney as their suspect, alleging he somehow knew about the cash withdrawal and came to Stern's home to rob her. Specialized divers and water rescuers scoured the Shark River for any evidence of Stern after her car was located, but none was found. McAtasney and Taylor appeared in court Thursday. It wasn't immediately clear if either man had retained an attorney who could comment on his behalf. Stern was a student at Neptune High School, where she played softball and was a member of the swim team. "Everybody liked this child, so this is just devastating to the family," Charles Stone, the family's attorney, said Thursday. "This is the worst thing that could happen. It's just unfathomable." Earlier this month, the missing woman's father, Michael Stern, said the family was at a loss, especially after Stern's mother died three years ago, and the holidays were particularly difficult. He said his daughter loved Christmas. "It's a gut-wrenching experience that no parent should have to go through," Michael Stern told NJ.com. The family left court Thursday, asking for privacy. See what the "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" singer posted for her husband President Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, has been confirmed by the Senate after several Democrats crossed party lines to back the former Exxon Mobil CEO. The vote on Tillerson came as tension continues to build among congressional Republicans and Democrats over Trump's executive order on immigrants and refugees. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared the order a litmus test for Trump's remaining Cabinet choices. Any that refuse to publicly reject the "horrible" new policy should be opposed, the New York Democrat said. But the Democrats just didn't have the numbers to block Tillerson from becoming the nation's chief diplomat. Republicans held a four-seat advantage in the Senate and three Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Mark Warner of Virginia cast their ballots for Tillerson. Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, also supported Tillerson. The opening days of the Trump administration have seen little of the honeymoon period new presidents usually experience. The chief battleground has been Trump's executive order temporarily blocking refugees worldwide and anyone from seven Muslim-majority nations. With liberal groups pressing them to fight Trump, Democrats used delay tactics on Trump nominees on Tuesday. It's one of their limited weapons as the congressional minority to hamper the GOP. Tillerson was sworn in late Wednesday. Meanwhile, A Senate committee approved President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, in a party-line vote Wednesday. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to nominate Sessions to serve as attorney general. Democrats had scuttled a planned vote Tuesday in the wake of Trump's decision to fire Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. Several Democrats said they had no confidence Sessions would be able to stand up to Trump. The 11-9 vote was along party lines. All the panel's Democrats voted against the nomination. Sessions is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate. Republicans have been strongly supportive of their colleague, arguing that he will follow the law and maintain traditional independence from Trump, if needed. Several other votes happened Wednesday to get Trump nominees approved by committees, clearing them for confirmation in the full Senate. Republicans pushed two Trump nominees through the Senate Finance Committee, a day after Democrats said both men had lied to Congress about their financial background and blocked those votes. The Senate committee approved both Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., Trump's pick for health secretary, and Steve Mnuchin, Trump's designee for treasury secretary without Democrats present after the GOP changed the panel's rules. The ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, Ron Wyden of Oregon, said on Twitter that the rule changes were unprecedented and done on a "partisan basis." Today, for the 1st time in history, Senate Finance Cmte broke the rules to push through, on a partisan basis, 2 nominees who misled the Cmte Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) February 1, 2017 Price is headed for a post that would place him at the lead of Republican efforts to erase former President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Democrats cited a newspaper report that officials of an Australian biomed company said Price received a special offer to buy their stock at reduced prices, despite Price's congressional testimony that the offer was available to all investors. Democrats said a bank run by Mnuchin used a process for handling home foreclosures that critics have associated with fraud. Both men and congressional Republicans said they'd done nothing wrong. Democrats also temporally thwarted a Senate confirmation vote on Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency by boycotting a key committee meeting. The seats reserved for the 10 Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee were empty as Wednesday's meeting to discuss to nomination of Scott Pruitt was called to order. Committee rules require that at least two members of the minority party be present for a vote to be held. Chairman John Barrasso accused the absent Democrats of engaging in obstruction amounting to nothing more than "political theater." After recessing, the Wyoming Republican pledged to "do what is necessary" to advance Pruitt's nomination, raising the possibility the GOP majority may seek a rules change to push the issue to a vote before the full Senate. Like Trump, Pruitt has previously cast doubt on the extensive body of scientific evidence showing that the planet is warming and man-made carbon emissions are to blame. Pressed by Democrats in his Senate confirmation hearing in January, however, Pruitt said he disagreed with Trump's earlier claims that global warming is a hoax created by the Chinese to harm the economic competitiveness of the United States. "I do not believe climate change is a hoax," Pruitt said. Trump's pick to head the White House Budget Office, tea party Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., faces a vote by the Homeland Security and Government Affairs panel, though veteran Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona a critic of Mulvaney's previous stands on Pentagon spending has yet to commit his support. Bill Cosby's lawyers will make oral arguments this month on their bid to move the actor's sexual assault trial to another Pennsylvania county. The defense fears that Montgomery County jurors have been exposed to extensive news coverage of the case since Cosby's arrest last year. The case was also an issue in the district attorney's race in the suburban Philadelphia county. Prosecutors want the trial held in Montgomery County, but don't oppose bringing jurors in from elsewhere. Judge Steven O'Neill on Wednesday has scheduled a Feb. 27 hearing. He plans to start the trial by June. [[363847281, C]] O'Neill is also weighing a prosecution request to let 13 other women testify to support the accuser's complaint that Cosby drugged and molested her in 2004. The 79-year-old Cosby, who was known as America's Dad for his top-rated family sitcom, has pleaded not guilty and remains free on bail. The death of Dr. David Kennedy while imprisoned at Montgomery County Correctional Facility last month remains under investigation, with county officials waiting for final tests to come back before they announce a cause. Kennedy, 48, was found dead inside the hilltop jail in Eagleville in the early morning hours of Dec. 18. The Pennsburg pediatrician was awaiting a preliminary hearing on child pornography charges after he was unable to post $250,000 bail. For Montgomery County, his death is not an isolated incident over the last decade, according to records obtained by NBC10.com through a right-to-know request. Kennedy is the 25th county inmate to die in custody since 2007. In two of those deaths, resulting lawsuits led to $462,500 in settlements, the county said. An assistant county solicitor refused to identify which inmates' deaths prompted the lawsuits. But federal court records indicate that one of the settlements was for $325,000 in the death of Patricia Pollock. The 25-year-old woman died Sept. 27, 2011 from "acute fulminant verrucous endocarditis," or sudden and severe inflammation of the heart, according to the county. Before she died, Pollock had been in custody on $10,000 bail for theft and DUI charges, according to a published report. The lawsuit contended that the jail's medical staff ignored Pollock's symptoms for more than four days before she was eventually transported to Mercy Suburban Hospital in East Norriton, where she died. It remains unclear how much of that settlement was paid by the county, since the contractor that handled the jail's medical services at the time was also a defendant in the lawsuit. That contractor, Correctional Medical Care, was paid $4 million a year, Newsworks reported in 2013. The county since switched to another medical provider for the facility, the website reported. In addition to Pollock's death, 17 other inmates died from medical emergencies or illnesses, county records show. Five of the inmate deaths were by "suicide, hanging," with a sixth described as "hanging in cell." Montgomery County Correctional Facility Warden Julio Algarin defended his jail's ability to "screen for mental health problems" and noted that his staff oversees a suicide watch program. "Unlike the national trends, we have not seen an increase in suicides in our prison. In fact, we only had one suicide in the last three years," Algarin said in a statement. He added, "I am very proud to note that we prevented 38 suicides in 2016." The 18 deaths ruled to be from various medical conditions included two heart attacks and two cases of live cancer. None of the 25 death records provided included names of the inmates, including Kennedy's, whose record includes "pending investigation" for reason of death. An assistant Montgomery County solicitor cited healthcare privacy laws in refusing to identify the inmates. Some of the inmates have been identified in previously published reports, however. David Minnich, who was awaiting charges of aggravated indecent assault of a child, died Dec. 20, 2012 by hanging himself in his cell. His wife sued the county for in excess of $175,000, according to an online news report. Federal court records indicate a settlement was reached, but the amount was sealed. Another reported inmate death was that of a former finance director for the Valley Forge Convention and Visitor's Bureau. William T. Barnes, 72, was the oldest of the 25 inmates to die. He died at the prison from heart disease, May 27, 2012. Algarin said the county's inmate population averages about 11,000 inmates each year and with such a large number of people comes medical emergencies and illnesses. "We take the health and welfare of those in our custody very seriously. And like any community, members of our prison population suffer from heart disease, kidney disease, cancer and other illnesses," Algarin said. "The Correctional Facility offers ongoing medical care and treatment for those inmates with health problems and we are quick to respond in medical emergencies." Some details to the inmate deaths include: - Fourteen of the deaths occurred inside the jail, nine occurred at Mercy Suburban Hospital, one occurred at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and one occurred at the now-closed Montgomery Hospital in Norristown. - The youngest inmate to die in custody was a 22-year-old found dead in his jail cell, Oct. 7, 2012. The cause of death was ruled "hanging in cell." He was in custody for what the county described only as "Drug Act X." - After Barnes, the second-oldest inmate to die was a 64-year-old on June 19, 2011. The cause was "metastatic lung cancer." - Since the beginning of 2014, five inmates have died in custody, including Kennedy. The three previous years, 2011 to 2013, 13 inmates died. County funding for the correctional facility has increased more than $8 million from 2011 to 2016, according to budget figures. Algarin said an additional $2 million has been invested in psychiatric services and medical professional staffing at the jail. "We increased medical professional staffing hours by around 43 percent," he said. A deputy county coroner said Tuesday that the last tests of the autopsy are pending final review by a pathologist. "We did some tests beyond toxicology," he said. A man whose job once included helping homeless addicts get drug treatment admitted Wednesday to overseeing a drug ring that sold heroin and crack cocaine. Harold "Hal" Miller was previously a program coordinator at a homeless shelter in Camden partly funded by rock star Jon Bon Jovi. The 41-year-old Mantua man pleaded guilty to conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute and faces up to 20 years in prison when he's sentenced May 8. Miller, who was also known as "Killer Clown," admitted that for 15 months he oversaw a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine on a Camden street, overseeing dealers who stood outside rundown homes. Three other men have also pleaded guilty. Miller has been in federal custody since his September 2015 arrest and U.S. District Judge Joseph Rodriguez turned down his attempt to be held on house arrest until sentencing. The case was an example of how complicated life can be in a city that is among the most impoverished and crime-ridden in the country. Miller, a Camden native, was known among homeless people as someone who really wanted to help them. As an outreach worker for Volunteers of America, he would let journalists reporting on homelessness ride in his van to visit encampments where he would hand out snacks and offer to connect people with services such as shelter space and drug treatment. Miller left that job in 2014 for Joseph's House, which has received donations and visits from Bon Jovi. Miller does have a criminal past. In 1996, as a teenager, he was sentenced to four years in prison for selling drugs. He later did time for a weapons conviction and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge after being accused of assault. The White House issued a cryptic warning Wednesday that the U.S. will act against Iran unless it stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen, but declined to say what retaliatory actions the U.S. would pursue. Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's national security adviser, forcefully denounced Iran's behavior in his first public remarks since Trump took office. He accused Iran of threatening U.S. allies and spreading instability throughout the Middle East while faulting the Obama administration for doing too little to stop the Islamic Republic. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said from the White House podium. On notice for what, Flynn didn't say. Senior Trump administration officials said they were actively considering a "range of options" including economic measures and increased support for Iran's regional adversaries. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, declined repeatedly to say whether military action was being considered. The warning was an early manifestation of Trump's promise of a tougher American approach to Iran. Yet administration officials emphasized that their allegations were unrelated to Iran's obligations under the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama and world leaders negotiated. Though Flynn noted Trump has criticized that deal, officials declined to say whether Trump planned to follow through on his campaign pledge to renegotiate it. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms," Flynn said. Late Wednesday, Trump tweeted that "Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq even after the U.S. squandered three trillion dollars there." Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 The White House also faulted Iran for backing Houthi rebels in Yemen who on Tuesday claimed a successful missile strike against a warship belonging to a Saudi-led coalition fighting to reinstall Yemen's internationally recognized government. The media arm of the Shiite rebels said the vessel was believed to belong to the Saudi Arabian navy. Administration officials said Iran was providing key support by arming, training and financing the rebels, with a goal of leveraging its relationship with the Houthis to "build a long-term presence in Yemen." [[375690231, C]] The White House said the goal in putting Iran "on notice" was to signal to Tehran that it needed to rethink its behavior. Flynn said Iran specifically violated the U.N.'s ban on "activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan confirmed Wednesday that Iran conducted a missile test, but did not say when the test was carried out or specify the type of missile. He insisted it wasn't a violation of U.N. resolutions. The U.S. said the test was of a medium-range ballistic missile. It ended with a "failed" re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, said a U.S. defense official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Reports of the test emerged after Trump signed an executive order last week temporarily suspending immigration from Iran and six other majority-Muslim countries. On one point, the U.S. and Iran agree: The test didn't violate the nuclear deal itself. Ballistic missile testing wasn't explicitly included in the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. But as part of the final negotiations, Iran agreed to an eight-year extension of a U.N. ban on ballistic missile development. The U.N. Security Council later endorsed the agreement, calling on Iran not to carry out such tests. But Iran has flouted the prohibition regularly in the past year-and-a-half, drawing sanctions from the U.S. but also diplomatic cover from Russia. At America's request, the U.N. Security Council held a session Tuesday to address the missile test. The council referred the matter to its committee on Iran and asked for an investigation. Iran has long boasted of having missiles that can travel 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), putting much of the Middle East, including Israel, in range. Such capability would also put U.S. bases in the region in danger. Iran says its missiles are key to deterring a U.S. or Israeli attack. In March, Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles. One was emblazoned with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew, sparking international outcry. Top House Democrats called Wednesday for an investigation of Flynn over his ties to a Russian propaganda outlet. They want the Pentagon to investigate whether Flynn violated the Constitution by accepting payments from a government-controlled TV station in Russia. "It remains unclear how much Gen. Flynn was paid for his dinner with Vladimir Putin, whether he received additional payments from Russian or other foreign sources on separate occasions, or whether he sought the approval of the Department of Defense or Congress to accept any of these payments," the Democrats wrote. A San Diego couple's dream of adopting their first child and starting a family was shattered when they learned the adoption agency they selected filed for bankruptcy. Jason Arrone and Kunal Ghose have been working since last May to adopt a child. The couple paid $15,000 to the non-profit Independent Adoption Center, based in Los Angeles. "The idea of it (the process) just stopping and not only did we, literally, lose all of our money, but having to start the whole process all over," said Jason Arrone. They have been anxiously waiting, hoping, to find a potential birth mother. "I'm just absolutely devastated, just dumbfounded and blindsided from what happened," said Arrone. But their dreams were abruptly put on hold in an email sent to them Tuesday. It was a blunt message: the Independent Adoption Center is closed, and declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy. "We were kind of excited, moving forward, and then literally out of left field, even from what I can tell, the people who work there had no idea it was gonna happen until right before we were told," said Arrone. The news stunned the couple. They have printed out fliers, information about themselves, to be sent to potential birth mothers. "My first reaction was anger, and I'm still angry and need assurances," said Kunal Ghose. "What happened?" The couple said there was no indication that this was coming. "There was no sign of anything going wrong. The only thing that looked off was they were signing more couples than they were having actual adoptions," Ghose said. A letter to clients noted "societal changes have created an environment where there are fewer potential birth parents." The letter makes no mention of any financial trouble. It says clients can file a claim if they feel they are owed money. "It was almost insulting, like the idea, as if you 'thought' we were owed money. You have all of our money. It was just absurd," said Arrone. The couple is still looking at their legal options and where to go next. They say that, based on a Facebook support page, some 700 people have been impacted by the closure, including at least 20 couples here in San Diego. A judge will decide later this month whether a local man accused of brutally attacking and killing several homeless people last summer is competent to stand trial. Jon David Guerrero, 39, was in a San Diego courtroom on Wednesday morning for his competency hearing. But the judge postponed the hearing until Feb. 22 to give Guerreros defense attorney time to read over a new psychological report. Guerrero is charged in the attacks on five homeless people in San Diego, some of whom were killed with railroad spikes. Last month, he was charged in a sixth attack of an 83-year-old woman on July 13, 2016. Guerrero is accused in five attacks that began July 3 of last year, and authorities believe he acted alone. The dramatic homicide investigation first surfaced when police found the badly burned body of 53-year-old Angelo de Nardo near train tracks in Bay Ho. Investigators say they believe the homeless man died before he was set on fire. On July 4, two homeless men were discovered attacked within an hour of each other in Bay Ho and Ocean Beach in the early hours of morning around 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. They both suffered severe trauma to the upper body. One was critically injured. The second, 41-year-old Shawn Longley, died from the vicious assault. On July 6, 23-year-old Derek Vahidy was found attacked and set on fire in Pantoja Park near State and G Streets. He later died in the hospital. Guerrero was arrested on July 15 after a fifth man was attacked at 18th and C streets. Investigators believe he acted alone in the killing spree. An early morning raid by San Diego law enforcement officers targeted two marijuana dispensaries in the Grantville neighborhood. SDPD Narcotics Lt. Matt Novak said the dispensaries were operating illegally. Officers, in conjunction with the San Diego City Attorneys Office, served search warrants at two locations along Mission Gorge Road around 8 a.m. Novak said the raids were not related to the recent law legalizing recreational marijuana. The department has been working to close down illegal pot shops within city limits before voters approved Prop 64. Four people were detained by officers. Marijuana and cash were seized in the undercover operation, Novak said. Some San Diego businesses are being impacted as tensions between Mexico and President Donald Trump's administration continue to rise over talks of a border wall and an increased tax on imports from Mexico. According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Mexico is the third larged trading partner for the U.S. In 2015, California exported nearly $27 billion worth of goods to Mexico. NBC 7 spoke to some business owners in San Ysidro on Wednesday who said a boycott with Mexico would be devastating for their business. At JSD, there are far less customers than normal, manager Bertha Fridman said. "Last year we had tons of people and now they are afraid just to come," Fridman told NBC 7. Everard Meade, with the Trans Border Institute said he believes the tensions could cause Mexico to retaliate. "It's a competitive global environment and we are always balancing several forces off of each other. It's not a zero-sum game," Meade said. Some of the major businesses that could be impacted include shipping, tech and auto. In San Diego, the trucking business sees about 800,000 trucks entering through Otay Mesa. "There are 23 states in the United States that send a majority of their exports to Mexico," Meade said. "We are absolutely dependent on that relationship and if Mexico retaliates and starts putting on import duties, that is going to affect foremost American small and medium size businesses." For Fridman, if businesses does not pick up again, it could affect their staffing. "This is the first time that we are just thinking that we have to cut hours and we don't want to because we have employees for many many years," Fridman said. The Chamber of Commerce told NBC 7 there was a threat of a strike from Tijuana that has seen been pacified. Police are following up on tips and reviewing any possible surveillance footage after a student was sexually assaulting in a California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) parking lot in broad daylight Tuesday. The incident happened at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday in Lot B on campus, according to an advisory sent to students. The University Police Department is investigating the rape. The suspect and victim met on a popular college student app, said Margaret Chantung, Interim Associate Vice President for Communications. The app had anonymity features, Chantung said, and the app does not have photos. After meeting on campus, the suspect drove the victim to Lot B, where he raped her, officials said. The suspect then drove the victim back to Craven Circle, where he let her go. The victim notified University police shortly after. Chantung told NBC 7 that officials believe this was a targeted sexual assault because of previous social media contact, though it is too early to say if the suspect would use the application to target other female students. We do want the students to be aware not to meet up with people they do not know off of a social media app, Chantung said. The suspect is described as a 25- to 30-year-old man who was wearing his hair in a ponytail; his hair was shaved on the sides of his head. He was last seen wearing a dark blue t-shirt with red letters and dark gray pants. Police are in the process of reviewing surveillance. They received tops overnight and authorities are working to follow up on those tips. However, police have no strong leads so they cannot release sketches of a possible suspect yet. The investigation is just beginning, Chantung said. So evidence is very preliminary. The car involved in the incident was described as a four-door, older, white Honda. University police are asking anyone with information to call them at (760) 750-4567, or use the Universitys SAFE hotline at (760) 750-SAFE. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. San Diego homicide detectives cordoned a home in San Carlos for hours Wednesday after an apparent murder-suicide shooting involving a wife and husband. The wife, police said, was the husband's caregiver. At around 10:25 a.m., the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) received a phone call from a relative concerned about the well-being of the couple who lived at a home in the 6600 block of Bell Bluff Avenue. The caller asked police to conduct a welfare check on their loved ones. When officers arrived, they made their way inside the house and made a grisly discovery: the wife and husband were both dead. An SDPD lieutenant told NBC 7 both the man, who was 68 years old, and the woman, 69, had died from gunshot wounds to their bodies. Police said the wife served as the care provider for her husband. The names of the couple were not immediately released. All day, detectives could be seen going in and out of the couple's home as they took photographs and collected evidence. The blinds of the home where the bodies were found were drawn shut; some cardboard boxes lined the path leading to the front door of the home. Evidence markers were placed near those boxes. A night stand was also set aside, outside the home, near the boxes. Neighbors said the husband had been paraplegic for 26 years and confined to a wheelchair. They described his wife as "dedicated." The investigation into the possible murder-suicide is ongoing. Anyone with information on this case can call the SDPD Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. It was a very special express delivery at one San Diego-area post office Thursday morning when San Diego Police officers helped a woman and her boyfriend deliver their baby in the parking lot. Vanessa Prado and her boyfriend, Dennis, were sleeping in their Mira Mesa home at approximately 4 a.m. when Vanessa started having contractions. "I thought it was no big deal, so I just hopped in the bathtub," Vanessa said. But shortly after, her water broke. That's when she called her boyfriend, Dennis, into the bathroom and told them they were going to the hospital, four weeks ahead of her due date. Dennis said he was trying to remain calm, but his first thoughts were: "Let's go, time to go, it's showtime." In the car, Dennis tried to work with his girlfriend to slow down the baby, which seemed to be coming out faster than expected. "I tried to tell her, hold on, keep your breathing, lets just try to make it there as quickly as possible," Dennis said. As the couple recounted the story from the hospital later that morning, Vanessa laughed. She said she told her boyfriend the baby was coming out, and he was coming out now. "There was no stopping him," she recalled. The couple made it a few blocks from their house when Vanessa said she started to crown. "I just said, 'Im not going to make it, and weve got to pull over, now,'" Vanessa said. The couple had a choice: they could either pull over at the U.S. Post Office on Mira Mesa Boulevard, or at the McDonald's across the street, so they went with the Post Office. When they pulled over, Dennis called 911. SDPD Officers Matt Enderlin and Eric Hustad, on patrol just a few blocks away, responded to the call and were at the post office in less than two minutes. Meet Pierce Dillard, parents joke they'd name him Pierce Postal Dillard after @SanDiegoPD officers delivered him @ post office this AM #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/Ds8MIelydy Astrid Solorzano (@solorzanoastrid) February 2, 2017 Officer Hustad said from there, instinct and training took over. SDPD officers only have a couple of hours of training if a situation like this arises, the department said. "This is it, this is the stuff that you prepare yourself for," said Officer Enderlin. Everything moved quickly once the officers arrived on scene. Officer Hustad offered to hold Vanessa's hand while Officer Enderlin positioned himself to help with the birth. "It honestly just happened so fast," Officer Enderlin recalled. "All of a sudden, I'm like, 'Oh my Gosh,' holding the baby." Officer Enderlin said he made sure the baby was okay and the mother was okay. "Its one of those moments youre like, 'Wow, this really just happened right now,'" he said. The birth happened in minutes, Vanessa said, once they pulled over. "Honestly, he just came out so fast and then Matt held him and after he said, 'I got him, I got him,' I couldnt even go to grab him, I was just so relieved the pain was over," said Vanessa, who is studying to be a nurse. Vanessa said she was so thankful to have someone else there with her and her boyfriend. "It just happened so fast, I was just glad someone else was there other than us two," she said. Minutes later, paramedics arrived on scene and the officers went with the family to Scripps Memorial Hospital. Six-pound newborn Pierce Dillard may have a new nickname going forward. 2 @SanDiegoPD officers deliver baby at Mira Mesa post office. Mom enroute to hospital w dad says, "THIS IS HAPPENING," Tonight on #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/dkc6SSkPVv Astrid Solorzano (@solorzanoastrid) February 2, 2017 "We joked that we were going to name him Pierce Postal, but I dont think thats going to happen," Vanessa said, laughing. A Southwest Airlines flight flying out of San Diego International Airport was forced to land after engine trouble Wednesday evening, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines confirmed. Southwest Flight 4451 heading to Tucson, Arizona, took off at 5:05 p.m. According to the spokesperson, the pilot noticed trouble in one of the engines. The plane turned around and landed safely. "The flight landed uneventfully and taxied to the gate where customers were transferred to another aircraft," read a statement, in part, from the airline. The flight landed safely around 5:50 p.m. The flight once again departed for Tucson and arrived three hours late. There were no injuries, the spokesperson said. At this point, it is unknown what caused the engine trouble. No other information was immediately available. President Donald Trump's administration could impose new sanctions on Iranian entities as early as Friday after Tehran's decision to test-fire a ballistic missile Sunday, NBC News reported. Two officials tell NBC News that the new sanctions are in response to the continuous terrorist activity of Iran and repeated ballistic missile tests, but will not violate the existing Iranian nuclear deal. The sources noted, however, that nothing is ever final until President Trump announces it. On Thursday, the president repeated his national security adviser's warning that Iran is formally on notice" after the medium-range missile test, but didn't offer any details about United States strategy. Trump's tweets seemed to link the missile test with the controversial nuclear deal struck between Iran, the U.S. and other Western countries, despite the Trump administration saying Wednesday that they were not linked. Iran was defiant of the administration's first warning, saying it's been threatened by "inexperienced" people before, but hasn't responded to Trump's latest tweets. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them!" Trump said. The president added: "Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion." Michael Flynn first issued the cryptic "on notice" warning Wednesday, saying the U.S. will act against Iran unless it stops testing ballistic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen without outlining what retaliatory actions the U.S. would pursue. Flynn forcefully denounced Iran's behavior in his first public remarks since Trump took office. He accused Iran of threatening U.S. allies and spreading instability throughout the Middle East while faulting the Obama administration for doing too little to stop the Islamic Republic. "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said from the White House podium. On notice for what, Flynn didn't say. Senior Trump administration officials said they were actively considering a "range of options" including economic measures and increased support for Iran's regional adversaries. The officials, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, declined repeatedly to say whether military action was being considered. Later Wednesday, Trump tweeted: "Iran is rapidly taking over more and more of Iraq even after the U.S. has squandered three trillion dollars there. Obvious long ago!" Ali Akbar Velayati, close adviser to Iran's supreme leader on foreign affairs said Thursday of Flynn's comments, "This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran. Iran is the strongest power in the region and has a lot of political, economic and military power ... America should be careful about making empty threats to Iran." Velayati added: "Iran will continue to test its capabilities in ballistic missiles and Iran will not ask any country for permission in defending itself." The warning was an early manifestation of Trump's promise of a tougher American approach to Iran. Yet administration officials emphasized that their allegations were unrelated to Iran's obligations under the Iran nuclear deal that President Barack Obama and world leaders negotiated. Though Flynn noted Trump has criticized that deal, officials declined to say whether Trump planned to follow through on his campaign pledge to renegotiate it. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms," Flynn said. The White House also faulted Iran for backing Houthi rebels in Yemen who on Tuesday claimed a successful missile strike against a warship belonging to a Saudi-led coalition fighting to reinstall Yemen's internationally recognized government. The media arm of the Shiite rebels said the vessel was believed to belong to the Saudi Arabian navy. Administration officials said Iran was providing key support by arming, training and financing the rebels, with a goal of leveraging its relationship with the Houthis to "build a long-term presence in Yemen." The White House said the goal in putting Iran "on notice" was to signal to Tehran that it needed to rethink its behavior. Flynn said Iran specifically violated the U.N.'s ban on "activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." Iran's Defense Minister Gen. Hossein Dehghan confirmed Wednesday that Iran conducted a missile test, but did not say when the test was carried out or specify the type of missile. He insisted it wasn't a violation of U.N. resolutions. The U.S. said the test was of a medium-range ballistic missile. It ended with a "failed" re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, said a U.S. defense official, who wasn't authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Reports of the test emerged after Trump signed an executive order last week temporarily suspending immigration from Iran and six other majority-Muslim countries. On one point, the U.S. and Iran agree: The test didn't violate the nuclear deal itself. Ballistic missile testing wasn't explicitly included in the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. But as part of the final negotiations, Iran agreed to an eight-year extension of a U.N. ban on ballistic missile development. The U.N. Security Council later endorsed the agreement, calling on Iran not to carry out such tests. But Iran has flouted the prohibition regularly in the past year-and-a-half, drawing sanctions from the U.S. but also diplomatic cover from Russia. At America's request, the U.N. Security Council held a session Tuesday to address the missile test. The council referred the matter to its committee on Iran and asked for an investigation. Iran has long boasted of having missiles that can travel 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles), putting much of the Middle East, including Israel, in range. Such capability would also put U.S. bases in the region in danger. Iran said its missiles are key to deterring a U.S. or Israeli attack. In March, Iran test-fired two ballistic missiles. One was emblazoned with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew, sparking international outcry. President Donald Trump has defended his controversial travel ban as being narrowly focused. He has tweeted that "only 109 out of 325,000" people were detained and held for questioning, referring to the first, chaotic day after he signed his executive order. It halts the United States refugee program for four months and stops travellers from entering the country seven majority-Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. But the order seems to affect the tens of thousands of people who were issued visas by the United States from those seven countries. They can't return to the U.S. or fear they won't be able to return if they left, a dramatic change for America's borders that has sparked protests and legal action across the country. Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 In 2015, the U.S. issued nearly 90,000 visas to people from the affected countries, the most recent year for which State Department data was available. Over 100,000 visas were issued last year, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. One of those stuck abroad is Khaled Almilaji, a Syrian doctor who has been attending Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, on a scholarship. He's studying ways to rebuild his country's health system after risking his life to provide medical care during Syria's civil war, coordinating a campaign that vaccinated 1.4 million Syrian children. He told The Associated Press that his pregnant wife remains in the United States while he's stuck in Turkey. "It is really sad where the world is going to," Almilaji said. [NATL] Trump Immigration Order Triggers Protests Across US He's not alone. U.S. companies and universities have warned staff members and students not to travel abroad if they are affected by the executive order. Mary Sue Coleman, president of the Association of American Universities, said that it was in the nation's best interest to attract scholars and innovators instead of barring their entry. "The order is stranding students who have been approved to study here and are trying to get back to campus, and threatens to disrupt the education and research of many others," Coleman said in a statement. And the number of visa holders affected by the ban don't take into account the many refugees who also would have come into the country if not for Trump's order. Syrian refugees are barred indefinitely under the order. About 85,000 refugees were admitted to the U.S. in 2016, according to the Department of State's Refugee Processing Center. Actor Diane Guerrero has met with a woman who is seeking refuge from deportation in the basement of a Denver church. Guerrero, who stars in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, met with Jeanette Vizguerra on Thursday and told the woman and her daughters not to make the same mistake she did as a child by remaining silent. Guerrero was 14 when her parents and her older brother were deported to their native Colombia. She decided to stay behind and live with friends. Edward Alden, an immigration expert with the Council on Foreign Relations, said it will be unlikely to get a final count of the number of people affected by the order. "There are a lot of effects that are hard to quantify, and it's going to go way beyond the people from those seven countries," Alden said, suggesting it may change the perception immigrants have of America as a welcoming place. "We also don't know that this is going to be temporary. This could easily turn into something more permanent," he added. Nevertheless, the Trump administration has consistently defended its actions as limited in scope. Defending the action on Monday amid a rocky rollout, presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway called the ban a temporary and mild inconvenience and press secretary Sean Spicer said it was a small price to pay to keep Americans safe. A Customs and Border Patrol official gave updated figures for the number of people affected by the ban on Tuesday: 721 travelers with visas from affected countries weren't allowed onto flights to the United States with three days of the order, while waivers were given to 1,060 lawful permanent residents of the U.S., known as green card holders, and 75 waivers to visa holders. Spicer said Wednesday that waivers would no longer be required for green card holders, the latest change to the implementation of the order. Refugees who had planned travel prior to the executive order from areas where there would otherwise suffer "undue hardship" are still being considered for waivers, officials said. Customs and Border Patrol expects 872 refugees to arrive this week, and waivers will continued to be processed for them. Trump has said that visas will once again be issued to all countries "once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies." An elderly husband and wife died in an apparent murder-suicide in Washington state, and police say they found notes about the couple's struggles to afford needed medical care, NBC News reported. A 77-year-old man called 911 on Wednesday morning saying he planned to die by suicide, the Whatcom County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post. Deputies went to the home of the man in Ferndale, a town about 100 miles north of Seattle near the Canadian border, and set up outside. A crisis negotiator attempted to contact the couple in the home by phone and loudspeaker for about an hour, said the sheriff's office post on Wednesday night. They then found both the man and his wife, 76, dead inside. Authorities are investigating the case as a murder-suicide. But to Alden, the effects of the temporary travel ban will be felt long after it's lifted. "I think we can say for sure that admission numbers are going to be much lower this year," Alden said. "But the impact will be a lot broader than the numbers will indicate." After White House officials said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel hadn't taken up President Donald Trump on his offer to send federal help to the city amid spiking violence, Emanuel had a strong message for the administration: "Just send them." "Send more FBI, DEA, ATF agents," Emanuel said during a news conference Wednesday. "We don't have to talk about it anymore. Just send them." When asked if Emanuel wanted the president to visit the city, he simply said, "No." "What I would really like is the federal resources," Emanuel said. Last week, Trump vowed in a tweet to send the feds to Chicago if the city does not address its longstanding plague of violence. And on Wednesday, he repeated his criticism of the city's growing violence, saying during an "African American History Month listening session" that "Chicago is totally out of control." If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible "carnage" going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017 White House press secretary Sean Spicer said last week that President Trump met with Emanuel previously and offered up federal resources, if asked for. "That return call for help has not occurred," Spicer said during his daily press briefing. Until now, it appears. I think what the president is upset about is turning on the television and seeing Americans killed by shootings," Spicer said, adding that no American should feel unsafe or fear for their lives while walking down the street, but "too often that's happening in Chicago." The comments follow the release of January crime statistics, which showed 51 people were killed last month alone, an increase over the numbers seen in 2016. Police reported 234 shooting incidents, with 299 victims, an increase of eight compared to January 2016. Police and Emanuel noted that three districts on the city's South and West sides -- the 7th, 11th and 15th -- accounted for about half of the city's murders last month. Emanuel has noted, that while the city would welcome federal assistance, the move must come in partnership with local agencies, and not simply by replacing them. "Chicago, like other cities right now that are dealing with gun violence, wants the partnership with federal law enforcement entities in a more significant way than were having today," Emanuel said last week. Emanuel said the answer to the city's unyielding violence can be found in police training, supervision and pro-active policing. He has repeatedly spoken against the controversial stop-and-frisk tactics promoted by Trump during his campaign. On Wednesday, he also promoted mentoring and summer jobs programs for at-risk youth as a way to keep children out of city gangs. "That gang out there is ready to be a summer and year round job," he said. "We have to decide whether these young men have a job in the summer. That gang out there is ready to be their family that they dont have or their community that they dont see. We as a city have to decide whether they are going to have a family, a community that believes in them. And for too long, and you guys know this, we collectively havent done it." About $175,000 worth of jewelry and property was stolen from rapper Nicki Minaj's home in Beverly Hills, police say. The burglary occurred sometime between Nov. 24 and Jan. 24, according to Officer Liliana Preciado of the Los Angeles Police Department. Preciado said police were notified on Jan. 27. Police noted the estimated $175,000 worth of items stolen could change because police had not received an itemized list of what was taken. No suspect description was available Thursday, but Preciado said officers were working to obtain surveillance footage. NBC4 reached out to representation for Minaj for comment and had not received a response early Thursday afternoon. Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-527-3247. A car crashed into the home of an 88-year-old man early Wednesday -- marking the fifth time a vehicle has hit the house in Prince George's County. Leonard Miller was sleeping on a couch about 2 a.m. when he felt a crash nearby. A Honda had slammed into the front of the house on Cipriano Road in Lanham. "When that car came in, I jumped up and said, 'Damn, another car hit my house,'" Miller said. He moved into the house in 1971. It's on a curve on a fast street, and drivers often lose control. The front of the house used to have wooden pillars, but a car crashed into them and snapped them. Miller then put in brick pillars. The crash Wednesday reduced some of those to rubble. Speaking with News4's Pat Collins, Miller had a sense of humor about the trouble. "What I'm going to do, Pat, is I'm going to get one of those signs, like a target, and I'm going to put it on my house," he said. The accomplished bowler -- who scored a perfect 300 once at age 75 and once at age 82 -- said he was not afraid when the car hit the house. "Why should I get scared? If I get scared, I might have a stroke or something. I'm not into that stroke business," he said. No charges had been filed against the driver as of Wednesday evening. A friend took the driver to a hospital after the crash. Beginning in December and continuing well into January, a senior citizen community in Maryland basically went without land lines, which created problems beyond making and answering calls. This is a senior community, and we need our phones, resident Chris Smith said. Not only were the residents in the 55-and-older community in Odenton concerned they didn't have working phones, the problem also affected life lines in case of emergency. When the land lines stop working, so do the intercom system, the emergency phone in the elevator and the fire alarm system. Smith and her neighbor Tim Fohs said the problem started in December. They called Verizon, which sent out numerous technicians, but just as quickly as their phones got reconnected, they went dead again. So I was told all different stories, and at one point, when you call after like the sixth time, I said, You need to elevate this because these technicians that are coming out are not resolving the issue, Smith said. NBC4 Responds contacted Verizon Jan. 24, and later that evening, Smith got a call from Verizon that they found the problem. I don't think it ever would have been resolved if I had not gotten in touch with you, Smith said. A Verizon spokesman said they had a service call already scheduled before they heard from NBC4 Responds, and their "engineers worked with the customers to aggressively investigate and troubleshoot. Verizon made a change to an optical network terminal at the community to solve the problem. We've have had the phones working, I think, the day after I called you, Smith said, and I might add that we're extremely grateful and appreciative of what you did. Five teenagers who vandalized a historic school in Ashburn, Virginia, with obscene images and racist messages have been ordered to visit the Holocaust Museum and read books written by black, Jewish and Afghan authors. The teens pleaded guilty to one count of destruction of property and one count of unlawful entry, the Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said. Last October, the teens spray painted swastikas and phrases such as "White Power" on The Old Ashburn School. Also known as the Ashburn Colored School, the 19th century building was used to educate local African-American children up until the 1960s. Despite the nature of the graffiti, the Commonwealths Attorney Jim Plowman said the teens' "motivations had nothing to do with bigotry or hatred toward any class of people." Three of the five teens are minorities, according to the Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. The teens did not appreciate the significance or the meaning of what they were drawing on the building, Plowman said. Because of this, we are seizing the opportunity to treat this as an educational experience for these young men so they may better appreciate the significance of their actions. During a year-long probationary period, the teens will complete a series of assignments designed to teach them about the history of racial and religious discrimination. First, the teens will have to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and an exhibit on the internment of Japanese-Americans at the National Museum of American History. The teens will also have to write one book report each month from a list of approved books that includes titles like The Color Purple, "To Kill a Mockingbird, and Night. Each teen will also have to write a research paper explaining the impact of swastikas and white power messages on African-American communities, including references to KKK lynchings, the Nazi final solution and several landmark court cases that expanded or limited civil rights for African Americans. Finally, the teens must listen to a recorded interview with a woman who attended the Ashburn Colored School from 1938 to 1945. Their cases will be reviewed again in January 2018. A man has died after a garbage truck hit him in the parking lot of a Montgomery County elementary school, police say. The man, who police believe was in his 60's, was using a walker in the parking lot of Cresthaven Elementary School at 1234 Cresthaven Dr. in Silver Spring, Maryland. He was struck by a garbage truck that was trying to back up, police said. He died at the scene. The driver of the truck stayed at the scene, police said. The victim and the driver have not been identified. Police are asking anyone with information to call (240) 773-6620. Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for more information. Regarding the Japan Fair Trade Commission's announcement on transactions for fire-fighting emergency radio systems Tokyo, February 2, 2017 - The Japan Fair Trade Commission today announced a decision to issue a Cease and Desist Order and an Order for Payment of Surcharge against NEC Corporation for activities in violation of antitrust law with respect to transactions for fire-fighting emergency radio systems. NEC Corporation has a tradition of working to ensure thorough observation of compliance. As part of this, the Company would like to respectfully apologize for any troubles this matter may have caused for the Company's customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. Going forward, NEC Corporation aims to strengthen its compliance system and to ensure the implementation of thorough measures to prevent a recurrence of this issue, while continuing efforts to restore confidence. About the Cease and Desist Order In regard to transactions for fire-fighting emergency radio systems, it is ordered that the Company confirm that activities that violate the provisions of Article 3 of the Antitrust Law, the prohibition of unreasonable transaction restrictions, have ceased and that the Company implement corrective measures to prevent similar actions from taking place in the future. About the Order for Payment of Surcharge Amount of surcharge: 1,155,170,000 JPY NEC Corporation received a 30% reduction in the surcharge amount following the recognition of its petition to participate in the Fair Trade Commission's surcharge reduction and exemption system (leniency system). NEC Corporation Response NEC Corporation has a tradition of working to ensure thorough observation of compliance. As part of this, top management will transmit a message and continue to implement education and training for employees in order to reinforce the awareness of compliance. Chairman of the Board (Representative Director) 30% reduction for 3 months President and CEO (Representative Director) Same as above Related Operating Officers 10 - 20% reduction for 1 to 3 months NEC Corporation treats these circumstances with great seriousness and Company officers will voluntarily relinquish portions of their compensation as outlined below. *** An 18-year-old Rochester, New Hampshire man was killed after he was struck by a vehicle late Wednesday night in Gonic, according to police. Police say Noah Ratliff was struck just before midnight on Route 125, in the area of Bootleggers and Tri-City Car Wash on Gonic Road. Responding officers located Ratliff in the road with serious injuries. The road was shut down as he was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries. The vehicle was driven by Ari Goldenberg, 50, of Milton. He stayed at the scene. There is no word if he will face charges. The crash remains under investigation. As the heated debate plays out across the country over President Donald Trump's policies affecting travel and immigration, Wednesday marked the final step in a long and difficult journey for a dozen people who fled violence and persecution to settle in Vermont. At a naturalization ceremony held at the federal court in Rutland, 31 people from 14 countries became new U.S. citizens. The list included 11 people who came to Vermont as refugees from Bhutan, and one from Somalia. Other countries represented at the ceremony included Mexico, Ireland, Germany, Belize, Peru, and the United Kingdom. Before settling in Essex Junction, Sabitra Gautam said she lived in a refugee camp in Nepal. Many in her native Bhutan were forced from their homes amid ethnic violence and persecution. "I think they want the peace, freedom; a good life," Gautam told necn, describing why refugees want to find a new home in the United States. Gautum said she worked hard, along with other members of her family, to qualify for U.S. citizenship. The long-scheduled naturalization ceremony was the first in the Rutland area following a divisive executive order from the White House. The community was about to welcome 100 refugees this year from Syria and Iraq, until President Donald Trump ordered a halt to that late last week. Trump argued it's vital to first toughen vetting, to make sure, he said, that no one who wants to harm the U.S. sneaks in among asylum-seekers. Many in Rutland were disappointed with Trump's order. Some participated in a large protest of the directive this past weekend. Others were relieved. Tim Cook, a Rutland resident, recently told NBC 5 News he believes the city has other challenges to contend with first. "We need to have meaningful employment developed in this city," Cook said, identifying economic growth as a priority he would like Rutland to tackle before becoming a refugee resettlement city. In addition to being a humanitarian move, proponents of refugee resettlement in Rutland, including Mayor Chris Louras, have said several years of an influx of young families into the city would have added a jolt of cultural vitality and helped turn around years of declining population in Rutland. That would have helped fill jobs at large employers and contributed to the regions economy, the mayor argued. At the citizenship ceremony in the federal court building, Abdullahi Jelle Bare of Winooski told necn he came to Vermont as a refugee from Somalia, but first had to spend 19 years in a camp in Kenya. "It's not a good life," Jelle Bare said of living in a refugee camp. "So you come to the USA, you get freedom. You get a job. I'm going to school now." Jelle Bare said he is employed, enjoys his job at a Burlington-area food distribution company, and is eager to continue his education at Vermont Technical College. U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford told the crowd the diverse backgrounds of all the new citizens make Vermont a more vibrant place. "All of you come in search of a better life," Crawford said. "And today we honor the long and honorable commitment of our nation for welcoming and caring for refugees." One of the new Americans told necn off-camera that she strongly disagrees with President Trump's recent executive order. So for her, the best part of the naturalization ceremony was gaining the right to vote in the next election. Despite the president's executive order, many in Rutland, including the volunteer group Rutland Welcomes, remain committed to refugee resettlement. A man whose wife and daughter are seriously ill has been taken into custody in Connecticut for deportation to the Dominican Republic because of a 12-year-old conviction for stealing a purse. Domingo Ferreira appeared Thursday in federal court in Hartford, Connecticut. It wasn't clear when he would be deported. The 44-year-old East Hartford resident came to the U.S. 30 years ago and had a green card. Ferreira's wife, Diane, and three adult children were born in the U.S. The Journal Inquirer reports that she has an inoperable brain tumor and his 23-year-old daughter, Baceida, recently underwent chemotherapy for possible liver or pancreatic cancer. Ferreira came under scrutiny from immigration officials years ago when someone stole his identity and committed several crimes. Family and friends gathered Thursday to support him. I am concerned that my education will be at risk, said 19-year-old Waqas Dirar, a second year student studying electrical engineering at Mass Bay Community College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Dirar is a citizen of Sudan, but he was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and his family still lives there. Dirar said, I am only a resident, so I have to go there every year to renew my residency, my re-entry visa. Dirar fears if he goes home to Saudi Arabia, he would not be allowed back into the country because he holds a passport from Sudan one of the seven countries covered by President Donald Trumps travel ban. He said, I am also concerned that if I do choose to stay until I finish my education, my residency in Saudi Arabia will be lost and I will not be able to go back there. And Dirar is not alone. We have about a hundred international students who are here on visas and theyve been concerned, said Mass Bay Community College Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management Lisa Slavin. Slavin says its hard to offer these students guidance when there is so much uncertainty surrounding the executive order. These students they followed the proper protocol, they were issued visas, they want to study in the United States, said Slavin. As for Dirar, he has until May to renew his residency back home. He said, I was supposed to book a ticket but I still havent because I dont know what Im going to do. The mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts, is apologizing after a live microphone captured him calling protesters "freakin' morons" during a public meeting. Mayor Joseph Petty apologized Wednesday, a day after making the remarks. A video of the meeting posted on the city's website shows Petty attempting to quiet protesters. The demonstrators had gathered earlier to protest the immigration policies of Republican President Donald Trump. At around the three-minute mark of the video, as protesters' shouts delayed the start of the City Council meeting, the Democratic mayor can be heard uttering "freakin' morons. Morons, morons, morons" and calling them uneducated. On Wednesday, Petty said in a written statement that he was caught in a moment of frustration and he was wrong and embarrassed. Police in Maine will continue searching for a missing woman who was last seen more than a week ago, and family members are offering a reward for information. The Portland Press Herald reports that Sanford police say they will use bloodhounds on Thursday to help search for 40-year-old Kerry Rear. Chief Thomas Connolly Jr. says he hopes the bloodhounds will be able to pick up her scent. The Sanford woman was reported missing on Sunday. Officers and the Maine Warden Service searched wooded areas near Route 4 on Tuesday. Police say Rear has not been seen or heard from since Jan. 22. She was reportedly last seen at a Sanford convenience store. Friday, authorities announced that Rear's family had offered a $5,000 cash reward for information leading to her whereabouts. Dozens of Rhode Island state legislators have signed onto a bill to affirm a woman's right to have an abortion. Rep. Edith Ajello and Sen. Gayle Goldin, both Providence Democrats, announced the legislation at a State House rally Wednesday. Similar bills were proposed in previous years but never went to a vote. Ajello says there's momentum this year with new pro-choice Democrats in the state House of Representatives and amid fears about Republican President Donald Trump. Proponents say it would protect abortion rights even if the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling is overturned. Ajello is also for the first time speaking in deeply personal terms, sharing her own story of finding a Pennsylvania doctor to perform an abortion when she was a college student in 1965. A Stoughton, Massachusetts teacher says she remains mystified why she was suspended for rescinding a college recommendation letter from a student who had taped a swastika on a wall at the high school. "It is a little discouraging that these things are happening but the support is very nice, the teacher said. According to a letter sent home to parents, Superintendent Marguerite Rizzi said the incident happened days before Thanksgiving. The superintendent went on to say a classmate told the student she was offended and he took down the swastika. "She was an amazing teacher to me, I don't know why they suspended her, if it were me in control I would have never suspended her, she is amazing," Gabriel Ramos, a former student, said Thursday. Days after the first incident, according to the district, another student came forward after a fellow student used a swastika in a group chat with fellow students. "The high school administration's immediate response was woefully inadequate, especially when compared to other towns," John Gunning, President of the Stoughton Teacher's Association said. After the incident, Gunning says two more teachers received letters of reprimand in their files after talking about the incidents with students. The district declined to comment citing personnel restrictions. "We at Stoughton Public Schools are all committed to eradicating hate speech, and have no tolerance for racist, anti-semitic, homophobic, or any other kind of bigotry or discrimination," Dr. Rizzi wrote to parents. The district also brought in the Anti-Defamation League in to hold training sessions with students last week. The first teacher, who was suspended without pay for 20 days, says she is appealing the decision. Former students remain shocked. "Stuff like this never happens, its a pretty good school and it is surprising to hear something like that," Jeremy Yasi said. The recently released 2017 Global Hotel Reputation Benchmark Report reveals countries hotel performance in terms of guest reviews. The report provides benchmarking guidelines for hoteliers, so they can assess and improve their own performances. This far-reaching study analyzed 70 million published online guest reviews worldwide over the last two years nearly 40 million of those in 2016 alone. The report, which is released by Revinate, the software as a service (SaaS) company, finds out that on average, hotels * receive 27.7 reviews per month * respond to 27.9% of all reviews * respond to 27.1% of one-star reviews * respond to 31.6% of five-star reviews 80% of all reviews are 4- and 5-star reviews, while less than 10% of reviews are 1 or 2 stars. 78% of all reviews come from the top four review sites: Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Google, and Hotels.com. According to the data, the dominant player in the hotel review space is Booking.com, hosting 39 percent of all reviews worldwide. TripAdvisor remains second, losing some ground in the past year to just under 25 percent of global reviews. The other trend for this year is the continued effects of consolidation in the OTA and review site space. Larger sites are continuing to garner market share, edging out smaller sites. It's also worth pointing out that because the Priceline Group owns Booking.com, Agoda, and OpenTable, it now hosts 43% of all online hotel reviews. Expedia, with Hotels.com, Orbitz, Travelocity, and Wotif, owns over 10%. The section on the average review scores by region and by established and emerging markets shows an upward movement across the board, proving that travelers are becoming more comfortable posting reviews. In terms of review volume, while the US and the UK were the two largest markets in 2016, their annual growth actually slowed down. However, reviews for those two countries alone exceeded the 15.1-million mark in 2016, which means that theres a trove of valuable feedback for US and UK hoteliers to respond and act upon. In that regard, savvy hoteliers should analyze which stages of the stay cycle are more widely reviewed and actively use guest reviews to promote their properties and enhance the other parts of their clients experiences. Looking at established markets those with more than 100,000 annual reviews hotels in China (4.42), Greece (4.34) and South Africa (4.26) received the highest ratings, while the United Kingdom (4.05), the United States (3.99) and France (3.94) closed the ranking. Scores grew compared to 2015 in all markets except from China, which took a 0.2% dip. Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil and the US experienced the greatest improvements compared to the previous year. Asia (4.28), Europe (4.24) and Latin America (4.24) were the regions with the highest average scores in 2016, followed by the Middle East and Africa (4.12), North America (4.09) and Oceania (4.08). However, in terms of annual increase Middle Eastern and African (+1.5%) and North American properties (+1.2%) experienced the strongest improvements, while the remaining four regions grew below the 1-percent mark. Norwich ministers urged to coordinate refugee action Norwich ministers urged to coordinate refugee action Julian Bryant from Christian Aid spoke to church leaders from across Norwich yesterday dispelling myths about the refugee situation and encouraging churches to get behind agencies already working to welcome Syrian refugees to the city. The Internet Hall of Fame, a virtual museum celebrating the living history of the Internet, is back seeking a new class of inductees after going quiet for the past couple of years. A spokeswoman for the Internet Society, which fights the good fight for an open and secure Internet, says "we wanted to take some time to get the inductees more involved in the program and get their insights to make sure it was positioned and well-structured for the long-term. We now have an Advisory Board of inductees who provide leadership on the programs direction and are responsible for the selection of the next class of inductees. With 2017 as the Internet Societys 25th anniversary, we felt it was the ideal time to host the next induction ceremony." The public nominating process for inductees, categorized as pioneers, global connectors and innovators, is open through March 15. The Hall opened in 2012 and inducted its last class in 2014. About 90 individuals have been inducted into the Hall to date, including Mr. Ethernet, Bob Metcalfe, as well as Web creator Tim Berners-Lee and Radia Perlman of spanning tree protocol fame. Internet Society Past Internet Hall of Fame inductees Radia Perlman (spanning tree protocol) and Dai Davies (European Internet mover/shaker) MORE: Whirlwind tour of computing and telecom's top honors, awards and prizes Nominations in 2017 are open for: Pioneers who were instrumental in the Internet's evolution; Innovators who made outstanding technological, commercial, regulatory or policy advances; Global Connectors who contributed to the growth, connectivity, and use of the Internet that resulted in global impact. The next class of inductees will be announced in September. MORE: Computing conference to celebrate 50 years of Turing Award The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has announced it will celebrate 50 years of the A.M. Turing Award -- dubbed the "Nobel Prize of Computing -- with a (tech) star-studded conference in San Francisco this summer. The two-day event, to be held June 23-24, will "explore how computing has evolved and where the field is headed," according to the ACM. MORE: Why there's no official Nobel Prize in Computing ACM, which boasts of nearly 100,000 computing professional and student members around the world, is calling the event the Celebration of 50 Years of the ACM Turing Award. If you can't attend in person, be aware that a live stream will be available. The organization says 20 Turing laureates -- including the likes of Vint Cerf, Judea Pearl and Chuck Thacker -- will participate in the event. Attendees can catch panels on subjects such as Deep Neural Networks, Quantum Computing, Augmented Reality and Ethics. Last year's Turing Award went to the crypto dream team of Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman. The prize, typically announced in March, carries a $1 million prize with financial support provided by Google. By IANS NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Tata Sons' ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry on Thursday approached the New Delhi-based National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) for an injunction against the proposed extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the Tata Group's holding company. The petition moved by Mistry's investment company is slated to come up for hearing on Friday. The development comes two days after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai, did not restrain Tata Sons from holding the proposed EGM on February 6, 2017. The holding company of the global industrial conglomerate has called a shareholders' meet to remove Mistry as a Director on the company's Board. Tata Sons' Board had ousted Mistry earlier on October 24, 2016, as its Chairman and appointed Ratan Tata as Interim Chairman. However, Mistry still remains a Director on the Board of the holding arm of the $100 billion-plus group. Tata Trusts holds 66 per cent stake in the holding company of the Tata Group, with Mistry's family holding over 18 per cent interest. Here is a recall of the Tata-Mistry row: Cyrus Pallonji Mistry, who was the chairman of Tata Group, an Indian business conglomerate, between 2012 and 2016, was ousted on October 24, 2016. He was the sixth chairman of the group, and only the second (after Nowroji Saklatwala) to not bear the surname Tata. The board of Tata Sons (the group's holding company) voted to remove Mistry from the post of chairman and Ratan Tata took over as the interim chairman. Subsequently, Natarajan Chandrasekaran was named the new chairman. Mistry's family firm Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which has 18.4 per cent in Tata Sons the holding company of the $100- billion salt-to-software conglomerate has been fighting against his "illegal" removal as chairman. In October last year, there was news about Cyrus Mistry filing caveats against Tata Sons at the company law tribunal, but later his office denied it. Reports had suggested that Cyrus Mistry did not enjoy good relations with Tata Trusts, and Ratan Tata in particular. NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Tata Sons' ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry on Thursday approached the New Delhi-based National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) for an injunction against the proposed extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of the Tata Group's holding company. The petition moved by Mistry's investment company is slated to come up for hearing on Friday. The development comes two days after the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai, did not restrain Tata Sons from holding the proposed EGM on February 6, 2017. The holding company of the global industrial conglomerate has called a shareholders' meet to remove Mistry as a Director on the company's Board. Tata Sons' Board had ousted Mistry earlier on October 24, 2016, as its Chairman and appointed Ratan Tata as Interim Chairman. However, Mistry still remains a Director on the Board of the holding arm of the $100 billion-plus group. Tata Trusts holds 66 per cent stake in the holding company of the Tata Group, with Mistry's family holding over 18 per cent interest. Here is a recall of the Tata-Mistry row: Cyrus Pallonji Mistry, who was the chairman of Tata Group, an Indian business conglomerate, between 2012 and 2016, was ousted on October 24, 2016. He was the sixth chairman of the group, and only the second (after Nowroji Saklatwala) to not bear the surname Tata. The board of Tata Sons (the group's holding company) voted to remove Mistry from the post of chairman and Ratan Tata took over as the interim chairman. Subsequently, Natarajan Chandrasekaran was named the new chairman. Mistry's family firm Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which has 18.4 per cent in Tata Sons the holding company of the $100- billion salt-to-software conglomerate has been fighting against his "illegal" removal as chairman. In October last year, there was news about Cyrus Mistry filing caveats against Tata Sons at the company law tribunal, but later his office denied it. Reports had suggested that Cyrus Mistry did not enjoy good relations with Tata Trusts, and Ratan Tata in particular. By PTI NEW DELHI: Indian software companies need to stop sending people on H1-B visas and focus on local hiring in the US, Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said today amid rising concerns over Donald Trump administration's proposals to restrict inflow of foreign workers. Stating that by and large Indian mindset is always to take the "soft option", Murthy -- one of the pioneers of India's IT outsourcing industry -- said becoming multi- cultural is not easy and is a "very, very hard option". "They (Indian software companies) must recruit American residents in the US, Canadians in Canada, British people in Britain etc. That's the only way, we can become a true multi-national company and in order to do that, we should stop using H1-B visas and sending a large number of Indians to those countries to deliver services," Murthy told NDTV. He added that recruitment from colleges should be done and local people be trained to add value to Indian companies. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms. Also, the recent introduction of a US bill (Lofgren Bill) that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000 from USD 60,000 has made the industry worried. Any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. "I think even if the executive order comes, we should look at it more as opportunity for Indian companies to become more multi-cultural than we have been, rather than looking at it as a lacuna," Murthy said. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports. Analysts are of the opinion that Indian tech companies could easily witness around 60-70 per cent rise in salaries of H-1B visa dependent workforce, leading to a 5-10 per cent hit on the margins, depending on the total base of employees currently on H1-B visas. Asked why Indian companies were in panic over the protectionist stance of the new US administration, Murthy said Indian companies will have to learn to work with non-Indian professionals and become more multi-cultural. "I think by and large, the Indian mindset is always to take the soft option. Becoming multi-cultural is a very, very hard option, it's not easy. Our managers will have to learn with non-Indian professionals, how to get the best out of them, how to work in teams that are multi-cultural, how to make sure that we understand the rules of crossing cultures," he said. Murthy added that this was the "only way" to remove the risk of government mandating things like the executive order. NEW DELHI: Indian software companies need to stop sending people on H1-B visas and focus on local hiring in the US, Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said today amid rising concerns over Donald Trump administration's proposals to restrict inflow of foreign workers. Stating that by and large Indian mindset is always to take the "soft option", Murthy -- one of the pioneers of India's IT outsourcing industry -- said becoming multi- cultural is not easy and is a "very, very hard option". "They (Indian software companies) must recruit American residents in the US, Canadians in Canada, British people in Britain etc. That's the only way, we can become a true multi-national company and in order to do that, we should stop using H1-B visas and sending a large number of Indians to those countries to deliver services," Murthy told NDTV. He added that recruitment from colleges should be done and local people be trained to add value to Indian companies. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms. Also, the recent introduction of a US bill (Lofgren Bill) that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000 from USD 60,000 has made the industry worried. Any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. "I think even if the executive order comes, we should look at it more as opportunity for Indian companies to become more multi-cultural than we have been, rather than looking at it as a lacuna," Murthy said. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports. Analysts are of the opinion that Indian tech companies could easily witness around 60-70 per cent rise in salaries of H-1B visa dependent workforce, leading to a 5-10 per cent hit on the margins, depending on the total base of employees currently on H1-B visas. Asked why Indian companies were in panic over the protectionist stance of the new US administration, Murthy said Indian companies will have to learn to work with non-Indian professionals and become more multi-cultural. "I think by and large, the Indian mindset is always to take the soft option. Becoming multi-cultural is a very, very hard option, it's not easy. Our managers will have to learn with non-Indian professionals, how to get the best out of them, how to work in teams that are multi-cultural, how to make sure that we understand the rules of crossing cultures," he said. Murthy added that this was the "only way" to remove the risk of government mandating things like the executive order. R Prithvi Raj By Express News Service There is nothing in it, says small-time tenant farmer Pamarathi Satyanarayana, as his wife Sivanaga Rani helps him in the farm. Neither he nor his wife appear upset though. I knew it, he says, blaming his misfortune for being a tenant farmer. The `10 lakh crore agriculture credit this year will go to farmers, not to us. We have to raise loans at two per cent interest per month, he said in angst. The Budget day did not enthuse him. I knew it will be a waste of time sitting before the TV, he said, when Express spotted him at his field in a remote location at Salipeta Donka in Penamaluru near Vijayawada. No announcement which would make tenant farmers eligible for bank loans has made him indifferent. We make up for 75 per cent of total farmers in the country. I do not not understand how the centre is unaware of this fact. All measures will help only landlords, he lamented. He smiles wryly when told about the increase in allocation under the Fasal Bima Yojana. Cyclones are frequent visitors. We suffer the loss since no input subsidy reaches us. There is no way we can insure our crop as the land does not belong to us. In my case, my landlord lives in the US. I toil and credit annuity goes to him. Any government benefit, be it input subsidy or insurance amount will only go into his account, he rued. He wonders why the Finance Minister has not thought on bringing farmers like him into the banking fold. If he does, the cost of production will come down drastically. This is the only way to make a farmer double his income in five years, Satyanarayana said. Though banks advance loans to tenant farmers, they will have to show a certificate obtained from their landlord for proof. But landlords are averse to giving certificates and hence we are outside the banking system, he explains. There is nothing in it, says small-time tenant farmer Pamarathi Satyanarayana, as his wife Sivanaga Rani helps him in the farm. Neither he nor his wife appear upset though. I knew it, he says, blaming his misfortune for being a tenant farmer. The `10 lakh crore agriculture credit this year will go to farmers, not to us. We have to raise loans at two per cent interest per month, he said in angst. The Budget day did not enthuse him. I knew it will be a waste of time sitting before the TV, he said, when Express spotted him at his field in a remote location at Salipeta Donka in Penamaluru near Vijayawada. No announcement which would make tenant farmers eligible for bank loans has made him indifferent. We make up for 75 per cent of total farmers in the country. I do not not understand how the centre is unaware of this fact. All measures will help only landlords, he lamented. He smiles wryly when told about the increase in allocation under the Fasal Bima Yojana. Cyclones are frequent visitors. We suffer the loss since no input subsidy reaches us. There is no way we can insure our crop as the land does not belong to us. In my case, my landlord lives in the US. I toil and credit annuity goes to him. Any government benefit, be it input subsidy or insurance amount will only go into his account, he rued. He wonders why the Finance Minister has not thought on bringing farmers like him into the banking fold. If he does, the cost of production will come down drastically. This is the only way to make a farmer double his income in five years, Satyanarayana said. Though banks advance loans to tenant farmers, they will have to show a certificate obtained from their landlord for proof. But landlords are averse to giving certificates and hence we are outside the banking system, he explains. By Express News Service Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his fourth Budget 2017-18, that had a strong imprint of Prime Minister Narendra Modis road map for Indias growth strategy cleanse political funding, rejuvenate the agricultural sector with an aim of achieving a growth of 4.1 per cent, ease the income tax and corporate tax, incentivise manufacturing, generate jobs, roll out welfare schemes for poor, youth, girls and promote cashless transaction. All this through the strategy of Transform, Energise and Clean India. Jaitley did not go overboard to overhaul the corporate or individual income tax system, but maintained that the measures would boost the economy. It was a Budget that aimed to soothe the public who endured demonetisation. His proposals could influence the outcome in five upcoming Assembly elections. Jaitley proposed a record target of `10 lakh crore for agriculture loans, while irrigation fund has been increased to `40,000 crore. Of the total Budget allocation of `21,47,000 crore for FY18, a record `1,87,200 crore was devoted to the rural sector a 24 per cent rise. The rural employment scheme, MGNREGS, received `48,000 crore, up from `38,500 crore. He also announced changes in electoral funding, ensuring political parties would receive no more than `2,000 in cash from an individual, and proposed a ban on cash transactions above `3 lakh. Later, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia clarified that cash transactions over `3 lakh would attract 100 per cent penalty. With the Budget giving no tax concessions for large corporates and the rich, the Opposition would have little reason to criticise it. Corporate tax was reduced by five per cent for small businesses with less than `50 crore turnover, saying this could benefit up to 96 per cent of the countrys businessmen while big businesses would continue pay corporate tax at 30 per cent. Similarly, a 10 per cent surcharge has been slapped on well-off individuals earning above `50 lakh a year while those earning above `1 crore would continue to pay 15 per cent tax. In a bid to bolster the business environment, and to encourage greater fund flows, Jaitley also announced abolition of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Currently, nearly 90 per cent of the FDI comes through the automatic route, which does not require FIPB approval. Rural development expenditure is projected to go up by 11.8 per cent in FY18, compared to 27.4 per cent rise this year. The budget for education goes up 8.3 per cent, against 9.5 per cent in FY17. He further pushed the strategy to bring the informal economy into the mainstream. The Mission Antyodaya effectively silences the Opposition charge that the Modi-led NDA government was favouring corporates. MGNREGS, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan among others are top welfare schemes of NDA government. To stress it, he announced a 24 per cent jump in rural development programmes to `1.87 lakh crore in 2017-18. Jaitley pledged to keep the fiscal deficit under control at 3.2 per cent of GDP in 2017-18. Revenue deficit was set to be reduced to 2.1 per cent from 2.3 per cent in the ongoing fiscal. Experts, however, are skeptical about the fiscal deficit target. Can we stick to the 3.2 per cent target after GST? That is the big question, said Suresh Babu, associate professor of economics at IIT Madras. For the seventh year in a row, the government failed to meet its disinvestment target. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his fourth Budget 2017-18, that had a strong imprint of Prime Minister Narendra Modis road map for Indias growth strategy cleanse political funding, rejuvenate the agricultural sector with an aim of achieving a growth of 4.1 per cent, ease the income tax and corporate tax, incentivise manufacturing, generate jobs, roll out welfare schemes for poor, youth, girls and promote cashless transaction. All this through the strategy of Transform, Energise and Clean India. Jaitley did not go overboard to overhaul the corporate or individual income tax system, but maintained that the measures would boost the economy. It was a Budget that aimed to soothe the public who endured demonetisation. His proposals could influence the outcome in five upcoming Assembly elections. Jaitley proposed a record target of `10 lakh crore for agriculture loans, while irrigation fund has been increased to `40,000 crore. Of the total Budget allocation of `21,47,000 crore for FY18, a record `1,87,200 crore was devoted to the rural sector a 24 per cent rise. The rural employment scheme, MGNREGS, received `48,000 crore, up from `38,500 crore. He also announced changes in electoral funding, ensuring political parties would receive no more than `2,000 in cash from an individual, and proposed a ban on cash transactions above `3 lakh. Later, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia clarified that cash transactions over `3 lakh would attract 100 per cent penalty. With the Budget giving no tax concessions for large corporates and the rich, the Opposition would have little reason to criticise it. Corporate tax was reduced by five per cent for small businesses with less than `50 crore turnover, saying this could benefit up to 96 per cent of the countrys businessmen while big businesses would continue pay corporate tax at 30 per cent. Similarly, a 10 per cent surcharge has been slapped on well-off individuals earning above `50 lakh a year while those earning above `1 crore would continue to pay 15 per cent tax. In a bid to bolster the business environment, and to encourage greater fund flows, Jaitley also announced abolition of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Currently, nearly 90 per cent of the FDI comes through the automatic route, which does not require FIPB approval. Rural development expenditure is projected to go up by 11.8 per cent in FY18, compared to 27.4 per cent rise this year. The budget for education goes up 8.3 per cent, against 9.5 per cent in FY17. He further pushed the strategy to bring the informal economy into the mainstream. The Mission Antyodaya effectively silences the Opposition charge that the Modi-led NDA government was favouring corporates. MGNREGS, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan among others are top welfare schemes of NDA government. To stress it, he announced a 24 per cent jump in rural development programmes to `1.87 lakh crore in 2017-18. Jaitley pledged to keep the fiscal deficit under control at 3.2 per cent of GDP in 2017-18. Revenue deficit was set to be reduced to 2.1 per cent from 2.3 per cent in the ongoing fiscal. Experts, however, are skeptical about the fiscal deficit target. Can we stick to the 3.2 per cent target after GST? That is the big question, said Suresh Babu, associate professor of economics at IIT Madras. For the seventh year in a row, the government failed to meet its disinvestment target. Akhila Damodaran By Express News Service BENGALURU: The St Francis Xaviers Cathedral on St Johns Church Road in Cleveland Town is one of the oldest churches in the city, dedicated to St Francis Xavier, who is said to be one of the first seven Jesuits. How Catholics Reached Bengaluru Jesuits were the first to bring Christianity to Bengaluru, says Rev Fr Anthappa I, a retired priest and historian. Speaking about how Catholics came to the city, he says Catholics were mostly concentrated in Portugal, Italy and France. The British and Europeans were mostly Protestants. he flagpost in front of the church ordained on by Dr Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, on August 10, 2016 As the British had political power, it was difficult for the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP), a congregation of Christianity, to enter their colonies (like India), he says. But the MEPs had great influence on the French authorities. And they exercised this political power to come to India. During the Anglo-Mysore war, Tipu Sultans father Hyder Ali had written a letter to Napoleon seeking help in the battle against the British. Napoleon replied that only if Hyder Ali allows French fathers to accompany the soldiers, he would send his military. Hyder agreed and an agreement was made. That is how Catholics came to Bengaluru and Fr Chevalier was one among the MEPs. First Church Fr Chevalier was the first Parish priest. He built the first church of St Francis Xavier in 1851. A small chapel was inaugurated in 1854. It was built on a site measuring 550 feet square which was sold for `1,000 to Fr Chevalier by Zulime Watkins, a French Catholic and a widow of British Commander, Capt Watkins. After the death of Bishop Charbonnaux, Fr Chevalier was appointed Bishop of Mysore in 1873. He died in 1880 and laid to rest in St Patricks Church, Bengaluru. The church was becoming inadequate because of the growing population, as the thousand Catholics grew to 15,000 in the late 1890s under the Parish priest Fr J B Servanton. It comprised of the present parishes of Holy Ghost, St James, Marianapalya, St John the Evangelist, M R Palyam, Ascension Church, St Mary Town, St Pius X, Kamanahalli, Good Shepherd, Murphy Town, Our Lady of Lourdes, Whitefield and a portion of Christ the King, Malleswaram. Reading Signs In 1905, the cross from the tower fell down and Fr J B Servanton took it as a sign to build a new church. The foundation stone was laid in 1911. He made personal appeals by tapping every source, and holding concerts and dramas, to raise funds for the church. Finally after a toil of 21 years, the church was opened in 1932. In 1940, Bangalore was established as a separate diocese and St Francis Xaviers Church was chosen as a Cathedral. Rev Dr Thomas Pothacamury was the first Indian Bishop of Bangalore, appointed in 1942. The Cathedral was consecrated by him on January 24, 1948. The stained glass painting depicting the general themes from the Holy Bible Fr Servanton dedicated 50 years to pastoral service. After he died in 1948, he was laid to rest in his own Church at St Francis Xaviers Cathedral. The Bengaluru City Corporation honoured him by naming the circle in front of St Germaine High School as Father Servanton Circle in 1961. Rev Fr Anthappa recalls laughing, I was a student. While playing in the compound, I remember Fr Servanton coming and scolding me when the ball used to enter his office. The first Plenary Council of India was held in the Cathedral Parish Hall in 1950. Platinum Jubilee The Cathedral was renovated in 2003 and opened in 2007 for its platinum jubilee celebrations. An arch at the main entrance of the church was constructed. The windows were mounted with stained glass that depict general themes from the Holy Bible. But the main granite stone structure has been retained, say the Cathedral officials. Mass in Many Languages The Church holds masses in English, Kannada and Tamil every day. St Francis Xavier A Roman Catholic missionary, St Francis is believed to be one of the first seven Jesuits who started evangelisation especially in Asia. In 1542, he departed from Lisbon to the East. He was appointed as a apostolic nuncio (a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or international organisation) to the East. He arrived in Goa on May 6, 1952. Francis primary mission, as ordered by King John III, was to restore Christianity among the Portuguese settlers in Goa. They had churches, clergy, and a bishop, but only a few preachers. Xavier decided to instruct the Portuguese themselves, and allotted much of his time to teach children. BENGALURU: The St Francis Xaviers Cathedral on St Johns Church Road in Cleveland Town is one of the oldest churches in the city, dedicated to St Francis Xavier, who is said to be one of the first seven Jesuits. How Catholics Reached Bengaluru Jesuits were the first to bring Christianity to Bengaluru, says Rev Fr Anthappa I, a retired priest and historian. Speaking about how Catholics came to the city, he says Catholics were mostly concentrated in Portugal, Italy and France. The British and Europeans were mostly Protestants. he flagpost in front of the church ordained on by Dr Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, on August 10, 2016As the British had political power, it was difficult for the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP), a congregation of Christianity, to enter their colonies (like India), he says. But the MEPs had great influence on the French authorities. And they exercised this political power to come to India. During the Anglo-Mysore war, Tipu Sultans father Hyder Ali had written a letter to Napoleon seeking help in the battle against the British. Napoleon replied that only if Hyder Ali allows French fathers to accompany the soldiers, he would send his military. Hyder agreed and an agreement was made. That is how Catholics came to Bengaluru and Fr Chevalier was one among the MEPs. First Church Fr Chevalier was the first Parish priest. He built the first church of St Francis Xavier in 1851. A small chapel was inaugurated in 1854. It was built on a site measuring 550 feet square which was sold for `1,000 to Fr Chevalier by Zulime Watkins, a French Catholic and a widow of British Commander, Capt Watkins. After the death of Bishop Charbonnaux, Fr Chevalier was appointed Bishop of Mysore in 1873. He died in 1880 and laid to rest in St Patricks Church, Bengaluru. The church was becoming inadequate because of the growing population, as the thousand Catholics grew to 15,000 in the late 1890s under the Parish priest Fr J B Servanton. It comprised of the present parishes of Holy Ghost, St James, Marianapalya, St John the Evangelist, M R Palyam, Ascension Church, St Mary Town, St Pius X, Kamanahalli, Good Shepherd, Murphy Town, Our Lady of Lourdes, Whitefield and a portion of Christ the King, Malleswaram. Reading Signs In 1905, the cross from the tower fell down and Fr J B Servanton took it as a sign to build a new church. The foundation stone was laid in 1911. He made personal appeals by tapping every source, and holding concerts and dramas, to raise funds for the church. Finally after a toil of 21 years, the church was opened in 1932. In 1940, Bangalore was established as a separate diocese and St Francis Xaviers Church was chosen as a Cathedral. Rev Dr Thomas Pothacamury was the first Indian Bishop of Bangalore, appointed in 1942. The Cathedral was consecrated by him on January 24, 1948. The stained glass painting depicting the general themes from the Holy BibleFr Servanton dedicated 50 years to pastoral service. After he died in 1948, he was laid to rest in his own Church at St Francis Xaviers Cathedral. The Bengaluru City Corporation honoured him by naming the circle in front of St Germaine High School as Father Servanton Circle in 1961. Rev Fr Anthappa recalls laughing, I was a student. While playing in the compound, I remember Fr Servanton coming and scolding me when the ball used to enter his office. The first Plenary Council of India was held in the Cathedral Parish Hall in 1950. Platinum Jubilee The Cathedral was renovated in 2003 and opened in 2007 for its platinum jubilee celebrations. An arch at the main entrance of the church was constructed. The windows were mounted with stained glass that depict general themes from the Holy Bible. But the main granite stone structure has been retained, say the Cathedral officials. Mass in Many Languages The Church holds masses in English, Kannada and Tamil every day. St Francis Xavier A Roman Catholic missionary, St Francis is believed to be one of the first seven Jesuits who started evangelisation especially in Asia. In 1542, he departed from Lisbon to the East. He was appointed as a apostolic nuncio (a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or international organisation) to the East. He arrived in Goa on May 6, 1952. Francis primary mission, as ordered by King John III, was to restore Christianity among the Portuguese settlers in Goa. They had churches, clergy, and a bishop, but only a few preachers. Xavier decided to instruct the Portuguese themselves, and allotted much of his time to teach children. Ram M Sundaram By Express News Service CHENNAI: Following Bengaluru, OLA and Ubers ride-sharing service is facing a road block in Tamil Nadu - and might even come to a grinding halt soon. A 15-member committee, constituted by the State transport department, has classified taxis as a separate category of contract carriages, and has framed rules to regulate their services after holding talks with various private players. Last February, leading app-based cab aggregator OLA launched carpooling services in Chennai. Soon after, other cab services including Uber started ride-sharing services here. This offered cheaper rides, while the companies also claimed it to be an eco-friendly initiative. However, there was a growing sense of discontent among the cab drivers as their profits started dwindling. After some of the representations reached the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), authorities asked states to review their local laws to check whether the sharing service was legal. Accordingly, an expert-committee was constituted with representatives from 10 Regional Transport Offices, senior bureaucrats and technical institutes. Under Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, contract carriages (omni buses, auto rickshaws and cabs) are only allowed to pick up passengers from one point and drop them at another. The act does not permit contract carriages to pick up or drop passengers during a trip, a senior official from the transport department told Express. So, rules have been framed now and sent for MoRTHs approval. On receiving the clearance, we might start implementing it within four weeks, he added. Most of the complaints that we received were to do with safety. Though an emergency button was in place, in many instances passengers were unable to report trouble from fellow passengers, often drunk, and had to rely on the driver for help, the official said. Meanwhile in Bengaluru, Uber announced that it would not withdraw its ride-sharing service despite the State governments order. Its not just Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, ride-sharing in cabs is illegal across South Indian states and Odisha. As per the MVD law it is illegal to use a car pooling. However, the department is overlooking this as there arent any complaints from the public, said an official with the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department. Similar is the case in Odisha. We have not received any complaints, but will verify and take necessary action, said Odisha Transport Commissioner. CHENNAI: Following Bengaluru, OLA and Ubers ride-sharing service is facing a road block in Tamil Nadu - and might even come to a grinding halt soon. A 15-member committee, constituted by the State transport department, has classified taxis as a separate category of contract carriages, and has framed rules to regulate their services after holding talks with various private players. Last February, leading app-based cab aggregator OLA launched carpooling services in Chennai. Soon after, other cab services including Uber started ride-sharing services here. This offered cheaper rides, while the companies also claimed it to be an eco-friendly initiative. However, there was a growing sense of discontent among the cab drivers as their profits started dwindling. After some of the representations reached the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), authorities asked states to review their local laws to check whether the sharing service was legal. Accordingly, an expert-committee was constituted with representatives from 10 Regional Transport Offices, senior bureaucrats and technical institutes. Under Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, contract carriages (omni buses, auto rickshaws and cabs) are only allowed to pick up passengers from one point and drop them at another. The act does not permit contract carriages to pick up or drop passengers during a trip, a senior official from the transport department told Express. So, rules have been framed now and sent for MoRTHs approval. On receiving the clearance, we might start implementing it within four weeks, he added. Most of the complaints that we received were to do with safety. Though an emergency button was in place, in many instances passengers were unable to report trouble from fellow passengers, often drunk, and had to rely on the driver for help, the official said. Meanwhile in Bengaluru, Uber announced that it would not withdraw its ride-sharing service despite the State governments order. Its not just Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, ride-sharing in cabs is illegal across South Indian states and Odisha. As per the MVD law it is illegal to use a car pooling. However, the department is overlooking this as there arent any complaints from the public, said an official with the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department. Similar is the case in Odisha. We have not received any complaints, but will verify and take necessary action, said Odisha Transport Commissioner. By PTI NEW DELHI: Do Delhi Police cases against more than a dozen Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and legislators hold merit? Perhaps not, given the series of court observations raising questions over shoddy investigations and delays in filing charges in most of the cases. At least 15 leaders of AAP -- which swept to power in Delhi in February 2015, winning 67 of 70 seats -- have been accused of various offences, including sexual harassment, forgery, extortion, domestic violence and rioting. Thirteen were arrested and are out on bail. Two of the accused have already been acquitted. Courts have rapped the police for alleged incompetent investigations in most of the cases. Some political observers believe the AAP, which handed out the first electoral rout to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after its sweeping victory in the 2014 general election, is being deliberately targeted by the ruling dispensation at the Centre, which has control over Delhi Police. Advocate Rebecca John is among those who has alleged a conspiracy in the cases against AAP MLAs. She said many of the cases, some of which she said she has personally examined, were based on "very flimsy material". "All those cases have to be looked at differently. I feel that many of the cases are based on very flimsy material. And it would be very difficult for the police to string up a credible chargesheet in any of those cases," she said. However, Atul Shrivastava, a public prosecutor in two cases -- the fake law degree case against Jitender Tomar, MLA from Tri Nagar, and the domestic violence case against Somnath Bharti, MLA from Malviya Nagar -- said the court has taken cognizance of the cases. "It is unfair to say there is no substance. Else, the court won't have taken cognizance of the (Bharti) case," he said, adding that charges against the former minister have been filed. Senior advocate K.K. Manan, who filed the complaint against Tomar, is, however, disappointed that the police are yet to file a chargesheet. "The case against Tomar is fool-proof," Manan claimed. "The police should investigate the matter within the prescribed timeframe. If they are unable to get credible evidence against the MLA, they should file a closure report," the advocate told IANS. "There is documentary evidence against Tomar and a few other people. They (the police) should file the chargesheet and let the court decide. They are unnecessarily sitting on the files," he said, adding that if the chargesheet was not filed within the given timeframe, the "man will be discharged". Advocate John sees this as a symptom of the police "unease" with some of the cases. "The police may still somehow put together a chargesheet. But I can clearly see the unease of the police as it is easy to register a case but very difficult to sustain the investigation... Since the cases lack moral, legal and factual basis... I can sense the dilemma of the police. "It appears to me that the motive behind these cases is not necessarily that somebody has committed an offence. It seems more because there is a vested interest to make sure that as many AAP MLAs are embroiled in legal cases as possible." John believes it is "very sad for us that the police force of a city is openly partisan and begins to file cases against individuals of a party based on the political dispensation at the Centre". AAP leaders too have claimed innocence, saying they are being framed due to the upcoming elections in Punjab and Goa -- where the fledgling political party is contesting for the first time after its success in Delhi. "We have always believed in the judiciary and will knock at its door to prove our innocence. The use of (investigative and tax agencies like) CBI, IB, IT to defame AAP MLAs has gained us public support. Everybody knows that this witch-hunting is to stop us from doing our work," Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, AAP MLA from Model Town, told IANS. Tripathi was acquitted by a Delhi court in a sexual harassment case. He alleged that the central government, under which Delhi Police operate, had "tarnished its own image" by filing false cases against AAP leaders. MLA from Okhla Amanatullah Khan, who has been accused of culpable homicide and sexual harassment and is out on bail, claimed the "witch-hunting" by the BJP has helped the AAP gain support in poll-bound Punjab. "It will be proven when the AAP wins Punjab. People in Punjab are supporting us because they know how the BJP has crossed all limits to stop us from working in Delhi," Khan told IANS. "Our win will be because of people's reaction to what they have been doing to us". NEW DELHI: Do Delhi Police cases against more than a dozen Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and legislators hold merit? Perhaps not, given the series of court observations raising questions over shoddy investigations and delays in filing charges in most of the cases. At least 15 leaders of AAP -- which swept to power in Delhi in February 2015, winning 67 of 70 seats -- have been accused of various offences, including sexual harassment, forgery, extortion, domestic violence and rioting. Thirteen were arrested and are out on bail. Two of the accused have already been acquitted. Courts have rapped the police for alleged incompetent investigations in most of the cases. Some political observers believe the AAP, which handed out the first electoral rout to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after its sweeping victory in the 2014 general election, is being deliberately targeted by the ruling dispensation at the Centre, which has control over Delhi Police. Advocate Rebecca John is among those who has alleged a conspiracy in the cases against AAP MLAs. She said many of the cases, some of which she said she has personally examined, were based on "very flimsy material". "All those cases have to be looked at differently. I feel that many of the cases are based on very flimsy material. And it would be very difficult for the police to string up a credible chargesheet in any of those cases," she said. However, Atul Shrivastava, a public prosecutor in two cases -- the fake law degree case against Jitender Tomar, MLA from Tri Nagar, and the domestic violence case against Somnath Bharti, MLA from Malviya Nagar -- said the court has taken cognizance of the cases. "It is unfair to say there is no substance. Else, the court won't have taken cognizance of the (Bharti) case," he said, adding that charges against the former minister have been filed. Senior advocate K.K. Manan, who filed the complaint against Tomar, is, however, disappointed that the police are yet to file a chargesheet. "The case against Tomar is fool-proof," Manan claimed. "The police should investigate the matter within the prescribed timeframe. If they are unable to get credible evidence against the MLA, they should file a closure report," the advocate told IANS. "There is documentary evidence against Tomar and a few other people. They (the police) should file the chargesheet and let the court decide. They are unnecessarily sitting on the files," he said, adding that if the chargesheet was not filed within the given timeframe, the "man will be discharged". Advocate John sees this as a symptom of the police "unease" with some of the cases. "The police may still somehow put together a chargesheet. But I can clearly see the unease of the police as it is easy to register a case but very difficult to sustain the investigation... Since the cases lack moral, legal and factual basis... I can sense the dilemma of the police. "It appears to me that the motive behind these cases is not necessarily that somebody has committed an offence. It seems more because there is a vested interest to make sure that as many AAP MLAs are embroiled in legal cases as possible." John believes it is "very sad for us that the police force of a city is openly partisan and begins to file cases against individuals of a party based on the political dispensation at the Centre". AAP leaders too have claimed innocence, saying they are being framed due to the upcoming elections in Punjab and Goa -- where the fledgling political party is contesting for the first time after its success in Delhi. "We have always believed in the judiciary and will knock at its door to prove our innocence. The use of (investigative and tax agencies like) CBI, IB, IT to defame AAP MLAs has gained us public support. Everybody knows that this witch-hunting is to stop us from doing our work," Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, AAP MLA from Model Town, told IANS. Tripathi was acquitted by a Delhi court in a sexual harassment case. He alleged that the central government, under which Delhi Police operate, had "tarnished its own image" by filing false cases against AAP leaders. MLA from Okhla Amanatullah Khan, who has been accused of culpable homicide and sexual harassment and is out on bail, claimed the "witch-hunting" by the BJP has helped the AAP gain support in poll-bound Punjab. "It will be proven when the AAP wins Punjab. People in Punjab are supporting us because they know how the BJP has crossed all limits to stop us from working in Delhi," Khan told IANS. "Our win will be because of people's reaction to what they have been doing to us". By IANS CHENNAI: Actor Ajith Kumar's six-pack look from the first poster of his upcoming Tamil action-thriller "Vivegam" has given his fans a reason to celebrate his head-turning physical transformation. On Thursday, the film's poster and title were unveiled on social media, much to the excitement of the actor's legions of fans. After "Veeram" and "Vedalam", the V sentiment in the title continues for the third time in a row for Ajith and director Siva. The poster features a shirtless Ajith, in an awe-inspiring chiseled avatar, surrounded by soldiers and choppers in the background. "Vivegam" stars Ajith as an Interpol agent while Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan will be seen in pivotal roles. With the majority of the film already shot across key locations in Europe, the team is currently shooting in the city. Vivek Oberoi is being introduced as the antagonist to Tamil filmdom. Produced by Sathya Jyothi Films, the film is being planned for release in June. CHENNAI: Actor Ajith Kumar's six-pack look from the first poster of his upcoming Tamil action-thriller "Vivegam" has given his fans a reason to celebrate his head-turning physical transformation. On Thursday, the film's poster and title were unveiled on social media, much to the excitement of the actor's legions of fans. After "Veeram" and "Vedalam", the V sentiment in the title continues for the third time in a row for Ajith and director Siva. The poster features a shirtless Ajith, in an awe-inspiring chiseled avatar, surrounded by soldiers and choppers in the background. "Vivegam" stars Ajith as an Interpol agent while Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan will be seen in pivotal roles. VIVEGAM.....sai sai.... pic.twitter.com/Mk7D5UWrtZ siva+director (@directorsiva) February 1, 2017 With the majority of the film already shot across key locations in Europe, the team is currently shooting in the city. Vivek Oberoi is being introduced as the antagonist to Tamil filmdom. Produced by Sathya Jyothi Films, the film is being planned for release in June. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Border Security Forces (BSF) Thursday foiled militant attack on its forward post in border district of Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. A group of heavily armed militants reached close to International Boundary from Pakistan side taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth today, a BSF official said. He said the militants took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth and at around 3.30 pm they attacked BSF forward post Katao by firing heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons and firing three under barrel grenades (UBGs). The BSF official said the border guards, who very narrowly escaped the grenade attack, swiftly fired back towards the militant positions. The firing from BSF men not only stopped militant gunfire but also forced them to retreat, he said. The official said the alert BSF men foiled the ferocious stand-off attack from heavily armed militants from Pakistan by giving them a befitting reply. The militants might have followed the attack by infiltrating into this of IB to attack security installations, the BSF official said adding the border post did not suffer any damage in the militant attack. According to the official, the border guards are on highest level of alert along the IB in J&K to foil any attempt by militants to sneak into the State and cause disturbances. He said after heavy snowfall in the Valley, the troops deployed along the LoC and IB in Jammu region are on high alert amidst intelligence inputs that militants may attempt to infiltrate in the State in Jammu region. SRINAGAR: Border Security Forces (BSF) Thursday foiled militant attack on its forward post in border district of Samba in Jammu and Kashmir. A group of heavily armed militants reached close to International Boundary from Pakistan side taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth today, a BSF official said. He said the militants took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth and at around 3.30 pm they attacked BSF forward post Katao by firing heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons and firing three under barrel grenades (UBGs). The BSF official said the border guards, who very narrowly escaped the grenade attack, swiftly fired back towards the militant positions. The firing from BSF men not only stopped militant gunfire but also forced them to retreat, he said. The official said the alert BSF men foiled the ferocious stand-off attack from heavily armed militants from Pakistan by giving them a befitting reply. The militants might have followed the attack by infiltrating into this of IB to attack security installations, the BSF official said adding the border post did not suffer any damage in the militant attack. According to the official, the border guards are on highest level of alert along the IB in J&K to foil any attempt by militants to sneak into the State and cause disturbances. He said after heavy snowfall in the Valley, the troops deployed along the LoC and IB in Jammu region are on high alert amidst intelligence inputs that militants may attempt to infiltrate in the State in Jammu region. By PTI SANGRUR/GIDDERBAHA/LAMBI: As the poll campaign in Punjab wound down, Rahul Gandhi today accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of "helping" forces who want to disturb Punjab's peace and push it back to the dark days of militancy, remarks that came against the backdrop of Maur Mandi blast. The ruling Badal family of SAD was also targeted by Rahul as the Congress Vice-President undertook a whirlwind tour of the border state during which he sat on a mat and had food with locals in Sangrur village after addressing a gathering. Punjab goes to polls on Saturday. Rahul addressed a series of rallies in the Malwa belt, which is crucial to any party's win, as it has the bulk of seats in the 117-member State Assembly. Dressed in a kurta-pyjama and a sleeveless jacket, Rahul began the last day of a poll campaign by addressing a gathering in Ballian village in Sangrur, where he sat on a mat and listened to the grievances of a cross-section of people including farmers, Dalits and women. He then followed it up with by addressing rallies in Gidderbaha and Lambi and minutes before campaigning was to end at 5 p.m., Rahul also addressed a rally at Fatehgarh Sahib. Lambi is the home constituency of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, from where State Congress chief Amarinder Singh is also in the fray. Rahul said that if Congress is voted to power it would among others bring a tough law to deal with drug menace in Punjab and ensure that Panchayat land on which poor have right is given to them. At all the places, Rahul talked about the "Tera" (spirit of giving) philosophy of the Sikh Gurus as against "Mera hai Mera hai" (everything is mine) philosophy of the Akalis. Rahul also referred to the Tuesday night's car explosion in Maur Mandi in Bathinda, which left six dead. The blast had occurred shortly after the "jansabha" of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi, who is contesting the February 4 elections from Maur Assembly seat. "The most important thing is the atmosphere you live in. If that atmosphere gets spoiled, violence starts or anger prevails, then the work of farmers, labourers, weaker sections suffers, entire state suffers, you know it very well," Rahul said. Taking a veiled dig at the ruling Akalis and the AAP, Rahul said, "from one extremist thinking, Punjab should not go to other extremist thinking. Congress is one such party which takes all sections along. We want that Punjab should rapidly progress." "But if violence breaks, anger prevails, then everything will be destroyed. We have to understand that those forces, which destroyed Punjab earlier (referring to militancy period in the state), because of whom violence broke, such forces are yet again raising their head." "Bomb blast took place and six people died (Maur). Arvind Kejriwal, who is Delhi's Chief Minister, is helping these forces and helping them raise their head. And this is the most dangerous thing for Punjab. "If these forces raise their head again, then entire agenda will be hijacked and Punjab will look in some other direction," he warned. Rahul said, "So, it is necessary all of us together, be from any religion, caste or creed, we all should again stand up so that we can build a Punjab, which was known for its spirit of giving, a path as shown Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh." Rahul said the Sikh Gurus talked of taking everyone along. "We want to bring back that spirit of Punjabiyat, where everyone used to participate and share moments of joy and grief together," Rahul, said, adding Punjab can show the direction to entire India. "Congress will also bring a storm of love in Punjab, where we will work to preserve peace and brotherhood of the State. We will bring everyone closer and do what is for the benefit of the State," Rahul said. Addressing the gathering while sitting on a cot with villagers and farmers of Ballian in Sangrur, he deliberated on farmers' issues and pointed out that during UPA's time farm loans worth Rs 70,000 crore were waived. He promised the people that if Congress forms the next government in Punjab, the "burden of state's farmers will be lessened". From Sangrur constituency, Congress has fielded its former MP Vijay Inder Singla, who was also present there. Rahul appealed to the people to strengthen the hands of Congress to bring growth back on the rails in Punjab, which he alleged had seen destruction under the Badals' rule. "The money of Punjab is the money of its farmers and labourers and would be spent on their development," promised Rahul said, as he alleged that the Badal family was squarely responsible for all the mess in the state, including the industrial and agricultural ruin. "They plundered the state for their own interests. They have ruined the state by controlling everything here," he alleged. With the Malwa belt of Punjab being infamous for number of cancer cases, Rahul promised to have a world-class cancer hospital set up so that people do not have to go elsewhere for treatment. Referring to the train between Bathinda and Bikaner, which has come to be known as Malwa's "cancer train", Rahul said once a hospital is set up here, people need not go anywhere. He also said that within four months, the Congress will bring a new law wherein free treatment will be given to the poor for various ailments, be it cancer, heart diseases, diabetes or any other. With the drug menace becoming a major election issue in Punjab, Rahul promised a tough law to wipe out "chitta" and jail for those responsible for playing with the lives of youth. "Drug menace has snuffed the lives of the youth. We promise that we will wipe out this menace within one month and frame a tough law to deal with the menace (if Congress forms the next government in Punjab)," he said. He said, "Within two months, that Panchayat land, on which poor have right, will be given to the poor people." "Without the land, poor cannot move forward and carve out a better future," he said. Rahul said there is a huge backlog in government jobs, thousands of jobs which the poor and other sections should have got, have not been given to them during SAD-BJP rule. "Within three months, these jobs will be given in a transparent manner," he said. He also promised free treatment to the poor people of Punjab in the hospitals. "We showed how we could do this in Rajasthan and now here also we will do it," he said. Addressing a poll gathering in Lambi, in which Amarinder Singh among others was also present, Rahul said Punjab was once famous for its flourishing industries in Ludhiana and Jalandhar. "People used to come here from other states and far off places to set up industry. However, during Badals' time, industry started shifting from the state to other places because of their lopsided policies. They also sought commissions, forcing the industry out of here," he alleged. Noting that "industries are shifting to Jharkhand and Haryana", Rahul said Congress' focus will be to revive the industry and give jobs. "We will not only give jobs in the government sector, but also in the private sector thousands of jobs will be given," he said. Turning toward Amarinder, Rahul told the gathering, "Amarinder Singh is fighting the polls, he will become Chief Minister of Punjab. In Punjab, Amarinder Singh will work for you and in Delhi, in the Lok Sabha, I will work for you." Prior to Lambi, Rahul also addressed an election meeting at Gidderbaha in Muktsar district, from where youth Congress leader Amrinder Singh Raja Warring is contesting as party candidate. Referring to Warring, Rahul told the gathering that "He is a good candidate, works very hard and if you elect him, he will work even harder." SANGRUR/GIDDERBAHA/LAMBI: As the poll campaign in Punjab wound down, Rahul Gandhi today accused AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of "helping" forces who want to disturb Punjab's peace and push it back to the dark days of militancy, remarks that came against the backdrop of Maur Mandi blast. The ruling Badal family of SAD was also targeted by Rahul as the Congress Vice-President undertook a whirlwind tour of the border state during which he sat on a mat and had food with locals in Sangrur village after addressing a gathering. Punjab goes to polls on Saturday. Rahul addressed a series of rallies in the Malwa belt, which is crucial to any party's win, as it has the bulk of seats in the 117-member State Assembly. Dressed in a kurta-pyjama and a sleeveless jacket, Rahul began the last day of a poll campaign by addressing a gathering in Ballian village in Sangrur, where he sat on a mat and listened to the grievances of a cross-section of people including farmers, Dalits and women. He then followed it up with by addressing rallies in Gidderbaha and Lambi and minutes before campaigning was to end at 5 p.m., Rahul also addressed a rally at Fatehgarh Sahib. Lambi is the home constituency of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, from where State Congress chief Amarinder Singh is also in the fray. Rahul said that if Congress is voted to power it would among others bring a tough law to deal with drug menace in Punjab and ensure that Panchayat land on which poor have right is given to them. At all the places, Rahul talked about the "Tera" (spirit of giving) philosophy of the Sikh Gurus as against "Mera hai Mera hai" (everything is mine) philosophy of the Akalis. Rahul also referred to the Tuesday night's car explosion in Maur Mandi in Bathinda, which left six dead. The blast had occurred shortly after the "jansabha" of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi, who is contesting the February 4 elections from Maur Assembly seat. "The most important thing is the atmosphere you live in. If that atmosphere gets spoiled, violence starts or anger prevails, then the work of farmers, labourers, weaker sections suffers, entire state suffers, you know it very well," Rahul said. Taking a veiled dig at the ruling Akalis and the AAP, Rahul said, "from one extremist thinking, Punjab should not go to other extremist thinking. Congress is one such party which takes all sections along. We want that Punjab should rapidly progress." "But if violence breaks, anger prevails, then everything will be destroyed. We have to understand that those forces, which destroyed Punjab earlier (referring to militancy period in the state), because of whom violence broke, such forces are yet again raising their head." "Bomb blast took place and six people died (Maur). Arvind Kejriwal, who is Delhi's Chief Minister, is helping these forces and helping them raise their head. And this is the most dangerous thing for Punjab. "If these forces raise their head again, then entire agenda will be hijacked and Punjab will look in some other direction," he warned. Rahul said, "So, it is necessary all of us together, be from any religion, caste or creed, we all should again stand up so that we can build a Punjab, which was known for its spirit of giving, a path as shown Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh." Rahul said the Sikh Gurus talked of taking everyone along. "We want to bring back that spirit of Punjabiyat, where everyone used to participate and share moments of joy and grief together," Rahul, said, adding Punjab can show the direction to entire India. "Congress will also bring a storm of love in Punjab, where we will work to preserve peace and brotherhood of the State. We will bring everyone closer and do what is for the benefit of the State," Rahul said. Addressing the gathering while sitting on a cot with villagers and farmers of Ballian in Sangrur, he deliberated on farmers' issues and pointed out that during UPA's time farm loans worth Rs 70,000 crore were waived. He promised the people that if Congress forms the next government in Punjab, the "burden of state's farmers will be lessened". From Sangrur constituency, Congress has fielded its former MP Vijay Inder Singla, who was also present there. Rahul appealed to the people to strengthen the hands of Congress to bring growth back on the rails in Punjab, which he alleged had seen destruction under the Badals' rule. "The money of Punjab is the money of its farmers and labourers and would be spent on their development," promised Rahul said, as he alleged that the Badal family was squarely responsible for all the mess in the state, including the industrial and agricultural ruin. "They plundered the state for their own interests. They have ruined the state by controlling everything here," he alleged. With the Malwa belt of Punjab being infamous for number of cancer cases, Rahul promised to have a world-class cancer hospital set up so that people do not have to go elsewhere for treatment. Referring to the train between Bathinda and Bikaner, which has come to be known as Malwa's "cancer train", Rahul said once a hospital is set up here, people need not go anywhere. He also said that within four months, the Congress will bring a new law wherein free treatment will be given to the poor for various ailments, be it cancer, heart diseases, diabetes or any other. With the drug menace becoming a major election issue in Punjab, Rahul promised a tough law to wipe out "chitta" and jail for those responsible for playing with the lives of youth. "Drug menace has snuffed the lives of the youth. We promise that we will wipe out this menace within one month and frame a tough law to deal with the menace (if Congress forms the next government in Punjab)," he said. He said, "Within two months, that Panchayat land, on which poor have right, will be given to the poor people." "Without the land, poor cannot move forward and carve out a better future," he said. Rahul said there is a huge backlog in government jobs, thousands of jobs which the poor and other sections should have got, have not been given to them during SAD-BJP rule. "Within three months, these jobs will be given in a transparent manner," he said. He also promised free treatment to the poor people of Punjab in the hospitals. "We showed how we could do this in Rajasthan and now here also we will do it," he said. Addressing a poll gathering in Lambi, in which Amarinder Singh among others was also present, Rahul said Punjab was once famous for its flourishing industries in Ludhiana and Jalandhar. "People used to come here from other states and far off places to set up industry. However, during Badals' time, industry started shifting from the state to other places because of their lopsided policies. They also sought commissions, forcing the industry out of here," he alleged. Noting that "industries are shifting to Jharkhand and Haryana", Rahul said Congress' focus will be to revive the industry and give jobs. "We will not only give jobs in the government sector, but also in the private sector thousands of jobs will be given," he said. Turning toward Amarinder, Rahul told the gathering, "Amarinder Singh is fighting the polls, he will become Chief Minister of Punjab. In Punjab, Amarinder Singh will work for you and in Delhi, in the Lok Sabha, I will work for you." Prior to Lambi, Rahul also addressed an election meeting at Gidderbaha in Muktsar district, from where youth Congress leader Amrinder Singh Raja Warring is contesting as party candidate. Referring to Warring, Rahul told the gathering that "He is a good candidate, works very hard and if you elect him, he will work even harder." Ritu Sharma By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The war of words between India and Pakistan over the detention of Hafiz Saeed continued on Thursday as New Delhi contended that Islamabad just need political will to bring the mastermind of Mumbai terror attack to book. Pakistan watchers are terming the detention of Hafiz Saeed as hogwash as the charges against him would not be serious. Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple acts of terror directed at India. So the so called concrete evidence that Pakistani establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need is to find the requisite political will, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. Saeed has been put under detention by the Pakistan authorities, a move to placate the Trump administration and China. Islamabad has even contended that it would be filing an FIR against the Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Saeed. JuD claims to be a charity group but the US has categorised it as a front for the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and has enlisted as a terror outfit. We would be seeing what charges Pakistan would be pressing against Saeed. A charge of violating Section 144 for unlawful assembly is a bailable offence and would mean a replay of Pakistans tactic in the past to deflect international attention, MEA officials said on condition of anonymity. Pakistan has been putting the ball in Indias court asking it to give evidence in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Let us be very clear. The entire conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack case was hatched in Pakistan. All the terrorists came from Pakistan. So all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan, Swarup added. NEW DELHI: The war of words between India and Pakistan over the detention of Hafiz Saeed continued on Thursday as New Delhi contended that Islamabad just need political will to bring the mastermind of Mumbai terror attack to book. Pakistan watchers are terming the detention of Hafiz Saeed as hogwash as the charges against him would not be serious. Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple acts of terror directed at India. So the so called concrete evidence that Pakistani establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need is to find the requisite political will, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. Saeed has been put under detention by the Pakistan authorities, a move to placate the Trump administration and China. Islamabad has even contended that it would be filing an FIR against the Jamaat-ud Dawa chief Saeed. JuD claims to be a charity group but the US has categorised it as a front for the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and has enlisted as a terror outfit. We would be seeing what charges Pakistan would be pressing against Saeed. A charge of violating Section 144 for unlawful assembly is a bailable offence and would mean a replay of Pakistans tactic in the past to deflect international attention, MEA officials said on condition of anonymity. Pakistan has been putting the ball in Indias court asking it to give evidence in 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Let us be very clear. The entire conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack case was hatched in Pakistan. All the terrorists came from Pakistan. So all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan, Swarup added. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The poll panel has pulled up ministries for bypassing Cabinet secretariat while seeking model code clearance of Cabinet proposals. In another order, the Election Commission has directed all the parties and candidates that no advertisement should be published in the Print media on February 3 and 4 unless it is certified by poll panel appointed committees at district or state level. A tendency is being observed to flout the Commission's instructions. Matters relating to Cabinet are sent directly to the Commission and that too in last moment leaving no time to ECI to appropriately consider the issue. It leads to creating undue pressure on the Commission to give priority of such reference over its other urgent time-bound business, said the EC on Thursday. The Commission, expressing its unhappiness in the matter, has requested all ministries and government departments to strictly adhere to the Commission's existing guidelines. While making a reference to the Commission, it should specifically be ensured that at least 48 hours is available to the Commission for processing of such reference, so as to convey its decision in time, otherwise, it would be very difficult for the Commission to entertain such references, said the EC. On the issue of advertisements, the EC has directed that no political party, candidate, organisation or any person will publish any advertisement in print media on February 3 and 4 unless contents of the advertisement proposed to be published have been pre-certified by the political parties and candidates from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) committee. The poll panel said that in order to facilitate the process of pre-certification of the newspaper advertisements and as instructed above, MCMC at local level be immediately alerted and activated. "It should also be ensured that the decision by MCMC in such cases is made expeditiously. The above direction of the Commission be brought to the notice of all president of all political parties contesting candidates and news papers in the state of Goa and Punjab and also be given wide publicity to all media of mass communication for general information and strict compliance," it said. NEW DELHI: The poll panel has pulled up ministries for bypassing Cabinet secretariat while seeking model code clearance of Cabinet proposals. In another order, the Election Commission has directed all the parties and candidates that no advertisement should be published in the Print media on February 3 and 4 unless it is certified by poll panel appointed committees at district or state level. A tendency is being observed to flout the Commission's instructions. Matters relating to Cabinet are sent directly to the Commission and that too in last moment leaving no time to ECI to appropriately consider the issue. It leads to creating undue pressure on the Commission to give priority of such reference over its other urgent time-bound business, said the EC on Thursday. The Commission, expressing its unhappiness in the matter, has requested all ministries and government departments to strictly adhere to the Commission's existing guidelines. While making a reference to the Commission, it should specifically be ensured that at least 48 hours is available to the Commission for processing of such reference, so as to convey its decision in time, otherwise, it would be very difficult for the Commission to entertain such references, said the EC. On the issue of advertisements, the EC has directed that no political party, candidate, organisation or any person will publish any advertisement in print media on February 3 and 4 unless contents of the advertisement proposed to be published have been pre-certified by the political parties and candidates from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) committee. The poll panel said that in order to facilitate the process of pre-certification of the newspaper advertisements and as instructed above, MCMC at local level be immediately alerted and activated. "It should also be ensured that the decision by MCMC in such cases is made expeditiously. The above direction of the Commission be brought to the notice of all president of all political parties contesting candidates and news papers in the state of Goa and Punjab and also be given wide publicity to all media of mass communication for general information and strict compliance," it said. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Protests against 33% reservation for women in urban local bodies (ULBs) in Nagaland spilled over from commercial hub Dimapur to capital Kohima, where the protestors on Thursday evening set afire the office of the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) and around a dozen government vehicles, including a bus. The protestors in Dimapur burnt down a rented house of the chief minister which was located near his private residence at 3rd Mile. Five columns of Army have been deployed to bring the situation under control in Kohima. The police said around half a dozen government offices, including the regional transport office and private residences also were burnt as the fire spread.The violence broke out soon after a meeting between the government and Naga Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) ended.The protestors were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister T R Zeliang along with his ministerial colleagues and had set a deadline of 4 pm, nullification of the polls that took place in some of the 32 ULBs on Wednesday and suspension of police officers who had ordered Tuesdays firing in Dimapur that claimed the lives of two youth. Under pressure, the State Cabinet decided to declare the process of elections to ULBs as null and void and transfer Dimapur Police Commissioner and the DCP, Dimapur, immediately to facilitate an impartial judicial inquiry which has been already ordered. In a statement issued later in the night, the chief minister appealed to people to not indulge in senseless vandalism and arson destroying public properties and spreading fear and panic in the minds of peace-loving citizens. The government is of the considered opinion that it has been lenient enough to give in to the demands of the agitators even though it was steadfastly abiding by the Constitution to which it had sworn its solemn allegiance. And making unreasonable and unconstitutional demands such as asking the entire Cabinet to tender resignation when the ministry has undisputed, unquestionable majority and support of the entire Assembly, is simply unacceptable and non-negotiable, the statement said. Commenting on the fire at the CMs rented house, Nagaland DGP L L Doungel said: It is apparently a farmhouse (which the protestors set afire in Dimapur) in an isolated place. It belongs to the CM or his relatives. They are targeting these for publicity. In Kohima, the protestors tried to burn down the office of ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF). The incidents came a day after the offices of district magistrate, election department and NPF were ransacked by the protestors in eastern Nagalands Mokokchung. Curfew continued in both Dimapur and Kohima. GUWAHATI: Protests against 33% reservation for women in urban local bodies (ULBs) in Nagaland spilled over from commercial hub Dimapur to capital Kohima, where the protestors on Thursday evening set afire the office of the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) and around a dozen government vehicles, including a bus. The protestors in Dimapur burnt down a rented house of the chief minister which was located near his private residence at 3rd Mile. Five columns of Army have been deployed to bring the situation under control in Kohima. The police said around half a dozen government offices, including the regional transport office and private residences also were burnt as the fire spread.The violence broke out soon after a meeting between the government and Naga Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) ended.The protestors were demanding the resignation of Chief Minister T R Zeliang along with his ministerial colleagues and had set a deadline of 4 pm, nullification of the polls that took place in some of the 32 ULBs on Wednesday and suspension of police officers who had ordered Tuesdays firing in Dimapur that claimed the lives of two youth. Under pressure, the State Cabinet decided to declare the process of elections to ULBs as null and void and transfer Dimapur Police Commissioner and the DCP, Dimapur, immediately to facilitate an impartial judicial inquiry which has been already ordered. In a statement issued later in the night, the chief minister appealed to people to not indulge in senseless vandalism and arson destroying public properties and spreading fear and panic in the minds of peace-loving citizens. The government is of the considered opinion that it has been lenient enough to give in to the demands of the agitators even though it was steadfastly abiding by the Constitution to which it had sworn its solemn allegiance. And making unreasonable and unconstitutional demands such as asking the entire Cabinet to tender resignation when the ministry has undisputed, unquestionable majority and support of the entire Assembly, is simply unacceptable and non-negotiable, the statement said. Commenting on the fire at the CMs rented house, Nagaland DGP L L Doungel said: It is apparently a farmhouse (which the protestors set afire in Dimapur) in an isolated place. It belongs to the CM or his relatives. They are targeting these for publicity. In Kohima, the protestors tried to burn down the office of ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF). The incidents came a day after the offices of district magistrate, election department and NPF were ransacked by the protestors in eastern Nagalands Mokokchung. Curfew continued in both Dimapur and Kohima. By PTI PUNE: In the wake of the murder of a 23-year-old woman employee at the premises of Infosys here, Pune police are planning to issue a fresh security advisory to the IT and ITES firms in the city. IT professional from Kerala, Rasila Raju OP, was allegedly strangled by a security guard near her workstation in the Infosys building at Hinjawadi here on Sunday. There are over 400 IT and ITes companies in the city, a large chunk of them at the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi. "In view of the recent incident, there is need to sensitise all these firms on the internal security of the employees and specially women employees. "The campus of major IT companies does not come under the status of public places and the security is managed privately, so we are going to issue an advisory to all the firms asking them to augment the internal security," said Joint Commissioner of Police, Sunil Ramanand. He said the firms will be asked to install CCTV cameras on the premises and make sure that their feed is monitored. "The female employees should not work alone and they should work in buddy system. The companies should monitor the pick and drop system and make sure that female employees are not picked first and dropped last," he said. The companies will be asked to monitor "emotional stability" and health of the employees including the security guards and other support staff. "Generally, security guards' background checks are done, but there is something called emotional stability, which needs to be checked and all these things we are going to incorporate in the advisory," he said. PUNE: In the wake of the murder of a 23-year-old woman employee at the premises of Infosys here, Pune police are planning to issue a fresh security advisory to the IT and ITES firms in the city. IT professional from Kerala, Rasila Raju OP, was allegedly strangled by a security guard near her workstation in the Infosys building at Hinjawadi here on Sunday. There are over 400 IT and ITes companies in the city, a large chunk of them at the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi. "In view of the recent incident, there is need to sensitise all these firms on the internal security of the employees and specially women employees. "The campus of major IT companies does not come under the status of public places and the security is managed privately, so we are going to issue an advisory to all the firms asking them to augment the internal security," said Joint Commissioner of Police, Sunil Ramanand. He said the firms will be asked to install CCTV cameras on the premises and make sure that their feed is monitored. "The female employees should not work alone and they should work in buddy system. The companies should monitor the pick and drop system and make sure that female employees are not picked first and dropped last," he said. The companies will be asked to monitor "emotional stability" and health of the employees including the security guards and other support staff. "Generally, security guards' background checks are done, but there is something called emotional stability, which needs to be checked and all these things we are going to incorporate in the advisory," he said. Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: A jawan of paramilitary force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) posted in Bihars Muzaffarpur district shot himself dead on Thursday morning, officials said. Chaitanya Tamra, who hailed from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, shot himself on the head with the service rifle of one of his colleagues at the camp of SSBs 27th battalion at Jhapaha at about 9 AM. Officials from the local Ahiyapur police station are probing the incident. A profusely bleeding Tamra was rushed to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur, but he succumbed a few minutes after treatment began, said officials. His family has been informed of his death. The victim had been going through a phase of depression for the past few days. He had been taken off field duty and posted at the camp office for this reason, said Sanjay Kumar, DIG of SSB. Tamra had recently visited his family in Srikakulam and returned for duty in December, he added. After he was shifted from field duty, Tamras service rifle was taken away. But in the morning, he picked up an Insas rifle of one of his colleagues and shot himself on the head. His colleagues were alerted by the the sound and rushed him to the hospital, said the DIG. The incident comes two days after a CRPF jawan from Bihars Buxar district committed suicide by slitting his own throat at the Chhinnamasta temple at Rajrappa in neighbouring Jharkhand. On January 12, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable deployed at a thermal power station in Bihars Aurangabad district had opened fire on his colleagues and killed four of them. The killer jawan was said to be unhappy over not getting his leave request sanctioned. PATNA: A jawan of paramilitary force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) posted in Bihars Muzaffarpur district shot himself dead on Thursday morning, officials said. Chaitanya Tamra, who hailed from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, shot himself on the head with the service rifle of one of his colleagues at the camp of SSBs 27th battalion at Jhapaha at about 9 AM. Officials from the local Ahiyapur police station are probing the incident. A profusely bleeding Tamra was rushed to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital in Muzaffarpur, but he succumbed a few minutes after treatment began, said officials. His family has been informed of his death. The victim had been going through a phase of depression for the past few days. He had been taken off field duty and posted at the camp office for this reason, said Sanjay Kumar, DIG of SSB. Tamra had recently visited his family in Srikakulam and returned for duty in December, he added. After he was shifted from field duty, Tamras service rifle was taken away. But in the morning, he picked up an Insas rifle of one of his colleagues and shot himself on the head. His colleagues were alerted by the the sound and rushed him to the hospital, said the DIG. The incident comes two days after a CRPF jawan from Bihars Buxar district committed suicide by slitting his own throat at the Chhinnamasta temple at Rajrappa in neighbouring Jharkhand. On January 12, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constable deployed at a thermal power station in Bihars Aurangabad district had opened fire on his colleagues and killed four of them. The killer jawan was said to be unhappy over not getting his leave request sanctioned. Santwana Bhattacharya By The graph of rhetoric and sarcasm was in no danger of dipping on Wednesday, as the Opposition fired its usual shots at the Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. But some real questions underpinned the critiqueof both a fundamental sort and at the level where the devil is proverbially presumed to reside, the details. The government had packaged Budget 2017-18 as a pro-poor exercise, heavy on social sector spending with almost half of the `21 lakh crore-plus total outlay reserved for rural India. This much was perhaps to be expected, with the presentation of the Budget being advanced by a month widely seen as a move meant to enable the government to play its policy cards in tandem with its political needs. But political critics were unimpressed and saw a big mismatch between declared intent and capacity. Was it a ploy that was only half worked? Did the Election Commission bar on any measure specific to election-bound states hobble the government? We were expecting fireworks but it turned out to be a damp squib, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi quipped, expressing what seemed to be a consensus outside government. There was nothing specific for vital segments, like farmers. The 5 per cent income tax rate for individuals, the only tangible incentive, was for the middle class. The main issue of jobs creation, as the Opposition has been harping, remained unaddressed. In the back-drop of the Trump-decree and the decline in internal labour mobility, it was a stark omission. If demonetisation had put the economy on a depressive curve, the Budget did not quite address that need either. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury took off on the gap between what the Economic Survey had suggesteda huge push to domestic demandand the promises contained in the Budget document, which he thought would be illusory. It all boils down to the numbers. As a percentage of GDP, revenue expenditure stood at 13.36 per cent last year, and thats come down to a projected 12.74 in 2017-18. But crucially, this years budget includes the revenue of Railways, which was not there in 2016-17, so on a comparative scale the figure seems to have declined substantially. The same holds true for capital expenditure. Given this hidden resource crunch, the Opposition had the scope of characterising the Budget as a contractionary one full of jumlas. The absence of big ticket projects requiring public spending, gave them occasion to hark back to the theme of the NDA government window-dressing the state of the economy for public consumption. That the government still holds the moral high ground on corruption in the public eye is clear, thoughespecially, when compared to the Congress. Thus, Rahul Gandhi, for instance, backed the new cap of `2,000 for individual donations to political partiesdown from `20,000. A Democracy Fund ideally operated through the Election Commission, floated as a counter-concept appeared to be far more enticing an idea in cleaning up political finances. That was as positive a response the government could expect on a day when it even came under friendly firewith a vitriolic Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena, asking what was the need to have an annual budget at all. Unwittingly touching off a profound question, with experts saying most far-reaching policy moves (like demonetisation) happen outside the Budget. As it is, the formal occasion of Budget presentation itself represented a paradigm shift in many ways this year, none of the technical issues involved being without a touch of controversy or notes of dissent because of their implications. First, its date was itself advanced by four weeksfrom February 28 to February 1. The matter reached the Supreme Court which gave an order in favour of the government. The Election Commission too, in the picture because of the impending assembly polls, duly cleared the date with the express caveat that no schemes relating to the poll-going states should be announced. The last straw was veteran Muslim League MP E Ahameds death. The Budget nearly got deferred by a day to keep the tradition of the House adjourning if a sitting member dies. But after a flurry of early morning meetings, the government stayed on course with the Speakers backing. Santwana Bhattacharya Political Editor, TheNew Indian Express The graph of rhetoric and sarcasm was in no danger of dipping on Wednesday, as the Opposition fired its usual shots at the Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. But some real questions underpinned the critiqueof both a fundamental sort and at the level where the devil is proverbially presumed to reside, the details. The government had packaged Budget 2017-18 as a pro-poor exercise, heavy on social sector spending with almost half of the `21 lakh crore-plus total outlay reserved for rural India. This much was perhaps to be expected, with the presentation of the Budget being advanced by a month widely seen as a move meant to enable the government to play its policy cards in tandem with its political needs. But political critics were unimpressed and saw a big mismatch between declared intent and capacity. Was it a ploy that was only half worked? Did the Election Commission bar on any measure specific to election-bound states hobble the government? We were expecting fireworks but it turned out to be a damp squib, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi quipped, expressing what seemed to be a consensus outside government. There was nothing specific for vital segments, like farmers. The 5 per cent income tax rate for individuals, the only tangible incentive, was for the middle class. The main issue of jobs creation, as the Opposition has been harping, remained unaddressed. In the back-drop of the Trump-decree and the decline in internal labour mobility, it was a stark omission. If demonetisation had put the economy on a depressive curve, the Budget did not quite address that need either. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury took off on the gap between what the Economic Survey had suggesteda huge push to domestic demandand the promises contained in the Budget document, which he thought would be illusory. It all boils down to the numbers. As a percentage of GDP, revenue expenditure stood at 13.36 per cent last year, and thats come down to a projected 12.74 in 2017-18. But crucially, this years budget includes the revenue of Railways, which was not there in 2016-17, so on a comparative scale the figure seems to have declined substantially. The same holds true for capital expenditure. Given this hidden resource crunch, the Opposition had the scope of characterising the Budget as a contractionary one full of jumlas. The absence of big ticket projects requiring public spending, gave them occasion to hark back to the theme of the NDA government window-dressing the state of the economy for public consumption. That the government still holds the moral high ground on corruption in the public eye is clear, thoughespecially, when compared to the Congress. Thus, Rahul Gandhi, for instance, backed the new cap of `2,000 for individual donations to political partiesdown from `20,000. A Democracy Fund ideally operated through the Election Commission, floated as a counter-concept appeared to be far more enticing an idea in cleaning up political finances. That was as positive a response the government could expect on a day when it even came under friendly firewith a vitriolic Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena, asking what was the need to have an annual budget at all. Unwittingly touching off a profound question, with experts saying most far-reaching policy moves (like demonetisation) happen outside the Budget. As it is, the formal occasion of Budget presentation itself represented a paradigm shift in many ways this year, none of the technical issues involved being without a touch of controversy or notes of dissent because of their implications. First, its date was itself advanced by four weeksfrom February 28 to February 1. The matter reached the Supreme Court which gave an order in favour of the government. The Election Commission too, in the picture because of the impending assembly polls, duly cleared the date with the express caveat that no schemes relating to the poll-going states should be announced. The last straw was veteran Muslim League MP E Ahameds death. The Budget nearly got deferred by a day to keep the tradition of the House adjourning if a sitting member dies. But after a flurry of early morning meetings, the government stayed on course with the Speakers backing. Santwana Bhattacharya Political Editor, TheNew Indian Express Prakash Nanda By While the recently sworn-in Trump administration in the US is determined to make immigration to the country as tough as possible, the ruling Akali Dal in Punjab has promised in its manifesto for the Assembly polls on February 4 that it will acquire one lakh acres of land, mainly in the US and Canada, which would be made available to Punjabi farmers who want to relocate. The party says it will help the Punjabis in getting US and Canadian visas so they can emigrate and work in the vast stretches of agricultural lands available there. Along with probably Andhra, Punjab happens to be a rare State that has a separate NRI (Non-Resident Indians) Affairs Department, which, not long ago, was handled by the chief minister. It is because the Punjabi diaspora, like its Telugu and Gujarati counterparts, happens to be an important component of the states polity, particularly during elections, be it for the panchayats, the Assembly or Lok Sabha. Punjabi NRIs, predominantly Sikh, number about two million around 8 per cent of the 25 million- strong Indian diaspora. However, 85 per cent of Punjabi NRIs are now concentrated in Europe, the US and Canada. It is no wonder therefore that Congress chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh began his campaign in May 2016 by embarking on a tour to North America. That he was refused entry to Canada, which did not allow him to hold rallies for political purposes, is another matter, though it is alleged that the Canada governments decision was influenced by Khalistani elements. Canadian Sikhs number roughly 4,68,670 and account for around 1.4 per cent of Canadas population. In the present Canada government, there are four Sikh ministers, including defence minister Harjit Sajjan. The third main political force in Punjab this election, the AAP, is also wooing the Punjabi diaspora. In fact, of the thousands of Punjabi NRIs who have descended in the State over the last one month from the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia, the majority, if press reports are to be believed, are working for the AAP. In several villages, the NRIs arrive a month before polls and go door to door seeking votes. The NRI factor in Punjab is particularly significant in the Doaba region that comprises nearly a quarter of the States population and includes Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara and Phillaur. Known as Punjabs NRI-hub because of the large scale emigration to the UK, US and Canada, and more important, the continuous interactions between the emigrants and their family members here, the region has not only been helped by family remittances but also by philanthropic projects of the NRIs. Over the years, a number of village welfare associations have been formed which perform functions ranging from setting up developmental projects to buying political influence. For instance, they have set up the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Education Trust in Nawanshahr district, National Rural Development Society in Kapurthala district and Village Life Improvement Board in Hoshairpur district. In fact, it was because of the initiative of the NRIs that a non-political outfit called NRI Sabha Punjab was created way back in 1996 to address the problems of the NRIs in their homeland. And it has drawn support from every party and every government in the State. As a result, we now have NRI fast-track revenue courts, a judicial court in Jalandhar, and 15 exclusive police stations for the NRIs in various districts, something the incumbent Akali DalBJP government is taking credit for and highlighting to woo the diaspora. It is natural therefore that Punjab NRIs have been politically active. Since the 2002 Assembly polls, some rich NRIs started entering the political arena by financing their favourite candidates, a few even contesting. A study showed how in the 2007 Assembly polls, more than $22 million (a conservative estimate) came to Punjab through the diaspora route from North America and UK. This figure, it is safe to guess, must have gone up steeply in subsequent polls. There are many reasons why Punjabi NRIs are so involved in the States polls. The most important is their concern over the security of their property. In Punjab, it has been common to see properties of the NRIs usurped by caretakers and relatives in connivance with local politicians. And this has been the case under both Congress and Akali regimes. This, perhaps, explains why many NRIs support Arvind Kejriwal, the anti-corruption crusader. Secondly, with both the Congress and Akalis failing to deliver justice to those affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom, a vocal section of the NRIs in the UK and North America (many of them asylum seekers or refugees because either they or their relatives experienced human rights abuses or feared it), are openly campaigning for the AAP. They had done same during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In fact, many had taken leave from their jobs to come to India to canvass for AAP, ensuring, in the process, the victories of four AAP candidates. If the AAP seems to have more NRI supporters, it is because Kejriwal has succeeded in building a perception that Punjab is a State afflicted with poor governance, corruption, and a meddlesome and inflexible bureaucracy. And for this, both the Akalis and Congress are equally responsible. This does not mean the NRIs are a monolithic block and will all vote for the AAP. They do exhibit heterogeneity in terms of economic and political status, class, caste, gender, religious traditions and locality. However, the usual allegations against the Akalis and Congress are that they only woo the rich NRIs who can invest heavily in Punjab. But such rich NRIs are fewer in number. And that is to the AAPs distinct advantage. Prakash Nanda A senior journalist, author and strategic analyst Email: prakasnanda@gmail.com While the recently sworn-in Trump administration in the US is determined to make immigration to the country as tough as possible, the ruling Akali Dal in Punjab has promised in its manifesto for the Assembly polls on February 4 that it will acquire one lakh acres of land, mainly in the US and Canada, which would be made available to Punjabi farmers who want to relocate. The party says it will help the Punjabis in getting US and Canadian visas so they can emigrate and work in the vast stretches of agricultural lands available there. Along with probably Andhra, Punjab happens to be a rare State that has a separate NRI (Non-Resident Indians) Affairs Department, which, not long ago, was handled by the chief minister. It is because the Punjabi diaspora, like its Telugu and Gujarati counterparts, happens to be an important component of the states polity, particularly during elections, be it for the panchayats, the Assembly or Lok Sabha. Punjabi NRIs, predominantly Sikh, number about two million around 8 per cent of the 25 million- strong Indian diaspora. However, 85 per cent of Punjabi NRIs are now concentrated in Europe, the US and Canada. It is no wonder therefore that Congress chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh began his campaign in May 2016 by embarking on a tour to North America. That he was refused entry to Canada, which did not allow him to hold rallies for political purposes, is another matter, though it is alleged that the Canada governments decision was influenced by Khalistani elements. Canadian Sikhs number roughly 4,68,670 and account for around 1.4 per cent of Canadas population. In the present Canada government, there are four Sikh ministers, including defence minister Harjit Sajjan. The third main political force in Punjab this election, the AAP, is also wooing the Punjabi diaspora. In fact, of the thousands of Punjabi NRIs who have descended in the State over the last one month from the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia, the majority, if press reports are to be believed, are working for the AAP. In several villages, the NRIs arrive a month before polls and go door to door seeking votes. The NRI factor in Punjab is particularly significant in the Doaba region that comprises nearly a quarter of the States population and includes Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara and Phillaur. Known as Punjabs NRI-hub because of the large scale emigration to the UK, US and Canada, and more important, the continuous interactions between the emigrants and their family members here, the region has not only been helped by family remittances but also by philanthropic projects of the NRIs. Over the years, a number of village welfare associations have been formed which perform functions ranging from setting up developmental projects to buying political influence. For instance, they have set up the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Education Trust in Nawanshahr district, National Rural Development Society in Kapurthala district and Village Life Improvement Board in Hoshairpur district. In fact, it was because of the initiative of the NRIs that a non-political outfit called NRI Sabha Punjab was created way back in 1996 to address the problems of the NRIs in their homeland. And it has drawn support from every party and every government in the State. As a result, we now have NRI fast-track revenue courts, a judicial court in Jalandhar, and 15 exclusive police stations for the NRIs in various districts, something the incumbent Akali DalBJP government is taking credit for and highlighting to woo the diaspora. It is natural therefore that Punjab NRIs have been politically active. Since the 2002 Assembly polls, some rich NRIs started entering the political arena by financing their favourite candidates, a few even contesting. A study showed how in the 2007 Assembly polls, more than $22 million (a conservative estimate) came to Punjab through the diaspora route from North America and UK. This figure, it is safe to guess, must have gone up steeply in subsequent polls. There are many reasons why Punjabi NRIs are so involved in the States polls. The most important is their concern over the security of their property. In Punjab, it has been common to see properties of the NRIs usurped by caretakers and relatives in connivance with local politicians. And this has been the case under both Congress and Akali regimes. This, perhaps, explains why many NRIs support Arvind Kejriwal, the anti-corruption crusader. Secondly, with both the Congress and Akalis failing to deliver justice to those affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom, a vocal section of the NRIs in the UK and North America (many of them asylum seekers or refugees because either they or their relatives experienced human rights abuses or feared it), are openly campaigning for the AAP. They had done same during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In fact, many had taken leave from their jobs to come to India to canvass for AAP, ensuring, in the process, the victories of four AAP candidates. If the AAP seems to have more NRI supporters, it is because Kejriwal has succeeded in building a perception that Punjab is a State afflicted with poor governance, corruption, and a meddlesome and inflexible bureaucracy. And for this, both the Akalis and Congress are equally responsible. This does not mean the NRIs are a monolithic block and will all vote for the AAP. They do exhibit heterogeneity in terms of economic and political status, class, caste, gender, religious traditions and locality. However, the usual allegations against the Akalis and Congress are that they only woo the rich NRIs who can invest heavily in Punjab. But such rich NRIs are fewer in number. And that is to the AAPs distinct advantage. Prakash Nanda A senior journalist, author and strategic analyst Email: prakasnanda@gmail.com By Express News Service KOCHI: In a major setback to CPM in the state, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by CPM Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan and TV Rajesh MLA challenging the order directing further investigation by CBI in the murder of IUML activist Ariyil Abdul Shukkoor. Jayarajan and Rajesh are the 32nd and 33rd accused in the case. The latest development will enable the CBI to proceed with the investigation. The CPM leaders submitted that there were no materials before the Single Judge to come to a conclusion that the investigation was not being done in a proper manner. The case diary pertaining to the case had not been made available to the court or examined by the Single Judge while making the observations and passing the judgment. The petitioners submitted that the case will not fall in the category of rarest of rare cases or exceptional circumstances as has been laid down by the Supreme Court. While handing over the case to CBI, the Single Judge observed that if self-proclaimed kings of a locality were permitted to rule in the matter of investigation, criminal justice would become causality in their hands. The court noticed that the way in which the investigating officer had prepared the final report in the case, clearly reveal that the investigating officer had laboured much to discriminate Jayarajan and Rajesh from the charge of criminal conspiracy. The court observed that "when P Sureshan, K Babu, KV Venu and AV Babu, who were present at the hospital with CPM leaders P Jayarajan and MLA TV Rajesh, could be arraigned as accused under section 120 B of IPC, the court is at a loss to understand as to why the investigating officer could not collect evidence related to a similar offence by the leaders." The petition stated that all the observation made by the single judge will adversely affect Jayarajan and it amounts to a direction to conduct the investigation in a particular manner. KOCHI: In a major setback to CPM in the state, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed the appeal filed by CPM Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan and TV Rajesh MLA challenging the order directing further investigation by CBI in the murder of IUML activist Ariyil Abdul Shukkoor. Jayarajan and Rajesh are the 32nd and 33rd accused in the case. The latest development will enable the CBI to proceed with the investigation. The CPM leaders submitted that there were no materials before the Single Judge to come to a conclusion that the investigation was not being done in a proper manner. The case diary pertaining to the case had not been made available to the court or examined by the Single Judge while making the observations and passing the judgment. The petitioners submitted that the case will not fall in the category of rarest of rare cases or exceptional circumstances as has been laid down by the Supreme Court. While handing over the case to CBI, the Single Judge observed that if self-proclaimed kings of a locality were permitted to rule in the matter of investigation, criminal justice would become causality in their hands. The court noticed that the way in which the investigating officer had prepared the final report in the case, clearly reveal that the investigating officer had laboured much to discriminate Jayarajan and Rajesh from the charge of criminal conspiracy. The court observed that "when P Sureshan, K Babu, KV Venu and AV Babu, who were present at the hospital with CPM leaders P Jayarajan and MLA TV Rajesh, could be arraigned as accused under section 120 B of IPC, the court is at a loss to understand as to why the investigating officer could not collect evidence related to a similar offence by the leaders." The petition stated that all the observation made by the single judge will adversely affect Jayarajan and it amounts to a direction to conduct the investigation in a particular manner. C Shivakumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: Even as oil was continuously seeping from it into the sea, the ill-fated MT Dawn Kancheepuram had to wait for two days in the outer harbour despite fervent pleas to the port authorities to permit it inside to discharge the oil, alleged owners of the vessel, charging that the accident transformed into the environmental disaster that it is now because of this delay. Workers manually clearing the oil sludge spilled due to the collision of two ships near Ennore on Wednesday | ASHWIN PRASATH After it collided with the British ship, BW Maple, the vessel immediately requested permission to berth it inside Kamarajar Port, Ennore. But we were made to wait for two days. Had Kamarajar Port reacted immediately, we could have averted the disaster. The delay resulted in oil from the ship seep into the sea, Captain Sowresh Gon, senior vice-president Corporate Affairs of Darya Shipping Solutions told Express. However, a top official from Kamarajar Port denied the allegation. We wanted them to transfer the cargo to another ship, but they expressed inability. We had also sought an undertaking from the vessel but that was delayed by nearly a day. The shipping ministry and the director general of shipping were informed, and after getting clearance from DG Shipping, the ship was inspected for its seaworthiness. This took another half a day, the official said. Sources at the port said Ennore Tank Terminal Private Limited, which has the lone berth in the port, was against allowing the vessel to berth inside. The firm finally obliged after pressure from the DG. MT Kancheepuram was finally allowed to berth, the official said. Meanwhile, the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation claimed that the proportion of oil contained out of the 20 metric tonnes that leaked into the sea so far is probably lower than 10 per cent. Rejecting the claim, Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General MA Warsi said they have collected 40 metric tonnes thick sludge. This is only sludge and it does not have water or sand, said Warsi. While Marina and Elliots beaches in the city have been cleared of the spill, the Coast Guard has sighted seven more possible spill sites. We are hoping to contain it by Thursday but it could also take two to three days, he added. Incidentally, no police case has been yet filed on the incident. C Sylendra Babu, ADGP (Coastal Security Group) told Express that either the pollution control board or the port should file the complaint, which, however, has not been done so far. A P Sawhney, additional secretary, ministry of petroleum along with Barun Mitra, Joint Secretary (Ports), ministry of shipping and Amitabh Kumar, additional director general of shipping reviewed the situation on Wednesday. CHENNAI: Even as oil was continuously seeping from it into the sea, the ill-fated MT Dawn Kancheepuram had to wait for two days in the outer harbour despite fervent pleas to the port authorities to permit it inside to discharge the oil, alleged owners of the vessel, charging that the accident transformed into the environmental disaster that it is now because of this delay. Workers manually clearing the oil sludge spilled due to the collision of two ships near Ennore on Wednesday | ASHWIN PRASATHAfter it collided with the British ship, BW Maple, the vessel immediately requested permission to berth it inside Kamarajar Port, Ennore. But we were made to wait for two days. Had Kamarajar Port reacted immediately, we could have averted the disaster. The delay resulted in oil from the ship seep into the sea, Captain Sowresh Gon, senior vice-president Corporate Affairs of Darya Shipping Solutions told Express. However, a top official from Kamarajar Port denied the allegation. We wanted them to transfer the cargo to another ship, but they expressed inability. We had also sought an undertaking from the vessel but that was delayed by nearly a day. The shipping ministry and the director general of shipping were informed, and after getting clearance from DG Shipping, the ship was inspected for its seaworthiness. This took another half a day, the official said. Sources at the port said Ennore Tank Terminal Private Limited, which has the lone berth in the port, was against allowing the vessel to berth inside. The firm finally obliged after pressure from the DG. MT Kancheepuram was finally allowed to berth, the official said. Meanwhile, the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation claimed that the proportion of oil contained out of the 20 metric tonnes that leaked into the sea so far is probably lower than 10 per cent. Rejecting the claim, Coast Guard Deputy Inspector General MA Warsi said they have collected 40 metric tonnes thick sludge. This is only sludge and it does not have water or sand, said Warsi. While Marina and Elliots beaches in the city have been cleared of the spill, the Coast Guard has sighted seven more possible spill sites. We are hoping to contain it by Thursday but it could also take two to three days, he added. Incidentally, no police case has been yet filed on the incident. C Sylendra Babu, ADGP (Coastal Security Group) told Express that either the pollution control board or the port should file the complaint, which, however, has not been done so far. A P Sawhney, additional secretary, ministry of petroleum along with Barun Mitra, Joint Secretary (Ports), ministry of shipping and Amitabh Kumar, additional director general of shipping reviewed the situation on Wednesday. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The three-member committees of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh state governments met at the Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday in the presence of governor ESL Narasimhan in a bid to resolve the contentious issues with mutual cooperation. It was the first of meetings initiated by the governor to settle issues that have been vexing the two states for two-and-a-half years since bifurcation. Both states agreed to send their issues to the governors office for it to prepare the agenda for the next meeting scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on February 9. Issues include division of assets listed in Schedules IX and X, High Court, employees and all other issues arising out of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. We cannot resolve all issues in a single meeting. Once the agenda is ready, we will thrash out two to three issues in each meeting, TS governments advisor (inter- state affairs) G Vivek said after the meeting. A lot of issues are pending. TS has some issues and AP has some. Both the states have decided to resolve them amicably, AP finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said, adding that the states would send their issues to the governor this week, following which the governors office will prepare an agenda for the meetings. Instead of approaching the courts and depending on officers, both the states have decided to settle the pending issues in a friendly atmosphere. The first two meetings would be held in Hyderabad and the next two in Amaravati. We did not discuss any particular issue today, Ramakrishnudu said. TS irrigation minister T Harish Rao said the next meeting would be held in Hyderabad at 4 pm on Feb 9. We have decided to resolve the matters in a cordial manner and decided to protect the interests of the both the states, he said. HYDERABAD: The three-member committees of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh state governments met at the Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday in the presence of governor ESL Narasimhan in a bid to resolve the contentious issues with mutual cooperation. It was the first of meetings initiated by the governor to settle issues that have been vexing the two states for two-and-a-half years since bifurcation. Both states agreed to send their issues to the governors office for it to prepare the agenda for the next meeting scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on February 9. Issues include division of assets listed in Schedules IX and X, High Court, employees and all other issues arising out of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. We cannot resolve all issues in a single meeting. Once the agenda is ready, we will thrash out two to three issues in each meeting, TS governments advisor (inter- state affairs) G Vivek said after the meeting. A lot of issues are pending. TS has some issues and AP has some. Both the states have decided to resolve them amicably, AP finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said, adding that the states would send their issues to the governor this week, following which the governors office will prepare an agenda for the meetings. Instead of approaching the courts and depending on officers, both the states have decided to settle the pending issues in a friendly atmosphere. The first two meetings would be held in Hyderabad and the next two in Amaravati. We did not discuss any particular issue today, Ramakrishnudu said. TS irrigation minister T Harish Rao said the next meeting would be held in Hyderabad at 4 pm on Feb 9. We have decided to resolve the matters in a cordial manner and decided to protect the interests of the both the states, he said. By PTI WASHINGTON: In an aggressive move that could raise tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump today put Tehran "on notice" over a ballistic missile test and said it was "on its last legs and ready to collapse" until the US came along and gave it a lifeline in the form of a terrible deal. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. (It) Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!," he tweeted, signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. Trump said that Iran was "on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: USD 150 billion." The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administration's policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them "weak and ineffective". Earlier, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said that the Trump administration "condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk". "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, adding that recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-supported Houthis, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilising behaviour" across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region," Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms," he said. "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened." Senior officials said the US administration has all its options open. Describing the Iranian actions as destabilising, they said the US will respond to it appropriately. "There should be no doubt that the US is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising," a senior administration official told reporters yesterday. The United States is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Iran's ballistic missile activity, the official said. "We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Iran's ballistic missile programme," he said. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. (It) Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!," he tweeted, signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. Trump said that Iran was "on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: USD 150 billion." The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administration's policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them "weak and ineffective". Earlier, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said that the Trump administration "condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk". "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, adding that recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-supported Houthis, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilising behaviour" across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region," Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms," he said. "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened." Senior officials said the US administration has all its options open. Describing the Iranian actions as destabilising, they said the US will respond to it appropriately. "There should be no doubt that the US is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising," a senior administration official told reporters yesterday. The United States is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Iran's ballistic missile activity, the official said. "We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Iran's ballistic missile programme," he said. WASHINGTON: In an aggressive move that could raise tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump today put Tehran "on notice" over a ballistic missile test and said it was "on its last legs and ready to collapse" until the US came along and gave it a lifeline in the form of a terrible deal. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. (It) Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!," he tweeted, signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. Trump said that Iran was "on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: USD 150 billion." The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administration's policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them "weak and ineffective". Earlier, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said that the Trump administration "condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk". "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, adding that recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-supported Houthis, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilising behaviour" across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region," Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms," he said. "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened." Senior officials said the US administration has all its options open. Describing the Iranian actions as destabilising, they said the US will respond to it appropriately. "There should be no doubt that the US is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising," a senior administration official told reporters yesterday. The United States is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Iran's ballistic missile activity, the official said. "We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Iran's ballistic missile programme," he said. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. (It) Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the US made with them!," he tweeted, signalling a more hardline stance against Tehran that could set the stage for renewed confrontation between the two nations. Trump said that Iran was "on its last legs and ready to collapse until the US came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: USD 150 billion." The pronouncement marked a pivot away from the previous Obama administration's policy of diplomatic engagement with Iran which led to a 2015 multinational nuclear deal. In the past Trump had severely criticised various agreements reached between Iran and the Obama administration as well as the UN, terming them "weak and ineffective". Earlier, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said that the Trump administration "condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East that puts American lives at risk". "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice," Flynn said, adding that recent Iranian actions, including the "provocative" ballistic missile launch and an attack against a Saudi naval vessel by Iran-supported Houthis, "underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Iran's destabilising behaviour" across the region. The adviser said that the ballistic missile launch, the first by Iran since Trump become president, is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The resolution calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. "In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten US friends and allies in the region," Flynn said. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism, and other violations of international norms," he said. "Instead of being thankful to the United States for these agreements, Iran is now feeling emboldened." Senior officials said the US administration has all its options open. Describing the Iranian actions as destabilising, they said the US will respond to it appropriately. "There should be no doubt that the US is committed to holding Iran accountable for adhering to missile restrictions and accountable for behaviour in the region that we consider to be destabilising," a senior administration official told reporters yesterday. The United States is reviewing what information we may be able to share with the Security Council regarding Iran's ballistic missile activity, the official said. "We will also continue to insist on full implementation of the binding measures in the UN Resolution 2231 that prohibit all outside support to Iran's ballistic missile programme," he said. PK Balachandran By Express News Service JAFFNA: Representatives of Indian companies who exhibited their products at the Jaffna International Trade Fair from January 27 to 29, were unanimously of the view that for the development and trade and investment between India and the Tamil-speaking Northern Province of Sri Lanka, the construction of a road linking Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu with Thalaiamannar in North Sri Lanka is a must. Better connectivity is the bottom line for the development of trade and investment, said Harish Singla of Goyum Screw Press from Ludhiana. Goyum Screw Press is one of the 65 Indian companies from the small and medium scale sector which participated in the fair partly sponsored by ASSOCHAM of India. Having to land our goods at Colombo in the south, we take another eight hours to reach Jaffna in the far North. This journey puts investors and traders off. It would make matters straight and simple if we are able to go by road from Rameswaram to Thalaimannar across Palk Strait and thence to Jaffna, explained Amandeep Azad of Azad Engineering Company based in Ghaziabad. As on date, there are now only four points of entry into Sri Lanka from outside the island, and all are in South Sri Lanka (Colombo port and airport, and Mattala airport and Hambantota port in the deep south). And of the four, only Colombo and airport are functional. The other advantage in having a direct road link with India is that it will eliminate the Colombo-based middle men. This will bring down prices in the Jaffna market, added Azad. According to Jaffna trade sources, more than 40 percent of the goods sold in the Jaffna market are from South India. There is a lot of support in Tamil-speaking North Sri Lanka for a road link with India because it will make travel to and fro much easier and cheaper. But the Sri Lankan government and opinion makers in South Sri Lanka are opposed to a land link with India on grounds of security in the light of past invasions and migrations from India. Illicit immigration was a major problem in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1980s and 1990s, Tamil militants were using the Palk Strait to link with their logistic and support bases in Tamil Nadu. Even today, thousands of Tamil Nadu fishing trawlers poach in Sri Lankan waters just 2 nautical miles from the Sri Lankan coast. In 2002, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is an ardent supporter of the idea of establishing economic ties with South India, put forth the idea of building the Hanuman Bridge across the Palk Strait. Experts of the two countries met and drew up a technical plan for the bridge. But the plan drew heavy flak from South Sri Lankan Sinhalese nationalists and was given up. A wiser Wickremesinghe declined to revive the Hanuman Bridge project when he came back to power in January 2015 although he has been pleading for Sri Lankas integration with the South Indian states which, according to him, has a collective GDP of US$ 500 billion. The Prime Minister is pressing India to enter into an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with Sri Lanka the soonest. But Sri Lankan nationalists are opposing ETCA tooth and nail saying that it will lead to an influx of Indian personnel who will flood the Sri Lankan labour market. The road link project is seen as a danger precisely because it will help Indians, especially Tamils from Tamil Nadu, enter Sri Lanka more easily than now. But the Indian entrepreneurs at the fair pointed out that Thalaimannar will have Sri Lankan customs and immigration personnel to keep an eye and check on incoming people and goods. However strong the argument for a road link may be, the present situation is not conducive for it. The recent discovery of a plot by the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora to assassinate Tamil National Alliance MP M.A.Sumanthiran with a claymore mine adds to the fear of Tamil militants entering the island through Tamil Nadu. Also, there is little likelihood of the road link coming up in the context of US President Donald Trumps decision to build a wall across the border with Mexico to keep Mexicans from entering the US. According to reliable sources, the Sri Lankan government wants the air link between Palaly (Jaffna) and Tamil Nadu restored. But the Indian government-aided project to upgrade Palaly airport is stalled because the Airports Authority of India which is to execute the work has quoted a very high price. JAFFNA: Representatives of Indian companies who exhibited their products at the Jaffna International Trade Fair from January 27 to 29, were unanimously of the view that for the development and trade and investment between India and the Tamil-speaking Northern Province of Sri Lanka, the construction of a road linking Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu with Thalaiamannar in North Sri Lanka is a must. Better connectivity is the bottom line for the development of trade and investment, said Harish Singla of Goyum Screw Press from Ludhiana. Goyum Screw Press is one of the 65 Indian companies from the small and medium scale sector which participated in the fair partly sponsored by ASSOCHAM of India. Having to land our goods at Colombo in the south, we take another eight hours to reach Jaffna in the far North. This journey puts investors and traders off. It would make matters straight and simple if we are able to go by road from Rameswaram to Thalaimannar across Palk Strait and thence to Jaffna, explained Amandeep Azad of Azad Engineering Company based in Ghaziabad. As on date, there are now only four points of entry into Sri Lanka from outside the island, and all are in South Sri Lanka (Colombo port and airport, and Mattala airport and Hambantota port in the deep south). And of the four, only Colombo and airport are functional. The other advantage in having a direct road link with India is that it will eliminate the Colombo-based middle men. This will bring down prices in the Jaffna market, added Azad. According to Jaffna trade sources, more than 40 percent of the goods sold in the Jaffna market are from South India. There is a lot of support in Tamil-speaking North Sri Lanka for a road link with India because it will make travel to and fro much easier and cheaper. But the Sri Lankan government and opinion makers in South Sri Lanka are opposed to a land link with India on grounds of security in the light of past invasions and migrations from India. Illicit immigration was a major problem in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1980s and 1990s, Tamil militants were using the Palk Strait to link with their logistic and support bases in Tamil Nadu. Even today, thousands of Tamil Nadu fishing trawlers poach in Sri Lankan waters just 2 nautical miles from the Sri Lankan coast. In 2002, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is an ardent supporter of the idea of establishing economic ties with South India, put forth the idea of building the Hanuman Bridge across the Palk Strait. Experts of the two countries met and drew up a technical plan for the bridge. But the plan drew heavy flak from South Sri Lankan Sinhalese nationalists and was given up. A wiser Wickremesinghe declined to revive the Hanuman Bridge project when he came back to power in January 2015 although he has been pleading for Sri Lankas integration with the South Indian states which, according to him, has a collective GDP of US$ 500 billion. The Prime Minister is pressing India to enter into an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with Sri Lanka the soonest. But Sri Lankan nationalists are opposing ETCA tooth and nail saying that it will lead to an influx of Indian personnel who will flood the Sri Lankan labour market. The road link project is seen as a danger precisely because it will help Indians, especially Tamils from Tamil Nadu, enter Sri Lanka more easily than now. But the Indian entrepreneurs at the fair pointed out that Thalaimannar will have Sri Lankan customs and immigration personnel to keep an eye and check on incoming people and goods. However strong the argument for a road link may be, the present situation is not conducive for it. The recent discovery of a plot by the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora to assassinate Tamil National Alliance MP M.A.Sumanthiran with a claymore mine adds to the fear of Tamil militants entering the island through Tamil Nadu. Also, there is little likelihood of the road link coming up in the context of US President Donald Trumps decision to build a wall across the border with Mexico to keep Mexicans from entering the US. According to reliable sources, the Sri Lankan government wants the air link between Palaly (Jaffna) and Tamil Nadu restored. But the Indian government-aided project to upgrade Palaly airport is stalled because the Airports Authority of India which is to execute the work has quoted a very high price. By IANS WASHINGTON: Two Republican senators said they would oppose confirming billionaire fundraiser and activist Betsy DeVos as the education secretary, the media reported. Maine's Susan Collins and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday became the first Republican senators to break with any of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks, The Hill magazine reported. "This is not a decision I make lightly. I have a great deal of respect for DeVos," Collins said on the Senate floor. "I will not, cannot vote to confirm her". Collins said she will allow DeVos to advance to a final vote, before opposing her, Politico reported. Likewise, Murkowski said she will oppose DeVos on final passage. "I have heard from thousands, truly, thousands of Alaskans who have shared their concerns about DeVos," Murkowski said. "I do not intend to vote on final passage to support DeVos." DeVos, a Republican megadonor and education advocate who has long pushed for charter schools and K-12 tuition -- online curriculum provider -- using public funds, has encountered criticism since Trump nominated her. Collins and Murkowski have expressed concerns about her support for voucher programmes, which were emphasised in Trump's $20 billion school choice proposal rolled out on the campaign trail. According to The Hill magazine, DeVos's nomination will move before Senator Jeff Sessions's nod as Attorney General to ensure that the Alabama Republican can cast a vote for Trump's education pick. The Senate could take a final vote on DeVos by Friday. WASHINGTON: Two Republican senators said they would oppose confirming billionaire fundraiser and activist Betsy DeVos as the education secretary, the media reported. Maine's Susan Collins and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday became the first Republican senators to break with any of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks, The Hill magazine reported. "This is not a decision I make lightly. I have a great deal of respect for DeVos," Collins said on the Senate floor. "I will not, cannot vote to confirm her". Collins said she will allow DeVos to advance to a final vote, before opposing her, Politico reported. Likewise, Murkowski said she will oppose DeVos on final passage. "I have heard from thousands, truly, thousands of Alaskans who have shared their concerns about DeVos," Murkowski said. "I do not intend to vote on final passage to support DeVos." DeVos, a Republican megadonor and education advocate who has long pushed for charter schools and K-12 tuition -- online curriculum provider -- using public funds, has encountered criticism since Trump nominated her. Collins and Murkowski have expressed concerns about her support for voucher programmes, which were emphasised in Trump's $20 billion school choice proposal rolled out on the campaign trail. According to The Hill magazine, DeVos's nomination will move before Senator Jeff Sessions's nod as Attorney General to ensure that the Alabama Republican can cast a vote for Trump's education pick. The Senate could take a final vote on DeVos by Friday. By IANS WASHINGTON: Rex Tillerson, the 69th US Secretary of State, has taken the charge of a State Department that is distressed and anxious about Donald Trump's turbulent first days in office. The 64-year-old, Texas-born head of Exxon Mobil worked for the oil and gas company in the US, Yemen and Russia. He is known for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which came up during his confirmation hearings. He has no experience in the public sector, a first in modern history for a Secretary of State. Tillerson joined ExxonMobil in 1975, after receiving a civil engineering degree from the University of Texas. He worked his way up through the ranks, beginning as a production engineer and becoming Chairman and Chief Executive in 2006. The lifelong Exxon employee beat a long list of seasoned candidates in the running for the post, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Senator Bob Corker, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former CIA chief David Petraeus. To counter concerns over his lack of experience, former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates hailed Tillerson as "a global champion of the best values of our country" while former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shared similar sentiment. President Donald Trump said the former Exxon CEO will bring "a clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs" as was confirmed in the Senate by a vote of 56 to 43, with all Republicans in support and most Democrats voting against him. Tillerson was No. 20 on Forbes' most powerful people list in 2015. Tillerson has close links to the Kremlin, and his relationship with Russia was a focal point in his confirmation hearings with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December. Tillerson was widely known for opposing sanctions against Russia in his ExxonMobil corporate life. He refused to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal as he had known him since the 1990s and was awarded Order of Friendship in 2013 by Putin. During his time at Exxon, Tillerson reportedly forged multibillion-dollar deals with Russia's state oil company, Rosneft, including an agreement to explore underground resources in Siberia that could be worth billions of dollars. He is also known to be a friend of Igor Sechin, Rosneft's Executive Chairman who was formerly Putin's Deputy Prime Minister. Sechin has been called Russia's second most powerful man. Tillerson had also publicly spoken out against international sanctions placed on Russia over its annexation of Crimea. Republican Senators Marco Rubio and John McCain expressed serious concerns about Tillerson's Russian connections but came round. At the confirmation hearing, Tillerson called Russia a "danger" to the US and said he favoured maintaining US sanctions against Moscow. He also recommended a "full review" of the nuclear deal with Iran, but he did not call for an outright rejection of the accord. Tillerson also takes responsibility for US policy in one of the world's biggest flashpoints: the South China Sea. Tillerson said China should be blocked from accessing the artificial islands it has built, setting the stage for a potential showdown. He said that China should stop island building in the South China Sea and be denied access to these islands, which China regards as an integral part of its territory. "Building islands and then putting military assets on those islands is akin to Russia's taking of Crimea. It's taking of territory that others lay claim to," Tillerson said in his confirmation hearing. "We're going to have to send China a clear signal that first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also not going to be allowed." Although Tillerson has acknowledged climate change is a problem, ExxonMobil was the subject of controversy at its shareholders meeting last year for rejecting resolutions that would have pushed the company's resources towards renewable energy. The company has been accused of trying to cover up the risks of climate change and lying to the public. His confirmation has already drawn the ire of environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. Tillerson is a lifelong Boy Scout. He was an Eagle Scout in his youth and became president of the national organisation. It was under his leadership the organisation embraced the membership of young men who identified as gay. Tillerson originally supported Jeb Bush for President. He gave Bush the maximum allowable contribution in September 2015. WASHINGTON: Rex Tillerson, the 69th US Secretary of State, has taken the charge of a State Department that is distressed and anxious about Donald Trump's turbulent first days in office. The 64-year-old, Texas-born head of Exxon Mobil worked for the oil and gas company in the US, Yemen and Russia. He is known for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which came up during his confirmation hearings. He has no experience in the public sector, a first in modern history for a Secretary of State. Tillerson joined ExxonMobil in 1975, after receiving a civil engineering degree from the University of Texas. He worked his way up through the ranks, beginning as a production engineer and becoming Chairman and Chief Executive in 2006. The lifelong Exxon employee beat a long list of seasoned candidates in the running for the post, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Senator Bob Corker, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former CIA chief David Petraeus. To counter concerns over his lack of experience, former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates hailed Tillerson as "a global champion of the best values of our country" while former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shared similar sentiment. President Donald Trump said the former Exxon CEO will bring "a clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs" as was confirmed in the Senate by a vote of 56 to 43, with all Republicans in support and most Democrats voting against him. Tillerson was No. 20 on Forbes' most powerful people list in 2015. Tillerson has close links to the Kremlin, and his relationship with Russia was a focal point in his confirmation hearings with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December. Tillerson was widely known for opposing sanctions against Russia in his ExxonMobil corporate life. He refused to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal as he had known him since the 1990s and was awarded Order of Friendship in 2013 by Putin. During his time at Exxon, Tillerson reportedly forged multibillion-dollar deals with Russia's state oil company, Rosneft, including an agreement to explore underground resources in Siberia that could be worth billions of dollars. He is also known to be a friend of Igor Sechin, Rosneft's Executive Chairman who was formerly Putin's Deputy Prime Minister. Sechin has been called Russia's second most powerful man. Tillerson had also publicly spoken out against international sanctions placed on Russia over its annexation of Crimea. Republican Senators Marco Rubio and John McCain expressed serious concerns about Tillerson's Russian connections but came round. At the confirmation hearing, Tillerson called Russia a "danger" to the US and said he favoured maintaining US sanctions against Moscow. He also recommended a "full review" of the nuclear deal with Iran, but he did not call for an outright rejection of the accord. Tillerson also takes responsibility for US policy in one of the world's biggest flashpoints: the South China Sea. Tillerson said China should be blocked from accessing the artificial islands it has built, setting the stage for a potential showdown. He said that China should stop island building in the South China Sea and be denied access to these islands, which China regards as an integral part of its territory. "Building islands and then putting military assets on those islands is akin to Russia's taking of Crimea. It's taking of territory that others lay claim to," Tillerson said in his confirmation hearing. "We're going to have to send China a clear signal that first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also not going to be allowed." Although Tillerson has acknowledged climate change is a problem, ExxonMobil was the subject of controversy at its shareholders meeting last year for rejecting resolutions that would have pushed the company's resources towards renewable energy. The company has been accused of trying to cover up the risks of climate change and lying to the public. His confirmation has already drawn the ire of environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. Tillerson is a lifelong Boy Scout. He was an Eagle Scout in his youth and became president of the national organisation. It was under his leadership the organisation embraced the membership of young men who identified as gay. Tillerson originally supported Jeb Bush for President. He gave Bush the maximum allowable contribution in September 2015. By PTI SEOUL: In his first public remarks abroad as US defence secretary Jim Mattis today criticised North Korea for provocative acts and said he would consult with South Korean and Japanese officials about whether the current strategy for getting the North to curtail or eliminate its nuclear and missile programmes is adequate. Mattis spoke to reporters aboard his military plane en route to Osan air base from Washington. In the brief interview, he said he would be discussing the plan to install a new US missile defence system, called Thaad, in South Korea as a means of deterring the North's ballistic missile threats against South Korean and Japan. North Korea also has said it is nearly ready to test-launch a ballistic missile of intercontinental range, meaning it could theoretically threat the United States. "Were it not for the provocative behaviour of North Korea, we would have no need for Thaad out here," Mattis said. Alluding to China's objections to having Thaad deployed in South Korea, Mattis said, "Thaad should be a worry to no nation other than North Korea." Mattis held an introductory meeting with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who said he looked forward to working with the Trump administration. Mattis said he was delivering a message from Trump. "I talked to President Trump and he wanted to make a very clear statement about the priority that we place on this alliance between our two nations, the secretary said. "Our new administration inherits a very strong, trusted relationship between our two countries and it's our commitment to make it even stronger especially in the face of the provocations that you face from North Korea." After a series of meetings in Seoul today and tomorrow, Mattis was scheduled to fly to Tokyo for further consultations. In Washington this week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held its first policy hearing since Trump took office to discuss North Korea. There were more questions than answers. Last month, Trump fueled speculation of possible US military action to pre-empt North Korea's weapons development. In response to Kim's threat, Trump tweeted, "It won't happen!" But he didn't elaborate how he could be so sure. "Does that mean we have drawn a red line?" Sen Ben Cardin, D-Md, asked at Tuesday's Senate hearing. Those questions and more will be posed to Mattis when he meets top officials in Seoul today and Tokyo later in the week, two jittery allies that host nearly 80,000 US troops. During the campaign, Trump complained that defence treaties disadvantaged the US and that he would not rule out abandoning signatories if they refuse to pay more for their defence. He also suggested that South Korea and Japan, which are already within the range of North Korean missiles, might acquire their own nuclear weapons rather than rely on US deterrence. SEOUL: In his first public remarks abroad as US defence secretary Jim Mattis today criticised North Korea for provocative acts and said he would consult with South Korean and Japanese officials about whether the current strategy for getting the North to curtail or eliminate its nuclear and missile programmes is adequate. Mattis spoke to reporters aboard his military plane en route to Osan air base from Washington. In the brief interview, he said he would be discussing the plan to install a new US missile defence system, called Thaad, in South Korea as a means of deterring the North's ballistic missile threats against South Korean and Japan. North Korea also has said it is nearly ready to test-launch a ballistic missile of intercontinental range, meaning it could theoretically threat the United States. "Were it not for the provocative behaviour of North Korea, we would have no need for Thaad out here," Mattis said. Alluding to China's objections to having Thaad deployed in South Korea, Mattis said, "Thaad should be a worry to no nation other than North Korea." Mattis held an introductory meeting with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who said he looked forward to working with the Trump administration. Mattis said he was delivering a message from Trump. "I talked to President Trump and he wanted to make a very clear statement about the priority that we place on this alliance between our two nations, the secretary said. "Our new administration inherits a very strong, trusted relationship between our two countries and it's our commitment to make it even stronger especially in the face of the provocations that you face from North Korea." After a series of meetings in Seoul today and tomorrow, Mattis was scheduled to fly to Tokyo for further consultations. In Washington this week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held its first policy hearing since Trump took office to discuss North Korea. There were more questions than answers. Last month, Trump fueled speculation of possible US military action to pre-empt North Korea's weapons development. In response to Kim's threat, Trump tweeted, "It won't happen!" But he didn't elaborate how he could be so sure. "Does that mean we have drawn a red line?" Sen Ben Cardin, D-Md, asked at Tuesday's Senate hearing. Those questions and more will be posed to Mattis when he meets top officials in Seoul today and Tokyo later in the week, two jittery allies that host nearly 80,000 US troops. During the campaign, Trump complained that defence treaties disadvantaged the US and that he would not rule out abandoning signatories if they refuse to pay more for their defence. He also suggested that South Korea and Japan, which are already within the range of North Korean missiles, might acquire their own nuclear weapons rather than rely on US deterrence. By PTI HARARE: The Zimbabwean pastor who led protests last year against President Robert Mugabe's authoritarian government was arrested at Harare airport today as he returned to the country after several months abroad. Evan Mawarire emerged as the leader of the popular #ThisFlag protest movement that quickly grew into the largest street demonstrations against Mugabe in several years. "Unfortunately I have been arrested again," Mawarire said in a Facebook video posted while in handcuffs at the Harare central police station. "I hope we will get through this... But this is home to me, I am allowed to come back home. I committed no crime." Fadzayi Mahere, an activist and lawyer close to Mawarire, said he had been charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected government. The police were not immediately available to comment. At the airport, Mawarire "was escorted into another room by three men even before he went through immigration or customs", his sister Telda told AFP. The pastor fled to South Africa in July and then to the United States in fear for his life after being publicly denounced by Mugabe, whose ruthless security forces crushed the protest movement using batons, tear gas and water cannon. The cash-strapped government has struggled to pay civil servants and the military on time as the economy has suffered a severe meltdown with more than 90 percent unemployment. Mawarire, 39, was also detained in Zimbabwe last year for allegedly trying to overthrow the state, but a court dropped the charges against him -- a surprise move that triggered rare celebrations on the streets of Harare. The 92-year-old Mugabe, who is increasingly frail, has vowed to stand for re-election in 2018, though ZANU-PF party seniors have long been jockeying to step into the role when he dies. The national flag became a symbol of anti-government protests after Mawarire, a little-known evangelical pastor, posted a Facebook video last April in which he had the flag wound around his neck as he deplored the country's worsening economic crisis. "The president of Zimbabwe made comments to the effect that I was not welcome in Zimbabwe, but he doesn't get to make that decision for me," Mawarire said in an interview with South African website Daily Maverick shortly before he flew to Harare. He added that he was considering running for public office in Zimbabwe, where Mugabe has dominated politics since national independence in 1980 through election rigging and violence. In a vote widely seen as not credible, Mugabe easily defeated the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in the last election in 2013. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is viewed as the most likely next leader, with Mugabe's wife Grace, 51, also a possible candidate. HARARE: The Zimbabwean pastor who led protests last year against President Robert Mugabe's authoritarian government was arrested at Harare airport today as he returned to the country after several months abroad. Evan Mawarire emerged as the leader of the popular #ThisFlag protest movement that quickly grew into the largest street demonstrations against Mugabe in several years. "Unfortunately I have been arrested again," Mawarire said in a Facebook video posted while in handcuffs at the Harare central police station. "I hope we will get through this... But this is home to me, I am allowed to come back home. I committed no crime." Fadzayi Mahere, an activist and lawyer close to Mawarire, said he had been charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected government. The police were not immediately available to comment. At the airport, Mawarire "was escorted into another room by three men even before he went through immigration or customs", his sister Telda told AFP. The pastor fled to South Africa in July and then to the United States in fear for his life after being publicly denounced by Mugabe, whose ruthless security forces crushed the protest movement using batons, tear gas and water cannon. The cash-strapped government has struggled to pay civil servants and the military on time as the economy has suffered a severe meltdown with more than 90 percent unemployment. Mawarire, 39, was also detained in Zimbabwe last year for allegedly trying to overthrow the state, but a court dropped the charges against him -- a surprise move that triggered rare celebrations on the streets of Harare. The 92-year-old Mugabe, who is increasingly frail, has vowed to stand for re-election in 2018, though ZANU-PF party seniors have long been jockeying to step into the role when he dies. The national flag became a symbol of anti-government protests after Mawarire, a little-known evangelical pastor, posted a Facebook video last April in which he had the flag wound around his neck as he deplored the country's worsening economic crisis. "The president of Zimbabwe made comments to the effect that I was not welcome in Zimbabwe, but he doesn't get to make that decision for me," Mawarire said in an interview with South African website Daily Maverick shortly before he flew to Harare. He added that he was considering running for public office in Zimbabwe, where Mugabe has dominated politics since national independence in 1980 through election rigging and violence. In a vote widely seen as not credible, Mugabe easily defeated the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in the last election in 2013. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is viewed as the most likely next leader, with Mugabe's wife Grace, 51, also a possible candidate. Sorry, that page not found! Please visit our Home Page for latest updates IITDM Kurnool to be declared as institute of national importance New Delhi , Feb.1 : IIITDM Kurnool will be declared an institute of National Importance with the power to award degrees to students. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664528 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664528 173O212O198O32) The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in Parliament which provides for inclusion of Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM), Kurnool along with the other IITs in the Principal Act.With the government's approval, IIITDM Kurnool will become the fifth Member as a Centrally Funded IIIT. Academic session has commenced in IITDM Kurnool in two branches of study in 2015-16. The Institute shall be open to all persons irrespective of gender, caste, creed, disability, domicile, ethnicity and social or economic background. The emerging needs of the industry and the economy, as a whole for skilled technical manpower is expected to be met from the talent pool of trained personnel of the Institute.The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Act, 2014 confers the status of Institutions of National Importance on the IIITs and also provides for matters connected with administering these IIITs. Subsequently, the Government has approved creation of a new NIT at Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh as embodied in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014. Due to addition of a new IIIT, amendment has to be made in the IIIT Act, 2014.The expenditure for the operationalization of IITDM Kurnool is incurred from the Plan funds of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. ( Banks to issue Electoral Bonds to enable donations to political parties New Delhi , Feb. 01 : In a significant step to cleanse the system of funding of political parties, the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitely announced on Wednesday that donations to political parties can soon be made by purchasing electoral bonds from authorized banks. The Finance Minister said that the Government will soon frame a Scheme in this regard and an amendment is being proposed to the Reserve Bank of India Act to enable the issuance of electoral bonds. He said that a donor could purchase bonds from authorised banks against cheque and digital payments only. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664529 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664529 173O212O198O32) These bonds shall be redeemable in the designated account of a registered political party within the prescribed time limit from issuance of bond, he added.In his Budget Speech, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley said that the political parties will be entitled to receive donations by cheque or digital mode from their donors. Every political party will have to file its Income-Tax Return within the prescribed time limit, he added.While presenting the General Budget 2017-18 in Parliament the Finance Minister said that the political party can receive maximum donation up to Rs. 2,000 in cash from one person. Proposing steps towards transparent funding of political parties, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley proposed that banks will issue Electoral Bonds to enable donations to political parties.The Finance Minister further said that these steps have been proposed as the political funding for elections couldn't become transparent though attempts were made to cleanse the system. Despite amendment to the Representation of Peoples' Act, the Companies Act and the Income Tax Act to incentivise political donations by individuals, partnership firms, HUFs and companies, political parties continue to receive most of their funds through anonymous donations which are shown in cash.He said that the situation has only marginally improved since the provisions were introduced, such as granting exemption from payment of tax to both the donor and the donee, provided a list of donors is maintained, who had contributed more than Rs. 20,000. Lt. Gen. S.K.Shrivastava takes over as Border Roads chief New Delhi , Feb.1 : Lt.Gen. Sanjeev Kumar Shrivastava took over as the 25th Director General of the Border Roads (DGBR) here today. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664529 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664529 173O212O198O32) Lt.Gen. S K Shrivastava was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in 1980 and has attended all prestigious courses of the Indian Army, including Staff Course at Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow and the National Defence College, New Delhi.The General Officer has held various staff, instructional and command appointments. Some of his important assignments include Command of an Engineer Regiment during 'OP PARAKRAM', Command of an Engineer Brigade, Staff Officer in the MS Branch, Colonel Q (Operations) of a Corps and Colonel Administration in College of Military Engineering, Pune.He has been the Directing Staff and Advisor at the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Lusaka, Zambia. The General Officer has also tenanted the appointment of Chief Engineer (Northern Command) and later the Additional Director General Works (Army) in the Engineer-in-Chief's Branch, Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army).Before taking over as Director General Border Roads, he was holding the appointment of Director General Combat Engineers at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army). Cabinet approves Introduction of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in Parliament New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in Parliament. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664530 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664530 173O212O198O32) The amendment Bill provides for inclusion of Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM), Kurnool along with the other IITs in the Principal Act. Subsequently, IITDM Kurnool will be declared as an institute of National Importance with the power to award degrees to students, read a government statement.The expenditure for the operationalization of IITDM Kurnool is incurred from the Plan funds of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.The emerging needs of the industry and the economy, as a whole for skilled technical manpower is expected to be met from the talent pool of trained personnel of the Institute. The Institute shall be open to all persons irrespective of gender, caste, creed, disability, domicile, ethnicity, social or economic background. Budget: Reforms will be undertaken in UGC New Delhi, Feb 1 : Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley while presenting the General Budget 2017-18 in Parliament today said that in higher education, the Government will undertake reforms in the UGC. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664531 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/business-india-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664531 173O212O198O32) Good quality institutions would be enabled to have greater administrative and academic autonomy.In his Budget Speech, the Finance Minister said that the colleges will be identified based on accreditation and ranking, and given autonomous status.A revised framework will be put in place for outcome based accreditation and credit based programmes. Finance Minister announces measures for promoting affordable housing and real estate sector New Delhi, Feb 1 : Making the Scheme for profit-linked income tax exemption for promoters of affordable housing scheme announced last year more attractive, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposed a number of changes while presenting the General Budget 2016-17 in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664532 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/business-india-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664532 173O212O198O32) Jaitley said that instead of counting the built-up area of 30 and 60 sq.mtr., it will be the carpet area of 30 and 60 sq.mtr. of the houses that will be counted under the scheme.He also said that the 30 sq.mtr. limit will apply only in case of municipal limits of 4 metropolitan cities while for the rest of the country including in the peripheral areas of metros, limit of 60 sq.mtr. will apply.The Finance Minister also proposed to extend the completion period of the building of the houses after commencement under the Scheme from the present 3 years to 5 years.At present, the houses which are unoccupied after getting completion certificates are subjected to tax on notional rental income.For builders for whom the constructed buildings are stock-in-trade, Jaitley proposed to apply this rule only after the end of the year in which completion certificate is received so as to give the builders some breathing time for liquidating their inventory.In his Budget Speech, Finance Minister Jaitley also proposed to reduce the holding period for considering gain from immovable property to be long term from the present 3 years to 2 years and the base year for indexation to be shifted from 1.4.1981 to 1.4.2001 for all classes of assets including immovable property.The Minister said that this move will significantly reduce the capital gain tax liability while encouraging the mobility of assets.Jaitley added that his Government also plan to extend the basket of financial instruments in which the capital gains can be invested without payment of tax. For Joint Development Agreement signed for development of property, the liability to pay capital gain tax will arise in the year the project is completed.For the new capital for State of Andhra Pradesh which is being constructed by innovative land-pooling mechanism without use of the Land Acquisition Act, the Union Finance Minister proposed to exempt from capital gains tax all persons who were holding land on 2.6.2014 - the date on which the State of Andhra Pradesh was re-organised - and whose land is being pooled for creation of capital city under the Government Scheme. Shiv Sena dubs Budget as 'anti-poor', says promises made last year not fulfilled Mumbai (Maharashtra) , Feb. 1 : The Centre may have been terming the Union Budget as 'comprehensive' and 'revolutionary', the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party's ally at the Centre, however, on Wednesday dubbed it as 'anti-poor' and said there was no need to present the Budget every year as the promises made in the last budget were not fulfilled yet. (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664533 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/maharashtra-news.php (Posted on 01 February 2017, 1667664533 173O212O198O32) Refraining from passing comments on the Budget, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray saw no reason to present the Budget every year."What is the need to present the Budget every year? And if you present the budget every year, do you explain how much was it implemented in a year?" Thackrey told ANI.Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant, on the other hand, said, "There is nothing in this budget. The government has failed to taken in to account farmer's issues, jobs and poor."Responding to a proposal made in the Budget which sought to limit anonymous funding to political parties to Rs. 2000, Sawant said," The BJP should first reveal all their donors. They should also reveal as to how much money was spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Lucknow."The comments came a day after Prime Minister Modi, in a meeting, asked its allies to be supportive of the government's initiatives and the Budget.Earlier, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Budget would bring the Indian economy at the number one position."It is a revolutionary budget in the history of India. This budget will bring our economy at the number one position. A lot of innovative ideas are implemented on this budget, it is a revolutionary change and this budget will bring transparency in politics. I believe that this budget will end black money and corruption," Gadkari told ANI.Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, on the other hand, lauded Jaitley for announcing a cap on anonymous donations to political parties at Rs. 2000."The political reforms announced by the Finance Minister are long awaited. I think people of India were looking for a clean and transparent political funding. I am delighted that this is one big measure will help more and more people to join the political process without fear or favour. Donate liberally so that bad money can be removed from politics and only good honest money will help finance politics in future," Goyal told ANI Tata Global Beverages announces increase in profit before Exceptional Items, Group Net Profits Mumbai, Feb 1 : Tata Global Beverages Ltd. on Wednesday announced its results for the quarter ended December 2016. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664534 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/business-india-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664534 173O212O198O32) For the quarter, Income from operations at Rs 1744 crores increased by 3% as compared to corresponding quarter of the previous year.At previous year exchange rate the increase is 5%. Profit before exceptional items at Rs 146 crores is higher by 24% as compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year despite higher advertising spends on base business and new launches, due to improved operating performance and lower finance costs.Group Consolidated net profit for the quarter at Rs 145 crores is higher by 119% as compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year reflecting improved operating performance and favourable impact of exceptional items.The Board of Directors of Tata Global Beverages Ltd. at its meeting held on January,16 2017 have accorded an in principle approval for divesting its stake in its Joint Venture, Zhejiang Tata Tea Extractions Company Limited subject to necessary approvals. The transaction will also be subject to completion of negotiations, definitive agreements and satisfaction of conditions precedent.Tata Coffee Ltd., Indian subsidiary of Tata Global Beverages Ltd, has announced setting up a state of the art greenfield freeze dried coffee plant in Vietnam with an installed capacity of 5000MT pa. This move will further strengthen Tata Coffees growth in the premium instant coffee segment strengthening the global footprint.Tata Coffee has made significant strides in moving up the coffee quality value chain by focusing on differentiation, premiumisation and consumer centricity.With effect from October 1, 2016, the Group has, pursuant to amendments in a joint venture operating agreement, accounted Empirical Group LLC, in which the Group has a holding of 56%, as a subsidiary.The quarter saw sustained progress on earlier product launches and innovation.In India, Tata Tea Elaichi and the Tata Tea Maharashtra gold mixture - a blend specially crafted for the Maharashtra market, made good progress last quarter.Ajoy Misra, Managing Director and CEO of Tata Global Beverages, said: The Company recorded significant profit growth last quarter despite higher spends behind brands. Tata Global Beverages is leveraging consumer insights to create magical beverage moments for our consumers. Whether it is capturing white spaces in target markets or strengthening our key brands further, our product and marketing initiatives aim to break clutter and enhance the consumer experience. Along with our tea portfolio, we are focusing on steadily scaling our coffee and water portfolio by creating differentiated brands in these categories. Budget 2017 a "lollipop" to nation for covering Centre's mess: Congress New Delhi , Feb. 02: Asserting that the Budget 2017 had completely ignored the lower strata of the economy, the Congress on Thursday tore into the Centre stating it had presented the Budget as an antidote to demonetisation and a 'lollipop' to appease the middle class tax-paying community. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664535 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664535 173O212O198O32) "The budget was presented only to cover up the ruckus caused by demonetisation across the nation, apart from that, there has been an effort to appease just one section of the society, that lower middle class and upper middle class, main vote bank of BJP," Congress Leader Meem Afzal told ANI.Remarking on the tax waiver, he said that only the taxpayers are to be benefitted of this move that comprise only a limited section of the society."Where does this budget take into account a man from rural sector, who works as a labourer, in farms etc? You have given taxpayers the benefit of 12,000-12,500 rupees, but the 70 80 percent section of the society, whose income varies from 20oo to 25 000, what has government given them, do they get 1250 rupees? No", he addedBranding demonetisation as a fundamental failure the Congress leader further said, "the massive drive against black money you initiated, with tall claims of getting 15-15 lakhs in the multiple free bank accounts, you opened across the country, has that person received even 15 rupees of the retrieved black money? No. And you say the budget is good."Emphasising that there could not possibly be a worse Budget, Afzal added that whatever little popularity Prime Minister Narendra Modi had amongst the poor, has been killed by this Budget, which was filled with "empty, fancy promises".The Congress leader further criticised several other promises made in the budget, like the one lakh crores for railway security and asked "where will the Railway get so much money from now?"Lashing out strongly against the increased 10 lakh credit limit, Afzal stated that instead of redeeming the common man from his loans, the Centre was further encouraging him to take more loans, paving the path for their doom.The Congress leader maintained that this Budget is no more than a lollipop offered to the masses in exchanged for "spilt milk", and a desperate attempt to stand strong for the state Assembly elections across five states.Earlier, Jaitley presented the General Budget proposals for 2017-18 in Parliament and said the major thrust of his fourth budget is on stimulating growth, relief to middle class, affordable housing, curbing black money, promoting digital economy, transparency of political funding and simplification of tax administration.The Budget has evoked diverse reactions from nation across with most of the BJP-opposing parties criticising it for the absence of any breakthrough schemes facilitating compensation for the cash shortage in the country due to demonetisation. Syria: UN, Security Council welcome Astana talks and look forward to intra-Syrian negotiations New York, Feb 2 : The United Nations and the Security Council have welcomed the international talks on Syria held in the Kazakh capital of Astana, and, in separate accounts to the press, said they look forward to the resumption of the intra-Syrian negotiations. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664536 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/world-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664536 173O212O198O32) Speaking to journalists earlier on Wednesday in what was his first press conference in New York since taking office in January, Secretary-General Antnio Guterres said the UN presence in Astana was essential to the resumption of talks in Geneva expected to begin later this month.Our presence in Astana was an absolute must in order to guarantee that after Astana, we could have Geneva. And in Geneva, we could discuss the key political aspects that are essential to be on the table, Guterres said.The two-day talks in Astana were the first time that the Syrian opposition participated in the discussions alongside representatives of the Syrian Government.The closed-door meeting convened by Iran, Russia and Turkey, with a representative from the United States attending as an observer resulted in an agreement on how to monitor the ceasefire effort started in December 2016.In a statement released late last night, the Council called the international meeting in Astana a step towards a strengthened ceasefire.The Councils 15 members said said they hoped it would lead to fewer violations, and noted the need for secure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions.They also expressed hope that the meeting would lead to progress in reaching a political settlement and to efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist activities by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIL or Daesh, the Al-Nusra Front and others.The members look forward to the resumption of intra-Syrian talks, they said, and encouraged the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to re-convene the negotiations as soon as possible.Speaking to journalists yesterday following his briefing to the Council, de Mistura said he had asked the Council to postpone the UN facilitated talks from 8 February until 20 February, in order to give the countrys opposition more time to unite and participate as one group.We want to give a chance to this Astana initiative to actually implement itself, the Special Envoy said.The talks in Geneva are guided by the UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a roadmap for a peace process in Syria, including issues of governance, constitution and elections.UN Photo/JC McIlwaine (file)Source: www.justearthnews.com Following first mission to Africa as UN chief, Guterres highlights strengthened cooperation New York, Feb 2 : Speaking to the media on his return from Africa and his participation at the African Union Summit, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted enhanced synergies and avenues of cooperation with the regional bloc. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664537 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/world-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664537 173O212O198O32) We have agreed that Agenda 2063 [the development agenda of the African Union] and the 230 Agenda [for sustainable development] will be aligned, said Guterres at a press encounter at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York, on Wednesday.There will be only one line of reporting, which means that there will be a total cooperation between the UN and the African Union in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the Paris Agreement [on climate change] in the years to come, he added, noting the establishment of regular, high-level interaction between the two organizations.The Secretary-General further informed the media on the establishment of a mechanism of cooperation between Intergovernmental Authority for Development a subregional organization in Africa that includes Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda as members the African Union and the UN to do everything possible to avoid deterioration of the situation in South Sudan and to bring it back on a better track for peace.We will be clearly working together with the same voice, in order to make sure that the national dialogue that will be launched in South Sudan is truly inclusive, including all the key elements of the opposition, noted Guterres.He also said that a full agreement was reached with Kenya in order for it to participate in the Regional Protection Force in South Sudan.The UN chief also spoke of his meeting with the Heads of State of Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Niger on moving the political process forward and addressing complex security and terrorism challenges.He also expressed hope for progress regarding the situation in Burundi.Further, underscoring the importance of subregional and regional unity, as evidenced in the resolution of the political crisis in the Gambia, the Secretary-General said: When the neighbours of a country are together, when [ECOWAS] is united and the African Union is united, then it is possible for the Security Council to decide; it is possible for action to be taken, and it is possible for democracy, human rights, and the freedom of peoples to be defended.Recalling the potential that African continent presents, he said that the momentum of recent successes to make sure that the continent is able to achieve sustainable and inclusive developments, knowing that that is also the best way to prevent the conflicts that, unfortunately, have created so much suffering there.UN Photo/Antonio FiorenteSource: www.justearthnews.com No party, candidate shall publish any ad in print media on Feb. 3 and 4: EC New Delhi , Feb. 2 : The Election Commission of India on Thursday directed that no political party, candidate, organisation or any person will publish any advertisement in print media on February 3 and 4 unless contents of the advertisement proposed to be published have been pre-certified by the political parties and candidates from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) committee. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664537 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/india-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664537 173O212O198O32) This came after many instances of advertisements of offending and misleading nature have brought to the Election Commission's notice in the past.A similar direction has been issued to all the newspapers in Goa and Punjab asking them not to publish any advertisement in the print media on the same dates which has not been pre-certified by the said MCMC.The Commission further said that in order to facilitate the process of pre-certification of the newspaper advertisements and as instructed above, MCMC at state/district level be immediately alerted and activated in order to examine and pre-certified all such advertisements received from the political parties, candidates and others."It should also be ensured that the decision by MCMC in such cases is made expeditiously. The above direction of the Commission be brought to the notice of all president of all political parties contesting candidates and news papers in the state of Goa and Punjab and also be given wide publicity to all media of mass communication for general information and strict compliance," the Commission said. Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa Group extend cooperation Abu Dhabi, Feb 2 : Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa German Airlines, part of Europe's largest aviation group, on Thursday unveiled details of a new commercial partnership, an official release stated. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664538 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/more-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664538 173O212O198O32) The two airline groups have concluded a US $100 million global catering agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul.Addressing a press conference in Abu Dhabi, the chief executives of both airline groups spelled out plans to broaden their commercial partnership.James Hogan, Etihad Aviation Group President and Chief Executive Officer, said, Partnerships are at the heart of our strategy and remain fundamental for us to compete effectively and efficiently in a complex and competitive global market.Our collaboration with one of the aviation industrys most established and recognised brands is undoubtedly the most significant non-equity partnership with an airline we have ever announced, he said.This partnership is the platform for a much wider strategic collaboration between our two organisations. It demonstrates the commitment of the Etihad Aviation Group Board and Abu Dhabi to our European growth strategy, Hogan added.Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with the Etihad Aviation Group. Together we can create added value for our customers and shareholders. Partnering with the Etihad Aviation Group fits perfectly the Lufthansa Groups global strategy for our passenger airlines and service companies.The four-year catering contract will see Lufthansas LSG Sky Chefs provide catering services to Etihad Airways in 16 cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas.This makes LSG the largest provider of catering services to the UAEs national airline, outside its Abu Dhabi home base.Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) also signed an MoU to explore cooperation in maintenance, repair and overhaul services across Etihad Airways and its airline equity partners, and opportunities for synergies with Etihad Airways Engineering.Etihad Airways and Lufthansa are also exploring further cooperation in a number of areas, including freight operations, procurement and passenger services to improve their competitive offering globally and in the European market.The previously announced codeshare between the two airline groups goes on sale today, Feb 1, for flights between Abu Dhabi and Germany.Lufthansa will place its LH code on Etihad Airways twice daily flights between its Abu Dhabi hub and both Frankfurt and Munich.Etihad will put its EY code on Lufthansas long-haul, non-stop intercontinental services between its home base of Frankfurt, the business and commercial capital of Germany, and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the Colombian capital, Bogota as soon as government approval is obtained.The codeshare agreement will grow both carriers global networks, giving Lufthansa increased access to important feeder markets throughout the Indian Subcontinent via Abu Dhabi, while Etihad will gain access into South America through Germany.To facilitate both connectivity and the customer experience associated with this codeshare, the Abu Dhabi-based airline will also move its operations at Lufthansas hubs, from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 in Frankfurt, and Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 in Munich.The Lufthansa Group signed an agreement in December 2016 with airberlin, in which Etihad Aviation Group holds a 29 per cent stake, for the wet-lease of 38 aircraft.Lufthansas point-to-point carrier Eurowings will wet lease 33 aircraft, and Austrian Airlines, a Lufthansa Group airline, will take on five aircraft.The agreement between Eurowings and Air Berlin, signed on Dec 16, 2016, will last for six years and is slated to begin on Feb 10, 2017, when the first aircraft starts operating for Eurowings. Pakistan Air Force denies airlifting horse gifted by Sharif to Qatari emir Islamabad [Pakistan], Feb. 2 : The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has denied reports that its aircraft was used to airlift a horse to Qatar as a gift from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664538 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/world-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664538 173O212O198O32) "It is clarified that the news aired on some channels regarding the airlifting of a horse to Qatar in a C-130 aircraft is baseless and incorrect," said a PAF spokesperson.The spokesperson added that the PAF strongly denies the content of this news.The Dawn quoted a letter as saying that a "special aircraft (C-130) carrying a horse will travel to Qatar on 1 February, 2017 instead of 28 January, 2017".The letter added that the "horse is a gift from the Prime Minister of Pakistan to the Emir of Qatar State" adding "The diplomatic flight clearance should be valid for 72 hrs for the journey."The letter was sent by the deputy chief of protocol in the Foreign Ministry.Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb also clarified that the horse was to be gifted to the emir during his visit to Pakistan and said the news was baseless and no horse was airlifted to Qatar. Association of Odisha Real-estate Developers announces "AFORD Home Expo 2017", offers up to 5pc discount on each spot registration Bhubaneswar, Feb 2 : Association for Odisha Real-estate Developers (AFORD) is one of the most prominent recognized body of the Real Estate Developers in Odisha. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664540 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/business-india-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664540 173O212O198O32) It brings together members dealing in Real Estate Development onto one common platform to address various issues facing the Industry.AFORD recently announces about the forthcoming Property Expo AFORD Home Expo 2017 from 3rd to 5th February 2017 at Janata Maidan.The expo will open from 11.30 am to 8.30 pm.Speaking on the occasion, Umesh Pattnaik, President, AFORD said, We are pleased to announce the forthcoming AFORD HOME EXPO 2017. This is AFORDs third Expo and we are confident about a fantastic turnout of prospective customers. Keeping in mind of current market scenario, demonitisation and customers requirement this time we have tried to showcase maximum ready to move and affordable flats. Bhubaneswar is growing in all directions. A customer can get a variety of options in his/her preferred locations. We always emphasize on ethics and code of conducts. We need the support from Govt. to achieve the affordable housing agenda. Govt. Policy should be suitable for the Developers as well as the customers.{image_1}AFORD in the present context of being smart and yet affordable after the scenario of demonitisation brings an array of affordable housing projects on its annual platform AFORD HOME EXPO 2017. Bhubaneswar is now a house of unlimited opportunities after declared as the smart city no 1, yet the demand for affordable housing is rampant. AFORD from the day of its inception has always focused on providing affordable housing with a clear transparent mode of business.State Bank of India is associated with AFORD HOME EXPO 2017 as the title sponsor.Speaking on this occasion, Prakash Chand Saboo, DGM (BO) State Bank of India, Bhubaneswar said, We are happy to be associated with AFORD HOME EXPO 2017. Bhubaneswar is a hot destination for the Real Estate industry. Most of the people want to have their dream home in Bhubaneswar. So this expo is an excellent platform to search their dream house.Present on this occasion, Ranjan Kumar Prusty, AGM, State Bank of India, Bhubaneswar, said, We are now emphasizing on project tie up and housing loan so that these two vertical will continue parallel. Along with our old home loan for purchase of plot/house or construction of House, recently SBI come out with few new schemes suitable for the market segment clientele such as SBI HAMARA GHAR, SBI BRIDGE LOAN, INSTA TOP UP LOAN, HOME LOAN TO NON SALARIED SEGMENT DIFFERENTIAL OFFERINGS etc{image_2}Nishith Ranjan Nanda, Secy. AFORD, said, Banks, Financial Institutes are participating in this exhibition. More than 800-1000 nos of housing projects by the developers are on display out of which 85% are completed or ready to move units. Along with property this year we will be also showcasing different latest building materials available in the market which makes the house owners dream come true. We hope this expo will help the home buyers to know latest trends and designs of building materials available in the market under one roof. Within this short span of time AFORD has organized CSR activities like Jalachhatra, Skill Development programme, different workshops, Property expos etc and also participated with BDA and BMC for different initiatives.Suryakanta Nanda, Vice President-1, AFORD said, This time AFORD is giving up to 5% discount on each spot booking. So people who are serious about booking for their dream home should come and check the units available in Bhubaneswar and take the full advantage of the discounts by registering themselves at the expo.The primary objective of the exhibition is to provide a real world view of the promising real estate industry to its consumers. The exhibition eases the stressful process of realty searches as it will provide a common platform of interaction for property buyers and developers under one roof. This exhibition plays an important role considering the fact that with the ever enhancing technology and customer expectations, such exhibitions provide a communication platform with customers for industry members. This results in better understanding of the customers needs, expectations, and also buyer-seller perspective. CLEAR LAKE | No one was hurt when a car burst into flames in a Clear Lake resident's driveway after a trip. The 1997 Lincoln Town Car caught fire about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 1100 block of South Eighth Street. Residents of the home told firefighters they got home from Garner, went inside the house and then noticed the flames, said Clear Lake Fire Department Spokesman Josh Pokorney. "Next thing they knew, they look out and flames were coming from under the wheel well," he said. Firefighters believe the blaze started in the engine compartment. The car owner said the vehicle had handled oddly, as if it had a flat tire, on the way back from Garner, Pokorney said. The car was destroyed. On Monday, a car burst into flames in a Mason City garage. Car starts on fire inside Mason City garage MASON CITY | A man and his pet fled their home in Mason City on Monday after a car caught fi The owner told firefighters he heard a noise when he tried to turn it on, and then saw flames. He wasn't hurt. -- Molly Montag Former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is the new US Secretary of State Washington, Feb 2 : Rex Tillerson, former ExxonMobil CEO and an important member of President Donald Trump's National Security Team, was sworn in as the United States Secretary of State, the media reported on Thursday. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664541 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/world-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664541 173O212O198O32) US Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office. Tillerson is the 69th US Secretary of State.Tweeted US President Trump on Thursday, Congratulations to our new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, sworn-in this evening by @VP Mike Pence.The Senate approved Tillersons appointment by a vote of 56 to 43, with all Republicans in support. While most Democrats voted against him, three Democratic senators split with their party to back Tillerson, reported CNN.Tillerson is known to be a staunch supporter of Canadian pipeline projects.At a meeting in Economic Club of Washington in December Tillerson had deplored that the XL Keystone pipeline project was stalled by the Obama administration.The United States and Canada both need this vital pipeline and Keystone XL pipeline would improve U.S. competitiveness, it would increase North American energy security, and it would strengthen the relationship with one of our most important allies and most valued trading partners, he had said then.Image: NewsTodayUSA Twitter India's National Security Adviser meets Russia's Secretary of the Security Council New Delhi, Feb 2 : National Security Adviser Ajit Doval paid an official visit to Russia from January 30-31, 2017 at the invitation of Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664544 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/more-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664544 173O212O198O32) The talks were part of regular high level consultations between India and Russia.The two sides discussed issues of mutual bilateral, regional and global interest, with a special focus on security and defense cooperation between both sides.They noted with satisfaction the ongoing cooperation between them in meeting threats to their national security, particularly those emanating from terrorism in their respective regions, and unequivocally reaffirmed their intention to continue to work together to confront these challenges, the Ministry of External Affairs said in its release.NSA and the Secretary of the Russian Security Council noted that the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia was a great asset for both countries, and a factor of peace and stability in the region and the world. They agreed to further strengthen this partnership in all areas, the MEA said.The two sides also highly evaluated the plans to celebrate the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Russia in 2017, and pledged to make 2017 a special year in the history of their relations. Cox and Kings-owned Meininger expands its hotel in Amsterdam City West New Delhi , Feb. 2 : Meininger hotel group, owned by Cox and Kings, signed an agreement for the third expansion phase of its Amsterdam City West hotel. By spring 2018, the Meininger Amsterdam City West hotel will increase its bed capacity from 1,177 beds to 1,585 beds. (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664546 173O212O198O32) https://www.newkerala.com/business-india-news.php (Posted on 02 February 2017, 1667664546 173O212O198O32) The Meininger Hotel Amsterdam City West was the first one to open in the Netherlands, commencing in 2012. Over the past five years, the hotel has been continuously expanding and now comprises of 321 rooms and 1,177 beds.The hotel's high occupancy led to the conversion of the adjacent office building to create space for new hotel rooms during the first reconstruction phase. The second reconstruction phase, which was successfully completed in December 2016, further increased room capacity, and the communal areas were also expanded and redesigned. The Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh served as the inspiration for the design."We are pleased to have successfully completed the first two expansions, and we are delighted to commence this third expansion. This phase will almost certainly make the Meininger Hotel Amsterdam City West the largest hotel in Amsterdam," said Hannes Spanring, CEO of Meininger Hotels.The Meininger Hotel Amsterdam City West is strategically located near Sloterdijk railway station, one of Amsterdam's most important transport hubs. The hotel is only a five-minute S-Bahn ride from the city centre and Schiphol Airport is ten minutes away. CLEAR LAKE | Clear Lake Classical will host an informational meeting 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at U.S. Hwy 18 W., Clear Lake. CLC says it currently operates a thriving pre-K through third grade school, and will be adding fourth and possibly fifth grade for the 2017-18 school year. The meeting will give a glimpse into a day at the school and provide an opportunity to ask questions. Parents can see students in action, view sample curriculum, learn about classical education and hear plans for the coming year. Childcare is available by RSVP to info@clearlakeclassical.org. Learn more about the school at www.clearlakeclassical.org. Mobile mental health outreach teams will hit the road Coming soon to your community: a new boots on the ground approach to behavioral health care. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy and windy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Morning high of 63F with temps falling to near 50. Winds SW at 25 to 40 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. OSAGE | An Osage man accused of selling fake iPhones faces criminal charges. Reed Barclay, 35, was charged with felony ongoing criminal conduct and misdemeanor fourth-degree theft. A woman contacted Osage police in December claiming Barclay sold her a fake iPhone 6S Plus for $300 under the guise that it was a new, legitimate product, according to court documents. Police said the woman had answered an advertisement Barclay posted on a Facebook page called Guy Stuff: Sell/Trade/Buy North Iowa and paid him on Dec. 18 at a gas station parking lot in Osage. She went to police after an employee of a Waverly cell phone store told her they couldn't switch the phone over to her service because the serial number was linked to another account and didn't match the number on the box, according to court documents. Police say another store worker told them the model number on the phone linked to a Youtube link to an iPhone 6s clone, the device ran slow, looked different than a real phone and an internet search of the serial number linked to Chinese websites. Often built in China, iPhone clones are knockoffs meant to look like the real thing. The victim told police that Barclay wouldn't return her money. Barclay also is accused of selling a woman a fake iPhone 6s Plus in Mason City on Dec. 12. That phone was offered for sale for $350, police say. Barclay, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in April, was out on appeal at the time he allegedly sold the bogus iPhones. The charges were for selling methamphetamine. Barclay claimed in the appeal that the District Court discriminated against him because of a mental illness and asked the Iowa Court of Appeals to place him on probation instead of prison. The appeal was denied on Jan. 11. Barclay remained jailed Thursday at the Mitchell County Jail in Osage. Reporter Tim Mitchell is a reporter at The News-Gazette. His email is tmitchel@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@mitchell6). Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). MASON CITY | A family's pets died in a fire in Mason City Wednesday night, firefighters say. The blaze was discovered about 9 p.m. in a two-story house in the 300 block of Second Street Northwest. The first floor of the home was almost completely filled with flames when firefighters arrived, said Mason City Fire Capt. Jared Ogbourne. No people were inside the home. The family's pets did not survive, Ogbourne said. Firefighters were still on scene around 10 p.m. searching the home for hot spots in ceilings or walls. The cause of the fire was under investigation late Wednesday. Mason City police blocked the 300 block of Second Street to allow crews to work the scene. Research on mice The unpleasant sensation sparked by the nervous system when confronted with a harmful stimulus can be alleviated by blocking a genetic marker that switches off the activity of the neurons involved. Jose Vicente Torres Perez, a Spanish researcher who works at Imperial College in London, has trialled this innovative pain relief therapy on mice with serious burns. The aim is to use his findings to help burn victims. One of the outstanding issues of modern medicine is to combat pain effectively. Jose Vicente Torres Perez, a Spanish researcher who works at Imperial College in London, set out to curb the suffering of people with serious burns. Torres found that blocking a new genetic marker can reduce the neural activation caused by painful stimuli. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today As Torres, the only Spanish researcher participating in the study published today in the journal 'Scientific Reports', explains to SINC: "The cell activation markers most used today are pERK1/2 and c-Fos, but both have their limitations." The development and persistence of pain depends on plastic changes to the neurons that process information on noxious stimuli, which are those of the dorsal spinal cord. These plastic changes are largely regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, i.e. chemical changes that alter the expression of the genes, but not their sequence, such as post-translational modifications of histones. "Seeking new pain markers continues to be very important in the field of nociception, which analyses the subjective experience of pain, and a need that has not yet been met," adds Torres Perez. New pain relief therapy Technically, the team in which the Spanish expert works has demonstrated in mice that a population of superficial neurons in the spinal cord controls an epigenetic marker known as pS10H3. "We observed the effect after using various animal pain models: inducing burns, applying capsaicin or electrical nerve stimulation," explains Torres Perez. Therefore, the authors believe that, if this activation is blocked, they will achieve a new pain relief therapy. For the Spanish researcher, "pS10H3 is a new marker of pain processing in neurons on the spinal cord, and the changes caused by it are fundamental to normal pain development, which opens up new therapeutic possibilities." Application to burn victims Recent advances have significantly increased the survival rates of burn victims, but little has been achieved to alleviate the pain they suffer. According to the authors, advances that help to decipher the molecular mechanisms produced in neurons that are key to processing pain - such as the discovery of this alteration - will help to find new therapeutic strategies. "We propose that blocking this epigenetic modification could be a new strategy to try to reduce or completely eliminate the pain after these processes," Torres Perez concludes. Oral administration of a cocktail of three viruses, all of which specifically kill cholera bacteria, prevents infection and cholera-like symptoms in animal model experiments, report scientists from Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts in Nature Communications on Feb. 1. The findings are the first to demonstrate the potential efficacy of bacteria-killing virusesknown as bacteriophages, or phagesas an orally administered preventive therapy against an acute gastrointestinal bacterial disease. "While phage therapy has existed for decades, our study is proof-of-principle that it can be used to protect against infection and intervene in the transmission of disease," said senior study author Andrew Camilli, Ph.D., Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and professor of molecular biology and microbiology at TUSM. "We are hopeful that phages can someday be a tool in the public health arsenal that helps decrease the global burden of cholera, which affects up to four million people around the world each year." In previous work, Camilli and colleagues searched for phages that are specific for Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes choleraa potentially lethal infectious disease marked by severe diarrhea and dehydration. While phages that kill V. cholerae are abundant in nature, the team identified three strains that uniquely retained the ability to kill V. cholerae within the small intestine, the site of infection in humans. These phages function by targeting bacterial surface receptors normally involved in infectiousness, making them ideal therapeutic candidatesto develop resistance, cholera bacteria must acquire mutations in these receptors, which cause the bacteria to become less infectious. Prevent and protect In the current study, a team comprised of Camilli, Minmin Yen, Ph.D., recent graduate of the Molecular Microbiology Program at the Sackler School, and postdoctoral fellow Lynne Cairns, Ph.D., carried out a series of experiments in small animal models of cholera to test the efficacy of these phages as a preventative treatment. Animals were given an oral dose of a cocktail containing all three phages, at time points ranging from three to 24 hours before infection with a standardized amount of V. cholerae bacteria. A preventative dose of the phage cocktail eliminated V. cholerae in the small intestines of over half of treated animals when given three hours before infection. In remaining animals, and for those treated up to 24 hours before infection, bacteria numbers were reduced 500-fold or more on average, compared to untreated controls. Overall, treatment was most effective in reducing bacterial load when given between three and 12 hours before infection. The team found no evidence of cholera-like diarrhea and no significant weight loss in treated animals. To study bacterial resistance, one of the historical obstacles to the use of phages as a therapy, the researchers isolated V. cholerae that survived treatment and conducted whole-genome and molecular analyses. While some bacteria acquired resistance against one or two of the phages, no bacteria were resistant to all three phages in the cocktail. As expected based on previous work, surviving bacteria that developed phage resistance had mutations in key protein receptors that rendered the bacteria avirulent and unable to cause infection. "It took almost a decade of work, from our lab and collaborators around the world, to identify these phages, understand their life cycle, reveal the underlying biology and mechanisms by which they attack cholera and show how resistance develops," said lead study author Minmin Yen, who conducted this research as part of her graduate thesis and is now a postdoctoral fellow in the Camilli lab. "By building on that work, we are now able to demonstrate that these phages can be effective at protecting against cholera and that the bacteria do not develop resistance to the phage cocktail." Filling a treatment gap Discovered roughly a century ago, bacteriophages have remained relatively unexplored in Western medicine as a therapy due to the prevalence of antibiotics. However, the dramatic rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has led to renewed interest in phage therapy, which can target specific strains of harmful bacteria while leaving host cells and beneficial bacteria unaffected. Carried by contaminated water, cholera spreads quickly through communities during outbreaks. A primary path of transmission is from infected individuals to other household members, a process that typically occurs within one to two days. The research team envisions the phage cocktail as a rapid-acting preventative oral medication that can be repeatedly taken during this critical window. Reducing household transmission when an outbreak begins would help slow the spread of cholera and lessen the impact of the disease on communities. With animal model experiments established, Camilli's team and collaborators are now exploring human clinical trials. Phage therapy has a well-established safety profile in humans, based on decades of use in eastern European countries such as Georgia. In addition, phages are the most abundant organism on Earth, and humans are continuously exposed to them with no harm. The team is also investigating the production of phages at scale, and believes that it can be done economically and priced appropriately for use in the developing world. They recently formed a companyPhagePro, which received seed funding as a winner in the Tufts 100K New Ventures Competitionto further test and develop their phage cocktail. Tufts University has filed a related patent application. If successful, their efforts could lead to an important tool for public health professionals. A cholera vaccine exists and is recommended by the World Health Organization, but needs to be given at least two weeks in advance to be effective. Rehydration therapy is the standard treatment for cholera, but clean water is typically hard to come by during an outbreak. Antibiotics are effective at eliminating cholera bacteria, but they contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains and can harm beneficial bacteria such as those in the large intestine. "A preventative phage treatment is unlikely to eradicate cholera, but we think that it could fill an important gap in treatment, which is immediate protection against transmission in households," said Camilli, who is also faculty in the Molecular Microbiology Program at the Sackler School. "Additional work needs to be done, particularly a deeper understanding of phage biology while inside the gastrointestinal system, but if we are able to confirm its safety profile and efficacy in humans, it has the potential to be the best option for many communities affected by cholera." Source: http://now.tufts.edu/news-releases/cocktail-bacteria-killing-viruses-prevents-cholera-infection-animal-models Scientists from the University of Southampton have discovered an important way that the immune system can learn to recognise and fight cancers. The team, led by Professor Aymen Al-Shamkhani and funded by Cancer Research UK, has shown that a protein called Akt, is vital for the way the body remembers a cancer it has eradicated. The body's immune system includes cytotoxic T cells, which actively seek out and destroy infections or cancers. When they have dealt with the danger, the majority of T cells die, but the remaining ones turn into memory cells, which can recognise the threat if it comes back. However, how this actually works has previously not been clear. The Southampton team has found that a protein called Akt has a big effect on the number and type of memory T cells that a danger signal can generate. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, shows that Akt is critical for survival of T cells when they turn into memory cells and for how these can then react to future threats. Professor Al-Shamkhani, a Professor of Immunology at the University of Southampton, says that: "If we can harness Akt to boost the memory cells in numbers and ability we could offer more protection against cancer." He added: "Immunotherapy has shown great promise as a new type of treatment for cancer, but we need to find ways to improve the body's immune memory for cancer cells. If we can get the body's immune system to recognise cancers faster and better, that will be a big help in finding more effective treatments." Dr Justine Alford, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, says: "By revealing more about how the immune system learns to recognise and attack cancers, this laboratory study may have identified a way to make immunotherapy more effective and longer-lasting. The next step will be to see if this approach works, and is safe for patients." Over the past 40 years the University of Southampton has made a number of advances in cancer immunology and immunotherapy research, with a reputation for its 'bench to bedside' results. This year, the University will open The Centre for Cancer Immunology. It is the first of its kind in the UK and will bring world leading cancer scientists under one roof and enable interdisciplinary teams to expand clinical trials and develop lifesaving drugs. Source: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2017/01/akt-t-cell-study.page Preliminary computerized imaging reveals the shape of the prostate and a compartment within the gland--called the transitional zone--consistently differ in men with prostate cancer than those without the disease, according to new research led by Case Western Reserve University. The finding may provide a new avenue to diagnose the disease--perhaps even the cancer's aggressiveness. The differences held up in comparisons of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 70 patients. The scans came from three different medical institutions in Ohio and two in Sydney, Australia, on different makes and models of MRI's. The research is published in Scientific Reports today. "Looking at shape is a fundamental shift from looking at the intensity of pixels in an image to predict if a patient has prostate cancer," said Anant Madabhushi, F. Alex Nason professor II of biomedical engineering and leader of the research. "Pixel intensities vary, but shape is resilient." Variability in MRI scans can result in disagreement as to whether prostate cancer is present, in turn potentially resulting in unnecessary biopsies and treatments. The American College of Radiology and others are working to develop standards to eliminate inconsistencies in imaging. "Here, we potentially have an image-based biomarker for prostate cancer, which is not greatly sensitive to the MRI parameters used by each institution, the maker of the MRI or the scanner itself, " Madabhushi said. A new view To find the differences in shapes, the researchers took images of 35 cancerous prostates, aligned them into a single frame and created a statistical shape atlas. They then took images of 35 healthy prostates, aligned them in one frame and created a second statistical shape atlas. The researchers then aligned the two frames and controlled for size--tumors and a noncancerous condition, called benign prostatic hyperplasia (which some images in this study showed), increase the gland's volume. Comparing cancerous and cancer-free prostates showed clear, statistically significant differences in both the shape of the transitional zone--which is in the central part of the gland--and the gland itself. The researchers analyzed and compared the images from each of the five medical institutions and found that, no matter where the images were from, differences in shapes between cancerous and cancer-free prostates were consistent. Madabhushi said that if shape proves to be a reliable marker of cancer, it could be combined with radiomics, which employs computer algorithms to extract differentiating features in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues. Complementing strategy In a paper published in the December issue of the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Madabhushi and colleagues found they could accurately identify cancer by the microarchitecture and heterogeneity of the tumor in the prostate's peripheral zone, which is the area surrounding the transitional zone. The researchers found that aspects of cancerous features in the peripheral zone differed from cancerous features found in the rest of the gland, leading them to identify tumors there. As with shape, the peripheral zone features held up across the institutions in Tuku, Finland; Sydney, Australia and New York City that contributed MRI scans in this study. As a follow-up, researchers are now working to identify radiomic features from the peripheral and transitional zones along with measurements derived from the prostate shape to use as predictors of whether a patient has cancer or not. Further, they are trying to determine whether shape can also predict if the cancer is aggressive or slow-moving--a key in determining how the disease is treated. EXASOL, a high-performance in-memory analytic database developer, and PATH, an international nonprofit organization and global leader in health and innovation, today announced a partnership to support the Zambian governments ambitious campaign to eliminate malaria by 2020. Data analytics is often discussed as a way for business to derive value from the data they hold, whether that is to increase profitability or serve customers better, said Aaron Auld, CEO, EXASOL. But data can also unlock important information that can help organizations such as PATH improve the way they address Malaria. This ultimately shows the value of data in saving lives. EXASOL joins a transformative partnershipVisualize No Malariabetween the Zambian Ministry of Health, PATH, Tableau, and technical partners including Alteryx, Mapbox, DataBlick, Twilio, DigitalGlobe, and Slalom. EXASOLs contributionaccess to the EXASOL database in the cloud on Amazon Web Servicesenables the Visualize No Malaria team to perform highly complex queries of not just "big data" but truly "massive data" with speed that enables almost instant rendering, allowing for real-time analysis. Allan Walker, a volunteer with expertise in data analytics and visualization, is helping PATHs#visualizenomalaria team create analyses that estimate where malaria cases will be more likely to occur. The analyses aim to find the relationship between the mosquito vector and the human carriers of the disease. The teams current project involves loading complex geospatial data into the EXASOL database to model geological features in Zambias Southern Province such as elevation and slope and hydrological features such as topographic wetness and stream power. This shows whether the land is dry or wet, and if water is still or moving. The team also regresses time-series models of population density and mobility, and meteorological models of precipitation and temperature, to establish a relationship with the epidemiological data. Once honed, the analyses could be used by Zambian decision-makers to focus on probable malaria outbreak areas and quickly respond to new cases. EXASOL simply puts the snap and zing back into Tableau projects, regardless of scale, effortlessly returning queries of billions of rows of data, Walker said. It has back-end database power and speed that Tableau developers require and users in the field will appreciate. Jeff Bernson, senior director of PATH's Results Management, Measurement and Learning Department, said: If youre trying to inspire data use among counterparts and decision-makers, watching a spinning wheel and waiting for dashboards to render can often be a deal breaker. Partnering with EXASOL and Tableau is helping us tackle challenges with data access and speed. It truly aligns with our focus to develop and apply transformative innovation in low-resource settings. It has been a great pleasure to support PATH in this fantastic initiative, Auld continued. Furthermore, we have an enormous amount of respect for Allan and his team for their dedication and hard work around the program. We are grateful to Jeff and the PATH organization for their decision to engage with us, and we look forward to continuing to make a contribution towards supporting PATH and the Zambian government in their efforts. For 40 years, PATH has partnered with the private sector, governments, and civil-society institutions to create market-based solutions that change the course of disease, transform health, and save lives. By convening strategic partnerships, PATH touches 150 million lives a year around the globe through projects including this one supporting Zambias plan to eliminate malaria. Malaria, a mosquito-borne illness, has seen remarkable reductions worldwide, with mortality rates declining 60 percent since the year 2000. But this preventable disease is still killing too many people in sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria takes the life of a child every two minutes. In Zambia alone, its estimated nearly 3,000 people die from malaria each year. Mapping Wetness in Zambia: Only about 35 percent of precancerous breast lesions morph into cancer if untreated, but physicians cannot identify which lesions are potentially dangerous. So all women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ undergo traditional therapy of surgery and possibly hormonal therapy and radiation. Now, Mayo Clinic researchers are about to test a vaccine that they hope will replace standard therapies and prevent recurrence for some, if not all, these patients. Keith Knutson, Ph.D., director of the Discovery and Translation Labs Cancer Research Program at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida, has received a $3.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to conduct a phase II clinical trial that will test a vaccine designed to establish lifelong immunity against development of these precancerous lesions. If ultimately successful, the vaccine could substitute for current ductal carcinoma in situ therapy and may become part of a routine immunization schedule in healthy women. "We ultimately want to eliminate ductal carcinoma in situ, which means preventing disfiguring surgeries and toxic therapies in the 60,000 women who receive this diagnosis every year in the U.S.," says Dr. Knutson, who designed the vaccine. Eliminating ductal carcinoma in situ also would reduce the overall breast cancer burden significantly, he adds. "Ductal carcinoma in situ is a significant health problem, accounting for about 20 percent of U.S. cases of breast cancer." Beginning in 2017, Dr. Knutson and his colleagues at the Mayo Clinic campuses in Florida and Rochester, Minnesota, will test the vaccine in 40-45 patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ. These patients will be treated with the vaccine first. Six weeks later, they will receive surgery (lumpectomy or mastectomy) and other standard therapy. During the initial six weeks, physicians will monitor patients to see if ductal carcinoma in situ lesions reacted to the vaccine. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today "The hope is that they disappear," says Dr. Knutson. If successful, advanced clinical trials could be designed to test the possibility that vaccination may be a "safe alternative to conventional and problematic" treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ, he says. The new grant is the second that Dr. Knutson and his team have received from the U.S. Department of Defense to test a breast cancer vaccine. In 2015, they received a five-year $13.3 million U.S. Department of Defense Breakthrough Award to fund a phase II clinical trial testing a different breast cancer vaccine that Dr. Knutson had developed. That vaccine is designed to prevent the recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer, which is a subset of breast cancer for which there are no targeted therapies. A phase I trial of the vaccine found it to be safe. The vaccine to be tested on ductal carcinoma in situ also has been tested in a phase I clinical study. This vaccine is targeted against human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER-2), an oncogene known to play a role in the development and progression of an aggressive subtype of breast cancer known as HER-2 positive. Dr. Knutson suspects that excess HER-2 proteins are expressed in all subtypes of breast cancer, including the most common one: estrogen-positive breast cancer. He says that the phase I study of the HER-2 vaccine elicited an immune response in all tested individuals. The vaccine is designed to stimulate production of T cells that target initial development of ductal carcinoma in situ. "We don't know if the vaccine works just on HER-2 breast cancer," he says. "We believe that once an immune response is generated against the ductal carcinoma in situ lesion, it doesn't matter what subtype of cancer the lesion may become." Placentophagy--maternal consumption of the placenta--has become increasingly prevalent in the past decade among women seeking to promote health and healing during the postpartum period. But how much do clinicians or patients really know about the potential positive and negative health effects associated with this practice? A new study that assesses patient and physician attitudes toward placentophagy is published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine website until March 3, 2017. In the article "Perspectives from Patients and Health Care Providers on the Practice of Maternal Placentophagy," Stephanie Schuette and coauthors from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Chicago, IL), Brigham and Women's Hospital (Chestnut Hill, MA), and University of Colorado School of Medicine (Denver, CO) report that most providers and patients are aware of placentophagy but are unsure of its benefits or risks. Women who reported having a history of a mental health disorder were more likely to consider trying placentophagy. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The proposed benefits of consuming the placenta may include hormonal balancing, pain moderation, nutritional advantages (such as iron supplementation), increased lactation, improved energy, and prevention of postpartum depression. The placenta can be consumed raw, cooked, or in an encapsulated form. "The results were intriguing for the remarkable differences in perceptions based on multiple factors, such as provider types, income and education levels of patients, and geographic location," says The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Editor-in-Chief John Weeks, johnweeks-integrator.com, Seattle, WA. First author Stephanie Schuette, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, states: "As women are becoming increasingly aware of placentophagy, it is important for future research to examine the safety and efficacy of consuming placenta pills/tissue for postpartum benefits." Source: http://www.liebertpub.com/global/pressrelease/eating-the-placenta-after-childbirth----researchers-from-three-academic-health-centers-explore-perceptions-of-health-benefits-and-risks/2091/ Researchers report they have discovered how two problem proteins known to cause Parkinson's disease are chemically linked, suggesting that someday, both could be neutralized by a single drug designed to target the link. A report on their discovery appears in the Jan. 24 issue of Cell Reports. The investigators' new experiments build on evidence reported in 2011 that reducing the amount of a protein called PARIS in mice with the rodent equivalent of Parkinson's disease protects against the loss of dopamine-making neurons. Since then, according to Ted Dawson, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology and director of the Institute for Cell Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the research team suspected PARIS was linked chemically to other important Parkinson's proteins. "In this study, we were able to confirm that suspicion," he says. Dawson explains that a hallmark of Parkinson's disease is the death of brain cells that produce the signaling molecule, or neurotransmitter, dopamine. Dopamine depletion, in turn, causes the classic symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as tremors, muscle stiffness and lack of muscle coordination. Mutations in the gene for a protein called Parkin are known to cause the death of dopamine neurons; less commonly, defects in another protein, PINK1, can have the same effect. In mouse experiments done in collaboration with researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida, Dawson's team investigated whether both proteins might act through a single intermediary: PARIS. In their 2011 study, Dawson and his collaborators had used mice and human brain tissue to find that Parkin adds a chemical tag known as ubiquitin to PARIS that signals other proteins to break it down. To find out whether PINK1 and PARIS have a similar relationship, the researchers ran biochemical tests on purified proteins that revealed that PINK1 and PARIS interact. Dawson says the results revealed that while PINK1's normal role is to add a chemical tag known as a phosphate group to a certain spot on the PARIS protein, defective forms of PINK1 linked to Parkinson's disease cannot add that tag. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The phosphate addition, he says, kicks off a chain of events that ultimately leads to the dismantling of the PARIS protein, Dawson says, a cause-and-effect relationship his team verified by reducing the amount of PINK1 in lab-grown human cells, which led to a threefold increase in the amount of PARIS. Similarly, reducing the amount of PINK1 made in living mice by more than 80 percent led to a doubling in the amount of PARIS present. In another experiment, the research team ramped up PINK1 production in lab-grown human cells and found that the resulting increase in cell death was alleviated if PARIS levels also increased. But if PINK1 was tweaked to eliminate the sites where PARIS normally adds a phosphate group, PARIS was unable to rescue the cells. Since both Parkin and PINK1 protect brain cells by causing PARIS' breakdown, Dawson suggests that defects in either could be remedied if a treatment can be found that hobbles PARIS. "Mutations in the genes for both Parkin and PINK1 have now been linked to Parkinson's disease," he says. "Parkin is a particularly big player that seems to be at fault in many inherited cases; it's also inactivated in sporadic cases of the disease. So a drug targeting PARIS could potentially help many patients." More than 1 million people in the United States live with Parkinson's disease. The disease gradually strips away motor abilities, leaving people with a slow and awkward gait, rigid limbs, tremors, shuffling and a lack of balance. Its causes are not well-understood. Currently available treatments, such as medications and deep brain stimulation, can alleviate symptoms but do not cure it or slow its progression. Dawson emphasizes that clinical application of their discovery must await not only further studies in animals, but also years of drug design and clinical research. But he says their discovery has the potential to simplify and focus the development of better treatments. FOREST CITY Phillip E. Rasmussen, 88, of Forest City, Iowa, died Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, at the Good Samartian Center in Forest City. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the First Baptist Church in Forest City with Pastor Bob Snitzer of the Pilot Knob Lutheran Church officiating. A gathering of friends and family will be held from 4-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at the First Baptist Church in Forest City. Burial of cremains will be held in Oakland Cemetery with Veteran Honors performed by the Forest City American Legion. Arrangements are with Cataldo Schott Funeral Home in Forest City. A study has demonstrated 'unacceptably high' rates of hospital-acquired infections among children in the UK and Europe. The report, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases last month, found that one in six children in paediatric intensive care units, and one in ten babies in neonatal intensive care units had developed hospital infections while being treated. The study found that the pattern of hospital-acquired infections is different in babies and children compared to adults, with more serious infections such as blood poisoning/bloodstream infections being commonly seen (45%) followed by respiratory tract infections/pneumonia (22%). Many of these hospital-related infections are also multi-drug resistant, making their treatment more complicated. The study was led by the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). The authors, from St George's University of London and Imperial College London, are calling for continued action to prevent and reduce infection rates in children in hospital with a focus on neonatal and paediatric intensive care units. Mike Sharland, Professor of Paediatric Infections at St George's, University of London, commented: "These rates of hospital acquired infections are unacceptably high both in the UK and Europe, with worrying implications for babies, children and their families." Alison Holmes, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London added: "We urgently need focus and investment on reducing the risk of bloodstream infections in babies and children in intensive care units across Europe." Public Health England, the Department of Health and NHS England have now launched a national Infection in Critical Care Quality Improvement Programme (ICCQIP) working with Adult, Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care societies and providers. This programme has the capacity to reduce these potentially avoidable infections, where hospitals collect data, develop and implement evidence-based interventions. Source: http://www.sgul.ac.uk/ Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would meet the head of Toyota Motor Corp on Friday, as Tokyo compiles a plan to ward off U.S. criticism of Japanese trade policy before a summit with President Donald Trump next week. Trump, who has pledged to put America first when it comes to trade, has rattled Japan by criticising the low number of U.S. cars sold in Japan and by demanding that more cars sold in the United States be made locally. Abe, speaking in parliament on Thursday, said the meeting was arranged months ago, but this will do little to quell speculation that he will pass on some instructions to Japan's top automaker about how to avoid Trump's protectionist ire. The stakes are high because Japan's politically powerful auto industry is a major contributor to exports and economic growth. If Trump curbs Japanese auto exports, either from Japan or from plants in Mexico, this could slow Japan's economy. "I did not suddenly summon the head of Toyota (because of U.S. criticism)," Abe said. "This meeting was planned months ago. I cannot tell private-sector companies what to do. The United State thinks the same way." Some Japanese policymakers worry Trump will consider limits on Japanese auto imports, which make up about 75 percent of Japan's trade surplus with the United States. Toyota should be considered a U.S. manufacturer because it already makes cars in the United States, President Akio Toyoda said on Thursday. Toyoda also told reporters that his meeting with Abe was unconfirmed. Japan's government is hammering out plans to show Trump its firms are ready to create U.S. jobs, according to a document whose contents were revealed to Reuters. Abe will visit Washington on Feb. 10 for the talks, at which Trump is expected to seek quick progress toward a bilateral trade deal. Japan is also considering increasing U.S. shale oil or gas imports, two sources said, which could be another way to ease U.S. concern about its trade deficit with Japan. Smoking consumes almost six per cent of the world's total spend on healthcare and nearly two per cent of global GDP, a new research has found. In 2012 the total cost amounted to $1,436 billion, with nearly 40 per cent of this sum borne by developing countries. The four BRIC countries -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- accounted for 25 per cent of it, the findings showed. "These findings highlight the urgent need for all countries to implement comprehensive tobacco control measures to address these economic costs," the researchers said. The detrimental impact of smoking on national health systems and economies has been widely studied since the 1960s, but most of these studies have focused exclusively on high income countries, the researchers noted. So Mark Goodchild from World Health Organization (WHO) and colleagues wanted to include low and middle income countries to come up with more accurate estimates of the total global cost. And so they included data from 152 countries representing 97 per cent of the world's smokers. They used the 'cost of illness' approach, first devised in 1960. This divides the economic impact of an illness into direct costs, such as hospital admissions and treatment, and indirect costs representing the value of productivity lost to death and disability in current and future years, for a given year. The direct and indirect costs are then added up to provide the overall societal cost, usually expressed as a percentage of annual gross domestic product (GDP). The researchers used data from sources such as the WHO and the World Bank to uncover information on the proportion of ill health and death attributable to smoking, national employment rates, and GDP for each of the 152 countries, to inform their calculations. These showed that in 2012, diseases caused by smoking accounted for 12 per cent (2.1 million) of all deaths among working age adults aged 30-69, according to the study published in the journal Tobacco Control. This figure included 1.4 million adults who would have been in the workforce. The number of working years lost because of smoking related ill health added up to 26.8 million, 18 million of which were lost to death with the remainder lost to disability. In terms of health spend attributable to smoking, this totalled $422 billion, equivalent to nearly six per cent of the global total. The researchers pointed out that their calculations did not include the health and economic harms caused by second hand smoke or smokeless forms of tobacco, and that their estimates of lost productivity applied only to those who were economically active. Do you chronically spend sleepless nights, have poor sleep quality or face difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep? Beware, you may be more than thrice at risk of developing asthma in adulthood, researchers have warned. Asthma affects approximately 300 million people worldwide, with major risk factors including smoking, obesity and air pollution. "The study found that those people with chronic insomnia had more than three times the risk of developing asthma, suggesting that any changes in the body due to insomnia may accumulate and result in more severe harmful effects on the airways," said lead author Ben Brumpton from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Norway. More recently, symptoms of depression and anxiety have also been associated with a risk of developing asthma in adulthood, the researchers said. For the study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, the team used statistical analysis to assess the risk of asthma among 17,927 participants aged between 20 and 65 years in Norway. The results showed that those participants reporting difficulty falling asleep "often" or "almost every night" during the last month had a 65 per cent and 108 per cent increased risk of developing asthma over the following 11 years, respectively. Similarly, those who reported waking too early without being able to go back to sleep "often" or "almost every night" had a 92 per cent and 36 per cent increased risk of developing asthma. For people who reported poor quality sleep more than once a week, the risk of developing asthma increased by 94 per cent. "As insomnia is a manageable condition, an increased focus on the adverse health effects of insomnia could be helpful in the prevention of asthma," suggested Linn Beate Strand from NTNU. : The Enforcement Directorate will appeal against the order of a special court which on Thursday discharged former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran, his industrialist brother Kalanithi Maran and others in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.Officials said the agency will appeal the order as it believes that its probe in the money laundering charges in was a "standalone" investigation and the "proceeds of crime" detected by it was independent of CBI's FIR and enquiry.The court of Special CBI Judge O P Saini had similarly dismissed the CBI case against the accused.ALSO READ: Aircel-Maxis Case: Maran Brothers, All Accused Acquitted Saini said no prima facie case warranting framing of charges against any of the accused was made out on the basis of materials placed on record.Dealing with the money laundering case, the court observed that since the accused were discharged in the case of scheduled offence registered by CBI, the Enforcement Directorate's matter had become "groundless" and that nothing survived in it.It is understood that the ED, in its appeal, will place before the higher court certain amendments made in the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA) which allow for an independent investigation by it in cases where the "predicate or scheduled offence", as in this case of CBI, has been dismissed.While discharging the accused in the ED's case, the judge said, "In view of the fact that the accused persons stand discharged in the case of scheduled offence, I am satisfied that the instant case has become groundless and nothing survives in it. Accordingly, all accused are ordered to be discharged and stand discharged."In such a situation, there is no existence of proceeds of crime. When there is no existence of proceeds of crime, there is no question of same being laundered or projected as untainted. Accordingly, there is no ground to proceed against the accused persons," it said in today's order.The ED had chargesheeted the Maran brothers, Kalanithi's wife Kavery, Managing Director of South Asia FM Ltd (SAFL) K Shanmugam, SAFL and Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd (SDTPL) under provisions of the PMLA. A Coast Guard statement said: Around 70% sludge removed, rest expected to be removed by this evening. Three super suction pumps deployed to remove spill Manual cleaning also in process. Tar residue collected from Marina and Elliots Beach Situation being closely monitored and under control. Tamil Nadu (Chennai): Work to clear oil spilled after collision between 2 cargo ships off Ennore Port, continues. pic.twitter.com/zJc2UL9v6t ANI (@ANI_news) February 2, 2017 The mishap had occurred on January 28 when 'M T BW Maple', with a flag of 'Isle of Man', was leaving after emptying Liquefied Petroleum Gas and M T Dawn, Kanchipuram, loaded with petroleum oil lubricant (POL), was on its way to berth at the Ennore port. In terms of environmental threat, they are depriving fisher folks of their livelihood. They are depriving marine flora of sunlight. When port officials say they will clean up in two days, they mean visible pollution, because this will have a long-term impact as there are toxic effects. When Kamarajar Port officials say there is no environment impact, that is a vulgar statement, said environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman. Efforts to remove oil sludge off the coast of Chennai continued on Thursday with the spill spreading to more areas, five days after two ships collided near the Kamarajar Port triggering an oil spill.Locals, volunteers and the Coast Guard have carried out round-the-clock cleaning operations.The issue took a political colour on Thursday with DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi raised the issue in the Upper House. There is no help from government... Around 35 km of Chennai coastline has been polluted. Livelihood is a concern At some point, locals were using buckets (for the clean-up). There is lack of coordination, she said.Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and senior government officials inspected the area. It is our duty to allay such fears. Therefore, we took some samples of the dead fish taken from Ennore, Marina, Thiruvanmiyur areas were there were reports of oil slick. The results from laboratory have clarified that it is safe to consume," he told reporters.Coast Guard helicopters, which were carrying out regular sorties for continuous monitoring of the oil slick, identified "stagnated thick oil slick about 100 metres wide near Ennore and 500 x 500 metres near Kasimedu harbour".Coast Guard and various personnel from Fire and Rescue department, Chennai Port Trust, Kamaraj Port Trust, Chennai Corporation, Highways, Chennai Metro Water were involved in cleaning up operation.Volunteers from various engineering colleges, fishermen communities have also joined the cleaning operations.Port officials had earlier denied any ecological damage. A press release issued by Kamarajar Port Limited on February 1 said: Today thin film of oil was noticed at some places, light oil sleek was also observed today inside the KPL port basin. About 75 litres of oil dispersant was used in KPL to clean the oil pollution. Around 33 tonnes of sludge oil was removed from Ernavoor beach site today. 70% of the oil pollution has been removed and it is expected that remaining oil sludge would be removed by tomorrow evening.Environmental activists say the spills impact on the environment, health and the livelihood is closely interlinked.Fisherman, too, are angry. "Around 4.35am we were going for fishing. We saw the collision of the ships. There was a terrible smell. We thought something was wrong with our boat. Nobody is buying our fish because it smells bad," said Mohan, a fisherman.(With agency inputs) Chennai: The operations by multiple agencies to clean up the shoreline here hit by the oil spill due to collision of two ships entered the fifth day on Thursday, with the Coast Guard saying tremendous progress had been made and no major oil patches were seen seawards. More than 1,000 personnel, including those of Coast Guard and state Pollution Control Board, removed about 21 tonnes of oil with sludge and 17 tonnes of sand with slush and the sheen of oil noticed can be removed in a day or two, it said. The clean up work on a war-footing was carried out in several areas, including the Ennore shoreline, Marina and Elliots beaches by multiple agencies including Coast Guard along with the help of volunteers and local people. "Approximately 1,100 personnel braving the hot sun came forward and assisted in removal of approximately 21 tonnes of oil with sludge and about 17 tonnes of sand mixed with sludge, sand mixed with oil and oil mixed with water," a Coast Guard release said tonight. "At present, no significant oil patches are observed seawards from Ennore to Mahabalipuram. Only sheen of oil can be seen at some places which is likely to clear off in one or two days. Tremendous progress has been made towards sludge removal," it said. In aggregate, so far, 61 tonnes of oil with sludge and 44 tonnes of sand with slush and oil mixed with sand and water have been removed. Yesterday, 40 tonnes of oil sludge and 27 tonnes of oil mixed with water were removed. Coast Guard personnel along with the support from various government and non-government organisations continued shoreline spill clean up on a war footing. "Coast Guard ship 'ICGS Varad' with integral helicopter was deployed throughout the day for spill assessment and neutralisation. However, nil traces of spill were observed at sea," the release added. Apart from Coast Guard, personnel from Tamil Nadu Police Coastal Security Group, pollution control board, fire and rescue department, state Highways, port trust, corporation, panchayat besides volunteers from various colleges, universities and NGOs joined the operation. Earlier in the day, Tiruvallur District Collector, E Sundaravalli said, "Our team of officials are here and they are speeding up the work. It is assessed that around 20 tonnes of oil spill continues to be there, floating and we are working to clear it soon." The mishap had occurred when M T BW Maple, with a flag of Isle of Man, was leaving after emptying Liquefied Petroleum Gas and M T Dawn, Kanchipuram, loaded with petroleum oil lubricant (POL), was on its way to berth at the suburban port, formerly Ennore port. New Delhi: The government's claim of 'highest-ever' budget allocation for MGNREGA -- the rural scheme promising minimum 100 days' employment every year -- has failed to impress workers rights groups, who feel the government has 'hardly increased' the outlay over last year. "At first glance, it would seem as if the Finance Minister's announcement of an allocation of Rs 48,000 crore for MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is a dramatic increase of nearly 25 per cent over last year's allocation of Rs 38,500 crore. "But, in fact, the increase is a mere one per cent, of Rs 500 crore, as two supplementary allocations during the course of the year took the total outlay in 2016-17 to Rs 47,500 crore," People's Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) said in a statement on Thursday. The organisation consists of a number of other associations, like Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, National Federation of Indian Women and Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan. It said the government is left with only about Rs 1,000 crore from the previous budget allocation, while a total of Rs 3,469 crore is yet to be paid to the workers for the work done during this period. The liabilities, it said, will only increase as the demand for work is supposed to peak in the next two months. The workers' rights body also cited the Supreme Court directive to the government to release the employees' wages in a timely manner, which it said is not happening, as evident from the backlog of payments. "There have been a string of Supreme Court orders directing the government to release the payment to the workers on time. But the government has proved to be far from perfect in this regard," Nikhil Dey, a social activist associated with the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, told IANS. "Will you work for me when I am unable to pay you for long periods of time? The government can't give money to give wages to its employees ... It has gone bankrupt," he said. The PAEG highlighted that since the budget funds can only be released in April, an additional sum of Rs 10,013 crore for the months of February and March 2017 will also add to the amount pending from last year. "This means that we would end this financial year with close to Rs 13,482 crore in pending liabilities and a budgetary allocation that has not even kept pace with the last year's amount in real terms," it said. On the contrary, a government official talking to IANS found the budget allocation "very robust" and said that the increase for this year will suffice to meet the expenditure needs. "There is no vote-on-account this year. There is no cap on release in the initial part of financial year 2017-18. The sum of Rs 48,000 crore is 25 per cent increase over the 'Budget Estimate' of financial year 2016-17," said Aparajita Sarangi, Joint Secretary (MGNREGA), Ministry of Rural Development. "The MGNREGA is a demand-driven programme and the government has allocated sufficient funds for running the programme in the next fiscal year," she said. The presentation of the budget was advanced to February 1, as told by the government, to enable Parliament to avoid a vote-on-account and pass a single Appropriation Bill for 2017-18, before the close of the current financial year. "This would enable the ministries and departments to operationalise all schemes and projects, including the new ones, right from the commencement of the next financial year," Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reasoned in his Budget speech on Wednesday. A 'vote-on-account' literally means voting on the account of the government, providing it with a fund for the interim period before the budget goes to debate in Parliament and is passed subsequently. However, the PAEG representatives remain disappointed with the "ostensible" claim of the big pie and getting a piece, which is being made still more tedious with Aadhaar being mandatory for workers from the coming financial year. "The Apex Court has a number of times cautioned the government to do away with the requirement of Aadhaar for getting work under MGNREGA, which it anyway introduced... thus the government stands in contempt of court, a matter which is being pursued by people," Nikhil Dey said. Asked about the spike in demand for MGNREGA jobs post demonetisation, Nikhil Dey told IANS: "See, MGNREGA is the job of last resort for those who can't find work anywhere, and if the government doesn't pay within 15 days it defeats the purpose. Overall, such a correlation (between rise in MGNREGA job seekers and demonetisation) would have mattered had there been money with the government. Such rise is not long term. However, there may be a big spurt in jobs under MGNREGA in April as the government has just announced the budget and is ready with money." Dhaka: Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh are worried about a government proposal to relocate them to a low-lying island deemed not ready for people to live there. The proposal briefly posted on a government website last week said a committee including representatives of the border guards and other agencies would prepare a list of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to be relocated to the island of Thengar Char in southeastern Bangladesh. The Cabinet Division official who signed the circular admitted it was removed from the website but refused to comment further. The low-lying island is in the estuary of the River Meghna and emerged from the sea only eight years ago. It is difficult to reach without boats and becomes flooded during any storm that causes a tidal surge. Thengar Char is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of the more-populated Hatiya island. The government circular made no mention of what would be done to prepare the island for habitation or any potential timing. Some 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have lived in Bangladesh for decades after fleeing there from neighboring Myanmar in the face of persecution by its military and majority Buddhists. An additional 66,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh since October, fleeing violent retaliation after the killings of nine Myanmar border police. About 33,000 of them live in two official camps in the southern coastal district of Cox's Bazar. Abu Bakar Siddique, president of the unregistered Rohingya at Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that authorities have never discussed the prospect of relocation with them officially but they were aware of it from media reports. "Frankly we want to go back to Myanmar if our rights are ensured. If that does not happen soon, we have no other way but to follow Bangladesh government's order. We have no other choices. We are worried," he said by phone from the camp. Myanmar said it had no opinion on Bangladesh's relocation proposal because it didn't know if the people affected were from Myanmar. Historically, Myanmar's government has considered the Rohingya in that country to be Bangladeshi immigrants and denies most of them citizenship. "They don't need our opinion about whatever they do with these people in their country. It has nothing to do with our country," Aye Aye Soe, deputy director of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry political department, told The Associated Press. "Maybe they don't consult with us because these people are not from Myanmar. Without verifying whether these people are from Myanmar or not, we cannot say anything." Mohammed Nur, secretary of the camp's Rohingya, said they were "a bit worried" but they would have to discuss the issue with others before responding to any proposal by the government. "We must follow the government's desire," he said. "Our sufferings have no limit, we just do not want to suffer more," he said. The plan for relocation first came up in a Cabinet meeting in 2015 but no major progress was made. The issue was never dropped despite criticism, including from the United Nations, which said relocation to the island would further complicate the issue because of how often it floods. Kotayam: In a shocking incident, a spurned lover allegedly set a girl student on fire in a classroom in Kottyam district of Kerala on Wednesday. The accused Adarsh, an alumni of the same college, poured kerosene on the girl and set her on fire after she rejected his proposal. Later, the accused also set himself afire. Both later died of burn injuries. The girl, who was a physiotherapy student, has been identified as one Laxmi. The girl was 4th year student at SME College. Some other students who tried to save the girl also suffered burn injuries. According to reports, the girl's father had earlier filed a report against the boy for harassment. The reports further suggested the duo might have been in relationship but later separated. Thiruvananthapuram: BJPs Kerala vice president P P Vava has lost eye sight in his left eye after getting injured a clash with police during a protest on Wednesday. Eight BJP workers, four police officials and three media persons were also injured in the clash. Vava was injured after a tear gas shell hit him in the BJP protest when the police resorted to lathicharge to protestors trying to break the barricade. The protestors retaliated and pelted stones and bottles at the police following which they used water cannons and tear gas to break up the protest. The party had called the demonstration to protest police action against BJP leaders agitating against the management of a prominent private law college in Keralas capital city turned violent. The Kerala Law Academy, one of the oldest privately-run institutions in the state, has been in the focus for the past three weeks after students started an indefinite strike demanding an end to management high-handedness and removal of principal Lakshmi Nair. BJP had called for a hartal in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday against the alleged police atrocity on their march on Tuesday. Former BJP state president V Muraleedharan, who was sitting on a hunger strike in front of the law college, has been shifted to a hospital. BJP state general secretary VV Rajesh will take his place on Thursday. Prominent Congress leader K Muraleedharan has said he too will start a hunger strike in solidarity with the students on Thursday. Incidentally, the students wing of the ruling CPM, SFI, had withdrawn their protest on Tuesday stating that the management had decided to keep principal Lakshmi Nair out of the college for five years. SFIs decision was panned by all other protesting student unions including AISF, the students wing of CPMs ruling coalition partner CPI. BJP has alleged that the college management has the blessings of the ruling CPM since the principal comes from an influential Left-affiliated family. The protesting students allege that principal Lakshmi Nair shows favouritism in allotting marks for internal assessment and attendance. Kerala Police has already registered a case against Lakshmi Nair based on the complaint lodged by a student named Vivek, a fourth semester LLB student of the college. According to police, she has been booked under 3(s) of The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act which is a non-bailable offence. New Delhi: A second set of documents accessed by CNN-New18 suggest, based on claims made in them by business tycoon Vijay Mallya, that a joint secretary in the finance ministry in UPA-II had aided the ailing Kingfisher Airlines to get loans from several banks that it may have otherwise been denied. Letters and emails exchanged between the two show how secretary Amitabh Verma set up meetings for Mallya with the chairpersons of various banks and get access to information that might have helped it get loans. Sources in the CBI said the agency is "looking into the larger conspiracy of this scam." "We will look into the role of bureaucrats and politicians We will also investigate why politicians and bureaucrats breached their briefs and what kind of favour they got (if any). Soon we will examine these big names, a source told CNN-News18. Sources close to Verma quoted him as saying that it was his job to arrange the meetings. The second expose in the Mallya Mails comes a week after CNN-News18 broke the story on how the office of former prime minister helped arrange more bank funds for KFA when the airline was already struggling to pay back borrowed money. Heres a look at the exchange of messages between Verma and Mallyas Kingfisher Airlines: Appointment With SBI MD From: A Raghunathan, CFO, Kingfisher Airlines Date: April 23, 2009 Dear Mr. Verma, Further to our telecon this morning and as advised by you, I have sent an email to the CMD of PNB and a letter to the chairman of SBI. I am seeking an appointment with the MD of SBI for tomorrow. Thank you for all your kind assistance. Union Bank of India Letter From: Raghunathan, CFO, Kingfisher Airlines To: Vijay Mallya Date: November 2, 2009 As per your advice I had discussed this matter with Mr. Amitabh Verma & I have again as requested by Mr. Verma sent him a detailed note on the A340 PDP problem. KFA CFO to SBI Chairman From: A Raghunathan, CFO, Kingfisher Airlines To: the Chairman, SBI Date: April 23, 2009 We had requested for an immediate disbursement of an adhoc amount of Rs 500 crores pending approval of our credit limits by the bank. We would request your kind indulgence and seek your consideration to help us in this critical juncture by releasing the adhoc amounts as requested by us. On The SBI Meet From: AKRN (Ravi Nedungadi) To: Vijay Mallya Date: March 26, 2009 Amitabh called me to ask how the SBI meeting went. I emphasized the urgency and Amitabh said that he had spoken to Mr Bhat and that this ad hoc disbursement would happen. As regards PNB, Amitabh said that we should submit the same proposal to them and only hint that we have submitted to SBI. PNB Release of Rs 150 crore From: A Raghunathan, CFO, Kingfisher Airlines To: Vijay Mallya Dear Sir, Thanks to Amitabh Verma assistance we have managed to get PNB agree to release Rs 150 crores. I have already sent an SMS thanking him for all his help. The OBC Application From: VJM To: Raghunathan, A KFA/BOM Date: January 12, 2009 Subject: Ratnakar Hedge At the Kingfisher Calender launch yesterday, Amitabh Verma brought Ratnakar to me and said that he has told him (OBC) to give KFA Rs 200 crores. I told him that, OBC wanted to reduce exposure to aviation. Amitabh repeated (in Ratnakar's presence) that we should talk to him and put in an application for Rs 200 crores which would get approved. Please put in the application urgently. Planning The Meeting From: Raghunathan, A KFA/BOM To: Vijay Mallya Date: March 5, 2009 Subject: Meeting with Mr. Amitabh Verma 1. Our proposal seeking credit limits/facilities for Rs 2000 crores, AV confirmed that he has already spoken to three of the bank chairman namely, SBI, BoB and BOI. Mr. O.P. Bhat, CMD of SBI has already informed him about the proposed meeting which SBI wants with the other three banks. However I have requested AV that we should have this meeting after he has spoken to the CMD of PNB. 2. Regarding our request for release of funds, he is of the opinion that the bankers meeting should take place first. Then only we should look at asking for interim release of funds. 3. He also enquired whether we have contacted OBC after the last meeting you had with the CMD of OBC along with AV. I explained to him that I have been talking to Mr. Ratnakar Hegde ED of OBC and I have informed AV that according to Mr. Hegde a call from AV to the CMD of OBC would help the matter progress. He assured me that he will speak to the CMD of OBC in the next two days. UCO Bank U-turn From: Raghunathan, A KFA/BOM Dated: November 20, 2009 To: Vijay Mallya Subject: UCO bank Dear sir, As apprehended by you UCO bank did a u-turn... UCO bank will not be in position to disburse the funds... I spoke to Mr (Amitabh) Verma while he was at the Patna airport and he suggested the following course: - Since UCO is taking a stand that they will not disburse... We should approach SREI for additional funds of Rs 100 crores so that we can settle the Union Bank issue and thereby we can avail the UCO funds of Rs 300 crores and as well pay back to SREI Rs 100 crores out of this UCO funds and Rs 100 crores out of Union Bank. Kindly let me know whether we should follow Mr Verma's advise. Mr Verma has asked me to contact him... since he is trying to persuade UCO bank to act on the SBI letter which gives the confirmation that SBI is treating our accounts as standard. From: Raghunathan, A KFA/BOM To: Vijay Mallya Date: August 14, 2009 Dear sir, ... I could managed (sic) to speak to Mr Amitabh Verma... He called me from the Delhi International Airport where he was taking his flight to us... ... AV (Amitabh Verma) has assured me that he will speak to both SKB and OPB (O P Bhatt of State Bank of India) and ensure that SBI will release the additional Rs 400 crores and the TOD of Rs 125 crores could be adjusted out of the additional funds. ...when I repeated my concern about the account becoming NPA... He assured me that he will definitely sort out this problem ...Regarding United Bank he assured that they will release the Rs 100 crores immediately on our settling our PDP dues. (Sir infact United Bank has already given us the sanctioned (sic) letter for additional Rs 100 crores...) ...AV (Amitabh Verma) confirmed firm committment from UCO for Rs 300 crores ...AV (Amitabh Verma) advised me to meet Mr Ratnakar Hegde and Mr Sinha of OBC Islamabad: Pakistan has placed Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed on the Exit Control List, two days after the 26/11 attacks mastermind and his four aides were put under house arrest, preventing the five from leaving the country. Pakistan has also asked India to come up with "concrete evidence" against Saeed if it was serious about its allegations against him. "If indeed India is serious about its allegations, it should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world," an Interior Ministry spokesperson said, adding mere casting aspersions and leveling allegations without any corroborating evidence would not help the cause of peace in the region. The official said that various actions that needed to be taken under the relevant resolution i.e arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze were not carried out for some reasons by the previous governments. Meanwhile in United States first reaction on Saeeds arrest, a State Department spokesperson told CNN-News18, We are aware of reports that Hafiz Saeed is under house arrest in Pakistan. We would refer you to the government of Pakistan for more information." India had said that it was not impressed by Saeed's detention and only a "credible crackdown" on terror outfits, including Saeed's, will prove Pakistan's sincerity as such actions had been taken against him in the past too. Meanwhile, the ministry placed Saeed's name among 38 others on the Exit Control List. It has forwarded a letter to all provincial governments and the Federal Investigation Agency, which included names of all 38 individuals placed on the ECL. All of them were said to be affiliated with JuD or Lashkar-e-Taiba. "Saeed, Ubaid, Iqbal, Abid and Niaz are reportedly active members of the aforementioned organizations within the meaning of Section 11EEE(1) of the ATA 1997 (as amended)," read a notification issued by the Interior Ministry. "As such, they must be placed under preventive detention." The Ministry of Interior had "placed Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and Jamaat-Ud-Dawa (JUD) on the Watch List as per UNSC 1267 Sanctions and have listed these organisations in the Second Schedule of the ATA 1997 (as amended)." Saeed has been placed under a 90-day house arrest. There have been reports that Islamabad has immense pressure from the new Donald Trump administration in the US to take action against Saeed and his organisations. Saeed was also put under house arrest after Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 but he was freed by court in 2009. (With PTI inputs) Legendary Peruvian fashion photographer Mario Testino's maiden visit to India was a star-studded affair. A soiree was hosted by Vogue India on Tuesday in New Delhi to welcome the celebrated photographer. It was attended by the leading names of India's fashion fraternity and social circles.Testino was joined by Bollywood A-lister Katrina Kaif, distinguished Indian designers such as Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora, Gaurav Gupta, Varun Bahl, Rahul Mishra, JJ Vallaya, Monisha Jaisingh, Namrata Joshipura, Pankaj & Nidhi and Rina Dhaka, to mention a few, on the black carpet of the glittering event."It's amazing, but the sad thing is that, in the time that I am here, I am going to discover nothing in Delhi. But it's fabulous and the people are so warm," Testino told News18.com in an exclusive interview at the event.Regarded as one of the most influential fashion and portrait photographers of our times, Testino was born in Lima in 1954 to a traditional Catholic family and moved from Peru to London in 1976.His work has been published internationally in magazines such as Vogue, V Magazine and Vanity Fair and he has contributed significantly in the success of leading fashion and beauty houses, creating emblematic images for brands from Gucci, Burberry, Versace and Michael Kors to Chanel, Estee Lauder and Lancome.Testino's work has been exhibited at museums around the world, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (In Your Face, 2012), the Shanghai Art Museum (Private View, 2012), Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid (Todo o Nada, 2010), the Metropolitan Museum in Tokyo (Portraits, 2004) and Foam in Amsterdam (Portraits, 2003). Solo exhibitions of his work have been presented at galleries such as Mary Boone Gallery in New York, Phillips de Pury in London, Yvon Lambert in Paris and Timothy Taylor in London. More than sixteen books have been published on his work including Portraits (National Portrait Gallery, 2002), Let Me In! (Taschen, 2007), In Your Face (Taschen, 2012) and SIR (Taschen, 2015).When asked about his dream project, Testino told News18.com, "I have a series of photographs that I did in Peru, of the traditional dresses of Cusco which is in the mountains of Peru, and I noticed that this country (India) has a lot of traditional clothes too and to do a documentary like that would be amazing."Bollywood beauty Katrina Kaif, who joined Testino at the event was all praise for the acclaimed photographer.While speaking to News18.com, she said, "I think like me, many people who started their careers from the modelling world, from the fashion industry have always been a fan of his work. I think he does just the most beautiful, personal work. You can always tell a picture of his, I don't even have to read the credits. 95% of the time I see a picture and I know if Mario Testino has shot it because there is a certain eye to his work, certain beauty, certain delicateness. Now after meeting him I can really understand why!""He is such a warm, welcoming and amazing person and he takes the time after doing some of the most amazing work in the world and photographing the most amazing, brilliant women in the world. He takes the time to personally know you and to find out what is it about you that makes you who you are. He takes time to get to know a person and I think it's that humility and it's that grace which which adds to his incredible talent and makes him who he is."Testino is in India to guest edit the May issue of Vogue. He has in the past edited 11 Vogue issues. This is the first time the leading fashion figure will capture India through his famous lens. "It's an exchange so I am feeding from India to produce my style of pictures ofcourse with the flavour of here," said Testno when he was asked what he had planned for his assignment in the country.(All images sourced from Vogue India.) The Supreme Court will hear on Friday a Fox Star Studios plea challenging a Bombay High Court order for a review of Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Jolly LLB 2' by a three-member committee before its release. A bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice N.V. Ramana agreed to hear the plea by the film's producer that there could not be any scrutiny of a movie after the Central Board of Film Certification has given it a U/A certificate. The court agreed to hear the plea after senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Fox Star Studios, said the film has been cleared by the CBFC and the three-member committee appointed by the High Court was not in accordance with law. The movie is set for release on February 10. The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court set up the committee to see the film after a Nanded lawyer Ajaykumar Waghmare told the court that the film was an attempt to portray the country's legal profession and the judicial system in a poor light. It is "an attempt to portray the Indian legal profession and judicial system as a laughing stock to society at large", Waghmare told the High Court. The High Court directed for the review of the film by the panel on February 1 and set the next hearing on February 3. Panaji: BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday signed off his party's campaign in poll-bound Goa by launching a broadside against Congress and its vice-president Rahul Gandhi who, he said, was "wearing Italian glasses". "Press hard the button in front of Lotus symbol on February 4 so that the current can be felt in Italy," he said while addressing a public meeting in Bicholim constituency. The BJP chief said the borders remained unsafe under the erstwhile "Sonia-Manmohan government" rule. "There used to be firing from across the border every day. Rahulbaba was pointing out that even now firing continues from across the border, so what is the difference between then and now? "Rahulbaba apko fark maloom nahi padega, apki ankh par to Italian chasma chada hua hai (Rahulbaba you won't understand the difference between then and now because you are wearing Italian spectacles)," Shah said. Continuing his diatribe, Shah said, "When your (Congress) government was in power, Pakistan used to start the firing and end it too. But now, Pakistan starts the firing but Indian soldiers end it. No one can now dare to mutilate head of our soldiers." The BJP chief said, "Rahulbaba keeps asking us what Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has done? "Jab 2019 me ayenge to ek ek second ka aur ek ek pai ka hisab bharatiya janata ko denge (we will give an account of every penny to people of India on returning to power in 2019)," Shah said. Shah said Rahul should give an account of what the UPA government had done during its 10-year tenure at the Centre instead of asking BJP. "There were so many scams during the UPA regime that the list is unending. There was a scam in ISRO, 2G, submarine... Congress did not spare coal which even thieves do not steal. "After committing scams to the tune of Rs 12 lakh crore, Rahul is now questioning us? I can say with pride that in the last two-and-half years of our rule, even Opposition parties cannot accuse us of being involved in any scam," Shah said. He appealed to people to elect BJP candidates on "two- third of total 40 seats for a stable government." Ever since Punjab separated from Haryana in 1966 the state government has alternated between the Indian National Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (later Shiromani Akali Dal - BJP). This, of course, is barring Presidents rule off and on in a state that remained troubled and in the grip of a separatist extremist movement for years. It was a pattern that began to be taken for granted. Until it was broken in 2012, when to everyone's surprise the SAD-BJP returned to power for a second term. The SAD-BJP combine aware of the pattern knew they had to work really hard during the run up to the elections to be elected. The Congress however took it easy. They knew that at some point Punjab would get tired of the SAD-BJP paving the way for their return. This similarity of perception and also behavior appropriate to the perception, cost Congress its chance in 2012, despite polling more votes in its favor than the SAD. Flash forward to 2017. Out of power for 10 years now, the Congress once again seems to be sure of an easy victory. In power for 10 years and with a slew of charges ranging from nepotism, to not doing enough to curb drug networks, to the systematic abuse of power and serious conflicts of interest with the state administration, the SAD-BJP faces strong anti-incumbency. This should have been a cakewalk election for the Congress despite its divided house and top leadership squabbling with each other. 2014, however, brought a new twist in the tale. The newly formed Aam Aadmi Party launched on 26 November 2012 had won its four Lok Sabha seats from Punjab in spite of polling barely 2 per cent of the votes nationally. This was a time when AAP was not yet a majority government in Delhi. A year later, in February 2015, it won 67 of 70 seats. Punjab, however, was ready to experiment. The state has been known to be a land of early adopters, risk takers, quick to love and even faster to hate. The victory was a signal to the AAP. Punjab was a land it could build its fortunes. Much to the worry of both the Congress and the SAD-BJP, the new party had eaten significantly into their shares, showing a marked preference to diminish the Akali pie. AAP has fielded candidates in all 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab. These are candidates who for the most part are unknown. This perhaps is their advantage. Voters are not thinking for the candidate, but are thinking about the party. 'Change', 'jhadoo', badlav, trial is all that matters to them. The right to punish option had only two variables earlier. Now, it has a third option. Punjab's journey to the polling booth has been an uncertain roller coaster ride. It started with the AAP on a high in early 2016 when it was the only party of the three to initiate its campaign. Congress brought in Prashant Kishores IPAC and big data to support its political campaign with systems and statistics. The SAD-BJP began its own exercise to replace candidates and reduce anti-incumbency as far as it could, even as it launched a blitzkrieg of showcase projects from famous Sikh heritage sites, to the Golden Temple complex. AAP soon suffered setbacks with internal cracks becoming apparent and leaders leaving the party or getting sidelined. The Congress continued its confused march without announcing a chief ministerial candidate and also went slow with the ticket distribution. The Akali Dal faced mounting criticism over drug penetration in Punjab. AAP was criticised in one voice by both the Congress and the Akali Dal for cosying up to radicals and extremists. A blast in Maur Mandi that killed six and injured a dozen was attributed to AAP's policies by both Sukhbir Badal and Amarinder Singh. Badal in turn was called a hardened criminal by Kejriwal. Navjot Sidhu entered the fray and said he was promised four years of chief ministership by AAP with a caveat that the first yeare would be under Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Stand up comedian turned politician Bhagwant Mann who harbours CM dreams insisted that AAP's CM candidate would be from Punjab. The Dera Sacha Sauda that commands sizeable following in the all crucial Malwa then swung in to support the SAD-BJP combine. Rahul Gandhi made sure that Congress should be seen cosying up to powerful Deras and made evening visits to both the Dera Beas near Amritsar and Dera Ballan near Jalandhar. While the winds of change may be blowing strong across Punjab, it is this huge interplay of variables that makes prediction difficult. The permutations and possible combinations have increased substantially because instead of the traditional two, there are now three major parties in the fray. SAD-BJPs biggest challenge continues to be anti-incumbency. The probability of a hat-trick is quite low. The Congress has to earn its victory from a voter base that has been fragmented by AAP. AAP meanwhile will come to power only if it manages to snatch away significant chunks from both the SAD-BJP and the Congress. In almost all villages of Punjab, for every few shouting party slogans at the top of their voices, there are many more silently watching the proceedings from the sidelines. It is this silent voter, who perhaps holds the key. New Delhi: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Thursday clarified that his Dera is not extending supporting to any political party including Akali Dal-BJP combine in the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls. "We have no interest in politics and are not at all allied with any political party. People from every party approach us and we give them our blessings," Ram Rahim told CNN-News18. Rahim further said, "We never support any political party 100% percent. Who the people of my Dera support is their personal choice and that does not mean that the entire dera suppoerts the Akali Dal and BJP." He also added that he getting the Z-Security has got nothing to do with him supporting SAD-BJP combine. Earlier, there were reports that Sirsa-headquartered Dera Sacha Sauda had announced support for the SAD-BJP combine. The Assembly election to 117 seats in Punjab is to be held on February 4. The followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh have major presence in 27 different segments, especially in Malwa region of the state, which comprises 69 Assembly seats. In 2007 Punjab Assembly polls, Dera had thrown its weight behind Congress following which the SAD-BJP combine was routed in its Malwa stronghold, even as the combine got a simple majority in the 117 member assembly. According to sources, Dera Sacha Sauda has about 5 crore supporters who are known as 'premis'. There are more than 35 lakh Dera devotees in the state, 70 per cent of them are in the Malwa region. Many leaders from Congress, SAD-BJP and AAP had visited the Dera Sacha Sauda recently to seek blessings of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Political funding reform in India is not just about the electoral process but also about perception of the voters about political parties and candidates. There was over Rs 5,500 crore collected by political parties to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, according to reports, without any record of the funders or where the money had come from. Identities of individuals, organizations, or companies who donated to political parties remain hidden because of two reasons. One, the hypocrisy of political ideology and promises could be exposed when identity of the donors was revealed, and two, the donors might be linked to the benefits of policies of governments. Voter perception, therefore, had been one of the main reasons why despite tax exemptions political funding had never been transparent in India. This upset the level-playing field of democracy and well-funded political parties won elections through spending money they got from questionable sources. The Finance Minister in his Budget 2017 speech had mentioned the reluctance of donors to reveal their names, as they feared adverse consequences. However, none of the measures announced by the government have addressed this apprehension, or could prevent political parties from continuing to accept cash donations without declaration. Such donations from unknown sources contributed to 69 percent of all political funding in India today, according to the Association of Democratic Reforms. This is not a new trend in political funding in this country; election finance reform had been pending from 1973, when the first electoral reform bill was contemplated. It is, therefore, surprising that the government should not have addressed the deeper and more fundamental issues of perception while engaging with electoral finance reform. Various committees set up in past to examine electoral reforms had repeatedly stressed the criticality of addressing the increasing impact of money on elections and the reluctance of the political class to do so. Even in 1990, there had been no political consensus on the compulsory maintenance of election expenses by political parties, as noted by the Goswami Committee on electoral reforms. In 1998, the Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections warned the governments against undertaking cosmetic changes and sought all round reforms of the electoral process to free it from money and muscle power. In 2002, the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution discovered unethical, illegal and even mafia-provided electoral funding. It found that businesses contributed to elections expecting return on their investment in kickbacks, or commission on contracts. Most recently in 2015, in its 255th report, the Law Commission had stated that candidates altered their views for better funding and this change of perception leads to an erosion of public trust, which in turn affects the quality of democratic engagement. Clearly, if the government had studied the reports of past committees on electoral reforms, it must be aware that none of the measure announced in the Budget, 2017 could really cleanse the system, as the Finance Minister hoped. For instance, the lowering of cash donations from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2000 would make little difference to political parties that were habituated to hiding donations of lakhs and crores of rupees. It would only encourage further secrecy and fraudulent disclosures. The new digital donations and electoral bonds are only additional procedural methods to donations by cheque, and would not prevent political funding that came in by cash. The governments reform measures, therefore, were designed for minimal intervention to curb black money in politics. To package the meagre measures as part of the campaign against corruption and black money is to mislead the voter. Following are the two reforms that the government could have undertaken if it had been serious about reforming election finance in India. One, the setting up of an election fund where all donations were pooled and were then equitably distributed to various political parties based on certain criteria, as has been recommended by government committees on electoral reforms since 1990. Two, the compulsory publication of all accounts and audits of political parties, which has been the recommendation of the Law Commission reports in the past. These two measures could have been the first steps towards curbing cash donations and hidden transactions within political parties and therefore, even in election campaign and expenses. However, the question was about political will and why would any political party in power bring about reforms that exposed its dubious donors to the voters to be judged during elections. It is for the voters to ensure they had funding information before making their vote choice and reject political parties in elections that did not support such transparency. That might force elected governments to bring in reforms to curtail influence of money on elections, policy and, eventually, democracy. Kota Neelima is an author and research scholar on electoral reforms. All views are personal AAP on Thursday attacked the Akali Dal government and Punjab police for the Guru Granth Sahib Desecration incident and the deaths in police firing in the following protests. Today is the last of campaigning in Punjab before the notification for polling day on Saturday comes into force. Stay tuned for live updates from Punjabs last day of campaigning: Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. Panaji: It is well past midnight when Manohar Parrikar walks into the reception lounge of Hotel Mandovi in Panaji. Hes had a long day campaigning in North Goa. Two more meetings are lined up over the next couple of hours before the Defence Minister takes an early morning 5:30 am flight back to Delhi. Are we speaking to the next chief minister of Goa, reporters ask Parrikar. I have never said no to anything that my party has asked me to do, he replies detaching his trademark closure glasses at the bridge. The discussion in state politics over the last fortnight has hovered above one single point: Parrikars return to state politics. Goa BJP in-charge Nitin Gadkari has thrown enough hints to that effect. So much so that the incumbent CM Laxmikant Parsekar is entirely missing from the party campaign. A senior journalist associated with an RSS publication feels irrespective of whether Parrikars stays back in Delhi or not, projecting him as partys face is a compulsion for BJP. Its not a tactical move. Parrikar is a reality of the Goa BJP. They have not built second line of leadership in the state. Sidhartha Kuncelienkar the young party MLA from Panaji holds a lot of promise, but would take a couple of years more to don the mantle of leadership"; he says. Kuncelienkar, an electrical engineer by profession has long been an understudy of Parrikar winning the by-elections from the seat vacated by his mentor by a comfortable margin. This time around, he faces a direct challenge from none other than Atanasio Babush Monserrate, the independent flamboyant and controversial politician whose panel swept Panaji municipal elections last year. In an assembly of forty where every seat counts, anyone who bags close to ten thousand votes has a fair chance of winning. And it is these local strongman like Monserrate which is keeping the BJP on its toes. Even a faction ridden Congress has strong roots in the state. A senior BJP leader says that dislodging former CMs and their family members contesting on Congress tickets will be not be an easy task. Add to this another ten-to-twelve former ministers who are well entrenched in their respective constituencies. And then there is the Aam Aadmi Party which is trying its luck for the first time in Goa. High stake battle in Punjab has kept its top leaders away from the state. But the local leadership is attempting to make in-roads into areas where- like everywhere else in the country- it hurts the Congress most. Minority votes, which were for taking for the Congress, are being aggressively wooed. Attempting to make this contest four cornered is the grand alliance stitched by Maharashtravadi Gomantak Party-Shiv Sena and the RSS rebel camp led by Subhash Velingkar. Of these only MGP has pockets of influence. Citing differences with the chief minister Parsekar, MGP broke away from its alliance with the BJP on the eve of polls. So Goa voters will have to elect a government from all these parties and a host of other independent candidates this election. It is going to be a multi-cornered fight where a few hundred votes here and there can be the difference between winning and losing. Tokyo: Electronics giant Panasonic has urged its employees to leave office by 8 p.m., during a time when Japan is reviewing its long working hours following the 2015 suicide by a young woman who had put in more than 100 hours of overtime per month. Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga personally took charge of e-mailing its 100,000 employees in Japan about the decision, a company spokeswoman confirmed to Efe news on Thursday. The regulation that came into force on February 1, also applies to executive posts, but does not affect the board of directors. The idea of work-life balance has been gaining momentum in Japan in the light of the suicide case from 2015. For example, Daiwa Securities Group recently approved a campaign urging employees to leave the office at 7 p.m., while Unicharm, a hygiene products manufacturer, has prohibited overtime after 10 p.m. Historically, Panasonic has been among those Japanese firms which have paid more attention to such moves; in 1965, it prohibited the 6-day working week amidst the Japanese economic boom, something which most other firms did not change until the 1980s. The suicide by Matsuri Takahashi in December 2015, after just seven months employment with advertising giant Dentsu, has put the spotlight back on Japanese companies' working hours and "karoshi", or death by excessive work. The labour ministry has decided to take Takahashi's case to court on the grounds that Dentsu did not comply with labour norms, systematically tampering with their employees' overtime records. Washington: The Trump administration has no plans to come out with an executive order on H-1B visas, a prominent Indian-American donor and supporter of the US President claimed on Thursday, contradicting media reports that have generated anxiety in India. "There will be a need of more H-1B visas. The number of people on H-1B from India is certainly going to increase," Chicago-based Shalabh 'Shalli' Kumar and head of the Republican Hindu Coalition, told reporters at a news conference. Responding to a volley of questions, Kumar claimed that contrary to the reports in the media, there is no executive order being worked upon by the White House on H-1B visa. For the American economy to grow, IT would have to play an important role. "As such I visualise need of more IT workers in the US," he said, adding that the US has huge shortage of IT workers which can be filled up only by Indian IT professionals. Of the view that the Trump Administration would be working to ensure that there is no fraud and abuse of H-1B visas, Kumar said he believes that the White House would work to eliminate country-quota towards allocation of green cards for legal permanent residents. "This would be of great help Indian IT professionals," he said, adding that the current wait time for Indians to get a green card could be as many as 35 years. According to reports, President Donald Trump may soon crack down on US temporary work visas including the H-1B and L-1 visas that are used widely by Indian tech companies. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US firms to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year. During his campaign, Trump had promised to increase oversight of our H-1B and L-1 visa programmes. Supporting the executive orders of Trump on immigration and visa ban, Kumar said he would prefer this to be expanded to other countries like Pakistan. Kumar said the US Government is currently reviewing the list of countries, and if Pakistan does not start co-operating with the US, there is very high probability of it being included in the list of visa ban countries. Pakistan needs to act against terrorism. "There cannot be any difference between what it says and what it does. Trump would not tolerate that," he said. In response to a question, he did not altogether rule out the possibility of him becoming the next US Ambassador to India. RUSTBURG A judge sentenced a Concord man accused of involvement in robbing a 72-year-old Altavista man to 15 months behind bars Wednesday. Timothy Jason Greer, 35, pleaded guilty in November to grand larceny and conspiracy in Campbell County Circuit Court. He apologized in court Wednesday to the victim, James Hogan, and his family, as well as his own family members. Prosecutors have said after several people struggled with Hogan in his driveway after taking a sum of cash from his house, Greer was one of two people who left the scene in a vehicle. Greers attorney, Gordon Peters, said Greer was sorry for the incident and wanted to move forward with restitution. He regrets having been there, Peters said. Circuit Judge John T. Cook sentenced Greer to three years in prison on each felony count but suspended all but 12 months on the grand larceny charge. Cook added three months to the sentence for violating good behavior requirements stemming from an earlier offense. Cook also ordered $2,160 restitution in the case. Two other people, Corey Christopher Kidd and Savannah Lynn Dudley, both of Lynch Station, have been prosecuted for their alleged roles in the March 31, 2016, incident. Kidd pleaded guilty to malicious wounding and robbery in December. Dudley entered guilty pleas to malicious wounding and robbery Jan. 26. Both of those defendants are set for sentencing April 27. RICHMOND Closing Central Virginia Training Center would require General Assembly approval if SB 1551 becomes law. The Madison Heights facility serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is scheduled to close in 2020 as part of a plan to meet a Department of Justice settlement agreement stemming from an investigation at CVTC. Four of five Virginia training centers managed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services are scheduled to shutter. The bill would shift the authority to close CVTC to legislators, who would have to vote to shutter it. It would basically require us to look very hard at a plan for closure, and then if we are actually going to close it, we would have to get authorization from the General Assembly rather than the secretary or the commissioner of behavioral health to be able to act independently, said Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta, Senate Finance Committee co-chairman. SB 1551 made it out of the Senate Finance Committee on a unanimous vote Wednesday. A floor vote could come as soon as Monday. The proposed legislation leaves unclear whether General Assembly approval to close CVTC would be made in a bill, joint resolution or budget amendment, meaning it could come through any of those methods. A joint resolution would require a majority of each house to close CVTC, while a bill would make that decision subject to passing both houses and also the governors signature. If the decision came as a budget amendment, it could pass along with the rest of the budget but still be subject to a line-item veto. To become law, SB 1551 would need to pass the Senate no later than Tuesday, the final day for legislation to gain approval this session before moving on to the House. It then would have to pass the House of Delegates and be signed by the governor. Brian Coy, spokesman for Gov. Terry McAuliffe, said the administration would review the legislation carefully if it passes. McAuliffe is concerned with any legislation that would limit a future governors authority, Coy said in an email. SB 1551 as originally written would have kept CVTC open until 2029. Senate Finance Committee members requested to review the bill after it passed out of the Education and Health Committee, which is chaired by the bills patron, Sen. Steve Newman, R-Bedford County. Although he didnt vote against the bill, Sen. Charles W. Carrico Sr., R-Grayson, suggested singling out CVTC was unfair to the states other training center slated for closure. On the House side, Del. Jeffrey L. Campbell, R-Smyth, proposed HB 1583 to keep Southwestern Virginia Training Center open until June 30, 2019. Southwestern is slated to close in 2018. That bill has not left the subcommittee it was assigned to, according to the online legislative information system. I think we have the same concerns at [Southwestern], where they are going to be located and how far away from the families they will be, Carrico said. Its an issue that we should be addressing on both sides. Carrico said he did not bring a bill similar to Newmans because Southwestern no longer is in his district. In all fairness, there are some unique circumstances surrounding some recently renovated structures there, Hanger said, referring to renovations at CVTC. Keeping CVTC open would cost $26 million in 2021 and $31.6 million in both 2022 and 2023, according to the fiscal impact statement for SB 1551. Newman hopes to keep CVTC open by downsizing it to only recently rehabbed buildings. He also introduced a budget amendment to maintain a nursing facility unit there through 2025, although the last skilled nursing beds were decertified this week. Under that budget amendment, which does not have a cost estimate attached, anyone transferred from the nursing facility within the past 12 months would be allowed to return. To downscale the facility as Newman has suggested would be to keep open five buildings on the property with a total capacity of about 70 people, according to Assistant Commissioner of Developmental Services Connie Cochran. Of the 164 people currently living at CVTC, 17 are finalizing their transfer plans while another 39 are getting ready to start that process, he said. Maintaining the rehabbed buildings would require new money, according to DBHDS, such as $800,000 to repair water and sewer lines currently being patched and repaired as needed, Cochran said. Those buildings are still old buildings on old infrastructure, and they werent built to be used long term, he said. Newman and Del. Scott Garrett, R-Lynchburg, have proposed matching budget amendments to order a Department of Environmental Quality evaluation to study knocking down most of the facilitys 91 structures 27 are in use currently. Leaving the closure date open-ended may encourage some families of CVTC residents to wait to make plans when they otherwise would have prepared to depart. The result, Cochran said, could be a rush of people wanting to leave as the doors are about to shutter, straining the department at that time. We have a plan for closing. We proceed on our plan, Cochran said. The way I read it is at some point, we actually have to say this is the planned date of closure based on x, y or z. Let me begin with a word of thanks to Stephen K. Bannon, the chief White House strategist. With a single interview, he dispelled any illusions that normal or productive relations with the media will even be possible under the Trump administration. True, the new presidents modern predecessors in both parties all tangled with the media. And the claim that traditional news outlets are liberal has long been a marker of conservative faith. But where other chief executives saw the Fourth Estate as a legitimate institution to be dealt with (and, where possible, manipulated), Trump sees reporting purely in terms of his own power. I want you to quote this, Bannon told The New York Times. The media here is the opposition party. Bannon went further still. In his ideal world, the media would remain silent, which is pretty much its posture under autocratic regimes. The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while, Bannon said. We talk, you listen. Not exactly a Jeffersonian attitude toward public conversation in a free republic. A few clarifications are in order. The media is a vague term that can refer to everything from print newspapers to traditional television news to radio, cable, blogs and tweets. Within the old media, there is a world of difference between opinion writers, of whom I am one, and my colleagues on the reporting side who work very hard every day to tell readers what is going on, without fear or favor to invoke the Times classic slogan. I point this out even though Id insist that opinion writers have as much of an obligation to fact as anyone else, and also that our work is enhanced by good reporting. From the point of view of readers and viewers, the world is messier than it was, say, 40 years ago, because television outlets regularly offer panels of commentators mixing reporters, columnists and political consultants. Citizens can be forgiven for not knowing anymore who is who. My worries are not about the opinion world. It will thrive under Trump, assuming we all maintain our liberties. What concerns me is that Trump, Bannon, press secretary Sean Spicer and senior adviser Kellyanne Conway will have some success in fuzzing up distinctions that are vital to open debate. The obvious one has already been exposed with Conways memorable coinage, alternative facts. No, facts are facts are facts. Alternative facts are lies, untruths or distortions. Three to 5 million illegal votes were not cast in 2016, no matter how often Trump says it, and it is a scandal that taxpayer money may be wasted to investigate this phantom charge. The photographs of inauguration crowd sizes cannot be doctored, no matter how often Trump calls over to the National Park Service to ask for new angles. When confronted with untruths, all journalists have one and only one choice: to call them what they are. They cannot, without misleading the public, pretend that there are two sides to a purely factual question. Further, they need to avoid vague language about facts being in dispute when there is absolutely no question about what the facts really are. Partisans might well emphasize some facts over others. But facts themselves arent partisan. This, in turn, means that reporters may indeed seem oppositional when they confront an administration that, day after day, shows so little regard for fact or truth. But this is not the medias problem. Its Trumps. Even trickier is the bizarre way the administration has been doing business. Because Trump repeated to ABC News David Muir on Wednesday his claim that hed find a way for Mexico to pay for his border wall, the administration scrambled to back him up. Spicer told reporters the next day that it would be financed by a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports and then backed away from the idea partly because it was quickly pointed out that the tax would be paid by Americans, not Mexicans. When the policymaking process veers wildly from point to point because it is driven by in-the-moment presidential impulses, not careful analysis, the country is in trouble. This, too, is something down-the-middle journalists will have to describe and analyze dispassionately. Calmly pointing out the obvious may be the most damaging thing my reporting colleagues do to the Trump administration. Doing so wont make them partisans or oppositionists, no matter what Bannon & Co. say. Theyll be patriots, and theyll be doing their jobs. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Email him at ejdionne@washpost.com or follow him on Twitter @EJDionne. Muslim ban puts us in danger Like many throughout the country and the world, I am appalled by President Trumps executive order banning all refugees and barring citizens of seven majority-Muslim nations from travel to the United States. I am equally dismayed by Rep. Bob Goodlattes news release applauding the presidents short-sighted and discriminatory action. In the U.S., people with opposing political views have long argued about how our nation can best act to improve global affairs, but we have been largely united in our desire to uphold a national identity as a beacon of hope for oppressed peoples around the world. The Trump administration, with its America First mantra, has crushed that hope and callously turned away those seeking a haven from violence and persecution. The repercussions of Trumps protectionist executive order were immediately evident. Iran announced a reciprocal travel ban on U.S. citizens, effecting a forced estrangement between Iranian Americans and their loved ones in Iran. With the stroke of his pen, the president erased the tenuous diplomatic progress achieved with Iran during the previous administration and reignited hostilities that threaten our national security. Far more frightening than the ire of Irans government is the anger and hatred the ban will sow among extremists groups throughout the world and among young people at home and abroad whom these groups seek to influence and recruit. On the homefront, refugees and migrants who had already undergone an intensive vetting process to obtain valid visas were capriciously detained. Companies like Google warned against foreign travel for all employees residing in the U.S. on work visas. Preventing the international travel of vital employees harms our economy, which relies on immigrant labor at every level of the workforce. In the false name of national security, President Trump has swiftly moved to make our country less safe and relinquish our moral credibility on the international stage. He shut the door on innocent children and families who escaped the horrors of war in Syria, Iraq and other nations engulfed in violence. He dismissed the value of (documented) immigrant workers and crippled businesses large and small that rely on their labor and expertise. He told Muslims of all national backgrounds that this country views them with suspicion and disdain. This is not politics as usual. This hate-fueled administration is frighteningly different than any in recent memory, and Trumps dangerous policies threaten all of us. I hope Central Virginians from all political backgrounds will join in resisting the Trump administrations regressive policies and making clear to politicians like Rep. Goodlatte that their capitulation to this thoroughly un-American regime will not go unnoticed or unopposed. MAUREEN BROOKES Lynchburg Hateful, unChristian measures Executive orders signed by President Trump on Jan. 27 blocked entry to the U.S. of all refugees for four months and indefinitely blocked entry of Syrians fleeing the carnage of civil war (even though no Syrian refugee to the U.S. has been implicated in any terrorist activity). Trump also suspended for three months all visas for persons from seven predominantly Muslim countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In issuing his orders, Trump invoked the 9/11 attacks, but none of those who perpetrated those attacks were from these seven countries. Now, even people who are already here on visas from these countries are afraid to leave the U.S. for fear they will not be re-admitted. Trumps actions are contrary to our best traditions as a nation and are also contrary to the explicit teachings of Judeo-Christian scripture. See Deuteronomy 10:17-18: For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Imagine my shock when I went to Rep. Bob Goodlattes website to ask him to protest President Trumps executive orders and was greeted by a banner from Goodlatte praising Trumps securing of our borders. I urge people to flood Goodlattes phone and email with protests against Trumps hateful, unChristian measures and against Goodlattes support for these. PHIL STUMP Lynchburg Consumers receiving phone calls beware: Dont answer yes when a caller asks, Can you hear me? The Better Business Bureau says to simply hang up. If you pick up the phone and someone says, Can you can hear me now? dont engage them in conversation, said Thomas Gallagher, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia. You cant trick the tricksters themselves. They do this for a reason, and they are very good at it. The local BBB has received about 100 phone calls in the past week from area consumers saying they have gotten phone calls asking them the question and the caller then hangs up, Gallagher said. The phone calls are happening here and elsewhere in the country, he said. No one has reported losing money yet, Gallagher said. Its unclear how the scams will play out over time or if consumers could be victimized at a later date. Once the scammer has your voice recording saying yes, Gallagher said the BBB believes the answer can be later edited to make it sound like you authorized a major purchase. The BBB believes the person making the call may be a robocall recording the conversation, despite some reported instances of fumbling around and the caller possibly saying something like Im having trouble with my headset. Consumers say the calls are about vacation packages, cruises, warranties and other big-ticket items. This is an old scam with a new twist, he said. Remember years ago when the scammer would ask you to dial 9 and that gave them access to call elsewhere, Gallagher said. Scammers change their tactics as the public catches on, so Gallagher urged consumers to be alert for other questions designed to solicit a simple yes answer. Consumers using caller ID should monitor phone calls by not answering those from unknown numbers. Most of us who have caller ID dont answer the phone if we dont know the number. If they need to reach you, then they can leave a message on voicemail. If you dont know who it was from, dont give it any grace. If consumers get a call, Gallagher said to make a note of the number and report it to bbb.org/scamtracker to help warn others. With the expansion of Dominion Virginia Powers EnergyShare Program in 2015, thousands of Virginians in need are getting help with energy bills and making their homes more energy efficient, company officials say. Since EnergyShare was founded by the company in 1982, more than 780,000 Virginians in need have received help with their energy bills, regardless of the type of energy used. The expanded program was launched on Sept. 1, 2015, with a commitment of $57 million over five years from Dominion. Major new elements included free home weatherization, a special focus on veterans and those with disabilities, and reaching out to vastly more Virginians with energy education and awareness of the program. We have a responsibility to provide affordable, reliable energy to our customers but sometimes they might find themselves in crisis, said Robert M. Blue, president and CEO of Richmond-based Dominion Virginia Power. EnergyShare is a key way we try to help, and we thank our customers, employees and business partners for their support. In the Lynchburg area, Dominion Virginia Power serves about 10,000 customers, primarily in Appomattox and Campbell counties. We have been seeking, since the incident occurred, the entire body-cam video of the encounter between a Burlington police officer and Autumn Steele. As we've reported, she was shot twice by the officer and subsequently died. The officer's actions were cleared by Burlington police and the Des Moines County attorney. We have no quibble with that. But, the incident was captured on the officer's body-cam as well as his car's dash-cam. We've asked to see that. Government has said we're not entitled to that. That's troubling. That's disturbing. If there's no wrong-doing then what's the rub against releasing the video? We didn't agree with government and we took it to the Iowa Public Information Board. That board agreed with us. That board said government didn't follow Iowa law and moved our case to a contested hearing. Government namely the attorneys hired by the Burlington Police Department and the Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers sought to get our case dismissed. Thankfully, for the good of the public, that didn't happen. Earlier this month, the administrative law judge looking over our case denied their motion to dismiss our effort to get a public record. Judge Karen Doland said the case has merit and should be heard. So we press forward. We have yet to understand, if Burlington police and the Des Moines County attorney Beavers declared there was no wrong doing, why they resist releasing the video of the incident. They've not indicated a justification for that. But government has a history of doing that. When there was the tragic accident just west of Des Moines on I-80 between police and a drunk driver going the wrong way that killed the officers, the head of the public information office for Des Moines said that, while it was a public record, he wasn't going to release it to the public in deference to the family members of those killed. The sentiment is notable, but if it's a public record, he doesn't get to be judge and jury on releasing that. It's a public record. He said he wouldn't release it because he didn't want to see it on YouTube. Again, a notable sentiment, but not his call. So, we're pleased the administrative law judge in our body-cam dispute agreed this issue should move to the next phase. Many people shrug when they see stories about us quibbling with government about access to what we believe to be public information. Our position always has been that if we don't go after that information nobody will. Other media radio, television has, sadly, given up that effort. We're not sure we'll eventually prevail on this. But we're going to press forward. It's in the public's interest. This editorial appeared in the Jan. 22 edition of the Burlington Hawk Eye. President Donald Trump's order banning travel to this country by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries was his first order that was put into effect immediately. His order to start building "The Wall" will take a lot of planning and financing, but his order on Friday had airport security and immigration officials stopping people as they stepped off of planes. Many of them were legal permanent residents of this country, holders of "green cards." Some of them were families who have spent the last couple of years undergoing a rigorous "vetting" process of interviews and security checks that suddenly counted for nothing. Critics of the plan say it does little to increase our security, will make the job of radical Islamic terrorist recruiters easier by reinforcing their main argument that America and the West hate Muslims and does nothing to deal with the threat of potential terror recruits already living in the U.S., including native born citizens who become radicalized by ISIS propaganda. This is an idea that certainly could have benefited from more planning. Trump's rationale for the order does make sense. The seven countries named in his order are hotbeds of terrorist activity. They are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. For years, efforts to ensure would-be terrorists from those nations do not infiltrate our country have been lacking. Improving the "vetting" process during Trump's temporary suspension is important and should improve homeland security. The sooner that can be done and harmless travelers from the affected countries can be welcomed the better. This editorial appeared in the Jan. 31 edition of the The Journal of New Ulm, Minnesota. Home News Sports Social Obituaries Events Letters February a great month for sky watchers February 1, 2017 By Predrag Agatonovic By Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd Earthsky.org As February 2017 opens, the young moon is sweeping past the planets Venus and Mars in the western sky after sunset. Venus rules over the evening sky while Jupiter lords over the morning sky. Venus, the brightest planet, blazes in the west first thing at dusk, and showcases its greatest illuminated extent on February 17. Jupiter, the second-brightest planet, lights up the nighttime between late evening and sunrise. Mars is near Venus in the evening sky, but its higher up and much fainter than Venus, setting in the west shortly after Venus does around mid-evening. Meanwhile, Saturn appears in the southeastern sky during the predawn hours. Mercury is falling into the glare of the rising sun. Brilliant Venus is the evening star. Okay, its not a star. Its a planet. But people will call it the evening star all the same. In these past weeks, many have noticed Venus and been amazed at its brilliance in the west after sunset. Its the brightest planet and very, very bright, and will display its greatest brilliancy as the evening star on or near February 17. Be sure to catch the waxing crescent moon near Venus on February 1, and then again on February 28. Venus and Mars remain fairly close together on the skys dome throughout February 2017. But brilliant Venus is brightening whereas modestly-bright Mars is dimming. By mid-month, Venus will outshine Mars by over 200 times. When the month of March comes rolling along, Venus will quickly fall downward from Mars, and toward the sunset. Venus will meet up with the setting sun, to transition from the evening to the morning sky, on March 25. Although Mars wont meet up with the setting sun until late July 2017, Mars will dim all the more between now and then, and moreover, will spend a few months obscured in evening twilight. From mid-northern latitudes (U.S. and Europe), Venus sets about four hours after the sun in early February and about three hours after the sun by the months end. At mid-southern latitudes (Australia and South Africa), Venus sets about about two hours after the sun in early February and about one hour after sun by the months end. Next month, in March 2017, it may be possible to see Venus as both the evening star and morning star for a few to several days, starting on or near March 20. Look in the west shortly after sunset to see Venus at dusk, and look east shortly before sunrise to view Venus at dawn. Click here for an almanac giving you the setting time and rising time of Venus in your sky.\ Mars, east of Venus, until mid-evening. After appearing as a bright red light in our sky last May and June 2016, Mars now appears only modestly bright (though possibly still ruddy), above dazzling Venus. Venus is so bright that it pops out almost immediately after sunset, but youll have to wait until nightfall to see fainter Mars. Look for the moon close to Mars for a few evenings, centered on February 1 and again on February 28. From mid-northern latitudes (U.S. and Europe), look for the red planet Mars to set in the west around 9 to 10 p.m. all month long. At mid-southern latitudes (Australia and South Africa), Mars sets in the west around 2.5 hours after the sun in early February and about two hours after sundown by the months end. Mars will linger in our sky for several more months. Keep in mind, however, that Earth is traveling away from Mars as we speak moving far ahead of this planet in the endless race around the sun so Mars is dimming in our evening sky. Mars is in its long, lingering, relatively inconspicuous phase now. Itll be still visible in the west to the unaided eye though not prominent during its conjunction with Uranus on February 27, 2017. Mars wont make its transition from the evening to morning sky until July 27, 2017. Even so, Mars stature in the evening sky will continue to diminish to that of a rather faint star, and we expect few if any skywatchers to observe the conjunction of Mars and Mercury in the evening sky on June 28, 2017. The conjunction of Mars and Venus in the morning sky on October 5, 2017, may well present the first good opportunity to spot Mars in the morning sky when it returns from being behind the sun on July 27, 2017. Saturn swung behind the sun on December 10, 2016, transitioning from the evening to morning sky. In both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, Saturn is easy to view in the predawn hours throughout February 2017. From mid-northern latitudes, Saturn rises in the east about three hours before the sun in early February, and by the months end, Saturn comes up four hours before sunrise. At temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, Saturn rises about four hours before the sun in early February, and by the months end, Saturn rises around midnight. Be sure to let the waning crescent moon guide you to Saturn (and the nearby star Antares) for several days, centered on or near February 20. Saturn, the farthest world that you can easily view with the eye alone, appears golden in color. It shines with a steady light. Binoculars dont reveal Saturns gorgeous rings, by the way, although binoculars will enhance Saturns golden color. To see the rings, you need a small telescope. A telescope will also reveal one or more of Saturns many moons, most notably Titan. Saturns rings are inclined at nearly 27-degrees from edge-on, exhibiting their northern face. In October 2017, the rings will open most widely, displaying a maximum inclination of 27-degrees. As with so much in space (and on Earth), the appearance of Saturns rings from Earth is cyclical. In the year 2025, the rings will appear edge-on as seen from Earth. After that, well begin to see the south side of Saturns rings, to increase to a maximum inclination of 27-degrees by May 2032. Jupiters prominence as the morning star will be hard to overlook. Seek out the brightest starlike object in the predawn sky or the morning twilight and thatll be the king planet Jupiter! If you stay up till late evening, you might even catch Jupiter rising above your eastern horizon before your bedtime. From mid-northern latitudes, like those in the U.S. and Europe, Jupiter rises roughly one hour before the midnight hour in early February. By the months end, Jupiter rises around 10 p.m. From mid-southern latitudes (Australia), look for Jupiter to rise around mid-to-late evening in early February and early-to-mid evening by the end of the month. If youre not a night owl, your best bet for catching Jupiter is to wake up before sunrise to see this brilliant beauty of a planet lighting up the predawn and dawn sky. Watch for the waning moon to join up with Jupiter for several days, centered on or near February 15. See the above sky chart. By the way, Jupiter shines in front of the constellation Virgo, near Virgos brightest star, Spica. Jupiter serves a great reference for learning the constellations of the zodiac, because Jupiter stays in each constellation for roughly a year. So use Jupiter to become familiar with the star Spica and the constellation Virgo, starting now, and throughout 2017. If you have binoculars or a telescope, its fairly easy to see Jupiters four major moons, which look like pinpricks of light on or near the same plane. They are often called the Galilean moons to honor Galileo, who discovered these great Jovian moons in 1610. In their order from Jupiter, these moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. These moons circle Jupiter around the Jovian equator. In cycles of six years, we view Jupiters equator edge-on. So, in 2015, we got to view a number of mutual events involving Jupiters moons through a high-powered telescope. Click here or here or here for more details. Although Jupiters axial tilt is only three degrees out of perpendicular relative to the ecliptic, Jupiters axis will tilt enough toward the sun and Earth so that the farthest of these four moons, Callisto, will NOT pass in front of Jupiter or behind Jupiter for a period of about three years, starting in late 2016. During this approximate three-year period, Callisto will remain perpetually visible, alternately swinging above and below Jupiter. Nominally, Mercury remains in the morning sky all month long, though it also sinks closer to the glare of sunrise daily. From either the Northern Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere, your best chance of catching Mercury is during the early part of the month, when Mercury rises a maximum time before sunrise. But Mercury will be better positioned for viewing from the Southern Hemisphere. Mercury is tricky. If you look too soon, Mercury will still be under the horizon; if you look too late, it will be obscured in the haze of morning twilight. Watch for Mercury low in the sky, and near the sunrise point on the horizon, seeking for this hidden treasure around 60 to 45 minutes before sunrise. Saturn rises before Mercury does, so use Saturn as your guide star to locating Mercury closer to the horizon. Remember, binoculars are always helpful for any Mercury search. Good Luck! Mercury will transition from the morning to evening sky on March 7. For the Northern Hemisphere, Mercury will put on a good showing in the evening sky for several weeks, centered on April 1. By bright planet, we mean any solar system planet that is easily visible without an optical aid and that has been watched by our ancestors since time immemorial. In their outward order from the sun, the five bright planets are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. These planets actually do appear bright in our sky. They are typically as bright as or brighter than the brightest stars. Plus, these relatively nearby worlds tend to shine with a steadier light than the distant, twinkling stars. You can spot them, and come to know them as faithful friends, if you try. In February 2017, two of the five bright planets appear in the evening sky at dusk/nightfall: Venus and Mars. Jupiter is out from late evening till dawn, whereas Saturn and Mercury are found exclusively in the morning sky. Questions or comments about this article? Click here to e-mail! State to disclose statements in Shannon case This was the assurance of Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions George Busby who appeared on behalf of the State when Banfields alleged killer Dale Seecharan, reappeared before Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of- Spain Eight Magistrates Court yesterday. Busby indicated he was waiting on the expedited police file and on the next occasion the matter comes up for hearing, he will seek to have statements sworn after which disclosure will commence. The matter has been adjourned to next month. Seecharans attorney Larry Williams last month complained of the slow pace with which the prosecution was moving with the matter. Seecharan is charged with murdering Banfield sometime between December 4 and December 9 at Charlotte Street in Portof- Spain. Banfield went missing on December 5 and three days later, her body was found at the warehouse of IAM and Company Tears as mom, babies laid to rest Collins, a Leading Seaman with the TT Coast Guard, was supported by his colleagues as he struggled to contain his grief when he saw his wife dressed in her white wedding gown as she lay in her casket. Nearby, their two sons lay in two small coffins, with their favourite teddy bears placed in the coffins. Pastor Pierre Morgan urged mourners to forgive a DAbadie man whose car crashed into the Collins car, causing the deaths Carla, Armani and Kamani. Morgan said this was a time for healing instead of revenge and hate. Carlas brother Brent Maxima, said his sister carried with her a gentleness and caring nature that led her to become a geriatric nurse. However, he said she could be the live wire of any party and always was keen on making a grand entrance. Maxima said Carla had an unshakeable faith in God, was a born home maker whose care for her sons was extraordinary. I fully understand that you had to take your children with you and I know you would have taken me with you, but I am not ready for you to take me. I have a purpose to fulfill, Maxima said. Apostle J Vernon Duncan called for a day of fasting for the nation to try to help heal the land. He said the three caskets were testimony that Gods voice was speaking to our land. This is a message for the nation of Trinidad and Tobago that something is radically wrong, something is amiss in this land. We need the Spirit of God to present His power in this tragedy. We cannot deal with it by ourselves, it is too much. Grace is the unmerited favour of God. Call upon God, He is willing to intervene in the affairs of life, Duncan said The service was attended by President Anthony Carmona who was seen comforting a weeping Collins during the service. DAbadie/ OMeara MP Ancil Antoine, was also at the funeral service. Call on God because there is a thief on the prowl, a demonic hierarchy stealing our fathers, stealing our husbands, stealing those who are supposed to be in society. Why are there so many killings, so many murders? Why are we faced with so much bloodshed, so many unsolved murders? Good people are being snuffed out. This land belongs to God. God is the sovereign leader. We are not to defile the land of God. This is the time to kneel down in repentance. The wheels of justice turn very, very slowly in this land. We need divine intervention in Trinidad and Tobago, Duncan said. Following the service, mother and sons were buried at the Arima public cemet Sangre Chiquito Presbyterian parents demand better accommodation The action follows the schools sudden closure at the beginning of the Christmas vacation, last December, when the ministry and the Presbyterian Board deemed the structure unfit for occupancy. The school, which was built in 1891, underwent some refurbishment work to its external structure, last August, but the parents claimed the exercise was unsatisfactory. The irate parents, who were accompanied by some students, said the ministry and the board have since made arrangements with the management of the Grovesnor Presbyterian School, Coalmine Road, Sangre Grande, to accomodate a segment of the schools student population while some pupils were to be housed at a church alongside the Sangre Chiquito Presbyterian School. The parents said the remainder of the students are forced to stay at home. Newsday understands a maxi taxi was to be sent to the school to transport the affected students to the Grovesnor Presbyterian School but this never materialised President of the schools Parent- Teacher Association (PTA) Camille Joseph yesterday claimed the ministry had never informed the parents of its decision to close the school in December, even though they were told last August, that the school was deemed unfit for occupancy. They never gave us any indication that the school was closing, she complained. Joseph said at the PTAs last meeting with the ministry and the Presbyterian board, they were told students from Standards One to Four will be accomodated at the Grovesnor Presbyterian School while the Standard Five students will be housed at the Presbyterian Church in Sangre Chiquito. The church has one toilet and in the same condemned building, the children have to come down to go and use the toilet facilities, she said. But the Second Year and First Year students will not be placed and we have no idea when they would be placed. Joseph also claimed that the Sangre Chiquito Presbyterian Schools students would not be allowed to interact with students from Grovesnor Presbyterian School. We have learnt that they must not speak to them and have nothing to do with Grovesnor children at all, under no circumstances, she said, adding that parents also were not allowed on the Grovesnor Presbyterian Schools compound to view the accomodation for their children. In addition, Joseph claimed that break periods for the Sangre Chiquito school students at the Groversnor school would be reduced considerably. Lunch will cut to half an hour, recess and break times is cut to five minutes. But nothing has been cut from Grovesnor. They have their full time so that nothing will be disturbed and reorganised for Groversnor, she claimed. We are saying, Where are our children going, in prison? A child has a right to work in a comfortable environment. A child has a right to be happy to learn so that they can prosper and do great things in school. Joseph said the parents want all of the students to be accomodated in the same location. We are not going with some of the children in one place and some not getting a place to go, she said. We want all to be placed together, all must be comfortable and happy. Contacted yesterday, a ministry official confirmed that preparations were made to accomodate the students from Standards One to Four at Grovesnor Presbyterian School while the Standard Five pupils were to be housed at the Sangre Chiquito Presbyterian Church. The furniture and materials were transferred to Groversnor Presbyrterian over the weekend, the official said. Central Bank gov asked to disclose plan for Clico They queried the direction of the rescue of CLICO after eight years under the Central Bank and Government, including the Banks apparent regulatory forbearance . They also mulled the legality of this control (plus any fallout from such), the inordinate delay in returning billions of dollars to the taxpayer (and the impact of this on economic decision making), and the nature of recent ministerial statements seemingly at odds with the stated goals of the rescue under the Central Bank Act . The letter posed seven questions . While a 2011 Central Bank statement hit the past subordination of the interests of Clico, its policyholders and mutual fund investors to the private interests of Lawrence Duprey and Andre Monteil, the letter bemoaned that nothing has been done to declare the responsible parties to be unfit and improper to hold high office in the company . What is the Central Banks current position on the matter? . Secondly, given the removal of the risk of contagion from Clico to TTs financial system plus the solvency of Clicos Statutory Fund, doesnt the Act now mandate the Central Bank now relinquish control? Thirdly, given that the Banks powers arise if CLICOs state poses a risk to TTs financial system, the letter asks if the Bank now thinks TTs financial system is at risk of disruption, substantial damage, injury or impairment? If not, can the Bank carry on dealing with the assets and operations of the institution with impunity? Fourthly, given that only creditors and policyholders interests must guide the Banks rescue of Clico, can the Bank and Finance Minister pursue other goals such as unrelated government objectives as drivers of their rescue? Fifthly, was the acquisition of policyholder rights (The Resolution Plan) done under the Acts Section 44 powers, and if so how does that action preserve the rights of depositors and creditors of the institution as the Act seems to demand? Sixthly, Who decides if to relinquish control of Clico - the Bank, Finance Minister, both, or other? Seventh, how will the Bank release the Clico companies without the former CL Financial principals regaining positions as directors, officers or controlling shareholders? Faith group helped my in-law deal with HIV Her personal disclosure came as she addressed the opening ceremony of the Faith Leaders Consultation yesterday at the Hyatt Regency, Wrightson Road, Portof- Spain. The consultation was hosted by the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The consultation mulled the role of faith leaders in seeking to end the epidemic by 2030, in accordance with a goal set by the United Nations. Ive often said that meaningful social change cannot happen with only the involvement of Government, but requires consultation and collaboration and a whole-of-society approach, she said. The hosting of this consultation demonstrates that there is an understanding of the overarching influence of faith and the important role of faith communities in the scale-up of HIV prevention, treatment, care and advocacy. She said in the Caribbean, peoples health-relevant behaviour is defined by factors including religion and cultural norms and values. It is recognised that faith organisations are a vital part of civil society which often reach out to vulnerable populations living under austere conditions. She hailed faith groups for their work in peer education, community outreach, prevention and provision of psycho-social and financial support. I want to share a personal story. When a close member of my family was diagnosed with HIV, it was a faith-based organisation which had given our family the courage to support my relative to go back to living a meaningful life in the small island community of Tobago. She said faith organisations can help reduce stigma and discrimination. Welcoming the inclusion of gender- based violence (GBV) on the conference agenda, she said studies have shown that physical sexual violence makes women more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS such as by reducing their space for negotiating safe-sex practices with their male partner. GBV also increases the engagement in high-risk behaviours and causes a low uptake in HIV screening, amongst other problems. She said her ministry welcomes suggestions on how to end the scourge of GBV in all its forms in this society. Your voice is very important, to bring about transformation in TT and the wider Caribbean. PANCAP head, Derek Springer, noted that public health issues like AIDS/HIV do not undermine faith leaders, in an atmosphere of mutual respect. A forum statement said ways to respond to AIDS included enhancing family life, increasing access to treatment, promoting prevention, reducing gender inequality, and legislating to repeal discriminatory laws. UN special envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, Dr Edward Greene, said FBOs had once contributed to fear, stigma and discrimination over AIDS/HIV, but since that time much has happened different. Yellow Band maxi drivers raise fares Short drops out of Port-of-Spain are also going up by a dollar; from $3 to $4, however there will be no price increase for short drops within Diego Martin, Petit Valley, Carenage and Maraval. Short drops within these four areas will remain at three dollars. President of the Route One Maxi Taxi Association Eon Hewitt, told Newsday the association held off on a price increase for the past eight years. We have been holding strain since 2008 while everything has gone up...tyres, batteries, brakes, fuel, insurance, everything has gone up over the years but we at Route One have held back until now because we are aware that our customers face the same increased cost of living, Hewitt said. But Yellow Band maxi-taxi drivers can no longer afford to fully absorb these costs. They therefore voted in early January on which of three fare increases made the most sense for them and for their customers. Hewitt explained that voting was open to all members, from 8 am to 4 pm that day and the majority voted in favour of the $1.00 fare increase. We kept the short drops within Diego Martin, Petit Valley, Carenage and Maraval the same because we know people trying to move around within the communities, children travelling to school. Hewitt expressed hope that Yellow Band customers would understand why this price increase was necessary. No One Has Done This Before in Billboard's History Joint Press release This is a joint press release by NN Group N.V. ('NN Group') and Delta Lloyd N.V. ('Delta Lloyd'), pursuant to the provisions of Article 10 Paragraph 3 and Article 18 Paragraph 3 of the Decree on Public Takeover Bids (Besluit Openbare Biedingen Wft) (the 'Decree') in connection with the recommended public offer by NN Group for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd. This announcement does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities. Any offer will be made only by means of the Offer Memorandum, which is available as of today, and subject to the restrictions set forth therein. Terms not defined in this press release will have the meaning given thereto in the Offer Memorandum. This announcement is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into, directly or indirectly, Canada or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. Publication of Offer Memorandum - Offer to be discussed at Delta Lloyd EGMs on 29 March 2017 - Offer Period ends 7 April 2017, unless extended Transaction highlights The offer is an all-cash public offer for the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd at an offer price of EUR 5.40 (cum dividend) per ordinary share, representing a total consideration of EUR 2.5 billion Offer is supported and recommended by the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board Positive advice has been obtained from both the NN Group and Delta Lloyd Works Councils Offer Period during which Shares may be tendered pursuant to the Offer will commence at 09:00 hours, CET, on 3 February and will expire at 17:40 hours, CET, on 7 April 2017, unless extended Delta Lloyd will hold an extraordinary general meeting of Shareholders at 10:30 hours, CET, on 29 March 2017, during which, amongst other matters, the Offer will be discussed. Immediately following the meeting, Delta Lloyd will hold a second EGM to resolve upon the Legal Merger The Offer is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the Offer Conditions as set out in the Offer Memorandum The Offer is subject to a minimum acceptance level of 95% of the Shares. The minimum acceptance level is lowered to 67% if the Legal Merger is approved at the Delta Lloyd EGM The Offer is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017 With the publication of the Offer Memorandum today, and with reference to the joint press release of NN Group and Delta Lloyd dated 23 December 2016, NN Group and Delta Lloyd jointly announce that NN Group Bidco B.V., a directly wholly-owned subsidiary of NN Group ('the Offeror') is making a recommended public cash offer to all holders of issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd (the 'Shares') to acquire their Shares at a price of EUR 5.40 (cum dividend) in cash (the 'Offer Price') for each Share (the 'Offer'). Lard Friese, CEO of NN Group: 'With the launch of the offer today, we are one step closer to bringing together two leading insurance, banking and asset management companies and strengthen our positions in the Netherlands and Belgium. The combination is anticipated to create value for shareholders and will drive further improvement in customer service and experience. We recognise that combining our businesses will require significant effort from all of us, but it will also lead to enhanced opportunities. We are pleased with the support and recommendation of the Delta Lloyd Boards and are convinced that the offer is in the interests of both companies' stakeholders.' Hans van der Noordaa, CEO of Delta Lloyd: 'We believe a combination of NN Group and Delta Lloyd is in the long term interest of our stakeholders including our shareholders. The offer provides a certain cash premium for our shareholders. Therefore the Delta Lloyd Boards recommend to the shareholders of Delta Lloyd to accept the offer and to tender their shares pursuant to the offer. The combined company will be a leading insurance and pension company in the Dutch market, with strong presence in Belgium and an attractive proposition in asset management and banking. Our customers will benefit from the solid capital position, customer focus and excellent capabilities for innovation and product development this combination will bring. Unfortunately, the well respected and strong Delta Lloyd brand will cease to exist and the combination of the two companies will result in uncertainty for employees. We will do everything we can to provide them with a new perspective and opportunities within the new company or elsewhere.' The Offer The Offeror is making the Offer on the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the offer memorandum dated 2 February 2017 (the 'Offer Memorandum'). Subject to the Offer being declared unconditional (gestanddoening), holders of Shares (the 'Shareholders') tendering their Shares under the Offer will receive the Offer Price in consideration for each Share validly tendered (or defectively tendered provided that such defect has been waived by the Offeror). If, between the date of the Offer Memorandum and the Settlement Date, Delta Lloyd, by any means whatsoever, declares any cash or share dividend or other distribution and the record date for such cash or share dividend or other distribution occurs on or prior to the Settlement Date, then the Offer Price will be reduced by the full amount of such distribution made by Delta Lloyd in respect of each Share (before any applicable withholding tax). For the avoidance of doubt, the interim dividend of EUR 0.10 (ten euro cent) per Share declared by Delta Lloyd and paid on 8 September 2016 will not be deducted from the Offer Price. The Offer values 100% of the Shares of Delta Lloyd at EUR 2.5 billion. The Offer Price represents a premium of approximately 31% over the closing price of EUR 4.12 per Share on 4 October 2016, the last trading day before NN Group initially announced its intention to make an offer for Delta Lloyd. Furthermore it represents a premium of approximately 38% relative to the average closing price during the last month and a premium of approximately 55% relative to the average closing price during the last three months prior to the initial announcement. As previously announced on 23 December 2016, NN Group will be able to pay the consideration of the Offer for an amount of EUR 1.4 billion with cash from its own available resources. For the remainder, NN Group has, subject to customary conditions, committed debt financing made available to it from reputable global financial institutions. Strategic rationale NN Group and Delta Lloyd believe that a combination of Delta Lloyd and the Dutch and Belgian activities of NN Group (the 'Combined Group') is compelling. The Offer and all transactions contemplated therewith (the 'Transaction') will result in an overall stronger platform within the Benelux from which to provide enhanced customer propositions and generate shareholder return: Additional scale and capabilities will result in an improved customer proposition within the Dutch pension market; Doubling the size of the non-life insurance business will drive underwriting results and customer experience; The integration of two leading asset management businesses creates additional scale and expertise; Increased size and scale of the banking business, thereby improving the competitive offering to existing and new customers; Doubling the presence in Belgium, leading to a strong life insurance market share with a more diversified offering through additional channels. The Combined Group will be better placed to capture opportunities that technological innovation brings and will provide increased possibilities for knowledge sharing, strengthening capabilities and talent development. It will bring a perspective of growth and lead to opportunities for employees of both companies and will facilitate continuous improvement in customer service and experience. Synergies and cash generation The Offeror currently estimates cost synergies which will reduce the annual cost base by approximately EUR 150 million pre-tax, expected to be achieved by 2020. This is anticipated to occur in a range of areas including: Integration of operational and supporting activities in Life and Non-life, including commercial migration Full integration of Bank & Asset Management Removal of overlap in centralised functions Reduction in project spend The Offeror estimates that approximately half of the cost synergies will be realised in the Life and Non-life segments, while efficiency improvements in the Bank & Asset Management businesses will account for approximately 30% of expected cost synergies. The remainder of cost synergies is expected to be achieved in centralised functions and other segments. Based on its due diligence, NN Group believes that there will be some initial capital synergies from the combination (stemming mainly from diversification benefits) but also expects meaningful negative impacts from the alignment of actuarial assumptions under NN Group ownership. Over time, NN Group sees potential for further capital synergies, the transition of Delta Lloyd's legal entities onto the NN Group Partial Internal Model, but also the removal of the longevity hedge benefit currently included in Delta Lloyd's standard formula approach. NN Group will provide additional information on potential cost and capital synergies in due course. Recommendation by Delta Lloyd's Executive Board and Supervisory Board After due and careful consideration, both the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board are of the opinion that the Offer is in the best interest of Delta Lloyd and its stakeholders. As is further set out in Delta Lloyd's position statement (the 'Position Statement'), published by Delta Lloyd today, the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board support the Offer and the Legal Merger, recommend to the Shareholders to accept the Offer and to tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer, and recommend voting in favour of all Offer EGM Resolutions and the Legal Merger Resolution. On 23 December 2016, Goldman Sachs issued a fairness opinion to the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and Supervisory Board, and on 22 December 2016 Bank of America Merrill Lynch issued a fairness opinion to the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board, in each case as to the fairness, as of such date, and based upon and subject to the factors and assumptions set forth in each fairness opinion, that the EUR 5.40 in cash to be paid pursuant to the Offer or the Exchange Ratio of NN Group shares to be issued in connection with the Legal Merger, as applicable, to the holders of Shares, collectively, is fair from a financial point of view to such holders. The full text of these fairness opinions is included in the Position Statement. The opinions of Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill Lynch are given to (i) the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board and (ii) the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board, respectively, and not to the Shareholders. As such, the fairness opinions do not contain a recommendation to the Shareholders as to whether they should tender their Shares under the Offer or how they should vote or act with respect to the Legal Merger or any other matter. Further undertakings NN Group and Delta Lloyd have agreed to certain covenants in respect of corporate governance, post-closing legal merger, strategy, organisation, integration and employees for a duration of three years after settlement (the 'Non-Financial Covenants'). Delta Lloyd Executive Board As of the Settlement Date, Mr Abrahams, Ms Mijer and Mr van Riet shall continue to serve on the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and will remain in office for as long as appropriate. In addition, two additional members identified by the Offeror, being Mr Knibbe and Ms van Vredenburch, will, subject to the Offer having been declared unconditional and completion of the applicable formal corporate procedures, be appointed to the Delta Lloyd Executive Board by the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board as of the Settlement Date. Furthermore, subject to the Offer having been declared unconditional, Mr Knibbe will be the CEO of Delta Lloyd as of the Settlement Date. The Delta Lloyd Works Council supports the nomination of these new members of the Executive Board. Their appointment has been approved by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and the AFM. When members of the Delta Lloyd Executive Board leave office, the Offeror will respect the agreed notice period as well as the existing severance arrangements. In line with the Dutch Corporate Governance Code the existing severance arrangements provide for a severance payment of no more than one year's salary. Mr Van der Noordaa will, subject to the Offer having been declared unconditional and effective as per the Settlement Date, resign as member of the Delta Lloyd Executive Board. In connection with his resignation Mr Van der Noordaa will receive a severance payment of EUR 950,000, which amount is, in line with the Dutch Corporate Governance Code, no more than one year's salary. Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board Subject to the Offer being declared unconditional and the relevant resolutions having been adopted at the Offer EGM, the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board will as of the Settlement Date consist of Mr Friese, Mr Rueda and Mr Erasmus, Mr Ruijter and Ms Streit. Mr Ruijter and Ms Streit (the 'Continuing Members') shall qualify as independent within the Dutch Corporate Governance Code. Mr Ruijter shall continue to be the chairman of the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board. The Delta Lloyd Executive Board and the Delta Lloyd Works Council support the nominations. The Delta Lloyd Works Council has selected Mr Ruijter to qualify as member of the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board appointed pursuant to its enhanced right of recommendation as from the Settlement Date. It follows that the enhanced right of recommendation of the Delta Lloyd Works Council does not apply to the vacancies for which Mr Friese, Mr Rueda and Mr Erasmus have been nominated for appointment. The appointment of Mr Friese, Mr Rueda and Mr Erasmus has been approved by DNB and the AFM. The Continuing Members will continue to serve on the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board, or, should the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board no longer exist, be appointed to the NN Group Supervisory Board, for the duration of the Non-Financial Covenants. In their position as members of the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board or the NN Group Supervisory Board, as the case may be, the Continuing Members shall monitor and protect the interests of all Delta Lloyd's stakeholders, including, in particular, monitoring the Non-Financial Covenants and, when material transactions between Delta Lloyd and NN Group or an Affiliate of NN Group are considered, the fair treatment of minority shareholders of Delta Lloyd (if any). NN Group Executive Board and the NN Group Management Board Except as described above, the NN Group Executive Board and the NN Group Management Board will not change following the Settlement Date. Strategy, integration and organisation After the Settlement Date, NN Group and Delta Lloyd intend to integrate and align their operations in The Netherlands and Belgium (the 'Benelux Operations') to fully benefit from their combined reach, scale and resources, in order to provide a compelling platform, maximise the potential of the two businesses and enhance the capabilities of the Combined Group to service customers. The integration will be led by the NN Group Management Board, determining the parameters for integration and supervising the operational working groups. The integration process will be executed in a fair, balanced and timely manner, respecting the talents and strengths of people in both organisations. In this respect, senior representatives of both NN Group and Delta Lloyd will be given a role in preparing the transitional plans and monitoring implementation at the level of the operational working groups. In order to safeguard the process, a transition committee has been established consisting of three members, being Mr Friese, Mr Holsboer and Mr Van der Noordaa. Following the Settlement Date Mr Ruijter will succeed Mr Van der Noordaa. The Transition Committee will supervise, monitor and advise on the fairness of the integration process. Following the Settlement Date, the Transition Committee will continue to be in place until completion of the integration. NN Group and Delta Lloyd will strive to realise the synergies of the Transaction as soon as reasonably possible after Settlement. The Delta Lloyd Boards subscribe to the joint strategic vision underlying the Transaction. Employees NN Group values the experience and expertise of Delta Lloyd's employees which will help further shape the future success of the Combined Group. NN Group will respect any and all existing rights and benefits of employees of Delta Lloyd, including existing social plans, profit sharing schemes, covenants (including covenants with the Delta Lloyd works council) and collective labour agreements (including the employee benefits included in the terms thereof), as well as the terms of the individual employment agreements between Delta Lloyd and its employees for the agreed duration of these arrangements and agreements or, if earlier, until new plans and/or agreements will be in place amending these rights. Following the Settlement Date, the nomination, selection and appointment of staff for functions within the Combined Group will, subject to applicable law and regulation, be based on the 'best person for the job' principle, or, where not feasible or appropriate, on a non-discriminatory, fair and business-oriented transparent set of criteria. The integration of the businesses of Delta Lloyd and NN Group may have potential consequences for the employees of the Benelux Operations. Delta Lloyd and NN Group shall put in place appropriate arrangements dealing with the impact of integration for employees with due care and respect and shall honour the redundancy arrangements, social plans and applicable contractual arrangements already made or to be made with the relevant employees and/or their representatives. To the extent required pursuant to existing or future social plans and/or redundancy plans, Delta Lloyd and NN Group will ensure that any vacancies that arise during the integration phase within the Combined Group and within the same geographical area are first offered to employees of the Combined Group who have or would have become redundant in connection with the Offer and the contemplated transactions, subject to such employees having the relevant skills and experience and in line with the applicable rules and regulations. Delta Lloyd and NN Group shall offer outplacement services to any employees of the Combined Group that become redundant in connection with the Offer and the contemplated transactions, to the extent required pursuant to existing or future social plans and/or redundancy plans. Brands The brands of NN Group shall be used as the brands for the Combined Group. The brand "Delta Lloyd" shall no longer be actively marketed or used for commercial activities and is expected to be gradually and prudently phased out over time. The brands 'OHRA' and 'BeFrank' shall be maintained and the Combined Group supports the continued use of the brand of ABN AMRO by the ABN AMRO joint venture. The Combined Group intends to continue NN Group's APF brand ('De Nationale') and to discontinue Delta Lloyds's APF brand. Location The head offices shall be combined at NN Group's head office in The Hague. Delta Lloyd's location in Amsterdam shall be maintained for a period of at least three years following the Settlement Date, for insurance activities, provided this will not hinder the implementation of the integration plan. The Combined Group shall support the continued use by the ABN AMRO joint venture of its offices in Zwolle. Delta Lloyd's location in Arnhem (OHRA) shall be maintained, provided that the Combined Group shall retain the flexibility to combine its operations in Ede and Arnhem in one location in the Arnhem/Ede region. Sustainability The Combined Group shall strive to be a leader in the field of sustainability, inspired by Delta Lloyds's current leadership in this field. The charity programme as conducted by the Delta Lloyd Foundation shall be continued. Extraordinary general meetings of Shareholders of Delta Lloyd In accordance with Article 18, paragraph 1 of the Decree, Delta Lloyd shall convene an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to discuss the Offer (the 'Offer EGM'). The Offer EGM shall be held at the Hilton Hotel, Apollolaan 138 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on 29 March 2017 at 10:30 hours CET. At the Offer EGM, the Offer, among other matters, will be discussed in accordance with the Decree and certain resolutions will be proposed to the Delta Lloyd shareholders in connection with the Offer. In addition, solely for legal-technical reasons, a separate extraordinary general meeting of shareholders will be held on the same date as and immediately following the Offer EGM to resolve upon the Legal Merger. The official convening notice with instructions for attending the meetings, the agenda with notes for the Offer EGM and the Legal Merger EGM (and explanatory notes thereto) and details on the intended appointment of Mr Knibbe and Ms Van Vredenburch to the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and the proposed appointment of Mr Friese, Mr Rueda and Mr Erasmus to the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board and the proposed amendments of the Articles of Association are included in the Position Statement that is made available by Delta Lloyd as of today and are available on www.deltalloyd.com. Works Council The Delta Lloyd Works Council and the NN Group Works Council have been informed regarding the Offer. On the basis thereof, the Delta Lloyd Works Council and the NN Group Works Council have given their positive advice in respect of the Offer on 1 February 2017 and 19 January 2017, respectively. Competition Clearance The Offer is conditional on obtaining Competition Clearance. The Offeror anticipates submitting a merger notification with the European Commission on 10 February 2017. The Offeror shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain Competition Clearance as soon as reasonably practicable. Offer Period (aanmeldingstermijn) The Offer Period under the Offer will commence at 09:00 hours, CET, on 3 February 2017 and will expire at 17:40 hours, CET, on 7 April 2017, unless the Offeror extends the Offer Period, in which case the closing date shall be the date on which the extended Offer Period expires (such initial or postponed date, the 'Closing Date'). Shares tendered on or prior to the Closing Date may not be withdrawn, subject to the right of withdrawal of any tender of Shares during the Offer Period in accordance with the provisions of Article 5b, paragraph 5, Article 15, paragraphs 3 and 8 and Article 15a paragraph 3 of the Decree. In case of extension of the Offer Period, any Shares previously tendered and not withdrawn will remain subject to the Offer. Acceptance by Shareholders Shareholders who hold their Shares through an Admitted Institution are requested to make their acceptance known through their bank or stockbroker no later than 17:40 hours, CET, on the Closing Date. The custodian, bank or stockbroker may set an earlier deadline for communication by Shareholders in order to permit the custodian, bank or stockbroker to communicate its acceptances to the Settlement Agent (ABN AMRO) in a timely manner. Accordingly, Shareholders holding Shares through a financial intermediary should comply with the dates communicated by such financial intermediary, as such dates may differ from the dates and times noted in the Offer Memorandum. Admitted Institutions may tender Shares for acceptance only to the Settlement Agent and only in writing. In submitting the acceptance, Admitted Institutions are required to declare that (i) they have the Shares in their administration, (ii) each Shareholder who accepts the Offer irrevocably represents and warrants that (a) the Shares are being tendered in compliance with the restrictions set out in Sections 2 (Restrictions) and 3 (Important Information) of the Offer Memorandum and (b) it is not the subject or target, directly or indirectly, of any economic or financial sanctions administered or enforced by any agency of the US government, the European Union, any member state thereof, or the United Nations, other than solely by virtue of its inclusion in, or ownership by a person included in, the US "Sectoral Sanctions Identifications (SSI) List" or Annex III, IV, V or VI of Council Regulation (EU) No. 833/2014 of 31 July 2014, as amended, and (iii) they undertake to transfer these Shares to the Offeror prior to or ultimately on the Settlement Date, provided that the Offer has been declared unconditional (gestand wordt gedaan). Declaring the Offer unconditional (gestanddoening) The Offer will be subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the Offer Conditions, as is set out in Section 6.7 (Offer Conditions, waiver and satisfaction) of the Offer Memorandum. The Offer Conditions may be waived, to the extent permitted by law or by agreement, as set out in Section 6.7 (Offer Conditions, waiver and satisfaction) of the Offer Memorandum. One of the Offer Conditions is a minimum acceptance level of 95% of the Shares. This level is lowered to 67% if the shareholders, at the Legal Merger EGM, vote in favour of the Legal Merger. No later than on the third (3rd) Business Day following the Closing Date, such date being the 'Unconditional Date', the Offeror will determine whether the Offer Conditions have been satisfied or waived. In addition, the Offeror will announce on the Unconditional Date whether (i) the Offer is declared unconditional, (ii) the Offer will be extended in accordance with Article 15 of the Decree or (iii) the Offer is terminated as a result of the Offer Conditions not having been satisfied or waived, all in accordance with Article 16 of the Decree and the Merger Protocol. In the event that the Offer is not declared unconditional, the Offeror will explain such decision. Extension If one or more of the Offer Conditions is not satisfied or waived by the Closing Date in accordance with Section 6.7.2 (Waiver) of the Offer Memorandum, the Offeror may, subject to prior consultation with Delta Lloyd and in accordance with Article 15, paragraph 1 and paragraph 2 of the Decree, extend the Offer for a minimum period of two (2) weeks and a maximum period of ten (10) weeks in order to have such Offer Conditions satisfied or waived. If the Offer Condition relating to Competition Clearance set out in Section 6.7.4(b) (Offer Conditions, waiver and satisfaction) of the Offer Memorandum is not satisfied or waived or the Offer Condition relating to other regulatory approvals set out in Section 6.7.4(c) (Offer Conditions, waiver and satisfaction) of the Offer Memorandum is not satisfied or waived because the declaration of no objection from DNB, the National Bank of Belgium or the European Central Bank is not obtained on the initial Closing Date, the Offeror must extend the initial Offer Period until such time as the Offeror and Delta Lloyd reasonably believe is necessary to cause such Offer Condition to be satisfied. Extension of the Offer Period may in any event occur once (extension for more than one period is subject to clearance of the AFM, which will only be given in exceptional circumstances). In case of such extension all references in the Offer Memorandum to 17:40 hours CET on the Closing Date shall, unless the context requires otherwise, be changed to the latest date and time to which the Offer Period has been so extended. During an extension of the Offer Period, any Shares previously tendered and not withdrawn will remain subject to the Offer, subject to the right of each Shareholder to withdraw the Shares he or she has already tendered in accordance with Section 5.3 (Withdrawal Rights) of the Offer Memorandum. Post Closing Acceptance Period If and when the Offer is declared unconditional (gestand wordt gedaan), the Offeror will publicly announce, in accordance with Article 17 of the Decree, a Post Closing Acceptance Period to enable Shareholders who did not tender their Shares during the Offer Period to tender their Shares under the same terms and conditions applicable to the Offer. Settlement In the event that the Offeror announces that the Offer is declared unconditional (gestand wordt gedaan), Shareholders who have tendered and transferred (geleverd) their Shares for acceptance pursuant to the Offer on or prior to the Closing Date will receive the Offer Price in respect of each tendered Share within three (3) Business Days following the Unconditional Date. Liquidity, delisting, squeeze-out and Legal Merger NN Group's willingness to pay the Offer Price and pursue the transaction is predicated on the acquisition of 100% of the Shares. NN Group and Delta Lloyd anticipate that full integration of their companies will deliver substantial operational, commercial, organisational, financial and tax benefits, which could not, or only partially, be achieved if Delta Lloyd were to continue as standalone entity with minority shareholders. Liquidity The purchase of Shares by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer, among other things, will reduce the number of Shareholders and the number of Shares that might otherwise trade publicly. Delisting and squeeze-out If NN Group acquires at least 95% of the Shares, it is intended that Delta Lloyd's listings on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels will be terminated as soon as possible. In addition, NN Group will commence statutory squeeze-out proceedings. Legal Merger If NN Group acquires less than 95% but at least 67% of the Shares, NN Group will, subject to the shareholders having approved the Legal Merger, be entitled to pursue a triangular legal merger of Delta Lloyd into the Offeror, whereby Shareholders will receive listed ordinary shares in NN Group ('NN Group Shares') (the 'Legal Merger'). In exchange for each Share, the owner of such Share will receive a fraction of one ordinary share of NN Group equal to the Offer Price per Share divided by the NN Group stock price on the last day prior to the date on which the notarial deed to establish the Legal Merger is executed (the 'Exchange Ratio'). Any NN Group Shares received pursuant to the Legal Merger have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'U.S. Securities Act'), and therefore, may not be distributed, sold or transferred in the absence of registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. Any Shareholders located in the United States at the time of the Legal Merger will be required to make certain representations, warranties and undertakings in respect of their status as "qualified institutional buyers" within the meaning of Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act (the 'QIB Confirmations'), in order to receive the NN Group Shares on completion of the Legal Merger. If a beneficiary to Shares located in the United States is unable to make the QIB Confirmations on behalf of itself or the person on whose behalf such Shares are held, any NN Group Shares allotted to such person will instead be transferred to a nominee, and such NN Group Shares will be sold on his, her or its behalf with the proceeds being remitted to such person within 5 days of the completion of the Legal Merger. The Legal Merger will be subject to the approval of the general meeting of shareholders of Delta Lloyd. The Delta Lloyd Executive Board and Supervisory Board have approved and consented to the Legal Merger and recommend the Delta Lloyd shareholders to vote in favour of the Legal Merger. Announcements Any further announcements in relation to the Offer will be issued by press release and, to the extent required, made public in Belgium by means of a supplement to the Offer Memorandum, in accordance with Article 17 of the Belgian Law on public takeover bids of 1 April 2007. Any press release issued by NN Group will be made available on NN Group's website (www.nn-group.com) and any press release issued by Delta Lloyd will be made available on Delta Lloyd's website (www.deltalloyd.com). Subject to any applicable requirements of the applicable rules and without limiting the manner in which the Offeror may choose to make any public announcement, the Offeror will have no obligation to communicate any public announcement other than as described in the Offer Memorandum. Indicative timetable (All times are CET) 09:00 hours, 3 February 2017 Commencement of the Offer Period 10:30 hours, 29 March 2017 Offer EGM, at which meeting the Offer, among other matters, will be discussed and the Offer EGM Resolutions will be voted upon Immediately following Offer EGM on 29 March 2017 Legal Merger EGM, at which the Legal Merger Resolution will be voted upon 17:40 hours, 7 April 2017 Closing Date No later than three (3) Business Days after the Closing Date Unconditional Date No later than three (3) Business Days after the Unconditional Date Settlement Date Reference is made to Section 5.14 of the Offer memorandum. Offer Memorandum, Position Statement and further information The Offeror is making the Offer on the terms and subject to the conditions and restrictions contained in the Offer Memorandum, dated 2 February 2017, which is available as of today. In addition, as of today, Delta Lloyd makes available the Position Statement, containing the information required by Article 18, paragraph 2, and Annex G of the Decree in connection with the Offer. This announcement contains selected, condensed information regarding the Offer and does not replace the Offer Memorandum and/or the Position Statement. The information in this announcement is not complete and additional information is contained in the Offer Memorandum and the Position Statement. Shareholders are advised to review the Offer Memorandum and the Position Statement in detail and to seek independent advice where appropriate in order to reach a reasoned judgment in respect of the Offer and the content of the Offer Memorandum and the Position Statement. In addition, Shareholders may wish to consult with their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of tendering their Shares under the Offer. Digital copies of the Offer Memorandum are available on the websites of Delta Lloyd (www.deltalloyd.com) and NN Group (www.nn-group.com). Copies of the Offer Memorandum are also available free of charge at the offices of Delta Lloyd and the Settlement Agent at the addresses mentioned below. A digital copy of the Position Statement is available on the website of Delta Lloyd (www.deltalloyd.com). Delta Lloyd Delta Lloyd N.V. Amstelplein 6 1096 BC Amsterdam The Netherlands Settlement Agent (ABN AMRO) Gustav Mahlerlaan 10 P.O. Box 283 1000 EA Amsterdam The Netherlands Transaction advisors In connection with the transaction, the financial advisers of the NN Group Executive Board and the NN Group Supervisory Board are J.P. Morgan Limited (lead), ING Bank N.V., and Morgan Stanley, and NN Group's legal counsel is Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Goldman Sachs International is acting as financial advisor to the Delta Lloyd Executive Board and the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board, Bank of America Merrill Lynch is acting as financial advisor to the Delta Lloyd Supervisory Board, Delta Lloyd's legal counsel is Allen & Overy. Other To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, NN Group and its affiliates or brokers (acting as agents for NN Group or its affiliates, as applicable) may from time to time after the date hereof, and other than pursuant to the intended offer, directly or indirectly purchase, or arrange to purchase, ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd, that are the subject of the Offer. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in the Netherlands, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release to inform shareholders of such information, which will be made available on the website of NN Group. In addition, financial advisors to NN Group may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Delta Lloyd, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. Press enquiries NN Group Media Relations +31 70 513 1918 mediarelations@nn-group.com Investor enquiries NN Group Investor Relations +31 88 663 5464 investor.relations@nn-group.com Press enquiries Delta Lloyd Media Relations +31 20 594 4488 mediarelations@deltalloyd.nl Investor enquiries Delta Lloyd Investor Relations +31 20 594 9693 ir@deltalloyd.nl NN Group profile NN Group is an international insurance and asset management company, active in more than 18 countries, with a strong presence in a number of European countries and Japan. With around 11,500 employees the group offers retirement services, insurance, investments and banking to more than 15 million customers. NN Group includes Nationale-Nederlanden, NN and NN Investment Partners. NN Group is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (NN). Delta Lloyd profile Delta Lloyd offers products and services in insurance, pensions, investment and banking, serving 4.2 million commercial and retail clients in The Netherlands and Belgium. Our four brands are Delta Lloyd, ABN AMRO Insurance, BeFrank and OHRA. Delta Lloyd is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Brussels, and included in the DJSI World and DJSI Europe. Notice to US holders of Shares The Offer will be made for the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Delta Lloyd N.V., a public limited liability company incorporated under Dutch Law, and is subject to Dutch disclosure and procedural requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Offer will be made in the United States in compliance with Section 14(e) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 'U.S. Exchange Act') and Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder, and the exemptions therefrom provided by Rule 14d-1(d), and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Dutch and Belgium law. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject to certain disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, the Offer timetable and settlement procedures and timing of payments that are different from those applicable under U.S. domestic tender offer procedures and laws. The receipt of cash pursuant to the Offer by a U.S. holder of Shares will generally be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and may be a taxable transaction under applicable state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each holder of Shares is urged to consult his independent professional advisor immediately regarding the tax consequences of acceptance of the Offer. It may be difficult for U.S. holders of Shares to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the U.S. federal securities laws, since the Offeror and Delta Lloyd are located in a country other than the United States, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of a country other than the United States. U.S. holders of Shares may not be able to sue a non-U.S. company or its officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-U.S. company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment. To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, including Rule 14e-5 of the U.S. Exchange Act, in accordance with normal Dutch practice, the Offeror and its Affiliates or brokers (acting as agents for the Offeror or its Affiliates, as applicable) may before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance, directly or indirectly, purchase, or arrange to purchase, Shares outside of the United States, from time to time, other than pursuant to the Offer. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. In addition, the financial advisors to the Offeror may engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Delta Lloyd, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. To the extent required in The Netherlands, any information about such purchases will be announced by press release in accordance with Article 13 of the Decree and posted on the website of NN Group at www.nn-group.com. Restrictions The distribution of this press release may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, NN Group and Delta Lloyd disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of any such restrictions by any person. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction. Neither NN Group, nor Delta Lloyd nor any of its advisors assumes any responsibility for any violation by any person of any of these restrictions. Any shareholder who is in any doubt as to its position should consult an appropriate professional advisor without delay. This announcement is not to be published or distributed in or to Canada or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information in the press release is not intended to be complete, for further information reference is made to the Offer Memorandum. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or an invitation to acquire or dispose of any securities or investment advice or an inducement to enter into investment activity. In addition, the Offer made pursuant to the Offer Memorandum is not being made in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or other laws or regulations of such jurisdiction or would require any registration, approval or filing with any regulatory authority not expressly contemplated by the terms of the Offer Memorandum. Forward-looking statements Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements", such as statements relating to the impact of the Offer on the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd and the expected timing and completion of the Offer. Forward-looking statements include those preceded by, followed by or that include the words may, anticipated, expected or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Each of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd, and any of their respective Affiliates, each with respect to the statements it has provided, believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. Nevertheless, no assurance can be given that such statements will be fulfilled or prove to be correct, and no representations are made as to the future accuracy and completeness of such statements. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the Offeror's, NN Group's and Delta Lloyd's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or those results expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, (i) the risk that required regulatory approvals may delay the Offer or result in the imposition of conditions that could have a material adverse effect on the Combined Group or cause the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd to abandon the Offer, (ii) the risk that the Offer Conditions may not be satisfied, (iii) risks relating to NN Group's ability to successfully operate Delta Lloyd without disruption to its other business activities, which may result in the Combined Group not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected, (iv) the possibility that the Offer may involve unexpected costs, unexpected liabilities or unexpected delays, (v) the risk that the businesses of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the Offer, (vi) the effects of competition (in particular the response to the Transaction in the marketplace) and competitive developments or risks inherent to NN Group's or Delta Lloyd's business plans, (vii) the risk that disruptions from the Transaction will harm relationships with customers, employees and suppliers, (viii) political, economic or legal changes in the markets and environments in which NN Group and/or Delta Lloyd does business, (ix) economic conditions in the global markets in which NN Group and Delta Lloyd operate, (x) uncertainties, risk and volatility in financial markets affecting the Offeror, NN Group and/or Delta Lloyd, and (xi) other factors that can be found in NN Group's and its subsidiaries' and Delta Lloyd's press releases and public filings. Neither the Offeror, NN Group nor Delta Lloyd, nor any of their respective Affiliates and advisors, accepts any responsibility for any financial information contained in the Offer Memorandum relating to the business, results of operations or financial condition of the other or their respective groups. Each of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based except as required by applicable laws and regulations or by any competent regulatory authority. A 20-year-old British man who left his job as a chef to fight ISIS ended up killing himself to avoid capture, family members and Kurdish fighters say. Kurdish sources tell the BBC that Ryan Lock and four other fighters died after they were besieged by ISIS militants during an offensive near Raqqa, Syria. The sources say the fighters put up "considerable resistance." After the bodies were retrieved, they saw evidence that Lock had shot himself under the chin. Lock joined the Kurdish militia in August last year after telling his family he was going on vacation to Turkey, the Telegraph reports. Lock's body was handed to British authorities this week after a ceremony attended by dozens of Kurdish fighters. Kurdish commanders described him as a "martyr" who died putting up a brave fight. "ISIS [was] robbed of a predictable macabre propaganda opportunity by Ryan's action," Kurdish rights activist Mark Campbell tells the BBC. "I personally believe he deserves the very highest of military honors for such outstanding bravery in the face of such a barbaric enemy." (In January, ISIS destroyed Roman monuments in a recaptured ancient city.) Trump adviser. Tech billionaire. Gawker killer. Lord of the Rings fan? The New York Times reports Peter Thiel was granted New Zealand citizenship back in 2011 despite not meeting any of the requirements for citizenship. Now at least one New Zealand politician is accusing Thiel of buying his citizenship. In his citizenship applicationmade public by the New Zealand government under pressure TuesdayThiel said "it would give me great pride" to let the world know he's a New Zealand citizen, according to the AP. Yet Thiel's New Zealand citizenship wasn't revealed until last week, and he's declining to comment on it. Thiel, who also has citizenship in Germany and the US, was the only major tech figure to support President Trump's executive order on immigration. In order to become a New Zealand citizen, applicants are required to live in the country for most of five-year period, plan on living there after gaining citizenship, or work for a New Zealand company abroad, the Guardian reports. Thiel didn't satisfy any of those requirements, having only visited the country a few times and receiving his citizenship at a ceremony in California. He did however invest in a number of New Zealand companies and tout the country as a "great place to start a business." His application was granted by the former minister of Internal Affairs under "exceptional circumstances," which included Thiel's "skills as an entrepreneur." But one New Zealand politician says citizenship was granted "entirely based on money." (Tech billionaires are buying land in New Zealand in preparation for the apocalypse.) It looks like we may have to start calling it "tree person syndrome." Sky News reports 10-year-old Sahana Khatun may be the first female in the world with the rare genetic disease commonly known as tree man syndrome. The Bangladeshi girl was admitted to a hospital in the capital of Dhaka with "bark-like warts" on her nose, chin, and ears, according to CNN. The growths first showed up a few months ago, but Sahana had related rashes on her face when she was as young as 2. Her father, Mohammad Shahjahan, decided to bring her to the hospital when the growths started to spread, the BBC reports. "I really hope that the doctors will remove the barks from my beautiful daughter's face," Sky News quotes him as saying. Tree man syndrome is an extremely rare condition more formally known as epidermodysplasia verruciformis. It's caused by unusual vulnerability to the human papillomavirus. The Telegraph reports that only four casesall in menhave been documented prior to Sahana. An Indonesian man died from the disease last year. But Abul Bjandar, who had growths on his hands and legs weighing up to 11 pounds, has undergone more than a dozen surgeries at the hospital in Dhaka and is close to being released. Sahana is being tested to confirm she does indeed have tree man syndrome. Doctors say it appears to be a mild case and believe it could take just one surgery to remove the growths from Sahana's face. (This rare disease can make you think you're dead.) ASKER, NORWAY (2 February 2017) TGS announces the Otos multibeam and seep study project in the U.S Gulf of Mexico. Acquisition of the multibeam survey is underway and is the first stage of a seep and geochemistry program covering the U.S Gulf of Mexico. The survey is designed to mirror the successful Gigante multibeam and seep study in the Mexican Gulf of Mexico, conducted in 2016. The new program will cover approximately 289,000 km2 and include 250 cores with advanced geochemistry analysis. TGS will continue to work with the same acquisition providers as in the Mexico program, Fugro (Multibeam) and TDI Brooks (Coring and Geochemical analysis). Final results in all areas should be available in late 2017. "The Otos multibeam and seep study will provide new insight into the distribution of different source rock geology throughout the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and link this in a consistent fashion to the recent successful survey in Mexico. This new project is in an area where TGS has a strong track record and a large complimentary data library", commented Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS. This project is supported by industry funding. Company summary TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, and data integration solutions. For more information visit TGS online at www.tgs.com. Forward-looking statements and contact information All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principle customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data products at costs commensurate with profitability. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason. TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO:TGS). TGS sponsored American Depositary Shares trade on the U.S. over-the-counter market under the symbol "TGSGY". For additional information about this press release please contact: Sven Brre Larsen Chief Financial Officer Tel: +47 90 94 36 73 Email: sven.larsen@tgs.com Will Ashby VP HR & Communication Tel: +1 713 860 2184 Email: will.ashby@tgs.com This information is subject of the disclosure requirements acc. to 5-12 vphl (Norwegian Securities Trading Act) At the debut of his Variations on an Original Theme in 1899, English composer and cryptographer Edward Elgar hinted at a riddle of sorts hidden in the work. The idea is that the 14 variations in the piece are, in fact, variations of a particular piece of music. "So what is that enigmatic theme that supposedly runs through the entire work but is never played?" asks Daniel Estrin writes at the New Republic. Well, that question about the so-called Enigma Variations has been the biggest mystery in classical music for more than a century, the story explains. "It has been understood to be a well-known melody that would harmonize with the music if played along with it," but Elgar never gave it up. And while countless musicians and sleuths have tried and failed to solve the puzzle, Estrin recounts how a 47-year-old violin teacher from Plano, Texas, believes he's succeeded. Bob Padgett says the secret melody is the 16th-century German hymn "Ein feste Burg" by Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther.The complicated explanation of this theory is laid out on Padgett's blog, along with various clues that he says support it. For example, Padgett says Elgar "literally gave away the answer" when he gave a book that quotes "Ein feste Burg" to the conductor who premiered the Variations. But he goes much, much deeper than that, using code-breaking techniques to substitute letters for notes to reveal what he says are hidden messages in the work. Not all scholars aren't convincedand some even think Elgar was playing an elaborate practical joke. But Padgett says they aren't willing to accept that an "outsider" could solve the enigma, especially one who claims he did it with God's help. Click for the full piece, which notes that an envelope to be opened in 2034 may provide the definitive answer. (Read more classical music stories.) At least four guards and a counselor were taken hostage by inmates Wednesday inside a Delaware prison, according to a union attorney, and all the state's prisons were put on lockdown as police swarmed the facility. Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, told the AP that inmates had taken control of one building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. Injuries to both officers and inmates were reported, he said. In a brief statement, the Department of Corrections said DOC Response Teams and Delaware State Police were on the scene responding to a hostage situation. A DOC spokesperson said an emergency situation was reported at the Smyrna prison late Wednesday morning. The facility was placed on lockdown, as were all prisons in the state per DOC policy. Spokesperson Jayme Gravell provided few details but described the situation as an isolated incident, adding that there was no threat to the public. Rogers said he'd been briefed on the situation by the union president, who was talking to officials at the scene. He described the building under inmate control as housing between 120 and 150 inmates. The population is considered medium to maximum security, he said. There has been very little communication between inmates and those on the outside, and no demands have been communicated to the union, according to Rogers. Gravell said firefighters were called to the scene after reports of smoke and were being held on standby. (Read more Delaware stories.) Ibtesam Alkarnake's water broke while traveling from a refugee camp in Jordan to her new home in Canada. But the Syrian refugee told no one, not even her husband and four children, reports the Edmonton Journal. It was "brute determination on the mom's part to have the baby in Canada," pastor Doug Doyle, who welcomed the family in Fort McMurray, Alberta, on Tuesday, tells the CBC. Perhaps Alkarnake feared her labor might prevent the trip, as so many other things had threatened to do. For one thing, some members of Doyle's Fort City Church were hesitant to sponsor a Syrian family when the idea was first proposed in 2015, says Doyle. Then a wildfire spread through Fort McMurray last year, destroying 2,400 buildings and forcing 90,000 people to evacuate. But the townhouse set aside for the Alkarnake family was spared by the fire, which allowed church members to realize that the refugees were "fleeing the flames of their city," Doyle says. So after the church raised $70,000, the Alkarnakes left a camp of 100,000 refugees in Jordan, spending about 24 hours in the air on three separate flights to get to their new home. Ibtesam kept quiet all the way. Ten hours after setting foot in Canada, she gave birth to a 6-pound baby boy. The Canadian government says about 40,000 Syrian refugees have been settled in Canada since November 2015, including 14,000 who were privately sponsored. About 12,500 Syrian refugees were accepted in the US in the fiscal year ending in September, per Pew Research. (Read more Syrian refugees stories.) A talk by far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of California-Berkeley had to be called off Wednesday night as protesters smashed windows, ignited fireworks, and chucked bricks and Molotov cocktails. The university blamed the violence on 150 "masked agitators" it accused of disrupting otherwise peaceful protests against the Breitbart editor and his "Dangerous Faggot" speaking tour, CNN reports. There were around 1,000 demonstrators at the height of the protest, many of whom chanted anti-President Trump slogans, reports the Daily Californian. Police say they were forced to call off the event because of safety concerns. Five people were injured, but there were no arrests. After the talk was canceled, Yiannopoulos, who calls himself a "libertarian, gay, Trump-supporting provocateur," accused the left of being "terrified" of free speech and of "anyone who they think might be persuasive." A campus Republican group declared that the Free Speech Movement had died on the same campus where it was born, though the Berkeley protesters argued that Yiannopoulos' "hate speech" does not deserve protection. "The whole reason we're here is for free speech," a Berkeley sophomore told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Milo's hate speech is not allowed here. When it's hate speech, our free speech is to shut him down." (A Yiannopoulos talk at the University of California-Davis was called off last month in similar circumstances.) The Large Hadron Collider facilitated the discovery of the Higgs boson, but it's not yet immune to animal troubles. Following a similar incident last April, a stone marten jumped a fence at the $7 billion site in Switzerland on Nov. 20 and came into contact with a transformer, causing the LHC to lose power, reports NPR. "There must have been a big flame" because "every hair of this creature was kind of burned" and the feet and legs "were cooked," says Kees Moeliker. He should know. After making some calls, Moeliker, of the Natural History Museum in Rotterdam, Netherlands, got his hands on the marten, had it stuffed, and put it on display in the museum's "Dead Animal Tales" exhibit, which shows how "animal and human life collide with dramatic results." "We want to show that no matter what we do to the environment, to the natural world, the impact of nature will always be there," Moeliker tells the Guardian. The martena member of the weasel familyis "a fine example" of that, he adds. Among the other animals on display: a sparrow killed after knocking over 23,000 dominoes meant to be part of a world record attempt, a seagull that died after colliding with an ambulance, a hedgehog that died with its head stuck in a McDonald's McFlurry cup, an armored catfish that got stuck in a man's throat, and pubic lice said to be endangered thanks to humans' sudden dislike of pubic hair. (Perhaps this squirrel would qualify for a place in the exhibit.) A federal judge in Los Angeles has ordered the US government to allow people holding immigrant visas from seven Muslim-majority nations into the United States despite President Trump's executive order banning them. In a temporary restraining order, Judge Andre Birotte Jr. ordered the government not to cancel any validly obtained immigrant visas or bar anyone from the seven nations holding them from entering the US, the AP reports. But it's unclear whether the order will have any effect. The State Department ordered all visas from the seven countries revoked on Friday, and the government has maintained that orders similar to Birotte's do not apply because the visas are no longer valid. The State Department declined comment Wednesday on Birotte's order, saying it doesn't comment on pending litigation. Stacey Gartland, a San Francisco attorney who represents a 12-year-old Yemeni girl whose parents and siblings are US citizens living in California, acknowledges that her client and hundreds of others with immigrant visas still may not be allowed in the US under Birotte's order, but she says she's optimistic. "This court order is a major victory and definitely gives us a path forward," Gartland says. "It's just a matter of getting it into the right hands of someone who'll obey the court order." She says her client and dozens of other Yemeni citizens with US visas are stranded in the tiny African nation of Djibouti. (Read more Trump travel ban stories.) Authorities negotiated into the evening Wednesday for the release of the last two of four corrections department workers taken hostage by inmates at a Delaware prison, the AP reports. Earlier in the day, inmates at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna reached out to the News Journal in Wilmington to explain their actions and make demands. In one call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." The caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Police say the four prison employees were taken hostage after officers responded to a call for immediate assistance. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said 27 inmates also had left the building over the course of the evening. Authorities don't know "the dynamics of the takeover" or whether those inmates had been held against their will, Coupe said. (Read more Delaware stories.) President Trump visited Dover Air Force Base in Delaware Wednesday as the remains of a Navy SEAL killed in a Yemen raid were returned to the US, reports AP. William Ryan Owens was killed over the weekend during the first special-ops raid approved by Trump, and while early reports suggested that much went wrong in the mission, a slew of stories Thursday fill in details. The New York Times reports that Trump gave the go-ahead during a dinner that included advisers Steve Bannon, son-in-law Jared Kushner, defense chief Jim Mattis, VP Mike Pence, and national security adviser Michael Flynn. The newspaper wonders whether the right questions were asked, while Reuters, quoting anonymous military officials, reports that it was approved "without sufficient intelligence, ground support, or adequate backup preparations." The raid, which was planned under President Obama, seemed doomed from the start: Somehow, militants got wind of it, perhaps reading low-flying drones as a clue. That led to a fierce firefight, in which women reportedly took up weapons with the militants, in the targeted village. At one point, a US MV-22 Osprey made a hard landing that left it disabled, and the American commandos intentionally blew up the $70 million aircraft so it wouldn't be captured, reports the Washington Post. US Central Command said it has "concluded regrettably that civilian non-combatants were likely killed" in the raid and is investigating. One of the victims was reportedly the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, the late American-born al-Qaeda propagandist, reports the Guardian. The Times notes that Trump's national security team hopes to streamline decisions on such raids in the future. (Read more President Trump stories.) Gen. James Mattis is in South Korea, and the new defense secretary has delivered what one analyst calls an "unexpected present" from the Trump administration: clarity on US policy. Mattis arrived in the country Thursday on his first foreign trip in his new role; he'll also visit Japan. He restated the firm US defense commitment to South Korea and addressed controversy over the South's planned deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, saying North Korea is the only country that has anything to fear from THAAD, CNN reports. China has expressed concern about the US-developed system. Mattis said the system wouldn't be needed at all if it wasn't for the North's provocative behavior. Since taking office, Trump has been issuing orders that upend "longstanding American policy lines," making Mattis' trip and reaffirmation of US commitment to allies an "unexpected present," Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, tells the New York Times. And with more Pyongyang missile launches expected soon, the reassurance will be especially welcome in the South. The North has "a wonderful tradition of greeting every new US president with a bit of fireworks, sometimes a nuclear test, sometimes ICBM launch and they're not going to break this tradition," Korean studies professor Andrei Lankov at Seoul's Kookmin University tells CNN. For further reading, check out the Diplomat's deep dive on what THAAD is and why it's making Beijing so upset. (Read more South Korea stories.) In what may be one of its more unusual Facebook posts of 2017, the police department in Pawhuska, Okla., has reported on an incident that took place Friday in a junior high school choir room. The alleged perp, per KOTV and the Smoking Gun: Lacey Sponsler, a 34-year-old substitute teacher. The purported crime: showing off her cartwheel skills sans underwear. Per a probable cause affidavit, a 17-year-old female student says that Sponsler had announced she wasn't wearing undergarments, as well as dished about using drugs and how "14-year-old boys were like men." Then, captured in a video cops say a student shot on a cellphone, Sponsler allegedly did a cartwheel and caused her dress to "[flip] up," showing her buttocks. The female student said in the affidavit she saw Sponsler's exposed vagina "open and close" as her legs swung up in the air. Police arrested Sponsler, who initially denied the incident, on charges of indecent exposure and took her into custody Tuesday. After cops told her there was a video, Sponsler said she "did not remember" doing the cartwheel. According to the police report, Sponsler told cops she was simply "trying to be a cool teacher" and was only "dancing" with some students. Sponsler has pleaded guilty in the past to possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well as to public intoxication, per the Smoking Gun. (An Arizona teen said to have flashed his private parts in a yearbook photo lucked out.) Finnish English Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release February 2, 2017 at 08:05 (CET +1) Nokia Board of Directors approves the Nokia Equity Program for 2017 and the issuance of shares held by the company Espoo, Finland - Nokia announced today that its Board of Directors has approved the company's equity program for 2017 (the "Nokia Equity Program 2017"). In line with previous years, the Nokia Equity Program 2017 includes the following equity instruments: An employee share purchase plan for Nokia employees in selected jurisdictions (the "Employee Share Purchase Plan"), entitling the eligible employees to contribute a part of their salary to purchase Nokia shares. After a 12-month holding period, Nokia will offer the employees one matching share for every two purchased shares held by an employee at the end of the holding period; Performance shares, which are dependent on the achievement of independent performance criteria ("Performance Shares"); and Restricted shares, which are used on a limited basis or in exceptional retention and recruitment circumstances ("Restricted Shares"). Nokia Equity Program 2017 The Nokia Equity Program 2017 is designed to support and align the participants' focus with Nokia's strategy and long-term success. Nokia uses Performance Shares as the main long-term incentive instrument with the intention to effectively contribute to the long-term value creation and sustainability of the company and to align interests of the employees with those of Nokia's shareholders. Performance Shares are also designed to ensure that the overall equity-based compensation is based on performance, while also supporting the recruitment and ensuring retention of vital talent for the future success of Nokia. Restricted Shares are granted on a limited basis for exceptional purposes related to retention and recruitment, primarily in the United States, to ensure Nokia is able to retain and recruit vital talent for the future success of the company. Since 2014, stock options have no longer been part of the Nokia equity programs. Employee Share Purchase Plan Under the Employee Share Purchase Plan, the eligible Nokia employees may elect to make monthly contributions from their net salary to purchase Nokia shares. Participation in the plan is voluntary. The monthly minimum and maximum contribution limit to the Employee Share Purchase Plan is EUR 15 and EUR 150, respectively. Consequently, the maximum participant contribution limit during the plan cycle is EUR 1 800. Generally, the share purchases will be made at market value on pre-determined dates on a monthly basis during a 12-month period. Nokia intends to deliver one matching share for every two purchased shares that the participant still holds on July 31, 2018, which marks the end of the Employee Share Purchase Plan cycle for 2017. The aggregate maximum amount of contributions that employees can make during the enrolment window for the plan cycle commencing in 2017 will be approximately EUR 60 million, which equals approximately 14.2 million Nokia shares using the share price of EUR 4.25. Accordingly, based on the matching ratio of one matching share for every two purchased shares, the number of matching shares would be approximately 7.1 million. The Employee Share Purchase Plan is planned to be offered to Nokia employees in up to 57 countries for the plan cycle commencing in 2017. The savings period is intended to start in July 2017 and the first monthly purchases are planned to be made in August 2017. Performance Shares Under the 2017 Performance Share plan, the pay-out will depend on whether independent performance criteria have been met by the end of the performance period. The performance criteria are Nokia's continuing operations average annual non-IFRS net sales and average annual non-IFRS earnings-per share (diluted). The 2017 Performance Share plan has a two-year performance period (2017-2018) and a subsequent one-year restriction period. The number of Performance Shares to be settled would be determined by reference to the performance targets during the performance period. For non-executive participants, 25 per cent of the Performance Shares granted in 2017 will settle after the restriction period, regardless of the satisfaction of the applicable performance criteria. In case the applicable performance criteria is not satisfied, employees who are executives at the date of Performance Share grant in 2017 will not receive any settlement. The grant under the 2017 Performance Share plan could result in an aggregate maximum settlement of 74 million Nokia shares, in the event that maximum performance against all the performance criteria is achieved. Restricted Shares Under the 2017 Restricted Share plan, the Restricted Shares are divided into three tranches, each tranche consisting of one third of the Restricted Shares granted. The first tranche has a one-year restriction period, the second tranche a two-year restriction period, and the third tranche a three-year restriction period. The grant under the 2017 Restricted Share plan could result in an aggregate maximum settlement of 4.5 million Nokia shares. Employees covered by the Nokia Equity Program 2017 In accordance with the previous years' practice, the primary equity instruments granted to executive employees and other eligible employees are Performance Shares. Nokia limits the use of Restricted Shares as means of compensation. Shares under the Restricted Share plan can be granted for exceptional retention or recruitment purposes, primarily in US markets to support the specific needs, practices and competitive market environment, to ensure Nokia is able to retain and recruit vital talent for the future success of Nokia. Nokia employees in up to 57 countries are planned to be offered the possibility to participate in the Employee Share Purchase Plan for the cycle commencing in 2017, provided that there are no local regulatory or administrative restraints in relation to such plan. Dilution effect As of December 31, 2016, the aggregate maximum number of shares that could be issued under Nokia's outstanding equity programs and stock option rights, assuming the Performance Shares would be delivered at maximum level, represented approximately 1.67 per cent of Nokia's total number of shares (excluding the shares owned by Nokia Corporation). The potential maximum number of shares that could be issued under the Equity Program 2017 represents approximately an additional 1.49 per cent, assuming delivery at maximum level for Performance Shares and the delivery of matching shares against the maximum amount of contributions of approximately EUR 60 million under the Employee Share Purchase Plan. Settlement of shares under various Nokia equity plans To fulfill Nokia's obligations under the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Restricted Share plans and the 2014 Performance Share plan in respect of shares to be settled in 2017, Nokia's Board of Directors has resolved to issue, without consideration, a maximum of 9.75 million Nokia shares held by the company to settle its commitments to plan participants, who are all employees of the Nokia Group. The performance period for the 2015 Performance Share plan ended on December 31, 2016, and Nokia's performance over 2015 and 2016, assessed against the independent performance criteria set out in the plan rules, was above the threshold performance level for the plan. The settlement to the participants under the plan is planned to take place in the beginning of 2018 after the restriction period ends. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS It should be noted that Nokia and its businesses are exposed to various risks and uncertainties and certain statements herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding: A) our ability to integrate Alcatel-Lucent into our operations and achieve the targeted business plans and benefits, including targeted synergies in relation to the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent; B) expectations, plans or benefits related to our strategies and growth management; C) expectations, plans or benefits related to future performance of our businesses; D) expectations, plans or benefits related to changes in organizational and operational structure; E) expectations regarding market developments, general economic conditions and structural changes; F) expectations and targets regarding financial performance, results, operating expenses, taxes, currency exchange rates, hedging, cost savings and competitiveness, as well as results of operations including targeted synergies and those related to market share, prices, net sales, income and margins; G) timing of the deliveries of our products and services; H) expectations and targets regarding collaboration and partnering arrangements, joint ventures or the creation of joint ventures, as well as our expected customer reach; I) outcome of pending and threatened litigation, arbitration, disputes, regulatory proceedings or investigations by authorities; J) expectations regarding restructurings, investments, uses of proceeds from transactions, acquisitions and divestments and our ability to achieve the financial and operational targets set in connection with any such restructurings, investments, divestments and acquisitions; and K) statements preceded by or including "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "foresee," "sees," "target," "estimate," "designed," "aim," "plans," "intends," "focus," "continue," "project," "should," "will" or similar expressions. These statements are based on management's best assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Because they involve risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from the results that we currently expect. Factors, including risks and uncertainties that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: 1) our ability to execute our strategy, sustain or improve the operational and financial performance of our business and correctly identify and successfully pursue business opportunities or growth; 2) our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits, synergies, cost savings and efficiencies of the Alcatel-Lucent acquisition, and our ability to implement our organizational and operational structure efficiently; 3) general economic and market conditions and other developments in the economies where we operate; 4) competition and our ability to effectively and profitably compete and invest in new competitive high-quality products, services, upgrades and technologies and bring them to market in a timely manner; 5) our dependence on the development of the industries in which we operate, including the cyclicality and variability of the information technology and telecommunications industries; 6) our global business and exposure to regulatory, political or other developments in various countries or regions, including emerging markets and the associated risks in relation to tax matters and exchange controls, among others; 7) our ability to manage and improve our financial and operating performance, cost savings, competitiveness and synergies after the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent; 8) our dependence on a limited number of customers and large multi-year agreements; 9) exchange rate fluctuations, as well as hedging activities; 10) Nokia Technologies' ability protect its IPR and to maintain and establish new sources of patent licensing income and IPR-related revenues, particularly in the smartphone market; 11) our dependence on IPR technologies, including those that we have developed and those that are licensed to us, and the risk of associated IPR-related legal claims, licensing costs and restrictions on use; 12) our exposure to direct and indirect regulation, including economic or trade policies, and the reliability of our governance, internal controls and compliance processes to prevent regulatory penalties in our business or in our joint ventures; 13) our reliance on third-party solutions for data storage and service distribution, which expose us to risks relating to security, regulation and cybersecurity breaches; 14) inefficiencies, breaches, malfunctions or disruptions of information technology systems; 15) Nokia Technologies' ability to generate net sales and profitability through licensing of the Nokia brand, particularly in digital media and digital health and digital media, and the development and sales of products and services, as well as other business ventures which may not materialize as planned; 16) our exposure to various legislative frameworks and jurisdictions that regulate fraud and enforce economic trade sanctions and policies, and the possibility of proceedings or investigation that result in fines, penalties or sanctions; 17) adverse developments with respect to customer financing or extended payment terms we provide to customers; 18) the potential complex tax issues, tax disputes and tax obligations we may face in various jurisdictions, including the risk of obligations to pay additional taxes; 19) our actual or anticipated performance, among other factors, which could reduce our ability to utilize deferred tax assets; 20) our ability to retain, motivate, develop and recruit appropriately skilled employees; 21) disruptions to our manufacturing, service creation, delivery, logistics and supply chain processes, and the risks related to our geographically-concentrated production sites; 22) the impact of litigation, arbitration, agreement-related disputes or product liability allegations associated with our business; 23) our ability to optimize our capital structure as planned and re-establish our investment grade credit rating or otherwise improve our credit ratings; 24) our ability to achieve targeted benefits from or successfully implement planned transactions, as well as the liabilities related thereto; 25) our involvement in joint ventures and jointly-managed companies; 26) the carrying amount of our goodwill may not be recoverable; 27) uncertainty related to the amount of dividends and equity return we are able to distribute to shareholders for each financial period; 28) pension costs, employee fund-related costs, and healthcare costs; and 29) risks related to undersea infrastructure, as well as the risk factors specified on pages 69 to 87 of our annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 1, 2016 under "Operating and financial review and prospects-Risk factors", and in Nokia's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unknown or unpredictable factors or underlying assumptions subsequently proven to be incorrect could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required. About Nokia Nokia is a global leader in creating the technologies at the heart of our connected world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry's most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing. From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience. www.nokia.com ENQUIRIES Media Enquiries: Nokia Communications Tel. +358 (0) 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Investor Enquiries: Nokia Investor Relations Tel. +358 4080 3 4080 Email: investor.relations@nokia.com A correctional officer is dead following a hostage situation inside a Delaware prison. After Building C at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center was taken by inmates on Wednesday, Delaware State Police entered and secured the building around 5am Thursday, reports the Delaware News Journal. Two employees were found inside, one of whom was pronounced dead a short time later. The other employee, a female who was "alert and talking," was "safely rescued and is being examined at a local hospital," the Department of Correction tells ABC News. The two were among four employees taken hostage at the Smyrna-area prison. The other two officers and at least 41 inmates were released in stages throughout Wednesday. Authorities have shared few other details about the hostage situation or rescue. "This was a long and agonizing situation," Gov. John Carney tells Delaware State News. "Our priority now will be to determine what happened and how this happened. We will hold accountable anyone who was responsible. And we will make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again." (Read more Delaware stories.) For the fifth time, a Maryland house has been the victim of an out-of-control car. "When he crashed into the wall, I said, 'Damn, another car hit my house,'" homeowner Leonard Miller, 88, tells Fox 5 DC. Miller has lived in the Prince George's County home since 1971, and he says early Wednesday morning is at least the fifth time a car has come over a hill approaching his house and lost control as it turned a corner, causing it to jump the curb and ram into a wall. The crashes typically happen when it's dark out, and Miller tells WJLA drivers "fly" down the street near his house, where the posted speed limit is 30mph. Repairs have been necessary after each crash; a past crash snapped the wooden pillars that used to stand in front, NBC Washington reports. This time, the car broke through the outer brick of the homeincluding some of the brick pillars that replaced the aforementioned wooden onesas well as two windows. (The driver is OK, and no charges have been filed.) The county says if it receives a formal request, it will investigate whether the area qualifies for a traffic study. (An Indiana home has been hit by cars at least 11 times; a New Brunswick home, nine.) For less than two weeks, Shelby Carter got to be what she wanted most to bea mother. Now her friends and family in Wyoming, Ill., are honoring the sacrifice she made to save her newborn daughter, reports KWQC. Carter, who had just turned 21 on Sunday, was alone with her baby Monday morning when their house went up in flames. The local fire chief says Carter strapped Keana into a car seat and dropped her from an upstairs window, saving her life. "You put yourself in that situation and you know it wouldn't be easy," says Stacy Unhold, a family friend. Carter was found near an upstairs window, and an autopsy determined she died of smoke inhalation. No cause has been determined for the fire, which destroyed the house where Carter lived with the child's father and her own mother, Kathy Hardy. The family "lost everything," says a Facebook post from the local Baptist church. But they didn't lose Keana, who was initially brought to the hospital. "The good news is, the baby got home and is doing great," a sheriff's official tells the Journal Star. "Shelby made sure she was safe," says Hardy. A GoFundMe page has been set up for grandmother and granddaughter. (A bus driver got her 20 "babies" safely off a burning school bus.) On Wednesday, Michael Flynn said the US was "putting Iran on notice." President Trump seconded that notion Thursday in the way only he can: an early morning tweet-storm. "Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE," Trump tweeted. The AP reports he went on to falsely claim the US gave Iran $150 billion as part of Barack Obama's nuclear deal. In reality, Iran was given access to $100 billion of its own money that was sitting in frozen bank accounts. Flynn and Trump made their respective statements in response to a recent ballistics missile test by Iran. The US characterized the test as a failure after the missile traveled 500 miles then crashed, according to CNBC. Iran responded to being put on notice Thursday, insisting it will "vigorously" continue its missile program, which it argues is for defense and doesn't violate the nuclear deal or a UN resolution, CNN reports. Top Iranian official Ali Akbar Velayati accused Trump of "extremism" and "baseless ranting." Iran also accused the US of creating controversy out of fear. "America should be careful about making empty threats to Iran," CNBC quotes an Iranian official as saying. (Read more Iran stories.) John McCain is reaching out to Australia after President Trump's angry phone call with the nation's prime minister. In a statement released Thursday, McCain said that he had called Australia's ambassador to the US to express his "unwavering support for the US-Australia alliance," Politico reports. McCain also asked the ambassador to assure Australians that the rest of America stands behind the alliance and behind Australia. Slate notes that McCain's statement did not mention Trump by name, but did include a veiled insult directed at the POTUS: "Those of us who took part in the conflict remember well the service of more than 50,000 Australians in the Vietnam War, including more than 500 that gave their lives." Trump did not serve in Vietnam because of bone spurs in his heels. Trump is upset about a deal then-President Obama made with Australia that involves the US accepting 1,250 refugees who sought asylum in Australia. He referred to the "problem" again Thursday, Australia's ABC reports, telling reporters, "I have a lot of respect for Australia, I love Australia as a country," but that the deal would need to be investigated further. Press secretary Sean Spicer also addressed the deal Thursday, telling reporters Trump is "unbelievably disappointed in the previous administrations deal that was made and how poorly it was crafted, and the threat to national security it put the United States on." Spicer said that there would be "extreme vetting" of each refugee admitted to the US under the deal. (Read more John McCain stories.) Survival rate of 68% from first patient cohort vs published historical rate of 30-53% suggests signal of clinical efficacy for the drug candidate Full data set from first patient cohort to be submitted for presentation at ASCO annual meeting in June Oslo, Norway, 2 February 2017 - Targovax ASA ("Targovax" or "the Company"; OSE: TRVX), a clinical stage company focused on developing immuno-oncology therapies to target solid tumors, today announces encouraging overall survival data from an analysis of the first cohort of patients in its ongoing, phase I/II clinical trial evaluating TG01 (co-administered with GM-CSF[1]) in resected pancreatic cancer given in combination with chemotherapy, gemcitabine, the current standard of care, study CTTG01-01. Data from this patient cohort showed that 68% of evaluated patients (13/19) were still alive after two years if survival is counted from time of resection which occurred on average two months prior to first treatment, or 12/19 if counted from time of first treatment. While the cohort is small and there is no control arm, this rate compares favorably with the available published historical two-year survival rates of resected cancer patients treated with gemcitabine alone of between 30% and 53% (J Neoptolemos 2010, J van Loethem 2010, H Oettle 2013, M Sinn 2015, K Uesaka 2016; In these reported studies Overall Survival measured either from surgery or treatment randomization). Dr Magnus Jaderberg, Chief Medical Officer of Targovax commented: "We are encouraged by the two-year overall survival rate of patients treated with TG01 in this trial, versus the expected rate from published historical data when treating with gemcitabine alone, the current standard of care. Whilst acknowledging the small size of this first patient cohort and the lack of a control arm, we are encouraged by what seems to be a signal of efficacy in this highly malignant and difficult to treat cancer. This key milestone for Targovax also triggers a further iteration of plans for the future clinical development of TG01. We have submitted an abstract to the ASCO annual meeting in June when we plan to present the full data." CTTG01-01 is an open label study conducted in four centres in the UK and Norway. A first cohort of 19 patients each received 36 injections of TG01/GMCSF synchronised with six cycles of gemcitabine and have now completed the study. The main objectives of the study are an assessment of safety and immune activation. The secondary objective is to assess efficacy (disease-free survival and overall survival) at two years. The Company has received consent to enable the reporting of overall survival for all patients in the cohort. CTTG01-01 has been financially supported, in part, by The Research Council of Norway and Innovation Norway. TG01 is Targovax's first product to arise from its TG-Peptide platform. The platform yields injectable peptide-based onco-immunotherapies that are designed to treat patients whose tumors express RAS mutations. These mutations are associated with poor prognosis when present. By inducing immune responses in such cancer patients, TG-peptide immunotherapies have the potential to prolong the time to disease progression and to increase survival. RAS mutations are common in a number of cancers. Published data reports 85% of pancreatic cancer cases have such mutations. For further information, please contact: Renate Birkeli, Investor Relations Phone: +47 922 61 624 Email: renate.birkeli@targovax.com Media and IR enquires: Jan Petter Stiff - Crux Advisers (Norway) Phone: +47 995 13 891 Email: stiff@crux.no Julia Phillips/Simon Conway - FTI Consulting (International) Phone: +44 20 3727 1000 Email: Targovax@fticonsulting.com About Targovax Arming the patient's immune system to fight cancer Targovax is a clinical stage company focused on developing novel immuno-oncology therapies to target, primarily, treatment-resistant solid tumors. Immuno-oncology is currently one of the fastest growing therapeutic fields in medicine. The Company's development pipeline has arisen from two novel proprietary platforms: The first platform, ONCOS, uses oncolytic viruses, an emerging class of biological therapy. ONCOS exclusively uses an adenovirus that has been engineered to be a tumor-targeted immune activator. The platform has the potential to generate therapies with superior efficacy and safety compared to the first approved oncolytic virus therapy, Imlygic, recently launched by Amgen. We expect proof of concept data related to immune activation in tumor tissue in 2017 from the clinical trial of ONCOS-102 in combination with CPI in patients with refractory malignant melanoma. The second platform, TG-Peptides, solely targets tumors that express mutated forms of the RAS protein. Mutations to this protein are common in many cancers and are known to drive aggressive disease progression and treatment resistance. There is a high unmet medical need for therapies that are effective against tumors that express these mutations. The TG platform's therapeutic potential stems from its ability to enable a patient's immune system to identify and then destroy tumors bearing any RAS mutations. The development pipeline has three novel therapeutic candidates in clinical development covering six indications and has already demonstrated promising safety and tolerability data and early signs of clinical response. Both platforms are protected by an extensive portfolio of IP and know-how and have the potential to yield multiple product candidates in a cost-effective manner. Our portfolio of future opportunities comprises a number of early stage development candidates in addition to the three outlined above. In July 2016 the Company listed its shares on Oslo Axess, securing funding for further development of the Company's ongoing and planned trials. [1] Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close Finnish English Stock Exchange Release Talvivaara Mining Company Plc 2 February 2017 Talvivaara's Extraordinary General Meeting resolved to approve the proposal by the Board of Directors to authorise the Board of Directors resolve on a share issue An Extraordinary General Meeting of Talvivaara Mining Company Plc (the "Company") has today on 2 February 2017 resolved to approve the proposal by the Board of Directors to authorise the Board of Directors resolve on a share issue for consideration pursuant to the shareholders' pre-emptive subscription right to raise the funds needed to pay the remaining restructuring debts of the Company and/or to finance the development of the Company's new business opportunities. Based on the authorization, the number of shares which can be issued through one or several share issues shall not exceed 40,000,000,000 shares in aggregate. The Board of Directors may decide to issue new shares and/or the Company's own shares held in treasury by the Company. The Board of Directors has the right to decide upon the offering to parties determined by the Board of Directors of any shares that may remain unsubscribed for pursuant to the shareholders' pre-emptive subscription right. Should the total number of the shares in the Company afterwards decrease as a result of a reverse share split, the maximum number of the shares to be issued based on the authorisation shall decrease pro rata. The Board of Directors is authorised to determine the subscription price for the new shares and the other terms and conditions of the share issue. The authorisation of the Board of Directors to issue shares is valid until 30 June 2018. On 10 April 2015, the Administrator of the restructuring proceedings of the Company filed the final Draft Restructuring Programme with the District Court of Espoo. The confirmation and entry into force of the Draft Restructuring Programme requires the fulfilment of certain special conditions. One of these special conditions was that the general meeting of shareholders executes or authorises the Company's Board of Directors to execute a financial arrangement (e.g. a share issue, bond or other financing instrument) to raise the funds needed for paying the remaining restructuring debts and for covering other possible liabilities to the extent the Company's other funds are not sufficient for such purpose. The Company's view is that the authorization of the Board of Directors approved by the Extraordinary General Meeting today fulfills this special condition of the Draft Restructuring Programme. Enquiries Talvivaara Mining Company Plc Tel +358 20 7129 800 Pekka Pera, CEO Pekka Erkinheimo, Deputy CEO Attachments: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9fe4aa4b-e66d-4631-a7db-cf9c02d91595 New Delhi: Telcom giant Nokia on Thursday attributed its "disappointing" loss to network sales and rising costs stemming from acquisitions and integration of Alcatel-Lucent in 2016. The firm recorded a net loss of 766 million euros ($826 million) last year, which chief executive Rajeev Suri described in a statement as a "year of transition." Suri admitted he was "disappointed" with the 2016 results but said he expected a better financial performance this year "as market conditions improve." "We remain in a position of financial strength," said the chief executive. Nokia has been going through a process of radical transformation over the last few years. In 2013, it bought 50 percent of its network activities from Germany's Siemens, and the following year it divested from its previously world-leading mobile phone business. It sold its mapping unit Here in 2015 as well as completing the deal late last year to buy Alcatel-Lucent, which had only recorded one year of annual profit since its inception in 2006. Nokia was the world's top mobile phone maker between 1998 and 2011 but was overtaken by South Korean rival Samsung after ailing to respond to the rapid rise of smartphones. English Danish IC Group would like to increase the independence of the Group's core brands and reassess those functions which have been managed centrally until now. Given this context, the Group CEO has resigned his position. Group CEO Mads Ryder has resigned his position. The Board of Directors has asked Peter Thorsen, who is a member of the Board of Directors, to take over the role as interim Group CEO. The Board of Directors would like to implement a new structure in IC Group entailing that the Group's core brands; Peak Performance, Tiger of Sweden and By Malene Birger will be operated as independent business units in the future. The new structure will ensure a stronger focus on exploiting the three core brands' potentials through, among others, a more efficient execution capability. By implementing this new structure, the role of the Group CEO will be changed and, consequently, Group CEO Mads Ryder has resigned his position. The Chairman of the Board of Directors states: "We wish to create more independent and agile business units in order for these to develop better and faster." He furthermore adds: "We have been working on a general masterplan in respect of the new structure, and in order of specifying and drafting the final, detailed plan, we have asked Peter Thorsen to head the process for the coming period." Henrik Heideby emphasizes: "Peter is quite experienced in these sort of transformation processes." The Board of Directors expects that the final plan and the future management structure will be determined at a board meeting within the next six months at which point Peter Thorsen's role as interim Group CEO will cease. It should be emphasized that the strategic course of the three Premium brands is not going to be re-evaluated; it is solely with a view to accelerating value creation, including the optimal development of the three brands' full potential. The changes will result in non-recurring costs which may result in changes to the Company's guidance for the financial year 2016/17. The Board of Directors will inform in more detail in connection with the announcement of the interim report for H1 2016/17 scheduled to take place on 28 February 2017. The Board of Directors expects that costs savings will be realized once the new plan has been implemented. IC Group A/S Henrik Heideby Chairman of the Board of Directors Please direct any questions regarding this announcement to: Henrik Heideby, mobile phone +45 21295001 Peter Thorsen, mobile phone +45 40700676 This announcement is a translation from the Danish language. In the event of any discrepancy between the Danish and English versions, the Danish version shall prevail. New Delhi: Remember the 90s actress Mamta Kulkarni, who vanished from the silver screen all of a sudden? The lady is back in the news as her husband Vicky Goswami for arrested by US police in a drug haul case. Vicky happens to be an International drug lord and was even announced wanted by Thane Police in Mumbai over a year ago in a drug bust case. Interestingly, Mamta Kulkarni too was one of the suspects in the case and was reported to be actively involved in the drug racket. According to the media reports, he was arrested along with three of his associates in Mombasa, Kenya. He was arrested from a gold court and then brought to US for further investigation. It is also being stated that the Thane police has got in touch with the Drug Enforcement Agency and is trying to get Vicky back to India. "We will speak to Indian authorities to get in touch with US Counterpart and help Goswami's extradition in India. There has been a healthy information sharing between Thane police and DEA in this case," Thane Commissioner, Parambir Singh told a leading daily. Earlier, Vicky was arrested also arrested in 2014 by Kenya Police but was later released on bail. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has presented the Budget 2017-18, which appeared to have a rural push. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed it as a futuristic budget. In an exclusive interview, Minister of state for finance, Arjun Ram Meghwal, spoke to News Nation after the presentation of budget in Parliament. Here are the excerpts from the interview: #The budget is in favour of common people, it is beneficial for everyone #There was no pressure of demonetisation on budget #People supported demonetisation decision because it was taken to curb black money #I heard people saying in South India, "demonetisation is short term pain, but long term gain" #The economy is improving due to demonetisation #Skill development results in increased opportunity for employment #Govt has done away with popular announcements in Railway Budget #Government's aim is to improve railway facilities and infrastructure #The use of information technology in Aadhar card has saved the government Rs 36,000 crore #Government aims to provide homes to all by 2022 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) will now make centralised payments to newspapers for advertisements issued on behalf of different ministries, Union I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Thursday. He made the announcement after meeting with a seven-member delegation led by Indian Newspaper Society (INS) in New Delhi. The Union Minister told the delegation that the earlier decision of payment of bills to newspapers for advertisements by respective Central ministries has been revoked and DAVP will now make centralised payments for the same. The delegation, led by Akila Urankar, Deputy President and K Balaji, Vice-President of INS, welcomed the move and thanked Naidu for acting quickly on earlier representation of the newspaper body in this regard, a statement released in New Delhi said. Naidu assured the delegation that print media was an important partner in public communication and some of the issues have already been taken up with ministries concerned. The Information and Broadcasting Minister enquired from the delegation about the share of government advertisements in the revenues of newspapers, difference between commercial and DAVP rates for advertisements, methodology of fixing DAVP rates etc, adding that all these will be looked into. He said the concerns of the newspaper industry relating to GST rates, service tax and wage board have already been referred to the Ministry of Finance for consideration. On the issue of Wage Board, he said it required wider consultations, given its implications. The Union Minister added that measures were being taken to ensure that government advertisements were issued to only those publications, which were being regularly published based on production of evidence of the same. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A proposal has been prepared by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in order to build 12 nuclear reactors and improve power generation in the country. In a written response to a question in Rajya Sabha, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office said, of the 12, 10 reactors will be indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) while the other two will be Light Water Reactors (LWRs) of Kundakulam units 5 and 6 of 1,000 MW each. The DAE comes under the PMO. "These are presently under consideration of thegovernment for accord of administrative approval and financialsanction," Singh said. In reference to Kavali in Andhra Pradesh, the proposed site of a nuclear power park earmarked for Russian companies, Singh said some sections of locals and certain groups have expressed apprehensions about safety of the nuclear power plants and loss of their traditional means of livelihood. Also Read: China defends itself, says nuclear reactors supply to Pak under NSG norms He said, an extensive public outreach programme to spread awareness about the nuclear power has been instituted. "At present, the Site Selection Committee of thegovernment is exploring the possibility of identifying asuitable coastal site in Andhra Pradesh for locating nuclearpower plants with Russian cooperation. "The government of Andhra Pradesh had given its consent to carry out technical studies required to identify potentialcoastal sites for locating nuclear power plants in the state," Singh added. Also Read: China continues to sell nuclear reactors to Pak: Report In response to another question, he said the Atomic Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has identified Gogi-Kanchankai area in Yadhir district of Karnataka and it is under the evaluation of DAE. Singh also added that the DAE had filed for 40 patents in the last five years and nine were granted to them. In response to another question, Singh said, on January16, India formally became a member of CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), which derives the acronym from its french name and is the world's largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory. Also Read: China violated NPT consensus by supplying nuclear reactors to Pakistan: Arms Control Association For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday announced asecuringa the release of five Indians who were jailed in Togo. aWe have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo (sic),a she tweeted. They were in jail since 2013 for their suspected involvement in a piracy attack off the coast of Togo, according to reports. The Indians were employees of a Merchant Navy firm and were sailing on board a ship to South Africa from Mumbai when they were arrested. We have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo. a Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 1, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Panaji: Two-month-long hectic campaigning by political parties for the February 4 Goa Assembly election will culminate on Thursday. Campaigning ends 48 hours before the beginning of the polling process. The election for the 40 Assembly constituencies in the State would be held across 1642 polling booths. The coastal State is witnessing a four-cornered fight with BJP, Congress, AAP and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party-led alliance vying for mandate to rule Goa. Besides them, small parties and Independents are also in the fray. While AAP, which was the first political party to starts its campaigning, is contesting on 39 seats, Congress has fielded 37 candidates and is supporting other nominees on the remaining three constituencies. Read | Goa Polls: Amit Shah attacks Congress, says Rahul wearing Italian glasses Ruling BJP has fielded candidates in 36 constituencies and is supporting four Independents in Catholic voters dominated constituencies. The new alliance between MGP, rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkars Goa Suraksha Manch and Shiv Sena is contesting on 28 constituencies. While the MGP-led alliance and AAP have declared their Chief Ministerial candidates, Sudin Dhavalikar and Elvis Gomes, respectively, BJP and Congress have not done so. BJP has hinted Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar might be sent back to Goa as Chief Minister if it wins the polls. Read | EC issues show cause notice to Manohar Parrikar over 'bribery' remarks, seeks explanation by 3 Feb Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Manohar Parrikar have addressed rallies in support of party candidates. For Congress, Vice-President Rahul Gandhi addressed two public meetings, while Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and others addressed scores of corner meetings for party nominees. AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal accompanied by his colleagues from Delhi Cabinet also addressed rallies.Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP President Sharad Pawar, too, addressed rallies. There are 58 Independents in the fray, down from 72 in 2012. Read | What did BJP do in Goa in five years, asks Uddhav Thackeray For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Srinagar: Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital in Srinagar after he complained of chest pain late on Wednesday night, a close aide of the separatist leader said on Thursday. The 87-year-old complained of uneasiness and chest pain and was admitted to SKIMS Hospital for treatment, he said.Doctors at the hospital said Geelani has been admitted to the ICU and his condition is stable. The separatist leader stayed back in Kashmir this season and did not follow his annual practice of shifting to Delhi during winter to escape the cold-related health complications. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: With the testing process already in final phases, the government expressed hope on Thursday that work on installing 'smart fence' on the 3,323-km-long the Indo-Pak border will begin soon. The testing for the fence is in final stages and soon workfor erecting it along the Indo-Pak border will begin, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday. The new fencing is likely to have a multi-tier securityring comprising an alarm to security force personnel in caseof any infiltration bid or attempts to cut the fence. "The testing for the smart fencing is in the final stage. Pretty soon it will be done and it will be soon erected at theIndia-Pakistan border," Rijiju told reporters at New Delhi. He said the testing is being done at many places and itsdetails can't be divulged now due to security reasons. "We will have smart fencing at all our borders in phasesbut priority would be Indo-Pak frontier," he said. Also Read: Watch: India to build fortress wall along porous Line of Control with Pakistan, say sources A Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System(CIBMS) is also being worked out by the government where the security of Indo-Pak and Indo-Bangladesh borders, bothsensitive and difficult terrain, will shift from the regular troops patrolling system to a quick reaction team pattern where guards strike once they notice a blip of infiltration on their surveillance radars. There have been several attempts of infiltration by terrorists who cut the fences to enter into India from Pakistan side. India's border with Pakistan runs through four states, Jammu and Kashmir (1,225 km which includes 740 km of Line ofControl), Rajasthan (1,037 km), Punjab (553 km) and Gujarat(508 km). The government has set a target of completely sealing the India-Pakistan border by December 2018. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In the first ceasefire violation along the Indo-Pak International Border (IB) this year, Pakistan on Thursday fired gunshots and hurled grenades at a BSF post in the Samba sector in Jammu. Officials said the gunshot were fired and grenades launched around 3:30 PM at the Border Security Force post, Katao, in the Samba sector, which was retaliated by the border guarding force. They said rapid rounds of gunfire and about half a dozen grenades were shot at the border post, near the Bobiyan post, which has been targeted by Pakistan forces a number of times. No loss has been reported from the BSF post, they said. They added this breach of ceasefire along the IB is the first this year as the last such incident was reported on the intervening night of November 29-30. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday asked India to come up with concrete evidence against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed if it was serious about its allegations against him, a day after New Delhi said that only a credible crackdown on the Mumbai attack mastermind would be proof of Islamabads sincerity. Pakistan does not need any certification or endorsement from India over the recent actions it has taken in relation to Hafiz Saeed, an Interior Ministry Spokesperson said in Islamabad, referring to Saeeds detention on Monday. Saeed and four other Jamaat-ud Dawa leaders - Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Niaz - were put under house arrest after an order was issued by Punjab Provinces Interior Ministry on Monday in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. Read | JuD chief Hafiz Saeed placed on Pakistan's Exit Control List He said the actions taken by Pakistan have been carried out as per obligations vis-a-vis listing of Jamat-u-Dawa under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. India has constantly been using Saeeds political activities as a tool to malign Pakistan. The international community should take note and understand that Pakistan is a democratic society where judiciary takes free, independent and transparent decisions, the official said in a statement. If indeed India is serious about its allegations, it should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world, he said, adding mere casting aspersions and leveling allegations without any corroborating evidence would not help the cause of peace in the region. He said that various actions that needed to be taken under the relevant resolution i.e arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze were not carried out for some reasons by the previous governments. Read | FIR will be registered against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, says Pak minister India yesterday said that it was not impressed by Saeeds detention and only a credible crackdown on terror outfits, including Saeeds, will prove Pakistans sincerity as such actions had been taken against him in the past too. Meanwhile, the ministry placed Saeeds name among 38 others on the Exit Control List, two days after his detention. The ministry has forwarded a letter to all provincial governments and the Federal Investigation Agency, which included names of all 38 individuals placed on the ECL. All of them were said to be affiliated with JuD or Lashkar-e-Taiba. Saeed, Ubaid, Iqbal, Abid and Niaz are reportedly active members of the aforementioned organizations within the meaning of Section 11EEE(1) of the ATA 1997 (as amended), read a notification issued by the Interior Ministry. As such, they must be placed under preventive detention. The Ministry of Interior had placed Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and Jamaat-Ud-Dawa (JUD) on the Watch List as per UNSC 1267 Sanctions and have listed these organizations in the Second Schedule of the ATA 1997 (as amended). The spokesperson further said that Pakistan is still looking for justification and explanation from India as to how all the accused involved in Samjhauta Express bombing where 68 Pakistani nationals lost their lives have gone scot-free. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. FORM 8.3 PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. KEY INFORMATION (a) Full name of discloser: Rathbone Brothers PLC (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Booker Group PLC (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 01/02/2017 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" NO 2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security. (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any) Class of relevant security: Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 33,130,155 1.86 (2) Cash-settled derivatives: (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 33,130,155 1.86 All interests and all short positions should be disclosed. Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions). (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options) Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages: 3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in. The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated. (a) Purchases and sales Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit (p) 1p Ord Sale 10,000 202.6 (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options) (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities) Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) 4. OTHER INFORMATION (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" (b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" (c) Attachments Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO Date of disclosure: 02/02/2017 Contact name: Emma Mulhearn - Compliance Department Telephone number: 0151 236 6666 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129. The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. New Delhi: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday gave his blessings to SP-Congress alliance for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2017. Speaking to media outside the Budget Session in Parliament in New Delhi, Mulayam said he will even campaign for the party, but after Feb 9. I will campaign for SP after Feb 9, it does not matter if Congress candidates are also there, Mulayam Said, however on the question of blessings to the alliance he said, Yes, I give my blessings. Mulayam had earlier announced that he will not campaign for the SP and Congress in the assembly elections as he does not approve of the alliance. Samajwadi Party could have won by itself, we do not need Congress help, he had told media on Sunday, the day Akhilesh and Congress VC Rahul Gandhi addressed their first joint press conference. Read | Mulayam Singh Yadav against SP-Congress alliance; vows not to participate in campaign The deal painstakingly brokered by his son and party chief Akhilesh Yadav as one the first act after dethroning his father gives him a seat share of 298 out of 403, while Congress will contest elections on 105 seats. Read | SP-Congress roadshow | 'Hand' to steer 'Cycle' and defeat BJP in UP: Akhilesh, Rahul For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1 came in for sharp criticism by the opposition, which called it "disappointing and directionless", even as the ruling BJP defended it, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered on the promise of curbing black money and ushering in transparency in political funding. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said the budget lacked a "clear vision" and had nothing for farmers, youth and job creation, while West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee dubbed it as "clueless, useless and heartless". She also wanted to know why no data was given on demonetisation. Left parties termed the budged as "contractionary" and a "complete gimmick", alleging that figures given by the Finance Minister did not match the reality. Exclusive | Budget 2017: Govt has done away with popular announcements in Railway Budget, Arjun Ram Meghwal Opposition parties also accused the Modi government of preparing the budget proposals keeping in mind the Assembly polls in five states. "We were expecting fireworks. Instead, it was a damp squib. It is just 'sher-o shayari' in the budget. There is nothing for farmers and youth, and nothing for job creation. There is no clear vision," Rahul Gandhi said after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the budget in Lok Sabha. Jaitley's Budget 2017 softens demonetisation blow: Major tax relief for small taxpayers, cash transaction above Rs 3 lakh barred However, BJP President Amit Shah, however, said Modi had fulfilled the promise made in 2014 to check black money and bring transparency in political funding with the budget proposing limiting cash funding to political parties from a single source at Rs 2,000. "We had promised in 2014 to root out influence of black money in political funding and bring in transparency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has today fulfilled that promise. Several ministers and BJP leaders hailed the budget as "inspiring" and "transformational", contending that it will give a strong push to infrastructure sector, bring about electoral reforms and benefit the farmers, poor and the middle class. Budget 2017-18: Income tax for Rs 2.5 lakh-Rs 5 lakh slab reduced to 5%; 10% surcharge for Rs 50 lakh-1 cr; They also lauded Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for offering "many" concessions to honest tax payers coming down on those evading taxes and fleeing the country. Here is your chance to rate Jaitley's budget. Please vote on the poll question below or share your opinion with us in the comment box at the bottom of the story page- Jaitley's Budget 2017-18: Opposition parties pans it, Govt and BJP hails it. What's your take on the Budget? (With inputs from PTI) You can also vote on our Twitter handle @NewsNationTV For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Moon Express, which recently made it to the list of top five finalists of Google Lunar Xprize competition, has received another USD 20 million for landing its rover on the lunar surface. Moon Express will be the first spacecraft from the US to land on Moon after 1972. Naveen Jain, the co-founder and chairman of Moon Express, said in a media interview that the team has got a fresh funding of $20 million. He said that Moon Express now in total has raised $45 million from all the investors. Moon Express has not finalised the date of launching yet, however, it looks forward to launch the spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida in November or December. Naveen also said that the team has managed to implement state of the art technology which allowed the team to prepare for the moon mission with a budget of $7 million, which usually costs $200 million. Google Lunar Prize aim is to send low cost unmanned space mission. Moon Express will launch its spacecraft, the MX-1E, under the guidance of Rocket Lab of USA. After the launch, the MX-1E will get detached from the spacecraft and will go on a four-day journey towards the moon. The spacecraft will also carry several scientific and commercial payloads along. Rocket Lab will provide five rockets for each unmanned mission that will be organised by Moon Express. The first team that will successfully complete the mission will be awarded Google Lunar Prize of $20 million. Also, a bonus $5 million will be given away for completing additional tasks on the surface of the Moon but that would be optional. The five teams that have been shortlisted for the Google XPrize competition are Moon Express, Israels SpaceIL, Synergy Moon, Indias TeamIndus, and Japans Hakuto. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the lunar probes of all the five teams. The teams will be required to carry out some specific activities on the lunar surface including making their spacecraft take a trip of the Moon around1,640 feet (500 meters) and transmit high-definition video, by the end of the year. 33 teams had applied for the contest, out of which only five have made it to the final round and are competing for Google Lunar XPrize. What is Google Lunar XPRIZE? The $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE is a competition that challenges and inspires engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration. In order to win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately funded team is required to successfully place a rover on the surface of the moon. The rover should explore at least 500 meters and should be able to transmit high-definition video and images back to Earth. About XPRIZE XPRIZE designs and implements innovative competition models in order to solve the grandest challenges in the world. Active competitions include the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE, the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, the $15M Global Learning XPRIZE, the $10M Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, the $7M Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, the $7M Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE, the $5M IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, the $1.75M Water Abundance XPRIZE and the $1M Anu & Naveen Jain Womens Safety XPRIZE. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: Manufacturing activity in China slowed slightly in January, official figures showed, as the world's second-largest economy shows continued signs of stabilising. The downtick comes as many businesses closed for Chinese New Year at the end of the month, with workers heading home for a week or more to celebrate. The official purchasing managers' index (PMI), which gauges conditions at factories and mines, came in at 51.3 in January, down from 51.4 the previous month. A figure above 50 marks an expansion of manufacturing activity, and below 50 a contraction. The key manufacturing sector had been struggling in the face of sagging world demand for Chinese products and excess industrial capacity left over from the country's infrastructure boom. But an upturn in the housing and construction markets thanks to cheap credit -- following a series of monetary easing measures -- has contributed to a sharp rebound in manufacturing activity. China is a vital driver of global growth, but its economy expanded only 6.7 percent in 2016 -- its weakest rate in a quarter of a century. The country saw a slight uptick in the last three months of the year, rising to 6.8. But it is facing uncertainty in the new year, with US President Donald Trump threatening to slap massive tariffs on the highly export-dependent country. Beijing has said it wants to reorient the economy away from relying on debt-fuelled investment and towards a consumer-driven model, but the transition has proven challenging. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Abu Dhabi: US President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations is not anti-Islam, the United Arab Emirates foreign minister said on Wednesday. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, whose country like neighbouring Saudi Arabia is a close ally of Washington, said it was "wrong to say" that the decision by the new US administration was "directed against a particular religion". "The United States has made... a sovereign decision," he said at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, pointing out that it was "provisional" and did not apply to "the large majority" of the world's Muslims. In his defence of the ban which has stirred widespread protests across the globe, Sheikh Abdullah also said that some of the countries on the blacklist had "structural challenges" on the security front that they still had to overcome. Trump's controversial executive order on Friday single out citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria andYemen to prevent "radical Islamic terrorists" from entering the United States. But the 90-day ban, which could still extend to other states, has exempted Muslim-majority nations associated with major attacks in the West. Out of the 19 hijackers of planes used in the September11, 2011 attacks on the Unites States, 15 came from SaudiArabia, also the birthplace of Al-Qaeda founder and attack mastermind Osama bin Laden. The other four included the Egyptian plot leader, two Emiratis and a Lebanese. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London : The UK government on Thursday unveiled a policy document on its negotiating plans for quitting the 28-nation European Union under a mutually beneficial deal which cites India as among the key countries on its target list for stronger trade ties post-Brexit. We approach the negotiation to come in a spirit of good will and working to an outcome in our mutual benefit, David Davis, minister for exiting the European Union (EU), told the House of Commons, adding that Britains best days are yet to come. I will not be throwing people out of Britain, he added, in reference to a question about the rights of EU citizens based in the UK following Brexit. Also read: UK parliament votes in favour of starting Brexit process; to be published today Davis said the government will publish another White Paper?before the Great Repeal Bill, which will formally mark Britains intention to break from the laws governing the EU after the June 2016 referendum in favour of Brexit. We have started discussions on future trade ties with countries like Australia, New Zealand and India, the UK government wrote?in its White Paper. This department will lead the UKs ambitions for deepening trade and investment relations with the wider world. Many countries including China, Brazil, and the Gulf States have already expressed their interest in enhancing their trading relationships with us, it said. Around 3 million EU citizens are waiting to find out if they can remain in the UK, along with up to two?million British citizens in other EU member states, following last Junes EU referendum. The White Paper effectively spells out in detail British Prime Minister Theresa Mays 12 principles including migration control and taking control of our own laws unveiled in a major speech last month. It confirms that the final Brexit deal will be presented before Parliament for ratification and that the UK would pursue a fresh tariff-free trade agreement with the EU after an exit from the common single market. After we have left the EU, we want to ensure that we can take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate our own preferential trade agreements around the world, the document said. Mays foreword to the White Paper is made up of extracts from her Lancaster House speech on January 17, in which she said that forging a new partnership with Europe and a stronger, fairer, more global Britain would be the legacy of our time, the prize towards which we work, the destination at which we arrive once the negotiation is done. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. WESTCHESTER, Ill., February 2, 2017 - Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to diversified industries, today announced that Jack Fortnum, CFO and executive vice president, plans to retire on June 30, 2017 after 33 years with the company. Jim Gray, Ingredion vice president corporate finance, will be become executive vice president and CFO effective March 1, when Fortnum will move into a senior advisory role until his retirement. "We greatly appreciate Jack's years of dedication to Ingredion. His combination of financial, operational and international experience has made him an invaluable business partner in executing Ingredion's growth strategy and delivering shareholder value. He has been an enthusiastic leader and valued member of our executive team," said Ilene Gordon, Ingredion chairman, president and CEO. "Jack will be missed by our leadership team, employees, directors and external constituents. We wish him our best. "Jim will be a welcome addition to the executive team. With his breadth of experience, both within and outside of the Company, he adds incredible perspective and value. I look forward to working with Jim in this role," Gordon added. Gray joined Ingredion in 2014 as vice president finance North America. Prior to Ingredion, he spent 12 years at PepsiCo, Inc. in senior finance and strategy positions, including three years as Gatorade division CFO and vice president finance PepsiCo. Gray earned a master's degree from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley. ABOUT INGREDION Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) is a leading global ingredient solutions provider. We turn grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant materials into value-added ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage, paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. Serving customers in over 100 countries, our ingredients make crackers crunchy, yogurts creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger and add fiber to nutrition bars. Visit Ingredion.com to learn more. ### CONTACT: Investors: Heather Kos, 708-551-2592 Media: Claire Regan, 708-551-2602 DAVENPORT, Iowa, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE:LEE), a major provider of local news, information and advertising in 49 markets, today reported earnings(1) of $12.4 million for its first fiscal quarter ended December 25, 2016, or 22 cents per diluted common share. Earnings totaled $11.5 million, or 21 cents per diluted common share, the same quarter a year ago. The analysis of first quarter results is presented on a same property basis unless otherwise noted(2). "We continue to aggressively grow digital revenue and transform the business in a challenging print advertising environment," said Kevin Mowbray, president and chief executive officer. "We remain highly focused on cost reductions, which enabled us to deliver strong Adjusted EBITDA(2) and to continue to aggressively repay our debt with total reductions of $17.8 million in the first quarter." "Our digital performance in the quarter was strong," Mowbray said. "Total digital revenue, including digital advertising and digital services, totaled $26.4 million for the quarter, up 6.5% compared to the same properties a year ago(2). On a same property basis, the average digital unique visits during the quarter increased 8.6%. Mobile advertising revenue, which is included in digital advertising, increased 20.6% in the quarter, with continuing growth in our mobile audiences. "December quarter cash costs(2), excluding unusual matters on a same-property basis, decreased 6.0% compared to the prior year first quarter," he added. "We continue to transform our business model, and the cost reductions we have previously implemented along with additional ones implemented in the second quarter will help drive cash flow performance for the last nine months of fiscal year 2017. "As a result of recent changes to our operations, we are increasing our cash cost reduction guidance. We now expect fiscal 2017 cash costs, excluding unusual matters, to be down 5% - 6% from fiscal 2016." Mowbray also noted the following same-property financial highlights for the quarter: Digital advertising revenue increased 6.8% in the quarter. Digital services revenue, including TownNews.com, increased 4.8% in the quarter and totaled $3.5 million. Total advertising and marketing services revenue decreased 10.4% in the quarter; subscription revenue decreased 1.9% in the quarter. Total operating revenue decreased 7.2% in the quarter. Operating expenses for the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016 decreased 5.5%. Adjusted EBITDA totaled $43.3 million in the quarter. Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Ron Mayo noted that the company's progress in reducing debt by $104.6 million over the past twelve months has decreased interest expense $2.2 million, or 12.8% in the first fiscal quarter and will result in significantly lower interest expense for the remainder of fiscal year 2017 as compared to fiscal 2016. "We'll continue to use substantially all available free cash flow to reduce debt in 2017, which we believe will create additional shareholder value, as we continue to reduce interest expense," he said. "As of December 25, 2016, the principal amount of debt was $599.4 million, a $17.8 million reduction in the quarter." FIRST QUARTER OPERATING RESULTS Operating revenue for the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016 totaled $154.0 million, a decrease of 8.6% compared with a year ago. On a same property basis, total operating revenue for the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2106 decreased 7.2%. Unless otherwise noted, revenue and operating expense trends below are presented on a same property basis. Advertising and marketing services revenue combined decreased 10.4% to $93.0 million, with retail advertising down 9.4%, classified down 13.7% and national down 7.4%. Digital advertising and marketing services revenue on a stand-alone basis increased 6.8% to $22.9 million, and digital retail advertising, which represents 61% of total digital advertising, grew 7.0% in the quarter. Digital advertising represents 24.6% of total advertising revenue. Total digital revenue, including digital advertising and digital services, was $26.4 million for the quarter, up 6.5% compared with a year ago. Our mobile, tablet, desktop and app sites, including TNI and MNI(3), attracted a monthly average of 25.6 million unique visitors for the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016, an increase of 8.6% over the prior year quarter. Average monthly page views totaled 210.0 million page views for the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016. Subscription revenue decreased 1.9% in the current year quarter. Average daily newspaper circulation, including TNI and MNI and digital subscribers, totaled 0.9 million in the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016. Sunday circulation totaled 1.2 million. Research in our larger markets shows we continue to reach nearly three-quarters of all adults in the market through the combination of digital audience growth and strong print newspaper readership. Operating expenses for the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016 decreased 5.5%. Cash costs decreased 6.4%. Compensation decreased 5.1%, primarily as a result of reduced staffing levels. Newsprint and ink expense increased 3.1%, primarily the result of several price increases earlier in calendar year 2016 partially offset by the reduction in newsprint volume. Other operating expenses decreased 8.1%, primarily driven by lower delivery and other print-related costs offset in part by higher costs associated with growing digital revenue. Including equity in earnings of associated companies, depreciation and amortization, as well as unusual matters in both years, operating income totaled $31.4 million in the current year quarter, compared with $36.4 million a year ago. In the 13 weeks ended December 25, 2016, interest expense decreased 12.8%, or $2.2 million, due to lower debt balances. We recognized non-operating income of $3.1 million in the current year quarter compared to $0.1 million in the same quarter of the prior year due to the fluctuation in the price of our common stock, that caused a change in fair value of stock warrants issued in connection with our 2014 refinancing. We recognized $1.0 million of debt refinancing and administrative costs in the current quarter and $1.3 million in the same quarter of the prior year. The vast majority of the debt refinancing and administrative costs represent amortization of our refinancing costs paid in 2014. Income attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated for the quarter totaled $12.2 million, compared with income of $11.2 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $43.3 million. ADJUSTED EARNINGS AND EPS FOR THE QUARTER The following table summarizes the impact from warrant fair value adjustments on income attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated and earnings per diluted common share. Per share amounts may not add due to rounding. 13 Weeks Ended December 25 2016 December 27 2015 (Thousands of Dollars, Except Per Share Data) Amount Per Share Amount Per Share Income attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, as reported 12,173 0.22 11,237 0.21 Adjustments: Warrants fair value adjustment (3,095 ) (73 ) (3,095 ) (0.06 ) (73 ) Income attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, as adjusted 9,078 0.16 11,164 0.21 DEBT AND FREE CASH FLOW Debt was reduced $17.8 million in the quarter and $104.6 million during the last twelve months. As of December 25, 2016 the principal amount of debt was $599.4 million. The principal amount of our debt, net of cash, is 3.9 times and 4.3 times our adjusted EBITDA for the past 12 months ended December 25, 2016 and December 27, 2015, respectively. We expect to continue to use substantially all our free cash flow to reduce debt in fiscal 2017. At December 25, 2016, including $20.1 million in cash and availability under our revolving facility(3), liquidity totaled $53.4 million compared to $25.0 million of required debt principal payments over the next twelve months. CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION As previously announced, we will hold an earnings conference call and audio webcast today at 9 a.m. Central Time. The live webcast will be accessible at www.lee.net and will be available for replay two hours later. Several analysts have been invited to ask questions on the call. Questions from other participants may be submitted by participating in the webcast. The call also may be monitored on a listen-only conference line by dialing (toll free) 877-616-0074 and entering a conference passcode of 493820 at least five minutes before the scheduled start. Participants on the listen-only line will not have the opportunity to ask questions. ABOUT LEE Lee Enterprises is a leading provider of local news and information, and a major platform for advertising, with daily newspapers, rapidly growing digital products and nearly 300 weekly and specialty publications serving 49 markets in 21 states. Lee's newspapers have average circulation of 0.9 million daily and 1.2 million Sunday, and estimated to reach almost three million readers in print alone. Lee's markets include St. Louis, MO; Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; Davenport, IA; Billings, MT; Bloomington, IL; and Tucson, AZ. Lee Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LEE. For more information about Lee, please visit www.lee.net. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements. This release contains information that may be deemed forward-looking that is based largely on our current expectations, and is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Among such risks, trends and other uncertainties, which in some instances are beyond our control, are: Our ability to generate cash flows and maintain liquidity sufficient to service our debt; Our ability to comply with the financial covenants in our credit facilities; Our ability to refinance our debt as it comes due; That the warrants issued in our refinancing will not be exercised; The impact and duration of adverse conditions in certain aspects of the economy affecting our business; Changes in advertising and subscription demand; Potential changes in newsprint, other commodities and energy costs; Interest rates; Labor costs; Legislative and regulatory rulings; Our ability to achieve planned expense reductions; Our ability to maintain employee and customer relationships; Our ability to manage increased capital costs; Our ability to maintain our listing status on the NYSE; Competition; and Other risks detailed from time to time in our publicly filed documents. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words may, will, would, could, believes, expects, anticipates, intends, plans, projects, considers and similar expressions) generally should be considered forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. We do not undertake to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements, except as required by law. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) 13 Weeks Ended (Thousands of Dollars, Except Per Share Data) December 25 2016 December 27 2015 Percent Change Same Property(2) Advertising and marketing services: Retail 61,905 69,787 (11.3 ) (9.4 ) Classified 22,204 26,016 (14.7 ) (13.7 ) National 6,300 6,888 (8.5 ) (7.4 ) Niche publications and other 2,626 2,946 (10.9 ) (10.8 ) Total advertising and marketing services revenue 93,035 105,637 (11.9 ) (10.4 ) Subscription 48,888 50,430 (3.1 ) (1.9 ) Digital services 3,474 3,316 4.8 4.8 Commercial printing 2,774 3,226 (14.0 ) (13.1 ) Other 5,818 5,796 0.4 0.5 Total operating revenue 153,989 168,405 (8.6 ) (7.2 ) Operating expenses: Compensation 55,056 58,665 (6.2 ) (5.1 ) Newsprint and ink 6,893 6,685 3.1 3.1 Other operating expenses 52,777 58,869 (10.3 ) (8.1 ) Workforce adjustments 65 604 (89.2 ) (89.2 ) Cash costs 114,791 124,823 (8.0 ) (6.4 ) 39,198 43,582 (10.1 ) Depreciation 4,071 4,327 (5.9 ) Amortization 6,309 6,616 (4.6 ) Loss (gain) on sales of assets, net 68 (971 ) NM Equity in earnings of associated companies 2,689 2,799 (3.9 ) Operating income 31,439 36,409 (13.7 ) Non-operating income (expense): Financial income 75 76 (1.3 ) Interest expense (14,952 ) (17,142 ) (12.8 ) Debt financing and administrative costs (951 ) (1,333 ) (28.7 ) Other, net 3,095 645 NM (12,733 ) (17,754 ) (28.3 ) Income before income taxes 18,706 18,655 0.3 Income tax expense 6,266 7,147 (12.3 ) Net income 12,440 11,508 8.1 Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (267 ) (271 ) (1.5 ) Income attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated 12,173 11,237 8.3 Earnings per common share: Basic 0.23 0.21 9.5 Diluted 0.22 0.21 4.8 RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (UNAUDITED) The table below reconciles the non-GAAP financial performance measure of adjusted EBITDA to net income, its most directly comparable GAAP measure: 13 Weeks Ended (Thousands of Dollars) December 25 2016 December 27 2015 Net Income 12,440 11,508 Adjusted to exclude Income tax expense 6,266 7,147 Non-operating expenses, net 12,733 17,754 Equity in earnings of TNI and MNI (2,689 ) (2,799 ) Loss (gain) on sale of assets, net 68 (971 ) Depreciation and amortization 10,380 10,943 Workforce adjustments 65 604 Stock compensation 524 570 Add: Ownership share of TNI and MNI EBITDA (50%) 3,476 3,809 Adjusted EBITDA 43,263 48,565 SELECTED BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION (Thousands of Dollars) December 25 2016 September 25 2016 Cash 20,100 16,984 Debt (Principal Amount): 1st Lien Term Loan 83,984 101,304 Notes 385,000 385,000 2nd Lien Term Loan 130,433 130,863 599,417 617,167 SELECTED STATISTICAL INFORMATION 13 Weeks Ended December 25 2016 December 27 2015 Percent Change Capital expenditures, net of insurance proceeds (Thousands of Dollars) 1,090 1,464 (25.5 ) Newsprint volume (Tonnes) 10,812 12,261 (11.8 ) Average full-time equivalent employees 3,820 4,108 (7.0 ) Average common shares - basic (Thousands of Shares) 53,528 53,140 0.7 Average common shares - diluted (Thousands of Shares) 55,401 53,858 2.9 Shares outstanding at end of period (Thousands of Shares) 56,574 55,499 1.9 NOTES (1 ) This earnings release is a preliminary report of results for the periods included. The reader should refer to the Company's most recent reports on Form 10-Q and on Form 10-K for definitive information. (2 ) The following are non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) financial measures for which reconciliations to relevant GAAP measures are included in tables accompanying this release: - Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial performance measure that enhances financial statement users overall understanding of the operating performance of the Company. The measure isolates unusual, infrequent or non-cash transactions from the operating performance of the business. This allows users to easily compare operating performance among various fiscal periods and how management measures the performance of the business. This measure also provides users with a benchmark that can be used when forecasting future operating performance of the Company that excludes unusual, nonrecurring or one time transactions. Adjusted EBITDA is also a component of the calculation used by stockholders and analysts to determine the value of our business when using the market approach, which applies a market multiple to financial metrics. It is also a measure used to calculate the leverage ratio of the Company, which is a key financial ratio monitored and used by the Company and its investors. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss), plus nonoperating expenses, income tax expense (benefit), depreciation, amortization, loss (gain) on sale of assets, impairment charges, workforce adjustment costs, stock compensation and our 50% share of EBITDA from TNI and MNI, minus equity in earnings of TNI and MNI and curtailment gains. - Adjusted Income (Loss) and Adjusted Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share are non-GAAP financial performance measures that we believe offer a useful metric to evaluate overall performance of the Company by providing financial statement users the operating performance of the Company on a per share basis excluding the impact of changes in the warrant valuation as well as unusual and infrequent transactions. It is defined as income (loss) attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated and earnings (loss) per common share adjusted to exclude the impact of the warrant valuation, unusual matters and those of a substantially non-recurring nature. - Cash Costs is a non-GAAP financial performance measure of operating expenses that are settled in cash and is useful to investors in understanding the components of the Companys cash operating costs. Generally, the Company provides forward-looking guidance of Cash Costs, which can be used by financial statement users to assess the Company's ability to manage and control its operating cost structure. Cash Costs is defined as compensation, newsprint and ink, other operating expenses and certain unusual matters, such as workforce adjustment costs. Depreciation, amortization, impairment charges, other non-cash operating expenses and other unusual matters are excluded. Cash Costs are also presented excluding workforce adjustments, which are paid in cash. - We also present revenue and certain operating expense trends on a Same Property basis which excludes the operating results of the Provo Daily Herald, which was sold in August 2016. Same Property results are useful to investors in understanding the revenue and operating expense trends excluding the impact of changes due to operations no longer owned by the Company. (3 ) The 1st Lien Term Loan is the $250 million first lien term loan and $40 million revolving facility under a First Lien Credit Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014. The Notes are the $400 million senior secured notes pursuant to an indenture dated March 31, 2014. The 2nd Lien Term Loan is the $150 million second lien term loan under the Second Lien Loan Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014. TNI refers to TNI Partners publishing operations in Tucson, AZ. MNI refers to Madison Newspapers, Inc. publishing operations in Madison, WI. (4 ) Certain amounts as previously reported have been reclassified to conform with the current period presentation. The prior periods have been adjusted for comparative purposes, and the reclassifications have no impact on earnings. WYOMISSING, Pa., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Customers Bancorp, Inc. announced that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on its Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C (NYSE:CUBIPrC) of $0.4375 per share. The dividend is payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017. The Board of Directors has also declared a quarterly cash dividend on its Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D (NYSE:CUBIPrD) of $0.40625 per share. The dividend is payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017. The Board of Directors has also declared a quarterly cash dividend on its Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series E (NYSE:CUBIPrE) of $0.403125 per share. The dividend is payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017. The Board of Directors has also declared a quarterly cash dividend on its Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series F (NYSE:CUBIPrF) of $0.375 per share. The dividend is payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2017. Institutional Background Customers Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania engaged in banking and related businesses through its bank subsidiary, Customers Bank. Customers Bank is a community-based, full-service bank with assets of approximately $9.4 billion that was named one of Forbes magazines 2017 100 Best Banks in America (there are over 6,200 banks in the United States). A member of the Federal Reserve System with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Customers Bank is an equal opportunity lender that provides a range of banking services to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, individuals and families through offices in Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Committed to fostering customer loyalty, Customers Bank uses a High Tech/High Touch strategy that includes use of industry-leading technology to provide customers better access to their money, as well as Concierge Banking by appointment at customers homes or offices 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers Bank offers a continually expanding portfolio of loans to small businesses, multi-family projects, mortgage companies and consumers. BankMobile is a division of Customers Bank, offering state of the art high tech digital banking services with a high level of personal customer service. Customers Bancorp, Inc. voting common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CUBI. Additional information about Customers Bancorp, Inc. can be found on the Company's website, www.customersbank.com. Safe Harbor Statement In addition to historical information, this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to Customers Bancorp, Inc.s strategies, goals, beliefs, expectations, estimates, intentions, capital raising efforts, financial condition and results of operations, future performance and business. Statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words may, could, should, pro forma, looking forward, would, believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan, or similar expressions generally indicate a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various important factors (some of which, in whole or in part, are beyond Customers Bancorp, Inc.s control). Numerous competitive, economic, regulatory, legal and technological factors, among others, could cause Customers Bancorp, Inc.s financial performance to differ materially from the goals, plans, objectives, intentions and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. In addition, important factors relating to the acquisition of the Disbursements business and the combination of Customers BankMobile business with the acquired business also could cause Customers Bancorps actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Customers Bancorp, Inc. cautions that the foregoing factors are not exclusive, and neither such factors nor any such forward-looking statement takes into account the impact of any future events. All forward-looking statements and information set forth herein are based on management's current beliefs and assumptions as of the date hereof and speak only as of the date they are made. For a more complete discussion of the assumptions, risks and uncertainties related to our business, you are encouraged to review Customers Bancorp, Inc.s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Customers Bancorp, Inc. does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by Customers Bancorp, Inc. or by or on behalf of Customers Bank. LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Encompass Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. a leading provider of Distribution, 3PL and 4PL solutions for a diverse range of replacement parts and finished goods, today announced it has experienced a significant uptick in revenue and units sold due to a number of innovative business factors. The companys growth increase into the first quarter of 2017 surpasses that of any other period within its nearly 65-year history. With roots in consumer electronics parts supply, Encompass today maintains one of the most diversified spare parts inventories in the country, distributing components for everything from major appliances and HVAC units to personal care items and computers. The company has been aggressively expanding into new vertical markets such as the toy industry to enhance single-source support to a host of clients, particularly warranty companies, service networks and major retailers. Encompass would not be experiencing this level of success without the vital relationships we have formed with world-leading OEM vendors, strategic business partners and service dealers, said Encompass President and CEO Robert Coolidge. They are our life line, and we appreciate the ongoing confidence they have in us to ensure superior service throughout the supply chain. To provide strong hands-on support, Encompass routinely embeds staff at client locations to offer fast assistance with claims resolution, parts procurement, end user support and more. Encompass is also one of the only distributors in the country to operate its own on-site repair and reverse logistics service to deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions for every segment of the supply chain from forward logistics to returns management. Additionally, the company just opened a new Training Center at its Atlanta-area headquarters to help bolster the skill sets of field and depot service technicians across multiple disciplines. All of these innovative business initiatives are clearly driving the companys growth as evidenced by recent month-over-month performance, according to Coolidge. Encompass has long realized that to remain a critical part of the supply chain, we must continue increasing our value to the entire industry beyond simply distributing spare parts for television repair, he said. What were seeing now in terms of business development is directly reflected in our strategy to broaden our services and product offerings and strengthen support to our business partners. Coolidge said the company plans to remain on its growth trajectory by focusing extensive resources on consumer e-commerce sales through improvements to its site, encompassparts.com, launch of a new finished goods-only website and search engine optimization efforts. Increasing the speed and efficiency of warehouse operations is another key area of opportunity, as well as seeking new business partners that realize the importance of a dependable aftermarket solution to retain brand loyalty. Our most successful clients are those that understand how critical it is to support their products after the sale, said Coolidge. Encompass provides an extra level of service that helps instill confidence in client brands among end users and service techs alike. Its this type of unparalleled support that is expected to fuel our growth throughout 2017 and beyond. About Encompass Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. Encompass is a market leader in forward and reverse supply chain management and high-tech repair services for a diverse and expanding range of consumer electronics, computer, major appliances and imaging products. Encompass provides end-to-end solutions for OEMs, retailers, independent dealers and third-party administrators. Encompass manages all stages of the product lifecycle, including finished goods and replacement parts logistics, board repair and product refurbishment services, returns management, asset value recovery and eco-friendly disposal. For more information, please visit encompass.com and encompassparts.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Bill prefiled in Alaska would legalize industrial hemp production Industrial hemp is a cannabis sativa plant that has less than 1% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive properties of marijuana. In addition to food products created from the hemp plants seeds, oil, and stalks, says Leafly.com, hemp can provide fuels, ink, lubricants, rope, canvas, clothing, concrete, and much more. Hemps resilience, strength, and ecosystem-repairing properties have long been well documented. Industrial hemp is an important export in over thirty nations including Canada, China, Russia, Germany, Chile, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, and Egypt, as reported by Hempuniversity.com. But growing hemp in the U.S. is done only when the farmer complies with a complicated combination of hoops and rules and statues from both federal and state authorities. While the 2014 Farm Bill opened the door for industrial hemp research, those hoops have kept the U.S. hemp market practically non-existent. In fact, the United States is the worlds biggest importer of hemp, to the tune of about $620 million per year. The Cannabist reports that only 6900 acres of hemp research plots fields are currently being grown. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) still insists that hemp and all marijuana products and extracts remain as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. But, as detailed by Tenthamendmentcenter.com, a bill recently filed in Alaska to legalize industrial hemp production may actually nullify federal prohibition on the plant. If this bill passes, as far as the authorities in Alaska are concerned, hemp plants and seeds are not controlled substances. This means that farmers would be able to grow, process, harvest, and possess the plant without a license. Alaska hemp farmers would then simply look at hemp seed the same as other commodity seeds, like tomato, corn, or kale. Current federal law only authorizes the farming of hemp by research institutions only, for research only. This newly filed bill in Alaska rejects the need for federal approval. Oregon, Vermont, and Colorado have taken similar actions. One would hope its just a matter of time until hemp production is promoted in the United States, just like it was during World War II. Hemp has a long and storied history in America. According to Farm Collector, the first hemp seeds arrived on our shores when the Puritans carried them across the ocean in the Mayflower, a ship fortified with hemp fiber in its lines, sails, and caulking. Industrial hemp was grown extensively throughout the early American colonies in the mid- 1600s and crafted into rope, cord, cloth, paper, sacks, and canvas, and occasionally used to pay taxes. The early drafts of the Declaration of Independence were printed on hemp paper. The 1970s war on drugs created a war on hemp, as hemp and marijuana were looked upon as an identical plant. But the demonization of hemp started way before President Nixons signature. The story of how the marvelous and sustainable benefits of hemp were suffocated is the same as most stories. Because hemp is a renewable resource, that caused problems for Duponts chemical, wood pulp, and synthetic nylon industries back in the 1930s and 1940s. As Theinfluence.org tells it, there was a collusion between Dupont, Randolph Hearsts media empire, and the federal government to convince the public that marijuana and hemp were a devil weed, and a deadly drug [that] American children must be protected against. Fortunately, these lies are being scraped away, one by one. Industrial hemp, medical marijuana, and CBD oil are being rediscovered and utilized as they were intended. Sources: Leafly.com HempUniversity.com Leafly.com TheCannabist.co TenthAmendmentCenter.com YouTube.com FarmCollector.com TheInfluence.org YouTube.com Submit a correction >> This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW MILFORD Route 7 will be home to two new chain businesses a gas station and a burger joint by the end of summer. The first Five Guys restaurant in Litchfield County is set to open on Route 7 in town in mid-June. Construction on a Cumberland Farms gas station and convenience store, the first in town, will start in the spring. Five Guys a Virginia-based, build-your-own burger chain is slated to occupy a 2,580-square-foot building on the Stop & Shop plaza. Along with burgers and fries, Fives Guys will offer milkshakes and outdoor seating at its spot on the north end of the plaza. Itll be the 25th Five Guys restaurant in the state. Since the project was announced in 2015, it has changed slightly: More seats were added there are now 88 and fewer parking spots will be built than earlier envisioned 35, instead of 39. The parking change required a variance from the town zoning code, said Kevin Bielmeier, New Milford economic development director. Although the restaurant will be the first in Litchfield County, there is one 10 miles away in Brookfield. Cumberland Farms, which got Zoning Commission approval last summer, will start construction on a parcel near New Milford High School. The station will be bigger and have a wider variety of products than older Cumberland Farms stores, said Peter Yeskey of First Hartford Corp., the projects developer. The company is transforming all of its stations into new concept stores with New England-style colonial architecture, he added. Cumberland Farms has almost 600 stores in eight states. First Hartford, which develops stations for Cumberland, picked the 2.18-acre spot on the southbound lanes of Route 7 because they are busier during the morning commute, Yeskey said. We capture a morning customer, Yeskey said. Coffee, gas, a breakfast sandwich. The station plan was approved by the town zoning board by a 4-1 vote last July, after developers added a crosswalk and sidewalk across adjacent Larson Road to their plans. The project is waiting on state Department of Transportation approval and a town building permit, which developers said they should get in coming months. The one zoning board member who voted against it, Tom OBrien, said he worries student foot traffic coupled with increased car traffic is a dangerous mix. BEATRICE, Neb., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rare Earth Salts (RES or the Company), a leading mineral and applications technology company, today announced that Alastair Neill, an industry expert with an extensive sales background in the rare earth industry, has joined the Company as Director of Business Development. With RES expecting near-term production of high purity rare earth oxides, Alastairs responsibilities include building the Companys sales program and expanding RES business both in domestic and international markets. "Alastair is a proven sales leader who will play a key role in executing our growth strategy. With our Company on the cusp of production, we are investing in our sales and feedstock supply programs to effectively service international market demand, said Dr. Joseph Brewer, Chief Executive Officer of Rare Earth Salts. This year we expect to demonstrate consistent production of high purity rare earth oxides at the lowest cost levels in the industry and we will lean on Alastairs considerable experience to build strong industry partnerships. Alastair Neill has served on RES Board of Advisors since 2014 and is an international rare earth expert with more than 20 years of experience managing all facets of rare earth operations and sales. He has demonstrated a strong track record of driving revenue growth worldwide in the sector. At AMR Technologies (pre-cursor to Molycorp), Alastair led international sales and two China-based JVs, managing its P&L and overseeing 900 employees, including sales, production and R&D personnel. Ultimately, they grew the business to become the #2 supplier in industry and as a result, Alastair was recognized with the Supplier of Excellence Award from Engelhard Corporation (now BASF). At AMR, he oversaw sales for the Rare Earth Division in Japan, South Korea, North America and Europe achieving 80% market penetration in South Korea and overall global market share of 12%. With Dacha Strategic Metals, he developed and successfully implemented a program to purchase rare earths inside China to develop a strategic inventory outside the country. Most recently Alastair has been president of Trinity Management, an engineering consulting company for 10 years and has advised on a number of rare earth projects globally. Alastair holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Material Science) from University of Western Ontario and an MBA from York University. About Rare Earth Salts Rare Earth Salts is a leading industrial and applications technology company with the goal of achieving near term commercial production. The Company has developed a patent pending industrial technology proven to efficiently and economically separate and refine all 16 Rare Earth Elements to high purity. The process is environmentally friendly and projects significantly reduced cost versus standard processing. For more information visit: www.rareearthsalts.com. RIDGEFIELDWhen high school junior Nick Jerome decided he wanted to start his own charity a few months ago, he wasnt quite sure what it should do. He just knew he wanted to help people. It wasnt until he enlisted his friend and classmate, Kristen Savino, and got the advice of the Rotary Club of Ridgefield Sunrise, that Hometown Kindness was born. Savino, who now runs the organization with Jerome, said the idea developed when they realized they could help people in need obtain clothing, toiletries and other everyday items. That really interested me, because those are the things we can really take for granted, Savino said. We both learned no matter what kind of area you live in, there are always people who need our help. Sometimes people dont realize the need is there, and we want to make sure we can fulfill that need. Hometown Kindness will accept donations based on seasonal needs. Savino said its first project will likely be a coat drive, with drop boxes to be set up at the Lounsbury House and Ridgefield Playhouse. The organization also hopes to get local restaurants and boutiques to donate gift cards so that people in need can buy new items or go out for a nice meal. Jerome said Geri Blair, former president of the Rotary Club, has helped him and Savino connect with members of the community who could help them grow the organization even more. Geri told us Rotary is really looking for kids who want to make a change, Jerome said. She said, If you ever have an idea, we would be here to sponsor it and support you. Blair set up a meeting with the Ridgefield Social Services to determine how to best distribute donations and helped arrange the organizations first event at last Sundays Taste of Ridgefield. She had met both teenagers when they participated in the Conference of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a weekend program that teaches kids responsibility and how to become good leaders. Savino and Jerome were selected to attend the program, in 2015 and 2016 respectively, because of their history of community service. Savino volunteers at St. Marys Roman Catholic Church teaching religion to younger kids. She was also the vice president of philanthropy for the National Charity League in Ridgefield. Jerome said his first time helping the community was when he was about 5 years old and raised $300 for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, he has volunteered at food drives, repairing homes, helping the homeless, and even in a retirement home in Singapore when his family lived there for two years. These are two amazing kids that are driven to make a difference, Blair said. I wouldnt be surprised if this thing really blew up and helped a lot of people. While you may hope that people will take the time to get to know you before making assumptions about you, the reality is that first impressions are everything. If you arent wowing people within the first few seconds of meeting, you'll face an uphill battle when it comes to shifting their opinions. Related: How to Master the Art of the First Impression Why first impressions matter. You may think first impressions dont matter, but plenty of science proves this belief wrong. A first impression sets the stage for how people view you in the future, and theres nothing you can do to change that: This is a direct byproduct of the way the human brain stores information. The sequence that we encounter matters in how we judge subsequent information, Arthur Dobrin, who has a doctorate in social work, wrote in Psychology Today. "The exaggerated impact of first impressions is related to the halo effect, that phenomenon whereby the perception of positive qualities in one thing or part gives rise to the perception of similar qualities in related things or in the whole. Dobrin used an example to solidify this point. In a mock scenario, imagine you're meeting someone at a party, and you have a wonderful time getting to know this person. He or she seems like a nice person and you exchange contact information, to hang out again in the future. Then, the next week,when youre asked by your boss to solicit sponsors for a worthy cause, you immediately think of this new contact from the party. In reality, there is no inherent connection between being pleasant and being generous, Dobrin pointed out. Yet the halo effect leads you to make that unwarranted assumption that the two are related. Most conclude that if she [or he] was good in one category (sociable), she will also be positive in another (generous). In other words, as humans, we are intrinsically inclined to judge people. That's partly a safety and defense mechanism that we use to keep from engaging with threats. But it also helps us make assumptions about whom wed enjoy being friends with and whom wed rather stay away from. While its possible that an initial impression of someone will change after you get to know him or her, you dont often get a second or third chance in the business world. If you want to increase your chances of being successful in sales, networking or another related pursuit, you must learn how to master the first impression. And, given the considerable research into first impressions and how people can strengthen their image in those crucial first seconds, here are some top techniques for doing just that: Related: Does Your Organization Make a Great First Impression? 1. Master the art of the handshake. Your father probably discussed with you the importance of having a good handshake, but did you know that handshakes really are a big determining factor when it comes to first impressions? In one study, University of Illinois researchers used MRI scans to monitor the brain activity of participants as they watched videos of people interacting in business situations. The researchers found that a positive social evaluation occurs in the brain when handshakes are present. Asked what the most important takeaway would be for business professionals, the studys co-leader didn't hesitate in her response. I would tell them to be aware of the power of a handshake, University of Illinois researcher Sanda Dolcos reported. We found that it not only increases the positive effect toward a favorable interaction, but it also diminishes the impact of a negative impression. Many of our social interactions may go wrong for one reason or another, and a simple handshake preceding them can give us a boost and attenuate the negative impact of possible misunderstandings. Sounds good. But how you give a handshake matters more than the simple act of offering your hand to someone you meet. A good handshake is firm and dry, lasts two or three seconds and is accompanied by eye contact and a smile. 2. Get your visual appearance right. What you wear and how you look really does matter to people. According to studies conducted by researchers in the U.K. and Turkey, something as simple as the suit a man wears can have a direct impact on how people view his character. In the study, 300 participants were exposed to images of a man and woman. In some of the pictures, the man wore a custom-tailored suit. In other pictures, he wore an off the rack generic version. After being exposed to these images for just three seconds, participants overwhelmingly judged the man in the tailored suit more favorably. And they didnt just say he looked better -- they actually rated him as more successful, confident and likely wealthier. This speaks to the importance of getting your clothing right. 3. Always carry a business card. Business cards . . . are they even useful anymore? With the rise of social networking, search engines, text messaging and email, its easy to feel as if business cards are a thing of the past. However, this is a grave mistake. While business cards may no longer serve their original purpose, they remain an emblem of professionalism and responsibility. When you present someone with a business card, you're showing that youre prepared and professional. Youve taken the time to design, print and carry a card with you. While the person youre meeting can search your name on LinkedIn, the fact that you carry a card is what matters most. Not all business cards are created equal, however. When designing a card, carefully consider the selection of cardstock and the image youre presenting. A thicker stock may be more expensive, but theres something about holding a sturdy card that leaves a good impression. 4. Become a small-talk aficionado. Small talk. A lot of people despise small talk, but we live in a world where conversation plays an important role in making impressions. If you want to make positive first impressions wherever you go, you have to strike a good balance between not saying enough and speaking too much. Ideally, small talk will uncover common interests, business alignments, the six degrees that separate you, potential need for your product or service and basically whether or not you enjoy each others company, corporate trainer Allison Graham wrote in Fast Company. The goal is not to become best friends or a new client on the spot. If small talk isnt your thing, the best skill you can pick up is the ability to ask good questions and listen. Once you get the other person talking, you become more comfortable and can occasionally interject a few lines of your own. Related: 10 Ways You Can Blow a First Impression Your reputation is on the line. Every time you meet someone new, your reputation is on the line. You have to prove who you are and why youre worthy of respect. Its imperative that you do your best to showcase yourself in the best light possible. How you do that is up to you, but the techniques referenced in this article are a great place to start. Related: 4 Techniques Successful People Use to Make a Positive First Impression 3 Essentials for Making a Big Splash at Your New Job Why Tyra Banks Cold-Called Zappos's Tony Hsieh Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved February 2nd is Groundhog Day. Everyone knows that. But the public doesnt know that groundhogs across the country are festering this week in their burrows. As they have on the 2nd of every past February since the early sixties. Phil, the Punxsutawney, PA Groundhog, once again is getting top billing. Other hogs, never mentioned in the news, are nobodies. To put it in perspective, a Maine Hoggist recently said: Some people complain the media favors one political party over the other. Thats small potatoes. The media lacks the guts to report on the hogs plight. Its always about the Punxsutawney hog rising to the top of the Gobblers Knob burrow. If it casts a shadow, expect six more weeks of bitter winter. No shadow. Put away your parkas. Who knew over 50 years ago the Punxsutawney groundhogs weather fame would balloon as it did when journalists, wire services and TV networks first flocked to the Knob. And then Phil went on NBCs Today show. Another media darling was in the making, this one with more than 15 minutes of fame. Quite a feat, without 24/7 cable news back then. Then came the Groundhog Day movie. Phil got the limelight again. And it will go on this coming spring when Groundhog Day: The Musical, debuts on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre. Many cant fathom the trauma the average groundhog suffers every February 2nd when all eyes turn toward Punxsutawney. That is unless one happens to be a Hoggist. Or has had the good fortune to be in the waiting room of a hog-minded veterinarian and thumbed through Lonnie Louts definitive monograph, Americas Other Groundhogs, The Forgotten Rodents. My first brush with the hog dilemma came about accidentally when I stumbled into the heart of a groundhog rally in New York Citys Bryant Park. Onlookers listened intently as a middle-aged man standing on a platform spoke. It was the man himself, Lonnie. Things were bad enough, he shouted, but since that damn Punxsutawney hog got on that TV program its gotten so that other groundhogs wont even come out of their burrows. On their very own day! Groundhog Day can no longer be a one-town affair. A Lout follower standing near me apparently realized my ignorance. Within a flash, he was into hog history. He said, For a longtime groundhogs outside of Pennsylvania took their second-class status on the chin. But they never lost faith, no siree! They were damn good at the weather game. Even better than their cousin up on the Knob. He when on, Just about when most hogs were hitting burrow bottom, Mr. Lout stepped in. He wrote his monograph and got some followers to do a White House protest walk. He wanted one of those special Washington prosecutors to clear up this mess. And he wrote to every red and blue state yokel congressman and senator asking how the government could forget our deserving groundhogs and still find money money mind you, to learn how those foreign tsetse flies make baby tsetses. Overly studied flies and ignored groundhogs arent on my or most lists of endangered species. So before being asked for a contribution I nodded approvingly and slid away. My big city savvy had taught me to confine donations to legitimate subway panhandlers. A few weeks later in midtown New York, an apparent Hoggist handed me a leaflet. To my surprise, Lonnie Louts group was now proposing the forming of an annual National Groundhog Lottery for future Groundhog Days. All 50 states would get an annual crack at the National Hog-For-A-Day Throne. Officials from each state would forward the name of their home-bred hog to a blue ribbon presidential panel that would oversee the drawing. The winning hog would travel to Punxsutawney for the festivities on Feb. 2nd. Many wish the Lout crowd eventual success. But thats doubtful. Chances are that all future Feb. 2nd doings at Gobblers Knob will be the same as they have been. Punxsutawney Phil will continue being a media hog. Silly studies like the one on Tsetse flies mating habits will still be the talk of labs. And groundhogs throughout America will continue fretting their day away in the bowels of their burrows. Juan Antonio Negroni, a Weston resident and author of this tongue-in-cheek commentary, is a consultant, speaker and writer. Hamilton, Bermuda, February 2, 2017 As previously communicated, a conference call will be held at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday February 7, 2017. In order to attend the conference call you may do one of the following: a. Conference Call PARTICIPANTS DIAL IN TELEPHONE NUMBERS UK +44(0)20 3427 1903 UK toll free 0800 279 4992 USA +1 646 254 3366 USA toll free +1 877 280 2296 Norway +472316 2787 Norway toll free 800 56 053 Passcode 2750565 b. Via Internet Go to our web site www.nat.bm and follow the link. Participants will be asked for their full name & Conference ID. A Q&A session will be held after the teleconference. Contacts: Jan H.A Moller, Head of Investor Relations & Financial Manager Nordic American Tankers Limited Tel: +1 888 755 8391 or + 47 90 11 53 75 OTTAWA, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian Paralympic Committee is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2017 edition of Paralympic Schools Week, to be held nation-wide from April 24 to 28, 2017. Paralympic Schools Week is an annual coast to coast celebration of parasports and the Paralympic movement that promotes healthy, active lifestyles for all Canadians. Teachers are invited to register their class, access free online resources, take part in various activities and enter to win prizes, including the chance to have a Paralympic athlete visit their school! To register, please visit Paralympic.ca/schoolsweek. "Sharing the excitement of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Paralympic Schools Week is an excellent way to bring the celebration in to the classroom and gym," said Karen O'Neill, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "With the variety of free Paralympic resources we have available online, there is something for everyone. We invite all schools to take advantage of these materials to increase engagement and awareness among all students of the importance of inclusion, accessibility and physical activity for all." "Sport can be an incredible tool to create more active individuals and a greater sense of social inclusiveness for all members of a community, regardless of their background or ability," said the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Canada's Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. "I'm proud of the Canadian Paralympic Committee's leadership on Paralympic Schools Week and I encourage students, teachers and parents to get involved - especially during the year-long, nationwide celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canada's Confederation." INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS To participate in Paralympic Schools Week this year, chose from the following three activity options for your class, and register for the chance to win a prize pack. Every school that registers will have a chance to win a free Paralympic athlete visit! A) Get ACTIVE - By using the Fundamental Movement Skills resource for Grades 2 to 6 (education.paralympic.ca), show us how you are using the lessons and activities in your classroom/gym. B) Inspire BRILLIANCE - Using the Paralympic Lesson Plans for Grades 1 to 8 (paralympic.ca/activity-plans), show us how you are educating your class on parasport. C) CELEBRATE - Celebrate parasport and the Paralympic movement within your classroom/school. Create red and white days, draw posters, write letters to Paralympians, or create testimonials. Be creative! For more information on the three activity options and how to get involved, visit Paralympic.ca/schoolsweek and view the PSW 2017 Guidelines. About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca Follow the Canadian Paralympic Team: www.paralympic.ca www.facebook.com/CDNParalympics www.twitter.com/CDNParalympics www.youtube.com/CDNParalympics www.instagram.com/CDNParalympics SOURCE Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/02/c4258.html For further information: Alison Korn, Senior Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Phone: 613-569-4333 ext. 243 / Cell: 613-298-4927, Email: [email protected]; Martin Richard, Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Tel: 613-569-4333 ext. 224 / Cell: 613-725-4339, Email: [email protected] Related Links http://www.paralympic.ca OTTAWA, Feb. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, after less than 10 hours following the return of Canada's favourite contest, Tim Hortons RRRoll Up the Rim to Win, a lucky Guest has already rolled up a car prize tab at a Restaurant in Ottawa, Ontario. The Guest rolled up the rim of his Tim Hortons cup early this morning, which revealed a tab for one of the 40 grand prizes of a 2017 Honda Civic Coupe EX-T. "We are thrilled to hear a Guest has rolled up a car tab on the first day of RRRoll Up the Rim," says Sami Siddiqui, Regional President, Tim Hortons Canada. "We're excited for the Guest to reach out to confirm the winning cup. It's such a great way to kick off our contest this year as we celebrate Canada's 150th birthday." 2017 marks the biggest year in RRRoll Up the Rim's history. Guests have a one in six chance to instantly win one of more than 49 million prizes, including one of 40 prizes for a 2017 Honda Civic Coupe EX-T, 150 55' LG 4K UHD Smart TVs, 100 $5,000 CIBC prepaid cards, 24,000 $100 TimCards, and millions of coffee and food prizes. The RRRoll Up the Rim to Win contest runs for 6 weeks, or while cup supplies last. Prizes may be claimed until May 4, 2017. Contest rules, odds of winning and prizing information can be found at participating Tim Hortons Restaurants or at www.rolluptherimtowin.com. SOURCE Tim Hortons To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/01/c7919.html For further information: Meredith Gillies, Citizen Relations, E: [email protected], T: (416) 306-6796 NEW YORK, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ABM (NYSE:ABM), a leading provider of facility solutions, announced today that ABM Technical Solutions has signed an agreement to implement the largest PACE-financed project in Michigan for Heller Machine Tools L.P. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4f12f11-c16c-4ba4-b2b8-79fcd5f09716 ABMs customized solution will provide energy efficiency upgrades and facility enhancements to the companys U.S. headquarters in Troy, Michigan and is guaranteed to save more than $1.6 million in energy and operating costs over a 15-year period. Project work began June 2016 and is scheduled to be completed in February 2017. ABMs energy performance contracting program is designed as a financial mechanism to meet clients technical facility needs and sustainability goals. For ABM, the goal is to drive costs out of a clients operating budget, allowing savings to be reallocated to fund mission critical facility needs. Watch this video to discover how ABM is reducing owning and operating costs to create more efficient and sustainable commercial buildings across the nation. Heller Machine Tools L.P. had more than 30 HVAC units at their manufacturing facility that were aging past their useful lives and no central energy management system to control their operation. The company was an established maintenance client of ABM and wanted to determine a proactive, cost-effective strategy to replace this aging equipment as well as reduce the facilitys overall energy waste. Together, ABM and Heller Machine Tools L.P. determined a strategy to replace all of the facilitys aging equipment with state-of-the-art, energy-efficient systems using the Citys recently implemented PACE financing program. The City of Troy established its PACE program by joining Lean & Green Michigan with a unanimous City Council vote in February 2016. PACE is a revolutionary financing tool that enables investment in comprehensive energy efficiency, water efficiency and renewable energy projects by eliminating the need for upfront capital. Instead, the PACE program spreads costs over 10 to 20 years, so that the savings generated from projects are greater than the annual PACE loan repayment generating immediate positive cash flow. Plus, under Michigan's PACE statute, the contractor doing the work, in this case ABM, must guarantee the energy savings on all projects of $250,000 and up. Therefore, if the projected energy and operational savings are not met in any of the 15 years of the projects contract, ABM will pay the difference directly to Heller Machine Tools L.P. ABMs project will provide more than $978,600 of energy-saving improvements, which includes replacing 30+ rooftop units with new, energy-efficient HVAC units, installing a web-based building automation system, interior/exterior LED lighting and controls, and replacing the oldest section of the facilitys ballasted roof with heat-reflective, energy-efficient white thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing. Other energy efficiency improvements include building envelope enhancements and damper automation to reclaim heat from shop-compressed air operation. The facility is also on track to be one of a select few manufacturing facilities that is ENERGY STAR certified and is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 357.7 metric tons per year. Altogether, the benefits of ABMs energy performance contracting program is guaranteed to yield energy and operational costs savings in excess of $1.7 Million over 15 years garnered from: Total Annual Electrical Savings: 460,029 kWh 460,029 kWh Total Annual Natural Gas Usage Reduction 658 MMBTU Total Annual Carbon Reduction 357.5 Metric Tons Total Utility Savings $ 857,376 Total Operational Savings $ 44,500/Year Supporting Quotes A typical commercial building wastes 30 percent of the energy it uses. With the help of ABM, Heller Machine Tools will not only capture those savings in energy and operations costs, but also redeploy savings to modernize the companys facility. By upgrading to state-of-the-art, energy-efficient equipment and implementing ABMs Guaranteed Maintenance Program, Heller Machine Tools will benefit from a 15 - year contract that guarantees energy savings and safeguards against equipment failure, said Scott Giacobbe, President of ABM Technical Solutions. The PACE program provided Heller with the opportunity to make major improvements in our facility with no initial cash outlay and positive cash flow through energy and maintenance cost savings. It also allows Heller to reduce our carbon footprint, said Keith Vandenkieboom, President/CEO of Heller Machine Tools L.P. Click to Tweet: ABM Wins Biggest PACE-Financed Project in Michigan, Saves Manufacturer $1.6 in Energy & Operating Costs: bit.ly/1MGLkRU Related Connect with ABM ABOUT ABM ABM (NYSE:ABM) is a leading provider of facility solutions with revenues of approximately $5.1 billion and over 100,000 employees in 300+ offices throughout the United States and various international locations. ABMs comprehensive capabilities include janitorial, electrical & lighting, energy solutions, facilities engineering, HVAC & mechanical, landscape & turf, mission critical solutions and parking, provided through stand-alone or integrated solutions. ABM provides custom facility solutions in urban, suburban and rural areas to properties of all sizes - from schools and commercial buildings to hospitals, data centers, manufacturing plants and airports. ABM Industries Incorporated, which operates through its subsidiaries, was founded in 1909. For more information, visit www.abm.com. ABOUT HELLER MACHINE TOOLS L.P. HELLER was founded in 1894 as a small craftsmans workshop in Germany. Today a world leading manufacturer with 2,470 employees, the group develops and produces state-of-the-art machine tools and entire production systems for metal-cutting processes. The HELLER product range includes 4-axis and 5-axis CNC machining centers, CNC mill/turning centers, CNC machines for crankshaft and camshaft machining, flexible manufacturing systems and a range of services from application engineering to on-site customer service and support, and full turnkey system management. The group is dedicated to delivering to its customers Lifetime Productivity. TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Guyana Goldfields Inc. (TSX: GUY) ("the Company") is pleased to report the key findings from its updated feasibility study on its 100% owned Aurora Gold Mine. The updated study assumes a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce resulting in increased reserves by 15% despite net depletion of 15 months of operations and reflects an expansion of the current processing facility from 5,600 tonnes per day ("tpd") to 8,000 tpd. The proposed expansion of the mill will be completed in two phases and will increase annual production to above 200,000 ounces beginning in 2018 for the life of the mine with gold production expected to peak at 303,000 ounces in 2021. All amounts are expressed in US dollars. A conference call will be held later this morning to summarize the results of the study. Feasibility Study Highlights Mineral reserves increased to 3.5 Moz, up 15% from the previous reserve estimate with a higher assumed gold price more than offsetting depletion from 15 months of operations Average annual production of 220,000 ounces over a 15-year mine life at an average cash cost of $612 per ounce (including royalties) per ounce (including royalties) Average head grade of 3.02 g/t Au over the life of the mine NPV5% of $850 million ("M") ("M") Open pit mining ongoing through to 2024. Development of the underground operation is scheduled to commence in 2022 with first production expected in 2024. Mill Expansion Phase 1: Debottlenecking of the back end of the circuit Expected to increase throughput from 5,600 tpd to 8,000 tpd based on a saprolite/hard rock blend with a concurrent improvement in recoveries of ~1% Expected completion by end of the first quarter of 2018 at a capital cost of $21 Mill Expansion Phase 2: Addition of a ball mill resulting in increased recoveries of a further 1% to 2% Expected to allow the processing of 8,000 tpd of hard rock Expected completion by mid-2019 at a capital cost of $27 Both phases are fully permitted and are expected to be funded internally Scott A. Caldwell, President & CEO states, "The expansion of the Aurora Gold Mine is a phased approach that effectively manages both development and capital risk while still delivering an attractive near-term growth profile. The first phase of the expansion takes advantage of the significant amount of saprolite ore available in the mine plan over the next two years while the second phase of the expansion is expected to deliver a further improvement in recoveries while maintaining throughput levels as the mine moves into predominantly hard rock. The company is moving forward on the plan and has commenced engineering and long lead time purchases to secure prices and deliveries. Having demonstrated a successful ramp up and with operations now reaching steady state levels, the Company is in an excellent position both operationally and financially to push forward with this mill expansion to grow its annual production profile to above 200,000 ounces". Economic & Operational Highlights Gold Price (base case) $1,200/oz Total Gold Production (Recovered Gold) 3.3 Moz 15 Year Mine Life OP 2017-2024 UG 2024 2031 Average Annual Production (LOM) 220,000 oz Au Average Gold Grade (mill head) 3.02 g/t Au Mill Throughput 2017 + 1Q18 5,600 tpd 2Q18 onwards 8,000 tpd Gold Recovery 2017 91.3% 2018 (post Phase 1) 92.5% 2H19 onwards (post Phase 2) 94.0% Strip Ratio (waste to ore) 8.4:1 LOM Cash Costs (with royalty) $612/oz LOM AISC $747/oz Expansion Capital Cost Mill Phase 1 (2017 + 1Q18) $21 M Mill Phase 2 (2018 + 1H19) $27 M Mine Fleet (2018) $24 M Underground Development Cost (Year 2022 2024) $129 M Pre-Tax NPV (5% Discount Rate) $1,054 M After-Tax NPV (5% Discount Rate) $850 M The full feasibility study is being filed today on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and is available on the Company's website at www.guygold.com. The feasibility study report has been prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. with contributions from Tetra Tech and JDS Energy & Mining and is entitled "Independent Technical Report Updated Feasibility Study, Aurora Gold Mine Project" with an effective date of December 31, 2016. Production & Cost Profile Forecast annual production in 2017 of 171,000 ounces is expected to grow to 254,000 ounces in 2018. Production is expected to peak in 2021 at 303,000 ounces. Annual production over the 15-year mine life is 220,000 ounces. Of the total 3.3 Moz ounces recovered over the life of the mine, 1.7 Moz are sourced from the open pit operations and 1.6 Moz are sourced from the underground operations. Operating cash costs (including the royalty expense) average $612 per ounce over the life of the mine. AISC over the life of the mine, assuming an annual corporate G&A expense and stock based compensation of $8 M and annual exploration expenses of $5 M, are expected to average $747 per ounce. Open Pit Mining The open pit has a mine life of 8 years based on a total of 19.6 Mt tonnes of ore mined at an average grade of 2.87 g/t Au. Average annual gold production over this period is approximately 230,000 oz. Saprolite ore makes up 2.9 Mt or ~15% of total open pit ore tonnes and is expected to be largely mined out by the middle of 2019. Approximately 60% of the ore tonnes are sourced from Rory's Knoll, 30% from Aleck Hill, with the remainder coming from the Walcott Hill, Mad Kiss and North Aleck Hill satellite deposits. Mining activity over the near term will be focused on fresh rock ore at Rory's Knoll and saprolitic ore at Aleck Hill. The average strip ratio over the life of mine is 8.4 to 1. The strip ratio peaks in 2019 and 2020, averaging 14.6 over these two years. As a result of the increasing strip ratio during these years the mining rate is expected to increase from ~35,000 tpd in 2017 to ~95,000 tpd in 2019 and 2020. To accommodate this increase and reduce overall mining costs, the Company plans to transition to a mining fleet with larger equipment in 2018 consisting of 90-tonne haul trucks. The larger equipment will primarily be used for pre-stripping activities and mining activity higher in the pit. 41-tonne haul trucks will continue to be used deeper in the pit to reduce the overall strip ratio. The estimated capital cost to expand the mining fleet is $24 M and is expected to be incurred during 2018. Underground Mining Rory's Knoll Following a two-year pre-production period, underground mining at Rory's Knoll commences in year 2024 as open pit mining operations wind down. The mining rate averages 5,500 tpd at an average grade of 3.02 g/t Au over an 8-year mine life for a total of 1.4 Moz. Vertical development is assumed to be completed by an underground contractor while all lateral development will be completed by the Company. Rory's Knoll underground will be mined utilizing the open benching and sublevel retreat mining methods via a decline access with truck haulage from a depth of -330 mRL down to -770 mRL. Below the open pit, the Rory's Knoll ore body approximates a sub-vertical pipe with >100 m diameter which, along with results from a detailed hydrogeological and geotechnical model, support the open benching and sublevel retreat mining method approach. The study results show underground mining creates minimal surface subsidence and indicate water inflows are manageable, as has been proven by existing open pit mining activities. Satellite Deposits Mad Kiss & Aleck Hill The Aleck Hill underground is expected to contribute 153,000 ounces (1.1 Mt at an average grade of 4.28 g/t Au) to the overall mine plan beginning in 2025 and continuing through to 2030. Aleck Hill will be mined through a combination of transverse and longitudinal long hole open stoping ("LHOS") from a depth of about -160 mRL to about -500 mRL. The Mad Kiss underground contributes 104,000 ounces (0.6 Mt at an average grade of 5.45g/t Au) to the overall mine plan. Mad Kiss will be developed concurrently with the Rory's Knoll underground with initial production expected in 2024 and continuing through to 2027. Mad Kiss will be mined via longitudinal LHOS from a depth of about -40 mRL to about -380 mRL. Processing The existing process circuit has a capacity for 5,600 tpd and includes a cyanide leach and carbon adsorption process comprising crushing, single-stage grinding, gravity, cyanide leaching, carbon adsorption, carbon elution and regeneration, gold refining, cyanide destruction and tailings disposal. The proposed plant expansion will be completed in two phases. The first phase will increase the throughput rate from 5,600 tpd to 8,000 tpd incorporating a saprolite portion of the mill feed of between 25% and 50%. The ordering of long lead-time items for the Phase 1 expansion has already commenced and detailed engineering is expected to commence in February 2017. The first phase of the expansion is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2018. The second phase of the expansion will allow the processing of 8,000 tpd hard rock and is expected to commence in mid-2018 and be completed by mid-2019 when the majority of saprolitic ore has been exhausted. The first phase of the expansion consists of debottlenecking the back end of the circuit and includes the addition of three leach tanks, a pre-leach thickener, carbon management systems and the expansion of the elution circuit. Due to additional retention time within the leaching circuit, the phase one mill expansion is expected to increase recoveries by approximately 1% to an estimated average recovery of 92.5%. The second phase of the expansion will include the addition of a ball mill, an expansion of the existing gravity circuit, the addition of one new cyanide detoxification tank and the installation of four new generators with total capacity of 6.0MW. The overall gold recovery is expected to increase to 94.0% post completion of phase two of the expansion based on these upgrades to the mill. Opportunities Open Pit Mining There is a steep increase in the mining rate in 2018 and 2019. This study assumes the use of larger mining equipment (both new and used) to accommodate this increase. Internal trade-off studies will be completed to ensure optimal equipment selection as well as ongoing assessment of new versus used prices for such equipment. This study assumes the use of 10 metre benches in the rock slopes at Aleck Hill and the other satellite deposits. Together these deposits make up approximately 40% of the ore sourced from open pit mining and have an overall strip ratio of 8.4:1. There is limited geotechnical information available for these deposits. Additional geotechnical work will be completed to assess the potential to move to 20 metre benches in these deposits to reduce the overall strip ratio. Underground Mining This current feasibility study assumes that underground mining at Rory's Knoll will utilise open benching and sublevel retreat mining methods with mining concluding at a depth of -770 metres below sea level (mRL). The Company will evaluate the economic potential of utilising more selective mining methods at Rory's Knoll. Such mining methods could result in a higher grade profile through lower dilution and may result in additional ounces being included in the mine at depth at Rory's Knoll. This feasibility study assumes that underground mining at the Mad Kiss and Aleck Hill satellite deposits will utilise LHOS methods. Given some of the higher grade zones within these deposits, especially at Mad Kiss, the Company is evaluating bringing forward underground production from these zones as well as using more selective mining methods. One mining method being considered is Alimak mining which typically requires less upfront capital when compared to LHOS. Exploration Exploration in 2017 and 2018 will be focused on both brownfield and greenfield targets. Brownfield targets include Powis Hill and Gold Creek, both proximal to the Aurora processing facility. Exploration success in finding saprolitic ore on these targets has the potential to extend open pit production and defer the second phase of the mill expansion. Greenfield targets located on the north side of the Cuyuni River include Wynamu, Sulphur Rose and Iroma. Drilling is expected to begin on Wynamu in the first quarter of this year. Aurora Gold Mine Mineral Reserves The Company has updated its Mineral Reserves for its Aurora Gold Mine utilizing a gold price of $1,200 per ounce and an effective date of December 31, 2016. Overall reserves increased by 15% to 3.5 Moz compared to the most recent reserve estimate which had an effective date of September 30, 2015 and utilized a gold price of $1,000 per ounce. Aurora Gold Mine Mineral Reserves Effective December 31, 2016 ($1,200/oz Au) Category Quantity ('000 t) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Metal ('000 oz) Proven OP Saprolite 336 1.60 17 OP Rock 4,864 2.99 468 Total Proven 5,200 2.90 485 Probable OP Saprolite 2,934 1.91 180 OP Rock 12,128 3.02 1,178 UG Rock 16,519 3.19 1,694 Total Probable 31,580 3.01 3,052 Total P&P 36,781 2.99 3,537 Notes: 1. Mineral Reserves are based on a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce, 8% royalty and an average metallurgical recovery of 96.0% for saprolite and 94.0% for fresh rock material. 2. Open pit saprolite and rock reserves are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.44 g/t Au and 0.42 g/t Au for vein and upper saprolite material respectively. Open pit rock reserves are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.76 g/t Au and 0.64 g/t Au for vein and Rory's Knoll rock material respectively. 3. Underground fresh rock reserves are reported at a cut-off grade of 1.5 g/t Au. 4. Mineral Reserves are contained within Mineral Resources. 5. SRK is not aware of mining, metallurgical, infrastructure, permitting, or other factors that could materially affect the mineral reserve estimates. Aurora Gold Mine Mineral Resources Aurora Gold Mineral Resources Effective December 31, 2016 ($1,300/oz Au) Category Quantity (000's t) Grade (g/t Au) Contained Metal (000's oz) Open Pit Measured 5,230 3.17 500 Indicated 24,440 2.51 1,970 Measured and Indicated 29,670 2.62 2,440 Inferred 4,770 1.57 230 Underground Indicated 30,060 3.91 3,780 Measured and Indicated 30,060 3.91 3,780 Inferred 11,810 4.12 1,570 Combined Mining Measured 5,230 2.97 500 Indicated 54,500 3.28 5,750 Measured and Indicated 59,730 3.25 6,250 Inferred 16,580 3.79 1,790 Notes: 1. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates. 2. Open pit mineral resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.30 g/t for Saprolite and 0.40 g/t for Fresh rock respectively, and underground mineral resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 1.8 g/t. Cut-off grades are based on a price of US$1,300 per ounce of gold and a gold recoveries of 97 percent for saprolite and 94.5 percent for fresh material. 3. Mineral resources have been adjusted using the 2016 EOY topography, to account for open pit mining to date, and include ore stockpile inventories as of EOY 2016. Qualified Persons The compilation of the technical report in support of the feasibility study was completed by Tim Carew, PGeo, Robert McCarthy, PEng, and Christopher Elliott, FAusImm. By virtue of their education, membership to a recognized professional association and relevant work experience, Tim Carew, Robert McCarthy and Christopher Elliott are independent Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Tim Carew, Robert McCarthy and Christopher Elliott have reviewed, approved and verified the technical content of this news release. Detailed Report For readers to fully understand the information in this news release, they should read the technical report in its entirety which is being filed today on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.guygold.com, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the feasibility study. The technical report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context. Conference Call The Company will hold a conference call today at 10:00am EST where senior management will discuss the key findings of the FS and respond to any questions. A webcast will be available on the Company's website following the call or through the following link at: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=1360464&s=1&k=A50A8BF4ABCDF4DDFB290F597C0D43F3 To join the call: Conference Call Details: Date of Call: Thursday, February 2, 2017 Time of Call: 10:00am EST Conference ID: 65048034 Dial-In Numbers: North America Toll-Free: (888) 231-8191 International: (647) 427-7450 About Guyana Goldfields Inc.: Guyana Goldfields Inc. is a Canadian based mid-tier gold producer primarily focused on the exploration, development and operation of gold deposits in Guyana, South America. The 100%-owned Aurora Gold Mine achieved commercial production January 1, 2016 and has a total gold resource of 6.25 million ounces in the measured and indicated categories (59.73 million tonnes at 3.25 g/t Au) as well as an additional 1.79 million ounces in the inferred category (16.58 million tonnes at 3.79 g/t Au). For further details, please refer to the report entitled "Independent technical Report Updated Feasibility Study, Aurora Gold Mine Project, Republic of Guyana" dated February 2, 2017 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Our NI 43-101 Technical Report, Updated Feasibility Study Contributors: About SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. SRK is an independent, international consulting practice that provides focused advice and solutions to clients, mainly from earth and water resource industries. The SRK Group comprises over 1,400 professionals in 45 offices worldwide, offering expertise in a wide range of resource engineering disciplines. The SRK Group's independence is ensured by the fact that it holds no equity in any project and that its ownership rests solely with its staff. This permits SRK to provide its clients with conflict-free and objective recommendations on crucial judgment issues. SRK has a demonstrated track record in undertaking independent assessments of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, project evaluations and audits, technical reports and independent feasibility evaluations to bankable standards on behalf of exploration and mining companies and financial institutions worldwide. About JDS Energy & Mining Inc. JDS was founded in 2004 and is composed of a diverse set of skilled and highly experienced mining and construction professionals. With a proven record providing clients with fit-for-purpose solutions and value delivery, JDS has acquired a reputation for delivering and executing project plans on budget, on time, and most importantly, safely. The JDS team prides itself on delivering project concepts from inception to full operations a process it has executed seamlessly for operations throughout Canada and worldwide. About Tetra Tech Tetra Tech is a leading provider of consulting, engineering, program management, construction management, and technical services. Tetra Tech provides innovative solutions focused on natural resources, water, environment, energy, and infrastructure. Employing more than 14,000 people world-wide, Tetra Tech's mining study group comprises qualified geologists, mining engineers, metallurgical engineers, environmental scientists, and other disciplines who understand the realities of project economics and the importance of constructability in preliminary design concepts. Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Reserves and Resources The Mineral Reserve and Resource estimates reported in this press release were prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), as required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities. For United States reporting purposes, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") applies different standards in order to classify mineralization as a reserve. In particular, while the terms "measured," "indicated" and "inferred" Mineral Resources are required pursuant to NI 43-101, the SEC does not recognize such terms. Canadian standards differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories constitute or will ever be converted into reserves. In addition, "inferred" Mineral Resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian securities laws, issuers must not make any disclosure of results of an economic analysis that includes inferred Mineral Resources, except in rare cases. Non-GAAP Performance Measures The Company has included certain non-GAAP performance measures in this document including total cash costs per ounce and all-in sustaining cost per ounce. These measures are not defined under IFRS and should not be considered in isolation. The Company believes that these measures, together with measures determined in accordance with IFRS, provide investors with an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. The inclusion of these measures is meant to provide additional information and should not be used as a substitute for performance measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures are not necessarily standard and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The Company has applied the World Gold Council's June 2013 published guidance in reporting cash costs and all-in sustaining costs to its mining operations. Adoption of cash costs and all-in sustaining cost metrics is voluntary and not necessarily standard, and therefore, these measures presented by the Company may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. The Company believes that the cash costs and all-in sustaining cost measures complement existing IFRS measures reported by the Company. Total cash costs per ounce Total cash costs is a common financial performance measure in the gold mining industry but with no standard meaning under IFRS. The Company reports total cash costs on a sales basis. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, such as sales, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate operating earnings and cash flow from its mining operations. Management uses this metric as an important tool to monitor operating cost performance. Total cash costs include production and royalty costs. Production costs include mining, processing, refining and transportation, and site administration, and in total are then divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at total cash costs per gold ounce sold. This measure also includes other mine related costs incurred such as mine standby costs and any current inventory write downs. Production costs are exclusive of depreciation. Royalty costs are excluded from the above total cash costs figure to arrive at total cash costs per ounce before royalty. Other companies may calculate these measures differently. All-in sustaining cost per ounce "All-in sustaining cost per ounce" is also a non-GAAP performance measure. The Company believes this measure more fully defines the total costs associated with producing gold; however, this performance measure has no standardized meaning. Accordingly, there may be some variation in the method of computation of "all-in sustaining cost per ounce" as determined by the Company compared with other mining companies. In this context, the Company calculates AISC as the sum of total cash costs (as described above), share-based compensation, corporate general and administrative expense, exploration and evaluation expenditures that are sustaining in nature, reclamation cost accretion, sustaining capital including deferred stripping, and realized gains and losses on diesel derivative contracts, all divided by the gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure. Sustaining capital expenditures are expenditures that do not increase annual gold ounce production at a mine site and excludes expenditures at the Company's development projects as well as expenditures that are deemed expansionary in nature. Forwarding-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to (i) the estimation of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources including, without limitation, statements with respect to the potential increase in production from the existing model, and the possible integration of additional ounces into the existing mine plan; (ii) exploration and development activities; and (iii) the feasibility study including, without limitation, statements about projected future production, mining methods, mine plans, cost estimates and potential production increases as a result of increased commodity pricing. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans," "expects," "is expected," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and are based on various assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (and potential establishment and increases in respect thereof), the realization of Mineral Resource and Reserve estimates, currency fluctuations, gold metal prices, the timing and amount of future exploration and development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Project and surrounding areas in the short and long-term, the progress of exploration and development activities, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, and assumptions with respect to environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the final findings set forth in the feasibility study, risks relating to variations in Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, grade or recovery rates resulting from current exploration and development activities (including risks that new Mineral Resources may not be established, or the anticipated expansion potential of existing Mineral Resources/Reserves may not be realized), risks relating to changes in gold prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of gold, risks related to increased competition in the mining industry generally, risks related to current global financial conditions, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the development process, capitalization and liquidity risks, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interest, environmental risks, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of exploration and development activities; available cash and the actual rate of debt repayment; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. SOURCE Guyana Goldfields Inc. To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/02/c3681.html For further information: Guyana Goldfields Inc., Scott A. Caldwell, President and Chief Executive Officer; Jacqueline Wagenaar, Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, Tel: (416) 628-5936 Ext. 5295, Fax: (416) 628-5935, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.guygold.com Related Links http://www.guygold.com CanWEA opens its largest-ever wind energy O&M Summit in Toronto TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - The opportunity to learn about innovative new tools and techniques to improve the productivity and profitability of Canada's 11,898 MW of installed wind energy capacity has attracted almost 200 wind energy professionals to Toronto for the Canadian Wind Energy Association's (CanWEA) third annual Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Summit, being held February 1-2, at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto. The summit has brought together owners, operators, manufacturers and service providers to discuss operational issues in Canada's maturing wind sector, and to explore ways to increase efficiencies, drive down costs, and unlock additional value from wind energy projects. More than 4,000 MW of Canada's wind generating capacity has been operating for five years or more, and as the country's turbine fleet ages, it is becoming increasingly important for leaders in the industry to collectively focus on strategies to maximize wind farm performance and drive operational excellence. Data-driven maintenance strategies, emerging technologies and service offerings, cold climate challenges, and health and safety best practices are among the key topics that will be discussed by the summit's line up of expert speakers from across North America. There is also a tabletop exhibition featuring leading companies in the wind O&M sector. The summit, expanded this year after selling out for two years running, is part of CanWEA's new O&M program. Industry members will hold a strategy session following the event to set program priorities for the next three years. Quotes "As our industry continues to expand, strategies for operating and maintaining wind energy projects continue to evolve. Coming together at CanWEA's O&M Summit to share expertise and information not only helps individual companies make informed decisions for their own operations, but ensures that as an industry, we are looking ahead and employing the best tools and practices we can to be leaders in renewable power generation." - Phil McKay, Operations and Maintenance Program Director, CanWEA "More wind energy has been built in the last 11 years in Canada than any other source of new electricity supply, and the rapid growth and maturation of our industry means that many companies now have more assets operating than new projects in development. Keeping those facilities operating as safely, efficiently and sustainably as possible is critical not just for wind farm owners, but also for the communities where projects are located, the regional economies they contribute to, and the environmental goals they help meet." - Robert Hornung, President, CanWEA Background Canada has 11,898 MW of installed wind generating capacity, which is the seventh largest wind energy fleet in the world. There are currently close to 6,300 turbines installed at 285 wind facilities across the country. To learn more, please visit the Wind Markets section of CanWEA's website. has 11,898 MW of installed wind generating capacity, which is the seventh largest wind energy fleet in the world. There are currently close to 6,300 turbines installed at 285 wind facilities across the country. To learn more, please visit the Wind Markets section of CanWEA's website. The O&M Summit program was developed with the input of some of Canada's largest wind operators and equipment suppliers. largest wind operators and equipment suppliers. A study commissioned by CanWEA in 2015 found the country's wind energy O&M market was expected to nearly double to $450 million in annual spending by 2020, bringing new jobs and investment to Canada . About the Canadian Wind Energy Association CanWEA is the voice of Canada's wind energy industry, actively promoting the responsible and sustainable growth of wind energy. A national non-profit association, CanWEA serves as Canada's leading source of credible information about wind energy and its social, economic and environmental benefits. Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Learn more at www.canwea.ca. SOURCE Canadian Wind Energy Association To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/01/c7858.html For further information: For more information or for interview opportunities, please contact: Lejla Latifovic, Communications Advisor, Canadian Wind Energy Association, 613-234-8716 x 241 or 1-800-922-6932 x 241, [email protected] Related Links http://www.canwea.ca TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Canada, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), and the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), strongly condemn the attack at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec on Sainte-Foy St. where it has been reported that 6 congregants have been killed and many injured. We trust law enforcement to investigate and take swift action against the perpetrators. We offer our prayers for the victims and our most profound condolences to all those touched by this senseless bloodshed. Sunday's shooting is part of an epidemic of Islamophobia and attacks on Canadian Muslims, their institutions, and their communities across the country. It is dismaying that many lives have been lost due to hate-fueled violence and terrorism. This should have no place in our country, Canada. Sunday's event has a detrimental impact on all Canadian Muslims and has heightened concern for the safety and security of Muslims not only in Quebec but across the country. We urge mosques and schools to take immediate safety measures and maintain alertness over the coming days. We urge the Canadian government and law enforcement agencies to direct attention to the security of Canadian Muslims and their institutions across the country. We welcome and appreciate the statements condemning this act of terrorism by our Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Premier of Quebec Philippe Couillard, and the many elected representatives across the country. Canadian Muslims across Canada have witnessed an outpouring of support, sympathy, and solidarity from their fellow citizens. Diversity is our strength as a nation and it is during these testing times that we must stand united. SOURCE Muslim Association of Canada To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/01/c4239.html For further information: ISNA Canada, 905-403 8406; ICNA Canada, 905-257-4262; Muslim Association of Canada, 905-822-2626 Featuring Young Maasai woman from Kenya who spoke out against FGM at age 8 OTTAWA, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - Nice Nailantei, a young Maasai woman from Kenya, will be in Ottawa to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on Monday, February 6, 2017 and will speak with Parliamentarians at an early-evening reception. Nice first advocated against FGM at the age of 8 and ran away from home to avoid being forcibly circumcised. She now works with girls, young men, elders and circumcisers in Maasai communities to adopt a rite of passage for girls that forgo FGM. Nice will be joined by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, as well as the Executive Directors of Amref Health Africa and the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health (CanWaCH). DATE: Monday, February 6, 2017 TIME: 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. (speeches to start at 5:30 p.m.) LOCATION: Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Laurier Room (1 Rideau Street), Ottawa Refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be served Projections indicate that 15 million girls are at risk of being subjected to FGM by 2020 World leaders, including Canada, have committed to eradicating FGM globally by 2030 as part of the UN-led Sustainable Development Goals SOURCE AMREF Canada (African Medical and Research Foundation) To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/02/c1676.html For further information: For media accreditation, or to arrange interviews, please contact: Jennifer Foulds, Amref Health Africa, (416) 961-6981; (647) 771-5815 (cell); [email protected]; Charmaine Crockett, Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health, (613) 863-9489; [email protected] Related Links http://www.amrefcanada.org LONDON, Feb. 2, 2017 /CNW/ - SDX Energy Inc. (TSXV, AIM: SDX), the North Africa focused oil and gas company, is pleased to provide an operational update ahead of the forthcoming drilling campaign at South Disouq, as well as an update on activity at the Meseda Field in Egypt, and plans for the newly acquired Morocco licenses. Egypt South Disouq Following the recent interpretation of 3D seismic data at South Disouq, and the subsequent identification of oil and gas bearing prospects, SDX and its partner have agreed on the location for drilling the exploration well, as announced on 14 November 2016. SDX is pleased to now confirm that Zenith Energy, the Aberdeen based well engineering consultancy, has been appointed to provide technical assistance for the drilling operations. In addition to working with Zenith Energy, SDX has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Sino Tharwa Drilling Company ("Sino Tharwa"), the rig contractor, who will supply the Sino-Tharwa 6 rig at South Disouq. The rig is due to arrive late February 2017 with the carried exploration well being spud shortly thereafter. Meseda Following completion of the design work on the Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) programme, SDX has now completed the final technical review of the Meseda facility upgrade. SDX is currently moving into the implementation phase during Q1 2017. The equipment procured for the upgrade is expected to double the treatment capacity of the central production facility ("CPF"). This will allow the Company to maximise the field's potential and enable the Company to target up to a 100% increase on current production levels from the licence. Once the facilities upgrade is complete, the workover programme will recommence. Morocco Following its recent acquisition of certain assets in Morocco, the Company is reviewing options to accelerate the drilling campaign originally planned for 2018. It is currently undertaking an internal review of the area's identified prospectivity and high grading the prospect portfolio. Concurrent with this, the Company is surveying the rig market to determine timing and availability of suitable equipment for these operations. It is the Company's objective to accelerate drilling and increase gas production in Morocco during 2017. Paul Welch, CEO of SDX Energy, commented: "Today's announcement highlights that we are entering an exciting period for the Company as we move into the drilling phase of our work programme at South Disouq. Solid operational progress was made throughout 2016 and we have continued to build on this momentum in order develop the exploration potential of the concession, as evidenced by the signing of an LOI with Sino Tharwa and the appointment of Zenith Energy. In addition to South Disouq, we have seen good progress made at Meseda with the completion of the final technical review, leaving us well placed to start on the construction activities, which will maximise production from this asset. Closing the recent acquisition has provided the Company with the ability to further grow our production base in both Egypt and Morocco and it is our intent to do so in the near term. The Company is off to a very good start in 2017 and I look forward to reporting on the progress of our activities in subsequent periods." About SDX SDX is an international oil and gas exploration, production and development company, headquartered in London, England, UK, with a principal focus on North Africa. In Egypt, SDX Energy has a working interest in two producing assets (50% North West Gemsa & 50% Meseda) located onshore in the prolific Eastern Desert, adjacent to the Gulf of Suez. In Morocco, SDX has a 75% working interest in the Sebou concession situated in the Rharb Basin. These producing assets are characterised by exceptionally low operating costs making them particularly resilient in a low oil price environment. SDX Energy's portfolio also includes high impact exploration opportunities in Egypt and Morocco. For further information, please see the website of the Company at www.sdxenergy.com or the Company's filed documents at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Information - This news release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information reflects management's expectations regarding the future growth, results of operations, performance of business of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based upon forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as forward-looking statements. In particular, statements concerning the future prospects and strategy of the Company and its assets, and the results referenced or implied herein should be viewed as forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, costs and timing of exploration and production development, availability of capital to fund exploration and development and political, social and other risks inherent in carrying on business in Egypt and Morocco. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could vary or differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements and if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law. Although SDX has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated. SDX's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed on the Company's SEDAR profile on April 29, 2016, has a full description of the risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business, including its exploration activities. Such risk factors and uncertainties, as well as the information set out under the headings "Risk Factors Risks relating to Egypt" and "Risk Factors Risks relating to Morocco" in the news release of the Company dated January 24, 2017, which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile, should be referred to and read in their entirety. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. SOURCE SDX Energy Inc. To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/02/c4922.html For further information: SDX Energy Inc.: Paul Welch, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tel: +44 203 219 5640; Mark Reid, Chief Financial Officer, Tel: +44 203 219 5640; Cantor Fitzgerald Europe (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker): Sarah Wharry/Craig Francis, Tel: +44 207 7894 7000; FirstEnergy Capital LLP (Joint Broker): Jonathan Wright/David van Erp, Tel: +44 207 448 0200; Celicourt (PR): Mark Antelme/ Joanna Boon / Jimmy Lea, Tel: +44 207 520 9260 QUEBEC CITY, Feb. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is contributing $5,000 to a campaign supporting the families of victims of Sunday's deadly attack at a Quebec City mosque, the Centre culturel islamique de Quebec. "Steelworkers stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community. We share in their grief and their anguish and we will remain steadfast in our support in their time of need," said Ken Neumann, Steelworkers Humanity Fund President and National Director of the United Steelworkers (USW). "As Quebecers we reaffirm our shared values of humanism, respect and generosity," said Alain Croteau, USW Quebec Director. "It is important for us to support the families and the victims of this senseless act of violence and hate." Responding to a call from the City of Quebec, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is making its $5,000 contribution to the Centre multiethnique de Quebec, a registered charity that is raising funds for the families of the Quebec City shooting's victims. The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is a registered charitable organization that contributes to development projects and emergency aid in developing countries, as well as supporting Canadian communities in crisis. United Steelworkers members contribute to the fund through clauses negotiated into collective agreements. In some cases employers make matching contributions to the fund. SOURCE Steelworkers Humanity Fund To view this news release in HTML formatting, please use the following URL: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2017/01/c2888.html For further information: Ken Neumann, President, Steelworkers Humanity Fund, 416-544-5951; Doug Olthuis, Steelworkers Humanity Fund Executive Director, 416-544-5957, [email protected]; Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-434-2221, [email protected]; Clairandree Cauchy, USW Communications, Quebec, 514-774-4001, [email protected] Syracuse, N.Y. -- Spectrum-Time Warner Cable has committed fraud against its 2.5 million New York customers by delivering far slower internet speeds than the "blazing fast" broadband it advertises, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman alleged in a lawsuit Wednesday. The company, now owned by Charter Communications, has been delivering internet speeds for its highest-speed plans that are about 80 percent slower than promised, Schneiderman said in a news conference in New York City. For example, customers promised 300 mbs speeds received on average 85 mbs, he said. "Spectrum-Time Warner has been ripping you off," he said. Charter issued a statement saying it was "disappointed" in the attorney general's action and saying that it has already made substantial investments to upgrade Time Warner Cable systems, which it acquired in a $60 billion deal in May 2016. "We are disappointed that the NY Attorney General chose to file this lawsuit regarding Time Warner Cable's broadband speed advertisements that occurred prior to Charter's merger," the company said. "Charter made significant commitments to NY state as part of our merger with Time Warner Cable in areas of network investment, broadband deployment and offerings, customer service and jobs. " "We will continue to invest in our business and deliver the highest quality services to our customers while we defend against these allegations involving Time Warner Cable practices," it added. Schneiderman said internal corporate communications in 2013 showed that the company's own engineers warned that the company would have to upgrade the modems and wireless routers provided to customers in order to deliver promised internet speeds. However, the executives rejected spending the money necessary to make the upgrades, he said. He said the company even had the nerve to impose a $10 monthly fee for the outdated equipment leased to customers. Higher-ups at the company also refused to upgrade the company's network to eliminate internet traffic congestion, which can slow internet speeds during peak periods, he said. Schneiderman said the company charges its 2.5 million residential customers in New York $1 billion a year for internet service, with some paying up to $110 a month for the highest-speed plans. He said tests have shown that the company has not even come close to delivering the promised speeds, however. "Its long-term business plan was built on deceit," he said. His lawsuit seeks reimbursement for customers and a court order requiring the company to deliver the speeds it has promised customers. Spectrum-Time Warner Cable is the largest provider of internet service in New York, serving one of every three customers in the state who pay for internet service. Schneiderman's office began investigating the company's internet speeds last year, soon after Charter acquired Time Warner Cable. Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Researchers doubt the Harvard claim that solid metallic hydrogen has been created Ranga Dias and Isaac Silvera, both physicists at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, first posted a report of their results on the arXiv preprint server last October, which attracted immediate criticism. A peer-reviewed version of the report was published on 26 January in Science2, but sceptics say that it includes little new information. Silvera and Dias say that they wanted to publish their first observation before making further tests on their fragile material. Physicists have crushed tiny samples of hydrogen between diamond anvils at pressures exceeding those in the centre of Earth. The experiments are delicate and fraught with potential for error. Researchers have seen the material change from transparent to dark as it is compressed, which suggests that as electrons are crowded together, they are able to absorb photons of visible light. But no one has proven the existence of metallic, shiny hydrogen, which would reflect light. Dias and Silvera say that they were able to squeeze their hydrogen gas at greater pressures than anyone else has managed. To do so, they used an anvil that can fit inside a cryostat, enabling them to cool their hydrogen sample to just above absolute zero. They also say they have found a better way to polish the tips of their diamonds, to remove irregularities that could break the gems. They then turned a screw to crank up the pressure to 495 billion pascals (495 GPa), or almost 5 million times higher than atmospheric pressure at sea level. Then, suddenly, it becomes a lustry, reflective sample, which you can only believe is a metal, Silvera says. Seen through a microscope, the sample appeared shiny, and it reflected light in the way metallic hydrogen should do, he says. Other researchers arent convinced. Its far from clear that the shiny material the researchers see is actually hydrogen, says geophysicist Alexander Goncharov of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington DC. Goncharov has criticized the Silvera labs methods before. He suggests that the shiny material may be alumina (aluminium oxide), which coats the tips of the diamonds in the anvil, and may behave differently under pressure. Loubeyre and others think that Silvera and Dias are overestimating the pressure that they reached, by relying on an imprecise calibration between turns of the screw and pressure inside the anvil. Eugene Gregoryanz, a physicist at the University of Edinburgh, UK, adds that part of the problem is that the researchers took only a single detailed measurement of their sample at the highest pressure making it hard to see how pressure shifted during the experiment. If they want to be convincing, they have to redo the measurement, really measuring the evolution of pressure, says Loubeyre. Then they have to show that, in this pressure range, the alumina is not becoming metallic. But Silvera says that he just wanted to get the news out there before making confirmation tests, which, he says, could break their precious specimen. We wanted to publish this breakthrough event on this sample, he says. To preserve the material, he and Dias have kept it in the cryostat; the lab has only two cryostats, and the other is in use for other experiments, he says. Now that the paper has been accepted, were going to do further experiments. SOURCE- Nature BOSTON, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The edtech worlds attention turns to Boston today, as the LearnLaunch Institutes fifth annual Across Boundaries Conference, co-hosted by the MIT Office of Digital Learning, opens at the Hynes Convention Center. Drawing more than 1,100 participants, from 13 countries and 30 states, Across Boundaries has grown by more than 25% since last year, reflecting continued excitement in the global edtech sector. More than 300 educators, 250 edtech entrepreneurs, 180 non-profits and 100 students are joining hundreds of education and industry leaders and investors to discuss critical challenges facing efforts to move education practice forward, to experience cutting-edge edtech products, and to learn from others active in the field. Edtech is booming in Boston and beyond, bringing real advances to teaching and learning, explained Eileen Rudden, co-founder and board chair of the LearnLaunch Institute. Over the past 4 years, Across Boundaries has gained a reputation for bringing the industry together to discuss some of the hurdles that make it difficult for all students to benefit from education technology. With the theme of Personalizing Pathways to Learning and Careers, Across Boundaries includes 5 keynotes and 46 concurrent sessions on Thursday and Friday, February 2 and 3. The Learning Innovation Showcase takes place on Friday morning where 23 Massachusetts educators and their students, ranging from middle school through college, will showcase their advances in engaged teaching and learning. You can follow the conference at @learnlaunch #learnlaunch17 About LearnLaunch Institute LearnLaunch Institute catalyzes a community that drives innovation to transform learning and increase achievement. Our education innovation ecosystem mobilizes educators, entrepreneurs, learners, investors, and industry affiliates. As a nonprofit, the Institute offers learning opportunities and connections to individuals, support services to schools, and a district network. We believe in expanding access to learning that is engaging, personalized, and effective. Edtech is a critical component of achieving this vision at scale. For more information and our upcoming events, visit www.learnlaunch.org. About LearnLaunch LearnLaunch is dedicated to connecting, supporting, and investing in the education technology ecosystem to drive innovation and transform learning. It offers a vibrant community, educational events, a collaborative co-working space, and a selective accelerator program to promote the growth of the edtech sector. LearnLaunch is based in Boston, a world education hub. Learn more about LearnLaunch Accelerator, Campus, and Institute at www.learnlaunch.com and follow LearnLaunch on Twitter at @learnlaunch. Border patrol agents patrolling the United States-Mexico border wall. (Photo: AFP ) The Mexican and US governments denied on Wednesday a report that US President Donald Trump told Mexicos leader that he may deploy US troops to deal with drug cartels because Mexican soldiers are doing a bad job.Mexican journalist Dolia Estevez, citing confidential US and Mexican sources, said Trump made the threat during an hour-long phone call with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday.Trump told Pena Nieto that maybe he should send US troops to defeat the cartels because Mexican soldiers are not doing their job well, according to the report published by the website proyectopuente.com.mx.But Mexican and White House officials vehemently denied the report. Its a lie of the size of its bad faith, Pena Nietos spokesman, Eduardo Sanchez, told AFP.The White House also denied to AFP that Trump threatened to send troops to Mexico.If confirmed, the report would contradict the tone of the conversation that was reported in near identical statements issued by the two governments last Friday.The statements both described the phone call as constructive and productive, while Trump told a news conference that it was very friendly.The phone call came as bilateral relations plunged into the biggest diplomatic crisis between the two neighbors in decades.Trump angered Mexicans last week by ordering the construction of a massive border wall and vowing to make their country pay for the wall.Pena Nieto has pledged that his government will never pay for the barrier and he canceled a meeting with Trump scheduled for this week in Washington.In Fridays statements, both sides said the presidents recognized their public differences over the wall but that they instructed their teams to continue the dialogue between the two governments.In addition to the row over the wall, Trump wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico. Mexican officials expect talks to begin in May. Challenges of Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question: A Presentation by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Chairman of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to the U.S. House Sub-Committee on Africa, February 1, 2017 Let me start by thanking Congressman, Christopher H. Smith, Chairman U.S. House Sub-Committee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations for inviting me to share my views on the crisis facing Christians in Nigeria today and the Niger Delta question. The U.S. Congress is a powerful institution not just for good governance in the U.S. but also for global peace and development. Over the years, the U.S. Congress has shown consistent interest in African affairs and I thank you for this and for showing interest in Nigeria. Congressman Smith has personally visited troubled spots in Nigeria and especially those geo-political zones that are considered the frontline of ethnic and religious conflicts. He has also visited the Niger Delta. I sincerely thank him for these efforts. In your invitation letter, you highlighted a number of very sensitive issues you wanted me to touch on. I group all these issues under Challenges Facing Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question. A full discussion on even one of these issues may take a minimum of two hours, but here, I am expected to be very brief. I will therefore present a birds eye view, but when next your committee visits Nigeria, even more detailed presentations will be made by other stakeholders. 2. Nigeria and the World I read a paper presented by Princeton N. Lyman, a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, suggesting that Nigeria is no longer strategic to U.S. interests in Africa and the world as it used to be. Ambassador Lyman may have had valid reasons for such a viewpoint, but I make bold to say that the relationship between the U.S. and Nigeria has come a long way since Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewas State Visit to the U.S. in July of 1961 and that relationship should not only endure, but be built upon. Mineral Resources Economy/Trade Biotic Resources Population/Human Resources, etc Nations such as Nigeria can impact the globe positively when things are handled properly. They may also affect the world negatively if things go wrong. It is not in the best interest of the U.S. and indeed the international community to ignore Nigeria. 3. Killing of Christians in Nigeria Your invitation letter profusely highlighted the issues of the killing of Christians in Nigeria, the last major incident being the recent killings in Southern Kaduna in Kaduna state, and I do not need to elaborate on that. The challenge is how do we stop that from recurring. How do we ensure that Christians and Muslims cohabit peacefully in Nigeria and practice their religions freely without discrimination, molestation and killings? One school of thought believes that these killings reoccur because of impunity. Security and law enforcement bodies unfortunately have a history of failing to apprehend the culprits of previous killings and disturbances and punishing according to the law. Such impunity has emboldened and encouraged persons with such tendencies. Indeed, though there have been over 10 major incidences of ethnic and religious conflagration in the frontline state of Kaduna since 1979, there has only ever been one incidence where the authorities took action, according to the law, to punish the culprits of the disturbances. This was in 1992, after the Zangon Kataf riots in which the official death toll was 300. The military administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida constituted the Civil Disturbances Special Tribunal to try arrested persons and a total of 14 persons were sentenced to death, although the Babangida administration commuted the sentences to five years imprisonment. Within the period I served as a Vice President and later as President, it became very clear to me that if the issue of religion is not handled properly, the unity of the country would be in great jeopardy. Religious and other ethnic issues were becoming a stumbling block towards societal cohesion and economic development. I therefore set up a National Conference with the mandate of looking into all the grey areas militating against the peace, progress and development of Nigeria. On the issue of religion, let me quote unedited the position of the 2014 National Conference. Nigeria has over 350 ethnic nationalities and that: This multi-ethnicity has been compounded by pronounced religious differences, exploited usually for political considerations by avid political classes in contexts of extreme poverty and very low educational development among the mass of the populace. Whereas Nigeria is supposed to be a secular state, one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity, the prevalence of religiosity and its related nepotism at all levels, has effectively undermined the objectivity which secularity would have ordinarily imbued in national politics. The Conference further stated that: In view of the fact that religion plays a vital role in many aspects of our national life especially in the aspect of national security and national unity, it is highly imperative that it be singled out from other fundamental rights and given a special attention via the creation of an Equity Commission whose sole mandate will be to focus on religious rights and their promotion. This is in line with best global practices as many advanced democracies have special legal and institutional arrangements for some very sensitive aspects of their national life. Examples of such specialized agencies from other countries are presented below: a) In the United Kingdom, despite the existence of the UK Equal Opportunities Commission (UK-EOC), a Commission for Racial Equality (created by the Race Relations Act, 1976) which existed alongside UK-EOC for many years. This was done because at the time, issues of racial discrimination were very sensitive and crucial that it was thought necessary to create a special commission for it. b) In the United States, despite the existence of the US State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, it has other special human rights enforcement agencies created to promote specific rights. One of such agencies is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) which is a federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individuals race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, genetic information, and retaliation for reporting, participating in, and/or opposing a discriminatory practice. c) Canada has a similar arrangement to that of the United States. The Canadian Human Rights Act has long prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, and certain other grounds. In 1986, the Canadian government passed the Employment Equity Act which was meant to protect certain restricted vulnerable categories of persons. The Canadian Human Rights Act continues to be in force alongside the Employment Equity Act. d) In Australia, there are 3 different commissions addressing the issues of human rights, namely: Human Rights Commission, Anti-Discrimination Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission Even before I set up the National Conference in 2014, my government took certain initiatives to end impunity and reorient the minds of Nigerians. First was education. I established twelve conventional Federal Universities and two specialized universities. In addition to these, I also established 165 Almajiri elementary and high schools in each of the nineteen states of Northern Nigeria to combine Islamic education with Western education. In the area of law enforcement, it was quite challenging, but we were determined. When the Boko Haram Islamic terrorists bombed St. Theresas Catholic Church, Madalla, in Niger state of Nigeria on Christmas Day of 2011, I physically visited the scene of the bombing at which 44 people died on Saturday the 31st of December 2011 and I promised Nigerians that those responsible for that heinous act would be brought to book. That promise was fulfilled on the 20th of December 2013 when Kabiru Umar, aka Kabiru Sokoto, was sentenced to life imprisonment after my administration investigated that crime, identified him as the mastermind, arrested him and diligently prosecuted him and some of his associates. Might I add that this was the first and only successful prosecution of a crime of deadly terrorism against a religious place of worship inspired by religious extremism since Nigerias return to civil rule in 1999. Before then, my administration had also diligently carried out the first successful prosecution of terrorists of the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, for another terror attack, but this time not in a place of worship but on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission also in Madalla, Niger state, an act which led to the deaths of sixteen persons on April 8th, 2011. We were in the process of prosecuting Aminu Ogwuche, the mastermind of the April 14, 2014 Nyanya bombing in Nasarawa state which killed 75 people but unfortunately that prosecution was ongoing as at the time I left office in 2015. But the point I want to emphasize by citing these incidences is that my administration had the political will to halt impunity in Nigeria and that is why killings due to religious extremism was localized to the Northeast with occasional killings in other zones of the North. And even in the Northeast, we had rolled back the Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram, by the end of the first quarter of 2015 after we were able to get weapons to arm our military. The killings did not spread to the mainly Christian south and I believe that the fight back against impunity by my administration was the main reason for this. Of course, there were other reasons for this. For instance, through my personal reach out to the then President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, I was able to persuade the Body of Christ in Nigeria not to engage in any retaliation or reprisal killings. My job was made easier in this regards when the Christian Association of Nigeria saw a genuine desire on my part to bring religious extremists to book. Using the same approach with the head of the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, I was able to get the mainstream of the Islamic faith to publicly condemn Islamic extremism in Nigeria. This was important to show that a clampdown on Islamic extremism was and is not a clampdown on Islam. Going a step further, I worked through a body known as the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to bring Christian and Muslim leaders together so they could talk to each other not at each other. To summarize on the issue of ethnic and religious conflicts, I recommend the establishment of the Religious Equity Commission, enforcement of our laws without fear or favor and maximum cooperation by all Nigerians especially our revered religious leaders and clerics. 4. The Niger Delta Question The issue of the Niger Delta is an issue of exploitation of natural resources, economy and development. The complaints and restiveness is not unique to the Niger Delta of Nigeria alone. In most African nations where resources are domiciled in minority regions and the control of such resources are in the hands of majority regions, such agitations are commonplace. The people in these regions feel that though they suffer from the environmental hazards of the exploitation of the God given resources, they do not commensurately benefit from the exploitation of these resources. In the Niger Delta, these agitations predate Nigerias existence in 1914. Oil palm produce (palm oil and kernel) were major raw materials that fed the growth of the Industrial Revolution in Europe, and they largely came from the Niger Delta. Various tribal kings and chiefs such as King Jaja of Opobo and Nana Olomu, resisted British exploitation of these resources and were both arrested, deposed and exiled to the West Indies (King Jaja) and the Gold Coast (Nana) by the British Imperial Government as punishment for their agitations. Let me add that the punitive measures against these kings did not end the agitations. With the discovery of petroleum, in the Niger Delta, similar agitations surfaced. On February 23, 1966, these agitations culminated in the declaration of the first secessionist state in post independent Nigeria, the Niger Delta Republic, proclaimed by Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro. His twelve day revolution was crushed by the Federal Government. It is instructive to note that Isaac Boro declared the Republic of the Niger Delta a full year and three months before May, 1967 when then Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the secession of the Eastern Region to form the Republic of Biafra leading to the thorty month civil war. From the end of the civil war to date the Federal Government has come up with many interventionist initiatives to pacify the Niger Delta. I was a pioneer staff and worked as an Assistant Director of Environmental Protection at one of these early interventionist agencies called the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Develoment Commission (OMPADEC), set up by the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. With the advent of democracy in 1999, then President Olusegun Obasanjo established the present body, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The greatest stumbling block of these interventionist agencies was lack of continuity, resulting from an over politicization of projects as each successive management awarded new contracts rather than continue with those awarded by their predecessors and as such, the Niger Delta is littered with many abandoned projects with very few completed projects to show for the huge monies spent. During the Obasanjo era, the Federal Government, in line with our constitution and revenue laws, set aside 13% of oil revenues to be paid as derivation funds to oil producing states and shared on the basis of proportion of oil they produce. As a person from the Niger Delta, I can say that the 13% derivation has benefitted Niger Delta states and their people more than the interventionist agencies. For example, those who knew Akwa Ibom state before the 13% derivation become law will agree that the derivation fund has changed the face of that state making it almost overnight one of the most developed states in Nigeria. The same is true with other oil producing states though with varying degrees of development. From the foregoing, the only option that will solve the agitation in the Niger Delta is true and Fiscal Federalism as practiced in the United States from whom we copied the Presidential model of government. States should be allowed to exploit their natural resources as they deem fit and pay adequate taxes to the Federal Government. This is also the position of the 2014 National Conference. The Conference strongly recommended the adoption of Fiscal Federalism as the only panacea to these agitations and other challenges. 5. The Role of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Resolving both the religious crises and the Niger Delta question requires a new legal framework, thus the Federal Government and the National Assembly have major roles to play. The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation working with Elder statesmen and Civil Society groups can, through dialogue and advocacy, encourage religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups and women groups to participate in the formulation of a new legal framework. They will also be impressed upon to abide by these laws when put in place. Without a new legal framework, successes by any advocacy group will at best be transient, it will not endure. Also, the military crackdown in the Niger Delta will not end the agitation there. It will have the opposite effect of provoking the youths which will cause them to seek to acquire sophisticated weapons to defend themselves and their communities. This may in turn lead to secessionist movements and the reincarnation of the Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro led revolution and the Biafran Civil War. The Federal Government and the international community must work to avoid this. 6. Global Terror and Boko Haram in Nigeria The Boko Haram Islamic terrorist sect has been classified as the most deadly terror group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index. Herdsmen operating in and around Nigeria are listed as the fourth most deadly terror group. However, I do not intend to discuss global terror because it is a subject well known to all and the U.S. government has been working hard with various governments to address these issues. My belief is that the day the U.S. government and the Russian government decide to work together, that will surely mark the beginning of the end of global terror. 7. Conclusion In my capacity as head of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, I visited former Nigerian leaders to call for unity of purpose to fend off some of these challenges I have listed above. And finally today I am here, calling on this august body and the new American administration of President Donald J Trump, of whom we are very confident, to please work with the government and people of Nigeria by way of capacity building and intelligence gathering and sharing and indeed in any way possible to bring an end to religious extremism in Nigeria. Mr. Chairman, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my ideas on these sensitive subject with you. Nigeria, as a nation, is relevant to the U.S. in my opinion especially when you consider such parameters as:I totally agreed with the 2014 National Conference on the need to establish the Religious Equity Commission that will have powers to arrest and prosecute those who contravene the law. If, as a nation, we do not kill religious persecution and extremism, then religious persecution and extremism will kill Nigeria. The potential danger associated with the level of conflicts going on across the country is so glaring that no sane mind can ignore.Nine of the twelve Federal Universities were located in those states in Northern Nigeria that previously did not have any Federal University. The Specialized Police University was located in Kano state, also in the North, bringing the total number of universities I established in the North of Nigeria to ten. The Specialized Maritime University was located in the Niger Delta. 2 February 2017 LSE Code: 3DES BOOST ISSUER PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY (a public company incorporated with limited liability in Ireland) BOOST SHORTDAX 3X DAILY ETP SECURITIES PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THE AFFECTED SECURITIES ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING OF THE ETP SECURITYHOLDERS THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt about what action you should take, you are recommended to consult your independent financial adviser. If you have sold or transferred all of your Boost ShortDAX 3x Daily ETP Securities (the "Affected Securities") of Boost Issuer Public Limited Company (the "Issuer"), please send this document, together with the accompanying form of proxy, at once to the purchaser or transferee or stockbroker, banker or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was made, for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee. Boost Issuer Public Limited Company (the "Issuer") wishes to announce that the Meeting of the holders of Boost ShortDAX 3x Daily ETP Securities (the "Affected Securities", with ISIN IE00B8GKPP93) scheduled for today at 11:00 a.m. (the "Original Meeting") has been adjourned, in accordance with paragraph 20 of Schedule 7 of the Trust Deed, for lack of a quorum. The adjourned meeting will be reconvened on 11:00 a.m. on Friday 17 February 2017, being a date not more than 30 days after the Original Meeting, and will be held at the offices of Capita International Financial Services (Ireland) Limited in 2 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland (the "Adjourned Meeting"). The Adjourned Meeting is being held to consider certain amendments to documentation, made under the powers set out in clause 2 of schedule 7 of the master trust deed of the Affected Securities, required to effect a reduction in the principal amount of the Affected Securities from EUR 2.00 to EUR 0.20. This follows the price of the Affected Securities falling below 500 per cent. of its current principal amount on 3 January 2017, and is designed to maintain the normal trading and operations of the Affected Securities. Full details of the Proposal and Extraordinary Resolution are set out in the notice dated 5 January 2017. Holders of the Affected Securities will receive a form of proxy by post, allowing them to vote on the matters being considered at the Meeting by proxy. Under article 11.5 of the Issuer's Articles of Association, no further notification is required for the Adjourned Meeting. Holders of the Affected Securities are therefore directed to the original notification posted to them on 5 January 2017, and also available on the website of the Issuer, at www.boostetp.com/Content/Regulatory-Documents. Holders of the Affected Securities should note that a duly completed form of proxy deposited in respect of the Original Meeting will continue to be valid for the Adjourned Meeting unless previously revoked or suspended by a further form of proxy prior to the Meeting. In accordance with normal practice, The Law Debenture Trust Corporation p.l.c., as trustee, expresses no opinion as to the merits of the Proposal, the terms of which were not negotiated by it. It has however authorised it to be stated that, on the basis of the information contained in the original circular and in this document (which it advises holders of Affected Securities to read carefully) it has no objection to the form in which the Proposal and Notice of Meeting are presented to holders of Affected Securities for their consideration. Holders of the Affected Securities will be notified of the outcome of the Adjourned Meeting shortly thereafter. An armed group attacked a UN technical monitoring team in Koncha, a village near the Nigeria-Cameroon border on Tuesday, killing five pers... An armed group attacked a UN technical monitoring team in Koncha, a village near the Nigeria-Cameroon border on Tuesday, killing five persons, including three Nigerians and a Kenyan.The deceased were killed in the process of demarcating and delineating the border between both countries in line with the judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).Mohamed Chambas, UN envoy for West Africa and the Sahel, has called for swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice.According to preliminary reports, at around 14:00 hours, yesterday (Tuesday), an unknown armed group attacked a UN Technical Monitoring Team, killing five individuals a UN independent contractor, three Nigerians nationals and one Cameroonian national and injuring several others, read a statement signed by Chambas.The team was conducting a field mission in the vicinity of Hosere Jongbi, near Kontcha, Cameroon, about 700 kilometres north of the capital Yaounde, as part of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission mandate.Silas Sanga, Adamawa state attorney-general and commissioner of justice, identified one of the deceased as Zakari Bakari, the assistant surveyor-general of Taraba state.The Cameroonian authorities have released their corpses and the corpses have just arrived Adamawa as I am talking to you, Sanga told NAN.He explained another Nigerian from Jigawa also lost his life in the incident.Othman Abubakar, spokesman of Adamawa police command, confirmed the killing, but said he had not received full details. Ex- Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has returned a fresh sum of N30m to the Economic and Financial Crimes Comm... Ex- Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has returned a fresh sum of N30m to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with a promise to pay a balance of N417 million.Tthe former minister has now returned N167 million to the Federal Government.A reliable source revealed that the former minister paid the money from his Diamond Bank account to the EFCC Recovered Funds Account.The source stated, I can confirm that Senator Obanikoro has been meeting up his part of the agreement. You will recall that last year, he promised to return a certain amount of money every quarter.He has made a payment of N30m, his first instalment in 2017. He is also reporting at the EFCC as he should.The ex-minister, who returned to Nigeria in October 2016, after spending about 15 months in the United States, was accused of receiving N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).Obanikoro had said in his statement of oath at the EFCC that after receiving the money in 2014, he gave N1.219bn to the then governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, while N1.3bn was given to the PDP governorship candidate in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore.He also confessed to giving Fayose a separate $5.377m at Spotless Hotel in Ekiti State in the presence of party stalwarts, including the then PDP state secretary, Mr. Tope Aluko.Obanikoro was said to have kept about N785 milliom for himself, which he allegedly spent while campaigning ahead of the PDP governorship primary in Lagos State, which Mr. Jimi Agbaje won.However, the EFCC asked him to return about N584m, out of which he has returned N167m.At the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, Mr. Alade Sunday, a manager at Zenith Bank, narrated how Obanikoro delivered about N1.219bn to Fayoses aide, Abiodun Agbele, for onward transmission to Fayose.He had added that it took the cashiers about 10 days to count all the money.Sunday had said Obanikoro flew the cash to Akure airport and the money was loaded onto bullion vans.When we got to the airport, we waited for some minutes before the aircraft arrived. When the aircraft offloaded its passengers, one of them appeared to me to be Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and the other one appeared to be his ADC, Adewale.Agbele walked up to them and had a discussion with them. Thereafter, he signalled to me to bring the van. Bags loaded with cash were loaded into the van and Obanikoros ADC, I and Agbele drove back to the bank, he had stated. The Chairman, Senate Committee of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, on Thursday said the lawmakers could call for a revi... The Chairman, Senate Committee of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, on Thursday said the lawmakers could call for a review of the contract awarded for the construction of the official residence of the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.According to Melaye, the gatehouse of the three-bedroomed apartment will cost N250m.He also described the cost of the official residence being constructed for the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as inflated.The senator made the revelations at a press briefing in Abuja.Details later. Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described as satanic and u... Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described as satanic and undemocratic democracy, the Federal Governments attempt to secretly try the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, by using mask-wearing prosecution witnesses.Fayose who expressed surprise at the action of the of All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government, said by the arrangement, it is becoming obvious that President Muhammadu Buhari has something to hide on the travail of Col. Dasuki, saying if you were not afraid to call someone a thief in the market place, you should not be afraid to try such a person in the full glare of the public.The governor, who said Nigerians should ask the federal government why it was afraid of trying Dasuki openly, noted that; Since names of the would-be prosecution witnesses have already been made public, what agenda is the federal pursuing by insisting that its witnesses be given protection by the court by not allowing their names and addresses to be made public in the course of the trial.In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose challenged the APC-led federal government to allow live television coverage of the trial so that the federal government can tell the entire world how Dasuki actually stole the $2.1 billion arms money and he (Dasuki) will also defend himself in the full glare of the public.The governor said; You accused someone of corruption in the market place and the person you accused is saying he wants to defend himself in the market place too, but you, the accuser is insisting that the accused must be tried in your bedroom, I think someone is trying to hide something? He said it was curious that the Federal Government could approach the court for the second time, seeking for an order to conduct secret trial in a celebrated criminal matter, on which it claimed to have watertight evidences. Governor Fayose added that even the prosecuting counsel, who filed the application, should be ashamed for allowing themselves to be used as tools to subvert democracy.They want Nnamdi Kanu tried secretly. They also want the former Col Dasuki (rtd) tried secretly. What are they afraid of? How is defence counsel going to cross-examine masked witnesses when their real identity cannot be ascertained? Why are the witnesses afraid to testify in an open court if truly they are witnesses of truth? Obviously, this is satanic.It is against all democratic norms and Nigerians must rise against it, the governor said. He called on the court to reject the federal government ploy to use masquerade as witnesses, saying; Nigerians are now at the mercy of judiciary, which is the only institution that can save Nigeria from the full-blown dictatorship that the APC government has become. A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who was recently released from a British prison where he served a jail term for corruption... A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who was recently released from a British prison where he served a jail term for corruption, has indicated his plan to rejoin politics upon his return to Nigeria.Mr. Ibori, who ruled the oil rich state between 1999 and 2007, said he would not quit politics until his death.What happens in African politics you are in it until you die, he told Reuters in London after a court hearing on Tuesday.I am a politician, I will always be a politician. I play the politics in my party and in my country for the good of my people.Mr. Ibori, however, said he would not contest any elective position again because he had been barred for 10 year because of his conviction.He gave indication that he would appeal against the conviction.Mr. Ibori was in court as part of the ongoing legal proceedings in his case.He had left prisons in December after serving half of his 13 year jail term, taking into account pre-trial detention.His freedom elicited jubilation and celebration in his political camp, especially in Delta State.Reuters reported that a video later surfaced on YouTube of Mr. Ibori being feted in London by supporters, including a serving senator who said, to cheers, that the former governor had made the careers of several prominent Nigerian politicians while in prison.According to the news medium, Mr. Ibori declined to state if it was true.The prison telephone is meant for keeping in touch.so you can integrate when you come out, the former governor said.Reuters reports that the appeal is based on an allegation by an associate of the former governor that a British police officer had taken bribes in return for information on the case before the former governor was convicted and that prosecutors had covered it up.The police say it investigated the allegation though no arrest was made neither were any charges preferred.It also reported the state prosecution service as saying that material supporting the allegations exists and it initially failed to disclose that to Mr. Iboris defence team, but that it is confident his (Ibori) conviction remains valid.Mr. Ibori, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was arraigned in Southwack Crown Court in February 2012, for laundering about $250 million believed to have been stolen from the coffers of Delta State.He pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.He was subsequently jailed on April 17, 2012 for 13 years.While in prison, Mr. Ibori was still remotely dictating the political tune in his native Delta State where his maternal cousin, Emmanuel Uduaghan, had succeeded him as governor in 2007.Mr. Uduaghan served until 2015.The current governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, served in the Ibori administration as commissioner before he was elevated to the position of secretary to the state government in the Udughan administration. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State, Prince Benjamin Apugo, has declared that the people of the South East wi... A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State, Prince Benjamin Apugo, has declared that the people of the South East will push for an Igbo Presidency after the second tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.Apugo, a member of the APC Board of Trustees, BoT, gave the call while reacting to former President, Olusegun Obasanjos remark that the Igbos should run for the Presidency in 2019.Recall that the former President had recently called for the next President of Nigeria to come from the South East.But the APC BoT member, while addressing reporters at his Nkata Ibeku country home in the state, urged people of the South East to disregard Obasanjos call for a President.The APC stalwart said, What I do know is that Ndi Igbo should talk about Presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari. I think we should support this government.Berating Obasanjo for his comment, Apugo added, Former President Obasanjo feels he can muzzle the Igbos because he perceived we do not have a leader; why should Obasanjo say 2019 is the turn of the Igbos, is he an Igbo man?Or is he the one who gives presidency to any race? If its Obasanjo that gives president to anybody, why didnt he succeed himself when he sought for a third term? Toby Lanzer, UN assistant secretary general and lead humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel, has advised European countries to help tackle... Toby Lanzer, UN assistant secretary general and lead humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel, has advised European countries to help tackle the humanitarian crisis in countries in the Lake Chad region.Lanzer said this ahead of a major donor conference in Oslo that will be co-hosted by Nigeria, Germany and Norway on February 24.According to reports, Lanzer said European countries have done too little to tackle the crisis despite the opportunity to address humanitarian and migration issues.Its not only that we want Nigeria to be stable for the prosperity of that country and its people, its also in our broader interests at home, the top UN official said.This is a double win, if you want. You dont want the most populous country on the African continent becoming increasingly unstable; at the same time, you want people there prospering and not having to flee from violence or seek opportunity elsewhere.There is a convergence of interests here. I think the UK is probably doing all it can, both on the humanitarian and development fronts, but I think making calls to other capitals across Europe is going to be something that is really vital over the next two weeks to generate more interest.There are about 515,000 children who are at risk of starvation right now, so step up, Netherlands; step up, Denmark. You have got to show some solidarity now and it is in your interests to do so.A recent report published by the international organisation for migration (IOM) revealed that in 2016, Nigeria was the third largest source of migrants crossing the Mediterranean.The UN had in December 2016 urged global donors to pool $1.5bn (1.2bn) for the crisis in the Lake Chad region, including $1.05bn for Nigeria.Only 53% of the requested amount had been received as at January, the report says. Popular musician, TuFace Idibia who joined the call for protest by some concerned Nigerians over the state of the nation, had used his social media platforms to appeal to his supporters to join the movement. But Owoseni, who had earlier stated that there was no official request from the protesters notifying security agencies of their plan, said Wednesday that intelligence report indicates that criminals might hijack the process. According to the police chief, the command wasnt ready for that kind of demonstration and as such would not allow it to hold.Tuface-Idibia He said no matter how good an intention is, hoodlums would always find a way to harass, rob and attack innocent members of the public, who may wish to go about their Lawful duty. Owoseni said: Information reaching us revealed that some hoodlums are planning to hijack the peaceful protest. And as such, we wont allow it to hold in Lagos. We know that Tuface do not have the capacity to contain such a crowd and we will not fold our hands and watch while things go out of hand. At a press conference held earlier in the week, Owoseni said: The Civil Society had said that they do not need police permission to carry out any peaceful protest, but they should also be aware that there might be those who share an opposing view. This set of persons may want to disrupt the peaceful demonstration and would want to attack demonstrators. This is why we advise individuals or group of persons who may wish to embark on civil demonstration to inform the police so that adequate security arrangement would be provided. The Lagos State Vector Control Programme is to employ more graduates of the states College of Health Technology (LASCOHET), Yaba, to el... The Lagos State Vector Control Programme is to employ more graduates of the states College of Health Technology (LASCOHET), Yaba, to eliminate Lassa Fever virus by killing rats from 465 markets in the state.Mr Oluwasegun Benson, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Phosgard Fumigants Nigeria Ltd., and the programmes coordinator, disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos.The state government established the programme to eliminate Lassa Fever virus transmitted to humans by killing rats especially in markets and public places in what is called deratting.The coordinator spoke shortly after inspecting markets in Ijeh Barracks and Obalande in Eti-Osa Local Government and seven others in Ijora, Apapa Local Government.Benson said that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State had given his approval for automatic employment of 233 graduates of the college from 2012/2013 academic session with effect from July 2, 2016.He said the teams planned employment of more graduates of LASCOHET would further enhance curbing the spread of Lassa fever in the state by ridding it of rats.LASCOHET, formerly known as the School of Hygiene, was established by Dr Oladipo Oluwole, the first Nigerian Medical Officer of Health, in 1920.Benson explained that under the programme, his members would cover over 465 markets, beginning from next month.The deratisation of the markets will be done every month. We will visit all the markets in each local government in the state once a month. The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the Revised National Tax Policy. The policy will see the Value Added Tax on luxury... The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the Revised National Tax Policy.The policy will see the Value Added Tax on luxury items like champagne, increasing from the current five percent among other changes.The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting of the council presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.Adeosun said while the implementation of the revised policy would take immediate effects, some aspects that require changes in law would be referred to the National Assembly for action. DALLAS, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc. (OTCQB:RMHB), a fully reporting consumer goods company specializing in hemp-infused food and beverage products and a naturally high alkaline water announced today that representatives of the Company will be in attendance at this year's Seattle CannaCon Convention. Where the Cannabis Industry Does Business CannaCon Seattle is a three-day expo (February 16th-18th) that brings together buyers, exhibitors and consumers of the medical and recreational cannabis industry. CannaCon is the worlds largest Cannabis business marketplace boasting over 300 vendors and 10,000+ attendees per show. CannaCon is the number one marketplace for producers, processors and retailers. Rocky Mountain High Brands representatives will be located in Booth 215 and will be offering free samples of all the delicious flavors of hemp-infused beverages and discounted cases of product from our Washington State distributor, Rocky Mountain High Society. Rocky Mountain High Brands National Sales Director, Jojo Flaherty, will be in attendance to answer all questions regarding regional distribution opportunities. Jojo Flaherty stated, "CannaCon is the heartbeat of the commercial side of the nationwide cannabis movement and our attendance strengthens our west coast expansion efforts. CannaCon also opens the doors to distributors who want to be in the forefront of the fastest growing industry in North America." Michael Welch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rocky Mountain High Brands, said, "The face of the cannabis industry has changed and CannaCon is the commerce side of the cannabis industry. It is important for Rocky Mountain High Beverages to be well represented at CannaCon and to lead the way in the hemp-infused revolution. About CannaCon: CannaCon is dedicated to creating and strengthening lifelong partnerships within the emerging cannabis industry. It is the companys mission to provide a global venue for Cannabis Businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, and community partners to showcase industry products, people and innovations and to cultivate business values within the cannabis industry through education and responsible community involvement. For information on attending the 2017 show: www.cannacon.org. About Rocky Mountain High Brands: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH BRANDS, INC., is a consumer goods company specializing in brand development of health conscious, hemp-infused food and beverage products. The Company currently markets a lineup of four naturally flavored hemp-infused beverages (Citrus Energy, Black Tea, Mango Energy and Lemonade) and a low calorie Coconut Lime Energy drink. Rocky Mountain High Brands also offers hemp-infused 2oz. Mango Energy Shots and Mixed Berry Energy Shots, as well as a new Relaxation Brownie. The Company recently launched a naturally high alkaline spring water, Eagle Spirit Spring Water. For interested investors, our stock symbol is RMHB. For ordering information please visit: LiveRockyMountainHigh.com For corporate information please visit: RockyMountainHighBrands.com For information on our high alkaline water visit: EagleSpiritWater.com For Rocky Mountain High Distribution Contact: Chuck Smith (972) 955-0964 chuck@rockymountainhighbrands.com Visit us at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rockymountainhighbrands?fref=nf Visit us on Twitter: #GetYourHempOn Visit us at Investors Hangout: http://investorshangout.com/Rocky-Mountain-High-Brands-Inc-RMHB-69150/ Investors Hangout is the only authorized Investors blog page for Rocky Mountain High Brands, Inc. Safe Harbor Act: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involves risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has described the Spiritual leader of the Adoration Ministries in Enugu, Rev Fr Mbaka, as a fake Fu... The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has described the Spiritual leader of the Adoration Ministries in Enugu, Rev Fr Mbaka, as a fake Fulani superstitious idol worshipper.IPOB made the allegation while reacting to Mbakas recent comments on the pro-Biafra group.In a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB said Mbakas ideologies were being controlled by hunger and lack of good education and knowledge on issues.Referring to the priest as Usman Mbaka, the group alleged that priest has many contradictions in his teaching when compared to the Holy Bible.The statement reads, From what Usman Mbaka said in his video about IPOB, you would have thought that the same Jesus he worships sells olive oil and pure water in his name, was 1000 years old when he started his ministry that changed the course of human history.Every morning and night, this Fulani fake miracle selling superstitious idol worshiper kneel down to ask Jesus that died at the youthful age of 33 for money, protection and even more fools to attend his adoration ground for prayer to the same 33 year old saviour.A man that destroyed Nigeria without firing a single bullet is greater than Nigeria, talk less of hungry, poorly educated men that think they are Igbo elites.You see, Mbaka does not know the word of God, neither is he educated enough to understand historical events. It is fair to conclude therefore, that Usman Mbaka is not a priest of God. If Mbaka evidentially and demonstrably is not a servant of God, he must therefore a child of Satan and servant of Baal.IPOB noted that the world knows only Jesus not the high priest of the temple or anyone from Sanhedrin.The group maintained that the same God has chosen its leader, Nnamdi Kanu and not anybody from Ohaneze Ndigbo, South-East or South South Governors Forum or so called elites to lead the struggle for secession. Nigeria will remain with the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite the recent pull out of some African nations, the ministry of forei... Nigeria will remain with the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite the recent pull out of some African nations, the ministry of foreign affairs has said.Clement Aduku, spokesperson of the ministry, made the federal governments position known on Wednesday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.Aduku said Nigerias stand on the issue as explained by the foreign affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, had not changed.The African Union had in January during plenary at the 28th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, called for collective withdrawal of its members from the court.The summit had said that African countries were not fairly treated by the court.But Onyeama says Nigeria and other countries believe that the court has an important role to play in holding leaders accountable, hence Nigeria fully stands by it.Nigeria is not the only voice against it; in fact, Senegal is speaking very strongly against it. Cape Verde and other countries are also against it. What AU did was to set up a committee to elaborate a strategy for collective withdrawal.After, Senegal took the floor, Nigeria took the floor, Cape Verde and some other countries made it clear that they were not going to subscribe to that decision, he said.Onyeama said that a number of countries had requested for more time to study the decision before acceding.He said Zambia, Tanzania, Liberia, Botswana and a host of others were not willing to withdraw from the court.Each country freely and willingly acceded to the Treaty and not all of the members of the AU acceded; each country acceded individually, exercising its own sovereign right.So, if each country wants to withdraw, it has the right to do that individually. AU, which was not a party to the Rome Statute that established the court, should not be developing a strategy for a collective withdrawal for something that each country entered into individually.Those who feel they want to withdraw should do that individually, Onyeama said.Burundi, South Africa and The Gambia have publicly announced their intention to pull out of the ICC while Namibia, Kenya and Uganda are said to be contemplating withdrawing. The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, has called for an upward review of the budgetary provision of the Nigeria Police Force. The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, has called for an upward review of the budgetary provision of the Nigeria Police Force.He made the appeal on Wednesday at a meeting with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Nigerias capital.Mr Idris stressed the need for more funding if the issues of insecurity and other social vices in the country were to be addressed.The Chairman of the committee, Representative Haliru Jika, assured the police chief that the lawmakers would look into the matter.Meanwhile, some other committees of the House such as that of the Navy and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) also held meetings with officials of the agencies.The Acting Managing Director of FERMA, Peter Ibu, received the lawmakers who were led by Representative Jerry Alagboso at the agencys headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory.The House Committee on Navy also met with officers of the Nigerian Navy who were led by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, at the National Assembly.The meetings appear to be part of the lawmakers efforts to assess the performance of the 2016 budget, even as they prepare to commence work on the 2017 budget. For the second time this week, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the president. For the second time this week, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the president.He came in the company of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara who would be coming for the third time this week.The Speakers first time was on Monday when he visited with Gov. Rochas Okorocho of Imo State.On Tuesday, the Senate President visited the Villa with the Speaker again. Later, Saraki told Journalists that his visit was connected with the 2017 budget defense.Both of them are currently meeting with Osinbajo. The reason for their visit is yet to be known.It will be recalled that Osinabjo became Acting President sequel to transfer of power to him by President Muhammadu Buhari whos currently on a medical vacation in London. Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday that US President Donald Trumps temporary immigration ban was divisive and wrong, five days... Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday that US President Donald Trumps temporary immigration ban was divisive and wrong, five days after she initially refused to condemn the move.On the policy that president Trump has introduced, this government is clear that that policy is wrong, May told parliament after being pressed by opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.We believe it is divisive and wrong, she said, speaking to MPs for the first time since the travel ban came into force on Friday the same day she met Trump at the White House.Trumps executive order bars refugee arrivals for at least 120 days and suspends visas from seven Muslim-majority countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.May said she had no advance notice of Trumps plans.If he (Corbyn) is asking me whether I had advance notice of the ban on refugees, the answer is no. If he is asking me if I had advance notice that the executive order could affect British citizens, the answer is no.If he is asking if I had advance notice of the travel restrictions, the answer is we all did, because president Trump said he was going to do this in his election campaign.The ban sparked global mass protests and was swiftly condemned by the United Nations and countries including Germany and France.But May initially failed to condemn the measure, saying the US was responsible for its own refugee policy.She then issued a statement saying she did not agree with it.A petition demanding that Britain withdraw an invitation for Trump to make a state visit has garnered 1.8 million signatures.Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, on a visit to Lisbon on Wednesday, described the US ban as arbitrary and brutal.European leaders are also concerned about Trumps virulent criticism of NATO he has dubbed the transatlantic military alliance obsolete at a time when it stands as the main defence against Russian President Vladimir Putin.We should organise as soon as possible a NATO summit in Brussels with new US President Donald Trump so European leaders can have contact with him, said Reynders.The United States provides significant funding to NATO, and Trump has urged other member nations to step up their contributions.Europe has an increased responsibility to preserve transatlantic ties. The international order depends greatly on the alliance between Atlantic democracies, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva added.AFP Fatai Owoseni, the Lagos state police commissioner, says some hoodlums are planning to hijack the Innocent 2face Idibia-led protest agai... Fatai Owoseni, the Lagos state police commissioner, says some hoodlums are planning to hijack the Innocent 2face Idibia-led protest against the federal government.According to reports, the commissioner said he would not allow the citizen action to carry on because the musician, also known as 2baba, lacks the capacity to contain such a crowd.Information reaching us revealed that some hoodlums are planning to hijack the peaceful protest, Owoseni was quoted as saying.And as such, we wont allow it to hold in Lagos. We know that Tuface do not have the capacity to contain such a crowd and we will not fold our hands and watch while things go out of hand.After Idibia made known his intention to champion the protest, several celebrities publicly displayed support for it, expressing willingness to join .The protest was initially billed to hold on Sunday, but was later pushed forward to Monday the same day President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to return to the country from the UK, where he has been on vacation.Idibia had announced that it would commence at National Stadium, Surulere and end at National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. EAST RUTHERFORD -- An 85-year-old man died after a December assault at the Meadowlands Racetrack, police said. The man who allegedly him to the ground, John Bayiokos, 57, of New Milford, will face an aggravated assault charge this month in court this month stemming from the altercation, police said. Baiyokos allegedly pushed Louis Buonomo to the ground Dec. 3 in an altercation at the Meadowlands Racetrack, said New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeff Flynn. The Hoboken man suffered critical injuries, Flynn said. Police arrested Bayiokos on an aggravated assault charge. Buonomo died of his injuries Dec. 15 at Hackensack University Medical Center, Flynn said. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to a message asking if the charges against Bayiokos would be upgraded. Bayiokos was sent to Bergen County Jail but was released after posting $100,000 bail on Dec. 5, jail records show. He is due to appear in the Bergen County court Feb. 21 before Judge Susan Steele. Bayiokos declined to comment when reached by phone. Buonomo, a grandfather of five, owned Lou's 9W Sunoco station in Englewood Cliffs for 30 years, according to his obituary on Legacy.com. He owned numerous other stations in Fort Lee and Englewood Cliffs, it stated. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- A Bergen County man was sentenced Thursday to a year of federal probation after admitting he helped disguise $80,000 in foreign contributions to Barack Obamas 2012 campaign committee in order to help an Albanian politician attend a campaign event. Bilal Shehu, of Paramus, previously pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in Newark to charges he "knowingly and willfully" made foreign contributions to the committee, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman. The case stemmed from an appearance Shehu and Edi Rama, head of the Albanian Socialist Party and now the country's prime minister, made at an October 2012 Obama campaign event in San Francisco. Prosecutors say Rama was denied admission to the event but managed to be photographed with the president. In June 2013, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California, sent letters to the Justice Department and the Federal Elections Commission calling for an investigation of Shehu and Rama's visit to the fundraiser. Rohrabacher questioned whether Shehu, identified as a limousine driver, could have afforded the tickets, which cost $40,000 apiece. Prosecutors say Shehu later admitted receiving an $80,000 wire transfer that he used to pay for the tickets. In a statement sent to NJ Advance Media, Shehu's attorneys, Alan Abramson and Eric Breslin, said their client "is an honorable man that made a terrible mistake." "He is grateful for the second chance that he has been given and has promised the court that he will prove that he is worthy of this opportunity," the statement says. Another man, William Argeros, also has pleaded guilty to helping funnel the funds to Obama's fundraising committee. He's scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 14, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors say nobody on the joint fundraising committee has been accused of wrongdoing in the case. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Editors note: This story has been updated with comment from Shehus attorneys. WESTAMPTON TWP. -- New Jersey State Police reminded drivers in a cautionary Facebook post what can happen when you engage in road rage. Brett Landes "Don't be the one staring down the barrel of a gun (not saying that this happened here), or the one going to jail because you made a rash decision in anger," the post said. In this case, the man accused of showing a firearm while driving south on the New Jersey Turnpike in Westampton was Brett Landes, 42, of Locust Grove, Virginia. Police said a man called 911 around 11 p.m. on Jan. 19 to report that during a road rage incident involving himself and another driver, that driver had brandished a handgun. He have a description of the vehicle -- a Mercedes-Benz with Virginia plates -- and state troopers found it a few miles away. "During the investigation, troopers discovered a semi-automatic handgun loaded with hollow point bullets inside the car," State Police said. "As a result, Landes was arrested, searched, and found to be in possession of cocaine." He was charged with assault, cocaine possession and weapons offenses, including possession of hollow point bullets. State Police said in the post that while New Jersey residents unfailingly believe themselves to be the best drivers in the country, mistakes do happen and road rage is not the answer. "What we need to do is avoid getting so mad at others that we let them know either verbally or by using some type of sign language to relay our displeasure," they said. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. CHERRY HILL TWP. -- While Ben Shore, 16, and his service dog Charlie were standing outside Cherry Hill High School East Thursday morning, a woman he didn't know rolled down her car window. "Ben, have a nice day at school," she said. Shore said that he has had support from strangers and students in his fight to be able to bring his goldendoodle service dog to school. The fight apparently ended this week, when the school administration in an abrupt about-face told Shore he could bring the dog without jumping through the hoops spelled out in their official policy. After talking with reporters outside the school, a clearly excited Shore joined the flow of students heading inside, accompanied by his father, Eric Shore. Asked what led to the district's decision to allow the dog, spokeswoman Barbara Wilson said only that it related to the Board of Education's upcoming vote Feb. 14 on a revised service dog policy. "In the meantime, the district decided to allow a service dog to accompany a student to Cherry Hill High School East in advance of the adoption of the revised policy, as we work to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act," she said in an email. Cherry Hill East Principal Dennis Perry did not return a request for comment. The school's security director ordered reporters to leave the property as Shore was approaching the school shortly before 7:30 a.m. Shore has been confronting the district on its policy, which contradicts some provisions of state and federal service dog laws, since late last year. The Board of Education began considering a revised policy in January that was more in line with the law, but still added a few caveats that service dog experts said were not legal. Shore being allowed to bring the dog Thursday is not a result of any board action, he said, but appears to be an administrative decision. The teen, who is on the autism spectrum and has trained Charlie to help him overcome panic attacks, had informed the school principal last week that he was planning to bring the dog to school despite being told not to. He also told members of the media that he would bring the dog Thursday. In an email to Shore's father late Tuesday, Perry said that he understood Shore was planning to bring his service dog Thursday and he wanted to meet with them to talk about a plan for "relieving" the dog during the day. He asked for only the documentation allowed under state law, contrary to the school policy that requires proof of formal training. Perry also informed parents and students about the service dog coming to school in a letter posted on the school website. The letter said that students should not pet or feed a working service dog. Outside the school Thursday, Shore admitted that the dog will likely be a distraction at first, even though he will be quiet and out of the way. "He's going to chill under my desk and just lay there," he said. He said he was a little worried that some students who oppose the dog being in school might confront him about it, but others have been eager for him to bring in Charlie. Eric Shore said that after all his efforts to bring his dog to school, his son got nervous Wednesday night about the prospect of actually doing it. "He never thought it'd be reality," Eric Shore, an attorney, said Thursday. "This is his idea, his battle. He saw what he thought was an injustice and he tried to rectify it," Eric Shore said. "And it looks like he did." Whether there will be problems with other students having allergies or other issues with the dog remains to be seen. Perry's letter to the school community says parents should contact the nurse about any allergy concerns. The Americans with Disabilities Act says that allergies are not a good reason to exclude a service dog from a public space. If someone has an allergy, the two parties should be placed in different parts of a room or building, it says. One mother in the district has real concerns about any dog being brought to school because her son, a kindergartener, has been diagnosed with anaphylaxis to dogs. Ashley Misinkavitch said that she does not want to stop Shore bringing his dog to the high school. His allergy is life-threatening as it makes it hard for him to breathe and has required hospitalization, she said. "Parker also has a right to live and accommodations per the ADA," she said. "The school will need to adhere to those." The district would have to be able to guarantee that Parker, 5, would not be on the same bus that Shore rode with his dog, she said. And in the future, Parker could not be in the same building if another student his age brought a service dog to school. Service dog experts have said that a dog could be excluded from a school if no other accommodations could prevent it from posing a direct threat to a child with a life-threatening allergy. It's not clear what action if any the Board of Education will take on its current service dog policy. The original version required proof of formal training and said a dog could be replaced with a teaching aide if a student had an allergy, both of which contradict federal law. The board adopted that policy in June 2016, but it appears to have only minor language changes from a version that was previously in place. A service animal, defined as a dog individually trained to perform work or a task for someone with a disability, can be trained by their owners. Shore said he trained his dog to sense an oncoming panic attack, comfort and distract him by lying on him or licking his face, and to bark for help if necessary. He is also pushing for a bill Called Charlie's Law to impose criminal fines on those who deny access to someone with a service dog. Charlie's paw actually cast a vote for the bill when it passed the Assembly Jan. 23. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. LANSING, Mich., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Andiamo Corporation (OTC PINK:ANDI), a Wyoming holding company, is happy to announce it is launching a Hydrogen Unit for the Over-The-Road (OTR) Truck Market. The product, known as the PEECH System, is an on-demand hydrogen producing unit designed to increase performance, reduce emissions and lower the cost of operations for OTR Trucks. The PEECH (Performance Enhancement and Emissions Control Hydrogen) System is green, safe and economical, offering owners a relatively short ROI while helping them to comply with ever more stringent State and Federal industry regulations. "We are proud to be the world-wide exclusive sales and distribution company for the PEECH System," stated William White, CEO of Andiamo Corporation. We know the product will open up significant new revenue opportunities for the Company over the next year and beyond. About Andiamo Corporation: Andiamo Corporation, a Wyoming company, is a publicly traded company which specializes in prepackaged software services. Increased revenue and business opportunities have helped expand its role as a holding company. Specifically, we are looking for established companies with recurring revenues who need a capital infusion in order to move their business to the next level of profitability. With our additional resources, Andiamo now offers an end-to-end solution to ensure the success of our clients inside the micro-cap funding community, getting them the funding they need to bring their products to a national level with the aim of improving their bottom line. For more information on Andiamo Corporation, visit our website at http://www.andiinc.us, and sign up for our newsletter and receive the Companys latest news and updates delivered right to your email. You can also follow us on Twitter @AndiamoCorp Safe Harbor Act: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involves risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. NEW BRUNSWICK -- The presidents of Princeton and Rutgers universities joined more than 40 other college leaders Thursday in urging President Donald Trump to rescind his executive order banning immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. The college presidents wrote a letter to Trump telling him that his order threatens American higher education and the defining principles of the country. "The order specifically prevents talented, law-abiding students and scholars from the affected regions from reaching our campuses," the college presidents wrote. "American higher education has benefited tremendously from this country's long history of embracing immigrants from around the world." The letter follows a protest by hundreds of Rutgers students Tuesday and pledges by both Rutgers President Robert Barchi and Princeton President Chris Eisbruber to assist and protect all students, regardless of their immigration status. About 17,000 U.S. college students are from the seven nations -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- affected by Trump's order. The president limited citizens of those countries from entering the U.S. for at least 90 days, saying it will protect Americans from terrorism until more extreme vetting measures can be put in place. Trump's order forced colleges to scramble to help both students and faculty from those countries who were traveling and left stranded. Rutgers on Monday said it had students, researchers and professors from the affected counties who were traveling over the weekend. The letter to Trump says the order unfairly targets predominately Muslim countries and is inconsistent with America's principles and greatest traditions. American colleges welcome Muslim students from all countries, the college presidents wrote. "Their vibrant contributions to our institutions and our country exemplify the value of the religious diversity that has been a hallmark of American freedom since this country's founding," the college presidents wrote. "The American dream depends on continued fidelity to that value." Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A churning maelstrom that has the potential to upset the balance of global affairs. Sound familiar? Actually, that would be the Sharknado. Yes, the details of "Sharknado 5" were confirmed Thursday by Syfy, the day the film started production in Bulgaria. So just picture New Jersey-bred actors Ian Ziering (West Orange) and Tara Reid (Wyckoff) in weather about 10 degrees colder than here. Because this time, "Sharknado" is a truly global affair. The movie will film in at least five countries, including stops in Australia (timely!) and the United Kingdom (also timely!). Ziering returns as Fin Shepard and Reid as April Wexler in the campy romp of a TV movie franchise. Also coming back: Cassie Scerbo, from the original 'nado. Last year's "Sharknado: The 4th Awakens," which featured a string of cameos and an appearance from onetime Jerseyan Stacey Dash, barreled through Niagara Falls, San Francisco, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, becoming an "oilnado," "cownado," "lavanado," "hailnado" and even a "nuclearnado." Director Anthony C. Ferrante returns to helm the latest toothy installment, while original screenwriter Thunder Levin is out in favor a script from Scotty Mullen. "Sharknado 5" sees "much of North America lying in ruins," Syfy says. A slice of the script released by the network is set at London's Buckingham Palace, where Fin and Nova, played by Scerbo, stare at the London Eye then look at each other and say "deja vu." Eerie! "Sharknado" debuted in the summer of 2013 in the vein of any number of Syfy monster movies but somehow hit the right fantastical notes to become a surprise social media sensation. On Twitter, some happily embraced the escapist potential of yet another 'nado, while others just wanted the five-year storm to come to an end. 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Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. NEWARK -- During a profane rant in an Essex County courtroom that raised questions of his mental health, a city man accused of punching an auxiliary bishop during a Saturday Mass said he attacked the priest to strike out against what he claimed is the Catholic Church's involvement in police brutality. Charles Miller's comments during a pre-trial detention hearing Thursday came against the advice of both his attorney and Judge Martin G. Cronin, who warned Miller -- shackled and guarded by sheriff's officers -- that statements he made would be placed on the court record. "Anything you say is being recorded," Cronin cautioned. "That's good," said Miller, 48, who went on to say he believed the Catholic Church is responsible for black people being killed by police in America. "The pope is the (expletive) faith, that's why I bust him in his (expletive) face," he said. Miller, 48, is charged with aggravated assault in connection with an attack on Rev. Manuel A. Cruz, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, while Cruz was leading a Mass at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Video obtained and published online Sunday by TapIntoNewark shows Miller, wearing a red suit underneath a white coat and hat, walking to the front of the church and punching Cruz in the face, before being tackled by people attending the service. In an initial appearance Tuesday before Judge Sybil M. Elias, Miller identified himself as a reverend and asked whether the Bible would be part of the evidence turned over to the defense. Assistant Prosecutor Frantzou Simon said a review of Miller's background indicated he had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. "At this time, the state would move to seek a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant," Simon said, a request Cronin granted, ordering Miller be held pending a Feb. 8 hearing on the results of the evaluation. "I got psychiatric issues, you're keeping me from my medication and I got no bail," he yelled, as sheriff's officers led him back to a holding cell. Elias on Tuesday said Miller's records indicate he has prior out-of-state convictions, as well as failures to appear in court on other charges. Court records show he was charged in 2012 with threatening a law enforcement officer while resisting arrest, an indictable offense that was later downgraded. Cruz received non-serious injuries, and addressed a congregation Sunday to assure them he was fine, according to the archdiocese. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- Future developers looking to build new homes in Newark might have to set aside some units for low- and moderate-income residents. The Newark City Council moved one step closer toward approving New Jersey's second ever inclusionary zoning ordinance, that requires new developments to include affordable housing. Hoboken has a similar ordinance. "Development in the city is happening very rapidly and so we need this opportunity to have affordable housing in these projects," Mayor Ras Baraka told the council on Wednesday. "Obviously, we're not trying to stop people from developing but we have to have a policy that if you're going to develop in the city, you can't chase everyone away." Under the ordinance, new projects with 30 or more residential units will have to set aside 20 percent as affordable. Developers can also negotiate to pay the city $100,000 for every affordable unit they do not build. Those dollars will help build affordable housing elsewhere in the city. Residents making less than 80 percent of the median income in the region qualify for affordable housing. In Essex County, one person needs to earn between $19,000 and $50,000 to qualify, according the last available income limits released by the Council on Affordable Housing. East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador raised concerns that the ordinance did not mandate payments made by developers in lieu of low-income housing be used in the ward where the project is being built. "Nothing that suggests that the percentage of contribution ... go to a particular ward," he said. The ordinance will primarily affect the Central and East wards which are seeing the most development, city officials said. The Ironbound Community Corporation, which helped shape the ordinance, has been pushing the council to go further with its affordability requirements. But Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins said the city had to make sure it wasn't stifling development. "We've gone to the line as close as can and not hurt development," she said. Baraka said it was up to the council to decide how far to take it but he urged expediency. "The longer we wait, the more difficult it's going to to be, because we're going to miss the boat," he said. "We need to move forward fast." Unlike suburban municipalities, Newark does not have state-mandated affordable housing requirements. "This is them proactively going out and making sure that everybody has an opportunity," said Anthony Campisi, a spokesperson for Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit that has waged several legal battles to force towns to build more low- and moderate-income homes. The ordinance passed on first reading Wednesday; a vote on its adoption will take place Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. NEWARK -- The Belleville woman found dead inside the trunk of her car was a mother of two who dedicated her life to caring for her kids, her ex-husband told NJ Advance Media. "She was a good mom," Daniel Boggio, 45, told a reporter in Spanish a day after his ex-wife, Diana Boggio, was found dead inside her white Honda Accord in Newark. "We're in shock." Diana Boggio's Facebook profile picture. Boggio was found dead inside her car in Newark, authorities said. (Facebook) Diana Boggio, 41, likely died from a gunshot wound, authorities said. Her boyfriend, Pedro Lora-Pena, 42, has been charged with her murder and will appear in court Thursday. "I couldn't believe it," Daniel Boggio said. His ex-wife had been dating Lora-Pena for a couple of months and the two lived together in Belleville, Daniel Boggio said. "They would fight often," he said. Diana had recently ended the relationship, kicked Lora-Pena out and filed a restraining order on Friday, but the order had not been served to him when she went missing on Saturday, Boggio said. Daniel Boggio, who lives in Virginia, said Diana cared for their 20-year-old daughter, who had severe autism, and he cared for their 18-year-old daughter. He said they were married for six years after meeting in Virginia -- both were Peruvian immigrants -- and divorced in 2000, but remained friends. "We were a team," he said. So, when he received a call from a neighbor on Monday that his autistic daughter had been alone for two days, he knew something was wrong. "They (told) me Monday night that my daughter was alone in the house. I went running," Boggio said. "It seemed weird, she's was always attentive." He said he was in the hospital caring for his daughter when he received news that his ex-wife had been found dead inside the car she had just purchased last year. He described Diana Boggio as kind, cheerful, and someone who loved to cook. "She didn't have many friends because of her daughter, she didn't want to have a boyfriend," he said. "She lived a calm life, she was very loved." He said his ex-wife, who worked at a medical lab, had just earned her nursing degree and had plans to leave New Jersey to be closer to her other daughter. "Now, none of that can be done," he said. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. NEWARK -- After more than seven years in jail and two years after his last trial ended in a hung jury, Tariq Kyam took the stand in an Essex County courtroom Wednesday for the first time in his own defense. "Mr. Kyam, were you at the A&L Deli on Feb. 6, 2009, to rob it?" asked public defender John McMahon. "No sir," Kyam said. Kyam, formerly known as Raymond Perry, has been held at the Essex County Correctional Facility since late February 2009 in connection with a string of five robberies he allegedly committed with David Fate earlier that month. Authorities allege that during one of those robberies, at a Sunoco gas station in Verona, Kyam, now 51, fatally shot a 29-year-old Boonton resident, Daniel Pritchard. In 2014, he stood trial twice on murder and robbery charges for the Sunoco slaying. Both ended in mistrials. Fate, now 32, took a plea deal on robbery charges in exchange for testifying against Kyam at both trials. He has yet to be sentenced. Kyam's current trial, which opened two weeks ago before Judge Michael A. Petrolle, isn't for the Verona robbery and killing charges, but rather for the armed robbery of another business he allegedly targeted with Fate during their crime spree - A&L Deli in Bloomfield. The shopkeeper identified Kyam as a regular customer, and he and another man in the store later picked Kyam and Fate out of a police photo display. Kyam was identified as having brandished a gun during the robbery. Assistant Prosecutor Brian Matthews said a search of the apartment Kyam shared with his girlfriend turned up, among other items, a black bag taken from one of the men and a gun, which police said Kyam was trying to stuff into a couch when they burst in. Kyam denied knowing the gun was by the couch or intentionally possessing the bag, which he said Fate -- who fled the state to South Carolina -- left at his apartment the day Kyam took him to buy an Amtrak ticket. On cross examination, Matthews pressed Kyam on whether he was really saying he had no idea the gun was in the couch. "That's the information in this case," Kyam said, claiming he and his girlfriend rarely went in the living room. The Newark man did acknowledge going shopping in New York City the day of the robbery with Fate and another man, who made purchases with credit cards taken from one of the victims of the A&L robbery. McMahon played surveillance video of the robbery for the jury, and noted Kyam wasn't seen making the purchases himself. Kyam said he was looking at a display in one of the stores when Fate suddenly came up to him and said they had to leave. "From the way he responded, I figured out he was up to something and I didn't want no part of it," Kyam said. Kyam testified he didn't learn until discovery in the criminal case that men had been shopping with stolen credit cards. In closing arguments, McMahon told the jury it was reasonable to suspect Kyam's involvement in the robbery, given his admitted association with Fate and the video footage of their New York shopping spree on the stolen credit cards. "But we gotta do more than suspect, here," he said, noting there wasn't "one instance (on video) where Tariq Kyam is going up to the register to purchase anything" with the stolen credit cards. McMahon argued there was no reason Kyam, who lived in Newark, would have frequented the Bloomfield deli enough to be recognized as a regular customer by the victims. The defense attorney also questioned the prosecution's focus on the gun found in Kyam's home, saying neither his DNA or fingerprints were found on it. "There's too much doubt here, and that's really where we end," he said. In own summations, Matthews said Kyam "has to be the most unlucky person on the planet." If Kyam's testimony was to be believed, he argued, those close to him had involved him in serious crimes and gone so far as to leave incriminating evidence at his home. "The proofs in this case are overwhelming," he said. "The factors you evaluate when you determine credibility I say point to the defendant's guilt." Petrolle is expected to begin charging the jury Thursday morning. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- The backlash against President Trump's executive orders on immigration continued Wednesday as hundreds of students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers-Newark protested outside Dana Library, expressing solidarity with refugees and Muslims. Students cheered and held signs that read: "Get your tiny hands off my Halal Guys," and "We stand with our Muslim sisters." Others chanted "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here." The protest came a day after students at Rutgers University staged another demonstration at the New Brunswick campus. Students and community activists have been protesting Trump's executive order that temporarily bans refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. Syrian refugees are banned indefinitely. "Being safe involves a constant act of bravery -- risking to trust a neighbor, not because they look or speak or pray the same way you do, but precisely because they don't -- and because you recognize how much better you are because you can hold hands across the divides, the lands, the borders -- rising together, not splintering apart," Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor said. "Let's stand together; stand firm; stand resolute in our variety, in our different journeys, and in our shared dreams." Trump has defended his executive orders and said the order was about safety. "This is not about religion -- this is about terror and keeping our country safe," Trump said in an earlier statement. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. ATLANTA, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shippers looking to speed up transportation of goods from Asia can now deliver shipments to their customers faster. UPS (NYSE: UPS) announced today the addition of origin labeling capability for UPS Trade Direct Air and Ocean services. UPS Trade Direct solution allows importers and manufacturers to bypass distribution centers by adding the final destination label to individual packages for immediate last mile delivery. Leveraging the breadth and reliability of the UPS global network, UPS Trade Direct tools provide consolidation of international freight, air, ocean and ground transportation, customs clearance and direct delivery to multiple addresses within the destination country, all through a single source. Shifting customs regulations around the world make international e-commerce challenging, said Cindy Miller, president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding. This investment in our technology will help keep shippers fully compliant with destination rules and regulations. Origin labeling provides greater flexibility to both importers and exporters, said Keith Andrey, Global Freight Forwarding vice president of Air and Ocean Products. Labeling at origin reduces transit time by roughly one day and allows customers to use in-transit goods as a floating warehouse during transoceanic voyages. UPS Trade Direct origin labeling is available to all UPS customers and can be monitored using Flex Global View, UPSs premier tracking tool for freight shipments. This service is initially available on select Asia to US trade lanes. Further capability expansion will be rolled out in the near future according to market demand. About UPS UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at ups.com and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS or follow @UPS_News on Twitter. LOS ANGELES, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atlas Technology International, Inc. (OTCQB:ATLT), a leading designer and manufacturer of touchscreen devices, today announced that it has retained Investor Relations Partners (IRP), a rapidly growing investor and public relations firm, to expand the Companys strategic investor relations program. Atlas Technology brings years of touchscreen design and manufacturing experience to our customers, said Matthew Tsai, Atlas Chief Executive Officer. Becoming a public entity provides us with greater access to growth capital, higher levels of executive staffing and makes us more competitive in the ongoing search for great engineering talent. Tsai added, As we focus on the rapidly expanding global marketplace for touchscreen applications, we needed a team to help us take our message to the broader investor community. We have retained IRP to deliver our multi-pronged strategy of geographic expansion, product diversification and current client growth to the investment community. We are contributing to the growth of this industry through a dedicated focus on cutting-edge research and development, technology patents and advanced materials. We are looking forward to IRP increasing our investor exposure as well as supporting our overriding goal of building shareholder value. To be added to the Companys investor lists, please contact Kevin Yamano at Investor Relations Partners at 818-280-6800 or via email at kyamano@irpartnersinc.com. About Atlas Technology International, Inc. Atlas Technology (OTCQB:ATLT) is a leading designer and distributer of touchscreen devices to a global blue-chip client base. The Companys products power the interface to a wide array of smart devices including GPS systems, Point of Sale machines, Hospitality and Medical devices and small appliances. For additional information on Atlas Technology, please visit the Companys website at www.atlastechintl.com. About Investor Relations Partners Investor Relations Partners, Inc. (IRP) is a full-service investor relations firm serving a global client base. The principals of IRP have received top industry awards for their investor relations programs for a number of high-profile companies, including, but not limited to, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, ValueVision Media, Taro Pharmaceuticals, and LJ International. The firms principals have executed effective investor relations programs for dozens of public companies, ranging from emerging micro-cap companies to multinational corporations with market capitalizations in excess of $15 billion. For further information on IRP, please visit the firms website at www.irpartnersinc.com. Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the possibility that some or all of the matters and transactions considered by the Company may not proceed as contemplated, and by all other matters specified in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are made based upon current expectations that are subject to risk and uncertainty. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements in this news release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking information. Assumptions and other information that could cause results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking information can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov), including its recent periodic reports. TORINO, Italy and DAYTON, Ohio, Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yardi, the leader in real estate investment management and property management software, has recently integrated the Panini Vision 1 with Yardi CHECKscan. This allows property management companies who take in lower volumes of paper checks to still utilize a professional check capture device while saving money on their initial hardware purchases. Prior to this interface, organizations taking in a small number of paper checks had to either purchase higher priced batch-feed scanners or manually transport their payments to financial institutions. Paper checks and money orders can now be individually processed. Transactions scan directly into Yardi CHECKscan and leverage Yardi Voyager workflows and rules to automatically transfer funds the same day they are received. By minimizing manual touch-points, such as manual deposit slips, frequent trips to the bank, and misplaced checks, labor and resources can be redirected to higher value tasks. We are pleased to further strengthen our relationship with Yardi to provide a new low-volume check capture platform to the property management industry, stated Joe Sciulli, Vice President of Global Channel Sales at Panini. The Vision 1 leverages the proven performance and capabilities of the worlds most trusted platform in check capture, the Panini Vision X universally considered the industry benchmark for distributed capture with close to a million installations worldwide. The Vision 1 is a single drop feed, high value version of Vision X for highly professional and user-friendly small-medium business Remote Deposit Capture or reduced volume Teller Image Capture applications. The Vision 1 is able to read MICR with top accuracy, capture superior quality duplex images (including TrueColor and FastColor) and physically mark items on the rear side via its one-line ink jet printer effectively positioning it for all circumstances where legislation, compliance requirements, or the financial institutions preference imposes the use of rear physical item endorsement while simplified mechanics and no feeder consumables enable even simpler maintenance and increased cost savings. About Panini Founded in Turin, Italy, Panini has enabled clients to capitalize on shifts in the global payments processing market for more than seventy years. Panini has a rich history of technology innovation, and Paninis market leading solutions are based on state-of-the-art research and development and ISO-9001 quality certified production. Panini offers capture solutions that enable customers to fully realize the advantages and efficiencies available with the digital transformation of the paper check, resulting in the worlds largest deployed base of check capture systems, now approaching one million devices. Paninis scalable capture solutions digitize checks and payment related documents and transactions to address the complete range of distributed check processing opportunities including teller capture, back-counter capture, remote deposit capture, point-of-sale capture and remittance processing. The company provides solutions on a global basis, and has direct subsidiary operations in the United States covering North America and in Brazil covering Latin American markets. For more information, visit: www.panini.com. About Yardi Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of residential and commercial real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, Calif., and serves clients worldwide. For more information, visit www.yardi.com. 'He was hollering in pain': Man shot in the back in Little Woods area Michael Finnie, 36, entered into a plea agreement with state prosecutors on Jan. 20 that allowed him to plead guilty to two lesser counts of manslaughter and five counts of attempted second-degree murder as the alleged wheelman in the Burgundy Street drive-by shooting on Aug. 10, 2014. Finnie's agreement calls for a flat 20-year sentence. 2 February 2017 Foresight VCT PLC ("Company") Publication of Prospectus and Circular Publication of a Prospectus relating to an Offer for Subscription to raise in aggregate up to 20,000,000 by issue of Ordinary Shares ("Offer") and publication of Circular in relation to a general meeting Summary The board of the Company ("Board") is pleased to announce the publication of a Prospectus relating to the Offer to raise up to 20 million*. Shareholders will shortly receive a copy of a securities note (which, together with a summary and registration document dated 2 February 2017, form the "Prospectus") and a copy of the circular. Background and reasons for the offer Over the past five years the Company's Ordinary Shares fund has been refocused and significantly expanded and currently comprises in excess of 97 million of assets, with investments in 27 UK based businesses across a wide spread of sectors. The directors of the Company ("Directors") believe that it is in the best interests of Ordinary Shareholders for the Company to continue to pursue a strategy which includes the following four key objectives: Further development of the net assets of the Ordinary Shares fund to a level substantially in excess of 100 million. The implementation of a significant number of new and follow on qualifying investments every year. Payment of an annual dividend to shareholders of at least 5p per share, whilst at the same time aiming to maintain the net asset value per share at around 1.00. Implementing a programme of regular share buybacks at a discount in the region of 10% to the prevailing net asset value. The Directors believe that central to the Company being able to achieve these objectives in the future is the ability of Foresight Group, the Company's manager (the "Manager"), to source and complete attractive new qualifying investment opportunities. This task has not been made easier by the changes to VCT legislation which (amongst other requirements) place greater emphasis on growth or development capital investment into younger companies. However, the Company is fortunate in that it has pursued a policy of seeking growth capital investments for several years and the Manager has an established track record in this area. Foresight Group was recently awarded 'VCT House of the Year 2016' at the Unquote British Private Equity awards in recognition of investments made and the achievements of team members and the Manager as a whole throughout 2016. In addition to its established reputation in the area of growth and development capital investment, the Manager has been developing a number of UK regional funds for supporting early stage businesses. These funds in Nottingham and Manchester are already proving a useful source of attractive new investment opportunities to the Company. The Company completed two new investments amounting to in excess of 4 million in the last quarter of 2016 and has a significant pipeline of new opportunities. It is the Manager's expectation that it will be able to maintain the current level of new investments over the coming year and beyond. The regular outgoings of the Ordinary Shares fund, made up chiefly of dividends payments, management fees and the cost of buying back shares, amount to approximately 9 million per annum. The Ordinary Shares fund also seeks to make new investments totalling approximately 5 million per quarter. Against this background, the Directors are confident that the current cash resources of the Company, together with funds raised from this Offer, will be substantially fully deployed over the coming 18 to 24 months. This confidence is reflected in the Manager having agreed to lower its annual management charge to 1% in respect of any cash above 20 million held within the fund following the launch of this Offer. This reduced rate will be reviewed by the Board on an annual basis. Dividend The Board has today announced that it has declared a dividend of 5p per Ordinary Share to be paid on 3 April 2017 and which will be payable to existing holders of Ordinary Shares and Investors under the Offer who submit their application in time to have shares allotted on the register by the record date (17 March 2017). Investors wishing to receive this dividend must ensure their applications are received by the Receiving Agent by no later than 5.00pm on 16 March 2017. Please note that investors who submit an application before the record date but opt to have shares allotted in the 2017 / 2018 tax year will not be entitled to receive the dividend, but will benefit from a reduction in the Net Asset Value, and therefore receive a greater number of Offer Shares, once the dividend has been paid. Following a 7p per Ordinary Share dividend paid on 1 April 2016, the Company has now paid out over 48 million of dividends to investors since launch. The Ordinary Shares fund, when measured by IRR since launch, is the best performing VCT having delivered, to the Company's original investors who have retained their shares, a 23% IRR (including initial tax relief) since it was launched in 1997 according to TaxEfficientReview.com (January 2017). The total amount paid in dividends over the previous six years (30 September 2010 to 30 September 2016) stands at 21 million or 40.5p per Ordinary Share, an average of 6.8p per year, equating to a 14.5% IRR. In addition, the latest dividend of 5p per Ordinary Share has been declared but not yet paid. The Board is pleased that the Company has been able to maintain its annual dividend payments at or above its target of 5.0p per Ordinary Share during that period and the Board will continue to pursue this in the future. The Company's dividend policy is, and will remain wherever practical, to maintain a steady flow of tax-free dividends, generated from income or capital profits realised on the sale of investments. Investment opportunity The Manager has an established, robust and proven investment process developed over 30 years' of activity and continues to experience particularly strong deal flow at this time. During 2016, the Manager's Private Equity team reviewed over 800 investment opportunities for the Company across a broad variety of sectors which was a 68% increase on the prior year, reflecting the benefits of a larger team with greater regional presence and a continued significant level of activity in the SME market. The Manager looks to invest in growing UK headquartered companies with enterprise values typically between 5 million and 15 million. Key requirements include strong management teams, attractive market characteristics and a defensible competitive position and with investments made in the most attractive opportunities without sector bias. The Company typically invests in businesses which are at least break-even at EBITDA level but does make exceptions in situations where there is a compelling growth story and historically invested across a variety of transaction types including management buyouts, growth capital and equity release transactions, but following the recently amended VCT legislation is now focused on growth capital investments. The Board is committed to keeping the Company's operating costs as low as possible and funds raised under the Offer will serve to increase the Company's net assets overall and allow the Company's fixed administrative costs to be spread across a wider asset base, reducing costs per Share. One of the key benefits of the 2015 merger with Foresight 2 VCT plc ("F2"), and the Company's ability to regularly raise new funds, was the Board's ability to negotiate a reduction in the total expenses ratio cap from 2.6% to 2.4%, one of the lower fee caps of any generalist VCT with total assets over 20 million. Pursuant to a sponsor and promoter agreement dated 23 January 2017 relating to the Offer between, among others, the Company and Foresight Group LLP the ("Promoter"), Promoter will receive a fee of an amount up to a maximum of 5.5% of the amount subscribed under the Offer by Investors who apply through a financial intermediary, where permissible, (subject to a maximum aggregate payment of 1.1 million, unless the Offer is increased) for acting as promoter of the Offer. As the Promoter is a related party of the Company under the Listing Rules, the payment of the fee by the Company to the Promoter is a transaction to which Listing Rule 11.1.10R applies. Further Information The Offer is now open and will close at noon on 3 April 2017 for the 2016/2017 tax year and 31 August 2017 for the 2017/2018 tax year or earlier if the Offer is fully subscribed or otherwise at the Board's discretion. *The Board may increase the size of the Offer by a further 20,000,000 at its discretion. Full details of the Offer will be set out in the Registration Document, Summary and Securities Note which together comprise a Prospectus in accordance with the Prospectus Rules made under Section 84 of FSMA, and which is published as at today's date. The Company has also today posted a circular to Shareholders (the "Circular") and form of proxy in relation to a general meeting of the Company in connection with the Offer. The Circular contains, inter alia, an explanation of the resolutions required to implement the Offer, and details of proposed co-investment and performance incentive arrangements with the Manager and notice of a General Meeting which will be held at 10.30 am on 8 March 2017 at the offices of Foresight Group LLP, The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG. The Offer is conditional on the passing of certain of the Resolutions to be proposed at the General Meeting. Proposed co-investment and performance incentive arrangements with the Manager At the time the Company merged with Foresight 2 VCT plc in 2015 (the "Merger"), the performance incentive arrangements which had previously been in place with the Manager, in respect of the Ordinary Shares fund, were terminated. Pursuant to these arrangements, the Manager had been entitled to subscribe at par for such number of Ordinary Shares as represented 15% (at the prevailing NAV) of each distribution made to Ordinary Shareholders. This right was subject to a total return hurdle of 180.4p per Ordinary Share. At the point at which the previous arrangements were terminated, the total return stood at 151.7p per Ordinary Share, approximately 15.9% short of the target. The new arrangements proposed, which are detailed below, now require the Manager to achieve two separate performance hurdles and also to co-invest with the Ordinary Shares fund to further align its interests with those of Shareholders. The Board is of the opinion, as stated at the time of the Merger, that suitable incentive arrangements can act to align the interests of the Manager with Shareholders and to incentivise it to generate enhanced returns to Shareholders. It is therefore proposed, subject to Shareholders' approval, that the new co-investment and performance incentive scheme described below be entered into Co-investment arrangements In order to align the interests of the Manager and its staff with those of the Shareholders, it is proposed that the Manager and individual members of its private equity team ("management team") will co-invest, alongside the Ordinary Shares fund, for equity shares in each new investee company at the same price per share paid by the Company. The number of shares the management team will subscribe for in each investment will represent 1.5% of the total value of the Company's investment, up to a maximum of 5% of the holding of ordinary shares subscribed by the Company. This 1.5% allocation will be split as to 75% to the individual members of the Manager's private equity team and 25% to the Manager itself. The Directors believe that these arrangements will align the interests of the management team with the Company through their personal investment in each company in which the Ordinary Shares fund invests. Performance Incentive In order to incentivise the Manager to generate enhanced returns for Shareholders, once the Company has received back at least 1 for each 1 invested in ordinary shares in an investee company, the Manager and the management team will potentially be entitled to a performance incentive payment. Such payments will only be available on new investments made after these arrangements have been approved by Shareholders at the General Meeting. The proposed performance fee entitlement will only arise subject to two performance hurdles, one calculated on an 'Ordinary Shares fund as a whole' basis and one on a 'per investment' basis. Hurdle A: The 3-year NAV Total Return of the overall Ordinary Shares fund being at least 100p per Ordinary Share Hurdle B: For each individual investment, the achievement of an annual growth rate of 4% (adjusted, upwards only, for RPI) from the date of investment. Hurdles A and B must be met both before and after any performance incentive payments are made. In addition, Hurdle A will be increased over time by amounts equal to any performance incentive payments made to the Manager under the scheme. Should both these hurdles be met, profits which exceed Hurdle B on each such new investment from full and/or partial realisations at that time will be split 80% to the Company and 20% to the Manager and management team. The Manager and the Promoter, as its agent and associate, are regarded as related parties of the Company under the Listing Rules. Therefore the entering into of the co-investment and performance incentive arrangements constitutes a related party transaction for the purpose of the Listing Rules and requires Shareholders' approval. A copy of the Prospectus and Circular has also been submitted to the Financial Conduct Authority and will be shortly available for inspection on both the Promoter's website (www.foresightgroup.eu) as well as at the National Storage Mechanism (www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm). All documents comprising the Prospectus will also available from the offices of the Promoter, The Shard, 32 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG and the following website: http://www.foresightgroup.eu. For further information, please contact: Gary Fraser Foresight Group LLP Telephone: 020 3667 8159 The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. 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. French English FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lectra appoints Jerome Viala Executive Vice President for the Group Chief Financial Officer since 1994, and from 2005 a member of the Executive Committee, Jerome Viala will greatly contribute to the implementation of Lectra's new strategic roadmap Paris, February 2, 2017 - Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jerome Viala, Chief Financial Officer to the role of Executive Vice President for the Group. As a result, Jerome Viala has been number two on Lectra's Executive Committee since January 1, 2017. "Lectra will soon announce a new strategic roadmap, revealing the Group's ambitions for the 2017-2019 period and beyond. I felt it was very important to involve Jerome even more in our new industrial adventure," stated Daniel Harari, CEO, Lectra. "Jerome and I have worked together for 26 years. During these years, I have appreciated his rigor, his ability to make decisions and stand by them, and his many human qualities." Since becoming CFO of Lectra in 1994, and member of the Executive Committee since its creation in 2005, Jerome Viala, 55 years old, has progressively taken on more responsibilities within the Group. He is now in charge of coordinating the industrial, customer care, consumables and parts, and international human resources' activities. In parallel, over the last few years Jerome has become increasingly involved in developing Lectra's international operations, including the opening of Lectra's subsidiaries in South Korea and Vietnam. "Lectra's upcoming strategic cycle, to be presented on February 9, will be exciting due to the highly innovative way it creates value for our customers, and for the Group," underlines Jerome Viala. "I am thrilled about the opportunity to support the implementation of our new roadmap in its many aspects." Jerome Viala, a graduate of the ESC Bordeaux (KEDGE Business School, France), began his career as a credit analyst at Esso (France). He joined the finance department of Lectra in 1985, then successively held different financial positions in the Group before becoming Chief Financial Officer in 1994. About Lectra Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions (software, automated cutting equipment, and associated services) specifically designed for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles, and composite materials to manufacture their products. It serves major world markets: fashion and apparel, automotive, and furniture as well as a broad array of other industries. Lectra's solutions, specific to each market, enable customers to automate and optimize product design, development, and manufacturing. With more than 1,500 employees, Lectra has developed privileged relationships with prestigious customers in more than 100 countries, contributing to their operational excellence. Lectra registered revenues of $264 million in 2015 and is listed on Euronext. For more information, please visit www.lectra.com Senate Republicans did not obstruct the nomination process under Democratic presidents, said Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley on Wednesday, and therefore Senate Democrats should have the same consideration for President Trumps nominees, including his Supreme Court selection. Grassley also defended again the reasoning why President Obamas Supreme Court nominee was never acted upon by the committee he chairs. During his weekly press conference, Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said there were vacancies during the Democratic terms of Obama and Bill Clinton in which Senate Republicans did not obstruct those nomination proceedings. Were assuming that we should have the same consideration from a Democratic minority that a Republican minority gave to a Democratic president, Grassley told reporters. He played down any thoughts of applying the nuclear option - the Capitol Hill phrase - that would end the need for Supreme Court nominees to receive 60 votes to break a filibuster and require only a majority to confirm. We feel we ought to be able to move forward, Grassley said. Many Democrats are no doubt still angry that Grassleys committee refused to consider Obamas choice of Merrick Garland last March to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant following the death of Antonin Scalia, who died a month earlier. On Tuesday, Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch, 49, a conservative federal judge based in Denver, as Scalias successor for a seat Democrats feel was stolen from them. Grassley again invoked the so-called Biden Rule for one of his reasonings for not acting. In 1992, an election year, then-Sen. Joe Biden publicly advised President George H.W. Bush not to nominate anyone at all, should a seat open up on the high court. But if the president chose to make a Supreme Court nomination anyway, Biden added, the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over. According to Politifact.com, Biden, speaking on the Senate floor on June 25, 1992, discussed in hypothetical terms that if a Supreme Court vacancy occurred it would be best to delay any nomination based on the political environment at the time. In my view, politics has played far too large a role in the Reagan-Bush nominations to date. One can only imagine that role becoming overarching if a choice were made this year, assuming a justice announced tomorrow that he or she was stepping down, Biden said. At the time of his speech, there was no Supreme Court vacancy to fill and no nominee to consider. The Senate never took a vote to adopt a rule to delay consideration of a nominee until after the election, according to Politifact. Grassley, however, has apparently taken this to heart. We did what we did because of the Biden Rule, and you cant have one rule for a Republican president, which is where the Biden Rule applied, and another rule for a Democratic president, and we were clear on that, Grassley said. We said, like Democrats had said, that the people ought to have a voice and the new president make an appointment. As in the past, Grassley again cited his comments during last years election campaign that his committee would consider the nominee by whomever the next president would be. I would be doing this if we had a President Clinton, he said. TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) of Florida, a non-profit mental health watchdog dedicated to the eradication of abuses committed under the guise of mental health, hosted a Child Advocacy Award Luncheon along with the Church of Scientology of Tampa to honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, January 27th, was designated International Holocaust Remembrance Day by the United Nations General Assembly with the intention to not only honor the victims of the Nazi era but to also encourage the development of educational programs to prevent future genocides. In honor of this day, the Church of Scientology of Tampa and CCHR Florida hosted a Child Advocacy Luncheon in the historic Ybor Square bringing together concerned child advocates in an interactive panel discussion to pay respect to the victims of the Holocaust, and discuss how relevant this tragic chapter in history still is today. According to the 2015 Annual Report of Baker Act Data prepared for the Agency for Health Care Administration, Floridas mental health law the Baker Act was used 193,410 times to involuntarily place someone under psychiatric evaluation, an average of 530 examinations every day. Over 75% of the involuntary exam initiations were for adults aged 18 through 64 and 17% were for those younger than 18, an increase of 50% since 2010. Detailing the injustices she witnesses in both in her former and present roles, panelist Carmen Miller, attorney and a former Assistant Public Defender called for greater oversight on the use of the involuntary examination law, commonly called the Baker Act, especially as it applies to minors. Joining Miller on the panel were the Executive Director for CCHR Florida, Sebastian Egloff and the spokesperson for Child Advocacy & Parental Education (C.A.P.E.). The panelists answered questions on how the basic theory of eugenics, the pseudoscience employed by psychiatrists to give a medical justification to the Nazis for forfeiting human rights of the mentally inept and inferior. CCHR Florida maintains that this is still in use today to strip Floridians of their basic rights under the Baker Act. Parents regularly call CCHR with heartbreaking stories of unnecessary and unjust initiations of the Baker Act where children as young as 5 years old are sent for involuntary psychiatric evaluation, stated Sebastian Egloff. The children of this state need to be better protected and parents need to have their fundamental rights restored. Miller, who has been working with CCHR as an advocate to help educate parents on the law and what rights they do have, particularly pointed out that the Baker Act allows children to be removed from school grounds and sent for involuntary examination without parental consent or knowledge but that the law appears to be over used and abused as evidenced by the ever increasing numbers of people taken into custody and sent for involuntary examination. I was overjoyed when I found CCHR as I had never seen an organization working to expose the abuses under the Baker Act and am so glad to be working with them to help reform it and return parental rights, stated Miller. Individuals interested in learning more about the Baker Act and their rights under the law are encouraged to visit the CCHR center located at 109 N. Fort Harrison Ave. in downtown Clearwater. For more information please call 727-442-8820 or visit www.cchrflorida.org. About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHRs mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. It was L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, who brought the terror of psychiatric imprisonment to the notice of the world. In March 1969, he said, Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the free world tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of mental health. Two area senators are listed as co-sponsors of Senate File 158, a bill introduced on Monday that would allow cities, counties and school boards to post their notices, actions and other information on their internet sites rather than publish those notices in a newspaper of general circulation. Doing so raises concerns about the avaiability of those government disclosures. Margaret E. Johnson, interim executive director of the Iowa Public Information Board, voiced concerns about the potential negative impact of the proposal. Referring to internet access statewide, Johnson noted, There are still a lot of people who dont have access to reliable internet. Johnson said many of the states smaller cities have what she termed static internet sites sites that provide names and contact information for city officials but are not updated on a regular basis and do not allow access by those visiting the site. The proposed legislation requires that, The Internet site shall be available and easily accessible at all times by the public. I would have to say that the state is not really ready for this, Johnson said. I dont see where it would increase transparency, and I think there is a possibility that it would create more problems than it would solve. Dan Dawson, Council Bluffs freshman Republican senator, is among the bills co-sponsors, as is Sen. Mark Costello, a Republican from Imogene. A lot of local entities cities, counties and school boards are looking at the current rules as an undue cost burden in view of our 21st century technology capabilities, Dawson said. Turning specifically to his co-sponsorship of the proposal, Dawson added, I cant be hypocritical and ask state government to cut costs by going paperless and not allow cities, counties and school boards to enjoy those same cost savings. However, the wording of the bill raises questions about going paperless because it requires documents be made available in non-digital formats. The bill states, A notice, action, or other information posted on an Internet site pursuant to this section by a governmental body shall also be made available by the governmental body in a paper format in the office of the governmental body. Dawson was also quick to point out what he considers a potential downside to the Senate proposal. The downside is those internet systems can be hacked, he said, raising questions about the accuracy of the information that might be distributed on the sites. I dont see this proposal as being one of the higher priorities. Its one of those issues thats not a priority for my caucus. The Daily Nonpareil was unable to reach Costello for comment. CLARINDA Page Countys Emergency Management Commission and E-911 service boards met jointly Monday to find the countys next communication director and prepare for the repairs to the countys emergency communication infrastructure. On Jan. 24, Page County Communications and Emergency Management director Marvin McClarnon informed the Page County Board of Supervisors of his resignation. The resignation was unanimously approved by the emergency management board Monday. McClarnon had told the supervisors he was tired of the lack of leadership and dysfunction after being hired in May 2015. A majority of McClarnons job was to improve the communication between Enhanced-911 dispatch and emergency service providers across the state, as that has been hampered for many years. The communications director position was created during the merger of 911 call centers in Clarinda and Shenandoah. But without McClarnon, whose last day is expected to be Feb. 15, the county dispatchers need supervision. With assistance from the supervisors, the commission approved naming Kristie Fulton, who is the lead dispatcher, to schedule dispatchers and approve payroll. There are eight full-time dispatchers and one part-time employee. What about anything else that happens? asked Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer about the dispatchers, mentioning discipline, as an example. Where does that leave us? Page County Supervisor Chuck Morris said the emergency management commission will handle other issues as needed. Morris and Clarinda Mayor Gordon Kokenge were appointed by the board to be the chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, for the emergency management commission. Morris replaced Essex Mayor Russ Hilker. For emergency management needs, Fremont County Emergency Management Director Mike Crecelius offered his services on an interim basis. The commission accepted. In the meantime, the commission will review job descriptions of communication director and emergency management before advertising for the positions. The commission will review the material Feb. 23. I dont think one person should be put in this, Palmer said about continuing both positions under the same person, like McClarnon. The commission was in favor of splitting the positions in two. Before McClarnon was hired, Page County had a part-time emergency management director. During the E-911 meeting, the board reviewed its preliminary budget and approved a public hearing for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23. Included in the budget is funding up to $900,000 for improvements to the countys 911 communication system. The repair plan was approved during a meeting in November. The plan will create frequencies for fire departments and law enforcement agencies and prevent messages from overlapping. Improvements also include having six towers across the county to improve reception. Included in that discussion was a proposal from the state of Iowa to build a new digital radio system with towers strategically placed across the state, which counties would be able to utilize. Towers are likely in Page County. The project is to begin in June 2018. There was skepticism among people in the meeting. Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said he has never been confident of state governments scheduling of projects, stating they take longer than expected. He said changes in the federal government, and expected in state government, may also have an impact. Morris said the county should at least inquire about the needs to convert Page County to a digital format to be prepared for the future. Some cost estimates run as high as $2.5 million. County Supervisor Chairman Jim Richardson was firm in following through with the plan approved in November to improve the existing equipment. We borrowed money, he said. We dont want to fund something and not use it. Proposed legislation on Iowas K-12 education spending recommended by Republican lawmakers earlier this week is being called disappointing by some area school superintendents. Iowa is proposing to increase supplemental state aid by 1.1 percent for the next fiscal year, adding an additional $40 million for the states K-12 public schools. School officials, however, argue that doesnt keep up with increased operating costs. It feels like the Iowa Legislature is slowly starving public school districts, Council Bluffs Superintendent Martha Bruckner said. The proposed increase of 1.1 percent is the latest in a series of paltry increases which has strained educational resources beyond acceptable levels. The GOP lawmakers are proposing less than the recommendation by fellow Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, who suggested a 2 percent increase. Its disappointing, Lewis Central Superintendent Mark Schweer said. I dont believe the 2 percent recommended by the governor was an adequate amount of funding, then to find out its going to be 1.1 percent is even more disappointing. Last year, the Legislature increased supplemental state aid by 2.25 percent, providing an additional $153 million for the states K-12 public schools. But Republicans, who now control both houses of the Legislature after Novembers elections, said their spending proposal is all the state can responsibly spend amid money constraints for the budget year that goes into effect in July. We would like to do more for everybody within the budget, but the revenue constraints just limit us and our ability to move forward with that, said Rep. Tom Moore, R-Griswold. Over the last six years, we infused $640 million into K-12 education. I believe that shows we have a huge commitment to K-12 education. Moore said lawmakers are looking at around $160 million of actual available revenue this year, and that the $40 million proposed for K-12 education spending is roughly a quarter of all revenue available for new spending. We see a number of other areas we have to give consideration to like public safety and higher education, Moore said. Its a tight budget, and thats where were at. A lot of people are asking for money. Despite having a relatively strong economy in Iowa, the state is still struggling to pay its bills. Lawmakers are addressing $110 million shortfall for the current budget year before they begin the budgeting process for the next two years. This is causing many educators to wonder if adjustments in the legislature need to be made, especially in tax reform. In the AHSTW schools serving the communities of Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant and Walnut Superintendent Jesse Ulrich said its fair for the community and schools to inquire about the continued low supplemental state aid proposals when the state continues to prosper each year. We have the lowest state unemployment rate weve had at 3.6 percent and a good solid growth of revenue, and yet, year and year, were told theres no money, Ulrich said. The Legislature needs to start looking at why and make adequate adjustments and not keep (underfunding) education. Rep. Charlie McConkey, D-Council Bluffs, said he thinks the proposed 1.1 percent will drastically underfund schools. Its just not enough, he said. We have squeezed them as far as we can squeeze them. McConkey said he sees other places that lawmakers could potentially draw funds from, like reviewing and repealing certain tax credits, especially ones going to out-of-state corporations that dont pay taxes, he said. Tax credits are going untouched and unsupervised he added. Some are there for a purpose, and some of them I support but, a lot of them, we dont even know what theyre doing. If the 1.1 percent increase is finalized, some area school officials are concerned about what affects of such a low increase in state funding support could have on districts. For example, the cost of doing business for the Council Bluffs School District has increased each year, resulting in ever-decreasing funds for schools, Bruckner said. The current reality is clearly not sustainable, she said. School districts all across Iowa will have to reduce staff, leave positions unfilled, postpone textbook and technology upgrades and increase class sizes. Ulrich said the 1.1 percent will have a definite negative effect on AHSTW and area taxpayers. That dollar amount we have to make up will have to go to taxpayers as a property tax because legislation wont fund enough of the budget guarantee, he said. Its not enough new money, and Im assuming its going to put a lot more districts on a budget guarantee, even those with steady enrollment. Mike Wells, superintendent of the Hamburg Community School District, said he was anticipating a 2 percent increase in state funding this year and was surprised to hear it was proposed at just under half that amount. Although Wells said hes ready to make the necessary adjustments to the districts spending should the increase be finalized at 1.1 percent, he doesnt think Iowa schools can go on getting such small increases every year, he said. Our salaries alone will surpass that and especially in places like Hamburg where enrollment is increasing, he added. Well rely heavily on grants and find other funding to keep all the programs we have. Since lawmakers are still in session, the proposal isnt final. Districts like Council Bluffs are still hoping lawmakers will change their minds and increase the percent closer to Gov. Branstands recommendation of 2 percent. Luckily, our legislative session is not done, Bruckner said. In addition to this paltry 1.1 percent increase in the state cost per pupil, our legislators could resolve inequities in the formula, improve resources for low-income children and non-English speaking students, resolve extreme transportation differences and, all told, reverse the eight-year trend of lower investment. Bruckner added: Iowas students, businesses and future taxpayers will all benefit if they can get it right. The Associated Press contributed to this story. The idea behind Iowa Senate File 158, introduced Monday, is not a new one. Eleven Republican senators, including two from southwest Iowa Sens. Dan Dawson of Council Bluffs and Mark Costello of Imogene were cosponsors for an act requiring the electronic publication of certain public notices by governmental bodies and officers and including effective date provisions. Public notices remain a vital means for communicating government activities to Iowans. Local government actions may not always generate a news story. But transparency and accountability to those constituents served by public bodies remains a core tenet of American democracy. The public notices arent ignored, either. Vigilant citizens in Council Bluffs and several other southwest Iowa communities have filed complaints with the Iowa Public Information Board for failure to adequately post meeting notices. Three members of the Harrison County Board of Supervisors were found liable for $25,000 in court costs related to public meeting violations. The City of Council Bluffs, too, worked to remedy a complaint after a technical glitch prevented a special city council meeting from being publicized as required by Iowa Code. Citizens and journalists alike strive to hold their officials, whether elected or not, accountable. Public notices are a powerful tool in their arsenal to do so. Many proponents of ending publication of legal notices in newspapers want to move them online. Doing so, they argue, would give them far wider reach a point we dispute. Yes, more people than ever are online. But, particularly in rural areas of the state, high-speed internet access remains lacking hence a number of broadband initiatives in recent years. Elderly residents of Iowa, the nations oldest state, may not have the technical skills needed to access legal notices. Plus, as Dawson noted, publishing legal notices online subjects them to possible hacking or other compromising activity. Newspapers, however, are available in every corner of the state. Theyre accessible to all and cost far less annually than an internet subscription. The battle over publication of legal notices spans back many years. We editorialized back in 2003 that ending for that matter, even reducing the tradition of publishing public notices in newspapers would be tantamount to closing the door on local governments in Iowa. That hasnt changed and has, in fact, become more important than ever. Fourteen years later, the need remains the same. Iowans must be able to have sufficient access and notice to public notices in the future. Newspapers remain and will continue to be the best place for such information to be published. Public schools protect poor and disabled Iowan students School vouchers and education savings accounts, sold as freedom of choice, have proven to help only an elite few while leaving others behind. We cannot allow them in Iowa. Using taxpayer money to give wealthier Iowans discounts for private or home schooling is unacceptable. While school vouchers may pay admission fees, other expenses such as transportation, books and uniforms are not covered. Poorer Iowans will NOT benefit. Private schools also arent required to provide accommodations for children with disabilities. Is taxpayer-funded discrimination based on ability or background acceptable? We already have great public schools in place that uphold the principle that every child deserves a fair and appropriate education, regardless a students economic status, skin color, ability or faith. What happens to the children who are left behind? How will they get the resources they desperately need if students leave? Pitting one school against another through school choice will only take away vital funding to disadvantaged students and hurt our rural communities. If a small town loses its school, it loses its future. We have seen it already happen here and in other states. There is no pride in taking money away from the schools we worked so hard to build. How can we expect to build our communities, train our workforce and create jobs for the future if there is no one left to put forth effort to have faith our children? We must send the message that ALL of our children are worthy. Jessie Witherell, Iowa City Four patient protections are necessary for ACA replacement I am reaching out to you today on behalf of the millions of patients with celiac disease, non-celiac wheat/gluten sensitivity and other autoimmune diseases. I am deeply concerned about the possible removal of key protections in current law that guarantee access to comprehensive and affordable insurance coverage for patients with pre-existing health conditions. As Congress begins work to replace the Affordable Care Act, we are encouraged by the recognition that affordable protection for patients should be retained. There are four patient protections that are absolutely essential to ensure that quality, affordable coverage remains accessible for these individuals and their families: Prohibit pre-existing condition discrimination Prohibit lifetime and annual caps on insurance benefits Allow young adults to stay on family coverage until they are 26 Limit out-of-pocket costs for patients The patient protections laid out in the Affordable Care Act have provided a degree of security and certainty for Americans with serious illnesses that they now expect. On behalf of the millions of patients with celiac disease and non-celiac wheat/gluten sensitivity, we urge you to stand with us as we fight to protect broad, equitable, and affordable access to healthcare. Alice Hodde, Sidney LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Feb. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.33 per share. The dividend is payable on April 3, 2017, to stockholders of record at the close of business on March 14, 2017. About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for banks, broker-dealers, mutual funds and corporate issuers. Broadridges investor and customer communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridges infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes on average over $5 trillion in equity and fixed income trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 10,000 associates in 16 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com. The Galaxy A5 is not coming to the U.S. and is only available for pre-order in parts of Europe, but it is already selling like hotcakes in its home region. 4 Reviews Samsung's middle-class 2017 Galaxy A5 is purportedly selling 2.5x faster than the 2016 Galaxy A5 did at launch according to Korea Times. The 2017 model has been selling about 5000 units per day since it launched in South Korea early January. The higher sales may be attributed to the worldwide recall of the Galaxy Note 7 as the Galaxy A5 can be seen as a cheaper alternative for Samsung purists. The Galaxy S8 is expected to be announced at MWC 2017 for a potential launch by this April if recent rumors prove to be true. The new 2017 Galaxy A5 is Samsung's mainstream offering at about 430 Euros. It brings water and dust resistance to the Galaxy A series for the first time while still managing to fit in a faster octa-core processor, more RAM (3 GB) and storage space (32 GB), better 16 MP front and rear cameras, Bluetooth 4.2, USB Type-C, and a larger capacity 3000 mAh battery. Its chassis borrows heavily from the pricier flagship Galaxy S7 series. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox A supermarket worker who had copies of a bomb-making manual and bought flights and equipment to travel to fight with a group linked to Islamic State in the Philippines has been found guilty of terrorism offences. Ryan Counsell, of Russell Road, Hyson Green, was in the "advanced stages of planning" to visit a remote part of the south-east Asian country and had bought military equipment to "engage in combat or support an extremist group". The 28-year-old was convicted at London's Woolwich Crown Court of possessing documents containing terrorist information and engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts. Counsell, who wore a pale mauve shirt and tie and was clean-shaven, looked straight ahead as the verdicts were read out. The Asda cashier who abandoned his wife and young child to join ISIS in the Philippines is facing years behind bars after being found guilty of four terrorism charges. The Muslim convert was in the advanced stages of planning his trip to fight with terrorists Abu Sayyaf when he was arrested last July. He spent almost 900 on military-style boots, camouflage clothing, Kevlar boxer shorts and a cheek pad to be attached to the stock of a rifle 'to engage in combat.' Counsell had also booked a return ticket from London to Manila and a connecting flight to Zamboanga, 20 miles from Basiland where ISIS group Abu Sayyaf regularly clash with the Philippine Army. He claimed messages to his extremist friends were all a bit of fun, explaining: "If someone asks me about terrorism I'm going to tell them I like a bang in the morning too." The married father-of-one was arrested at Stansted Airport on 11 July while waiting for a flight to Eindhoven in Holland. Counsell, who worked part-time behind the tills at Asda in Hyson Green , had booked a week off work and was due to leave for the Philippines two days later. He was not expecting to return for some time. Counsell, who has recently shaven off his long beard, showed no emotion as the jury convicted him on unanimous verdicts. He is due to be sentenced in March. A survey from 1897 has resolved a tax dispute involving a section of Lincoln County pasture land. Alan Rickertsen of Cozad has been leasing land in southwest Lincoln County from First Gothenburg Corp., which is owned by Virginia Raymond. He has represented the property owner in a dispute with the county over the actual number of acres of the section in question. The county has charged taxes based on 640 acres for years, but Rickertsen contended that the actual acreage was less. The process began when a protest was filed and denied due to lack of documentation. Rickertsen said the documentation had been presented to the referee, but it apparently was not made available to the Lincoln County assessor at the time of the original protest. I received a protest form filed in June, a one-page form, said Lincoln County Assessor Julie Stenger. The only thing it said on it was acres not right. I got nothing else with it, no information, no maps. So I didnt know if he meant the irrigrated acres werent right, the dry acres werent right; I didnt have any idea. So, I put no evidence provided to warrant a change. If evidence is not provided, thats what we do. The protest went before the County Board of Equalization, which did not change the number of acres. Stenger said that after Rickertsen had sent a letter to the editor published in the Telegraph in November, she found the documentation Rickertsen had given to the referee. She said it was not clear why that was not presented to her. A Farm Service Agency aerial map indicated the number of acres was 575 rather than 640. Its been the policy of the Lincoln County Assessors Office that with the FSA maps, just because they say different acres than what we have, we dont necessarily change our acres to match an FSA map without a survey, Stenger said. The county is huge and you cant just go changing acres without a survey. Rickertsen said he was told he would need to have a verified survey. A survey would cost my landlord $3,000 or more, Rickertsen said. When I asked the assessor if my landlord would be reimbursed for the cost of the survey or if they would have their taxes adjusted plus interest for the last 20 years if the survey showed [the landowner] was correct, I was told no. Stenger said the policy of the county is consistent in that acres cannot be changed without a certified survey and that the responsibility for the cost of a survey lies with the property owner. I went to the Register of Deeds office and the original deed we found, the very first one, says 640 acres on it, Stenger said. At that time, every section was always assumed to be 640 acres. Was it surveyed? Theres not a survey attached with it, so I dont know. Rickertsen then contacted County Surveyor Boni Edwards. After [Rickertsen] talked to Boni Edwards, she did some looking and found a [survey from 1897] on the section in question that indicated 583 acres, Stenger said. She emailed me and said it looked like we could have a short section. Edwards found the documentation in books she has, titled Surveyors plat and field notes, according to Stenger. After several letters of communication, the issue was finally resolved this week and the number of acres was changed based on that documentation. Im happy its resolved, Rickertsen said. But if it hadnt have been for Boni Edwards, this might still be going on. She did a really good job and we really appreciate her. Stenger said the process is clear on how to approach a protest, and although she didnt appreciate the way the issue was handled by Rickertsen through the news media, shes satisfied with the outcome as well. LINCOLN Nebraska agriculture leaders say Gov. Pete Ricketts plan to revamp how Nebraska values farm- and ranchland would make the process fairer and more stable. But it would make little difference in the valuations of most agricultural land and even less in property tax bills. State officials estimate it would shave just 2 percent off statewide ag land valuations if it were in place for 2017. Research and the experience of other states suggest that the change would have similarly modest effects in the future. Thats why the proposal has gotten a tepid reception from those it aims to help. Leading farm groups and many rural lawmakers say it does too little to tackle what they see as the top problem with property taxes their level. It doesnt significantly address the problem of the huge shift of government funding that has taken place onto property taxes, said Steve Nelson, the Nebraska Farm Bureau president. John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, described the governors plan more colorfully. Its better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but not better than sliced bread, he said. Ricketts unveiled the Agricultural Valuation Fairness Act, which was introduced as Legislative Bill 338, earlier this month. Under the bill, ag land would no longer be valued based on sale prices for land. Instead, valuations would be based on the income that the land could potentially produce. The bill also would impose a 3.5 percent annual cap on statewide ag land valuation increases. Similar ideas have been debated in Nebraska for more than 30 years. Most neighboring states use some type of income-based valuation for ag land. Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft, the Agriculture Committee chairwoman, introduced the bill on the governors behalf. She said it represents a step forward, even if the effects are small. Everything we can do at this point is a move in the right direction, she said. Ricketts touted the proposal as a way to achieve lasting, fair and structural property tax reform for agland owners. We need to think bold. We need to think long term, he said. The measure represents his third attempt in three years to respond to complaints from farmland and ranchland owners about rising property taxes. Steep land price increases within the past 10 years produced double-digit increases in ag land valuations. That led to the property tax bills on agland growing 164 percent between 2006 and 2016, compared to a 60 percent increase for property overall. But state estimates and studies done by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln economist suggest that switching to an income-based method would produce only a modest difference in agland valuations. Ruth Sorensen, the state property tax administrator, estimated that it would reduce the $102.6 billion statewide ag land valuation by about $2.2 billion. The plan would not be slated to take effect until 2019. Sorensen said it is not possible to make estimates beyond 2017 because too many factors are unknown. The department did not do estimates for any past years. Estimates done by region for 2017, however, show that the effects would vary. The governors plan would make no difference in valuation in some areas while reducing them as much as 4 percent in others. University of Nebraska-Lincoln economics professor John Anderson has found similar results in research comparing estimated market valuations and income-based valuations for agland on the outskirts of cities. One study looked at agland around Lincoln and Omaha. Anderson said he found the biggest valuation differences in land close to cities, with the differences dwindling as the distances grew. Purely agricultural areas saw little relief. Even where an income- based method lowers valuations, it may not lead to lower property taxes. Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus, a member of the Revenue Committee, said many local governments would have the option to raise their property tax rates if property valuations dropped. That would most likely be the result in heavily agricultural counties with relatively few other taxpayers to pick up the tax burden, he said. The small number of residential and commercial property owners in those counties would see stiff increases in their tax bills, while the agland owners would get little relief. If you have a county with nothing but farmland, you still have to pay those bills, Schumacher said. I think many people basically realize that the net result is a zero-sum result. Ricketts plan would result in a $19.8 million increase in state aid to schools in the 2020-21 fiscal year. The aid would go to school districts that lose valuation because of the new method and cannot increase their property tax rates because of Nebraskas school levy lid. Districts that can increase their rates without hitting the lid would not get additional aid. Nor does the state provide aid to counties, cities and villages that might hit their levy limits. Past attempts to adopt an income-based valuation method in Nebraska have encountered similar concerns. Then-Sen. George Coordsen of Hebron abandoned his 2000 effort to change valuation methods after experts warned that the proposal could have little impact on valuations. He ended up turning his bill into one allowing for special greenbelt valuations for agricultural land near urban areas. The bill, now state law, allows the use of agricultural income or sale prices from more rural counties when valuing such property. The goal is to tax the property on its agricultural value, not on the higher price it might bring if sold for development. Interest in adopting an income-based method has diminished since that attempt, because of the limited effect on valuation levels. But Nebraska ag leaders say they believe the approach would be more fair and stable. Nelson and Hansen said they favor the concept behind LB 338, even if making that change is not among their priorities this year. The proposed method would keep valuations from being skewed by what many farmers and ranchers consider outrageous land prices paid by people looking for an investment or recreation or the rare opportunity to snag a parcel adjoining their existing property. It also has the potential to respond more quickly to the ups and downs of the farm economy, they said. Anderson, the UNL professor, however, said switching to an income-based method would make Nebraskas property tax system less equitable. The property tax system is not designed to be an income tax, its designed to be a tax on property wealth, he said. Anderson said market-based methods provide the fairest estimate of a propertys worth, while income-based systems often lead to game-playing as state officials manipulate various factors to affect valuations. The whole process becomes somewhat of a black box from a taxpayers point of view, he said. Fairness and consistency were key reasons why South Dakota changed to an income-based method in 2010, said Matt Elliott, an assistant economics professor at South Dakota State University. The method produced more consistent valuations and made it possible to set valuations in areas where there were few comparable land sales. Elliott said the method was structured to be revenue neutral in its first year. Since then, it has produced valuations that track closely with reported land prices. He said that result is not surprising since the new method is similar to the process used when appraising land. It includes calculations of average yield, average price, soil type, rental income and other factors. South Dakota initially capped valuation increases at 10 percent annually. Current law allows increases of 15 percent, 20 percent or 25 percent, depending on the county. In Nebraska, Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard offered his own plan to switch to income-based valuation, saying he believes it would be more stable. He said he would not expect LB 620 to reduce property taxes. My goal in doing this is not a tax-cutting bill, he said. This bill is a way to value ag land in a more consistent manner. Sorensen, the state property tax administrator, argued that the governors proposal would improve consistency because the state, rather than individual county assessors, would determine key factors in the valuation process. She said it also would slow the growth of ag land valuations, largely because of the proposed 3.5 percent annual cap on statewide ag land valuation increases. Hansen raised one other question whether the governors plan would meet the requirement in the State Constitution to value ag land uniformly and proportionally. In 1987 a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling upended a previous income-based ag land valuation system. Voters then passed a constitutional amendment in 1990 allowing ag land to be valued in a way different from other property. The 1990 amendment has not been challenged. Sorensen expressed confidence that the current proposal would pass constitutional muster. First, however, it must pass legislative muster. Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson, a Revenue Committee member, said hes waiting to hear more about it. Its a starting place, he said. VALPARAISO An increasing demand for pilots in the commercial sector coupled with a desire to expand its curriculum have prompted Valparaiso University's College of Business to add an aviation program to start in the fall of 2017. VU will partner with Eagle Aircraft, based at the Porter County Regional Airport, to offer varying levels certification for pilots. Tom Cedel, distinguished visiting professor and a retired Air Force pilot, is assisting in the creation of this program. Cedel said several factors have come together to make it not only possible, but advantageous. He said the Federal Aviation Administration now allows for certification of pilots with fewer flight hours. The typical Airline Transport Pilot or ATP certification requires 1,500 hours of flight time. But the FAA now allows for Restricted ATP certificates if the training is accompanied by college classes related to aviation, like meteorology and math. Cedel said the demand not only for pilots, but also for aviation-related jobs, makes a degree in even more valuable. He said VU archives show there were flight clubs and classes in the past, but it's been many years since there has been a formal program at the university. Early flight clubs were based out of Urschel Field in Valparaiso, which was located on the city's north side, near the area where Kmart is now. VU was the site of pilot training for the Civilian Aeronautics Authority in the early 1940s.There was also a flying club in the 1970s, which in addition to piloting allowed students to explore interests in ballooning and sky diving. Cedel said the issue has been under consideration for several years, but when he was asked to join the faculty, he was asked to determine whether it was feasible. They looked at programs that failed at other universities to learn how to avoid the same pitfalls, Cedel said. He learned there were three things that were common among failed programs: a long distance from the college to the airport, the schools didn't invest in a director of aviation, and the school didn't have a history with a program. Cedel said VU will be hiring a director for the program soon. He also said the program will be supported by the wider community. Cedel said many commercial airline pilots who live in Valparaiso are interested in supporting the program, and he believes the addition of this program will be "another piece of the puzzle in the development around the airport." A successful student should have a strong academic background, have good hand-eye coordination and pass an FAA physical, Cedel said. He said he hopes the program attracts a diverse set of students, but for now they must be English-speaking students. That requirement could change in the future. With internal approval already acquired, the College of Business now is working to attain approval from the Higher Learning Commission and the FAA. For more information, go to valpo.edu/academics/academic-programs/. Fair Oaks Farms, the "agricultural Disney" that's already is one of the largest tourist attractions in Northwest Indiana, plans to add major new attractions over the next few years. The working agritourism destination at 856 N. County Road 600 E. in Fair Oaks has plans for new chicken and beef cattle adventures that would give visitors a close-up look at modern farming operations, said Fair Oaks Farms Chief Executive Officer Gary Corbett. The multi-million dollar projects would be similar in scale to Fair Oaks Farms' existing dairy, pig and crop adventures, which help the farm on Interstate 65 pull in more than 600,000 visitors a year. DeMotte-based Belstra Milling invested $3 million in the pig adventure that opened in 2013, while WinField pumped $12 million into the Crop Adventure exhibit that debuted last year. Corbett said it was too early to estimate how much would be invested in the new attractions, but that they would be comparable in scale to existing ones. A new chicken adventure for instance would house 500,000 to 700,000 chickens that visitors could see up close, behind plexiglass walls. The beef cattle adventure would have an estimated 50,000 steers. Fair Oaks also is building a new hotel, growing a you-pick-them apple orchard and renovating its signature Dairy Adventure, the first exhibit the sprawling farm straddling the border of Jasper and Newton counties had when it opened its doors to the public in 2004. "It's one of the largest attractions in the state of Indiana," said South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority Executive Vice President Katie Holderby. Well-positioned on a major highway, Fair Oaks draws visitors who might not otherwise visit Northern Indiana, including kids who attend an annual Future Farmers of America convention in Indianapolis, Holderby said. Fair Oaks also has been opening new attractions nearly every year over the last few years, giving people a reason to return. "It's important that they're freshening the attraction," she said. "It's doing repeat business because people know they can come see state-of-the-art interactive exhibits." Fair Oaks Farms aims to eventually have more than a million visitors a year. The farm plans to break ground this summer on a new hotel that would cost between $8 million and $12 million, and have between 100 and 110 rooms. Corbett said a hotel is needed to serve visitors in the fields of agriculture, business and academia who've said they'd like to visit Fair Oaks for more than one day. The hotel will include a pool and be open to the public. About 45,000 cars pass by daily. The pick-your-own orchard has been planted behind its the 265-seat Farmhouse Restaurant. The orchard will include a variety of apples, as well as raspberries and blueberries. People should be able to start picking fruit next year; it is expected to be fully open in 2019. "It's designed to have apples to cover all season, so it should be open for much of the year," Corbett said. Other farms are interested in setting up chicken and beef cattle exhibits at Fair Oaks Farms, to showcase what modern-day farming operations are like. People would be able to walk in plexiglass alleyways among the chickens in a cage-free facility and see the space they have to run around. In the Beef Adventure, they would learn everything that happens to beef cattle, such as how they're fed and treated, before steak ends up on the plate. The hope is to start construction on the chicken adventure this year or next year, but it's a moving target because of commodity prices and a drop in the egg market, where eggs recently hit a 10-year-low of 55 cents a dozen. "You have to continue to add some new excitement on a regular basis," Corbett said. "You have to draw in new people, and give people who've visited an additional reason to visit." The Northwest Indiana Forum, a business membership group, has outlined its priorities for the 2017 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Exciting projects are taking shape that will dramatically improve the economic development landscape in Northwest Indiana, Northwest Indiana Forum President and Chief Executive Officer Heather Ennis said. The Forum's top priorities are continued investment in the South Shore commuter rail to Chicago, protecting economic development incentive programs, workforce development, and infrastructure improvements at Northwest Indiana universities. The last priority includes supporting the building of a $40.5 million Purdue University Northwest Bioscience Innovation Building. The Portage-based organization also seeks permanent funding for the state's Regional Cities Initiative and backs continued study of turning U.S. 30 into a limited-access freeway from Ind. 49 in Porter County to the Ohio/Indiana state line. CHESTERTON The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District's Board of Trustees recently approved a five-year capital plan surpassing $1.1 billion in investment in the South Shore Line. The list includes the West Lake Corridor and Double Track NWI projects, the rerouting of the railroad's approach to the South Bend International Airport, purchase of new rail cars and completion of a federally mandated safety project. "The face of this railroad will look significantly different when this five-year period is done," said South Shore President and General Manager Michael Noland. If all the projects come to fruition, roughly half the funding would come from federal sources and half from local. The West Lake Corridor project to extend the railroad nine miles south from Hammond to Dyer, and to build four new stations, would account for nearly half the total, about $604 million, with half that funding from federal grants. Local funding for West Lake is essentially secure, according to officials involved. It consists of a combination of Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority funds, local income tax contributions from most Lake County municipalities and the county, and funds from the state. The effort to secure Double Track NWI funding is ongoing, both at the General Assembly in Indianapolis and with LaPorte and St. Joseph counties and municipalities. The South Bend project would reroute the rail line so that it comes directly into the airport from the west side. Currently the railroad winds through the city with numerous at-grade crossings. The reroute would significantly cut trip times. "This is an essential part of our goal to get from South Bend to Chicago in 90 minutes," Noland said. The plan for South Bend calls for application for a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant totaling $7.5 million, with $12.5 million in local funding. TIGER grants can fund as much as 80 percent of a project, but Noland said the South Bend project's candidacy for the highly competitive grants would be helped by putting up more than 20 percent of the funds. An initial study on the project, planned for this year, would be paid with $200,000 in local funding and $800,000 in federal State of Good Repair funds. State of Good Repair grants will continue to be used for a variety of projects to improve railroad infrastructure. Over the five years, the federal funding for those projects is projected to top $80 million. Some $16 million of that will be paired with $4 million in local funds to purchase new rail cars. An additional $10 million will bring rolling stock purchases over five years to $30 million, according to the capital plan. The safety project, called Positive Train Control, is being financed through a bond issue. The $100 million project will employ automated systems to prevent train collisions and derailments and other accidents. The federal government has mandated its completion by the end of 2018. "We're going to meet the deadline," Noland said. VALPARAISO Immigration attorneys advised Valparaiso University students from the seven countries banned from entry into the United States not to leave. In a 90-minute session Wednesday night at the school's Neils Science Center, Geoffrey Heeren, a VU professor and founder of the school's immigration clinic and attorney Dana Rifai, a VU alum, told the 100 or so gathered that the executive order issued last Friday by President Donald Trump is confusing and ever changing. "We are in a state of uncertainty," said Rifai. The advice they offered students from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen was to stay put because if they leave the country, they won't be allowed re-entry. Heeren said the executive order also stopped the refugee process for 120 days, has language that will allow the Trump administration to expand the ban and puts those with legal status and those with deferred action childhood arrival status in a state of flux because so much is unclear. Students from other countries anonymously asked questions. They too were advised not to travel outside of the country or face being detained and extra questioning upon their re-entry. Students were told to stay enrolled in school to maintain their status and even if traveling inside the United States to maintain their passports and any other relevant immigration paperwork with them. Josue Espinosa and Aaron Tellez attended because they are working at the immigration clinic. "We are becoming a support group for the student community," said Tellez, adding since the executive order was issued business at the immigration clinic has picked up dramatically. "We came because we wanted to get information to help the community," Espinosa said. Many of those attending were residents. The support wasn't lost on Jaishankar Raman, assistant provost for international affairs. "I am glad to see a lot of our community members are here I want our students to see that because we are a community," said Raman. "I arrived here 38 years ago. I was one of you. All of a sudden there is a bright light shining on you. That is unfortunate. You see the people here to support you. That's who we are." "This country has gone through things like this. This is just a bump. I was here at 9/11 and this too shall pass," said Raman, encouraging students to seek facts and not listen to rumors being spread. PORTAGE Portage officials are scrutinizing a trip Mayor James Snyder took recently to Washington, D.C. Snyder, along with his wife and four children, traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting and the inauguration of President Donald Trump. In addition to the Snyders, Police Chief Troy Williams and Assistant Chief Ted Uzelac Jr. and Uzelac's son also attended the conference and inauguration. Clerk-treasurer Chris Stidham, in a letter to City Council President Mark Oprisko, said he has "grave concerns" about the trip. Stidham accused Snyder of "ordering" Williams and Uzelac to attend the conference to act as Snyder and his family's "security detail." "Why the mayor, who is not a national figure nor recognizable in a crowd in D.C., thinks he is entitled to taxpayer-funded bodyguards while he travels is beyond comprehension," said Stidham, adding he believes Snyder has a "lack of respect" for taxpayers' money. He is requesting Snyder reimburse the city the cost of the police administrators travel. He is also asking the City Council to tighten up its travel ordinance. In addition, Stidham said Snyder upgraded his hotel room from a $429-a-night standard room to a $539-a-night suite and has received reimbursement from the Utility Services Board. In a written answer to Stidham, Snyder denied "ordering" the administrators to attend the conference and inauguration. He said he "granted them permission" based on the content of the conference. He also denied collecting any reimbursement from the Utility Services Board. Williams said he was told by the mayor that conference organizers were suggesting mayors bring their own security detail. "On the surface, I didn't see any issues," said Williams, adding Uzelac traveled with the mayor's family, in a separate vehicle, on Monday and he drove to Washington on Tuesday. He said they attended the conference for free because they were working as the mayor's security detail. Williams said he and Uzelac attended several informative workshops ranging from social justice to the COPS grant program and he even spoke at one meeting hosted by Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson. Williams said they escorted the mayor and his family to both the inauguration on Friday, Jan. 20 and the inaugural ball later that night. During their entry into the gala, Williams said, they were confronted with protesters and he and Uzelac provided protection for the Snyders during the incident. Williams called it a "working conference" in which he and Uzelac put together a security packet before the trip. He said a number of mayors had security details and others did not. Snyder, who is awaiting trial on three felony charges in federal court, said he would contact the State Board of Accounts for their opinion on whether he can seek reimbursement for attending the inaugural activities. City Council President Mark Oprisko said he believes it is "morally and ethically wrong" for Snyder to seek reimbursement for himself and his family to attend the inaugural festivities. "It is sad he took two of our leaders off the street. That's just not right. If he had safety concerns, he shouldn't have taken his wife, his family, he shouldn't have gone," he said. Oprisko said he is waiting to see the bills, but does not believe the city should pay for his or his family's attendance at any inaugural activities. Attempts to reach Snyder on Wednesday for comment were unsuccessful. INDIANAPOLIS Lake County will not be forced by the state to consolidate its numerous "small" voting precincts. State Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, chairman of the House Elections Committee, decided Wednesday to postpone further action on House Bill 1147 and to give the county one year to act on its own to minimize precincts with fewer than 600 active voters. His decision followed 30 minutes of presentations by Lake County leaders who assured Smith and committee members that the county is more than capable of improving election efficiency without a state mandate and in a way that best serves local voters. "We want the opportunity to do this. We know they need to be cut, but not to these drastic numbers," said Michelle Fajman, director of the Lake County Board of Elections and Voter Registration. The consolidation legislation, proposed by state Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, could have required up to a quarter of Lake County's 523 precincts be eliminated, primarily in Hammond, East Chicago and Gary which today have significantly fewer residents than when the precincts were established. Both Fajman and Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson explained that voters in those cities need nearby polling places given the age of most residents and the general lack of public transportation. In addition, Freeman-Wilson said reducing the number of precincts also would eliminate many precinct committeemen posts often the first opportunity for individuals interested in politics to enter public service. "You depend on precinct committee people Democrat and Republican to be your eyes and ears. To be your eyes and ears about blight, to be your eyes and ears about needs in the community and to help you understand what needs to be done," she said. Slager did not object when Smith announced that the legislation, intended to save Lake County up to $200,000 per election year, would not advance. He said he considers any movement toward precinct consolidation a good thing after Lake County Democrats tied up in court a similar 2014 law mandating small precinct mergers until the statute had expired. The outcome also is a victory for the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus which last week declared that stopping Slager's "voter suppression" proposal was among its top priorities for the 2017 legislative session. CALUMET CITY Danelene Powell-Dickens stood on the Police Department steps Wednesday night, seemingly unfazed by the bitterly cold night air and the years that have passed since police fatally shot her 15-year-old autistic son. Its been five years since Stephon was murdered, Powell-Dickens yelled into the megaphone, her voice breaking at times, to the approximately 75 people who attended Wednesdays rally and march calling for justice in the case of her son, Stephon Watts. Stephon was shot by police in 2012 during a domestic disturbance call in the familys Calumet City home. The boys family marched Wednesday on the anniversary of his death from the 700 block of Torrence Avenue to the citys police station at 1200 Pulaski Road alongside residents, civil rights, anti-police brutality and disability rights advocates. Wayne Watts, the boys uncle, said Wednesday night the family has never recovered from losing Stephon. It has torn us apart. Weve been looking for answers. The one question we have is Why? he said. Why did it happen to him? Stephon was shot by police on Feb. 1, 2012, after Stephons father called the departments nonemergency number after his son refused to go to school. Watts was allowed to speak to his son first, but Stephon approached the officers with a knife while on the staircase leading up from the basement. As the officers began to back up, one fell back onto the stairs, and the teen lunged at them and cut one with a knife, police said. The family has insisted repeatedly, including on Wednesday night, that it was only a butter knife, but the investigation by state police determined he was holding a steak knife. The teens mother in 2012 sued the two Calumet police officers involved in the shooting, which occurred during a domestic disturbance call in the familys home. But an Illinois Court of Appeals in July ruled in favor of the officers, saying they were immune from liability for negligence and that the conduct of the officers did not rise to willful and wanton behavior. Powell-Dickens called on new Cook County states attorney Kim Foxx to prosecute the two officers who were cleared in his shooting death. Kim McGee, of Black Lives Matter Gary/Northwest Indiana Chapter, said the local chapter is fully supportive of Watts family. She called on law enforcement to better train their officers in responding to calls involving people with disabilities or mental illness. We need better training for first responders, McGee said. The family has argued police who had previously responded to the home for other calls about Stephon could have handled the call differently and with non-lethal force. According to court records, psychiatrists and counselors had told the family to call police whenever the teen became agitated. Calumet City Police Chief Christopher Fletcher said in a statement Wednesday that the department supports the Watts family in the march and rally. We believe in and support the family's right to demonstrate, lawfully and peacefully, and today, that was accomplished. Our positive thoughts and wishes go to the entire Watts family, Fletcher said. EAST CHICAGO Residents of the lead- and arsenic-contaminated USS Lead Superfund site hope to get some face-to-face time with GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb when he plans to visit East Chicago later this month. "We want him to meet with us, take a tour of the entire Superfund site and really find out what's going on and hear it first-hand from the residents," said Maritza Lopez, a resident in East Calumet and member of the Community Advisory Group, a resident-led organization advocating on behalf of residents during the Environmental Protection Agency's cleanup of the Superfund site. Holcomb spokeswoman Stephanie Wilson confirmed Wednesday that Holcomb is planning a trip to meet with local officials regarding the city's lead contamination problems. She did not have additional details and could not say if Holcomb will also be meeting with residents. "That trip will help inform next steps," Wilson said in an email. Lopez said Holcomb needs to hear families' concerns first hand, rather than only getting the city's perspective. In recent months, residents have been pushing for an emergency declaration, a move that could bring more financial assistance to a cash-strapped city and its residents grappling with the ongoing lead contamination crisis. She said she believes the city has focused much of its attention on demolition and redevelopment of the West Calumet Housing Complex site, where more than 1,000 families are being forced to relocate. Citing recent EPA test results that showed elevated lead levels in the drinking water of a batch of homes, Lopez said the city should be more concerned about the health and safety of the remaining West Calumet tenants, and the homeowners in zones 2 and 3 who will remain here long after the complex has been demolished. Residents want water filters, bottled water and interior cleanup of homes. "City officials are not relaying our voice, our concerns to him," Lopez said. His predecessor, now-Vice president Mike Pence, was heavily criticized by residents and community activists last year for not meeting with residents affected by the lead contamination, though his office had representatives on site periodically. Holcomb's visit comes several weeks after Pence rejected the city's request for an emergency declaration in December, just before leaving the governor's office. Last month, the city's attorney said East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland was drafting a similar request to Holcomb. Wilson said Holcomb's office, as of Wednesday, had not yet received a request for emergency declaration from Copeland's office. The city's attorney did not respond to a phone call requesting comment Wednesday. Copeland in a WJOB radio interview said he met with Holcomb last week in Indianapolis and hopes the new governor's administration might be more open to helping East Chicago. He also testified last month in Indianapolis to a Senate Appropriations Committee, where he told state lawmakers about his struggles to find federal and state support. As lieutenant governor campaigning for Pence's seat, Holcomb paid a visit to the housing complex in October. SMYRNA, Del. Using a backhoe to smash through a barricade of footlockers, authorities stormed Delaware's largest prison early Thursday and ended a nearly 24-hour hostage standoff involving inmates armed with sharpened objects. One hostage a guard was found dead. A second hostage, a female counselor, was safely rescued minutes after the tactical teams forced their way into the all-male, 2,500-prisoner James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. Some inmates had shielded her from harm, officials said. Gov. John Carney called the uprising a "torturous" ordeal. In a statement, he said authorities will hold accountable those responsible and "make whatever changes are necessary to ensure nothing like it ever happens again." Authorities did not immediately explain how 47-year-old Sgt. Steven Floyd died, but the head of the guards union said the 16-year veteran of the prison was forced into a closet and killed by his captors at some point. During the takeover, Floyd yelled to other guards who were coming to help him that the inmates had set a trap, saving some of his fellow officers' lives, said Geoffrey Klopp, union president. The uprising began Wednesday when inmates with homemade weapons overpowered staff members, seized Building C and took three guards and a counselor hostage. One inmate told a local newspaper via phone that they were demanding better education and rehabilitation programs and were also upset over President Donald Trump and "all the things that he's doing now." "We know that the institution is going to change for the worse," he told The News Journal in Wilmington. During negotiations conducted for a while via an officer's walkie-talkie, the inmates released two hostages and got authorities to turn the water back on, saying they needed it for drinking and washing. Instead, they filled up metal footlockers and built barricades. Officers finally went in with heavy equipment around 5 a.m. and found Floyd unresponsive, authorities said. He was pronounced dead about a half-hour later. The guards who were taken hostage were beaten severely by their captors and suffered broken bones, cuts and eye injuries, Klopp said. Authorities said their injuries were not life-threatening. It wasn't immediately clear how many inmates took part in the uprising. About 120 were in the building when it began, but dozens were let out as the standoff dragged on. Officers inside the cellblocks are not armed, for fear they could be overpowered and stripped of their weapons. Armed guards are posted in prison towers. The negotiations via walkie-talkie were broadcast online for more than an hour before officials blocked the transmission. The conversations were mostly calm, with moments of tension. At one point, an unidentified inmate told a negotiator that the prisoners wanted a "formal apology" from the governor for "decades of oppression." The prison, about 15 miles outside the state capital of Dover, holds minimum-, medium- and maximum-security prisoners serving sentences, along with defendants awaiting trial, and has about 1,500 guards. Building C includes inmates being disciplined for infractions. While authorities investigate what went wrong, Delaware Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe noted that the prison system faces staffing shortages every day. "Statewide, we are down on any given day about 90 positions," said Coupe, who added that the agency uses overtime to meet minimum staffing levels. Klopp said Floyd's death was preventable and slammed the state for understaffing and low pay. In 2004, an inmate at the prison raped a counselor and held her hostage for nearly seven hours before he was killed by a department sharpshooter. Klopp said none of the resulting recommendations for improving staffing were put into effect. ___ Associated Press writers Sarah Rankin and Alanna Durkin Richer in Richmond, Virginia; David Dishneau in Baltimore; and Sarah Brumfield in Washington contributed to this report. AP researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York also contributed. Charitable giving is an essential building block to every successful community, and Crown Point knows this in spades. The trick is for beneficiaries of generous charitable gifts to plan and maximize the impact. The Southlake YMCA and many people helping make its planned 80,000-square-feet addition possible have provided us a roadmap for maximizing charitable gifts. The Dean and Barbara White Foundation, the founder of so much quality-of-life development in the Hub City, is pledging $15 million toward the expansion. The Whites' children are pledging $6 million more, and another $3.5 million is coming from other major donors. While the soliciting of funds for the $35 million project continues, its planners deserve credit for taking a gift that initially would have improved the Southlake YMCA's pool area and churning it into a project set to triple the existing facilitys size and grow membership capacity. Rather than thinking small, local Y officials traveled to a YMCA facility in Wichita, Kansas, which sported an aquatic facility model known as the gold standard. Plans and possibilities began to expand, now including a six-lane lap pool, a zero-entry warm water pool with a slide and other features, new men's and women's lockers and a private changing area. Two new gyms also are planned, coupled with an overhead walking and jogging track, activity studios and a slew of other other amenities. The facility's quest continues as it seeks an additional $3.5 million from other community donors in the coming months. But planners deserve praise for growing an already solid idea into something bigger, making every charitable dollar count for so much more. It's a project befitting one of the Region's fastest growing municipalities. For the second straight year, the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors will sponsor World Civility Day in the Region. GNIAR has signed on as a sponsor of April 13 civility-themed workshops at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond and an evening awards dinner at Avalon Manor in Merrillville. Community Civility Counts, which started as a partnership of the Gary Chamber of Commerce and The Times Media Co. in 2015, is hosting the activities for the special day. The real estate market is a competitive industry for real estate professionals as well as buyers and sellers. The Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors is a professional trade association that pushes professionalism as well as a code of ethics. Partnering with and supporting the local World Civility Day stands for all the things GNIAR stands for, said Peter Novak, CEO of GNIAR. A full schedule for workshops will be released soon, along with details of the evening event. Tickets can be ordered through the Gary Chamber of Commerce. Call 219-885-7407. Tickets are $25 for the day sessions and lunch and $60 for the celebration and awards dinner. Tables of 10 for the dinner can be reserved for $550. Sponsorships also are available through the Gary Chamber. Protesters in the city continue to rally against President Trump's travel ban for immigrants and refugees. Activists gathered in Foley Square to speak out against the executive order issued last week, which applies to seven predominantly Muslim countries. They marched to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office downtown. Activists say the action is a form of discrimination that violates human rights. "As Latinos, as immigrants, as Muslims, our LGBT brothers and sisters may be next, from what we're hearing, we all have to stand united," said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. "It confirmed many of our worst fears about the president's plan for America to turn back the clock of time," said Public Advocate Letitia James. "I came to this country when I was six months old, so my parents are immigrants, of course, and they came to this country in search of a better life," said one person at the protest. Last weekend, the ban sparked protests at airports around the country, including at JFK, after hundreds of people were temporarily detained. Hundreds of Yemeni business owners rallied against President Donald Trump's immigration ban, which targets people from seven mostly-Muslim countries, including Yemen. NY1's Lori Chung filed the following report. At Brooklyn Borough Hall, there was a sea of Yemeni and American flags, and many strong words for the president. "As you see, the flag here in my hand is American. This is my country," said one protester. "Mr. Trump, you don't know what you're doing," said another. "This guy thinks we're sleeping, and we're not sleeping," said a third. Hundreds of Yemeni Americans rallied in outrage at Trump's executive order barring citizens of their home country and six other Muslim majority nations from entering the United States. "You have the right, and your families have the right, to be part of the American dream," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. Many blamed the policy for tearing families apart. "My nephew, my brother-in-law's son, he's stuck in Egypt right now. He got a visa. His father has been waiting for about six years to get him the visa," said one protester. "This is a 13-year-old who's stranded in Egypt," This was part of a day of action that started with bodega and business owners across the city closing their doors in protest, saying the order doesn't protect the country against terrorism but targets Muslims for their faith. "Why you protect the country from my son to see his mother, his brothers?" said one protester. Protesters vowed to fight until the order is reversed. "I could lose all my money, but to stay in this country, this is my country," said one protester. The bodegas and shops that participated remained closed for eight hours during the protest. Many said Yemen has been embroiled in war and that those fleeing the danger shouldn't be punished by the U.S., but welcomed. A new gallery in Jamaica honors a "Wiz" known for his contributions to dance, costume and theater. "The Genius of Geoffery Holder" installation opened Wednesday at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. The Trinidadian-American actor won Tony Awards in 1975 for his direction and costume design for the hit musical "The Wiz." The exhibit shows some of the Broadway legend's personal artwork and photos of him in action. It's courtesy of The New York Public Library's Lincoln Boro Linc Program. "And I'm celebrating black artists' achievement and, you know, celebrate Diaspora's culture. Then it's just magical. And it's, you know, what New York City is all about. And it's what American culture all about," said Cathy Hung, executive director of Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. The exhibit is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more about the center's Black History Month programming, visit www.jcal.org. Fairfax, Va. WHENEVER I am in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, I wake early and run in the central stadium. I enjoy it for two reasons: first, its one of the few places where I can exercise without Bishkeks feral dogs attacking my ankles, and, second, that I actually run on the track provides endless amusement for the gaggle of Kyrgyz politicians I lap as they amble and shoot the breeze. Some of my stadium acquaintances hold positions of power. Others do not. This week, those on the in and those on the out swapped places. Im certain, though, that it will be the same gaggle at the track next week, negotiating ever-changing alliances while the rest of Bishkek sleeps. For those unfamiliar with Kyrgyz politics, it must appear strange that Roza Otunbayeva, who emerged from this weeks coup as the nations interim leader, was foreign minister for both Kyrgyzstans first president, Askar Akayev, and for the man who ousted Mr. Akayev, Kurmanbek Bakiyev (who himself was forced to flee Bishkek on Wednesday). Stranger still is that after each stint Ms. Otunbayeva subsequently joined the opposition and played a central role in the downfall of her boss. As my experience at the stadium shows, however, concepts like opposition and political parties prove an uncomfortable fit with Kyrgyz politics. The press would do well to drop these terms and begin to analyze the political dynamic for what it actually is a handful of political elites going in circles rather than in terms suggestive of what we hope Kyrgyzstan can become, a competitive democracy. Each year the OAS Secretary General publishes a proposed Program-Budget for the coming calendar year. The OAS General Assembly meets in a Special Session to approve the Program-Budget. Find these documents from 1998-2013 here. Each year in April, the OAS Board of External Auditors publishes a report covering the previous calendar years financial results. Reports covering 1996-2016 may be found here. Approximately six weeks after the end of each semester, the OAS publishes a Semiannual Management and Performance Report, which since 2013 includes reporting on programmatic results. The full texts may be found here. Here you will find data on the Human Resources of the OAS, including its organizational structure, each organizational units staffing, vacant posts, and performance contracts. The OAS executes a variety of projects funded by donors. Evaluation reports are commissioned by donors. Reports of these evaluations may be found here. The Inspector General provides the Secretary General with reports on the audits, investigations, and inspections conducted. These reports are made available to the Permanent Council. More information may be found here. The OAS has discussed for several years the real estate issue, the funding required for maintenance and repairs, as well as the deferred maintenance of its historic buildings. The General Secretariat has provided a series of options for funding it. The most recent document, reflecting the current status of the Strategy, is CP/CAAP-3211/13 rev. 4. Here you will find information related to the GS/OAS Procurement Operations, including a list of procurement notices for formal bids, links to the performance contract and travel control measure reports, the applicable procurement rules and regulations, and the training and qualifications of its staff. The OAS Treasurer certifies the financial statements of all funds managed or administered by the GS/OAS. Here you will find the latest general purpose financial reports for the main OAS funds, as well as OAS Quarterly Financial Reports (QFRs). Every year the GS/OAS publishes the annual operating plans for all areas of the Organization, used to aid in the formulation of the annual budget and as a way to provide follow-up on institutional mandates. Here you will find information related to the OAS Strategic Plan 2016-2020, including its design, preparation and approval. YORBA LINDA Robert Lyons is the last original docent at the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, a volunteer gig he didnt seek but one that has allowed him to give tours to thousands including six U.S. presidents. I took President Nixon on a tour with Secretary of State Alexander Haig, and it was the first time I had ever been in the building, but it was also their first time, recalled Lyons, now 79. At tours end, Lyons asked Nixon what he thought of the library. He said, It doesnt make any difference what I think; its what the people think. Ill come back in a year from now and ask you what the people think, and he did, Lyons said. That was certainly a highlight, and the people loved it. The Nixon library has 160 volunteers, from those in their 20s to their 90s. They are part of the Docent Guild, an independent organization that assists the library by leading tours and running special events. After a recent $15 million renovation, the library needs 100 more docents to adequately staff the museum daily and give tours to schoolchildren, community groups and dignitaries. This library requires more docents per work shift than the old library did, explained William Baribault, president of the Richard Nixon Foundation. Who better to help teach newbies the ropes than Lyons? HOW HE STARTED Since the librarys opening in 1990, Lyons has volunteered for more than 3,200 hours. He is the only remaining docent from the first graduating class and is now an ambassador, which means in addition to giving tours he teaches new docents. His wife, Jo Lyons, was the first docent. He had intended only to tag along while she was interviewed. I didnt even know what the term meant, but I became a docent because I wanted to be with my wife, Lyons said. Away from the museum, Lyons was an Army officer before spending 30 years in the aerospace and defense industry. In 1995, he launched a company that provided specialized equipment, training and engineering experience to airborne law enforcement units. He has been a city councilman, the mayor and the treasurer for Placentia. He has since moved to Yorba Linda and is on the citys Planning Commission. Lyons does not have pictures on his homes walls of the six presidents he has escorted on tours. The history buff doesnt collect memorabilia. I dont like to have my picture taken with anybody, and presidents fall into that category, he said. FAVORITE LIBRARY ARTIFACTS One of Lyons favorite parts of the redesigned library is the focus on Nixon in China. A 15-foot-tall image of Air Force One, which touched down in Beijing on Feb. 21, 1972, is the background for life-size, bronze-plated statues of Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai shaking hands during the first visit by an American president. Then there is the dollhouse. In July 1992, Jo Lyons presented Nixon with a replica of his birthplace. The miniature, which took 200 hours of careful labor by Jo Lyons, her children and grandchildren, remains on display in the library. She built it and she gave it to the president, and the president gave it to the library, Lyons said. Its my favorite artifact, because of the person who built it. Outside the house where Nixon was born is Jos Place. A brick pedestal holds a plaque honoring the librarys first docent, who died in 2003. A grandson sometimes leaves a red rose there. In 2006, Army One, the former presidential helicopter, was parked at the museum, and a couple of years later several people started washing it, twice a month. The helicopter was brought in, and no one was assigned to maintain it, and Saturday mornings we would go out and wash the helicopter, said Barbara Lyons, a former director of membership at the library and now Lyons wife. Thats how we got to know each other. Barbara Lyons hasnt seen her husband in action as a docent but figures he is pretty good. He just has a way about him that is very pleasant and almost relaxing, she said. He puts people at ease and is very entertaining. Robert Lyons has no intention of retiring as a docent. One of his four children, Terri Hipwell, said that is a good thing. He really does enjoy the interactions with all the people, all the docents and all the staff and obviously the dignitaries, she said. I think as long as he is having fun, and as long as the library continues to grow and evolve, that will keep him interested. I think hell keep doing it. Contact the writer: 714-796-7868 or desalazar@ocregister.com BERKELEY UC Berkeley canceled a talk by Milo Yiannopoulos, a polarizing Breitbart News editor, because of safety concerns after protesters hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and started a bonfire. The decision was made two hours before the Wednesday night event because a crowd of more than 1,500 had gathered outside the venue, the university said in a statement. Of paramount importance this evening was the campuss commitment to ensure the safety and security of those attending the event, the speaker, those who came to engage in lawful protest, as well as members of the public and the Berkeley campus community, it said. The 32-year-old right-wing provocateur is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and a self-proclaimed internet troll whose comments have been criticized as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. He was banned from Twitter after leading a harassment campaign against Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones. His visit to Berkeley is sponsored by the campus Republican club. The university has stressed that it did not invite Yiannopoulos and does not endorse his ideas but is committed to free speech and rejected calls to cancel the speaking event. The event has been cancelled, Yiannopoulos posted on his Facebook page. Ill let you know more when the facts become clear. One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down. On Wednesday, the university sent a notice to all students that warned of crowds near the student union, where the 500-seat, sold-out event was scheduled. We anticipate there will be major protest/demonstration activity leading up to and surrounding this event, the letter from school officials said. It did not discourage protests but advised those who didnt wish to participate to avoid the area. Yiannopoulos talks have sparked protests, shouting matches and occasional violence at stops around the country. A man was shot and wounded at protests outside his Jan. 21 talk at the University of Washington. Rowdy protests at UC Davis on Jan. 13 prompted campus Republicans to cancel his appearance at the last minute. His final stop was supposed to be UCLA today, but the invitation was rescinded, making Berkeley his grand finale. DANA POINT Brothers Asher and Isaac Bates gave the Spin and Win Wheel a good whirl. Isaacs spin landed on the photo of a weasel, one of the 175 animal species found around the Dana Point Interpretive Center in the Headlands Conservation area. Now it was up to Isaac, a 2-year-old from Aliso Viejo, and his 5-year-old brother, to find a weasel in an exhibit at the center to claim his prize. Together, the two crawled through a tunnel and popped up to look through a bubble into a terrarium that showed what a Pacific pocket mouse might see in its coastal sage scrub habitat. I found the weasel, Isaac called out to his mother, Erica Bates. It looks kinda like a long and skinny mouse. The Bates family was among dozens of visitors Tuesday who checked out some of the centers new attractions, such as the Kids Fun Zone, an interactive area with a sandbox full of animal tracks and burrows, replicas and skulls of animals found at the Headlands and several hands-on displays. While the interpretive center, perched high over the ocean, was bare bones in the early years, efforts by the city have turned it into a popular venue that educates the public about the natural resources found on the Headlands and the marine life in the tidepools and ocean below. The fun zone was introduced earlier this month. Last fall, simple signs were replaced with more elaborate displays, such as a three-dimensional chart showing the San Juan Creeks watershed and taxidermied animals found only on the Headlands, along with new signs explaining the areas geological formations and history. The Dana Point Historical Society provided historic photos that show the history of the Headlands and Dana Point. From plain to high-end When Jeff Rosaler, the citys parks manager, took over in 2009, it was his dream to turn the center into something state-of-the-art. He applied for a state grant and got nearly $100,000 to make those improvements. Its really brought the center to what I envisioned, he said. Its elevated it. The exhibits are hands-on and equivalent to the best science centers around here. Some of the money was also used for trail signs along the protected open space that sits next to the center. The 60-acre Headlands conservation area is home to rare and endangered plants and animals. There are 110 native plant species 15 of them on the California Native Plant Society rare plant inventory. Of the 175 animal species, two of them the Pacific pocket mouse and the Coastal California Gnatcatcher are on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Threatened and Endangered Species List. The Pacific pocket mouse the smallest mouse in North America first seen along the Headlands in the 1930s and the California gnatcatcher have thrived in the area, Rosaler said. We monitor the nests and fledglings of the California gnatcatcher and we have always had succesful broods, Rosaler said. The Pacific pocket mice are really doing well and continue to be a healthy population of about 100. Thought to be extinct in the 1980s, the Pacific pocket mouse was rediscovered in 1993 by Sanford Edward when he began plans to develop the exclusive Strand community at the Headlands. It was added to the federal endangered species list the following year as part of an emergency ruling. The Dana Point mouse population was preserved, and subsequent surveys found two other groups at Camp Pendleton. The Dana Point Interpretive Center was built in 2008 by Edward and Headlands LLC as part of an agreement to develop the Strand community. In all, Edward said he spent more than $43 million on the Strand public improvements including parks and opens space, water quality improvements, restored environmental habitat, public trails, beach access and the nearby Veterans Memorial. Edward had entitlements to build a 500-room hotel and 35 homes on what is now the 30-acre conservation park. Plans to complete Hilltop Point Trail and create a bluff-top overlook are moving forward and will be the conservation areas final pieces. The finished trail and overlook two years out are being funded through an April settlement agreement with the city, the California Coastal Commission and Surfrider Foundation. Must-see hangout On any morning, as early as 7 a.m., dozens of people can be found hiking the 3-mile trail loop around the center. About 30 docents now staff the center. On the first three Saturdays of the month they take visitors on hikes. They also lead visitors on the Whale Walk and Talk as well as history and nature tours. One night a month, the docents offer a science night at the Dana Point Community Center. They also collaborate with the Ocean Institute on their tidepool program. For Alan Harkness, who retired from a job at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Center four years ago and has a background in biology, the center is the perfect place to volunteer. After hiking the Headlands area, he became hooked when he saw and heard whales in the nearby waters. He decided to give back. On Tuesday, he gave Asher and Isaac their prizes from the Spin to Win Wheel and shared some facts about weasels. He also was there to greet 30 visitors in the centers first hour of being open. People are always interested in what animals live here, said Harkness. The birds of prey are the most popular and, of course the gray whales now during their migration season. This is the premiere spot along the entire coast to see the whales. Diane Linderman of Mission Viejo walks the trails and visits the interpretive center at least six times a year. On Tuesday, she brought Dana Cline, a friend who had just moved to Lake Forest for San Diego. Linderman described the area to her friend telling her about the 360-degree view of the ocean just as a juvenile whale and its mother passed by. Ive been a lot of places along the coast and this is the only place where you have a view of so much water, she said. This is a great place to bring binoculars. If youre patient, youll see a lot of animals. Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@scng.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini Sometimes change occurs so gradually that it takes a while to figure out when a fundamental transformation has occurred. On a day-to-day basis its hard to see your hairline receding, waistline expanding or credit card debt compounding. And then one morning we start looking at vacation pictures or paying bills and suddenly realize that were bald, fat and broke. Sometimes we need to take a step back, and a deep breath, in order to see things as they really are. The same is true when it comes to politics. Were frequently so invested in day to day partisan combat that we are completely unaware when the country has moved significantly on an issue. This has happened in the area of gay rights. Last Monday, President Trump said that he would leave in place a 2014 Obama administration order that created new workplace protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. In a written statement the White House said, President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election. The president is proud to have been the first ever GOP nominee to mention the LGBTQ community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression. In response, the usual suspects attacked him and the usual suspects defended him. Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, an organization chartered to fight for LGBT rights, offered partisan criticism instead of praise. LGBTQ refugees, immigrants, Muslims and women are scared today, and with good reason. Donald Trump has done nothing but undermine equality since he set foot in the White House, he said. Meanwhile, Florida Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen took to the House floor and offered her full support to President Trumps statement, explaining, I am heartened by the administrations announcement that it will preserve workplace protections for LGBT federal contractors. This is a meaningful and positive step toward ending discrimination against hardworking LGBT Americans who only want to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families. Think about this for a moment in his first month in office, a duly elected Republican president went on the record in favor of expansive workplace protections for LGBT Americans and it largely fell on deaf ears. A few short years ago this was unthinkable. As recently as 2012, President Obama ran for re-election opposed to gay marriage. In 2008, deep blue California voters passed Proposition 8, which declared that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. In 2004, incumbent President George W. Bush ran for re-election on the platform of instituting a constitutional amendment barring gay marriage. And while she opposed Bushs amendment, then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., spoke on the senate floor saying that she took umbrage at anyone who might suggest that those of us who worry about amending the Constitution are less committed to the sanctity of marriage, or to the fundamental bedrock principle that exists between a man and a woman. In 1978, hardly ancient history, California voters were presented with Proposition 6, otherwise known as the Briggs Initiative, which would have banned gays, lesbians and potentially anyone who supported gay rights, from working in Californias public schools. Ultimately, the measure was voted down, but public opinion polls initially showed the initiative sailing to victory. And today, we have a Republican president who has no problem proclaiming to the world that hes a friend of the gays. If gay rights advocates had the ability to take off their partisan goggles for five seconds theyd realize that theyve scored a huge victory. And so has the country. John Phillips is a CNN political commentator and can be heard weekdays at 3 p.m. on The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips on KABC/AM 790. 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. While the rest of the country indicated by electing Donald Trump that it has moved on from the ideology of global warming alarmism, California wont budge. Though Gov. Jerry Brown appeared to strike a cooperative tone with the new president, he also said only days after the election that the state will continue to confront the existential threat of our time devastating climate change, a position exactly opposite of Trumps. Polls shows that Americans have buried climate change when ranking the countrys most important issues. California, though, is a political outlier. While the rest of the country has moved on from pursuing the European socialist model, California remains committed to that agenda. But California is California, and no one should be surprised that its political leaders are moving to a different rhythm. Or as Brown said, the state is going to stay true to its principles. Yet he isnt abiding by principle. Hes engaged in raw politics. And its an utterly futile, and costly, gesture. One, California alone cant save the world. If tomorrow Brown ordered that in 2017 every power plant, automobile and industry would be shut down across the state, there would be no change in the global temperatures a year from now or a decade from now or even in a century. Californias human greenhouse gas emissions are only a small slice 1 percent of the worlds total. In fact, theres no guarantee that even if every country in the world duplicated Californias emissions regime, the effect that is ostensibly desired by the global warming alarmist community would be achieved. Were simply expected to take political activists at their word that cutting human greenhouse gas emissions will keep global temperatures within the limits they have designated as acceptable. But weve seen what their word is worth. Their forecasts of disaster that are based on unreliable computer models simply havent manifested themselves. Two, restricting greenhouse gas emissions in a state that will regulate cattle flatulence, as well as desktop computer and monitor use, to trim emissions will take a heavy economic toll, and the framework for trouble is already in place. Senate Bill 32, which Brown signed into law in September and requires greenhouse gas emissions to be cut to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 after first reducing them to 1990 levels by 2020, will cost the economy tens of billions of dollars a year. San Francisco-based Energy and Environmental Economics reckons that reducing emissions between 26 percent and 38 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 never mind 40 percent could cost the states economy $23 billion a year. Three, SB32 will aggravate the states already stubborn housing crisis. Under the law, builders will have to comply with a de facto requirement that all new construction be built to zero net energy standards, Former Sen. Dave Codgill, president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, and Chris Kutzkey, president of the California Realtors Association, wrote in September in the Los Angeles Daily News. This means that every new house and unit will need to produce as much energy onsite as it consumes. This goal comes with a steep cost, they warn, citing an analysis conducted by the Capitol Matrix Consulting that found the incremental cost to achieve ZNE at over $58,000 per home. Thats a big bite for a modest home, enough to price many hopeful buyers out of the market, leaving developers with diminished financial incentives to build. Four, if California principles means following the Clean Power Plan intended to cut greenhouse gas emissions, expect higher electricity bills to follow. The plan will hurt the poor the most no surprise there with some seeing their costs jump a full 9 percent, according to a Pacific Research Institute report. Brown might think hes operating on principle, but hes simply following progressive convention, which always produces wretched outcomes. Kerry Jackson is a fellow at the Center for California Reform at the Pacific Research Institute. REPLACING SCALIA President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated federal appeals judge Neil Gorsuch to be the 113th Supreme Court justice. Gorsuch must be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate. The nominee: Gorsuch has been serving as a federal appeals judge in Colorado for 10 years. Republicans are expecting him to maintain the conservative ideals of Antonin Scalia, who was on the court for nearly 30 years. His record shows hes been a strong supporter of religious liberty. What happens next: The Senate Judiciary Committee has begun a review of the nominees record and personal background. The average time from nomination to confirmation is 11 weeks. Hearing: The Judiciary Committee will have a public hearing that will likely last several days. Endorsement: The committee will need a simple majority for endorsement, but if it is deadlocked, the nomination may proceed. Approval: 60 votes are required to proceed to final confirmation, which requires a simple majority. However, Republicans could change the rules, eliminating the minoritys ability to block confirmation. Opposition: Democrats are angry because their nominee was blocked for nearly a year, but Republicans have the upper hand in the Senate and could be able to block efforts to filibuster. DAYS OF HEARING and AGE AT NOMINATION SCALE OF IDEALS The UC Berkeley School of Law measures the relative location of Supreme Court justices on an ideological continuum through time using a system called the Martin-Quinn measurements. The following scale shows how the justices shifted in recent years. AGE-OLD QUESTION According to the Harvard Journal of Law, the average age for a Supreme Court justices retirement (since 1971) is 78.7. There will be three justices older than this age during Trumps first term. NOMINEES THROUGH THE YEARS Sources: U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Senate; Insidegov.com, UC Berkeley Law School, The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Trump administration on Wednesday fired a warning shot at a perennial adversary, declaring that it was putting Iran on notice after a recent ballistic missile launch and threatening the Iranian government with unspecified reprisals. As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice, said Michael Flynn, the national security adviser, making his debut in the White House briefing room to read a terse statement that was almost as critical of the Obama administration as it was of Iran. The Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk, he declared. Flynn said the missile test was the latest in a series of provocative actions by Iran and violated a United Nations Security Council resolution restricting its ballistic missile program something the Iranians deny. Flynn did not specify how the United States would respond, although other officials have said the White House is weighing sanctions and other measures to counter Iranian initiatives throughout the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. His blunt tone and lack of specifics offered an early sign of how President Donald Trump plans to deal with Iran: pushing back against Tehran on multiple fronts and leaving all options, including military action, on the table. Flynn pinned much of the blame for Irans aggressiveness on former President Barack Obama, saying his administration failed to respond adequately to Tehrans malign actions including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms. Flynns tough words left some Iran analysts troubled. Cliff Kupchan, a political risk analyst at the Eurasia Group in Washington, said the tone was very worrisome. He and others also questioned how Irans missile test had violated the Security Council resolution in question, in which Iran is called upon to refrain from missile tests but is not forbidden to conduct them. Other analysts, however, said the stiffer tone was overdue. It was very sensible for the administration to early on warn Iran of its malign activities, said Ray Takeyh, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. WASHINGTON The standardized four-page checklist describes each Islamic State drone mission in chillingly impassive detail: Mission type (spy, bombing, training). Location (city, province). Drone components (motor, bomb ignition). Operation (successful or not). The form, apparently filled out by Islamic State drone operators in Iraq after every mission, was part of a batch of documents discovered in January by a Harvard researcher embedded with Iraqi troops in the battle of Mosul and then turned over to U.S. military analysts for review. The documents in Arabic and English offer a rare window into how the Islamic State group has cobbled together a rapidly advancing armed drone program that increasingly threatens allied troops fighting the militant group. They show how the group has institutionalized a program using off-the-shelf technology to bedevil the militarily superior U.S. armed forces. Islamic State has used surveillance drones on the battlefield for about two years. But an increase in attacks since October mostly targeting Iraqi troops has highlighted its success in adapting readily accessible technology into a potentially effective new weapon. In the past two months, Islamic State has used more than 80 remotely piloted drones against Iraqi forces and their allies. About one-third of the aircraft, some as small as model airplanes, dropped bombs or were rigged with explosives to detonate on the ground, said Col. John L. Dorrian, the spokesman for the U.S.-led operation against the Islamic State in Baghdad. The documents were discovered by Vera Mironova, an international security fellow at the Belfer Center at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Mironova obtained the documents while she was conducting research in Iraq on the individual behavior of Islamic State fighters. Iraqi soldiers were not interested in the documents, Mironova said. But recognizing their potential value to the U.S. military, she contacted the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, which has previously published her work. All of the documents appear to be from around 2015 the early phases of the drone program and the collection includes a mix of official Islamic State forms and handwritten notes, according to the analysis. The last page of the form asked whether their mission had succeeded or failed. It also provided space to write notes, perhaps to document lessons learned from failed missions or interesting events that occurred during successful ones, the assessment said. The documents also contained detailed acquisition records, essentially shopping lists for the off-the-shelf commercial technology that the Islamic State is buying. AMONA, West Bank Israeli forces uprooted this West Bank outpost on Wednesday, removing residents and hundreds of their supporters in sometimes violent clashes as they dismantled a community that has become a symbol of Jewish settler defiance. The evacuation, which followed years of legal battles, came amid a flurry of bold new settlement moves by Israels government, which has been buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump. Thousands of police officers carried out the removal, squaring off against hundreds of protesters, many of them young religious activists who flocked to the wind-swept hilltop to show their solidarity with residents. Planting themselves inside trailer homes and the communitys synagogue, the protesters defied police, who carried some away. Protesters chained themselves to heavy objects or linked arms to form a wall against police, chanting Jews dont expel Jews! Dozens of residents reluctantly left their homes without resistance, young children in tow. This is my home. I want to stay here. It is my right to stay here, resident Tamar Nizri told Channel 2 TV news. This is expulsion, destruction, an injustice and a crime. The most basic truth is that the Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, including the West Bank, she said. With some 250 residents, Amona is the largest of about 100 unauthorized outposts erected in the West Bank without formal permission but generally with tacit support from the Israeli government. It was the scene of violent clashes between settlers and security forces during a partial demolition exactly 11 years ago, on Feb. 1, 2006. Those homes were found to be built on private Palestinian land. Israels Supreme Court later ruled in 2014 that the entire outpost was built on private Palestinian land and must be demolished, setting Feb. 8 as the final deadline after repeated delays. In an apparent attempt to temper settler anger over the evacuation, Israel approved thousands of new settler homes a day before the outposts removal, signaling a ramping up of settlement construction under President Trump, who has indicated he will be more accepting of Israeli settlement policies. The settler movement is a potent political force in Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus nationalist coalition government is dominated by settlers and their allies. In contrast to his predecessors, Trump has voiced no objections to Israels latest settlement binge. Amona residents and their supporters had hoped Trump and his softer approach might open a door for the outpost to remain on the hilltop, to no avail. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said some 3,000 officers were deployed to carry out the evacuation. They were met by 1,500 protesters who erected makeshift barricades from smashed tiles, rusty metal bars and large rocks to slow the police advance. Police said some 20 officers were slightly injured by stones or an unidentified liquid hurled at them and a dozen protesters were arrested. Hundreds of protesters were removed from the hill and more than half of the outposts roughly 40 families had left their homes by nightfall. Protesters, who began arriving in the weeks ahead of the slated demolition, heckled officers and pleaded with them to refuse their orders. The evacuation was expected to drag into the night. As it proceeded, Israels Supreme Court rejected a government proposal to move Amonas residents to plots on the same hilltop, leaving them without a relocation plan. Many were headed temporarily to the nearby settlement of Ofra. The Palestinians and most of the international community consider both outposts and settlements illegal and see them as an obstacle to creating a Palestinian state. The Palestinians want the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war for their future state. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005, and the territory was subsequently overrun by the Hamas militant group. Trump has said he wants to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, but has given no indication of how he plans to do this. His campaign platform made no mention of a Palestinian state, the cornerstone of U.S. Mideast policy for decades, and he has surrounded himself with advisers with deep ties to the settlement movement. A day before the evacuation, Netanyahu approved 3,000 West Bank settler homes, in addition to earlier approvals of 2,500 homes in the West Bank and 560 in east Jerusalem. He had no immediate comment on the evacuation. Settlement supporters are banking on Trump to support or at least let slide an explosive bill that seeks to legalize several thousand additional homes built on land seized from Palestinian landowners. Instead, it would offer the Palestinians compensation. The evacuation marks the end of a yearslong legal battle by the Palestinians who own the land Amona was built on and witnessed repeated delays by the government to implement the court ruling. Our feeling is indescribable, said Abdel-Rahman Saleh, the mayor of the nearby Palestinian town of Silwad who assisted the landowners in building their case. This will open the way for other Palestinians to move ahead and retrieve their confiscated land. Ahmad Majdalani, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also welcomed the evacuation, but said the other settlement moves were meant to finally kill the two-state solution. Amonas evacuation drove a wedge through the hard-line coalition of Netanyahu, who has been caught between appeasing his pro-settler coalition allies and respecting the rulings issued by the Supreme Court. The pro-settler Jewish Home party had pushed Netanyahu to find a legal loophole that would keep the residents on the hill. Bilha Schwarts, 24, came with her husband and 9-month-old daughter to support Amonas residents. If they want it they can take it, we will not fight, she said. We will leave but we will come back. Walt Disney Co. agreed to pay $100 million to resolve claims it colluded with other animation studios to not hire one anothers workers in California, where allegations of no-poaching pacts have plagued technology companies for the better part of a decade. Disney and three of its units are the last remaining defendants in a class-action lawsuit alleging the studios conspired to suppress wages through a gentlemans agreement to not recruit each others workers. Attorneys for Disney and employees submitted a court filing Tuesday seeking approval of their settlement. Comcast Corp.s DreamWorks Animation SKG previously agreed to a $50 million settlement, while two Sony Pictures units and Blue Sky Studios reached deals totaling $19 million. Apple Inc., Google, Intel Corp. and Adobe Systems Inc. paid $415 million in 2015 to resolve their part in a similar case that was brought against Silicon Valley technology companies that had been investigated for collusion by the U.S. Justice Department. Orly Lobel, a law professor at the University of San Diego, predicted Disneys settlement will win approval because it satisfies requirements the agreement is fair, reasonable and adequate. Given that this was the last holdout, there are already proxies of what should be the lump sum and it seems within the range, Lobel said. A $100 million settlement for one large company is proportional to the $415 million agreed to by several technology giants in the previous case, and the much smaller earlier settlements, she said. A Disney spokesperson didnt immediately respond to a call after regular business hours seeking comment on the agreement. Balancing the need for clean air and the need for industry is no small task. It requires a careful, judicious weighing of the costs and benefits of regulatory action and voluntary cooperation. Command-and-control regulations may seem expedient, but they can become burdensome and harmful to economic development. Thus, the South Coast Air Quality Management District should take an approach that incorporates business concerns instead of treating business as the enemy of the environment, and uses incentives to help achieve environmental goals instead of aggressive punitive measures that regulate companies out of the state or out of business. This is roughly the proposed approach of the SCAQMD in its 2016 Air Quality Management Plan, a blueprint for how the district will reduce pollution. It is a plan with which business leaders and environmentalists alike can live with. The SCAQMD is the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and most of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Tasked chiefly with regulating emissions from stationary sources like power plants and refineries, SCAQMD has certainly succeeded over the past few decades in curtailing pollution in the region, and, through its plan, seeks to better meet federal and state air quality mandates. On Friday, the SCAQMD board will vote on the 2016 AQMP, which has received considerable criticism from business groups, local government agencies and environmentalists for either being too tough or too generous. The proposal seeks to balance these conflicting perspectives by largely relying on regulation to achieve reductions in pollution while also calling for the expanded use of incentives such as tax credits, payments to acquire new technologies, expedited environmental-impact reviews or less frequent inspections. Draconian decrees place extraordinary costs on businesses, harm the economy and jeopardize jobs, argues Brad Jensen of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership. Incentives are more effective because they help businesses comply with new air standards at a faster pace with less cost. Carrots help the environment more than sharp sticks. At this point, the plan before the SCAQMD may be the most advantageous plan for business that is still achievable, considering that powerful environmental groups like the Sierra Club are mobilizing in favor of more regulation. There are trade-offs here. Still to be determined is exactly where the funding for incentives will come from. But, at the very least, the proposal fosters discussion among regulators, environmentalists and industry about the particulars. We hope the SCAQMD will resist calls to become more forceful and rely more on regulations than it already does. While the proposal is certainly not perfect, it is the best available option. The SCAQMD board should approve it. Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose debut novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2016, is the next author to be featured by the Register Book Club. Nguyen will appear in conversation about his work and life on Feb. 21 at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana. His short story collection The Refugees arrives on Tuesday. Tickets to the event are $10 with all proceeds going to two non-profits the Frida itself and a charity to be chosen by Nguyen. Nguyen was born in Vietnam in 1971 and immigrated to the United States as a child, first to Pennsylvania, and then to San Jose. The Sympathizer is a literary novel with a character-driven thriller at its core. A Vietnamese military officer who flees South Vietnam during the fall of Saigon in April 1975 is a spy, and continues to spy on his fellow expatriates after settling in the United States. Surely a new classic of war fiction, wrote Ron Charles in a review in the Washington Post. (Nguyen) has wrapped a cerebral thriller around a desperate expat story that confront the existential dilemmas of our age. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize the book earned a few dozen additional honors including the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction from the American Library Association, and a spot on more than 30 lists of the best books of 2015. Nguyen, who earned his doctorate in English at the University of California, Berkeley, is the Aerol Arnold Chair of English as well as a professor of American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. The Refugees collects his short fiction, disparate stories linked by the common bond of their protagonists as people living in two worlds, never feeling quite at home in either. The Register Book Club event at the Frida begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 and in addition to a conversation with Nguyen will conclude with a book signing. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com/e/the-register-book-club-hosts-viet-thanh-nguyen-tickets-31666460235. Contact the writer: 714-796-7787 or plarsen@scng.com SACRAMENTO A state panel has recommended paroling a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson. The 31st parole hearing for 74-year-old Bruce Davis was held Wednesday at the California Mens Colony at San Luis Obispo. Four previous parole recommendations have been blocked by governors. Gov. Jerry Brown will have the final say on whether Davis is released. Davis is serving a life sentence for the 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald Shorty Shea. He was not involved in the more notorious killings of actress Sharon Tate and six others by the Manson family. Parole panels have decided before that Davis is no longer a public safety risk only to see governors who have the final say on release block his parole. SANTA ANA A 37-year-old Irvine man was charged with murder on Thursday for the alleged killing of his mother and brother, authorities said. Gloria Pillay, 58, and Arlyn Pillay, 35, were shot in their Crystal Circle home in Irvine. Police arrested Nolan Pascal Pillay on Tuesday. Nolan Pillay was scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday for two felony counts of murder with sentencing enhancements for multiple murders and using a firearm charges that could carry the death penalty. Authorities declined to release further details or information on a possible motive. Police were called with reports of a shooting shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday in a cul-de-sac of homes about a block from Greentree Elementary. Arlyn Pillay ran an art gallery in Tustin, while Gloria Pillay may also have run her own art shop, according to a GoFundMe account. Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com Zombie Apocalypse in the West? CAMBRIDGE Francois Fillon, a discreet and loyal former prime minister under former President Nicolas Sarkozy, is now the right-wing Republicans official nominee for the French presidential election this spring. In the partys primary last November, early polling had predicted a win for Alain Juppe, a prime minister under Sarkozys predecessor, Jacques Chirac, and had put Fillon a distant third behind Sarkozy himself (who was seeking to stage a political comenack). When Fillon pulled out a surprise victory, many observers began to compare him to Donald Trump. Fillon is a soft-spoken, reserved, and deeply devout Roman Catholic who lives in a small castle in his native province of Sarthe. He exhibits none of the brashness, vulgarity, and self-adoration currently emanating from Trump Tower in New York. But Fillons supporters have three things in common with Trumps: rejection of liberal identity politics; opposition to expertise as a decisive component of politics and policymaking; and anxiety about loss of power and status in a country they once dominated. Fillons success can be traced back to 2013, when thousands of demonstrators nationwide took to the streets to protest against a law legalizing same-sex marriage Marriage for all which President Francois Hollandes justice minister, Christiane Taubira, had introduced in the National Assembly. The Manif pour tous (March for all) was the first time in many years that French Catholics had come together specifically as Catholics to demonstrate against the government. The law ultimately passed, and no one is proposing that it be repealed. Instead, Fillon wants to make it harder for same-sex couples to adopt children. Still, the march had a massive turnout that surprised even its participants; it set the stage for Fillon to win the primary and, judging by current polls, to become the next French president. The march brought together Catholics of all ages, including many families, and some of its younger leaders have since founded a successor movement called Common Sense. Their aim is to defend the traditional family, and to ensure a strong state within a reformed European Union, wherein the member states would repatriate certain powers. The name alludes not to Thomas Paines famous 1776 pamphlet, but to the capacity of normal people to judge what is right for themselves, without having to rely on experts a message with strong Catholic undertones. Common Senses followers often refer to Antonio Gramscis theory of cultural war according to which values are inherently in conflict and must be fought over overlooking the irony of invoking an Italian Marxist to defend Catholicism. While the march was meant to be nonpartisan and independent, Common Sense was specifically created as a part of the right-wing political apparatus under the Republicans predecessor, the Union for a Popular Movement. This mutually beneficial arrangement reenergized the party and furnished the movement with a larger platform. Common Sense emerged under Sarkozys watch, but it also affiliated with political leaders such as Fillon, whose position on religion was closely aligned with its own. The way Fillon tells it, he prepared for the primaries by spending two years touring the country and asking the French people what they wanted. He then developed a dual program based on mass deregulation to liberate the economy and the defense of Catholic values, which explains his sympathy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he sees as a defender of Christians in the Middle East. Common Sense has been a key interlocutor in creating this program, and its members repaid Fillon handsomely with massive turnout in the primary. When the March for all began, some commentators derided the protestors as zombie Catholics. But much like Trumps basket of deplorables, who wore pins embracing the nickname Hillary Clinton had bestowed on them, the mostly middle-class zombie Catholics started dressing the part, which only added to their allure. When asked why they had taken to the streets, the protesters said they were defending their Catholic identity. Although France is officially secular, with church and state legally separated since 1905, French Catholicism has remained a dominant force, and many national holidays are in fact Christian. French Catholics now feel as though their historically privileged position is under attack by the rise of Islam and Islamist-inspired terrorist attacks, and by legislation that has increasingly challenged their way of life. For many conservative Catholics, same-sex marriage was a tipping point, while left-wing Catholics find themselves being crowded out by the right. French politics has no analogue to Americas alt-right milieu with its conspiracy theories, talk shows, online trolling, and fake news that fueled Trumps campaign. But Fillons supporters, too, reject multiculturalism and have responded to their status anxiety by dismissing expertise. With France becoming less Catholic and the US becoming more diverse, their zombie armies political power will decay; but, as Trumps election and Fillons political ascendance have shown, they cannot be written off just yet. SMYRNA, Del. Inmates at a Delaware prison took four corrections department workers hostage Wednesday, a move the inmates told a local newspaper was due to concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon and another was released hours later, leaving authorities negotiating into the evening for the last two held. A preliminary investigation suggests the disturbance began about 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses more than 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said. Other officers responded to help, and the employees were taken hostage, he said. Bratz initially said five employees were taken hostage, but authorities at a later news conference said the number had been revised to four after one person thought to be among the hostages was found in another part of the prison. Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said 27 inmates had left the building over the course of the evening. Authorities dont know the dynamics of the takeover or whether those inmates had been held against their will, Coupe said. One of the freed employees was taken to a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, authorities said. The condition of the second wasnt immediately available. Earlier in the day, inmates contacted The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmates fiancee and another persons mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons for doing what were doing included Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. Coupe said authorities had been communicating with the hostage-takers via radio. He also noted that inmates in Building C have access to television and could be watching the news conference live. Wed like to tell them we want to resolve this peacefully, he said. Coupe declined to comment when asked about the phone calls to the News Journal. but said a dialogue about issues at the prison could happen later. Once this matter is resolved safely, then that will be the time to talk if the inmates want to talk about conditions, privileges, those types of things, he said. Delaware Gov. John Carney spoke briefly, saying he had talked with the hostages families. As you can imagine, its been very difficult for them as well, the new Democratic governor said. According to the departments website, the prison is Delawares largest correctional facility for men, with about 2,500 inmates. It houses minimum, medium and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. In 2004, an inmate at the Smyrna prison raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours, according to an AP report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. WASHINGTON Republicans suspended Senate committee rules Thursday to muscle President Donald Trumps pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency toward confirmation after Democrats boycotted a vote. It was the latest sign of political hostilities on Capitol Hill as Senate Democrats used parliamentary procedure to delay votes on some of Trumps Cabinet nominees and Republicans used their slim Senate majority to advance and approve them. Also Thursday, two Senate committees voted along party lines to send Trumps nominee to lead the White House budget office, South Carolina GOP Rep. Mick Mulvaney, to the full Senate for a vote. As the scheduled meeting to discuss EPA nominee Scott Pruitt was gaveled to order, the seats reserved for the 10 Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee were empty for the second consecutive day. Committee rules required that at least two members of the minority party be present for a vote to be held. The 11 Republicans voted unanimously to temporarily suspend those rules and then voted again to advance the nomination of Pruitt, the state attorney general of Oklahoma. Committee chairman John Barrasso accused the absent Democrats of engaging in delay and obstruction. It is unprecedented for the minority to delay an EPA administrator for an incoming president to this extent, Barrasso said. The Wyoming Republican then echoed President Barack Obamas famous 2009 statement to GOP leaders that elections have consequences. The people spoke and now it is time to set up a functioning government, Barrasso said of the November election. That includes a functioning EPA. Despite the rhetoric from committee Republicans, the Democrats appeared to have borrowed directly from their opponents playbook. In 2013, GOP members of the same committee boycotted a similar committee meeting on Gina McCarthy, Obamas then-nominee for EPA administrator. McCarthy was eventually approved by the Senate, serving in the post until Trumps inauguration last month. Barrasso has said that is not an apples-to-apples comparison since Obama was not then a new, first-term president building out his team. Democratic members of the committee said this week the boycott was necessary because Pruitt has refused to fully respond to requests for additional information. Democrats did attend meetings of the Senate budget and homeland security committees Thursday as Republicans voted to approve Mulvaney, Trumps nominee to lead the White House Budget Office, for a vote by the full Senate. The move came over the opposition of Democrats who warn of his support for cutting rising costs of Medicare and increasing the age for claiming Social Security benefits. Mulvaney was among tea party lawmakers who backed a government shutdown in 2013 in an attempt to block the Affordable Care Act from taking place. In 2011, he was among those against increasing the governments borrowing cap. Mulvaney easily sidestepped a controversy in which he failed to pay payroll taxes on a nanny he employed from 2000-2004. While Pruitts nomination to lead EPA has been praised by Republicans and the fossil fuel industry, Democrats and environmental groups said his confirmation would be a disaster. During the campaign, President Trump pledged to dismantle the EPA, said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. In Scott Pruitt, he found just the man to carry out his vision. In his current position as Oklahomas state attorney general, Pruitt has frequently sued the agency he hopes to lead, including filing a multistate lawsuit opposing the Obama administrations plan to limit planet-warming carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. Pruitt also sued over the EPAs recent expansion of water bodies regulated under the Clean Water Act. It has been opposed by industries that would be forced to clean up polluted wastewater. Like Trump, the 48-year-old Republican has previously cast doubt on the extensive body of scientific evidence showing that the planet is warming and that man-made carbon emissions are to blame. Pressed by Democrats during his Senate confirmation hearing, however, Pruitt said he disagreed with Trumps earlier claims that global warming is a hoax created by the Chinese to harm the economic competitiveness of the U.S. I do not believe climate change is a hoax, Pruitt said. Democrats have also criticized Pruitts close ties to the oil and gas industry. Though Pruitt ran unopposed for a second term in 2014, campaign finance reports show he raised more than $700,000, much of it from people in the energy and utility industries. Republicans rewrote the rules so that Pruitt can seize control of the EPA and throw critical clean air and water rules out, said Liz Perera, the climate policy director for the Sierra Club. STANTON After a several hours standoff, a motel room was empty when an Orange County Sheriffs Department SWAT team entered early Thursday morning with a warrant, authorities said. Officers raced to the Riviera Motel at 11892 Beach Boulevard at 12:08 p.m. Wednesday when a man told dispatchers he thought hed heard people arguing and at least one gunshot, Lt. Kevin La Pyrne said. Deputies set up a containment around the motel room and attempted to make contact with the occupants of that room, La Pyrne said. but nobody answered. Surrounding rooms were evacuated and a SWAT team took up positions while investigators worked on getting a warrant to enter. Officers entered the room at approximately 6:30 a.m. and determined that nobody was inside, La Pyrne said. It was unclear if a firearm had been discharged in the room or if it had been occupied at all Wednesday night or Thursday morning as investigators worked to piece together what, if anything, had occurred. Motel guests and residents will be allowed back to their rooms when detectives complete their investigation. Anyone with information about this incident can report it anonymously to the Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227. Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or jsudock@scng.com ORANGE Chapman Universitys Attallah Piazza swiftly filled up Tuesday as students walked out near the end of their 11 a.m. classes to protest the immigration policies of President Donald Trump. Hundreds of students filled the area to express outrage, share stories, display signs, sing songs and recite verses from the Quran. Dozens held aloft signs with slogans including, No human is Illegal and White Silence is White Violence. Peppered throughout the crowd were faculty members, who stood in solidarity with their students and encouraged the walkout, including critical-studies professor Peter McLaren. I think what was said here today was profound, he said. I hope its the beginning of something bigger. I think, personally, that a protest like this should build into a larger social movement a united front. The protest lasted about 50 minutes and was filled with speeches by student leaders between chants including, Mexico to the Middle East, we demand justice, we demand peace. Some students shared feelings of being cut off from their families by Trumps travel ban, and some told stories of continuing racial and religious persecution while choking through tears. Others, like sophomore Safi Nazzal, said Trumps presidency is a failure of the two-party system and called for resistance. Nazzal and other protestors said Tuesdays protest is only the beginning. Seeing this unification is empowering, Nazzal said. We cant let this just fizzle out. Thats pointless. Everything will become normalized and people will forget. If we keep the pressure on the state, keep the resistance on the state, then theyll be forced to hear us. Contact the writer: jwinslow@scng.com Theres no prize money at stake, on Saturday, or points to advance a pro career in surfing. This new surf series is all about bragging rights. Some of the areas best surfers from four Orange County cities will be battling it out in big surf on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier as part of the West Coast Board Riders Cup Series, an event aimed at proving which city can stake claim to having the best surfers. The event is the brainchild of three Orange County surfers Casey Wheat, Ziggy Williams and Chris Moreno who took inspiration from Australian surf culture, where world-class pros such as Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson regularly compete for their board clubs to prove which region is best. The three local surfers created Huntingtons Board Rider club in 2016, then started asking other surfers from nearby cities if they wanted to create something similar. Basically, what we did was spark the movement and started calling out other cities. Anytime you call someone out, its going to tap into their ego, Wheat said. It was easy to start, it was all about us getting the Board Rider clubs together and going from there. The first Board Riders contest was held in October, with Huntington Beach battling Seal Beach. It went over insane, it brought together the community, and that brotherhood from people from the same city, Wheat said. When asked who won that event, Wheat quipped, Who do you think? And thats part of the fun the smack-talking among rivals, and also against old friends who grew up competing against each other. Because Seal Beach lost, the Huntington crew joked that Chris Waring, who surfed for the Seal Beach team, couldnt surf the pier for a week. Its all about sportsmanship, Wheat said. Its all in good fun. Saturdays competition will be stacked, with World Tour surfer Kanoa Igarashi, and his brother Keanu surfing in a younger division. But dont count out Lagunas team, which will have guys such as big-wave rider Mike Parsons and former pro James Pribram. This is heavy, heavy bragging rights, Wheat said. Theres going to be a lot of heckling. We all grew up surfing together. Its cool we get to come back together and have some fun. In all, there will be 96 surfers, with various divisions, from 14 and under to 50 and older. Part of the goal is to educate younger surfers. There will be a pre-contest workout led by experienced surfers. The learning goes beyond the one-day event, with board club members participating in programs like Surfers Awareness Lifesaving Techniques or S.A.L.T. a course taught by Huntington Beach lifeguards to surfers on how to save a person in distress in the water. Its also about honoring the past. Huntington surfers always wear jerseys with a 5 on it, in honor of Surfing Walk of Famer Chuck Linnen, who started surfing in the 40s and is an icon around Surf City. San Clemente and Dana Point are still getting their teams together and plan on being part of the next event, scheduled for April 22 in Newport Beach, Wheat said. There will also be two more events in Huntington Beach later in the year. The idea is to have events up and down the Orange County coast, then along the entire West Coast of California. Eventually, the West Coast clubs could compete against East Coast board clubs. That would be the ultimate goal, to spread it out, Wheat said. This year, we just want to get these events going and spark the movement. Winners get to hold onto the perpetual cup until theres a new winner.. Contact the writer: lconnelly@scng.com Promise kept Re: Do you support Trumps new travel and refugee restrictions? [Opinion, Jan. 31]: I totally agree and support President Trumps new restrictions on travel from specific countries. It is a point that he campaigned on and one of the reasons I voted for him. I am sure it is not perfect, and needs some adjustments, but it is something we need to do, and is long overdue. Finally, some common sense is being used to address this Islamic terrorist threat. If the refugees need a place to go, this can be coordinated and paid for by the Arab nations in the Middle East. Tom Willson, Huntington Beach Selective outrage Nothing like a Trump executive order on keeping another campaign promise to have more stringent vetting from those coming to our shores to get the political left on full tilt. The reaction of the progressives in the media and Hollywood was apoplectic. The hypocrisy of this crowd is beyond belief. Where were these champions of the oppressed when Obama bombed seven of the nine countries included in the temporary travel ban? Somehow the cries of injustice when perpetrated by their hero were excusable. Hugo Folli, San Clemente He must be stopped Donald Trump has betrayed his bullying behaviors as an adolescent in military school, as a builder and brander and most blatantly as a presidential candidate throughout his lifetime. As president he isnt about to change those behaviors. Rather, he is projecting his own obnoxious nature onto our nations policy matters. The wretched era of imperialism may have ended but now we have an imperial chief executive who must be stopped before more serious damage is done. Ben Miles, Huntington Beach Rate hike rip-off I just got a letter from Edison advising me that Im using too much energy and that my rates are going to go up. I havent changed anything at my house for several years. Now my neighbors and friends are getting the letters. I can only think that someone has to pay for the San Onofre plant shutdown. God forbid the investors, along with the cities and counties, take the heat for their losses. Tony Barone, Huntington Beach Oculus VR, the virtual reality headset maker that got its start in Irvine, has been ordered to pay a competitor $500 million for stealing proprietary technology, a Dallas jury ruled Wednesday. The company, founded in 2012, rose to fame from its Irvine headquarters after Facebook bought it in 2014 for $2 billion. Jurors on Wednesday sided with ZeniMax Media in its lawsuit over the Oculus Rift, the headset that put the social media giant at the forefront of the VR boom. The verdict is a rebuke of Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, who isnt a defendant but who told jurors in his first-ever courtroom testimony that it was important for him to be there because the claims by ZeniMax were false. Oculus was formed by Palmer Luckey and Brendan Iribe. Luckey, the story went, cobbled a duct-taped prototype headset while living in a trailer parked in his parents Long Beach driveway. Iribe met with the 19-year-old before investing in the startup and becoming its chief executive. The company established its headquarters on MacArthur Boulevard near John Wayne Airport. In 2013, Oculus lured John Carmack, a renowned game designer, away from ZeniMax and named him chief technology officer. This move by Carmack would become the central point of ZeniMaxs lawsuit. ZeniMax claimed it was responsible for key breakthroughs in the development of software and hardware for the headset, only to be betrayed when Carmack joined with Luckey and Iribe and purloined ZeniMaxs intellectual property for their own startup. While the jury rejected claims of trade secret theft, it awarded $200 million in damages against Oculus for violating a nondisclosure agreement, $50 million for copyright infringement and $50 million for improper use of ZeniMaxs trademarks. Jurors also hit Oculus co-founders, Iribe and Luckey, with $150 million and $50 million in damages, respectively, for the trademark misuse. The jury found that Carmack took property belonging to ZeniMax but awarded no damages against him. Oculus heist? ZeniMaxs lawyer, Tony Sammi, argued at trial that Oculus committed a heist, covered it up by destroying evidence and made off with a lot of money when it was bought out by Facebook. He told the jury Oculus went from zero to hero using Carmacks innovations at ZeniMax to improve on the crude prototype for the Rift designed by Luckey. If they could make it, whyd they take it? Sammi asked the nine-member jury in his closing argument. Zuckerberg testified for five hours during the three-week trial, denying ZeniMaxs allegations and saying its common for companies to come out of the woodwork and make such claims after an acquisition. Facebooks lawyer, Beth Wilkinson, underscored that point in her closing argument, saying ZeniMax ceased all work on virtual reality in early 2013 and didnt accuse Oculus of wrongdoing until Facebook announced the takeover in March 2014. Theyre jealous. Theyre angry, Wilkinson told jurors. Theyre embarrassed because they had the opportunity to get in on this. Zuckerberg had a vision and followed through on it, she said. He saw what these guys could do in the future and invested, she said. ZeniMax had sought $2 billion from Facebook and Oculus to compensate losses and unspecified punitive damages. Attorneys on both sides declined to comment on the verdict as they left the courtroom. An Oculus representative couldnt immediately be reached for comment. Bloomberg News and Register staff writer Hannah Madans contributed to this report. Mater Dei nose tackle Austin Faoliu woke up this morning prepared to sign his letter of intent with Oregon. Then, Faoliu got a phone call from USC. Somebody suddenly backed out of his commitment to USC. So USC called Faoliu to offer a scholarship to him. Faoliu turned down the Trojans offer. Then came another phone call. It was Michigan, also making a last-minute offer. He stuck with his commitment to Oregon and signed with the Ducks. Faoliu had committed to Arizona, withdrew that commitment in early January and then committed to Oregon. Faoliu, 6-4 and 295 pounds, was All-Orange County first team in 2016. For years, Ussuri Bay, on Russias Pacific shoreline, was a dumping ground for glass bottles and waste from a nearby porcelain factory. But nature found a way to turn lemons into lemonade, and today, all those unwanted materials have been shaped into a colorful glass beach. The story goes that many years ago, truckloads of glass and porcelain were dumped in Ussuri Bay, but instead of what should have been a landfill for unwanted waste, Steklyashka beach is actually one of the most stunning tourist attractions in the world. Years of erosion have rounded and polished the pieces of glass and porcelain into beautiful pebbles of various colors and have turned this place into a wonderland reminiscent of Californias Glass Beach. Once considered a no-go zone, Steklyashka beach is now popular with both locals and tourists, and has been afforded special protection by authorities in the Primorsky Krai region. In the summer, its a unique bathing spot, and in the summer, people regularly drive from the port city of Vladivostok, about 30 minutes away, to take photos of this breathtaking natural kaleidoscope highlighted by snow and ice. Photos of the mesmerizing glass sand of Steklyashka beach have recently gone viral online, after an article in the Siberian Times revealed this wonder to the whole world. And just to prove that this is a real place, not an elaborate Photoshop hoax, here is a video shot at Steklyashka beach in 2015: America is in even more disarray this morning, and not just because of Trump's latest divisive actions: this morning the nation's top prognosticating groundhogs are completely at odds about what weather will be coming our way. Staten Island Chuck, the Staten Island Zoo's resident groundhogwhose ancestors have famously bitten mayors or been murdered by them, predicted an early spring from behind his enclosure. The Staten Island Advance reports: "Like the last two years, Chuck was held underneath a spacious glass enclosure and was then lifted into the enclosure via a small elevator, or the 'Chuck-a-vator.' The elevator remained above ground while Chuck searched for his shadow." Mayor Bill "Groundhog Killer" de Blasio did not attend the ceremony; Public Advocate Letitia James and City Comptroller Scott Stringer appeared in his stead and managed not to kill the current groundhog. Over by Gobbler's Knob, just outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, meaning winter is still coming. Six More Weeks of Winter!! #punxsutawneyphil #ghd2017 A photo posted by groundhog club (@punxsyphil) on Feb 2, 2017 at 4:40am PST Of course, some say that Phil was wrong before he even woke up. Staten Island Chuck has an 80% accuracy rate. The Advance also breaks down how one determines whether a groundhog does know anything about the weather: The number 40 is crucial to Chuck's prediction. The arrival of an early spring or the persistence of winter is measured by the amount of days over and under 40 degrees between the end of the Groundhog Day ceremony Feb. 2 and the six weeks until the first day of spring March 21. If the majority of the days in between are above 40 degrees, it's considered an early spring. If the majority of the days in between fall below 40 degrees, it's considered to be six more weeks of winter. Guess we'll see later whether we need to watch out for that first step: There was something off about the block in Ridgewood where Kara Van Woerden, creative director at a law school, shares a ground-floor apartment with her artist husband, Casey Loose. Starting last fall, the light outside was bluer, harsher than before, but they couldn't quite put their finger on why. "At first we thought it was because the leaves had fallen off the trees," Loose said. "Then we figured maybe it was from all the Christmas lights." Van Woerden interjected, "I knew sooner." As the last of the Christmas lights came down this month, it became undeniable: the new light-emitting diode streetlights that the Department of Transportation is installing citywide had gone in along their street, one of them flooding their bedroom with light. The Department of Transportation started replacing the city's 250,000 yellow sodium streetlights with LEDs in October 2013 under then-mayor Michael Bloomberg, who hailed the project as a conservation measure that would save the city $14 million a year in energy and maintenance. Windsor Terrace and Kensington were the first neighborhoods to get the LED treatment, and as city installation crews fanned out across Brooklyn, then Queens, complaints started to pour in. A DOT spokesman said in December that the agency has only received 12 complaints about the new bulbs. However, 311 data suggests there have been more: between October 2013 and the present, New Yorkers have made 1,739 311 complaints filed under "Street Light Lamp Dim," three quarters of them in Brooklyn and Queens. The drop-down menu for the DOT complaint form linked on the 311 website includes no option for a light that is too bright, meaning at least some of these complaints are likely about the new LEDs (for the record, the DOT advises people with complaints about lights being too bright to choose "Light shining in the wrong direction"). "Can't they just slap some gels on them already?" Van Woerden asked, leading a reporter and photographer to her street-facing bedroom, where the blue light so disturbed her sleep that she has installed blackout curtains. Before she put them in, she said, she had a hard time falling asleep, and, "I would wake up in the night and just obsess about the light." "It would be fine if it was just a different" color on the spectrum, Loose said, chiming in. There is something to this. The lights installed in Ridgewood and across Brooklyn and much of Queens are rated 4,000 degrees Kelvin, a measure not of brightness, but of what's called color temperature. A sodium bulb has a color temperature of around 2,200K, meaning it contains many fewer blue wavelengths, and many more red and yellow ones. Researchers have found that blue lights in the 4,000-5,000K range pose problems, including increased glare, which can hinder road safety, and disruption of people's circadian rhythms. You know how people are telling you to limit your screen time before bed? The same principle is at work here. Studies have shown that people in preindustrial societies sleep 5 1/2 to 7 hours on average, less than most Europeans and Americans, and fewer than what public health officials typically recommend. Richard Stevens, an epidemiologist at the University of Connecticut, argues that the difference between our sleep and that of people living in the woods is not in time spent asleep, but time spent in relative darknesspeople without electricity have light of course, but it's in the form of candles and fires, not LEDs and iPad screens, and thus their bodies are more in tune with their natural sleep-waking cycle. Stevens explained in an interview that blue-spectrum light is similar to that of the daytime sky, and that exposure to it at night drives down people's levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleeping patterns. At the moment, turning a corner in Ridgewood can mean stepping between the sodium-bulb past and the LED-lit future. (Scott Heins/Gothamist) "Our whole body has been tuned through the years to respond most strongly at that wavelength to tell us that its daytime. Thats the whole key to the electric light issue," Stevens said. "When its light during the daytime, sure have it be fluorescent blue. But for our circadian light at night its best to have as little of that blue as possible." There is also some scientific evidence which, though not conclusive, suggests a link between exposure to brighter light at night and cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The American Medical Association issued a set of guidelines in June 2016 that laid out these concerns and called for cities to install LED streetlights rated 3,000K or lower, and filters blocking blue wavelengths. 3,000K lights are only 3 percent less energy efficient, doctors arguing for the guidelines noted, and result in many fewer citizen complaints. Battles over blue LEDs have played out as cities around the country have embraced their use for streetlights without taking seriously factors beyond the cost savings. Notably, in Davis, California, outcry over the installation of 4,000K fixtures prompted the city to halt the process within days of it starting and replace nearly half of the 1,400 installed in that period with 2,700K ones, at a cost of $350,000. "They actually spent the money because everyone was going so crazy," said Susan Harder, a retired gallery owner, trained light designer, and activist with the group Sensible and Efficient Lighting to Enhance the Nighttime Environment. "The technology is vastly improving every second, but [city transportation engineers] continue to send out these old specs that were badly thought out in the first place." New York City's LED program was rolled out without public hearings, but Margaret Newman, DOT chief of staff under Bloomberg, participated in a panel discussion in 2013 in which she said, "People have different preferences, which is why I think some of this gets very subjective. But then there's the science, which is clear in terms of how our vision works. Most people it seems, like around the city, have been asking for white light. They like it when it's whiter...They tend to feel that it's potentially safer." Academic research offers mixed conclusions as to whether increased lighting leads to reductions in crimethe NYPD, though it routinely lights up public housing developments like the Fourth of July, won't weigh in on the subjectbut common sense tends to suggest that it's so. (Scott Heins/Gothamist) "I like them," Queens resident Mariana Gomez told Gothamist in an email. "I saw someone comment on the fact it makes New York 'look like a strip mall' and frankly, I just think that's stupid. As a young woman, walking home alone at night is one of my greatest fears, especially in areas that are dimly lit or have these grimy yellow looking lights, because you never know what creep is lurking or who's going to see you if God forbid something happens. Too many young girls in NYC are going missing, so if this helps lessen that number even a little, then I appreciate the city for putting these lights up." Since the DOT started the replacement process, confusion has reigned. The citywide replacement was supposed to be complete by the end of the 2016. The DOT's new estimate is the end of 2017. Last May, Mayor de Blasio told WNYC's Brian Lehrer that the DOT has "been toning those lights down in many parts of the city," and advised listeners to call 311 if they felt that lights on their block were "too bright." "We will send out a crew, and if we think it needs an adjustment, you know to make it less intense, we'll make that adjustment," he said. A request that I submitted to the DOT last summer, citing de Blasio's radio appearance, elicited a form response from DOT customer service saying that the fixture near my apartment was the lowest wattage used by the department, and that a "field survey indicated that light is installed properly." Mayor's Office spokesman Austin Finan wrote in an email, "The mayor was referencing DOT's work with the LED fixture manufacturer to address community complaints by reducing the wattage and switching the fixtures to alter the spread of light and prevent it from going above the fixture's horizon." Wattage does not seem to be at issue in the project, though the DOT did switch to 72-watt LEDs from a first round of 78-watt LEDs midway through the project, and switch to fixtures that throw light less, according to DOT spokespeople. Inadequate shielding, or making sure lights only point down at the ground, is another complaint of light pollution activists, however, this too is a separate issue from the harshness of the new blue streetlights. A City Council bill that calls for the city to cap LED streetlights at 3,000K has been stalled in committee since it was introduced in June 2015. After several months of email correspondence requesting further information for an article, a DOT spokeswoman wrote back, "DOT will move forward in installing 3,000K LED street light fixtures given their lower cost; softer aesthetic quality; the AMA recommendations; and the timing of the contracting process to procure the LED street light fixtures in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island." A quick glance between the lines will reveal that there are no plans to stop installing the harsh, blue 4,000K fixtures in Brooklyn and Queens, or to replace the ones that are already installed there. The LED bulbs the city is using have a lifespan of 7-20 years, according to various DOT statements. For the moment, Ridgewood is a patchwork of yellow and blue light. To ride down Onderdonk Avenue, a one-way arterial that cuts east through the neighborhood and is lined with sodium lights, is to soak in the glow of a nearly extinct reality. Turn a corner here or there and the atmosphere changes abruptly, to what Brooklyn writer Erick Lyle described in a phone call as "authoritarian...a science fiction reality where true night has been eradicated, where youre always awake and always on call." "Now I notice the workers" from the DOT, said Casey Loose, the Ridgewood resident. "I saw them the other night going up and down Catalpa [Avenue] with a cherry picker." Before long, the orange-yellow glow of the old lights, a piece of waking experience familiar to anyone alive in an industrialized society right now, is likely to become a nostalgia piece, to be pointed out in movies like appearances of people smoking on airplanes. The variable, in New York and elsewhere, is just how blue the light that replaces it will be. In Ridgewood and the rest of Brooklyn and Queens, the answer seems to be, unless the DOT changes its mind, very. A bigger building with a grander glass entrance is rising from the cinders of a mortuary ravaged last January by a fire at 78th Street and West Center Road. The new Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler funeral chapel will be about 26,000 square feet, up from the 18,000 square feet of its predecessor, which opened in 1980, said co-owner Bill Cutler. Once inside the rebuilt version which is expected to open in September visitors will see items that helped the mortuary team get past the darker moments. Theyll see, for example, notes from Rose Fitchs first grade class at Omahas St. Stephen the Martyr School. It will be okay, eventually, said one childs message. A few others: Its okay to cry. You are good people. Thank you for doing what you do. The 25 student notes are illustrated with stick figures, angels, rainbows, bunnies, a heart character offering a hug. They still bring a smile to Cutlers face and are to be displayed in a way that recognizes what he described as an astounding year of support and community response following the blaze that fire officials have deemed accidental. We got lots of letters, Cutler said. Just heart-warming things ... from people we dont know; families weve served in previous years. Theyre encouraging for us. Cutler, who needed 15 stitches in his head after he was hit by a collapsed roof, was among four injured in the early morning fire on Jan. 26 of last year. Cutler had gone inside with a firefighter to see if it was possible to remove the nine deceased people who were in the burning mortuary. He and three firefighters who required medical attention were released from the hospital that afternoon. Since then, the Fire Department has investigated the blaze. Its incident report declared the blaze unintentional and identified the fires heat source as operating equipment. According to the incident report, the funeral chapel loss was valued at $1.55 million, and the loss of its contents, $777,000. Asked to elaborate about a cause, acting Battalion Chief Steven Thornburg said last week that the departments job is to determine and report to the public whether the fire was arson, accidental or an act of nature not to pin down a specific cause. The department declined to offer an explanation beyond Thornburgs general remark that its highly probable that the roofing material around the flue pipe was the first material ignited. If a fire was determined to be the result of arson, or if an eyewitness was present, more information probably would be released, authorities said. The City Attorneys Office, in response to a public records request from The World-Herald, last week wouldnt release investigatory documents beyond the 1-page public incident report, which includes no narrative. Deputy City Attorney Bernard in den Bosch said the release of other records could be detrimental to the Departments ability to conduct effective investigations in the future. Cutler was more forthcoming, saying he believed the fire started on the west side of the building, where the crematory was. He said owners have settled with the insurance company, and he is uncertain of the insurers next steps. As construction continues on the new facility, Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler uses space it refurbished into chapel rooms in a building north of 120th Street and West Center Road. Cutler said his team has not decided whether it will renew that lease for further funeral operations after the new building opens. He said that business was not affected in the wake of the fire and that services also have been held in the companys four other locations. The replacement at 7805 West Center Road will have 10 to 15 percent more parking spaces, Cutler said. Its lobby will be larger, with more natural light streaming through a glassy entryway. He declined to provide an estimated price tag, saying details were still being finalized. The interior layout will be similar to before the fire, he said, but rooms along with the overall structure will be bigger, with updated technology. Were moving along each day, Cutler said. We couldnt ask for anything better. LINCOLN Improving Nebraskas business climate requires lawmakers who are willing to reduce taxes, employers and educators who are willing to help students realize good jobs are available locally and mentors willing to help youthful entrepreneurs start their own businesses. Those were key messages delivered at the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industrys annual meeting held here Thursday. Gov. Pete Ricketts said in a keynote luncheon address that this years legislative priorities include balancing the state budget without raising taxes and removing what he said were burdensome regulations related to some occupational licenses. Ricketts said his tax reduction proposal would reduce taxes over the next eight years. The proposed tax reductions would be pushed back if economic growth is not sufficient, he said. Nebraskas tax revenues have decreased because of sharp declines in the states agricultural sector income. Farm income fell from more than $7 billion in 2013 to about $4 billion in recent years. Agriculture, the states largest industry, is responsible for about one in four jobs, Ricketts said. Nebraskas top income tax rate, 6.84 percent, kicks in when an individuals income exceeds slightly more than $29,000. The majority of Nebraska businesses pay taxes at the individual income tax rate, Nebraska Chamber President Barry Kennedy has said. Ricketts said he also planned to work with lawmakers to "cut regulatory red tape on occupational licenses." As an example, Ricketts cited the plight of an out-of-state barber who wanted to open a shop in Nebraska but was stymied by a state law that required that he obtain 600 additional hours of training. For the state to be more competitive, he said, it should consider removing some licensing obstacles. About 25 percent of occupations require occupational licenses, Ricketts said. Also discussed at the Thursday event: Brain drain: In recent years, Nebraska drew, on average, about 10,000 people a year from outside the state who are age 25 and over and have four-year college degrees. Each year nearly 12,000 Nebraska residents in that same category leave the state. That means theres a net out-migration of about 2,000, University of Nebraska at Omaha researcher David Drozd said during a panel discussion. What to do to counter that? We need to focus on our competitive qualities: our low cost of living (and) family-friendly and low-crime environment, said Drozd, research coordinator at UNO. Entrepreneurship: Cory Epler, director of teaching and learning for the Nebraska Department of Education said a recent study suggested that half of students surveyed wanted to start their own business. We need to find them the resources to do that, Epler said. And its in everyones interest to help students realize that there are lots of good jobs in Nebraska, Epler said. At an evening banquet, the chamber inducted four people into the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame. Candidates were nominated by individuals from the business community, business associations and academia. They were: Phillip C. Nelson, Hamilton Telecommunications, Aurora: Nelson, the companys chairman, helped transform the company he has run since 1967 from a small local telephone cooperative to a large telecommunications and information technology company, the chamber said. Through Nelsons leadership, Hamilton Relay was formed. Today, it is one of the major national players in the telecommunications relay services industry. Tonn Ostergard, Crete Carrier Corp., Lincoln: Ostergard is president and chief executive of the transportation and logistics firm that has grown to more than 13,000 trailers and 5,600 power units. Crete operates in 48 states and employs about 6,000. It is among the largest privately-owned trucking groups in the United States with 19 terminal operations in 19 locations. William Willy Theisen, Omaha: Theisen founded Godfathers Pizza, now a national pizza restaurant chain, in Omaha during the early 1970s. Since then, Theisen has opened thousands of restaurants across the United States, the chamber said. In the 2000s, his Barbecue Ventures LLC expanded the Famous Daves franchise across the Midwest. Theisen also started Omahas Pitch Pizzeria in 2009. His latest venture, the Paragon restaurant, opened in Dundee last year. Frank Zybach, Columbus: Zybach helped transform farming practices when he invented the center-pivot irrigation system in 1948. Awarded a patent in 1952, Zybach, along with A.E. Trowbridge, began building center pivots in 1953. The manufacturing rights eventually were sold to Robert Daugherty, president of Valley Manufacturing, which would become Omaha-based Valmont. By 1990, center pivots used throughout the world were produced by Nebraska manufacturers, the largest being Valmont. Zybach died in 1980. We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today Toyota led carmakers reporting declining U.S. sales in January, as an industry aiming for another record year maintains hefty spending on incentives to keep consumers coming to showrooms. Deliveries fell about 11 percent for both Toyota and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Sales also dropped for General Motors and Ford, while Japans Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. reported gains. Automakers spent about $645 more per vehicle on discounts, about $3,635 on average in January, according to ALG, which projects vehicle resale values. The industry relied on rich incentive offers and deliveries to fleet customers including rental-car companies last year on the way to a seventh straight year of expansion. Strong demand for pricier pickups and sport utility vehicles should ensure automakers will still manage to keep profits rolling. One big gainer among major automakers was Volkswagen, which reported a 15 percent jump for combined sales of VW and Audi models. Ten people who are accused in a series of ATM burglaries have been indicted in U.S. District Court in Nebraska on criminal conspiracy and other crimes, Omaha police said Wednesday. The suspects are accused of being involved in about 60 burglaries that resulted in about $1 million in damage to vehicles, buildings and the ATMs, police said. The burglaries occurred in Omaha, Lincoln, Ashland, Waverly and in Sarpy County in Nebraska, and in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Criminal complaints and other documents that would describe the underpinning of the indictments were not in public federal court records on Wednesday. LINCOLN A former Nebraska Supreme Court judge will advise a special committee investigating whether Omaha State Sen. Ernie Chambers lives in his legislative district. Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, who chairs the special committee, announced Wednesday that William Connolly has agreed to do legal research for the committee. Connolly, who stepped down from the state high court in August, is an attorney with Erickson & Sederstrom. Watermeier said earlier that he wanted to hire outside legal counsel, rather than using legislative staff, to provide a more independent perspective to the committee. The seven-member special committee is charged, under legislative rules, with determining whether Chambers meets the residency requirements to continue serving in the Legislature. Watermeier said the group was created last week but has not yet met. John Sciara, who lost to Chambers in November, raised the residency issue in a petition filed after the election. His petition claims that Chambers lives in Bellevue and not in the north Omaha district that he represents. Chambers, who owns a home at 1825 Binney St., has disputed any claim that he does not live in his district. He was seated conditionally at the beginning of the session, pending the outcome of the challenge. The Nebraska Constitution requires that senators live for at least a year in their district before they can serve in the Legislature. The committees final recommendation will go to the full Legislature, which can accept or reject the decision. LINCOLN State Sen. Laura Ebkes motivation for pushing Nebraska to call for a convention of states is tied directly to a dollar amount and a date: $20 trillion and April 6. April 6 is the due date of my first grandchild, the Crete senator told a panel of lawmakers Wednesday. I dont want to leave the next generation with less hope than we have today. But the next generation will have less hope, Ebke said, if the federal government continues down its path of fiscal irresponsibility. The national debt is close to exceeding $20 trillion. The Nebraska Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee heard Ebkes argument Wednesday on her proposal that seeks to have Nebraska call for a convention of the states. Under Legislative Resolution 6, the convention would have the limited purposes of discussing and potentially amending the U.S. Constitution to limit the power and spending of the federal government and to place term limits on members of Congress. Amendment proposals out of the convention would be returned to the states for ratification. Three-fourths of the 50 states, or 38 states, would have to ratify the proposals for them to become part of the Constitution. Ebkes resolution is similar to a proposal she introduced last year. That proposal advanced from the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, but was sent back after a short floor debate. At the time, some senators said they didnt want to spend time on it. The proposal could see new life this year. Eight states have passed identical resolutions in support of the effort, while similar pieces of legislation are pending in more than 30 states, said Mark Meckler, president of Citizens for Self-Governance, a group behind a national convention of states initiative. The Constitution requires that at least 34 states agree to call for a convention before one can be held. There are enough states in play potentially to get it across the finish line, Meckler told lawmakers. Ebke submitted a petition with nearly 4,500 names of Nebraskans in support of calling a convention of states. Mark Adamson, the owner of six Omaha-area hair salons with 40 total employees, said he supports the proposal because he sees regulations imposed by the federal government as the greatest threat to his business. I would hire five more (employees) today if the government would get off my back, he said. Opponents, which included Nebraskans for Civic Reform and the OpenSky Policy Institute, raised concerns about a runaway convention and argued that requiring the federal government to spend no more than it receives would lead to deeper and longer recessions. LINCOLN Some lawmakers are protesting Gov. Pete Ricketts approach to closing a $900 million gap between projected spending and tax receipts. The Legislature debated the budget proposal, which is based largely on the governors recommendations, for the third day Thursday but adjourned without taking action. State Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha criticized Ricketts for withholding money from all state agencies, not just those under the governors control, in an effort to control spending. Others questioned the governors plan to cut income taxes, given the states fiscal situation. Its not good for the legislative branch to do business in the way were doing business now, Krist said. Krist and others argued that Ricketts overstepped his authority when, last year, he instructed the state budget office to decrease quarterly allotments to state agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. The state budget office decreased quarterly allotments to state agencies by 1 percent every three months and began to cut allotments by an additional 1 percent for the third quarter, which began in January. We appropriated the money, Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha said. (Ricketts) unilaterally held the money back. The Governors Office has said that there is no requirement about the timing or amount of the allotments. The office has also said it has the authority to manage the state budget through its state budget director. Taylor Gage, Ricketts spokesman, has said the governors income tax plan wouldnt take effect until 2020 at the earliest. Omaha Sen. Sara Howard said the governors handling of the budget left one of the states seven federally qualified health centers, which serve people regardless of ability to pay, without its allocation of state dollars during the second quarter. They were told that their bill was at the bottom of the pile and (the state) had run out of money, she said. Krist has offered an amendment that would restore unspent dollars from 2015-16 to agencies independent from or not under Ricketts control. The underlying budget proposal, advanced by the Appropriations Committee, would cut $157 million from the current fiscal year, though the cuts are partly offset by $20 million in proposed spending increases. The plan differs from Ricketts recommendations by restoring $5.2 million in unspent university research money to the University of Nebraska, among other changes. One of the drivers in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon in the Dundee neighborhood was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital. It is believed he suffered a medical episode of some kind just before the crash, police said. About 4:40 p.m., Larry D. Vosler, 73, of Omaha was driving a white Ford Ranger southbound on 50th Street when his vehicle drifted to the right and hit a legally parked beige Ford F-150 pickup, Omaha police said. Vosler was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center as medics performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, police said. The driver in the parked F-150, Richard S. Setran, 85, of Omaha was not injured. Police blocked off 50th Street between California and Cass Streets as they investigated. Rahimullah Rahimi, his wife and three young children wearily but excitedly started up the Eppley Airfield ramp Wednesday evening after their whirlwind trip from halfway around the globe. The Afghan family immediately was engulfed by relatives who embraced them in long, sometimes tearful hugs. Also on hand in the greeting party was John Detisch, Hillary Nather-Detisch and their three children, holding aloft a Welcome to Omaha sign as the refugees sponsor family. Its the kind of scene that has played out in Omaha in recent years on a weekly, if not daily, basis. But it will be some time before its repeated again. The Rahimi family became the last refugees to land in the city before President Donald Trumps executive order freezing all refugee resettlements took full effect. This is officially our last, said Lacey Studnicka, who helps coordinate refugee resettlement for Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska. We had a lot scheduled in February, but then we got the cancellation notices in our office. This is real. In addition to suspending all refugee resettlements for 120 days, the presidents order barred for 90 days any travel into the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries, indefinitely barred refugees from Syria and slashed the number of refugees that will be accepted this year from 110,000 to 50,000. The executive order is part of Trumps America First agenda, necessary, he said, to assure that radical Islamist terrorists do not enter the United States. Exactly when refugee resettlements will resume is unclear. Trumps order does allow for exceptions. Included among those can be refugees from Iraq or Afghanistan receiving special immigrant visas after working as translators for the U.S. military. Thats the same program the Rahimi family came in on, Rahimullah having worked at a U.S. base near Kabul. His brother in-law, Mohammad Mobin, also had worked as a translator before coming to Omaha under the program in 2014. Mobin, who was part of Wednesdays greeting party, initially was concerned that the presidents order could keep the Rahimi family from reaching Omaha. He said hes glad those who risked their lives to help the Americans will continue to receive consideration under the order. Omaha tends to get a handful of such refugee cases per year. For his own part, Rahimi said he was excited to land in Omaha, where hes hoping to find a good future for my kids, and me, too. His son, 7-year-old Shabir, seemed to quickly take to his new home, grabbing a 4-year-old nephew hed last seen in Afghanistan more than two years ago and leading him to the escalator. He wants to get to the United States and find American friends, Rahimi said of his son. He used a lot of English words on the airplane. Two more Omaha City Council members Rich Pahls and Aimee Melton announced Wednesday that they are running for re-election. Both had been expected to seek a second term. They formally announced their candidacies in separate press releases Wednesday. Pahls represents District 5 in southwest Omaha, including Millard. He said he would focus on property taxes and streets in a second term. Pahls also said he backs a proposal for a joint City of Omaha-Douglas County crime lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. With the extremely large recent revaluations so many homeowners are facing, I want to make sure that the mill levy is reduced and that the City of Omaha does not receive a windfall allowing it to simply spend more of the taxpayers money, Pahls said. He said he had worked in support of the redevelopment of the former Millard Lumberyard property at 135th and Q Streets. Pahls, a 73-year-old Republican, has been on the City Council since 2013. A retired Millard Public Schools principal, Pahls served two terms in the Nebraska Legislature, representing District 31 from 2004 to 2012. Melton said she would focus on lowering taxes, controlling spending and a customer-focused city government. Over the last four years, Ive set out to do what I told voters I would do in the campaign, what many voters said couldnt be done, Melton said. We cut property tax rates twice; we balanced the budget; and we put more police officers on the street. Melton, a 44-year-old attorney, is a Republican on the officially nonpartisan City Council. She was first elected in 2013 to represent District 7 in northwest Omaha. A former deputy Douglas County attorney, Melton is managing partner of the Reagan, Melton & Delaney LLP law firm. When Lawrence Osterbuhr left his fathers farm near Hildreth, Nebraska, to join the Coast Guard in September 1941, he didnt set out to become part of history. But three months later, there he was in Honolulu: an eyewitness to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, watching from the deck of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kukui. We saw the smoke from Pearl Harbor and heard the sirens from the city of Honolulu, Osterbuhr would say years later. While we prepared the ship, high-level Japanese planes flew over. The nearest bomb fell across the street. Osterbuhr, 96, of Upland was one of only a handful of Nebraskans left who experienced the Pearl Harbor attack. He died Friday at a hospital in Minden. After the attack, Osterbuhr spent two more years in Hawaii before he was transferred to St. Louis. While assigned there, he met his wife, Alta Connie Conrad of Perryville, Missouri. They were married April 7, 1945, and moved to Hildreth the following year. Aside from his five years in the Coast Guard, Osterbuhr never lived far from his Nebraska birthplace. He and Connie raised two daughters, Sandi and Patti. He stayed active with the church council and cemetery board, the Hildreth school board, Lions Club, and Franklin County Historical Museum. Osterbuhr was also active for years with the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. Over the years, he said, he visited Pearl Harbor 18 times. Last summer, Osterbuhr traveled to Central City, Nebraska, to meet with his old friends Earl Brandes of Central City and Ed Guthrie of Omaha. They were the last three living members of the Nebraska chapter. Brandes has since died, leaving Guthrie as the groups only survivor. Services for Osterbuhr took place Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hildreth. He was buried with military honors south of town in the cemetery next to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, where he was baptized and confirmed almost a century ago. LINCOLN Faulty software and a shortage of workers have cost the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services millions of dollars over the last fiscal year, according to a new state audit. The first issue cropped up at the state psychiatric hospital in Lincoln, where software problems have kept the state from getting reimbursed for some prescription medications since November 2013. As of June 30, the Lincoln Regional Center had accumulated $2.2 million worth of drug claims for which no billing had been done, the audit said. The second issue involved a lack of employees to work on trying to recover overpayments of various public benefits. As of June 30, the backlog of overpayment cases stood at 11,580, according to the audit. Most cannot be pursued because they are more than 12 months old. Considering the number of referrals not worked, there are potentially millions of dollars in overpayments that the agency has not attempted to recover, the audit said. Both problems have been cited in previous audits. Kathie Osterman, an HHS spokeswoman, said the agency is making progress on correcting both issues, although she acknowledged there is more to be done. State Sen. Sara Howard of Omaha, a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, said the new audit findings were troubling. I havent read the full report, but at first blush, these seem really irresponsible, given the states budget situation, she said. Howard said the new findings call into question whether HHS can be trusted to find and fix problems without legislative oversight. In 2015, when a previous state audit found more than 12,000 unworked overpayment cases, a top HHS official had pledged to take the necessary steps and time to correct this and move in the right direction. Then-Chief Financial Officer Pat Weber said those steps would include looking at whether there were enough employees assigned to deal with the overpayments. In a written response to the current audit, HHS officials said they have created an overpayment team to work on the cases. But they also said that they get 150 new cases each week and only have the resources to complete work on 50 cases. Auditors in 2015 estimated that the backlog of cases represented nearly $7 million of overpayments. No dollar estimates were provided in the current audit. The new audit said HHS officials reported that most of the overpayment backlog is more than 12 months old, meaning the cases are too old to pursue. Separately, the agency also had an additional 5,687 overpayment cases for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Money recovered on those cases would have gone back to the federal government, but all were labeled as non pursuable. In its response, HHS said it would begin a more in-depth review of the current process of handling overpayment cases, looking for ways to make it more efficient. Osterman said the efforts include looking at ways to more quickly research the amount of overpayment in each case. The agency also is analyzing reasons for overpayments so they can be prevented. She said additional staff have been assigned to work on overpayment cases. In addition, HHS officials said they would look at setting up a special database for the overpayment cases. The cases now are stored in an email mailbox, which the audit said raises a risk that they could be deleted. Regarding the other issue, state auditors said that the regional center has not been billing the parties responsible for paying Medicare Part D prescription drug claims. Medicare Part D covers patients who are elderly or have Medicare because of a disability. HHS officials blamed the billing problem on various issues with the vendors system and contract procurement process, the audit said. In the agencys written response, HHS officials said the regional center is actively working to resolve the issues. They also said that Medicare would not allow paper billings. Osterman said the problem has been a priority since it was discovered in 2015. She said the agency now has contracts in place to bill three of the seven intermediaries and is in the process of getting contracts signed for additional ones. The intermediaries handle Medicare Part D drug claims for insurance companies. She also said the state had contracted with a pharmacy software vendor to link patient information with the intermediaries but the software did not work properly. The 11-year-old boy who died after he was struck by a pickup truck in Wahoo on Wednesday night was well liked by his classmates, a school official said Thursday. Brandon Lavaley, superintendent of the Wahoo Public Schools, said Mason Triplett of Wahoo will be sorely missed by the community. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the family, Lavaley said. Mason was a decent and kind boy. Mason has siblings who also attend Wahoo schools, he said. Grief counselors were made available Thursday at Wahoos four public schools, Lavaley said. Mason, a fifth-grader at Wahoo Elementary School, was struck around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday by a northbound pickup while he was walking near his school, Saunders County Attorney Steven Twohig said. Classes at the elementary school let out at 3:15 p.m. It doesnt appear that the motorist, identified by Wahoo police as Sean Buffum, 27, of Omaha, was drunk or distracted, Twohig said. Buffum, who was the only person in the pickup, stopped and called 911, Twohig said. Mason was crossing Chestnut Street near 23rd Street when he was struck, Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz said. The boy was taken to Saunders County Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Wahoo police said the intersection has no traffic signal, but it does have stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic on 23rd Street. The intersection has a crosswalk painted on the pavement and signs alerting motorists to the walkway, police said. The speed limit on that stretch of Chestnut, on the north edge of Wahoo, is 45 mph, Twohig said. Twohig said it could be weeks before Nebraska State Patrol officials, who are investigating, hand over their report. After viewing the report and troopers reconstruction of the crash, Twohig said, he then will decide on charges or citations. Twohig said he was not sure whether the boy, who had recently turned 11, was alone or with other children when he was struck. He said the family is asking for thoughts and prayers, not just for their son but for Buffum as well. I believe (that) demonstrates a huge amount of grace and poise by them, Twohig said. The boys organs were donated, he said. More than $16,500 has been raised via a GoFundMe page called Mason Triplett Memorial Fund to assist with funeral expenses. World-Herald staff writer Alia Conley contributed to this report. LINCOLN Nebraska agriculture leaders say Gov. Pete Ricketts plan to revamp how Nebraska values farm- and ranchland would make the process fairer and more stable. But it would make little difference in the valuations of most agricultural land and even less in property tax bills. State officials estimate it would shave just 2 percent off statewide ag land valuations if it were in place for 2017. Research and the experience of other states suggest that the change would have similarly modest effects in the future. Thats why the proposal has gotten a tepid reception from those it aims to help. Leading farm groups and many rural lawmakers say it does too little to tackle what they see as the top problem with property taxes their level. It doesnt significantly address the problem of the huge shift of government funding that has taken place onto property taxes, said Steve Nelson, the Nebraska Farm Bureau president. John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, described the governors plan more colorfully. Its better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but not better than sliced bread, he said. Ricketts unveiled the Agricultural Valuation Fairness Act, which was introduced as Legislative Bill 338, earlier this month. Under the bill, ag land would no longer be valued based on sale prices for land. Instead, valuations would be based on the income that the land could potentially produce. The bill also would impose a 3.5 percent annual cap on statewide ag land valuation increases. Similar ideas have been debated in Nebraska for more than 30 years. Most neighboring states use some type of income-based valuation for ag land. Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft, the Agriculture Committee chairwoman, introduced the bill on the governors behalf. She said it represents a step forward, even if the effects are small. Everything we can do at this point is a move in the right direction, she said. Ricketts touted the proposal as a way to achieve lasting, fair and structural property tax reform for ag land owners. We need to think bold. We need to think long term, he said. The measure represents his third attempt in three years to respond to complaints from farm- and ranchland owners about rising property taxes. Steep land price increases within the past 10 years produced double-digit increases in ag land valuations. That led to the property tax bills on ag land growing 164 percent between 2006 and 2016, compared with a 60 percent increase for property overall. But state estimates and studies done by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln economist suggest that switching to an income-based method would produce only a modest difference in ag land valuations. Ruth Sorensen, the state property tax administrator, estimated that it would reduce the $102.6 billion statewide ag land valuation by about $2.2 billion. The plan is not slated to take effect until 2019. Sorensen said it is not possible to make estimates beyond 2017 because too many factors are unknown. The department did not do estimates for any past years. Estimates done by region for 2017, however, show that the effects would vary. The plan would make no difference in valuation in some areas while reducing them as much as 4 percent in others. University of Nebraska-Lincoln economics professor John Anderson has found similar results in research comparing estimated market valuations and income-based valuations for ag land on the outskirts of cities. One study looked at ag land around Lincoln and Omaha. Anderson said he found the biggest valuation differences in land close to cities, with the differences dwindling as the distances grew. Purely agricultural areas saw little relief. Even where an income-based method lowers valuations, it may not lead to lower property taxes. Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus, a member of the Revenue Committee, said many local governments would have the option to raise their levies if property valuations dropped. That would most likely be the result in heavily agricultural counties with relatively few other taxpayers to pick up the tax burden, he said. The small number of residential and commercial property owners in those counties would see stiff increases in their tax bills while the ag land owners get little relief. If you have a county with nothing but farmland, you still have to pay those bills, Schumacher said. I think many people basically realize that the net result is a zero sum result. Ricketts plan would result in a $19.8 million increase in state aid to schools in the 2020-21 fiscal year. The aid would go to school districts that lose valuation because of the new method and cannot increase their levies because of Nebraskas school levy lid. Districts that can increase their levies without hitting the lid would not get additional aid. Nor does the state provide aid to counties, cities and villages that might hit their levy limits. Past attempts to adopt an income-based valuation method in Nebraska have encountered similar concerns. Then-Sen. George Coordsen of Hebron abandoned his 2000 effort to change valuation methods after experts warned that the proposal could have little impact on valuations. He ended up turning his bill into one allowing for special greenbelt valuations for agricultural land near urban areas. The bill, now state law, allows the use of agricultural income or sale prices from more rural counties when valuing such property. The goal is to tax the property on its agricultural value, not on the higher price it might bring if sold for development. Interest in adopting an income-based method has diminished since that attempt, because of the limited effect on valuation levels. But Nebraska ag leaders say they believe the approach would be more fair and stable. Nelson and Hansen said they favor the concept behind LB 338, even if making that change is not among their priorities this year. The proposed method would keep valuations from being skewed by what many farmers and ranchers consider outrageous land prices paid by people looking for an investment or recreation or the rare opportunity to snag a parcel adjoining their existing property. It also has the potential to respond more quickly to the ups and downs of the farm economy, they said. Anderson, the UNL professor, however, said switching to an income-based method would make Nebraskas property tax system less equitable. The property tax system is not designed to be an income tax, its designed to be a tax on property wealth, he said. Anderson said market-based methods provide the fairest estimate of a propertys worth, while income-based systems often lead to game-playing as state officials manipulate various factors to affect valuations. The whole process becomes somewhat of a black box from a taxpayers point of view, he said. Fairness and consistency were key reasons why South Dakota changed to an income-based method in 2010, said Matt Elliott, an assistant economics professor at South Dakota State University. The method produced more consistent valuations and made it possible to set valuations in areas where there were few comparable land sales. Elliott said the method was structured to be revenue neutral in its first year. Since then, it has produced valuations that track closely with reported land prices. He said that result is not surprising because the new method is similar to the process used when appraising land. It includes calculations of average yield, average price, soil type, rental income and other factors. South Dakota initially capped valuation increases at 10 percent annually. Current law allows increases of 15 percent, 20 percent or 25 percent, depending on the county. In Nebraska, Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard offered his own plan to switch to income-based valuation, saying he believes it would be more stable. He said he would not expect LB 620 to reduce property taxes. My goal in doing this is not a tax-cutting bill, he said. This bill is a way to value ag land in a more consistent manner. Sorensen, the state property tax administrator, argued that the governors proposal would improve consistency because the state, rather than individual county assessors, would determine key factors in the valuation process. She said it also would slow the growth of ag land valuations, largely because of the proposed 3.5 percent annual cap on statewide ag land valuation increases. Hansen raised one other question whether the governors plan would meet the requirement in the State Constitution to value ag land uniformly and proportionally. In 1987 a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling upended a previous income-based ag land valuation system. Voters then passed a constitutional amendment in 1990 allowing ag land to be valued in a way different from other property. The 1990 amendment has not been challenged. Sorensen expressed confidence that the current proposal would pass constitutional muster. First, however, it must pass legislative muster. Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson, a Revenue Committee member, said hes waiting to hear more about it. Its a starting place, he said. latest effort to lower property taxes on ag land Gov. Pete Ricketts is making his third try in three years to ease property taxes for Nebraska farm- and ranchland property owners. Ricketts latest proposal It would change how agricultural land is valued for property tax purposes, along with capping statewide valuation increases at 3.5 percent annually. A public hearing is scheduled before the Revenue Committee at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 8. 2016 proposal It would have left the valuation method as is but capped statewide valuation increases at 3 percent annually. That plan failed to get out of committee. Instead, lawmakers passed a special property tax credit aimed at ag land owners. 2015 proposal It would have lowered the taxable value of ag land to 65 percent of actual value, down from the current 75 percent. That plan died, while lawmakers boosted the amount of money available for property tax credits. Easter Seals Nebraska is now Easterseals Nebraska, complete with a new logo and new tagline, taking on disability together. The changes are part of a nationwide rebranding for the nonprofit group, which offers programs for people with disabilities. This is like a best-kept secret in the state, but we plan on changing that, said James Summerfelt, Easterseals Nebraska president and CEO. The rebranding is a much-needed face-lift, Summerfelt said one that represents the inclusion of mental and emotional disabilities in the organizations mission of dispelling stereotypes of those living with disabilities. The changes come as the national organization approaches its 100th year in 2019. This year marks the 50th year of the Nebraska branch offering summer camps for disabled children and adults. Easterseals Nebraska also offers job-placement assistance, financing for medical equipment, adaptations for disabled farmers and ranchers and recreational opportunities. Tony Bisignano said he hopes more Nebraskans become familiar with Easterseals work. After enrolling his son in the Easterseals summer camp for the past three years, he said, he has seen the impact the organization can have. Ryan, now 14, has Down syndrome, and Tony said he initially was worried about sending him off for five days. When he came back, he had more independence and confidence than I could have ever expected, Bisignano said. It was the best thing we could have done for him. In honor of the organizations new look and continued mission, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert proclaimed Feb. 1, 2017, as Easterseals Nebraska Day. WASHINGTON Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., could hold the key to whether President Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, is confirmed or shot down later this week. We are drilling down a little deeper on some of the issues, Fischer said Wednesday during her weekly conference call with reporters. She has been very forthcoming in her discussions with me and also with my staff. Every Republican vote now is crucial after a pair of GOP senators announced they would oppose the nomination. Their opposition means that if all Democrats vote against the nomination, Vice President Mike Pence would have to break the resulting tie to get the nomination through. And just one more GOP defection would doom it. White House officials insist that they remain confident that DeVos will be confirmed, but she is clearly in the most peril of any Trump nominee thus far. In speeches on the Senate floor, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said they were troubled by the lack of understanding DeVos had of broader public school issues beyond her signature cause of promoting school choice in struggling urban communities. Fischer suggested that she differs on school choice issues from DeVos, who has focused on charter schools and vouchers. My actions have always shown that I am a strong supporter of public education, and I do break with my party when it comes to the issue of vouchers, Fischer said. I have been clear on that for years. My voting record shows that, and I dont anticipate Im going to be changing my position. But Fischer also said that she has received a number of assurances from the nominee. She said the confirmation hearing transcript shows that DeVos is committed to local control and that she would not mandate what states and local district should do on various issues, such as school choice. It was very clear that she was saying that states should be responsible and local school districts should be responsible for the education of their children, Fischer said. That to me is a principle that I have upheld forever. Those opposed to the nomination have been whipping up phone campaigns to influence senators such as Fischer who have yet to announce a position. Were hearing a mix, Fischer said. Theres obviously a lot of educators who have contacted us in opposition. I have visited with a number of them. Ive asked them if theyve read the transcript, and in many cases they havent. This report contains material from the Tribune Washington Bureau. WASHINGTON Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., announced her support Thursday for Betsy DeVos, rebuffing an impassioned, last-minute lobbying campaign by those opposed to President Donald Trumps pick for secretary of education. While I do not agree with Mrs. DeVos on every issue, I do believe she has the ability and commitment to lead the department, Fischer said in a press release. Moreover, I have received assurances from her in writing that the Department of Education will not impose new federal mandates related to vouchers on our schools. Local educators, schools boards, and parents should be the decision makers, not bureaucrats in Washington. The move dismayed the many DeVos critics who said Fischer had put party allegiance above principle, while Fischer insisted that she had done her due diligence in extracting promises from the nominee. Fischers support may have just clinched DeVos confirmation, though if Democrats stand united in opposition to her it will require Vice President Mike Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote. Nearly all other Republican senators, including those from Nebraska and Iowa, are expected to back DeVos when she comes up for a final vote sometime in the next few days. DeVos has proven to be one of Trumps more troubled nominations, particularly in the wake of her rocky confirmation hearing. She was plunged into fresh turmoil this week when two GOP senators announced that they would vote against her, citing reasons that included concern about her grasp of the issues. As a result, one more Republican nay could stop the nomination. Fischer quickly emerged as one of the few Republican senators who had not publicly announced a position on DeVos. That prompted those against the nomination in Nebraska and elsewhere to focus on Fischer, flooding her office switchboard and lighting up her social media accounts as they urged her to reject DeVos. At times Thursday, those trying to reach her complained online about jammed phone lines. Fischer tweeted at one point: Its all hands on deck in my offices answering phones. If you are a Nebraskan who cant get through, try my website. Opponents hammered away with their message that DeVos is unqualified for the position and that she would undermine public education with her devotion to using charter schools and vouchers as a way to help struggling communities. They also questioned whether DeVos understands the needs of students with disabilities concerns that stem in part from stumbles during her confirmation hearing. Opponents put their hopes on Fischer in part because she recently reiterated her long-standing opposition to vouchers. They also called on the senator to embrace her public education roots. Fischer earned her bachelors degree in education in 1988 and her mom was a longtime elementary teacher in the Lincoln Public Schools. Fischer served on the school board of a country school and the Valentine High School board. She also was state president of the Nebraska Association of School Boards. But the Nebraska senator ultimately ended the suspense at midday with her statement of support, in which she cited her roots in the field and focused on the various assurances that DeVos provided her. She has also made a commitment to me in writing that she will work to protect all students, especially those with disabilities, Fischer said in her statement. As a longtime champion of public education and the daughter of a public school teacher, I will continue to fight to ensure all Nebraska children have access to a quality education. The Trump administration needs to create a reasonable definition of sanctuary cities before enforcing an executive order that aims to punish them. President Donald Trump has ordered that federal grant funds be withheld from any city, county or local jurisdiction that wont cooperate with federal immigration authorities, as required by law. Problem is, there is no agreed-upon definition of a sanctuary city. Some describe them as any city that offers political and practical support to people in the United States illegally. Others limit the label to cities that actively resist federal immigration enforcement. The Trump administration, before it strips funding, will need to spell out a federal definition of sanctuary cities for its policy purposes. Several cities, such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Denver, have publicly declared themselves sanctuary cities, adopting formal policies against cooperating with federal immigration authorities. They flout federal law. But some groups, led by the Center for Immigration Studies, unjustifiably lump in Midlands communities, which cooperate with federal immigration authorities, with declared sanctuary cities. Omaha doesnt belong in that group. Neither does Lincoln, Grand Island, Bellevue, Papillion or Council Bluffs. Douglas County does not belong in that company, either. Nor does Sarpy, Lancaster, Hall or Pottawattamie County. These Midlands communities arent New York, where Mayor Bill de Blasio has pledged to delete a New York Police Department database of information on undocumented immigrants rather than share it with the federal government. Nor are they San Francisco or Chicago, where the mayors and city councils proudly proclaim that local police wont share the immigration status of people they come in contact with or provide jail release dates. The Center for Immigration Studies says it included Douglas, Sarpy, Lancaster, Hall and Pott- awattamie Counties on its sanctuary list because each has denied past federal requests to detain someone for immigration reasons without a judges signature. That assessment, however, relies on out-of-date information. Its not that local authorities refuse to cooperate. Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov and Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly told The World-Herald that jailing someone requires probable cause a request from a federal bureaucrat is insufficient. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine says regional prosecutors and police departments now work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain probable-cause information. And ICE now works more closely with local police and prosecutors on the handoff of criminals about to be released from local jails. Communication and coordination improved because of efforts taken after the debacle involving the accused killer of Sarah Root a year ago. The illegal immigrant charged in the fatal crash fled after ICE denied local law enforcement requests to detain him. Americans have room to disagree about immigration policy. This isnt an argument on the merits of an executive order but a call for clarity. Lets not repeat the kind of confusion caused by last weekends executive order on travel restrictions. In the Midlands, leaders have made plain they understand that states, cities, counties and other local jurisdictions must follow federal law. Thats not sanctuary. Its common sense. The writer is the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He wrote this for The Washington Post. Although there were notable exceptions, Donald Trump famously lost the conservative intelligentsia and went on to do quite well electorally without us. But conservative scholars will, I predict, be virtually unanimous in their praise of the presidents choice of Judge Neil Gorsuch of the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to succeed Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. I know firsthand why: Gorsuchs combination of outstanding intellectual and personal qualities places him in the top rank of American jurists. If confirmed, he will certainly be a good justice and has the potential to be a great one. Gorsuch and I have worked together on academic projects, most notably when I was the editor of the Princeton University Press book series for which he wrote The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia an impressive, deeply scholarly book that was praised by bioethicists as well as academic lawyers in 2006. When it comes to fitness for judicial office, the first criterion usually considered is intellect and education, and here Gorsuch is off the charts. Even people who do not share his political outlook or judicial philosophy, but have read his judicial opinions, recognize him as an intellectual superstar. Anyone who has heard him speak, and especially anyone who has spoken with him, probably has had that impression strongly reinforced. In selecting Gorsuch, President Trump has without question fulfilled his pledge to appoint a justice in the mold of Scalia a conservative intellectual leader. But one respect in which Gorsuch is unlike Scalia is that he is not fiery or pugnacious. Rather, his demeanor is scholarly one might even say bookish. He is not a fierce debater. I recall being with him at an academic conference at which a graduate student contradicted and challenged a comment he had made. Far from bristling or even returning fire, he encouraged the student to develop her argument further, graciously acknowledging merit in the point she had made. Likewise in the courtroom, he does not interrogate, much less intimidate, the lawyers who appear before him. It is truer to say that he engages them in conversations that enable him to explore the strengths and weaknesses of arguments advanced in their written briefs or address issues he thinks are important but that did not receive sufficient attention in those submissions. Of course, most people are interested above all in how he is likely to vote on hot-button issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control, campaign finance reform and religious freedom. In the confirmation hearings, he will no doubt do what another friend of mine, Justice Elena Kagan, did and basically refuse to discuss these issues on the grounds that they are likely to come before him. I expect what just about everyone else expects: Gorsuch, who greatly admired Scalia, thinks about the constitutional issues in these areas pretty much the same way Scalia did. Orthodox conservatives believe that the Constitution should be interpreted in a way that is faithful to the text and guided, where the text is less than perfectly clear in its application to a question, by the original understanding of its framers and ratifiers. Gorsuch, like Scalia and like every other judge who was on Trumps list of 21 is a textualist and an originalist. But he is not dogmatic. After studying at Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Gorsuch earned a doctorate from Oxford University. After completing his education, Gorsuch clerked for Appeals Court Judge David Sentelle and then for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony M. Kennedy. He spent a year in the Justice Department and then a decade in private practice. He has served on the 10th Circuit since 2006. His record bespeaks intellect and perseverance although Gorsuch is, nonetheless, remarkably approachable. If Democrats are looking for a point of vulnerability in either Gorsuchs integrity or impartiality, they wont find it. He is basically a Boy Scout. Hes a faithful husband, a good father, a caring neighbor, a generous friend, a man of probity who holds himself to the highest ethical standards. Oh, and he will bring religious diversity to a court that is entirely Catholic and Jewish: Hes an Episcopalian. Gorsuch will be a hard man to depict as a ferocious partisan or an ideological judge, which isnt to say he wont be described this way by ideologically partisan critics for whom the prospect of a conservative intellectual giant on the Supreme Court is anything but welcome. As Gorsuch himself has frequently observed, including in a widely noted tribute to Scalia, good judges sometimes have to vote or rule in ways they do not like because that is what the law requires. In a democracy, the law never lines up perfectly with anyones political and moral beliefs. And it is to the law that judges have sworn a sacred oath of fidelity. Hats off to Battiato I would like to commend Diane Battiato on her efforts to properly value the real estate in Douglas County per her job description and state law (Residents give Douglas County Board and assessor an earful on higher preliminary assessments, Jan. 25 World-Herald). It is obvious that prior efforts may not have kept up with this task. It seems to me that Battiato has been working diligently to correct these issues and provide assessments of property in Douglas County that more closely track their actual worth on the market. We should remember that property assessments are not the same as property taxes. Property owners should not be upset with Battiatos work, for their assessments should now more accurately reflect their homes true market price. We should now turn our attention to the City of Omaha, Douglas County and the various school districts to reduce their tax rates. These government entities should not gain tax dollars just because Battiato did her job better than those before her. Mike Rouw, Omaha An ill-advised merger Douglas County valuations are an impossible mess. I cant help but wonder if we hadnt combined the Assessors Office with the Register of Deeds Office, maybe we wouldnt be here. We had a professional, knowledgeable assessor in Roger Morrissey, who held the highest appraiser designation possible, and we replaced him with someone who knew less about the valuation of real property. The job of assessor is far too important to have combined it with another office and to allow it to be held by someone who is less qualified. Bev McCune, Omaha The math doesnt add up Recently, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts announced a huge budget deficit. Then I read that he is planning to cut the states top income tax rate. What is wrong with this picture? Julianne Dunn, Omaha Obamas failure in Syria In regard to the Jan. 31 World-Herald editorial, Lessons from refugee ban: White House needs to learn, it baffles me that it states that a surprisingly tiny population of Syrian refugees were admitted by the United States in 2013, 2014 and 2015. This is no surprise at all. The crisis was not at its height then. I have been following the Syrian crisis for the past four years, and I have seen what the U.S. has not done to prevent the forced relocation of Syrian refugees in that time. It scares me that American citizens lack knowledge about what has been going on in Syria. In my opinion, President Barack Obama dropped the ball in dealing with Syria, handing the situation to the Russians. Four long years ago, Obama and America could have done more to prevent the current refugee crisis that engulfs the entire world. If we had, Syrians could be living in their original homes, safe and sound. Christopher Garabrandt, Omaha Missing the irony of Greenland In trying to fortify his belief that the disappearance of ice shelves in Greenland is nothing to be alarmed about, Jan. 30 Public Pulse writer John Anderson bases his letter on very weak points. Why is that island named Greenland, and not some other land like Frozenland? he asks. The Norse sagas and archaeological evidence show us the facts. Greenland was a haven for outlaws from the Icelandic settlements Erik the Red, in particular. Convincing others to go there wasnt easy, unless they, too, were fleeing a blood feud or criminal charges. When Erik discovered the island in 966, according to his saga, He named the land Greenland, saying that people would be eager to go there if it had a good name. Some settlers followed, but the island wasnt very generous. The settlers traded in ivory from walrus tusks with Europe, as well as exporting rope made from walrus hides, seal skins, wool and cattle hides. To give an idea of how hospitable it was, in the spring, the cattle and sheep, after being penned in darkness and cramped quarters all winter, had to be dragged from the barn and had to learn to walk again. Livestock quickly devoured any green that Greenland offered. So we can see that the cheery sounding Greenland was a misnomer. Matt Piersol, Lincoln The swamp fights back When you drain a swamp, why are so many surprised that the alligators get angry? Roy Singleton, Omaha A package filled with care I just wanted to say thanks to First National Bank. It sent an unbelievable care package to my son Billy, who is in the Navy. He is stationed in Naples, Italy, and the bank sent three boxes of treats for him and his friends. He called to tell us about it, and he said everyone loved it. Thanks for taking care of our troops. Geri Kunkel, Omaha President Donald Trump says his sweeping executive order on immigration was meant to make America safer. Yet this ill-conceived plan, with its slap-dash implementation and failure to consult Congress or relevant cabinet secretaries, will make Americans less safe. One look at the details of the order reveals how counterproductive it is and how incoherent. Thats even before you consider the moral issues or the way it has tarnished Americas image around the world. The president banned travel from seven Muslim-majority countries Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, and Libya for 90 days. And he suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days, with Syrian refugees suspended indefinitely. But no person accepted to the United States as a refugee, Syrian or otherwise, has been implicated in a major fatal terrorist attack since the Refugee Act of 1980, according to a Cato Institute study. As for those seven countries, the list makes no sense. None of the 9/11 terrorists came from those countries. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which produced most of the 9/11 killers, were exempt. Clearly, Trump didnt want to tangle with important Gulf allies (or with Pakistan, which produces terrorists galore and harbored Osama bin Laden). This points out the absurdity of the whole exercise. If Trump wanted to be 100 percent sure that no jihadi would ever enter our shores in the coming months, he would have to ban entrants from all over the world. So what was the real intent? Perhaps Rudy Giuliani has the answer. The former mayor of New York told CNN that Trump wanted to implement an outright Muslim ban, as he had promised his base, and formed a commission to find a way to do it legally. The group came up with the idea of a ban on places where there is substantial evidence that people are sending terrorists into our country. Nothing better illustrates the stupidity of this political move than the inclusion of Iraq on the list. No terrorist acts have been committed on U.S. soil by any of the tens of thousands of Iraqi immigrants over the past decade. However, Iraq is supposedly a U.S. ally in fighting against the Islamic State. At this moment, the United States has at least 5,000 troops and advisers fighting alongside Iraqi troops in the battle of Mosul, and the Iraqis have taken heavy casualties. On Monday, the Iraqi parliament voted for a reciprocal visa ban on Americans, which could affect U.S. security contractors. Iraqi President Haidar al-Abadi, who has cooperated closely with Washington, may not wish to sign the ban, but he will be under heavy pressure from pro-Iranian militias and politicians in Baghdad. This gratuitous American insult to Iraq will also strengthen the hand of Iran in the region. Tehran has huge influence in Baghdad; the ayatollahs hope to expel Americans from Iraq and the whole Mideast after the fall of Mosul, and to cement their control over the Baghdad government. Trump views Iran as equivalent to the Islamic State, but he has just given the ayatollahs a gift. His order also gives a big boost to the Islamic State. Despite his denials, the president has clearly signaled that America wants to exclude Muslims; he trumpets that the ban wont apply to Christians and other minorities. This executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security, Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham warned Sunday. By early this week, 19 Republican legislators have opposed the ban, and 31 others expressed reservations. One of the most shameful aspects of the ban, McCain rightly notes, is that it also blocks Iraqi interpreters who are under death threats because they risked their lives to help our military and diplomats. There are 50,000 such Iraqis, including family members, who are still waiting for U.S. visas. Now their fate is even more up in the air. Of course, the president claims his executive order was meant to provide extreme vetting for refugees and visa applicants from suspect countries. But this claim also fails to hold water. Extreme vetting procedures have been in place for the past five years. In 2011, two Iraqi refugees were arrested in Kentucky because of terrorist activities they had conducted in Iraq, not in this country. (These are the only such cases of Iraqis among hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have come here.) After this case, intense vetting measures were put in place that can take two to five years for applicants, even interpreters who worked with the U.S. military. So it is false to claim that Iraqis and other refugees are not vetted extremely. What wasnt vetted was the presidents executive order, which he never discussed in advance with his new secretaries of defense or homeland security or with knowledgeable GOP legislators. No wonder the whole process has turned into such a dangerous mess. A Supreme Court nomination isnt a forum to refight a presidential election, we wrote in 2006. The presidents choice is due deference the same deference that Democratic senators would expect a Republican Senate to accord the well-qualified nominee of a Democratic president. We wrote those sentences in preparation for Senate hearings on President George W. Bushs nomination of then-Judge, now-Justice, Samuel Alito Jr.; and we believe they still apply, even after the past decade of partisan warfare, and even in the context of a nomination by President Donald Trump. They apply notwithstanding the shabby treatment of President Barack Obamas last nominee for the court, Judge Merrick Garland, by the Republican Senate leadership last year. We understand that there are many Democrats, still seething over the GOPs nakedly partisan refusal to grant Garland so much as a hearing, who regard the seat vacated by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia almost a year ago as stolen. Speaking for those Democrats, Sen. Jeff Merkley promised that he would to call for a filibuster against anyone Trump might pick, in the spirit of calling out the GOPs manipulations. This position goes beyond that of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York, who has said only that his caucus will fight tooth and nail against an out of the mainstream Trump nominee. On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch of the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals for the Supreme Court. Emotionally satisfying as Merkleys approach might be, it would be mistaken. We say this not because it is contrary to the Democrats own best interests, though that is probably true, too: Filling the former Scalia seat wont tip the courts ideological balance, yet provoking Republicans to resort to the filibuster-abolishing nuclear option would leave Democrats disarmed of that weapon against a second Trump pick should another vacancy arise during his presidency. Our objection is rooted, rather, in our belief that the Supreme Court confirmation process needs to be protected from partisan politics to the greatest extent possible and that a scorched-earth Democratic response to any nominee, regardless of the individual merits, would simply deepen that harmful politicization. However narrow, Trumps victory was legitimate, and he does have the constitutional prerogative to make his choice. The Senate should expeditiously but thoroughly probe Gorsuch on his legal qualifications, as well as jurisprudence. And then let the Senate vote. We advocated that approach consistently for the past five nominees to the Supreme Court, going back to 2005. This group includes two Republican picks Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Alito and three Democratic ones Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Garland. It is a formidable list; we hope Gorsuch proves worthy of joining their company. 'Gandhada Gudi' box office collection: Here's how much it collected in the US Apple plans to make iPhones in Bengaluru India oi-IANS By Ians English Bengaluru, Feb 2: Apple plans to make its iPhones in Bengaluru, said Karnataka's Minister of State for IT Priyank Kharge on Thursday. "An Apple team discussed with us its proposal to set up a plant in Bengaluru to make iPhones for the Indian and global markets," said Kharge in a statement here. An Apple team, led by iPhone Operations Vice-President Priya Balasubramaniam, Government Affairs Head Ali Khanafer, iPhone Operations Director Dheeraj Chugh and Country Counsel Priyesh Povanna discussed the proposals with the state officials in the presence of the minister. "We welcome Apple's proposal to commence initial manufacturing operations in Karnataka. Its intentions to make iPhones in Bengaluru will foster the cutting-edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally," said Kharge. "Apple's decision to make iPhones in Bengaluru has enhanced the city's reputation as the most preferred destination for foreign investment and validation of our policies to foster manufacturing, innovation and investments in the state," he said. The Silicon Valley-based global firm has been eyeing the India for a greater pie of its growing smartphones market, in which it sold 2.5 million iPhones as against a whopping 29 million by its Korean rival Samsung. Apple ships iPhones to India from Foxconn Technology firm in China and sells them through distributors and retailers, besides iStore and Imagine stores. Though the central government has told Apple that it would have to source 30 per cent of its components from Indian suppliers, Apple is seeking a 15-year tax holiday on import of components and equipment. With many states wooing Apple for its Indian plant in their cities, the iPhones maker has been exploring a best deal, including tax reliefs and exemptions from local sourcing. IANS Indian-origin teenager stabbed to death in Israel after brawl at birthday party Benjamin Netanyahu promises to build new settlement soon India oi-PTI Amona, Feb 2: Israel's prime minister has vowed to build a new West Bank settlement "as soon as possible" following the court-ordered demolition of an illegally built settler outpost. Benjamin Netanyahu spoke as Israeli forces were completing the evacuation of the Amona outpost today. His government, dominated by settler allies, tried to block the evacuation but was overruled by the country's Supreme Court, which determined that Amona was built two decades ago on private Palestinian land. Netanyahu described the uprooting of Amona as difficult and assured those attending a ceremony in the West Bank settlement of Ariel that "we will establish a new settlement on state land." He says: "We will act so that it happens as soon as possible." He did not say when or where the settlement would be established. PTI Bhatinda blast: All leads point to a terror attack India oi-Vicky Chandigarh, Feb 2: The Bhatinda blast was a targeted terror strike, investigators have prima facie concluded. The presence of Improvised Explosive Devices and the strategic manner in which it was placed has led the police to believe that the blast was a targeted terror strike. Investigators have, however, refused to name any one organisation responsible for the blast. On Tuesday, a powerful bomb placed in a car exploded outside an election rally in which six persons were killed. The police say that the car was parked in between two trees and the bomb was triggered off by a remote. From the blast site, the police have recovered IEDs and also a pressure cooker in which the bomb had been placed. Although no terrorist outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack, Intelligence Bureau officials say that it could be the handiwork of a local module of an outfit. The police say that once the forensic report is out, there would be more clarity. "We have sent the material collected from the spot for forensic analysis. We have also written to the Union Home Ministry which would send an NSG team to assist with the investigation," police officials also said. It may be recalled that the Intelligence Bureau had warned of terror strikes ahead of the Punjab assembly elections 2017. The IB had warned that terror groups may strike in a bid to cause a communal rift in the state. The killing of a Hindu leader, Amit Sharma on January 14 is also being probed as a terror attack. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, February 2, 2017, 8:10 [IST] Budget 2017 proposes addition equity of Rs 1800 crore for Air India India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 1: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday proposed to infuse an additional equity of Rs 1,800 crore in the cash-strapped national passenger carrier Air India for 2017-18 fiscal. The budgetary support has been provided to the airline on account of a turnaround and financial restructuring plan worth more than Rs 30,000 crore which was passed in April, 2012. "The provision (turnaround plan of Air India) is made for government investment in Air India to meet the equity shortfall to discharge its liabilities related to loans, NCD (non-convertible debentures) etc. which are government guaranteed," the document on 'Notes on Demands for Grants' for the Ministry of Civil Aviation read. According to the expenditure budget document 2017-18, a total outlay of Rs 2,308 crore has been proposed to be provided to the state-run airline. The government had allocated Rs 1,713 crore to the flag carrier as budgetary support for 2016-17 with a total outlay of Rs 2,065 crore. However, the revised estimates for 2016-17, showed that the state-run airline's budgetary support reached Rs 2,465.21 crore with a total outlay of Rs 2,900.21 crore. IANS Mehbooba Mufti gets notice to vacate official bungalow 'meant for J&K CMs' Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India IED detected on Srinagar-Jammu NH, defused by bomb disposal squad India oi-PTI Srinagar, Feb 2: Security forces on Thursday detected and defused an improvised explosive device (IED) on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Pampore area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district. A patrol party of police detected the IED planted by militants between Kadlabal and Chursoo section of the National Highway on Thursday morning, a police official said. He said the bomb disposal squad was rushed to the spot which destroyed the explosive. J&K: Major tragedy averted by Police & 3RR by defusing IED planted by terrorists on Jammu Srinagar national highway in Charsoo Awantipora pic.twitter.com/9C8PNpTUGt ANI (@ANI_news) February 2, 2017 The Valley continues to be on high alert ever since it witnessed unrest for three months last year after the death of Burhan Wani and also after the surgical strikes were conducted. PTI In Pics: Women to guard high-altitude posts along the Indo-China border India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Ladakh, Feb 2: Indo Tibetan Border Police Force was raised on 24 Oct,1962. ITBP is currently deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 km of Indo-China Border. Currently ITBP is the only force till now which does not have women in class 'A' officer rank like CRPF, BSF, CISF and SSB has. ITBP has decided that the first deployment of this maiden women squad will be made in the Ladakh sector of Jammu and Kashmir where ITBP troops man posts at a height of over 8,000 feet and more. Here are some pictures of brave women who will be guarding border with China at high altitude soon. ITBP has special contingent of 500 'mahila' constables Indo Tibetan Border Police has decided to deploy women personnel in combat duties at its high-altitude posts along the Indo-China border. ITBP women will be in full combat role It is for the first time that ITBP is deploying women personnel in full combat role right at the border. ITBP women to take charge at border once infra in place for them ITBP is preparing infrastructure for women at border locations and women will take charge soon at the border. ITBP will allow women officers in the entry-rank ITBP will also induct women officers for the first time. The force has already sent a request to induct women officers in the entry-rank of Assistant Commandants (ACs) to the UPSC. OneIndia News India: We have submitted all proofs against Hafiz Saeed India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 2: Following the Pakistan Interior Ministry's statement that India should provide concrete evidence against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the man behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and whom Islamabad put under house arrest earlier this week, India on Thursday said all evidence against the terror mastermind was available in Pakistan itself. "The entire conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack case was hatched in Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a weekly media briefing here. "All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered from Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan," he said. Pakistan on Wednesday snubbed India's demand for a "credible crackdown" on militant groups following the detention of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, saying it does not need New Delhi's endorsement for its actions. "Pakistan does not need any certification or endorsement from India over the recent actions it has taken in relation to Hafiz Saeed," a spokesperson for the federal Interior Ministry said in a statement in response to Tuesday's statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The spokesperson said the actions taken by the government were carried out as per "obligations vis-a-vis listing of JuD under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December, 2008". He, however, said various actions that needed to be taken under the relevant resolution i.e. arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze were not taken for some reason by the previous regime. "India has constantly been using Hafiz Saeed's political activities as a tool to malign Pakistan," the spokesperson said, adding that the international community should take note and understand that Pakistan is a democratic country. "In Pakistan judiciary takes free, independent and transparent decisions." The Interior Ministry urged New Delhi to come up with undeniable evidence against the JuD chief if it were serious about the allegations. "India should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world," the statement said. The ministry warned New Delhi against "casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence", saying it would not help the cause of peace in the region. The firebrand leader, who has a $10-million bounty on his head, was taken away by police on Monday and escorted to a house where he is now under house arrest. Four other JuD followers were detained in the same operation. India said JuD was a front for the militant Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which it accuses of carrying out the attacks on India's financial capital Mumbai in November 2008 which killed 166 people. Islamabad briefly detained Saeed in the aftermath of the attacks but he was later released on court orders. Swarup on Thursday said Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple acts of terror directed at India. "So the so called concrete evidence that Pakistani establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need is to find the requisite political will," he added. IANS 150 kms completed so far: Bharat Jodo yatris to take rest tomorrow, to resume march on Sep 16 We're on 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', some on Europe Jodo Yatra, says Congress 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is historic and people want to join, says Ramesh Not Maharaja, it was Nehru: Union Minister takes on Congress leader on Kashmirs accession Jairam Ramesh expresses shock over water seepage question in RS India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 2: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh was "amazed" to hear a question in the Rajya Sabha relating to water seepage in an MP's official residence on Thursday. The former union minister, after hearing Anil Kumar Sahani of Janata Dal-United, who raised the issue of water seepage in his government accommodation during the Question Hour, expressed shock and said: "How can such a question be asked in the Rajya Sabha?" Sahani said that his government accommodation has a problem of water seepage. Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Planning, Urban Development Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, then informed the House that problem is due to collection of tree leaves and it has been fixed. IANS 'Is this acceptable?' Mamata Banerjee on Hindu Mahasabha's depiction of Mahatma Gandhi as Asura Mamata raises concerns over H-1B visas India oi-IANS By Ians English Kolkata, Feb 2: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday raised concerns over the issue of H-1B US visas and called for a protection to IT companies and professionals. "News about H-1B visas is concerning. We must protect our IT companies and professionals and give them full support," she tweeted. Banerjee also said "India is proud of the world-class talent of its IT techies. It is our duty to secure their interests." The central government had already conveyed its concern to the US over a bill being introduced in the US Congress to change rules on H-1B visas which is likely to impact the Indian IT industry and Indian techies working in the US. The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017, introduced in House of Representatives by California Congressman Zoe Lofgren, proposes for doubling the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to $130,000 from the current minimum wage of $60,000 - a move that could impact Indian techies. The bill would make it difficult for companies to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India, with lower wages. "India's interests and concerns have been conveyed both to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said. -IANS Row over Islamic verses during all-faith prayers, Kanpur school backs down Man kills self due to 'harassment' by cop UP: Kanpur airport to get World-Class facilities by year end Modi condoles deaths in Kanpur building collapse India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed grief over the building collapse in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur which claimed at least seven lives. "My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in the building collapse in Kanpur. May the injured recover quickly," Modi said on Twitter. The multi-storey under-construction building collapsed on Wednesday trapping over 50 people including children under the debris. Rescue operations are currently going on as many are still feared to be trapped inside. IANS Only 7% of 1,145 candidates in Punjab polls are women India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 2: Only seven per cent of the 1,145 candidates in the fray in the Punjab assembly elections are females -- a figure pointing to the patriarchal predominance of all political parties -- and making a mockery of their promise of 33 per cent quota for women in legislative bodies. The Congress has fielded candidates from all 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab where polling is scheduled to be held on Saturday. Only 11 of the Congress contestants are women. The story for the Bharatiya Janata Party is no different. The BJP, which is fighting the polls in alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, is contesting for 23 seats and only two of its nominees are women. The SAD, which will contest 94 seats, has fielded only five women among its candidates. The Aam Aadmi Party, a new entrant in the political landscape of Punjab, hardly fares better -- it has just nine females among the 112 candidates it has fielded across the state. This means that, together, the four main political parties have chosen just about eight per cent women as contestants. In all, 1,145 candidates are testing their electoral luck. And only 81 among them are women. There is one transgender as well in the fray. Among the 304 Independents in the fray, 32 are women. The women candidates in Punjab with whom IANS spoke agreed that the state, where women constitute around 47 per cent of the 1.98 crore voters, has not been able to overcome its patriarchal mind-set yet. Varinder Kaur Loomba, a sitting legislator from Shutrana, said: "Patriarchy and male dominance still exist in our state. Despite that, many women are coming forward but there is very little appreciation." "It will need a lot of work in Punjab to bring women to the forefront," Loomba, seeking re-election from her constituency for the ruling SAD-BJP combine, told IANS. Loomba, 38, hoped that "in the coming years, many more women will be in mainstream politics". An Aam Aadmi Party candidate, Sarbjit Kaur, said women barely get space in the mainstream. "Major political parties in Punjab do not offer space to women, but women also prefer to remain on the back-foot." She said she and other women candidates, across party lines, could inspire Punjabi women to come out of their "shackles and fight for their rights", including their democratic and political aspirations. "Many workers of political parties are women. Those women, who are mostly housewives, shy away from joining active politics," she said, adding that the situation is changing at the "ground level". BJP's Seema Kumari, 28, said the border state was yet to focus on the condition of women in rural areas of Punjab. "Women in (border) areas are mostly not very literate. They are not aware of their rights and don't speak about them publicly. Even though many women are now participating in Panchayat elections, we need to work a lot for the empowerment of women," Kumari told IANS. On the national scene, the fight for women's representation in lawmaking has been raging since 1996 when the Deve Gowda government introduced the Women's Reservation Bill proposing to set aside 33 per cent of all seats in the Lok Sabha and in all state legislative assemblies for women. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010. It couldn't sail through the Lok Sabha because there was no consensus among major political parties over the issue. The proposed legislation, according to CPI-M's Brinda Karat, needs to be brought to the Lok Sabha "since half of the job is already done". But that would be possible only when there is a political will among all the parties, which Karat said was "highly unlikely". "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has the numbers in the Lok Sabha. But not the will. And you see election after election in India, women representation has been minimal," she noted. "This is the patriarchal mindset. This is not going to change unless there is constitutional intervention," the Marxist MP told IANS, adding the bill has to be passed to help women assert their democratic and political rights. IANS Congress will bring back old pension scheme in Gujarat, if voted to power: Rahul Gandhi Ready, get set, go: Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo speeds up in Telangana Poll politics: Rahul suspects Kejriwals role in Punjab bomb blast India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Chandigarh, Feb 2: In a sensational revelation, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, in a poll rally in Punjab on Thursday, said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was promoting 'anti-social' elements behind the recent bomb blast incident in the state. "Recently, six people died in a bomb blast in Punjab. Kejriwal, the CM of Delhi, is helping people behind these blasts. (Kuch din pehle bomb blast mein 6 log maare gye.Kejriwal jo Delhi ke CM h, wo in shaktiyon ko madad kar rhe h,unhe khada hone de rhe hain)," said Gandhi. A bomb blast rocked a Congress rally in Maur Mandi near Bathinda recently. Six people died and several were left injured in the attack. Police are still investigating the case and are not ruling out the involvement of terror groups behind the bomb blast. During his election rally, the Congress VP also interacted with voters in Sangrur. Punjab is all set to vote for its next assembly elections on February 4. This time, Kejriwal's political outfit-Aam Aadmi Party-is making its debut in Punjab assembly polls. Results will be declared on March 11. The Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance has been in power in Punjab since 2007. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, February 2, 2017, 13:57 [IST] Post budget: Venkaiah Naidu slams SP-Congress alliance; praises Jaitley India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Feb 2: Responding to criticism by the Opposition over the Union Budget 2017, Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said rivals were speaking according to their political lines. The budget was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday. The entire annual economic exercise got mixed responses from various political parties, leaders and organisations. However, politicians like Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee severely criticised the Centre over the budget. "Rahul ji and Mamata ji are speaking according to their political lines. We are ready for discussion," Naidu told ANI. "We are trying to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor created by the Congress and decrease the poverty rate. How can they like the budget?" Naidu asked. Naidu profusely praised his party colleague Jaitley and said that the budget was of very high standard. "Jaitley focused on 10 areas to revive the economy. I call this budget 'dashashwamedh yagya'," added Naidu. Training his gun at the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said both the parties will lose the upcoming UP assembly polls. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, February 2, 2017, 11:48 [IST] 'Severe' yet again: Delhi air continues to remain toxic with AQI at 431 Anand Mahindra's tweet about UPI at country's 'last tea shop' is every Indian's emotion Release of 5 Indians jailed in Togo secured: Sushma Swaraj India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 2: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday night announced "securing" the release of five Indians who were jailed in Togo. "We have secured the release of 5 Indians from Kerala jailed in Togo. Good work by Indian mission in Accra and Consulate in Togo (sic)," she tweeted. They were in jail since 2013 for their suspected involvement in a piracy attack off the coast of Togo, according to reports.a The Indians were employees of a Merchant Navy firm and were sailing on board a ship to South Africa from Mumbai when they were arrested. PTI Santa Claus goes down on knees in busy shopping mall to salute a World War II veteran Soldier who died in Kashmir avalanche cremated in AP village India oi-PTI Visakhapatnam (AP), Feb 1: Sepoy Mamidi Nagaraju, who died in an avalanche in Gurez Sector of Jammu and Kashmir, was on Wednesday cremated with full state honours at his native Maradan village in Vizianagaram. Floral tributes were paid to Nagaraju when his body was flown into Visakhapatnam from Srinagar last night. Nagaraju, who served in 18 Mahar Regiment, died in a avalanche in Gurez sector recently. Military honour and wreath laying ceremony was conducted at the Shradhanjili Sthal at Visakhapatnam Airport by Col B Parkhe Administrative Commandant, Station HQs (Army) Visakhapatnam as a mark of respect to the deceased with a Ceremonial Guard of the Navy in attendance. Representatives of the district administration, police and Zilla Sainik Welfare Officer also paid tributes to the departed soul. "District Collector of Vizianagaram Vivek Yadav, DSP Bobbili, officials from Revenue Department, Zilla Sainik Welfare Office and NCC paid tributes to the departed soul at Maradam village with police band in attendance," a Navy release said here on Wednesday. PTI Udta Punjab? This election season, drugs flow freely India oi-Vicky Chandigarh, Feb 2: The main issue hogging the limelight in the poll-bound Punjab is drug menace. All political parties contesting the Punjab assembly elections 2017 have said that they would prioritise the war against drugs, if voted to power. However, in the border district of Taran Taran in Punjab, there still continues to be a free flow of drugs. Drugs have been freely entering into this village. The Border Security Force which patrols this area says that there are certain conditions that have helped drug lords bring in heroine. The weather condition in the village is usually misty, and this has helped drug dealers give security forces the slip through. Once brought into Punjab, it is concealed in hollow wooden logs and depending on the demand, it is moved into the market. In fact, Punjab has recorded the highest seizure of drugs during this election season. In a recent operation that was conducted in the Gazal village, the BSF seized 53 kilograms of heroin that was concealed in hollow logs and kept in the shed of a farmer, officials say. Officials add that drug dealers have found various methods of storing these banned substances. "Most of the drugs had come in before the elections and stocked in various places. Supply of narcotics depends on demand," says an official. It was found that drugs were mostly concealed in tiffin boxes, diesel tanks and air filters. Punjab, as mentioned earlier, topped the list of drug seizures among all the five poll-bound states. In Punjab alone, the drug seizure recorded was at 2,362 kilograms. This included heroin, marijuana, poppy husk and charas (cannabis). OneIndia News US Defence Secretary James Mattis visits S Korea India oi-PTI Seoul, Feb 2: South Korea and the United States today agreed to push through with the deployment of a US missile defence system strongly opposed by China, the prime minister said. Hwang Kyo-Ahn and US Defence Secretary James Mattis confirmed that the two allies will go ahead with the installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the South this year as planned, the prime minister's office said. Mattis arrived today in South Korea on the first leg of a trip that also includes Japan, two key allies rattled by US President Donald Trump's ascent to power. It is the first overseas tour by a senior official in Trump's administration as concerns rise about the direction of American policy in the region under the protectionist and fiery leader. On the campaign trail, Trump threatened to withdraw US forces from the two countries if they do not step up their financial support. Some 28,500 US troops are based in South Korea and 47,000 in Japan. The rhetoric has raised concerns in both Seoul and Tokyo, and in a statement this week South Korea's defence ministry said it hoped Mattis' trip would be "an opportunity for the Trump administration to maintain and strengthen US commitment" to their alliance. "President Trump ... wanted me to make a very clear statement about the priority that we place on this alliance between our two allies", Mattis said at the start of his talks with Hwang, who serves as the South's acting leader following the impeachment of President Park Geun-Hye in December over corruption charges. The two allies last year announced plans to deploy the THAAD system following a series of North Korean atomic and missile tests, infuriating China which fears it will undermine its own ballistic capabilities. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un boasted last month that the country was in the "final stages" of developing an intercontinental ballistic missile. But it remains unclear whether the missile shield system would actually be deployed in South Korea after the country's leading presidential candidate and opposition member Moon Jae-In argued the decision should be left to the next government. South Korea may hold elections in a matter of months if the Constitutional Court signs off on Park's impeachment. Should it reject the impeachment and restore her to presidency, the election would take place in December. The prime minister said the fact that South Korea was the first country for an overseas visit by Mattis underscored the "importance" Washington put in the alliance between the two countries. PTI ISI agents operating illegal phone exchanges arrested in UP India oi-Vicky By Vicky The probe into the illegal telephone exchange and spying racket has widened with the Uttar Pradesh ATS, which busted the racket, making three more arrests in connection with the case. The arrests were carried out after Gulshan Kumar Sain who ran an illegal telephone exchange spilled the beans on his associates. The accused persons had set up illegal telephone exchanges at a FIIT JEE centre in Delhi's Punjabi Bagh area. These exchanges were used to spy on Indian officials and leak information to Pakistan, investigations have revealed. The racket came to light after the army alerted Military Intelligence officials in Jammu and Kashmir. It was said that some officers were receiving suspicious calls from seniors asking for crucial information about the armed forces. Information such as troop deployment, staff strength and movement of the forces were sought. Many officers had given out information as the numbers were similar to that of their seniors, an investigating officer informed. However, one officer who refused to give out information spoke directly to his senior about the call. When he was told that he had made no such call, the officer decided to inform the Military Intelligence about it. The IB conducted a probe for nearly 15 days and found that the accused persons were using call spoofs and SIM box frauds. The callers from Pakistan made calls over the internet to the officers using the parallel exchanges in India. The calls were converted to voice calls through the SIM box. The receiver could only see Indian numbers on their phone screens. In fresh raids that were conducted, the police have recovered six more SIM boxes. In all the police had seized 78 such boxes. Investigators also learned that the accused would obtain army base camp maps, details on troop deployment etc and share with their handlers. The role of some insiders in the Army is not being ruled out at this stage, an investigating officer informed. The police say that the accused persons would contact ISI officers not just in Pakistan. There have been calls made to ISI officials in Nepal, Kuwait, Bangladesh and Canada as well. The police say that investigations have also learned not only did they share information about the army, but may have also given crucial logistic leads for terror strikes. OneIndia News Trump slams phone on Australian PM; calls Obama-era refugee deal dumb International oi-PTI Washington, Feb 2: Things turned sour between US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during a phone call over the weekend, when Trump objected to an agreement reached upon during the Obama administration over the United States receiving refugees from Australia. Trump's apparent dispute with Turnbull came on on Saturday, the same day when he held phone calls with four other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The disagreement came as the two leaders discussed an agreement, reached under the Obama administration, for the US to accept refugees from Australia who are living on islands in detention centres off the mainland. Many of them are from the seven Muslim majority countries affected by Trump's travel ban. Trump on Friday also suspended the entry of all refugees for 120 days, along with indefinitely suspending the entry of Syrian refugees. On Thursday night, Trump tweeted, "Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!" Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Sources say Trump insisted it was a very bad deal for the US to take 2,000 refugees and that one of them was going to be the next Boston bomber. According to CNN, Turnbull told Trump several times the agreement was for 1,250 refugees, not 2,000. He also said Australia was asking to submit them to the US for refugee screening, and if the refugees did not pass the US screening process, they would not be sent across. Turnbull declined to comment on reports in the Washington Post of having had described the agreement as "the worst deal ever" and of accusing Turnbull of seeking to export the "next Boston bombers." Trump expressed concern as to how this agreement from President Barack Obama's administration would go forward given his executive order the day before temporarily suspending the US refugee program. Trump abruptly ended the call because he was unhappy. White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not return requests for comments regarding the call. Turnbull said the call ended "courteously" in a radio interview Thursday. Australia has been an long-standing ally of the US, with the two countries joining three other English-speaking nations in an intelligence sharing arrangement known as the "Five Eyes." PTI Immigration ban: How does an executive order work in the US? International oi-Vicky Donald Trump started his stint as the President of the United States of America with a bang. His executive order banning migrants from seven Muslim majority nations is the talk of the world today. The ban was issued through an executive order. What is an executive order and how exactly does it work. Let us find out here. What is an executive order? An executive order is an official statement from the president about how the federal agencies he oversees use their resources. The US government is broken into three branches- the Congress which makes the laws, the President who carries out the law and the Courts which evaluate the laws. In a nut shell, an executive order is not the president creating a new law. This is the job of the Congress. The president through such an order is telling the federal agencies he controls how the law set by the Congress must be carried out. The President cannot issue such an order that would violate an existing law passed by the Congress. It cannot also violate the US Constitution. An executive order can be overturned by the courts. The rate at which such orders have been overturned by the courts are very low. One such order which was overturned by the courts was by Bill Clinton which tried to stop the government from contracting organisations that had strike-breakers on their payroll. Apart from the judiciary a new president can also overrule the executive order of a previous president. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, February 2, 2017, 9:47 [IST] Iran slams US' travel ban; calls Trump a 'newcomer' in politics International oi-IANS By Ians English Tehran, Feb 2: Iranian president said that the United States' temporary ban against citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries is due to new president being a "newcomer" in the world of politics. Addressing a ceremony in Tehran on Wednesday on Space Technology Day in Iran, Hassan Rouhani said that revoking visas to other nationalities is what novice politicians do, EFE reported. "These are the newcomers who were not in the world of politics and they were in another world and they have now come to the world of politics and they inflict harm on themselves and others in a fully new atmosphere," the Iranian leader said. In Rouhani's view, Donald Trump's ban has revealed the hypocrisy of the US, since it has always claimed it opposed the Iranian regime, but supported the people. He added that Trump has "revealed this hypocrisy and displayed what is in their hearts. He took measures which merely target a number of our dear citizens or Muslims and people in other countries". Trump's order suspends entry to the country for three months for citizens of Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran. IANS 7-yr-old asks Trump if he's gone without food for 24-hours like the Syrian refugees International oi-IANS By Ians English Damascus, Feb 2: 'Have you ever had no food, no water for 24 hours?'- this is the question a 7-year-old Syrian girl Bana Alabed who has garnered worldwide attention by tweeting about her life in Aleppo in Syria - asked the US President Donald Trump in a fresh video. "Have you ever had no food, no water for 24 hours? Just think of refugees and the children of Syria," asked Alabed on Twitter. my video to Trump. " Mr @realdonaldtrump have u ever had no food & water for 24 hrs? Just think of refugees & the children of Syria." pic.twitter.com/qbaZGp0MvB Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) February 1, 2017 Alabed had earlier responded to a tweet of Trump wherein he had argued that the intention of his immigration ban was "about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!" Alabed responded to the tweet asking: "Am I a terrorist?" Trump recently signed an executive order that bans the entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Syria, into the US that evoked widespread panic among travellers. Soon after the ban, Alabed tweeted: "Dear Trump, banning refugees is very bad. Ok, if it's good, I have an idea for you. Make other countries peaceful." Alabed has been posting, with her mother Fatemah's help, heart-rending and emotionally strong tweets about life in the war-torn Syrian city of Aleppo. Alabed and her mother have garnered more than 366,000 followers since September 2016 as they tweet regularly about war in Aleppo, including the story of her house being destroyed. IANS New study nixes out life on Venus due to lack of water, but Jupiter has potential Does this image of Jupiter look like a dosa for you too? Jupiter and earth within rare 'kissing distance' on Sep 26: Know when and where to watch NASA's Jupiter probe set for 4th close flyby on Thursday International oi-IANS By Ians English Washington, Feb 2: NASA's Juno spacecraft is set to make its fourth flyby over Jupiter's mysterious cloud tops on Thursday at 4.57 a.m., a statement said. At the time of its closest approach (called perijove), Juno will be about 4,300 km above the planet's cloud tops and travelling at a speed of about 57.8 km per second relative to the gas giant, the US space agency said in a statement. All of Juno's eight science instruments, including the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument, will be on and collecting data during the flyby that will take place at 6:27 p.m. India time. "With every close flyby we are finding something new," said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno science team continues to analyse returns from previous flybys. Revelations include that Jupiter's magnetic fields and aurora are bigger and more powerful than originally thought. The belts and zones that give the gas giant's cloud top its distinctive look also extend deep into the planet's interior. Peer-reviewed papers with more in-depth science results from Juno's first three flybys are expected to be published within the next few months, NASA said. Also, JunoCam, the first interplanetary outreach camera, is now being guided with the assistance from the public -- people can participate by voting for what features on Jupiter should be imaged during each flyby. Juno launched on August 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral in Florida, arrived on Jupiter on July 4, 2016. During its mission of exploration, Juno soars low over the planet's cloud tops -- as close as about 4,100 km. During these flybys, Juno probes beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and studies its auroras to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. IANS Now Hafiz Saeed barred from flying out of Pakistan International oi-Vicky Islamabad, Feb 2: Following the house arrest, Pakistan has now banned Lashkar-e-Tayiba boss Hafiz Saeed from flying out of the country. Authorities have placed Saeed and 37 terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba on the Exit Control List. The letter was issued by the interior ministry and forwarded to all provisional governments and also the federal investigation agency of Pakistan. The order comes two days after Saeed was placed under house arrest in the country. The move to place him under the Exit Control List is more preventive in nature. Saeed, if released on the basis of a court order could try and fly out of Pakistan. He is known to make several visits to Saudi Arabia to collect funds. The latest order is to prevent him from leaving the country. Indian officials, however, say that there is no concrete action that has been taken. "These are more preventive and protective in nature. They are clearly under pressure from the United States of America to reign in on the terrorists," said officials. One could say Pakistan is serious about acting against the likes of Saeed only if he is brought to trial and punished for his role in the Mumbai 26/11 attack and other incidents against India. OneIndia News Palestine urges US to assume role in peace process International oi-IANS By Ians English Ramallah, Feb 3: Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged the US administration to promptly assume its role in catering the peace process between Palestine and Israel. The ministry on Thursday said that it has called upon US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to declare the vision of the US toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including its position regarding the two state solution, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement highlighted that the Palestinian diplomats are closely following the US reactions and positions, which are generally swinging between silence over daily Israeli violations and publicly declaring unconditional support to the Israeli government. The ministry described Netanyahu's political proposals as the results of "his own self-negotiating, away from the Palestinian peace partner, which must be rejected by the Administration of President Donald Trump". Netanyahu said last week that there are two main principles for negotiations with the Palestinians, as the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, and full Israeli security control of the areas between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea. The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The US-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results. IANS Business Here's how this free app turned amateurs into UAE's top professional stock market traders Going into business without first having some basic knowledge of how the market works and the tools at our disposal increases your risk of getting into trouble. Simulators provide learning platforms for people who want to start learning how to invest. President Trump threatens to send US troops to Mexico to take care of 'bad hombres' International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer President Trump threatened in to send US troops to stop "bad hombres" in Mexico unless American neighbour did more to control them itself. This stunning allegation has been made by The Associated Press in an excerpt of a transcript of the conversation between US President Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Neito. The excerpt of the call did not make clear who exactly Trump considered "bad hombres" - drug cartels, immigrants, or both - or the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's response. The White House press office did not respond to requests for comment. The phone call between the leaders was intended to patch things up between the new president and his ally. The two have had a series of public spats over Trump's determination to have Mexico pay for the planned border wall, something Mexico steadfastly refuses to agree to. "You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it." The Mexican website, Aristegui Noticias, on Tuesday published a similar account of phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation. Mexico's foreign relations department denied that account, saying it "is based on absolute falsehoods," and later said the statement also applied to the aforesaid excerpts. "The assertions that you make about said conversation do not correspond to the reality of it," the statement said. "The tone was constructive and it was agreed by the presidents to continue working and that the teams will continue to meet frequently to construct an agreement that is positive for Mexico and for the United States." OneIndia News The Great Wall of Trump: After Mexicans, Muslims, will Indians be next? International oi-Maitreyee By Maitreyee "First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out- Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out- Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out- Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me." The above are the famous lines from Pastor Martin Niemoller's poem - First they came - engraved in New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston, Massachusetts, US. The poem, written just after the Holocaust, in a nutshell asks all to end apathy towards 'the others' and stand for an inclusive world. Since then, the poem has become an anthem for protests across the world. In the current scenario, just days after US President Donald Trump took over the reins of the country, these few lines best describe the precarious situation the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in following the unilateral decisions of the world's most powerful person. Trump is a man, who is definitely not backing off from his primary stand - America First - which he reiterated during his oath-taking ceremony. Thus, the fears of those opposing his administration has started coming true. Immediately, after entering the White House, Trump's first duel was with Mexico over building a 'wall' in the US-Mexico border. The famous 'wall' will supposedly curb entry of Mexicans to America and also stop the infamous cross-border drug trade. On January 27, Trump signed the controversial executive order and halted the entire US refugee programme for 120 days. The EO banned Syrian refugees, and suspended all nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia - from entering America. The US administration has hinted that Pakistan is also likely to be included in the list in the near future. The latest move, the Trump government says, is to save America from terrorist attacks. While protests have rocked America and parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom, against the EO and former US President Barack Obama has criticised the decision as discrimination of people based on religion or faith, India's is yet to make any official statement in this regard. In spite, of the news of an impending clampdown on H-1B visas by the Trump administration, all that India did was express its 'interests and concerns' to the US on Tuesday. Why did not the Modi government raise an immediate protest? Or, it would have been a knee-jerk reaction? The proposed legislation on H-1B - called the High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017 - will make it difficult for American firms to hire foreign workers, including software professionals from India. These proposed measures have triggered speculation among Indian Information Technology companies, as India receives highest H-1B visas issued worldwide. On Tuesday, top five Indian IT firms had lost Rs 50,000 crores in market value. Going back on the issue of ban on entry of Muslim immigrants to the US, if reports are to be believed, officials of Indian intelligence agencies have welcomed America's plan to bring Pakistan in the same embargo list. India which is fighting a war against terror with its neighbouring country, feels that the ban will put pressure on Pakistan to take action against its homegrown terror groups. In fact, a well-known leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has praised Trump government's clampdown on Muslim immigrants. The BJP's controversial leader Yogi Adityanath said India too needs similar curbs to 'check' terrorism in the country. Definitely, the statement made by Adityanath is not the official stand of the Centre on the issue. However, such 'divisive' comments against people belonging to one particular religion might be viewed as India's 'silent and subtle' support to Trump administration. Meanwhile, both Trump and Modi had a 'pleasant and fruitful' telephonic conversation recently on a range of issues, including security and fight against terrorism. Both the leaders have also invited each other to visit their respective countries in the coming months. India which is yet to emerge as a global power can't afford to strain its ties with the US. Nonetheless, if the country's business interests and the very fabric of global peace have come under threat because of recent contentious decisions by the US administration, can India still manage to remain silent? What if in the coming days the US target Indian immigrants? The answers to these questions lie in the future. At a time when the US is trying to undo one of history's biggest realities - free and constant flow of people from one place to another - by suppressing migration in the name of religion or faith - world's largest democracy - India - can definitely make an impact by raising its voice against 'exclusion'. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, February 2, 2017, 13:02 [IST] Trump's executive order is not anti-Muslim: UAE FM International oi-IANS By Ians English Abu Dhabi, Feb 2: US President Donald Trump was within his sovereign rights when he issued an executive order to ban citizens from seven Muslim majority countries from getting entry visas to the country, said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Sheikh Abdullah was talking to reporters after the 4th session of the Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. "The impression that the order is targeted against certain group is not right, especially after the US administration asserted that Muslims are not targeted by that order," Sheikh Abdullah said. He added that the majority of Muslim countries are not affected by that decision. "We have to consider that this ban is just temporary and the seven countries are facing many challenges that need to be addressed before resolving the issue with the US Administration," he said. IANS UK government publishes plan for Brexit International oi-PTI London, Feb 2: The UK government today published a White Paper on its negotiating plans for an exit from the European Union, a day after Prime Minister Theresa May won crucial parliamentary approval to begin tough Brexit talks. David Davis, minister for exiting the European Union, told the House of Commons that the government will publish another White Paper before the Great Repeal Bill, which will formally mark Britain's intention to break from the laws governing the 28-member economic bloc after the June 2016 referendum in favour of Brexit. "We approach the negotiation to come in a spirit of good will and working to an outcome in our mutual benefit," Davis told Parliament, adding that Britian's "best days are yet to come". "I will not be throwing people out of Britain," he added, in reference to a question about the rights of European Union citizens based in the UK following Brexit. The White Paper spells out in detail May's 12 negotiating objectives for Brexit unveiled in a speech last month. It confirms that the final Brexit deal will be presented before Parliament for ratification and that the UK would pursue a fresh tariff-free trade agreement with the EU after an exit from the common single market. The White Paper comes a day after British MPs voted in favour of May invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon to trigger the two-year timeline to negotiate a new deal as a non-member of the EU. MPs backed the European Union (Notification) Bill by 498 votes to 114 last night, with 47 Opposition Labour party rebels voting against. The bill will now face more debate before it can become law. MPs will discuss the bill in more detail next week when it reaches the committee stage in the Commons, and Labour has vowed to force through amendments. PTI Will Trump's immigration ban hurt hiring of intelligence assets in Muslim countries? International oi-Vicky By Vicky Washington, Feb 2: It may be too early to tell if the temporary ban on immigrants from seven Muslim majority countries will have any impact on the war against terror. United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday, banning entry of citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Libya. While terror groups have already made this a recruiting propaganda, Intelligence officials have raised concerns about the recruitment of assets in Muslim countries. In countries such as Iraq, Syria where terror groups are strong, there is a dire need to have Muslim assets to pass on intelligence. The White House while defending the ban had said that the goal of this order was to increase domestic security. Jeff Stein, a former intelligence officer explains in an article in the Newsweek that, ever since the Cold War, American intelligence agencies have guaranteed to their assets --foreigners who agree to spy for the US -- that they and their families will be exfiltrated to America if their lives are in danger. In other cases, assets or their family members are given costly medical treatment or educational opportunities in the US. The promise of eventual resettlement in America is a core recruiting tool used by case officers working in agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency or the Defense Intelligence Agency. It is especially valuable in Muslim countries, where American spy agencies have traditionally found it difficult to operate, and where asset recruitment is arduous and dangerous, the article states. Indian Intelligence Bureau officials say that it is a tricky situation. An officer tells OneIndia that he does not see this ban lasting for too long. The US must also be concerned that this could also lead to the rise of home grown jihad. The US which is waging a war on terror in various Muslim nations could have problems in recruiting assets or informers. If one looks at the talk on the social media, jihadi groups have already started using this as a recruiting tool. Not just that, they are smartly wording the Trump imposed ban as a war against Islam and not terror, the officer explains. 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For those that can solve these issues first, however, utilizing unique data sources such as private company performance information, social media sentiment or satellite imagery, investors can once again find an edge on their competition with the resulting alpha the prize... To read the executive summary, click here: Article source - Opalesque is not responsible for the content of external internet sites United States President Donald Trump has issued a flurry of Executive Orders, in particular the one on immigration that has triggered widespread anger and condemnation. Many are saying that the order was crafted by alleged white supremacist and Trump's close advisor, Steve Bannon. Now lets not get into the murky waters of who crafted what. Let us agree that it was clumsily done and incompetently executed. Still, presidential executive orders are tricky things -- undoing them, though not impossible, is a real mountain to climb. There are only three ways to do that. A sitting president can revoke, modify, or supersede any executive order: Presidents often undo the executive orders of their predecessors, (as Trump did with President Obama who did the same things with President Bush) but they have rarely retracted or overridden their own executive orders. Congress can revoke, modify, or supersede an executive order if it felt that the president was acting under authority granted by Congress: But if Congress makes changes that the president disagrees with, it can expect to face a presidential veto, which it could only override with a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate. Lastly, courts can declare an executive order illegal or unconstitutional. But again, barring several notable exceptions , the courts do not regularly overturn presidential actions. So barring a miracle and a political epiphany by Republicans in Congress ANY executive order penned by Trump, Bannon, Conway, Miller et al will not be questioned, debated, or overturned. Welcome to United States of Caesarism; enter Republican cowardice and complicity with an arrogant, narcissistic White House and leader. Today, in stark contrast to their rowdy, obstructionist pogrom against Barack Obama, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, are both giving President Trump a nod and a wink as he gleefully defecates all over the hallowed United States Constitution. When a chest-thumping Donald Trump was floating his ban on Muslim immigrants' entering the United States from seven majority Muslim nations, and thrusting the country into full chaos mode, where was Speaker Paul Ryan during all this? Doing some contrived meeting on business regulations and acting like if everything was normal on the US home front. Not to outdone, his pal, Mitch McConnell in the Senate, was also hard at "work." Not to further the advance of the American people's agenda but getting his rocks off by working to kill one of President Obama's environmental regulations that protects waterways from pollution by coal mines. So its either they both genuinely fear the Trumpion One or they are the resident experts of sycophantic toadying and "brown nosed" genuflecting that make it exceedingly difficult for their "Presidential Hero" to go to the bathroom to do "Number 2." In order to explain this glaring cowardice by the Republican Party and the potential of a creeping modern American Dictatorship, I have to turn to a fellow autodidact, Karl Marx. Writing in The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Napoleon," he blamed the French upper classes for encouraging and enabling the dictatorship of Louis Napoleon. The dictatorship, he wrote, "was contained in a finished state within the parliamentary republic." He continued: "It only required a bayonet thrust for the bubble to burst and the monster to spring forth before our eyes." Today, in 21st century America, Marx's observation and warning are particularly poignant and is an object lesson for progressives in 2017. We continues to believe that an American dictatorship of the late 20th Century type is impossible in a country where the very notion of freedom and democracy forms part of the body politic. We would like to believe that "we're exceptional" and such a thing can't happen here. But with 80 years of progressive, liberal politics now under the gun and being dismantled, piece-by-piece, by a president hell-bent on remaking America in his own image and likeness, the possibility of an American dictatorship has never been so real. The fact is that for the past 50 years successive American presidents have been loosening and untying the United States Constitution's check and balances and constraints on unbridled and uncontrolled executive power. And in case you were sleeping, the rise of President George W. Bush signaled the final instutionalization of the "Imperial Presidency" that carries with it two concerns: that the US presidency is now uncontrollable and that it has exceeded the constitutional limits. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Yesterday on January 31, 2017 I was arrested in the U.S. Senate's Intelligence Committee hearing on the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General. I was charged with "Disruption of Congress." Like so many who have been arrested during the confirmation hearings of virtually every nominee of President Trump for every Cabinet position, I felt I had to express my deep concern about Jeff Sessions possibly becoming the Attorney General of the United States. The night before the hearing, on January 30, Acting Attorney General Sally Yates had been fired by President Trump for her decision that Justice Department lawyers would not defend the Executive Order to stop the entire US refugee program for 120 days, indefinitely ban vetted Syrian refugees and suspend all citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from using valid visas or applying for visas to the United States for the next 90 days. The two previous days massive demonstrations in every major international airport in the United States to protest the ban had mobilized tens of thousands of Americans and prompted Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau to state that Canada would take all refugees that the United States was refusing to accept. On the day of my arrest, over 900 career U.S. diplomats issued a Dissent Memo titled: "Dissent Channel: Alternatives to Closing Doors in Order to Secure Our Borders." The memo stated... "A policy which closes our doors to over 200 million legitimate travelers in the hopes of preventing a small number of travelers who intend to harm Americans from using the visa system to enter the United States will not achieve its aim of making our country safer... Moreover, such a policy runs counter to core American values of nondiscrimination, fair play, and extending a warm welcome to foreign visitors and immigrants. "We are better than this ban...Looking beyond its effectiveness, this ban stands in opposition to the core American and constitutional values that we, as federal employees, took an oath to uphold... "Decades from now, we will look back and realize we made the same mistakes our predecessors: shutting borders in a knee-jerk reaction instead of setting up systems of checks that protect our interests and our values... "We do not need to place a blanket ban that keeps 220 million people -- men, women, and children -- from entering the United States to protect our homeland. We do not need to alienate entire societies to stay safe. And we do not need to sacrifice our reputation as a nation which is open and welcoming to protect our families. It is well within our reach to create a visa process which is more secure, which reflects our American values, and which would make the Department proud." When asked about the dissent of career U.S. diplomats serving in Washington and in U.S. embassies around the world, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the executive order is about protecting Americans, and he said those diplomats who are objecting "should either get with the program or they can go." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Being the Logical Absurdity By doing exactly what he said he'd do, isn't Trump performing a service of sorts? None of his conclusions rise above backyard clothesline talk-- conceivably the source of his strength-- but by actually putting them in operation and allowing us to witness the chaos of poor planning and worse execution that will inevitably ensue; aren't we ending whatever doubts that lurked in the most progressive minds, and hopefully in some conservative minds as well, as to their efficacy? As to the whole, knee-jerk Right Wing extremist mentality approach to solving worldwide problems? From the start he's been stripping the GOP bare, exposing its dirty underbelly and crippled thinkers. Even his to expose Obama as Kenyan played out the rumor to its own extinction. His adherents by now have crept back to their trailer parks and bar stools, or jetted back to their corporate boardrooms; having had their fifteen minutes of infamy. At first, it occurred to me he'd crafted the plan as some sort of service to Hillary, or vendetta to a less than welcoming GOP; but that opinion crumbled as time wore on. Far from being a nouveau Machiavelli, he's just serving a function as are we all, and in all innocence, and quite the opposite of his purported intention, as a cog in an operation so huge few of us have the perspective to appreciate what we're really about. If the world takes us as being for what he's selling, and he maintains his present pace of dramatizing a world defined by Fox News, he will succeed in stripping the whole country down to its old underwear, reeking as it does of "Eau De Colonialism" and ready for the wash anyway. He's just the waiter, bringing us the check for the past several decades of abuse in which we've indulged, starting with the Natives and pretty much downhill ever since. The Right is often guilty of brushing off Middle East hostility as a quirk. "They hate us for our freedom!" serves to explain the rage of several generations of oppressed Middle Easterners suddenly informed and armed, and catching up for lost time, it would appear. The World is watching us, and either we go down with Trump's ship, or toss him overboard, take back the wheel, and put it in worthier hands. History may thank him for highlighting the evils of the Far Right, as unconscious as it may have been on his part. The little boy who pointed out the Emperor's naked bum was clueless too. "Look Mama, the Emperor has no clothes! Now it's time to return the favor and point out that the little boy is naked too, and just as clueless. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Counterpunch In his January 13 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson made an extraordinary comment concerning China's activities in the South China Sea. The U.S., he said, must "send a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops," adding that Beijing's "access to the those islands is not going to be allowed." President Trump's Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, repeated the threat on January 24. Sometimes it is hard to sift the real from the magical in the Trump administration, and bombast appears to be the default strategy of the day. But people should be clear about what would happen if the U.S. actually tries to blockade China from supplying its forces constructing airfields and radar facilities on the Spratley and Paracel islands. It would be an act of war. While Beijing's Foreign Ministry China initially reacted cautiously to the comment, Chinese newspapers have been far less diplomatic. The nationalist Global Times warned of a "large-scale war" if the U.S. followed through on its threat, and the China Daily cautioned that a blockade could lead to a "devastating confrontation between China and the US." Independent observers agree. "It is very difficult to imagine the means by which the United States could prevent China from accessing these artificial islands without provoking some kind of confrontation," says Rory Medcalf, head of Australia's National Security College. And such a confrontation, says Carlyle Thayer of the University of New South Wales, "could quickly develop into an armed conflict." Last summer, China's commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy, Wu Shengli, told U.S. Admiral John Richardson that "we will never stop our construction on the Nansha Islands halfway." Nansha is China's name for the Spratlys. Two weeks later, Chang Wanquan, China's Defense Minister, said Beijing is preparing for a "people's war at sea." A certain amount of this is posturing by two powerful countries in competition for markets and influence, but Tillerson's statement did not come out of the blue. In fact, the U.S. is in the middle of a major military buildup, the Obama administration's "Asia Pivot" in the Pacific. American bases in Okinawa, Japan, and Guam have been beefed up, and for the first time since World War II, U.S. Marines have been deployed in Australia. Last March, the U.S. sent B-2 nuclear-capable strategic stealth bombers to join them. There is no question that China has been aggressive about claiming sovereignty over small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, even after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague rejected Beijing's claims. But if a military confrontation is to be avoided, it is important to try to understand what is behind China's behavior. The current crisis has its roots in a tense standoff between Beijing and Taiwan in late 1996. The People's Republic of China (PRC) was angered that Washington had granted a visa to Taiwan's president, Lee Teng-hui, calling it a violation of the 1979 U.S. "one-China" policy that recognized the PRC and downgraded relations with Taiwan to "unofficial." Beijing responded to the visa uproar by firing missiles near a small Taiwan-controlled island and moving some military forces up to the mainland coast facing the island. However, there was never any danger that China would actually attack Taiwan. Even if it wanted to, it didn't have the means to do so. Instead of letting things cool off, however, the Clinton administration escalated the conflict and sent two aircraft carrier battle groups to the region, the USS Nimitz and USS Independence. The Nimitz and its escorts sailed through the Taiwan Straits between the island and the mainland, and there was nothing that China could do about it. The carriers deeply alarmed Beijing, because the regions just north of Taiwan in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea were the jumping off points for 19th and 20th century invasions by western colonialists and the Japanese. The Straits crisis led to a radical remaking of China's military, which had long relied on massive land forces. Instead, China adopted a strategy called "Area Denial" that would allow Beijing to control the waters surrounding its coast, in particular the East and South China seas. That not only required retooling of its armed forces -- from land armies to naval and air power -- it required a ring of bases that would keep potential enemies at arm's length and also allow Chinese submarines to enter the Pacific and Indian oceans undetected. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Reader Supported News Bernie Sanders rally at Penn State prior to the Pennsylvania primary election. (Image by (photo: Paul Weaver)) Details DMCA Our job is to build a movement to transform the country. Part of that mission will be organizing people who are not yet as progressive as we are. If you are someone who has always been a true believer, you are rare. Most of us evolved after decades of programming by our education system and the media. When I was 17 years old, I was in the Army and I thought Ronald Reagan was making us strong again. It was while in college after my time in the military that I read the writings of Oscar Romero. It was my time serving the homeless at the Community for Creative Non-Violence Shelter in Washington DC, and my time at the anti-nuclear vigil in front of the White House, that radicalized me. I saw the world through different lenses. Our job is to get people to the view the world from the same perspective we do. To do that we need to organize people, not vilify them. If student activists at Syracuse had judged my past and refused to work with me because I wasn't as radical as they were, I might have joined the College Republicans. Instead, I ended up organizing for divestment from South Africa's apartheid. If the Community for Creative Non-Violence had had a litmus test, my vote for Ronald Reagan was I was 18 might have prevented me from interning with one of my mentors, Mitch Snyder. If William Thomas had only worked with people who had never been in the military, I would not have joined the anti-nuclear vigil. Each step on my path, I became more and more radical. I was not a progressive when I was 18. But at 51, thanks to many wonderful organizers along the way, I believe I am a warrior for progressive causes. There are times when questioning someone's "progressiveness" and comparing progressive credentials is an important thing. Campaigns are such a time. Our job was to convince the American people that Bernie Sanders was the right choice for president. But the campaign is over, and our job now is to organize a movement that moves the country in a more progressive direction. Click Here to Read Whole Article From The Guardian Protest against Donald Trump's Muslim ban (Image by Fibonacci Blue) Details DMCA Donald Trump's White House is plunging the United States into a full-blown constitutional crisis a little more than a week into his administration. One of the prime culprits seems to be his controversial chief strategist: Steve Bannon, whom Nancy Pelosi called a white nationalist. Massive protests sprouted up around the country on Saturday following Trump's unconstitutional executive order banning all refugees and all travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries -- including those with valid visas. But somewhat lost in that news was Bannon's central role in the controversy and move to consolidate even more power within the government. On Saturday, Trump installed him on the influential National Security Council (NSC) as part of a radical re-shuffling of the influential White House board of advisers that usually is composed of intelligence and military officials who provide the White House with guidance. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director of national intelligence were removed from the NSC. As journalist Sarah Jeong put it on Twitter, national security "is such an emergency you have to ban Muslims. But also let's replace chairman of joint chiefs with some guy with a garbage website." Meanwhile, chaos reigned on Saturday as dozens of immigrants were detained after the executive order was put into force immediately. As CNN reported Saturday night, the mayhem seems to be Bannon's doing. CNN reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency which oversees Customs and Border Protection, did not even know about the executive order until it was being released to the public. Nor did its lawyers, who did not do a legal analysis of it until after it was in effect. DHS lawyers reportedly determined that it did not apply to green card holders and permanent residents, but the White House -- led by Steve Bannon -- overruled that objection and kept the restrictions on green card holders in place, allowing exemptions on a case by case basis. Click Here to Read Whole Article Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall already had a serious understanding of the Internet and its implications for media and democracy while I was still figuring out how to use email. Some see Internet connectivity solely as a means toward power and profit; Rob's book, Bottom up, sees and offers it as a vehicle for bettering society and ourselves." Jeff Cohen, Founder, FAIR, and founding Director of the Park Center for Independent Media Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Think that the notion of Trump taking America into a war against the Muslim nations of the world is inconceivable, that this couldn't actually happen? Well it could indeed happen and faster than we think since Trump has shown that, in addition to his hatred of ISIS, which is understandable, he has some kind of deeply embedded resentment of Muslims in general. That resentment has been evidenced by the disdain and disrespect that he has shown against American Muslims who have lived in this country for some time and have an almost spotless record with regard to crime and violence. They seem to have become some kind of scapegoats because those of the same mindset as Trump don't trust them simply because they are of the same religion as the ISIS terrorists. Here's a series of measures that Trump has already taken against Muslims. Only a few days into his presidency, he created a huge new controversy when, in one of his first presidential executive orders, he took steps to ban citizens from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan from entering America for the next 90 days plus a similar ban on all refugees for 120 days. The order also included an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. By singling out these seven Muslim countries for that ban he has made a clear inference that they pose a definite threat to America and its people. That is simply looking for trouble where it doesn't exist and is poor judgment. He apparently can't tell the difference between radical Islamist terrorists and the majority of peaceful, law abiding Muslims. This is a form of guilt by association that brands the entire Muslim community in this country, as well as in other nations, as being threats to America. That ban almost immediately created a firestorm of dissension across America which then spread across the world. Trump has quickly shown that he lacks leadership skills but he is certainly a master of the art of creating dissension and controversy. This is the Trump we have come to know, the bull in the China shop, acting in haste instead of considering the degree of complexity and danger involved with his questionable presidential edicts. In a move to further control and punish Muslims the Trump administration is also considering a plan to deport legal immigrants already living in the United States who are receiving various forms of government welfare. If he decides to do exactly that, then we could see monumental protests across the country. And then there is the threat of the creation of a Muslim registry that he issued during the presidential campaign, which could be implemented at any given time. What in world is he going to do next to keep these people living in a state of fear? Is this what he meant when he said he was going to "Make America great again?" Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Yes, the Internet can be used for something other than extracting value and data from human beings. Rob Kall is here to show us how to leverage the power of networks to actually network." Douglas Rushkoff, Digital thought leader, author of Present Shock From Consortium News A grassroots rebellion against President Trump's anti-immigration policies is taking shape in California and across the country, spearheaded by farmworkers, day laborers, immigrant domestic workers and their supporters. One of its leaders is Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day-Laborer Organizing Network or NDLON, who is sometimes called the "Cesar Chavez of undocumented Day Laborers." I spoke to Alvarado after a strategy session that he had convened with staff and supporters in the immigrants' rights movement in California and across the nation. Dennis Bernstein: I know you just emerged from a national planning meeting in terms of beginning a series of proactive steps in response to Trump's frontal assault on all immigrants and their supporters. I think you were calling it Alto Trump, Stop Trump. Could you outline what you all were talking about and planning in response to the Trump directives? Pablo Alvarado: Sure. Well, during the electoral process ... we saw and heard all of the incendiary and overheated rhetoric, and racist rhetoric, by the President, by President Trump. And people thought, "Maybe he doesn't really mean it." Then he won and people said "Well, maybe we gotta give him a chance. Maybe he's not as bad as it appears." Then he comes into power, and then by the fourth day of him being in power we know what he really is about. The executive decisions that he has taken are decisions that will impact ... the lives of many, not just undocumented immigrants, but all of the folks that he intended to attack, during the electoral campaign. We're talking about Muslims, we're talking about women, African-Americans, the disabled, members of the LGBTQ community, and, of course, the undocumented ... community. And now we're seeing that he actually meant what he said. Now the question is what kind of resources he's going to put into those initiatives that he wants to push for. It appears that he is serious about [increasing] the number of ICE agents from 5,000 to 15,000. He's talked about an ICE force, an immigration enforcement force. They're here. And with 15,000 officers across the country, the persecution is going to be unprecedented. He spoke about the wall, about reviewing NAFTA, it appears that he's moving on all of those fronts. And it's not going to be a good thing for us. And so, it's becoming more and more clear to us, that he meant what he said. So, now, for us, the first act of resistance that we need to put together is people knowing, understanding and exercising their rights. The second level of that, the process of resistance, is coming together with neighbors and building these migrants defense collectives, across the country. Where, at this point, what we feel is that communities shouldn't expect an organization to come and save them, or leaders to come and save them, or a political party to come and save them. This is a moment for people who have been harmed by the policies of this President to stand up and organize themselves, and defend themselves. Oftentimes when I am talking to undocumented people I tell them, "Hey, there's good news, and the good news is that Mr. Trump has stated that he's only going to prosecute criminals and deport criminals. The bad news is that we're all criminals, in his mind." And, in terms of the law, he is going to expand the definition of what a serious misdemeanor is, and what a serious felony is, to deport more people. He's going to, obviously, in order for him to accomplish what he said he's going to do, in terms of deporting two to three million people in the first years of his mandate, the only way that he can do that is by enlisting local police to enforce immigration law. And, of course, you know we plan to put up a fight. If he thinks that we are going to go quietly into the night, without putting up a fight, he is fundamentally wrong. So, the struggle is going to be at all levels: defending ourselves in the neighborhoods, litigation -- our legal team is rethinking and retooling, and finding the legal grounds that we're going to need to challenge the measures that Mr. Trump implements against our community. For example, in California we have introduced a legislation called the California Values Act , which actually would prohibit the state of California from investing any dime, any dollars, in the deportation, interrogation, detention of undocumented people. So, that bill is moving forward in the legislature. So, this is the way that we're going to resist. There are hundreds of municipalities who believe that migrants need to be protected, rather than persecuted. We're going to go and keep supporting those so-called sanctuary cities. Making sure that they extend better protections for migrants, but also that they stem the attack from the Trump administration. So, we are definitely planning in all fronts. We're preparing for the worst, and obviously, hoping for the best. But one thing is for sure, we are not going to go quietly into the night, we're not going to disappear, we're not going to go down without a fight. And I think... I believe that this is, obviously four years of resistance, and it's barely starting. And I can tell you that there is so much energy in our communities. People feel the fear, there is obviously fear, widespread fear, but at the same time there is courage. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source. From Down With Tyranny 'Reckoning with Obama's legacy won't be easy for Democrats. But it has to be done.' (Image by Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency) Details DMCA "Nothing in this country will fundamentally change until we get corporations out of our politics, until we stop allowing legalized bribery, and until we shatter the two-party system that gives us a choice between a corporate Democrat and a fascist minus the little mustache." --Jeremy Scahill Corporate Democrats are all for unity, so long as they're in charge. --Yours truly As of this writing, 13 Democratic senators plus Angus King -- including Clinton VP pick Tim Kaine, Amy Klobuchar, Sheldon Whitehouse, Brian Schatz and Jean Shaheen -- have voted for all five Trump cabinet nominees. --Source: Judd Legum, ThinkProgress One of the side effects (or the main effect if you're cynically minded) of the constant and appropriate indictment of Donald Trump's policies is the rapid "disappearing" of those Democratic party actions that set the table for all Trump plans to do. This has two serious consequences. First, it puts neo-liberal, pro-corporate, pro-austerity Democrats first in line if Trump falls from grace and loses the consent of the governed. Which means competing progressive candidates would be mainly out of luck, and if Democrats won, we would likely get back a "fiscally responsible" Democrat who may want, for example, to "trim" Social Security, as Obama tried several times to do, instead of slash it, as Paul Ryan wants to do. Or, on the climate front, we would get back a "responsible" (fossil fuel-financed) Democrat who will offer to trim emissions by, say, 30% over 50 years, when cuts of 50% over 10 years is the absolute slowest we should be going if the president truly wants to "keep us safe." Putting austerity-loving Democrats first in line, though, wouldn't make them any more popular than they were the last time, when they lost a presidential squeaker that should have been blowout. And it puts them no closer to control of the House or Senate than they are right now, given their propensity to put up lackluster corporate candidates and kick real progressives to the electoral curb. In other words, putting corporate Democrats first in line to replace Trump is no solution at all from a "real progressive" standpoint -- unless, of course, one is fully on board with a promise of incrementalism in a time that still demands rapid change. The other consequence of "disappearing" Democratic Party policies that handed Trump the power he now has, means mainstream Democrats will escape all responsibility for having prepared the table at which Trump now feasts. Which means progressives, if they provide ground cover for those policies in order to protect their "fellow" resistance fighters, will never be able to credibly call them out later. Either way, we're back to where we started under Obama, with a choice between what's really bad on most economic and climate issues (unless you count his recent climate "legacy" push) versus completely and what's totally terrible on all issues. We're back, in other words, to sitting on the same powder keg (economic devastation) that both the Sanders and Trump campaigns offered to address, with no one on "our" side actually addressing it, and the next "change" candidate only pretending to. That's no way to run a country if you want to make sure that powder keg never ignites. Two Coups, Two Counter-Coups Earlier I wrote that "there are multiple coups going on, including an obvious one made invisible by the media and cheered by the Democratic Party (see "Who's Blackmailing the President?"). There are also at least two counter-coups, one hidden and big-footed by the other (for a hint, see "The Sanders Conundrum")." The two coups, of course, are Trump's constitutional coup (more on that later, including some definitions and examples) and the "Deep State coup" -- the pushback by the sidelined intelligence agencies that, in the view of many, could well involve blackmail against the president and his cabinet officers. The counter-coup that's hidden is the progressive effort to put Sanders-style policies ahead of mainstream, pro-corporate Democratic policies. What's hiding it -- as discussed above -- is the fact that the entire Party ecosystem, including the media and the Rolodexed pundit class, is merging the resistance from progressives into the "resistance" (if one could call it that) from the mainstream Democratic party, and calling both efforts as the same thing. Big-Footing the Progressives I think, unfortunately, progressives are letting themselves be big-footed in this way. The mainstream-led portion of Democratic Party was knocked to the ground in November. If progressives make it their job to pick them up and pretend we're all somehow in the same fight against Trump, we'll just have to fight these Democrats later anyway, and from a far weaker position than if we take them on now. Corporate Democrats are all for party unity, so long as they're in charge. Challenge that unity and they'll rip our throats out. Will that challenge be now, when they're weaker, or later, when they've been made stronger with our help? I'll say that more prescriptively. Progressives should be leading in the fight against Trump, not taking a back seat to the Chuck Schumers, Dianne Feinsteins, and yes, Amy Klobuchars of the world. Believe me, the Chuck Schumers of the world, today, are being very careful to make sure that people like Sanders and Warren stay in their place -- that they say nothing to discredit corporate Democrats as they attack the Trump regime. Yet mainstream Democrats have much to be discredited about. Progressives should at least be pointing that out, calling out Dems who do things like enabling the Mike Pompeos and the Rex Tillersons, loudly, clearly and constantly. They should make the public see the difference in the two "resistances" -- the weak one that still serves money, and the strong one that serves the people themselves. After all, if progressives don't take the progressive case to the people, who will? Democrats Who Set the Table for Trump The other way to do it, to make sure that people see the difference between the progressive alternative to Trump and the pretend-progressive alternative, is to make sure mainstream Democrats get tagged as Trump table-setters, as the people who made possible and normal all Trump and his band will do. Below are just a few of the ways mainstream Democrats cooked the meal that Trump is about to devour. I'll give just a taste of each article and leave you to explore the rest at your leisure. -- Obama Opens NSA's Vast Trove of Warrantless Data to Entire Intelligence Community, Just in Time for Trump Let's start with domestic surveillance, the ability of the intelligence and police communities to both spy on citizens and to widely share data that other spy agencies collect. That last capability -- the wide sharing of data acquired by domestic spying -- was one of Obama's last acts. The Intercept: "Obama Opens NSA's Vast Trove of Warrantless Data to Entire Intelligence Community, Just in Time for Trump "With only days until Donald Trump takes office, the Obama administration on Thursday announced new rules that will let the NSA share vast amounts of private data gathered without warrant, court orders or congressional authorization with 16 other agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security. "The new rules allow employees doing intelligence work for those agencies to sift through raw data collected under a broad, Reagan-era executive order that gives the NSA virtually unlimited authority to intercept communications abroad. Previously, NSA analysts would filter out information they deemed irrelevant and mask the names of innocent Americans before passing it along. "The change was in the works long before there was any expectation that someone like Trump might become president. The last-minute adoption of the procedures is one of many examples of the Obama administration making new executive powers established by the Bush administration permanent, on the assumption that the executive branch could be trusted to police itself." "One of the most shameful legacies that President Obama leaves this country is that he used his legitimacy in the eyes of so many liberals to try to normalize assassination as a central component of US foreign policy. "Assassination has been a central component of US foreign policy since the first native people were massacred in this country. But Mr. Obama -- Mr. Nobel Peace Prize-winning, constitutional law scholar -- has created a large state of legitimacy for Donald Trump to come in and say, 'I'm allowed to assassinate American citizens who haven't been charged with a crime, even if they're not posing an imminent threat to the lives of any Americans, and even if they're not on a declared battlefield'; that drone warfare should be expanded, not limited; that the president does not need to have any effective legal oversight to a secret process of putting people on a kill list, and then run those names all the way through his chain of command, and then signing death warrants. "This amounts to the President of the United States serving as an emperor, where he is the prosecutor, the judge, the jury, and ultimately the executioner by proxy of drones that will then be used to strike and kill people across the globe. We don't even know how many people they've killed through this assassination program that President Obama has expanded since the era of George W. Bush." "General James Mattis said it's fun to shoot 'some people.' And if you actually read the quote, those 'some people' he was talking about, were men in Afghanistan whose identities he didn't know, whose backgrounds he didn't know. But he said it was fun to shoot them because they probably beat their wives. I don't believe anyone should lay a hand on their spouse at all, but since when is it US military policy to extra-judicially execute people based on the presumption that they may be beating their spouse? This is the guy that they've put in charge of the entire US military." "Obama can't place the blame for Clinton's poor performance purely on her campaign. On the contrary, the past eight years of policymaking have damaged Democrats at all levels. Recovering Democratic strength will require the party's leaders to come to terms with what it has become -- and the role Obama played in bringing it to this point. "Two key elements characterized the kind of domestic political economy the administration pursued: The first was the foreclosure crisis and the subsequent bank bailouts. The resulting policy framework of Tim Geithner's Treasury Department was, in effect, a wholesale attack on the American home (the main store of middle-class wealth) in favor of concentrated financial power. The second was the administration's pro-monopoly policies, which crushed the rural areas that in 2016 lost voter turnout and swung to Donald Trump. "Obama didn't cause the financial panic, and he is only partially responsible for the bailouts, as most of them were passed before he was elected. But financial collapses, while bad for the country, are opportunities for elected leaders to reorganize our culture. Franklin Roosevelt took a frozen banking system and created the New Deal. Ronald Reagan used the sharp recession of the early 1980s to seriously damage unions. In January 2009, Obama had overwhelming Democratic majorities in Congress, $350 billion of no-strings-attached bailout money and enormous legal latitude." "First, he saved the financial system.... "Second, Obama's administration let big-bank executives off the hook for their roles in the crisis.... "Third, Obama enabled and encouraged roughly 9 million foreclosures.... "Nor did Obama do much about monopolies..." Betsy Devos, the subject of Wally' Glickman's satiric and melodic little video, is the death knell for American public education, which is one of the essential institutions of our democratic society. Funny how satire can show the dark undertones of what DeVos represents. Public education offers a guarantee to everyone in this country. It was a hard-fought victory. First, it required persuading the public to tax themselves to pay for schools for the children of the community. Second, it required separating the schools from religious institutions, which had long been the source of education. Third, it meant expanding access to all: to boys and girls, to children of all races and cultures, to children whose first language was not English, and to children with disabilities. Former Under Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch says: " Betsy DeVos and her family have devoted millions of dollars to destroying public schools and turning the clock back by more than a century. In Michigan, no one says no to the DeVos family. They defeat legislators who dare to say no. They own the state. Is that too strong a statement? Read this blistering, "The Red Queen" a frightening article about DeVos, a woman who is ignorant of the history of public education in America and the role of public schools in our society. Her hostility to public schools should have disqualified her from consideration for this position." From The Red Queen: "A characteristic DeVos move in Lansing traces a familiar pattern. A piece of legislation suddenly appears courtesy of a family ally. It pops up late in the session, late at night, or better still, during lame duck, when the usual legislative horse trading shifts into overdrive. So it was with a controversial bill that popped up 2013, doubling the limits for campaign contributions--a limit that no one in Michigan was wealthy enough to hit. Well almost no one. The GOP jammed the measure through, Governor Snyder signed it, and it took effect immediately. "The DeVoses then got their whole clan together and held a check writing party," recalls Jeff Irwin, a democratic state representative from Ann Arbor who was recently term limited out. "It was a love letter to the richest people in Michigan and they delivered with a huge thank you." "The extended DeVos clan gathered on New Year's Eve 2013, writing check after check to Republican candidates and caucuses to the tune of more than $300,000, an exercise they would repeat just a few months later. Did they sip champagne as they signed? Did their hands grow weary? For the DeVoses, the ability to give even more money means that they can exert even more influence. "When you empower a billionaire family like that, you give them more power," Michigan Campaign Finance Network director Craig Mauger told me when I stopped by to see him in Lansing. Just blocks from the Capital, his office is in a part of the city that teems with the lobbyists who hold so much sway here. His building is home to not one, but two different for-profit charter operators. "The DeVoses are tilting the field and changing the structures of politics in Michigan." From Paul Craig Roberts Website The Saker is a level-headed person. I take it seriously when he spells out the threat to Trump's presidency presented by the paradoxical alliance of the ruling oligarchs with what purports to be the "liberal/progressive/left." It is amazing that the "liberal/progressive/left" are aligned with war and not with peace and are aligned with the One Percent against the working class, whom they despise as "Trump deplorables." The Saker believes that Trump is under serious threat of being overthrown and that he must strike first or go down. As my readers are highly intelligent, I am not surprised that some of them have arrived at the same conclusion as The Saker. Here is what one had to say: I am totally astounded by the madness -- even at formerly reasonable left-liberal websites. Alternet is one big hysteria factory. Although Counterpunch has had good articles by Mike Whitney, you (I presume, since I read your articles on your website), Diana Johnstone and a few others, I can't believe how they've jumped in, too. I've been reading CP since the beginning of the newsletter in the 90s. Until this year, they were (after yours) my go-to website when I turned the computer on. I can't believe they have a new article titled "Beyond Resistance -- Defeating Trump's Burgeoning Dictatorship." And another: "Democracy in Exile and the Curse of Totalitarianism." And another: "Muslim Bans, White Supremacy and Fascism in Our Time." Patrick Cockburn has an article titled: "Trump's Muslim Ban Will Only Spark More Terrorist Attacks." Even the World Socialist Website has gone bananas. Almost all of the German left-mainstream sites have gone insane. On the one hand, it seems like almost every protest group, in the end, has a source of money from Soros. On the other, it seems like 40% of the population must have been put through an MK-Ultra program. How could such mass hysteria otherwise be produced? This is the level of argument with which protesters oppose Trump's presidency. Readers share my amazement that there are large numbers of people so stupid as to think that a ban on Muslim immigrants is far worse than murdering Muslims in seven countries for 15 years. Bush and Obama conducted genocide against Muslims over the course of four presidential terms, and no protesters sought their impeachment for what are most certainly war crimes and crimes against humanity. But Trump's perfectly legal immigration action is alleged to be grounds for impeachment! The protesters are completely nonsensical, so much so that it must be an orchestration. As the protesting websites, if not all of the protesters in the streets, accept the 9/11 story-line and the hoax "war on terror" that the story-line justifies, it follows logically that Muslims, already "terrorists" by definition (just ask the neoconservatives and Israel), fleeing their death and destruction by Washington might harbor thoughts of harm to Americans. Considering the ruling story-line, to let them in would be irresponsible. But not to the protesters. It wasn't the killing of their families and destruction of their homes and countries that might make Muslims into terrorists. It is banning them from entry as refugees that turns them into terrorists! Try to imagine the absurdity of political leadership in the US and Europe during the 21st century. Western governments inflicted so much death and destruction that they created millions of Muslim refugees in order to accept as immigrants peoples who might harbor thoughts of revenge. Are we to conclude that there is no such thing in the US and Europe as a liberal/progressive/left, only Soros-funded protesters for hire, as in the orchestrated Maiden protests in Kiev and today in Macedonia and Hungary? Correct or not, this is the conclusion of many. Illegitimate protests discredit all protests. Could we be witnessing the ruling oligarchy using its pawns to discredit in advance valid protests at the time when they move to reassert their control? An astute citizen of Hungary sees similarity between the protests against Trump in the US and the Soros-orchestrated protests against the government of Hungary: Dear Dr. Roberts, Being the citizen of Hungary, a country heavily infested by Soros-financed NGO's, and with a government that is openly anti-Soros, it breaks my heart to see the USA in a situation very much like what we have had to put up with since 2010, the year when Viktor Orban won a two-thirds majority, which he won again in 2014. Today, there is one piece of experience that is, I think, crucial for us, Hungarians, to share with the USA. It is this: nothing is sacred or too dear for Soros, his NGO's and associates of all stripes in their fight for power. This has been a concept quite hard to come to terms with for many of us in Hungary. They will sacrifice the country, the future, the people, they will sacrifice anything, just to (re-)gain power. As I follow news from the USA, I see photos of crowds that appear to be filled with hatred. They are like the (fortunately quite diminished) crowds paraded around by the Hungarian opposition parties, who like to call themselves "democratic" as opposed to the government elected to office by the people, which they refer to as "fascist, nazi, anti-democratic, anti-semitic" etc. These crowds are the embodiment of hypocrisy. Chanting slogans of "love," they act out of pure hatred, for power, and refuse to be reasoned with. They refuse to consider facts. They call themselves liberals, but act against liberty through exercising total intolerance. I assume that the people who voted for President Trump are patriotic. If my assumption is correct, this also means that it will take quite some time, until the reality sinks in that Soros, his NGO's and allies will trample down, unhesitatingly, the nation and the empire that they seek to rule unchallenged. This is because they do not rule for the people. They need the power to be in the position to exploit the nation and the empire, for their own benefit. This is not an easy thought to come to terms with for a patriot. The sooner the US electorate understands this, the more resistant it can become against the propaganda campaign and high visibility demonstrations so happily covered by the mainstream media. It is important to keep in mind that the room to maneuver President Trump has is directly proportionate to the popular support he enjoys, at any given time. Dr. Roberts, thank you for all your valuable work invested into making the world a better -- and safer -- place, for the benefit of all Mankind. Kind regards, Anita From Paul Craig Roberts Website Trump To Let Pentagon Chief Override On Torture (Image by kurv.com) Details DMCA President Trump says he wants the US to have better relations with Russia and to halt military operations against Muslim countries. But he is being undermined by the Pentagon. The commander of US forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, has lined up tanks on Poland's border with Russia and fired salvos that the general says are a message to Russia, not a training exercise. How is Trump going to normalize relations with Russia when the commander of US forces in Europe is threatening Russia with words and deeds? The Pentagon has also sent armored vehicles to "moderate rebels" in Syria, according to Pentagon spokesman Col. John Dorrian. Unable to prevent Russia and Syria from winning the war against ISIS, the Pentagon is busy at work derailing the peace negotiations. The military/security complex is using its puppets-on-a-string in the House and Senate to generate renewed conflict with Iran and to continue threats against China. Clearly, Trump is not in control of the most important part of his agenda -- peace with the thermo-nuclear powers and cessation of interference in the affairs of other countries. Trump cannot simultaneously make peace with Russia and make war on Iran and China. The Russian government is not stupid. It will not sell out China and Iran for a deal with the West. Iran is a buffer against jihadism spilling into Muslim populations in the Russian Federation. China is Russia's most important military and economic strategic ally against a renewal of US hostility toward Russia by Trump's successor, assuming Trump succeeds in reducing US/Russian tensions. The neoconservatives with their agenda of US world hegemony and their alliance with the military-security complex will outlast the Trump administration. Moreover, China is rising, while the corrupt and dehumanized West is failing. A deal with the West is worth nothing. Countries that make deals with the West are exposed to financial and political exploitation. They become vassals. There are no exceptions. Russia's desire to be part of the West is perplexing. Russia should build its security on relations with China and Asia, and let the West, desirous of participating in this success, come to Russia to ask for a deal. Why be a supplicant when you can be the decider? Global Eco Fibers Market 2016 Industry Analysis, Shares, Growth, Applications, Trends, Demands, Forecast to 2021 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=554223&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com The report, Eco Fibers Industry Research 2016, offers a detailed overview of the global Eco Fibers market. The report has been prepared using comprehensive secondary and primary research. Furthermore, expert analysts with their extensive experience in respective domains offer key recommendations in the research study. This will help clients understand the investment feasibility for different upcoming projects in the global Eco Fibers market.The report on the global Eco Fibers market begins with a brief overview of the industry. The development of the global Eco Fibers market is elaborated in the report along with the classification of the market in several sectors. Each sector is described in detail in the report.Furthermore, the in-depth evaluation of these sectors with their market facts, figures, and importantly, forecasts will help readers gauge the potential of these segments. The report discusses the dominant sectors and emerging sectors in the market projected to grow at the highest rates.New entrants and established players have a good opportunity to improve their return on investment (ROI)by focusing on these fast-growing segments. Moreover, the research report also discusses the innovations that will shape the dynamics of the global Eco Fibers market in the coming few years.The most innovative companies in the global Eco Fibers market and their key strategies are discussed in the research report. Consumers in the global Eco Fibers market expect innovative products and solutions. By offering such products or solutions, companies in the global Eco Fibers market can gain a competitive edge in the market.The key players operating in the global Eco Fibers market are analyzed in detail in the report. Details such as the profile, contact information, key strategies, product portfolio, and latest events of these companies are mentioned in this report.To Get a Free Sample Copy of this Report visit @QYresearchreports.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.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com United States Intelligent Solar Market Market 2017 Industry, Trends, Demand, Growth, Share and Opportunities forecasts to 2021 Intelligent Solar Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/913857-united-states-intelligent-solar-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/913857-united-states-intelligent-solar-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=913857 www.wiseguyreports.com Intelligent SolarThis report studies on Intelligent Solar in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, and revenue and market share for each player, coveringABBEchelonGE EnergySchneider ElectricSiemensItronLandis+GYRSensus USASilver Spring NetworksSolarcitySunnovaUGEVivint SolarIntelligentsolarENFDueDilTry Sample Report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoPhotovoltaicLight and HeatSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Intelligent Solar in each application, can be divided intoHouseholdAgrochemicalCommercialOtherSome Major Points from Table of content:United States Intelligent Solar Market Report 20171 Intelligent Solar Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Intelligent Solar1.2 Classification of Intelligent Solar1.2.1 Photovoltaic1.2.2 Light and Heat1.3 Application of Intelligent Solar1.3.1 Household1.3.2 Agrochemical1.3.3 Commercial1.3.4 Other1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Intelligent Solar (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Intelligent Solar Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Intelligent Solar Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @2 United States Intelligent Solar Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Intelligent Solar Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Intelligent Solar Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Intelligent Solar Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Intelligent Solar Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Intelligent Solar Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Intelligent Solar Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion......6 United States Intelligent Solar Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 ABB6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Intelligent Solar Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Photovoltaic6.1.2.2 Light and Heat6.1.3 ABB Intelligent Solar Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Echelon6.2.2 Intelligent Solar Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Photovoltaic6.2.2.2 Light and Heat6.2.3 Echelon Intelligent Solar Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 GE Energy6.3.2 Intelligent Solar Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Photovoltaic6.3.2.2 Light and Heat6.3.3 GE Energy Intelligent Solar Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Schneider Electric6.4.2 Intelligent Solar Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Photovoltaic6.4.2.2 Light and Heat6.4.3 Schneider Electric Intelligent Solar Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Siemens6.5.2 Intelligent Solar Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Photovoltaic6.5.2.2 Light and Heat6.5.3 Siemens Intelligent Solar Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 Itron6.6.2 Intelligent Solar Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.1 Photovoltaic6.6.2.2 Light and Heat6.6.3 Itron Intelligent Solar Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com Bicycle Stems Europe Market Industry Research Report 2022 Bicycle Stems Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/917636-europe-bicycle-stems-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/917636-europe-bicycle-stems-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=917636 www.wiseguyreports.com SAMPLE REQUEST@Notes:Sales, means the sales volume of Bicycle StemsRevenue, means the sales value of Bicycle StemsThis report studies sales (consumption) of Bicycle Stems in Europe market, especially in Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain and Benelux, focuses on top players in these countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these Countries, covering3TBontragerEastonFSARitcheySpecializedAmerican ClassicAnswerBMCBontragerMTBMXNecoNishikiNittoNorcoNS BikesCane CreekCharge BikesMarket Segment by Countries, this report splits Europe into several key Countries, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Bicycle Stems in these countries, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeGermanyFranceUKRussiaItalySpainBeneluxSplit by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into80mm100mm120mmOtherSplit by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Bicycle Stems in each application, can be divided intoMountain BikeRoad Bike - RacingOtherCOMPLETE REPORT DETAILS @Table of ContentsEurope Bicycle Stems Market Report 20171 Bicycle Stems Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Bicycle Stems1.2 Classification of Bicycle Stems1.2.1 80mm1.2.2 100mm1.2.3 120mm1.2.4 Other1.3 Application of Bicycle Stems1.3.1 Mountain Bike1.3.2 Road Bike - Racing1.3.3 Other2 Europe Bicycle Stems by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Europe Bicycle Stems Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Europe Bicycle Stems Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.1.2 Europe Bicycle Stems Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Europe Bicycle Stems (Volume and Value) by Type3 Germany Bicycle Stems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 Germany Bicycle Stems Sales and Value (2011-2016)3.1.1 Germany Bicycle Stems Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.2 Germany Bicycle Stems Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.3 Germany Bicycle Stems Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)...5 UK Bicycle Stems (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 UK Bicycle Stems Sales and Value (2011-2016)5.1.1 UK Bicycle Stems Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)5.1.2 UK Bicycle Stems Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)5.1.5 UK Bicycle Stems Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)CONTINUEDBUY THIS REPORT @Contact Us :NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India United States Organic Food Market Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share Research Report 2017 Organic Food Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/914073-united-states-organic-food-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/914073-united-states-organic-food-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=914073 www.wiseguyreports.com Organic Food MarketThis report studies sales (consumption) of Organic Food in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, and revenue and market share for each player, coveringConscious FoodOrganic IndiaMorarka Organic FoodsEcofarms (India)Gayatri Organic FoodsSresta Natural BioproductsNavdanya FoodsSuminter India OrganicsFabindia OverseasPristine OrganicsTry Sample Report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoOrganic Milk FoodOrganic Meat FoodOrganic Vegetable FoodOrganic Fruit FoodSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Organic Food in each application, can be divided intoFood IndustryPharmaceutical IntermediatesSome Major Points from Table of content:United States Organic Food Market Report 20171 Organic Food Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Organic Food1.2 Classification of Organic Food1.2.1 Organic Milk Food1.2.2 Organic Meat Food1.2.3 Organic Vegetable Food1.2.4 Organic Fruit Food1.3 Application of Organic Food1.3.1 Food Industry1.3.2 Pharmaceutical Intermediates1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Organic Food (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Organic Food Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Organic Food Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @2 United States Organic Food Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Organic Food Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Organic Food Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Organic Food Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Organic Food Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Organic Food Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Organic Food Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion......6 United States Organic Food Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Conscious Food6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Organic Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 Conscious Food Organic Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Organic India6.2.2 Organic Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Organic India Organic Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Morarka Organic Foods6.3.2 Organic Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 Morarka Organic Foods Organic Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Ecofarms(India)6.4.2 Organic Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 Ecofarms(India) Organic Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Gayatri Organic Foods6.5.2 Organic Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Product A6.5.2.2 Product B6.5.3 Gayatri Organic Foods Organic Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com Research Report Explores the Europe Breathable Textile Market 2017 Breathable Textile Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/914703-europe-breathable-textile-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/914703-europe-breathable-textile-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=914703 Breathable Textile MarketSummerySales, means the sales volume of Breathable TextileRevenue, means the sales value of Breathable TextileThis report studies sales (consumption) of Breathable Textile in Europe market, especially in Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain and Benelux, focuses on top players in these countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these Countries, coveringAPT Fabrics Ltd.Columbia SportswearDow Corning CorporationHelly HansenMarmot Mountain LLCMitsui & Co., Ltd.Rudolf GmbHSchoeller Textil AGMarket Segment by Countries, this report splits Europe into several key Countries, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Breathable Textile in these countries, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeGermanyFranceUKRussiaItalySpainBeneluxRequest for Sample Report @Split by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoEptfePolyurethanePolyesterSplit by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Breathable Textile in each application, can be divided intoGarmentFootwearGlovesComplete Report @Table of content:Europe Breathable Textile Market Report 20171 Breathable Textile Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Breathable Textile1.2 Classification of Breathable Textile1.2.1 Eptfe1.2.2 Polyurethane1.2.3 Polyester1.3 Application of Breathable Textile1.3.1 Garment1.3.2 Footwear1.3.3 Gloves1.4 Breathable Textile Market by Countries1.4.1 Germany Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 France Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 UK Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Russia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Italy Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Spain Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.7 Benelux Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Europe Market Size (Value and Volume) of Breathable Textile (2011-2021)1.5.1 Europe Breathable Textile Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Europe Breathable Textile Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Europe Breathable Textile by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Europe Breathable Textile Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Europe Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.1.2 Europe Breathable Textile Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Europe Breathable Textile (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Europe Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.2.2 Europe Breathable Textile Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.3 Europe Breathable Textile (Volume and Value) by Countries2.3.1 Europe Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.3.2 Europe Breathable Textile Revenue and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.4 Europe Breathable Textile (Volume) by Application3 Germany Breathable Textile (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 Germany Breathable Textile Sales and Value (2011-2016)3.1.1 Germany Breathable Textile Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.2 Germany Breathable Textile Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.3 Germany Breathable Textile Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)3.2 Germany Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 Germany Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 Germany Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Application8 Spain Breathable Textile (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8.1 Spain Breathable Textile Sales and Value (2011-2016)8.1.1 Spain Breathable Textile Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)8.1.2 Spain Breathable Textile Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)8.1.8 Spain Breathable Textile Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)8.2 Spain Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers8.3 Spain Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Type8.4 Spain Breathable Textile Sales and Market Share by Application11 Breathable Textile Manufacturing Cost Analysis11.1 Breathable Textile Key Raw Materials Analysis11.1.1 Key Raw Materials11.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials11.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials11.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials11.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure11.2.1 Raw Materials11.2.2 Labor Cost11.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses11.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Breathable TextileBuy now @Tables and Figures:Figure Picture of Breathable TextileTable Classification of Breathable TextileFigure Europe Sales Market Share of Breathable Textile by Type in 2015Figure Eptfe PictureFigure Polyurethane PictureFigure Polyester PictureTable Application of Breathable TextileFigure Europe Sales Market Share of Breathable Textile by Application in 2015Figure Garment ExamplesFigure Footwear ExamplesFigure Gloves ExamplesContinued...Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune 411028: Maharashtra, India: Ph: +91 841 198 5042 China Dialysate 2016 - Market Size, Analysis, Share, Research, Growth China Dialysate 2016 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/915757-china-dialysate-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/915757-china-dialysate-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=915757 www.wiseguyreports.com Notes:Sales, means the sales volume of DialysateRevenue, means the sales value of DialysateThis report studies Dialysate in China market, focuses on the top players in China market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringBaxterFuso PharmaceuticalWeigaoGuangdong Biolight MeditechRockwell MedicalFreseniusFarmasolRequest for Sample Report @Market Segment by Regions (provinces), coveringSouth ChinaEast ChinaSouthwest ChinaNortheast ChinaNorth ChinaCentral ChinaNorthwest ChinaSplit by product Type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into2.5mEq/L3.5mEq/LOthersSplit by Application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Dialysate in each application, can be divided intoPublic HospitalPrivate ClinicNursing HomePersonal CareOthersLeave a Query @Table of ContentsChina Dialysate Market Research Report 20171 Dialysate Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Dialysate1.2 Dialysate Segment by Type1.2.1 China Production Market Share of Dialysate Type in 20151.2.2 2.5mEq/L1.2.3 3.5mEq/L1.2.4 Others1.3 Applications of Dialysate1.3.1 Dialysate Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Public Hospital1.3.3 Private Clinic1.3.4 Nursing Home1.3.5 Personal Care1.3.6 Others1.4 China Market Size (Value) of Dialysate (2011-2021)1.5 China Dialysate Status and Outlook1.6 Government Policies3 China Dialysate Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis3.1 Baxter3.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.1.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.1.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.1.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.1.3 Baxter Dialysate Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.2 Fuso Pharmaceutical3.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.2.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.2.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.2.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.2.3 Fuso Pharmaceutical 109 Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.3 Weigao3.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.3.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.3.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.3.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.3.3 Weigao 121 Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.4 Guangdong Biolight Meditech3.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.4.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.4.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.4.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.4.3 Guangdong Biolight Meditech Jan Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.5 Rockwell Medical3.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.5.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.5.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.5.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.5.3 Rockwell Medical Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.6 Fresenius3.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.6.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.6.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.6.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.6.3 Fresenius Million USD Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.7 Farmasol3.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.7.2 Dialysate Product Type, Application and Specification3.7.2.1 2.5mEq/L3.7.2.2 3.5mEq/L3.7.3 Farmasol Pharma & Healthcare Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.7.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy Now@CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India Effective Naturopathy http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/ www.mykotroph.com www.mykotroph.com www.mykotroph.com www.MykoTroph.com Medicinal mushrooms make a valuable contribution to the holistic cancer therapyLimeshain, February 2017*** With this years World Cancer Day on Februar4th coming, the world takes a look at the current developments. The statistics on new diseases are still depressing. In the United Kingdom alone, 356.860 people were affected by cancer in 2014 according to). The absolute number of new cases of cancer has almost doubled up since the 1970s. Experts are sure that the number of affected people will further increase. For the year 2020 it is estimated that nearly the half of the British population has suffered from cancer once in their life.Effective in the prevention and therapyTherefore, it is good to know that naturopathy can offer a lot of effective therapies to the holistic treatment of cancer. For example, medicinal mushrooms have proven effective and valuable in cancer prevention and as well as a support of the holistic cancer treatment. This could be shown by long-time observational studies in naturopathy, for example by MykoTroph - Institute for Medicinal Mushrooms. Healing with mushrooms has its origins in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and belongs to the classic methods of naturopathy. Its effectiveness is proven by experiences from naturopathy and international research studies.Medicinal mushrooms help the bodyMedicinal mushrooms also called vitality mushrooms or medically active mushrooms are rich in valuable vital substances and antioxidants. Moreover, they contain a high amount of triterpenes and polysaccharides. These ingredients have a regulating and strengthening effect on the immune system. Especially, the polysaccharides and beta-glucans are important. These substances stimulate the natural killer cells, T-helper cells and phagocytes. Thats why medicinal mushrooms can help to recognize degenerated cells and fight them. Some mushrooms are awarded to have tumour inhibiting properties. In Japan, it is common to use medications which contain particular substances from medicinal substances: Lentinan, a beta-glucan contained in medicinal mushroom Shiitake has been successfully used for years in oncology.Further important medically active mushrooms in naturopathic cancer therapy are Reishi and Agaricus blazei murrill (ABM).Improvement of life qualityCancer therapy is in general very stressful and exhausting for the affected persons. Besides the treatment of the disease, medicinal mushrooms can be very helpful to soothe the side effects of chemotherapy. During a chemotherapy aggressive cytotoxins get into the organism. The detoxifying properties of medicinal mushrooms can make the use a very good support for the therapy.If administered side effects like vomiting, lack of appetite, exhaustion and depression can be reduced. This can be led back to their high content of glyconutrients. Pain can also be alleviated by their use. For example by the medicinal mushroom Reishi, which is also called "mushroom of eternal life" in East Asia. For all these reasons, medicinal mushrooms can contribute to a considerable improvement in the overall condition and the quality of life of those affected, parallel to the school medicine therapy.Medicinal mushrooms are available as mushroom powder capsules. MykoTroph Institute advises to take great care in the selection. The so-called "mushroom powder made from the whole mushroom" has proven its effectiveness. Only here are all the active ingredients of the healing and vital mushrooms contained. Another quality feature is the cultivation of mushrooms in Germany in organic quality. Please consult your therapist. Further information on Mycotherapy can be found onor via +49 6047 988530About MykoTrophThe MykoTroph AG, Institute for Medicinal Mushrooms based in Limeshain was founded in 2003 by Franz Schmaus. Over the last 30 years, the agricultural engineer has gathered extensive knowledge about the effects and use of medicinal mushrooms and is one of the most renowned experts in this field. MykoTroph Institute aims to spread the knowledge of the mushrooms preventative and healing effects and make it accessible to a wide public.Further information and studies can be found on the institutes website. Additionally, Franz Schmaus and his team, consisting of mycotherapists and naturopaths, are available for extensive advice from Monday to Friday between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. CET via the hotline +0049 (0) 6047-98 85 30. People who are interested can also arrange a personal consultation at the institute via that number. Telephone consultations are free of charge. Comprehensive information on fungal medicine can also be requested for free at MykoTroph Institute.MykoTrophInstitute for Medicinal MushroomsAm Forsterahl 3AD-63694 LimeshainPhone: +49 6047-988530Web:E-Mail: info@mykotroph.comPresscontactSanTerris GmbHSaalburgstrasse 3D-61138 NiederdorfeldenPhone: +49 6101 / 33888E-Mail: info@santerrisWeb: Castor Oil and Derivatives Industry: Global (Us, Eu, Japan & China) Capacity, Production, Sales, and Revenue Castor Oil and Derivatives Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/915722-china-castor-oil-and-derivatives-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/915722-china-castor-oil-and-derivatives-market-research-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=915722 Castor Oil and Derivatives MarketSummaryWiseguyreports.Com Adds Castor Oil and Derivatives -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities and analysis of Top Key Player Forecast to 2021 To Its Research DatabaseThis report studies Castor Oil and Derivatives in China market, focuses on the top players in China market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringThai Castor Oil Industries Co. Ltd.ITOH Oil Chemicals Co. Ltd.Jayant Agro OrganicsHokoku CorporationRPK AgrotechTaj Agro ProductsTongliaoTongHua Castor Chemical Co. Ltd.XingtaiLantian Fine Chemical Co. Ltd.NK ProteinsAdani WilmarsKanak Castor Products Pvt. Ltd.Liaoyang Huaxing Chemical Co. Ltd.EnovelBom BrazilGokul OverseasFor Sample report @Market Segment by Regions (provinces), coveringSouth ChinaEast ChinaSouthwest ChinaNortheast ChinaNorth ChinaCentral ChinaNorthwest ChinaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoSebacic AcidRicinoleic AcidUndecylenic AcidCastor WaxDehydrated Castor OilSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Castor Oil and Derivatives in each application, can be divided intoLubricantsSurface CoatingsBiodieselCosmetics & PharmaceuticalsPlastics& ResinsEnquiry before buying @Table of ContentsGlobal (Us, Eu, Japan & China) Castor Oil and Derivatives Market Research Report 20171 Castor Oil and Derivatives Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Castor Oil and Derivatives1.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Segment by Type1.2.1 China Production Market Share of Castor Oil and Derivatives Type in 20151.2.2 Sebacic Acid1.2.3 Ricinoleic Acid1.2.4 Undecylenic Acid1.2.5 Castor Wax1.2.6 Dehydrated Castor Oil1.3 Applications of Castor Oil and Derivatives1.3.1 Castor Oil and Derivatives Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Lubricants1.3.3 Surface Coatings1.3.4 Biodiesel1.3.5 Cosmetics & Pharmaceuticals1.3.6 Plastics& Resins1.4 China Market Size (Value) of Castor Oil and Derivatives (2011-2021)1.5 China Castor Oil and Derivatives Status and Outlook1.6 Government Policies......3 China Castor Oil and Derivatives Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis3.1 Thai Castor Oil Industries Co. Ltd.3.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.1.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.1.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.1.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.1.3 Thai Castor Oil Industries Co. Ltd. Castor Oil and Derivatives Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.2 ITOH Oil Chemicals Co. Ltd.3.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.2.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.2.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.2.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.2.3 ITOH Oil Chemicals Co. Ltd. 107 Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.3 Jayant Agro Organics3.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.3.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.3.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.3.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.3.3 Jayant Agro Organics 116 Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.4 Hokoku Corporation3.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.4.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.4.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.4.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.4.3 Hokoku Corporation Jan Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.5 RPK Agrotech3.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.5.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.5.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.5.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.5.3 RPK Agrotech Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.6 Taj Agro Products3.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.6.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.6.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.6.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.6.3 Taj Agro Products Million USD Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.7 TongliaoTongHua Castor Chemical Co. Ltd.3.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.7.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.7.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.7.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.7.3 TongliaoTongHua Castor Chemical Co. Ltd. Chemical & Material Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.8 XingtaiLantian Fine Chemical Co. Ltd.3.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.8.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.8.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.8.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.8.3 XingtaiLantian Fine Chemical Co. Ltd. Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.9 NK Proteins3.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.9.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.9.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.9.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.9.3 NK Proteins Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.10 Adani Wilmars3.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors3.10.2 Castor Oil and Derivatives Product Type, Application and Specification3.10.2.1 Sebacic Acid3.10.2.2 Ricinoleic Acid3.10.3 Adani Wilmars Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)3.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview3.11 Kanak Castor Products Pvt. Ltd.3.12 Liaoyang Huaxing Chemical Co. Ltd.3.13 Enovel3.14 Bom Brazil3.15 Gokul Overseas.Buy This Report @Continued...Contact Us: Sales@Wiseguyreports.Com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Europe Image Sensor Market 2017 - 2021 Industry, Trends, Demand, Growth, Share, Opportunities and Analysis Image Sensor https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/914813-europe-image-sensor-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/914813-europe-image-sensor-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/914813-europe-image-sensor-market-report-2017 www.wiseguyreports.com Latest industry research report on Europe Image Sensor Market 2017: Industry Research, Sales, Price, Revenue, Size, Share, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, Manufacturers, Forecasts to 2021Description:This report studies sales (consumption) of Image Sensor in Europe market, especially in Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain and Benelux, focuses on top players in these countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these Countries, coveringSony CorporationPanasonic CorporationST MicroelectronicsCanon, IncSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.SK HynixAptinaToshibaComplete Report Details @Market Segment by Countries, this report splits Europe into several key Countries, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Image Sensor in these countries, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeGermanyFranceUKRussiaItalySpainBeneluxSplit by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoCMOSCCDSplit by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Image Sensor in each application, can be divided intoAutomotiveConsumer ElectronicsIndustrial/ DefenseSecurity & SurveillanceMedicalRequest Sample Copy of this Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comTable of ContentsEurope Image Sensor Market Report 20171 Image Sensor Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Image Sensor1.2 Classification of Image Sensor1.2.1 CMOS1.2.2 CCD1.3 Application of Image Sensor1.3.1 Automotive1.3.2 Consumer Electronics1.3.3 Industrial/ Defense1.3.4 Security & Surveillance1.3.5 Medical1.4 Image Sensor Market by Countries1.4.1 Germany Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 France Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 UK Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Russia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Italy Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Spain Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.7 Benelux Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Europe Market Size (Value and Volume) of Image Sensor (2011-2021)1.5.1 Europe Image Sensor Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Europe Image Sensor Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Europe Image Sensor by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Europe Image Sensor Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Europe Image Sensor Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.1.2 Europe Image Sensor Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Europe Image Sensor (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Europe Image Sensor Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.2.2 Europe Image Sensor Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.3 Europe Image Sensor (Volume and Value) by Countries2.3.1 Europe Image Sensor Sales and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.3.2 Europe Image Sensor Revenue and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.4 Europe Image Sensor (Volume) by Application.10 Europe Image Sensor Manufacturers Analysis10.1 Sony Corporation10.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.1.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.1.2.1 CMOS10.1.2.2 CCD10.1.3 Sony Corporation Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.2 Panasonic Corporation10.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.2.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.2.2.1 CMOS10.2.2.2 CCD10.2.3 Panasonic Corporation Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.3 ST Microelectronics10.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.3.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.3.2.1 CMOS10.3.2.2 CCD10.3.3 ST Microelectronics Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.4 Canon, Inc10.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.4.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.4.2.1 CMOS10.4.2.2 CCD10.4.3 Canon, Inc Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.5 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.10.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.5.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.5.2.1 CMOS10.5.2.2 CCD10.5.3 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.6 SK Hynix10.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.6.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.6.2.1 CMOS10.6.2.2 CCD10.6.3 SK Hynix Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.7 Aptina10.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.7.2 Image Sensor Product Type, Application and Specification10.7.2.1 CMOS10.7.2.2 CCD10.7.3 Aptina Image Sensor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)10.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview..CONTINUEDMake an Enquiry @CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India Thermal Power in Malaysia, Market 2016 Trends, Analysis, Outlook, Shares, Forecasts and Study http://www.marketintelreports.com/report/gdpe6224idb/thermal-power-in-malaysia-market-outlook-to-2030-update-2016--capacity-generation-investment-trends-regulations-and-company-profiles http://www.marketintelreports.com/purchase.php?id=gdpe6224idb www.marketintelreports.com Thermal Power in Malaysia, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2016 - Capacity, Generation, Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles is the latest report from GlobalData, the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the thermal power market.Check complete report @The report provides in depth analysis on global thermal power market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in the Malaysia(includes thermal, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewable energy sources) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. The research details thermal power market outlook in the country and provides forecasts up to 2030. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2006 to 2030 in the Malaysia thermal power market. A detailed coverage of energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to thermal is provided in the report. The research also provides details of active thermal power plants in the country, upcoming thermal installation details and company snapshots of some of the major market participants.The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.ScopeThe report analyses global thermal power market, the Malaysia power market and the Malaysia thermal power market. The scope of the research includes -- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.- Historical period is during 2006-2015 (unless specified) and forecast period is for 2015-2030.- Detailed overview on the global thermal power market with installed capacity and generation trends, market forces analysis (drivers, restraints and challenges), installed capacity by fuel type, installed capacity split by region, installed capacity split by major countries and cross country comparison among thermal sources such as coal, oil and gas.- Power market scenario in the Malaysia and provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with forecasts up to 2030.- Detailed overview of the Malaysia thermal power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity by fuel type, net capacity addition by fuel type, owners share, market size of major equipments such as steam generator and turbine, and information on major active and upcoming projects.- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting thermal power development.- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Reasons to buyThe report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner. It will allow you to -- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in the Malaysia thermal power market.- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for thermal power market.- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential.- Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events.- Identify key partners and business development avenues.- Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Order a copy of Report @MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.MIR intends to be a one-stop shop with an intuitive design, exhaustive database, expert assistance, secure cart checkout and data privacy integrated. It curates the list of reports, publishers and studies to ensure that the database is constantly updated to dynamically meet the targeted, specific needs of our clients.MarketIntelReports currently has more than 10,000 plus titles and 35+ publishers on our platform and growing consistently to fill the Global Intelligence Demand Supply Gap. We cover more than 15 industry verticals being: Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Chemicals, Building & Construction, Agriculture, Food & Beverages, Banking & Finance, Media and Government, Public Sector Studies.Mayur S.Sales Manager2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400,Wilmington,Delaware,19808United Statespr@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-261-5343 Construction Chemicals Market Research worth 33.98 Billion USD by 2020 Markets and Markets Limited http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=491 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=491 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/construction-chemicals-market-491.html The report Construction Chemicals Market by Type (Concrete Admixture, Construction Adhesive, Construction Sealant, and Flame Retardant - Global Forecast to 2020 analyzes the global construction chemicals market with respect to market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges in different regions.Browse 74 market data Tables and 45 Figures spread through 141 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Construction Chemicals Market "Download PDF Brochure:The global construction chemicals market (20152020) is estimated to reach USD 33.98 Billion by 2020 growing at a rate of 7.62% between 2015 and 2020.The global construction chemicals industry is witnessing a significant growth because of increasing awareness about construction quality and technological advancements, and growing number of new projects for housing, commercial spaces, and public infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region and other developing countries such as Brazil, Colombia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. Changing lifestyles, growing urbanization trend, and demand for enhanced esthetics of residential and infrastructures are also supporting the growth of the market, attributing to the design flexibility provided by construction chemicals (such as concrete admixtures, flame retardants, and adhesives & sealants) to modify and enhance the physical as well as chemical properties of a structure. These properties include compressive strength, durability, surface finish, and resistance to adverse climatic and working conditions as per design specifications and requirements.The drivers identified for the construction chemicals market are growing infrastructure requirements in developing economies, improving economics of construction, and increasing urbanization of population. Developing countries that are major markets of construction chemicals include China, India, Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, whereas developed countries that are major market include the U.S., Germany, Japan, and Italy.Asia-Pacific is the largest market, both in terms of volume and value, followed by RoW. The key companies in this market are BASF SE (Germany), W.R. Grace (U.S.), RPM International Inc.(U.S.), Sika A.G. (Switzerland), Fosroc International (U.K.), The Dow Chemical Comapny (U.S.), Arkema S.A. (France), Ashland Inc. (U.S.), Mapei S.p.A (Italy), and Pidilite Industries (India).Construction chemicals are chemical compounds added in formulation of various specialty chemicals or in construction materials made of cement, mortar, and concrete at construction sites to improve workability, performance, compatibility with construction structure and protect construction materials and finished structures.Construction chemicals comprise a wide variety of materials such as cementations; admixtures like waterproofing admixtures, plasticizers, accelerating agents, retarding agents and others; adhesives and sealants like acrylic adhesives, polyurethanes, polyvinyl acetates, epoxy and others; and flame retardants like ATH, antimony oxides, brominated, and chlorinated. The use of these chemicals depends and varies on the type of and scale of construction projects.Speak to Analyst:The market size of construction chemicals depends on new construction and its maintenance and repair activities. The demand for construction chemicals is mainly driven by growing requirements for housing and infrastructure. It is also influenced by consumer awareness, need for durable and aesthetic civil structure, and other benefits achieved in making construction structure more economical for contractors and other interest holders. The restraints in the market are different across regions, such as mature infrastructure, logistic issues, and low investments in the infrastructure sector. The opportunities are identified in new product launches for various construction applications.For moreAbout MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets 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&Ms 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.Contact:Mr. RohanMarketsandMarkets INC.701 Pike StreetSuite 2175, Seattle,WA 98101, United StatesUSA : 1-888-600-6441UK : 44-800-368-9399Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com AlphaStreet Launches its Invest Like a Pro Virtual Stock Contest www.alphastreet.com http://www.alphastreet.com Invest AS$25,000 virtual cash and win real cash prizesFintech startup AlphaStreet, a free platform that makes investing easy, intuitive and social for individual investors, announces the launch of its Invest Like A Pro virtual stock contest beginning Feb 1, 2017 through April 28th, 2017. The contest can also be accessed with AlphaStreets iOS app, which enables users to access their accounts directly from their iPhone and participate in the contest from any location.The mission of AlphaStreet is to make the investment process social, easy and intuitive, said Vishnu Beri, CEO of AlphaStreet. Our Invest Like a Pro series of contest underscores our commitment to that mission. Those new to investing can learn and become acquainted with the investment process in an intuitive, user-friendly manner. Experienced users will test their skills by investing with virtual cash and tracking their returns. Plus, theres the incentive of cash prizes, which always makes things more fun and exciting.Once registered, competitors will receive AlphaStreet virtual currency (designated as AS) of AS$25,000. The AlphaStreet platform provides information on U.S. listed stocks, ETF and Mutual Funds. The virtual cash can be used to buy and sell any stock available on AlphaStreet. Contestants returns are tracked online, along with a leader board tally. Top Three qualified, eligible competitors with the highest portfolio value at the end of Trading Period will be awarded cash prizes of $500 for first place, $300 for second, and $250 for third.Beri believes many potential investors may be scared away from investing due to the complexity and time required to make solid investment decisions, explaining, With this contest, users will begin to immediately use our tools and demystify the process. Beri added that the average time spent, per user, on the AlphaStreet site is 25 minutes.Individual investors can use the AlphaStreet platform to get up to speed with notifications and alerts on stock prices, market-moving news, and activities in their peer network. Users who want to lead meetups or clubs can create or join groups from within the AlphaStreet site, which fosters more immediate communication and leads to an increased sense of community. It makes social media connectivity simple, enabling users to connect with friends and market experts and post to social media networks from within the platform. At AlphaStreet, discovery of stocks is fun and intuitive, as well as advertisement-free.The main features of the AlphaStreet platform are:Social Connect with market experts & friends, receive notifications about your connections investments and watch lists, follow people, receive market-moving notifications and check out social sentiment.AlphaTalk Communicate with peers and experts. Ask questions, validate investments, give opinion and share information. Create groups to keep information private.AlphaBites Breaking news and professional-grade research in plain English. Get to speed in under 15 minutes.AlphaGraphics - Instant snapshots of company performance, professional grade data all in a readable formatSingle dashboard Import portfolios from multiple brokerage accounts, trade using your existing brokerage accountAbout AlphaStreetLaunched in 2016, AlphaStreet is a complete social ecosystem that significantly reduces the complexity and friction in making investment decisions. AlphaStreet is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California.Vishnu BeriAlphaStreet3984 Washington Blvd., Suite 355Fremont, CA 94538--4954+1 510-573-6834vishnu@alphastreet.com TransSys Wins Oracle CX Cloud Partner of the Year Award For GCC Region Prabu Balasubramanyan, Executive VP of TransSys Solutions receiving the award Dubai, UAE, February 2, 2017: TransSys Solutions, a leading regional IT services and solution provider, announced that it has won the Oracle CX Cloud Partner of the Year award for 2016 at the recently held Oracle Partner Day Event in Dubai. TransSys was recognized for its commitment to delivering a variety of innovative client cloud transformations solutions using Oracles CX (Customer eXperience) Cloud in the GCC region."Cloud and digital transformation are at the center of any business corporate strategy to jump start from where they are today. TransSys has been helping customers embark on their digital transformation journey using Oracles cloud solutions. We are delighted to win the Oracle CX Cloud Partner of the Year 2016 award, which is an achievement and an honor. This award is a testament to our teams dedication towards excellence and in providing solutions that drive real business value and results for our customers, said Prabu Balasubramanyan, Executive Director, TransSys Solutions.As an Oracle Platinum Cloud Select partner for the Middle East and Africa region, TransSys has been offering customers innovative solutions around its Oracle Cloud solutions portfolio. The company offers cloud solutions on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) across various functional areas viz. ERP, HCM, SCM, Cx. The company has also built PaaS for SaaS extensions across industry verticals to help clients quickly adopt to Oracles Cloud platform, in addition to offering specific solution accelerators.TransSys has significant experience in deploying CRM/CX solutions across the Middle East and Africa. The Oracle CX Cloud Partner of the Year award is the fourth major award the company won for 2016.About TransSys SolutionsTransSys Solutions is a rapidly growing global System Integrator with primary operations in the Middle East & Africa region and Development Centers in India. The company is focused on delivering transformational value to its customers through effective delivery of enterprise solutions. In the past 6years, TransSys has worked with 85+ customers, including 14 of the Forbes Top 100 Arab companies, across 20+ countries, and has in the process established a leadership position delivering Oracle cloud solutions in the ECEMEA region. As an Oracle Platinum Cloud Select partner, TransSys has successfully completed over 120 Cloud engagements. The company was awarded the Best Cloud Solution Provider in November 2015 by Reseller Middle East. This is in addition to winning over 5 awards from Oracle in the previous years.TransSys Solutions1804, 18th Floor,X3 Building,X Cluster,Jumeira Lake Towers,Dubai, UAE+9714-4542076 Applied World Solutions offers improvements in fingerprinting for the best possible image Pembroke, MA, Feb. 1, 2017 Improving the worlds fingerprint database is the goal of Applied World Solutions. The company was founded by Justin Turvey, a police officer and former U.S. Marine Sergeant, who saw the need for a better fingerprint image. He invented the proprietary and patent pending solid, called Minutia Advancement Paste or M.A.P. The product is applied to the palm and fingertips and allows the fingerprint live scan system to capture the best possible image on the first attempt.While I was working with the bureau of criminal investigations in Plymouth County in Massachusetts, I saw the need to find a way to solve more crimes with the use of biometrics, said Turvey. The better the print, the more likely you will be to find a match within the system. This product can improve the process and create a safer community.Turvey said in addition to solving more crimes, M.A.P. can also increase the accuracy of biometric scans used in security systems throughout the world. The product can be applied to the fingers and palms to improve the image of the prints. It darkens light images caused by dry skin, provides an even contrast over the entire scan and provides crisp scans of ridge detail.The paste contains a moisturizing agent that slightly swells the ridges on the fingers and palms, allowing for a more accurate and detailed print, said Turvey. It is a safe product that is less likely to spread germs, uses natural oils that lead to clearer images and it is alcohol free. There is no chance of interfering in breathalyzer tests or of degrading the silicone pads used on some scanning machines.M.A.P. is non-toxic and contains a safe antimicrobial ingredient that prevents the spread of germs. The product is not sticky or greasy and there is no need to wash it off after use. M.A.P. products are available in a variety of sizes to use in a variety of settings. For more information and to watch a video of the application process, visit appliedworldsolutions.com.About Applied World SolutionsApplied World Solutions is the creator of the Minutia Advancement Paste or M.A.P. It is a proprietary and patent pending solid that is applied to the hand, which allows fingerprint live scan systems to capture the best possible image on the first attempt. For more information and to watch a video of the application process, visit appliedworldsolutions.com.Client Focused Media1611 San Marco Blvd.Jacksonville, FL 32207Kelly White, kelly.white@cfmedia.net Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis Earns 2016 Employment Growth Award http://www.quakekare.com https://www.tearmender.com www.lhbindustries.com www.NIB.org February 1, 2017, St. Louis, MissouriLighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis has been honored by National Industries for the Blind (NIB), the nations largest employment resource for people who are blind, with the 2016 Employment Growth Award. The award recognizes Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis efforts to increase employment retention, growth and upward mobility for people who are blind.We are particularly proud to receive NIBs 2016 Employment Growth Award because 70 percent of working-age Americans who are blind are not employed, said John Thompson, president of Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis, also known as LHB Industries, Inc.People in the blind community are one of the nations greatest untapped labor resources -- that is why the Lighthouse and NIB lobby for policy changes to help people who are blind become more independent through job training, education and employment to earn steady income.Kevin Lynch, NIB president and CEO, said, It is an honor for me to recognize Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis with an Employment Growth Award for 2016. Lighthouse for the Blind-St. Louis continues to lead the way in creating employment and high-growth career opportunities for people who are blind.About Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint LouisLighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis is a non-profit 501(c)3 enterprise that helps children and adults who are visually impaired maintain dignity and independence by offering employment, education and support services.Today, LHB is generating more revenues, sustaining employment and enhancing community services since its February 2014 purchase of all assets from the emergency survival kit production company Quake Kare, Inc. Quake Kare provides custom- and pre-packed disaster preparedness kits for virtually any type of crisis such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, blizzards, floods, accidents, terrorist attacks and building lock-downs. ().In June, 2015, LHB acquired all assets of Val-A Chicago, Inc., producer of the Tear Mender brand of non-toxic, all-natural adhesive and sealants for repairing clothing, fabrics, footwear, leather, upholstery, vinyl and other items for indoor and outdoor use. ().LHB currently employs 48 people who are legally blind in two assembly and packaging plants in St. Louis County to assemble, pack and ship Quake Kare and Tear Mender products, as well as LHBs flagship products for businesses, commercial, government and military customers. All sales revenues directly support LHBs 16 Blind Community Outreach Programs called See the Future programs, which provide support and resources to children and adults who are legally blind and visually impaired in Missouri and Southwestern Illinois.For details about Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis services and programs, call 800.542.3697 or 314.423.4333 or visit the website orAbout National Industries for the BlindSince 1938, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has focused on enhancing the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and its network of associated nonprofit agencies, including LHB Industries, are the nations largest employer of people who are blind through the manufacture and provision of SKILCRAFT and other products and services of the AbilityOne Program. For more information about NIB, visit***Lighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis is a non-profit 501(c)3 enterprise that helps children and adults who are visually impaired maintain dignity and independence by offering employment, education and support services.Ms. Brittney Bettonville Manager of MarketingLighthouse for the Blind-Saint Louis10440 Trenton AvenueSaint Louis, Missouri 63132 Infrastructure Insight Industry Report in South Africa Market Research Hub http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=944536 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=enquiry&repid=944536 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/infrastructure-insight-south-africa-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com/ Albany, New York, February 02, 2017: Market Research Hub has recently announced the addition of a new report to it broad database titled as Infrastructure Insight: South Africa. The report provides a detailed look into the infrastructure sector in South Africa, including analysis of the state of the current infrastructure, the regulatory and financing landscapes, and the major projects in the construction pipeline.Request for Sample Report:SynopsisThe report covers all key infrastructure sectors: roads, railways, electricity and power, water and sewerage, communication, and airports and ports.SummaryInfrastructure expenditure in South Africa is forecast to increase over the 20162020 period.According to Timetrics Infrastructure Intelligence Center (IIC), the infrastructure construction markets value rose from ZAR152.5 billion (US$11.1 billion) in 2010 to ZAR222.3 billion (US$16.1 billion) in 2015, and is projected to reach ZAR335.3 billion (US$24.3 billion) by 2020 in nominal value terms.This is based on the assumption that a number of major infrastructure projects will proceed as planned, including the 5,000MW Upington Solar Power Park project, the Gautrain Commuter Expansion, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement: Phase II Bulk Distribution System, the Port of Ngqura Manganese Export Terminal Expansion and the JohannesburgDurban High-Speed Rail Link.Make an Enquiry:However, there are policy and political uncertainties that will weigh on investor confidence and could result in projects being delayed.ScopeA concise analysis of the administrative, economic and political context for infrastructure in South Africa.An in-depth assessment of the current state of infrastructure in South Africa, including roads, railways, electricity and power, water and sewerage, communications, airports and ports.A focus on main political and financial institutions involved in the infrastructure market, as well as the competitive and regulatory environment.For each infrastructure sector, an explanation of the key drivers of growth in new investment and an analysis of the project pipeline, with a detailed look at the prospects for major projects and the companies that have secured contracts.Reasons To BuyAssess the current state of South Africa infrastructure, and the main drivers of investment, including the key institutions and financing methods.Investigate forecasts and gain an understanding of key trends in each of the main infrastructure sectors.Analyze the main project participants operating in each sector, to better understand the competitive environment.Identify top projects by sector, development stage and start date, to inform expansion strategy.Get Full Info with TOC:Key HighlightsTimetric is currently tracking 96 strategic infrastructure construction projects in South Africa at all stages of development, from announcement to execution. These projects have a total investment value of US$117.9 billion.The electricity and power sector accounts for the largest share of the project pipeline, with a total project value of US$90.2 billion. This is followed by railway infrastructure projects with a pipeline of US$11.1 billion. The pipeline for road infrastructure projects values US$6.5 billion, and for water and sewerage infrastructure it stands at US$5.9 billion. For airports and other infrastructure, the total pipeline stands at US$4.1 billion.In the 20152016 World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, South Africa ranked 59th out of 140 countries in terms of the overall quality of its infrastructure. The country was positioned ahead of other major African countries, with Nigeria ranked 133, Egypt 114 and Algeria 101.In the 2016 Medium-Term Budget Statement (MTBS), Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that the government would continue to invest in economic infrastructure in line with the National Development Plan (NDP). Over 20162019 the government will spend ZAR987.4 billion (US$71.6 billion) in constructing and modernizing infrastructure. Of the total, ZAR334 billion (US$24.2 billion) will be invested in transport and logistics, ZAR243 billion (US$17.6 billion) in energy, and ZAR137 billion (US$9.9 billion) in water and sanitation.About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite: Baby Food Market Singapore Report by Growth Opportunity to 2021 Forecast http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/191855 http://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/baby-food-in-singapore http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/191855 The Singaporean baby food market is small in terms of total size, but highly developed in terms of per capita consumption. The fluctuations in the number of births have a clear effect on sales. In value terms, almost 90% of the market consists of baby milks, with the bulk of the remainder split between baby meals/drinks and baby cereals in 2015. In volume terms, milk accounts for 76.9%, wet meals and drinks for 12.8%, cereals for 9.5% and finger foods remain marginal in 2015. Prospects for the market depend to a large extent on the number of births. Based on a slow but consistent increase in the number of births, GlobalData forecasts that in volume terms the market will grow by 6.5% between 2015 and 2021.Request a sample of this report @Key Findings- Singapore is one of the wealthiest countries in the world but the baby food market is small as it is sophisticated and buoyant.- Consumption of baby food in Malaysia decreased by 1.3% since 2009 in terms of volume. Market value reached 48.6% more than in 2009, and equivalent to growth of 27.6% at constant prices.- Nestle is the only major company to have a share in all market segments.- Singapore has recently become an Asian hub for the production of baby milk.- The meals and drinks sector has shown significant growth in both volume and value terms.- Total baby food consumption is forecast to grow by 6.5% between 2015 and 2021.SynopsisBaby Food in Singapore is an analytical report by GlobalData which provides extensive and highly detailed current and future market trends in the Singapore market.Browse the complete report @What else does this report offer?- Consumption data based upon a unique combination of industry research, fieldwork, market sizing work and our in-house expertise to offer extensive data about the trends and dynamics affecting the industry.- Detailed profile of the companies operating and new companies considering entry in the industry along with their key focus product sectors.- Market profile of the various product sectors with the key features and developments, segmentation, per capita trends and the various manufacturers and brands.- Overview of baby food retailing with a mention of the major retailers in the country along with the distribution channel.- Future projections considering various trends which are likely to affect the industry.Reasons To Buy- Evaluate important changes in consumer behavior and identify profitable markets and areas for product innovation.- Analyse current and forecast behavior trends in each category to identify the best opportunities to exploit.- Detailed understanding of consumption by individual product categories in order to align your sales and marketing efforts with the latest trends in the market.- Investigates which categories are performing the best and how this is changing market dynamics.Buy a report @Companies Mentioned:Abbott Laboratories Singapore Pte LtdNestle Singapore (Pte) LtdMead Johnson Nutrition (Singapore) Pte LtdDumex Singapore (Danone)FrieslandCampina (Singapore) Pte LtdHeinz Singapore Pte LtdBellamy's OrganicFook Sang Tong Trading Pte LtdHealthy TimesWant Want Food Pte LtdMorinaga Nutritional Foods(Asia Pacific) Pte LtdPigeon Singapore Pte Ltd.About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email ID: sales@orbisresearch.com Global Extruded Snack Food Market to Reach US$ 59 Billion by 2022 http://www.expertmarketresearch.com/request?type=report&id=15&flag=B http://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/extruded-snack-food-market http://www.expertmarketresearch.com/categories/food-beverages-market-reports www.expertmarketresearch.com Extrusion has developed as an essential process in the manufacturing of various food products. This process generally leads to the puffing and changing of texture of the food product. Some of the extruded snack food products are French fries, pasta, oats, corn curls, crispy flat breads, jelly beans, toffees, etc. Along with being tasty, these extruded snack foods are cost-friendly, can be easily cooked and have a high starch content.In recent years, the rapidly increasing consumption of extruded snack foods has been registered on account of several factors. Rising health consciousness among the consumers coupled with hectic lifestyles with more time spent at work has led to a change in the consumption patterns of consumers. As a result, manufacturers are coming up with healthier and nutritional options which contain healthier ingredients such as high protein foods, vegetables and legumes with relatively less cholesterol and calorie amounts. Moreover, rising population, increasing disposable incomes, urbanisation rates and a growing demand from emerging markets have further facilitated the growth of the global extruded snack foods market. According to a new report by Expert Market Research, the market reached a value of US$ 52 Billion in 2016 and is further expected to reach US$ 59 Billion by 2022.To request a sample copy or view summary of this report, click on the link:Key findings from the report:Various types of feedstocks include corn, wheat, rice, potato, tapioca, oats and others.Region-wise, Europe dominated the market with a share of more than 40% in 2016. It was followed by Asia-Pacific, North America and others.Being fragmented in nature, the global extruded snack food market is surrounded by a number of small and big players. PepsiCo was the biggest player in 2016. Some of the other players include Kraft Foods Inc., Mars-Wrigley, Nestle and Hershey.These players are focussing on various marketing tactics such as pricing strategies in order to reach a wide consumer base.Expert Market Research has analysed the global extruded snack food market according to feedstock, major regions and top players:Market breakup by FeedstockCornWheatRicePotatoTapiocaOatsOthersMarket breakup by RegionAsia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeOthersTop playersPepsiCoKraft Foods Inc.Mars-WrigleyNestleHersheyRead Full Extruded Snack Food Market Report -Find more reports related to Food & Beverages Market Research @Expert Market Research (EMR) is a market research and consultancy firm providing syndicated and custom research along with consultancy services to a wide clientele base which includes Fortune 1000 companies as well as small and medium enterprises. With our tailored approach, the clients gain valuable and unbiased insights that help to improve their competitive edge and realize sustainable growth.With a keen focus on the qualitative aspect as well as accuracy of the reports, we align our resources and services as per the clients requirement and offer a flexible engagement model that best suits their needs. We offer market intelligence across a range of industry verticals which include Pharmaceuticals, Food and Beverage, Technology, Retail, Chemical & Materials, Energy & Mining, Packaging and Agriculture.Expert Market Research85 Broad StNew York, NY 10004United StatesWebsite:Email: sales@expertmarketresearch.comUS & Canada Phone no: +1-415-325-5166UK Phone no: +44-702-402-5790 Polyoxymethylene (POM) Market will generate new growth opportunities by 2021 http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/request-for-sample.html?flag=S&repid=87253 https://goo.gl/Xt1LvX http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com/market-analysis/polyoxymethylene-pom-market.html http://www.syndicatemarketresearch.com The report covers forecast and analysis for the Polyoxymethylene (POM) market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with a forecast from 2016 to 2021 based on volume and revenue (USD Million). The study includes drivers and restraints for the market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes study of opportunities available in the Polyoxymethylene (POM) market on a global level.Get a copy of free Sample Report @In order to give the users of this report a comprehensive view on the Polyoxymethylene (POM) market, we have included a detailed competitive scenario, and product portfolio of key vendors. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters five forces model for the Polyoxymethylene (POM) market has also been included, strategic development along with patents analysis is included in this report. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, where in type segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.Polyoxymethylene (POM) finds widespread applications in Automotive, Electrical, Consumer and Other Applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2015 to 2021.The regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa with its further bifurcation into major countries including U.S. Germany, France, UK, China, Japan, India and Brazil.Get in-depth TOC (Table of Contents) with Tables and Figures @The report covers detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include A. Schulman, BASF SE, Asahi Chemicals Corporation, E.I. DuPont de Numors & Company, Polyplastics, and Formosa Plastics Corporation.This report segments the Polyoxymethylene (POM) market as follows:Polyoxymethylene (POM) Market: Applications Segment AnalysisAutomotiveElectricalConsumerOtherPolyoxymethylene (POM) Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaBrowse detail report @About Us:Syndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries including energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with the one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact Us:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suite #8138Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@syndicatemarketresearch.comWebsite: Waffle Irons Market 2016 - Bella Cucina, Black & Decker, Chef'sChoice, Cuisinart, Eurodib And Gold Medal Products. http://www.qyresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-waffle-irons-market-2016-industry-trends-sales.html https://goo.gl/qS3oJL The Market Research report "Global Waffle Irons Market 2016 Industry Trends, Sales, Supply, Demand, Analysis & Forecast to 2021" by QY Research Group is a market-oriented, technical, and commercial research analysis of the Waffle Irons market. The analysis is completed using a wide range of secondary sources, databases and directories in order to identify and assemble market data. Primary sources included for the analysis include preferred suppliers, industry experts from core and associated industries, manufacturers, service providers, distributors, and organizations allied to the entire segments of the industry supply chain.Browse Complete Report with TOC @This report studies Waffle Irons in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringBella CucinaBlack & DeckerChef'sChoiceCuisinartEurodibGold Medal ProductsHamilton BeachKalorikKrupsTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @To estimate the overall market size of Waffle Irons, its application, and regionsin terms of value and volumethe bottom-up approach is followed. On the other hand, to corroborate the overall Waffle Irons market sizeagain in terms of value and volumethe top-down approach is followed. Following the method of data triangulation and data validation via primaries, the precise values of the parent market and individual market in terms of size are calculated and established in the report.This market research report provides the client with comprehensive market analysis of the Waffle Irons market over the forecast period. In addition, it also furnishes a general idea of the challenges, drivers, and restraints that have direct or indirect impact on the industry. It further highlights the market, the industry, and latest technology trends currently existing in the Waffle Irons market. All this precise, accurate and comprehensive data will help the clients to make appropriate and practical decisions so as to gain maximum profit in the global market.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales (@) qyresearchgroup (dot) com Touchscreen Controller Market Growth, Trends, Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 |The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/touchscreen-controller-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000349 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000349 The Touchscreen Controller Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Technology, Interface, Application and Touch Types report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global market with the market share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Touchscreen Controller Market to 2025 @Touchscreen refers to an input device that can also be a display screen and is highly sensitive to touch. There are two types of touchscreens namely, resistive touch screen panel which stimulate with the change in electric current whereas, capacitive touch screen panel stimulates when a charge is drawn to the point of contact. Touchscreen controllers measure the inputs sent by circuits located in resistive or capacitive panels and further processes the information to deliver the response.The report aims to provide an overview of Global Touchscreen Controller Market along with detailed segmentation of market by segment technology, interface, application, touch types and five major geographical regions. Global Touchscreen Controller market is expected to witness growth during the forecast period due to rising demand for touchscreen consumer electronics particularly, wearable devices.Request Sample Copy @The objectives of Touchscreen Controller Market report are as follows: To provide overview of the global Touchscreen Controller market To analyze and forecast the global Touchscreen Controller market on the basis of technology, interface, application and touch types. To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Touchscreen Controller market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions To profiles key Touchscreen Controller players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesInquire about discount on this report @Some of the important players in Touchscreen Controller market are Analog Devices, Inc., Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, ELAN Microelectronics Corp., Integrated Device Technology, Inc., Microchip Technology Incorporated, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, Synaptics Incorporated, Texas Instruments Incorporated and STMicroelectronics N.V.About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comThe Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Waterfowl are some of the more familiar birds for people. There is hardly a person who doesnt know what a mallard looks like and its familiar quack, quack. Others species that are familiar to most are the Canada goose, snow goose and swan. In all, 34 species of of waterfowl are found in southwest Montana, and 39 species have been recorded statewide. There are three species of waterfowl that most folks are not familiar with and they are the three species of scoters, the surf, white-winged and black. One of the reasons that folks are unfamiliar with scoters is that they are typically only late-fall migrants in our area. I dont even start looking for them until October. The earliest date I have for a surf is Oct. 9; for white-winged, Oct. 14; and black, Oct. 25. Another limiting factor to their familiarity is that in our area I have only seen surf and white-winged in four locations locally: Warm Springs WMA, Silver Lake, Georgetown Lake and East Fork Reservoir. I have only seen black in two locations: Warm Springs WMA, and Silver Lake. You simply dont see them in shallow ponds or in streams. The reason for this is that scoters prefer deep water, feeding on mullocks and other shellfish. Thus, most of my observations have been at Silver Lake which is quite deep. Surf is seen most often followed by white-winged and then black in the Upper Clark Fork Valley and the state. The Montana Natural Heritage website shows 102 sight records for surf, 99 for white-winged and 20 for black scoter. I have only seen black scoters four times in the Clark Fork watershed in 25 years of serious birding. I have never been particularly successful is photographing these species as they tend to be far from shore, in rough, turbulent waters, and dive frequently, often being underwater more than on the surface. This past fall I saw more scoters in the Upper Clarkfork Basin than most years. I spotted 15 surf and seven white-winged scoters. Most exciting for me was that I found white-winged scoters at Warm Springs ARCO Pond 2 in calm water no more than 30 feet from shore. I got the best pictures that I have ever taken. In fact, the Montana Natural Heritage program used my pictures for the web-based Montana Animal Field Guide (http://fieldguide.mt.gov/displayClasses.aspx?Kingdom=Animalia). So how do you tell these three species apart? The male surf scoters breeding plumage is black with white on the back of the neck and forehead, and a large thick multicolored bill showing white, yellow and a black spot. Females are browner with a light whitish patch on the side of the neck and a vertical white patch behind the bill. White-winged males are also black often showing white wing bars, and a comma below the eye. The bill is longer and thinner than the surf, and yellow near the tip. Females are browner with an oval white patch behind the bill. The black scoter male is all black with a yellow knop at the base of the bill in the breeding male, and the female is browner with a large whitish cheek patch. The bill appears long and thin in the female and not as long in the male because of the yellow knop. As mentioned earlier, the white-winged scoter pictures are the best I have ever taken. I have also included a picture of a surf scoter male for your comparison, but it is of less quality. So far I have not gotten a picture of a black scoter, but there is always next year. Next fall if you are interested in seeing scoters, make a few trips to Silver Lake and look along the west shore near the dam in October and November before the lake freezes and you will most likely see one or two of these species. For most it will be a state bird, if not a life bird. Telecom Towers Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 2025|The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/telecom-towers-market http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000322 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/discount/TIPTE100000322 The Telecom Towers Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Type, Deployment report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global market with the market share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Browse market data tables and in-depth TOC of the Telecom Towers Market to 2025 @Telecom towers form an essential part of the communication ecosystem as they are the access points through which a subscriber's Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Card is connected to the network. Each tower has certain capacity to serve a certain number of subscribers in the defined telecom area. For the simplification of representation of coverage areas, the area served by a tower are divided into hexagonal shaped cells. The requirement of towers is more in the dense subscriber area while less in less dense areas. As a result, the rural areas require less tower deployments as compared to the urban areas.The report aims to provide an overview of Global Telecom Towers Market along with detailed segmentation of market by type, deployment and five major geographical regions. Global telecom towers market is expected to witness decent growth during the forecast period due to increasing telecom subscriber density and the needs for better coverage and services.Request Sample Copy @The objectives of Telecom Towers Market report are as follows: To provide overview of the global telecom towers market To analyze and forecast the global telecom towers market on the basis of type, deployment To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall telecom towers market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions To profiles key telecom tower players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesInquire about discount on this report @Some of the important players in telecom towers market are Indus Towers, Reliance Infotel, Viom Networks, American Tower Company, BSNL, GTL Infra, Aster Pvt. LTd., Bharti Infratel Ltd. and Eaton Towers Ltd.About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comThe Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Global Busbar Systems Market based on by Application, Power Range and by Region - Forecast to 2027 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1159 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/busbar-systems-market Market Scenario:The growing transmission and distribution business in developing as well as developed nations is providing a big boost to the busbar systems market. Major application of the busbar systems is in the transmission and distribution business, thus demand and growth in both the market is complimentary. Increasing demand for power, rapid industrialization and major infrastructural activities in the developing nation is boosting the demand in the Busbar market.Key Player of Busbar Systems Market: Schneider Electric SE (France) Eaton Corporation Plc. (Ireland) ABB Ltd. (Switzerland) Legrand (France) Siemens AG (Germany)Request a Sample Copy @Segments:The market has been segmented on the basis of application as industrial, residential and others. On the basis of power range the market has been segmented as low, medium and high.Study Objectives of Busbar Systems: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Busbar Systems market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To Analyze the Busbar Systems market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, Porters five force analyses. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to six main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East, and Africa. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by Application, by Power Range and by region as well as its sub segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and new product developments in the global Busbar Systems market.Browse Full Report @Regional Analysis of Busbar Systems Market:Asia-Pacific is one of the leading markets for the busbar system market mainly due to the sheer number of transmission and distribution projects being undertaken in this region. Investment in smart cities in this region is another factor which is pushing the demand in the busbar system market. North America and Europe are other regions which are lucrative market for the busbar market mainly due to the immense technological development in this region.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Impact of Existing and Emerging Adsorbents Market Trends 2014-2020 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-145 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-145 www.futuremarketinsights.com Adsorption is a process in which ions, atoms or molecules from a liquid, dissolved liquid or gas adheres to a surface. In this process a thin film is created on the adsorbent by the adsorbate. Adsorption is a consequence of surface energy similar to surface tension. Adsorption exists in many natural, biological, chemical and physical systems that have applications in the industrial sector. Adsorbents are usually in the form of rods, spherical pellets and moldings that has 0.5 to 10mm diameter. Adsorbents that are regarded to be effective must have resistance to high abrasion, thermal stability with small pore diameters and must have a distinct pore structure which helps in speedy transport of gaseous vapours. Industrial adsorbents are classified as carbon based compounds that are non-polar and hydrophobic that includes materials such as graphite and activated carbon; oxygen containing compounds that are polar and hydrophilic including material such as zeolites and silica gel; polymer-based compounds which are non-polar or polar functional groups in a polymer matrix.The major applications of adsorbents include drying, air separation, water treatment and oil and gas refining among others. Adsorbents are the major materials are mainly used in industries such as water treatment, pharmaceutical, oil & gas, petrochemical and chemical. Advances in technology to bring in various kinds of adsorbents with new advancements in the market will lead to increase the demand for adsorbents globally. Owing to government and environmental regulations the applications such as air separation and drying in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and medical devices are expected to grow at a faster rate in comparison with other applications and industries.Request Free Report Sample@The key driver for adsorbents industry includes advancements and innovations to create new and advanced adsorbent materials. The industries require adsorbents for a wide range of applications with varied characteristic and requirements. To serve this purpose, major companies are now focused on technological innovations to create new adsorbent materials which will be applicable in varied industrial and commercial areas. The technological developments to manufacture cost effective adsorbents is the major solution to generate revenue in the adsorbent market globally. The current and future projections according to the industrial and economic outlook for adsorbent market are based on the material demand in terms of volume and value.The key segments for adsorbents market include North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to capture huge share of the global market. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the top market for adsorbents due to growing demand from China and India. China and Russia are expected to be the largest consumer of adsorbents among others. The developed economies therefore contribute to huge demand for adsorbents from the end user segment globally. Emerging economies are expected to be the potential markets for adsorbent industry with increasing production capacity.Request For TOC@The major players that are included in the adsorbents industry include Axens, Arkema, BASF, Clariant, Calgon Carbon, Cabot, Meadwestvaco, Grace, Graver Technologies, UOP, Zeochem, Zeolyst International and Sorbead India among others. Many companies are now focusing on expansion with increase in production capacity and addition of new plants, to meet the growing demand and to achieve competitive advantage in the market. Axens which is molecular sieves manufacturer increased its presence through a new subsidiary in Malaysia for the adsorbents segment to meet the rising demand from the Asia Pacific region. Companies are now focusing on collaborations and joint ventures with the end user companies to increase its market share.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: North America and Europe Retail Automation Market, 2014-2020 by Segmentation Based on Product, Application and Region http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-na-200 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-na-200 www.futuremarketinsights.com OverviewAutomation is the latest advancement set to revolutionise the global retail market. The retail automation market is expected to witness steady growth, owing to such avant-garde collaboration between global retail and consumer goods sector, and the global electronics and IT industry. Considering the fact that retail industry drives the growth of several business and trade ventures around the world, the influence of automation will bring more efficiency to billions of retail transactions.Visual merchandising, planogram, and big data in retail are the key trends fuelling the demand of automated services in retail markets. Effective automated products and programs that speed up the sales mechanism, create efficiency in product supplies, and develop easily-accessible business platforms that can produce a lucrative environment for the growth of the retail automation market globally.The global market for retail automation is gaining traction in Asia Pacific, Western Europe, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). The two most lucrative regions for the growth of the global retail automation market are North America and Europe.Request Free Report Sample@Retail Automation in North AmericaOf these two regions, North America is the current market leader, holding the greater pie of retail automation market share. The North American retail automation market is likely to register high growth rate during 2014-2020 period.North America remains a lucrative market for retail automation globally, with the US and Canada witnessing steady demand. North American consumers have adopted the prominent trend of relying on retail automated products and services for business transactions, which has made an affirming impetus on the retail automation market. Economic progress and rising purchasing power of consumers are some of the trends, specific to North America, that make the outlook of retail automation market considerably positive.The European Retail Automation MarketEurope, on the other hand, is closing in on North America in order to become the leading key region in the global retail automation market. Several retail chains and multiple product lines established in Europe are helping the setting up of retail automation in European nations. The European regional market is primarily segmented into UK, Germany, Spain, France and others. Britains exodus from EU is likely to impact the implementation of automation in UKs retail market. But, the economic stability in other European countries is expected to create a supportive dais for building up the retail automation market.Factors Benefiting the Growth of Retail Automation MarketNorth America and Europe, collectively, will continue their prominence in the global market, with respect to the market size, revenue share, and overall demand. The factors that will incite this growth are,Growth of Local Retail & Customer ReceptionLocal retail markets are growing in several parts of North America & Europe. Combined with a positive consumer response, automated retail will continue flourishing in niche retail markets.Overflowing Investments on Automation Products & ServicesRetail giants dominating the existing retail market are investing in automated programs and devices for creating efficient output. The cost advantage is increasing the demand for automated retail services.Proliferation of Shopping Centres and SupermarketsConsumers in the US and European countries prefer buying from hypermarket and malls, which is great platform for automated retail kiosks.Challenges in the Global Retail Automation MarketThe retail automation market in North America and Europe is growing steadily, but there are a handful of factors that may restrain or slow down its growth. In the US and Canada, a key challenge for retail automation is its greatest disadvantage -- the loss of job. Labours and working professionals at retail outlets are a major contributor of the regions economy. Rising unemployment levels could plunge the local economy, having a rippling effect on the national economies of North America.In Europe, the instability of economies across its constituent nations is restraining the growth of its retail automation market. Improving financial conditions in Turkey, Russia and Poland could influence the expansion of automated retail products; however, theundulating economies of Spain, Italy as well as Britain, can impede the adoption of automation in European retail sector.Besides, maintaining the continuous supervision of retail kiosks, high dependency on electricity and the implications arriving from variable internet regulations are some other restraints recoiling the progress of retail automation in Europe and North America.SegmentationThe segmentation of the retail automation market is done on the basis of geography, the operator type and the product type.Geographic SegmentationNorth America (sub-segmented into United States, Canada & others)Europe (sub-segmented into Spain, France, UK & others)Operator Type SegmentationUnattended TerminalsHuman-Operated TerminalsProduct SegmentationCurrency CounterBarcode ReaderBill PrinterCash CounterCash RegisterCard ReaderSelf-Checkout SystemWeight ScaleKiosks/Vending MachineOthersRequest For TOC@Key CompetitorsElectronic companies such as Seiko Epson, Fujitsu, First Data Corp., Siemens, Toshiba and Wincor Nixdorf are some of the top players in the global retail automation market. Most of these ICT companies are headquartered in Europe, making the region a credible platform for new manufacturers and startups in retail automation. Meanwhile, North American retail giants such as Walmart and Kroger are developing their own devices and services to reap benefits from the amalgamation of retail and automation.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Learn details of the Advances in Luxury Products for Kids Market Forecast and Segments, 2014-2020 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-205 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-205 www.futuremarketinsights.com Luxury goods comprises of products such as accessories, footwear, apparel, watches and others which are quite expensive and target those consumers who belongs to premium class. The market for luxury goods consist of three types of end consumers, which includes kids lying between the age of 0-12 years, teenagers belonging to the age group of 13 to 19 years and the rest lies in adult group.Whereaskidsare concerned they are the smallest consumer group. Although being a smaller consumer group, the luxury products market for kids is experiencing tremendous growth in recent years due to changing consumer lifestyle and availability of the product. It is expected that spend on luxury shopping by consumers will grow by 25% in 2015. Luxury products for kids market is associated with higher margin as compared to adults luxury products segment. It has been found that babysluxury product accounted for more than 7.2% market share of luxury market in 2014. Luxury product market highly depends upon thefactors such as attractivemarketing, promotion techniques and proper distribution channel.Luxury products market for kids can be broadly segmented on the basis of product type, distribution channel and geographies. On the basis of product types it can be subsegmented into accessories, apparels and footwear. Among all these sub segments apparel market is expected to account for highest market share followed by footwear sub segment. The growth of apparel segment is fuelled by the frequently changing fashion and continuous need for new clothing for growing children. In 2014, U.S. and European market account for the most dominating market for apparel.Request Free Report Sample@The market for luxury baby product also depends upon the mode of distribution channel used for offering products to the consumers. The mode of Distribution channel is segmented into retail outlets, sell out through internet, companys brand outlet and others. Among all these distribution channel online retailing is expected to be most preferred mode for distribution in the forecasted period. This ishis is due to consumer convenience preferences and availability of the products at lower price. Furthermore, the second most preferred mode is expected to be the companys brand retail outlets as they provide better offerings at less price.Furthermore, the luxury products market for kids inAsia pacific is expected to account for fastest CAGR in the forecasted period as compared to other regions. This is because the growth in luxury expenditure is expected to increase by 40% by 2020.In addition, countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore and are expected to contribute a significant share to overall Asia Pacific luxury products market for kids. Whereas, spending from China is expected to witness a fastest growth in Asia Pacific.It is predicted to boost the customer base and prominent contributor in the revenue of global luxury products market for kids.Moreover, presently North America and Western Europe dominate the total luxury products market for kids due to high purchasing power of consumers. These regions are expected to witness a slow growth as compared to the growth exhibited by countries in Asia Pacific.The key factors driving the growth of luxury products market for kids includes continuous innovation in products sub segments, rising disposable income, changing consumer lifestyle, awareness of products through internet and social media, improving countries economy, influence of the consumers through their peers, friends or neighbours, and others .However, there are some restraining factors which are affecting the growth for luxury products market for kids which include the expensive price range for consumers in emerging markets and less product variants availability across the distribution channel. Moreover, internet being a prominent medium for distribution of the luxury goods is expected to witness low adoption among the consumers in emerging markets. Thisis due to less internet penetration in these markets.Request For TOC@Initially the market for luxury baby products was dominated by specialty retailers such as Childrens Place The Walt Disney Company, Mothercare plc, The Gymboree Corporation and others. However, with the increase in premium consumers leading to a shift in consumer buying behavior, due to this various companies have entered the market which includes GAPInc, J Crew Group, Inc, DKNY, Gucci Group, Diesel,Dolce &Gabbana, United Colors of Benetton, Jack & Jill clothing Inc,Giorgio Armani S.p.A, BLOCH, Burberry Group plc, Converse, Christian Dior S.A, FENDI and others.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: safety sensors and switched market : The report presents a comprehensive overview of the factors influencing growth exhibited by 2025 https://goo.gl/Bv04bP https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=21 https://www.tmrresearch.com/safety-sensors-and-switches-market Global Safety Sensors and Switches Market: OverviewSafety sensors and switches are used to track the presence of any foreign object or identify disturbances happening within a specified radar. Owing to the benefits they offer, the demand for safety sensors is significantly high across diverse industries such as aerospace, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceutical, mining, and others.The report presents a comprehensive overview of the various factors influencing growth exhibited by the global safety sensors and switched market between 2017 and 2025. It provides an in-depth analysis of market size and drivers, besides discussing the potential restraints in great detail. Besides this, the market also includes regional highlights and snapshots of the segments that would prove most lucrative for the sales of safety sensors and switches.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Safety Sensors and Switches Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing demand for improved security measures to ensure protection to workers and production unit against hazards is the chief factor driving the global safety sensors and switches market. The market is also gaining from stringent regulations implemented to ensure high standards of national and international security. Contrary to this, different regions are governed by different regulatory bodies, which have separate set of policies. This could be a constraint limiting the scope for the markets expansion. For instance, in North America regulatory bodies such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), and the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) govern machinery safety policies.Nevertheless, with the demand from industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, semiconductors, food & beverages, and mining rising at a phenomenal pace, the pace of gains for the global safety sensors and switches market is expected to remain high through the course of the forecast period. All these industries utilize heavy machineries, which require advanced security measures to ensure protection against potential hazards. This consequently has translated into high sales opportunity for the global safety sensors and switches market.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Safety Sensors and Switches Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, APAC, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World are key segments in the global safety sensors and switches market. Among these regions, the market is expected to witness lucrative opportunities in APAC. The rising demand from India, China, Brazil, and Latin America has been aiding the expansion of the market in Asia Pacific. Furthermore, the increasing disposable income, urbanization, and the rising demand witnessed in the automotive, food & beverages, and pharmaceutical industries will spur the demand for safety sensors and switches in the region.In addition, the persistently rising demand in North America and Europe will ensure that the pace of gains witnessed by the market remains high throughout the forecast period.Read Complete Report @Global Safety Sensors and Switches Market: Vendor LandscapeThe report presents a detailed assessment of the markets vendor landscape, for the purpose of which it profiles some of the leading vendors operating therein. Some of the leading companies operating in the global safety sensors and switches market are Pepperl+Fuchs GmbH, Rockwell Automation, KG, Omron Corp., K.A. Schmersal GmbH & Co., and others. The report also conducts SWOT analysis on the leading market players to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. The analysis is also intended to offer insight into the opportunities and threats that the companies could witness over the course of the forecast period.TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Aluminum Market To Make Great Impact In Near Future by 2020 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-301 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-301 www.futuremarketinsights.com Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals found in the earths crust. Aluminums properties such as low metal density and its ability to resist corrosion make it the most favorable metal among the end-users. It is silvery white in color and be molded into very thin sheets having high strength and durability. Aluminum finds its application across many industries such as transportation, construction, packaging, consumer durables, electrical, machinery and equipment among others.Request Free Report Sample@One of the key factors that contributes to the growth of aluminum market is the growing automobile industry. Increase in demand for light weight and fuel efficient vehicles is expected to boost the demand of aluminum in the automobile industry. On a global level, in the aluminum market China is the leading producer of aluminum followed by Russia and Canada. The aluminum market has witnessed an overall increase in the production capacity by the major producers across the world. High degree of vertical integration is another major trend witnessed in the aluminum market. Major aluminum manufacturers in the aluminum market are integrating their value chain in order to gain a significant control over the supply chain and offer the product to customers at reduced costs, thereby, increasing their market penetration. Aluminum market exhibits high degree of upstream as well as downstream integration. However, aluminum prices have witnessed an all time low over the recent past owing to oversupply in the aluminum market. Volatility of raw material prices of aluminum coupled with stringent government regulations is expected to restrain the growth of the market. Many efforts are carried out by the vendors in order to comply with the regulations vendors which further leads to higher operating and manufacturing cost of aluminum.Request For TOC@Key participants in the aluminum market include Vedanta Resources plc, Dubai Aluminum Co. Ltd., Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd., Norsk Hydro ASA, BHP Billiton Ltd. and United Co. RUSAL among others.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: ASEAN Confectionery Market, 2015-2025 by Segmentation: Based on Product, Application and Region http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-as-420 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-as-420 www.futuremarketinsights.com ASEAN Confectionery Market OverviewItems in confectionery market consists of candies, chocolates, toffees, lollies, bakery items;basically food items that are rich in sugar and sweet content. Mostly confectionery market items consists of food products like butter, cocoa, honey, milk, flour, fruits, honey, nuts, sugar syrup and more. They are consumed globally, mostly by all regions and countries and are expected to grow in developing countries. Confectionery market is growing in mostly all the South East Asian countries and saw a tremendous growth in the last couple of years.ASEAN Confectionery Market SegmentationThe confectionery market is segmented into three segments Chocolates, Sugar confectionery and Gum. Chocolates constitutes the significant part of confectionery market. Cocoa and sugar are the raw materials for chocolate and latex is the raw material used for gum.Worlds largest cocoa processor Barry Callebauts production has also moved to Asia pacific and Latin America because of its low production costs and great future opportunities.Its factories are in Malaysia and Thailand. Nestle has acquired a majority stake in Chinese confectioner Hsu Fu Chi.Request Free Report Sample@Europe constitutes the biggest share of confectionery market, followed by Asia Pacific confectionery market. ASEAN region has become an attractive place to do business. Some big MNCs have shifted their base(plants) for the production of chocolate to Indonesia to improve efficiency and reduce costs in supply. Indonesia has the most consumption of confectionery items as compared to other South East Asian countries. Flavors GmbH (WILD), another company is opening its branch center in Singapore to serve the hub for the ASEAN region. Main markets in South East Asian countries include Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia for confectionery market.ASEAN Confectionery Market DynamicsRising disposable income, higher population, high GDP growth and consumer spending are the major key drivers of ASEAN confectionery market. The biggest constraint to ASEAN confectionery market could be rise in raw material cost and uncertain consumer behaviour. Also health issues, increasing government regulations, could also be the biggest challenge for confectionery market. Chocolate segment expected to grow the most under ASEAN confectionery market. On special occasions and celebrations, sale of confectionery items increase because people gift each other and its consumption and demand increase. Vietnam is gradually cutting down the import tax imposed on products of ASEAN, countries in accordance with the ASEAN Free Trade Area, AFTA, regulations. As a result, the Vietnamese confectionery market is vibrant compared to other nations.ASEAN Confectionery Market Distribution ChannelMostly confectionery items are sold in retail stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores. Multinational flavor companies and smaller local manufacturers are active in South EastAsia confectionery market. The latter offers good distribution expertise and local connections. Innovation by producers playing a great role in experimenting with flavors, taste, size which is driving a growth of this market. Enterprises operating under Vietnamese confectionery market use modern technology of foreign countries such as Germany, Italy, Japan and Austria to make their products, and apply non-chemical preservation techniquesRequest For TOC@ASEAN Confectionery Market Key PlayersKey players in this confectionery market are Ferraro, Hersheys,Lindt, Wrigleys, Perfetti Van Melle and ChupaChupa. Product innovation and consistent in quality are the reasons for their success. Dunkin Donuts has signed a franchisee agreement to develop a brand in Vietnam with Vietnam Food and Beverage Co. domestic confectionery companies have simultaneously launched many new products in confectionery market. Pioneers of the campaign included famous companies such as Kinh Do, Bibica, Kotobuki, and smaller producers like Nguyen Tran and ThanhPhat, etc. ierce competition was found between Malaysian Khongguan biscuits and Vietnamese productsFuture Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Research report covers the Silicon Photonics Market Forecasts and Growth, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-651 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-651 www.futuremarketinsights.com In silicon photonics technology, silicon is used as a platform for the photonic circuits to create optical communication system which is highly integrated. The modern trend of miniaturization of electronic devices with increasing requirement for speed and efficiency as well as keeping the cost economical, has led to the increase in demand for the global silicon photonics market. This has led to the silicon photonics market becoming an interesting avenue globally as it has the advantage of requiring low power consumption, having higher density of interconnects, higher integration and reliability. The global silicon photonics market is anticipated to grow with two digit compound annual growth rate.Silicon Photonics Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe largest market for global silicon photonics market is data communication, as the protocol is providing services which is surpassing optical and copper technologies. The government providing financial support and the growing demand for the transference of data is driving the growth of global silicon photonics market. Demand for global silicon photonics market is also driven by covering distance or data rates which have not been provided by vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), providing faster data rates while maintaining low cost. Various constraints for the global silicon photonics market are high cost as the companies have to develop the Computer-aided engineering/Computer-aided design (CAE/CAD) on their own and competition with VCSEL which is available at a low cost.Request Free Report Sample@Silicon Photonics Market: SegmentationOn the basis of application, global silicon photonics market can be segmented into:TelecommunicationsDatacomHigh Performance Computer (HPC) and data centersMedicalSensing and instrumentsDefense/aerospace industriesResearch and developmentOthers (consumers-connecting PCs with HDTVs and desktop PC devices, commercial video, etc.)On the basis of products, global silicon photonics market can be segmented into:Silicon optical modulatorsWavelength division multiplexer filtersSilicon photo-detectorsSilicon photonic waveguidesOthers (silicon led, silicon optical interconnects, etc.)Silicon Photonics Market: Region-wise OutlookIn terms of region, North America has the highest market for silicon optical modulators and wavelength division multiplexer filters. North America is becoming an attractive destination for the companies to launch the silicon photonics market due to government support and increase in demand for the data transfer but Asia-Pacific has the highest CAGR for global silicon photonics market due to rising population, increase in urbanization and growing demand for data transfer.Request For TOC@Silicon Photonics Market: Key PlayersSome of the identified key players in the global silicon photonics market are Infinera, NeoPhotonics, Avago technologies, Luxtera, Mellanox technologies, OneChip Photonics, Cisco, Skorpios technologies, Photline technologies, etc.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Smart Factory Market is Expected to be Valued at US$ 215.0 Bn by the end of 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-446 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-446 www.futuremarketinsights.com According to the latest market report published by Future Market Insights titled, Smart Factory Market - Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015-2025, the market was valued at US$ 51.9 Bn in 2014 and is expected to register a CAGR of 13.3% from 2015 to 2025.Growth of the smart factory market is primarily driven by rising focus on advanced manufacturing techniques. Furthermore, developments in information and communications technology (ICT), increased focus on energy consumption, rising prices and stringent environmental regulations are expected to be key factors driving growth of the smart factory market over the forecast period.FMIs report segments the global smart factory market on the basis of market structure, component, manufacturing vertical, and region. Market structure includes to collect, to connect, to analyse and to control. A detailed analysis of each segment is presented in the report to deliver an accurate view of the market.On the basis of manufacturing vertical, the smart factory market is further segmented into automotive & transportation, food & beverages, electrical & electronics, aerospace & defence, oil & gas, garment & textile, chemical and others (healthcare & pharmaceutical).Request Free Report Sample@Among these, the automotive & transportation segment dominated the global smart factory market in terms of revenue contribution in 2014. Growth of this segment is primarily driven by increasing investments by leading automobile manufacturers. For example, in September 2015, German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz announced an investment of US$ 1.3 Bn to expand and upgrade its SUV manufacturing unit in Alabama, U.S. This expansion would add 300 new jobs and support end-to-end digitalization of the production process as a part of the companys smart factory initiative.This report also covers trends driving growth of each market segment and offers analysis and insights about market potential across key regions namely North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East & Africa. Furthermore, the market is sub-segmented on the basis of major countries in each region in order to provide a regional analysis of the overall market.Asia Pacific was the largest revenue contributor to the global smart factory market, accounting for US$ 20.4 Bn in 2014. This is mainly attributed to increasing investment in manufacturing plants in the region. For example, in April 2015, the South Korean government along with Samsung Electronics announced an investment of US$ 12.6 Mn to promote the smart factory concept in the country.Smart factory market in Europe accounted for US$ 14.7 Bn in 2014and is expected to register a CAGR of 14.3% during the forecast period. Growth of the market in this region is expected to be driven by increasing government support for development of innovative production technologies in countries such as Germany and the U.K. Also, increasing spending by key players is expected to further drive growth of the market in Europe.Send An Enquiry@Smart Factory Market: Major PlayersKey players in the global smart factory market include ABB Group, Rockwell Automation, Inc., General Electric Co., Siemens AG, Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, SAP SE, PTC Inc., Accenture PLC and Atos SE. These players focus on mergers and acquisitions, new product launches, expansions and partnerships in order to remain competitive in the market. A competitive dashboard has also been included in the report to provide detailed information about key players in the market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Market Research on Automotive Brake System Market 2015 and Analysis to 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-503 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-503 www.futuremarketinsights.com The developing industry of automotive has largely emphasised on the development of the vehicles that are fast and safe. Brakes have become an important and crucial part of any vehicle so as to ensure the safety which becomes very essential when the demand of speed is increasing steadily. Being commonly used in different automobiles an automotive brake system comprises a brake device having different components (such as brake pads, brake shoes, brake drum, rotor, piston, calliper, master cylinder, and brake booster) which are used for decelerating a vehicle.The growth in automotiveindustry is anticipated to fuel the growth of global automotive brake system market along with the increasing concerns over safety and resulting government pressures that have upturned the OEMs towards the launching of higher technology content, thereby driving the demand for global automotive brake systems across the globe.Request Free Report Sample@Automotive Brake System Market: Drivers & RestraintsEver-increasing demand and succeeding vehicle production is considered as one of the biggest driver for the increasing demand of the automotive brakes and global automotive brake system market penetration. Also the increasing governmental mandates for improving the vehicle safety has strongly contributed to the demand of the global automotive brake system market. The major restraint in the global automotive brake system market implies to be the higher cost of the newer technology of Electronic Brake Systems (EBS) when compared to the commonly used Hydraulic Brakes.Automotive Brake System Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes.On the basis of applications the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Two Wheeler Motor Vehicles, Passenger Car Vehicles, and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV).On the basis of technology the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that comes under the electronic braking systems (EBS).Automotive Brake System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global automotive brake system market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global automotive brake system market. The key countries in the mentioned region are projected to be India, South Korea, and China as an outcome of the increasing demand for commercial vehicles and passenger cars. Japan also contributes to the global automotive brake system market remarkably. China is expected to be the largest opportunity in terms of revenue of the industry. Europe is expected to be the second largest market in global automotive brake system market followed by North America.Request For TOC@Automotive Brake System: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global automotive brake system market are TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd., Brembo S.P.A., Halla Mando Corp., and others.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Specialty Silica Market To Grow at a CAGR of 5.8% by 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-577 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-577 www.futuremarketinsights.com Specialty silica demand will continue to be strong in 2016, fuelled by its wide-ranging applications in the rubber and plastics industry. Global demand will reach 3,188.1 KT (thousand tonnes) in 2016, up by 3.7% y-o-y, representing market value worth US$ 5.6 Bn.Rubber industry will continue to be the largest application segment for specialty silicas in 2016, accounting for 1,933.0 KT. Use of specialty silica in tyre manufacturing will drive demand, as focus on improving fuel-efficiency of automobiles continues to gain momentum. Plastics will be the second largest application segment, representing a revenue share of 8.8% in 2016.Precipitated silica will continue to witness the highest demand on the basis of product type, with total consumption set to reach 2,280.3 KT in 2016. Precipitated silica is a highly sought-after performance additive in tyre manufacturing, representing 70.7% worth of revenues in 2015. By 2016, global precipitated silica revenues are anticipated to reach US$ 3,997.5 Mn.Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) will remain the largest specialty silicas market in 2016, accounting for 1,315.8 KT in volume. High demand for speciality silica from the rubber sector, including footwear, industrial & mechanical rubber, and automotive tyres will continue to create sustained demand for specialty silica in the region.Request Free Report Sample@China is expected to continue its dominance as a major supplier for specialty silica in the global market in 2016 and beyond. To cater to the rising demand, China-based manufacturers are ramping up their production capacity. Global companies are following suit by setting up manufacturing bases in China. While regional Chinese players are increasing their capacity for conventional silica, global players are focusing on high-performance product grades, such as highly dispersible silica (HDS) that require use of advanced technical manufacturing process.Evonik AG, Solvay SA and Huber Engineered Materials are the leading players in the specialty silica market. These players are highly focused in expanding their market shares for high-end products and applications. This strategy of these players has made the market for high-performance products extremely consolidated. For instance, Solvay SA alone supplies over 50% HDS thats currently in use for manufacturing fuel-efficient tyres.Long-term Outlook: FMI maintains a positive long-term outlook on the specialty silica market, projecting the market to increase at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period 2016-2026. Asia Pacific will remain the largest market throughout the forecast period, increasing at a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Acne Vulgaris Market : The report probes into the strategies related to marketing, shares, and product portfolio of the key participants https://goo.gl/2BIKxo https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=25 https://www.tmrresearch.com/acne-vulgaris-market Global Acne Vulgaris Market: Brief AccountAcne vulgaris is a chronic and most widespread disease of the sebaceous follicles of the human skin. This basically affects the pilosebaceous units which are present in the skin of the chest, back, and face. Many patients elect medical treatment and care as they are mostly concerned about their appearance. Nevertheless, several patients opt for acne vulgaris treatment because of painful and scarring nodules. This type of disease basically begins at puberty owing to an increase in the androgen levels that eventually triggers a rise in the production of sebum from the skins sebaceous glands. This disease is generally characterized through morphological structures including nodules, comedones, and pustules/papules. The disease is eventually treated in terms of acne, the distribution type, severity, and the therapeutics can thus be targeted on the basis of various pathogenic components present. In order to treat the skin disease properly, combination therapy is employed.The market intelligence report is a comprehensive review of the growth trail in terms of current, historical, and future scenarios of the global acne vulgaris market. It offers an evaluation of the dynamics that are expected to impact the development of the market and the chief trends have also been specified in the research study. The research study also offers a broad lookout on the competitive landscape of the market through Porters five forces analysis. The research publication provides references of mergers and acquisitions, the research and development activities, details on licensing and collaborations. The report probes into the strategies related to marketing, shares, and product portfolio of the key participants operating in the global acne vulgaris market.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Acne Vulgaris Market: Trends and ProspectsMain driving aspects for the growth of the acne vulgaris market comprise high occurrence of acne vulgaris, growing incidences of several skin infections, growing demand for innovative therapeutics, and rising awareness and affordability among people worldwide. Acne vulgaris is extremely predominant in many parts of the world. Currently, mounting concerns and awareness among people across the globe over the harmful effects of this kind of skin disease will further aid in the growth of the acne vulgaris market.The recent launch of drugs like Galdermas Epiduo, which efficiently targets acne vulgaris, has further boosted the progress of the market. Several drugs which are under different phases of clinical trials such as AndroSciences ASC-J9 and Photocures Visonac (a type of phototherapy) which will soon be commercialized in the global market, will further provide lucrative growth opportunities to vendors operating in the market. Nevertheless, numerous pharmaceutical companies are unwilling towards investing in the research and development activities owing to the poor return on investment from this sector. This might prove to be a restraint in the growth of the market.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Acne Vulgaris Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, North America accounts for the leading share in the global acne vulgaris market closely trailed by Europe. The key dynamics responsible for the growth of this market in North America are the high prevalence of acne vulgaris along with high awareness and affordability of among people for their treatment.Global Acne Vulgaris Market: Companies Analyzed in the ReportSome of the key vendors in the market are AndroScience Corporation, Ausio Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Boehringer Ingelheim GlaxoSmithKline plc, GmbH, Photocure ASA, Galderma S.A., Hygeia Therapeutics, Inc., Quest PharmaTech, Inc., Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.Read Complete Report @TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Sodium Sulfur Batteries Market Value Chain and Forecast 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-690 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-690 www.futuremarketinsights.com Unlike banking accounts, where one saves money and use it afterwards whenever required; electricity is an asset which needs to be consumed as exactly when it is being generated. When compare to energy generation, energy storage is quite complicated process. Most of the times we refer how the energy could be saved when it is economically dispatched, so as to utilize it in order to serve the consumers with a robust and cost-effective manner. However, with the advancements in technology and increasing demand of electricity it will give rise to dramatic change of load characteristics all over the world. Future trend will be the application of using batteries to provide bulk power to the load with a new set of regulations emerging to support the energy needs.When dealing in the field of exotic, high energy batteries; sodium-sulfur batteries need to be understood. Alkali metals such as lithium, sodium and potassium which are highly reactive in nature; are used as anodes in these batteries to achieve the highest theoretical energy and power densities. Sodium-sulfur batteries are commonly known as NaS batteries. Sodium-sulfur reactants have an operating temperature of 300C with a potential energy density output of more than 400 Wh/kg or 200 Wh/lb. Their charge/discharge efficiency is in the range of 8692%. Compare this to about 30 Wh/kg for a lead-acid battery. High operating temperature along with the highly corrosive nature of the sodium metal allows this battery technology to be used in stationary applications such as grid energy storage. Sodium sulfur batteries are made up of many cells. Each cell is typically made in a tall, cylindrical configuration. The entire cell is enclosed by a steel casing usually protected by chromium and molybdenum from internal corrosion. This outside casing serves as the positive electrode, while the liquid sodium serves as the negative electrode. The container is sealed at the top with an airtight alumina lid. An essential part of the cell is the presence of a beta-alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) membrane, which selectively conducts sodium cations. With increasing size, the cell becomes much more economical. In commercial applications, the cells are arranged in blocks for better conservation of heat and are encased in a vacuum-insulated box. Pure sodium presents a hazard because it spontaneously burns or explodes in contact with water, so the system must be protected from moisture. In modern NaS cells, sealing techniques are quite sophisticated which make fires unlikely, although there have been cell leaks.Request Free Report Sample@Since 1983, NGK Insulators Ltd. (NGK)/ Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) have become the primary drivers behind the development of the sodium sulfur batteries because all of its componentssodium, sulfur and ceramics are abundantly found in Japan. In late 1990s, first large-scale prototype field testing took place using 3 x 2 MW, 6.6 kV battery banks. Based on this testing, improved battery modules were made commercially available in 2000. Sodium sulfur batteries are a possible energy storage technology to support renewable energy generation, specifically in solar generation plants and wind farms. These batteries present an option for energy storage in locations where other storage options are not feasible due to location or terrain constraints. Electric energy is stored and delivered within 1 mill second of an electronic command.Sodium sulfur batteries are used in the pilot projects to develop a durable utility power storage due to its high efficiency of 70% or higher and better lifetime. The world's largest sodium sulfur battery in service is in Texas, used for supplementing the power grid.Sodium Sulfur Batteries Market: Drivers & RestraintsIncreasing infrastructure investments, growing population, rising demand of power and ecofriendly energy storage are some of the key factors driving the growth of global sodium sulfur batteries market.The threat of moisture is quite important for sodium sulfur batteries, giving rise to regular battery servicing as well as individual cell inspection to ensure long term operation. Battery servicing include the crucial work of replacement of the cells showing any sign of leakage. Periodic maintenance, inspection and sealing costs, regulations on distributed energy storage (DES) and installation in inaccessible places are probable factors restraining the growth of the global sodium sulfur batteries market.Sodium Sulfur Batteries Market: SegmentationThe global sodium sulfur batteries market is broadly classified on the basis of applications and geographies.Based on application, the global sodium sulfur batteries market is segmented into:Ancillary ServicesLoad LevellingRenewable Energy StabilizationSodium Sulfur Batteries Market: OverviewSodium sulfur batteries are trending in US. In the coming years, Asia Pacific region will see the highest growth for utility-scale applications, though growth will be strong in North America and Europe. More than 20MW of sodium sulfur batteries have been installed in North America.With rapid urbanization and increasing pressure on conservation of energy, the acceptance of sodium sulfur batteries is gaining popularity. The global sodium sulfur batteries market is expected to expand at a promising CAGR during the forecast period (2015-2025).Sodium Sulfur Batteries Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global sodium sulfur batteries market is expected to register an optimistic CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global sodium sulfur batteries market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. As of 2015, North America dominated the global sodium sulfur batteries market in terms of market revenue followed by Europe. Asia Pacific & Japan are projected to expand at a substantial growth and will contribute to the global sodium sulfur batteries market value exhibiting a robust CAGR during the forecast period, 2015?2025.Visit For TOC@Sodium Sulfur Batteries Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global sodium sulfur batteries market are NGK Insulators Ltd, KEMET Electronics Corporation, Eagle Picher Technologies LLC, GE Energy, Ceramatec Inc, FIAMM Group, POSCO, Sieyuan Electric Co. Ltd.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Super Capacitors Battery Energy Storage System Market is Expected to Rise at a Remarkable CAGR By 2027 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1158 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/super-capacitors-battery-energy-storage-system-market Market Scenario:Super capacitors batteries are higher capacity electrochemical capacitor with very high capacitance value. These batteries generally hold, 10 to 100 times more energy per unit volume than the normal batteries and this is the main reason, which is driving the market of super capacitors battery market. As demand for energy storage equipments are increasing, super capacitors are coming in market as new solution.Market Segmentation:Segmentation by Types: Electric Double- Layer Capacitors, Pseudo capacitors.Segmentation by Application: Residential, Non-residential, Utility, and Electric Vehicle among others.Request a Sample CopyKey Players of Super Capacitors Battery Energy Storage System: Ioxus, Inc.(U.S.) Mouser Electronics, Inc. (U.S.) Nesscap Co. (U.S.) Murata Manufacturing Co. (Japan) Panasonic (Japan) Adafruit Industries (U.S.) AVX Corporation (U.S.) Cornell Dubilier (U.S.) Eaton Corporation (U.S.) Nichicon (Japan)Study Objective of Super Capacitors Battery Energy Storage System Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Super capacitors Battery Energy Storage System Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Super Capacitors Battery Energy Storage System market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by type, by application areas and sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Super Capacitors Battery Energy Storage System Market.Browse full report @Industry News: In January 2016, Mouser Electronics, Inc. with Imahara launched the new power series with moto empowering innovation together. In April 2016, Nesscap Co. launched new XP line of small cell of capacitors product.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Cloud Business Email Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-574 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-574 www.futuremarketinsights.com With the increasing usage of the social networks, chat, conferencing on the web, instant messaging and various other means of communications that are being used by the businesses, the E-mails are the most formal communication form and have remained the most prevalent form of business environment. Cloud business E-mail is an effective business email service that allows access, storage, sending and receiving of emails without the use of hardware or complex software. The global cloud business email market is growing at a good pace holding the fact that the number of small and medium sized businesses are increasing.Cloud-based business e-mails are getting greater importance and are seeing tremendous growth year after year. Most of the providers of these services provide more than just the mails and collaboration facility that includes Unified Communications, extra storage, Social Networking, File Sync and Share and instant messaging. The email services at first were targeted only to smaller organizations of limited funds, but now cloud email is seeing strong acceptance with businesses of all sizes across globe which is raising the global cloud business e-mail market.The developing industry of cloud computing has largely affected the global cloud business email market. A lot of small business technology needs are being taken care of by the cloud computing which is growing the cloud adoptions now a days.Request Free Report Sample@Cloud Business Email Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing focus of the business on the cost and succeeding diversion to the agile solutions has raised the market of cloud computing at an increasing rate which has led to the global cloud business email market penetration. The most inducing factor for the growing cloud business email market is ease of access, rapidity, and collaboration. Increasing SOHOs (Small Offices/Home Offices) and SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) may be a driving force for the global cloud business email market. The demographic structure of the global cloud email market has shifted recently that is inducing more and more mid-sized and large organisations that are migrating to this cloud email services which is raising global cloud business email market.Apart from the countless benefits of the cloud based business emails there are some major whys and wherefores that the consumers can restrict them from using it. The major restraint in the global cloud business email market implies to be the data security problems when compared to the commonly used hardware and software systems for managing data. Personal data such as addresses, banking details, photographs and telephone numbers are examples of information that can approve somebodys individuality and is quite often confined in an email. Increasing cyber-attacks, insider threats, government intrusions, and lack of standardization of the cloud computing may pose a threat to this well growing market.Cloud Business Email Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product/service type, the global cloud business email market is segmented as Cloud Business Email Providers and Hosted Microsoft Business Partners.On the basis of application type, the global cloud business email market is segmented as Dedicated Cloud Business Email and Multi-Tenant Cloud Business EmailRequest For TOC@Cloud Business Email Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global cloud business email market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. North America (United States) is expected to be the largest regional market with reference to the global cloud business email market. Europe is projected to be the second largest market followed by Asia-Pacific and ROW. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global cloud business email market in terms of growth rate. The key countries in the mentioned region are likely to be India and China as an outcome of the increasing pace of progresses in the enterprise sector and also the need for more efficient solutions into the IT services. Japan also contributes to the global cloud business email market remarkably.Cloud Business Email Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global cloud business email market are Apptix, Google, AppRiver, NaviSite , Intermedia, Microsoft, , Rackspace, SherWeb, GoDaddy, and SilverSkyABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: U.S Lime Market Register a CAGR of 3.0% in Terms of Volume During 2016 - 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-us-2209 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-us-2209 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights presents an analysis of the U.S lime market in a new publication titled Lime Market: U.S. Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20162026. The consumption of lime in the U.S. was pegged at 19,600 KT in 2015 and this is expected to increase to 27,074 KT by the end of 2026. The U. S lime market is projected to represent incremental $ opportunity of US$ 1,096.8 Mn during 2016 2026. In this report, Future Market Insights throws light on the various drivers and restraints likely to influence the market during the forecast period (2016 2026).Segmentation highlightsThe U.S lime market is segmented on the basis of Product Type into Quick Lime and Hydrated Lime; and on the basis of Application into Cement Manufacturing, Metal Manufacturing, Chemical (Water Treatment, Flue Gas, Others), Fertilizer, Pulp & Paper, and Others.The Quick Lime product type segment is expected to account for a market value share of 83.3% by 2016 end and is expected to gain 90 BPS over the forecast periodThe Hydrated Lime product type segment is projected to account for a market value share of 16.7% by 2016 end and is estimated to be pegged at 2,967 KT in terms of volume by 2016 endThe Metal Manufacturing application segment is anticipated to account for a market value share of 32.8% by 2016 end and is estimated to be pegged at 6,614 KT in terms of volume by 2016 endThe Chemical application segment is likely to account for a market value share of 33.3% by 2016 end and is anticipated to be pegged at 6,724 KT in terms of volume by 2016 endRequest Free Report Sample@Regional projectionsThe U.S lime market is segmented into the key regions of Northeast, Midwest, South, and Western. The Northeast U.S. lime market is estimated to account for a value share of 7.1% of the U.S lime market by 2016 end. Demand for lime in the Northeast U.S lime market is expected to be driven by water treatment plants. The Western U.S. lime market is estimated to account for a market value share of 16.7% by 2016 end, owing to an increasing production in the paper and pulp manufacturing industries.Vendor insightsThe report profiles a few leading companies operating in the U.S lime market such as Mississippi Lime Company, Linwood Mining & Minerals Corporation, United States Lime & Minerals Inc., Lhoist, Valley Minerals LLC., CHENEY LIME & CEMENT COMPANY, Pete Lien & Sons Inc., CARMEUSE, and Graymont Limited. Top market players are increasing their production facilities and introducing advanced technology and tools to cater to market demands, besides adopting strategies such as acquisitions and partnerships to expand geographically and increase market share.Send An Enquiry@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: How to promote creativity in classrooms in 10 easy steps www.thepresidiumschool.com Academicians all around the world have dedicated an entire lifetime to the introduction and advancement of creativity in education. Today, there has been a considerable shift towards the increased acceptance of valuing creativity for all learners.Creativity is the need of the hour in the 21st century classroom. To condition students from the very start is imperative. Many countries like Singapore include it at the heart of the national curricula for their students. Some of the best schools in Delhi have followed suit. Presidium Senior Secondary is one of those schools in Delhi that support creativity at every level for their students.The faculty at Presidium suggest the following ways in which educators can promote creativity in classrooms:Embrace creativity as part of learning:The first step is to create a classroom that recognizes creativity. You can start with designing awards or bulletin boards that showcase various steps of solving a problem, or even creative solutions for real life scenario.Use effective strategies to teach creativity:Analyse the most effective ways to teach creativity. Use creative arts or media-oriented programs to introduce creativity. Programs that include cognitive and emotional functioning are the best.Think of creativity as a skill:Rather than treating it like a trait it can be taught like a skill or proficiency. In this way the work of educators gets easy. They can find ways to encourage its use in classrooms and divide it further into smaller skill sets. A working model of creativity that deals with and solves everyday problems can be introduced in classrooms to promote creativity.Use emotional connections:Research shows that best creativity instruction lie in the emotions of the learner. There can be programs where students can be introduced to Philanthropy and there they can devise a solution to help their local community, such as helping the specially abled or the homeless.Let creativity flourish in a congenial environment:Creative thinking should be shared and sanctioned by others in a socially supportive environment. Some researchers have explained the importance of recognition from others. Creating social communities that promote creativity to solve problems is another way of promoting creativity.See creativity in a positive light:Researchers suggest that creativity should never be seen in a negative light. If we wish promote creativity, we need to embrace it as well. Rewarding students for coming up with problems in a variety of ways by recognizing their efforts is a good start.Use a cultural artefact:Social psychology research shows that artefacts can enhance the insight of problem solving. For example in a history class using a historical artefact helps students relate better and they start to think about living in a particular time period.Establish expressive freedom:The classroom environment should always be a place where students feel free to share novel ideas. Educators should allow flexibility and create norms that promote creativity.Schools in Delhi have recognised the need of a strong hold in creative problem solving. Presidium being at the very top supports creativity in its students from the very start. The school boasts of a comprehensive curriculum that promotes and thrives on creativity. Presidium is by far is the best school in Delhi.AboutPresidium is a senior secondary school redefining education in India. It was conceived and established by renowned educationist and popular parenting expert, Mrs.Sudha Gupta.Presidium SchoolBusiness Type: EducationWork Phone: 7838654446, 41781100, 32417772Email ID: info@presidiumonline.comWebsite:Presidium is a senior secondary school redefining education in India. It was conceived and established by renowned educationist and popular parenting expert, Mrs.Sudha Gupta.Presidium SchoolPS 2, C Block, AV, Phase II,Work Phone: 7838654446, 41781100, 32417772New Delhi-110052 Natural Flavours Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-598 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-598 www.futuremarketinsights.com The market for natural flavours has grown tremendously over the past couple of years due to increase awareness of health coupled with emerging middle class across the globe. Flavours are used in food and beverages in order to enhance the taste and quality of the products. Thousands of natural volatile compounds make up the flavours and aromas of the food products that we eat in our day to day life. The definition of natural flavour under the Code of Federal Regulations is: the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavouring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavouring rather than nutritional. The market is buoyant for the coming years especially in Europe for the natural and clean label flavours.Request Free Report Sample@Natural Flavours Market: Drivers and RestraintsGrowing consumer interest in natural ingredients coupled with the strong command of retailers in the supply chain has made natural flavours easily and widely available in the market for consumers and are the major driving forces of the market globally. However, rising cost of raw materials and the issues of sustainability and stability of natural flavours over synthetic flavours are major restraining factor of the natural flavour market. Trends of the natural flavour market includes demands for clean-label products categories such as confectionery and soft drinks and growth in R&D for stability of natural flavour.Natural Flavours Market: SegmentationNatural flavour market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and region. On the basis of product type the market can be segmented into natural extract, aroma chemical, essential oils and other natural flavour. Furthermore, on the basis of application natural flavour market can be segmented into beverages, dairy product, confectionary, oral products, tobacco and others. Beverages was the largest segment in natural flavour market followed by dairy products in 2014. Lastly, on the basis of region the market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa.Natural Flavours Market: Region-Wise OutlookIn 2014, North America holds the largest market of natural flavours followed by Europe. However, Asia Pacific and Latin America are key emerging region in natural flavours market and are expected to marginally take a lead in the global natural flavours market by 2025 over developed regions.Request For TOC@Natural Flavours Market: Key PlayersSome of the global key players in the natural flavour market are Givaudan, Firmenich, Takasago International Corporation, Symrise AG, Sensient Technologies Corporation, Kerry Group PLC, Frutarom Industries Ltd. to name a few. Givaudan, a Switzerland based company holds the maxium market share in the global natural flavour market. Big multinational companies in the natural flavour market focus on the acquisition activity in order to expand within the growth areas of natural flavour market. Major Companies such as Givaudan currently marking its footprint by increasing number of production sites, creative centres, an increased marketing and sales force and also opening new offices in Africa and Asia to cater the local demandABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Radiology Information System RIS Market Value Chain and Forecast 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-825 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-825 www.futuremarketinsights.com Radiology Information System is a software which manages the data for physicians, hospitals radiology department and clinics in an electronic form. Data could be in any form like billing, scheduling and medical imaging. Radiology information system is very useful to track radiology imaging orders and to track reports of patients. Patients entire radiology history, from admission to discharge could be track. Statistical reports for a patient or for a group of patients can be generated. The radiology information system also allows the staff to make appointments for outpatient and inpatients. Radiology Information system also provides the detailed financial recording, electronic payments and automated claims.Recently, Singapore based healthcare groups called SingHealth and Eastern Health Alliance (EH alliance) and Singapore Health Ministrys IT arm, IHis purchased Carestreams Vue Radiology (Radiology Information System) and Vue PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) for better result, access and management of radiology results and patient imaging data. Almost 4 million patients visits every year in SingHealth Group. Carestreams Vue RIS+PACS are in few other hospitals too in Singapore like Singapore General Hospital, KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, National Cancer Centre Singapore, National Heart Centre Singapore and SingHealth Polyclinics. By this software, one can access data from any location and create one unified imaging of patient file.Request Free Report Sample@Radiology Information System Market: Drivers & RestraintsTechnological advancement, rising ageing population, consolidation of healthcare providers, innovation, improved efficiency and better results, increasing demand for better healthcare systems, cost-effectiveness, increase usage of cloud computing and web based solutions, increase number of chronic diseases, are the most important driving factors in radiology information system market. Since radiology information system maintains the data for physicians and hospitals to get access form anywhere, the demand for radiology information system has increased.With so many advantages and splendid features of radiology information system, it has few disadvantages too. Lack of inexperienced professionals and interoperability issues are acting as a barrier for radiology information system market.Radiology Information System Market: SegmentationRadiology Information System Market is broadly classified on the basis of the following segments By Deployment:Web based RISCloud based RISOn-premise RISBy Product:Integrated RISStandalone RISBy End-User:HospitalsEmergency Healthcare Service ProvidersOffice Based PhysiciansRadiology Information System Market: OverviewThe radiology information system has grown substantially at a healthy CAGR due to increasing need of integrated healthcare system and rise in demand of diagnostic industry. With rapid technological advancement and innovation, radiology information system market is expected to grow globally. North America and Europe region will be dominating radiology information market in the forecast period.Radiology Information System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe radiology information system market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, radiology information system market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America has the largest market for radiology information system and is contributing the most as compare to other regions. This is due to the increase demand of diagnostic industry go get better, fast and effective results.Visit For TOC@Radiology Information System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in radiology information system market are Cerner Corporation, Siemens Healthcare, Carestream Health, Mckesson Corporation, GE Healthcare, Merge Healthcare, Allscripts and Epic Systems.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Last week the Montana House Judiciary Committee pulled the rug out from under police chiefs and news organizations who jointly supported a simple measure to clarify that booking photos are public information and should be treated as such. Unbelievably, the committee chair submitted a request to amend the bill to instead prohibit the release of these photos. He did so despite the fact that no one spoke in opposition to the original bill at the hearing Jan. 18. And despite the fact that the intent of House Bill 236 is to at last provide the obvious answer to the question of whether the mugshots taken of suspects upon their arrest should be made available to the public. For a long time, each county in Montana answered this question individually, leading to a situation in which mugshots were routinely released by some counties, such as Yellowstone, and routinely withheld in others, such as Missoula. That changed in October 2015, when a district court case helped set a statewide precedent after the judge ruled that Park County was required to release the booking photo of a registered violent offender who was charged with aggravated assault and attempted deliberate homicide. Attorney General Tim Fox later referred to the ruling to explain his decision not to offer a new ruling in a Gallatin County case that also concerned booking photos. For most county attorneys in Montana, as well as the state attorney general, that settled it: Mugshots would henceforth be released along with arrest records. Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst was among these sensible souls; she immediately informed the Missoula County Sheriffs Department that booking photos were to be treated as part of the arrest record and considered public criminal justice information. And for the past year, the Missoulian has published mugshots along with relevant crime stories. Gallatin County, on the other hand, resisted the ruling and began insisting that anyone seeking access to mugshots should be required to file a motion and secure a court order each and every time. So, although the issue was indeed settled for the most part, legislative clarification has been needed to make the law crystal clear to the lone holdouts. Thus Rep. Frank Garner, a Republican from Kalispell, introduced a straightforward bill this legislative session to accomplish that clarification. The four-page bill is an easy read, and includes a simple addition to state statute clarifying that booking photographs are included in the definition of initial arrest records, meaning they are public information. Notably, the bill has the support of nearly every news organization in the state as well as the Montana Association of Police Chiefs. However, the Judiciary Committee ignored this support and prepared amendments to the bill to prohibit the release of booking photos until after the person is convicted of a crime, with some limited exceptions. Chairman Alan Doane said he thinks the public release of booking photos is comparable to revenge porn and counter to the spirit of innocent until proven guilty. But this reasoning makes no sense. Law enforcement officials often provide mug shots to news media when asking for the publics help identifying or locating a suspect. What good would it be to wait to provide these photos until after the person is caught and convicted? A photo doesnt mean a suspect is guilty any more than an arrest report does. All it means is that an individual has been charged with a crime. Remember, a lot of people booked into the Missoula County Detention Facility are subsequently released on bail. People have the right to know who in their community has been arrested and what crimes they are being charged with as a matter of public interest and public safety, and to hold our criminal justice system accountable. Mugshots are far and away the most accurate way to identify an individual. Providing only a suspects name can lead to community confusion if the name is a common one, as in John Smith or Jane Anderson. Eliminating the possibility of such confusion is precisely why booking photos are taken in the first place. The Missoulian originally published this editorial on Jan. 30. Soft Magnetic Materials Market Projected to Reach 28.15 Billion USD by 2021 Soft Magnetic Materials Market, Soft Magnetic Materials Market Report http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/soft-magnetic-material-market-206182334.html http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=206182334 http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical http://www.marketsandmarkets.com The report "Soft Magnetic Materials Market by Material Type (Soft Ferrite, Electrical Steel, Cobalt), Application (Motor, Transformer, Alternator), End User Industry (Automotive, Electronics & Telecommunications, Electrical) - Global Forecast to 2026", is projected to reach USD 28.15 Billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 7.8%, from 2016 to 2021.Browse 72 market data tables and 43 figures spread through 125 pages and in-depth TOC on Soft Magnetic Materials Market - Global Forecast to 2026Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.The increasing demand for materials that can reduce eddy current loss and offer good permeability is driving the usage of soft magnetic materials in many end-user industries such as automotive, electronics & telecommunications, and electrical, among others.Electrical steel comprises a major share of the soft magnetic materials market in terms of valueElectrical steel has the highest market share in the global soft magnetic materials market as it provides electrical insulation, high permeability, low coercivity, high electrical resistivity to iron, and minimizes magnetic losses. It is used in applications such as, electrical power transformers, motors, generators, and inductors. It also offers a small hysteresis area which eventually leads to less eddy current loss, thereby increasing the efficiency of the application.Automotive is the largest end-use industry for soft magnetic materials in terms of volumeSoft magnetic materials have gained wide acceptance in various end-user industries, because of the superior performance and a number of advantageous properties such as, good permeability and the reduction of eddy current loss. Automotive is a major consumer in the soft magnetic materials market. The major automotive applications where these materials are used include, anti-lock brake systems, fuel injectors, motors, compressors, other rotating devices, and so on.For more Info:Asia-Pacific accounts for a major market share in the soft magnetic materials marketThe growth of the soft magnetic materials market in the Asia-Pacific region is driven by the growing electronics & telecommunications and automotive industries due to the presence of established players and stringent environmental regulations stressing upon the use of materials which will lead to the reduction of eddy current loss, thereby leading to energy savings. Some of the leading players such as Daido Steel Co. Ltd. (Japan) and Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd. (Japan) have accelerated their R&D efforts to provide good quality soft magnetic materials. Moreover, the Asia-Pacific region is witnessing rapid economic development and industrialization, which is also giving an impetus to the soft magnetic materials market in the region.Some of the key global players in the soft magnetic market are Hitachi Metals Ltd. (Japan), Toshiba Materials Co. Ltd. (Japan), GKN Sinter Metals Inc. (U.S.), Sintex a/s (Denmark) and others. These players have adopted various organic and inorganic developmental strategies during the past five years.About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets 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&Ms 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.MarketsandMarkets701 Pike StreetSuite 2175, Seattle,WA 98101, United StatesTel: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.comVisit MarketsandMarkets Blog @Visit MarketsandMarkets @ JMA Participates in Rajasthan Road Safety Week Rally Pilani Basant Panchami Day JMA Participates in Rajasthan Road Safety Week Rally Pilani Basant Panchami Day http://jmapilani.org http://jmapilani.org/ In India today, the mounting toll of road deaths is a matter of great rather grave concern for all stake holders. Speeding vehicles, drunk driving, low use of helmets and seat belts as well as child restraints in vehicles have resulted in most of the road accidents.In terms of Road accidents Tamil Nadu tops with Rajasthan at 8, Road accident fatalities Uttar Pradesh tops with Rajasthan at 5, Road accident injuries Tamil Nadu tops with Rajasthan at 7. In terms of number of road accidents Mumbai tops while in terms of road deaths Delhi is the Deadliest followed by Jaipur, Bengaluru and Kanpur. 43.7% of road accidents are due to over speeding. Drivers fault has been revealed as the single most responsible factor for road accidents, killings and injuries on all roads in the country over a long period of time. India not only needs stricter Road Safety Laws but also Drivers who drive more cautiously and follow the rules.Right from its inception, Smt Jamuna Mishra Academy JMA Pilani has embarked on a rich tradition of celebrating various days of national and international significance. The school which is one among the top ranking schools in Pilani today participated in the Rajasthan Road Safety Rally organized at Pilani on 01 Feb 2017 Basant Panchami. Teachers, staff and students of the school enthusiastically participated in the same. The founder of the school Dr BM Mishra always had insisted that the school takes part actively in all socially relevant activities at Pilani.The rally was flagged off at Pilani Nutan Bus Stand by various dignitaries which included Chairman Vidya Vihar Nagar Palika Prof Rajendra Prasad Pareek Physician - Superintendent of BITS Pilani Medical Centre who also thanked JMA Principal Mrs Booma Natarajan for extending cooperation to participate at a short notice. The rally passed through the Pilani Delhi road and terminated at Town Centre Bhagat Singh Statue.For more details about JMA Pilani seeAbout JMA Pilani: Smt. Jamuna Mishra Academy (JMA) established in the year 2004 which has been making rapid strides in early childhood education is presently one of the most sought after schools at Pilani considered as Oasis in the desert state of Rajasthan well known in India today for one among top in world ranking BITS Pilani University as well as CSIR Laboratory CEERI and globally renowned Birla Science Museum. JMA Pilani is a Co-educational English Medium School with Experienced Teachers, Spacious Classrooms and Modern Amenities designed to impart Quality Education combined with All Round Personality Development and lay the Best Foundation for the Childs Future. JMA which started in 2004 with an enrollment of 60 students for the Nursery, LKG, First Junior and Class I has grown today till Class XII and enrollment of 900. While the school admits both boys and girls, the girl student enrollment has been steadily rising every year and is presently nearly 50% of the total strength. The school has NCC for boys and the school girls band has been winning laurels every year too. Yoga and Fine arts are not just part of school routine but a way of life for the students.Mrs Booma Natarajan, M.Sc., M.A., B.Ed.Principal, Jamuna Mishra Academy JMANear Old Pilani Post OfficePilani Rajasthan 333031 IndiaPhone 91-1596-242314Email booma_pilani at yahoo.co.inWebsite: Precision Farming And Agri IoT Will Affect The Global Economics Global Precision Agriculture Market - Strategic Assessment and Forecast 2017-2022 http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/reports/research-report-agriculture-market/precision-agriculture-market-research-report-market-size/ http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/contactus/request-sample http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/how-precision-farming-and-iot-will-affect-the-global-economics/ Beige Market Intelligence has recently published a new market research report on precision farming market. The research report throws some important insights on farming & agriculture and how precision farming and Agri IoT (Internet of Thing) can impact the global economics. The report also highlights that the climate change and its impact on global agri industry and how technology incoprporated in farming can be answer to world's food shortage.The global economic activity remained subdued in 2016, posting a YoY growth of 3.4% compared to 2015 (3.1%). While emerging economies constitute three-fourths of this growth, developed economies and part of the Eurozone posted flat to negative growth. As key developed economies are on the path of recovery, developing economies are struggling to retain their economic growth. Some of the key factors that will shape the worlds economy in the next five years are as follows:Revolutionary changes in consumption patterns and trade flows across the world due to drastic shift in political and regulatory changesSlowdown of Chinese economy as the country seeks to strike a balance between exports and domestic consumptionSoftened energy prices influencing the dynamics of key manufacturing industries in several developing countriesGradual tightening in the US monetary policy as the worlds largest economy seeks to get back to the normal growth curveRestructuring of the EU and change in trade policies because of Brexit and other separationist demandsPolitical uncertainty anticipated by a radical shift in policy with a change in regime at the worlds largest economy USTo know more about the report, please click on the linkThe global economic growth is expected to be characterized with moderate recovery (13%) in developed economies of Germany, the US, and the UK; average growth to outperformance (59%) in developing economies such as China and India and contraction to flat growth in economies of Brazil, Russia, and the EU (-1%2%). However, one such inherent growth driver that remains integral to these growth stories is the agriculture sector that constitutes the vital inputs to major industries and form the basis for retail and industrial consumption.Request a free sample:As the number of mouths to feed and change in macroeconomic trends such as urbanization, lifestyle changes, resource exploitation, and easier communications, there has been a massive shift in how food is produced and consumed. Climatic changes supporting the incidence of droughts, flash floods, unpredictable rainfall, and temperature are wreaking further havoc on the already stressed agricultural output. In addition, human-driven factors such as encroachment of forest land, indiscriminate water consumption and wastage, unscientific usage of pesticides, fertilizers to achieve short-term productivity are additional constraints to the agricultural value chain.In view of the above, it has become imperative for us to adopt efficient and sustainable farming practices to ensure better food security and safety. Precision farming remains a key to achieving the same, wherein it involves the usage and conversion of unstructured data to derive actionable farm insights that can potentially save resources and labor and can yield higher productivity.Some of the major factors that are driving the adoption of precision farming are as following:Urbanization: The global urbanization rate was estimated at 54% in 2014 and is expected to reach 65% by 2030 driven by rapid infrastructural expansion in emerging economies that constitute half of the worlds population. As the number of urban congregations rise, there comes the demand for value-added products including food and beverage products.Climatic factors: Climatic change constitutes about 45% loss of the worlds GDP per year while natural disasters constitute a loss of up to 1% GDP. Precision farming enables the same through weather forecasting, and emphasizing farm models to accommodate sustainability by minimizing preventable disasters such as soil erosion, deforestation and loss in soil productivityDemand and price agility: The underlying principle of any business activity including that of agriculture is to achieve the maximum output through minimal input of resources and that too in a sustainable manner. Precision farming facilitates the required agility through a network of connected devices and ecosystem that can dispense live information of markets across the world and intimate the farming community over the best practices. This enables farmers not only to make informed decisions in order to achieve a high RoI but also can potentially save pilferage and production of under-desired commodities.Sustainability: Sustainability is termed to be a US$1 trillion opportunity by 2022 in terms of demand for products and services supporting it. Agriculture, estimated to consume about 18% of the global energy output is one such area of focus wherein the emphasis is onto minimize the energy footprint of farming operations. It may involve substitution of labor with mechanized equipment, scientific-data driven use of pesticides and fertilizers, controlled usage of water efficient planting of seeds to derive maximum benefit within the confined agricultural domain and beyond.Source:About Beige Market IntelligenceBeige Market Intelligence is new-age provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. The analysis helps our client organizations become aware and make educated decisions, as far as investing or devising a marketing strategy is concerned. The actionable insights delivered through our market research provide a comprehensive market analysis for every level of market segmentation in an industry. Beige Market Intelligence is a quality driven high end Market Research organization. Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analysed and smartly presented, but is completely customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base does not look beyond Beige when it comes to any kind of industry and market analysis.Contact Detail:Khyama PatraBeige Market IntelligenceChinnapannahalli Main Road, Bangalore-560037contactus@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: +1 347 903 9949UK: +44 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473Beige Market Intelligence Digital Instrument Clusters Market Forecast and Segments, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-524 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-524 www.futuremarketinsights.com Instrument clusters with digital displays are increasingly replacing electromechanical pointer instruments. Moreover, digital instrument clusters are poised to supersede the analog instrument clusters in the next generation vehicles. The global instrument clusters is basically categorized into three groups: digital, analog and hybrid. Analog cluster is a classic instrument panel that contains a physical dial and a needle for the speedometer. A digital instrument cluster displays all these classical instruments on the LCD, VFD or TFT-LCD screen. Such digital instrument clusters can be programmed to display the appropriate selection of virtual instruments according to the drivers preferences. A hybrid cluster is the combination of the analog and digital cluster. Furthermore, they can enhance the appeal of a vehicle with eye-catching graphics. Therefore, most of the luxury brands are seeking to differentiate their vehicles through the inclusion of digital instrument clusters. It is expected that over seven million cars will have fully digital instrument clusters by the 2018. Digital instrument clusters that offers personalization are a key selling point.Digital Instrument Clusters: Drivers & RestraintsThe key factor driving the digital instrument clusters market is substantial rise in the automobile output and its personalization. A digital instrument cluster that is reconfigurable is very appealing. Features such as distance until next charge, information on battery charge, and other driver information, can easily be displayed using a digital instrument clusters. These features are driving the market for global digital instrument clusters. Another factor driving the market for global digital instrument is consumer trend. The tablet, PC and smartphone ownership is increasing and there are opportunities to integrate these devices to drive global digital configurable instrument clusters. Furthermore, the economical and the environmental constraints upon the engine designs are driving the introduction of digital instrument clusters since the interior gains more attention from OEMs as a way to differentiate. Another features that are driving the global digital instrument clusters market includes advanced technological features such as reusability, dynamic, scalable, simple and attractiveness. Digital instrument clusters needs a larger LCD display- often 1280 x 480 pixels, thus leading to higher cost. Also, an 8 or 16-bit CPU cannot transfer that many pixels, hence the digital cluster needs a 32-bit CPU. In addition, the level of software capability needed extends beyond the traditional entrenched skill set. These factors act as restraints for the digital instrument clusters up to a certain extent.Request Free Report Sample@Digital Instrument Clusters: SegmentationOn the basis of application, the global digital instrument clusters market is segmented into:SmartphoneTablet PC/Desktop/NotebooksAutomobilesOthers (Digital cameras, inverters, power suppliers, painters, car radio, LED lighting, payment terminals)The demand for digital instrument clusters in automobiles is anticipated to grow at an accelerated pace mainly due to significant growth in the automobile industry globally. Furthermore, the smartphone segment is also expected to grow at a high CAGR during the forecast period.Digital Instrument Clusters: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region North America, Asia Pacific and Japan are expected to be the dominant players as a result of growing economy in these regions. The Indian electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) industry is one of the fastest growing industry in the country, which is further boosting the demand for digital instrument clusters in the region. The global digital instrument cluster market is anticipated to grow at a steady rate in other regions of the world as a result of a slowing global economy in these regions.Request For TOC@Digital Instrument Clusters: Key PlayersSome of the market participants in the global digital instrument clusters market are Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd., Ford Motor Company, Audi AG, Renault, Volkswagen, Kia Motors Corp., BMW AG, Jaguar Land Rover Limited, NVIDIA Corporation and Tesla Motors.ABOUT US :Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Tissue and Hygiene Products Market Segments and Key Trends 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-528 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-528 www.futuremarketinsights.com The personal care products market comprises hair care, skin care, toiletries, fragrances convenience products and others. Among all these segments toiletries and skin care comprises the major segments for the market, constituting with high market value with favorable perspective in the near future. Tissue and hygiene is the sub-segment of toiletries segment. Tissue and hygiene products help consumers to maintain healthy and hygienic lifestyle in day to day schedule. Tissue and hygiene products are further categorized as disposable razor or blades, sanitary pads, nappies, cleansers, sprays, cotton wool and others.Tissue and hygiene Market SegmentationTissue and hygiene market can be segmented on the basis of distribution channel which includes health and beauty stores, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores, supermarkets, convenient stores, e-retailing and others. Among all these distribution channel segments, sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets account for the highest market share in 2014 followed by convenience stores. Growing retail industry is fuelling the demand for sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets across the globe. Moreover, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores segment is also expected to show a potential growth in terms of sales of tissue and hygiene products during the forecast period. In addition, sell out through internet is expected to show a sustainable growth in the forecasted period. The growth of online purchasing is supported by the increasing penetration of internet and rising concern for convenience among the consumers across the globe.Request Free Report Sample@The tissue and hygiene market can also be segmented on the basis of product type. The segmentation includes cotton wool/buds/, incontinence products, nappies/diapers, sanitary protection, wipes and others. Among all these segments sanitary protection and nappies/diapers are collectively expected to account for the highest growth in terms of revenue followed by wipes. Increasing concern of women for healthy and hygienic lifestyle is expected to support the growth of sanitary protection product market across the globe. Moreover, wipes are also expected to show a tremendous growth in the forecast period due to continuous and aggressive promotion of the product.On the basis of geography, North America contributes to the largest in terms of revenue in tissue and hygiene market followed by Europe. In North America United States is the major contributor in tissue and hygiene market followed by Canada. In Europe, countries such as Germany and France accounts for the largest market share followed by United Kingdom. Whereas, Asia pacific is concerned it is expected to register a double digit CAGR growth by 2020. In Asia pacific region China is expected to be the most dominant market for tissue and hygiene followed by Japan. Rising awareness through various corporate advertisements and government educational campaigns coupled with increasing concern of women to be hygienic in their day to day life has fueled the growth of tissue and hygiene market in China. Moreover, women in China prefer for premium feminine hygiene product categories, which is expected to bolster the growth of feminine hygiene products in terms of revenue. In addition, India is also expected to witness a robust growth in tissue and hygiene market. Increasing number of working women in urban areas, rising awareness among the consumer for healthy and hygienic lifestyle has supported the growth of tissue and hygiene market in India. Furthermore, government educating and awareness campaigns in rural areas and in schools is expected to support the growth of tissue and hygiene market particularly in India.Request For TOC@Tissue and hygiene Market DriversRising disposable income coupled with increasing consumer expenditure for health care products is driving the growth of tissue and hygiene market across the globe. In addition, consumer awareness through aggressive corporate advertisement and various government campaign programs in rural and urban areas especially in school and colleges is also fueling the tissue and hygiene market growth of tissue and hygiene market in the forecast period. In addition continuous launching of new product variant is expected to fuel the growth of tissue and hygiene market in the near future.Tissue and hygiene Market: Key PlayersThe major international players operating in tissue and hygiene market includes Sterling Hygiene Tissue Procter & Gamble, Gulf Manufacturing EST, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Unilever and Hengan International Group Company Limited. among others.ABOUT US :Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Vehicle Electrification Market Growth, Trends and Value Chain 2015-2025 by FMI http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-542 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-542 www.futuremarketinsights.com Electrification of a vehicle is considered as one of the best way to reduce carbon emission, increase vehicle efficiency and reduce dependency over oil. Vehicle electrification generates new opportunities for consumer engagement along with various environmental and economic benefits. We can replace various hydraulic or mechanical systems with electric systems: hydraulic power steering with electric power steering and mechanical or hydraulic pumps with electric pumps. The air conditioner in a vehicle canVehicle Electrification Market: Drivers & RestraintsIncreasing prices of conventional fuels, growth in the sales of electric vehicles will enhance the growth of vehicle electrification. Growing demand for fuel efficient vehicles, stringent emission norm along with increasing environmental awareness among the consumer are also expected to fuel the growth of vehicle electrification market. Governments of various countries such as US are actively supporting vehicle electrification by providing tax exemption and subsidies.Request Free Report Sample@Vehicle Electrification Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, vehicle electrification market is broadly segmented as:StartStop SystemElectric Power Steering (EPS)Liquid Heater PTCElectric Air-Conditioner CompressorElectric Vacuum PumpElectric Oil PumpElectric Water PumpThermoelectric GeneratorElectric TurbochargerOn the basis of vehicle type, the market is segmented into:Passenger CarLight Commercial VehicleHeavy Commercial VehicleTwo WheelerVehicle electrification market is segmented on the basis of degree of hybridizationas:Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) & Micro-Hybrid VehicleHybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)Battery Electric Vehicle (Bev) & Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)In addition, report also includes segmentation on the basis of channel type:OEMsAftermarketRequest For TOC@Vehicle Electrification Market: Region Wise OutlookAsia Pacific region owing to the fast growing automotive industry in developing countries such as India, China and South Korea is expected to show a significant growth in the vehicle electrification market. Strict laws in Western & Eastern Europe for vehicle efficiency will drive the vehicle electrification market in this region. North America is also anticipated to a moderate growth with credits to the strong fuel efficiency norms and support from government in the region. With rapid technological advancement and growing automobile industry, vehicle electrification market is expected to increase at a double CAGR during the forecast period.Vehicle Electrification Market: Key PlayersSome of the players in the market we identified includes, Continental AG, Robert Bosch GmbH., TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., Denso Corporation, (Japan), Nexteer Automotive, JTEKT Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mando Corp., Borgwarner Inc. and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.ABOUT US :Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Digital X-Ray Equipment Market Growth with Worldwide Industry Analysis to 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-535 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-535 www.futuremarketinsights.com Two-dimensional images produced by x-ray radiation is the practice of projectional radiography, also known as plain film radiography. Digital X-Ray equipment is utilized in medical imaging of human body. X-rays are ionizing radiations that possess the energy to penetrate human tissue. Digital x-rays interact with human tissues and generate diagnostic images. The human tissues are exposed to a beam of x-ray which is also known as primary beam. It passes through the body and gets absorbed by the human tissues. This process of absorption of the primary beam by human tissues is known as attenuation. Attenuation is the key function that results in formation of digital x-ray images through Digital x-ray equipment. The dense anatomy of the body such as the bones absorb more x-rays than the thin anatomy of the body. The primary x-ray beam after attenuation is known as remnant beam. The remnant beam is received by image receptor of the Digital x-ray equipment. The dense anatomy appears white while the thin anatomy appears black on radiographs produced by Digital x-ray equipment.Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsDigital x-ray uses x-ray to view the internal anatomy of the irregularly composed opaque tissues. The opaque tissues highly vary in their density and x-rays are the most efficient electromagnetic radiations that represent clear digital images through digital x-ray equipment. X-rays are safe radiations for the living tissues and digital x-ray images can be generated of every body organ. The digital x-ray equipment market is majorly driven by novel technological advancements, increasing healthcare expenditure, rise in ageing population and disease prevalence. The digital x-ray equipment market is also witnessing highly competitive scenario that has led to large number of improved digital x-ray equipment launches. Moreover, digital x-ray equipment are less expensive yet more efficient than other radiography equipment. Digital x-ray equipment provides quick healthcare delivery and improves workflow. The digital x-ray equipment has the limitation of in-depth imaging. The digital x-ray equipment is based on transmission of the x-ray beam and this exposes only the surfaces of the human anatomy under observation. The details of the human anatomy are not revealed by the digital x-ray equipment.Request Free Report Sample@Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: SegmentationDigital x-ray equipment market is classified on the basis of product type and geography.Based on product type, the global Digital X-Ray Equipment market is segmented into the following:Digital Radiography (DR)Computed Radiography (CR)Retrofit Radiography SystemDigital X-Ray Equipment Market: OverviewDigital X-Ray Equipment is widely used in the imaging of all human body tissues and has become a part of routine checkup. Digital x-ray equipment deliver medical imaging in the standard safety radiation dose. Digital x-ray imaging is one of the most important pillars of medical imaging. The global Digital x-ray equipment market is expected to expand at an exceptional double digit CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025.Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Digital X-Ray Equipment market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a remarkable CAGR owing to the improving healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Also the expanding middle class population in the region is expected to add significant value to the digital x-ray equipment market. Moreover, the countries of New Zealand, Australia, India, China and Japan have ample potential and availability of advanced diagnostics and therapeutics. The APAC region also contributes favorably to the global medical tourism and further to the global digital x-ray equipment market.Request For TOC@Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global Digital X-Ray Equipment market are Siemens AG, Philips Healthcare, Canon USA Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, GE Healthcare, Varian Medical Systems, Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Healthcare, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Toshiba Medical Systems, Fuji Medical Systems and China Resources Holding Medical Equipment Company Limited. The competition in digital x-ray equipment market is majorly based on technological advances in digital x-ray equipment and the pricing of the digital x-ray equipment.ABOUT US :Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Micro Guide Catheters Market to register a healthy CAGR for the forecast period, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-536 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-536 www.futuremarketinsights.com A catheter is a thin tube medical device which can be inserted into the human body during surgical procedures. This process is known as catheterization. A catheter is manufactured from medical grade materials. Catheters can be modified to treat various diseases ranging from cardiovascular, urological, neurovascular, ophthalmic to gastrointestinal. Catheters perform the functions of fluid drainage, fluid or gas administration and organ access for surgery in human body. An indwelling catheter is left inside the body, either temporarily or permanently while a permcath is inserted in the body permanently. A catheter is made up of polymers such as silicone, nylon, polyurethane, thermoplastic, elastomer, polyethylene terephthalate to name a few. These catheter polymers are inert and unreactive to human body and medical or surgical chemicals. Micro guide catheter has a hydrophilic coating designed with Glide Technology, a stainless steel braid and a gold marker.Micro Guide Catheters Market: Drivers & RestraintsMicro guide catheter is built to approach highly complex lesions in the human anatomy through the most difficult vessels, ducts or cavities. The stainless steel braid in Micro guide catheter improves the tensile strength and increases the reliability of the Micro guide catheter. This is an advantage of micro guide catheter over other conventional catheters. The Micro guide catheter lumen is tapered and intended to provide for enhanced guidewire control through the human body. The risk associated with catheter material and functioning can hamper the growth of micro guide catheter market. There have been instances in which the polymer of catheter has proven to be weak and got fractured. These fractures need to be rectified by additional surgery thereby losing patient compliance and increasing cost of surgery.Request Free Report Sample@Micro Guide Catheters Market: SegmentationMicro Guide Catheters market is classified on the basis of type, therapeutic area and geography.Based on type, the global Micro Guide Catheters market is segmented into the following:Over-the-wire micro guide catheterFlow directed micro guide catheterBased on therapeutic area, the global Micro Guide Catheters market is segmented into the following:NeurovascularCardiovascularMicro Guide Catheters Market: OverviewMicro Guide Catheter is widely used in cardiovascular disease treatment. Cardiovascular catheters is the largest segment in global catheter market. Cardiovascular catheters hold approximately 40% share of the global catheter market. The micro guide catheter market is expected to witness bolstering demand owing to the venturing of catheter manufacturing companies into new launches of micro guide catheters. Also the micro guide catheter market possess ample potential due to the flexibility of micro guide catheter tips. Micro guide catheter tips are capable of reaching intricate anatomy to treat diseases such as uterine fibroids, arterial embolism, venal or pulmonary embolism, vascular malformations and hypervascularized tumors.Request For TOC@Micro Guide Catheters Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Micro Guide Catheters market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the leading region in micro guide catheter market due to the high volumes of medical procedures conducted through catheterization. Also, the availability of established healthcare infrastructure, high contribution of healthcare to economy, patient compliance are the reasons for the high demand in North America for micro guide catheter. The constant healthcare sector improvements and the huge amount of population base represented by the Asia Pacific region is expected to drive the demand in Asia Pacific micro guide catheter market.Micro Guide Catheters Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global Micro Guide Catheters market are LuMend Corporation, Terumo Europe N.V., Covidien AG, ASAHI INTECC Company Limited, Lake Region manufacturing Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Volcano Corporation, Micro Therapeutics Inc., Merit Medical Systems Inc. to name a few. The micro guide catheter manufacturing companies aim to gain US FDA and CE approvals for its micro guide catheters.ABOUT US :Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Advanced Mobile UX Design Services Market with Current Trends Analysis, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-566 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-566 www.futuremarketinsights.com In global information and communication industry one of the significant trend is shifting of internet services from computers to mobile devices. As the penetration of smart phone is increasing exponentially, most of the companies around the world is focusing to deliver their services with enhanced user experience over the mobile platforms. User experience (also UX) is all about how convenient a person feels while interacting with a system, this system could be a utilization of hardware, web application or a software. User centered designs is one of the key ingredient of digital services and devices and by creating it as differentiator can become the companys competitive advantage in market place while increasing the operational performance at the same time. The user experience includes various functions such as media, visuals, information and functional architects, etc.Advanced Mobile UX Design Services Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global advanced mobile UX design services is increasing exponentially due to various driving factors such as increasing smart phone penetration in developing economies such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, increasing mobile banking, mobile shopping, gamming social media browsing, etc. Also, growing penetration of 4G LTE infrastructure is supporting the growth of the advance mobile UX design services market. However, some security factors such as data security and cyber-crime are posed to be major restrains towards the growth of the global advanced mobile UX design services market.Request Free Report Sample@Advanced Mobile UX Design Services Market: SegmentationThe global advance mobile UX design services market is broadly segmented into geography and type of services. There are various advance mobile UX design services are available nowadays such as, voice over internet protocol, video on demand, web browsing, micro-blogging, live tv streaming etc. Some of the major service type segment included in the global advance mobile UX design services market are;Web browsingStreamingVoIPMicro-blogOthersAdvanced Mobile UX Design Services Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement and wide acceptance of smartphones, the global advance mobile UX design services market is expected to expand at healthy CAGR of around 10% during the forecast period (2015-2025). Some of the latest trends identified in the global advanced mobile UX design services market are enhancing personalization features such as rearranging tabs and functions within the mobile app, Date/Time format, themes (color, image, etc.), and preferred language etc.Request For TOC@Advanced Mobile UX Design Services Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global advanced mobile UX design services market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global advanced mobile UX design services market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. As of 2014, North America, and Western Europe dominated the global advanced mobile UX design services market in terms of market revenue. Asia Pacific & Japan are projected to expand at a substantial growth and will contribute to the global advanced mobile UX design services market value exhibiting a robust CAGR during the forecast period, 2016?2025.Advanced Mobile UX Design Services Market: Key PlayersThe rapid technological changes such as change in operating system, communication technology are pushing advanced mobile UX design services providers to go extra mile for technological advancement to meet the demand of future. Some of the key market players in global advanced mobile UX design services market are Mindtree Ltd., Infosys Limited, RapidValue Solutions, AKTA, Sourcebits, Feathersoft Info Solutions Private Limited, Space Chimp Media, Computer Sciences Corp. and SoftServe Inc.ABOUT US :Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.compress@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Clothes Dryers Market 2017 Industry Trends, Growth Rate With CAGR Analysis 2021 Clothes Dryers https://goo.gl/e6yRcr https://goo.gl/0dJVzz The survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Clothes Dryers market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Clothes Dryers market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Clothes Dryers market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Clothes Dryers market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Clothes Dryers market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Inquiry For Bying Report @Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Clothes Dryers industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803 On Saturday, January 21 I was privileged to join a group marching in Helena in support of the Women's March on Washington, DC. That march drew over 600,000 women, men, and children in a peaceful protest that saw not one arrest. In Montana, we proudly gathered more than 10,000 marchers, ages ranging from less than two to 94, to gather before our state's magnificent Capitol. The mood was invigorating, but why were we there? Indeed, why did we march? Was it a protest of the newly elected president? Or was it in response to his campaign promises that he is now bringing to fruition through executive orders that target and alienate seniors among us, immigrants among us, women, African Americans, Latinos, and the Dream Children among us? Not all of us could march, so those who could, did. I marched because once Rosa Parks defiantly sat where she wanted. I marched because Jeanette Rankin stood bravely as the sole voice against world war; not once, but twice. And I marched because Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for the right of all women to vote, rich and poor alike. Generations before me have defined and stood up for my rights as an American citizen. As they didn't know me, I don't know the effect of my demands for affordable health care for all, or civil treatment of our immigrants. But I know what the United States of America stands for - we stand for inalienable rights for all. That's why I marched. Sincerely, Elisabeth Hudnutt Choteau United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Market Insights, Development and Forecast to 2020 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=898433&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/united-states-eu-japan-china-india-and-southeast-asia-teleconsultation-and-telecollaboration-sofware-market-size-status-and-forecast-2021.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/reports.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.The market research report on the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market analyzes the prominent trends and technologies in the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market that are expected to play a key role in the overall development and future growth prospects of the market. The report highlights the key drivers, challenges, and opportunities that are expected to have a sizeable influence on the markets growth prospects over the period between 2016 and 2024.The report includes exhaustive and in-depth market-related data to present the reader a detailed outline of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market. The report includes data that has been gathered with an investigative approach to examine the prominence of crucial market elements that are expected to affect its development over the next few years.To Get Free Sample Copy of Report visit @The report presents an eloquent an easy-to-comprehend analysis of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market, which is supported by numerous tables, bar and pie charts, and other graphic data elements in the report. The report presents data pertaining to the basic industry-specific definitions of key market elements, segmentation, and characteristics of the key aspects related to the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market.The report presents a thorough outline of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market in a way that allows the reader to easily understand the crucial factors that will have a major impact on the development of the market, including the applications and the end-users. The vast data included in the report has been congregated with the help of a variety of primary and secondary research methodologies.The report presents a thorough overview of the competitive landscape of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware market with the help of detailed business profiles of key companies in the market. Along with vast details regarding the companies in terms of finances, product portfolios, revenues, and other aspects, detailed SWOT analysis of the key companies operating in the market has also been included in the report.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware1.1 Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Market Overview1.1.1 Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 32 Global Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Teleconsultation and Telecollaboration Sofware Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureFor 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 China - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband And Digital Media - Statistics And Analyses http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/743779 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Executive SummaryChina Continues to Evolve as a World Leader in the Digital Media SectorThe Chinese telecom market is the largest in the world in terms of subscribers and is undergoing transition. Mobile subscriptions outnumber fixed voice connections and voice is giving way to data as the primary revenue generator. Chinas telecom market is served by three operators; China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile. All three are integrated providers of telecom services although China Mobile is the largest in the crucial mobile market.Chinas fixed-line market is in decline due to voice mobile substitution although the two main fixed-line operators of China Telecom and China Unicom have aggressively deployed and marketed fibre broadband to increase the value of maintaining a fixed-line.In 2016 the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a fourth basic telecommunications licence to state-backed China Broadcasting Network (CBN) enables CBN and its subsidiary China Cable Television Network to provide domestic internet data transmission and telecom infrastructure services.Although China boasts the largest mobile market in the world, there is still much room for growth given the relatively recent focus on large scale LTE investment. Chinas mobile market is served by mobile network operators China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom which operate a variety of technology platforms that reflect the commercial preferences of operators and the industry development policies of the government.Entering 2016 all three mobile network operators are focused on deploying LTE networks and monetizing such investments by enticing end users to upgrade to higher ARPU LTE products such as mobile broadband. The number of mobile subscribers passed the 1.3 billion subscriber mark, with penetration surpassing 100%. China Mobile continues to dominate the mobile industry with 63% market share.Mobile subscriber growth is expected to be very slow due to a saturated and mature market. Operators will continue to focus on increasing ARPU in light of diminishing opportunities to acquire new subscribers and the need for operators to maximise monetization of LTE investments.Operators are also investing in technologies design to maximise the user experience such as Rich Communication Service (RCS), Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Near Field Communications (NFC).China possesses the largest broadband subscriber base in the world, with the majority of users accessing the Internet through mobile devices. Catering to this demand are Chinas three telcos: China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile. Broadband makes up the majority of fixed Internet connections given dial-up comprises less than 2% of total fixed Internet connections.Despite high broadband penetration China possesses one of the slowest broadband speeds globally although this should change following network architecture improvements such as the October 2015 completion of a two year project to increase the number of nationwide Internet traffic hubs from three to ten.Unlike the US market, where cable internet access plays a prominent role in developing the fixed broadband market, DSL was the initial driving force behind fixed broadband growth in China, followed later by EPON fibre and now GPON fibre.HFC makes up a tiny proportion of total broadband connections as despite the fact that China also possesses the largest cable TV subscriber base in the world, cable TV operators were late in upgrading cable TV networks with the necessary infrastructure, missing a significant slice of the countrys rapidly expanding fixed broadband market.In mid 2016 the Chinese government unveiled plans to invest additional funds in developing broadband networks. The move will be boost growth of Chinas e-commerce giants such as Alibaba, Suning and JD, as these providers shift their focus their strategy to more rural areas. The government's Broadband China Plan.Download Sample Copy of Report atWith the worlds largest online population, Chinas digital economy has grown rapidly to cater to the needs of the online masses. Much of the initial growth in Chinas digital economy was underpinned by the online demand for information, media and commerce, giving rise to Chinas three domestic digital economy giants; Baidu (search), Alibaba (e-commerce) and Tencent (social media). Traditional media players largely struggled to keep pace with the migration of audiences to online media, while Chinas telcos missed the opportunity to develop into digital giants as they focus on deploying fixed and mobile broadband networks.Also evolving within Chinas digital economy to meet the needs of Chinas online audience are the banking and financial services industry, public administration services, health services and education services.Chinas digital economy will continue to grow as only half of Chinas 1.4 billion people are online. This online audience is growing wealthier due to Chinas consistent macroeconomic growth and demographic trends such as ongoing urbanisation. As a consequence Chinas online audience is increasingly willing to spend online, a trend encouraged by the government as it seeks to balance the economy away from an overreliance on building infrastructure and exporting goods towards domestic consumption.The fate of Chinas traditional media players is largely secure given that they are government owned and hence seen as an integral part of the governments desire to control the media. The competition for audience share and hence revenue between privately and state-owned operators reflects the same competitive challenges faced by state-owned operators in other industries in Chinas evolving economy.MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global Conveyor Ovens Market - Top Players, Industry Trends, Competitive Analysis, Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18935 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Growing preference for stacked conveyors ovens and improved product features for better production efficiency are boosting the growth of the conveyor ovens market. Currently, the growing demand for baked food items such as pizzas, cookies, and pasta, compels independent food chains and restaurants to increase their productivity by increasing the volume and reducing the food preparation time.Download Research Brochure PDF@To meet the growing demand, commercial conveyor oven manufacturers are introducing new ovens with technologically up graded features. Apart from this, many pizzerias are increasingly demanding compact and space- saving commercial kitchen equipment in order to get desired output within a limited space. Due to this, stacked conveyors are gaining significant popularity across the world. Furthermore, conveyor oven manufacturers are focusing on better working capacity by introducing new features and technologies such as increased volume production, menu differentiation, and reducing cooking time.The conveyor ovens market is segmented by source of heat, by end user, and geography. On the basis of source of heat, the market is segregated into electric conveyor oven and gas conveyor ovens. Among these applications, electric conveyor oven segment accounted for significant market share in 2015 and is expected to maintain its market dominance in the coming years. One of the major driving factors responsible for the growth of this segment, is the increasing demand for electric conveyor ovens because they are easy to use and operators need not worry about lighting the gas or carbon monoxide leakage issues. The conveyor ovens market has also been segmented on the basis of end user into restaurants and hotels. The restaurants segment accounted for the maximum market share in 2015 and is expected to maintain its position over the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. One of the major factors responsible for the growth of this segmnet is the increasing demand for conveyor ovens in pizzerias.Geographically, the conveyor ovens market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America dominated the global conveyor ovens market in 2015 in terms of revenue. The U.S. and Canada are anticipated to experience rapid growth, propelling the usage of conveyor ovens in these regions. In addition to this, developing regions continue to command a considerable share of the global conveyor ovens market that creates huge opportunities for market players. Moreover, Middle Eastern countries and Latin America will contribute to the growth of the market owing to the growing number of hotels and restaurants.The global conveyor ovens market is extremely competitive with the presence of a large number of large-scale and small-scale vendors who compete with each other in terms of product differentiation, quality, price, innovation, distribution, and brand promotion. Key players operating in the market include Middle by Marshall, Lincoln, Moretti Forni, Ovention, and Star Manufacturing International among others. Other prominent vendors in the market include Bakers Pride, TurboChef, Doyon, OEM-ALI, PICARD OVENS, GGM Gastro International, and XLT. These players dominate the market with their vast geographic presence and large production facilities across different countries. However, the global conveyor ovens market is also characterized by the presence of several emerging regional and small manufacturers who lead the market in countries such as the U.K. and China and invest huge amounts of capital in research and development activities and innovation centers in order to expand their production capabilities and meet the growing market demand. In addition, major players are expanding their market share through new product development, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and expansion, while focusing on their plans to open new retail outlets to strengthen their distribution channels and increase their earnings. In order to meet the growing consumer demand, a variety of different products are launched in the market by various leading as well as emerging manufacturers.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: C4ISR Market is Expected to Show Positive Growth due to the Rising Threat of Cyber Crime Worldwide http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18971 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com C4ISR implies command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The market is expected to witness robust growth during the forecast due to rising demand for unmanned systems, cyber crime and terrorist activities across the globe.Download PDF Brochure:The rising concern of asymmetrical warfare is one of the primary factors driving the growth of C4ISR market. Furthermore, the integration C4ISR helps in better surveillance and coordination of the military forces. Hence they are less prone from the threat of sudden attacks. Moreover, the systems enable the armed forces to give the right information at the right moment. The rise in terrorist activities in Middle East region is further creating the need for these systems. In addition, the system is also being used in geospatial intelligence as it helps in round the clock surveillance and data collection. In addition, the defense sector of several developed and developing nations are upgrading from their conventional analog surveillance systems to digital interface for better security of the nation. Furthermore, the increasing trend for short mission cycles is resulting into the need for faster data transmission between forces, which is further aiding to the growth of the market.However, there are certain factors which are hindering the growth of this market at large. Certain developed countries like the U.S. and U.K. are cutting down their expense in defense sector. This in return is reducing the need for upgraded systems and hindering the growth for C4ISR market. Furthermore, the integration of these systems makes the army or the armed forces dependant on the systems. If the system gives wrong or inaccurate information, the result can be destructive.Nevertheless, the market is expected to show positive growth in future due to the rising threat of cyber crime worldwide, which is leading to the need for stronger online security. Moreover, the ongoing technological innovation is leading to a fall in price of the services which is expected to push the demand for C4ISR market in future. In addition, the emerging concept of next generation IP network with better communication and internet facilities is further expected to create demand for the market during the forecast period.The report on C4ISR will also focus on the key trends that are affecting the behavior of the market. In addition, the porters five forces analysis will also be provided for a better understanding of the market. The global market for C4ISR has been segmented by platform, application, components and geography. In terms of platform, the market has been categorized into naval, airborne and land based systems. By application, the market has been segregated into communications, intelligence, electronic warfare, computers, command and control and surveillance & reconnaissance among others. By components the global C4ISR market can be segmented into communication networks, display consoles, EW hardware, application software and network technologies. The communication networks can be further sub segmented into wired and wireless categories. Furthermore, the EW hardware can be categorized into electronic support and electronic counter measure.By geography, the global C4ISR market has been divided into five strategic regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America. North America and Europe are expected to have a larger market share as they are the early adapters of new technology and hence expected to integrate C4ISR systems actively. Moreover, the rising terrorist activities in Middle East are expected fuel the demand for these systems in the near future. Moreover, the developing economies like India and China are upgrading their defense and surveillance systems to cater to cross border unrest. This factor is further expected to boost the demand for C4ISR market during the forecast period.The leading players operating in the C4ISr market include Lockheed Martin Corporation, General Dynamics Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Elbit Systems Ltd., Harris Corporation, Thales Group, Raytheon Company, BAE Systems PLC., Rockwell Collins, Inc. and SAAB AB among other players.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Power Semiconductor Market: Dynamics, Sales and Revenue Analysis, Report Forecasts to 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1178 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/power-semiconductor-market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/request-toc/1178 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/testing-inspection-certification-market Market Highlights:The major growth driver of Power Semiconductor Market includes growth in renewable energy sectors such as wind and solar power generation, increasing urbanization especially in Asia-Pacific, growing consumer electronics market, and rise in domestic income in emerging market among others.However, worldwide financial uncertainty and macroeconomic situations such as currency exchange rates and economic difficulties are some of the major factors which are hindering the growth of Power Semiconductor Market.Major Key Players Infineon technologies AG (Germany) Texas instruments Inc. (U.S.) ST Microelectronics (Switzerland) Qualcomm Inc.(U.S.) NXP semiconductor (Netherlands) Fairchild semiconductor (U.S.) Renesas electronic corporation (Japan) Broadcom limited (U.S.) Toshiba corporation (Japan) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Japan)Request for Sample Report @Industry News:1) Infineon technologies has announced in August 2016 that it is going to supply security chips for the electronic access control to the Korean airports who are implementing CIPURSE based security for the public environment. CIPURSE is an open standard system based on advanced encryption standards which provides rapidly access solutions which are secure, interoperable and cost efficient.2) ST Microelectronics has introduced a new product portfolio of wide creepage transistors with super junction MOSFETs in the arcing resistant package in August, 2016. These transistors is ideal for power transistors commonly used in products such as television sets, PCs among othersThe report for Power Semiconductor market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 110 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Power Semiconductor Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2022Objective of Power Semiconductor Market Study: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Power Semiconductor market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Power Semiconductor Market based on various factors- supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by component, by materials, by application and sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Power Semiconductor market.Access Report Details @Market SegmentsSegmentation by Components: Diodes, Switching devices, Power integrated circuits, Thyristors, Power MOSFETs RectifiersSegmentation by Materials: Silicon, Silicon Carbide (Sic), Gallium Nitride (Gan), Gallium Arsenide Silicon GermaniumSegmentation by Application: Automotive Consumer Electronics Military & Aerospace Industrial (Inverters, Wind/Solar Power Generation)Request a Report TOC @The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Browse Related Reports:Global Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) Market, by Type (Outsourcing, In-house), by End-User (Automotive, Textile, Aerospace, Oil & gas, Petroleum, Food & beverage) - Forecast 2022About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Global Hospital Real-time Location Systems Market- Ekahau, STANLEY Healthcare,CenTrak and Versus Technology Hospital Real-time Location Systems http://bit.ly/2kUHI6b http://bit.ly/2kklmIj The market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall Hospital Real-time Location Systems market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the Hospital Real-time Location Systems market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.Click Here to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of Hospital Real-time Location Systems market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research Hospital Real-time Location Systems report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the Hospital Real-time Location Systems market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse Full Report at @The overall information of the Hospital Real-time Location Systems market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the Hospital Real-time Location Systems market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Market Research, Shares, Growth Rate, Forecast Report 2021 (Food processing Industrial, Oil and gas Industrial, Chemical/pharmaceutical Industrial) http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/789088 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/category/169 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressreleases http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketresearchreports-biz MarketResearchReports.Biz presents this most up-to-date research on "Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Market Research Report 2021"This report studies Industrial Heat Exchangers in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with Production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringDaikinDanfossGEA GroupJohnson ControlsTraneDoverAHT Cooling SystemsStar RefrigerationBITZER KuhlmaschinenbauIndustrial FrigoCIMCO RefrigerationMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Region, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Industrial Heat Exchangers in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaChinaEuropeJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IIType IIISplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Industrial Heat Exchangers in each application, can be divided intoFood processing IndustrialOil and gas IndustrialChemical/pharmaceutical IndustrialGet The Sample Copy Of This Report:Table of Contents1 Industrial Heat Exchangers Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Industrial Heat Exchangers1.2 Industrial Heat Exchangers Segment by Types1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Industrial Heat Exchangers by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I Overview and Price1.2.2.1 Type I Overview1.2.2.2 Type I Price List in 2015 and 20161.2.3 Type II1.2.3.1 Type I Overview1.2.3.2 Type I Price List in 2015 and 20161.2.4 Type III1.2.4.1 Type I Overview1.2.4.2 Type I Price List in 2015 and 20161.3 Industrial Heat Exchangers Segment by Application1.3.1 Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Food processing Industrial and Major Clients (Buyers) List1.3.3 Oil and gas Industrial and Major Clients (Buyers) List1.3.4 Chemical/pharmaceutical Industrial and Major Clients (Buyers) List1.4 Industrial Heat Exchangers Market by Region1.4.1 North America 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)1.4.5 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Industrial Heat Exchangers (2011-2021)1.5.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production and Revenue (2011-2021)1.5.2 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.3 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Industrial Heat Exchangers Manufacturing Base Distribution and Product Type2.5 Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Expansions2.5.2 New Product Launches2.5.3 Acquisitions2.5.4 Other DevelopmentsBrowse More Machinery Market Research Reports:3 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Analysis by Region3.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.1.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.1.2 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Revenue Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.2 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Region (2011-2021)3.3 North America3.3.1 North America Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.3.2 North America Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.4 Europe3.4.1 Europe Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.4.2 Europe Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.5 China3.5.1 China Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.5.2 China Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.6 Japan3.6.1 Japan Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.6.2 Japan Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.7 India3.7.1 India Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.7.2 India Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.8 Southeast Asia3.8.1 Southeast Asia Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.8.2 Southeast Asia Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)4 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Analysis by Type4.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production, Revenue, Market Share and Growth Rate by Type (2011-2021)4.1.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Production and Market Share by Type (2011-2021)4.1.2 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Revenue, Market Share and Growth Rate by Type (2011-2021)4.2 Type I Production, Revenue, Price and Growth (2011-2021)4.3 Type II Production, Revenue, Price and Growth (2011-2021)4.4 Type III Production, Revenue, Price and Growth (2011-2021)5 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Market Analysis by Application5.1 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption and Market Share by Application (2011-2021)5.2 Major Regions Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application in 2015 and 20165.2.1 North America Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application5.2.2 Europe Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application5.2.3 China Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application5.2.4 Japan Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application5.2.5 India Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application5.2.6 Southeast Asia Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption by Application5.3 Global Industrial Heat Exchangers Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2011-2021)5.4 Market Drivers and Opportunities5.4.1 Potential Applications5.4.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.To View The Latest Industry Press Releases:ContactMr. Nachiket90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E-Mail: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:Thanks..!!!!!!!!!!!MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global Beauty Device Market to Cross $54,186.9 Million in 2020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3375 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/beauty-devices-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/3375 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Global beauty devices market was valued at USD 19,389.1 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.7% from 2014 to 2020, to reach an estimated value of USD 54,186.9 million in 2020.A sample of this report is available upon request @Globally, the beauty devices market is witnessing significant growth due to increasing disposable income, which is enabling people to spend more on personal care. In addition, rise in aging the population and increasing prevalence of skin diseases and harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation are also driving the growth of the market. However, there are various risks and complications associated with beauty devices which may lead to bruising, swelling, and redness. In addition, extended availability of easy-to-use beauty products inhibits the growth of the market. The global beauty devices market is anticipated to grow from an estimated USD 19,389.1 million in 2014 to USD 54,186.9 million in 2020 at a CAGR of 18.7% during the forecast period.In North America, increasing aging population and availability of advanced devices are driving the use of beauty devices in the market. In addition, in the U.S., there are around 750,000 beauty salons and spas. These beauty salon and spas have propelled the demand for beauty devices and personal care products in order to offer better services to their customers.In Europe, the beauty devices market is driven by rising aging population. In addition, in Spain the market is evolving due to rising awareness about potential healing applications of beauty devices in the treatment of skin and hair problems.However, in Asia the growth for beauty devices is much higher than developed countries due to increasing disposable income, availability of multinational brands and the introduction of less expensive beauty devices.Request to view Table of content @LOreal Group, Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc., Home Skinovations, Ltd., PhotoMedex, Inc., TRIA Beauty, Inc., Syneron Medical, Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Carol Cole Company and Procter & Gamble are some of the major players of beauty devices market.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite:media@persistencemarketresearch.com Gas Leak Detector Market to Cross US$ 3143.67 Million By 2020 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4606 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/gas-leak-detector-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/4606 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Global gas leak detectors market accounted for US$ 2,312.2 Mn in 2014 and while exhibiting a CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period. The Global Gas Leak Detector Market is expected to reach US$ 3143.67 Mn by the end of 2020, representing a CAGR of 5.29% through 2015 to 2020.A sample of this report is available upon request @Key driving factors, identified in the global gas leak detectors market are stringent government safety norms, growing investment in oil & gas and chemical Industries and increasing commercial and residential infrastructure development. However, lower profit margin due to intense competition, deferred investments in oil and gas might pose a challenge towards the growth of the global gas leak detector market. Some of the major trends identified in the global gas leak detector market are the use of internet of everything (IoT) and artificial neural network technology and gas leak detectors.The global gas leak detector market report is categorically split under four sections namely: market analysis by region, applications, product type and technology. The report analyses the global gas leak detector market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) and volume (Million Units).From a regional perspective, North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Western Europe together contributed 50% of the global gas leak detector market value in year 2014. Whilst Asia Pacific excluding Japan contributed total 35%, making it the largest geographical segment in the global gas leak detector market. The Middle East and Africa gas leak detector market is projected to grow at promising CAGR of 6.27% through the forecast period.From the product type perspective, Portable type gas leak detectors accounted a leading share in the global gas leak detector market value in 2014, which is projected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period. The fixed type gas leak detector market is projected to exhibit CAGR of approximately 3.8% for the year 2015 to 2020.On the basis of technology type, the electrochemical based gas leak detector is the predominant segment with total share of about 38%, whilst the ultrasonic, semiconductor and infrared based gas leak detector cumulatively accounted for 46.6% % in the global gas leak detector market value in 2014. When compared with other remaining technology segment the infrared based gas leak detectors is projected to grow at higher CAGR of 6.30% over the forecast period.Request to view Table of content @From an application perspective, the Industrial application segment of the gas leak detector is the largest segment of the global gas leak detector market in 2014. Out of the sub-segment oil & gas is the major segment, holding the largest market share as compared with other remaining sub-segment. On the other hand, the market value accounted in year 2014 by commercial establishment application segment is approximately 2.5X of the value registered by the residential segment. Others application segment is expected to grow with a CAGR of 7.1% from 2015 to 2020.Key market participants covered in the report include MSA Safety Inc., Honeywell International Inc., TycoInternational plc, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KgaA, Emerson Electric Company and other players.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite:media@persistencemarketresearch.com An Upcoming Analytic Reports Platelet Rich Plasma Market Forecast upto 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=8707 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-platelet-rich-plasma-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the platelet rich plasma market in Asia Pacific considering various macro as well as microeconomic factors such as regulations, applications of platelet rich plasma, and advantages and disadvantages of type of platelet rich plasma, and cost. The report studies the platelet rich plasma market from four perspectives: type of platelet rich plasma, origin of platelet rich plasma, application of platelet rich plasma, and country wise market.PDF for more Industrial Insights of Platelet Rich Plasma Market at:Based on the type of platelet rich plasma, the market in Asia Pacific has been segmented into pure platelet rich plasma, leucocytes and platelet rich plasma, and platelet rich fibrin. Based on origin, the market has been segmented into autologous platelet rich plasma, allogeneic platelet rich plasma, and homologous platelet rich plasma. In terms of the application of platelet rich plasma, the market has been segmented into orthopedic surgery, cosmetic surgery, general surgery, neurosurgery, and other surgeries. In terms of country, the market has been studied for eleven major geographies: Australia, the Philippines, China, India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Rest of Asia Pacific. Additionally, each segment of the platelet rich plasma market has been further subdivided into national markets.The market size for each of the segments and sub-segments mentioned above is provided in US$ Mn considering 2013 and 2014 as base years and forecast from 2015 to 2023. The forecast model considers various factors such as number of surgeries, health care expenditure of the country, advantages of the individual segment, penetration of platelet rich plasma therapy in the country, the cost of platelet rich plasma in various countries, and government regulations. The research methodology is a blend of primary as well as secondary market research, where market estimates based on desk research are further refined considering inputs from expert interviews.This report on the platelet rich plasma market in Asia Pacific also provides qualitative information on major players in the market. It also includes details on current regulatory policies for platelet rich plasma and devices. Major factors driving and restraining the platelet rich plasma market are also discussed in the report, while opportunities from the future perspective are also mentioned. Furthermore, the platelet rich plasma market report provides value chain analysis for comprehensive analysis. Porters Five Forces Analysis will provide the idea of bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants in platelet rich plasma market, threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry in platelet rich plasma market. Additionally, market share analysis of the platelet rich plasma market in Asia Pacific provides detailed information on current competitive landscape of the market. Market attractiveness analysis provides information on most attractive countries for platelet rich plasma.Read the Current Market Analysis of Platelet Rich Plasma at:Finally, the report profiles major players in the platelet rich plasma market in Asia Pacific including Harvest Technology, Arthrex, Inc., Stryker Corporation, Zimmer Biomet, DePuy Synthes, AdiStem Ltd., Cesca Therapeutics, Inc., Exactech, Inc., and Rmedica Co. Ltd. Each of the companies is profiled for parameters such as company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies, and recent developments. The report on the platelet rich plasma market estimation and forecast comprises 128 slides and 68 graphs.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Vernon Finley called on state leaders to seize on healthy disagreements as an opportunity to create the best policies for all Montana residents, tapping into historical shared values to guide them toward common sense. Montana has always been a place where people have come together, said Finley, chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes during the annual Tribal Address to the Legislature, other statewide elected officials and leaders from reservations around the state. The message of unity and respect shared by Finley echoed similar pleas made by legislators when the 2017 session started last month and by the governor in his State of the State speech last week. Finley pleaded for state leaders to move in the opposite direction of national politics, where tensions and uncertainty have grown during the transition of President Donald Trump into office. He acknowledged that the state has its own history of conflicts, but argued leaders have ultimately found a balance for the good of their constituents. Weve been a place of opposites. You see those opposites. Theyre married. If you see one and dont see the other its because you arent looking, he said, contrasting religious cults and the Unabomber to accomplishments like the election of Jeanette Rankin as the first woman in Congress. The sides always come together to create a really good history for this state. Finley suggested Americans, and Montanans in particular, might learn from the American Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which, at its core, was about reconnecting tribal members to their cultural values and living by them. A large part of that was a recognition that decisions should be made in the context of the communitys whole history and with respect for all its diverse members. You, as a human being, is the youngest of all creation and everything else that is there before you has to be respected, he said. He later added, The world view that came out of it was people who carried themselves on their earth knowing youre never alone. Youre never alone in your thoughts. In where you are at. Theres always someone listening to your words, watching your actions, listening to your thoughts. Finley highlighted several Montana achievements he attributed to state leaders being mindful of their heritage and common values they share with Native Americans who first made the state home: delegates writing a recognition of tribal governments into the Montana Constitution, Gov. Steve Bullock appointing a record number of Native Americans to boards and administrative positions, Attorney General Tim Fox conducting authentic tribal consultations on Justice policies, and commissioners who prioritized fair representation when redrawing legislative boundaries in 2012 to include six majority-minority districts to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act. He also lauded Bullock, Fox and others for speaking out against racial and religious hate speech in Whitefish that had drawn national attention in recent months. Legislators from both parties applauded as Finley named each achievement. He said that kind of progress requires commitment and a watchful eye for ideas based on something other than the principles you hold dear, urging them to turn away proposals based on race, based on social economic status, based on gender or based on things that arent really about Montana. My plea to you this afternoon is that you keep that in mind as you move forward and consider all of the legislation that is coming before you. What are all of these perspectives that are in our state? Are they respected with this? Is there some compromise that can be made? he said. There are opposites married within this chamber, but as long as you keep the focus on what is best for all of Montana in mind, well do fine. Positive Developments Will Keep A Floor On Anti-aging Market in Asia, Europe, and South America Regions http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=5021 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-europe-south-america-anti-aging-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ As per the report, the anti-aging market in Asia, Europe, and South America is majorly fuelled by the increasing number of baby boomers, thus increasing the demand for various methods of curbing and reversing the prominent signs of aging. The market is continuously growing and a number of products, devices, and services have entered the market in recent years due to the consistent demand to lessen the signs of aging. Amongst these, in 2013, the anti-aging products held the biggest share in the anti-aging market due to increasing awareness amongst people and the economical prices of these products.Get the PDF Brochure for Future Market Trends of Anti-aging Market in Asia, Europe, and South America Region at:On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into dermal fillers, UV absorbers, botox, anti-stretch products, anti-wrinkle products, and hair color. Amongst these, in 2013, anti-wrinkle products held the biggest share in the anti-aging products market in Asia. The anti-wrinkle product segment stood at more than US$8.1 bn in Asia in 2013. This is due to the broad range of anti-wrinkle products available in the market and the rising awareness owing to a number of promotional campaigns held in Asia. Anti-wrinkle products also held the largest share in Europe in the same year. The demand for these products is high in European countries owing to their increasing availability at economical prices.On the basis of service, the market is segmented into anti-adult acne therapy, anti-pigmentation therapy, liposuction, chemical peel, abdominoplasty, hair restoration therapy, sclerotherapy, and eyelid surgery. The anti-aging services market is expanding swiftly in Europe on account of the rising disposable income of consumers owing to ongoing recovery from the economic crisis in Europe. Within Europe, the anti-aging services market in Italy held the biggest share in 2013 owing to increasing demand for hair restoration treatments and breast augmentation. The anti-aging services market is predicted to record the highest growth rate in Spain in the forecast horizon due to the rising aging population and the increasing prevalence of obesity.Read the Present Market Analysis of Anti-aging Market in Asia, Europe, and South America Region at:On the basis of device type, the market is segmented into microdermabrasion devices, anti-cellulite treatment devices, radio frequency devices, and laser aesthetic devices. Anti-aging devices are the most prevalent in South American countries. Radiofrequency devices and laser aesthetic devices held the biggest share in South America, especially in Brazil, due to their high effectiveness and safety.Alma Laser Ltd., Allergan, Inc., Beiersdorf AG, Cynosure, Inc., Coty, Inc., LOreal SA, Valeant Pharmaceutical International, Inc., Solta Medical, Inc., and PhotoMedex, Inc., among others, are the major players dominant in the market.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Veterinary Surgical Instruments Market Research Report by Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18998 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/veterinary-vaccines-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/veterinary-diagnostics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The major players operating in this market include STERIS, plc, DRE Medical, Inc., B. Braun Vet Care GmbH, DRE Medical, Inc, World Precision Instruments Inc., Surgical Holdings, Neogen Corporation, Integra LifeSciences Corporation, Antibe Therapeutics Inc., and Germed USA Inc.Download PDF Sample of Report -Driving factors such as growing demand for animal-derived food products, growing companion animal market, rising animal health expenditure, increasing pet insurance coverage, increasing number of veterinary practitioners, and increasing per capita expenditure in developed regions will fuel the global veterinary surgical instruments market. Due to a competitive market environment, product innovation is another driving factor which will add value to the global veterinary surgical instrument market. On the other hand, factors such as lack of animal health awareness and shortage of skilled veterinarians in developing countries will hinder the growth of the veterinary surgical instruments market globally.The veterinary surgical instruments market has been segmented by product type, animal type, application, end-users, and geography. In term of product type, the market is classified into forceps, surgical scissors, needle holders, retractors, electrosurgery instruments, dental instruments, orthopedic, and others. In terms of animal type, the market is classified into canine, equine, feline, and large animal. In terms of application, the market is classified into soft tissue surgery, gynecology, orthopedic surgery, and dental surgery. In terms of end-users, the market is classified into veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, and veterinary diagnostic laboratories.Geographically, the veterinary surgical instruments market is classified into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa.Geographically, North America dominates the veterinary surgical instruments market due to rising animal healthcare expenditure, growing number of veterinary practitioners, rising companion animal adoption and rising demand for pet insurance and a well-established animal healthcare market. North America market is followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Europe is the second largest market for veterinary surgical instruments due to increasing pet adoption, and research and development activities. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a higher rate due to growing per capita animal health expenditure in this region, growing demand for animal-derived food products in China and India, progressive urbanization and rising pet adoption. Emerging markets such as Brazil, South Africa, India, and China will create opportunities for the veterinary surgical instruments market.Read Related Report:Veterinary Vaccines MarketVeterinary Diagnostics MarketAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Latest Outlook for Canada Home Healthcare Market upto 2020: Rising Incidences of Chronic Diseases Driven the Demand http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4898 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/canada-home-healthcare-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ The home health care market includes a wide range of medical devices and services that are used by patients to treat, diagnose, and monitor a variety of chronic diseases. These devices and services play an important role in providing cost-effective health care to the patients. The home health care market offers lucrative business opportunities in Canada due to increased acceptance of home health care, technological advancements, and cost-effective alternatives compared to other modalities (i.e. hospital visits). Factors such as aging population and increasing number of people diagnosed with chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiac disorders, and respiratory diseases are driving the growth of the home health care market in Canada. The Public Health Agency of Canada estimated that three individuals out of five in Canada (aged 20 years and above) suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, mental illness, and cardiovascular diseases, and four out of five are at risk of developing chronic conditions. Moreover, several organizations, such as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities Canada, offer accreditation programs to the home care service providers to improve their home care business operation and quality of patient care, which in turn would contribute to the growth of the market. Other factors fueling the growth of the home health care market are aging population, rising government spending on home care services, and cost effectiveness However, the high cost of professional health care services and home medical devices is likely to restrain market growth.Obtain the Upcoming Trends for Canada Home Healthcare Market at:This report encompasses a detailed study of various home medical devices and home health care services in Canada. Home health care devices have been segmented into diagnostic and monitoring devices, therapeutic devices, home mobility assist devices, and medical supplies. The diagnostic and monitoring devices segment includes blood glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, sleep apnea monitors, pregnancy test kits, pulse oximeters, heart rate monitors, temperature monitors, pedometers, and coagulation monitors. The therapeutic devices segment comprises insulin delivery devices, nebulizers, ventilators and CPAP devices, IV equipment, and dialysis equipment. The home mobility assist devices segment has been further categorized into wheelchairs, cranes and crutches, and other mobility assist devices. The market size and forecast for each device type has been provided for the period from 2012 to 2020, considering 2013 as the base year. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (% CAGR) for the forecast period from 2014 to 2020 for each segment.Based on services, the home health care market has been segmented into rehabilitation services, respiratory therapy services, tele-health and telemedicine services, infusion therapy services, and unskilled home health care services. The market size and forecast in terms of USD million for each service has been provided for the period from 2012 to 2020, considering 2013 as the base year. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (% CAGR) for the forecast period from 2014 to 2020 for each segment.The home health care market in Canada has been segmented into four major regions: Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and Rest of Canada. The market size and forecast for each province has been estimated for the period from 2012 to 2020 in terms of revenue (USD million), considering 2013 as the base year. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020 for all the provinces mentioned above.Read the Current Market Status of Canada Home Healthcare at:The market overview section of the report discusses the market dynamics with respect to the market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This section also covers market attractiveness analysis of the home health care market in Canada. A list of recommendations for new players planning to enter the market and for existing players to enhance their market shares is also presented in the report. The report concludes with company profiles of key players operating across various segments of the market. Each company profile includes business overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies, and recent developments. Some of the prominent players in the home health care market in Canada that have been profiled in the report include 3M Health Care, Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Cardinal Health, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, GE Company, Invacare Corporation, and Medtronic, Inc.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Non Invasive Diabetes Therapy Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2016-2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/54 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/non-invasive-diabetes-therapy-market-54 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ https://blog.coherentmarketinsights.com/ The role of non-invasive therapy for diabetes market has been on a positive growth path in healthcare industry since 2014. Though the non-invasive therapy concept was brought way back in 1980, the market has not gained much attention leading to development of fewer such devices. DexCom's seven system and Medtronic's Guardian real-time glucose monitoring system are two such products developed and marketed worldwide. The influx of non-invasive therapy has reinforced the diabetes market in various ways ranging from economical cost incurred to patient treatment outcomes.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:Many leading players along with new entrants are venturing in the market to capitalize and generate high ROI. As a result, noninvasive therapy market is expected to witness double digit growth rate over the forecast period.The report covers market analysis across regions North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.Market Dynamics:The World Health Organization projects diabetic population to reach 336 Mn by 2030 from 270 Mn in 2015. Increase in incidence rate of diabetic population will demand for non-invasive medication is expected to create favorable market opportunities for the players globally. Moreover, improving healthcare access along with focus on R&D could spur the overall non-invasive market size. Some companies are engaged in development of non-invasive system on photonic technology and occlusion spectroscopy technology.The market will be further driven by changing macroeconomics and consumer preference. Healthcare expenditure has increased in developing regions. Large consumer base along with changing lifestyle is expected to create substantially new market opportunities for early entrants.Regional Analysis:Among regions, North America is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. Moreover, North America is expected to grow at a fastest rate owing to high spending on R&D and presence of leading companies in the region. Prevalence rate of diabetes is high compared to other regions.As per the initial study carried out by CA, North America and Europe are expected to account for over 65% of overall functional non-invasive diabetes therapy market. Healthcare providers are seeking this technology to manage the growing demand for diabetes. Growth in these regions is expected to be further driven by macroeconomic factors. The region as a whole spends over 5% of its GDP on research and GDP. Moreover, healthcare spending is highest in this region with North America accounting for 16.7% and Europe 10% of overall GDP in 2015.Asia Pacific is expected to be driven by China and India. According to International Diabetes Federation, over 490 million people in China are suffering from diabetes. Country is pushing toward healthcare reforms. Many companies are emerging in the region. As a result,Browse Global Strategic Business Report :Competition Landscape:Some key players engaged in the market are Bio Tex, Calisto Medical, DexCom, Bayer, ACON Laboratories, B. Braun Melsungen, etc.ABOUT USCOMPANY OVERVIEWCoherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having office at global financial capital in the U.S. Our client base includes players from across all business verticals in over 150 countries worldwide. We are uniquely positioned to help businesses around the globe deliver practical and lasting results through various recommendations about operational improvements, technologies, emerging market trends and new working methods. We offer both customized and syndicated market research reports that help our clients create visionary growth plans to provide traction to their business. We meticulously study emerging trends across various industries at both the global and regional levels to identify new opportunities for our clientele. Our global team of over 100 research analysts and freelance consultants provide market intelligence from the very molecular country level and also provide a global perspective of the market. Our team is of the most vital cog in our robust machinery that gives us the ability to deliver independent insight relying on our cognitive defusion training module.This allows for an objective and unbiased assessment of the market. We pride ourselves in my constantly striving to update our extremely in-depth understanding of the market by closely monitoring and analyzing markets, trends, and emerging best practices, across allfathomable industries under the sun. This enables us to equip our valued clientele with key decisive inputs to capitalize on lucrative growth opportunities in the market and to follow firmly position themselves on a high growth path in the future.CONTACT USCORPORATE OFFICE:Raj ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Particulate Respirators Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2016-2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/59 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/particulate-respirators-market-59 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ https://blog.coherentmarketinsights.com/ Patient suffering from SARS or their surrounding people are the target population for particulate respiratorsParticulate respirators are medical devices, which helps to protect one from harmful particles present in the air or dust or harmful fumes. Such harmful dust usually spread through severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). SARS is a respiratory syndrome commonly spread among symptomatic individuals, by person-to-person contact, or when the person sneezes or coughs, thereby infecting the nearby surfaces or through airborne transmission. Being a communicable disease, healthcare professionals and medical transport workers are at high risk to such disease as they frequently come in contact with patients suffering from SARS. Hence, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued interim infection control recommendations for those high risky healthcare centers and facilities. Particulate respirators have proved to be excellent personal protector equipment in order to reduce the risk of inhaling harmful airborne particles. Particulate respirators which has the capability of filtering out 95% of airborne particles are given a 95 rating according to CDC. Likewise, respirators with 99% capability of filtering particles are given a 99 rating and so on.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:Government initiatives are helping spread awareness among SARS affected victims and helps in fostering market growthIncreasing prevalence of SARS is one of the major drivers impacting the particulate respirators market growth. Moreover, low cost of the product, increasing R&D activities and government initiatives undertaken in order to secure the healthcare professionals from such airborne transmission are some of the factors fueling the demand for particulate respirators. CDC is working with federal agencies, healthcare organizations and local health departments in order to spread awareness among healthcare workers for rapid recognition of person-to-person transmission of SARS. However, lack of proper awareness among people pertaining to the various types of particulate respirators available is hindering the market growthDisposable respirators are less costly and easy to discard if damagedOn the basis of product, particulate respirators market is segmented into disposable or filtering facepiece respirators, reusable or elastomeric respirators and powered air-purifying respirators. Disposable respirators are for single-use as it gets damaged physically due to excessive resistance and sorbent exhaustion. Reusable respirators are cleaned and reused. However, the filter cartridges are disposed when they become unsuitable for use. Powered air-purifying respirators are usually attached with a battery powered blower which filters the harmful air.Based on design, particulate respirators are of two types, half face respirators and full face respirators. Particulate respirators are used in hospital settings and also for military, laboratory and other purposes. On the basis of geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :Greater awareness levels in North America is enhancing the market growthNorth America is one of the high revenue generating market for particulate respirators owing to their growing awareness levels regarding the usage of particulate respirators and increasing R&D activities in this region. Asia Pacific is considered as a lucrative market for growing opportunities of particulate respirators primarily due to the rising prevalence of respiratory disorders in countries like India. The major players are expected to find huge growth opportunities in such countries owing to the rising airborne transmitted diseases.3M is one of the leading players of the market based on the performance and salesSome of the key players for particulate respirators market include 3M Company, The Gerson Company, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Honeywell International Inc., MOLDEX and Northern Safety Co., Inc. among others. New product launch is one of the key initiatives undertaken by these companies. For instance, in 2015, 3M launched organic vapor respirator cartridges, which has 3M Service Life Indicator technology that helps to direct the user for an appropriate time to change the cartridges.ABOUT USCOMPANY OVERVIEWCoherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having office at global financial capital in the U.S. Our client base includes players from across all business verticals in over 150 countries worldwide. We are uniquely positioned to help businesses around the globe deliver practical and lasting results through various recommendations about operational improvements, technologies, emerging market trends and new working methods. We offer both customized and syndicated market research reports that help our clients create visionary growth plans to provide traction to their business. We meticulously study emerging trends across various industries at both the global and regional levels to identify new opportunities for our clientele. Our global team of over 100 research analysts and freelance consultants provide market intelligence from the very molecular country level and also provide a global perspective of the market. Our team is of the most vital cog in our robust machinery that gives us the ability to deliver independent insight relying on our cognitive defusion training module.This allows for an objective and unbiased assessment of the market. We pride ourselves in my constantly striving to update our extremely in-depth understanding of the market by closely monitoring and analyzing markets, trends, and emerging best practices, across allfathomable industries under the sun. This enables us to equip our valued clientele with key decisive inputs to capitalize on lucrative growth opportunities in the market and to follow firmly position themselves on a high growth path in the future.CONTACT USCORPORATE OFFICE:Raj ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Inverter Market Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts To 2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-sample/500941 https://marketreportscenter.com/reports/500941/global-inverter-market-2017-2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-discount/500941 https://marketreportscenter.com Market Research analysts forecast the global inverter market to grow at a CAGR of 6% during the period 2017-2021The following companies as the key players in the global inverter market: ABB, Bonfiglioli, GE, Schneider Electric, and SMA Solar Technology.Other Prominent Vendors in the market are: Mitsubishi Electric, Danfoss, ALSTOM, Siemens, Delta Electronics, KACO new energy, Eaton, Power One Micro Systems, Vertiv, OMRON, Enphase Energy, TABUCHI ELECTRIC, Fronius International, Huawei Technologies, Advanced Energy Industries, and Sungrow.Commenting on the report, an analyst team said: The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is increase in demand for clean power. The demand for power is constantly increasing across the globe. This growth in population and the global economy is expected to drive this trend in the future as well. According to the World Bank, the global population is expected to increase from 7.3 billion in 2015 to 9 billion by 2035 and the global demand for power is expected to increase to 34,454 TWh by 2035. Thus, to sustain this economic growth in the face of population rise and the increase in development will require a substantial amount of power.Download Sample Report @According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is increasing solar energy installation. In the recent years, the solar energy industry has gained momentum and grown drastically. This is mainly due to the initiatives undertaken by governments worldwide that encourage the use of renewable resources. Many industrialized or developed nations have integrated significant quantity of solar power into their electrical grids to provide an alternative to the conventional energy sources.Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is weak global economic outlook. The global inverter market is dependent on the manufacturing and industrial business for its sustenance, and these industries rely on the global economy for its existence. A strong macro economy increases the global appetite for goods, thereby fueling the demand for manufactured products.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.About InverterAn inverter system is a device that converts direct current (DC) into alternate current (AC). From this process, alternating current is produced and this form of electricity can be used to power appliances and electrical machines.Complete Report Details @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global inverter market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sale of inverters in different end-user industries.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Inverter Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsABBBonfiglioliGESchneider ElectricSMA Solar TechnologyOther prominent vendorsMitsubishi ElectricDanfossDelta ElectronicsEatonVertivEnphase EnergyFronius InternationalAdvanced Energy IndustriesSungrowSiemensALSTOMKACO new energyPower One Micro SystemsOMRONTABUCHI ELECTRICHuawei TechnologiesMarket driverIncreasing solar energy installationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeWeak global economic outlookFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncrease in demand for clean powerFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report....ContinuedDiscount On This Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our website.Sam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Market Will Witness Growth Based On Rising Prevalence Of Chronic Diseases Such As Cancer Till 2025: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/active-pharmaceutical-ingredients-market The global active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) market() is expected to reach a value of USD 239.8 billion by 2025, based on a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising prevalence of lifestyle-induced & age-related diseases and cancer is projected to drive the market over the forecast period. Advancements in recombinant molecular technologies and high capitalization for development of novel drugs are also estimated to boost growth.Favorable government initiatives for increasing focus toward generic drugs is a key factor for market growth. Decrease in generic drug prices, higher acceptance in low income and decrease in reimbursement for branded drugs are the recent trends in the market affirming growth of generic drugs.Further Key Findings from the Study Suggest: Synthetic APIs was the largest segment by revenue share in 2015 owing to high demand. Biotech APIs are estimated to grow lucratively over the forecast period with high R&D initiatives being undertaken for their development Captive manufacturers, being the conventional option of API manufacturing, held the majority of the share. On the other hand, the merchant manufacturers segment is expected to be fastest-growing due to growing outsourcing activities Generic APIs will experience lucrative growth over the forecast period attributed to patent expirations of branded drugs APIs are identified to have highest application in cardiovascular therapeutics. Increasing mortality caused by heart diseases and growing demand for fast-acting drugs are the major factors contributing to dominance North America dominated in terms of revenue share in 2015 and Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a significant growth rate over the forecast period Some of the major companies in the API market are AbbVie, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Cipla, Inc., and Merck & Co., Inc.Grand View Research has segmented the API market by type of synthesis, type of manufacturer, type, applications, and region:API Type of Synthesis Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Biotecho Monoclonal antibodieso Recombinant proteinso Vaccines SyntheticAPI Type of Manufacturer Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Captive APIs Merchant APIsAPI Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Generic APIs Innovative APIsAPI Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Cardiovascular Disease Oncology CNS & Neurological Disorders Orthopedic Disorders Endocrinology Pulmonology Gastrointestinal Disorders Nephrology OphthalmologyAPI Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo UK Asia Pacifico Chinao Japan Latin Americao Mexicoo Brazil MEAo South AfricaAbout Grand View ResearchGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Press ContactSherry James - Corporate Relations Specialist28 2nd Street, Suite 3036San Francisco, CA 94105United StatesPhone: 1-415-349-0058Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Digital Microscope Market Research Report by Type, Applications and Geographical Analysis; Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=19004 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-cameras-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/microscopy-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/digital-pathology-systems.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The digital microscope market is driven by high resolution digital camera, advanced printing techniques, and diversified microscopy techniques. However, the traditional microscope equipped with digital camera in place of eyepiece and computer also serves the purpose and is cost effective as compared to a digital microscope. Despite the versatility of digital microscope, combination of advanced digital technology and the basic features of microscopes makes them appropriate for research, education, and industry. Some digital microscopes have special features such as ability to tilt objects and view in three dimensions from different angles that enables them to outstrip traditional microscopes. The distinctive features of digital microscope such as ability to form digital still images and videos, easy documentation and sharing, makes the digital microscope proficient enough to dominate the market. Advancement of digital technology and electronics is likely to drive the digital microscope market in the near future.Download PDF Sample of the Research -n terms of type, the digital microscope market can be segmented into desktop digital microscope, portable or pocket size digital microscope, and wireless digital microscope. Desktop digital microscopes are primarily used in life sciences research labs, textile industry for examining fiber quality, surface metrology, and also in forensics. Pocket size or portable digital microscopes can be carried easily and conveniently, and hence can be used in field work by environmental scientists, horticulturists to recognize insects and plant diseases, printers in the printing industry, and art restorers. Wireless digital microscopes enable sharing of captured images on many screens simultaneously.Based on application, the digital microscope market can be segmented into scientific research, biomedicine, cosmetology, and industry. Scientific research employs considerable use of digital microscope. It is used in life sciences to study the cell and biomolecules, their functioning and microstructures. In forensic science, it is used to find and examine the trace evidences, DNA extraction from blood or hair, and finely examining the questioned documents, signatures, handwritings, etc. In material science, earth science and chemical science, digital microscope is used to study the fine structure of molecules and nano particles. Digital microscope plays a crucial role in biomedicine and pharmaceutical engineering. It is used by an audiologist to examine the inner ear carefully, and by the dentist for fine examination of teeth. Digital microscopy is of great help to the cosmetologist to closely examine the skin and hair and proceed further with the needful treatment. Industrial uses of digital microscopes are endless. It is used in microelectronics and semi-conductors; metallurgy, medical devices, watch making, jewelry making, metals and machines engineering, etc.In terms of region, the digital microscope market can be segmented into North America (U.S. and Canada), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Russia, and Italy), Asia Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Southeast Asia), Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.Major players in the digital microscope market are Olympus Corporation, Celestron, Leica Microsystems, Motic, Carl Zeiss, Keyence Corporation, Jeol, Ltd., Hirox, and Nikon Corporation.Browse Related Report:Medical Cameras and Microscopes MarketMicroscopy Devices MarketDigital Pathology Systems MarketAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: 2017 Prediction for Space Heaters Market - Competitive Analysis, Trends, Forecast 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18470 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Space heaters account for a large proportion of the energy consumption of residential consumers. Space heaters consume more energy than any other residential activity such as lighting, refrigeration, and cooking. People are increasingly investing on space heaters as they complement heating systems and can be utilized to heat small areas.Download PDF Brochure:The space heaters market is segmented into types and geography. On the basis of types, the market is segregated into ceramic heaters, fan heaters, convection heaters, and radiant heaters. The growing penetration of electronic devices in emerging countries is one of the key factors likely to propel the growth of the market during the forecast period. In addition, the recent increase in per capita income is expected to augment the adoption of electric and technologically upgraded products over the forecast period. Improvements in the capabilities of installers are expected to drive the growth of this market.Moreover, it has been observed that installers are maximizing their online presence and collaborating with vendors to capitalize on every possible means of increasing their visibility for consumers. They are also focusing on developing online portfolios to ensure that they are visible to potential consumers of smart space heaters. The procedure of installing smart space heaters and wall mounted heaters is different from that of traditional heaters. Thus, vendors are investing on training installers to improve their efficiency and provide improved services to customers. Due to increase in the number of working members of families, people are increasingly adopting electric home appliances. Increasing demand for high-priced space heaters is expected to create an area of opportunity for the growth of the market over the forecast period. Moreover, local manufacturers are introducing newer products to capitalize on the populaces increasing purchasing power.Geographically, the space heaters market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Europe dominated the global demand for space heaters in 2015 in terms of revenue. The U.K. and Germany are anticipated to experience rapid growth, propelling the usage of space heaters in Europe. Increasing spending on space heaters to complement centralized heating systems will result in this markets steady growth in Europe during the forecast period. Cold climatic conditions primarily influence the requirement for heating devices such as space heaters, which can provide thermal comfort to residential spaces. This requirement varies from region to region based on variations in climatic conditions, which primarily depends on precipitation and temperature. Furthermore, developing regions continue to command a considerable share of the global space heaters market that creates huge opportunities for market players. Asian countries like India, China, and Japan have witnessed an increase in the demand for space heaters. Moreover, Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar and Turkey, will contribute to the growth of the market owing to the growing demand for space heaters.The global space heaters market is highly competitive with the presence of large scale and small scale vendors. The market is mainly dominated by a few key players from the home appliance industry. The market is primarily driven by technological development of existing products and innovation in the product range of different vendors. To survive in this competitive market and to gain success, it is very important for manufacturers to distinguish their product and services through a unique and clear value proposition.Some of the key players operating in the space heaters market are De' Longhi Group, Honeywell International, Jarden Consumer Solutions, and Lasko Products Inc. among others. Other prominent vendors are Dyson, Optimus Enterprise Inc., Rinnai, Sunpentown, and Vornado among others.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: APAC Broadcasting Equipment Market to Cross US$ 5,104.8 Million by 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11317 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/asia-pacific-broadcasting-equipment-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11317 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Broadcasting equipment market in APAC region was valued at US$ 2487.5 Mn in 2015 and is expected to register a CAGR of 8.1% from 2016 to 2024. The growth of broadcasting equipment market in APAC region is primarily driven by convergence of high definition technologies such as 4K with IP. As per the report, 4K services are expected to be available on IP networks over the next four to five years via satellite launching and cable platforms.The report has segmented the APAC broadcasting equipment market into traditional TV broadcast, traditional radio broadcast, IP converged broadcasting and asset management systems.A sample of this report is available upon request @Traditional TV broadcast segment was valued at US$ 1123 Mn in 2015 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period (20162024). The traditional radio broadcast segment was valued at US$ 544 Mn in 2015 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period. The IP converged broadcasting is projected to be the fastest growing segment in APAC broadcasting equipment market, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.0% during the forecast period.Traditional TV broadcast segment accounted for 45.1% share in terms of value of the total APAC broadcasting equipment market in 2015. Consumption of high definition content in APAC region is increasing at a rapid pace, supported by rising sales of HD ready TVs.The traditional TV broadcast equipment market is further segmented into camera, monitors, routers, switchers, cable, transmitter, receiver and other accessories. Routers sub-segment is projected to expand at the highest CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period. Content creators across the region are shifting towards 4K cameras in order to capture high definition video. This is being supported by sales of 4K UHD television that has gained momentum due to rising disposable income in the region.Request to view Table of Content @Key players of the APAC Broadcasting Equipment market include Media Excel Inc.(US), ChyronHego Corporation (US), TVU Networks Corporation (US), XOR Media Inc.(US), FOR-A Company (Japan), ORACLE Corporation (US), Unlimi-Tech Software Inc. (US), Grass Valley (Canada) and General Dynamics Mediaware (Australia).To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite:media@persistencemarketresearch.com Though methamphetamine abuse by parents has often been cited as one of the reasons Montana has seen the number of children in foster care sharply increase over the last several years, the new head of Child and Family Services on Wednesday offered another possible factor the short tenure of the divisions staff. As the legislative committee that sets the divisions budget pushed pushed Child and Family Services leaders for the cause of increase, administrator Maurita Johnson, who started the job in November with visits to all the division's offices statewide, said she noticed a trend on her visits employees whod been at the job three years or less. This work takes a lot of maturing in order to feel confident to do the work, to feel confident to leave a child in the home, Johnson said. Thats why one of the areas of focus is to really build and help mature our workforce so they have the confidence they need to build that in-home safety plan. At the end of October there were 3,369 children in foster care, according to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. In 2011 that number was 1,743. Members of the Joint Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday zeroed in on the increases, with Reps. Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton; Bob Keenan, R-Bigfork, and Jon Knokey, R-Bozeman, all asking questions to get at the root cause. The committee sets the budget for the health department, including the division. Gov. Steve Bullock has proposed a $16 million increase to the division's budget specifically to deal with an increase in the number of children in care. Tomorrow it hears public testimony on the work of the division and will set budgets sometime the following week. It has proposed a $93 million cut to the health department, with about $1 million coming from Child and Family Services. Bullock's budget also proposed about a $1 million cut mostly through vacant positions, but offset by the $16 million increase. Knokey asked what happened after 2012 and 2013 to cause the increase in care. In asking the question, he referenced that was the start of Democrat Bullocks first term, and questioned if it was because of the social outcomes of those who earn lower incomes and also if an attempt to get more federal money for children in care was part of the reason. Are we getting new federal matching funds that are implicitly incentivising the growth in this program? he asked. Its a clear jump from 2013-2013. ... We have a shared goal: how do we protect these kids, the most vulnerable in our state? How do we make sure we dont replicate what happened last year? Knokey was referencing a report released at the start of the 2017 Legislature that said 14 children died last year after some sort of contact with Child and Family Services. In 2012 the division switched from an incident-based protocol to a safety-based investigative model. An incident-based protocol focused on whether an alleged abuse occurred, while under the safety-based model, staff identifies threats to a child and works to remove those threats. Bob Runkel, economic security services branch manager at the health department, said the division needs to provide a more comprehensive report about factors that contribute to the increased number of children in care, something new Department of Public Health and Human Services director Sheila Hogan promised to produce. The issues are pretty complex and its probably a lot of social variables that come together to have and continue to have that impact, Runkel said. He said the increase is not related to federal funding and added the increase in the use of methamphetamine in the state is at least correlated to the jump in the number of children in care, Runkel said. Its not always the reason a child would be removed, but often ... drug use is one of the factors that lead to a decision that calls for a removal of a child. Rep. Ellie Hill Smith, D-Missoula, last week introduced a resolution to study the effects of meth on the state. In 2010 there were 230 children in care because of meth use by parents. By 2015 that number was 1,000. Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, said an increase in the number of children in care does not necessarily mean a failure in the system. It could mean the state is doing a better job in keeping kids safe, she said. Theres as subtext that if we have an increase in the rolls thats a bad thing. It probably means more children are safe. Ballance questioned if Bullocks proposal of $16 million would be better spent on more employees to reduce workload and turnover. Bullocks proposal would boost a pot of money called benefits and claims, which makes up 51 percent of the divisions budget. It goes to pay for placement and support services for children in foster care or in permanent placements such as subsidized adoption or guardianship. Foster families are reimbursed a daily rate for room and board as well as for things like transportation and clothing. For family and kinship foster placements, the rate can be from $19.08 to $22.70 a day. Global Smart Machines Market to Cross US$ 258.5 Billion by 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/8872 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/smart-machines-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/8872 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ Smart machines are deployed to enhance networked resources and implement distributed intelligence in manufacturing industries. Integration of devices provides more accessibility. Smart machines can be easily connected to a broader network of connected devices, enabling users to share data on numerous devices. This ensures users to connect/access their devices from anywhere and anytime. This is expected to fuel demand for smart machines in various industries. The market in Australia is expected to witness substantial growth in adoption rates of smart machines over the next five years. Autonomous robots are expected to find applications in agriculture and commercial sectors to overcome the lack of labor in the country. Australia-based companies have also been investing significantly in advanced technologies such as IoT.A sample of this report is available upon request @Persistence Market Research (PMR) delivers key insights on the global smart machines market in its upcoming report titled, Smart Machines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016-2024. In terms of value, the global smart machines market is projected to register a healthy CAGR of 18.8% during the forecast period. This is attributed to various factors, regarding which PMR offers vital insights in detail.On the basis of a component, the global smart machines market has been segmented into hardware, software, and service. Demand for smart machines is enhanced by increasing need to process and analyze big unstructured data among different sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, and defense. On the basis of machine type, the global smart machines market has been segmented into robots, autonomous cars, drones, wearable electronics and others.On the basis of technology, the global smart machines market has been segmented into cloud computing, big data, internet of everything (IoE), robotics, cognitive technology and effective technology. Affective technology segment is expected to expand with a substantial CAGR over the forecast period. Various enterprises working on cognitive computing are facing glitches and errors in technology. This, in turn, is encouraging adoption of affective computing. Cognitive computing technology enables emotions linking to a robot, assisting the robot in making rational decisions and performing more complex tasks.Smart machines are programmed to make intelligent decisions in a time efficient manner. They are built to learn from their interactions and their precision increases over time. Hence, new developments in operational intelligence are encouraging companies to adopt systems that are smarter and efficient. Narrative Science Inc., a company that offers analytical solutions uses its virtual assistant Quill, which is programed using natural language processing to provide relevant solutions.This report covers trends driving each segment and offers analysis and insights of the potential of the smart machines market in specific regions. The markets in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific are expected to register high growth rates between 2016 and 2024. MEA is a small but significant market for smart machines as governments in the Middle East countries are investing in this sector to digitize government services. The market in Europe is expected to gain substantial market share in terms of revenue. This is attributed to increasing demand for smart machines from the automobile and manufacturing industries in countries such as Germany and France. The APAC accounted for the highest market share in 2015 and is expected to gain 232 BPS by an end of 2024.Request to view Table of Content @Key players in the global smart machines market include Apple Inc., Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation, BAE Systems, Creative Virtual Ltd., Digital Reasoning Systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, Narrative Science Inc., Rethink Robotics, ABB Limited, Rockwell Automation, Inc., and General Electric Co. others.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite:media@persistencemarketresearch.com PMR Report- Flexible Glass Market Set for Expansive Growth by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3869 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3869 Glass is an amorphous (non-crystalline) solid material which exhibits a glass transition. Glass can also take reversible transition in amorphous materials from a hard and relatively brittle material state to a molten or plastic state. Glasses are basically brittle in state and are optically transparent in nature. Most commonly known glass type is soda-lime glass (made up of 75% silicon dioxide (SiO2), sodium oxide (Na2O), lime (CaO) and various minor additives materials). Flexible glass is an ultra-thin glass having the properties of a rigid glass material. Properties such as strength, temperature stability and durability in a flexible nature are associated with flexible glasses. Additionally, flexible glass can also attain the property of plastics such as scratch resistance and rigidity. Flexible glass is majorly used to increase the strength and flexibility of the finished product, in turn increases the life of the products. Additionally, flexible glass also helps the electronic gadgets to reduce their weight, increases its attractiveness, making it handy and better or high quality products.A sample of this report is available upon request:Owing to the unique flexibility property of the glass, the flexible glass market can by bifurcated according to the end-user markets such as display market, OLED (organic light-emitting diode) market and Other gadgets markets (which are rollable, flexible and wearable in nature). Display market is expected to dominate the demand of flexible glass in the forecasted period owing to development of next generation gadgets. Other applications of the flexible glass are in the manufacturing of displays of cellphones and tablets.North America has the largest market for flexible glass, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The U.S. and China are the largest consumers of flexible glass and are expected to dominate the market in coming years. North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecasted period; Europe is expected to shoe marginal growth. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth in the forecasted period owing to the increasing domestic demand of cellphones and tablets in the emerging markets of India and china.Increasing demand of consumer electronics paired with advancement in the display technology is expected to increase demand for products such as smartphones, laptops, tablets and TVs. This is expected to increase the demand for flexible glass materials, driving the overall flexible glass market. Additionally, increasing demand for slim and scratch-resistant displays in the electronics products is expected to drive the flexible glass market to some extent. Also, with increasing disposable income consumers are demanding better quality electronic products such as smartphones, smartwatches, cellphones and other products; this is further increasing the demand for flexible glass, especially in the developing markets such as India, China and Brazil. According to the National Bureau of Statistics China, annual per capita disposable income of urban households in China increased from USD 2,271.0 in 2008 to USD 3408.5 in 2012. The overall annual disposable income in India medium household income increased from USD 1,366.2 billion in 2010 to USD 1,587.6 billion in 2013.Request for Table of content @:Some of the major companies operating in the global flexible glass market are Corning Inc., Nippon Electric Glass Co. Ltd., Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., Schott AG, Abrisa Technologies, Tokyo Electron, Dupont Display, Universal Display Corporation, Materion Corporation, Kent Displays, Inc., LG Display Co. Ltd., Sony Corporation and LiSEC Group.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Intelligent Vending Machine Market Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts To 2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-sample/500943 https://marketreportscenter.com/reports/500943/global-intelligent-vending-machine-market-2017-2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-discount/500943 https://marketreportscenter.com Market Research analysts forecast the global intelligent vending machine market to grow at a CAGR of 38.24% during the period 2017-2021.The following companies as the key players in the global intelligent vending machine market: Crane, Coin Acceptors, Cubic, and Fuji Electric.Other Prominent Vendors in the market are: American Vending Machines, Bianchi Vending, Bulk Vending Systems, Canteen, Continental Vending, Fresh Healthy Vending International, Glory, and Royal Vendors.Commenting on the report, an analyst team said: The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is customization and personalization option. Intelligent vending machines offer personalization and customization options. These machines can be tailored based on the color, size, space, dispensing rate, server support, scanning tools, and value-added services such as web-based interaction. Vendors also offer content for their interactive platforms and custom messaging options including advertising.Download Sample Report @According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is growing adoption of intelligent vending machines in retail. The retail industry is one of the major end users of intelligent vending machines. This is primarily because of the enhanced interaction with customers that these machines allow at retail outlets. In key growth economies China and India, the retail industry is seeing rapid growth, indicating huge growth prospects in these countries for the vending machine market. New intelligent vending machines in the market can even collect customer data, enabling retailers to customize their service and product offerings as per the needs of customers.Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is increasing vandalism and theft. Increasing vandalism at connected vending machines is affecting the industry. As a result of vandalism, vendors of connected vending machines are losing thousands of dollars in repair costs. Also, there has been an increase in theft at intelligent vending machines.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.About Intelligent Vending MachineThe vending machine industry has evolved over the years. The addition of connectivity to vending machines has equipped the devices with more features. Additionally, the machines can now provide hot and cold beverages, snacks, and food. The intelligent/connected vending machines save a significant amount of time for end users as they offer real-time inventory tracking. Touchscreen capabilities, near-field communication-based (NFC-based) transactions, and cashless transactions are some of the distinguishing features these machines offer. They also support branding and advertising.Complete Report Details @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global intelligent vending machine market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from manufacturer sales of intelligent vending machines.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Intelligent Vending Machine Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsCraneCoin AcceptorsCubicFuji ElectricOther prominent vendorsAmerican Vending MachinesBianchi VendingBulk Vending SystemsCanteenContinental VendingFresh Healthy Vending InternationalGloryRoyal VendorsMarket driverGrowing adoption of intelligent vending machines in retailFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeIncreasing vandalism and theftFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendCustomization and personalization optionFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.....ContinuedDiscount On This Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our website.Sam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com Global Overhead Console Market will Reach CAGR of 3.87% and USD 786.46 million by 2021 by 2020 Overhead Console https://goo.gl/hfDKWv https://goo.gl/S1JXLb An overhead console is a storage area on the ceiling of the vehicle just above the windshield either between the visors or down the middle between the seats. It typically holds sunglasses, remotes for garage door openers, map or CD storage, and possibly the compass/exterior temp display.View Report @The global overhead console market size is estimated to grow from USD 626.16 million in 2015 to USD 786.46 million by 2021, at an estimated CAGR of 3.87% between 2015 and 2021. With regards to this, key players of overhead console industry are expected to find potential opportunities in this market. Worldwide, 23,126 K units overhead console have been produced in the year 2015, while North America attributes close to 20.39% of the world production, Europe close to 19.48%, and Asia-Pacific 5.58%.The global Overhead Console market report profiles some of the key technological developments in the recent times. It also profiles some of the leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies.Major Companies covered in this Research Report are,AGM Automotive (USA)Johnson Controls (USA)Mayco International (USA)IAC (Luxembourg)Magna (Canada)Grupo Antolin (Spain)Daimay (China)Shanghai Jixiang (China)For sample request click onThe report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Overhead Console industry has been provided.About Market Research Store:Market Research Store is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Market Research Store is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading publishers and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442, USA Owing to the surge in Global Arthritis Level and Psoriasis due to Autoimmune Deficiency, Adalimumab Market is expected to boost in the coming years http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=7292 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/latam-adalimumab-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/rheumatoid-arthritis-pharmacotherapeutics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/psoriatic-arthritis-pharmacotherapy.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The major drivers of the adalimumab market is owing to the surge in global arthritis level and psoriasis due to autoimmune deficiency, the consumption of adalimumab has considerably increased and is going to remain high during the forecast period. Moreover, the market is consolidated with the presence very few players offering bio similar products at very reasonable price, thus creating an intense competition among the players in the adalimumab market.Download PDF Brochure of Report -Adalimumab Market face a challenge pertaining to its high cost, which could cost approximately 2000 3000 US$ per month. Moreover, while the countries in North America and Europe is already ahead of other nations such as Asia Pacific and Rest of the World has also led to the slowdown of the global adalimumab market due to lack of its adoption due to high cost associated with it.The implications of adalimumab are majorly on the people suffering with arthritis, Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis as they are the direct customers in the market. Segmentation based on disease type includes the psoriatic arthritis, Crohns disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. Currently the rheumatoid arthritis sub-segment accounts for the largest market and is estimated to be growing at a high pace. Factors such as sedentary lifestyle and genetics have led to the growth arthritis and psoriasis in the global adalimumab market.Moreover, adalimumab is generally used in autoimmune disease where the body immune system performs abnormally against substances and tissues present in the body. With the rapidly developing nations such as India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Brazil among others, the demand for adalimumab is expected to escalate at a substantial pace due to the growing autoimmune disease in these regions. Owing to the growing prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis globally many people are facing joint pains. Thus in turn the demand for adalimumab is estimated to observe significant growth in future. A recent market trend suggested that the North America and Europe region due availability of well-structured regulatory framework, reimbursement coverage and better healthcare infrastructure is driving the market.Countries such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K, and Germany among others have observed immense growth of adalimumab market in the past decades due to the rising relevance of arthritis cases arising in these regions due to sedentary lifestyle. North America is estimated to be the largest market for adalimumab market currently, followed by Europe. Asia Pacific is currently estimated to be most lucrative region in the global adalimumab market.Currently the major player of the adalimumab market is Abbott Laboratories. However, after the split of Abbott laboratories into two companies in 2013, Humira is now the product of AbbVie. In India adilumumabs bio similar was launched under the name of Exemptia by Cadila Healthcare Ltd. Some of the major players of the adalimumab market are Amgen, Pfizer, Mylan N.V., Novartis AG, AbbVie, and Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH among others.Read Related Reports:LATAM Adalimumab Market -Rheumatoid Arthritis Pharmacotherapeutics Market -Psoriatic Arthritis Pharmacotherapy Market -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Whiplash Protection System (WPS) Market - Global Industry Analysis & Key Insights by 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3351 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Passive safety systems in vehicles such as airbags and seatbelts have evolved at a swift pace and now also include occupant sensing and whiplash protection systems. Whiplash protection is meant to safeguard the front seat occupants neck from sudden acceleration or deceleration that results in rapid forward and backward movement of the head and neck. Whiplash injuries are mostly caused by motor vehicle accidents. A whiplash protection system is found in the backrest of the front seat of a vehicle and is designed such that the backrest moves along with the person but the headrest stays firm in place to support the neck.Get a Sample PDF for Upcoming Advancements in Industry:The system ensures that the back of the occupant doesnt move far away from the backrest when a rear collision occurs. The report by Transparency Market Research studies the global market for whiplash protection system to uncover important facts about the prevalent competitive dynamics, market size, and its future growth scope. It also profiles prominent players in the market and throws light on their key strategies. Using market-leading analytical tools, it tries to gauge the opportunities awaiting them.Global Whiplash Protection System (WPS) Market: Trends and OpportunitiesAt the forefront of driving growth in the global market for whiplash protection system is the increasing awareness about road safety. Global institutions such as New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) rate new cars based on their safety features and thereby help to increase awareness about whiplash protection systems thereby boosting their adoption. Manufacturers too have been quick to respond to the rising demand by designing and testing such vehicular safety systems.Besides the aforementioned driver, other factors driving the global whiplash protection system market are the alarming increase in vehicle collisions and the resultant casualties and rapid technological progress bringing about more sophisticated safety systems. Strict regulations pertaining to safety is yet another factor providing an impetus to growth. For example, efforts by governments in most countries to bring about occupant safety in a vehicle and promote preemptive safety measures, have resulted in swift uptake of whiplash protection systems.However, since demand for cars has a direct bearing on the market for whiplash protection systems, its market faces challenges on account of the cyclic nature of automotive production and sales. Further, the extra costs incurred during the design and testing phase of such systems along with the expensive raw materials ups its market price thereby negatively impacting its sales growth to some extent.Global Whiplash Protection System (WPS) Market: Regional OutlookThe report by Transparency Market Research segments the global market for whiplash protection system geographically into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. Among them, Asia Pacific, powered by Japan, China, and India, is slated to become the engine for growth. The growing thrust on safety regulations by governments and various agencies, rising awareness about automotive safety technologies, and burgeoning premium vehicle sales will majorly push demand in the region. The Europe market, slowly recovering from the 2008 financial meltdown, is also predicted to contribute to the market in the near future. The market in North America is also expected to expand at a healthy clip on the back of stringent regulations pertaining to car safety.Companies Mentioned in ReportTo present an accurate and detailed assessment of the competition prevailing in the global market for whiplash protection system (WPS), the report profiles prominent players such as Continental AG, Grammer AG, Robert Bosch GmbH, Lear Corporation, Takata Corporation, Delphi Automotive Plc, Autoliv Inc., and Hyundai Mobis.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Tonometers Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2016-2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/66 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/tonometers-market-66 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ https://blog.coherentmarketinsights.com/ Tonometers: An efficient device for early detection of a serious eye disorder, glaucomaTonometers are devices assist in helping the eyecare professionals to determine the intraocular pressure (IOP) inside the eye. IOP is a fluid pressure in the eye. Tonometry is a diagnostic test which aids in examining whether the patient is at risk of glaucoma. This is an eye disorder wherein excess fluid pressure inside the eye tends to damage the patients optic nerve and might lead to permanent vision loss, if the damage retains. Tonometers help to detect this disorder, which usually does not show symptoms until at a later stage. The common target population for such kind of disease is the geriatric population. Moreover, diabetic patients are also at high risk of glaucoma. Hence, tonometers tend to be increasingly advantageous for such target population and they contribute towards the growth of the global tonometers market.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:Increasing geriatric population significantly supports the growth of tonometers marketGlobal tonometers market is driven by various factors, the foremost of which is increasing geriatric population. It is mostly detected among people aged 60 years and above. Moreover, chronic eye disorders also assist in driving the demand for tonometers. Glaucoma is also found as an inherited disorder; hence people with family history of glaucoma also fall under the target population of the global tonometers market. However, there are some limitations pertaining to tonometers. For instance, Goldmann applanation tonometers might lead to corneal abrasion or risk of spreading infection. Non-contact tonometers also include restraining factors such as poor accuracy level in the measurement of the ocular pressure. Hence, the aforementioned factors are expected to restrain the global tonometers market to some extent.Applanation and indentation tonometers are the most commercially available tonometersGlobal tonometers market is segmented on the basis of product type, end user and region. Product type is classified under applanation tonometers, indentation tonometers, rebound tonometers, pascal dynamic contour tonometers and others. Further, applanation tonometers are segmented into Goldmann applanation tonometers, Perkins tonometers, non-contact tonometers, ocular response analyzer and others. Applanation tonometers help in determining ocular pressure by applying a force which flattens the disk to the cornea. These tonometers are the most widely accepted by the eyecare professionals primarily due to the fact that such diagnostic testing device allows for accurate measurement. On the other hand, indentation tonometers are used to examine through a force which will indent or sink into the cornea of the soft eye as compared to a harder eye. Rebound tonometers are also emerging owing to its numerous advantages such as it does not require anesthetizing the eye. It is a contact rebound tonometer, which uses an extremely light probe.On the basis of end user, tonometers are segmented into hospitals, clinics and others. Hospital segment is considered as the largest market owing to its wide usage in such facilities and hence, contribute towards significant revenue generation.Technological advancements are propelling market growth in North AmericaGeographically, tonometers market is classified under North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is accounted for a significant share for the global tonometers market. This is primarily due to the fact that the healthcare expenditure in country like the U.S. is constantly growing, which in turn is expected to help the market for tonometers to grow. Moreover, technological advancements are also on a peak in these countries, which is expanding the product portfolio of tonometers. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is anticipated to gain lucrative growth over the forecast period due to increasing prevalence of diabetes in country like India. For instance, in 2015, 69.1 million people were suffering from diabetes in India according to International Diabetes Federation.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :Some of the major players of the global tonometers market include Canon Inc., Icare Finland Oy (Icare Finland is a part of Revenio Group Corporation), Topcon Corporation, HAAG-STREIT GROUP, NIDEK CO., LTD. and Reichert Technologies among others. Inorganic growth strategies are helping leading companies to obtain a competitive edge. Focus on enhancing product portfolio and inorganic growth approaches are some of the key strategic initiatives undertaken by these companies. In September, 2016, Icare launched Icare ic100 in order to expand its product portfolio.ABOUT USCOMPANY OVERVIEWCoherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having office at global financial capital in the U.S. Our client base includes players from across all business verticals in over 150 countries worldwide. We are uniquely positioned to help businesses around the globe deliver practical and lasting results through various recommendations about operational improvements, technologies, emerging market trends and new working methods. We offer both customized and syndicated market research reports that help our clients create visionary growth plans to provide traction to their business. We meticulously study emerging trends across various industries at both the global and regional levels to identify new opportunities for our clientele. Our global team of over 100 research analysts and freelance consultants provide market intelligence from the very molecular country level and also provide a global perspective of the market. Our team is of the most vital cog in our robust machinery that gives us the ability to deliver independent insight relying on our cognitive defusion training module.This allows for an objective and unbiased assessment of the market. We pride ourselves in my constantly striving to update our extremely in-depth understanding of the market by closely monitoring and analyzing markets, trends, and emerging best practices, across allfathomable industries under the sun. This enables us to equip our valued clientele with key decisive inputs to capitalize on lucrative growth opportunities in the market and to follow firmly position themselves on a high growth path in the future.CONTACT USCORPORATE OFFICE:Raj ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:Visit Blog : laboratory information systems market revenue is expected to increase at a CAGR of 9.0% during 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-875 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-875 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights (FMI) delivers key insights on the global laboratory information systems market in its latest report titled, Laboratory Information Systems Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015 - 2025. In terms of revenue, the global laboratory information systems market is projected to register a healthy CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period owing to various factors, regarding which, FMI offers detailed insights and forecasts.The market has been segmented on the basis of end user, component, mode of delivery and regions. On the basis of end user, the market has been segmented into hospitals, clinics, independent laboratories and others. Clinics are usually installed with well-supported laboratory information systems for better information about both patients and indications at hand. The segment has been estimated to account for maximum revenue share in the global laboratory information systems market in 2015. Revenue contribution of the clinics segment is expected to increase at a CAGR of 10.0% during the forecast period. Hospitals segment is expected to be the second largest revenue contributor to the global market accounting for US$ 824.9 Mn by 2025 increasing at a CAGR of 8.5% over the forecast period.Request Free Report Sample@The report further segments the market on the basis of components into software, hardware and services. Services segment is expected to account for largest market share over the forecast period due to adoption of new pricing model strategies by major players in the market. However, software segment is projected to account for significant absolute $ opportunity during 20152025, owing to rise in product enhancements and advent of innovative LIS systems over the forecast period.In terms of mode of delivery, the laboratory information systems market is expected to witness substantial growth in the next few years. Executing database maintenance, back-up and retention services through cloud-based delivery mode and increasing customisation and standardisation of data by way of dedicated IT skilled persons in on premise delivery mode are major factors expected to drive revenue growth of the cloud-based and on-premise segments respectively over the forecast period. Currently, cloud-based delivery mode segment accounts for major share of the global laboratory information systems market.The primary barriers in the market include high costs related to LIS software and services and lack of skilled labour, for day-to-day operations and maintenance of information. In spite of substantial investments in the field of laboratory information systems, lack of qualified professionals is expected to slow down growth of the LIS market during the forecast period. Moreover design flaws in software can tamper test results generated through LIS and is expected to adversely affect the global laboratory information systems market to a certain extent. These factors are expected to affect adoption of laboratory information systems (LIS) over the forecast.The primary trend in the laboratory information systems market is an increase in development of healthcare information systems, rising healthcare per capita spending and increasing demand for integrated medical systems and precise handling of patient data. Other trends include increasing demand for LIS from smaller hospitals with less than 100 beds in developed nations for faster market capitalization and to provide quality care for patients. This is mainly attributed to LIS enabling systematic documentation, eliminating paper work and chance of errors associated with clinical tests report writing, and thereby enables a streamlined workflow.This report assesses trends driving growth of each segment on global as well as regional levels. North America has been estimated to dominate the laboratory information systems market with maximum market share in 2015. Among emerging markets, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Eastern Europe are estimated to witness high CAGRs over the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@Some key players identified in the global laboratory information systems market are CompuGroup Medical, Cerner Corp, McKesson, Evident, Medical Information Technology, LabWare, Sunquest Information Systems Inc., SCC Soft Computer, Epic Systems Corporation, etc. The report also provides individual strategies followed by these companies in terms of enhancing software products portfolios, market consolidation and software innovations. The report concludes with strategic recommendations for players in the market and also new players planning to enter the market, which could help them in the long run.About Us Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Analysis of Global Orthopedic Implants Market 2016 - 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/13504 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/13504 The market for orthopedic implants has been segmented by type of device, anatomical location, and geography. Based on the type of devices, the market has been segmented into internal and external fixation devices, which includes orthopedic plates, orthopedic screws, orthopedic nails, orthopedic rods/wires and fixation pins and others. Based on anatomical location, the market has been segmented into hip, knee, foot and ankle, spine, shoulder, elbow and others (other extremities and craniomaxillofacial bones). The market for knee orthopedic implants and hip orthopedic implants is anticipated to be the highest in the market owing to the greater proportion of these anatomic injuries across the globe. It has been analyzed that joint and knee problems are common in India and hip problems are comparatively more common in Europe.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Based on geography, the market has been segmented into the following regions: North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe are anticipated to gain a lions share of the orthopedic implants market during the forecast period. According to a 2013 article published by USA Today, in the U.S., in 2012, more than 1.35 million children suffered a sports-related injury which was severe enough to send them to a hospital emergency department. Such volume of injuries are likely to drive market growth for orthopedic implants in North America. It has also been reported that total joint arthroplasty (TJA) has received a great deal of attention in the U.S. due to increasing demand and increasing cost. In the U.S. the cost of implants is significantly high, and thus certain health care providers have focused on implant costs as a potential area for cost reduction. For instance, in TJA the cost-reduction strategy has proved effective in reducing the overall cost, as has decreasing length of stay after surgery. This may serve as a positive incentive for patients who felt the cost as a deterrent factor in the orthopedic implants market. Thus, such cost reduction measures are like likely to bolster sales for orthopedic implants, in turn augmenting market volume growth in North America. According to Osteoporosis Australia, approximately 4.74 million Australians over 50 have osteoporosis or poor bone health. Moreover, as per 2013 data, there is 1 fracture every 3.6 minutes in Australia which is projected to go up to 1 fracture every 2.9 minutes by 2022. This rise in patients who suffer from bone related issues is likely to create a promising market opportunity for the sale of orthopedic implants in the orthopedic implants market in Asia Pacific.Request to View Tables of Content @The major players operating in the orthopedic implants market include Medtronic plc, Stryker Corporation, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., DePuy Synthes, The Orthopaedic Implant Company, BIOTEK, Conmed Corporation and Smith and Nephew plc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs en-gagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Industrial Water Purifier Market Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts To 2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-sample/500944 https://marketreportscenter.com/reports/500944/global-industrial-water-purifier-market-2017-2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-discount/500944 https://marketreportscenter.com Market Research analysts forecast the global industrial water purifiers market to grow at a CAGR of 5.68% during the period 2017-2021.The following companies as the key players in the global industrial water purifier market: GE Water & Process Technologies, Lenntech, Pall, and VeoliaOther Prominent Vendors in the market are: Aquatech, Calgon Carbon, ChemTreat, Danaher, Evoqua Water Technologies, ENGIE, NALCO Water, Outotec, RWL Water, and WTE Infra ProjectsCommenting on the report, an analyst from Technavios team said: Water purification is gaining importance because of the shrinking water resources worldwide and increasing wastewater disposal costs. In 2014, around 11.12% of the global population lacked access to water globally and four out of 10 people lacked access to improved sanitation. Regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and South East Asia are expected to face severe water shortage in the next decade, resulting from bad water management and improper reuse. In 2015, water crises were ranked the number one global risk by impact, according to the World Economic Forum.Download Sample Report @According to the report, rapid industrial development has changed the social and economic structure of society with transformation of an agrarian-based society to an industrial society. The modernization of lifestyles has driven large-scale industrial production. Various industries such as oil and gas, power generation, refineries, mining, construction, food and beverage, steel manufacturing, electronics, and pharmaceuticals are contributing to the contamination of water resources. This has resulted in increased use of water by industries.Further, the report states that the power industry is the largest consumer of water and end-user for water purification systems among industries. Water is extensively used in the power industry as feedwater for generating steam in fossil powered plants and cooling in nuclear power plants. In the US alone, about 69.35 trillion gallons of water per year is required for generating power from fossil and nuclear power plants. The feedwater used for power generation and cooling can be used for generating steam or cooling only after it is treated. This is because impurities can lead to corrosion or sediment formations inside the equipment. Efforts are being made to reduce the dependency on fossil fuel as it is one of the major contributors to emissions.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.About Industrial Water PurifiersWater purification is a process that changes used or polluted water to its natural state, making it suitable for various applications. This process uses different methods to remove unwanted elements, such as solids, algae, bacteria, plants, and organic and inorganic compounds. For instance, sedimentation and filtration remove unwanted solids from the water.Complete Report Details @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global industrial water prufiers market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of industrial water purifiers.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Industrial Water Purifier Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsGE Water & Process TechnologiesLenntechPallVeoliaOther prominent vendorsAquatechCalgon CarbonChemTreatDanaherEvoqua Water TechnologiesENGIE (previously GDF SUEZ)NALCO WaterOutotecRWL WaterWTE Infra ProjectsMarket driverRising industrial development and urbanizationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeChange in energy mixFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendDepletion of fresh water resourcesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.....ContinuedDiscount On This Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our website.Sam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com Practice Management System (PMS) Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2016-2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/68 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/practice-management-system-market-68 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ https://blog.coherentmarketinsights.com/ Practice management system (PMS) helps manage the daily operations of an organization. These systems find wide application across various verticals in an industry. Increasing investments to upgrade healthcare facilities, especially in developed regions and growth of the healthcare IT industry in developing regions, is creating a highly conducive environment for growth of the practice management systems market. Increasing adoption of PMS has been witnessed in emerging nations such as Indian, China, South Africa, and Brazil, in order to streamline operations and in turn provide better healthcare facilities in these countries. PMS allows for efficient management of health data, patient scheduling, billing process, and referral policies.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:Physicians and group organizations need to maintain large amounts of data of day-to-day activities. Practice management system addresses these needs, maintaining critical patient information such as patient demographics, appointment schedule, insurance payer data, billing, and diagnostic and treatment history. Practice management system software are often synchronized with electronic medical record (EMR) or electronic health records (EMR) software for better hospital management.Practice Management Systems Market Taxonomy:The global practice management systems market is segmented as follows:Software type:Desktop-only software - intended for single or few computer sharing accessClient-server software - allow multiple users to share and access data, andInternet-based software - do need separate server for operationDelivery Platform:Web-basedCloudOn-premiseProduct Type:IntegratedStandaloneComponents:HardwareSoftwareEnd Users:PhysiciansPharmacistsDiagnostic LaboratoriesIncreasing hospital visiting on the back of rising prevalence of Chronic and Infectious Diseases creating favorable environment for market growthWorld Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there would be around 24 million cancer cases globally by 2035. In the U.S., over one-third of the adult population is obese, as revealed by statistics released by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016). As obesity is a major predisposing factor to various diseases such as diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases, steep rise in patient population is expected in the near future.Prevalence of infectious diseases is also on the rise. Moreover, increasing instanced of drug-resistance has mandated physicians to maintain medication history of patient.Rapid rise in geriatric population: According to WHO, over 2 billion individuals worldwide will be aged 60 years and above by 2050. A detailed report published by CDC projects that by 2030, 20% of the U.S. population would comprise of geriatric people. The report also details that cardiovascular diseases is the leading cause of deaths in adults aged 65 and above in the U.S.Rapid rise in patients visiting hospitals mandates efficient keeping of patient history and record maintenance, in turn fueling growth of the practice management systems market.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :High Installation Cost Hindering Growth in Emerging EconomiesThe practice management systems market is mainly concentrated in the U.S. mainly due to presence of dense network of hospitals and existing complex healthcare service management and insurance systems. The healthcare system in the U.S., is very unlike that in other countries. Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) have been set up, and thus patients tend to visit multiple physicians. Hence, maintenance of consistence treatment history becomes difficult. The market is also growing in major European countries such as the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The practice management systems market is yet in its introductory phase in Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East regions, owing to low diagnosis and treatment rate combined with financial challenges linked with deployment of expensive software systems.Key Suppliers in the global practice management systems market: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. Henry Schein MicroMD, Athenahealth, Inc., GE Healthcare, NextGen Healthcare Information System LLC, Practice Fusion, McKesson Corporation, Greenway Medical AdvantEgde Healthcare Solutions, MediTouch, and Accumedic Computer Systems.ABOUT USCOMPANY OVERVIEWCoherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having office at global financial capital in the U.S. Our client base includes players from across all business verticals in over 150 countries worldwide. We are uniquely positioned to help businesses around the globe deliver practical and lasting results through various recommendations about operational improvements, technologies, emerging market trends and new working methods. We offer both customized and syndicated market research reports that help our clients create visionary growth plans to provide traction to their business. We meticulously study emerging trends across various industries at both the global and regional levels to identify new opportunities for our clientele. Our global team of over 100 research analysts and freelance consultants provide market intelligence from the very molecular country level and also provide a global perspective of the market. Our team is of the most vital cog in our robust machinery that gives us the ability to deliver independent insight relying on our cognitive defusion training module.This allows for an objective and unbiased assessment of the market. We pride ourselves in my constantly striving to update our extremely in-depth understanding of the market by closely monitoring and analyzing markets, trends, and emerging best practices, across allfathomable industries under the sun. This enables us to equip our valued clientele with key decisive inputs to capitalize on lucrative growth opportunities in the market and to follow firmly position themselves on a high growth path in the future.CONTACT USCORPORATE OFFICE:Raj ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:Visit Blog : APOLLO LAUNCHES NEW ENHANCED WEBSITE New, enhanced Apollo Fire website www.apollo-fire.co.uk Apollo Fire Detectors has launched a new, enhanced website with state-of-the-art photography and design to visualise the latest in Apollo fire detection technology. The website highlights applications where Apollo products are installed and showcases new case studies. The main features of the new resource are extensive, including live-update product information and vastly improved search functionality. In addition, the new website is even more responsive and suited for viewing on mobile devices.The product information sections have been enriched to offer detailed information on every Apollo product range in one place, including technical specifications previously only listed within the product literature. A new comparison tool makes it easier for visitors to find the best product for any application.Our aim was to create an intuitive interface for our customers and partners to interact with the team at Apollo, comments Ed Browning, Sales and Marketing Director at Apollo. The new website will provide easily accessible information by utilising powerful search engine functionality and filtering tailored to our customers requirements.Finding Apollo partners worldwide is made easier with a dedicated page which can be searched by region or country and provides links to the partners websites for further information on their expertise and partnerships with Apollo.My Apollo will enable Apollo Partners and Customers to access their own portal through the website where they will be able to create project lists and save lists of Apollo products for quoting. Users will also have access to digital assets, such as logos and unlocked literature.Searching the new website has become even easier through the implementation of a powerful search engine API. Search queries familiar to website users from internet searches will produce intelligent search results faster than the previous website offering. Another feature is the websites responsiveness to the large number of different screen sizes on which it will be viewed, leading to a high-quality experience whatever the device.To view the new website visit-ends-Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd has specialised in the design and manufacture of high quality fire detection products since 1980. In that time, the company has broadened its capability from a straightforward focus on conventional fire detectors to include the manufacture of sophisticated analogue addressable detectors and interfaces for monitoring and controlling equipment in fire protection systems.Apollo applies the most modern production techniques and has invested in sophisticated manufacturing equipment to ensure consistently high quality products and fast response to customer requirements. Through planned expansion, Apollo has reached a leading global position in the market for professional fire detection. With over 3000 international approvals, regional offices in the UK, America, China, India and Germany along with direct trade into more than 100 countries, Apollo has cemented its position as a world-class fire solutions provider.Apollo is part of the HALMA group of companies. HALMA is a FTSE top 250 listed PLC with over 40 subsidiaries worldwide, all engaged in specialist engineering activities.Apollo is also a holder of the Royal Warrant, by appointment to Her Majesty, The Queen, for the manufacturer of Fire Detection & Alarm products.Katrin NaefeProteus Public Relations LimitedThe Granary, Home Farm DriveUpton EstateBanbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 6HUTel. +44 (0) 1295 678391katrin.naefe@proteuspr.co.uk Milk Packaging Market: Ever Demanding Industry In the Word to get More lucrative Opportunities in Future http://bit.ly/2kky7Th http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Increasing demand for single serve packs of milk products is expected to significantly fuel growth of the global milk packaging market over the forecast period. Due to various nutritional and health-related benefits associated with milk, demand for milk has been increasing significantly in the recent past, which is in turn expected to drive growth of the global milk packaging market during the forecast period.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights atMilk Packaging: Market DynamicsGrowth of the global milk packaging market is driven by factors such as increasing number of small households due to which consumers prefer single serve packs of consumer goods particularly for milk and other dairy products. Moreover, increasing number of health conscious consumers in various countries is driving demand for milk as a source of calcium, minerals, vitamin D, and protein. Availability of various flavoured milk products in the market is another factor expected to stimulate growth of the global milk packaging market during the forecast period. In addition, increasing population and per capita disposable income is expected to drive sales of packaged milk products in future. Moreover, various applications of milk for preparing food products is a factor expected to drive growth of the milk packaging market during the forecast period. However, price fluctuation of materials (aluminum, plastic, paper) used in milk packaging is expected to slightly hamper the sales of milk packaging. A significant trend gaining traction in the global milk packaging market is increasing awareness of eco-friendly materials. Among all material types used for milk packaging, paperboard segment is expected to account maximum growth in the near future, owing to its recyclable property.Milk Packaging: Market SegmentationThe global milk packaging market is segmented on the basis of packaging type, and end-use industryBased on packaging type, the global milk packaging market is segmented into:Tubs & cupsBottlesCansPouchesOthersBased on material type, the global milk packaging market is segmented into:GlassPlasticMetalPaperboardOthersMilk Packaging Market: Regional outlookIn terms of regions, the global milk packaging market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific market is expected to witness relatively fast growth in terms of revenue during the forecast period as various developing countries such as India and China account for major production and consumption of milk.Milk Packaging Market: Key playersSome key players in the global milk packaging market are Amcor Limited, Tetra Pack, Evergreen Packaging, Indevco, Ball, Elopak, Blue Ridge Paper Products, Clondalkin Group Holdings, CKS Packaging, Crown Holdings, Essel Propack, Consolidated Container, Fabri-Kal, Exopack Holdings, Global Closure Systems and Graham Packaging etc. The global milk packaging market is not consolidated in nature owing to presence of various local and international manufacturers, but the unorganized players also have strong presence. In the global milk packaging market, key players are entering into agreements and mergers and acquisitions with local manufacturers of milk packaging in order to increase their product offerings, and penetrate emerging countries.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Oral Contraceptive Pills Market: Snapshot http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oral-contraceptive-pills-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=8323 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Teva Pharmaceutical is one of the leading companies in the combination oral contraceptive pills segment and is followed by Allergan (Actavis) plc. Local manufacturers such as Alkem, Taj Pharma, and Zydus Alidec on the other hand, held a majority of the market for ormeloxifene and mifepristone. Transparency Market Research has observed that almost all manufacturers offer combination oral contraceptive pills owing to the fact that they are more efficient, cost effective, and are the first line of treatment for birth control.Focusing on untapped market with unmet needs is one of the major growth strategies adopted by an increasing number of players in the oral contraceptive pills market, states the author of the study. For instance, in 2014, India-based Mankind Pharma expanded its business by exporting products to Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda.Strategic collaborations, the launch of new products, and a focus on research and development also serve as highly lucrative investment options for companies in the oral contraceptive pills market.Read Full Report:High Unmet Contraceptive Needs Emerging Owing to Increased Incidence of Unintended PregnanciesOne of the leading factors driving the oral contraceptive pills market is the high incidence rate of unintended pregnancies among women between the age of 15 and 44. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in the U.S. alone, an estimated 37% of the total pregnancies in the country between 2006 and 2010 were unintended.The growing percentage of unintended pregnancies in several parts of the world, including among married women, has also boosted the demand for oral contraceptive pills, states the author of the TMR report. The United Nations has reported in a study that the percentage of married women using at least one method of contraception has been steadily rising and this is a positive sign for the global contraceptives market as a whole.The increasing maternal age, late pregnancies, and rising awareness programs by governments and NGOs to promote the usage of contraceptives are also fueling the oral contraceptive pills market.Legal, Religious, and Ethical Hurdles in Some Countries Deter GrowthIn some countries, the oral contraceptive pills market is restricted by a number of social, ethical, and religious barriers. The Middle East is one of the key regions where the oral contraceptive pills market faces major roadblocks, the TMR analyst states. The sale of emergency contraceptive pills in the region is restricted owing to the fact that they are considered to be a means of abortion.Ineffective or strict legal and policy frameworks on reproductive rights and health in many countries also acts as a deterrent to the growth of the oral contraceptive pills market.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Demand for Generic Oral Contraceptive Pills Takes Precedence over Branded PillsThe value of the oral contraceptive pills market is poised to rise from US$13.1 bn in 2014 to US$22.9 bn by 2023. If these values hold true, the market is likely to expand at a steady CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period. Combination oral contraceptive pills held the leading share in the market in 2014 and the opportunity in this segment is likely to be worth nearly US$18 bn by 2023. Combination oral contraceptive pills are also identified to form the most rapidly growing segment during the forecast period, exhibiting a 6.8% CAGR therein.Generic oral contraceptive pills gained a higher share in the overall market in 2014 compared to branded pills and are also projected to record the highest CAGR by 2023. By region, while North America will continue leading the global oral contraceptive pills market, Asia Pacific is forecast to register the fastest growth from 2015 to 2023.This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled Oral Contraceptive Pills Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2015-2023.Key Takeaways:Revenue of global oral contraceptive pills market to cross US$22 bn by 2023.Combination oral contraceptive pills present the most lucrative investment option for market players.Generic oral contraceptive pills exhibit greater demand compared to branded versions.Legal and ethical roadblocks in the Middle East a cause for concern.Global Oral Contraceptive Pills Market, by TypesCombinationMonophasicTriphasicOthersProgestin OnlyOthersGlobal Oral Contraceptive Pills Market, by CategoryGenericBrandedGlobal Oral Contraceptive Pills Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.K.Rest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanRest pf APACLatin AmericaBrazilRest of LATAMMiddle East & AfricaSaudi ArabiaRest of MEAAbout us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Glycinates Market Revenue Predicted To Go Up by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3883 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3883 Glycinates, also known as glycine chelates, are chemicals with good skin compatibility and foaming properties.These minerals are prepared with the help of amino acid and other high-quality chemicals in order to ensure the best quality of glycinates. Demand for glycinates is high among consumers due to their accurate composition, health benefits, and effectiveness. Glycinates are used in farming and agriculture industries to feed chicken and cattle in order to provide important nutrients for their growth. There are several types of glycinates formed after different chemical treatments such as protein digest-mineral glycinates, zinc glycinates, manganese glycinates, magnesium glycinates, copper glycinates, calcium glycinates, boron glycinates, cobalt glycinates, selenium glycinates, chromium glycinates, iodine glycinates, and molybdenum glycinates.A sample of this report is available upon request @Some of the major properties of glycinates that are useful in its use as feed additives include improvement in growth and feed conversion, improvement in less fat meat, and enhancement in muscle and tissue growth and fertility.Consumption of the selenium glycinate may increase the level of vitamin E in the body.Selenium deficiency may lead to white muscle disease. Chromium glycinate is a mineral used to improve growth rate and immune response in stressed cattle. Molybdenum glycinate is a nutritional animal feed supplement used to treat molybdenum deficiency in animals. Glycinates are sometimes used in the production of wine, as they not only contain yeast but also provide desired nutrients.Glycinate supply animal with a trace element and environment benefits from less excreted trace elements due to their high bioavailability. Moreover, some of their properties including high flow ability, miscibility, and water solubility drive the market for glycinates. In addition, they are odorless and user-friendly, as the particles do not raise dust. Glycinatesare gaining popularity due to their high efficiency. Due to their ability to improve mildness and sensor properties in a body wash, it is used in various cosmetics, thus increasing demand for glycinates.Other properties such as relatively-high availability of micronutrients and higher yield of crops compared to common synthetic chelates are driving growth of the glycinates market. However, the current legislations have lowered the use of inorganic minerals in nutritional needs, thus restraining growth of this market. Moreover, most of the metal glycinates available in the market are not in their original forms but are mixtures of metal glycine sulphates containing a high concentration of SO4.Europe leads the global glycinates market in terms of production and it has developed its own range of highly-pure and consistent metal bis-glycinate, which is a type of glycinates. Due to rise in per-capita income and population in countries such as India and China, Asia Pacific is leading the market for glycinates, followed by Europe. Increasing use of glycinates in cosmetics products has increased its demand in Europe and North America.Request to view Table of content @Some of the key players operating in the glycinates market includeBASF SE, Shanghai Greenearth Chemicals Co.,Ltd., Pinnacle Bioceuticals LLP and Glenmark Generics, Ltd.,PerfectIn PTFE Solution CO., LTD., China Skyrun Industrial CO., LTD., Guangzhou Quanto Chemical Co.,Ltd. and BALAJIAMINES, LTD.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Gas Sensors Market To Witness Growth Swiftly Due To Enhanced Manufacturing Processes Till 2020: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/gas-sensors-market The global market for gas sensors() is expected to reach USD 2,512.4 million by 2020, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Regulatory initiatives, in developed markets of North America and Europe, in order to boost occupational health and safety are expected to drive the market over the forecast period. Additionally, growing demand from end-use industries is expected to positively impact global market prospects.Positive outlook on demand for smart and wireless gas sensors can primarily be attributed to their effectiveness in detecting toxic gases in hazardous environmental conditions. Regulations for safety put forth by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) have been critical in enhancing market penetration across numerous industries in recent times. The use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel in hybrid vehicles is also expected to be a considerable opportunity for industry participants in the coming years.Further Key findings from the study suggest: Carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors accounted for 26.8% of the overall market share in 2012. However, reducing carbon emissions, and the use of alternatives such as shale gas for power generation are expected to limit the CO2 sensors market from reaching its full potential. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) sensors are expected to be the fastest growing product segment, with an estimated CAGR of 6.2% from 2014 to 2020. NOx sensors cost significantly higher as compared to other products, and are mainly used for exhaust gas emission detection in automotives. Electrochemical technology accounted for 19.3% of the market in 2012, and is expected to dominate global demand over the next six years. Sensors employing electrochemical gas sensing technology are capable of detecting multiple gases; in addition, they are reliable and cost effective in nature. Infrared gas sensing technology is expected to register the fastest growth of 5.7% from 2014 to 2020. It helps measure volatile organic compounds (VOC), methane, carbon dioxide, etc., and the absence of a chemical reaction ensures longer life span. Gas sensors employed for industrial purposes accounted for around 20% of the overall market in 2012, and are further expected to remain the largest market segment over the forecast period. The medical segment is also estimated to be a high growth avenue, and involves monitoring oxygen concentration in incubators as well as ventilators. It is expected to grow faster than the global average, at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2014 to 2020. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest regional market by 2020, spurred by enhancements in sensor technology, and growing demand for handheld sensors and devices. It is also estimated to be the fastest growing region, at a CAGR of 6.0% from 2014 to 2020. Gas sensors are largely used in the automotive sector; therefore, growing automotive production and demand is expected to give impetus to the industry. Major industry participants follow development and innovation led strategies to strengthen their foothold in the ecosystem. R&D activities for boosting technological enhancement are also implemented to drive competitive advantage. Companies operating in the market include Honeywell-owned City Technology Ltd., Membrapor AG, Alphasense, Figaro Engineering, and Dynament Ltd. among others.For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global gas sensors market on the basis of product, technology, end-use industry and region: Gas Sensors Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2020) Oxygen/Lambda Sensors Carbon Dioxide Sensors Carbon Monoxide Sensors NOx Sensors Others Gas Sensors Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2020) Electrochemical Semiconductor Solid State/MOS PID Catalytic Infrared (IR) Others Gas Sensors End-Use Industry Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2020) Medical Building Automation & Domestic Appliances Environmental Petrochemical Automotive Industrial Others Gas Sensors Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2020) North America Europe Asia Pacific RoWAbout Grand View ResearchGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Press ContactSherry James - Corporate Relations Specialist28 2nd Street, Suite 3036San Francisco, CA 94105United StatesPhone: 1-415-349-0058Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) market devices is expected to increase at 6.6% CAGR during the period 2016-2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-810 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-810 www.futuremarketinsights.com Demand for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) market devices is expected to increase at 6.6% CAGR during the period 2016-2026, according to a new research by Future Market Insights (FMI). The report titled, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, offers 10-year market forecast and analysis on the basis of product type, end-user, and region.Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in treating acute and chronic wounds is a key factor driving its adoption across hospitals, clinics, and homecare settings. The use of NPWT devices in managing closed incisions, where risk of wound breakdown is higher, is also fuelling demand, especially in North America and Western Europe.Request Free Report Sample@Development of safe and highly effective NPWT devices has helped address concerns related to potential risks, leading to greater adoption across end-use sectors. Decline in the number of adverse reaction and product recalls has led to increased confidence on the safe use of negative wound pressure therapy.NPWT Market SegmentationFMIs report offers 10-year forecast on the negative pressure wound therapy market, segmenting the market on the basis of product type, end-user, and region.On the basis of product type, the report has segmented the market into,Standalone NPWT devicesSingle-use disposable NPWT devicesPortable NPWT devicesNPWT accessories (canisters)Among these, single-use disposable and portable NPWT devices are expected to witness higher demand during the forecast period, owing to growing preference for small, smart NPWT devices. NPWT accessories segment, which accounted for nearly 59% revenue share in 2015, is expected to witness a decline in demand through 2026.Key end-users of negative pressure wound therapy devices include hospitals, clinics, and homecare settings. Demand for NPWT devices is expected to witness highest demand from hospitals, with this segment expected to increase at 6.5% CAGR through 2026. Adoption of NPWT in homecare settings is also expected to gain traction on account of favourable reimbursement options and enhancement in the safety features of NPWT devices.North America and Western Europe are the largest markets for NPWT, collectively accounting for nearly 75% revenues of the global market in 2015. Demand for Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is expected to be strong during the forecast period, with the NPWT market in the region anticipated to increase at 8.1% CAGR higher than any other region during the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@Key companies profiled in the report include Acelity, Smith & Nephew, ConvaTec Inc., PAUL HARTMANN AG, Medela, Molnlycke Health Care, and Coloplast Corp. The report offers insights on the individual strategies followed by these companies in terms of bringing improvements in their product design, creating new manufacturing facilities, market consolidation and advanced R&D initiatives. The report concludes with key takeaways for players already present in the market and new players planning to enter the market, which could help them in the long run.About Us Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Customized Premixes Market Expecting Worldwide Growth by 2024 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12058 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/12058 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com The global customized premixes market has expected to register the significant growth over the forecast period as the demand of the customized premixes has increased due to the availability of various nutrients in a single product form. The customized premixes are also available in different blends, tests, flavors, and colors and as per the required proportion of nutrients which boost the demand of the customized premixes and drive the growth of the global customized premixes market. The operational efficiency in the manufacturing of customized premixes such as reduced ingredients inventory, reduced quality control costs, reduced supply chain complexity and shorter lead time leads to the cost cutting and moreover to the decrease in the price of the customized premixes, which drives the growth of the global customized premixes market.The insufficient nutrient supply from the food source and the changing lifestyle leads to the deficiency of basic nutrients to the body and increase the prevalence of the various chronic diseases, to which the customized premixes has become the best alternative to supply the required nutrients. The customized premixes are the blend of desired functional ingredients. The customized premixes contain the ingredients such as vitamins, amino acids, minerals, neutraceuticals, nucleotides, and herbs. In customized premixes, many numbers of ingredients are combined to increase the nutritional value of the product as per the demand of the user. The customized premixes deliver all the desired macro and micro nutrients in single blend and enhance the nutritional value of the product.However, the controversies in the market regarding the actual benefits of the customized premixes may hamper the demand of the customized premixes and restrain the growth of the global customized premixes market. The false claims by the few of the manufacturers about the product ingredients and its applications may distract the consumers which could restrain the growth of the global customized premixes market.The global customized premixes market has segmented on the basis of ingredients, applications, form of the premixes and the geographical region.A sample of this report is available upon request @In terms of geography, the global customized premixes market has been divided into five key regions, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA). The North America has contributed the leading shares to the global customized premixes market in terms of revenue. The Asia Pacific has also registered the highest shares in the global customized premixes market in terms of volume due to the increasing awareness about the health benefits of the customized premixes and increasing demand of premixes. Europe has contributed the descent shares to the global customized premixes market. The Latin America and MEA regions are at a nascent stage and contributed lowest shares to the global customized premixes market in terms of revenue and volume due to the less demand from the non-developed countries from the Middle East and Africa region.Request to view table of content @Some of the key players of the global customized premixes market are Glanbia plc., Vitablend, Corbion, DSM, Stern Vitamins GmbH, Arla, Cargill, Watson, The Wright Group and Farbest Brands. Various global companies are contributed the descent growth to the global customized premixes market in terms of volume and revenue. The key players from North America and Europe contributed leading shares to the global customized premixes market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market: Research Methodology http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/respiratory-monitoring-devices.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1415 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ While a handful players have taken up a majority share in the global distribution of respiratory monitoring devices, the remainder of the market is marked by a very large number of small players.Of the key multinationals dominating the distribution of respiratory monitoring devices in 2014, CareFusion Corporation, Smiths Medical, and ResMed, Inc., had garnered a total share of 54.2% in terms of value.As described in a research report released by Transparency Market Research, the fragmented nature of the global respiratory monitoring devices market allows for a very high intensity of rivalry. This market is exceptionally dynamic as it is primarily controlled the rapid rate of technological development in the devices.The market for respiratory monitoring devices in major economic regions is more or less saturated due to the strong presence of multiple prominent players. As a result, the threat of new entrants is expected to remain moderate to low.Read Full Report:The global market for respiratory monitoring devices is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.2% in terms of revenue from 2015 to 2023. By the end of 2016, this revenue is expected to reach US$1.60 bn and US$2.79 bn by 2023.Hospitals not only form the leading end-user segment of respiratory monitoring devices, but are also projected to be the leading segment in terms of growth rate. Hospitals are expected to generate a revenue of US$1.89 bn for respiratory monitoring devices by 2023. This segment is projected at a CAGR of 8.3% from 2015 to 2023.APAC Demand for Respiratory Monitoring Devices SoarsThe healthcare and medical devices industries of Asia Pacific are currently experiencing a very high rate of development. The booming economy of countries such as China and India, the growing government support towards healthcare development, the high density of population in these countries, and the growing trend of medical tourism are all responsible for bringing out the greater demand for respiratory monitoring devices.By the end of 2023, North America, the currently leading region in respiratory monitoring devices consumption, is expected to reach US$266.0 mn. Within 2015 to 2023, Asia Pacific will be showing a CAGR of 8.5% in respiratory monitoring devices.Asthma, COPD Cases on the Rise GloballyThe primary cause for a heavier demand of respiratory monitoring devices is the growing requirement for keeping a large volume of these devices in the market. Most medical devices are produced on a basis of need and there is certainly a much greater need for respiratory monitoring devices than before. Public health related bodies such as the CDC, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, and the American Lung Association are all shedding light on the growing prevalence of patients with respiratory problems. This is true especially for COPD and asthma, states a TMR analyst.Two factors responsible for this are the growing number of geriatrics in the world along with the growing incorporation of negative lifestyle habits such as smoking.The rate of technological advancement in respiratory monitoring devices is very high, thereby allowing players to keep a dynamic output. A large proportion of respiratory monitoring devices manufacturers is also supported by relevant governments, thereby allowing them to approach research and developed more efficiently.Download exclusive Sample of this report:High Costs Deter Large Patient Base from Using Respiratory Monitoring DevicesThe cost of advanced spirometry devices is very high in comparison to peak flow meters and pulse oximeters. This disparity in costs is enough to deter a majority of patients to stick to the latter devices rather than go for advanced ones. Additionally, the installation of advanced respiratory monitoring devices requires skilled professionals, the lack of whom is further adding to the strain of providing them.There is currently a large untapped market for respiratory monitoring devices in the developing economies. Globally prominent players can take more notice of regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America to make the most of their increasing demand, adds the analyst.The information presented in this review is based on a Transparency Market Research report, titled, Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2015 - 2023.Key Takeaways:Hospitals expected to generate US$1.80 bn for respiratory monitoring devices by 2023.Pulse oximeter expected to remain most popular respiratory monitoring device, generating US$937 mn by 2023.North America expected to retain leading consumption of respiratory monitoring devices till 2023, to generate US$266 mn in this market by 2023.Key segments of the Global Respiratory Monitoring Devices MarketGlobal Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market, by TechnologySpirometryPlethysmographyIOS/FOTGlobal Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market, by End-userHospitalsLaboratoriesHome UseGlobal Respiratory Monitoring Devices Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: US Healthcare Analytics Market Growth, Trends, Price and Forecasts To 2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-sample/501202 https://marketreportscenter.com/reports/501202/us-healthcare-analytics-market-outlook-2014-2022 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-discount/501202 https://marketreportscenter.com The US Healthcare Analytics Market report provides an in-depth analysis of the various market segments and its sub-segments. The Healthcare Analytics market is segmented by products, applications, end users and components. Based on the product type, the market is further segmented into Descriptive, Predictive and Prescriptive analytics. By applications, the market is categorized into Clinical Analytics, Financial Analytics, Operational and Administrative Analytics and Research Analytics. On the basis of end user, the market is segregated into Providers, Healthcare information Exchanges, Payers and Others. By components, the market is categorized into Hardware, Software and Services.Download Sample Report @The report focuses on current and upcoming market trends such as Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, and Challenges, technological advancements, Porters Five Forces analysis to assess the intensity of competition in the market. The market values are presented in the form of tables and graphs for better interpretation.Market Size EstimationsThe market assessment is made by the core industry experts using our 360 research approach. The data is derived from the most reliable, authenticated data sources and is validated by the industry experts (Primary Research). Both top down and bottom up analysis are implemented to enhance the accuracy of the market figures. The market projections are calculated for the next 8 years using the actual market numbers of previous year as the base year.Company ProfilingThis section provides the overview of the key players that are leading in the industry, covering their business operations, financials, list of products & services, SWOT analysis, major developments such as mergers & acquisitions, agreements, partnerships, joint ventures, new product launch, expansions etc.Complete Report Details @Report Highlights:- Market share assessments for all the mentioned market segments and sub-segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 8 years for all the given segments- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities,and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping, mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements....ContinuedDiscount On This Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our website.Sam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com Residential Intellectual Disability Facilities Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2016-2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/72 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/residential-intellectual-disability-facilities-market-72 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ https://blog.coherentmarketinsights.com/ Intellectual disability refers to people who have been classified by one or more terms such as developmental disability, developmental delay and mental handicap. Recently, people classified as having mental retardation are also being referred as having intellectual disability. Usually, people are considered to have intellectual disability if they have greater difficulty than most people with intellectual and adaptive functioning. These limitations are expressed in the persons conceptual, social and practical everyday living skills. Intellectual disability is usually diagnosed through the use of standardized tests of adaptive behavior and intelligence. The precise number of people having intellectual disabilities is not known. However, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) estimates that roughly 1.5% to 2.5% of the general population have intellectual disability which translates to roughly 4.6 million to 7.7 million people as per the most recent U.S. Census (2011). Over last 30 years, services provided to the people with intellectual disabilities have been changed radically and the institutional care has been replaced by community residential service in several countries.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:The global market for the residential intellectual disability facilities can be segmented on the basis of size of facility, type of facility, mode of operation and geography. Based on the number of beds in the residential intellectual disability facilities the market can be segmented further into 4 to 9, 10 to 19, 20 to 49, 50 to 99, 100 to 199, and 200 & more beds. Besides, there are different types of facilities that provide intellectual disability facilities hospitals, group homes, private home, intellectual and developmental disability facilities. Based on the mode of operation, the global residential intellectual disabilities market can be segmented into state-run facilities, Medicaid funded services, private large facilities, and privately run small facilities. The demand for these residential facilities is largely dependent on the reimbursement through Medicare and Medicaid programs.Demand-Supply Gap Persist in the MarketSince 2008, increased federal funding for these programs and the additionally enrolled or eligible people for either of the federal programs, have led to the growth of the residential intellectual disability facilities in the U.S. Although the demand for housing or residential facilities for people with intellectual disabilities has been increasing in the recent years, the adequate supply of such facilities has not kept the required pace. Therefore, there is a huge deficit in the demand and the supply of these facilities. Another major restraint in the market growth is the difficulty in avoiding hospital admission for patients with intellectual disabilities who usually present challenges with their behavior and/or mental health problems.Increasing support from Governments across the Globe to aid Intellectually Disable PatientsOn the basis of geography, the global residential intellectual disability facilities market can be segmented into five major geographies - North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of the World. Aging population, particularly in North America, and Europe, provide a good market opportunity for the market players. Another driving factor is the increasing age of caregivers. Presently, most of the people affected with intellectual disability reside with family caregivers. Due to the changing demographics, caregivers will also age in the coming years and the shortage of caregivers will create more demand for the residential facilities for intellectually disable individuals. The market for such facilities has been very insignificant in most of the Asian countries and little progress is expected during the forecast period from 2014 to 2023. There are many local and national centers in the developing economies too which offer such facilities. For instance, Muskaan, Sandesh and Alamara Residential Centre for Persons with Developmental Disabilities are the centers that offer residential intellectual disability facilities in India.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :There are government and private players in addition to local bodies offering residential intellectual disability facilities NHS Allegheny Valley School, St. Josephs Center, Durham County Community, Residential Support Services, Lutheran Family Services and Arlington County Government.ABOUT USCOMPANY OVERVIEWCoherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having office at global financial capital in the U.S. Our client base includes players from across all business verticals in over 150 countries worldwide. We are uniquely positioned to help businesses around the globe deliver practical and lasting results through various recommendations about operational improvements, technologies, emerging market trends and new working methods. We offer both customized and syndicated market research reports that help our clients create visionary growth plans to provide traction to their business. We meticulously study emerging trends across various industries at both the global and regional levels to identify new opportunities for our clientele. Our global team of over 100 research analysts and freelance consultants provide market intelligence from the very molecular country level and also provide a global perspective of the market. Our team is of the most vital cog in our robust machinery that gives us the ability to deliver independent insight relying on our cognitive defusion training module.This allows for an objective and unbiased assessment of the market. We pride ourselves in my constantly striving to update our extremely in-depth understanding of the market by closely monitoring and analyzing markets, trends, and emerging best practices, across allfathomable industries under the sun. This enables us to equip our valued clientele with key decisive inputs to capitalize on lucrative growth opportunities in the market and to follow firmly position themselves on a high growth path in the future.CONTACT USCORPORATE OFFICE:Raj ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Operating Room Equipment & Supplies Market Size, Share, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts To 2021 https://marketreportscenter.com/request-sample/501201 https://marketreportscenter.com/reports/501201/operating-room-equipment-supplies-global-market-outlook-2015-2022 Global Operating Room Equipment & Supplies Market accounted for $24.5 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $32.1 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 3.9%. Increasing patient preference for minimally invasive surgeries and Rising geriatric population coupled with growing number of surgeries are the factors driving the market growth. Unfavourable Healthcare Reforms in the U.S is restraining the market.Download Sample Report @Anesthesia Machines is expected to be the largest segment in equipment type in terms of market revenue. Hospitals accounted for the largest market revenue and ambulatory surgery centers segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Surgical Instruments is expected to be the largest market revenue and accessories segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR. North America is expected to be the largest market revenue followed by Europe. However Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest compound annual growth rate during the forecast period.Some of the key players in the market include Philips Healthcare, Getinge Group, Medtronic, Inc., Berchtold Corporation, Steris Corporation, GE Healthcare, Stryker Corporation, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGAA, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Karl Storz GmbH & Co. Kg, Mizuho SOI, Creative Health Tech Pvt. Ltd., Trumpf Medical and ValleyLab.Equipment Type Covered:Surgical Imaging DevicesMini C-ArmsMobile C-ArmsMulti-Parameter Patient MonitorsOperating TablesGeneral Operating TablesSpecialty Operating TablesAnesthesia MachinesOperating LightsHalogen LightsLED LightsElectrosurgical UnitsSupplies Type Covered:Surgical InstrumentsAccessoriesDisposable MaterialsOther Operating Room (OR) SuppliesCircuitsSafety productsKidney traysTable padsProcedure trays & packsBattery handlesEnd Users Covered:HospitalsOutpatient FacilitiesAmbulatory Surgery CentersComplete Report Details @What our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements....ContinuedMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our website.Sam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) Market: Porter's Five Forces Analysis http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cone-beam-computed-tomography-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=10508 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ The trend in the global cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) indicates that players must invest in developing countries to cater to consumers unmet medical demands and attain bigger revenue shares, says Transparency Market Research in a new report. Danaher, Planmeca, and Sirona jointly held a massive share of 70% in the global market in 2015.Analysts have identified Asia Pacific as the most promising region for growth in the coming few years. Furthermore, leading players are also focusing on strategic mergers and acquisitions to expand their product portfolio and their access to the customers.Rising Pool of Geriatrics to Determine Market GrowthStatistics published by the United Nations Population Division in 2013 suggested that the aging population is anticipated to reach 2 billion by the end of 2050 from 841 million in 2013. This whopping rise is likely to be the basic premise ushering in a new wave of growth for the CBCT technologies across the globe. The dental complications of the aged people are going to increase the demand for sophisticated imaging techniques in dentistry, thereby propelling the revenues earned by these technologies in the coming few years. This growth will also be complemented by factors such as the need for effectiveness in medical interventions and result-oriented research and development activities.Read Full Report:Heavy Excise Duties Hamper MarketThe tough excise duty imposed on the sale of medical devices across the U.S. is an unfair constraint for the CBCT market. The high cost of utilizing this technology is also holding back several institutes and healthcare centers to use CBCT technologies. TMR analyst says, The adamancy to stick with conventional methods instead of adopting new-age technologies is also hampering the growth of the CBCT technologies across the world.Developing Nations Open Up Growth OptionsAnalysts predict that strengthening economies of Mexico, Brazil, China, and India will offer a score of opportunities to the overall CBCT market to grow in the near future. Furthermore, the increasing healthcare expenditure of these countries is also going to play a major role in the surge of this market. The improving disposable incomes of Asia Pacific are also going to contribute generously to the CBCT market in the coming years.The report published by Transparency Market Research states that the opportunity in the global CBCT market will be worth US$ 960.8 mn by the end of 2023. As of 2014, the market was valued at US$407.5 mn. However, the market will expand at a CAGR of 10.0% between 2015 and 2023. The report also suggests that oral surgery will be fastest-growing application segment promoting the use of CBCT technology. As of 2015, this application segment held a share of 26.4% in the overall market. Regionally, North America held a share of 41.4% in the total of CBCT market in 2015. The soaring demand for dental procedures is expected to keep this region as the leading geographical segment in the coming years.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The review of the global CBCT market is based on the findings of TMR research report, titled Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2015 2023.The global CBCT market has been segmented as follows:Global CBCT Market, by ApplicationCBCT in Dental ImplantCBCT in OrthodonticsCBCT in Oral SurgeryCBCT in EndodonticsCBCT in General Dental SurgeryGlobal CBCT Market, by GeographyIntroductionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.Rest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanAustraliaTurkeyIranIndonesiaRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoColumbiaArgentinaRest of Latin AmericaRest of the WorldRussiaMiddle East & AfricaAbout us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Protection Films for Medical Devices Market: Demand is Increasing, 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4120 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4120 A medical device refers to an instrument, equipment, implant, or apparatus used to diagnose, prevent, or treat diseases through a physical process. A protection film helps prevent external influences from entering medical devices and adversely affecting them. Protection films, such as thermoplastic polyurethane, offer strong resistance towards water, fungus, and abrasion. Traditionally, the healthcare industry used metal and glass packaging components to protect medical devices from the outside environment. Currently, the industry relies on high-barrier plastic films, which are composed of single polymers, laminations, metalized films, and various specialized coatings for better product protection. Over the last decade, paper was the most commonly used material for medical device packaging. Currently, the use of plastic films has increased significantly.A sample of this report is available upon request @Protection films for medical devices can be segmented by type into: single films, laminations, and coextrusions films. On the basis of material of construction, protection films are classified as PVC, low-density polyethylene, polyethylene-cellophane, thermoplastic polyurethane, and others. On the basis of application, protection films for medical devices are classified as:surgical and medical instruments, ophthalmic devices, dental devices, and others.North America is the largest market for protection films for medical devices, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. In terms of volume, Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market. China and India hold the key for future market trends in protection films for the medical devices market owing to large population base and growing health care industry in these countries.Some of the major drivers of protection films for the medical device market include stellar growth of healthcare industry, adherence to regulatory standards, and increased technology adoption in protection films. Globally, governments are spending more money to provide better healthcare services. For instance, the U.S. has the highest per capita healthcare spending in the world. In 2011, the U.S. per capita healthcare spending was 17.9% of its GDP or USD 8,362. Overall, healthcare spending in the U.S is growing at a rapid rate. Overall healthcare spending stood at USD 3 trillion in 2012, which rose to USD3.8 trillion in 2014. Similarly, other developed countries such as France, Germany, and Japan are also increasing spending on healthcare. Healthcare spending is also rising among developing countries such as India and China, which are focusing on providing better healthcare services to their large population bases. This may led to an increase in the medical devices market, which, in turn, is expected to drive the market for protection films for medical devices.Request to view Table of content @Some of the major companies operating in this market include DUNMORE Corporation, UFP Technologies, Inc., Argotec LLC, Specialty Coating Systems, Inc., The 3M Company, Berry Plastics Corporation, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, Chesapeake Limited, Klockner Pentaplast Group, Clondalkin Group Holdings B.V., Sigma Medical Supplies Corp., SteriPack Group, Oliver Products Company, and Amcor Limited.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Small interfering RNA (siRNA) Therapeutics - Competitive Landscape, Technology and Pipeline Insights, 2016 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=655900 http://www.researchmoz.us/healthcare-market-reports-56.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://healthcare-research-report.blogspot.in/ ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Small interfering RNA (siRNA) Therapeutics- Competitive Landscape, Technology and Pipeline Insights, 2016 " to it's Large Report database.The Report, Small interfering RNA (siRNA) Therapeutics - Competitive Landscape, Technology and Pipeline Insights, 2016 depicts the current pipeline scenario of siRNA therapies under development. Many targets which were difficult to reach by traditional small-molecule and protein have been identified by therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi). RNA interference (RNAi), a process in recovery Phase, is still keeping the expectations of the many mid Pharma companies at a higher end with blockbuster deals and adequate delivery technologies.This report analysis the current frontrunners in siRNA therapies with leading technologies and major acquisitions and deals seen in past 3 years. Report highlights the 16 different types of technologies that have been used lately to enhance the siRNA development in different stages of development.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:There are 15+ active companies dealing with 85+ siRNA therapies. Mostly siRNA is being studied for oncology area with 27 siRNA therapies under development by major pharma companies followed by 14 therapies for infectious diseases and 8 siRNA therapies in Ophthalmology. Currently 23 siRNA are in clinical stage of development with many mid-stage products.Scope:Coverage of global siRNA therapies under development across the globeCompetitive landscape of investigational products for key players and key therapy areasThe new siRNA report includes emerging technologies, drivers, barriers and eminent therapy areas focused by major companies.Detailed information on product description and related stage of development, the mode of therapy, mechanism of action, development partner and technology information.Report has highlighted the major collaborations, deals and acquisitions done by pharma companies to enrich their siRNA pipeline.Report analyzes the different emerging delivery technologies by companies and products under development.Read All Healthcare Market Research Reports @Table of ContentExecutive SummarySmall interfering RNA (siRNA) Therapeutics OverviewIntroductionHistorical Development:siRNA: Mode of ActionsiRNA Technology &Delivery methodsSiRNA & its Applications in Gene Silencing:Commercial AssessmentDrivers:Barriers:siRNA Therapeutics: Technology AnalysissiRNA Technology & Companies Current ScenarioCompanies & TechnologiessiRNA Technologies & ProductssiRNA Therapeutics: Collaborations AnalysissiRNA Theraputics Collaborations & DealssiRNA Therapeutics Licensing Deals:siRNA Therapeutics Acquisition DealssiRNA Therapeutics: Pipeline AnalysissiRNA Theraputics Therapy Area AnalysissiRNA Therpeutics Clinical Trials AnalysissiRNA Therapeutics &USFDA/EMA DesignationsPipeline OverviewLast Stage Products (Phase III)Comparative AnalysisMid Stage Products (Phase II)Comparative AnalysisAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at: Global Amlodipine Besylater Market Application Analysis, Facts, Figures & Forecasts 2017 Market Research Reports http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=911095&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-amlodipine-besylater-market-professional-survey-report-2017.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Amlodipine Besylater Market Professional Survey Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This market intelligence report examines extensively the trends in the global Amlodipine Besylater market. It highlights the latest market state, the progress pattern in the previous years, and the prospects present for market participants in the near future. The research methods and tools employed in the achievement of this research publication are both secondary and primary. The market intelligence study also provides facts about the investments initiated by several organizations, institutions, government, and non-government authorities and regulatory bodies.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The publication further presents a valuation of the facets that are likely to prevent or encourage the expansion of the global Amlodipine Besylater market. The global Amlodipine Besylater market has been examined scrupulously based on aspects such as application, technology, product, end user, and geographical segment. An examination has been carried out in the research report of the chief regional segments and their respective place and share in the Amlodipine Besylater market. The estimated revenue and volume valuation of the global market for Amlodipine Besylater has also been stated in the study.An estimate of the market attractiveness and the level of competition that new entrants along with their new products are likely to offer to the experienced products and players has also been delivered in the market research publication. The market report also discusses the new expansions, the innovations, branding techniques, marketing approaches, and products of the chief players operational in the global Amlodipine Besylater market. The vendor landscape has been broadly scrutinized employing the Porters five forces and value chain analysis to deliver a strong conception of the market. The challenges and opportunities in the near future for the key participants have also been stressed upon in the research publication.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Amlodipine Besylater1.1 Definition and Specifications of Amlodipine Besylater1.1.1 Definition of Amlodipine Besylater1.1.2 Specifications of Amlodipine Besylater1.2 Classification of Amlodipine Besylater1.2.1 2.5mg1.2.2 5mg1.2.3 10mg1.3 Applications of Amlodipine Besylater1.3.1 High Blood Pressure1.3.2 Heart Disease1.3.3 Application 31.4 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 Amlodipine Besylater2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Amlodipine Besylater2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Amlodipine Besylater2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Amlodipine Besylater3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Amlodipine Besylater3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Amlodipine Besylater Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Amlodipine Besylater Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Amlodipine Besylater Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Amlodipine Besylater Major Manufacturers in 20154 Global Amlodipine Besylater Overall Market Overview4.1 2011-2016 Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2011-2016 Global Amlodipine Besylater Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2015 Amlodipine Besylater Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2011-2016 Global Amlodipine Besylater Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2015 Amlodipine Besylater Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2011-2016 Global Amlodipine Besylater Sales Price4.4.2 2015 Amlodipine Besylater Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Market 2017 : Global Industry Growth & Overview Market Research Reports http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=911087&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-44-diaminodicyclohexylmethane-cas-1761-71-3-market-professional-survey-report-2017.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Market Professional Survey Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The research report on the global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) is a scientific effort to determine the development prospects of the market from 2016 to 2021. The report comprises both historical figures and future estimates, which will help market entities to gauge growth opportunities in the 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) market during the forecast period.The introductory part of the report briefs about definitions, classifications, applications, industry, structure, and industry statutes of the global market for 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3). Proceeding further, the report presents an industry chain analysis of the global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) market including aspects such as manufacturing capacity and its maximum utilization, cost structures, product catalog, revenue corresponding to production capacity etc. Dynamics pertaining to demand and supply logistics and import/export behavior are also discussed in this section.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Using validated analytical tools, the report presents the feasibility and profitability of new investments in the global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) market. The results obtained using these analytical tools help to manifest the progression of the global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) market right from historic years to future, which indicates the winning imperatives that market players can leverage. The report also provides SWOT analysis of leading market players, which gives insights into the changing competitive hierarchy until the end of the forecast period.The report analyzes the global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) market based on certain criteria such as product, application, and geography. The report divides the global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) market into the regional segments of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of the World.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)1.1 Definition and Specifications of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)1.1.1 Definition of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)1.1.2 Specifications of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)1.2 Classification of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)1.2.1 99.0%1.2.2 Other1.3 Applications of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)1.3.1 Hardener for epoxy coatings and composites1.3.2 Others1.3.3 Application 31.4 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 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)2.4 Industry Chain Structure of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3)3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Major Manufacturers in 20154 Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Overall Market Overview4.1 2011-2016 Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2011-2016 Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2015 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2011-2016 Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2015 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2011-2016 Global 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Sales Price4.4.2 2015 4,4-DiaMinodicyclohexylMethane (Cas 1761-71-3) Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States Global Whey Protein Market Shares, Growth Drivers, Regional Outlook And Forecasts Worldwide 2016 Market Research Reports http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=778302&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-whey-protein-market-professional-survey-report-2016.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Whey Protein Market Professional Survey Report 2016" to its huge collection of research reports.The research report on the global Whey Protein market studies the market in the past based on which estimates are presented for the future. The report looks into vital market indicators, trends, and opportunities that will have a bearing on the development of this market.The report begins with an outline of terms and terminologies, classifications, and applications that are standard conventions in the global Whey Protein market. A glance into the industry chain structure and industry statutes that govern this industry are presented herein. Following this, operational parameters of the Whey Protein market such as manufacturing processes, product catalog, and cost structures are discussed at length in this report. This, in turn, helps to understand production capacity, product pricing and profit, and demand and supply gap for new entities interested in participating in the global Whey Protein market. This analysis is also indicative how operational aspects of the global Whey Protein market will impact the development of the market until the end of the forecast period.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report discusses the competitive landscape of the global Whey Protein market at length. The major companies that have a significant presence in this market are profiled for business attributes such as financial standing, production capacity, and SWOTs. Each of these companies is studied with reference to a timescale, in order to comprehend the changing competitive hierarchy of the global Whey Protein market over the past few years.The report is compiled in a chapter-wise format for reading comprehensibility, with each chapter discussing the progression analysis of a specific aspect of the market at length.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Whey Protein1.1 Definition and Specifications of Whey Protein1.1.1 Definition of Whey Protein1.1.2 Specifications of Whey Protein1.2 Classification of Whey Protein1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.2.3 Type III1.3 Applications of Whey Protein1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.4 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 Whey Protein2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Whey Protein2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Whey Protein2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Whey Protein3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Whey Protein3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Whey Protein Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Whey Protein Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Whey Protein Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Whey Protein Major Manufacturers in 20154 Global Whey Protein Overall Market Overview4.1 2011-2016E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2011-2016E Global Whey Protein Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2015 Whey Protein Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2011-2016E Global Whey Protein Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2015 Whey Protein Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2011-2016E Global Whey Protein Sales Price4.4.2 2015 Whey Protein Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States Filter Coatings Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Forecast and Opportunities 2013 - 2019 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=206921 http://www.researchmoz.us/chemicals-market-reports-57.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://deep-research-report.blogspot.com/ ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Filter Coatings Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019 " to it's Large Report database.Filter coatings are special type of optical coatings that are applied to optical filters used in several types of optical instruments. Optical coatings usually comprise single or multiple layers of dielectric, metallic and other such materials piled together depending on the end-user application. Optical coatings are mostly employed in the manufacturing of optical devices to improve their reflection and transmission properties. On the basis of product segments, the optical coatings can be segmented as filter coatings, anti-reflective coatings, reflective coatings, transparent electrodes and others. Filter coatings are used to transmit selective wavelengths of light through glass or any device and are used in a large number of applications such as infrared filters, dichroic filters and bandpass filters among others. Filter coatings are used in diverse range of end-user industries including electronics, infrastructure, defense/security, solar and others. Filter coatings is the second-largest market segment of the optical coatings market. The growing demand for infrared filters, dichroic filters and bandpass filters from various end-user industries across the globe is expected to drive the global filter coatings market in the near future.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:An infrared filter is a major application product of filter coating. Infrared filters are used in a wide range of applications such as gas detection, flame detection, sleep apnea (capnography), anesthetic gas monitoring, motion sensors, non-contact temperature measurement and alcohol monitoring (breathalyzer) among several other applications. The global market for infrared filters has sharply increased over the past few years and the demand for infrared filters is anticipated to double over the next six years. To cater to this growing demand for infrared filters, the manufacturers of infrared filters as well as filter coatings are expanding their production capacities. Moreover, the key industry participants are conducting extensive research and development activities to provide the customers with high precision filters that can result in a repeatable performance at low cost. The growing demand for infrared filters would subsequently increase the demand for filter coatings and is predicted to drive the global filter coatings market in the next few years.Read All Chemicals Market Research Reports @The global market for filter coatings is mainly driven by the heavy demand from the North American and Asia Pacific market. As far as the regional market is concerned, North America is the largest market for filter coatings and it is closely followed by Asia Pacific. The robust demand for filter coatings from these two giant markets can be mainly attributed to the factors such as the growth in electronics, defense and solar energy industry. Countries such as the U.S., India and China spend a huge amount of money on defense and security purposes. Moreover, the demand for electronic products such as televisions, LCD, OLEDs, desktops and laptops are increasing rapidly in the U.S. and Asian markets. Furthermore, the use of solar energy is increasing across Asian countries such as China and India. On account of the strong demand from developing countries, Asia Pacific is anticipated to record fastest growth in the filter coatings market in the next six years. Apart North America and Asia Pacific, Europe is also an important market for filter coatings and is steadily recovering from the economic slowdown. Though the Rest of the World (RoW) market accounts for the least share in the global filter coatings market, it is expected to record a strong growth in the next few years.Some of the major companies operating in the global filter coatings market are 3M Precision Optics, Denton Vacuum, LLC, Janos Technology Inc., Ophir Optronics, Ltd., PPG Industries, JDSU, Inrad Optics, Abrisa Technologies, Newport Corporation and Optical Coatings Japan.This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at: Equatorial Guinea: Expansion of 3G Services and Investments in Fiber to Fuel Growth at a CAGR of 9.5% during 2016-2021 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=948202 http://www.researchmoz.us/telecommunications-market-reports-95.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://deep-research-report.blogspot.com/ ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Equatorial Guinea: Expansion of 3G Services and Investments in Fiber to Fuel Growth " to it's Large Report database.SummaryThe Telecommunications Market in Equatorial Guinea is estimated to have reached $84m in service revenue in 2016. The telecom services revenue in Equatorial Guinea is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% during 2016-2021, driven by growth in mobile data and fiber broadband. Mobile data will be the fastest-growing segment in the telecom market. Going forward, government focus on network upgrades, the rollout of fiber connections and investments in 3G technology will provide opportunities for investors.Key Findings- The overall telecom service revenue in Equatorial Guinea is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% during 2016-2021, mainly driven by 3G services and fiber connectivity.- Operators are focusing on modernizing existing networks and launching new service offerings, such as value-added services, to increase revenue.- Mobile revenue will account for 74.0% of the total telecom revenue in 2021; mobile data will be the fastest-growing segment over 2016-2021.- The Equatorial Guinea telecom market will be dominated by Getesa-Orange. Operators will focus on improving mobile services and deployment of a countrywide fiber-optic network.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Synopsis"Equatorial Guinea: Expansion of 3G Services and Investments in Fiber to Fuel Growth" a new Country Intelligence Report by GlobalData, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Equatorial Guinea today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband and mobile sectors, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:- Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Equatorial Guinea compared with other countries in the region.- Economic, demographic and political context in Equatorial Guinea.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.- A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data.- Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice and data from 2016 to 2021.Read All Telecommunications Market Research Reports @Table of ContentsExecutive summaryMarket and competitor overviewRegional contextEconomic, demographic and political contextRegulatory environmentDemand profileService evolutionCompetitive landscapeMajor market playersSegment analysisMobile servicesFixed servicesIdentifying opportunitiesOverall market opportunitiesList of TablesEquatorial Guinea telecom market size and growth prospects in a regional context, 2016ECountry indicatorsRegulatory structure and policyMajor telecommunications policy issuesEquatorial Guinea communications market revenue, 2014-2021, US$Segment revenue CAGRs, 2016-2021,US$Segment revenues 2014-2021Service revenue mix: voice, data & video, 2016, 2021About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at: Peoria just seems to be a town that interacts poorly with Twitter. Almost three years ago, a man who set up a mock Twitter account under the name @peoriamayor found his house invaded by a number of plain clothes officers. Law enforcement was sent in en masse to seize the computer of the man who set up the account. The account had about 50 followers. That stunt cost the City of Peoria $125,000, and the police department was told to not take quite so seriously the state law against impersonating a public official. And now a Twitter outburst has cost a Peoria real estate agent his job. The story developed Monday night. Tony Brust responded to a tweet by comedian Patton Oswalt, Brust was criticized by a third party, and Brust responded with a fairly tasteless tweet mentioning Oswalt's wife. Oswalt's wife died in 2015 at age 46, leaving the comedian with a 7-year-old daughter. Brust was dismissed from Jim Maloof Realtor Tuesday morning, after an uproar on the business' Facebook page. Predictably, the tiny bits of support Brust received were from people concerned about his First Amendment rights, although nothing in Brust's story has anything to do with the First Amendment. Brust did something that received a negative reaction, and the negative reaction included attacks by the offended on the Facebook page of Brust's employer. At that point, the employer decided to sever ties with the agent. That's the business' decision, and it's up to each individual to decide what their reaction is. If you think the business was right, support them. If you think they were wrong, definitely take your business elsewhere. But it's not a First Amendment issue. And that's why journalists in particular keep talking about what the First Amendment is and is not. The Twitter case is definitely a First Amendment issue, because the government was attempting to punish a citizen for what the citizen was saying. That's not the only issue on which the First Amendment comes into play, but it's one that comes up often enough that we're compelled to remind readers what it is and what it means. India Wheat seeds Market Report 2016 Growth Impetus in Leading Indian Regions : Forecasts of key Industry Players - Dupont Pioneer, Pannar Seed, Monsanto http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=860257&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com This report studies sales (consumption) of Wheat seeds in India market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringDupont PioneerBayerDow AgroSciencesMonsantoBeck'sSeed Co LimitedPannar SeedCapstoneCROPLAN(WinFieldLG SeedKrishidhanSyngentaHenan Huafeng SeedChina National SeedOrigin Agritech LimitedWIN-ALL HI-TECH SEEDGansu Dunhuang SeedOpulent TechnologyAnhui NongkenOtherThe factors driving the growth of the India Wheat seeds market and challenges faced by key players are included in the report. It presents valuable information about the development of the India Wheat seeds market. The present value as well as the estimated value of the India Wheat seeds market in the near future have been given. Primary and secondary research methods have been employed to analyze the market size.The detailed information on the companies profiled in the study makes it a must-have report for both new and established players in the India Wheat seeds industry.To Check out a Free Sample Copy of this Report visit @QYresearchreports.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.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Global Mandelic Acid Market 2017 : Share, Size, Growth, Trends and Industry Overview by Regions Market Research Reports http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=911000&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-mandelic-acid-market-research-report-2017.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Mandelic Acid Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This market intelligence report examines extensively the trends in the global Mandelic Acid market. It highlights the latest market state, the progress pattern in the previous years, and the prospects present for market participants in the near future. The research methods and tools employed in the achievement of this research publication are both secondary and primary. The market intelligence study also provides facts about the investments initiated by several organizations, institutions, government, and non-government authorities and regulatory bodies.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The publication further presents a valuation of the facets that are likely to prevent or encourage the expansion of the global Mandelic Acid market. The global Mandelic Acid market has been examined scrupulously based on aspects such as application, technology, product, end user, and geographical segment. An examination has been carried out in the research report of the chief regional segments and their respective place and share in the Mandelic Acid market. The estimated revenue and volume valuation of the global market for Mandelic Acid has also been stated in the study.An estimate of the market attractiveness and the level of competition that new entrants along with their new products are likely to offer to the experienced products and players has also been delivered in the market research publication. The market report also discusses the new expansions, the innovations, branding techniques, marketing approaches, and products of the chief players operational in the global Mandelic Acid market. The vendor landscape has been broadly scrutinized employing the Porters five forces and value chain analysis to deliver a strong conception of the market. The challenges and opportunities in the near future for the key participants have also been stressed upon in the research publication.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Mandelic Acid Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Mandelic Acid1.2 Mandelic Acid Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Mandelic Acid by Type in 20151.2.2 Mandelic Acid1.2.3 DL-Mandelic Acid1.3 Mandelic Acid Segment by Application1.3.1 Mandelic Acid Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Pharmaceutical1.3.3 Dye intermediate1.3.4 Others1.4 Mandelic Acid 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 Mandelic Acid (2011-2021)2 Global Mandelic Acid Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Mandelic Acid Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Mandelic Acid Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Mandelic Acid Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Mandelic Acid Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Mandelic Acid Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Mandelic Acid Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global Mandelic Acid Capacity and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global Mandelic Acid Production and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global Mandelic Acid Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.7 China Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.8 Japan Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.9 Southeast Asia Mandelic Acid Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.10 India Mandelic Acid Capacity, 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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States Australian Ammonia Market to be Worth US$ 298.2 Million by 2024 end http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11527 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/australia-ammonia-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11527 By product type, anhydrous ammonia segment is expected to continue to dominate the market in terms of value and volume share throughout the forecast period (20162024). Production of ammonium nitrate by explosives manufacturers to cater to demand for industrial explosives from the mining sector is anticipated to drive growth of the Australia ammonia market over the forecast period. Also, increasing demand for nitrogen-rich fertilizers such as DAP and MAP is expected to drive volume sales of ammonia during the forecast period. However, volatility in natural gas prices and increasing dependency on fertilizer imports are factors expected to restraint growth of the ammonia market in Australia.A sample of this report is available upon request @On the basis of end use, nitric acid segment is expected to exhibit relatively strong projections by 2024 end, owing to pivotal use of nitric acid both directly and as precursor to other downstream products. The segment is expected to continue to account for major value and volume shares in the Australia ammonia market throughout the forecast period, to account for 46.2% by 2024 in terms of value and expand at a CAGR of 7.9% in terms of volume during the forecast period. Ammonium nitrate segment in the Australia ammonia market is expected to be valued at US$ 172.0 Mn by 2016 end, registering 7.3% Y-o-Y growth over 2015.Persistence Market Research delivers key insights on the Australia ammonia market in its latest report titled, Australia Market Study on Ammonia: Increasing Consumption in Nitric Acid Production to Drive Growth by 2024. The ammonia market in Australia is estimated to register 5.8% Y-o-Y growth in 2016 over 2015 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.3% over the forecast period (2016-2024).On the basis of application, industrial chemicals segment is expected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. Explosives segment is expected to register the second-highest CAGR of 7.5% over the forecast period, to reach value of US$ 298.2 Mn by 2024 end.Western Australia is the largest market for ammonia. The market in the region is estimated to be valued at US$ 230.7 Bn by 2016 end. The ammonia market in New South Wales is anticipated to expand at a significant CAGR of 7.2% in terms of value over the forecast period.Request to view Table of content @Key players in the Australia ammonia market include Yara International ASA, Orica Limited, Incitec Pivot Limited, and CSBP Limited (Wesfarmers Limited). The Australia ammonia market is highly consolidated, with limited number of ammonia manufacturers and suppliers. However, major players in the market are focusing on expanding their production of ammonium nitrate to cater to demand for industrial explosives from the mining industry. Increase in ammonium nitrate production is anticipated to significantly increase demand for ammonia and nitric acid.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Global Industry Growth Drivers & Trends of 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market by Application in 2017 Market Research Reports http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=910975&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-2-hydroxyethyl-acrylate-hea-market-research-report-2017.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.A new research report on the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market offers a 360-degree overview of it. The report discusses the market in significant details and elucidates all aspects of the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market likely to impact its growth trajectory in the upcoming years. Major market stimulants and deterrents have also been examined in great detail, with quantitative and qualitative description of their expected impact on the market in the forecast period. This would enable big and small players operating in the market to understand the dynamics and maneuver their moves accordingly.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The different segments of the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market have been carefully discussed at length. The product segments, application segments, and end user segments have been detailed in the report, leveraging historical and current figures. The report gauges the growth figures for each of the segments to understand the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) markets growth prospects. This helps to offer a granular overview of the 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market and areas in which it stands to gain and lose.A detailed analysis of the competitive landscape of the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market has also been furnished in the report. Chief competitors in the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market have been profiled and data about their business and financial activities has been presented. The report also throws light on their strengths and weaknesses. This report has been carefully crafted with data arrived at from primary and secondary research methodologies.The reports primary objective is to help the players operating in the global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) market to gain an insight into the current market dynamics, including opportunities and threats so as to be able to strategize sagaciously. To do, it implements market-leading analytical tools to gauge the current competitive landscape.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA)1.2 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) by Type in 20151.2.2 Ethylene Oxide Process1.2.3 Ethanediol Process1.3 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Segment by Application1.3.1 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Paints & coatings1.3.3 Adhesives1.3.4 Others1.4 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) 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 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) (2011-2021)2 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Production and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.7 China 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.8 Japan 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.9 Southeast Asia 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.10 India 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate (HEA) Capacity, 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.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States EU 655/2013: How to avoid issues with claims about cosmetics www.sgs.com/cpch European Union (EU) regulation 655/2013 sets out the legislative requirements for claims made about cosmetics. The aim is to help manufacturers make accurate statements and not imply any false characteristics or functions relating to their products. This protects consumers from being misled or otherwise harmed, and reduces the risk for the producers of legal challenges.Commission Regulation 655/2013 is based on Article 20 of the European Cosmetic Regulation (ECR) 1223/2009, which applies to all products falling under its definition of a cosmetic. Article 5 of that ECR defines The Responsible Person whose task is to ensure compliance with the requirements of 655/2013.The ECR harmonized the criteria across the EU for assessing whether or not a claim is justified. The six common criteria, which are equally important, are:1. Legal compliance2. Truthfulness3. Evidential support4. Honesty5. Fairness6. Informed decision-makingLegal complianceClaims indicating that a product has been authorized or approved by a competent EU authority arent acceptable, since cosmetic products are allowed into the EU without any governmental approval. For example, the following claims would not be allowed: This product complies with EU legislation, as all cosmetic products placed on the EU market must comply Approved by UK Trading Standards, as Trading Standards cannot approve products, only ensure their legal compliance This product does not contain Hydroquinone, as Hydroquinone is banned for use in cosmeticsTruthfulnessThe general presentation of a cosmetic, or individual claims for a product, must not be based upon false, irrelevant or misleading information. Here are some examples that arent allowed: Silicone Free, if the product contains silicone or a silicone derivative 48 Hour Hydration if the supporting evidence is based on less than 48 hours Contains Honey if the product only has a honey flavorEvidential supportExplicit or implied claims for a consumer product must be supported and substantiated by relevant evidence, and the information retained in the Product Information File.Statements of clear exaggeration are not to be taken literally and therefore dont need such substantiation. For example: This perfume gives you wings is hyperbolic - nobody would expect to be able to grow wings through use of the productHonestyClaims about a products performance shouldnt exceed supporting evidence. For example: The best antiperspirant in the world is unlikely to be capable of being substantiatedStatements about the improved properties of a new formulation should reflect the actual improvement and not be overstated. For example: New formula Improved cleaning would need substantiationFairnessClaims for cosmetic products shall be objective and not denigrate competitor products or their ingredients that are being used legally. For example: Contains no parabens, which can cause breast cancer is not allowed since it denigrates parabens, many of which can be legally used Well tolerated, as it does not contain Mineral Oil is an unfair statement towards other products that contain mineral oil and which are equally well tolerated Low in allergens, because this product is without preservatives is not allowed as it assumes all preservatives are allergenicInformed decision-makingAll claims shall be clear and understandable to users, to ensure that consumers arent mislead. Here are two 2016 examples from the United Kingdom (UK), as assessed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) - the UKs independent regulator for all media advertising.1) A television advertisement for a shower gel featured a voice-over stating: This is dry skin. It's a common problem. Introducing our clinically-proven way to hydrate it. A shower gel. New xxxxx Advanced Hydrate 24 hours, proven to moisturise your skin for 24 hours. Recommended by 97% of women who tried it. xxxxx. Keeps skin healthy.The on-screen text stated Results shown after one week of use. 97% of 32 daily body lotion users.The following complaints were raised about the claims:1. At best, the product provided the same level of moisturization as other shower gels on the market2. The claim that the moisturization and hydration effect lasted for 24 hours could be misleading and may not be substantiated3. The advert implied that the product provided 24 hours of moisturization from the first use, and the qualification "Results shown after one week of use" contradicted that impression and the ad was therefore misleadingThe Responsible Person did have some data based on clinical, user and instrumental trials, which they claimed supported the statements used in the advertisement. However, the ASA considered the data to be insufficient and concluded that the claims made were misleading, exaggerated and could not be substantiated. The advertisement had to be withdrawn.For more details on this ruling, see: ASA Ruling on Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Ltd2) A company advertising an eye cream showed a before and after shot of a consumer and claimed that the wrinkles and puffiness under her eyes had decreased after using the cream.A voice-over stated: We're so confident in the performance of 'My Perfect Eyes', we had it examined by UK dermatherapist Dr xxxx xxxxxx, using a VISIA scanner and here's what he found. Dr xxxxx said As you can see from the screen where we've measured her wrinkle scores on VISIA, to be honest, they've virtually disappeared and the computer does give us the score of 27 before and 10 afterwards. I really am very impressed by the effectiveness. "A member of the public challenged whether the claims made by the dermatherapist about the temporary reduction in wrinkles, as demonstrated by the 'before and after photos' taken by the VISIA scanner, were misleading and could be substantiated.The Responsible Person submitted their statement and supporting data to the ASA, which ruled that the claims made in the advertisement were acceptable. This was because the claims related to a temporary change in appearance, and the product had been assessed in three different ways: dermatologically examining fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and eye puffiness; digital photographs by a blinded independent assessor; and, self-assessment by the subject. In this case the advertisement was allowed to continue to be shown in its existing form.For more details on this ruling, see: ASA Ruling on The Perfect Cosmetics Company LtdAbout SGS Cosmetics Safety ServicesAll cosmetic and personal care products have to be safe, effective and stable. SGS provides testing, inspection, auditing and consulting services to manufacturers, distributors and importers to ensure a high level of product quality in every area.The company also has extensive capabilities in performance testing, claim support studies and consumer panels. All testing is conducted according to customer specific or recognized standard methods, some of which were developed by SGS. The companys cosmetic safety assessors and other technical experts can help to ensure new products comply with regulatory requirements.For information and advice on cosmetic regulations, please contact your local SGS representative or the global team.Janine Bottomley and Roger PengillyCosmetic Safety AssessorsSGS United Kingdom LimitedEmail: cts.media@sgs.comWebsite:About SGSSGS is the worlds leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 90,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,000 offices and laboratories around the world.1, Mons CalpeChitcombe RoadBroad OakRyeEast SussexTN31 6EU Global Medical Device Market Supply Chain Management, Logistics Applications, Market Services & Strategies 2021 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=847279&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-medical-device-market-professional-survey-report-2016.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm This report on global Medical Device market is a research study that is meant to armor existing and emerging players to gain shares. It does so by presenting a comprehensive analysis of the market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn), and also includes a figurative forecast estimation, both for the global as well as regional markets. The report contains an elaborate executive summary, which includes a snapshot that provides information about various segments and sub-segments of the market. Estimated and expected valuation of each of these segments has been included to highlight the opportunity available.The study includes factors that are primed to drive and hinder the growth rate of the global Medical Device market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. Additionally, the study identifies emerging trends and includes various opportunities available in the field. Detailed value chain analysis has been included to provide a comprehensive view of the Medical Device market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and countries are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @One of several key aspects of this report on global Medical Device market is the section on company profiles. Here, major business strategies adopted by key players and future roadmap, key developments, their market positioning, competitors, and product offerings, and revenue have been identified in the research report.This market study is a combination of primary and secondary research, built on proven methodologies. Primary research formed the bulk of research efforts along with information collected from interactions via e-mails and telephonic interviews. Secondary research involved study of company websites, stock analysis presentations, annual reports, press releases, and various international and national databases.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Medical Device Market Professional Survey Report 20161 Industry Overview of Medical Device1.1 Definition and Specifications of Medical Device1.1.1 Definition of Medical Device1.1.2 Specifications of Medical Device1.2 Classification of Medical Device1.2.1 Electro-medical equipment1.2.2 Irradiation apparatuses1.2.3 Surgical and medical instruments1.2.4 Surgical appliances and supplies1.2.5 Dental equipment and supplies1.2.6 Other1.3 Applications of Medical Device1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.4 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 Medical Device2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Medical Device2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Medical Device2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Medical Device3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Medical Device3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Medical Device Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Medical Device Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Medical Device Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Medical Device Major Manufacturers in 20154 Global Medical Device Overall Market Overview4.1 2011-2016E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2011-2016E Global Medical Device Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2015 Medical Device Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2011-2016E Global Medical Device Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2015 Medical Device Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2011-2016E Global Medical Device Sales Price4.4.2 2015 Medical Device Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Medical Device Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Medical Device Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Medical Device Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2011-2016E Medical Device Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2011-2016E Medical Device Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2015 Medical Device Market Share Analysis5.2 China Medical Device Market Analysis5.2.1 China Medical Device Market Overview5.2.2 China 2011-2016E Medical Device Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2011-2016E Medical Device Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2015 Medical Device Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Medical Device Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Medical Device Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2011-2016E Medical Device Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2011-2016E Medical Device Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2015 Medical Device Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Medical Device Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Medical Device Market Overview5.4.2 Southeast Asia 2011-2016E Medical Device Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.4.3 Southeast Asia 2011-2016E Medical Device Sales Price Analysis5.4.4 Southeast Asia 2015 Medical Device Market Share Analysis5.5 Japan Medical Device Market Analysis5.5.1 Japan Medical Device Market Overview5.5.2 Japan 2011-2016E Medical Device Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.5.3 Japan 2011-2016E Medical Device Sales Price Analysis5.5.4 Japan 2015 Medical Device Market Share Analysis5.6 India Medical Device Market Analysis5.6.1 India Medical Device Market Overview5.6.2 India 2011-2016E Medical Device Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.6.3 India 2011-2016E Medical Device Sales Price Analysis5.6.4 India 2015 Medical Device Market Share AnalysisFor 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.comFor Latest Press Release Visit @ Global Access Panels Consumption 2016 Market Research Report - Competitive Landscape, Technology and Pipeline Insights http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=689974 http://www.researchmoz.us/retail-market-reports-137.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://deep-research-report.blogspot.com/ ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Access Panels Consumption 2016 Market Research Report " to it's Large Report database.The Global Access Panels Consumption 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Access Panels market.First, the report provides a basic overview of the Access Panels industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. And development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.Secondly, the report states the global Access Panels market size (volume and value), and the segment markets by regions, types, applications and companies are also discussed.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Third, the Access Panels market analysis is provided for major regions including USA, Europe, China and Japan, and other regions can be added. For each region, market size and end users are analyzed as well as segment markets by types, applications and companies.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information. Whats more, the Access Panels industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Read All Retail Market Research Reports @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Access Panels1.1 Definition and Specifications of Access Panels1.1.1 Definition of Access Panels1.1.2 Specifications of Access Panels1.2 Classification of Access Panels1.3 Applications of Access Panels1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Access Panels1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Access Panels1.5.1 Industry Overview of Access Panels1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of Access Panels1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Access Panels1.7 Industry News Analysis of Access Panels2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Access Panels2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Access Panels2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Access Panels2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Access Panels2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Access Panels2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Access Panels2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Access Panels3 3 Global Market Size (Volume and Value), Sales and Sale Price Analysis of Access Panels3.1 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) and Growth Rate of Access Panels 2011-20163.2 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of Access Panels by Regions 2011-20163.3 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of Access Panels by Types 2011-20163.4 Global Market Size (Volume and Value) of Access Panels by Applications 2011-20163.5 Global Sales Volume and Sales Revenue of Access Panels by Companies 2011-2016About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at: Global charging and data sync USB cable Market- Capacity, Production, Cost, Revenue, Supply, Import, Export and Consumption charging and data sync USB cable http://bit.ly/2jGFqTn http://bit.ly/2kZDt5v The market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall charging and data sync USB cable market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the charging and data sync USB cable market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.Click Here to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of charging and data sync USB cable market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research charging and data sync USB cable report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the charging and data sync USB cable market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse Full Report at @The overall information of the charging and data sync USB cable market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the charging and data sync USB cable market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 Artificial Intelligence Market -By Types Artificial Neural Network,Digital Assistance System,Embedded System,Expert System,Automated Robotic System http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4674 www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Artificial intelligence is a fast emerging technology, dealing with development and study of intelligent machines and software. This software is being used across various applications such as manufacturing (assembly line robots), medical research, and speech recognition systems. It also enables in-build software or machines to operate like human beings, thereby allowing devices to collect, analyze data, reason, talk, make decisions and act The global artificial intelligence market was valued at US$ 126.24 Bn in 2015 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 36.1% from 2016 to 2024 to reach a value of US$ 3,061.35 Bn in 2024.The global artificial intelligence market is currently witnessing healthy growth as companies have started leveraging the benefits of such disruptive technologies for effective customer reach and positioning of their services/solutions. Market growth is also supported by an expanding application base of artificial intelligence solutions across various industries. However, factors such as low funding access or high upfront investment, and demand for skilled resources (workforce) are presently acting as major deterrents to market growth.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical industry insights:On the basis of types of artificial intelligence systems, the market is segmented into artificial neural network, digital assistance system, embedded system, expert system, and automated robotic system. Expert system was the most adopted or revenue generating segment in 2015. This was mainly due to the extensive use of artificial intelligence across various sectors including diagnosis, process control, design, monitoring, scheduling and planning.Based on various applications of artificial intelligence systems, the market has been classified into deep learning, smart robots, image recognition, digital personal assistant, querying method, language processing, gesture control, video analysis, speech recognition, context aware processing, and cyber security. Image recognition is projected to be the fastest growing segment by application in the global artificial intelligence market. This is due to the growing demand for affective computing technology across various end-use sectors for better study of systems that can recognize, analyze, process, and simulate human effects.North America was the leader in the global artificial intelligence market in 2015, holding approximately 38% of the global market revenue share, and is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. High government funding and a strong technological base have been some of the major factors responsible for the top position of the North America region in the artificial intelligence market over the past few years. Middle East and Africa is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 38.2% throughout the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to enormous opportunities for artificial intelligence in the MEA region in terms of new airport developments and various technological innovations including robotic automation.The key market players profiled in this report include QlikTech International AB, MicroStrategy Inc., IBM Corporation, Google, Inc., Brighterion Inc., Microsoft Corporation, IntelliResponse Systems Inc., Next IT Corporation, Nuance Communications, and eGain Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.ContactTMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Health Insurance Market Growth, Shares, Analysis, Overview and Forecasts 2016 to 2021 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=820684&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/united-states-eu-japan-china-india-and-southeast-asia-health-insurance-market-size-status-and-forecast-2021.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm This report on United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Health Insurance market is a research study that answers pertinent questions about the emerging trends and growth opportunities in this industry. It also identifies each of the prominent barriers to growth, apart from identifying the regional trends and trends within various application segments of the global market for ###. Collecting historical and recent data from authentic resources, and based on all the factors and trends, the report presents a figurative estimation of the future of the market, along with compound annual growth rate (CAGR).To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The study segments the market by geography into: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. It provides forecasts of revenue of the market as a whole as well as each application segment. The competitive landscape is mapped based on product and technology. This study also offers an overview of pricing trends and ancillary factors that will influence pricing in the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Health Insurance market. The market study, estimation, and market sizing have been done utilizing a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches.Of special value are the key recommendations and predictions by our analysts, intended to steer your strategic business decisions. The company profiles section of this research service is a compilation of the growth strategies, product portfolio, financial status, and recent developments of key market participants. The report provides detailed industry analysis of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Health Insurance market with the help of proven research methodologies such as Porteras five forces. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of the buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and the degree of competition.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Health Insurance Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Health Insurance1.1 Health Insurance Market Overview1.1.1 Health Insurance Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Health Insurance Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Health Insurance Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 32 Global Health Insurance Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Health Insurance Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Anthem3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 UnitedHealth Group3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 DKV3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 BUPA3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Kaiser Permanente3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Aetna Inc3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 PICC3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 PingAn3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Kunlun3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Health Insurance Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments4 Global Health Insurance Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Health Insurance Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.2 Potential Application of Health Insurance in Future4.3 Top Consumer/End Users of Health InsuranceFor 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.comFor Latest Press Release Visit @ DECATUR Illinois is a leader in losing nutrient runoff into the Gulf of Mexico. That's a distinction that should be reversed, starting with changing the thinking and practices on farms, said Jean Payne, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association. Payne was among the speakers Wednesday during a soil conservation workshop sponsored by the Lake Decatur Watershed Program held at Richland Community College. The program is a joint venture between the City of Decatur and Macon County Soil and Water Conservation District. We do have a big burden in Illinois to be proactive on this issue, Payne said. It's a challenge because we do like to move water off fields. The practices of farmers impacts nearly 90,000 people in the Lake Decatur watershed who rely on it for the main source of water, said Don Giger, the city's water operations production supervisor. Giger's job is to ensure the city's water supply is safe. The city monitors nitrate levels in the lake on a daily basis, Giger said. We're lucky to have a lot of water we can utilize, Giger said. We need to make sure it has no more chemicals in the watershed than necessary. The city is taking steps to ensure the lake's future capacity, said Keith Alexander, Decatur's water management director. He said it will be completely dredged by 2019, taking it back to its original capacity. The lake had lost 30 percent of its capacity to sedimentation before dredging efforts started, Alexander said. Farmers such as Cade Bushnell understand why what they do is important. Bushnell, who farms near Byron, attended the workshop because he wants to learn how to better to do it. Protecting soil health is an important step by keeping something growing in it all year long, said Jim Hoorman, a regional soil health specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS. Soil is not meant to be disturbed, Hoorman said. It's meant to be covered. Field tests are being conducted in Texas in part to show the capabilities of cover crops, soil scientist Rick Haney said. If we can mimic in a lab how the soil responds, then we can really get somewhere, Haney said. Change moves slow. Extreme weather is becoming more common, with large amounts of rain leading to the most runoff, Hoorman said. The soil just can't hold it, he said. Farmers can stand at the edge of their fields to watch the water run off, carrying with it the nutrients that have been applied, he said. We're trying to avoid that, Hoorman said. We need to slow the water down. Hoorman said protecting the soil by doing things such as adding cover crops will help farmers be more profitable. Farmers cannot take on all the financial burden by themselves, Bushnell said. Everybody needs to work together and share the burdens, Bushnell said. Farmers don't expect consumers to pay for all of it. Bushnell said farmers are better served to adopt the practices voluntarily before stricter requirements are put in place. Landfill Compactor Market: Spike In The Amount Of Waste Generated Everyday Globally On account Of the Swift Pace of Urbanization and Industrialization boom market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=6889 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Landfill compactors are equipment that serve the purpose of spreading and distributing large proportions of waste in landfills by compressing them into smaller manageable volumes. Landfill compactors work by compressing waste twice first at the primary collection center and then at the landfill site. With more waste being squeezed into the landfill site with the help of a landfill compactor, the lifespan of the landfill site gets enhanced. Landfill compactors crush, knead, and spread the waste materials with the help of their own staggering weight as well as specialized steel wheels.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights atLandfill compactors have enhanced working speeds as compared to track machines, which are used if waste does not have to be raised to a greater distance. The curb weight of landfill compactors differs from model to model with a power ratings capacity of 600 kW. They can be custom-built by using a range of bucket designs and dozer blades to satisfy the specific requirements of various landfills. One drawback of this method is that since the density of garbage is increased during the process of landfill compaction, biodegradation of organic waste is hobbled significantly, leading to anaerobic production of greenhouse gases such as methane.A report by Transparency Market Research offers key insights into the global landfill compactor market. It furnishes a granular analysis of the market drivers and restraints and also estimates the market size and its growth prospects. The analysts have also thrown light on the major players and their strategies.Global Landfill Compactor Market: Drivers and TrendsAt the forefront of driving growth in the global landfill compactor market is the spike in the amount of waste generated everyday globally on account of the swift pace of urbanization and industrialization. Over a billion tons of solid waste is generated annually. This has resulted in shortage of landfill space which has led to the demand for landfill contractors to tackle the problem. Yet another factor majorly contributing to the market is the rapid rise in construction activities around the world, especially in developing countries. Construction of new buildings require a clean, waste-free area, and landfill compactors help in achieving that.Posing headwinds to the global market for landfill compactors is the steep price of the heavy-duty machines on account of their high manufacturing costs. Since emerging regions are major drivers of demand in the market, substantial research and development efforts are required to lower the cost of landfill compactors so as to improve their uptake. High operational and maintenance cost are also said to be negatively impacting their demand. Durability of the machine is the prime consideration when making a purchase.Global Landfill Compactor Market: Geographical OutlookDepending upon geography, the global landfill compactor market can be segmented into four key regions of Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe, among them, are major markets. Strong awareness about the efficiency of landfill compactors has been triggering substantial market growth in the two regions. Emerging economies across Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa, however, are slated to be major market gainers in the near future on account of the massive construction activities in the regions.Companies Mentioned in ReportTo furnish a thorough assessment of the competition prevailing in the global landfill compactor market, the report studies companies such as Caterpillar, BOMAG GmbH, Marcel Equipment Limited, HJ Industries Avon, Terra Compactor Wheel Corp., Tutt Bryant, Sinomach Heavy Industry, and Humdinger Equipment Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Surgical Navigation Systems Industry 2015 Growth Drivers, Challenges, Competitive Landscape and End Users http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=360887&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-surgical-navigation-systems-industry-2015-market-research-report.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm This report on global Surgical Navigation Systems market is a research study that answers pertinent questions about the emerging trends and growth opportunities in this industry. It also identifies each of the prominent barriers to growth, apart from identifying the regional trends and trends within various application segments of the global market for Surgical Navigation Systems. Collecting historical and recent data from authentic resources, and based on all the factors and trends, the report presents a figurative estimation of the future of the market, along with compound annual growth rate (CAGR).To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The study segments the market by geography into: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. It provides forecasts of revenue of the market as a whole as well as each application segment. The competitive landscape is mapped based on product and technology. This study also offers an overview of pricing trends and ancillary factors that will influence pricing in the global Surgical Navigation Systems market. The market study, estimation, and market sizing have been done utilizing a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches.Of special value are the key recommendations and predictions by our analysts, intended to steer your strategic business decisions. The company profiles section of this research service is a compilation of the growth strategies, product portfolio, financial status, and recent developments of key market participants. The report provides detailed industry analysis of the global Surgical Navigation Systems market with the help of proven research methodologies such as Porteras five forces. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of the buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and the degree of competition.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview1.1 Definition and Specifications of Surgical Navigation Systems1.2 Classification of Surgical Navigation Systems1.3 Applications of Surgical Navigation Systems1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Surgical Navigation Systems1.5 Industry Regional Overview of Surgical Navigation Systems1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems1.7 Industry News Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Key Manufacturers in 20143.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Key Surgical Navigation Systems Manufacturers in 20143.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Surgical Navigation Systems Key Manufacturers in 20143.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Surgical Navigation Systems Key Manufacturers in 20144 Production Analysis of Surgical Navigation Systems by Regions, Technology, and Applications4.1 Global Production of Surgical Navigation Systems by Regions (US, EU, China, Japan, etc.) 2010-20154.2 Global Production of Surgical Navigation Systems by Technology 2010-20154.3 Global Production of Surgical Navigation Systems by Applications 2010-20154.4 Price Analysis of Global Surgical Navigation Systems Key Manufacturers in 20154.5 US Capacity, Production, Price, Cost and Revenue of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.6 EU Capacity, Production, Price, Cost and Revenue of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.7 Japan Capacity, Production, Price, Cost and Revenue of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.8 China Capacity, Production, Price, Cost and Revenue of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.9 US Supply, Import, Export and Consumption of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.10 EU Supply, Import, Export and Consumption of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.11 Japan Supply, Import, Export and Consumption of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-20154.12 China Supply, Import, Export and Consumption of Surgical Navigation Systems 2010-2015For 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.comFor Latest Press Release Visit @ Major Companies profiled in Nanosatellite and Microsatellite market study include Lockheed Martin Corporation, Clyde Space, Inc http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1995 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The nanosatellite and microsatellite market report provides analysis for the period 20142024, wherein the period from 2016 to 2024 is the forecast and 2015 is the base year. The report covers all the major trends and technologies playing a key role in the nanosatellite and microsatellite markets growth over the forecast period.It also highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the markets growth during the said period in terms of revenue (in US$ Mn), across the geographies including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America region comprises of the U.S. and Canada, while the Europe region covers the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and rest of Europe. Furthermore, the Asia Pacific region is divided into Japan, China, India, Indonesia, and rest of Asia Pacific. Latin America is further categorized into Brazil and rest of Latin America.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical industry insights:The market overview section of the report outlines the drivers, restraints, and opportunities that influence the current nature and future standing of this market. An impact analysis of key trends has also been provided for every geographic region in the report in order to give a thorough analysis of the overall state of the nanosatellite and microsatellite market globally. Moreover, the report provides an overview of the various strategies of key players in the market.The report segments the global nanosatellite and microsatellite market on the basis of solution into hardware, software, data processing, and launch services. Furthermore, on the basis of application the nanosatellite and microsatellite market is divided into navigation and mapping, scientific research, power, communication, reconnaissance, and others (Biological experiments, Earth observation, and remote sensing). Furthermore, depending on the industry the market is segmented as agency, defense, educational, non-profit, energy and infrastructure, and others (Maritime and transportation, Independent). The nanosatellite and microsatellites operates in different bands that includes X-band, K-band, Ka-band, and others. Depending on mass of the satellites the nanosatellite and microsatellite market is divided into 1 Kg 10 Kg (Nanosatellite) and 11 Kg 100 Kg (Microsatellite). The report emphasizes on covering the number of nanosatellites and microsatellites launched in 2015 and also projects the expected launches during the forecast period. Thus, the report provides in-depth cross-segment analysis of the nanosatellite and microsatellite market and classifies it at various levels, providing valuable insights at the macro and micro levels.The report also highlights the competitive landscape of the nanosatellite and microsatellite market, positioning all the major players according to their geographic presence, products/solutions offered, focus on research and development, and key recent developments. The comprehensive nanosatellite and microsatellite market estimates are the result of our in-depth secondary research, primary interviews, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by taking into account the impact of different political, social, economic, technological, and legal factors along with the current market dynamics affecting the nanosatellite and microsatellite markets growth.The major companies profiled in nanosatellite and microsatellite market study include Lockheed Martin Corporation, Clyde Space, Inc., RUAG Group, Planet Labs, Inc., GomSpace, Innovative Solutions In Space (ISIS) Group, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Terra Bella (Formerly Skybox Imaging, Inc.), and SpaceQuest Ltd. Details such as financials, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of company profiling.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Dairy Packaging Market Globally Grow At A CAGR Of 4.06% During The Period 2017 - 2020 Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=717641 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=717641 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Dairy Packaging Market Globally Grow At A CAGR Of 4.06% During The Period 2017 - 2020".Dairy products are high energy-yielding products made from raw milk. Since milk can be easily contaminated because of lactose fermentation, dairy products need to be packed in durable materials, so they reach the customer in desirable condition. Increase in demand for milk and dairy products has brought a transformation in the packaging industry. Vendors in the global dairy packaging market are inventing new technologies for packaging materials that can prevent contamination of dairy products. Some of the containers used for packaging dairy products are cups, cans, sachets, bottles, and tubs, which are made as per the convenience of the customer and the requirement of products. The demand for packaging is further surging because of increasing popularity of smaller multipacks and rising consumer preference toward yogurt. Packaging also plays a major role in attracting the customers to purchase the product.Technavios analysts forecast the global dairy packaging market to grow at a CAGR of 4.06% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global dairy packaging market for 2016 -2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated by packaging vendors.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:North AmericaEuropeAPACROWTechnavio's report, Global Dairy Packaging Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAmcorBemisMondi GroupRPC GroupTetra LavalTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsAhlstromAirlite PlasticsAllied Glass ContainersBallBarry-Wehmiller CompaniesBlue Ridge Paper ProductsBomarkoC&H Packaging CompanyInterflex GroupMarket driverRising demand for dairy productsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeStringent government regulationsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIntroduction of new and advance productsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Optoelectronics Market - Reporting And Evaluation Of Recent Industry Developments http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1417 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/optoelectronics-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Optoelectronics Market: OverviewOptoelectronics currently dominate the global semiconductor industry as the fastest growing segment. As the global optoelectronics market exhibit multi-fold growth every year, the hold in the semiconductor industry is likely to strengthen further. The robust segments within the industry, particularly those catering to the cause of energy-efficiency have led to innovations in image sensors, LEDs, and other optoelectronics. With several other developments underway, Transparency Market Research pegs a high CAGR for the global optoelectronics market between 2016 and 2024.The report presents a broad evaluation of the global optoelectronics market on the basis of various segments. Based on in-depth research it determines the potential threats and opportunities for the market. Besides this, a detailed assessment of the growth drivers and restraints is also included in the report. In order to determine the scope for the entry of new players, the report also conducts an investment feasibility analysis. It also gauges the effect of Porters five forces on the overall market operations.PDF Sample For Full Details with Technological breakthroughs is @Global Optoelectronics Market: Trends and OpportunitiesExperts connote the optoelectronics market as self-driven by its segments, which are distributed in terms of type and application such as LEDs, the Internet and compact disks (CDs), OLEDs, Blue Ray, and DVDs among others. The exponentially increasing demand for these products and their easy availability are the chief factors translating into opportunities for the optoelectronics industry. In addition, the ever increasing spending incurred on power by consumers in Asia Pacific has been contributing immensely to the high revenue generated by the industry in the last couple of years.On the downside, optoelectronics has higher cost compared to their conventional counterparts. This could hinder the markets expansion to an extent. In terms of application, the demand for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), which is key substitute for LEDs and a more economical solution despite difference in terms of quality, will continue rising through the forecast period. Besides this, the high replacement cost of spare parts will also emerge as a major restraint for the sales of LEDs, which occupy a major revenue share in the global optoelectronics market.Global Optoelectronics Market: Regional OutlookAsia Pacific, among the key regional segments, is foretold to exhibit lucrative market opportunities. The surge in the China optoelectronics market, coupled with the rising demand from other nations such as India, Japan, and South Korea, will enable the Asia Pacific market gain significant momentum over the course of the reports forecast period. Furthermore, the report forecasts the market to witness attractive prospects in Rest of the World.In developed markets such as North America, the rising demand from nations such as Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will keep the demand for optoelectronics high. In Europe, the market is expected to witness attractive opportunities in countries such as Germany, France, U.K., and others.View Comprehensive Analysis of the Report @Global Optoelectronics Market: Vendor LandscapeThe report provides an in-depth overview of the global optoelectronics market complete with a detailed assessment of the prevailing vendor landscape. Some of the leading companies operating in the market are Toshiba Corp., Sony Corp., ROHM, Sharp Corp., BetaLED, Avago Technologies, Panasonic, Philips and others. The report conducts SWOT analysis on the most prominent companies to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. The analysis also helps provide insights into the opportunities and threats that these companies are projected to witness over the course of the forecast period.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Electric Vehicles Market is Expected to Record an Impressive Growth of US$ 596.56 Billion by 2030 Electric Vehicles Market, Electric Vehicles, Electric Vehicle Market, Electric Vehicle http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/electric-vehicles-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/2843 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/2843 www.persistencemarketresearch.com Electric vehicles are self-propelling transportation machines for passengers as well as goods utilizing the power stored in the batteries via electric motors or with the help of both internal combustion engine and electric motors working in tandem. Electric vehicles are considered to be the vehicles of the future and are highly likely to make conventional vehicles obsolete.Request to view Table of Content @The global electric vehicles market is projected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 15.6% in terms of revenue generated over the forecast period from 2016 to 2030, primarily driven by the growth of eco-friendly alternatives considered for transportation.Factors influencing the Global Electric Vehicles Market growthThe growth of electric vehicles is attributed to the ever increasing production and sales of automobiles. Vehicles are becoming an increasingly affordable commodity owing to the growing disposable incomes across the world. Though the percentage share of electric vehicles in the automotive industry is extremely small in the current scenario, it is highly likely to expand at a faster rate than expected due to rise in fuel prices owing to higher current usage and growing rate of depletion, the government regulations to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by vehicles, high fuel efficiency offered by the electric vehicles and soundless operation of the electric vehicles. Another important factor which is pushing the surge of electric vehicles market is the attractive incentives provided by the governments of various countries with a motive to push the sale of electric vehicles. Customers are offered benefits such as tax exemption, reduced selling prices, and free charging of electric vehicles at various charging points.Though electric vehicles have proven to be advantageous over conventional vehicles, the market is not without restraints hindering the growth of the market over the forecast period. Electric vehicles come along with a high price tag which might evoke customer apathy towards this market. Scarcity of charging points within major cities is a massive hurdle in the growth of the global electric vehicles market. The electric vehicles lack alternate source of fuel which often put the schedule of the commute in jeopardy. The complete drainage of the battery can stall the car and can put the traveler at risk. These loopholes in the electric vehicles are a major drawback for the market.Electric vehicles provide excellent torque at low speeds but its performance drops at higher speed in comparison with conventional vehicles, this difference in performance can also act as a restraint to the growth of the global electric vehicles market.Global Electric Vehicles Market segmentation and forecastOn the basis of technology, the electric vehicles market is divided into hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles. Though plug-in hybrid electric vehicles hold the least amount of share in the market, it is projected to grow at the fastest rate with a CAGR of 17.9% in the forthcoming years owing to higher flexibility in terms of its usage.Global Electric Vehicles Market analysis, by product typePassenger cars, commercial vehicles, two wheelers, and others comprise the vehicle type segmentation. In terms of volume, two wheelers segment to dominate the market due to astonishing rise of sale in China. Passenger cars segment is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 15.1% within the forecast period. Battery powered electric vehicles do not follow the system architecture of parallel hybrid, series hybrid and combined hybrid, which make up the powertrain segment. Hence, this segment excludes market volume numbers of battery electric vehicles leaving the market value far less than the overall market value. Parallel hybrid powertrain is currently dominating the market and is also projected to grow faster than series and combined hybrids with a CAGR of 16.8% till 2030.Sample of this report is available upon request @Global Electric Vehicles Market analysis, by regionThe use of electric vehicles is highly prevalent in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Well developed and extensive charging infrastructure along with the incentives provided by the governments of these regions are expediting the growth of the electric vehicles. In contrast, Latin America and Middle East & Africa regions show a slower adoption of electric vehicles owing to the availability of flexible fuel. Latin America is projected to create a total incremental $ opportunity of US$ 1,332.6 Mn between 2016 and 2030. The segment is expected to account for 0.3% share of the global market absolute $ incremental opportunity during the same period.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Key players dominating the Global Electric Vehicles MarketAlmost all the major manufacturers of automobile with a global reach have manufactured and supplied electric vehicles. Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, Tesla Motors, Inc., Ford Motor Company, Nissan Motor Corporation Ltd., Bayerische Motoren Werke AG are some of the prominent companies engaged in the manufacture of electric vehicles releasing hybrids, plug-in hybrids or pure battery electric vehicles variants.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Automotive Heated Seats Market- Gentherm, Continental, II-VI Incorporated and Motormods Automotive Heated Seats http://bit.ly/2k3cjNn http://bit.ly/2kkJkmx The market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall Automotive Heated Seats market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the Automotive Heated Seats market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.Click Here to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of Automotive Heated Seats market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research Automotive Heated Seats report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the Automotive Heated Seats market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse Full Report at @The overall information of the Automotive Heated Seats market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the Automotive Heated Seats market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 Acousto Optic Devices Market - Market shares and strategies of key players http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=18191 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/acousto-optic-devices-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Optics is a particular branch of science that studies and takes into account both the behavior and properties of light. It also includes science that deals with interactions between matter and instruments that are used for detection of light. Optic involves the behavior of ultraviolet, infrared and visible lights. Acousto optics is that particular branch of science that analyzes the interactions between sound and light waves. Acousto optic waves are formed on the basis of changes in the refractive index of a particular medium because of the sound waves present in the medium. Acousto optic devices can deflect as well as modulate laser. The performance of these devices is achieved by making high-quality single crystal. The global market for acousto optic devices has been segmented on the basis of type, application, end use industry and geography. The various types of acousto optic devices that are considered includes modulators, optical filters, mode lockers and deflectors among others. Material processing, micro processing and laser processing form the different application areas on the basis of which the global acousto optic devices market has been segmented by application. Various end use industries that are considered in the global acousto optic devices market includes aerospace and defense, medical, telecom, industrial, oil & gas and semiconductor and electronics among others.Global acousto optic devices market on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.PDF Sample For Full Details with Technological breakthroughs is @The rise in demand for laser applications especially to be used in the field of life science and research vertical is a major driver contributing to the growing demand for acousto optic devices globally. Moreover, the high demand for modulators is expected to help increase the demand for acousto optic devices and in turn helping the overall market to grow globally. Use of modulators across different industry verticals has enhanced because of the capability for controlling frequency, direction and power of laser beam with electric signal. Acousto optic devices are used across different industry verticals especially in semiconductors industry where it is needed in laser equipment for electronic control of laser beam. These all factors together makes for some important drivers for the growth of global acousto optic devices market. With all these drivers that is increasing the demand for acousto optic devices, still there are certain restraints that negatively impacts the growth of this market. High cost initially associated with implementation of acousto optic devices has been a major restraint that negatively impacts the demand for acousto optic devices. Other than this, the high research and development expenses involved with usage of acousto optic devices has been another major restraint for the acousto optic devices globally. The huge growth opportunities for laser market is expected to help in the growth of this market in coming years.Geographically, it is Asia Pacific region that forms one of the major regions that contributes to the growth of this market with China, Japan and India being some of the major players in this market. Huge growth in semiconductor industry along with rising applications of acousto optic devices has been some of the major reasons contributing to the growth of overall market. In addition to this, it is the rapid industrialization in this region that has contributed to the growth of this market globally. After Asia Pacific it is, North America and Europe forms some other major markets for the acousto optic devices market globally. High industrial presence along with growing research and development facilities has been some major factors contributing to the growth of this market in this region.Some of the major players operating in the acousto optic devices market include Isomet Corporation (U.S.), Harris Corporation (U.S.), Coherent, Inc. (U.S.), IntraAction Corp. (U.S.), Gooch & Housego PLC (U.K.), Brimrose Corporation of America (U.S.), AMS Technologies AG (Germany), Lightcomm Technology Co., Ltd. (China) and AA Opto Electronic (France) among others.View Comprehensive Analysis of the Report @The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: The Varachha Co-operative Bank in Surat Trusts Matrix for its Daily Communication Needs! www.MatrixTelesol.com Matrix Comsec is the worldwide leader of Telecom and Security solutions delivering cutting-edge, industry specific solutions. Matrix recently provided a communication solution to the Banking Giant - The Varachha Co-operative Bank Ltd. seeking connectivity with its 18 branch offices across the Surat city. The customer required a solution for instant reach with its office employees, reduced communication cost and enhanced productivity. The case details are as follows: -Challenges: Connect 18 Branch Offices across the City for Inter-branch Calling Huge Communication Overhead for Branch-to-Branch Calling using PSTN Improving Customer Service over a Phone Call Manage Multi-location Communication CentrallySolution:Head Office: - ETERNITY GE12S with 65+ ExtensionBranch Offices: - ETERNITY PE6SP with 15+ Extension Connected Branch Offices with Peer-to-Peer IP Telephony Bypassed PSTN Toll Charges for Outbound Trunk Calling Enhanced Customer Experience using latest Telephony Features Web based ManagementResults: Seamless Communication between 18 Branch Offices Reduced Telecommunication Cost by 60% Enhanced Customer Experience over Phone Convenience Delivered with Plug-n-Play OperationsMatrix Banking solution helped many Banking Giants in connecting multiple locations and reducing communication cost across the globe. Matrix, with its State-of-the-art solutions, has caught attention of many people worldwide and is continually growing day by day, added Sagar Gosalia, Sr. VP Sales & Marketing.For further information:Email at - Customer.Care@MatrixComSec.comCall on - +91 9998755555Website -About MatrixEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. An innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization; Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance solutions, Access Control, Time-Attendance, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, Terminals, Convergence solution, VoIP Gateways and GSM Gateways. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global foot-prints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara Diabetic Nephropathy Market to Exceed US$ 3,145.9 Million by 2020 - Persistence Market Research Study http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3594 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/diabetic-nephropathy-market/toc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/3594 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research Global Market Study on Diabetic Nephropathy Market Asia to Witness Highest Growth by 2020,.The global diabetic nephropathy market was valued at USD 2,262.2 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2014 to 2020, to reach an expected value of USD 3,145.9 million in 2020.Diabetic nephropathy is a disease of the kidney glomerulus and one of the most significant complications in terms of mortality and morbidity for patients with diabetes. Globally, the diabetic nephropathy market is witnessing significant growth due to increasing prevalence of diabetes and obesity in different regions of the world. In addition, increasing R&D investments in drug discovery and development and raising awareness about diabetes and kidney-related disorders are also driving the growth of the market. However, stringent regulatory requirements and longer approval time for drugs as well as the lack of comprehensive therapeutic management for diabetic nephropathy are inhibiting the growth of diabetic nephropathy market. The global diabetic nephropathy market is estimated at USD 2,262.2 million in 2014. It is likely to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2014 to 2020 to reach USD 3,145.9 million in 2020.In North America, various government programs are spreading awareness about diabetes and related renal complications. For instance, the National Kidney Disease Education Program, one of the major programs organized by the U.S. government, for increasing awareness about the various kidney diseases. In addition, the number of diabetic patients are also increasing in the region; according to the SciELO Public Health, approximately 35 million people were affected with diabetes mellitus in 2000 and this number is expected to reach 64 million by 2025 in North America.A Sample of this report is available upon request @In Europe, rise in healthcare expenditure for diabetes treatment and increasing prevalence of diabetes in the various part of Europe is boosting the growth of the European diabetic nephropathy market. According to IDF, approximately 55.4 million people had diabetes in 2010 and the number is expected to reach 66.5 million by 2030 in Europe. According to the IDF, healthcare expenditure for diabetes treatment was approximately USD 105.5 billion in 2010 and is expected to reach USD 124.6 billion by 2030 in Europe.Asia represents the fastest growing region in the diabetic nephropathy market due to the rise in a diabetic population in various countries such as Japan and the Southeast Asian countries. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), developing countries, such as India and China, are expected to have the highest number of diabetes mellitus patients compared to developed countries, such as the U.S. and Germany.Request to view Table of content @Sanofi is one of the leading players in the diabetic nephropathy market. Other major players in diabetic nephropathy market include Eli Lilly and Company, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Inc., Bayer AG, Merck & Co., Inc., Bayer AG and Reata Pharmaceuticals, Inc.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: High FTTH And LTE Penetration Levels to Drive Growing Demand for OTT and IoT Applications In Uruguay Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=948200 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=948200 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "High FTTH And LTE Penetration Levels to Drive Growing Demand for OTT and IoT Applications In Uruguay".Uruguay is the fourth most developed economy in Latin America, measured in terms of PPP-adjusted GDP per capita, just below Panama, Chile and Argentina. With an estimated revenue of $1.5bn, or 2.9% of GDP, the telecom and pay-TV services market in Uruguay is also one of the most developed in the region. The country has one of the highest 4G/LTE penetration rates in Latin America, which combined with a high FTTH adoption rate creates a fertile ground for the development of a wide range of digital services and applications in areas such as OTT and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions related to smart cities, smart metering, smart home and smart building.Key Findings- Uruguays high levels of development in the telecom segment are mostly explained by the implementation of ambitious digital development policies aimed at providing Internet access to most of its population.- The distribution of telecom service revenue in the Uruguayan market has been quite stable over the past several years, and we expect it will remain relatively unchanged going forward. Antel, which holds a monopoly in several key market segments, is the largest player in the market in terms of revenue, distantly followed by mobile operators Movistar and Claro.SynopsisUruguay: High FTTH and LTE Penetration Levels to Drive Growing Demand for OTT and IoT Services' a new Country Intelligence Report by GlobalData, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Uruguay today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile and pay-TV sectors, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:- Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Uruguay compared with other countries in the region.- Economic, demographic and political context in Uruguay.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.ReasonsToBuy- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Uruguays telecommunications and pay-TV markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying GlobalDatas Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Uruguays mobile communications, fixed telephony/VoIP, broadband and pay-TV markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Telecom Growth Of Mobile Data and Value-Added Services In Mali Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=948201 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=948201 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Telecom Growth Of Mobile Data and Value-Added Services In Mali" to its huge collection of research reports.Telecom services revenue in Mali is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% during 2016-2021, driven by growth in fixed broadband and mobile data revenue. Mobile voice will continue to remain the largest revenue-contributing segment through 2021. Mobile data will be the fastest-growing segment in the telecom market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 18.1% during 2016-2021, mainly driven by operators' attractive data packages to stimulate data adoption. Going forward, operators plan to invest in 3G network expansion, infrastructure development and fiber-optic deployments to increase Internet connectivity, which will create significant opportunities for vendors and investors.Key Findings- The overall telecom service revenue in Mali will grow at a CAGR of 7.5% during 2016-2021, mainly driven by growth in the mobile segment.- Mobile revenue will account for 92.5% of the total telecom revenue in 2021; mobile data will be the fastest-growing segment over 2016-2021.- 2G will be the most adopted mobile technology through 2021. However, its share of the overall mobile subscriber base will decline over the 2016-2021 forecast period, owing to adoption of 3G and 4G services in the coming years.- The top two operators, Orange Mali and Malitel, will account for 100.0% share of overall service revenue in 2016. We expect the entry of a fourth mobile operator and MVNO will further intensify the competition in the telecom market.- Mobile money services will be a key revenue source for operators to strengthen their market position.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Synopsis"Mali: Mobile Data and Value-Added Services to Support Telecom Growth," a new Country Intelligence Report by GlobalData, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Mali today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband, and mobile, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:- Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Mali compared with other countries in the region.- Economic, demographic and political context in Mali.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.ReasonsToBuy- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Malis telecommunications markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying GlobalDatas Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Malis mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Untapped Opportunities in Emerging Economies to Open New Growth Avenues for Personal Protective Equipment Manufacturers http://bit.ly/2kVeEf3 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/personal-protective-equipment.htm http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com With ample availability of untapped opportunities in emerging economies, the global market for personal protective equipment is likely to gain significant momentum in the near future. According to Transparency Market Research (TMR), the market, which offered an opportunity worth US$33.9 bn in 2013, is likely to progress at a CAGR of 7.30% during the period 2014 to 2020 and increase to US$55.5 bn by the end of 2020.Predominantly, personal protective equipment finds a widespread application in the construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, and transportation sectors. Currently, the most prominent demand for these personal safety products is from the manufacturing sector. However, over the coming years, the transportation sector may emerge as the key consumer of personal protective equipment, thanks to the continued growth of the logistics industry across the world.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights atIn this blog post, researchers at TMR answers crucial queries about the global market for personal equipment market:Q. What are the factors that will shape the future of the global personal protective equipment market?The growing concerns over the safety of employees at offices, production sites, or other workstations has been fueling the demand for personal protective equipment significantly. With the rising implementation of various rules and regulations, mandating occupational safety, this factor is likely to continue as the key driving force behind the growth of this market across the world over the next few years.Apart from this, the upswing in construction activities, propelled by the rising urbanization, is also expected to reflect positively on the sales of personal protective equipment in the years to come. However, the global market is projected to face a serious challenge from the increasing automation of production processes, which is likely to limit manual interference, reducing the need for personal protective equipment in the near future.Q. Which of the regional markets is likely to present lucrative opportunities for the markets growth in the coming years?Of all the regional markets, i.e. Europe, South America, North America, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa, and Russia, Asia Pacific is likely to offer the most attractive opportunities for the markets growth in the years to come.The rise in infrastructural development in Asian countries, specifically in India and China, has propelled the construction industry in this region, which, as a result, is anticipated to fuel the demand for personal protective equipment, such as protective clothing, professional footwear, and fall protection equipment, tremendously in Asia Pacific over the forthcoming years.Q. What is the most favored strategy among players in this market?The leading players in this market, such as Alpha Pro Tech, Avon Rubber, 3M Co., and Ansell Ltd., mostly rely on product innovation for business development. Most recently, Ansell Ltd. introduced Microflex 93-260, labeling it as the thinnest chemical resistant disposable glove in the world. With this, the company hopes to strengthen its position among competitors.Read Full Press Release @Other prominent market participants are Oftenrich, COFRA, Rock Fall, JAL, Honeywell Safety Products, and Uvex Safety.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Body Mist Market- Este Lauder, L Brands, LOral, LVMH, Shiseido and Amway Body Mist http://bit.ly/2ktLjYl http://bit.ly/2kWIbS0 The market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall Body Mist market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the Body Mist market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.Click Here to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of Body Mist market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research Body Mist report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the Body Mist market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse Full Report at @The overall information of the Body Mist market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the Body Mist market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651 Australian-Owned BeddingCo Offers Egyptian Cotton Towel Collection for the Luxury-Minded Shopper https://www.beddingco.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/BeddingCo https://www.pinterest.com/beddingco/ https://plus.google.com/+BeddingcoAus Australia 2/2/2017: BeddingCo, an excellent source for buying bedding online in Australia, offers customers a collection of Egyptian cotton bath towels designed to swathe users in the folds of luxury. Not only do their towels offer the best quality and longevity, they are functional, affordable, and easy on the skin.Founded in 2003, BeddingCo is a company committed to providing customers with the best in bedding, bath, and more. The comfort of their mattresses, pillows, and quilts is unparalleled, luxury and prime performance going hand in hand. Their mattresses provide good support for a good nights rest, available in a variety of options from including European mattresses, latex, memory foam, cool gel, e.t.c.A spokesperson for BeddingCo commented, Sleep is essential and a good portion of our lives is spent in bed trying to recover from the stresses and tribulations of a day out in the world. At BeddingCo, we aim to enhance the quality of the sleeping environment of our customers. It is about comfort and ease yes, but it is also about creating an atmosphere that relaxes and invigorates you at the same time. With our collection of bedroom and bathroom products, customers can create this environment for themselves, surrounding themselves with items that exude a sense of opulence and ultimate comfort.Our bath towels are one item that is intended to give our customers the luxury they deserve at just the right prices. Skincare is essential, so our Egyptian cotton towels ensure your skin is protected against the coarseness of any harsher materials added the spokesperson.The bed sheet sets available online at BeddingCo are designed to add a touch of elegance to the bedroom. They are available in bamboo linen, Egyptian cotton, silk and satin, with different thread counts to suit every customers individual wants and specifications. Their pillows are available in goose down, duck feather, latex, and cool gel, and memory foam, with the aim of relieving the stress of the day from your neck. With pillow cases that can be purchased in the finest Egyptian cotton, they can make for a pleasant and classy surface to lay your head on at the end of a long day.BeddingCo not only hosts a wonderful array of products, it also has a great 90 day free return policy for customers. Additionally, they also offer free shipping on all items, a definite plus point for any online shopper.BeddingCo is an Australian based company which offers luxury bed sheet sets, mattresses, pillows, bath towels, and a host of other items for sale online. They offer free shipping and a 90 day free return policy to customers.BeddingCoAddress: Unit 3 197 Power St, Glendenning, NSW 2176 AustraliaContact: 1800 508 922Website:Facebook:Pinterest:Google+: So you want a cheap dialler? Brussels February 2, 2017. Nixxis, a publisher of contact centre software, active in 30 countries and with a growth of 20% in 2016, has decided to open the discussion concerning the real savings done by going for a cheap dialler for connecting with your customers while the overall return on investment of such a move is under question.Its so easy to communicate about a price today, that people tend to go for the cheap stuff while they think the main costs in an outbound campaign sit in the technology and telecoms, says Luc Francis Jacobs, Nixxis Chief Executive Office. I am surprised to see that so many people making the same short term calculation on costs while in the end, they do not realize that working with qualitative tools when you have qualitative agents, always pays back.Everybody in the contact centre business has already received an email claiming that a cheap dialler is available just a click-to-a-website away. So for anything between 20 and 50 euros per month per agent, you can connect to a beautiful website, import your precious data and start calling all your customers in one go. If only life would be that simpleFirst of all, it is important to understand that behind 99% of the diallers websites you will find an open source dialling engine coming from or GoAutoDial or ViciDial. These simple diallers made by the open source community are available free of charge on the internet and require no or little knowledge of the contact centre world in order to be implemented. So, smart web developers have simply added some kind of nice web interface to it (most of the time in JSON or JavaScript, the technology for intelligent and sexy websites) and eventually some logical code in PHP (another open source development language) in order to allow automatic provisioning of the service.This all seems fine and with a minimum investment, your web based dialler business can be up and running in a matter of months rather than years.Still, the heart of the system is based on an open source solution that has been developed as is and quasi has never been reengineered by those service providers in order to move from a nice online best effort initiative to a real professional solution.At Nixxis, we have spent 10 years developing and fine tuning our technology and algorithms in order to make sure the system can be used day in - day out by the most demanding professionals. Do you want to know why? Here are a few answers.Most contact centre veterans understand that contacting a customer is not that easy. First of all, people do not pick up the phone as they used to years ago. These days, calling a customer with a hidden number is a very tedious task. Then, there are all those automatic operator based answering machines switched in with messages that few people listen to before calling back. Without talking about a good answering machine detection generating an automatic call back and even leaving a message in order for your agents to avoid listening until the end of the announcement.Finally, there are those customers that you can get on the phone but who do not have the time to speak, to whom you need to propose a call back hours or days later and keep your promises.So, after some time of operations of those nice campaigns on these expensive leads of yours, you will realize that each of your campaigns and databases will all be at different stages of contact ratio and with each different quality of execution.Now the question is: how to glue all these bits and pieces of those campaigns together in order to keep your agents busy and get the maximum out of it? As one can see, it is normal after some time of operations on outbound campaigns to have to blend your agents on various little bits and pieces of older campaigns while adding new and fresh prospects on top of it.Now the question is: how to blend my agents intelligently?This is where the technology makes a difference. You see, this open source stuff used behind those cheap diallers websites have not been foreseen de-facto from day one for outbound campaign blending. And even if they have been upgraded by their web developers, most of them can only blend campaigns from different databases in a way that is only splitting the work between these two or three sources of data. Actually, the secret in blending is managing the quality of the database in an intelligent way. That is what we do at Nixxis.Also, the open source solution offers some kind of predictive algorithm for dialling. Everybody understands the strength of predictive dialling when you want to reach a specific number of leads or prospects in a minimum of time. But there also, there is predictive and predictivePredictive dialling means you need to really predict on a per agent basis, per campaign and according to the database quality, what are the best chances for one of your agents to be available in the next twenty seconds. This requires complex matrix calculation that can only be done on heavy computers and certainly when you have hundreds of agents in the run.Actually, talking about scaling, this is another weak spot that we can pinpoint for cheap diallers. The open source diallers have been developed by the open source community taking into account a maximum of 5 to 10 agents connected at the same time. The problem is that everybody understands that the larger a contact centre becomes, the more productive it automatically gets (thanks to the Erlang law not to be discussed here). So, you will soon realize that, as your activities are getting better and you increase the staffing of your contact centre managing more contacts per hours, the Open source based solution you are using is going to slow down gradually, simply because it was not created to manage more than 10 to 20 agents in the first place. This is what we call at Nixxis, the scalability barrier.Now, next to using technology, we would like to speak also about the service.Of course, all these nice and sexy websites take your 50 euros per month and look like they are going to go on forever and fulfil all of your crazy dreams. But one day, you might have a question, or the systems will get stuck or you simply cannot export all of those nice results that have been typed in by your agents. Then, you will be so happy to have seasoned professionals on the phone, able to help you and get you out of misery in order to let your business grow and flourish.At Nixxis, we believe that good professional service has a value and yes, it also has a price. The small fee that is required when you setup the system allows having an engineer working for you and making sure all the potential problems are ironed out when you need to get into production. Extra training and support has to be paid for because people do not work for free and professional quality has a price. In the end, you will realize that if you can only improve your agent productivity by 2% or avoid the risk of getting fined by authorities because of an uncontrolled abandon rate on your predictive dialler, this will be highly worth the price difference between a best effort open source initiative and a real professional solution, concludes Luc Francis Jacobs.Nixxis is a publisher of professional contact/call centre and customer interaction solutions. Thousands of users in the world trust the Nixxis team totalling more than 100 years of experience in customer interaction solutions. Nixxis Contact Suite software is a modular and visionary solution conceived by anticipating all the future needs of contact centres in customer interactions (phone, email, chat, sms, social media). 80% of their customers are witnessing up to 20% of productivity increase.NixxisBoulevard de la Woluwe, 621200 BrusselsBelgium TitanHQ partners with Zservices to offer anti-spam for business solutions across the Middle East http://www.titanhq.com www.TitanHQ.com TitanHQ partners with Zservices to offer anti-spam for business solutions across the Middle EastU.A.E. and Galway, 02/02 2017Galway based @TitanHQ has announced a major partnership with the Middle East based cyber security operator Zservices. The announcement was made during Enterprise Irelands trade mission to KSA and the U.A.E led by Charlie Flanagan TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.The exciting deal will see cyber security powerhouse Zservices partnering with TitanHQ to sell SpamTitan, the leading cloud based anti-spam solution for business, across the Middle East, Africa and India. Zservices will be focusing on the telco, technology, communications, large enterprises, government entities, retailers, pharma and education industries across the Middle East and Africa. The announcement is a huge boost for TitanHQ and a testament to 20 years of product development in the email security space.Zservices is the only cyber security-as-a-service in-country cloud operator in the Middle East. Zservices cyber security SaaS operation is supported by strong partnerships with the largest Middle East national service providers and telecoms, offering a comprehensive cyber security portfolio that fits and addresses the cyber security needs of the region.Welcoming the announcement Minister Flanagan said: As Enterprise Irelands trade mission will demonstrate, the opportunities for innovative Irish companies to build partnerships and increase their sales to the Middle East region are real and tangible. Todays announcement by TitanHQ is a great example of what is possible for highly innovative Irish companies in this dynamic market. I wish TitanHQ and Zservices every success for the future.Mr. Nidal Taha, President of Zservices added: Unlike other cloud-based security companies, Zservices operates the first and only Middle East type approved Internet SaaS cyber security cloud infrastructures physically located and deployed across multiple strategic Middle East secure data centers. Were excited to add SpamTitan to our cloud infrastructure.Kevin Sherry, Executive Director Global Business Development at Enterprise Ireland said: With Enterprise Ireland assistance, Irish companies have been hugely successful in growing their exports to the GCC member states. Last year, exports of Enterprise Ireland backed companies to the region increased by 12% to over 507m with further strong growth projected this year. TitanHQs partnership with Zservices demonstrates the clear opportunities that exist for Irish companies in the region. It is also testament to TitanHQs innovation and ambition. Our teams in Ireland and the Middle East will continue to work with TitanHQ to grow export sales to the GCC region, offering them the opportunity to scale and contributing directly to jobs growth and prosperity at home in Ireland.About TitanHQTitanHQ provides businesses worldwide with comprehensive network security protection through their award-winning suite of email and web security solutions. In operation since 1999, TitanHQ has a deep understanding of the complex IT threats that face IT professionals today. Offering businesses a comprehensive, yet affordable subscription-based suite of security solutions that incorporates the latest spam and virus protection, web security and email archiving technology.With an impressive 95% customer retention rate the company has 6,500 customers in 129 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, the company also operates a US office in Tampa, Florida as well as 75 partner offices worldwide.For more information, please visitAbout ZservicesZservices is a Middle-East based cyber security cloud operator, operating a multi-tenant cloud security architecture of Zscaler, Spamtitan and other custom-designed cloud architectures spanning the entire Middle East region. Zservices Cyber Security Cloud is supported by strong partnerships with the largest Middle East National Service Providers and Telecoms, offering a comprehensive cyber security portfolio that fits and addresses the cyber security needs of the region.Zservices Middle East Security Cloud is built physically within the Middle East boundaries at multiple highly available secure data centers in the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Qatar, State of Kuwait, Kingdom of Jordan, Kingdom of Morocco and Republic Arab of Egypt, offering first & only cyber security cloud across the entire Middle East.Unlike other cloud-based security companies, Zservices operates the first and only Middle East type approved Internet SaaS cyber security cloud infrastructures physically located and deployed in highly available fashion across multiple strategic Middle East secure data centers, ensuring:Comprehensive security, data protection, visibility and control 100% in the cloudLocalization of Security-as-a-Service offeringFaster service response timeRegional service level agreementsIn-country privacy, in-country traffic termination, in-country security processingCompliance with telecom regulations.TitanHQ,Ger HuntTitanHQ1st Floor, Mazars Place,Salthill, Galway,Irelandghunt@titanhq.com Strategic Assessment Of Emerging Technologies In Oral Care Products Market By 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=267 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oral-care-products-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Oral Care Products Market: OverviewOral care domain includes a wide range of treatment and products that are designed to enhance oral hygiene and deliver dental care. The rising awareness regarding oral hygiene is causing a shift from traditional products to innovative appliances, formulations, and implements. The increasing consciousness regarding maintaining an aesthetically pleasing smile, oral health, and fresh breath, particularly among consumers in urban areas, is stimulating the growth of the global oral care products market. Over the past few years, the market has witnessed tremendous technological breakthroughs, which have resulted in the launch of innovative and high-performance products. The trend is likely to continue in the near future as well.For Any Queries Get Solutions With A PDF Sample :The research report is an in-depth analysis of the various critical parameters of the global oral care products market. These parameters include market dynamics, product type, geographical segmentation, and competitive landscape. The report profiles prominent players in the market along with their market shares, revenue generation, latest developments, business strategies, and contact information. It performs a SWOT analysis that reveals the potential growth trajectory of each key player in the market.Global Oral Care Products Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing consumer spending power is translating into the greater uptake of advanced oral care products. The rapidly growing geriatric population is also leading to the higher demand for oral care products as aged people are more susceptible to dental problems. Moreover, the rising prevalence of caries and periodontal diseases is fuelling the market. Furthermore, the growing dental tourism and increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry are augmenting the market.On the other hand, the high cost of oral care products is limiting their widespread adoption. This is further compounded by the lack of reimbursement policies for dental care in several countries. However, consumers in emerging countries are trading up to products such as automated toothbrushes and vibrators, which in turn is unfolding significant growth opportunities for the market.Global Oral Care Products Market: Geographical SegmentationThe key regional markets meticulously examined in the report are Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World. North America and Europe, collectively, account for a large share in the market. The growth of these regions is fuelled by the growing geriatric population and increasing demand for advanced dental procedures. Rising government expenditure on oral healthcare is also backing the growth of these regions. In Europe, the presence of favorable reimbursement policies, the booming trend of premiumisation, and the high penetration rate of dental implants are providing a fillip to the market.Asia Pacific is expected to register a noteworthy CAGR during the forecast period. The rising prevalence of dental diseases, continuous technological advancements, and growing medical tourism in countries such as China, India, and South Korea are contributing to the growth of the region. The market in the region is also benefitting from the increasing disposable incomes, which is resulting in increased expenditure on oral healthcare.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :Global Oral Care Products Market: Competitive LandscapeWith the increasing consumer scrutiny for credibility and function, players in the global oral care products market are focusing towards new and innovative product development. The majority of players are putting notable efforts in expanding their product portfolio, which in turn is also exposing them to high pricing pressure. Some of the key players operating in the global oral care products market are ColgatePalmolive, Church & Dwight, Dr. Fresh Inc., Dentaid, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, GlaxoSmithKline, Jordan AS, Johnson & Johnson, Lion Corp, Kao Corp, Oral-B Laboratories, Procter & Gamble, Unilever NV, and Sunstar.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Growing Focus towards Digital Platform for Planning Infrastructure Development Projects to Stimulate Demand for Building Information Modelling (BIM) Solutions http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=17129 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/australia-new-zealand-india-building-information-modelling-market.htm http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com While building information modelling (BIM) has been around for some time and has been typically used on large projects, it is becoming mainstream for projects of all sizes. BIM offers advantages such as more consistent document generation as well as better coordination among the different parties, and therefore its adoption is increasing among architects and contractors. The Australia, New Zealand, and India BIM market is gaining significant traction owing to the rapidly growing infrastructure development activities along with the increasing focus on the usage of digital tools for the accurate estimation of cost and time required to complete the project.Get More Information :According to a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the BIM market in Australia, New Zealand, and India had a valuation of US$214.0 mn in 2015 and is anticipated to reach US$1,335.3 mn by 2024, rising at a tremendous CAGR of 22.3% between 2016 and 2024. A TMR analyst states that due to their time and cost effectivity, BIM solutions are increasingly replacing 3D visualization tools such as 3DMax, CATIA, and AutoCAD.How are governments playing a vital role in the development of the BIM market in Australia, New Zealand, and India?The growth of the Australia, New Zealand, and India BIM market can be largely attributed to the favorable government initiatives to boost BIM adoption among end users. To put this in perspective, in March 2016, the Australian Federal Governments Infrastructure, Transport and Cities Parliamentary Committee proposed that the use of BIM should be made compulsory for all government-funded projects related to infrastructure development valuing above US$50 mn. In New Zealand, the BIM acceleration Committee was formed by the government in 2014 to promote the adoption of BIM through alliances between various stakeholders in the construction industry and the government.Browse Press Release:What are the dynamics across different regions in the Australia, New Zealand, and India BIM market?India will continue to be the leading revenue contributor until 2024. The growth of the Indias BIM market can be attributed to the rapidly developing healthcare infrastructure in the country. Australia is anticipated to witness adequate growth during the forecast period, owing to the rising adoption of BIM in the construction of roads, bridges, and highways. The market in Australia is also augmented by the strong demand across the transit, rail, and aviation sectors. The New Zealand BIM market is estimated to rise at a noteworthy CAGR of 20.3% during the same period, due to the brisk pace of infrastructure development activities across the country.However, the high costs of implementing BIM software coupled with the belief that the returns on investment are low are inhibiting the growth of the overall market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Luxury Hotels Industry: Steady Growth in North America Topped off by Promising Prospects in Emerging Markets http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1839 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/luxury-hotels-market.htm http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com As one of the prime standard bearers of conspicuous consumption, luxury hotels comprise an industry reliant entirely on external factors. The rising demand for luxury travel, due to the increasing purchasing power of consumers in developing and particularly developed countries, has thus been a crucial driver for the global luxury hotels industry in the past few years.While the luxury hotels industry has thrived in conventionally popular tourist destinations, the remarkable aspect of its rapid growth in the recent past has been its strong entry into locations on the cusp of breaking out.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights atQ. How have emerging countries played into the growth of the luxury hotels industry?In September 2016, Croatias Luxury Hotels Group, an initiative launched by the countrys Chamber of Economy, announced a tender for creating suitable and unifying branding, a mark of the rising acknowledgement of the immense boost luxury tourism can provide to an emerging countrys economy. The group comprises around 15 luxury hotels in Croatia and primarily targets more developed Western markets such as the U.S. due to their higher disposable income.Such initiatives are likely to become common in more emerging countries, particularly in Asia Pacific, in the coming years, ensuring steady growth of the global luxury hotels industry. According to Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global luxury hotels industry is likely to exhibit a steady 4% CAGR from 2015 to 2021, with the markets valuation growing by almost a third over the same period. The market, valued at US$148.6 bn in 2014, is expected to rise to a valuation of US$195.2 bn by the end of 2021.The luxury hotels industry in emerging regions is focused primarily on expansion at present and is likely to exhibit rapid growth in the near future due to the vast unmet potential and increasing government support due to the tourism sectors economic benefits to the state. It is a different story in developed regions, though, where the luxury hotels industry is not only expanding but adapting to the unique needs of the modern high-income class.Q. How is the luxury hotels market in the developed world reacting to these developments?While the luxury hotels industry has discovered new promising avenues in recent years, this hasnt eliminated the industrys reliance on traditional high-income regions such as North America and Western Europe. According to TMR, North America held the leading share in the global luxury hotels market in 2014 and is likely to retain its dominance through the forecast period, with a solid 5.4% CAGR expected of the market in the 2015-2021 forecast period.A week before the Croatian Luxury Hotels Groups announcement, a new mobile app called One Night was launched by the makers of One Night Standard, an earlier app that offered booking services for the Standard chain of hotels in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. One Night, which will allow bookings in non-Standard hotels as well, represents a vital milestone in the history of the luxury hotels industry, as it is the first ever mobile app created specifically in order to highlight the items on offer in luxury hotels rather than to highlight the experience of past users.Browse Full Press Release @While prices are available on One Night, the app focuses primarily on an Experience Guide, which displays and elaborates on the activities on offer in and around the hotel. The prices, according to the designers of the app, are likely to be a secondary concern for the targeted user base of the app. One Night has currently partnered with several hotels in New York and Los Angeles, and plans to expand to Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Las Vegas, and Austin over the coming years.Allied to collaborative efforts that would help leading luxury hotel companies establish a foothold in emerging markets, developments such as these are crucial in ensuring the luxury hotels industry in developed regions evolves according to the changing needs of the time.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Leading Companies in Global Elevators Market Leveraging IoT and Emerging Green Building Trend to Establish Stronghold across Developing Nations http://bit.ly/2k37F1G http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/elevators-market.htm http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Escalators and elevators are considered integral to the urban landscape, and are installed across various public and private places such as IT parks, hotels, retail outlets, residential and commercial buildings, restaurants, and others. The vendors operating in the global elevator market are competing on the basis of modernization, installation, and maintenance services for establishing stronghold in the market.Rapid urbanization and the increasing geriatric population, combined with the modernization of the existing elevators are the primary factors responsible behind the strong growth of the global elevators market. According to Transparency Market Research, the global elevators market is poised to exhibit a CAGR of 7.4% between 2016 and 2023. Expanding at this pace, the market is likely to reach US$330.45 bn by the end of 2023. It had a valuation of US$181.50 bn in 2015.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights atQ: What potential does the green building trend holds for the global elevators market?A: The emerging trend of green building is boosting the installation of energy-efficient elevators around the world. Considering this, as commercial and residential buildings worldwide become more intelligent, the demand for efficient elevator and escalator systems will continue rising, thereby driving down costs incurred on maintaining building operations. The technological advancements will allow people travel further and more efficiently without physically tiring themselves.Furthermore, with leading players in the market operating new technologies such as coated steel belts, intended to enable easy replacement of conventional cable ropes thus allowing more efficient operations. The conjunct effect of these drivers together is set to augment the growth of the global elevators market over the next few years.Q: Which companies have established dominance in the market?A: Otis Elevator Company, KONE Corporation, Schindler Holding Ltd., ThyssenKrupp AG, and Fujitec Co. Ltd. dominated the global elevators market, with a share of 75%. The dominance of these companies can be attributed to the global presence and the huge fund they direct towards technological developments. With the presence of highly potential smart elevators sector, will enable these companies maintain their lead through the forthcoming years.Furthermore, among the conventional and smart elevators, the companies are projected to focus more on the latter, for innovating technologies making escalators more efficient.Q: What strategies are leading companies adopting to establish their presence across Asia Pacific?Experts project the prominent enterprises in the market to focus more on emerging economies in Asia Pacific, considering the robust development in the construction industries across these nations. Rapid urbanization, expansion of the hospitality sector, and the increasing geriatric population have been fuelling demand for elevators in Asia Pacific. The market is witnessing lucrative opportunities in India, China, and Japan.Leading companies are leaving no stone unturned to capitalize on opportunities existing across these countries. Recently, as on September 2016, Otis Elevator own a contract to provide 169 elevators for Xiamen International Trade Groups high-end residential projects. Huawei is, on the other hand, looking to leverage the cloud technology and architecture to share resources more effectively. At a recent conference, the company declared its collaboration with Schindler Group to co-produce and design smart elevators tapping the IoT technology.Browse Press Release @With the world IoT industry expected to be worth a few hundred billion dollars by the next four to five years, the leading companies are seeking to integrate the latest cloud technologies to capitalize on opportunities across China, Japan, Singapore, India, and other Asia Pacific nations.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: The Public Safety LTE & Mobile Broadband Market Emerging Technology Advancement 2016 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/804859 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/publisher/45 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressreleases http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Due to the bandwidth limitations of their traditional voice-centric LMR (Land Mobile Radio) networks, public safety agencies are keen to leverage commercial cellular network technology to support their growing broadband application needs. Considering its thriving ecosystem, spectrum flexibility and performance metrics, LTE has emerged as the leading candidate for public safety mobile broadband networks. In addition, with the recent approval of the MCPTT (Mission Critical Push to Talk) voice standard as part of 3GPP Release 13, LTE has also become an attractive substitute for providing LMR-like voice services.The Qatar Ministry of Interior made headlines when it deployed a private 800 MHz LTE network in 2012. Since then, numerous public safety LTE networks have sprung up across the globe, including the UAE, China, Laos, Turkey and Kenya. Several early adopter LTE deployments are also operational in the United States, as part of the planned FirstNet nationwide public safety broadband network. While most initial public safety LTE investments are limited to small-scale networks, nationwide rollouts in the United States and South Korea are expected to trigger significant large-scale investments throughout the globe.The European market is largely dominated by MVNO arrangements, such as the UK Home Offices ESN (Emergency Services Network) program that will use EEs commercial LTE network to deliver prioritized mission critical voice and data services for the UKs public safety agencies. As part of the program, EE is enhancing its existing network with additional sites, satellite backhaul and a dedicated mobile core for first responders, among other investments.Driven by the thriving ecosystem, SNS Research estimates that annual investments on public safety LTE infrastructure will reach $600 Million by the end of 2016. The market, which includes base stations (eNBs), mobile core and transport networking gear, is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 33% over the next four years. By 2020, these infrastructure investments will be complemented by over 4.4 Million LTE device shipments, including smartphones, rugged handheld terminals and vehicular routers.Get The Sample Copy Of This Report:The Public Safety LTE & Mobile Broadband Market: 2016 2030 Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts report presents an in-depth assessment of the global public safety LTE market, besides touching upon the wider LMR and mobile broadband industries. In addition to covering the business case, challenges, technology, spectrum allocation, industry roadmap, value chain, deployment case studies, vendor products, strategies, standardization initiatives and applications ecosystem for public safety LTE, the report also presents comprehensive forecasts for mobile broadband, LMR and public safety LTE subscriptions from 2016 till 2030. Also covered are public safety LTE service revenues, over both private and commercial networks. In addition, the report presents revenue forecasts for public safety LTE infrastructure, devices, integration services and management solutions.The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report, as well as a list and associated details of over 90 global public safety LTE network commitments (as of Q22016).Key Findings:The report has the following key findings:SNS Research estimates that annual investments on public safety LTE infrastructure will reach $600 Million by the end of 2016. The market, which includes base stations (eNBs), mobile core and transport networking gear, is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 33% over the next four years.By 2020, these infrastructure investments will be complemented by over 4.4 Million LTE device shipments, including smartphones, rugged handheld terminals and vehicular routers.Following the Qatar Ministry of Interiors private 800 MHz LTE network deployment in 2012, multiple private LTE rollouts are underway by security forces throughout the oil rich GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region, including the Abu Dhabi and Dubai police forces.Driven by nationwide public safety LTE network rollouts in the United States and South Korea, the North America and Asia Pacific regions will account for nearly 70% of all public safety LTE investments over the next four years.Almost all major LMR industry players are leveraging partnerships with established LTE infrastructure OEMs such as Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and Samsung, to offer end-to-end LTE solutions.Consolidation efforts are continuing to take place throughout the industry, particularly among the largest LTE infrastructure OEMs and public safety system integrators.To Get More Signals And Systems Telecom Market Research Reports:Topics Covered:The report covers the following topics:Business case for public safety LTE and mobile broadband services, including key benefits and challengesTechnology, economics, trends, commercial commitments and deployment case studiesList of public safety LTE engagements worldwidePublic safety LTE infrastructure, devices and applicationsIndustry roadmap, value chain and standardization initiativesSpectrum allocation, deployment models and funding strategiesProfiles and strategies of over 260 ecosystem players including public safety system integrators and LTE infrastructure/device OEMsTCO analysis of private and commercial public safety LTE deploymentsMilitary and tactical LTE deploymentsPublic safety LTE base station (eNB) form factor analysisExclusive interview transcripts from 5 key ecosystem players: Ericsson, Airbus Defence and Space, Sepura, Aricent and Parallel WirelessStrategic recommendations for vendors, system integrators, public safety agencies and mobile operatorsMarket analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030Forecast Segmentation:Market forecasts are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:Public Safety LTE InfrastructureSubmarketsRAN (Radio Access Network)EPC (Evolved Packet Core) and PolicyMobile Backhaul and TransportRAN Base Station (eNB) Mobility CategoriesFixed Base StationsTransportable Base StationsRAN Base Station (eNB) Cell Size CategoriesMacrocellsSmall CellsTransportable RAN Base Station (eNB) Form Factor CategoriesNIB (Network-in-a-Box)VNS (Vehicle Network System)SOW (System-on-Wheels)Airborne PlatformPublic Safety LTE Management & Integration SolutionsSubmarketsNetwork Integration & TestingDevice Management & User ServicesManaged Services, Operations & MaintenanceCybersecurityPublic Safety LTE DevicesSubmarketsPrivate LTECommercial LTEForm Factor CategoriesSmartphones & Handportable TerminalsVehicle Mount Routers & TerminalsTablets & Notebook PCsUSB Dongles & OthersPublic Safety LTE Subscriptions & Service RevenueSubmarketsPrivate LTECommercial LTEPublic Safety User Subscriptions over Private Mobile BroadbandSubmarketsPrivate LTEPrivate WiMAXPublic Safety User Subscriptions over Commercial Mobile BroadbandSubmarkets3GWiMAXLTE5G & BeyondLMR SubscriptionsSubmarketsAnalogDMRdPMR, NXDN & PDTP25TETRATetrapolOthersLMR Data SubscriptionsSubmarketsP25 - Phase 1P25 - Phase 2TETRATEDSTetrapolOthersPublic Safety LTE ApplicationsSubmarketsVideo ApplicationszGIS, AVLS and MappingMobile VPN Access & SecurityCAD (Computer Aided Dispatching)Remote Database AccessTelemetry and Remote DiagnosticsBulk Multimedia/Data TransfersPTT & Voice over LTESituational Awareness ApplicationsRegional SegmentationAsia PacificEastern EuropeLatin & Central AmericaMiddle East & AfricaNorth AmericaWestern EuropeKey Questions Answered:The report provides answers to the following key questions:How big is the public safety LTE opportunity?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?How is the ecosystem evolving by segment and region?What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?Which regions and submarkets will see the highest percentage of growth?How does standardization impact the adoption of LTE for public safety applications?When will MCPTT and proximity services see large scale proliferation?What is the status of private LTE rollouts and public safety MVNO offerings across the globe?What opportunities exist for commercial mobile operators and MVNOs in the public safety LTE market?Is there a market for 400 MHz LTE networks?What are the prospects of tactical, vehicle-mounted and airborne LTE eNB platforms?How can public safety agencies leverage unused spectrum resources to fund private LTE networks?What strategies should system integrators and vendors adopt to remain competitive?List of Companies Mentioned:The following companies and organizations have been reviewed, discussed or mentioned in the report:3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project)AaeonAbu Dhabi PoliceAccelleranAceAxisACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority)AculabAdaxADCOM911 (Adams County Communication Center)ADRF (Advanced RF Technologies)AdvantechAdvantech WirelessAeroflexAffarii TechnologiesAffirmed NetworksAgile NetworksAirbus Defence and SpaceAirbus GroupAir-LynxAirspan NetworksAirvanaAirwave SolutionsAjman PoliceAlcatel-LucentAltiostar NetworksAmdocsAniteAnritsu CorporationAPCO International (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials)AppleARASKOMArcadyanArgelaAricentARItelArqivaArtemis NetworksAselsanASOCSASTRI (Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute)ASTRIDASTRO SolutionsAsus (ASUSTeK Computer)AT&TAthena Wireless CommunicationsAthonetATIS (Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions)Atlas TelecomAvanti Communications GroupAvayaAVIAviat NetworksAvtecAxell WirelessAxis CommunicationsAxis TeknologiesAxxcelera Broadband WirelessBAE SystemsBandRichBarrett CommunicationsBASE (Belgium)Baylin TechnologiesBayRICS (Bay Area Regional Interoperable Communications Systems Authority)BayWEB (Bay Area Wireless Enhanced Broadband system)BFDXBilbao MetroBird TechnologiesBittium CorporationBlack Box CorporationBlackhawk ImagingBlacknedBluebirdBoise Police DepartmentBosch Security SystemsBrazilian ArmyBridgewaterBroadcomBrocade Communications SystemsBT GroupBTI WirelessC4iCalAmp CorporationCalgary Police ServiceCamden County Public SafetyCanadian Advanced Technology AllianceCasio Computer CompanyCatalyst CommunicationsCaterpillarCaviumCCI (Communication Components Inc.)CCI (Competitive Companies, Inc.)CCI (Crown Castle International)CCSA (China Communications Standards Association)CCTI (Catalyst Communications Technologies, Inc.)CellvineCeragonChina MobileCiena CorporationCisco SystemsCITIG (Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group)City of CharlotteCity of Fort WorthCity of IrvingCity of New OrleansCity of OaklandCity of Pembroke PineCobhamCobham WirelessCodan Radio CommunicationsColorado Parks and WildlifeComba Telecom Systems HoldingsCommAgilityCommandWear SystemsCommScopeComtech Telecommunications CorporationCONET TechnologiesConnectemContelaCore Network DynamicsCoriantCorningCovia LabsCPqD (Center for Research and Development in Telecommunications, Brazil)CradlepointCSI (Cellular Specialties, Inc.)Dali WirelessDAMM Cellular SystemsDAP TechnologiesDAPage NotificationsDataNet SoftwareDatang GroupDatang MobileDellDeltaNodeDish NetworkDNK (Norwegian Directorate for Emergency Communication)Dongwon T&IDragonWaveDSC (Digital Special Communication)Dubai PoliceDurabook (Twinhead International Corporation)Dutch PoliceEA Networks (Electricity Ashburton)EADSEastcomEchoStar CorporationEden Rock CommunicationsEEEENA (European Emergency Number Association)EF JohnsonElbit SystemsElta SystemsEMC CorporationEricssonEricsson LGETELMEtherstackEthertronicsETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, South Korea)ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)EventideEXACOMExalt CommunicationsExelisEXFOExteNet SystemsFalu MunicipalityFederated WirelessFirstNet (First Responder Network Authority)FoxcomFraunhofer FokusFrench Armed ForcesFrench MOI (Ministry of Interior)FrequentisFujitsuGaltronicsGemtek Technology CompanyGENBANDGeneral Dynamics CorporationGeneral Dynamics Mission SystemsGenesis GroupGerman Armed Forces (Bundeswehr)Getac Technology CorporationGoodman NetworksGoodmill SystemsGoogleGovernor's OIT (Office of Information Technology), State of ColoradoGrant County Sheriffs OfficeGrenTech (China GrenTech Corporation)GWT (Global Wireless Technologies)Harris CorporationHarris CountyHFRS (Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service)HitachiHome Office, UKHoneywellHong Kong Police ForceHP (Hewlett-Packard Company)HQT RadioHTCHuaweiHughes CommunicationsHughes Network SystemsHytera Communications CompanyIAI (Israel Aerospace Industries)iBwave SolutionsiCOMIDF (Israel Defense Forces)ImtradexInmarsatInnerWirelessIntel CorporationIntel SecurityInterDigitalIntersecIntrepid Networksip.accessIPWirelessITELAZPIITU (International Telecommunication Union)JDI (JING DENG INDUSTRIAL)JMA WirelessJordanian Armed ForcesJRC (Japan Radio Company)Juni GlobalJuniper NetworksJVCKENWOOD CorporationKapsch CarrierComKathrein-Werke KGKBRKelrad SoftwareKenyan Police ServiceKeysight TechnologiesKirisun CommunicationsKisan TelecomKMWKodiak NetworksKPNKT CorporationKudelski GroupKyocera CommunicationsL-3 Communication Systems-WestL-3 Communications HoldingsLaos PoliceLA-RICS (Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System)Las Vegas Metropolitan Police DepartmentLemko CorporationLenovoLeonardo-FinmeccanicaLG CNSLG ElectronicsLG GroupLGS InnovationsLigado NetworksLijiang PoliceLiveViewGPSLockheed Martin CorporationLogic InstrumentMavenir SystemsMcWaneMegaFonMentura GroupMER-CellO Wireless SolutionsMetroPCSMiami Dade Police DepartmentMiami-Dade CountyMicrolabMilestone SystemsMIMOonMinistry of Industry and Information Technology, ChinaMitel Networks CorporationMitsubishi Electric CorporationMobileDemandMobilicomMobistarMODUCOM (MODULAR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS)Moscow PoliceMoseley AssociatesMotorola MobilityMotorola SolutionsMPS (Ministry of Public Security, China)MPSS (Ministry of Public Safety and Security, South Korea)MSB (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency)MTI MobileMutualinkNational Rail, UKNATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)NCRIC (Northern California Regional Information Center)NEC CorporationNedaaNeptune MobileNet4MobilityNetasNetMotion WirelessNevada Department of TransportationNew Jersey ROIC (Regional Operations Intelligence Center)New Jersey State PoliceNew Jersey TransitNew Mexico DoIT (Department of Information Technology)New Postcom Equipment CompanyNew Zealand PoliceNewCore WirelessNexiusNextG NetworksNextNavNI (National Instruments) CorporationNokia CorporationNokia NetworksNorthrop Grumman CorporationnTerop CorporationNTT DoCoMoNuRAN WirelessNutaqO3b NetworksOceus NetworksOctasicOMA (Open Mobile Alliance)Oman Royal OfficeOntario Ministry of TransportationONTHEGODEVICESOpenSignalOptiwayPanasonic CorporationPanda Electronics (Nanjing Panda Electronics Company)Panorama AntennasParallel WirelessPennsylvania State PolicePeproPhiladelphia Police DepartmentPhonakPiciorgros (Funk-Electronic Piciorgros),Pikewerks CorporationPolaris NetworksPolice Federation of AustraliaPortalifyPotevio (China Potevio Company)PowerTrunkProductivity Commission, AustraliaProximusPryme Radio ProductsPSCR (Public Safety Communications Research)Public WirelessPureWave NetworksPuxing RadioPyramid CommunicationsQatar Armed ForcesQatar MOI (Ministry of Interior)Qigihar Municipal Public Security BureauQiqihar PoliceQualcommQuanta ComputerQucellQuortusRACOMRadio IPRadisys CorporationRADWINRAVEN Electronics CorporationRaytheon CompanyRCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)Reality MobileRedline CommunicationsRELM WirelessRF WindowRFS (Radio Frequency Systems)Rio de Janeiro Fire DepartmentRivada NetworksRohde & SchwarzRohillRoper IndustriesRosenbergerSafaricomSAIC (Science Applications International Corporation)Samji Electronics CompanySamsung ElectronicsSamsung GroupSANG (Saudi Arabian National Guard)Sao Paulo Military PoliceSapura Secured TechnologiesSaudi MOI (Ministry of Interior)Savox CommunicationsSelex ESSepuraSerComm CorporationSESSETARSevis SystemsSFRShanghai Police DepartmentSiemensSiemens Convergence CreatorsSierra WirelessSignalionSikluSimocoSiRRANSK TelecomSK TelesysSLA CorporationSLC (Secure Land Communications)Smith Micro SoftwareSOLiD (SOLiD Technologies)Sonic CommunicationsSonim TechnologiesSony CorporationSpace DataSpectra GroupSpiderCloud WirelessSpirent CommunicationsStar SolutionsState of LouisianaState of MinnesotaState of MississippiState of New JerseyState of New MexicoState of OklahomaState of TexasState Security Networks Group, FinlandStop NoiseSumitomo Electric IndustriesSunnada (Fujian Sunnada Communication Company)Surrey PoliceSwedish National PoliceSymantecTait CommunicationsTaquaTCCA (TETRA and Critical Communications Association)TCL CommunicationTCS (TeleCommunication Systems)TDIA (TD-Industry Alliance)TE ConnectivityTechosonic IndustriesTecoreTEKTELIC CommunicationsTelefonicaTelevateTELEXTelrad NetworksTelstraTeltronicTelumTESSCOTETRAtabThalesTI (Texas Instruments)TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association)TITAN Communication SystemsT-MobileToshiba CorporationTropicoTurk TelekomTurkish National Police ForceTwisted Pair SolutionsU.S. ArmyU.S. CBP (Customs and Border Protection)U.S. CellularU.S. Coast GuardU.S. Department of CommerceU.S. Department of DefenseU.S. Department of Homeland SecurityU.S. Department of StateU.S. FCC (Federal Communications Commission)U.S. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)U.S. NavyU.S. NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)U.S. NPSTC (National Public Safety Telecommunications Council)U.S. NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration)UAE MOI (Ministry of Interior)UbidyneUIC (International Union of Railways)UNIMO TechnologyUniversity of OttawaUppsala Ambulance ServicesUS Digital DeAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.To View The Latest Industry Press Releases:ContactTel: +1-518-621-2074E-Mail: sales@marketresearchreports.bizWebsite:MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Baby Food in Singapore Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=283328 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=283328 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Baby Food in Singapore" to its huge collection of research reports.Baby Food in Singapore is a new report by ERC that analyzes the Baby Food industry demand prospects in Singapore, key segments, features & developments, future projections based on various trends. This report also examines trends which are currently affecting the industry. Furthermore, it profiles various companies in the Baby Food industry in Singapore along with the foreign trade involving the Baby Food industry.Key Findings- The Singapore market is small in terms of total size, but highly developed in terms of per capita consumption of baby food. As such, fluctuations in the number of births have a clear effect on sales. Increases in birth numbers in 2012 and 2014 boosted overall volume sales, despite a gradual reduction in per capita consumption.- Almost 90% of the market in value terms consists of baby milks, with the bulk of the remainder split between baby meals/drinks and baby cereals. The share of baby milks has been declining gradually, with wet meals/drinks showing the most growth in both volume and value terms.- Meals and drinks combined are expected to increase their share of the baby food market, from 12.3% of volume sales in 2014 to 14.2% in 2020, stimulated by new products, advertising and their convenience appeal. Consumption per capita is forecast to rise from 13.3kg in 2014 to 16.0kg in 2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Synopsis- Baby Food in Singapore report is a qualitative report providing extensive and highly detailed consumption data on the Baby Food industry in Singapore.- This report is the result of ERCs extensive market research covering Baby Food in Singapore. The report provides consumption data based upon a unique combination of industry research, fieldwork, market sizing work and our in-house expertise in the Baby Food industry in order to offer extensive data about the trends and dynamics affecting the Baby Food industry in Singapore.- This report is aimed at companies operating in the Baby Food industry and for new companies considering entry into Singapore Baby Food industry.- This report provides detailed data for the various companies operating in the Baby Food industry in Singapore along with their key focus product sectors.- Market profile of the various product sectors of the Baby Food industry has also been provided in this report with the key features & developments, segmentation, per capita trends and the various manufacturers & brands.- This report also provides an overview of Food Retailing in Singapore, with a mention of the major Food retailers in the country, along with the Food distribution in Singapore.- This report also provides future projections of the Baby Food industry in Singapore considering various trends which are likely to affect the industry.Reasons To Buy- Baby Food companies require a detailed understanding of Baby Food consumption by individual product categories in order to align their sales and marketing efforts with the latest trends in the market. This report clarifies in detail, by product category, where the growth opportunities are in Baby Food industry to enable effective marketing plan- As consumers product demands evolve, the dynamics between different Baby Food types also change favoring some product categories and leaving others increasingly out of line with demand patterns. As a result, understanding the shifting market dynamics is key to ensuring maximum sales in the future- The differing growth rates in overall product category sales drive fundamental shifts in the market. This report provides detailed, authoritative data on these changes for marketers- The report provides the latest data on market dynamics in the Baby Food industry in Singapore market, providing marketers with essential data in order to understand their own position in the market and to identify where to compete in the futureMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ New Survey on Vietnam: Mobile Data Growth to be Fueled by 4G Network Rollout and Expansion by Operators | Researchmoz http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=948199 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=948199 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Vietnam: Mobile Data Growth to be Fueled by 4G Network Rollout and Expansion by Operators" to its huge collection of research reports.In 2016, Vietnam will generate total telecom service revenue of $6.9bn (or 3.4% of its nominal GDP), a decrease of 0.7% over 2015. However, in local currency, it is expected to grow by 1.6% during the same period, owing to growth primarily in fixed broadband and mobile data revenue. Mobile data services will be the key revenue-contributing segment, accounting for 36.8% of total service revenue in 2016, due to increasing popularity of OTT services and rising smartphone adoption coupled with availability of attractive data plans. Operators will focus on 4G network expansion and fiber deployments to improve broadband infrastructure in the country.Key Findings- The overall telecom service revenue in Vietnam is estimated to generate $6.9bn in 2016 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% during 2016-2021.- The mobile segment will account for 78.5% of total telecom revenue in 2016.- The Vietnam telecom market will be dominated by Viettel Vietnam and Mobifone. Viettel Vietnam will remain the largest player in the telecom market through 2021, owing to investments in 4G service rollout and expansion coupled with fixed infrastructure improvement.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Synopsis"Vietnam: Mobile Data Growth to be Fueled by 4G Network Rollout and Expansion by Operators," a new Country Intelligence Report by GlobalData, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Vietnam today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband and mobile sectors, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:- Regional context: telecom market size and trends in Vietnam compared with other countries in the region.- Economic, demographic and political context in Vietnam.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.- A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data.- Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice and data from 2016 to 2021.- The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.- In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.- Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in Vietnam's telecommunication market.Reasons To Buy- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Vietnam's telecommunication market, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying GlobalDatas Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Vietnam's mobile communications, fixed telephony and broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.- The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Vietnam's telecommunication market.- The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Vietnam.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Asia and MEA Industry Analysis Natural Gas Compressors Market Forecast - 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=5618 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-mea-natural-gas-compressors.html Rising population worldwide, economic growth across developing countries, improving living standards and lifestyle changes have spiraled the energy consumption worldwide. As a result, expenditure on energy sources has become critical constituent of national expenses for countries. To ensure sustainable growth in the long run, energy self-sufficiency along with increased embracement of green solutions has become important part of national strategies. Thus, natural gas due to its increasing availability (rising discovery of reserves) and very low emission of hazardous byproducts on combustion, is seeing growing preference as alternate fuel across many countries. Therefore, with expected rise in consumption of natural gas, the relevant infrastructure, products and systems continue to offer noteworthy opportunity for the market participants in the industry.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical industry insights :The research report provides a detailed analysis of trends prevalent in natural gas compressors, natural gas engines, gas turbines, and centrifugal gas compressors market. The report also includes extensive analysis of the growth prospects of these equipment across emerging markets of Asia, Middle East and Africa. The study would help the market participants of natural gas compressors, natural gas engines, gas turbines, and centrifugal gas compressors in obtaining insights to the market dynamics across Asia, Middle East and Africa (MEA), for succeeding in the business. The report segregates the market based on various type of gas equipment namely natural gas compressors, natural gas engines, gas turbines, and centrifugal gas compressors across different geographies, such as Asia, Middle East and Africa. The market research study analyzes the market on regional level with deep down country level analysis also included. Different countries and regions analyzed in this report include Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Papua New Guinea (PNG), South, South-East and South-West Asia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Mozambique, and Angola.The research report estimates market for natural gas compressors, natural gas engines, gas turbines, and centrifugal gas compressors in terms of revenue (US$ million) and volume (units) for years 2012, 2013, and 2014 along with market forecast for the period 2015 to 2022. Moreover, the market estimates have been analyzed keeping in mind different factors including technological, environmental, economic, regulations (legal) and social factors. For the research report, in-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key industry participants and opinion leaders were conducted. Extensive secondary research including key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. Additionally, secondary research includes recent trade journals, technical writing, internet sources, and statistical data from government websites, trade associations, and agencies.complete Report With TOC :Increasing demand for natural gas in oil and gas industry and its associated industries has led to rise in the natural gas exploration activities. This in turn has increased the natural gas production in the counties with large reserves and propelled the exports. Due to this, transmission and distribution infrastructure (including pipelines) of natural gas has seen proliferation in the past few years thereby contributing to the growth of natural gas compressors, natural gas engines, gas turbines, and centrifugal gas compressors markets in Asia and MEA.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207 Research report covers the Insulin Market Forecasts, 2017 - 2021 http://www.sa-brc.com/Global-Insulin-Market-Assessment--Forecast-2017-2021/up29 http://www.sa-brc.com/Global-Insulin-Market-Assessment--Forecast-2016---2020/upcomingdetail29 www.sa-brc.com Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases that has taken the centre stage across the world as one of the most profound and lasting conditions that significantly reduces the quality of life for people. It has grown to epidemic proportions and approximately 400 million people currently live with diabetes across the world and this number is expected to expand to approximately 550 million by 2030. There are two types of diabetes (Type 1 & Type 2). Type-1 is characterized by the inability of the body to produce insulin, the hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. It is a peptide hormone responsible for regulating the blood glucose levels. Though there is no well defined aetiology for occurrence of type 1 diabetes, it is mostly associated with genetic disorder or unexpected immune system's reaction that erroneously destroys the insulin producing cells of islet. Major symptoms include feeling thirsty, frequent urination, constant fatigue, weight loss and muscle loss, slow wound healing, blurred vision and repeated episodes of thrush. Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general. Type 2 diabetes is where the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the body's cells don't react to insulin. This is known as insulin resistance. This form of diabetes is far more common than type 1 diabetes.The only treatment widely recommended by medical practitioners is insulin intake for the lifetime. HbA1c test is considered as a critical test to infer the presence of glucose in the blood for the past couple of months and also plays an important role in laying down the treatment regime specific to individual patients. Insulin treatment algorithm can be defined on the basis of insulin preferred by the physicians that would give maximum efficacious outputs to the patient. The broad classification of types of insulin is based on their onset of action and duration of action - rapid acting, short acting, long acting, intermediate acting and pre-mixed insulin. Giant pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Sanofi are the key players in this market with Novo Nordisk being the market leader.Free Sample Report@Insulin market is also categorized on the basis of its origin and technological advancement achieved in delivering the drug to the human body. Prefilled insulin delivering devices currently govern approximately two-third of the total insulin volume injected to human beings globally. Insulin derived from human origin takes up the maximum market share compared to insulin derived from animal sources. The new category of insulin called as modern insulin widely known as insulin analogues that are produced through recombinant DNA technology is expected to lead the future market enabling patients to have better glycaemic control.Lantus from Sanofi is a leading product in long acting insulin segment competing with Levemir from Novo Nordisk. Other key products in this market are - Humalog, Novolog, Apidra, Velosulin, NPH, Lente, Humilin, Novolin, etc. New devices such as insulin pumps are making lives easier since patients do not have to constantly bother with injections. These devices and a new class of devices called artificial pancreas are expected to reduce patient discomfort and improve the quality of life for diabetics significantly. Though North America is the largest insulin market followed by Europe, tremendous growth has been identified in Asia precisely in India and China due to large diabetic population diagnosed in this region. Other emerging geographic regions for insulin drugs market with reasonable growth rate are Latin America, Middle East and Africa.Click For TOC@About UsSpearhead Acuity Business Research & Consulting Private Limited (SA-BRC) is a premium Life Science business intelligence and data analytics firm. SA-BRC team offers a wide range of business intelligence services to multiple stakeholders such as Medical Device Manufacturers, Service Providers (Hospitals, Payers, etc.), Suppliers, Group Purchase Organizations, Distributors and all other individuals in the entire value chain of healthcare industry. Our research and consulting capabilities extend across several sub-domains within the sphere of Life Sciences such as Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Medical Devices, Veterinary Sciences, Wellness Products and Pharmaceuticals.Contact UsJohn Whitmore10685-B Hazelhurst Drive,Suite 17411Houston, Texas 77043,United StatesPhone: +1(832)-426-3701Email: sales@sa-brc.comWebsite: Digital payment: Save time, money and resources signotec GmbH, Germany - Signature Pad Gamma - Cashless Payment As a retailer, you pursue the goal to always act successfully. In doing so, payment methods should be as simple, comfortable and safe as possible. In order to simplify payment processes merchants increasingly use digital signature solutions such as those offered by signotec GmbH.Seithe & Partner GmbH & Co. KG from Bergkamen has already recognized the advantages of the electronic signature several years ago, and has integrated it into the cash register solution WinPOS. That way customers who pay by direct debit, credit card or bonus card can simply provide their signature on the signotec signature pad instead of signing on a paper slip as before. The customers signature is inserted into the electronic direct debit receipt and transmitted to the network operator, which guarantees the achieving of the documents in accordance with data protection regulations. At the same time, the customer receives its paper slip with the required direct debit transaction text as usual.When signing, in addition to the image of the signature its entire characteristics are recorded and encoded in the receipt. This way it is possible to identify the signer at a later point of time. By collecting the biometric information and the encrypted transmission to the cash register, the electronic capturing of the signature is in no way inferior to the conventional way of signing.The paperless procedure eliminates the annoying storage of the thermal paper transaction documents which carry the customers signatures. The high risk of loss of a document is completely excluded. This solution not only eliminates paper, but also puts the chaotic flood of receipts to an end. Access to the electronically signed receipt is easy, fast and secure at any time. The elaborate administration and archiving of paper documents is history.In addition to the electronic signature for EC-direct debiting, all other documents signed by a customer or employee (such as selections, expenditures, returns and daily cash balances) can also be signed on the signature pad.Primarily, the signature pad serves to capture tamper-evident signatures. The Omega and Gamma Pad can also be used for direct customer contact and sales promotions. Due to their large internal memory and their clear display current offers can be perfectly presented in a slide show and bring out main accents at the POS. In addition to its excellent features, a major advantage of these signature pads is their flat surface without edges between sensor and housing. Pen and sensor provide the feeling of writing almost like on paper. The pen itself has the size and feel of a real ballpoint pen.The advantages of the solution are extraordinary the digital capturing of the signature on transaction documents creates order, saves time, money and resources.About Seithe & Partner GmbH & Co. KG:Since more than 20 years, Seithe & Partner GmbH & Co. KG from Bergkamen offers its customers reliable and innovative ideas, products, systems and services while guaranteeing technically high-performance that sets new standards. Both companies have been combining a strong and successful partnership for many years.About signotec GmbH:signature innovations and intelligent software solutions for mobile and stationary use, users can sign in the familiar way, optimize business processes, authenticate people and produce legally valid documents. Electronic documents signed this way can be checked without technical outlay by anyone anywhere and at any time. Thanks to own resources, innovation and many years of experience, the company already set many, strategic milestones on the path to success. The decision to not develop only software solutions but to also produce hardware for digital signature capturing is a good example. Both, soft- and hardware guarantee a unique and data protected interaction that has already been confirmed by numerous patents. With signature solutions from signotec, signing remains as easy and secure as ever. However, the signature is given in the electronic document itself. As a result, cost-intensive and time-consuming media discontinuities are avoided, while the electronic documents are protected by the digital signature and can be verified as genuine. The encryption of biometric features within the signature pad is characterized by patented safety mechanisms and high quality capturing. With the Made in Germany label, the company takes an outstanding position on the market and supports the middle class in Germany.signotecs valued partners and customers include not only German but international industry customers, retail chains and companies, financial service providers and banks, administrative offices, the healthcare sector, insurance companies and brokers. A globally acting partner network includes experienced and well instructed IT experts. By bringing together core competencies, we create synergies to the benefit of all. The common know how allows us to provide holistic and integrated business solutions according to specific customer requirements. signotecs achievement in the various industries proves that it is capable of delivering complex, integrated solutions at a high level in terms of quality and quantity. The signotec GmbH is managed by the directors Arne Brandes and Gunther Hagner at the locations Ratingen and Rodewald.signotec GmbHChristiane DohmAm Gierath 20 b40885 Ratingen (GERMANY)Tel.: +49 2102 53575 - 15E-Mail: Christiane.Dohm@signotec.de Process Liquid Analyzer Market - Worldwide Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11678 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/process-liquid-analyzer-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com https://tmrresearch.blogspot.com/ In the manufacturing sector, the precise measurement of liquids and gases is crucial. This report focuses on how the demand for process analyzers for liquids has changed over the years and the factors that have brought this change into effect. Process liquid analyzers may be used for measuring a wide range of dissolved ingredients, the conductivity of liquid materials, their pH levels, turbidity, or other factors that are integral to manufacturing operations.Since these devices lend themselves to a myriad of operations, their use is not limited to a particular industry. They are a ubiquitous part of the following industries: Electronics and semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, metal and alloys, pulp and paper, textiles, waste water and water management, power and refineries, and oil and gas. Because of these wide-ranging uses of process liquid analyzers, their demand is projected to remain consistently high worldwide. TMR projects a positive outlook for the global process liquid analyzer market till 2024.With manufacturing operations being increasingly governed by demanding standards and specifications, using devices that offer accurate readings are a priority for manufacturers. This need will augur well for the global process liquid analyzer market in the years ahead.The report on the global process liquid analyzers market makes use of meticulous primary and secondary research to highlight the changes that are occurring in this space. Untapped opportunities are also determined using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. A dedicated chapter on the top players in the market helps companies map the competitive landscape.Request a PDF Brochure with Report Analysis:Global Process Liquid Analyzer Market: Trends, Drivers, and RestraintsThe use of process liquid analyzers has seen an uptick in recent years in developing countries where industrialization is spreading fast. Moreover, larger companies acquiring niche market players to include specialized products in their portfolios is a defining trend in the global process liquid analyzer market. The launch of smart and integrated sensors is the biggest trend currently in developed countries. The adoption of intelligent sensors may take a few years in developing markets.As the number of vendors in the global process liquid analyzer market is high, competition across the world is intense. Thus, companies that have been able to ace product differentiation have emerged as leaders. Yet, the market will have to counter forces such as a shortage of specialized process technicians and the lack of adequate professional support for maintenance projects.Global Process Liquid Analyzer Market: SegmentationThe global market for process analyzers for liquids can be segmented based on geographical regions, on the type of analyzer, and by application or end use. The key geographical segments of the market are: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. North America currently represents the largest regional market for process liquid analyzers. The region, which is home to large industrial bases, will likely continue to exhibit a high demand for process liquid analyzers. Moreover, the massive manufacturing sectors in countries such as India and China will also boost sales in the global process liquid analyzers market.Countries in Europe are expected to fare well as far as demand for process liquid analyzers is concerned. The strong performance of the pharmaceutical and allied industries can be credited for this. The report analyzes the market for process analyzers for liquids in a detailed manner to help readers uncover emergent trends and opportunities.The market is characterized by a remarkably high number of vendors operating both locally and internationally. Top companies that have been profiled in the report include: Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), Cemtrex Inc. (U.S), Emerson Electric Co. (U.S), ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), AMETEK Process Instruments (U.S.), and others.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Browse Full Research Report on Process Liquid Analyzer Market:About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Browse market research blog: New Study Reveals United States Powder Coating Guns Industry Analysis 2016 | Researchmoz.us http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=689764 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=689764 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "United States Powder Coating Guns Industry 2016 Market Research Report" to its huge collection of research reports.The United States Powder Coating Guns Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Powder Coating Guns industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Powder Coating Guns market analysis is provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Powder Coating Guns industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.With 151 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table of Content1 Industry Overview1.1 Definition and Specifications of Powder Coating Guns1.1.1 Definition of Powder Coating Guns1.1.2 Specifications of Powder Coating Guns1.2 Classification of Powder Coating Guns1.3 Applications of Powder Coating Guns1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Powder Coating Guns1.5 Industry Overview of Powder Coating Guns1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Powder Coating Guns1.7 Industry News Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2.1 Bill of Materials (BOM) of Powder Coating Guns2.2 BOM Price Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2.4 Depreciation Cost Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Powder Coating Guns2.7 United States Price, Cost and Gross of Powder Coating Guns 2011-20163 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of United States Key Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of United States Key Powder Coating Guns Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of United States Powder Coating Guns Key Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of United States Powder Coating Guns Key Manufacturers in 20154 Production Analysis of Powder Coating Guns by Regions, Type, and Applications4.1 United States Production of Powder Coating Guns by Regions 2011-20164.2 United States Production of Powder Coating Guns by Type 2011-20164.3 United States Sales of Powder Coating Guns by Applications 2011-20164.4 Price Analysis of United States Powder Coating Guns Key Manufacturers in 20154.5 United States Capacity, Production, Import, Export, Sales, Price, Cost and Revenue of Powder Coating Guns 2011-20165 Consumption Volume and Consumption Value Analysis of Powder Coating Guns by Regions5.1 United States Consumption Volume of Powder Coating Guns by Regions 2011-20165.2 United States Consumption Value of Powder Coating Guns by Regions 2011-20165.3 United States Consumption Price Analysis of Powder Coating Guns by Regions 2011-20166 Analysis of Powder Coating Guns Production, Supply, Sales and Market Status 2011-20166.1 Capacity, Production, Sales, and Revenue of Powder Coating Guns 2011-20166.2 Production Market Share and Sales Market Share Analysis of Powder Coating Guns 2014-20156.3 Sales Overview of Powder Coating Guns 2011-20166.4 Supply, Consumption and Gap of Powder Coating Guns 2011-20166.5 Import, Export and Consumption of Powder Coating Guns 2011-20166.6 Cost, Price, Revenue and Gross Margin of Powder Coating Guns 2011-2016Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ World Laptop Bag Market 2016 - Sansonite, Highsierra, Wenger, Moshi, Sumdex, Dicota, Knomo, Kensington, Targus http://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/27970/request-sample www.fiormarkets.com www.9dimenreports.com The recent report on Laptop Bag market offers insightful information about the present scenario of the market across the globe. The report, titled Laptop Bag points out the key factors affecting the growth of the market. Latest market trends as well as the future growth opportunities have been mentioned in the report. The report takes into account the various micro- and macro-economic factors governing the overall growth of the Laptop Bag market and assesses the valuation and size of the market in the coming years.The report talks about the distinct traits of the Laptop Bag market and provides in-depth study of the various segments of the market. The report especially focusses on the development of the Laptop Bag market in China owing to the increased demand from the region which has attracted the attention of the key manufacturers. Various regulations directly or indirectly affecting the Laptop Bag market in the region have been discussed in the report. The report takes note of the present state of the global economy, which after witnessing double-digit growth for three decades, is slowing down. Governments efforts to push the economy is expected to positively affect the various sectors and increase demand from the market.The report discusses the competitive vendor landscape of the Laptop Bag market in the globe. Some of the key players in the market have been profiled in the report and crucial information about them such as their business overview, revenue segmentation, and product segmentation have been mentioned in the report. The report takes note of the market share held by the key players and estimates their future growth through SWOT analysis. It serves as a useful guide for the new entrants in the Laptop Bag market.Download Free Sample Report @Several analytical tools such as market attractiveness analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis are employed to study the global Laptop Bag market, whereas SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis are utilized to evaluate the major players in the Laptop Bag market in this report.This report not only provides a complete picture of the overall condition of the Laptop Bag market, but also assists the players in this market to create profitable market strategies in order to gain a competitive edge.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog: A family I know has been facing a significant health challenge with their daughter. Aside from the concern itself, this typically strong student has been under-performing at school on account of her health. Her grades have suffered, adding stress for this family in an already tough situation. Recognizing the impact this illness has had on the girls school performance, the mother made an appointment to see her daughters school counselor and also requested that as many as possible of her daughters teachers might attend. Both mother and daughter were nervous prior to this meeting. They wondered if the teachers were already unhappy with her because of her dropping grades. Knowing that each teacher has a large class load, they wondered how they would make time for this one childs special situation. When the meeting began, the mother thanked the personnel for their time and interest. She recalled the great things she has seen them doing with students during the school year. She acknowledged that this meeting was one more demand on their already-packed day. And then she described the health challenge her daughter was facing. She asked for their help in figuring out how to support her daughters school work during this struggle to regain her health. Much to the moms relief, the staff was instantly engaged. They were glad to understand why this student was under-performing, and they indicated their desire to help. From this point, a rich brainstorming session ensued, where several people mom included offered ideas that might support the girls academic work during this time when her health will be the first priority. They volunteered to help her in flexible ways going forward, and even suggested a plan to let her go back and redo work that was done poorly as she was struggling. This mom reported that she left this meeting feeling supported and empowered. Where before she had been worried, feeling low on resources, she now felt as though she had the assets of a whole team who shares the familys commitment to her daughters health and success. This story illustrated for me the creative possibilities that abound when parents and teachers work together on behalf of children. For too long, the rumor has persisted in teachers lounges that parents dont care about their kids. Another dirty rumor continues in conversations between parents that teachers dont care about kids. Neither of these negative assumptions is true. Even if we dont see their concern in our limited knowledge about them, in the hearts of both parents and teachers there beats a passionate concern for our kids. Parents want to do well by their children, and teachers become teachers because they want to help them succeed as well. In this familys case, the mother did several things right: She made an appointment at a time convenient for the staff. She began with thanking them for their hard work and willingness to help. She honestly described her situation and need. And she listened to their ideas to help. The teachers did several things right, too. They showed up early for school to meet with this family at their request. They listened respectfully to the mothers story and expressed concern. They collaborated in coming up with a plan. And they offered their own help to support the student. Sometimes a conversation is all it takes for parents and teachers to discover their mutual concern for a child and to plan together to make a difference. Global Honey Market Share, Size, Trends, Growth and Forecast 2017-2025 http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-honey-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/ http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-honey-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/ http://www.slideshare.net/IndexBox_Marketing/world-honey-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020 www.indexbox.co.uk IndexBox has just published a new report "World: Honey - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2025" ().This report provides an in-depth analysis of the global honey market. Within it, you will find the latest data on market trends and opportunities by country, consumption and production, food balance and price developments, as well as global trade (imports and exports). The forecast reveals market prospects to 2025.In 2015, global honey market value totaled 6,653 million USD. A slight drop in 2009 was followed by a sharp increase in 2010-2011. The next four years were characterized by mixed dynamics. In physical terms, the market showed gradual increase over the period under the review, reaching 1,743 thousand tonnes.According to market research conducted by IndexBox, China (20%) and the U.S. (14%) were the countries with the highest demand, followed by Turkey (6%), Germany (5%), and Russia (4%).The U.S., with +4.5% growth, and Turkey, with +4.3% growth, recorded the highest annual growth rates of honey consumption from 2007 to 2015. Following significant consumption growth rates, the U.S. strengthened its share in terms of global consumption, growing from 11% in 2007 to 14% in 2015.Turkey (1.3 kg/year in 2015) and Germany (1.1 kg/year) recorded high levels of per capita consumption among the leading consuming countries, which was significantly higher than the world average of 0.2 kg/year. The U.S., with +3.7% growth, Turkey with +2.7%, and Russia with +2.2% growth had the most notable annual growth rates of per capita consumption from 2007 to 2015.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20254. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION, YIELD IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY4.3 STOCK AND YIELD BY COUNTRIES5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PRICES AND PRICE DEVELOPMENT7.1 PRODUCER PRICES7.2 PRODUCER PRICES INDEX8. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERSDownload a free sample of the report now!You can also find a template on SlideShareIndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports.You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.We collect this data from hundreds of highly reliable sources, verify it and carry out market analysis, uncovering new business opportunities and empowering you with actionable insights.The structure of our reports is intuitive and clear. We do our best to allow you to make strategic decisions and take immediate action. If you want to go further and be a step ahead of the market, just tell us your goals and we will tailor a report to your needs.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, 44 Main Street, Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 0QWWebsite: Medical Suction Devices Market Worldwide Industry Volume By Region 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11720 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-suction-devices-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com https://tmrresearch.blogspot.com/ Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Overview and ScopeSuction devices have a wide range of applications in the clinical environment and are used to remove fluid and other debris in the body with the help of a vacuum. Medical suction devices, both handheld and wall-mounted ones, are used in surgical procedures, for airway clearing, and in research and diagnostics at home, hospitals, pre-hospitals, and clinics. These devices can be manually operated or be battery-powered, AC-powered, or dual-powered.Hospitals and clinics are the most preferred settings for medical suction devices, and the soaring demand for suction devices in these areas positively impacts the demand for wall-mounted devices. While the demand for medical suction devices in surgical applications is significantly high, their application in the field of diagnostics is anticipated to gain prominence in the coming years owing to an increase in clinical research and diagnostics.The report offers clients an in-depth evaluation of the performance, contribution, and size of the medical suction devices market. The scope and dynamics of this market also form an integral part of the research study. The leading segments and players have been identified and assessed with the help of the latest market intelligence tools, including SWOT analysis, Porters Five Forces analysis model, market attractiveness analysis, and value chain analysis.Request a PDF Brochure with Report Analysis:Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Key Trends and OpportunitiesThe paradigm shift from traditional health care settings to home health care, coupled with the growing need for portable and compact devices, has significantly boosted the market for medical suction devices. Portable suction devices are easy to use, reliable, and durable and as a result, their adoption in home care settings has greatly increased. The increase in aging population is another factor boosting the market for medical suction devices. Rising geriatric population globally will result in an increased demand for emergency care and growth in surgical procedures. This, in turn, will positively impact the need for effective suction devices.Other factors driving the global medical suction devices market include declining prices of suction devices, increase in the number of surgical procedures, and growing incidences of chronic respiratory diseases.Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the global medical suction devices market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World. North America accounts for the largest share in the overall medical suction devices market and is most likely to retain its lead throughout the forecast period. One of the key factors boosting the market for medical suction devices in this region is the rising incidence of chronic diseases across the region. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 50% of the American population suffered from at least one chronic disease in 2014. Seven out of 10 deaths in the U.S. resulted from chronic diseases and these diseases accounted for a whopping 86% of the total health care costs in the country.The Asia Pacific market for medical suction devices is projected to gather steam in the coming years and expand at the fastest pace through 2024. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the increase in aging population, and the consequent increase in home care as well as surgical interventions will bolster the medical suction devices market in Asia Pacific. The growing focus of leading players on the APAC region as a strong and lucrative contender is also anticipated to benefit the medical suction devices market here.The international medical suction devices market boasts of a number of small and large players competing at various levels. These include Laerdal Medical, Labconco Corporation, ZOLL Medical Corporation, Precision Medical, Inc., Medela Holding AG, Amsino International, Inc., INTEGRA Biosciences, Welch Vacuum, Drive Medical, Allied Healthcare Products, Inc., Olympus Corporation, MG Electric Ltd., Medicop, ATMOS Medizintechnik GmbH & Co. KG, SSCOR, Inc., and Weinmann Gerate fur Medizin GmbH + Co. KG.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Browse Full Research Report on Medical Suction Devices Market:About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Browse market research blog: Soft Xpansions Perfect PDF Apps now available in 11 Languages Perfect PDF Apps http://www.soft-xpansion.com (Bochum, February 2, 2017) Soft Xpansions Perfect PDF apps are now available in 11 languages. The eight retail apps are delivered in English, Chinese (simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Additionally, the freeware Perfect PDF Reader is also available in Turkish.Perfect PDF Ultimate offers the richest functionality, while all other members of the product family focus on certain specific feature subsets: Professional has all functionality of the Ultimate edition except PDF editing features. Editor concentrates on editing PDF page content extensively. This also includes removing, adding and formatting texts, raster images and vector graphics with numerous commands. Annotate is there to add comments to PDFs. Converter can convert XPS/OXPS, text or image files to PDF. Combine puts multiple PDFs together in one file and splits up multipage files. Security protects with AES and RC4 encryption, and Signer digitally signs PDFs. Perfect PDF Reader displays and prints PDFs for free.PRODUCT EDITIONS & CURRENT PRICESUltimate: EUR 19,89Annotate: EUR 4,99Converter: EUR 4,99Combine: EUR 5,99Editor: EUR 9,89Professional: 11,89Security: EUR 2,99Signer: EUR 3,99Reader: FreewarePERFECT PDF ULTIMATE: FEATURES IN DETAIL* Editor for PDF page content with rich set of features to edit texts, images and graphics, create new pages and documents* Forms designer & editor: create and edit (structure, field properties and design options) PDF form fields (8 types)* Viewer: quickly open and print PDF, XPS & OXPS files* Multiview: Open several documents at a time, each document has its own app window, known from desktop applications like text or spreadsheet processing programs* Search text (including display of search results as a list), fill in PDF forms, use layers* Search in folders, subfolders and embedded files, i.e. in PDF and XPS files that are not open* Create and edit tables of contents, bookmarks and links* Import XPS (OXPS), SVG, image and text files, scan or capture from webcam into PDF* Merge several PDF, XPS and other files into one PDF, extract pages to PDF files, split multipage documents to separate PDF files* Efficient team work by sharing comments and reviews in PDFs* Text markup tools (highlight, underline, strikeout, insert and replace text), pen and eraser tools (ink annotations)* Add / modify sticky notes, textboxes, stamps, watermarks and shape annotations, obscure and remove PDF content by using redact annotations* Add /modify comment lines, arrows, boxes, etc.* Export from PDF to XPS (OXPS) or text files, export pages as image files* Convert PDF files to PDF/A (1, 2, 3)* Manage (reorder, resize, delete) pages* Edit links, bookmarks and outlines, view / change document properties* Decorate pages: add backgrounds or letterheads, headers and footers, watermarks and stamps* Validate signatures and digitally sign PDF files, add timestamps to the signatures* Encryption / decryption of PDF files using AES/RC4 algorithms, set security properties and user permissionsLANGUAGES, OPERATING SYSTEMS, PROCESSORS* Languages: English, Chinese (simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish. Additonally for Reader: Turkish* Supported operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile* Supported processors: x86 (32 bit), x64 (64 bit), ARMABOUT SOFT XPANSIONSince its foundation in 1995, Soft Xpansion is a specialized software manufacturer with global activities. The product range includes solutions (powerful standard desktop software and apps, innovative software development kits and flexible, individual programming) in the core areas PDF technology, content/document management and tools. The company looks back on more than 20 years of experience in the IT sector. The software development expertise covers all steps for standard applications and for individual projects market and requirement analysis, conceptual design, development, implementation, support and advancements. The clients come from all over the world. Soft Xpansion is headquartered in Bochum, Germany.CONTACT (MORE INFORMATION, REVIEW COPIES ETC.)Soft Xpansion GmbH & Co. KGFrank DueckersKoenigsallee 45D-44789 Bochum, GermanyPhone: +49 (0) 234 298 41 73Fax: +49 (0) 234 298 41 72dueckers@soft-xpansion.com United States Automated Suturing Devices Market 2017 Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast To 2021 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/920591-united-states-automated-suturing-devices-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/920591-united-states-automated-suturing-devices-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=920591 www.wiseguyreports.com Automated Suturing Devices Market ReportReport Description:This report studies sales (consumption) of Automated Suturing Devices in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringMedtronicBoston ScientificC. R. BardApollo EndosurgeryEndoEvolutionLSI SolutionsSuturTekTry Sample Report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoDisposable Automated Suturing DevicesReusable Automated Suturing DevicesSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Automated Suturing Devices in each application, can be divided intoHospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersSome Major Points from Table of content:United States Automated Suturing Devices Market Report 20171 Automated Suturing Devices Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automated Suturing Devices1.2 Classification of Automated Suturing Devices1.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices1.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices1.3 Application of Automated Suturing Devices1.3.1 Hospitals1.3.2 Clinics1.3.3 Ambulatory Surgical Centers1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Automated Suturing Devices (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Automated Suturing Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Automated Suturing Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @2 United States Automated Suturing Devices Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Automated Suturing Devices Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Automated Suturing Devices Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Automated Suturing Devices Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Automated Suturing Devices Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Automated Suturing Devices Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Automated Suturing Devices Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion......6 United States Automated Suturing Devices Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Medtronic6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Automated Suturing Devices Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices6.1.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices6.1.3 Medtronic Automated Suturing Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Boston Scientific6.2.2 Automated Suturing Devices Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices6.2.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices6.2.3 Boston Scientific Automated Suturing Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 C. R. Bard6.3.2 Automated Suturing Devices Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices6.3.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices6.3.3 C. R. Bard Automated Suturing Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Apollo Endosurgery6.4.2 Automated Suturing Devices Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices6.4.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices6.4.3 Apollo Endosurgery Automated Suturing Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 EndoEvolution6.5.2 Automated Suturing Devices Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices6.5.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices6.5.3 EndoEvolution Automated Suturing Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 LSI Solutions6.6.2 Automated Suturing Devices Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.1 Disposable Automated Suturing Devices6.6.2.2 Reusable Automated Suturing Devices6.6.3 LSI Solutions Automated Suturing Devices Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com United States High Temperature Plastics Research Report Forecast to 2022 High Temperature Plastics Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/920569-united-states-high-temperature-plastics-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/920569-united-states-high-temperature-plastics-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=920569 High Temperature Plastics MarketSummaryWiseguyreports.Com Adds High Temperature Plastics -Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities and analysis of Top Key Player Forecast to 2021 To Its Research DatabaseThis report studies sales (consumption) of High Temperature Plastics in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringSolvayVictrexEvonikDIC CorporationTorayKurehaTosohPolyplasticsSKCelaneseChengdu LetianFor Sample report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoPPSPIPSFOtherSplit by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of High Temperature Plastics in each application, can be divided intoAutomotive & AerospaceElectronicsIndustrial & MachineryEnquiry before buying @Table of ContentsUnited States High Temperature Plastics Market Report 20171 High Temperature Plastics Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of High Temperature Plastics1.2 Classification of High Temperature Plastics1.2.1 PPS1.2.2 PI1.2.3 PSF1.2.4 Other1.3 Application of High Temperature Plastics1.3.1 Automotive & Aerospace1.3.2 Electronics1.3.3 Industrial & Machinery1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of High Temperature Plastics (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States High Temperature Plastics Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States High Temperature Plastics Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)......6 United States High Temperature Plastics Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Solvay6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 PPS6.1.2.2 PI6.1.3 Solvay High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Victrex6.2.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 PPS6.2.2.2 PI6.2.3 Victrex High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Evonik6.3.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 PPS6.3.2.2 PI6.3.3 Evonik High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 DIC Corporation6.4.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 PPS6.4.2.2 PI6.4.3 DIC Corporation High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Toray6.5.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 PPS6.5.2.2 PI6.5.3 Toray High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 Kureha6.6.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.1 PPS6.6.2.2 PI6.6.3 Kureha High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.7 Tosoh6.7.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.7.2.1 PPS6.7.2.2 PI6.7.3 Tosoh High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.8 Polyplastics6.8.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.8.2.1 PPS6.8.2.2 PI6.8.3 Polyplastics High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.9 SK6.9.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.9.2.1 PPS6.9.2.2 PI6.9.3 SK High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.10 Celanese6.10.2 High Temperature Plastics Product Type, Application and Specification6.10.2.1 PPS6.10.2.2 PI6.10.3 Celanese High Temperature Plastics Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.11 Chengdu Letian.Buy This Report @Continued...Contact Us: Sales@Wiseguyreports.Com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Luxury Packaging Market - Forecasts From 2016 To 2021 www.knowledge-sourcing.com/products/luxury-packaging-market-forecasts-from-2016-to-2021 knowledge sourcing intelligence announces its new report titled Luxury Packaging Market - Forecasts From 2016 To 2021.The report segments the luxury packaging market based on material (Paperboard, Metal, Glass, Textile, Plastic and Others), applications (Tobacco, Alcoholic drinks, Watches and Jewelry, Confectionery, Cosmetics and Fragrances and Others), and geographical region (AMERICAS, EMEA, & APAC). Luxury Packaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.02% over the forecast period 2015 to 2021.Major factors driving the market growth are increasing demand for personalized packaging and aesthetically appealing packs Expansion of western culture in emerging economies such as China, India, and Brazil is further fueling the demand for luxury packaging of various products such as cosmetics, fragrances, watches, jewelry, alcoholic drinks, handbags, and other accessories. Further, growing ageing population, rising disposable income, changing lifestyle, and improving living standards owing to high adoption of western culture will boost the demand for luxury packaging particularly in developing countries of the APAC region over the next six years. Furthermore, demographic fluctuations in the west along with surge in purchasing power consumers across different age segment will propel the growth of this market.Some of the major industrial enzymes companies covered as part of the report are Classypac, Amcor, WestRock, International Paper, Curtis Packaging, DuPont among othersSample request or complete report can be purchased through the link below:This 83 pages report contains a wide range of figures and data tables for the forecasted period based on the segmentations listed above.Key TOC Contents are listed as below: Market Dynamics Segmentationo By Material Paperboard Metal Glass Textile Plastic Otherso By Applications Tobacco Alcoholic drinks Watches and Jewelry Confectionery Cosmetics Fragrances Otherso By Geography America North America South America Europe Middle East and Africa Europe The Middle East and Africa Asia-Pacific Competitive Intelligence Profiles of key companiesAbout Knowledge Sourcing IntelligenceKnowledge Sourcing Intelligence is a market research and consulting firm based out of India. Driven by industry experts, the company provides syndicated reports, custom research, and consulting services. Our proprietary data analytics model blended with quality primary and secondary research data assists in generating quality reports providing crucial insights to managers and decision makers. The services offered by us help companies to gain required competitive edge. Our expertise across 10 industries such as ICT, Chemicals, Semiconductors, Healthcare among others caters to diverse client needs.Knowledge Sourcing IntelligenceAscent Business CenterH-38, Sector 63NOIDA, IndiaContact: +1-866-714-4587 United States Pet Food Market Research Report 2017 Pet Food Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/920235-united-states-pet-food-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/920235-united-states-pet-food-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=920235 www.wiseguyreports.com Pet Food Market ReportReport Description:This report studies sales (consumption) of Pet Food in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringAffinity Petcare SAAller Petfood LLCBHJ A/SBlue Buffalo Pet ProductsC&D FoodsDel Monte FoodsDoane Pet Care CompanyHartz Mountain CorporationHill's Pet NutritionMarsNestle Purina PetCare CompanyNutro ProductsThe Iams CompanyTry Sample Report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoCanned/Wet FoodDry FoodSemi-Moist FoodSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Pet Food in each application, can be divided intoDogsCatsPigsOtherSome Major Points from Table of content:United States Pet Food Market Report 20171 Pet Food Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pet Food1.2 Classification of Pet Food1.2.1 Canned/Wet Food1.2.2 Dry Food1.2.3 Semi-Moist Food1.3 Application of Pet Food1.3.1 Dogs1.3.2 Cats1.3.3 Pigs1.3.4 Other1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Pet Food (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Pet Food Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Pet Food Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @2 United States Pet Food Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Pet Food Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Pet Food Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Pet Food Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Pet Food Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Pet Food Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Pet Food Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion......6 United States Pet Food Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Affinity Petcare SA6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Pet Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Canned/Wet Food6.1.2.2 Dry Food6.1.3 Affinity Petcare SA Pet Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Aller Petfood LLC6.2.2 Pet Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Canned/Wet Food6.2.2.2 Dry Food6.2.3 Aller Petfood LLC Pet Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 BHJ A/S6.3.2 Pet Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Canned/Wet Food6.3.2.2 Dry Food6.3.3 BHJ A/S Pet Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Blue Buffalo Pet Products6.4.2 Pet Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Canned/Wet Food6.4.2.2 Dry Food6.4.3 Blue Buffalo Pet Products Pet Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 C&D Foods6.5.2 Pet Food Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Canned/Wet Food6.5.2.2 Dry Food6.5.3 C&D Foods Pet Food Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com Oncology Biosimilars Market - Global Industry Analysis 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oncology-biosimilars-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14696 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Transparency Market Research presents this most up-to-date research on "Oncology Biosimilars Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024"The global oncology biosimilars market will witness substantial growth over the forecast period and is expected to grow at very impressive CAGR during the forecast period. The increasing need for cost-effective treatment methodologies will aid in the stable growth of this market during the forecast period. The high cost of branded biologic oncological drugs will force patients to shift toward biosimilars as they are highly cost-effective. Since biosimilars cost 10%-30% lesser than their parent counterparts, there is the presence of unmet medical needs for such products. This allows domestic manufacturers to market generic versions of the biologic compounds at a lower price, which in turn results in market growth.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Cancer represents a massive burden on healthcare systems worldwide due to the high cost of treatment therapeutics. The patent expiry of several cancer therapeutics has allowed the entry of biosimilars, which are being incorporated into oncology treatment practices. Biosimilars are synthesized with the use of biologic components such as monoclonal antibodies, proteins, hormones, nucleic acids, colony stimulating factors, interleukins, and enzymes. The market offers huge growth opportunities for vendors because of the growing incidence of cancer. The clinical pipeline for cancer biosimilars is vast, featuring candidates in different stages of development. Around 30% of all the biosimilars that are awaiting the US FDAs approval are monoclonal antibodies, including biosimilars of Avastin, MabThera, and Herceptin.Factors like the arrival of new biosimilars to drive market growth during the forecast period. Unlike generic drugs, which have APIs that are identical to original drugs, biosimilars are similar to their originator biologic compounds. Biosimilars developed by different manufacturers differ from the original product as well as from each other. Since they are less expensive than biologics, patients will be able to afford and access biosimilars more easily than biologics. Rise in number of patent expiries, increase in prevalence of cancer, growing aging population, promising drug pipeline, need for cost-effective treatment, favorable government regulations are some of the key drivers promoting the growth of oncology biosimilars market.The oncology biosimilars market can be segmented by end-user, by application, and by geography. In terms of application, the oncology biosimilars market is classified into cancer treatment drugs, and supportive care drugs. In the terms of end-user, the oncology biosimilars market is classified into hospitals and retail pharmacies. Retail pharmacies occupy the largest share of 52% in the oncology biosimilars market. Retail pharmacies provide a large customer base for biosimilar drugs. Individuals with cancer require biosimilar drugs for maintenance therapy, which helps to successfully treat and prevent relapse of the disease. These drugs can also be obtained from retail pharmacies for use in hospital settings.Geographically, oncology biosimilars market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. Middle East & Africa was the highest revenue contributing region in the global oncology biosimilars market. Similarly, Asia Pacific expected to witness higher growth in oncology biosimilars market due to increasing cancer prevalence in the countries like India and China. The market will typically witness a higher growth rate in countries such as the Germany, UK, Spain, Italy and France. The biosimilars market in the UK is developed and well-established, and is comparatively easy to enter, making the generic drugs market in the country stronger than in any other EU countries. The growth of this market in the region is attributed to well-defined regulatory guidelines and expiries of biologics that are anticipated to go off-patent during the forecast period.The Major players reported in the market include Biocon, Amgen, Celltrion, Hospira, Biogen, Mylan, Pfizer, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Roche, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck, Sanofi and Sandoz.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth insights, understanding market evolution by tracking historical developments, and analyzing the present scenario and future projections based on optimistic and likely scenarios. Each research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology developments, types, applications, and the competitive landscape.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Assisted Reproduction Technology Devices Market Industry Research Report 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/assisted-reproduction-technology-devices-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14330 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a procedure used to achieve pregnancy. ART is used to avoid the fertility problems while perpetuating genetic connection. Worlds first test tube baby was born in Britain on 25 July 1978 by In-vitro fertilization (IVF). Since then, more than one million babies have been born as the result of assisted reproductive technology. It is observed that infertility affects almost 80 million people worldwide. Overall, one in ten couples suffers with primary or secondary infertility, whereas the infertility rates varies from 5.0% to 30.0% worldwide. Human reproductive technologies came into existence due to rise in infertility rate.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Based on the technology, the ART devices market can be segmented as follows:In-vitro fertilization (IVF)Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT),Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT)Intrauterine insemination (IUI)SurrogacyAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, there were around 208,604 ART cycles performed at 458 reporting clinics in the United States, in which 57,323 were live births and 70,354 were live born infants. Overall, of the 208,604 ART cycles performed in 2014, 35,406 were banking cycles in which the intent of the ART cycle was to freeze all resulting eggs or embryos for future ART cycles. It is observed that the use of ART is still rare than its potential demand among people, however its use has been reported to be doubled over the past decade. Relatively 1.6% of all infants born every year are conceived using ART, in the United States.Based on end users, the ART devices market can be segmented as follows:Fertility and surgical centersHospitals and research laboratoriesCryobanksGeographically the ART devices market can be segmented as follows:North AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLAMEAMiddle East & AfricaEurope contributed the largest share in the ART devices market owing to high demand, increasing usage of ART devices and rapidly rising geriatric population. North America market is experiencing significant growth rate due to technological advancements and favorable government initiatives. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), national public health action plan was developed in June 2014 for the prevention management and detection of infertility. The aim of the policy was to improve the efficacy and safety of infertility treatment. As per the data available in the public databases nearly 588,629 ART cycles were reported in the Europe (33 countries) and nearly 151,923 cycles were reported from the United States. Germany, the U.K., Spain, and Italy are the most active countries for ART in Europe. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region due to increasing awareness, late family planning, availability of advanced fertility services, and low fertility rate. Countries in the Latin American region is also experiencing considerable growth in ART devices market owing to increasing healthcare infrastructure and growing demand for quality and safety healthcare services by the patient.Assisted reproductive technology devices market is anticipated to grow further due to increasing number of government support for infertility procedures, rapidly growing infertility cases, rising disposable income, increasing number of smokers, and rise in the obese population. One in six couples globally experience some form of infertility. It was observed that around 5 million babies had been born from IVF and other reproductive technologies worldwide as or 2015. Due to birth defects risk, disposables of embryo, rise in ethical issues towards ART assisted babies and expensive treatment could restrain the global assisted reproductive technology market.Major players operating in the global assisted reproductive technology devices market includes Parallabs, Cryolab Ltd., Irvine Scientific, European Sperm Bank Cosmos Biomedical Limited, Microm UK Limited, Origio.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Spending on Corporate Wellness in APAC to Reach US$7.4 bn by 2024 as MNCs Encourage Fitness among Employees, finds TMR http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-corporate-wellness-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=13988 www.transparencymarketresearch.com The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is led by a slew of global and local companies, such as Central Corporate Wellness, ComPsych Corporation, Optum, Inc., JLT Australia (Recovre Group), Truworth Wellness, SOL Wellness, Sodexo, ConneXions Asia, and Bupa Wellness Pty Ltd. Transparency Market Research has observed that the number of companies venturing into this avenue has been steadily rising owing to the growing presence of MNCs in several developing countries.The opportunity in the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific was pegged at US$3.4 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$7.4 bn by the end of 2024 at a strong CAGR of 9.0%. Geographical expansions, expansion of product portfolio, mergers and acquisitions, and investing in extensive wellness programs are some of the key growth strategies adopted by the leading players in the Asia Pacific. For instance, in March 2016, Sodexo signed a 10-year contract with Rio Tinto to expand its operations in Australia.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Increase of Non-communicable Diseases Driving Need for Health and Wellness ProgramsThe prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer has increased significantly in Asia Pacific in recent years. The report has found that these diseases account for at least 8.5 million deaths in Southeast Asia each year. Employers are, as a result, driven to promote as well as maintain the health and well-being of their employees and offering corporate wellness programs and services has turned out to be the most effective method of doing so, the lead analyst states. These services not only boost productivity but also reduce overall medical costs.The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is also fueled by government support and initiatives, the rising number of white-collar employees, the willingness of employers to invest in wellness programs, and growing health consciousness among the population.High Cost of Implementation Restricting Widespread AdoptionImplementing corporate wellness programs in organizations is a costly affair and companies need to utilize a certain portion of their budget from the revenue generated, the author of the study comments. Services such as fitness and health risk assessment need high investments and as a result, are cut down by the companies. This restricts the growth of the corporate wellness market.In addition, the inefficient execution of corporate wellness services is a major restraint to the market and is likely to increase costs for the companies.China to Lead APAC Corporate Wellness Market throughout Forecast PeriodBy type of service, the fitness segment led the overall corporate wellness market, accounting for a 38.6% share in 2015, reaching US$2,793.5 mn by 2024. The smoking cessation segment, although the smallest in terms of revenue in 2015, is anticipated to register a strong CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period. By country, China emerged as the leading revenue generator in 2015 and is projected to retain its position throughout the forecast period. India, on the other hand, is expected to expand at the fastest pace by 2024.This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled Corporate Wellness Market - Asia Pacific Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Asia Pacific Corporate Wellness Market, by ServiceHealth Risk AssessmentFitnessSmoking CessationHealth ScreeningWeight ManagementNutritionOthers (stress management, diabetes management, and vaccinations)Asia Pacific Corporate Wellness Market, by CountryChinaJapanIndiaAustraliaSingaporeHong KongMalaysiaThailandRest of Asia PacificDownload Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: DECATUR Tim Dudley, vice chairman of the Macon County Board, has taken on a new position with the city of Decatur. Dudley, 57, began working on Monday as the city's development and revitalization specialist. He will be taking on some of the functions of Patrick Hoban, the city's economic development officer, who resigned effective Friday, to move to a position in Tinley Park. But Billy Tyus, assistant city manager for development services, said Dudley is not replacing Hoban. Some of the functions of the specialist position are in support of economic development, Tyus said. We are looking at how to best organize all the positions of the economic development department. Tyus said he is excited about the hiring of Dudley to fill the position, which was first advertised by the city in August. The good thing about Mr. Dudley is that he has the background and experience to carry out a variety of these functions and has a heart and passion for helping our community, Tyus said. The duties assigned to Dudley will include revitalization of neighborhoods, pursuing annexation and planning and zoning. The council has talked about being more active in annexation, Tyus said. He said Dudley was hired because of his many positive qualifications. His background is varied. That will help him work on economic development projects. He will be able to step right in and work, Tyus said. Dudley, who is relinquishing his job as Realtor for Brinkoetter & Associates Realtors for the city position, said he will continue to serve on the county board, where he has been a member for the past nine years. A former Richland Community College trustee, Dudley served as central regional manager for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for three years, ending in January 2015. The annual salary range for the position of development and revitalization specialist is between $50,000 and $55,000. IoT Implementation with Smart Healthcare Products Expands Healthcare Horizons, reports TMR http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-healthcare-products-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=9437 www.transparencymarketresearch.com The scope of product differentiation in the global market for smart healthcare products is quite high and therefore allows multiple players to be in the lead across various product segments. For instance, in 2014, Epic Systems Corporation and Allscripts Healthcare Solutions were at the top of the e-health records charts, Medtronic and Olympus Corporation led the smart pills sales, while Becton Dickinson & Company and Medtronic again were at the forefront in smart syringes.As per a recent release by Transparency Market Research on smart healthcare products, the key players of this global market regardless of their priority products segment - have all shown great interest in consolidation efforts. They have focused on creating fruitful partnerships and acting on several mergers and acquisitions over the past few years.The global market for smart healthcare products is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.84% from 2015 to 2023 with respect to the revenue. It is expected to be valued at US$31.71 bn before the end of 2016 and US$57.85 bn by 2023.Smart pills are showing a humongous increase in demand and are likely to continue doing so till 2023. Smart pills are projected at a very promising CAGR 18.84% from 2015 to 2023. Meanwhile, electronic health records are expected to remain the dominant smart healthcare product segment till 2023 when it is expected to accrue a revenue of US$39.61 bn. In terms of smart healthcare product applications, health data storage and exchange as a segment is expected to generate US$39.73 bn by 2023, thus remaining the dominant application segment till then.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:North America Stays on Top of Smart Healthcare Products DemandThe sheer demand for smart healthcare products in North America is expected to keep this region at the top of the charts till 2023. By the end of 2023, North America is expected to gather US$21.09 bn in smart healthcare product revenue. This is attributed to the large number of incoming small and medium-sized enterprises, along with constant market consolidation efforts by the more prominent players.Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is expected to show a robust CAGR of 9.77% from 2015 to 2023 owing to a quickly evolving healthcare industry on a digital scale. The digitization of the Asia Pacific healthcare industry is supported by both private and government organizations, allowing for a high scope of entry for local as well as globally prominent smart healthcare product manufacturers.Smart Healthcare Products Incorporation into IoT Apps to Consolidate Demand Over TimeThe IoT revolution has already caught up with the global smart healthcare products market and is creating a vast scope of applications in the market through the use of advanced sensors and machine communication technologies. The implementation of the latest IoT technologies is allowing manufacturers of healthcare hardware and medical equipment to produce and store medical records at rates much faster than before, states a TMR analyst.The scope of application of IoT in smart healthcare products is extremely high and can only be revealed through constant development efforts. A lot of top healthcare organizations are already using measuring and monitoring devices that are remotely controlled to provide astute critical care to patients. Medical personnel can access the recorded information at any time from relevant connected devices and across multiple device platforms, thus increasing the patients chances of recovery vastly.Security Issues Continue to Deter Smart Healthcare Product UsersAmong the few restraints on the growth of smart healthcare products on a global scale, two key factors that lie in its path are cost and safety. A large number of smart healthcare products are very high in cost, making them inaccessible for patients from several developing economies. The cost of implementing smart healthcare products is also quite high for healthcare organizations as well, as the growing use of cutting-edge smart tools requires a greater number of skilled labor, which is currently short in supply on a global level. Several studies have also posited that the use of smart healthcare products by small healthcare organizations or individual medical practitioners can actually be detrimental to their financial situation rather than make things smoother and cost-effective. At the moment, most large-scale implementations are therefore restricted to large healthcare organizations.The healthcare sector is not completely immune to market volatility, but can still show a constant rate of improvement especially in developing economies. Manufacturers of smart healthcare products can look to these regions for better chances while the spending in their healthcare industries increases steadily, adds the analyst.The information presented in this review is based on a Transparency Market Research report, titled, Smart Healthcare Products Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023.Key Takeaways:E-health records to remain leading smart healthcare product type till 2023, expected to generate US$39.61 bn by 2023.Health data storage and exchange is expected to produce a revenue total of US$39.73 bn by 2023 for the global smart healthcare products market.North America demand for smart healthcare products expected to generate a revenue of US$21.09 bn by 2023.Key segments of the Global Smart Healthcare Products MarketSmart Healthcare Products MarketBy Product TypeSmart SyringesSmart PillsSmart RFID CabinetsElectronic Health RecordBy Industry VerticalHealth Data Storage and ExchangeMonitoring and TreatmentInventory ManagementBy GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeLatin AmericaAPACMiddle East and AfricaDownload Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Homeopathy Product Market: Increasing Demand for Dilutions to aid Revenue Rise at 18.2% CAGR 20162024, says TMR http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/homeopathy-product-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=16460 www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global market for homeopathy products features the presence of a large number of small and medium enterprises, with the top five companies cumulatively accounting for merely over 27% of the overall market in 2015, observes Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a recent report. Despite this, the company Boiron Group held over 17.3% of the market in the said year, a share large enough to have a key influence on the markets direction. Strong presence across regions such as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa (MEA) has allowed the company to command a prominent position in the global homeopathy products market so far.However, other notable vendors such as Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH, A Nelson & Co Ltd, GMP Laboratories of America, Inc., Standard Homeopathic Company (Hyland's, Inc.), Washington Homeopathic Products, Inc., and Homeocan inc., struggle to strengthen their hold on the market amid harsh competition. Strategies such as increased focus on robust marketing and promotion activities, proper usage of the highly influential e-commerce marketplace, and expansion across promising regional markets such as Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa (MEA) could help companies gain more traction in the global market.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Middle East and Africa to Provide Promising Growth OpportunitiesTMR estimates that the global homeopathy product market, which valued at US$3,867.7 mn in 2015, is expected to reach US$17,486.2 mn by the end of 2024, exhibiting a CAGR of 18.2% over the period between 2016 and 2024. Of the key product varieties in the market, the segment of dilutions is expected to achieve the most promising share in the markets valuation by the end of forecast period, retaining its dominant position with over 35% of the market by 2024. The segment will also register a strong 17.8% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024.In terms of geography, Europe will continue to account for the most significant share in the market throughout the forecast period but will lose prominence to the Middle East and Africa region in terms of growth rate. Over the period between 2016 and 2024, the Europe market for homeopathy products will exhibit an 18.2% CAGR while the MEA market will expand at a 21.1% CAGR.Aversion to Allopathic Medicine Expected to Increase Homeopathic Medicine SalesOne of the leading factors augmenting the growth of the global homeopathy products market is the growing concern regarding the high usage of allopathic medicine. People are becoming increasingly aware of the cumulative side-effects that they may contract after prolonged use of allopathic medicine. This is leading consumers towards alternative treatments, including homeopathy. An independent survey had revealed that US$3 bn was spent on homeopathic medicine within North America alone, in 2007. The market has skyrocketed since then and is on the brink of becoming a mainstay in all key regions, states a TMR analyst.Quality Standardization Still Lacking in Homeopathic Medicine ManufactureThere is a considerable lack of quality control within the global homeopathy products market and suppliers are suffering because of it. A massive chunk of the market revenue is gathered by small and medium sized business that are scattered over the key regions, making it very difficult to hold a consolidated effort for quality assurance standards implementation. Every manufacturing industry needs to adhere to good manufacturing practices and so far, the global homeopathy products market is not playing its part to the fullest extent. This is compromising the quality of medicines and products to a great extent, creating negative consumer experiences and reducing demand.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Clostridium Vaccine (Animal Health) Market: Short Product Exclusivity Span to Foster Growth of Generics, says TMR http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/clostridium-vaccine-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=16682 www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global clostridium vaccine (animal health) market features a largely consolidated competitive landscape, with the top five companies collectively accounting for a share of over 63% of the overall market in 2015, observes a recent report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). These top vendors, namely Zoetis, Inc., Merck & Co., Sanofi-Aventis, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Eli Lilly and Company hold commanding positions owing to their wide geographic presence and a strong financial backing allowing increased focus on research and development activities.Top companies in the market aim to strengthen their positions with strategies such as targeted in-licensing, acquisition, and innovative marketing. Use of the digital medium to reach out to an extended consumer base and serve the consumer more effectively has also started becoming a popular strategy. An instance is the recent update made to Bayers BCS cowdition smartphone application in July 2016. The enhanced application is expected to help veterinarians to track the current and future hurdles regarding cattle health, which will help minimize the impact of metabolic diseases on dairy cows.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Transparency Market Research estimates that the global clostridium vaccines market will exhibit a healthy 4.9% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. Rising at this rate, the market, which valued at US$418.0 mn in 2015, is expected to reach US$643.5 mn by 2024. In terms of animal species, the swine segment presently leads but is expected to be outpaced by the growth of the ovine segment. In terms of geography, the global market is dominated by North America, which accounted for over 37% of the global market in 2015.Rising Intervention by Government Bodies to Play Key Role in Market DevelopmentGovernment initiatives play a key role the development of animal health care markets. For instance, the China market for veterinary healthcare is chiefly driven by compulsory immunization policy, several animal health awareness programs, the easy availability of affordable veterinary vaccines, and fund for research and development in the field. In several other developed as well as developing economies, funds invested by government bodies for the research and development of veterinary vaccines and medications play a key role in boosting the demand for clostridium vaccines.Along with this, the rising global demand for animal products such as cattle milk, meat, and eggs is also a key factor driving the global market for clostridium vaccines. Animal products such as milk, pork, beef, and chicken collectively account for nearly 40% of global agricultural GDP and generated revenues valuing nearly US$600 bn in 2015. The market for these products in developing countries is growing rapidly due to the rising population and increased disposable incomes. The resultant rise in awareness regarding the need for maintaining the excellent health of animals is expected to further drive the clostridium vaccines market in the near future.High Consumer Dependence on Government Distribution Channels to Hamper GrowthIn emerging economies, especially, government bodies play the central role in the distribution of vaccines. The Government of India, for instance, buys clostridium vaccines in bulk from manufacturers and supply them in different regions of the country. Bulk purchase of clostridium vaccines results in reduced prices, resulting in the low profitability of the market thus hampering its overall rate of development.Moreover, the market's growth is also restrained to vast extent owing to the short exclusivity span of clostridium vaccines. Product exclusivity period in the animal health care industry is mostly only about three years to five years. Shorter exclusivity periods lead to a vast rise in competition from generics and over-the-counter (OTC) products. The increase in generic competition lowers product sales and significantly affects the profitability of the market.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Endometrial Ablation Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/endometrial-ablation-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14318 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Endometrial ablation is a procedure to surgically destroy the endometrial layers or uterine lining without removing reproductive organ. Heavy menstrual bleeding may arise due to hormonal imbalance, uterine fibroids and polyps, infections of the uterus and cervix, bleeding disorders, and uterine cancer. Endometrial ablation is non-hormonal, minimally invasive procedure alternative to hysterectomy for abnormal uterine bleeding such as menorrhagia. It is used when the heavy bleeding is not controlled by medications and/or hormonal treatments. This is an outpatient procedure and offers low complications and high efficacy rates as compared to other surgical procedures. It is mostly performed among the women who would not wish to have children in future as it may reduce the chances of getting pregnant. This is because the lining that helps fetus to grow are removed during the procedure. Therefore this procedure cannot be performed in pregnancy.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Endometrial ablation is an emerging method and mostly preferred over other surgical procedures among women with abnormal uterine bleeding. Moreover, it is observed that women with high risk of heavy menstrual bleeding opts for endometrial ablation to ensure quality and safety treatment option. Endometrial ablation has been shown to be less costly in both the short term and at five years treatment plan as compared to hysterectomy (abdominal, laparoscopic and vaginal). . Due to short turnaround time and speedy recovery endometrial ablation is preferred by many physicians worldwide. Endometrial ablation can be performed under local anesthetic and takes only few minutes to perform thye surgery and thereby reduces the patients stress and discomfort. Although, this is considered as a preferable procedure over hysterectomy, dilatation and curettage, however it also possesses certain risk factors such as perforation of the uterus (accidental puncture), thermal injury to uterus, cervical laceration. It is observed that the above mentioned problems are persists among less number of patient however proper treatment and guidance may overcome the situation. Younger women with heavy bleeding may not opt for endometrial ablation as there are high chances of recurrence in younger women.A variety of endometrial ablation techniques and devices have been evaluated and used to perform surgery. The procedures initially developed are usually referred to as first-generation devices. In recent times it is observed that second generation devices such as thermal balloon ablation and bipolar ablation are more popular among people. The Endometrial ablation market has been segmented by device type, technology, and geography. By device type, market can be segmented as first generation, balloon ablation and bipolar ablation devices. Based on technology the market has been segmented into, microwave technology, cryotherapy technology, radiofrequency technology, thermal technology, ultrasound technology, hydromechanical technology, electrical technology, light technology, and radiation technology. The global endometrial ablation market is driven by the aging population, as heavy menstrual bleeding is majorly observed among geriatric females. Technological advancement towards minimally invasive surgical devices would also derive the global market demand for endometrial ablation market.Geographically the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America contributed the largest share of endometrial ablation market due to increasing healthcare awareness and technological advancement in the region. Followed by Europe contributed the second largest share to endometrial ablation market growth with aging European population. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market due to the gradual adoption of improved, next-generation technologies, emerging health care infrastructures, and raising population susceptible to various diseases/conditions.The key players operating in the endometrial ablation market includes Hologic, Inc., Olympus Corporation, Ethicon US, LLC., Bioteque America Inc., KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, Boston Scientific Corporation, Smith & Nephew plc., CooperSurgical Inc., and others.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth insights, understanding market evolution by tracking historical developments, and analyzing the present scenario and future projections based on optimistic and likely scenarios. Each research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology developments, types, applications, and the competitive landscape.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: STATCOM UPS Market will be worth US$113.9 mn : 2024 Global STATCOM UPS Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=10805 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2768+1-518-618-1030 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.in/ Buyers in the India static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) UPS market are giving brand image exceptional importance, prompting companies to differentiate both their offerings and brand value, finds TMR in a new study. This sentiment has percolated to building customer loyalties that are driving STATCOM UPS suppliers in India, thereby pushing players to focus on their branding building. Keeping in line with this trend, while companies such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) are focusing on increasing their vendor base to improve competitiveness, others such as ABB India Limited are focusing on product management.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :The leading players will also have to focus on improving their manufacturing facilities and increasing their research and development investments to gain a stronger footing in the Indian market, TMR recommends.Industrialization Indicates a Meteoric Rise for the STATCOM UPS MarketA TMR analyst reported, The economic liberalization of India since 1991 has put the country in a race to achieve better GDPs, improve employment rate, and create an independent success story. Over time, these reforms have accelerated manufacturing activities in the country and set in a noteworthy momentum to industrialization, thereby creating a huge demand for energy.The need for several companies spread across India to achieve a reliable and an uninterrupted source of energy has been the primary growth driver for the STATCOM UPS market. The STATCOM UPS market is anticipated expand as growing number of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) projects are underway in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka.Poor Awareness About STATCOM UPS Benefits Plays Dour RestraintThe biggest restraint in the India STATCOM UPS market is the poor awareness of its benefits amongst industries. This issue can be attributed to the infancy of the STATCOM UPS market and the small and medium-sized companies that do not have the knowledge about the benefits these systems can provide over conventional technologies. These restraints are also being complicated by the high costs of installations that are dissuading large scale manufacturers from adopting these UPS systems.FDIs to Turn the Tables with Excellent OpportunitiesAs the policies on foreign direct investments (FDI) are being relaxed, India is expected to witness a boom in the manufacturing sector in the forecast period. STATCOM UPS players have taken a cue from this recent development o keep up with the mammoth energy demand to cater to the ambitions of the manufacturing hubs spread across India. Therefore, the growth in manufacturing activities of India will lead to a profitable opportunity for STATCOM UPS market in the near future.TMR findings indicate that opportunity of the STATCOM UPS market in India will be worth US$113.9 mn by 2024 from US$27 mn in 2014, surging at a CAGR of 16.0% from 2016 to 2024. This growth will be attributable as the evolution of India evolves as an important manufacturing hub in the world. For instance, the automobile industry, a significant application segment of the overall market, will expand at a 15.9% CAGR all through 2024. The need to speed up automobile production to cater to the global demand will encourage the adoption of STATCOM UPS in Indian automobile market.The aforementioned analysis has been substantiated with the research report published by Transparency Market Research. The document titled, STATCOM UPS Market - India Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2016 2024, provides a detailed outlook of the market and its impact on the Indian economy.The report segments the STATCOM UPS Market market as follows:STATCOM UPS Market: By ProductGate Turn-Off Thyristors (GTO) STATCOMInsulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) STATCOMSTATCOM UPS Market: By ApplicationLong Distance Power TransmissionPower SubstationsOil & GasSteel ManufacturingMiningAutomobile IndustrySTATCOM UPS Market: By RegionEast IndiaWest IndiaNorth IndiaSouth IndiaAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel:USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Non-Volatile Dual In-Line Memory Module Market - Remarkable CAGR of 136.6% between 2015 and 2021 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3501 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Despite being at a nascent stage, Transparency Market Research (TMR) projects the global non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM) market to surge at a remarkable pace.The rapid proliferation of internet connectivity and the corresponding updates have been crucial in fuelling NVDIMM deployment across various end-use applications. On the flip side, the companies offering NVDIMM still need to work on their designs in order to make them more affordable. Currently, their high cost is limiting their adoption across SMEs.Nevertheless, with efforts to make NVDIMMs a standard technology across datacenters afoot, TMR forecasts the global market to surge at a remarkable CAGR of 136.6% between 2015 and 2021. The market stood at US$3.3 mn in 2014 and is anticipated to reach US$1.3 bn by the end of 2021.Unprecedented Expansion of Data Centers Fuels Demand for NVDIMMs across North AmericaNorth America led the global NVDIMM market with a share of 78.5% in overall revenue in 2014. The markets growth in this region is spurred by the robust expansion of the data center and enterprise storage segment. The region being an early adopter of the latest technologies, analysts expect NVDIMM demand from North America to surge exponentially in the forthcoming years.The region has a rising demand for high application performance, data retention, data security, and speed, which has accelerated the deployment of NVDIMMs across various end-use verticals.The inability of disk storage to support typical requirements of large-scale cloud applications is likely to boost demand for NVDIMMs across North America. Over the forecast period, the North America market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 117.8%.Request A Sample Of This Report:With a share of nearly 12% in the global NVDIMM market, Europe emerged as the second-largest regional segment. However, TMR forecasts Asia Pacific to report the fastest CAGR of 177.4% between 2015 and 2021.High Application Performance Offered by NVDIMMs to Boost their Application in Data Centers and EnterprisesThe deployment of NVDIMMs has been the highest across data centers and enterprises in 2014. The segment in the year accounted for over 86.4% of the market.TMR expects the data centers and enterprises storage segment to maintain its dominance in the market through the forecast period. A NVDIMM, combining flash memory and DRAM technologies, enhances the process of power failure recovery and offers high application performance.NVDIMMs offer endurance, performance, latency, and data security benefits, which augment their demand from data centers and enterprises. As per TMR, the data centers and enterprises storage segment will rise at a CAGR of 129.6% between 2015 and 2021.Bolstered by these factors, the application of NVDIMMs across data centers and enterprises is projected to increase further in the near future. However, with the advancement in technologies, the use of NVDIMMs is likely to branch out in medical electronics and consumer electronics segments.The application of NVDIMMs is expected to surge in the industrial and automotive sector as well. The segment requires strict quality standards and exhibits high demand for power, performance, and reliability. Besides this, the increasing demand for digital imaging products in medical electronics will also bode well for the NVDIMM markets future.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Advancement in offshore liquefaction technology & offshore gas discoveries, some of the factors driving the Planned LNG market :2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=17552 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2768+1-518-618-1030 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.in/ Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a natural gas that can be converted into the liquid state by cooling it to below -163C. Setting up an LNG chain entails investment in exploration and production, liquefaction, shipping, and storage and regasification. Planned LNG is a term associated with expansion of storage and regasification terminal capacities. The planned LNG market can be segmented into liquefaction terminal and regasification terminal. Liquefaction and regasification terminals are further categorized into onshore and offshore terminals. Planned LNG terminal helps lower transportation costs. LNG is a clean burning fuel; hence, it is used for long haul vehicles. It lowers emissions as compared to alternative fossil fuels. This has encouraged many fuel service providers to adopt LNG as alternate fuel. In turn, this is propelling the demand for planned LNG.Download the Exclusive report Sample Here :Development of unconventional gas sources, advancement in offshore liquefaction technology & offshore gas discoveries, and fluctuation in supply of crude oil are some of the factors driving the global planned LNG market. Development of planned liquefaction plants and increase in demand for LNG are also contributing to market growth. Rise in exploration of shale gas has lowered the dependence on natural gas imports and created surplus for LNG exports. This, in turn, is boosting the planned LNG market. However, increase in number of domestic and foreign terminals that are already completed, rise in cost of building LNG terminals, and storage of LNG may hamper the planned LNG market. Introduction of floating terminals and floating production storage offloading (FPSO) platforms has provided immense opportunities to market players to limit the need of LNG storage tanks, undersea pipelines, and related construction. This has helped lower the cost of LNG production. Floating LNG production terminals can be stationed directly over an offshore field, and relocated once the field is depleted, or in case of bad weather. Hence, development of floating terminals is anticipated to augment the demand for planned LNG terminals.In terms of region, the planned LNG market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific are estimated to dominate the planned LNG market in the near future. Rise in demand for energy in countries such as India and China has led to the development of planned LNG terminals at various locations. Increase in demand for natural gas, rise in consumption of gas in power generation, and cold weather in Europe are some of the factors driving the planned LNG market. Growth in LNG liquefaction capacity has also led to the development of planned LNG terminals in the U.S, Australia, Iran, and Papua New Guinea. Increase in gas discoveries and investment by foreign market players are further fuelling the establishment of planned LNG export terminals. Difference in spot gas prices in the U.S., Asia Pacific, and Europe, and increase in the drilling of shale gas in the U.S. and Canada are driving the growth of planned LNG export terminals.Major players operating in the planned LNG market include Shell Plc, LNG Croatia LLC, Chevron Corporation, Petrobras, Southern Union Company, Corpus Christi Liquefaction, LLC, Freeport LNG Development, L.P., Sempra Energy, ConocoPhillips Co., Queensland Gas Co. Ltd, Inpex Corporation, Skangass AS, Emirates LNG LLC, Nippon Gas Co. Ltd., and Prometheus Energy Company.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel:USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Advanced Driver Assistance Market - lucrative demand for comfort driving that employs the ADAS http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2914 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Advance driving assistance system (ADAS) is an overall system which helps driver in driving process and ensures safety at higher level. Some of the most common ADAS features are adaptive cruise control (ACC)Blind spot detection (BSD), park assist, lane departure warning system (LDWS), tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), drowsiness monitor and others (night vision, driver monitoring system, forward collision warning, heads up display) provides convenience and safety.Currently, the market of advanced driving assistance system is expected to have a decent growth. The growth of this segment is mainly driven by the rise in safety regulations in developed countries such as Japan, China, and U.S., in past few years.Moreover, increasing focus on consumer safety and deployment of ADAS in low cost cars is also fuelling the growth of this market. However, complexity and cost pressure and environmental factors affecting the systems performance hindering the growth of ADAS market.Request A Sample Of This Report:North America is dominating the market attributed to stringent safety and environmental regulations. North America is closely followed by Europe, owing to mandatory application of tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in passenger cars, driver comfort and safety legislations.ADAS over the forecast period is expected to take the centre stage for safety and chassis systems in an automobile which aims to channelize research and development in various safety applications.Improving lifestyles, vehicle demand and changing buyers preferences are the most important drivers for the growth of ADAS market in Asia Pacific region. In rest of the world, the growth of ADAS market is largely driven by favorable policies in developing countries such as Brazil, UAE and Russia.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Exploration & Drilling Security Market - Global Industry Analysis :2024 Global Exploration & Drilling Security Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3660 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Global Exploration & Drilling Security Market: General OutlineThe international exploration and drilling security market has been leveraging the need of oil and gas companies to distribute supplies without interference and search, manage, and develop assets. Over a period of 25 years, the global demand for energy is anticipated to increase by an estimated 50.0%. Additionally, the exhaustion of current oil and gas reserves has extensively augmented production and exploration activities in the oil and gas industry. This has stimulated the requirement of a robust implementation of rigorous systems management with the employment of cutting-edge technology and unerring strategy.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :The report presented here follows a critical segmentation of the global exploration and drilling security market on the basis of technology and professional services. A study of the segments allows a profound analysis of the markets future to stay ahead of the competition.The analysts authoring the report on the world exploration and drilling security market have offered a scrupulous evaluation of the key competitive dynamics of the market to make informed decisions. Along with market projections for the forthcoming years, the comprehensive publication has shed light on the industry growth drivers, constraints, and current trends of the global market.Global Exploration & Drilling Security Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThere has been a substantial upsurge in the expansion of exploration sites and infrastructure development of exploration firms worldwide. This has increased their spending and investment ratio, thus concerning them to strengthen their security systems for safe operation at the exploration sites. Sites vulnerable to political attacks are demanding security service on an urgent basis. Moreover, factors such as terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks, attacks on supply infrastructure, and unnatural disasters are forcing companies to considerably invest in exploration and drilling security. In addition, infrastructure development of exploration firms in less developed regions has urged the need to look for reliable security services.The segmentation of the global exploration and drilling security market based on technology could include two broad classifications, viz. network security and physical security. With regard to professional services, risk management services and system design and integration services could be the chief segments.Global Exploration & Drilling Security Market: Geographical AnalysisThe international market for exploration and drilling is anticipated to be bolstered by the rising drilling activities in the politically unstable locations of Africa and the Middle East. These segments are researched to be major potential geographies for the global market also due to their elevating offshore drilling activities that are inspiring exploration companies to invest heavily. In terms of weighty investments in exploration and drilling activities, South America is another prospective region to look for. Technology developers in North America are being encouraged to offer security solutions, owing to the surging drilling activities from unconventional sources.Global Exploration & Drilling Security Market: Competitive LandscapeThales Group has expanded its security solutions by offering overlapping and multiple protection layers for the operations of oil and gas companies. They include security risk management, infrastructure security, airborne, ground, and maritime surveillance, supervisory, control, and dataAcquisition (SCADA) systems, cyber security, secure communications systems, vehicle and vessel tracking, and security operations centers.Honeywell International, Inc., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Cisco Service, Waterfall Security Solutions, and Siemens AG are some of the other major players making a mark in the world exploration and drilling security market.Market segmentation based on geography:North AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Is increased complexity putting ever more strain on your Qt Software development and Quality Assurance Teams? Has time-to-market pressure forced you to cut some corners? Has late detection of bugs delayed your release or were significant bugs not detected until your software was already in the hands of your customers? Does multi-platform deployment of your Qt Software keep you up at nights? Test Automation using a tool like Squish can help Bills release multiple artist renderings of new stadium The morning of Oct. 27 was a day Buffalo Bills fans have been patiently waiting for a reveal of what the new stadium will potentially look like. The team... County officials, law firm representatives host public hearing on new stadium SEQR Erie County officials, representatives from Phillips Lytle LLP, power players for a new stadium and interested Buffalo Bills fans packed into one of the community rooms of the Brush Mountain... Mercy_Strongheart.jpg Mercy Strongheart of Portland has written her first novel, "A Boy Named Trout," which draws from her experience growing up as a child of hippie parents. (Amy Wang/Staff) The hippie parents in the new novel "A Boy Named Trout" don't sing "Kumbaya." They also don't put flowers in their hair and don't shower people with love. They do ingest lots of substances, indulge in frequent "free love," steal, and neglect and beat their children. They're an extreme depiction of the hippie movement, says Portland writer Mercy Strongheart, but their world is not too different from the one she grew up in as a child of New Mexico hippies. This starker world is the one she explores in her debut novel. "A Boy Named Trout" (Auctus Publishers, 216 pages, $16) follows the middle child of two hippies in rural New Mexico in the 1970s as he struggles to find solid footing within his volatile world. By the time Trout reaches his late teens, he and his siblings have left home, thoroughly disgusted with their parents. But it's harder than the siblings think to break family bonds - for better or for worse. Strongheart will hold a book launch party at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Portland nonprofit p:ear, 338 N.W. Sixth Ave. She'll donate 20 percent of the evening's book sales to the nonprofit, which provides safe space, education and programs to homeless and vulnerable youth. Strongheart talked recently about her book; questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. Q: Why did you want to write this book? A: I grew up in a town that is very similar to the town in the book, which is a fictitious town. When I was a teenager, people started asking me - they'd hear I had grown up in the hippie scene and they started asking, "Oh, wasn't that so great? Didn't you just run around free all the time?" They had all these really romantic, wild ideals. And even though some of that was true, in general it was a really hard way to grow up. One of the things I mention on the back cover of the book is the dictum "If it feels good, do it," which is a hippie saying. But how a lot of people took that quite literally was, "If something gives you pleasure, then it is inherently morally good." I have a lot of friends who were given hallucinogens at 2, 3, 4 years old. In my teens and 20s when I was confronted by people with this romantic ideal hippie scene, my experience felt invalidated, and I really wanted to share the other side of that. Q: Trout and his siblings deal with prejudice from outsiders, drug addiction, child abuse and neglect, and their parents' conspicuous adultery. Did you ever worry that you were feeding into negative stereotypes about hippies? A: A little bit. For that reason I tried to include some characters who were on the other end of that spectrum. You do see that spectrum even in tiny towns like the one this is based on. I was more worried about creating negative stereotypes of the local Hispanic community. That was a much harder part of the book for me to write. Q: What's been the response to your book from others who grew up within the hippie movement? A: It has been amazing so far. I feel like it's opening conversations, which is really great. I had a friend who grew up in the same town write me, and he said, "I just got your book, I'm really nervous to read it, I didn't have the best experiences," and I said, "Well, I didn't either, that's part of why I wanted to write it." And then he wrote me again, partway through reading it, and said it was bringing up a lot of really intense stuff for him, but he was really looking forward to talking more when he was done. I've had quite a few parents - the adults who were in that scene - read it and write that they really enjoyed it, too. I'm really looking forward to hearing from more people who can relate to it. Q: The three children respond to their lifestyle in different ways. One goes along with it, one goes mute, and Trout goes out and finds himself surrogate parents who are more stable and conventional. A: When I started writing this book I was seeing a therapist. She told me about this model of surviving trauma where people will often pick one of three roles in response to the trauma. The roles are victim, hero and perpetrator. So that's what I did with those three siblings. I wanted them each to be playing out one of those roles. Q: What do you hope readers take away from this book? A: I hope that (for) people like me who grew up in this environment, maybe the book can be a little bit of a doorway for talking about these kinds of things with each other and with their parents. I think a lot of hippie parents from that time are a little worried about the way that they raised their kids. Which is part of why I wanted to make this family in this book so extreme. Because it almost makes it easier to talk about; it's like, "Well, we're not that bad. Let's talk about what did happen." (For) people who were outside of that scene, I'm hoping that the book gives a little insight into the more nuanced realities. Northeast Portland's year-old Han Oak feels less like a restaurant and more like a hip dinner party, the kind you always hoped you'd get invited to. There's Chance the Rapper on the stereo, a kitchen crew sometimes having a better time than you are and a casually fun menu served only two nights a week. The restaurant, run by Peter Cho and Sun Young Park (who, full disclosure, are good friends of mine), shares a space with their home and is usually open only two nights a week, serving their updated take on Korean barbecue. But on Jan. 22, the restaurant added a dumpling- and noodle-heavy menu, available from 5 to 10 p.m., rounded out with a trio of drinking snacks. Just show up and settle in for the night. And if you're traveling light, grab a couple of stools around the kitchen counter to get a bird's eye view of the action. The dish: Start with a round of the snacks: the tender soondae ($7), a midnight-hued blood sausage stuffed in-house with rice and cellophane noodles; the chewy, tubular ddukboki ($7), which here sheds its usual fire-engine red clothes for a beefier take, simmered with bulgogi, the Korean marinated beef, peppers and onions before it's dusted in toasted brown rice; and the crisp Korean fried chicken, daubed with a spicy gochujang and tamarind glaze. For dumplings, stick with the pork and chive (5 for $9), which arrive like mini purses in a small pool of black vinegar and ginger broth, and the kimchi, rolled into cigars and filled with pork, pickled jalapeno and garlic (5 for $9). On a recent visit, the braised oxtail dumplings (4 for $9) hidden beneath a crisp, golden parmesan lace were more exciting on paper than reality, their flavors muddy and subdued. Make sure to save room for the handmade noodles, too. Our favorites were the spicy kalgooksu ($11), hand-cut, kinky wheat noodles dressed with gochujang, the Korean red pepper paste, quick-chi and chicken, and the sujaebi ($11), a deep bowl of hand-torn wheat noodles floating in a fishy beef and anchovy broth with sliced potatoes, poached in beef marrow. Pair with lots of light beer. The takeaway: You'll wish every night was dumpling and noodle night at Han Oak. Sample menu: Korean fried chicken ($7), blood sausage ($7), kimchi dumplings (5 for $9), spicy kalgooksu ($11), budae jigae, a Spam-filled military stew ($13). Drinks: Sweet-savory cocktails ($5-$9), light beer ($5-$20), European wines ($6-$12), soju ($7/shot), fizzy nonalcoholic sodas ($3). Details: Dinner Friday and Saturday, dumpling and noodle nights Sunday and Monday nights; disabled access; 511 N.E. 24th Ave.; 971-255-0032; hanoakpdx.com -- Samantha Bakall sbakall@oregonian.com Follow @sambakall Screen Shot 2017-02-01 at 5.47.14 PM.png Interim Portland Public Schools Superintendent Bob McKean speaks during a public meet and greet session prior to a meeting of the Portland School Board on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. (Bethany Barnes/The Oregonian) The answer to the question "What's wrong with Portland Public Schools?" often comes back the same: It's a system without systems. In the administrative hub for Oregon's largest school district, employees don't know what they're responsible for and subsequently aren't held accountable. Multiple departments can unknowingly work on the same task. Employees who know what they're doing frequently end up quitting and are hard to replace. Into that mess walked Bob McKean, 70, a veteran school administrator and former superintendent, lured out of retirement by a professional challenge bigger than any he'd faced before. Given the school district reins for a year as temporary leader, he has remade key aspects of the school district's top ranks - eliminating one of three assistant superintendent positions, cutting the superintendent's direct reports nearly in half, helping staff say "not now" to some assignments on their plate. He has made it clear, through structure and through action, that the superintendent's main priority is the educational side of district operations. It's somewhat surprising that the school board has allowed McKean, as a temporary hire, the freedom to make such significant change. Board members struggle to agree among themselves on district issues both large and small, which has caused tensions between board members and between the board and McKean. Both school board vice chair Amy Kohnstamm and board member Paul Anthony, who often disagree, are supportive of McKean's efforts to make structural change. Anthony just wishes there were more of it. A dramatic rewrite of authority and lines of accountability at the top of Oregon's largest school district has been a long time coming. Outside auditors in 2005, 2013 and again in 2016 warned of chaos in central office, but concerns weren't taken seriously until scandal hit. Fixing the confusion became a call to action after a crisis over lead in drinking water laid bare just how harmful bureaucratic bungling could be. Years of dodging and inaction by bureaucrats had left children and employees in virtually every school exposed to drink dangerously high levels of toxic lead. The controversy ousted longtime Superintendent Carole Smith, casting a harsh lens on her ability to manage, even from those who held her legacy as a leader in high esteem. What's followed is a painful and public transition that's been entrusted to a man with literal experience jumping into fires. McKean, a former superintendent of the mid-sized Centennial school district and a trained wildfire fighter, came out of retirement to work a year as Portland's interim superintendent. McKean doesn't like the obvious comparison of his years as a summer vacation smokejumper to the highly fraught interim gig in which he's found himself. But he admits that experience informs his management style as a "systems person." In a nerdy sort of way, McKean is passionate about his job and the people he works with at Portland Public Schools. But he is careful to state that his enthusiasm isn't a promise and having hope isn't a guarantee. Like any first responder, he isn't going to say everything will be OK before it actually is OK. So five months in, what's the guy who loves systems done to the district notorious for lacking them? He's begun to make changes, starting at the top. He eliminated an entire department: the office of early learners, school and student support. Its work will be redistributed and the assistant superintendent who headed it, Harriet Adair, will retire at the end of the school year. That will leave the district with just two assistant superintendents, one overseeing schools and the other overseeing curriculum and special services. McKean pegged Yousef Awwad, the district's chief financial officer, as a strong leader and promoted him to deputy chief executive officer, a new role in the district. Awwad now oversees everything on the school district's business and operational side, including human resources. McKean focuses his attention on academics. Slowly, McKean is paring down the subordinates the superintendent must supervise. By the end of her tenure, Smith had 13 direct reports, a structure some suspected weighed her down and fueled management blunders. Now, eight people report to McKean and by July he expects to reduce that to seven, leaving some flexibility in the structure for the new superintendent. He hasn't cleaned house, as some speculated an interim superintendent might. McKean relied heavily on Smith's trusted adviser, Chief of Staff Amanda Whalen. Although Whalen recently resigned, McKean insisted the decision was all hers and he was sad to see her leave. McKean has held onto many of the same people who'd been running things for years, including Assistant Superintendent Antonio Lopez, Chief Equity and Diversity Officer Lolenzo Poe, and Sascha Perrins, who he tapped to be interim chief of staff. Like Whalen's, most of the departures from the upper ranks have been voluntary, and McKean has almost exclusively filled those positions with interim internal candidates, leaving his permanent successor to make his or her mark. All McKean's moves at the top haven't been smooth. He needed to hire a new top lawyer after the district's longtime general counsel quit to join a private firm. His intended hire became a public embarrassment, after it surfaced his choice had been prosecuted for violating the public records law in Florida. That was news to McKean, who had made the Florida lawyer an offer pending a background check. District officials said they weren't aware of the misdemeanor. Even the candidate said he was surprised the district hadn't Googled him. The top lawyer's job still has not been filled on a permanent basis. It isn't only at the top that there's a void. In October the district had 55 managerial vacancies. Now the number is around 43. From his first days at the helm, McKean was struck that employees appeared literally "traumatized." He isn't the only one who's made this observation. The search firm hired to help the school board hire a permanent leader said the new superintendent will be expected to address a "great deal of hurt and pain." Parents and other community members care deeply about Portland schools, a reality that has upsides and downsides. More than most big city districts, Portland's public schools broadly attract the children of families of both rich and poor, which builds community support for schools, McKean noted. That helps explain why recent polling showed 60 percent voter support for a school construction bond as large as $850 million. But, in part because they care so much, the community of parents who fervently track all things Portland Public Schools can be relentless and scathing in its criticism. And they don't always see eye to eye on what's wrong. McKean said the job has proved no less daunting than he expected. "I've had some moments, some really hard moments and some moments where I wondered if I should continue to do the job, and I worked through that," McKean said. "There's a lot going on here that's really, really good and there's good people out there." Among his tough calls: McKean had to break it to the public that he was delaying the opening of two middle schools. Those schools are integral to the district's plan to make its schools more equitable, as the K-8 schools they will replace offer less teaching time, fewer advanced classes and fewer electives. The bad news, while a painful disappointment, was taken well by the community, he said. McKean felt he needed to take a risk and make that decision and do so early and decisively - owning up to limits on his and his staff's abilities and bandwidth. His hope is that, in the long run, being able to execute well on what they do promise will pay off. The next few months will determine the district's long-term future. The school board, known for its inability to work as a team, must hire McKean's replacement. School board elections are in May and the public will also vote on a massive school construction bond. Union negations are ongoing. In the four months or so of his tenure that remain, McKean plans to work his way down the power structure and look for ways to improve and eliminate the silos that still exist. "What I can do is set the stage for the person that follows me," McKean said. "What needs to happen is central office needs to be more tightly connected to the buildings. It needs to become a school district and not a district of schools, and I think that can happen." -- Bethany Barnes Hundreds of thousands of top scientists, medical professionals, engineers and researchers in the United States and abroad have called on President Donald Trump to withdraw his controversial executive order restricting immigration and refugees. Their appeal was sent Tuesday to the White House. The letter, that so far includes more than 160 professional groups and academic research centers, said the order "has profound implications for diplomatic, humanitarian and national security interests, in part because of the negative impact on U.S. science and engineering capacity." The letter said the free flow of people and ideas has helped the United States to recruit and benefit from talent from around the globe and remain a world leader in science, technology, the economy and other fields. "The Executive Order will discourage many of the best and brightest international students, scholars, engineers and scientists from studying and working, attending academic and scientific conferences, or seeking to build new businesses in the United States," the letter said. It closed by asking Trump to rescind his travel ban, saying the professionals are ready to help the administration in crafting an immigration and visa policy that furthers U.S. scientific interests. The letter followed a statement Saturday by the chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which has 100,000 members worldwide. CEO Rush Holt, a plasma physicist and former Democratic representative of New Jersey, said "it is in our national interest to take a balanced approach to immigration that protects national security interests and advances our scientific leadership." But the association felt that statement didn't go far enough, said Tiffany Lohwater, interim chief communications officer for the association. "We decided we wanted to say something stronger," she said. The association reached out to other professional groups, and they quickly joined in, including the influential Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Dental Association. The effort also includes top academic research centers such as Stanford, Harvard and Yale. Oregon Health & Science University did not sign the letter. Communications officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. OHSU put out its own statement Monday, denouncing the ban. The executive order is likely to prevent at least three people from attending the upcoming annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Lohwater said a much bigger concern is the message the order sends to the international community. "We're really concerned about what the long-term impacts will be," she said. -- Lynne Terry Women's March Women with bright pink hats and signs gathered Saturday to make their voices heard on the first full day of Donald Trump's presidency, in Washington. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo) Rebecca Cohen I just returned to Oregon from an exhilarating trip to the Women's March on Washington. I traveled to D.C., at my own expense, to stand against the dangerous rhetoric prominent during the election season that targeted specific groups just for who they are and what they believe. I traveled to D.C., to stand in solidarity with my fellow Americans, who want to send a message to our nation's leaders in the Administration, in Congress, in statehouses and in corporate boardrooms across the country: Women will not stand on the sidelines while our safety and the safety of our families and communities is jeopardized. I traveled to D.C. to oppose any attempts by our elected officials to promote the NRA leadership's most extreme agenda ever, an agenda that will effect women, children and people of color by putting more guns, in more places, no questions asked. The march was an inspirational, energizing and galvanizing experience. But it wasn't just the event itself. It was the entire weekend of meeting fellow march attendees around the area. Strangers, buoyed by common pink hats (and red Moms Demand Action pom-pom hats!) who came together for impromptu strategy sessions in restaurants, museums, airports and historical sites. And, like me, my new friends will head back to their communities all across the nation to get to work. Like Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the Women's March took root from a simple Facebook post. And like Moms Demand Action, the march attendees will grow quickly into a sustained movement that gets to work in their hometowns because when women are activated to fight for ourselves and our families, we don't back down. In my four years volunteering with the Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action, I have learned valuable organizing skills. Thanks to the anti-gun-violence group, I now know how to contact my state and federal legislators. I know how to set meetings to speak with my legislators. And I know how to testify before my state legislature. I put those skills to use in Oregon's successful effort last year to pass universal background checks on all gun sales. I will continue to do so for upcoming gun bills pending at the state and national level. And as we charge on as a country, I will rely on these skills and the connections I've made with Moms Demand Action members across the country. The Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action will be working at our state legislature again this year to support common sense gun laws, such as Oregon's 2017 Gun Violence Prevention Package. That package would not only help protect Oregon's women and children by closing the "boyfriend loophole" and keeping guns out of the hands of convicted stalkers, but would also strengthen the state's background check system by closing the "Charleston Loophole" and alerting law enforcement when dangerous people try to buy a guns and fail background checks. When you join us to promote gun legislation that research shows will save lives, you'll also make enriching connections and learn valuable organizing skills - both of which help to build safer communities for us all. I hope to see you -and your pink or red pompom hat- in Salem. Rebecca Cohen lives in North Portland. city council3.JPG Portland commissioners at City Hall last month. (Beth Nakamura/Staff) Greg Frick Portland and Oregon have a lot to be proud of: Oregon is at the top of the list for in-migration, Fast Company recently ranked Portland a top city for job-seekers, and innovative environmental policies have garnered international attention. Still, many Oregonians are left behind. An article in last year's The Atlantic brought national attention to Oregon's dismal record of racial segregation. Housing prices across the state are rising at unprecedented rates, far outpacing wage gains, particularly for minorities and single-parent households. Rates of child hunger are incredibly high. High school graduation rates are at rock bottom. Oregon and Portland are at a crossroads: If thoughtful solutions are found, we will continue to raise our stature on the national and international stage. Otherwise, we risk setting ourselves up for a study in governmental failure. If Oregon lags behind other states nationally for corporate tax rates, we have dozens of case studies in front of us to learn from. Leaders have an obligation to dig into available data and conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis. Which states continue to attract businesses despite higher tax rates for corporations? What can we learn from them? Measure 97 sought to provide much needed funding for schools by raising Oregon's comparatively low corporate tax rate but would have relied on an untested measure of collecting taxes. Now, Oregon lawmakers are considering overturning our ban on rent control while tenant groups lobby the Portland city council for a rent freeze. There is no denying that rent control sounds great. Unfortunately, all reputable economists agree rent control has never been successful. In Boston, rent control was tried and later repealed. More recently, an extremely nuanced version was attempted in Berlin, where studies found it benefited upper middle-class renters most. In San Francisco and New York, rent control has contributed to skyrocketing rents. No one denies renters in Oregon are struggling. It is the responsibility of lawmakers to find the best solution - one benefiting renters of today and in the future. Voters depend on lawmakers to do thorough cost-benefit analyses and to research the best possible policies - not Band-Aid solutions. Recently, members of the Portland city council do not seem to be aware of the full extent of ordinances they are voting on. A stated goal of the city's 2035 Comprehensive Plan was to increase housing density in transit corridors. Part of Northwest Portland - arguably one of the most walkable and transit-oriented parts of the city -- has just been down-zoned under pressure from neighborhood groups. Is this how leaders demonstrate our commitment to increasing housing supply and advocating multi-modal transit? Why do neighborhood groups' concerns outweigh plans for more desperately needed housing? Decades of policies enacted without thorough cost-benefit analysis has led to a lack of confidence in our politicians. Voters must be told how data-based analyses, recommendations from experts and case studies have convinced them that a given policy is the best solution, not just the easiest, fastest or most progressive sounding. The future of Oregon depends on it. Greg Frick is a partner with HFO Investment Real Estate, a Portland-based regional multifamily apartment brokerage. He can be reached at greg@hfore.com or (503) 241-5541. Prosecutors on Monday dropped felony charges against three more journalists who were on hand on Inauguration Day when protests turned violent. They were among the 250-plus people arrested and charged with violating Washington, D.C.s, anti-rioting law. That brings to four the number of journalists arrested that day who have had their charges wisely, if belatedly, dropped. But two other journalists from that day remain under threat of felony conviction, facing up to 10 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines. The Justice Department should drop those charges, too, or else immediately produce evidence that the two men photojournalist Shay Horse and freelance writer Aaron Cantu were engaged in criminal behavior that day, rather than simply exercising their First Amendment rights to observe it closely and report on it freely. The department has had more than 10 days to review video of the riot, and to decide whether the two men were telling the truth when they claim to have been covering it as journalists. This case puts into sharp focus the question of who, in todays ultra-democratized media environment, counts as a journalist and, just as importantly, who gets to decide. It should be clear that when the Justice Department attempts to make that call itself, it is inviting deep trouble. Even in dropping the four sets of charges, the U.S. Attorneys office in Washington has said little on the record about why these four were being considered journalists and the other two are not. On Monday, seeking to dismiss charges against Matthew Hopard, John Keller and Alexander Rubinstein, the office said simply: After a review of evidence presented to us by law enforcement, we have concluded that we will not proceed with the charges against the three defendants, who are journalists. That was the right decision, but a painfully slow one. Rubinstein, to cite just one example, was streaming his coverage of the riots live on social media even as he was knocked down by police. Just before he was arrested, he told his viewers: I am media. I am not protesting. Perhaps the government is reluctant to use the word journalist for the two other arrestees. Judging from their social media streams, both men appear to be activists as well as journalists. Horse calls himself an anarchist and a journalist and uses his photography to highlight social injustices. Cantu was recorded on camera explaining how hed played a small role in organizing the Jan. 20 protests, and notes that his style of journalism is more Gonzo than investigative. Still, his online resume contains links to dozens of articles for many well-known, if also mostly very liberal, publications. He is clearly a journalist, by any definition. Though the standards of most traditional media outlets bar activism among staffers, the Justice Department should remember that there has never been an ironclad definition of journalist. If there is evidence that either Horse or Cantu helped propel that days protests into a riot, and were not there as journalists, then the DOJ should produce it. Otherwise, the charges should be dropped. The Dallas Morning News gavelpromo.jpg Two adult brothers are suing the Archdiocese of Portland for $3 million each claiming they were sexually abused repeatedly by two priests on the Oregon coast when they were children in the 1960s. (File photo) Two brothers sued the Archdiocese of Portland on Wednesday for $6 million claiming two priests sexually abused them repeatedly as children in the 1960s after preying on them while their stepfather was suffering from leukemia. The brothers accuse the Rev. James Harris, then a priest in Silverton, and the Rev. Maurice Grammond, then a priest in Seaside, of touching their bodies and genitals over and under their clothing during overnight trips to the Oregon coast. Harris also forced the younger sibling to touch him, according to one suit. The older brother, now 60 and living in Marion County, was abused from ages of 9 to 13, and his younger brother, now 59 and living in Washington's Kitsap County, was 11 and 12, the lawsuits say. Harris died in 1999 and Grammond died in 2002. The two priests have been the subject of lawsuits against the archdiocese for sexually abusing dozens of children. Grammond, considered Oregon's most notorious pedophile priest, had cost the archdiocese $33.4 million in settlements with 54 victims by 2007. By that same year, Harris had been named in at least six other sex abuse claims. At least four of them have been settled since 2006, Gilion Dumas, a lawyer for the brothers, said in a news release. The archdiocese is looking into the allegations, said spokesman David Renshaw. "As with previous allegations, we take these very seriously and will cooperate in whatever ways are required by law," he said in a statement. The brothers claim Harris befriended their family while they were living in Silverton and attending St. Paul Parish, the lawsuits said. Harris took the brothers and one of their friends on trips to the coast while their stepfather was suffering from leukemia, the suits said. They met up with Grammond there. At times, the boys were taken on the trips individually. The two priests sexually abused the brothers and their friend during the trips, the lawsuits said. The brothers are seeking jury trials and $3 million each in damages. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey SALEM -- Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday issued an executive order that forbids all state agencies and employees from helping federal immigration officials locate or apprehend undocumented immigrants. "We will not retreat," she said. The move comes nearly a week after President Donald Trump issued his own executive order banning most travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S. Though Oregon law already forbids state and local law enforcement agencies from using public resources to find or arrest those whose only crime is being in the country without proper documentation, Brown's order goes a step further in solidifying the state's sanctuary status by expanding the law to all agencies. The governor's order also makes it illegal for state agencies to discriminate based on immigration status, and forbids state agencies from using public resources to help create a religious registry. "We have heard threats of a Muslim registry at the federal level," Brown said. "I don't know how sincere these threats are, but I want to be absolutely clear: We will not participate." But each provision of Brown's order included a caveat: No state employee should break state or federal law to comply with her order. "This Executive Order is intended to be consistent with the state's obligations under federal and state law," it says. It also says the order "shall be interpreted as to not violate any requirement of federal or state law." Senate Republican leader Ted Ferrioli said the executive order is an attempt by Brown to distract from the problems facing the state; namely the $1.8 billion budget gap. "It's a sad but typical sign of failure," he said. "That's what's wrong with Oregon. We're not willing to solve our own problems." Brown also asked Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to "explore legal remedies" available to "resist" Trump's travel ban in court. If Oregon heads to court, it could become the sixth state to file a lawsuit against the White House, joining Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Washington. Washington, which filed its suit on Monday, was the first to seek a stay on the ban. Oregon Deputy Attorney General Fred Boss said Trump's travel ban is illegal, and the state would announce its legal plan next week. States suing the White House is nothing new. Starting in 2010, dozens of states sued the Obama administration over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law in a 2012 decision, and again in a 2015 decision on the legality of subsidies. While the nod to obeying federal law might seem to undermine Brown's executive order, Pacific University politics professor Jim Moore said it still prevents state employees from taking it upon themselves to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement with information about a person living in the U.S. illegally. Employees such as those who administer welfare benefits to low-income families or issue drivers licenses track the citizenship status of Oregon residents because only citizens and permanent legal residents can receive welfare or drivers licenses. An executive order signed by Trump last week set new priorities for deportation. Under Obama, these priorities included undocumented immigrants convicted of a felony, serious misdemeanor or multiple misdemeanors. Trump's priorities for deportation also include undocumented immigrants who abuse public benefits or are considered "a risk to public safety or national security" by an immigration officer. Brown's announcement she doesn't want the state to help with those deportations in any way follows an email from her campaign that called on supporters to join her "social action team" and resist Trump. Last month, Oregon was left off an early list of priority infrastructure projects to receive federal funding. Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities and states. When asked multiple times if she was willing to give up that funding, Brown said the state's funding isn't currently at risk. "I am willing to do what's right to make sure we protect Oregonians, we protect our culture and we protect our economy," she said. Moore says Brown likely feels politically safer signing the order in light of the aggressive stances against Trump taken by neighbors Washington and California. "This fits into the West Coast ethos," he said. "It's not like Oregon is the 'weird state out' in any of this." -- Anna Marum amarum@oregonian.com 503-294-5911 @annamarum _MG_7110.JPG Oregon Department of Transportation crews assess a landslide Dec. 20, 2016 on U.S. 30 across from the Northwest Mill Road intersection. (Tony Hernandez/Staff) (LC- Tony Hernandez/Staff) SALEM -- The Oregon Department of Transportation, along with county and city lobbying groups, say they need another $5 billion a year to fully overhaul crumbling infrastructure around the state. There isn't enough money to pay for the entire wish list, which includes bridge replacements, seismic upgrades, road repaving and public transit projects. Instead, lawmakers will begin forming their own project list and funding plan that'll be molded into a massive spending bill. "This is just a starting point for the conversation," said Rep. Caddy McKeown, D-Coos Bay, one of four legislators heading the influential committee tasked with devising a transportation plan. "We absolutely know that we're not going to be able to afford everything that's on this list." And the list is long: $100 million a year to maintain pavement. $100 million a year to replace ailing bridges. $108 million a year for public transit expansions. All told, cities say repairing their rutted, pothole-ridden streets will cost $3.7 billion. Some costs, like seismic retrofitting, have not been calculated by cities and counties. Paying for the upgrades is another challenge. A 12-page framework published by lawmakers gives a long list of revenue options: gas taxes, vehicle fees, roadway tolling, per-mile road use charges, public-private partnerships, carbon taxes, bicycle taxes, marijuana taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes and more. McKeown said all options must be on the table to begin with until "interested parties" are consulted. "Who know which one of those are going to go forward," she said. Lawmakers on the transportation committee will be divided into subgroups, each tasked with forming one aspect of the plan. That process will likely take a month, said Sen. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas, one of the committee leaders. Another wrinkle is the situation in Washington D.C. Lawmakers in Salem will work to pass a transportation plan despite uncertainty about the availability of federal funds. As for McKeown, she didn't want to speculate about how the Trump administration may figure into Oregon's plans. "I'm certainly hopeful that our federal partners will work with us," she said. -- Gordon R. Friedman gfriedman@oregonian.com; 503-221-8209 DECATUR Some state lawmakers took steps Wednesday in an effort to ensure state workers continue to get paid through the budget impasse. With a possible shutdown of state services looming, state Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, filed legislation that she said would keep Illinois government functioning. Attorney General Lisa Madigan last week filed a lawsuit in St. Clair County Circuit Court that would keep employees from receiving paychecks unless a budget agreement can be reached. The lawsuit would halt the pay of state workers as of Feb. 28, putting pressure on state leaders to come to an agreement. Hardworking families are already hurting because of the ongoing budget impasse, and a shutdown of state government would cause even more severe, lasting damage, Scherer said. I care about the residents of my district, many of whom are state employees, which is why I am introducing this measure to ensure workers get paid and state services continue to be delivered. Scherer's legislation is House Bill 1798, which would put legislative appropriation in place to pay state employees. Scherer's district includes Macon County and extends into Christian and Sangamon counties, which are heavily populated with state workers. She said a dire need exists for a resolution to the budget impasse to provide stability to working families as well as Illinois' most vulnerable residents. It terrifies me to think about what will happen to the elderly, the disabled and our entire community if the state shuts down, Scherer said. There are people whose lives literally depend on their access to state services, in addition to the thousands of workers whose families depend on their paycheck to pay bills and put food on the table. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democrat-controlled legislature has been unable to reach a long-term spending agreement as the state has been without a complete budget since July 2015. A stopgap spending plan that funded state operations from July through December didn't include pay for state workers of an earlier court order. We need a budget, not games, and I implore the governor and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to work together to resolve this situation as quickly as possible, Scherer said. In a separate piece of legislation, state Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond, proposed actions that continue appropriations that would guarantee payment during the stalemate. Bourne's measure is House Bill 1787. State lawmakers could consider the measures when they return to work in Springfield next week. Decatur Awards and Screen Printing has moved to 714. N. Church St. from 651 W. Eldorado St. Owner Jim Mathews said the move was one of convenience, noting he now has his two businesses under one roof. The Church Street location also is home to National System of Garage Ventilation. Mathews said the change allows him to be more efficient since he no longer has to split his time between two locations. The move will allow him to get products out quicker. Decatur Awards and Screen Printing provides a variety of services, including screen printing and embroidery and trophies. Call (217) 425-9670. nnn St. Paul's Early Learning Center is celebrating having a dedicated space to call home. The center that is part of St. Paul's Lutheran Church recently moved into a new building at 1 Bachrach Court, on the corner of West Mound Road and Taylor Ave., in Decatur. It previously shared a smaller space that was used for other purposes such as Sunday School, Director Kim Newingham said. We're not tripping over things, Newingham said. It's something we haven't been able to have since moving from Wood Street. The church moved from its previous location in 2012, with the learning center following it there 3 years later. The space in the new building now includes seven classrooms along with an indoor play area. The classrooms are on one floor, so the children don't have to contend with climbing stairs, Newingham said. We can walk right in, Newingham said. Everything is close. It's been heartening how the church family has stepped up. The day care provides for children 6 weeks to 12 years old with various programs, including preschool for 3 and 4 year olds along with before and after school care for older children. The center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call (217) 424-9183. Susan M. Cook and Rozanne M. Giunta, two leading bankruptcy and reorganization attorneys from Bay City, have joined the law firm of Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. The pair bring more than 60 years of combined experience in all facets of bankruptcy and workouts for individuals and financially troubled companies to the firm. They will practice in the Midland and Southfield offices of Warner Norcross, serving clients throughout the United States and Canada. We are delighted to welcome Sue and Rozanne to Warner Norcross, said Jonathan E. Lauderbach, executive partner in charge of the Midland office. They are nationally recognized as tremendously talented and well-respected bankruptcy practitioners who are both practical and fierce when it comes to representing their clients. Prior to joining Warner Norcross, they practiced for more than 30 years together as principals at Lambert Leser in Bay City. Cook represents dozens of individuals and corporations in the automotive, healthcare, gaming, recreation, senior care and chemical industries, including Fortune 500 companies. She began her career in marketing with Whirlpool Corp., where she served in several positions. Cook is a member of the Bay County Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan and Federal Bar Association. She is also a member of the Commercial Law League of America and the American Bankruptcy Institute, where she has held several leadership roles. She has been named to Best Lawyers in American and Super Lawyers of Michigan, earning a stop in the list of the Top 50 Women Michigan Super Lawyers in 2010. Giunta also represents individuals and corporations of all sizes, including auto dealerships, hospitals, life care facilities, manufacturers, hotels and banks. She concentrates her practice in bankruptcy, workouts and commercial transactions. Giunta is a member of the Bay County Bar Association, State Bar of Michigan, where she chairs the Debtor and Creditors Rights Committee of the Real Property Law Section, and the Federal Bar Association. She is also a member of the Commercial Law League of America, American Bankruptcy Institute and the advisory committee to the Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Michigan. Giunta is a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy. She has been named to Best Lawyers in American and Super Lawyers of Michigan. An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break. Chinese Proverb This is the story of Robert Fahlsing, Sr. and Dorothy Weiler and how they grew up in Lisbon, North Dakota (population 2,000). Of their coming to Midland in 1940. Of their three children Robert Gary Jr., Phyllis Faye and Ronald Alan. And the life lived by these two singular people. On Sunday, July 29, 1917 at 5:30 in the evening a tornado struck the barn on the Fred Fahlsing farm, four miles outside of Lisbon, North Dakota. Nine-year old Bob had just gotten the cows from the pasture into the barn. The barn was reduced to rubble, burying Bob under 60 tons of hay and timbers. Rushed to the hospital in Lisbon, Bob was unconscious for three days while doctors struggled to save his life, at last amputating his left leg above the knee. In his journal he wrote, One day I looked under the blankets to find that I only had one leg, the lowest blow a young boy could ever have. How would I walk? Bob Fahlsing did learn to walk and to live a full life, fall in love, marry and raise children and grandchildren. This is the story of Dorothy Weiler, the young woman he married and of their lives before they met and after they met. Bob was born Oct. 15, 1907 to Fred and Minnie Fahlsing in Lisbon, North Dakota, joining brothers and sisters Alma, Hub, Bill, and Tilda. Brothers Ed and Al would be added later. After the amputation, Bob returned home and got around using crutches and eventually got an artificial limb but on Christmas Eve, 1917, his dad told him he would give him a quarter if he could walk across the room without the crutches. He did and his life without crutches began. These were the 1920s and 1930s when prairie states had little to offer in the way of an occupation other than farming. Bob worked on the family farm, attended high school and did odd jobs to earn money. In 1928 he went on a trip with friends in a Model T Ford driving from Lisbon to Kansas, ending up so broke they had to sell wrenches for gas money. Reaching Nebraska Bob got a job shoveling 44 yards of gravel for $17. This got the three to Hastings, Nebraska where the money ran out again and Bob hocked a suit of clothes for $3. The guy that owned the car went off leaving them stranded so they rode the rails to get back home. In his journal Bob wrote, Lisbon never looked so good. By the time he was 25 he was tired of farming and moved to Lisbon where he got a job washing dishes at Dinty Moores Cafe for $25 a month and his food. He drove trucks, hauled gravel and worked on threshing crews in the fall. In 1936 he bought a bar in Elliott, 10 miles from Lisbon and called it Bobs Place. When that failed, he went back to doing odd jobs. And then he met a young woman named Dorothy Weiler on a blind date through friends and they went to a place called The Green Lantern. Bob wrote, I think she liked my 1936 Buick more than she liked me. They fell in love and he proposed. Dorothy Weiler was born Sept. 26, 1917 to Jacob and Augusta Weiler, their third child and first daughter. Jacob, Augusta and their two sons Norbert and Lawrence had come to Lisbon, North Dakota from South Dakota with all their earthly possessions carried in a lumber wagon. On the farm in Lisbon, Dorothy, Loretta and Robert were added to the Weiler family. Dorothy, Norbert and Lawrence attended St. Aloysius Catholic School in Lisbon. They stayed in dorms Monday through Friday and went home to help on the farm on the weekend. They each had a nickel to buy candy during the week at the little store across the street from the church. (Later their dad bought the little store and named it Jakes Place turning it into a bar with their mom Augusta running a cafe in the back of the bar.) Dorothy remembered having oatmeal for every breakfast and after everyone was through eating, the nuns brought in a pan of cold water and a brush. Each child washed out his oatmeal bowl in the cold water using the brush to get the stuck oatmeal off. Then the bowls were turned upside down on a rack to dry and the children ate out of the same bowl at lunchtime. By sixth grade, Dorothy had a boyfriend and he was going to be punished for some infraction with a rubber hose, the accepted form of punishment at St. Aloysius. Dorothy was told to go to the door and stretch her arms out across the door so the boy couldnt get away. But when the boy ran for the door, Dorothy dropped her arms, letting him escape. The nun was furious but for some reason neither Dorothy nor the boy were subjected to any further punishment. Always an individualist, Dorothy decided one day to no longer cover her arms up with the required long sleeves (her mother cut the feet out of brown stockings for Dorothy to wear). Rebuked for her disobedience, Dorothy replied that her face was bare, why not her arms, too? The mutiny was short-lived but successful. The next day all the girls were bare armed from then on. Farm life in North Dakota was hard. Houses had no inside plumbing or water. Stoves burned coal. Laundry was done on a washboard and hung outside on clotheslines. Irons were heated on the stove and then clamped onto a handle to iron. Saturday night was bath night with everyone bathing in the same water but at separate times. The first one to take a bath had hot water but the last one to bathe had cool, if not cold water. In the fall food was canned to last all winter. Everyone worked. When Dorothy entered high school in Lisbon, she stayed with relatives including her Grandma Weiler. She loved journalism and drama and appeared in every play they had. Graduating in 1935, she cried that night, knowing that she would be going back home to the farm. After graduating Dorothy had a series of jobs including cooking and cleaning, taking care of children and working in restaurants and bars. The going rate was three dollars a week for seven days work. Then her life took a happier turn. In 1937 she met a young man named Bob Fahlsing on a blind date and they fell in love. Her mother objected to their dating and eventually in an effort to break them up, Augusts sent Dorothy to Fargo to live with Roy and Claudine Hanson. Dorothy slept on the floor and covered up with Roys winter overcoat. Augusta made no attempt to contact her daughter to see if she needed anything. Dorothy later wrote, How I survived Ill never know. This ends Part I of the Dorothy and Robert Fahlsing, Jr. Story. Part II will appear in two weeks. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate For Sheryl Dorais, owner of Tres Dorais boutique, beauty is more than skin deep. The boutique, formerly Your Personal Image, offers a range of skin care and cosmetics as well as facials and consultation services. Its still the wonderful, sweet, dear place that people have in their heart for Your Personal Image, said Dorais, Its just changed to be a little more French, a little more Sheryl, a little more glam. The store is divided into two parts. Guests enter a cozy space with a consultation station, shelves stocked with beauty products and jewelry and a waiting area in the corner. A few private rooms, used for facials and massages, are tucked in the back. The whole boutique is decorated to reflect a European style, inspired by Dorais trips to Paris while maintaining a loving focus on customers and their needs. Tres Dorais means very Dorais, very beautiful you, very me, very you, she explained. Dorais interest in cosmetics began when she was 18 and struggled with her appearance. Her father enrolled her in Madelyns Modeling Agency where Dorais learned how to apply her own makeup along with assorted etiquette skills. I knew after that, what Madelyn did for me, I wanted to help people. I wanted to help people who were like me and didnt know what to do. Dorais dream of owning her own boutique led her to become a licensed esthetician, working for Estee Lauder and Clinique before joining Your Personal Image in 2016. She even started her own product line, but had to change the name originally Belle Amie to Tres Dorais due to a legal conflict. In 2014, Dorais had the name patented and trademarked. In 2016, her dream of owning a cosmetic spa came true when the proprietor of Your Personal Image gave the business to Dorais. After a few minor changes, the boutique reopened under the name Tres Dorais on Jan. 1. Dorais welcomes all customers, from 10-year-olds struggling with acne to older clients who just need a touch-up. Customers can schedule a consultation, a full facial, and special event sessions (perfect for homecoming, proms and weddings) or just browse the shelves. Waxing, tinting, lash extensions, and eventually massages will be offered as well. For Dorais, there are three kinds of people: low maintenance units who take a couple of minutes to put on a bit of makeup before going out, medium maintenance units who take half an hour to get ready and high maintenance units who go the whole mile and take the better part of an hour preparing themselves. I work with all kinds. I love my low maintenance units because I love the before and afters I was a low maintenance and somebody helped me. I just want to give that, having people feel cherished when they walk in the door. Its all about personalized service and a little something sparkle in their life. Even her longtime customers, like Nancy Ieuter, remain loyal because of the care they receive from Dorais and her staff. I love it. Its very relaxing, Ieuter said. When she isnt at the shop, Dorais attends speaking engagements, sharing the importance of inner beauty. At the end of the day, Dorais wants every person she encounters to feel good about themselves. Its almost like a therapy. Its beauty therapy. I just like to help people put a smile in their heart and on their face, she added. Tres Dorais boutique is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will be closed some Tuesdays and weekends. The spa is available by appointment. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (989) 832-2404. To the editor Would someone at the Midland Daily News kindly inform the readership as to why the Rev. Jeff Liebmann is allowed such a frequent and large amount of opinion print space in your paper? His political opinion is repetitive and he is constantly attacking anyone who has an opposing view of his position. His elitist attitude and divisive opinions cause discord and animosity, because he has no desire to honestly debate the current issues we face in our country today. He accuses America of being unjust and tyrannical. He blames this country for a great portion of the social injustice in the world. He leads his fellowship down the path of unrest and will never be satisfied with any of the social progress that our society has made. There is no desire by him to heal the differences between people and therefore he will never attain his illusive utopia. The Bible calls this type of person ungrateful. I believe that many readers of MDN are tired of the Rev. Jeffs blather and malicious editorials. As a proclaimed minister, he needs to be careful of how he accuses and judges others who have an opposing view. (see Matthew 7:1-2). The MDN should print more reader opinions (of 250 word max) so we get a more balanced viewpoint. So I suggest taking some of Rev. Liebmanns space and allotting it to other reader opinions. TONY CINADR Midland Editors note: The Daily News has not, in the past, placed a limit on the number of longer opinion articles that can be contributed to the Editorial page. This page has always been open to contributions from people representing all political viewpoints. Rev. Liebmann has taken advantage of the opportunity more so than other writers. After meeting on the issue, the Daily News editors have decided to place a limit of one longer opinion article per month per author. Shorter letters to the editor will still be allowed on a one per week basis. SECDEF arrives in Asia-Pacific region for first official visit U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis is greeted by Republic of Korea air force (ROKAF) Lt. Gen. Won, In-Choul, ROKAF Operations Command commander, during his arrival at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea (ROK), Feb. 2, 2017. This marks the first official trip for Secretary Mattis since being sworn in Jan. 27. During his four-day trip, Secretary Mattis will meet with his defense counterparts in Japan and South Korea, underscoring the commitment of the U.S. to its enduring allies. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen) Come on down, Donald? No, Jerry Springer isn't expecting POTUS No. 45 to be in the audience for "The Price Is Right Live" he's hosting Wednesday night in Illinois State University's Braden Auditorium. But the invitation's an open one ... just like his Twitter-storm of an offer for Donald Trump to guest on "The Jerry Springer Show," whose 25th anniversary coincided with the Sept. 26 presidential debate. "Hillary should be in the White House. Donald Trump belongs on my show," he tweeted that night. The ensuing social media storm logged more than 153,000 re-tweets in the first day. "He was never a guest on my show, but I've worked for him," observes Springer, who called Trump boss after he was hired as host of the 2008 Miss Universe Pageant, which the real estate magnate owned for two decades. "He was always perfectly nice to me, and I don't have anything bad to say about him ... he definitely knows how to run a beauty pageant," adds Springer. "But that doesn't mean he should be president of the United States, too. We ought to be uniting in the notion that this man with real anger issues might not be ready yet." Springer knows whereof he speaks: In a reverse on the Trump trajectory (from reality show to politics), the British-born son of Jewish immigrants began his life in politics ... as a campaign aide to Robert F. Kennedy in his 1968 presidential bid, followed by an unsuccessful run for Congress two years later. More successful: Springer's long run in Cincinnati politics, first via two terms on the City Council, followed by three years (1977-81) as the city's mayor. A 1980 bid for Democratic nomination as Ohio governor failed and stalled his political aspirations. "A lot of damage can be done by someone with absolutely no experience in politics," Springer says from his vantage point of someone who's been there, done that. No stranger to controversy or scorn himself, per the 25 years of famously tawdry tabloid sensationalism that has made his post-politics name, Springer is convinced his former employer doesn't know how to gauge the impact of his rhetoric. For example, he offers, "If his first week has put our soldiers overseas in danger because he's telling ISIS we're out to get their oil (per his comment that "we should have kept the oil" in Iraq .. "maybe we'll have another chance"). "It's not a joke to be saying these things ... you're president of the United States now ... stop playing around with social media. I have some really serious concerns about where he's leading us. I'm really, really worried." Springer's critics would be the first to charge him with fomenting a similarly toxic arena via his "Jerry Springer Show," which debuted in 1991 as a serious, issues-based show in the "Phil Donahue Show" mode that was just winding down. At the time, Springer was an award-winning (7 local Emmys) Cincinnati newsman/commentator and a long way from his future image as freak show ringmaster ("Ringmaster," in fact, became the title of his notorious 1998 starring movie, in which he played a thinly veiled version of himself). But by 1994 ratings were slipping, so the show's format was changed in a bid to crank them back up, leading to the three-ring-circus of dysfunction, retribution and fringe-dwellers sporting such titles as "Forgive Me, I Slept With Your Man," "A Godfather, a Tranny and a Midget" and "I'm in Love with My Uncle." The set-piece of any Springer show was the inevitable moment when the tempers were fanned to the burning point, resulting in tossed chairs, thrown punches and yanked hair. But then, he offers, "my show isn't about politics ... we have a lot of minorities who tune in, and we have a lot of rich college kids who watch every day. I've got both Trump and Hillary supporters, people from urban areas and rural areas, it doesn't matter." Or as he once stated in a kind of mantra for the last 25 years: "It's not the end of the Western civilization. It's just a show. It's chewing gum." If "The Jerry Springer Show" is chewing gum, then his ongoing role as one of the rotating hosts of "The Price Is Right Live" is flat-out Good Ship Lollipop. "The magic of this show, which is completely family-friendly ... the beauty of it, and the reason it's been successful for 60 years now is that it deals with the one area in which everyone is an expert," he says. "Everybody shops and has an opinion on what they should pay ... so everyone is qualified to play. The first time you see the show, you get it." For the record, this isn't the first time "The Price Is Right Live" has urged us to come on down: in 2012, the tour show sold out the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, under the supervision of host Todd Newton, fresh off his Emmy win as 2012's Outstanding Game Show Host (via The Hub's "Family Game Night"). For Springer, the role, which he takes on when his busy schedule permits it, is a natural heir to the several years he spent hosting "America's Got Talent," including two seasons on NBC, followed by the live touring edition, produced by the same folks behind "The Price Is Right Live." "It's pure feel-good fun, with no, er, drama," he laughs, "and probably more comedy than you see on the TV version. It's basically me clowning around and doing what I like to do best: interacting with regular people." (Note: Audience members must be 18 or older to be able to register as a contestant. Registration will be three hours before show time at Braden, between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Those chosen to play will be from random drawings of registration cards prior to the start of the show. For more details, go to www.priceisrightlive.com/faqs.) BLOOMINGTON Major changes are coming to Chestnut Health Systems, starting with an expansion of its medical clinic on West Chestnut Street and a larger crisis care unit, the agency announced Wednesday. The Chestnut Family Center, a federally-qualified clinic, will undergo several million dollars in renovations and relocate from its current space at 720 W. Chestnut St. to a remodeled 25,000-square-foot building nearby at 702 W. Chestnut St., Chestnut's Chief Operating Officer Alan Sender told local officials and community leaders during a news conference. Other changes include expansion of the crisis stabilization center from its current 14 beds to 22 beds to better serve a growing need for people who need short-term residential care for detox and mental health services. The plan to expand the clinic on Chestnut property replaces a 2015 proposal to move the facility to the site of the former Fairview Sanitarium on the north side of Fairview Park in Normal. Sender said financial and site issues led us back to this neighborhood. The decision to stay on the citys west side is a positive development for residents who use the clinic, said Sender. The clinic is in the midst of the most medically under-served area of Bloomington, he said. The remodeled facility will house medical and behavioral health services for patients who lack adequate resources to pay for health care. According to Sender, the clinic saw 894 clients when it opened in 2012, and grew to serve 2,136 in 2016. Individual visits to the clinic grew from 3,137 in 2012 to 8,379 last year, he said. Chestnut CEO Russ Hagen said the plan represents the organizations vision to offer patients a multitude of services under one roof. As an organization, we are moving everything into an integrated model, said Hagen. The price tag for the clinic construction is not yet available, but Sender said the work will involve several million dollars of remodeling. A $1 million federal grant secured last year may help cover costs for the project that may be completed by the end of the year, said Sender. Meanwhile, the demand for emergency detox and mental health care is behind plans to expand the crisis stabilization center. Sender said about 50 people are turned away each month because of limited resources at the unit that opened in April 2015 at Chestnuts Martin Luther King Drive facility. The cost of expansion there could range between $300,000 and $400,000. McLean County Board Chairman John McIntyre and Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, along with officials from Advocate BroMenn Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph, praised Chestnut for its plan to offer more services. The program changes will result in relocation of Chestnuts adolescent program to Madison County. This capacity adjustment, while regrettable from Chestnuts perspective, is a reflection of the funding changes that have occurred in the last few years here in Illinois, said Hagen. BLOOMINGTON An Indiana woman is charged with meth trafficking and several weapons offenses following a traffic stop by a McLean County sheriff's deputy. Misty Mobley, 42, of South Bend was stopped Wednesday for having an obstructed windshield as she traveled south on Interstate 55 north of McLean. During a search of the vehicle, police found a loaded .38-caliber weapon next to the driver, 4 grams of meth and about $10,000 cash, according to a statement read in court by Assistant State's Attorney Jeff Horve. Several hundred plastic bags and a scale that are commonly used in drug transactions also were found in the vehicle, said Horve. Mobley is charged with armed violence, meth trafficking, possession of meth with intent to deliver the drug, aggravated unlawful use of weapons and unlawful possession of a firearm without a valid firearm owner's identification card. In her statement to police, Mobley denied any knowledge of the drugs and claimed she was on her way to purchase a truck with $8,800. She admitted that the bags belonged to her, said a police report. Bond was set at $500,000, meaning Mobley must post $50,035 to be released. BLOOMINGTON A hearing on moving a juvenile driving-by gunfire case to adult court Wednesday offered what authorities said were insights into a casual attitude toward gun violence and easy access to firearms among Twin City youths. In his ruling in McLean County juvenile court, Associate Judge Brian Goldrick, transferred the case of Chaning Biles, now 18, to adult court. Biles faces charges related to a November 2015 gunfire incident in Bloomington and unlawful possession of a weapon in another incident. Goldrick outlined Biles' criminal history dating back to a Peoria County arrest at age 14 for burglary. More arrests followed for theft, aggravated battery and criminal damage to government property during Biles' probation, said Goldrick. The judge also cited several passages from Biles' statement to police after the 2015 gunfire incident, when the suspect still was a juvenile. When asked about the source of the handguns Biles possessed, the suspect reportedly told police his primary source is in Chicago, but a second source in Heyworth also provides weapons. The suspect also talked about guns hidden in certain locations in city neighborhoods. Known as "block guns," the weapons "are available to use by people if necessary," said Goldrick, quoting Biles' interview. Biles refused to provide police with information on where the weapons were located, said Goldrick. Officers also asked Biles how he felt about gun violence in Bloomington and the possibility that children could be victims. Biles told police "the shootings in Bloomington were no big deal. There were no bodies dropping at the time," said the judge, again quoting from Biles' interview. The suspect did not confess to shooting at a man identified by police as Biles' potential target in the November 2015 incident, but when asked why he shot at the person, Biles' reportedly told officers, "because he jumped me." The investigation into the gunfire incident continued until December 2016 when Biles was arrested during a traffic stop in which a loaded handgun was found in his pocket. Weapons charges related to the gunfire case and traffic stop were filed. The challenges faced by Biles as a ward of the state also were cited by Goldrick. After he became a ward of the state at age 7, Biles spent time with 14 separate families in 19 foster care placements, said Goldrick. Some of the moves were Biles' fault because of behavior issues but other relocations involved things outside his control. Mental health evaluations listed post traumatic stress disorder and depression among Biles' issues, said the judge. Resistant to counseling and medication, Biles was deemed a high risk to offend again, according to reports cited by Goldrick. McLean County State's Attorney Jason Chambers said Wednesday: "While our juvenile justice system is set up to provide services and help for at-risk youth, there are still disappointing times when we think an individual has gone beyond that and we will ask for the case to be moved to adult court. This is one of those times." Charges are expected to be filed in adult court within the next two weeks. BLOOMINGTON The nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court offered few surprises in terms of his conservative ideology and qualifications to replace Antonin Scalia. That was the view Wednesday from Bloomington attorney Chuck Erickson and Illinois State University criminal justice professor Michael Gizzi. At 49, the youngest Supreme Court nominee in a quarter-century comes from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. Gorsuch's extensive academic and judicial credentials are unlikely to be challenged by senators on either side of the aisle, said Erickson, who also serves as chairman of the McLean County Republican Party. The choice of Gorsuch "is Donald Trump fulfilling one of his campaign promises," said Erickson, noting the jurist was on a list of 21 candidates Trump developed last year during his bid for the presidency. Among Gorsuch's pluses are his strong stance on religious freedom and "his ability write clear, concise opinions that the average citizen can read," said Erickson. For Gizzi, the nominee's position on the Fourth Amendment could provide some insight into how he will view search and seizure and other issues in law enforcement-related cases. A review of several of those cases showed Gorsuch usually sided with the government, but he also was inclined in certain cases to question law enforcement's actions, said the ISU professor. As a federal judge, Gorsuch comes from "the crime control model," said Gizzi, who has authored a book on Fourth Amendment issues. If Gorsuch's remarks during his nomination announcement are an indication of his future stance, he will be a strict follower of what he believes the authors of the Constitution had in mind when it comes to interpreting constitutional issues. A nominee with such a view "could have been the pick of any Republican president," said Gizzi. If Democrats mount a challenge to Gorsuch's appointment, it very likely will be based upon the ill feelings left behind by the Senate Republicans' refusal to give former President Barack Obama's pick, U.S. District Court Judge Merrick Garland, a hearing last year. Scalia died Feb. 13, but Republicans delayed the appointment until after the election, sparking criticism from Democrats that Obama was denied his constitutional authority to choose Scalia's replacement. The replacement of a conservative justice with another conservative could return the high court's voting pattern to what existed during Scalia's tenure, said Gizzi. The bigger impact on the court would come if Trump replaces more liberal leaning justices, several of whom are approaching or beyond age 80, he said. "We know more change is coming," said Gizzi. BLOOMINGTON Josh Knight of Normal said he brought his 8-year-old son to a Not In Our Town Bloomington-Normal rally Wednesday night in Bloomington to show him how to be an American. "I wanted to show him that we treat all people equally and that we instill in him the values of American culture that we believe in and that is freedom for all people and to be an open and welcoming person," said Knight. Nadia Khusro, a Normal Community High School senior, said she was born in the United States but has Muslim relatives living in South Asia. "They might not be able to visit us because they are not Christian and they are not white," she said. "It makes me scared and it also makes me a little angry. "They are my family, and they should have as much of a right to visit this country as anybody else." They were among about 1,200 people who filled the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts auditorium to capacity in a show of support for their immigrant neighbors and to protest President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, making the rally one of the largest in recent memory in the Twin Cities. Imam Sheikh Abu Emad Al-Talla of Masjid Ibrahim, a Bloomington mosque, was the first of many speakers who brought the crowd to their feet when he said, "On behalf of all Muslims all over the world: We love you guys. We are part of the United States of America." NIOT organized the event following Trump's order on Friday banning entry to the United States citizens of seven predominantly Muslim nations for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and people from Syria indefinitely. On its Facebook page, NIOT asked the public to come stand with our Muslim and other neighbors. It also asked elected officials to attend, affirm the First Amendment's protection of freedom of religion stand against a registry of people based on their faith. Five people stood outside the BCPA to show support for Trump's immigration policy, including Ward 3 aldermanic candidate Gary Lambert. Julia Reinthaler said the group was "demonstrating our support of President Trump in his efforts to improve our national security by putting together a system that will fully, thoroughly vet any immigrants coming into this country. "We believe in immigration and we're pro-immigrant, but we are very much supportive of this administration's efforts to overhaul our system and better serve the national interest," she said. In the event, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner said he had mixed emotions about the event. "I am so thrilled to see this room packed," he said. "I am saddened that we have to be here to try to defend the idea that all people are created equal." Speaking of the United States as a nation of immigrants, Normal Mayor Chris Koos spoke of his family's Irish and German roots. "They came here because they left a hellish environment where they could no longer thrive," he said. "So they traveled halfway around the world to find a place where they could better their lives and their family's lives and the lives of their descendants. "So today if you come to our community from South Asia, from Mexico, Central America, from Sudan, from Libya and the five other now-named countries, and you come here to find a better way for you and your family we welcome you. "If you choose us, we choose you. Welcome home," he added, drawing a standing ovation. The crowd continued to applaud and stand as the two mayors and Al-Talla clasped raised hands in a show of solidarity. Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe of the Moses Montefiore Temple in Bloomington urged residents not to live as strangers. "During the past several generations many of my people have lived as strangers in lands not ours," she said. "On occasion we were treated well. Most of the time not. "There was a time when our nation closed its doors on Jews escaping persecution. While some found safety in other countries, many were refused and ultimately perished in the Holocaust," said Dubowe, adding, "We cannot make this mistake again." Mandava Rao of the Hindu Temple Bloomington-Normal read some Hindu mantras, and the Rev. Molly Ward, an Episcopal priest, closed with a prayer. "This meant a lot to us such tremendous support and tremendous energy from the whole community regardless of their faith, regardless of their ethnicity," said Mohammed Zaman, president of Masjid Ibrahim, at the conclusion of the 90-minute event. "This shows that when a community gets together they can fight any evil, whether it's national, international or on any level." LINCOLN A 32-year-old Springfield man was killed early Thursday morning in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 55 in Logan County. Illinois State Police officials said the crash occurred at 12:02 a.m. in the northbound lane at mile post 113, about 2 miles south of Elkhart. The victims name has not been released, pending notification of family. An autopsy is pending, said police. Police said the driver of a 2001 Ford pickup truck was speeding the wrong way in the northbound lane when his vehicle hit a semitrailer truck head-on. The pickup driver was pronounced dead at the scene; the semi driver was not injured, said police. The northbound lanes were rerouted onto the Route 66 frontage road for several hours. I don't want to judge too hastily. Something good may come of President Donald Trump's offer to "send in the Feds" if Chicago authorities can't curb the city's homicide crisis. Something good may result from a Trumpian White House intervention, either because of it or in spite of it. But I might be more inclined to think that sending in "the Feds" was a promising idea if I knew which "Feds" he's talking about. His offer came via Twitter, like so many of our new president's other policy views. Last week, on the fifth night of his presidency, he tweeted, "If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible 'carnage' going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24 percent from 2016), I will send in the Feds!" Three things were striking about this tweet. One, Chicago has a lot of feds in town already, whether the president knows it or not. Chicago police have been working for years with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and other top federal crime-fighters. Together, they've gone after gunrunners, drug dealers, gang bangers and others who have driven shootings and homicide numbers up. The city also receives millions in federal grants to assist police and support anti-violence social programs. Two, Trump's tweet was notable in that, unlike most of his little missives, it actually contained data, hard numbers that suggest our tweeter-in-chief actually might have done some research. Trump, normally a man of few words that he repeats a lot, usually prefers to wing it, typing whatever springs out of his head. A clue to that little mystery popped up later that evening as eagle-eyed reporters noticed how closely his data matched the numbers in a commentary earlier that evening by host Bill O'Reilly on his Fox News program, "The O'Reilly Factor." "(Can) President Trump override Chicago and Illinois authorities," O'Reilly asked, "and stop the murder?" Trump apparently thinks so. Or, at least, he has good reason to expect his conservative base of supporters to think so. And, three, to Trump's conservative following, I am sure his mention of "the Feds" was interpreted as code for martial law, which is the sort of draconian measure that often is favored by people who don't actually live in the affected neighborhoods. Hardly a week goes by that I don't hear from a concerned reader who wants to know why martial law has not been imposed to retake violence-plagued streets on the city's south and west sides. It's not that kind of crisis, I tell them. Chicago's south and west sides are not Aleppo or Mosul, although on a noisy night they can sound like it. Armed troops are useful in quelling riots or guerrilla uprisings. Chicago's recent violence tends to come from domestic quarrels or petty beefs between small neighborhood cliques that turn violent, experts say, and lead to retaliatory shootings. The city had 762 homicides last year, higher than New York and Los Angeles combined. But morale is so low in the department, according to the Chicago Tribune, police street stops have fallen by 82 percent over the previous year. That's one of the messages in a year-long review that the U. S. Department of Justice recently released. It describes long-standing patterns and practices of excessive force, civil liberties violations and poor training of officers. Result: toxic relations between police and the communities they serve. Witnesses don't cooperate, crimes don't get solved and police officers are further endangered. The National Guard can assist police in some situations, but most of them are not trained to be police. Putting them on the streets could invite more abuses that make police community relations even worse. The Trump administration could help Chicago buy more equipment, hire personnel and beef up community policing training programs to gain more neighborhood cooperation. Mayor Rahm Emanuel welcomes White House help. The city's too broke for him to afford to say anything else. Unfortunately, Trump said back in August that Chicago's crime problems could be solved by "being very much tougher." Why? He says he was told by "very top police" that a tougher stance could end the city's violence problem in a week. Right. If that were true, it would have happened long ago. The elections are over. It's time for Chicago and the White House to drop the politics and pick up some practical solutions. MOUNT PLEASANT Employees at Promotions Unlimited didnt just lose their jobs last week when the company abruptly closed some have also lost their last paychecks when the company pulled the money out of their bank accounts. On Jan. 27, Promotions Unlimited, 7601 Durand Ave., discharged its last 48 employees after laying off about 30 others in the preceding several weeks. Employees say the company, a local distributor to independent pharmacies and in business for decades, did not pay them for their last week of work. But the damage was worse than that for some of the ex-workers, said Michelle Humburg, one of those discharged on Jan. 27. She said paycheck deposits were reversed and the money taken out of peoples accounts except for those who have been able to work with their financial institutions to prevent the loss of that money. An undated letter from company owner Lorraine Greenberg to the former employees, addressed to Dear ex-employee, mentions this. In the letter, Greenberg informs the former employees of the permanent closing by Roosevelt Capital LLC, doing business as Promotions Unlimited. Greenberg states that 77 employees lost their jobs and adds, No severance will be provided in connection with the eliminations. In the letter, Greenberg also states that direct deposits from the previous week were being reversed. Employees say that referred to their last paychecks, for two weeks of work. In the cases where Roosevelt/Promotions Unlimited succeeded and people worked until the last day, they would not have been paid for nearly three weeks. Humburg, who was the sales and customer service lead at Promotions Unlimited and had worked there 14 years, said she got Greenberg's letter Wednesday and immediately contacted Educators Credit Union. She was able to move her money from checking to savings but had to leave her checking account open because of a small pending charge with Redbox. She said so many fearful ex-Promotions employees contacted ECU about the attempted withdrawals that the credit union decided not to allow them, Humburg said. "I think it's shameless," she said about the actions of Roosevelt/Promotions. "They (had) some very dedicated and honest people that stood by them till the end. And we knew it was a sinking ship." Deborah Mazzie, the company tracing specialist who worked there for 26 years until being laid off Jan. 13, said she learned Thursday morning that Roosevelt Capital was attempting to take a total of $954.72 from the combined checking and savings accounts of hers and her partners, Terry York. Because the withdrawals were still pending, they were able to prevent them at the cost of $60 in fees, Mazzie said. But she said she knows of at least two other ex-employees who did see their paychecks taken back by Roosevelt/Promotions Unlimited. Owners letter In her letter, Greenberg blames the companys former lender, Franklin Capital, for bringing down Promotions Unlimited, saying the closing was due to a sudden and unexpected refusal by the companys lender, Franklin Capital, to provide the company with access to necessary financing to continue operations. Greenberg also attempts to paint the company as blameless by writing that the circumstances prompting these actions were sudden, unexpected, profound, and beyond the companys control. Employees did not view the end as unexpected, according to Mazzie. She said employees widely expected Promotions Unlimited to close within the next few months because vendors were not getting paid, except for the larger ones who required payment in advance. And because some vendors had stopped supplying merchandise, toward the end Promotions Unlimited was only able to partially fill some orders from pharmacies, Mazzie said. Wisconsin Circuit Court online records also suggest a company with financial troubles. Those records show one court action filed against Promotions Unlimited in January, six last year, none for 2014 or 2015 but about 70 court actions involving the company from 1996-2013. At one time, Promotions Unlimited had as many as 339 employees, Mazzie said. Mondi Group CEO David Hathorn to Retire, Peter Oswald Named Successor David Hathorn Feb. 2, 2017 - Mondi Group announced that David Hathorn, Group Chief Executive Officer, has informed the Boards of his decision to retire. Peter Oswald, currently an Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Europe & International Division, will succeed Hathorn as Group Chief Executive Officer. Hathorn joined Mondi in 1991 and has served as CEO since 2000. Oswald has been with Mondi in various roles since joining the Group in 1992, serving as an Executive Director and CEO of the Europe & International Division since January 2008. Peter Oswald In order to ensure a smooth transition, Hathorn and Oswald will work together over the next three months. Hathorn will stand down as Group CEO and as a director of Mondi plc and Mondi Limited at the conclusion of the Annual General Meetings on 11 May 2017, at which time Oswald will assume the full responsibility as the Group CEO. Hathorn will continue to work in an executive capacity until his retirement in February 2018. Mondi is an international packaging and paper group. The group operates as two divisions: Europe & International, and South Africa. To learn more please visit: www.mondigroup.com. SOURCE: Mondi Group Children needing medical care in the United States are experiencing the effects of President Donald Trump's executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim countries. Reports say that as visa suspensions and immigration bans have been carried out, dozens of kids, some of whom are refugees with serious conditions, can no longer receive aid. ABC News reports on the case of 20 children in Jordan who are waiting to be allowed into America so they can get medical care for conditions like cancer or physical injuries as casualties of the war. These kids are mostly Syrian and Iraqi refugees, two of the countries in the president's list along with Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. Human rights lawyers have been helping the children but the executive order, issued on Jan. 27 with a 90-day temporary enforcement, is unclear about medical exemptions. ABC News further reports that Commissioner Kevin McAleenan of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection might honor waivers in these cases. New York Times published the full text of the executive order. UNICEF, meanwhile, has issued an appeal to President Trump. The organization called for a review of the executive order in favor of the 28 million children in countries with conflict who will need a safe haven in the United States, regardless if they require medical aid. "We trust that this support will continue and that the recent measures will prove to be temporary," UNICEF stated via its official site. Immigration bans, however, are nothing new but the current executive order is casting a cloud of uncertainty as no one knows what the president could do next. NPR cited such a ban should exempt children under the age of 10. The news outlet further stated the Trump government could look into a precedent that took place in the '60s where Cuban children below 10-years-old were allowed to enter the U.S. without a visa. Amid delays in Betsy DeVos' confirmation as Education secretary, Philip Rosenfelt is serving as the acting government head. He has taken the job after Obama's Education secretary, John King, vacated his post on Jan. 20 and Rosenfelt will remain in the role while DeVos' nomination has not yet been approved by the Senate. Who is Rosenfelt and what has been his contribution to the Education sector? Learn about the man currently overseeing America's school system below. Rosenfelt joined the Department of Education in 1971 as one of its attorneys. His official position as of 2016 was as Deputy General Counsel for Program Service, according to the U.S. Department of Education official site. Rosenfelt is responsible for overseeing the legal aspects of program developments and implementation. According to Education World, about 100 lawyers serve under his guidance and direction in the said function. In 2013, Rosenfelt was honored with "The Sammies" or the Service to America Medals for those in government service. Many attested Rosenfelt is largely responsible for American's education laws and policies. "He is a lawyer who focuses on the right thing to do, rather than merely determining what is legal or not," former Education secretary Arne Duncan said. In 2014, the acting secretary helped ascertain schools will not bar immigrant students by coming up with a guidance release, according to NBC. The 74 Million reports this is not the first time Rosenfelt has served as acting Education secretary in between government transitions. Many rely on the lawyer for his "encyclopedic knowledge" of the Department of Education. Meanwhile, DeVos' nomination has moved one step closer to confirmation during a senate debate last Tuesday, US News reports. It's still unclear when the final debate will take place to determine DeVos' status. She will need at least 51 votes to sit as the new head of Education. Two mothers have forged a friendship in the most unexpected way. They found out they live close to each other in a small town in Lehi, Utah and have 4-year-old daughters. Their girls, however, have been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer in the blood and it's what has bonded them together. Mom Cora Morgan, 34, found out that her little girl Harper had ALL in November 2016. When mom Korinne Roberts, 30, learned about their predicament through a common friend, she reached out to Morgan because she knew just what she was going through, Today reports. Roberts' daughter Livvi was diagnosed with ALL in March 2016. "Korinne sent me a message that night asking what she could do to help and shared some of her experiences with Livvi," Morgan told the news outlet. Roberts would go on to tell Morgan how the first month after the diagnosis became the hardest but Morgan saw hope through her new friend who still had three other kids to raise. The girls would soon have treatments in the same clinic accompanied by their moms, according to WhoTV. So far, they are responding well to the medications and the maintenance programs but there still challenges ahead for both families. Roberts told Herald Extra that Livvi shut down socially after getting the diagnosis, in the same way that Harper hasn't been able to make friends in school. Going to clinics for treatments regularly isn't normal for a 4-year-old and the families had to make a complete lifestyle change as ALL makes the immune systems vulnerable to germs and virus. "Our biggest hurdle over the last 10 months has been to pull [Livvi's] personality out of her," Roberts said. But the moms are pleased the girls have each other and the families cope together despite the challenging situation. "She makes me feel like what I'm going through is somewhat normal, in a weird way," Morgan said of Roberts. "It's so nice to have someone understands you and has been through the exact same thing you are going through," Roberts said. ALL is a common cancer affecting children. It happens when the bone marrow produces more white blood cells called lymphocytes, according to the National Cancer Institute. Kids with ALL bruise easily and may frequently suffer from joint pains, weakness, fever and appetite loss. They might also have lumps and petechiae or dark red spots that can lead to bleeding. A shooting incident took place at the administrative headquarters of Boston Public Schools after a 15-year-old fired at another teen. No one was injured and the attacker was arrested. Patch reported the attacker was tackled and pinned down by the victim and the victim's mother. Building staff also took part in apprehending the suspect. Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said the first bullet fired was lodged in the ceiling of the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building. Aside from school-related offices, the building also has restaurants and other businesses. No other shots were fired because after the first shot was made, the gun no longer functioned. Details about the relationship between the two teens, whose identities were undisclosed, were not released and it was only stated the attacker is a male. The assailant was armed with a large, semi-automatic handgun from his backpack, which he pulled out during the verbal altercation. Evans noted in a statement that the teenager and his mother were walking down from the second floor of the aforementioned building. They crossed paths with the offender and words were exchanged. One of the building staff was able to kick the gun away after it fell on the ground. The staff was ordered to shelter in place. The administrative building was open to the community after the incident but they will be pursuing tighter security over the area, NBC News reported. The Police Commissioner added he has seen the attacker around and he believed the teens knew each. Evans also said he thinks gang activity might be a motive. "To think he's carrying a gun of that caliber around, it's a wake-up call," he told the press. The 15-year-old was arraigned in the Suffolk County Juvenile Court and was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, possessing ammunition without an FID card, possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number, assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm within a building. The bail was set at $250,000 and the teen is set to be back in court this Feb. 14. A couple from Minnesota was supposed to attend their first court appearance but they failed to show up in court. Prosecutors now believe that the parents of the 7-year-old are hiding off in New Zealand. The parents were identified as Sarah and Timothy Johnson. They have been charged with misdemeanor and child neglect for failing to get medical help for their son, Seth. The boy, who was adopted, died in March 2015. The Johnsons were supposed to go to their first court appearance in Hennepin County on Tuesday. Assistant Hennepin County Attorney John Halla said in a statement to Judge Gina Brandt that the couple moved to New Zealand even as arrest warrants have been issued to the couple. It is believed that they flew out of the country last week. As per the police report, Seth had an inflamed pancreas and was possibly infected.The Johnsons said that they "researched" on how to deal with the illness of their adopted son that is why they did not seek medical help, Fox News reported. Seth died of sepsis after suffering from pancreatitis. Medical examiners found Seth had bruising on his chest, cheek, buttocks, forearms, and lower abdomen. He also had large cuts on each of his heel and the medical examiners said it was consistent with signs of pressure ulcer. The boy was found on a mattress that had vomit stains on it. He was underweight and malnourished. The Johnsons claimed that their adopted son developed blisters and markings, barely ate and threw himself down the stairs then hit his head weeks before he died. The couple continued to claim Seth did not want to go to the hospital because he had issues with doctors, People reported. When they looked for a possible explanation of why their adopted son was acting as such and developed bruises, the diagnosis that turned up was post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. They also said that their son was diagnosed in the past with fetal alcohol syndrome and reactive attachment disorder. The couple decided to treat Seth with vitamins and medical honey. The 21-year-old missing Dartmouth College student was found dead near a river. The student has since been missing on Monday morning and his cause of death has been undetermined as of press time. Dartmouth College President Phil Hanlon said in an email to students and faculty members that the body was found on Tuesday. The student was identified as Adam Wright. The last time he was seen was on Monday just after midnight at the campus. In the email, Hanlon described Wright as a government major, a quiet soul and a good friend. He was the president of the Dickey Center student organization called the International Business Council. He was also a member of the Beta Alpha Omega fraternity and the Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering group, New Hampshire Union Leader reported. Police Chief Charles Dennis said that the body of Wright was found at around 9:57 a.m. near the shoreline of Connecticut River. A backpack was found along the river and a Dartmouth College employee reported this to the police. The cause of death of the Dartmouth student remains unknown. An autopsy is scheduled later this week. Foul play is not believed to be the cause of the death of the student and more details will be revealed once the investigation is concluded, New York Daily News reported. College counselors will be deployed at the Dartmouth College following this incident. The other departments that could be contacted are the Office of Counseling and Human Development, the deans, the College chaplain's office, and the Faculty-Employee Assistance Program. "I urge students, faculty, and staff who would like to speak to a counselor on their own behalf or out of concern for someone else to contact our available resources," Hanlon advised the community. Wright's family was informed of the body being found but they have not released any statement. His hometown was not reported by authorities. No statements from his friends were also released as to what they know about Wright days before he went missing. Silicon Valley CEO's are back at it again. They can't help it, they're addicted to hearing themselves spout off opinions that should be kept as private citizens or kept for private discussions to be diplomatic. In a loud letter to President Trump the letter begins by stating that "Since the country's birth, America has been the land of opportunity welcoming newcomers and giving them the chance to build families, careers, and businesses in the United States." How condescendingly stupid. Donald Trump's father was an immigrant. How stupid are these tech heads for thinking that the President of the USA doesn't know that first hand? The issue isn't randomly about stopping "immigrants" entering the country, it's about stopping an insane open door policy allowing immigrants in from dangerous countries with no ID to confirm who they are. But the Democrats believe that anything goes, anyone can can come to the USA and just stay in in a nice sanctuary city. They even invoke memories of the Holocaust, as if it applies to this situation. Who needs immigration laws anyways, right? Even if you're a terrorist who believes in Sharia law and female mutilation of millions of woman every year and who hate gays to the point of wanting to kill them. Who cares? Just open the flood gates because tech companies need workers even though 90% of them come from India and Asia in general. But who cares, just dump on Trump. Just start riots at Berkeley because left wing students don't like a speaker. What the heck, just accept all the Muslim rejects from Australia because Obama made a deal to do just that. What happened to diplomacy? President elect Trump was good enough to privately discuss matters with the tech community like a grown up and vows to fight for them against China's bully tactics. They're all going to get a huge tax break and a tax holiday, saving Apple some $69 billion dollars. But oh no, a 90 day program to create a new vetting process is just too much for these egotistic CEO's. They can't help themselves, they have to be societal superheroes. I know that most tech heads in California and Democrats in general have this warped view, but it's out of control. Just today the Democrats didn't even show up to vote on Trump's Environmental nominee. Didn't show up. Wow, what a lesson in chaos they're sending to the rest of the country and to rioting students. As long as Trump is President, laws don't apply until the Democrats are back in office and the borders are open again. How dare a President want to have borders. Is he crazy? Children of America listen up. If you don't like your teacher, write a letter to the principal and refuse to go to class until you win. Ya, that's life in the stupid lane in California, Chicago, New York and Washington. Great example guys. And Tim Cook, oh well, he just had to get his name on that letter today because darn, he's going to receive a new award for speaking out about everything. That's just what we love about an activist CEO. He's in great company with Congressman John Lewis who, contrary to the election results, doesn't believe Trump is a legitimate President. Unless a Democrat is in the Oval Office, Lewis has called Bush and Trump illegitimate. Who cares about the majority of the States who voted him in with a landslide? He's a civil rights leader and what he says goes. How do you get your kids to respect someone who thinks they're above the law and who thinks they're word is from on high because they walked in a protest in the sixties? We're now living in one of the most bizarre times in U.S. history where mob rules, where illegals can shoot and kill an American but be sheltered by Sanctuary city mayors. Where asshole music stars like Madonna wear a badge of honor for saying that she's thought of blowing up the White House. Yes, Cook and friends are real trail blazers into an America with no rules, no laws, no borders and rights for everyone including killers. Just remember to be kind, smile and everything bad will go away. And if not, just resort to bullying, rioting, endlessly protesting and writing letters to the press to annoy half of the country who don't happen to believe in their brand of politics in the name of their respective companies. They don't care that half their customers are not on board with their political beliefs. Who cares, they have the power and the money, so what are you going to do about it? But hey, they're the just ones. They're in the right. They say, write and proclaim that President Trump is like Hitler and yet they're the ones that are causing the chaos that we see on TV every night. They don't have a shred of tolerance. I keep pinching myself hoping that I'll wake up and laugh at just how real this nightmare seems to be. But it's not working. I thought Apple's CEO Tim Cook would stick to business, be a voice of reason and set an example with quiet diplomacy. How stupid of me. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. The Government of Karnataka today officially welcomed Apple's proposal to commence initial manufacturing operations in their city. Apple's intentions to manufacture in Bengaluru will foster a cutting edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state, which are critical for India to compete globally," an official release signed by Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge said. The officials stated that Apple's representatives, led by Priya Balasubramaniam, VP iPhone operations, Ali Khanafer (Head, Government Affairs), Dheeraj Chugh (Director, iPhone operations and Priyesh Povanna (Country Counsel) met Ministers and offficials of the Karnataka Government and had positive discussions about the initiatives in manufacturing and possible collaborations with state Government in other areas. The report further noted that iPhones would be manufactured in Bengaluru by Wistron, a Taiwanese OEM maker for Apple. Apple's decision on initial manufacturing in Bengaluru has further enhanced the city's reputation as the most preferred destination for foreign investment and further validation of State Government policies aimed at fostering manufacturing, innovation and investments in Karnataka, the press release said. The most important point made in the report is that Apple making their iPhones in India will help to lower iPhone pricing and help Apple be more competitive. Earlier this week the India Times published a report titled: "What's so special about Apple? Other Handset Makers ask Government." As expected the India Times simply became the mouthpiece for Apple's competitors to lower the argument to just manufacturing smartphones. What Apple has over local and foreign OEM device makers who only focus on making cheap phones for profit, is that they invest in the people of India. They hire their software engineers, they will open world class Apple Stores that hold the highest standards and are architecturally inspiring. Their stores bring world class device and enterprise training. Their iTunes Store will promote more Indian artists and eventually support Bollywood films and TV programming. Apple has already invested in a new maps development office in India creating 4,000 IT jobs, and opened a first-of-its-kind iOS app design center and development accelerator. Apple supports a Mac Lab at the G. Narayanamma Institute of Technology for Women and has another Developer Accelerator opening in Bengaluru later this year. Apple isn't like any other smartphone OEM in India and their Prime Minister (PM) knows that. India's PM understands the power of winning over top world brands around the globe to India could lead to winning others top brands. India doesn't want to be the dumping ground for class b manufacturers. They want their people to learn from the best so as to elevate and inspire their university students to stay in India. So to answer the India Times question as to why is Apple so special, this is why Apple is so special. And with Apple making huge investments in energy in China, Apple is likewise to replicate their efforts in India. You don't get that kind of investment from a dirt cheap smartphone OEM. So is Apple special? Yes dear sirs, very special. During Apple's Financial Conference Call on Tuesday, Apple's CEO Tim Cook, starting at the 39 minute mark of their audio replay, talked about Apple being in discussions with the government about opening Apple Stores and investing 'significantly' in India. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Last weekend hundreds of people were at DFW International Airport to protest Donald Trumps ban on travelers entering the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries (though not from other Muslim-majority countries where Trump owns hotels, but thats another rant for another day). Many of the protesters were Muslims. When the time came for early afternoon prayers, they found an open area in baggage claim, knelt in rows on the floor, and began their prayers. In the middle of a protest, some still with friends or family inexplicably detained by US Customs, they stopped for prayers. Why? Theyre Muslims, and praying at appointed times is what Muslims do. Not all Muslims, of course. I was in Turkey (another Muslim-majority country) in 2012 and business does not stop at prayer time. Saying all Muslims is as overly general and inaccurate as saying all Christians all Pagans or all anything else. But for these Muslims, their necessary and important work to help their families and co-religionists did not keep them from their religious devotions. Their religious devotions did not keep them from their work to make the world a better place. They did both. Its hard to pay attention to Otherworldly concerns when this-world concerns have you overwhelmed. Its hard to carve out time for prayer, meditation, offerings, and other devotion when youre trying to deal with fascists and theocrats on top of your obligations to your family, friends, and work. These needs are real, theyre immediate, and theyre strong. They demand our attention. My Facebook feed is full of news reports demanding outrage. Its full of friends who are channeling their outrage into action: marching, calling Congressional representatives, donating to the ACLU. Its full of warnings about the direction Trump and his minions are taking, some of which are overblown and some of which are quite accurate and therefore even more scary. We just passed Imbolc where were all the articles on Brighid? Where were the pictures of candles and milk? Where were the blog posts on the coming Spring? I only saw a few. I wrote one. As I write this, it ranks 14th in year-to-date traffic and Ive only written 13 posts this year (others are from previous years). When we stop celebrating our holy days and neglect our spiritual practices, we cut ourselves off from our Source. We lose touch with the land and with our Gods and ancestors at a time we need them the most. Most of us became Pagans because something in Paganism or witchcraft or polytheism spoke to us, brought us meaning, and brought us joy. A life with no room for your most cherished beliefs and practices isnt much of a life. Thankfully, I see some people who get this. I see people who are making extra offerings, performing extra devotions, and saying additional prayers. They built a solid foundation of practice in the years when they were hearing a storm is coming and now that the storm is here, that foundation is empowering them in their civic work. When the Gods say why isnt this done yet? They arent being petty tyrants. Theyre concerned that we dont yet have the institutions, practices, and relationships we need to get us through the storm. Better late than never. If you dont already have a daily spiritual practice, start one now. If you already have one, make sure you do it every day. If youre already doing it every day, consider adding something to it. If you miss a day, dont beat yourself up. Simply pick it up again the next day. Make time for the celebrations, social gatherings, and other activities that make your Pagan religion a joy as well as an obligation. For some of us, the need to stay focused on our spiritual work goes even deeper. The Veil Between the Worlds is shredded. The Otherworld is bleeding through in a way that hasnt been seen in 10,000 years. Some of us can see this. Some of us are getting hints, suggestions, and orders from Gods and ancestors. Others are still trying to figure out where they fit in, but they know this is work theyre called to do. Is the political turmoil the disease or is it the symptom? I suspect there are so many factors so deeply intertwined that separating cause from effect is damn near impossible. Many more are feeling this shift, but they dont have the context to understand what theyre feeling. Theyre coming to us because they have a need for magic, or they feel the call of a God, or theyre just looking for a community where their out-of-the-mainstream interests will be taken seriously. Some are looking to learn, while others are looking for someone to put them at ease and tell them everythings going to be OK. We must resist the urge to tell comfortable lies, even to ourselves. Especially to ourselves. The world is changing and its changing fast. These changes require activists and writers and engineers to help us adapt, but they also require witches and Druids and mystics. If you know what Im talking about, you have an obligation to use your skills to help our society or at least our tribe to find its way in this strange new world. As for me, Im called to ever-deeper communion with Gods and spirits. Im called to make formal alliances with some of them, and then to maintain and strengthen those alliances. Im called to make similar alliances with my this-world allies. This is what I must do, no matter whats going on in Washington or Austin or the other side of the world. I do not think Im the only one called to this work. You can call this UPG if you like, though its more rational speculation based on spiritual observation. It is not authoritative for anyone other than me, but I encourage you to give it your serious consideration. Life is always challenging. Life in these times is particularly challenging, especially for those of us who are awake. There are this-world concerns that require our urgent attention. But they must not be allowed to consume all our attention. Our spiritual practices, our devotions, and our holy day celebrations are a connection to our Source they need our attention too. Boeing's Iran deal in limbo after Trump ban 02/01/17 Source: Press TV The fate of a landmark deal for Boeing to sell 80 passenger aircraft to Iran has been thrown into doubt following President Donald Trump's executive order barring travel by Iranians to the US. Boeing announced a $16.6 billion agreement with the national carrier Iran Air in December, saying the orders were on course to support nearly 100,000 new jobs in the United States. The deal, however, has already run into opposition in the Republican-run Congress and Trump's travel ban further makes it impossible for pilots, cabin staff and maintenance crews to enter the US for training. And given the kind of people who have gathered around Trump - from 13 pro-Israeli politicians in his administration to anti-Iran aides - the agreement might be headed for his chopping block. "We think the president's travel ban could have negative implications for orders from Iran and Iraq," James Corridore, an aerospace analyst at CFRA Research, has been quoted as saying. Boeing issued a statement Monday in response to media inquiries. "We're continuing to assess any impact the executive order might have and are closely monitoring congressional, administration and judicial actions," a spokesman said. Deputy Transport Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan has warned that Iran would seek return of "prepayments with interest" if the Boeing deal were thwarted by Trump's administration. The aircraft have to be delivered over 10 years, beginning in 2018. The agreement includes orders for 50 narrow-body 737 passenger jets and 30 wide-body 777 aircraft. Boeing has said the deal was reached under the conditions of a US government license issued in September. While the value of the contract has been put at $16.6 billion, Fakhrieh Kashan has said it may be worth only half that given the type of orders and the specifications Iran has chosen. Iran, a country of 80 million people, is a critical market for Boeing which is in the midst of cost-cutting in its commercial aircraft division and facing tough competition from Airbus. Airbus has a deal with Iran Air for the delivery of 98 aircraft, including 46 single-aisle airplanes and 52 wide-body jets, worth about $8.4 billion. It rushed to deliver the first airplane to Iran in January, making the deal a fait accompli. According to vice president with industry consulting firm Avitas Adam Pilarski, Airbus was smart. "They immediately delivered a plane, so it's hard to step back," he was quoted as saying Tuesday. The first of the airliners, a brand new 189-seater of the A321 type, flew into Tehran last month. On Tuesday, Iran's Transport Minister Abbas Akhundi said two more Airbus aircraft will join the Iranian fleet in the next four weeks. On Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault traveled to Tehran with a trade delegation to assure Iran of Europe's support for better relations. He said a deal between ATR with Iran Air for the sale of at least 20 turboprop aircraft was "practically sealed." As for Boeing, Pilarski said the travel ban could be bypassed and waivers granted if the Trump administration chose to let the group sell airplanes to Iran but he saw it unlikely. "During the election campaign, Trump and a number of people close to him said they hate the Iran nuclear deal," said Pilarksi. "A number of his military advisers have been strongly anti-Iran." Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst with the Teal Group, was even more alarmist, saying he believed Trump might reinstate the sanctions the US agreed to lift under a nuclear deal with Iran in January 2016. "My assumption has been they are going to re-impose sanctions, so it's probably dead anyway," he said. America Polarized and in Turmoil: United, we must take back our country from the ultra-supremacists in the White House 02/01/17 By David N. Rahni - New York, 31 January 2017 Among the executive orders signed by President Donald J. Trump this past Friday, there is the enhancing "national security and border control," that has led to massive demonstrations and much controversy. No patriotic American, native or naturalized, could argue against the meritorious notion of enhancing our national security, immigration and border control. However, while most Americans are committed to inclusivity and blind justice, Trump and his dwindling number of supporters want to block Muslims by using a religious litmus test for entry and immigration to the US. Trump has in essence trumpeted a message in opposition to our nation's ideals, while trampling over the trampoline of the U.S. Constitution. Such a hastily but deliberately ideological executive order, which was a pledge made during his campaign, has thus far halted from seven countries, the arrival of [Muslim] refugees vetted for up to three years overseas, permanent residents and those family members qualified for repatriations who have waited anxiously for over 20 years, international students, researchers, artists and especially graduate and post-doctoral fellows, and immigrants of exceptional capabilities to whom our R&D, technology transfer and business competiveness so crucially depend on, as well as business and tourist travelers already vetted for months and with valid visas are also caught in limbo. There are reports of hundreds of such preauthorized passengers including many Iranians, held incommunicado and in substandard and isolated small jail cells for days if not soon to be weeks at the airports, until arrangements are made for their home return at their own cost. The world is witnessing conscientious ordinary Americans and politicians such as Senator Schumer, and the Statue of Liberty in tears, and whilst the latter still struggles to symbolize the very essence of welcoming immigrants and puritans, irrespective of their national origin, creed, religion, race or ethnicity, all that is now in egregious jeopardy. Equally excruciating is that Trump's seemingly self-serving motives to boost his financial global conglomerates through such actions has and continues make the nation unsafe; it is also eroding the safety, security, employability, advancement, social and professional mobility, and equal opportunity of the nearly 50 million multi-generational naturalized Americans; this includes some perceived as Muslims with exotic names and accents, including their U.S. born children. Talking somberly around their dinner tables, many are seriously contemplating uprooting again to emigrate to a third country. Deja vu all over again, let us remember the happiest man on earth-after the financial Chaotic collapse of the financial sector in 2008-was Trump who scooped up an immense amount of junk bonds and foreclosed real estate worldwide. As millions of American citizenry are showing sympathy through massive demonstrations, civil disobedience and political actions, petition drives and contacting their members of Congress, many consider Trump's action on the immigration ban to be unconstitutional, illegal, immoral, unethical, unjust, and un-American. Trump's directive is tantamount to shaking the very foundation of this otherwise still great nation of immigrants. Hence, those opposed to Trump demand a complete reversal of this order and a formal apology to the nation and the world if not by Trump himself, then through concerted resolution by the judicial and legislatives branches of the government. The opportunist media apprentice tycoon-turned-politician Donald Trump, after having captured worldwide attention through his bellicose and theatrical rhetoric for nearly two years, forced himself into power by perpetuating a tumultuously polarizing divide. To achieve his ulterior motives, he provoked mostly white Americans in the rural heartland to cast their votes for him at an unprecedented rate, since they had by and large related to his ultra-nationalist slogans and felt dismissed to the sidelines since the civil and EE/EO rights and acts had afforded minorities much progress for the past five decades. Many of these Americans, presumably among the most evangelical Christian fundamentalists, also felt their rights and socio-economic and entitlement privileges and their job prospects were eliminated, outsourced or moved elsewhere. They blamed their miseries on the Democratic Party and the former Obama administration claiming the previous administrations shifted away resources to urban metropolises and minorities, 50 million naturalized Americans and their U.S. born children, and to even 11 million illegal immigrants. Hence, despite having been married twice to Eastern European foreign nationals, and as a second generation American deeply rooted in German ultra-supremacy fascist pedigree that conjures up Hitler's Third Reich and his atrocities inflicted against humanity while the world silent majority then remained ambivalent, Trump triumphed to the top. Trump has mysteriously had no thorough scrutiny by the mesmerized media only interested in increasing their popularity ratings. In the meantime, the Democratic Party leadership that had over time become self-absorbed, shifting away to the right of the political spectrum and as they had become more elitist, took their increasingly disillusioned constituency base for granted. All in all, one does not have to be a neuro-psycho-pharmacologist or a trained psychiatrist to recognize Trump's xenophobic, misogynistic, anti-immigrant, self-righteous and megalomaniac bigotry, that is evident to most people not only in the U.S. but also globally. Out of the 325 million Americans, 200 million were eligible to vote; however, 129 million actually voted, 63 million for Trump, and 66 million for Clinton. So, Trump grabbed a mere 20% of the U.S. ballots cast. Riding on a naive populism wave choreographed covertly by the KKK, the Russian operatives and the like, Trump further exploited the otherwise legitimate concern of safeguarding the homeland from terrorism by singling out the 1.5 billion world citizens labeled as Muslims, especially those from the seven countries just declared banned from entering the U.S. Some believe the main reason he only chose these seven countries is because he or his super rich lackeys have no major business base in any of the seven countries, but would very much like to acquire it when such nations or their governments are weakened or overthrown. Paradoxically, according to numerous independent reports and American government analyses, and as typified by Cato Institute, one of the most conservative think tanks in the nation, the number of Americans killed by any terrorist from one of these seven banned countries since 1975, that is over forty years, is ZERO. The number of Americans killed by terrorists especially from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt alone amounts to nearly 5,000; however, Trump will not undermine these theocratic and undemocratic governments because he and his royal exclusive club members are the primary stakeholders of wealth and power in these countries. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out why Trump, despite his pompous rhetoric to "Make America Great Again," does not go after Saudi Arabia or its satellite cronies in the region, as he must protect the easy flow of cheap oil, and banking and military manufacturing enterprise sales for his club members. The perplexing fact that most September 11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian nationals remains immaterial to Trump's alternative facts and his alike minded supremacists. Who could with a reasonable state of mind devise a blanket policy to presume the entire population of a few countries, be it Saudi Arabia or one of the seven, as guilty and with no rights for self-defense for proving their innocence?! The Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 makes it unconstitutional to question an immigrant's religious beliefs. So, the executive order by Trump has been deemed unconstitutional, illegal, immoral, unethical, unjust and as a whole un-American. More concerning is when Trump instigates such a divide, the safety, security, sustenance, career opportunities and advancement of 50 million plus naturalized American citizens, permanent residents, and their U.S. born children, are egregiously undermined. This particularly applies to those perceived as Muslim, which includes Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists, originating from south and Southwest Asia or North Africa. The sheer fact that such highly vibrant, well-educated, legally observant and affluent immigrant communities contribute several trillion dollars annually toward the U.S. economy is not even acknowledged. The sheer fact that immigrants especially from the so-called Muslim countries, by a disproportionately higher than national average, are playing pivotal roles in higher education, the arts and culture, business and R&D, remains under the radar. U.S. competitiveness in science and technology, trade and education could be blithely undermined. The sheer fact that immigrants, especially those originating from the so-called Islamic countries, have the lowest crime rates in the US and western countries is dodged by Trump and the media. Trump's tactic of fabricating alternative facts to create fear to divide may give him a temporary advantage but that will not last. This nation, due to its checks and balances does have a sound mechanism to serve justice. People have massively signed increasing numbers of petitions, reached out to their congress members and senators, written government departments, submitted letters and op-eds to papers and media, and mass organized. In retrospect, one must ask Trump and his crony associates whether or not there were any refugees from the Middle East before the American preemptive invasions and military occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan, and hegemonic meddling in Yemen, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and Pakistan. And what dividends for U.S. citizenry, let alone for the natives in that region of the world, can we possibly present after we have thus far spent trillions of dollars in middle class tax payers' money, lost many thousands of American soldiers, generated millions of veterans who returned home with chronic physical or mental ailments, and inflicted hundreds of thousand deaths and millions displaced in the region? Take, as an example, the one million Americans of Iranian heritage in the U.S., a highly diverse ethno-religious community comprised of secular and non-practicing Muslims as well as practicing Shiites, Sunnis, and Sufis, Armenian and Assyrian Christians, Baha'i, Jewish and Zoroastrian faiths. Most left their native country in 1979, when the government changed, in the hopes of ensuring a far better and more certain future for their children. Their college education and household income is double the national average, their contributions toward national domestic product is quadruple the national average, but their crime rate is less than one-hundredth the national average. All in all, up to five million people of Iranian ancestry reside in diaspora. How many more times do they have to make another move to ensure the country they adopt is indeed the ultimate Promised Land? Most if not all learn, however, that such ill-conceived and frankly deliberate policy of antagonizing, marginalizing or alienating our naturalized citizens is short lived and will be ameliorated immediately. Yes, indeed, let us continue upholding the promise of freedom, liberty, equality, justice for our beloved country, the United States of America. My wife and I arrived in the U.S. in the late 1970's as graduate students. Finding ourselves among then 50,000 Iranian students in the U.S., we were immediately placed against the wall for mug shots and finger printing by immigration officers amidst the Hostage crisis. As a naturalized American based on employment, we have been vetted repeatedly. We have remained model citizens with not even a misdemeanor, while we have proudly reciprocated to our adopted county through our multifaceted contribution in teaching, scholarship and advancement of the society, while raising three beautiful children each with their own advanced degrees. When we left Iran, my mother in her late 30's had not one single grey hair. When we returned home 20 years later, she had not a single brown hair left. My parents are now in their 80's, despite trying many times to come to visit us for a short period to see their three U.S. born grandchildren, were repeatedly denied entry visas. Did we not watch in despair the Iranian grandmother who was kept in jail like a criminal at LAX for up to 20 hours with no water, food or toilet access? Notwithstanding, still in broken English on CNN she stated, "I always LOVE the American people!" Moving fast forward, we have personally felt numerous denials of equal opportunity, despite our over-qualifications for employment or career advancement especially in the Federal government, presumably due to our country of origin. In fact, on two specific occasions, when I was declared as the only finalist for key senior executive positions within the federal government, I was only offered a provisional clearance, as the OPM stated the likelihood of granting the highest permanent security clearance due to my country of birth, was rather low. Adding insult to injury and in reciprocity, the government of Iran has now declared a ban on Americans including the one million with ties to Iran, which has essentially caught families in limbo across the oceans. The internationally acclaimed producer Asghar Farhadi and the lead actors of the movie the Salesman nominated for his second Oscar, have opted out to attend the Oscar night next month. Iranians worldwide are gravely concerned and dissolutioned with the US policy on this matter. Among dozens of top Iranian American CEOs, Dara Khosrowshahi has shared his personal ordeal when he arrived in the U.S. as a refugee. Yes, the Iranian-Americans have endured so much pain form both the U.S. and Iranian governments, however, Trump administration has taken it to an all-time low. The current Trump executive order has only further exacerbated the plights and terms of endearment of millions of Americans like us. Did Trump not know he was unleashing extreme rightwing tugs and vigilantes to inflict heinous crimes and terrorist acts against ordinary naturalized Americans and as typified by the mosque attack that led to the killing of six and the injuring of eight innocent human beings? He most absolutely knew what the myriad ramification of his actions were, nonetheless, he pushed forward. Personally, I have not practiced any religion and am more of an ecumenical, universal spiritual humanist; however, as Lady Secretary Madeline Albright so compassionately put it: "I declare to be a Muslim" if Trump's belligerent interagency leads to witch hunting, profiling, Muslim registry and concentration camps like the Japanese in WWII, we also stand in solidarity and comradery with all ordinary Muslims worldwide. Yes indeed, we would have been proudly Jewish in Germany Trump's motherland at WWII holocaust, as we have stood in solidarity throughout our lives with the Cambodians, Vietnamese, and Rwandans when they were persecuted, denied of their legitimate rights, or inflicted with genocides. And yes indeed, today WE STAND UP with, and defend the Muslims, especially in the United States of America. About the author: As a naturalized American for nearly four decades and born in Tehran Iran, Rahni's roots are in secular Islam with distinct family lineage in Armenian Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrian heritage of not the distant historical past. As a professor of analytical chemistry, he has researched and prolifically written on advances in clinical, environmental, forensic, nano-engineering, biosensors, neuro-psycho-pharmacology and biological psychiatry. He regularly gives invited lectures and presides over national symposia as typified by "the latest advances in Homeland Security, and on Forensic Analysis." He maintains family and cultural ties with his country of birth Iran, and endeavors to help bridge all peoples harmoniously through their common heritage, family aspirations, to ehance justice and peace. As a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar, he has represented the U.S. in Denmark, and his visiting professorships in Oxford, Rome and Florence have remained most fulfilling. There are five members in his immediate family, each with a doctorate as professors or healthcare professionals, including three U.S. born children. It's Time To Talk About The Iran Nuclear Deal 02/02/17 By Carl Schreck, RFE/RL WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump has long portrayed himself as a consummate deal maker, an image he made central to his presidential campaign. That reputation could face a stern test if he pursues one of his proposals: renegotiating the Iran nuclear deal. Iranian daily Kaenat: "Moscow will convince Trump to stay with nuclear agreement" Trump has sent mixed messages on how he would handle the accord between Iran and major world powers that lifted some sanctions on Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. At times, he said he would "renegotiate" what he described on the campaign trail as "one of the worst deals we have ever made." At other times, he said he would "dismantle" it. Scrapping the deal altogether would almost certainly alienate European allies and trigger retaliation from Iran, possibly including ramping up both its contentious nuclear program and its projection of regional power. But any bid to renegotiate the accord would be fraught with those same risks, experts say. "No Iranian politician would be in a situation to accept a deal that is worse for Iran and better for the United States," Ali Vaez, a senior Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group, tells RFE/RL. "Already, the current agreement has many opponents -- many powerful opponents -- inside Iran, and I think no Iranian politician is in a position to take a step that would basically humiliate them internally and turn into a poison pill for them," he adds. Bilateral Deal As Helga Schmid, the secretary-general of the EU's foreign policy service, noted recently, the deal hammered out over many years between Tehran and the P5+1 group of powers (the United States, Britain, China, France, and Russia, plus Germany) "is a multilateral agreement that cannot be renegotiated bilaterally." Thus, Vaez says, any effort by Trump to renegotiate would likely be a bilateral process between Washington and Iran, the results of which -- if any -- would then serve as an addendum to the main deal. During Trump's presidential campaign, one of Trump's foreign policy advisers highlighted the potential bilateral nature of any renegotiation effort. "He is going to revise it after negotiating one-on-one with Iran or with a series of allies," Walid Phares said in a July interview with the Daily Caller, adding that Trump would not implement the deal "as is." Getting Iran to come to the table, however, appears to be a tall order for the moment. "Renegotiation is out of the question," Iranian President Hassan Rohani said on January 17, adding that the deal "isn't something where one person elected can say, 'I don't like it.'" Sanctions Trump could use sanctions to pressure Iran to negotiate, including by imposing new punitive measures or reversing executive orders used by former President Barack Obama to lift some sanctions on Tehran in order to comply with the nuclear deal. Such a move, however, would likely stiffen Iran's resistance to new talks, says Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "Why would Iran agree to renegotiate a deal with a party -- the United States -- that would have just violated the last deal? They would have little reason to do so," Fitzpatrick tells RFE/RL. If the current deal is torn up, Iran's nuclear program "would resume in a new manner that would shock Washington," the country's nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying recently. If the Trump administration were to unilaterally restore sanctions that were lifted under the Iran deal and, as a result, penalize foreign parties for doing business with Iran, it could cause a rupture between Washington and its allies in Europe and around the world who "wouldn't want to go along," Fitzpatrick said. Economic Incentives Besides the threat of new or revived sanctions, Trump could offer economic incentives in exchange for further concessions from Iran, including longer-term limits on Tehran's enrichment of uranium beyond 5 percent or the ability to reprocess plutonium, Vaez of the International Crisis Group says. To secure such concessions, the Trump administration could dangle access to the U.S. financial system, which Iran continues to be denied and was not a condition of the nuclear accord. Iran has complained that it is not benefiting fully from the deal due to U.S. sanctions outside the scope of the nuclear deal and related to Washington's concerns over issues such as terrorism and human rights. "That is the leverage that the U.S. currently has, and I think the Iranians have already realized that without access to the U.S. financial system, they will have many difficulties for conducting trade," Vaez says. Such leverage could be deployed to seek nonnuclear concessions as well, including greater cooperation from Iran in ensuring a cease-fire and political transition in Syria or helping to end the war in Yemen, where Iran is backing the Houthi rebels that captured the country's capital in 2014, Vaez adds. Fitzpatrick says Trump could use the opportunity to boost American business as well, noting the president's earlier complaints that the deal has not benefited U.S. companies. The exception is Boeing, which reached a $16 billion deal with Iran thanks to an aerospace industry condition in the accord. "One of the big cards...is to remove the sanctions that prohibit U.S. businesses from entering into the Iran market," Fitzpatrick says. "There's a lot more potential for such American business, and I can think that somebody like (former ExxonMobil CEO and Trump's nominee for secretary of state) Rex Tillerson would go along with that." A More Durable Deal Trump's picks for top national security posts so far have resisted calling for the Iran deal to be scrapped. In his Senate confirmation hearing, Tillerson called for a "full review" of the accord. New CIA chief Mike Pompeo was a fierce opponent of the deal while in Congress, but in his Senate hearing stressed the importance of "aggressive" verification that Tehran is complying with the terms of the accord. Meanwhile, new Defense Secretary James Mattis said in his hearing that the landmark deal was flawed but must be upheld. That doesn't mean there aren't targeted punishments that Trump or Congress could mete out. In an op-ed last month, former U.S. Senator and vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mark Wallace argued that deficiencies in the Iran deal could be rectified by "securing an agreement with Iran to verifiably curb its regional aggression, state sponsorship of terrorism, and domestic repression of human rights." "In exchange, Iran could be given broad-based sanctions relief and even normalization of relations," they argued. The former officials, both of whom opposed the accord, suggested punishing Iran for noncompliance with measures such as designating the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization and backing legislation that would impose further U.S. sanctions related to Iran's ballistic-missile program. Vaez of the International Crisis Group says the ongoing tension between Tehran and Washington is the most significant factor contributing to the fragile state of the nuclear deal, but that a deal between the Trump administration and Iran could make the accord stronger and "more durable." Washington, however, would have to be prepared to offer attractive concessions and not rely exclusively the threat of sanctions, Fitzpatrick says. While sanctions contributed to Iran's eagerness to secure a deal, the Islamic republic did not fully commit until Washington made a "major concession" by allowing some uranium enrichment. "It was a combination of sanctions and of mutual compromise that produced the deal," Fitzpatrick says. "Sanctions alone didn't bring about the last deal, and I don't think would have brought it about -- and I don't think would bring about a future deal." Copyright (c) 2017 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org Trump: Iran is 'On Notice' After Missile Launch 02/02/17 By Jeff Seldin, VOA WHITE HOUSE - U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has been "formally put on notice" for its ballistic missile launch. His message came during a series of tweets in which he also continued his condemnation of the agreement that the U.S. and five other world powers reached to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile.Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Trump said Iran should be "thankful" for the agreement, and that the country was "ready to collapse" before the billions of dollars were unfrozen. Agreement wasn't meant to make Iran "thankful to the US" - it was intended to peacefully rollback Iran's nuclear program, which it did. https://t.co/VAkfctg3Z7 Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) February 1, 2017 Alt facts: Iran deal not between "Iran and Obama Admin" and "UN"- it's USA, Russia, China, UK, Germany, France, EU and Iran - backed by UNSC https://t.co/VAkfctg3Z7 Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) February 1, 2017 The nuclear deal came in response to allegation Iran was working to develop weapons, which Iran denied, and required Iran to limit its enrichment of uranium and convert several of its nuclear facilities to other uses. On Wednesday, it was Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn who condemned the missile launch, declaring it "just the latest in a series of incidents" in which Iran has threatened the U.S. and its regional allies over the past six months. He said leaders in Tehran were emboldened to take such action now because the nuclear agreement is "weak and ineffective," and because the other nations involved in the agreement failed to take action to rein in Iran's military ambitions. During a briefing at the White House, Flynn accused former President Barack Obama and other members of his administration of not being tough enough on Tehran. "The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran's malign actions - including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms," Flynn said. "The Trump administration condemns such actions by Iran that undermine security, prosperity and stability throughout and beyond the Middle East and place American lives at risk." Flynn added, "As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice." He did not explain his comment further, and threaten any specific action against Tehran. Iran, Yemen Late Wednesday, senior White House officials said Iran's ballistic missile launch and its support for Houthi rebels in Yemen are provocative, are destabilizing the region and are threatening multiple countries, including U.S. allies. The officials said the United States will respond "appropriately." Asked what kind of action the U.S. might take, the officials would only say they have a large range of options available. However, senior White House officials said the Iranian missile launch and a possible U.S. response are separate from the Iran nuclear deal, and that the White House is not accusing Iran of violating the original agreement. Ian Lustick, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, told VOA that the U.S. has to be careful in dealing with Iran's actions, citing as an example that Iran could make things worse for the 6,000 U.S. soldiers who are in Iraq. "The majority of the population in Iraq is Shia and sympathetic in one way or another to Iran. There are very large and powerful militias in Iraq that are commanded by and trained by the Iranians. Those are some of the best fighting units that have had success against ISIS." A U.S. advocacy group, United Against Nuclear Iran, said international businesses are confused and uncertain about Iran's behavior and the American government's reaction. David Ibsen, UANI's president, said it has discouraged its contacts from trying to establish new deals with Iran. In an interview with VOA Persian, Ibsen said companies are asking whether Iranian missile tests will result in a re-imposition of financial sanctions on Tehran. "They also ask, if a company has dual-national citizens (in Iran), will they be kidnapped or held incommunicado by the Iranian regime? Will they be doing business with front entities for the regime or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps? All these risks are very real, and companies have taken our warnings to heart," Ibsen said. Consultations Wednesday's pronouncement from the White House came after lengthy consultations with key U.S. officials, through what is often described as the interagency process. Some officials with knowledge of the discussions described Iran's actions as provocative, but still largely in line with Tehran's behavior over the past several months. "It is hard to know what the administration has in mind," said a former senior official in the Obama administration familiar with the Iran nuclear deal negotiations. "Of course we should be concerned about Iran's missile activity," the official said. "The U.S. has robust bilateral sanctions that are missile-related which we should absolutely enforce." Iran confirmed Wednesday that it carried out a missile launch Sunday, but said this did not violate the nuclear agreement by six world powers and Tehran in 2015. U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, adopted after the nuclear deal was reached , called on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles, but it did not specifically ban such activity. Shahir Shahidsaless, an Iranian-Canadian political analyst, told VOA Persian Wednesday that the resolution's lack of an explicit ban on ballistic missile activity is problematic for Washington. "The United States cannot rely on this resolution to condemn Iran at the U.N. Security Council, and for the same reason, Russia and China will not cooperate with the U.S. on this," Shahidsaless said. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, denounced Iran's missile launch as "absolutely unacceptable" during a Security Council meeting Tuesday, and said the Trump administration will not turn a "blind eye" to such actions. Britain's U.N. envoy, Matthew Rycroft, echoed Haley's concerns. "There was very significant concern about the ballistic missile launch." He said the January 29 launch was "inconsistent" with Resolution 2231. Iran's U.N. mission issued a statement reiterating Tehran's position that "Security Council Resolution 2231 does not prohibit legitimate and conventional missile activities." VOA Persian NewsHour host Guita Aryan contributed to this report. About the author: Jeff Seldin works out of VOA's Washington headquarters and is national security correspondent. You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @jseldin or on Google Plus. mSecure password manager review TechRadar Pro Updated In our mSecure password manager review, we take an in-depth look at this password manager to help you decide if its the most secure way to handle your sensitive data. Installing Linux on a laptop is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to adoption of the OS. After all, taking a perfectly good PC, nuking Windows, and replacing it with an unfamiliar OS can seem a lot like performing open-heart surgery to an inexperienced user. When you take into account that there are precious few laptops with Linux preinstalled, its no wonder that desktop Linux adoption numbers are so grim. (There are other reasons too, but I wont go into those here.) One of the few laptops to come correct with a Linux OS is Dells XPS 13 Developer Edition. I got a chance to benchmark the 2015 model a few months ago, and really enjoyed playing with the little ultrabook. Physically, its virtually identical to the consumer version of the XPS 13, only it came loaded with Ubuntu 14.04. Flash forward, and Dell has updated its Developer Edition with Intels Kaby Lake CPU and Ubuntu 16.04. I have to say, theres not much to dislike about the revamp. (If youre curious, Gordon Ung put a Core i5-equipped Windows model of the 2016 XPS 13 through its paces, too.) Hardware changes The move to Intels Kaby Lake line of CPUs is the most notable hardware change in the new XPS 13. The model I tested came with an i7-7500U, which out of the box offers a 500MHz jump in base frequency over the i7-6560U Skylake-based CPU in the previous model, and 300MHz more in turbo frequency, while staying at a cool 15W of TDP (or thermal output). Whats interesting to note is that you get this extra power at the high-end with extra efficiency. Alex Campbell When the CPU isnt under heavy load, its able to pull back on the throttle to save power. (This is called configurable TDP-down.) Using this technology, the 6560U in the previous model could be set to sip power with a TDP of 9.5W. The 7500U in the new model goes down even further to 7.5W, netting 2W of efficiency. The other big hardware shift worth noting is the move away from Intels Wi-Fi to Qualcomms. The previous model had an Intel 8260 wireless card, for good reason: Intels Wi-Fi implementations have been well-supported in the Linux kernel for some time. And thats no small thing. Wireless hardware support on Linux was still a headache as recently as 2014 (and a target of ridicule from Windows users I know), which made hardware (read: laptop) selection a big deal back then. Seeing as the older XPS 13 model shipped with Ubuntu 14.04 and the 3.19 kernel, the Intel wireless card made sense. Note that both of the Kaby Lake entries are the same machine. The one to the left was tested with an encrypted filesystem. The new XPS 13 ships with Ubuntu 16.04 and the 4.4 kernel. The Linux 4.4 kernel has better support for the ath10k driver, which opened more choices for Dell, hence Qualcomms Atheros QCA6174. Unless youre getting a really exotic laptop, theres a very good chance that any laptop you buy has either a Qualcomm or Intel Wireless chip in it. Improved support for newer Qualcomm hardware means that Linux users can feel a lot more confident in their choices of wireless hardware. Benchmarks When it came time to test the new XPS 13, I opened up Phoronix Test Suite to run the same tests I did with the 2015 machine. In just about every test, the Kaby Lake model outperformed its Skylake-based sibling, as should be expected given the extra 300MHz it has to work with in its turbo range. An overview of the benchmarks that were run. Note that the third and fourth columns are the same machine, but the third column represents the XPS 13 with its storage encrypted. I was most surprised by its performance in Unigine Heaven, which tests game-like graphics rendering. (For the record, 3DMark is DirectX-based and wont run natively in Linux.) The XPS 13 is not billed as a gaming PC, and only managed 8.1 frames per second on average in my testing. As bad as that sounds, thats about 2.3 frames per second faster than the older model. Whats surprising here is that the i7-7500Us integrated graphics are inferior to the i7-6560Us on paper. (The 7500U has HD Graphics 620, while the 6560U has Iris Graphics 540.) I also noticed that the actual render quality of the 7500U had fewer errors and looked a lot better. Unigine Heaven performance in frames per second. In more mainstream computing tasks, the updated XPS 13 did very well. While playing (decoding) H.264 video, the new XPS 13 had slightly less CPU utilization than the previous model. When encoding, the two CPUs performed about the same. In number-crunching tests, the Kaby Lake CPU showed some really good numbers. The laptop compressed a 2GB file with Gzip about 12.7 percent (around 2 seconds) faster than the previous model. Compiling the Linux kernel and encoding a WAV file to FLAC was 12 percent (about 30 seconds) and 25 percent (about 1.9 seconds) faster, respectively. Gzip compression completion time in seconds. FLAC encoding time in seconds. Linux kernel compilation time. I ran a basic battery rundown test as well by playing a 1080p H.264 file on a loop with VLC. On the first run, I left the brightness at full (about 400 nits). Even with the screen pushing out photons at full power and the Wi-Fi enabled, the battery held out for 321 minutes (about 5 hours, 21 minutes)nothing special, but long enough for a flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta. I ran the same test again with PowerTop installed and the screen brightness reduced by half (about 200 nits), which yielded 392 minutes (about 6 hours, 32 minutes), or an additional hour of time. At 200 nits, the screen is still plenty bright, and could be usable at even lower settings. You can get yet longer life by enabling screen dimming and other power-saving options if you like, but I turned off those options for testing. (Its a bit pointless to run a movie on loop with the screen dimmed or turned off.) I also had to keep the Wi-Fi radio up and running for the test, which was run by having another PC ping the XPS 13 until its IP became unreachable. Conclusion One of the great things about Linux is that you can run it on old hardware. But that doesnt mean Linux users cant have great new PCs too. The Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition is a fantastic little PC that is a joy to work on, and is designed to run Linux. If youve wanted a Linux laptop but cant stand fighting with unsupported hardware, the XPS 13 is the best (dare I say, only?) Linux laptop youll find from a mainstream manufacturer. While the Skylake-based XPS 13 from a couple years ago is still a great PC, the 2016 model offers a little more efficiency and power in the same package. This article has been updated to include results from a battery run-down test with power-saving settings enabled and reduced screen brightness. Carriers are starting to look more like cloud companies, turning to standard hardware, virtualization and machine learning for rapid development of new services. AT&T helped drive that trend on Wednesday by releasing ECOMP, the operating system of its software-defined network, as open source through the Linux Foundation. Like Linux, ECOMP will become a codebase that many different companies and developers potentially even AT&Ts rivals collectively create and define into the future. AT&T is evolving from a traditional carrier with a limited menu of services to an agile service provider that can quickly adapt to customers needs and constantly tune its own systems for reliability and performance. Its virtualized, software-defined network, among the first of its kind at a telecommunications carrier, is the engine driving that change. The big data that the company collects about the use of its network helps it to improve the network and add features, AT&T says. At an event in San Francisco on Wednesday, AT&T introduced the latest version of the network, which it calls Indigo. Going from hard-wired to software-based networks can help enterprises as well as the carriers that sell them services. AT&Ts FlexWare systems, introduced last year, pare down the equipment needed at a business customers site from several separate boxes, like routers, firewalls and load-balancers, to one standard x86-based system the size of a pizza box. Network functions become pure software, so the customer can swap out one flavor for another. Its also possible to spin up and take down the resources for a special event like a virtual-reality meeting on the fly, said Chris Rice, senior vice president of AT&T Labs. AT&T isnt alone. Orange, the multinational carrier based in France, already uses software-defined networking with commercial components. It thinks ECOMP is the most mature platform for achieving agility and savings, said Laurent Leboucher, vice president APIs and digital ecosystems at Orange. The company is evaluating ECOMP in a trial at Orange Poland, Using ECOMP only makes sense if it is open source, Leboucher said in an interview Wednesday. Like giant webscale companies, AT&T sees a role for big data and machine learning to constantly improve its services. Artificial intelligence systems can sense and analyze problems and eventually learn to predict and prevent them. Someday customers will never need to call a support line, said Mazin Gilbert, vice president of advanced technology at AT&T Labs. The carrier is also strengthening security and privacy in the network with new authentication and encryption tools, Rice said. Partners, like companies and agencies involved in a smart-city initiative, might do more if they could combine their data, but without strong authentication they dont consider it safe, he said. One possible authentication tool AT&T brought up at Wednesdays event was Hyperledger, a blockchain project of the Linux Foundation. AT&T is releasing ECOMP under an Apache 2 license. Its essentially the framework for a catalog of services, but doesnt include AT&Ts own services or policies, Rice said. Jury deliberations got underway Wednesday in the trial of a man accused of gunning down his alleged crime partner a decade ago at a busy Moreno Valley restaurant because the victim was cooperating with authorities in an investigation. Edgar Alvarez, 37, could face life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of the 2006 slaying of 49-year-old Pedro Emeon Hernandez. Alvarez is charged with first-degree murder and a special-circumstance allegation of murdering a witness to a crime. The defendant, the victim and a third man, Francisco Vasquez, allegedly were engaged in a drug-related money-laundering operation involving tens of thousands of dollars and had all gone to Chicago in October 2006 for a transaction monitored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Agents arrested them, and while in custody, Hernandez agreed to speak with investigators, providing extensive information about Edgar Alvarez and his drug-dealing enterprise, Deputy District Attorney Sam Shouka wrote in a trial brief. The Cook County District Attorneys Office in Illinois filed charges against Hernandez and Vasquez but did not immediately charge Alvarez, who posted bail within a couple of days. Hernandezs statements to investigators were videotaped, and prosecutors turned that evidence over to an attorney for Vasquez, who shared it with Alvarez, according to Shouka. According to the prosecution, Alvarez became incensed upon learning that Hernandez had cooperated with law enforcement. Both men lived in Moreno Valley, where Hernandez owned the Pearl Seafood Restaurant and Bar at 24175 Hemlock Ave. Shouka alleges that on the night of Dec. 29, 2006, Alvarez went to the establishment, wearing a Santa Claus hat and wielding a 9mm handgun. As Hernandez was setting up a table, Alvarez quickly approached from behind and opened fire, striking the victim multiple times, even continuing to fire after Hernandez had collapsed onto the floor, the prosecutor alleged. An estimated 100 people were in the restaurant. Several waitresses, as well as patrons, recognized Alvarez, who fled to a getaway vehicle parked out front, racing away minutes before the first sheriffs deputies arrived, according to the prosecutor. Hernandez died at the scene. Alvarez allegedly hid out in Mexico for several years, slipping in and out of the U.S. at least once, and lived in Las Vegas and possibly the Nashville, Tenn., area, according to the FBI. He was captured by federal agents in Coral Gables, Fla., in February 2013 and is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. A Riverside woman has been charged in the kidnapping and death of a Corona man on Thanksgiving Day 2015, as well as the kidnapping and robbery of another person a year later. Dimantria James, 44 whose criminal record includes the vehicular manslaughter of a 5-year-old was charged in the 2015 murder case partly thanks to wiretap evidence collected while she was in jail in the 2016 kidnapping case. Riverside police suspect that James kidnapped 27-year-old Giovanni Rodriguez of Corona and stole his cellphone on Nov. 26, 2015. She was driving at high speed near Kansas Avenue and 12th Street when Rodriguez either jumped out of her car or was pushed out investigators still are not sure and suffered fatal injuries. His head trauma was so severe that police initially believed he had been shot to death, but an autopsy confirmed he suffered blunt-force trauma, said Officer Ryan Railsback, a Riverside police spokesman. Whether Rodriguez jumped or was pushed, said Railsback, James is still culpable for causing his death. Railsback said police dont know the circumstances that led to Rodriguez being in James car. In September 2016, James was arrested and charged with committing a kidnapping and robbery that had occurred earlier that month. In December, while James was still in jail, the complaint was amended to include charges of murder and kidnapping in the Rodriguez case. Railsback said detectives collected information while James was in custody that led to the additional charges. Court records show that a wiretap operation had been approved. Riverside County District Attorneys Office spokesman John Hall said that although the two incidents are being charged together as one case, they are not related. Court records show that James has a long criminal history in Riverside County. In 2000, she was sentenced to six years in prison for striking and killing a 5-year-old girl in Riversides Fairmount Park while under the influence of cocaine and marijuana, then fleeing the scene. She surrendered the next day. She has been convicted of other crimes since serving that sentence, court records show, including prostitution and drug crimes. After decades under state rule, an 8.5-mile section of the 74 between I-15 in Lake Elsinore and the western border of Perris could transition to local control within about six weeks. The county Board of Supervisors voted this week to accept control of its portion a 7-mile segment between Lake Elsinore and Perris. That came after the Lake Elsinore City Council voted Jan. 24 to take on the 1.5-mile length in the city between I-15 and its eastern border with the county. Perris already has control of its share of the 74. Riverside County Transportation Director Patricia Romo said she expects the transfers to be approved at the California Transportation Commissions meeting March 15-16 in Los Angeles. The actions have the blessings of Caltrans, which has promised to give the county $5.8 million and Lake Elsinore $2.2 million for assuming maintenance and liability costs. Romo said the county plans to continue calling its section the 74 to avoid confusion. Lake Elsinore labels its part Central Avenue. RELATED How Lake Elsinore, Riverside County may take control of Highway 74 The only change (to the county) is that instead of Caltrans being responsible for the maintenance and liability of the road, everything gets transferred to the county, Romo said. The payoff to the local agencies, however, is that future alterations in the right-of-way will go through their review processes without Caltrans red tape. The biggest benefit for homeowners and businesses along 74 who want to put in paved or concrete driveways, or curbs or sidewalks, or even fire hydrants, is they wont have to go through a multiyear process in order to do that, County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries said. Jeffries District 1 encompasses the rural communities of Meadowbrook and Good Hope, which are along the 74. While there arent major developments underway in the corridor, Jeffries said the county is launching a review of the areas land-use potential. Were working with landowners and residents to consolidate commercial zoning and to consolidate residential zoning to make it easier for property owners to develop their properties, he said. Were trying to set the stage for the revitalization of that corridor. The 74 is a 101.5-mile scenic route that runs between Palm Desert in eastern Riverside County and I-5 in San Juan Capistrano. The part known as Ortega Highway from Lake Elsinore to I-5 is temporarily closed to through traffic because of storm damage on the Orange County side. Contact the writer: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@scng.com We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White Children. Thats the mission statement for Western Hammerskins, new Nazi group in Menifee. It isnt Islamophobia when they really are trying to kill you! Thats the message youll find at the website for Bare Naked Islam, based in Marina del Rey; the words appear over an image of a burning skull and a mosque. Take our country back! Its a slogan youll read at the site for Nation of Islam, a national group with chapters in Compton and Rialto. These are just some of the 30 Southern California organizations listed on the latest edition of the Hate Map, an annual product of the Southern Poverty Law Center. The 2015 Hate Map (a new one is due next month) lists 892 groups nationally, including 68 in California, making our state No. 2, behind Texas, which tops the list with 84 hate groups. Nearly half of the California groups are based in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. Some groups arent, technically, groups; instead, they are entities that have just one member. Others are bigger, with hundreds of members and budgets that run into many millions of dollars. All share the label of hate, which, like accused pedophile, can be tough to impossible to shake. Theyre also part of a growth industry. The 2015 Hate Map is nearly 14 percent bigger than the 2014 map. The Southern Poverty Law Center has been tracking the numbers since 1999, the year before the 2000 Census told the world that Caucasians would lose their majority status in the United States by 2040. Hate Map data over the years have tracked the ebb and flow of these groups. The numbers spiked, for example, after that 2000 Census. They spiked again in 2009, after the United States elected its first African-American president. By 2014, the Hate Map was at its lowest point in nearly 10 years. Now, its growing again. Who says so Ryan Lenz is spokesman for the Southern Poverty Law Center and, as such, he speaks for a group that wields a heavy club. We specifically look at organizations that attack, demonize and rob individuals of their right to equality for an immutable characteristic like race, religion, national origin or sexual orientation, Lenz said. Such organizations may be nonprofits, informal groups or even clubs. All, according to Lenz, are evaluated for what they do, not only for what they say or think. If its a couple of guys getting lunch and talking about the Jewish problem, we dont count that, Lenz said. We only count groups of people that have a physical presence in the community. The researchers make recommendations, and final decisions are made in the upper echelons of the (Southern Poverty Law Center), he added. While the current Hate Map shows that parts of Texas and Florida are crowded with such groups, Southern California has a gamut of entities that are deemed hateful white supremacists, black separatists, groups that deny or minimize the Holocaust, and those that are perceived as against Muslims or Islam, immigrants or the LGBT community. A majority of these groups did not respond to emails or phone calls seeking comment. Those that did often said the label is unfair. They simply list everyone who disagrees with them, said Evelyn Miller, treasurer of the Huntington Beach-based National Coalition for Immigration Reform (NCIR), which is listed as an anti-immigrant hate group on the 2015 Hate Map. Still, Miller insists she doesnt care about being on the list and neither do the 200 or so paid members of her coalition. She said her group is only opposed to illegal immigration, not legal immigration though she also believes legal immigration should be curbed, saying the influx of immigrants at this time is too much. We are opposed to birthright citizenship and, definitely, birth tourism, Miller said. President Donald Trump, who was saluted by a hate group in Washington, D.C., shortly after his election and has been endorsed by well-known white supremacist David Duke, is jumping headfirst into the immigration issue. Last week he signed executive orders that he hopes will lead to the construction of a wall along the southern border and make it tougher for most undocumented residents to stay in this country. He is said to be weighing the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, an Obama-era executive order that, as of now, protects about 750,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. We enthusiastically support Donald Trump for his policies on immigration, Miller said. The label The Hate Map is both well regarded and widely controversial. This kind of data is particularly crucial at a time when we are seeing significant spikes in hate crime in Los Angeles County and statewide, said Robin Toma, executive director of the Los Angeles Commission on Human Relations. Los Angeles saw a 24 percent spike in hate crimes in 2015. Similar increases were seen in Orange and Riverside counties. Toma said the Southern Poverty Law Center provides valuable information about what types of organizations are out there and what kinds of hate activity are happening. But, he added, a lot of hate activity in this region is not connected to hate groups. So, theres more to it. Not everyone agrees with the Southern Poverty Law Centers methodology, including some who are pursuing similar goals. It just isnt helpful, said Rabbi Peter Levi, spokesman for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in Orange County. And thats because most extremists arent involved with groups, with the internet and social media being such big factors. Also, he said, most hate groups dont have staying power. Being listed on the Hate Map can be beneficial to their marketing. Members fight among themselves, and the group splinters or dissolves, Levi said. Weve found that social media harassment, for example, of Jewish people by white supremacists, and trolling, has been far more horrific than what is happening on the ground. Jewish harassment is a staple of American hate groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center defines Holocaust denial as either entirely denying the genocide of 6 million Jews by the Nazis in World War II or minimizing its extent. Its not a distant issue. The Institute for Historical Review, with an office in Fountain Valley and a bookstore in Newport Beach, is listed on the Hate Map under the category Holocaust Denial. The Southern Poverty Law Center website says: These groups (and individuals) often cloak themselves in the sober language of serious scholarship, call themselves historical revisionists instead of deniers, and accuse their critics of trying to squelch open-minded inquiries into historical truth. The director of the Institute for Historical Review, Mark Weber, said his organization does not deny that the Holocaust took place and called the groups listing on the Hate Map unfair. To be called a hate group is not a flattering thing, Weber said. I dont like it either. How do you call anyone a hate group without an objective standard? And how do you prove that you are not a hater? Its impossible to defend yourself against such an accusation. When an organization blacklists a group, it is essentially silencing voices of dissension, Weber said. Part of the effectiveness of (the Southern Poverty Law Center) is they mix people for whom no one could have sympathy with others whose views merit being heard, he said. There is also a real danger in judging the actions of people in the past by the prevailing standards of the present, because these standards keep changing. For example, calling an organization a hate group because its members believe marriage should be between a man and a woman, is unfair, Weber said. Setting up conflicts? Laura Kanter, director of policy, advocacy and youth services at the LGBT Center OC in Santa Ana, noted that Traditional Values Coalition, listed as an anti-LGBT hate group, is in neighboring Anaheim. I cant do anything about them, she said. They are going to continue to do what theyre going to do. But knowledge is power. And its good to know we have these groups in our own backyard. Kanter said LGBT activists in Orange County have tried to expose businesses that support organizations like Traditional Values Coalition, whose revenue dropped from $7.9 million in 2013 to $4.1 million in 2014, according to its tax filings. About three years ago, we protested Chick-fil-A because they were donating to such organizations, she said. Its good to make people aware of the type of businesses they are supporting and where their money goes. Several hate groups that target the LGBT community hide behind Christian names, or the idea of family values, and the Hate Map helps expose some of those organizations, Kanter said. Our goal is going to be to find out where these groups are, what theyre doing, and how we can get in their way and make it harder for them to do what theyre doing, she said. Erroll Southers, former FBI special agent and director of USCs Homegrown Violent Extremism Studies program, said the Hate Map and, generally, the Southern Poverty Law Center do a good job of reporting fluctuations in the number of hate groups. That, to me, shows a certain degree of honesty in data collection, he said. To some, the Hate Map is less shocking than it is a reminder of the need to work together. We need to reach out to these hate groups, said Arbazz Mohammed of Sahaba Initiative, a San Bernardino-based group that works to build relationships among people of differing faiths throughout the Inland Empire. They might be doing this because they are powerless, marginalized and are feeling ignored. We need to talk to one another, he said. Mohammed added that the current polarization of Americans based on politics and culture isnt productive. When we cut off ties with our neighbors or community members because they think or act differently, the vicious cycle of hate continues. We need to stop that. And the only way is to stop screaming at one another and start building bridges. Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@scng.com Hemet Unified School District will celebrate the diversity of cultures and backgrounds of its students during the Culture Fest from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at the Santa Fe Education Center. Formerly known as the Posada, the event has been changed from the Mexican celebration of the history of Christmas to reflect all cultures. Students in the SAFE after school program created pinatas representing different countries that will be raffled off. Attendees will see student performances from Hemet Highs Hip Hop Team, San Jacintos Folkloric Group, Hemet High cheerleaders and Tahquitzs jazz band. Individual schools will have booths and food will be available for sale at the event at a 831 E. Devonshire Ave. Contact the writer: 951-368-9086 cshultz@scng.comTwitter: @PE_CraigShultz For those who maintain the Lincoln Memorial Shrine in Redlands, February marks the most wonderful time of the year. Lincoln season kicks off Saturday with two events the 78th annual Lincoln Pilgrimage and 45th shrine open house highlighting the life and legacy of the nations 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. The celebration continues on Feb. 12, Lincolns birthday, with the 2017 Lincoln Dinner hosted by the Watchorn Lincoln Memorial Association. Dan Bernstein: A columnists first-time visit to the Lincoln Memorial Shrine The life and times of Abraham Lincoln, in my view, continues to speak to new generations of Americans, said Don McCue, director of the shrine. We see President (Barack) Obama, who just left office, and President (George W.) Bush before him have both cited Abraham Lincoln as a hero and someone they sought guidance from when they were facing the tough issues during their presidency. Saturdays festivities begin with the pilgrimage at 10 a.m. Organized by the California Inland Empire Council Boy Scouts of America, the event begins near Redlands High School at Citrus Avenue and University Street and heads to Smiley Park for remarks from organizers and a Lincoln re-enactor presenting remarks written and later delivered by the politician. Following the presentation, Boy Scouts will enter the shrine and place a wreath at the foot of a bust of Lincoln. The tribute signals the start of the next event, the shrines open house, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There, guests can view the museums latest exhibit featuring a new timeline highlighting the life and times of Lincoln, as well as pieces related to the history of slavery and its role in the Civil War. The shrine also will display a memorial to Ewart Watchorns service during World War I. Watchorn, who died after the war, was the son of Robert and Alma Watchorn, who created the museum in his memory, said Nathan Gonzales, the sites curator. The museum is the only one of its kind west of the Mississippi River. Aside from the unveiling of new artifacts, the open house includes artillery demonstrations by the 1st Pennsylvania Light Artillery, members of the 7th Michigan Volunteer cavalry on horseback, a display of Civil War surgery instruments and the reciting of the Gettysburg Address by Lincoln presenter Robert Broski. About 800 to 900 people attended the 2016 open house, Gonzales said, but the hope is to draw larger crowds with each subsequent event. I wouldnt be surprised, given the interest in Lincoln, if more people are going to come, he said. Tickets to the Feb. 12 Lincoln Dinner are still available. The dinner, celebrating its 85th year, takes place in the Orton Center at the University of Redlands, 1200 E. Colton Ave. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Dinner follows at 6:30 p.m. Historian Catherine Clinton, author of Mrs. Lincoln: A Life, is the keynote speaker. Her talk, The Loss of Lincoln, will examine the assassination of Lincoln and how the nation and his family mourned his loss, according to a news release. Dinner tickets are $47 for Lincoln Memorial Association members and $57 for the general public. Reservations may be made by sending an email to heritage@akspl.org or by calling 909-798-7632. Additional information on all three events may also be found by calling 909-798-7636. The Lincoln Shrine is at 125 W. Vine St., and is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Tours for groups of 12 or more can be accommodated by reservation only. To learn more, go to lincolnshrine.org. Contact the writer: khernandez@scng.comTwitter: @TheFactsKris A man was in a Murrieta business holding a machete Tuesday night, Jan. 31, requiring Murrieta police officers to use a bean bag gun and a Taser to subdue him. Shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, police received several calls about a man who was holding a large knife outside of business in the 25300 block of Madison Avenue, according to a Murrieta police news release. One caller said the man was not talking to anyone as he loitered in front of the business, according to officials. Police say that one business employee was able to get himself and a customer inside the location and secure the store to avoid any sort of harm. Not long after, police say they received a call that the man had entered one of the businesses and was refusing to leave. Officers made contact with the man and asked him to drop the machete. The male refused to drop the weapon and demanded the officer shoot and kill him, the release said. More officers arrived, closed off the area and tried to negotiate with the man. When that failed, the officers employed the bean bag gun as well as a Taser electronic control device, according to the release. Police say the man then dropped the weapon and was taken to the hospital for minor injuries from the devices. It was later determined that the man needed a mental health evaluation, police say. They say he was taken to the Riverside County Mental Health Facility for treatment. Contact the writer: 951-368-9693, agroves@scng.com or @AlexDGroves on Twitter. A group of Afghan women huddled around classroom desks, connecting flashcards with English words as they tried to form complete sentences. The women mixed pronouns such as I and you with verbs such as want and to eat. The women are refugees who meet twice a week in the back property of Riversides Palm Baptist Church to study English. Their language classes began about two years ago when Selin Yildiz Nielsen and Sherry MacKay, who met while teaching at UCR Extension Professional Studies, realized there was a lack of resources available for refugees in the Inland area. Nielsen and MacKay were compelled to act when a photo of a drowned Syrian toddler on a Turkish beach made international headlines in 2105. Out of that emerged their nonprofit group, Glocally Connected. For Nielsen, the women who are studying English counter President Donald Trumps portrayal of refugees. The classes include women from Syria and Afghanistan. While running for president, Trump said Syrian refugees were linked to Islamic State, and he vowed to deport the thousands of Syrian refugees living here. Trump on Friday signed an executive order temporarily banning all immigration of citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries, including Syria. Nielsen, who has assisted teachers in Syrian refugee camps in Turkey, said refugee women here just want to adapt to U.S. life. Theyre all very grateful, and they want to be a part of this society and this community, Nielsen said. A student named Khatira (she said she didnt have a last name in Afghanistan) now can speak English comfortably after attending the classes. She said she had to study hard and watch a lot of U.S. movies. She has been here more than two years and said she wants to teach in the United States. Khatira was a teacher back home, but the Taliban have restricted education, especially for women. When I came here, I didnt speak English. Now I do homework with my daughter, she said. The Riverside-based group is not religiously affiliated but meets at the space donated by the church. Its powered by volunteers who provide transportation and child care. About 18 refugees from Afghanistan and Syria attend the classes. Along with teaching English, the organization works to connect refugees with potential employers. It also hosts discussions at universities and congregations to help dispel negative refugee stereotypes. When people are isolated and afraid of each other, theyre going to have fear, Nielsen said. Because fear comes from the unknown, once you break that barrier, once you bring people together, they will for sure have things in common. They began their classes with mostly Afghan refugee women who were granted visas to immigrate to the United States because many of their husbands were employed by the U.S. military in Afghanistan. However, in the past few months, a number of Syrian refugees have joined the class as more are settling in the Inland area, fleeing a civil war that has forced more than 4 million people out of the country. Many Syrian refugees who have resettled in Southern California have done so in San Diego, Anaheim and Los Angeles regions where there are more refugee enclaves and nonprofit groups assisting them with social services. Nielsen and MacKay, however, said more are starting to settle in Inland cities because the cost of living is too high in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The resources for refugees in the Inland area still are lacking. In Orange County, for example, organizations such as Access California Services and World Relief Garden Grove provide English as a second language training, job counseling and home visits. World Relief, which is part of an international organization, has provided services in Orange County since 1979. At first it helped Vietnamese refugees resettle in central Orange County, making up what is now known as Little Saigon. Now they are seeing refugees from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Syria. Immigrants love to assimilate into American society, and teaching the English language is an excellent way to welcome them into the community, said Glen Peterson, office director for World Relief Garden Grove. Nielsen and MacKay are always on the lookout for refugees who may need their help. A big component of the organization involves making connections with community leaders as they seek to find refugees who may be in need of their services. The classes are English, but its really them getting together as a community, learning from each other, MacKay said. A number of their students already have moved on to adult school education. Some also have gained the confidence to get a drivers license. Theyre really encouraging each other, MacKay said. They say, We need to not be afraid and get out there and talk to American people. Its been really wonderful, MacKay said. RELATED Presidnt Trumps refugee executive order shakes up nonprofit groups Do you support Trumps new travel and refugee restrictions? Muslim leader urges support for Californias Syrian refugees Contact the writer: 951-368-9462, amolina@scng.com, or on Twitter @alemolina The Minority in parliament has dismissed claims by the Vice President that the immediate past government did not account for a GHC7 billion expenditure drawn from state coffers between 2014 and 2016. At a press conference Wednesday, the Minority says the GHC7 billion expenditure is captured in a special government data system at the Finance Ministry which Dr Mahamudu Bawumia should be aware of. The NDC MPs were reacting to claims by Dr Bawumia that the nearly four-weeks old government could not find GHC7billion. "As we interrogated the data to see exactly why our public finances are in the state they are, we found that there is GHC7 billion of expenditure that has not been disclosed," he revealed government's findings whilst preparing the 2017 budget. He wondered why data for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 fiscal years given the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not complete. "Where have they [GHC7 billion] been hiding all these years?" he quizzed the audience. But addressing a press conference in Accra, former Deputy Finance Minister Ato Forson says the expenditures were captured under a new financial management system called the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (GIFMIX) which the current government does not understand. He says previously, it took three to six months for government expenditures to appear on government database as arrears that the state should pay. But under GIFMIX, expenditures are captured immediately, hence the GHC7 billion figure. More soon... Source: myjoyonline.com 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. Featured Video The University of Ghana is one of the finest higher educational institutions of excellence in Africa. The universitys environment undoubtedly constitute one of the most beautiful communities in Ghana: excellent infrastructure, spatially classic navigations, greenery and serene breezes, and envious sanitary views, are, but only a few attributes of the wonderful environment of the Premier University which many of us boast of, and continue to attract many excellent candidates all over the world. The significance of this decent environment and how it positively influences the attitudes and lifestyles of members of the university community is amazing. As opined by one product of the Premier University: it is always difficult to litter around indiscriminately after you spend a full semester on campus and you are back in town, though, that seems to be the normal practice. Yes! That is positive and this is how it should be. The university has a responsibility to positively influence our orientations; how we see things and approach them. It is in this spirit, that I want to bring to the notice of my cherished University of Ghana that filth is speedily arresting her beautiful community; dumpsites are gradually becoming the cornerstones on which the Golden City is pillared on. This is a serious matter of concern, especially for the purposes of environmental welfare and the image of the university. During my last observational visit across the boundaries of our cherished university to confirm my interest in this matter, the observed conditions were indeed sorrowful. At the western territory, where the university shares a boundary with Papao local community, I observed a huge public dumpsite heaping-up on the universitys land. What makes the situation more worrisome is the fact that the dumpsite is situated along the main walking path, used on daily basis by many workers and students from the Papao community to, and from the university. Many residents, including the Assemblyman of Papao whom I interacted with, expressed concerns and worries about the development. There was a common notion among the residents, pointing to the fact that because the land belongs to the University of Ghana, it has become difficult for any individual to stand against this wrongful development though they believe it may lead to an outbreak of contagious diseases. The situation was no different at the northern and eastern borders of the university. At the northern lane; from Emefa Jewelries, through TF hostels to Atomic Junction, more than eighteen (18) mini-dumpsites were observed. Similarly, passengers and pedestrians who use the Madina-Accra road keep complaining about an unpleasant odour which has come to stay at a point between the universitys main entrance and Okponglo junction in the eastern territory of the university. These and many other petty environmentally damaging scenes found around the nations hope and glorious university, are considered to have strong tendency to form a ruinous image about our prideful university. One may be tempted to say that these unfortunate developments are happening outside the universitys main premise and that the institution has managed to keep its campus so well that it can be considered among the most environmentally decent communities in the Ghanaian society. While the premise of this argument is true, it is not enough justification to pardon the university over negative environmental developments happening around the institution, especially when these developments are befalling on the universitys owned lands. It is important to acknowledge that the exterior part of the university is the first point of contact, hence informs peoples judgment about the university; as the saying goes first impression counts. It is, therefore important for the university to respond to these unfortunate developments to avert any possible image crisis they may pose. With strong concerns, we appeal to the authorities of the university to find a swift approach which goes beyond staging No Refuse Dump Here sign-posts, or stationing of university guards as a way to address these problems. In line with this, the university as a beacon of technology and innovation can liaise with these communities to develop waste management system in order to turn these wastes into usable commodities. An attempt of this kind or any other appropriate measure will bring greater benefit to the university and the surrounding communities. We believe that the university has an equal responsibility to positively influence its external communities as it has done to members of the university community. Hence, if society is found to approach the university with its problems, it is more appropriate that the university devises solutions to permanently solve them rather than to drive away these problems. I hereby look forward to seeing the University of Ghana support her surrounding communities to solve their environmental and sanitation problems. In this regards, we shall all be proud to say that the World Class University is indeed here for all. Source: Ronny Agyei Yeboah Executive Director, (Centre for Environmental Research and Policy Analysis)/[email protected] 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. Featured Video Telecommunication giant, Vodafone Ghana has taken its health foundation programme Healthfest to Mamprobi and its environs over the weekend, which was aimed treating various ailments for free. The one day event which was an annual programme and the first for this year saw beneficiaries going through various health screenings for treatment and medication from the makeshift pharmacy shop that was erected at the Mamprobi police station park in Accra. Mr Ebenezer Amankwah, Corporate Relations Manager, Vodafone Ghana noted in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that the event, done annually, was to give back to society and the less privileged who could not afford to have check-ups regularly and the opportunity to access free healthcare. As we do every year, we go to every region in the calendar year to deliver basic medical care to those who cannot afford. We guarantee the people that once they come here to access our health facilities created here, they get to access the basic needs that health care can give at any point in time at no cost at all. Mr Amankwah added that the screening and health checks do not end only for the day but if there is the need for a referral for one to go to a regional hospital or for additional attention the Healthfest does it. This gives that first line of health careHealthfest is really about giving back to Ghanaians and making sure that we are contributing to healthcare delivery in Ghana. Today we are taking people through test like Hepatitis B, hypertension, HIV, Malaria, Diabetesthere is also a stand for ultra sound scan for pregnant women. Healthfest is a holistic structure to provide basic healthcare to Ghanaians. The concerted effort from Vodafone Ghana at touching the lifes of people saw over 500 beneficiaries. Source: Peacefmonline.com 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. Featured Video The designated Minister of Communications has been quoted in the Ghanaian media to have said this during her vetting in Parliament: My priority now is looking for the financing to power the network that has been the infrastructure put in place, and then subsequent to that, we can think about looking for additional funding for the set-up boxes which will enable those who have analog TV sets watch the new digital transmission; so once we solve all these problems, then we can stick to the September 2017 timeline, but if need be, we may have to extend it. When we still have a challenge financing stable power supply, building the public schools to provide the education our children need, grappling a humongous debt that prevents us from building the infrastructure to push development, why take on financing digital migration also? In my humble opinion, and yes, as an investor in the system, our challenged government treasury must not be used to acquire set top boxes and the like. Government cannot buy set top boxes or digital television sets for all Ghanaians. We now have pension funds in Ghana to provide long term capital if the rules are revised to deal with such wants within the private sector. To the incoming Minister, I say, engage the private sector and let the market fill the void. Only the best and cost-effective solutions should prevail in the end. The new administration should spend its time on those matters that fall in the "need" category. Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom Source: ATV 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. Featured Video The founder and Presiding Bishop of the Lighthouse Chapel International in Ghana, pastor Dag Heward-Mills has caused massive controversy in South Africa over a sermon on homosexuality. Bishop Heward-Mills who was preaching at a well-known church in Soweto, the Grace Bible Church described homosexual as unnatural and unbiblical. You dont find two male dogs, two male cats, or two male lionseven lizards, two male elephants, there is nothing like that in nature, it is unnatural, yes, there is nothing like that. But his sermon angered a popular South African choreographer and radio personality Somizi Mhlongo who is also a known homosexual. He stormed out of the service and later posted a video on Instagram saying he wasnt going to sit there and be offended. The video has been viewed more than 62,000 times and has attracted almost 1,000 comments. Mr Mhlongo said the congregation had been cheering as the Ghanaian pastor said homosexuality was sinful and disgusting. This is who I am. I am a gay man. Get it into your skull. My soul is all right with my God. Im disappointed at all the gay men and women who sat there and listened to him offending us and didnt do anything about it. I walked out and visibly so, Mr. Mhlongo said. 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. Featured Video A Cambodia court has sentenced a 22-year-old Thai woman to life imprisonment for trafficking 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine from the United Arab Emirates. Amphawan Kaewkanlaya claimed she was tricked into carrying the drugs by her Nigerian boyfriend's older brother. She was also fined 60 million riel (about 535,000 baht). Police found packages of cocaine, totaling 2.5kg, hidden in boxes of Lindt chocolates in her luggage. "The court has decided to give her a life sentence and a fine of 60 million riel to be put in the national budget," Phnom Penh Municipal Court presiding judge Heng Kessaror said in passing judgement on Thursday, January 5th. "The court orders the confiscation of the drugs seized and other drug-related material to be destroyed," he added. Amphawan said she would appeal the judgement and maintained she was innocent. During her trial last month she said she was unaware the package she accepted from her boyfriends brother, the boxes of Swiss chocolates, during her visit to the UAE contained drugs."It is so unjust for me. I will consider my appeal of the judgment to the Appeal Court,"she said. During her trial last month, Amphawan said she traveled from Thailand to Dubai in March to visit her Nigerian boyfriend, Uche, and his family there. Her boyfriend had paid for her airline tickets, visa, food and accommodation, she said. Before returning home last month, she was given the boxes of Lindt chocolates by Uches older brother, whose name she could not recall. He had asked her to take the chocolates to a friend of his in Cambodia.She said she became aware the hidden drugs only when she was detained at Phnom Penh International Airport and police inspected the boxes. Police seized 2,594 grammes of cocaine and charged her with transporting an illicit drug, possession and trafficking. Source: Khmer Times 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. Featured Video Businessman-cum-politician, Papa Kwesi Nduom, has raised red flag over Communications minister designates plan to use state resources to fund set-top boxes for Ghanaians in the digital television migration this year. Ghana is expected to migrate from analogue to Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting by September 2017 to among others, ensure that broadcasting services are protected from interference and for improved services. At her vetting Wednesday, Communications minister-designate, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, told the Appointments Committee of Parliament that she intends to look for funds for set-top boxes to enable those with analog TV sets in the country watch digital transmission. My priority now is looking for the financing to power the network that has been the infrastructure put in place, and then subsequent to that, we can think about looking for additional funding for the set-top boxes which will enable those who have analog TV sets watch the new digital transmission; so once we solve all these problems, then we can stick to the September 2017 timeline, but if need be, we may have to extend it, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said. But Dr Nduom who is the founder of the Progressive Peoples Party and a media owner, has raised concerns about the minister-designates plan to fund TV set-top boxes for Ghanaians from the scarce public finance. In my humble opinion, and yes, as an investor in the system, our challenged government treasury must not be used to acquire set top boxes and the like, he wrote on his Facebook wall Wednesday. He added: Government cannot buy set top boxes or digital television sets for all Ghanaians. We now have pension funds in Ghana to provide long term capital if the rules are revised to deal with such wants within the private sector,. Dr Nduom has consequently urged the minister-designate to engage the private sector with the view to letting the market fill the void. Only the best and cost-effective solutions should prevail in the end. The new administration should spend its time on those matters that fall in the need category, he advised the Akufo-Addo government which took the governance of the country on January 7, 2017. Source: 3news.com 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. Featured Video Popular gospel artiste, Anita Afriyie, has revealed that organizers of the annual Vodafone Ghana Music Awards VGMA, asked his management team to pay an amount of 10,000 before they will award her. Weeks ago, the PRO for Charter House and VGMA, George Quaye, made a rather unprofessional statement that gospel artistes have been making frantic efforts to bribe some members on the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) board. Speaking to Ghanacreativearts.com on the issue, Anita Afriyie hinted that in 2015 when she was nominated in just two categories, her management approached the organizers to question them on why she got only two nominations and they were asked to allegedly pay bribe - in order to win the two categories that she was nominated in. My management was told that other people are paying better money and investing in the awards so if we want to win or get more nominations, then we should invest more in it Anita Afriyie alleged. According to the Kumasi based musician, she suspects because her management refused to pay, that is why she did not receive any award that year. She then put it to George Quaye to name the artiste who paid the bribe to him or Charter House. Source: Ghana Creativearts 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. Featured Video Music duo, Reggie N Bollie were dropped from Simon Cowells Syco Music contrary to their claim of deciding to go independent. The Sun reports the duo couldnt meet expectations and were let go. Reggie N Bollie were huge hits on the show which is why they reached the final and very nearly won but after they left the show, excitement for them dwindled and they struggled to turn their support into record sales. They have worked really hard for the last year but their relationship with Syco didnt work out and they wanted different things. Their music was very poppy and chart-focused but now they want to focus on a different style. It isnt the end for them though as they plan on continuing to make music as a duo. reports the UK tabloid. The publication also spoke to a Syco spokeserson who had this to say: Reggie N Bollie are no longer working with us. We wish the guys the best of luck for the future. 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. Featured Video Despite yesterdays news that Malcolm Turnbull was on the receiving end of a savage slam dunk from Donald Trump over the refugee deal established with the US under Barack Obama, the word is that the deal itself is actually still on. Australian refugee deal is going through, Spicer confirms, even though Trump is extremely upset with it. It will have extreme vetting Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) February 2, 2017 The deal, which would have transferred 1,250 asylum seekers from Manus Island and Nauru to the US, was always going to be problematic if Donald Trump won. The vibe of proceedings is that Trump hates the deal, but is likely to accept the general thrust of it on the assumption he can extract something from Australia down the track. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was quizzed about the deal in todays White House press briefing, where he stressed that Trump respects Turnbull but does not like this deal one bit: The president is unbelievably disappointed in the previous administrations deal that was made and how poorly it was crafted and the threat to national security it put the United States on. The deal that was cut by the previous administration is something he is extremely, extremely upset with. He does not like it but out of respect for [Turnbull], hes going to allow that process, continue to study it. Heres video: Spicer says Pres. Trump has tremendous respect for Australian PM, but is unbelievably disappointed with previous refugee deal pic.twitter.com/0qV6sqf0KX CBS News (@CBSNews) February 2, 2017 Of course, Spicers claim that the deal will proceed with extreme vetting is questionable, with the vetting likely to be designed to be so severe that few if any will qualify for entry and residence in the United States. Christopher Pyne appeared on Today this morning to make basically the same claim that the deal is going ahead. He would say that, though. Spare your thoughts for the people who are really suffering here: the refugees on Manus and Nauru, who have gone through unimaginable strife and abuse to receive this faint glimmer of hope. Turnbull? He can cop a roasting. Source: Mediaite. Photo: Getty Images / Joe Raedle. Dylan Voller, the teenaged Northern Territory detainee at the centre of the Don Dale Detention Centre abuse scandal and subsequent Royal Commission, has successfully applied for bail and could secure release from jail as early as Monday. The Northern Territory Supreme Court granted Voller bail after considering his allegations against staff at Don Dale. You can read some of his (honestly horrific) recollections on his time in incarceration here. Last year, confronting images of Voller strapped into a chair and covered with a hood were an integral part of ABCs Four Corners report into institutional abuse at youth detention centres in the NT. Via Four Corners / ABC. Voller will be released from a Darwin prison to the BushMob youth offender program in Alice Springs, where hell reside for four months. Discussing the ruling, Judge Peter Barr acknowledged Vollers release presents a chance to reoffend, but stated his confidence in the very restrictive bail terms, which include monitoring bracelets. Judge Barr noted the bail allowance will give Dylan Voller the chance to prove his good behaviour, along with providing life skills to reintegrate into the community. Currently, Voller is serving the final 9 months of an original three year and eight month-long sentence for offences committed in 2014. Judge Barr said itd be a test run to see if the court could have sufficient confidence in Mr Voller, who will face court again after his time at BushMob to reassess his sentence. Source: The Australian / ABC. Photo: Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory. Youre not imagining it: the weather really has been unusually hot this year. And unfortunately for us poor, simple folks up here in Queensland, its only going to get hotter. Record-breakingly hot, in fact. The central Queensland town of Birdsville, population 200-ish, has the dubious honour of being forecast its hottest ever February day. Forecaster Vinord Annand told the ABC: Itll be 46 there from tomorrow to Sunday. Were expecting top temperatures around 47-48 degrees next week, so that would be the hottest February on record. The average max for February in Birdsville is 38, so thatll be 10 degrees above average. For context, the 2015 heatwave that killed hundreds in India got to about 48C, at which point, according to medical experts, protein cells in the human body start to boil like egg whites. Oh! Good! Brisbanes going to continue cooking for the next little while as well, with maximums around 33C all next week. Daily minimums in much of southern Queensland were the highest on record this January, which explains why everyone is so grouchy at the moment. Brissy hit its warmest ever January night minimum on January 21, at a stifling 28C. And if youre starting to hallucinate from sleep deprivation because every time you feel even the slightest suggestion of a sheet coming into contact with your flesh you stir from your shallow, feverish dreams to howl in sweaty anguish, Im sorry to say that the hot nights arent going anywhere soon. Annand explained to the ABC that a stubborn low pressure trough in the middle of Australia is sucking down the hot air from the top end like some kind of Satanic vacuum cleaner. We just need a big high in the Tasman Sea to break this trough. We do have frontal systems moving over Victoria, we just need this system to move further north and break this stagnant weather pattern we have. Its not happening this week, at least until Wednesday next week it looks like the pattern holds. Beyond that, I guess well just have to wait and see. Wait and see, Vinord? Wait and see? Did we learn nothing from that well known documentary Black Books? CSIRO needs to get onto that statewide aircon bubble, stat, or no amount of heat-be-gone booties will save us from our descent into summer-induced savagery. Source: ABC. When news broke today that the first phone conversation between American President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was actually a fair bit crabbier than the latter reported, it became apparent the diplomatic relationship was under a bit of stress. Welp, as it turns out, the reporter who broke the story reckons its even tenser than Trumps snarky comments let on. After being swamped with questions from Aussie journos looking to get the skinny on the entire situation, the Washington Posts White House bureau chief Philip Rucker told Fairfax that Trump doesnt really care so much that Australia is an ally over many, many years. According to Ruckers sources, Trump cares more about the refugee deal the two nations signed under the Obama administration, which should see 1,250 offshore detainees transferred to The States and how that allowance stands against his fuck-off big refugee intake suspension. Its for that reason Trump let loose he labelled the call the worst of his day, said the agreement would be tantamount to letting the next Boston bombers into America, and ended the call a mere 25 minutes into a would-be hour-long chat. Rucker said Trump didnt let diplomatic niceties get in the way of how he felt about that refugee policy, and tbh, were not sure hes let anything get in the way of his feels, ever. Rucker also insinuated that Trump may find a way to walk back the agreement, saying he was upset with having to keep the agreement and actually used the words my intention is to keep the agreement, which gives him a little bit of negotiating wriggle room down the road if he chooses not to go through with the deal. It appears it may not even be down the road here either, cause hes just started unloading on Twitter about the deal. Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Were not even two weeks into his presidency, folks. Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty. Remember the shock of getting on the line for the first time and discovering that other people had the same name as you, so to shut out those clear imposters some of us used usernames and handles that had real or official in the title, as though that would definitively prove that you are the primary owner of that name and all others are pale imitations and frauds? Poor old mate Shannon Noll, Nollsie to his mates (which is all of us), is in the middle of a curious case of mistaken identity: Hes copping heat from Twitter users all accusing him of being a hectic creep for taking shots at Donald Trumps 10-year-old son Barron. Problem is, they all think theyre anonymously abusing a female US comedian. As it turns out there is a different Shannon Noll, one who presumably wasnt robbed of any TV singing show title in 2003. The alternative Shannon Noll is a Chicago-based comedian with a very large bone to pick with the Trump family. Chicago Shannon is currently using her rather tenuous resemblance to Barron Trump as the basis of a stage play, Barron Trump: Up Past Bedtime. Per the shows description: Up Past Bedtime begins as Melania Trump tucks Barron in for the night. He then secretly stays awake to explore a fantastical world, a la Pee-Wees Playhouse, populated by the likes of Vladimir Putin and Ben Carson. Heres a short promo clip for the show featuring Chicago Shannon in-character as Barron Trump, for your enjoyment. Problem is, is that Trump supporters dont particularly take too kindly to anyone taking pot shots at Barron Trump, given his whole 10-years-old-ness. And as anyone with an internet connection and an egg avatar is wont to do, theyve been venting frustrations towards the first Shannon Noll they could find on Twitter. The poor, innocent, caught-in-the-crossfire @NOLLSIE. Hey everyone, this girl is using #BarrronTrump to make herself famous. @NOLLSIE using children is sooo brave and innovative. #hack What the what? (@RukusRowdy) January 28, 2017 @NOLLSIE should be ashamed bullying 10 yr olds. Kids are off limits. Show some maturity.. https://t.co/zOl3Ou445g via @Freedom_Daily What the what? (@RukusRowdy) January 28, 2017 @NOLLSIE Shannon Noll Ur just another pig in the parlor!! Only a demon possessed person would ever say such filth. I hope u go 2 prison!!?? https://t.co/esdDWuCFzj Roxine Cherie Evans (@RoxineEvans) January 29, 2017 @NOLLSIE YOU ARE A NASTY SICK BITCH. WHO ARE YOU TO SAY CRAP ABOUT OUR PRESIDENTS SON. A SICK PERVERTED IDIOT. THATS WHAT YOU ARE. dkb2016 (@DebbieN19740081) January 29, 2017 @NOLLSIE Your obsession with little boys is truly pedophile status. Chad Dolbeare (@ChadDolbeare) January 30, 2017 @NOLLSIE you worthless piece of shit. If you do the barron Trump play your career will be over. Phil Denston (@PhilDenston) February 1, 2017 Aussie Shannon, much like his 2004 chart-topping hit What About Me, has had enough. And now he is getting his share. Not only did Nollsie address the issue broadly Hey all, Shannon Noll is a female comedian in the US, I have no idea about all this Barron Trump business, so please get your facts right! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 but hes going after his errant attackers with the front foot, blasting them on a case-by-case basis. @RoxineEvans @NewsEp24 Shannon Noll is a female comedian in the US you idiot! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 @temudjin1155 Shannon Noll is a female comedian in the US, Id suggest you get your facts right before attacking me! #stupidpeople Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 @temudjin1155 youve got the wrong person, Id suggest you find the right account before attacking me you idiot! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 @BKaysac whats messed up is you need to learn how to find the right persons account before mouthing off! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 @RukusRowdy you have the wrong person! Im not the female comedian from the US. Get it right before you open you mouth! Shannon Noll (@NOLLSIE) February 2, 2017 That should settle any confusion. And if it doesnt, a Noll fan by the name of Tricia has also taken up online arms for the cause. @RukusRowdy @NOLLSIE get ur facts right YA KNOB before you start bagging people Tricia (@Tricia50_) February 2, 2017 Fucken oath, Trish. You the real MVP. To reiterate: Shannon Noll, noted Crazy Horse-lover and victim of the greatest theft in Australian reality TV history, is *NOT* taking the piss out of Barron Trump in a low-rent comedy play in Chicago. JUST SO YA BLOODY KNOW. Source: Twitter. So. We knew that Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull had a conversation on the phone. Based on the statements from both camps, we all thought it was a mutually pleasant encounter in which Trump agreed to honour the refugee deal Australia struck with the Obama administration. The White Houses office even issued a terse social media post implying the conversation was at the very least a cordial one. And Turnbull was obviously gagging for the headlines which said the deal was still on. Well, uh, nope. A report in The Washington Post today suggests that phone call actually went, uh, quite badly. Really, really badly, actually. I could tell you, or you could just read this: It should have been one of the most congenial calls for the new commander in chief a conversation with the leader of Australia, one of Americas staunchest allies, at the end of a triumphant week. Instead, President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it. At one point Trump informed Turnbull that he had spoken with four other world leaders that day including Russian President Vladimir Putin and that, This was the worst call by far. The worst call by far. It always seemed a bit weird that Team Trump was at least somewhat keen to honour a deal which would have brought 1,250 refugees into the United States, given his past rhetoric. Turns out Turnbull might just have misrepresented that conversation. According to WaPo, Trump bemoaned the deal, and accused Australia of seeking to export the next Boston bombers which is obviously a fairly more intense account of things than Turnbull implied. And it turns out that this really might have been the most hostile conversation Trump had with a foreign head of government. Again, according to WaPo: A White House spokesman declined to comment. A senior administration official acknowledged that the conversation with Turnbull had been hostile and charged, but emphasised that most of Trumps calls with foreign leaders including the heads of Japan, Germany, France and Russia have been both productive and pleasant. Turns it out pissed Trump off so much that he didnt even want to talk to Turnbull about any other issue, and ended the call: At one point, Turnbull suggested that the two leaders move on from their impasse over refugees to discuss the conflict in Syria and other pressing foreign issues. But Trump demurred and ended the call, making it far shorter than his conversations with Shinzo Abe of Japan, Angela Merkel of Germany, Francois Hollande of France or Putin. Bloody hell. Whats Turnbulls statement on getting rinsed by Trump? Well Source: Washington Post. Photo: Getty Images. Oy vey. Here we bloody go. Theres no point doing anything other than recapping whats happened thus far today, so cop this: Earlier today a Washington Post report asserted that US President Donald Trump reneged on President Obama s deal with Australia to resettle some 1,250 refugees during a phone call with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull . report asserted that US President reneged on President s deal with Australia to resettle some 1,250 refugees during a phone call with Prime Minister . The report suggested that Trump thought the deal was very bad, that he would be killed politically if he accepted it, and that Australia was trying to import the next Boston bomber. Trump also apparently yelled at Turnbull, giving him a thorough dressing down, before abruptly cutting their phone conversation short 20-odd minutes in. Turnbull fronted media and offered no comment about the vicious owning he clearly suffered. The US Consulate then asserted that Trump had not officially scuttled the deal. then asserted that Trump had officially scuttled the deal. Mere minutes later, Trump got on the Tweeter and said this: Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 And now we are here, with Malcolm Turnbull doing the rounds of the media in the hopes of convincing everyone that the orange-skinned, tiny-fingered President of the United States did not just pull his pants down, undies and all, and make the whole school point and laugh at his weird, bent dick. Firstly, appearing on 2GB where ace political dynamo Ben Fordham lobbed questions with the thick hide of an stretched balloon, Turnbull insisted that the call was not terse, actually. Everything was fine. Hes not even crying, its just hayfever. Turnbull: I can ensure you the call ended courteously. There is a lot of talk about the call from people who were not party to it. Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) February 2, 2017 The call ended courteously, despite the fact that Senior Government officials confirmed it very much did not. Later, on 3AW, Turnbull again limply insisted that the refugee deal was still on, that they do indeed have a firm commitment from the President, and also please stop laughing at him. Turnbull: We have a clear commitment from the President. Its been confirmed by his spokesman, his embassy on authority of the White House Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) February 2, 2017 Turnbull: We expect the deal will go ahead. When asked about a Plan B, says the only option off the table is bringing refugees to Australia. Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) February 2, 2017 Yeah bloody right. So at first, the deal was off. Then it was never off. Then it was under review. Then it wasnt. Then it was off once again. And now here we are back at almost the same place we were at the start of the day, save for one key bit of information that asserts our elected Prime Minister got his diplomatic backside mercilessly bullied over the phone by the President of the Goddamned United States. If ever this were appropriate, its now: Who else needs a drink? Source: ABC News/Twitter. Photo: Stefan Postles/Getty. Well, weve got a little while yet before we find out whatever stellar lineup Splendour in the Grass has decided to drain your wallet with, but weve at least got some dates to save. Splendours taking place a lil bit earlier this year: As always, its at the North Byron Parklands. Camping will be available onsite from Wednesday the 19th July, so if you spent all your annual leave on a sudden trip to Phuket then you better hope it accrues. Fingers crossed itll be a bonza lineup. Photo: Getty Images / Mark Metcalfe. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. If Devon Vogelsang, 24, of Pottstown, Pa., is the face of gang violence in Pennsylvania, it is both tattooed and terrifying. But in his case, it is coming to an end -- at least for the next 30 years or so. According to the Pottstown Mercury newspaper, the member of the gang, "Brothas From Anotha," showed no emotion as he was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 15 to 30 years in prison. He was also treated to a tongue-lashing from the judge, who said: "You were part of a reign of terror and clearly you are now taking responsibility for your part. You entered this world of violence at a very young age. Hopefully, things will change for you," the newspaper quoted Judge Steven T. O'Neill as saying as he imposed the punishment that was part of a plea agreement. Background from the Pottstown Mercury: Vogelsang pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and persons not to possess a firearm in connection with a string of gang shootings that occurred between November and December 2014. He joins many of his onetime gang affiliates who were previously sentenced to prison terms ranging from a decade to 57 years. Vogelsang was one of 47 people arrested in May 2015 after the Montgomery County District Attorney's Violent Crime Unit and Narcotics Enforcement Team crushed two rival gangs, "Brothas From Anotha and Straight Cash Money Gun Crew," operating in Pottstown and neighboring Berks County. J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com Red Hot Chili Peppers, Panic! At the Disco, more: 30 must-see Pa. performances in February February brings the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Philadelphia; George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic to Pittsburgh; and Miranda Lambert to Reading. No matter where you live or what kind of music youre into, theres something for just about every music fan. Here are some of the other must-see performances that are happening all throughout Pennsylvania. Don't Edit moe. 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe. You can get tickets for at least $25 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Alter Bridge, Nonpoint and Weapons Of Anew 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, at Electric Factory in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $28.50 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Talib Kweli, Styles P, K'Valentine, Reef the Lost Cauze and Hardwork Movement 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $22 through Live Nation. Don't Edit Carousel Kings and Above The Mendoza 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg. You can get tickets for at least $12 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Don't Edit Carousel Kings, Cedar Green and Black Letter Days 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster. You can get tickets for at least $11 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Meek Mill 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $39.50 through the venue's website. Don't Edit Rick Astley, Harrison Kipner and DJ Robert Drake 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $39.50 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem. You can get tickets for at least $35 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Red Hot Chili Peppers and Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $53 through the venue's website. 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $53 through the venue's website. Don't Edit Don't Edit Red Sun Rising 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster. You can get tickets for at least $12.50 through Live Nation. Don't Edit Brad Paisley 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre. You can get tickets for at least $72 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Brad Paisley, Chase Bryant and Lindsay Ell 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, at the GIANT Center in Hershey. You can get tickets for at least $66.65 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, at STAGE AE in Pittsburgh. You can get tickets for at least $29.50 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit August Burns Red, Protest the Hero, In Hearts Wake and '68 With Across Frozen Seas. 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster. There aren't any tickets for sale through Ticketmaster but, if you provide your contact information, they will inform you if any more go on sale. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale. You can get tickets for $23 through TicketWeb. Don't Edit Don't Edit Spin Doctors 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at Harrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester. You can get tickets for at least $40 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Less Than Jake, Pepper, The Bunny Gang and The Attack 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, 2017, at STAGE AE in Pittsburgh. You can get tickets for at least $25 through Ticketmaster. 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, at The Fillmore Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $25 through Live Nation. Don't Edit Pop Evil, Red Sun Rising, Bad Flower and Siravo 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $23 through Live Nation. Don't Edit Chief Keef 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2017, at STAGE AE in Pittsburgh. You can get tickets for at least $20 through Ticketmaster. 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, at Coda in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $25 through TicketWeb. Don't Edit Dropkick Murphys, The Interrupters and Blood or Whiskey 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Bethlehem. There aren't any tickets for sale through Ticketmaster but, if you provide your contact information, they will inform you if any more go on sale. Don't Edit Don't Edit Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion and Aubrie Sellers 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, at The Santander Arena in Reading. You can get tickets for at least $39 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Lake Street Dive and Joey Dosik 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale. There aren't any tickets for sale through TicketWeb. Don't Edit Panic! At the Disco, Panic! MisterWives and Saint Motel 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. You can get tickets for at least $29.50 through the venue's website. 7 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 28, 2017, at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh. You can get tickets for at least $37 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Kipp-E & SMRG/Dbe, Pet Zebra and Norman Dean 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017, at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale. You can get tickets for at least $30 through TicketWeb. Don't Edit ZZ Top 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe. You can get tickets for at least $69 through Ticketmaster. Don't Edit Don't Edit Joe Bonamassa 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, at Hershey Theatre. There aren't any tickets for sale through Ticketmaster but, if you provide your contact information, they'll inform you if any more go on sale. Don't Edit J.C. Lee | jlee@pennlive.com Looking for more things to do? More than a month ago, DK Dogs, a fixture for hot dogs, chili and milkshakes at 3867 Derry St., quietly changed hands. At the helm of the Swatara Township restaurant now is Gregory and Theoni Tzinavas who have renamed the restaurant The Brats Grille to reflect changes to the menu. Namely, they have added specialty beer braised bratwurst sandwiches. "It's something different in the area," Gregory Tzinavas said. The native of Greece arrived in the United States via a Charlie's Steak House in Tennessee and Kentucky where he worked for several years as both a cook and manager. The restaurant business runs in his family. His parents operate a restaurant in Greece. In December, the Tzinavases took over the restaurant from Konstantine Pappas who opened DK Dogs in 2010. The couple have remodeled Brats Grille, giving it a warmer feel with gray/blue-painted walls and bench seating with pillows. Plenty of tables fill the dining room. Many of the popular DK foods such as hot dogs remain including the foot-long Homewrecker. Although, the Tzinavases have edited the menu and removed items that weren't big sellers. "That's my philosophy about this business - get out the ones that don't sell," Gregory Tzinavas said. Selection ranges from a beer braised brat sandwich with sauerkraut and spicy mustard on a hoagie roll to a Midwestern version topped with grilled peppers and onions. Customers also can customize their brats and hot dogs from more than a dozen toppings such as ketchup, pickles, onions, bourbon baked beans, carnival fried onions or coleslaw. Brats Grille maintained many of the DK hot dog creations including the Pittsburgh with bacon, Swiss, coleslaw and mustard on a pretzel roll; Chicago with pickle spears, mustard, onions, sweet relish, hot banana peppers, tomatoes and cerey salt on a poppy seed roll and New England with fried bacon, bourbon baked beans, cheddar cheese sauce, mustard and coleslaw. The restaurant also sells burgers, salads, subs and fresh cut Boardwalk fries. In addition, they serve Turkey Hill Ice Cream used for sundaes and milkshakes. Greek desserts such as baklava will be added to the offerings in the near future. Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday. It's closed Sunday. Phone is 717-558-3610. A convicted bank robber was sentenced to up to five years in prison in Dauphin County court Wednesday. John Finneran, 52, will serve two-and-a-half to five years in prison under the sentence Judge Scott Evans handed down following his conviction in the October robbery. On Oct. 19, the East Pennsboro Township resident walked into the BB&T bank in Dauphin and handed a note to a bank teller, which read "be quiet and give me money, no tricks, no dyes," according to the Dauphin County district attorney's office. John Finneran. The teller gave Finneran more than $1,500 in cash before he fled the bank, located at 800 Peter's Mountain Road. He was captured two days later, and was in possession of heroin and paraphernalia when he was arrested, the DA's office said. During Finneran's sentencing, deputy district attorney Stephen Zawisky said that his own mother was a bank teller for more than 20 years. And while Finneran didn't display a weapon during the robbery, his actions put the victim in fear of serious injury. He also said it's frustrating that a heroin dealer ended up with the proceeds from the robbery. "One guy profits from the sale of heroin, another gets high and the victim gets to live with this day for the rest of her life," Zawisky said. The March for Life 2017 March for Life participants march near the Capitol Building on Friday, January 28 2016. Daniel Zampogna | dzampogna@pennlive.com (Daniel Zampogna, PennLive) Here's a guide to reaching each of Pennsylvania's 18 representatives to Congress, including addresses, phone and fax numbers for their district offices. Visit this site to find out how to contact Pennsylvania's senators. 1st Congressional District Rep. Robert Brady Washington, D.C. Office 2004 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4731 Fax: (202) 225-0088 Delaware County Office 1350 Edgmont Avenue, Suite 2575 Chester, PA 19013 Phone: (610) 874-7094 Fax: (484) 816-0029 Memphis Street Office 2630 Memphis St. Philadelphia, PA 19125 Phone: (215) 426-4616 Fax: (215) 426-7741 S. Broad Street Office 1909 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19148 Phone: (215) 389-4627 Fax: (215) 389-4636 E. Clearfield Street Office 2637 E. Clearfield Street Philadelphia, PA 19134 Phone: (267) 519-2252 Fax: (267) 519-2262 2 nd Congressional District Rep. Dwight Evans Washington, D.C. office 1105 Longworth Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4001 Fax: (202) 225-5392 Philadelphia office 7174 Ogontz Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19138 Phone: 215-276-0340 Fax: 215-276-2939 3rd Congressional District Rep. Mike Kelly Washington, D.C. office 1707 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5406 Fax: (202) 225-3103 Butler office 101 E. Diamond St., Suite 218 Butler, PA 16001 Phone: 724-282-2557 Fax: 724-282-3682 Erie office 208 E. Bayfront Parkway, Suite 102 Erie, PA 16507 Phone: (814) 454-8190 Fax: (814) 454-8197 Lawrence County office Lawrence County Courthouse 430 Court Street New Castle, PA 16101 Sharon office 33 Chestnut Avenue Sharon, PA 16146 Phone: (724) 342-7170 Fax: (724) 342-7242 4th Congressional District Rep. Scott Perry Washington, D.C. office 1207 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-5836 Fax: 202-226-1000 Adams County office 22 Chambersburg Street Gettysburg, PA 17325 Phone: 717-338-1919 Fax: 717-334-6314 Cumberland/Dauphin office 730 North Front Street Wormleysburg, PA 17043 Phone: 717-635-9504 Fax: 717-635-9861 York County office 2209 East Market Street York, PA 17402 Phone: 717-600-1919 Fax: 717-757-5001 5th District Office Rep. Glenn Thompson Washington, D.C. office 124 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-5121 Fax: (202) 225-5796 Bellefonte office 3555 Benner Pike, Suite 101 Bellefonte, PA 16823 Phone: (814) 353-0215 Fax: (814) 353-0218 Titusville office 127 West Spring Street, Suite C Titusville, PA 16354 Phone: (814) 827-3985 Fax: (814) 827-7307 6th District Office Rep. Ryan Costello Washington, D.C. office 326 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4315 West Chester office 21 W. Market St., Suite 105 West Chester, PA 19382 Phone: (610) 696-2982 Fax: (610) 696-2985 Wyomissing office 840 N. Park Road Wyomissing, PA 19610 Fax: (610) 376-7633 7th Congressional District Rep. Patrick Meehan Washington, D.C. office 2305 Rayburn HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2011 Fax: (202) 226-0280 Springfield office 940 W. Sproul Road Springfield, PA 19064 Phone (610) 690-7323 Fax: (610) 690-7329 Amity Township office 2004 Weavertown Road Douglassville, PA 19518 Paradise office 2 Township Drive Paradise, PA 17562 Whitepain Township office 960 Wentz Road Blue Bell, PA 19422 Honey Brook 500 Suplee Road Honey Brook, PA 19344 8th Congressional District Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick Washington, D.C. office 514 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4276 Langhorne Office 1717 Langhorne-Newtown Rd. Suite 400 Langhorne, PA 19047 Phone (215) 579-8102 Fax: (215) 579-8109 9th Congressional District Rep. Bill Shuster Washington, D.C. office 2079 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2431 Fax: (202) 225-2486 Hollidaysburg 310 Penn St., Suite 200 Hollidaysburg, PA 16648 Phone: 814-696-6318 Toll-free: (800) 854-3035 Fax: (814) 696-6726 Chambersburg office 100 Lincoln Way East, Suite B Chambersburg, PA 17201 Phone: (717) 264-8308 Fax: (717) 264-0269 Indiana office 827 Water St., #3 Indiana, PA Phone: (724) 463-0516 Fax: (724) 463-0518 10th Congressional District Rep. Tom Marino Washington, D.C. office 2242 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-3731 Fax: 202-225-9594 Hamlin office 543 Easton Turnpike Suite 101 Lake Ariel, PA 18436 Phone: 570-689-6024 Fax: 570-689-6028 Selinsgrove office 713 Bridge Street Room 29 Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Phone: 570-374-9469 Fax: 570-374-9589 Williamsport office 1020 Commerce Park Drive Suite 1A Williamsport, PA 17701 Phone: 570-322-3961 Fax: 570-322-3965 11th Congressional District Rep. Lou Barletta Washington, D.C. office 2049 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 phone: (202) 225-6511 toll-free: (855) 241-5144 Carlisle office 126 N. Hanover St. Carlisle, PA 17013 phone: (717) 249-0190 fax: (717) 218-0190 Harrisburg office 4813 Jonestown Road Suite 101 Harrisburg, PA 17109 phone: (717) 525-7002 fax: (717) 695-6794 Hazleton office 1 South Church Street Suite 100 Hazleton, PA 18201 phone: (570) 751-0050 fax: (570) 751-0054 Sunbury office 106 Arch Street Sunbury, PA 17801 phone: (570) 988-7801 fax: (570) 988-7805 12th Congressional District Rep. Keith Rothfus Washington, D.C. office 1205 Longworth Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2065 Fax: (202) 225-5709 Ross Township office 6000 Babcock Boulevard, Suite 104 Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Phone: (412) 837-1361 Fax: (412) 593-2022 Johnstown office 110 Franklin Street, Suite 150 Cambria County Complex Johnstown, PA 15901 Phone: (814) 619-3659 Fax: (412) 593-2022 Beaver office 650 Corporation Street, Suite 304 Beaver, PA 15009 Phone: (724) 359-1626 Fax: (412) 593-2022 13th Congressional District Rep. Brendan Boyle Boyle can be reached via email from this website. https://boyle.house.gov/contact/email Washington, D.C. office 1133 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6111 Fax: (202) 226-0611 Glenside office 115 E. Glenside Avenue, Ste 1 Glenside, PA 19038 Phone: (215) 517-6572 Fax: (215) 277-7225 Norristown office 101 E. Main St, Ste A Norristown, PA 19401 Phone: (610) 270-8081 Fax: 610-270-8084 Northeast Philadelphia The Towers 2375 Woodward Street, Ste 105 Philadelphia, PA 19115 Phone: (215) 335-3355 Fax: (215) 856-3734 Olney, Philadelphia office One & Olney Shopping Center 5675 N. Front Street, Ste 180 Philadelphia, PA 19120 Phone: (267) 335-5643 Fax: (267) 437-3886 14th Congressional District Rep. Mike Doyle Washington, DC Office 239 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2135 Fax: (202) 225-3084 Pittsburgh Office 2637 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203 Phone: (412) 390-1499 Fax: (412) 390-2118 Coraopolis Office 1350 Fifth Avenue Coraopolis, PA 15108 Phone: (412) 264-3460 McKeesport Office 627 Lysle Boulevard McKeesport, PA 15132 Phone: (412) 664-4049 Fax: (412) 664-4053 Penn Hills Office 11 Duff Road Penn Hills, PA 15235 Phone: (412) 241-6055 Fax: (412) 241-6820 15th Congressional District Rep. Charlie Dent Washington, D.C. Office 2082 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Telephone: 202-225-6411 Fax: 202-226-0778 Lehigh Valley office 3900 Hamilton Boulevard Suite 207 Allentown, PA 18103 PHONE: (610) 770-3490 FAX: (610) 770-3498 Toll-Free: 866-861-2624 Berks County office 61 N 3rd Street Hamburg, PA 19526 PHONE: (610) 562-4281 FAX: (610) 562-4352 Dauphin County office 250 W Chocolate Avenue Suite 2 Hershey, PA 17033 Phone: (717) 533-3959 Fax: (717) 533-3979 Lebanon County office 342 W Main St [Front] Annville, PA 17003 Phone: (717) 867-1026 Fax: (717) 867-1540 16th Congressional District Rep. Lloyd Smucker Washington, D.C. office 516 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-2411 Lancaster office 51 South Duke St Suite 201 Lancaster, PA 17602 Phone: (717) 393-0667 Toll-free: 1-888-217-0231 17TH Congressional District State Rep. Matt Cartwright Washington, D.C. 1034 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-5546 Fax: 202-226-0996 Scranton office 226 Wyoming Avenue Scranton, PA 18503 Phone: 570-341-1050 Fax: 570-341-1055 Easton office 400 Northampton Street Suite 307 Easton, PA 18042 Phone: 484-546-0776 Fax: 610-252-3257 Pottsville office 121 Progress Avenue Suite 310 Pottsville, PA 17901 Phone: 570-624-0140 Fax: 570-622-2902 Wilkes-Barre office 20 North Pennsylvania Avenue Suite 201 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 Phone: 570-371-0317 18th Congressional District Rep. Tim Murphy Washington, D.C. 2332 Rayburn HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2301 Fax: (202) 225-1844 Mount Lebanon office 504 Washington Road Pittsburgh, PA 15228 Phone (412) 344-5583 Fax (412) 429-5092 Greensburg office 2040 Frederickson Place Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: (724) 850-7312 Fax: (724) 850-7315 SMYRNA, Delaware -- Inmates at a Delaware prison took five corrections department workers hostage Wednesday, a move the inmates told a local newspaper was due to concerns about their treatment and the leadership of the United States. The hostage situation drew dozens of officers and law enforcement vehicles to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna on Wednesday and prompted a statewide lockdown of all prisons. One hostage was released Wednesday afternoon, but four remained in custody and negotiations were ongoing as the evening stretched on, authorities said. A preliminary investigation suggests the incident began around 10:30 a.m. when a correctional officer inside Building C, which houses over 100 inmates, radioed for immediate assistance, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said at a news conference. Other officers responded to help, and five Department of Corrections employees were taken hostage. Later, inmates reached out to The News Journal in Wilmington in two phone calls to explain their actions and make demands. Prisoners funneled the calls to the paper with the help of one inmate's fiancee and another person's mother. The mother told the paper her son was among the hostages. In that call, an inmate said their reasons "for doing what we're doing" included "Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he's doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse." That caller said education for prisoners was the inmates' priority. They also said they want effective rehabilitation for all prisoners and information about how money is allocated to prisons. The inmates released one hostage around 2:40 p.m., Bratz said. That person was taken by ambulance to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, he said. Authorities don't know whether anyone else has been injured, Bratz said. Officials were negotiating with the prisoners Wednesday evening, said Bratz, who didn't give further details and did not take questions. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone involved and using all of our available resources," he said. He did not say how much of the prison, which houses about 2,500 inmates, was involved in the incident. But Bruce Rogers, counsel for the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, told The Associated Press Building C was under the inmates' control. Rogers described the hostages as four guards and one counselor. He said he'd been briefed on the situation by the union president, who was talking to officials at the scene. Video from above the prison Wednesday afternoon showed uniformed officers gathered in two groups along fences near an entrance to the prison. Later, video showed several people surrounding a stretcher and running as they pushed it across the compound. People could be seen standing near a set of doors with an empty stretcher and wheelchair. A Corrections Department spokeswoman said firefighters were called to the scene after reports of smoke and were being held on standby. According to the department's website, the prison is Delaware's largest correctional facility for men. It houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial. It was the site of the state's death row and where executions were carried out. The prison opened in 1971. In 2004, an inmate raped a counselor and took her hostage for nearly seven hours at the Smyrna prison, according to an Associated Press report at the time. A department sharpshooter later shot and killed 45-year-old Scott Miller, according to the report, ending the standoff. This story has been updated with information about the telephone call inmates made to a Delaware newspaper. When Jason Robison fatally shot a Pennsylvania State trooper a month ago in his mother's kitchen, he was free on bail for two previous crimes. In fact, Robison, 32, had just been released from prison 24 days before the murder on a felony theft case. The handling of Robison's criminal cases before the tragic killing of Trooper Landon Weaver raises questions about the difficulty in setting and revoking bail and sharing information among law enforcement officials. It also illustrates a troubling loophole in state law regarding domestic violence cases that was closed by legislators just last month. In Robison's case, he already had a felony conviction, among others, when he was accused of beating, choking and threatening to kill his girlfriend in April. Yet he was charged with a misdemeanor--because of the loophole in the state law-- and promptly released on $5,000 bail. Six months later, he was accused of stealing a car. He was charged with two felonies, and again, released on bail. A condition of bail is that defendants aren't supposed to commit new crimes. But for bail to be revoked, the district attorney who filed the original charge must take action to specifically request it. And oftentimes, prosecutors don't learn about additional charges. Likewise, the police and judges involved in the cases may not be aware of the defendant's complete criminal history from other magisterial districts. "I think a lot of times, the information is not readily available to police and magisterial district judges," said Huntingdon County District Attorney David G. Smith. "Maybe that needs to be addressed by the Legislature." Streamlined information-sharing across the state's 67 counties is one problem in Pennsylvania. But lack of understanding about domestic violence is another, according to advocates. Had Pennsylvania law been different when Robison allegedly attacked his girlfriend in April, prosecutors could have more easily charged him with felony assault. That could have raised his bail and the subsequent handling of his next felony charges. Instead, the domestic violence loophole was closed too late for it to apply to Robison. The new law went into effect Jan. 1 that allows prosecutors to file felony charges in domestic violence attacks involving choking or strangulation. Physical injury is not required. Prior to that, prosecutors had to prove "serious bodily injury," to get an assault case filed as a felony. But choking and strangling don't always leave physical marks. And even if marks or bruises are left behind, prosecutors struggled to prove against defense objections that they represented a "serious injury." "Police and prosecutors were losing cases where strangling was occurring," said Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico, who helped push for the change in law. "We saw this happening and knew these cases should be treated differently." Studies have repeatedly shown that choking is one of the best predictors of a future homicide in domestic violence cases. Yet it isn't always recognized as such by prosecutors, judges and the public, say advocates against domestic violence. "If you look at the span of cases that come to our attention, there are concerns about perceived under-charging of offenses, like in this case," said Ellen Kramer, deputy director for the state's Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "There are still misconceptions out there and we need to talk about what the research shows...It's really her (Robison's girlfriend) good luck that she escaped him." Two Attacks The details of the reported attacks by Robison against the mother of his child are disturbing. The girlfriend, Laura Whitesel said Robison threw her to the floor of his mother's home in April, choked her and grabbed her by the hair, torqueing her neck for three or four minutes, according to police reports. Whitesel pulled Robison's hair and broke free from his home. Outside, Whitesel slipped and fell and Robison again allegedly attacked her, hitting and kicking her until a postal worker intervened and ferried her away in a mail truck. From a safe distance away, Whitesel reported the attack in the 12000 block of Bakers Hollow Road and told state police that Robison was suicidal. They sent four troopers to the home. Troopers found the front door open and the screen door unlocked, so they entered the home to ensure Robison did not need medical attention. They searched the home calling his name and found him hiding in a closet, according to police reports. He was arrested without incident. In 2011, Whitesel told a similar tale. She said Robison showed up uninvited at her home one night, smelling of alcohol and asking to see their 2-year-old son. The couple had been in an on-and-off again relationship for seven years. At this point, they had been broken up for about a week. Her son was asleep when Robison pushed his way inside. Whitesel said Robison became agitated and broke the toilet and ripped a phone cord out of the wall. He then attacked Whitesel, punching her in the head, knocking her down and hitting her head against the floor. He also picked up their son's wooden stool and hit her with the stool. Whitesel ran out of her home and flagged down a passing motorist who called police as Robison fled. After both attacks, Whitesel requested protection from abuse orders from the court in which she said she was fearful for her life. "He has told me that nobody will want me when he is done with me," she wrote in April. "Jason has threatened to knock all my teeth out. When he isn't threatening me, he's threatening to commit suicide." While those attacks resulted in a misdemeanor charge, when Robison reportedly stole a car six months later, that crime merited two felonies even though the driver left her keys in the car and Robison paid her $10 in gas money when he returned it. He had been high on pills when he took her car without asking, according to police reports. Questions about Bail Police and prosecutors say they can't make judgments about what crimes should be considered more serious than others. They said they can only file criminal charges according to the specific wording of the laws on the books. Then there's the issue of bail. The misdemeanor charge from the April assault drew a $5,000 bond from Magisterial Judge Mary Jamison, which some officials believe was low considering the details of the case. "He was very clear with the victim: He said was going to kill her," Kramer said. "When are we going to take these things more seriously?" Jamison could have set a higher bond, if she were aware of Robison's complete history and the specific details of the April attack. But it's unclear what information she had at the time she set the bail. Her bail ruling allowed Robison to go free the next day by putting up a small percentage of the $5,000. Jamison refused to explain her decision to PennLive. "I'm not interested," she said before hanging up on a reporter. Kramer said Robison's case contained red flags. "Somebody who has this long record and who is brutalizing a domestic partner, it's hard to know what factors went through the judge's mind to justify a $5,000 bond, knowing he'd be right back on the street," she said. "We work hard to get information into the hands of judges. It's a real problem." A different judge, Douglas Gummo, set a $10,000 bail months later after Robison was accused of stealing the car. Robison's mother posted ten percent, or $1,000, to secure his release the next day on Dec. 6. Gummo was not in a position to revoke the original bail. Instead, the district would have needed to request a revocation. "Probably in this situation, we may not have been aware of the other charge, Smith said in explaining why he didn't seek to revoke Robison's original bail. Instead, Smith said he recalled agreeing in mid-December to get Robison evaluated for mental health issues so they could try to address the root cause of his repeated arrests. "There was a protection from abuse order in place and we had talked to the defense attorney about figuring out whether he had issues or problems that we could take into account for sentencing. If we can prevent recidivism, it's a win for everybody," Smith said. "But I don't believe that evaluation was done prior to the killing. It's a very unfortunate situation." Setting bail is the most difficult part of a magisterial district judge's job, said Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge David Judy. Bail is not intended to be punitive, but rather, it is simply intended to ensure a defendant shows up for court hearings. A judge can also consider the risk to public safety when setting bail. There are 10 criteria that judges are supposed to consider in bail rulings, and Judy said he routinely goes through the checklist to make a proper judgment. But not all judges take the time for that, and others don't have the information they need. Some judges don't even have access to defendant's criminal histories because of various interpretations of state law. "There was a big hubaloo last year when we weren't being given criminal histories by state police because of some clause," Judy said. "Without that, all I have is what the defendant tells me. Judges aren't perfect. We're only as good as the information we have." Trooper's murder Trooper Weaver was investigating Robison's reported violation of the most recent protection from abuse order on Dec. 30 when Robison surprised him with a gun and shot him in the head. Robison then texted his estranged girlfriend saying he "killed the cop" and "shot him twice in the head, he is dead." Newly released documents on Wednesday indicate police recovered two spent .32-caliber casings from the Robison home, as well as a bullet fragment, according to the Associated Press. The violation that Weaver was investigated apparently stemmed from Robison leaving a Christmas gift in his estranged girlfriend's car at her workplace. State police officers later fatally shot Robison when they encountered him in an unlocked camper about a half-mile away. Troopers backed out of the camper before Robison walked to the doorway with what appeared to be a black handgun, police said. Robison "refused to comply with verbal commands to drop the firearm," investigators wrote in seeking a warrant, which was unsealed Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. "Lethal force was used by the troopers and Robison was taken into custody without further injury to law enforcement." A Carlisle woman who was granted a new trial after spending 42 years in prison for setting a fire that killed two people in August 1972 might be heading back behind bars to finish her life prison sentence. That spectre arose for Letitia Smallwood when a state Superior Court panel overturned a Cumberland County judge's order that awarded her a new trial. Judge Anne E. Lazarus concluded in the state court's opinion that Smallwood, now 63, waited as much as 15 years too long to file the appeal on which the new trial order was based. District Attorney David Freed praised the state court's decision Thursday morning. He said no decision has been made yet regarding whether Smallwood should be returned to prison pending a possible appeal to the state Supreme Court. Attorneys for the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, which represented Smallwood on appeal, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. In any case, the Superior Court's decision could prove catastrophic for Smallwood. She has been free for 20 months following county President Judge Edward E. Guido's order that she receive a new trial based on a newly-discovered evidence claim. Guido granted an appeal Smallwood filed in 2014 after her lawyers presented a fire investigation expert who testified that the 1972 state police investigation of the blaze was flawed, at least by modern standards. That expert said the cause of the blaze that killed 26-year-old Paula Wagner and 23-year-old Steven Johnson should have been ruled undetermined. Police claimed Smallwood set the fire out of jealousy. They said she had threatened Wagner's boyfriend on the afternoon before the fire. The Superior Court took on the case after Freed's office appealed Guido's new trial order. Prosecutors argued that the "new evidence" Guido cited for siding with Smallwood wasn't really new at all. Lazarus agreed. And in doing so, she found that Smallwood had breached a vital timeline for filing her appeal. Under state law, criminal defendants whose first direct appeals of their convictions have been denied by the state Supreme Court have just 60 days to file subsequent appeals based on their discovery of newly-discovered evidence that they claim would have affected the outcomes of their trials. The clock starts ticking on that 60-day deadline as soon as the defendant discovers that evidence exists. In Smallwood's case, Lazarus noted, the 60-day rule took effect after the Supreme Court denied her first direct appeal in January 1976, three years after a county jury convicted her of arson and two counts of first-degree murder. Lazarus also observed that the newly-discovered evidence cited in the Smallwood appeal granted by Guido actually constitutes information that was available since 1992 regarding advances in the science of arson investigations. And, she added, Smallwood first became aware of that information after seeing a TV program in 1999. Smallwood spent the intervening 15 years before filing her appeal in 2014 seeking experts and lawyers to press her case, the state judge noted. Freed's office characterized that delay as being due to "attorney and expert shopping" and said it shouldn't have been excluded from the appeal filing deadline. Also, prosecutors argued that the new evidence Smallwood presented was merely a "new opinion based on old arson investigation methodology and facts." "We are constrained to agree," Lazarus wrote. With the legally required amount of "due diligence," Smallwood certainly could have brought an appeal long before 2014, she concluded. "As Smallwood...has not explained why she could not have filed her petition prior to 2014, her petition is untimely." Lazarus found. She called Smallwood's appeal filing delay "incomprehensible," particularly since Smallwood's claims in that appeal likely could have significantly altered her fate. "This case is deeply troubling on several levels," Lazarus wrote. "It seems axiomatic that a jury hearing Smallwood's statements and evidence in light of the uncertainty of the origin of the fire might well reach a different conclusion as to Smallwood's guilt than that determined by the original jury." After 42 years in prison, Carlisle woman's arson conviction could be overturned by science In this Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 photo, drones belonging to Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq. Islamic State is hacking store-bought drone technology, using rigorous testing and tactics that mimic those used by U.S. unmanned aircraft to adapt to diminishing numbers of fighters and a battlefield that is increasingly difficult to navigate on the ground. (AP Photo/ Khalid Mohammed) A worker cleans the windows of the Ivanka Trump Collection in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017. More shoppers, even those in Canada, are joining a campaign to push back against Trump's divisive rhetoric and policies with their wallets, taking aim at a growing hit list of companies that support the first family's business ventures. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Andrew Harnik Matt Ziems, left, and Jess Olson of Milwaukee went on a hike in October at Devil's Lake State Park to cap a camping and rock-climbing trip with friends. A man walks into a boarded up Starbucks Coffee shop in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. The University of California, Berkeley has become a campus renowned for peace and openness where all viewpoints are welcome. It was anything but that on Wednesday night when violence and rioting forced the cancellation of a talk by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. A spokesman for the campus said it was "not a proud night" for the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement.A (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) A fire set by demonstrators protesting a scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos burns on Sproul Plaza on the University of California at Berkeley campus on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif. The event was cancelled due to size of the crowd and several fires being set. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) Former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan joins others in urging lawmakers to approve a proposed bill to prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, during a hearing of the Senate Public Safety Committee, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. The committee passed SB54, by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, that if approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor, could create a border-to-border sanctuary in the nation's largest state. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) This April 27, 2011 photo provided by the Nashville, Tenn. Metro Police Department shows Officer Eric Mumaw, center, receiving the department's Lifesaving Award. Mumaw, 44, died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, while trying to rescue a suicidal woman whose car went into the Cumberland River. (Metro Nashville Police Department via AP) Relatives wait outside a hospital where fire victims are being treated following a fire that razed the House Technology Industries (HTI) factory inside the Export Processing Zone Authority Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 in General Trias township, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines. The provincial governor says more than 100 workers, including three Japanese, have been injured in the fire that sent thousands of employees scampering to safety.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) FILE - In this May 6, 2014 file photo hedgehog breeder and trainer Jennifer Crespo, of Gardner, Mass., holds a pet hedgehog at her home in Gardner. Maine middle schoolers dreaming of keeping hedgehogs as pets asked a legislative committee Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, at the Statehouse, in Augusta, Maine, if the state could ease restrictions on owning the animals, which now require two different permits. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) Here, there, everywhere why car washes seem to be on every corner The man shot to death by an Eau Claire Police officer on Saturday first called 911 to report a man with a gun in the parking lot of a motel, police said Wednesday. Matthew C. Zank, 49, of Eau Claire, died after being shot by a 19-year veteran of the police force, Officer Kris ONeill. ONeill went to the Scottish Inn and Suites at 1135 W. MacArthur Ave. after Zank, who was renting a room at the motel, reported a man was pointing a gun at passing vehicles and people in the immediate area. ONeill found Zank in the parking lot, and Zank had a gun. Several witnesses stated Zank was pointing the gun at Officer ONeill, Eau Claire Police said. (The officer) ordered Zank to drop the weapon numerous times. Zank failed to comply, and Officer ONeill discharged his service weapon. Officers arriving at the scene began life-saving efforts on Zank, who was pronounced dead at the scene. It was not known at the time that Zank was the original caller to 911. ONeill has been placed on an administrative assignment while an investigation of the shooting is conducted. The La Crosse Police Department will conduct the investigation, because Wisconsin state statutes require investigations of this nature to be completed by an outside law enforcement agency. The Eau Claire County Sheriffs Office, Eau Claire Fire Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol assisted the police department during the incident. STURTEVANT A health worker at the Racine Correctional Institution was charged Wednesday after an internal investigation revealed the contractor was having a sexual relationship with an inmate. Loralie Schultz, 52, of Racine, a contractor for the prisons Health Service Unit, was charged Wednesday with delivering illegal contraband to the inmate and second-degree sexual assault by correctional staff, both felonies. Ms. Schultz is prohibited from entering RCI and the allegations have been reported to her employing agency, said Tristan Cook, communications director for the DOC. According to the criminal complaint: Schultz allegedly brought the inmate a cellphone, cans of chewing tobacco and a sewing kit by smuggling them in her sock. Earlier this month, Schultz told investigators that the relationship with the inmate became sexual. Authorities did not identify Schultzs employer. In 2014, two health workers assigned to the same RCI unit from Guardian Healthcare pleaded guilty in a similar crime with an inmate. Karine Herrera, 44, of Kenosha, pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault by correctional staff. Lisa Hawkins, 36, of Salem, pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office for the same incident, in which the pair performed a sex act on one inmate in a prison bathroom. Cook said the DOC has a zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior between inmates and staff. Staff receive regular training to ensure they clearly understand appropriate boundaries when interacting with inmates and are required to report all allegations of sexual harassment or abuse. Allegations of sexual harassment or abuse are investigated and referred to law enforcement as appropriate, Cook said. Cook said the DOC has put technology and security measures in place to prevent and detect instances of inappropriate behavior between staff and inmates. Schultz, of the 3000 block of 21st Street, made her initial appearance in court on Wednesday. According to court records, she remained in the Racine County Jail as of Wednesday evening. Her bond was set at $5,000. Schultz is scheduled to next appear in court on Feb. 15 for her preliminary hearing. Schultzs current employment status with RCI, 2019 Wisconsin St., Sturtevant, is not referenced in the criminal complaint. If convicted on the most serious charge, Schultz faces up to 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. Vegan eating has skyrocketed in popularity over the course of recent decades, with more than 1,400 plant-based restaurants opening all across the US. While Philadelphia is historically known for cheesesteaks, countless vegan restaurants now call the city home. This is An artist's rendering of Toll Bros.'s planned tower, which would face both Jewelers Row and Washington Square. The glass side faces Washington Square. Read more We in the media have been misleading in referring to Toll Bros.' Sansom Street skyscraper project as the "Jewelers Row" tower. Although its lobby faces the Row, the 29-story monolith will also be visible behind a group of historic Walnut Street townhouses and will directly overlook Washington Square, one of Philadelphia's most gracious parks. Too bad Toll's architects forgot to design that side of the tower. The lapse barely received any comment last week when Toll presented its plans for the 354-foot tower to the Washington Square West Civic Association, and I can understand why. Until Toll unveiled the renderings at the meeting, the debate revolved around the project's impact on Jewelers Row, America's oldest and most intact diamond district. The loss of character will be substantial. Not only will the project gouge out five 19th-century structures, it will disrupt the street's ecosystem, with its distinctive mix of artisan workshops, wholesalers, and jewelry stores. Although those structures have no historic protection, Toll still needs to clear several hurdles before demolition can begin, including a Feb. 7 hearing at the Design Review board focusing on the look of the new tower. The Preservation Alliance is hoping to use those hearings to mitigate the worst aspects of the design. It is trying to shrink the tower back to the 16 stories in Toll's original proposal. The alliance is also waging a vigorous campaign to get Toll to save the facades of the five targeted buildings, which it believes would help the Jewelers Row ensemble retain its integrity. But let's be honest. Even if those facades remain standing, it will be just a token victory. It won't stop the upscaling of Sansom Street or keep the Row affordable for the artisans who populate the upper floors. And the fight to save the facades distracts from something just as important as Jewelers Row: the tower's impact on Washington Square. Toll's design record in Philadelphia has been, at best, underwhelming. With projects like 2400 South Street and the Naval Home, it assumes slapping on some red brick is all it needs to create a contextual Philadelphia design. We know Toll can do better, as evidenced by its latest New York project, a flashy, faceted tower called 121 E22nd, by global superstar Rem Koolhaas and his firm, OMA. Toll's Sansom Street tower is its most strained attempt yet at contextualism. Designed by New York's SLCE Architects, the two-faced tower offers redbrick traditionalism on the Jewelers Row side and glassy contemporary on Walnut Street. The awkward vertical sandwich will stand as the physical embodiment of indecision. You can just imagine the conversations that led to this split-personality architecture: Give the jewelers something familiar, but cook up something sexy on Washington Square that will appeal to well-heeled condo buyers. "We wanted to make sure the project weaved into the fabric of the neighborhood [and] didn't detract from it," Toll vice president Brian Emmons told Washington Square neighbors. But it appears SLCE ran out of steam after designing the Jewelers Row side. The facade overlooking the square -- one of William Penn's originals -- is a blank glass wall that will boomerang the strong southern light back onto the park. With its immense trees, elegant paths, and Revolutionary War memorial, the square is one of Philadelphia's most gracious public spaces, and deserves to be cherished. In case anyone forgets, the square is only a block from Independence Hall. Yet Toll's generic architecture is a pitiful companion to the fine high-rises surrounding the park, including Oscar Stonorov's modernist Hopkinson House and Ralph Bencker's art deco Ayer. On Walnut Street, a row of early 19th-century townhouses designed by Benjamin Latrobe, America's first trained architect, will be reduced to four-story door-stoppers for Toll's giant mirror. By comparison, the Jewelers Row facade is a competent first try, especially at the base. It's easy to understand why SLCE chose a faux-factory look for Sansom Street. The four-story base was clearly inspired by the building next door, and it evokes other small manufacturing lofts nearby. Its redbrick facade features casement-style windows divided into three bays by flat columns, topped with limestone-colored caps. As an option, Toll also plans to show the Design Review board a second design for the base with bigger windows. By itself, the base is a handsome design. There's much more to it, of course. After a 15-foot setback, 25 more floors of casement and brick rise straight up from the base. Although the slab tower has the benefit of being relatively slim, it is weakly detailed, with no additional setbacks and no balconies to relieve the regimentation. Other projects have also taken their inspiration from Philadelphia's industrial past. Have a look at 108 Arch, a 160-foot tower designed a decade ago by New York's SHoP Architects. Its facade features brick and factory-style windows, but they are used in a less literal manner and are broken up with concrete and zinc trim. Two strips of glass frame the composition in a way that emphasizes its verticality. Toll deserves credit for its willingness to use a textured material like brick, especially at a time when so many high-rise designs look like oversize metal gas cans. But choosing brick shouldn't be the end of the design process. As for the mirrored monolith facing Washington Square? The architects need to think about the tower design in a more holistic way. It's one building, and all of us are going to have to live with both sides of it. Energizers fight with rival Rayovac over alleged trademark infringement related to packaging is over. In December, Town and Country, Missouri-based Energizer sued Middleton-based Spectrum Brands, the parent company of Rayovac, alleging Rayovacs new package designs are confusingly similar to those used for Energizer batteries. Spectrum has recently begun a campaign to progressively and radically change the product packaging for its Rayovac batteries to closely mimic ... Energizer, Energizer had alleged in its lawsuit. Last week, Energizer filed a notice of dismissal in the case with the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, and notified the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that the case was settled. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, and a Spectrum spokesman and an attorney representing Energizer both declined to comment on the dismissal of the suit. In February 2016, Energizer sued Duracell over Duracells use of a pink bunny on batteries sold in the U.S. that Energizer claims is too similar to its pink bunny mascot. Energizer maintains that it has federally registered trademarks in the U.S. for its bunny. That lawsuit remains pending. A year after creating a controversial tax on all sweetened beverages, Mayor Kenney has vowed to not raise or create any taxes in 2017. The announcement drew applause from 1,400 people at the annual Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce mayoral luncheon Thursday. Kenney thanked the business community for supporting his biggest agenda item last year: a sweetened-beverage tax to pay for expanded pre-kindergarten, community schools, and improvements to parks and recreation centers. "Last year the chamber did not oppose the beverage tax, which is helping to create a stronger economy for all Philadelphians," Kenney said. "I thank you for that support, and in recognition of all our businesses are doing for our children and our neighborhoods, I will propose to Council in my upcoming budget address that the city not levy any new taxes and that we continue to lower wage and business taxes." With that, Kenney took a tone of collaboration for the rest of the speech. He talked about infrastructure improvements and developing a trained workforce, among other efforts, he said, on which the administration and the business community have come together this last year. The mayor's address came 10 days after Kenney signed a controversial bill that bans Philadelphia employers from asking job applicants for their salary history. The chamber strongly opposed the bill and Comcast Corp. threatened to sue the city over it. On Thursday, though, the two men who bitterly fought the new wage law were all smiles. "I'm thrilled to be here with all of you to help celebrate Mayor Kenney's very successful first year," David L. Cohen, Comcast senior executive vice president, told the crowd before praising Kenney's ability to get funding for pre-kindergarten. Rob Wonderling, president and CEO of the chamber, commended Kenney's speech. "It was really great to hear the mayor give an account over the last year of how we've worked together, of how we've made progress on such things as universal pre-K, some growth and improvement on how the city operates with the business community, and the need to continue to be vigilant on such things as educational funding in Harrisburg," Wonderling said after the luncheon. During his 25-minute speech, Kenney gave some hints as to what's to come this year. Among them: The administration will launch a transportation and planning effort that will look at improving the way the city moves people and goods, as well as more reliable and better access to transportation throughout the city. This month, the administration and the School District will announce an Out-of-School Time strategy to improve literacy after school and build on the city's community school effort. The city is creating a recruitment strategy to attract a more diverse workforce to the building trades that will be involved in the mayor's $500 million Rebuild initiative. While Kenney talked about many of the city's achievements, including a 40-year-low crime rate, he said poverty is still a major challenge. He asked the business community to lobby state officials to increase education funding for Philadelphia. He said many businesses have decided to not settle in Philadelphia because of the schools. "I need you to tell these stories to your friends in the Republican state legislature and make the economic case for investing in Philadelphia public schools," Kenney said. "If the business community stood together on this issue, I have no doubt you would succeed, and the long-term benefit to your business and to our city's economy would be immeasurable." Kenney also asked the business owners to develop a summer jobs program and help teach the city's youths some skills. He also asked them to hire people coming out of incarceration. "Together, I know we can create a Philadelphia that works for everyone. That is our goal, that is our mission, that's the mission of everyone in this room," Kenney said. "We are committed to work together to fix these issues and to move Philadelphia forward." An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed David L. Cohen's title. He is senior executive vice president of Comcast. The owners of Lagartos, a South American and Mexican restaurant on the East Side, closed it last month and are opening a version of their former Downtown restaurant and bar, The Bayou, in its place. The restaurant and brewpub will be called North of the Bayou, a Place for Food, and Brewery, said Dale Beck, who will own and run it with his significant other, Jessica ("Miya") Miyazato. It could opened as early as next Thursday, Beck said. Beck bought the castle-like, pink building at 802 Atlas Ave., off Cottage Grove and Stoughton roads, almost three years ago, but sat on it for more than two years because of road projects. He and Miyazato opened Lagartos in June in the former Talula space and it lasted about six months. They closed The Bayou in July after a 7-year run on South Butler Street. Bayou and Lagartos chef Fredy Carcano is staying on. Beck describes the new menu as Southern American food with some Wisconsin fare, including a Friday fish fry and cheese curds. They will also roast whole pigs, he said. Creole favorites from The Bayou will show up: Gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice and po' boys on Leidenheimer bread. They plan to continue The Bayou's popular Saturday oyster special. "Fredy's specialty is the soups and sauces," Beck said. Beck said he started the process of getting a state brewing license two years ago. And that, along with ordering the equipment, is taking a lot longer than expected. He hired a brewmaster, Frank Duane, and expects his equipment to be up and running in about four months. With the brewing licence they will be able to distribute the beer, but that's not their intention, he said. Their motto will be "brewed for the love of the beer, one barrel at a time, never distributed. Only sold here," Beck said. Beck said he and Miyazato stripped The Bayou of its artwork and decor and have brought it to the former Lagartos space. "It's pretty decked out," he said. The couple are no longer running the Lagartos night club in the upstairs restaurant area, but are making the basement available for that purpose. The Latin night club events are still held Friday and Saturday nights, and the space can also be rented out for weddings and quinceaneras, gala affairs thrown for a girl's 15th birthday. Previously, Beck had been operating the Lagartos night club out of the back of his bar, Murphy's, 3737 E. Washington Ave., for five years. Beck also owns the Locker Room tavern. As for North of the Bayou, Beck said he and Miyazato got a lot of calls from people who wanted them to bring The Bayou back. And with getting the brewing license, it "just made more sense to head that direction." The new restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and in between, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Two Spanish-speaking men in Madison were scared enough to send money to scammers who threatened to kill them and their families if they didn't do so, when nobody really was in danger. Both men were victims of scams being run on Facebook, one through friend requests from unknown women, the other through an ad for massages, Madison police said. The amount of money that was sent to the scammers was $300 in one case and $500 in the other case. According to police: A 35-year-old man living on Allied Drive had accepted friend requests on Facebook from women he didn't know. "The victim was later contacted by a man who claimed the victim now owed money for his correspondence with the women," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "He was told he and his family would be killed if he did not pay." He wired $300 to an address in the Dominican Republic. In the second case, a 38-year-old man living on Rosenberry Road had clicked on a Facebook ad for a massage. "He was contacted later by someone threatening to kill him if he didn't send money," DeSpain said. "He wired $500, also to a Dominican Republic address." In both cases, the victims told police there were sent images of men holding guns. The victims called police, and a Spanish-speaking officer assured them they were not in danger but were the victims of fraud. A Mexican national serving a prison term in Ohio for sexual assault has been sentenced to more prison time for illegally reentering the U.S., after being found and arrested in Madison in 2016. Salvador Gonzales-Vasquez, also known as Placido Gonzalez-Hernandez, was sentenced on Wednesday to 3 1/2 years in federal prison, by U.S. District Judge William Conley in federal court in Madison. He pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal re-entry in June. He was convicted twice before for illegal re-entry. Gonzales-Vasquez will serve the new sentence after serving a four-year prison term given in October for the 2004 sexual assault in Ohio. AirAsia X Starts Flying to Hawaii from KLIA 2 in June 2017 The news of AirAsia X planning to fly to Hawaii started a few years ago and the main cause of delay was due to the approval to land from United States. AirAsia X supposed to fly to Hawaii last year but have to delay until they received the approval recently. Thus, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes also announced that AirAsia X will be flying to London from Kuala Lumpur and to Frankfurt from Bangkok. Now, the big question is when AirAsia X will start flying to Hawaii from KLIA 2? From our insider sources, AirAsia X will start flying to Hawaii in June 2017. However, we are still not certain which city in Japan they are going to stop over. It wont be a direct flight and there is a stop over in one of the airports in Japan. It could be Kansai International Airport, Narita International Airport or Haneda International Airport. We will know soon enough. The booking for AirAsia X from KLIA 2 to Hawaii starts next Friday, 10th February 2017 if our sources are correct. There is no mention on the promotion prices for early bird tickets but it will be cheap. Remember that Malaysians are required to apply a holiday visa from the US Embassy in Jalan Tun Razak. The visa application fees is US$ 160 for a person. You need to apply the US Visa online and then go for a mandatory interview with all the supporting documents at the US Embassy. Your US Visa application status will be depending on your documents and your interview. We had a five years US Visa in the past. Please stay tuned at AirAsia.com on 10th February 2017 for the early bird promo tickets to Hawaii. If you want to know our secrets of getting FREE AirAsia tickets, read 5 Travel Hacks with AirAsia Big Loyalty Programme for FREE AirAsia Flights. To know more about tourism in Hawaii, visit Hawaii Tourism Board South East Asia Official Webpage at http://www.gohawaii.com/ *Please vote us as one of the top travel bloggers from Malaysia at http://www.pollbookapp.com/Share/401958, thank you. Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has blocked funding for the first time over so-called "sanctuary cities" after Austin's sheriff stopped complying with all federal immigration detainers, reports the Associated Press. Abbott spokesman John Wittman said Wednesday that $1.5 million in previously approved criminal justice grants will no longer go to Travis County. The move follows Sheriff Sally Hernandez announcing after President Donald Trump's inauguration that she would stop honoring all immigration holds in her jails. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Elizabeth Warren took to the floor of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday to turn up the heat on Donald Trump a day after he announced Neil Gorsuch as his pick to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court. Not pulling any punches, Sen. Warren reaffirmed her opposition to Gorsuchs nomination and called him a huge gift for big corporations. Video: .@SenWarren: Nomination of Neil Gorsuch a huge gift to the giant corporations and wealthy individuals who have stolen a Supreme Court seat pic.twitter.com/9YrpOzxQKl ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 1, 2017 Warren said: Lets not mince words: The nomination of Judge Gorsuch is a huge gift to the giant corporations and wealthy individuals who have stolen a Supreme Court seat in order to make sure that the justice system works for them. What Im saying shouldnt be controversial. They havent made a secret of what they were doing. This is exactly why Judge Gorsuch has been on their list for four months. He is the payoff for their multimillion dollar investment. Throughout his career, as Sen. Warren noted, Judge Gorsuch has shown that while he may be the dream judge for corporations and right-wing ideologues, hes a nightmare for regular Americans. When it comes to choosing between workers and big businesses, Gorsuch has chosen the latter every time. According to the Center for American Progress, Trumps Supreme Court pick has stood against workers in several instances, whether it was rejecting workers discrimination claims, overturning back pay for an employee whose compensation was improperly reduced, or throwing out a penalty against a corporation that failed to properly train a worker that died on the job. Gorsuch also believes that corporations have the same religious rights as individuals, ruling in 2013 that for-profit organizations can deny employees contraception coverage. In 2016, he sided with Republican Gov. Gary Herbert who was attempting to defund Planned Parenthood in Utah. The Center for American Progress also points out that the fossil fuel industry is absolutely giddy about the prospect of Gorsuch being put on the Supreme Court, noting his opposition to a previous case which the EPA relies on to preserve key environmental regulations. In short, Trumps SCOTUS pick is bad for workers, bad for women and bad for the environment. If corporate America could install their dream judge on the U.S. Supreme Court, he would look a lot like Neil Gorsuch. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print After the Senate had voted 56-43 to confirm Donald Trumps Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson, Greenpeace released a blistering statement that said Senators who voted to confirm Tillerson had left their spines at home. In a statement, Greenpeace U.S. Climate Liability Campaigner Naomi Ages said: The Senators voting to confirm Rex Tillerson have clearly left their spines at home. Instead of standing up to a historically unpopular President, theyre letting Trump hand the State department over to the oil and gas industry. Corruption has marked Rex Tillersons appointment from the beginning, and it would be naive to expect differently through his tenure at the State Department. Already we have seen the Trump Administration warming his seat by threatening to lift the U.S. sanctions that were a response to Russian aggression against our allies and our own national security. Instead of being punished or even investigated for their overt threats to global security and our Democracy, Tillersons Russian magnate friends are being rewarded by the Administration and a few dozen craven Senators. Tillerson was complicit in Exxons decades-long denial of climate science, and he used his companys deep pockets to silence and intimidate anyone who was critical of its disregard for the public good. Rex Tillersons record, friendships, and business interests clearly foreshadow the dangerous oil diplomacy he will pursue as Secretary of State. Confirming Rex Tillerson over the opposition of millions of Americans and an unprecedented number of Senators from every region of the country is a call to action. We will continue to work with our allies to resist this hostile takeover of the U.S. government by an oil and gas industry determined to forestall a livable future. The three Democrats who voted to confirm Tillerson were Senators Joe Manchin, Heidi Heitkamp, and Mark Warner. Independent Angus King also voted for confirmation. The Democrats who voted for such an unqualified and frankly dangerous nominee to be secretary of state did pull a cowardly move that was clearly more about political self-preservation than taking a stand against an unfit nominee. Climate change denial and Big Oil are running the State Department. I hope the three Democrats who voted for Tillersons confirmation can live with what they have done to their country and their planet. The three candidates for Seat 6 on the Madison School Board tout diverse skills and experiences each says separates her from the others. Cris Carusi brings a decade of parent advocacy and a work history that includes leading a nonprofit organization and teaching English to children in Nepal while in the Peace Corps. Kate Toews has managed large staffs and budgets, led a startup company as CEO and worked with students and staff in a large urban school district. Ali Muldrow, a Madison East High School graduate, trains student leaders and works to promote educational inclusiveness and access. The top two vote-getters in the Feb. 21 primary will face each other in the general election April 4. Incumbent Michael Flores is not running and has endorsed Muldrow. In the trenches All three candidates have school-aged children. Carusi has the longest tenure as a district parent her children are in high school and middle school. Shes been attending several School Board meetings every year for about a decade, she said, and shes been involved in parent-teacher organizations. She helped start the advocacy group School Community Alliance for Public Education. In the wake of the presidential election, a lot of people are realizing they need to work for change at the local level, Carusi said. Ive done that for 10 years. Ive been down in the trenches. Through that work, she has come to place a high value on quality teachers and says they need small class sizes and access to more wrap-around student services psychologists, social workers, support staff to close achievement gaps. As a board member, she would focus resources on the classroom, including retaining and supporting great teachers, she said. Ive seen a lot of plans and curricula come and go over the years, but the one constant has been the relationships that develop among parents, teachers and students, she said. We all need to pull together to defend our public schools and confront inequalities. Get great people Toews, too, stresses the critical importance of hiring high-quality classroom teachers and then supporting them. Her work in both business and public education has taught her this, she said. I do believe it comes back to talent, said Toews (pronounced Taves). In my experience, the best way to be successful is to get great people and keep them. We have a hard time retaining teachers and attracting teachers of color. I want to help find ways to make this district the best place to work. Early in her career, she trained students and staff in leadership and civic engagement at public schools around the country. She then became a staff member at a public high school in Boston, running a peer mediation program that sought to resolve conflicts and keep students in the classroom. She would couple her strong passion for public schools with a skill set that includes an MBA degree, she said. We are lucky in Madison to have many resources, but we still need to make good choices to prioritize those resources, she said. I have experience managing large staffs and budgets, and those are skills our schools need from the board. She has children ages 1, 4 and 7. The oldest attends a district elementary school. Diversity important Muldrow is director of youth programming and inclusion for GSAFE, a Madison nonprofit organization with a statewide mission of creating just schools for LGBTQ+ youth. The letters are an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and others. One part of her work includes facilitating a course for young people on the foundations of leadership. She believes LGBT youth of color in particular need to see themselves as potential community leaders, and she would like to be a role model for them. She is black and identifies as bisexual. Diversity on our School Board is important, she said. Its one thing to say, Ive worked toward ending racial disparities. Its another to say, I know exactly what its like to be poor and black and go to school in Madison. Im that person. I know what its like to have teachers treat you really badly at school or call you stupid in front of your class or label you learning disabled or all of the above. I think valuing my experiences and my insight is part of valuing students of color. Her children, ages 2 and 7, attend Isthmus Montessori Academy (IMA), a private school that board members voted Monday to turn into a public charter school starting in the 2018-19 school year. Differing approaches Muldrow was among parents who urged the board to approve the IMA proposal. Her older daughter has thrived with the Montessori approach after having had a traumatizing experience at a district 4-year-old kindergarten site, Muldrow said. Her daughter had begun crying before going to school and was getting in trouble for things Muldrow and her partner felt were typical kid behaviors. Muldrow believes charter schools can provide innovation and diverse options. She stressed she would support only instrumentality charter schools, meaning ones that are part of a public school district. Carusi and Toews are less enthusiastic about charter schools and said they would have voted against the IMA proposal. Carusi said she would give future instrumentality charter school proposals a fair hearing but in general said nurturing innovation in neighborhood schools should be the top priority. She had concerns that the IMA proposal did not ensure equitable enrollment, a solvent budget or enough legally mandated support for students with disabilities. Toews said the IMA proposal did not meet district standards in key areas, and she felt it did not meaningfully improve district goals to close the achievement gap. In general, she is not in favor of charter schools, she said. But she said shes a realist and that going forward, the district likely will see more charter proposals and needs to maintain a high bar and be strategic in how it evaluates them. Pathways concerns On Personalized Pathways, another big district issue, all three said they see benefits but have reservations. The initiative, to begin being phased in this fall, intends to help high school students explore college and career options. I think there is good in Pathways and that a lot of kids will benefit, Carusi said. But I also think it is a clear example of a top-down initiative that needed more community and teacher input. Carusi would need to see a meaningful evaluation of its success before agreeing to expand it to all students, she said. Toews said the board needs to respect the fact a lot of parents and students are really excited about it, though she has heard others say they are concerned. The first pathway this fall will be an opportunity to start collecting data and to keep listening to parent and student feedback, she said. Its very important that we evaluate what works and what doesnt and continue to improve it in dialogue with the community, Toews said. Muldrow said for some kids, Pathways could work really well. But she would insist on flexibility, perhaps through a design-your-own-major component so students never feel locked into a particular path. As a student, your relationship to the future should be limited only by your imagination, she said. Two-part report: This is the second of two articles on Madison School Board candidates prior to the Feb. 21 primary. A story Thursday discussed the three Seat 7 candidates. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a phone call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Donald Trump threatened to send U.S. troops south of the border if Mexico didnt stand up to bad hombres down there. You have a bunch of bad hombres down there, Trump said to the Mexican president, according to a portion of the transcript obtained by the Associated Press. You arent doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isnt, so I just might send them down to take care of it. The exchange is just the latest example of just how dangerous Trump is and how little he knows about international diplomacy. More from the AP report: The excerpt of the call did not make clear who exactly Trump considered bad hombres, drug cartels, immigrants, or both or the tone and context of the remark, made in a Friday morning phone call between the leaders. It also did not contain Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos response. Still, the excerpt offers a rare and striking look at how the new president is conducting diplomacy behind closed doors. Trumps remarks suggest he is using the same tough and blunt talk with world leaders that he used to rally crowds on the campaign trail. Whats particularly troubling about the incident is that the purpose of the call, as the Associated Press noted in its report, was to patch things up between the two leaders after their public squabble about the funding for Trumps border wall. Instead, the exchanged deteriorated into a confrontational conversation, according to the AP, citing a report from a Mexican news organization. The news of Trumps exchange with Mexico comes the same day that Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn threatened another country, Iran, saying the administration is putting the country on notice. Flynn didnt rule out taking further steps against the country. If youre keeping score at home, the Trump administration has now threatened to take action against two countries Iran and Mexico. Its been 12 days. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Its all fun and games until one of your family members gets deported, isnt it? That was certainly the case for one Donald Trump supporter, who cast her ballot for the Republican last fall but was left in disbelief when a handful of her Syrian relatives two brothers-in-law, along with their wives and children were deported after the new president signed a travel ban targeting Muslims and refugees. According to a report from Public Radio International, the family members of Sarmad Assali, a Syrian American Trump supporter, have valid U.S. visas but were still deported to Damascus, Syria from Philadelphia International Airport. More from PRI: Assali says her relatives are now back home in Damascus. But she speculates that if the families had not been quickly hustled back on a flight to Doha, she might have been able to find them legal assistance that would have won them entry rights. They werent even allowed to make a phone call and let us know what is going on, she says. They had to beg the employees to call us, to let us know that they were being returned. Assalis family members were sent back after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday night banning immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. The ban may be lifted in 120 days or may remain fully or partially in force. For those who lack empathy and have nothing at stake, its incredibly easy to support the discriminatory and reckless policies put forward by Donald Trump and Republicans. After all, if you have no family members at risk of being deported to the Middle East for no reason, why not support Trumps ban? If you dont know a Syrian refugee trying to escape violence, why should you care to let them into the country? In the most unexpected way, at least one of the presidents supporters is learning that there are actual lives behind his policies its not just tough political talk wrapped in an empty slogan. This same principle can be applied to other Republican policies, too, like opposing sensible gun laws or marriage equality or a social safety net. Why support such things if you dont know a gun violence victim or a same-sex couple or someone struggling to feed their family? The answer from liberals, of course, would be that policies meant to help or protect people even if they dont always directly impact our own lives ultimately create a stronger society and better world. As 2016 popular vote winner Hillary Clinton repeatedly said during the campaign, we are stronger together. We shouldnt need our own family member to be deported or gunned down or denied civil rights in order to support policies that prevent such things. Instead of only caring about Trumps misguided agenda when it affects them, perhaps more of his supporters should consider putting themselves in the shoes of those who are already being impacted or will be in the near future. If this Trump supporter and more like her considered all of this last November, perhaps this dangerous man wouldnt be in the White House today. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump bungled his first operation as Commander-in-Chief. Trump ordered the raid without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations, according to a Reuters report. The Navy SEAL raid on al Qaeda in Yemen over the weekend resulted in the death of U.S. Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens and non-combatant civilian deaths, including possibly children, while not producing any militants or taking any prisoners. White House spokesperson Sean Spicer claims that intelligence was gathered, but Spicers track record with the truth is less than encouraging. Ayesha Rascoe for Reuters reported that the military is looking into the possibility of more civilian deaths during the raid, after medics at the scene reported about 30 people, including 10 women and children, were killed. Buckle up for this part because its the part where Trump just went in, like he said he would, without even bothering to prepare the basics, U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. As a result, three officials said, the attacking SEAL team found itself dropping onto a reinforced al Qaeda base defended by landmines, snipers, and a larger than expected contingent of heavily armed Islamist extremists. A White House official told Reuters that the operation had been signed off by the previous administration in January and had been delayed for operational reasons. From this statement we gather that the Trump White House ordered the raid without looking at any new information. When it went wrong, they blamed Obama. However, (O)ne of the three U.S. officials said on-the-ground surveillance of the compound was minimal, at best.' And so the decision was made to leave the raid to the new administration in hopes that they could gather better intelligence first, The decision was made to leave it to the incoming administration, partly in the hope that more and better intelligence could be collected. Perhaps we can agree with the Trump administration that the Obama administration should never have assumed that the Trump administration could or would bother to gather intelligence. After all, Trump keeps telling everyone our intelligence community isnt worth listening to and he didnt need intelligence briefings since he is, and I quote, Im, like, a smart person. The Trump administrations lack of preparation and attention to detail got a Navy SEAL killed. For this, he blames Obama. Which, if accurate (and its not), would beg the question why doesnt Trump think hes supposed to keep on top of current information. If hes going to rely on old Obama info, perhaps he should step aside and let the man who got Osama lead again. Instead we are stuck with a petulant child who still expects Obama to do the hard work for him while he obsesses over crowd size and how the country despises him already. Does Trump even know the basics regarding the job? For the party that drooled over the tragedy of Benghazi, picking through the rubble of personal tragedy to mine for political gold for years, this is an ironic start. They might claim its unfair to accuse Trump of getting the SEAL killed, but these are their own standards, set in stone after years of wasting taxpayer money investigating the tragedy in hopes of pinning it on Clinton. When the evidence didnt comply, they just made things up. Additionally, failures happen, but it helps to prepare. It helps to trust experts. It helps to respect intelligence reports. If a leader has done none of these things, he or she is to blame for the failure. It also helps to be accountable for decisions, because it suggests that the leader might be an adult who can learn from their mistakes. Donald Trump completely blew this raid for reasons that were apparent during the campaign and continue to be problematic. Intel is not static. This is like step one in the Intelligence Guide for Dummies. Are you scared yet? Update: The Trump administration misled the press again. It turns out The specific operation in question was never presented to or considered by the Obama Admin for approval. Except it was misleading. The specific operation in question was never presented to or considered by the Obama Admin for approval. https://t.co/v0KwnhhRj9 Ned Price (@nedprice) February 2, 2017 Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print After it was reported that threats of protests got a presidential visit to a Harley Davidson plant in Milwaukee, WI canceled, the Trump administration has announced that the President will be meeting Harley Davidson execs and union leaders at the White House. The White House added the lunch on late Thursday morning, The President will greet Harley Davidson executives and union representatives upon arrival on the South Lawn at 12:10PM. There will be an in-house pool spray. The President will then have lunch with Harley Davidson executives and union representatives at 1:00PM. The Trump administration and Harley Davidson deny that there was ever a scheduled presidential visit, but The Washington Post reported, But workers said preparations for the president were well underway. Nearly a week after he signed an executive order barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries and refugees from entering the United States, Trump was quietly scheduled to touch down in the Rust Belt state, which flipped from blue to red in the 2016 election. Secret Service members had cleared rooms in a Hilton hotel in Milwaukee, and agents had already toured the Harley-Davidson facility in Menomonee Falls, said a hotel worker and two factory employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because their employers had not authorized them to talk to the media. Press Secretary Sean Spicer explained on Wednesday that it was easier for Trump to have Harley Davidson come to the White House. The fact that the demonstrators, who are organized as the Milwaukee Coalition Against Trump had planned a massive protest outside of the Harley factory were completely unrelated to what the White House says was a matter of convenience. Donald Trump is a man who loves his rallies and adoring crowds. There has been a great deal of concern by those close to Trump that he would hate the insular life of a president in the White House. The truth is that the visit was changed to a White House lunch to avoid the protesters. The protesters are claiming victory because they kept Trump out of Milwaukee. The White House response of we were never going to go there anyway was weak. What the Harley Davidson episode demonstrates is that Trump is administration might be as thin skinned as the president. Even the threat of protests can get an event moved. For those who oppose Trump, the message is clear. Protest long. Protest often, and never give up the fight. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print House Republicans have voted 235-180 to overturn an Obama administration that blocked Social Security disability recipients with mental disorders from buying guns. Less than two weeks into Trumps presidency and Republicans have given the mentally ill easier access to guns. The Hill reported, The House voted 235-180 to roll back an attempt by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to block disability recipients with mental disorders like schizophrenia and severe anxiety from owning guns. The rule required reporting people who receive disability benefits and have a mental health condition to the FBIs background check system. But critics said the restrictions would have also applied to disability recipients who needed financial help managing their benefits. Here is the mostly party-line breakdown of the vote: Mostly along party lines: Republicans 229-2, Democrats 6-178 Greg Giroux (@greggiroux) February 2, 2017 The names of the six Democrats who voted yes: The role of mental illness in mass shootings has been a cause of debate. Conservative estimates suggest that at least 20% of mass shooters have a diagnosed mental illness. The problem in coming up with an accurate evaluation of the potential correlation between mass shootings and mental illness is that not all people who have a mental illness are diagnosed. Even using the most conservative estimates of the number of mass shooters with mental illness, the removal of the rule is a very bad idea. Not all people who have a mental illness are capable of being a mass shooter, but it is hypocritical at a minimum for Republicans who blame every mass shooting in the US on mental illness to turn around and enable mentally ill individuals to buy guns. In Donald Trumps America, people with mental illnesses can have guns, and if they commit a criminal act with those guns, it will be the fault of the individual, not the Republican-controlled federal government that allowed them to have the gun. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Voters are desperately trying to reach their Senators to voice opinions or concerns during this turbulent time, but many are running into what seem to be inaccessible offices where it is impossible to even leave a message. One of the offices that has gotten the most complaints was Senator Pat Toomeys office of Pennsylvania. Constituents reported to me being unable to even leave a message, the mailbox being full, and sometimes the call just going nowhere, not even to a recording, for two weeks. These complaints were further buttressed by a report in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. I feel completely ignored, Dr. Kellerman of Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania told the PPG. They report, She isnt the only one Mr. Toomey, R-Pa., is among the hardest to reach, say some constituents. Ms. Jamieson of Mt Lebonon Pennsylvania, told the PPG Shes called Mr. Toomeys office daily since Election Day After a very low rate of contact, she concluded, It makes me think that Sen. Toomey is avoiding his constituents. A part of the USA Today network, the York Daily Record reported, Residents from around the state have been reporting difficulty making contact by phone with regional offices of the second-term Republican, particularly in the wake of President Donald Trumps executive order restricting immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. A local Facebook group, Indivisible Action PA 4th District, is littered with stories of members getting only busy signals or full voicemail boxes when they call his offices. Toomeys Communications Director Elizabeth R Anderson replied to me in an email in which I expressed concern that constituents couldnt reach the senator to express their concerns. There is a lot going on in Washington right now. As such, many Pennsylvanians are calling to make their voices heard on a range of issues. Senator Toomeys staff in both Pennsylvania and Washington are taking an all hands on deck approach in answering as many calls and emails as possible while also attending to other responsibilities, such as helping veterans, seniors, and attending to legislative concerns. Voicemail accounts are being emptied regularly, but with call volume as heavy as it is, mailboxes do fill quickly. We appreciate everyones patience. Another good way to reach the office is via the website toomey.senate.gov. Senator Toomey is very much aware of the magnitude of the call volume and receives a roundup of constituent communications and their positions, Anderson added. Fair enough, but how can all hands on deck lead to a full mailbox for two weeks. This is troubling. I asked how the Senator can get a round up of his constituents positions when people cant get through. Anderson wrote back highlighting the previous part of her email directing people to use the website. I responded that it doesnt work well when people do not know to use the website. When our office tried to call again minutes later, we got a new recording directing people to use the website. I got this from a constituent when I shared this directive: @PoliticusSarah @SenToomey as a PA resident, I want to speak to someone, not interact online. No office in PA/DC answering. #VoteNoDevos christy (@c18913) February 2, 2017 Toomey constituents wrote to tell me they had been trying to reach his office for two weeks: @PoliticusSarah Can't get through to Senator Toomey been trying for 2 weeks Steven Tremitiere (@stremitiere) February 2, 2017 Voters are not impressed with how inaccessible their senators are: @PoliticusSarah how can they do constituent service if they can't handle phone calls? Unprofessional and potentially dangerous. pru (@pru_fallows) February 2, 2017 There hasnt been a good reason provided as to why the voicemail cant be cleaned out regularly and why it was full for a week without end. Directing people to use the website is better than nothing, but people should be able to call their senators and at the very least, leave a message. Yes, this is a busy time and yes, it is extra work. But it is the job. If Senators dont want to do it, they shouldnt have run for office. Furthermore, its not the constituents fault that Donald Trump is ricocheting from terror to terror, massively overstepping any previous executive branch power, and nominating extremists to his cabinet. It is vital that senators be accessible to their constituents at such a critical time of Trump-caused upheaval. People are afraid, they need to be heard. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a scoop, The Washington Post reveals that Donald Trump called Australian Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and subjected him to what the Post calls a version of the vitriol he frequently employs against political adversaries and news organizations in speeches and on Twitter. It should have been one of the most congenial calls for the new commander in chief a conversation with the leader of Australia, one of Americas staunchest allies, at the end of a triumphant week. Instead, President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refugee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it. If you doubt it, MSNBCs Chris Hayes points out that Btw, the Trump tweet totally confirms the contours of the reporting on the Australia call. And it does, as you can see for yourself: Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 Of course, 1,250 people arent thousands, and those refugees, as Hayes also pointed out, are not illegal: Refugees are not "illegal" for the love of God. They are literally the opposite. https://t.co/nSEcy5uLE3 Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 2, 2017 MSNBCs Kyle Griffin makes another valid point, but one, it seems, that could legitimately be asked of each one of Donald Trumps decisions as president: One more point shouldn't Trump have 'studied this dumb deal' *before* he spoke with Australia's PM? https://t.co/btHomyYgoo Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 2, 2017 You would think. Full Frontals Samantha Bee quips that Trump cant read, and that would certainly explain a great deal. Probably more accurately, he doesnt bother to read. He has the attention span of a gnat and the temper of a T-Rex. The rantings of a madman? Youd be forgiven for thinking so, and you may even be right. This is how Trump treats our friends and allies if he is not threatening to invade them. Based on this episode, on other foreign policy decisions, like threatening our allies at the UN, and his executive orders, one of which attacked another ally, Iraq, Donald Trumps decision-making paradigm clearly needs some work. And thats being charitable. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print It is being reported from inside the government, that Donald Trump is throwing tantrums during calls with world leaders when he is confronted about his policies. Video of CNN reporting on Trumps tantrum reaction: While reporting on Trumps stormy phone calls with world leaders, CNNs Jake Tapper said, A government official familiar with the call says Presidents Trumps interactions with foreign leaders have been,at this stage naive. In that, he keeps suggesting that we will have the best relationship ever with a broad departure of countries, but there is no substance to back it up. When he encounters a policy challenge, like with Turnbull, he responds with a tantrum. An official of the United States government described the Commander In Chief as having tantrums when world leaders confront him on policy. Trump is humiliating the US in front of the entire world with his behavior. Trump isnt only a national disgrace. It is a safe guess that he is turning the worlds only superpower into a laughingstock in the eyes of the rest of the world. President Trump has no idea how to govern, and clearly no concept of diplomacy or give and take. The behavior described by the government official is embarrassing and not appropriate for the President Of The United States. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print By David Ingram (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to cut funding to the University of California at Berkeley after protesters smashed windows and set fires at the liberal-leaning school, forcing the cancellation of an appearance by a far-right Breitbart News editor. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS? Trump wrote on Twitter at 6:13 a.m. EST (1113 GMT). He did not elaborate. Representatives for the university, which has 38,000 students and a long history of activism, could not immediately be reached for comment outside of the schools business hours. Like other major U.S. research universities, Berkeley depends on federal agencies for scientific grants and other support. It was not immediately clear, however, what action Trump could take without authorization from Congress, or without risking legal action. Trumps chief White House strategist, Steve Bannon, previously headed Breitbart News. Hours before Breitbarts Milo Yiannopoulos was to give a speech at Berkeleys student union on Wednesday, hundreds of protesters clashed with police at the campus. Demonstrators tossed metal barricades and rocks through the buildings windows and set a generator on fire near the entrance, footage from news outlets showed. Police ordered the crowds to disperse, and the school was put on lockdown. We shut down the event, one protester told CNN. It was great. Mission accomplished. In a statement, the university blamed about 150 masked agitators for the violence during the otherwise mostly peaceful demonstration by about 1,500 people. The school is proud of its history and legacy as home of the free speech movement in the 1960s, the statement said. Many of the protesters voiced opposition to Trump, CNN reported. The presidents executive orders and proposed policies, including his suspension of the U.S. refugee program and temporary ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, have triggered largely peaceful demonstrations by tens of thousands of people across the United States. Yiannopoulos, whose Twitter account was suspended last year after he was accused of participating in the online harassment of a black actor, told Fox News he was rushed to safety by his security guards and police after protesters began throwing rocks. Obviously its a liberal campus so they hate any libertarians or conservatives who dare to express an opinion on their campuses, he said. They particularly dont like me. (Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Brendan OBrien in Milwaukee; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Lisa Von Ahn) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Lets take a look at Donald Trumps disastrous foreign policy if it can be called that. It more closely resembles the outpourings of a mad king, like the guy who lost the Colonies for Britain. Trumps attacks on China date back to his presidential campaign but there are so many others that soon well need somebody like the Toronto Stars Daniel Dale, to track them all. Lets make a start here. Yahoo News has noted that Foreign policy challenges pile up for Trump but those challenges are self-inflicted, created not by foreign leaders or countries but by Trump himself. It was clear from the beginning that Trump planned on upending decades of American foreign policy but any hopes he had something with which to replace it were quickly dashed. And its gotten not better, but worse. As The New York Times explains, Pointlessness is coming to define American foreign policy. Mr. Trump lacks an end game. What he does have is Twitter and a quick temper. We have just seen how Trump managed to threaten both Iran and Mexico with war, and then heap abuse on the Prime Minister of Australia before abruptly hanging up on him. These are not the actions of a stable individual. And if youre not sufficiently worried about the mental stability of Donald Trump, who happens to have a nuclear arsenal at his disposal, lets recap Trumps foreign policy of the past few days, just since last Friday: As retired Airforce Colonel Morris Davis, former Guantanamo chief prosecutor appraised Trumps attitude toward Mexico, Im so old I remember when the Mexican-American War only existed in history books. @POTUS is going to bring it to life in real time. This list doesnt include Trumps attacks on U.S. ally Germany, one on Angela Merkels refugee policy last month and another an accusation by Trump economic advisor Peter Navarro that Germany profits from a grossly undervalued currency. It does also not include a botched raid ordered by Trump in Yemen which led to the death of an 8-year-old American girl, Nawar Nora al-Alwaki, a Navy SEAL, Chief Petty Officer William Ryan Owens, and at least 10 women and children. Reuters reports that U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence, ground support or adequate backup preparations. Hardly a surprise that Trumps unwillingness to study an issue affects the outcome of more than just his tweets and phone calls. Lack of intelligence has been a Trump issue from Day 1, in every sense of the word. This list does not include the prediction Trumps closest advisor in the White House, Steve Bannon, made in March 2016 on a radio show, that the U.S. would be at war with China in five to 10 years. He is now in a position to make that happen. The list above also doesnt include the fight Trump has gotten himself into with Britains Prince Charles over climate change. The Sunday Times reports a source close to Trump saying, He wont put up with being lectured by anyone, even a member of the royal family. Frankly, they should think twice about putting him and Prince Charles in the same room together. And thats the problem, isnt it? He wont listen to anyone, refuses to hear anything that disagrees with his preconceptions, and not just disagrees, but disagrees violently and takes such disagreement as a personal insult. Other than Trumps boss, Vladimir Putin (Trump is keeping him happy with attacks on NATO), German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the one foreign leader who wont be rattled by Trump, and she, fortunately, has a longer view than the erratic Trump. Also, unlike Iraq and Mexico, Trump cant invade Germany. Donald Trump is acting like an insecure child and calling it strength, recklessly threatening Americas allies as well as her potential enemies. And he doesnt even bother to study the issues he is upset about before he reacts, as in the case of Australia and the refugee agreement President Obama made or the botched raid in Yemen. This is the man were stuck with, and its going to get worse, not better unless Congress puts the breaks on Donald Trumps madness before America loses something worse than colonies. Rural school advocates praised Gov. Scott Walkers plan released Feb. 1 to spend more money on the least-populated districts in the state, but they are also looking for more. The biggest priority for public schools this year, including those in rural areas, is an overall aid increase and lifting of revenue limits to allow the money to be spent in the classroom, rather than diverted to property tax cuts. Walker on Wednesday reiterated his promise to significantly increase K-12 funding in his budget next week. He provided no details. But his rural schools plan, released at schools in Wauzeka, Hilbert and Crandon, generally won praise. I think its a step in the right direction, said Kim Kaukl, executive director of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, which represents about 144 schools. Walkers plan calls for expanding and increasing a program that funnels money to the states lowest enrollment districts and putting more money toward the high cost of transporting students long distances. It also takes steps to stem teacher shortages and increase access to high-speed internet. Walker said the proposal was fashioned to address unique challenges faced by students in rural districts. Providing additional money for schools is a welcome change from previous budgets, said Dan Rossmiller, lobbyist for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. State Superintendent Tony Evers also applauded the proposal, but he renewed his call for the Legislature to consider his plan to equalize funding differences between rural and urban schools. He said thats the only way to stem the tide of teachers leaving rural schools for higher salaries in more urban areas. Walkers plan addresses the needs of rural schools, said John Forester, director of the School Administrators Alliance that represents about 3,000 principals, superintendents and other administrators. Its good stuff, he said. Hes definitely giving rural schools some of what they need. However, Forester and Kaukl said the top priority remains the need for a $200 per-student spending increase. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling reacted to his rural schools plan by saying Walker needs to restore $1 billion in state aid cut since 2011. She did not comment on the specifics of his proposal. Republican Rep. John Nygren, co-chair of the Legislatures budget-writing committee, said he was hopeful that Walker would be including even more investments for public schools in his budget. Walkers rural schools plan would: Increase sparsity aid by $20 million. That aid goes to districts with fewer than 745 students and a population density of less than 10 students per square mile. Walker said his budget will spend $12.3 million more on sparsity aid than was requested by the state Department of Public Instruction. Create a new $100-per-student tier of sparsity aid for districts with between 746 and 1,000 students. Provide 100 percent reimbursement, with a $10.4 million funding increase, for transportation costs for schools with fewer than 50 students per square mile and transportation costs that are 150 percent of the state average. Last year, the reimbursement rate was about 60 percent. Increase by $22.5 million the money available through Technology for Educational Achievement grants. The grants can currently be used to pay for training for teachers to use educational technology. Walker is also proposing allowing districts to apply for the grants to pay for making internet hot spots available on buses and for students to take home. The hot spots would allow students to get online to complete their homework when not at school. Increase grants for broadband internet expansion by $13 million. Require the University of Wisconsins flex option program to create a program to train teachers aides and other paraprofessionals already working in schools to become full-time teachers. This proposal is designed to help rural schools struggling with teacher shortages. The flex option program allows students to earn college credits by demonstrating real-life knowledge through online tests. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The power of protest has made President Trump even more toxic. After a customer rebellion, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick told employees that he is stepping down from Trumps economic advisory council. The New York Times obtained an email that Kalanick sent to Uber employees, Earlier today I spoke briefly with the president about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community. I also let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that. Thousands of people across the United States deleted their Uber apps and pledged not to use the ride-sharing service after Ubers initial weak response to Trumps Muslim ban executive order. The lesson is that consumer boycotts work, and corporate America must be sent the message that if they insist on helping this president and his ugly policies, they suffer immense damage to their brands and pay a heavy price with consumers. Donald Trump is not the usual president, and anyone who collaborates with the man who is doing so much harm to millions of Americans will be viewed as the enemy by millions of consumers. The only way that the Trump administration will be successful is the American people stay silent. If you disagree with this administration, protest, boycott, spread information, and make your voice heard every single day. Doing anything less will be a gift to President Trump. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print A foreign policy expert is accusing the White House of turning off the recording equipment so that the public couldnt get details of a call between Trump and Putin. Raw Story has the details, Ilan Berman, vice president of the conservative American Foreign Policy Council think tank, reported that the White House turned off its recording equipment during President Donald Trumps call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.During a Wednesday forum on Russian-Turkish relations at the Bipartisan Policy Center, Berman suggested that the White House could not provide additional details about the call because staff had disabled recording equipment, according to Turkish journalist Ilhan Tanir. These are the thoughts of one expert that appear to be speculation on the part of Berman, but if true, it would represent an astounding breach of White House transparency and record keeping. The White House readout of the call consisted of, President Donald J. Trump received a congratulatory call today from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The call lasted approximately one hour and ranged in topics from mutual cooperation in defeating ISIS to efforts in working together to achieve more peace throughout the world including Syria. The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair. Both President Trump and President Putin are hopeful that after todays call the two sides can move quickly to tackle terrorism and other important issues of mutual concern. The Russia readout is general compared some of the detail that is included in other readouts of presidential calls. For example, here is much longer call readout from a presidential call with the King of Saudi Arabia. President Trump spoke today with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. The two leaders reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and strategic partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia. They agreed on the importance of strengthening joint efforts to fight the spread of radical Islamic terrorism and also on the importance of working jointly to address challenges to regional peace and security, including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. The President requested and the King agreed to support safe zones in Syria and Yemen, as well as supporting other ideas to help the many refugees who are displaced by the ongoing conflicts. They also agreed on the importance of rigorously enforcing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran and of addressing Irans destabilizing regional activities. The President voiced support for the Kingdoms Vision 2030 economic program. Both leaders expressed a desire to explore additional steps to strengthen bilateral economic and energy cooperation. The two leaders also discussed an invitation from the King for President Trump to lead a Middle East effort to defeat terrorism and to help build a new future, economically and socially, for the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region. The President and King Salman closed by underscoring their personal commitment to continued consultations on a range of regional and bilateral issues. A call with Putin got five lines of text, but a call with the king of Saudi Arabia received ten Something is wrong with this picture. No one would be surprised if the White House turned off the recording equipment on the Trump/Putin call. Doing so would only further the perception among many Americans that there something rotten going on between the US president, and the enemy of America that worked so hard to get him elected. Today I have a fun project for you that is perfect for Valentines Day or any other day for that matter, this Bless your Heart DIY Hand Painted Wood Sign tutorial! If you like this project you may also like this BEE my Valentine printable. I grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. I was born and raised there. I went to college there. While I was in college (I went to BYU incase inquiring minds want to know), I met a boy from Kentucky. As soon as I heard where he was from, my interest peaked. I had met many cute boys from Utah, California, and Arizona before, but he was the first one Kentucky. We chatted a few times before I got up the courage to ask him out on a date. He said yes, but the date didnt really go well. After the date we saw each other a couple of more times. During one of those times he told me he wasnt interested in dating me. If you just went HUH?!?, then I feel ya, there is quite the story there, but it will have to be saved for another day. Two days after he told me he didnt want to date me, he started showing up at my apartment everyday. Long story short, we got married. We stayed in Utah for two years after we were married, then he found out he got into graduate school in Kentucky and we moved to Louisville. It was his home town, and my first time living outside the state of Utah. When we moved I made a decision to bloom where I was planted and have tried over the years to embrace all the good things that my new city and state had to offer. Kentucky is in the South, some people say its not, but dont tell that to a Kentuckian. Sweet Tea and Bourbon are popular here (two things Kentucky things I have not indulged in), its a million degrees and insanely humid in the summer, seersucker and bowties are popular, and everywhere you go you are greeted with a warm, genuine smile. It didnt take long for me to pick up on some of the local vernacular, and soon yall became a part of my daily vocabulary. One of the sayings that I hear frequently is Well, bless your heart. Its cute and sweet and I love it. When my twins were babies and we walked around the mall Id hear that expression a dozen times a day. I think people knew I really needed the bless part of that saying in my daily life. People also day bless a lot, but not in the way you think.. usually when they are exasperated.. For example, theyd say My teenage son leaves his socks all over the house then exhale deeply and say Bless. Its cute and seems like quite a polite way to complain about your teenagers (wink). I was thinking about Valentines Day and dreaming up a few projects to share with you and immediately thought that I needed a Bless Your Heart sign for my house. I thought you might like one too, so Ive designed a FREE CUT file so you can make your own hand pained wood sign at home. I use the term hand pained loosely, since this is a quick CHEATER way to make a hand painted wood sign and I say when it comes to crafting cheating is encouraged! Do you want to make one? Heres how! SUPPLIES: You need click on the links for sources, contains affiliate links: 1212 piece of wood (you can buy it on Amazon or at your local craft store) 1212 picture frame Chalk Paint (I recommend using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint -in Louisville, you can pick it up at Vintage Style & Designs) Wax for the Chalk Paint Black Acrylic Paint Gold Metallic Acrylic Paint Bless your Heart Cut file (CLICK HERE to download it for free on the TEMPLATES PAGE) Piece of Vinyl, any color Vinyl Transfer Tape Cricut or other e-cutting machine Sandpaper INSTRUCTIONS: Begin by cutting out your Bless your Heart stencil. Pull the file into the Cricut design space. Click on all of the layers and then click WELD. Resize your image to close to 11 wide. Cut it out. Peel away the letters, leaving the stencil behind (make sure you leave the insides of the letters) Apply the transfer tape to the top of the vinyl, and peel the vinyl off of its plastic backing. Paint your 1212 piece of wood with 2 coats of white chalk paint (chalk paint works better for this, as it absorbs the stencil better). After your paint is dry, apply the vinyl stencil to your wood board. Peel away the transfer tape. Paint in the letters with black acrylic paint. Then paint the heart with gold paint. It will take two coats. When the paint is dry, peel of the stencil. Using your sandpaper, sand the sign down as much as youd like. To finish apply a coat of wax. Apply the wax, let it dry then buff it with a clean white cloth. Slide the sign into the frame (I painted my frame, it was white to start with) and youre done! Charleston, SC (29403) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 83F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. As winter or colder weather at least slowly approaches, start thinking about how to the best take care of your plants to ensure they make it to spring. Read moreTips for taking care of your plants as winter approaches in the SC Lowcountry Berkeley County, dating back to 1682, just 12 years after English settlers landed at nearby Charles Towne, is drenched in history, with Revolutionary War battles, a secret weapon developed during the Civil War, a man-made canal connecting two rivers and a lake built during the Great Depression. With much of the county protected in the Francis Marion National Forest, outdoor activites include hikes along the Palmetto Trail, boating and fishing on Lake Moultrie and numerous attractions such as the nature preserve Cypress Gardens, where numerous Hollywood films have been made. The county is now tapping into its assets to boost its tourism industry. Read moreBerkeley taps into battlefields, boating and butterflies to boost budding tourism business U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said Thursday she will oppose confirming President Donald Trumps pick for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. The announcement drew Baldwin, D-Madison, into a testy Twitter exchange with Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who criticized Baldwin for not meeting with Gorsuch before deciding to oppose him. The move is a sign Baldwin is joining the ranks of congressional Democrats who, at the urging of their political base, are ramping up efforts to push back on Trumps agenda just two weeks into his presidency. Baldwin is a first-term Democratic senator whos expected to face a tough re-election fight in 2018. In a statement, Baldwin said that in Gorsuch, Trump has offered someone who will have a hard time earning bipartisan support. The last two Supreme Court justices who joined the court, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, were confirmed in the U.S. Senate on bipartisan votes, and with more than 60 votes the procedural threshold to prevent a filibuster. President Trump needs to earn 60 votes (for Gorsuch) in the Senate, but I am not one of them, Baldwin said, adding she has concerns about this nominees deeply troubling record on the bench. She cited rulings against disabled students, against workers, and against womens reproductive health care. Gorsuch is a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, based in Denver. Wisconsin Republicans quickly hit back against Baldwin, with Walker leading the way on Twitter. Baldwin quickly responded, sparking a sharply worded exchange between two of Wisconsins top elected officials. Congressman Sean Duffy, a Wausau Republican whos widely seen as a possible Baldwin challenger in 2018, also joined in with a statement hammering Baldwins stance as shameful. Baldwins position does not diverge from her past remarks about Gorsuch, which were critical, or from the growing numbers of other Democrats who are lining up against Trumps picks for the high court as well as his Cabinet. But some others facing tough re-election battles in 2018, such as Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., are taking a more cautious tack. McCaskill has said any Supreme Court nominee should have a full confirmation hearing and vote in the Senate. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also considered vulnerable in 2018, has said he is anxious to meet with Gorsuch and that Democrats should not immediately move to block him. Still, Baldwin may wish to stay in step with her partys base, much of which is pushing Senate Democrats to use any means possible to stop Trump. Many Democrats also remain angry about Senate Republicans refusal last year to hold hearings for former President Barack Obamas pick, Judge Merrick Garland, for the seat left vacant by the Feb. 13 death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Republicans nearly yearlong stalling tactic paid off, leaving the seat open through the presidential election and paving the way for Gorsuchs nomination. Shortly after Obama nominated Garland last year, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, held what he described as a cordial meeting with Garland. Johnson, who was reelected in November, said the meeting did not affect his opposition to Garlands confirmation; he joined Senate Republican colleagues in opposing holding hearings or a vote on Garland. This time, Johnson has made clear he enthusiastically supports Gorsuchs confirmation. While 60 votes has been the traditional threshold for the Senate to confirm Supreme Court nominees, majority Republicans, who control 52 of 100 seats, could remove that barrier with a simply majority vote what some have called the nuclear option. Trump has urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to exercise that option if needed. McConnell, thus far, has been noncommittal. The Associated Press contributed to this report. S.C. Education Superintendent Molly Spearman wasnt dreaming up hypothetical problems when she went to the Statehouse in 2019 to ask for authority to remove school boards in districts the state has to take over. Read moreScoppe: Allendale interventions show SC school takeovers work while they last Nearly 13 percent of registered voters in South Carolina have already cast ballots for the 2022 general election after the state opened up no excuse early voting to all for the first time. More than 438,000 votes were in as of the end of Thursday, which was the 10th day of early voting, according to statistics from the South Carolina Election Commission. Read more13% in SC have already cast ballots with new early voting NEW YORK Next on the immigration chopping block? U.S. tech companies fear the Trump administration will target a visa program they cherish for bringing in programmers and other specialized workers from other countries. Although these visas, known as H-1B, aren't supposed to displace American workers, critics say safeguards are weak. Critics also say the program mostly benefits consulting firms that let tech companies contract out their jobs to save money. The administration is considering a broad review of such programs, though there weren't many specifics in a draft executive order obtained by the Associated Press. This comes amid President Donald Trump's temporary ban on nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., including those who are employed by Google and other tech companies but were out of the country when the surprise order was issued Friday. Here's a look at how the H-1B visa program works and why tech companies are worried. IS THIS A TECH VISA PROGRAM? ADVERTISEMENT The H-1B program is open to a broad range of occupations, including architects, professors and even fashion models. Companies must affirm that the job requires a specialty skill that cannot be filled by a U.S. worker. Many of these skills happen to be in tech. According to the Labor Department, the top three H-1B occupations are computer systems analysts, application software developers and computer programmers. The Labor Department says about half of its H-1B certifications are for those three occupations. BY THE NUMBERS The U.S. government allows up to 85,000 new H-1B visas each year, and recipients can stay up to six years. Demand is usually higher, so the government holds an annual lottery. Advocates say that's a sign the cap needs to be raised. WHAT ABOUT AMERICAN JOBS? By law, companies are required to pay at least the prevailing wage for that occupation. In some cases, they also must make a good faith effort to hire a U.S. worker before turning to an H-1B worker. The Labor Department must certify that these conditions have been met. After that, Homeland Security's Citizenship and Immigration Services conducts a lottery and the State Department issues visas to the lucky winners. Venky Ganesan, a managing director at venture capitalist firm Menlo Ventures, says that rather than displace low-wage workers, the program encourages students to stay in the U.S. after getting their degrees in high-tech specialties. He said many of them go on to start companies and hire U.S. workers. ADVERTISEMENT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT ... A 2011 study from the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, found that the Labor Department's review is "cursory and limited by law to only looking for missing information and obvious inaccuracies." An Associated Press review of Labor Department data showed that less than 2 percent of applications were denied in fiscal 2016. Critics say the program has turned into a mechanism for companies to contract out jobs to consulting firms. Indeed, the data show that top companies certified for H-1B visas are large consulting firms. Apple ranked eighth, and no other traditional tech firm made the top 15 in the AP review. CONSULTING FIRMS TARGETED Last week, Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, whose district includes Silicon Valley, proposed raising the minimum annual salary for certain exemptions to $130,000, from $60,000. The change could require more companies to try to hire U.S. workers first. As news of the proposal circulated in India, shares of many Indian technology companies sank. The stocks of Wipro, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services the fifth, seventh and 10th largest sources of H-1B applications each fell 2 percent to 4 percent Tuesday on the Bombay Stock Exchange. As a Democratic bill, it has virtually no chance of passage in the Republican Congress, although the idea could be incorporated into other measures from the GOP. WHAT ELSE? ADVERTISEMENT The draft order from the White House had few specifics, other than to review existing regulations, find ways to allocate visas more efficiently and ensure that beneficiaries are "the best and the brightest." This suggests that the Trump isn't looking to kill the program entirely. The order didn't propose anything specific about allocating visas, though one option is to scrap the lottery in favor of offering visas to the highest-paying jobs. Lofgren's bill would prioritize visas for higher-paying jobs and set aside 20 percent of slots for smaller businesses and startups. Tech companies have been clamoring for the government to increase the number of annual visas allotted, but there's no indication that's on the agenda. In fact, the number of visas could go down. Although the cap itself is set by law, there's no legal requirement for the administration to issue that many visas. A man law enforcement officials have called a "prolific burglar" is back in prison after pleading guilty to possession of burglary tools, items found in his car after a string of thefts. Maurice Golston, 61, was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison, with credit for 156 days already served since his arrest in late August. As a result of his guilty plea in December, one count each of possession of stolen property and bringing stolen goods into the state were dismissed at sentencing. All three counts are felonies. The investigation began in July, when Golston who has no fewer than eight convictions for burglary became the suspect in a series of rural burglaries, leading to the installation of a tracking device on his vehicle. On Aug. 26, a detective monitoring Golston's movements saw that he was traveling in several rural Wisconsin areas, consistent with his history, court documents say. About 11 a.m., Golston's vehicle was in rural Pepin County; the Olmsted County detective contacted law enforcement there to advise them of Golston's location. ADVERTISEMENT About noon, officials there learned about a residential burglary very near the address indicated by the tracking device on Golston's car. A door had been pried open and a safe containing personal papers and old coins was taken. A neighbor reported seeing a car fitting the description of Golston's vehicle arrive at the home, stay for a short time, then leave. The rare coin collection was estimated at $5,000 to $10,000, the report says. Golston was tracked back to Rochester and was stopped in the 3700 block of Broadway Avenue North. Inside the trunk of his car was the safe taken in the Wisconsin burglary; on the front seat were a pair of gloves and a screwdriver with a straight blade. Golston told investigators he hadn't been to Wisconsin that day, the vehicle belonged to a family member and the screwdriver was used for yard work. In July 2009, Golston was convicted of second-degree burglary and given a 43-month prison term; in September of 2009, he was given concurrent prison terms of 18 months and 21 months for second-degree burglary convictions stemming from two separate incidents in 2007. In April 2012, Golston was sentenced to 27 months in prison for third-degree burglary; a 23-month prison term followed in October 2014, again for third-degree burglary. Each of the sentences granted him credit for jail time already served while he awaited judgment. St. Francis of Assisi Future City Team,"KIOJIN LIMANI" earned first place on Jan. 21 at the Minnesota Regional Future City Competition at Dunwoody Technical College in Minneapolis. These students will now have the opportunity to compete in the National Competition at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., Feb. 17-21. Students also earned the "Best Essay" award. The 11-student team of seventh- and eighth-grade students were tasked with designing a "future city," which included a "distributed network of innovative, multi-use spaces," for this year's theme: "The Power of Public Space." It's the 11th year St. Francis participated in the five-part competition, which includes portions like an essay and creating a physical model of the plan. "What I was impressed with was their work ethic, creativity and research," said the team's mentor, Eileen Kennedy-Warrington, noting that the team's design was creative as well as plausible. ADVERTISEMENT "They looked to the past to understand it, and used it to lead them to the future," she said, noting the team designed their city based on Crete, an island off of Greece. Students met every weekend, beginning in October, to plan throughout the competition, Kennedy-Warrington said. The team included: grade 8: Zach Chew, Eric Courneya, Will Creighton, Bryan Folkert, Izzy Mustwillow, Andy Rho, Anthony Vareberg, Aidan Warrington; grade 7: Carolyn Jones, Ellie Meyers and Ryan Sanders. The team mentors are Eileen Warrington, a medical editor, and Michael Schweyen a Minnesota Department of Transportation civil engineer. A Rochester group that designed a remote-controlled vehicle equipped with a video camera received a 2016 Governor's Better Government Award on Monday for its creation and use of the tiny SUV, which has improved the inspection of pipes and culverts in the area. Employees with the Minnesota Department of Transportation's District 6 accepted the honor at a ceremony in St. Paul that recognized their project, the HIVE. That's the Hydraulic Inspection Vehicle Explorer, a custom-built radio-controlled car developed to more easily and efficiently inspect culverts throughout the district, which includes 11 counties in southeast Minnesota. It won the Great Results category, one of three that celebrates individual and organizational accomplishments that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of state government. The group now produces similar inspection vehicles for other MnDOT districts across the state. ADVERTISEMENT The device already has saved thousands of dollars not including the money it saved by recreating an $80,000 device used in the Twin Cities area for a similar purpose. The HIVE cost a total of about $1,500. An inspection of a culvert on Minnesota Highway 26 in Houston County revealed that only limited repairs, rather than a full replacement, were needed. It has completed inspections of culverts in the U.S. Highway 52 Rochester corridor, revealing major culvert failures that couldn't be seen using external visual inspections. "The effort has tapped our employees' expertise across departments and has shown what a fairly simple, but innovative, idea can do to improve our efficiency and financial effectiveness," said Jeff Vlaminck, district engineer for District 6. The program was initiated by Rob Coughlin, who inspects culverts and pipes to provide key information for construction projects and regular maintenance programs. He met with co-workers Chade Trupe and Mark Hill in material management to evaluate and order equipment to build the device. Since then, Coughlin has inspected hundreds of culverts and pipes. HIVE uses a wireless connection to send video from the vehicle's camera to a tablet held by Coughlin. The camera can be rotated by the operator, and includes additional lighting for sufficient illumination in those dark spaces. The Rochester group was one of four winners; 63 reform initiatives were nominated. ADVERTISEMENT Life is Dulce We call it the dolce far niente. It means the sweetness of doing nothing. You may have heard this while scrolling through Instagram or T Read moreThe benefits of doing nothing Two Republican Senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, have announced that they will not vote to confirm Betsy DeVos, President Trumps nominee for Secretary of Education. Collins cited DeVos lack of familiarity with the Disabilities Education Act. Murkowski expressed concern that DeVos has been so immersed in the discussion of vouchers. Without these two votes, DeVos is down to 50 Republican votes. She cannot expect to win the vote of any Democrat, given the Dems imperative that at least one nominee be defeated. The votes of the other GOP Senators would be sufficient to confirm DeVos, assuming no additional Republican defections and assuming either that Sen. Jeff Sessions is still around to vote for DeVos or that his replacement is seated. Thus, if conservative Senators close ranks behind DeVos, it may well be possible to confirm her via the vote of Vice President Pence. But should conservatives save DeVos? Her selection is problematic for several reasons. First, as I noted just after the nomination, DeVos and her husband aggressively opposed the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) before its passage in 2006. This was a citizen initiative to ban discrimination based on race, color, sex, or religion in admission to colleges, jobs, and other publicly funded institutions. The idea was to eliminate preferential treatment by public institutions based on these factors. As anyone who has been paying attention knows, issues of race and sex would be a big part of DeVos portfolio at the Department of Education. There is reason to question whether shes the person conservatives should want dealing with these issues. Second, many conservatives are concerned that DeVos has been a supporter of common core. That concern is explained in this article that from Breitbart. Related to this concern is the fear that the staff being assembled to work in the Trump administration Education Department backs common core and may also be too liberal in other respects. According to Breitbart: Grassroots activists who have been battling against federal control of education in the states say the list of staffers already working for the Trump administrations education department looks much like a cross between what a President Jeb Bush would have ordered and what President Barack Obama left behind on his way out. I have no personal knowledge about the staffers in question. But if the worries are justified, then it is imperative to have a Secretary of Education willing to push back. Unfortunately, the staffers may be from the same mold as DeVos. Why, then, should conservatives salvage DeVos nomination? The obvious answer is to prevent the Democrats from claiming a single scalp in the confirmation process. But is this answer good enough? Sure, the Democrats would be temporarily energized by defeating a Trump nominee any nominee. But the euphoria would quickly fade if Trump nominates a more conservative Education Secretary than DeVos and that nominee is confirmed. Lets also remember that the first President Bush was unable to get John Tower, his nominee for Secretary of Defense, confirmed. I dont recall this defeat slowing Bush down or otherwise adversely affecting his administration. Conservatives could try to exact promises from DeVos in exchange for her support. However, once DeVos is confirmed, such promises may mean little. If the concerns about her staff are valid, the only way to stop the train or at least alter its course may be to see the DeVos nomination fail and then make the case for a better nominee. So it isnt clear to me whether conservatives should want the DeVos nomination to succeed or to fail. Former Senator Kelly Ayotte will lead the White House team trying to shepherd Judge Neil Gorsuch through the Senate. This means introducing him to her former colleagues and singing his praises to them. Team Trumps selection of Ayotte for this assignment makes perfect sense. The role traditionally goes to an ex-member with good connections to the body. Fred Thompson and Dan Coates filled it during the confirmation process for John Roberts and Samuel Alito, respectively. Ayotte was considered a somewhat moderate Republican and may have decent connections with some Democratic Senators. Shes a woman, which conceivably could help with Democrats like Senators McCaskill and Heitkamp (and perhaps with her former New England Republican colleague Susan Collins). If Gorsuch is to get the eight Democrats needed to invoke cloture, McCaskill and Heitkamp will probably have to be won over. Im just speculating when it comes to Ayottes relationships with Democrats. However, it is well-known that she is close some might say too close for her own good to Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham. They can be expected to support Gorsuch with or without Ayottes intervention. But the two amigos might become the key players if Mitch McConnell is forced to use the nuclear option (which might more appropriately be called the Reid option) to get Gorsuch confirmed. If McConnell goes that route and I think he probably will if he has to he might need the backing of McCain and Graham to get to the required 50 votes. The two are perhaps the two most likely Republicans to balk at the Reid option. In the effort to win them over, it wont hurt to have Kelly Ayotte in Judge Gorsuchs corner. Thus, shes a sensible choice to be the judges shepherd. Even so, the selection of Ayotte may strike some as odd. The New Hampshire Union Leader of Ayottes home state calls the selection unlikely. It notes that the former Senator spoke out at times against Donald Trumps candidacy. For example, she expressed dismay, and backed away (understandably) from previous comments about Trump as a role model, when the pussy grabbing tape was released. As a result, Trump appears to have excluded Ayotte from consideration for a post in his administration. Indeed, shortly after the election during a rant, mostly untrue, about how he had carried GOP Senate candidate after GOP Senate candidate to victory, but not Ayotte because she hadnt been supportive Trump mocked her for seeking a high level administration job. No thank you, he said smugly, was his response to her. Now, however, the president seems willing to let bygones by bygones. Trump is behaving sensibly in enlisting Ayotte to help Gorsuch. Ayotte is behaving sensibly in agreeing to help. Its for a good cause and it might be her ticket to a role in the administration somewhere down the line. Today is Milo day at UC Berkeley. Yup, Milo Yiannopoulos is speaking tonight for the College Republicans at a sold out event, and the professional left is planning a huge protest this afternoon in an attempt to shut Milo down. There is rain in the forecast, though, so well see whether the left here is a fair-weather left. In any case, barricades are going up near Sproul Plaza, as the university administration, to its credit, has said it will actively defend Milos right to free speech here at the birthplace of the so-called Free Speech Movement. There are lots of rumors about how radical the protest may become. Students at UC Davis succeeded in getting Milos scheduled talk there last week canceled at the last moment, and UC Berkeleys left is not about to be outdone by those central valley hayseeds. Stand by for updates, as Power Lines news crewwell, me, that iswill be on hand this afternoon to document the fun and games. But be sure to pick up your free official anti-Milo toolkit here. Because you cant be a leftist tool without an official toolkit. Meanwhile, for any Bay Area Power Line readers, tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon at 4 pm, Im hosting a lecture by Yuval Levin of the Ethics and Public Policy Center about his terrific recent book, The Fractured Republic: Renewing Americas Social Contract in the Age of Individualism. It will be in the library at Moses Hall right smack in the middle of campus. The complete notice from the Institute of Governmental Studies is here. Good to RSVP if you can, but not necessary. UPDATE: Behold, the bravest and real counter culture on the Berkeley campus today: Funny thing: most of these students are non-Caucasian. But Trump is a racist! In front of current and former colleagues, former Madison Police Department Capt. Kristen Roman was sworn in as chief for the UW-Madison Police Department on Wednesday. Roman became the department's fifth chief since its inception in 1938, following longtime former Chief Susan Riseling. Roman, who served 26 years with the MPD, was the captain in charge of community outreach for Madison police. "I am not inheriting an organization that needs fixing. I am inheriting a department that has thrived under excellent leadership, a department that has carved out a national reputation consistent with the Wisconsin Idea, and a department comprised of some of the most capable and dedicated people," Roman said. In her comments to attendees, she acknowledged and thanked former and current women in law enforcement leadership roles that she has known, noting their careers exemplify her vision for the department of "always reaching higher." Before administering the oath to Roman, the former chief offered advice to her replacement. "You just got to give all you got to the organization. You just got to care more than maybe you've ever cared before, and you got to think about not only the organization but the community," Riseling said. "You're the right person at the right time for this organization." Riseling retired from the department last August. Roman thanked her former boss and training officer, Madison Police Chief Mike Koval, for being one of her biggest fans, saying, "I would not be here where I am today if not for his tireless support." Roman, one of four finalists for the post, replaced interim chief Brian Bridges. "I am really looking forward to fading a little bit back into my relative anonymity and to the daily work of serving my department and this community," Roman said. PR-Inside.com: 2017-02-02 18:43:01 A.M. Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Pinnacle Life Limited A.M. Best Jason Shum, +65 6589 8400, ext. 217 Senior Financial Analyst jason.shum@ambest.com or Moungmo Lee, +65 6589 8400, ext. 210 Managing Director, Analytics moungmo.lee@ambest.com or Christopher Sharkey, +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159 Manager, Public Relations christopher.sharkey@ambest.com or Jim Peavy, +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5644 Director, Public Relations james.peavy@ambest.com A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B (Fair) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of bb+ of Pinnacle Life Limited (Pinnacle Life) (New Zealand). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect Pinnacle Lifes low product risk profile, direct distribution capabilities and a lapse ratio consistently below the market average. Pinnacle Life mainly underwrites simple life insurance in New Zealands term life market, relying primarily on the direct-to-consumer channel. In addition, the company continues to hold a stable market position in its targeted market. Major offsetting rating factors include Pinnacle Lifes small tangible capital base and relatively high reinsurance utilization. While not exposed to the adviser channels high upfront commissions, marketing through a direct-to-consumer channel requires significant upfront advertising expenditures. This has led to a sizable amount of net insurance contract assets (deferred acquisition costs) on Pinnacle Lifes balance sheet. In addition, the companys small tangible capital base has restricted its ability to grow rapidly. As a result, Pinnacle Life has ceded a large portion of gross premiums to its reinsurer, which has prevented it from achieving economies of scale. A substantial improvement in Pinnacle Lifes solvency capital and financial flexibility could allow it to achieve those economies of scale and may lead to positive rating actions. However, the ratings could be downgraded if there are large impairments in net insurance contract assets due to higher-than-expected lapses for its in-force business. A rating downgrade could also result from increased drain on the solvency margin due to higher-than-budgeted operating expenses or greater-than-assumed claim frequency. Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Bests Credit Ratings. A.M. Best is the worlds oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2017 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201702020060 During this time of anger and frustration about our immigration process, please take a minute to understand that this is nothing new to the United States. President Bill Clinton was applauded when he said we are a nation of immigrants "but we are also a nation of laws. In December 2015, President Barack Obama signed into law a measure placing limited restrictions on certain travelers who had visited Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria, on or after March 1, 2011. In February 2016 he added Libya, Somalia and Yemen to the list to address the growing threat from foreign terrorist fighters." In 1996 my husband and I tried (and succeeded in) sponsoring a young man from Liberia in Africa. The process was grueling and time consuming. He had to show proof he was exiting persecution from his country (which he did by presenting photos of his parents and siblings, stretched out on cement slabs after they had been killed). With determination and by following the rules, he is now a productive and proud American. Lets all take a breath and let the system play out the way it was intended. Sandy Ripp, Cross Plains ATLANTIC CITY Barrels of aging Whitecap Whiskey sit in the Little Water Distillery. Huge tubs of fermenting rum await distilling. The process is common around the country, but this batch of liquor is historic. Its the first distilled product in a legal distillery in Atlantic City in about a century, since at least Prohibition in 1920. The owners hope the new business can deliver a needed shot to the financially troubled city, too. The big fish have already swam in Atlantic City, and now its up to the minnows to bring it back, said Eric Ganter, who owns the distillery with his brother, Mark. Eric Ganter was a teacher in Ventnor and is a 20-year resident. His brother worked in Washington, D.C., until they started the business. The brothers had the distillery idea after they bought their father a still for his 70th birthday and Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation in 2013 creating an affordable craft-distillery license. The brothers, who grew up in Upper Deerfield Township and had not been entrepreneurs before, said the city rolled out the red carpet for them when they approached officials about opening the business. We tell people that they have to go through a process but that we will make things as smooth and as cost-effective as possible, city Planning Director Elizabeth Terenik said when asked what happens when a business owner wants to move to the city. The great part about that is it introduces us to them and kept things open. Once it was ready, Whitecap Whiskey started selling quickly. About 1,400 bottles priced at $29 each were sold during the holiday season, a good number considering the batch wasnt ready for the Thanksgiving rush. Now, the brothers have their sights set on expanding the business to rum and gin. They hope their early success will bring in other business to the city, even if it means more competition for them. We want to see a brewery go right there, Mark Ganter said, pointing to a lot across the street. We want to see a coffee shop there. We want to see a cool apartment complex go up and have people walking around trying different things. Whitecap Whiskey is available in nearly 20 stores locally and 12 bars. On Jan. 24, Mark Ganter delivered two cases of it to Resorts Casino Hotel, marking the first casino to offer the whiskey at its bars. Terenik said businesses like the distillery are the backbone of the local economy. By having a diverse population of smaller businesses, were less vulnerable to job losses and economic hardship, she said. For the brothers, helping to revive the city is one of their missions. They said one of the best ways they can help is to answer questions from anyone who wants to start a business and continue to grow their product with the words Atlantic City proudly displayed on the label. The name Atlantic City sells itself, they said. To borrow a phrase from President Trump, Its huge, said Mark Ganter, laughing. It resonates with people immediately. The privilege for us to be able to send this bottle outside of Atlantic City is an honor. Dear Abby: Im a 15-year-old boy. Im happy with my life, except for one thing. My mom believes in God, and Dad doesnt. I believe in God, but I dont support my moms religion. My friends and neighbors think Im in that religion, but I dont believe in their beliefs. Its really uncomfortable when people ask why I havent been in church. Mom signs me up for church activities, and I dont like going. I feel awkward when I try to talk to my parents about it. Im not close to them, and I dont know what to do. I have been feeling stressed out lately. I dont want to hurt my mothers feelings. Can you help me? Teen in Ogden, Utah Dear Teen: I can try. What you should not do is allow your mothers devout faith and your lack of it to become a contest of wills or a basis for argument. At 15, you are entering adulthood, and these are important years in your life. Thank your mother for the great foundation she has given you. Tell her you love her, and you hope she will continue to love you as you explore what your beliefs are on your spiritual journey because it is a journey. A wise clergyman once told me something I will share with you: The opposite of faith is not doubt; it is certainty. Dear Abby: I have had one major and one minor bout with cancer. Everyone I know treated me the same and were helpful except for one longtime friend Ill call Brandy. You see, I changed and grew as a result of having cancer. The others seemed to accept this, but not Brandy. She still expects me to snap back and do everything I liked to do before. She cant accept that I want to try new things and have let go of others, sends me gloom and doom articles about cancer and even tried to fix me up with someone even though I am happily married. Brandy treated me like an invalid, even after I recovered. She does not like change and became angry when I suggested that both of us had changed perhaps too much to sustain the friendship. I tried explaining it to her, but she didnt understand. A therapist advised ending the friendship as gently as possible, so I did. Do you think I did the right thing? We used to have so much in common. Nothings the Same in New York Dear Nothings: Although you used to have a lot in common with Brandy, your cancer changed you. Someone who sends gloom and doom articles about the disease and tries to destroy your marriage by fixing you up is not a friend but a saboteur. You absolutely did the right thing by following your therapists suggestion. Dear Abby: My girlfriend pins me up against a wall to kiss me every chance she gets. What does this mean? Lip Locked in L.A. Dear Lip Locked: I dont know what it means to her, but to me it means she may have seen it in a movie and is trying to show you how passionate she is about you. If you dont like it, speak up and say so and if you do like it, speak up and say so. Write to Dear Abby at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 or at dearabby.com. ATLANTIC CITY A Superior Court judge temporarily blocked the state Thursday from laying off 100 firefighters and implementing union contract changes. Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez issued a restraining order against the state after International Association of Fire Fighters Local 198 re-filed a lawsuit Wednesday night to avoid layoffs, a new work schedule and deep cuts to benefits. The states attorney said a restraining order wasnt necessary. In a letter to Mendez Thursday, he said layoffs wouldnt be implemented until September, when a federal grant covering 85 firefighters expires. The order also temporarily blocks state officials from taking any unilateral actions against the union under the so-called takeover law. That law ultimately gave former U.S. Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa, who leads the states takeover, the authority to hire or fire workers and break union contracts, among other powers, to fix the citys dire finances. The state planned to implement changes to the unions contract Feb. 19, including new salary guides, elimination of education and terminal leave pay, and establishment of a new work schedule under which all firefighters would work one 24-hour shift followed by two days off. Its one more step in the right direction, said the unions attorney, Michael Bukosky. But state officials said the judges decision doesnt change the states timeline to implement the contract changes. We decided to delay implementing the proposed contract reforms until Feb. 19 as a good faith gesture to give the fire department more time to prepare, said Department of Community Affairs spokeswoman Lisa Ryan. So, the TRO, in effect, is restraining us until Feb. 13 from implementing any changes, which we already stated we wont start implementing until Feb. 19, Ryan said. The union lawsuit claims the state takeover law is unconstitutional since it impairs the contract rights of the union, among other reasons. It ultimately seeks a permanent injunction prohibiting the state from using its takeover powers against the firefighters. A hearing was scheduled at Atlantic County Civil Court in Atlantic City. But the case has since been removed to federal court, Ryan said. Bukosky, the union lawyer, claimed the state didnt want anyone from Atlantic County involved in the matter. They treat Atlantic City like a play thing they can bounce around, he said. The union wanted to keep the case in state court. Bukosky said the contract clause of the state constitution is stronger than that of the federal constitution. The union withdrew its initial lawsuit Wednesday after the state postponed contract changes for two weeks. The city has a $100 million budget hole, is $500 million in total debt and has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy in recent years. The states proposed Fire Department changes would save the city less than $8 million annually, according to the unions suit. The fire union argues that proposed cuts would make the city unsafe. And it says fire department costs make up just 7 percent of the citys $240 million budget. The potential 100 layoffs would cut nearly half of the departments 225 firefighters. The city has a population of about 39,000 people, but the population swells to about 165,000 from visitors and commuters, according to the lawsuit. There are many high-rise buildings. The 44 percent (staff) reduction could lead either to understaffed responses to high rise fires, or inadequate responses to other smaller fires while high rise fires are being fought, the unions suit said. The unions suit lists Chiesa, Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Charles Richman and Local Government Services Director Timothy Cunningham as defendants. The suit also names Atlantic City as a defendant. But Mayor Don Guardian sided with the unions case for a restraining order. I believe the current direction of the state with respect to the Fire Department may create an unacceptable safety risk, Guardian said in certification submitted with the unions suit. A federal regulatory commission voted Thursday to reduce this years summer flounder catch, leaving New Jersey leaders fuming and vowing to take action. Its a move many in the state believe could devastate the recreational fishing industry at the Jersey Shore by tightening size and bag limits on the fish. We will use every legal and administrative tool available to stop these unfair cuts that will devastate our states fishing industry and have far-reaching impacts on the shore economy, state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said after the decision. Thursdays vote means recreational anglers in New Jersey could be limited to three keepers at 19 inches in the Atlantic Ocean and three at 18 inches in the Delaware Bay for a 128-day season, according to example measures presented in the approved document. It would represent a dramatic cut from the 2016 regulations, which allowed fishermen to keep five fish at 18 inches in the ocean and four at 17 inches in the bay. But it could have been worse for those who like to filet a flounder or two after an afternoon on the water. At its meeting in Virginia, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission chose Option 5, which implements reductions between 28 percent and 32 percent the length of the coast. All other options included in the plan would have mandated a 41 percent cut. Federal experts have argued the reductions are necessary to preserve the stock. At a public hearing last month in Galloway Township, Kirby Rootes-Murdy, a senior fishery management plan coordinator at ASMFC, said the flounder stock is in an overfishing situation. Option 5 passed by a vote of 7-3, with delegates from New Jersey voting against it. The vote followed a failed effort to delay the restrictions until the federal government selects a new Secretary of Commerce. New Jersey and Delaware both voted for a delay, but they were vastly outnumbered by other states, including New York and Connecticut. However, because the strategy doesnt meet the required 41 percent reduction, the National Marine Fisheries Service could step in and mandate draconian default measures 2 fish at 20 inches from July 1 to Aug. 1. State leaders and fishing activists who oppose the cuts say its not over. After the vote, Martin and U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, met in Washington to develop a plan to fight the new regulations, according to a news release. Just when our fishing industry was recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, unelected bureaucrats in Washington use questionable methodologies and outdated science to cut us off at the knees, LoBiondo said in a statement. I will do everything in my power to run this ASMFC decision aground. Others plann to appeal to President Donald Trumps administration. We think we have a really good chance with President Trumps team, said Jim Donofrio, president of the New Gretna-based Recreational Fishing Alliance. The president is against regulation for regulations sake. One contentious issue is the way the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measures the health of the flounder stock. Martin criticized NOAAs data in testimony Thursday before the vote, calling it flawed and contradicting information the state has gathered on its own. Our data has consistently shown that our fluke population has been stable since 1992, he said. For Robin Scott, owner of Ray Scotts Dock in Margate, the decision could have far-reaching consequences on her business and beyond. They actually voted and flew in the face of reason, common sense and facts, said Scott, who went to the meeting in Virginia wearing her handcrafted flounder-themed jewelry. It was the most ridiculous thing I have ever witnessed. This is a lifestyle, she added. Its not just peoples jobs. Staff Writer Brian Ianieri contributed to this report. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. OCEAN CITYLawmakers, police officers, other law enforcement, substance abuse treatment organizations, addiction recovery advocates and mental health professionals gathered Wednesday to express their concerns on marijuana legalization. Experts and advocates from Atlantic and Cape May counties met at the Flanders Hotel for the Cape Atlantic Bridge Coalition's legislative breakfast on the possible impacts for New Jersey should the state legalize recreational marijuana in the future. Before, Ive been supportive of the medical use of marijuana, said Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic. As far as recreational, Im here to learn. As far as where I stand as a legislator, I need to learn and be educated more before making a decision. The event was organized and hosted by Healthy Community Coalition of Cape May County, Cape Assist and Join Together Atlantic County. After hearing keynote speaker Kevin Wong, a crime and intelligence analyst for the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Trafficking Area, talk about negative impacts seen among law enforcement in Colorado after legalization, Andrzejczak said it made him doubt if New Jersey could successfully escape the same issues. I have to apologize for what Colorado has done, because it has now affected all of you in other states, Wong said. Gov. Chris Christie signed the states medical marijuana program into law in 2010, but recreational use is still illegal. Legal recreational marijuana laws went into effect in Colorado in 2013, one of the first states in the country to do so. Wong said since that legalization, Colorado law enforcement agencies and other state departments have found increases in marijuana-related traffic fatalities, use among youth and adults, diversion for unintended purposes and costs for public health and safety. There was an overall feeling of anti-marijuana legalization sentiment among the crowd at the event as several police officers pointed to an already existing opioid addiction epidemic in New Jersey and increasing demand for law enforcement involvement. Other attendees were concerned about the implications of drug use among teenagers should they be able to get marijuana without a medical card. Lena Grey, of North Wildwood, is studying to be a paralegal. She said she was concerned of not only the legal ramifications of such laws, but how this could affect her son. As a mother, she said she did not want legalization of yet another drug out in the community and around her son. I still stand by some of the medical benefits of marijuana use and programs in New Jersey are being strictly regulated, Andrzejczak said. But in other states, it sounds like some programs are being completely abused. A Cape May man who admitted inappropriately touching an adolescent boy and grooming another to have sex was sentenced Thursday to one year in jail and a lifetime of probation. Frank L. Sandy Thomson, 70, who taught for more than 25 years at a Philadelphia private school and volunteered with a Boy Scouts of America Troop in West Cape May, is genuinely remorseful for his crimes, his attorney Joseph Rodgers said in court. He was arrested in 2015 after authorities discovered he was trying to manipulate an 11-year-old boy into having sex, Assistant Prosecutor Dara Paley said. Paley said Thomson had met the boy through Cape Mays Corinthian Yacht Club, where Thomson served as treasurer. Thomson also admitted to inappropriately touching a 15-year-old boy in 2001 in Cape May. Paley said she has been contacted by former students of Thomsons at Chestnut Hill Academy, an elite private school in Philadelphia, since the plea bargain was reached. Those former students have alleged Thomson had sexual contact with them decades ago, she said. Paley said the statue of limitations on any crimes alleged by the students means those crimes could not prosecuted. Thomson was a teacher at the school from 1972 to 1998. One story told by a former student was eerily similar to the 2001 incident, Paley told Superior Court Judge John Porto. She said Thomson developed a method of grooming in which he gained a boys trust before manipulating and betraying him. Thomson was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child in connection to the two Cape May incidents. He is applying to undergo house arrest for a year instead of jail time. Thomson, a retired EMT, owns a house on Windsor Avenue blocks from the beach in Cape May assessed at nearly $750,000. Thomson was an assistant scoutmaster at Boy Scout Troop 73 in West Cape May but is no longer involved in the organization, Rodgers said. His name also will be added to the sex offender registry under Megans Law and he will not be able to contact either victim or their families as part of the plea bargain. Neither the victims nor their families were present for the sentencing, but Paley say they supported the plea agreement and did not wish to make a statement. A former Ventnor man admitted Thursday to again defrauding women through a phone dating scheme. Patrick Giblin, 52, pleaded guilty in Camden federal court to one count of interstate travel and use of a facility in interstate and foreign commerce with the intent to launder money. Giblin had a history of preying on women through phone dating sites. In 2007, Giblin was sentenced to prison on 10 counts of wire fraud. In 2013 he was released to a Philadelphia halfway house and escaped. While he was free, he began his current scheme. Giblin posted advertisements and messages on telephone dating sites such as Lavalife throughout the United States, court documents show. He would then develop a rapport with the women who answered his ads and would tell them he was moving to their area but needed a loan to help move. They would wire him money or transfer it to a debit card that Giblin used. Sometimes Giblin used the money to purchase minutes for cell phones, which he would use to defraud more women. The FBI said Giblin kept notebooks for each city he targeted with detailed notes on the women he was trying to scam, including their interests and hobbies. Giblin targeted single, vulnerable women, including women with physical disabilities, widows and single mothers, including at least one who had recently lost a child, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in court papers. Some of the women were in financial straits and borrowed money from relatives to send to Giblin, authorities said. According to court papers, Giblins ads said he was looking for a true, genuine woman for a long-term, committed relationship. He claimed to work for the New Jersey State Lottery Commission and had access to discounted plane fares through his airline-executive brother. None of that was true, the U.S. attorney said. Federal authorities say he conned at least eight women in five states and Canada out of $7,000. One Pennsylvania victim sent Giblin $2,270 in eight wire transfers to Absecon before she grew suspicious and contacted Pennsylvania State Police, authorities said. A Virginia victim said she sent Giblin $860, ostensibly for moving expenses. When he never showed up, she got a text from him claiming his car was impounded and he had to return to New Jersey to sort out his license. In October 2014, Giblin traveled from Atlantic County to Albany County, New York, violating his parole, which prohibited him from leaving the state. While in New York, Giblin continued to defraud women. Giblin victimized more than 10 women in several states, causing losses of $15,000 to $40,000. In 2015, Giblin was imprisoned for violating the terms of his supervised release imposed with his 2007 sentence. Giblin initiated the scheme in this current case at about the time that he escaped from the halfway house and resumed the scheme following the service of his sentence on the escape conviction. Giblin will be sentenced May 12. He faces as many as five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. He must also pay restitution to victims. As part of the plea agreement in this case, the U.S. Attorneys Office will recommend Giblin serve the maximum sentence. The chemical that made Erin Brockovich a household name is being debated in state government. Hexavalent chromium, also called chromium 6, is both a naturally occurring chemical and an industrial pollutant and carcinogen found in drinking water supplies throughout New Jersey and the nation. But whether the levels in New Jerseys drinking water present a health risk was debated Monday before the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, which was gathering testimony on the issue. It is the chemical that polluted the water of Hinckley, California, prompting Brockovich to become an environmental activist as portrayed in a 2000 movie starring Julia Roberts. Power-plant pipeline would endanger pinelands, water, communities, climate Get those gas transmission pipelines through the N.J. Pine Barrens by whatever means possibl The highest level of hexavalent chromium found in the state was 3.8 parts per billion, said Ann Mason, senior director of the American Chemistry Councils Northeast Region, which represents manufacturers. That is well below both the federal standard for total chromium of 100 parts per billion and Californias standard of 10 parts per billion, she said. Mason said the human body detoxifies hexavalent chromium by converting it into trivalent chromium, or chromium 3, which she called an essential micronutrient. She said studies have shown that only huge doses of the chemical at a range of 5,000 to 100,000 parts per billion pose a cancer risk. But David Pringle of Clean Water Action and Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club disagreed, saying the states Drinking Water Quality Institute recommended a state standard of .07 parts per billion in 2010 but the Department of Environmental Protection never adopted it. Its not surprising we are not in agreement with the American Chemistry Council, said Pringle. The council is saying, Everything is fine, theres nothing to see here. B.L. England repowering is dirty deal of Christie administration The B.L. England plant was supposed to close in 2007 but because of political games and mani Tittel said New Jersey has hundreds of industrial sites where chromium was left behind as a pollutant, making the issue even more critical in areas of high contamination. Michael Furrey, chairman of the New Jersey section of the American Water Works Association, which represents all aspects of the drinking-water industry, said he believes the Drinking Water Quality Institute is the best source of guidance for legislators. Several speakers said they felt the institute has been shut down by Gov. Chris Christie, but the institute has a Feb. 17 meeting coming up and there are minutes online from a Sept. 16 meeting. DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said the institute stopped meeting in September 2010 and resumed in April 2014. A friend invited Chanel Lee to come to Fusion Church in Somers Point four years ago. Lee, just 19, at the time, wasnt raised in a religious household, but recalls that the spiritual experience changed her life that day. I was not happy with my life. I didnt really understand who I was, said Lee, who is now one of the worship leaders at Fusion. Lee, of Ocean City, is unlike most millennials, identified as those in their teens to early 30s. Numbering more than 83 million, they are now the largest generation, surpassing baby boomers. But fewer than 30 percent of millennials attend services at least weekly, according to a report by the Pew Research Center. But while some of the biggest declines have been among mainline Protestants and Catholics, churches like hers have been holding their own. The number of worshipers at churches in the evangelical Protestant tradition, which includes many non-denominational congregations like Fusion Church, have at least remained unchanged or may have risen by as many as 5 million, according to Pew research. At Coastal Christian Church in Ocean City, traditional values can be expressed in modern ways, such as daily posts to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The church streams its midweek and Sunday services. While there is often a temptation for older generations to hold onto their traditions, Pastor Matt Stokes, lead pastor at Coastal Christian, said his church has a growing young adults ministry and four millennials on staff the worship leader, two student ministries leaders and the office assistant. A majority of musicians who lead the churchs worship throughout the week are young adults, Stokes said. Millennials do not hold tradition in such high esteem, Stokes said. At Coastal, we believe the message never changes, but the method is always changing. At Fusion Church, about 30 percent of worshipers are millennials, Lead Pastor Brendon Wilson said. They (millennials) often dont have a sense of spirituality, or they have seen a church that is old-fashioned or disconnected with what they would feel are current issues in society, Wilson said. But things change. Marriage, children and life events even divorce at a young age cause people to think spiritually, Wilson said. Praise Tabernacle in Egg Harbor Township has 350 members, 275 of whom show up regularly on Sundays, Pastor Steve Rahter said. About 60 are millennials, said Rahter, who also has two daughters, ages 23 and 26. They want to experience Gods presence, he said. They are looking for teaching or preaching that is not just Bible lessons, but truth that is applicable to the reality of their daily lives, he said. They also want to see their church taking a stand with the poor, the homeless and the oppressed, Rahter said. Millennials come in all different styles, Stokes said. What I love about our fellowship is that you can walk into a church service and see the senior citizen wearing a suit sitting next to a college kid in skinny jeans, Stokes said. One of the Fusions services isnt even in a church. A 10 a.m. Sunday service is held inside a movie theater on the Black Horse Pike in Mays Landing. Wilson said a reason Fusion Church and other nondenominational churches might hold more appeal to millennials is partially because of the music. The songs are driven by bands and not old-fashioned, Wilson said. Theres also social media, something these churches are heavily involved with. Fusions announcements and videos are released through social media. Praise Tabernacle has a website, YouTube channel, a church app and streams services through its Facebook page. When watching a Praise Tabernacle worship service, a person will see more than just singing. The church allows people to dance, wave flags and banners, or even paint or draw to connect with God, Rahter said. You will not see that necessarily in a traditional church, he said, because everybody kind of does the same thing at the same time. Lee recalls a sense of purpose, a calling, a destiny with her first visit. There is a freedom that is within his (Gods) presence, you are not what the world tells you that you are, Lee said. The rally point has changed for Saturdays protest march against the South Jersey Gas pipeline. It will now be held at Beesleys Point Beach on Harbor Road near the Tuckahoe Inn, said Pinelands Preservation Alliance Communications Director Becky Free. The alliance and the Bus for Progress are organizing the protest, which will start with the rally at 11:15 a.m. then continue with a protest march along the pipeline route. Protesters will convoy to a marching location, Free said. Previously, the groups had said the rally would be held at the B.L. England generating station in the Beesleys Point section of Upper Township, which the pipeline would serve. Free buses provided by the groups for transportation from Burlington and Ocean counties are already full, organizers said. The proposed route travels along Routes 49 and 50 from Maurice River Township in Cumberland County to Upper Township in Cape May County. Ten miles of that route is along roads that run through protected Pinelands Forest Area. Free asked that anyone who intends to participate call the alliance at 609-859-8860 so the groups will know how many people to expect and can provide updates in plans. TOMS RIVER A financial adviser pleaded guilty to theft Wednesday after taking at least $500,000 from senior citizens, officials said. Peter Martorana, 62, of Wall Township, pleaded guilty to one count of financial facilitation of criminal activity, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said in a statement Thursday. From December 2006 through August 2013, the Retirement Benefit Specialist adviser used elderly people in their 70s, 80s and 90s to write checks to himself and his business, saying he would invest the money. Instead, he used the money for his own benefit, the statement said. The state recommended Martorana be sentenced to 10 years in state prison, with parole ineligibility of four years. Martoranas sentencing is set for July 7. Ocean County has a senior population that is particularly vulnerable to fraudsters like Martorana. This should send a message to others of his ilk that such behavior will not be tolerated, Coronato said. Anyone entrusting their money to a financial adviser should be sure they are reputable and properly licensed. When Gov. Chris Christie appears before a joint session of the Legislature in three weeks to deliver the final budget of his administration, he has an opportunity to leave a lasting imprint on the states economic, political and social life by proposing a comprehensive overhaul of the states tax structure that provides meaningful relief from the property tax burden. With no re-election campaign on the horizon, Christie is free from the political pressures that often drive public policy decisions. Thus unconstrained, Christie is in a position to aggressively confront the issue that has bedeviled governors and Legislatures for more than a half century control, stabilize and eventually reduce the property tax burden. With his historically low public approval ratings, Christie has minimum political capital at his disposal, but his considerable communications skills and the executive powers of the office provide leverage in dealing with the Legislature. He has a wide array of options from which to choose, from the relatively modest to the radical. He could, for instance: Call for a constitutional convention whose delegates would be charged with responsibility for drafting a restructuring of the states tax code and submitting it to the Legislature within a year. Recommend greatly increased levels of municipal and school district aid and require that any additional state assistance be applied directly to property taxes. Mandate shared services or municipal consolidation and require that any savings realized be directed to property tax reduction. Propose dramatic changes in the school aid formula to eliminate overfunding of some districts while underfunding others. Renew his proposal that per pupil aid be identical, $6,599, in every district. Call for an amendment to the Constitution to allow large business and commercial properties to be taxed at a higher rate than residential properties. Article VIII, Section I requires a uniform rate of taxation; for example, a $50 million business property and a $100,000 home are subject to the same rate. Propose that municipalities be granted other taxing options, such as a local income tax or sales tax, in return for substantial and permanent reductions in the property tax. Other states allow income to be taxed locally on the theory that income is a more equitable measure of personal economic circumstance than an arbitrarily established value of residential property. The property tax burden has been consistently identified as the states most serious problem and has been cited as the major reason for people moving to other states. Some 1,200 entities school districts, municipalities and counties rely on property tax revenue for everything from crayons for kindergarteners to bulletproof vests for police officers. As local government costs increase, the over-reliance on property taxes becomes more acute. The days of the $30,000 a year cop and the $28,000 a year school teacher are long gone, never to return. The stricter 2 percent cap on property tax increases enacted several years ago has been helpful, but has only slowed the rate of increase rather than halt it or reduce the out of pocket cost to homeowners. At $8,549, New Jerseys average property taxes continue as the highest in the nation and there is no indication the state will lose that dubious status anytime soon. Each year following the governors State of the State address and budget message, the opposition party in the Legislature is quick to point out that the governor failed to mention the property tax issue or glossed over it. Aside from partisan grousing and demands that the issue be given higher priority, nothing of substance was offered. Its been a talking point in successive gubernatorial and legislative election campaigns, but specifics have been lacking. Some legislators have conceded privately there is a lack of political will in the Legislature to take on the issue in any comprehensive way. There is a willingness to accept an admittedly unfair and burdensome system rather than risk political retribution for changing it. Christie could alter the landscape dramatically by issuing a forceful challenge to the Legislature on the order of President Kennedys 1961 inaugural speech goal to put a man on the moon and bring him back safely within the next decade. The history of the property tax issue in New Jersey is such that the level of difficulty in solving it is comparable to a moon shot. Christie could push the launch button and a majority of New Jerseyans would be eager, indeed, to witness liftoff. Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. Add hair-raising safety issues to the well-known problems of the house-raising response to Hurricane Sandy. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the partial collapse in December of a Wildwood house being raised to federal flood standards, which broke a workers leg and put cuts on his head. In 2013, the early days after Sandy, a house being lifted in Little Egg Harbor Township collapsed, injuring three workers and drawing an $8,000 fine from OSHA. Another in Brigantine went from bayfront into the bay. House raising after Sandy already was known for being unpredictably expensive, drawn out and frustrating. Since the October 2012 storm and the 2013 deadline for applying to the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation Program for aid, 4,079 homes have been elevated along the Jersey Shore. Yet more than three years after applying, owners of 2,622 homes are still trying to get to the finish line. The $336 million spent so far through the RREM program sounds like a lot of aid (from the federal government, administered by the state Department of Community Affairs). But even if all of it went to completed house-raising projects and none to those still in limbo, it only averages $82,400 per house project. Many owners have found thats not even half the actual costs of a raised and fully restored home. The executive director of the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group says the unexpected cost has left some homeowners with their houses up on the stacked timbers that lifting companies call cribbing. That adds another safety issue, since a heavy house perched on loose timbers is far, far less stable than one anchored to a foundation. Another high wind and over the house could go. Safety issues, of course, just make the process more expensive requiring extra efforts and margins of error by lifting firms and very expensive insurance. Frankly, its a wonder there arent more problems with the house-lifting boom. Its an industry quickly bulked up from a few firms lifting an occasional house to one expected to handle several thousand houses in a few years and then possibly go back to being a niche business. The previous Sandy-caliber storm at the Jersey Shore was half a century earlier. The bulk of the work is controlled and funded by government regulators, and house lifters say they complicate projects, cause delays and fail to pay in a reasonable timeframe. With the states Blue Acres program buying out houses in flood-prone locations, requiring homeowners to lift their houses to be eligible for Sandy aid doesnt seem like the optimal strategy. Perhaps government officials were worried that if homeowners could repair without lifting, pocket the aid money and sell the house or simply walk away, the house would be left in its vulnerable place and add to the demand for a bailout after the next storm. But we wish homeowners had the option to take the aid, tear down the damaged house and build new. Many would have preferred to do that. A program provision like this could have reduced the moral hazard: Once Sandy aid was accepted for a qualifying house, the home would no longer be eligible for storm-related aid or flood insurance coverage unless it or its replacement was raised. The Sandy recovery program must be finished someday, and when it is, the federal and state governments should make a careful study of how to better help property owners next time. 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. STOCKHOLM, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "I am very pleased to welcome LOB into the ASSA ABLOY Group. The acquisition of LOB delivers on our strategy to grow our presence in emerging markets", says Johan Molin, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. "LOB is a very attractive addition to the EMEA division, thanks to its well-known brand in Poland and its large installed base. LOB's variety of mechanical security products will complement the fire doors offered by Mercor and the electromechanical product proposition by ASSA ABLOY Poland", says Tzachi Wiesenfeld, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of the EMEA division. LOB was established in 1927. It is headquartered in Leszno, Poland and has some 440 employees. Sales for 2017 are expected to reach some PLN 96 million (approx. SEK 210 million) and the acquisition will be accretive to EPS from start. The transaction is conditional on regulatory approval and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2017. For more information, please contact: Johan Molin, President and CEO, Tel. no: +46 8 506 485 42 Carolina Dybeck Happe, CFO and Executive Vice President, Tel. no: +46 8 506 485 72 About ASSA ABLOY ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end user needs for security, safety and convenience. Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLOY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 46,000 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales of SEK 68 billion. In the fast-growing electromechanical security segment, the Group has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/r/assa-abloy-acquires-lob-in-poland,c2178904 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/7333/2178904/622579.pdf Press release (PDF) SOURCE ASSA ABLOY SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Calypso Technology, Inc., a leading provider of capital markets and investment management software, announced today that it has signed a utility partnership agreement with Equinoxe Alternative Investment Services, a premium service provider to the alternative investment management industry. Using the Calypso platform, Equinoxe will provide full back and middle office support to hedge funds and family offices who trade a broad range of instrument types. Services include investment accounting, matching, confirmation, settlement, collateral management, and reconciliations as well as full front office operations. Equinoxe deploys Calypso on the Cloud, so they can easily scale up to meet their growing volume of business. "Our partnership with Equinoxe reflects Calypso's strategy to build an ecosystem founded on our technology and on our capability to deliver Cloud based services," said Calypso CEO Pascal Xatart. "Fund managers increasingly rely on derivative instruments and, governed by regulations such as AIFM, require robust infrastructure for transparent reporting and risk management. Powered by Calypso, Equinoxe will deliver to their needs." Alan McKenna, Head of Solutions for Equinoxe, added, "The timing of the partnership is excellent. There is a growing recognition among fund managers that back and middle office activities are a source of operational risk and a distraction from their core business. They are looking for a new approach, and our utility service creates a viable alternative for them. Working with an award-winning technology provider like Calypso is critical, as it gives the market additional confidence in the offering." Calypso was recently awarded the 2016 Technology Provider of the Year by Asia Risk Magazine. Calypso was the #1 selling Treasury and Capital Markets Solution for the seventh consecutive year in the 2016 IBS Sales League Table. About Calypso Technology, Inc. Calypso Technology, Inc. is a leading provider of cross-asset front-to-back technology solutions for financial markets. Calypso software and Cloud services support trading, processing, accounting, risk management, and compliance in a uniquely integrated platform, bringing simplicity and cost efficiency to address today's business and regulatory imperatives. With 35,000 users in 68 countries, Calypso addresses the needs of capital markets, investment managers, collateral, clearing, treasury, and enterprise risk. The firm is consistently granted the most prestigious product and technology awards in the industry. "Calypso" is a registered trademark of Calypso Technology, Inc. in the U.S., EU and other jurisdictions. Other parties' trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners and should be treated as such. www.calypso.com About Equinoxe Alternative Investment Services Equinoxe is an independent premium service provider founded in 2007 by experienced hedge fund administration professionals. Headquartered in Bermuda, with offices in Bermuda, New York, Ireland, Malta, Atlanta, Mauritius and Singapore, it is a full-service alternative investment service company, providing administration, middle office and co sourced technology services. Media Contacts: Calypso Technology Chris Shayne chris_shayne@calypso.com +1 415 530 4147 Related Links http://www.calypso.com SOURCE Calypso Technology PEORIA, Illinois, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT/Euronext: CATR) informs its stockholders that on February 1, 2017, in accordance with Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 1 Form 4 (the report on Form 4 being a statement of beneficial ownership of its officers, directors and 10% owners) was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Caterpillar files electronically with the SEC required reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q, Form 10-K and Form 11-K; proxy materials; ownership reports for insiders as required by Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and registration statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, as necessary; and other forms or reports, as required. All of the forms and reports filed electronically with the SEC are available on the SEC Internet site (www.sec.gov). Caterpillar also maintains an Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com) and copies of its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports filed or furnished with the SEC are available free of charge through Caterpillar's Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com/secfilings) as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant document has been filed with the SEC. CONTACT: Rachel Potts, Corporate Public Affairs, +1-309-675-6892 This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire. SOURCE Caterpillar Inc. LONDON, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Inaugural beneficiary of 'The RG Foundation' will fund gender pay equality program in rural India Glenn Elliott, Founder & CEO of the employee engagement platform Reward Gateway, has announced the launch of The RG Foundation, a US$5m fund to help pioneering schemes to 'make the world a better place to work'. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/463823/Glenn_Elliott.jpg ) The RG Foundation will award grants quarterly to charity, non-profit and community organisations that are helping people get into better, safer and fairer employment. The RG Foundation's initial beneficiary is the TGG Foundation, a charitable initiative that operates in Kerala, India. It has received US$50,000. This grant will allow the TGG Foundation to begin work on a Rural Empowerment Hub to provide more opportunities to the local community through job creation, skills development, fair levels of pay and a better working environment. The grant will also help to fund a new collection from Wayanad Clothing, which is a UK based social enterprise working in partnership with the TGG Foundation to address gender inequality in rural India through ethical fashion. Glenn Elliott, Founder & CEO of Reward Gateway comments, "There's a massive gap in society today. A gap between employers and employees who are disengaged, or unhappy with a significant part of their lives, their work. "We started this company with one vision: to bridge this gap, and make the world a better place to work. Over the past 10 years, we've achieved this through our technology. Now we are extending our mission beyond our clients. "We are already working on a book to help employers get started on their journey to bridge this gap, and today's announcement is a significant milestone which allows us to reach more people like the women in India that the TGG Foundation helps". The RG Foundation's fund will come directly from Elliott's personal equity in Reward Gateway. Those interested in finding out more, or applying for the fund should visit http://www.rewardgateway.com/rg-foundation. About Reward Gateway Reward Gateway helps more than 1,300 of the world's leading companies, in 23 countries, to attract, engage and retain their best people with an employee engagement platform that brings employee benefits, discounts and perks, reward and recognition, employee wellbeing and employee communications into one unified hub. Clients include American Express, Unilever, Samsung, IBM and McDonald's. Please visit: http://www.rewardgateway.com SOURCE Reward Gateway In his new role, Steve will have overall responsibility for strategy and delivery of the company's claims service in these two regions. He brings over 30 years of insurance industry experience, of which the last ten have been with Chubb in positions of increasing responsibility. Before assuming his current position in January 2016, he served as Head of UK and Ireland Claims from 2012 to 2016. Steve joined the company in 2006 as Head of Property, Energy and Technical Lines Claims for Europe, and previously held a range of claims management positions at AIG Europe. Steve will continue to be based in London and will report to Jalil Rehman, Chief Business Operations Officer and Executive Vice President Europe, with a matrix reporting line to Andrew McBride, Executive Vice President of Claims for Overseas General Insurance. Steve succeeds Peter Murray who, after a distinguished 40-year career in the insurance industry, will retire this year. Peter joined the company in 1999 as Claims Director of ACE Global Markets. In 2001, he was promoted to his current role, which he has held ever since. Earlier in his career, he spent 22 years at Lloyd's Claims Office, in a number of claims technical and management roles. During his career at Chubb and at Lloyd's, Peter has played an active role in a number of Lloyd's market committees and London claims reform initiatives. Peter will work closely with Steve and Andrew over the coming months to ensure a smooth handover. Steve's appointment remains subject to the regulatory approval. Andrew Kendrick, Regional President, Europe at Chubb, said: "Steve's breadth and depth of experience and his proven leadership of the claims function in our biggest European market position him perfectly for this important role as we continue to build a market-leading claims proposition to support the future needs of our clients and partners." "Over the past two decades, Peter has been a trusted, dependable and astute partner to me, to our boards and executive team, and to the whole company. He leaves with my sincere thanks for an outstanding contribution to the organisation and very best wishes for his retirement." Andrew McBride, Executive Vice President of Claims, Overseas General Insurance at Chubb, said: "Steve brings impressive technical and market experience and a deep commitment to delivering a superior and market-leading claims service. I look forward to working with him in his new role. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Peter for his outstanding contribution, not only to Chubb but also to the wider industry. He has provided his valued leadership and direction to a range of major loss events and transformational market changes over many years." About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: chubb.com/uk Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464196/Chubb_Steve_Parry.jpg Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg SOURCE Chubb The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering, together with cash on hand, to cause its wholly owned indirect subsidiaries, Wise Metals Group LLC and Wise Alloys Finance Corporation, to repurchase pursuant to a tender offer (the "Tender Offer") announced on February 1, 2017, and/or redeem, satisfy and discharge in accordance with the relevant indenture, all of their 8.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2018 (the "Wise Senior Secured Notes"). Constellium intends to use the remaining net proceeds, if any, for general corporate purposes. There can be no assurance that the Company will successfully complete the Offering on the terms described herein or at all. The Notes are being offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and applicable state laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the Notes or any other securities and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area which has implemented the 2003/71/EC directive as amended (the "Prospectus Directive") (each a "Relevant Member State"), an offer of securities to the public has not been made and will not be made in that Relevant Member State, except that an offer in that Relevant Member State of securities may be made at any time to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive, if the qualified investor prospectus exemption has been implemented in that Relevant Member State and provided that no such offer shall result in a requirement for the publication of a prospectus in that Member State. About Constellium Constellium (NYSE and Euronext: CSTM) is a global sector leader that develops innovative, value added aluminium products for a broad scope of markets and applications, including aerospace, automotive and packaging. Constellium generated 5.2 billion of revenue in 2015. www.constellium.com Forward-looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" with respect to the Offering, the Tender Offer, the redemption of Wise Senior Secured Notes, our business, results of operations and financial condition, and our expectations or beliefs concerning future events and conditions. You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as, but not limited to, "believes," "expects," "may," "should," "approximately," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "targets," likely," "will," "would," "could" and similar expressions (or the negative of these terminologies or expressions). All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Many risks and uncertainties are inherent in our industry and markets. Others are more specific to our business and operations. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to those set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F and as described from time to time in subsequent reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The occurrence of the events described and the achievement of the expected results depend on many events, some or all of which are not predictable or within our control. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/463991/CONSTELLIUM_LOGO_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.constellium.com SOURCE Constellium LONDON, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- East Cheshire NHS Trust has selected CAFM Explorer, Idox's leading facilities management software, to help improve efficiency, transparency and decision-making across its three hospital sites in Macclesfield, Congleton and Knutsford. The Trust will use CAFM Explorer, an all-in-one software solution, to replace a number of disparate data management systems, making it significantly easier for the estate team to manage every aspect of their facilities. Using an integrated database to store information across all facilities and properties, the new system gives the Trust greater visibility of their assets, enabling better-informed strategic decision-making and vastly improved reporting. Mobile capability within CAFM Explorer will also provide the Trust's estate team with flexibility to access information on the move, increasing both productivity and communication. East Cheshire NHS Trust is one of over 300 clients using CAFM Explorer to deliver safe, efficient and compliant facilities. The Trust's transition to the software solution extends Idox's reach to over 30% of the healthcare market, where it supports a range of organisations with their digital transformation goals. << Notes to editors >> CAFM Explorer, an Idox solution, currently serves more than 300 public and private sector customers in areas including health and social care, education, and property. Working behind the scenes, the all-in-one solution helps organisations maintain well-managed sites, processes and functions, ultimately improving service quality and enabling teams to operate more efficiently as a result: http://www.cafmexplorer.com Idox is a leading supplier of software, services and content to a customer base spanning both the UK and international markets. Idox's core areas of operation include Public Services, Engineering, Funding, Commercial and Digital, with broad and demonstrable capabilities and expertise that have supported - and continue to support - a wide range of customers including government departments and agencies, local government, the police and emergency services, health and social care, transport, education and commercial organisations: http://www.idoxgroup.com Janice Scott-Morgan and marketing@idoxgroup.com SOURCE Idox BOSTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Erecruit, the leading innovator in enterprise staffing software, VMS and onboarding solutions for large staffing firms and employers, today launched a new brand identity and redesigned website. The rebranding builds upon its software heritage and showcases Erecruit's commitment to drive staffing firm performance by automating the business processes and delivering the analytics that make enterprise staffing firms more responsive, efficient and profitable. "Erecruit has evolved a great deal since Judd Hoffman and Danko Fatovic joined forces to fill a gap in the enterprise staffing software landscape by offering a solution that truly matched the needs of large staffing firms," said Dave Perotti, Chief Executive Officer, Erecruit. "The new brand reflects what we've become since 2009 - the undisputed leader in staffing software that powers the world's most successful enterprise staffing firms." This news comes on the heels of Erecruit's announcement of reaching its second consecutive year of triple digit revenue growth, reporting more than 100% year-over-year revenue increase in both 2015 and 2016. The new brand identity and website reflect both the evolution of the company's strategic vision as well as its ongoing commitment to the future. The new branding introduces distinctive graphics, a bold color palette and a new company tagline, "Expect Exceptional." This tagline reflects the company's laser-focus on anticipating the needs of the ever-changing staffing market and delivering solutions by experts for experts. While the brand and tagline have changed to better represent what the company aspires to, Erecruit's value proposition remains the same; the combination of the industry's top enterprise staffing platform, exceptional customer engagement and deeper industry expertise remains unique, and enables us to solve the industry's toughest problems. "Since Erecruit is the leading innovator in staffing software, our goal was to elevate our new brand to reflect our progress and continued momentum," said Judd Hoffman, Vice Chairman & Chief Revenue Officer, Erecruit. "The new brand and photo imagery features real people interacting in a metaphorical working environment and exemplifies Erecruit's position as the front-running software provider in the enterprise staffing space." About Erecruit Erecruit is the leading innovator in enterprise staffing software, VMS and onboarding solutions for large staffing firms and employers. Erecruit uses modern, standards-based technologies to provide a highly scalable and configurable solution that allows today's best firms to put their clients, candidates and vendors at the heart of their businesses. To learn more, visit www.erecruit.com. Erecruit is a trademark of Erecruit Holdings, LLC. Related Links http://www.erecruit.com SOURCE Erecruit VANCOUVER, British Columbia, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Acuitas Therapeutics Inc., a private biotechnology company developing state-of-the-art lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology for messenger RNA (mRNA), announced today publication of data demonstrating that single low dose immunization with a messenger RNA delivered in an Acuitas LNP carrier has the potential to protect against infection by Zika virus. In a paper published today in Nature, Acuitas' scientists and academic researchers including Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, a professor of Infectious Diseases in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania showed that single low-dose immunization with mRNA-LNP encoding the pre-membrane and envelope (prM-E) glycoproteins of a Zika virus strain responsible for the 2013 outbreak elicited potent, durable and protective neutralizing antibody responses in animals. "I am delighted that our long-standing collaboration with Dr. Weissman continues to demonstrate the exciting clinical potential of mRNA therapeutics. The current data show that a single low dose administration of mRNA-LNP encoding a Zika protein completely protected animals from a subsequent challenge with the virus. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Dr. Weissman to further advance this exciting new therapeutic modality," said Thomas Madden, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Acuitas Therapeutics. About messenger RNA (mRNA) Messenger RNA is a natural molecule that allows cells to produce proteins. Information that codes for a specific protein is contained on genes in the cell nucleus. This information is transcribed into a message (mRNA), which then migrates out of the nucleus and is translated into the specific protein. Synthetic mRNA can be introduced into a cell using Acuitas LNP carriers to direct the cell to produce a therapeutic protein. Such therapeutic proteins could replace a missing or defective protein, be an antibody to protect against infection, or provide a protective immune response (i.e. a vaccine). About Acuitas Therapeutics Acuitas Therapeutics is a private biotechnology company located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada developing novel LNP carriers for mRNA and other nucleic acid therapeutics, including technology developed under limited license from Arbutus Biopharma Corporation. Contacts: Acuitas Therapeutics Inc., Dr. Thomas Madden, President & CEO, +1-604-880-6157 SOURCE Acuitas Therapeutics Inc QUEBEC CITY and LAUSANNE, Switzerland, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GenePOC announces the commercialization of its Clostridium difficile and Group B Strep molecular tests in Europe, along with onboarding additional partners to cover the EMEA market GenePOC, Inc. (GenePOC) a member of the Debiopharm Group is proud to announce that it has started the commercialization of its first two CE-IVD marked tests, GenePOC CDiff and GenePOC GBS assays on the revogene platform that recently obtained CE-IVD marking. In addition to the distribution partners across all major markets in Europe announced earlier, distribution agreements have been signed with Sedeer Medical, Headquarters in Qatar, and Buhlmann Laboratories in Switzerland. GenePOC has today commercial reach across Europe and the Middle East for the commercialization of its first products. This is a key milestone in the evolution of GenePOC's commercial operations. "The GenePOC CDiff test will fulfill the increasing market need for affordable, fully automated and easy to use testing at Point of Care as early detection of C. difficile can lead to better control and management of the infection, which in turn can improve patient health, reduce the risk of transmission, and potentially lower mortality and morbidity", Patrice Allibert CEO of GenePOC commented. "We are also delighted to start our commercialization with the signing of these additional collaborations. We have seen first-hand the enthusiasm of our partners during our first distributors' meeting in Q4 of 2016 and in recent pre-launch interactions. We expect the combination of exceptional products and partners to lead to rapid adoption of the revogene platform", he continued. The commercial partners signed up today are Astra Formedic S.r.l. in Italy, bestbion dx GmbH in Germany/Austria, Biosynex Group in France, EMM Life Science AB in Sweden/Denmark/Finland/Nor-way/Iceland, Fannin Ltd in Ireland, Mediphos Group BV in Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg, Near Patient Diagnostics Ltd in the UK, Vitro S.A.B. de C.V. in Spain/Portugal, Sedeer Medical direct or through partners in Qatar, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, and Buhlmann Laboratories in Switzerland. Negotiations are ongoing for those countries not listed yet and GenePOC expects to sign on additional distributors in the coming months to best serve customers initially in the EMEA region and later in the year globally. About GenePOC GenePOC is a company that specializes in the development of rapid diagnostic devices which enable the prevention and detection of infectious diseases. GenePOC is a member of the Debiopharm Group. The company devised the GenePOC Diagnostics system, enabling rapid microbial testing at the point of care (POC). The revogene instrument can analyze any type of infection in no more than an hour, is easy to operate and deals with a wide range of biological samples, making it a user-friendly and efficient tool. Further information: http://www.genepoc-diagnostics.com/ About Debiopharm Group Debiopharm Group is a Swiss-headquartered global biopharmaceutical group of five companies active worldwide in the development and manufacture of drugs and diagnostic tools. Debiopharm focuses on developing prescription drugs and diagnostics that target unmet medical needs. The group in-licenses and develops promising drug candidates. The products are commercialized by out-licensing partners and distribution partners to give access to the largest number of patients worldwide. For more information, please see http://www.debiopharm.com We are on Twitter. Follow @DebiopharmNews at http://twitter.com/DebiopharmNews Contact at Debiopharm International SA Christelle Tur Communications Coordinator christelle.tur@debiopharm.com Tel.: +41-(0)21-321-01-11 Contact at GenePOC Patrice Allibert CEO patrice.allibert@genepoc.ca Tel.: +1-418-650-3535 SOURCE Debiopharm International SA From the Cloud to the Tax Desk, Watson to Help Tax Pros Maximize Tax Outcomes KANSAS CITY, Missouri and NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is reinventing the category it founded more than 60 years ago by introducing a new, exclusive, consumer-facing experience that incorporates IBM Watson (NYSE: IBM). The technology will be used by H&R Block's tax professionals this tax season to help deliver the best outcome for each unique tax situation, while helping clients better understand how different filing options can impact their tax outcome. On February 1, 2017, H&R Block CEO Bill Cobb (left) and IBM SVP David Kenny (right) announced that H&R Block's tax professionals at approximately 10,000 branch offices across the U.S. will use a new, consumer-facing technology that incorporates IBM Watson - the largest deployment of Watson in retail locations. The new technology will help H&R Block tax professionals deliver the best outcome for each client's unique tax situation. (Photo by Guerin Blask) (PRNewsFoto/IBM) Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVK5UeimatQ Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464002/IBM_Watson_and_H_and_R_Block_Tax_Pro.jpg Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95470/ibm_logo.jpg The collaboration between H&R Block and IBM represents the first time Watson will be applied to tax preparation, enabling millions of filers to benefit from the industry-leading expertise of H&R Block's tax professionals, who will now partner with Watson to improve the client experience and aid in identifying credits and deductions. "We are introducing something this tax season that is totally new, and is in fact, a first in the tax preparation category," said Bill Cobb, H&R Block's president and chief executive officer. "By combining the human expertise, knowledge and judgment of our tax professionals with the cutting-edge cognitive computing power of Watson, we are creating a future where our clients will benefit from an enhanced experience and our tax pros will have the latest technology to help them ensure every deduction and credit is found. This partnership with Watson means we can leverage the best technology available to help our clients get their taxes won." The field of tax preparation involves massive volumes of data, including a federal tax code with more than 74,000 pages and thousands of yearly tax law changes, all of which impacts a client's tax outcome. As part of the first phase of the collaboration, H&R Block and IBM development teams trained Watson in the language of tax, first applying the technology to the thousands of questions and topics discussed during the return filing process. The result is a new cognitive experience for filers offered for the first time this tax season at H&R Block retail locations. The solution uses cloud-based Watson services to understand context, interpret intent and draw connections between clients' statements and relevant areas of their return. H&R Block tax professionals can then identify additional areas of possible tax implications in order to maximize client refunds or reduce their tax liabilities. The client can follow along with the tax professional on a dedicated client companion screen that brings to life key focus areas for deductions, making the preparation process more engaging and transparent. "IBM has shown how complex, data-rich industries such as healthcare, retail and education are being transformed through the use of Watson. Now with H&R Block, we're applying the power of cognitive computing in an entirely new way that everyone can relate to and benefit from the tax prep process," said David Kenny, senior vice president, IBM Watson and Cloud Platform. "We're excited to see H&R Block's tax professionals, leaders in their field, join their expertise with Watson to enhance the client experience and help millions of individuals file their returns during tax season." The partnership with H&R Block in a new industry domain for IBM puts Watson on track to reach more than a billion people around the world by the end of 2017 as the technology is increasingly used to help professionals derive insights and support human decision-making. Organizations are using their data to set themselves apart from competitors. For example, in applying Watson to tax, H&R Block is not just tapping into leading technology, it's also maximizing its competitiveness - its own company insights, amassed over 60-plus years of preparing hundreds of millions of returns combined with new insights gained by using Watson. As Watson learns more about navigating the tax code from H&R Block tax professionals, those learnings will stay with H&R Block and improve the value it delivers to tax filers. Watson's initial training was validated by H&R Block tax experts and the initial corpus will expand over time through each subsequent tax season. During the next phase, H&R Block tax professionals will work with IBM to continue teaching Watson all about tax and apply the technology to innovate in other areas of their business. Since 1955 H&R Block has filed more than 720 million returns, amassing deep insights that inform their recommendations to filers. H&R Block's approach to tax preparation is rooted in a commitment to securing the maximum refund each client can earn. Doing so means avoiding a check-the-box approach, which can often lead to missed deductions or filing an inaccurate return. H&R Block with Watson commercial to run during 1st Quarter of Super Bowl H&R Block will highlight this new offering with the company's first Super Bowl commercial since 2009. "This partnership with IBM to apply Watson represents a huge innovation in the tax preparation industry," said Kathy Collins, H&R Block's chief marketing and strategy officer. "We are launching it on the biggest stage the Super Bowl to ask consumers to rethink their current tax preparation method, and question whether they got back everything they deserved. We know there is nothing more important than optimizing their outcome or, in other words getting their taxes won." H&R Block's new proprietary client experience with Watson is available only at H&R Block retail locations beginning Sunday, February 5. About H&R Block H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is a global consumer tax services provider. Tax return preparation services are provided by professional tax preparers in approximately 12,000 company-owned and franchise retail tax offices worldwide, and through H&R Block tax software products for the DIY consumer. H&R Block also offers adjacent Tax Plus products and services. In fiscal 2016, H&R Block had annual revenues of over $3 billion with 23.2 million tax returns prepared worldwide. For more information, visit the H&R Block Newsroom. About IBM Watson: Pioneering a New Era of Computing Watson represents a new era in computing called cognitive computing, where systems understand the world in a way more similar to humans: through senses, learning, and experience. Watson continuously learns from previous interactions, gaining in value and knowledge over time. With the help of Watson, organizations are harnessing the power of cognitive computing to transform industries, help professionals do their jobs better, and solve important challenges. As part of IBM's strategy to accelerate the growth of cognitive computing, Watson is open to the world, allowing a growing community of developers, students, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts to easily tap into the most advanced and diverse cognitive computing platform available today. Watson solutions are being built, used and deployed in more than 45 countries and across 20 different industries. For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/Watson and ibm.com/press/watson. Join the conversation at #ibmwatson. Contact: Gene King Katy Rosati H&R Block IBM Media Relations gene.king@hrblock.com krosati@us.ibm.com 816-854-4672 917-421-7543 SOURCE IBM MDP harnesses global shift to the cloud by investing in Intermedia's tightly-integrated business applications platform MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Intermedia.net, Inc. ("Intermedia"), a leading cloud business applications provider, announced today that its previously disclosed acquisition by Chicago-based private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners ("MDP"), together with company management, has closed. Since its founding in 1995, Intermedia has been a pioneer in delivering secure, reliable, and highly supported cloud business applications. In May 2011, Intermedia was acquired by private equity firm, Oak Hill Capital Partners ("Oak Hill"), and has since transformed from a business email and web hosting company to a leading provider of over 30 Office in the Cloud applications. Intermedia has also more than tripled revenues (to an annualized revenue run rate of $200M), operating profits (EBITDA), users and product offerings during this time. As part of the MDP family, Intermedia will continue to operate as a standalone company delivering tightly-integrated cloud solutions to businesses and the channel partners that serve them. "Our partnership with MDP gives us added flexibility and resources to further strengthen our leadership position," said Michael Gold, CEO of Intermedia. "With a shared vision of the future, we plan to accelerate growth through increased investments in our cloud management platform, channel solutions, communities and programs, our J.D. Power-certified support experience, new and existing products, targeted industry solutions, and potential additional acquisitions." "We are pleased to welcome Intermedia into the MDP family," said Zaid Alsikafi, a Managing Director at MDP and Intermedia's new Chairman. "Intermedia has been able to successfully capitalize upon the global shift to the cloud and possesses tremendous potential to capture further market opportunities. We look forward to working alongside Mike and the Intermedia senior management team as we further scale the business." Michael Gold remains Chief Executive Officer of Intermedia, and the company's headquarters continues to be in Mountain View, California. Phil Koen, Intermedia CEO until early 2015 and most recently the company's Executive Chairman, will continue in an advisory role to the CEO. As part of the transaction, Intermedia's shareholders, led by Oak Hill, have sold their stake in the company to MDP and company management. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Advisors Advisors to Intermedia for the transaction included Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan as financial advisors, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation as legal counsel, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as regulatory counsel. Advisors to MDP included Evercore and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as financial advisors, Kirkland & Ellis LLP as legal counsel, and Covington & Burling LLP as regulatory counsel for MDP. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and TD Securities led financing for the transaction. About Intermedia Intermedia is a one-stop shop for cloud business applications. Its Office in the Cloud suite integrates the essential IT applications that companies need to do business, including email, voice, file backup and sharing, conferencing, instant messaging, identity and access management, mobility, security and archiving all delivered by a single provider and integrated into one control panel. Intermedia services offer enterprise-grade security, a 99.999 percent uptime service level agreement and award-winning 24/7 support, as certified by J.D. Power and TSIA. Intermedia's over 700 employees serve over 1,000,000 users across more than 85,000 businesses and 6,000 active partners, including VARs, MSPs, distributors and telecoms. Its Partner Program lets partners sell under their own brand with control over billing, pricing and other elements of their customer relationships. Intermedia is the world's largest independent provider of Exchange email in the cloud and a leading cloud voice provider. For more information, visit Intermedia.net. About Madison Dearborn Partners Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP), based in Chicago, is a leading private equity investment firm in the United States. Since MDP's formation in 1992, the firm has raised seven funds with aggregate capital of approximately $23 billion and has completed over 130 investments. Intermedia will become a portfolio company in MDP's seventh fund, which recently held a final close on $4.4 billion. MDP invests in businesses across a broad spectrum of industries, including telecom, media and technology services; financial and transaction services; business and government services; health care; basic industries; and consumer. Notable investments include Asurion, Cbeyond, Fieldglass, Intelsat, Liquid Web, MetroPCS, NextG Networks and QuickPlay Media. For more information, please visit http://www.mdcp.com. Contacts Melanie Lombardi Gabe Taylor Intermedia LEWIS for Intermedia 650.285.5857 415.432.2400 PR@intermedia.net IntermediaUS@teamlewis.com Chuck Dohrenwend or Kate Murray Abernathy MacGregor for Madison Dearborn Partners 212.371.5999 cod@abmac.com ksm@abmac.com Office in the Cloud is a trademark of Intermedia.net, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. * J.D. Power 2016 Certified Assisted Technical Program, developed in conjunction with TSIA. Based on successful completion of an audit and exceeding a customer satisfaction benchmark for assisted support operations. For more information, visit www.jdpower.com or www.tsia.com. Related Links http://www.intermedia.net SOURCE Intermedia Overwhelming humanitarian needs spurred by Africa's largest refugee crisis YUMBE, Uganda, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global organization Mercy Corps is expanding its programs in northern Uganda to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have fled an escalation of conflict in their country. Over the past months, the number of South Sudanese refugees arriving at Uganda's northern border has dramatically increased, with more than 1,800 daily arrivals according to the United Nations. Uganda now hosts more than half a million refugees from South Sudan. Mercy Corps will implement a cash program to help some 15,000 people in Bidibidi settlement in Yumbe, northern Uganda, which is home to over 270,000 refugees, of which two-thirds are children. "Our cash grants will allow refugees to buy what they and their families need most, while also injecting much needed currency into the local economy and supporting local livelihoods," says Sean Granville-Ross, Mercy Corps Country Director for Uganda. "At Mercy Corps, we believe cash assistance is the most rapid, efficient and dignified manner of providing humanitarian aid." The Mercy Corps program will focus on the most vulnerable groups of South Sudanese refugees, including the elderly, women-headed households, unaccompanied minors and people with disabilities. A cash-for-work program will be established to provide work opportunities for both refugees and residents of the host communities as part of the conflict-management measures for the settlement. Mercy Corps chose the cash-based response following its market assessment undertaken in November 2016. The study found that marketplaces within the Bidibidi settlement are growing to meet the demands of refugees, and that a cash-based response could stimulate the local economy and support trade. Mercy Corps has been working in Uganda since 2006 specializing in economic development, financial inclusion, maternal child health and nutrition, resilience, and peacebuilding and conflict management. To support Mercy Corps' work in Uganda and elsewhere in the world, join us at mercycorps.org. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110818/DC54665LOGO-a Related Links http://www.mercycorps.org SOURCE Mercy Corps HELSINKI, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tieto Corporation STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 2 February 2017, 11.05 EET Notice is given to the shareholders of Tieto Corporation to the Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday 23 March 2017 at 4.00 p.m. (EET) at the hotel Clarion, address Tyynenmerenkatu 2, 00220 Helsinki, Finland. The reception of persons who have registered for the meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 3.00 p.m. (EET). A. Matters on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting At the Annual General Meeting, the following matters will be considered: 1 Opening of the meeting 2 Calling the meeting to order 3 Election of persons to scrutinize the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes 4 Recording the legality of the meeting 5 Recording the attendance at the meeting and adoption of the list of votes 6 Presentation of the annual accounts, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report for the year 2016 Review by the CEO 7 Adoption of the annual accounts 8 Resolution on the use of the profit shown on the balance sheet and the payment of dividend The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of EUR 1.15 per share and an additional dividend of EUR 0.22 be paid from the distributable assets for the financial year that ended on 31 December 2016. The dividend shall be paid to shareholders who on the record date for the dividend payment on 27 March 2017 are recorded in the shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy or the register of Euroclear Sweden AB. The dividend shall be paid as from 6 April 2017. 9 Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability 10 Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes that the remuneration of the Board of Directors will be annual fees and increased as follows: EUR 91 000 to the Chairman (current EUR 83 000), EUR 55 000 to the Deputy Chairman (current EUR 52 500) and EUR 36 000 (current EUR 34 500) to the ordinary members of the Board of Directors. The same fee as to the Board Deputy Chairman will be paid to the Chairman of Board Committee unless the same individual is also the Chairman or Deputy Chairman of the Board. In addition to these fees it is proposed that the member of the Board of the Directors be paid the same remuneration of EUR 800 for each Board meeting as currently and for each permanent or temporary committee meeting. It is the company's practice not to pay fees to Board members who are also employees of the Tieto Group. The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes that 40% of the fixed annual remuneration be paid in Tieto Corporation's shares purchased from the market. The shares will be purchased within two weeks from the release of the interim report January 1-March 31, 2017. According to the proposal, the Annual General Meeting will resolve to acquire the shares directly on behalf of the members of the Board which is an approved manner to acquire the company's shares in accordance with the applicable insider rules. The Shareholders' Nomination Board is of the opinion that increasing long-term shareholding of the Board members will benefit all the shareholders. 11 Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the number of Board members be eight. 12 Election of members of the Board of Directors and the Chairman The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the current Board members Kurt Jofs, Harri-Pekka Kaukonen, Johanna Lamminen, Sari Pajari, Endre Rangnes and Jonas Synnergren be re-elected and in addition Timo Ahopelto and Jonas Wistrom are proposed to be elected as new Board members. Markku Pohjola and Lars Wollung have informed that they are not available for re-election. The Shareholders' Nomination Board proposes that Kurt Jofs shall be elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The term of office of the Board members ends at the close of the next Annual General Meeting. All the proposed candidates have given their consent to being elected. Timo Ahopelto (born 1975) is the co-founder of Lifeline Ventures, a Finnish venture fund investing in early-stage companies in health, games and technology. He was the co-founder and CEO in CRF Health, the leader in electronic Patient Reported Outcomes for the pharmaceutical industry, and Head of Strategy in Blyk, the first ad-funded mobile operator. Earlier he has worked as a consultant in McKinsey as well as a researcher in Nokia Research Center and the Helsinki University of Technology. Timo acts as Board member in various companies and organizations, such as the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA), Tekes and Slush Conference. He has graduated as MSc. (Tech.) from the Helsinki University of Technology. Jonas Wistrom (born 1960) is the President and CEO of AF Angpanneforeningen, an engineering and consulting company in the energy, industrial and infrastructure sectors. Previously, he has held executive positions e.g. in Prevas AB, Silicon Graphics AB and Sun Microsystems where he acted as Country Manager of Sweden. He is a Chairman of the Board of Directors in Ratos AB, a Swedish investment company that owns and develops unlisted medium-sized Nordic companies. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Board in Teknikforetagen and IVA Business Executives Council and Board member in Business Sweden and ICC. Jonas holds a MSc. (Tech.) from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. The biographical details of the candidates and information on their holdings shall be available on Tieto's website at www.tieto.com/cv. In addition to the above candidates, the company's personnel shall appoint two members, each with a personal deputy, to the Board of Directors. The term of office for the personnel representatives is two years and Esa Koskinen (deputy Ilpo Waljus) and Anders Palklint (deputy Robert Spinelli) are appointed to the Board until the Annual General Meeting 2018. 13 Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting, in accordance with the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Directors, that the auditor to be elected at the Annual General Meeting be reimbursed according to the auditor's invoice and in compliance with the purchase principles approved by the Committee. 14 Election of auditor The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting, in accordance with the recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board of Directors, that the firm of authorized public accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy be re-elected as the company's auditor for the financial year 2017. The firm of authorized public accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers Oy has notified that KHT Tomi Hyrylainen will act as the auditor with principal responsibility. Recommendation of the Audit and Risk Committee The Audit and Risk Committee has prepared its recommendation in accordance with the EU Audit Regulation and in a full-scale selection procedure. The Committee has comprehensively assessed the received offers against the predefined selection criteria. In addition to the knowledge and competences, the Committee has considered the quality and expense risk related to the change of the auditor and, on the other hand, the integrity of the auditor. In its recommendation to the Board of Directors, the Audit and Risk Committee placed second the firm of authorized public accountants Ernst & Young Oy. 15 Amendment of the company's Articles of Association The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Articles 1 and 6 of the Articles of Association of the company be amended as follows: "1 Company name and domicile The company name in Finnish is Tieto Oyj, in Swedish Tieto Abp and in English Tieto Corporation. The domicile of the company is Espoo." "6 Auditor The company has one ordinary auditor who shall be an audit firm with a KHT auditor as the auditor with principal responsibility. The term of office of the auditor expires at the closing of the first Annual General Meeting following his election." 16 Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the Board of Directors be authorized to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares as follows: The amount of own shares to be repurchased shall not exceed 7 400 000 shares, which currently corresponds to approximately 10 % of all the shares in the company. Only the unrestricted equity of the company can be used to repurchase own shares. Own shares can be repurchased at a price formed in public trading on the date of the repurchase or at a price otherwise formed on the market. The Board of Directors decides how the share repurchase will be carried out. Own shares can be repurchased inter alia by using derivatives. The company's own shares can be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shareholdings of the shareholders (directed repurchase). The authorization cancels previous unused authorizations to decide on the repurchase of the company's own shares. The authorization is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 30 April 2018. 17 Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares as well as options and other special rights entitling to shares The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the Board of Directors be authorized to decide on the issuance of shares as well as on the issuance of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares referred to in chapter 10 section 1 of the Companies Act in one or more tranches as follows: The amount of shares to be issued based on the authorization (including shares to be issued based on the special rights) shall not exceed 7 400 000 shares, which currently corresponds to approximately 10 % of all the shares in the company. However, out of the above maximum amount of shares to be issued no more than 700 000 shares, currently corresponding to less than 1 % of all of the shares in the company, may be issued as part of the company's share-based incentive programs. The Board of Directors decides on the terms and conditions of the issuance of shares as well as of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares. The authorization concerns both the issuance of new shares as well as the transfer of treasury shares. The issuance of shares as well as of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares may be carried out in deviation from the shareholders' pre-emptive right (directed issue). The authorization cancels previous unused authorizations to decide on the issuance of shares as well as on the issuance of option rights and other special rights entitling to shares. The authorization is effective until the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 30 April 2018. 18 Closing of the meeting B. Documents of the Annual General Meeting The agenda of the Annual General Meeting, the proposals of the Board of Directors and the Shareholders' Nomination Board and this notice are available on the company's website www.tieto.com/agm. The annual report, the report of the Board of Directors and the auditor's report of Tieto Corporation are available on the website latest on 1 March 2017. These documents are also available at the meeting. Copies of these documents and of this notice will be sent to shareholders upon request. The minutes of the meeting will be available on the company's website latest on 5 April 2017. C. Instructions for the participants in the Annual General Meeting 1 Shareholders registered in the shareholders' register Each shareholder, who is registered on 13 March 2017 in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Oy, has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting. A shareholder, whose shares are registered on his/her Finnish book-entry account, is registered in the shareholders' register of the company. A shareholder, who is registered in the shareholders' register of the company and wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, shall register for the meeting no later than 20 March 2017 at 3.00 p.m. (EET) by giving a prior notice of participation, which shall be received by the company no later than on the abovementioned date. Such notice can be given: through Tieto's website at www.tieto.com/agm by e-mail agm@tieto.com by phone +358 20 727 1740 (Mon-Fri 9.00 a.m.-3.00 p.m. EET ) ) by telefax +358 20 602 0232 or by mail to Tieto, Legal/AGM, P.O. Box 2, FI-02101 Espoo, Finland . In connection with the registration, a shareholder shall notify his/her name, personal identification number, address, telephone number and the name of a possible assistant or proxy representative and the personal identification number of a proxy representative. The personal data given to Tieto Corporation is used only in connection with the Annual General Meeting and with the processing of related registrations. The shareholder, his/her authorized representative or proxy representative shall, where necessary, be able to prove his/her identity and/or right of representation. 2 Holders of nominee registered shares A holder of nominee registered shares has the right to participate in the general meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which he/she on the record date of the general meeting, i.e. on 13 March 2017, would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders' register of the company held by Euroclear Finland Oy. The right to participate in the general meeting requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered into the temporary shareholders' register held by Euroclear Finland Oy at the latest by 20 March 2017 by 10 a.m. (EET). As regards nominee registered shares this constitutes due registration for the general meeting. A holder of nominee registered shares is advised to request without delay necessary instructions regarding the registration in the temporary shareholder's register of the company, the issuing of proxy documents and registration for the general meeting from his/her custodian bank. The account management organization of the custodian bank has to register a holder of nominee registered shares, who wants to participate in the general meeting, into the temporary shareholders' register of the company at the latest by the time stated above. Further information on these matters can be found on the company's website (www.tieto.com/agm). 3 Shares registered in Euroclear Sweden AB A shareholder with shares registered in Euroclear Sweden AB's Securities System who wishes to attend and vote at the AGM must: 1 be registered in the shareholders' register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB not later than on 13 March 2017. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, in order to be eligible to request a temporary registration in the shareholders' register of Tieto Corporation maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy, request that their shares are reregistered in their own names in the register of shareholders maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB, and procure that the nominee sends the above mentioned request for temporary registration to Euroclear Sweden AB on their behalf. Such reregistration must be made as of 13 March 2017 and the nominee should therefore be notified well in advance before said date. 2 request temporary registration in the shareholders' register of Tieto Corporation maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy. Such request shall be submitted in writing to Euroclear Sweden AB no later than on 14 March 2017 at 15:00 Swedish time. Further information about attending the AGM is found on the company's website page www.tieto.com/agm. This temporary registration made through written request to Euroclear Sweden AB is considered a notice of attendance at the general meeting. 4 Proxy representative and powers of attorney A shareholder may participate in the Annual General Meeting and exercise his/her rights at the meeting by way of proxy representation. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate his/her right to represent the shareholder at the Annual General Meeting. When a shareholder participates in the Annual General Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares at different securities accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the Annual General Meeting. Possible proxy documents should be delivered in originals to Tieto, Legal/AGM, P.O. Box 2, FI-02101 Espoo, Finland before 20 March 2017. 5 Further instructions and information Pursuant to chapter 5, section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act, a shareholder who is present at the Annual General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the meeting. On the date of this notice to the Annual General Meeting the total number of shares and votes in Tieto Corporation is 74 109 252. The meeting will be conducted primarily in Finnish, and simultaneous translation will be available into English and as necessary into Finnish. Coffee will be served after the meeting. Espoo, 1 February 2017 Tieto Corporation Board of Directors For further information, please contact: Esa Hyttinen, Deputy General Counsel Tel. +358-40-766-6196, E-mail: esa.hyttinen (at) tieto.com DISTRIBUTION NASDAQ Helsinki NASDAQ Stockholm Principal Media This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/tieto/r/notice-to-the-annual-general-meeting-of-tietocorporation,c2179080 Related Links http://www.tieto.com/agm SOURCE Tieto The Global Business Excellence Awards, which recognize and reward business excellence across all sectors, are among the world's highest-profile business honors. The awards pride themselves on having a large panel of independent expert judges who select winners according to strict criteria for each category and sector, focusing on financial results, innovation and benefits to customers, employees, investors and communities. The awards attract a wide range of global entries, ranging from large international companies and public-sector organizations to dynamic and innovative small enterprises. "Ortho Clinical Diagnostics has improved the immunohematology process with an automated platform called ORTHO VISION that can efficiently match a patient needing a transfusion with the right blood," the Global Business Excellence Awards said upon presenting the award to Ortho. "By using the latest Information Technology, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is helping to lead immunohematology into the future and has helped give hospitals enhanced blood matching processing, helping them to deliver increased services to patients with fewer staff. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a pioneer in using technology in medicine and ORTHO VISION is brilliant technological innovation."[i] Ortho recently also celebrated the 1,000th installation of the ORTHO VISION platform worldwide. The platform, which is comprised of the ORTHO VISION Analyzer and the ORTHO VISION Max Analyzer, offers a solution that improves workflow and standardizes systems and processes. MD Buyline, an independent, evidence-based research firm, recently released its Q3 2016 vendor rankings report, which placed Ortho at the top of the blood bank automation category with a 9.3 composite rating. The score is based on six factors: system performance, reliability, installation/implementation, application training and service repair quality and response time. "We are committed to helping hospitals and blood banks perform immunohematology testing as quickly, efficiently and accurately as possible," said Heidi Casaletto, vice president transfusion medicine at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. "The Global Business Excellence awards, coupled with our recent achievement of 1,000 ORTHO VISION platform installations, further build on our commitment to excellence in the transfusion medicine industry." About Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Ortho Clinical Diagnostics is a global leader of in vitro diagnostics serving the clinical laboratory and immunohematology communities. Across hospitals, hospital networks, blood banks and labs in more than 120 countries, Ortho's high-quality products and services enable health care professionals to make better-informed treatment decisions. For the immunohematology community, Ortho's blood typing products help ensure the patient receives blood that is safe, the right type and the right unit. Ortho brings sophisticated testing technologies, automation, information management and interpretation tools to clinical laboratories around the world to help them run more efficiently and effectively and improve patient care. Ortho's purpose is to improve and save lives with diagnostics, and it does that by reimagining what's possible. This is what has defined Ortho for more than 75 years, and it's what drives Ortho forward. For more information, visit www.orthoclinicaldiagnostics.com. Ortho Clinical Diagnostics 2017 [i] This statement is from the Global Business Excellence Awards. Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464285/Ortho_Vision_Line.jpg Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/376902/ocd_only_black_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.orthoclinicaldiagnostics.com SOURCE Ortho Clinical Diagnostics LAUPHEIM and MUNICH, Germany, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH, Laupheim and Leukocare AG, Martinsried today announced a strategic alliance under which Leukocare will become the specialized technology partner and the exclusive formulation developer for Rentschler's biopharmaceuticals business. Rentschler in return will become the first and only contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) to have access to Leukocares patented SPS formulation technologies. Leukocare's ongoing and future business activities with pharma and biotech beyond the CDMO business will not be affected by this alliance. Rentschler will acquire a 10% stake in Leukocare. Dr. Frank Mathias, CEO of Rentschler, will join Leukocare's Board of Directors. Rentschler is a German family-owned business and among the worlds leading biopharmaceutical CDMOs. The company has a long track record of delivering successful consulting, bioprocess development and manufacturing solutions for market-ready biopharmaceutical products, all from one source. Leukocare provides formulation development services based on its proprietary SPS (Stabilizing and Protecting Solutions) technology platform, which has been shown to significantly improve the stability of therapeutic proteins. Based on SPS, Leukocare is able to develop, for example, liquid dose formulations that result in biopharmaceuticals with outstanding stability at higher temperatures and longer shelf life. The patented SPS platform is characterized by specific and innovative combinations of regulatory established and employed excipients. Creating competitive advantages for clients with best-in-class formulations The Rentschler/Leukocare alliance strategically aims to incorporate formulation development at every step throughout biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing. Working closely with the client, this will ensure that every end product will - from the very beginning - have a best-in-class formulation and administration mode. This innovative approach will provide clients significant competitive advantages, enabling them to exploit the full potential of their products and markets. "Our alliance brings to the forefront the importance of drug formulation as a key success factor in the development process. We believe our enhanced ability to improve formulations will result in value creation for our clients and ultimately also help doctors and patients," said Dr. Frank Mathias, CEO of Rentschler. "This alliance will enable us to fully exploit the possibilities and advantages of the SPS formulation technologies," stated Michael Scholl, CEO of Leukocare. "With a strong partner like Rentschler, we will be able to offer our innovative formulation expertise to a broad range of clients and elevate the role of formulation strategy on the biopharmaceutical industry's agenda." About Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH, located in Laupheim, Germany, is a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for bioprocess development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals as well as for regulatory support. The Company's clients include innovative biotech companies and major pharmaceutical companies around the world. Many years of experience and excellence in finding solutions as well as certified quality management and advanced technologies ensure Rentschler's high quality standards. Rentschler is a family-owned company employing approximately 700 people. For further information, please visit http://www.rentschler.de. About LEUKOCARE AG LEUKOCARE AG, located in Martinsried, Germany, provides a next-generation formulation platform for the protection of proteins like biopharmaceuticals to allow the development of better products. The proprietary SPS technologies are provided to development projects of partners in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. LEUKOCARE's SPS technologies improve stability and quality of biologics like antibodies, vaccines, etc. in dry and liquid formulation. SPS also protects proteins in biologically functionalized combination devices. For further information please visit http://www.leukocare.com. About the Rentschler and Leukocare alliance The alliance between Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH and Leukocare AG strategically aims to incorporate formulation development at every step throughout biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing. Working closely with the client, this will ensure that the end products will - from the very beginning - have a best-in-class formulation and administration mode. This innovative approach will provide clients significant competitive advantages, enabling them to exploit the full potential of their products and markets. Contact Raimund Gabriel Managing Partner MC Services AG Phone: +49-89-210228-36 Email: rentschler-leukocare@mc-services.eu SOURCE Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH DUBLIN, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Proton Therapy Market Outlook - Global Analysis" report to their offering. This is the 3rd edition report on Proton Therapy Market. The report titled Proton Therapy Market Outlook - Global Analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of the fast-evolving, high-growth Proton Therapy Market. The number of proton therapy centers is increasing globally. Still, industry experts believe that players will miss out on a majority of cancer patients who can benefit with proton therapy, overlooking a huge multi-Billion-dollar potential market. Globally, the numbers of patients treated with Proton Therapy is very low whereas; the potential candidates for proton therapy are in Millions. IBA dominates the proton therapy market globally. However other players like Varian, Mitsubishi, Mevion, Hitachi etc. have also started to make their presence felt in the market. The increased demand for proton therapy has motivated many prominent cancer centers in the world to provide proton therapy treatment. The number of proton therapy centers worldwide is anticipated to increase year on year, which in turn, will result in more clinical research, better clinician understanding and greater patient awareness of its benefits-which will help drive the further growth. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Global Proton Therapy Market Analysis 2.1 Global Proton Therapy Market - Actual and Potential Market (2009 - 2021) 2.1.1 Global - Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 2.1.2 Global - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 2.2 Global Proton Therapy Patient Number - Actual and Potential (2009 - 2021) 2.2.1 Global - Patients Treated with Proton Therapy Actual Number and Forecast 2.2.2 Global - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 2.3 Global Total Number of Patients Treated with Proton Therapy - Country Wise 2.4 Global Potential Proton Therapy Market Share Analysis (2009 - 2021) 2.4.1 Global - Potential Proton Therapy Market Share and Forecast 2.4.2 Global - Potential Proton Therapy Candidate Share and Forecast 3. Proton Therapy - Comparative Analysis of Company 4. United States Proton Therapy Market Analysis 4.1 United States Proton Therapy - Actual and Potential Market (2009 - 2021) 4.1.1 United States - Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 4.1.2 United States - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 4.2 United States Proton Therapy Patients Number - Actual and Potential (2009 - 2021) 4.2.1 United States - Patients Treated with Proton Therapy Actual Number and Forecast 4.2.2 United States - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 4.3 United States - List of Proton Therapy Centers, Start of Treatment, Patient Treated 5. United States Proton Therapy - Company Analysis 5.1 IBA Proton Therapy 5.1.1 IBA Proton Therapy Sales (2007 - 2015) 5.1.2 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by IBA 5.2 Optivus Proton Therapy 5.2.1 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Optivus 5.3 Hitachi Proton Therapy 5.3.1 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Hitachi 5.4 Mevion Proton Therapy 5.4.1 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Mevion 5.5 Varian Proton Therapy 5.5.1 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Varian 6. Japan Proton Therapy Market Analysis 6.1 Japan Proton Therapy - Actual and Potential Market (2005 - 2021) 6.1.1 Japan - Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 6.1.2 Japan - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 6.2 Japan Proton Therapy Patients Number - Actual and Potential (2005 - 2021) 6.2.1 Japan - Patients Treated with Proton Therapy Actual Number and Forecast 6.2.2 Japan - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 6.3 Japan - List of Proton Therapy Centers, Cost, Start of Treatment, Patient Treated 6.4 Japan Proton Therapy - Company Analysis 6.4.1 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Mitsubishi 6.4.2 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by IBA 6.4.3 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Hitachi 6.4.4 The Proton Therapy Centers Developed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries 7. South Korea Potential Proton Therapy Market Analysis (2007 - 2021) 7.1 South Korea - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 7.2 South Korea - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 7.3 South Korea - List of Proton Therapy Centers, Start of Treatment 8. China Potential Proton Therapy Market Analysis (2009 - 2021) 8.1 China - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 8.2 China - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 8.3 China - List of Proton Therapy Centers, Start of Treatment 9. India Potential Proton Therapy Market Analysis (2009 - 2021) 9.1 India - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 9.2 India - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 9.3 India - List of Proton Therapy Centers, Cost, Start of Treatment 10. Europe Potential Proton Therapy Market Analysis (2009 - 2021) 10.1 Europe - Potential Proton Therapy Market and Forecast 10.2 Europe - Potential Candidate for Proton Therapy Number and Forecast 11. Canada Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 12. Argentina Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13. Europe Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.1 Russia Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.2 Sweden Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.3 France Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.4 Netherlands Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.5 Italy Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.6 Poland Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.7 Germany Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.8 Czech Republic Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.9 Switzerland Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.10 Austria Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 13.11 United Kingdom Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 14. South Africa Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 15. Other Asian Country Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 15.1 Taiwan Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 15.2 Australia Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 15.3 Saudi Arabia Proton Therapy Centers Analysis 16. Current Radiation Therapies 16.1 Third Dimensional Conformal Therapy (CRT) 16.2 Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) 16.3 Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) 16.4 Stereotactic Radiotherapy 16.5 Neutron Therapy 16.6 Heavy Ion Radiotherapy 16.7 Proton Therapy 17. Components of a Standard Proton Therapy Center 17.1 Proton Accelerator 17.2 Beam Transport System 17.3 Beam Delivery System 17.3.1 The Passive Scattering Technique 17.3.2 Beam Scanning 17.4 Nozzle 17.4.1 Single ScatteringError! Bookmark not defined. 17.4.2 Double Scattering 17.4.3 Uniform Scanning Nozzle 17.4.4 Pencil Scanning Nozzle 17.5 Treatment Planning System 17.6 Image Viewers 17.7 Patient Positioning System (PPS) 17.8 Human Resource 18. Proton Therapy - Driving Factors 18.1 Technology Advancement 18.1.1 Next-Generation Proton Technique 18.1.2 Technological Advances Make Proton Therapy Centers More Scalable 18.2 Growing Incidence of Cancer Patients 18.3 Proton Therapy Provides Enormous Benefits 19. Proton Therapy - Challenges 19.1 Requires Huge Investment 19.2 Operations Challenges 19.3 More Clinical Evidence Is Needed Companies Mentioned - Hitachi - IBA - Mevion - Mitsubishi - Varian For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qjh68n/proton_therapy Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets This momentum bolsters the company's success in the U.S. where its flagship customer ReachNow, BMW's groundbreaking new mobility business, has acquired 40,000 customers in its first nine months. Today RideCell has numerous global customers, including automotive OEMs and corporate and university campuses. Driving RideCell's expansion in Europe are Armin Fendrich, general manager of the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region and an experienced team of sales managers and solutions engineers. Based in RideCell's new office in Munich, Germany, Armin leads the growth of autonomous and new mobility services in EMEA. Armin has a strong base of experience in growing business for global automotive, navigation software, and service companies, including Panasonic/Aupeo, Nokia, NNG, and deCarta. "As RideCell focuses on automotive partnerships, I'm excited about the business we're building in the EMEA region," said Armin. "We have some interesting proofs of concept in the works right now. In the coming weeks, we'll be announcing the launch of a new mobility service with a major European enterprise." Building business in Japan, China, and Australia, Paul Drysch serves as vice president of business development and general manager of the Asia-Pacific region. With more than 20 years of sales leadership experience in the connected vehicle and IoT markets, Paul leads a team that includes Takeshi Mitsutani, an industry veteran with expertise in structuring business relationships between U.S. and Japanese technology companies. RideCell also has a team focused on opening the China market. RideCell is in the process of completing multiple agreements with automotive OEMs and new mobility providers in Europe and APAC, in addition to expanding the customer base in the U.S. "As global attitudes toward transportation change, increasing demand for ridesharing and carsharing services, RideCell has responded by building leadership, staff, and partnerships in key locations where consumers and automotive OEMs need them the most," said Aarjav Trivedi, founder and CEO of RideCell. "A larger international footprint, a strong executive team, and sustained growth in consumer demand will enable RideCell to continue to help customers define innovative offerings and grow their mobility services businesses." About RideCell Headquartered in San Francisco, RideCell is on a mission to change the way people move from point A to point B. Our intelligent software platform runs new mobility services, such as carsharing, ridesharing, and other innovative transportation offerings. End-to-end integration and automation accelerate time to market, enabling RideCell customers to launch mobility services quickly, operate efficiently, and scale revenues as business grows. Founded in 2009, RideCell has already processed 15 million rides and has a team of more than 60 professionals. The company now powers over 15 customers including BMW, the UC Berkeley, UCSF, 3M, and SouthWest Transit. Media Contact: Kacey Heller ridecell@allisonpr.com +1 415.277.4917 Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/431959/RideCell_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.ridecell.com SOURCE RideCell Commenting on the new appointment, Philip Davies, EMEA president of Siegel+Gale, said: "We're delighted Steve is joining our EMEA team. His experience as a simplifier with a passion for design and language will add to our capabilities in the region. Steve's ability to distill complexity into consistently engaging brand experiences is what sets him apart." Owen joins Siegel+Gale from Heavenly and, prior to that, Landor Associates where he served as executive creative director. Throughout his career, Owen has led numerous creative projects for global clients including England Rugby, Patek Philippe, Jaguar Cars, Warner Bros, ITN and Amnesty International. His design accolades include golds in DBA Design Effectiveness, the Marketing Society Awards, a Critique Award and eight D&AD Pencils. "I can't describe how excited I am to be joining Siegel+Gale," said Owen. "From the moment I met Philip and his team I knew this was a place I wanted to work. A belief in creating compelling, modern brand experiences through honesty, integrity and simplicity is at the heart of everything Siegel+Gale does. It's a philosophy I also hold dear, and I look forward to helping deliver this ethos to the highest possible creative standard." About Siegel+Gale Siegel+Gale (www.siegelgale.com) is the simplicity company. We seek it, defend it and embrace it in everything we do to help brands reach their true potential. Simplicity is the centrepiece of the strategies we develop that reveal the unique truths of an organisation, the engaging stories we create that connect brands with their audiences, and the meaningful experiences we deliver that are both unexpectedly fresh and remarkably clear. Since 1969, Siegel+Gale has championed simplicity for leading corporations, nonprofits and government organisations worldwide. We have offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai, but we're willing to fly just about anywhere. We're also not alone. As part of the DAS Group of Companies, we have strong partners all around the world. About the DAS Group of Companies The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organisations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries. Nichola Seeley Senior Marketing and Communications Manager, Siegel+Gale T: +44 (0)20 8618 1951 M: +44 (0)77 1091 7186 E: nseeley@siegelgale.com Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/463572/Siegel_Gale_Steve_Owen.jpg Related Links http://www.siegelgale.com SOURCE Siegel+Gale LONDON, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100,000 healthcare professionals will have quick, easy access to electronic medical information via state-of-the-art clinical search engine Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announced today that more than 100,000 healthcare professionals across 21 regions in Sweden now have access to ClinicalKey. EiRA (Effective Information Retrieval and Acquisition), the consortium of all the county councils/regions in Sweden, selected ClinicalKey, Elsevier's intelligent clinical search engine, to make electronic medical information available to healthcare professionals in a cohesive, simple way. EiRA helps to ensure that all healthcare professionals have access to a common, high-quality knowledge base, regardless of where in Sweden they work. ClinicalKey brings a broad range of Elsevier's peer-reviewed medical information searchable in one master tool, ensuring that clinicians can access reliable clinical material at anytime from anywhere. This empowers clinicians to make quicker, more informed decisions that improve patient safety and care. The Medical Library at Vastmanlands hospital Vasteras has adopted ClinicalKey since autumn 2015. "We chose ClinicalKey because of its breadth of medical content and especially for the many e-books and journals," said Vastmanlands hospital Chief Librarian Mona Berglind. "The health professionals in the Region Vastmanland get access to a number of medical resources such as journals, medical textbooks, multimedia, guidelines, patient education, point of care content and more from a single platform, and they all have access regardless of their location. "We noticed that the e-book collection is a popular part of ClinicalKey among our users. The region is also interested in an integration with the electronic medical records (EMR), allowing our clinicians to have easy access to the most clinically relevant, evidence-based medical and surgical information." Clinicians in every hospital across all 21 regions in Sweden will now have access to the latest, trusted, evidence-based information at their fingertips. "Elsevier is a key provider in the field of knowledge-based information in digital format. Elsevier's ClinicalKey solution is constantly evolving and updating to respond to changes in the way health professionals search, generate and review information, equipping our health professionals of the future to manage patients with precision," said Anneli Mindemo, Consortium Manager, EiRA at Inera AB. "ClinicalKey has been providing medical professionals across the globe answers to questions posed within a clinical care context," said Tim Hawkins, Managing Director of Clinical Solutions for EMEA & Latin America. "The adoption of ClinicalKey by EiRA will allow all clinicians and health care personnel in the public sector in Sweden to get immediate online access to comprehensive and trusted information at the touch of a button, enabling a more efficient and safe patient care system. And we are excited that Elsevier is part of EiRA's digital health journey." --- About EiRA EiRA - the consortium of all of the county councils/regions in Sweden, ensures that all healthcare professionals have access to a common, high-quality knowledge base, regardless of where in Sweden they work. The primary aim of the EiRA consortium is to negotiate a high quality and diverse, common knowledge base, on behalf of all county councils. The content is agreed in cooperation with the hospital libraries and mainly based on demand, user statistics and price. There are yearly negotiations with the publishers, resulting in both one-year and multi-year agreements. Sweden has 21 county councils/regions, whose primary areas of responsibility are health and dental care. About Elsevier Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com Media contact Christopher Capot Director, Corporate Relations, Elsevier +1 917 704 5174 c.capot@elsevier.com SOURCE Elsevier Combined Capabilities Include Leading Edge Drilling Rigs and Best-in-Class Drilling Services BAAR, Switzerland and HAMILTON, Bermuda, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Weatherford International plc (NYSE: WFT) and Nabors Industries Ltd. (NYSE: NBR) announced today they have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form an alliance focused on delivering enhanced drilling solutions to the oil and gas land market in the lower 48 states of the United States. The MOU states that Weatherford will bring well construction expertise, managed pressure drilling (MPD) solutions, directional drilling capabilities and drilling hardware, as well as associated software applications and engineering personnel. Nabors will bring its fleet of MPD-ready SmartRigs and land-optimized measurement while drilling (MWD) systems, together with its performance drilling software applications, automated rig equipment and proprietary control systems. By leveraging the technical expertise and engineering capabilities of the two companies, the MOU will accelerate commercialization of a full portfolio of drilling technology tools and solutions. The integrated technology offering will provide enhanced value to operators through improved operational performance, more accurate wellbore placement and lower drilling costs all of which are essential to efficient and cost-effective oil and gas operations. "We are very excited about the opportunity to strengthen our capabilities in the largest land market by jointly leading the creation of innovative integrated drilling solutions with Nabors," said Krishna Shivram, chief executive officer for Weatherford. "The early entry into this emerging market will create a strong, new sales channel for our company, while allowing us to secure market participation in a new service model increasingly demanded by our clients. This transformative collaboration will enable Weatherford to deliver our industry-leading managed pressure drilling systems, advanced logging while drilling (LWD) and rotary steerable system (RSS) capabilities, as part of an integrated drilling offering that will leverage onto the most capable land rig fleet in the U.S. market. We are fully committed to enhancing and integrating the drilling process to jointly deliver a new drilling concept for the future, a vision we share with Nabors. The future of automated drilling is here and we aim to play a significant role in this market evolution." "We are pleased to jointly present to the market a broader scope of activities, while accelerating the introduction of a unique offering that, we believe, can more efficiently and cost effectively be delivered to operators through our new SmartRig platform," said Anthony Petrello, chief executive officer for Nabors. "By accessing Weatherford's proven track record in managed pressure drilling, we can accelerate to market the capabilities of our new MPD-ready SmartRigs. Weatherford's capability in the LWD and RSS arena will expand our service offering and complement our new, leading edge MWD suite of Accusteer tools. By integrating these and other automated tools and services into Nabors' new Rigtelligent operating system, we expect to drive improved, consistent and reliable execution for our customers. We expect our alliance to result in a powerful value proposition that will accelerate market penetration, enhance both of our companies' returns and drive further growth in a key market." The information above includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, as disclosed by Nabors from time to time in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of these factors, Nabors' actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Nabors does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements. About Weatherford Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 90 countries and has a network of approximately 900 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people. For more information, visit www.weatherford.com and connect with Weatherford on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. About Nabors Nabors Industries (NYSE: NBR) owns and operates the world's largest land-based drilling rig fleet and is a leading provider of offshore drilling rigs in the United States and multiple international markets. Nabors also provides directional drilling services, performance tools and innovative technologies throughout the world's most significant oil and gas markets. Leveraging our advanced drilling automation capabilities, Nabors' highly skilled workforce continues to set new standards for operational excellence and transform our industry. For more information, visit www.nabors.com and connect with Nabors Industries on LinkedIn and Facebook. Weatherford Contact Karen David-Green, Vice President Investor Relations, Marketing & Communications, +1 713 836 7430 Nabors Contacts Dennis A. Smith, Vice President of Corporate Development & Investor Relations, +1 281 775 8038 Mark Andrews, Corporate Secretary, +1 441 292 1510 Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/73933/weatherford_international_logo.jpg Related Links http://www.weatherford.com SOURCE Weatherford International plc NEW YORK, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DH Corporation (TSX: DH) ("D+H"), a leading provider of technology solutions to financial institutions globally, today published a white paper to guide banks as they consider the impacts and opportunities of open Application Programming Interfaces ("open APIs") on their payments businesses. Titled "Open APIs: A Survival Guide for Banks," the paper explores the driving forces behind the open API movement, including the proliferation of new immediate payments schemes, regulations like PSD2, and the rise of FinTech service providers. Through real-world examples, it shows how financial institutions worldwide are deploying and benefiting from open API-based initiatives. Balancing time-to-market considerations with the realities of legacy technology environments, it also sets forth a comprehensive roadmap for banks seeking to pursue an open API enablement strategy. "Open APIs are the vital glue holding together the interconnected ecosystems that will make up the future of banking and payments services, and will serve as a catalyst to foster innovation," says Veejay Jadhaw, Chief Technology Officer, Global Payments Solutions, D+H. "In strategically approaching the decision on whether - or, more likely, how - to embrace open APIs, a bank can both clarify its future direction and strategy, and also secure its desired competitive positioning in the industry." To receive a copy of Open APIs: A Survival Guide For Banks, go to: http://www.dh.com/resources/white-papers/open-apis-survival-guide-banks About D+H D+H (TSX: DH) is a leading financial technology provider that the world's financial institutions rely on every day to help them grow and succeed. Our global payments, lending and financial solutions are trusted by nearly 8,000 banks, specialty lenders, community banks, credit unions, governments and corporations. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, D+H has more than 5,500 employees worldwide who are passionate about partnering with clients to create forward-thinking solutions that fit their needs. With annual revenues in excess of $1.5 billion CAD, D+H is recognized as one of the world's top FinTech companies on IDC Financial Insights FinTech Rankings and American Banker's FinTech Forward rankings. For more information, visit dh.com. Patrick Kilhaney, Public & Analyst Relations Manager, Global Payments Solutions, D+H, +1 917 286 1053, patrick.kilhaney@dh.com; Anthony Gerstein, Head of Investor Relations, +1 212 331 3937, anthony.gerstein@dh.com; Cognito, +1 646 395 6304, dh@cognitomedia.com SOURCE DH Corporation TOKYO, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Central to its deep commitment to honor the most innovative and meaningful advances worldwide, The Japan Prize Foundation today announced the laureates of the 2017 Japan Prize, who have pushed the envelope in their respective fields of Life Sciences and Electronics, Information and Communication. Three scientists are being recognized with the 2017 Japan Prize for original and outstanding achievements that not only contribute to the advancement of science and technology, but also promote peace and prosperity for all mankind. Emmanuelle Charpentier, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, Germany, and visiting professor at Umea University, Sweden, and Jennifer Doudna, Professor of Chemistry and of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, are being honored for deciphering the molecular details of the type II bacterial immune system CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-Cas and the creation of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system, a truly revolutionary technique in genetic engineering, far more economical and faster than those previously available. This overwhelmingly simple technique enables scientists to cut the DNA of any organism at arbitrary locations and edit freely by means of removing, replacing or insertion. It was adopted at an explosive pace as a research tool in the life sciences, and is now being applied to research in a wide range of fields, such as agriculture, biofuels, drug development and medicine, and in the future, may make it possible to correct mutations at precise locations in the human genome to treat and cure genetic causes of disease. Together, Charpentier and Doudna received the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences; the 2015 Gruber Foundation International Prize in Genetics; the 2015 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research; and the L'Oreal Unesco for Women in Science Award 2016. The advent of open digital networks, namely the Internet, has enabled us to lead infinitely more convenient lives. The ease and comfort which we take for granted today has been made possible due to security measures that prevent the theft and manipulation of valuable data. It is Dr. Adi Shamir who proposed many of the these underlying concepts in information security and developed a series of practical solutions. Dr. Shamir is the Borman Professor of Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute in Israel and an internationally-recognized cryptographer. His achievements range from the development of the "RSA cryptosystem," an innovative encryption technique utilizing mathematical methodology, to the proposal of the "secret sharing scheme," which ensures secrecy by breaking up classified information into parts and dispersing it among several individuals; the "identification and signature schemes" through which individuals can be identified without revealing secret information; and the generic "differential cryptanalysis," which deciphers common key cryptosystems. Dr. Shamir has also made significant breakthroughs in the research of side-channel attacks, which decipher code by monitoring the physical information of the computer carrying out the encryption, such as power consumption and noise. By developing cryptosystems which form the basis of information security, Dr. Shamir has paved the way to the fast and convenient open digital network environment that we take for granted today. These remarkable achievements have transformed cryptography into the modern academic discipline of cryptology. To honor Professor Charpentier, Dr. Doudna, and Dr. Shamir, the Japan Prize Foundation will host an award ceremony on April 19, 2017 in Tokyo. Each laureate will receive a certificate of recognition and a commemorative gold medal. A cash award of 50 million Japanese yen (approximately US $420,000) will also be given to each laureate. The Japan Prize is highly competitive: the nomination process ends in February, and, every year from March to November, the Foundation considers the nominations of 13,000 prominent scientists and researchers from around the world. About the Japan Prize Foundation The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and researchers, regardless of nationality, who have made significant contributions to the progress of science and technology, as well as society, to further the peace and prosperity of mankind. While the prize encompasses all fields of science, two fields are designated for the Japan Prize each year. Since its inception in 1985, the Japan Prize Foundation has awarded the Japan Prize to 86 laureates from 13 countries. For additional details about the Japan Prize Foundation and its activities, please visit http://www.japanprize.jp/en. CONTACT: Sakura Amend, 212-715-1611, [email protected] SOURCE The Japan Prize Foundation Related Links http://www.japanprize.jp/en NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Although a salary increase may be top of mind for those preparing to pursue a prestigious master's degree in business administration (MBA), the question of how to pay the tuition bill follows close behind. One lucky prospective student will win a $25,000 dent to the bill through Economist GMAT Tutor's Spring 2017 Brightest Minds MBA Scholarship Contest, which launched February 1st. The contest's $25,000 scholarship prize will be awarded to the highest scorer on Economist GMAT Tutor's free online simulation of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the standardised test required by most business schools for admission. The contest is open to anyone who is considering pursuing an MBA or EMBA. The contest will close on April 30th 2017, and the winner will be announced by May 30th. The winner may apply their $25,000 scholarship towards tuition at any of the partnering business schools: Alliance Manchester Business School Amsterdam Business School, University of Amsterdam Copenhagen Business School Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell EMLYON Business School International Business School Ivey Business School Leicester Castle Business School Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Schulich School of Business University of Bath School of Management The University of Edinburgh Business School Business School University of Liverpool Management School Management School University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business - of Business The University of Virginia Darden School of Business Contest entrants must qualify under the Terms & Conditions. For information about partnership opportunities, please contact Richard Dexter at +1 212-554-0662 or [email protected]. About Economist GMAT Tutor (gmat.economist.com) Economist GMAT Tutor is an online GMAT prep course offered by The Economist Group. The online program guides students through the academic topics and test-taking skills that they will need to master the test. The program is adaptive, meaning that it uses students' correct and incorrect answers to create tailored courses customized to their needs. About The Economist (economist.com) With a growing global circulation (more than 1.5 million including both print and digital) and a reputation for insightful analysis and perspective on every aspect of world events, The Economist is one of the most widely recognised and well-read current affairs publications. SOURCE Economist GMAT Tutor Related Links http://gmat.economist.com Through a partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and input from the teen members, Aaron's and Progressive Leasing associates and Club officials worked last Monday painting, updating a gym, and decorating and furnishing the Teen Club Cafe and Lounge. On Wednesday, local Aaron's associates, Progressive Leasing associates and Club officials unveiled the newly-remodeled rooms now equipped with new technology, sectionals, tables and chairs, sound systems and fresh coats of paint. Teens chose the special Sherwin-Williams paint colors for the rooms: Deep Sea Blue; Lavish Lavender; Network Gray; and Chalkboard Paint. "The Parkview Boys & Girls Club is committed to helping its teen members achieve academic success and provide opportunities to practice good citizenship, so it's essential that they have a state-of-the-art environment to help facilitate those goals," said John Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aaron's, Inc. "Aaron's is thrilled to make this Club a place that teens can be proud of and help inspire them to work hard and own their futures." Huntington Mayor Brooks Fetters attended the surprise unveiling and congratulated the teens. "I've spent most of my life in Huntington and the Club has always been a powerful resource for our community's youth," he said. "With this renovation, Aaron's and Progressive Leasing has helped improve this space and made it a location Huntington teens are excited to come to every single day." In 2015, the Aaron's Foundation, Inc. announced a three-year, $5 million national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Keystone Program, helping teens develop their character and leadership skills in hopes of helping them reach their potential and creating positive change in the community. Keystone Club teen centers provide members ages 14-18 an environment to plan and participate in activities that focus on community service, academic success, career preparation and teen outreach. The 16 previous Keystone Club makeovers have included Boys & Girls Clubs in cities across the nation such as Los Angeles, San Antonio, Nashville, Buffalo, Dallas and Miami. The makeover at the Parkview Boys & Girls Club of Huntington County includes an additional in-kind retail donation valued at $28,000. "Teens who attend Boys & Girls Clubs are shown to have improvements in grades, graduation rates and much more," said Mandy Reber, Executive Director of the Parkview Boys & Girls Club of Huntington County. "We serve hundreds of kids every day and thanks to Aaron's we're now well-equipped to provide them with a safe, modern space to help them become leaders in our community." Aaron's partnership with BGCA's Keystone Program inspires teens to "Own It" by taking ownership of their choices to build the lives they deserve. The Aaron's and Keystone Club "Own Your Future" campaign supports three principles: Own Your Path: No matter where you come from, the future is yours to decide. No matter where you come from, the future is yours to decide. Own Your Decisions: Making good choices opens more doors for your future. Making good choices opens more doors for your future. Own Your Community: Use your talents to make an impact in your community. To see photos of the Keystone Club remodel at the Parkview Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington, County, visit Aaron's on Facebook (www.facebook.com/aaronsinc), on Twitter (www.twitter.com/AaronsInc) and at www.AaronsGives.com. About Aaron's, Inc. Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions was founded in 1955, has been publicly traded since 1982, and owns the Aaron's, Progressive Leasing and HELPcard brands. Aaron's engages in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories through its more than 1,860 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada as well as its e-commerce platform Aarons.com. Progressive Leasing, a virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 19,000 retail locations in 46 states. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a the HELPcard, provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through a federally insured bank. For more information, visit investor.aarons.com, Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at www.facebook.com/bgca.clubs and https://twitter.com/BGCA_Clubs. SOURCE Aaron's, Inc. Related Links http://www.aaronsinc.com WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) has announced the following: "RAI to release 4Q16 results on Feb. 9." Go to RAI's website, www.reynoldsamerican.com, to read the full release. Web and Social Media Disclosure RAI's website, www.reynoldsamerican.com, is the primary source of publicly disclosed news, including quarterly earnings, for RAI and its operating companies. RAI also uses Twitter to publicly disseminate company news via @RAI News. It is possible that the information we post could be deemed to be material information. We encourage investors and others to register at www.reynoldsamerican.com to receive alerts when news about the company has been posted, and to follow RAI on Twitter at @RAI News. ABOUT US Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) is the parent company of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Inc.; American Snuff Company, LLC; Niconovum USA, Inc.; Niconovum AB; and R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company. Copies of RAI's news releases, annual reports, SEC filings and other financial materials, including risk factors containing forward-looking information, are available at www.reynoldsamerican.com. To learn more about how Reynolds American and its operating companies are transforming the tobacco industry, visit Transforming Tobacco. SOURCE Reynolds American Inc. Related Links http://www.reynoldsamerican.com LONDON, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Unsurprisingly, newspaper headlines are still dominated by Donald J Trump's move into the White House and implementation plans for his new policies. However, moving forward, President Trump is likely to be more interested by important economic reports that will reveal the economic health of the United States. The reports will no doubt inform the new President that the economy is in a fairly decent state even before his planned construction spending and pledged tax cuts. President Trump's economic schedule has been relatively light apart from an intentionally busy first few days in which he withdrew the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Pact (TPP) and lifted restrictions on energy output. Analysts in economic circles will await details on the President's spending package, which still needs to go through congressional scrutiny. U.S. growth figures are likely to overshadow even meetings of the Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan and the ongoing sitting of the European Central Bank. UK growth figures will also come around a week after. Conservative estimates have the economy growing at a 2.3 percent annualized rate at the end of last year, liberated from the drag on investment brought about by the energy price collapse and spurred by steady consumption figures. The figure is still a step down from an outstanding Q3 of 3.6 percent expansion. "Confidence in the U.S. economy should be steady at the moment and although the recent figures aren't going to be as good as last quarter they will still point to an optimistic near future for expansion," said Andrew Foster, Director of Corporate Equities at Aichi BMO International. Most experts believe Trump's fiscal policies will encourage an acceleration of U.S. economic expansion in the next 24-months and a report by Aichi BMO International recently concluded that infrastructure spending alone would add 1 percent growth should Mr Trump follow through with campaign pledges. An interview with UniCredit head strategist Harm Bandholz struck a more conciliatory tone, as he thought the economy would only see the benefits towards the end of this year. Media Contact: Michael Stone, Aichi BMO International (ABMOI), +1 647 243 8020, [email protected] SOURCE Aichi BMO International CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Osteopathic Association congratulates Hala Sabry, DO, and all female physicians on the inaugural celebration of National Women Physicians Day, to be held Friday, February 3, 2017. Dr. Sabry, an osteopathic emergency physician and founder of Physician Moms Group (PMG), petitioned to establish the day of recognition, marking the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to become a physician. The day also acknowledges the struggles and accomplishments of women who came after Dr. Blackwell to advance medicine and healthcare. "When I think of Dr. Blackwell, who was accepted into medical school as a practical joke, I am grateful for how far we've come," said Dr. Sabry. "The fact that women are entering the medical field in increasing numbers is a tribute to pioneers like her. It's important to remember their stories and maintain the progress so every little girl who dreams of becoming a doctor won't hesitate because of her gender." Today, more than 40 percent of DOs in active practice are women and 56 percent of DOs in practice for less than 10 years are female. Osteopathic physicians comprise 11 percent of U.S. physicians, with more than 102,000 DOs in practice. "Osteopathic medicine has embraced women physicians since AT Still convened his first class, which graduated five female DOs. That history of inclusiveness continues to draw female students to the osteopathic philosophy of medicine, with its emphasis on caring for the whole person," noted Boyd R. Buser, president of the American Osteopathic Association. "We applaud Dr. Sabry for honoring the pioneers and celebrating the women doctors who followed them." Dr. Sabry hopes PMG can encourage the next generation of women physicians, while helping those in practice avoid burnout. PMG also serves as a base for organization for its members, who collaborate on addressing issues like pay equality. Founded in 2014, PMG currently counts more than 65,000 members. About the American Osteopathic Association The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) represents more than 129,000 osteopathic physicians (DOs) and osteopathic medical students; promotes public health; encourages scientific research; serves as the primary certifying body for DOs; and is the accrediting agency for osteopathic medical schools. SOURCE American Osteopathic Association "There's no hiding from the eye of a truly great photographer. Lauren Greenfield has given us nothing short of an x-ray of our ambitions and ideals. In all of contemporary photography, no one is better at exploring the tension between what we covet and who we really arebetween the mad dash for affluence and the price we pay for that pursuit," said Wallis Annenberg, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation. "To me, Lauren Greenfield is so much more than a groundbreaking artist; she's a sociologist, a storyteller, an ironist and a keen humorist. This is a wonderful, timely, thought-provoking body of work and, now more than ever, it's one we all need to see." The exhibit marks Greenfield's third collaboration with the Annenberg Space for Photography and first solo exhibit. In March 2009, Greenfield was chosen to be a featured photographer in the venue's inaugural exhibition, L8S ANG3LES, which explored the lives and rituals of the youth of Los Angeles. In May 2011, Greenfield was a featured photographer in the Beauty CULTure exhibit and was also commissioned by the Annenberg Foundation to direct a 30-minute documentary film about the subject, investigating our obsession with beauty and the influence of photographic representations on the beauty landscape. The photographer's latest collaboration with the Annenberg Space for Photography, GENERATION WEALTH by Lauren Greenfield, is a multi-platform project that started in L.A. 25 years ago with Fast Forward, her exploration of the lives of young Angelenos growing up in a media-saturated society and their relationships with money and celebrity. In 2008, she revisited this evocative milieu with a short film, kids + money, which was selected by the Sundance Film Festival and broadcast on HBO. In 2012, she returned to Sundance with the opening night film The Queen of Versailles, which documents a Florida family's efforts to build the largest house in America against the backdrop of the economic crisis. After a sensational opening at Sundance, the film was acquired by Magnolia Pictures and Greenfield was honored with Sundance's Best Director Award. This work serves as the basis for many of the themes Greenfield has continued to explore throughout her career: consumerism, media influence, gender and self-esteem, and the pervasive quest for the American Dream. Since the success of The Queen of Versailles, Greenfield's journey has taken her across America and beyond, revealing stories of students, single parents and families overwhelmed by crushing debt yet determined to purchase luxury homes, cars and clothing. From Bel-Air to Monaco, Russia and China, Greenfield exposes a pervasive aspirational gap between what we want and what we can afford and reveals a consumer appetite unprecedented in human history. Coinciding with the exhibition, Phaidon will publish the highly anticipated monograph Lauren Greenfield: Generation Wealth (May 15, 2017), an extraordinary visual history of rampant materialism and our growing obsession with wealth. Beginning April 8, the Annenberg Space for Photography will serve as the exclusive retailer of the book before its wide international release. "GENERATION WEALTH documents a seismic shift in values and in the concept of the American Dream," Greenfield explains. "Beginning in Los Angeles in the '90s, I examined the 'influence of affluence' as media and globalization exported our notions of success around the world. The title of the project and some of the pictures could mislead the reader to think that this is a work about the one percent, about people who are wealthy. It is not. This work is about the aspiration for wealth and how that has become a driving forceand at the same time an increasingly unrealistic goalfor individuals from all classes of society. Bringing together 25 years of analog and digital photography, interviews and filmmaking, I could never have realized this mammoth undertaking without the incredible support and encouragement of Wallis Annenberg, who is an unparalleled champion of artists and with whom I have been grateful to collaborate with on three exhibitions. The story of GENERATION WEALTH began in Los Angeles and I am deeply honored to debut this work in my hometown." Caption 1: Jackie and friends with Versace handbags at a private opening at the Versace store, Beverly Hills, California, 2007. Lauren Greenfield (image from the Annenberg Space for Photography exhibition, Generation Wealth by Lauren Greenfield) Caption 2: Ilona, a photographer and former model originally from Latvia, in the mezzanine library of her home, which so far contains only copies of a self-published book of her fashion photographs, Moscow, 2012. Lauren Greenfield (image from the Annenberg Space for Photography exhibition, Generation Wealth by Lauren Greenfield) Additional images are available upon request. ABOUT LAUREN GREENFIELD Lauren Greenfield is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and photographer who is considered a preeminent chronicler of consumerism, youth culture and gender identity. Her documentary The Queen of Versailles won the Best Director Award at Sundance in 2012. Greenfield's photographs have been widely published, exhibited and collected by museums around the world. Her #LikeAGirl video was seen by 214 million global viewers and garnered more than 100 awards. Generation Wealth, her companion feature-length documentary film, will be released in summer 2017. ABOUT THE ANNENBERG SPACE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY The Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting both digital and print photography in an intimate environment. The space features state-of-the-art, high-definition digital technology as well as traditional prints by some of the world's most renowned photographers and a selection of emerging photographic talents as well. The venue, an initiative of the Annenberg Foundation and its trustees, is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area, and it creates a new paradigm in the world of photography. SOURCE The Annenberg Space for Photography SYDNEY, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Appen is proud to announce that it has been named as the number one provider of remote jobs on FlexJobs' annual list of the 100 Top Companies to Watch for Telecommuting and RemoteJobs. Appen awarded #1 provider of remote work opportunities Appen offers a variety of part-time remote jobs. Join our Talent Network today! FlexJobs analyzed over 47,000 companies and their telecommuting job postings in the FlexJobs database during 2016. To be considered for this list, the jobs offered by these companies had to be telecommuting-friendly, either allowing for candidates to telecommute entirely or part of the time. Appen was awarded the highest rank on the list as a result of its growth in work from home positions and its commitment to providing flexible job opportunities. "Appen is proud to offer numerous flexible, work from home opportunities worldwide, and is honored to be recognized by FlexJobs as the leader in telecommuting job opportunities," said Mark Brayan, chief executive officer for Appen. "As a partner to the most progressive technology companies in the world, we give our part-time consultants the unique opportunity to play a role in improving the leading search and social media platforms while working from home and even on the go. These positions provide improved work-life balance and additional income to thousands of people around the world." Appen is currently hiring for work from home, online consultants for a variety of roles which can be done from home on a computer or mobile device. This is the fourth consecutive year that Appen has made the FlexJobs list. Appen is experiencing significant growth in its part-time, work from home opportunities and welcomes all job seekers to join its Talent Network at join.appen.com. For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/top100remote, call + 1 866-673-6996 or contact Lisa Arbacauskas at [email protected], or Kathy Gardner at [email protected]. About Appen Appen is a global language technology solutions provider with capability in over 180 languages and 130 countries, serving global technology companies, automakers and government agencies. As a winner of the FlexJobs 100 100 Top Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs for the past four consecutive years, Appen prides itself as a provider of part-time, flexible work from home opportunities to people all over the world. About FlexJobs FlexJobs is the leading online service for professionals seeking telecommuting, flexible schedule, part-time, and freelance jobs. With flexible job listings in over 50 career categories, and opportunities ranging from entry-level to executive and freelance to full-time, FlexJobs offers job seekers a safe, easy, and efficient way to find professional and legitimate flexible job listings. Having helped over two million people in their job searches, FlexJobs has appeared on CNN, CNBC and Marketplace Money and in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company and hundreds of other trusted media outlets. SOURCE Appen GENK, Belgium, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AR Metallizing's SilberBoard is a great-looking yet fully sustainable packaging alternative to conventional plastic packaging. SilberBoard enables premium brands to get rid of plastic packaging and offers a stunning, fully recyclable and compostable board. For this invention, AR Metallizing has been awarded Belgian National Champion status in the category Environmental and Corporate Sustainability of the European Business Awards. In the weeks to come, AR Metallizing is taking part in the public vote, competing with companies from all over Europe. Votes for AR Metallizing can be casted here on the Business Awards Europe website and help the company reshape the industry with sustainable packaging. For further information, please contact Henriette van Hedel +31 6 303 97 830 [email protected] About AR Metallizing AR Metallizing is the innovative world leader in the production of metallized papers and boards for flexible packaging and labels. AR Metallizing's products are used in the production of functional, barrier, cosmetic, labelling and promotional packaging products for major brands. The company has manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Italy, Brazil and the US and employs a workforce of over 450 dedicated and enthusiastic professionals worldwide. AR Metallizing is a full subsidiary of the Japanese listed multinational Nissha. See for more information www.armetallizing.com About SilberBoard SilberBoard is a metallized paperboard and a fully sustainable alternative to the commonly used multilayer composite board comprising metallized polyester. SilberBoard has a distinctive eye-catching brilliant metallic finish and outstanding technical capabilities. As a result, SilberBoard enables premium brands to maintain their trusted look, while eliminating plastic films and providing an environmentally-friendly compostable packaging. Customers use SilberBoard to give a premium high quality look using an environmentally friendly package for greater shelf appeal to drive consumer engagement. See for more information: http://www.armetallizing.com/sustainable-packaging/lamination-solutions/silberboard/ About the European Business Awards The European Business Awards is Europe's largest business competition. Since 2007, the European Business Awards has been shining a light on the most innovative businesses by promoting success, innovation and ethics in the European business community. In the 2015/16 Awards, the EBAs engaged with more than 32,000 organisations in 34 countries. An audience comprising heads of state, leading industrialists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, media owners and academics from across 34 European nations, congratulate the Winners of the EBAs. Participants represented a combined turnover of over 1.2 trillion euros and employed more than 2.7 million people. SOURCE AR Metallizing Related Links http://www.armetallizing.com PLANO, Texas, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Decor Superstore Celebrates Grand Opening At Home Group Inc. (NYSE: HOME), the home decor superstore, announces the opening of the Columbus, Ga., location on Thursday, Feb. 2. The 86,000 square-foot store, located at 3131 Manchester Expy., Columbus, Ga., marks the eighth store in Georgia for the big-box specialty retailer of home decor products. Following the store opening, the Columbus location will host a grand opening ribbon-cutting Friday, Feb. 10 at 9 a.m. with the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. At Home will offer mystery gift cards to customers who visit the store Saturday, Feb. 11 beginning at 9 a.m. With the new year in full swing, At Home is helping customers pack away their holiday decorations and get organized for the year ahead. At Home allows customers to express their personal style with any budget by choosing from an expansive selection of more than 50,000 items including wall art and decorative accents, rugs, housewares, patio furniture, home furnishings, seasonal and holiday decor. Employing an everyday low pricing model, At Home is dedicated to allowing customers to affordably make their house into a home. This new location brings 25 jobs to Columbus and surrounding communities. Other Georgia At Home stores can be found in Buford, Douglasville, Kennesaw, Norcross, Snellville, Stockbridge and Warner-Robins. ABOUT AT HOME: At Home, the home decor superstore, is focused on providing customers with the broadest assortment of home decor products to suit any style, at any budget, for any reason to redecorate. With a wide assortment of 50,000 items throughout our stores, At Home enables customers to express themselves and create a home that reflects their personality and style, in ways big and small. At Home is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and currently operates 123 stores in 30 states. For more information, visit the company on http://www.athome.com or find us on Facebook (AtHomeStores), Instagram (AtHomeStores) or Pinterest (AtHomeStores). SOURCE At Home Group Inc. Related Links http://www.athome.com MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ayasdi, the machine intelligence company, today congratulated Mercy on being named one of the nation's most innovative healthcare organizations by Healthcare Informatics magazine. St. Louis-based Mercy, one of the largest Catholic health systems in the country, earned second place in the annual Healthcare Informatics Innovator Awards. The Innovator Awards recognize leadership teams from hospitals, medical groups, integrated health systems, and other healthcare organizations that have effectively deployed information technology to improve clinical, administrative, financial, or organizational performance. In recognizing Mercy, the magazine's judges cited its Clinical Pathways program's big-data breakthrough facilitated by an artificial intelligence-based application that identifies hidden patterns of care variation in high-cost procedures. Results from the initiative include: A significantly faster process to develop 30 best practice clinical pathways A $14.7 million in savings in fiscal 2016 and $9.4 million in savings to date in fiscal 2017 in savings in fiscal 2016 and in savings to date in fiscal 2017 A reduction in average length of stay for knee replacements from 3.3 to 2.4 days A data-backed process that drove clinician adoption and freed up time to focus on patient care "At a time when providers are under increasing pressure in transition to value-based payment models, we are gratified for our role in helping prestigious organizations like Mercy to achieve such meaningful outcomes," said Dr. Gurjeet Singh, chief executive officer, Ayasdi. "This award underscores the unique capabilities that artificial intelligence and big data offer to healthcare organizations in their pursuit of delivering the highest-quality and most cost-efficient care for their patients." Mercy's Clinical Pathways program began more than five years ago, as part of an effort to identify best practices for a variety of procedures and care episodes. The original program approach involved a core group of providers, however that proved inefficient and vulnerable to bias and lack of buy-in. Mercy decided it needed a new process that was efficient, objective and backed by their own patient data. The decision was made to adopt the Ayasdi Care platform, which correlated and analyzed Mercy's electronic medical record and financial documentation, including information related to treatments prescribed, procedures performed, drugs administered, length of stay, and costs per patient. Specifically, the program incorporated the following elements: Artificial intelligence and big-data based methodology that enabled Mercy to leverage machine learning, statistics, and geometric algorithms to discover statistically significant internal relationships and refine their clinical pathways. These clinical pathways leveraged Ayasdi to aggregate all the varying procedures each patient received during a specific treatment. An application unique is its ability to accelerate the development of care models by drawing patient and clinical data directly from the health networks' integrated systems of record not just benchmark data. A deep dive on cost and quality and care variations in knee replacements. The new data insights-driven process trimmed 5 percent off the cost of knee replacement, while improving or maintaining low rates of mortality and morbidity across all cases. Mercy expects to develop and deploy more than 50 clinical pathways over the next three years. About Ayasdi Ayasdi is on a mission to transform healthcare by developing machine intelligent applications for the largest, most sophisticated health systems and payer organizations. Ayasdi's suite of healthcare applications examine billions of data elements from organizations' own systems of record to uncover pathways of the highest quality, source evidence-based patient care; reduce claims denials; define insurance members' interests, loyalty, and health; and discover genetic relationships to develop more efficacious and targeted drug therapies. Developed by Stanford computational mathematicians, Ayasdi amplifies machine-learning techniques with topological data analysis - automating and accelerating the extraction of knowledge from even the most complex healthcare data. Ayasdi is funded by leading venture capitalists including Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, Khosla Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners, FLOODGATE, GE Ventures, Citi Ventures, Centerview Capital and DraperNexus. Within healthcare, the company has partnered with Intermountain Health, Mercy, Mt. Sinai, UCSF, UBIOPRED and two of the four largest payers on their most difficult and value-laden challenges. To learn more, visit www.ayasdi.com/healthcare. About Mercy Mercy,named one of the top five large U.S. health systems in 2016 by Truven, an IBM company, serves millions annually. Mercy includes 43 acute care and specialty (heart, children's, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, more than 700 physician practices and outpatient facilities, 40,000 co-workers and more than 2,000 Mercy Clinic physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. About Healthcare Informatics Healthcare Informatics serves as the leading source of information for forward-thinking professionals involved in the planning, development, and implementation of important technological trends that define tomorrow's healthcare. Pioneering concepts are presented and exchanged as important strategic and information technology issues facing organizations such as hospitals, medical groups, and integrated health systems are addressed. Members of the Healthcare Informatics community share a focus on healthcare IT leadership, vision, and strategydriving change forward by shaping innovations that point the way to the future of healthcare. To learn more, visit www.healthcare-informatics.com. SOURCE Ayasdi Related Links https://www.ayasdi.com HOUSTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS) today reported the following results for the quarter ended December 31, 2016. All amounts shown are dollar amounts in thousands unless otherwise noted: Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change 2016 2015 % Change Operating revenue $ 324,353 $ 395,157 (17.9) % $ 1,024,199 $ 1,254,279 (18.3) % Net income (loss) attributable to Bristow Group (21,927) 3,202 * (92,496) (47,187) (96.0) % Diluted earnings (loss) per share (0.62) 0.09 * (2.64) (1.40) (88.6) % Adjusted EBITDA (1) 22,918 64,730 (64.6) % 67,397 170,223 (60.4) % Adjusted net income (loss) (1) (10,121) 23,533 (143.0) % (34,415) 47,196 (172.9) % Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share (1) (0.29) 0.67 (143.3) % (0.98) 1.34 (173.1) % Operating cash flow (42,898) (2,576) * (14,860) 55,684 (126.7) % Capital expenditures 17,860 196,376 (90.9) % 119,726 343,365 (65.1) % Rent expense 53,652 52,177 2.8 % 156,890 160,495 (2.2) % December 31, 2016 September 30, 2016 % Change Cash $ 71,159 $ 100,668 (29.3) % Undrawn borrowing capacity on Revolving Credit Facility 209,420 165,970 26.2 % Total liquidity $ 280,579 $ 266,638 5.2 % _______________ (1) A full reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measurements is included at the end of this news release * percentage change too large to be meaningful or not applicable For the December 2016 quarter, we reported a GAAP net loss of $21.9 million, or diluted loss per share of $0.62, compared to GAAP net income of $3.2 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.09, for the December 2015 quarter. Additionally, we reported an adjusted net loss of $10.1 million, or adjusted diluted loss per share of $0.29, for the December 2016 quarter compared to adjusted net income of $23.5 million or adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.67, for the December 2015 quarter. Starting with the third fiscal quarter, we have revised our disclosures to present adjusted EBITDA rather than adjusted EBITDAR consistent with recent interpretations regarding Non-GAAP measures issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL UPDATE The December 2016 quarter results reflect the continued pressure on our oil and gas operations due to the industry downturn; however, they were above our internal expectations. quarter results reflect the continued pressure on our oil and gas operations due to the industry downturn; however, they were above our internal expectations. Successfully improved liquidity and pushed debt maturities out through equipment financings: $200 million funded, $200 million signed credit agreement and $230 million executed commitment letter. funded, signed credit agreement and executed commitment letter. U.K. Search and Rescue (SAR) continued to perform as expected; however the post-Brexit depreciation of the British pound sterling continued to negatively impact our U.K. financial results including our U.K. oil and gas and SAR results as reported in U.S. dollars. and Rescue (SAR) continued to perform as expected; however the post-Brexit depreciation of the British pound sterling continued to negatively impact our U.K. financial results including our U.K. oil and gas and SAR results as reported in U.S. dollars. Recent tender successes reflect our global competitive position, reliable operations and creative solutions in oil and gas transportation and SAR. "Our third quarter financial performance exceeded our internal expectations," said Bristow Group President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Baliff. "While our results continue to be impacted by the challenging market conditions affecting the offshore oil and gas industry, we have been successful on a number of fronts, including improving our liquidity and competitive position. The funding of the Lombard equipment financing and the recent announcement of additional financings greatly improve our liquidity runway and should allow us to maintain our leadership position in this current difficult market environment. "While our oil and gas business continues to operate along the economic bottom of this cyclical downturn, there are no doubt green shoots beginning to appear in the oil and gas industry as we have seen modest increases in flight activity in certain offshore regions. As a result, our view is that challenging market conditions for our oil and gas business likely will continue in the near term. Mr. Baliff continues, "Our scale, reliability, modern helicopter fleet and geographic diversification, combined with our revenue diversification, are supporting us in a dynamic prolonged downturn. We recently were awarded contracts for oil and gas transportation services as well as medevac and search and rescue services. These contracts illustrate the innovation and close coordination that our operations, commercial and finance teams bring to our clients every day, worldwide. "The combination of our continued focus on safety, recent tender successes, cost reductions and deferral of capital expenditures should allow us to maintain our industry leadership position." Operating revenue from external clients by line of service was as follows: Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change 2016 2015 % Change (in thousands, except percentages) Oil and gas services $ 232,287 $ 299,260 (22.4) % $ 722,896 $ 967,487 (25.3) % Fixed wing services 44,811 45,159 (0.8) % 148,111 154,985 (4.4) % U.K. SAR services 45,193 47,529 (4.9) % 145,592 115,112 26.5 % Corporate and other 2,062 3,209 (35.7) % 7,600 16,695 (54.5) % Total operating revenue $ 324,353 $ 395,157 (17.9) % $ 1,024,199 $ 1,254,279 (18.3) % THIRD QUARTER FY2017 RESULTS The oil and gas industry experienced a significant downturn during fiscal years 2015 and 2016 primarily due to a decline in crude oil prices which negatively impacted activity with our oil and gas clients. This decline started in fiscal year 2015 and has continued into fiscal year 2017, resulting in a significant decrease in gross revenue for our oil and gas services year-over-year. In addition to reduced activity, changes in foreign currency exchange rates contributed to $25.8 million of the decrease in gross revenue year-over-year. We reported a net loss of $21.9 million and diluted loss per share of $0.62 for the December 2016 quarter compared to net income of $3.2 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.09 for the December 2015 quarter. The year-over-year decrease in net income (loss) and diluted earnings (loss) per share was primarily due to the decline in oil and gas revenue discussed above, goodwill impairment charges recorded in the December 2016 quarter, lower earnings from unconsolidated affiliates, higher interest expense resulting from additional borrowings, and the unfavorable impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, partially offset by less of a loss from disposal of assets and lower depreciation and amortization expense. The net loss for the December 2016 quarter was significantly impacted by the following items: Impairment charges on goodwill of $8.7 million ( $7.9 million net of tax) included in loss on impairment, ( net of tax) included in loss on impairment, Organizational restructuring costs of $0.8 million ( $0.6 million net of tax), which includes severance expense of $0.7 million and other restructuring costs of $0.1 million ; $0.6 million of the restructuring costs are included in direct costs and $0.2 million are included in general and administrative expense, ( net of tax), which includes severance expense of and other restructuring costs of ; of the restructuring costs are included in direct costs and are included in general and administrative expense, Loss on disposal of assets of $0.9 million ( $1.1 million net of tax), accelerated depreciation of $1.1 million ( $0.8 million net of tax), and ( net of tax), accelerated depreciation of ( net of tax), and A non-cash adjustment related to the valuation of deferred tax assets of $3.7 million . Excluding these items, adjusted net loss and adjusted diluted loss per share were $10.1 million and $0.29, respectively, for the December 2016 quarter. These adjusted results compare to adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $23.5 million and $0.67, respectively, for the December 2015 quarter. Adjusted EBITDA, which excludes these items with the exception of accelerated depreciation and the tax adjustment, also decreased year-over-year to $22.9 million in the December 2016 quarter from $64.7 million in the December 2015 quarter. During the December 2016 quarter, we used cash of $17.9 million for capital expenditures and had negative operating cash flow of $42.9 million primarily due to the timing of cash outflows and some of our clients holding cash payments over the calendar year-end. LIQUIDITY AND FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY In November 2016, we entered into two, seven-year British pound sterling denominated secured equipment financings for an aggregate $200 million U.S. dollar equivalent with Lombard North Central Plc, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland. In December 2016, the first loan in the amount of $109.9 million (GBP 89.1 million) funded, and the borrower prepaid a portion of the scheduled principal payments totaling $4.5 million (GBP 3.7 million). In January 2017, the second loan in the amount of $90.1 million (GBP 72.4 million) funded. In February 2017, one of our wholly-owned subsidiaries entered into a term loan credit agreement for a $200 million five-year secured equipment financing with Macquarie Bank Limited. In conjunction with closing and funding under such term loan, we will lease five helicopters for up to five years. The financing will be secured by 20 oil and gas aircraft. We expect this financing to fund no later than March 31, 2017. The proceeds from the financing are expected to be used to repay amounts due under our existing term loans. Also in February 2017, we executed a commitment letter for an approximate six-year, $230 million secured equipment financing with PK Transportation Finance Ireland Limited, a part of GE Capital Aviation Services ("GECAS"). As part of this financing, which is subject to entering into definitive agreements, Milestone Aviation Group Limited ("Milestone"), a GECAS company, will defer up to $25 million in lease rentals on certain Airbus H225 assets on lease to us. The financing will be secured by 20 oil and gas aircraft. We expect this financing to fund no later than June 30, 2017. The proceeds from the financing are expected to be used to repay amounts due under our existing bank indebtedness. As part of executing the commitment letter, we will extend three Sikorsky S-92 leases by two years each with Milestone. "Our primary financing objective over the next several quarters continues to be increasing our financial flexibility as we slowly emerge from this prolonged industry downturn," said Don Miller, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "We have made substantial progress towards this goal." REGIONAL PERFORMANCE Europe Caspian Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change (in thousands, except percentages) Operating revenue $ 172,844 $ 192,400 (10.2) % Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates $ 125 $ 93 34.4 % Operating income (loss) $ (303) $ 26,986 (101.1) % Operating margin (0.2) % 14.0 % (101.4) % Adjusted EBITDA $ 9,123 $ 32,683 (72.1) % Adjusted EBITDA margin 5.3 % 17.0 % (68.8) % Rent expense 34,115 33,379 2.2 % Operating revenue, operating income, adjusted EBITDA and margins decreased in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to the negative impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates and the impact of the downturn in the oil and gas industry. Partially offsetting these decreases was an increase in operating revenue from increased activity in Norway. Eastern Airways contributed $25.1 million and $27.3 million in operating revenue and a negative $2.1 million and positive $2.7 million in adjusted EBITDA for the December 2016 and 2015 quarters, respectively. A substantial portion of our revenue in the Europe Caspian region is contracted in British pound sterling, which depreciated significantly against the U.S. dollar in late June 2016 as a result of Brexit. Translation of results at lower pound sterling exchange rates decreased operating revenue, operating income and adjusted EBITDA by $25.9 million, $7.4 million and $7.7 million, respectively, for the December 2016 quarter compared to the December 2015 quarter. Additionally, we recorded foreign exchange losses of $10.7 million and $5.2 million primarily from the revaluation of assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, which is recorded in other income (expense), net and included in adjusted EBITDA. Additionally, during the December 2016 quarter, we recorded an impairment of $8.7 million for the remaining goodwill related to Eastern Airways, which contributed to the operating loss in the December 2016 quarter, but was adjusted for in our calculation of adjusted EBITDA. Excluding the impact of the goodwill impairment and changes in foreign currency exchange rates, operating margin would have been 5.1% and 14.0% and adjusted EBITDA margin would have been 11.4% and 19.6% for the December 2016 and 2015 quarters, respectively. Africa Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change (in thousands, except percentages) Operating revenue $ 49,587 $ 61,786 (19.7) % Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates $ $ 43 (100.0) % Operating income $ 10,441 $ 4,377 138.5 % Operating margin 21.1 % 7.1 % 197.2 % Adjusted EBITDA $ 17,012 $ 15,680 8.5 % Adjusted EBITDA margin 34.3 % 25.4 % 35.0 % Rent expense 1,767 2,482 (28.8) % Operating revenue for Africa decreased in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to an overall decrease in activity resulting from the downturn of the oil and gas industry. The lower activity reduced revenue by $13.4 million, which was only partially offset by $0.7 million from increased activity on a contract. Additionally, we began providing fixed wing services in this region in October 2015, which generated $1.0 million of operating revenue for the December 2016 quarter. A majority of our revenue in our Africa region is contracted at fixed U.S. dollar values, resulting in minimal exposure to the devalued Nigerian naira upon translation into U.S. dollars for reporting purposes. Operating income and operating margin increased in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to a decrease in depreciation and amortization expense and lower operating expenses. Operating expenses were $3.7 million lower in the December 2016 quarter due to the devaluation of the Nigerian naira which resulted in naira-based expenses translating into fewer U.S. dollars. Additionally, in the December 2015 quarter, we recorded $1.7 million in bad debt expense. Operating income and adjusted EBITDA in the December 2016 quarter benefited $2.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively, from changes in foreign currency exchange rates due to the combination of currencies our Nigerian operations transact in. Excluding the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, operating margin would have been 21.2% and 7.0% and adjusted EBITDA margin would have been 29.6% and 23.4% for the December 2016 and 2015 quarters, respectively. Americas Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change (in thousands, except percentages) Operating revenue $ 53,024 $ 72,068 (26.4) % Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates $ 831 $ 7,556 (89.0) % Operating income $ 2,226 $ 22,797 (90.2) % Operating margin 4.2 % 31.6 % (86.7) % Adjusted EBITDA $ 10,039 $ 30,875 (67.5) % Adjusted EBITDA margin 18.9 % 42.8 % (55.8) % Rent expense 5,638 5,033 12.0 % Operating revenue decreased in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to a decline in activity in our U.S. Gulf of Mexico operations resulting from the oil and gas industry downturn and a decrease in Brazil due to fewer aircraft leased to Lider. Operating income, adjusted EBITDA and margins decreased primarily due to the decline in activity and reduced pre-foreign exchange earnings from our investment in Lider, but were also impacted by foreign currency exchange rate changes in the December 2016 and 2015 quarters, which reduced earnings from our investment in Lider by $1.2 million for the December 2016 quarter and increased earnings from our investment in Lider by $1.0 million for the December 2015 quarter. Asia Pacific Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change (in thousands, except percentages) Operating revenue $ 49,092 $ 67,402 (27.2) % Operating income (loss) $ (9,012) $ 458 * Operating margin (18.4) % 0.7 % * Adjusted EBITDA $ (5,027) $ 7,383 (168.1) % Adjusted EBITDA margin (10.2) % 11.0 % (192.7) % Rent expense 10,247 9,216 11.2 % _____________ * percentage change too large to be meaningful or not applicable Operating revenue, operating income, adjusted EBITDA and margins in Australia decreased in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to the ending of short-term oil and gas contracts, partially offset by an increase in operating revenue from Airnorth. A significant portion of our revenue in the Asia Pacific region is contracted in the Australian dollar, which strengthened against the U.S. dollar in the December 2016 quarter. Foreign currency exchange rate changes resulted in an increase in revenue of $1.3 million for the December 2016 quarter. Airnorth contributed $18.7 million and $17.9 million in operating revenue and $1.1 million and $3.2 million in adjusted EBITDA for the December 2016 and 2015 quarters, respectively. Corporate and other Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 % Change (in thousands, except percentages) Operating revenue $ 2,099 $ 3,609 (41.8) % Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates $ (190) $ * Operating loss $ (21,575) $ (30,387) 29.0 % Adjusted EBITDA $ (8,229) $ (21,891) 62.4 % Rent expense $ 1,885 $ 2,067 (8.8) % _____________ * percentage change too large to be meaningful or not applicable Operating revenue decreased in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to a decline in third-party part sales of $0.8 million and Bristow Academy revenue of $0.7 million. Operating loss and adjusted EBITDA improved in the December 2016 quarter primarily due to cost reduction activities that decreased salaries and benefits and other general and administrative expenses. Additionally, adjusted EBITDA in the December 2016 quarter benefited from a favorable impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on our Corporate results of $9.1 million compared to the December 2015 quarter. DIVIDEND On February 1, 2017, our Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.07 per share to be paid on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2017. Based on shares outstanding as of December 31, 2016, the total quarterly dividend payment will be approximately $2.5 million. GUIDANCE Fiscal year 2017 guidance for selected financial measures is provided in the financial tables that follow. CONFERENCE CALL Management will conduct a conference call starting at 10:00 a.m. ET (9:00 a.m. CT) on Friday, February 3, 2017 to review financial results for the fiscal year 2017 third quarter ended December 31, 2016. This release and the most recent investor slide presentation are available in the investor relations area of our web page at www.bristowgroup.com. The conference call can be accessed as follows: Via Webcast: Visit Bristow Group's investor relations Web page at www.bristowgroup.com Live: Click on the link for "Bristow Group Fiscal 2017 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call" Replay: A replay via webcast will be available approximately one hour after the call's completion and will be accessible for approximately 90 days Via Telephone within the U.S.: Live: Dial toll free 1-877-404-9648 Replay: A telephone replay will be available through February 17, 2017 and may be accessed by calling toll free 1-877-660-6853, passcode: 13652695# Via Telephone outside the U.S.: Live: Dial 1-412-902-0030 Replay: A telephone replay will be available through February 17, 2017 and may be accessed by calling 1-201-612-7415, passcode: 13652695# ABOUT BRISTOW GROUP INC. Bristow Group Inc. is the leading global industrial aviation services provider offering helicopter transportation, search and rescue (SAR) and aircraft support services, including maintenance and training, to government and civil organizations worldwide. Bristow has major operations in the North Sea, Nigeria and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and Trinidad. Bristow provides SAR services to the private sector worldwide and to the public sector for all of the U.K. on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. For more information, visit bristowgroup.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS DISCLOSURE Statements contained in this news release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding earnings guidance, expected contract revenue, capital deployment strategy, operational and capital performance, expected cost management activities, expected capital expenditure deferrals, shareholder return, liquidity, market and industry conditions. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: fluctuations in the demand for our services; fluctuations in worldwide prices of and supply and demand for oil and natural gas; fluctuations in levels of oil and natural gas production, exploration and development activities; the impact of competition; actions by clients and suppliers; the risk of reductions in spending on helicopter services by governmental agencies; changes in tax and other laws and regulations; changes in foreign exchange rates and controls; risks associated with international operations; operating risks inherent in our business, including the possibility of declining safety performance; general economic conditions including the capital and credit markets; our ability to obtain financing; the risk of grounding of segments of our fleet for extended periods of time or indefinitely; our ability to re-deploy our aircraft to regions with greater demand; our ability to acquire additional aircraft and dispose of older aircraft through sales into the aftermarket; the possibility that we do not achieve the anticipated benefit of our fleet investment program; availability of employees; and political instability, war or acts of terrorism in any of the countries where we operate. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2016 and annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. Bristow Group Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Linda McNeill Investor Relations (713) 267-7622 (financial tables follow) BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share amounts and percentages) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Gross revenue: Operating revenue from non-affiliates $ 305,789 $ 374,979 $ 969,779 $ 1,193,002 Operating revenue from affiliates 18,564 20,178 54,420 61,277 Reimbursable revenue from non-affiliates 13,090 24,730 40,109 79,515 337,443 419,887 1,064,308 1,333,794 Operating expense: Direct cost 260,343 288,135 831,516 926,378 Reimbursable expense 12,206 23,380 38,096 76,242 Depreciation and amortization 29,768 32,320 93,054 106,853 General and administrative 45,409 59,513 149,278 174,302 347,726 403,348 1,111,944 1,283,775 Loss on impairment (8,706) (16,278) (27,713) Loss on disposal of assets (874) (2,154) (13,077) (23,856) Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates, net of losses 766 7,692 4,777 (1,372) Operating income (loss) (19,097) 22,077 (72,214) (2,922) Interest expense, net (12,179) (9,536) (34,533) (24,384) Other income (expense), net 1,668 650 (1,518) (6,935) Income (loss) before benefit (provision) for income taxes (29,608) 13,191 (108,265) (34,241) Benefit (provision) for income taxes 3,560 (9,623) 11,038 (9,500) Net income (loss) (26,048) 3,568 (97,227) (43,741) Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 4,121 (366) 4,731 (3,446) Net income (loss) attributable to Bristow Group (21,927) 3,202 (92,496) (47,187) Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest (1,498) Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders $ (21,927) $ 3,202 $ (92,496) $ (48,685) Earnings (loss) per common share: Basic $ (0.62) $ 0.09 $ (2.64) $ (1.40) Diluted $ (0.62) $ 0.09 $ (2.64) $ (1.40) Non-GAAP measures: Adjusted EBITDA $ 22,918 $ 64,730 $ 67,397 $ 170,223 Adjusted EBITDA margin 7.1 % 16.4 % 6.6 % 13.6 % Adjusted net income (loss) $ (10,121) $ 23,533 $ (34,415) $ 47,196 Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share $ (0.29) $ 0.67 $ (0.98) $ 1.34 BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands) (Unaudited) December 31, 2016 March 31, 2016 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 71,159 $ 104,310 Accounts receivable from non-affiliates 208,394 243,425 Accounts receivable from affiliates 8,012 5,892 Inventories 124,358 142,503 Assets held for sale 37,635 43,783 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 52,148 53,183 Total current assets 501,706 593,096 Investment in unconsolidated affiliates 206,797 194,952 Property and equipment at cost: Land and buildings 231,021 253,098 Aircraft and equipment 2,617,467 2,570,577 2,848,488 2,823,675 Less Accumulated depreciation and amortization (585,821) (540,423) 2,262,667 2,283,252 Goodwill 18,793 29,990 Other assets 141,146 161,655 Total assets $ 3,131,109 $ 3,262,945 LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND STOCKHOLDERS' INVESTMENT Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 79,902 $ 96,966 Accrued wages, benefits and related taxes 58,565 59,431 Income taxes payable 7,115 27,400 Other accrued taxes 6,754 7,995 Deferred revenue 24,014 24,206 Accrued maintenance and repairs 22,136 22,196 Accrued interest 5,699 11,985 Other accrued liabilities 51,110 48,392 Deferred taxes 1,881 Short-term borrowings and current maturities of long-term debt 271,461 60,394 Contingent consideration 7,137 29,522 Total current liabilities 533,893 390,368 Long-term debt, less current maturities 990,207 1,071,578 Accrued pension liabilities 49,291 70,107 Other liabilities and deferred credits 26,456 33,273 Deferred taxes 149,961 172,254 Redeemable noncontrolling interest 8,267 15,473 Stockholders' investment: Common stock 378 377 Additional paid-in capital 807,046 801,173 Retained earnings 1,072,411 1,172,273 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (326,941) (289,819) Treasury shares (184,796) (184,796) Total Bristow Group stockholders' investment 1,368,098 1,499,208 Noncontrolling interests 4,936 10,684 Total stockholders' investment 1,373,034 1,509,892 Total liabilities, redeemable non controlling interests and stockholders' investment $ 3,131,109 $ 3,262,945 BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In thousands) (Unaudited) Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ (97,227) $ (43,741) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 93,054 106,853 Deferred income taxes (20,991) (37,628) Discount amortization on long-term debt 1,314 973 Loss on disposal of assets 13,077 23,856 Loss on impairment 16,278 27,713 Stock-based compensation 9,508 16,641 Equity in earnings from unconsolidated affiliates less than (in excess of) dividends received (4,294) 2,227 Tax benefit related to stock-based compensation (44) Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in: Accounts receivable 15,787 31,858 Inventories (2,912) (5,555) Prepaid expenses and other assets (4,359) (2,645) Accounts payable (7,395) (2,527) Accrued liabilities (19,891) (46,289) Other liabilities and deferred credits (6,809) (16,008) Net cash provided by operating activities (14,860) 55,684 Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (119,726) (343,365) Proceeds from asset dispositions 14,344 19,152 Deposits on assets held for sale 290 Net cash used in investing activities (105,092) (324,213) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from borrowings 360,240 910,421 Debt issuance costs (3,883) Repayment of debt (243,677) (567,121) Partial prepayment of put/call obligation (38) (42) Acquisition of noncontrolling interest (7,311) Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest (2,533) (153) Payment of contingent consideration (10,000) (8,000) Common stock dividends paid (7,366) (35,627) Tax benefit related to stock-based compensation 44 Net cash provided by financing activities 92,743 292,211 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (5,942) 4,080 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (33,151) 27,762 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 104,310 104,146 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 71,159 $ 131,908 BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SELECTED OPERATING DATA (In thousands, except flight hours and percentages) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 2016 2015 Flight hours (excluding Bristow Academy and unconsolidated affiliates): Europe Caspian 20,921 21,991 65,703 69,627 Africa 7,145 8,332 22,869 27,190 Americas 5,337 9,157 17,504 29,584 Asia Pacific 6,691 7,916 19,759 24,613 Consolidated 40,094 47,396 125,835 151,014 Operating revenue: Europe Caspian $ 172,844 $ 192,400 $ 548,070 $ 603,397 Africa 49,587 61,786 153,055 202,885 Americas 53,024 72,068 168,578 225,283 Asia Pacific 49,092 67,402 155,144 214,177 Corporate and other 2,099 3,609 7,917 18,542 Intra-region eliminations (2,293) (2,108) (8,565) (10,005) Consolidated $ 324,353 $ 395,157 $ 1,024,199 $ 1,254,279 Operating income (loss): Europe Caspian $ (303) $ 26,986 $ 18,468 $ 56,243 Africa 10,441 4,377 19,954 24,903 Americas 2,226 22,797 5,790 30,283 Asia Pacific (9,012) 458 (24,480) 4,783 Corporate and other (21,575) (30,387) (78,869) (95,278) Loss on disposal of assets (874) (2,154) (13,077) (23,856) Consolidated $ (19,097) $ 22,077 $ (72,214) $ (2,922) Operating margin: Europe Caspian (0.2) % 14.0 % 3.4 % 9.3 % Africa 21.1 % 7.1 % 13.0 % 12.3 % Americas 4.2 % 31.6 % 3.4 % 13.4 % Asia Pacific (18.4) % 0.7 % (15.8) % 2.2 % Consolidated (5.9) % 5.6 % (7.1) % (0.2) % Adjusted EBITDA: Europe Caspian $ 9,123 $ 32,683 $ 43,273 $ 95,511 Africa 17,012 15,680 39,350 54,852 Americas 10,039 30,875 34,317 60,429 Asia Pacific (5,027) 7,383 (10,513) 22,164 Corporate and other (8,229) (21,891) (39,030) (62,733) Consolidated $ 22,918 $ 64,730 $ 67,397 $ 170,223 Adjusted EBITDA margin: Europe Caspian 5.3 % 17.0 % 7.9 % 15.8 % Africa 34.3 % 25.4 % 25.7 % 27.0 % Americas 18.9 % 42.8 % 20.4 % 26.8 % Asia Pacific (10.2) % 11.0 % (6.8) % 10.3 % Consolidated 7.1 % 16.4 % 6.6 % 13.6 % Three Months Ended December 31, Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands) Depreciation and amortization: Europe Caspian $ 11,185 $ 8,912 $ 33,594 $ 29,889 Africa 4,007 8,581 12,680 24,274 Americas 7,060 7,797 25,669 28,523 Asia Pacific 4,973 4,268 13,586 17,445 Corporate and other 2,543 2,762 7,525 6,722 Total depreciation and amortization $ 29,768 $ 32,320 $ 93,054 $ 106,853 Rent expense: Europe Caspian $ 34,115 $ 33,379 $ 100,007 $ 103,110 Africa 1,767 2,482 6,101 6,025 Americas 5,638 5,033 16,258 16,216 Asia Pacific 10,247 9,216 28,803 27,830 Corporate and other 1,885 2,067 5,721 7,314 Total rent expense $ 53,652 $ 52,177 $ 156,890 $ 160,495 BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES AIRCRAFT COUNT As of December 31, 2016 (Unaudited) Aircraft in Consolidated Fleet Percentage of Current Period Operating Revenue Helicopters Small Medium Large Training Fixed Wing (1) Unconsolidated Affiliates (4) Total (2)(3) Total Europe Caspian 54 % 16 76 31 123 123 Africa 15 % 14 30 5 4 53 46 99 Americas 16 % 15 42 16 73 67 140 Asia Pacific 15 % 2 9 24 14 49 49 Corporate and other % 47 47 47 Total 100 % 31 97 121 47 49 345 113 458 Aircraft not currently in fleet: (5) On order 5 29 34 Under option 4 4 _______________ (1) Includes 33 fixed wing aircraft operated by Eastern Airways which are included in the Europe Caspian and Africa regions and 14 fixed wing aircraft operated by Airnorth which are included in the Asia Pacific region. (2) Includes 24 aircraft held for sale and 117 leased aircraft as follows: Held for Sale Aircraft in Consolidated Fleet Helicopters Small Medium Large Training Fixed Wing Total Europe Caspian 1 1 Africa 5 7 12 Americas 1 6 7 Asia Pacific 1 1 Corporate and other 3 3 Total 6 14 3 1 24 Leased Aircraft in Consolidated Fleet Helicopters Small Medium Large Training Fixed Wing Total Europe Caspian 6 39 13 58 Africa 2 2 4 Americas 1 14 6 21 Asia Pacific 2 2 9 4 17 Corporate and other 17 17 Total 3 22 56 17 19 117 (3) The average age of our fleet, excluding fixed wing and training aircraft, was approximately nine years as of December 31, 2016. (4) The 113 aircraft operated by our unconsolidated affiliates do not include those aircraft leased from us. Includes 44 helicopters (primarily medium) and 23 fixed wing aircraft owned and managed by Lider, our unconsolidated affiliate in Brazil, which is included in our Americas region. (5) This table does not reflect aircraft which our unconsolidated affiliates may have on order or under option. BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES FY17 GUIDANCE FY17 guidance as of December 31, 2016 (1) U.K. SAR Revenue ~$190M - $200M G&A expense ~$195M - $205M EBITDA (2) ~$35M - $45M Depreciation expense ~$120M - $130M Rent ~$45M - $50M Total aircraft rent (3) ~$185M - $190M Eastern Revenue ~$105M - $115M Total non-aircraft rent (3) ~$20M - $25M EBITDA (2) ~$0M - $3M Interest expense ~$45M - $50M Rent ~$8M - $10M Non-aircraft capex ~$50M annually Airnorth Revenue ~$70M - $85M EBITDA (2) ~$5M - $8M Rent ~$8M - $10M _______________ (1) FY17 guidance assumes FX rates as of December 31, 2016. (2) EBITDA excludes corporate overhead allocations consistent with financial reporting. EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure of which the most comparable GAAP measure is net income (loss). We have not provided a reconciliation of this non-GAAP forward-looking information to GAAP. The most comparable GAAP measure to EBITDA is net income (loss) which is not calculated at this lower level of our business as we do not allocate certain costs, including corporate and other overhead costs, interest expense and income taxes within our accounting system. Providing this data would require unreasonable efforts in the form of allocations of other costs across the organization. (3) Total aircraft rent and total non-aircraft rent are inclusive of the respective components of rent expense for U.K. SAR, Eastern, Airnorth plus oil and gas. BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES GAAP RECONCILIATIONS These financial measures have not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and have not been audited or reviewed by our independent registered public accounting firm. These financial measures are therefore considered non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted EBITDA provides us with an understanding of one aspect of earnings before the impact of investing and financing transactions and income taxes. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered a measure of discretionary cash available to us for investing in the growth of our business. In prior periods we presented adjusted EBITDAR, which was calculated by taking our net income and adjusting for interest expense, depreciation and amortization, rent expense (included as a component of direct cost and general and administrative expense), provision for income taxes, gain (loss) on disposal of assets and any special items during the reported periods. We believed that adjusted EBITDAR provided us with a useful supplemental measure of our operational performance by excluding the financing decisions we make regarding aircraft purchases or leasing. However, we have revised our disclosures to present adjusted EBITDA rather than adjusted EBITDAR consistent with recent interpretations regarding Non-GAAP measures issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission. A description of the adjustments to and reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is as follows: Three months ended Nine months ended December 31, December 31, 2016 2015 2016 2015 (In thousands, except percentages and per share amounts) Net income (loss) $ (26,048) $ 3,568 $ (97,227) $ (43,741) Loss on disposal of assets 874 2,154 13,077 23,856 Special items 9,537 7,348 34,361 48,752 Depreciation and amortization 29,768 32,320 93,054 106,853 Interest expense 12,347 9,717 35,170 25,003 (Benefit) provision for income taxes (3,560) 9,623 (11,038) 9,500 Adjusted EBITDA $ 22,918 $ 64,730 $ 67,397 $ 170,223 Benefit (provision) for income taxes $ 3,560 (9,623) $ 11,038 $ (9,500) Tax benefit on loss on disposal of asset (1,953) (496) (5,858) (5,487) Tax expense (benefit) on special items 5,227 6,282 10,227 4,816 Adjusted benefit (provision) for income taxes $ 6,834 $ (3,837) $ 15,407 $ (10,171) Effective tax rate (1) 12.0 % 73.0 % 10.2 % (27.7) % Adjusted effective tax rate (1) 37.9 % 13.8 % 29.9 % 16.7 % Net income (loss) attributable to Bristow Group $ (21,927) $ 3,202 $ (92,496) $ (47,187) Loss on disposal of assets (1,079) 1,658 7,219 18,369 Special items 12,885 18,673 50,862 76,014 Adjusted net income (loss) $ (10,121) $ 23,533 $ (34,415) $ 47,196 Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ (0.62) $ 0.09 $ (2.64) $ (1.40) Loss on disposal of assets (0.03) 0.05 0.21 0.52 Special items 0.37 0.53 1.45 2.20 Adjusted diluted earnings (loss) per share (0.29) 0.67 (0.98) 1.34 _______________ (1) Effective tax rate is calculated by dividing income tax expense by pretax net income. Adjusted effective tax rate is calculated by dividing adjusted income tax expense by adjusted pretax net income. Tax expense (benefit) on loss on disposal of asset and tax expense (benefit) on special items is calculated using the statutory rate of the entity recording the loss on disposal of asset or special item. The following tables present special items for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2016 and 2015: Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 Adjusted EBITDA Adjusted Net Income Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (In thousands, except per share amounts) Goodwill impairment (1) $ 8,706 $ 7,857 $ 0.22 Additional depreciation expense resulting from fleet changes (2) 761 0.02 Organizational restructuring costs (3) 831 583 0.02 Tax valuation allowance (4) 3,684 0.10 Total special items $ 9,537 $ 12,885 0.37 Three Months Ended December 31, 2015 Adjusted EBITDA Adjusted Net Income Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (In thousands, except per share amounts) Organizational restructuring costs (3) $ 7,348 $ 5,370 $ 0.15 Additional depreciation expense resulting from fleet changes (2) 3,774 0.11 Tax valuation allowance (4) 9,529 0.27 Total special items $ 7,348 $ 18,673 0.53 Nine Months Ended December 31, 2016 Adjusted EBITDA Adjusted Net Income Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (In thousands, except per share amounts) Organizational restructuring costs (3) $ 18,083 $ 12,171 $ 0.35 Additional depreciation expense resulting from fleet changes (2) 6,122 0.17 Goodwill impairment (1) 8,706 7,857 0.22 Impairment of inventories (5) 7,572 5,372 0.15 Tax valuation allowance (4) 19,340 0.55 Total special items $ 34,361 $ 50,862 1.45 Nine Months Ended December 31, 2015 Adjusted EBITDA Adjusted Net Income Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (In thousands, except per share amounts) Organizational restructuring costs (3) $ 21,039 $ 16,758 $ 0.47 Additional depreciation expense resulting from fleet changes (2) 15,532 0.44 Impairment of inventories (5) 5,439 3,764 0.11 Goodwill impairment (1) 22,274 24,996 0.71 Tax valuation allowance (4) 14,964 0.42 Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interests (6) 0.04 Total special items $ 48,752 $ 76,014 2.20 _______________ (1) Relates to an impairment of goodwill of Eastern Airways in our Europe Caspian region for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2016 and our Bristow Norway reporting unit within our Europe Caspian region and Bristow Academy reporting unit within Corporate and other for the nine months ended December 31, 2015. (2) Relates to additional depreciation expense due to fleet changes. (3) Organizational restructuring costs primarily includes severance expense included in direct costs and general and administrative expense from our voluntary and involuntary separation programs. (4) Relates to a tax valuation allowance of $3.7 million against net operating losses in certain foreign jurisdictions for the three months ended December 31, 2016 and a tax valuation allowance of $11.0 million against foreign tax credits and $8.3 million against net operating losses in certain foreign jurisdictions for the nine months ended December 31, 2016. The amount for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2015 are related to the valuation of deferred tax assets against net operating losses in certain foreign jurisdictions. (5) Relates to increase in inventory allowance as a result of our review of excess inventory on aircraft model types we ceased ownership of, classified all or a significant portion of as held for sale or made a decision to cease ownership within our fleet earlier than previously anticipated. (6) Relates to the accounting for changes in the redeemable value of put arrangements whereby the noncontrolling interest holders in Airnorth and Eastern Airways may require us to redeem the remaining shares in these companies. This change does not impact net earnings (loss), but rather is accounted for as a reduction of earnings (loss) available to common shareholders in the calculation of diluted earnings (loss) per share. SOURCE Bristow Group Inc. Related Links http://www.bristowgroup.com WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) today announced that Soren Schroder, CEO; Thomas M. Boehlert, CFO; and Gordon Hardie, Managing Director, Food & Ingredients, will address the Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) Conference in Boca Raton, Florida, at 5:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, February 22, 2017. The presentation will be webcast live on www.bunge.com. Webcast Information To access the webcast, go to the "Webcasts and Events" page of the "Investors" section of the company's website. Select "CAGNY Conference" and follow the prompts. Please go to the website at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register and download any necessary audio software. A replay will also be available at "Past Events" in the "Investors" section of the company's website. About Bunge Limited Bunge Limited (www.bunge.com, NYSE: BG) is a leading global agribusiness and food company operating in over 40 countries with approximately 35,000 employees. Bunge buys, sells, stores and transports oilseeds and grains to serve customers worldwide; processes oilseeds to make protein meal for animal feed and edible oil products for commercial customers and consumers; produces sugar and ethanol from sugarcane; mills wheat, corn and rice to make ingredients used by food companies; and sells fertilizer in South America. Founded in 1818, the company is headquartered in White Plains, New York. SOURCE Bunge Limited Related Links http://www.bunge.com SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Underscoring its commitment to a superior customer experience, healthcare technology firm CaptureRx, a leader in 340B solutions for hospitals, health centers, pharmacies and managed care organizations, announced today the addition of Anne Bowman to its senior leadership team in the newly-created position of SVP, customer obsession. Bowman is passionate about serving customers and has a history of transforming the customer experience at technology companies through a company-wide, customer-centric approach she calls "customer obsession." At Rackspace, a leading managed cloud solution provider, Bowman architected the company's Fanatical Support Promise and led the charge to refocus the concept of support from a single department to a way of life for every Rackspace employee. Over the last ten years, she has focused on building customer loyalty for organizations in the consulting, technology and communications industries globally by promoting a customer-centric culture, introducing flexible business processes and aligning organizations around customer-defined goals. "We know that hospitals and clinics participating in the 340B program consider the relationship with their 340B solution provider as important as the technology, and many are disappointed with the level of service they receive from their current vendor," says Dave Byrd, CaptureRx's CEO. "The goal of Anne's new position is to help us maintain our position as the leading service provider in the space. We want to make 340B easier for customers who choose CaptureRx." "With so much going on at CaptureRx, it's an exciting time to join the team," says Bowman. "As with any company, there are some points of friction in the customer experience, and I'm confident that I can smooth those out. My goal is make CaptureRx a company that customers want to recommend to others, and that will be the metric we use to measure our success." Byrd says it's Bowman's passion for the customer, and her success with organizations similar to CaptureRx, that made it clear she was the right choice to help realign the company. "The customer is what inspires her," says Byrd. "And our customers are what inspire us. We are fortunate to have such a talented, proven leader as part of our team." About CaptureRx Founded in 2000, San Antonio-based CaptureRx is a leading 340B solution provider that puts patients first, touching millions of patient lives through innovative products and services that support relationships among payers, providers, pharmacies and patients. Our solutions manage inventory and financial flow for 340B prescriptions filled at contract pharmacies and perform the eligibility checks required to comply with 340B program requirements. Using a process that's seamless to the covered entity, pharmacy and patient, our Cumulus platform has processed more than 183 million patient encounters and more than 647 million switch claims. Currently, CaptureRx solutions serve more than 500 hospitals and health centers in 45 states via a robust pharmacy network and a preferred 340B partnership allowing access to any Rite Aid pharmacy. For more information: Karen Atkinson VP, Marketing CaptureRx 210.587.3486 ext 201 [email protected] SOURCE CaptureRx FT. MYERS, Fla., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Fort Myers will ultimately pay six figures to settle a federal lawsuit filed against it by Sovereign Health, a leading national provider of behavioral treatment services. The lawsuit, which was first initiated on April 29, 2015, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division and charged the city with violating the housing rights of Sovereign Health's disabled patients. Under the settlement, the city of Fort Myers will pay a total of $149,000.00 to Sovereign Health. Notably, the Sovereign facility at the center of the discrimination lawsuit will continue to operate as it has since first opening its doors to persons suffering from addiction and mental illness. In the settlement, the City of Fort Myers recognizes Sovereign's vital role within the City as a provider of indispensable mental health services. As the City acknowledges, Sovereign Health promotes the health, safety, and welfare of its residents by providing behavioral health treatment services to persons with disabilities and encouraging those in need to seek help. To read the settlement in full, click here. The Fort Myers settlement is a victory for patients and families dealing with substance use disorders and mental health issues and is yet another failure for communities engaged in the "Not in my Backyard" (NIMBY) movement. Residents of NIMBY communities and cities across the U.S are driven by baseless and unjustified fears that allowing behavioral health treatment facilities to operate in their communities will reduce property values and bring in more drugs and crime to their neighborhoods. Mental health patients are a protected class under federal law and their rights are guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act. In a statement, Sovereign Health's General Counsel Seth Zajac said, "I'm pleased that the City of Fort Myers now recognizes the important need our facilities fulfill for those with disabilities. And unlike other cities steeped in NIMBYism, the City of Fort Myers is now openly committed to promoting our services throughout the community." The City's settlement of Sovereign's lawsuit is another in a growing list of NIMBY cases where city governments engaged in ill-advised actions have suffered significant financial consequences for their communities. Newport Beach paid over $5,250,000.00 to sober living providers after the city was sued for discrimination. The City of San Jacinto paid over $750,000.00 after it was sued by the Department of Justice for discriminating against group homes for those recovering from addition or with mental disabilities. And Costa Mesa, after spending thousands in attorney fees, was ordered by a federal court of appeals to cease and desist enforcing its ordinance targeting sober living homes. This growing list may soon include the City of San Clemente, California, which was also sued by Sovereign for engaging in similar discriminatory practices. San Clemente Councilman, Tim Brown recently boasted about the City's earmarking of $1.1 million in funds for Sovereign's discrimination suit. Sovereign Health says it looks forward to being awarded this money and using it for patient care. Sovereign seeks to raise awareness about the stigma of mental health disorders. 1 in 4 people will suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. However, due to the fear of being stigmatized, these individuals often conceal their disorders. About Sovereign Health One factor that differentiates Sovereign from other treatment providers has been its ability to offer separate mental health and addiction or dual diagnosis treatment programs at its facilities. Patients seek Sovereign to receive treatment for mental health issues, including trauma, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Sovereign also offers treatment for cognitive deficits and eating disorders. For more information, visit www.sovhealth.com. SOURCE Sovereign Health Related Links http://www.sovhealth.com SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 30, 2016 in Milpitas, CA Comfort International, Inc. (CI) was recognized for its energy savings project for TDK's 112,000 square foot clean room facility, saving TDK over $515,000 per year in annual energy costs. The project represents the largest annual savings in the Silicon Valley for Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in 2016. Comfort International's project also facilitated a rebate check of $470,022 to TDK from PG&E. Comfort International saves over $515K per year under a 2 year ROI which also provided their client Headway/TDK a rebate of $470K. Photo Caption: From left to right: Helder Sherpa (PG & E), Alan Pong (Comfort International), Yoshiro Nakagawa/Michael Greene/Tony Vu (TDK/Headway) honored TDK with a special commendation for 2016 Top Performer for the outstanding energy savings achieved. PG&E executives presented the $470,022 rebate to TDK/Headway in a special ceremony at TDK's Milpitas headquarters. Comfort International founder and CEO, Alan Pong remarked, "This project challenged us as this is our second phase of energy savings and I am proud that we found over $515,000 of annual savings with a short less than 2 year ROI. This brings the total annual savings for TDK/Headway to well over 1.5 million dollars annually all under a 2 year ROI." The project was performed without disrupting TDK's production, while maintaining the tight tolerances of +/- one degree and less than 2% humidity required by the class 100 facility. The project achieved a guaranteed return on investment for TDK in less than 2 years. Comfort International is able to engineer solutions with very short returns on investment (ROI) through a turnkey process. Most projects achieve a 50% return on investment. Energy savings of 40% or more are standard and can be guaranteed at the utility meter. In achieving such results, Mr. Pong credits his company's comprehensive efficient energy management systems (EEMS) study process. He adds, "I look forward to working with other PG&E customers to help them achieve their energy management goals and reduce their costs." Photo Caption: From left to right: Helder Sherpa (PG & E), Alan Pong (Comfort International), Yoshiro Nakagawa / Michael Greene / Tony Vu (TDK/Headway) honored TDK with a special commendation for 2016 Top Performer for the outstanding energy savings achieved. PG&E executives presented the $470,022 rebate to TDK/Headway in a special ceremony at TDK's Milpitas headquarters. About Comfort International Inc. Comfort International Inc. specializes in retrofitting utility systems in existing commercial office buildings, clean room facilities and data centers to achieve dramatic energy savings and carbon neutral environments. CI contracts with Comfort International is a green-focused energy management and HVAC maintenance firm located in San Jose, California. About Headway/TDK Headway designs and manufactures recording heads for high-performance hard disk drives. Headway is a part of the TDK group of companies, the largest independent recording head supplier to the hard disk drive industry. Contact Information: Comfort International Inc. 2570 North First Street, 2nd Floor San Jose, CA 95131 Office: 888-518-1118 Fax: 888-600-3880 www.comfortintl.com Related Files Comfort International Press Release_2016_TDK_project_v1.pdf Related Images image1.jpg image2.jpg This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com. SOURCE Comfort International, Inc. Related Links http://www.comfortintl.com CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Corboy & Demetrio has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Tessa McDaniel, 3 1/2 months old, who died on November 15, 2016, after being left unsupervised at Tender Hart's Family Home Care and Learning, Inc., 28 South Lodge in Lombard, Illinois. Jason Hart, one of the owners, alone, was attempting to supervise and care for 20 children of mixed ages up to 5 years old. This was in violation of the State of Illinois Licensing Standards for Day Care Homes, which requires one adult for every four infants. According to the police report, Hart told authorities that he placed Tessa on her stomach on a blanket and left to get a bottle. As much as a half-hour later, Tessa was found on the blanket not breathing. "The main reason for this lawsuit is child safety," said Corboy & Demetrio Partner Thomas Demetrio. "Tessa's parents do not want this tragedy to happen to any other children," he added. Demetrio, along with Corboy & Demetrio Partners Rene Torrado and Francis Patrick Murphy, represent Sean McDaniel, Tessa's father; Katlyn McDaniel, Tessa's mother; and Nora McDaniel, Tessa's minor sister. "Licensing Standards for Day Care Homes exist for the safety of vulnerable children and must never be violated," said Torrado. "Attempting to supervise and care for 20 children by himself was a recipe for disaster." Illinois DCFS has closed Tender Hart's during its investigation into eight licensing violations. Demetrio and Murphy successfully represented the family of Benjamin Kingan against a day care facility in Lake County after he was killed by a worker who was also attending to multiple toddlers alone and in in violation of state licensing standards. Case: Katlyn McDaniel, Special Administrator of the Estate of Tessa McDaniel v. Tender Hart's Family Home Care and Learning Inc. and Jason Hart, filed in DuPage Co. Circuit Court on 1-31-17, #2017L120. Corboy & Demetrio is one of the nation's premier law firms. The personal injury law firm represents individuals and their families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases and has acquired more than $4 billion in settlements and verdicts of which more than 600 are in excess of $1 million. To contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer at the firm, call 312-346-3191 or toll free at 800-356-3191. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about our law firm go to corboydemetrio.com. Media Contact: Helen Lucaitis, Esq., Communications Director, Corboy & Demetrio, P.C., 33 N. Dearborn Street, 21st floor, Chicago, IL 60602; 312-346-3191 (office) 312-550-2077 (cell); [email protected] SOURCE Corboy & Demetrio Related Links http://www.corboydemetrio.com SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CREDO, the mobile carrier with a conscience, announced that it will donate more than $150,000 to the Center for Media and Democracy, Free Press and Friends of the Earth Action. Throughout February, CREDO invites its members and the public to vote on the distribution of funds at CREDO Donations. Since 1985, CREDO has donated more than $83 million to progressive organizations fighting for women's rights, economic justice, voting rights, environmental justice and more. By choosing CREDO products and services, members generate donations for these causes. Their everyday acts of commerce support CREDO Action, a social change network with 5 million activists, and CREDO Donations, the company's philanthropy program. CREDO conducts monthly donations to support nonprofits when action is most critical. This month, voters can take a stand for investigative reporting, civil rights and environmental justice. CREDO will fund three nonprofits that can make an immediate difference for these causes. "In its first two weeks, the Trump administration has attempted to undermine the free press, marginalize Muslims and immigrants and reverse critical environmental victories. To fight back, the public needs allies like the Center for Media and Democracy, Free Press and Friends of the Earth Action," said Ray Morris, CEO of CREDO. "By supporting these organizations, our members are taking a stand for the core values of democracy." The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) is a national watchdog group that conducts in-depth investigations into corruption and the undue influence of corporations on media and democracy. CMD's groundbreaking research on ALEC, the Koch brothers and climate denial has exposed the circulation of dark money and, in many cases, changed corporate behavior. Funding from CREDO will help CMD break time-sensitive stories, including an investigation into a right-wing women's group that plans to spend massive sums of dark money on "issue" ads. Free Press fights for your rights to connect and communicate. The organization has played a critical role in defending Net Neutrality, thwarting Big Telecom mergers, and challenging mass surveillance programs targeted at people of color. A grant from CREDO will enable Free Press to resist the Trump agenda with vigilant watchdogging, new alliances, racial equity initiatives and localized anti-surveillance efforts. Friends of the Earth Action works to build a healthy and just world. Its recent grassroots efforts have kept fossil fuels in the ground, closed unsafe nuclear power plants, and protected dwindling bee populations. Support from CREDO will help Friends of the Earth Action execute its six-point plan to defend the environment from the Trump agenda. The strategy calls for watchdogging Trump's appointees, taking them to court, blocking bad legislation, fighting in corporate boardrooms, allying with state governments, and coordinating international pressure. "CREDO is a crucial ally in exposing the bad guys trying to distort our democracy and thwart good policies people want; CREDO's support helps us protect our planet and helps our investigations aid grassroots activists working to make our world a better place," said Lisa Graves, Executive Director of the Center for Media and Democracy. "CREDO members were instrumental in securing the strongest Net Neutrality rules and challenging Washington's narrow vision of what's possible," said Craig Aaron, President and CEO of Free Press. "Free Press counts on CREDO's partnership in defending net neutralityand so much moreas we unite to resist the Trump administration." "CREDO has worked closely with Friends of the Earth to support solutions to climate change and defend the Clean Air Act," said Erich Pica, President of Friends of the Earth Action. About CREDO Founded in 1985, CREDO gives individuals the power to make positive social change every day. Whenever members use a CREDO product or service, they generate critical donations for progressive causes (at no extra cost) and fund vital activism work. Since 1985, CREDO has donated over $83 million to progressive nonprofits, and the company has built a network of over 5 million activists. Visit CREDO Mobile, CREDO Action and CREDO Donations to learn more. SOURCE CREDO Related Links http://www.credomobile.com/ DFW AIRPORT, Texas, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cargo and logistics customers will soon have better opportunities to ship perishable items through one of the world's premier international gateways. Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport soon will begin installing a cold chain facility that will be operated by AirLogistix USA. Expected to be operational this summer, the state-of-the-art transfer facility will give DFW the ability to precisely control warehousing temperatures for shipments of pharmaceuticals, flowers and fresh foods. "There are tremendous growth opportunities for domestic and international cargo customers to ship perishables through DFW to 180 markets," said John Ackerman, Executive Vice President Global Strategy and Development at DFW. "We are very excited to partner with AirLogistix USA on a cold chain facility at DFW Airport. Today, we handle 66 percent of the air cargo from Texas, and our cargo tonnage increased by more than 8 percent over last year and is up 18 percent this year. This new facility will increase our handling capabilities and open new doors for all our cargo and logistics partners to ship high-value, temperature and time sensitive products through DFW." DFW handles more than 794,600 U.S. tons of air freight, which is shipped to destinations all over the world. Fourteen dedicated freighters serve 22 major cargo hubs throughout Asia, Europe, and North America from DFW. Valuable belly cargo capacity is also available to more than 200 global destinations on the 26 passenger airlines that serve the airport. "Dallas Fort Worth is a natural choice for us to further develop AirLogistix USA 'middle mile' on-airport perishables handling services. The DFW gateway has the advantage of being located in the central U.S., which helped drive our expansion into North Texas," said Ray Brimble, President and CEO of Lynxs Group, owner of AirLogistix USA. "We look forward to working with all airlines that serve DFW. Our facility will be available to distributors and forwarders who need to keep their perishable and temperature sensitive goods cool during shipping, with particular emphasis on transit through the airport. We are ready to get started at DFW." DFW Airport produces over $37 billion in economic impact for the North Texas region and more than 50 percent of that is attributed to cargo. About Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport warmly welcomes more than 65 million customers along their journey every year, elevating DFW to a status as one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world. DFW Airport customers can choose among 157 domestic and 56 international nonstop destinations worldwide. DFW is elevating the customer experience with modernized facilities and updated amenities, as well as through a $2.7 billion Terminal Renewal and Improvement Program to renovate its four original terminal buildings. Centered between its owner cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW Airport also serves as a major economic generator for the North Texas region, producing over $37 billion in economic impact each year by connecting people through business and leisure travel. For more information, visit the DFW website, download the new DFW App for iOS and Android devices, or follow DFW on social media. About AirLogistix USA AirLogistix USA has been in operation for over 5 years. AirLogistix IAH owns and operates the perishables handling facility at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and is the only cold storage that is on the airport with direct airport ramp access. AirLogistix USA will soon be opening similar facilities at DFW International Airport. The company is led by a 30-year veteran of the logistics and aviation industry, Kerry Galegher. His experience includes Domestic and International Operations and Business Development and Senior Management positions in Cargo and Ground Services at Continental Airlines. The facility is available for use to any distributor wishing to keep their perishable or temperature sensitive goods cool during import or export or during transit through the "middle mile". www.airlogistixusa.com About Lynxs Holdings LP Founded by Ray Brimble, for the past 23 years, Lynxs Holdings LP has developed and managed aviation related properties and services domestically as well as internationally. Lynxs entrepreneurial origins remain at the core of our endeavors as well as our spirit of innovation and creativity to develop and manage high-quality projects around the world. Lynxs Holdings LP owns and/or operates aviation related properties in several cities including Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Houston, and DFW, TX; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Sacramento, CA; Anchorage, Alaska; and Grand Junction, CO. Please visit our website for more details. www.lynxs.com. Follow @dfwairport on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram SOURCE DFW International Airport Related Links http://www.dfwairport.com/ ATLANTA, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Hospital Physicians, a physician-led hospitalist management firm and telemedicine provider for hospitals across the United States, is finding a growing new market in the nation's long-term acute care hospitals, whose unique needs are a good fit for telemedicine services. "In medicine, there are always new frontiersnew viruses to conquer, new treatment approaches to manage, new technologies to incorporate in practice," said Talbot "Mac" McCormick, M.D., president and CEO of the company, which began offering telemedicine services to regular acute care hospitals eight years ago. "At Eagle, we are finding the same holds true for telemedicine. New uses for it are emerging every day." During the eight years since it began its telemedicine initiative, Eagle has established programs providing telehospitalist services and a range of telemedicine specialties in acute care hospitals across the United States. It entered the LTACH market recently, and is currently providing telemedicine night coverage to three LTACH facilities in North Carolina: Select Specialty Hospitals in Durham, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem. The facilities are part of Select's network of more than 100 long-term acute care sites across the United States. Telemedicine and LTACHs: A natural fit An estimated 10-20 percent of hospital patients with critical illness require prolonged medical care after acute care hospitalization. They might be on a ventilator or have other needs like ongoing dialysis or wound care that require more specialized physician care than a skilled nursing facility (SNF) provides. LTACHs have grown significantly over the last 25 years in response to a growing patient population. Some are free-standing facilities; others occupy wings or sections of acute care hospitals. "LTACH patients don't usually require any higher level of nursing care than patients in SNFs," said Dr. McCormick. "With the low-intensity level of nursing and primary physician care, however, comes a higher level of specialized physician care for LTACH patientsrequiring more visits by specialists than most hospital patients typically need. Telemedicine can easily fill this need." Providing a range of needed services Here are a few examples of how telemedicine is working for LTACHs. Economies of scale. One telemedicine primary care physician or hospitalist can typically cover rounding requirements for five LTACHs with a cumulative total of 100 beds. One telemedicine primary care physician or hospitalist can typically cover rounding requirements for five LTACHs with a cumulative total of 100 beds. Specialists when needed. Depending on patient mix at an LTACH on any given day, telemedicine specialists in cardiology, nephrology, neurology, and pulmonary care can be immediately available. Depending on patient mix at an LTACH on any given day, telemedicine specialists in cardiology, nephrology, neurology, and pulmonary care can be immediately available. Night coverage. With a telemedicine team providing comprehensive coverage of all night calls, code management and admissions, a LTACH can let its physicians recharge and revitalize, knowing their patients are in good hands at night. With a telemedicine team providing comprehensive coverage of all night calls, code management and admissions, a LTACH can let its physicians recharge and revitalize, knowing their patients are in good hands at night. Pre-emptive rounding. Other than routine daily rounds, physicians are also needed at a LTACH to do pre-emptive roundingthat is, rounding to address any small problems before they become major ones. This is another proactive task that telemedicine physicians can regularly perform. Rapid response is key Through telemedicine, a physician can generally be interacting with a patient within two minutes of receiving a call or text message for assistance. This rapid response is another reason telemedicine is in demand todayamong acute care hospitals, and now in the LTACH market. "At Eagle, we are proud to be well positionedwith a wealth of experience and best practices as well as the physician resources across many telespecialtiesto meet this growing demand," said Dr. McCormick. About EHP EHP supports hospitalist programs in hospitals across the United States. Led by physicians who are pioneers in the hospitalist movement, the company delivers Clinical Performance Management (CPM) services to in-house hospitalist programs, telemedicine programs, physician recruitment and support services, and turnkey hospitalist programs. With years of experience in hospital leadership and hundreds of successful client engagements, EHP shares its expertise through tailored solutions that meet the evolving needs of hospitals today. For more information, visit www.eaglehospitalphysicians.com. Media Contact: Jan Sisko Carabiner Communications O: 678.461.7438 M: 678.591.2022 [email protected] SOURCE Eagle Hospital Physicians Related Links http://www.eaglehospitalphysicians.com ST. LOUIS, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Edgewell Personal Care Company (NYSE: EPC) today announced results for its first fiscal quarter, which ended December 31, 2016. Executive Summary Net sales decreased 2.0% in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Excluding sales growth from the Bulldog acquisition, and the negative impact from currency, organic net sales decreased 2.1%. GAAP Diluted Earnings Per Share ("EPS") and Adjusted EPS were $0.58 and $0.66 , respectively, for the first quarter, compared to $0.39 and $0.68 , a year ago. and , respectively, for the first quarter, compared to and , a year ago. The Company maintained its fiscal 2017 financial outlook for organic sales growth and Adjusted EPS. The Company reports and forecasts results on a GAAP and "Non-GAAP" basis, and has reconciled Non-GAAP results and outlook to the most directly comparable GAAP measures later in this release. See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for a more detailed explanation, including definitions of various Non-GAAP terms used in this release. All comparisons used in this release are with the same period in the prior fiscal year unless otherwise stated. "The fiscal first quarter was a solid start to the year. We are competing well in Wet Shave and Sun and Skin Care and we are making progress on our Zero Based Spending initiative," said David Hatfield, Edgewell's Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board. "We are particularly encouraged by our Wet Shave performance, as we grew manual shave share globally, and grew both sales and share in North America, driven by our core strategies of innovation and portfolio expansion. However, the competitive environment remains intense and like many other companies, we are facing increased macro-economic uncertainty, including additional headwinds from the strengthening US dollar. Despite these challenges, we remain on track to achieve our full year targets and deliver enhanced shareholder value by leveraging our strong innovation pipeline, and focusing on improving operating margins." Fiscal 1Q 2017 Operating Results (Unaudited) Net sales were $485.0 million in the quarter, a decrease of 2.0%. Excluding a $3.2 million benefit from the Bulldog acquisition and a $2.7 million negative impact from currency, organic net sales decreased 2.1%, with growth in global Sun and Skin Care and North America Wet Shave more than offset by declines in International Wet Shave and Feminine Care. Gross margin increased 100 basis points to 47.0%. The increase reflects favorable cost mix due to lower material costs, incremental restructuring savings as well as favorable transactional foreign currency exchange, partially offset by higher costs associated with the shift of Feminine Care manufacturing from Montreal to Dover, DE. Advertising and sales promotion expense ("A&P") was $50.6 million, or 10.4% of net sales, up from prior year A&P of $46.6 million, or 9.4% of net sales, behind increased marketing support in the Feminine Care and Sun and Skin Care segments. Selling, general and administrative expense ("SG&A") was $93.8 million, or 19.3% of net sales, compared to $100.4 million, or 20.3% of net sales, in the prior year. Excluding restructuring and spin costs, SG&A was relatively consistent with the prior year. The Company recorded pre-tax restructuring expense of $7.2 million compared to $18.5 million in the prior year quarter. Other income, net was $1.9 million during the quarter compared to $2.4 million in the prior year, and primarily reflects a benefit from foreign currency hedging contract gains in the quarter. Earnings before income taxes were $44.9 million during the quarter compared to $30.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Adjusted operating income was $67.6 million in the quarter compared to $72.0 million in the prior year. The moderate decline in adjusted operating income was primarily driven by higher A&P spending. The effective tax rate for the first three months of fiscal 2017 was 25.4% as compared to 22.8% in the prior year. The effective tax rate, excluding the tax associated with restructuring, was 26.3%, a 140 basis point decrease from the prior year adjusted rate of 27.7%, primarily due to a more favorable mix of earnings in lower tax rate jurisdictions. Net earnings in the quarter were $33.5 million, compared to $23.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Adjusted net earnings in the quarter were $38.4 million, compared to $41.0 million in the first fiscal quarter of 2016. GAAP Diluted EPS was $0.58 in the quarter as compared to $0.39 in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EPS for the quarter was $0.66, compared to $0.68 in the prior year quarter. Net cash used by operating activities was $59.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2017, in line with the prior year, and reflects the ongoing seasonality of the Company's business, primarily in Sun Care, as well as the payment timing of year-end accrued expenses and interest payments. The Company expects to have positive operating cash flow for the full year. In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company completed share repurchases of approximately 0.8 million shares for $58.0 million. Fiscal 1Q 2017 Operating Segment Results (Unaudited) Following is a summary of first quarter results by segment. All comparisons are with the first quarter of fiscal year 2016. Wet Shave (Men's Systems, Women's Systems, Disposables, Shave Preps) Wet Shave net sales decreased $10.1 million, or 3.2%. Excluding the impact of currency movements, organic net sales decreased $7.7 million, or 2.4%. The decrease in organic net sales was largely driven by $7.5 million in lower Shave Prep sales due primarily to distribution losses in the prior fiscal year, as well as increased competitive pressure. From a geographic perspective, North America organic net sales were up 3.8%, driven by higher volumes and share gains in Men's and Women's Systems and Disposables, offset by declines in Shave Preps. International organic net sales declined 8.2%, primarily driven by lower volumes in both Men's Systems and Shave Preps, in part due to timing of shipments and competitive pressure. Wet Shave segment profit increased $5.2 million, or 7.8%, primarily due to lower material costs and favorable transactional currency, which more than offset lower volumes. Sun and Skin Care (Sun Care, Wipes, Gloves, Bulldog) Sun and Skin Care net sales increased $4.1 million, or 7.7%. Excluding the Bulldog acquisition and the impact of currency movements, organic net sales increased $1.0 million, or 1.9%, driven by volume growth in International, partially offset by declines in North America due to a shift in the timing of shipments between quarters, as well as the Company's decision to exit the private label Sun Care business. Sun and Skin Care segment profit decreased $0.9 million, driven primarily by higher planned A&P spending. Feminine Care (Tampons, Pads, Liners) Feminine Care net sales decreased $3.4 million, or 3.7%. Sport branded pad and liner volumes were down approximately $2 million due to distribution losses which are expected to continue through the balance of the year. Tampon net sales were also down, due to competitive pressure and soft consumption in the quarter. These declines were partially offset by higher volume in Stayfree pads and Carefree liners. Feminine Care segment profit decreased $9.3 million, or 52.8%, driven by increased product costs, higher A&P spending and lower volumes. Product costs were unfavorable as higher plant startup costs, related to the transition of manufacturing from Montreal to Dover, DE, were only partially offset by restructuring savings and lower material costs. All Other (Infant Care, all other brands) All Other net sales decreased $0.7 million, or 2.1%, and organic net sales decreased $0.5 million, or 1.5%, as lower volumes in infant cups and bottles resulting from continued competition in the category were partially offset by growth in Diaper Genie. All Other segment profit decreased $0.3 million, or 4.2%, primarily driven by lower net sales. Full Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Outlook For fiscal 2017, the Company is maintaining its outlook for low single digit organic net sales growth. Reported net sales are expected to be in the range of flat to up 2%, including an approximate 50 basis point increase from the acquisition of Bulldog, and negative foreign currency translation effects of approximately 150 basis points (based on spot exchange rates as of January 30, 2017). The Company is also maintaining its outlook for GAAP EPS in the range of $3.60 - $3.80, and Adjusted EPS in the range of $3.80 - $4.00. Adjusted operating income margin is anticipated to expand by 50 basis points. The effective tax rate for the fiscal year is estimated to be in the range of 27% to 28%. The Company anticipates that fiscal 2017 Free Cash Flow will exceed 100% of GAAP net earnings. The full-year estimate for restructuring related costs is now $20 to $25 million. Full year incremental restructuring savings are expected to be approximately $20 to $25 million in fiscal 2017, with an additional $20 to $25 million in fiscal 2018 and 2019 combined. The Zero-Based Spend ("ZBS") initiative is anticipated to drive $10 to $15 million in savings (net of implementation expense) in fiscal 2017, primarily in the second half of the year, with an additional $25 to $30 million of savings in fiscal 2018. Webcast Information In conjunction with this announcement, the Company will hold an investor conference call beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time today. The call will focus on fiscal 2017 first quarter earnings and the outlook for fiscal 2017. All interested parties may access a live webcast of this conference call at www.edgewell.com , under "Investors," and "News and Events" tabs or by using the following link: http://ir.edgewell.com/news-and-events/events For those unable to participate during the live webcast, a replay will be available on www.edgewell.com, under "Investors," "Financial Reports," and "Quarterly Earnings" tabs. About Edgewell Edgewell is a leading pure-play consumer products company with an attractive, diversified portfolio of established brand names such as Schick and Wilkinson Sword men's and women's shaving systems and disposable razors; Edge and Skintimate shave preparations; Playtex, Stayfree, Carefree and o.b. feminine care products; Banana Boat, Hawaiian Tropic and Bulldog sun and skin care products; Playtex infant feeding, Diaper Genie and gloves; and Wet Ones moist wipes. The Company has a broad global footprint and operates in more than 50 markets, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Japan, the U.K. and Australia, with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. Non-GAAP Financial Measures. While the Company reports financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP"), this discussion also includes Non-GAAP measures. These Non-GAAP measures are referred to as "adjusted" or "organic" and exclude items such as spin costs, restructuring charges and amortization of intangibles. Reconciliations of Non-GAAP measures, including reconciliations of measures related to the Company's fiscal 2017 financial outlook, are included within the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included with this release. This Non-GAAP information is provided as a supplement to, not as a substitute for, or as superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses this Non-GAAP information internally to make operating decisions and believes it is helpful to investors because it allows more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of ongoing operating results. The information can also be used to perform analysis and to better identify operating trends that may otherwise be masked or distorted by the types of items that are excluded. This Non-GAAP information is a component in determining management's incentive compensation. Finally, the Company believes this information provides a higher degree of transparency. The following provides additional detail on the Company's Non-GAAP measures. The Company analyzes its net revenue on an organic basis to better measure the comparability of results between periods. Organic net sales exclude the impact of changes in foreign currency and acquisitions. This information is provided because these fluctuations can distort the underlying change in net sales either positively or negatively. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before income taxes, interest expense, net, depreciation and amortization and excludes items such as spin costs and restructuring charges. Adjusted operating income is defined as earnings before income taxes, interest expense associated with debt, other income, net, and excludes items such as spin costs and restructuring charges. Adjusted net earnings and adjusted earnings per share are defined as net earnings and diluted earnings per share excluding items such as spin costs, restructuring charges and the related tax effects of these items. Adjusted effective tax rate is defined as the effective tax rate excluding items such as spin costs, restructuring charges and the related tax effects of these items from the income tax provision and earnings before income taxes. Adjusted working capital is defined as receivables, less trade allowances in accrued liabilities, plus inventories, less accounts payable, and is calculated using an average of the trailing four-quarter end balances. Free cash flow is defined as net cash from operating activities less capital expenditures. Free cash flow conversion is defined as free cash flow as a percentage of net earnings. Forward-Looking Statements. This document contains both historical and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but instead reflect the Company's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events, including, without limitation, the future earnings and performance of Edgewell or any of its businesses. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "expectation," "anticipate," "may," "could," "intend," "belief," "estimate," "plan," "target," "predict," "likely," "will," "should," "forecast," "outlook," or other similar words or phrases. These statements are not guarantees of performance and are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by those statements. The Company cannot assure you that any of its expectations, estimates or projections will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included in this document are only made as of the date of this document and the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Numerous factors could cause the Company's actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: The Company is subject to risks related to its international operations, such as global economic conditions and currency fluctuations; Competition in the Company's industries may hinder its ability to execute its business strategy, achieve profitability, or maintain relationships with existing customers; Loss of reputation of the Company's leading brands or failure of its marketing plans; Loss of any of the Company's principal customers and emergence of new sales channels such as e-commerce; A failure of a key information technology system or a breach of the Company's information security; The Company faces risks arising from the restructuring of its operations and its ongoing efforts to achieve cost savings; Impairment of the Company's goodwill and other intangible assets; If the Company cannot continue to develop new products in a timely manner, and at favorable margins, it may not be able to compete effectively; The Company's business is subject to increasing regulation that may expose it to significant liabilities; The resolution of the Company's tax contingencies may result in additional tax liabilities; Changes in production costs, including raw material prices; The Company's manufacturing facilities, supply channels or other business operations may be subject to disruption from events beyond its control; The Company's business is subject to seasonal volatility; The Company has a substantial level of indebtedness and is subject to various covenants relating to such indebtedness; The Company's access to capital markets and borrowing capacity could be limited; If the Company fails to adequately protect its intellectual property rights, competitors may manufacture and market similar products; The Company's business involves the potential for product liability and other claims against it, which could result in product recalls or withdrawals; The Company may not be able to attract, retain and develop key personnel; The Company may experience losses or be subject to increased funding and expenses related to its pension plans; The Company may not be able to continue to identify and complete strategic acquisitions and effectively integrate acquired companies to achieve desired financial benefits; The Company's financial results could be adversely impacted by the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union; and departure from the European Union; and The Company faces risks related to the separation of its Household Products business in July 2015 . In addition, other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that it presently considers immaterial could significantly affect the accuracy of any such forward-looking statements. The list of factors above is illustrative, but not exhaustive. All forward-looking statements should be evaluated with the understanding of their inherent uncertainty. Additional risks and uncertainties include those detailed from time to time in the Company's publicly filed documents, including in Item 1A. Risk Factors of Part I of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016. EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE COMPANY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (unaudited, in millions, except per share data) Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Net sales $ 485.0 $ 495.1 Cost of products sold 257.0 267.6 Gross profit 228.0 227.5 Selling, general and administrative expense 93.8 100.4 Advertising and sales promotion expense 50.6 46.6 Research and development expense 16.3 16.0 Restructuring charges 6.9 18.5 Interest expense associated with debt 17.4 17.7 Other income, net (1.9) (2.4) Earnings before income taxes 44.9 30.7 Income tax provision 11.4 7.0 Net earnings $ 33.5 $ 23.7 Earnings per share: Basic net earnings per share $ 0.58 $ 0.40 Diluted net earnings per diluted share 0.58 0.39 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 57.7 59.7 Diluted 58.1 59.9 See Accompanying Notes. EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE COMPANY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited, in millions) Assets December 31, 2016 September 30, 2016 Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 418.5 $ 738.9 Trade receivables, net 228.4 260.7 Inventories 339.0 309.2 Other current assets 151.7 143.2 Total current assets 1,137.6 1,452.0 Property, plant and equipment, net 472.6 486.1 Goodwill 1,429.1 1,420.3 Other intangible assets, net 1,388.5 1,385.1 Other assets 27.4 28.0 Total assets $ 4,455.2 $ 4,771.5 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities Current maturities of long-term debt $ $ 281.8 Notes payable 18.3 18.5 Accounts payable 181.6 196.5 Other current liabilities 273.4 371.4 Total current liabilities 473.3 868.2 Long-term debt 1,680.5 1,544.2 Deferred income tax liabilities 255.8 255.3 Other liabilities 267.6 274.8 Total liabilities 2,677.2 2,942.5 Shareholders' equity Common shares 0.7 0.7 Additional paid-in capital 1,630.1 1,642.5 Retained earnings 981.1 946.0 Treasury shares (609.8) (563.0) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (224.1) (197.2) Total shareholders' equity 1,778.0 1,829.0 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 4,455.2 $ 4,771.5 See Accompanying Notes. EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE COMPANY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited, in millions) Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Cash Flow from Operating Activities Net earnings $ 33.5 $ 23.7 Non-cash restructuring costs 1.7 0.7 Depreciation and amortization 23.4 20.2 Non-cash items included in income, net (0.5) 7.2 Share-based compensation expense 5.7 6.4 Other, net (4.1) (11.5) Changes in current assets and liabilities used in operations (118.7) (105.4) Net cash used by operating activities (59.0) (58.7) Cash Flow from Investing Activities Capital expenditures (13.7) (14.5) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (34.0) Net cash used by investing activities (47.7) (14.5) Cash Flow from Financing Activities Cash proceeds from debt with original maturities greater than 90 days 146.0 347.8 Cash payments on debt with original maturities greater than 90 days (287.0) (203.0) Net decrease in debt with original maturities of 90 days or less (0.4) (2.2) Common shares purchased (58.0) (78.9) Net cash (used by) from financing activities (199.4) 63.7 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (14.3) (8.4) Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (320.4) (17.9) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 738.9 712.1 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 418.5 $ 694.2 See Accompanying Notes. EDGEWELL PERSONAL CARE COMPANY NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited, in millions, except per share data) Note 1 - Segments The Company conducts its business in the following four segments: Wet Shave, Sun and Skin Care, Feminine Care and All Other. Segment performance is evaluated based on segment profit, exclusive of general corporate expenses, share-based compensation costs, costs associated with restructuring initiatives and the amortization of intangible assets. Financial items, such as interest income and expense, are managed on a global basis at the corporate level. The exclusion of such charges from segment results reflects management's view on how it evaluates segment performance. On October 31, 2016, the Company completed the acquisition of Bulldog Skincare Holdings Limited ("Bulldog"), a men's grooming and skincare products company based in the United Kingdom, for 27.8, or approximately $34, net of cash acquired. The acquisition creates opportunities to expand Edgewell's personal care portfolio into a growing global category where it can leverage its international geographic footprint. The acquisition was financed through available foreign cash. The results of Bulldog for the post-acquisition period are included within the Company's results for the quarter ended December 31, 2016, and all assets are included in the Company's Sun and Skin Care segment. Segment net sales and profitability are presented below: Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Net Sales Wet Shave $ 306.2 $ 316.3 Sun and Skin Care 57.6 53.5 Feminine Care 89.1 92.5 All Other 32.1 32.8 Total net sales $ 485.0 $ 495.1 Segment Profit Wet Shave $ 72.0 $ 66.8 Sun and Skin Care 0.8 1.7 Feminine Care 8.3 17.6 All Other 6.9 7.2 Total segment profit 88.0 93.3 General corporate and other expenses (16.4) (17.7) Spin costs (1) (7.5) Restructuring and related costs (2) (7.2) (18.5) Amortization of intangibles (4.0) (3.6) Interest and other expense, net (15.5) (15.3) Total earnings before income taxes $ 44.9 $ 30.7 (1) Includes Selling, general and administrative expense ("SG&A") of $7.3 and Cost of products sold of $0.2 for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 related to the separation of the Household Products business in July 2015. (2) Includes Cost of products sold of $0.3 for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 associated with obsolescence charges related to the exit of certain non-core product lines as part of the restructuring. These non-core inventory obsolescence charges are considered part of the total project costs incurred for the restructuring project. Note 2 - GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations Basic earnings per share is based on the average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is based on the weighted-average number of shares used for the basic earnings per share calculation, adjusted for the dilutive effect of share options and restricted stock equivalent ("RSE") awards. The following table provides a reconciliation of Net earnings and Net earnings per diluted share ("EPS") to Adjusted net earnings and Adjusted EPS, which are Non-GAAP measures. Quarter Ended December 31, Net Earnings Diluted EPS 2016 2015 2016 2015 Net Earnings and Diluted EPS - GAAP (Unaudited) $ 33.5 $ 23.7 $ 0.58 $ 0.39 Spin costs (1) 7.5 0.13 Restructuring and related charges (2) 7.2 18.5 0.12 0.31 Income taxes (2.3) (8.7) (0.04) (0.15) Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Diluted EPS - Non-GAAP $ 38.4 $ 41.0 $ 0.66 $ 0.68 Weighted-average shares - Diluted 58.1 59.9 (1) Includes SG&A of $7.3 and Costs of products sold of $0.2 for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 related to the separation of the Household Products business in July 2015. (2) Includes Cost of products sold of $0.3 for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 associated with obsolescence charges related to the exit of certain non-core product lines as part of the restructuring. These non-core inventory obsolescence charges are considered part of the total project costs incurred for the restructuring project. The following tables provide a GAAP to Non-GAAP reconciliation of certain line items from the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings: Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 Gross Profit SG&A EBIT (1) Net Earnings Diluted EPS GAAP - Reported $ 228.0 $ 93.8 $ 44.9 $ 33.5 $ 0.58 % of net sales 47.0 % 19.3 % Restructuring and related charges (2) 0.3 7.2 4.9 0.08 Total Adjusted Non-GAAP $ 228.3 $ 93.8 $ 52.1 $ 38.4 $ 0.66 % of net sales 47.1 % 19.3 % Quarter Ended December 31, 2015 Gross Profit SG&A EBIT (1) Net Earnings Diluted EPS GAAP - Reported $ 227.5 $ 100.4 $ 30.7 $ 23.7 $ 0.39 % of net sales 46.0 % 20.3 % Spin costs 0.2 7.3 7.5 4.8 0.08 Restructuring and related charges 18.5 12.5 0.21 Total Adjusted Non-GAAP $ 227.7 $ 93.1 $ 56.7 $ 41.0 $ 0.68 % of net sales 46.0 % 18.8 % (1) EBIT is defined as Earnings before income taxes. (2) Includes Cost of products sold of $0.3 for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 associated with obsolescence charges related to the exit of certain non-core product lines as part of the restructuring. These non-core inventory obsolescence charges are considered part of the total project costs incurred for the restructuring project. The following table provides a reconciliation of Earnings before income taxes to adjusted operating income, which is a Non-GAAP measure, for the first quarters of fiscal 2017 and 2016: Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Earnings before income taxes $ 44.9 $ 30.7 Spin costs (1) 7.5 Restructuring and related charges (2) 7.2 18.5 Interest expense associated with debt 17.4 17.7 Other income, net (1.9) (2.4) Adjusted operating income $ 67.6 $ 72.0 % of net sales 13.9 % 14.5 % (1) Includes SG&A of $7.3 and Costs of products sold of $0.2 for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 related to the separation of the Household Products business in July 2015. (2) Includes Cost of products sold of $0.3 for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 associated with obsolescence charges related to the exit of certain non-core product lines as part of the restructuring. These non-core inventory obsolescence charges are considered part of the total project costs incurred for the restructuring project. The following table provides a reconciliation of the effective tax rate to the adjusted effective tax rate, which is a Non-GAAP measure: Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 Quarter Ended December 31, 2015 Reported Adjustments (1) Adjusted (Non-GAAP) Reported Adjustments (1) Adjusted (Non-GAAP) Earnings before income taxes $ 44.9 $ 7.2 $ 52.1 $ 30.7 $ 26.0 $ 56.7 Income tax provision 11.4 2.3 13.7 7.0 8.7 15.7 Net earnings $ 33.5 $ 4.9 $ 38.4 $ 23.7 $ 17.3 $ 41.0 Effective tax rate 25.4 % 22.8 % Adjusted effective tax rate 26.3 % 27.7 % (1) Includes adjustments for spin costs, restructuring charges and the associated tax impact of these charges. See reconciliation of Net earnings to Adjusted net earnings. Note 3 - Net Sales and Profit by Segment Operations for the Company are reported via four segments - Wet Shave, Sun and Skin Care, Feminine Care and All Other. The following tables present changes in net sales and segment profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2017, as compared to the corresponding period in fiscal 2016, and also provide a reconciliation of organic net sales and organic segment profit to reported amounts. Net Sales (In millions - Unaudited) Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 Wet Shave Sun and Skin Care Feminine Care All Other Total Net Sales - Q1 '16 $ 316.3 $ 53.5 $ 92.5 $ 32.8 $ 495.1 Organic (7.7) (2.4) % 1.0 1.9 % (3.4) (3.7) % (0.5) (1.5) % (10.6) (2.1) % Impact of acquisition % 3.2 6.0 % % % 3.2 0.6 % Impact of currency (2.4) (0.8) % (0.1) (0.2) % % (0.2) (0.6) % (2.7) (0.5) % Net Sales - Q1 '17 $ 306.2 (3.2) % $ 57.6 7.7 % $ 89.1 (3.7) % $ 32.1 (2.1) % $ 485.0 (2.0) % Segment Profit (In millions - Unaudited) Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 Wet Shave Sun and Skin Care Feminine Care All Other Total Segment Profit - Q1 '16 $ 66.8 $ 1.7 $ 17.6 $ 7.2 $ 93.3 Organic 4.3 6.4 % (0.3) (17.6) % (9.3) (52.8) % (0.3) (4.2) % (5.6) (6.0) % Impact of acquisition % (0.4) (23.5) % % % (0.4) (0.4) % Impact of currency 0.9 1.4 % (0.2) (11.8) % % % 0.7 0.7 % Segment Profit - Q1 '17 $ 72.0 7.8 % $ 0.8 (52.9) % $ 8.3 (52.8) % $ 6.9 (4.2) % $ 88.0 (5.7) % Note 4 - EBITDA The Company reports financial results on a GAAP and adjusted basis. The table below is used to reconcile Net earnings to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, which are Non-GAAP measures, to improve comparability of results between periods. Quarter Ended December 31, 2016 2015 Net earnings $ 33.5 $ 23.7 Income tax provision 11.4 7.0 Interest expense, net 17.2 17.7 Depreciation and amortization 24.5 20.7 EBITDA $ 86.6 $ 69.1 Spin costs 7.5 Restructuring and related costs (1) 6.1 17.8 Adjusted EBITDA $ 92.7 $ 94.4 (1) Excludes $1.1 and $0.7 of accelerated depreciation for the first fiscal quarters of 2017 and 2016, respectively, which are included within Depreciation and amortization. Note 5 - Outlook The following tables provide reconciliations of Adjusted EPS, which is a Non-GAAP measure, included within the Company's outlook for projected fiscal 2017 results: Adjusted EPS Outlook Fiscal 2017 GAAP EPS $3.60 - $3.80 Restructuring and related costs approx. $0.30 Income taxes approx. $(0.10) Fiscal 2017 Adjusted EPS Outlook (Non-GAAP) $3.80 - $4.00 Note 6 - Adjusted Working Capital Adjusted working capital metrics for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 and the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 are presented below. Q1 2017 Days (1) Q4 2016 Days (1) Receivables, as reported $ 272.3 $ 275.2 Less: Trade allowance in accrued liabilities (2) (27.6) (28.1) Receivables, adjusted 244.7 38.0 247.1 38.2 Inventories, as reported 341.1 104.6 345.3 104.9 Accounts payable, as reported 204.1 62.6 211.4 64.2 Average adjusted working capital (3) $ 381.7 $ 381.0 % of net sales (4) 16.2 % 16.1 % (1) Days sales outstanding is calculated using net sales for the trailing four-quarter period. Days in inventory and days payable outstanding are calculated using cost of products sold for the trailing four-quarter period. (2) Trade allowances are recorded as a reduction of net sales per GAAP and reported in accrued expenses on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. (3) Adjusted working capital is defined as receivables (less trade allowance in accrued liabilities), plus inventories, less accounts payable. Average adjusted working capital is calculated using an average of the four-quarter end balances for each working capital component as of December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively. (4) Average adjusted working capital divided by trailing four-quarter net sales. SOURCE Edgewell Personal Care Company Related Links http://www.edgewell.com LAKEWOOD, CO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE MKT: UUUU; TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels" or the "Company"), a leading producer of uranium in the United States, is pleased to provide the following update on the underground drill program currently occurring at the Company's Canyon Mine, which is a high-grade uranium mine being developed by the Company in northern Arizona. The Company is continuing to discover large and high-grade areas of uranium mineralization, which the Company expects will result in a larger recoverable uranium resource than what is currently described in the existing technical report for the Canyon Mine, prepared in accordance with National Instrument NI 43-101, Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). The Company is also continuing to discover additional zones of high-grade copper mineralization, both inside and outside the areas of potentially recoverable uranium mineralization. As has been previously reported, the Company has completed all surface development and is currently sinking the production shaft at the Canyon Mine. The shaft is nearing completion, as it is currently sunk to a depth of approximately 1,400-feet (out of a total planned depth of 1,470-feet). From the shaft, which is being sunk adjacent to the vertically aligned "breccia pipe", the Company is conducting underground drilling to more accurately define and delineate the deposit. As core holes are completed, the Company first conducts a gamma analysis of the drill holes to estimate uranium content. Then, the core material is sent to the Company's laboratory at the White Mesa Mill for chemical assay. The Company's October 27, 2016 news release provided chemical assay data, including estimated uranium, copper and other mineral content, for core that had been drilled up until that date. The Company's August 18, 2016 and December 28, 2016 news releases provided gamma results, including only estimated uranium content, for holes that had been drilled up until those respective dates. This news release provides additional chemical assay data for core that has been analyzed since the October 27, 2016 news release. Some of the uranium data described below is a confirmation of previously reported gamma results. All of the copper data is new. The results discussed in this news release were drilled from the first level (1,000-foot depth) and second level (1,230-foot depth) of the mine. The below table summarizes the eleven best uranium intercepts as determined by chemical assay of the core, in addition to the copper data for each: Hole No. Intercept Length (feet) Uranium Avg. Grade (% U 3 O 8 ) Uranium GT (Grade x Thickness) Copper Avg. Grade (% Cu) 11 6.0 16.99%* 102.0 1.20% 7 46.0 1.37%* 62.9 13.52% 14 4.0 8.35% 33.4 1.64% 6 44.0 0.74%* 32.6 10.22% 16 58.0 0.51%* 29.5 5.57% 11 18.0 1.23% 22.2 7.74% 12 12.0 1.78%* 21.3 3.81% 14 20.0 0.93%* 18.5 9.30% 25 28.0 0.61% 17.1 10.08% 26 24.0 0.56% 13.4 18.17% 13 12.0 0.95%* 11.4 6.83% * This intercept overlaps with previously reported gamma results. Below are four additional high-grade copper intercepts that had lower uranium grades: Hole No. Intercept Length (feet) Copper Avg. Grade (% Cu) Uranium Avg. Grade (% U 3 O 8 ) 12 8.0 26.20% 0.16% 15 8.0 25.74% 0.02% 27 32.0 11.54% 0.29% 4 7.0 9.95% 0.01% The information presented represents the assay results from 110 samples that were taken from split NQ size core ranging from 2 to 4-feet in length. The intercepts were constructed using a nominal cutoff grade of 0.30% U 3 O 8 or 4.00% Cu. In general, the breccia pipe mineralized zone where the samples were collected is orientated vertically, varies in diameter from 140 to 190 feet, begins approximately 1,200-feet below the surface, and is open at depth. The holes described in the table above were drilled from the 1,000 and 1,230 foot levels of the mine to depths below surface ranging between 1,221- and 1,618-feet, azimuths ranging between 180- and 250-degrees, and dips ranging between -20 and -78-degrees. Assay analysis was performed at Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill Laboratory ("WMM") near Blanding, Utah. U 3 O 8 is analyzed using spectrophotometry, and copper is analyzed using ICP-OES. A QA/QC program has been implemented for the Canyon core drilling campaign. The QA/QC program includes: fine duplicates (2 per 100 samples are split and both samples are analyzed by the WMM lab and compared); coarse duplicates (2 per 100 samples are split and both samples are analyzed by the WMM lab and compared); standards and blanks (8 per 100 samples are certified standards or blanks and the WMM lab results are compared to the certified values, and 3 different sample standards and 2 different sample blanks are used in the program); and 3rd party laboratory analysis (a split of 4 per 100 samples are sent to Inter-Mountain Labs, Inc. (IML) in Sheridan, Wyoming for independent uranium and copper testing; the IML results are then compared to the WMM lab results; to date 5 IML results have been received and confirmed to be consistent with WMM lab results, and 28 are in process). The new results described above appear to be continuing to expand the zones of high-grade uranium mineralization. These results are also confirming the Company's belief that the uranium resource is larger than what is reported in the existing technical report. The Company is also continuing to intercept very high-grade copper mineralization, indicating that copper appears to occur extensively throughout the deposit. The copper has the potential to improve the economics of this already low-cost uranium mine. Stephen P. Antony, President and CEO of Energy Fuels stated: "Core drilling at the Canyon Mine continues to produce exciting and, in some cases, unexpected results for both uranium and copper. This is certainly a fascinating deposit that appears to be full of valuable metals in multiple zones. This is particularly exciting, as uranium prices are showing recent strength. Kazakhstan, the World's largest producer of uranium, recently announced 10% production cuts. In December 2016, the State of Illinois passed legislation to save three nuclear reactors previously slated for premature shutdown, and the Institute of Energy Economics, a Japanese energy think-tank, issued a report that estimated 14 reactors will have restarted in Japan by March 31, 2018. We are also optimistic we may see other positive developments in the nuclear energy and uranium industries under the new Trump Administration. We look forward to releasing future drill results from the Canyon Mine as we produce them, and we plan to issue a new technical report describing the resources in 2017." Certain Upcoming Sales of Shares by Insiders for Tax Withholdings The Company also announces that members of the board of directors and senior management team of the Company ("Insiders") have reported sales of shares for the purpose of covering required tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of previously issued restricted stock units ("RSUs"). As an integral part of the Company's long-term equity incentive program, and in order to reduce cash compensation, the Company issues RSUs from time to time to Insiders and other members of the Company's management team. The RSUs typically vest over a three-year period, and entitle the holders thereof to receive one common share of the Company for each vested RSU. The value of the shares at the time they are issued on vesting is treated as ordinary income in the hands of the holder, and the Company is required to make the required tax withholdings and remit those withholdings to the applicable taxation authorities. As part of this RSU program, a sufficient number of common shares of the Company issued on the vesting of RSUs are sold on the open market and the proceeds are provided to the Company to satisfy these withholding requirements. Certain of the Company's RSUs vested on January 27 and 28, 2017, and as a result, a portion of the common shares issued on vesting were sold during the period January 30, 2017 through February 1, 2017, to fully satisfy these withholding requirements. Sales of such shares by Insiders have been reported to the appropriate securities authorities. About Energy Fuels: Energy Fuels is a leading integrated US-based uranium mining company, supplying U 3 O 8 to major nuclear utilities. Energy Fuels holds three of America's key uranium production centers, the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch Processing Facility in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today and has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Nichols Ranch Processing Facility is an ISR production center with a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. Alta Mesa is an ISR production center currently on care and maintenance. Energy Fuels also has the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolio in the U.S. among producers, and uranium mining projects located in a number of Western U.S. states, including one producing ISR project, mines on standby, and mineral properties in various stages of permitting and development. The Company also produces vanadium as a co-product of its uranium production form certain of its mines on the Colorado Plateau, as market conditions warrant. The Company's common shares are listed on the NYSE MKT under the trading symbol "UUUU", and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR". Stephen P. Antony, P.E., President & CEO of Energy Fuels, is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying such disclosure. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to: the Company being a leading producer of uranium in the U.S.; the drilling results to date and any conclusions which may be drawn therefrom; the expected final depth of the shaft; the potential that the mineralization and/or tonnage may be expanded beyond what is described in the existing NI 43-101 technical report; any expectation that copper recovery may be economically feasible; any potential improvement that any copper recovery may have on the economics of the mine; the mine being a low-cost uranium mine; the expected future drilling activities; the factors which the Company believes makes the Canyon deposit unique; any expectation that uranium prices are showing recent strength and related recent events; any expectations regarding other positive developments in the nuclear energy and uranium industries under the new Trump Administration; the expected timing for issuing a new technical report under NI 43-101; and any other statements regarding Energy Fuels' future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects; constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements in this news release that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions) should be considered forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Energy Fuels' ability to control or predict. A number of important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements, including without limitation factors relating to: the Company being a leading producer of uranium in the U.S.; the drilling results to date and any conclusions which may be drawn therefrom; the expected final depth of the shaft; the potential that the mineralization and/or tonnage may be expanded beyond what is described in the existing NI 43-101 technical report; any expectation that copper recovery may be economically feasible; any potential improvement that any copper recovery may have on the economics of the mine; the mine being a low-cost uranium mine; the expected future drilling activities; the factors which the Company believes makes the Canyon deposit unique; any expectation that uranium prices are showing recent strength and related recent events; any expectations regarding other positive developments in the nuclear energy and uranium industries under the new Trump Administration; the expected timing for issuing a new technical report under NI 43-101; and other risk factors as described in Energy Fuels' most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly financial reports. Energy Fuels assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in Energy Fuels' filings with the various securities commissions which are available online at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations, beliefs and plans of the management of Energy Fuels relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, that speak only as of the date hereof. SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc. Related Links http://www.energyfuels.com SAN FRANCISCO and IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property & casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, announced today it has acquired Benefit Compass Insurance Services, LLC, a specialist in employee benefits brokerage and consulting services. Based in Irvine, Calif., Benefit Compass provides employee benefit solutions, human resource consulting and employee engagement strategies, with a particular specialty focus on the unique needs of auto dealers. Benefit Compass will further broaden the specialized benefits and HR consulting services available to EPIC clients, particularly new car auto dealers a long time area of expertise and focus for EPIC, the broker providing Workers' Compensation Insurance and Employee Benefits Programs to members of the California New Car Dealers Association since 2011. "The addition of the Benefit Compass team is an exciting development in the continuing growth of EPIC," said John Connell, EPIC President, Employee Benefits of California. "Our clients benefit significantly when we add top professionals like the Benefit Compass team with unique and highly specialized consulting skills and experience." Benefit Compass co-founders Ron Joy, Alison McCallum and Mark Pattinson added, "We are very proud of the fact that we have always adhered to the simple philosophy of doing what's in the best interest of our clients, and are extremely pleased that this philosophy aligns strongly with EPIC's own culture and values. As part of EPIC, we have access to more resources, experienced professionals in multiple disciplines, and extensive insurance company relationships all of which will provide added value to our current and future clients." Since The Carlyle Group became the firm's major investment partner in December 2013, EPIC has nearly tripled revenues, from roughly $80 million to current run rate revenues exceeding $200 million. About EPIC: EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence. EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally. EPIC now has more than 850 team members operating from offices across the U.S., providing Property Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 13,000 clients. With more than $200 million in revenues, EPIC ranks among the top 20 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Supported by the Carlyle Group, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit http://www.epicbrokers.com/. *LOGO for media: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/16-0308-epic-insurance-300dpi.jpg This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com SOURCE EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants Related Links http://www.epicbrokers.com/ BOSTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Erecruit, the leading innovator in enterprise staffing software, VMS and onboarding solutions for large staffing firms and employers, today launched a new brand identity and redesigned website. The rebranding builds upon its software heritage and showcases Erecruit's commitment to drive staffing firm performance by automating the business processes and delivering the analytics that make enterprise staffing firms more responsive, efficient and profitable. "Erecruit has evolved a great deal since Judd Hoffman and Danko Fatovic joined forces to fill a gap in the enterprise staffing software landscape by offering a solution that truly matched the needs of large staffing firms," said Dave Perotti, Chief Executive Officer, Erecruit. "The new brand reflects what we've become since 2009 - the undisputed leader in staffing software that powers the world's most successful enterprise staffing firms." This news comes on the heels of Erecruit's announcement of reaching its second consecutive year of triple digit revenue growth, reporting more than 100% year-over-year revenue increase in both 2015 and 2016. The new brand identity and website reflect both the evolution of the company's strategic vision as well as its ongoing commitment to the future. The new branding introduces distinctive graphics, a bold color palette and a new company tagline, "Expect Exceptional." This tagline reflects the company's laser-focus on anticipating the needs of the ever-changing staffing market and delivering solutions by experts for experts. While the brand and tagline have changed to better represent what the company aspires to, Erecruit's value proposition remains the same; the combination of the industry's top enterprise staffing platform, exceptional customer engagement and deeper industry expertise remains unique, and enables us to solve the industry's toughest problems. "Since Erecruit is the leading innovator in staffing software, our goal was to elevate our new brand to reflect our progress and continued momentum," said Judd Hoffman, Vice Chairman & Chief Revenue Officer, Erecruit. "The new brand and photo imagery features real people interacting in a metaphorical working environment and exemplifies Erecruit's position as the front-running software provider in the enterprise staffing space." About Erecruit Erecruit is the leading innovator in enterprise staffing software, VMS and onboarding solutions for large staffing firms and employers. Erecruit uses modern, standards-based technologies to provide a highly scalable and configurable solution that allows today's best firms to put their clients, candidates and vendors at the heart of their businesses. To learn more, visit www.erecruit.com. Erecruit is a trademark of Erecruit Holdings, LLC. SOURCE Erecruit Related Links http://www.erecruit.com LONDON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Farfetch Group announced today that from 1 February all employees will be offered share options in the company through a new initiative called 'Farfetch For All.' On the date of launch a total of 1,300 people, from junior staff to executives across 11 offices globally will be included in the scheme. The Farfetch Group grew at +70% over the 12 months ended 31/12/16 based on the value of goods traded across the platform. In the three months ending 31/12/16 the core marketplace delivered significant underlying profitability and grew traded merchandise value by +75%. Jose Neves, CEO and Founder of Farfetch, commented: "We have enjoyed outstanding success. The Farfetch Group is reshaping the role of technology within the luxury fashion sector. While doing that, we have become one of only 200 private companies globally to have achieved a valuation of over USD1 billion dollars. We are very proud of our achievements and want to reward our people who have helped to bring them to fruition. Our company culture and values have been built around the importance of working together and aspiring to a common vision. By launching 'Farfetch For All' we are reinforcing this message to our people and rewarding all who have participated in this journey so far; as well as hoping to attract new talent who embrace these values as we look to the future." The incentive plan to reward all teams will equate to an investment of USD40M (based on the latest company valuation), which is the single largest investment the company has made to date and reflects Farfetch's continued commitment to investing in its people. Looking ahead, Farfetch continues to invest in building a platform business that is API enabled to drive growth through innovation, third-party partnerships and access to new markets. One example of this is Store Of The Future, which is specifically focused on redefining the omni-channel retail experience for the customer, by leveraging the retail experience of our brand and boutique partners. Key elements and details of this will be shared at the FarfetchOS event, taking place in London on April 12, 2017. About Farfetch Farfetch is the online platform to shop the world's greatest selection of luxury. The e-commerce platform partners with the world's best luxury boutiques and brands, located from Tokyo to Toronto and from Milan to Miami. This unique business model guarantees an unparalleled range of pieces to shop; from established luxury brands to the most interesting new designers and one-of-a-kind styles. Founded in 2008 by the Portuguese entrepreneur Jose Neves, Farfetch is translated in 9 languages and services customers as a website and on-the-go app, making it easier than ever to shop luxury fashion. Offices are found in 11 cities globally and Farfetch express ships from partners to over 190 countries worldwide. In 2015 Farfetch developed proprietary business units Farfetch Black & White and Store of the Future to provide key technology and business solutions for brands and retailers to facilitate growth and champion innovation. The Brand also added renowned London boutique Browns to its portfolio in 2015. In May 2016 Farfetch secured a Series F round of investment of US $110 million, led by new investors Temasek, IDG Capital Partners and Eurazeo with existing investor Vitruvian Partners also participating in the round. The company is currently valued at over US $1 billion. www.farfetch.com @Farfetch SOURCE Farfetch Related Links http://www.farfetch.com MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grab a sweet and savory deal this Valentine's Day with the Fifty Shades of Food promotion for the 16th annual Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF). This special, limited-time promotion allows you and yours access to set your taste buds aflame compliments of more than 50 chefs. Guests enjoy the 2016 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE in Miami Beach, Florida on February 26, 2016 (Photo courtesy Getty Images for Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival) Starting at 9:00 A.M. Monday, February 6, Festival fans who use code VDAY17 when purchasing two (2) or more tickets to Barilla's Italian Bites on the Beach sponsored by HCP Media and the Miami Herald Media Company hosted by Valerie Bertinelli & Alex Guarnaschelli will also receive two (2) tickets to BACARDI On The Beach with Beats by Rev Run & DJ Ruckus. The deal doesn't end there each couple will also receive a complimentary copy of Fifty Shades of Chicken: A Parody in a Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, November 2012). The Fifty Shades of Food promotion runs through midnight on February 14. It's all amore at Barilla's Italian Bites on the Beach to kick-off the Festival's signature Miami Beach events on Thursday, February 23. More than 30 chefs will lead you through a culinary tour of Italy while you sip on offerings from Aperol, Campari, Cynar, Folonari, Frangelico, Heineken Light, Melini, and Strongbow. Leading ladies Valerie Bertinelli and Alex Guarnaschelli will share some of their favorite bites with guests, and one of Australia's most popular rock bands Little River Band presented by Magic City Casino will keep everyone's toes tapping in the sand. The party will continue in the Festival's signature white tent in the sand beachside at Delano on Saturday, February 25 during BACARDI On The Beach. Rev Run and DJ Ruckus will lay down the late-night beats while guests satiate their palates with signature libations and bites from 20 of South Florida's favorite spots. EAT. DRINK. EDUCATE. All proceeds from the Festival benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University. Tickets for all events at the 2017 Festival are available online at sobewff.org or by calling 877.762.3933 (Phone sales are open Monday Friday, 9:00 AM 5:00 PM EST). Between SOBEWFF and its sister NYCWFF, which takes place each October in New York City, more than $33 million has been raised to benefit the respective charities for each Festival. Beyond the funds raised, both Festivals draw attention to the vibrant dining culture in their respective cities, provide economic stimulus in their communities, and serve as an invaluable platform to drive awareness, engaging and inspiring people to get involved in philanthropic activities. About the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival All proceeds from the Festival benefit the students of the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management who also assist Festival organizers with sponsorship fulfillment, restaurant and exhibitor recruitment, logistics, and inventory as well as working alongside some of the world's greatest celebrity chefs and winemakers. To date, the Festival has raised more than $24 million for the School. In September 2016, BizBash named the Festival the #1 Food & Restaurant Industry event in the United States for the fourth year in a row. The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival is produced by Florida International University and Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about the Festival, visit sobefest.com or call 877-762-3933. For more information about Florida International University visit fiu.edu, for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management visit hospitality.fiu.edu and for more information about Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits visit southernglazers.com. National Media: Florida/Hispanic Media : The Door Brustman Carrino Public Relations (646) 340-1760 (305) 573-0658 Adeline Benge ([email protected]) Larry Carrino ([email protected]) Kristine McGlinchey ([email protected]) SOURCE Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Related Links http://sobefest.com The article explores the extraordinary story of two women working together to bring those responsible for genocide to account. In August 2014 Nadia watched as IS fighters murdered many of her friends and family because of their Yazidi faith and took thousands of others as prisoners including Nadia herself. After weeks of being raped daily, Nadia managed to escape her captors and was able to flee to Germany. Murad and Clooney bring different strengths to their campaign. In a society in which rape brings shame to the victim as well as the perpetrator, Murad shows extraordinary courage in speaking out about her ordeal. Clooney is using her brains, as a highly regarded human-rights lawyer, and her fame as the wife of a Hollywood superstar. She is framing a legal strategy, keeping the case in the headlines and lobbying governments to take it seriously; and the article suggests that Clooney's high profile is helping to win attention for her cause: "Today her [Clooney's] celebrity may sometimes be a distraction, but it has undoubtedly made her more effective as an advocate." Author Robert Guest interviewed Murad and Clooney for the piece and travelled to Mount Sinjar in Iraq to find out more about the situation on the ground. He explains why this story is so important: "Getting governments to care about human-rights abuses in far-off places is hard. But Amal Clooney and Nadia Murad make a very effective team. Amal is brainy and famous and great at grabbing politicians' attention. And Nadia is probably the bravest person I've ever met. I doubt anyone can hear her story without weeping." Emma Duncan, 1843's editor, says, "We're proud to be carrying such an important story about two remarkable women." You can read the full feature piece in this February/March 2017 issue of 1843 available now on newsstands, on 1843magazine.com here https://www.1843magazine.com/features/two-women-one-cause and via the 1843 magazine app. 1843 is The Economist's sister publication, a new magazine of ideas, culture and lifestyle. ABOUT THE ECONOMIST'S 1843 1843 is The Economist's bi-monthly magazine of ideas, culture and lifestyle. Aimed at the globally curious, every issue includes in-depth features, as well as culture, design, technology, travel, style, food and drink, and body and mind. The Economist is one of the most widely recognised and well-read current affairs publications. The paper covers politics, business, science and technology, and books and arts, concluding each week with the obituary. In addition to the web-only content such as blogs, debates and audio/video programmes available on the website, The Economist is available to download for reading on Android, Blackberry PlayBook, iPhone or iPad devices. The Economist Espresso, our daily briefing smartphone app, is also available for download via iTunes App Store or Google Play. SOURCE The Economist Related Links www.economist.com WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation announced today the winners of its 2017 FRANSHARK competition, sponsored by the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation and SUBWAY, which was held at the International Franchise Association 57th Annual Convention in Las Vegas. The four entrepreneurs who hailed from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia were selected by a panel of judges from 18 winners of the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition, which engages young entrepreneurs seeking careers and business opportunities in the franchising industry. As part of the FRANSHARK competition, each participant pitched their business to a panel of industry experts and nearly 4,000 convention attendees for a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $5,000 $10,000. Judges included Tony Valle, CFE, CEO of CollegePro; Dave Mortensen, president and co-founder of Anytime Fitness; and John Rotche, CFE, CEO of Franworth; and convention attendees cast votes to determine the grand prize winner. This year, Jennifer Turliuk, founder of MakerKids, took home first place, which included a $10,000 cash prize. David Blue, founder of Blue Moon Estate Sales USA, and David Lindsay, founder of Salts of the Earth, each received $5,000. The judges also awarded a $5,000 prize sponsored by Dave Mortensen and Anytime Fitness to Alejandro Souza, founder of Pixza, a social enterprise franchise. "The millennial generation is known for its entrepreneurial spirit, and we are thrilled to introduce such impressive young businessmen and women to the wealth of opportunity that awaits them in the franchising industry," said David McKinnon, CFE, Foundation vice chair and chairman of the NextGen in Franchising Committee. "While the competition was steep, each of this year's FRANSHARK winners displayed exceptional business acumen and showcased the immense potential for success of each of their business concepts. We have no doubt that their futures are bright, and look forward to providing them with unwavering support as they continue grow into the leaders of tomorrow." The 2017 FRANSHARK winners include: David Blue , founder of Blue Moon Estate Sales USA ( United States ). Blue co-founded Blue Moon Estate Sales USA with his mother to conduct personal property liquidation for people who are downsizing or dealing with the estate of a deceased relative. The company's mission is to bring standardization to a growing, in-demand industry that for years has been run by small companies providing extreme variability in the quality of service to its clients. In 2015, the company's 11 locations reported $2.5 million in gross sales, and is projected to hit nearly $5 million by year-end. Blue plans to have a total of 200 units in five years, with annual gross sales in excess of $80 million annually. Blue co-founded Blue Moon Estate Sales with his mother to conduct personal property liquidation for people who are downsizing or dealing with the estate of a deceased relative. The company's mission is to bring standardization to a growing, in-demand industry that for years has been run by small companies providing extreme variability in the quality of service to its clients. In 2015, the company's 11 locations reported in gross sales, and is projected to hit nearly by year-end. Blue plans to have a total of 200 units in five years, with annual gross sales in excess of annually. Jennifer Turliuk , founder of MakerKids ( Canada ). After graduating from Singularity University, a NASA-based program where students learn how to apply technology to education, Turliuk founded MakerKids. The company runs programs on robotics, coding and Minecraft for kids ages 8-12 through camps, after-school programs and birthday parties. Graduates of MakerKids have gone on to start businesses, present their projects on national TV, teach classes, and more. The company has received national and international press coverage, hundreds of franchise requests, and globally recognized awards. After graduating from Singularity University, a NASA-based program where students learn how to apply technology to education, Turliuk founded MakerKids. The company runs programs on robotics, coding and Minecraft for kids ages 8-12 through camps, after-school programs and birthday parties. Graduates of MakerKids have gone on to start businesses, present their projects on national TV, teach classes, and more. The company has received national and international press coverage, hundreds of franchise requests, and globally recognized awards. David Lindsay , founder of Salts of the Earth ( Australia ). Lindsay founded Salts of the Earth (SOTE) in 2010 after seeing the incredible effects salt therapy had on his father's respiratory ailments. In just five years, SOTE has grown from one center in Melbourne to 19 centers in Victoria , New South Wales , Western Australia and South Australia , and is the largest salt therapy franchise in the world. Lindsay plans on expanding the business into key international markets, such as the U.S., China , Malaysia and the U.K. over the next five years. In the Australian market alone, sales are estimated to grow by an average of 42 percent year-over-year, with net profit growing by an average of 67 percent year-over-year. Lindsay founded Salts of the Earth (SOTE) in 2010 after seeing the incredible effects salt therapy had on his father's respiratory ailments. In just five years, SOTE has grown from one center in to 19 centers in , , and , and is the largest salt therapy franchise in the world. Lindsay plans on expanding the business into key international markets, such as the U.S., , and the U.K. over the next five years. In the Australian market alone, sales are estimated to grow by an average of 42 percent year-over-year, with net profit growing by an average of 67 percent year-over-year. Alejandro Souza , social franchise winner and founder of Pixza ( Mexico ). Pixza is an innovative and unique pizza concept that sells the world's first blue corn pizza made out of 100 percent Mexican ingredients. What makes the restaurant so special is that it simultaneously operates as a social empowerment platform; for every five slices sold, a sixth slice is automatically delivered to homeless young adults who then have the opportunity to join the company's "The Route of Change" program. Those who consequently graduate the program receive a job offer from their local pizzeria, as well as an opportunity to live in their own apartment and work with a personal coach in order to establish and implement a life plan. Consequently, the restaurant exclusively employs local homeless young adults in need and gives them an outlet to change their lives. "I am so happy and grateful to have won the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition at the International Franchise Association Annual Convention," Turliuk said. "It was amazing to learn from CEOs of large franchised companies such as College Pro and TutorDoctor. I look forward to using what I learned from this experience to expand MakerKids and grow the economy." The FRANSHARK competition culminated the year-long NextGen in Franchising Global Competition, through which nearly 400 young entrepreneurs from around the world submitted their franchise business plans for a chance to be among the top 18 winners hosted at the IFA Annual Convention. In addition to a chance to compete in FRANSHARK, NextGen finalists received a complimentary registration and travel stipend to attend the IFA's Annual Convention; a spot at the NextGen in Franchising Summit, a two-day educational and networking program for next generation entrepreneurs; a 90-day accelerator program with industry leaders and CEOs; and opportunities to network with leading franchisors, franchisees and suppliers and with other young entrepreneurs. The NextGen in Franchising program is made possible due to the generosity of its donors and sponsors, which include David McKinnon, the founding sponsor; the Stewart & Jane Bainum Fund; Lawrence "Doc" Cohen, Doc & Associates; Stephen P. Joyce Fund; Choice Hotels Foundation; J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; Tariq Farid, Edible Arrangements; Charlie Chase, FirstService Brands; Amit Kleinberger, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt; Aziz Hashim, NRD Holdings; Joe Bourdow, Valpak; Melanie Bergeron, Two Men & A Truck Intl.; Amit Pamecha, FranConnect; the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation and SUBWAY; and Dave Mortensen, president and cofounder of Anytime Fitness. For more information on the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition and 2018 competition dates, please visit http://nextgenfranchising.org. About the IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation Founded in 1983, the International Franchise Association (IFA) Franchise Education & Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and supported through the generous contributions of IFA members and others. The Foundation's mission is to advance franchising and the free enterprise system by increasing the knowledge and professional standards of all members of the franchising community; educating the next generation of franchise practitioners; increasing recognition of franchising's key role in the free enterprise system; and providing comprehensive information and research about important developments and trends in franchising. About the International Franchise Association Celebrating 56 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 7.6 million direct jobs, $674.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development. Contact: Samantha Russo Fish Consulting [email protected] 954-893-9150 Gionne Jones IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation [email protected] 202-662-0772 SOURCE IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation Related Links http://nextgenfranchising.org "I am on a mission to make Virginia the most veteran-friendly state in the Nation," said Governor McAuliffe. "We have the fastest-growing veteran population, the greatest share of veterans in our workforce, and the largest percentage of female veterans of any state in the country." The V3 Program reached the initial goal of creating 10,000 veteran jobs years early, and accomplished the 20,000-job stretch goal in November 2016. The Governor set a new goal today to reach 25,000 veteran jobs before he leaves office. "We're thrilled to bring StreetShares into the V3 Program as we work to hit our new goal of 25,000 veterans hired by the end of my Administration," Governor McAuliffe said. "We have a shared passion for empowering Virginia veterans and making smart investments in education, employment, and entrepreneurship." StreetShares also announced the "StreetShares 1,000 Virginia Veteran Jobs Initiative," to support the V3 goal of 25,000 veteran jobs in the next 12 months. "Great companies, like great governors, seek to solve great problems. That's what we're trying to do here," said Mark L. Rockefeller, Iraq war veteran, CEO and Co-Founder of StreetShares. "StreetShares has a community of more than 30,000 veterans, small businesses and those who support them, brought together by mobile technology." Rockefeller described StreetShares as a 'force-multiplier' to reach Virginia's goal. Additionally, Rockefeller announced the finalists for the StreetShares Foundation's Veteran Small Business Award. In support of veteran entrepreneurship, the Foundation's goal is to inspire, educate, and support veteran business ownership in America through content, inspirational stories, and three business grants totaling to $10,000 each month. Grants are made possible by partnering with JPMorgan Chase who also attended the event and has a shared passion for veteran entrepreneurship. About StreetShares, Inc. StreetShares, Inc. is America's social finance community for veterans and their supporters. Business owners get fast, affordable small business loans through investors who support their business. Membership is free and open to all Americans. Both StreetShares, Inc. and StreetShares Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, are veteran-operated and located outside of Washington, D.C. Contact: Shauna Vo Pulayya, 347-330-4104, [email protected] SOURCE StreetShares, Inc. Related Links http://www.streetshares.com NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE: GHL), a leading independent investment bank, announced today that Scott L. Bok, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to deliver a presentation on February 7, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. at the Credit Suisse 18th Annual Financial Services Forum. The presentation will be available in the Investor Relations section of Greenhill's website, www.greenhill.com. Greenhill & Co., Inc. is a leading independent investment bank entirely focused on providing financial advice on significant mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, financings and capital raising to corporations, partnerships, institutions and governments globally. It acts for clients located throughout the world from its offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Contact: David Trone Director of Investor Relations Greenhill & Co., Inc. (212) 389-1800 SOURCE Greenhill & Co., Inc. Related Links http://www.greenhill.com PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's world-famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, predicted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow this morning in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Thousands of fans watched as Phil made his highly-anticipated weather prognostication, commemorating 131 years of Pennsylvania's unique Groundhog Day tradition. According to holiday folklore, if the groundhog emerges in the early morning on February 2 and sees his shadow, six more weeks of wintry weather are expected. "Each February, the eyes of the world turn to Punxsutawney, a town of just 5,500 residents, that represents the charm and history of so many of our small towns across Pennsylvania," said Governor Tom Wolf. "In addition to Punxsutawney's quirky appeal, this event spurs a tourism boost, adding $1 million to the region's economy annually. Through this event, the local economy is stimulated significantly with vendors and shops experiencing increased sales and hotels lodging, restaurants, and other businesses in the hospitality industry accommodating high numbers of patrons." Groundhog Day, a popular tradition in the United States, has a long history, crossing centuries and different ethnic cultures. More recently, the annual Pennsylvania event that started with a small group of men known as the Inner Circle now attracts up to 30,000 visitors to Punxsutawney, Jefferson County, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. "It is an honor to help share Punxsutawney Phil's prognostication with the world," said Groundhog Club Inner Circle President Bill Deeley. "For more than 130 years, Punxsutawney Phil has been the only true weather forecasting groundhog and he's right 100 percent of the time, of course!" Phil's prediction is broadcast each year on visitPA.com which results in the largest single day of traffic to the website. In 2016, the website received more than 287,000 page views, a new record which is expected to be broken this year. "Groundhog Day is a great way to introduce children to the excitement of weather forecasting," said Janice Dean, Fox News meteorologist and the 2017 inductee into the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center's Meteorologist Hall of Fame. "I hope the enthusiasm surrounding this morning's prognostication inspires a future generation of meteorologists." Follow Visit PA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to discover winter activities over the next six weeks with fun facts and photos using the hashtag #SixMoreWeeks. Travelers are encouraged to share what makes them happy in the winter using #PAHappySnaps. The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, under the Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to inspiring travel to Pennsylvania. For more information, go to visitPA.com or sign up for our Happy Thoughts newsletter, become a fan at facebook.com/visitPA, follow us at twitter.com/visitPA, check out photos at instagram.com/visit_pa, share pins at pinterest.com/visitPA, or watch us on youtube.com/visitPA. MEDIA CONTACT: David Misner, 717-783-1132 SOURCE Pennsylvania Tourism Office Related Links http://www.visitpa.com Drawing from the Healthline survey on sugar, the American Heart Association published an article with its take on the data, http://news.heart.org/survey-sugar-is-bad-but-people-cant-stop-eating-it/. The amount of sugar that is considered "too much" has not been engrained into the minds of most consumers as it has for other nutrition facts such as total calories, carbs, and fat. Two out of 3 survey respondents said that sugar was their main concern (over fat and carbs) and admit they need to reduce their sugar intake. Many told us they feel guilty about eating sugar but their answers show that they don't fully understand how much sugar is contained in their foods, nor do they fully comprehend the role of sugar in physical addiction. The survey serves as the centerpiece for the website's #BreakUpWithSugar campaign, http://www.healthline.com/health/sugar/breakupwithsugar, which includes articles, infographics, animated shorts, and videos. Guest contributors included prominent nutritionist Keri Glassman, who will be appearing on "The Doctors" to talk about sugar in relation to Valentine's Day; and New York Times bestselling author Gabby Bernstein, who will be appearing on "The Doctor Oz Show" to talk about breaking up with sugar in her indomitable Spirit Junkie way. For the campaign, Glassman contributed her "12-Step Guide to Breaking Up with Sugar," http://www.healthline.com/health/sugar/12-step-guide-to-breaking-up-with-sugar, and Bernstein recounted her personal experience quitting sugar in "Sweet Talk: Gabby Bernstein's Big Breakup with Sugar," http://www.healthline.com/health/gabby-bernstein-break-up-with-sugar. "The survey revealed to us that just letting people know about the facts around sugar's dangerous effects to our health is not enough," said Tracy Stickler, editor in chief. "That's why our campaign offers both everyday tips as they relate to the supermarket or kitchen as well as emotional and spiritual advice for cutting back on sugar, which is highly addictive." The survey showed few have succeeded in achieving a healthy relationship with sugar; most of us seek to eat less sugar but fail. The majority of those surveyed admit to eating too much sugar yet 3 out of 4 do not know the recommended amount of added sugar to take in on a daily basis. Two out of 3 guess wrong on sugar contents of popular foods and 70% don't know how many grams are in a teaspoon of sugar nor the calorie equivalent. "Scientific research has shown that along with obesity and tooth decay, sugar is linked to serious illnesses including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. It also can contribute to skin issues, the aging process and be highly addictive," said David Kopp, CEO of Healthline Media, Inc. "Our readers depend on our guidance to help them navigate through the complexities of health issues. With sugar, it's not just about our changing our actions, it's also about shifting our mindset, which we address in our coverage." The Healthline survey did reveal a high percentage of people seek foods labeled as having little or no sugar. More than half, 56 percent, said while shopping, they prioritized the label designating "no sugar added" and 32 percent looked for "sugar free" foods. Only 10 percent said they don't look at food labels, but for those who do, over 1 in 3 (38%) don't trust food labels. By July 26, 2018 the Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods are required to change including listing "total sugar" and "added sugars."1 Americans are in for quite a surprise as to the actual amount of total and added sugar packaged food items really contain as today significant amounts of added sugar are hidden in the ingredients listing and not the Nutrition Facts. There are over 60 different names for sugar -- most unrecognizable to the average consumer. Additionally, there seems to be a misunderstanding when it comes to foods that contain a high amount of sugar that aren't perceived to be as sugar-laden as categories that overtly contain sugar as a central ingredient, such as cake, ice cream, and sweetened cereal. For example, when respondents were asked to select the food item with the most sugar in pairings, they incorrectly assumed common baked goods and dessert contained more sugar than a yogurt with fruit or an energy bar. Adding complexity is also the fact that the vast majority (76 percent) were not aware of the American Heart Association's daily recommendation for added sugar intake Men (36 grams/9 teaspoons/150 calories) and Women (24 grams/6 teaspoons/100 calories).2 About Healthline The fastest growing health information brand reaching 50 million people monthly, Healthline's mission is to be a consumer's most trusted ally in the pursuit of health and well-being. Healthline provides socially-inspired, medically-reviewed and data-driven content to help us all live stronger, healthier lives. * The Healthline surveys were conducted September 22 October 5, 2016 among a national sample of 2,723 Healthline visitors and a national sample of 500 online consumers. Findings are statistically significant at a 95% confidence level, with +/- 5% margin of error. **Healthline.com is the 2nd largest Health Information domain in the Digital population, reaching 26,407,000 UV's according to comScore Media Metrix/US only/September 2016. Healthline's global monthly reach is over 50 million per Google Analytics. References: Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label. May 27, 2016 . FDA.gov. New Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods to reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases. Manufacturers will need to use the new label by July 26, 2018 . http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm Sugar 101. American Heart Association. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Sugar-101_UCM_306024_Article.jsp#.V_8HqvkrI0M MEDIA CONTACTS: Rachel Albert [email protected] 212-886-6704 Nan-Kirsten Forte [email protected] 201-783-6201 SOURCE Healthline.com Related Links http://www.healthline.com "We are not afraid," signs held by staff members at the school's entrance said Wednesday morning, and publicized the website, "WeWelcomerefugees.com," while others said "You all are welcome here." WHEATON - Wheaton Illinois' James Howard Monroe Middle School says it is " inspiring in everyone a passion to excel, " but parents were stunned to learn this morning that staff members met students with signs inspiring passions to react against the Trump Administration's effort to protect American citizens. "Your voice is direly needed in this defining, historic moment, to be part of a coalition of the faith community who are compelled to be the voice of Christ, and show support for refugees, immigrants and minorities who now fear how potential political changes may significantly, and detrimentally, upend their whole world," the site the signs referenced says. The comments on the signs are similar to those that rose up over the weekend in protest of the Trump Administration, which placed a temporary travel ban on certain immigrants and refugees hoping to find solace in America. The Trump Administration clamped down on travelers from seven countries where terrorists are reportedly being cultivated and trained for destruction to Western Civilization. Bryan Buck, the school's principal, emailed parents Wednesday morning that having taxpayer-funded school staff meeting 6th, 7th and 8th grade students with those signs "could be perceived as political activity." No apology was issued, only explanation and defense for the staff members: Monroe Parents, This morning as students were entering the building, there were several school staff members holding signage reading, We are not afraid, wewelcomerefugees.com and You are all welcome here. The intent behind this demonstration was to make sure that all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion or language, are welcome at our schools. I understand that this situation could be perceived as political activity. Please know that the true the intent was to show openness and support for all our students. Our school district and community represent an amazing cross-section of the world, and we strive to ensure that each student is included and has a place to learn, develop and succeed in our schools. Thank you again for your continued commitment and support of one another and our school. Bryan Buck, Principal The website the signs promoted is sponsored by the following organizations: SAN DIEGO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of international expansion, female-focused coworking space Hera Hub signed its second licensing agreement to open in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. This will be the Southern California-based company's fifth location in the U.S., which will further Hera Hub's mission of supporting over 20,000 women in the launch and growth of their businesses by 2020. Leading Hera Hub's expansion into Arizona is Shatha Barbour. Barbour's first actions as licensee are to build the community while securing space for the Phoenix location. "Since I discovered Hera Hub, I knew that this was my mission in life: to create, nurture, and grow an environment that provides continuous inspiration and support for female entrepreneurs. The energy and collaboration I felt and saw in action was intoxicating! Phoenix is exploding with entrepreneurial energy, and I'm honored to bring Hera Hub's female wisdom and voice to enhance the city's business environment," said Barbour. Phoenix and its surrounding metropolitan areas are growing at a rapid rate, forecasted to be the #4 largest city by 2020. Phoenix is intent on bolstering its small business and entrepreneurial environment to compete with other large cities due to a number of favorable factors. This makes it a prime location to open a Hera Hub and support the female entrepreneurial market. "We see Phoenix/Scottsdale as the perfect market to expand Hera Hub's reach, not only because it's a hotbed for female founders, but because it is host to so many growing industries, such as aerospace and defense, technology and innovation, renewable energy, bioscience, optics, and advanced manufacturing," said Felena Hanson, Hera Hub's founder. "Shatha Barbour is a natural connector, the perfect person to lead and support women in the region." Felena Hanson will also be speaking at Phoenix Startup Week on Tuesday, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. on the Keys to Building a Scalable Business - http://sched.co/9Plv. #yesPHX Hera Hub's shared workspaces serve women across multiple industries, from biotech and high-tech, business operations, legal advisors, and tax professionals to artists, designers, educators, and creative experts. The spaces, which offer an open layout, lend to collaboration across industries. Weekly educational seminars, intensive workshops, and one-on-one mentoring also strengthen the business acumen and ties among members. While Hera Hub was designed by women, for women, it is open to all independent workers who value collaboration and community. For more information about Hera Hub Phoenix, visit www.HeraHub.com/Phoenix. About Hera Hub Hera Hub is a shared, flexible coworking and meeting space where entrepreneurial women can create and collaborate in a professional, productive, spa-like environment. The platform provides members with connections to other business experts, access to educational workshops, and visibility within the community, thus giving them the support they need to be prosperous. Hera Hub offers cost-effective monthly membership options that are suited for freelancers, independent consultants, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and authors. The company was founded in San Diego, California in 2011. www.HeraHub.com and www.HeraHubExpansion.com SOURCE Hera Hub Related Links http://www.herahub.com The company also announced today the upcoming retirement of Bryan Farnsworth, senior vice president of supply chain. As a result, Mark Coffey, vice president of affiliated business units in Refrigerated Foods, will assume the role of vice president of supply chain, and Mark Morey, former president of the company's previous Farmer John (Vernon, Calif.) business, will assume the role of vice president of affiliated business units in Refrigerated Foods. "Congratulations to both Larry and Bryan on their retirements. We greatly appreciate their leadership and dedication over the years and wish each of them the best," said Jim Snee, president and CEO. "In addition, I'd like to congratulate Mark Coffey and Mark Morey on their new roles. We look forward to their leadership and expertise in these areas." Lyons Lyons joined Hormel Foods in 1978 as an industrial engineering trainee at the company's former Fort Dodge (Iowa) Plant. In 1981, he became a compensation analyst at the Corporate Office (Austin, Minn.), and later became the industrial relations supervisor. In 1988, he transferred to the Beloit (Wis.) Plant in the role of manager of personnel and purchasing. Lyons became the corporate manager of safety and security at the Corporate Office in 1993, followed by other human resources roles including manager of employee relations and director of personnel, until being named director of human resources in 2006. He assumed his current role in 2014. Farnsworth In 1981, Farnsworth began his career with Hormel Foods at the Fremont (Neb.) Plant. He held a variety of quality and process control positions at the Fremont Plant, Corporate Office, Austin (Minn.) Plant, Beloit Plant and at Jennie-O Turkey Store. He gained plant manager experience in 1995 at Jennie-O Turkey Store Willmar (Minn.) and Montevideo (Minn.) facilities, and moved back to the Corporate Office in 1996 as director of quality management. Farnsworth advanced to vice president of quality management in 2005 and assumed his current role in 2014. Coffey Coffey began his career with Hormel Foods in 1985 as a relief foreman at the company's former Ottumwa (Iowa) facility. He held various relief foreman and foreman positions at the Austin Plant, the former Dallas (Texas) facility and the Atlanta Plant (Tucker, Ga.), before becoming the supervisor of sausage and cured and smoked meats at the Atlanta Plant in 1989. Two years later, he moved to the Corporate Office as the product manufacturing manager for cured and smoked meats, followed by the product manufacturing manager for fresh sausage and linear programs in 1993. From 1995 to 2011, Coffey worked as plant manager for the former Houston (Texas) facility, Dold Foods (Wichita, Kan.), Osceola (Iowa) Food, Fremont (Neb.) Plant and then the Austin Plant. He assumed his current role in 2011. Morey Morey began his career as a meat products sales representative in Dallas (Texas) in 1993 and the same year became a territory manager in Minneapolis (Minn.). In 1994, he became a meat products product manager at the company's former Dubuque (Iowa) Foods facility and in 1995, became a regional foodservice sales manager for Dubuque Foods in Boston (Ma.). In 1998, he returned to the Corporate Office as the product manager of fresh pork. Two years later, he became the director of marketing, Precept Foods, and in 2006 became a group product manager in meat products. In 2008, he advanced to director of fresh meats marketing and general manager of Precept Foods. Morey moved to president of Dan's Prize in 2009 then president of Farmer John in 2015. About Hormel Foods Inspired People. Inspired Food. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the eighth year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future - Inspired People. Inspired Food. - focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://2015csr.hormelfoods.com/. Contact: Kelly Braaten Hormel Foods [email protected] SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormelfoods.com CHICAGO and ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and United Airlines today announced a collaboration to deliver a robust suite of enterprise iOS apps, unleashing the power of the more than 50,000 iOS devices in the hands of the airline's front-line employees. As part of IBM and Apple's global partnership to redefine the way work gets done, these made-for-business apps will be powered by analytics and customized to further drive the airline's digital transformation, enhancing how United serves its customers. Photo Credit: United Airlines Creative Services Caption: IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps will help digitally transform how United employees engage with their customers Over the past several years, United has increasingly sought to untether its global workforce by putting the unique capabilities of iPhone and iPad in the hands of employees. This collaboration will further heighten that strategy, with IBM set to develop a suite of IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps both market ready and custom iOS apps for the airline's growing deployment of iOS devices. "United Airlines is committed to delivering positive traveler experiences that begin with front line engagements during all points of the passenger journey from check-in to departure to destination," said Dee Waddell, Global Managing Director, Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM. "This enhanced strategy with mobile solutions from IBM and Apple allows United Airlines employees to tap into the right information at the right time to instantaneously address the needs that matter most to passengers." United's mobility strategy is designed to empower its employees to better meet customer needs in real time. With data and insight at their fingertips, flight attendants will have greater visibility into which customers are connecting in order to assist them in finding their gates upon arrival. Customer service agents, long tied to their work stations and gate podiums, will have more freedom to move about the concourse assisting customers instead of being tied to a fixed position. Those are just some of the ways that fliers will enjoy a more tailored, customer-friendly travel experience once the apps reach the field. "We want to put our employees in a position to deliver exceptional service at every step of the travel experience," said United's vice president of operations technology Jason Birnbaum. "We have incredible employees out in the field who rely on technology to help our customers. The mobile solutions and working closely with IBM and Apple enables us to provide innovative solutions for them on an unprecedented scale." United Airlines is leveraging Mobile at Scale for iOS, a new IBM app design and development model for the rapid development and deployment of multiple iOS apps. This unique, integrated approach enables United to work closely with IBM to quickly and efficiently design, develop, deploy and maintain iOS apps over their lifecycle. Apps will be seamlessly integrated with United's core enterprise processes, equipping employees with the expertise, solutions and data to change how they work. United will also have access to IBM Studios in multiple cities, as well as a dedicated IBM iX team specializing in design, development and integration team to rapidly deliver new apps that are tailored specifically to support the needs of United's employees. About IBM For more information, visit http://www.ibm.com/services/gbs. For more information regarding IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps and services, please visit: www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/mobilefirst-for-iOS.html or www.apple.com/business/mobile-enterprise-apps/. About United United Airlines and United Express operate more than 4,500 flights a day to 339 airports across five continents. In 2016, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 143 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 737 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express partners operate 483 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL". Media Contacts Marisa Conway IBM Media Relations (212) 671-9408 [email protected] United Airlines Worldwide Media Relations (872) 825-8640 [email protected] SOURCE IBM Related Links https://www.ibm.com/us-en OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Essense Designs, an award-winning bridal house with gowns in more than 1,200 stores worldwide, is proud to launch the EveryBody/EveryBride program through its Essense of Australia and Stella York labels. The industry-leading initiative brings an unmatched range of sizes, styles and silhouettes to the plus-size bridal market. Essense Designs Through years of extensive research and focus groups, Essense Designs discovered that plus-size brides weren't always provided the same "dream" dress-shopping experience that other brides received. While the fashion industry has made great strides in catering to women of all sizes, the bridal industry is still far behind. Typically, bridal shops only offer sample dresses in sizes 6, 8 and 10. They may carry a small selection of plus-size wedding dresses but they are often in less-than-fashionable styles, leaving the size-18+ bride with scarce options and a lackluster experience. Many plus-size brides leave bridal salons feeling defeated, and are forced to order a dress that they've never had the opportunity to try on. Essense Designs believes that every bridewhether she's a size 2 or 32deserves to enjoy her wedding-planning process and feel beautiful on her wedding day. The EveryBody/EveryBride program puts plus-size samples in Essense's partner stores, giving all brides the opportunity to try on wedding dresses and envision what they'll look like on their wedding day. With more than 180 different styles available in up to size 34/36, brides of all body types will find something flattering and fashion-forward, from bohemian A-line styles to sexy fit-and-flare gowns. These on-trend dresses aren't from a separate plus-size-only collectionthey are the same styles and silhouettes brides see pinned online from top-name designers Essense of Australia and Stella York. And unlike other bridal labels, there is no extra cost involved with purchasing a plus-size version of these gowns. "Shopping for a wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Martine Harris, Chief Creative Officer of Essense Designs. "And finding 'the one' should be a special, memorable moment, shared with the bride's closest family and friends. We want her to feel confident and gorgeous when she stands in front of the mirror in a properly fit Essense or Stella York gown. Regardless of her shape or size, every girl should experience the pure joy of finding her dream dress." Essense Designs is also pleased to incorporate plus-size imagery on its websites, in its advertising, on social media and in the tools provided to its partner retailers. Every store that participates in EveryBody/EveryBride will be better equip to communicate, service and create positive outcomes for the thousands of plus-size women who walk through their doors. "EveryBody/EveryBride is about more than just dresses," Harris said. "It's a mindset, a culture of inclusion and a celebration of every woman. We're thrilled to lead the wedding industry in making this shift." For more information on the EveryBody/EveryBride program, please visit essenseofaustralia.com and stellayork.com. About Essense Designs Essense Designs was founded in Perth, Australia, by Wayne and Martine Harris in 1992 with the mission to exceed brides' expectations by designing, manufacturing and wholesaling wedding gown collections with fashion-forward styling, superb fit, couture finishing and extraordinary customer service. The company's Overland Park, Kan. office in the Kansas City metro area serves as the hub of its northern-hemisphere business, while its original office in Perth serves the southern hemisphere. The company also has offices in the UK and Switzerland, and serves more than 1,200 retailers worldwide. The Essense Designs family of brandswhich includes Essense of Australia, Stella York, Martina Liana and Sorella Vitacan be found in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and throughout Europe. Contact: Meg Buckley, Vice President of Marketing 913.276.5628 [email protected] Related Images image1.jpg image2.jpg image3.jpg image4.jpg Related Links Essense Designs Blog - Pretty.Happy.Love. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Essense Designs SAO PAULO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Level 3 Communications is sharing the results of the Level 3 Security Index, a study conducted by leading analyst firm IDC to identify the information security and corporate IT infrastructure maturity of Brazilian organizations. In the Level 3-sponsored study, Brazil received an overall score of 64.9 points out of a possible total of 100 points. Read the Full Study Here: www.level3.com/SecurityIndex The Level 3 Security Index, a study by IDC, is the first information security index in Brazil, revealing a need for cybersecurity vigilance and adoption of best practices in the region. Key Findings: On average, companies in Brazil have two professionals dedicated to information security. have two professionals dedicated to information security. About 57 percent of interviewed organizations already use Managed Security Services (MSS) as a response to the lack of qualified professionals. Approximately 25 percent of companies cannot measure the impacts stemming from incidents related to information security. Only 42 percent of organizations claim to practice and generate metrics on the compliance of their information security policies. The report researched four topics: Awareness, Tools, Prevention, Mitigation. Awareness: The study showed large companies have greater difficulty with visibility of security issues. This lack of visibility is related to the complexity of their environments and systems. As for awareness to quantify suffered or mitigated attacks, 34 percent have complete visibility; the other 66 percent have no or partial visibility. When asked about measuring security incidents' impact, 25.5 percent don't know, and 32 percent know superficially, while 42.2 percent can detail the impact in every system or critical ones. Tools: The study showed internal technology tools are the most challenging area for security. This is because the acquisition of security-oriented technology tools, to some extent, are linked to companies' investment capacity. According to the research, more than 61 percent of companies believe only a few professionals are fully qualified or are below the ideal regarding the level of staff training to use the tools available. Prevention: Large companies are active in prevention, establishing and monitoring controls with greater attendance, ensuring a better level of performance. When asked about policies and information security standards established and documented, 28 percent do not have a set schedule to review and update, while 33 percent review and update only once a year. Mitigation: The study shows communication skills and the activation structure are, in many cases, informal and not well documented. 46 percent of companies have no frequency of revision for contingency and security procedures. When asked about the degree of alignment on information security, in the item "internal controls of fraud detection and prevention are periodically validated," 41 percent consider this is reality in their companies,, while 59 percent of respondents still consider it it distant. Next Steps: The study recommends these items to improve the overall maturity of information security for Brazilian companies: Think about hiring outsourced and managed services. Invest in tools that enable better control, visibility and automation to maximize the information security team's efficiency. Prioritize investments according to the priority of each environment, risk and impact assessment. Show the benefits of information security using well-defined metrics. Conduct safety tests more frequently and with a larger scope. 2017 Outlook: The study showed a more proactive outlook for information security in 2017. More than 42 percent of the companies surveyed intend to increase their IT budget for 2017 in comparison to 2016. The Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model is gaining traction not only for computing but also for storage a factor that increases concerns around security and governance of information. Key Quotes: Luciano Ramos, Software Research Coordinator, IDC Brazil "The index shows that Brazil still has a long way to mature in the area of security. Companies need to understand the importance of each of the areas analyzed in the index and balance their investment based on them. To advance from the current level, there are actions that need to be undertaken regarding team specialization, revision of processes and adoption of state-of-the-art tools. The evolution of Information Security is a subject that must be addressed continually." Andre Magno, Director of Data Center and Security, Level 3 Brazil "With the rapid growth of cybersecurity threats in Brazil, which is above the world average, we've noticed the need to develop a study that could reveal the current degree of maturity of security practices in Brazilian corporations. From this index, we can collaborate with the Brazilian market to focus on the main opportunities in the evolution of cybersecurity for their business and customers." Methodology: To reach this result, IDC interviewed 100 companies based in Brazil with more than 250 employees (most with more than 1,000 employees). They interviewed managers in four areas: awareness, tools, prevention and mitigation. During interviews with Information Security leaders, researchers assessed their degree of knowledge about the impact of security in business, detection skills and the ability to measure threats to their systems, among other topics. Also, they analyzed data available on IDC Global and Brazil, and the market to have more qualitative information. The final index is the mathematical weighting of the four themes proposed in the interviews. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC. About Level 3 Communications Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) is a Fortune 500 company that provides local, national and global communications services to enterprise, government and carrier customers. Level 3's comprehensive portfolio of secure, managed solutions includes fiber and infrastructure solutions; IP-based voice and data communications; wide-area Ethernet services; video and content distribution; data center and cloud-based solutions. Level 3 serves customers in more than 500 markets in over 60 countries across a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities. For more information, please visit www.level3.com or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Level 3 Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Level 3, Vyvx, Level 3 Communications, Level (3) and the Level 3 Logo are either registered service marks or service marks of Level 3 Communications, LLC and/or one of its Affiliates in the United States and elsewhere. Any other service names, product names, company names or logos included herein are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Level 3 services are provided by subsidiaries of Level 3 Communications, Inc. The information contained under the title "About IDC" is provided by IDC and is solely responsible for its content. Forward-Looking Statement Some statements made in this press release are forward-looking in nature and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. Important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to: increase revenue from its services to realize its targets for financial and operating performance; develop and maintain effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; avert the breach of its network and computer system security measures; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; manage the future expansion or adaptation of its network to remain competitive; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; manage risks associated with continued uncertainty in the global economy; manage continued or accelerated decreases in market pricing for communications services; obtain capacity for its network from other providers and interconnect its network with other networks on favorable terms; successfully integrate future acquisitions; effectively manage political, legal, regulatory, foreign currency and other risks it is exposed to due to its substantial international operations; mitigate its exposure to contingent liabilities; and meet all of the terms and conditions of its debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc. Related Links http://www.level3.com MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Intermedia.net, Inc. ("Intermedia"), a leading cloud business applications provider, announced today that its previously disclosed acquisition by Chicago-based private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners ("MDP"), together with company management, has closed. Since its founding in 1995, Intermedia has been a pioneer in delivering secure, reliable, and highly supported cloud business applications. In May 2011, Intermedia was acquired by private equity firm, Oak Hill Capital Partners ("Oak Hill"), and has since transformed from a business email and web hosting company to a leading provider of over 30 Office in the Cloud applications. Intermedia has also more than tripled revenues (to an annualized revenue run rate of $200M), operating profits (EBITDA), users and product offerings during this time. As part of the MDP family, Intermedia will continue to operate as a standalone company delivering tightly-integrated cloud solutions to businesses and the channel partners that serve them. "Our partnership with MDP gives us added flexibility and resources to further strengthen our leadership position," said Michael Gold, CEO of Intermedia. "With a shared vision of the future, we plan to accelerate growth through increased investments in our cloud management platform, channel solutions, communities and programs, our J.D. Power-certified support experience, new and existing products, targeted industry solutions, and potential additional acquisitions." "We are pleased to welcome Intermedia into the MDP family," said Zaid Alsikafi, a Managing Director at MDP and Intermedia's new Chairman. "Intermedia has been able to successfully capitalize upon the global shift to the cloud and possesses tremendous potential to capture further market opportunities. We look forward to working alongside Mike and the Intermedia senior management team as we further scale the business." Michael Gold remains Chief Executive Officer of Intermedia, and the company's headquarters continues to be in Mountain View, California. Phil Koen, Intermedia CEO until early 2015 and most recently the company's Executive Chairman, will continue in an advisory role to the CEO. As part of the transaction, Intermedia's shareholders, led by Oak Hill, have sold their stake in the company to MDP and company management. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Advisors Advisors to Intermedia for the transaction included Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan as financial advisors, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Professional Corporation as legal counsel, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as regulatory counsel. Advisors to MDP included Evercore and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as financial advisors, Kirkland & Ellis LLP as legal counsel, and Covington & Burling LLP as regulatory counsel for MDP. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and TD Securities led financing for the transaction. About Intermedia Intermedia is a one-stop shop for cloud business applications. Its Office in the Cloud suite integrates the essential IT applications that companies need to do business, including email, voice, file backup and sharing, conferencing, instant messaging, identity and access management, mobility, security and archiving all delivered by a single provider and integrated into one control panel. Intermedia services offer enterprise-grade security, a 99.999 percent uptime service level agreement and award-winning 24/7 support, as certified by J.D. Power and TSIA. Intermedia's over 700 employees serve over 1,000,000 users across more than 85,000 businesses and 6,000 active partners, including VARs, MSPs, distributors and telecoms. Its Partner Program lets partners sell under their own brand with control over billing, pricing and other elements of their customer relationships. Intermedia is the world's largest independent provider of Exchange email in the cloud and a leading cloud voice provider. For more information, visit Intermedia.net. About Madison Dearborn Partners Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP), based in Chicago, is a leading private equity investment firm in the United States. Since MDP's formation in 1992, the firm has raised seven funds with aggregate capital of approximately $23 billion and has completed over 130 investments. Intermedia will become a portfolio company in MDP's seventh fund, which recently held a final close on $4.4 billion. MDP invests in businesses across a broad spectrum of industries, including telecom, media and technology services; financial and transaction services; business and government services; health care; basic industries; and consumer. Notable investments include Asurion, Cbeyond, Fieldglass, Intelsat, Liquid Web, MetroPCS, NextG Networks and QuickPlay Media. For more information, please visit http://www.mdcp.com. Office in the Cloud is a trademark of Intermedia.net, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. * J.D. Power 2016 Certified Assisted Technical Program, developed in conjunction with TSIA. Based on successful completion of an audit and exceeding a customer satisfaction benchmark for assisted support operations. For more information, visit www.jdpower.com or www.tsia.com. SOURCE Intermedia Related Links http://www.intermedia.net WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Catalog Mailers Association wholeheartedly endorses the just-released Postal Service Reform Act of 2017, a critical milestone toward resolving the health of our nation's Postal Service, which drives some 7.5 million jobs and $1.4 trillion in commerce. The bill was introduced by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on January 31st. "We are delighted with the progress to resolve an enormous problem that only Congress can solve, and the House seems intent on doing just that," says Bob Runke, ACMA's Vice Chairman and CEO of Barco Products. "We commend Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings and the bipartisan co-sponsors for all their hard work in the past session and their leadership in the new Congress." The ACMA believes that by gaining bipartisan support from Congress, as well as Postal Service management, its labor unions and the mailing community, this bill can truly make a difference to jobs in America while protecting critical infrastructure that all Americans rely on. "Passage of this bill is vital for the future survival of our Postal Service," says the ACMA's President & Executive Director Hamilton Davison. "Absent Congressional action, users of the mail will face increasing uncertainty that will drive business out of the mail and effectively force unprecedented taxpayer support to keep the USPS afloat - and nobody wants that." Since 1971, the US Postal Service has been fully funded by postage. It receives no taxpayer funding. "We sincerely hope the House of Representatives will quickly push this bill forward," Davison adds. "It has been studied, vetted, positively scored and is clearly good for all interests. Congress must demonstrate this is not business as usual and get this commonsense legislation passed into law." About the American Catalog Mailers Association ACMA is a Washington-based not-for-profit organization specifically created to advocate for the unique collective interests of catalog mailers in regulatory, public and administrative matters where the shared impact transcends individual company interests. ACMA participates in rulemaking and other proceedings of significance where a single collective voice increases influence and effectiveness. More information can be found at www.catalogmailers.org. SOURCE American Catalog Mailers Association Related Links http://www.catalogmailers.org YUMBE, Uganda, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The global organization Mercy Corps is expanding its programs in northern Uganda to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of thousands of South Sudanese refugees who have fled an escalation of conflict in their country. Over the past months, the number of South Sudanese refugees arriving at Uganda's northern border has dramatically increased, with more than 1,800 daily arrivals according to the United Nations. Uganda now hosts more than half a million refugees from South Sudan. Mercy Corps will implement a cash program to help some 15,000 people in Bidibidi settlement in Yumbe, northern Uganda, which is home to over 270,000 refugees, of which two-thirds are children. "Our cash grants will allow refugees to buy what they and their families need most, while also injecting much needed currency into the local economy and supporting local livelihoods," says Sean Granville-Ross, Mercy Corps Country Director for Uganda. "At Mercy Corps, we believe cash assistance is the most rapid, efficient and dignified manner of providing humanitarian aid." The Mercy Corps program will focus on the most vulnerable groups of South Sudanese refugees, including the elderly, women-headed households, unaccompanied minors and people with disabilities. A cash-for-work program will be established to provide work opportunities for both refugees and residents of the host communities as part of the conflict-management measures for the settlement. Mercy Corps chose the cash-based response following its market assessment undertaken in November 2016. The study found that marketplaces within the Bidibidi settlement are growing to meet the demands of refugees, and that a cash-based response could stimulate the local economy and support trade. Mercy Corps has been working in Uganda since 2006 specializing in economic development, financial inclusion, maternal child health and nutrition, resilience, and peacebuilding and conflict management. To support Mercy Corps' work in Uganda and elsewhere in the world, join us at mercycorps.org. SOURCE Mercy Corps Related Links http://www.mercycorps.org NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "We are offering a pulp/paper mill or a factory worker recently diagnosed with mesothelioma vital tips when it comes to hiring a lawyer/law firm to assist with a mesothelioma compensation claim. "You do not want an inexperienced personal injury attorney handling something as complex as mesothelioma litigationyou want full-time mesothelioma attorneys who exclusively handle financial compensation claims on a nationwide basis, as we would like to discuss anytime at 800-714-0303. Pulp & Paper Mill Asbestos Warning Sign "The attorneys we suggest are extremely experienced in helping pulp or paper mill workers and/or factory workers receive the very best possible financial compensation. Please don't shortchange yourself when it comes to mesothelioma compensation-because the lawyers you hired were not experienced enough." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com Vital tips about hiring a lawyer/law firm for a pulp/paper mill worker or a factory worker who has recently been diagnosed with mesothelioma, from the Mesothelioma Victims Center: Ask the prospective lawyer/law firm how many pulp/paper mill workers or factory workers they helped assist in the last twelve months obtain a mesothelioma compensation settlement that exceeded one million dollars Ask for family references that prove it If the specific lawyer you are talking to does not have these types of references please call us at 800-714-0303 for direct access to lawyers who have these types of references http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma in the United States is about 70 years old. Because of their age frequently people with mesothelioma are initially misdiagnosed with pneumonia. This year between 2,500 and 3,000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is attributable to exposure to asbestos. The states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, based on the calls the Mesothelioma Victims Center receives a pulp or paper mill and/or factory worker with mesothelioma could now live in any state including New York, Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska. High risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers, manufacturing/factory workers, pulp or paper mill workers, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, miners, construction workers, insulators, rail road worker, roofers, or firemen. As a rule, these types of workers were exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. US Navy Veterans make up about one third of US Citizens who are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com The Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "When it comes to obtaining the best mesothelioma settlement, the quality of the attorney matters, as we would like to explain anytime at 800-714-0303 - especially for a former pulp/paper mill worker, factory worker or a US Navy Veteran." http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html Media Contact: Michael Thomas 800-714-0303 [email protected] SOURCE Mesothelioma Victims Center WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council held its second meeting today in Washington, D.C. Stanley Bergman, CEO of Henry Schein, and Farooq Kathwari, President and CEO of Ethan Allen, are the co-chairs of the Council. Its 36 members are recognized business, political, and religious leaders in the American Jewish and American Muslim communities. They jointly advocate for solutions to U.S. domestic policy issues of common concern. The Council launched on November 3, ahead of Election Day, though its members had been involved in many conversations over a period of months. Their shared vision is reflected in the Council Declaration. "America promises all its citizens equal rights and equal protection under the laws. We have come together to help deliver on that promise for our communities and all Americans, and to participate in building our country pursuant to its laws and ethical traditions. Our country is unique in being a democracy based not on religious or ethnic homogeneity but on equality of all citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion. We affirm our sacred commitment to that principle," states the Council Declaration. The full text is available at the Council website www.muslimjewishadvocacy.org. Before the MJAC meeting, Council members visited Capitol Hill in the morning to meet with Democratic and Republican members of the House and Senate to raise awareness about the Council, its members and mission, and to urge lawmakers to work to strengthen the country's response to the increase in hate crimes across the U.S., especially those targeting Muslim and Jewish communities and institutions. Council members resolved to work with states and local governments to assess efforts to improve hate crimes reporting and to achieve full implementation of existing hate crimes legislation, as well as to explore initiatives to establish firmer, consistent laws regarding hate crimes. The Council elaborated on its concerns about hate crimes in an "open letter" to Congress, also found on the Council's website, in which it encouraged Representatives and Senators to ensure that the new Administration sustains the Justice Department's coordination with the states not only in the area of prosecutions, but also in the areas of public education and community relations. The Council also discussed several immigration issues, in particular the Executive Order banning travelers from certain countries and prioritizing religious minorities for refugee resettlement. "We share the deep concerns with the President's Executive Order of January 27 on refugee policy expressed by many members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats. We oppose any ban on refugee or other immigration to the United States based on religion," stated the Council in its open letter to Congress. The day of MJAC advocacy in Washington ended with a bipartisan Capitol Hill reception co-hosted by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ben Cardin (D-Maryland). SOURCE The Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council Related Links http://www.muslimjewishadvocacy.org WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the nation's leading nonprofit promoting cybersecurity and privacy awareness and education, is once again proud to join RSA Conference 2017 as an association sponsor. RSA Conference is the world's largest global security symposium, providing an unmatched platform for the industry to connect with colleagues about the latest technology and trends that influence and protect our interconnected world. Similar to the last two years, RSA Conference 2017's philanthropic initiative will focus on parental engagement to help keep kids safe online and to teach them responsible internet use. This year, NCSA has a variety of not-to-be missed initiatives planned. From February 13 to 16, the team will be on site at the RSAC CyberSafety Village in Moscone West to talk to conference guests about children and the critical importance of online safety. In addition, it will co-host A Heartbreakers Bash the Nonprofits on the Loose annual cocktail party on Valentine's Day and also participate in timely panel discussion addressing how to best manage cyber-risk at the senior executive level. NCSA's Twitter chat will share tips and techniques for talking to kids about online safety, security and privacy. "We always look forward to RSA Conference with great anticipation. In this increasingly interconnected world, our digital and offline lives especially those of our kids' -- have become indistinguishable. Now more than ever, we need to commit and take action to stay safer and more secure online and better protect our personal data," said Michael Kaiser, NCSA's executive director. "The conference offers a unique backdrop for NCSA to continue to communicate our STOP. THINK. CONNECT. messages as well as to learn about and share perspective on the latest trends in cybersecurity. One of the most gratifying initiatives is our time spent at the CyberSafety Village where we enlist volunteers and empower them to return to their communities with the goal of inspiring anyone who uses technology to do so safely, securely, ethically and productively." "At a time where online safety is of paramount importance to all age groups, we are pleased to see our partnership with the National Cyber Security Alliance continue to grow at RSA Conference," said Linda Gray Martin, Director & General Manager, RSA Conference. "Our joint commitment brings together some of the brightest industry minds to help solve issues facing families and enterprises alike." Please join NCSA and our trusted STOP. THINK. CONNECT. partners at the following events: February 13 February 16: Meet with NCSA at RSAC CyberSafety Village Please join NCSA at our booth in the CyberSafety Village (Moscone West, Level 2) and talk with our team about how you can help your community by raising awareness about the safety and responsibility of kids online. We will offer the immediate opportunity for guests to sign up for more information about NCSA, STOP. THINK. CONNECT. , Lock Down Your Login, National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October) and other important initiatives. By using and sharing our collective knowledge base, we can all help to educate kids and keep them safer and more secure while using the internet. Take action. Share your knowledge. Make an impact! February 13 17: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Booth During the conference, visit the DHS booth in the South Exhibit Hall, Booth 921. A variety of resources will be available about DHS programs, including additional information about the Stop.Think.Connect.TM Campaign and the Critical Infrastructure Cyber Community Voluntary Program. Department leadership will also be available to discuss government programs and initiatives. Stop by to pick up a schedule on program topics and leadership availability. February 14: #ChatSTC Twitter Chat Live from RSA Conference Mark your calendar for Tuesday morning from 11 a.m to 12 p.m. PST to join an inspiring discussion highlighting topics and resources for keeping your family safe online. The Tips & Tricks for Rethinking the Family "Tech Talk" chat will offer easy-to-follow advice from industry leaders. Whether you are a parent, an educator or simply an engaged digital citizen, we encourage you to participate. You will have the opportunity to share stories about what has worked for you and learn how you can have effective conversations that move beyond just cyber rules to real-life online experiences that build trust and teach kids to think critically about their behaviors. Use #ChatSTC to join! And if you're at RSA Conference, meet with us in person at the RSA Cyber Safety Village (Moscone West, 2nd Floor). February 14: Nonprofits On the Loose Cocktail Party A Heartbreakers Bash On Tuesday evening which happens to be Valentine's Day from 5:00p.m. - 8:00p.m., connect with industry and government leaders for an evening of food, fun and intriguing conversation at the American Bookbinders Museum (355 Clementina Street). Meet, mingle and eat amidst a historic collection of machines, books and periodicals at this unparalleled networking opportunity. Please bring your RSA Conference badge or invitation to gain admission. February 16: Track Session: Making the Business Case for Managing Cyber-Risk Cyber-risk affects all other business risks such as reputational, operational and regulatory. Join NCSA on Thursday at 8:00a.m. for a track session about effectively mitigating and responding to cyber-risk and the need for senior-level executives to understand and frame this dynamic issue appropriately. Experts will provide scenarios on how to make the business case for managing and mitigating cyber-risk to help you get the job done. February 16: Track Session: Cybersecurity It's a Small Town Problem! Cybersecurity threats don't just exist for businesses. Join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and NCSA on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. for an eye-opening discussion about how cybersecurity issues affect organizations of all sizes not just large companies and huge enterprises. State and local governments face the same cyber threats that major businesses do, and often with fewer resources. This panel will look at how SLTT governments are being innovative and resourceful in the face of cyber threats. About the National Cyber Security Alliance The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is the nation's leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness. NCSA works with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and NCSA's Board of Directors, which includes representatives from ADP; AT&T Services, Inc.; Bank of America; Barclays; BlackBerry Corporation; CDK Global, LLC; Cisco; Comcast Corporation; ESET North America; Facebook; Google; Intel Corporation; LifeLock, Inc, Logical Operations; Mastercard; Microsoft Corp.; NXP Semiconductors; PayPal; PKWARE; Raytheon; RSA, the Security Division of EMC; Salesforce; SANS Institute; Symantec and Visa Inc. NCSA's core efforts include National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Day (January 28) and STOP. THINK. CONNECT., the global online safety awareness and education campaign cofounded by NCSA and the Anti Phishing Working Group, with federal government leadership from DHS. For more information on NCSA, please visit staysafeonline.org/about-us/overview/. About RSA Conference RSA Conference is the premier series of global events where the world talks security and leadership gathers, advances and emerges. Whether attending in the U.S., the EMEA region, or the Asia-Pacific region, RSA Conference events are where the security industry converges to discuss current and future concerns and get access to the people, content and ideas that help enable individuals and companies to win, grow and do their best. It is the ultimate marketplace for the latest technologies and hands-on educational opportunities that help industry professionals discover how to make their companies more secure while showcasing the most enterprising, influential and thought-provoking thinkers and leaders in security today. For information on events, online programming and the most up-to-date news pertaining to the information security industry, visit www.rsaconference.com. SOURCE National Cyber Security Alliance Additionally, HHC has announced that Erik Lindenauer will serve as the firm's Executive Chairman, and Richard Lerner will serve as the firm's Executive Vice Chairman. Lindenauer, Lerner and Reuben will comprise HHC's board. "I am delighted to welcome Keith to the HHC team," said Lindenauer. "I am confident that his wealth of knowledge and stellar track record will be instrumental as HHC continues to expand and diversify the products we offer to our customers. Keith's breadth of experience in healthcare and specialty lending, coupled with Rich's background throughout the capital markets and in housing and urban development, will allow us to provide a full suite of creative financing solutions to healthcare companies." "It is an honor to join the Housing and Healthcare Finance team, which has been the preeminent lender in its class for more than a decade," said Keith D. Reuben. "I look forward to working alongside Erik and Rich both of whom possess an unmatched track record of success as well as the entire HHC team, as we work together to expand and diversify HHC's already very successful business." Reuben will join HHC in their main office in Bethesda, Maryland. Prior to joining HHC, Reuben served as President of Specialty Finance Partners (SFP) a healthcare and commercial finance advisory firm that he co-founded. SFP is a strategic advisor and workout specialist for approximately $500 million of middle market assets on behalf of numerous domestic and international investors. From June 2011 through February of 2015, Reuben was the Executive Vice President of the Commercial and Specialty Finance Business at Capital One Bank and President of a number of national business lines, including Healthcare Credit, Healthcare Real Estate, Healthcare Sponsor Finance, Security/Homeland Defense, Technology Sponsor Finance and Capital One Business Credit. Between May 2001 and December 2009, Reuben was a member of the senior management team at CapitalSource Inc., most recently as the President of CSE's Commercial Finance Business, which accounted for approximately half of CSE's aggregate lending business. CSE was a publicly-traded commercial finance company founded in 2000 that became one of the leading providers of capital to middle market companies in the United States and Europe with approximately 700 employees, 23 offices and, at its peak, over $15 billion of assets under management. Prior to joining CSE, from 1999 to 2001, Reuben was an executive at Heller Healthcare Finance and its predecessor company, Healthcare Financial Partners, where he served as Vice President in the portfolio development/investment group. Heller Financial and Healthcare Financial Partners were both publicly-traded finance companies providing capital to middle market companies. Prior to joining Healthcare Financial Partners, Reuben practiced corporate and securities law in Washington, D.C. for Hogan & Hartson, L.L.P., where he represented a variety of private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Before joining Hogan & Hartson, he practiced corporate and securities law in Atlanta for King & Spalding. Reuben holds a B.A. with Distinction in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, from Yale University (1988), and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1993). He currently resides in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife, Whitney Ellenby, and their two children. ABOUT HOUSING & HEALTHCARE FINANCE Founded in 2002, Housing & Healthcare Finance, LLC (HHC) is a commercial finance company headquartered in the Washington, DC area with additional offices in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and California. While the firm is very active in the conventional commercial loan markets, its depth of experience is in underwriting and closing healthcare and multifamily loans that are insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HHC's primary focus has been on financing HUD insured healthcare facilities and multifamily properties including skilled nursing facilities, acute care hospitals, assisted living facilities, board & care homes, psychiatric hospitals, and low-income/subsidized and market rate multi-family housing. HHC's staff has over 150 years of combined HUD healthcare and multi-family financing experience. In 2014, HHC finished HUD's FY as the number one HUD healthcare lender in the country, and has consistently ranked in the top three HUD LEAN lenders in the country for the past five years. HHC's servicing portfolio is in excess of $2.5 Billion. For more information about Housing & Healthcare Finance, visit www.hhcfinance.com. CONTACT: Shin-Jung Hong, [email protected], (212) 938-0005 or [email protected] SOURCE Housing & Healthcare Finance Related Links http://hhcfinance.com NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer proclaimed Saturday, January 28, 2017 'China Institute Lunar New Year Day' at a celebration dinner with China Institute members, patrons and dignitaries that included Chinese and American leaders in art, business, culture, and education. The proclamation states: "China Institute serves as a bulwark of our community provides vital support for generations and makes our borough and city more culturally aware." This marks the second time in four months that New York City has recognized China Institute for raising cultural awareness and fostering deeper insight into China. On September 28, 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented China Institute with another proclamation for its important contributions in the areas of education, arts and culture, and commerce. Collectively, the State and City have pledged to support China Institute's mission through multi-year programing grants as well as capital loans and construction grants. China Institute Board Chair Chien Chung Pei welcomed the crowd, stating: "In 2017, our mission to nurture greater understanding between the United States and China has never been more vital." Institute President James Heimowitz added: "Today, our diverse programs in education, art and business play a crucial role in raising awareness about China and building trust and friendships that strengthen relations between what are arguably the planet's two most important countries." To view photos from the celebration, click HERE ( http://bit.ly/2jLbVmj ) About China Institute China Institute advances a deeper understanding of China through programs in education, culture, business and art with the belief that cross-cultural understanding strengthens our global community. Founded in 1926 by a group of American and Chinese educators, China Institute in America is the premier bicultural, non-profit organization in America to focus exclusively on China. The organization promotes the appreciation of Chinese heritage, and provides the historical context for understanding contemporary China. Programs, activities, courses and seminars are offered on the visual and performing arts, culture, history, music, philosophy, language and literature for the general public, children and teachers, as well as for business. Press contact: Elizabeth Ingrassia 917-842-4473 [email protected] www.chinainstitute.org SOURCE China Institute Related Links http://www.chinainstitute.org "Procurement activities and earthworks program advancing on schedule" Key Federal and State Permits Complete VANCOUVER, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Northern Vertex Mining Corp. (TSX.V:NEE) (the "Company" or "Northern Vertex") is pleased to provide an update on mine procurement, construction, permitting and exploration activities at the company's 100 % owned Moss Mine gold-silver project, located in the historic Oatman Mining district in NW Arizona. The Moss Mine project, which is scheduled to commence commercial gold-silver production in Q4 2017, has a capital cost estimated at US$33m, and is expected to generate an average annual production of 42,000 oz gold Eqv. with an all-in sustaining costs of US$662/oz gold and an after-tax IRR of 48% (based on $1,250/oz gold and $20/oz silver). Moss Mine Development Highlights: Key Federal and State Permits for Phase II are in hand. The final amendment to the Aquifer Protection Permit is expected in March 2017 , the closure costs calculation has been approved and the $1.4m bond submitted. , the closure costs calculation has been approved and the bond submitted. The ramp-up of site construction is continuing with bulk earthworks initiated during Q1 2017, with the earthworks contractor having mobilized to the site and, the purchase of the main crushing plant scheduled for delivery and installation by Q2 2017. Detailed engineering and mine planning for Phase II nearing completion and is advancing to a planned 95% completion by Q2 2017 Procurement progress is tracking well, with all major items. Completion of two new groundwater production wells that will supply make-up water for leaching of Moss ores. Nearing completion of the site perimeter fencing around the patented claims. Engaging services of Mine Development Associates ("MDA"), of Reno, NV to initiate mine design for the Phase III Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) and Permitting. to initiate mine design for the Phase III Mine Plan of Operations (MPO) and Permitting. Continued advancement of local community initiatives, human resources initiative underway to enhance access to local labor pool and skilled work force. Kenneth Berry, President and CEO, stated: "We are pleased to provide an update on procurement and construction activities at the Moss Mine project that are progressing on schedule and on budget for our Phase II operations. Moss is one of the few gold-silver deposits in the United States with advanced permits, situated in one of the most historic and active gold regions in Arizona. The improved investment environment for precious metal companies and the low capital costs required to place Moss into production has greatly enhanced the Company's ability to expediate the advancement of the project to the construction and development phase. Simultaneously, we are beginning the engineering and design work to enable permitting of Phase III well in advance of when they will be required. We look forward to providing further updates on activities in the future." Construction and Civil Earthworks N.A. Degerstrom continues with the site civil works. The Moss Mine entrance/parking area is 90% complete and requires final site grading. The power station pad is 80% complete also requiring final site grading. The historic mine openings (Old shafts, stopes, adits and tailings) and associated hazards have been reclaimed, making safe the laydown yard where development is now 70% complete. The proposed future crusher pad area is well underway, and NAD have also begun pioneering the east access road over to the proposed Merrill Crowe area. Mine Engineering Design & Major Item Procurement Crusher M3 Engineering is coordinating completion of shop drawings for the crushing plant. is coordinating completion of shop drawings for the crushing plant. Merrill Crowe detailed engineering continues and efforts are now focused on the civil and structural designs. detailed engineering continues and efforts are now focused on the civil and structural designs. Power Station proposals for the diesel generators and transformers are being reviewed. proposals for the diesel generators and transformers are being reviewed. Heap Leach civil works Golder Associates ("Golder") have completed the Heap Leach Pad & Ancillary Structures design & M3 has prepared contract documents for proposed construction. Summary of Permitting Phase II Federal BLM Surface Disturbance on Federal Land Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) U. S. Army Corps of Engineers EPA - NESHAP No Disturbance of Federal Lands on Phase II Mine ID # 0202367 April 3, 2013 Phase II erosional features declared non jurisdictional Aug 26, 2016 Granted Jan 31, 2017 State of Arizona Mine Reclamation Permit Stormwater Multi-Sector General Permit MSGP Air Quality Permit Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan SWPPP Aquifer Protection Permit - Amendment Amendment approved - Nov 21, 2016, Bonding in place Approved Dec 13, 2016 Facilities Construction permit granted Dec. 16, 2016 Revision II approved Dec 22, 2016 Closure Plan Accepted, Bond in place, public hearing in February, expected award in March Well Drilling and Aquifer Pump Tests Yellow Jacket Drilling completed two deep, large diameter groundwater production wells (#16 and well #17) in mid January. Constant rate pumping tests have been completed on these wells and crew has moved to previously completed wells to complete aquifer testing in advance of a final aquifer analysis report by Golder. Exploration and Resource Expansion Program seven drill holes complete, assays pending Northern Vertex is currently conducting a 3,000 meter drill campaign, simultaneously with the Company's ongoing Moss Mine construction and development program. It is the first phase of a multi-phase drill and resource expansion program designed to further expand the Company's existing gold-silver resources. The Company has identified four high priority targets that are the focus of the multi-phase drill program on Moss. These include the West Oatman stockwork vein target, the high-grade Old Timer East and West targets and the Western Extension of the main Moss Mine deposit. The Company recently completed 3 drill holes on the Western Extension of the Moss deposit, where extensive silicification and quartz veining has been mapped along the western projection of the Moss vein system. The Company is currently drilling on the West Oatman target and has completed an additional four holes. Assays from recent drilling will be announced in a future release once received and compiled. Mineralized intersections in Drill holes WW-16 and WW-17, which comprised nine inch diameter holes drilled as water wells, intercepted gold and silver mineralization 130 feet below the established Moss Mine gold-silver open-pit resource. The intercept in WW-16 calculates as 1.178 g/t gold plus 24.152 g/t silver (1.58 g/t gold Eqv.*) over 115 ft. (645-760 ft.), which converts to a true width of 39.3 ft. (12.0 meters) at 70 degree dip of the Moss vein. The mineralization was in the hanging wall slightly above the main Moss vein. (see news release dated January 30, 2017) The reverse circulation water well hole 16 that intercepted the Moss gold-silver structure at depth is a significant development that demonstrates the Moss gold-silver mineralization extends below depths previously recognized. The multi-phase core drilling program is intended to demonstrate the potential for discovery of new zones of gold and silver, which would assist the Company in meeting its goal of increasing its gold-silver resources and potential future production without incurring significant incremental costs. Phase III Mine Extension A resource of 435,000 gold Eqv. oz (Measured 4.86M tonnes @ 1.1 gpt gold Eqv. and Indicated 10.62M tonnes @ 0.77 gpt gold Eqv., using $1,250/oz gold and $20/oz silver price) was identified in the National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report (effective date October 31, 2014, report dated December 30, 2014). The Phase II pit Feasibility Study Technical Report (effective date June 8, 2015, report dated July 13, 2015) was constrained by the boundary limits of the patented property resulting in a proven & probable reserve of 238,010 gold Eqv. oz (7.96M tonnes @ 0.93 gpt) and stock pile reserves of 1,750 gold Eqv. oz (61,965 tonnes @ 0.88 gpt, using $1,250/oz gold and $18.50/oz silver price) planned to be mined in Phase II. To utilize the balance of the resource identified in the December 30, 2014 report will require operations on the company's unpatented claims (BLM Land). Mining on, or disturbance on the BLM Land must first undergo NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) analysis and Federal permitting starting with the submission of a Mining Plan of Operations (MPO) to the BLM. The engagement of MDA for pit design will be the first step in the MPO process and will give Northern Vertex a preliminary start towards Phase III permitting. Safety Record The Company is committed to the development of a culture of safety within all of its operations and has developed and provided the engineered designs & solutions, the education & training programs, the development of Standard Operating Procedures and the safety equipment and devices in the continuing efforts to meet this commitment. A reflection of the commitment is that the Company's wholly owned Arizona subsidiary, Golden Vertex Corp. has worked 1561 days without a Lost Time or MSHA reportable accident. Three major safety awards received from MSHA are recognition of our achievements. QA/QC At the company's Bullhead facilities, core samples are dried, and logged by a geologist. The core is then cut longitudinally with a diamond bladed saw, under the supervision of a geologist. One half of the core is stored for future reference, the other half is crushed and pulverized to 85% passing through a 200 mesh sieve and sent to the lab for assay. The pulps are assayed for gold using a 30 g split, Fire Assay (FA) and Atomic Absorption (AA) finish. Pulps are further analyzed using a 15 gram split using 32 elements ICP. Silver assays used the ICP data. Over limit assays for both gold and silver (10 gpt for gold and 100 gpt for silver) were rerun using a gravimetric procedure. Rejects and pulps are stored at the lab for future reference. Qualified Person The foregoing technical information contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 (Standards for Disclosure for Minerals Projects) and reviewed on behalf the Company by James McDonald, P.Geo & Director for Northern Vertex, a Qualified Person. About Northern Vertex Northern Vertex Mining Corp. is an exploration and mining company focused on the reactivation of its 100% owned Moss Mine Gold/Silver Project located in NW Arizona, USA. The Company's management comprises an experienced management team with a strong background in all aspects of acquisition, exploration, development, operations and financing of mining projects worldwide. The Company is focused on working effectively and respectfully with our stakeholders in the vicinity of the historical Moss Mine and enhancing the capacity of the local communities in the area. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF NORTHERN VERTEX "Kenneth Berry " President & CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains statements about our future business and planned activities. These are "forward-looking" because we have used what we know and expect today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements including but are not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work and analyses. Forward-looking statements usually include words such as may, intend, plan, expect, anticipate, believe or other similar words. We believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, actual events and results could be substantially different because of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business or events that happen after the date of this news release. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. As a general policy, we do not update forward-looking statements except as required by securities laws and regulations. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which we have no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. This press release uses the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable. SOURCE Northern Vertex Mining Corp. Related Links www.northernvertex.com BOSTON and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OptiRTC, Inc. ("Opti"), announced today that it has closed on $5.5M in equity funding, led by Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF) with participation from existing investors including MissionPoint Partners, the Renewal Funds, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, and Geosyntec Consultants. The funds will be used to scale operations and expand sales and marketing to help Opti accelerate its growth at the watershed level within existing and new sites across the Country. Headquartered in Boston, Opti provides the only cloud-based solution that directly monitors and controls stormwater infrastructure in real-time. To date, Opti has deployed more than 130 commercial and public projects across 21 states. Customers include the Philadelphia Water Department, Nestle Waters North America, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Washington D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Urban stormwater management represents one of the most pervasive and significant environmental issues in the United States. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 850 billion gallons of stormwater pollutants are discharged into waterways each year and over 7,000 communities face regulatory mandates to manage stormwater runoff more effectively. In recent years, a shift in the frequency and intensity of rainfall events coupled with increased economic development and urbanization have further impacted communities through poor water quality, localized flooding, and combined sewer overflows. Opti provides a more effective and efficient solution to manage these water resource issues by automatically controlling the timing and rate of stormwater flow through existing and new facilities. The use of intelligent and adaptive control technology has helped customers save up to 90% of their capital cost, while achieving their environmental and regulatory objectives. "Opti is focused on delivering cleaner water and flood control for communities around the country at scales that directly and positively impact people's ability to safely enjoy and beneficially use their water resources," said Marcus Quigley, CEO of Opti. "We are particularly proud that we can achieve these outcomes while also dramatically reducing both capital and operations and maintenance costs for our customers. Our partnership with EIF and our existing investors enables Opti to continue to build on our success to date and grow our business aggressively in the marketplace." "We are excited to be kicking off EIF Fund III with this investment in Opti," said James Everett, co-founder of EIF, where he leads the investment team. "Opti represents the 'smart grid' of stormwater management it is the first company to offer complete, real-time monitoring and adaptive management of municipal stormwater infrastructure. Opti is attacking a very large market opportunity in the U.S. and elsewhere with solutions that reduce risk and save money for its customers. Moreover, Opti offers a powerful new tool for protecting the health of aquatic ecosystems and adapting to climate change. The company is a perfect fit with EIF's systems approach and preference for capital-efficient businesses." About Opti Opti is an Internet-of-Things technology company focused on the continuous monitoring and adaptive control of distributed stormwater infrastructure. Opti's software uniquely combines sensor data, weather forecasts, and proprietary algorithms to optimize stormwater infrastructure through active, cloud-based control. Opti lowers the risk of managing stormwater by adaptively managing the rate and timing of stormwater flows. Opti aims to improve the effectiveness of new or existing infrastructure and help keep natural water bodies clean. For more information, visit optirtc.com or connect with the company on LinkedIn and Twitter. About Ecosystem Integrity Fund Ecosystem Integrity Fund ("EIF") is a sustainability-focused venture capital fund, targeting sectors including renewable energy, green chemistry and resource efficiency. EIF takes a systems-based approach to sustainability investment, primarily investing in more capital-efficient opportunities than the typical clean technology fund. EIF seeks out market niches that have not received the investor attention they deserve, resulting in better investment opportunities and greater impact with less capital. EIF believes small venture funds are better aligned with client interests and ensure a more disciplined approach to investment. For more information, visit ecosystemintegrity.com. SOURCE OptiRTC, Inc. Related Links http://www.optirtc.com "We couldn't be more excited to have seen another year of solid growth," said Tim Pulido, President and CEO of Pollo Campero International. "To see growth at a time when the restaurant industry is struggling is already a positive, but to experience 20 straight quarters with an average 8% growth rate is hard to do -- we are extremely proud of the work we have done." "Besides the challenging state of the industry, we knew we were rolling over double digit comparable growth from 2015, so it was important to us to remain focused on our strategic growth avenues to maintain our momentum," shared Pulido. In 2015, the brand posted 10% same-store sales growth, the brand has averaged an 8% comparable sales growth since 2012. "Growing our existing stores at an 8% rate, while growing our restaurant units by 16% and total sales by 24%, is a feat we are extremely proud ofespecially when we opened new stores in existing markets." Pollo Campero has focused on strengthening its Latin positioning and attention on millennials to maintain its brand momentum. From menu and new product innovation, technology and new brand image, Pollo Campero continues to fuel its growth by growing its millennial customer base. "We focused on enhancing the Campero experience, providing unique Latin meals at a good value, combined with investments in technology and innovationeverything played an important role in Campero's growing popularity among millennials," said Federico Valiente, Pollo Campero International brand lead. "Right now, millennials make up 64% of Pollo Campero's customer base and as we look ahead, we remain focused on understanding their evolving needs to deliver an attractive and relevant value proposition." Looking into 2017 and beyond, Pollo Campero has bold plans as it sets out to grow the brand in the United States. "We are in the midst of a very exciting time in this company's growth," said Pulido. "Our goal is to double the size of the business in the next three years. It's an ambitious plan, but we feel we have the pieces and people in place to reach that goal." Pollo Campero's growth plan includes expansion via company-owned restaurants and franchising. As the brand sets out to double the size of its U.S. footprint, it will remain focused on select markets across the country. One of the company's biggest initiatives for 2017 is to build its franchise pipeline as it looks to aggressively expand its franchise network in California, South Texas, New Jersey and Atlanta. "We have developed an attractive value proposition for prospective franchisees. As we build our franchise network, we place special emphasis on making sure new franchisees are a good fit for our brand beyond financials, to ensure we deliver the right experience for our guests, to fuel our momentum and achieve our ambitious goals," finished Pulido. ABOUT POLLO CAMPERO Pollo Campero, considered the home of Authentic Latin Chicken, is the largest Latin chicken restaurant brand in the world. It first opened its doors as a tiny, family-owned restaurant in Guatemala in 1971 with the goal of treating family and friends to its prized chicken recipe passed down from generation to generation. Today, Pollo Campero's focus on quality, and its mission to stay true to its Latin roots remain the same. Campero is committed to serving unique Latin recipes prepared by hand daily using high-quality and all-natural ingredients. At the heart of that commitment: the promise to use fresh, never frozen chicken, paired with traditional Latin sides, drinks and desserts in a vibrant atmosphere. There are more than 350 Pollo Campero restaurants around the world and Campero is accelerating growth. For franchise information, or to learn more about Pollo Campero, visit Campero.com. Follow the flavor on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CamperoUSA. SOURCE Pollo Campero Related Links http://www.Campero.com RYE BROOK, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Precision Global, a leading global manufacturer of aerosol valves, actuators and other dispensing solutions across a variety of end markets, today announced that Omar Atadia has been appointed Regional Manager of Latin America, effective immediately. Precision Global's current Latin America footprint includes facilities in Argentina and Brazil. Mr. Atadia will be based in Precision Global's Sao Paolo facility and report to the Chief Executive Officer, Mario Barbero. Mr. Atadia joins Precision Global with nearly a decade of aluminum and plastic packaging experience, most recently as Director of Operations of Tubex Brazil, a leading manufacturer of aerosol cans. In this role, Mr. Atadia oversaw 240 employees at the company's facility outside Sao Paolo. Mr. Atadia previously served as Operations and Supply Chain Director at Amcor Rigid Plastics, a leading supplier of consumer-driven rigid plastic packaging. Mr. Barbero said, "We are excited to welcome Omar to the Precision Global team. Omar brings a unique combination of technical expertise, as demonstrated by his Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification, and a proven ability to drive rapid growth through development of relationships with leading consumer packaged goods companies. His multisite management experience and strong familiarity with our customers and markets will be extremely helpful as we seek to accelerate our growth strategy in Latin America." Before joining Amcor Rigid Plastics, Mr. Atadia worked for nearly 15 years in the automotive industry, where he served in various operational and general management roles. Mr. Atadia holds a Master's degree in engineering from Pontifical Catholic University of Campinas. About Precision Global Founded in 1949, Precision Global is the inventor of the modern aerosol valve and a leading global manufacturer of aerosol valves, actuators and other dispensing solutions for a variety of end markets, including personal care, household, food & beverage, industrial and pharmaceutical. Based in New York, the company operates a multinational network of facilities spanning 15 countries on six continents. For more information about Precision Global, please visit precisionglobal.com. Media Contact: Daniel Yunger / Ethan Lyle Kekst (212) 521-4800 SOURCE Precision Global CONCORD, N.C., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Question: What makes visiting an industry tradeshow a spectacular experience? Answer: a complete interactive customer experience an offer PreGel (Pre Gelato) intends to fulfill at the New England Food Show, February 26-28, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, booth #419. The specialty dessert ingredient supplier will showcase novelty ingredients from several of its expanding product lines, including 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Gluten-Free Pastry Mixes, Bases for Gelato, Sorbetto & Ice Cream, and Flavorings. Premium Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream made with PreGel Bases and Flavorings for Gelato, Sorbetto, & Ice Cream Thick, delicious concretes made with PreGel's new Frozen Custard Base. "PreGel is always looking for ways to keep dessert entrepreneurs engaged and excited about what we have to offer next," says Anna Pata, director of sales, PreGel America. "Staying on trend, redefining classic dessert options, and showcasing how one product can be used in a variety of new and inventive ways is our overall goal in assisting culinary entrepreneurs to grasp and maintain the success they look to achieve," Pata concludes. Featuring three stations for specialty artisan sweets, PreGel will bring the "spectacular" to booth #419 with classic American treats and trending European desserts. Gourmet Ice Cream utilizing PreGel Bases and Flavorings utilizing PreGel Bases and Flavorings Frozen Custard & Concretes made with the company's newest ingredient from its Bases for Gelato, Sorbetto & Ice Cream line: PreGel Frozen Custard Base (312162) With notes of egg and the spice of vanilla, this versatile flavored powdered base creates sweet and creamy frozen custard reminiscent of the nostalgic taste embedded in American culture. Gluten-Free Pastry showcase of cookies, macarons, and choux applications utilizing PreGel's 5-Star Chef Pastry Select Gluten-Free Pastry Mixes. About PreGel America Established in 2002, PreGel America is the U.S. subsidiary of PreGel (Pre Gelato), a global developer, manufacturer, and distributor of specialty dessert ingredients, with main headquarters in Reggio Emilia, Italy. PreGel is a B2B company dedicated to providing authentic dessert ingredient solutions to passionate chefs who desire high quality and shelf-stable ingredients for the creation of innovative finished desserts. The company's diverse product lines include bases, bases with flavorings, pastes, compounds, variegates, toppings & fillings, coatings, and instant dessert bases in four main sectors: Gelato, Sorbetto & Ice Cream, Soft Serve Ice Cream, Pastry & Confections, and Specialty Beverage Solutions. PreGel provides private label options, a team of dedicated sales agents for all regions of the U.S., and hosts PreGel International Training Centers staffed by trained and award-winning chefs in North Carolina, California, Florida, and Illinois. With distribution facilities in Charlotte, NC and Los Angeles, CA, PreGel sells directly to full service restaurants, quick service restaurants, frozen dessert establishments, coffee shops, bakeries, patisseries, pizzerias, hospitality and tourism, grocery stores, colleges, universities, hospitals, and other noncommercial foodservice, as well as distributors in the United States. Your Passion. Our Ingredients. It's not just a slogan; it's what PreGel believes in. For more information, visit www.pregelamerica.com. Contact: Janae Morris, PreGel America Tel.:704 707 0300 ext. 326 Email: [email protected] Website: www.pregelamerica.com SOURCE PreGel America Related Links http://www.pregelamerica.com CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The laundry list of possible side effects that typically accompanies advertisements for prescription drugs makes consumers less concerned about a drug's possible harm according to a new study from the University of Miami School of Business Administration. For instance, a drug with a potential side effect of seizures is viewed as less threatening if its smaller potential side effects like fatigue and congestion are also highlighted, the study found. The research, published in the February 2017 issue Journal of Consumer Research, explains that the effect arises because people believe that larger outcomes are less likely than smaller ones. "For example, people think that they are less likely to have seizures than to catch a cold, and are less likely to win an iPad than to win a T-shirt," said researcher Uzma Khan, an associate professor of marketing at the University of Miami School of Business. "Including smaller potential outcomes therefore makes the larger ones appear less likely in comparison and hence dilutes the overall risk perceived in a product," she continued. The research found that the effect holds true for other products with potential risks or rewards. For example, study participants considered travel insurance more attractive when it only covered serious injury than when it also covered minor illness like cold and flu. Similarly, people found a lottery more attractive when it offered an opportunity to win an iPad than when it offered an opportunity to win an iPad and other smaller prizes. Furthermore, people preferred a screen protector more when it protected only against large impacts than when it was advertised to also protect against small spills. The research offers tips for marketers, advertisers as well as policy makers operating in risk oriented industries. "If you want to deter consumers from engaging in a product or activity such as smoking, focus on the major risks rather than throwing in the kitchen sink," Khan recommends. "Conversely, if you want to encourage customers to buy a product or partake in a risky activity, like a lottery or a promotion, leave out the smaller potential gains and focus on the large ones." Note to editors: The University of Miami study is available upon request. About the University of Miami School of Business Administration The University of Miami School of Business Administration is a leader in preparing individuals and organizations to excel in the complex, dynamic, and interconnected world of global business. One of 12 schools and colleges at the University of Miami, the School offers undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and executive education programs. With its location in a major center for international business, the School is acclaimed for its global perspective, student and faculty diversity, and engagement with the business community. More information about the University of Miami School of Business Administration can be found at www.bus.miami.edu. SOURCE University of Miami School of Business Administration Related Links http://www.bus.miami.edu NEW YORK, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Q BioMed Inc. (OTCQB: QBIO), a biotechnology acceleration company, is pleased to announce that Mannin Research, its research partner for the development of a novel pharmaceutical eye-drop to treat Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma utilizing the Tie2 Mechanism of Action, has been accepted into Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS @ Toronto. Q BioMed focuses on acquiring companies and biomedical assets, providing these target companies and assets, strategic resources, developmental support, and expansion capital to ensure they meet their developmental potential, and enabling them to provide products to patients in need. JLABS @ Toronto is a 40,000 square-foot life science innovation center. The labs provide a flexible environment for start-up companies pursuing new technologies and research platforms to advance medical care. Through a "no strings attached" model, Johnson & Johnson Innovation does not take an equity stake in the companies occupying JLABS and the companies are free to develop products - either on their own, or by initiating a separate external partnership with Johnson & Johnson Innovation or any other company. Mannin will utilize JLABS @ Toronto as complementary lab space to conduct commercial research and development as it relates to its MAN-01 program for Glaucoma and to the greater Tie2 platform technology. As a resident, Mannin will have access to the development and commercialization expertise provided by JLABS @ Toronto. Mannin's CEO, Dr. George N. Nikopoulos stated, "We are excited to be apart of JLABS @ Toronto. We see tremendous value in being a part of the JLABS network. We are also excited to increase our footprint within the Toronto biotechnology cluster as a global company working to make positive local impacts in the communities where we operate." Mannin Research has taken up residency at JLABS @ Toronto as of January 2017. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements relating to our growth strategy and product development programs and any other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: risks related to our growth strategy; risks relating to the results of research and development activities; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; our dependence on third-party suppliers; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; the early stage of products under development; our need for substantial additional funds; government regulation; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Contact: Denis Corin CEO Q BioMed Inc. +1-888-357-2435 SOURCE Q BioMed Inc STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Feb 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Swedish company Qmatic, a global leader in technology solutions and insights for a seamless and personal patient journey, is announcing today that it will participate in the largest healthcare trade show in the Middle East and North Africa Arab Health 2017, held in Dubai. The show, with over 4 400 exhibitors from over 70 countries, is expected to draw 115 000 visitors. Thirty-eight countries have their own pavilions, and Qmatic has been invited to present its solutions at the Ministry of Health and Prevention's booth at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center. "Qmatic delivers software-based systems and mobile applications to healthcare providers, giving their patients a quicker and better healthcare experience," says Qmatic's CEO Robert Ekstrom. "Through our long-term, focused efforts in this region, we have obtained a position as one of the leading companies when it comes to innovative patient management. We are therefore excited about demonstrating our solutions and the opportunity provided by the Ministry of Health and Prevention at Arab Health 2017." Notable among the new solutions is Pepper, a 120 cm-tall social robot that with software apps from Qmatic helps to welcome patients and check them in when they arrive at the hospital or healthcare center. Together with partners, Qmatic will also demonstrate advanced systems for face recognition as well as several mobile solutions that enable check-in and communication between patients and healthcare providers. "UAE is one of the most innovative countries in the world in regards to Healthcare for its population and it is very pleasing that Qmatic's solutions have become widely used very quickly. We look forward to continue putting our innovations to use," says Ekstrom. Qmatic will present its solutions in the Ministry of Health and Prevention pavilion, Hall 5, Stand CC50 at Arab Health, Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Dubai, from January 30thto February 2nd, 2017. Please find a picture of a Qmatic system with Pepper here. CONTACT: For more information, please contact: Sven-Olof Husmark, Chief Marketing Officer +46 70 105 4628 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com SOURCE Qmatic AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantcast, a global leader in applying the power of live audiences to programmatic advertising, today announced that Alan Godfrey has been named General Manager of the company's Austin office in addition to Vice President of North America Account Management. In his new role at Quantcast, Godfrey will be tasked with expanding the company's Austin office, focusing on recruitment, brand recognition and community involvement in addition to overseeing all enterprise and mid-market Account Management personnel at Quantcast in North America. He will provide leadership, management, mentorship and accountability for the Austin office, working to establish a long-term growth strategy while, in his Account Management capacity, working with sales teams across North America to drive customer retention, growth and value. Opened last year to tap into the city's vibrant tech talent, the Quantcast office in Riata Corporate Park currently has more than 65 employees with plans for further growth in Austin's fastest growing technology district. "I'm excited to be joining Quantcast at such a pivotal moment," said Alan Godfrey, GM, Austin and Vice President, North America Account Management at Quantcast. "I've called Austin home for most of my professional career and have seen the tremendous growth the city has experienced around the technology industry. Quantcast is helping that growth, and I look forward to playing a key role to further establish the company not only as a leader in delivering exceptional service to our customers in North America, but as a leader in Austin." Godfrey brings more than 25 years of industry experience to Quantcast, specializing in enterprise software technology, startups, and application service providers. He previously served as EVP of of Business and Corporate Development at Bazaarvoice and VP of Marketing at IBM. Godfrey has also consulted for several early stage digital marketing companies, including OutboundEngine and Sparefoot. In addition, Godfrey will join the Board of Directors of the Austin Technology Council beginning in 2017. "Alan's deep history in Austin uniquely provides him with the combination of skills needed to both strategically manage and grow Quantcast's presence within Texas, and to continue to develop a strong customer focus acumen nationally," said Sandra McDevitt, VP of People and Places. Quantcast is growing its Austin presence after years of delivering market-leading ROI and customer excellence for advertisers and transparent, accurate audience insights and targeting for publishers. The company works with the majority of the Ad Age top 100 brands, over 50 percent of the top 1000 publishers, and powers advertising in 29 markets around the world. About Quantcast Quantcast is a leader in understanding real-time audiences at the intersection of commerce and culture, providing relevant advertising and actionable audience intelligence for brands and publishers. Our more than 800 employees are driven by the potential for big data to radically improve everyone's connected experiences and transform the way we all make sense of the world. For more information, visit www.quantcast.com. SOURCE Quantcast Related Links http://www.quantcast.com "An overwhelming majority of older people want to stay in their homes and communities as they age," said Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP. "This 'ageless design' contest provides a strong example of what we as a society need to do to help make this a reality. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 each day, this competition is a wake-up call that we need better solutions that allow people to have more control over how and where they live." Home Matters aims to set a precedent with the winning design, which it expects will guide millions of Americans in developing a plan for their own homes to meet their needs, regardless of age or income. "We view housing as the linchpin of well-being. It's what drives our support for innovative designs that reshape the future of housing," said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of AARP Foundation. "We all want a home that can adapt to our needs as we age. This competition brings workable housing options to life so people of all income levels, including the most vulnerable seniors, can see that independent living is possible for them." The first-place design, by IBI Group Gruzen Samton, has been incorporated into the Memphis home, which was donated by Wells Fargo in coordination with Home Matters' on-the-ground partner, United Housing, Inc. (UHI), and with The Home Depot Foundation's donation of materials and volunteer support. "While this is just one home, it provides a model of various universal design elements that, no matter what budget someone has, can be added to help improve their emotional and physical well-being now and into the future a home forever," said Dave Brown, CEO of Home Matters. "Because home is a quality-of-life issue." The three top designs were selected because they adhere to the principles of universal design, an approach to home building, remodeling and community development that centers on safety, ease of movement and attractive design for all ages, both inside and outside the home. All three winners went beyond traditional shelter and addressed the connections between housing and other important social factors, such as community, affordability, accessibility, aesthetics, flexibility and environment. "We believe everyone deserves a decent, safe place to call home," said Martin Sundquist, executive director of the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, which donated the Memphis home. "Our mission is to work with nonprofits to create stronger communities and we are proud to join Home Matters, and others, to team up and help make Mr. Moody's dream of homeownership a reality. I'm hopeful the Home Matters movement inspires additional efforts to create more affordable and sustainable housing across the country." The Memphis home will be donated to Walter Moody, a 54-year-old U.S. Army veteran. He was selected not only because of his military service, but also because of his desire to create a safe place to build his life and incorporate his extended family particularly his mother, whose disabilities, along with his current home's non-age-friendly setup, make it difficult for her to visit him. "This home gives me the chance to have a better relationship with my kids, grandkids and mom, as I've never really had a home to create happy family memories," Moody said. "It will create a comfortable place for us all, even if it's just for a family dinner." All supplies for the project were donated by the The Home Depot Foundation, which also provided volunteer support for the renovation. "Improving the lives of our veterans, who have given so much to make sure we all have a safe place to live, is important to The Home Depot Foundation. We're excited to honor Walter and see him move into his new home with his family and enjoy it for years to come," said Heather Prill, senior manager national partnerships at The Home Depot Foundation. About the design challeng e The Re-defining Home: Home Today, Home Tomorrow competition challenged architects and designers to create new standards in housing design so people can stay in their home as they travel through various life stages: entering the workforce; getting married; having a family; sending kids to college; becoming a grandparent; following personal passions with new careers and hobbies; and considering retirement. The goal of the design challenge was to generate universal design solutions and build an attractive, adaptable and affordable home of the future that speaks to and showcases livability by promoting both aesthetically and functionally appealing designs for better living. Collaborators include AARP, AARP Foundation, Home Matters, the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation and the The Home Depot Foundation, along with media support from Dwell and AARP Bulletin. Additionally, 34 competition partners supported the design challenge, including lead competition partner AIA San Francisco. SOURCE Home Matters Related Links http://www.HomeMattersAmerica.com WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) asked for public comments late last year about its plan to impose what amounted to a ban on the coffee-like herb kratom, they may not have been prepared for both the volume of comments (23,116) and the overwhelming opposition to a ban (99.1 percent). A new analysis by the American Kratom Association (AKA) and American Coalition of Free Citizens (ACFC) reviewed every one of the comments submitted to the DEA prior to the conclusion of its public comment period on December 1, 2016. The AKA/ACFC found several things that the DEA most likely was not expecting to see: Overview of key groups. Among those listing a profession, nearly half (48 percent) were veterans, law enforcement officials, health care professionals, and scientists. (This reflected a total of 1175 out of 2416 comments with profession-related information.) These groups came down strong in favor of kratom and against a ban 754 versus 9 for a pro-kratom support level of 98.7 percent. Among those listing a profession, nearly half (48 percent) were veterans, law enforcement officials, health care professionals, and scientists. (This reflected a total of 1175 out of 2416 comments with profession-related information.) These groups came down strong in favor of kratom and against a ban 754 versus 9 for a pro-kratom support level of 98.7 percent. Veterans. Those who served in the military were a large contingent among those mentioning their profession. The 449 self-identified veterans accounted for 448 comments, or 18 percent of the 2416 indicating a professional work/background. Veterans supported kratom by a margin of 448 to 1, or 99.8 percent. Those who served in the military were a large contingent among those mentioning their profession. The 449 self-identified veterans accounted for 448 comments, or 18 percent of the 2416 indicating a professional work/background. Veterans supported kratom by a margin of 448 to 1, or 99.8 percent. Health care professionals. The 576 self-identified medical professionals in the survey also came down strongly in support of kratom. These current and retired doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals supported kratom by a margin of 569 to 7, or 98.8 percent. The 576 self-identified medical professionals in the survey also came down strongly in support of kratom. These current and retired doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals supported kratom by a margin of 569 to 7, or 98.8 percent. Older Americans. On age, a total of 3811 comment filers indicate how old they are. In this group, 806 (21 percent) were 55 or older. Older American supported kratom by a margin of 805 to 1, or 99.9 percent. Susan Ash, director, American Kratom Association and Jason Jeffers, president, American Coalition of Free Citizens said: "The face of kratom consumers is the face of America today. Our groups partnered-up to examine all of the public comments to DEA on the kratom ban because we were curious about who was responding and what they had to say. What we found is a kratom community of responsible consumers who look just like your family and the people who live next door. The results speak for themselves: 99 percent of those who comment, do not want the federal government to police the natural herb called kratom." Katie Lair, research and communications director, American Coalition of Free Citizens, said: "The most curious thing about the public comments is that there were so few responses actually supporting the DEA. Only 113 people out of 23,116 commented in support of the DEA proposal to ban kratom. When you have so much anti-kratom propaganda circulating at the state level and misleading talk of a public health crisis, one would expect more public comments in support of what the DEA is trying to do. To have just 113 people nationwide support the DEA is remarkable for a campaign like this to determine whether something should be banned for the entire nation. The topline finding is obvious: There is no public appetite for banning kratom and continued fierce opposition can be expected by anyone who cares to do so." For this research, medical professional was defined as "medical doctors, registered nurses, psychiatrists, speech therapists and EMTs and trained first responders." The American Kratom Association led the charge when the DEA opened a public comment period running through December 1, 2016. Of the more than 23,000 comments submitted before the deadline closed, the KratomComments.org Web site created by AKA was responsible for 16,379 comments roughly 71 percent of total comments received at Regulations.gov. (The campaign Web site is now inactive.) The findings released today by the two groups are consisted with data released by AKA in a November 2016 online survey of 105 emergency room (ER)/trauma health care professionals that found zero reported cases of deaths related to kratom. The new poll of America's front-line medical professionals also uncovered precisely zero percent support among those surveyed for a DEA ban on the coffee-like herb kratom. A major analysis by Dr. Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., vice president of Research, Health Policy, and Abuse Liability at PinneyAssociates, for the American Kratom Association found that there is "insufficient evidence" for the DEA to ban or otherwise restrict the coffee-like herb kratom under the Controlled Substances Act. According to the comprehensive Henningfield report, kratom has little potential for abuse and dependence as low or lower than such widely used and unscheduled substances as "nutmeg, hops, St. John's Wort, chamomile, guarana, and kola nut." ABOUT AKA The America Kratom Association, a consumer-based non-profit organization, is here to set the record straight, giving a voice to those suffering and protecting our rights to possess and consume kratom. AKA represents tens of thousands of Americans, each of whom have a unique story to tell about the virtues of kratom and its positive effects on their lives. www.americankratom.org ABOUT ACFC American Coalition of Free Citizens (ACFC), a non-partisan organization with members in every state, was founded in 2016 after a statewide ban on the natural herb kratom took effect in Alabama. Our core mission is to defend the rights of people to access and choose safe and natural ethnobotanical/herbal alternatives to prescription drugs. More broadly, ACFC defends the freedoms, rights and privileges granted to all Americans by the U.S. Constitution. As a result of the war on kratom initiated by both the federal government and state governments across the country, our group is committed to defending kratom and keeping it legal. The ACFC website is currently under construction set to launch in late winter 2017. Our Facebook group page can be found online at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1301010013260823/ and our like page here: https://www.facebook.com/americfc/. For queries about membership, volunteering or just general information, please contact our communications department at: [email protected]. SOURCE American Kratom Association and American Coalition of Free Citizens, Washington, DC Related Links http://www.americankratom.org BRUSSELS, February 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The EU-Romania Business Society welcomes the firm stance taken by Brussels today opposing the Romanian government's emergency decree reducing penalties for corruption. The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and the First Vice-President Frans Timmermans stated: "The fight against corruption needs to be advanced, not undone. We are following the latest developments in Romania with great concern." The statement today from President Juncker and First Vice-President Timmermans went on to say: "The Commission warns against backtracking and will look thoroughly at the emergency ordinance on the Criminal Code and the Law on Pardons in this light. The irreversibility of the progress achieved in the fight against corruption is essential for the Commission to assess whether at some point monitoring under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM) could be phased out." We at the EU-Romania Business Society welcome the robust position taken by the European Commission. Romania's enormous potential can only be fulfilled under circumstances where the rule of law is clear and fully respected. Speaking in Brussels after the Commission's statement, Mr James Wilson, founder and director of the EU-Romania Business Society said: "Just these past days we have seen negative business reports about Romania from Transparency International and the Commission's anti-corruption monitoring group about continued failings in Bucharest in 2016 to strengthen rules and laws protecting business capital and property rights. It sends entirely the wrong message for the Government to propose legislation that would exacerbate the situation." "Our particular interest is to promote a positive investment climate for businesses, where much-needed foreign investors can have faith that the rule of law will be respected in Romania. 2016 saw a low point in relations between the Government and international businesses. We remain optimistic that the new Government can use their mandate to improve conditions for foreign capital." SOURCE EU-Romania Business Society SODERTALJE, Sweden, Feb 02, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Henrik Henriksson, Scania's President and CEO, says: "Through Scania Growth Capital, Scania is looking to invest in promising, innovative and entrepreneurial companies. Gaining insight and early access to business models, technology and ideas that can change the environment in which we are active will further strengthen us in the future." Scania Growth Capital will be exclusively operated and advised by an external investment team with extensive experience from venture and growth capital business as well as from the automotive industry. Scania is already active in several partnerships that drive the shift towards sustainable transport systems, both with customers, academia and other tech-companies. This initiative reaches a segment of complementing companies, giving Scania an opportunity to tap into early development and innovation that is industry-relevant, but outside its own core operations. It also provides a platform where Scania can contribute with a large ecosystem, as well as broad and deep industry knowledge, which will add great value to the portfolio companies. Venture capital veteran Lars-Olof Gustavsson has been appointed chairman of Scania Growth Capital and also acts as chairman of the external investment company. "In the ongoing technology shifts, it will be essential to select and collaborate with the companies and initiatives with the greatest potential to support Scania's continued development and growth," says Gustavsson. "I am looking forward to working with Scania Growth Capital in attracting the most strategic and promising companies to partner with Scania." Scania Growth Capital will evaluate investment proposals broadly. They may include, but are not limited to, companies with products, solutions or services in digitalisation, autonomous vehicles, connectivity, hybridisation, renewable fuels and smart factory. For more information on investment criteria please see scania.com/group/en/investment-criteria For further information, please contact: Karin Hallstan, Public Relations Manager Scania, Phone + 46 76 842 8104, E-mail [email protected] Daniel Wedberg, Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Management and Venture Business, and Managing Director Scania Growth Capital, E-mail [email protected] For investment related inquiries, please contact the investment team directly via the webpage www.scania.com/scaniagrowthcapital. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/scania/r/scania-launches-corporate-venture-capital-fund,c2178763 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/209/2178763/622485.pdf Scania launches Scania Growth Capital SOURCE Scania Related Links http://www.scania.com/group/en/investment-criteria COLUMBIA CITY, Ind., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that the elections are history and a new administration is implementing its approach to deregulation, immigration and trade, landowners face the challenge of adapting to new policies that may change the farm economy in uncertain ways. Farmer and farm economy expert Don Villwock will offer his perspectives on the topic in two upcoming seminars offered by Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company. Villwock offers a unique perspective as both a farmer in southwestern Indiana and recently retired president of the Indiana Farm Bureau. He is currently serving as special assistant to the dean of agriculture at Purdue University. "I'll be focusing on President Trump, regulatory changes, trade and immigration, as well as the possible scenarios for a new farm bill to replace the current one, which expires in 2018," said Villwock. "There's a lot of interest in the new president's promise to decrease regulations, so we'll discuss that as well as the implications for farmers of America's withdrawal from TPP and NAFTA. We will also address how immigration changes could impact the availability and cost of labor," he said. Also speaking will be R.D. Schrader, president of Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, and Steve Slonaker, a Schrader broker and farm management consultant. "We've had a great response to these sessions since we began offering them a few years ago, and we always try to help landowners better understand the current factors affecting the marketplace, as well as addressing such matters as succession and long-term planning," said Schrader. The first update will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, February 16, at the Jacaranda West Country Club in Venice Florida. The second will be Friday, February 24, at the Wellington Fishers Banquet & Conference Center, in Fishers, Indiana. Individuals seeking details or registration may visit schraderauction.com or call 800-451-2709. Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, based in Columbia City, Indiana, is a leading auctioneer of farmland throughout the United States and is a five-time USA Today/National Auctioneers Association Auction of the Year winner. For more information: Carl Carter, 205-823-3273 SOURCE Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company Related Links http://www.schraderauction.com ATLANTA, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A multipurpose building in St. Marys, Georgia, a motel in the mountains of North Carolina, commercial land and a former church will be among the highlights Tuesday, Feb. 28, when John Dixon & Associates sells scores of properties throughout the Southeast. The partly occupied St. Marys building includes areas suitable for a restaurant, medical offices, and four upstairs apartments. "This is one of the most interesting lineups we've ever had, with some real jewels," said John Dixon, president of the auction company. The Chatuge Mountain Inn, in Hayesville, North Carolina, is located near Harrah's Casino and minutes from Chatuge Dam and Lake. "This inn has a number of good reviews and is in an ideal location," said Dixon. Other highlights will be approximately 20 acres of commercial land along Interstate 95 in Jacksonville, and a 29,802-square-foot church property in Warner Robins, Ga., complete with a gymnasium and home that formerly served as a parsonage. "This building has a sanctuary/auditorium with a seating capacity of 600, plus a smaller 100-seat meeting room, classrooms and offices. This would be ideal not only for a church, but also for a school, municipal facility, or meeting/concert venue," said Dixon. The auction will be held in two sessions at the Embassy Suites, 620 Chastain Road Northwest, Kennesaw, Georgia. The first session, at 2 p.m., will feature the offering of homes, residential lots, commercial land and residential land in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. A second session at 7 p.m. will include the motel and church, along with home sites, land and other properties. Individuals interested in additional information may call 404-609-1150 or visit www.multi-seller.us. John Dixon & Associates, based in Marietta, Georgia, also has offices in Tallahassee, Clayton, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For more information: Carl Carter, 205-823-3273 SOURCE John Dixon & Associates Related Links http://johndixon.com/ MONTREAL, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - After having been broadcast throughout the United States on PBS affiliates, the third season of the Free Markets Series is now available online. As of today, four new 30-minute episodes can be found on the dedicated series web library, and on social media networks as well. The Free Markets Series introduces viewers to some of the most dynamic and influential thinkers and activists in the freedom movement. Season 3 features: Ruth Richardson , former New Zealand Minister of Finance and radical economic reformer; , former Minister of Finance and radical economic reformer; John Stossel , long-time consumer reporter, author, television personality, and market enthusiast; , long-time consumer reporter, author, television personality, and market enthusiast; Brad Lips , CEO of the Atlas Network, a non-profit organization connecting free-market think tanks around the world; and , CEO of the Atlas Network, a non-profit organization connecting free-market think tanks around the world; and Lawrence White , economics professor at George Mason University primarily known for his research on free banking. These unique interviews are conducted by none other than Bob Scully, distinguished media personality and host of The World Show. One of the most engaging interviews is the one featuring John Stossel, who spent his early career debunking faulty products and shifty services. But over time, he began to notice that government regulations and programs often do not function as advertised either. When markets are free, however, cheaters tend to get caught, and goods and services tend to get better and less expensive. "We should all thank capitalism when we go to the supermarket: 30,000 products, the aisles are wide, it's well-lit, it's open 24/7 unlike anything the government does." Yet, as Stossel points out, we take such modern marvels for granted. Fiscal responsibility, the right to work, deregulation, free enterprise as poverty alleviation, and sound money are some of the broad principles eloquently defended by the featured guests of these new interviews. The Free Markets Series is produced by The World Show in partnership with the MEI, an influential Canadian free-market think tank. The World Show is a syndicated television program broadcast across North America, in 44 US states and on 301 stations affiliated with American PBS, including in nine of the top ten Nielsen DMA markets. "The MEI and The World Show are proud to be able to offer television and Internet viewers the chance to discover or deepen their appreciation of some of the principles of the free market as expressed by these respected thinkers discussing their life's work," says Michel Kelly-Gagnon, President and CEO of the MEI. "We are especially proud of this third season, which features not only thinkers and activists helping to spread these important ideas, but also a former Finance Minister who successfully reformed economic policy in her country." Season 3 of the series is available on our website. The episodes can be viewed, commented on, and shared through social media networks. The Montreal Economic Institute is an independent, non-partisan, not-for-profit research and educational organization. Through its studies and its conferences, the MEI stimulates debate on public policies in Quebec and across Canada by proposing wealth-creating reforms based on market mechanisms. This project was made possible in part through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed by the interviewees in each of the episodes do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. SOURCE Montreal Economic Institute Related Links http://www.iedm.org NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP: To: All Persons or Entities who purchased Ixia (NASDAQ: XXIA) stock prior to January 30, 2017 . You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of Ixia to Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) for $19.65 per share. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/xxia or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Joseph E. Levi, Esq. Eduard Korsinsky, Esq. 30 Broad Street - 24th Floor New York, NY 10004 Tel: (212) 363-7500 Toll Free: (877) 363-5972 Fax: (212) 363-7171 www.zlk.com SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Related Links http://www.zlk.com The new ad depicts the recent rally and press conference CPBD held outside of the Delaware Supreme Court in Dover. While the employees are barred from commenting, they are shown standing behind CPBD Campaign Manager Chris Coffey as he urges the Supreme Court to save the company, its jobs, and Delaware's position as the nation's leader in the incorporation business. ( https://youtu.be/a4Acv4C2t4Y ) "We arrived to the hearing with a full bus of TransPerfect employees," said Chris Coffey, Campaign Manager for CPBD. "These employees have been ordered not to speak out against the court, but still risked attending the hearing to fight for their jobs. We hope that Delawareans will see the threat that the Chancery Court's decision poses to Delaware's economy and to more than 4,000 livelihoods. We urge them to sign the petition and stand with us to protect our state and its residents." CPBD was formed after the Delaware Court of Chancery ordered an appointed custodian to sell TransPerfect amid an internal dispute among company owners. Over the past few months, CPBD has been involved with court proceedings, submitting an amicus brief and arguing that the Court of Chancery appoint a custodian to act as a provisional director until the dispute is resolved and continues to work with members of legislature to get the bill passed. "I am concerned that the TransPerfect case will negatively impact the state of Delaware and I am actively working with Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware to make sure our state keeps its long and well-deserved reputation as the state where businesses come from around the globe," said Senator Colin Bonini. "We all want the same thing to keep jobs in Delaware and to keep our state's economy strong." Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 2,200 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives, and others. They formed in April 2016 to focus on raising awareness among Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the issue. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware, visit DelawareForBusiness.org. Contact: Mary Urban, [email protected] Julijana Englander, [email protected] SOURCE Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Related Links http://www.delawareforbusiness.org WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Energy Agency (IEA) Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (HIA), the largest and longest lived global collaboration in hydrogen research, development and demonstration (R,D&D), is pleased to announce the accession of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), a combined American gas and electric utility, to the IEA HIA (www.ieahia.org). As an IEA HIA member, Southern Company may participate in any of the diverse research and analysis tasks which, together with outreach activities, comprise the IEA HIA's innovation portfolio. Initially, Southern Company has elected to participate in IEA HIA Task 38, which analyzes the use of hydrogen generated from electricity. Southern Company will also have a seat on the IEA HIA Executive Committee, the governing forum. IEA HIA Chairman Stefan Oberholzer (from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy) welcomed Southern Company as the first IEA HIA utility member, underscoring Southern Company's vision and the important role that utilities play in shaping a future energy system that features hydrogen. "Southern Company is an industry pioneer whose interest in hydrogen and clean energy makes it a global leader in energy innovation, ensuring the company's position as an energy provider of the future." "As a leading national energy company, Southern Company is committed to building the future of energy," said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Tom Fanning. "We look forward to working with the IEA to explore how hydrogen can play an important role in that future." About the IEA HIA As an IEA Technology Collaboration Program and treaty-based organization, the IEA HIA is working to accelerate hydrogen implementation and widespread utilization worldwide through R,D&D cooperation and information exchange. In addition to new member Southern Company, IEA HIA membership includes 22 countries and the Commission of the European Union, as well as Shell, the German public- private partnership NOW and the international non-profit association HySafe. For more information about the IEA HIA, a premier global resource for technical expertise in hydrogen R,D&D, visit www.ieahia.org. About Southern Company Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 44,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric utilities in four states, natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com. Contact Mary-Rose de Valladares, IEA HIA General Manager, can be reached at [email protected] or +1 301 634 7423 (land line) or + 1 202 409 4240 (cell). SOURCE International Energy Agency Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (IEA HIA) Related Links http://www.ieahia.org EL PASO, Texas, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sovereign Health, a national behavioral health system, is set to launch an open house event to commemorate the opening of its new El Paso treatment facility. In addition, special guest Anthony J. Mele, Psy.D., Sovereign Health's Chief Clinical Officer, will be in attendance to answer questions at this free open house event. The event will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. MST at the Sovereign Health Treatment Center located at 415 East Yandell Drive, El Paso, Texas 79902. The open house will feature a luncheon and a raffle, as well as a tour of the El Paso facility. To RSVP, email Jeanette Lisalda or call 949-202-2332 ext. 1218. "Sovereign is excited to join the dynamic El Paso behavioral health community. Since our establishment in late fall of 2015, we have met many fine behavioral health colleagues from El Paso and we look forward to further developing these relationships," said Dr. Mele. "I believe that Sovereign's emphasis on the brain's ability to renew and recover from substance abuse disorder will offer hope to the many individuals who struggle with substance abuse disorders." Dr. Mele will be available during the event to meet with members of the El Paso behavioral health treatment community. In addition, the Texas facility's clinical leadership will also be in attendance, including Jessica Acker, LPC-S, LMFT, program director, and Natalie K. Bellman-Seeskin, Ph.D., site training director for the El Paso facility. "At Sovereign Health of El Paso, we provide comprehensive dual diagnosis treatment to patients in need," said Ms. Acker. "We're proud to open our doors to the El Paso community for this special event and give attendees the opportunity to learn more about the treatment and services we provide." Sovereign Health of El Paso specializes in behavioral health treatment for adults dealing with mental health and substance use disorders. The treatment facility offers a full spectrum of levels of care, including detoxification, intensive residential treatment and an intensive outpatient program. Sovereign Health of El Paso offers treatment for both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking patients. Individual, couples and family therapy, as well as personalized treatment plans are available for the best approach possible to meet each patient's needs. About Sovereign Health One factor that differentiates Sovereign Health from other treatment providers has been its ability to offer separate mental health and addiction/dual diagnosis treatment programs at its facilities. Sovereign Health provides treatment for mental health disorders including trauma, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as treatment for cognitive deficits and eating disorders. Sovereign's patient population includes adults and adolescents. In addition, Sovereign Health proudly serves active U.S. military personnel and returning war veterans. For more information, visit www.sovhealth.com. SOURCE Sovereign Health Related Links http://www.sovhealth.com/ DENVER and NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cologix, a network neutral interconnection and data center company, and Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners announced today the signing of a definitive merger agreement, through which Stonepeak will acquire a majority interest in the company. The transaction will provide Cologix increased access to capital for its growth plans and Stonepeak a marquee platform to enter the data center and interconnection market in North America. The existing management team will continue to run the business in their current capacities. Grant van Rooyen will remain the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and will be the Chairman of the Board. The existing Cologix investors, including Grant van Rooyen, the van Rooyen Group, Company management, Columbia Capital and Greenspring Associates will continue to hold a material interest in the company moving forward and will participate in future growth equity investments. Joining Grant on the board will be Trent Vichie, Brian McMullen, Bill Fathers and Peter Bruce from Stonepeak, Patrick Hendy from Columbia, and Neil Hobbs representing the van Rooyen Group interests. Cologix operates 24 data centers across 9 strategic markets in the United States and Canada. Cologix's leading carrier neutral facilities offer its customers access to the densest collection of networks and cloud operators across its markets through its Meet-Me-Rooms. Cologix's 1,600+ customers include Network Providers, Cloud Providers, Media Companies, Financial Companies and Enterprises, all looking to leverage the power of interconnection to reach new customers and future proof IT deployments. "I am delighted to welcome Stonepeak into Cologix as investors," explains Grant van Rooyen. "Over the past months we have come to greatly appreciate the investment savvy, approach to partnership and tone of Stonepeak. They are the right partner for the existing Cologix management team to be working with for the next phase of our evolution. We have felt for some time that the opportunity within our markets and our sector broadly has far more potential than we have been able to practically finance. With this transaction and the incremental investment, we will now have the financial capacity we want and need. "Enterprise-grade data center infrastructure, especially when combined with robust interconnection hubs, will be increasingly important to the digital supply chain in the coming years," notes Trent Vichie, Co-Founder and Senior Managing Director of Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners. "Cologix has built an exceptional platform and team that is well positioned to accelerate growth by using the power of interconnection to support key industry trends, including content moving to the edge, the rise of cloud computing and enterprises outsourcing data centers. Stonepeak is delighted to partner with Grant and his team in this next phase of the company's growth." "As the founding institutional investor in Cologix, our investment has proven to be not only rewarding from a returns perspective, but equally rewarding because we assisted in building a great Company from scratch over a 6 year period that has taken care of it's customers and employees in a very responsible manner," said Patrick Hendy, Partner from Columbia Capital. "We loved this opportunity and this market 6+ years ago and we continue to be big believers." The transaction, which is only subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the coming months. About Cologix Inc. Cologix provides reliable, secure, scalable data center and interconnection solutions from 24 prime interconnection locations across 9 strategic North American edge markets. Over 1,600 leading network, managed services, cloud, media, content, financial services and enterprise customers trust Cologix to support their business critical infrastructure and connect them to customers, vendors and partners. Our dedicated, experienced local teams and scalable solutions enable us to provide industry-leading customer service and the ability to successfully support customers at the Internet's new edge. For a tour of one of our data centers in Columbus, Dallas, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Minneapolis, Montreal, New Jersey, Toronto or Vancouver visit www.cologix.com or email [email protected]. Follow Cologix on LinkedIn and Twitter. About Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners is a North America focused private equity firm with a conservative yet opportunistic approach to infrastructure investing. Stonepeak invests in businesses comprised of hard assets with leading market positions primarily in the following sectors: Energy, Power & Renewables, Transportation, Utilities, Water & Communications. Stonepeak, founded in 2011 and headquartered in New York, manages $6.4 billion of capital for its investors. SOURCE Cologix SELMA, Texas, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Who's Who recognizes Sylvia Owen as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member in recognition of her contributions to the field of Casino Parties and Fundraisers. Owen brings expertise in professional casino party planning for fundraising, corporate and special events for up to 1,000 guests to her role as President of Casino Fun, Inc., which she owns together with her husband, Richard. She has amassed 25 years of experience in the field, 16 of them spent in her current role. "I have a lot of hands-on experience in business through operating my own retail operation," Owen said. According to its website, Casino Fun, Inc., "has been bringing the thrills, glamour and excitement of Las Vegas right to your doorstep since 1993. [Its] goal is to provide you with the most authentic casino tables and dealers and bring the fun and excitement of a Las Vegas casino to you." To further her professional development, Owen is a member of the National Association of Casino Operators, the Hispanic Chamber of San Antonio, the Church Chamber of Commerce, the Randolph Metro Chamber and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. When not working, Owen participates in area fundraisers and charity events. In the name of Casino Fun, Inc., she donated two party tables to one local fundraiser and was a breakfast sponsor for Miss Rodeo Texas. Owen also enjoys collecting cookbooks, baking and needlepoint. Owen dedicates this recognition to her husband and partner, Mr. Richard Owen, as well as her mentor and advisor from San Antonio Stock and Rodeo, Jackie Vandewalle. For more information, visit www.casinofuninc.net. Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]m SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com MIAMI, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Taxfyle, a secure on-demand tax and accounting marketplace, today announced the closing of a $2 million seed financing round from new investors, Jeff Ransdell Group and Jonas Tempel of Beatport, along with support from existing investors. The new funding will help Taxfyle continue to scale its marketplace to address growing demand for fast, easy and affordable accounting services, including the millions of consumers and businesses who have complex returns. Founded in August 2015, today Taxfyle is the top featured tax app in the App Store that is turning the current accounting and tax industry on its head by connecting consumers and SMBs directly with Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and Enrolled Agents (EAs) over a mobile and web-based platform. Taxfyle eliminates the inefficiencies of brick and mortar shops and leverages the economies of its 700+ licensed tax professional freelancers network. What you're left with is a premium, efficient service for small businesses and individuals without a premium price tag. "Taxfyle is solving a problem that directly impacts every person and small business here in the U.S. as well as expatriates abroad," said Jeff Ransdell, investor and Managing Director of Rokk3r Fuel a Miami based venture capital firm. "This creates an immense market opportunity for a company like Taxfyle that can turn tax filing into something as simple as booking an Airbnb. With a team led by smart executives from the world's top financial institutions, the company's model has already made a massive impact on how tax returns are being filed and will continue to impact the future of accounting." For tax professionals, Taxfyle offers the chance to not only set their own hours and expand their client base, but also gives them the potential to earn a higher effective hourly rate than they do working for a traditional firm. Accountants, although considered to be well compensated as a profession, work long hours, often between 80-100 hours per week during tax season. Taxfyle gives CPAs and EAs the opportunity to participate in the gig economy: to build their own business or earn extra money by taking on accounting gigs on their own time. "We started Taxfyle because we saw an entire segment of the population that needed expert tax services, but didn't have the resources or time to hire a top-notch CPA or accounting firm," said Richard Lavina, CEO and founder of Taxfyle. "For years, consumers and small businesses have been struggling with retail accounting services with limited expertise or have tried to do it themselves, while likely leaving hundreds or thousands of dollars on the table. Taxfyle's certified tax professionals have on average 14 years of experience and in about 24 hours can complete your return, at 40 percent less than typical brick and mortars." Taxfyle simplifies taxes by providing online and mobile access, instantaneous quotes, in-app messaging and the unparalleled flexibility other methods lack. This new round of funding will help Taxfyle expand their platform, and provide more people with the tax expertise that they sorely need. The round of financing continues an amazing 18 months of adoption, growth and momentum for Taxfyle. In January, Taxfyle partnered with TaxAct, leading provider of technology-enabled financial solutions to consumers, small businesses and tax professionals. Through the partnership, Taxfyle is able to service more complex filers through direct access to CPAs and EAs with high quality, affordable tax solutions. In early 2017, Taxfyle launched 2.0 of its app to provide a full-service web platform and extensive mobile capabilities including App Pay , Touch ID and business return filings. , Touch ID and business return filings. Despite launching in the App Store late in the 2015 tax filing season, Taxfyle has already tens of thousands of users for personal taxes and SMB tax work, making it the top featured app in the Tax Time category in the App Store. Taxfyle has grown to more than 700 certified tax professionals who love the additional income and work-life flexibility they can earn through an on-demand marketplace. The company has signed marketing agreements with TaxAct, Postmates and Albert, to name a few, in its efforts to bring simple, on-demand expert accounting services to people who provide sharing economy services like hosting, car sharing, home/office delivery and other freelance services. Use Taxfyle on Web, App iOS and Android. About Taxfyle Founded in August 2015 and based in Miami, Taxfyle is a secure on-demand marketplace where clients have access to the highest tax and accounting knowledge. Clients can submit jobs, connect with licensed tax professionals, chat, exchange documents and sign for their return, all on their mobile device or web browser. It doesn't matter if you're a recent college graduate or a multi-millionaire, Taxfyle's platform can solve any tax or accounting issue on-demand at below market rates. Every day here at Taxfyle, we work on making tax filing easier and less of a burden. Learn more at www.taxfyle.com or follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/taxfyle. SOURCE Taxfyle Related Links https://taxfyle.com GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Transaction: The Capital Corporation is pleased to announce the sale of Southeastern Dock & Door (headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina) to ASSA ABLOY (headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden). Southeastern Dock & Door is a leading industrial and commercial door and docking solutions distributor in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. ASSA ABLOY is a global leader of door opening solutions. For the last twenty years, Southeastern Dock and Door has established itself as a leading seller, installer, and servicer of both industrial doors (including rolling steel service and fire doors, and sectional steel doors) and loading dock equipment (including seals, dock shelters, dock levelers and trailer restraints). More recently, the company expanded beyond the industrial markets by beginning to service the commercial door markets as well as access control security systems, certified biometrics and fire inspections industries. Since its inception in 1997, Southeastern Dock and Door successfully built a loyal and robust customer base of Fortune 1,000 companies based on the time tested formula of offering superior products with consistently excellent service. Jim Foster, the President of Southeaster Dock & Door, commented "We are excited about becoming a member of the ASSA ABLOY team. ASSA ABLOY will empower us to focus even more resources into offering our customers the excellent service they deserve." The Capital Corporation, a leading investment bank headquartered out of Greenville, South Carolina and with offices in Spartanburg, South Carolina and Boca Raton, Florida, served as the exclusive advisor to Southeastern Dock & Door on the transaction. About Southeastern Dock and Door: Southeastern Dock and Door (www.southeasterndockanddoor.com) is a regional, value-add distributor that sells, installs, and services state of the art loading dock equipment, industrial/commercial doors, access control security systems, as well as complete storefronts. About ASSA ABLOY: ASSA ABLOY (www.assaabloy.com) is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end user needs for security, safety and convenience. Since its formation in 1994, ASSA ABLOY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 46,000 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales of approximately $7 billion. In the fast-growing electromechanical security segment, the Group has a leading position in areas such as access control, identification technology, entrance automation and hotel security. About The Capital Corporation: Since 1991, The Capital Corporation (www.thecapitalcorp.com) has been providing merger and acquisition services to lower middle market companies. The Capital Corporation's team of professionals has closed hundreds of transactions and leverages their backgrounds from Wall Street and Fortune 500 companies for the benefit of its clients. The Capital Corporation is one of only six investment banks in the United States that has achieved the exclusive IMAP membership, allowing for unparalleled access to a global buyer network across three dozen countries. Contact: Devin Green, 864.672.8400, [email protected] SOURCE The Capital Corporation Related Links http://www.thecapitalcorp.com MISSION, Kan., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- (Family Features) Romeo and Juliet. Antony and Cleopatra. Lamb and Potatoes (or Mint or Feta). The list of American lamb's great loves goes on and on. This luscious protein entices any side or ingredient it touches. A truly versatile meat in terms of texture and flavor, American lamb is an excellent choice for the cook who wants to spice things up, both literally and figuratively. Braised Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate and Fennel (Photo Courtesy of American Lamb Board) Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Sea Salt and Charred Lemons (Photo Courtesy of American Lamb Board) Shepherd's Pie with Mushrooms, Stout and Horseradish Potatoes (Photo Courtesy of American Lamb Board) Spicy Lamb Merguez Sausage with Bucatini Pasta (Photo Courtesy of American Lamb Board) Roasted Lamb Chops with Fragrant Indian Fenugreek Sauce (Photo Courtesy of American Lamb Board) Slow-Cooker Lamb Ragu with Rigatoni (Photo Courtesy of American Lamb Board) From a classic Rack of Lamb and rich Lamb Shank Osso Buco to Grilled Lamb and Feta Burgers, there are many reasons (and ways) to enjoy lamb. Take lamb's versatility to the next level by pairing it with longtime loves like potatoes and pomegranates, but with little twists to give it a fresh taste. As a delicious and nutrient-rich food, American lamb is a natural choice. There is a cut, loin or chop to tempt taste buds and spark culinary excitement for a romantic dinner for two or simply a gathering with friends. If you're feeling adventurous, try out these six enticing couplings of American lamb and other favorite foods. For more tantalizing recipes, visit AmericanLamb.com. 1. Lamb and Pomegranates Some say pomegranate seeds are the rubies of the orchard, so it's only fitting that lamb is often adorned by one of nature's precious gems. Think of pomegranate as the yin to the lamb's yang. Its tart, clean flavor balances the richness of luxurious lamb dishes such as this Braised Lamb Shank with Pomegranates and Fennel. 2. Lamb and Rosemary Lamb and mint have been bedfellows for centuries. However, there's another herb that matches up well with lamb rosemary. The fragrant woody aroma of rosemary infused into a grilled leg of lamb alongside charred lemons is what dreams (and dinners) are made of. 3. Lamb and Potatoes A classic Irish love story with an American twist. The humble potato is drawn to the ever-mysterious cut of lamb, and the rest is history. Think American Lamb Chops and Fingerling Potatoes or Irish Stew. You'll never go wrong with Shepherd's Pie, and this one gets an added kick from horseradish. 4. Lamb and Pasta Ground lamb is experiencing a renaissance in American cuisine. It's one of those chameleon foods that can transform itself from a juicy burger to a flavorful ragu, and pasta is its ideal companion. Create your own "Lady and the Tramp" crossed with "Casablanca" moment with this Northern African-inspired riff on spaghetti and meatballs featuring Merguez Sausage prepared with American lamb. 5. Lamb and Garam Masala There are some pairings that can create some serious heat in the kitchen. Take garam masala for example. "Garam" means hot or heating and "masala" means spice blend. Rub this popular blend, which often contains black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, fennel and more, onto a rack of lamb ribs before it hits the oven. Slather individual chops in a velvety bath like this Indian Coconut Feenugreek Sauce. 6. Lamb and Red Wine Red wine pairs with lamb in many ways. Loin chops, roast or ribs, there isn't a cut of lamb that doesn't pair well with red wine. As an ingredient, red wine provides acidity to perfectly complement the lamb. The hardest part of this recipe is opening the bottle of wine. Michael French [email protected] 1-888-824-3337 editors.familyfeatures.com About Family Features Editorial Syndicate Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information. SOURCE Family Features Editorial Syndicate Related Links http://www.familyfeatures.com Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States is part of Frost & Sullivan's Visionary Innovation (Mega Trends) Growth Partnership Subscription. Frost & Sullivan has also created the New Populism Pendulum Custom Workshops . These are one-day consulting engagements with our industry experts and strategists. To preview our new analysis Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States please click here please To register your interest in our New Populism Pendulum Custom Workshops please go to https://goo.gl/NiW5Ii "Self-determination will play an increasingly important role in American culture over the next four years, with citizens, businesses, cities and states adjusting to the redirection of responsibilities away from the federal government," said Frost & Sullivan Visionary Innovation Senior Consultant Jillian Walker. "Decisions regarding income, investment and funding will become even more specific, personalized, and consequential, and there will be a greater need for consumer guidance." There will also be keener focus on automation technologies in manufacturing, with manufacturers finding a balance between controlling costs and expanding American operations. The sectors that will gain the most from proposed deregulation include energy and financial services. "In terms of consumers, we expect connected delivery models for education, healthcare and financial services to accelerate, meeting greater consumer demand for a wider range of convenient, affordable, and on-demand alternatives," noted Walker. Trade, especially, is under a cloud of uncertainty, causing businesses to reassess their supply chains and long-term investment strategies. Companies are also adapting to Trump's use of social media, and they will increasingly deploy proactive strategies emphasizing their commitment to America. "In terms of foreign policy, Trump has begun his administration with a much friendlier attitude toward Russia, and there is a strong possibility that the U.S. will lift its sanctions on the country," noted Walker. "U.S. relations with both Mexico and China will be strained in the first few months of Trump's presidency. It is evident that Mexico will be hit the worst, as American manufacturers are already reconsidering expanding capital investments in the country." Overall, Trump's economic plan, his approach to trade, and his realignment with global powers could stimulate a short-term boom, but they could also lead to economic contraction over the mid-term if planned approaches do not yield anticipated results. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion Trump's Impact on Future Business in the United States K192-MT Contact: Francesca Valente Corporate Communications Americas P: +54 11 4777 5300 F: +54 11 4777 5300 E: [email protected] http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com Arrivals accounted for 50.4 percent of U-Haul traffic in Florida in 2016 thanks to locations like Kissimmee, Brandon, Miami, Melbourne, Bradenton and Boca Raton, the cities to pace the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks Kissimmee is the No. 10 U-Haul U.S. Growth City for locations with a population of more than 50,000. Brandon ranks 14th and Miami 17th. Follow the Top 10 Growth States daily countdown through Feb. 3 on Twitter @uhaul and view other migration trends reports, including the U.S. Growth Cities release, at myuhaulstory.com. Growth States are calculated by the net gain of one-way U-Haul truck rentals entering a state versus leaving a state during a calendar year. Migration trends data is compiled from more than 1.7 million one-way U-Haul truck rental transactions that occur annually. While migration trends do not correlate directly to population or economic growth, U-Haul growth data is an effective gauge of how well cities are attracting and maintaining residents. "There has been a large migration into Central Florida," said Rod Baldwin, U-Haul Company of Orlando president. "Osceola County has been one of the fastest growing counties in the state. It's funny because it was pretty rundown for some time, but it's caught fire and we're running with it. We are in the process of building a 70,000-square-foot store in Kissimmee." U-Haul has several stores under construction and intends to add more than 60 new independent businesses to its neighborhood dealer network in the Orlando area over the next two years. But that's far from the only region in Florida where do-it-yourself movers are flocking. "I see signs of growth every day," said Rainel Gonzalez, U-Haul Company of Miami president. "The construction in downtown Miami is picking up and the Hispanic neighborhoods are growing like crazy." "The (Metro) Tampa area has received many in-bound trucks over the past year, and many of them have been our 20- and 26-foot trucks," added Bob Magyar, U-Haul Company of Tampa president. "This usually means families are moving into the area, typically with children and from larger homes." Find U-Haul stores and neighborhood dealers in Florida at uhaul.com/locations. U-Haul is the authority on migration trends thanks to its expansive network that blankets all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. The geographical coverage from more than 21,000 U-Haul locations, including neighborhood dealers and Company-owned and -operated stores, provides a comprehensive overview of where people are moving like no one else in the industry. About U-Haul Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 21,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to more than 139,000 trucks, 108,000 trailers and 38,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 536,000 rooms and more than 50 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry and is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S. www.uhaul.com Contact Jeff Lockridge Sebastien Reyes E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-760-4941 Website: uhaul.com SOURCE U-Haul NACE Automechanika, the largest U.S. trade show dedicated to high-end technical and management-related training for automotive service and collision repair shops, is July 26-29 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. Scholarships will cover travel and hotel expenses for recipients as well as any costs associated with training courses during NACE Automechanika Chicago. Recipients also will receive cash vouchers redeemable with exhibitors at the NACE Automechanika Chicago expo to purchase tools, equipment and other services required to enhance their skillsets. "We are pleased to work with three wonderful organizations in AMi, NATEF and TST as we all work to further the access to quality, in-demand training for automotive professionals across the industry," said Jim Savas, GM and VP of the UBM Automotive Group. "We are fortunate to have the UBM Community Engagement Program support us in making it possible for more repairers and owners to participate in NACE Automechanika Chicago and continue to learn and improve their skills." To apply, visit http://www.naceautomechanika.com/scholarships. Criteria for each scholarship is listed and a single sign-on form is available for applicants. Winners will be notified in late May. Scholarships from AMi are available for those who work in the automotive service or collision repair industry and served in the U.S. military, while NATEF scholarships are available for automotive educators and students over age 18. TST scholarships are available for technicians and shop owners meeting a variety of criteria. "I'm pleased to team up with the UBM Community Engagement Program to assist the number of quality technicians and owners in the country who desire training and who could use a little help in obtaining it," said G. Jerry Truglia, president of TST. "We have worked closely with UBM and its automotive group in promoting our annual Big Event. I'm pleased again to team up with groups that understand the importance of quality training, like what they receive at the Big Event and at NACE Automechanika Chicago." "We too look forward to providing the opportunity for educators and students to continue learning outside of their school classrooms," said Trish Serratore, president of NATEF/AYES. "In order for our educators to teach future technicians, they need to stay up-to-date on trends and techniques. What a better way to do so than by training with professionals from around the country at NACE Automechanika Chicago." "With the quality training offered at NACE Automechanika Chicago, this provides us a tremendous way to give back to those who have served for all of us," said Jeff Peevy, AMi president. "Opening the door for more training to be accessible to more technicians, collision repair specialists and more is an important step in guaranteeing the industry is ready and able to properly diagnose, repair and maintain the ever-changing vehicle fleet." Scholarship applications are available now at http://www.naceautomechanika.com/scholarships. Registration is open for NACE Automechanika Chicago, and training topics covered at NACE Automechanika 2017 range from analysis of fuel trim corrections for drivability to social media for shops. Courses offered reflect current trends as well as showcase new techniques and processes to make business more efficient. You can view a list of training sessions scheduled through today; more will be added in coming months. NACE Automechanika attendees also will be able to experience the latest technology, test equipment and discover advanced applications with live, interactive demonstrations. For the 2017 event, the show schedule has been adjusted to limit conflicts between exposition hours and training sessions. For more information, visit: www.NACEAutomechanika.com About Automotive Service Association The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals. Headquartered in North Richland Hills, TX, ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous affiliate, state and chapter groups from both the mechanical and collision repair segments of the automotive service industry. ASA advances professionalism and excellence in the automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services. http://asashop.org/ About UBM Americas UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc, is the largest business-to-business events and trade show organizer in the U.S. Through a range of aligned interactive physical and digital environments, UBM Americas increases business effectiveness for both customers and audiences by cultivating meaningful experiences, knowledge and connections. UBM Americas has offices spanning North and South America, and serves a variety of specialist industries with dedicated events and marketing services covering everything from fashion, tech and life sciences to advanced manufacturing, cruise shipping, specialty chemicals, powersports and automotive, concrete, hospitality, cargo transportation and more. For more information, visit: www.ubmamericas.com. About Messe Frankfurt Messe Frankfurt is one of the world's leading trade fair organizers, generating around 648 million in sales and employing 2,244 people. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 30 subsidiaries and 55 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in 175 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at approx. 50 locations around the globe. In 2015, Messe Frankfurt organized a total of 133 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Comprising an area of 592,127 square metres, Messe Frankfurt's exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres. The historic Festhalle, one of the most popular venues in Germany, plays host to events of all kinds. Messe Frankfurt is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com The North American headquarters in Atlanta is currently producing eleven trade shows in the USA, Canada and Mexico across various industries. For more information about Messe Frankfurt, please visit our web site at www.MesseFrankfurt.us. SOURCE UBM Americas Related Links http://www.ubmamericas.com WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau: TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO Profile America Thursday, February 2nd. On this date in 1848, the United States and a defeated Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending their controversial war, which began in May 1846 after some mutual provocations. In the peace treaty, Mexico recognized America's annexation of the Republic of Texas, with the Rio Grande being the border. In exchange for $15 million and other provisions, the U.S. obtained all or much of what are now six of our other southwestern states. Some 80,000 Mexicans were thereby included in the subsequent 1850 Census. Now, the number of Mexican-Americans in the U.S. has risen to nearly 36 million out of a total Hispanic population of over 56 million. About 39 percent of Texas' population of over 27 million is Hispanic. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov. Sources: Treaty/accessed 12/7/2016: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/guadalupe-hidalgo/ Mexican-American War accessed 12/7/2016: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/379134/Mexican-American-War Post treaty: Mexican Americans Circa 1850 Richard L. Nostrand Annals of the Association of American Geographers Vol. 65, No. 3 (Sep., 1975), pp. 378-390 Hispanic population: http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B03001 Texas: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/RHI725215/48,00 Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotion of the U.S. Census Bureau. Statistics and accounts drawn from cited non-Census sources are employed for illustrative or narrative purposes, and are not attested to by the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Audio" in the "Library" pull-down menu). SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau Related Links http://www.census.gov WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The roots of National Women's History Month go back to March 8, 1857, when women from various New York City factories staged a protest over working conditions. International Women's Day was first observed in 1909, but it was not until 1981 that Congress established National Women's History Week to be commemorated annually the second week of March. In 1987, Congress expanded the week to a month. Every year since, Congress has passed a resolution for Women's History Month, and the president has issued a proclamation. Population 163.2 million The number of females in the United States as of July 2015. The number of males was 158.2 million. Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPAGESEX 2 to 1 The approximate ratio by which women age 85 and older outnumbered men in 2015 (4.1 million to 2.1 million). Source: Vintage 2015 Population Estimates http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPAGESEX Jobs 76.1 million The number of females age 16 and older who participated in the civilian labor force in 2015. Women comprised 47.4 percent of the civilian labor force in 2015. Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table DP03 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/DP03 43.9% The percentage of women who were life, physical and social science scientists in 2015, the highest percentage of women among all computer, engineering and science occupations. There were 24.8 percent of computer and mathematical occupations and 14.0 percent of architecture and engineering occupations held by women. Source: 2015 American Community Survey http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S2402 https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B24020 63.0% The percentage of women who were social scientists in 2012, the heaviest representation of women among all STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Among other STEM fields, women comprised approximately 14.0 percent of engineers, 45.0 percent of mathematicians and statisticians, and 47.0 percent of life scientists. The rates of mathematicians and statisticians, and life scientists are not statistically different from each other. Sources: 2012 American Community Survey and Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin by Occupation: 2012, Table 2 www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-130.html www.census.gov/people/io/files/Table%202.%20Occupation.xlsx Percentage of Women in Select Occupations 1970 2006-2010 Registered nurses 97.3 91.2 Dental assistants 97.9 96.3 Cashiers 84.2 74.7 Pharmacists 12.1 52.6 Accountants 24.6 60.0 Computer programmers 24.2 24.4 Physicians and surgeons 9.7 32.4 Lawyers and judges 4.9 33.4 Police officers 3.7 14.8 Civil engineers 1.3 12.7 Source: 1980 and 1970 Census of Population Supplementary Reports - Detailed Occupation of the Experienced Civilian Labor Force by Sex for the United States and Regions, and EEO Tabulation EEO-ALL1R based on 2006-2010 American Community Survey www.census.gov/people/eeotabulation/data/ 14.2% The percentage of employed women age 16 and older in 2015 who worked in management, business and financial occupations, compared with 15.8 percent of employed men in the same year. Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B24010 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B24010 Military 1.6 million The number of women veterans in the United States in 2015. Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B21001 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B21001 Earnings 9.7% The percentage of married couples in 2016 where the wife earned at least $30,000 more than the husband. Source: Families and Living Arrangements, 2016, Table FG3 www.census.gov/hhes/families/files/cps2016/tabFG3-all.xls $40,742 The median annual earnings of women age 15 and older who worked full time, year-round in 2015. In comparison, the median annual earnings of men were $51,212. Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015, Table A-4 www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-256.pdf $0.80 The amount that full-time, year-round female workers earned in 2015 for every dollar their male counterparts earned. Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015, Table A-4 www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-256.pdf Education 12.5 million The number of women enrolled in undergraduate college and graduate school in 2015. Women comprised 55.4 percent of all college students (undergraduate and graduate). Source: American Community Survey, 2015, Table B14002 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B14002 30.9% The percentage of women age 25 and older who had obtained a bachelor's degree or more as of 2015. The percentage of men age 25 and older who had obtained a bachelor's degree or more as of 2015 was 30.3 percent. Source: American Community Survey, 2015, Table S1501 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S1501 Business $1.4 trillion The estimated receipts from women-owned firms in the United States in 2012, rising 18.7 percent from $1.2 trillion in 2007. Source: 2012 Survey of Business Owners http://census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-209.html http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/SBO/2012/00CSA01 9.9 million The estimated number of women-owned firms in the United States in 2012, up from 7.8 million or 26.8 percent in 2007. Source: 2012 Survey of Business Owners http://census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-209.html http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/SBO/2012/00CSA01 35.8% The estimated percentage of U.S. firms that were owned by women in 2012. They constituted the majority of firms in the health care and social assistance sector (62.5 percent), the educational services sector (54.2 percent) and the "other services" sector (51.8 percent). For comparison, women accounted for 51.4 percent of the 18-and-older population in the United States in 2012. Sources: 2012 Survey of Business Owners and Vintage 2012 Population Estimates http://census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-209.html http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/SBO/2012/00CSA01 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2012/PEPAGESEX 114,103 The number of women-owned firms that had paid employees and were in business less than two years in the United States in 2014. The health care and social assistance sector had the most women-owned businesses with 177,127 firms or 16.8 percent. Source: 2014 Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASE/2014/00CSA02 Voting 43.0% The percentage of female citizens age 18 and older who reported voting in the 2014 election. By comparison, 40.8 percent of their male counterparts reported voting. Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2014, Table 2 www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p20-577.pdf Motherhood 43.5 million The estimated number of mothers ages 15 to 50 in the United States in 2014. Source: Current Population Survey: 2014, Detailed Table 2 www.census.gov/hhes/fertility/data/cps/2014.html 2.0 The average number of children that women ages 40 to 44 had given birth to as of 2014, down from 3.1 children in 1976, the year the Census Bureau first began collecting such data. The percentage of women in this age group who had ever given birth was 84.8 percent in 2014, down from 89.9 percent in 1976. Source: 2014 Current Population Survey, Historical Table 2 www.census.gov/hhes/fertility/data/cps/historical.html Marriage 67.4 million The number of married women age 18 and older (including those who were separated or had an absent spouse) in 2016. Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2016, Table A1 www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2016A.html 5.0 million The number of stay-at-home mothers nationwide in 2016, compared with 209,000 stay-at-home fathers. Source: Families and Living Arrangements: 2016, Historical Table SHP-1 www.census.gov/hhes/families/files/shp1.xls Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau's Facts for Features series: African-American History Month (February) Labor Day (1st Monday in September) Super Bowl (first Sunday in February) Grandparents Day (1st Sunday after Labor Day) Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) Women's History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week (3rd week of September) Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31) St. Patrick's Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month Earth Day (April 22) (November) Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) Older Americans Month (May) Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November) Mother's Day (2nd Sunday in May) The Holiday Season (December) Hurricane Season Begins (June 1) Father's Day (third Sunday in June) The Fourth of July (July 4) Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26) Back to School (August) Editor's note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate publication production timelines. Graphic | JPG | PDF | census.gov Connect with us on Social media Jewel Jordan Public Information Office 301-763-3030 / [email protected] SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau Related Links http://www.census.gov ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized its molecular test, the Abbott RealTime ZIKA test, to detect Zika virus in whole blood (when collected alongside a patient-matched serum or plasma sample) for emergency use. This is the first molecular test made by a commercial manufacturer authorized to detect Zika in whole blood samples, which is significant since recent research suggests Zika virus can be detected in whole blood for a longer period of time (up to two months) and at higher levels versus testing with serum and urine sample types.1,2,3 "Diagnosing a Zika infection can be challenging, especially since people might not have any symptoms or only have mild symptoms that last a few days," said John Hackett, Ph.D., divisional vice president, applied research and technology, Diagnostics Products, Abbott. "Abbott's molecular test may provide the ability to identify the active virus over a longer time period with whole blood and could provide a more accurate diagnosis. Our test can also distinguish Zika from other viruses such as dengue or chikungunya, which helps doctors make informed diagnoses to help people get back to better health." The Abbott RealTime ZIKA test is designed for use on the m2000 RealTime System the company's molecular diagnostics instrument used in hospital and reference labs in the U.S. and around the world. Providing results within five to seven hours, the test is highly sensitive to detect if someone is infected with Zika. It is also automated, allowing people who work in the lab to be more efficient and spend less time preparing and handling samples, reducing the chances of error and increasing speed to diagnosis. ABBOTT R&D EFFORTS RELATED TO ZIKA Abbott has several additional R&D projects underway (currently in development and not yet FDA approved, cleared or authorized) to help address testing needs related to the current Zika outbreak. Today's existing tools to detect Zika and other tropical diseases are laboratory-based and require reliable power sources, but often, testing is needed in remote areas where there are no labs. To address this issue, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded a contract to Abbott to develop a testing panel for Zika and multiple tropical fever pathogens for use on a mobile platform to meet the needs of testing in rural and remote areas. Another issue to address is the development of serology tests that do not cross-react with other tropical disease antibodies. Through a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Abbott is exploring the development of a serology test to solve this challenge. According to the World Health Organization, Zika remains a significant enduring public health challenge.4 More than 4,800 people who live in the U.S. have been infected with Zika (primarily from travel outside the U.S.), and more than 35,000 people are infected and reside in U.S. territories, mainly in Puerto Rico.5 Zika virus is primarily spread to people through bites from infected mosquitoes but can also be passed from pregnant women to their fetuses or through sexual transmission.6 It is important to quickly and accurately determine whether someone has a Zika infection to track and potentially help prevent the spread of the virus. For more information, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/zika/. ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT ABBOTT'S EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) modified the EUA for Abbott's RealTime ZIKA molecular test that can detect Zika virus RNA in serum, plasma, whole blood (EDTA) and urine (whole blood and urine collected alongside a patient-matched serum or plasma specimen) from individuals meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Zika virus clinical and/or CDC Zika virus epidemiological criteria. The Abbott Realtime ZIKA assay has not been FDA-cleared or approved and is only authorized for use for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of in vitro diagnostic tests for detection of Zika virus or diagnosis of Zika virus infection or both, unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. This test has been authorized only for the detection of RNA from Zika virus and diagnosis of Zika virus infection, not for any other viruses or pathogens. About Abbott At Abbott, we're committed to helping you live your best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new products and technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, 94,000 of us are working to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve. Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal. 1 Lustig Y, Mendelson E, Paran N, Melamed S, Schwartz E. Detection of Zika virus RNA in whole blood of imported Zika virus disease cases up to 2 months after symptom onset, Israel, December 2015 to April 2016. Euro Surveill. 2016;21(26):pii=30269. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2016.21.26.30269 2 Murray KO, Gorchakov R, Carlson AR, Berry R, Lai L, Natrajan M, et al. Prolonged Detection of Zika Virus in Vaginal Secretions and Whole Blood. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017;23(1):99-101. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2301.161394 3 Most Zika molecular tests currently available use plasma, serum or urine samples only, except for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Trioplex Real-time RT-PCR assay, which can also use whole blood. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/MedicalDevices/Safety/EmergencySituations/UCM491592.pdf 4 World Health Organization Statement: Fifth meeting at the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations regarding microcephaly, other neurological disorders and Zika virus. Website: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2016/zika-fifth-ec/en/. Accessed: January 10, 2017. 5 Case Counts in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Website: www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/united-states.html. Accessed January 9, 2017. 6 Transmission & Risks. U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Website: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/transmission/index.html. Accessed January 19, 2017. SOURCE Abbott Related Links http://www.abbott.com NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Advertising Research Foundation (thearf.org) is proud to announce that Wendy Clark, Advertising Age A-List Executive of the Year, will open this year's 63rd Annual Conference as a keynote speaker. The ARF Annual Conference attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to hear Ms. Clark in her first speaking engagement since winning the Ad Age award in January 2017. Ms. Clark will share her insights on the state of the industry, from her point-of-view as DDB President & CEO, North America. She will discuss how the agency-client dynamic is evolving and changing the work, drawing from her experiences working with McDonald's, State Farm and others. The ARF invited Ms. Clark to be a keynote speaker back in July 2016 because "Wendy is a pioneer in innovative and effective branding," explained Rachael Feigenbaum, The ARF SVP, Events Program Producer. "We are thrilled that she will be the opening keynote at Annual 2017 where she will inspire ARF members." About The ARF 63rd Annual Conference : The 63rd Annual Conference Re!Think 2017 is the premier gathering of leaders from every avenue of advertising -- including top brand marketers, media/tech companies, research organizations, academics, agencies and more. A highlight of the conference are The David Ogilvy Awards, celebrating groundbreaking campaigns that use insight to create amazing advertising. The two-day conference is held in New York City on March 20-21, 2017. http://thearf.org/arf-annual-2017/ About The ARF: The ARF is an organization dedicated to creating, curating, and sharing objective, industry-level advertising research. We empower members with original, unbiased research and insights to help them grow their businesses. Founded nearly 80 years ago, The ARF's members today include more than 400 leading brand advertisers, agencies, research firms, and media-tech companies. It hosts several key events thought out the year to drive connections and innovations within the industry. http://thearf.org/ About the Advertising Age Agency A-List: The Advertising Age Agency A-List has been celebrating the best agencies in the advertising and marketing business since the mid-1970s. Ad Age editors make their selections based on elements including creativity, financial performance, innovation and the ability to build clients' businesses. The franchise expanded in recent years to honor a broader range of shops and reflect changes in the marketing and media business. http://adage.com/ Media Contact: Daniel Bulgrin, Director of Strategic Partnerships Email: [email protected] Phone: 646-465-5733 www.thearf.org SOURCE The Advertising Research Foundation Related Links http://www.thearf.org Mr. Liu joined Zippo in 2011 as the brand's first China based executive. In that role, he established the company's first mainland based business unit, three Zippo subsidiaries and two regional sales offices. Over the past six years, Mr. Liu has led a successful channel reform, developed a well-regulated, nationwide retail network and established strong partnerships with hundreds of dealers across the country. Prior to joining Zippo, Mr. Liu worked as Head of Sales at PhilipMorris in China. He holds a degree in International Economy and Trade, Science of Law, and an MBA from Beijing University. "Mr. Liu's experience and commitment to Zippo's business development makes him the ideal candidate for managing this strategically important business," said Richard Finlow, Zippo Senior Vice President of Global Sales. "I am very excited about this new opportunity to promote Zippo's business throughout the Asian market, building upon our strong foundation in China and integrating regional resources and best practices," said Mr. Liu. "We believe there is huge opportunity for growth in this prospering region." ABOUT ZIPPO MANUFACTURING COMPANY One of the most recognized brands in the world, Zippo was founded in the fall of 1932 by George G. Blaisdell in Bradford, Pennsylvania, where it has manufactured over 550 million windproof lighters. With the exception of improvements to the flint wheel and modifications in case finishes, the product remains unchanged and is backed by the company's famous lifetime guarantee "It works, or we fix it free." Zippo's diverse product line includes lighters and accessories; butane candle lighters; fragrance, and a robust line of heat and flame products for outdoor enthusiasts. Zippo markets in nearly 200 countries and also owns the Ronson brand of lighters and fuel and W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Company, both based in Bradford, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.Zippo.com or follow Zippo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@OriginalZippo). SOURCE Zippo Manufacturing Company New Delhi, Jan 29 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Sunday said the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh "would not be a referendum on demonetisation policy, but if the opposition wanted to play it that way, then the BJP was game for it". "There are so many anti-incumbency issues in UP. Still, if the opposition wants to do a referendum on demonetisation, we are ready for it. People of UP are with BJP on the issue of demonetisation," Shah said in an interview to CNN-Network 18 Group and claimed his party would come to power in the state with a two-thirds majority. He also accused the ruling Samajwadi Party and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of playing up their family feud so as "to brush under the carpet the serious issues of law and order collapse and rampant corruption". Amit Shah also played down recent comments made by RSS spokesperson Manohan Vaidya on reservations, saying the remarks were taken out of context. "Both BJP and RSS have made it amply clear that in the prevailing situation the current system of reservation must continue. There is no question of revisiting the issue," he said. Vaidya was answering a query on reservation based on religion, which BJP is also against, he said. Asked why the Ram Temple issue suddenly cropped up in the BJP poll manifesto even when the party has clarified it is fighting the polls on developmental issues, Amit Shah said BJP was very clear about building the Ram temple. "It can only be done under the constitutional provisions, either through dialogue or through court order. Yes, we are definitely committed to building a Ram temple, but within the Constitutional provisions," he said. The BJP chief took strong exception to allegations that his party was practicing the politics of polarisation. "There is a lot of anger in UP. If a leader questions the politics of appeasement and casteism being practiced in UP, you can't call that polarisation," he said. He made it clear that BJP campaign in UP will veer around the "collapse" of law and order under the Akhilesh Yadav government, and issues like women's security and increasing migration. He also stressed that his party will win Uttarakhand easily, while in Punjab, it was a triangular fight. About triple talaq, Shah said his party was of the firm view that it is "an assault on the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Muslim women". Kathmandu, Jan 30 : Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' held another round of inconclusive talks with the Nepali Congress and the Madhesi Morcha on Monday as the Morcha said a firm no to local body polls before broad-based constitutional amendments. The Morcha alleges that the Prime Minister has repeatedly failed to keep his promises made to them while assuming office in August last year. "It has been almost six months that he has been in power, but he has not been able to amend the Constitution to address the demands of various groups and communities, including those based on federal demarcation, language and citizenship, among others, to make the constitution more broad-based," a Morcha leader charged. Madhesis in Nepal, who are mostly of Indian origin, also held a six-month-long agitation last year. The parties could not reach an agreement in the nearly two-hour consultations held at Prachanda's residence. Several rounds of talks have taken place since Prachanda came to power, but progress has always eluded such deliberations. In the meeting, Prachanda proposed to take forward the issues of constitutional amendment and elections to the local bodies, simultaneously. But the unrelenting Madhesi Front leaders said that no election would be allowed unless the issue of constitutional amendment is fixed. It was then that the parties agreed to hold another meeting aimed at seeking consensus on the two contentious issues. Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha said: "An agreement has been reached to finalise the issue of constitutional amendment and elections after consultations among the parties by Wednesday." The main opposition, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), which is against any amendment to the constitution, has also been invited for consultations on Wednesday. Shrestha said that while PM Dahal is pushing for the constitutional amendment and the poll process to go simultaneously, the Madhesi Front wants the amendments finalised before announcing the date for elections. The increasingly impatient Morcha has announced that they will hold fresh protests in Nepal's southern Terai region next week to mount pressure on the government for amendment of the Constitution to meet their demands. "We have decided to hold protests at all the district headquarters of Madhes-based districts on February 5 to demand implementation of a three-point agreement it had signed on August 3 -- the day Prachanda took over as the premier with the support of the Morcha," said a Morcha leader. Prachanda had committed to address the Morcha's demands through an amendment to the constitution, he added. Prachanda has also failed to announce local body polls, a constitutionally-mandated task. The agitating Madhes-based parties have been saying that they will not allow elections if the constitution is not amended to accommodate their expectations. (Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com) Washington, Jan 31 : The US Senate Democrats will urge their Republican colleagues to postpone a vote on Tuesday on the nomination of Tom Price, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, over ethics concerns, the media reported. Democratic Senators Patty Murray, Al Franken, Tammy Baldwin and Elizabeth Warren urged the Senate Majority Leader in a letter on Monday, that the vote be postponed until Price answers "outstanding and significant questions about (Price's) qualifications and ethical conduct", CNN reported. Both the Senate Health and Finance committees held hearings with Price this month, and the Finance panel is set to vote on Price's nomination Tuesday morning. "A vote has been scheduled to advance Representative Price's nomination even though he has not responded to questions submitted by members of the HELP (Health, Education, Labour and Pensions) Committee following his January 18 testimony, and in spite of serious concerns regarding Price's financial investments," the letter said. The four Democrats argued that Price's nomination should not move forward before the Georgia congressman has answered the committee's questions "and has provided documents sought in connection with his inappropriate and potentially illegal investment activities." Murray, along with Senator Ron Wyden, a top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, have asked Price for copies of his brokerage statements. Their colleagues have also pressed for other information pertaining to Price's past financial investments. Several reports released earlier suggested that Price had invested in shares of pharmaceutical companies that would benefit from a law that he supported in the House of Representatives, which could lead to him being implicated in the ethical violation of insider trading, Efe news reported. Republicans are unlikely to delay the vote, however, as the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Orrin Hatch, dismissed questions about Price's stock holdings as "exaggerated" and "distorted". If confirmed, Price will be the executing arm of the repeal and replacement of former President Barack Obama's government health reform. Srinagar, Jan 31 : One-way traffic is allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a traffic department official said on Tuesday. "Keeping in view the condition of the highway and the inclement weather, one-way traffic from Jammu to Srinagar will be allowed," the official said. No vehicle would be allowed to move in the opposite direction to avoid traffic jams. "This condition will also apply to convoys of army and paramilitary forces moving on the highway," he added. The highway had remained closed for five days and was restored for one-way traffic on Sunday. All essential supplies to the landlocked Kashmir Valley are routed through this highway. Temporary closures of the highway often result in sky-rocketing of prices of essential commodities in the valley. Augusta (Italy), Jan 31 : A total of 210 migrants including women and children arrived in the Sicilian port of Augusta on Tuesday after being saved in the Mediterranean. The migrants reached Augusta aboard the charity rescue ship Sos Mediterranee. They included 180 men and thirty women and 41 minors, of whom 38 were unaccompanied. The migrants were from Morocco, Libya and 11 sub-Saharan African countries including Nigeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana and Mali. Two pregnant women were among the rescued migrants. One of them, a 31-year-old woman from Ivory Coast who was eight months pregnant, was taken to the island of Lampedusa aboard an Italian coastguard vessel. Kohima, Feb 1 : Two persons were killed and nearly a dozen injured in Nagaland late on Tuesday night following clashes between the police and public in the wake of the state government's decision to hold the urban local body elections. The local elections in 12 towns across the state began on Wednesday morning even as tribal bodies called for shutdown to prevent the conduct of polls. Polling in the towns began at 7 a.m. and will end at 3.30 p.m. "Polling is on. I cannot comment anything now," Chief Electoral Officer Senti Yanger told IANS here. The tribal bodies have been opposing the Naga People's Front government's decision to hold the elections with 33 per cent women reservation, stating it infringes the special rights for Nagaland guaranteed by Article 371 (A) of the Constitution. Hundreds of people armed with spears and machetes took to the streets in protest on Tuesday night. Many of them marched to the private residence of Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang in Dimapur. "The police resorted to firing to disperse the agitating crowd after the protesters attempted to storm the Chief Minister's residence," Nagaland Police chief L.L. Doungel told IANS. He said the district administration had imposed curfew in Dimapur district, the commercial hub of Nagaland. On the other hand, there were reports of seven others sustaining injuries in police firing in order to prevent the demonstrators from entering the office of District Magistrate Longleng. The crowd also damaged polling materials of all the 11 polling stations. The state government had on Monday signed a deal with the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) -- an umbrella organisation of tribal bodies opposed to holding the elections -- to postpone the polling by two months. However, the Guwahati High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to constitute the municipalities and town councils in Nagaland with 33 per cent reservation of seats for women. The court also directed the Nagaland government to provide security to the candidates and voters. Kohima, Feb 1 : Violence continued in Nagaland on Wednesday with protesters ransacking the office of the election commission in Mokokchung district and the district office of the ruling Naga People's Front in the wake of the state government's decision to hold the urban local body elections. In the meantime, Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Sentiyanger Imchen issued a notification stating the local body election, which was to be held in 12 towns across the state was "withheld" due to the abnormal situation prevailing across the state and also as desired by the state cabinet. The tribal bodies have been opposing the Naga People's Front government's decision to hold the elections with 33 per cent women reservation, stating it infringes on the special rights for Nagaland guaranteed by Article 371 (A) of the constitution. Hundreds of protesters ransacked the two offices in Mokokchung district in western Nagaland. "They ransacked the district election branch office and NPF office. We are still trying to gather more details on the incident," Nagaland police chief, L.L. Doungel told IANS. "The situation is still tense, but we are all out to ensure that there will be no further breakdown of law and order," the police official said. Taking serious note of the prevailing situation, the state government has shutdown internet and mobile data service to stop the spread of rumours through social networking sites, a government official said. On Tuesday night, two persons were killed and three injured in the state following clashes between the police and the public at Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland. Hundreds of people armed with spears and machetes took to the streets in protest on Tuesday night. Many of them marched to the private residence of Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang. "The police resorted to firing to disperse the agitating crowd after the protesters attempted to storm the Chief Minister's residence," Doungel said. There were also reports of seven people sustaining injuries when the police fired on them to prevent the demonstrators from entering the office of the District Magistrate Longleng. Meanwhile, the Nagaland Cabinet on Wednesday decided to institute a judicial inquiry into the incidents leading to the death of, and injury to, persons at Dimapur and Longleng districts and payment of ex-gratia to the victims. The Cabinet also expressed deep concern and anguish over the violent events in Dimapur and Longleng and sadness over the death of two persons and injury to other persons and decided to convey condolences to the bereaved families, an official communique stated. "Keeping in view the sentiments of the people, and the prevailing situation, the Cabinet decided to ask the State Election Commission to withhold the ongoing process of elections to the ULBs and take up with the remaining postponed process of the elections to the ULBs as notified by the SEC on 31.1.2017," an official said. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang and enquired about the law and order situation in the state. Zeliang briefed Singh about the incidents on Tuesday evening and also about the decision of the Cabinet to withhold the polls to the ULBs. "Singh told the Chief Minister that the decision taken by the state government to fulfil the constitutional obligation of holding elections to the civic bodies was not wrong at all, and advised him to patiently convince the people of the state to accept the reality," a statement said. Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya, who is presently in Itanagar, also called up the Chief Minister and conveyed his sympathies and concern at the unfortunate turn of events and offered any assistance required in the prevailing situation in the state. The state government had on Monday signed a deal with the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) -- an umbrella organisation of tribal bodies opposed to holding the elections -- to postpone the polling by two months. However, the Guwahati High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to constitute the municipalities and town councils in Nagaland with 33 per cent reservation of seats for women. The court also directed the Nagaland government to provide security to the candidates and voters. Islamabad, Feb 1 : Pakistan on Wednesday snubbed India's demand for a "credible crackdown" against militant groups following the detention of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, saying it does not need New Delhi's endorsement for its actions. "Pakistan does not need any certification or endorsement from India over the recent actions it has taken in relation to Hafiz Saeed," a spokesperson for the federal Interior Ministry said in a statement in response to Tuesday's statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The spokesperson said the actions taken by the government were carried out as per "obligations vis-A -vis listing of JuD under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December, 2008". He, however, said various actions that needed to be taken under the relevant resolution i.e. arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze were not taken for some reasons by the previous regime. "India has constantly been using Hafiz Saeed's political activities as a tool to malign Pakistan," the spokesperson said, adding that the international community should take note and understand that Pakistan is a democratic country. "In Pakistan judiciary takes free, independent and transparent decisions." The Interior Ministry urged New Delhi to come up with undeniable evidence against the JuD chief if it were serious about the allegations. "India should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world," the statement said. The ministry warned New Delhi against "casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence", saying it would not help the cause of peace in the region. The firebrand leader, who has a $10 million bounty on his head, was taken away by police on Monday and escorted to a house where he is now under house arrest. Four other JuD followers were detained in the same operation. India said JuD was a front for the militant Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which it accuses of carrying out the attacks on India's financial capital Mumbai in November 2008 which killed 166 people. Islamabad briefly detained Saeed in the aftermath of the attacks but he was later released on court orders. Abu Dhabi, Feb 2 : The Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates said that the decision of the US President to ban the entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries is a sovereign decision and not directed against Islam. Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan made his remarks on Donald Trump's ban in a press conference on Wednesday held with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who is on a visit to the UAE, Efe news reported. Al Nahyan emphasized that every state has the right to take sovereign decision, and the US made one on Friday. He pointed out that the decision did not include the vast majority of Muslims, and stressed that it is a provisional decision and will be rectified. The minister added that there have been attempts to give the impression that this decision was targeting a particular religion, which is not the case. Trump's decision, known as the Muslim ban, prohibits granting visas or asylum to citizens of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia for three months. Washington, Feb 2 : The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions as US Attorney General after several delays forced by Democrats following President Donald Trump's controversial firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates. In an 11-9 vote on Wednesday, Sessions finally made it through the committee process and now his nomination will pass to the full Senate, where it is expected that his confirmation will be simpler given that only a simple majority is needed and Republicans hold 52 of the body's 100 seats, Efe news reported. The Alabama lawmaker has had a difficult time during the confirmation process so far given his extreme views on immigration and women's issues. Matters became even more controversial on Tuesday when Trump fired Yates for insubordination after she ordered Justice Department attorneys not to defend his executive order temporarily barring US entry refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations. Democrats praised Yates' decision during the confirmation debate over Sessions and accused him of helping Trump draft the order. Democrats claimed that any vote for Sessions would be a vote to allow Trump to eliminate the separation of the executive and judicial branches. A 20-year Senate veteran, Sessions was one of Trump's more loyal advisers, agreeing with him in many areas, including taking a hard line against crime and the massive deportation of undocumented migrants living in the US. Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday approved Trump's nominees to head the Department of Health and Human Services and the US Treasury, Tom Price and Steven Mnuchin, respectively, despite Democrats' boycott of the committee votes. New York, Feb 2 : A California businessman, Krishen Sauble Iyer, has been convicted of laundering money for a marijuana dealer. The federal prosecutor for Eastern California Phillip A. Talbert said on Wednesday that Iyer, who lived in Fresno, had admitted his guilt. According to documents, Iyer, who owned several insurance businesses, made a deal with a marijuana dealer to have money from selling the narcotics transferred to one of his companies, Health Shield. He then returned the money to the dealer after taking a commission and disguising the payments as salaries, the prosecution said. He filed tax documents showing a payment of $111,952 in 2013 and $164,000 in 2014 even though the dealer had not worked for him. The marijuana dealer was identified only as "S.V." in the court documents. Iyer is to be sentenced by Judge Dale A. Drozd in April and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $500,000 fine. Washington, Feb 2 : After over a week US President Donald Trump took office, First Lady Melania Trump has hired her chief of staff. Late Wednesday, the White House announced that Melania hired Lindsay Reynolds as her chief of staff, who had previously served under former President George W. Bush as an associate director of the White House Visitors Office, The Washington Post reported. Reynolds "brings over 14 years of experience in political fundraising, event management, and logistical expertise" to her new role, the White House said. "I am putting together a professional and highly-experienced team which will take time to do properly," Melania Trump said in the statement. "I am excited to be organising and bringing together such a dynamic and forward thinking group of individuals who will work together to make our country better for everyone." Reynolds said she is working to fill out the First Lady's staff as well as the White House visitor's office and to open the White House to the public following a "traditional temporary closure during the transition period", The Hill magazine said in a report. "I look forward to the opportunity to serve as the First Lady's Chief of Staff," Reynolds said in the White House release. According to sources involved with the First Lady's hiring process, Natalie Jones, a former deputy chief of protocol appointed by former President Barack Obama, is a leading candidate to be the White House's new social secretary. Melania Trump has also hired Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a New York party planner known for organising the celebrity-laden annual Met Gala, as a senior adviser, The Washington Post reported. Melania Trump's decision to remain in New York for at least the next six months to look after her 10-year-old son, Barron, creates a novel situation for her staff. While Wolkoff will remain in New York, Reynolds and presumably Jones will work in Washington, the sources said. Washington, Feb 2 : Two Republican senators said they would oppose confirming billionaire fundraiser and activist Betsy DeVos as the education secretary, the media reported. Maine's Susan Collins and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski on Wednesday became the first Republican senators to break with any of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks, The Hill magazine reported. "This is not a decision I make lightly. I have a great deal of respect for DeVos," Collins said on the Senate floor. "I will not, cannot vote to confirm her". Collins said she will allow DeVos to advance to a final vote, before opposing her, Politico reported. Likewise, Murkowski said she will oppose DeVos on final passage. "I have heard from thousands, truly, thousands of Alaskans who have shared their concerns about DeVos," Murkowski said. "I do not intend to vote on final passage to support DeVos." DeVos, a Republican megadonor and education advocate who has long pushed for charter schools and K-12 tuition -- online curriculum provider -- using public funds, has encountered criticism since Trump nominated her. Collins and Murkowski have expressed concerns about her support for voucher programmes, which were emphasised in Trump's $20 billion school choice proposal rolled out on the campaign trail. According to The Hill magazine, DeVos's nomination will move before Senator Jeff Sessions's nod as Attorney General to ensure that the Alabama Republican can cast a vote for Trump's education pick. The Senate could take a final vote on DeVos by Friday. London, Feb 2 : Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino has been fined 25,000 pounds ($25,200) and banned from driving for one year after admitting to driving under the influence of alcohol. The 25-year-old Brazilian was pulled over in Liverpool city centre on Christmas Eve as he was driving in the opposite direction after having dinner with friends, reports Efe. After hearing the verdict at Liverpool Magistrates Court, Firmino said in a statementon Wednesday, "What I have done is wrong and sets a bad example." "I promise to everyone in the LFC family that I will learn from this mistake, learn from this experience, and not repeat it in the future," he added. If he completes a rehabilitation program, there is a chance that his sentence could be reduced. A spokesperson for Liverpool said, "The player has been disciplined by the club for his actions and reminded of his responsibilities for the present and future." Firmino arrived at Liverpool in summer 2015 from German club Hoffenheim for 29 million pounds ($36.6 million) with a contract for five seasons. Bangkok, Feb 2 : Thai press organisations petitioned the ruling military junta on Thursday to replace the head of the panel entrusted with drafting a new media law that they allege will curb freedom of information and expression. "This kind of thing exists only under dictatorship governments. This is against the new constitution backed by the referendum that ensures media freedom and people's freedom of expression," said the former president of the National Press Council of Thailand, Chakkrit Permpool. The 30 groups rejecting the new regulation include the NPCT, the Confederation of Thai Journalists, and the Thai Journalists Association, Efe news reported. The petition, presented to the National Reform Steering Assembly, requests replacing the chief of the commission entrusted with media reform, Kanit Suwannate, arguing, among other things, that he is not a professional from the sector. The two most controversial provisions of the draft legislation are the creation of a supervisory council for media outlets that will have the power to revoke their licenses and whose members would include permanent secretaries from different ministries. We are not against ethical norms, but it must happen through the self-regulation formula, said Thepchai Yong, chairman of the Confederation of Thai Journalists. Yong said the draft legislation paves the way for political interference in media, explaining that permanent secretaries are appointed by politicians. Thailand is governed by a military junta after incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha carried out a coup on May 22, 2014. Bulandshahr, Feb 2 : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday trashed the surveys ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and said these are "sponsored" and hence not to be taken seriously. Addressing an election rally here, the Dalit leader said these poll surveys were conducted at the behest of political parties and warned her supporters not to be swayed. "When the election results are out, all these polls and projections will fall flat on their face," she said. She slammed the state government and said law and order was at its worst under Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and promised to bring back normalcy if her party was voted back to power. The four-time Chief Minister tore into the Bharatiya Janata Party and said its claims of bringing back the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh were an eyewash. "Whenever the BJP has come to power (in the state), there is similar anarchy," she said while accusing the BJP of trying to end reservation and also harbouring ill-will towards the Muslims. Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she accused him of not fulfilling promises made during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "Nothing has been done for the poor and this (central) government does everything for the rich and the industrialists," she claimed. New Delhi, Feb 2 : A special court here on Thursday discharged all accused in the Aircel-Maxis case, including former Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran. The Central Bureau of Investigation had alleged Dayanidhi Maran, as Minister in the UPA-I government used his influence to help Malaysian businessman T.A. Ananda Krishnan buy Aircel by coercing its owner Sivasankaran to part with his stake. Along with Maran, his brother and businessman Kalanithi Maran, Chennai-based firm Sun Direct TV, Krishnan, his aide Augustus Ralph Marshall, and the two accused firms -- Maxis Communications Berhad and Astro All Asia Networks, both of Malaysia, were charged in the case. New Delhi, Feb 2 : Samsung Electronics on Thursday launched India's first and the world's most curved gaming monitors with a 1 milli-second response time. The curved gaming monitors -- -- LC24FG70 and LC27FG70 and priced at Rs 35,000 and Rs 42,000, respectively -- unite the visual refinement of Samsung's Quantum Dot picture technology with the widespread view of its curved gaming monitors to enhance the gaming experience. "Gamers are demanding advanced display technologies in monitors in order to experience every nuance of a game. There is a need for better monitors for enhanced gaming experience in the country," said Puneet Sethi, Director (CE B2B) Business, Samsung India, in a statement. The monitors come with the Quantum Dot technology, enabling more vibrant and natural colours. Manila, Feb 2 : Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he will sign an executive order to involve the military in the controversial "war on drugs" that has left more than 7,000 people dead in seven months, the media reported. Duterte made the announcement in a speech in his hometown, Davao, where he also confirmed that at the moment the police will not carry out more operations related to this campaign, Efe news reported. "I'm taking in the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and raising the issue of drugs as a national security threat so that I will call on all the armed forces to assist," Duterte said. The President, who did not offer details of how the troops would contribute in his anti-drug war, also warned of more deaths to drug traffickers and addicts. Duterte's anti-drug campaign began on June 30, 2016, the day he was sworn in, and most of the killings have been extrajudicial. The announcement comes after the war on drugs was temporarily suspended, following the murder of a South Korean businessman who, according to human rights activists, was privy to corruption in the security forces. Duterte promised to focus in the short term on rooting out corruption from the National Police, before resuming his anti-drug campaign and carrying on with it until the end of his term in 2022. Amnesty International presented a report on Wednesday accusing the Duterte-led government of committing crimes against humanity in his anti-drug campaign, which includes contract killings, falsification of statements and reports and burglary by the police. Srinagar, Feb 2 : Running a coalition government with an ideologically opposed ally is an art, running it successfully would entail magic. As things stand today, it is seems Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is no magician. The adjournment sine die of both houses of the state's bicameral legislature six days ahead of schedule was prompted by an unprecedented bedlam created by the opposition, but its root cause is the ideological difference between Mehbooba's Valley-centric Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its ally, the Jammu-centric Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Delivering a well-drafted statement in the assembly, Mehbooba said targeting articles 370 and 35 of the constitution would be cutting into the roots of state's secular and pluralistic culture called "Kashmiriyat". She went on to say that an assault on article 370 would, therefore, be "anti-national". Ironically, nobody in the BJP camp raised any objection to this. The statement was made on Monday. When the assembly met on Tuesday, an independent MLA, Pawan Gupta, asked Speaker Kavinder Gupta to expunge the words "anti-national" from the house proceedings. BJP members joined the demand and the Speaker said he would first examine the record of the proceedings. Opposition leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, asserted that seeking expunging of any part of the Chief Minister's speech by her alliance partner, the BJP, amounted to lack of confidence for which she must make a clarification in the house. The house was adjourned and when it met again on Wednesday, the Speaker said he had examined the records and found nothing repugnant in the Chief Minister's speech which needed to be expunged. What followed was unprecedented in the state's legislative history. Mikes were uprooted, chairs were hurled at each other and even senior leaders resorted to physical violence. Two marshals of the legislature were also injured. The legislature was adjourned sine die six days ahead of schedule. Mehbooba did not attend the assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday. The PDP's official spokesman and senior minister Naeem Akhtar said that, after the Speaker's clarification, there was no need for the Chief Minister to make a statement on the issue. Insiders said while the debate was raging over her remarks, Mehbooba told her confidantes she stood by every word of her speech. When the alliance was forged by her father, the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, in 2015, he had called it a "meeting of the North Pole and the South Pole". It was because of the inherent ideological contradictions between the right-wing BJP and the PDP that they had decided to keep contentious issues like article 370, which the BJP stood to abrogate, and self-rule, which was part of PDP's election manifesto, on the back-burner. "This alliance is for equitable development of all the three regions of the state," Sayeed had said in his inaugural address when he chose to head the ruling coalition. Having lost much ground in the Valley during the summer unrest of 2010 and 2016, mainstream political parties like the National Conference and the PDP have been trying to recoup lost space by making statements that are music to a Kashmiri's ears. Omar Abdullah, whose pro-India credentials have never been questioned, had said during the 2010 unrest that J&K's accession to India was conditional. Mehbooba's credentials as a pro-India politician have, however, been questioned at times by political opponents accusing her of "soft separatism". For Abdullah to head an alliance with the Congress was much easier than it is for Mehbooba to do so with the BJP. She has to walk the tightrope for four long years unless she wants to give up power by snapping the alliance. She does not have the experience and patience of her late father to bear the rough and tumble of aligning with an ideologically opposed partner. Bending the brittle bond any further with the PDP would definitely not favour the BJP. But, achieving the goal of development by putting ideologies in cold storage is still a distant dream -- although the coalition has been in power for two years. Clearly, it is magic, not the art of politics, that Mehbooba will need to achieve what her father thought he could by aligning with the right-wing BJP in India's only Muslim majority state. (Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at sheikh.abdul@ians.in) New Delhi, Feb 2 : Automobile major Tata Motors on Thursday launched its new sub-brand -- TAMO -- under a new passenger vehicle (PV) strategy. The company said the sub-brand will act as an incubating centre of innovation for new technologies, business models and partnerships in order to define future mobility solutions. "The first product developed by TAMO will premiere at the upcoming 87th Geneva International Motor Show on March 7, 2017," the automobile major said in a statement. "TAMO as a new, separated vertical will operate in the first step on a low volume, low investment model to provide fast tracked proves of technologies and concepts." According to the automobile major, the sub-brand will also act as an open platform to network with global start ups and leading tech companies, to get access to trends, innovations and solutions, for the design of exciting future products and services. "TAMO will provide a digital eco-system, which will be leveraged by Tata Motors to support the mainstream business in the future," the statement elaborated. "The success of our transformation journey 'FutuReady' is measured by our vision and depends on our ability to deliver on our comprehensive strategies for our business units," Guenter Butschek, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Tata Motors was quoted as saying in the statement. "To secure our future in a rapidly changing environment, the advanced mobility solutions space is of utmost importance. The introduction of TAMO will help us to co-design India's automotive footprint by taking new technologies and mobility concepts as a new ecosystem to market." Tokyo, Feb 2 : Electronics giant Panasonic has urged its employees to leave office by 8 p.m., during a time when Japan is reviewing its long working hours following the 2015 suicide by a young woman who had put in more than 100 hours of overtime per month. Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga personally took charge of e-mailing its 100,000 employees in Japan about the decision, a company spokeswoman confirmed to Efe news on Thursday. The regulation that came into force on February 1, also applies to executive posts, but does not affect the board of directors. The idea of work-life balance has been gaining momentum in Japan in the light of the suicide case from 2015. For example, Daiwa Securities Group recently approved a campaign urging employees to leave the office at 7 p.m., while Unicharm, a hygiene products manufacturer, has prohibited overtime after 10 p.m. Historically, Panasonic has been among those Japanese firms which have paid more attention to such moves; in 1965, it prohibited the 6-day working week amidst the Japanese economic boom, something which most other firms did not change until the 1980s. The suicide by Matsuri Takahashi in December 2015, after just seven months employment with advertising giant Dentsu, has put the spotlight back on Japanese companies' working hours and "karoshi", or death by excessive work. The labour ministry has decided to take Takahashi's case to court on the grounds that Dentsu did not comply with labour norms, systematically tampering with their employees' overtime records. Bengaluru, Feb 2 : The eighth edition of the Attakkalari Biennial is all set to reach new heights with its fresh and cutting edge choreography by newly-discovered talent. The 10-day-festival will have young talent sharing space with works by acclaimed and established dance companies from around the globe, marking the coming of age of the contemporary movement arts in the country. The event will be held across the city from February 3 to 12 at four iconic venues -- Ranga Shankara Theatre, Guru Nanak Bhavan, Chowdiah Memorial Hall and Alliance Francaise de Bangalore. "The festival is organised once in every two years. The Biennial 2017 will comprise of a series of initiatives that have enriched the dance community in Bengaluru and India in general," Festival Director Jayachandran Palazhy told IANS. "These are also great opportunities for the dancers and choreographers who are looking to challenge themselves," he said. "The programme includes a centre-stage that will feature internationally acclaimed dance companies from South Africa, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, South Korea, Finland, Norway and Germany," he added. Attakkalari's latest choreography, 'Bhinna Vinyasa' will also have its world premiere as part of this event. Many exciting events are planned to animate the cityscape, encouraging citizens to groove with dancers and choreographers of their choice from different parts of the world. Site-specific performances, city walks, master classes, workshops, film screenings and other lead-up activities will offer dance enthusiasts opportunities to actively participate in the festival. "This festival also marks the 15th anniversary of Attakkalari's continued efforts of disseminating and sustaining contemporary movement arts in and beyond the city," Palazhy said, adding: "These artists have carved a niche with their work and have emerged as important players in the field of contemporary movement arts." Seoul, Feb 2 : US Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday arrived in South Korea on a two-day visit and reaffirmed the allies would push ahead with the plan to deploy an advanced American missile defence system to the Korean Peninsula to counter growing military threats from North Korea. After landing at the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 km south of Seoul, Mattis headed to the US Forces Korea (USFK) headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, according to the Defence Ministry. He was briefed by US Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, Yonhap news agency reported. Mattis then met Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin and attended a dinner hosted by Defence Minister Han Min-koo. During their talks, Kim and Mattis reiterated that the allies will strongly respond to Pyongyang's future provocations based on their "watertight" security cooperation, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. The allies' reaffirmation of their resolve to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence system (Thaad) came amid continued opposition from China, Russia and some local politicians. Beijing and Moscow have argued that the system could undermine their security interests. Mattis also stressed on the US's commitment to the defence of South Korea, which includes the use of extended deterrence, and Washington's pledge to mobilise all of its military capabilities, both nuclear and conventional. The Pentagon chief also said that the Trump administration will deal with North Korea's nuclear threats as a "top priority" security issue. Mattis is also scheduled to visit Japan later this week. Kolkata, Feb 2 : Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim on Thursday admitted it will be a challenge to face spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja when they take on India in the one-off Test in Hyderabad. Still reeling from their series whitewash across formats against New Zealand deep down under -- Bangladesh lost three ODIs and T20Is and two Tests, Rahim rated the spin duo as the best in the world right now, and added they will play out of their skins to put up a fight. "They (Ashwin and Jadeja) are the best spin duo at the moment. It will be challenging to face them in these conditions," the dimunitive wicketkeeper batsman, who has played 51 Tests was quoted as saying by www.xtratime.in here. "But it will not be a cake walk as we also have players like Tamim (Iqbal), Shakib (Al Hasan), Imrul (Kayes), and Mahmuddullah (in our ranks). They have all proven themselves against quality spinners," he added. The biggest challenge for the visitors will be to stop Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who is always a threat for any opposition. Asked about their plans to stop Kohli, the Bangladesh skipper said it is not only Kohli but the entire team they need to be wary of. "Leave aside Virat (Kohli). The entire Indian batting lineup is strong. We have to really bowl well to throw any sort of challenge at them," the 29-year-old right-hander said. Bangladesh will be pinning their hopes on spin sensation Mehdi Hasan Miraz following the absence of pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who is still recovering after the shoulder surgery. The 19-year-old spin prodigy Mehdi Hasan played an important part in his side's incredible win against England in Mirpur. "He is fast becoming an asset for the team. There is not much of a difference between the conditions in India and Bangladesh. Hopefully he can put up a good show," said Rahim. A 15-member Bangladesh squad reached here en route to Hyderabad and were at the airport lounge for three hours. Mumbai, Feb 2 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cautioned the users of virtual currencies, including bitcoins, pointing out that it has not issued any licence or authorisation to any company to trade in these and that the users are doing it at their own risk. "The Reserve Bank of India advises that it has not given any licence or authorisation to any company to operate such schemes or deal with bitcoin or any virtual currency," the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement on Wednesday. "As such, any user, holder, investor or trader dealing with virtual currencies will be doing so at their own risk," the central bank warned. The RBI had earlier cautioned the users, holders and traders of virtual currencies, including bitcoins, about the potential financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security-related risks that they are exposing themselves to. "The Reserve Bank is presently examining the issues associated with the usage, holding and trading of virtual currencies under the extant legal and regulatory framework of the country, including foreign exchange and payment systems laws and regulations," it said. There have been several reports of usage of these currencies for illicit and illegal activities in several jurisdictions, which could subject the users to unintentional breaches of anti-money laundering laws and laws combating the financing of terrorism, it added. "The creation, trading or usage of virtual currencies, including bitcoins, as a medium for payment are not authorised by any central bank or monetary authority. No regulatory approvals, registration or authorisation is stated to have been obtained by the entities concerned for carrying on such activities. As such, they may pose several risks to their users," the RBI said. Virtual currencies being in digital form are stored in electronic media that are called e-wallets. Therefore, they are prone to losses arising out of hacking, loss of password, compromise of access credentials and malware attack. Since they are not created by or traded through any authorised central registry or agency, the loss of the e-wallet could result in permanent loss of the currency held in those. Payments by these currencies take place on a peer-to-peer basis without an authorised central agency which regulates such payments. As such, there is no established framework for recourse to customer disputes. There is also no backing of any asset for virtual currencies. "As such, their value seems to be a matter of speculation. Huge volatility in their value has been noticed in the recent past. Thus, the users are exposed to potential losses on account of such volatility in value," the RBI said. Bitcoins are being traded on exchange platforms set up in various jurisdictions whose legal status is unclear. Hence, its traders are exposed to legal as well as financial risks. The central bank has said that it has been looking at the developments relating to certain electronic records of virtual currencies such as bitcoins, litecoins, bbqcoins and dogecoins, their usage and trading in the country. Chandigarh, Feb 2 : A high-voltage and somewhat no-holds-barred campaign for the February 4 Punjab assembly elections ended on Thursday evening as leaders and workers of major political parties made last-ditch efforts to woo voters in the state. Over 1.98 crore voters will now decide the fate of 1,145 candidates -- including 81 women candidates and one transgender -- in all 117 assembly constituencies on Saturday (February 4) from 8 a.m. onwards. Voting in the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by-election will also be held on February 4. The by-poll was necessitated due to the resignation of Congress Punjab unit President Amarinder Singh from the house over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link issue on November 11, 2016. Authorities have ensured tight security, including deployment of central security forces, across Punjab, particularly after the car bomb blast in Maur Mandi town of Bathinda district on Tuesday evening. The main contest is between the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance, the Congress and newest entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The last day of campaigning witnessed Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Malwa belt of Punjab, apart from hectic canvassing by Congress Punjab unit President Amarinder Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal. Different political parties held rallies and road shows at various places on Thursday. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer V.K. Singh said all advertisements vis-a-vis candidates or political parties 48 hours ahead of the actual voting will be restricted. "According to the renewed guidelines, all electronic media advertisements, including bulk SMSes, interactive voice response and social media have been completely banned during the last 48 hours ending with polling, that is, starting from 5 p.m. of Feb 2, 2017, to 5 p.m. of February 4, 2017," Singh said. He said all print media advertisements to be published in 48 hours ahead of voting ought to be certified by state-level media committee if it is a general party propaganda for the entire state. Singh said as per the fresh guidelines, there will be no restrictions on the use of two-wheelers by the general public and an earlier instruction was only for use of vehicles by candidates on polling day. New Delhi, Feb 2 : U Thaung Tun, who was appointed as the new National Security Advisor of Myanmar last month, has made India his first port of call abroad, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday. "The newly appointed National Security Advisor of Myanmar U Thaung Tun is currently on an official visit to India," the ministry said in a statement. U Thaung Tun is a career diplomat who has held diverse posts, including serving as Myanmar's Ambassador to the Philippines, Belgium, the Netherlands and the European Union, in the course of his long career in the Myanmar Foreign Office. "In his present capacity, he is expected to advise the Myanmar government on internal and external threats by assessing situations from a strategic point of view," the statement said. "We welcome him to India and are privileged that he has chosen to make India his first port of call following his appointment. During his stay in India, he will be interacting at length with our own NSA, Minister of State for External Affairs, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and others," it added. Srinagar, Feb 2 : Senior hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who was admitted to a hospital here late last night after he complained of chest pain, is doing fine, said informed sources. Sources close to the octogenarian separatist leader said he was admitted in the ICU of the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura - the Valley's only super specialty hospital - and is "now stable and doing fine according to doctors". "Muhammad Yasin Malik (chairman of JKLF) and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq (chairman of moderate Hurriyat group) visited Geelani Sahab at the hospital today and rayed for his speedy recovery. "Pakistan High Commissioner in India Abdul Basit also enquired about his health during the day and wished him speedy recovery," said a sources in Geelani-headed Hurriyat. For the last some years, Geelani had been spending the harsh winter months away from Valley in Delhi. This year, he has not so far left his uptown Hyderpora residence in Srinagar where authorities have put him under house arrest. Mumbai, Feb 2 : By incorporating herbs like neem and tulsi in her collection, designer Reshma Merchant has developed a "non-toxic" range for wellness of women under her label House Of Milk (HOM). Showcasing her line at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2017 here, Reshma, the wife of Bollywood music composer Sulaiman Merchant, says she wanted to make a difference and give something back to the society. "I have always wanted to do fashion. I am a thoroughbred corporate girl and by the time I got around to working on my passion, I realised that it was time for me to also give back to the society...It was not just about trying to create a name or a brand. It was about doing something that made a difference," Reshma told IANS here. The designer visited an ayurvedic hospital and worked on the research and development for the project, which took her five years before she launched the line. "We started with trying to find people who knew the art of ayurvedic dyeing and then we evolved it by creating it into white because every single product that has any leaf, root or flower will leave a colour," said the designer, who works on fabrics like organza, crepes and satin. "We started with the process of detoxifying everything and we realised how much toxicity was there...Our mission first became to detoxify first...because what touches my patrons' body is beautiful and not harmful and then we gave it the additional benefits of healing by adding aloe vera, neem, gulab (rose), lavender, tulsi and wild sage," she added. It has the same benefit of ingesting herbs, says the designer, adding that wearing the right fashion can also help in wellness. "It gives you wellness. If you talk about tulsi, you know the benefits of it, gulab works on your hormones, nochi works on hypertension, lavender is for tranquility, aloe-vera is for moisturising...," she said. Talking about her clientele, Reshma said: "There is a certain type of client, who understands my fashion. She is very well travelled. She is ... for whom wellness comes before having to put a logo on it and yes, we have been identified very quickly. We only create pieces in white." The designer also thanked ace fashion designer Wendell Rodricks for recommending her to the fashion event. "When he launched my work in Goa... being a 10-month-old brand this November, he recommended us to LFW," she said. (The writer's visit to Mumbai is at the invitation of Lakme Fashion Week organisers. Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in) New Delhi, Feb 2 : Five out of the six ministers of the Delhi government were out of the national capital on Thursday, leaving the burden of entire government working on the only AAP minister left behind in Delhi, Imran Hussain. In the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been campaigning in that north-western Indian state for over a month now, barring a few days when he came to Delhi. While Kejriwal was leading a road show in Ludhiana on Thursday, his deputy Manish Sisodia was campaigning in Patiala. Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra, one of the star campaigners for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was in Pathankot on Thursday, electioneering for the party candidates. Labour Minister Gopal Rai, who campaigned extensively in Goa for the AAP candidates filded for the state assembly polls, was also in Punjab on Thursday. Many AAP legislators have also been campaigning in Punjab and Goa, both of which go to polls on February 4. Health Minister Satyendar Jain was, meanwhile, out of the country to attend a health conference in Thailand. Only Environment Minister Imran Hussain was available in the capital to answer for the Delhi government and shoulder its working on Thursday. Slamming the AAP leaders for "abandoning" the city, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijender Gupta said while Delhi is facing issues related to pollution and school admission, among many others, the whole Delhi cabinet is busy campaigning for elections elsewhere in the country. "People in Delhi are suffering as the ministers have deserted the capital for campaigning and public issues are not being addressed," he said. A government official, requesting anonymity, said that most of the star campaigners had left for Delhi in the afternoon after campaigning in several constituencies in Punjab on Thursday morning, so that government work in Delhi is not affected. New Delhi, Feb 2 : The ninth edition of the India Art Fair that began here on Thursday exhibits a rare mix of colours, grandeur and, with its continued focus in nurturing global interest in South Asian arts, showcases works of emerging as well as established artists from the region. The three-day fair is joined by participating South Asian galleries like Britto Arts Trust from Dhaka, Nepal Art Council from Kathmandu, Theertha International Artists' Collective from Colombo and Blueprint 12 from New Delhi. An extensive array of art programmes, ranging from the exhibitions on the works of renowned artists like M.F. Hussain to the subtle narratives that emerge from the sketches of the 20th century political artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya, find display spanning the outdoor and indoor fair space. The Speakers' Forum at the fair will also have an exciting programme that presents artists, curators, critics, administrators, academics, gallerists and collectors. In an attempt to explore the future of museums, Richard Armstrong (Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, New York) and Sheena Wagstaff (Leonard A. Lauder Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) will come together in a panel discussion on Friday. The two experts will together explore the subject in a lively discussion before the audience here. "BMW Art Talk: The Art of Collecting" is another much anticipated session in which Thomas Girst (Head of Cultural Engagement BMW Group, Munich) and Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi (President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation) will look at the diverse field of collecting on Saturday. Sharing their perspectives on South Asian art will be Pooja Sood (Director of Khoj International Artists Association, New Delhi), Alessio Antonelli (Director of Gasworks, London) and Boon-Hui Tan (Director, Asia Society Museum, Singapore) in a session "Perspectives from Networks of South Asian Art" on Sunday. The Speakers' Forum will also facilitate intimate conversations between collectors from India and across the globe with speakers who will provide a glimpse into their private collections. Some of the well-known names featuring in the segment are French art collectors Jean-Conrad and Isabelle LemaAtre; Brussels based collector Frederic de Goldschmidt and one of India's leading art collectors, Anurag Khanna. "Focused initiatives are planned with individual collectors, large groups and delegates from prestigious institutions, many of whom are coming for the first time, including Santa Barbara Museums, Singapore Art Museum, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Oxford, Rhode Island School of Design, United States and The Guimet Museum in France," the organisers, MCH Group, Angus Montgomery and founding director Neha Kirpal said. The 2017 edition of the fair is also featuring both longstanding representatives of Indian art and new exhibitors from around the globe who are keen to develop relationships with the Indian art market, including Kalfayan Galleries (Athens), Grey Noise (Dubai), 1x1 Gallery (Dubai), Sabrina Amrani (Madrid) and Lukas Feichtner Galerie (Vienna). Founded in 2008, India Art Fair is one of South Asia's leading platform for modern and contemporary art. The fair that opens for the public tomorrow at NSIC grounds in the Capital will conclude on February 5. New Delhi, Feb 2 : The Supreme Court on Thursday said that striking a balance on exercise of powers by the Delhi government and the Lt. Governor was important for good governance in the national capital as the Arvind Kejriwal government slammed the central government for saying that it had no executive powers to aid and advise the Lt. Governor. Noting that anywhere in the world the status of the capital city was entirely different, the bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice R.K. Agrawal said that from 1992 (when Delhi got its first elected assembly and the government) till this day, such a situation has not arisen. Assailing the central government for refusing to acknowledge Delhi government's powers under the Constitution, senior counsel Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for the Delhi government, told the court that its stand was an "inconceivable argument" and "complete mutilation" of Article 239(AA). Telling the court that "constitution has given face and identity to Delhi government which is accountable and the centre could not have a de facto control over the administration of national capital", he said that "they (Delhi government) can't be treated subservient to an over-riding authority of the Lt. Governor" who was sworn under the Constitution. His stand came in the course of hearing of a batch of partitions by Delhi government challenging the Delhi High Court verdict that upheld the primacy of the Lt. Governor in Delhi's governance. Delhi was given an assembly with an elected government by a special provision, by incorporation into the Constitution, of Article 239 (AA) or special provisions with respect to Delhi, by its 69th Constitutional Amendment in 1991. Conceding that it had no footprints in the area of police, law and order and land, Subramaniam said that beyond this Delhi government can aid and advise the Lt. Governor on the rest of the subjects and in case of any difference of opinion, the matter would be sent to the President for final decision. However, the court found unpalatable his argument that the Delhi government may not have a decision making power vis-a-vis police and law and order but it could still have a view on them as it was concerned with the safety and security of the citizens. He said if the views of Delhi government were at variance with that of the Lt. Governor then same could be sent to the President for decision. At this bench observed that on one side he conceded that the police, law and order and land were excluded from Delhi government's jurisdiction, but then he was trying to bring it back to his fold. "What you are saying sounds that you can have a say even in the areas that are excluded" from the domain of Delhi government, observed Justice Sikri. Taking the court through different phases of the administration of Delhi and comparing its special status with other existing Union Territories, Subramaniam told the court that though parliament kept to itself the authority to make laws for Delhi, but it left the executive authority with the elected government. It is this exercise of executive authority by the Delhi government that distinguishes it from earlier administrative structures that governed Delhi including the existing Union Territories with assemblies, Subramaniam argued. Chandigarh, Feb 2 : Punjab is set to see its most crucial assembly election in decades on February 4, with its undercurrent of "silent" voters likely to turn the poll arena into an uncertain event which could swing anywhere. For the first time, Punjab is witnessing three-cornered contests on all the 117 assembly seats. The main contest is among the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance, Congress and the newest entrant in Punjab's political space - the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). That the AAP has become the main target for both the traditional parties, the Congress and Akali Dal-BJP combine, in the past one year speaks about the deep inroads that AAP has made among electors, particularly the youth and rural voters, in Punjab. The Akali Dal, whose president and incumbent Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has been saying that the party will rule for 25 years, is facing anti-incumbency since it has been in power, along with the BJP, for a decade (2007-2012 and 2012-2017). The Akalis are contesting 94 seats while ally BJP is fighting it out on 23 seats. A resurgent Congress, which is hoping for a pan-India revival if it is able to come back to power in Punjab, has fallen back on old warhorse, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, as its chief ministerial face, but he is the party's best bet in the given crop of its leaders in Punjab and circumstances. The Akali Dal, BJP and Congress -- the traditional parties on Punjab's political scene, are not only holding on to their existing political space but also fighting hard to ward off the challenge from AAP. In recent weeks, the Akali-BJP combine and Congress have launched full-fledged attacks on AAP, and its leadership, with the "outsider" tag. They allege that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP leader, wishes to be the Punjab Chief Minister. While the Akali Dal-BJP combine is harping on Punjab's development, the Congress and AAP have been attacking the ruling alliance by highlighting major problems like drugs, massive corruption, unemployment, lack of infrastructure, police excesses among others. Recent opinion polls and surveys have given the Congress party a clear edge in the assembly elections. The India-Today-Axis poll survey put the Congress in the lead with 60-65 seats, with the AAP coming second with 41-45 seats and the Akali Dal-BJP combine finishing a poor third with 11-15 seats. The gains for the AAP are mainly being seen in the agriculturally-rich Malwa belt (south of river Sutlej) which alone accounts for 69 of the 117 assembly seats. This is the belt which has traditionally been an Akali Dal stronghold. The Congress had done well in the same belt in the 2012 elections. The AAP, which emerged on Punjab's political scene for the first time only in the 2014 parliamentary polls, had started with a bang -- getting 24 per cent of the vote share in its very first outing. In the Majha (north of river Beas) and Doaba (land between Beas and Sutlej rivers), the fight between the main political parties is intense. The big contests are in Lambi, between Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh; the three-way fight between Sukhbir Badal and sitting MPs Bhagwant Mann (AAP) and Ravneet Singh Bittu (Congress) in Jalalabad; Amarinder Singh versus former Army chief and ex-Governor J.J. Singh (SAD) in Patiala (Urban), and the fight between former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (Congress) and Punjab's Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa (SAD) on the Lehra seat. 'Deras' (sects) like the Radhasoami (Beas) sect, Sacha Sauda sect, Sach Khand Ballan sect and others have an important influence on the elections in Punjab with each one of these having lakhs of followers. With Dera Sacha Sauda openly announcing support for the Akali Dal-BJP combine, the going could be tougher for the Congress and AAP in the Malwa belt. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and other top party leaders have, in recent weeks, visited the Radhasoami Beas dera and the Sach Khand Ballan dera to seek support. The by-election for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant following Amarinder Singh's resignation over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue in November last year, is also taking place along with the assembly elections. But the din of the assembly polls has relegated the Lok Sabha poll, which saw a big fight between Amarinder Singh and BJP leader Arun Jaitley (now the Union Finance Minister) in the 2014 parliamentary polls, to a corner. Over 1.98 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,145 candidates, including 81 women candidates and one transgender. There are security concerns during the assembly elections in the state this time, particularly after a car bomb blast in Maur Mandi town in Bathinda district left six people, including three children, dead on Tuesday evening. Central forces and Punjab Police personnel have been deployed across Punjab. (Jaideep Sarin can be reached at jaideep.s@ians.in) New Delhi, Feb 2 : Following the Pakistan Interior Ministry's statement that India should provide concrete evidence against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the man behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and whom Islamabad put under house arrest earlier this week, India on Thursday said all evidence against the terror mastermind was available in Pakistan itself. "The entire conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack case was hatched in Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a weekly media briefing here. "All the terrorists came from Pakistan. All the planning was done in Pakistan. All the support was rendered from Pakistan. So, all the evidence to implicate the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack is already available in Pakistan," he said. Pakistan on Wednesday snubbed India's demand for a "credible crackdown" on militant groups following the detention of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, saying it does not need New Delhi's endorsement for its actions. "Pakistan does not need any certification or endorsement from India over the recent actions it has taken in relation to Hafiz Saeed," a spokesperson for the federal Interior Ministry said in a statement in response to Tuesday's statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The spokesperson said the actions taken by the government were carried out as per "obligations vis-A -vis listing of JuD under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December, 2008". He, however, said various actions that needed to be taken under the relevant resolution i.e. arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze were not taken for some reason by the previous regime. "India has constantly been using Hafiz Saeed's political activities as a tool to malign Pakistan," the spokesperson said, adding that the international community should take note and understand that Pakistan is a democratic country. "In Pakistan judiciary takes free, independent and transparent decisions." The Interior Ministry urged New Delhi to come up with undeniable evidence against the JuD chief if it were serious about the allegations. "India should come up with concrete evidence against Hafiz Saeed which is sustainable in court of law in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere in the world," the statement said. The ministry warned New Delhi against "casting aspersions and levelling allegations without any corroborating evidence", saying it would not help the cause of peace in the region. The firebrand leader, who has a $10-million bounty on his head, was taken away by police on Monday and escorted to a house where he is now under house arrest. Four other JuD followers were detained in the same operation. India said JuD was a front for the militant Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which it accuses of carrying out the attacks on India's financial capital Mumbai in November 2008 which killed 166 people. Islamabad briefly detained Saeed in the aftermath of the attacks but he was later released on court orders. Swarup on Thursday said Hafiz Saeed has himself confessed to masterminding multiple acts of terror directed at India. "So the so called concrete evidence that Pakistani establishment is looking for is already available in Pakistan. All they need is to find the requisite political will," he added. New Delhi, Feb 2 : Five Indian nationals, who have been released after being put in jail four years ago in the West African nation of Togo on charges of piracy, are now set to return home, a senior official said on Thursday. In his weekly media briefing here, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the five Indians belong to Kerala and are Anthony Godwin, Navin Niravath Gopi, Tharun Babu, Nithin Babu and Shaji Abdulla Kutty. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted about their release on Wednesday. Swarup said all the five, who had been in prison since 2013, "were released by a presidential pardon, on account of the persistent efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs and our High Commission in Accra (Ghana)". "High Commissioner spoke to the Indian nationals after their release," he said. "They are in good health and are looking forward to re-unite with their families in India." The spokesperson also said travel arrangements were being made to facilitate their return to India and the air tickets were being organised through the Indian Community Welfare Fund. "Honorary Consul General of India in Lome is making stay arrangements till the necessary formalities for their departure to India are completed," he added. New Delhi, Feb 2 : The JNU Students Union members on Thursday urged HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to intervene and help roll back a change in the admission procedure for the M.Phil and Ph.D candidates. The JNUSU members met Javdekar and presented him a memorandum apprising him of "threats that the change in admission procedure would entail if implemented". "The UGC notification will undermine JNU's unique and decades-old deprivation point system in admissions, and the Prof. Nafey Committee Recommendations (obtained after years of felt need and struggle) to reduce viva weightage in M.Phil. and Ph.D admissions," the letter read. The notification in contention was adopted by the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Academic Council amid protests by many of its members and students on December 26 last year. It was issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on May 5 last year. According to it, the entrance test is to act as a qualifying exam and selected students are to be admitted solely on the basis of interview. "The fact that the UGC notification mentions that the written (test) will be qualifying is being interpreted by the JNU Vice Chancellor to mean that the written will be a mere qualifier and that final selection will be based only on viva, raising viva weightage in admissions to 100 per cent," the letter added. A total of 11 JNU students, who included the JNUSU President Mohit Pandey and other members of the union, also began their hunger-strike on Thursday as a way of protest. Kuala Lumpur, Feb 2 : The Malaysian government has finalised a plan to employ Rohingya refugees, an ethnic Muslim minority group that faces growing discrimination in Myanmar, official sources said on Thursday. Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a statement that the programme will start on March 1 and place 300 Rohingyas -- whose vulnerable situation has been recognised by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) -- in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, Efe news reported. Currently, Malaysia is looking after 149,474 refugees registered with the UNHCR, out of which 55,565 are Rohingyas, according to official figures. Ahmad, who met UNHCR representatives on Thursday in Putrajaya, said the initiative will allow those hired to earn money and receive professional training which will be useful to them when they are relocated to third countries. More than a million Rohingyas live in Rakhine, where they have suffered discrimination since the outbreak of sectarian violence in 2012 that left at least 160 people dead, and since then around 120,000 of them have lived severely restricted lives in 67 camps. Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingyas as citizens, but terms them Bangladeshi immigrants, and imposes multiple constraints on them, including restrictions on movement. Dhaka also considers them foreigners. New Delhi, Feb 2 : The Union Environment Ministry will start a radio outreach and awareness generation campaign to sensitise the people about conservation of wetlands to mark the 'World Wetlands Day-2017', an official statement said on Thursday. World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2 each year to mark the day the convention on wetlands was adopted in the Iranian City of Ramsar in 1971. India is a party to the convention since 1982. The theme of World Wetlands Day-2017 is 'Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction'. This theme has been selected to raise awareness about the vital role of healthy wetlands in reducing the impact of extreme events on communities and in helping to build resilience, the statement said. The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), Chennai, which falls under the Environment Ministry, in partnership with a radio station will initiate a month long awareness campaign about wetlands conservation in five cities including Chennai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Thiruvanathapuram. "NBA will run information snippets on wetlands, their role in disaster management, and ways and means to protect them," the statement said. World Wetland Day is also being celebrated in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh Government at Bhoj Wetlands, Bhopal, which is one of the 26 Ramsar sites that India has designated under the Ramsar Convention. The ministry also asked all the state governments to celebrate the World Wetland Day in their respective states. Union Environment Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha inaugurated a poster exhibition at the ministry to observe World Wetlands Day-2017. Kolkata, Feb 2 : BJP's West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh on Thursday said it was premature to draw a conclusion about the integrity of Enforcement Directorate officer Manoj Kumar over his alleged involvement with the Rose Valley owner's wife. Some television channels have been beaming footage since Monday night purportedly showing Kumar and the woman together at the Kolkata airport and at a hotel said to be in Delhi. Some channels have claimed the videos were released by the stated police but the latter did not confirm it when IANS posed the question. "I have heard he (Kumar) is a very efficient officer. He has retrieved Rs 850 crore in the chit fund case. ED has immediately initiated a probe into the matter. So, the real facts will surely come out in time. I think we should not draw any final conclusion about the matter until then," Ghosh said. Ghosh also said that he is not certain if what is shown in the CCTV footage is correct. "It's true that the CCTV footage has shown them going to the hotel but what exactly happened is not clear. Some are saying he was honey-trapped but Kumar claimed he was keeping in touch with the woman for the sake of investigation. At least I am not certain that what we are seeing (in the footage) is correct," he added. Kumar, who has been removed from the Rose Valley probe, however, had termed the accusations as part of a "larger conspiracy" to remove him from the investigation into the scam. The Kolkata Police on Wednesday questioned the wife of scam-accused Rose Valley Chit Fund owner Gautam Kundu for her alleged involvement with Kumar. New Delhi, Feb 2 : Spiritual leader and Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Thursday urged people to focus on proper toilets and sanitation to make society disease-free. "People need to focus on toilets for the sake of living a healthy life and ward off diseases," said Ravi Shankar. On a visit to Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Sulabh International here - - which has the popular Toilet Museum describing good toilet systems across the world -- he also urged people in the rural areas to join hands in making India cleaner and open defecation-free. "By doing so, pay a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary on October 2," he said. Sulabh International has been providing sanitation solutions to the poor across the country to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Swachhh Bharat" mission, and other urban development initiatives. Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak said : "There is a need to have more such movements to achieve the goal of total sanitation". Washington, Feb 2 : Rex Tillerson, the 69th US Secretary of State, has taken the charge of a State Department that is distressed and anxious about Donald Trump's turbulent first days in office. The 64-year-old, Texas-born head of Exxon Mobil worked for the oil and gas company in the US, Yemen and Russia. He is known for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which came up during his confirmation hearings. He has no experience in the public sector, a first in modern history for a Secretary of State. Tillerson joined ExxonMobil in 1975, after receiving a civil engineering degree from the University of Texas. He worked his way up through the ranks, beginning as a production engineer and becoming Chairman and Chief Executive in 2006. The lifelong Exxon employee beat a long list of seasoned candidates in the running for the post, including former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Senator Bob Corker, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former CIA chief David Petraeus. To counter concerns over his lack of experience, former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates hailed Tillerson as "a global champion of the best values of our country" while former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shared similar sentiment. President Donald Trump said the former Exxon CEO will bring "a clear-eyed focus to foreign affairs" as was confirmed in the Senate by a vote of 56 to 43, with all Republicans in support and most Democrats voting against him. Tillerson was No. 20 on Forbes' most powerful people list in 2015. Tillerson has close links to the Kremlin, and his relationship with Russia was a focal point in his confirmation hearings with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December. Tillerson was widely known for opposing sanctions against Russia in his ExxonMobil corporate life. He refused to label Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal as he had known him since the 1990s and was awarded Order of Friendship in 2013 by Putin. During his time at Exxon, Tillerson reportedly forged multibillion-dollar deals with Russia's state oil company, Rosneft, including an agreement to explore underground resources in Siberia that could be worth billions of dollars. He is also known to be a friend of Igor Sechin, Rosneft's Executive Chairman who was formerly Putin's Deputy Prime Minister. Sechin has been called Russia's second most powerful man. Tillerson had also publicly spoken out against international sanctions placed on Russia over its annexation of Crimea. Republican Senators Marco Rubio and John McCain expressed serious concerns about Tillerson's Russian connections but came round. At the confirmation hearing, Tillerson called Russia a "danger" to the US and said he favoured maintaining US sanctions against Moscow. He also recommended a "full review" of the nuclear deal with Iran, but he did not call for an outright rejection of the accord. Tillerson also takes responsibility for US policy in one of the world's biggest flashpoints: the South China Sea. Tillerson said China should be blocked from accessing the artificial islands it has built, setting the stage for a potential showdown. He said that China should stop island building in the South China Sea and be denied access to these islands, which China regards as an integral part of its territory. "Building islands and then putting military assets on those islands is akin to Russia's taking of Crimea. It's taking of territory that others lay claim to," Tillerson said in his confirmation hearing. "We're going to have to send China a clear signal that first, the island-building stops, and second, your access to those islands also not going to be allowed." Although Tillerson has acknowledged climate change is a problem, ExxonMobil was the subject of controversy at its shareholders meeting last year for rejecting resolutions that would have pushed the company's resources towards renewable energy. The company has been accused of trying to cover up the risks of climate change and lying to the public. His confirmation has already drawn the ire of environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. Tillerson is a lifelong Boy Scout. He was an Eagle Scout in his youth and became president of the national organisation. It was under his leadership the organisation embraced the membership of young men who identified as gay. Tillerson originally supported Jeb Bush for President. He gave Bush the maximum allowable contribution in September 2015. Patna, Feb 2 : A senior Janata Dal-United leader on Thursday attacked party President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying he is surrounded by sycophantic advisers. Satish Kumar -- JD-U Vice-President and one of its founder-members -- blamed such advisers for the party's decision not to contest the assembly polls in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. He demanded action against JD-U General Secretary K.C. Tyagi and JD-U Rajya Sabha MP R.C.P. Singh. "Both Tyagi and Singh are responsible for the JD-U decision not to contest the Uttar Pradesh polls." It is the first time that a senior JD-U leader has questioned the party decision. Satish, considered close to Nitish Kumar, said: "The Chief Minister should take action against the sycophant advisers or his (political) downfall is certain." He said Singh and Tyagi had brought party leaders and workers on to the streets. JD-U spokesman Sanjay Singh downplayed Satish Kumar's statement by saying the party core committee decided not to contest the Uttar Pradesh elections. "The party will take Satish's allegations seriously and consider action against him." Last week, JD-U national spokesperson K.C. Tyagi told the media here that the JD-U will not contest the Uttar Pradesh elections to ensure the "defeat of communal forces by minimising division of secular votes". Last year, Nitish Kumar addressed nearly half a dozen public meetings in Uttar Pradesh with an eye on the assembly polls. Bengaluru, Feb 2 : A 25-year-old Ugandan woman was allegedly stabbed to death here in a scuffle over payment for sex, said police on Thursday. The accused has been arrested. "Accused Ishan, 30, from Himachal Pradesh, has been arrested for fatally stabbing Florence Nakayaki, a degree student in a private college, over a sexual favour," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru North-East, P.S. Harsha told IANS. The incident came to light earlier in the day when neighbours called the police on hearing screams and shouts from the second floor rented house at Kothanur in the city's north-east suburbs. "The victim met the accused in downtown on Wednesday night and drove to her house in the early hours to have sex. A heated argument ensued when Florence asked Ishan for Rs 5,000 more after he already paid her Rs 5,000. As per Ishan's preliminary deposition, he stabbed Florence in self-defence after she threatened to raise an alarm and kill him for not paying her more. "Ishaan said he snatched the knife from the victim and stabbed her in a fit of rage for betraying him on the 'deal' and in self-defence," said Harsha. As Florence is a foreign national in India on a student visa, the local police transferred the murder case to the City Crime Branch (CCB) for investigation. "It is an unfortunate incident or accident involving a foreigner and an Indian. We have asked the CCB to probe the case," Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara told reporters, adding it was not a racial attack but an "accident" between a man and a woman. "Ishan said he was a B.Tech engineer and hailed from Himachal," said Harsha. Juba, Feb 2 : Morocco King Mohammed VI and South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit chaired the signing ceremony of nine bilateral agreements in different areas of cooperation between the two countries at the presidential palace in capital Juba. "Morocco is committed to sharing its experience in terms of urbanization, and urban development, in order to support the building of a new capital city of South Sudan,"said Morocco's Interior Minister Mohammed Hassad at Wednesday's ceremony. "The achievement of this great project will require, firstly, the completion of technical and financial feasibility studies, which the Kingdom of Morocco has accepted to finance up to the amount of $5.1 million," the minister said. "Secondly, Morocco will provide assistance to South Sudan in different phases of the project's implementation, including the call for financial and technical partnerships, and the development of South Sudanese expertise and know-how," Hassad said. The signed agreements are meant to strengthen cooperation with countries of the continent and mirror the commitment of King Mohammed VI to consolidating South-South cooperation. Panaji, Feb 2 : As Goa transitions from the pleasant comforts of the mild winter sun into harsher tropical weather, the coastal state's political clime also appears to be following suit, with the state headed for crucial assembly elections on February 4. As campaigning for the elections ended on Thursday, the mood of the state appears complex and difficult to comprehend considering a multi-corner battle between representatives of four national parties, six regional parties and heavy-weight Independent candidates. In all 251 candidates are vying for the 40 seats up for grabs on Saturday. While the ruling BJP is contesting in 36 seats and supporting two Independent candidates, the Congress has fielded 37 candidates, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 39 and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 18. Former allies of the BJP, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), former RSS leader Subhash Velingkar-mentored Goa Suraksha Manch and the Shiv Sena (SS) have fielded 26, five, and three candidates respectively as part of a 'Mahagatabandhan'. While all major players have expressed confidence of winning a majority in the upcoming polls, leaders of nearly all the parties confirm off record that the state could be heading for a hung assembly with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress emerging with bigger chunk of votes. "That is one of the reasons why there have been no bitter and serious allegations levelled against each other, because in a chaotic post-poll scenario, one doesn't know who will need support from which party or individual," a senior BJP leader told IANS on condition of anonymity. The BJP officially claims that the party will win 26 seats, five more than their last tally, but Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday set the bar higher for his party workers and voters. "We are aiming and confident of winning a two-thirds majority. We are confident the work done by our government in Goa will help us get that number," the former Goa Chief Minister told a press conference on Thursday. The BJP has promised to wipe out unemployment among youth in its election manifesto. Some of the key issues which have been discussed in course of the campaign by various political parties includes corruption by the BJP government, scandals of former Congress ministers named in several multi-crore scams, AAP's choice of candidates and its 'non Goan' volunteers, the fissures between the BJP and the MGP, as well as the running feud between Velingkar and the state BJP leadership. The AAP, which has promised to double existing government doles and reduce prices on a wide range of necessities ranging from fish to electricity tariff, has also claimed victory in 26 seats. "Goans will sweep away the Congress and the BJP with a broom on February 4. We have had enough of corrupt and divisive politics by them," said Elvis Gomes, a former bureaucrat and AAP's chief ministerial candidate. The Congress, which was reduced to an unprecedented nine assembly seats in the 2012 polls, expects to come to power a majority without any allies. "The corruption of the Goa BJP and their misgovernance has shown the people of Goa that only the Congress can deliver inclusive and effective governance," Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh told IANS on Thursday. The three-party alliance between the MGP, GVM and SS, which is targeting the majority Hindu vote, is also being watched keenly, because its collective performance could determine the winning chances of the BJP, which also benefitted from the consolidation of the majority vote-bank in the last polls. Also while the Shiv Sena and the Manch have gone on record saying they would not ally with the BJP in a post-poll hung assembly scenario, the MGP has kept its options open. "The MGP will work towards providing Goa a stable government," says the alliance's chief ministerial candidate Sudin Dhavalikar. Velingkar, who has sacked from the RSS following ideological differences with the Goa BJP and Parrikar, has however vowed not to align with the saffron party. "We will never ally with people who have betrayed Goa and its culture," Velingkar said. Nearly 11.08 lakh voters are eligible to cast ballot in the February 4 polls in 1,649 polling booths across the state. (Mayabhushan Nagvenkar can be reached at mayabhushan@gmail.com) New Delhi, Feb 2 : The government's claim of "highest-ever" budget allocation for MGNREGA -- the rural scheme promising minimum 100 days' employment every year -- has failed to impress workers rights groups, who feel the government has "hardly increased" the outlay over last year. "At first glance, it would seem as if the Finance Minister's announcement of an allocation of Rs 48,000 crore for MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is a dramatic increase of nearly 25 per cent over last year's allocation of Rs 38,500 crore. "But, in fact, the increase is a mere one per cent, of Rs 500 crore, as two supplementary allocations during the course of the year took the total outlay in 2016-17 to Rs 47,500 crore," People's Action for Employment Guarantee (PAEG) said in a statement on Thursday. The organisation consists of a number of other associations, like Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, National Federation of Indian Women and Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan. It said the government is left with only about Rs 1,000 crore from the previous budget allocation, while a total of Rs 3,469 crore is yet to be paid to the workers for the work done during this period. The liabilities, it said, will only increase as the demand for work is supposed to peak in the next two months. The workers' rights body also cited the Supreme Court directive to the government to release the employees' wages in a timely manner, which it said is not happening, as evident from the backlog of payments. "There have been a string of Supreme Court orders directing the government to release the payment to the workers on time. But the government has proved to be far from perfect in this regard," Nikhil Dey, a social activist associated with the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, told IANS. "Will you work for me when I am unable to pay you for long periods of time? The government can't give money to give wages to its employees ... It has gone bankrupt," he said. The PAEG highlighted that since the budget funds can only be released in April, an additional sum of Rs 10,013 crore for the months of February and March 2017 will also add to the amount pending from last year. "This means that we would end this financial year with close to Rs 13,482 crore in pending liabilities and a budgetary allocation that has not even kept pace with the last year's amount in real terms," it said. On the contrary, a government official talking to IANS found the budget allocation "very robust" and said that the increase for this year will suffice to meet the expenditure needs. "There is no vote-on-account this year. There is no cap on release in the initial part of financial year 2017-18. The sum of Rs 48,000 crore is 25 per cent increase over the 'Budget Estimate' of financial year 2016-17," said Aparajita Sarangi, Joint Secretary (MGNREGA), Ministry of Rural Development. "The MGNREGA is a demand-driven programme and the government has allocated sufficient funds for running the programme in the next fiscal year," she said. The presentation of the budget was advanced to February 1, as told by the government, to enable Parliament to avoid a vote-on-account and pass a single Appropriation Bill for 2017-18, before the close of the current financial year. "This would enable the ministries and departments to operationalise all schemes and projects, including the new ones, right from the commencement of the next financial year," Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley reasoned in his Budget speech on Wednesday. A 'vote-on-account' literally means voting on the account of the government, providing it with a fund for the interim period before the budget goes to debate in Parliament and is passed subsequently. However, the PAEG representatives remain disappointed with the "ostensible" claim of the big pie and getting a piece, which is being made still more tedious with Aadhaar being mandatory for workers from the coming financial year. "The Apex Court has a number of times cautioned the government to do away with the requirement of Aadhaar for getting work under MGNREGA, which it anyway introduced... thus the government stands in contempt of court, a matter which is being pursued by people," Nikhil Dey said. Asked about the spike in demand for MGNREGA jobs post demonetisation, Nikhil Dey told IANS: "See, MGNREGA is the job of last resort for those who can't find work anywhere, and if the government doesn't pay within 15 days it defeats the purpose. Overall, such a correlation (between rise in MGNREGA job seekers and demonetisation) would have mattered had there been money with the government. Such rise is not long term. However, there may be a big spurt in jobs under MGNREGA in April as the government has just announced the budget and is ready with money." (Vishal Narayan can be reached at vishal.n@ians.in and Rohit Shrivastav can be reached at rohit.s@ians.in) New Delhi, Feb 2 : Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday dubbed the 2017-18 Budget a "damp squib" but praised his successor Arun Jaitley for adopting a "tone of moderation" after the November 8 demonetisation. Calling the annual financial exercise a wasted opportunity, Chidambaram said: "Altogether, I am disappointed the government has not used the opportunity to push through bold reforms, revive aggregate demand and growth, and devise new strategies for job creation. "Our conclusion, on reading all the Budget documents, is that the exercise has turned out to be a damp squib. But, there are a few positives, which we are happy with. The most important positive is that the government seems chastened after the debacle of demonetisation and has not done anything reckless or disruptive." Praising Jaitley, the senior Congress leader said: "I compliment the Finance Minister on adopting a tone of moderation. It is obvious that demonetisation and its inevitable consequences have demoralised the government. "They have retreated from reforms and have no answers to the severe challenges faced by the economy. The sections of people most affected by demonetisation are the farmers, farm workers, labourers, self-employed, artisans and micro, small and medium businesspersons. "They lost crores of rupees in form of wages, incomes and capital. There is absolutely nothing in the Budget for these sections. We had demanded that the government offer them compensation in some form, but the government has cruelly neglected them." Asked to elaborate on the points for complimenting the government, Chidambaram said there are several things which he thought are good about the Budget. "He has expanded the mandatory non-cash transactions and now said any transaction above Rs 3 lakh can only be in non-cash mode. He has attempted to clamp down on political funding by saying that cash donations or anonymous donations cannot exceed Rs 2,000," said Chidambaram. The Congress leader also pointed out that the Fasal Bima Yojana will now cover 40 per cent of the cropped area in 2017-18 and 50 per cent in 2018-19 which, he thought, was a good move. "We need to ensure crops do not fail and ensure that productivity increases. I compliment him on setting a target of one crore houses by 2019. How he will achieve the target is the question. I compliment him on the additional capital expenditure, which will be little over 25 per cent mainly in railways and roads," said Chidambaram. He said the government had discarded fiscal prudence and violated the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act. "In 2015-16, the fiscal deficit target should have been 3.6 per cent; instead it was kept at 3.9 per cent and the Controller General of Accounts/Comptroller and Auditor General have reported that it was actually 4.31 per cent. "Now again, the target for 2017-18 should have been kept at 3 per cent, but it is 3.2 per cent. Analysts, bankers and investors in India and abroad will not take kindly to this disregard of fiscal responsibility," he said. Chidambaram also accused the government of being oblivious to the plight of the farming community. "The minister has not even uttered 'Minimum Support Price' in his speech. The farming community has been totally cheated," he said. "The National Democratic Alliance promised to create two crore jobs every year. Their best result so far is 1.5 lakh jobs in 2015-16. There is absolutely nothing in this Budget that points to a change in strategy to create new jobs. "There is nothing that points to steps to revive flagging growth," Chidambaram added. He also rooted for early introduction of Direct Tax Code, saying: "It is imperative that the draft code be updated and enacted." Srinagar, Feb 2 : An Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer was found dead on Thursday under mysterious circumstances inside his quarters here, police said. Police said Vinod Ram Joshi, a Deputy Superintendent level officer was found dead inside his residential quarters in Shivpora area. "Body of the officer was removed to police control room for postmortem after registering an FIR under section 174 of the CrPC in the concerned police station," police said. The officer belonged to Lucknow. Ramallah, Feb 3 : Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged the US administration to promptly assume its role in catering the peace process between Palestine and Israel. The ministry on Thursday said that it has called upon US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to declare the vision of the US toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, including its position regarding the two state solution, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement highlighted that the Palestinian diplomats are closely following the US reactions and positions, which are generally swinging between silence over daily Israeli violations and publicly declaring unconditional support to the Israeli government. The ministry described Netanyahu's political proposals as the results of "his own self-negotiating, away from the Palestinian peace partner, which must be rejected by the Administration of President Donald Trump". Netanyahu said last week that there are two main principles for negotiations with the Palestinians, as the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, and full Israeli security control of the areas between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea. The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The US-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results. Washington, Feb 3 : The US President raised questions about whether the University of California should continue receiving federal funds after demonstrators at the Berkeley campus forced the cancellation of a speech by Trump supporter Milo Yiannopoulos. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view - NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Donald Trump said in a Twitter post on Thursday. The 33-year-old Yannopoulos is a vocal far-right supporter of Trump and self-proclaimed Internet troll. His comments have been criticized as racist, misogynist, anti-Muslim and white supremacist. He was forced to cancel a speech on Wednesday at UC-Berkeley when protests against his appearance turned violent. Writing on his Facebook page, Yiannopoulos said he had been evacuated from the Berkeley campus when "violent leftist demonstrators" put up barricades, set fires and threw rocks and fireworks at the building's windows. Hundreds of protesters gathered on Wednesday afternoon at Berkeley and some of them clashed with police. Once Yiannopoulos's speech was cancelled, the gathering turned into a celebration with music and dancing as police looked on. Yiannopoulos, a controversial British writer, works as an editor for Breitbart News, a media outlet run until last August by Steve Bannon, who is now the chief strategist for Trump at the White House. Despite the fact that overseas investors seem to get the blame for property hotspots a report by the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has cast a very interesting light on this subject. The poll, conducted in October, took feedback from 3500 TREB members who acted for buyers involved in 113,133 Toronto residential property transactions over the last year. So, if overseas investors are not pushing Toronto property prices what is? Overseas investors Of the 113,133 Toronto residential real estate transactions conducted over the last year just 4.9% involved foreign buyers. This will surprise many people because politicians and real estate investors in Canada have been blaming overseas investors for the relatively high price of housing in the Toronto area. We saw a similar situation in Australia last year where the authorities conducted detailed research only to find that overseas investors had minimal impact on the market as a whole. It would be foolish to suggest that overseas investors have not increased activity in the Toronto and Canadian real estate markets in general. In what many see as a flight to safety, real estate markets such as Canada have appeared on the radar of Chinese investors in particular. Indeed the authorities in areas such as Vancouver recently introduced an array of local regulations to reduce the number of overseas investors. Non-investment property While domestic investors continue to focus on the Toronto real estate market it was interesting to learn that more than 50% of overseas buyers were acquiring property for themselves or family members. The idea that overseas investors are in it for a quick buck appears well wide of the mark and difficult to justify with the poll feedback. Other interesting data from the survey shows that around 30% of transactions involving overseas buyers were for properties valued in excess of $1 million. Only 25% of all transactions involving overseas buyers were acquired as rental investments with the vast majority, as we touched on above, buying property so they could live in Canada. So, what is pushing the Toronto property market to unsustainable levels? Lack of active listings If you look at the number of properties listed for sale in December 2016 the figures was only 50% of that in December 2015. So, when you bear in mind increased demand (predominantly from local investors) and reduced supply it is inevitable that prices will be pushed higher with more competition per property for sale. The only possible good news on horizon is the fact that as prices continue to rise this may tempt more people to bank a profit on their real estate assets. Then again, once they sell their property where would they go? If you take a step back and look at the situation from a distance, all of the time effort and money spent focusing on the impact of overseas investors has been time wasted. The authorities need to tackle the growing housing crisis, look at affordable housing and the best way to deflate what is fast becoming a property hotspot. I love helping patients discover that straightening teeth isnt what it used to be. We are thrilled to know that patients are satisfied with their experience in modern orthodontics and that they speak highly of the care they receive here, says Dr. Walton. Walton Orthodontics continues their track record for excellence in advanced orthodontic services and superior patient care. For another consecutive year, Walton Orthodontics has been named as a Top Rated Johns Creek and Suwanee Dentist by Find Local Doctors. Find Local Doctors uses multiple reliable sources online to gather real patient reviews for their featured dentists. Walton Orthodontics has once again proven to be highly favored by their patients, as their reviews are outstanding and their ratings display five stars. The strong reputation that Walton Orthodontic carries from their patients is certainly preceded by Dr. Matt Waltons ability to provide an expansive range of orthodontic services with special attention on creating a positive and easy experience for patients. Dr. Walton treats children, teens, and adults in Suwanee, Johns Creek, Cumming, and surrounding area with a number of leading solutions in orthodontics, including Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, Damon Braces, In-Ovation Braces, and a revolutionary AcceleSmile Accelerated Braces System, developed exclusively by Dr. Walton. Whether patients are looking for a discreet treatment or one that provides quicker results, Dr. Walton is proud to offer effective solutions that fit each patients lifestyle. His dedication to modern orthodontics goes one step further, as soft tissue laser resurfacing, ZOOM Whitening, and surgical orthodontics are also available to Suwanee and Johns Creek patients. I love helping patients discover that straightening teeth isnt what it used to be. We are thrilled to know that patients are satisfied with their experience in modern orthodontics and that they speak highly of the care they receive here, says Dr. Walton. About Dr. Matt Walton Dr. Waltons passion for orthodontics and creating superior smiles began at a young age, and his reputation for excellence has continued for over 25 years. Dr. Walton received his dental degree from Medical College of Georgia and fulfilled his residency in Boston. He returned to Georgia to begin his professional orthodontic career. As one of 30% of orthodontists worldwide certified by the American Board of Orthodontics, Dr. Walton is also a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association, the Southern Association of Orthodontists, and the Georgia Association of Orthodontists. As owner of Walton Orthodontics, Dr. Matt Walton and his team treat families to concierge-style amenities and conveniences with the highest standard of orthodontic care. For additional information on the services offered by Walton Orthodontics, visit drwaltonorthodontics.com or call (770) 663-0955. We are thrilled to be named a Top Patient Rated Dentist. It is deeply rewarding to know that our patients are satisfied with their care, and we will continue to pursue excellence on their behalf, says Dr. Contractor of Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates. Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates, located at 1815 Old 41 Hwy NW in Kennesaw, Georgia 30152, is a trusted family dental practice that serves children and adults with comprehensive care. Dr. Hamir Contractor leads the practice as a distinguished and skilled dentist who is committed to giving patients a comfortable and personalized experience in dentistry. The Kennesaw dental office offers services in general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry, helping patients achieve a beautiful and healthy smile at all stages of life. Their menu of services also includes advanced treatments and procedures such as Invisalign clear orthodontics, TMJ therapy, oral cancer screenings and more. Recently, Find Local Doctors awarded Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates the honor of being a Top Patient Rated Kennesaw Dentist for 2017. This nomination is strictly based on the favorable reviews and high ratings that were given by actual patients across multiple online sources. This is just one way that the online directory of Find Local Doctors helps consumers connect to the most respected physicians and dentists in their community. The high accolades for Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates included references to comfortable care, efficient dentistry and friendly staff members. These are elements that Dr. Contractor deeply values in his practice. To make dental visits less stressful, they provide advanced low radiation digital x-rays, in-office sedation and easy financing plans to ease budget burdens. We are thrilled to be named a Top Patient Rated Kennesaw Dentist. It is deeply rewarding to know that our patients are satisfied with their care, and we will continue to pursue excellence on their behalf, says Dr. Contractor of Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates. More about Dr. Hamir Contractor: Dr. Hamir Contractor graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He continued on at UNC Chapel Hill to earn his Doctorate in Dental Surgery degree in 2003. While at UNC, he helped run a dental clinic for underprivileged patients and took advantage of many respected externships offered to him. In 2009, his dream of having his own practice became a reality. Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates specializes in high quality and compassionate care, giving families a safer and more comfortable experience. Dr. Contractor has Active Memberships in the American Dental Association, Georgia Dental Association, Northwest Dental Association and Hinman Dental Society. For more information about Dr. Hamir Contractor or the services offered at Kennesaw Mountain Dental Associates, please visit kennesawmountaindental.com or call (770) 927-7751. Aptus Court Reporting continues its rapid expansion trajectory with the acquisition of Barristers Reporting Service. A well-known pillar of the community, the addition of Barristers solidifies the commitment to providing quality court reporting and innovative solutions on a global scale. Founded in 1987 by Beth C. Drain, CSR and Forrest L. Drain, Barristers Reporting Service has provided quality court reporting services to clients across Southern California and beyond for over 30 years. Aptus Court Reporting is recognized as a major resource utilizing advanced technology to deliver superior customer service and new concepts to the industry. This merger adds another respected organization to their portfolio, reinforcing a brand synonymous with court reporting excellence. Barristers Reporting Service has always embraced change in technology and alternative means for preserving the record to meet the need of our clients, says Forrest Drain. Our motto at Barristers has been to never take our clients for granted. If they say can you or will you, we always respond with an enthusiastic yes, says Shelly Mathews, Barristers General Manager for over 27 years. Derek Berg, President of Aptus Court Reporting expresses the teams excitement about the merger. The Barristers group saw an opportunity to offer expanded technologies while continuing to provide superb client focused service through Aptus, and we are thrilled to be working with Shelly and their outstanding group of clients and reporters. About Aptus Court Reporting: Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm headquartered in San Diego, CA. The company provides decades of experience in the court reporting industry and offers videography, transcription, and trial support among its list of services. The company focus is connecting testimony and technology for clients globally. Aptus has recently acquired other notable industry veterans such as Brunson Court Reporting and Fivecoat & With. For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please visit http://www.aptuscr.com. About Barristers' Reporting Service: Barristers Reporting Service was founded in 1987 and has enjoyed a consistent and prominent status in the Southern California legal community providing quality court reporting services. CG and QuantuMDx logos Placing tools such as this in the hands of health workers provides women in low-income countries with the same access to early detection... QuantuMDx Group announced an assay co-development and commercialization agreement with The Global Good Fund, managed by Intellectual Ventures, to develop a rapid, low-cost and mobile diagnostic test for the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical and other genital cancers. The partnership will harness the wide-ranging benefits of QuantuMDxs technology platform including the speed, accessibility and affordability of its battery-operated portable Q-POC diagnostic laboratory along with the global health expertise of Global Good, to make gold standard HPV testing accessible to women worldwide. Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable, yet it kills nearly 270,000 women worldwide every year, approximately 85% of whom live in poor countries. It is the second most common cancer affecting women living in low- and middle-income countries and the fourth most common affecting women globally. HPV, the cause in nearly all cases, is a common sexually-transmitted infection that spreads quickly among teenagers and young adults the world over. Many women in poor countries seeking treatment do not return to health facilities to receive follow up care. A point-of-care HPV test that provides health workers with immediate results, allowing them to screen and treat women during a single visit, is what is needed to combat cervical cancer in poor countries, according to a newly released paper by Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon. Placing tools such as this in the hands of health workers provides women in low-income countries with the same access to early detection that has dramatically reduced cervical cancer-related deaths in higher income countries, said David Bell, Director of Global Health Technologies supporting Global Good, a collaboration between Intellectual Ventures and Bill Gates. When a mother dies, the tragedy also extends to her children, family and community, with her loss particularly affecting her childrens health and education, added Bell. QuantuMDxs CEO Elaine Warburton OBE said, Cervical cancer deaths are rare in wealthy countries as a result of routine screening programmes through Pap smears or HPV detection. QuantuMDx is striving to develop novel diagnostic technologies that can support global health equality. Our far-reaching partnership with Global Good truly cuts to the heart of this philosophy by developing and rolling out a low-cost HPV test that is rapid, accurate and intuitive, and therefore highly effective in low-income communities around the world. Our partnerships HPV test represents the type of innovative healthcare solution that QuantuMDx will continue to deliver in low-income as well as highly developed markets, said Jonathan OHalloran, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at QuantuMDx. We are excited to work with Global Good to empower frontline health workers with a better tool to combat cervical cancer, just one of the many diagnostic assays we are developing for low- and middle-income countries. Images of the QuantuMDx and Global Good teams, and QuantuMDxs Q-POC device, may be downloaded here: QuantuMDx's Q-POC device QuantuMDx and Global Good teams About Global Good Global Good is a collaboration between Intellectual Ventures and Bill Gates to invent technology that improves life in low- and middle-income countries. With support from a coalition of NGO, government and business partners, we conceive, develop and deploy inventions for the poorest parts of the world. Global Good combines Intellectual Ventures unique invention prowess with the expertise of leading humanitarian organizations, forward-looking governments, and commercial partners that share our vision. Together, we invent, develop, and deploy commercially-viable technologies that improve life in developing countries. http://www.globalgood.com About QuantuMDx Group QuantuMDx Group is a multinational technology developer with a focus on delivering diagnostic solutions to address global health inequalities. The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom, with operations and partners in the United States, Asia, Europe and Africa. The companys flagship portable diagnostic laboratory Q-POC, with its superior testing capabilities and affordable price point, aims to bring the power of precision medicine to health professionals globally, enabling immediate detection of antimicrobial resistance and subsequent right first time prescribing. QuantuMDx was co-founded by CEO Elaine Warburton, OBE, inventor and CSO Jonathan OHalloran, and CFO Julian Warburton. Fellow Board members include Chairman Professor Sir John Burn, COO Sam Whitehouse, and President of QuantuMDx USA Paul Fitzpatrick. Professor Sanjeev Krishna chairs the Infectious Disease Advisory Committee. QuantuMDx is a privately owned company with a strong commercial and humanitarian focus. Admiral Insurance Group, a W. R. Berkley company, announced the promotions of Curt Fletcher to executive vice president of underwriting, Dan Smyrl to senior vice president of casualty, and Leah Taylor to senior vice president of professional liability. Curt Fletcher will take on expanded responsibilities as executive vice president in charge of underwriting, and both Leah and Dan will report directly to Curt. Dan began his career with Admiral in 2002. Most recently Dan served as regional vice president for Admirals Mount Laurel branch office. He is a 35 year insurance veteran having held various positions in underwriting and marketing in our industry. Dan is recognized by our wholesale broker customers, his peers and his team as the consummate professional. His leadership ability combined with his strong customer focus has resulted in the Mount Laurel branch being known as a preeminent E&S provider in the Northeast. In his new role, Dan will have national responsibility for all of Admirals casualty business across its entire network of branch offices. Leah began her career in insurance with Admiral in 1994 in an administrative role. Leah has held increasing roles of responsibility, quickly demonstrating excellence in her relationships with Admirals wholesale broker partners, while consistently growing and developing her expertise in Professional Liability. Most recently she served as vice president and manager of the Professional Liability Department in Admirals Seattle branch office, where she lead Admirals development of new professional products across the country. In her new role, Leah will have national responsibility for all of Admirals Professional Liability business s. Scott Barraclough, president and chief executive officer of Admiral Insurance Group noted, Each of these individuals has demonstrated expertise and leadership, and they embody the values we strive to deliver every day. I look forward to them working closely with our branch offices to ensure a consistent product and experience for our wholesale partners. Please join me in congratulating them on these significant achievements. About Admiral Insurance Group Based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Admiral Insurance markets and underwrites specialty insurance products and programs to a variety of niche markets through its regional offices located across the United States. Admiral Insurance is a member of W. R. Berkley Corporation. Admiral Insurance Company is a licensed insurer in the states of Delaware and New Jersey and a surplus lines insurer in all remaining states. It is rated A+ (Superior) Financial Size Category XIII by A.M. Best Company. For the states in which it is an eligible surplus lines insurer, Admiral Insurance Company's products are not available other than through licensed surplus lines agents or brokers, and the Company is not protected by any such state's guaranty fund law. ### The Flat Panel range of radiators is one of our best. This range allows customers to find the perfect radiator for their home as there are over thirty sizes in this range. I guarantee you won't be able to find a cheaper radiator of such high quality." For the whole month of February, one of the leading online radiator suppliers in the UK, Trade Radiators, is slashing the prices of all of their flat panel radiators by 25%. Described as Flat Panel February by director Nic Auckland, this price reduction comes on top of already low prices with all of their radiators costing below the RRP. The high quality, Italian made radiators are known for their aesthetically pleasing, sleek finish as well as their sturdy properties, making them an ideal choice for a family home or office environment. Nic Auckland, Director of Trade Radiators, said, The Flat Panel range of radiators is one of our best. This range really allows customers to find the perfect radiator for their home as there are over thirty sizes in this range as well as the option to choose between single and double convectors. They are also stylish as well as being incredibly durable, the perfect combination for radiators! Size Range Coming in an extensive range of sizes, the flat panel design is one of the most flexible radiators, in terms of size, currently on the market. This is ideal for those looking to create a uniformed look in throughout their home. Not only do these radiators come in a host of sizes, they are also available in both the traditional, horizontal style and the contemporary vertical design. Perfect for modern homes, the vertical design is a great way to save space in rooms where wall space is compromised such as loft conversions, kitchens or office spaces. The horizontal range also adds a contemporary feel to the modern style of the radiator, enhancing a modern environment nicely. Sleek and Practical Channelling a more is less style, the flat panel ranges simple design creates a sleek finish which fits nicely into any room. The smooth, flat design of the front of the radiator is aesthetically pleasing while the white colour complements virtually any colour scheme, enhancing brighter tones and blending nicely with lighter ones. These radiators dont just look good, they are extremely practical. The smooth face of the radiator means that it is able to be cleaned very easily while the properties of the stainless steel 304 material used to produce the radiators mean that it actually strengthens with cleaning. This is ideal for environments which need to be kept sterile. Pricing Designed for consumers looking to add a stylish touch to their home without the designer price tag to go with it, with the 25% discount the flat panel radiators starts at an incredible 33.75 and can be found at https://www.traderadiators.com/acatalog/own-brand-flat-panel-radiators.html. Make sure you add the discount code FLAT15 at the checkout when ordering your flat panel radiator. About Trade Radiators Trade Radiators is a leading supplier of Radiators in the UK. With over ten years experience, they have become the largest independent retailer of their kind in the country, selling a diverse range of radiators and accessories. Contact 0141 225 0430 Trade Radiators Ltd. (Head Office) 82 Mitchell Street, Glasgow, G1 3NA Email: info(at)traderadiator(dot)com With 80,000+ happy clients in the Brennan family and 38 years of dedicated service to the community, we are so grateful for the opportunity to serve others along with the continued support and loyalty. Brennan Enterprises has earned the home service industrys coveted Angies List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of customer service to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2016. This achievement is particularly significant as Angies List experienced unprecedented member growth in 2016. More than 1.6 million consumers, many of whom were eager to quickly hire highly qualified service pros, joined Angies List after the company added a new, free membership tier. Companies that can meet higher demands without missing a beat in their exemplary performance standards truly do stand apart from their peers, said Angies List Founder Angie Hicks. Only a fraction of the home service companies in Dallas were able to do it. Angies List Super Service Award 2016 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an A rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade. The SSA winners must also be in good standing with Angies List, pass a background check and abide by Angies List operational guidelines. We take a consultative approach to every remodeling project because we understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to our clients needs, Kerry Brennan said. With 80,000+ happy clients in the Brennan family and 38 years of dedicated service to the community, we are so grateful for the opportunity to serve others along with the continued support and loyalty. Service company ratings are updated daily on Angies List as new, verified consumer reviews are submitted. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. For more than 21 years, Angies List restricted access to its verified reviews to consumers who paid membership fees. When the company removed that barrier, some companies worried that the new, non-paying members would not be as engaged as members of the past. Experience has shown, however, that these newly added members are just as engaged across all age groups as prior members. Also, because the company continues to adhere to its review verification process, there has been no degradation of review quality. The biggest change at Angies List is that we are connecting even more consumers to high-quality service professionals, Hicks said. And thats good for everyone. ### Angie's List helps facilitate happy transactions between more than 4.5 million consumers nationwide and its collection of highly rated service providers in more than 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. Built on a foundation of more than 10 million verified reviews of local service, Angie's List connects consumers directly to its online marketplace of services from member-reviewed providers and offers unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals. Cambridge Touch Technologies attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2017) in Las Vegas, Nevada and held various successful private meetings, including with OEM and supply chain companies. CTTs CEO, Corbin Church, showed the companys latest smartphone demo with CTTs next-generation 3D Multi-Touch technology on-board, simultaneously sensing both location and force of a touch, with performance that rivals and exceeds the current 3D Touch technologies on the market. The feedback and enthusiastic interest we received at CES was extremely encouraging and gratifying, said Church. It strongly validates once again that our approach is the right one for not only improved performance, like sensing force on each of 10 fingers, something that isnt possible today, but also how our technologys scalability and cost competitiveness is far superior compared to first-generation solutions currently in the market. 2017 will be a busy year as we work with OEM customers towards the first products with CTT technology inside hitting the market in the near future. Touch sensitive technologies were very much in the mainstream at the show, and CTTs 3D Multi-Touch concept is well placed to make a difference in next generation smart devices, offering a significantly enhanced consumer experience. CES 2017 attracted more than 165k attendees from 150 countries and is the venue where next generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. If you missed us at CES 2017, contact us now for the latest information about 3D Multi-Touch. V12 Network is a comprehensive healthcare management system for wide range of healthcare providers, payers and patient member networks, and now a Salesforce Fullforce Solution for healthcare. We are thrilled that Virsys12 has been recognized as a Salesforce Fullforce Solution partner with their V12 Network solution, helping the healthcare community connect patients, payers and providers in entirely new ways. Virsys12, an award-winning Salesforce Gold Consulting Partner, today announced the release of V12 Network, a comprehensive healthcare management system for wide range of healthcare providers, payers and patient member networks, and now a Salesforce Fullforce Solution for healthcare. In this age of the customer, everyone and everything is becoming more connected. With the launch of its V12 Network, as a Salesforce Fullforce Solution, even more customers will benefit from Virsys12s expertise and successful record in healthcare. The proven V12 Network solution can provide faster and more predictable deployments for highly complex and connected healthcare groups, including physician and non-physician providers, related groups including payers, ancillary service organizations, and patient members. The V12 Network solution provides a database for tracking information, workflow tools for tracking activities and events, and comprehensive reporting and analytics capability. It is Salesforce Health Cloud- ready and provides excellent unparalleled visibility and insight into data and trends, full-featured infrastructure for communication, and robust integration capability into other data systems all to truly enable the operation of your entire network. In December 2016, Virsys12 became a Salesforce Certified Gold Consulting Partner, reflecting its growing national impact since launch just five short years ago. Industry-leading research and advisory firm Gartner has highlighted Virsys12 as a Salesforce specialist in two separate research reports: Gartner CRM Vendor Guide, March 2015 and Gartner CRM Vendor Guide, May 2016. Additionally, Gartners Market Guide for Salesforce Service Providers (November 2016) included Virsys12 in a select group of recognized vendors, spotlighting Virsys12s expertise in healthcare and life sciences along with its upcoming Fullforce Industry Solutions designation. We are pleased to be a strategic partner for Salesforce in the healthcare vertical and to see the software giant deepen its investment in the healthcare market with Salesforce Health Cloud, says Melinda Gales, Chief Growth Officer at Virsys12. With Together, Salesforce, and Virsys12 will make a powerful team to help customers transform the business of healthcare., We are thrilled that Virsys12 has been recognized as a Salesforce Fullforce Solution partner with their V12 Network solution, helping the healthcare community connect patients, payers and providers in entirely new ways, said Alan Lindsay, vice president, industry alliances, Salesforce. We work closely with Salesforce Fullforce Solution partners and are committed to ensure our customers benefit from Virsys12s proven industry expertise with Salesforces Customer Success Platform. V12 Network was conceived, built, tested and fine-tuned over three years as the operational hub for some of the most successful Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and initially branded V12 ACO. One of the early customer success stories for V12 Network has been Greenville Health Systems MyHealth First Network (MyHFN), managed by the Care Coordination Institute (CCI) in Greenville, South Carolina. MyHFN realized over $17 million in cost of care reduction in their first year as an Accountable Care Organization. V12 Network provides a total management solution for our team, states John Supra, Executive Director, CCI. The ability to track information needed to operate our business and customize it for our business model and process made an immediate impact. Salesforce Fullforce Solutions Salesforce Fullforce Solutions are systems integrator or consulting partner offerings recognized for their specialization in priority Salesforce industries and other key solution areas. Fullforce Solution partners have demonstrated proven expertise and customer success, and receive Salesforce go-to-market support, executive sponsorship and guidance as part of the Salesforce Partner Program. Additional Resources Learn more about Salesforce Fullforce Solutions: https://partners.salesforce.com/s/education/consultants/Fullforce Learn more about V12 Network: http://virsys12.com/apps/v12-network Become a fan of Salesforce on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/salesforce Follow Salesforce on Twitter: https://twitter.com/salesforce Follow Virsys12 on Twitter: @virsys12 In December 2016, Virsys12 became a Salesforce Certified Gold Consulting Partner, reflecting its growing national impact since launch just five short years ago. Industry-leading research and advisory firm Gartner has highlighted Virsys12 as a Salesforce specialist in two separate research reports: Gartner CRM Vendor Guide, March 2015 and Gartner CRM Vendor Guide, May 2016. Additionally, Gartners Market Guide for Salesforce Service Providers (November 2016) included Virsys12 in a select group of recognized vendors, spotlighting Virsys12s expertise in healthcare and life sciences along with its upcoming Fullforce Industry Solutions designation. In December 2016, Virsys12 was certified by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council as a woman-owned, operated and controlled WBE business. Virsys12 is an award-winning, certified Salesforce Gold Consulting Partner focused on healthcare innovation nationwide. With success providing transformative technology for large, small, public and private enterprises, the team maintains top customer satisfaction ratings. We solve your hardest problems by making the complex simple, guaranteeing our work for implementation, integrations, applications and technology strategy. More at Virsys12.com. Salesforce, Health Cloud, Fullforce and others are trademarks of salesforce.com, Inc. Sibername - Perfect solutions for your web presence SiberName.com Invites guest bloggers to contribute articles. As of February 6th, 2017, Internet Registrar and web hosting company SiberName will be using its blog site as the primary means of mass communication with its clients and its market. Clients may also be invited to contribute blog articles to this site, if the articles are pertinent to SiberName's current customer base. Submission guidelines are available. Sylvain Henry, marketing manager of SiberName says, The SiberName blog site is a practical multi-media Web log of all thats important to those interested in Website-hosting, Website-marketing, email-hosting and Internet domain names. The blog articles are searchable and always accessible, and have a greater reach and impact than traditional client-base emails. In addition to a list of new articles coming out in February, SiberName now invites its clients to propose blog article topics that would benefit its clients and its market. Clients may be invited as guest bloggers if they submit articles on these popular topics. Articles can be in text, audio or video format. The most popular guest blogger articles will be promoted via SiberName's Client Network, which is considerable. Heres a link to the SiberName BlogPage: sibername.com/blog About SiberName: SiberName is a Canadian registrar and web-hosting company located in Ottawa, Canada. Since 2000 SiberName has been providing Internet consulting services to a wide range of companies and individuals requiring the implementation and hosting of new technologies for their online presence. SiberNames mission is to be the best host of Internet solutions that help increase the online sustainability and mobility of small businesses, individuals and re-sellers. support (at) sibername.com The VF Door was designed to support 3-week lead times, 1-hour field installation, multiple t-slot mounting surfaces, and long-life non-contact sensors, said Mark Thurman, CEO of Dynatect. Dynamic motion and protection company Dynatect introduces the new Gortite VF Door included in a new line of Automated Machine Safety Doors. The Vertical Fabric door responds to the automation industrys need for machine guarding doors to keep hazardous processes such as robotic welding separate from people, equipment, and materials. This high-speed fabric roll-up door is intended for safe machine access and maximizing production time in automated manufacturing. The VF Door was designed to support 3-week lead times, 1-hour field installation, multiple t-slot mounting surfaces, and long-life non-contact sensors, said Mark Thurman, CEO of Dynatect. These attributes were all included in response to OEM machine builders and robotic integrators who asked for features they werent seeing in existing offerings. Conforming to OSHA guardrail requirements, the doors fabric curtain is retained in columns to minimize risk of falling through the closed door. The door comes standard with proximity switches that sense the end-travel for the door. Providing a physical and visible barrier, the door can be positioned closer to hazardous machines versus standalone light curtains. The result supports the trend toward a smaller work area footprint. Thurman added that Dynatect has drawn on 25 years of custom door production to develop standardized doors that are simple and reliable. Door actuation is triggered via the automation governing the guarded machine, has a standard speed of 44/second, can complete two cycles per minute, and is developed for more than 1 million cycles. Additional sensor options, including a traveling photo eye, can be included to sense obstruction to door travel. Dynatect also offers a safety interlock option which meets PLe/Cat-4 safety requirements when combined with appropriate machine logic and conformance to risk assessment. Automate 2017 attendees can visit Dynatects booth #1069 to see a working demonstration. Automate takes place in Chicagos McCormick Place on April 3-6th. The new Gortite VF Door is manufactured in New Berlin, Wisconsin and supported nationwide through a network of over 60 technical field sales representatives who can be found on the Dynatect website. More information including a summary brochure, can be found online at: http://info.dynatect.com/automated-machine-safety-door/ About Dynatect Dynatect delivers custom motion and protection for machines with deep application knowledge, diverse product offering, and a customer responsive sales philosophy. Dynatect provides engineering and manufacturing for custom applications which improve human-machine safety and machine uptime. Dynatect continues to build on its customer experience through improving service differentiation, expanding product portfolio, and reducing lead times. http://www.dynatect.com Douglas Erickson, FASHE, CHFM, HFDP, CHC, CEO of the FGI, states, This 100+ person committee of heath care experts is putting the final touches on the 2018 series of Guidelines and will be addressing the major changes and the philosophy behind them." Attendees to MED|Ed Facilities 2017 can attend new educational sessions produced and sponsored by the Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI), April 4+5,2017, at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston. The Facility Guidelines Institutes sessions at MED|Ed Facilities will focus on revisions coming to the 2018 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction. The 2018 Guidelines revision cycle will yield three Guidelines documentsone for hospitals, one for outpatient facilities, and one for residential health, care, and support facilities. FGI educational sessions include: Noise & Acoustics: Whats New in the 2018 FGI Guidelines Sterile Processing Department Design and HVAC Considerations The 2018 Guidelines: Major Revisions to Procedure, Operating, and Imaging Rooms A Sneak Preview of the 2018 Guidelines Are you Ready for Change? Improving Safety and Security in Health Care Facilities New FGI Guidelines Document Dedicated to Outpatient Facilities and more Complete descriptions and additional sessions are available at http://www.mededboston.com. MED/Eds exhibit area will provide opportunities for product manufacturers to display products to the design and construction professionals who attend the event. Douglas S. Erickson, FASHE, CHFM, HFDP, CHC, CEO of the Facility Guidelines Institute, states, FGI partners with numerous other organizations to develop the Guidelines and other practical, evidence-informed publications. Were excited about the opportunity to be an educational collaborator with MED|ED and to share with the attendees the latest thinking of FGIs Health Guidelines Revision Committee. This 100+ person committee of heath care experts is putting the final touches on the 2018 series of Guidelines and will be addressing the major changes and the philosophy behind them at this conference. The 2018 publications will be issued in late November 2017 and will be adopted by states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey in 2018. Richard Vendola, MED|Ed Facilities Boston Principal notes, To support our goal of delivering the highest quality educational programs for the design and construction professionals in the Northeast, we partnered with the premier experts on subject matter, and FGI is exactly that when it comes to standards for health care facilities. We are happy to be able to draw on FGIs knowledge and experience. About the Facility Guidelines Institute Founded in 1998, the Facility Guidelines Institute is a not-for-profit corporation founded to provide leadership and continuity to the Guidelines revision process. FGI functions as the coordinating entity for development of the Guidelines series of documents using a multidisciplinary, consensus-based process and for provision of ancillary services that encourage and improve their application and use. FGI invests revenue derived from sales of the Guidelines to fund research and the activities of the next revision cycle. About the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction Documents The FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction documents are updated every four years to keep pace with new concepts, capabilities, and technologies in the delivery of health care. The Guidelines documents are used by states to regulate health care facility design and construction, through adoption of the Guidelines as code, as a basis for state-written codes, as an adjunct to state codes, or for reference. About MED|Ed Facilities MED|Ed Facilities is produced in collaboration with Tradeshow Management Services Ltd. (TMS), a full-service tradeshow company specializing in conferences and tradeshows for the design, building and construction marketplace. TMS has been affiliated with leading events including AEC SYSTEMS, ArchitectureBoston Expo (ABX), Build Boston, Residential Design & Construction, Ecobuild America, Federal Construction Outlook Conference, BIM Expo, and Construction Technology. The event is held in cooperation with the Construction Specifications Institute Boston, USGBC-MA, FGI and Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD) # # #